 Euroleague newcomer BC Khimki Moscow Region registered its first win by edging Real Madrid 84-81 in overtime in Russia on Thursday. Khimki next faces Euroleague defending champion Panathinaikos in Athens, Greece, next week. Madrid hopes to bounce back against Asseco Prokom in the Spanish capital next week. Carlos Cabezas paced the winners with 20 points, 15 of them in the fourth quarter and overtime. Keith Langford added 12, Robertas Javtokas and Kelly McCarty each had 11 and Paulius Jankunas and Timofey Mozgov got 10 apiece for Khimki. Darjus Lavrinovic led Madrid with 32 points, 11 rebounds and 3 blocks, good for an outstanding 49 index ranking - the eighth highest ever in a Euroleague game. Rimantas Kaukenas added 22 points for Madrid, who wore black ribbons to honor Felix Perez Alvarez, the team's number 1 club member, who passed away earlier in the day at age 99. Perez Alvarez had become a Madrid member in 1923. Khimki led 75-70 with 2 minutes to go in regulation, but Lavrinovic, Kaukenas and Novica Velickovic managed to tie the game. Madrid had a chance to win it, but Jankunas came through with a critical block on Velickovic at the end of regulation. Once in the extra period, an outstanding Cabezas led Khimki to register a well-deserved, historic win.
Pablo Prigioni got Madrid going with a driving basket and Javtokas scored down low for Khimki’s first score. Jankunas took over with a dunk before Jorge Garbajosa answered with a turnaround jumper. Travis Hansen’s slam put the guests back ahead. Khimki tried to open the court with Jankunas at the three-point line and power the offensive boards with Langford and McCarty. Langford shined with a put-back layup, igniting a 7-0 run that McCarty capped with a triple for an 11-6 Khimki lead. Louis Bullock and Javtokas traded layups. Madrid tried to get its frontcourt involved after a timeout. Kaukenas scored in a quick transition, but Khimki kept controlling the glass. Mozgov followed a jump hook with a big dunk, but Lavrinovic answered with a long two-pointer to keep Madrid in the game. Sergio Llull took over with a running jumper to fix the score at 17-14 after 10 minutes.
 Madrid tried to open things up with Garbajosa and Lavrinovic together on court, creating space for Llull and Kaukenas to attack the basket. A three-point play by Lavrinovic tied the game, 17-17, after a 0-7 run. Fedor Dmitriev struck from downtown and a put-back layup by Mozgov boosted the hosts' lead to 22-17. Kaukenas buried a catch-and-shoot triple that Raul Lopez matched in the other end, as both teams played with outstanding intensity. Lavrinovic made free throws, but Langford improved them with a three-point play, good for a 28-22 Khimki edge. Garbajosa took over with a driving layup and Lavrinovic sank a triple to bring Madrid back to life, 29-27. Jankunas answered from downtown and Lopez added a running jumper as Khimki surged ahead Velickovic and Javtokas traded layups, but Velickovic and a big basket by Hansen kept the guests close. Langford beat the buzzer with a seven-meter bomb to fix the halftime score at 39-32.
Lavrinovic kept pacing Madrid after the break, as he followed a power layup with a free throw, but McCarty sank his first jumper to keep Khimki ahead. Garbajosa immediately answered from downtown and a fast break layup by Kaukenas caused Khimki coach Sergio Scariolo call timeout at 41-40. Kaukenas shined with a fallaway jumper that completed the guests' comeback. McCarty buried another shot that Kaukenas matched with a quick basket. Prigioni fed Lavrinovic for a layup-plus-foul that Jankunas erased with a triple to keep the hosts close. Lavrinovic joined the three-point shootout and Madrid improved its man-to-man defense, playing much more aggressive in the passing lines. Mozgov stepped up with a second-chance layup that Lavrinovic matched with foul shots. Cabezas made a driving layup and then a triple to put Khimki back ahead, 53-52, after 30 minutes.
Llull shined with an incredible fast break layup early in the fourth quarter but a power basket by Mozgov saw the hosts regain the lead, 55-54. Lavrinovic took over with a wild three-point play on Mozgov's fourth foul, but free throws by Cabezas tied it at 57-57 with seven minutes remaining. Kaukenas and Cabezas traded baskets before a reverse layup by Bullock restored a 59-61 Madrid edge. Cabezas provided a highlight with a power layup that an unstoppable Lavrinovic matched with free throws. Javtokas tied the game with a put-back layup and even when Kaukenas quickly answered with a dunk, back-to-back baskets by McCarty and Jankunas gave Khimki a 67-65 edge with three minutes to go. Langford buried a step-back triple off a Madrid timeout, but free throws by Lavrinovic and a triple by Kaukenas gave the guests some hope at 72-70 with 1:25 to go. Langford missed an off-balance shot and Velickovic tied the game, 72-72, with 39.3 seconds remaining. Khimki committed a turnover, but a big block by Jankunas on Velickovic saved the hosts. Langford's potential game-winner at the buzzer missed, setting up an extra period.
Cabezas sank free throws early in the extra period but once again Lavrinovic scored inside to tie it at 74-74. Kaukenas took over with a fast break layup, but more free throws by Cabezas and a five-meter jumper by McCarty allowed Khimki to regain the lead, 78-76. Cabezas collected a steal and raced downcourt for an easy layup, good for a 4-point lead with less than two minutes to go. Kaukenas buried a critical jumper and Lavrinovic tied the game with free throws, 80-80. Langford was next on the foul line and made 1 of 2 with 49 seconds remaining. Lavrinovic and Garbajosa missed long-range shots and Bullock fouled McCarty with 16.2 ticks to go. McCarty sank both attempts and Prigioni made just 1 of 2 to make it 83-81 score with 8.2 seconds left. Khimki called timeout and put the ball on Cabezas's hands. He drew a foul, but missed his second foul shot. Garbajosa was next on the line, but missed both attempts. Madrid, however, got the ball to inbound with 1.3 seconds left, but McCarty stole the pass and sealed a historic win for his club.
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Euroleague.net
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