Kamit Tver secured a comfortable 100-89 victory over Lokomotiv Kuban in the Russian Cup on Saturday evening. The away side controlled proceedings from start to finish, building an insurmountable lead before the final quarter. It was a disappointing night for the hosts, who have not won since their recent victory against Titans Volgograd.
Kamit Tver have been in mixed form of late, losing to Moscow-based Dinamo and Draw after winning against Khimki Moscow 2. But against Lokomotiv Kuban they turned it on, shooting with confidence and moving the ball effectively. The visitors never looked back once they established their advantage.
Lokomotiv Kuban had shown glimpses of improvement with three consecutive wins, beating South Elephant and Dynamo MGTU in between. But this cup fixture exposed weaknesses they have been trying to address. The home side simply could not match the pace Kamit Tver set.
The result leaves Lokomotiv Kuban fifth in the standings with 22 points, while Kamit Tver move up to third place with 25 points. The gap between them narrows as the competition progresses. By then, both sides will be looking ahead to their next fixtures.
And here's the thing about cup competitions — they often separate the contenders from the rest. Lokomotiv Kuban will need to regroup quickly if they want to challenge for silverware this season.
