Sunday Special: CSKA Thump Brno

CSKA Moscow claimed a convincing victory at "home" over Gambrinus Sika Brno in a rare EuroLeague Women Sunday game.

The Russian giants, who have gone through a change in ownership the past two weeks and didn't play their scheduled home game against TTT Riga on November 26 which led to a forfeit by a 20-0 scoreline, returned to the competition in grand style and thumped Gambrinus 91-71.

While CSKA were technically the home team, the game was played in Brno. 

Becky Hammon and Ann Waters scored 22 and 20 points, respectively, for CSKA.

Leading only 9-8 after a basket by Brno's Mali international Hamchetou Maiga Ba, Edwige Lawson-Wade reminded everyone of her three-point shooting victory at last year's All Star Game by drilling a shot from the arc to spark a 12-2 run for the CSKA.

By the end of the first quarter, CSKA had a firm grip on proceedings with a 25-13 advantage and with 3:10 to play in the half, the lead had ballooned to 42-23 after a Wauters jump shot.

The visitors managed to reduce the arrears to 52-40 with 6:10 to go in the third quarter after a lay-up by Maiga Ba but late in the period the hosts had gone back in front at 69-48 following an Olexandra Gorbunova three-ball.

Brno didn't go away, however, and a 12-0 surge that was capped by a Hana Horakova three with just under six minutes to play in the game cut the deficit to 74-64.

They would end up getting no closer as CSKA won to improve to 5-3 while dropping Brno to 3-5.

Tamika Whitmore scored 23 points and Latvia international Liene Jansone contributed 16 with seven rebounds for Brno.

Quotes CSKA Moscow vs. Gambrinus

Vlastimil Havlík, Brno Assistant Coach:

"Our rival has a very strong team and played well. We started very nervous and it was for us a very difficult situation to play without the injured Zuzana Zirkova and pivot Timea Ivkovicne-Beres was ill with high temperature. We had two times when the gap was only ten points in the second period. But we lost this chance."

Gundars Vetra, CSKA Moscow Head Coach:

"It was very important game for us to come back. We had a lot of problems with our sponsor. Our team for a short time did not exist. We want to show our new sponsor, we have good team and we are ready to achieve some goals. We had with ten players only three practices before this game. Two on Friday and one on Saturday. I am happy with this results. We are back with a mentally strong team. In this moment our economic situation is good."