For the first time in VTB United League history, the bronze medalist will be decided later than the champion: CSKA won the final series against UNICS 4–0, whereas the series between us and Zenit stands at 2–2.
What do numbers say?
In the history of the VTB United League, there have been four previous instances where, in a best-of-five series, one team took a 2-0 and the other made it 2-2. Interestingly, either Zenit or we were involved in every one of these cases.
In the 2013/14 quarterfinals, Loko won the first 2 away games of the series against CSKA but subsequently lost 3 straight and were eliminated.
In the 2015/16 semifinals, UNICS took a 2-0 lead over Zenit and allowed them to tie the series, but ultimately pulled out a win in the deciding game in Kazan, 79:70.
The following year, in the semifinals, Zenit took a 2-0 lead against Khimki but lost the next 3 games (including an 84:90 defeat in Game 5) and missed out on the final.
Finally, in the 2023/24 season, Zenit took a 2-0 lead in their quarterfinal series against Uralmash; they then lost twice in Yekaterinburg but managed to clinch the series in Game 5 (thanks in part to a double-double from Vince Hunter—12 points and 10 rebounds).
Thus, in the four instances where a 2-0 lead turned into a 2-2 tie, the final victories were split exactly evenly between the team that started strong and the team that staged the comeback. What more is there to say? We believe in Loko!
Who will Zenit manage to get back?
Throughout the playoffs, our opponent has struggled with key players forced to miss games for medical reasons. Xavier Moon returned to the lineup for the games in Krasnodar—showing that he is one of the team’s leaders (averaging 13 points and 4 assists in 23.5 minutes of play).
Zenit would certainly have benefited greatly from the presence of Johnny Juzang (averaging 13.4 points, 2.3 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 0.7 steals in the current playoffs) and, of course, the 2025/26 season’s DPOY, Georgy Zhbanov (averaging 15 points in the series against Loko).
How will the Balkan "big men" perform?
At the start of the bronze-medal series, both our own Alen Hadzibegovic and Zenit’s Luka Šamanić seemed out of sorts, but in Game 4, they both hit their stride: Hadzibegovic posted 12 points and 9 rebounds, while Šamanić scored 14 points, shooting 6-for-7 from the field. In our view, the duel between these two players will play a very decisive role in Friday’s game.
What will our El Capitan reveal?
Patrick Miller experienced some ups and downs during the 2025/26 regular season, but he switched into “god mode” as the playoffs approached—overcoming a 23-point deficit against Yenisey (with 28 points and 10 assists) and emerging as the most efficient player in both the quarterfinals and semifinals. In the series against Zenit, the Loko captain has posted an efficiency rating above 20 only once so far (24 in Game 4). A second such performance could prove decisive for the series.
How fierce will Hunter be?
Four players on the current Zenit roster previously played for Loko (Alexander Shcherbenev, Andrei Martyuk, Vladislav Yemchenko, and Dmitry Uzinsky), yet so far in the series, they are all being outshone by a former Zenit player who now wears our colors: Vince Hunter. Across 4 games, he has averaged 12 points, 4.3 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 2.3 steals, and 1.8 blocks—truly elite numbers. In the first 2 games of the series, Hunter was clearly the most motivated player on the Lokomotiv squad. In Game 5, the fire in his heart and hands could well be the catalyst for a result that brings us joy.
Who will become Loko’s joker?
Jeremiah Martin has been playing excellent defense throughout the 3rd-place series (averaging 1 steal and 0.8 blocks) and occasionally delivers brilliant offensive performances—take, for instance, his 9 consecutive points in the 4th quarter of Game 4. We remember Jay scoring 26 points against Zenit in the regular-season game in January and 24 points in March; a similar performance from him will decide the series in our favor.
Ivan Samoylenko shines in every odd-numbered game of the bronze medal series: a “+14” rating over the final six minutes of Game 1 and 13 points in Game 3. Since the number 5 is also odd, we are expecting something extraordinary from our redhead.
Mike Moore set a new personal scoring record in the VTB United League during Game 3, tallying 21 points and hitting 4r three-pointers. Now is the perfect moment for the forward to write his name deep into Loko’s history.
Vsevolod Ishchenko could be at an NBA European camp right now, where young prospects showcase their talents. Instead, the guard—whom every VTB United League team dreams of having on its roster—is battling alongside us for the bronze medal, and he is increasingly finding his rhythm in this series: Seva scored 16 points in Game 4. His performance in the decisive game could well tip the scales in our favor.
However, Loko’s greatest strength in the second half of this season has been our team play. At the post-game press conference following Game 4, Tomislav Tomović remarked, “We don’t need Batmans, Supermans, or other heroes—we have to win together.” Let that be the case.
Game 5 kicks off at KSK Arena at 1:00 PM. If you are in St. Petersburg and want to support our team from the stands, leave a comment on the club’s social media pages.
Go, Loko!