Both teams chose long-distance scoring tactics at the start of the match. And in this duel Lavrio was better, managed in five minutes to formalize five three-point shots, and after «end to ouane» the leader of the team Tyson Carter and the pass of Vasilis Mouratos, the advantage of the hosts became twice – 26:13. Zoran Lukić took a time-out and asked his team to protect and back up the sniper attack.
The compulsions worked because by the end of the quarter, «Nizhny» had apparently slowed the pace of the game, allowed the Greeks to take only one shot from the game, and reduced the gap to a minimum. Particularly helpful was the one far from Pavel Antipov, after that Maxim Lichutin made an intercept and added from under the ring – 28:27.
The advantage of «Nizhny» has already gained in the first attack of the second quarter, but it has failed to keep it. Speed in the game markedly fell. «Lavrio» suffered an implementation, «Nizhny» punished itself with its own losses and without goals from-under-the-ring. By the middle of the quarter, one of the teams had crossed the threshold of +2 points. And it became «Nizhny Novgorod» thanks to the first realized three-dimensional of Freimanis and the excellent assist from Toropov to Chadov in paint – 33:37. However, in just one and a half minutes, the Greeks made a 6-0 push, and the game returned to the old mode. The end of the half was left to the owners, who used the option «to earn a punching foul» and gained points for a solid difference on such a match – 49:44.
Second half
Three points of Strebkov got to equal – 49:49, but it was still not possible to capture the «NN» advantages. «Lavrio» gave a lot of chances to the rival to earn light points, but all the «Nizhny Novgorod»’s implementation has markedly fallen. And the temporary loss of focus led to two quick Greek breakouts – 59:53. What the guests could not have expected was a long-range hit of the center Geromichalos, and only Nikola Jovanovic’s confident actions under the ring saved our team from the dangerous difference of 62:59.
In the final quarter «Lavrio» tried to escape with practically not missed snipers – 72:63. At this moment, the snipers of «NN» Strebkov and Kulagin woke up and literally three shots restored hope – 74:71. Fifty-nine seconds before the final bell, Strebkov scored the draw 77:77. Carter led the Greeks through his mid throw ahead. The ownership was left to Nizhny, so Ivan Strebkov scored a heroic trio, seemed to give his team a victory – 79:80. However, in the remaining 4 seconds, the opponent gained a foul but realized only one, and the match went into overtime.
Overtime
«Lavrio» broke 8:0 and Nizhny Novgorod was not successful.
«Lavrio» – «Nizhny Novgorod» – 95:86
