Samara defeated PARMA in Perm – 77:68 (17:20, 18:24, 20:10, 22:14).
Game progress
The start of the game tight. Until the middle of the second quarter, there was no sole leader. Then Stanislav Ilnitsky and Isaiah Reese helped the hosts to get a double-digit lead. After Richard Solomon made shot, the difference was 13 points, but Mikhail Kulagin prevented the Perm team from increasing the lead before the second half – 44:35.
Evgeny Pashutin team had a rough start of the second half. Samara noticeably added defense, forcing the hosts to make difficult shots. Aleksandr Gudumak three-pointer at the end of the third quarter gave Samara a lead after the third quarter – 55:54.
Key moment
Three minutes before the end, Samara continued to lead – 72:68. PARMA rushed, but the defense clearly dominated the offense this time – none of the teams managed to score. Only 30 seconds before the end Javontae Hawkins made a three-pointer. The hosts had no time to change the game result. Samara will begin the second stage as the Group B leader. And PARMA loss and Enisey win prevented the Perm team from taking 5th place in the standings.
X-factor
Samara defense left no chance for PARMA to win after the halftime. For the entire second half, the Perm team managed to score only 24 points. It’s worth noting Samara bench players as they outscored their their opponents 50-15, and all of the team’s players who scored 10 or more points started the game on the bench.
Fact
Before today’s game, PARMA had the best winning streak in the United League – 5 wins in a row. The last time the Perm team lost at home a month ago – January 5 against Zenit.
Richard Solomon recorded his 6th double-double of the season and moved up into the Top 3 – only Royce Hamm and Octavius Ellis are above him.
Hayden Dalton made his first double-double in the League, and he could have claimed a triple-double – only his playing time (25 minutes) prevented him to achieve it.
Leaders
PARMA: Richard Solomon (16 + 12 rebounds), Ruslan Abdulbasirov (15 + 5 rebounds), C.J. Bryce (12).
Samara: Javontae Hawkins (15), Mikhail Kulagin (14), Dalton Hayden (11 + 10 rebounds + 6 assists), James Thompson (9 + 6 rebounds).
What’s next
PARMA (15-11): February 11 at home versus CSKA
Samara (14:12): February 10 at home against MINSK.
