Zenit defeats CSKA on the road, the score in the series is 2-1
The blue-whites secured a hard-fought away victory over CSKA in Game 3 of the VTB United League аinals, pulling ahead in the series 2-1. Here's a closer look at the game.
Zenit’s starting five: Georgy Zhbanov, Trent Frazier, Dwayne Bacon, Vince Hunter and Andrey Vorontsevich.
From the very beginning, CSKA took the initiative and looked to build a comfortable lead. Zenit held their ground defensively and struck back effectively: two three-pointers from Andrey Vorontsevich gave the visitors a 4-point lead by the end of the opening minute. However, the "army team" soon regained control and steadily pushed their lead to 9 points. At that moment, the blue-whites launched a 14:1 run to get right back in the game. Zenit demonstrated excellent three-point shooting in the first quarter, making 6 of 10 attempts (60%). In comparison, Moscow hit just 2 of 9 (22.2%). Backed by their traveling fans, Zenit finished the opening quarter trailing by just three — 21:24.
In the second quarter, Zenit alternated between long set plays and quick breaks, mixing tempo with solid defense. This balance helped Xavi Pascual’s squad maintain a slight advantage and control the game for a while. But by the fourth minute, Zenit missed several shots in a row, and CSKA capitalized with drives from Astapkovich and Trimble, retaking the lead. Despite strong plays from Bacon and another three-pointer from Vorontsevich, CSKA pulled ahead by 5 points, prompting the Zenit coaching staff to call a timeout. The teams then traded baskets, but Zenit couldn’t close the gap before halftime — CSKA led 50:42.
Three-pointers by Frazier and Bacon opened the second half. Dwayne followed with a strong drive to the basket, erasing CSKA’s lead. After recovering from that blow, the "army team" responded with two threes from Casper Ware, forcing Zenit to play catch-up again. Both teams played at a high pace at the start of the third quarter, though the tempo eventually slowed, making each point harder to come by. Notably, Zenit capitalized well on fast breaks after successful defensive stands. In the closing minutes of the quarter, the lead changed hands multiple times. Heading into the final 10 minutes, CSKA held a narrow advantage — 68:66.
An intense battle ensued: long-range shootouts, tough fouls — the decisive phase had begun. Zenit, particularly sharp from beyond the arc throughout the night, surged ahead thanks to their shooting. Vorontsevich hit his fifth three-pointer of the game (a perfect 5-for-5), while White also sank another from distance. In the clutch, the St. Petersburg squad took control and held the advantage. When CSKA closed the gap to a single point, Xavi Pascual took a crucial timeout. After some key adjustments, Okaro White drilled another three (5-of-9, 55.5% from deep), Zhbanov scored a hook shot, and Frazier was flawless from the free-throw line. CSKA simply ran out of time. Zenit came away with an 83:91 victory and now leads the series.
Top performers for Zenit were Dwayne Bacon (19 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists), Trent Frazier (19 points, 4 assists, 3 rebounds, 1 block), Okaro White (17 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists), Andrey Vorontsevich (15 points).
Game 4 of the VTB United League Finals will be played on Tuesday, June 3, once again at Megasport Arena in Moscow. Tip-off is at 19:30 St. Petersburg time.
