Anadolu Efes defeated Real Madrid 94-84 in Istanbul on Tuesday to claim their first Euroleague victory of the season.
The Turkish side broke open a tight contest in the second quarter, pulling away with a 25-10 run to build a half-time lead they would not relinquish, leaving the Spanish giants winless after the opening two rounds.
American guard PJ Dozier led the scoring for Anadolu Efes with 18 points, providing consistent perimeter scoring as the hosts recovered from an early deficit. Argentine point guard Facundo Campazzo stood out for Real Madrid, scoring 16 points as the visiting team attempted to mount a second-half comeback.
Real Madrid edged ahead in a high-scoring opening period, taking a 29-27 lead after ten minutes of play. Anadolu Efes took complete control in the second quarter, dominating at both ends of the floor to enter the interval leading 53-41. Although the Spanish side narrowed the gap to 72-65 by the end of the third period, Efes held firm during the final quarter. Real Madrid produced a late surge to cut the deficit to four points at 84-80 in the 37th minute, but the hosts scored ten of the final 14 points to seal the 94-84 win.
Second-Quarter Surge Secures Laso First Victory
The result marked the first continental win for Anadolu Efes head coach Pablo Laso since taking charge of the Istanbul club. Laso, who previously spent eleven seasons as head coach of Real Madrid and won two Euroleague championships with the Spanish club, guided his team to a disciplined performance against his former employer. Among the spectators at the arena was Panathinaikos head coach Ergin Ataman, the former Anadolu Efes playcaller who won consecutive Euroleague titles with Efes and received a warm ovation from the local supporters during the match.
Anadolu Efes are two-time Euroleague champions based in Istanbul, having captured back-to-back continental trophies in 2021 and 2022. Real Madrid remain the most successful club in European basketball history with eleven Euroleague titles to their name. The defeat leaves Madrid with a 0-2 record at the start of the regular season, following an opening-round loss to Dubai BC.
Olympiacos Win in Kaunas as Dubai Beat Barcelona
In other Round 2 Euroleague fixtures played on Tuesday, Dubai BC continued their strong start to their maiden Euroleague campaign by defeating Barcelona 94-87 in the United Arab Emirates to move to 2-0. The expansion club had previously defeated Real Madrid in their opening fixture. Olympiacos also maintained a perfect record, securing a narrow 93-91 away victory against Zalgiris Kaunas at the Zalgirio Arena in Lithuania.
Four-time NBA champion Shaquille O'Neal watched the action live in Kaunas as Olympiacos held off a late surge from the home team. Following the game, Olympiacos guard Evan Fournier said that the team was playing at a faster pace but needed to focus more attention on their defensive organization. Olympiacos head coach Georgios Bartzokas stated that winning away in Kaunas is never easy, adding that his team showed patience in the closing minutes and earned a deserved result.
Partizan Win in Paris as Euroleague Round 2 Continues
Elsewhere on Tuesday evening, Partizan Belgrade claimed a major away victory against Paris Basketball in France, winning 94-87. The Tuesday schedule also featured several night matches across the continent, including Fenerbahce hosting Bayern Munich, Red Star Belgrade facing Hapoel Tel Aviv, Valencia playing Baskonia in an all-Spanish matchup, and Armani Milan taking on Virtus Bologna in an all-Italian derby.
Round 2 of the Euroleague concludes on Wednesday, 30 September, with Maccabi Tel Aviv hosting Besiktas and Greek champions Panathinaikos taking on French side Villeurbanne. Away from Euroleague action, Greek side Aris opened their EuroCup campaign under head coach Vassilis Spanoulis with an 87-74 victory away against French club Le Mans. Meanwhile, Panathinaikos center Mathias Lessort was surprised with a birthday cake during his team's training session ahead of their midweek fixture.
