CSKA Moscow defeated Enisey Krasnoyarsk on the road, 91-66 (22-18, 21-16, 22-15, 26-17).
Top Scorers
Enisey: Martins Meiers (15 + 9 reb), Alex Young (13)
CSKA: Othello Hunter (15 + 7 reb), Nando De Colo (14 + 5 ast), Will Clyburn (11)
Story
Nando De Colo’s seven points to start the game helped stake CSKA to a 16-5 lead midway through the 1st quarter. Krasnoyarsk fought back behind Martins Meiers’ pick-and-rolls and a handful of Alex Young and John Roberson iso’s, cutting the deficit to two, 22-20.
The score stayed competitive until the end of the 2nd quarter, when a 7-0 run capped by Daniel Hackett’s halfcourt buzzer-beater, stretched the visitors’ lead back to nine, 43-34.
Turning Point
The 3rd quarter proved decisive. CSKA stayed hot on offense, finishing the game 53% from the field, including seven 3-pointers. The lead was extended to 16 in the 3rd and the visitors went on to win by 25 .
Stat
17 – number of Enisey turnovers forced by CSKA’s defense. The Army Men benefited, scoring 22 points off the miscues to keep Krasnoyarsk at bay throughout the evening.
Quotes
Enisey head coach Oleg Okulov: This is not the first time we’ve played one of the toughest opponents you could face in Europe to start the season. For me, personally, I’m not despondent about the game. Several players did not perform to their ability, but it’s the first game of the season. After the game, I thanked the guys for their desire. It was there. I also want to thank the fans for finding time to come to the game. We have another top opponent up next, Khimki. We’ll live with it and keep working.
CSKA head coach Dimitris Itoudis: Congratulations to the team. We were better today and deserved to win. A debut is a debut and it was important for us to see how we look in official games after the preseason, when we were missing national team players and dealt with injuries. We did not allow Enisey to score 20 points in any quarter. At the same time, we handed out 25 assists and competed well on the glass. We lacked quickness at times and sharper passing, but that will come with practice. I’m happy for the young guys, Khomenko and Lopatin. They know the system and played brave. Congratulations to Hackett and Ukhov on their debuts as well.
Up Next
Enisey: October 8 vs. Khimki
CSKA: October 7 at Astana
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