Avtodor downed Lokmotiv-Kuban at home – 89:85 ОТ (18:16, 20:24, 23:24, 20:17, 8:4).
Top scorers
Avtodor: Drew Gordon (27 + 15 rebounds), Gian Clavell (24 + 5 rebounds), Zelko Sakic (13 + 9 rebounds), Nate Mason (8 + 12 assists + 5 rebounds).
Lokomotiv-Kuban: Will Cummings (29), Alan Williams (17 + 11 rebounds), Kevin Hervey (15 + 8 rebounds), Mindaugas Kuzminskas (14 + 6 rebounds + 5 assists).
Story
The teams were cautious and didn’t rush to score a lot of points. The hosts were the first to wake up. Avtodor took the lead after three-pointers by Anton Kvitkovskikh and Nikita Mikhailovskii. Drew Gorodn followed with 7 points. At some point, the Volga club had reached 12-point margin – 18:6. But the end of the quarter was dominated by Kuban. The guests made 10:0 run thanks to small players, and they got to one-shot distance – 16:18.
The play remained careful in the second quarter. Gian Clavell was on fire, and Kuban tried to win in the paint. Neither side managed to build a comfortable lead. After pick and roll by Will Cummings and Alan Williams, Loko won the first half – 40:38.
Alan Williams, Mindaugas Kuzminskas and Will Cummings tried to make a run in the early third quarter. They reached 9-point lead – 57:48, but Saratov had their heros. Drew Gordon and Gian Clavell brought Avtodor back to one-shot difference – 61:64.
Key moment
The teams didn’t fit in regulation time, and its end was extremely dramatic. First, Avtodor defense committed unforced error that gave away easy three-pointer to Will Cummings. The hosts were rescued by Drew Gordon. A bit chaotic possesion of Avtodor in the last seconds was finished by the center’s insane three-pointer of the backboard – 81:81.
🚨 OVERTIME ALERT!@xtraGORDONary32 pic.twitter.com/u8IS7o3Jdo
— VTB League (@VTBUL) November 15, 2020
The OT turned out to be dramatic as well. 16 seconds before the buzzer, Loko were trailing by 2 and stepped on court after a timeout for a decisive play. Kevin Hervey’s three-pointer was no good, but Mindaugas Kuzmiskas took the offensive rebound. The hosts fouled on the Lithuanian, so he went to the line. Surprisingly, the experienced missed both free throws, and everpresent Drew Gordon made a rebound.
Hero
Drew Gordon’s performance was genuinely fantasitc. The American became the winners’ top-scorer with 27 points and best rebounder (15). Plus, he made a career high of efficiency points (37). But the main surprise was his three-pointers. He’d made only one shot from beyond the arc during the whole career in the League before this game. Tonight, he sank 4 including a bailout shot in the end of regulation.
Stat
4-game winning streak of Loko ended in Saratov.
Comment
Avtodor head coach Gordie Herbert:
“We had great individual performances but we won as a team. We fought well as a team, we played well as a team, we stuck together as a team. I’m really proud of our guys. Thank you fans for the incredible support.”
Lokomotiv-Kuban head coach Evgeny Pashutin:
“The game was tough as we expected. We were laid back in the beginning and allowed 10-point lead for Avtodor. Then we came back when we started defending. In the end, we couldn’t make an important rebound whih led to open shots. And of course, Gordon’s three-pointer that brought the OT. Our players were moving so there was a risk of unsportsmanlike foul. In the last two possessions, we’ve had open shots, but ddin’t make it. Avtodor played well and desered to win. We have to work on our defense and not get in such situations.”
Next
Avtodor: December 07 at Khimki
Lokomotiv-Kuban: Novmeber 22 at Enisey
Photo
