Kazan will host WINLINE Game of the Week between UNICS and Zenit on Saturday.
Place: Russia, Kazan, Basket Hall
Time: December 20, 2025, 15:00 (Moscow time)
Broadcasts: Match TV, VK Video, League website
Head-to-head
Zenit and UNICS finished 1st and 3rd in the regular season and did not play in Playoffs, but ended up close to each other on the podium, taking silver and bronze.
Their rivalries last season ended in a tie – 2:2. Each team won home game and on the road. Zenit started and ended with wins. The second came during 25-game record winning streak.
During the regular season, both teams stood out for their defensive efficiency. UNICS allowed opponents to score 3191 points in total, while Zenit ranked 3rd (3199).
The clubs have played 47 games in total, with Kazan team leading 26-21. The first clash of the VTB League season was in early October and UNICS took win on the road – 104:77. The second game of the season and first in WINLINE Basket Cup at the CSC Arena on November 5 also ended with UNICS win – 91:72.
Situation
Almost 2 months have passed since the previous clash between the clubs and much has changed, especially for Zenit. The St. Petersburg team has star players Luka Samanic and Noah Vonleh and almost all of its leading players healthy. The team has picked up speed and won 6 of last 7 games. On Wednesday, the rebuilt team got first win of the season against Top 4 team Lokomotiv Kuban (98:69). Now Zenit is ready to unleash all its newfound power on UNICS.
The Kazan team is playing with much more confidence and consistency. Since November 2, the team got 7-1 record and has been battling CSKA (14-2) for first place in the standings since the start of the regular season. At the moment, UNICS (13-2) is a win behind, but has game advantage. Zenit (11-5) rounds out the Top 3 and will try to pick up the pace in pursuit of the leaders. Otherwise, the gap will become very serious, even considering many games in the regular season ahead.
Streak
In the game against MBA-MAI on December 16, UNICS extended its home winning streak in regular aseaon to 21.
The last loss at Basket Hall was more than a year ago, on December 1 against Lokomotiv Kuban.
Rivalry
The main driving force behind UNICS is the dominant duo of bigmen Marcus Bingham and Jalen Reynolds. Both are capable of threatening the opponent’s basket both in the paint and from distance, and both are among the league leaders in efficiency. On Saturday, the Kazan team frontcourt will face first clash with Zenit’s renewed frontcourt of Luka Samanic and Noah Vonleh. Andrei Martiuk is in great shape and is one of the most effective players in the League, while Andrey Vorontsevich is as useful as ever.
The clash between the star bigmen of UNICS and Zenit is a separate intrigue of the Game of the Week.
Losses
Mikhail Belenitskii and Paris Lee are recovering from injuries. C.J Bryce is out for the long term.
According to Kazan team head coach Velimir Perasovic, the club intends to follow the example of its Top 4 rivals and strengthen its roster.
“We are currently looking for a new player. There is no news at the moment, but work is ongoing in this direction.”
Numbers
UNICS (86.5) and Zenit (89.8) are in the Top 3 in average scoring, behind only CSKA (90.8).
The Kazan team has the best defense, allowing an average of 71.6 points per game and ranking first in the League, well ahead of its competitors.
UNICS (50.7) and Zenit (50.8) are tied for first place in field goal percentage with nearly identical results.
The Kazan team is at 1st place in assists, averaging 21.3 per game.
UNICS leads in blocks, averaging 3.9 per game.
