UNICS defeated Uralmash on the road – 72:68 (13:13, 19:27, 20:14, 20:14).
Game progress
After Anton Yudin was appointed, Uralmash was transformed. The hosts won 4 of 5 games, losing only in a dramatic finish against CSKA. UNICS also lost to the Moscow team in the last round, ending the 11-game winning streak. The starting quarter ended with a tie – 13:13. The fans were tuned in for tough defensive basketball. And that’s how it turned out. Neither team was shooting well, but the rare long-range shots allowed the hosts to take an 8-point lead at halftime.
At the start of the third quarter, Uralmash pulled ahead by 16 points, but at the end of the quarter, UNICS showed its reliable defense and discipline in offense. A 14:0 run brought the Kazan team back into the game.
Key moment
The tense game smoothly transitioned into the clutch, with Uralmash still leading. Here, UNICS managed another run – 11-0 – when the Kazan team positional offense began to pay off.
In the final minute, Jalen Reynolds picked up the ball after his own miss in fastbreak and celebrated the made shot emotionally (70:66). The moment became key – after that, UNICS maintained its lead, making tactical free throws.
X-factor
The Yekaterinburg team played without 3 guards: Timofei Gerasimov, Anton Kardanakishvil and Isaiah Reese. As a result, the team did not have enough strength to maintain a large lead, with UNICS taking the 3rd and 4th quarters with the same score 20:14.
Facts
The rivalry history score is 9-0, UNICS leads. This season, the Kazan team has already won 3 games against Uralmash – previously 76-70 at home and 100-91 on the road.
The teams also played in the WINLINE Basket Cup, where they exchanged home wins – 97:75 in Kazan and 77:74 in Yekaterinburg.
Uralmash lost at home for the first time in 2026. Previously, the team had 3 wins in the VTB United League and one in the Basket Cup.
Jalen Reynolds scored 24 points, the best for both teams. He now has 2,914 points, and UNICS center has moved into 5th place in the best scorers of all-time list, overtaking Dmitriy Kulagin (2,893) and Vitaly Fridzon (2,896).
Javonte Douglas surpassed the 1,000 points in his VTB League career.
Leaders
Uralmash: Octavius Ellis (14 + 10 rebounds), Garrett Nevels (12), Hayden Dalton (11), Yauheni Beliankou (10)
UNICS: Jalen Reynolds (24 + 9 rebounds), Alexey Shved (13 + 7 rebounds + 5 assists), Paris Lee (12)
What’s next
Uralmash: February 7 at home versus Enisey
UNICS: February 8 on the road against Lokomotiv Kuban.
