Maccabi Elite vs. CSKA Moscow - ShowGame - Welcome to EUROLEAGUE BASKETBALL

May 24, 2013

Final Four Game 2 - May 04, 2008 CET: 21:00 Local time: 21:00 - PALACIO DE DEPORTES COMUNIDAD DE MADRID

Maccabi Elite 77 - 91 CSKA Moscow

FINAL FOUR, GAME 2

GROUP Final

Maccabi Elite 77 - CSKA Moscow 91

GROUP Third Place

Montepaschi Siena 97 - Tau Ceramica 93

Records

Ave.		Ave.
1-0	Final Four	1-0
2-1	Playoffs	2-1
4-2	Top 16	4-2
10-3	Regular Season	12-2
18-6	Overall	19-5

Referees

Crew Chief

KOUKOULEKIDIS, STELIOS, Greece

Referee

HIERREZUELO, DANI, Spain

Umpire

DOZAI, SRDAN, Croatia

Team Stats

Ave.		Ave.
83.9	Points	78.8
33.4	Rebounds	31.9
8.5	O. Rebounds	8.2
25.0	D. Rebounds	23.8
18.1	Assists	13.8
9.7	Steals	7.7
3.0	Blocks	2.5
13.3	Turnovers	10.1
56.5 %	2PT	53.4 %
40.4 %	3PT	40.4 %
71.8 %	FT	74.5 %
95.3	Index	91.1

Team Stats - Maccabi Elite

Team Stats - CSKA Moscow

Player Stats

Ave.		Ave.
12.3 / MORRIS, TERENCE	Points	14.0 / SISKAUSKAS, RAMUNAS
8.4 / MORRIS, TERENCE	Rebounds	5.8 / Andersen
2.2 / MORRIS, TERENCE	OR	1.9 / Goree
6.2 / MORRIS, TERENCE	DR	4.3 / Andersen
4.1 / HALPERIN, YOTAM	Assists	4.6 / Papaloukas
1.2 / BYNUM, W.	Steals	1.2 / Papaloukas
1.8 / MORRIS, TERENCE	Blocks	1.0 / Goree
2.1 / BYNUM, W.	Turnovers	2.0 / Papaloukas
63.0 % / CASSPI, OMRI	2PT	59.4 % / SISKAUSKAS, RAMUNAS
100.0 % / Batista	3PT	53.2 % / Andersen
100.0 % / SHARP, DERRICK	FT	89.2 % / LANGDON, TRAJAN
17.8 / MORRIS, TERENCE	Index	16.1 / SISKAUSKAS, RAMUNAS

Team Roster - Maccabi Elite

Team Roster - CSKA Moscow

THE TAKE

The two most dominant teams of the new millennium, Maccabi Elite Tel Aviv and CSKA Moscow, will clash for Euroleague Basketball supremacy in the 2008 championship game on Sunday night at the Community of Madrid Sports Palace in the Spanish capital. It will be the first Euroleague final in Madrid since 1967 when Real Madrid defeated Simmenthal Milano. Both teams have been to seven Final Fours since 2000 and CSKA is now playing in its sixth in a row. They’ve met at three of those Final Fours, with Maccabi winning semifinals in 2001 and 2004 and CSKA winning its lone title in the last decade by beating Maccabi in the 2006 Final in Prague. A number of players from that game are still with the clubs, including Theo Papaloukas, who won that year’s Final Four MVP award after posting 18 points and 7 assists in the final. The winning team will also move into second place on the list of all-time European championships won with six. Real Madrid has the most titles with eight, while Maccabi, CSKA and Varese are currently tied for second with five. Maccabi will be appearing in its 13th final and CSKA in its 10th. The two teams faced much different paths to the Final Four. CSKA was a favorite from the start after finishing as last season’s runner up. The Russian champs cruised through the regular season and despite losing the first game in both the Top 16 and Quarterfinal Playoffs, CSKA bounced back to reach the Final Four. In the semis, CSKA also trailed as late as the fourth quarter against Tau Ceramica before storming ahead and holding on to win. Meanwhile Maccabi struggled early on, but when Sherf took over the coaching duties in January, the team came together, won five straight to finish second in its regular season group and then won its Top 16 group before eliminating Barcelona in the playoffs. On Friday Maccabi trailed by as many as 18 before taking control late to beat Montepaschi Siena. breakdown \| Head-to-head \| Press Conference Saturday, May 03, 2008 Euroleague.net

The two most dominant teams of the new millennium, Maccabi Elite Tel Aviv and CSKA Moscow, will clash for Euroleague Basketball supremacy in the 2008 championship game on Sunday night at the Community of Madrid Sports Palace in the Spanish capital. It will be the first Euroleague final in Madrid since 1967 when Real Madrid defeated Simmenthal Milano. Both teams have been to seven Final Fours since 2000 and CSKA is now playing in its sixth in a row. They’ve met at three of those Final Fours, with Maccabi winning semifinals in 2001 and 2004 and CSKA winning its lone title in the last decade by beating Maccabi in the 2006 Final in Prague. A number of players from that game are still with the clubs, including Theo Papaloukas, who won that year’s Final Four MVP award after posting 18 points and 7 assists in the final. The winning team will also move into second place on the list of all-time European championships won with six. Real Madrid has the most titles with eight, while Maccabi, CSKA and Varese are currently tied for second with five. Maccabi will be appearing in its 13th final and CSKA in its 10th. The two teams faced much different paths to the Final Four. CSKA was a favorite from the start after finishing as last season’s runner up. The Russian champs cruised through the regular season and despite losing the first game in both the Top 16 and Quarterfinal Playoffs, CSKA bounced back to reach the Final Four. In the semis, CSKA also trailed as late as the fourth quarter against Tau Ceramica before storming ahead and holding on to win. Meanwhile Maccabi struggled early on, but when Sherf took over the coaching duties in January, the team came together, won five straight to finish second in its regular season group and then won its Top 16 group before eliminating Barcelona in the playoffs. On Friday Maccabi trailed by as many as 18 before taking control late to beat Montepaschi Siena.
breakdown | Head-to-head | Press Conference

Saturday, May 03, 2008

Euroleague.net

Quotes Head Coaches

SHERF, ZVI Maccabi Elite ”We are all sorry and sad. Nobody wants to lose the final. I would like to congratulate the winners. They deserved the win. They are a very, very good team. They play great inside and outside. But I would also like to congratulate my players. They gave everything they had. The first half was pretty equal. We missed 4 free throws at the end of the first half and that was not good. But we didn't play very good in the third quarter and CSKA Moscow did a good show stopping our players. We didn't play the defense we wanted and didn't hit some shots we should have. And once you're down 8 or 9 points against CSKA Moscow, it's like 20 points to other teams.” “I think the missed layup by Garcia hurt us. We could have pulled it to within 6 points. I think we were kind of broken mentally. I tried to take two timeouts pretty quick. But it was a great Final Four for us.” “Looking the CSKA team we played last season in the Quarterfinals, we saw a team that plays the same game, but improved in every position. Instead of Torres, they have Siskauskas. Instead of Van den Spiegel, they had Goree. And they added Khryapa. And they still played the same game – very good defense and very organised offense.” (About Messina’s contract extension) “For him and the club it's very good and an important decision. All the rumors that he would maybe leave the club can shake the basis of the club. But it's very good for CSKA and coach Messina. He is a very good coach.” “No coach likes to lose the final game. It leaves a bitter feeling in your mouth. We're proud of everything we've done and the problems we’ve got passed.”
SHERF, ZVI Maccabi Elite “I’m very happy to be here on behalf of my club and players. We are very excited about tomorrow, but we have to come down after yesterday’s game and find new energy for the final. Coach Messina called this final a classic or super-classico and I agree with him. Two great teams and two great clubs. We will do our best and I know they will do their best.” ”Every team prepares more for the semifinal game. In less than 24 hours, it is hard to change. We can’t do the same as what we did for the semifinal in such a short time. But it's more of a mental thing, making mental adjustments for the matchups. For both teams it’s very, very important. I don’t know if it’s more important for one or the other. Maybe we have more fans, but both teams will give 150 or 200%.” “We passed over a tough season with lots of injuries. The basketball we are playing is good, even though some people are praising and criticizing us. But I think we have a strong team.”

SHERF, ZVI

Maccabi Elite

”We are all sorry and sad. Nobody wants to lose the final. I would like to congratulate the winners. They deserved the win. They are a very, very good team. They play great inside and outside. But I would also like to congratulate my players. They gave everything they had. The first half was pretty equal. We missed 4 free throws at the end of the first half and that was not good. But we didn't play very good in the third quarter and CSKA Moscow did a good show stopping our players. We didn't play the defense we wanted and didn't hit some shots we should have. And once you're down 8 or 9 points against CSKA Moscow, it's like 20 points to other teams.”

“I think the missed layup by Garcia hurt us. We could have pulled it to within 6 points. I think we were kind of broken mentally. I tried to take two timeouts pretty quick. But it was a great Final Four for us.”

“Looking the CSKA team we played last season in the Quarterfinals, we saw a team that plays the same game, but improved in every position. Instead of Torres, they have Siskauskas. Instead of Van den Spiegel, they had Goree. And they added Khryapa. And they still played the same game – very good defense and very organised offense.”

