Petrov's Late Heroics Lift Aviators Over Knights 109-106 in Thriller
Aviators Clinch Nail-Biter on Road Thanks to Petrov's Clutch Performance
By Sarah Jenkins
ATLANTA – The Atlanta Aviators edged out the New York Knights 109-106 in a Pro League barnburner that came down to the final possessions. A late surge, spearheaded by Adrik Petrov, proved too much for the Knights, who fought valiantly but ultimately fell short in front of a passionate home crowd.
The game was a back-and-forth affair from the tip-off, with neither team able to establish a significant lead for long. The Knights saw a strong offensive outing from Sofia Eriksson, who poured in a game-high 28 points, including a crucial stretch in the second half that helped New York claw back into contention. Casper Jorgensen was a force on the glass for the Knights, grabbing 12 rebounds to go along with his 16 points.
However, the Aviators found their rhythm in the final quarter. Petrov, who finished with 22 points and a game-high 7 assists, orchestrated the Atlanta offense and hit several key shots down the stretch. A particularly clutch three-pointer from Petrov in the final minute put the Aviators up by three, a deficit the Knights couldn’t overcome.
“We knew it was going to be a tough game,” said Aviators coach David Lee. “New York played hard, but our guys showed a lot of resilience. Adrik was phenomenal tonight, making the right plays when we needed them most.”
Despite the loss, Knights coach Maria Rodriguez remained optimistic. “We fought hard, and we got a great performance from Sofia. We just couldn’t close it out. We’ll learn from this and get ready for the next one.”
Key Notes:
- Atlanta shot a perfect 15-of-16 from the free-throw line, a critical advantage in a tight game.
- The Aviators dominated the boards with a 59-47 rebounding advantage, including 17 offensive rebounds.
- Sofia Eriksson’s 28 points led all scorers, but a strong overall offensive effort from Atlanta balanced the scoring.
- Adrik Petrov’s 7 assists were instrumental in setting up his teammates and controlling the game’s tempo.