By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
With less than three minutes left, Fenerbahce trailed by three (73-70), and everyone expected a big finale. It never materialized. Bryant Dunston with three points and Krunoslav Simon with a three made the score 79-70 for Anadolu Efes and sealed the deal.
Kostas Sloukas with two free throws and Nando De Colo with an uncontested layup in the closing seconds couldn’t change much as Efes won the game (79-74) and the “Presidential cup” in the first rematch of last season’s Turkish league finals.
Efes built a 64-52 lead in the third period and Fenerbahce despite its missing stars managed to get back in the game. Still, the team of coach Ergin Ataman had the answers in the end. Simon with 22 points in total, Vasilje Micic with 16 and nine assists and Dunston with 15 points led the charge for the winning side.
Fenerbahce which is still missing Jan Vesely, Joffrey Lauvergne and Gigi Datome played practically with eight players and got just four points from Nando De Colo in his first game with his new team. Derrick Williams with 16 points, tried his best but it was not enough.
It has to be noted that also Efes had a short rotation. Shane Larkin and new addition Chris Singleton weren’t used due to the Turkish league rules, but last season’s core was in a much better condition compared to Fenerbahce’s stars. Plus newcomer Alec Peters added 12 crucial points.