Payne's 22 points pace Efes past Besiktas
Cameron Payne ignited Anadolu Efes' offence as they weathered a Besiktas comeback to secure an 89-80 win at the Turkcell Basketball Development Center. Efes appeared in control, building a commanding 21-point lead by halftime (57-36), only for Besiktas to chip away and narrow the deficit to eight entering the final quarter. A decisive 11-24 run by Besiktas in the third quarter had brought them firmly back into contention. However, Efes found the necessary resolve to close out the game. Anadolu Efes shot a sharp 52% from the field (31/60), outdoing Besiktas' 46% (31/67), though Besiktas' bench outscored Efes' 37-30. Dario Saric added 14 points and 6 rebounds for Efes, with Payne's 22 points leading all scorers. For Besiktas, Eugene Omoruyi paced the effort with 16 points and 6 rebounds, supported by Scottie Wilbekin and Anthony Brown, who each contributed 10 points. The win marks a positive start to the regular season for Anadolu Efes.