Armani Jeans Milano defeated CSKA 70-65

Armani Jeans Milano took a critical step forwards to reach the Top 16 in Turkish Airlines Euroleague Group D by edging CSKA Moscow 71-65 at home on Wednesday. Milano improved to 3-3 in Group D and registered its second win against CSKA, that dropped to 1-5 and needs a major turnaround to make it to the Top 16. Ibby Jaaber paced the winners with 18 points, including the go-ahead triple with 10.7 seconds left. Stefano Mancinelli added 15 while Marco Mordente had 11 for Milano. Jamont Gordon led CSKA with 16 points. Dmitry Sokolov added 11 while J.R. Holden and a recovered Ramunas Siskauskas each had 10 for the guests. Andrey Vorontsevich and Matjaz Smodis struck from downtown in a 0-9 run that gave the guests an early 5-16 lead. Marius Petravicius, David Hawkins and Mordente fueled the hosts' comeback, allowing Milano to get a 31-28 edge at halftime. Mancinelli had 12 points in the third quarter to keep the hosts ahead, 48-45, after 30 minutes. It all came down to the final minute, as a free throw by Sokolov tied it at 64-64. Jaaber struck from downtown and free throws by Hawkins sealed the outcome, allowing all Milano fans to celebrate a big, decisive, well-deserved home win.

Holden got CSKA going with an uncontested layup and Sokolov added a free throw for a 1-3 lead. CSKA, with Siskauskas in its starting layup, kept trying to get its big men involved and Sokolov scored down low for a 1-5 score. Petravicius shined with a backdoor layup that Holden matched with a stop-and-pop jumper. Mordente got the crowd involved with a floating layup, as Milano tried to power the boards with Petravicius and Mason Rocca together on court. Vorontsevich beat the shot clock with a wild three-pointer and Viktor Khryapa added free throws to boost the guests' lead to 5-12. Milano could not find the way to the basket and an open triple by Smodis made the hosts call timeout at 5-15. Rocca stepped up for Milano with free throws and Morris Finley got his team within 9-16. The hosts had improved their man-to-man defense, not allowing open shots in the high post, and more foul shots by Mordente got Milano within 11-16 after 10 minutes.

Sokolov shined with a running hook early in the second quarter and even when Ibby Jaaber answered with a put-back layup, Siskauskas found his first points for a 13-20 score. Petravicius scored around the basket but Siskauskas struck from downtown to keep CSKA out of trouble, 15-23. Petravicius kept pacing the hosts with free throws and Jaaber scored off a big block on Vorontsevich to make CSKA stop the game at 19-23. Once again Petravicius took over with a tip-in, as CSKA was being outrebounded at both ends now. Hawkins buried a three-pointer and Nicolo Melli added a long jumper to complete his team's comeback, 26-23. CSKA had been scoreless for more than 4 minutes and free throws by Hawkins capped a 13-0 run. Gordon tried to change things with a tip-in and bettered Hawkins' jumper with a three-point play that brought CSKA back to life, 30-28. A free throw by Rocca fixed the halftime score at 31-28.

Siskauskas buried a jumper immediately after the break but a driving basket by Mancinelli restored a 33-30 Milano lead. Holden silenced the crowd with a long three-pointer but Mordente split free throws and Mancinelli scored in penetration to keep Milano ahead, 36-33. CSKA needed to improve its ball circulation and a big triple by Mordente forced coach Dusko Vujosevic to stop the game at 39-33. Sokolov rescued CSKA with a three-point play and a big basket in the paint to get his team within 39-38. Free throws by Gordon tied the game, 40-40, soon after that. Mancinelli scored again and soon added an off-balance jump hook to keep Milano out of trouble, 44-40. Trajan Langdon split free throws but a red hot Mancinelli shined with his trademark up-and-under layup, good for a 46-41 Milano edge. Gordon took over with a three-point play and a layup but free throws by Mancinelli allowed Milano to keep a 48-45 margin after 30 minutes.

Both teams struggled to score early in the fourth quarter until Siskauskas sank a jumper. Gordon stepped up with an uncontested layup but Jaaber sent the crowd to their feet with a three-pointer that put Milano back ahead, 51-49. Khryapa quickly answered from downtown, forcing Milano to call timeout at 51-52. Milano improved its defense and a rainbow three-pointer by Mancinelli provided another lead change, 55-53. Holden joined the three-point shootout and even when Jaaber took over with an acrobatic layup, free throws by Smodis gave CSKA A 57-58 edge with 4 minutes left. Smodis kept pacing CSKA with a layup-plus-foul that Jaaber erased it with a three-pointer in transition for a 60-61 score with over 2 minutes to go. Mancinelli dived for an offensive rebound that allowed Morris Finley to give Milano a 62-61 lead. Gordon shined with a driving layup but Finley answered with a jumper for a 64-63 score with 47.5 seconds left. Milano fouled on Sokolov, who split free throws for a 64-64 tie. Jaaber run tha shot clock down and set the crowd on fire with a huge three-pointer, good for a 67-64 Milano lead with 10.7 seconds to go. Siskauskas split free throws and Hawkins did not miss from the foul line to make Milano seal a critical win.