Loko boosted up defense and defeated Avtodor

Loko boosted up defense and defeated Avtodor

Lokomotiv Kuban beat Avtodor at home – 85:63 (21:18, 16:19, 20:8, 28:18).

Game progress
The first half was tense, the lead shifting from Loko to Avtodor and back again. At the start of the second quarter, Dominic Mavra made the guests lead to 7 points, but the Krasnodar team quickly equalise the score, preventing Avtodor from increasing the difference. By halftime, the score was equal – 37:37.

Key moment
Until the middle of the third quarter, Avtodor kept pace with Loko and even led. But at some point, the hosts sharply increased their pressure on defense, provoking opponent to make turnovers and difficult shots. Milenko Bogicevic’s team couldn’t score for 6 minutes: during that time Loko made a 15-0 run and approached the final period with a comfortable lead – 57:45. The Saratov team failed to correct the game and DeVaughn Akoon-Purcell gave Loko 22-point lead with 2 three-pointers and turned the rest of the game into a formality. With their second win in a row, the Krasnodar team secured the place in the Playoff zone.

X-factor
In the middle of the third quarter, Loko turned on such a strong defense that almost every possession the guest made a turnover. The Saratov team had 19 turnovers compared to 10 by Loko, and Avtodor scored only 26 points in the second half.

Fact
DeVaughn Akoon-Purcell scored 22 points for the 2nd game in a row. The  guard has a total of 3 out of 6 games with 20+ points, and Loko has won all such games.

Leaders
Lokomotiv Kuban: DeVaughn Akoon-Purcell (22 + 7 rebounds), Jaylen Barford (15), Okaro White (10 + 5 rebounds), Kirill Elatontsev (6 + 6 rebounds).
Avtodor: Dominic Mavra (18), Rayshawn Hammonds (13 + 5 rebounds).

What’s next
Lokomotiv Kuban (6-5): November 22 at home against Runa
Avtodor (3-8): November 22 away versus MINSK.