CSKA: one step from the title

CSKA Moscow once again overcame Lokomotiv-Kuban Krasnodar at home, 64-54, in Game 2 of the VTB United League Finals. The Army Men controlled the contest from the opening tip as they head to Krasnodar with a 2-0 series lead.

Intro
Just like Game 1, the Army Men made a strong start. Lokomotiv’s leaders struggled out of the gate, leaving the offense to Valery Likhodei, who knocked down just one of three early perimeter attempts. Remarkably, Kuban scored just three points in the first eight minutes, trailing 14-3, until Derrick Brown ripped off six straight in the final two minutes of the quarter. CSKA, merely average on offense itself, still held a nine-point lead after one period of play, 18-9.

The second quarter featured the same number of total points as the first – 27. Neither team shot particularly well, including from the charity stripe, combining to go 6-15 from the line in the first half. The visitors dragged that stat down and simply looked less cohesive on the court than their opponent. CSKA’s lead increased by one, 32-22, heading into halftime. Lokomotiv’s chances for a comeback seemed slim, given their struggles on offense.

Turning Point
The game’s languid pace persisted in the second half. Neither team scored very often, with even four or five-point runs significant. The Railwaymen crept to within four paints of CSKA in the third quarter, but allowed the home team to storm to a 14-point lead at the end of the period, 50-36, practically burying any chances of a road upset in Game 2.

In the final quarter, CSKA’s lead hovered at 10 points and Kuban’s repeated efforts to make it a game came up empty thanks to the Army Men’s stout defense. In the end, Ettore Messina’s club cruised to a Game 2 victory, 64-54, and stake a 2-0 lead in the best-of-five Finals.

Star of the Game
Sonny Weems. The smooth shooting forward was quiet much of the game, preferring to defer to his teammates, but he exploded at the end of the third quarter and early in the fourth, much as he did against Khimki in Game 5 of the semifinals. 11 points, two assists and an offensive rebound from Weems in just five minutes sewed up the contest for CSKA, as the lead briefly reached 17 points at the start of the fourth period.

Stat of the Game
39 vs 22 – CSKA’s complete domination on the glass was one of the key factors in the Red and Blue’s triumph. The Army Men allowed Lokomotiv just two offensive rebounds, led by Russian center Andrey Vorontsevich, who collected 11 rebounds, including five on the offensive glass, despite not scoring a single point.

Quotes
CSKA head coach Ettore Messina:
- I think that we looked good today. We played excellent defense and found the ball in time. However, we lost Jackson today. We know that the series is not over, so it's too early to relax. We'll prepare for the game in Krasnodar.

Lokomotiv-Kuban head coach Evgeny Pashutin:
- The game was different today from yesterday. CSKA dominated on the glass. Whoever controls the boards in basketball, controls the game. That was the key factor, which slowed our game down. Plus, our outside shooting let us down. It's difficult to play against CSKA on the road and that's why we had this type of game. We'll draw conclusions ahead of the home games and try to play faster-paced basketball.

Top Performers
CSKA: Sonny Weems – 13 points, five rebounds; Nenad Krstic – 12 points, five rebounds; Victor Khryapa – nine points, five rebounds; Zoran Erceg – nine points.

Lokomotiv-Kuban: Derrick Brown – 12 points; Andrey Zubkov – nine points; Nicholas Calathes – five points, seven assists.

To Be Continued…
Game 3 in the CSKA – Lokomotiv-Kuban series will be held on Thursday, June 6 in Krasnodar. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:00 pm local time. Watch live on Sport and VTB-League.com.