Avtodor defeated Pari Nizhny Novgorod at home – 94:83 (27:13, 30:21, 19:25, 18:24).
Game progress
The start of the game was equal. But soon Jamal Jones 3 long-range shots let Avtodor to get ahead. After a three-pointer by Bryant Crawford, the hosts had a double-digit lead – 23:12.
The Saratov team didn’t stop there and continued to build the lead with great defense and strong offense. The hosts outperformed the opponent in all key elements: dominated the rebounding (16-9), made less turnovers (6-12) and had better field-goal percentage (58%-50%). All of this was reflected in the score. Avtodor wegot a 23-point lead by halftime – 57:34.
The third quarter began with Pari NN 7-point run, which allowed to hope for a comeback. Nizhny Novgorod began to gradually cut the deficit, and Zach Nutall helped to reduce the difference to just 8 points – 59:67.
Key moment
Still, a timeout helped Avtodor coaching staff put an end to the Nizhny Novgorod comeback attempt. Caleb Agada was the hero. The guard scored 2 three-pointers, made an assist and played great defense several times. The Saratov team regained a comfortable lead. In the final quarter, the guests cut the lead a bit, but there was no real intrigue.
X-factor
Avtodor is known for its defense this season. But the Saratov team offense came to the forefront tonight. The hosts scored season-high 94 points.
Jamal Jones was the leading scorer for Avtodor. The forward made 10 of 12 field-goals (4 of 5 three-pointers) and scored season-high 28 points.
Facts
Artem Klimenko played his 250th game in the League. He became the 20th player in history to reach that milestone.
Charles Manning made his debut for Avtodor. The Volga team newcomer had 2 points, 3 assists, 3 steals and 1 rebound.
Leaders
Avtodor: Jamal Jones (28), Caleb Agada (15 + 8 assists + 5 rebounds), Dusan Beslac (12 + 6 rebounds), Bryant Crawford (11 + 8 assists), Aleksandr Petenev (10).
Pari Nizhny Novgorod: Nemanja Djurisic (17 + 5 assists), Aleksandr Khomenko (16 + 6 rebounds + 5 assists), Zach Nutall (16 + 5 rebounds).
What’s next
Avtodor: December 25 at home against CSKA.
Pari Nizhny Novgorod: December 26 on the road versus Lokomotiv Kuban.
