Zenit will host Lokomotiv Kuban Krasnodar in the Game of the Week.
Place: Russia, St. Petersburg, Sibur Arena (7,120 spectators)
Time: January 10, 2023, 20:00 (Moscow time)
Broadcast: TV Start, Match TV, League website
Rivalry
Lokomotiv Kuban and Zenit played 21 games in the VTB United League. Loko has the lead in the rivalry history with 11 wins. In 7 seasons of the St. Petersburg team participation, Loko beat Zenit at least once – except for the previous one: in the 2021/22 season, Zenit won both – 106:79 on the road and 91:75 at home.
In the playoffs, the teams played only once – in the 2018/19 season. Zenit defeated the Krasnodar team even Loko had a home court advantage – 3-1.
The teams also played before the start of this season. In the SuperCup 2022, Loko beat Zenit in the group stage (74:73) – Jaylen Barford scored the winning shot. After that, the St. Petersburg team reached the final and won the SuperCup.
The first game of the season
November game in Krasnodar was a memorable. Loko showed strong defense in the first half, let the opponent score 25 points in 20 minutes and having a 4-point lead at the halftime…
Then lose the third quarter 5:30! Moreover: in 9 minutes of the quarter, Zenit allowed the Krasnodar team to score only 1 point, winning this segment 29:1. Loko lost confidence and could not score even a single free-throw shot. By the beginning of the fourth quarter, the St. Petersburg team led by 21 points.
But the game did not end there. Loko made a real comeback and equalized the score in a little over a minute before the end of the fourth quarter – 61:61! The Krasnodar team could even win the game, but Trey Tompkins made an offensive rebound and score a second-chance points.
Updates
The lineups of both teams have changed since that November game in Krasnodar. Loko has been transformed more: the Krasnodar team has 3 newcomers – Chris Horton and Josh Gray have already made their debut in the League, but DeVaughn Akoon-Purcell has not played a single game for the Krasnodar team yet.
Loko also announced the parting with Darral Willis. He was the best rebounder of the team (7.1 rebounds on average per match).
Zenit changes are not so serious. Just before the New Year, Joe Thomasson left the St. Petersburg team. The guard never found himself in Xavi Pascual’s system – he averaged 5.1 points in 15 minutes.
Standings positions
Both Zenit and Loko have already secured a place in the Top 6 following the results of the first stage of the regular season and a spot in the playoffs.
These teams now has the same places as before the face-to-face game in November: the St. Petersburg team is on 3rd, the Krasnodar team is 6th. In 2 months Zenit won 8 out of 10 games, Loko – 5 out of 9.
But if the reigning champion at the first stage of the regular season is unlikely to improve the place (UNICS is ahead by 2 wins), then the Krasnodar team may well get the 5th place and equal with Pari NN – to make this work, the team need to win Zenit, MINSK and Astana, and also hope for Nizhny Novgorod will lose at least in one of the remaining games in the next week and a half.
Debut
It is expected that DeVaughn Akoon-Purcell may make his debut in the game against Zenit. The 29-year-old forward has already joined the team and gave an interview, where he spoke about the first days in the new team and readiness to play at Sibur Arena floor.
Numbers and leaders
Zenit are the 3rd team in the League in points per game scored: Xavi Pascual’s team score 83.6 points per game. Loko is only 7th, but it is not too far behind – 77.9 points.
But as for the defense, then Zenit has no equal here: 69.2 missed points is the first place in the League. The closest competitor – UNICS – allows opponents to score 71.2 points per game. Loko let opponents score 78.6 points per game.
Also, the St. Petersburg team surpasses the Krasnodar team in the scoring percentage (48.4% – 43.5%), assists (21.2 – 18.5) and turnovers (12.7 – 14.4). But Loko is stronger than Zenit in rebounds (37.1 – 34.6). Yes, the Krasnodar team parted with Darral Willis, but the newcomer Chris Horton has already shown as a good rebounder.
As for individual stats, then Zenit should single out Thomas Heurtel – he leads the St. Petersburg team in points (13.3) and assists (8.8). By the way, the French guard is the best in assists in the League.
Loko also has a leader – Jaylen Barford, who is 3rd in the best scorers list with 17.0 points. Also Andrey Matiuk has the brightest season of his career: the forward has an average of 13.0 points and 5.7 rebounds per game!
Old-New Friends
There are 4 former Loko players in Zenit squad now: Denis Zakharov (2016/17), Dmitryi Kulagin (2017-20), Andrey Zubkov (2010-17) and Vitaly Fridzon (2018-20). The Krasnodar team has no ex-Zenit players.
Comment
Andrey Zubkov, Zenit forward: “A special game for me? Maybe somewhere deep in my soul… But, as they say, a lot of things has already flowed since the moment I left. Therefore, I already treat this game just like another one. I am preparing for this game like for any other, we are setting up only for win and we will do everything to achieve it.”
