MBA-MAI beat Astana on the road – 76:63 (20:18, 15:15, 20:21, 21:9).

Game progress
Astana and MBA-MAI remained the only 2 teams without wins. Vasily Karasev assumed that the fight would be uncompromising, and he was not mistaken. At the end of the first half, the rivals were separated by 2 points (35:33). The Moscow team controlled the rebounding, which Astana compensated with individual skill and long-range shots by Markell Johnson, who returned from injury. He was actively supported by Rustam Murzagaliev and Daniel Utomi.

Key moment
The decisive moment of the game came just in the ending. An important factor was Astana early foul trouble – the Moscow team regularly scored free-throws. However, in the fourth quarter, MBA-MAI managed to defend Johnson and Utomi, so the hosts made 6 points for most of the quarter. During Astana 3-minute dry stretch, the Russian team scored 8 points and for the first time pushed the opponent to a comfortable distance – 68:60 with 3.5 minutes before the end.

Astana never managed to get its offense going. Soon the advantage became double-digit and, despite Fotis Takianos’ team resistance, MBA-MAI got its first win of the season.

X-factor
Despite 4 points in the game against PARMA, Andrey Zubkov was the best scorer among Russian players and bigmen (16 points on average). Today Zubkov showed again that he is in top shape at the start of the season – 26 points, 13 rebounds and 2 assists on 8 of 16 shooting from the field.

Facts
Astana and MBA-MAI were the only teams without wins at the start of the season (0-5). Both teams have their worst start ever in the League.

MBA-MAI finished last regular season with 5 road wins. This streak started with the game in Kazakhstan.

The rivalry history score is now 6-1. The only time Astana beat MBA-MAI was in January this year (80-71).

Pasha Ismailov got new career-high in the VTB League (11 points).

Today is 22 years since Evgeny Voronov made his debut in the elite of Russian basketball. MBA-MAI guard started his pro career on October 12, 2002.

Leaders
Astana: Markell Johnson (18 + 7 assists), Daniel Utomi (16 + 6 rebounds), Rustam Murzagaliev (14)
MBA-MAI: Andrey Zubkov (26 + 13 rebounds), Pasha Ismailov (11 + 5 rebounds), Vladislav Trushkin (10 + 7 rebounds), Evgeny Voronov (10 + 5 assists).

What’s next
Astana: October 15 on the road versus UNICS
MBA-MAI: October 15 on the road against Avtodor.