UNIKS – CSKA: 72-77

CSKA tried a new transfer-accommodation technology – from the airport the team went directly to the Basket hall and had a practice. It is hard to choose the right word for it. It was neither morning nor evening one. Let’s say it was a daytime session – from 14.30 to 16.30. After that CSKA accommodated in the hotel an decided not to have another practice in the morning. The game started rather early at 17.00.

UNIKS – CSKA:72-77

UNIKS as well as Khimky started the Superleague without a single loss. And today UNIKS was tested by CSKA, Khimky – two hours later – by Dynamo. In order to make the battle in the Superleague closer, it was important for CSKA to put maximum attention to the defense. UNIKS started to play a very aggressive basketball from the very first minute and showed pretty well that CSKA would not be give any time to adopt their defense or simply to get used to the rival. But the Army club was not taken aback. The defense worked in a right way, trying not to let UNIKS act from the paint, and on the other end, Holden was active enough to give CSKA the 10-5 lead. But then the Kazan players put their efforts to the right way. Two fast breaks evened the score and good movement under the basket left CSKA scoreless almost for three minutes. UNIKS managed to become a leader after the first quarter after Petr Samoilenko scored 3 points at the same time with the buzz – 17-16.

Eremin’s decision to use at the same time on the court Samoilenko and Best made trouble to CSKA defense but more problems came later as Muursepp, Lavrinovic and other tall players started to control the rebounds and the situation in the paint. To correct the situation Ettore Messina took a time out – 31-22 with 3.12 to go in the second quarter. But that did not work out – two long distance shots of Stombergas and Chikalkin free throws set UNIKS maximum lead – 38-22. Sergei Panov was the player who put all his heart, all his effort to the game in this moment. CSKA captain made three steals in a row and scored the last basket in the first half – 38-34.

Until the middle of the 3rd quarter there were no positive dynamic in CSKA play. With 4.10 to go in the period Ettore Messina took the time out and after that the Army club put more effort and focus on the game. Although the gap did not change – 57-49 Stanislav Eremin felt the changes the took his own minute break. But UNIKS managed to slow down CSKA only when the advantage of the hosts disappeared completely – 61-61 with 8 minutes to go in the game. After that both teams were so much afraid of the mistakes that the maximum lead in the quarter was just 3 points and it was clear that the winner would be determined during the last minute. The key moment of the game came in CSKA possession that lasted from 42 to 18 seconds to go in the game. For most of the time Vanterpool tried to overplay one on one Clansy and did it only with one second to go in the possession – 75-72. UNIKS was not able to make any radical changes in the 18 seconds left. Langdon scored both free throws and set the final score.