Anadolu Efes extended its EuroLeague playoff run by leveling the best-of-five series against Panathinaikos with an 85-82 victory in Istanbul on Thursday night.
The win forces a decisive Game 5 in Athens next Tuesday, as Efes denied the reigning champions a chance to wrap up the series on the road.
Elijah Bryant spearheaded the Turkish side’s offense with 19 points, while Rolands Smits came off the bench to contribute 15 on 6-of-8 shooting.
Ercan Osmani added 14 points, and Shane Larkin recorded a double-threat performance with 9 points and 9 assists in 31 minutes.
Cedi Osman, who began his professional career with Efes, paced Panathinaikos with 22 points on 9-of-17 from the field, matching his EuroLeague career-high.
Juancho Hernangomez tallied 15 points and 7 rebounds for the visitors, and Kostas Sloukas added 14 points and 6 assists, but it wasn’t enough to close out the series.
Efes responded to an early 4-9 deficit with a 9-0 run fueled by Erkan Yilmaz, who scored 5 of the team’s first 10 points.
The hosts ended the first quarter ahead 21-18 and leaned on tight perimeter defense to carry a 38-33 advantage into halftime.
Reigning MVP Kendrick Nunn struggled again for Panathinaikos, finishing with 12 points on 3-of-12 shooting and scoring just three in the first half—all from the foul line.
The momentum swung in the third quarter as Efes built a 45-35 lead, only for Panathinaikos to respond with a 10-0 surge that tied the game.
Bryant and Hernangomez exchanged clutch buckets, while Larkin and Sloukas orchestrated the playmaking duties for their respective teams.
Smits delivered in crunch time with key baskets, and PJ Dozier’s free throws extended Efes’ lead to 83-76 following a pivotal offensive rebound and technical foul on Osman.
Panathinaikos coach Ergin Ataman was visibly frustrated in the final minute and exited to the locker room after heated interactions with the crowd.
A long-range buzzer-beater by Sloukas trimmed the final margin, but it had no impact on the outcome as Efes secured a narrow win in front of its home fans.
Game 5 will determine which team advances to the EuroLeague Final Four, with the winner moving on to Berlin.
