VTB United League tip-off: Huge 16-0 run help UNICS to a comeback win over Lokomotiv / News - Basketnews.com

The 2021-22 VTB United League season tipped off with a match between Lokomotiv Kuban Krasnodar (1-0) and UNICS Kazan (0-1). After falling behing in the opening quarter, UNICS stormed back and won 87-96 (35-19, 22-21, 11-25, 19-31).

In the first period, three Lokomotiv players - Stanton Kidd (15), Johnathan Motley (10), and Darius Thompson (10) - scored all 35 of their team's points and nearly doubled UNICS' score of 19.

However, the EuroLeague returnees were not going to give up and cut their deficit to single digits midway through the second period (30-39). But then, 21-year-old Andrey Martyuk caught fire for Lokomotiv, scoring 10 quick points and helping his team to its biggest lead of the game (32-53). His team was up 40-57 going into halftime.

UNICS did something incredible in the third period. After being down 60-44, they went on a 16-0 run to tie the game at 60, and the game was back up for grabs.

Both squads continued trading buckets for the rest of the final quarter, but five straight points by Lorenzo Brown sealed the deal for UNICS, as they came away with an impressive come from behind win.

UNICS: Lorenzo Brown 22 (7 AST, 4 REB), John Brown 15 (10 REB), Isaiah Canaan 14 (3 STL), Andrei Vorontsevich 14 (9 REB, 4 AST), Viacheslav Zaitsev 12 (5 AST), Mario Hezonja 9 (4 TO).

Lokomotiv: Stanton Kidd 21 (6 REB), Johnathan Motley 16 (8 REB, 4 AST), Andrey Martyuk 16, Darius Thompson (7 AST, 5 REB).

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