RUS - Penn blots his copbook as CSKA advance

MOSCOW (Euroleague) - CSKA Moscow made sure of home advantage in the Euroleague quarter-final play-offs by clinching top spot in Group E of the Top 16 with an 83-79 defeat of Olympiacos.

The Muscovites registered their 16th successive win against the Greek side although they were grateful to Scoonie Penn, who was profligate late on from the free-throw line.

CSKA are now 5-0 in Group E and will face the second-placed side from Group D in the quarters. Olympiacos dropped to 2-3 and must beat DKV Joventut at home next week to advance to the next stage.

Trajan Langdon finished with a season-high 23 points to lead CSKA, while Matjaz Smodis added 20 and JR Holden 16.

Penn and Ioannis Bourousis posted 16 each for the visiting side.

In the same group, Partizan (2-3) kept their hopes of advancing alive with an 89-80 win at Joventut (1-4).

Uros Tripkovic scored a Euroleague career-high 26 points while Predrag Drobnjak added 17 points and Dusan Kecman 14 for Partizan.

Spain international Rudy Fernandez had 16 points for Joventut.

Efes Pilsen recorded their first victory in Group F with an 82-78 defeat of FC Barcelona.

The Turks are already out of quarter-final contention while the Catalonians have secured their place in the last eight.

Marcus Haislip led the winners with 25 points and 11 rebounds.

Juan Carlos Navarro had 16 points for Barcelona, Fran Vazquez added 14 and Jaka Lakovic 12.

Preston Shumpert scored 17 points as Benetton Treviso (3-2) secured a vital 83-72 defeat of Aris TT Bank (0-5) in Group G.

Alex Scales contributed 14 points and nine rebounds for Aris.

FIBA