Enisey defeated Lokomotiv Kuban on the road – 83:76 (18:16, 20:19, 29:20, 16:21).
Game progress
This game had no significance for either team. But that didn’t give it friendly status. From the very first minutes there was a real battle with no clear leader. Throughout the first half, the difference between the rivals was 4 points on average.
The hosts relied on more team basketball and had 11 assists (Loko made 3) and tried to use bigmen in offense. Xavier Rathan-Mayes and Jeremiah Martin led the Siberian team with 24 points combined. They were supported by Vladimir Karpenko, who came off the bench (8 points). In the end, Rathan-Mayes impressive stretch allowed Enisey to take a lead by the halftime – 38:35.
Key moment
The guests tried to pull away from at the start of the second half. Rathan-Mayes helped Enisey to get a double-digit lead for the first time in the game – 65:53. At the start of the final quarter, the Krasnodar team attempted a comeback. But this activated Rathan-Mayes even more. The Krasnoyarsk team leader scored several contested shots, gave Enisey back a comfortable lead, and the Siberian team got a confident win.
X-factor
Three-pointers helped the Siberian team to get win. Enisey players made 11 of 27 long-range shots (40.7%). The Krasnodar team was much worse – 4 of 20 (20%).
Fact
Lokomotiv Kuban already knows the Playoffs rival, it is PARMA. Enisey opponent depends on the last 2 games in Group A. The Krasnoyarsk team will face either Zenit (in case of a loss to PARMA) or the loser of the UNICS vs. CSKA game (in case of a Zenit win over PARMA).
Xavier Rathan-Mayes finished the regular season with a 25.7 points per game, whcih became the best in VTB League history and the best scoring this season among all the top European leagues. Their duo with Jeremiah Martin scored an average of 43.6 points, also the VTB League record. Rathan-Mayes thus won the League’s first award, the Best Scoring Player of the Season. This is the first time this award has gone to Enisey player.
Leaders
Lokomotiv Kuban: DeVaughn Akoon-Purcell (14 + 5 rebounds), Patrick Miller (14), Andrey Martiuk (10 + 8 rebounds).
Enisey: Xavier Rathan-Mayes (32 + 6 rebounds), Jeremiah Martin (15), Vladimir Karpenko (10 + 6 rebounds).
What’s next
Lokomotiv Kuban (23-13): April 23 at home versus PARMA
Enisey (19-17): April 22 on the road against UNICS/CSKA/Zenit.
