Will Clyburn's heroics lift CSKA to a nail-biting victory over Bayern / News - Basketnews.com

Credit: Mikhail Serbin/Euroleague Basketball via Getty Images Credit Mikhail Serbin/Euroleague Basketball via Getty Images

CSKA Moscow (7-5) welcomed FC Bayern Munich (5-7) to tip-off Round 12 of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague and beat the German powerhouse 77-74 (18-24, 14-17, 24-16, 21-17).

Player of the Game EFF 22 Will Clyburn Points 17 Accuracy 6-11 Rebounds 5 Assists 1

The teams went back and forth in the final quarter, with Will Clyburn tying the game at 67 with 2:50 remaining. The forward also converted a 3-pointer to give CSKA the lead (70-69).

Deshaun Thomas and Othello Hunter with four straight points to put Bayern up by three with 1:05 to go (73-70). Clyburn was clutch once more, draining a triple and tying the game at 73. Hilliard nailed a free throw on the other end, but Clyburn responded with two more points to put his team up with 28 seconds remaining (75-74).

Vladimir Lucic had a chance to give his team the edge, but his 3-pointer was off the mark, CSKA ran out in transition, and Clyburn's dunk capped off a three-point CSKA victory.

The game was close in the first quarter, but Darrun Hilliard caught fire, scoring 10 points in the period and giving Bayern a six-point advantage (24-18).

Daniel Hackett cut CSKA's deficit to one at the start of the second (23-24), but Bayern didn't allow the hosts to gain an advantage. Hilliard kept pouring on, leading the Germans to their largest lead at halftime (41-32).

Augustin Rubit gave Bayern a commanding 13-point advantage at the start of the second half (45-32), but Daniel Hackett scored seven straight, and CSKA fought back, gaining a two-point edge (53-51).

"When our back was against the wall, the dark side that we showed of our team, especially in our home court," Tornike Shengelia said post-game. "We have to send a message to whoever comes here that it is not going to be an easy game, 40 minutes, they have to fight their asses off to have a chance to win."

Will Clyburn led CSKA with 17 points (3/8 2PT, 3/3 3PT, 2/2 FT), 5 rebounds, 3 steals, 1 assist, and 22 PIR.

Darrun Hilliard played great for his former team, finishing with 28 points (1/4 2PT, 6/10 3PT, 8/9 FT), 5 rebounds, 3 steals, 2 blocks, 2 turnovers, and 30 PIR.

"It is a painful loss because I believe we built the opportunity to win the game," Bayern coach Andrea Trinchieri said after the game. "We were not aggressive enough and lost a little bit of rhythm but then, in the end, we built the opportunity for a great win on the road, and then some individual plays of Clyburn made the difference."

CSKA: Will Clyburn 17 (5 REB), Tornike Shengelia 12 (5 REB), Alexey Shved 12, Johannes Voigtmann 12, Daniel Hackett 10, Joel Bolomboy 5.

Bayern: Darrun Hilliard 28 (5 REB), Deshaun Thomas 17, Augustin Rubit 9 (5 REB), Vladimir Lucic 6 (5 REB), Othello Hunter 5 (6 REB).

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