Zenit loses in the home match with UNICS
Team captain Sergey Karasev, Dwayne Bacon, Trent Frazier, Andrey Vorontsevich and Vince Hunter, who returned after an injury, started the game from first seconds.
UNICS’s fast-paced drives from Akoon-Purcell and Taylor were immediately answered by a three-pointer from Frazier and two points from Bacon, putting Zenit in the lead. Hunter extended the lead with a free throw, and Bacon’s drive added two more points, giving the team a +4 advantage. Midway through the quarter, Jalen Reynolds stepped onto the court, sparking a true duel between the Kazan center and Bacon. By the end of the quarter, Zenit’s forward had tallied 14 points, while Reynolds had 13. The game was a back-and-forth battle, with UNICS holding a slight edge. In the final possession of the quarter, Alex Poythress scored two points with a foul. If he had converted the free throw, the teams would have ended the quarter tied, but instead, UNICS held a narrow lead at the break — 24:25.
The second quarter featured prolonged positional plays from both teams, with noticeable drops in Zenit’s three-point shooting accuracy. For every successful three-pointer from Frazier, who tied the score at one point, there were several misses from Zakharov, Bacon, Spellman and once again Trent. This poor shooting allowed the visitors to build a seven-point lead, prompting Xavi Pascual to call his first timeout. However, UNICS continued their run even after the pause, capitalizing on Zenit’s turnovers and lackluster defense. Zenit’s scoring drought was finally broken by another three-pointer from Frazier. This seemed to snap the team out of their funk, and they managed to slightly reduce the gap — 39:47 by halftime.
The fast-paced, thrilling game resumed after the break. Both teams exchanged runs: Zenit’s 7:2 streak was countered by a 0:7 run from UNICS, further complicating the situation for the St. Petersburg team. A timeout by the Zenit coaching staff brought much-needed adjustments, leading to key solo plays by Bacon and Poythress that cut the deficit. With UNICS going silent offensively, Zenit managed to tie the score with two minutes left in the third quarter. However, in the remaining time, UNICS went on a decisive run, building a +12 lead and undoing all of Zenit’s hard-earned progress — 56:68 heading into the final period.
Individual performances, such as Zbanov’s three-pointer, Hunter’s dunk, and, of course, Bacon’s stellar play, helped Zenit quickly cut the deficit to five points. This manageable gap allowed the home team to pressure their opponents and attempt a comeback. A potentially decisive moment occurred with 23 seconds remaining, when Poythress went to the line for free throws. He missed his second shot, allowing UNICS to secure a six-point lead. Spellman’s three-pointer with 13 seconds left reignited hopes for overtime, but two more three-point attempts failed to find their mark. The game ended with UNICS edging out Zenit — 76:79.
The top performers for Zenit were Dwayne Bacon (33 points, 8 rebounds, 1 steal), Trent Frazier (17 points, 9 assists, 2 rebounds, 1 steal) and Omari Spellman (12 points, 2 rebounds, 2 blocks).
This Sunday, December 22, Xavi Pascual’s squad will close out the calendar year with a home game against Uralmash. Tip-off is at 17:00 St. Petersburg time. Tickets are available at tickets.bc-zenit.com.
