Moscow’s CSKA defeated Saratov’s Avtodor at home, 117–55 (32–14, 24–16, 25–18, 36–7).
Main Story
Saratov opened the scoring on their very first possession, but the hosts quickly responded and took the lead. Tight defense and a high field goal percentage allowed CSKA to build a double-digit lead. They were particularly accurate from beyond the arc, making 4 of 6 three-pointers in the quarter. The second 10-minute period followed a similar pattern, and CSKA ended the first half with a 26-point lead.
After halftime, Avtodor was unable to regain the initiative. Andreas Pistiolis’ team continued to play aggressively on defense, forcing their opponents into turnovers and capitalizing on fast breaks. Every CSKA player scored, allowing the team to reach the 100-point mark for the second time and tie their season-high in scoring.
The X-Factor
The Muscovites attacked effectively from all ranges during the whole game. They made 66% of their 2-point shots (24 of 36) and 41% of their 3-pointers (15 of 36). On top of that, they converted 24 of 25 free throws.
Interesting Facts
CSKA secured its twenty-ninth consecutive victory over Avtodor. The head-to-head record stands at 30-1 in favor of CSKA.
Samson Ruzhentsev recorded a double-double: 16 points and 12 rebounds.
A total of seven CSKA players scored ten or more points.
The Moscow team set a season record for assists (33).
Press Conference
CSKA Head Coach Andreas Pistiolis:
– First of all, let me thank the CSKA fans who made it here today. To be honest, I expected there to be fewer of them, but in the end we had a good turnout. As for the game, I think we started off very strongly. We approached the game with the right mindset and didn’t give our opponents a single chance. Even though we played very well in both defense and offense, we need to put this game behind us and focus on our next two matches, which will be against very tough opponents.
Avtodor Head Coach Rostislav Vergun:
– There’s no point in looking for anything positive here; that’s the story of today’s game as far as our performance goes. We failed the test of professionalism today. I’d like to apologize to all the fans who came out to watch.
Top Performers
CSKA: Samson Ruzhentsev (16 + 12 rebounds), Casper Ware (15), Livio Jean-Charles (14 + 6 rebounds), Alexander Chadov (12 + 5 rebounds), Amath M’Baye (12), Antonius Cleveland (11 + 6 rebounds + 6 assists), Semyon Antonov (11)
Avtodor: Brandon Huffman (13 + 9 rebounds), Timofey Shikalov (11)
Up Next
CSKA: October 27 at home against BETCITY PARMA
Avtodor: October 27 on the road against Dynamo.
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