Basketball fans finally witnessed the start of the semifinal stage of the VTB United League playoffs, with UNICS and Zenit battling for a spot in the finals. Here is how the first clash between the two teams unfolded.
From the opening minutes, both teams showed they were ready to fight for victory. Three-point shooting was incredibly accurate—Georgy Zhbanov hit two, while Andre Roberson, Paris Lee, and Deishawn Pierre each added one. The lead changed hands several times. Zhbanov led Zenit with 10 points in the first quarter. For UNICS, Jalen Reynolds stepped up alongside Bingham, Lee, and Pierre, attacking effectively. The quarter ended 23:18 in favor of the hosts.
The second period started with a 10:3 run by Zenit, with Luka Šamanić and Zhbanov standing out. Velimir Perasović called a timeout as he watched his team’s lead slip away. Gradually, UNICS erased the deficit to tie at 36:36. Both teams fouled frequently, scoring heavily from the free-throw line. Thanks to strong plays from Trent Frazier at the end of the quarter, the visitors took the lead and won the period 26:15.
Coming out of halftime, UNICS was fired up, launching a 12:0 run. Pierre was highly effective both from beyond the arc and near the rim, scoring seven points. However, three-pointers from Andrey Martyuk and Zhbanov brought Zenit back into the game. Kazan exploded in the third quarter: Lee, Bingham, and Dmitry Kulagin helped secure a 29:17 margin.
In the final quarter, Zenit started stronger (12:5). Šamanić excelled on both ends of the floor, scoring consistently. A key stretch from Alexey Shved, who hit a tough contested three-pointer and assisted Bingham, helped UNICS not only cut the deficit but also take an 80:77 lead. Frazier, Zhbanov, and Moon each hit a three, but Kazan stayed ahead thanks to solid efforts from Kulagin and Reynolds—87:86. Šamanić then put Zenit ahead with a precise layup (88:87).
Reynolds missed his next shot, forcing UNICS to foul Frazier, who made both free throws. After a timeout from Perasović, captain Kulagin drained a crucial three-pointer to tie the game at 90:90, sending it to overtime! Zhbanov and Kulagin exchanged long-range shots early in the extra period. Then came a series of two-point baskets, and Reynolds scored five points. Moon and Šamanić kept Zenit in the game, but five straight points from Pierre made it 105:101 for the hosts. Šamanić hit another three, but UNICS sealed the victory with free throws from Lee. The final score: 107:104 OT.
**Scoring Leaders:**
– UNICS: Pierre – 27, Reynolds – 23, D. Kulagin – 18, Lee – 15, Bingham – 14, Shved – 6, M. Kulagin – 2, Lopatin – 2, Belenitsky, Manford, Zakharov, Abdulbasirov
– Zenit: Šamanić – 28, Zhbanov – 23, Frazier – 10, Martyuk – 9, Moon – 9, Vorontsevich – 8, Juzang – 7, Roberson – 5, Uzinsky – 5, Karasev, Yemchenko, Zemsky
**X-Factor:**
Both teams played brilliantly, with outstanding shooting from both sides. But UNICS secured the win largely thanks to better ball security and composure in key moments. Only eight turnovers in 45 minutes—elite performance. Pierre, Reynolds, and especially Kulagin made the difference.
**Best and Worst:**
Pierre had a fantastic game: 27 points, 1 rebound, 3 assists, and incredible shooting accuracy of 83.3%! The stat sheet doesn’t fully capture his defensive impact either.
