UNICS will host Lokomotiv Kuban in the Game of the Week on Sunday.
Place: Russia, Kazan, Basket Hall
Time: December 1, 2024, 15:00 (Moscow time)
Broadcast: Match TV, League website
Rivalry
The teams will play first game after 2-week break. So far, the Kazan team leads in the head-to-head games (team won 30 of 57 games).
Last regular season ended with a 2:2. The rivals confidently won home games. UNICS will try to continue a trend and take revenge for the loss in Krasnodar on October 20.
Previous game
The teams had different situation before first season game. Loko was the first in standings with 7 wins in a row. from the start. The Kazan team was fourth, behind CSKA and Zenit, and was trying to organize its game.
The Krasnodar team confirmed leadership status with the win – 78:71. After the game, Velimir Perasovic admitted that the hosts controlled the game almost the entire time, except maybe in the final minutes.
Andrei Vedischev cited good defense as the main reason for the win. UNICS managed only 46 points in the first 3 quarters.
Before the break
The teams secured big home wins. UNICS beat Enisey (96:74). DeVaughn Akoon-Purcell and Jalen Reynolds scored 56 points combined. Akoon-Purcell 31 points were the season-high in the League.
Perasovic tried not to focus on individual skills and preferred to praise the team 28 assists. “It’s not one or two people who win, but the whole team”.
Loko defeated Avtodor (83:64). Andrei Martiuk set his saeson-high 15 points. He also had 8 rebounds. The rebounding was the key to win.
National team
Four players took part in training camp and friendly games of the Russian national team.
Mikhail Belenitskii and Andrey Lopatin went to the national team. Lopatin averaged 11 points and 6.5 rebounds in 2 games. Belenitskii has 4 points and 3.5 rebounds.
Dmitry Kulagin was also supposed to go to training camp, but he got injured against Enisey. Injured Ismael Bako was also unable to help the Belgian national team in EuroBasket 2025 Qualifiers.
Andrei Martiuk (10 + 7 rebounds on average) responded with great enthusiasm to the call-up to the national team, awaiting a new opportunity to experience its unlike anything else atmosphere. He was supported by guard Vladislav Emchenko (8.5 + 4 rebounds + 3.5 assists).
Vsevolod Ishchenko, Anton Kvitkovskikh, Kirill Temirov and Kirill Elatontsev were rested due to Loko logistics and various injuries.
The Russian national team won the Friendship Cup, beating Tunisia and Libya.
Before the game
Before the second game, the teams are in a similar situation. The rivals are next to each other in the standings, in 3rd and 4th place, with only 1 win separating them.
UNICS is still lagging behind. Dmitry Kulagin pointed the main cause for concern, who “haven’t beaten a single teeam from the Top 4 yet.” The guard promised the fans that the team will pick up the pace in the near future. The game with Loko could be the start.
The Krasnodar team is trying to recover from 3-game losing streak. Loko lost to CSKA, Zenit and PARMA in tight endings and lost lead in the League. Since then, the team has 3 wins over teams from the bottom of the standings, but the game with UNICS will show just how much Andrei Vedischev team has regained confidence against the leaders.
Numbers
Loko is ahead of its opponent in most team stats. The Krasnodar team leads the League in rebounding (40.2 vs UNICS’ 38.2). The team is ahead in points per game (87.2-81.7), blocks (4.5-2.5) and steals (9.5-8.4).
The Kazan team has better shooting and less turnovers. The hosts also get more assists (19.1-18.8).
Leaders
DeVaughn Akoon-Purcell and Patrick Miller were selected to the Team of the Week.
Akoon-Purcell scored 23 points, 2.5 rebounds and 2.0 assists, setting career-high (31) against Enisey. The Kazan team forward is at 5th place in the points average.
The forward moved to UNICS from Loko this summer. Last season, Akoon-Purcell became the All-Star Game MVP and will qualify for the nex event, which will be at VTB Arena on February 16.
The first game with his former team was not too successful for him – 14 points and 5 rebounds with 6 of 17 shots from the game. The forward will be motivated to solve the situation in the next game.
For Patrick Miller it was the 4th time in 9 game weeks that he was named to the Team of the Week. Miller scores 17.5 points, 2.5 rebounds and 4 assists.
The guard ranks 4th in the League in average assists.
