Another four

07.06.2018

Our team starts another Final Four tomorrow – this time in the VTB League – with the game against Zenit.

Pre-game breakdown

After beating VEF in the quarterfinal series the team had a chance to rest and had a good set of practices. The last practice took place on the VTB Ice Palace floor. The team accommodated in the nearby hotel in the morning.

Leo Westermann (back surgery) and Andrey Vorontsevich (shoulder surgery) are not available for the games.

Word to the coach

Dimitris Itoudis, CSKA head coach:

We start the VTB League Final Four with the game against Zenit, the team which played well this season and deserved to be here. We have full respect to our opponents. They have a variety of offensive sets, designed for shooters, for low-post game, they run the floor. Regarding us, I would say that we will be ready, we have to be determined and focused for all 40 minutes. Maybe the wait for the game was too long after our previous game but we used this time to prepare.

Past matchups

Wins-losses: 6-2 (18-0 against Triumph Lyubertsy)

2014-15 – VTB United League. Regular season. Zenit – CSKA: 57-81 (+24)
2014-15 – VTB United League. Regular season. CSKA – Zenit: 102-86 (+16)
2015-16 – VTB United League. Regular season. CSKA – Zenit: 113-77 (+36)
2015-16 – VTB United League. Regular season. Zenit – CSKA: 82-86 (+4)
2016-17 – VTB United League. Regular season. CSKA – Zenit: 105-56 (+49)
2016-17 – VTB United League. Regular season. Zenit – CSKA: 90-77 (+13)
2017-18 – VTB United League. Regular season. Zenit – CSKA: 87-83 (-4)
2017-18 – VTB United League. Regular season. CSKA – Zenit: 100-84 (+16)