Two Overtimes in Saratov
21.01.2018, 10:00 Просмотров: 370
Источник:
Press service
Автор: Almira Shakhaeva
Today's match between our basketball team and «Avtodor» from Saratov can be characterized as a pure drama show.
Noone was expecting an «easy walk» for both teams and game proved to be exactly of this kind. The game was so d intense that the winner had to be determined only in an extra time. First overtime's play copied the whole game, the team were exchanging baskets and fought till the end, as a result — second overtime. In second overtime home team was able to gain a momentum, take the lead and keep it until the end. As a result of Saratov's drama show, «Avtodor» won with the score of 92:86.
Top Scorers: Astana: Leonidas Kaselakis (19 + 8 reb), Malcolm Grant (16 + 7 ast), Larry Gordon (12 + 8 reb).
Head coach of «Avtodor», Evgeniy Pashutin:
- «After such games, everybody usually takes Validol. If you are fortunate enough to win, you take Validol with a pleasure. But still despite the result of the game you won't sleep the folllowing night. These emotions contain the beauty and charm of our sport, people come to watch basketball to experience these emotions. Today's adrenaline levels were overloaded on a court and at the stands as well!
First and foremost I would like to congratulate my team with a victory. Our guys deserved it. Would like to thank all fans who came today, they have created an amazing atmosphere. Their energy and outstanding support gave our players extra reasons to believe in themselves, no matter what. After frustrating home defeat to «Parma», where the outcome was also depended on end of the game, today we learned the lesson and did not allow our opponent any second-chance opportunities at the end of a match. Our bench really helped us. I felt unity today. In such matches, the team is learning how to overcome themselves to be ready to fight against any opponent. We showed true men's character, it was the main reason for our success. I honestly happy for my guys. We realize that we have a long road ahead of us, but today we did an important step towards play-offs beating one of our main competitors.
We were able to change the game with our defense, hard work, communication on the court and switches on the perimeter. In the first overtime, we let our opponent score 7 points and in a second we limited their offense to 5 points in 5 minutes. We played with wide rotation today. We forced our visitors to take tough shots with a lot of resistance. Matches like that are really intense as play-offs.
Head coach of PBC Astana, Mikhail Karpenko:
- «Game was real fun to watch for fans and tough to manage for coaches of both teams. We had great chances to win, we did follow our games plan. Two times we had a chance to win with the last shot, the first time at the end of regulation and second in the end of first overtime. Unfortunately, our shots were short. In second overtime home team did not leave any chances for us and win this match. I think our main problem today was lack of concentration in defense against Clark in the beginning of the game, we gave him away to much of freedom. We let them score easy baskets in transition as well. Overall, I am proud of my team's effort today, we fought till the end. I am sure if we continue same way, the victories will come! «
Astana will hold its next game on its court, on January 25 and 26. The basketball team will host «Caspiy» in the frame of the National League of Kazakhstan Championship.
