By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
In the coming out party of Marko Arapovic who had 16 points, Cedevita Zagreb got the big win over Anadolu Efes (84-80) and now the two teams are tied at 2-2 in their group standings. Miro Bilan added 16 points, Fran Pilepic scored 12 crucial points and Jacob Pullen had 11 points and the biggest shot of the game.
The first half was a total Croatian affair. The two teams were tied at 47 after 20 minutes of action. The hosts were led by their center, Bilan scored all of his 16 points in the first two periods, while Dario Saric was the only scorer of Anadolu Efes in double digits with 11 points.
Things changed at the start of the third. Young gun Marko Arapovic reached 13 points on 6/6 two pointers, while Cedevita had a 16-3 run and got a 63-50 lead. Saric once again tried to get things right and Anadolu Efes managed to make it a six points game (64-59) at the end of the quarter.
Just two minutes later, everything started all over again from point zero. The score was tied at 67 thanks to a three by Derrick Brown (17 p.). Both opponents were trading big shot after big shot and Thomas Heurtel with his first three pointer after four failed attempts gave to Anadolu Efes the 78-77 lead with 3.33” left on the clock. Cedevita answered (80-78) thanks to Arapovic and Efes lost four chances to score with Saric, Heurtel, Jon Diebler and Jayson Granger missing.
Pullen on the other hand wasn’t so kind and gave to Cedevita a four points lead (82-78), just 10 seconds before the final buzzer. The game ended with both teams going to the free throws line. Efes had 2/4, Fran Pilepic made 2/2 for Cedevita and secured the win.