Under the leadership of Velimir Perasovic, UNICS has spent the entire season chasing the top two teams — CSKA (36-6) and Zenit (37-5). They currently sit third in the VTB United League standings with 34 wins and 8 losses. In their last five games, UNICS has claimed four victories — over Pari NN (76:68), Avtodor (71:73), Lokomotiv (103:95), and Uralmash (67:93) with just one loss, which came on April 5 in a rematch against Lokomotiv-Kuban (94:82).
Leading UNICS in scoring are: Marcos Knight (16.7 points + 4.0 assists), DeVaughn Akoon-Purcell (16.5 points), and Jalen Reynolds (14.3 points + 6.0 rebounds).
Although the Russian players on UNICS get less court time, they still appear in the league’s top rankings. Dmitry Kulagin played a key role in victories over Avtodor and Pari NN, averaging 12.0 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and a 19.5 efficiency rating across those two games. Mikhail Belenitsky continues to earn praise and was recently ranked 3rd in Championat’s top young players list. Analysts highlighted his defensive skills and consistent performances — notably a 20-point game against Samara.
Head-to-head history:
The teams have faced off 26 times in the VTB United League. UNICS has 24 wins, Astana 2. Astana last beat UNICS on 14 March 2015, with a score of 87:67.
Acting Head Coach Gleb Plotnikov, BC Astana:
«Games against league leaders like UNICS are always a real test, offering plenty of material to analyse. Given our tight schedule, I hope we can get through the game without any injuries.»
Match: Astana vs. UNICS
Date & Time: April 8, 20:00
Venue: Saryarka Velodrome, Astana
Broadcast: On the club’s website
See you at the game!
 «Samruk-Kazyna» National Welfare Fund |
 Uniform operator «Tourism Industry and Sports Support Fund» |
