Lokomotiv Kuban will host UNICS in the Game of the Week on Sunday.
Place: Russia, Krasnodar, Basket Hall
Time: October 20, 2024, 18:30 (Moscow time)
Broadcast: Match TV, League website
Rivalry
Last week was marked by a showdown between the Semifinalists of the previous season (CSKA vs. Zenit). This Sunday fans will enjoy a clash between the rivals from the other Semifinal series. UNICS and Loko determined the finalist only in Game 7, where the score was tied with a 1.5 minute before the end.
The teams are most frequent opponents fro each other. Loko and UNICS have played 56 games in the League, with the total score 30:26, UNICS leads. They’ve faced each other in every Playoffs game for the past 4 years, and the Kazan team has been consistently stronger, including a win in the Finals of the 2022/23 season.
The last regular season series ended with a tie (2:2). The teams got wins at home.
Old-new faces
Velimir Perasovic became the best coach in the League last season and continues to lead the Kazan team. The game in Krasnodar will be his first versus his new coaching colleague. Andrei Vedischev began his VTB League career with 7 straight wins, repeating Vladimir Rodionov achievement. This is the best result among Russian coaches in history.
Former UNICS guard Nenad Dimitrijevic largely decided the Game 7 result. The guard moved to Olimpia Milan in the offseason and will not help the team in the upcoming rivalry. His former teammate Jalen Reynolds stayed in Kazan and signed a new contract. Loko guard Patrick Miller also retained with the team.
Forward DeVaughn Akoon-Purcell moved to UNICS in the summer after the Krasnodar team did not use the option for this season in his contract. He missed 2 games, including an important one against Zenit due to a minor injury, but he’s back in the lineup.
UNICS guard Marcos Knight, who also returned from the injury, is making progress. Knight signed a new contract in the offseason, but missed the start of the season.
Loko guard Karvel Anderson is recovering from a fractured pinky finger he suffered in the game against Zenit.
Season progress
Loko approaches the home game with a principal opponent as the leader of the standings with 7/0 result. However, the last 2 games were very difficult. Uralmash was able to put up a fight in Krasnodar, while Samara controlled the game until the last quarter. Andrei Vedischev noted the lack of concentration in the first half. Both times Loko defense saved the game.
The Krasnodar team guard Mikhail Vedischev called the upcoming game “the most serious test at the start of the season” and noted the opponent’s tight defense.
UNICS is at 4th place with 5/2 record. The Kazan team lost to other top teams CSKA and Zenit in the first rounds of the season. The team had to face the need for game adaptation at the start of the season due to major lineup changes and injuries. UNICS has been playing without much trouble lately, winning in 4 rounds with an average 20-point difference.
The last game with Astana made the club President Evgeny Bogachev nervous. It was a reminder not to relax and respect the opponent, as coach Perasovic said after the game.
Attitude
Evgeny Bogachev, UNICS President:
– Our players were relaxed a little bit against Astana. Johnson and Utomi showed high level. But we won. I was nervous. After all, we lost 3 quarters a little bit.
We will have a meeting on Wednesday. We need to get in shape before the trip to Krasnodar for the game with Lokomotiv, which will be on October 20.
Leaders
Patrick Miller
Lokomotiv Kuban activated the option for the 2024/25 season in the guard contract this summer and has no reason to regret. The team noted his reliability, leadership and trust. All of this Miller continues to demonstrate in the new season. The guard has been in the League Team of the Week 2 times. His efforts allowed the Krasnodar team to keep the game moving in difficult moments in the last 2 rounds. The guard was also a key component in the important win over Zenit.
Miller leads the League in assists, sharing first place with his direct opponent in Sunday’s game.
Tony Taylor
UNICS guard caught up with his opponent after setting the VTB League season-high in the previous round. Tony made 13 assists in the winning game against Astana.
The 34-year-old came to the Kazan team after playing for Bahceshehir in Turkey. Taylor has played for the Russian team before, having spent 2 seasons with Enisey from 2015 to 2017.
The guard leads his team in assists (6), efficiency (20.9), three-point shooting (45.2%) and total points (106).
