MOSCOW, March 29 (R-Sport) – CSKA Moscow has climbed to the top of Group E in the Euroleague Top 16 after overpowering Real Madrid 81-72 in the Russian capital.
The Russian champion improved its win-loss record to 10-3 with Thursday's victory, while Real dropped to fourth place after suffering its fourth defeat.
Both teams have already secured playoff spots; from here on out they are competing for easier games in the next stage.
Former Toronto Raptors Sonny Weems top-scored for CSKA with 21 points, with Serbian guard Milos Teodosic adding another 17.
"We came to win this game and wanted to get first place. We played as a team, especially in defense – very well in the first half,” Weems was quoted as saying by the Euroleague website.
“In second half they made a few shots as a good team may do. The main thing is we stopped them with good defense, rebounds.”
After blasted out of the blocks to build up a 44-28 lead by halftime, the Russians took their foot off the gas just a little to end with a nine-point difference.
In the final Top 16 round, CSKA, last season's runner-up, travels to Greece to face second-placed Panathinaikos; and Real will host Anadolu Efes of Turkey.
