2008-09 Club Profile: BC Kyiv
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 Basketball has always been a big sport in Ukraine, and its capital Kyiv is a city with great tradition. Its most famous club for decades was Stroitel Kyiv, a middle-of-the-table team in the Soviet Union League, which won six Ukrainian League titles from 1992 to 1997. Things have changed since BC Kyiv was founded in 1999,
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BC Kyiv Roster 2008-09
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| Name |
Pos.
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Height
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| Viacheslav Kratsov |
C
|
2.12
|
| Ryan Stack |
C
|
2.12
|
| Oleh Saltovets |
F
|
2.02
|
| Manuchar Markoishvili |
G
|
1.97
|
| Maksym Pustozvonov |
F
|
2.00
|
| Kenan Bajramovic |
F
|
2.06
|
| Goran Jeretin |
G
|
1.92
|
| Denys Lukashov |
G
|
1.86
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| Brent Wright |
F
|
2.05
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| Artur Drozdov |
F
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1.99
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| Scoonie Penn |
G
|
1.78
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| Roman Dmitrenko |
F
|
1.97
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| Clay Tucker |
G
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1.95
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| Sasa Obradovic |
Head Coach |
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as 1988 Olympic gold medallist and local legend Aleksandar Volkov has become the club president. BC Kyiv joined the Ukrainian Superleague in the 1999-00 season, and also earned a spot in the 2000 Korac Cup. Wise investments in rising players like Stanislav Medvedenko, Curtis McCants and Grygorii Khizhniak instantly paid off, as the team won the Ukrainian Superleague and reached the Korac Cup group stage. BC Kyiv has stayed competitive since that moment, becoming one of the teams to beat in
Ukraine along with Azovmash Mariupol. Kyiv finished second in 2001 and 2002 despite having players like Sean Cornell, Jason Crowe and legendary veterans Volkov and Rimas Kurtinaitis. Despite an all-Ukrainian roster in 2003, Kyiv was third in its domestic league and the following season, the club landed Sergei Chikalkin and Reggie Geary, returning it to the Ukrainian final. Kyiv finally lifted its second Ukrainian League title in 2005, also reaching the FIBA Europe League title game, which the club lost 85-74 against Dynamo St. Petersburg. Lamarr Greer, Chikalkin, Marcelo Nicola and Marcus Norris led Kyiv to its best season yet. Kyiv hosted the 2006 FIBA EuroCup final four, but lost in the semifinal against eventual champ DKV Joventut. In 2007, Kyiv reached the Ukrainian League finals but once again, Azovmash escaped with the title. Last season Kyiv signed players like Pooh Jeter, Manu Markoishvili and Marcus Faison for its ULEB Cup debut and not only survived the group stage, but was second with a 7-3 record. Kyiv downed Oostende in the Last 32 round, but PGE Turow stood in its way to the Final Eight. Back home, Kyiv had a 21-1 Ukrainian League regular season record, but Azovmash Mariupol took the best-of-five final series. Nevertheless Kyiv is now back in European action with the Eurocup, with the ambition to take Ukrainian basketball to bigger heights.
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Eurocupbasketball.com
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