(About Messina’s contract extension) “For him and the club it's very good and an important decision. All the rumors that he would maybe leave the club can shake the basis of the club. But it's very good for CSKA and coach Messina. He is a very good coach.”

“No coach likes to lose the final game. It leaves a bitter feeling in your mouth. We're proud of everything we've done and the problems we’ve got passed.”

SHERF, ZVI

Maccabi Elite

“I’m very happy to be here on behalf of my club and players. We are very excited about tomorrow, but we have to come down after yesterday’s game and find new energy for the final. Coach Messina called this final a classic or super-classico and I agree with him. Two great teams and two great clubs. We will do our best and I know they will do their best.”

”Every team prepares more for the semifinal game. In less than 24 hours, it is hard to change. We can’t do the same as what we did for the semifinal in such a short time. But it's more of a mental thing, making mental adjustments for the matchups. For both teams it’s very, very important. I don’t know if it’s more important for one or the other. Maybe we have more fans, but both teams will give 150 or 200%.”

“We passed over a tough season with lots of injuries. The basketball we are playing is good, even though some people are praising and criticizing us. But I think we have a strong team.”

MESSINA, ETTORE CSKA Moscow ”I agree with coach Sherf about the evaluation of this game. Brand-wise, it is one of the best matchups the Euroleague can offer to the fans. Both teams came back to win the semifinals and showed character. It’s a big game and should be interesting to watch. Me and Zvika are the only two to have headaches before the final. Fans and sports writers are the only ones that pick favorites. We are a good team and we have a good character. But I don’t think in a single game you can call a favorite. So it will not affect our thinking.” “For sure Tau was extremely well-prepared and they gave us a lot of problems in the first half. We had problems with our coordination inside and outside and became extremely individualistic. In the second half we played more aggressively and we played more together for sure. Holden had cramps because I overplayed him during the game, but hopefully with a good night of rest he will be okay.”

MESSINA, ETTORE

CSKA Moscow

”I agree with coach Sherf about the evaluation of this game. Brand-wise, it is one of the best matchups the Euroleague can offer to the fans. Both teams came back to win the semifinals and showed character. It’s a big game and should be interesting to watch. Me and Zvika are the only two to have headaches before the final. Fans and sports writers are the only ones that pick favorites. We are a good team and we have a good character. But I don’t think in a single game you can call a favorite. So it will not affect our thinking.”

“For sure Tau was extremely well-prepared and they gave us a lot of problems in the first half. We had problems with our coordination inside and outside and became extremely individualistic. In the second half we played more aggressively and we played more together for sure. Holden had cramps because I overplayed him during the game, but hopefully with a good night of rest he will be okay.”

Players

BLU, DAVID Maccabi Elite "CSKA played a great second half. They scored from outside and I think we didn't execute as we should have. They are a great team, they started the game well, they are experienced and that's what they do. I feel bad for the fans that came all the way from Tel Aviv and saw us lose, but that's what happened and we'll have to move on."
BLU, DAVID Maccabi Elite “The first time [I won the title with Maccabi] was definitely an amazing ride, that whole season. This season has been such an up and down season for me and for the team that [if we won] this would be a lot sweeter. I had a normal preparation today for the game and I will try to approach tomorrow’s game like any other game. This is something that as professionals we need to be ready for. We’re all mature men, we try to pay attention to what the coaches want us to do and we need to try to execute what they want us to do. At this part of the season we’re in the best shape of the season and we’ll be ready. I think the key to the final will be trying to contain their inside players. They’re probably bigger than us, stronger than us maybe. But I think that we’re quicker than they are. I think that will be the key, to try to mismatch our speed to their size.”
VUJCIC, NIKOLA Maccabi Elite ”Everyone fantasizes about the cup. There are thousands of people here with the same dream. We have to do everything we can to make that dream come true. My season was very bad until this moment – the year turned out to be very good with the Final Four. Against CSKA we have to believe until the end that we can win the game. Tomorrow for sure will be much harder and we cannot let them lead by 18 points, so we have to be very careful with everything. There is no way we can come back from 18 points against this team. We have to bring everything we have – smartness, toughness, everything. Everybody has to bring everything they have to beat CSKA. You really have to say in this case that they are favorites. We have pressure of course. It's the final. It's a game which can change a lot of lives. We have to fight and try to win. And if they win, we shake their hands and tell them they were better on that night. We really have to stop their system game and really execute well. We have to score points because otherwise we give them opportunities to run. If they can get a lead of 6 or 7 points, they really know how to keep it. Maccabi has had so many comebacks in the past, so we have to believe to the end. But we cannot afford to get down 10-12 points.”
GARCIA, ALEX Maccabi Elite ”I feel good and ready to play the Euroleague final. This is my first time in Europe and I can’t explain what I am experiencing this season. CSKA is a very good defensive team, just like Montepaschi. They play very physical, so we have to prepare ourselves for that. I will try to do my best again, just like I did in the semifinals. I hope I can help my team as much as I can to win such an important game. Basketball is getting very popular in Brazil again, with players in the NBA and also in Europe. I will try to win also for Brazilian basketball. Being a Euroleague champion would be great, I wouldn't be able to explain right now. Maybe tomorrow, if we win the game, I can tell you.”
BATISTA, ESTEBAN Maccabi Elite ”We rallied to beat Montepaschi yesterday, but it all belongs to the past right now. This is the Euroleague final and any previous matchup is not that important. Even when previous games could give you a hint on what is going on, this is a final and there is no other choice but winning it. We will try to study CSKA well, but we all already know that they are an aggressive team. We are expecting a very tough game, of course. They have big guys inside that know how to score. We will try to study what they did against Tau, what we did against Siena and do our best to stop them. I hope we can win the title tomorrow, but I try not to think about it and to just live the present, enjoy it and give my best, because we are just one win away from winning the Euroleague title. It would be great for me and it is all just 40 minutes away.”
BURSTEIN, TAL Maccabi Elite “I agree that the team that will want it more will win the game tomorrow. At the end of the 2006 finals, when they beat us, we felt that they brought more energy to the game, and wanted it more, because we were a more talented team then. Of course it sits in the head of our players who played in that final, and I hope we'll get a chance to revenge tomorrow. We'll have to make the fewest mistakes possible, since CSKA punish you for every half mistake. They are extremely tough and it's very difficult to play against their aggressiveness, but I believe we can find the path to do it.”
CASSPI, OMRI Maccabi Elite “We have to come ready for this game. Play our best game of the Euroleague season in the most important moment. It's not something you can just say and just do. Especially not when there's a great team on the other side that what they do best is try to force you to make as many mistakes as possible and then punish you for them. It really doesn't matter if I play a small role in the win like in the semis or I'll be the MVP. We have only one target and that is to win the title. We can't allow them to take a big lead like we allowed Montepaschi, because it's almost impossible to come back from that against CSKA. We have enough self-confidence in our skills and strengths. We've come a long way to be here, and it will be the sweetest thing if we win. The pressure will be on CSKA and I hope it will work for our best.”
SHARP, DERRICK Maccabi Elite “As a player, after the first game you immediately start thinking about the second game. Like Messina said, the best two and most consistent two teams usually end up in the final. In Prague it was a final between these two teams and CSKA won. I hope history doesn’t repeat itself and we win this time.” “I’m 36 years old and I'm going to ride it until the wheels fall off. If you still have the desire and the heart and you can play as long as you want.” “There is a great history for our club. Just being on the club is an honor in itself. Bringing the club to the forefront of Euroleague Basketball is an honor. You have to play for something. Our fans support and country supports us. You have to use it to your best.” ”You can’t control how your teammates will play. You have to come into the game with the same mentality… Just relax and play the game. You don’t always realize that you have to just play the game and it's just a game. More players will play better than yesterday.”

BLU, DAVID

Maccabi Elite

"CSKA played a great second half. They scored from outside and I think we didn't execute as we should have. They are a great team, they started the game well, they are experienced and that's what they do. I feel bad for the fans that came all the way from Tel Aviv and saw us lose, but that's what happened and we'll have to move on."

BLU, DAVID

Maccabi Elite

“The first time [I won the title with Maccabi] was definitely an amazing ride, that whole season. This season has been such an up and down season for me and for the team that [if we won] this would be a lot sweeter. I had a normal preparation today for the game and I will try to approach tomorrow’s game like any other game. This is something that as professionals we need to be ready for. We’re all mature men, we try to pay attention to what the coaches want us to do and we need to try to execute what they want us to do. At this part of the season we’re in the best shape of the season and we’ll be ready. I think the key to the final will be trying to contain their inside players. They’re probably bigger than us, stronger than us maybe. But I think that we’re quicker than they are. I think that will be the key, to try to mismatch our speed to their size.”

