We have a winner takes all clash in this match-up in the Euroleague Playoffs. This is only the ninth Game 5 matchup in the Euroleague Playoffs and it looks like being a cracker. An excellent away victory for Olympiacos in Turkey last week tied the series at 2-2 and this is why we are heading... Continue Reading »
Anadolu Efes S.K.
The story of Anadolu Efes Istanbul dates back to 1976 when a failing second division club in Turkey was bought by Efes Pilsen S.K. The club had an almost immediate impact, going through the 1978 Second Division Championship without defeat. This saw the club gain entry to the top flight, a status they have held without break since, and the team managed to win the top flight in its first season, the 1978/79 campaign.
A change to the advertisement of alcohol and tobacco in 2011 saw the name of the basketball team change to Anadolu Efes S.K. The club is rightly proud of the impact it has had on Turkish basketball and with 13 Turkish Basketball Super League titles, they are the team that has won the Turkish title the most.
Sponsorship Deals
The sponsorship story of the club is a simple one, having been owned by the Anadolu Efes beer company since their formation.
The Abdi İpekçi Arena
Anadolu play their home games in the Abdi İpekçi Arena in Istanbul, which when it is used for basketball games has a capacity of 12,270. The team also has a practice facility, which is located in the Bahçelievler district of the city.
Domestic Trophies
With 13 triumphs in the Turkish Super League, Anadolu Efes are seen as the most successful domestic team in Turkish basketball. The team triumphed in 1978/79, their first season in the top flight and then enjoyed two winning seasons in the 1980s, 1982/83 and 1983/84. There was a successful run of domestic titles in the 90s, with the side winning the domestic league in 1991/92, 1992/93, 1993/94, 1995/96 and in 1996/97. The new millennium has seen domestic title wins in 2001/02, 2002/03, 2003/04, 2004/05 and again in 2008/09.
Anadolu also holds the record number of victories for the Turkish Cup and the President’s Cup, with 10 triumphs in each. The club’s first Turkish Cup win came in 1993/94 and has been followed by success in 1995/95, 1996/96, 1997/98, 2000/01, 2001/02, 2005/06, 2006/07, 2008/09 and again in 2014/15.
The team first clinched the President’s Cup in 1986 and has tasted success in 1992, 1993, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2006, 2009, 2010 and in 2015.
While the side hasn’t won their domestic title in recent times, there is still a huge level of respect for the success that Anadolu have achieved in their history in Turkish basketball.
European Experience
Anadolu were runners in the FIBA Saporta Cup back in 1992/93 and then went on to win the 1995/96 FIBA Korac Cup. This was the first time a Turkish basketball side had won a European tournament. Anadolu have also made themselves a strong fixture of the Euroleague and they have taken third place at the Final Four event in 1999/00 and again in 2000/01.
International success has been harder for Fenerbahçe to achieve but in the 2014/15 season, the club reached the Final Four of the Euroleague, bowing out to eventual winners Real Madrid in the semi-final matchup and then losing in the Third and Fourth-placed game to CSKA Moscow. The club is a well-regarded name in the Euroleague and Turkish fans have enjoyed a number of major results from Fenerbahçe over the years.
Anadolu Efes Against NBA Teams
Anadolu made history in 2006 when they became the first Turkish team to play against an NBA side.
The Istanbul side played two games in the USA in October of 2006 and then in 2007, Anadolu welcomed a NBA side to Turkey. Anadolu’s record against NBA teams stands at:
- 10 October 2006 Denver Nuggets 118–102 Anadolu Efes
- 12 October 2006 Golden State Warriors 120–66 Anadolu Efes
- 6 October 2007 Minnesota Timberwolves 84–81 Anadolu Efes
Famous Players
Some of the most prominent Turkish players who have played for Anadolu Efes include Volkan Aydın, Tamer Oyguç, Murat Evliyaoğlu, Mehmet Okur, Hidayet Türkoğlu, Serkan Erdoğan, Mustafa Abi, Kaya Peker and Ender Arslan.
Dario Šarić, Petar Naumoski, Bootsy Thornton, Michalis Kakiouzis, Stephane Lasme and Igor Rakočević are some of the more prominent foreign players who have made a positive impact on Turkish basketball for Anadolu Efes.
Retired Numbers
In February of 2017, there was a ceremony for the retiring of the number 7 jersey in honour of Petar Naumoski, from the Republic of Macedonia. Naumoski played for the Turkish side between 1992 and 1994 and again between 1995 and 1999.
The club was founded in 1976 and initially named Efes Pilsen S.K. In 2011 the club changed it's name to current Anadolu Efes S.K.
Latest News about Anadolu Efes
2 May 2017 Euroleague Playoffs Tips – Olympiacos Piraeus v Anadolu Efes Istanbul
28 April 2017 Euroleague Playoffs Tips – Anadolu Efes Istanbul v Olympiacos Piraeus
Turkey, and Istanbul in particular is the place to be for the Euroleague Final Four but it is also the place to be with respect to Game 4 in the Euroleague. There are two matches in this stage of the tournament, both taking place in Istanbul on Friday night. This means it will be a... Continue Reading »
26 April 2017 Euroleague Playoffs Tips – Anadolu Efes Istanbul v Olympiacos Piraeus
With the series tied at 1-1 as we move into Game 3, we should be in for a fantastic evening of basketball action in Turkey on Wednesday night. The opening two games in Greece were very different, which makes it harder to predict but you know for sure that this is going to be a... Continue Reading »
21 April 2017 Euroleague Playoffs Tips – Olympiacos Piraeus v Anadolu Efes Istanbul
The opening game in this series was a straightforward one and the home team made light work of their Turkish opponents. This was the 10th consecutive home win in the Playoffs for the Greek side and they’ll be looking to extend this run before the week is over. The fact that the hosts only trailed... Continue Reading »