In their second game of the FIBA WASL Final 8 group stage, Astana faced off against Saudi Arabian side Ittihad. It was a tense and dramatic game, with our team fighting until the very end—but a three-pointer from the opponent with just 2.3 seconds left sealed the game: 76:79.
Astana started the game focused and immediately put pressure on the opposition. The first quarter went our way — 23:21. The team attacked actively, moved the ball well, and held up solidly on defense.
However, Ittihad took control in the second quarter. They capitalised on our mistakes and scored through fast breaks. The second quarter ended with Ittihad in front — 35:39.
After halftime, both sides maintained a high tempo, trading baskets and staying within one or two possessions of each other. The third quarter finished level at 22:22, making it 57:61 heading into the final stretch.
In the fourth quarter, Astana caught up and tied the game, and it looked like overtime was coming. But with two seconds left, Keiron DeShields made a tough contested three-pointer, handing Ittihad the win — 76:79.
Top performers for Astana:
Vadim Shcherbak (17 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists), Andrey Desyatnikov (14 points, 10 rebounds, 2 assists), Askar Maidekin (13 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists), Gregory Motovilov (11 points, 9 assists, 3 rebounds), Ruslan Aitkali ( 9 points, 10 rebounds).
Acting head coach Gleb Plotnikov:
— First of all, congratulations to Ittihad — they played well today. We allowed them too many offensive opportunities. On top of that, we missed open shots that we simply had to make. We tried to fight for every rebound, but it wasn’t enough. Of course, we don’t want to finish the tournament without a win. As I’ve said before, my guys are true professionals—they don’t need extra motivation. We’ll see what the next game brings.
Astana forward Vadim Shcherbak:
— It was a tough game. There were many moments where we couldn’t hold our defense or win the rebounds, giving the opponent extra possessions. Plus, we missed open looks that we should’ve made. That’s what led to this result. Had we been more focused on defense, we might have pulled out the win. Our next opponent is Sagesse—a strong team with talented Lebanese players and foreign imports. It won’t be easy, especially playing on their home court. But I’m confident our coaching staff will come up with a solid game plan, and it’s up to us to execute it.
Astana’s next match is on Wednesday, May 14, against Lebanese club Sagesse. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:45 p.m. local time.
 «Samruk-Kazyna» National Welfare Fund |
 Uniform operator «Tourism Industry and Sports Support Fund» |
