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UMMC basketball players won the Russian Cup, beating their opponents from Kursk
A series of final games of the Fonbet Russian Cup took place in Yekaterinburg. On the main court of DIVS Arena, Samara beat Nadezhda from Orenburg and won bronze, and the “Foxes” defeated Dynamo Kursk and won the coveted trophy for the 11th time. The game turned out to be tough, and the winner was determined only in the last quarter.
UMMC (Yekaterinburg) – Dynamo (Kursk) 70:65
Quarters’ results: 14:14, 11:24, 21:21, 24:6
The “Foxes” opened the scoring, and until the middle of the quarter, the lead swung back and forth between the two teams. It is worth noting that the effective long-range shots by Alex Bentley brought UMMC ahead. However, the “white-blues” quickly caught up with the hosts – the score was tied 14:14 at the end of the first period.
The second quarter was not successful for the home team. The “Foxes” failed to keep an equal fight. From the very beginning of the period, Dynamo began to increase the gap. By the fourth minute, the difference in the score had become double-digit. The team of Dmitrii Donskov carried out a successful attack only closer to the middle of the period. At the end of the quarter, Zhosselina Maiga and Megan Walker improved the situation, but the teams went for the halftime break with a significant difference - 25:38 in favour of the visitors from Kursk.
The second half of the game was played in a different way. A series of accurate shots allowed UMMC to reduce the opponent’s advantage. Dynamo began to make mistakes. Zhosselina Maiga hit two three-pointers that almost leveled the score. This was followed by accurate free throws by Olairi Kosu, thanks to which the hosts took the lead.
Having gained the advantage, the “Foxes” didn’t give it away. The difference in the score reached five points thanks to two successful shots from behind the arc by Alex Bentley. All the spectators stood watching the last minutes of the game, and the final buzzer sealed the victory of UMMC - 70:65. Thus, the Yekaterinburg team proved their championship in Russia.
Viktoriia Zavialova commented on the game:
- I'm proud of my team. We didn't give up and supported each other. It seems to me that the most important thing is that we played together at the right time – something that we lacked before!
Dmitrii Donskov:
- Firstly, I’d like to note that it’s not in vain that they say: defending a championship is much more difficult than winning it. The game turned out to be spectacular and exciting. The first half showed that the mindset is there - which means we need to do everything to win. Of course, there were many problems in defense, but we didn’t give up, and starting from the third quarter we found the optimal lineup. Long-range three-pointers by Zhosselina Maiga were the factor that added strength and enthusiasm! It was a close game, but I’m happy with the result!
In the squad of UMMC, Alexandria Bentley became the top-scorer, registering 16 points. Also, she was named the best player of the tournament. Zhosselina Maiga scored 15 points; Megan Walker earned 14 points and became the best player of the game.
In the squad of Dynamo, the highest-scoring player was Promise Amukamara, finishing with 16 points and 6 rebounds. Kayla Thornton logged a double-double with 12 points and 13 rebounds. Alexandra Shtanko accumulated 12 points and 3 rebounds.