Zenit lost the match against CSKA
The main game of the VTB United League round took place in Moscow at the Megasport arena, where CSKA faced off against Zenit. The first game of the season between these rivals was intense and full of action.
From the first seconds, Zenit's lineup featured Trent Frazier, Omari Spellman, Xavier Moon, Dwayne Bacon and Vince Hunter. The game began in the hosts' favor, with CSKA landing two three-pointers and some powerful dunks by Jean-Charles. Zenit managed to respond with accurate free throws by Hunter. After falling behind by 11 points, Xavi Pascual's coaching staff called a timely timeout, making strategic adjustments. Zenit responded with an 8:0 run, including an impressive dunk by Alex Poythress towards the end of the quarter, signaling their comeback. The first quarter concluded with a score of 22:14 in favor of CSKA.
Zenit scored their first points of the next period thanks to Poythress. A three-point shootout ensued, with Frazier and Moon exchanging threes with CSKA's Avramovic. Toward the end of the quarter, Georgy Zhbanov shone with a three-pointer, almost sinking another after a steal. The first half ended with a buzzer-beater by Ware, setting the score at 46:41.
After halftime, the game remained relatively conservative, with neither team taking significant risks. Spellman and Bacon continued to score for Zenit, skillfully breaking through the opponent's defense. Dwayne emerged as a key shooter during this period, along with Frazier landing threes. However, they couldn't close the gap, and CSKA scored 2+1 just before the final quarter, leading 67:60.
The final quarter mirrored the entire game’s trend, with teams trading scoring runs. A "+6" run by the Moon-Bacon duo was answered by 7 points from Avramovic and Antonov. Three-pointers by Zhbanov and Bacon finally allowed Zenit to even the score, and a free throw by Hunter put them ahead for the first time. As the clock wound down, each offensive play was preceded by a timeout, reflecting the high stakes. Unfortunately, despite Zenit's efforts, CSKA clinched the win with a final score of 83:77.
Top scorers for Zenit in today’s game were Dwayne Bacon (19 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists), Alex Poythress (13 points, 7 rebounds, 1 steal, 1 block) and Xavier Moon (13 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists).
Now the team faces a week-long break before heading to Yekaterinburg. The away game against Uralmash is scheduled for October 21, with a start time of 17:30 St. Petersburg time.
