UNICS set season-high in points in 1 game at home and defeated CSKA in overtime – 112:104 OT (21:20, 34:18, 21:29, 16:25, 20:12)
Game progress
In the super Game of the Week, the regular season leaders played. Both rivals having won in the last round — CSKA defeated Lokomotiv Kuban and UNICS beat MBA.
The start of the game was not too bright, the teams scored more free-throws rather then shots from the game. However, in the second quarter, UNICS increased the pace, aggressively playing defense and made a run that began with 2 three-pointers in a row, continued with Louis Labeyrie powerful dunk and finishing by Georgiy Zhbanov. CSKA tried to return to the game, but Velimir Perasovic had another joker – Vince Hunter. He came off the bench and immediately drove in the paint, then made a dunk in the fastbreak, in the next possession Nenad Dmitrijevic made a three and made the Kazan team a double-digit lead – 45:35. UNICS ended the first half with a 17-point lead 55:38.
However, Emil Rajkovic managed to fix the game of the guests. CSKA began to play more actively and began to break the opponents defense. Nikola Milutinov scored 12 points in the quarter. As a result, CSKA confidently won the third quarter and trailed by 9 points before the fourth quarter — 76:67.
Key moemnts
After a super first half, UNICS got tired and lost confidense in defense. After Alexey Shved three-pointer, the difference almost melted – 80:78. After a 17-point difference, CSKA was still able to catch up with the hosts and turn the game into a clutch. A minute before the end, Casper Ware almost lost the ball, but he somehow passed it to Milutinov. Nenad Dmitrijevic strengthened UNICS lead by a three-pointer, but in the next possession Dallas Moore made a rebound and gave an assist to Dejan Davidovac three. 90:90! In the last possession, Daryl Macon scored – but he lacked of only couple seconds. The game went into overtime.
At the start, Casper Ware was active, the Kazan team found a reply to this with Dmitrijevic. But then Louis Labeyrie took the initiative. UNICS bigman cope with the opponents in the paint and scored the most important three-pointer. 9 points in a row from Labeyrie and Dmitrijevic free-throws put CSKA behind. Casper Ware extended the intrigue with another three-pointer (108:104), but Andrey Vorontsevich let the opponent to make an unsportsmanlike foul, scored free-throws and Nenad Dmitrijevic scred the last points. CSKA took the second loss in February and will try to take revenge in March. And the Kazan team still has a game against Zenit in February – in case of win, UNICS will come closer to CSKA.
Key factor
Louis Labeyrie and Nenad Dmitrijevic duo. In overtime, they 18 of UNICS 20 points combined – only Andrey Vorontsevich scored 2 free-throws.
Fact
Although UNICS is almost 10 points behind CSKA in points per game, Velimir Perasovic team that set the season-high 112 points. For the Kazan team, this is the fourth game with a 100+ points this season. But CSKA lett opponents score 100 points for the first time in the season: before that, UNICS scored 93 points in one of the games.
Leaders
UNICS: Nenad Dmitrijevic (24), Daryl Macon (21 + 7 assists), Louis Labeyrie (17 + 11 rebounds), Jalen Reynolds (15 + 7 rebounds), Georgiy Zhbanov (10 + 6 rebounds)
CSKA: Casper Ware (27 + 7 assists), Nikola Milutinov (25 + 13 rebounds), Alexey Shved (20 + 5 rebounds + 7 assists), Nikita Kurbanov (10)
Next games
UNICS: home game against Zenit on February 26.
CSKA: home game versus UNICS on March 2.
