«Astana» played one of the last home games of the first stage of the United League VTB regular season. The team defeated MBA on the Saryarqa Velodrome court in front of numerous fans.
Despite being five points behind at the end of the first quarter, the team caught up and took the lead in the second ten minutes. However, tension ran high during all four quarters of the game. It was only in the final moments that the result was determined, with «Astana» clinching a victory with a score of 80:71.
Royce Hamm Jr. put on a real show in this game, recording another, his seventh double-double: 28 points and 15 rebounds.
Markell Johnson (23 points, 7 assists) and Devin Davis (13 points) also stood out.
«I want to congratulate «Astana,» they really played with great desire today and deservedly won. We just fell short. I think you can't go into a game with that mindset because, initially leading in the score, we relaxed and thought the game was already won. But «Astana» showed that the match lasts 40 minutes, and you need to work hard for the full 40 minutes,» said Vasily Karasev, head coach of the Moscow team, after the match.
The first stage of the regular season is ending, and «Astana» has only a few matches left. On January 24, there will be an away game against «Samara,» on the 28th, Oleg Kiselev's team will meet «Runa» in Moscow. The final match of the first stage of the regular season will take place on February 1st – we look forward to your support in the home game against «Yenisei»!
Tickets will go on sale soon.
