The job is not done
Our team became the first in the history of the VTB League to sweep the semifinal series. UNICS is defeated, we are waiting for the opponent in the final…
UNICS Kazan – CSKA PBC: 64-76 (+12)
UNICS: Akoon-Purcell (8 + 7 rb + 5 as + 4 pf), Belenitskiy (2 + 4 rb + 3 st + 4 pf), Kulagin (8 + 2 as + 2 st), Bako (13 + 9 rb + 2 st), Lopatin (3) – start; Reynolds (5 + 3 rb), Komolov (DNP), Knight (16 + 5 rb + 4 as + 2 st), Hilliard (6), Toropov (0), Ilyuk (0), Keene (3)…
CSKA: Ware (12 + 3 rb + 6 as + 4 to), Trimble (12 + 7 as + 2 st + 4 to), Jean-Charles (11 + 4 pf), M'Baye (3 + 5 rb + 3 to), Kurbanov (2 + 7 rb) – start; Mikhailovskii (DNP), Jekiri (12 + 6 rb), Avramovic (6 + 5 rb + 3 as), Gankevich (DNP), Astapkovich (15 + 5 rb + 3 as), Karpenko (0), Antonov (3 + 4 pf)…
Andreas Pistiolis, CSKA head coach:
As always, I want to thank the fans who came to support us, and everyone who was in the gym. The atmosphere was amazing, the game was exciting. We knew that the opponent would start strong and aggressive, would create problems from the very beginning. At the same time, we held on better than last time and regained control earlier. UNICS proved that they know how to fight, they fought until the end, found ways to surprise us. We had bad moments, but we stayed focused and kept control. 4-0 in the series is fair, we were the better team. At the same time, 0-4 is unfair to UNICS, it does not reflect the difference in class, they have a great coach, players, team. Nevertheless, everything ended fairly.
Livio Jean-Charles, CSKA center:
It was difficult. Maybe even more difficult than the last game. We felt the pressure of having to finish the series. We won, but the job is not done.
