Lokomotiv Kuban defeated Avtodor on the road – 87:84 (21:17, 21:15, 23:20, 22:32).
Game progress
The Krasnodar team took the initiative from the first minutes. After B.J. Johnson 360 dunk, Loko lead reached 9 points and Milenko Bogicevic was forced to take a timeout. However, the hosts quickly recovered and were able to stop the Krasnodar team. A 7:0 run at the start of the second quarter helped Avtodor not only catch up, but also take the lead. Still, Vsevolod Ishchenko and Johnson allowed Loko to take a double-digit lead by halftime – 42:32.
The Saratov team situation became even more complicated in the second half. Another 8:0 run by Loko brought the lead to 18 points. Although Avtodor managed to cut the deficit, the guests held a 10-12-point advantage until the middle of the final quarter.
Key moment
The Volga team did everything to keep the game intriguing until the end. Bryant Crawford and Jamal Jones three-pointers left Loko with a 5-point lead (79:74). Avtodor had one last chance to get back a minute before the end, but Kirill Elatontsev blocked Crawford’s shot. The hosts shots in the final seconds couldn’t make a difference. Loko continues to be undefeated and leads the standings along with CSKA.
X-factor
The Krasnodar team demonstrated outrageous team play. 5 Loko players scored 10 or more points, while only Vladislav Emchenko was scoreless.
Facts
Lokomotiv Kuban has best start in club’s history (4 wins in a row). It’s been exactly 10 years since the Krasnodar team started the season with 3 or more wins.
Avtodor still can not break losing streak in the rivalry with Loko in the regular season. The Saratov team last win dates back to November 2020.
Leaders
Avtodor: Jamal Jones (22 + 6 rebounds), Bryant Crawford (16), Caleb Agada (16 + 8 assists + 5 steals), Dmitry Khaldeev (10 + 6 rebounds).
Lokomotiv Kuban: B.J. Johnson (17 + 5 rebounds), Patrick Miller (15 + 7 assists), Isaiah Whaley (12 + 8 rebounds), Karvel Anderson (10 + 6 rebounds), Andrey Martiuk (10 + 5 rebounds), Kirill Elatontsev (4 + 8 rebounds).
What’s next
Avtodor: October 6 on the road versus Astana
Lokomotiv Kuban: October 6 on the road against Zenit.
