Teodosic, Kaun lift CSKA over Nizhny in OT
In a high-scoring all-Russian showdown in Top 16 Group F, CSKA Moscow grabbed its 15th consecutive win in the 2014-15 Turkish Airlines Euroleague - and 30th counting other competitions - by downing Nizhny Novgorod 103-95 at home on Thursday. CSKA improved to 5-0 in Group F, while Nizhny dropped to 2-3. Milos Teodosic led the winners with 25 points. Andrey Vorontsevich added 22, Aaron Jackson had 15 and 6 assists, Nando De Colo scored 13 points, while Sasha Kaun contributed 11 for CSKA. Trey Thompkins and Taylor Rochestie led Nizhny with 22 points apiece. Terence Kinsey added 19 points and 10 rebounds, while Art Parakhouski scored 18 points for the guests. De Colo shined early and a three-pointer by Vorontsevich put the hosts up 15-8. Kinsey and Evgeny Baburin rescued Nizhny, but a three-pointer by Demetris Nichols gave the hosts a 24-19 margin after 10 minutes. Teodosic and Kaun soon boosted CSKA's lead to 37-29, but Thompkins and an outstanding Rochestie helped Nizhny tie it at 40-40. Free throws by Manuchar Markoishvili fixed the halftime score at 42-40. Thompkins took over after the break and a jumper by Kinsey gave the guests a 50-52 edge. Back-to-back triples by Rochestie boosted Nizhny's lead to 53-58, but a 13-2 run that Vorontsevich capped with a jumper gave CSKA a 69-62 lead heading into the fourth quarter. Nizhny rallied and a big basket by Kinsey made it a 3-point game in the next-to-last minute. Rochestie hit 4 free throws in crunch time to send the game to overtime at 88-88. However Teodosic and Kaun took over in the extra period and a layup by Vorontsevich sealed the outcome.
First quarter: De Col-oh!
Kaun got CSKA going with a reverse layup and De Colo banked in a driving shot for a 4-0 lead. Semen Antonov fed fParakhouski for a layup, which De Colo erased with a close jumper. Parakhouksi kept pacing Nizhny with a jump hook. Vitaly Fridzon sank a mid-range jumper and a layup by Thompkins kept the guests within 8-6. De Colo scored again and erased Kinsey's mid-range jumper with an off-balance driving layup. A three-pointer by Vorontsevich caused Nizhny to call timeout at 15-8. After Kinsey sank a turnaround jumper, De Colo sent a between-the-legs assist to Kaun for a slam. A big basket by Rochestie and a wild basket by Jackson gave CSKA a 19-12 lead. Parakhouski stepped up with back-to-back baskets, but Vorontsevich beat the shot clock with a floater. Evgeny Baburin struck from downtown only for a buzzer-beating triple by Demetris Nichols to restore a 24-19 CSKA lead after 10 minutes.
Second quarter: Nizhny battles back
Kinsey added a stop-and-pop jumper for Nizhny early in the quarter. Jackson beat the shot clock buzzer with a driving basket, which Teodosic followed with a three-pointer for a 29-21 CSKA lead. Baburin struck twice from downtown, but Nichols also hit one from beyond the arc to give the hosts a 32-27 margin. Teodosic buried another one from downtown. Rochestie made free throws and Kaun gave his team a 37-29 lead. Thompkins drew a foul and hit free throws and Kinsey added a mid-range jumper, but Teodosic and a Kaun kept CSKA way ahead, 40-33. Rochestie fed Thompkins for a three-pointer, as CSKA tried a tall lineup with Vorontsevich, Nichols and Kaun together on court. Rochestie took over with a huge driving layup, which Thompkins followed with a layup to tie it at 40-40. Manuchar Markoishvili made free throws to put CSKA back ahead, 42-40, at halftime.
Third quarter: A rain of three-pointers!
A three-pointer by Thompkins completed Nizhny's comeback, 42-43, right after the break. Teodosic answered from downtown but a jumper by Ivan Savelyev tied it at 45-45. Teodosic kept trying to change things with free throws and Vorontsevich soon gave CSKA a 50-45 edge. Thompkins finished a great Nizhny offense with great ball movement with an open three-pointer, which Savelyev followed with a layup that tied it at 50-50. Kinsey nailed a four-meter jumper to give Nizhny the lead, 50-52. De Colo hit a technical free throw and added a driving layup, but Rochestie struck twice from downtown to make it 53-58. Vorontsevich answered with his own three-pointer and Jackson copied him to put CSKA back ahead, 59-58. Kinsey took over with an off-balance layup, but Jackson did better with another three-pointer and free throws for a 64-60 CSKA lead. Vorontsevich and Parakhouski exchanged baskets and a three-pointer by Fridzon gave CSKA fresh air, 69-62.
Fourth quarter:
Thompkins shined with a put-back basket early in the quarter. Kyle Hines - who had missed 4 free throws attempts earlier - sank foul shots and Fridzon soon gave the hosts a 9-point lead. Thompkins buried a huge three-pointer off the dribble, but Vorontsevich answered from downtown for a 76-67 CSKA lead with over six minutes left. Rochestie found Parakhouski for a layup, which Teodosic bettered with a triple. Parakhouski hit a turnaround jumper and Kinsey gave Nizhny hope at 79-72. Teodosic hit a mid-range jumper and an off-balance basket by Vorontsevich forced the guests to call timeout at 73-62. Rochestie took over with a big three-point play that Vorontsevich erased with a triple. Thompkins dunked and a jumper by Kinsey kept Nizhny within 86-80 with three minutes left. Antonov split free throws and a wild basket by Kinsey made it a 3-point game. CSKA did not score on a four-chance offense and Nizhny got the ball back with 22.7 seconds left. Kinsey, De Colo and Teodosic split free throws and Rochestie hit 4-of-4 attempts for an 88-88 tie with 3.2 seconds to go. CSKA called timeout but, Kaun missed down low at the buzzer.
Overtime: CSKA takes over in crunch time
Rochestie found Parakhouski for a backdoor layup and an 88-90 Nizhny lead. Teodosic sank a mid-range jumper, which Rochestie bettered with a three-pointer to restore a 90-93 Nizhny edge. Teodosic answered from downtown and soon added free throws to give CSKA a 95-93 edge. Parakhouski took over with a put-back slam. Kaun split free throws and added a dunk before a foul shot by Jackson sealed the outcome, 99-95. A Jackson steal and layup by Vorontsevich allowed CSKA to celebrate a hard-fought win in one of the best games of this Turkish Airlines Euroleague season!
Thursday, January 29, 2015
Euroleague.net