Anadolu Efes Istanbul ended Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade’s six-game winning streak with a 79-72 overtime victory on Wednesday at the Turkcell Basketball Development Center.
Jordan Loyd delivered the decisive scoring punch for the Turkish side, finishing with a game-high 24 points as Efes secured only its second win in the last eight EuroLeague games and improved to 11-25.
Vincent Poirier added 17 points and eight rebounds, providing interior production that helped the home team recover after trailing for much of the night.
The result dropped Partizan to 15-21 in the standings, with both clubs already eliminated from postseason contention.
The game unfolded under emotional circumstances after the news that longtime Partizan head coach Dusko Vujosevic passed away earlier Wednesday at the age of 67.
Partizan responded with a strong first half and built a 36-24 lead at the break, fueled by a decisive 17-2 run during the second quarter.
Efes struggled offensively early, producing only eight assists while committing nine turnovers before halftime as the visitors controlled the tempo.
The momentum shifted after the interval as the Istanbul club improved ball movement and efficiency, finishing the night with 20 assists and 12 turnovers.
Shane Larkin played a central role in the comeback after returning from groin surgery that had sidelined him since Round 12.
Despite limited conditioning, the Efes guard scored nine points in the fourth quarter and initiated several key possessions that erased the deficit.
Efes had a chance to secure the result in regulation, but Carlik Jones forced overtime by converting two free throws with 4.3 seconds remaining for Partizan.
The extra period belonged to the hosts, who controlled both pace and shot selection while the Belgrade side struggled to generate offense.
For Partizan, Shake Milton scored 12 points and shot perfectly from the field in the first half before his offensive involvement decreased after the break.
Carlik Jones and Sterling Brown each added 11 points, while Isaac Bonga finished with 10 points and seven rebounds.
Efes will next face Dubai Basketball in Sarajevo on April 19 and Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens on April 17, while Partizan returns home to host Zalgiris Kaunas on April 10 before meeting Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz on April 16.