"Kyiv-Basket" — "Prometey" – 82:89 (26:22, 20:14, 17:27, 19:26). Cup of Ukraine. 1/2 finals. Kyiv. March 9. SP "Veneto".
"Kyiv-Basket": Burenko (27 - 7 losses), Baynum (22), Koshevatsky (21 + 8 rebounds + 6 assists), Zaplotynskyi (7 + 7 rebounds), Zaitsev (0) — starting five; Skira (5), Starodub (0), Kisilchuk (0), Yurchenko (0).
"Prometey": Klevzunyk (20 + 13 rebounds), Kleban (19 + 5 rebounds), Mykyta Bezyma (14), Klimov (10), Maksym Bezyma (0) — starting five; Holovchyk (14), Bublyk (7), Sandul (2), Shavgarov (2), Petrenko 1.
A confrontation against “Kyiv-Basket” turned to be a debut one at the Cup of Ukraine semi-final stage in the six-year club’s history. The "titans" reached all their main achievements at the national arena in 2021 in two other tournaments: the championship and winning the SuperCup. Today, Oleksandr Pashchenko's young team could take a step towards the winning another trophy. And they managed to do it, defeating an experienced and powerful opponent in an exciting confrontation - 89:82!
In the debut of the match, it was very difficult to favourite any team. Both opponents were equally successful in pressing in the opponent’s three-second zone (“Prometey” was a little better) and acted well in long-range offensives (the capital’s club was more successful in this component). At the same time, they took turn in leading, but the maximum margin of each team was not over one possession for almost ten minutes. "Kyiv-Basket" managed to win the opening quarter thanks to hits from the free throw line by Bainum and from the perimeter by Zaplotynskyi - 26:22.
Another two three-pointers by the team from Kyiv at the start of the N2 quarter - by Koshevatskyi and Bainum - brought them the first double-digit advantage in the match. According to the results of the first 20 minutes, "Kyiv-Basket" managed to keep its advantage - 46:36.
After the long break, within just two and a half minutes, Oleksandr Pashchenko's squad reduced their deficit to just one possession, and then took the lead. They did not stop there. The team from Slobozhanske won the third quarter in all regards. It surpassed significantly the capital’s club in fighting on the backboards and moving the ball. However, after three-pointer by Pavlo Burenko from the perimeter, the teams went to the last break with a tie score - 63:63.
The intrigue in the exciting confrontation has reached a "boiling point". The game naturally flowed into the clutch. And exactly in the decisive game segment the "titans" turned out to be the strongest! They were accurate from the perimeter, individual drives worked for them perfectly (Ihor Klimov's individual actions at the last minute probably were decisive ones), and of course, one cannot fail to note the reliable defence of the "red-and-white"!
"Prometey" rightfully became the finalist of the Cup of Ukraine and now is waiting for its opponent in the decisive match. It will be determined in the confrontation between "Staryi Lutsk" and "Dnipro".
