RUS - Khimki crash out of play-offs
MOSCOW (Superleague) - BC Khimki suffered a season-ending, double overtime defeat to UNICS Kazan in the Superleague play-offs. Trailing 2-0 in the semi-final series after setbacks in Kazan, Khimki won Game Three and had an excellent chance to force a deciding fifth game before falling 97-96.
MOSCOW (Superleague) - BC Khimki suffered a season-ending, double overtime defeat to UNICS Kazan in the Superleague play-offs.
Trailing 2-0 in the semi-final series after setbacks in Kazan, Khimki won Game Three and had an excellent chance to force a deciding fifth game before falling 97-96.
The triumph has thrown UNICS into another title showdown with CSKA Moscow, who also completed a 3-1 series victory by winning the fourth game of their semi-final showdown at Dynamo Moscow, 99-79.
Khimki will be kicking themselves in the close season after out-scoring UNICS 25-12 in the final period to force the first overtime.
Melvin Booker's two free throws tied the contest at 76-76 and then former Russian international Sergei Chikalkin turned the ball over for UNICS.
In the first overtime, Poland's Maciej Lampe buried a late three-pointer to tie game at 86-86, and UNICS missed a potential game-winning shot.
Antanas Sireika's team then edged Khimki 11-10 in the second overtime to reach the final.
Chikalkin and Lithuanian national team center Darjus Lavrinovic had 16 points apiece, Saulius Stombergas 15, Jarod Stevenson 11 and Ksistof Lavrinovic 10.
Lampe poured in a game-high 24 points in defeat.
CSKA stormed out to a 52-32 lead by half-time and cruised in their win at Dynamo, getting a game-high 23 points from Australian international David Andersen.
Jeff Taylor
FIBA