CSKA Moscow and Olympiacos join Barcelona in this year’s Final Four in Istanbul after both recorded victories in their respective games to secure 3-1 series wins.

Led by Andrei Kirilenko’s 23 points and eight rebounds, CSKA Moscow got the win they needed to seal a spot in the Final Four, beating Gescrap Bilbao 73-71.

The Russians looked on course for a comfortable victory, silencing the home crowd in the Bilbao Arena leading 56-47 after three quarters – but the proud hosts – who pulled a game back on Wednesday, forced a comeback and with 2.9 seconds left, with the score at 73-70 in Bilbao’s favour, Aaron Jackson went to the line for two, hit the first and purposely missed the second. Kirilenko pulled down the rebound and sealed the win for CSKA.

Ramunas Siskauskas and Nenad Krstic both hit 13 points for the victors. Milos Teodosic and Alexey Schved were both held without a field goal but both contributed from the foul line and Teodosic dished out eight assists.

“We feel so great because we are in the Final Four and that was one of our goals,” Krstic said. “We were very confident about tonight and we knew we were going to win this game.”

For Bilbao, they have nothing to be ashamed of, they did their fans proud and when everyone predicted a blowout, the ACB side stunned the Euroleague to claiming their first playoff victory in game three. Unfortuantely, despite going so close, they were not to repeat.

Jackson led Bilbao with 19 points supported by 12 from D’Or Fischer.

Olympiacos also booked their spot at the Euroleague Final Four, reversing last year’s defeat to Montepaschi Siena by winning 76-69 thus winning the series 3-1.

It was a closely-fought contest throughout with not much seperating both sides. But a 22-14 fourth quarter broke the game open for the hosts as they booked their third Final Four place in four years.

Kyle Hnes and Vassilis Spanoulis both 19 points for the victors who could end up facing bitter rivals Panathinaikos if they overcome Maccabi in Athens on the 5th April.

Nikos Zisis and David Andersen both hit 15 points for Montepaschi Siena.