Foxes rout Dynamo Moscow in first quarterfinal game
UMMC Yekaterinburg started their Fonbet Russian Cup quarterfinal campaign with a statement win. Playing on the road in Moscow, the defending champions left Dynamo with no chance — 64 –105.
Quarter scores: 18–26, 11–18, 19–37, 16–24
The game opened at a measured pace: UMMC didn’t score until nearly two minutes in, while Dynamo briefly maintained a narrow lead through the mid-point of the first quarter. The momentum shifted once the hosts began committing turnovers — Yekaterinburg converted them into fast-break points. A deep three from Alex Bentley ignited a decisive run for UMMC that pushed the margin to 8 points. The Foxes closed the opening period up 18–26, seizing the initiative.
In the second quarter, the reigning champions showcased their high-level basketball — crisp passing, off-ball movement, and flawless read-and-react execution. Yet despite the quality of play, both sides struggled to score in the first three minutes of the quarter. Closer to halftime, however, Yekaterinburg began to find their rhythm from beyond the arc — knocking down back-to-back threes, while Dynamo managed to answer with only one long-range shot. The teams headed to the locker rooms with UMMC holding a comfortable advantage on the scoreboard — 29–44.
In the third quarter, the gap quickly widened to 20 points within just a couple of minutes, after which the Foxes went on a shooting spree: Papova, Bentley (twice), Tretyakova, and Shilova drained five three-pointers. Dynamo managed only a loan shot from Williams in response, which, in the bigger picture, looked like a desperate attempt to stay in the game. By the end of the period, Dynamo had completely collapsed, and the scoreboard — 48–81 — spoke for itself.
In the final quarter, UMMC played with ease — the only question left was whether the Foxes could reach triple digits — and Bentley’s long-range shooting quickly put that question to rest. She first brought the visitors to 90 points, reaching 20 personal points, and then her signature three-pointer delivered the 100th point. The final score is a crushing 64–105, and Yekaterinburg is looking ahead to the return game on December 23.
Dynamo: Louis (12 points, 4 rebounds), Kuznetsova (11 points, 5 rebounds), Petrova (10 points).
UMMC: Bentley (23 points, 4 rebounds), Walker (20 points, 8 rebounds), Shilova (15 points, 5 rebounds), Maiga (13 points, 6 rebounds), Klyundikova (10 points, 8 rebounds), Tretyakova (10 points, 7 assists).
The next game will take place on December 8 in Yekaterinburg. At the DIVS Arena, the Foxes will face Energy from Ivanovo in the regular Fonbet Championship, with the tip-off scheduled for 7:00 p.m.
