Baskonia slow down their reaction in Istanbul
MADRID, 14 Dic. (EUROPA PRESS) –
Bitci Baskonia fell defeated this Tuesday (87-72) during their visit to Anadolu Efes, the reigning Euroleague champions, and saw their good streak of three consecutive victories halted in a match where they had more options than reflected in the final score .
Neven Spahija’s team did not start the ‘mini-tour’ in Turkey with good sense, but they did offer good feelings during much of the match. However, the local push in the decisive moments, their lively audience and the talent of Vasilije Micic (24 points) and Shane Larkin (16) ended up condemning the Basque team.
Precisely the latter, the Ohio player was the one who led the good start of Efes. A lot of inside play and good defense served to intimidate the Baskonians. However, Jayson Granger’s trade and a commendable response stopped any attempt at an ‘easy game’ for the home team. The 8-16 changed the plans of the Turkish team.
Pleiss, another former Baskonia player, also began to tune in and balanced the scales shortly before halftime. What’s more, the Ottomans managed to line up the locker room entrance with a rental point (43-42). The game was in full swing, but with Efes more grown and showing their unquestionable confidence. If it wasn’t the first try, it happened on the rebound.
Simone Fontecchio and Granger himself raised the level again, found the rival rim and left a 68-62 that gave some hope at the end of the third round. It was in the last quarter when Ergin Ataman’s pupils definitively fastened the victory with an exquisite stretch on the outside shot and a 21-10 run.
The visit to Sinan Erdem Spor Salonu ended with a painful score and with Granger replaced by a blow to the shoulder. That was the worst news for a Baskonia whose defeat against the champion could enter into their plans. On Thursday he visits Fenerbahce to try to continue to take flight and leave the penultimate position of the Euroleague.
DATASHEET.
–RESULTAD: ANADOLU EFES, 87 – BITCI BASKONIA, 72.
–EQUIPMENT.
ANADOLU EFES: Larkin (16), Beaubois (7), Bryant (2), Moerman (15) y Dunston (-) –quinteto inicial–; Simon (-), Pleiss (17), Micic (24), Anderson (-), Singleton (-) y Petrusev (6).
BITCI BASKONIA: Granger (17), Baldwin IV (10), Sedekerskis (8), Giedraitis (5) and Enoch (5) -initial quintet-; Peters (9), Fontecchio (17), Costello (-), Nnoko (1) and Kurucs (-).
– PARTIALS: 13-21, 30-21, 23-20, 21-10.
– REFEREES: Pukl, Panther and Kowalski. Without eliminated.
–PABELLÓN: Sinan Erdem Sports Hall. 9,617 espectadores.