The final TOP 16 game was in fact meaningless for both teams. The hosts had no way of improving their position in the standings, and the Army team had already secured a spot in the Final Four. But both teams had their own motivation. Cibona hardly wanted to dt dirt kicked in their face in front of their own fans. In their nine previous Euroleague home games, the Croatian club had only lost to the Italian club Benetton. And before the trip to Zagreb, CSKA made clear that they did not want to make the final game a formality.
Victor Alexander’s April vacation, begun in the second game of the Russian Championship quarterfinals with Lokomotiv, continued for this game thanks to Dusan Ivkovic. Nikolai Padius took his spot on the roster. Thus, CSKA’s starting five was as follows: John Robert Holden, Nikolaos Hatzivrettas, Darius Songaila, Sergei Monya and Aleksei Savrasenko.
Cibona started the game very active and went ahead on the first posession of the game after a three-pointer by Davor Kus. CSKA answered with a three-ball from Hatzivrettas. It was the only tie in the entire game. Looking more mobile, the Croats took the initiative. Haris Muezinovic was especailly active, leading his team in scoring with 19 points. But Alexandar Petrovic’s team couldn’t build a solid lead. CSKA slowly came alive in the middle of the first quarter. When the Army team toughened up on defense and actively attacked the basket, the Cibona lead disappeared. Sergei Monya’s three-pointer cut the Cibona lead to 12-11, followed by a 24-second clock violation by
Cibona. Alexei Savrasenko then put CSKA up 13-12. The next time Savrasenko attacked the hoop, CSKA, which tried to shut down Alikhodzhic and Prkacin the entire game, was up 25-16.
CSKA went on a big run in the second quarter. After three-pointers from Holden and Hatzivrettas and a basket by Bashminov under the hoop, the visitors broke the game open with a 16-33 lead. Any attempt Cibona made to change the course of the game turned out to be in vain. The home team couldn’t stop Holden, who was practically making fun of his defender. On one fast break, Holden dished to Savrasenko, but the ball hit Planinic in the forehead and ricocheted into the hands of the CSKA center. Savrasenko didn’t have much trouble putting the ball in the hoop. The end of the quarter was completely demoralizing for Cibona. MacClinton couldn’t convert on a fastbreak, getting his shot blocked from behind by Viktor Khryapa, and Papalukas
dropped in a long three-point bomb in the final seconds to put CSKA up 55-30.
After the intermission, Dusan Ivkovic left Holden on the bench, which immediately had consequences for CSKA’s offensive capabilities. After a basket by Bashminov in the paint, the visitors failed to score on 12 straight possessions. One time the ball literally bounced out of the basket after going all the way down into the net. It was reminiscent of the game in Moscow when a Cibona basket also went all the way in the basket before flying out again because of a tight net. The discounted basket got Planinic going a little, and he hit one of two free throws. But Hatzivrettas got CSKA back on track, converting on a fastbreak after a steal by Papalukas, putting the visitors up 59-31. Sergei Panov played very well, contributing both offensively and defensively.
In the final quarter, Dusan Ivkovic let all of his players see the floor. The Pashutin borthers went in, as did Nikolai Padius. The Cibona players couldn’t do anything against CSKA’s reserves. The Moscow squad was hitting from everywhere and defending effectively. Twice in a row Savrasenko offensive rebounds and put them back in.
Evgeny Pashutin and Nikolai Padius each scored on drives to the basket. On one possession, Padius and and Panov took the defense apart with deft passing and hit Savrasenko underneath for a huge dunk. Zakhar Pashuting added the exclamation mark by connecting and making the final score 101-59.
VTB Teams:
League&Tournament:
