Kazan’s UNICS defeated Yekaterinburg’s Uralmash in an away game of the WINLINE Basket Cup, 69–68 (15–11, 20–26, 16–11, 18–20).
Main Story
The opening game in Group B was a classic cup match—a closely contested battle with tension lasting until the final seconds. Playing at home, Uralmash was looking for revenge for its recent loss in the VTB United League (84–95), but Kazan got off to a slightly better start (15–11 in the first quarter). The hosts responded in the second quarter (26–20) and went into halftime with a short lead.
In the second half, UNICS regained control of the game but was unable to pull away—the outcome was decided in the closing moments.
The Clutch Moment
The fourth 10-minute period featured a steady back-and-forth of scoring plays, which became increasingly rare as the game drew to a close. In the clutch, the teams only changed the score on the board with free throws; two makes by Xavier Rathan-Mayes in the final minute put the white-and-greens ahead, 69–68. Uralmash had a chance to save the game, but Chris Clemons missed a game-winning three-pointer.
X-Factor
Xavier Rathan-Mayes. The Canadian guard for UNICS was the star of the game: 21 points, 7 rebounds, and 2 assists, with an efficiency rating of “+21.” It was his strong play down the stretch that allowed the visitors to hold on to their narrow lead.
Interesting Facts
Including the United League, UNICS has won six straight games.
Uralmash won the second and fourth quarters, UNICS won the first and third, and the final margin was exactly one point.
Both teams shot at a low field goal percentage—33.8% for Uralmash and 34.7% for UNICS.
Press Conference
Uralmash Head coach, Anton Yudin:
– Congratulations to UNICS on the win. It’s frustrating to lose games like this, especially at home. I think both teams had an equal chance to win in the closing minutes. As always, the outcome of these games comes down to small moments and details.
As for the game, the third quarter was one of the key ones. We were leading by six points, I believe, but at the end of the quarter we let our opponent go on a 0–9 run. We turned the ball over in situations where we shouldn’t have. We moved the ball very poorly, resorted to difficult shots after drives, and as a result—we scored only 11 points in the third quarter and gave up that run. I think that’s one of the main reasons for today’s loss.
Overall, we can take something positive from the game. But against strong teams and favorites, it’s easy to lose by “just a little,” and that’s still a loss. We need to learn how to win these kinds of games, be more disciplined down the stretch, and play with more confidence.
We’ve already discussed this with the team: our three-point shooting, especially at home, leaves much to be desired. Unfortunately, for the second game in a row, we’ve created plenty of open shots but haven’t been able to convert them yet.
UNICS Head Coach Milan Karakas:
– We had a very tough game today, and this win is very important. I said that it was important for us to start our run in the WINLINE Basket Cup with a win. It’s never easy to play here in Yekaterinburg—both against such a crowd and against what I consider to be a very talented team.
In the locker room, I said that this is probably my favorite win so far this season. Even though we didn’t play our best game, I always say: even if it’s not your day, defense helps you stay in the game.
Today we weren’t shooting very well. I think the turning point was when we stopped turning the ball over and stabilized our play a bit. Of course, luck was on our side today. It’s probably thanks to these factors that we won.
Top Performers
Uralmash: Chris Clemons (16), Javonte Douglas (14 + 8 rebounds), Octavius Ellis (13 + 5 rebounds)
UNICS: Xavier Rathan-Mayes (21 points, 7 rebounds), C.J. Bryce (14 points, 6 rebounds), Luka Šamanic (12 points, 6 rebounds)
Up Next
November 2: Zenit vs. Igokea.