UNICS Kazan, Russia vs. «Avtodor» Saratov, Russia

UNICS defeated Avtodor at home on Sunday, 66-64. Avtodor led most of the first half, while UNICS enjoyed the upper hand in the second half. Not surprisingly, the outcome came down to the final play of the game. Trailing by two, Avtodor's Evgeny Kolesnikov was blocked at the buzzer by Keith Langford, giving UNICS a 3rd-straight victory.

Intro
Kazan's offense was anemic in the 1st quarter, allowing Avtodor to run up a 22-11 lead. UNICS opened the 2nd quarter on an 8-0 run, but the visitors remained in control at halftime, leading 37-31. Travis Peterson led a balanced Saratov attack with eight points at the break.

Evgeny Pashutin's men started slow in the 3rd quarter, but only allowed 11 points in the period to secure a 49-48 advantage entering the 4th.

Quino Colom and Keith Langford did the bulk of the damage for Kazan in the second half--Langford scored eight in the first five minutes of the final quarter to give UNICS a 62-57 lead.

Artem Zabelin and Malcolm Armstead kept Avtodor within striking distance. With 1:41 to play, Zabelin knocked down a jumper to make it a one-point game, 64-63.

Turning Point
Avtodor got two huge stops in the final minute. Trailing by two, 66-64, Armstead missed a go-ahead '3'. On the second possession, Evgeny Kolesnikov tried to send the game to overtime, but his shot was blocked by Langford, preserving the UNICS win.

Star of the Game
Keith Langford. Best known for his offense, Langford won the game for UNICS on Sunday with his defense, blocking Kolesnikov's shot at the buzzer. He also added 19 points and seven rebounds.

Stat of the Game
27. Number of points scored by Avtodor in the second half.

Quotes
UNICS head coach Evgeny Pashutin:
- We were facing a serious, well-run team. Avtodor has played well to start the season. With the exception of the 1st quarter, we executed our game plan. At the start of the game, we weren't ready psychologically. We managed to stop the opposition's stars and fast breaks. This is the first time this season we've held another team to 64 points, but our offense was not that productive. Getting a win was the most important thing. Our players were tough and competitive, which is always good to see.

Avtodor head coach Brad Greenberg:
- UNICS played good defense, especially in the second half. We weren't disciplined enough on offense. Our leaders Chappell, Peterson and Armstead didn't play their best. We need to keep fighting, no matter how the game develops. We also have to play with our heads, not just our hearts. Our defense was good and we had chances to win, even when we fell behind. Langford's offense turned the tide.

Stats

Snapshot