Partizan stops CSKA in Coach Vujosevic’s return to sidelines
Partizan NIS Belgrade used its never-give-up attitude to pull out a thrilling 73-72 win over CSKA Moscow at Kombank Arena in the Serbian capital on Friday night. The win improves Partizan to 1-2 and a share of fifth place in Group F, while CSKA holds a 2-1 record and a share of third place. With head coach Dusko Vujosevic in his first game back on the bench after being hospitalized for kidney problems, Partizan trailed for the majority of the first three quarters. CSKA led 36-45 shortly after halftime, but Bogdan Bogdanovic scored 19 of his 27 points in the final 14 minutes of the game to rally the hosts. CSKA entered the final minute up by 1 point, but Milenko Tepic hit a jumper, and Bogdanovic made 2 of 3 free throws for a slim, but sweet, victory. In addition to Bogdanovic, the hosts got 15 points plus 7 rebounds from Tarence Kinsey, 11 points plus 8 rebounds from Joffrey Lauvergne and Dragan Milosavljevic chipped in with 8 points. For the visitors, Nenad Krstic scored 27 and pulled down 7 rebounds. Sonny Weems had 16 points and career-high 10 assists, Vitaly Fridzon netted 12 points and Milos Teodosic 10 in defeat.
First quarter: Krstic dominates, Partizan battles back
Krstic quickly put CSKA on the scoreboard, while Partizan needed couple of minutes for its first points, a jumper-plus-free throw by Kinsey. Krstic scored from close range, before Bogdanovic hit from mid-range, then drove for a layup and a 7-4 lead. Victor Khryapa drove the lane for the visitors, before Krstic and Bogdanovic traded jumpers. Krstic also scored an uncontested layup, after a nifty Milos Teodosic assist, increasing his tally to 10 points and helping CSKA lead 9-14. But the hosts strung together few defensive stops, while Bogdanovic made a layup, before Milutinov had put-backs on back-to-back possessions for Partizan gave the hosts the lead, finishing the first quarter up 15-14.
Second quarter: CSKA moves in front with a 4-18 run
Kinsey made a tough off-balance triple to open the second quarter, and Milosavljevic made a layup on a breakaway for a 20-14 scoreline. Krstic continued his dominance inside with a basket-plus-foul on one end, a blocked shot on defense, and then a baby hook shot. Lauvergne made a put-back for the hosts, but back-to-back corner three-pointers from Fridzon and Weems put the visitors in front 22-25. Milosavljevic hit a long jumper after a timeout by Vujosevic, but Fridzon sank another three, Teodosic followed it with a fastbreak layup, and Krstic scored from close range to make it 24-32. Kinsey snapped a 4-18 spurt with a three-pointer, but Teodosic buried one for the visitors and 28-35. In the final minute of the quarter, however, Milutinov banked in a tough mid-range shot, and Milosavljevic nailed a corner triple, cutting it to 34-35 at halftime.
Third quarter: Team energy and Bogdanovic keep Partizan in it
A put-back from Lauvergne opened the second half, but Fridzon buried back-to-back triples to make it 36-41. A long jumper from Khryapa and a layup from Krstic completed a 0-10 run for a 36-45 CSKA lead. Partizan closed in with Tepic hitting a jumper and Lauvergne scoring a layup. With the huge support from the stands and Partizan displaying energy on defense, Djordje Gagic slammed home a put-back, before Bogdanovic made a floater to get within 45-47. After a timeout, Bogdanovic continued his run with a driving layup in traffic, and a top-of-the-key triple, before Aaron Jackson snapped a 14-3 spurt with a layup, as the third quarter ended tied 50-50.
Fourth quarter: Bogdanovic carries the hosts to victory
Bogdanovic nailed a three-pointer to open the quarter, making it 10 in a row for the hosts. Weems drove for a layup on the other end, and Teodosic sank one from long range to go up 53-55. The hosts regained the lead with Lauvergne’s layup-plus-foul, and after Krstic replied from close range, Kinsey banked in a jumper-plus-foul for a 59-57 edge. CSKA was in front again after a triple-plus-free throw from Weems, but Bogdanovic replied right back from way downtown and Kinsey hit a tough jumper to go ahead 65-61. A pair of free throws each from Krstic and Weems tied it up 65-65 with a little over three minutes to go. After a timeout, Bogdanovic and Weems traded three-pointers, and Krstic hit a baseline jumper for 69-70. Entering the final minute, Tepic hit a baseline jumper, but Weems made 2 free throws for a 71-72 edge. With 24 seconds remaining, Bogdanovic was fouled shooting a three-pointer, and made 2 out of 3 to put Partizan in front. After a Coach Ettore Messing timeout, the ball went into the hands of Weems, but the hosts made the defensive stop, sending Kombank Arena into jubilation.

Friday, January 17, 2014
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