By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
In a late-thriller in Istanbul, Darius Saric’s two-pointer and Bryant Dunston‘s block gave Anadolu Efes the big win over Crvena Zvezda at home (85-84) in top-16’s opening game. Maik Zirbes’ tremendous performance (22 points, 12 rebounds) had brought the Serbians a step away from a big triumph, but the visitors came up short at the end.
For the winners, Dunston had 21 points, as three more players scored in double figures. On the other hand, Quincy Miller had 12 points and six rebounds for the losing squad, with Stefan Jovic adding eight points and 11 assists.
In the beginning, Anadolu Efes managed to take control of the game (9-5, 15-9), but the visitors responded immediately. Crvena Zvezda enhanced their overall performance, made a 2-9 run and were in front by one point (17-18), however the hosts regained their lead at the end of the first quarter (25-23). Later, though, things changed. The Serbians played very well on both ends of the floor and earned a significant advantage (28-33, 30-39), only for the hosts to fight back, make an 8-0 run and cut the deficit to just one point (38-39). However, the visitors exploded, made a 6-15 run of their own and closed the first half in front by 10 (44-54), outscoring their opponents 19-31.
In the third quarter, the Turks continued to play very badly both offensively and defensively, with the Serbians easily retaining their double-digit advantage (49-60, 55-70), as Crvena Zvezda had an 11-point lead, after 30 minutes in the game (61-72). In the last quarter, Anadolu Efes made a great start and quickly cut the deficit to just two points, behind a 9-0 run (70-72). The match continued to be close, as Dusan Ivkovic’s team tied the game, with two minutes to go (81-81). The visitors tried to stand tall, but Saric’s two-pointer gave the Turks a big victory in a crazy game in Istanbul.