Lokomotiv-Kuban defeated UNICS at home – 78:71 (20:13, 20:16, 18:17, 20:25).
Game progress
The Game of the Week started with the hosts’ 8:0 run. UNICS soon managed to slow Loko down, but the Krasnodar team held the advantage throughout the first quarter. The guests offense got stopped, but Andrei Vedischev team successfully score points. Andrei Martiuk shot in the second quarter gave Loko a double-digit lead for the first time, and by halftime the hosts continued to hold the initiative – 40:29.
After a break, Loko stunned Velimir Perasovic team with three-pointers. The score difference grew to 18 points. Although Jalen Reynolds and Marcos Knight were able to start UNICS comeback, the Kazan team again trailed by 12 points by the fourth quarter.
Key moment
The guests failed to get back into the game. Several times Loko lead reached 20 points. UNICS made a powerful final run in the final minutes, but the Kazan team had no time. The Krasnodar team got the 8th consecutive win.
X-factor
Although the Krasnodar team lead the League in average scoring (92.1 points per game), the defense was the key against the rival. UNICS failed to break Lokomotiv Kuban defense – Loko allowed only 46 points in 3 quarters and only slowed down a bit in the final quarter.
Facts
Jalen Reynolds surpassed Jaylen Barford and moved into 3rd place in the best scoring international players in the VTB League (1,860 points). Only Keith Langford (1,955 points) and Nando De Colo (2,296 points) are ahead.
Andrei Vedischev equalises with Xavier Pascual as one of the most winning coach-newcomer with 8 wins to start his career. Only Sasha Obradovic (9 wins) and Ainars Bagatskis (10 wins) are ahead.
Leaders
Lokomotiv Kuban: Anton Kvitkovskikh (16 + 7 rebounds), Antonius Cleveland (15 + 3 steals), B.J. Johnson (13 + 7 rebounds), Patrick Miller (10 + 5 assists), Vladislav Emchenko (9 + 6 assists).
UNICS: Jalen Reynolds (18 + 11 rebounds), Marcos Knight (16), DeVaughn Akoon-Purcell (14 + 5 rebounds), Tony Taylor (6 + 3 steals), Ismael Bako (6 + 6 rebounds).
What’s next
Lokomotiv Kuban: October 24 on the road against Pari Nizhny Novgorod
UNICS: October 23 on the road versus PARMA
