«Astana» Astana, Kazakhstan vs. «Krasnye Krylia» Samara, Russia

Astana (Kazakhstan) squeaked by Krasnye Krylia (Russia) at home, 98-95, in Week 3 of the regular season. The home team didn’t play very well in the first half, but overcame a 19-point deficit in the second to escape with a win.

Intro
Astana – Krasnye Krylia traditionally promises exciting, fast-paced basketball with unexpected outcomes. Last season, for instance, the teams traded road wins. This game was no exception.

The game started out as a battle between big men – David Simon vs Julian Wright. Both played with confidence in the paint, picking up easy points against the defense. Astana guard Jerry Johnson brought some variety into the game late in the first period, knocking down three shots, including two 3-pointers, to put his team ahead, 24-22, after 10 minutes.

The Russians bounced back in the second quarter, finding even more success down low. And while they weren’t always able to get to the basket, the visitors exploited the pick ‘n’ roll with ease as even center Artem Zabelin stepped out to drain a 3-pointer. Astana had no answer for Krylia’s resurgent offense. An overreliance on perimeter shooting backfired and the Kazakh club stumbled into halftime, trailing by 11 points, 51-42.

Astana was just as flat to start the third quarter. Down by an alarming 19 points, head coach Matteo Boniciolli brought in Olaseni Lawal and Lonniel Rush to right the ship. He didn’t have to wait long. An energetic Lawal looked sharp in the paint, Johnson got hot again, while double-teaming down low on defense stymied Krylia’s scorers. At the end of the quarter, Rush chipped in with two 3-pointers to bring Astana within four points, 73-69.

Turning Point
But Astana wasn’t done with the drama. With five minutes to play, Krylia once again held a double-digit lead. With nothing to lose, the home team went for broke. Johnson provoked Aaron Miles into a technical foul then converted four free throws. Great perimeter defense kept Krylia from feeding the ball inside and made it difficult to convert on long-range attempts. Cvetcovic and Lawal, meanwhile, led Astana’s offense, as the team drew within three points with a minute to play. A 3-pointer from Johnson tied it.

Despite several chances to close out the game, Krylia just looked rattled and made simple mistakes to help Astana seal its phenomenal comeback. David Simon and Jerry Johnson knocked down the winning free throws for a 98-95 home win.

Star of the Game
Jerry Johnson. The American guard turned in a standout performance. He stepped up when the team needed him most, especially at the end of the game. His 3-pointer tied the contest with a minute to play, while his free throws closed out the second win of the season. Johnson also excelled in passing the ball – 10 assists in the game. He ends up with a double-double and a much-deserved MVP award.

Stat of the Game
15 – number of assists from Krylia point guard Aaron Miles. That matches the League record. Miles could have had even more, but he fouled out midway through the fourth quarter.

Top Performers
Astana: Jerry Johnson – 24 points, 10 assists; Lonniel Rush – 19 points, seven rebounds, six assists; David Simon – 14 points; Olaseni Lawal – 13 points, 11 rebounds; Janis Blums – 13 points.

Krasnye Krylia: Julian Wright – 26 points, 10 rebounds; Carl Wright – 19 points, seven rebounds; Artem Zabelin – 19 points, five rebounds; Demetris Nichols – 15 points; Anton Ponkrashov – 10 points; Aaron Miles – two points, six rebounds, 15 assists.