The Ural-based team won the Russian Cup for the 13th time.

The UMMC women’s basketball club claimed their 13th Russian Cup title, further extending their own all-time record. In the final, the team from Yekaterinburg delivered a convincing 89–55 victory over Nika. Playing on the opponent’s home court did not prevent UMMC from dominating the decisive game.

The Fonbet Russian Cup Final Four concluded in Syktyvkar. In the current landscape of Russian women’s basketball, regardless of the competition, the favorite is usually known in advance — UMMC. Over the past three seasons, the club has consistently completed a treble, winning the national championship, lifting the Russian Cup, and claiming the country’s SuperCup.

This time, however, there seemed to be a hint of suspense. Two weeks earlier, in a Premier League matchup, UMMC — undefeated in 46 games — had fallen to Dynamo Kursk. There was a chance that the Kursk players might try once again in the Russian Cup Final Four to upset UMMC and steal the title from the Foxes. It was no coincidence that UMMC head coach Dmitrii Donskov told reporters, “There are no weak opponents here – everyone is a favorite.” “As you know, cup games are full of surprises. The strongest teams have come together for this Final Four, and any of them can win.”

The clash of Russia’s basketball top teams, however, never materialized. Dynamo Kursk stumbled in the semifinals, losing to Nika (in the end, the Kursk squad had to settle for third place — they defeated MBA in the third-place game).

Still, a final featuring UMMC against Nika had its own appeal. Nika had won 12 of their last 13 games, and in both matchups against UMMC in the national championship, they had put up a strong fight and created real chances. In other words, the team was on a roll. On top of that, it was reasonable to expect the hosts to give their all in front of their home fans.

The Nika players left everything on the court — there’s no questioning their will to win. But beating UMMC required more than just determination. The guests were simply too effective, with Alexandria Bentley leading the charge as the top scorer with 24 points, Russian center Maria Klyundikova adding 14, and Anastasia Olairi Kosu contributing 10. Remarkably, of the 10 players Dmitrii Donskov put on the floor, nine scored at least four points. After the first quarter, which UMMC won by six points, the game still held some suspense. By halftime, however, when the visitors’ lead had reached double digits, the tension had noticeably faded. In the third quarter, as the Yekaterinburg team pulled ahead by more than 30 points, any hope of a comeback disappeared. UMMC went on to claim a convincing 89–55 victory, securing their 13th Russian Cup title — a tournament record. Interestingly, UMMC have participated in the Russian Cup just 23 times, meaning the Ural-based team has won more than half of their appearances. They once set a streak record with six straight Cup wins; the current streak, while slightly more modest, still stands at four consecutive titles.

After the game, individual awards were also handed out alongside the main trophy. Maria Klyundikova was named the tournament MVP. The Russian center played roughly 39 minutes across the two Final Four games (slightly less than her usual court time) and still managed to record 33 points, 16 rebounds, 4 blocks, 3 steals, and 2 assists. Remarkably, she missed only 8 shots, converting 13 of 20 two-pointers, 1 of 2 three-pointers, and all 4 free throws. The Final Four All-Tournament Team included Destanni Henderson and Raisa Musina (both Nika), Alexandria Bentley, Nina Glonti (Dynamo), and Maria Krymova (MBA).

Source: Kommersant