Zenit defeated CSKA in the Game of the Week at home – 82:78 (21:21, 25:18, 18:24, 18:15).
Game progress
The game started equally and ended the same – 21:21. In the second quarter Zenit increased the pressure in the paint, and then Sergey Karasev and Grigory Zhbanov helped the team to make a run, which led to double-digit lead. The score difference became 14 points, but the Moscow team responded with its run and helped to get back into the game, but Zenit held the lead by halftime – 46:39.
The third quarter started with shock – Zenit best scoring player of the game Vince Hunter got injured. The teams repeated the second quarter scenario – the hosts had 8-point lead, but Amath M’Baye and Aleksa Avramovic cut the deficit to minimum – 64:63.
Key moment
In the final stretch CSKA started to get initiative. Hunter absence played its role – the Moscow team felt well in the hosts’ paint. The teams exchanged the lead in the last 3 minutes. And the St. Petersburg team got luck on its side.
Dwayne Bacon and Trent Frazier made shots became decisive – CSKA responded only with Melo Trimble free-throws, which had no significance. Zenit got the 10th win In a row and gets closer to the Moscow team in the standings.
X-factor
CSKA’s 11-game winning streak has come to an end (the longest winning streak of the season), which started on October 13 versus Zenit. The Moscow team got win 83:77. That game also became the last loss for the St. Petersburg team.
This win becomes 250th for Zenit in the VTB League. The St. Petersburg team enters the Top 4 elite teams with such milestone along with CSKA, UNICS and Lokomoitv Kuban.
Andrey Vorontsevich made his 430th three-pointer and become the 4th in the League history. Evgenii Baburin (499) and Alexey Saved (597) remain ahead.
Leaders
Zenit: Dwayne Bacon (20 + 5 rebounds), Xavier Moon (20 + 5 assists), Alex Poythress (10 +5 rebounds), Vince Hunter (10), Trent Frazier (2 + 7 assists)
CSKA: Amath M’Baye (18 + 12 rebounds), Melo Trimble (15), Casper Ware (13), Tonye Jekiri (13 + 6 rebounds), Nikita Kurbanov (6 + 6 rebounds)
What’s next
Zenit: December 11 at home agains Astana
CSKA: December 11 at home versus Enisey.
