CSKA grab 18th domestic basketball title

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Published time: June 17, 2011 07:47
Edited time: June 17, 2011 12:44

CSKA Moscow's dominance of Russian Basketball shows no signs of waning any time soon. On Thursday the Army Men forced Khimki to wave the white flag in their finals series, clinching an unprecedented 18th domestic title.

The home team scored the first five points in the game, but the Army Men quickly found their groove after that.

JR Holden was on fire in what could be his last ever game, as afterwards the American with the Russian passport contemplated retirement. Holden, who will turn 35 in August, notched up 25 points and five assists in what was an all-round excellent display of shooting by the visitors.

Another CSKA retiring veteran, Trajan Langdon, helped his team with six points despite playing with injury.

The Muscovites were also with the edge from downtown making an impressive 50 per cent of efforts.

The final score was 74-63, and CSKA have now won every domestic title since 2003.

Play-off MVP Viktor Khryapa was the perfect man to do justice to his opponents and offer some words of championship wisdom afterwards.

“Khimki is not the kind of team which can be discouraged after two or three good defensive plays. They are able to return into the game trailing in double digits, and we could see it several times during the season. Against them you don’t have time for rest, as you must very aggressively play in defense throughout the whole game. And I think we managed to do it tonight,” he said.