Zenit will play in the SuperCup final
Zenit defeated Dubai 107:103 in the VTB United League SuperCup semifinal, coming back from a 19-point deficit during the game and setting a new tournament scoring record for a single team. Now Aleksander Sekulic’s squad will face CSKA Moscow in the final for the trophy. Here’s our detailed report on the match.
The first points of the game came from Zenit forward Andre Roberson with a hook shot. Joining him in the starting five were Georgy Zhbanov, Levi Randolph, Alex Poythress and Neno Dimitrijevic. Dubai quickly responded with a three-pointer from Klemen Prepelic and an and-one from Filip Petrusev. For Zenit, Neno stood out early — first sinking a long-range shot, then delivering a stylish assist to Alex, who finished the play with a dunk. The teams were neck and neck, but at times the Emirati club pulled ahead by a comfortable "+5" margin, largely thanks to Dwayne Bacon’s scoring. Spoiler: the former Zenit player would become one of Dubai’s best performers in this game. Zenit managed to cut the gap several times with three-pointers from Vladislav Emchenko and Andrey Vorontsevich, but after the first break, Dubai still led 19:24.
At the start of the second quarter, Zenit quickly leveled the score: Vorontsevich scored on a drive, and Karasev hit from beyond the arc. Soon the captain briefly put Zenit ahead, but Dubai answered with an 11:0 run, shifting the momentum. Zenit managed to recover thanks to the combined efforts of Alex Poythress and Trent Frazier, who were effective both from mid-range and long-range. For Trent, this game was special — it marked his 150th appearance in Zenit’s Blue-White-Sky Blues jersey. However, the team couldn’t significantly cut the deficit before halftime — 44:54.
The next ten minutes started badly for Zenit: Kondic hit four three-pointers, Musa scored a dunk, and Bacon was accurate both from distance and mid-range. By the middle of the quarter, the lead had stretched to 19 points. But Zenit didn’t give up. Poythress was strong inside, while Levi and Neno connected from long range, bringing the team back into the fight. Despite the shaky start, by the end of the quarter Zenit steadily reduced the deficit, putting heavy pressure on the UAE club’s defense. Dimitrijevic especially stood out, scoring from nearly every position. Heading into the final quarter, the score was 72:83.
The beginning of the last ten minutes set the stage for the climax: Frazier nailed a three, foreshadowing what was to come. Minute by minute, Zenit kept chipping away at the deficit. Three straight mid-range jumpers from Randolph kept the momentum, though Dubai responded through Musa and Abbas. Then Trent took over again: the American added 3+2, after which Vorontsevich and Dimitrijevic supported him with a series of threes — and the score was tied. The game became extremely tense. Both teams quickly surpassed the 100-point mark and were ready to fight until the very end. But Zenit seized the initiative: Frazier, who opened the quarter with a three, closed it the same way. With 27 seconds left, his long-range shot put Zenit ahead, and disciplined defense in the final moments sealed the win with free throws. Final score — 107:103.
Zenit’s top scorers and comeback leaders: Alex Poythress (25 points, 6 rebounds, 1 block), Neno Dimitrijevic (23 points, 8 assists, 4 rebounds) and Trent Frazier (22 points, 5 assists, 2 rebounds, 2 steals).
Tomorrow, September 25, at 21:00 St. Petersburg time, Zenit will face CSKA in the VTB United League Super Cup final. The broadcast will be available on the League’s official website and on VK Video.
