The ball didn’t find the net for the first 1 1/2 minutes, but after Makar Konovalov‘s free throws, things took off: spectators saw not only a dunk from Kirill Temirov (which we should no longer consider unusual), but also a 3-pointer from Ilya Popov! A 2+1 from Anton Kvitkovskikh and a layup from Patrick Miller in the 5th minute sent the teams to the first timeout – 12:5.
The pause didn’t disrupt the home team’s momentum – Konovalov stole the ball from his opponent, and Miller‘s 3-pointer made the lead double-digit. In the 7th minute, the teams exchanged highlights: Kvitkovskikh performed an almost-alley-oop off a Vince Hunter lob, and Temirov fearlessly stood on Danil Pevnev‘s way, but the MBA-MAI player still managed to hammer a poster. This seemed to invigorate the Muscovites: their interception and block, plus two of our misses, allowed the opponent to reduce the gap to 1 point by the first break, 22:21.
Hunter stopped the opponent’s 9:0 run early in the 2nd quarter, scoring 2 points. However, Kassius Robertson landed awkwardly on this episode and limped to the bench for treatment by the medical staff. Miller soon joined him, requiring a freezer after a hard contact.
Lokomotiv wasn’t confused: the team performed one counterattack after another: 2+1 from Vsevolod Ishchenko, 4 straight points from Kvitkovskikh, a breakaway from Konovalov, and a 35:24 lead by the 16th minute. But as in the 1st quarter, MBA-MAI once again gave a chase – this time scoring 10 points in a row – until Miller, who had returned to the game, cold-bloodedly scored to make it 39:36. The level of contact increased, and in an exchange of free throws the visitors got closer and even had a chance to tie it at the end of the quarter, but Miller made a steal and sent Hunter to score in transition – 45:41.
Maxim Lichutin‘s 3-pointer was quickly answered by a similar shot from Kvitkovskikh. Andrei Zubkov added another three, and soon tied the score from the free throw line after Popov got his 4th foul. Miller hit a mid-range shot, but another 3-poionter from Lichutin gave MBA-MAI their first lead of the game, 53:52. Ivan Samoylenko took the lead back with a long-range shot, then Kvitkovskikh pushed past his guard to bring the margin to two possessions, 59:55 in the 26th minute.
Lichutin, meanwhile, continued his festival of long-range shots—and mid-range ones, too; the player scored 13 points in the quarter!—time after time bringing the game back within one shot’s reach. But this time, the end of the quarter was clearly taken by Lokomotiv: Miller, Hunter, Samoylenko and Ishchenko set the score to 70:64 by the final break.
A long possession at the start of the 4th quarter gave Lokomotiv a 2+1 from Temirov. But our next 2 attacks were scoreless, and MBA-MAI once again got dangerously close, 73:68. Samoylenko‘s long-range shot came just the right time. The game became a bit chaotic, with both teams missing, until Hunter received the ball in the paint and showed how it should be done: 78:70, and the Muscovites called a timeout with 5.36 left on the clock.
Kvitkovskikh played a strong defense against Zubkov, and Ishchenko provided a clever assist to Temirov, bringing the gap back to double digits. Lichutin scored again, but it didn’t turn into a new run: Konovalov made a steal, Pevnev received a foul in offence, and the teams entered the final 2 minutes with Lokomotiv leading 86:74.
Klim Adaykin scored 2 points, but Samoylenko immediately restored the margin. Alexander Platunov hit a 3-pointer, but so did Ishchenko, and Miller‘s steal and dunk concluded the score–Lokomotiv Kuban’s 3rd consecutive victory!
Our team now has two away games to play. On Tuesday, November 18, Lokomotiv Kuban will face Uralmash, and on Saturday, November 22, they’ll face Samara.
Good health to Robertson!
Go, Loko!