Samara defeated Uralmash in Yekaterinburg 86:78 (21:21, 27:23, 13:18, 25:16).
Game progress
The first quarter already made it clear that the opponents should not expect an easy win. At first, the hosts managed to take the lead, but their max lead was only 6 points. By the middle of the second quarter, Samara not only managed to equalize, but also took an 8-point lead with Hayden Dalton help. The teams ended the first half with the score 48:44, Samara led.
In the second half, the pace of the game slowed, and the intrigue only increased. The guests struggled to hold a 3-4 point lead, but towards the end of the third quarter Uralmash managed to make a mini-run and took the lead in the final minute of the quarter – 62:61.
Key moment
The final quarter began Aleksandr Gudumak 2 three-pointers in a row. Only with a minute left in regulation time did the home team manage to get within one point (81:78). But James Thompson cold-bloodedly converted two free throws, and two of Uralmash’s nearly open long-range shots missed the basket. “Samara held its nerve to win the game, which was the Volga’s second consecutive victory.
X-factor
Uralmash sharpshooters were not at their best in this game – only 5 three-pointers out of 20 attempts. This was especially important in the final quarter, when the hosts missed shots prevented Uralmash from saving the game in the end.
Fact
Samara, on the other hand, lived up to its reputation as the best three-point shooting team. Before this game, the Volga team led the League in this ithree-point shooting percentage (42.2%), and the team only improved it: 14 of 25 shots from the perimeter – the team’s second-highest of the season after a fantastic 16 of 23 against MINSK and the third-highest total of the season in the entire League. Aleksandr Gudumak was especially good – 4 of 5.
Leaders
Uralmash: Octavius Ellis (20 + 9 rebounds), Garrett Nevels (16 + 7 assists), Aleksandr Zakharov (14), Tyrell Nelson (12 + 5 rebounds), Igor Novikov (10).
Samara: Javontae Hawkins (17), Hayden Dalton (13 + 8 rebounds), Aleksandr Gudumak (12), Nikola Rebic (12), James Thompson (11 + 9 rebounds).
What’s next
Uralmash (5-6): November 21 on the road versus MBA
Samara (6-5): November 22 at home against PARMA.
