The key facts

  • Anadolu Efes beat Beşiktaş 89:80 in Round 7 of the EuroLeague
  • Cameron Payne scored a EuroLeague career-high 22 points
  • After the round, both teams have 3 wins and 4 losses

Efes win the Turkish derby

Anadolu Efes beat their Istanbul rivals Beşiktaş 89:80 on their home court in a Round 7 game of the EuroLeague on Thursday. Cameron Payne was the best for the hosts, scoring a EuroLeague career-high 22 points, while Colin Malcolm added 15 points — all in the first half. For Beşiktaş, Eugene Omoruyi scored 16 points and Jaylen Nowell 14. Team newcomer Lonnie Walker IV made his debut for Beşiktaş, scoring 5 points.

Course of the game

The hosts started the game strongly and led 18:9 by the middle of the first quarter. Beşiktaş briefly cut the deficit to three points (20:17), but Efes responded and finished the period 29:17. Early in the second quarter, the 'black eagles' got within five points (35:30), but Efes seized control again, extended the lead to 21 points and went into halftime 57:36.

Beşiktaş's comeback attempts

After the break, Beşiktaş opened the third quarter with a 10:0 run and cut the gap to seven points (65:58) with a minute and a half left in the quarter. Efes still entered the final quarter 68:60 and pulled away again, extending the lead to 17 points (81:64). The visitors made one more late spurt, cutting the deficit to 85:77 with just over a minute left, but the hosts held on to win — 89:80.

Context

Payne joined Efes after Mike James was ruled out for the rest of the season with an ACL tear. The win improved Anadolu Efes's record to 3 wins and 4 losses, while Beşiktaş, with the same 3-4 record, suffered the defeat.