Pre-game breakdown
Even the trademark Aeroflot charter flight had two destinations in its name – Vitoria – Madrid. The Army Men are set to visit Real on Friday as well.
All healthy players went on the road. Will Clyburn (knee) and Mikhail Kulagin (foot) stayed in Moscow to continue their rehab.
There have been eight MVP of the Rounds this season and half of them are owned by players in this game. CSKA’s Mike James was the MVP in Rounds 1 and 8; Baskonia’s Toko Shengelia in Rounds 4 and 6. Shengelia leads the league in average performance index rating at 22.6 and James is third at 21.1.
Referees
Ilija Belosevic (Serbia, crew chief), Carmelo Paternico (Italy), Piotr Pastusiak (Poland).
Pre-game quotes
Dimitris Itoudis, CSKA head coach:
We start the double-week with two road games in Spain in a row. Our first game is against Baskonia. They don’t have good results lately, but they remain a tough team. They missed some significant players in previous game who, I believe, will be back to play against us. Baskonia will probably look for a redemption. This is a team that always fights on boards, they have size in all positions and they like to run. They have good pick-n-roll players, good post players, Shengelia is dominant over there, they also have great shooters. So it will be another tough EuroLeague game.
Darrun Hilliard, CSKA guard:
I am excited to play in Vitoria, it’s going to be a fun game. Both teams are going to play hard, it is going to be a tough road game for us, hopefully we get the win.
Close relations
Johannes Voigtmann spent the last three seasons with Baskonia. He made his EuroLeague debut there in the 2016-17 season. He played under head coach Velimir Perasovic and was a teammate of the majority of current Baskonia players.
Darrun Hilliard made his EuroLeague debut with Baskonia last season. He played under Coach Velimir Perasovic and was a teammate of much of the current Baskonia roster.
Baskonia sharpshooter Matt Janning and CSKA guard Daniel Hackett were teammates at Montepaschi Siena during the 2012-13 season.
Mike James played at Baskonia for a season and a half. James signed in December 2014 and was a teammate there of two current Baskonia players: Ilimane Diop and Tornike Shengelia. They reached the 2016 EuroLeague Final Four together.
James played under Baskonia head coach Velimir Perasovic during the 2015-16 season.
Important numbers
Mike James has made at least 1 three-point shot in eight of his last nine games.
James has scored in double figures in each of his last six games.
Mike James is third this season in average PIR with 21.1 per game.
James ranks third this season with 20.0 points per game.
James has made 10 consecutive free throws.
Darrun Hilliard has hit multiple three-point shots in seven of eight games this season. He is tied for third this season with 2.9 three-point shots made per game.
Nikita Kurbanov has made at least 1 three-pointer in six of his last seven games. He is ranked third in three-point accuracy this season at 57.9%.
Kyle Hines ranks third all-time with 215 blocks.
Hines ranks second all-time with 523 offensive rebounds. Felipe Reyes is the all-time leader with 695.
Hines ranks eighth all-time with 1,176 rebounds. Kerem Gonlum is seventh with 1,189.
Janis Strelnieks ranks sixth all-time in free-throw accuracy at 90.91%.
