Feels like finals
UNICS Kazan – PBC CSKA: 73-80 (+7)
UNICS: Akoon-Purcell (11 + 5 rb + 2 as + 4 to), Belenitskiy (3 rb + 2 as), Reynolds (18 + 7 rb + 4 pf), Labeyrie (5 + 5 rb), Taylor (11) – start; Komolov (DNP), Kulagin (10 + 2 as), Knight (14 + 9 rb + 5 as + 6 to + 4 pf), Toropov (DNP), Bako (2), Lopatin (2 + 4 rb + 2 st + 4 pf), Platunov (DNP)…
CSKA: Avramovic (10 + 3 rb + 2 as + 4 st), Trimble (20 + 7 rb + 3 as + 2 st + 5 to), Jean-Charles (8 + 4 rb + 4 to), M'Baye (4 + 3 rb), Kurbanov (2 + 3 rb + 2 st) – start; Ware (19 + 4 rb + 2 as), Jekiri (4 + 3 rb + 2 as), Gankevich (DNP), Astapkovich (7 + 3 as), Karpenko (0), Antonov (6 + 4 pf), Abdulbasirov (DNP)…
Andreas Pistiolis, CSKA head coach:
An exciting and tough game. There were many aspects to it that gave the feeling of playing in a finals. I think we controlled the game overall, but we were up against a great team and coach. They responded to what was happening and fought hard. For me as a coach, it is important that our team stayed focused and responded to the opponent at the right moments, maintaining control of the game.
