Vojvoda leads Szolnoki to first win in Group E

Szolnoki Olaj recorded its first win in Group E by edging Avtodor Saratov 82-79 at home on Wednesday. Szolnoki improved to 1-4 while Avtodor dropped to 3-2. David Vojvoda led the winners with 22 points and hit the go-ahead triple with a minute left. Strahinja Milosevic added 17 while Kyryl Natyazhko had 13 for Szolnoki. Denys Lukashov and Jeremy Chappell led Avtodor with 16 points apiece. Travis Peterson added 14 while Artem Zabelin, Jeff Brooks and Alexey Nesterov each had 10 for the guests. Vojvoda and Natyazhko shined early to give Szolnoki a 18-15 lead after 10 minutes, which the hosts boosted to 44-36 at halftime. Chappell and Peterson fueled an 0-8 run which tied it at 50-50 late in the third quarter. Milos Borisov and Milosevic allowed Szolnoki to get a 76-64 margin but a rain of three-pointers and a couple of free throws by Chappell allowed Avtodor to tie it at 78-78. Vojvoda nailed a key three-pointer and Milosevic added free throws to make all Szolnoki fans celebrate a well-deserved win.

Vojvoda got Szolnoki going but Lukashov answered from downtown for a 2-3 Avtodor lead. Borisov found his first points and a three-pointer by Krisztian Wittmann gave the hosts a 7-5 lead. Peterson and Vojvoda traded baskets and Akos Keller soon boosted Szolnoki's lead to 11-7. Zabelin and Nesterov made free throws but a triple by Peter Kovacs and back-to-back baskets by Natyazhko boosted the hosts' margin to 18-12. Chappell and Alan Makiev brought Avtodor within 18-15 after 10 minutes. Natyazhko shined with a three-point play early in the second quarter but Chappell and Zabelin brought the guests even closer, 22-20. Peterson shined with consecutive baskets and Lukashov scored again but an unstoppable Vojvoda had 7 quick points for a 32-26 Szolnoki lead. Lukashov kept pacing Avtodor but Milosevic had 4 points in a 6-0 run that gave his team a 38-29 margin. Borisov soon gave Szolnoki its first double-digit lead, 42-31, before Chappell and Brooks brought Avtodor within 44-36 at halftime.

Milosevic scored again immediately after the break but Chappell and Brooks soon made it a six-point game, 46-40. Keller and Brooks exchanged baskets and Vojvoda kept Szolnoki way ahead, 50-42. Chappell and Peterson combined for all points in an 0-8 run which tied it at 50-50. Vojvoda and Kovacs stepped up for the hosts and Dino Gregory gave Szolnoki fresh air at 59-52. Natyazhko scored twice to keep the hosts fully in charge, 63-57, after 30 minutes. Brooks made free throws and Nesterov buried a triple from the top of the key but Milosevic and Borisov restored a 68-62 Szolnoki lead. Keller took over with a two-handed dunk which Lukashov erased with a driving layup. Borisov fired in one from downtown for a 73-64 Szolnoki lead with over 4 minutes left. Milosevic took over with a power layup and soon split free throws for a 76-64 lead. Chappell hit a three-pointer and Lukashov copied him to give Avtodor some hope at 77-70. Lukashov hit another one from downtown and Nesterov joined the three-point shootout for a 77-76 Avtodor deficit in the next-to-last minute. Milosevic split free throws and Chappell tied it at 78-78 with 1:13 left. Vojvoda buried a big three-pointer, Lukashov split free throws and Milosevic sealed the outcome, 83-79, with 10 seconds left.