CSKA rolled over Galatasaray Medical Park 85-70

CSKA Moscow stayed undefeated in the Top 16 - and in the 2011-12 Turkish Airlines Euroleague season - by downing Galatasaray Medical Park 85-70 in the Russian capital in Group E on Thursday. CSKA leads Group E with a 3-0 record and had the chance to clinch a Playoffs spot if it beats Galatasaray in Istanbul, Turkey next week. Galatasaray dropped to 1-2 but keeps chances to make it to the playoffs. Nenad Krstic led the winners with 20 points on 8-of-10 shooting. Milos Teodosic added 12, Ramunas Siskauskas and Viktor Khryapa each added 11 while Alexey Shved got 10 for CSKA. Jamon Lucas led Galatasaray with 15 points. Ender Arslan added 13, Furkan Aldemir had 11 while Josh Shipp got 10 for the guests. Andrei Kirilenko and Khryapa fueled a 10-0 opening tun that allowed CSKA to keep a 19-12 lead after 10 minutes. An outstanding Krstic shined early in the second quarter but Arslan kept Galatasaray within 44-37 at halftime. Khryapa and an unstoppable Krstic took over after the break, as CSKA boosted its margin to 62-44 late in the third quarter and managed to keep a safe lead from that moment until the final buzzer.

Kirilenko needed just 11 seconds to get CSKA going with a three-point play and soon added a big block on Boris Savovic. Galatasaray picked up consecutive 24-second violations and a layup by Sasha Kaun gave CSKA a 5-0 lead. Siskauskas nailed a corner triple and a baseline jumper by Khryapa forced Galatasaray to call a much-needed timeout at 10-0. The guests missed 5 shots and picked up 3 turnovers before Caner Topaloglu stepped up with a three-pointer. Siskauskas answered from downtown, but a layup by Luksa Andric kept Galatasaray within 13-5. Lucas shined with a driving basket and a long jumper by Andric brought the guests closer, 13-9. Khryapa took over with a fast break layup but CSKA called timeout to readjust its offense, trying to get Krstic involved. Khryapa fed Kirileko for an easy basket that Jaka Lakovic bettered with a triple. Khryapa made free throws to boost CSKA's lead to 19-12 after 10 minutes.

Shipp shined with a follow-up layup early in the second quarter, but Krstic erased it with a jump hook. Shipp kept pacing Galatasaray with an off-balance driving basket, but Krstic answered again with a backdoor layup and a three-point play by Siskauskas helped CSKA restore a double-digit lead, 26-16. Aldemir tried to change things with a reverse layup and Arslan added a long jumper, however back-to-back baskets by an unstoppable Krstic kept CSKA way ahead, 30-20. Lakovic hit free throws and a layup by Lucas got the guests a bit closer, 30-24. Shved buried a three-pointer and Kaun added free throws. Topaloglu fought back for Galatasaray to make it 35-27. Khryapa downed a turnaround jumper only to see Arslan quickly answer from downtown. Gordon dunked it off a steal, but free throws by Preston Shumpert and a corner triple by Arslan made CSKA call timeout at 39-35. Teodosic buried a three-pointer and even after Shumpert scored again, free throws by Kirilenko gave CSKA a 44-37 edge at halftime.

Siskauskas made free throws right after the break as CSKA tried to lock the defensive board to run the floor as much as possible. Galatasaray was held scoreless for more than two minutes and a long jumper by Krstic gave the hosts a 48-37 lead. Shipp stepped up with a high-flying tip-in, but an uncontested dunk by Kirilenko made Galatasaray call timeout at 50-39. Shipp scored around the basket before Khryapa answered from downtown to send the crowd to their feet at 53-41. Lucas shined with a three-point play in transition, but Krstic hit 4 free throws and Teodosic struck from downtown to break the game open at 60-44. Krstic sank a turnaround jumper that forced Galatasaray to call timeout at 62-44, after a 9-0 run. Gordon downed back-to-back jumpers and free throws by Aldemir got the guests within 62-50. After an Aldemir slam, free throws by Shved and Darjus Lavrinovic gave CSKA a 13-point lead, 65-52, through three quarters.

Kaun made free throws early in the fourth quarter and a reverse dunk by Shved set the crowd on fire, 69-52. Galatasaray tried to play with shorter possessions and power the offensive board for second-chance points. Shumpert sank a baseline jumper that Krstic erased with an easy basket. Lucas scored in penetration but Gordon improved that with a three-point play that sealed the outcome, 74-56, with 6 minutes to go. Aldemir shined with a three-point play that Teodosic matched with a bomb from downtown. Both teams kept fighting hard for points differential, always a critical issue in the Top 16. Krstic and Arslan traded baskets and an alleyoop layup by Aldemir got Galatasaray within 79-63 with over 2 minutes to go. Lucas kept trying but Teodosic followed free throws with a wild behind-the-back assist to Shved for a slam that allowed CSKA to finish the game in style.