CSKA outlasts Zalgiris 79-84 in Kaunas 50
After winning by double-digits for most of the first 25 minutes, CSKA Moscow needed a late comeback to escape with a 79-84 victory against host Zalgiris Kaunas on Friday. CSKA improved to 12-4 and ended a three-game road losing streak. Zalgiris fell to 7-9.
Will Clyburn scored 15 of his 19 points in the second half and Daniel Hackett matched his total for the winners. Nando De Colo added 13 points and Cory Higgins 11 for CSKA.
Brandon Davies led Zalgiris with 21 points, while Marius Grigonis downed 13 and Derrick Walton Jr. had 10.
Second-chance triples by Higgins and Sergio Rodriguez sent CSKA in front 4-10. Free throws drew Zalgiris within a point before Andrey Vorontsevich, De Colo and Hackett, twice, hit from deep, as well. Even though Davies broke the spell with a couple of baskets for Zalgiris, CSKA owned a 17-28 advantage after 10 minutes.
CSKA’s defense remained stingy as Clyburn and Othello Hunter joined the scoring before Rodriguez’s three-point play made it 22-35. Nate Wolters, Laurynas Birutis and Edgaras Ulanovas helped Zalgiris get back to within 32-40, but CSKA stayed strong to reclaim a double-digit lead, 34-44, at the break.
The teams continued trading points slowly after halftime until an Arturas Milaknis triple – his team’s first of the game – got Zalgiris within 43-48. Walton and Grigonis followed suit to make it 51-52 before Davies converted a three-point play for the home team’s first lead of the game. Grigonis lifted the roof off Zalgirio Arena with another triple and Walton hit 2 of 3 free throws before the buzzer for a 59-55 Zalgiris lead after a 21-7 run to end the third quarter.
Another three-point play by Davies upped the difference to 63-57 early in the final quarter. That’s when Clyburn came alive with 4 points and Higgins drilled from deep to make it 65-64. Clyburn was back with a reverse dunk that Hackett followed with free throws for a 69-69 tie, but Grigonis answered from deep. Free throws left Zalgiris in front by a point until Clyburn fed Hackett for a triple at 74-76 with 1:15 left to play. Higgins made 1 of 2 free throws entering the final minute. Walton found Aaron White for a dunk at 76-77 with 36.5 seconds left. Hackett appeared again for a step-back jumper with 15 second left. Davies and Clyburn made 1 free throw each, but down 77-80, Zalgiris needed a three-pointer to force overtime and never got that chance due to fouls.
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