CSKA – Biella: 72-59

At the game day there was a press conference held in the commune of the Moncalieri city. The major and the representatives of all the teams were present. CSKA is the only foreign team this year. This is the reason why the club was represented at the meeting not only by the coach Molin but also by Matjaz Smodis. It was announced at the press conference that part of the ticket profit of the tournament would be donated to the Italian fund of the leukemia disease.

Moncalieri tournament is the stage of the preparations not only for the four teams but also for the referees. The Euroleague camp for them started a few days ago not far from the city so several referees where taken to Moncalieri in order to serve at the games. There also would be a coach clinic tomorrow. Ettore Messina would make lecture on passing, Benetton head coach David Blatt - on 1-1-3 defense, Alessandro Ramagli of Biella - on pick&roll offence and finally Cantu head coach Stefano Sacripanti would tell the colleagues about individual defence.

CSKA – Biella: 72-59 (21-18, 15-10, 18-18, 18-13)

CSKA: Langdon (15+7 reb+3 assists), Shabalkin (15+4 reb), Andersen (13+7 reb), Kurbanov (12+8 reb), Lamma (6), Vyaltsev (4), Zavoruev (3), Panov (2), Kashirov (2).

David Andersen returned to the starting five after the game in Livorno he missed because of th cold. The presence of the center made CSKA game more interesting both offensively and defensively. After 3 minutes of playing time Alessandro Ramagli was even forced to take a time out – 9-2 in CSKA favor. But in the 1st quarter Andersen did not stay long on the court, after another 3 minutes he was substitute by Anatoly Kashirov and after the young center left the court too the team played the same kind of game as in Livorno.

CSKA did two jobs in the same time. On the one hand the young players continued to receive enough time on the court on the other the Army club paid attention on the behave of the rival. By the half time the gap between he two teams was set at 10 points and CSKA was ready to continue in the same way.

But with several minutes to go in the 3rd quarter an accident happened. The lights of the hall were turned off. It took the organizers about 3 minutes to let the game go on but the rhythm of it was already lost. By the time the accident occurred CSKA was ahead 48-34. It took the team about 7 minutes to climb again to the same mark. But the team did not returned to the same mood.

CSKA is going to face Benetton in the final game of the tournament tomorrow at 21.15 CET.