Zenit reaches the VTB United League final
Xavi Pascual’s team secured a place in the 2024/25 VTB United League playoff finals after a hard-fought Game 7 victory over Lokomotiv Kuban. Full details of this decisive matchup against the Krasnodar side are in our report.
From the opening tip at the CSC Arena, Zenit’s starting five included Georgy Zhbanov, Trent Frazier, Dwayne Bacon, Vince Hunter and Andrey Vorontsevich.
A few quick attacks and tenacious steals helped Zenit open the game with a 6:0 run — Bacon and Hunter scored, and Zhbanov capitalized on the visitors’ mistakes. Although Zenit’s offense slowed down shortly after, their solid defense denied Lokomotiv any real freedom. The Krasnodar team struggled to score from the field, earning points only from the free-throw line. By mid-quarter, Loko managed to tie it at 6:6, and what had seemed like a fast-paced start turned into a low-scoring affair. However, in the 7th minute, Alexey Shved ended the drought with an and-one play, putting Zenit back in front. Despite the slow pace, both teams found more rhythm by the end of the quarter. Zenit led 17:14 after the first ten minutes.
Alex Poythress, who closed the previous quarter with a highlight dunk, opened the second with a strong drive to the rim. Both teams finally started connecting from long range — Zenit answered Lokomotiv center Kirill Elatontsev’s three-pointer with one from Vorontsevich. Like the first quarter, the Kuban side frequently reached the free-throw line, converting 9 of 17 by halftime. Zenit had fewer chances but shot more efficiently, hitting 12 of 15. The second quarter featured higher intensity and more exciting plays on both ends. After a timeout called by Lokomotiv coach Andrey Vedishchev, the visitors took their first lead. The two teams continued to trade the advantage, never letting the other pull away. The first half ended 38:37 in Zenit’s favor, thanks to a buzzer-beating three by Bacon. Both sides were clearly focused solely on victory, and the fierce, high-stakes battle reflected that. The remainder of the game would reveal whose nerves and willpower were stronger.
The second half resumed with the same intensity. Bacon’s powerful dunk was answered by two buckets from Andrey Martiuk, giving the visitors a brief lead. But then came the game’s turning point — a dominant 17:3 run by Zenit that changed the tide. Frazier and Bacon hit from deep, while Hunter and White controlled the paint. Two Lokomotiv timeouts failed to halt the momentum. Despite a few threes from Krasnodar forward Isaiah Whaley, Zenit entered the final quarter with a commanding 63:52 lead.
In the final ten minutes, Lokomotiv Kuban tried several times to close the gap — Cleveland, McCall, and Miller gave everything they had, scoring from mid-range. But Zenit held firm when it mattered most. Vince Hunter blocked six (!) shots in the quarter alone, while Shved, Frazier and Bacon thrilled the home crowd with more three-pointers. Zenit sealed the win, the series and a spot in the finals. Final score — 94:75.
Zenit’s top performers were Dwayne Bacon (34 points, 8 rebounds, 2 steals, 1 block), Vince Hunter (18 points, 8 rebounds, 6 blocks, 2 assists, 1 steal) and Alexey Shved (13 points, 4 assists, 2 rebounds, 2 blocks).
Zenit will begin the finals against CSKA Moscow at home on May 27 and 29. Both games will start at 19:30 St. Petersburg time. Tickets are available on blue-whites' official website.
