Tibor Pleiss played some of his best basketball in the biggest games to help Anadolu Efes Istanbul return to the Final Four and repeat as the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague champions.

Tribute to the Champs: Tibor Pleiss

[Tibor Pleiss](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/tibor-pleiss/lhk/) played some of his best basketball in the biggest games to help Anadolu Efes Istanbul return to the Final Four and repeat as the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague champions.

Let’s work backwards. With all eyes on Efes’s backcourt stars, Pleiss dominated the paint in the EuroLeague Championship Game to the tune of 19 points, 7 rebounds and 2 blocks. He was at his best with the game on the line, posting 10 points, 4 rebounds and 1 steal in the fourth quarter alone against Real Madrid. Pleiss paired 8 points with 7 boards in the semifinal victory over Olympiacos Piraeus and between the two games, missed just 4 shots!

Tibor Pleiss is a versatile big man who can dunk the ball and use his soft touch for scoring from downtown! Take a look at his 2021-22 season highlights!

Tibor Pleiss | Season Highlights | 2021-22 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague

Those performances were a direct continuation of Pleiss’s fantastic outings in Games 3 and 4 of the playoffs against AX Armani Exchange Milan. After going for 17 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals in Game 3, he followed that with 25 points on 3-for-3 three-point shooting, 6 boards, 2 steals and 2 blocks in the series clincher. 

For the season, Pleiss was a missed free throw away from becoming the tallest ever member of the 50-40-90 club. He made 59.8% of his free throws, 44.2% of his threes and 89.1% of his foul shots. Though his minutes and role fluctuated at times in the regular season, he finished the season with averages of 9.6 points and 4.3 rebounds in 18:03 minutes over 40 games. 

This was the 11th EuroLeague campaign for Pleiss, who ranked ninth in the league in PIR per minute (24.9 prorated over 40 minutes). His timely production was vital for the team’s success and a big reason that he – and Efes – finished the season as back-to-back EuroLeague champions.

Tibor Pleiss - Anadolu Efes Istanbul photo shoot - Final Four Belgrade 2022 - EB21

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Even though injuries limited Dogus Balbay’s on-court contributions for Anadolu Efes Istanbul this season, the club captain nevertheless impacted things behind the scenes on the way to a successful title defense. 

Tribute to the Champs: Dogus Balbay

Even though injuries limited [Dogus Balbay](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/dogus-balbay/003521/)’s on-court contributions for Anadolu Efes Istanbul this season, the club captain nevertheless impacted things behind the scenes on the way to a successful title defense. 

Balbay was not able to play a direct role in Efes’s title triumph at the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four in Belgrade due to injury, but the club’s veteran captain still featured prominently behind the scenes. His vast experience and team-first ethic helped ensure the right mood was maintained in the locker room on the path to glory.

As the captain of the reigning Turkish Airlines EuroLeague champions, point guard Dogus Balbay of Anadolu Efes Istanbul takes to heart the role of building a bridge between the coaches and the players.

Focus on: Dogus Balbay, Anadolu Efes Istanbul

Having joined the team in 2011, Balbay is by far the longest-serving member of the Efes roster and has made more than 200 EuroLeague appearances for the team. A knee injury meant that he could only add seven games to that tally this season, with most of those coming in the opening weeks of the campaign. Balbay was able to play a part in Efes’s important turnaround in form following a disastrous start to the season, spending limited time on the court in victories over ALBA Berlin and Olympiacos Piraeus in Rounds 9 and 10. But he was then sidelined and made only one more appearance, getting nearly 5 minutes on the floor in a Round 29 loss at AS Monaco.

In the end, he totaled just 22 minutes of playing time all season, scoring 1 free throw, grabbing 5 rebounds and dishing 2 assists. But it is a testament to his professionalism and character that despite that minimal on-court contribution, Balbay never let his injury woes get in the way of his role as captain, always providing a positive presence on the sideline and in the locker room. And from a player whose combination of basketball IQ, selflessness and hard work screams ‘future coach’ like few others, you can be sure that Efes boss Ergin Ataman greatly appreciated the support of Balbay over the course of the campaign. Even at the season’s climax, Balbay showed his team-first spirit by calling on long-time teammate Bryant Dunston to do the honors of raising the EuroLeague Trophy. 

