EUROLEAGUE - Roma upset CSKA in Russia

MOSCOW (Euroleague) - CSKA Moscow sharpshooter Trajan Langdon missed Wednesday night's Euroleague game against Lottomatica Roma because of the flu and the Italians took full advantage.

Roma, fresh off an impressive triumph over Caja Laboral last time out in Europe, travelled to Russia and beat CSKA, 74-69.

"We knew how important Langdon was for our opponents,” Roma coach Nando Gentile said.

“CSKA with and without him are two different teams.

"But you should not forget that we also were missing two players, maybe not of the same level, but still very important for us.”

Indeed, Italy international Luca Vitali and Luigi Datome were unavailable for Roma.

Langdon has been an ever-present for CSKA in his four plus four seasons with the club.

Wednesday marked the first time he missed a Euroleague game with the team.

CSKA are fortunate to be 1-1 in the Euroleague because last week, they needed a Viktor Khryapa three-ball at the buzzer to beat Maroussi in Athens.

Former CSKA coach Ettore Messina is now the boss of Real Madrid and so far, he’s finding the Spanish capital very much to his liking.

His team has won four straight games at the start of the ACB season and on Wednesday, Real claimed a 94-72 home triumph over Asseco Prokom.

Beaten last week in the Moscow Region by BC Khimki, Messina's men got into the win column with a terrific performance from their Lithuania big man Darjus Lavrinovic.

He had team high 19 points.

"I am really satisfied with the intensity we put out there from the very beginning and the balance we had between offense and defense," Messina said.

Unicaja Malaga, meanwhile, is a team that has yet to win in Spain's ACB in four attempts but is so far undefeated in Europe after an 86-68 victory over visiting Olympiacos.

Great Britain's Joel Freeland had another double-double for Unicaja.

Freeland, who will play at the 2010 FIBA World Championship if the Brits receive a wild card for the competition, scored 10 points and pulled down 11 rebounds.

"This is a very important win for the team," said Unicaja's Taquan Dean, who had 19 points.

"We have to start winning games in the Spanish league, too."

ASVEL Basket, the team partly owned by France playmaker Tony Parker of the San Antonio Spurs, suffered a 78-76 overtime defeat at home to Fenerbahce Ulker.

ASVEL went down despite 29 points and 13 rebounds from France big man Ali Traore.

Omer Asik, who led Turkey to victory over Spain in the Qualifying Round at the EuroBasket this summer, finished with 13 points and 10 rebounds for Ulker.

Traore and Asik will represent their countries at the 2010 FIBA World Championship in Turkey.

Armani Jeans Milano prevailed 79-70 at EWE Baskets Oldenburg.

Lithuania's Jonas Maciulis led the Italians with 18 points.

FIBA