In a tense Fonbet Russian Championship Premier League matchup, the reigning champions UMMC Yekaterinburg managed to edge past Dynamo in Moscow and take home a crucial victory. The game was fiercely contested and far from one-sided.

Quarter scores: 23–21, 20–30, 21–21, 18–16.

The opening quarter saw both teams trade baskets, with neither side willing to give ground. The visitors came out strong: long-range shots from Bentley and Papova immediately set the tone for the Foxes’ offense and provided the first tangible advantage. However, the hosts gradually found their rhythm and, capitalizing on fast breaks, leveled the game. Just before the buzzer, the Moscow side pulled ahead by two points, leaving Yekaterinburg trailing 23–21.

UMMC turned the tide in the second quarter, with Dmitrii Donskov’s squad ramping up both aggression and accuracy. Jovana Nogic drained a three-pointer in the very first seconds and added another as UMMC rallied to a six-point lead. Bentley took over next, knocking down another three just before the quarter ended. The lead stretched to a comfortable eight points, and the visitors went into halftime up 58–43, having fully seized the momentum.

The third and fourth quarters turned into a tense, back-and-forth battle, with the Moscow team trying to stay within striking distance while the league leaders fought to maintain their advantage. In the third period, the teams played evenly, but Walker’s clutch three-pointer with two minutes left in the quarter restored a double-digit lead — 72–64. In the final ten minutes, Dynamo nearly completed a comeback, closing the gap to just three points and putting the visitors under pressure. However, the Foxes quickly regained control, and in the closing moments Viktoriia Tretyakova calmly sank a three-pointer to seal the game. The final score: 88–82, and UMMC once again take the victory home.   

Dynamo: Williams (19 points, 4 rebounds, 7 assists), Kuznetsova (16 points, 2 rebounds), Louis (14 points, 5 rebounds)

UMMC: Nogic (17 points, 1 rebound), Bentley (14 points, 1 rebound, 4 assists), Klyundikova – double-double (12 points, 11 rebounds), Maiga and Walker (10 points, 6 rebounds each)

The Foxes’ next Fonbet Premier League game will take place on December 17 in Verkhnyaya Pyshma. At the Sports Palace of UMMC, they will face Neftyanik-Titan from the Omsk region. Tip-off is at 7:00 PM. Admission is free.