CSKA — Zenit, 14 March 2022

PRE-GAME BREAKDOWN

The Muscovites returned from Krasnoyarsk at night after the game and devoted the next day to Casper Ware. The newcomer was examined at the GMS Clinic before lunch, and then went to Krylatskoye to learn plays in the five-on-zero mode with the help of teammates. On Sunday evening, the team had already fully practiced at Megasport.

As a result of recent events, all foreign players temporarily left Zenit (now they are coming back). Therefore, the team quickly looked for reinforcements. American Aaron Carver from Novosibirsk joined the blue-white-blues, as well as a trio of famous Russian veterans Yegor Vyaltsev, Sergey Monya and Vitaly Fridzon, who played at the amateur level this season.

PRE-GAME QUOTES

Dimitris Itoudis, CSKA head coach:

First of all, we are in the mode of back-to-back games, the trip to Krasnoyarsk bring more of a loading. We are also trying to get Casper [Ware] into our system as soon as possible, he had two practices, he was running our offensive sets, learning our defenses, players and coaches are helping him. We have Zenit in front of us, this is always a serious team, we respect their game. I have heard that Billy Baron is back, other players are also considering coming back. Overall Zenit showed the motivation [to win], they have signed some veteran players, they modified their roster. It’s going to be a fight tomorrow, I invite our fans to come and support us.

"RELATIVITY" CONNECTIONS

Zenit newcomers Egor Vyaltsev, Sergey Monya and Vitaly Fridzon spent long period of their careers in CSKA - two, three and five years, respectively.

Andrey Zubkov was a teammate of Nikita Kurbanov in Lokomotiv-Kuban during 2014-15 season.

Alexey Shved was a teammate of Zenit's Sergey Karasev and Jordan Mickey at Khimki Moscow Region last season. Shved and Mickey have also been teammates at Khimki in the 2018-19 season, while Shved and Karasev have also been there in the 2019-20 season.

Shved and Zubkov were teammates at Khimki for two seasons, from 2017 to 2019.

Zenit guard Dmitry Kulagin played for CSKA in the youth categories and professionally from 2015 to 2017. He helped the team win the 2016 EuroLeague title.

PAST MATCHUPS

Wins-losses: 20-8 (5-0 in EuroLeague, 18-0 against Triumph Lyubertsy)

Games of the 2021-22 season:

12-Oct-2021. EuroLeague. Regular season. CSKA – Zenit: 77-67 (+10)
17-Jan-2022. VTB United League. Regular season. Zenit - CSKA: 81-68 (-13)

SHORT DOSSIER

Zenit St.Petersburg, Russia

Founded: 2014
Colors: dark-blue, white, light-blue
Homecourt: SIBUR Arena (7,120)
CEO: Alexander Tserkovny
Head coach: Xavi Pascual
Website: bc-zenit.com