Zenit defeated UNICS in WINLINE Basket Cup group stage game on the road – 85:77 (19:23, 33:12, 16:19, 17:23).
Game progress
The final game of Group B determined Final Four 2 teams. A win by any score would have been enough for Zenit, while UNICS simply needed to avoid losing by more than 73 points (in which case Uralmash would have advanced). The hosts controlled the first quarter, but the Kazan team failed to build a significant lead. Zenit started the second quarter with Xavier Moon and Johnny Juzang points. Soon, Georgii Zhbanov scored 5 consecutive points. A 13-0 run turned the game around. The motivated guests also controlled the rebounds (20-10 in first half) and executed the coaching staff’s game plan with discipline (4-8 in turnovers). Zenit had comfortable lead by halftime – 52:35.
After the break, the St. Petersburg team didn’t let the opponent to get closer. Zenit joined UNICS in Final Four from Group B.
После смены сторон питерцы сыграли по счету и не позволили сопернику возродить интригу. Одержав победу, «Зенит» присоединился к УНИКСу в качестве участника «Финала четырех» от группы Б.
X-Factor
Johnny Juzang played his first game in the WINLINE Basket Cup – and made the difference. The former NBA player finished with 13 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists in 23 minutes.
Facts
UNICS finished 1st in Group B, while Zenit came in 2nd.
Xavier Moon scored 27 points and tied for 4th in the Cup’s best scoring list. The record belongs to Casper Ware – 31 points.
Leaders
UNICS: Marcus Bingham (20 points + 6 rebounds), Andrey Lopatin (15 points + 5 rebounds), Jalen Reynolds (14 points), Dmitry Kulagin (14 points, 6 assists)
Zenit: Xavier Moon (27 points), GeorgII Zhbanov (14 points), Johnny Juzang (13 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists), Luka samanic (10 points)
Следующий матч
PARMA (Russia) vs Mega (Serbia) on March 31.