Lokomotiv Kuban defeated UNICS in the Game of the Week – 87:75 (12:18, 37:22, 12:22, 26:13).
Game progress
Although both teams are in the League Top 4 in performance, the Kazan team defense allowed Loko to score only 12 points. However, the guests were quickly able to adjust offense. Andrei Vedischev team caught up with UNICS midway through the second quarter, then Antonius Cleveland and B.J. Johnson had a brilliant stretch that gave Loko a double-digit lead. After winning the quarter 37:22, the guests had 10-point lead by halftime – 49:40.
UNICS started the second half with a 16:0 run and did not let Loko score for 5 minutes. By the end of the third quarter, the hosts had minimal advantage – 62:61.
Key moment
Loko had more energy left for the end. An important three-pointer by Kirill Elatontsev and 10 points in 3 minutes from Patrick Miller allowed the Krasnodar team to increase the lead. Then, just like in the second quarter, Johnson and Cleveland duo got involved and did not let UNICS to get back into the game (the Kazan team also lost DeVaughn Akoon-Purcell due to foul trouble).
Loko got 4th win in a row, 3 were on the road, and pulled away from the Kazan team.
X-factor
Kirill Elatontsev. The League best young player of the 2023/24 season showed high class. Throughout the game, Loko bigman worked hard both on defense and offense, becoming the leader in plus-minus (+29) and efficiency.
Facts
Jalen Reynolds became the second best international scorer in the VTB League (1,956 points). Only Nando De Colo (2296) remained ahead.
Kirill Elatontsev had best game of the season and made his second three-pointer of the (the first was in September game against MBA-MAI).
Leaders
UNICS: Marcos Knight (21), DeVaughn Akoon-Purcell (13), Mikhail Belenitskii (6 + 5 rebounds), Louis Labeyrie (4 + 5 rebounds), Jalen Reynolds (4 + 8 rebounds).
Lokomotiv Kuban: Antonius Cleveland (20), Kirill Elatontsev (15 + 6 rebounds), Patrick Miller (14 + 5 assists), B.J Johnson (14), Vladislav Emchenko (4 + 7 assists).
What’s next
UNICS: December 4 on the road versus Astana
Lokomotiv Kuban: December 5 on the road against Samara.
