Baskonia battle but unable to overcome CSKA's dominant start of game / News - Basketnews.com

Credit: Aitor Arrizabalaga/Euroleague Basketball via Getty Images Credit Aitor Arrizabalaga/Euroleague Basketball via Getty Images

CSKA Moscow (6-5) returned to the winning path by taking care of Bitci Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz (4-7) in Spain 80-74 (23-8, 12-18, 19-15, 26-33).

Player of the Game EFF 18 Johannes Voigtmann Points 16 Accuracy 6-8 Rebounds 3 Assists 2

CSKA were up by 13 with less than four minutes remaining in the fourth (72-59), but Jayson Granger and Wade Baldwin made three consecutive 3-pointers to cut Baskonia's deficit to five (67-72).

Fontecchio added a three of his own to cut the deficit to four (70-74), but only 20 seconds remained on the clock, and CSKA held on to a six-point victory.

CSKA had a dominant first quarter, limiting Baskonia to just eight points and scoring 23 of their own. Johannes Voigtmann was on fire, nailing all three 3-pointer and finishing the period with 11 points.

Steven Enoch and Rokas Giedraitis led Baskonia to an 8-0 run at the end of the second quarter to cut their deficit to five (25-30), but CSKA finished the half well to gain a nine-point advantage going into halftime (35-26).

Baskonia stayed close in the third period, with Simone Fontecchio cutting his team's deficit to six (37-43). However, CSKA outscored the hosts 11-4 to end the quarter, gaining a 13-point advantage going into the final period (54-41).

Johannes Voigtmann, Tornike Shengelia, and Will Clyburn was the big three for CSKA tonight. Voigtmann had 16 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, and 18 PIR. Clyburn added 16 too, Shengelia supplied 15 points and 5 rebounds.

"Obviously, we fought from the beginning of the game until the end," former Baskonia player Tornike Shengelia said post-game. "I want to congratulate Baskonia for their performance. It is very emotional, always, very sentimental to come to this city. I have nothing but big, big love to these people, to the city, and to this club."

Steven Enoch led Baskonia with a double-double, finishing with 14 points (7/11 2PT), 10 rebounds, 2 blocks, 1 assist, 3 turnovers, and 19 PIR.

"We were in control of the game the whole game. I think we opened the game great, giving up only 8 points to Baskonia," CSKA coach Dimitris Itoudis said after the game. "Again, we are in the process of bringing back people that are coming off injuries, and everybody is helping and giving their maximum, including those that are not getting minutes."

CSKA: Johannes Voigtmann 16, Will Clyburn 16, Tornike Shengelia 15, Iffe Lundberg 11, Marius Grigonis 7, Alexey Shev 6 (6 AST, 5 REB).

Baskonia: Wade Baldwin 18, Steven Enoch 14 (10 REB), Jayson Granger 12, Rokas Giedraitis 11, Simone Fontecchio 9.

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