Astana came out strong and took control early, setting the tone from the opening minutes. As usual, Daniel Utomi got the scoreboard ticking, Andrey Desyatnikov made his presence felt in the paint, and T.J. Starks kept the offense flowing. That early momentum helped us build a lead of +8, then +12.
Samara found their rhythm in the second quarter, especially from beyond the arc. Platonov, Goldyrev, Amosov, and Sopin started hitting their three-pointers, while Astana responded with sharp ball movement and quick drives—Murzagaliev to Pokhodyaev, Motovilov to Desyatnikov. A clutch three from Vladislav Isayenko closed the half, and despite Samara’s push, we held on to a slim +2 lead heading into the break.
The second half brought drama. The lead changed hands 12 times, and the game turned into a back-and-forth battle. We saw intense one-on-one matchups—Sopin vs. Motovilov, Pokhodyaev vs. Amosov, Desyatnikov vs. Kosyakov—with both teams fighting for every possession. The final minutes were packed with tension, and it looked like overtime was on the cards. But with 3.7 seconds left, Daniel Utomi took advantage of a defensive slip and calmly sank two free throws to seal the win.
By the way:
• Danila Pokhodyaev tied his season-high with 18 points.
• Daniel Utomi reached the 500-point mark this season.
• Grigory Motovilov is just 2 assists away from 100 for the season.
Final score:
Samara 72 – Astana 74 (16:24, 22:16, 16:16, 18:18)
Astana top performers:
Danila Pokhodyaev (18 pts, 7 reb), Daniel Utomi (13 pts), T.J. Starks (12 pts, 5 reb, 5 ast), Grigory Motovilov (9 pts, 4 ast), Andrey Desyatnikov (8 pts).
Gleb Plotnikov, Acting Head Coach, BC Astana:
“Congrats to our club and fans on the win. It was a tough game. Credit to Samara—they played well, even with their roster challenges. We didn’t fully stick to our defensive plan and struggled offensively, missing a lot of open threes. Starks and Motovilov are still working their way back from injury. I’m never satisfied with just the result—I believe our players, and I as a coach, can always be better.”
Danila Pokhodyaev, forward, BC Astana:
“Big congratulations to everyone who’s stuck with us through this challenging season. We came in determined to win. I’d rather play badly and win than play badly and lose. On to the next one!”
Astana’s next game in the VTB United League is on March 30 at 18:00 against MBA-MAI (away).
 «Samruk-Kazyna» National Welfare Fund |
 Uniform operator «Tourism Industry and Sports Support Fund» |
