Basketball
How are things with himself, a stranger within himself, or Prometheus among strangers?
The main task of domestic basketball during the war is to survive. What is worth only the final collapse of the European tournament squad “Budivelnik”. “Kyiv-Basket” plays only with one legionnaire, and “BIPA”, “Dnepr” and “Budivelnik” (under the Ukrainian championship) – without any foreigners.
“Prometheus” also includes the basketball players of the Ukrainian national team and a legion of mighty descent in the form of Haggadah, Clavell, Stevens, Kennedy and Balvin. Add here another coach who has made a name for himself in Europe – Ronen Ginzburg. And it becomes utterly surprising that the club is playing in the play-offs of the second most prestigious European Cup, spending the regular season of the local championship with just one loss in responsibility. That’s right, the championship of the Latvian-Estonian League.
“Coming to a new city, a new country was the hardest thing. But the Latvian Basketball Federation helped us,” said club president Vladimir Dubinsky.
The Baltic states are known to have aided Ukraine the most during the war (as a percentage of GDP). They also helped with basketball. So: to keep the team in good shape at Eurocap, an international tournament where no Ukrainian club has played for 8 years, we provided a platform for participation in our championship, home games, and every time we fly our flag in countries with up to 30% of the population ethnic Russians. So, how exactly is Prometheus performing this season?
Personalities
“There hasn’t been a week where we talked less than two,” Dubinsky says of the team’s head coach, Ronen Ginzburg.
And the coach at Prometheus is quite respectable. For a long time and successfully worked with the Czech “Nymburk” (2006-2017). Separately, three invitations to the matches of the stars of the Czech Super League should be noted as the coach of one of the teams. As a result, he received an offer to lead the national team of this country. Neno led last season as Prometheus went undefeated in the Ukrainian Championship and played confidently in the European Cup. Until the war started.
“We are trying to win every game. Before the regular season starts in the Latvian-Estonian League, I don’t believe we will win all the games, but we will try to do that in every game,” said the coach.
And he turned out to be right. “Prometheus” is still missing. One day. “Kaleva” of our Alexander Kovlyar. And he recently lost his second time in the LEBL playoffs to Estonian Viimsi. More interestingly, today will be the decisive match for the Final Four ticket.
He shared, “How serious is Haggadah’s injury? Seriously. I hope Caleb Agada will come back,” he shared. 4) and is the leader of the Ukrainian team in terms of efficiency (16.6).
But last year’s team leader DJ Kennedy frankly gave up on his duties with an inappropriate attitude and even risked losing his place in the team mid-season. True, the American already has disappointing predictions from doctors: “DJ Kennedy will not be helping Prometheus until the end of this season. A super complex operation awaits him in mid-April, ”says the club’s website.
Who will lead the team when the leaders are injured? Why not Gian Clavell, who scored 25 points against “Venice”, the team’s second top scorer in all competitions? And the quarterback knows how to take the initiative both when going under the basket and shooting from behind the arc (best for team 3-pointers).
Among the Ukrainians, we note the basketball player of our team, Ivan Tkachenko. Especially given that Prometheus had to play more and take a bigger role on the court due to his injuries: “I don’t expect Ivan Tkachenko to score 15 points and 10 rebounds per game. Ivan did a great job. “He is a good player, I believe he will continue to behave like this in this game,” said Ronen Ginzburg, after the match he played with the Italian club recently.
european border
The start in Europe’s second most prestigious basketball tournament was not as successful as expected. Defeat from Brescia and imminent defeat from Ulm. Despite the fact that Burg and Hoventud also managed to beat the Ukrainian team. Thus, after 7 matches, Slobozhansky team had only 3 successful matches. But their next 11 tournament victories put Prometheus to the top of Group A, putting them on a weaker opponent in the first round of the playoffs: Germany’s Hamburger SV.
It should be noted that the Ukrainian club is the best in the number of interventions in the regular season of the Eurocup. By collecting 1585 points in 18 games, he took the first place in his group in terms of performance. Ranked in the top 3 teams in Eurocap on the following four metrics: Efficiency Rating, Offensive Rebounds, Least Drops, Most Free Throws.
His next opponent, the German “Hamburg”, finished 8th in Group B with 6 wins and 12 losses. This is the approximate level of “Cluj” or “Brescia” with which Ukrainians cope. True, two team leaders, Kennedy and Agada, were injured. This makes the game on April 11 more intense but interesting.
TICKET
A new championship, all matches are officially away, the opponents are regular participants of European competitions such as Kalev, VEF, Tartu, actually semi-finalists of the Latvian-Estonian League playoffs. But “Prometheus” – not yet. Today, Ronen Ginzburg’s team will face Estonian Viimsi, whom the Ukrainians have defeated three times this season and lost once.
