7 wins in a row: the year is new, the series is old!

Main team news

05.01.2024

UNICS opens January with a guest victory over Runa Moscow – 84:78. Despite the small final difference in the score, the overwhelming advantage of our team throughout almost the entire match did not cause the slightest doubt. Kazan only once allowed the newcomers of the VTB League to take the lead for a moment – 41:40 for 1:40 before the end of the 2nd quarter.

Later, Velimir Perasovic's team firmly seized the initiative, finishing the first half with 6 unanswered points and developing the lead to the maximum «+18» 4:17 before the final siren. In the end, our guys made a gesture of goodwill, allowing the debutants of the elite division to avoid defeat.

5 basketball players of our team scored double-digit points at once. Neno DIMITRIJEVIC scored 19 points and added 8 assists with 4 rebounds. Marcos KNIGHT has 19 points, 8 rebounds and 4 assists. 16 points scored Erick GREEN. Ismael BAKO brought 12 points and 8 rebounds to UNICS. Louis LABEYRIE repeated his personal record in blocked shots (4) and added 11 points with 7 rebounds. Due to injury, center Jalen Reynolds did not participate in the match.

VTB United League. Regular season. The 20th round.
Runa (Moscow) – UNICS (Kazan) – 78:84 (19:26, 22:20, 15:26, 22:12).
Runa: Ivanovic (21 + 6 rebounds), Tayus (12 + 6 rebounds), Popov (12), Hill (10 + 5 rebounds + 5 assists), Radanov (10 + 5 rebounds).
UNICS: Dmitrijevic (12 + 8 assists + 4 rebounds), Knight (19 + 8 rebounds + 4 assists), Green (16), Bako (12 + 8 assists), Labeyrie (11 + 7 rebounds + 4 block shots).

POST-MATCH COMMENTS:

Velimir PERASOVIC, BC UNICS head coach:

«Today it was important for us to rehabilitate ourselves for losing to Runa in the first round. In my opinion, we played a solid game. We started the match well. However, I will note a couple of our unfortunate moments in the second quarter and after the big break. At the same time, we completely controlled the game until the very end and deserved to win».

Dmitry KULAGIN, BC UNICS guard:

«We came to Moscow with one simple goal – to win. This was our main task. The opponent inflicted an insulting defeat on us in the first round at home. We have been preparing for Runa very carefully and for a long time. We had time to work out and correct our mistakes. So we were ready to the maximum.

It was a difficult game for both teams, very spectacular and aggressive, tough at times. The quality and class of the basketball players who performed today deserve respect. It's always nice, I suppose, first of all for the fans. We play for them.

I am glad that my team managed to win such an important and difficult victory. Time flies fast. The playoffs will start very soon. We will continue in the same way».