Anadolu Efes deny Olimpia Milan spot in playoffs

By Fatih Erel

ISTANBUL (AA) – Italy's AX Armani Exchange Olimpia Milan missed its last chance to qualify for the playoffs after losing to Turkey's Anadolu Efes 101-95 Thursday in the final round of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague regular basketball season.

Anadolu Efes’ top scorer was Vasilice Micic with 18 points.

The Turkish side maintained fourth place in the standings. Barcelona Lassa secured fifth place and will face Anadolu Efes in the best-of-five playoffs.

The Turkish Airlines EuroLeague regular basketball season will wrap up Friday.

Turkey's Fenerbahce Beko, who were last season’s finalists, top the league and are set for the playoffs.

Before the final matches, Fenerbahce Beko, Anadolu Efes, Real Madrid, CSKA Moscow and Barcelona Lassa had already qualified.

In the final round of matches, Baskonia, Panathinaikos, Zalgiris, AX Armani Exchange Olimpia Milan, Maccabi FOX and Olympiakos will compete for playoff spots.

Sixteen teams are competing in the league -- four Spanish, three Turkish, two teams from Russia and Greece each, and one team each from Germany, Italy, Israel, Lithuania and Montenegro.

Turkey is represented by Anadolu Efes, Fenerbahce Beko and Darussafaka Tekfen. Two of the Turkish teams will compete in the EuroLeague playoffs.

The regular season is being played from Oct. 11, 2018 to April 5, 2019 with the top eight advancing to the playoffs to be held April 16-30.

Winners will advance to the Final Four between May 17-19 at Fernando Buesa Arena in the Spanish city of Vitoria-Gasteiz in single elimination matchups.