A New Year's gift from Pari NN for fans.

      For their first match of 2026, the basketball club Pari NN traveled to Krasnoyarsk to face the local Yenisey. The Nizhny Novgorod team played with a shortened rotation: Dmitry Khvostov, Norbert Lukach and Sergey Zotkin were sidelined with illness. Isaiah Washington’s participation was also in serious doubt after he appeared to pick up an injury in the previous game. However, the American showed dedication, not only stepping onto the court but starting in the lineup. The hosts were also not at full strength — Artyom Antipov was ruled out for the rest of the season with a torn cruciate ligament.

      First half

      The roster problems did not break the team; they only brought it closer together. Pari NN set the pace and imposed their game from the opening minutes. While Yenisey’s attack was built around clear leaders — Dmitry Sanko and Dominik Artis, who combined for 13 points in the quarter — the Nizhny Novgorod side responded with coordinated team play. Every player who took the floor scored. Particularly encouraging was the confident play of 18-year-old Alexander Shenderov, who made a valuable contribution on both ends of the floor from the first quarter. Thanks to this team effort, the visitors managed to keep a slim lead at the first break — 18:21.

      Hunter Din opened the second period for Pari NN, continuing the high tempo that resembled fast-paced North American basketball, largely thanks to the size players on both teams. A couple of minutes before the half, Yenisey managed to tie the score after a drive by Matt Coleman. But the Nizhny Novgorod players immediately answered: Alexander Khomenko calmly hit a mid-range shot and then a long-range one. His accurate shooting forced Jovica Arsic to call a timeout. The hosts had the last word of the quarter — a precise shot from Danilo Tasic set the score at 36:37 before the main break.

      Second half

      After the break Yenisey again pulled ahead following a basket by Yegor Ryzhov. But Pari NN, through Kirill Popov and Hunter Din, quickly restored parity. Then began the famous Siberian “basketball swings.” Dominik Artis signaled the start of the ride with a three-pointer. In the end, the hosts finished the period better, leading 52:47 at its conclusion.

      The final quarter began with a captain’s response from the Nizhny Novgorod side. Evgeny Baburin hit back-to-back threes with a cool head, tying the score and forcing Yenisey to call an urgent timeout. After the pause Baburin continued his heroic performance, knocking down 4-of-4 from long range in the quarter and returning the lead to Pari NN. The decider came in the final minute: Yenisey went ahead by one, but Alexander Khomenko immediately answered with an accurate shot. The game went into a decisive clutch. The hosts failed to convert their possession and, in an effort to get back, were forced to foul. Under incredible pressure at the line, Ilya Karpenkov stepped up and made both free throws. Sixteen seconds remained. The pressure from Pari NN’s defenders did its job — Matt Coleman, receiving the ball after the inbound, stepped out of bounds. The right to the last attack was lost, and the Nizhny Novgorod side smartly held the ball until the final buzzer. Final score — 72:76 and Pari NN’s first victory in 2026!

      Comments

      Alexander Shenderov — guard for BC Pari NN: “We didn’t play our best today. There were a lot of mistakes, we lost the rebound on our own glass, but we still managed to grind it out and win.”

      Sergey Kozin — head coach of Pari NN: “The game wasn’t particularly high-quality, with a low number of points scored, but as I told the team, it’s better to win a game like this even when you don’t play very well. Before the New Year we had some decent games, but we lost them — maybe that came back to bite us. Today we were out-rebounded, including on our own glass, we had roster problems, but the guys were great: they withstood the pressure at the end and in the last two minutes acted more successfully and confidently, especially at the free-throw line, because Yenisey didn’t have a very high percentage today. When the opponent began to use tactical fouls, we made our shots and didn’t give them a chance to return.”

      More news about the event:

      Nizhny Novgorod’s Torpedo lost to Spartak by a minimal margin

      HC Torpedo lost to Moscow’s Spartak in the first match of 2026. The game took place on the evening of January 4 at the Nagorny Sports and Concert Complex in Nizhny Novgorod. 20:42 04.01.2026 vGorodeN.Ru - Nizhny Novgorod

      “Torpedo” lost to “Spartak” in the first home match of 2026

      Photo: online broadcast “Kinopoisk”

      Nizhny Novgorod’s Torpedo lost to Moscow’s Spartak in the first home match of 2026. 20:11 04.01.2026 NIA Nizhny Novgorod - Nizhny Novgorod

      A New Year’s gift from Pari NN to the fans

      For their first match of 2026, the basketball club Pari NN traveled to Krasnoyarsk to face the local Yenisey. 16:09 04.01.2026 BC Nizhny Novgorod - Nizhny Novgorod

      Basketball club Pari NN beat Krasnoyarsk Yenisey

      This is the first game of the year.

      Basketball club Pari NN beat Krasnoyarsk Yenisey on the road. 15:56 04.01.2026 Vremya N - Nizhny Novgorod

      Pari NN players opened the new year with a victory in Krasnoyarsk

      Today, in their first match of 2026, Pari Nizhny Novgorod players in Krasnoyarsk, as part of the VTB United League, defeated Yenisey. 15:12 04.01.2026 Nizhegorodskaya Pravda - Nizhny Novgorod

      Traffic will be restricted on Loskutov Street because of hockey matches

      Officials advise drivers to be careful.

      Traffic on Loskutov Street (from Ilyich Avenue to Kirov Avenue) will be restricted due to hockey matches — from 10:00 to 17:00 on January 5 and 7. 14:25 04.01.2026 Vremya N - Nizhny Novgorod

      Traffic on Loskutov Street will be temporarily restricted

      In Nizhny Novgorod, traffic on Loskutov Street from Ilyich Avenue to Kirov Avenue will be temporarily restricted from 10:00 to 17:00 on January 5 and 7, 2026 due to hockey matches. 11:33 04.01.2026 Administration of Nizhny Novgorod - Nizhny Novgorod

      First meeting in 2026!

      In the first match of the new calendar year, Torpedo will host Spartak on home ice. 11:26 04.01.2026 HC Torpedo - Nizhny Novgorod

      A street in Nizhny Novgorod will be partially closed because of hockey matches

      Vehicle traffic near the V.S. Kovalenko Sports Palace in the Avtozavodsky District will be partially restricted on January 5 and 7. 11:23 04.01.2026 vGorodeN.Ru - Nizhny Novgorod

      KHL match “Torpedo” - “Spartak”: follow the game on the “Nizhny Novgorod 24” TV channel and on radio “Mayak”

      Follow Torpedo’s game on the air of “Mayak” at 92.4 FM in Nizhny Novgorod and 91.6 FM in Arzamas. 07:15 04.01.2026 GTRK Nizhny Novgorod - Nizhny Novgorod

      PREVIEW. Pari NN — Yenisey

      Pari NN begins 2026 with an away game against Yenisey. Playing at the Sever arena gives the Nizhny Novgorod team a chance to correct their position in the standings and move closer to eighth place. 17:52 03.01.2026 BC Nizhny Novgorod - Nizhny Novgorod