Lokomotiv-Kuban defeated UNICS in the Semifinals Game 3 at home – 89:83 (24:22, 20:25, 23:15, 22:21).
Game progress
Loko traditionally picked up the pace at the start of the game and for the first time in the Series had good long-range in the first half. After making 3 of 5 long-range shots, the Krasnodar team was able to take the lead – 19:12. UNICS got back into the game pretty quickly, as Jalen Reynolds and Louis Labeyrie helped the Kazan team even the score in the opening quarter of the second half. The teams played the rest of the first half equal, but the guests took the last 120 seconds. Marcos Knight and Erick Green made three-pointers and put their team ahead before the halftime – 47:44.
Aleksander Sekulic team began to use high pace. In the middle of the third quarter, the Krasnodar team made 13:4 run that gave the lead before the final quarter – 67:62.
Key moment
Throughout the fourth quarter, UNICS didn’t let the opponents get within 2 points, and Nenad Dimitrijevic tied the game with free throws. In the next possession Okaro White also made both, after which Dimitrijevic again tried to restore equality. This time the Macedonian guard failed to made the shot, after which emotions took over the guests. First Mikhail Belenitskii received an unsportsmanlike foul, and then Dimitrijevic got technical.
After 4 more free throws, Loko lead reached 6 points, and the guests had no time left for a comeback. The Krasnodar team won the third game of the Series and led 2-1.
X-factor
Long-range shots played an important role in Loko win. The Krasnodar team made 8 three-pointers and for the first time in the Semifinal Series had more than 30% of made shots (38.1%).
Fact
The Game 3 was the most tense. The maximum lead during the game was only 7 points, while in the first 2 games the score difference reached double digits. The teams took the lead 7 times, and tie was 13 times.
Leaders
Lokomotiv Kuban: Okaro White (20), DeVaughn Akoon-Purcell (16), Patrick Miller (15 + 8 assists), Jaylen Barford (11).
UNICS: Jalen Reynolds (24 + 6 rebounds), Nenad Dimitrijevic (19 + 8 assists), Erick Green (12).
What’s next
May 13 in Krasnodar.
