«Локомотив-Кубань» Краснодар, Россия vs. «Астана» Астана, Казахстан

In a Regular Season game at home Lokomotiv-Kuban defeated Astana from Kazakhstan - 99:66.
The team from Krasnodar stunned their opponents with a barrage of made threes, all Astana could counter with was a strong 3rd quarter, although it didn’t matter in the end.

The Plot
Both teams came into the game with their own set of goals. Astana were looking to shake a reputation of being strictly a “home team” and get a road win over a tough opponent, while Loko were determined to put the loss in Czech Republic behind them and write it off as a misunderstanding.

Right from the opening tip it became clear that Georgios Bartzokas’ team is finally finding its rhythm. Malcolm Delaney especially stood out as he scored 13 points in 13 minutes and when he slowed down, Andrey Zubkov picked up the baton – 11 points in the half. On defense Loko shut down the paint with the help of Chris Singleton and Kyrylo Fesenko.

Krasnodar quickly jumped out to a 20-point lead as they turned the game into a 3-point contest with various players dialing in from long distance. Kenneth Hayes scored 13 points in five minutes for Astana, but it was a case of too little too late, as Loko’s pressure on defense carried them to the W.

The Hero
Chris Singleton. The American was extremely effective in protecting the paint. On offense he was equally effective from outside and in the paint, finishing with 17 points.

The Number
99 – Number of points Lokomotiv scored in their home opener, providing their fans with both the win and an offensive exhibition.

The Photo