VUJCIC, NIKOLA

Maccabi Elite

”Everyone fantasizes about the cup. There are thousands of people here with the same dream. We have to do everything we can to make that dream come true. My season was very bad until this moment – the year turned out to be very good with the Final Four. Against CSKA we have to believe until the end that we can win the game. Tomorrow for sure will be much harder and we cannot let them lead by 18 points, so we have to be very careful with everything. There is no way we can come back from 18 points against this team. We have to bring everything we have – smartness, toughness, everything. Everybody has to bring everything they have to beat CSKA. You really have to say in this case that they are favorites. We have pressure of course. It's the final. It's a game which can change a lot of lives. We have to fight and try to win. And if they win, we shake their hands and tell them they were better on that night. We really have to stop their system game and really execute well. We have to score points because otherwise we give them opportunities to run. If they can get a lead of 6 or 7 points, they really know how to keep it. Maccabi has had so many comebacks in the past, so we have to believe to the end. But we cannot afford to get down 10-12 points.”

GARCIA, ALEX

Maccabi Elite

”I feel good and ready to play the Euroleague final. This is my first time in Europe and I can’t explain what I am experiencing this season. CSKA is a very good defensive team, just like Montepaschi. They play very physical, so we have to prepare ourselves for that. I will try to do my best again, just like I did in the semifinals. I hope I can help my team as much as I can to win such an important game. Basketball is getting very popular in Brazil again, with players in the NBA and also in Europe. I will try to win also for Brazilian basketball. Being a Euroleague champion would be great, I wouldn't be able to explain right now. Maybe tomorrow, if we win the game, I can tell you.”

BATISTA, ESTEBAN

Maccabi Elite

”We rallied to beat Montepaschi yesterday, but it all belongs to the past right now. This is the Euroleague final and any previous matchup is not that important. Even when previous games could give you a hint on what is going on, this is a final and there is no other choice but winning it. We will try to study CSKA well, but we all already know that they are an aggressive team. We are expecting a very tough game, of course. They have big guys inside that know how to score. We will try to study what they did against Tau, what we did against Siena and do our best to stop them. I hope we can win the title tomorrow, but I try not to think about it and to just live the present, enjoy it and give my best, because we are just one win away from winning the Euroleague title. It would be great for me and it is all just 40 minutes away.”

BURSTEIN, TAL

Maccabi Elite

“I agree that the team that will want it more will win the game tomorrow. At the end of the 2006 finals, when they beat us, we felt that they brought more energy to the game, and wanted it more, because we were a more talented team then. Of course it sits in the head of our players who played in that final, and I hope we'll get a chance to revenge tomorrow. We'll have to make the fewest mistakes possible, since CSKA punish you for every half mistake. They are extremely tough and it's very difficult to play against their aggressiveness, but I believe we can find the path to do it.”

CASSPI, OMRI

Maccabi Elite

“We have to come ready for this game. Play our best game of the Euroleague season in the most important moment. It's not something you can just say and just do. Especially not when there's a great team on the other side that what they do best is try to force you to make as many mistakes as possible and then punish you for them. It really doesn't matter if I play a small role in the win like in the semis or I'll be the MVP. We have only one target and that is to win the title. We can't allow them to take a big lead like we allowed Montepaschi, because it's almost impossible to come back from that against CSKA. We have enough self-confidence in our skills and strengths. We've come a long way to be here, and it will be the sweetest thing if we win. The pressure will be on CSKA and I hope it will work for our best.”

SHARP, DERRICK

Maccabi Elite

“As a player, after the first game you immediately start thinking about the second game. Like Messina said, the best two and most consistent two teams usually end up in the final. In Prague it was a final between these two teams and CSKA won. I hope history doesn’t repeat itself and we win this time.”

“I’m 36 years old and I'm going to ride it until the wheels fall off. If you still have the desire and the heart and you can play as long as you want.”

“There is a great history for our club. Just being on the club is an honor in itself. Bringing the club to the forefront of Euroleague Basketball is an honor. You have to play for something. Our fans support and country supports us. You have to use it to your best.”

”You can’t control how your teammates will play. You have to come into the game with the same mentality… Just relax and play the game. You don’t always realize that you have to just play the game and it's just a game. More players will play better than yesterday.”

KHRYAPA, VICTOR CSKA Moscow “I feel pretty happy and excited. I’ve been twice to the Final Four [before] and never got a win. And now I finally have the title. This is a very special court for me, because I won the EuroBasket title with the Russian national team and now I won the Euroleague title with CSSKA. It’s difficult to add what this court means to me. Our fans were really, really great tonight. And we all stood as won. We worked hard and stayed in our game. We were stuck in the beginning, but just kept doing it. We had a little advantage and built on it to finish the game. We’re gonna celebrate the title tonight and go home tomorrow because we have the Russian league playoffs. So the celebration is going to be quick and fun.”
PAPALOUKAS, THEODOROS CSKA Moscow ”A final is always a final. The two teams that showed the bigger character in the semifinals both qualified. And now we have a very difficult game against a Maccabi team that came back from a very big deficit. But we have been here before. We know how to play these games. We have a lot of experience. And tomorrow is 40 minutes for one more title. The important thing is to control the game. Yesterday CSKA saw in the second half that we know that we still have a good chance. It was very difficult for CSKA to lose this game because we knew how to win it. We have been in these situations before. The thing that we learned about Maccabi is that we should not underestimate them. The game is 40 minutes. And in a game like this – playing for the cup – we have to play for the full 40 minutes – not 39 minutes and 59 seconds and start celebrating. You have to wait for the last whistle of the referee and then you can start celebrating.”
GOREE, MARCUS CSKA Moscow ”We feel good and confident. We know that if we can play our game the way we know how to play it and we play good defense, we should come out with a victory. We just have to come in and play good defense and establish a good inside-out game. If we do that then we can get the win. Guys like Morris and Vujcic are athletic and long so we have to use our strength and our knowledge of basketball to our advantage. This all is a little overwhelming. But we just have to try and focus on basketball and not pay attention to the things going on outside the basketball court. If we just focus on that, things should come out pretty good. This means a lot. It's been one of the things I've wanted to do before I retire. And I'm getting a little old so this is a good opportunity for me to go out there and get a victory.”
ZISIS, NIKOS CSKA Moscow ”First of all, It is a very nice feeling to be part of this event. We took a hard step yesterday and now we are ready to take another one tomorrow. It is a big time, of course, and Maccabi is one of the traditional teams in Europe, and so is CSKA. It will be a good game. The biggest key will be controlling the game tempo and rebounding. Maccabi is playing at a very high-tempo in offense. They will try to make the game go crazy with a lot of shots. We need to stop that if we want to win the game. Our defense will be a major part of the game. If we play good defense, we have a very good chance to win. Being a Euroleague champion would be great. I already won the EuroBasket title with my national team and I want to do something similar with CSKA. We must be concentrated for 40 minutes if we won to win the game."
VAN DEN SPIEGEL, TOMAS CSKA Moscow “This is my third consecutive Euroleague final and the fourth in five seasons. I don’t think that it counts much how both teams feel before the game. We have to do our best and try to win the game. This is what we are here for. We have to do a lot of things to beat Maccabi tomorrow. It is a different situation than it normally is because we only have 24 hours to prepare the game, when normally you have at least three days. We have to get ready for small details and individual performances. It is very difficult to judge, because it will be a very different situation than a regular game. I think that we were the underdog in 2006, while we are the favorites this season. It doesn't matter because there will be a sea of yellow tomorrow, just like it was in 2006. It is going to be the same atmosphere and let's hope it will be the same game with the same outcome.”
LANGDON, TRAJAN CSKA Moscow “It’s two different teams, two different years. They’re playing good basketball. We’re playing good basketball. It should be a great game. They’ve got a lot of talent. We’re playing with a lot of confidence. It will be a tough game. I think you get to a championship game and everything goes out the window. This is what you play for. You don’t worry about what happened 48 hours before. Both teams will be excited and both teams will be ready to try and go win a championship. Scoring more points is the key to victory. I think [controlling the tempo] will be an issue. We have to make it difficult for them to score. They can score in a lot of different ways. We have to make it difficult for them. We just want to win the game whichever way it turns out. Both teams want to control the pace and to make it difficult for the other team. So for us, we don’t want to let them score 100 points, which they can do. If they score 90 or 100 points, it will probably be difficult for us to win.”
SISKAUSKAS, RAMUNAS CSKA Moscow ”We feel good. We had a tough game yesterday. I'm happy that we won. We had some problems. But I hope we will be better from the first minute. I hope we'll be ready. It's very important to show our hustle – to show every centimeter on the court, to get every ball, be physical, be prepared mentally. Those are the most important things. But I'm very glad to be here in the final again. I don't think there is a big difference. Just different teams. The final is always the final. I hope that we will get another title. Euroleague is the best league in Europe and to be a champion that means a lot. We didn't do everything we planned on doing yesterday. We had some problems. But against every team you play differently and react to the players that they have. Against Maccabi it will be different than yesterday. I think Maccabi plays more pick-and-rolls than us and have more small guards who can make shots and penetrate.”
ANDERSEN, DAVID CSKA Moscow “I think after such a big win yesterday, everybody is a bit anxious to get out there and play the game. I expect a battle. There is a lot of history between us. I think our team is ready to show Euroleague fans a great game.” “Our combination of the players we have is what makes us so great. Sure other teams can get the best players, but that don’t always work out. But the management here has gotten the best players and they've gelled. Winning is about how they perform under the pressure.”

