Zielona Gora make history, UNICS continue to win and it is no surprise. Week in review

Zielona Gora make history, UNICS continue to win and it is no surprise. Week in review

The winter has ended, and United League basketball continues!

Zielona Gora make history beating Khimki

Zielona Gora is the main discovery of the season. By the All-Star Game the Poles made a few sensations: they beat UNICS and CSKA, got to the 5th place in standings. However, right after the All-Star Game team’s leader Iffe Lundberg left the team and moved to Moscow.

Gora have already replaced the Dane with Nicos Pappas, who has played for Panathinaikos for 7 years. Nevertheless, the Greek guard missed the game against Khimki.

But even without him Zielona Gora felt confident: they won first quarter and were leading the most time of the second. Only Alexey Shved’s high-scoring let Khimki take the lead by the half time:

In the second half Zielona Gora managed to hold Khimki’s star and by the middle of the third took the lead again. Zan Tabak’s team tried to play at a high pace and were trying to make shots in quick offense. This scheme worked out, the guests almost scored 100. But the result is more important: Gora take first franchise victory over Khimki and catch Loko and CSKA in wins number.

Geoffrey Groselle was the main hero of the Polish team. The American center scored 27 points with 11/17 from the field, collected 9 rebounds and gave out 4 assists:

Who can stop UNICS?

The start of the season wasn’t successful for Kazan, they had 3 losses in 6 games. However, eventually UNICS found their rhythm and in 2021 they haven’t lost yet. The winning streak in the United League is 9 games, and if EuroCup is considered then it’s 14.

UNICS showed their power in Volga Derby: Nizhny Novgorod came to Kazan. Already in the first quarter the game was decided, the hosts won the first quarter 33:3, and NN set franchise-low in points per quarter.

Nizhny won the second quarter but it didn’t make much sense, UNICS take 14th victory in a season and settle on the 2nd place in standings.

Team chemistry and spirit is definitely OK in Kazan:

Loko almost lost to Enisey

On Saturday Enisey that continue to fight for play-off zone played in Krasnodar against Loko. The guests were behind the most time of the game, and the differential reached 23 points at moments.

But in last 5 minutes Enisey caught the opponents sleeping and via threes by Timofey Yakushin and Mikhail Kulagin brought the intrigue back to the game, at some points the difference was only 4 points compared to comfortable 23 for Loko.

Fortunately for Krasnodar fans, Evgeny Pashutin’s team found its hero, Nigel Williams-Goss scored 14 points in the fourth quarter becoming the top scorer of the game (27) and basically winning the ending for Loko.

The second star of the night was Drew Gordon with 24 points and 5 rebounds. Kuban American duo scored 51 points combined:

Avtodor set team season-high in points in a single game

Avtodor fight for a play-off spot. Gordie Herbert’s team don’t want to lose points in the games against average League teams, they proved it on Sunday beating Tsmoki: doubled lead by the half-time (63:26) and final +47 is the biggest Saratov’s win this season.

Avtodor were close to setting new season-high in scoring, the lacked only accurate shot to achieve Loko’s record (114 points). But 113 points isn’t just team’s season-high but it’s the best result in recent 5 years.

Moment of the week

But the most bright moment of the game was not dominating victory by Avtodor and not record scoring but the moment with Dusan Ristic and ballboy.

Shortly: Avtodor’s net on the rim got tangled and Zeljko Sakic already went to take a stool. But the Serbian center solved the problem different way:

Joesaar set records, Kalev start the spring with a victory

In the final game of the round Kalev beat Astana confidently – 77:61. Few facts about this game:

– Janari Joesaar collected 18 rebounds setting season-high. Kalev forward is the first League’s player with the height below 2 meters to collect 18+ rebounds.

– Kalev average 77.0 points per game this season. In the game against Astana Tallinn scored exactly 77 points.

– This season Kalev have 4 wins, all of them against capitals’ teams. The Estonians beat Tsmoki from Minsk twice, made a sensation against Moscow CSKA, and in this round beat Astana from Nur-Sultan.

Team of the week

Standings

Zielona Gora settle in top-5 and complicate Khimki’s situation, Avtodor get back to play-off zone, UNICS still chase Zenit.