CSKA deserved to win Euroleague title
Experience and homogeneity of the group was the key in the final match between CSKA and Anadolu Efes. The Turkish team had a great and lucky year but they had any chance in front of Dimitris Itoudis’ squad.
Like I wrote a couple of months ago Efes still has a complex of a small team in front of major actors like Real Madrid or CSKA. Against Fenerbahce was easier for them, because of the many injuries they had. But facing CSKA revealed once again all the weak sides of Anadolu Efes.
Even pushed by the referees, Anadolu Efes couldn’t do more because for a couple of their players playing the final was a bit too much. They were lost totally and finished the game with poor numbers. Tibor Pleiss missed an easy dunk and then after a couple of minutes later an open lay-up. Adrien Moerman stayed more than 30 minutes on the court and had only 2 points. NBA champion Rodrigue Beaubois was useless with only 3 points scored. Even a so praised player like Vasilije Micic finished the game with just 1 efficiency value!!! And you dream of NBA?
On the other side, CSKA showed their toughness. They were like a rock in defense and they had as well one of the best performance in the Finals history from the arc. The Russian powerhouse finished with an unbelievable 63.6% from the 3 point line (14/22).
Even if the final margin was not so big (91-83), the difference in index rate was huge for CSKA: 110-80!!!
And let’s not forget that CSKA played this Final 4 without 2 important Russian players: Semen Antonov and Andrey Vorontsevich, which could have helped especially in defense.
Last but not least Dimitris Itoudis deserved another European crown. His amazing work done with this team all the past years received now another recognition.
Gratian Cormos, info@brainbasketball.net
