UNICS defeated Zenit in the Game of the Week – 91:90 (21:23, 27:28, 23:22, 20:17).
Game progress
The win was crucial for both teams: UNICS was able to get away from CSKA, while Zenit was able to move closer to the Top 2. The guests started with a strong run: Sergey Karasev and Thomas Heurtel long-range shots gave Zenit a double-digit lead at the start -17:4. However, the hosts found their hero: Jalen Reynolds almost single-handedly rebooted UNICS offense and helped the Kazan team to tie. In the second quarter, Zenit again created an 11-point lead, but the Kazan team didn’t let the guestss get too far ahead again. The teams were separated by only 3 points by the halftime – 51:48.
The scenario of the first 2 quarters was repeated exactly the same in the second half: the St. Petersburg team added to defense and got double-digit lead and once again UNICS got back into the game at the end of the quarter twith Nenad Dimitrijevic and Louis Labeyrie made shots. Zenit lead remained minimal before the final quarter – 73:71.
Key moment
The fourth quarter was absolutely equal, both teams were tired. Heurtel and Vince Hunter duo replied to unstoppable Dimitrijevic performance.
Hunter gave Zenit a lead in the final minute – 90:88. In the return possession, the hosts failed to score and were forced to foul Heurtel. But the most unexpected thing happened: the French guard missed both free throws. The Kazan team had 14 seconds score and probably win. Erick Green tried to score three-pointer, but missed! Reynolds got the ball and put it on the perimeter again, this time to Labeyrie. The French bigman made long-range shot with less than 5 seconds to go – 91:90.
After a timeout, the St. Petersburg team brought the ball to Hunter, who could brought his current team a win over his former team, but Zenit bigman failed to score. UNICS won in a tight ending and secured the top spot in the standings.
X-factor
Thomas Heurtel is among the Top 3 players in free throw percentage this season – 89.9%. He scored 6 of 6 throuthout the game. However, 2 missed shots in the final minute affected the game result: it would have been much harder for UNICS to score 4 points in 15 seconds.
Fact
Nenad Dimitrijevic scored 30+ points for the third time this season. His 32 points are his third season-high after 38 points against CSKA and 35 versus Avtodor.
Zenit became the last team in Group A to lose in the second stage. Now there are no teams left without a loss.
UNICS winning streak in rivalry with Zenit reached 4 games in a row.
Leaders
UNICS: Nenad Dimitrijevic (32 + 5 rebounds + 9 assists), Jalen Reynolds (23 + 10 rebounds), Louis Labeyrie (16), Erick Green (11).
Zenit: Thomas Heurtel (22 + 10 assists), Vince Hunter (16), Bojan Dubljevic (15 + 5 rebounds), Georgy Zhbanov (8 + 5 rebounds).
What’s next
UNICS (25-7): March 26 on the road against Lokomotiv Kuban
Zenit (21-10): March 25 on the road versus CSKA.
