UNICS don’t lose in 2021, Enisey and Kalev do not agree with their standings positions. Week in review

Volga Derby, first Kalev and Enisey 2021 wins and lots about All-Star Game!

UNICS won in Volga Derby

Kazan are in perfect shape in 2021. Despite the tough schedule, 7 games in 20 days in the United League and EuroCup, 4 on the road, UNICS haven’t lost in January. The game against Nizhny Novgorod wasn’t an exception: In the first half of Volga Derby Dimitrios Priftis team made a 21-point run and were up by 22 by the half time – 51:29.

In the second half Nizhny were trying to come back. By the way, Evgenii Baburin hit the three that Steph Curry would like to repeat:

Anyway, UNICS looked stronger that night and took the victory, 5th in a row in the League. The player of the game was John Holland, Kazan forward scored his season-high 24 points and also collected 6 rebounds and 4 steals:

Isaiah Canaan also was one of the game’s heroes. The guard scored 16 points and made on of the brightest highlight plays of the week:

Enisey win for the first time since November, Tyus Battle has a season-high game

It is a hard season for Krasnoyarsk. The team was isolated one of the first because of COVID-19 positive tests, then injuries were torturing Enisey. Before the game against Astana head coach Drazen Anzulovich noted that even he didn’t know who was going to play.

As a result, home game for Enisey was a success. Yes, in the first half the hosts were behind and Astana’s lead was 10 points at some moment. However, by the half time Krasnoyarsk almost evened the score and managed to take the lead if Martins Meiers wouldn’t have blocked that shot:

In the second half Enisey took over the game and a minute before the final buzzer led with 7 points. It is interesting that Astana almost managed to recover: in the last possession Meiers shot for the win with 3 seconds left but missed.

Team’s best scorer Mikhail Kulagin didn’t play, it gave more space to another guard: Tyus Battle spent his season-high game scoring 22 points and 5 assists.

6-game losing streak for Enisey is over, Krasnoyarsk caught Tsmoki-Minsk in standings.

Zielona Gora stop Avtodor’s offense

Avtodor and Zielona Gora relations are special in the United League, 3 Saratov players, Markel Starks, Drew Gordon and Zeljko Sakic were playing for the Poles previously.

Besides, this season Gora and Avtodor met, that ending was one of the hottest: Iffe Lundberg brought the W on last seconds with accurate three.

However, another game in Poland wasn’t that hot: the hosts paced up by the half time and gained 12-point lead, in the second half they were controlling the game confidently.

Zielona Gora managed to hold Avtodor’s offense showing best defense in the season allowing only 64 points, they settled on the 6th place in standings. The Polish team are on the rise and chasing 5th Nizhny Novgorod.

Avtodor had a lockdown defense on Iffe Lundberg, the Dane scored only 9 points, first time this season he didn’t manage to score double digit points. However, they couldn’t hold Rolands Freimanis, the forward scored 21 points, 7 rebounds and 3 steals:

Second Kalev win in the season is against Tsmoki again.

On Sunday in Minsk Kalev took the second victory in the season. It’s interesting that first one was taken against the Belorussians as well. Via this Kalev outpaced Minsk in standings and hold 11th place now.

In the first half the game was even. Kalev managed to take over the game only after the big break, Janis Kaufmanis contributed a lot to it. The Latvian sharp shooter had a season-high game scoring 15 points in the 4th! It was his long-range bombs that let the guests gain 10-point lead in the last quarter.

Second Kalev hero was Maurice Kemp. The American had double-double with 20 points and 12 rebounds and together with John Brown III he became the most efficient player of the tour (31 EFF points).

Nikita Mikhailovskii and Mike James are the most popular players in the All-Star Game voting

In the middle of the game first stage All-Star Voting results were counted. Avtodor’s guard Nikita Mikhailovskii is Russian Stars leader and World Stars votes leader is Mike James from CSKA.

More fans are allowed to visit All-Star Game in Moscow!

On Friday United League changed the VTB Arena configuration and increased the ticket quota two times. Now the arena can be filled on 50% of overall capacity!

The tickets are available at https://allstar2021.vtb-league.com, and also on Yandex Afisha and VTB Arena web-sites.

Ivan Urgant to host All-Star Game

Famous TV broadcaster Ivan Urgant will host All-Star Game 2021. It will be his 5th All-Star Game! Urgant confessed his love to basketball and invited every fan to come to VTB Arena on February 14:

Team of the week

Standings