By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Lokomotiv Kuban won eight straight games in the VTB United League but Nizhny Novgorod put it to a spot with a close 96-93 home victory.
Anton Astapkovich led the winning effort with 18 points while Pavel Antipov added 116 and Brandon Brown 13 points. Brown also dished eight assists.
For Lokomotiv, Alan Williams notched a double-double with 19 points and 11 boards while Johnny O’Bryant scored 18 and Mindaugas Kuzminskas 16 points.
This win kept Nizhny in the midst of a close race for a playoff ticket as they now hold a 7-10 record as do five other teams with a possibility of two more joining them – if Astana beats Enisey on Sunday (1/3). Lokomotiv, on the other hand, stayed at the third spot with 13-5.
UNICS Kazan is right behind them with an 11-6 record after beating Kalev/Cramo 87-76 led by Jamar Smith, Errick McCollum and Raymar Morgan with 18 points each.
For Kalev, Kyle Vinales banked 21 in addition to Sander Raieste and Sacha Killeya-Jones’s 12 points each.
Photo Credit: VTB United League