KHRYAPA, VICTOR

CSKA Moscow

“I feel pretty happy and excited. I’ve been twice to the Final Four [before] and never got a win. And now I finally have the title. This is a very special court for me, because I won the EuroBasket title with the Russian national team and now I won the Euroleague title with CSSKA. It’s difficult to add what this court means to me. Our fans were really, really great tonight. And we all stood as won. We worked hard and stayed in our game. We were stuck in the beginning, but just kept doing it. We had a little advantage and built on it to finish the game. We’re gonna celebrate the title tonight and go home tomorrow because we have the Russian league playoffs. So the celebration is going to be quick and fun.”

PAPALOUKAS, THEODOROS

CSKA Moscow

”A final is always a final. The two teams that showed the bigger character in the semifinals both qualified. And now we have a very difficult game against a Maccabi team that came back from a very big deficit. But we have been here before. We know how to play these games. We have a lot of experience. And tomorrow is 40 minutes for one more title. The important thing is to control the game. Yesterday CSKA saw in the second half that we know that we still have a good chance. It was very difficult for CSKA to lose this game because we knew how to win it. We have been in these situations before. The thing that we learned about Maccabi is that we should not underestimate them. The game is 40 minutes. And in a game like this – playing for the cup – we have to play for the full 40 minutes – not 39 minutes and 59 seconds and start celebrating. You have to wait for the last whistle of the referee and then you can start celebrating.”

GOREE, MARCUS

CSKA Moscow

”We feel good and confident. We know that if we can play our game the way we know how to play it and we play good defense, we should come out with a victory. We just have to come in and play good defense and establish a good inside-out game. If we do that then we can get the win. Guys like Morris and Vujcic are athletic and long so we have to use our strength and our knowledge of basketball to our advantage. This all is a little overwhelming. But we just have to try and focus on basketball and not pay attention to the things going on outside the basketball court. If we just focus on that, things should come out pretty good. This means a lot. It's been one of the things I've wanted to do before I retire. And I'm getting a little old so this is a good opportunity for me to go out there and get a victory.”

ZISIS, NIKOS

CSKA Moscow

”First of all, It is a very nice feeling to be part of this event. We took a hard step yesterday and now we are ready to take another one tomorrow. It is a big time, of course, and Maccabi is one of the traditional teams in Europe, and so is CSKA. It will be a good game. The biggest key will be controlling the game tempo and rebounding. Maccabi is playing at a very high-tempo in offense. They will try to make the game go crazy with a lot of shots. We need to stop that if we want to win the game. Our defense will be a major part of the game. If we play good defense, we have a very good chance to win. Being a Euroleague champion would be great. I already won the EuroBasket title with my national team and I want to do something similar with CSKA. We must be concentrated for 40 minutes if we won to win the game."

VAN DEN SPIEGEL, TOMAS

CSKA Moscow

“This is my third consecutive Euroleague final and the fourth in five seasons. I don’t think that it counts much how both teams feel before the game. We have to do our best and try to win the game. This is what we are here for. We have to do a lot of things to beat Maccabi tomorrow. It is a different situation than it normally is because we only have 24 hours to prepare the game, when normally you have at least three days. We have to get ready for small details and individual performances. It is very difficult to judge, because it will be a very different situation than a regular game. I think that we were the underdog in 2006, while we are the favorites this season. It doesn't matter because there will be a sea of yellow tomorrow, just like it was in 2006. It is going to be the same atmosphere and let's hope it will be the same game with the same outcome.”

LANGDON, TRAJAN

CSKA Moscow

“It’s two different teams, two different years. They’re playing good basketball. We’re playing good basketball. It should be a great game. They’ve got a lot of talent. We’re playing with a lot of confidence. It will be a tough game. I think you get to a championship game and everything goes out the window. This is what you play for. You don’t worry about what happened 48 hours before. Both teams will be excited and both teams will be ready to try and go win a championship. Scoring more points is the key to victory. I think [controlling the tempo] will be an issue. We have to make it difficult for them to score. They can score in a lot of different ways. We have to make it difficult for them. We just want to win the game whichever way it turns out. Both teams want to control the pace and to make it difficult for the other team. So for us, we don’t want to let them score 100 points, which they can do. If they score 90 or 100 points, it will probably be difficult for us to win.”

SISKAUSKAS, RAMUNAS

CSKA Moscow

”We feel good. We had a tough game yesterday. I'm happy that we won. We had some problems. But I hope we will be better from the first minute. I hope we'll be ready. It's very important to show our hustle – to show every centimeter on the court, to get every ball, be physical, be prepared mentally. Those are the most important things. But I'm very glad to be here in the final again. I don't think there is a big difference. Just different teams. The final is always the final. I hope that we will get another title. Euroleague is the best league in Europe and to be a champion that means a lot. We didn't do everything we planned on doing yesterday. We had some problems. But against every team you play differently and react to the players that they have. Against Maccabi it will be different than yesterday. I think Maccabi plays more pick-and-rolls than us and have more small guards who can make shots and penetrate.”

ANDERSEN, DAVID

CSKA Moscow

“I think after such a big win yesterday, everybody is a bit anxious to get out there and play the game. I expect a battle. There is a lot of history between us. I think our team is ready to show Euroleague fans a great game.”

“Our combination of the players we have is what makes us so great. Sure other teams can get the best players, but that don’t always work out. But the management here has gotten the best players and they've gelled. Winning is about how they perform under the pressure.”

CSKA Moscow wrote another chapter in its illustrious Euroleague Basketball history by defeating Maccabi Tel Aviv 77-91 on Sunday night for the 2008 Euroleague title – its sixth continental championship crown and second in the past three years. CSKA's victory over Maccabi at the Community of Madrid Sports Palace in the Spanish capital moves the Russian powerhouse into second place on the all-time list behind only Real Madrid's eight crowns. Trajan Langdon was named Final Four MVP after posting 21 points on 4-of-5 three-point shooting and 7 rebounds to lead six CSKA scorers in double figures in victory. J.R. Holden added 14 points, Matjaz Smodis, David Andersen and freshly crowned Euroleague MVP Ramunas Siskauskas scored 13 points apiece and Theo Papaloukas added 12 to give the Russian champs another title to add to their trophies from 1961, 1963, 1969, 1971 and 2006. CSKA also defeated Maccabi in the 2006 final in Prague. Head coach Ettore Messina, who before the game announced that he had re-signed for another season in Moscow, won his fourth Euroleague title, moving into a tie for second place all-time with legends Pedro Ferrandiz, Alexander Gomelskiy and Bozidar Maljkovic, all of whom trail only Zeljko Obradovic of Panathinaikos. The game was a close affair for the first half, which ended with CSKA ahead only 41-42. CSKA started to pull away thanks to its defense in the third quarter and a 0-10 charge to start the fourth settled things early. Will Bynum paced Maccabi with 23 points, Esteban Batista added 14 and Terence Morris 13 in defeat. Maccabi head coach Zvi Sherf opted to give Bynum his fourth start in 24 games to go against Holden as the game got underway. Nikola Vujcic was first to score on a five-meter jumper and then he fed Omri Casspi for a three-point play, good for a 5-0 Maccabi lead. CSKA missed several open shots in the opening minutes until Langdon sank a corner triple. He followed it with free throws to tie the game at 5-5. CSKA was its usual self on defense and while a left-handed layup by Andersen gave his team its first lead, 5-7. Casspi scored in the low post, but Siskauskas answered with a second-chance layup. Bynum provided a highlight with a power layup – and the free throw that came with it. Smodis tied the game with a free throw as CSKA became more aggressive at both ends now. Papaloukas checked into the game and then back-to-back three-pointers by Holden and Langdon gave CSKA a 10-16 edge. Morris answered from downtown before Andersen broke the 100-point barrier in his personal Final Four history with a turnaround jumper. Casspi continued his strong start for Maccabi with a driving basket, but he and Bynum missed free throws. Marcus Goree made both attempts for CSKA to make it 15-20. Batista came in and shined with a power layup and soon added free throws to get Maccabi within 19-21. Morris scored in penetration, but a free throw by Papaloukas gave CSKA a 21-22 edge after 10 thrilling minutes. Batista got the crowd involved with a big put-back layup, but Andersen immediately answered with a six-meter jumper. Morris took over with a driving layup that put Maccabi back ahead, 25-24, early in the second quarter. Papaloukas buried one from downtown, but Batista stayed unstoppable with a reverse layup and a tip-in to restore a 29-27 Maccabi edge. Smodis shined with a three-point play as CSKA had managed to readjust its trademark man-to-man defense. Langdon sank his third triple in as many attempts, causing Maccabi to call timeout at 29-33. Bynum stepped up with an acrobatic basket, which Holden matched with a floating layup. CSKA tried to get Siskauskas involved in one-on-one situations against David Bluthenthal, but it was Langdon who sank yet another bomb from downtown for a 31-38 lead. Bynum made foul shots and added a wild driving layup to bring Maccabi back to life. CSKA called timeout to change its game plan, as Siskauskas was not finding space on offense and returned to the bench. Bluthenthal, now guarding Papaloukas, downed an open three-pointer to cap a 7-0 run and ties the game at 38-38, but Smodis’s free throws soon put CSKA back ahead. Papaloukas ran the length of the court for a layup and Maccabi called timeout to get ready for the final play. Bynum sank a three-pointer and got fouled, but missed the additional free throw and the score settled at 41-42 for a slim CSKA edge at halftime. CSKA tried to slow down the tempo after the break and a three-pointer by Holden gave his team a 41-45 edge. Holden struck again from downtown to make it a 7-point game. CSKA started to face severe foul trouble, however, as Goree and Smodis had committed 3 apiece. Bynum made free throws, but Andersen immediately answered with an easy basket. Maccabi started to have trouble rebounding at both ends, while CSKA tried to run its offense through Langdon without much success. CSKA excelled in defense though, making Maccabi miss one tough shot after another. Meanwhile, Andersen buried another turnaround jumper for a 43-52 CSKA margin. Bynum tried to ignite his team's comeback with free throws, but Langdon kept CSKA in control. Batista scored in penetration, but Andersen immediately answered from downtown. Batista did not miss from the foul line, however Tomas Van den Spiegel came in and got the CSKA fans involved with a two-handed dunk, causing Maccabi to use a timeout at 49-58. Bluthenthal nailed a fade-away jumper, but Alex Garcia missed an uncontested layup. Langdon kept pacing CSKA with free throws, but Morris got Maccabi within 52-60. Casspi committed an unsportsmanlike foul from Van den Spiegel and his free throw gave CSKA a 52-61 edge. More foul shots by Casspi and Siskauskas and a three-pointer by Bynum fixed the score at 57-63 after 30 minutes. CSKA tried to put the game out of reach with a Siskauskas three and its typical hard defense, however while Maccabi struggled to score, it was up to the challenge on defense. Yotam Halperin made his first appearance of the second half, but it was to no avail. Smodis free throws gave CSKA its first double-digit lead and then the star forward drilled his first three-pointer of the Final Four after 10 misses, giving CSKA a 57-71 lead and prompting an urgent Maccabi timeout. But it was to no avail, as Smodis and CSKA continued to pull away. Bynum finally ended a four-and-a-half minute scoring drought with a layup, but CSKA had already scored 10 unanswered points in that stretch. A Garcia layup gave the Israeli fans hope and another acrobatic Bynum drive made it a 10-point game. Siskauskas free throws put CSKA up 63-75 with just over three minutes to go and then a Langdon follow-up signaled the start of the CSKA fans’ celebrations. Papaloukas got his points in as the final minutes played out and the outcome was clear. Sunday, May 04, 2008 Javier Gancedo, Madrid

