By Eurohoops team/info@eurohoops.net
Marko Guduric and Tarik Biberovic with 17 points each led the charge as Fenerbahce returned to win in style by beating Anadolu Efes 84-76.
It was the first win for coach Sarunas Jasikevicius’ unit after three defeats and one postponed game with fellow contender Paris.
“We struggled lately, and we needed to come out and defend our home court”, admitted Guduric before adding: “I think defensively we were good and it’s good to start the new year with a win”.
Fenerbahce now has an 11-7 record, still on course to finish among the top four teams of the standings, while Efes dropped to 10-9, still among the playoffs contenders.
Elijah Bryant with 16 points and Shane Larkin with 15 tried their best for the losing side. Fenerbahce was missing Wade Baldwin and Artur Zagars in the backcourt, but Efes couldn’t take advantage of this.
Fenerbahce closing the game the right way
The first half was balanced. The first period ended up tied at 24 and the halftime score was 43-40 for Fenerbahce after a three at the buzzer by Dyshawn Pierre who returned from injury.
Shane Larkin with 10 points was the only scorer in double digits and everything was still possible.
Nothing changed for most of a hard-fought third period until Nigel Hayes-Davis gave Fenerbahce a 58-52 lead, the largest of the game up to that point, with two minutes left in the quarter.
Skylar Mays extended the lead to eight points (64-56) at the end of the quarter as the hosts by tooth and claw created some distance. Fenerbahce led even by nine (65-56) at the start of the fourth, and Elijah Bryant answered back with four straight points (65-60) making things interesting.
However, Fenerbahce had their own 6-0 run (71-60) entering the last five minutes and Efes couldn’t get into sticking distance again. On the contrary, Fenerbahce extended the lead to 14 points (76-62) and the game was over.
Saras on the Errick McCollum report
Asked about the reported signing of veteran guard Errick McCollum by Fenerbahce, coach Jasikevicius neither confirmed nor denied the addition.
“If I have to respond to every rumor that you guys put, do you understand how many press conferences I will need to sit here?” Saras said. “If there’s something official we will tell you.”
Photo credit: EuroLeague