We open the score in the semi-finals!

Main team news

06.05.2024

UNICS held a 78-75 victory over Lokomotiv Kuban Krasnodar at home in the tough end of the opening match of the second round of the VTB United League playoffs and led the series to 4 wins - 1-0.

The key to Kazan's success was their aggressive actions in defense, which provoked twice as many losses from the guests (12 to 6) and reliably closed the perimeter (the guests had only 3 accurate three-point hits out of 23 attempts from behind the arc). The best players in the UNICS team were Erick GREEN (19 points), Neno DIMITRIJEVIC (16 + 6 assists + 3 steals) and Marcos KNIGHT (15 + 5 assists + 4 rebounds + 3 steals).

The reigning champions increased the pace from the first minutes, running a double-digit distance at the beginning of the second quarter. By the middle of the 3rd quarter, Kazan's advantage reached the maximum «+18» – 50:32 after a dunk in a fast break from Belenitsky. Loko organized an 11:2 spurt and halved the handicap of the hosts – 54:45 before the final game segment.

32 seconds before the final siren, the guests came within shooting distance (71:69). However, UNICS confidently brought the match to victory thanks to the composure of Dimitrijevic and Green when making free throws. The final score is 78:75 and 1-0 in the series in favor of our team.

UNICS (Kazan) – Lokomotiv Kuban (Krasnodar) – 78:75 (21:12, 17:13, 19:23, 21:27).
UNICS: Green (19), Dimitrijevic (16 + 6 assists + 3 steals + 2 rebounds), Knight (15 + 5 assists + 4 rebounds + 3 steals).
Lokomotiv Kuban: White (15 + 6 rebounds), Ndur (13 + 4 rebounds), Miller (12 + 6 assists), Akun-Purcell (12).

POST-MATCH COMMENTS:

Velimir PERASOVIC, BC UNICS head coach:

«This is a playoff match. We know that Lokomotiv Kuban plays hard and has a very deep roster. Many of their players are able to act physically. I think we defended well in the first half. After a long break, we started having problems from the moment when we stopped moving the ball in attack, slowed down the game and waited for the end of the match. We had a similar scenario this year in the match against Lokomotiv Kuban in the top 6, when we led with an advantage of 16 points, but allowed the opponents to catch up with us. However, today, in my opinion, UNICS deserved to win, because in the end we found a way to bring the match to victory. In any case, every game will be difficult, because we know very well what the playoffs are».

Ismael BAKO, BC UNICS center:

«We understood and prepared for the fact that there would be a fight on the floor. And so it turned out. I think we had a great first half and made almost no mistakes. We should have kept the same concentration after the big break, as well as restrained emotions. Nevertheless, we started the semi-finals with a victory, that's the main thing».

Alexander SEKULIC, PBC Lokomotiv Kuban head coach:

«Semifinal matches imply games of this kind. UNICS played hard, which we couldn't react to properly in the first half. The players complained a lot about the officiating. In the second half, we found a way to move the ball better and defended much better, but it wasn't enough. Our opponents have excellent basketball players who are able to maintain their advantage. On the other hand, I am proud of my players. Today they left a heart on the court. For me, this is extremely important – not the defeat itself, but the way we lose. I think we have nothing to reproach ourselves with after this loss».