CSKA – Action in Action

CSKA vs Lokomotiv: 127-67

The second quarterfinal game of the Russian Championship between the Army team and Lokomotiv from Mineralnye Vody wasn’t a sellout. However, those who didn’t show up to the game only have themselves to blame that they missed the basketball show put on by CSKA.

Тhe pre-game video show was dedicated to the highlights of yesterday’s game. While Viktor Khryapa, Aleksander Bashminov and Sergey Monya threw down dunks on the video screen to the music of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, fans in the arena anticipated another outstanding display by the CSKA players. They were not disappointed.

CSKA head coach Dusan Ivkovic allowed center Victor Alexander to take the night off and didn’t include him in the roster. Two other starters – Jon Robert Holden and Nikolaos Chatzivrettas – didn’t make it to the floor either and observed the entire game from the bench. The starting five looked unusual, to say the least: Aleksei Savrasenko, Sergey Panov, Sergey Monya, Zakhar Pashutin and Teodoros Papaloukas.

Andrey Tsypachev scored the first points of the game, and Lokomotiv had the lead for the first and last time in the game: 2-0. The visitors weren’t able to repeat their performance in the first game. CSKA quickly evened the score, and with 2 minutes left in the quarter, Sergei Monya hit a shot to put CSKA up 20-10. Only a three-pointer by Johnny Taylor in the final seconds of the quarter allowed the visitors to go into the second quarter down 29-23.
During the break, Dusan Ivkovic was able to get his players geared up on defense, which immediately took its toll on Lokomotiv’s offense. In the second quarter, the visitors scored only 10 points, while CSKA doubled that effort. CSKA methodically built up a lead without riling up the crowd particularly with exciting plays. It was the cheerleaders who got the crowd going. Leaving the floor after a timeout, the girls knocked over an advertising board.

After halftime, there was no need to get the crowd worked up. CSKA players truly put on a show. There was everything: blocked shots and steals, drives to the basket and three-pointers, fastbreaks and exciting dunks of every possible kind. It’s not surprising that in the third and fourth quarters the home team more than doubled the output of the visitors.

In the third quarter, CSKA captain Evgeniy Pashutin, threw three alley-oops to Viktor Khryapa, who threw them down with authority. Seven CSKA players got dunks on the evening (12 dunks in all). Just as many CSKA players scored in double figures, giving them a 60-point win, 127-67.

And we can only envy the Rostov crowd, which next Saturday will get to see CSKA-Action in action.