Zenit will host UNICS in the Game of the Week on Friday.
Time: 19:30 (Moscow time)
Place: Russia, St. Petersburg, KSC Arena
Broadcast: TV Start, Match TV, League website
Rivalry history
The rivalry between Zenit and UNICS has been a principled and has already reached 40 (!) games in the United League. All because these teams have often played in the Playoffs, closing each other’s path to the next stage. In the Semifinals 2016, UNICS defeated Zenit and reached the Finals, 2 years later the St. Petersburg team won the bronze game in the Final Four.
It is worth mentioning Semifinals 2023. The battle between UNICS and Zenit went all the way to the Game 7 in Kazan, where the hosts picked up a win in the final seconds and returned to the United League Finals – and then became the champions!
Current Season
Zenit and UNICS have 3 games already in the 2023/24 season. And while the Kazan team won 93:83 in November, the winner of the next 2 games was decided only in the final seconds.
In January in Kazan, the reigning champion had a 4-point lead with a minute to go, but in the end nearly lost – Trent Frazier and Vince Hunter tried to score for the win, but failed to made their shots. UNICS was stronger in the end – 64:61.
2 weeks ago the teams played again in Kazan. Zenit took the lead in the end, but couldn’t hold on a 2-point advantage: Louis Labeyrie made the winning three-pointer 5 seconds before the buzzer!
Standings
Zenit is third in the standings with 23 wins in 33 games and will definitely not be able to finish the regular season at the first place. Nevertheless, the team still has a chance for the Top 2 – the St. Petersburg team need to win at home this Friday.
UNICS currently shares the lead with CSKA – both teams have 25 wins in 34 games. The Kazan team travel to St. Petersburg only for a win – otherwise the team will seriously complicate the fight for first place in the regular season.
«I have no idea how to stop him»
Two days before the game in St. Petersburg, United League released an interview with Vince Hunter. Among other things, Zenit center talked about former teammate Jalen Reynolds, with whom they became League champions together as part of UNICS last year:
«I’ve been trying to figure it out all season! I still have a little time before the Playoffs to solve this puzzle. Anyway, I think we both want to meet again in the decisive games. Preferably in the Finals. And each of us will be racking our brains on how to stop our opponent. We won the title together that year, but now I have to do everything I can to neutralize him! But I love a challenge like this. That’s what I do. It exhausts me on the court, but I enjoy it»
As early as this Friday, it will be possible to see if Hunter has come up with something new – the ond-new friend will meet face-to-face.
Transfers
On Thursday, UNICS announced the lease of Nizhny Novgorod players: Andrey Vorontsevich and Mikhail Belenitskii will go to Kazan until the end of the season.
By the way, Vorontsevich played for UNICS from 2021-2023. Last season, the forward led the team to the United League title as captain.
Out of action
UNICS guard Marcos Knight, who was injured on March 26 against Lokomotiv Kuban, will miss the upcoming game. Dmitry Kulagin and Artem Komolov are recovering.
Zenit bigman Bojan Dubljevic did not participate in the last 2 games of the team.
Numbers
Zenit and UNICS are the best defensive teams in the United League this season. The St. Petersburg team is allowing opponents to score only 74.7 points per game, while the Kazan team 76.0. The opponents offense is also doing well: UNICS is second in the League (85.9 points), while Zenit is fourth (83.7).
What UNICS is better than the opponents is three-point shooting: the Kazan team players make 39.1% of their long-range shots, while Zenit make 37.5%.
