In their previous game, Astana secured their first victory of the season, defeating Samara with a score of 75:67. One of the standout players of the match was Grigory Motovilov, who recorded 23 points, 9 assists, and 5 rebounds. Now, Gleb Plotnikov’s squad is determined to build on this success—maintaining their fighting spirit and making the most of their home court advantage will be crucial.

About the Opponent

Vasily Karasev’s team recently faced two consecutive games against the league’s top contenders. In their most recent match on January 28, the Moscow club suffered an away loss to Zenit St. Petersburg (50:73). Just three days earlier, on January 25, they fell to UNICS (66:94). Despite these setbacks, MBA-MAI remains a dangerous opponent, capable of putting up a fight against any team. Currently, the Moscow squad holds 10th place in the league standings with 8 wins and 20 losses.

Their top scorer is forward Andrey Zubkov, who averages 14.5 points per game and secures 7.2 rebounds—the second-best mark in the league. Another key player is guard Makar Konovalov, who ranks among the top four assist leaders in the regular season with 5.2 assists per game.

Head-to-Head History

In VTB United League history, the teams have met eight times, with MBA-MAI winning seven and Astana claiming one victory. Their most recent encounter took place on December 8 in Moscow, where MBA dominated with a confident 73:49 win. Now, Astana has a great opportunity to take revenge!

We invite all fans to Saryarka Velodrome—your support gives the team an extra boost! Let’s go, Astana!

Gleb Plotnikov, Acting Head Coach of Astana:

«As in our previous game, we need to stick to our game plan, make open shots that we create, minimize turnovers, and prevent our opponents from grabbing rebounds on our end. I invite all our fans to come and support us!»

Match Details
Astana vs. MBA
Date and Tiime: February 1, 3:00 pm
Location: Saryarka Velodrome
Watch the live broadcast on our website

Our home game against MBA-MAI got off to a rough start as the visitors quickly took charge with a 16-0 run. It wasn’t until the sixth minute that we finally responded, when Danila Pokhodaev nailed a three-pointer from beyond the arc. That moment sparked a brief surge: Andrei Desyatnikov threw down a powerful dunk, Grigory Motovilov attacked the basket, and Daniel Utomi added three more points before the end of the period. Despite our efforts, the first ten minutes ended 13-23 in favor of MBA-MAI.

In the second period, things stayed pretty much the same. MBA-MAI kept up the relentless pressure, dominating the boards and steadily widening their lead. Still, Astana managed to generate a few exciting plays—Vadim Shcherbak burst in transition, and Desyatnikov secured another putback. By the end of the period, the score stood at 23-42.

The third quarter was our best. Astana increased its offensive output, winning that segment 24-20. Daniel Utomi and Rustam Murzagaliev were the primary offensive catalysts, helping to narrow the deficit to 47-62 heading into the final period.

In the fourth quarter, Astana attempted a comeback. By the fourth minute, we managed to cut the gap to seven points, but that momentum was halted when MBA-MAI responded with a scoring run of their own. Despite our efforts, we couldn’t eliminate the deficit, and the game ended 61-87.

Astana – MBA-MAI: 61-87 (13:23, 10:19, 24:20, 14:25)

Key Performers:

Grigory Motovilov: 14 points, 8 assists
Daniel Utomi: 13 points, 4 rebounds
Rustam Murzagaliev: 10 points, 5 rebounds
Danila Pokhodaev: 10 points, 4 rebounds

Comments from Acting Head Coach Gleb Plotnikov:

«First of all, I must say we had no right to play as we did today—completely toothless. We allowed our opponents to do whatever they wanted. Secondly, we couldn’t handle the pressure; we panicked with 18 turnovers and lost in rebound. The third quarter was a different story, but when we were starting to catch up, one decision changed the game—we immediately got a three-pointer, and that sealed our fate. We’ll learn from our mistakes, take away the best lessons, and keep working.»

Our next game is scheduled for February 6 in Yekaterinburg against Uralmash. Thank you to all our fans for your support!