The League has been rocked by upsets in the opening weeks, hinting at a much more competitive season than may have been expected.
On Sunday, Enisey provided the latest shock, taking down Lokomotiv-Kuban in its home opener. Playing at the Basket Hall, Krasnoyarsk relied on stingy defense and smart execution to overcome its favored opponent. After back-to-back losses to CSKA (97-84) and UNICS (100-56), what did Enisey do differently in Krasnodar?
Defense
Enisey’s defense was less than impressive to open the season, giving up a combined 197 points to CSKA and UNICS. But the Siberian club made some key adjustments and brought Loko’s offense to a grinding halt.
Better paint defense was a huge factor. Krasnoyarsk smothered Krasnodar’s big men in the post and shut down Loko’s ability to penetrate the lane. Every time a Loko big man got the ball down low, a Enisey defender slid over to provide help.
That created holes on the perimeter. One or two Krasnodar shooters were generally open from the outside.
But Kuban wasn’t able to take advantage and struggled to move the ball. The big men were cautious, giving the ball to the nearest teammate. When Lokomotiv did try something riskier, Enisey often forced a turnover.
Not surprisingly, Krasnoyarsk’s new defensive approach was effective. The team gave up more than 40 points in the paint in its first two outings (42 to CSKA, 48 to UNICS). Kuban only scored 28. Combined with Loko’s shooting woes (6-21 from downtown), Enisey’s strategy worked beautifully.
Pick-and-roll
On offense, the pick-and-roll with Frank Elegar was Enisey’s best option. The center shot 8-11 from the field, primarily by dunking the ball every chance he got. Surprisingly, forward Vasily Zavoruev got the bulk of the assists, not one of Krasnoyarsk’s guards (Taylor or Wayns). Zavoruev ended with seven assists, including three to Elegar.
3-pointers
Enisey was second-to-last in three-point field-goal percentage last season. Against Loko, the visitors had mixed success: 9-28 (32%). Despite the mediocre percentage, several 3’s came at crucial moments.
During the second half, Enisey twice knocked down three consecutive 3-pointers. Each time, the outburst on the perimeter was essential in stopping a Lokomotiv run and keeping Krasnoyarsk in the game.
Effort
The home team was coming off a win in the Eurocup and expected to take care of business in its home debut. Enisey, on the other hand, had just been embarrassed in Kazan and were desperate to avoid an 0-3 start.
In the end, Enisey’s motivation outweighed Loko’s superior talent. That was especially evident on 50-50 balls, which the visitors tended to win. One moment late in the 3rd quarter sticks out. Battling for a rebound, Enisey center Igor Kanygin ripped the ball from Vladimir Ivlev and finished with a powerful dunk.
Clutch free-throw shooting
Enisey did a great job of converting at the line late in the game. Taylor and Trushkin were a perfect 6-6 in the final three minutes, twice helping Enisey tie the score, while Taylor’s final two free throws gave his team the win.
Execution down the stretch
Krasnoyarsk didn’t secure the win until the final buzzer. On the final two possessions, both coaches went to iso plays, but only Enisey enjoyed success.
Oleg Okulov made smart substitutions in the final minute, bringing the more athletic Trushkin in to replace Braimoh. He would ultimately play a huge role in the victory. First, he did a good job of staying in front of Rochestie, forcing the Loko guard to rush his shot.
In the final seconds, Trushkin secured another huge stop, blocking Broekhoff’s potential game-winner.
On offense, Krasnoyarsk guard Taylor did a better job of converting than Rochestie. Blowing by his defender, Vladimir Ivlev, Taylor drew a foul and knocked down two free throws to give Enisey a 68-66 lead.
Enisey surprised fans with the win in Krasnodar. But it’s too early to draw any far-reaching conclusions. Both teams have a lot of work to do and need to improve as the season progresses. Lokomotiv will likely bounce back quickly from the defeat, while Enisey should be a playoff contender and continue to cause problems for the League’s top clubs.
