Zenit-2 defeats Tambov

Zenit’s farm team snapped its five-game losing streak and secured a confident home victory in Round 23 of the FONBET Super League regular season.

Zenit-2 starting lineup: Egor Evstafiev, Vladislav Samukhin, Dmitry Rodionov, Ilyas Abdul, Ivan Prokopenko.

The opening of the game belonged entirely to the home team. Several drives by Prokopenko, a put-back by Samukhin, and a three-pointer from Evstafiev helped Zenit-2 build an eight-point lead within the first minutes. While Tambov struggled offensively, the St. Petersburg side kept pushing forward. The first quarter ended with the score 28:8.

In the next period, however, the visitors regrouped. The game became more balanced, the intensity increased, and scoring chances began to appear on both ends of the court. Tambov eventually won the quarter, and the scoreboard showed 49:34 at halftime.

After returning from the locker room, Zenit’s players confirmed their dominance. Prokopenko displayed an excellent shooting percentage, while Evstafiev, Chikishev, and Khodorich were successful from beyond the arc. The gap consistently remained at 20+ points — 74:48 before the final quarter.

In the last ten minutes, Zenit-2 calmly brought the game to its logical conclusion. Prokopenko was the top scorer for the hosts with 20 points. The Blue-White-Sky Blues won 94:65, ending their five-game losing streak.

Oliver Popović’s team will play their next match on the road. The game against the regular season leader, Chelyabinsk’s CBK, will take place on March 19, with tip-off scheduled for 17:00 St. Petersburg time.