A less bad Zenit is enough against Baskonia
The Basques fall at the colista's house and complicate the 'Top 8'
MADRID, Jan. 15 (SportsFinding) –
Kirolbet Baskonia lost (72-66) this Wednesday in his visit to Zenit on day 19 of the regular phase of the Euroleague, a weak game of both, matched by low and full of losses until an outcome that smiled at the Russians In the last minutes.
With a victory in the last six European matches, the Basque team started a week of double game with defeat at the colista's house. The fight for the 'Top 8' with a 7-12 is more complicated if it fits in a Baskonia that does not lift his head from the hand of Dusko Ivanovic, and now travels to Moscow to play against the CSKA champion.
In St. Petersburg it started badly and ended worse, despite a third quarter in which it seemed to find game and success. The first time was to forget in those of Vitoria, with 10 losses, just six rebounds – no offense – and a low success in which only Shengelia and Janning appeared with six points each.
The best news for Baskonia was to go to rest only 8 below (39-31), with the Zenit led by Ponitka and Iverson in a duel without great boasting either. I needed a bit of grip on the Basque team and defense. The line was pulled by Captain Shengelia, followed by Henry, Eric and Stauskas. Thomas broke into the premises (19 points), and the comeback visitor was not consumed until the last five minutes.
The triple followed by Henry and Janning were just a mirage of a bad game, in which Zenit also made merits for the defeat, ending with 21 losses by Baskonia's 20. With 63-63 two minutes left, Shengelia and Henry, Ivanovic's trusted men, also suffocated from playing everything failed.
The last losses were visitors, and the basket of Thomas and Ponitka allowed Joan Plaza to add their second home victory, the sixth of the season, in search of leaving the 'red lantern'. Baskonia, in no man's land, is still missing.
DATA SHEET.
– RESULT: ZENIT, 72 – KIROLBET BASKONIA, 66. (39-31, at rest).
–EQUIPMENT.
ZENIT: Renfroe (6), Hollins (2), Ponitka (14), Thomas (19) and Iverson (10) – initial quintet–; Albicy (5), Abromaitis (5), Voronov (3), Zubkov (3), Pushkov (-), Ayón (5) and Trushkin (-).
KIROLBET BASKONIA: Henry (13), Janning (9), Shields (4), Shengelia (13) and Fall (2) – initial quintet–; Stauskas (15), Eric (6), Diop (4), Polonara (-) and García (-).
– PARTIALS: 23-16, 16-15, 14-18 and 19-17.
– ARBITRATORS: Latisevs, Panther and Vilius. Without removed
– PAVILION: Sibur Arena, 3,510 spectators.