By Eurohoops Team/ info@eurohoops.net
With both Turkish sides completing their stay in Antalya, Anadolu Efes came back from a four-point deficit at the end of the third quarter to defeat Tofas, 94-87, Tuesday.
Among numerous new faces for the team based in Istanbul, Darius Thompson paved the way with 22 points, including 17 in the first half of the prep game held in Gloria Sports Arena. The leading player in assists through the 2022-23 season of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague also dished out six dimes. Rodrigue Beaubois added 17 points, while Tibor Pleiss and Elijah Bryant had 13 points each.
For the Basketball Champions League outfit, Austin Wiley tallied 20 points and Omar Prewitt followed with 16 points. Caleb Homesley combined 11 points with a game-high eight assists. J. J. O’Brien was ruled out for the game.
More friendly action
Efes will continue the series of prep games through the TUBAD Tournament to be held in Beldibi. The team coached by Erdem Can will face Pinar Karsiyaka on Thursday and CSKA on Friday, and stay in the city of southern Turkiye to take on Besiktas Emlakjet on Sunday. Traveling to Athens at the end of next week, it will participate in the 5th Pavlos Giannakopoulos Tournament alongside host Panathinaikos and FC Bayern Munich.
Switching to official action, Can’s side will jump into the 2023-24 edition of Turkiye Sigorta Basketbol Super Ligi on September 29 and follow up with the Round 1 visit to FC Barcelona to open the new EuroLeague season on October 5.
Photo Credit: Anadolu Efes SK Twitter