CSKA — UNICS, 02 June 2014

The VTB League semifinal Game 3 was decided in difficult last minutes again but the level and experience by our team led it to victory and qualification to the Finals.

CSKA vs. UNICS (Kazan): 92-86 (+6)

CSKA: Teodosic (17 + 3 rb + 4 pf), Fridzon (20), Pargo (2), Krstic (10 + 3 rb), Weems (10), Vorontsevich (2 + 5 rb), Kaun (12 + 6 rb + 2 bs), Khryapa (12 + 4 rb + 8 as), Hines (7)…

UNICS: Bykov (2 + 4 as), Zisis (6 + 5 as), Sergeyev (3), Veremeyenko (2 + 4 rb), Vougioukas (11), Sokolov (2), Kaimakoglou (8 + 4 rb + 4 to), Goudelock (24), Eidson (14 + 10 rb + 4 as + 3 to + 5 pf), Kurbanov (14 + 4 rb)…

Ettore Messina, CSKA head coach:

Our players played great series against very good team. UNICS had excellent season both in VTB League and Eurocup. We won in three games by staying calm, playing organized basketball, staying together. This is a great accomplishment by our team. Even today when we lacked energy while playing our sixth game in 12 days after the Final Four, when we lacked aggression in the very beginning, we managed to stay calm, work hard on defense and score 92 points against great defensive team.

Vitaly Fridzon, CSKA guard:

I didn’t have a special task to score a lot. I just felt my shot today. To my mind it all depended on the first game of series in Kazan when UNICS led by 13 points, then relaxed and CSKA took the win – it’s hard to keep up a good game and stay well-being. It damaged UNICS. Whatever UNICS’ head coach told them it’s tough to stay well in mind. We used that. I felt I was in a good shape so my teammates gave me the ball and I scored.