Tsmoki-Minsk beat Avtodor at home – 88:80 (26:19, 18:22, 17:15, 27:24)
Top scorers
Tsmoki-Minsk: Maksim Salash (16+8 rebounds), Branko Mirkovic (16+5 rebounds), Alexandre Gavrilovic (15+10 rebounds), Robert Lowery (12), Dominez Burnett (11+7 assists)
Avtodor: Elgin Cook (19), Isaiah Hicks (18+11 rebounds), Michael Umeh (18), Mouhammadou Jaiteh (12+8 rebounds), Markel Starks (11+5 assists)
Story
Tsmoki haven’t won at home this season and were eager to change the state of affairs. Saratov managed to win only one away game. In the beginning there were few lead changes but already in the middle of the first quarter Tsmoki started gaining the control over the game. Alexandre Gvrilovic had a nice scoring 1st quarter and the beginning of the second, and after Aliaksandr Pustahvar’s three-point bomb Dragons’ lead turned double digits – 31:21. However, Avtodor didn’t give up and started a chase right before the half-time break. Markel Starks and Isaiah Hicks turned team’s offense on and cut the lead – 42:41.
The third quarter still was a tight one. Every time Tsmoki tried to make a run the guests could answer back and were cutting the lead to 1-2 points. Finally, Hicks’ efforts led a tied game – 56:56. Immediately, Vitali Liutych and Branko Mirkovic helped their team finish the third as leaders – 61:56 before the decisive quarter.
Key moment
Tsmoki started the fourth with another run, and after long range hit by Branko Mirkovic their lead became double figures again (71:60). The guests started the chase shooting from downtown but each time the incredible Mirkovic took the comfortable lead back with his own threes. All that Avtodor managed to do was avoiding a big loss.
Hero
Branko Mirkovic. Veteran point-guard formed a killing duo with Alexandre Gavrilovic. Of the bench they scored 31 points, 15 rebounds and 6 assists combined.
Stat
52:2 – Bench advantage of Minsk reached 50. Only Alexey Babushkin of Avtodor bench players could score points, starting line-up scored 78 0f 80 points.
Comments
Tsmoki-Minsk head coach Rostislav Bergun:
– Thanks to fans for atmosphere that they create on our games. Guys did good tonight, managed to stand a difficult schedule: 3 games in 7 days. Respect. Now we are preparing for the next game!
Avtodor head coach Predrag Krunic:
– Congratulations to Minsk. They played better tonight. We had poor rebounding that turned out to be a key factor. Besides that, our defence wasn’t strong enough physically. And of course, to win we have to make our shots.
Next
Tsmoki-Minsk: January 18 vs Lokomotiv-Kuban
Avtodor: January 20 vs Kalev
Photo
