UNICS defeated Lokomotiv Kuban in the Finals Game 5 – 98:89 (26:17, 32:20, 19:28, 21:24).
Game progress
UNICS had won 3 straight games and hoped to finish the Finals at home. The Kazan team started to push from the very first minutes. Vince Hunter was the brightest player in the opening minutes. The hosts center added 6 points, a steal and a spectacular block. Even after he sat on the bench , this did not reduce the effectiveness of UNICS offense. Nenad Dimitrijevic took the lead. The Macedonian guard single-handedly made several possessions and scored 12 points, allowing UNICS to go into the first quarter with a comfortable lead – 26:17.
2 three-pointers by Marcos Knight set the tone for the second quarter. The hosts continued to dominate, pushing the lead forward. Kirill Elatontsev even had a nice 8-point performance. But that activity was not enough to stop UNICS, which had gained momentum. The Kazan team played tight defense, dominated the rebounding and shot well from the paint. By halftime, the hosts led by 21 points – 58:37.
In the last game Loko showed their ability to comeback. In this game the guests decided to do the same. The third quarter began with a strong run by the guests. After 2 three-pointers by Dmitrii Uzinskii, the difference was cut to 10 points – 53:63. Dimitrijevic saved UNICS from a final collapse. His shot the Kazan team maintain their double-digit lead at the end of the third quarter – 77:65.
Key moment
After another Jalen Barford made shot, the Krasnodar team once again trailed by 10 points – 77:87. At that moment, however, Louis Labeyrie and Okaro White clashed. It nearly came down to a fight. It was an emotional moment for the guests. But Loko’s potential comeback never happened, and the Kazan team kept the win.
Key factor
Nenad Dimitrijevic was UNICS key player in the Semifinals with Zenit. In the decisive game of the Finals, the Macedonian guard was the key player. In that game, he made 11 of 19 shots, scored 34 points and set a career high in the VTB League.
Fact
For the first time in its history, UNICS becomes the best team in the VTB League.
Leaders
UNICS: Nenad Dimitrijevic (34 + 5 rebounds), Marcos Knight (16 + 5 rebounds + 5 steals), Louis Labeyrie (13), Vince Hunter (12)
Lokomotiv Kuban: Jaylen Barford (22 + 6 assists), Okaro White (21), Chris Horton (13 + 9 rebounds), Zakhar Vedischev (10).
