The regular season of the Fonbet Russian Championship – Premier League has concluded in Yekaterinburg, with the reigning champions putting the finishing touch on it. In the last game of the regular season, Dmitrii Donskov’s squad defeated Dynamo Kursk, 66-55.

Quarter scores: 17-17, 16-15, 10-13, 23-10

The first quarter set a tense tone for the entire evening. The visitors opened the scoring with a bold three-pointer and quickly added another one, signaling their serious intentions. The Foxes responded in kind — two precise long-range shots restored the balance and fired up the crowd. A hard-fought battle, physical contact under the boards, and tough defense led to a 17-17 tie after the opening ten minutes, making it clear that this would not be an easy game.

The second quarter saw a closely contested battle as both teams traded baskets. The Kursk players pulled ahead late in this period after finding their offensive rhythm. But Yekaterinburg energized the crowd with a clutch deep three from Nogic, followed by another triple from Tretyakova. This quick run gave the home team a 33–32 lead heading into halftime.  

The third quarter turned into a chess match, with few scoring opportunities for either side. Alexander Kovalev’s squad imposed a grinding pace and clogged the paint, forcing the league leaders into perimeter attempts. An exchange of long-range shots kept the suspense alive, but by the buzzer, the visitors held a slim lead — 45-43. The entire outcome was set to be decided in the final ten minutes.

And that’s when the hosts showed their championship character. Just four minutes into the quarter, the Foxes went on a run and took a 7-point lead, forcing their opponents to call a timeout. The Kursk team cut the deficit back to two, and a real battle began with three minutes remaining. Nogic calmly sank a crucial three-pointer, Bentley added another long-range shot — and with 40 seconds left on the clock, the scoreboard showed a comfortable 7-point advantage. In the final moments, the Yekaterinburg players extended their lead into double digits and closed out the game with a 66-55 victory. Special recognition goes to Maria Klyundikova, who was named to the All-League First Team, recognizing her as one of the top five players of the regular season.   

Up next are the playoffs: on March 21, the quarterfinals will take place at home against Enisey. Tip-off is at 5:00 PM.

UMMC: Nogic (13 points), Klyundikova (12), Tretyakova (11), Bentley and Kosu (10 points each).

Dynamo: Frolkina (18), Linskens (11).