Coming from behind specialists

CSKA vs. Valencia Basket: 94-67 (+27)

CSKA: De Colo (23), Fridzon (4), Antonov (2), Rodriguez (6 + 7 as + 3 st + 3 to), Vorontsevich (8 + 7 rb), Clyburn (3), Higgins (16), Kulagin (8), Kurbanov (8 + 4 rb), Hines (8 + 3 rb + 2 bs), Hunter (8 + 10 rb)…

Valencia Basket: Thomas (3 rb), Abalde (2 + 3 to), Van Rossom (3), Rudez (2), Dubljevic (11), Vives (6 + 4 pf), Martinez (2 + 3 rb), San Emeterio (11 + 4 rb), Pleiss (12 + 7 rb + 3 bs), Sastre (2), Green (8 + 3 rb), Doornekamp (8 + 6 rb)…

At halftime, we had some targets. We talked a lot about playing better defense, being more competitive, using our strength, our length, our quickness. I think that the 51 to 29 difference in the second half satisfies us a lot. Also the rebound battle at the end, because they were hurting us with second chances. We shot the ball pretty good, with better decisions on splitting their defense and kick-outs. We had good open looks. And overall I think we have seen a totally different picture in the second half. Congratulations to the players because they make it happen. You know it’s not easy to change the chip. We had a very emotional [VTB League]game on Monday with Khimki, then we came here and had a sloppy start, but overall we deserved to win. We were the better team. This game shows us in that we’re in a good way. Of course it’s going to take time. We’re a new team. We have to make certain adjustments, but I’ll say this. When players are coming deep off the bench and they are coming after a period of sitting and they play big, that’s also important. It shows that we have players that help and today everyone was on the same page.