CSKA wins championship!

CSKA Moscow defeated Khimki Moscow Region on the road, 99-69, in Game 3 of the playoff finals. The Army Men pulled away in the 1st quarter and gradually added to the lead, crushing Khimki by 30 points to sweep the finals and secure the club's fifth VTB United League title.
 

Atmosphere
Khimki lost to CSKA in the first two games, putting the club on the brink of elimination. But the Moscow Region fans refused to lose hope. The Basketball Center was packed and loud, ready to cheer their men on to a Game 3 win.
 

Intro
Just like the first two games, both teams were missing a player: Ruslan Pateev for Khimki and Sonny Weems for CSKA. Paul Davis scored the first eight points for the home team, but CSKA quickly pulled away, neutralizing Khimki on the perimeter (except for Petteri Koponen) and slowing down the frontcourt. The Army Men were equally effective on offense with seven different players scoring for CSKA in the 1st quarter. The score was 26-18 in favor of CSKA after 10 minutes.
 

Khimki didn't have any surprises for CSKA in the 2nd quarter. The Yellow-Blues did most of their damage from beyond the arc, but couldn't score enough to keep pace with the visitors. CSKA was ruthless, scoring on backdoor cuts, drives to the rim by Manuchar Markoishvili, Alexander's Kaun post work and Milos Teodosic's three-point shooting. The Muscovites' lead was 17 points at halftime, 54-37.
 

Turning Point
After switching sides, Khimki showed no signs of mounting a comeback. CSKA's defense was solid, holding the home team to just 16 points in the 3rd quarter. Entering the final period, the visitors held a daunting 25-point lead (78-53).
 

There would be no miracle in the 4th quarter as the Army Men enjoyed a 99-69 victory to complete the 3-0 sweep. CSKA wins its 4th straight and 5th overall VTB United League title, recording a remarkable 9-0 record in the postseason!
 

Star of the Game
Viktor Khryapa. The CSKA captain was out for much of the season with an injury, but once he returned he added another layer of depth to CSKA's formidable roster. Khryapa put on a master class in Game 3, recording eight points, 14 rebounds, five assists and three blocks and lifted the Sergey Belov Cup to celebrate the championship.
 

Ceremony
An impressive award ceremony capped a triumphant night for CSKA and its faithful fans. The Red-Blues were unstoppable in the postseason, never showing any weakness on the road to the title. VTB United League president emeritus Sergey Ivanov, president Sergey Kushchenko, general director Andrey Shirokov and deputy general director Ilona Korstin awarded the medals. No one forgot about Khimki, either, which earned its first-ever VTB United League silver medals. Finally, Andrey Vorontsevich received the playoff MVP for his excellent performance in the postseason.
 

Stat of the Game
30 - the final margin of victory speaks for itself.
 

Top Performers
Khimki: Paul Davis - 20 points; Sergey Monia - 13 points, five rebounds; Tyrese Rice - 11 points; Petteri Koponen - 10 points; Marko Popovic - eight points, five steals.
 

CSKA: Alexander Kaun - 14 points; Milos Teodosic - 13 points, six assists; Nando de Colo - 13 points; Aaron Jackson - 12 points, eight assists; Viktor Khryapa - eight points, 14 rebounds, five assists, three blocks.