Zenit missed a 25-point comeback on the road, but managed to win against Lokomotiv Kuban — 77:74 (18:18, 24:11, 23:21, 12:24).
Game progress
Loko and Zenit rivalry this season is one of the best of the regular season. Every game is spectacular and unpredictable. In case of win Loko retained theoretical chances to take the third place at the end of the season.
However, Zenit needed a win no less and started to push from the very start. Royce Hamm and Trent Frazier were especially active. Loko quickly recovered from such forced start by the guests and responded with Chris Horton and DeVaughn Akoon-Purcell actions.
However, Zenit controlled the second quarter due to the defense. For the entire 10 minutes, the St. Petersburg team allowed their opponents to score only 11 points and made 24. At the end of the first half, Andrey Zubkov and Trent Frazier made the guests lead double-digit – 42:29.
Zenit started the second half with 3 threes in a row and after Trey Tompkins free-throws, the guests lead became almost fatal for Loko – 61:36.
Key moment
However, Loko and Zenit rivalry main feature this season is amazing comebacks. So this time the Krasnodar team did not change it. When Pascual used different players combos, Loko managed to trail by 10 at the end of the third quarter – 65:50. The hosts rushed in pursuit. Akoon-Purcell and Horton began the comeback. Vladislav Emchenko, the hero of the last game versus Zenit, equalised the score, and Aleksandr Shcherbenev three-pointer put Loko ahead — 72:69!
However, the reigning champion experience affected in the end. Zenit had an 8:2 run and began with Caleb Homesley drive, continued with Trent Frazier and Sergey Karasev three-pointers. Loko had a little less than a minute left to save the game, but first Zakhar Vedishchev made a turnover, and in the last seconds Emchenko shot was blocked by Caleb Homesley. Zenit managed to win Loko for the third time this season and continued UNICS pursuit.
Key factor
Trent Frazier is replacing Thomas Heurtel, who has been out due to injury, as Zenit’s main offensive option with more confidence from game to game. He made 6 turnovers and 9 assists against CSKA, then in the next 2 games he had 1 turnover on average. At the same time, he got 28 points against Nizhny Novgorod, and today he again became the leader in points and had 8 assists.
Fact
Another Loko comeback happened already the third game against Zenit this season — and the largest. In the first game, the Krasnodar team managed to make a 21-point comeback, in the second – 17. In this game, the guests max lead was 25 points.
Leaders
Lokomotiv Kuban: Chris Horton (15 + 10 rebounds + 3 blocks), DeVaughn Akoon-Purcell (14 + 7 rebounds), Zakhar Vedishchev (12), Jaylen Barford (11)
Zenit: Trent Frazier (15 + 8 assists), Caleb Homesley (14 + 6 assists), Royce Hamm (11), Sergey Karasev (11 + 9 rebounds), Trey Tompkins (10)
Next games
Lokomotiv Kuban: road game versus Pari Nizhny Novgorod on March 12
Zenit: home game against CSKA on March 13
