Photo Gallery: CSKA vs Khimki

CSKA vs Khimki: 97-84

The first game of the semifinal series between the Superleague champions CSKA and Khimki v from the Moscow suburbs v which finished fourth in the regular season, proved once again that the playoffs are a different story.
It was a battle from the opening minutes of the game.

Both teams had suffered personnel losses. Army guard Zakhar Pashutin injured his leg two days ago in practice and watched the game from the stands. Khimki was missing two players: Guard Alexei Savkov broke his hand two months ago, and forward Alexander Petrenko had a knee operation yesterday.

The home team-s starting five was that of the final Euroleague game: John Robert Holden, Nikolaos Hatzivrettas, Sergei Monya, Darius Songaila and Victor Alexander.

The first minutes of the game made it obvious that Khimki was ready to give CSKA a fight and make the semifinal series an intriguing one. After easy baskets from practically all the way under the basket by Slovev, Demin and Vadeyev, the home team was losing 6-2. And only after four minutes until the end of the first quarter was the Army team able to even the score at 18-18 on a 3-pointer by Holden (shot 5-6 from behind the arc on the evening). After that, Khimki went ahead a few more times, but thanks to the American playmaker, CSKA led 32-38 at the end of the first quarter.

The second quarter began with a driving basket by Sergei Monya and a Khimki timeout. After the pause in play, the visitors got back on track and even took the lead after five straight points by Vladimir Demin, putting Khimki up 43-41. But Alexei Savrasenko helped the Army team go back ahead. Alexei drew two fouls on opposing center Denis Yershova (one on the offensive end), dunking with the foul under the hoop. The first half ended with a score of 53-45.

The third quarter was an exciting duel. The Army team had an unusual lineup on the floor. Evgeny Pashutin, Sergei Monya, Viktor Khryapa, Darius Songaila and Alexander Bashminov. The Monya-Vadeyev duel produced a barrage of 3-pointers. Both players dropped in treys. Then Mikhail Solovev followed six straight points by Alexander Bashminov with a 3-ball of his own. And as the third quarter came to an end, Khryapa freed himself up from his defender Arseniya Kuchinsky (a few minutes before the Belarussian legionnaire halted Khryapa on a fastbreak by grabbing his leg and earning an intentional foul) and received a pass from Holden for a baseline dunk on the head of Khimki-s Vitaly Nosov.

In the final quarter, Dusan Ivkovic let all of his players take the floor. Nikolai Padius, not giving his best performance, lost the ball of the dribble, but a minute later made up for it, getting two steals and once giving the ball up o Sergei Monya on a breakaway. Monya got a highlight-reel dunk, to the delight of the evening-s honored guest v Yugoslav basketball legend Sasha Danilovic. The Army team couldn-t get the 100 points that the fans love so much. A slowdown on the offensive end led to the final score: 97-84.

Tomorrow at 18:00 the two teams will play the second game of the semifinal series on the floor of the USH CSKA.