Ensiey beat Avtodor and got the 6th win of the season – 88:84 (23:20, 19:19, 24:22, 22:23).
Game progress
At the end of the first stage of the regular season, Enisey was finally able to get into a good shape. The Krasnoyarsk team forced to catch up with opponents in the playoffs place fight. The Siberian team was separated from Avtodor by 2 wins before this game. So the face-to-face game with the Saratov team was an excellent chance for the hosts to get closer.
The Krasnoyarsk team confidently started the game as always.Angelo Warner and Sergey Balashov helped the hosts to take the lead – 14:7. However, the guests quickly returned to the game with the help of Scott Machado and Malik Newman. Throughout the first half, neither team could build a decisive lead. Somewhere Avtodor reduced the difference to a minimum, somewhere the Siberian team had a double-digit lead. As a result, by the halftime, Enisey led by only 3 points – 42:39.
Key moment
After a pick-and-roll by Scott Machado and Brandon Garrett in the middle of the fourth quarter, the Saratov team took the lead for the first time – 76:74. In the end, the guests also acted as leaders. Two minutes before the end, after Danilo Nikolic made the Volga team to lead by 3 points – 84:81.
But the hosts shined at the decisive moment of the game. First, Timofei Gerasimov shot and James Thompson free-throws returned the Krasnoyarsk team the lead – 85:84. And Ivan Viktorov three-pointer with 7 seconds left finally determined the winning team – 88:84.
Key factor
The Siberian team is among the worst teams in the League in three-point percentage. But in this game, the team made 11 of 18 (61.1%), repeating the team season best of the season.
Fact
Avtodor confirmed the status of the League’s only home winning team. The Saratov team lost 10 of 11 road games in the regular season.
Leaders
Enisey: Timofei Gerasimov (14 + 6 rebounds + 6 assists), Angelo Warner (14 + 7 rebounds + 8 assists), Ivan Viktorov (14), James Thompson (12 + 6 rebounds), Sergey Balashov (12)
Avtodor: Danilo Nikolic (20 + 5 rebounds), Malik Newman (18 + 6 rebounds), Brandon Garrett (15), Scott Machado (12 + 8 assists), Rade Zagorac (10)
Next games
Enisey: road game against PARMA-PARI on January 19
Avtodor: home game versus UNICS on January 20
