Baskonia Vitoria vs. CSKA: 77-84 (+7)
Baskonia: Vildoza (7 + 6 rb + 4 as + 2 st + 3 to), Voigtmann (12 + 4 rb + 2 st + 2 bs), Shengelia (9 + 3 rb), Garino (3 + 2 as + 2 st), Shields (3 + 2 as + 4 pf) – start; Sedekerskis (DNP), Huertas (4 + 5 as + 3 to), Janning (7), Diop (0), Poirier (19 + 15 rb), Jones (0), Hilliard (13 + 3 rb + 5 pf)…
CSKA: De Colo (28 + 5 as + 4 pf), Vorontsevich (6 + 3 rb), Hackett (5 + 4 pf), Kurbanov (5 + 3 rb + 3 to), Hines (10 + 7 rb + 3 st + 4 pf) – start; Bolomboy (0), Peters (0), Ukhov (DNP), Rodriguez (3 + 5 rb + 7 as + 4 to), Clyburn (10 + 7 rb + 2 st), Higgins (11 + 5 rb + 2 as), Hunter (6 + 5 rb + 5 pf)…
Dimitris Itoudis, CSKA head coach:
I would like to congratulate my team for the win and the performance. I am 100 percent sure that the consistency we show and belief and trust and what we did the whole season, and the trust and belief that we brought each and everyone one individual in this group did affect the way we played the game, the way we fought and the way we believed. It was a very tight game, even though we had a big early lead for such a tough playoff game, but Baskonia has a quality and a character and came back. The moment of the game, they tied the game and took a 3-point lead, but we tied it right back with a great play. We showed we have great depth on the bench each and everyone gave something, including Joel Bolomboy, one of the last in the rotation. Bolomboy played just 5 minutes, but the way he was switching, the way he blocked a shot, the way he intimidated shots, the way he defended, there are no numbers that can be translated to what he contributed in those clutch moments. Basketball has a lot of complex situation, and that is a huge thing of Joel being a point of emphasis after only 5 minutes. As I say, it does not matter who starts the game, it is about belief and trust and consistency they show. It is tough to play in Vitoria, Baskonia is a good team and deserves respect from all of us. This is to be continued, there is another tough game upcoming.
