CSKA vs. Anadolu Efes Istanbul: 102-84 (+18)
CSKA: De Colo (21 + 5 rb + 6 as + 3 st), Peters (2 + 5 rb), Hackett (12 + 6 as), Kurbanov (9 + 6 rb + 6 st), Hunter (13 + 5 rb) – start; Bolomboy (DNP), Antonov (0), Rodriguez (8 + 3 rb + 4 as + 4 to), Clyburn (24 + 11 rb), Higgins (9 + 4 pf), Kulagin (DNP), Hines (4)…
Anadolu Efes: Beaubois (24 + 2 as), Moerman (5 + 4 rb + 2 as), Micic (7 + 5 as + 2 st + 3 to), Dunston (2 + 5 rb + 2 as), Simon (11 + 3 to) – start; Larkin (7 + 3 as + 3 to), Balbay (2), Birsen (0), Motum (16 + 3 rb), Tuncer (DNP), Pleiss (6 + 2 st + 2 bs + 4 pf), Anderson (4 + 2 as)…
Dimitris Itoudis, CSKA head coach:
I would like to congratulate my team, obviously, after back-to-back games, playing against the leader (Fenerbahce) and the fourth-ranked team. Efes has shown a lot of potential and growth, and is in a position to threaten anyone. But I think that the game relies a lot on how my players changed their mindset in the second half, especially on the defensive end, and I also want to congratulate them for that. We got a lot of good stops, deflected passes, got on the boards and it is shown on the stats. We allowed 30 points in the second half, as many points as we gave up in the second quarter, in which we were not that good, and also in the first quarter, when they hit big shots. We chose to play different kinds of defenses in the second half, and in some of those they hit big shots, but that did not crack us. We had an even stronger mindset. So big congratulations to the team for how it bounced back after the game we had in Turkey a few days ago. We were controlling that game – we were plus 7 with 4 minutes left – and psychologically it was tough, also with the trip, so they deserve to be congratulated. This can only make us stronger and smarter, all this process. To be continued. I wish that we can stay healthy. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
