Four regular-season games will take place on Wednesday.
Dynamo (Vladivostok) vs. CSKA (Moscow)
Time: 7:30 p.m. (12:30 p.m. Moscow Time)
Venue: Fetisov Arena, Vladivostok, Russia
Broadcast: Kinopoisk
Dynamo Vladivostok: The league newcomers will play their first home game of the season—and right away against the defending champions. Dynamo continues to build team chemistry, striving to play an attacking style of basketball in their early games. With CSKA potentially exhausted from the long flight, the hosts have a chance to put up a fight and delight their fans with an exciting performance.
CSKA Moscow: After a hard-fought victory over “Loko” on Sunday, the Army Men are heading to Vladivostok. They will be the first team to play an away game against Dynamo. It remains to be seen how the long flight will affect the Muscovites’ form. Despite this, they undoubtedly remain the favorites. But it’s crucial for CSKA to stay focused and not underestimate their opponent if they want to extend their winning streak.
Dynamo Head Coach Sergei Kozin: “We have a tough schedule: we started the season with a game against UNICS, last season’s runner-up, and now we’re hosting the reigning champion—CSKA. CSKA hasn’t lost a single game in the league so far, so we’re well aware of the caliber of our upcoming opponent. We have time to prepare, but right now the most important thing for us is to improve our own play, our teamwork, and our on-court chemistry—both on offense and defense. Of course, we’re analyzing specific aspects of CSKA’s play, but for now we’re focusing primarily on refining our team play.”
CSKA Head Coach Andreas Pistiolis: “We need to put the previous game behind us and focus on our next opponent. We also need to overcome the challenges associated with traveling and preparing for the upcoming match. We have great respect for Dynamo and must be ready for a tough game.”
Enisey (Krasnoyarsk Krai) vs. Samara (Samara Oblast)
Time: 7:30 p.m. (3:30 p.m. Moscow Time)
Venue: Russia, Krasnoyarsk, “Sever” Arena, KGAU RCSS
Broadcast: Kinopoisk
Enisey: The Krasnoyarsk team was unable to play against MBA in Moscow, but the trip still took a toll. In previous games, they lost to both Loko and Avtodor, but they put up a fight nonetheless. The outcome of the game against the latter was decided in the very final moments. Next up is another Volga-region team, Samara. The Siberians lack consistency throughout all forty minutes. If they can cut down on turnovers and play a steady game, they could secure their first win of the season.
Samara suffered a heavy loss to UNICS in their last game. The high-scoring Kazan team is tough to contain at the start of the season. However, in addition to defensive issues, the Volga side struggled with poor shooting. Now they face the less offensively potent Enisey. For Miloš Pavičević’s team, the game in Krasnoyarsk is an opportunity to test their true strength against a rival of comparable caliber and correct the mistakes of past games.
Enisey Head Coach Jovica Arsić: “After we returned, we had one day to rest following a rough flight. It’s clear from practice that the team is in good physical shape. Of course, preparing for the game against Samara would have been easier if we’d played against MBA beforehand, but we have to adapt to these circumstances and try to perform at our best given the situation.
Miloš Pavičević has already worked in Russia, and Vladislav Konovalov has remained on his coaching staff and is actively assisting him. This year, Samara’s roster is stronger than last season’s. The team has been playing well, so their three losses to start the season don’t mean much. Samara has great offensive potential. We need to stay focused on defense and try to punish our opponent for their mistakes.
Samara Head Coach Miloš Pavičević:
“Despite losing our first three games, we remain optimistic and have arrived in Krasnoyarsk with a positive attitude. Enisey is a good club with a competitive roster. We’ll try to stop them with aggressive defense and capitalize on our scoring opportunities.
The guys have had a solid training session and are ready for a very tough game. We’re all really eager to get our first win. Unfortunately, Andrei Savrasov is out with an injury. We’ll find out the extent of it in the next few days.”
