Zenit will play in the bronze medal game of the WINLINE Basket Cup
St. Petersburg’s Zenit lost to Moscow’s CSKA in the semifinal of the WINLINE Basket Cup. The game ended with a score of 74:88 in favor of the opponent. Tomorrow, April 11, the Blue-White-Sky Blues will face Perm’s PARMA in the bronze medal game of the tournament. Tip-off is at 17:00.
Let’s break down today’s game against the Moscow team in our report.
Zenit starting lineup: Trent Frazier, Johnny Juzang, Andrey Martiuk, Andrey Vorontsevich, and Vladislav Emchenko. Zenit forward Georgy Zhbanov missed the semifinal due to injury.
As expected from a top-level matchup, both teams started at a very high tempo and intensity. On their first possession, the Blue-White-Sky Blues took a "+3" lead thanks to an and-one play by Andrey Martiuk. CSKA responded with a drive by Livio Jean-Charles, who scored after an assist from Ivan Ukhov. Early in the game, Zenit looked fresher and more accurate: Juzang, Frazier, and Emchenko capitalized on their chances to make it 10:4 in favor of the St. Petersburg side after three minutes. However, the Moscow team responded with a 6:0 run to tie the score. For some time, the Northern Capital’s team controlled the game — Johnny and Trent continued knocking down shots. But toward the end of the quarter, the opponent seized the initiative. The opening ten minutes ended 20:24 in favor of CSKA.
At the start of the second period, Zenit missed a couple of opportunities, while the CSKA opened the quarter with a thunderous three-pointer by Semyon Antonov, forcing Dejan Radonjić to call a timeout. After the head coach’s adjustments, Zenit scored from long range on their very next possession — Luka Šamanić was accurate. However, the opponent quickly responded with another three-pointer — Cleveland restored the 7-point lead. Gradually, Zenit managed to level the game. By the midpoint of the quarter, the score was tied at 35:35. Then the St. Petersburg side, after a series of successful plays on both ends of the court, managed to swing the momentum their way, ultimately winning the second quarter and the first half. Vorontsevich and Juzang hit from long distance, while Moon and Martiuk scored inside — 48:45 before halftime.
After returning from the locker room, CSKA immediately went on the attack, while Zenit, on the contrary, made mistakes and struggled with poor shooting efficiency. In the first six minutes, the Blue-White-Sky Blues scored only three points, while the Moscow team built a 10-point lead. That gap could already have become a turning point in today’s match. However, Zenit regrouped in time. Xavier Moon orchestrated the offense and seemed to be everywhere, while Luka Šamanić finished plays effectively and wasn’t shy about shooting from long range. The third quarter ended with a put-back by Ismael Bako — 62:66 in favor of the Moscow team.
In the decisive fourth quarter, the intensity of the contest reached its peak. The opening minutes of the final period were marked by tight man-to-man defense and tough physical play, and this stretch went to the CSKA — 5:2, allowing them to extend their advantage. The St. Petersburg head coach immediately called a timeout. However, even after the break, the pace of the game remained very slow and sluggish, with very few points scored. This disrupted rhythm clearly benefited CSKA, which continued to lead comfortably by 7 points. In the closing moments, the gap kept growing. Zenit was unable to respond effectively and finished the game with a 74:88 loss.
