2008-09 Club Profile: BC Khimki
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 Coming off a dream season that included winning its first title – the Russian Cup –Khimki is back as strong and as hungry as ever. Last season the club not only beat Euroleague champion CSKA Moscow to win the domestic cup, but also reached the Russian League finals and had a very strong showing in the ULEB Cup before bowing out to eventual champion DKV Joventut in the Last 16.
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BC Khimki Roster 2008-09
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| Name |
Pos.
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Height
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| Milt Palacio |
G
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1.90
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| Jerome Moiso |
C
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2.08
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| Vitaly Fridzon |
G
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1.95
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| Vladimir Dyachok |
F
|
2.04
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| Carlos Delfino |
G
|
2.00
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| Teemu Rannikko |
G
|
1.89
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| Mike Wilkinson |
F
|
2.04
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| Jorge Garbajosa |
F
|
2.06
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| Nikita Shabalkin |
F
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2.04
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| Anton Ponkrashov |
G
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2.00
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| Kelly McCarty |
F
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2.01
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| Victor Dubovitsky |
F
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1.98
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| Timofey Mozgov |
C
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2.16
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| Maciej Lampe |
F
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2.08
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| Kestutis Kemzura |
Head Coach
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The plan now is to build on that success and to reap its fruits this year. Khimki Basketball Club was founded in January 1997 and in its first season debuted in the country's first championship league, consolidating its participation in the Russian Superleague by the 1999-2000 season. The following year, Khimki ranked seventh in the Superleague and made its Korac Cup debut. Khimki registered the same results the following season - seventh in the Russian League, Korac Cup group stage - but took another step forwards in the 2002-03 season. Khimki made it to the Superleague semifinals, losing against perennial champion CSKA, reached the Russian Cup semifinals, as well as the second stage in the FIBA Europe Champions Cup. Khimki kept challenging for every competition in the next couple of seasons, finishing fifth and fourth respectively in the Russian League, as well as returning to the Russian Cup semifinals in 2004 and 2005. The team did better in the FIBA Europe League, losing against Ural Great in the eighthfinals in 2004 and making it to the final four in 2005, where it lost to eventual champs Dynamo St. Petersburg. Khimki went one step higher in 2006, as it reached both the Russian League and the Russian Cup finals, losing once again against CSKA. The club also reached the FIBA EuroCup final, losing 63-88 against DKV Joventut. 2006 marked its ULEB Cup debut and the club finished third in the Russian League and advanced to the ULEB Cup elimination rounds. That set the stage for last season’s dream campaign. This year Khimki and head coach Kestutis Kemzura brings back some stars of last year’s squad, like former ULEB Cup finals MVP Kelly McCarty, Teemu Rannikko and big man Maciej Lampe, but bolstered the club with megastars Jorge Garbajosa, Carlos Delfino, Milt Palacio and Jerome Moiso to form one of the most impressive rosters in all of Europe. Together this roster promises some warm nights in Russia this winter en route to challenging for multiple crowns.
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Thursday, October 09, 2008
Eurocupbasketball.com
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