Despite the defeat from Donetsk, the Kiev team won the first round

Basketball / Ukrainian Championship

On Saturday, in the match of the finalists of the last Ukrainian championship, Donetsk won at home against Budivelnik with a score of 72:64. This victory did not help the Donetsk team rise above third place in the first round, and did not prevent the Kiev team from maintaining their leadership. “Azovmash” finished the starting part of the season in second position, which yesterday on the road turned out to be stronger than “Dnepr-Azot” - 93:85.

The Budivelnik basketball players entered Saturday's away match against Donetsk already as winners of the first round of the Ukrainian championship. The country's champions became unattainable after Azovmash suffered its third defeat of the season on Friday - the only one of the pursuers of the Kiev team that could get ahead of them. After an away loss to Dnepr (79:82), the Mariupol team still had a chance to catch up with Budivelnik only in terms of the number of victories. Aco Petrovich’s team could not rise above the capital’s club due to defeat in a personal match (77:80).

Nevertheless, the match between the play-off finalists of the last championship did not lose its principles at all. In the spring, the “golden” series of the championship turned out to be extremely stubborn and lasted all seven matches, in the final of which, in Donetsk, “Budivelnik” turned out to be stronger.

True, according to the unpleasant tradition that has developed in the Ukrainian championship in recent years, both the Kiev and Donetsk teams changed their lineups almost beyond recognition in the off-season. In the first round, the leaders of domestic basketball needed some time to establish mutual understanding on the court. Therefore, they were unable to avoid disruptions. Under the leadership of new head coach Zvezdan Mitrovic, Budivelnik entered the season with difficulty, but stumbled only once, losing away to Odessa 81:72. The Donetsk perestroika turned out to be more thorough and painful, leading the club to four defeats. Sasha Obradovic's team lost to Hoverla (77:86), Nikolaev (90:94), Ferro-ZNTU (78:95) and Azovmash (67:73).

Neither Mitrovic nor Obradovic managed to field optimal lineups on Saturday. “Donetsk” could not be helped by the injured main center Vyacheslav Kravtsov, “Budivelnik” had to do without the team’s best sniper Jack McClinton, who also had an injury, and forward Alexei Onufriev, who had a sore throat.

The first half of the meeting was an even fight and ended with a score of 35:34 in favor of Donetsk. In the third period, Budivelnik seized the initiative, at some point breaking away from the hosts by seven points and winning 54:47. But the Donetsk team responded to this with their own breakthrough and before the final quarter they reduced the gap to one point - 53:54.

In the decisive period, “Donetsk” was led by Maxim Pustozvonov, whom the Kievans were unable to stop. The Ukrainian national team forward hit the hoop twice from behind the arc, scored three times from mid-range and made four free throws. Having scored 16 of 19 Donetsk points in the last quarter, Pustozvonov virtually single-handedly brought Donetsk a 72:64 victory. In total, he had 21 points and 5 rebounds during the match. Darnell Jackson (15; 5) and Vule Avdalovich (11; 3) also made a significant contribution to the hosts’ success. For Budivelnik, the best on the court were Suad Shekhovich (14; 6) and Zach Morley (14; 4).

Yesterday, Azovmash guaranteed itself second place based on the results of the first round. The Mariupol team, after the arrival of a new head coach Aco Petrovich this summer, is also in search of their game and approached Sunday’s meeting with Dneprodzerzhinsk “Dnepr-Azot” with three defeats on their side. In addition to Dnepr and Budivelnik from Dnepropetrovsk, Azovmash lost to Khimik (70:86). Yesterday, the Mariupol team was close to losing for the fourth time. Throughout three quarters of the match, they tried to save energy before tomorrow's European Cup game against the Lithuanian Lietuvos Rytas and were inferior to the Dneprodzerzhinsk team in the score. But in the decisive period, Azovmash pulled itself together and, thanks to the impressive play of Alexey Pecherov (27 points; 12 rebounds), Daniel Ewing (18; 5) and Joseph Crispin (18; 4), who made a double-double, snatched a victory 93:85. It allowed Azovmash to become unattainable for Donetsk in the first round, over which the club from Mariupol has an advantage in personal meetings.

Dmitry Martsenishin

Ukrainian Championship. Super League

18.11. "Dnepr-Azot" - "Cherkasy Mavpy" 71:96. "Nikolaev" - "Khimik" 80:85. "Dnepr" - "Azovmash" 82:79. 19.11. "Odessa" - "Ferro-ZNTU" 102:99. "Hoverla" - "Galicia" 80:75. "Donetsk" - "Budivelnik" 72:64. "Kryvbassbasket" - "Kyiv" 86:80. 20.11. "Dnepr-Azot" - "Azovmash" 93:85.

Team position. 1. “Budivelnik” - 83.33% wins (after 12 matches). 2. "Azovmash" - 75 (12). 3. "Donetsk" - 69.23 (13). 4. "Dnepr" - 66.67 (12). 5. "Hoverla" - 61.54 (13). 6. "Chemist" - 61.54 (13). 7. "Odessa" - 61.54 (13). 8. "Kyiv" - 58.33 (12). 9. "Ferro-ZNTU" - 50 (12). 10. "Nikolaev" - 33.33 (12). 11. "Cherkassy Mavps" - 33.33 (12). 12. "Krivbassbasket" - 16.67 (12). 13. "Dnepr-Azot" - 15.38 (13). 14. "Galicia" - 15.38 (13).

"Budivelnik" laid the foundation