EUROLEAGUE - Efes join the Top 16 party

ISTANBUL (Euroleague) - Efes Pilsen are in the Top 16 of the Euroleague after beating Lithuanian powerhouses Lietuvos Rytas 90-84 on Wednesday.

Scoonie Penn led David Blatt's team with 21 points and Andre Hutson finished with 20.

With the victory, Turkish giants Efes improved to 8-4 in Group B while Lietuvos Rytas dropped to 9-3 and into second place behind Unicaja Malaga - 87-68 victors over Le Mans.

Aris (6-6) had hoped to seal their progression to the last 16 as well but they suffered a 77-69 defeat at Armani Jeans Milano, who won for only the third time in 12 games.

That defeat has given Cibona (4-7), who host Maccabi Tel Aviv on Thursday, a glimmer of hope of finishing fifth in the group.

Lottomatica Roma (5-7) won another thrilling game in front of their fans, edging Partizan Belgrade 88-87.

Roko-Lenic Ukic had 23 points, including the game-winning lay-up in the final 30 seconds.

Melinko Tepic had a chance to win at the end for Partizan but his running one-hander only hit the rim, dropping the visiting side to 4-8.

Roma are now in fifth place while Partizan are sixth.

FIBA