By Aris Barkas/ barkas@eurohoops.net
Lietuvos Rytas gave them a run for their money, but the Russian juggernaut that is called CSKA Moscow seems to be unstoppable. Without injured Viktor Khryapa the “army team” beat the host of VTB Final Four 79-72 and will play in Thursday’s final against Unics Kazan.
The score was 61-61 four minutes before the end of the game after a two pointer by Lietuvos’s Predrag Samardziski and everything was still open. But Andrei Kirilenko was not going to let his team down. He scored seven of CSKA‘s last 18 points, Milos Teodosic added nine and the win was sealed by an Alexey Shved’s dunk after a steal by Andrey Vorontsevich. Kirilenko with 19 points, seven rebounds and a big block against Ronnie Seibutis in the last minutes was the man of the match. Serbian guard Alexandar Rasic with 16 points was Lietuvos’ top scorer and Toronto Raptors draft pick Jonas Valanciunas had a bad game, scoring just two points.
In the first semifinal Henry Domercant won the duel against Rodrick Blakney and Unics Kazan beat Lokomotiv Kuban by one point (87-86). Domercant made the winning shot, but he also scored 30 points in total, shooting 6/10 three pointers. Lokomotiv was in full strength with American power forward Jeremiah Massey – who missed due to injury the Russian league semi final play offs against CSKA Moscow – on the court, but Blakney did the heavy damage, scoring 22 points with 6/8 three point shots.
CSKA Moscow – Lietuvos Rytas 79-72
CSKA: Teodosic 13 (7 as.), Lavrinovic 9, Siskauskas 2, Mejia, Krstic 12, Voronov, Vorontsevich 8 (8 r.), Shved 10, Kaun 4, Ponkrashov, Gordon 2, Kirilenko 19
LIETUVOS: Babrauskas 8, Rice 12, Roberts 9, Seibutis 6, Dilys 2, Samardziski 15, Katelynas 2, Valanciunas 2, Rasic 16, Jomantas
Unics Kazan – Lokomotiv Kuban 87-86
UNICS: Lyday 15, Samoilenko 2, Nachbar 7, Veremeenko 10 (7 r.), Greer 10, Savrasenko 8, McCarty 7, Jawai 7, Domercant 30 (6/10 3p.)
LOKOMOTIV: Grigoryev, Rivers 17, Ilievski 3, Massey 9, Ignerski 5, Bykov 17, Blakney 22 (6/8 3 p.), Zabelin, Shykhovtsov 6, Traore 4, Sheleketo 3