Loko extends series in Krasnodar

Lokomotiv-Kuban overcame CSKA Moscow at home, 69-58, in Game 3 of the VTB United League Finals. Unlike the first two games in the series, Kuban kept the visitors from racing out to an early lead and played solid defense. Evgeny Pashutin’s men built a solid lead by halftime and had relatively little trouble holding on in the second half for a win. The Red and Green pick up their 3rd win over CSKA in club history and earn the chance for win #4 in Game 4 tomorrow night in Krasnodar.

Atmosphere
Game 3 of the Finals took center stage in Krasnodar on Thursday, with the home team welcoming Russia’s most famous club in a must-win playoff contest. Advertisements were placed all around the city to ensure a big crowd and by the day of the game, Lokomotiv’s official website announced a sell-out in the 7,500-capacity Basket Hall. Krasnodar could hardly wait for tip-off.

Intro
Loko struggled out of the gate in the first two games. Sloppy starts cost Krasnodar dearly, as the team struggled to mount comebacks in the USH CSKA. At home, however, the Railwaymen held on early against CSKA. Kuban wasn’t fazed by Aleks Maric’s absence, or Vladimir Micov’s nine points in the first half of the quarter. This time around, Kuban began the game in a rhythm and even managed to take a two-point lead, 21-19, after 10 minutes of play.

The situation quickly worsened for CSKA, who put up just two points in the first five minutes of the second quarter, stymied by the home team’s disciplined, energetic defense. Nick Calathes and Derrick Brown, meanwhile, gave Loko its first sizeable lead of the series, 31-21. In contrast to the first two games, when analysts commented on CSKA’s superior effort on the glass, Lokomotiv’s ability to crash the boards in Game 3 made a huge difference. Derrick Brown’s slam-dunk put-back on a Maxim Grigoryev miss with two and a half minutes to play in the half symbolized the home team’s improved effort. Krasnodar led at halftime, 38-27. Evgeny Pashutin, it appeared, had finally gotten through to his team.

The flow of the game hardly changed in the third quarter. Lokomotiv’s defense continued to paralyze the Army Men’s attack. CSKA players rarely broke through Krasnodar’s zone and stayed alive thanks only to three 3-pointers. Loko’s lead remained at 11 points, 49-38, with 10 minutes to play.

Turning Point
CSKA went to a zone to start the fourth quarter and it worked. Loko’s offense stalled and the 11-point lead shrank to seven, 51-44. At that point, Pashutin decided to gamble, subbing in James Baron for the first time. The American shooting guard had played just seven minutes in the playoffs up until that point (against UNICS), but he gave Lokomotiv the spark it needed to crack CSKA’s zone. His 3-pointer with 6:40 pushed the advantage back to 10 points. Derrick Brown followed with a fast-break dunk after an Anton Pankrashov turnover and it became clear that a Game 4 was in the cards, barring a Krasnodar collapse.

Indeed, no miraculous comeback would take place, as CSKA captain Victor Khryapa even had to leave the game in the final minutes due to an injury. The Red and Blues must hope that their leader will be available for tomorrow night’s game.

Star of the Game
Nick Calathes. He put in a big-time performance, leading his team in points, assists and helping out on the glass. When Nick is playing his best and builds his teammates’ confidence, Lokomotiv-Kuban generally comes out on top.

Stat of the Game
19. CSKA scored eight points in the second quarter and 11 in the third, for a total of 19. Lokomotiv took advantage and opened up a double-digit lead, which proved impossible to overcome in the fourth quarter.

Quotes
Lokomotiv-Kuban head coach Evgeny Pashutin:
- We played very well in comparison to the games in Moscow. The team defended very well and was sharp on offense. However, we have the game tomorrow, so it’s too early to relax.

CSKA head coach Ettore Messina:
- We played very poorly on defense, as well as on offense. That’s not acceptable. When we return to the hotel, we’ll watch the game video and work on our mistakes. What’s most important for us is to understand that the series is long and hasn’t ended yet for us.

Top Performers
Lokomotiv-Kuban: Derrick Brown – 19 points, eight rebounds; Nick Calathes – 15 points, six rebounds, eight assists; Mantas Kalnietis – nine points.

CSKA: Vladimir Micov – 16 points, five rebounds; Andrey Vorontsevich – seven points, seven rebounds; Victor Khryapa – five points, seven rebounds.

To Be Continued…
Game 4 in the CSKA – Lokomotiv-Kuban series will be played on Friday, June 7 in Krasnodar. The game tips off at 8:00 pm local time. Watch live on Rossiya 2, Sport and VTB-League.com.

Photo of the Game