By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Anadolu Efes has been unstoppable in both the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague and Turkey’s BSL since early November. The defending champions of both competitions secured the eighth win in a row rolling Aliaga Petkim Spor, 92-82, Tuesday.
Serbian Filip Petrusev, 2021 draft pick by the Philadelphia 76ers, posted a 19-point, 12-rebound double-double. Elijah Bryant followed with 14 points, while Vasilije Micic and Krunoslav Simon added 13 points apiece. Adrien Moerman completed the double-digit scoring pack with 11 points to his name.
The team coached by Ergin Ataman opened a double-digit lead in the second quarter and comfortably kept its distance after the break. Shane Larkin, Rodrigue Beaubois, Chris Singleton, Dogus Balbay, Tibor Pleiss, James Anderson, and Bryant Dunston all sat out the BSL Regular Season Round 10 contest.
Puerto Rican Gary Browne banked in a game-high 21 points as the hosts were forced down to 1-9. Malcolm Thomas had 18 points.
The fifth straight domestic win lands Efes at 8-2, half a game behind leader Fenerbahce Beko. The team led by Sasha Djordjevic will be looking to jump to 9-1 instead of falling into a three-way tie in first place with the fellow Istanbul club and visiting Pinar Karsiyaka later today (18:15 CET).
The EuroLeague streak has improved Efes to 6-6, good enough for tenth in the standings ahead of the big home game versus FC Barcelona coming up Friday. The ACB powerhouse is set to arrive in Istanbul sitting at 10-2 and sharing the lead in Europe’s premier club continental competition with archrival Real Madrid.