UNICS (Kazan) vs. Uralmash (Yekaterinburg)
Time: 7:00 p.m. (7:00 p.m. Moscow Time)
Venue: Basket-Hall, Kazan, Russia
Broadcast: Kinopoisk
UNICS: After losing in the first round, the Kazan team picked up steam and won three straight games, making them the highest-scoring team in the league (104.3 points). UNICS has faced the Ural team ten times in the VTB League and emerged victorious in nine of those games. However, Uralmash won the last matchup at the end of last season. Since then, the team from Tatarstan has changed significantly, but they’re definitely looking to get revenge.
Uralmash: Anton Yudin’s team played its first home game and lost to PARMA. The “Factory Boys” allowed their opponents to pull ahead several times and were forced to play catch-up, but they were unable to do so in the final quarter. In their matchup against UNICS, the visitors will have to contain the tournament’s best offense, which won’t forgive any lapses in play. But Uralmash has experience winning in Kazan, and repeating that feat will only be possible with consistent play from start to finish.
UNICS Head Coach Milan Karakas:
“We’re in for an extremely tough game on Wednesday. Uralmash is an excellent team—and a very ambitious one at that. For the past few years, they’ve been striving to break into the top four.
In their match against CSKA in Moscow, the Ural team showed just how dangerous they can be if allowed to play at that level. That’s why I expect my team to play the same way we have in our last three games.
We need to defend well, maintain a high intensity, and dictate the pace of the game.
On our opponents’ backcourt, I’d highlight Chris Clemons, David Efiayani, and Timofey Gerasimov, and among the big men—Danilo Tašić and Octavius Ellis.
Right now, some of them may not be playing at the level they’re capable of, but we need to be aware of that. Players like Chris, on his best day, can beat you all by himself. That’s why we’re conducting a detailed analysis so we know how to play effectively against them.”
Lokomotiv-Kuban (Krasnodar) vs. Avtodor (Saratov)
Time: 8:00 p.m. (8:00 p.m. Moscow Time)
Venue: Russia, Krasnodar, “Basket-Hall” Sports Complex
Broadcast: Kinopoisk
Lokomotiv-Kuban: The Krasnodar team lost to CSKA in a tense game, nearly managing to overcome a 17-point deficit. They struggled with their long-range shooting, which is typical for the team at the start of the season. Their low three-point shooting percentage is offset by their energy on the defensive end: the Kuban team averages 17 rebounds per game and leads the league in that category. The “Railroaders” have a 15-game winning streak against the Saratov team, which gives fans confidence heading into the game.
Avtodor: Saratov failed to measure up against a top-tier opponent, losing to Zenit. The St. Petersburg team managed to contain Wendell Green, and the Volga coaching staff needs to find other options on offense. Now they face an opponent no less formidable—Loko. And while Rostislav Vergun’s players faced tight man-to-man defense in St. Petersburg, in Krasnodar they’ll have to face a team that relies on a fast-paced offensive game. The Volga team has the will to fight; now they just need to turn that into results.
Lokomotiv-Kuban Head Coach Tomislav Tomović:
“Avtodor is a quality team with a coach whose style is instantly recognizable and three strong foreign players. In every league game—except, perhaps, the recent one against Zenit—our next opponent has played very well, so we need to treat them with the utmost respect and give it our all.
Yes, we’re in the middle of a busy stretch right now, with more games than full-fledged training sessions. But I have no doubt that we’ll be fine. Especially since we’re back in Krasnodar, where we always feel the fans’ love and support particularly strongly. I believe that many fans will come to support us on Wednesday, and we’ll delight them with our play and the result.”
Avtodor Head Coach Rostislav Vergun:
“Loko” is a very organized team that plays fast and aggressive basketball. After the game in St. Petersburg, I’d like to see some progress in how we play against the league leaders. The foundation for that is there, and I can see the guys’ desire to prove that we’re a force to be reckoned with. The must-haves for us are aggressiveness, team play, taking care of the ball, and making smart decisions.”
