Alimpijević’s Bešiktaš falls 95:81 to Efes in Türkiye — Šarić shines ahead of the Zvezda clash

Efes’s basketball players started the new season well in the Turkish championship, beating 95:81 Bešiktaš, coached by Serbian coach Dušan Alimpijević, in the first-round game, as Nova.rs reports. The Istanbul derby set the tone for the new edition, with the hosts showing more freshness and depth in the lineup from the opening minutes.

The quarter scores were 20:16, 26:21, 29:22, 20:22. Efes controlled the game almost throughout, especially in the second half, when it stretched the lead to double digits and deservedly won without drama. Bešiktaš tried to react in the final quarter, but the comeback came too late to change the course of the game.

The best for the winners was Dario Šarić with 16 points and four rebounds, while Mike James added 11 points and six assists. For Bešiktaš, Anthony Brown scored 13 points, while Ante Žižić added 12 points and five rebounds, but their contribution was not enough against the stronger Efes collective.

This was the second straight defeat for Alimpijević’s team, which next travels to face Maccabi in Tel Aviv. Efes, after hosting Real Madrid, comes on Thursday as a guest of Crvena zvezda in the third round of the EuroLeague — a clash awaited with particular interest after the form shown in the championship.