Anadolu Efes lost 73-66 away to Italian team AX Armani Exchange Milan in the second match of the THY Europa League play-off quarter-finals series.
With this result, AX Armani Exchange Milan drew 1-1 in the series. The third match of the series between the two teams will be played on Tuesday, April 26 at Sinan Erdem Sports Hall.
Anadolu Efes, which was effective under the basket with Dunston, got a 10-4 advantage in the 5th minute. The dark blue-white team, which could not prevent Rodriguez’s 11 points in the first 10 minutes, finished the first period behind 19-17.
There was great contention in the second period of the match and it was a draw 27-27 in the 16th minute. Anadolu Efes dominated 33-28 with 2 minutes 49 seconds left in the first half. While the guest team could not score in the remaining part, the representative of Italy managed to balance the game and went to the locker room with a 33-33 draw with Shield’s basket at the last second.
Missing two consecutive outside shots with Larkin at the beginning of the second half, Anadolu Efes had a hard time stopping Shields, the ineffective player of the first half, and fell back 42-35 in the 24th minute. AX Armani Exchange Milan scored three-pointers with Rodriguez and scored another goal from the outside with Ricci and increased the lead to 10 points (53-43) in the 28th minute. Playing good defense in the remaining time, Anadolu Efes caught a 9-0 series with Micic’s baskets and reduced the lead to one point at the end of the third quarter: 53-52.
Even though Anadolu Efes could not score in the first 3.5 minutes of the last quarter, with its good defense, it did not let its opponent dominate, and it was a 55-55 draw in the 34th minute. In the last 2 minutes of the match, both teams struggled for supremacy. In the last section, where mutual three-pointer attempts were made, the Italian representative got the upper hand 69-66 with 48 seconds left with Shields’s basket. Anadolu Efes, who made forced shots, could not overcome their opponent’s blocks and lost the match 73-66.