One regular-season game will take place on Friday.
Avtodor (Saratov) vs. UNICS (Kazan)
Time: 7:00 p.m. (6:00 p.m. Moscow Time)
Venue: Russia, Saratov, “Kristall” Sports Palace
Broadcast: Kinopoisk
Avtodor: The hosts got off to a very strong start to the season. However, injuries to Alexander Evseev and Wendell Green have slowed the team’s winning streak. With a short rotation, the loss of key players has hit Avtodor hard. This was evident, for example, in their loss in Vladivostok. It’s no surprise that the Saratov team turned to the transfer market. Signing Ilya Platonov seems like a perfectly logical move. The forward has extensive experience playing in the VTB League and should quickly fit into the lineup and help the black-and-whites in their upcoming games.
UNICS: Kazan began its road trip with a tough loss in Krasnodar. This setback immediately dropped the team to fourth place. BETCITY PARMA is hot on their heels from below. To secure their place in the leading group, Milan Karakas’ team needs to win this game. Avtodor is not the easiest opponent. But their signature high-scoring offense (96.4 points per game on average) and the individual skills of their foreign players could be the key to a successful performance by the visitors in this game.
Avtodor Head Coach Rostislav Vergun: “UNICS has a very talented roster and, after a disappointing game in Krasnodar, will be ready to bounce back. In our recent games, we’ve lacked toughness on defense, in my opinion. Everyone, without exception, must understand that our only chance of achieving a positive result lies in quality team defense. That is our top priority.
Also, the absence of our starting point guards has had an impact on our overall play in recent games. The roster situation hasn’t changed yet, so we need to find ways to compensate for their absence through team play.”
UNICS guard C.J. Bryce: “We’re looking forward to showing what we’re capable of as a team, and I hope we’ll kick off a new winning streak in Saratov. We have great potential; we’re continuing to adapt to one another and find ways to get better every day.
Our goal is to win as often as possible. In a competitive tournament like the VTB United League, every game counts. Road games aren’t easy, and I want to thank all the fans who continue to travel with us and support the team, as well as everyone who roots for us.”
