Zenit loses the first game in Krasnodar
Zenit's starting five: team captain Sergey Karasev, Trent Frazier, Dwayne Bacon, Vince Hunter and Andrey Vorontsevich.
The game started in favor of the home team. Thanks to aggressive defense, steals, and efficient shooting, Lokomotiv went on an 11:3 run in the opening minutes. The blue-whites struggled to score from the field, with Hunter getting the only early points from the free-throw line. However, in the fourth minute, Frazier made a strong drive to the basket, getting Zenit’s offense going. The score gap began to narrow, and the teams started trading successful attacks. One of Zenit’s issues was poor shooting from beyond the arc: Pascual’s team attempted five three-pointers in the first quarter, but none went in. At the end of the period, Loko extended their lead to double digits — Isaiah Whaley scored a two-pointer, and Antonius Cleveland added a three. After the opening ten minutes, Krasnodar led 24:13.
Two quick drives at the start of the second quarter from Zhbanov and Poythress gave Zenit a chance at a comeback. But Lokomotiv followed with their biggest run of the night — scoring 13 unanswered points and taking a 20-point lead. During this time, Zenit center Vince Hunter received two technical fouls and was ejected from the game, unable to further help his team. After a timeout from Xavi Pascual, Zenit regrouped and began scoring again. Their long-range shooting also improved. Three-pointers by Zhbanov, Vorontsevich and Bacon, along with a full-court pass from Georgy to Dwayne for a dunk, helped cut the deficit significantly. Despite the rough start, the quarter ended in a tie, and the halftime score was 44:33, with Zenit trailing by 11.
After the break, the pace and intensity remained high. Zenit continued to sink threes, with nearly every player on the court — Frazier, Bacon, Vorontsevich and White — hitting from deep. Alexey Shved scored his first mid-range points of the game, narrowing the lead to 8. However, this time Lokomotiv Kuban managed to halt Zenit’s momentum with a series of scoring possessions of their own. A 2+1 play by Zenit’s captain ended the third quarter, which — like the second — finished 20:20. The scoreboard read 64:53 in favor of the Krasnodar team.
Strong defense and smart, physical basketball helped Zenit gradually reduce the deficit in the final quarter: Poythress completed a 2+1, Bacon battled in the paint, and Shved was active all over the court. Unfortunately, the clutch moments belonged to Loko. Final score — 86:76. The series stands at 2–1 in Zenit’s favor, and the semifinal is now guaranteed will to return to St. Petersburg.
Zenit's top performers were Dwayne Bacon (19 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, 1 block), Alex Poythress (11 points, 5 rebounds, 1 steal, 1 block), Okaro White (11 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist) and Alexey Shved (11 points, 4 assists, 1 rebound).
Game 4 will take place on Tuesday, May 13, also at Krasnodar's Basket Hall. Tip-off is at 20:00 St. Petersburg time.
