Anadolu Efes Men’s Basketball Team defeated Germany’s ALBA Berlin 87-77 in the 33rd week of the THY Europa League and secured their place in the play-offs.
Starting the game well, ALBA Berlin went ahead 16-4 in the 6th minute with the baskets they found with Da Silva, Thiemann and Smith. Recovering with Simon and Pleiss’s baskets, Anadolu Efes tried to close the gap, and the visiting team was ahead 24-16 in the first period.
Starting the second quarter with the baskets scored by Maodo Lo and Mattisseck from outside shots, ALBA Berlin increased the lead to 15 points (19-34) in the 12th minute. Anadolu Efes then scored top baskets with Larkin, Moerman and Anderson, and equalized the score in the 19th minute: 36-36. The visiting team went ahead 39-36 into the locker room with Mattisseck’s three-pointer in the last minute of the period.
Anadolu Efes, who scored with organized attacks in the first part of the second half of the match, took the lead 54-52 in the 26th minute. The dark blue-white team continued to score with Bryant and Larkin, leading 62-57 in the last quarter.
While the teams found baskets against each other in the last period, Anadolu Efes was ahead 78-73 in the last two minutes with Larkin’s effective performance. Continuing their superior struggle in the remaining time, the dark blue-white team won the match 87-77 and secured their place in the play-offs.