Late Micic-Clyburn collaboration saved Efes

Both times that Efes made fewer than 7 three-point shots this season, it lost, way back in Round 6 and 7, to FC Bayern Munich and Real Madrid, respectively, both on the road.
Both times that Will Clyburn was held to single-digit scoring, Efes lost, as well. That happened in the Round 5 derby with Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul and a round 14 visit to Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade.
After 35 minutes at home against LDLCE ASVEL Villeurbanne on Friday, both of those situations were a fact. Efes had gone 5-for-9 from downtown until then and Clyburn was sitting on 7 points, all free throws. By then, ASVEL had led for 24 minutes in a row by as many as 11 points.
That was all about to change, though.
Vasilije Micic buried his fourth triple to get Efes closer, and then Clyburn scored his first 2 field goals of the night to take the lead. The go-ahead basket was a masterclass in late-game heroics from both as Micic rebounded Clyburn's baseline miss and immediately fed him back a no-look pass that resulted in a reverse layup and Efes's first lead since the first quarter.
The duo would extend that collaboration for an 11-0 run that included another Micic three-pointer and suddenly put the game out of reach, 76-68, heading into the final minute.
The resilience of its two stars was a good sign, especially after 35 minutes in which Efes did not look itself at all and Sinan Erdem Sports Hall, despite 12,000 fans in attendance, was quieter than any time in recent memory.
"In that kind of game, the last quarter is the most important time, even if we didn't play well for three quarters," head coach Ergin Ataman said after the game. "Even Micic and Clyburn didn't play well, but in the last quarter, they showed their capacity. It's very important for the future."
Most important to Clyburn was how Efes didn't fall apart in the face of ASVEL's intelligent game plan and execution, combined with the home team's inability to hit shots.
"We came back, we fought and we got a win. That's the most important thing," he said. "We stayed together even when things were getting ugly. And we came back."
For Clyburn, who finished with 15 points, it was a matter of faith in himself and his teammates.
"It's a long game. I'm not going to always score the ball," he said. "The important thing for me is to stay mentally strong and know that sooner or later something good is going to happen."