By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Nando De Colo scored a season-high 26 points, dished out 6 assists and grabbed 5 rebounds for 33 PIR as CSKA Moscow defeated Maccabi Tel Aviv 101 – 86 to improve its record to 10-2 and become the sole holder of the top spot in the EuroLeague standings.
It wasn’t as easy for the “Army Men” as the final score implies. Despite trailing by 20, 70 – 50, at the end of the third period, Maccabi fought back and its top player Norris Cole (24 points, 7 assists) made it a two-possession affair 90 – 84 with 55 seconds remaining.
Yet the two-time NBA champion then made an unsportsmanlike foul on De Colo. The latter sealed his team’s win with 3 points from the free-throw line and the “Yellows” fell to a 7 – 5 record.
CSKA had dominated the second period 28 – 14 to lead 49 – 34 at halftime with Sergio Rodriguez being an unstoppable creative (11 assists) force while also adding his piece in bucket-making (15 points). Cory Higgins added 17 points while Semen Antonov emerged as a key factor for the Russian team with a season-high 14 points. Kyle Hines also scored 14 while grabbing 6 rebounds and dishing out 5 assists.
DeShaun Thomas finished with 14 points, and Jake Cohen had 12 for the Israelis.
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