Zenit beat PARMA in Perm – 84:79 OT (18:14, 22:16, 25:11, 21:17, 12:7).
Game progress
Zenit started with a 9:2 run. Evgeny Pashutin timeout shook up the hosts – B.J. Johnson 9 points helped the Perm team cut the lead to a minimum at the end of the first quarter. In the second quarter, the St. Petersburg team missed all 7 three-pointers. The offensive drought was broken by Adrien Moermann – the French forward made 2 three-pointers and solo 8:0 run gave the guests a double-digit lead for the first time -29:19. The Perm team had a series of fastbreaks, but 11 points from Thomas Heurtel, who came off the bench, helped the guests maintain the lead by the halftime – 30:40.
After the halftime, Xavi Pascual team increased the lead to 13 points. Isaiah Reese, Richard Solomon and Johnson helped PARMA to make a 21:2 comeback within 5 minutes. The Perm team had a lead before the fourth quarter – 55:51.
Key moment
At the start of the final quarter, the Perm team increased the lead to 8 points after Reese free throws. Zenit shooters started to score at the critical moment – 3 three-pointers and an 11:4 run restored the eqality 2 minutes before the end of regulation. On the last possession, Reese scored and-one, but missed free throw and sent the game into overtime.
In the extra five minutes, Johnson and Reese put the Uralians ahead again, 79-75. But the Blue and White got back in the game thanks to Hunter’s efforts, and Trent Frazier’s shot gave Zenit the lead. In the return attack, Johnson was injured after a missed shot, and then Pashutin earned his second technical and went to the locker room. In the tactical penalty shootout, Pascual’s men were flawless and secured their first win in 2024.
X-factor
Zenit won in the end due to work in the paint. In the final quarter and overtime, the guests made 7 offensive rebounds, which converted into 7 second-chance points.
Fact
Zenit before the start of the game led the League in three-pointer percentage made. Today, until the middle of the final quarter, the St. Petersburg team made only 4 of 26 shots. However, in the end, the team’s shooters showed confidence and made 3 of 4, which helped Zenit take the game into overtime.
Leaders
PARMA: B.J. Johnson (22 + 10 rebounds), Isaiah Reese (14), Ruslan Abdulbasirov (13 + 8 rebounds), C.J. Bryce (13), , Richard Solomon (12 + 9 rebounds).
Zenit: Vince Hunter (18 + 7 rebounds), Thomas Heurtel (18), Adrien Moerman (13 + 5 rebounds), Kyle Kuric (10), Bojan Dubljevic (10).
What’s next
PARMA (10-10): January 10 on the road versus Astana
Zenit (14-6): January 11 at home against MINSK.
