Anadolu Efes Crowned EuroLeague Champions in Thrilling Back-to-Back Victory

Anadolu Efes Istanbul secured their place in EuroLeague history by clinching the 2021-2022 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague title, defeating Real Madrid 58-57 in a nail-biting final held in Belgrade. This victory marks their second consecutive EuroLeague championship, solidifying their dominance in European club basketball. Earlier in the day, FC Barcelona Bàsquet triumphed over Olympiacos Piraeus with an 84-74 score to claim third place in the prestigious tournament.

The EuroLeague final saw Anadolu Efes begin with a starting lineup featuring Vasilije Micic, Shane Larkin, James Anderson, Adrien Moerman, and Tibor Pleiss. Real Madrid countered with Alberto Abalde, Adam Hanga, Gabriel Deck, Guerschon Yabusele, and Walter Tavares.

Real Madrid asserted early dominance, particularly through the commanding presence of center Walter Tavares. His impactful performance helped the Spanish side establish a lead, concluding the first quarter at 15-14. Tavares’ individual statistics in the opening quarter were remarkable, amassing 12 points and 7 rebounds.

Anadolu Efes fought to stay competitive in the second quarter, relying on the offensive prowess of Vasilije Micic. Micic had been instrumental in their Final Four journey, notably sinking a game-winning three-pointer against Olympiacos in the semi-final.

Real Madrid maintained their advantage, heading into halftime with a 34-29 lead. At the half, key scorers were Micic with 13 points for Anadolu Efes and Tavares leading Real Madrid with 12 points.

Anadolu Efes rallied in the third quarter, narrowing the gap and re-entering contention. Real Madrid narrowly led 42-40 as the quarter concluded. By this point, Micic had accumulated 17 points, while Tavares had 13. Towards the end of the third quarter, both James Anderson and Vincent Poirier were called for unsportsmanlike fouls, adding to the tension.

Anadolu Efes surged ahead at the start of the fourth quarter, sparked by a three-pointer from Micic. They also benefited from scoring contributions from Tibor Pleiss. The final minutes of the game were intensely contested, with momentum swinging back and forth.

In the dying seconds, following a missed three-point attempt by Larkin, Chris Singleton grabbed a critical offensive rebound, effectively sealing the EuroLeague championship for Anadolu Efes.

Anadolu Efes triumphed over Real Madrid 58-57, securing their second consecutive EuroLeague title and etching their name among the elite EuroLeague champions.

Vasilije Micic’s stellar performance throughout the final, culminating in 23 points, earned him the prestigious Final Four MVP award. His consistent scoring and leadership were pivotal to Anadolu Efes’ championship run.

Coach Ergin Ataman Dedicates EuroLeague Title to Turkish Fans

In a passionate post-game interview broadcast internationally, Anadolu Efes Head Coach Ergin Ataman addressed the Turkish audience directly in Turkish, stating:

“This is history! We are back-to-back champions! I will speak in Turkish now. I am so proud of this team… This championship is a gift to all Turkish people who support us wholeheartedly. We are the greatest. We declared, ‘We will be champions,’ and we delivered. We have made history. This is for the Turkish people!”

Anadolu Efes Joins Exclusive Club of Back-to-Back EuroLeague Winners

Anadolu Efes now stands as only the third team in EuroLeague history to achieve back-to-back championships. This places them in esteemed company with Maccabi Tel Aviv (2004 and 2005) and Olympiacos Piraeus (2012 and 2013), further cementing their legacy in European basketball.