After 30 seconds into Game 2 Dmitry Uzinsky had already scored 5 points: a lay-up and a 3-pointer. Two mid-range by Patrick Miller and deft work in the paint by Andrei Martyuk made the score 11:5, but then the opponent began to reduce the gap – despite two long-range hits in a row by Karvel Anderson. Thanks to effort of Kirill Yelatontsev and Vladislav Yemchenko’s long shot Loko went into a first break with a 6-point advantage – 28:22.
It took Zenit 3 minutes of the 2nd quarter to gat ahead – with the score 30:32 Alexander Sekulić asked for a time-out. After that, it was Miller time; and Uzinsky time also – the captain score from behind the 3-point line, making the score 39:34.
But the St. Petersburgers also started to score from the distance, making in three shots in a row – 42:43. The marathon of 3-pointers was ended by Yelatontsev, who equalised the score by 2+1 – 48:48 by the big break!
After the resumption of the game, Loko pushed a full throttle, reaching “+7” very fast – 55:48! But Zenit’s response was not long in coming. For a couple more minutes, the spectators watched the ultra tight battle: Miller and Jaylen Barford began scoring from a distance, Yelatontsev set on fire with his dunks. But by the final quarter, the red-greens were still in the role of catching up (74:72).
The final 10 minutes started with a high-speed slalom by Kirill Temirov, who scored 2+1. Then Martyuk made one more spectacular dunk, Uzinsky made another three, Yelatontsev blocked the opponent’s shot with his long arms, JB broke through the hosts’ defense – but feeling of déjà vu was still actual. No matter how hard Loko tried, Zenit always was a bit ahead.
At the very last second Yemchenko made a 3-point throw to equalise the score – but was blocked. 96:99 – loses Game 2.
Now the series moves to Krasnodar: Game. 3 will take place at the Basket Hall on May 30 at 7:30 PM.