Zenit defeated MBA-MAI and advanced to the final of the Kondrashin and Belov Cup
The semifinal match of the Kondrashin and Belov Cup against MBA-MAI was the first serious test for Xavier Pascual’s team this pre-season. Dwayne Bacon finally arrived at the club, and while he did not participate in the game, his presence undoubtedly had a positive effect on the team’s mindset — Zenit started the tournament at full strength.
With the starting whistle, our team took the court with Trent Frazier, Georgy Zbanov, Omari Spellman, Xavier Moon and Vince Hunter. But before the exciting team clash began, honored master of sport of the USSR and Munich Olympic champion Ivan Edeshko performed a ceremonial jump ball. Meanwhile, the first actual jump ball was won by the Moscow team, but this did not help them in their offensive. In response, new Zenit player Xavier Moon quickly scored twice: first with a jump shot and then with a powerful dunk after steal. From the very first seconds, the blue-whites controlled the game. After Hunter made the score 6:0, the guests managed to score only thanks to accurate free throws from Evgeny Minchenko after a foul by Vince. However, thanks to Spellman and Zhbanov, the Petersburg team had already secured a "+10" lead by the end of the fourth minute.
At times, both teams showed a lack of cohesion, with frequent turnovers and noticeable defensive errors on diagonal passes. But this is natural during the preseason. The first three-pointer of the game was made by new Zenit player Andrey Vorontsevich, with a pass from Trent Frazier. Towards the end of the quarter, the game evened out. The guests managed to narrow the gap to a tangible three points. But precise free throws by Poytress and a stylish three-pointer by Alexander Shcherbenev in the last minute sent the teams to halftime with a significant advantage for the hosts — 22:14.
The second quarter was played at a higher pace. In response to a three-pointer from MBA, Denis Zakharov answered with one of his own. In the next attack, Karasev performed what might be considered the highlight of the game, making a behind-the-back pass to Hunter, who then dunked the ball into the basket. This prompted the Moscow team’s coaching staff to take their first timeout. Zenit continued to press and applied high-pressure defense across the court. Zakharov and Hunter caught fire, extending the lead to 32:19. After that, our team experienced a noticeable slump. Perhaps Vasily Karasev’s advice during the second timeout had an effect. In the last minute, Spellman performed impressively on the board, earning 2 points with a foul which he then converted. The first half ended with Hunter’s unsuccessful long shot from mid-court at the buzzer. The score was 44:35 in favor of Zenit at halftime.
The start of the second half was marked by an excellent attack, with Sergey Karasev and Alex Poytress rocking the opponents and sending the ball into the basket. Credit to the guests — they made it clear that they did not come here as mere spectators. Within a few minutes, Voronov and Minchenko scored 11 points between them, reducing the deficit to “-2”. At this point, it was important to calm the game and find the team’s rhythm. Alex Poytress did just that, scoring 5 points in a row. After stabilizing the game, Xavier Pascual’s team decided to keep the Moscow team at a distance — 65:57 before the final quarter.
In the final period, MBA-MAI had no time to ease into the game. The guests needed to catch up urgently, and they managed to do so. By the end of the fourth minute, the hosts’ advantage had nearly evaporated, and now only one point separated the teams. Even a timeout from Zenit’s coaching staff did not help — the guests took the lead. With the score tied at 69:69, a three-pointer from the captain came at just the right moment. Moon looked at Sergey Karasev and decided he was no worse. And so, with 2 minutes remaining, the Petersburg team had a "+6" lead. This final quarter surge proved crucial. The final score was 80:71.
In the final of the Kondrashin and Belov Cup, our team will face Kazan’s UNICS, who won their matchup against Pari NN (64:57). The decisive matches will take place tomorrow, September 6. The bronze game will start at 16:30, and the final at 19:30. Tickets are on sale!
