PARMA-PARI defeated Astana on the road, ended the loosing streak and led the Group B – 74:73 (13:17, 17:20, 28:15, 16:21).
Game progress
Astana (5-20) and PARMA-PARI (11-15) had 5th and 2nd places in Group B before the game.
The hosts controlled the first half, in which, in addition to Kwame Vaughn and Markell Johnson, Rustam Murzagaliiev showed – 11 points with 3 out of 4 from the game. The Perm team had poor shooting percentage (30% from the game), and the bench players scored only 4 points. Astana led 37:30 at the halftime.
PARMA-PARI changed the game in the third quarter, when Isaiah Reese scored 13 points in 10 minutes. The Perm team won the quarter by 13 points, but the Kazakh team cope with that and fans saw a clutch ending.
Key moment
50 seconds before the end, Reese scored – 74:70. Astana responded with Vaughn and-one. In the next possession, the guests missed an important chance after Reese missed shot, but then the team defended against the same Vaughn. 2 seconds before the end, Aleksandr Platunov missed 2 free-throws. The Kazakh team had no more timeouts, so it was not possible to made a good possession – 74:73.
PARMA-PARI leads the Group B now.
Fact
PARMA-PARI games in Kazakhstan are quite difficult this season. In October, the Perm team lost (72:84), this time the team won in the very end.
Key factor
Isaiah Reese scored 26 points (9 of 20 from the game), which is his VTB United League high. Earlier in the season, the American guard had more than 20 points once.
Reese also has 6 rebounds and 9 assists (repeating the second best of the season).
Leaders
Astana: Kwame Vaughn (17 + 7 assists), Rustam Murzagaliev (17), Valery Likhodey (15 + 5 rebounds), Markell Johnson (9 + 11 rebounds + 5 assists)
PARMA-PARI: Isaiah Reese (26 + 6 rebounds + 9 assists), Tylor Ongwae (12 + 6 rebounds), Danila Pokhodiaev (10 + 5 rebounds), Joel James (8 + 8 rebounds)
Next games
Astana: home game versus Avtodor on March 9
PARMA-PARI: home game against Samara on March 9
