Both opponents lost their previous games: Lokomotiv really got going too late against Samara and lost by one point (71:72), Uralmash was defeated by PARMA in a thriller ending (85:88). At the same time, the Yekaterinburg team has had almost a week to prepare for the next game since then – twice as much as the Krasnodar team.
After the break for the national team games, Jeremiah Martin got into fantastic shape – in the match against Yenisei (83:61) Uralmash forward scored 31 points, against PARMA – 36.
In their first confrontation this season, Loko defeated Uralmash (91:80), but it was not easy. A tough fight went on during the first three quarters, Rostislav Vergun’s team at some moment led 27:37, but closer to the end the opponent’s leaders got tired, and the Krasnodar team, maintaining a high tempo with a long rotation, created a decisive margin.
Patrick Miller scored 17 points that evening, Andrei Martyuk and Isaiah Whaley made 4 blocks each, Mikhail Vedishchev set a personal scoring record in the VTB United League (10 points), and Antonius Cleveland made 8 assists.
Tyrell Nelson and Jeremiah Martin scored 19 points each for Uralmash; Stanley Whittaker added 15 more.
Despite that result, Uralmash continues to be a very inconvenient opponent for Loko: counting preseason games, they have won against us 4 times, and we have won against them only 3 times.
A week ago, Whittaker got back after an injury. But Octavius Ellis, Javonte Douglas and Johnny O’Bryant are still on the Uralmash injury list. Therefore, on Sunday there is a non-zero chance that Hayden Dalton will play against Loko for the second time in a week – the Yekaterinburg club announced the signing of a contract with the leader of Samara on the same day that the Volga team beat us.
Where to watch
The game will be broadcasted live by the Krasnodar, Match! Game, Start Triumph TV channels, as well as by the VTB United League website and our Internet resource.