February 09, 2012
CBA-Euroleague Challenge report: Team China 77-83 CSKA
JR Holden vs Team China Stats | Quotes
Chinese basketball fans got a real taste of Euroleague Basketball drama on their national holiday Monday when CSKA Moscow outlasted Team China 77-83 in something of a thriller at the CBA-Euroleague Challenge. In a game that had something for everybody, including numerous lead changes and ties in both halves, CSKA used its experience to finish off the victory with Trajan Langdon and Alexey Savrasenko sharing the team's last 13 points. Langdon finished with 22 points on 7-for-7 two-point shooting and 7 rebounds for the winners, while Savrasenko hit 9 of 12 shots on his way to 18 points despite foul trouble. He and his fellow big men, David Andersen and Matjaz Smodis, got into that foul trouble trying to stop Yao Ming of Team China, who led all scorers with 27 points, but only pulled 4 rebounds. Yao got decent scoring help as Liu Wei dropped in 15 points, while Wang Shipeng and Yi Jianlin had 12 each. Despite fould trouble to its big men, CSKA outrebounded Team China 21-32, another key to victory. The headliner game of the CBA-Euroleague Challenge in Kunshan, China lived up to its billing as an international audience saw a real battle between last year's Euroleague runners-up and the team that will host the next Olympic Games basketball tournament.

CSKA had good success from the start attacking Yao and Team China inside. Savrasenko used reverse layups to get by his bigger counterpart and found room inside for his third basket as CSKA took a 7-9 lead. But at the other end, Yao sooned wormed up with a jumper and fre throws. Zhou Peng scored to give Team China its first lead, initiating a series of eight consecutive lead changes. Yao downed a sweet hook among several free throws that started putting CSKA's big men in trouble. David Andersen hit CSKA's first triple, nonetheless, and soon Theodoros Papaloukas was posting up for a great turnaround jumper. Zakhar Pashutin put the finishing touch on an interesting quarter by beating the buzzer with a triple that left CSKA in charge, 17-21.

Although Yao started to get scoring help in the second quarter from Liu and Yi at the start of the second quarter, CSKA kept building on its lead with baskets by Andersen, Nikos Zisis and Savrasenko. CSKA shook off 6 points in a row by Yao, including an unblockable baseline jumper, by getting a driving layup from Langdon and a reverse layup from Andersen. Yi and Yao combined to get Team China within 31-35 late in the quarter, but CSKA finished things off at the foul line, with Papaloukas, Marcus Goree and Andersen hitting 5 of 6 free throws on the way to a 33-38 halftime lead.

Aleksey Savrasenko vs Team China Team China turned it around soon after halftime, and from that point onward the battle was joined. Liu started things with a triple and Yi soon gave Team China its first lead in awhile, 39-38, on a nice drive to the rim. Holden took the lead back for CSKA with a three-pointer, but Yi then dunked and Wang Shipeng flew to a fastbreak basket that made it 44-41 for Team China. Next, Sarasenko put CSKA back in front 44-45 after taking an alley-oop pass from Zisis, but Liu cut to the basket and got a three-point play out of it for Team China. CSKA's reaction this time was swift, locking down the Chinese with defense while Langdon, Savrasenko and Papaloukas rattled off three consecutive baskets for a quick 47-51 turnaround in the score. Team China kept fighting, however, as Wang Shipeng hit from dowtown and soon penetrated for the tying basket at 57-57. Yao then put his team in front 61-58 with 4 consectuive free throws, but Langdon had the quarter's last word, a big triple that left a 61-61 tie after 30 minutes.

Yi struck first for Team China in the final quarter, but Holden launched CSKA on a scoring spree with a triple from the wing. Papaloukas used his smarts to put back a rebound over Yao, Langdon scored in transition and Savrasenko dropped a hook shot to boost CSKA in front 63-70. CSKA was shutting down Yao now, so Liu stepped into the void with 5 consective points that got Team China back in the battle. Wang Zhizhi completed the comeback with free throws and then Yao put Team China in front 71-70 with a technical free throw. Less than 3 minutes remained, nd CSKA looked to its stars to resolve the issue. Langdon got the lead back with a steal and fastbreak layup. After Liu made it 73-72 for Team China at the foul line, Langdon returned to bury the triple that put CSKA ahead for good at 73-75 with 1:15 to play. Savrasenko added another basket and Langdon a jumper to make it 74-79. Even after Yao banked a shot to make it 76-79, CSKA resolved everything with free throws from Langdon and a final jumper by Savrasenko.
Monday, October 01, 2007
Euroleague.net
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