Belgrade (Serbia), 21 May 2022 – One year after the triumph of Cologne, Anadolu Efes Istanbul returns to the top of Europe by winning the second Euroleague in its history. The formation of coach Ataman, after beating Olympiacos in the semifinals to the last breath thanks to Micic’s triple, she also imposed herself on Real Madrid for 58-57, at the end of a final that offered little in terms of entertainment but certainly not intensity and pathos. Real is left with the great regret of not being able to capitalize on what was done during the 40 ‘, in which the “Blancos” have long led by dominating in defense and on the front of the attacking rebounds (18 against the eleven of the’ Efes), however, without placing the winning shot also due to a bad evening in the three-point shot (18% against 25% of Efes). Winning shot that instead managed to place the Turks who, slyly, in the final 10 ‘put their head forward, being carried away by the games of Tibor Pleiss (17 points and 9 rebounds) e Vasilije Micic (author of 23 points and named MVP of the Final Four) who did not weigh the somewhat opaque evening of the “twin of the basket” Shane Larkin (10 points).
The race
With the rebounds of a dominant Tavares and the game in transition, Real tried to start strong (15-8), but when Larkin and Micic turned on the Efes immediately found the key to the problem and shortened the distance (15 -14) returning the match on the tracks of equilibrium until the “Merengues” have not tried tod accelerate with Randolph’s triples and Causeur’s plays (29-22), failing however to give a firm shoulder and finding himself at the long break with only five lengths of advantage (34-29). The tension for the stakes and the shooting errors were also the masters in the third fraction, in which he scored with the dropper: 11-8 the partial for Efes who thus entered the final 10 ‘of race on -2 (42-40). Prelude to the change of pace of the Turks who clung to Pleiss and Micic to sprint and put their heads forward (55-58 with 1 ‘from the end). Vain, on the overturning in front, Llull’s basket because then Real, who had only spent two fouls in 9 ‘, were no longer able to snatch possession from Efes who, although no longer scoring, raised the cup to the sky .
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