Zenit beats UNICS in the first away match of the season
This Sunday, the main game of the week took place between two giants of Russian basketball — it was the third meeting this month between Zenit and UNICS. Here's a detailed report on Xavi Pascual’s team’s first away game of the new season.
From the first seconds Georgy Zhbanov, Omari Spellman, Xavier Moon, Dwayne Bacon and Vince Hunter hit the court for the blue-whites team. The game started with Zenit’s attacks and Omari opened the scoring by dunking the ball after a pass from Zhbanov. Zenit’s players were quick on offense, strong in rebounding and consistently earned second-chance points. Both teams tested each other’s defenses, and at one point, the home team took a 5-point lead. However, Zenit quickly closed the gap thanks to shot from Poythress and a three-pointer from Spellman. The first quarter ended with a strong move by Hunter under UNICS' basket, making it 18:21 in favor of the visitors.
The second quarter started with a dynamic burst from the Kazan team: Reynolds scored 7 points, and Taylor hit a three-pointer in the opening minutes, forcing Zenit’s coaching staff to call a timeout. After the break, Moon calmly and confidently hit a three, signaling that Zenit was far from giving up. The hosts built a solid defensive line, preventing Zenit from getting fast breaks. Dwayne Bacon, however, repeatedly found ways through UNICS' defense. Each shot from the forward seemed more challenging and impressive than the previous. By the end of the period, UNICS had comfortable lead and the teams went into halftime with the score at 46:39.
The third quarter was completely controlled by Zenit. The standout player was Dwayne Bacon, who showcased his shooting prowess with two accurate long-range shots and perfect free throws. Thanks to the forward’s efforts, Zenit closed the gap, and a powerful dunk from Omari put Zenit ahead 50:51. Zenit seized the momentum and began dictating the game’s pace. The American duo of Spellman and Bacon was on fire, scoring over and over again, leading to a 59:66 advantage going into the final quarter.
In the last quarter, both teams continued to play fast-paced basketball. Despite several scoring runs throughout the game, Kazan were determined to make a comeback, but Zenit were against it. In this quarter, Zenit displayed a perfect balance between offense and defense, as Xavi Pascual mentioned in his last press conference. Despite all of the hosts' attempts, especially in the final seconds, Zenit secured a well-deserved victory — 84:87. For the first time since 2020, the blue-whites team starts the VTB United League season with three consecutive wins.
The top scorers today were Omari Spellman (24 points + 7 rebounds + 2 assists + 1 steal), Dwayne Bacon (22 points + 3 rebounds + 4 assists) and Alex Poythress (14 points + 1 assist).
Zenit’s next game in the VTB United League regular season will take place at home on October 3 at 19:30 St. Petersburg time. Xavi Pascual’s team will face off against PARMA. Tickets are on sale at tickets.bc-zenit.com.
