Avtodor Russia defeated Astana Kazakhstan at home in double overtime, 92-86 (19-17, 21-19, 20-19, 14-19, 7-7, 11-5).
Top Scorers
Avtodor: Branden Frazier (21 + 5 reb + 5 ast), Coty Clarke (17 + 6 reb), Ian Hummer (16 + 7 reb)
Astana: Leonidas Kaselakis (19 + 8 reb), Malcolm Grant (16 + 7 ast), Larry Gordon (12 + 8 reb)
Story
Astana missed opportunities to win the game at the end of regulation and the first overtime, before Maxim Sheleketo’s clutch 3 and lockdown defense allowed Avtodor to emerge with a 92-86 win.
Following a loss at home to PARMA, Evgeny Pashutin & co. hoped to get back on track vs. Mikhail Karpenko and a resurgent Astana. The visitors took care of business vs. VEF a week ago, limiting the Latvians to only 53 points, and for much of Saturday’s contest gave the Avtodor offense fits.
Averaging 84 points per game entering the contest, the home team was held to 74 points in regulation.
Leading 60-55 entering the 4th quarter, Maxim Sheleketo knocked down a 3 to open the period, staking Avtodor to an eight-point advantage.
With less than three minutes remaining, Ike Udanoh capped Astana’s comeback with a dunk, tying the score at 69-69. Avtodor responded with a Justin Robinson triple and a layup from Artem Klimenko, but the visitors fired back with a 5-0 run to make it a 74-74 game with 30 seconds on the clock.
After Branden Frazier missed a jumper for Avtodor, Anthony Clemmons and Leonidas Kaselakis both had chances to win it for Astana, but couldn’t find the mark.
The first overtime was more of the same. Avtodor and Astana traded baskets and free throws, combining for only 14 points in the period. Once again, Astana enjoyed the final possession, but Robinson stripped Clemmons at the top of the key, forcing a second overtime.
Turning Point
With 3:15 to play, tied 83-83, Maxim Sheleketo drilled a 3-pointer to put Avtodor on top by three. The shot sucked the wind out of Astana’s sails.
The visitors committed turnovers on the next two possessions, allowing Avtodor to build a 90-83 lead. Despite a late 3 from Anton Ponomarev, Astana never really threatened down the stretch, allowing Saratov to secure its 6th win of the season. Astana drops to 3-10 with the defeat.
Stat
8 – The largest lead in the game was a measly eight points, 63-55 in favor of Avtodor, early in the 4th quarter.
Quotes
Avtodor head coach Evgeny Pashutin:
– People usually need some anti-stress medication after a game like this. When you win, it’s a great feeling. But it’s impossible to sleep at night, no matter the outcome. These emotions are what make our game so amazing. This is why people come to games. The adrenaline was pumping on the court and in the stands today. First of all, I want to congratulate my team on the win. The guys deserved it! Thank you to all of the fans for creating an unbelievable atmosphere. Their energy and fantastic support–the intensity in the stands–helped the players battle to the end and believe in a win, no matter what. After a loss in our previous game to PARMA, which was also decided in the final minutes, we made adjustments and grabbed almost all the defensive rebounds this time. We didn’t give our opponent a shot at second-chance points. The bench really helped. You could sense the unity. Overcoming obstacles is what makes a team stronger and prepares them to compete with anyone. We won thanks to our toughness today. I’m truly very happy and proud of the guys. We understand perfectly that everything is still to come, but today we took an important step toward the playoffs by beating a direct rival.
We were able to shift the momentum in the game largely thanks to our defense, effort and communication on the court, as well as smart switches on the perimeter. In the first overtime, we gave up seven points and in the second we only allowed Astana to score five points in five minutes. Today, we used a big rotation. We forced the visitors to shoot contested shots and grabbed the rebounds. This felt like a playoff game.
Astana head coach Mikhail Karpenko:
– The game proved extremely entertaining for the fans and brutally tough for both coaches. We had chances to win and executed the game plan. Twice, we had the final shot, at the end of regulation and the first overtime. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to score. The home team didn’t leave us a chance the third time around and proved stronger in the second overtime. I think our biggest problems were due to Clarke early on. We gave him a lot of chances to score. We also gave up some easy points in transition. Overall, I’m proud today of my players for their toughness and the work they did on the court. I’m confident that if we continue to play like this, the wins will absolutely follow.
Up Next
Avtodor: January 29 away vs. Khimki
Astana: February 11 home vs. Zenit
Photos
