Istanbul:Turkish basketball team Anadolu Efes secured a commanding 83-68 victory against EuroLeague leaders Panathinaikos in Round 9, handing the Greek team their second defeat of the season.

According to Anadolu Agency – English, Efes maintained control throughout the game despite a strong fourth-quarter effort by Panathinaikos. The Greek visitors recorded their lowest scoring performance of the season in this matchup.

Efes started strong, taking a 17-9 lead in the first quarter, but Panathinaikos tightened their defense to close the gap to 21-18. In the second quarter, Efes extended their lead to 39-27 and went into halftime ahead 45-37.

Both teams struggled offensively in the third quarter, particularly with three-point shots, but Efes held onto a 61-51 lead. Panathinaikos began the fourth quarter with a 7-0 run, narrowing the score to 61-58. Efes countered with five points, but Panathinaikos fought back, coming within one point at 66-65. Efes then went on a decisive 14-0 run, achieving their largest lead at 80-65 with 230 left in the game, ultimately sealing the win.

Colin Malcolm and Bruno Fernando led Efes with 15 points each, while Cameron Payne scored 14 points, including nine in the final quarter. Dario Saric contributed a double-double with 11 points and 12 rebounds. For Panathinaikos, Kendrick Nunn was the leading scorer with 17 points, and Nigel Hayes-Davis added 11 points.

The victory improved Anadolu Efes' EuroLeague record to 4-5, while Panathinaikos fell to 7-2.