UNICS opened the game with a flurry of three-pointers, but Astana responded with a determined effort in the first quarter. Murzagaliev found his range from three, Motovilov delivered spot-on passes, and Andrei Desyatnikov threw down some impressive dunks. Ruslan Aitkali nailed his mid-range shots, cutting the deficit to five points. Dealing with Jalen Reynolds was a challenge, but there was a silver lining when a technical foul against him gave Vladislav Isaenko his first points of the game. The quarter ended 27-16 in favour of UNICS.
In the second quarter, Kazan ramped up their intensity on both ends of the court. Despite the pressure, Astana put together some strong plays, including a standout dunk by Desyatnikov over Sergey Toropov, which kept the team briefly in the fight. However, UNICS, under Velimir Perasovic’s leadership, found their groove and began pulling away. Daniel Utomi stood out late in the half with step-back jumpers and effective pick-and-rolls with Desyatnikov. By halftime, the score had stretched to 56-28 in favour of the home team.
After the break, Astana came out determined to chip away at the lead, but UNICS maintained their defensive intensity while continuing to attack aggressively. Starting the third quarter with a 13-6 run, the hosts widened their lead further. Grigory Motovilov struggled to break through Marcos Knight’s tough defense, but Sardal Abashidze brought energy on offense, especially in the latter stages of the quarter. UNICS closed the period with a commanding 78-40 lead.
In the final quarter, Astana concentrated on narrowing the gap. The Kazakh lineup—Murzagaliev, Isaenko, Maidyakin, Orazbekov, and Abashidze—delivered some notable moments. Maidyakin stood out, scoring 7 points in just two minutes, a commendable effort. However, UNICS remained in control, closing out the game with a commanding win.
Final Score: UNICS – Astana 104:57 (27:16, 29:12, 22:12, 26:17)
Astana’s Top Performers: Daniel Utomi (16 points), Askar Maidyakin (14 points).
Acting Head Coach Gleb Plotnikov:
«Congratulations to UNICS on the win. Playing against them always means facing an incredible level of athleticism and physicality. Despite the scoreline, there were positive moments—Alexander Orazbekov is making great progress as a playmaker, Askar Maidyakin delivered a solid performance, and Daniel Utomi continues to give his all every game.»
