By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
The final eight of Turkish cup ended with one of the underdogs, Ufuk Sarica’s Karsiyaka, beating by a point (66-65) Anadolu Efes and winning its first ever trophy. It was a game decided in the last second from the free throws line.
Zoran Planinic tied the score at 65-65 for Efes with 18 seconds left by making three free throws after getting fouled on a three point shot. Karsiyaka had the last possession and almost in the last second Bobby Dixon drove to the basket, also got fouled and with 1/2 free throws he gave the win to his team.
Coach Sarica during his playing days was one of the stars of Anadolu Efes from 1992 until 1999 and in 1996 he won with Efes the Korac Cup, the first major continental title for a Turkish basketball club. As he said after Karsiyaka’s triumph: “We deserved this cup”.