UNICS beat Zenit on the road – 86:75 (24:27, 13:22, 31:13, 18:13)
Top scorers
Zenit: Austin Hollins (15), Andrew Albicy (12), Andrei Zubkov (11).
UNICS: Errick McCollum (21), Jamar Smith (17 + 5 rebounds), Alex Tyus (15).
Story
Zenit was 5th with negative record (6-7) before the game. UNICS won 2 consecutive games and were 4th with 8-5.
The teams started powerfully. Starting quarter was in tight, equal game – 27:24 for Zenit. The hosts managed to take the lead in the middle of the second period, when they showed good defense. Zenit made opponents turn over a few times (5-0 for steals, 9 turnovers by UNICS in the first half alone) and were speeding up to fastbreaks. Austin Hollins’ shots helped Zenit make 9:0 run and create a double-digit lead (41:30). It was symbolic when Alex Renfroe gave a bad alley-oop pass in transition to Hollins, but just after that this duo attempted it again after a nice defense, this time successfully. Outpacing the rivals 13:2 in transition points, Petersburg were leading till the big break 49:37.
Amazing fast break, @LilAl523 @aHolli_20 👌 pic.twitter.com/6kycbWHNZ6
— VTB United League (@VTBUL) January 26, 2020
In the middle of the third UNICS answered the same. After last second possession three by Jamar Smith Kazan scored 4 more points in 15 seconds – 2 steals and 2 makes by Jordan Theodore. Instead of +12 of Zenit only 5 advantage points left (62:57). Time-out by Joan Plaza didn’t work for Zenit. Soon, Errick McCollum drew a three-point foul, and Dmitrii Uzinskii and Pavel Sergeev scored 3 points each without free throws. Ending up the quarter with 18-0 run, Tatarstan were a leader before decisive quarter (68:62).
In the beginning of the fourth Zenit found team chemistry, that led into 3 long-range hits (Anton Ponkrashov twice, Andrew Albicy) and 71:72 on the scoreboard.
Key moment
UNICS answered with leaders’ individual skills. Jamar Smith hit a three, Alex Tyus showed his best in the paint, Evgenii Kolesnikov used chances, shooting from mid-range. A pure revelation was Valerii Likhodey’s spectacular blocks.
After 12:4 run in the beginning of the fourth (84:75) Kazan held their opponents. There were no ending: Zenit didn’t score a single point in last 3 and a half minutes.
UNICS settled in top-4, while Zenit fell to 7th place. But Petersburg won in Kazan with 13-point differential and in case of equality have advantage in match-ups.
Hero
Jamar Smith. Very toughly-contested shot in the third inspired UNICS for breaking run. In the fourth Smith stopped Zenit’s run with another three. He scored 17 points, 5 rebounds in 30 minutes on the court.
Stat
18 – UNICS’ run 18 to 0 helped the guests win third quarter with +18. This was the key moment in the game.
Next
Zenit: February 2 at Kalev
UNICS: February 2 at Khimki
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