The game is over
Vitoria, Spain
07 January 2021 Thursday / 23:00 MSK
Fernando Buesa Arena
95
93
CSKA
Jan. 7 (Thu):
LIVE (for Russia): Match TV, MatchTV.ru, Sportbox.ru
LIVE (pay): Euroleague.tv

Jan. 8 (Fri):
1:10, 8:10, 17:00: Match! Game
6:00, 19:05: Match! Country
CSKA
06.01.2021
The owners of the longest winning streak in the EuroLeague current format history (12 in a row!) will play shorthanded again. Just another injuries did not allow the coaching staff to collect a dozen of players to go to Vitoria...
Dozen of wins is here. Dozen of players is not

PRE-GAME BREAKDOWN

Unfortunately, our team continues to lose active players. Will Clyburn rehabs after foot injury, Dani Hackett twisted his ankle in recent game at Nizhny Novgorod, Andrey Lopatin went down after practice on Tuesday with right hand injury. Also coaches cannot count on CSKA-2 guard Yuri Umrikhin who is on the team’s EuroLeague roster but now needs special attention from doctors due to knee problem.

Taking into account that Daniil Kochergin is also out with foot injury, Alexander Shashkov continues to work with the main team. His CSKA-2 teammates Anton Kardanakhishvili and Makar Konovalov were also called up by Dimitris Itoudis. It’s a debut at the main team’s practices for the young guards.

Coaches took just 11 players to Vitoria.

REFEREES

Luigi Lamonica (Italy, crew chief), Sasa Pukl (Slovenia), Joseph Bissang (France).

PRE-GAME QUOTES

Dimitris Itoudis, CSKA head coach:

First of all, Happy New Year to everyone and Merry Christmas to those who have the Christmas Eve tonight, by the old calendar. Second, we are ready to go there and fight, though it's gonna be difficult as it is always difficult in Baskonia. They created a team that is based a lot on athleticism, enthusiasm and skills.

Darrun Hilliard, CSKA guard:

First of all, Merry Christmas Eve to all Russians and Serbs out there, hopefully you enjoy it. About the game, Baskonia is a great team, they gonna play hard, they will come out and fight, they got great character, great coach. It's going to be a good game. Vitoria is definitely a special place in my heart, my son was born there, so we kind of started our family there. It's good to go back, obviously, in different circumstances, with COVID [restrictions] and things like that, but still it's good to be back at Buesa and see those people who kind of introduced me to European basketball.

CLOSE RELATIONS

This game will mark Tornike Shengelia's return to Vitoria-Gasteiz where he spent six seasons before joining CSKA over the summer. Shengelia was Baskonia's team captain and led the team to the 2020 Spanish championship and a 2016 EuroLeague Final Four berth.

Johannes Voigtmann spent three seasons with Baskonia. He made his EuroLeague debut there in the 2016-17 season. He was a teammate of Ilimane Diop and Luca Vildoza.

Darrun Hilliard made his EuroLeague debut with Baskonia in the 2018-19 season. He was also a teammate of Diop and Vildoza.

Mike James played at Baskonia for a season and a half. James signed in December 2014 and was a teammate of Diop. They reached the 2016 EuroLeague Final Four together.

Baskonia forward Alec Peters helped CSKA win the EuroLeague title in his rookie 2018-19 season. He played under coach Dimitris Itoudis and was a teammate of current CSKA players Semen Antonov, Joel Bolomboy, Will Clyburn, Daniel Hackett, Nikita Kurbanov, Andrei Lopatin, Alexander Khomenko and Ivan Ukhov.

IMPORTANT NUMBERS

Ten different players have appeared in CSKA's starting lineups so far this season. Only Nikita Kurbanov has started in every game.

Mike James has made at least 1 three-point shot in 11 straight and 36 of his last 37 games. He ranks fourth this season with 2.8 three-point shots made per game. Mike needs 9 more three-pointers to reach 300 for his career.

James has scored in double figures in 11 straight and 41 of his last 42 games. He leads the EuroLeague in scoring this season with 20.6 points per game.

James has posted a PIR of at least 19 in nine straight games. James ranks second this season in average PIR with 21.4 per game.

James ranks sixth this season with 6.0 assists per game.

Will Clyburn has made a three-pointer in eight of his last nine games.

Darrun Hilliard has made at least 1 three-pointer in 11 of his last 12 games.

Hilliard has made 13 consecutive free throws.

Nikola Milutinov ranks seventh this season in average PIR with 17.6 per game.

Milutinov leads the league this season with 8.8 rebounds per game and is the leader in offensive rebounding with 4.5 per game. He is tied with Ioannis Bourousis for seventh all-time with 439 offensive rebounds. Jan Vesely of Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul is sixth with 452 and counting.

Janis Strelnieks ranks sixth all-time in free-throw accuracy at 90.9%.

