By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Kalev Tallin entered the last period against CSKA in Moscow ahead 74 – 78 and was ten minutes away from one seriously immense upset in VTB League. Then with 7:44 remaining and the score 85 – 86, everything was up for grabs.
Yet the reigning champions’ quality couldn’t be denied. CSKA scored 10 in a row and didn’t look back, ultimately beating its opponents 108 – 100 to remain perfect with a spotless record.
Sergio Rodriguez had 5 points in the above run and 15 out of his game-high 19 in the final period, providing also 6 assists. Cory Higgins scored 18 while Nikita Kurbanov and Kyle Hines dropped 16 points apiece plus 7 and 6 rebounds respectively.
Branko Mirkovic had 18 points plus 9 assists and Cedric Simmons finished with 15 points and 6 rebounds for Kalev.
Before the game, Nando De Colo received his award for being named November’s VTB League MVP.
VTB League 1/12 – 4/12 Results
| HOME | AWAY | FT | HT | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 |
| ZENIT SAINT PETERSBURG | ENISEY | 85-73 | 49-42 | 27-24 | 22-18 | 15-10 | 21-21 |
| AVTODOR | NIZHNIY NOVGOROD | 84-75 | 44-29 | 23-16 | 21-13 | 18-23 | 22-23 |
| LOKOMOTIV KUBAN | BC TSMOKI MINSK | 67-56 | 33-28 | 21-17 | 12-11 | 20-19 | 14-9 |
| UNICS KAZAN | KHIMKI MOSCOW | 80-79 | 37-40 | 18-17 | 19-23 | 21-22 | 22-17 |
| PARMA BASKET PERM | VEF RIGA | 87-69 | 49-33 | 24-11 | 25-22 | 19-17 | 19-19 |
| CSKA MOSCOW | BC KALEV/CRAMO | 108-100 | 47-48 | 26-25 | 21-23 | 27-30 | 34-22 |
VTB League Standings:
|
#
|
TEAM
|
PTS
|
MP
|
W
|
L
|
POINTS
|
+/-
|
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1
|
CSKA MOSCOW
|
16
|
8
|
8
|
0
|
761 – 608
|
153
|
|
|
2
|
UNICS KAZAN
|
12
|
6
|
6
|
0
|
535 – 431
|
104
|
|
|
3
|
ZENIT SAINT PETERSBURG
|
13
|
7
|
6
|
1
|
582 – 551
|
31
|
|
|
4
|
LOKOMOTIV KUBAN
|
13
|
7
|
6
|
1
|
595 – 479
|
116
|
|
|
5
|
AVTODOR
|
11
|
7
|
4
|
3
|
578 – 609
|
-31
|
|
|
6
|
KHIMKI MOSCOW
|
11
|
7
|
4
|
3
|
591 – 511
|
80
|
|
|
7
|
BC TSMOKI MINSK
|
11
|
8
|
3
|
5
|
544 – 629
|
-85
|
|
|
8
|
NIZHNIY NOVGOROD
|
8
|
6
|
2
|
4
|
494 – 516
|
-22
|
|
|
9
|
BK ASTANA
|
9
|
7
|
2
|
5
|
537 – 565
|
-28
|
|
|
10
|
PARMA BASKET PERM
|
10
|
8
|
2
|
6
|
621 – 690
|
-69
|
|
|
11
|
ENISEY
|
7
|
6
|
1
|
5
|
468 – 550
|
-82
|
|
|
12
|
VEF RIGA
|
8
|
7
|
1
|
6
|
513 – 599
|
-86
|
|
|
13
|
BC KALEV/CRAMO
|
9
|
8
|
1
|
7
|
648 – 729
|
-81
|
|