Moscow’s MBA defeated Perm’s BETCITY PARMA at home, 93–91 (14–31, 31–17, 31–21, 17–22).
Main Story
Perm staked their claim to victory right from the start, going on a 9–0 run in two minutes. An early timeout called by Sergey Voznyuk didn’t help his team, and immediately afterward, the visitors extended their lead to double digits. Moscow scored its first points four minutes into the game. PARMA’s players combined their tenacious defense with high accuracy on 2-point shots (11 of 13—84%), extending their lead to “+21” during the quarter. However, toward the end of the quarter, the home team began to close the gap, and in the second 10-minute period, they took complete control of the game. The teams switched roles, and MBA managed to close the gap to a single three-pointer by halftime—45–48.
After halftime, the Moscow team kept up the pressure and made 6 three-pointers in the quarter, entering the final 10 minutes with a “+7” lead.
The Clutch Moment
With two minutes left on the clock, the score was tied. The teams traded unsuccessful possessions and free throws. After a basket by Tyrell Nelson with 26 seconds remaining, Perm held a narrow lead.
In the remaining time, MBA failed to create an open shot opportunity, but Dmitry Khvostov made a difficult three-pointer and was on target. B.J. Johnson attempted a shot to force overtime but missed.
The X-Factor
The increasing number of turnovers by the visiting team as the game progressed played a key role. By the end of the game, Perm had committed 22 turnovers, while Moscow had only 14.
Interesting Facts
Head-to-head record: 9-5 in favor of PARMA. MBA has won the last three games.
Isaiah Whaley recorded 6 blocks, setting a new season record, while Jeremiah Martin matched his best performance in steals (5).
MBA guard Pavel Savkov played his first game of the new season.
Sergey Voznyuk earned his first victory as MBA’s head coach in the VTB League.
Press Conference
MBA Head Coach Sergey Voznyuk:
– We got off to an absolutely terrible start today. We had to respond and turn things around step by step. You can make up any deficit if you’re ready to show some grit. That’s exactly what we did today. The guys responded well to the adjustments we made. In the second quarter, we regained our composure and seized the initiative, but you can’t count on making a comeback like that every time. The first quarter isn’t a warm-up—you can’t start like that. The final play? I’d say we executed half of what we’d agreed upon. Dima saw the situation; he had to react in the final seconds. We’re happy to win our first home game, especially when we do it with such an emotional finish.
BETCITY PARMA Head Coach Evgeny Pashutin:
– We started the game very well, but unfortunately, the guys who came off the bench were too relaxed; they gave up a lot of points and let MBA find their shooting rhythm. That allowed MBA to get back into the game. We talked during halftime, but we gave up another 31 points. We weren’t aggressive enough on defense; we started playing defense in the final quarter, but it was already too late. We fought until the end, but that wasn’t enough to win. All the games we’ve won this season, we’ve won because of our defense—we didn’t let up more than 70 points. Today, we gave up 93. Plus, we had 22 turnovers. These factors were the key to MBA’s victory.
Top Performers
MBA: Alexander Khomenko (16 points + 5 rebounds), Matvey Padius (16), Pavel Savkov (14),
BETCITY PARMA: B.J. Johnson (17), Brian Fobbs (17 + 6 assists), Jeremiah Martin (16 + 5 rebounds + 8 assists + 5 steals), Isaiah Waley (15 + 6 blocks),
Up Next
MBA: October 18, away against Avtodor
BETCITY PARMA: October 17, at home against Dynamo.
Condensed Game:
Highlights:
