Hard work pays off

PBC CSKA – UNICS Kazan: 97-86 (+11)

CSKA: Ware (9 + 3 rb + 4 as), Trimble (18 + 3 rb + 3 as + 2 st + 4 to + 4 pf), Jean-Charles (13 + 6 rb + 2 as + 4 pf), M'Baye (17 + 3 as), Kurbanov (4 + 9 rb + 2 as) – start; Jekiri (6 + 7 rb), Avramovic (11 + 2 as + 3 st), Gankevich (DNP), Ukhov (7 + 3 rb), Astapkovich (9 + 5 rb + 3 as), Karpenko (DNP), Antonov (3)…

UNICS: Akoon-Purcell (18 + 5 as + 5 to + 4 pf), Belenitskiy (3), Kulagin (7 + 4 rb + 4 as), Bako (14 + 8 rb), Lopatin (3 + 3 rb) – start; Reynolds (21 + 9 rb + 3 bs), Komolov (8), Labeyrie (0), Knight (12 + 7 rb + 8 as + 2 st + 3 to), Toropov (0), Ilyuk (DNP), Platunov (0)…

Andreas Pistiolis, CSKA head coach:

I would like to thank the fans again, those who came to watch basketball after the break and supported us. The key was the very beginning of the game, we played very focused. We knew that UNICS always starts strong and physical, and we responded with our own toughness and aggressiveness. You could say that we controlled the entire game, although when you meet such a good opponent as UNICS, there is always a sense of danger. Nevertheless, we did everything right and took what we deserved. As for our advantage in rebounds - after the previous games we said that we can improve in this area. The fight for the rebound is not just numbers, it is about concentration, aggressiveness, intensity and the desire to win. Yes, you can see it in the protocol, but as a coach I can name a hundred more factors that led to success.