By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
CSKA Moscow qualified to the EuroLeague Final Four for sixth consecutive season after beating Baskonia 90 – 88 in Vitoria and sweeping the series 3 – 0.
Cory Higgins paced the winners with 21 points (second-best scoring performance of the season), Nando De Colo had 15 and 5 assists, Milos Teodosic 13 points but it was Kyle Hines who emerged as the last-second hero once more, after his winning free throws in Game 2.
The American center blocked Adam Hanga’s effort to force an overtime under the rim, sealing the victorious result for CSKA and preventing Baskonia and Shane Larkin from achieving a complete comeback.
After Tornike Shengelia’s (19 points, 7 rebounds) efforts to keep his team’s head above the water, Larkin took the baton and made one bucket after the other transforming the 79 – 86 into 88 – 90 with six seconds left. A massive defense by Jaka Blazic allowed Baskonia possession in the last play but Larkin’s 3-point attempt to win the match was blocked (a questionable non-call) by Nikita Kurbanov and then Hines finished the job for the defending champs.