Zenit defeated MBA at home, winning the 17th game of the season — 73:71 (18:22, 16:18, 17:10, 22:21)
Game progress
Zenit’s 3-game losing streak continued. The Moscow team, after a recent win over the reigning champion, lost 2 games.
In the first half, the guests started very good and Zenit had difficulties. The St. Petersburg team shot threes a lot, most of them were missed, but the Moscow team shooters were better. Andrey Lopatin made 2 three-pointers. At the beginning of the second quarter, MBA had an 8-point lead, but Thomas Heurtel and Trey Tompkins helped Zenit reduce the difference to a minimum. And yet MBA led after the first half with a 6-point lead – 40:34.
However, Vasily Karasev team failed to develop the lead — at the very beginning of the third quarter, Thomas Heurtel and Royce Hamm equalized the score. Zenit added significantly in defense, limiting the guests’ to score only 10 points in the quarter and it was enough to lead by the beginning of the final quarter – 51:50.
Key moment
The last minutes were clutch. Trey Tompkins put Zenit ahead with a three-pointer, but Andrey Lopatin got ball after Daniil Kasatkin’s miss — 71:71. 24 seconds before the end, the Moscow team had possession, but Timofey Yakushin made an offensive foul on Sergey Karasev.
Zenit had the last possession. Thomas Heurtel dribbled until the last seconds, then rushed into the paint – and a lay-up, but Royce Hamm was ready. He scored a putback dunk and got Zenit the most important win in a very difficult game.
Key factor
Royce Hamm joined the team just a few days ago and showed himself already in his debut game against Loko. But the bigman time to shine came in the last seconds against MBA – Hamm took advantage of Evgeny Valiev fouled out, and made his only, but key offenisve rebound in the last possession.
Fact
Zenit’s 3-game losing streak is the first in 3 seasons that Xavi Pascual has been coaching the St. Petersburg team. It began in mid-January against MBA, and the Moscow team made the biggest comeback of the season trailing by 20. So this time Zenit not only enden the losing streak, but also took revenge.
Leaders
Zenit: Royce Hamm (17 + 7 rebounds), Thomas Heurtel (16 + 8 assists), Trey Tompkins (15), Caleb Homesley (11 + 5 assists)
MBA: Andrey Lopatin (17 + 6 rebounds), Ilya Platonov (8 + 8 rebounds)
Next games
Zenit: road game against CSKA on February 6
MBA: home game versus UNICS on February 7
