VTB United League President Sergey Kushchenko on the League’s first game in Vladivostok:
– First and foremost, we need to thank Eduard Mikhailovich Sandler. Today, his dream has come true. We’ve talked a lot about this in the League, and Eduard himself admitted a few years ago: ‘I really want our home club and Primorye to be represented in the VTB United League.’ And now that day has come.
The opening ceremony and show, in my opinion, were superbly organized. And the minute of applause in honor of Eduard Mikhailovich was, perhaps, the most important moment in the return of big-time basketball to Primorye. Special thanks go to the regional leadership and everyone involved with the club, especially the club’s front office. Despite the challenging conditions, Dynamo’s management did everything possible to start the season exactly as Eduard wanted and as they had planned together.
The management of the VTB United League, of course, helped with preparations for the first game: the requirements for Dynamo in the Super League and in the VTB United League differ significantly. And here, it seems to me, communication between the League and the club was very well established.
Now, about the game itself. Vladivostok is the easternmost and most remote venue on this season’s VTB United League schedule. It’s going to be intense here! Teams traveling here will have a tough time, partly because of the logistics. But it seemed to me that there’s something special here that drives the team forward. The game against the champions showed that as soon as the opponent gives them a chance, Dynamo immediately takes advantage of it. The team went on a fantastic 16-0 run against CSKA, got the crowd fired up, and played with tremendous energy and determination. At the same time, it became clear that Dynamo still lacks experience in the closing minutes.
I think the debut was a success! The VTB United League’s launch in Primorsky Krai was a hit! I wish the best of luck to the newcomer to our league, which, as we can already see, will be unique. In terms of how well the games are organized, Dynamo is on par with many VTB United League clubs, and any shortcomings that arose can be easily corrected—and quickly, at that. Once again, I congratulate Primorye on this great basketball event.
