Russia’s Zenit defeated Bosnia’s Igokea 91–70 (25–12, 19–28, 18–18, 29–12) in a home game of the WINLINE Basket Cup.
Main Story
Zenit’s season opener in the new WINLINE Basket Cup season at the KSK Arena drew 5,500 spectators to the stands, who were glad they made the trip. The highlight of the evening was the debut for the blue-white-and-blue team by Markus Howard, who, under the guidance of Duško Ivanović, became the top scorer in the EuroLeague and the Spanish League during the 2023–24 season.
The star rookie went into full scoring mode from the very first minutes. The home team ultimately got off to a strong start, winning the opening quarter by a double-digit margin (25–12). The visitors from Laktashi put up a tough fight and managed to get back into the game in the second 10-minute period, but they couldn’t contain Howard—19 points on 7-for-8 shooting, including 3-for-3 from beyond the arc, by halftime.
The Clutch Moment
After a closely contested third quarter (18–18), Zenit stepped up its game in the final quarter. Every attempt by Igokea to close the gap was thwarted by Howard’s cool-headed shots and the St. Petersburg team’s solid defense. The visitors managed to keep pace with their opponents only in the opening minutes, but when Alex Poythress assisted Markus on a three-pointer midway through the quarter, the Russian club took control (29–12), putting the game out of reach and extending the final margin to +21.
X-Factor
A dazzling and effective debut by Markus Howard. The American guard spent just 20 minutes and 15 seconds on the court but managed to set a new WINLINE Basket Cup scoring record: 33 points on 5-for-8 from two-point range, 6-for-8 from beyond the arc, and 5-for-5 from the free-throw line.
Interesting Facts
Howard delivered one of the most impressive debuts, scoring 33 points in just 20 minutes of playing time. The previous Cup record was set by Casper Ware from CSKA in November 2025 (31 points).
Zenit recorded an excellent three-point shooting percentage—47.6% (compared to 24.1% for Igokea).
The St. Petersburg team committed nearly half as many turnovers as their opponent (8 to 13), outpacing the visitors in steals (7–4) and blocks (5–3).
The home team showcased their ability to play team basketball, recording 22 assists.
The game at the KSK Arena was attended by 5,518 spectators.
Press Conference
Zenit Head Coach Duško Ivanović:
– I’d like to congratulate my team on the victory! Igokea played some good, high-quality basketball. They have a lot of excellent players and a lot of sharpshooters, but our team played great defense. I’d especially like to highlight how they played against the key leaders. Of course, Markus Howard played magnificently. Today was a team victory, and our players put on a spectacular performance and secured an important win.
Igokea Head Coach Nenad Stefanović:
– Congratulations to Zenit on a well-deserved victory. Today they played high-quality basketball for the full 40 minutes. My team also tried to play the right kind of basketball, but I’d like to single out Howard from the blue-white-and-blue squad. He’s the player who made the difference in the game. He showed top-notch skill. I’ll also say a few words about my guys: we tried to play solid defense and, during many possessions, didn’t let Zenit get off good shots. Even though Zenit looks stronger on paper, we put up a good fight today.
Top Performers
Zenit: Markus Howard (33), Andrey Martiuk (11 + 9 rebounds)
Igokea: Djordje Topolović (15), Lazar Stefanović (11)
Up Next
November 3: FMP – Uralmash