Pari Nizhny Novgorod beat Lokomotiv Kuban in Krasnodar – 88:86 (25:22, 24:25, 19:23, 20:16).
Game progress
The game started with 3 straight long-range shots by Evgenii Baburin, which set the tone for the first half. Igor Volkhin backed up the veteran’s effort with 8 more points. These helped the guests to finish the first quarter with the lead – 25:22. After the break, Andrei Vedischev team shut down the opponent sharpshooters, cooling down the Volga team offense for a while, but Nizhny Novgorod was ahead for a long time. Patrick Miller and Vladislav Emchenko responded to 13 points from Ilya Karpenkov and Aleksandr Chadov to tie the score. But Nizhny Novgorod shot at the buzzer gave back the minimal lead by halftime – 49:47.
Key moment
After the break, Chadov and Karpenkov brought Nizhny Novgorod lead to 7 points, after which the Krasnodar team finally started to make long range shots. Three-pointers put the hosts ahead for the first time in the game before the final quarter – 70:68.
During the decisive quarter, neither team managed to create a lead – the score was tied 2 minutes before the end. Baburin and Sergey Zotkin answered Miller made shot, and Volkhin was awarded with 2 free throws 8 seconds before the end of the game. The newcomer made both, while Miller and Gudumak missed their shots. Nizhny Novgorod picked win from the dramatic ending.
X-factor
Long-range shots were an important reason for Nizhny Novgorod win. The Volga team made 8 of 19 three-pointers (42%).
Facts
Nizhny Novgorod had won in Krasnodar for the last time almost 2 years ago – in February 2023. That game also featured a dramatic ending, in which the Volga team scored 8 points in 70 seconds.
Igor Volkhin had his best game of the season (16 points), and Ilya Karpenkov set a career scoring record with 20 points and 5 rebounds.
All players in Nizhny’s starting five scored 10 or more points.
Leaders
Lokomotiv Kuban: Patrick Miller (20 + 6 assists), Vladislav Emchenko (17 + 5 assists), Isaiah Whaley (15 + 5 rebounds), Kirill Temirov (11).
Pari Nizhny Novgorod: Ilya Karpenkov (20 + 5 rebounds), Igor Volkhin (16 + 6 rebounds), Evgenii Baburin (16), Aleksandr Khomenko (15 + 8 rebounds + 7 assists), Aleksandr Chadov (11).
What’s next
Lokomotiv Kuban: February 1 at home versus Avtodor.
Pari Nizhny Novgorod: February 2 at home against UNICS.
