Samara vs CSKA: 57-88

CSKA played another game in Russian Superleague and proved its dominant abilities. Under the rules of RFB only five out of 6 CSKA foreigners could take part in the game. The one who was absent this time was Antonio Granger.

CSK-VVS Samara vs CSKA: 57-88

The host of the game was CSK-VVS. But both Army clubs agreed to play both of the games this season in Moscow. Of course, CSKA as actual host tried to start dominate from the very beginning. But after first 3 points by Martin Muursepp the team found out that the rivals were strong enough to thrill the audience with their own performance. CSK VVS made a 9-2 run in just 3 minutes that forced the CSKA head coach Dusan Ivkovic to take the time-out. But nevertheless the Moscovites could not control the game up to the middle of the 2nd quarter. But even controlling the game CSKA could not take any worth to mention lead. The reason was CSK VVS effort for the fight. The young team did not let the famous rival to make a run or to feel any free space under the baskets. Only when CSKA put maximum pressure on the rival, it worked out. A 7-1 run in just one minute made CSKA nominal leader after the first half.

The key for the second half of the game was the rotation of the players. CSK VVS got tired, 2 their players were fouled out and the others had difficulties in the offence. Of course, CSKA used the weakness and the players did their best to make the public and the coaches forget the problems of the first half. In the end the game itself looked alike many other matches with no intrigue.

The best CSKA scorer this time was J.R. Holden with 16 points, Theodoros Papaloukas almost made a double-double - 10 points and 9 assists. The other players including all the line up of CSK VVS did not get any double digit in the stats.


The head coach of CSKA Dusan Ivkovic:

- I think that we absolutely deserved this victory. We have good collaboration with Samara club now. Today there were three our young players in their roster. I liked very much that modern basketball that Oleg Kim forces to his team.

Antonio Granger who is in very good shape now did not play today. We decided to give more playing time to Sergey Monya who did not play in Athens.

We were very good in the defense in the second half of the game. We did not allow Samara to score any baskets for 5 minutes. But my team is not machine, and sometimes they need more motivation. But I think, that we played good game today. Tomorrow we continue our practices to the game against Tau.

The head coach of CSK-VVS Oleg Kim:

- I think that my team has shown good play in the first half. May be it was some surprise for CSKA. But that the army team started to play as machine in the defense. And all knows their great game in the defense. I cannot blame any players who moved to the parquet today.