Zenit lose at home in the WINLINE Basket Cup
Zenit’s starting five: Trent Frazier, Andrey Martiuk, Georgy Zhbanov, Levi Randolph, and Luka Šamanić. It is also worth noting that Andre Roberson returned to the St. Petersburg squad after recovering from injury.
The score was opened by the Blue-White-Sky Blues’ captain — Trent confidently knocked down a three-pointer. The visitors responded with fast drives by Nelson and Ivlev, but Frazier immediately added another shot from beyond the arc to his tally. The game began at a high pace with tight man-to-man defense on both ends. Despite the physical play, Zenit managed to build a four-point lead with two and a half minutes left in the quarter, thanks to the Randolph-Roberson duo. Uralmash’s coaching staff called their first timeout. Anton Yudin’s adjustments paid off instantly: the Yekaterinburg team closed the period with a 7:0 run and won the first quarter, 17:20.
After the two-minute break, Zenit’s defensive issues became even more apparent. Uralmash managed to extend their lead to double digits, prompting Zenit head coach Dejan Radonjić to call two timeouts midway through the quarter. While there were still concerns about the hosts’ defense, Zenit continued to find their opportunities on offense: Šamanić scored with a dunk, Vorontsevich hit a three, and Frazier and Zhbanov were accurate from close range. However, by halftime, the visitors maintained their advantage — 35:47.
Zenit started the second half in spectacular fashion on offense: Šamanić and Frazier sparked a 7:0 run to cut the deficit to five points. Despite the hosts’ strong desire to mount a comeback, the Ural side managed to keep their opponents at bay. Yekaterinburg was particularly effective from beyond the arc during this stretch. The gap fluctuated between four and ten points, and the teams entered the decisive quarter with the score at 57:63.
Unfortunately, Zenit was unable to turn the tide in the final period. Uralmash executed well on both ends of the court and ultimately secured the victory — 67:81.
The Blue-White-Sky Blues will play their last WINLINE Basket Cup group stage game on the road. The matchup against UNICS Kazan will take place on March 26 in Kazan.
Zenit will face Uralmash again on February 19, this time away and in the VTB United League. Tip-off is scheduled for 17:30 St. Petersburg time.