Dogus Balbay - Anadolu Efes Istanbul photo shoot - Final Four Belgrade 2022 - EB21

Dogus Balbay - Anadolu Efes Istanbul champ Final Four Belgrade 2022 - EB21-FFF

Dogus Balbay - Anadolu Efes Istanbul - EB21

Bryant Dunston continued to deliver in his seventh season with Anadolu Efes Istanbul, which finished with the iconic center lifting the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague trophy. 

Tribute to the Champs: Bryant Dunston 

[Bryant Dunston](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/bryant-dunston/003048/) continued to deliver in his seventh season with Anadolu Efes Istanbul, which finished with the iconic center lifting the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague trophy. 

Dunston remained a defensive wall throughout the season, climbing to first place on the all-time blocks list, which he still leads with 309 rejections. At age 35, Dunston showed he could still improve, adding the occasional three-point shot to his game; he made a career-high 4 this season, including one in the semifinal against Olympiacos Piraeus. He was effective in the paint, too; Dunston ranked second overall in two-point shooting percentage (72.0%), making 95 of 132 shots inside the arc.

Bryant Dunston | Season Blocks | 2021-22 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague

Dunston averaged 7.5 points on 73.3% two-point shooting and 3.4 rebounds in regular-season action. Among his outstanding performances were 14 points, 4 rebounds, 4 steals and 6 fouls drawn in an 82-81 win against Panathinaikos OPAP Athens in Round 22. Dunston posted 11 points, 6 rebounds and 3 steals in a Round 30 road victory at Zalgiris Kaunas. He had a double-digit PIR in 16 of his team's last 18 regular-season games despite averaging less than 18 minutes. In the playoffs, Dunston averaged 4.8 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.3 blocks against AX Armani Exchange Milan. 

Bryant Dunston Top Plays of the 2021-22 Regular Season, 2021-22 Playoffs and 1 other Season Part

Bryant Dunston Highlights

At the Final Four, Dunston played one of his best games against his former team, Olympiacos Piraeus. He came off the bench to give Efes 12 points - only missing 1 free throw attempt, plus 2 assists, 1 steal and 1 block for a PIR of 13 in over 20 minutes. He only played 7 minutes in the championship game against Real Madrid in which Dunston contributed 2 points, 1 rebound and 1 block. After the final buzzer sounded, Dunston was the happiest man on the court when team captain Dogus Balbay gave him a rare privilege, allowing Dunston to raise the trophy in front of his teammates. Dunston is now a back-to-back EuroLeague champion!

Bryant Dunston - Anadolu Efes Istanbul photo shoot - Final Four Belgrade 2022 - EB21

In his seventh season in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague and his fourth with Anadolu Efes Istanbul, James Anderson was again a fundamental part of his team’s triumphant campaign.

Tribute to the champs: James Anderson

In his seventh season in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague and his fourth with Anadolu Efes Istanbul, [James Anderson](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/james-anderson/005938/) was again a fundamental part of his team’s triumphant campaign.

The 33-year-old forward, who has now amassed 223 appearances in the competition, played in 28 games with an average of 13 minutes per contest during the season, once more showing himself to be a highly versatile performer who is also sufficiently selfless to quietly do the dirty work while allowing his teammates to take center stage.

James Anderson Top Plays from 09/01/2021 to 05/30/2022

A tribute to the champs James Anderson s best plays of the season_5847429.mp4

Anderson’s numbers were not spectacular – he averaged 3.1 points, 2.8 rebounds and 0.5 assists for a PIR of 4.5 per night. But stats don’t always tell the full story, and that’s certainly the case in this Efes team which needs players like Anderson to diligently perform their background roles and provide disciplined defense in order for backcourt stars Shane Larkin and Vasilije Micic to do their game-winning thing.

But Anderson did have his moments in the spotlight, too. In a Round 27 pummelling of Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv, he enjoyed a perfect shooting night, scoring 11 points including 3-of-3 shooting on three-pointers. And a key Round 31 home win over Real Madrid – foreshadowing the championship game – saw Anderson make a strong contribution with 5 points and 5 rebounds in 19 minutes on the floor. 

The Final Four was a different story as Anderson contributed in his usual team-first way, attempting only one shot during 20 minutes on the court during the two games. But his basketball IQ and rock-solid defense were important ingredients of Efes’s triumph, again showing that successful teams need lots of different qualities. And James Anderson provides many of them.

