Budivelnik is set to make its Turkish Airlines Euroleague Qualifying Rounds debut by hosting Russian powerhouse BC Khimki Moscow Region in Game 1 of their two-way series on Tuesday at 19:00 CET. Budivelnik did not take part in the first Qualifying Round, as Maroussi's license was revoked. Khimki swept its series against Pepsi Caserta. Budivelnik has the chance to be the first Ukrainian team to play in the Euroleague regular season. Khimki had a strong Euroleague debut last season and is now trying to rejoin Europe's signature club competition. Coach Sergio Scariolo relies on Zoran Planinic and Raul Lopez to control the game tempo. Planinic knows to use his size and ballhandling while Lopez is a more creative point guard that offers ball circulation and clutch. Planinic has a key matchup against playmaker Billy Keys, a veteran point guard that survived the Qualifying Rounds with Maroussi last season. Lopez is ready for a big matchup against young yet ready playmaker Denys Lukashov, a physical guard with upside and passing skills. Perhaps the most important matchup in this series comes at shooting guard. Khimki's Keith Langford is in great shape recently, scoring in many ways. Budivelnik just signed scoring machine Dee Spencer, always ready to fill the baskets. Spencer relies on Dmytro Zabirchenko and Denis Yakovlev to offer help at both wings. Khimki is deeper at small forward, where Thomas Kelati amd Vitaliy Fridzon are excellent shooters with experience, know-how and talent. Budivelnik has a really strong frontcourt, as it can use Michailas Anisimovas and Andy Betts to dominate in the paint, open the floor with Lamayn Wilson at power forward or use Zach Morley to get toughness and points down low. Anisimovas and Betts will have a strong test against Aleksey Savrasenko and Benjamin Eze, who comes off a big game against Caserta. Sergey Monya is the right man to guard Wilson due to his quickness and athleticism while Kresimir Loncar can make the difference for Khimki with his post moves, soft touch and high basketball IQ. Expect nothing but a big game in Kyiv on Tuesday.
REFEREES: Jakub Zamojski, Zoran Sutulovic, Milija Vojinovic
BUDIVELNYK
|
BC KHIMKI MOSCOW REGION
|
Roster
| - |
SLIPENCHUK, ARTEM |
Ukraine |
Guard |
1.93 |
1989 |
|
| 5 |
MORLEY, ZACH |
USA |
Forward |
2.03 |
1983 |
|
| 6 |
KOBZISTY, VIKTOR |
Ukraine |
Forward |
2.00 |
1979 |
|
| 7 |
WILSON, LAMAYNE |
USA |
Forward |
2.04 |
1980 |
|
| 8 |
IKOVLEV, DENIS |
Ukraine |
Forward |
2.01 |
1986 |
|
| 9 |
MALYSH, ANDRIY |
Ukraine |
Forward |
2.04 |
1983 |
|
| 10 |
STEFANISHIN LEONID |
Ukraine |
Forward |
1.99 |
1985 |
|
| 11 |
ZABIRCHENKO, DMYTRO |
Ukraine |
Guard |
1.92 |
1984 |
|
| 12 |
LUKASHOV, DENYS |
Ukraine |
Guard |
1.90 |
1989 |
|
| 13 |
BALASHOV, MAXIM |
Ukraine |
Guard |
1.89 |
1980 |
|
| 14 |
ANISIMOV, MICHAILO |
Lithuania |
Center |
2.14 |
1984 |
|
| 15 |
AGAFONOV, ANDRIY |
Ukraine |
Center |
2.07 |
1986 |
|
| 16 |
BETTS, ANDREW |
England |
Center |
2.16 |
1977 |
|
|
Roster
| 5 |
LANGFORD, KEITH |
USA |
Guard |
1.93 |
1983 |
|
| 7 |
FRIDZON, VITALY |
Russia |
Guard |
1.95 |
1985 |
|
| 8 |
EZE, BENJAMIN |
Italy |
Center |
2.08 |
1981 |
 |
| 10 |
LONCAR, KRESIMIR |
Croatia |
Center |
2.10 |
1983 |
 |
| 11 |
ZAYTSEV, VIACHESLAV |
Russia |
Guard |
1.88 |
1989 |
|
| 12 |
DMITRIEV, FEDOR |
Russia |
Forward |
2.05 |
1984 |
|
| 14 |
SAVRASENKO, ALEKSEY |
Russia |
Center |
2.15 |
1979 |
 |
| 18 |
LOPEZ, RAUL |
Spain |
Guard |
1.82 |
1980 |
|
| 20 |
PANIN, VADIM |
Russia |
Forward |
2.03 |
1984 |
 |
| 21 |
MONYA, SERGEY |
Russia |
Forward |
2.02 |
1983 |
 |
| 22 |
KELATI, THOMAS |
USA |
Guard |
1.95 |
1982 |
 |
| 34 |
PLANINIC, ZORAN |
Croatia |
Guard |
1.99 |
1982 |
 |
|
Monday, September 27, 2010
Euroleague.net
|