Furious Bamberg rally downs Efes in Istanbul

Brose Baskets Bamberg rallied from a 14-point halftime deficit to beat Anadolu Efes 78-89 Friday at Abdi Ipekci Arena in Istanbul. Novica Velickovic and Anton Gavel fueled a 4-23 fourth-quarter run that put Bamberg ahead for good. Gavel scored the go-ahead three with just under four minutes to go as the Bamberg defense held Efes to a single basket over a five-minute stretch of play. The result – Bamberg’s second win of the season over Efes – sends Coach Chris Felming’s squad into a tie for fourth place in Group B with a 3-5 record. Efes is tied for second at 4-4. Jamar Smith made 4 of 5 threes en route to 18 points for the winners. Anton Gavel and D’Or Fischer each netted 13; the latter also rejected 4 shots. Maik Zirbes contributed 12, Novica Velickovic 11 and Zach Wright tallied 9 points and 7 assists. Kostas Vasileiadis scored 18 points and Scotty Hopson added 17 in defeat.

First quarter: Brilliant start from Hopson not enough to put Efes ahead

Hopson scored twice – including a basket on a fast break led by Semih Erden – as Efes jumped in front. Zirbes scored Bamberg’s first points from the free throw line. Casey Jacobsen and Hopson traded jump shots as the hosts remained ahead. A second Jacobsen score followed by a hook shot from Velickovic tied the game at 8-8 midway through the quarter. Dusko Savanovic and Zirbes each scored inside. Hopson sank a three to give him 9 already, but Zirbes’s basket on the offensive glass gave him 6 and kept his team within 1. Zoran Planinic beat the 24-second shot clock for a three-pointer after falling down. Rakim Sanders scored quickly to keep Bamberg close. Planinic fed Hopson for a crowd-pleasing slam. A pair of Zach Wright baskets tied it for Bamberg after 10 minutes, 18-18.

Second quarter: Vasileiadis helps Efes soar to 14-point lead

Kerem Gonlum and Sanders kept the teams square through the first two minutes of the quarter. Planinic’s drive made it 22-20 before the TV timeout. Tadija Dragicevic, for the hosts, and Smith, for the visitors, traded threes. Gonlum took another pass from Planinic to score inside; Fischer matched. Dragicevic added another three points – the hard way – for a 30-25 lead. Then Vasileiadis connected from behind the arc only to see Smith do the same. Gavel sent a laser pass to Fischer to close the gap. Vasileiadis remained hot with a layup and free throws before Dragicevic made it 39-30 from the line. Fischer scored on the offensive glass only to see a pair of Gordon baskets in the lane give the hosts a double-digit margin. Bamberg went inside to Fischer and Zirbes for buckets, but Vasileiadis connected with another three and Hospon buried a long three on the buzzer to make it 50-36 at the break.

Third quarter: Bamberg trims deficit

Gavel sandwiched a pair of baskets around another from Savanovic. The Bamberg guard soon made it a 10-point game before Savanovic drilled a jumper. Hopson missed for the first time all game and Gavel countered with a free throw. Gordon lofted an alley-oop to Erden, who finished in style. An Erden rejection at the other end did not stop Bamberg; Velickovic’s three-pointer made it 56-46. Then Fischer sank a jump shot. Sanders drew the visitors within 7 before Vasileiadis sank his third three of the game. Sanders and Hopson traded baskets. Wright sank 2 from the line before Fischer’s rejection triggered a fast break, Sanders layup and a 61-55 score. Hopson came through again for Efes. Zirbes countered with free throws. Despite an unsportsmanlike foul committed by Jacobsen on Gonlum, the visitors remained in the game, 64-57.

Fourth quarter: Gavel, Velickovic key game-breaking 4-23 run

Erden attacked the rim, was fouled and saw his shot bounce in, but a Smith triple kept Bamberg in the picture. But Zirbes missed under the basket and Gordon penetrated to extend the Efes lead up to 69-60. Bamberg found a wave of energy and through baskets on consecutive possessions by Zirbes, Smith and Wright made it a three-point game. Gordon rescued the hosts, but Velickovic made it 71-68 with five minutes to play. Fischer scored inside before Gavel extended a 2-13 charge to give the German champs the lead. Velickovic added another basket to make it 71-75. Savanovic ended the Efes slump with 2 free throws only to see Velickovic answer with a runner. Gavel sank a three from the corner to put the visitors up 7 with two minutes to go. After a timeout, Hopson missed off the glass as the air began to leave the arena. Hospon fouled out and Smith sank a three to make it 73-83. A Smith slam with 41 seconds remaining essentially sealed the outcome.