CSKA Moscow is the first finalist after late comeback

Siskauskas was unstoppable (Photo: Euroleague.net)

01-05-2009 22:17

CSKA Moscow advanced to the Euroleague title game for the fourth year in a row by knocking off Regal FC Barcelona 78-82 on Friday evening in the opening game of the 2009 Euroleague Basketball Final Four at the o2 World in Berlin.

Ramunas Siskauskas was the hero after scoring 18 of his career-high 29 points in the fourth quarter – including all the points in a 0-11 run that gave CSKA its first lead. The champs will next face the winner of Friday’s second semifinal between Greek rivals Olympiacos and Panathinaikos in the championship game. The club will try to become the seventh to win back-to-back Euroleague crowns, a feat last accomplished by Maccabi Tel Aviv in 2004-05. CSKA also targets its seventh Euroleague title, which would bring it within one of Real Madrid for the most ever, while head coach Ettore Messina seeks his fifth title, which would place him alone in second place behind only Zeljko Obradovic on the all-time coaching list.

Barcelona started strong and led by double figures already in the opening quarter, but CSKA never folded and saved its best for last.

Trajan Langdon added 15 for the champs and Viktor Khryapa posted 9 points, 10 rebounds and 3 steals.

Former CSKA star David Andersen paced Barcelona with 24 points and Jaka Lakovic and Juan Carlos Navarro netted 13 apiece in defeat.

Siskauskas provided a highlight with a fallaway jumper and collected a steal that allowed Holden to seal the outcome with free throws, 74-80, with 21.9 seconds to go. Andersen added 2 free throws with 15 seconds left, but Barcelona was stuck fouling to stop the clock and Holden and Siskauskas made free throws to wrap up the win.

FULL STATS OF THE BARCELONA - CSKA GAME