During the regular season, the Slobozhansky basketball players first taunted their current opponents at 107:72 in December. After – March 1: 98:67. “Prometheus” won for the third time in relegation matches: 91:69.
“If we play with Venezia as we played in the first quarter, we will not leave a chance to the opponent,” said Ivan Tkachenko, before his second match with Viimsi.
After the second overtime, they lost to “Prometheus” in the relegation matches, thus interrupting their 31-game winning streak in all tournaments. Without Haggadah and Kennedy, Prometheus needs to show character, which is what a coach values most in his players. Something that helped win in tough times like now when two great basketball players are injured. And the winner of the couple is already waiting for last year’s winner of the Estonian Cup, Tartu. But we will talk about difficult times a little later.
Our team in Europe, why is it important?
“Basketball players carry their flags on their shoulders as they enter the field. They feel very patriotic,” the team coach shares his impressions. This means that, thanks to basketball, the flag of Ukraine visited not only the Baltic countries, but also France, Germany, Turkey, Italy and other countries. Germany is next in Eurocup.
The playoffs, the critical period of the season, will be held without the team’s two leaders. This should pave the way for new leaders, new achievements. Because good times make weak men, and hard times make strong men. Especially when there is an additional incentive to be strong: “If you are Ukrainian, you must be a warrior. Struggle is all you have in difficult times.” – Ronen Ginzburg
Vyacheslav Shevchenko
Source: Sport UA
Ralph Bean is a writer for Sportish. Ralph has written about sports news for the last two years, and is currently an author on the site. He enjoys writing about sports, and hopes to cover more stories in the future.
Kirill Elatontsev may greatly regret his choice.
The departure of Russian center Kirill Elatontsev to the USA became one of the most discussed stories of the winter. A player with a valid long-term contract with Lokomotiv-Kuban suddenly appeared in the application of the University of Oklahoma and soon made his debut in the NCAA. This is an almost unprecedented case for Russian basketball. And for Kirill himself – a chance to start all over again.
A move that no one expected
Elatontsev, 23, was officially recruited by the Oklahoma Sooners, who expect him to quickly fit into the program.
— First of all, we are glad that Kirill is here, since a considerable distance has been covered. He will give us depth, which is extremely important. He’s older and has played against some really tough opponents, which will help us in conference games as well. In addition, he is skilled and has excellent instincts under the rim. “We are encouraged by his transition and are working to ensure that he quickly adapts to our program and system,” journalist Josh Callaway quotes Oklahoma coach Porter Moser as saying on his social media page.
Kirill’s debut took place immediately: on the night of December 30, Moscow time, he played 18 minutes in a match against Mississippi Valley State University. Oklahoma defeated the opponent with a score of 93:69, and the Russian scored 6 points and made 4 rebounds.
How it all started: from health problems to accusations of simulation
The formal conflict started on the night of November 8. Lokomotiv-Kuban reported that Kirill called an ambulance without notifying the medical headquarters. The examination – both at the club and in the clinic – did not reveal any serious problems, and hospitalization was not required. Lokomotiv-Kuban assessed the situation as a possible feigning of illness and a violation of discipline.
For the player, this was the first high-profile episode of the season, which he already missed due to problems with his foot. But in the fall there were rumors that the best young player in the VTB League in recent years was considering leaving for the NCAA. At the time it seemed frivolous. Now it’s reality.
The club’s reaction: “a dangerous precedent” and appeals to all authorities
After it became known that Elatontsev left Russia and signed up for the NCAA, Loko published a big statement. His key points:
The player has a valid contract until 2029, registered with the RFB.
The club called leaving without approval a gross violation of labor obligations.
History, according to the club, creates a dangerous precedent for Russian sports.
Official appeals and documents have been sent to the RFB, FIBA and NCAA.
The case is being reviewed by the Player Status Commission and the National Center for Arbitration for Sports.
Separately, it was reported that the club contacted FIBA to block Elatontsev’s transfer to teams under the auspices of the federation.
Loko emphasizes that investments in players cannot be “cancelled for the sake of short-term personal interests.” Essentially, the club is afraid that other young players will see Elatontsev’s departure as a path to going abroad, bypassing negotiations.
Legal background: claim to the military registration and enlistment office
Amid the basketball conflict, another layer of history has emerged. It turned out that Elatontsev filed a lawsuit against the Krasnodar military registration and enlistment office. He disputes the legality of the subpoena, which he says was issued while he was studying full-time. The document also mentions “misuse of budget funds” on the part of the department. It is difficult to say to what extent this episode is related to his departure to the United States, but it is obvious that the talented basketball player is mired in legal conflicts.
Elatontsev is at great risk by fleeing to the United States in violation of contractual obligations and not resolving issues with the military registration and enlistment office at home. It will be extremely difficult for him to build a successful career in the NBA, because it is too late to begin adapting to American basketball at 23 years old. Elatontsev has a chance to make a name for himself in the NCAA, get an overseas education and stay in the USA. But this story is unlikely to be associated with basketball at the highest level.
