Avtodor beat Enisey on the road and got the second win in a row after Branislav Vicentic appointment – 86:82 (19:24, 26:19, 18:17, 23:22).
Game progress
Enisey (8-16) and Avtodor (8-15) had 4th and 3rd places in the Group B, and the game was extremely important for the fight for the playoffs. At the end of January, the Saratov team fired the third head coach for the season – Branislav Vicentic replaced Darko Russo. The Serbian coach started with the win over Samara.
The first half was equal with a small Enisey lead – Timofei Gerasimov resultative game helped. Malik Newman and Brandon Garrett helped Avtodor to get a slight advantage before the halftime – 45:43.
Key moment
The third quarter did not change the game, in the fourth quarter it continued and the game turned into the clutch. Scott Machado became the key player. 1.41 before the end, the guard made an extra-long three-pointer and after a similar Angelo Warner made shot, Machadoo scored a second-chance points.
Warner areplied again and gave Enisey another chance, Newman missed his shot in the next possession. Angelo failed to score again. The American, with the score 82:84 in the last seconds, was blocked by Danilo Nikolic, who then made both free-throws. Avtodor won the second game in a row after Vicentic came and improved the place in the fight for the playoffs.
Key factor
Malik Newman. The American had the best game of the season, updating his season high in points (27 with 9 out of 18 from the game), as well as season high in rebounds (6) and assists (6) with 1 turnover and 35 eff. points.
Fact
Timofei Gerasimov updated his career high in three-pointers already at the end of the first half, when he made 5 out of 6 and had 19 points (the previous record was 4 threes). In the second half, the Russian guard also set the season high – 24 (previously 21).
Leaders
Enisey: Timofei Gerasimov (24), Angelo Warner (20 + 7 assists), James Thompson (8 + 8 rebounds)
Avtodor: Malik Newamn (27 + 6 rebounds + 6 assists), Scott Machado (14 + 5 rebounds + 8 assists), Brandon Garrett (14 + 5 rebounds), Danilo Nikolic (13)
Next games
Enisey: home game versus PARMA-PARI on February 12
Avtodor: home game against MINSK on February 14
