Zenit youth team will fight for a spot in the Final Four

Zenit U21 continues preparation for the second quarterfinal game of the VTB United Youth League against PARMA-M. The first match, held in Perm, ended with a confident victory for Roman Knyazev's team — 66:81.

Despite the score, the opening game of the series was challenging. The blue-whites team lost the first quarter by eight points and struggled to find their rhythm. As noted by Zenit U21’s center Ilya Krivyh, the team gave up many rebounds on their own board before halftime, which affected the course of the game. However, in the second half, Zenit U21 reduced the deficit and put up a serious fight against their opponents. In the decisive moment, our team managed to seize the initiative and pull away significantly. Now, to win the series and advance to the Final Four, the blue-whites need a victory in the home game.

In the VTB United Youth League, the teams have faced each other 39 times. So far, the Petersburg side has a significant advantage — 28 wins compared to 11 for the visitors.

Zenit U21 head coach Roman Knyazev on the upcoming game against PARMA-M:

The guys did a good job in the first game. However, we keep in mind that nothing is decided yet. We need to show our best game and maintain focus throughout the entire match.

The second game of the quarterfinals will take place on April 20 at the Zenit Basketball Academy court (Severnaya Road, 12). The match will start at 16:00 St. Petersburg time. Admission for all fans is free. The broadcast will be available on the VTB United Youth League website.

If necessary, the final third game of the series will also take place in St. Petersburg the following day — April 21 at 16:00.