CSKA Moscow spoil Tau Ceramica's dream to reach Euroleague final

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Tau players after the game. Photo: EFE

A pair of 'Final Four' regulars battled for one ticket to the Euroleague Basketball final when CSKA Moscow, and legendary coach Ettore Messina, took on Basque Country's Tau Ceramica in the second semi-final, at the Community of Madrid Sports Palace in the Spanish capital, on Friday evening.

Earlier, Maccabi Elite Tel Aviv had reached their sixth Euroleague final in nine seasons after they beat Montepaschi Siena 92-85, while CSKA were making a sixth consecutive semi-final appearance and Tau a fourth in a row.

Veteran Theodoros Papaloukas sank both of his free-throws to give the Muscovites a five-point lead with two minutes left in the first quarter.

But, in a scene that was indicative of the match as whole, Mirza Teletovic sank this three-pointer to level the scores before the first quarter ended at 20-all.

The second quarter belonged to the Basques as Tiago Splitter's two points gave Tau an eight-point lead, just before the teams went in at the interval at 39-33.

However, the pendulum swung once again in the third as CSKA responded as J.R. Holden set up Trajan Langdon - and his three-pointer levelled the scores once more at 43-43.

In the regular season, CSKA beat Tau home and away, including an historical triumph in Vitoria-Gasteiz that ended a 30-game winning streak.

Papaloukas and J.R. Holden were making their sixth consecutive 'Final Four' appearance - a record - and their experience told as after Igor Rakocevic levelled the scores once more, Papaloukas ran the length of the court to dunk two more points.

CSKA had increased their lead to eight points with just under five minutes remaining.

It was a telling moment as although Pete Mickael netted this fine three-pointer to reduce the deficit to five points, CSKA were in control and it was left to Ramunas Siskauskas to score the final point just before the final buzzer sounded. Final score - 83-79 to CSKA Moscow.