Zenit lose to CSKA on the road
Zenit suffered an away defeat to Moscow’s CSKA, losing 93:90. The game was played as part of Round 23 of the VTB United League regular season. Trailing by as many as 18 points during the match, the Blue-White-Sky Blues managed to force the game into clutch time, but the hosts ultimately proved stronger down the stretch. A detailed recap of the game is available in our match report.
Today’s game was the first for Rostislav Vergun as Zenit’s interim head coach.
From the opening seconds on the Megasport court, Zenit’s starting lineup featured Trent Frazier, Andrey Martiuk, Georgy Zhbanov, Levi Randolph, and Luka Samanic.
At the opening tip, Martiuk knocked the ball into the opponent’s half, Zhbanov immediately picked up the sharp pass and, on just the second second of the game, drew a foul and converted both free throws. The teams played at a high tempo early on, trading scoring possessions. By the middle of the first quarter, CSKA led 17:15. The standout of the opening stretch was Zenit forward Georgy Zhbanov, who scored 9 points. After a three-pointer by Trimble, the gap on the scoreboard reached five points for the first time, prompting Rostislav Vergun to call his first timeout. After the adjustments, Zenit tied the game in just two possessions: Martiuk finished with a dunk, and Frazier hit from beyond the arc. Gradually, the game turned into a run for run battle. Zenit answered Trimble’s free throws and Astapkovich’s three-pointer with free throws by Emchenko and a long-range shot from Vorontsevich. The opening ten minutes were played on even terms with high shooting efficiency from both sides, but thanks to a strong finish to the quarter, the hosts pulled ahead — 34:26.
At the start of the next quarter, CSKA maintained the initiative: Ware and Astapkovich converted free throws, while Trimble and Mitrovic completed and-one plays. Zenit responded with a three-pointer by Samanic and a mid-range basket by Randolph. A CSKA run stretched their lead to "+18", after which Zenit called another timeout to stabilize the situation. After the break, Dmitry Uzinskiy hit a three for Zenit and Melo Trimble answered with a three for the hosts, before the St. Petersburg side went on a 7:0 run. The scoreboard showed 52:41 in favor of CSKA, and this time the hosts took a timeout. After the minute break, the shootout continued: Zenit’s baskets by Samanic were answered by drives from Jean-Charles and Chadov. One of the key moments of the quarter, vividly demonstrating Zenit’s fighting spirit, came when an Emchenko–Martiuk alley-oop on a fast break fell apart, but Zbanov ripped the ball away from the opponents with force and finished a 2+1. Accurate free throws by Martiuk on the next possession allowed the team from the banks of the Neva to cut the deficit to eight points — the same margin with which they had started the quarter. The final minute of the half favored the red-blues, and the teams went into halftime with the score at 60:50.
The third quarter began with missed opportunities for Zenit. There were several possessions in which the Blue-White-Sky Blues repeatedly grabbed offensive rebounds after their own misses but failed to convert them into points. While Zenit scored via a three-pointer from Andrey Martiuk and drives by Luka Samanic, CSKA were led by their captain, Semen Antonov, who scored eight points early in the second half. A noticeable gap on the scoreboard remained throughout the period, but two three-pointers by Andre Roberson and Andrey Vorontsevich cut the deficit to "–8" with a minute left in the quarter. Randolph’s three then brought Zenit even closer — 75:70 heading into the final quarter.
At first, it seemed CSKA were managing to contain Zenit effectively and avoid a tense finish. However, the key factor became the performance of Zenit center Luka Samanic, who scored eight straight points and carried his team into clutch time. With 2 minutes and 38 seconds left on the clock, CSKA led 91:85. As the opponents failed to convert their offensive possessions, Zenit gradually closed the gap. A series of timeouts, tactical fouls, and free throws led to the margin being cut to a single possession with 9.2 seconds remaining. However, CSKA retained possession, and Zenit’s attempt to regain the ball through fouling for a final attack was unsuccessful. The final score was 93:90.
Zenit’s top scorers in the game were Luka Samanic (21 points, 10 rebounds), Georgy Zhbanov (17 points, 8 rebounds, 2 steals), and Levi Randolph (14 points, 4 assists, 1 rebound).
Zenit’s next game will take place in St. Petersburg on their home court at the CSC Arena. The matchup against Saratov’s Avtodor will be played on January 27 and will tip off at 19:30 local time. Tickets are available on the club’s website.
