CSKA parted with the title of Euroleague champion, losing in the semifinals of the current draw to the Turkish club Anadolu Efes, which they defeated in the decisive match of the tournament two years ago – 86:89. CSKA started very badly in the first meeting of the Cologne Final Four, but in its ending they almost won back the lag that was over 20 points in the third quarter.
This remake of the previous, two-year-old, Euroleague final should have alerted those who are worried about CSKA right away. Army basketball carried problems a mile away. Offensively, there is a terrible lack of variety. And when the army team decided to add a fresh touch to it, finally sending the ball under the hoop, their center Michael Eric climbed under the block shot of the Istanbul center Sertach Shanli.
In defense – a terrible lack of density. Krunoslav Simon, it seems, once was himself insanely surprised to find that he was standing alone on a three-point arc opposite the ring, and there was no one around in a radius of half a dozen meters. You can aim and aim – all the same, no one can interfere and is not going to.
Other notable players of Anadolu Efes, for example, Vasily Mitsich, who had just been recognized as the most valuable basketball player of the Euroleague, often felt at ease in the army half of the site. And CSKA did not manage to compensate for these team troubles with individual exploits. Tornike Shengelia, when the difference in the score had already reached ten points in favor of the Turkish club, tried to fulfill the functions of a hero, correcting all breakages, but missed two long-range shots in a row. And at “Anadolu Efes” everything was in perfect order with them.
CSKA coach Dimitris Itoudis, of course, tried to change something, seeing how difficult everything is – how many misses, many losses, many strange decisions when playing the ball. He made replacements, he shifted the emphasis, but one cannot say that any of the options worked effectively. The main success of CSKA in the opening quarter was Gabriel Lundberg’s breakthrough. He could not get into the rear of the “Anadolu Efes”, but, putting his head forward like a bull, knocked Mitsich down. He was lying on the floor with a face distorted by a grimace of pain, and for a long, long time could not get up, then somehow with the help of partners he dragged himself to the bench. And the loss of such a player would, of course, be a blow for Anadolu Efes.
But Mitsich soon came to his senses. And the mentor Ergin Ataman in the second quarter showed that even without Mitsich he has someone to cause trouble for CSKA – the Turkish bench is deep. For example, Shane Larkin left her, who actually two years ago was the brightest basketball player of Anadolu Efes. He lost his status, but proved that he can play very effectively even as a substitute. His presence did not make life easier for CSKA.
The army team, in principle, spent this ten-minute better than the first. But this was too little to stop Anadolu Efes. The army team was still lucky that by the long break, their gap was a dozen points: it could have been much more significant if the opponent had not suddenly lost concentration, had not relaxed a minute before the pause, as if thinking that he had already secured victory for himself. As if he didn’t know that in the history of CSKA there were not so few cases when he got out of the same, and even tricky, situations.
After the rest, Anadolu Efes, however, regained concentration. And he began to press CSKA so hard that the previous torment might seem like complete nonsense. The defense became even more tenacious, the throws were even more reliable, and Mitsich gave master classes in one-on-one outplay, forcing the army men to earn fouls, including unsportsmanlike ones. The Istanbulites calmed down a little only after they realized that the reinforced concrete reserve of twenty points they had obtained was not going to melt, no matter how puffed up the opponents.
But the intrigue that seemed to be dead was revived when Anadolu Efes players probably already thought they had done everything they needed to be successful. CSKA came to life at the end of the third quarter, and opened the final with long shots from Ivan Ukhov and Lundberg. And the Ataman, seeing that half of the 20 points of the reserve remained, took a time-out. There was no doubt a reason to sound the alarm.
And the Ataman failed to extinguish the fire – he only managed to extinguish it a little. And CSKA clung to its unexpected tiny chance desperately. Now he looked like himself, like the eternal favorite of the Euroleague, capable of anything. And the gap between Anadolu Efes kept shrinking and shrinking – eight points, six, three. And now only one after two penalties from Nikita Kurbanov at the last minute! It was too obvious – the army enemy was “floating”, he was shocked by what was happening.
So shocked that well-aimed Larkin misses a free kick seven seconds before the siren, and the advantage of his team is only two points. From CSKA, in order to save half an hour ago an absolutely hopeless match for him, an accurate attack was required. It was completed by shooting from eight meters, Will Clyburn – and shot into the bow of the ring. Anadolu Efes stood firm and will fight for the title with the winner of the second semi-final between Barcelona and Milan (it ended late in the evening). CSKA will have to fight for third place – not so honorable by its standards.
.