Sports Writing, 22 Mar Serbian Vasilije Micic rescued Anadolu Efes to win 93-90 against Real Madrid who dominated the scoreboard for 38 minutes of the match. Micic, with 29 points, and Adrien Moermann, with 18, kept their team and countered the great match of Real Madrid in general and Gabriel Deck, 23 points, and Guerschon Yabusele, 20, in particular. Real Madrid became aware of the importance of the match, more because of the sensations than because of the classification, and Pablo Laso, coach of the Spanish team, won Ergin Ataman's tactical hand with defensive changes in all blocks regardless of height mismatches. This circumstance, together with the academicism of Real Madrid in attack, looking for simple things, dislocated an Efes in which only Vasilije Micic was able to score reliably, despite the fact that he took three sovereign blocks in the first half. Real Madrid dominated the game and the score thanks to defense and rebound, and although they reached 7 points ahead in the first quarter, 12-19 (m.7.10), they closed the first act with just 2, 19-21, with good minutes from Vincent Poirier and Guerschon Yabusele. In the second quarter, two almost straight three-pointers by Rudy Fernández threw the Spanish team back on the scoreboard, 21-29 (m.12.10). Poirier and Rudy led the team in defense and Yabusele and Gabriel Deck joined in the scoring to reach a maximum difference of 13 points, 31-44 (m.15.20). Real Madrid suddenly stopped and Anadolu, with Rodrigue Beaubois, Micic and the work of Bryant Dunston, scored an 11-0 run in the next 3 minutes, to 42-44 (m.18.15). When things were worse for Real Madrid, a three-pointer from Yabusele gave him the peace of mind needed to reach halftime again with a considerable advantage, 44-51, thanks also to a single loss of ball in the first twenty minutes. After passing through the locker room, Real Madrid remained faithful to the match plan with changes in all blocks and direct attacks, trying to find superiority in the low post and with well-worked shots. As a result of all this, the Spanish team returned to a dozen points ahead, 48-60 (m.23.40), with an Efes lost at times but with really impressive shooting power. Real Madrid grabbed Adam Hanga and Efes to Adrien Moermann in the give-and-take of those moments of the match, 59-67 (m.26.15). Shane Larkin, disabled in the first half, began to gain weight in the game, but two three-pointers in a row by Yabusele gave life to Real Madrid, 67-73 (m.28.40). At the end of the third quarter, with Hanga scoring his second triple of three attempts, 72-79. Thomas Heurtel attacked Larkin's defense early in the fourth quarter, but the Turkish team, with Moermann's three-pointers, grabbed the match and narrowed the score again, 80-84 (m.33). With six minutes to go, Micic brought Efes closer to a single point, 85-86. And soon after the Serbian point guard, with a three-pointer, put the tie on the scoreboard, 88-88 (m.36). Micic and Larkin threw two three-pointers to lead Efes for the first time in the match, but it was Elijah Bryant who got it with a shot from 6.75 meters, 91-90, with 2 minutes left to go. A loss by Deck and one against Micic raised the rent to 93-90, a score that reached the last 9.6 seconds with possession for the Spanish team. Rudy had a bad shot to reach extra time but didn't go in. Anadolu Efes were only ahead on the scoreboard in the last two minutes. - Technical sheet: 93 - Anadolu Efes (19+25+28+21): Larkin (12), Micic (29), Moermann (18), Anderson (5) and Pleiss (11) -initial team-, Bryant (3), Dunston (8), Beaubois (5) and Simon (2). 90 - Real Madrid (21+30+28+11): Williams-Goss (9), Hanga (14), Deck (23), Yabusele (20) and Tavares (5) -starting team-, Randolph, Poirier (8), Heurtel (5), Rudy Fernández (6) and Thompkins. Referees: Borys Ryzhyk (UKR), Uros Nikolic (SRB) and Damir Javor (ESL). No deletions. Incidents: Match corresponding to the thirty-first day of the Euroleague played at the Sinan Erdem Pavilion in Istanbul in front of 15,500 spectators. CHIEF moli/ism (photo)
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