Tomic, Dorsey lead Barcelona to big OT win

In one of the most thrilling games of the 2013-14 Turkish Airlines Euroleague season, FC Barcelona needed overtime to edge Anadolu Efes Istanbul 84-89 in Group E on the road on Thursday. Barcelona improved to 8-0 while Efes dropped to 2-6. Ante Tomic paced the winners with career-highs of 26 points and 15 rebounds, hitting 11 of his 16 shots for a performance index rating of 40. Juan Carlos Navarro added 17 points and a career-high 11 assists, while Kostas Papanikolaou had 10 points for Barcelona. Zoran Planinic and Kostas Vasileiadis led Efes with 14 points apiece. Planinic dished 9 assists. Jamon Gordon and Kerem Gonlum each had 13 for the hosts. Tomic shined early and got plenty of help from Erazem Lorbek and Papanikolaou to give Barcelona a 6-20 lead. Vasileiadis and an outstanding Gonlum brought Efes within 17-22 after 10 minutes. Barcelona improved its defense late in the first half, as Papanikolaou and a close basket by Marko Todorovic allowed the guests to get a 12-point margin at halftime. A dunk by Bostjan Nachbar gave Barcelona its biggest lead, 33-48. Cedi Osman stepped up with consecutive triples, getting help from Dusko Savanovic and Milko Bjelica to make it a three-point game late in the third quarter. A layup by Planinic completed the hosts' comeback, 57-55. Navarro and Huertas helped Barcelona tie the game again, 64-64, but a 7-0 run that Vasileadis capped with a layup gave Efes a 71-64 lead. Barcelona did not give up and a tip-in by Joey Dorsey on Brad Oleson's missed free throw attempt send the game to overtime, 75-75. Tomic and Navarro shined in the extra period, making sure that Barcelona grabbed its 20th consecutive Top 16 win.

First quarter: Tomic gives Barcelona early lead

Head coach Evangelos Aggelou surprised everyone by placing guard Birkan Batuk in Efes's starting lineup for the first time this season. Erazem Lorbek got Barcelona going with a second-chance basket. Dusko Savanovic answered with a basket in penetration. Marcelinho Huertas sank a floating jumper and free throws gave the guests a 2-6 lead. Lorbek hit a close jumper and Juan Carlos Navarro followed Tomic's tip-in with a 'bomba', which saw Efes call timeout at 2-12. Kostas Papanikolaou capped a 0-12 run with a six-meter jumper. Kostas Vasileiadis answered from downtown, before Tomic hit a jump hook. A free throw by Kerem Gonlum kept Efes within 6-16. Tomic scored down low and a fast break layup by Papanikolaou made it a 14-point game. Gonlum scored twice around the basket, Zoran Planinic added free throws and a triple by Vasileiadis saw Barcelona call timeout at 15-20, after a 9-0 run. A jumper by Alex Abrines and a close basket by Gonlum fixed the score at 17-22 after 10 minutes.

Second quarter: Barcelona improves defense, grabs double-digit edge

Abrines buried a three-pointer. Efes tried a more mobile lineup with Savanovic and Milko Bjelica around the baskets. Bjelica scored in the low post, but Barcelona brought Navarro and Tomic back on court. Navarro came off a screen to knock down a three-pointer. A layup by Batuk kept the hosts within 21-28. Bostjan Nachbar sank his trademark fade-away jumper, as Efes started to miss open shots. A fast break layup by Brad Oleson made it a double-digit game, 21-32. Tomic took over with an alley-oop layup in traffic, but Semih Erden and Savanovic made free throws. Papanikolaou shined with a high-flying tip-in, but Planinic answered with a driving layup. An easy basket by Marko Todorovic kept Barcelona way ahead, 26-38, as both teams headed to the locker rooms.

Third quarter: Osman ignites hosts' comeback

Both teams struggled to score after the break until Gonlum stepped up with a backdoor layup. Tomic split free throws and a close jumper by Jamon Gordon brought Efes within single digits, 30-39. Nachbar silenced the crowd with a bomb from downtown and a put-back basket by Tomic boosted Barcelona's lead to 30-44. After Batuk nailed a corner triple, Tomic scored again and a dunk by Nachbar caused Efes to call timeout at 33-48. Efes found a go-to guy in Osman, who buried back-to-back three-pointers, one from each corner, that got the crowd involved at 39-48. A layup by Gordon saw Barcelona stop the game at 41-48. Savanovic capped a 10-0 Efes run with a driving basket. Joey Dorsey scored down low for the visitors. Savanovic scored in the low post and a free throw by Planinic made it a 4-point game. After Lorbek split free throws, Bjelica sank a fade-away jumper. A second-chance basket by Abrines gave Barcelona a 48-53 edge.

Fourth quarter: Planinic, Gordon put Efes up, Dorsey forces OT

Planinic scored in penetration. Victor Sada swished a five-meter jumper, but Gonlum matched it with a power layup and a three-pointer by Vasileiadis tied it at 55-55, with over seven minutes left. A driving layup by Planinic completed the hosts' comeback. Barcelona could not find the way to the basket and a jumper by an unstoppable Planinic ignited the crowd at 59-55. Papanikolaou sank free throws that Gordon matched with a four-meter jumper. Tomic scored around the basket, but Gordon took over with a three-pointer. Navarro answered from downtown and a floater by Huertas tied the game at 64-64, with less than four minutes left. Gordon kept pushing Efes forward with a jumper and a three-pointer by Planinic created a 69-64 Efes edge. Vasileadis capped a 7-0 run with a fast break layup. Navarro stepped up with a big basket. Tomic scored in the paint to make it 71-68 with a minute left. Navarro and Savanovic split foul shots. Then Navarro free throws made it 72-71 with 10 seconds to go. Vasileiadis made free throws before Huertas and Savanovic split attempts. In the closing seconds, Efes fouled Oleson, who missed his second shot on purpose, but Dorsey soared for a tip-in that sent the game to overtime.

Overtime: Tomic, Navarro seal the guests' win

Tomic shined with a tip-in early in the extra period and soon added a three-point play for a 75-80 Barcelona lead. Planinic scored around the basket, but Navarro fed Tomic for another layup that kept Barcelona ahead. Navarro provided a highlight with an off-balance basket, but Vasileiadis and Bjelica kept Efes within 80-84 in the final minute. Navarro secured the outcome from the foul line, 80-86 though Gordon and Bjelica got Efes as close as 84-87. Free throws by Papanikolaou ended any doubt, 84-89, with 5 seconds left, allowing Barcelona to celebrate a thrilling road win.