Nizhny holds on to big road win

In a battle between previously undefeated teams in Group F, Nizhny Novgorod recorded its first road win in the 2015-16 Eurocup season by downing Krasny Oktaybr Volgograd 73-78 in Moscow, Russia on Wednesday. Nizhny improved to 2-0 while Krasny dropped to 1-1. Dmitry Khvostov led the winners with 15 points. Semen Antonov added 13 while Victor Rudd, Maxim Grigoryev and Rasid Mahalbasic each had 10 for Nizhny. JaJuan Johnson led Krasny with 26 points. RT Guinn added 14 for the hosts. Mahalbasic and Khvostov shined early to give Nizhny a 17-23 margin after 10 minutes. Khvostov kept pacing Nizhny and got help from Kaspars Berzins and Antonov to get a double-digit margin, 36-47, at halftime. Nizhny led 53-58 after 30 minutes and extended it to 53-64 right after that but Johnson and Viacheslav Zaytsev brought Krasny within 65-66 with 4 minutes left. Antonov hit a three-pointer but Jordan Hamilton and Johnson allowed Krasny to get the lead, 75-71, with 55 seconds left. Rudd had 5 points, including a critical three-point play, in a 0-7 run which sealed the outcome in crunch time.

Antonov got Nizhny going with a three-pointer which Mahalbasic followed with a close basket for a 0-5 lead. Johnson and Maxim Tkachenko struck from downtown but Rudd and Grigoryev kept the guests ahead, 8-10. Johnson kept pacing Krasny with an alleyoop layup but free throws by Grigoryev and a jump hook by Mahalbasic gave Niznhy a 12-14 lead. Hamilton struck from downtown but Khvostov and Rudd forced the hosts to call timeout at 15-19. Kaspars Berzins and Ivan Strebkov made free throws and Guinn hit a mid-range jumper to fix the score at 17-23 after 10 minutes. Both teams struggled to score early in the second quarter until Grigoryev split free throws. Johnson took over with a three-point play, Mahalbasic banked in a jump hook which Khvostov followed with a reverse layup for a 20-28 Nizhny lead. Johnson tried to change things for Krasny but he didn't find much help around. Meanwhile, Rudd and Berzins gave the guests its first double-digit lead, 24-34. Guinn and Andrei Mateiunas stepped up for Krasny but three-pointers by Antonov and Khvostov restored a 31-41 Nihzny lead. An outstanding Strebkov and free throws by Antonov gave Nizhny a 36-47 margin at halftime.

Back-to-back baskets by D.J. Cooper and Tkachenko brought Krasny within 40-47 right after the break. Mahalbasic scored again and a fast break basket by Antonov gave Nizhny fresh air at 42-51. Khvostov and Guinn exchanged layups, Berzins hit a jump hook and a fast break basket by Mateiunas brought the hosts a within 46-55. Johnson split free throws and Evgeny Baburin shined with a big three-pointer. Guinn quickly answered from downtown and free throws by Johnson and Zaytsev made it a five-point game, 53-58, after 30 minutes. Khvostov and Grigoryev stepped up with back-to-back three-pointers early in the fourth quarter, restoring a 53-64 Nizhny margin. Zaytsev hit a mid-range jumper and Guinn added a put-back layup for a 57-64 Krasny deficit. Johnson followed foul shots with a six-meter jumper and a layup by Cooper got the hosts as close as 63-66 with 4 minutes left. Zaytsev shined with a backdoor layup which Antonov bettered with a critical three-pointer. Hamilton answered with a layup-plus-foul but Grigoryev scored in transition for a 69-71 Nizhny lead. Johnson dunked and free throws by Cooper completed Krasny's comeback, 72-71, with 55 seconds left. Rudd rescued Nizhny with a three-point play and free throws by Berzins and Baburin sealed the outcome, 72-76, with 12 seconds remaining. A reverse dunk by Rudd sealed Nizhny's win in style.