«Avtodor» Saratov, Russia vs. «Bisons» Loimaa, Finland

Avtodor defeated Bisons in Saratov, 85-75. Travis Peterson and Artem Zabelin helped the home team pull away in the 4th quarter and secure the win.

Intro
Avtodor's offense has been on fire in recent weeks, scoring over 100 points in each of its last two outings. Bisons also like to push the pace and entering the game the fans looked forward to a high-scoring affair in Saratov.

Bisons and Avtodor traded runs in the 1st quarter. After scoring the game's first six points, Avtodor gave up a 14-2 run, trailing 14-8 at the 4:33 mark. The final five minutes of the period, however, belonged to the home team. Travis Peterson knocked down a 3-pointer and converted a three-point play to spark a 21-4 lead, giving Saratov a 29-18 lead through 10 minutes.

Bisons got back in the game by halftime. The visitors held Avtodor to 16 points in the 2nd quarter and dominated the glass to cut the deficit to three, 45-42. Justin Jackson and Martin Zeno did the most damage for the Finns.

Turning Point
The score was close until midway through the final period. Once again, Peterson stepped up for Avtodor. First, he knocked down a 3-pointer. Then Peterson scored on offensive rebound, putting Saratov on top by seven. Artem Zabelin slammed the door shut for good with two minutes left, knocking down a '3' that made it a nine-point game, 82-73. Avtodor wins and improves to 8-4, tied for 5th with Nymburk.

Star Player
Travis Peterson. The American big man led his team in scoring with 18 points and knocked down huge shots in the 1st and 4th quarters to help Avtodor protect its home court.

Stat of the Game
11-26 (42%) - the home team's snipers were terrific. Avtodor didn't score much in the fast break, but took full advantage from outside.