De Colo leads CSKA to 86-89 win Tel Aviv
An unstoppable Nando De Colo lifted CSKA Moscow to a hard-fought 86-89 victory over host Maccabi FOX Tel Aviv on Tuesday. CSKA stayed perfect at 2-0, while Maccabi is 0-2. De Colo scored 27 points to go with 5 assists and 4 steals for the winners. Kyle Hines added 14 points, Cory Higgins 13, while Will Clyburn had a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds. Maccabi's Angelo Caloiaro had 21 points, while Tarik Black added 14, Deandre Kane 13 and Michael Roll 12. De Colo's triple and 3 layups staked CSKA a 6-11 lead, but Roll's second triple got Maccabi its first, 12-11. It stayed close until Clyburn's three-point shot supplied CSKA a 21-24 lead after 10 minutes. Maccabi turnovers let CSKA get ahead by 31-40, but 7 quick points from Black changed things and Wilbekin's jumper and 3 assists made it 40-43. De Colo had the last word on a halftime buzzer-beater at 46-50. Wilbekin's triple gave Maccabi its second lead before Black's alley-oop dunk and Caloiaro's four-point play pushed it to 63-59. The lead flipped again before Johnny O'Bryant put Maccabi up 68-67 after 30 minutes. It was tied 71-71 before Higgins went coast to coast, De Colo struck from deep and Clyburn had a put-back at 71-78. Dueling triples from Higgins and Kane left a 79-85 score with 2 minutes left. Kane's fastbreak layup inside the final minute made it 81-85, but CSKA retained control through the buzzer for the victory.
Beat goes on
The victory marked CSKA's 12th consecutive non-Final Four win over Maccabi, including the last 6 in Tel Aviv, stretching back to last decade. Maccabi's sole win over CSKA in this one came in the fateful 2014 semifinal, which led to that season's trophy going back to Tel Aviv.
De Colo show
CSKA's Nando De Colo had a first half that most players would sign up for as their full-game stats any time they play. He scored at will early, with 11 points in the first 5 minutes, 20 seconds and finished with 19 on a half-time buzzer-beating triple. He added 3 assists and 2 steals for an PIR of 24 at the break. He slowed down at the finish after grabbing his shooting wrist with 5 minutes left as if injured, but stayed in to see the victory through.
Turning point
The game was tied 71-71 with 7:30 to play when Higgins inexplicably waltzed coast-to-coast for a layup. On the next play, De Colo smoothly sank a three-pointer from the top with shot blocker Alex Tyus in front of him. Then after a timeout, will Clyburn put back an offensive rebound at 71-78. It was a 0-7 burst over 2 minutes that left CSKA in charge for good.
Did you know?
This game was the first game between former teammates Scottie Wilbekin of Maccabi and Will Clyburn of CSKA since they debuted in the EuroLeague together with Darussafaka Istanbul two seasons ago. Clyburn got his double-double after a slow start, while Wilbekin had 10 points and 5 assists but fouled out halfway through the final quarter. Since Jeremy Pargo and Kendrick Ray were injured, his absence down the stretch left Maccabi shorthanded at guard.
Next round
In 48 hours, CSKA returns home to host Darussafaka Istanbul (1-1) in Moscow for Round 3. Maccabi hits the road again to take on winless Buducnost VOLI Podgorica in the Montenegrin capital.

Tuesday, October 16, 2018
Euroleague.net