Zenit vs MBA-MAI. Preview

The 2024/25 season starts with a home game against MBA-MAI. Our team will play its first regular season match this Saturday, September 21. As always, we tell you the most important thing in our traditional preview.

Context

The Moscow Basketball Association enters its third season in the VTB United League under the new name MBA-MAI. In their first year, the capital's team impressed everyone with their dynamic play and competitiveness, but in their second year, opponents realized what Vasily Karasev’s team was capable of and offered maximum resistance. Last season ended with MBA's defeat in the play-in, preventing them from advancing to the decisive stage of the tournament.

During the offseason, several key players left MBA, and newcomers still need to prove themselves. As part of their extensive pre-season, the Moscow team went on a tour to China, playing three games against the local Guangzhou Loong Lions. After returning from China, MBA participated in the Kondrashin and Belov Cup for the third year in a row, but this time without victories.

Zenit's roster also saw some changes this summer. The team parted ways with Thomas Heurtel, Kyle Kuric, Timofey Gerasimov, Juwan Morgan, Josh Carlton, Sergey Toropov, and Artem Klimenko, who were replaced by six new players. During the transfer window, the club signed Alexander Shcherbenev, Omari Spellman, Xavier Moon, Dwayne Bacon, Andrey Vorontsevich, and Alex Poythress, who returned to St. Petersburg after two years. Zenit’s packed preseason included a week-long training camp in Turkey, home Kondrashin and Belov Cup and the VTB United League Supercup in Moscow. The final stage of the team's preparation was marked by a presentation and an open practice for the fans.

Connections

Looking more closely at MBA’s roster from coaching staff to players you’ll see many familiar names from St. Petersburg. Vasily Karasev was the first head coach of Zenit from its founding, and Sergey Vozniuk spent three seasons in St. Petersburg (from 2019 to 2022), two of which were with Xavi Pascual’s staff, including the championship year.

This summer, former Zenit captain Andrey Zubkov joined the Moscow team, where he was reunited with Evgeny Voronov and Vladislav Trushkin. MBA's roster also includes former Zenit youth team captain Egor Sorokin and former Zenit Basketball Academy players Ivan Belousov and Danil Pevnev.

Head-to-head

The history of meetings between our teams includes 10 official games in the United League. The advantage is with Zenit, who won 8 games and lost 2. We also remember well that just two weeks ago, Zenit defeated the MBA-MAI at the Kondrashin and Belov Cup. Let's stay on the winning way!

Who. Where. When. 

Opponent: MBA-MAI

Location: CSC Arena, St. Petersburg

Date: September 21, 19:00 (local time)

Broadcast: VTB United League website, Okko Sport, Start Channel

Tickets are available on the website tickets.bc-zenit.com.