«Astana» lost to «Nizhny Novgorod»

18.03.2018, 23:00    Views: 544
Source: Press service
Author: Almira Shakhaeva
Astana basketball players lost in the match on the road to the team «Nizhny Novgorod» with a score of 79:78.

The teams went neck and neck throughout the whole game, each team struggled to defend their basket, and as a result, the first half of the match finished with a minimum difference in the score — 41:40 in favor of the hosts.

The subsequent two periods were as tense as the previous ones. In the final period, «Astana» broke ahead, and it would seem that the victory was already in their hands, but the error inbound cost «Astana» a dear price, namely, victory in one of the decisive matches of the regular season. Taking advantage of this blunder, the guard of «Nizhny Novgorod» throws the ball during a buzzer, and realizes a three-pointer throw. The victory goes to the team of Zoran Lukic.
 

The most effective:
  • «Nizhny Novgorod»: Stevan Yelovats (15 + 5 rebounds), Jacob Odum (15), Peter Gubanov (12).
  • «Astana»: Larry Gordon (17), Justin Carter (15 + 6 rebounds), Anthony Clemmons.

Head coach of «Nizhny Novgorod» Zoran Lukich:
- I want to congratulate Astana on a good game today. It is no coincidence that until today they had four victories in the last five matches. I understand perfectly what Mikhail Karpenko feels right now after this three-pointer throw with a buzzer. We have already been in this situation several times this season. I do not think that this is luck, rather we had it back for those defeats in two or three points from the great teams. We now need to sit down and talk, why we played today as if it was not a decisive match. Although, from today's match to the end of the regular season, all our games will be decisive for getting into the playoffs. You can not play in a relaxed mood, you cannot be disrespectful to your opponent. A drudgery victory we have had today, I'll tell you so!

Head Coach of «Astana» Mikhail Karpenko:
- You saw it all yourself — the game went stride for stride. The maximum gap «Nizhniy» had was eight points, we had five. We constantly caught up with each other. In the first half, we lost with a difference of one point, in the second — both quarters ended in a draw, and that one point became decisive. We did quite well after a big break, but unfortunately, at the crucial moment we did not make offensive rebound and got the first three-pointer in our basket. Then we made a fatal mistake when carrying the ball out after the time-out. «+5» lead in slightly over 20 seconds before the end and we get other two three-pointers — it's very painful and unpleasant. I think that after this defeat we will make conclusions for ourselves and become stronger. Such matches are actually a proof of the team.

The next match within the framework of the VTB United League «Astana» will be held on its court on March 25, the basketball players from the capital will receive Perm club «Parma» on their parquet.


«Samruk-Kazyna» National Welfare Fund

Uniform operator «Tourism Industry and Sports Support Fund»