Tribute to the Champs: James Anderson

James Anderson - Anadolu Efes Istanbul photo shoot - Final Four Belgrade 2022 - EB21

James Anderson - Anadolu Efes Istanbul - Final Four Belgrade 2022 - E21-FFF

James Anderson - Anadolu Efes Istanbul- Final Four Belgrade 2022 - EB21

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James Anderson - Anadolu Efes Istanbul - Final Four Belgrade 2022 - E21-FFS

James Anderson - Anadolu Efes Istanbul - EB21-RS30

Check out the best photos of the final Four in Belgrade!

Top photos 2022 Final Four - The top 20 photos! 

Shane Larkin - Anadolu Efes Istanbul - Final Four Belgrade 2022

Moustapha Fall - Olympiacos Piraeus - Final Four Belgrade 2022

Vasilije Micic - Anadolu Efes Istanbul - Final Four Belgrade 2022

Kostas Sloukas - Olympiacos Piraeus - Final Four Belgrade 2022

Guerschon Yabusele - Real Madrid - Final Four Belgrade 2022

Brandon Davies - FC Barcelona - Final Four Belgrade 2022

Adam Hanga - Real Madrid - Final Four Belgrade 2022

Nikola Mirotic - FC Barcelona - Final Four Belgrade 2022

Rokas Jokubaitis - FC Barcelona - Final Four Belgrade 2022

Tyler Dorsey - Olympiacos Piraeus - Final Four Belgrade 2022

Chris Singleton - Anadolu Efes Istanbul - Final Four Belgrade 2022

Rudy Fernandez - Real Madrid - Final Four Belgrade 2022

Tibor Pleiss - Anadolu Efes Istanbul - Final Four Belgrade 2022

Vincent Poirier - Real Madrid - Final Four Belgrade 2022

Shane Larkin - Anadolu Efes Istanbul - Final Four Belgrade 2022 - E21-FFS

Moustapha Fall - Olympiacos Piraeus - Final Four Belgrade 2022 - E21-FFS

Vasilije Micic 10- Anadolu Efes Istanbul - Final Four Belgrade 2022 - E21-FFS

Kostas Sloukas - Olympiacos Piraeus - Final Four Belgrade 2022 - E21-FFS

Guerschon Yabusele - Real Madrid - Final Four Belgrade 2022 - EB21-FFS

Brandon Davies - FC Barcelona - Final Four Belgrade 2022 - EB21-FFS

Adam Hanga - Real Madrid - Final Four Belgrade 2022 - EB21-FFS

Nikola Mirotic 6- FC Barcelona - Final Four Belgrade 2022 - EB21-FFS

Shaquielle McKissic - Olympiacos Piraeus - Final Four Belgrade 2022 - EB21-3rd

Rokas Jokubaitis - FC Barcelona - Final Four Belgrade 2022 - EB21-3rd

Tyler Dorsey - Olympiacos Piraeus - Final Four Belgrade 2022 - EB21-3rd

Chris Singleton 6- Anadolu Efes Istanbul - Final Four Belgrade 2022 - E21-FFF

Rudy Fernandez - Real Madrid - Final Four Belgrade 2022 - E21-FFF

Vincent Poirier - Real Madrid - Final Four Belgrade 2022 - E21-FFF

Shane Larkin - Anadolu Efes Istanbul - Final Four Belgrade 2022 - E21-FFF

Vasilije Micic - Anadolu Efes Istanbul - Final Four Belgrade 2022 - E21-FFF

Chris Singleton - Anadolu Efes Istanbul - Final Four Belgrade 2022 - E21-FFF

Guerschon Yabusele - Real Madrid - Final Four Belgrade 2022 - E21-FFF

Shane Larkin produced another special season for Anadolu Efes Istanbul in which he was chosen to the All-EuroLeague First Team for the first time and helped his team defend the title. 

Tribute to the Champs: Shane Larkin 

[Shane Larkin](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/shane-larkin/007200/) produced another special season for Anadolu Efes Istanbul in which he was chosen to the All-EuroLeague First Team for the first time and helped his team defend the title. 

