EUROLEAGUE – Madrid stun CSKA in Moscow
MOSCOW (Euroleague) - Real Madrid surprised defending champions CSKA Moscow and Regal Barcelona destroyed high-fliers Montepaschi Siena in the Euroleague on Wednesday. It was also good night for Greece as Panathinaikos and Olympiacos both won their games. With former Prime Minister Vladimir Putin sitting courtside along with Russia ...
MOSCOW (Euroleague) - Real Madrid surprised defending champions CSKA Moscow and Regal Barcelona destroyed high-fliers Montepaschi Siena in the Euroleague on Wednesday.
It was also a good night for Greece as Panathinaikos and Olympiacos both won their games.
With Prime Minister Vladimir Putin sitting courtside along with Russia international Ilona Korstin of CSKA Moscow's women team, Real Madrid pulled off the shock of the night by beating the CSKA men’s team as Spain international Felipe Reyes poured in 19 points.
CSKA looked to be in command but Madrid went on a 10-0 fourth-quarter run, capped by a Reyes jumper, to take a 69-67 lead.
After Russia center Alexey Savrasenko tied the game with a basket down low, another Spain international, Alex Mumbru, buried a three-pointer for a 72-69 Madrid advantage.
Louis Bullock ended up hitting a couple of consecutive three-balls to seal the 82-78 victory for Joan Plaza's team.
Madrid (5-3) now trail CSKA Moscow (6-2) by a game in Group D.
Armani Jeans Milano, the other side to beat CSKA, prevailed at home over Partizan Belgrade to leave both sides with 3-5 records at the other end of the group standings.
Barcelona, meanwhile, took over sole possession of first place in Group B at 7-1 by handing Montepaschi Siena (6-2) their worst defeat of the season.
The Catalan club held the Italian league leaders to just three first-quarter points and rolled to an 87-61 victory.
Spain's Juan Carlos Navarro scored 17 points and Puerto Rico's Daniel Santiago 14 for Barca.
Czech Lubos Barton had 10 points and 10 rebounds for the winners.
Panathinaikos are also 6-2 in Group B after thrilling their home supporters with an 83-69 victory over SLUC Nancy (2-6).
Stratos Perperoglou led the way with 16 points for Pana.
There are question marks over the national team future of Greece coach Panagiotis Yannakis, but his club situation is secure at Olympiacos.
Yannakis' Reds turned a 22-20 deficit at the end of the first quarter into a 50-31 lead at half-time and hammered Cibona Zagreb 93-64.
Yotam Halperin of Israel and Ioannis Bourousis of Greece each had 13 points with three other Olympiacos players reaching double figures in scoring.
Olympiacos are now on top of Group A at 6-2 while Cibona are third at 5-3.
The night's other game saw Fenerbahce get 16 points from Devin Smith as they thrashed DKV Joventut in Istanbul 89-63.
The result left both sides with 4-4 records in Group C.
FIBA