Anadolu Efes Stumbles at Home Against Barcelona
In Round 5 of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague, Anadolu Efes lost 97-88 at home to Barcelona, marking their third defeat of the season. The game started with Barcelona’s sharp three-point shooting, establishing a 10-point lead (4-14) with early contributions from Punter. Anadolu Efes fought back with a 7-0 run, tying the game as Ercan Osmani’s consecutive three-pointers helped Efes briefly take the lead, 19-17, in the 7th minute. However, Barcelona closed the first quarter ahead, 29-26.
In the second quarter, the Spanish side extended their lead to six (29-35), but Anadolu Efes stayed close, eventually pulling ahead 44-43 with a three-pointer from Smits. Barcelona responded, heading into halftime with a 55-51 advantage.
Barcelona opened the third quarter with increased intensity, pushing their lead to double digits (53-63). Anadolu Efes struggled offensively and entered the final quarter trailing by ten (66-76).
Barcelona maintained control in the fourth quarter, capitalizing on Efes’ mistakes on both ends. Despite Anadolu Efes’ efforts to close the gap, Barcelona clinched the victory at 97-88.
THY EuroLeague Scores:
- Anadolu Efes: 88
- Barcelona: 97
- Venue: Basketball Development Center
Referees: Sasa Pukl (Slovenia), Uros Nikolic (Serbia), Steve Bittner (Germany)
Key Players:
- Anadolu Efes: Thompson 16, Nwora 13, Bryant 12, Poirier 10, Oturu 10
- Barcelona: Punter 20, Metu 21, Parker 13, Anderson 12
