On Sunday, October 18, four matches of the third round took place in the Ukrainian Basketball Superleague, delivering several bright storylines to fans. The biggest surprise was the reigning national champion Dnipro's home defeat against Rivne — marking the Kyiv side's first loss of the season. At the other end of the spectrum, the Kharkiv Falcons thrashed Cherkaski Mavpy away in Kyiv, while Zaporizhzhia and Kyiv-Basket also secured convincing victories, cementing their spots at the top of the standings.
Kharkiv Falcons Leave No Chance for Cherkaski Mavpy
The Kharkiv team secured their second consecutive victory, leaving their opponents no chance in Kyiv. Already after the first quarter, the Falcons led 22:15, and by halftime they had extended their advantage to 23 points. The decisive period was the third quarter, which the Kharkiv team won 32:9. Before the final quarter, the margin was already 46 points, effectively deciding the match. The final score was 105:57 (22:15, 30:14, 32:9, 21:19). Solovyov was the most productive player of the match with 24 points. Romanitsa recorded 17 points and 20 rebounds, while Sushkin provided 11 assists.
Zaporizhzhia Turns the Game Around Against Volyn and Extends Winning Streak
Volyn started their home fixture successfully, winning the first quarter with a ten-point advantage — 24:14. Lutsk kept their lead until halftime, but after the break, the situation on the court changed drastically. Zaporizhzhia won the third quarter 20:10 to take the lead, and in the final ten-minute period they fully broke the hosts' resistance — 22:6. Yevhen Isakov's team claimed their fourth consecutive victory, while Volyn finished the home round with two defeats.
Main Sensation of the Round: Rivne Overcomes the Reigning Champion
One of the key events of the matchday was Rivne's home victory over reigning Ukrainian champion Dnipro. The hosts won the opening quarter 28:23 and managed to increase their advantage after halftime. The crucial period was the third quarter, in which Rivne allowed their opponent to score only 12 points against their own 22. Benson was the standout performer for the winners, recording a powerful double-double of 24 points and 17 rebounds. For Dnipro, Tymofeyenko was the top scorer with 22 points. For the reigning champions, this defeat was their first of the season, automatically depriving them of a chance at a flawless start.
Kyiv-Basket Confidently Dispatches Niko-Basket
The capital team confidently handled their home match against the Mykolaiv club. Kyiv-Basket seized the lead as early as the first quarter, winning it 29:20, and maintained the advantage until halftime. After the break, Kyiv continued to build their gap, allowing their opponent just eight points in the final quarter. The final score was 100:70 (29:20, 21:22, 28:20, 22:8). Clardy was the hosts' top scorer with 22 points and 10 assists. May added 20 points, 10 rebounds, and seven assists.
Standings After the Third Round: Zaporizhzhia Takes the Lead
Following the third round, Zaporizhzhia became the championship leader with five victories in six matches. The team climbed to first place after reigning champion Dnipro's defeat against Rivne. Kyiv-Basket moved up to second place, while the Kharkiv Falcons improved their standing thanks to two consecutive wins. At the bottom of the table, Niko-Basket and Prykarpattia-Goverla remain winless this season. Thus, the third round significantly reshuffled the power dynamics at the top of the table and set high drama for the upcoming Superleague matchdays.
