CSKA defeated Lokomotiv Kuban in Semifinals Game 3 on the road – 100:81 (22:22, 32:13, 21:28, 25:18)
Game progress
The series moved to Krasnodar with the series tied 1-1. The opening quarter set the stage for a continuation of this hard-fought battle, but midway through the second quarter CSKA mounted a rapid 13-0 run. Loko lost control on the perimeter and couldn’t handle the guests backcourt, while Casper Ware emerged as the star, sinking 3 three-pointers and scoring 13 points in the quarter. By halftime, the Krasnodar team had made just 1 three-pointer (7 of 14 by the guests) and had also been outrebounded 12-21. A 32-13 run in the second quarter gave CSKA a significant lead heading into halftime—54:35.
In the third quarter, Loko picked up the pace and found options in offense. Vsevolod Ischenko brought aggression, Kirill Temirov started making shots, Jeremiah Martin and Patrick Miller stepped up. The hosts won the quarter 28-21 and had a chance to get into clutch.
Key Moment
The Krasnodar team grabbed 3 offensive rebounds and scored 2 points on the fourth attempt in one possession. Then Melo Trimble’s 2 consecutive three-pointers followed immediately afterward. In just half a minute, CSKA leader increased the guests lead from 13 to 19 points, after which the Moscow team controlled the game until the end.
X-Factor
Loko players made a total of just three long-range shots (3 of 16), compared to CSKA’s 14 three-pointers with 48% accuracy.
Facts
CSKA took a 2-1 lead in the series.
The Moscow team led throughout the entire second half.
Casper Ware scored 31 points and had season-high 29 PIR.
Leaders
Lokomotiv Kuban: Jeremiah Martin (19 points + 7 rebounds), Patrick Miller (18 points + 12 assists), Vince Hunter (12)
CSKA: Casper Ware (31), Melo Trimble (21), Samson Ruzhentsev (10), Livio Jean-Charles (10 + 5 rebounds).
What’s next
Game 4 on May 20 in Krasnodar.
