Delaney, Broekhoff lead Lokomotiv’s come-from-behind win over Efes

Malcolm Delaney led a comeback from 9 back in the fourth quarter and Ryan Broekhoff buried the game-winning three-pointer with 22 seconds remaining as Lokomotiv Kuban Krasnodar edged Anadolu Efes Istanbul 78-77 on Friday night in Group E. Efes led by double figures in the second quarter and fended off Lokomotiv comebacks to hold a 9-point edge early in the fourth quarter. But Delaney scored 12 of his 25 points in the final stanza to bring the hosts back. The end was full of drama with five lead changes and four ties in the final five minutes. The game went to the buzzer when former Lokomotiv star Derrick Brown, playing his first game at Basket Hall in a foreign uniform, missed a last-second three that would have win it for Efes. Lokomotiv improved to 2-0 in the Top 16 with the victory, while dropping Efes to 1-1. Delaney added 5 rebounds and 5 assists in a great all-around effort. Anthony Randolph posted 16 points and 9 rebounds and Victor Claver scored 12 for the winners. Thomas Heurel paced Efes with 16 points and 6 assists, Derrick Brown tallied 15 points and 11 rebounds and Cedi Osman contributed 11 points and 8 boards in defeat.

First quarter: Brown leads Efes to great start against former team

Randolph opened the scoring on the offensive glass before Alex Tyus started Efes off with a jump hook. Brown’s fast break layup gave the visitors their first lead and Jayson Granger’s baseline drive finished with a reverse layup and a 2-6 advantage. Claver stepped up for the hosts with a slam and a layup to tie it before Evgeny Voronov’s basket-plus-foul on the break put Lokomotiv on top. Randolph rejected Tyus inside, but after a wild pass from Delaney, Efes went ahead through a Birkan Batuk three-pointer. Baskets by Tyus and Osman put the visitors up 5. Voronov showed great footwork to finish on the break. Granger made it 10-16 with a pull-up three. Randolph missed an uncontested slam, after which Osman extended the Efes lead with free throws. Andrey Zubkov countered with a triple from the top of the key, but Thomas Heurtel’s great bounce pass to a cutting Brown resulted in a slam-and-foul for a 13-21 lead. Dontaye Draper made a three at the first-quarter buzzer, but the referees’ review showed that the basket was late.

Second quarter: Delaney comes alive, but Heurtel keeps visitors on top

Heurtel first shot was a three-pointer for a double-digit lead. Delaney connected from downtown for his first points. After Osman scored in transition, Sergey Bykov nailed a three from the corner to make it 19-27. Heurtel set up Bryant Dunston for a slam and Osman stretched the lead to 12 with a three off an inbounds pass. After a Lokomotiv timeout, Zubkov scored inside and Delaney scored from the line to make it 23-31 midway through the quarter. Heurtel again found Dunston going down the lane, though this time the big man was fouled and split the foul shots. Granger and Randolph traded jumpers before Heurtel made a scoop shot. Despite free throws by Randolph and Claver, Brown’s put-back and Dunston’s finish inside kept the visitors in control at 28-40. Bykov scored a tough basket under the backboard and Delaney added a free throw. Heurtel and Randolph traded threes and Delaney ended the half with another to make it 37-43 at the break.

Third quarter: Lokomotiv comes back to tie it

Tyus banked a shot high off the glass for the first basket of the second half. Claver followed up a Voronov miss and Randolph nailed a three to bring the hosts within 3. Osman saved a loose ball to Tyus for a basket-plus-foul, but Delaney kept the pressure on with 2 free throws. Randolph scored in the paint to bring Lokomotiv within 46-47. Jon Diebler nailed his first three of the night, but Efes missed a chance to add to its lead when Tyus missed twice from the line. Claver scored inside to close the gap to 2 and Delaney tied the game with a jumper. Both offenses cooled off, but Granger restored an Efes edge, 50-52, with free throws. Osman drove for a pretty layup to double the advantage, but Claver countered with a high-arching triple. However free throws by Dunston and a three from Brown set up by a brilliant Heurtel assist left Efes on top 53-59.

Fourth quarter: 5 lead changes and 4 ties come in final five minutes

With the pressure on, both teams struggled to score. Chris Singleton missed twice from the line and Brown made him pay with 2 free throws. Ryan Broekhoff’s steal led to his first basket, but Brown answered straight away with a three-pointer to make it 55-64. After a Lokomotiv timeout, Singleton powered through Ahmet Duverioglu for a basket-plus-foul. Randolph banked in a shot to get the home team within 4. Delaney further narrowed the gap with free throws to make it 62-64 with five minutes to go. Dario Saric stepped up with a tough layup, but Delaney countered with a pull-up triple. Delaney then gave Lokomotiv its first lead since the first minute with a pair of free throws. Diebler and Delaney traded threes as the arena got loud. Dunston was fouled and left with an arm injury, but his replacement Batuk missed twice from the line. However Saric got the rebound, Heurtel was fouled behind the three-point line and sank 3 free throws for a 70-72 Efes lead. Singleton split free throws and Delaney forced Lokomotiv ahead with a shot off the glass. Heurtel stripped the ball from Randolph and split free throws to tie it. TIt was still even at 75-75 with 45 seconds left after free throws by Draper and Heurtel. Broekhoff nailed a go-ahead three-pointer with 22 seconds remaining. Heurtel sank free throws and Efes fouled Draper, who missed 2 free throws with 15.7 seconds remaining. Efes got the ball last and tuned to Brown, who missed a last-second three, which allowed Lokomotiv to celebrate the come-from-behind win.