By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
The VTB League regular season was concluded with the game that decided which team is going to finish third in the standings. And that is no other than Zenit St. Petersburg after its 79 – 73 victory over Lokomotiv Kuban.
After this result, Zenit will face Avtodor Saratov in the playoffs, while fifth Lokomotiv Kuban marches straight to a highly difficult, Euroleague level series against Khimki, with the team from Moscow having the home court advantage.
Coach Carasev’s players stormed into the game taking a double-digit lead right from the first quarter (23-13) against their opponents. Lokomotiv Kuban was obviously affected by the tough Euroleague battle against Barcelona, while also lacking the services of Anthony Randolhph. Nevertheless, it managed to balance the scales a bit, before halftime (42 – 39).
Each of the two teams controlled a half of the third quarter, and everything was to be ultimately decided in the last period. When the team from Krasnodar made it 68 – 69, Ryan Toolson banged consecutive bullets from downtown, to help his team made a 8-0 run for the 76-69. It was not a large lead, but one good enough for the hosts to win the game.
Toolson was also the top scorer of Zenit with 23 points, while Jannis Timma added 17, also grabbing 7 rebounds. Chris Singleton with 18 points, along with Victor Claver who had 12 points and 8 rebounds, were the best Lokomotiv had to offer.
VTB League 2015/2016 Playoffs:
CSKA Moscow – Nymburk
Unics Kazan – Nizhny Novgorod
Zenit St. Petersburg – Avtodor Saratov
Khimki Moscow – Lokomotiv Kuban