Loko vs Uralmash: let’s start the season properly!

The main stats are, as usual, collected in our pre-game electronic brochure (in Russian). And in the article below, we’ll cover the upcoming game in scrupulous detail, with plenty of numbers, calculations, and direct commentary from those involved.

The bare numbers speak for themselves for Uralmash’s stability: four players left, three arrived. Jeremiah Martin and Ilya Popov left the club (both transferred to us), as did veterans Anton Glazunov (to Metallurg Magnitogorsk) and Vyacheslav Zaitsev (to MBA-MAI).

The Ural team’s additions look good. First, shooting guard Garrett Nevels returned to Yekaterinburg after a season with PARMA. In the 2024/25 season, he won the VTB United League All-Star Game 3-point contest, and in the regular season, he posted stats of 15.8 points (with 38.9% 3-point shooting), 3.8 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 1.4 steals.

Timofey Gerasimov, a Lokomotiv alumnus, is the tallest point guard in our league (197 cm). In the 2024/25 season, he led Yenisey in playing time (30:22), points (14.8), and assists (5.6 – 3rd in the league).

Alexander Petenev is the former Avtodor captain, winner of the 2020 VTB United League All-Star Game slam dunk contest, and one of the best small forwards with Russian passport. His stats in the previous season were 6.5 points, 3.1 rebounds, 1.3 assists, and 1.0 steals.

Of those who’s been with Uralmash for a while, first worth noting is Octavius ​​Ellis – Rostislav Vergun‘s team looks completely different with and without him as a center. Last season, the player missed more than half the season due to injury, but in the remaining 17 games, he averaged 10.9 points, 5.0 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and 0.8 blocks.

Hayden Dalton is one of the most underrated stars in our league. Having started last season with Samara (their high-budget iteration), the forward was ranked in his team’s Top-3 in all 5 key statistical categories by January. After moving to Uralmash, he became a key factor in the team’s comeback from –25 points in the Russian Cup quarterfinal against ORSS-Loko. In the VTB United League, the red-bearded American averaged 12.4 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per game for his new team.

Javonte Douglas is our league’s longest-serving legionnaire. The upcoming season will be his sixth with Uralmash. He arrived in Yekaterinburg while they were still playing in the Superliga –  a respectable loyalty to one club. Last season, this power forward was in the league’s Top-10 in rebounds (6.1), averaged 11.7 points, and made 1.2 steals.

Let the numbers tell you about our team. In eight preseason games, Lokomotiv Kuban never scored fewer than 80 points, showing good shooting accuracy. Here are the key stats:
Points Scored – 85.9
Points Allowed – 82.3
Rebounds – 33.3
Assists – 18.3
Steals – 8.4
Blocks – 3.3
2-point throws – 52.4% (162/309)
3-point throws – 38.0% (68/179)
Free throws – 75.1% (163/217)

Personally, Vince Hunter stands out, making it in the Top-5 in every key statistic (except minutes played). It’s also clear that Jeremiah Martin will be a key player for the new Loko (on defense also – check how many blocks this 6.1 foot player is making). Kassius Robertson has so far looked noticeably more versatile and productive than Karvel Anderson, and Royce Hamm looks stronger than Isaiah Whaley. Among the Russians, Anton Kvitkovskikh‘s role has noticeably increased, and Makar Konovalov is also spending his minutes very productively.

Here are the team’s leaders following the preseason:

POINTS
Jeremiah Martin – 14.6
Kassius Robertson – 13.9
Patrick Miller – 12.6
Royce Hamm – 10.2
Vince Hunter – 10.0

ПОДБОРЫ
Vince Hunter – 6.3
Royce Hamm – 5.5
Anton Kvitkovskikh – 3.6
Kirill Yelatontsev – 3.6
Ilya Popov – 3.0

ПЕРЕДАЧИ
Patrick Miller – 5.0
Jeremiah Martin – 3.6
Makar Konovalov – 2.1
Vince Hunter – 1.8
Kassius Robertson – 1.5

ПЕРЕХВАТЫ
Vince Hunter – 2.0
Jeremiah Martin – 1.8
Anton Kvitkovskikh – 1.1
Patrick Miller – 0.9
Royce Hamm – 0.8

БЛОК-ШОТЫ
Royce Hamm – 0.7
Jeremiah Martin – 0.6
Kirill Yelatontsev – 0.5
Vince Hunter – 0.5
Pavel Ryabkov – 0.5

ЭФФЕКТИВНОСТЬ
Jeremiah Martin – 17.4
Vince Hunter– 14.5
Patrick Miller – 13.3
Royce Hamm – 12.5
Kassius Robertson – 11.5

ИГРОВОЕ ВРЕМЯ
Jeremiah Martin – 23:17
Patrick Miller – 22:30
Kassius Robertson – 20:25
Royce Hamm – 19:43
Kirill Yelatontsev – 19:24

At the time of publishing this preview, just over 1,000 tickets remained on sale. The game promises to be truly exciting: Uralmash will be proving their worth in the Top 4, while a renewed Lokomotiv Kuban is very motivated to put on a strong show in their first renewed appearance in front of our home crowd. The entertainment program will also be in full swing: performances and competitions in honor of City Day, new dances from LOKS Dancers, and at 1:00 PM, our fans will make a loud walk-by to the Basket Hall… Visit us, you won’t regret it.

Let the new VTB United League season start brightly! Be part of the celebration!