Two regular season games are scheduled for Thursday and Friday.
Thursday, April 4
Enisey Russia – Tsmoki-Minsk Belarus
Time: 7:10 PM (3:10 MSK)
Place: Arena.Sever, Krasnoyarsk, Russia
TV: VTB-League.com
Enisey: By tripping up Nizhny Novgorod, the Siberians snapped a five-game losing streak and now have seven wins. Krasnoyarsk will likely try to make it two in a row for only the second time this season (back-to-back wins vs. Astana and Zielona Gora earlier this season). Minsk is beatable. Enisey secured one of its most impressive wins of the season earlier in the year vs. the Belarusians, winning by 22 on the road. John Roberson was the star, scoring 31 points. The visitors will have a tough time trying to stop the duo of Roberson and D’Angelo Harrison.
Tsmoki-Minsk: The Belarusians are trying to tie Zielona Gora and PARMA in the standings and finally escape last place. It won’t be easy. Tsmoki has not defeated Krasnoyarsk since 2015 and has lost six in a row. Plus, five of Enisey’s seven victories have come at home, while Tsmoki has not won away from Minsk since November.
Friday, April 5
PARMA Russia – Zielona Gora Poland
Time: 7:30 PM (5:30 MSK)
Place: Molot, Perm, Russia
TV: VTB-League.com
PARMA: The biggest intrigue is which team will secure its fifth win of the season. Perm could move into 12th with a win and pass the Poles in the standings. The Ural club will also be looking for revenge for the loss earlier in the season to Zielona Gora. PARMA allowed Zielona Gora to set multiple club records on offense in that game. Another interesting tidbit is that Michael Humphrey and Kodi Justice, who began the season with Perm, have since moved to Zielona Gora. The duo scored only nine and seven points, respectively, for PARMA in the meeting with the Poles.
Zielona Gora: Despite a seven-game losing streak, Igor Jovovic’s men have played well on offense in recent outings, scoring more than 100 points in its last two games for only the second and third time this season. Zielona Gora will try to keep up the production in Perm. The Ural club’s defense has improved in recent weeks, but Zielona Gora was able to score a then club-best 88 points in the first meeting with PARMA. The visitors’ biggest task will be to keep Rashard Kelly off the glass. Zielona Gora as a team averages four fewer rebounds per game than PARMA.