Source: Sportbox
I am a sports journalist who has been writing for a news website since 2015. My work primarily focuses on sports news, but I have also written about other topics such as technology and the arts. I have an extensive background in journalism, having worked as a reporter for a local newspaper before moving to a news website.
Four games were played in the NBA regular season on the night of December 30-31.
Utah hosted and lost to Boston.
Jazz started the game well, took the lead from the beginning and increased the difference to 10 points in the middle of the first quarter: 24:14. As a result, Utah won the first quarter with a score of 38:31. The visiting team started the second quarter better and made a move with 18:2 to not only take the lead, but also take the lead by 9 points (49:40). However, at the big break, Utah managed to turn the game around and made a move at 16:3 to take the lead again at 58:55. It was Jazz who entered the big break as the leader with 64:59.
The third quarter was even. Neither team could make serious progress and the lead changed 12 times. The result is 99:96 in favor of Boston. Thus, the fate of the match was decided in the fourth quarter. The guest team gained a 6-point lead at 103:97 in the first quarter, then kept their opponent within two shots for a long time, and towards the end of the match, they increased their advantage to double digits with 129:119.
Svyatoslav Mikhayyuk In this match, he rested by sitting on the bench for the entire match.
The most productive player of the Celtics was White, who scored 27 points, while Brown also had a double-double with 23 points + 10 assists.
Detroit defeated the Lakers on the road.
The Pistons only allowed the home team to take leads of 6:5 and 9:8 at the beginning of the first quarter, then they were ahead throughout the whole game and gradually increased their advantage, reaching 26 points (122:96) by the middle of the fourth quarter. As a result, Detroit won with a score of 128:106.
Doncic, who made 11 assists in the match, also scored 30 points and scored a double-double, but this did not benefit his team much. The most productive name for Detroit was Cunningham, who had a double-double with 27 points + 11 assists.
NBA. Regular season, December 31
Utah – Boston – 119:129 (38:31, 26:28, 32:40, 23:30)
Utah: George (37 + 7 assists), Nurkic (26 + 8 rebounds + 8 assists), Markkanen (22 + 9 rebounds), Sensabaugh (5), Hendricks (3) – start; Filipovski (10), Collier (7 + 8 assists), Clayton (7), Williams (2).
Boston: White (27 + 7 rebounds + 6 assists + 7 blocks), Brown (23 + 10 assists), Pritchard (18 + 6 assists), Keta (12), Walsh (6) – starts; Simons (20), Garza (15), Houser (5), Gonzalez (3), Scheierman (0).
Lakers-Detroit-106:128 (30:36, 35:34, 23:26, 18:32)
Lakers: Doncic (30 + 11 assists + 8 losses), James (17 + 5 losses), Ayton (10), Larevia (9), Smart (6) – starts; Hayes (13), Knecht (10), Vanderbilt (8 + 8 rebounds), Smith (3), Thiero (0), James Jr. (0), Kleber (0).
of Detroit: Cunningham (27 + 11 assists + 5 losses), Düren (14 + 8 rebounds + 5 steals + 5 losses), Thompson (7), Harris (7), D. Robinson (6) – start; Sasser (19), Stewart (15), Holland (11 + 7 rebounds), Ivey (9), Green (8), Reed (3), Lanier (2), Jenkins (0).
Memphis – Philadelphia – 136:139 Overtime (40:34, 32:38, 28:31, 28:25, 8:11)
Memphis: Morant (40), Coward (28 + 16 rebounds), Jaren Jackson (15 + 12 rebounds), Wells (14), Koloko (0) – start; Aldama (15 + 4 blocked shots), Spencer (7), Jackson (6), Landale (6), Small (5).
Philadelphia: Maxey (34 + 12 assists), Embiid (34 + 10 rebounds + 8 assists), Edgecombe (25), George (17), Barlow (12) – start; Grimes (11), Bona (4), McCain (2), Edwards (0).
Clippers – Sacramento – 131:90 (34:20, 39:20, 27:31, 31:19)
cutting machines: Leonard (33), Harden (21), Collins (16), Dunn (10), B. Lopez (8) – starter; Niederhaeuser (16), D. Jones (8), Senders (7), Miller (6), Brown (3), Batum (3), Christie (0).
sacramento: Westbrook (12), Reynaud (12 + 12 rebounds), Murray (11), DeRozan (8 + 7 rebounds), Achiuwa (0) – start; Clifford (18), Schroeder (11), Eubanks (6), Carter (4), McDermott (3), Monk (3 + 5 turnovers), Ellis (2).
tournament tables
Western Conference
Eastern Conference
Source: Sport UA
Ralph Bean is a writer for Sportish. Ralph has written about sports news for the last two years, and is currently an author on the site. He enjoys writing about sports, and hopes to cover more stories in the future.
