Kalev defeated Astana in the Kazakh capital, 78-72 (26-13, 20-18, 12-18, 20-23).
Top Scorers
Astana: Rob Lowery (21+6 ast), Ian Miller (21), Ousman Krubally (16+9 reb+4 stl)
Kalev: Rain Veideman (24), Mark Tollefsen (12+5 reb), Sten Sokk (10+6 reb+6 ast), Demonte Harper (10)
Recap
After snapping a nine-game skid with a win over Parma last week, Kalev was looking to keep its playoff hopes alive with another big victory.
Astana also needed a win. After losing five of six against brutal competition, the Kazakhs were in danger of slipping to 8th with a loss.
Kalev struck first. Led by Rain Veideman’s nine points in the 1st quarter, the visitors picked up a 26-13 lead.
Nothing changed in the 2nd quarter. Astana played a bit better on offense, but couldn’t make up any lost ground, entering halftime with a 46-31 deficit.
The momentum began to shift in the 3rd. Astana got within five on an Ousman Krubally layup, 54-49, with a little under four minutes to go, but Kalev pushed the lead back to nine by the end of the period. The home team went scoreless over the final 3:49, missing a great opportunity to make it even closer.
Astana continued to battle in the 4th, but Kalev always had an answer. The Kazakhs never got closer than six down the stretch, slumping to a 4th-straight loss, 78-72. Kalev improves to 4-11 and trails Astana by two games for the final playoff spot.
The Estonians also complete a season sweep after taking down Astana in Tallinn earlier in the year.
Stat
33% – Astana shot 25-75 from the field as a team, including 6-29 from the perimeter. Ilias Papatheodorou’s club had plenty of opportunities, but simply could not convert.
Quotes
Astana head coach Ilias Papatheodorou:
– We got off to a really bad start, especially our offense. We started to shift the momentum in the second half. We were aggressive and energized, but our shooting let us down in key moments. That’s why we lost.
Kalev head coach Alar Varrak:
– It was an even game. We managed to win the first half by a big margin. That was the key to the win. We lost the second half. Astana played better, but we had a lead of 8-10 points and we were able to preserve that margin.
Up Next
Astana: February 15 at Lokomotiv-Kuban
Kalev: February 13 vs. Nizhny Novgorod
