PBC Lokomotiv Kuban held off Fraport Skyliners 58-69 to remain near the top of Group E with a 3-1 record. Ali Traore scored 17 of his 18 points in the final 13 minutes to lead Kuban to the victory with Roderick Blakney adding 17 points and Sergey Bykov scoring 11 points, even though Jeremiah Massey was held to 7 points. The Skyliners dropped to 0-4 despite Jimmy McKinney scoring all 13 of his points in the final 11 minutes. Jon Leuer and Jermareo Davidson both chipped in 12 points. With the loss, Fraport was eliminated from Last 16 contention.

Nikita Shabalkin hit two baskets to open the scoring for Kuban and Grigory Shukhovtsov’s free throw made it 0-9 for the guests. Skyliners finally scored on Leuer’s free throw after four minutes of action and the forward’s dunk trimmed the gap to 3-9. Layups by Blakney and Shukhovtsov pushed the leasd to 10 points – 3-13. Davidson answered with back-to-back baskets and scores by Michael Thompson and Leuer finished off Fraport’s 8-0 run to close within 11-13 after one quarter. The run continued in the second period with Thompson’s basket and a layin and three-pointer by Leuer before Tim Ohlbrecht’s free throw made it 19-13 – finishing a 16-0 spurt. Bykov’s free throws snapped the seven-minute scoreless drought and his three-pointer made it 19-18. The gap was 21-18 after Ohlbrecht’s dunk but baskets by Blakney, Massey and Bykvov pushed Kuban ahead 21-24. Quantez Robertson’s three-point play knotted the game and Davidson’s two baskets put Fraport back ahead with Thompson’s free throws giving Skyliners a 30-26 lead at halftime.

Shukhovtsov opened the second half for Kuban but Fraport was able to remain ahead thanks to baskets by Leuer and Davidson and two foul shots by Robertson with a 36-32 Skyliners lead. Massey scored and then Blakney evened the game at 36-36. The duo combined for six of Kuban’s next eight points to complete a 0-12 run for a 36-44 Lokomotiv lead. Robertson snapped the drought but Bykov and Traore combined for four free throws and Lionel Chalmers triple pushed the Kuban advantage to 38-51. McKinney’s first basket for Fraport cut the deficit to 40-51 after three quarters. McKinney opened the fourth quarter with a basket and then completed a three-point play before Robertson’s dunk got Skyliners within 47-51. Traore finally got Kuban on the board in the fourth quarter with a three-point play after four minutes of action. Then Blakney nailed a three-ball to push the margin back to eight points – 51-59. Thompson’s triple made it 54-59 but Traore scored back-to-back baskets and then Blakney’s two foul shots had Kuban ahead 54-65 with two minutes to play. Traore scored two more baskets down the stretch to finish off Skyliners.