Zenit defeated Uralmash at home – 89:79 (23:22, 16:18, 24:16, 26:23).
Game progress
Although Uralmash came to St. Petersburg as the underdog, the guests started off very confident. Throughout the first quarter, the lead was constantly changing, and neither team could get further than 2-3 points. Only midway through the second quarter, Hayden Dalton shots helped the Yekaterinburg team to get 5 points advantage, but Zenit immediately caught up. Uralmash continued to lead with a slim difference by halftime – 40:39.
Key moment
The second half was equal at first. But in the middle of the third quarter, Omari Spellman scored 7 points in a row. Alex Poythress and Spellman three-pointer helped the hosts to build a double-digit lead for the first time in the game – 66:56. The St. Petersburg team managed to defend well Johnny O’Bryant, who scored 18 points in the first half, while Dalton and Jeremiah Martin tried to bring the team back into the game with three-pointers. Zenit maintained a 10-point lead until the end, earns its 18th win and ties with CSKA, which earlier lost to Lokomotiv Kuban.
X-factor
The hosts bench players had a key role in this game, which outscored Uralmash rotation by 19 points. Zenit leading backup was Alex Poythress: his 22 eff. points is the best in the team.
Facts
The lead changed 18 times in the game.
Hayden Dalton had his first double-double of the season.
Zenit becomes the best scoring team of the season with 24 more points than CSKA.
Leaders
Zenit: Omari Spellman (18 + 5 rebounds), Alex Poythress (16 + 8 rebounds), Trent Frazier (14), Dwayne Bacon (12), Xavier Moon (11), Sergey Karasev (5 + 3 steals).
Uralmash: Johnny O’Bryant (22), Jeremiah Martin (18), Hayden Dalton (14 + 11 rebounds).
What’s next
Zenit: January 5 on the road against UNICS.
Uralmash: December 26 at home versus MBA-MAI.
