Russian Championship. Jubilee in Yubileyniy30 march 2007

BC Khimki slacked off only in the initial moments of the match, and took the bull by the horns for the rest of the game scoring victory number 23 against Spartak: 81-64 (26-15, 16-18, 21-10, 18-21). The last time the St. Petersburg team defeated the Moscow Region team was way back in 2001. Khimki will play its next game of the regular stage at home vs. Ural Great on 4 de April.

Top Scorers: Lampe (15 + 11 rebounds), McCarty (14), Booker (11), Wolkowyski (11).

The Moscow Region team and its warrior spirit set out for the city on the banks of the Neva, leaving Okulaja and Gorenc back in Khimki. The line up hit the court at the Yubileyniy Sports Complex, made up of: Booker, Savkov, McCarty, Veremeenko, and Wolkowyski. Not two minutes had passed and the home team, winning the period, took the lead: 7-2.

Nonetheless, the visiting team quickly quashed the opponent’s initial impetus, with a surge of offensives by: Melvin Booker, the team’s captain, Ruben Wolkowyski -with a sure-fire shot from the arc and a successful assist to, — Kelly McCarty. In the middle of the first quarter McCarty, from the arc took the yellow-n-blues to the lead, followed by two free throws by Vladimir Veremeenko. The visiting team launched Maciej Lampe and Vitaly Fridzon, who immediately thundered a defensive rebound and a 3-pointer. This was followed by Lampe who scored 7 consecutive points.

At the end of the period, Gianmarco Pozzecco, hit the court and made a successful assist to his team mates, including Vladimir Diatchok, after which Coach Kestutis Kemzura sent out two centers. Already up to the first break Khimki’s advantage had grown to double, while at the second break the game started to liven up for the fans. At that moment the teams were playing defense. A gap opened up in the visiting team, especially from Maciej, which Spartak took advantage of immediately, taking the second quarter final.

Only Diatchok, scoring from the perimeter in the very last moment was able to make things look better. The Moscow Region Club began the second half, having lost a score to Kasib Powell, with two 3-pointers. However, Spartak, not ready to give up (midway through the third quarter they had twice as many fouls), cored 8 consecutive points.

Khimki’s coaches let Fridzon get a breather, and sent out Savkov, who helped the team deal out a blow: 11-0. In the last quarter Ruben Wolkowyski opened the score for Khimki with a shot from the arc.

Spartak’s players, led by Powell (Kasib scored 6 straight), took off, but Khimki stepped in quickly to quell the opponent, which had four players with 4 personal fouls each. The winner at this point was obvious and midway through the last quarter Lampe did a double-double