"A Day in history": Zenit wins the Russian Cup for the first time

Exactly one year ago, on March 17, 2024, the blue-whites team won the Russian Cup for the first time in their history, defeating Pari NN in the final match. As part of the "A Day in history" project, we look back on the team's journey to their long-awaited trophy.

In the previous season, in 2023, Zenit also reached the Russian Cup final but stumbled, losing to the Nizhny Novgorod team. Back then, Xavi Pascual's squad started from the quarterfinals. In their victorious campaign, the St. Petersburg club, like other United League participants, began from the Round of 16.

In the first two-legged matchup, Zenit faced Tambov, a mid-table Super League team. The blue-whites advanced confidently, crushing their opponent in both games — 49:91 away and 90:58 at home. Notably, the Cup regulations allowed teams to register no more than two foreign players. From the very first stage, guard Trent Frazier significantly contributed to the team’s performance, while the second foreign player slot remained unfilled at that point.

In the quarterfinals, Zenit displayed their superiority against Samara, winning comfortably at home (109:55) and away (47:70), securing a place in the Final Four, which took place in Yekaterinburg from March 15 to 17.

Ahead of the semifinal against Uralmash, Zenit strengthened their squad by adding center Vince Hunter as a second foreigner. The match started well for the blue-whites, as they led by 20 points by the end of the first quarter. However, during the second period, the Yekaterinburg team managed to cut the deficit to just three points. There was no room for complacency, and Xavi Pascual's squad delivered a much more composed performance in the second half. Zenit won 78:58, reaching the national cup final for the second year in a row.

Thanks to a strong start in the opening ten minutes, the decisive match against Pari Nizhny Novgorod was controlled by Zenit from the beginning. Taking the initiative early on, the blue-whites held the lead until the final buzzer. By the end of the game, the scoreboard in Yekaterinburg showed 64:55, and Zenit became the Russian Cup winners for the first time in their history.

At the end Trent Frazier was named MVP of the final, while Vince Hunter earned a spot in the symbolic Final Four best five.