Sometimes a game is decided by a single shot and the VTB United League has been witness to more than 40 game-winners. We’ve narrowed the list to the top 10 most ridiculous, improbable and influential game-winners in League history.
Sonny Weems (Zalgiris)
When: January 12, 2012, regular season
Opponent: Khimki
Result: A record crowd of 12,220 fans going berserk
This game in 2012 between Lithuanian powerhouse Zalgiris and Khimki drew a League record 12,220 fans to the Zalgiris Arena. The Lithuanians simply could not lose with that type of support.
Forward Sonny Weems scored the game-winner in unusual fashion. The American drove the lane and threw down a monster dunk with seconds remaining on the clock, leaving Khimki’s defense helpless.
Cuthbert Victor (Krasny Oktyabr)
When: October 14, 2013, regular season
Opponent: Tsmoki-Minsk
Result: Krasny Oktyabr’s first win in the VTB United League
It’s going to be hard for anyone to ever top Krasny Oktyabr’s VTB United League debut. Volgograd went to double overtime in its first game in the League, scoring 113 points behind a League-record 40 points from star guard Randy Culpepper.
But the game-winner belonged to teammate Cuthbert Victor. The forward snagged Igor Zamansky’s lob in the final seconds and converted the layup, scoring the only game-winning alley-oop in League history.
Marius Runkauskas (Neptunas)
When: January 12, 2014, regular season
Opponent: Tsmoki-Minsk
Result: Marius Runkauskas set the League record for 3-pointers, which lasted more than two years
Marius Runkauskas had the game of his career vs. Tsmoki-Minsk on January 12, 2014. The Lithuanian guard scored 40 points, knocking down 10 3-pointers to set a new League record.
The game-winner also came from beyond the arc. After getting his first shot blocked, Runkauskas grabbed the rebound and somehow knocked down the fadeaway three with time expiring.
James Augustine (Khimki)
When: January 26, 2014, regular season
Opponent: CSKA
Result: The win helped Khimki record the best regular season in League history (18-0)
The Leningradka Derby has a rich history, but it will be tough to ever top this classic finish from the 2013-14 season. With five seconds remaining, the home team trailed by two points. Khimki fans were simply praying for an overtime and an extra five minutes to take down rival CSKA.
But Khimki miraculously found a way to win the game in regulation. Kresimir Loncar leveled the score with a bucket under the basket, then James Augustine picked off CSKA’s pass and banked in a game-winning three at the buzzer. Augustine finished 12-12 from the field in the contest and Khimki improved to 13-0 on the season.
Anthony Fisher (Enisey)
When: February 25, 2014, regular season
Opponent: Turow
Result: Enisey clinched a playoff berth
Midway through the 2013-14 season, Enisey was enjoying the best campaign in club history. Under the guidance of Stevan Karadzic, the team had a winning record and was on the verge of a playoff berth. Enisey simply needed to beat Turow Poland at home to clinch a spot in the postseason.
Krasnoyarsk had squandered a 13-point lead down the stretch and overtime looked likely before Anthony Fisher came to the rescue. With time expiring, the Enisey guard found an inch of daylight on the perimeter and threw up a prayer. The ball bounced around the rim several times before dropping through the strings!
Petr Gubanov (Nizhny Novgorod)
When: May 17, 2014, playoffs
Opponent: Khimki
Result: Nizhny Novgorod would advance to the VTB United League playoff semifinals
Despite posting an 18-0 record in the regular season, Khimki proved helpless against Nizhny Novgorod in the quarterfinals. The scrappy Volga club won the first game in dramatic fashion and went on to sweep the series.
With 1.6 seconds remaining in Game 1, Nizhny trailed by one with possession of the ball. Petr Gubanov was ready for the moment. The Russian forward caught the inbounds pass in the corner, turned and drained a contested three over James Augustine’s outstretched arms.
Several months earlier, Khimki had shocked CSKA with James Augustine’s buzzer-beating three. This time they were on the losing end of a miracle shot and never recovered, dropping the next two game to crash out of the playoffs.
Randy Culpepper (Krasny Oktyabr)
When: December 7, 2014, regular season
Opponent: Krasnye Krylia
Result: Oktyabr moved above .500 with the win (5-4)
Nobody can touch the move Randy Culpepper put on Andrei Mateiunas in December 2014. With the score tied, Culpepper sent the Krasnye Krylia defender flying on the perimeter, before knocking down the game-winner in front of the home crowd.
That was the 4th-straight win for Krasny Oktyabr, helping Volgograd briefly move into playoff position.
Rob Lowery (Astana)
When: November 20, 2016, regular season
Opponent: Enisey
Result: Astana would ultimately squeak into the postseason
Even though this game was played in November, Astana and Enisey both understood the stakes with both teams battling for a postseason berth that season. The game went to double overtime and featured one of the most improbable buzzer-beating shots in League history.
Leonidas Kaselakis had a chance to win the game for Astana in regulation, but only made one of three free throws in the final seconds. During the first overtime, Astana gave up a game-tying 3-pointer to Enisey with 30 seconds to go, then missed three potential game-winners to run out the clock.
Double overtime proved the lucky charm. With Astana trailing by two, Rob Lowery initially tried to drive the lane, but mishandled the ball and was forced to launch from 30 feet. Somehow, the ball splashed through the strings, giving his team an improbable win… Five months later, Astana would qualify for the postseason by a single game over Nizhny Novgorod and Avtodor.
Maxim Sheleketo (Avtodor)
When: February 3, 2018, regular season
Opponent: Lokomotiv-Kuban
Result: Loko’s 26-game winning streak (including the EuroCup and Russian Cup) came to an end
Entering February, Lokomotiv-Kuban had won an incredible 26 consecutive games between the VTB United League, EuroCup and Russian Cup, including 11 straight in the League, and expected to continue the streak vs. Saratov.
But Avtodor proved the Railwaymen were not invincible, even at home. Saratov erased a 17-point deficit in the second half with Justin Robinson finding a wide-open Maxim Sheleketo on the perimeter for the final shot. The Russian forward made his former team pay.
Artem Komolov (Nizhny Novgorod)
When: March 18, 2018, regular season
Opponent: Astana
Result: Nizhny Novgorod moved to 9th in the standings and improved its playoff chances
With eight seconds remaining in the 4th quarter, Astana led by two points and had possession, but Nizhny Novgorod somehow found a way to win.
The home team began by forcing a turnover on the inbounds pass, then got bailed out by Artem Komolov on the perimeter. Despite excellent defense from one of the League’s best stoppers in Leonidas Kaselakis, Komolov’s high-arcing shot found the bottom of the net.
