Friday's Round 2 game was the first opportunity for Anadolu Efes Istanbul to play a Turkish Airlines EuroLeague game before thousands of fans since taking home the club's first continental title last spring. A crowd estimated at 7,500 fans due to a local restriction of 50% capacity at Sinan Erdem Sports Hall certainly felt like a full house as they saw their heroes. The night began with a ceremonial pre-game banner-raising as the EuroLeague trophy on a pedestal at mid-court and the fans serenaded the champs. Then, just before tipoff, Euroleague Basketball CEO Jordi Bertomeu presented Ergin Ataman with the 2020-21 Alexander Gomelskiy EuroLeague Coach of the Year trophy as the fans washed the Efes boss with praise from the stands.
Efes fans celebrated the champs
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The celebratory nature couldn't last long with an opponent like CSKA Moscow in the house, but when Efes almost came back from 16 points behind to tie late, that limited crowd sounded like a lot more, pulling for the team that had given them so much joy last spring. It was not to be on this night for Efes, but the good vibes were certainly back where they belonged.
