By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
CSKA Moscow started the last quarter with a 10-1 run, got an 86-67 advantage over AX Armani Exchange Olimpia Milano and despite the comeback effort of the Italians, had things under control until the final 101-95, getting one win behind Fenerbahce BEKO for the top spot of the regular season.
Despite a competitive first quarter which ended with the guests trailing by eight points (51-43), CSKA‘s dominance on the boards and better shooting night made things easy for the hosts. Hunter has his best game for the season with 19 points, seven rebounds and four assists, Cory Higgins added 18 points, Will Clyburn had 16 and Nando De Colo scored 14.
However, the most important number of the night was the 20 offensive rebounds that CSKA got in comparison to the 14 defensive rebounds of the Italians. Simply put CSKA had more rebounds on the paint of Milan, compared to the guests. “The numbers are quite clear“, said after the game coach Simone Pianigiani. “The offensive rebounds and second-chance points killed us“.
Nemanja Nedovic scored 16 points, Jeff Brooks and Vladimir Micov tried his best with 14 points each, James Nunnally had 13, but the best coach Pianigiani’s team could do was the make it a seven-point game (94-87) with three minutes left. They had the change to get even closer but after that, they missed three shots and made just one free throw in four attempts, giving to CSKA the chance to build against a double-digit lead (99-88).
“I feel that we were in control of the game from the beginning against one of the most talented teams of the league and I feel that we never felt real pressure, even we kind of slow down in the last seven minutes“, said CSKA coach Dimitris Itoudis.
Mike James with two shots in the closing 17 seconds managed to cut the final point difference to six points and got to 13 points to go along with his seven assists. “Everybody is congratulating us because we are near the playoffs, but now we play against top teams and we have to step up and toughen up“, concluded Pianigiani.
Photo credit: EuroLeague