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UMMC-Junior snatch victory and tie the series with Samara-2

UMMC-Junior snatch victory and tie the series with Samara-2

On November 26-27, the players of UMMC-Junior held a series of home games against Samara-2 in the FONBET Russian Championship – Superleague. After a disappointing overtime loss, UMMC-Junior avenged their defeat the next day, confidently outplaying the Volga team.

On November 26, UMMC-Junior 71:74 Samara-2

The game began with an active start from the guests from Samara, who seized the initiative with an accurate long-range shot. The Yekaterinburg team tried to fight back, but the Volga players maintained a small lead, finishing the first quarter 17-20. In the second period, UMMC-Junior failed to level the score due to a lack of accurate three-point shots, while Samara-2 extended their lead with three successful long-range shots, ending the first half with a score of 33-39.

In the third quarter, the hosts took the initiative thanks to the effective play of Sofia Golubeva and Alina Gaiazova, narrowing the gap to just one point - 50:51. However, in the final ten minutes, the nerves of the guests proved to be stronger: despite the “Foxes’” fight and an overtime, Samara-2 managed to pull off a 71:74 victory, leaving the Yekaterinburg team just a step away from success.  

In the squad of the juniors, Sofia Golubeva stood out with a double-double - 18 points, 15 rebounds, while Svetlana Samusheva also impressed with 14 points and 5 rebounds, and Polina Gusakova added 12 points and 7 rebounds.  

In the Samara-2 squad, Anastasia Pizhenko excelled with 20 points and 9 rebounds, Arina Malaeva contributed 19 points and 3 rebounds, and Tatyana Galanina scored 14 points and grabbed 5 rebounds.


On November 27, UMMC-Junior 76:71 Samara-2

The game in Verkhnyaya Pyshma started with a fierce battle for the initiative. Golubeva and Burmakina scored 11 points between them, setting the pace and securing the first lead for the hosts. However, the Samara team didn’t give up: despite the fouls, they caught up with their opponents towards the end of the first quarter, which finished with a spectacular long-range shot by Sklyarova, putting the UMMC farm team ahead - 19:16. In the second quarter, the “Foxes” continued to attack from beyond the arc, increasing the lead to 11 points. But the visiting team rallied, strengthened their defense, and took the lead - 34:36 by halftime.

The third quarter became decisive: a 7-point run at the end ensured a comfortable lead for the Yekaterinburg team. Despite an accurate three-pointer from Firsova, the hosts ended the quarter with a double-digit advantage – 54:44. The final period was tense: leading by 12 points, the team of Elena Kuzmina allowed the guests to cut the deficit to 7 points but managed to hold on for the win. The final score was 76:71. The long-awaited revenge for yesterday’s defeat was made possible thanks to the leadership qualities of the team, the support from the crowd, and their ability to perform under pressure.

The highest-scoring player for the hosts was Sofia Golubeva with 20 points and 9 rebounds. Alena Burmakina followed closely with 18 points and 9 rebounds. Karolina Korkina contributed with 10 points and 3 rebounds.

In the squad of Samara-2, the top scorer was Arina Malaeva with 17 points and 3 rebounds. Anastasia Pizhenko and Margarita Zolotukhina each scored 11 points.

The next games for the juniors will take place this weekend. On November 30 and December 1, they will host Kazanochka at the Sports Palace of UMMC in Verkhnyaya Pyshma.