Zenit vs Pari Nizhny Novgorod. Preview
Opponent
Nizhny Novgorod, who started the season poorly with seven straight losses, have finally tasted victory. In the last rounds, Sergey Kozin’s team claimed two tough road wins — against MBA-MAI in Moscow (84:94) and against Avtodor in Saratov (103:106).
The matchup with Avtodor turned into a real thriller: the teams determined the winner only in the second overtime, and Pari NN’s point guard Isaiah Washington recorded the 11th triple-double in VTB League history, setting both a career high and a league record for field-goal attempts (34). The American guard finished with 41 points, 10 rebounds, 11 assists, and a 44 efficiency rating.
The visitors have gained momentum and now look like a much more dangerous opponent than a month ago. This time, Zenit is expecting a very tough and emotional game — another serious test for Aleksander Sekulic’s team.
Head-to-head
The previous game in Nizhny Novgorod ended with a victory for the Blue-White-Sky Blues, 64:84. In total, the teams have faced each other 31 times in the VTB United League: 23 wins for Zenit and 8 for Nizhny.
Direct speech
Zenit head coach Aleksander Sekulic ahead of the home game:
They showed that they are playing much better than they were when we faced them almost a month ago. With two wins in a row of course, road wins, which makes them very dangerous. They have Washington who was able to score in the last game an amazing 41 points with a triple-double. So he gives this quality to his hard-working team. For us it's the most important thing that we stay focused on things we want to do. To play our basketball and at the same time to play great team defense because if you just gonna play less than this they can have a good night and we can have big problems with that.
Who. Where. When.
Opponent: Pari Nizhny Novgorod
Location: CSC Arena, St. Petersburg
Date: November 18, 19:30 (local time)
Broadcasts: Okko Sport, VTB League website, VK Video, Start Basket
Tickets available on the club’s website
