The season's first Istanbul derby will see Efes (7-9) attempt to become the first team to defeat Sarunas Jasikevicius during his Fenerbahce (9-7) tenure.
Game Notes: Efes vs. Fenerbahce



Efes is looking to bounce back from a home loss to Baskonia despite 23 points from star guard Shane Larkin, who has now poured in at least 20 points in five of his last seven appearances. His long-range scoring threat will be met by Scottie Wilbekin, who has hit top form with 5 three-pointers drained in each of the two games. Fener’s trio of victories under Jasikevicius have come via improved offensive output directed by Nick Calathes, who dished 13 assists to help overcome ALBA last week, so Efes needs to improve its defensive average of 86.9 points allowed, which is third-most in the league.
- The last time they faced each other in the EuroLeague, Fenerbahce beat Efes 103-86 in April of last season with Nigel Hayes-Davis scoring a career-high 26 points, and Dyshawn Pierre accumulating a career-best PIR of 27. Both players played the entire 40 minutes.
- When they met in the Turkish League earlier in December, Efes pulled out an 81-80 home win.
- In the 2019 Final Four semifinals, Shane Larkin shined with 30 points, 7 assists and 7 rebounds in accumulating the highest performance index rating in a Final Four game this century with 43. Efes beat Fenerbahce 73-92 to reach the championship game.
- When it beat Efes 70-81 in October 2020, Fenerbahce tied a club record with 48 rebounds.
- Efes head coach Erdem Can was an assistant coach at Fenerbahce for a decade, between 2012 to 2021.
- Fenerbahce forward Nate Sestina was a teammate of Efes center Tyrique Jones, guard Ridvan Oncel and played under Efes head coach Can at Turk Telekom Ankara last season. They reached the EuroCup Finals and Turkish League finals together.
- Fenerbahce center Sertac Sanli spent three seasons with Efes and helped the team win the 2021 EuroLeague championship.
- Sanli and Fenerbahce's Melih Mahmutoglu and Sehmus Hazer played alongside Efes guard Shane Larkin and forward Ercan Osmani on the Turkish national team in EuroBasket 2022.
- Sanli scored a career-high 24 points to lead FC Barcelona to a 93-95 overtime win over Efes at Sinan Erdem Dome in December 2021.
- Efes forward Will Clyburn and center Ante Zizic were teammates of Fenerbahce's Scottie Wilbekin at Darussafaka Istanbul during the 2016-17 season. They helped the team reach the EuroLeague Playoffs.
- Efes's Zizic and guard Elijah Bryant, and Fenerbahce's Scottie Wilbekin and Tyler Dorsey were also teammates at Maccabi Tel Aviv. Zizic was there from 2020 to 2022, while Bryant and Dorsey from 2019 to 2021. Wilbekin was there all three of those seasons.
- Efes's Darius Thompson and Fenerbahce's Johnathan Motley were teammates at Lokomotiv Kuban Krasnodar during the 2021-22 season.
- In Game 3 of the 2021 EuroLeague Playoffs, Will Clyburn posted his career-high in index rating with 38 in leading CSKA Moscow to a 68-85 series-clinching win against Fenerbahce. Clyburn scored a career-high 34 points, making a career-best 5 three-pointers and 11 free throws for CSKA to sweep the series.
- Fenerbahce point guard Nick Calathes set a career-high in PIR with 42 playing for Panathinaikos Athens in a thrilling 81-82 victory over Efes in Istanbul in Round 8 of the 2017-18 season. He tallied 29 points, 9 rebounds and 10 assists in capturing MVP of the Round honors.
- In a loss against Efes in March of last season, Sehmus Hazer posted his career highs in PIR (15), points (13) and assists (5).

























































































