CSKA Moscow defeated Avtodor Saratov in overtime, 104-103 (21-21, 27-26, 20-28, 23-16, 13-12).
Top Scorers
Avtodor: Nick Minnerath (21 + 9 rebounds), Tomislav Zubcic (20 + 11 rebounds), Evgeny Kolesnikov (15), Branden Frazier (11 + 6 rebounds + 9 assists), Michael Carrera (11), Maxim Kolyushkin (11)
CSKA: Milos Teodosic (22 + 11 rebounds + 8 assists), Cory Higgins (15), Nikita Kurbanov (13 + 8 rebounds), Dmitry Kulagin (12), Kyle Hines (11 + 12 rebounds)
Turning Point I
There were so many key moments in this game, but with 38 seconds to go in regulation, CSKA probably thought it had the W in the bag.
Fouled by Maxim Kolyushkin, Kyle Hines converted two free throws to put CSKA on top, 90-86.
Avtodor didn’t bat an eye. Zubcic quickly drained a ‘3’ to cut the deficit to 1. After Dmitry Kulagin went 1-2 at the line, Saratov’s Branden Frazier earned his own trip to the charity stripe, knotting the score at 91-91 with 27 seconds remaining.
3-Point Shooting
Both teams struggled big-time from outside. CSKA went 6-34, good for 17%. Milos Teodosic was the biggest culprit, matching a League record with 14 missed 3’s to finish 1-15 from downtown.
Saratov went 11-38, 28%, not much better.
Turning Point II
Overtime delivered. Both teams were desperate for a win–CSKA to preserve its perfect start and Avtodor to score a huge upset.
The extra period featured 5 lead changes. Neither team ever led by more than three. With Avtodor trailing 100-97, Kolyushkin connected on a 3-pointer to tie it up.
After two big defensive stops, Frazier put the home team ahead, 103-100, with less than a minute to go.
But CSKA wouldn’t go away. Cory Higgins forced a turnover and got fouled, pulling his team within one, 103-102. After Avtodor missed another chance to add to its lead, Nikita Kurbanov got to the free-throw line with three seconds remaining, converting both to put his team on top, 104-103.
Saratov had one last chance, but Artem Zabelin’s jumper got lodged between the rim and the backboard, giving possession and the game to CSKA.
Star
Nikita Kurbanov. The Russian forward was productive throughout the game, and he delivered in the clutch, sinking the two game-winning free throws in the final seconds.
Play of the Game
Quotes
CSKA head coach Dimitris Itoudis:
– I want to congratulate my team on the win. We knew it would be tough. Avtodor is a good team and has assembled a very competitive team in the VTB United League and Europe. We controlled the game on offense, but allowed the home team to score 25 easy fast-break points. We wanted to change the situation, and that worked for us, to some extent. At the end of the game, we caught our opponent by playing tough, as one team, as the strongest team in Europe. We started to use all of our options on offense. Unfortunately, we couldn’t hit our 3-pointers today: We only made 6 of 34 from beyond the arc. That’s probably our worst 3-point percentage in a long time. At the end of regulation, during Avtodor’s key possessions, we tried to switch on defense, but gave up a ‘3’ to Zubcic and missed a free throw, so we went to overtime. In the extra period, we started to play more aggressively, attack our opponent under the basket, and choose the right strategy. We forced Stockton, Carrera, and Frazier to commit more fouls and pulled out the win. Avtodor was very motivated to play us. I want to thank my players for their effort in the final minutes, but we need to learn from today’s game. We shouldn’t wait to fall behind by 10 points, before we start playing like a team. I also want to congratulate Avtodor on a great game, as well as the fans who always create an unforgettable, incredible atmosphere, which is huge for their team.
Avtodor head coach Sergei Mokin:
– It’s tough to win when your opponent shoots 45 free throws. We probably had some mistakes on defense, given we fouled so much and let our opponent get to the line so often. But we did good work and managed to eliminate CSKA’s main weapon: 3-point shooting. Unfortunately, we didn’t manage to win. The outcome depends on the little details. If we hadn’t lost the ball in a key moment or got a rebound, the win may have been ours. Thanks to my guys for playing hard and for the work they put in today. We are getting better from game to game. I’ll be happy if we can continue in that vein. The wins will come! The fan support was at an amazing level today and played a very important role. I think Saratov has the very best fans! When it comes to passion and energy, no one compares.
Up Next
Avtodor: November 13 at VEF
CSKA: November 6 vs. Zenit
Snapshot
