Zenit follows Harper, Gordon past visiting Trento

After a rough start, Zenit St Petersburg regrouped in time to defeat visiting Dolomiti Energia Trento 81-70 on Tuesday for its first win of the new 7DAYS EuroCup season. Both teams now have 1-1 records, as does the rest of Group D. Trento led by as many as 11 before Kyle Kuric drilled 3 three-pointers in as many minutes of the second quarter to make it a game. Trento was still within a point, 71-70, with 3:11 to play, but Zenit scored the next and last 10 to dodge the upset threat. Demonte Harper had 22 points and 6 assists to lead Zenit. Drew Gordon posted a double-double of 16 points and 14 rebounds, while Sergey Karasev and Nicolas Laprovittola scored 13 each and Kuric 12. Dominique Sutton and Shavon Shields paced Trento with 18 points each, but weak three-point (23.8%) and foul shooting (56.3%) hurt the visitors.

The teams traded baskets until Shields drilled the game's first triple to make it 6-9 for Trento. Gordon responded with a huge put-back slam, but soon Toto Forray and Chane Behanan upped the Trento lead to 7 points, where it stayed until the first quarter ended 14-21. Gordon already had 10 points and 6 rebounds for Zenit, but he was alone, and when Beto Gomes turned an offensive rebound into a three-point play, the Trento lead was 19-29. Shields returned with another triple, but Kuric soon hit a trio of his own to keep the hosts within striking distance. His shooting was contagious, as Harper followed him from deep to make it 34-37. Ojars Silins and Harper traded triples in the final minute of the second quarter as Trento clung to a 42-45 advantage at the half. Sutton and Karasev hit from deep after the break, then Harper followed suit. That set up Zenit's first go-ahead points since the game's first basket, on Laprovittola's three-point play. Karasev followed with a put-back dunk and Harper with a triple to suddenly make it 58-52. Diego Flaccadori personally re-took the lead with 6 points in a row for Trento but Kuric was back with his fourth three-pointer to leave a 66-61 score in Zenit's favor after 30 minutes. Only free throws fell for 4 full minutes of the fourth quarter until Harper's loose-ball fastbreak finish made it 69-64. Sutton soon powered up 2 tough baskets, however, for a 71-70 scoreboard with 3:11 to play. Evgeny Voronov's single free throw and layup on a feed from Harper steadied Zenit. Karasev next put back an airball and when Laprovittola buzzed in for a layup, the victory was staying in St Petersburg.