Zenit will host Lokomotiv Kuban in the Game of the Week.
Place: Russia, St. Petersburg, Sibur Arena (capacity 7,120)
Time: January 29, 2023, 17:00 (Moscow time)
Broadcasts: TV Start, Match! Igra, League website
Rivlalry
Lokomotiv Kuban and Zenit played 22 games in the VTB League, and the score is equal – 11-11.
Up to the previous season, in each of the 6 seasons, Loko beat Zenit at least once. But in the 2021/22 season, Zenit won every game – 106:79 on the road and 91:75 at home. The last time the St. Petersburg team lost to the Krasnodar team in the United League in 2020 – 81:96. As for the games in St. Petersburg, Loko has not won here since October 2019.
However, Loko knows how to beat Zenit: In the SuperCup 2022 at the group stage, the Krasnodar team won with a minimal lead (74:73), and Jaylen Barford scored the decisive shot.
In the playoffs, the two teams played only once – in the 2018/19 season. Zenit, despite Loko homeport advantage, was stronger – 3-1.
This season
The teams met twice in the 2022/23 season in the first round of the regular season, and these games were similar.
Fans will surely remember the November game in Krasnodar for a long time: Loko led by 4 by the halftime, then missed a 29-point run and fell trailed by 21 – but made a comeback and equalize in the final quarter. The Krasnodar team could take the win, but Trey Tompkins scored the decisive shot.
After 2 months, Loko came to St. Petersburg, where the game had a similar scenario. Of course, the Krasnodar team did not allow the reigning champion to make a major run, but even without it, Zenit led by 17 points in the second half.
But, obviously, even such a large lead is not a guarantee for win. Loko made a comeback in 4th quarter. Finally, at the very end, the guests had a chance: 2-point difference and 15 seconds for a saving. Jaylen Barford tried to make a three-pointe, but missed.
Injury
In the January game in St. Petersburg, Zenit guard Denis Zakharov was injured and left only with the help of partners. The loss of one of the leading players – Denis had scored 10 points by that time – knocked the St. Petersburg team off the rhythm: it was at this moment that the Loko comeback began.
A little later it became known that Zakharov had a serious knee injury. The guard had a surgery on and is currently undergoing recovery.
Updates
Despite the fact that less than 3 weeks have passed since the last game, both teams have changes.
Zenit has noticeably strengthened the frontcourt: this week the St. Petersburg team announced two-time Euroleague champion Adrien Moerman and young center Royce Hamm, who started the season in Antwerp. Both newcomers were put to the roster of the team.
Loko also decided to update the squad before the start of the second stage. Firstly, Okaro White joined the team – a forward who played in the United League for UNICS in the 2020/21 season. Secondly, Josh Gray left: the guard did not have the best with 5.8 points in 5 games. Also, Loko announced the parting with Sergey Dolinin, who practically did not receive playing time this season.
Stats and leaders
If at the beginning of the season it was impossible to single out the obvious best player of Zenit, then by the end of January the leader is quite clearly visible – this is Thomas Heurtel. The French guard is the best in the St. Petersburg team in points (13.7) and the best in the League in assists (9.0). At the same time, the guard not only makes first-class passes, but also shoots with high percentage: 47.6% from the game and 43.6% three-pointers.
But Loko has the opposite situation. In the first months of the season, Jaylen Barford played well. The guard numbers still look impressive: 16.4 points, 3.6 assists, 3.7 rebounds, 1.7 steals. But Barford is not the only leader now – newcomer DeVaughn Akoon-Purcell is no less dangerous. He made his debut for Loko just in the January game with Zenit and scored 20 points. And on average, the forward scored 18 points in 3 games.
The best rebounder in Zenit is Richard Solomon (6,3). That’s only after the signing of Moerman and Hamm, the St. Petersburg team rejected Solomon, and he will not take part in the game with Loko. But Loko has Chris Horton (5,8) and Andrey Martiuk (5,5).
As for the team stats, Zenit scores more (82.5 points against 78.4 for Loko), and defends better (71.1 points against 76.8). Zenit is the second team in the League in three-pointers percentage (39.8%) and the third in shots from the game percentage (47.3%). Loko is better in rebounds – 37.2 on game, while the St. Petersburg team has only 34.8. In addition, the Krasnodar team are the best in the League in steals, making 9.1 per game (Zenit has 7.8).
Standings
For the first part of the regular season Zenit had 6 losses – this is more than for the entire 2021/22 regular season (4). Because of this, the reigning champion is the 3rd in the standings and seriously behind CSKA and UNICS. At the same time, Pari Nizhny Novgorod and MBA not so far away.
Loko is currently closing Group A, but it can improve its place, because Pari NN and MBA are only 1 win away.
Old-New Friends
There are 4 former Loko players in Zenit: Denis Zakharov (2016/17), Dmitry Kulagin (2017-20), Andrey Zubkov (2010-17) and Vitalii Fridzon (2018-20). Krasnodar has no ex-Zenit players.
