CSKA vs. Real Madrid: 82-78 (+4)
CSKA: De Colo (21 + 3 rb + 4 as + 3 to), Peters (2 + 8 rb), Hackett (14 + 2 as + 4 pf), Kurbanov (6), Hunter (4 + 5 rb + 2 as + 2 st) – start; Bolomboy (0), Antonov (0), Rodriguez (6 + 2 st + 3 to), Vorontsevich (DNP), Clyburn (8 + 6 rb + 2 as), Higgins (15 + 3 rb), Hines (6 + 5 rb)…
Real Madrid: Causeur (9 + 2 as + 2 st), Randolph (20), Campazzo (8 + 3 rb + 5 as + 3 st), Tavares (5 + 5 pf), Deck (0) – start; Fernandez (3 + 3 rb + 2 as), Reyes (3 rb), Ayon (11 + 6 rb + 6 as + 2 st + 2 bs), Carrol (8), Prepelic (10 + 4 as), Kuzmic (DNP), Taylor (4 + 3 rb)…
Dimitris Itoudis, CSKA head coach:
I think everybody is satisfied – congratulations to the players. They kept believing. We had a bad second quarter, but we talked a lot in our locker room and stayed on the same page. Despite scoring 12 points (in the second quarter), we kept believing, put out a better effort and shot the ball better, in better circumstances. We kept crashing the boards – we went to the boards very determined and it was very decisive to win the boards by 12 rebounds, if I am not mistaken. That is huge. We knew it was going to be a tough game. Madrid is the defending champion and this is the second time we have won against them. That shows something. We are going game by game and are satisfied with the crowd – you see how good it is when they are a part of equation, especially in the third quarter, when we needed it more. So congratulations to them as well. We know about Cory’s quality and the value he has as a player and as a person. Still, he is not at his best, he is going to need some time to make certain adjustments, but I am very happy that I have healthy players. I would be even happier when I have Misha (Kulagin) back. So congratulations to Cory for the comeback but congratulations to the team as a unit, as a group. We prevailed.
