Top stories from the past seven days in the League, including the Leningradka derby, Itoudis’ ejection, the season’s first overtime and VEF’s rebirth.
Emotions run high at sold-out Leningradka Derby
The most anticipated game of the autumn did not disappoint, adding another chapter to the storied Khimki – CSKA rivalry. The meeting in Moscow Region featured everything you’d expect from a heated rivalry: a sold-out, frenzied crowd; Dimitris Itoudis’ first-ever ejection–the CSKA coach ended up watching the final minutes alongside Khimki’s dance team and security personnel–and building tension on the court that spilled over into unsportsmanlike and technical fouls.
Dimitris Itoudis join @Khimkibasket dance team 💃💃💃 pic.twitter.com/fpuG4a4VMK
— VTB United League (@VTBUL) November 6, 2017
Pedal to the metal speeds, high-powered execution, dazzling performances from the likes of Nando De Colo and Alexey Shved and Nikita Kurbanov rising to the occasion — all this and more made for an outstanding game that stayed heated until the very end.
CSKA has now won 13 in a row against Khimki, but this season’s rivalry is only getting started. These two teams will meet at least once more in the League and twice in the EuroLeague, not to mention there’s every chance they meet up in the postseason with a championship on the line. There’s a lot to look forward to in the months ahead.
Krasnodar sets records in Saratov
Lokomotiv put the game away in the 1st quarter, no exaggeration. Playing on the road, Kuban tied the League record for most lopsided score in a quarter, outscoring Avtodor 38-7 (+31). Krasnodar went on to score a new season high of 110 points, along with season highs in steals (18) and field-goal percentage (68.2).
VEF demonstrates potential in first win of the season
VEF underwent major changes in the offseason and has struggled to find an identity early in the 2017-18 campaign. Riga brought in veteran forward Rolands Freimanis at the beginning of the season. The Latvian big man quickly become a key member of the rotation, but just as quickly signed a deal in Turkey and moved on from Riga… VEF responded by playing an almost perfect game against Enisey, shooting 60% from beyond the arc, while committing only four turnovers.
Alex Perez led the charge for VEF, posting 15 points, four rebounds, 16 assists (9th-most in the League) in 33 minutes without a single turnovers. VEF has its first win.
October MVP Quino Colom and UNICS roll
UNICS made waves in the first month of the season, notching wins against Zenit and Lokomotiv-Kuban en route to a 3-0 record with guard Quino Colom winning October MVP. The Spanish star put on another show in Minsk, missing a triple-double by only three rebounds: 11 points, seven rebounds, 11 assists. Colom also scored his 1000th point in the League. Under his leadership, UNICS is now one of only two teams that remains unbeaten in the League.
First overtime of the season, Astana’s first win
Parma and Astana needed an extra five minutes to decided a winner, the first overtime of the 2017-18 season. One week ago, Astana had a chance to stun Khimki on the road, but Ike Udanoh missed a pair of free throws in the final seconds and the Kazakh club lost by a point. Justin Carter avoided a similar fate against Parma, knocking down two freebies with 10 seconds remaining to help Astana record its first win of the season. With the pressure finally off, Astana will look to build on its success in the weeks ahead.