Larkin averaged 14.6 points and 5.3 assists in regular-season action. He scored 25 points or more four times and Efes won all four of those games - on the road against Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul, Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv and CSKA Moscow and at home against ALBA Berlin. Larkin had a season-high 28 points to go with 5 rebounds, 8 assists, 4 steals and a PIR of 36 in Round 33 against ALBA. In short, when Larkin was at his best, Efes was even tougher to beat and with that in mind, Larkin stepped up at the crucial moments of the season.

Two-time EuroLeague champion Shane Larkin has a complete offensive package. Take a look at his best plays of the 2021-22 campaign.

Shane Larkin | Season Highlights | 2021-22 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague

He ranked second in the playoffs in average PIR with 18.8. He was also third in assists (4.8 apg.) and steals (1.3 spg.) during the playoffs while ranking eighth in scoring with 14.8 points and third with 2.5 triples per game. In the playoffs opener against Milan, Larkin came through with 16 points, 5 assists and 2 steals for a PIR of 15 in a 48-64 road win. In Game 3, he scored 14 of his 16 points in the second half, including 8 points in the last 4 minutes to lift Efes to a 77-65 victory. In Game 4's series-clinching 75-70 win, Larkin tallied 8 points, 7 assists, 5 rebounds and 2 steals for a PIR of 17. 

 

Larkin continued to shine at the Final Four, too. In the semifinals against Olympiacos Piraeus, Larkin led all scorers with 21 points and added 7 assists with just 1 turnover. He did a little bit of everything in the championship game against Real Madrid, finishing the most important game of the season with 10 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, a steal and 4 fouls drawn. He took the last shot of the game, deep into the shot clock, denying Real the chance to even rebound the ball in the final seconds. It was a key play that allowed Larkin to finish a fabulous season with another EuroLeague title!

Shane Larkin - Anadolu Efes Istanbul photo shoot - Final Four Belgrade 2022 - EB21

Shane Larkin - Anadolu Efes Istanbul champ Final Four Belgrade 2022 - EB21-FFF

Shane Larkin, April MVP - Anadolu Efes Istanbul practices - Final Four Belgrade 2022 - EB21

Top photos 2022 Final Four - Pre-Game Show

The most coveted prize of them all: the EuroLeague trophy on display in the pre-game shows!

Fire and coordination are key ingredients to any pre-game show at the Final Four.

Acrobatic dancing moves take center stage!

More mid-air action during the celebration before the games.

Choreography with light illuminates the Stark Arena.

A DJ comes down from the ceiling to get the party started.

Detail of the light choreography.

General view of the show from the stands. A treat to all fans present at the arena.

The pre-game show is a staple in all Final Fours. It was great to have fans back in the stands to witness it.

The DJ pumps it up from the sky!

The TV production also gets close to the action so viewers at home do not miss a single detail.

The pre-game show comes to an end. It's game time!

The Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four is the big party of European basketball and as such, it deserves a pre-game show that introduces the games!

Show - Final Four Belgrade 2022 - E21-FFF

Show 3- Final Four Belgrade 2022 - E21-FFF

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Stark Arena in Belgrade was the host of the 2022 Final Four.

This was the second Final Four held at Stark Arena, after it also hosted the event in 2018.

FC Barcelona practice session.

Anadolu Efes Istanbul locker room.

Stark Arena was packed when Olympiacos Piraeus and Efes tipp off in the first game on Thursday.

Brandon Davies dunks over Vincent Poirier in the semifinals at Stark Arena.

Pre-game show during the Final Four at Stark Arena. 

Olympiacos fans came in huge numbers to Belgrade for the Final Four.

Efes team captain Dogus Balbay during the practice session at Stark Arena.

Tip-off of the third place game.

Efes defended its crown and Vasilije Micic repeated as the Final Four MVP.

Pre-game entertainment during the Final Four at Stark Arena. 

Bryant Dunston lifted the trophy as Efes won back-to-back titles.

Coach Ergin Ataman celebrates with his players during the post-game press conference at Stark Arena.

Stark Arena was the home of the 2022 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four in Belgrade!

