Zenit tried to start strong, but with the score 0:4, Andrei Martyuk finished a kind of alley-oop from Anton Kvitkovskikh, and when the scoreboard showed 2:7, the same Martyuk scored 2+1. Some time later, Patrick Miller levelled the score, 9:9. But then Dwayne Bacon scored a difficult 2 and a difficult 3, and Trent Frazier added another 3 – 9:17 and an urgent timeout from our coaching staff.
Lokomotiv was able to catch up Zenit’s pace thanks to a long-range shot by Antonius Cleveland, free throws by Miller and 2+1 by Tahjere McCall. After another shot by Cleveland, Javier Pascual had to take a timeout. But Zenit still won the 1st quarter, 21:22.
Kirill Yelatontsev put Lokomotiv ahead at the beginning of the 2nd quarter, and for a while it seemed that the leader would change frequently. But Zenit made a 0:8 run (3-s by Georgy Zhbanov and Frazier, 2 from Bacon), the advantage became double-digit for the first time in the match, and our staff had to take a timeout already in the 14th minute.
Miller scored 2; Andrey Vorontsevich scored in response from afar, but Cleveland did the same, and then repeated – 35:40, and it was Zenit’s turn to ask for a minute break. The gap remained plus-minus the same until the end of the quarter: McCall responded with his solo to Frazier’s solo, Miller and Alexey Shved exchanged long-range shots, John Jenkins showed great defense, forcing Bacon to make a run, after which Miller scored a fine 2 points – 43:48 by the big break.
After the side switch, Zenit gradually ran away further and further. Miller and Cleveland tried to do something with their individual efforts – at one point they turned “–12” into “–7” (57:64). Jenkins scored a good mid-range turnaround; Frazier and Vince Hunter each received their third foul…
After Vladislav Yemchenko’s 5-meter shot, it even seemed that this 61:68 would become a good springboard for a comeback, but by the end of the quarter Zenit increased their lead to 61:72.
At the start of the 4th quarter, Loko gave their fans some hope: Jenkins scored 2 points – Hunter returned the difference to 11; Cleveland scored 2, then 3, but Frazier found a way to score in response each time. Miller and Jenkins kept scoring – but Zenit consistently brought the distance back. And even when Frazier left with his 5th foul, Lokomotiv had no one to step up to help Miller, Cleveland, McCall and Jenkins. The opponent held onto the double-digit gap until the buzzer.
The score in the best-of-7 series is now 2-3. This means that we must win in Krasnodar at all costs. We are waiting for you in the stands of the Basket Hall on May 19.
Go, Loko! We believe in the team!