Intro:

Gescrap BB beat CSKA Moscow at the Bilbao Arena on Wednesday to reduce the deficit in their play-off series to 2-1.

Elsewhere Olympiacos beat Montepaschi Siena - the Greek side now lead 2-1 and are one win away from the final four.

Script:

Four teams across Europe were in action for Game 3 of the 2012 Euroleague playoffs on Wednesday.

Gescrap BB played host to CSKA Moscow at the Bilbao Arena with a capacity crowd of 10,000 in attendance and the home side hoping to reduce a 2-0 deficit to the Russian side and avoid defeat, which would have eliminated them from the series.

Kostas Vasiliadis shone in the first quarter, leading a 12-0 run that allowed Gescrap to get a 25-24 lead after 10 minutes.

An outstanding Marko Banic soon allowed Gescrap to boost their margin to 47-40 at half-time, although it seemed that the tenacious Russian outfit were on the verge of making a comeback.

However Gescrap kept finding open shots after the break and free throws by Roger Grimau capped a 9-0 run that gave the hosts a 71-55 margin, and a commanding lead, late in the third quarter.

The home side continued to press and were rewarded at the full time buzzer with their first-ever Euroleague playoff win, a 94-81 victory.

Vasiliadis paced the winners with 20 points. Banic added 18, Aaron Jackson had 13 while Alex Mumbru got 12 for Gescrap.

That allowed Gescrap BB to pull a game back, but CSKA still have a 2-1 lead in the series.

At the Peace and Friendship Stadium in Greece Olympiacos Piraeus took on Montepaschi Siena with the best-of-five series level at 1-1.

After a close opening quarter, Olympiacos started to build a lead in the second and went ahead 32-21 by half-time - they went on to dominate from there.

An 8-0 start to the second half, highlighted by Evangelos Mantzaris, put the hosts in total control.

The advantage soared as high as 29 points in the fourth quarter as Olympiacos marched to an impressive 75-55 victory to grab a stranglehold in the series at 2-1.

However the Italian side are notoriously unpredictable and will be hoping for a turnaround like they managed in last season's playoffs when Olympiacos won big in the first game in Piraeus, but Montepaschi came back to win the next three and the series.

The basket of the game undoubtedly this monstrous dunk from Kostas Papanikolaou.

Bo McCalebb led the Siena attack with 15 points and David Andersen added 12.

The Reds of Greece host Game 4 on Friday knowing a win will send the club back to the Final Four for the third time in four years.