Parma currently sits in eighth place on the VTB United League table, with a 17–24 record under head coach Evgeny Pashutin. They are tied in wins with Pari NN, but trail slightly in point differential (-98 for Pari NN vs -175 for Parma). In their last five games, Parma has picked up two wins — against Samara (105:69) and MBA-MAI (90:86), and suffered three losses — to Uralmash (80:76), CSKA (94:85), and Enisey (79:73).
With just a few games left in the regular season, it won’t be long before we know who Parma will face in the play-in round.
A quick refresher:
The VTB League’s play-in tournament is now in its second season. Teams finishing 7th to 10th will battle it out for the final playoff spots. Play-in games are scheduled for 16 and 19 April.
Strong backcourt
Parma’s offensive leaders are Garrett Nevels (16.7 PPG, 3.9 APG) and Stanley Whittaker (15.7 PPG, 3.9 APG). Whittaker, a new addition to the team, has been steadily increasing his efficiency. In the game against Samara, he set a season-high in steals (8), along with 10 points, 9 assists, and 5 rebounds.
Head-to-head history:
The teams have met 20 times in the VTB United League. Astana has won 7 times, while Parma holds 13 wins. Our last victory came on 13 October 2022, with a score of 84:72.
Did you know?
• Rustam Murzagaliev is just a few points away from reaching 200 this season.
• Danila Pokhodyaev needs 15 more rebounds to hit the 200 mark for the season.
Gleb Plotnikov, Acting Head Coach of Astana:
“We’re facing an intense schedule, especially coming off a tough away trip to Krasnodar that took nearly 24 hours. We’ll only have time for one training session before the game against Parma. We’ll do everything we can to arrive in top physical shape.”
Match: Astana vs Parma
Date & Time: 5 April, 15:00
Venue: Saryarka Velodrome, Astana
Broadcast: Live on the club’s website
Astana got off to a more-than-promising start. Gleb Plotnikov’s squad launched a powerful 14–2 opening run, fuelled by three consecutive three-pointers from Rustam Murzagaliev and another from Grigory Motovilov. Parma was forced into an early timeout to regroup defensively. Towards the end of the first quarter, the visiting team managed to steady themselves—though T.J. Starks scored several difficult mid-range shots to keep them at bay. After ten minutes of play, Astana held a narrow 21:20 lead.
The second quarter saw the tempo drop. At first, it was a back-and-forth exchange, with Starks and Askar Maydekin trading baskets with Garrett Nevels and Cheburkin. But Parma capitalised on a string of defensive lapses to not only level the score but push ahead by more than 10 points. Nevels led the charge with several and-ones, while Stanley Whittaker confidently knocked down his free throws. Despite efforts from Starks and Motovilov in the closing moments, Astana trailed 32:46 at the half.
The third quarter proved the toughest. A scoring drought early in the period gave Parma the chance to go on a 10–0 run. Astana finally responded through mid-range shots from Vadim Shcherbak and Maydekin, with Vadim also converting a three-point play. Still, the deficit kept growing—Parma led 42:68 heading into the final period.
Although the fourth quarter didn’t influence the final outcome, Astana held their ground. Shcherbak, Alexander Orazbekov, and Vladislav Aitkali all made solid contributions. Young Kazakh players Valery Simonov and Magzhan Sarsengaliyev also saw court time.
Final score: Astana – Parma 56:87 (21:20, 11:26, 10:22, 14:19)
Astana: T.J. Starks (10 points + 5 rebounds), Askar Maydekin (9 points), Rustam Murzagaliev (9 points), Vadim Shcherbak (7 points + 5 rebounds).
Acting Head Coach Gleb Plotnikov:
- It was a tough game for us. Congratulations to Parma—they were simply better today. We started well: we moved the ball, found open shots, and hit them. Then we flipped to individual play, stopped moving the ball, and missed the open looks we did get. That frustration affected our defence, and we stopped competing on that end. As I mentioned before the game, the long trip back from Krasnodar was difficult—we landed at 5 am and couldn’t train the way we needed to. But still, that’s no excuse.
Valery Simonov, Astana forward:
- I’m happy to score my first 2 points. I’m a little satisfied with myself, but I really wanted us to win.
Next game: 8 April at 20:00 – Home vs UNICS Kazan. Don’t miss it!
