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UMMC – semifinalist of the Russian Cup
In the return game against Enisey, UMMC left no chances for the Siberians and advanced to the semifinals of the Fonbet Russian Cup with a crushing victory, 93-59.
Let us recall that the previous game between the teams also ended in a win for the Yekaterinburg team, with a score of 93-83.
Scores by quarter: 33:11, 25:23, 18:10, 17:15
The first quarter showed that the hosts had no intention of leaving room for any intrigue. The Yekaterinburg team started with incredible energy: the tough defense of UMMC and aggressive offense left the guests stunned. The players of Dmitrii Donskov opened the scoring with a three-pointer from Alex Bentley, then the hosts literally crushed the defense of Enisey. Maria Klyundikova dominated in the paint, scoring 8 points under the basket, and by the 5th minute, the score had already reached 16:1, making a strong statement. Two consecutive three-pointers from Nogic capped the first period, giving UMMC a 22-point lead (33:11).
In the second quarter, the situation remained unchanged. The “Foxes” continued to confidently tear apart the guests’ defense across all areas of the court. Nogic and Shilova shot accurately from long range, while Papova and Klyundikova gave the Siberians no chance in the battle under the basket. The players of Olga Shuneikina tried to respond - Bulanova and Levchenko hit some effective three-pointers, but against the fast-paced play of UMMC, it was clearly not enough. By halftime, the score on the scoreboard spoke for itself - 58:23 in favor of the hosts.
The third segment of the game was played at a more measured pace, but the gap in the score remained unshakable. Viktoriia Tretyakova opened the period with a long-range shot, and Alex Bentley twice expertly sank the ball through the hoop from beyond the arc. Eva Lisec also joined in with a three-pointer. UMMC confidently controlled the game, maintaining a lead of around 30 points. There was no intrigue left on the court, and at some point, it became clear: Enisey had lost faith in a comeback.
The final quarter saw a bit more competition, but the winner of the game was clear. Alex Bentley continued to shine, bringing her total number of three-pointers to eight for the game. The Siberians tried to put up a fight and occasionally hit long-range shots, but their energy was running out. The final buzzer sounded with a dominant score of 93:59, as the “Foxes” once again showcased their strength and confidently advanced to the Final Four of the Fonbet Russian Cup.
The top scorer in the squad of UMMC was Alex Bentley with 21 points and 4 rebounds. Maria Klyundikova recorded a double-double with 16 points and 12 rebounds. Anastasiia Shilova contributed 11 points and 3 rebounds.
In the squad of Enisey, Anastasia Bulanova had 15 points and 4 rebounds, while Daria Levchenko scored 11 points and grabbed 3 rebounds.
UMMC will play their final game of the year on the road in Omsk. On December 23, they will face the local team Neftyanik-Titan at 18:00 Yekaterinburg time.