PARMA defeated Lokomotiv Kuban on the road in a tense ending – 87:85 OT (17:20, 16:18, 28:22, 12:13, 14:12).
Game progress
The first half was tight, but teams didn’t score a lot . In the second quarter, Loko started getting more rebounds, which was immediately reflected with a 10-point lead after Andrey Martiuk layup, but PARMA managed to cope with the hosts pressure and stabilise the situation. By the halftime, Loko had only a 5-point lead – 38:33.
But PARMA dominated in the third quarter. Evgeniy Pashutin team managed the hosts to play positioning game, blocking Loko spacing for quick offensive possessions. Accurate three-pointers by C.J. Bryce, Stanislav Ilnitskiy and Isaiah Reese helped PARMA not only come closer to the opponent, but also take the lead. Before the final quarter of regulation, the Perm team led – 61:60.
Key moment
In the fourth quarter, both the speed of the game and the efficiency of both teams finally dropped. By the final minute, Loko had a 4-point lead, but Vladislav Emchenko mistake allowed the Perm team to organise a fastbreak, and Reese tied the game on the final possession – 73:73. Okaro White had 6 seconds left to secure the win, but Loko forward made a double-dribble. The game went into overtime.
Overtime was a nervous and viscous struggle. It seem that the teams would not have enough time to find a winner in the first extra time, but Bryce made a buzzer-beater mid-range shot over Barford. PARMA starts the season with a win.
Key factor
Although Bryce, who came off the bench, was the game leading scorer, Ruslan Abdulbasirov was also noteworthy. The center player almost 30 minutes and did a tremendous amount of work, which gave PARMA an advantage in such a tight and low pace game. Ruslan and Stanislav Ilnitskiy combined for 21 rebounds, completely winning against Loko.
Fact
PARMA wins in Krasnodar for the first time since 2016, when the Perm team debuted in the United League.
Leaders
Lokomotiv Kuban: Okaro White (17 + 9 rebounds), Jaylen Barford (17), Jordan Morgan (12 + 8 rebounds), Aleksandr Scherbenev (12).
PARMA: C.J. Bryce (27), Isaiah Reese (20 + 6 rebounds + 5 assists + 3 steals), Stanislav Ilnitskiy (8 + 9 rebounds), Ruslan Abdulbasirov (8 + 12 rebounds).
What’s next
Lokomotiv Kuban: October 9 at home versus MBA
PARMA: October 9 at home against Pari Nizhny Novgorod.
