Zenit-2 prepares for game four of the quarterfinals

Tomorrow, the blue-whites farm team will play the fourth game of the Fonbet Super League quarterfinal series against Novosibirsk. Just like the third match, this game will take place on the opponent's court. Let’s break down the current situation and what’s at stake for both teams heading into this showdown.

Zenit-2 head coach Oliver Popovic emphasized the importance of winning on the road before the previous match — and his players delivered: a victory in Novosibirsk (80:88) allowed them to regain the lead in the series. Now, the team from St. Petersburg is in a more favorable position. They are just one win away from the semifinals instead of facing elimination. Even in the case of a loss in the upcoming game, the decisive fifth match would take place in St. Petersburg — with the backing of the home crowd, which could be a major advantage.

As for the previous game itself, it was a mixed performance. The first and final quarters played by Zenit-2 were solid, but a poor showing in the second quarter allowed Novosibirsk to get back into the game and make it competitive through the middle stages.

Novosibirsk fought hard until the very end — their standouts were guard Curtis White (19 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists) and forward Alexey Babushkin (18 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals). Babushkin was particularly effective in the second half, hitting four three-pointers. However, he fouled out in the final quarter, which had a noticeable impact on his team's performance.

The victory for the St. Petersburg team was largely thanks to an outstanding performance by Pavel Zemskiy. The forward played the entire 40 minutes and recorded a double-double — 34 points and 11 rebounds. His contribution was a true X-factor, and the team will need his leadership again tomorrow.

With this win, Zenit-2 not only took the lead in the series but also pulled ahead in the overall head-to-head matchup — five wins to Novosibirsk's four.

The fourth game will take place on April 8 at the Sever sports complex. Tip-off is at 15:30 St. Petersburg time. The game will be streamed on the Russian Basketball Federation’s website.