CSKA Moscow wrote another chapter in its illustrious Euroleague Basketball history by defeating Maccabi Tel Aviv 77-91 on Sunday night for the 2008 Euroleague title – its sixth continental championship crown and second in the past three years. CSKA's victory over Maccabi at the Community of Madrid Sports Palace in the Spanish capital moves the Russian powerhouse into second place on the all-time list behind only Real Madrid's eight crowns. Trajan Langdon was named Final Four MVP after posting 21 points on 4-of-5 three-point shooting and 7 rebounds to lead six CSKA scorers in double figures in victory. J.R. Holden added 14 points, Matjaz Smodis, David Andersen and freshly crowned Euroleague MVP Ramunas Siskauskas scored 13 points apiece and Theo Papaloukas added 12 to give the Russian champs another title to add to their trophies from 1961, 1963, 1969, 1971 and 2006. CSKA also defeated Maccabi in the 2006 final in Prague. Head coach Ettore Messina, who before the game announced that he had re-signed for another season in Moscow, won his fourth Euroleague title, moving into a tie for second place all-time with legends Pedro Ferrandiz, Alexander Gomelskiy and Bozidar Maljkovic, all of whom trail only Zeljko Obradovic of Panathinaikos. The game was a close affair for the first half, which ended with CSKA ahead only 41-42. CSKA started to pull away thanks to its defense in the third quarter and a 0-10 charge to start the fourth settled things early. Will Bynum paced Maccabi with 23 points, Esteban Batista added 14 and Terence Morris 13 in defeat.

Will Bynum - Maccabi Elite - Final, Maccabi Elite vs. CSKA Moscow - Final Four 2008

Will Bynum - Maccabi Elite - Final, Maccabi Elite vs. CSKA Moscow - Final Four 2008

Maccabi head coach Zvi Sherf opted to give Bynum his fourth start in 24 games to go against Holden as the game got underway. Nikola Vujcic was first to score on a five-meter jumper and then he fed Omri Casspi for a three-point play, good for a 5-0 Maccabi lead. CSKA missed several open shots in the opening minutes until Langdon sank a corner triple. He followed it with free throws to tie the game at 5-5. CSKA was its usual self on defense and while a left-handed layup by Andersen gave his team its first lead, 5-7. Casspi scored in the low post, but Siskauskas answered with a second-chance layup. Bynum provided a highlight with a power layup – and the free throw that came with it. Smodis tied the game with a free throw as CSKA became more aggressive at both ends now. Papaloukas checked into the game and then back-to-back three-pointers by Holden and Langdon gave CSKA a 10-16 edge. Morris answered from downtown before Andersen broke the 100-point barrier in his personal Final Four history with a turnaround jumper. Casspi continued his strong start for Maccabi with a driving basket, but he and Bynum missed free throws. Marcus Goree made both attempts for CSKA to make it 15-20. Batista came in and shined with a power layup and soon added free throws to get Maccabi within 19-21. Morris scored in penetration, but a free throw by Papaloukas gave CSKA a 21-22 edge after 10 thrilling minutes.

Ramunas Siskauskas - CSKA Moscow - Final, Maccabi Elite vs. CSKA Moscow - Final Four 2008

Ramunas Siskauskas - CSKA Moscow - Final, Maccabi Elite vs. CSKA Moscow - Final Four 2008

Batista got the crowd involved with a big put-back layup, but Andersen immediately answered with a six-meter jumper. Morris took over with a driving layup that put Maccabi back ahead, 25-24, early in the second quarter. Papaloukas buried one from downtown, but Batista stayed unstoppable with a reverse layup and a tip-in to restore a 29-27 Maccabi edge. Smodis shined with a three-point play as CSKA had managed to readjust its trademark man-to-man defense. Langdon sank his third triple in as many attempts, causing Maccabi to call timeout at 29-33. Bynum stepped up with an acrobatic basket, which Holden matched with a floating layup. CSKA tried to get Siskauskas involved in one-on-one situations against David Bluthenthal, but it was Langdon who sank yet another bomb from downtown for a 31-38 lead. Bynum made foul shots and added a wild driving layup to bring Maccabi back to life. CSKA called timeout to change its game plan, as Siskauskas was not finding space on offense and returned to the bench. Bluthenthal, now guarding Papaloukas, downed an open three-pointer to cap a 7-0 run and ties the game at 38-38, but Smodis’s free throws soon put CSKA back ahead. Papaloukas ran the length of the court for a layup and Maccabi called timeout to get ready for the final play. Bynum sank a three-pointer and got fouled, but missed the additional free throw and the score settled at 41-42 for a slim CSKA edge at halftime.

Matjaz Smodis - CSKA Moscow - Final, Maccabi Elite vs. CSKA Moscow - Final Four 2008

Matjaz Smodis - CSKA Moscow - Final, Maccabi Elite vs. CSKA Moscow - Final Four 2008

CSKA tried to slow down the tempo after the break and a three-pointer by Holden gave his team a 41-45 edge. Holden struck again from downtown to make it a 7-point game. CSKA started to face severe foul trouble, however, as Goree and Smodis had committed 3 apiece. Bynum made free throws, but Andersen immediately answered with an easy basket. Maccabi started to have trouble rebounding at both ends, while CSKA tried to run its offense through Langdon without much success. CSKA excelled in defense though, making Maccabi miss one tough shot after another. Meanwhile, Andersen buried another turnaround jumper for a 43-52 CSKA margin. Bynum tried to ignite his team's comeback with free throws, but Langdon kept CSKA in control. Batista scored in penetration, but Andersen immediately answered from downtown. Batista did not miss from the foul line, however Tomas Van den Spiegel came in and got the CSKA fans involved with a two-handed dunk, causing Maccabi to use a timeout at 49-58. Bluthenthal nailed a fade-away jumper, but Alex Garcia missed an uncontested layup. Langdon kept pacing CSKA with free throws, but Morris got Maccabi within 52-60. Casspi committed an unsportsmanlike foul from Van den Spiegel and his free throw gave CSKA a 52-61 edge. More foul shots by Casspi and Siskauskas and a three-pointer by Bynum fixed the score at 57-63 after 30 minutes.

CSKA tried to put the game out of reach with a Siskauskas three and its typical hard defense, however while Maccabi struggled to score, it was up to the challenge on defense. Yotam Halperin made his first appearance of the second half, but it was to no avail. Smodis free throws gave CSKA its first double-digit lead and then the star forward drilled his first three-pointer of the Final Four after 10 misses, giving CSKA a 57-71 lead and prompting an urgent Maccabi timeout. But it was to no avail, as Smodis and CSKA continued to pull away. Bynum finally ended a four-and-a-half minute scoring drought with a layup, but CSKA had already scored 10 unanswered points in that stretch. A Garcia layup gave the Israeli fans hope and another acrobatic Bynum drive made it a 10-point game. Siskauskas free throws put CSKA up 63-75 with just over three minutes to go and then a Langdon follow-up signaled the start of the CSKA fans’ celebrations. Papaloukas got his points in as the final minutes played out and the outcome was clear.

