Brown, Heurtel lead Efes past Limoges

Anadolu Efes Istanbul stopped its three-game losing streak in Group B by downing Limoges CSP 92-74 at home on Friday. Efes improved to 3-3, while Limoges dropped to 2-4. Derrick Brown led the winners with 21 points, Thomas Heurtel added 20, Bryant Dunston posted a double-double of 12 points and 11 rebounds, Jon Diebler also scored 12 points on 4-of-5 three-point shooting and Dario Saric netted 10 points for Efes. Yakhouba Diawara led Limoges with 17 points, Will Daniels and Ali Traore each scored 12 and Leo Westermann added 11 for the guests. Heurtel struck twice from downtown early to help Efes to a 12-5 start. Matt Gatens and Traore kept Limoges within 25-20 after 10 minutes. A three-pointer by Gatens brought Limoges within 31-29, but Brown and Heurtel fueled a 15-0 run that broke the game open and allowed the hosts to take a 51-35 halftime advantage. Nothing changed after the break, as Efes held a 70-57 lead through three quarters and blocked Limoges's comeback attempts.

First quarter: Heurtel puts Efes in charge

Heurtel got Efes going with a stop-and-pop jumper and soon added a three-pointer for a 5-0 lead. Yakhouba Diawara answered from downtown and erased Derrick Brown's put-back dunk with a big basket to make it 7-5. Heurtel fired in another one from beyond the arc, which Brown followed with his trademark jumper off the dribble to give Efes a 7-point lead. Heiko Schaffartzik joined the three-point shootout, before Bryant Dunston ignited the crowd with a monster dunk. A jump hook by Ali Traore kept Limoges within 14-10. Heurtel stayed unstoppable with a one-handed floater, which Cedi Osman followed with a mid-range jumper that boosted the hosts' lead to 18-10. Traore took over with a put-back jump hook. Dario Saric scored down low, but and back-to-back three-pointer by Matt Gatens brought Limoges closer, 20-18. Jayson Granger shined with a big triple and Saric buried a baseline jumper, but a fast break layup by Leo Westermann fixed the score at 25-20 after 10 minutes.

Second quarter: Hosts take control with 15-0 run

Saric kept pacing Efes with a driving layup early in the quarter. After Frejus Zerbo downed a mid-range jumper, Granger fed Alex Tyus for a backdoor layup. Will Daniels found his first points to keep Limoges within 5. After Daniels hit free throws, Granger banked in a running shot. Another three-pointer by Gatens gave the guests hope at 31-29. Furkan Korkmaz shined with a one-handed floater off the baseline and free throws by Saric gave Efes fresh air. Heurtel took over with another stop-and-pop triple and a layup by Dunston made it a double-digit game. Heurtel split free throws and a corner triple by Brown broke the game open. Limoges kept struggling to score and free throws by Brown capped a 15-0 run. Schaffartzik split free throws and Diawara improved Brown's dunk with a corner three-pointer. Dunston and Brown kept pacing Efes, but a close basket by Westermann brought Limoges within 51-35 at halftime.

Third quarter: Limoges fights hard, but Efes keeps lead safe

Traore scored twice around the basket in a 0-6 run that prompted Efes to call timeout at 51-41. Traore scored again off an incredible Efes turnover, but Heurtel quickly stepped up with a three-pointer. Dunston finished a three-chance Efes offense with a layup. Traore hit his trademark jump hook and Diawara got Limoges within 56-46. After Diebler buried a corner triple, Westermann scored in penetration and a layup by Nobel Boungou-Colo brought the guests within single digits. Schaffartzik fed Diawara for a fast break layup that caused Efes to call another timeout at 59-52. Then Schaffartzik buried a three-pointer off the dribble, but Brown nailed a mid-range jumper and Diebler fired in one from beyond the arc to boost Efes's lead to 64-55. Then Diebler downed a catch-and-shoot three-pointer off a screen. After Zerbo hit a four-meter jumper, Osman boosted his team's margin to 70-57.

Fourth quarter: Efes wraps up the win with time to spare

Korkmaz split free throws early in the quarter, as Limoges struggled to score without Traore and Diawara on the floor. Saric hit foul shots, but Westermann did better with a wild three-point play to bring Limoges within 73-60 with seven minutes left. Dunston ignited the crowd with a two-handed put-back slam and Efes forced Limoges into a 24-second turnover. The visitors called timeout and Daniels made free throws, which Brown matched with a big dunk for a 77-62 Efes lead with over four minutes left. An up-and-under layup by Osman sealed the outcome, 79-64, right after that. Daniels hit back-to-back three-pointers and Westermann scored off an inbounds steal, but Diebler and Dunston kept Efes way ahead, 84-72. Nothing changed from that moment, as Heurtel and Brown struck from downtown to seal Efes's win in style.