UNICS — CSKA, 12 May 2025

UNICS Kazan – CSKA PBC: 86-90 (+4)

UNICS: Akoon-Purcell (6 + 2 st), Belenitskiy (5 + 3 rb), Kulagin (4 + 5 as), Bako (14 + 8 rb + 4 as + 4 pf), Lopatin (14 + 3 rb + 3 as + 2 st + 3 to) – start; Reynolds (10 + 7 rb + 3 st), Komolov (DNP), Knight (11 + 6 rb + 3 as + 4 pf), Hilliard (12 + 2 as), Toropov (2), Ilyuk (DNP), Keene (8 + 3 as)…

CSKA: Ware (17 + 6 rb + 5 as), Trimble (23 + 6 rb + 5 as + 2 st + 3 to), Jean-Charles (9 + 5 rb), M'Baye (7 + 5 pf), Kurbanov (2 + 4 rb) – start; Mikhailovskii (DNP), Jekiri (12 + 5 rb), Avramovic (8 + 4 rb + 4 as + 3 to), Ukhov (6 + 4 pf), Astapkovich (3 + 2 as), Karpenko (DNP), Antonov (3 + 2 as)…

Andreas Pistiolis, CSKA head coach:

Thanks to the CSKA fans who supported us today. I would also like to mention the fans from Kazan who created a great atmosphere that basketball needs. We knew that UNICS would put everything on the table, they are a high-level team with great players. This was evident from the very beginning. However, we showed character, we came back into the game and were fresher at the end. We made the right decisions and called the plays that allowed us to win. The key was that at “-18”, my players did not give up, did not think about the next game and fought until the end.

Tonye Jekiri, CSKA center:

A tough game. We did not play the way we wanted in the first half. The coach yelled at us in the locker room, and we had to make adjustments. We played better after the halftime. We have to give credit to the opponent, they played well. They needed to win. At the same time, we worked as a team and won. We got into rhythm in the second half and took control of the game.