Avtodor defeated Samara on the road – 94:89 OT (17:18, 23:19, 16:16, 17:20, 16:21).
Game progress
The game began with a dunk by Nikita Mikhailovskii. This was followed by equal game with both teams scoring points. Avtodor forced the opponent to foul more often, which allowed to score more (10 free throw attempts against 4). The guests led after the second quarter – 40:37.
The third quarter started with a 7-0 run by Samara. A timely timeout by Stipe Kulis had an effect on his players, and Avtodor stopped the hosts’ run. Samara was unable to increase its advantage in the paint (37 rebounds against 29). In turn, Saratov team was unable to take advantage of its opponent’s 6 turnovers in the quarter. As a result, the third quarter ended with tie – 16:16.
The final quarter, like the entire game, was equal. With 16 seconds left, Vitalius Pranauskis made 2 free throws, giving his team a 3-point lead. In response, Samara sent Dmitry Cheburkin out for a long shot, and he made it. In the remaining 6 seconds, the Saratov team couldn’t come up with anything in offense, and the teams went into overtime.
Key moment
At the start of the overtime, Danila Pokhodiaev played a key role with 7 points in a row. Malik Newman scored 13 points for Saratov team. His mid-range shot with 45 seconds left helped Avtodor to take a 7-point lead. The hosts did not have enough time to catch up.
X-factor
Malik Newman played a key role. Before the final quarter, the guard had only 6 points. In the remaining time, the American made a number of important shots, scoring 26 points and 5 rebounds.
Facts
Rivalry history score: 11-5, Avtodor leads. The last game in Samara also went into overtime, with Saratov team coming out on top (102-99).
The Saratov team ended 7-game losing streak.
Dusan Beslac set career-high in efficiency in VTB League (35).
Leaders
Samara: Nikita Mikhailovskii (26 + 11 rebounds), Gleb Sheiko (18), Mikhail Kulagin (18)
Avtodor: Malik Newman (26 + 5 rebounds), Dusan Beslac (19 + 7 rebounds + 5 steals), Grigory Motovilov (13 + 5 assists), Igor Volkhin (12 + 5 rebounds)
Next game
Samara: March 17 at home versus Enisey
Avtodor: March 15 on the road against Lokomotiv Kuban.
