Hines, Teodosic lead CSKA into Top 16 with win at Kiev

CSKA Moscow dominated late and claimed a 74-82 road win at Budivelnik Kiev, which also secured a Top 16 berth for the winners. CSKA won its third straight game to improve to 5-2, while Budivelnik lost its fourth straight and fell to 1-6. Kyle Hines scored 10 of his team-high 18 points in the fourth quarter and Milos Teodosic scored 8 of his 10 points in the final six minutes as CSKA rallied past the home team, which used hot outside shooting to grab a 59-58 lead at the end of the third quarter. However Hines fueled a 0-8 spurt and after Blake Ahearn led Budivelnik back within 1, the Teodosic/Hines duo created a 2-12 push to ice the game. Sonny Weems added 12 points, Vladimir Micov scored 11 and Andrey Vorontsevich had 10, while Teodosic also dished 9 assists for CSKA. Ahearn led Budivelnik with 21 points on 4-of-4 three-point shooting, Daequan Cook added 16 points in his Euroleague debut and Darjus Lavrinovic collected 6 points, 9 rebounds and 5 assists in defeat.

First quarter: After strong start for Budivelnik, Weems takes charge

The hosts won the opening tip and struck first through Michailis Anisimov. Sasha Kaun made his presence felt on the offensive glass and displayed a nifty hook shot for CSKA’s opening basket. Janis Strelnieks nailed a triple and Ricky Minard fed Lavrinovic on the blocks as Budivelnik jumped in front 7-2. Micov sank an open three on the break to keep CSKA close. Weems and Kaun executed a perfect pick-and-roll, which resulted in an alley-oop slam for the latter. Weems’s third straight assist was to Vorontsevich to give CSKA its first lead, 7-9. Anisimov found a hole in the CSKA defense and attacked the rim to tie the game. Weems countered with his first basket, but Dainius Salenga scored twice to give the hosts an edge. Hines muscled his way to an offensive rebound and layup. Lavrinovic used his skill for a basket inside, but a Vorontsevich triple left CSKA in front, 17-18, after 10 minutes.

Second quarter: Well-timed threes keep hosts in the game

Milos Teodosic assumed playmaking duties and fed Vorontsevich for a slam and Nenad Krstic in the post as the lead swelled to 6. Ahearn hit back from outside inly to see Teodosic assist to Vitaly Fridzon for a three. Ahearn trimmed the gap with a free throw and then a three-pointer. Jeremy Pargo got going with a three to keep the visitors humming, 23-29 midway through the quarter. A layup-plus-foul for Micov – assisted by Krstic – further extended the lead to 9. Lavrinovic remained effective with Budivelnik free throws, however Pargo’s second three made it a double-digit advantage. Hines rose to knock in Pargo’s missed jumper before the hosts called timeout down 25-37. Strelnieks connected from downtown and Cook celebrated his first Turkish Airlines Euroleague points – also a triple – to half the deficit. Vorontsevich and Cook traded scores before Lavrinovic found Salenga wide open under the basket to make it 35-40 at the break.

Third quarter: Cook shoots Budivelnik in front

Cook came out firing for the second half and his two three-pointers bettered a Weems basket and Kaun free throws as the hosts got closer. Dejaun Summers sank a turnaround jumper to make it a 1-point game. A pair of free throws by Cook gave Budivelnik a 45-44 lead. Lavrinovic dished from the post to Strelnieks for a three as the crowd roared in approval. Teodosic registered his first points from the line. After Ahearn missed from outside on one end, Micov drained a wide-open triple from the corner to restore a 48-49 CSKA advantage. Weems scored 4 points from the line to cap a 0-9 CSKA run. Cook nailed a fourth triple to keep Budivelnik in the picture. Summers powered his way to a three-point play that made it 55-56. Micov free throws protected the visitors, however a strong Budivelnik finish that featured a Summers score on the offensive glass and a steal and jumper on the buzzer from Minard gave the hosts a 59-58 lead.

Fourth quarter: Hines, Teodosic fuel CSKA’s late runs

CSKA was motivated after a talking from Coach Messina. Hines scored and drew a foul. He missed the free throw, but Krstic was there to tip it in. Minard went to the rim after Summers’s steal, but Hines attacked and blocked him from behind. Hines added a foul line jumper and Fridzon made free throws to cap a 0-8 run. Budivelnik was not finished: Aheard threes from either corner made it 65-66. Teodosic calmly countered with a long jumper. After a timeout, Teodosic set Hines up for a slam and Weems scored in transition to make it a 7-point lead. Ahearn’s long jumper was matched by Teodosic, who flipped a ball in from the paint to all but seal the win, 67-76. Another Teodosic jumper with just over a minute remaining was the icing on the cake as CSKA moved on to the Top 16.