MBA beat MINSK at home – 81:62 (19:16, 24:9, 20:20, 18:17).
The best scorers
MBA: Aleksandr Khomenko (14), Makar Konovalov (11), Ilya Platonov (10 + 11 rebounds), Evgeniy Valiev (10)
MINSK: Zach Smith (20 + 7 rebounds), Uladislau Blizniuk (9 + 9 assists), Darol Hernandez-Zinenko (6 + 6 rebounds)
Game progress
The League newcomer MBA started the season with two road wins. MINSK was less successful, having suffered two huge losses. The first League game in the Basket Hall Moscow began in an equal game – the rivals were trying new rims. Then the teams began to find a rhythm. The Moscow team took the lead in the last minute when Aleksandr Khomenko and Evgeniy Valiev scored long–range shots – 19:16.
The second quarter was eventful. Three-pointers became an important factor again. If the Minsk team scored only 2 out of 10 in 20 minutes, then the hosts gave out an excellent 50%. MBA defense also started working – mobile, aggressive and with the pressure – which made it very difficult for MINSK to organize offensive possessions and led to frequent turnovers. The Russian team systematically increased the lead – 24:9 at the end of the second 10 minutes and 18 points lead by the halftime.
After in the second half, MBA played by the score, stopping all MINSK attempts to revive the intrigue. The third quarter ended 20:20, after which the final quarter was a formality. The League newcomer started with three wins and topped the standings.
Hero
Ilya Platonov. The forward helped the team in both offense and defense, marking the first double-double in the League and becoming the most effective in the winners team. Platonov has 10 points, 11 rebounds, 2 steals and 1 block with 16 eff. points.
Numbers
4 – for the fourth time ever, the League newcomer starts with a 3-0 record. Previously, CSKA and UNICS managed to do this in the 2009/10 season, as well as Spartak St. Petersburg in the 2011/12 season.
What’s next
MBA: road game against CSKA on October 17.
MINSK: home game versus Avtodor on October 17.
