By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
CSKA Moscow got their revenge over Lokomotiv-Kuban in the VTB League after their defeat in January.
This time the “Army Men” beat Loko on the road 78-75, mainly thanks to Will Clyburn who scored 26 points and added 7 boards.
With 90 seconds left in the game, the teams were tied at 69-69. Everything was up for grabs and Nando De Colo nailed a three-pointer that pushed CSKA to the win.
De Colo hadn’t begun the game well, struggling to catch the rhythm in the first half when CSKA was trailing by 5 points (41-36). The Frenchman was 0/3 from the field in the first 20 minutes of the game as his only points came from the free-throw line (2/2 for one). Despite the slow first half De Colo finished the game in style with 17 points.
The prep talk by Itoudis at the halftime motivated CSKA’s players. They were dominating the floor in the third quarter winning that period 21-11 and taking the lead. However, Loko responded to make it a close game near the end.
Mardy Collins had 20 points and 6 boards for Loko, but he missed the chance to force overtime. In the last possession, he missed a three-point shot as his team lost the game.
CSKA moved up to a 14-2 record in the VTB League while with its second straight loss Lokomotiv now falls to a 12-3 record.