In its most complete performance so far this year, the Barça team learned the lesson after last Sunday’s defeat against Real Madrid (86-79) and improved the defenseespecially in direct blocking, despite the talent of the visitor Shane Larkin (16 points and 12 assists).

In attack, Barça gained fluidity and order. With Nico Laprovittola in command (13 points and 7 assists), the Catalan team easily found Jan Vesely (16 points) and Willy Hernangómez (18)and ended the night on the run after having contained the Turkish attack in the third quarter.

Equality prevailed in a high-paced first round with hardly any interruptions. Anadolu Efes led from the start (9-13, min.4) under the direction of Larkin, who focused on distributing play for the tall men. Willis, from the corner, and Zizic, in the pick-and-roll, did damage (12 points between them in the fourth).

Barça gained strength as the minutes passed and turned the result around with a team game (22-15, min.10). With Laprovittola and Satoransky at the wheel, the ball circulated until Da Silva, Vesely and Kalinic found comfortable shots in the paint.

The energy of the bench prolonged the breakaway (32-23, min.14) with the four new signings on the court. Hernangómez scored in the paint (five points at halftime) and nailed a block, as did Parker. Brizuela added five points to his defensive pressure and Parra contributed grit at both ends of the court.

The return of Larkin tightened the score, but Barça held on to maintain the lead at halftime (40-34) with four points from Vesely, the local top scorer in the first half (10).

After the break, Larkin teamed up with Pleiss, author of two triples, and the physical power of Jones (47-48, min.24). The duel entered a phase of exchange of blows that connected Clyburn and the Turkish outside battery, but that Barcelona resisted led in attack by Hernangómez, Laprovittola and Abrines (69-64).

The dynamism of Brizuela and Jokubaitis, added to the interior scoring of Parker and Vesely, fired the Blaugranas (85-70, min.37)who kept the physical bar behind to reduce Anadolu Efes to 10 points in the last quarter and secure the first victory of the season in the Euroleague (91-74).