Kazan UNICS away from Kazakhstan “Astana” - 83:79.

Astana (7–4) and a representative of the Top 3 UNICS (9–2) before the in-person meeting was shared by only one position in the standings. The champion of Kazakhstan for five and a half minutes after the starting disputed allowed the opponent to score only 2 points (8: 2). To develop the advantage of the owners prevented losses, which generally became their main problem in the first half. 13 errors of “Astana” allowed UNICS to leave for a break with a 7-point margin (43:36), even taking into account the worst percentage of sales (45 vs. 52) - Kazan made 37 shots from a game against 21 against Kazakhstan. Astana from the start of the third quarter made a breakthrough 18: 4 in 7 minutes and returned the lead before the decisive segment - 63:57. UNICS perked up thanks to the Russian duet Yevgeny Kolesnikov - Artem Klimenko (62:63). The game smoothly moved to the end.
The decisive influence on the outcome of the tense ending had a blurred penalty. One of the blunders (Trent Lockett with a score of 78:79 23 seconds before the siren), the players of UNICS fixed the attack in an attack. Additional possession of Kazan was used with maximum benefit: Jackie Carmichael dunk with a foul and the long-awaited hit from the line - 81:79. In the saving attack of Astana, JJ O’Brien earned the right to two free throws, but in both cases he missed. Kazakhstanis had 13 more seconds left, but they managed to foul only 4 seconds before the end of the fight - Jamar Smith did not flinch (83:79).

UNICS caught up with Khimki by the number of victories, Astana has the second defeat in a row.
The most productive:
Astana: Anthony Clemmons (16 + 7 rebounds + 6 rebounds), JJ O’Brien (16 + 5 rebounds), Michael Jenkins (12).
UNICS: Eric McCollum (20), Artem Klimenko (16 + 11 rebounds), Jackie Carmichael (9 + 9 rebounds).

Astana head coach Emil Raykovich:
- First of all, I congratulate UNICS. Today was a very good game, but we missed the victory from the hands. One lost selection in the end decided the outcome. We must continue to play at the same pace, and we know that we can act even better. Ahead are important games, and we need to focused on them.

UNICS head coach Dimitris Priftiz:
- Today was very hard. For 6 days we played in 3 matches and spent a lot of time on the road. Astana is doing very well this season. I think that both teams deserved to win and everyone finally decided the details, which influenced the final result. Congratulations to my players - now we are very tired, and this is a real problem for us.

The next matches will be played by the team on its site, on January 14 and 15, Astana’s players will take in the Barça Atyrau basketball club as part of the Kazakhstan Championship among men's teams of the National League.

The next match of the VTB United League Astana will be held on the road, on January 20, the capital basketball players will be visiting Krasnoyarsk, where they will meet with the local Yenisei Basketball Club.

Source: http://pbcastana.kz