Captain Neno. UNICS is one step away from the finals!

Main team news

26.04.2023

26.04.2023

The benefit performance of 32 points, 6 assists and 6 rebounds by Neno DIMITRIJEVIC, a 35:10 run at the border of the halves, impenetrable defense and incredible support from Basket hall helped UNICS confidently beat Zenit with a score of 78:63 and go ahead in the semifinal series to four wins – 3-2.

Our team is very close to reaching the finals of the VTB United League and will try to make a historic step on Saturday, April 29, in St. Petersburg.

VTB United League. Semi-final. Match No. 5.
UNICS (Kazan) – Zenit (Saint Petersburg) – 78:63 (15:15, 15:12, 26:13, 22:23).
UNICS: Dimitrijevic (32 + 6 assists + 6 rebounds), Reynolds (12 + 7 rebounds), Labeyrie (9 + 6 rebounds), Hunter (9 + 5 steals + 4 rebounds).
Zenit: Huertel (13 + 4 steals + 3 assists), Frazier (9).
The score in the series is up to 4 wins: 3-2 in favor of UNICS.





POSTGAME COMMENTS:


Velimir PERASOVIC, BC UNICS head coach:

«Every match in this playoff series is extremely important, so I am very happy with today's victory. It was very difficult for us, especially after a nervous start. Both teams showed a completely different game compared to the last match in St. Petersburg, when they scored as many points in the first quarter as they scored in the half today. Obviously, we feel better in this kind of basketball, but we don't have to play the game. So we'll see what happens in the next match.

In the third quarter, we created a reserve, which turned out to be decisive. In this segment, we managed to score more points than in the previous two quarters. In the first half, we showed solid defense, but missed from open positions, as did the opponents. In the third period, we scored a couple of important three-pointers. In such matches, the team that scores several such shots makes a difference. We achieved an advantage in the score and were able to keep it.

Of course, today Dimitrijevic showed his best game as part of UNICS. I hope he will be able to repeat this in St. Petersburg. How did we manage to restrain Huertel? It is extremely difficult to defend against such players. We used the same protection system against him in St. Petersburg, but he got there. Today it turned out to be important to stop Homesley and Frazier. In addition, they have a lot of players in their roster who pose a threat on the perimeter and are able to create».


Georgy ZHBANOV, BC UNICS guard:

«Nenad Dimitrijevic played a phenomenal game today. I think we managed to win largely thanks to him. He became a real X-factor. I'm a little upset with my personal offensive play. Unfortunately, I didn't manage to help the guys on the other side of the court, but they did well to cope in the attack without me».


Xavier PASCUAL, BC Zenit head coach:

«In the starting 20 minutes there was an equal game on the court. Both teams understood the importance of the match – they acted seriously in defense, but they played nervously in attack, missed open throws, free throws and did not score easy balls. However, for such a game it is natural.

In the locker room during the half time, we talked about the fact that the team that will control the game in the third quarter is most likely to win. In the third period, we completely lost control both offensively and defensively and ruined the game. Then we tried to come back, but it turned out to be impossible because the home advantage was too big».

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