Visiting Efes Pilsen pulled out a hard fought 88-84 win over the Beşiktaş Cola Turka Men’s Basketball in a Beko Basketball League Week 5 game at BJK Cola Turka Arena.

The game got off to a sluggish start with neither team getting much done on offense. Nevertheless, four minutes into the quarter, Efes Pilsen was clinging to a 4-3 edge. Then, Kasun and Thorton teamed up to capitalize on a series of Beşiktaş’s turnovers to stretch the margin to 11-5 midway through the opening frame. However, the Black Eagles battled back behind consecutive buckets from Baxter and Newley, and a last-second Haluk Yıldırım three-pointer from the right wing tied the score at 20, heading into the second.
The visitors opened the second stanza with an 8-0 run to make it 28-20 after two minutes. The Black and White regrouped and cut into the deficit on baskets by Muratcan and Fletcher, but the blue and white team managed to push the lead back to eight at 39-31 with 2:15 left. Efes Pilsen controlled the pace in the dying minutes to take a 41-36 advantage at halftime.
The teams swapped baskets in the early going of the second half, but the visitors maintained their 6-point lead at 52-46 with just under 5:00 to go. Then the Black Eagles used a string of free throws from Newley and Chatman to claw within two, 52-50, with 3:05 left. But Nachbar unleashed a pair of 3-point shots from behind the arch and re-extended the margin to eight points, 58-50, entering the final minute. Despite a late Beşiktaş Cola Turka spurt, Efes Pilsen was up 60-55, going into the final stanza.
After tightening up on defense, the Black and White attacked the rim more aggressively in the fourth quarter and went on to level the score at 68-68 on a three-pointer by Cevher with 5:15 left in regulation. However, the blue and white team did not back down and rode the scoring of Kaya Peker to take a 78-73 edge at the 37:00 mark. The Black Eagles responded with layups from Chatman and Lonny Baxter but still trailed 83-78 entering the final minute of the game. The visitors managed to hold onto their advantage down the stretch to come way with an 88-84 victory.