Sunday, May 04, 2008

Javier Gancedo, Madrid

Referees: KOUKOULEKIDIS, STELIOS (GRE), HIERREZUELO, DANI (ESP), DOZAI, SRDAN (CRO)

Attendance: 13480

By Quarter	1	2	3	4
Maccabi Elite	21	20	16	20
CSKA Moscow	22	20	21	28

End of Quarter	1	2	3	4
Maccabi Elite	21	41	57	77
CSKA Moscow	22	42	63	91

Head coach: SHERF, ZVI

Maccabi Elite
#	Player	Min	Pts	2FG M-A	3FG M-A	FT M-A	Rebounds			As	St	To	Bl		Fouls		PIR
#	Player	Min	Pts	2FG M-A	3FG M-A	FT M-A	O	D	T	As	St	To	Fv	Ag	Cm	Rv	PIR
4	BYNUM, WILL	28:45	23	5/8	2/5	7/10		2	2	4	1	5			3	9	22
6	SHARP, DERRICK	14:04			0/3						1	1			4		-7
7	VUJCIC, NIKOLA	17:54	2	1/1			1	4	5	1		2			3	1	4
8	ELIYAHU, LIOR	7:56										2			1		-3
9	MORRIS, TERENCE	27:53	13	3/4	2/4	1/2	1	6	7		1		1		4	2	16
10	BURSTEIN, TAL	DNP	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
11	CASSPI, OMRI	12:05	9	3/6		3/5		1	1			1	1		3	4	6
12	GARCIA, ALEX	23:11	2	1/5	0/1			5	5	2	3	3			3	1	2
13	BLU, DAVID	29:29	5	1/2	1/3			1	1						3
14	CUMMINGS, VONTEEGO	12:50		0/1											3		-4
15	BATISTA, ESTEBAN	14:22	14	5/9		4/4	3	4	7	1	1	1	1	1	3	2	17
21	HALPERIN, YOTAM	11:31	9	2/3	0/2	5/5	1		1	1	1	1			1	3	10
	Team						3	2	5		1						6
	Totals	200:00	77	21/39	5/18	20/26	9	25	34	9	9	16	3	1	31	22	69
				53.8%	27.8%	76.9%

Min: Minutes played; Pts: Points; 2FG M-A: 2-point Field Goals (Made-Attempted); 3FG M-A: 3-point Field Goals (Made-Attempted); FT M-A: Free Throws (Made-Attempted); Rebounds: O (Offensive), D (Defensive), T (Total); As: Assists; St: Steals; To: Turnovers; Bl: Blocks (Fv: In Favor / Ag: Against); Fouls: Cm (Commited), Rv (Received); PIR: Performance Index Rating

Head coach: MESSINA, ETTORE

CSKA Moscow
#	Player	Min	Pts	2FG M-A	3FG M-A	FT M-A	Rebounds			As	St	To	Bl		Fouls		PIR
#	Player	Min	Pts	2FG M-A	3FG M-A	FT M-A	O	D	T	As	St	To	Fv	Ag	Cm	Rv	PIR
4	PAPALOUKAS, THEODOROS	24:23	12	3/4	1/4	3/4		2	2	4		2			2	4	13
6	ZISIS, NIKOS	5:31			0/1												-1
8	SMODIS, MATJAZ	27:36	13	1/3	1/4	8/9	1	7	8	3	1	1		2	4	6	18
9	SISKAUSKAS, RAMUNAS	26:09	13	1/6	1/4	8/8	3	1	4	2	1	1		1	3	6	13
10	HOLDEN, J.R.	33:29	14	1/4	3/7	3/4	1		1	3	2	2			4	3	9
11	PASHUTIN, ZAKHAR	DNP	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
13	ANDERSEN, DAVID	28:25	13	5/11	1/1		2	3	5	1	1	1			1	3	15
21	LANGDON, TRAJAN	35:16	21	2/2	4/5	5/6	2	5	7	1	2				3	7	33
22	GOREE, MARCUS	9:39	2			2/2		2	2				1		4		1
23	SHVED, ALEXEY	DNP	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
24	VAN DEN SPIEGEL, TOMAS	3:01	3	1/1		1/2		1	1		1				1	2	5
31	KHRYAPA, VICTOR	6:31			0/1			1	1	1		1
	Team							3	3			1					2
	Totals	200:00	91	14/31	11/27	30/35	9	25	34	15	8	9	1	3	22	31	108
				45.2%	40.7%	85.7%

This game is not yet played

Head Coaches

SHERF, ZVI Maccabi Elite ”We are all sorry and sad. Nobody wants to lose the final. I would like to congratulate the winners. They deserved the win. They are a very, very good team. They play great inside and outside. But I would also like to congratulate my players. They gave everything they had. The first half was pretty equal. We missed 4 free throws at the end of the first half and that was not good. But we didn't play very good in the third quarter and CSKA Moscow did a good show stopping our players. We didn't play the defense we wanted and didn't hit some shots we should have. And once you're down 8 or 9 points against CSKA Moscow, it's like 20 points to other teams.” “I think the missed layup by Garcia hurt us. We could have pulled it to within 6 points. I think we were kind of broken mentally. I tried to take two timeouts pretty quick. But it was a great Final Four for us.” “Looking the CSKA team we played last season in the Quarterfinals, we saw a team that plays the same game, but improved in every position. Instead of Torres, they have Siskauskas. Instead of Van den Spiegel, they had Goree. And they added Khryapa. And they still played the same game – very good defense and very organised offense.” (About Messina’s contract extension) “For him and the club it's very good and an important decision. All the rumors that he would maybe leave the club can shake the basis of the club. But it's very good for CSKA and coach Messina. He is a very good coach.” “No coach likes to lose the final game. It leaves a bitter feeling in your mouth. We're proud of everything we've done and the problems we’ve got passed.”

SHERF, ZVI

Maccabi Elite

MESSINA, ETTORE CSKA Moscow "I'm so happy for all CSKA people, the fans and ourselves. It was a tough season, but I think we played a tough Final Four from a mental point of view. Tonight we faced a great Maccabi, but we had the character to never panic and to wait for our moment. I have no problem saying that for the first two quarters of the semifinal, I was completely out of the game because I was touched in an incredible way by the ceremony. To have lunch and breakfast around these fantastic people of the history celebration was, for me, like a dream. To win this with them here was even better." ”Obviously you understand that we are extremely happy – besides all the personal things and personal emotions. Going back to the game, I think we played a very good game. We stopped a very good offensive team. We made some good adjustments. We saw that they were trapping Smodis a lot and that started creating some space for our guards. We were controlling our nerves throughout the whole game. We were under control the whole time. Mentally, that was key. I really have to congratulate my players for the concentration they had in the preparations. They are very versatile. Coach Sherf kept switching his lineup - big and small. It was a continual challenge to match up with them while maintaining our team character.” “The players did not know anything [about the contract extension]. I thought that if I tell them before that it would be a great motivation for Maccabi. It was a great honor that CSKA waited for me to make up my mind and discuss everything with my family. And it was a great honor to do it before the game. We decided to go on together. For me it was extremely important that the club decided this before this game. It would have been easy after an eventual win to say, 'OK, he's back because they won and because maybe CSKA is financially extremely powerful.' I am glad to have received their support in very difficult year for me and am glad that the management of CSKA proved to be extremely serious, extremely organized and extremely determined in trying to work things together. That's what I was looking for and having received the news before the game made it much more important for me.” ”I'm so proud that all four of my teams that won the titles played in entirely different ways. There was really nothing similar about them. The only thing in all four was that we played defense together and shared the ball without jealousy.” “I was nervous before the game like always. My concern was to make the team play relaxed. Well, not relaxed but not nervous. That was my main concern.”

MESSINA, ETTORE

CSKA Moscow

"I'm so happy for all CSKA people, the fans and ourselves. It was a tough season, but I think we played a tough Final Four from a mental point of view. Tonight we faced a great Maccabi, but we had the character to never panic and to wait for our moment. I have no problem saying that for the first two quarters of the semifinal, I was completely out of the game because I was touched in an incredible way by the ceremony. To have lunch and breakfast around these fantastic people of the history celebration was, for me, like a dream. To win this with them here was even better."

”Obviously you understand that we are extremely happy – besides all the personal things and personal emotions. Going back to the game, I think we played a very good game. We stopped a very good offensive team. We made some good adjustments. We saw that they were trapping Smodis a lot and that started creating some space for our guards. We were controlling our nerves throughout the whole game. We were under control the whole time. Mentally, that was key. I really have to congratulate my players for the concentration they had in the preparations. They are very versatile. Coach Sherf kept switching his lineup - big and small. It was a continual challenge to match up with them while maintaining our team character.”

