Kazan’s UNICS defeated St. Petersburg’s Zenit at home, 95–60 (31–13, 18–14, 29–6, 17–27).
Main Story
Kazan took control of the game right from the start. Backed by their home crowd, they not only played tough defense but also scored at a high rate, building a double-digit lead within five minutes. In the second quarter, the hosts weren’t as effective on offense, but their defense remained strong. This was precisely what caused Zenit’s scoring problems. The visitors made only 9 of 33 field goals. By halftime, they trailed by 22 points.
The second half began with a run by Milan Karakas’ team. They scored 10 unanswered points and extended their lead throughout the third quarter. The outcome was all but decided, but the St. Petersburg team managed to win the final 10-minute period, 27–17. It’s worth noting that every player on the game roster saw action.
X-Factor
Zenit struggled on offense throughout the game. The visitors made 15 of 43 (34%) two-point shots. Their efficiency from long range was also low: 6 of 27 (22%).
Interesting Fact
Head-to-head record in the VTB League: 31-26 in favor of UNICS.
Last season, Kazan forward Luka Šamanic played for Zenit, while Dmitry Kulagin was the captain of UNICS.
Press Conference
UNICS Head Coach Milan Karakas
– I think we played a very good game—the best one since the start of preseason training up until today.
I’m especially pleased that we’ve been training really well lately. Since the Supercup in Moscow, we’ve had a lot of excellent practices. This week turned out to be especially productive—it’s largely thanks to that that we’ve gained confidence.
Let’s be realistic. This was a game where everything went our way, while for Zenit, the opposite was true. So, of course, this isn’t exactly what we need, but I think we’ve done a great job.
When did I realize the game was over? As a coach, I never completely let my guard down. I’ll admit, I was really worried about how we’d start the second half, because sometimes we lack focus. What usually happens when a team is playing well and leading by “+20”? They let up. We talked about this at halftime, and the guys responded by playing their best basketball in the third quarter.
So, I guess it wasn’t until we were up by 40 that I finally breathed a sigh of relief and thought, “Okay, we probably won’t lose this one.”
Zenit Head Coach Duško Ivanović:
– First of all, I’d like to congratulate UNICS on their victory. Today, our opponent played with intensity and toughness. It was a very difficult and grueling game for us, but it’s just one game.
Every day, we need to do everything in our power. Today, I believe we have a lot to learn from UNICS: toughness, intensity, and team play. We gave it our all for all 40 minutes. In the first quarter, we had a hard time finding our rhythm, and in the final stretch, the team played a little better, but we’re still not at that level.
Am I afraid of being fired? It’s the start of the season. I’m doing my job. I don’t even know how to respond to that. The season is long. As for the club’s transfer policy, Nate Mason’s contract runs until October 8; after that, we’ll make a decision.
Top Performers
UNICS: Brendan Adams (21), Jalen Reynolds (14 + 5 rebounds), Xavier Rathan-Mayes (12), Luka Šamanic (12), David McCormack (12 + 9 rebounds)
Zenit: Nate Mason (14), Georgy Zhbanov (12)
Up Next
UNICS: October 7, away against Samara
Zenit: October 7, at home against BETCITY PARMA.
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