By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Anadolu Efes had the biggest motivation, plus a big night by Elijah Bryant and Vincent Poirier.
That was enough for the 89-68 win over Virtus Segafredo Bologna that gave Efes a 14-14 record and a tie with Real Madrid in the 11th spot of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague standings.
Elijah Bryant, with 21 points and five made threes, was the top scorer of the winning side. Vincent Poirier had a big game with 18 points and 13 rebounds, while Shane Larkin added 12 points.
“We were all on the same page, everyone played with their heart on the court. We played very intensively and did our best as a team. I knew that I had to step up and dominate the game today, every game is a final for us now. There is pressure on us, and I love it. I hope we continue to play like this“, Poirier said after the match.
Toko Shengelia scored 17 points for disappointed Virtus, which couldn’t keep up with the hosts despite leading at halftime.
The Italians remain near the bottom of the standings with a 7-21 record.
Efes dominating the second half
The score was tied at the end of the first period (24-24), and Virtus led by three at halftime (42-39), with Bryant trimming their lead with a buzzer-beating three.
However, things changed in the third quarter. Virtus scored just 10 points in 10 minutes and Efes entered the last period leading by nine (61-52).
PJ Dojier extended the lead to 12 (64-52) with a three, and Efes never looked back after that.
Bryant and Poirier were ungardable, and when all was said and done, Virtus lost by 21 points.
“In the second half, we were a completely different team. We played much more aggressively in defense and controlled the paint well. In the last 20 minutes of the game, we played good and physical defense. Thanks to our defense, we found rhythm in offense and played our game. Bologna was very good in the first half, they dictated the game with their aggression, but throughout the game, we gradually improved our basketball,” Anadolu Efes head coach, Luca Banchi, said at the postgame press conference.
Photo credit: Anadolu Efes