Former Loko in camo uniform
UNICS was founded in 1991 on the basis of the Kazan State University. “C” and “S” in the name mean “culture” and “sport”, respectively.
It is fun, that from 1994 to 1997 the team was called UNICS-Lokomotiv, but after reaching the top division of Russian basketball, the title was shortened back to the first word. In 1998, the club was headed by the then chairman of the National Bank of Tatarstan Evgeny Bogachev. He is still in charge of UNICS today – no president in the VTB United League rules longer than Evgeny Borisovich. It is also worth noting that 59-year-old Velimir Perasović is the oldest coach in the championship.
For a long time, UNICS played in a simple white-green uniform. But before the start of the 2018/19 season, the team presented a third kit for the Eurocup – in camouflage colors. It quickly became the main one. The club does not specify how military camouflage intersects with university cultural values.
We face each other at least 5 times a year
No other pair of teams in Russia face each other as often as Loko and UNICS ‒ since the inception of the VTB United League, the opponents have played 63 times, including the Super Cup and European tournaments. (For comparison: CSKA and Loko have played each other 57 times during the same period, CSKA and Khimki ‒ 49.) At the moment, Kazan has won 35 of these 63 matches, and Krasnodar has won 28.
Such frequency happens because the opponents regularly cross paths in the playoffs. It is unpleasant, but important to note that in each of the four previous seasons, UNICS kicked Loko out: 3-0 in the 2020/21 semifinals, 3-1 in the 2021/22 bronze series, 4-1 in the 2022/23 finals and 4-3 in last year’s semifinals ‒ in the dramatic 7th game of that series (87:92), the score was tied 90 seconds before the siren.
In the 2nd or 3rd quarter of today’s match, both teams will almost certainly break the 5,000-point mark in this confrontation, since the current total score is 4959:4955 in favor of Lokomotiv.
Once again in Krasnodar
UNICS is approaching today’s game with 2 defeats (from CSKA and Zenit) in 7 matches and 4 victories in a row.
Marcos Knight is currently in 7th place on the list of the league’s best snipers (15.8 points per game). Another hero of UNICS is point guard Tony Taylor, who now shares first place with Loko’s Patrick Miller on the list of the league’s best assisters. In 2015-17, Taylor already played in the VTB United league for Yenisei, so he will visit our Basket Hall for the third time. It is interesting that the player spent almost his entire career wearing #21, but in UNICS this number is occupied by Ismael Bako, so Taylor had to take #12.
But, of course, the main story of today’s game is the return of DeVaughn Akoon-Purcell as a player for another team. For a season and a half, he was one of Lokomotiv’s leaders, was recognized as the league’s MVP of the month and the most valuable player of the 2024 All-Star Game. But in the summer, the Krasnodar club used the option to terminate Akoon-Purcell’s contract, and the 31-year-old forward moved to UNICS.
Before today’s game, Akun-Purcell gave an interview to the press service of his new team, in which he speaks about Lokomotiv politely. And he awaits Antonius Cleveland and B.J. Johnson to be his direct opponents on the court.
Another important duel will take place in the posts. UNICS is currently leading the VTB United League in average rebounds. Bako, Jalen Reynolds and Louis Labeyrie make up a good set of bigmen, skilled and eager to engage in hard contact. However, Loko is second in rebounds, and continues to lead the tournament in blocks, steals, assists and overall scoring. So 6,600 spectators (that’s how many tickets have been sold by the time the preview was published) will certainly see a very heated duel.
Where to watch
The game will be broadcasted live on the Krasnodar and Match TV channels, as well as on the VTB United League website and on our home page.
But we wait for you at the Basket Hall. Go Loko!