Nerve-strain of the second game of the final series was like in the Euroleague TOP16 game CSKA against Tau Ceramica Spain. CSKA was leading not full 7 minutes. Two of them in the amazing ending which become victorious for the army team:
CSKA vs UNICS: 91-85
Dusan Ivkovic changed only one position in the starting give by the substitution Viktor Khryapa to Sergey Monya. The game has started from 2 3-pointyers in a row by Holden and Turkcan. To the end of the fourth minute Turkish forward of our team increase advantage to 7 points: 10-3. Answer of UNICS was not long waiting. Kazan players has shown their good ability to score far throws and scored 10 points in a row: 10-13. Time-out of Ivkovic in the middle of the quarter was not enough. Till 4 second to the end army players were already losing 6 points: 18-24. The head coach of CSKA took another one time-out. He put to the court Papaloukas moving Tarlac. But on last seconds Holden did not score 3-pointer.
Of course, after the rest our scheme became more usual. Alexey Savrasenko took the place of the center. Ivkovic continued to rotate the squad but UNICS also continued to grow its advantage: 22-34. In the middle of the quarter Theodoros Papaloukas had to go to the bench because of the injury of his feet. But after the rest and medical help he could return to the parquet in the end of the game. By the score 26-36 Panov and Khryapa scored 2 3-pointers in a row and forced Stanislav Eremin to take time-out. Unfortunately, in the end of the quarter UNICS could return 10-points advantage. Only on last second Anton Yudin scored 3-points: 37-44.
After the return from the locker room Dusan Ivkovic returned starting five to the parquet. Long waiting spurt of the army team starter in the middle of the third quarter. CSKA started to recover. Till 5 minutes to the end of the quarter Monya scored one more 3-pointer: 52-55. In the next attack he could equalize the score but could not score second far throw in a row. In the end of these 10 minutes the score was 60-62 already. Till 2 second to the end Monya could equalize score or get leadership but his throw was not good.
The last quarter became the key like in many such games. In the beginning Monya made brilliant dunk by the one hand but one second earlier one of Kazan players made foul on him. In the middle of the quarter the score was equal: 71-71. Both teams started to score 3-pointers: 77-77. Till 2 minutes to the final buzzer CSKA get leadership: 84-82. Getting initiative, Dusan Ivkovic did not going to lose. On the last minute UNICS had last time to the win. But with the score 87-85 Greer could not score the ball. CSKA won the second game and now leads the series: 2-0. The third game will take place on May, 27 in Kazan.
The head coach of CSKA Dusan Ivkovic:
- Again for the second time it was specific play-off game. Of course, somebody of my players may be expect some easier job against UNICS. Kazan is really good team. They played a big game today. But for one more time my players shown very big character. We fight till last seconds, till really end of the game. Everybody played with the big confidence.
We had extremely good preparation. I want to say that I spoke with referees. I do not expect any help from them. Criteria of fouls were absolutely different. But I do not want to speak much about refereeing, because it is not my job. I think that UNICS players really good game. Now our job is to prepare team good for the next game. I think that it is great final and we deserved this 2-0. I have to prepare my team much better then today.
The head of UNICS Stanislav Eremin:
- I want to thank my players for today game. Today we played good. Speaking only about the technical side of the game I think they the key moment was foul on Miloserdov when his throw was not count. The Turkcan scored 3-poointer, and it was very important moment of the game.
On the other hand we used all our forces for Alexander Gorshkov to not referee this game but we could not. I think that he must be disqualified because such peoples must not be in the basketball.
But I have to notice that CSKA is better then we in organization of the game. The game was really interesting, both teams shown beautiful play. We lose last minutes for the second time in a row.
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