Top photos 2022 Final Four - Stark Arena

Stark Arena 2- Final Four Belgrade 2022 - EB21

Stark Arena - Final Four Belgrade 2022 - E21-FFF

Stark Arena - Final Four Belgrade 2022 - EB21

Stark Arena- Final Four Belgrade 2022 - E21-FFS

FC Barcelona practices - Final Four Belgrade 2022 - EB21

Dressing room Anadolu Efes Istanbul - Final Four Belgrade 2022 - EB21

Tip-Off Olympiacos vs Efes - Final Four Belgrade 2022 - EB21

Fans - Olympiacos Piraeus - Final Four Belgrade 2022 - EB21-3rd

Dogus Balbay - Anadolu Efes Istanbul practices - Final Four Belgrade 2022 - EB21

Vasilije Micic 4- Anadolu Efes Istanbul - Final Four Belgrade 2022 - E21-FFF

Anadolu Efes Istanbul champ Final Four Belgrade 2022 - EB21-FFF

Show 11- Final Four Belgrade 2022 - E21-FFF

Press Conference - Anadolu Efes Istanbul champ Final Four Belgrade 2022 - EB21-FFF

When Anadolu Efes Istanbul successfully defended the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague title, it became one of the few teams to repeat as the continental champion.

A look back at past back-to-back EuroLeague winners 

Efes joined a list of teams that starts with ASK Riga, which won three consecutive EuroLeague titles from 1958 to 1960. Led by Janis Krumins, Maigonis Valmanis, Valdis Muiznieks and coached by Alexander Gomelskiy, ASK defeated Academic Sofia in the 1958 and 1959 finals and Dinamo Tbilisi in 1960. ASK reached a fourth consecutive final where it fell to CSKA Moscow. The only other team to threepeat was Jugoplatika Split, led by Toni Kukoc and Velimir Perasovic and, in its first two championships, Dino Radja and Dusko Ivanovic. Split beat Maccabi Tel Aviv in the 1989 championship game and FC Barcelona in 1990 and 1991. 

The only teams to go back-to-back twice were Real Madrid and Pallacanestro Varese. Real first did so in 1964 and 1965, when it downed Spartak Brno and CSKA, respectively. With the same core of players led by Lolo Sainz, Emiliano Rodriguez, Carlos Sevillano, Clifford Luyk, the later additions of Miles Aiken and Wayne Brabender and coached by Pedro Ferrandiz, Real conquered the 1967 and 1968 EuroLeague crowns. In those finals, it defeated Olimpia Milan and Brno. In the 1970s, Varese made it to 10 consecutive championship games and won five championships. Coach Aza Nikolic helped Varese win the EuroLeague in 1970, 1972 and 1973. Sandro Gamba guided the club to consecutive crowns in 1975 and 1976. Dino Meneghin, Bob Morse, Manuel Raga, Aldo Ossola, Marino Zanatta and Dodo Rusconi were among the stars on that legendary team.

Three different teams defended the EuroLeague title in the 1980s. Pallacanestro Cantu, led by Antonello Riva and Pierluigi Marzorati, beat Maccabi in the 1982 championship game and edged Milan the next year on a last-second block by Jim Brewer. Drazen Petrovic led Cibona to back-to-back EuroLeague championships in 1985 and 1986. Cibona beat Real 87-78 in the 1985 championship game behind 36 points from Petrovic. In 1986, Cibona topped Zalgiris Kaunas 94-82 with Danko Cvjeticanin, Sven Usic and Petrovic combining for 66 points. Behind Meneghin, Bob McAdoo and Mike D'Antoni, Milan repeated as EuroLeague champion in 1987 and 1988. It defeated Maccabi in both finals. 

Efes is the third team to win back-to-back EuroLeague crowns this century. Maccabi was first; it thrashed Fortitudo Bologna 118-74 in the 2004 championship game in Tel Aviv and defeated Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz 90-78 in Moscow to claim the 2005 title. Sarunas Jasikevicius, Anthony Parker, Nikola Vujcic, Tal Burstein, Maceo Baston and Derrick Sharp were its main contributors, led by Coach Pini Gershon. Olympiacos Piraeus rallied past CSKA in the 2012 championship game, which the Reds won 62-61 on an iconic last-second shot by Georgios Printezis. A year later, they beat Real 100-88 in London. Vassilis Spanoulis was named Final Four MVP both times while players like Kyle Hines, Kostas Papanikolaou and Acie Law played big roles. Dusan Ivkovic coached the team to the first of those crowns and Georgios Bartzokas to the second. And now, Efes has joined this exclusive group.