Zenit-2 loses in the end of the game
The opening minutes of the match were rather disjointed for both sides. CSKA-2 opened the scoring with a long-range shot by Daniil Klyuchenkov but failed to capitalize on their other clear chances. Zenit-2 allowed too many approaches to their basket and repeatedly ran into steals and blocks on offense. After two and a half minutes, the scoreboard read 6:0, but soon Daniil Aksenov earned a 3+1 play. Having hit another three-pointer, the guard remained the only scorer for the blue-whites. With the score at a challenging 17:7, Oliver Popovic was forced to call a timeout. After this tactical pause, Artem Khodorich added a third three-pointer for the St. Petersburg team, and mid-range shots from Pavel Zemskiy and Vladislav Samukhin helped reduce the deficit, allowing the team to continue playing at their preferred tempo. The same Khodorich, who would become one of the heroes of today's match, smartly grabbed the rebound in the last CSKA-2 attack, sprinted forward, and drew a foul, which he successfully converted. This allowed Zenit-2 to end the first half trailing by just four points at 24:20.
In the next ten minutes, the St. Petersburg team began to close the gap. Ilya Krivyh initiated this mini-comeback with a hook shot. While CSKA-2 faced clear issues on offense, Zenit-2 gradually took the lead: the Dulkay-Aksenov duo pushed the visitors ahead, gaining a 6-point advantage. Although CSKA-2 made a comeback of their own, Zenit-2 still went into halftime with a slim lead — 38:40.
At the start of the third quarter, both teams exchanged successful free throws, after which CSKA-2 center Zakhar Lavrenov tied the game with a powerful slam dunk. From that point on, the match turned into a back-and-forth affair. The lead constantly changed hands, with no sign of the game breaking in any direction. That was until Andrey Pechkin stepped onto the court. His substitution proved to be pivotal, as he scored 13 points in this period, allowing the home team to pull slightly ahead. The teams entered the final segment with the score at 61:57.
The fourth quarter continued with fierce competition on every possession. Today's standout players for the blue-whites — Khodorich, Aksenov, Zemskiy and Akhmedov — managed to erase the deficit within 5 minutes and bring Zenit-2 back into the game. With alternating scoring runs, the teams reached the final minute with just a 2-point difference in favor of the hosts. The last seconds were truly thrilling: CSKA's free throws, Aksenov's fifth foul, a missed three-pointer by Akhmedov, and his smart putback after a free throw. Unfortunately, Zenit-2 couldn't close the gap. The final score stood at 86:82.
The top scorers for the blue-whites were Daniil Aksenov (22 points + 5 assists + 3 rebounds + 2 steals) and Artem Khodorich (18 points + 2 rebounds + 1 steal + 1 block).
Zenit-2 will have a two-week break, after which Oliver Popovic's squad will host Vladivostok's Dynamo on November 28. The game is scheduled to start at 18:00 St. Petersburg time and will take place at the Basketball Academy (Severnaya Doroga, 12). Admission for all fans is free.