“The players did not know anything [about the contract extension]. I thought that if I tell them before that it would be a great motivation for Maccabi. It was a great honor that CSKA waited for me to make up my mind and discuss everything with my family. And it was a great honor to do it before the game. We decided to go on together. For me it was extremely important that the club decided this before this game. It would have been easy after an eventual win to say, 'OK, he's back because they won and because maybe CSKA is financially extremely powerful.' I am glad to have received their support in very difficult year for me and am glad that the management of CSKA proved to be extremely serious, extremely organized and extremely determined in trying to work things together. That's what I was looking for and having received the news before the game made it much more important for me.”

”I'm so proud that all four of my teams that won the titles played in entirely different ways. There was really nothing similar about them. The only thing in all four was that we played defense together and shared the ball without jealousy.”

“I was nervous before the game like always. My concern was to make the team play relaxed. Well, not relaxed but not nervous. That was my main concern.”

Players

BYNUM, WILL Maccabi Elite ”I would have traded a good game for a win tonight. I wish I could not have played at all if that meant that Maccabi would win the Euroleague title. They played better than us in the second half, and you cannot allow CSKA to get the game rhythm if you want to beat them. That is the biggest key to the game. It is important for Maccabi to be back in the Euroleague final, and we definitely will return again in the near future.”
BATISTA, ESTEBAN Maccabi Elite "The second place isn't enough for any of us. It's no fun to lose in the finals. We knew CSKA is an excellent team. We lost some focus in the second half, and I think that everybody fought hard and did their job. We need to be happy that we finished second in the Euroleague despite all the problems we suffered during this tough season."
MORRIS, TERENCE Maccabi Elite "We'll never admit that they are better than us. They were better than us tonight. That's all. We killed ourselves tonight, made too many mistakes and did more mistakes than we usually do. We didn't want to finish our Euroleague season like that. They made a run in the third quarter and we missed some shots while allowing them some easy ones. We made too many turnovers in the second half, allowed them to have second chances and that's what won the game for them."
ELIYAHU, LIOR Maccabi Elite "The shots from outside didn't go in and I think we just played into their hands. We took the shots they wanted us to take, the put pressure on us and that was it. In the first half we were still in the game, but in the second they put more pressure and the long distance shots didn't go in. We played smarter in the first half. In the finals there's no space to fix your mistakes, and we'll try to find the path to win the title next year. If our long distance shots would have fall in things would have been different but that allowed them to thicken their inside defense and that made it more difficult to score."
SHARP, DERRICK Maccabi Elite "They played good tonight. We missed a lot of shots and they deserved to win. Of course we believed we could win this game. We had the faith, it just wasn't our night. We'll wake up tomorrow and and fight again for another win."
VUJCIC, NIKOLA Maccabi Elite "I knew they will try to be physical with me under the basket. They were better today. I'm sad but also proud of my friends. A lot of things didn't go in our way, especially in the second half. They hit some big shots and that made a difference. We tried and everybody gave the best they have. I don't know if it's my last Euroleague game with Maccabi. We'll have to see about that. We lost to a great team."
HALPERIN, YOTAM Maccabi Elite "It's heart-breaking to lose in the finals of the Euroleague. We've come such a long way to make it here. We had to get over injuries, home losses and almost everything in the book, but we made it here. We are very sad but also proud of what we have done this season. Our fans deserve a cup, and we apologize we couldn't provide it for them. CSKA deserve the cup and I want to congratulate them. We'll try to come back next year and win the cup in Berlin 2009."

BYNUM, WILL

Maccabi Elite

”I would have traded a good game for a win tonight. I wish I could not have played at all if that meant that Maccabi would win the Euroleague title. They played better than us in the second half, and you cannot allow CSKA to get the game rhythm if you want to beat them. That is the biggest key to the game. It is important for Maccabi to be back in the Euroleague final, and we definitely will return again in the near future.”

BATISTA, ESTEBAN

Maccabi Elite

"The second place isn't enough for any of us. It's no fun to lose in the finals. We knew CSKA is an excellent team. We lost some focus in the second half, and I think that everybody fought hard and did their job. We need to be happy that we finished second in the Euroleague despite all the problems we suffered during this tough season."

MORRIS, TERENCE

Maccabi Elite

"We'll never admit that they are better than us. They were better than us tonight. That's all. We killed ourselves tonight, made too many mistakes and did more mistakes than we usually do. We didn't want to finish our Euroleague season like that. They made a run in the third quarter and we missed some shots while allowing them some easy ones. We made too many turnovers in the second half, allowed them to have second chances and that's what won the game for them."

ELIYAHU, LIOR

Maccabi Elite

"The shots from outside didn't go in and I think we just played into their hands. We took the shots they wanted us to take, the put pressure on us and that was it. In the first half we were still in the game, but in the second they put more pressure and the long distance shots didn't go in. We played smarter in the first half. In the finals there's no space to fix your mistakes, and we'll try to find the path to win the title next year. If our long distance shots would have fall in things would have been different but that allowed them to thicken their inside defense and that made it more difficult to score."

SHARP, DERRICK

Maccabi Elite

"They played good tonight. We missed a lot of shots and they deserved to win. Of course we believed we could win this game. We had the faith, it just wasn't our night. We'll wake up tomorrow and and fight again for another win."

VUJCIC, NIKOLA

Maccabi Elite

"I knew they will try to be physical with me under the basket. They were better today. I'm sad but also proud of my friends. A lot of things didn't go in our way, especially in the second half. They hit some big shots and that made a difference. We tried and everybody gave the best they have. I don't know if it's my last Euroleague game with Maccabi. We'll have to see about that. We lost to a great team."

HALPERIN, YOTAM

Maccabi Elite

"It's heart-breaking to lose in the finals of the Euroleague. We've come such a long way to make it here. We had to get over injuries, home losses and almost everything in the book, but we made it here. We are very sad but also proud of what we have done this season. Our fans deserve a cup, and we apologize we couldn't provide it for them. CSKA deserve the cup and I want to congratulate them. We'll try to come back next year and win the cup in Berlin 2009."

VAN DEN SPIEGEL, TOMAS CSKA Moscow “I feel incredible. This is my second Euroleague title in three years and both times I came here in February. This is amazing. I was battling an ankle injury throughout the last month and I didn’t know if I was going to be able to play until I got here five days ago and began to feel a little better. It hurts incredibly now, but that is not important. I was able to contribute today and that is what counts. We improved our defense and our intensity in the second half and we didn't let them to get too close to the basket, unlike in the first half. We insisted with more physical play in the second half and were more consistent throughout the game. That is what gave us the win. I will have to [take care of] my ankle tonight, because the celebration will be a long one.”
PAPALOUKAS, THEODOROS CSKA Moscow “This is a very important moment for me and this is an unbelievable thing for me and my team. The Euroleague was our biggest target this season and everyone deserves congratulations, because this was a really hard season for us. We had many injuries this season, but everybody showed great character and we managed to win a second Euroleague title for CSKA. It’s all about experience. We used all the experience we gained through so many Final Fours. I am sure that Mr. Kushchenko and Mr. Vatutin will probably organize [a celebration].”
ANDERSEN, DAVID CSKA Moscow “I feel great, really great! This is what it is all about, winning the Euroleague title. This one is for everybody that loves me: My family, my friends and of course for everybody at CSKA Moscow. It means a lot to me and now it is time to celebrate with everybody at CSKA!” "I feel great, mate. This is what it's all about, getting a win in front of all these Maccabi fans for all the CSKA fans here, all the red army. We got in control and started working a bit more on offense, and our defense really started to tighten up and stopped them getting the shots they wanted. It was a great team effort. It's always been great core of guys. We have great group that works well together well and we all get along off the court, too, so it's no surprise that we won. We always had faith and it paid off."
HOLDEN, J.R. CSKA Moscow ”I said that defense wins championships. We just fought so hard as a team today. I think we just all played so hard today and stayed together. In the third quarter we starting letting them get back in it, but we just played a great game. These guys out here gave all they had all year. And we got our reward tonight. We all put it together and I feel so happy for coach and his family. He believed in us all season. And that means a lot to us as a team, and I'm really happy we won. You can't ask for more. Coach is staying and we have a championship. How great is that?”
LANGDON, TRAJAN CSKA Moscow “I have won awards, but this is a great feeling. Winning the Euroleague title means more than anything else in my sports life. We have all worked hard all season. The most important thing is that the team won, It wouldn’t matter if I scored 4 points or 20. Like I said, we have worked so hard all season long and to top it off with this win is unbelievable.” “My teammates did a great job setting screens and getting me the ball. And I hit three pretty tough shots. This victory is definitely among the top two in my career. The victory two years ago was just as big. Every time you win a championship, it just gets better. You always want to play a really good game and give yourself a chance to win.” “Looking from the outside you don't really realize how difficult it's been the past year [for coach Messina]. On the court and in the locker room, we just stayed together. And he pushed us. There were times when we did not play good basketball. But I think we played one of the better games of the year. And the coach always had the confidence in us and the team appreciates that confidence.” “We didn't play defensively very good in the first half. They scored a lot of points and we knew we would have to slow them down. In the second half, we did a good job keeping them out of the lane and challenged them to hit some outside shots. Luckily they didn't hit those big shots like the did against Siena and we kept up our defensive intensity.”
SMODIS, MATJAZ CSKA Moscow “This is better than anything I have ever dreamed of. I'm at a loss for words right now. This is unbelievable.” "Honestly, I thought it was Maccabi's turn this time, just because of the numbers. I was more afraid of this game than the one two years ago. In that game two years ago, they were the team to beat. This year, everybody was saying 'CSKA is going to win it, CSKA is going to win it'. And it was tremendous pressure, especially in the playoffs and the last two games here. I think this team has shown once more that it is built to win. It has character. Even on bad days for a player, other people step up and get the job done. I've got three kids, three boys, and this is my third title - one for each. The sweetest dreams came true for me today." "It has a special meaning to be champion with 50 years of Euroleague being remembered and with the champs of all-time watching makes it even better, as well as beating Maccabi in the final, and that rivalry being a classic. Even if you were writing a film, you could not make a better script. This has gone beyond perfect,"
GOREE, MARCUS CSKA Moscow ”This is my first Euroleague title and I hope it is the first one of many, many more to come! I have played in the Euroleague for many years already, so now it is great feeling to win the championship with CSKA. This is my for my family, friends and also for everybody in Moscow and Russia."
ZISIS, NIKOS CSKA Moscow ”I feel great! Winning the Euroleague is a great feeling and I am really excited about it. This is one of the greatest feelings in my life. We had a difficult opponent but managed to play hard defense and win the Euroleague title. Now it is time to celebrate, drink and enjoy!” “The first half was really balanced and we struggled a little bit against their pick-and-rolls. They had some easy layups and we played bad defense in general. In the second half, we played much better defense and coach helped us to do better against their pick and rolls. First of all, this title is for CSKA, the club that does everything for us. CSKA is a big team and deserves to have one more Euroleague title after six consecutive seasons in the Final Four. Of course, I would also like to say that this title is for coach Messina's brother, who passed away two months ago. I speak for him and I know how he feels, because I dedicated the EuroBasket 2005 title to my brother, who had passed away before. I want to thank all the fans that came here to Madrid and of course I want to share this with my family, my girlfriend and all my friends.”
SISKAUSKAS, RAMUNAS CSKA Moscow ”We did it. We had such a long hard season with injuries and everything else. But now the time came and won got the championship. Now there will be pressure for next season. But we just are going to have fun with this one.” “This has been a great season for me. In less than 24 hours, I was chosen as Euroleague MVP and won the Euroleague title. Being already on the All-Euroleague team was amazing. This win is great for me and for the team. It’s great to win the Euroleague, but there is a little thing… We haven’t finished the season yet. Maybe we’ll have a couple of days off celebrating and then we’ll start thinking about the Russian League playoffs. We knew that Maccabi had very good guards to penetrate and execute well the pick-and-roll. First we tried to stop their pick-and-roll plays. We didn’t do that well in the first half, but improved in the second half. We went step by step, took the lead and stayed strong to win.”

