Fought hard, fell to the League leaders 

The match started with a dominant 12-0 run from Zenit, forcing a quick timeout from Astana’s head coach Gleb Plotnikov. The break worked—T.J. Starks stepped up with a strong individual performance, scoring 9 points in the first quarter. He was supported by Askar Maydekin, Ilya Pestov, and Vadim Shcherbak, who nailed a buzzer-beating three-pointer to close the gap to just four points.

Astana continued to battle in the second quarter. Midway through the period, the score was tied at 33:33, putting pressure on Xavi Pascual’s squad. Sharp three-pointers from Pestov, efficient minutes from Valery Simonov (7 points), and an explosive 10-point quarter from Starks kept the game close heading into halftime.

The third quarter proved to be the turning point. Zenit’s Vince Hunter scored 12 quick points, and the visitors’ pressure on defense disrupted Astana’s rhythm, extending the lead to +20.

In the final quarter, the pace eased up, allowing more players to get involved. Galin Smith, Ruslan Aitkali, and T.J. Starks contributed, while young players Ilya Pestov and Magzhan Sarsengaliyev saw quality minutes. The highlight came when youth team player Aset Amangeldinov made his VTB United League debut, scoring his first points—and the final points of Astana’s season.

Thank you to all our fans for your support this season!
 

Final Score: Astana – Zenit 67:101 (16:20, 24:23, 9:32, 18:26)

Astana: T.J. Starks (30 points, 4 rebounds), Valery Simonov (7 points), Galin Smith (6 points, 4 rebounds), Askar Maydekin (6 points), Ilya Pestov (5 points)

Gleb Plotnikov, Acting Head Coach of Astana:

“A strong first half for us. In the second, Zenit ramped up their defense and kept converting their shots. Nothing unexpected—they’re a high-level team on both ends of the court. I’m glad we were able to spread minutes around and give the younger players some time. Now, all focus shifts to the National League quarterfinal—our next game is against Barsy Atyrau. That’s why some of our core players were rested today.”

Aset Amangeldinov, Astana debutant:

“This was a huge moment in my basketball career. It was a tough game for us, and we tried to follow the coach’s instructions. Not everything worked out, the opponent controlled the rhythm. But games like this show you what you need to work on in order to grow.”