PAST MATCHUPS

Wins-losses: 31-10

2001-02 – Euroleague. Top 16: TAU Ceramica – CSKA: 73-87 (+14)
2001-02 – Euroleague. Top 16: CSKA – TAU Ceramica: 73-90 (-17)
2003-04 – Euroleague. Top 16: TAU Ceramica – CSKA: 77-80 (+3)
2003-04 – Euroleague. Top 16: CSKA – TAU Ceramica: 84-82 (+2)
2004-05 – Euroleague. Regular season: CSKA – TAU Ceramica: 88-83 (+5)
2004-05 – Euroleague. Regular season: TAU Ceramica – CSKA: 81-85 (+4)
2004-05 – Euroleague. Final Four. Semifinal: CSKA – TAU Ceramica: 78-85 (-7)
2005-06 – Euroleague. Top 16: CSKA – TAU Ceramica: 82-76 (+6)
2005-06 – Euroleague. Top 16: TAU Ceramica – CSKA: 70-63 (-7)
2007-08 – Euroleague. Regular season: TAU Ceramica – CSKA: 76-85 (+9)
2007-08 – Euroleague. Regular season: CSKA – TAU Ceramica: 70-62 (+8)
2007-08 – Euroleague. Final Four. Semifinal: TAU Ceramica – CSKA: 79-83 (+4)
2009-10 – Euroleague. Regular season: Caja Laboral – CSKA: 67-71 (+4)
2009-10 – Euroleague. Regular season: CSKA – Caja Laboral: 84-83 (+1)
2009-10 – Euroleague. Quarterfinals: CSKA – Caja Laboral: 86-63 (+23)
2009-10 – Euroleague. Quarterfinals: CSKA – Caja Laboral: 83-63 (+20)
2009-10 – Euroleague. Quarterfinals: Caja Laboral – CSKA: 66-53 (-13)
2009-10 – Euroleague. Quarterfinals: Caja Laboral – CSKA: 70-74 (+4)
2012-13 – Euroleague. Quarterfinals: CSKA – Caja Laboral: 89-78 (+11)
2012-13 – Euroleague. Quarterfinals: CSKA – Caja Laboral: 90-68 (+22)
2012-13 – Euroleague. Quarterfinals: Caja Laboral – CSKA: 93-72 (-21)
2012-13 – Euroleague. Quarterfinals: Caja Laboral – CSKA: 85-94 (+9)
2014-15 – Euroleague. Top 16: CSKA – Laboral Kutxa: 99-90 (+9)
2014-15 – Euroleague. Top 16: Laboral Kutxa – CSKA: 74-81 (+7)
2015-16 – Euroleague. Top 16: Laboral Kutxa – CSKA: 81-71 (-10)
2015-16 – Euroleague. Top 16: CSKA – Laboral Kutxa: 90-78 (+12)
2016-17 – Euroleague. Regular Season: CSKA – Baskonia: 112-84 (+28)
2016-17 – Euroleague. Regular Season: Baskonia – CSKA: 79-78 (-1)
2016-17 – Euroleague. Quarterfinals: CSKA – Baskonia: 98-90 (+8)
2016-17 – Euroleague. Quarterfinals: CSKA – Baskonia: 84-82 (+2)
2016-17 – Euroleague. Quarterfinals: Baskonia – CSKA: 88-90 (+2)
2017-18 – Euroleague. Regular Season: Baskonia – CSKA: 81-90 (+9)
2017-18 – Euroleague. Regular Season: CSKA – Baskonia: 93-86 (+7)
2018-19 – Euroleague. Regular Season: Baskonia – CSKA: 76-73 (-3)
2018-19 – Euroleague. Regular Season: CSKA – Baskonia: 82-78 (+4)
2018-19 – Euroleague. Quarterfinals: CSKA – Baskonia: 94-68 (+26)
2018-19 – Euroleague. Quarterfinals: CSKA – Baskonia: 68-78 (-10)
2018-19 – Euroleague. Quarterfinals: Baskonia – CSKA: 77-84 (+7)
2018-19 – Euroleague. Quarterfinals: Baskonia – CSKA: 83-92 (+9)
2019-20 – Euroleague. Regular Season: Baskonia – CSKA: 80-70 (-10)
2019-20 – Euroleague. Regular Season: CSKA – Baskonia: 94-90 (+4)

SHORT DOSSIER

Baskonia Vitoria, Spain
Founded: 1959
Colors: red, dark blue, white
Home arena: Fernando Buesa Arena (15,504)
President: Jose Antonio Querejeta
Head coach: Dusko Ivanovic
Website: www.baskonia.com
Trophy case: 3-time Spanish champion (2002, 08, 20); 5-time Copa del Rey winner (1995, 99, 2002, 04, 06); 4-time Spanish SuperCup winner (2005, 06, 07, 08); Saporta Cup winner (1996)

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