Lokomotiv-Kuban Krasnodar hosts UNICS Kazan in the regular season on Saturday.
Where:
Basket Hall (capacity 7,500), Krasnodar, Russia
When:
4:00 PM (4:00 MSK), October 21, 2017
TV:
Match TV, VTB-League.com
Face to Face
UNICS and Lokomotiv have played each other in every possible competition, from the League to the Russian Cup to European tournaments. Last season, Lokomotiv swept the season series in the VTB United League, before taking down UNICS in the quarterfinals. Krasnodar lost the first game at home, but bounced back to win three straight and move on to the semifinals.
Lokomotiv-Kuban leads UNICS 13-7 all-time in VTB United League meetings.
Looking Back
Offseason
It’s no exaggeration to say there was a revolution in Kazan over the summer. Dimitrios Priftis was named head coach, soon followed by scoring machine Keith Langford’s departure. The club didn’t stop there, bringing in 11 new players, all on one-year contracts. The product on the court is different, too. Gone are the days of iso ball, replaced by a team-oriented approach. To many, Priftis’s squad looks eerily similar to the 2013-14 squad coached by Andrea Trinchieri.
Lokomotiv-Kuban brought back Sasa Obradovic and only signed eight new players, three fewer than UNICS. But sporting an almost entirely brand-new starting lineup, Krasnodar also has a new look in 2017-18.
Intrigue
UNICS may have improved more over the summer, but Krasnodar finished the 2016-17 season in better shape, leaving these two clubs evenly matched entering 2017-18. Saturday’s game isn’t so much about the standings as much as seeing which team can pick up some momentum and make an early statement in the League.
Balance of Power
UNICS already has one win against Zenit. Even though St. Petersburg was short-handed for the season opener, Kazan looked impressive, dominating from start to finish. Otherwise, UNICS and Loko have had remarkably similar starts. Both defeated Kalev in the VTB United League and are 2-0 in the Eurocup. After Saturday, only one of the two will still be undefeated.
Familiar Face
Pavel Antipov spent four seasons with UNICS before signing with Krasnodar over the summer. Antipov didn’t always get many opportunities in Kazan, but that has changed at Lokomotiv. He’s a starter now for Sasa Obradovic, averaging more than 20 minutes per game. On Saturday, Antipov will try to prove Kazan underestimated what he brought to the table.
Duel
Joe Ragland vs. Melvin Ejim.
Neither team has a clear-cut leader yet, but Joe and Melvin are two of the leading candidates. Both Ragland and Ejim competed in Italy’s Serie A last season, guiding their teams to the finals. Ejim ultimately came out on top, helping Venezia take down Avellino, and was also named playoff MVP. The rivalry continues at the Basket Hall this weekend.
Quotes
Lokomotiv-Kuban head coach Sasa Obradovic:
– We started slow in our last game against Alba in the Eurocup. We can’t make that mistake again. This time we are playing against a very serious team, against whom we need to play completely differently. UNICS has a good selection of players and they are playing well to start the season. We need to be ready.
UNICS head coach Dimitrios Priftis:
– We’re facing a very difficult road game. Loko is a very strong team. Krasnodar is excellent on defense and offense. We need to play with maximum focus for all 40 minutes. Otherwise, we’ll have a tough time.
