Zenit defeats MBA-MAI in Moscow
Zenit defeated MBA-MAI on the road with a score of 83:99. The Round 22 regular season game of the VTB United League took place today at Moscow’s Basket Hall.
On the eve of the game, it was announced that by decision of the Zenit Basketball Club Board of Directors, head coach Aleksander Sekulic has been relieved of his duties.
The team was prepared for the game against MBA-MAI by Maxim Uchaykin, the acting head coach. During today’s match, he was assisted by Zenit-2 head coach Oliver Popovic.
Zenit’s starting five: Trent Frazier, Andrey Martiuk, Georgy Zbanov, Levi Randolph, and LukaSamanic.
The hosts scored the first points of the game, with Maksim Barashkov hitting a three-pointer. The Blue-White-Sky Blues responded with a powerful drive by Samanic, who literally bulldozed through the opponent’s defense. From the opening minutes, both teams set a high tempo and applied aggressive pressure all over the court. Looking ahead, this intense battle continued right until the final buzzer. Early in the first quarter, MBA-MAI briefly took a four-point lead, but within seconds Zenit answered with a burst from Samanic and Frazier to go up by four themselves. The game then turned into a tug-of-war, with neither side allowing the other to gain a significant advantage. Late in the period, the MBA put together a strong stretch: Savkov and Pevnev were accurate from beyond the arc, and Zubkov completed an and-one. However, a buzzer-beating three-pointer by Vladislav Emchenko allowed the St. Petersburg side to cut the deficit to a minimum — 25:24 in favor of MBA-MAI.
The second quarter began with scoring from Zenit, as Martiuk and Randolph got on the board. After the score reached 30:31 in favor of the visitors, MBA-MAI went on an 8:0 run. Zenit managed to stop the hosts’ momentum in time and adjust their game. Before halftime, Zenit tried to close the gap: Vorontsevich hit from long range, Martiuk and Emchenko scored in the paint, and the hosts foul trouble sent the St. Petersburg team to the free-throw line more often. The second quarter ended in a draw, and the teams went into the locker room with a minimal difference — 48:47.
After the break, the initiative shifted to Zenit. The Blue-White-Sky Blues went on an 11:0 run that fundamentally changed the course of the game. MBA-MAI never regained the lead, although certain momentum swings remained. After two consecutive scoring plays by Samanic, the hosts responded with a run of their own, cutting the deficit to two points. Nevertheless, Zenit maintained control — 69:73 before the decisive quarter.
The final period began with a hard-fought battle. Two consecutive three-pointers by home forward Pavel Savkov tied the score. At the decisive moment, Zenit’s trio of Frazier, Roberson, and Samanic took center stage and put the game beyond doubt. With a 10-point deficit and two minutes left before the final buzzer, Vasiliy Karasev called a timeout, but stopping the Blue-White-Sky Blues was already impossible. Final score — 83:99.
Zenit’s top performers were Luka Samanic (22 points, 4 rebounds), Levi Randolph (19 points), and Trent Frazier (17 points, 14 assists, 6 rebounds, 1 steal).
In the next round of the VTB United League, Zenit will face CSKA. The game will take place on January 24 in Moscow at Megasport Arena and will tip off at 16:00 St. Petersburg time.
