Russia Uses Third Quarter Run To Beat Serbia

Russia 74 – Serbia 55

Russia had to wait to the second half to win its game against Serbia. They came in scoring a 7-2 run, trying to close the game as soon as possible but Serbia answered leaving Russia scoreless during six minutes and scoring 13 unanswered points and pulling ahead 15-7.

After Jovana Popovic made it 11-7 Olga Shuneykina called time out after 4:25 in the quarter, due to the struggling of her team  in the offense as well as in the defensive end. Nevertheless there had to pass three more minutes unti Ekaterina Kiryanova broke the run with 1:05 remaining in the quarter that will end 17-9 after a jumper from Kristina Baltic.

Russia comeback in the second, scoring 9 unanswered points capped by two freebies from Anastaia Shilova that put Russia back in front, 18-17, but Serbia made then a 8-1 run to lead again, 25-22 with 3:57 remaining for the break, with Jovana Popovic scoring 4 pts  in that spurt to begin trading baskets. Back to back threepointers from Anna Ostroukhova tied the game at 29, with 39 seconds to the interval, which Serbia reached in front 31-29, after a basket from Jovana Popovic, who that way summed up her 9th point until that moment.

After the break Russia came back focused. Anna Ostroukhova, still hot from her two three pointers late in the tirad, sparked a 16-1 run with 5 straight points and capped by a free throw from Alexandra Tarasova, after Anastasia Logunova had scored five points putting Olga Shuneykina’s team up 45-32 with 4:30 remaining and they never looked back.Russia took control of the game. They dominated in the defensive end and recovered the control of the boards, and played fluent offense.  

With 44-32 in the scoreboard Zoran Kovacic called timeout to make his team react but they would increase their scoreless span to six minutes and a half until finally Nevena Jovanovik cut the drought from the perimeter, making it 45-35 with 3:18 remaining in the third. After that the Trading returned and Russia entered the fourth 54-43. Jovana Popovic scored six from the last eight points from Serbia.

Starting the fourth Serbia scored foul straight points and Olga Shuneykina stopped the game, resulting in a 10-0 run from the Russians in the next 2:45 to put Serbia 64-47 behind. Anastasia Logunova and Ekaterina Kiryanova scored 4 points each in the spurt. The defensive and offensive improvement paid off for Russia.  

Serbia cut the Russian run with four straight points to make it 64-51 to receive another 10-1 run that put the Russians up 74-52 with Kovacic’s team scoreless from the field for 4:30 and the game ended with a freebie and a jumper form Jovana Popovic to make it the final 74-55.  

Anastasia Logunova made 17 pts and 13 rebounds, Anna Ostroukhova 18 pts, Ekaterina Kiryanova added 11 and Alexandra Tarasova had 9 pts and 9 boards..

For Serbia Jovana Popovic had 18 pts, Tina Jovanovic 14 and Sara Krnjic 8 pts and 12 boards.