Past matchups
Wins-losses: 30-9
2001-02 – Euroleague. Top 16: TAU Ceramica – CSKA: 73-87 (+14)
2001-02 – Euroleague. Top 16: CSKA – TAU Ceramica: 73-90 (-17)
2003-04 – Euroleague. Top 16: TAU Ceramica – CSKA: 77-80 (+3)
2003-04 – Euroleague. Top 16: CSKA – TAU Ceramica: 84-82 (+2)
2004-05 – Euroleague. Regular season: CSKA – TAU Ceramica: 88-83 (+5)
2004-05 – Euroleague. Regular season: TAU Ceramica – CSKA: 81-85 (+4)
2004-05 – Euroleague. Final Four. Semifinal: CSKA – TAU Ceramica: 78-85 (-7)
2005-06 – Euroleague. Top 16: CSKA – TAU Ceramica: 82-76 (+6)
2005-06 – Euroleague. Top 16: TAU Ceramica – CSKA: 70-63 (-7)
2007-08 – Euroleague. Regular season: TAU Ceramica – CSKA: 76-85 (+9)
2007-08 – Euroleague. Regular season: CSKA – TAU Ceramica: 70-62 (+8)
2007-08 – Euroleague. Final Four. Semifinal: TAU Ceramica – CSKA: 79-83 (+4)
2009-10 – Euroleague. Regular season: Caja Laboral – CSKA: 67-71 (+4)
2009-10 – Euroleague. Regular season: CSKA – Caja Laboral: 84-83 (+1)
2009-10 – Euroleague. Quarterfinals: CSKA – Caja Laboral: 86-63 (+23)
2009-10 – Euroleague. Quarterfinals: CSKA – Caja Laboral: 83-63 (+20)
2009-10 – Euroleague. Quarterfinals: Caja Laboral – CSKA: 66-53 (-13)
2009-10 – Euroleague. Quarterfinals: Caja Laboral – CSKA: 70-74 (+4)
2012-13 – Euroleague. Quarterfinals: CSKA – Caja Laboral: 89-78 (+11)
2012-13 – Euroleague. Quarterfinals: CSKA – Caja Laboral: 90-68 (+22)
2012-13 – Euroleague. Quarterfinals: Caja Laboral – CSKA: 93-72 (-21)
2012-13 – Euroleague. Quarterfinals: Caja Laboral – CSKA: 85-94 (+9)
2014-15 – Euroleague. Top 16: CSKA – Laboral Kutxa: 99-90 (+9)
2014-15 – Euroleague. Top 16: Laboral Kutxa – CSKA: 74-81 (+7)
2015-16 – Euroleague. Top 16: Laboral Kutxa – CSKA: 81-71 (-10)
2015-16 – Euroleague. Top 16: CSKA – Laboral Kutxa: 90-78 (+12)
2016-17 – Euroleague. Regular Season: CSKA – Baskonia: 112-84 (+28)
2016-17 – Euroleague. Regular Season: Baskonia – CSKA: 79-78 (-1)
2016-17 – Euroleague. Quarterfinals: CSKA – Baskonia: 98-90 (+8)
2016-17 – Euroleague. Quarterfinals: CSKA – Baskonia: 84-82 (+2)
2016-17 – Euroleague. Quarterfinals: Baskonia – CSKA: 88-90 (+2)
2017-18 – Euroleague. Regular Season: Baskonia – CSKA: 81-90 (+9)
2017-18 – Euroleague. Regular Season: CSKA – Baskonia: 93-86 (+7)
2018-19 – Euroleague. Regular Season: Baskonia – CSKA: 76-73 (-3)
2018-19 – Euroleague. Regular Season: CSKA – Baskonia: 82-78 (+4)
2018-19 – Euroleague. Quarterfinals: CSKA – Baskonia: 94-68 (+26)
2018-19 – Euroleague. Quarterfinals: CSKA – Baskonia: 68-78 (-10)
2018-19 – Euroleague. Quarterfinals: Baskonia – CSKA: 77-84 (+7)
2018-19 – Euroleague. Quarterfinals: Baskonia – CSKA: 83-92 (+9)
Short dossier
Baskonia Vitoria, Spain
Founded: 1959
Colors: red, dark blue, white
Home arena: Fernando Buesa Arena (15,504)
President: Jose Antonio Querejeta
Head coach: Velimir Perasovic
Website: www.baskonia.com
Trophy case: 2-time Spanish champion (2002, 08); 5-time Copa del Rey winner (1995, 99, 2002, 04, 06); 4-time Spanish SuperCup winner (2005, 06, 07, 08); Saporta Cup winner (1996)
