The fingerprints of Cole Swider, Kai Jones and Isaia Cordinier were all over this win
A trio of newcomers lifted Efes over Olympiacos
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Regular Season
Round 4 of 38
Regular Season
Olympiacos PiraeusOLY
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Anadolu Efes IstanbulEFS
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As you would expect, a familiar face had a key role for Anadolu Efes Istanbul in Tuesday’s back and forth 78-82 victory at Olympiacos Piraeus, with superstar Shane Larkin knocking down 18 points, including all 4 of his three-point attempts.
But Larkin, for once, was not the key player for Efes in this prestigious victory, because the team’s highest performance index ratings were claimed by a batch of players who joined the Turkish team this summer.
Firstly, Cole Swider. The forward topped all scorers by netting 20 points, particularly excelling on the wings as he connected on 4 of his 7 three-point attempts. Swider also converted 2-of-3 from two-point range and all 4 of his free throws, adding 3 rebounds for a PIR of 20 in just 15 points on the floor.
The 26-year-old has gone through a rather nomadic existence during his short career to date, representing four NBA teams – the Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat, Detroit Pistons and Toronto Raptors – but making fewer than 20 appearances for each of them.
Although it’s still very early since his move to European basketball in August, Tuesday’s performance suggested he is ready to find a home for himself at Efes, even though it came as a big surprise following his limited contributions – a grand total of 3 points, 6 minutes and a PIR of minus 1 – in his first two appearances for the team.
The American was relatively understated in his reaction, telling EuroLeague TV: “I feel good, I was just going out there trying to help the team win. It feels good to get a win in this environment. I put in a lot of work, I stay true to the work and for me it’s all about opportunity, rhythm and trying to find that during that game.”
Anything but understated was the performance of another summer arrival, Kai Jones, who has made a small piece of history this season by becoming the first player from the Bahamas to appear in the EuroLeague.
Big man Jones – who moved to Istanbul following a brief spell with the Dallas Mavericks – silenced the Piraeus crowd with a couple of highlight reel moments, powerful dunks at the end of the first and third quarters, while his 7 rebounds and an emphatic blocked shot on the way to a PIR of 13 further underlined his potential.
The final word was spoken, though, by a third man who formed part of a significant Efes rebuild this summer under new coach Igor Kokoskov. Unlike the other two, French guard Isaia Cordinier already knows his way around the competition following 84 appearances in three seasons for Virtus Segafredo Bologna, and that experience proved invaluable as he scored two crucial baskets – a corner three and a mid-range runner – in the final 80 seconds to help seal the victory.
Cordinier was keen to underline the unity of the Efes squad, saying: “We stayed together and kept our composure as a team. This consistency, team spirit and togetherness allowed us to get the win today.”
And Coach Kokoskov agreed, adding: “We kept Olympiacos to 27 points in the second half, and our defense was a team effort. I wouldn’t pull out one name, everybody who played today performed his role and contributed to the win.”
Achieving such collective chemistry in a short space of time with half a new team is an impressive feat, and suggests Efes is well placed to mount a serious challenge near the top of the standings over the coming months.