On December 30, four matches were played in the 19th round of the Euroleague regular championship.
Hapoel Tel Aviv lost sensationally at home to Zalgiris.
The home team started the match successfully, quickly took the lead by 7 points, 9:2, and was ahead +12 – 25:13 towards the end of the first quarter. Only after this did the Lithuanians begin to close the gap. They made a 9:0 move at the intersection of the first and second quarters and came back with one shot at 25:22. After that, Hapoel again managed to lead by 9 points at 35:26, but even before the big break Zalgiris was ahead by 1 point at 40:39.
In the third quarter, the Lithuanians quickly took the lead and then made a 10:0 move to pull away by 11 points, 58:47. In fact, this decided the fate of the match, because afterwards Zalgiris maintained a double-digit advantage in the score and took the match to victory 93:80.
The most productive player of the winning team was Williams-Gross, who scored 17 points.
In the main match of the matchday, Barcelona lost to Monaco.
Monegasques started the game well and were ahead by 9 points in the first quarter – 22:13. They increased the advantage in the second 10 minutes and brought the score to 21 points at 47:26. At the big break, Barça reduced the difference to -17 – 30:47, but could not increase this local success further in the third quarter. Monaco then calmly controlled the course of the game, retained the double-digit advantage and won a landslide victory – 90:74.
James scored 19 points for Monaco and became the team’s top scorer.
Europa League. Regular season. 19th round, 30 December
Hapoel Tel Aviv – Zalgiris – 80:93 (25:18, 15:21, 13:24, 27:30)
Hapoel: Jones (18+5 assists), Bryant (14 points + 4 rebounds + 1 assist), Oturu (12+2+1), Motley (10+3+2), Blakeney (9+2 rebounds), Wainwright (9+3+6), Madar (4+3+5), Malcolm (4).
Zalgiris: Williams-Gross (17+2+4), Wright (15+3 rebounds), Francisco (13+2+8), Tubelis (12+8 rebounds), Brazdeikis (10+3 rebounds), Butkevicius (9), Law (8+2 rebounds), Sol (7+6+2), Ulanovas (2+4+2), Biruttis (2 rebounds + 1 assist).
ASVEL – Paris – 94:89 (20:23, 21:23, 20:18, 33:25)
ASVEL: Watson (28+3+1), De Colo (17+5+5), Harrison (10+5+1), Ndiae (9+9+2), Massa (8+6+1), Yurtel (8+1+8), Vautier (7+4 rebounds), Traore (4+2 rebounds), Lighty (2+1 rebounds), Jackson (1+1+1), Ajins (3 rebounds + 2 assists).
Paris: Heaphy (26+4+7), Herrera (11+4 rebounds), Willis (10+2 assists), Robinson (8+2+5), Fae (8+4 rebounds), Dokossi (6+1 rebounds), Morgan (6+7+2), Cavalier (5+5+1), Stevens (5+7+1), M’Baye (2+1+2), Ouattara (2+3+1).
Barcelona – Monaco – 74:90 (13:22, 17:25, 23:22, 21:21)
barcelona: Brizuela (25+1 rebounds), Norris (14+4+2), Fal (8+6 rebounds), Panther (8+2+4), Hernangomez (7+3 rebounds), Cale (7+3+1), Laprovittola (2+1 rebounds), Satoranski (2+4+4), Parra (1+3 rebounds), Marcos (2 assists).
Monaco: James (19+4+5), Hayes (15+5+1), Mirotic (13+4 rebounds), Okobo (12+4+5), Diallo (9+4 rebounds), Nedovic (8+1+1), Theis (7+4+3), Strazel (5+1+2), Blossomgame (2+5+2), Tarpey (2 rebounds).
Valencia – Partizan – 86:73 (18:22, 25:21, 22:20, 21:10)
Valencia: Thompson (17+3+6), Badio (14+1+3), Rivers (14+7 rebounds), Montero (13+3 rebounds), Pradilla (11+7+2), Costello (9+2 rebounds), Sakho (5+7+1), Taylor (2+1+2), Key (1+1 assist), Moore (2 rebounds + 2 assists), Puerto (2 rebounds + 1 assist).
Partisan: Bonga (17+7+2), Brown (15+2+2), Jones (9+6+1), Washington (7), Parker (7+4+1), Fernando (6+3 rebounds), Osetkowski (6+2+3), Payne (6+1+4), Calathes (4 rebounds + 6 assists).
tournament table
Source: Sport UA
Ralph Bean is a writer for Sportish. Ralph has written about sports news for the last two years, and is currently an author on the site. He enjoys writing about sports, and hopes to cover more stories in the future.
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