CSKA defeated Zenit in Finals Game 4 at home – 85:62 (22:14, 26:11, 22:11, 15:26).
Game progress
In the opening quarter, long-range shots by Okaro White and Andrey Vorontsevich gave the guests a lead – 6:2. Surprisingly, the St. Petersburg team made next three-pointer only at the end of the second quarter. Zenit offense didn’t look very effective without the threat from distance and the energy of leaders.
The hosts had no problems on the offensive end. CSKA was active with getting ball to bigmen drew a lot of fouls and exploded with three-pointers. All of this allowed CSKA to build its lead throughout the first half. The second quarter ended with a long-range shot by Casper Ware, after which the Moscow team lead reached 23 points – 48:25.
Key moment
In fact, the Moscow team removed the intrigue at the start of the third quarter. Livio Jean-Charles, Ivan Ukhov and Anton Astapkovich made an 11-point run, after which CSKA lead became huge – 59:25. In the remaining time, the coaches of both teams experimented with the lineup. But that didn’t stop the hosts from taking the win.
X-factor
Defense was a key factor in CSKA win in this game. The Moscow team allowed the opponent to score only 62 points. At the same time, the team failed to make 10+ three-pointers for the first time in the Finals, while Zenit main stars Dwayne Bacon and Trent Frazier combined for only 10 points.
Facts
For the first time in VTB League history, the Finals score is 2-2.
The Moscow team scored 24 straight points in the second and third quarters to extend lead from 10 to 34 points.
Leaders
CSKA: Casper Ware (16), Anton Astapkovich (13), Ivan Ukhov (11 + 8 rebounds), Amath M’Baye (11).
Zenit: Alex Poythress (13), Andrey Vorontsevich (11 + 8 rebounds), Aleksandr Scherbenev (11).
What’s next
Game 5 on June 6 in St. Petersburg.
