Zenit-2 falls to Kupol Rodniki at home
The reserve team of the blue-whites faced Izhevsk's Kupol Rodniki on the home court. The match was part of the 20th round of the regular season in the Fonbet Super League. Here’s a detailed breakdown of the game.
Zenit-2’s starting five featured captain Elkhan Akhmedov, Ilya Krivyh, Vladislav Samukhin, Daniil Aksenov and Mikhail Dulkay.
Dulkay won the opening tip for his team, but after an unsuccessful first possession by the blue-whites, the visitors opened the scoring with a fast-break attack. Zenit-2 responded with a smooth drive from Krivyh, but the initially high-paced game soon slowed down, turning into a battle of prolonged possessions, missed shots and fouls. Meanwhile, Kupol Rodniki steadily increased their lead. When the gap reached eight points, Zenit's coaching staff called their first timeout. However, the break did little to shift the momentum. Instead, the visitors continued extending their advantage. The first quarter ended with Izhevsk firmly in the lead — 17:28.
The second quarter started with an alley-oop from Kuznetsov to Vinnik. For the home team, Ivan Prokopenko contributed a 2+1 early on. However, the trends from the opening period persisted. Izhevsk maintained their intensity, while Zenit-2 struggled offensively, missing all 12 of their three-point attempts. Defensively, they were outmatched, losing the rebound battle by a 2-to-1 margin. By halftime, the scoreboard read 31:51.
The second half began with a long-awaited three-pointer from Daniil Aksenov. However, Kupol Rodniki responded with a crushing 13:0 run, putting an end to Zenit-2's hopes of a comeback. The key scorers behind Izhevsk’s dominant stretch were Daniil Karvanen and Hasan Kipkeev. Heading into the final quarter, the visitors led 43:71.
The last period turned into a physical, foul-heavy battle, with both teams frequently stopping each other’s attacks. For Zenit-2, Prokopenko, Krivyh and Samukhin added to their point totals, while Arkhipov and Vinnik kept the scoreboard ticking for Izhevsk. The game ended in a decisive victory for the visitors, 55:85. Despite the loss, the Saint Petersburg team remains among the top three in the league standings.
Top Performers — Daniil Aksenov (16 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal) and Ivan Prokopenko (15 points, 1 rebound, 1 steal).
In the next round of the Fonbet Super League regular season, Zenit-2 will face Chelbasket on the road. The match is scheduled for February 3 in Chelyabinsk at 17:00 St. Petersburg time. The game will be streamed on the Russian Basketball Federation’s website.
