Anadolu Efes punch 3rd consecutive EuroLeague Final Four ticket

By Emre Asikci

ISTANBUL (AA) - Anadolu Efes headed to EuroLeague Final Four for the third consecutive season, beating AX Armani Exchange Milan 75-70 in Game 4 of the playoff matchup on Thursday.

Anadolu Efes led 19-11 at the end of the first quarter but AX Armani Exchange Milan had a good start in the second period, building a 32-23 lead.

However, Efes took a 62-58 lead at the end of the third period, as they produced 20 points at Istanbul's Sinan Erdem Sports Hall.

The Italian side only added two points in the last three minutes and fifteen seconds of the fourth quarter.

Efes duo Tibor Pleiss and Vasilije Micic combined for 45 points. German center Pleiss scored 25 points and six rebounds while Serbian guard Micic produced 20 points and five rebounds in the home victory.

Shane Larkin finished with eight points, five rebounds, and seven assists as Efes won the best-of-five series 3-1.

Luigi Datome was the highest scorer of AX Armani Exchange Milan with 21 points and Kyle Hines posted a double-double with 10 points and 12 rebounds.

On Tuesday, Real Madrid became the first team to book the Final Four ticket, after having their third victory in the playoff series against Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv.

The 2022 Final Four will be played in Belgrade's at Stark Arena, with the semifinals to be held on May 19, while the championship clash will be played on May 21.

Built in 2004, Belgrade's Stark Arena will be the Final Four venue, which has a capacity of nearly 15,500 spectators.

It served as the host of the 2018 Final Four when Real Madrid lifted their 10th EuroLeague title by beating Fenerbahce Beko.