Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade delivered its most complete road performance of the season on Friday, overpowering Anadolu Efes Istanbul 87–65 at the Turkcell Basketball Development Center. The result ended Zvezda’s long wait for a win in Istanbul and halted Efes’ nine-game head-to-head winning streak.
The timing mattered for the Belgrade side, which had closed 2025 with a heavy road loss at Paris Basketball and had won just once away from home since Round 8. Sasa Obradovic’s group entered Turkiye needing both a response and a reset, and it delivered on both ends of the floor.
Jordan Nwora stood at the center of that response against his former club. The 27-year-old forward, who spent the 2024–25 season with Efes before moving to Belgrade last summer, changed the game moments after checking in late in the first quarter.
With the hosts leading 6–3 and Zvezda struggling to find rhythm, Nwora sparked an immediate 11–0 run. He scored nine points in the opening quarter and added five more before halftime as the visitors seized control and never looked back.
Nwora finished with a game-high 24 points in just over 26 minutes. He shot 9-of-12 from the field, buried 5-of-7 attempts from three-point range, and added five rebounds and two steals in a highly efficient outing.
While the scoring stood out, Zvezda’s defense set the foundation. The visitors held Efes to just 15 points in the first half, forced 19 turnovers, and recorded eight steals, effectively breaking the game open before the break.
The Serbian side also shared the ball at a high level, finishing with 28 assists on 34 made field goals. Chima Moneke added 16 points and eight rebounds, while Semi Ojeleye and Ebuka Izundu combined for 22 points off the bench.
For Efes, Rodrigue Beaubois led the scoring with 17 points, but the Turkish club struggled from the perimeter, shooting just 4-of-26 from three-point range. The loss dropped Pablo Laso’s team to 6–13 in the EuroLeague standings.
The win lifted Zvezda to 11–8, keeping it inside the playoff positions with a demanding double-round week ahead. Belgrade will host Valencia Basket next Tuesday, while Efes returns home to face Paris Basketball on Wednesday.
