CSKA Overpowers VEF In Riga

CSKA Moscow defeated VEF Riga on the road, 92-77. The home team put up a tough fight against the reigning champs, trailing by just five points midway through the 3rd quarter. But improved defense allowed CSKA to pull away over the final 15 minutes and secure a 15-point win.

Recap
The Army Men arrived in Riga as heavy favorites. VEF was 13th in the standings with a 3-7 record, while CSKA boasted an 8-1 mark, 1st in the league.

The first half, however, was surprisingly competitive. VEF showed no fear, scoring 46 points against CSKA's vaunted defense. Martins Meiers put up eight points in the 1st quarter, keeping VEF within a point, 26-25, after 10 minutes. CSKA did lead by 10 at halftime, converting an incredible 18 free throws in the 2nd quarter, but the home team remained within striking distance.

After Meiers helped cut the deficit to five, 62-57, midway through the 3rd quarter, CSKA's defense took over. The Army Men didn't give up another point the rest of the period, putting together a 10-0 run to take a 15-point lead. VEF never got closer than 10 in the final period, dropping a 92-77 decision at home.

Star Player
Nando De Colo. The French guard was very good in the 3rd quarter when CSKA pulled away by double digits. He only played 22 minutes in the game, but finished with a team-high 16 points to go with six assists.

Stat of the Game
40-27 - CSKA won the battle of the bench, while the starters were practically even (52-50).

Quotes
VEF head coach Carlos Frade:
- I can't say that I'm happy with today's game. We made mistakes in situations where we could have avoided them. It doesn't matter who we're playing against. We need to be more focused. We'll try to get better.

CSKA head coach Dimitris Itoudis:
- We won our second straight game on the road. Like I said, VEF is energetic, talented and they showed it in this game. During the first half, we dominated on offense and punished the home team for its mistakes. At the same time, we gave up too much on defense. During the 3rd quarter, our defense was better. We stopped our opponent and restored the balance between defense and offense.

Stats