Krstic, Hines lead CSKA to valuable road win

In an intense battle that came down to the final seconds, CSKA Moscow edged Galatasaray Liv Hospital 71-74 on the road on Friday. CSKA joined Real Madrid and Maccabi Electra Tel Aviv in a three-way tie for first place in Group F with 5-1 records, while Galatasaray dropped to 2-4. Nenad Krstic paced the winners with 24 points on 11-of-13 two-point shooting. Kyle Hines added 11 and 11 rebounds while Vladimir Micov scored 10 for CSKA. Ender Arslan led Galatasaray with 19 points. Carlos Arroyo added 16 and 9 assists and Pops Mensah-Bonsu tallied 12 points and 12 rebounds for the hosts. Mensah-Bonsu shined early and got plenty of help from Cenk Akyol to tie it at 15-15. Sonny Weems and Sasha Kaun allowed CSKA to get a 21-23 lead after 10 minutes. CSKA's second unit led a 0-13 run that Vitaly Fridzon capped with a three-pointer for a 21-33 lead. Arslan struck three times from downtown late in the first half to bring Galatasaray back to life, 37-40, at halftime. A rain of three-pointers and a big basket by Mensah-Bonsu gave Galatasaray a 58-54 edge late in the third quarter. Jeremy Pargo and Krstic led a 0-13 run that put CSKA ahead for good, 58-67. Arroyo and Arslan brought Galatasaray within 71-73, but Victor Khryapa split free throws and Hines blocked Mensah-Bonsu's three-point shot almost at the buzzer.

First quarter: Series of slams wows the crowd

CSKA head coach Ettore Messina started the game with a strong lineup - with Weems, Khryapa, Hines and Krstic together on court. Krstic split free throws and erased Mensah-Bonsu's monster alley-oop dunk with a layup. Krstic sank a five-meter jumper and a fast break slam by Hines caused Galatasaray to call timeout down 2-8. Mensah-Bonsu stepped up with a layup and a three-pointer by Akyol got the crowd involved at 7-8. Weems answered from downtown, but Zoran Erceg followed a turnaround jumper with a driving layup to tie it at 11-11. Krstic swished a mid-range shot and a reverse layup by Hines gave CSKA a 4-point edge. Akyol nailed a six-meter jumper and Mensah-Bonsu dunked again to tie things. Khryapa took over with a big basket in penetration, Malik Hairston hit free throws and a slam by Hines put CSKA back ahead, 17-19. Weems took over with a wild fast break slam that Arroyo bettered with a jumper and a fast break layup. A dunk by Kaun fixed the score at 21-23 after 10 minutes.

Second quarter: Arslan ignites Galatasaray

Galatasaray kept its starting five on court while CSKA had its entire second unit in action. Fridzon downed a long two-pointer and a fast break layup by Aaron Jackson made it a 6-point game. Micov struck from downtown and Fridzon added his own three-pointer to cap a 0-13 CSKA run which made it a double-digit game, 21-33. Galatasaray went scoreless for more than five minutes, missing 4 shots and picking up 3 turnovers until Sinan Guler buried a three-pointer. Jackson fed Krstic for an open jumper that Hairston matched with a fade-away shot to bring his team within 26-35. Hairston threw down a baseline dunk, but Jackson sent a laser pass to Krstic for a layup. Galatasaray found a new go-to guy in Ender Arslan, who buried a three-pointer and then beat the shot clock buzzer with an off-balance rainbow shot from beyond the arc. Milos Teodosic buried a seven-meter bomb, but a red-hot Arslan answered from downtown to put 37-40 on the scoreboard at the break.

Third quarter: Arroyo shines as Galatasaray takes the lead

Krstic buried a mid-range jumper immediately after the break. Arroyo connected with Mensah-Bonsu for an alley-oop slam, but Khryapa finished a three-chance CSKA offense with a tip-in. Krstic remained on fire with a three-point play that boosted the guests' lead to 39-47. Despite using twin point guards with Arroyo and Arslan on court, Galatasaray could not find the way to the basket until Mensah-Bonsu took over with a reverse alley-oop dunk. Krstic hit a jump hook that Arslan erased with a floating layup. Hines scored around the basket, but Galatasaray found the right moment to get its shooters involved. Arslan, Arroyo and Henry Domercant buried one apiece from downtown to complete the hosts' comeback, 52-51, before CSKA called timeout. Jeremy Pargo joined the three-point shootout, but Arroyo made 4 free throws for a 56-54 score. Mensah-Bonsu shined with an off-balance basket and a tip-in by Kaun kept CSKA within 58-56.

Fourth quarter: Krstic takes over down the stretch

Krstic scored down low early in the fourth quarter and a layup by Hines put CSKA back ahead, 58-60. Galatasaray was held scoreless for more than two minutes as a four-meter jumper by Krstic gave CSKA fresh air at 58-62. Micov split free throws, and Akyol left the game with a back injury. Krstic kept delivering with a block and an offensive rebound - his first board of the night – which allowed Micov to bury a three-pointer. Galatasaray had been scoreless for more than six minutes when a free throw by Pargo made it 58-67. Arslan stepped up with a layup-plus-foul, but Krstic scored in the low post to make it 61-69 with two minutes left. Arslan made free throws, but he didn't find help around. A three-pointer by Micov seemed to seal the outcome. Hairston answered from downtown and a three-pointer by Arroyo gave Galatasaray hope at 69-73. Arroyo shined with a power layup and Galatasaray fouled Khryapa with 14.4 seconds left. Khryapa missed his second attempt, but Hines blocked Mensah Bonsu's three-point shots seconds before the final buzzer.