Decisive Second Half

Strong Start

The first quarter was tightly contested, with «Astana» showing determination to take on their opponent. Point guard Rustam Murzagaliev set the tone early, opening the scoring with a three-pointer and going on to sink three triples in the quarter to keep the game close. Meanwhile, the hosts struggled from long range, shooting just 11%, with only Evgeny Voronov finding the mark from deep. By the end of the quarter, «Astana» was down by just two points, 19-17.

Second Quarter Struggles

The second quarter was a tough stretch for «Astana.» MBA-MAI opened with an 8-0 run, prompting acting head coach Gleb Plotnikov to call a timeout to reassess the game plan. Scoring was scarce for «Astana» throughout much of the quarter, but a 2+1 play from Utomi, a smooth connection between Orazbekov and Desyatnikov, and Maidyakin’s work under the basket helped end the scoring drought. Despite these efforts, «Astana» struggled on the boards (17-27), and MBA-MAI seized the momentum, extending their lead to 37-25 at halftime.

Fighting Back in the Third

The halftime break allowed «Astana» to regroup, and they opened the third quarter with more focus. After a balanced start (5-6), MBA-MAI’s Vladislav Trushkin found his rhythm, adding 5 points to push the lead to +15. «Astana» answered with a hook shot in the paint from Pokhodaev and an impressive block by Galin Smith on Danila Kasatkin—a highlight-worthy moment. Despite these efforts, MBA-MAI maintained control, leading 51-38 at the end of the quarter.

Fourth Quarter Highlights but No Comeback

Daniel Utomi was a standout in the final quarter. He started by turning a strong pass from the captain into points under the basket, followed it up with fearless drives reminiscent of Kobe Bryant, and even nailed a three-pointer. However, the team needed additional offensive contributions from Pokhodaev and Shcherbak, as well as more defensive pressure in the paint from Maidyakin, to mount a comeback. MBA-MAI capitalised on these shortcomings to seal the win.

On a brighter note, it was encouraging to see young Kazakh players Sardal Abashidze and Magzhan Sarsengaliyev on the court in the final minutes, gaining valuable experience.

Final Score:

MBA-MAI — Astana 73:49 (19:17, 18:8, 14:13, 22:11)

Top Performers:

MBA-MAI: Makhar Konovalov (15 points, 7 assists), Ivan Belousov (11 points), Vladislav Trushkin (10 points, 7 rebounds).

Astana: Daniel Utomi (16 points, 4 rebounds), Rustam Murzagaliev (11 points, 5 rebounds), Andrey Desyatnikov (7 points, 5 rebounds).
Coach Comments

Vasily Karasev, Head Coach of MBA-MAI:

«The key takeaway is that we came out focused and got the job done, despite some mistakes along the way. Defensively, we performed well overall. Offensively, however, we need to improve—our three-point shooting was poor, even on open looks, and we missed too many easy chances under the basket. That said, we achieved our main objectives: securing the win and giving more minutes to players who typically see less time on the court.»

Gleb Plotnikov, Acting Head Coach of «Astana»:

«Defensively, we had a decent game but gave up too many rebounds. We’re still working on our issues—turnovers, organisation, and shooting efficiency. Overall, though, if you set aside the offence, I’d say we performed well defensively.»