Loko and Zenit continue to fight online, PARMA get its first win, McCollum puts up a show in Minsk, Week 5 in review

Fifth week main highlights.

Loko make a comeback from “-18” in Saint-Petersburg

It seems like rivals from Lokomotiv and Zenit know each other in-and-out in the game of the week. They played 6 games against each othr last season in VTB League, and 2 strong players – Dmitry Khvostov and Mateusz Ponitka moved from Krasnodar to Saint-Petersburg last summer. Before the game started ex-teammates couldn’t lose the chance to communicate.

However, as the game started they weren’t friends no more. During one of the first game moments Dmitry Kulagin didn’t let Dmitry Khvostov score easy points in transition:

Mateusz Ponitka beat the buzzer against his ex-team in the end of the first quarter:

The game was more or less a success for Zenit: Joan Plaza’s team scored 53 points in the first half, and after the break their lead reached 18 points. But Loko’s head coach Luca Banchi managed to reach his players – Krasnodar reduced the gap in 10 minutes and even managed to take a significant lead.

Krasnodar made the biggest comeback this season and now hold second place in the league.

Zenit reacted to Loko’s win in instagram:

Lokomotiv reminded their Saint-Petersburg opponents of their unsuccessful start of the season in comments:

Fans of the week

Sam Dekker’s parents flew from USA to Saint-petersburg to support their son – Loko had no chance to lose with such fans.

PARMA celebrate its first win of the season

After impressive wins against UNICS and Zenit Kalev’s head coach Roberts Stelmahers pointed out during interview that each win in VTB League is tough and everything can happen in sport.

Latvian coach’s words were proved last Satuday: Kalev lost in Perm – 74:85. Moreover, Estonian team even came back from “-12” and took the lead for not a long time but couldn’t keep it. One of the clutch key moments was Mareks Mejeris’ dunk:

It was PARMA’s first win of the season. Arnett Moultrie, who scored 19 points joked, that now he can sleep at night:

Power up

League’s teams continue to work on transfer market after the start of the season. For example, last Sunday Kalev announced that they had signed 2 Americans: center Calvin Godfrey and forward Jonathan Holton joined Tallinn.

Tsmoki signed Robert Lowery – previously guard played for Astana and VEF. One of the most memorable moments for Lowery was his game-winning three-pointer, which brought Kazakhstan the win over enisey in the second overtime.

Avtodor signed a rookie too – nigerian guard Michael Umeh who started this season in French Championship.

Errick McCollum wins the game for UNICS in Minsk

UNICS came to Minsk with cut roster – Raymar Morgan and Dmitrii Uzinskii were absent because of injuries. Despite this, Kazan could beat Tsmoki and take the W breaking two game loss streak

The victory’s key factor was Errick McCollum – guard scored 33 points repeating his career-high.

After two failures against Kalev and Loko UNICS took back neutral record.

All-VTB United League Team of the Week

Standings

Loko now hold second place, PARMA get first win, UNICS now have neutral record.