Zenit-2 falls to Chelbasket in away game
The away match of the 21st round of the Fonbet Super League regular season was played at a very high and intense pace. Trailing by 15 points at halftime, Oliver Popovic’s team made a mini-comeback in the third quarter but still failed to secure a victory in this encounter. Read more about the game in our report.
The starting five — Evstafiev, Krivyh, Aksenov, Khodorich and Dulkay — took to the court from the first seconds against Chelbasket.
The opening quarter was tense: both teams battled for every possession at high speed, demonstrating tough defense and leaving no room for open plays. Despite the evenly matched game, Zenit-2 managed to edge ahead by the end of the period, gaining a small +4 advantage thanks to their shooting accuracy — 66.7% from two-point range and 50% from beyond the arc. The first ten minutes ended 14:18 in favor of the visitors.
However, after a short break, Zenit-2’s offense stalled. The team struggled to score early in the second quarter, while the home side went on a powerful 9:0 run. It took several minutes before Zenit-2 guard Ivan Prokopenko finally broke the drought with an impressive drive to the basket. Yet, Chelbasket maintained their momentum and led by eight points midway through the period. A timeout by Oliver Popovic did little to change the game’s course, as the deficit continued to grow. Although Ilyas Abdul and Egor Evstafiev briefly slowed Chelbasket’s dominance with a few successful attacks, the home team entered halftime with a solid lead — 43:28.
Zenit-2's offensive struggles and defensive lapses carried into the second half. Chelbasket started the third quarter strong with a 10:2 run, making their lead seem insurmountable. However, at this critical moment, the visitors found the strength to fight back. Key two-point shots from Krivyh, Khodorich and Dulkay, along with precise free throws from Samukhin and Aksenov, fueled a 13:0 surge that brought Zenit-2 back into contention. The visitors’ defensive adjustments unsettled Chelbasket, forcing turnovers and mistakes under their own rim. Heading into the final quarter, the score stood at 56:46.
The final stretch of the game was a gritty battle filled with fouls, stoppages, and intense one-on-one matchups. Chelbasket consistently shut down Zenit-2’s offensive efforts, preventing them from building any momentum. Dmitry Rodionov’s early fourth-quarter shot was Zenit-2’s only basket for the first half of the period. The slow, fragmented tempo played into the home team's hands, eating away valuable seconds for the visitors. Nevertheless, Zenit-2 kept the game alive — Khodorich’s dunk and three-pointer, Krivyh’s block leading to Aksenov’s successful free throws, trimmed the gap to just six points, sparking hope for a dramatic finish. However, crucial misses — both from distance and near the basket — prevented the visitors from closing the gap further. The game ended with a 65:58 victory for Chelbasket. Following this result, Zenit-2 remains in 5th place in the league standings.
Zenit-2’s most productive players were: Daniil Aksenov (11 points, 6 assists, 5 rebounds, 1 steal) and Mikhail Dulkay (11 points, 9 rebounds, 2 steals, 2 blocks)
Zenit-2 will play their next match on the road again, facing Metallurg on Thursday, February 6, in Magnitogorsk. The game is set to start at 17:00 St. Petersburg time, and fans can watch the live broadcast on the Russian Basketball Federation’s website.
