Skipper, Maccabi prevail over semifinals challengers
Skipper Bologna needed overtime before getting past Italian League rival Montepaschi Siena in the first semifinal in Tel Aviv, Israel. It was a cat-and-mouse game for much of regulation, with Bologna leading by 9 at halftime and 13 at one point in the third quarter, but Montepaschi always came back and eventually forced overtime on Michailis Kakiouzis’s three-pointer with 11.2 seconds to go. Carlos Delfino's free throw with 11.6 seconds left in overtime broke a tie and crowned him the hero. Delfino finished with 27 points, one of six Skipper scorers in double figures.
Host Maccabi Elite Tel Aviv outlasted CSKA Moscow 93-85 in the nightcap. Maccabi started sluggishly and trailed by 11 points at one point, but turned it around to get within 1 at halftime and pull away in the second half as the fans in yellow rocked on. Anthony Parker shined with 27 points, while Sarunas Jasikevicius tallied 18 points and 6 assists. Marcus Brown had 23 points and 6 assists in the loss.