The end of an era, mistakes, question marks, and the next

the Anatolo Ives Saw her attempt to make history end…too soon. Ergin Ataman’s team was aiming to become the first team since Yugoplastica to win three Euroleague titles in a row, However, losing to Fenerbahçe in the 33rd round kept them out of the playoffs.

The dream of a treble has turned into a nightmare for Anatolu Efes, who after four dreamy years will have to watch the playoffs on TV and look forward to them the next day.

the Sports 24 Analyzes the causes and consequences of the failure of Ephesus.

The losses were greater than they first appeared

Having the same trunk for years – and potential saturation – Anatolou Efes wanted to shake things up for a smooth transition to it the next. This resulted in some addition and subtraction that had the effect of changing the team chemistry.

For various reasons (age, change of performance, or just … boredom) Kroslav Simon, James Anderson, Adrian Murman, Chris Singleton-Ives left in the summer, as well as Philip Petrosev, who never adapted. That means two sides who were fine with their role off the bench (Simon as a starting second baseman and Anderson as a defensive specialist), but who are both strong forwards for the team.

In the eyes of the world, Ephesus’ losses were not great. Players like Simmons, Anderson, and Morman aren’t… exciting, while Singleton has had plenty of ups and downs during the season. But Simon was Evis security when… one of Mickick’s, Larkin’s, or Bryant’s got mad (and pulled an oar last year while Larkin was away), and Anderson was a helpful player who never complained. It was Moorman who made sure Singleton could be a relief in the regular season, opening up the field by shooting him. Singleton was just… Singleton, a forward/centre shifter when he felt like it, which is why he came back… mid-season.

But above all, these four players know their role. They knew as far as they were allowed to go, they offered solutions without whining. Replacing it will not be easy. Which leads to the next problem.

The stunts changed the team chemistry

Looks like Efes is building the European Dream Team. In place of Simon came Anderson Will Cliburn, arguably the best small forward in the Euroleague in recent years. Instead of Morman and Singleton, Achille Polonara and Amat Ibai were acquired, two players who theoretically complement each other. In place of the disappointed Petrosev, the gunpowder-smoking Ante Zizic was bought. It was really impressive moves. But it turns out they weren’t perfect.

Claiborne is an amazing player. But he’s also a player who wants the ball in his hands more than Simeon and Anderson combined. He’s a good Spot Up shooter (and he’s been great this year), but he obviously wants to have his moments of creativity too, he can’t just stand in the corner waiting for passes from Micic and Larkin. It was taken for granted that it would create difficulties in properly sharing responsibilities and someone would have to lose something.

The Biggest Loser was Shane Larkin, who saw his role diminished. From averaging 14.7 points on 10.5 tries in 32 minutes per game, the American with a Turkish passport this year has dropped to 11.9 points on 8.8 attempts in 29 minutes per game. He didn’t like it and showed up when he came His revolution in March after the loss of Partizanwhere he quarreled with Ergin Ataman and Claiborne.

At the same time, Efes got a bit of their youthful power in forwards. Polonara never adapted, fell out of rotation and eventually left, Ebaye proved to be… light and finally – after 6 months without a team – Singleton was brought in mid-season. The power forward position was one of Ives’ strengths, but it proved to be his Achilles’ heel, despite Claiburn’s frequent passes through him. When this is combined with… Dunston’s advanced age, Pleiss at center and Zizic’s ups and downs, it becomes clear that the title holder’s top line has many issues.

The next day, Ataman, Mikek and Deep Wallet

Anatolo Efes enters it the next day with many question marks. The first concerns Ergin Ataman, whose contract with the Turkish coach expires to state that he had accepted an offer from Panathinaikos. Moreover, there are also question marks about the team roster.

The trio of Micic, Larkin and Claiborne are under contract for next season, as are Bliss and Ebay, but every case is different. On the other hand, Micic did not hide that he wanted to go to the NBA, he changed the manager who represented him in the United States precisely for this reason. Larkin is valuable – also because of the Turkish passport – but he looks… quirky. Claiborne doesn’t seem out of the question, as does Bliss, but nothing is certain for Ebayer. Dunston, Bobois, Bryant, and Singleton contracts up. With the exception of Bryant – who will logically be transferred for renewal – the other cases are also different, because these are players of advanced basketball age.

At the same time, Ephesians must also look at the market. Strengthening the Turkish element is essential, with Galatasaray’s Sadik Kambaka (22nd, 2.11m) and Bursaspor’s Onuralp Betim (24th, 1.98m) among the logical targets, with Turkish reports indicating that Kambaka may also be shut down. Of course, the problem with Efes is the foreigners they will turn to, because the Turkish team has a deep wallet and will certainly consider many cases from the top shelf. But these moves will directly depend on Micic’s future.

At the end of the day, Ives knows she has a tough summer ahead of her. First, of course, she has to finish the season, as she still has a championship goal. A lot can change in a few months. What cannot be changed is that the season in the Euroleague is considered a failure. And Ephesians have no one but themselves to blame for this.