Lokomotive-Kuban at home took over Enisey — 101:93 (21:30, 21:17, 22:13, 37:33).
The best scorers:
Lokomotiv-Kuban: Jonathan Motley (28 + 7 rebounds + 3 blocks), Errick McCollum (24 + 7 assists), Stanton Kidd (19 + 6 rebounds + 3 steals), Ivan Paunic (14).
Enisey: Casper Ware (28 + 5 assists), Darral Willis (24 + 9 rebounds), Rion Brown (12 + 5 rebounds + 3 steals).
Game progress
The favorite of this game was Loko. And the hosts tried to seize the initiative from the very first minutes. But they were only enough for the starting flash in 2 shots by Andrey Martyuk. The guests demonstrated a perfect offence in the start of the game. The Siberian team led by Casper Ware implemented their first 7 shots, including 4 three-pointers. By the time of the Krasnoyarsk team’s first miss, their lead was already 14 points – 22:8.
Loko revived with Errick McCollum. The guard shot 6 free-throws, scored a couple of shots from the field and inspired his team to make a comeback. In the middle of the second quarter after Stanton Kidd’s three, the hosts finally caught up with the opponent – 36:36. The game at that moment had already turned into Jonathan Motley and Casper Ware duel. By the halftime, the leaders of both teams had 20 points apiece. In the quarter, the Siberian team still had the last word. Effective 2-pointers by Brinton Lemar and Sergey Mitusov kept Enisey in the lead at the end of the first half of the game– 47:42.
🔥 @Moneymot5 with 20 PTS in 1st Half vs Enisey! pic.twitter.com/oPuZAAR1uJ
— VTB League (@VTBUL) November 7, 2021
The key moment
At the end of the third 10 minutes, the hosts still seized the initiative. Two threes by Stanton Kidd returned the Kuban team to the lead in the game, and lay-ups by Ivan Paunic and Errick McCollum secured it – 68:61. The Siberian team, however, had enough strength for a comeback. Two minutes before the buzzer, they were only 3 points behind – 83:86.
But at that moment, Stanton Kidd said his weighty word. The American forward realized two threes in a row, and Loko again broke away in the score – 92:83. At the end of the game, the guests tried to escape by using tactical fouls, but they never got closer than 4 points to the opponent.
Hero
Jonathan Motley was the main Loko offencive option throughout the game. The forward updated his personal best in points in the League (28 points) and became the most productive and effective (31) player of this game.
Numbers
101 – Loko confirmed the status of the most resultative team of the Laegue. For the second time in five games this season, Loko broke a hundred. In addition, they updated their own season record in points scored in one quarter (37 points).
Comments
Evgeny Pashutin, Lokomotiv-Kuban Head Coach :
– Congratulations to everyone on the win. The game turned out to be contradictory – we did not immediately get into the rhythm of the game, and the opponent seized the initiative. But the team showed character, patience and eventually achieved an important win. Frankly speaking, playing with empty stands is frustrating. Basketball is the game, it requires emotions. I wish our fans that this story with the pandemic will end as soon as possible and they will be able to support the team in the Basket Hall.
Drazen Anzulovic, Enisey Head Coach:
– We started losing control of the game in the second quarter. The bigmen did not get into the rhythm of the game and could not make the contribution that we expected from them. On individual skill today, several players scored more than 20 points, but basketball is a team game, their efforts were not enough to confront such a team as Lokomotiv-Kuban. They have gathered strong performers and they took advantage of the chances they got in the game. They deserved to win.
What’s next
Lokomotiv-Kuban: away against Zielona Gora on November 13.
Enisey: November 21 at home with Avtodor.
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