Zenit loses to Loko, the series will return to St. Petersburg
The blue-whites lost to Lokomotiv Kuban in Game 6 of the VTB United League semifinal series, letting victory slip away in the final seconds. Here's a detailed breakdown of today’s clash.
Georgy Zhbanov, Trent Frazier, Dwayne Bacon, Vince Hunter and Andrey Vorontsevich started the game in Krasnodar as part of the starting five.
Zhbanov opened the match with a confident three-pointer, but the home team soon took control. Until about the middle of the first quarter, Loko managed to maintain the lead, but possession by possession, Zenit increasingly imposed their game. Accurate three-point shots helped Xavi Pascual's team level the score and even pull ahead slightly — Vorontsevich, Karasev and Zhbanov all hit from distance. The Kuban side, meanwhile, struggled with their perimeter shooting. The first quarter ended with Zenit leading 24:19.
The small lead earned by the St. Petersburg team in the previous quarter allowed them to hold firm at the beginning of the second period. Early in the quarter, Lokomotiv Kuban launched several successful attacks and put serious pressure on Zenit’s defense, even tying the game briefly. Despite the rising intensity, the "railroaders" continued to struggle from beyond the arc. Yes, Patrick Miller did manage to finally knock one down, but overall the outlook remained bleak — just 1 make from 12 attempts by halftime. After weathering the hosts’ surge, Zenit made one of the game’s key runs: Poythress and Hunter dominated in the paint, while Karasev and Frazier continued to hit from long range. Notably, Zenit’s leading scorer and the top scorer of the entire playoffs, Dwayne Bacon, didn’t score a single point before halftime — though this had little impact on the scoreboard. Zenit were firmly in control at the break, leading 45:31.
But after the teams returned from the locker rooms, the game changed dramatically. Loko managed to claw their way back into contention, setting the stage for a thrilling finish. First, Andrey Vedischev’s squad erased the double-digit deficit and then continued to slowly chip away at the lead. Midway through the third quarter, Zenit was still scoring from the field — Vorontsevich converted 3+2, and Poythress scored on a drive — but defensive intensity from both teams soared, and soon only free throws were falling. Heading into the final period, the gap had narrowed significantly — 57:53 in Zenit’s favor.
In the closing stretch, the leaders of both teams made the difference. For Loko, as usual, it was Patrick Miller and Tahjere McCall. The American duo did everything possible to complete the Krasnodar comeback. For Zenit, Alex Poythress continued to shine, and Dwayne Bacon finally got on the board with a field goal. The final minutes were tense, with both teams struggling at the free-throw line. Another critical factor in the game was rebounding — Lokomotiv Kuban consistently grabbed offensive boards. In the final minute, the home team cut the deficit to one, and with 20 seconds remaining, they took the lead by a single point. Zenit’s final possession after a timeout failed to produce a score, and the victory remained with the hosts. Final score is 75:74.
Zenit’s top performers were Alex Poythress (23 points, 3 rebounds, 2 blocks), Andrey Vorontsevich (10 points, 1 rebound) and Dwayne Bacon (9 points, 6 assists, 5 rebounds).
The series is now tied 3–3. The battle returns to St. Petersburg for a decisive Game 7, which will take place on May 22 at CSC Arena and tip off at 19:30 local time. Tickets are available on Zenit’s official website.
