«Azovmash» Mariupol, Ukraine vs. «Donetsk» Donetsk, Ukraine

In week four of the regular season, Ukrainian Donetsk knocked off its compatriot club Azovmash on the road, 75-68. The visitors’ phenomenal fourth quarter helped them to erase an 8-point deficit and secure an important win.

The story
The home team took control from the beginning, racing to an early lead. After a time-out, the game settled down and Donetsk tried unsuccessfully to cut the deficit from beyond the three-point line. In the second quarter the visitors changed strategy and ran their offense through the paint. Azovmash held them off and headed into halftime with a 31-28 lead. At the beginning of the second half, Ramel Curry became more visible after a forgettable first half. The American showed off his shooting ability throughout the period, his three-pointers giving Donetsk a lead at the end of the quarter.

The conclusion
In the final period, Azovmash made a seemingly wise choice by running its offense exclusively through the paint. Unfortunately, Aleksandar Kesar’s plan backfired, confronted by Donetsk’s stingy defense. Curry continued to play effectively at the point, while two mistakes by Pecherov at the very end of the game extinguished the hope of the local fans – 75-68, the Ukrainian derby goes to Donetsk.

The hero
Ramel Curry. The experienced American defender played an exceptional game. In the final quarter he controlled the pace of play, scored 13 points and, in the final count, brought his team a victory.

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Stat of the game
25 – for the first time this season, 2 players from one team scored more than 25 points – Ramel Curry (27) and Darius Songaila (25).

Top performers
Azovmash: Lynn Greer – 12 points.
Donetsk: Ramel Curry – 27 points.