Russian Cup. 1/4 Finals. Deprived of victory

Russian Cup. 1/4 Finals. Deprived of victory 7 february 2007

In the rematch games of the National Cup, BC Khimki’s players demonstrated that they form a solid team, dissolving a 17-point disadvantage. In the last offensive play, the Moscow Region Club came out in the lead according to the results of the two games, but a shot by Torres in the last second was not defended: 81-65 (15-23, 24-9, 18-13, 24-20). Despite the gap, due to some unfortunate plays in the first match of the stage, Khimki, for the first time in the history of the trophy, will not participate in the quarter finals, prompting them to petition a protest.

Russian Cup. 1/4 Finals 7 february 2007, 18:00 we

81 : 65

Top Scorers

: Fridzon (14), Wolkowiski (13), Torres (13), Booker (13).

The one-week “vacation” during the European club’s tournament (of the FIBA and ULEB) was spent playing in rematch games of the quarter finals of the National Cup. Khimki opened up a period of more than two weeks to “dole out debts,” necessary to vindicate their home court defeats suffered during several tournaments. On their list: Dynamo Moscow, CSKA, Belgrade’s Crvena Zvezda, Spartak Primorie, and Kazan’s UNICS.

Among the home team, albeit Gorenc -down due to an injury though recovering — the absentees were Okulaja, and McCarty, while the visiting team was lacking Hansen, who traveled home to the US for surgery. The yellow-blues included three playmakers in their dozen: Booker, Pozzecco, and Goliakhov, while presenting a season’s fresh combination in their starting line up: Booker, Fridzon, Torres, Veremeenko, Lampe.

Dynamo opened up the score, while Veremeenko immediately responded to Popovic’s 3-pointer. Maciej Lampe had some difficulties playing against Lazaros, and in an offensive attack he tried to take his opponent out, while playing a man on man defense. Veremeenko covered his team mate, who within three and a half minutes was fouled by the referees twice. The coaches had to make two changes, bringing three players on the front line: Wolkowiski, Lampe, and Diatchok, sending Fridzon, slightly injured, to the bench in exchange for Savkov, who in a first for the yellow-blues – after 7.5 minutes of the first shot – attempted one from the arc.

When Dynamo scored their third 3-pointer out of six by Monia, Coach Kemzura called a time out with: 11-18. The home team’s Pozzecco, however, shot from the perimeter in minute 22, when the visiting team had already made five 3-pointers. When Gian Marco Pozzeco hit the court, Khimki’s game quickened, but the percentage of field goals up to minute 15 didn’t increase. Nonetheless, the home team began to up their baskets, and faced with a -2, Coach Ivkovic called a time out. Shortly after, Torres leveled the count, while Pozzecco, after a brilliant cut from the 3-point arc took Khimki to the lead for the first time in the match. Vitaly Fridzon followed through, as did Maciej Lampe shortly after stomped out Raicevic and this successful offensive streak was topped off with a 3-pointer by Booker: 37-30.

This lead capped off the first half of the match, but even after the brilliant second quarter, 7 out of 17 shots were successfully converted. In minute 33, after a long distance shot by Wolkowiski, Khimki’s lead was up 10 points. After Ivkovic got his time out, Torres continued the successful scoring: 48-36. Intrigue mounted when during their second offense, and after 24 seconds, the sky-blues could not muster one successful shot, while Khimki’s captain took the team to a 15-point lead. With 5.16 minutes left to the last break, Veremeenko upped the lead to the quintessential 17 points. The game started up again, and the visiting team became more rigid.

Khimki’s coaches launched Gianmarco Pozzecco and Vitaly Fridzon blocked a shot by Bykov, but he scored from the perimeter in a “second chance.” The visiting team then scored 6 points without a response, forcing Coach Kemzura to call a time out, which bore its fruit with 4 consecutive field goals from Khimki.
Lampe opened the score in the last quarter, but later missed the first of 11 free throws by the home team.

The yellow-blues zone press also bore fruit, and at 8.44 minutes, the lead climbed once again to 17 points.
In the offensive response, Dynamo lost its wits and the ball, and their coaches called a time out. After some attacks, and a conversion at the charity line by Lazaros, Melvin booker upped the lead to +20 and in general +2. Torres shot from the line, but missed though at 3.04 minutes Fridzon converted a 3-pointer, answered by the Muscovites scoring in the paint and from the arc.

After a time out, the home team was unable to score, and let a basket through from the perimeter. Fridzon converted two free throws -2 at one minute and a half. Khimki took the ball, and with 0.29 to the siren, Melvin scored from the 3-point line. Ivkovic called a time out, after which Domani scored after a run to the base line, but the seconds left on the clock were enough for Oscarcito Torres to get in his 3-pointer. After the final siren blew, the judges’ table grouped in talks. After five minutes of deliberation, Dynamo was selected as winner for the sum of the two games.