Support The Moscow Times!

Avtodor Downs CSKA 109-107 for 1-0 Lead

Despite Valery Daineko's season-high 44 points, CSKA Moscow lost 109-107 to Avtodor in Saratov in overtime in the opening game of the best-of-five finals for the Russian basketball crown.


The top-rated team this year, Avtodor, was able to use its home court, Yunost, to its advantage in Wednesday's contest, which was played at the tiny Saratov gym despite strong protests by the army club.


It seems that almost no basketball match-ups this season can start without controversy. Following the bitter dispute between the Russian Federation and both clubs over the host site in the Moscow's CSKA-Dinamo semifinal series, Avtodor scored a victory off the court when it was able to persuade the federation officials to host the finals at Yunost despite the arena seating only a few hundred and being unsuitable for television broadcasts.


Earlier in the month, the federation had bowed to CSKA demands, backed by Dinamo, to switch games in Saratov to the larger ice palace and force Avtodor to install a basketball floor there. This time, after much bickering, federation bosses finally agreed to save costs and play the games at Saratov's regular home court.


The series now moves to Moscow with two matches over the weekend at the spacious CSKA arena.

… we have a small favor to ask.

As you may have heard, The Moscow Times, an independent news source for over 30 years, has been unjustly branded as a "foreign agent" by the Russian government. This blatant attempt to silence our voice is a direct assault on the integrity of journalism and the values we hold dear.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. Our commitment to providing accurate and unbiased reporting on Russia remains unshaken. But we need your help to continue our critical mission.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just 2. It's quick to set up, and you can be confident that you're making a significant impact every month by supporting open, independent journalism. Thank you.

Continue

Read more