“This is another game that we will consider as one of the most important of the season,” Dimitris Itoudis, CSKA head coach, said. “And as in every game like this you have to play with full concentration and motivation for 40 minutes. We know each other well because we played many times this season. So every detail will be important. Unicaja lead the Spanish league now together with Real, they play really well on the boards on both ends, so we have to pay attention to rebounding, the tempo of the game and take care of every possession.”
The Army Men boarded the OrenAir charter flight in optimal conditions. Only Ivan Strebkov stayed in Moscow to play for the junior team. As Unicaja head coach Joan Plaza announced, the hosts will miss injured Jayson Granger, Ryan Toolson, Kostas Vasileadis and Jon Stefansson.
“Relativity” connections
Dimitris Itoudis coached Unicaja guard Stefan Markovic last season in Turkey at Banvit Bandirma.
Sonny Weems was a teammate of Unicaja forward Mindaugas Kuzminskas during the 2011-12 season at Zalgiris Kaunas. That team won the Lithuania League and Cup double plus the Baltic League title.
Kostas Vasileiadis was a teammate of CSKA Moscow guard Aaron Jackson for two seasons between 2010 and 2012 at Bizkaia Basket Bilbao in Spain. They led the club to its first-ever Euroleague appearance and then to the Euroleague playoffs in the second of those seasons.
Stefan Markovic was a teammate of CSKA guard Nando De Colo during the 2011-12 season at Valencia Basket. The backcourt duo helped Valencia reach the Eurocup championship game that season.
Markovic teamed up with Milos Teodosic in Olympiacos Pireaus during 2007-08 season.
Important numbers
Milos Teodosic leads the league this season in assists with an average of 7.3 per game.
Teodosic has scored in double figures and made at least 1 three-pointer in 15 consecutive Euroleague games.
Teodosic is 1 three-pointer away from becoming the ninth player in competition history to reach 300 career three-pointers.
Nando De Colo has made 21 consecutive free throws in Euroleague games.
Sonny Weems has made at least 1 three-pointer in 15 of his last 16 Euroleague games.
Weems has recorded at least 1 steal in five straight Euroleague games.
Kaun needs 23 more points to reach the 1,000-point milestone for his Euroleague career.
Andrey Vorontsevich needs 2 more three-pointers to reach the century mark for his Euroleague career.
Manuchar Markoishvili needs 7 more three-pointers to reach the century mark for his Euroleague career.
Vitaly Fridzon will make his 100th career Euroleague appearance.
Past matchups
Wins/losses: 18-4
1995-96 – European Championship for Clubs. Semifinal Round. Unicaja – CSKA: 81-70 (-11)
1995-96 – European Championship for Clubs. Semifinal Round. CSKA – Unicaja: 81-67 (+14)
2002-03 – Euroleague Top 16. Unicaja – CSKA: 76-95 (+19)
2002-03 – Euroleague Top 16. CSKA – Unicaja: 89-70 (+19)
2003-04 – Euroleague Regular Championship. Unicaja – CSKA: 62-65 (+3)
2003-04 – Euroleague Regular Championship. CSKA – Unicaja: 91-84 (+7)
2004-05 – Euroleague Regular Championship. Unicaja – CSKA: 62-73 (+11)
2004-05 – Euroleague Regular Championship. CSKA – Unicaja: 76-70 (+6)
2005-06 – Euroleague Regular Championship. CSKA – Unicaja: 87-63 (+24)
2005-06 – Euroleague Regular Championship. Unicaja – CSKA: 77-72 (-5)
2006-07 – Euroleague. Semifinal. CSKA – Unicaja: 62-50 (+12)
2007-08 – Euroleague Top 16. Unicaja – CSKA: 72-67 (-5)
2007-08 – Euroleague Top 16. CSKA – Unicaja: 93-70 (+23)
2009-10 – Euroleague Top 16. CSKA – Unicaja: 86-78 (+8)
2009-10 – Euroleague Top 16. Unicaja – CSKA: 70-76 (+6)
2011-12 – Euroleague Regular Championship. CSKA – Unicaja: 77-66 (+11)
2011-12 – Euroleague Regular Championship. Unicaja – CSKA: 83-91 (+8)
2012-13 – Euroleague Top 16. CSKA – Unicaja: 81-94 (-13)
2012-13 – Euroleague Top 16. Unicaja – CSKA: 66-70 (+4)
2014-15 – Euroleague. Regular Season. CSKA – Unicaja: 95-85 (+10)
2014-15 – Euroleague. Regular Season. Unicaja – CSKA: 75-76 ÎÒ (+1)
2014-15 – Euroleague. Top 16. CSKA – Unicaja: 101-74 (+27)
Short dossier
Unicaja Malaga, Spain
Founded: 1977
Colors: white, green, lime
Home court: Palacio De Deportes Jose Martin Carpena (10.233 çðèòåëÿ)
President: Eduardo Garcia Lopez
Head coach: Joan Plaza
Website: www.unicajabaloncesto.com
Accomplishments: Spanish champion (2006), Spanish Cup winner (2005), Korac Cup winner (2001).
