CSKA too strong for Zalgiris 0

LithuaniaBasketball.com

Zalgiris didn‘t succeed to bang the door in their Euroleague exit losing to CSKA 71:84 (14:15, 17:23, 20:29, 20:17) in Moscow on Wednesday evening.

Mantas Kalnietis had a game-leading 22 points for Zalgiris, Dainius Salenga scored 13 and Arturas Milaknis was the last player in double-figures with 12 points. Zalgiris’ big men Travis Watson, Mirza Begic and Tadas Klimavicius scored 6, 5 and 4 respectively.

British player Pops Mensah-Bonsu led CSKA with 19 points, Trajan Langdon netted 17 and Zoran Planinic added 12.

Zalgiris continued the trend to collapse after the half-time interval as Pops Mensah-Bonsu managed to hang on the rim five times in the third quarter alone.

Dainius Salenga decreased Zalgiris’ deficit to five points with Dainius Salenga coast-to-coast play after a steal – 39:44. But then the Russian side answered with nine straight points that gave them a solid 55:42 lead.

Despite successful free-throws by Martynas Pocius, Mensah-Bonsu initiated a 10:0 run for CSKA which further increased Zalgiris deficit – 65:44.

Mantas Kalnietis was the last to lose the hope and scored 12 points on his own in just a couple of minutes and closed the gap to single-figures getting the score to 60:69.

Mensah-Bonsu was once again there for CSKA as the Russians broke away for the final time denying Zalgiris‘ hopes of a successful end to their Euroelague season.

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