VAN DEN SPIEGEL, TOMAS

CSKA Moscow

“I feel incredible. This is my second Euroleague title in three years and both times I came here in February. This is amazing. I was battling an ankle injury throughout the last month and I didn’t know if I was going to be able to play until I got here five days ago and began to feel a little better. It hurts incredibly now, but that is not important. I was able to contribute today and that is what counts. We improved our defense and our intensity in the second half and we didn't let them to get too close to the basket, unlike in the first half. We insisted with more physical play in the second half and were more consistent throughout the game. That is what gave us the win. I will have to [take care of] my ankle tonight, because the celebration will be a long one.”

PAPALOUKAS, THEODOROS

CSKA Moscow

“This is a very important moment for me and this is an unbelievable thing for me and my team. The Euroleague was our biggest target this season and everyone deserves congratulations, because this was a really hard season for us. We had many injuries this season, but everybody showed great character and we managed to win a second Euroleague title for CSKA. It’s all about experience. We used all the experience we gained through so many Final Fours. I am sure that Mr. Kushchenko and Mr. Vatutin will probably organize [a celebration].”

ANDERSEN, DAVID

CSKA Moscow

“I feel great, really great! This is what it is all about, winning the Euroleague title. This one is for everybody that loves me: My family, my friends and of course for everybody at CSKA Moscow. It means a lot to me and now it is time to celebrate with everybody at CSKA!”

"I feel great, mate. This is what it's all about, getting a win in front of all these Maccabi fans for all the CSKA fans here, all the red army. We got in control and started working a bit more on offense, and our defense really started to tighten up and stopped them getting the shots they wanted. It was a great team effort. It's always been great core of guys. We have great group that works well together well and we all get along off the court, too, so it's no surprise that we won. We always had faith and it paid off."

HOLDEN, J.R.

CSKA Moscow

”I said that defense wins championships. We just fought so hard as a team today. I think we just all played so hard today and stayed together. In the third quarter we starting letting them get back in it, but we just played a great game. These guys out here gave all they had all year. And we got our reward tonight. We all put it together and I feel so happy for coach and his family. He believed in us all season. And that means a lot to us as a team, and I'm really happy we won. You can't ask for more. Coach is staying and we have a championship. How great is that?”

LANGDON, TRAJAN

CSKA Moscow

“I have won awards, but this is a great feeling. Winning the Euroleague title means more than anything else in my sports life. We have all worked hard all season. The most important thing is that the team won, It wouldn’t matter if I scored 4 points or 20. Like I said, we have worked so hard all season long and to top it off with this win is unbelievable.”

“My teammates did a great job setting screens and getting me the ball. And I hit three pretty tough shots. This victory is definitely among the top two in my career. The victory two years ago was just as big. Every time you win a championship, it just gets better. You always want to play a really good game and give yourself a chance to win.”

“Looking from the outside you don't really realize how difficult it's been the past year [for coach Messina]. On the court and in the locker room, we just stayed together. And he pushed us. There were times when we did not play good basketball. But I think we played one of the better games of the year. And the coach always had the confidence in us and the team appreciates that confidence.”

“We didn't play defensively very good in the first half. They scored a lot of points and we knew we would have to slow them down. In the second half, we did a good job keeping them out of the lane and challenged them to hit some outside shots. Luckily they didn't hit those big shots like the did against Siena and we kept up our defensive intensity.”

SMODIS, MATJAZ

CSKA Moscow

“This is better than anything I have ever dreamed of. I'm at a loss for words right now. This is unbelievable.”

"Honestly, I thought it was Maccabi's turn this time, just because of the numbers. I was more afraid of this game than the one two years ago. In that game two years ago, they were the team to beat. This year, everybody was saying 'CSKA is going to win it, CSKA is going to win it'. And it was tremendous pressure, especially in the playoffs and the last two games here. I think this team has shown once more that it is built to win. It has character. Even on bad days for a player, other people step up and get the job done. I've got three kids, three boys, and this is my third title - one for each. The sweetest dreams came true for me today."

"It has a special meaning to be champion with 50 years of Euroleague being remembered and with the champs of all-time watching makes it even better, as well as beating Maccabi in the final, and that rivalry being a classic. Even if you were writing a film, you could not make a better script. This has gone beyond perfect,"

GOREE, MARCUS

CSKA Moscow

”This is my first Euroleague title and I hope it is the first one of many, many more to come! I have played in the Euroleague for many years already, so now it is great feeling to win the championship with CSKA. This is my for my family, friends and also for everybody in Moscow and Russia."

ZISIS, NIKOS

CSKA Moscow

”I feel great! Winning the Euroleague is a great feeling and I am really excited about it. This is one of the greatest feelings in my life. We had a difficult opponent but managed to play hard defense and win the Euroleague title. Now it is time to celebrate, drink and enjoy!”

“The first half was really balanced and we struggled a little bit against their pick-and-rolls. They had some easy layups and we played bad defense in general. In the second half, we played much better defense and coach helped us to do better against their pick and rolls. First of all, this title is for CSKA, the club that does everything for us. CSKA is a big team and deserves to have one more Euroleague title after six consecutive seasons in the Final Four. Of course, I would also like to say that this title is for coach Messina's brother, who passed away two months ago. I speak for him and I know how he feels, because I dedicated the EuroBasket 2005 title to my brother, who had passed away before. I want to thank all the fans that came here to Madrid and of course I want to share this with my family, my girlfriend and all my friends.”

SISKAUSKAS, RAMUNAS

CSKA Moscow

”We did it. We had such a long hard season with injuries and everything else. But now the time came and won got the championship. Now there will be pressure for next season. But we just are going to have fun with this one.”

“This has been a great season for me. In less than 24 hours, I was chosen as Euroleague MVP and won the Euroleague title. Being already on the All-Euroleague team was amazing. This win is great for me and for the team. It’s great to win the Euroleague, but there is a little thing… We haven’t finished the season yet. Maybe we’ll have a couple of days off celebrating and then we’ll start thinking about the Russian League playoffs. We knew that Maccabi had very good guards to penetrate and execute well the pick-and-roll. First we tried to stop their pick-and-roll plays. We didn’t do that well in the first half, but improved in the second half. We went step by step, took the lead and stayed strong to win.”

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