Tsmoki-Minsk Belarus defeated Avtodor Saratov on the road, 99-95 (27-31, 16-23, 25-18, 31-23).
Top Scorers
Avtodor: David Kravish (22 + 10 reb), Trae Golden (18 + 10 ast), Perrin Buford (15 + 5 reb), McKenzie Moore (11 + 5 ast)
Tsmoki-Minsk: Stefan Moody (21 + 6 ast), Zisis Sarikopoulos (18 + 9 reb + 3 blk), D.J. Shelton (17 + 6 reb), Devon Saddler (12 + 6 ast)
Story
Tsmoki-Minsk entered the game with a League-worst 0-5 record. Playing on the road and down by 13 early in the 3rd quarter, the Dragons looked certain to record a 6th-straight loss.
Instead, Aliaksandr Krutsikau’s men stormed back with 56 second-half points to shock Avtodor and pick up their 1st win.
Stefan Moody scored a team-high 21 points, while Zisis Sarikopoulos chipped in with 18, plus nine rebounds and three blocks.
Trailing 56-43 following Nikita Mikhailovsky’s layup to open the 2nd half, Minsk put together a 12-2 run, capped by a Sarikopoulos dunk, to cut the deficit to three.
Avtodor stood its ground and took a four-point lead into the 4th quarter, but the momentum had clearly shifted.
Moody ignited a 9-0 Tsmoki run at the start of the 4th, giving the visitors a 77-72 advantage.
The home team battled back with five ties and four lead changes over the next six minutes.
But when the dust settled, Minsk remained on top, 93-87, with less than a minute to go.
Trae Golden and Anthony Ireland tried to rescue Saratov, combining for eight points to cut the lead to two, 97-95, with 11 seconds on the clock.
Tsmoki’s D.J. Shelton, however, was clutch at the charity stripe, draining two freebies to make it a two-possession game and clinch victory.
Stat
99 – Tsmoki scored over 90 points for the first time this season, while Avtodor gave up at least 90 points for the 4th-straight game.
Star
Stefan Moody. The American guard scored 14 of his team-high 21 points in the 2nd half, including seven to open the 4th quarter that put Tsmoki in control.
Sneaky Defense
Ветеранский блок-шот от Александра Кудрявцева 🎥
Veteran Block by Aliaksandr Kudrautsau 🎥 pic.twitter.com/ZGbC63dmyB
— VTB United League (@VTBUL) November 10, 2018
Quotes
Avtodor head coach Sergei Mokin: “There’s not much to say. It’s hard to explain why we played so differently in each half. We need detailed analysis, not off-the-cuff emotions. I completely lost the game. I take the responsibility for this defeat.”
Tsmoki-Minsk head coach Aliaksandr Krutsikau: “We had a difficult game in Belgium, then a long trip from Minsk to Saratov. We didn’t fly in until around noon on game day. I was worried that fatigue would impact our performance. That’s what happened in the first two quarters. I’m very happy with how the guys approached the game and played the 2nd half. We started pushing the tempo, making passes and switching up the defense. Plus, we managed to stop our opponent’s one-on-one game, which allowed us to enjoy success.”
Photos
