Shane Larkin is finding his groove and Anadolu Efes keeps climbing the Euroleague standings.
Shooting a markedly efficient 8-of-12 from the field, including 40 percent from deep (4-for-8) Shane had his highest scoring Euroleague game since scoring 30 points in a win last April to lead Efes to a closely contested 89-84 win over Fenerbahçe on Thursday at Ulker Sports and Event Hall.
Fenerbahçe actually led much of the game, opening up a near double digit lead in the first quarter before Efes surged back to take a 20-18 lead after one. The visitors took control for most of the second frame, but Fenerbahçe closed the half on a run and led 41-36 at halftime.
Fenerbahçe seemed in control in the third, pushing their lead as high as 12 in the third quarter and again early in the fourth. But Efes came alive in the closing minutes of the game, led by 11 points in the fourth from Shane. They used an 11-2 run in the first five minutes of the fourth to close the gap to just three when Vasilije Micic buried a three off a steal and dish from Shane.
The home standing Fenerbahçe club extended the lead back to eight with consecutive buckets of their own, but a three by Shane trimmed it to five, 81-76. Both teams went cold for the next couple of minutes, with the only points being scored at the free throw line.
However, Shane broke the ice with another three with 1:50 to go to make it a one-point game and, after a stop on defense, he drove the lane with 41 seconds remaining and used the glass to bank in a reverse, which gave Efes the 85-84 lead. Moments later, Shane grabbed a steal, forcing Fenerbahçe to foul Micic, who sank both of his free throws. After another defensive stand, Tibor Pleiss scored the dagger to finish off an 89-84 Efes victory.
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