By Aris Barkas
Khimki will play in Sunday the second Eurocup final of its history after the first one of 2009. The host team of the Eurocup Finals beat Spartak St. Petersburg 77-73 after a thrilling game with veterans Vitaly Fridzon (16 p.) and Zoran Planinic (12 p.) leading the way.
It was a dog fight from the start, with Khimki getting the upper hand in first quarter (27-14) and Spartak getting within four points in half time (42-38). The score was made 44-44 after a three pointer from Spartak’s Yotam Halperin and the story from there was a trench battle with the two teams exchanging big shots and elbows.
Finally the most important shots of the game were 2/4 free throws by Planinic in the last minute that gave Khimki a crucial edge (76-73). Spartak’s answer was a turnover by Halperin and a shot by Anatoly Kashirov that was blocked by Khimki’s captain Fridzon. The Russian guard also scored the last point of the game, one more free throw (77-73) just before the final buzzer.
Khimki – Spartak St. Petersburg 77-73
KHIMKI: Fridzon 16, Vyaltsev 5, Loncar 13, Quinn 7, Monya 9, Gelabale 3, Kelati 10, Planinic 12, Nielsen 2
SPARTAK SPB: Zavoruev 3, Kashirov 2, Halperin 15, Likhodey 12, Beverley 15, Zupan 4, Zozulin 5, Dragicevic 10, Mavrokefalides 2, Keyru 5, Dragovic