CSKA Moscow topple Zalgiris Kaunas with buzzer beater

ANKARA

Russian basketball powerhouse CSKA Moscow beat Lithuania's Zalgiris Kaunas 85-82 Thursday in a Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Round 12 game.

American guard Mike James brought his team victory, scoring a critical three-pointer to break an 82-82 tie at the end of overtime.

James dropped 19 points against Zalgiris Kaunas.

Another CSKA guard, Janis Strelnieks, netted 18 points to contribute to the Russian team’s victory at Moscow's Megasport Arena.

The home team's American guard Ron Baker tallied 13 points as well.

Zalgiris Kaunas guard Thomas Walkup produced 19 points against CSKA Moscow.

Walkup took seven rebounds and made six assists to keep Zalgiris' hopes alive.

Lukas Lekavicius of Zalgiris Kaunas scored 15 points.

The visitors' Australian center Jock Landale made 'double-double' with 12 points and 11 rebounds.

"I wanted to get a good shot off, get one of the shots I normally shoot, and it went in," James said after the match, referring to the game-winning three-point shot.

Following their victory, title contenders CSKA Moscow have a 8-4 win/loss record in the EuroLeague, led by Anadolu Efes from Istanbul, who have won 9 games in 11 rounds.

Zalgiris Kaunas are having a bad season with a 3-9 win/loss record.

Thursday's results:

CSKA Moscow - Zalgiris Kaunas: 85-82

Maccabi FOX Tel Aviv - Bayern Munich: 77-55

AX Armani Exchange Milan - Crvena Zvezda mts Belgrade: 67-77

Real Madrid - Valencia Basket: 111-99

Friday's fixtures:

Zenit Saint Petersburg - ASVEL Villeurbanne

Khimki Moscow - Barcelona

Fenerbahce Beko - ALBA Berlin

Panathinaikos OPAP Athens - Olympiacos Piraeus

KIROLBET Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz - Anadolu Efes