Efes beats Fenerbahçe 89-74 to claim Turkish championship in Game 7
| IHA Photo


Anadolu Efes beats Fenerbahçe Beko 89-74 in Game 7 of the Turkish basketball finals to claim its 14th championship title and end a 10-year curse.

Efes won the nail-biting final series 4-3 to lift the trophy at their home Sinan Erdem Dome.

U.S. star Shane Larkin displayed a heroic performance, scoring 38 points against Fenerbahce Beko.

His extraordinary feat carried him to be named the match's Most Valuable Player (MVP).

Another Anadolu Efes guard, Vasilije Micic, produced 20 points during the championship match.

Meanwhile, the visitors' Greek playmaker guard Kostas Sloukas tallied 21 points.

Fenerbahçe's Serbian forward Nikola Kalinic scored 19 points against Anadolu Efes.

The other key factor for Efes' triumph over Fenerbahçe was their success at the free throw line as Anadolu Efes scored all 21 free throws in the game.

Anadolu Efes celebrated their success with fans after the final buzzer as Fenerbahçe players watched them receiving the cup on the court.

Turkish basketball league playoff-finals were extended to Game 7 following the Fenerbahçe Beko win against Anadolu Efes 85-69 on Wednesday, bringing the series to 3-3.

Anadolu Efes last won the Super Lig title in 2009. Despite their 10-year league title drought, Efes still have the most championships under their belt with 14 titles.

Efes completed the regular season at first place. The Navy-whites had the highest number of championships with 13 times in 52 seasons.

Having changed its name to Anadolu Efes in 2011, Efes Pilsen won its first title in 1979.

Between 2001 and 2005, the Istanbul team won four consecutive championships in the league.

Navy-Whites also lifted the domestic trophy in 1983, 1984, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1996, 1997 and 2009.

Fenerbahçe Beko are one of the most successful clubs in Turkey with 12 championships in top basketball tier Süper Lig. The club also have six Turkish Cups, and seven Turkish Super Cups in their history.

The Istanbul club lifted the domestic trophy in 1957, 1959, 1965, 1991, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018.

Following the Zeljko Obradovic's appointment as a head coach of the Fenerbahce in 2013, the ''Yellow Canaries'' had significant achievements in both national and international organizations, winning the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague trophy in 2017.

The Istanbul team won four titles in Super Lig under 60-year-old Serbian manager.

Anadolu Efes coach Ergin Ataman had won three Süper Lig titles in his career, adding a fourth on Friday.

The 53-year-old coach previously won the Turkish Basketball Süper Lig title with the Anadolu Efes in 2009, Beşiktaş in 2012 and Galatasaray in 2013.

All tickets for the game were sold out. Around 20,000 fans flocked to Sinan Erdem Dome on Friday night.