Runa defeated MINSK on the road – 86:79 (19:16, 16:26, 25:14, 26:23).
Game progress
MINSK started with a 9:2 run, but Runa then replied with 10 unanswered points. The hosts had a good second quarter and were able to get a slight lead by the halftime – 42:35.
Erturul Erdogan managed to correct Runa offense. Ilia Popov and Juwan Morgan began to gradually cut the deficit. Popov 11 points in the third quarter helped the Moscow team take a lead before the final quarter – 60:56.
Key moment
Runa got the lead and wasn’t about to let it go. After Jeremiah Hill long-range shot, the guests lead reached 10 points. However, MINSK made one last attempt to tie the game. The hosts managed to cut the difference to 5 points and Zach Smith could have cut to a 3-point deficit, but missed a layup with 30 seconds left. Runa ended the losing streak and continued to fight for the play-in.
X-factor
Ilia Popov has never scored more than 16 points this season, but today’s game was a special one. Runa center set a career-high 25 points and helped to to hold the lead. But for MINSK leader Jarred Ogungbemi-Jackson, the game was even more disappointing than the previous one – only 13 points and 4 of 17 shots from the game.
Fact
Runa marked the longest active losing streak in the League (5 games) after MINSK before this game.
Juwan Morgan has a season-high 36 eff. points.
Leaders
MINSK: Jovan Sljivancanin (16), Jakob Cebasek (14 + 6 rebounds), Jarred Ogungbemi-Jackson (13 + 6 assists), Zach Smith (10 + 6 rebounds).
Runa: Ilya Popov (25 + 8 rebounds), Jeremiah Hill (16 + 5 rebounds + 7 assists), Juwan Morgan (16 points + 12 rebounds + 6 assists + 3 steals + 3 blocks), Nikola Ivanovic (13).
What’s next
MINSK (0-34): March 27 at home versus Astana
Runa (13-21): March 28 at home against Pari Nizhny Novgorod.
