2008-09 club profile: Unics Kazan
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 Unics Kazan has gone a long way towards helping Russian basketball since the club was established in 1991. Between 1994 and 1997, Unics secured a berth in Russia's first division, and then made a smashing debut, establishing itself among the top five teams in the country. Unics already played European competitions in 1997, but the new millennium happened to be a turning point for the club.
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Unics Kazan Roster 2008-09
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| Name |
Pos.
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Height
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| Marko Popovic |
G
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1.85
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| Kresimir Loncar |
F
|
2.10
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| Evgeniy Voronov |
G
|
1.92
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| Marc Jackson |
C
|
2.06
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| Terrell Lyday |
G
|
1.90
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| Igor Zamanskiy |
F
|
2.02
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| Tariq Kirksay |
F
|
1.99
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| Sergei Chikalkin |
G
|
1.96
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| Vladimir Veremeenko |
F
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2.08
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| Artem Kuzyakin |
G
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2.02
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| Petr Samoylenko |
G
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1.85
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| Andrei Tsypachev |
F
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2.04
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| Dmitry Sokolov |
C
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2.14
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| Aleksey Zhukanenko |
C
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2.10
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| Aco Petrovic |
Head Coach |
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The team placed second to CSKA in the Russian League in 2001 and 2002, the year in which it also reached the Saporta Cup semifinals, losing against Maroussi in the semifinals. Unics’s first title was the Russian Cup in March 2003, with an electrifying 81-82 overtime victory over CSKA. Unics fans did not have to wait long to see their team win a European title, too. Kazan hosted the FIBA Europe League final four in April 2004 and Unics made sure of its opportunity. Unics signed Saulius Stombergas, Eurelijus Zukauskas and Chris Anstey, won its regular season group and advanced to the final four on its own floor, where it was crowned the champion as MVP Martin Muursepp scored 22 points in an 87-63 win over Maroussi in the title game.
By 2005-06, Unics went one level up and made its ULEB Cup debut, matching the best regular season record in the competition’s history. Things turned south quickly, as it lost at home against Roma for the only time all season in the eighthfinals’ second leg and crashed out earlier than expected. Unics reunited Darjus Lavrinovic with twin brother Ksistof in a twin towers set full of talent for the next season as the team made it to the ULEB Cup semifinals before losing to eventual champs Real Madrid. It also returned to the Russian League finals, losing against perennial champion CSKA. Last season Unics kept its status in the ULEB Cup elite, bouncing back from a slow start to reach the Final Eight. Akasvayu Girona knocked Unics off in the quarterfinals. Back home, Unics reached the Russian Cup final four and the Russian League playoffs. Now the pride of Kazan enters the Eurocup with high aspirations.
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Eurocupbasketball.com
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