The fourth VTB United League SuperCup will be at the VTB Arena in Moscow. Here’s main information before the key preseason tournament.
Background
The VTB United League SuperCup started in 2021, but its history began much earlier: the tournament was previously named the Aleksandr Gomelsky Cup. 3 years ago, the Moscow Sports Department began organizing the classic pre-season tournament in partnership with the League. The trophy was named after the legendary coach.
CSKA
Having been transformed in the last season Playoffs after Andreas Pistiolis appointment and regaining the trophy, CSKA rightly decided to focus on stability, limiting to point signings (Aleksa Avramovic signing is probably the main transfer of the summer in Russia), but without losing any of key players.
The Moscow team preseason preparation is going according to plan (the team beat Besiktas 107:82 at the training camp in Turkey). CSKA approach the SuperCup at home in their usual status as one of the main favorites.
International guests
International guests will be not only clubs, but also famous personalities.
Former CSKA and Fenerbahce coach Dimitris Itoudis, son of legendary Serbian coach Dusan Ivkovic Pavle, famous Turkish journalist Ismail Senol, head of the loudest fans in Europe from Crvena Zvezda Ivan Markovic, and executive director of the Euroleague Coaches Council Goran Sasic will visit the tournament in Moscow.
Intrigue
Vedischev debut as Loko head coach
Andrey Vedischev said in early summer that Aleksandar Sekulic work with Lokomotiv would be audited and any decision could be made. Since then, nothing new has appeared on the topic, so in August, no one thought that the Krasnodar team would dare to make serious moves just before the start of preparations for the season. But this story presented the most unexpected moment of the Russian off-season.
Loko longtime president decided that combining title contention and the active use of Russian youth could best be handled by none other than himself. Loko surprised even more than CSKA in April – that risky move worked well. And now the new coach’s team is under the microscope, and bad results even in the pre-season tournament will put pressure on the team. The first conclusions can be made during the SuperCup.
Aleksa Avramovic in CSKA
As early as July, it was clear that CSKA made an extremely successful deal with Avramovic, finding the perfect player for a problematic position. After a great performance at the Olympics in Paris, where Aleksa, along with Nikola Jokic, nearly stopped the Dream Team and was named the best defensive player, even the most skeptical fans of the Moscow team had no doubts.
Aleksa performance almost played a cruel joke – there were rumors that he could be taken to the NBA with such a game. But Avramovic decided to stay. The very interesting debut of a player of this level in front of the home crowd will be against the most important rival of his previous club. Based on the first preseason games, the Serbian guard looks like CSKA new leader.
Zenit will try to win for the third time in a row
While in the VTB League itself, the days of dominance by one team seem to have come to an end, the trend is reversed in the SuperCup.
After CSKA win in the first tournament, Zenit won 2 in a row. The St. Petersburg team is going to the capital in good shape after winning the Kondrashin and Belov Cup – with the goal of holding on to the trophy, which would be the first major achievement in the team’s 10 anniversary season.
Who to follow
Melo Trimble, CSKA
Coming off the bench, the American guard has elevated his status in the 2024 Playoffs by becoming a star and leader of the champion team. Melo is the Moscow team top scorer, but the guard is also a go-to guy at the right time and often makes crucial shots.
If Casper Ware is the soul of CSKA and Aleksa Avramovic is the main newcomer of this summer, then Melo Trimble is the MVP, whose strengths are the basis of the Moscow team.
Jalen Reynolds, UNICS
UNICS center Jalen Reynolds is a man of mystery. Uncontrollable, unpredictable, tearing down everything in his path. A few years ago, Jalen and his athleticism were tried to be contained exclusively in the paint, but now he can score from distance as well, making the Detroit native an even more dangerous.
That said, Reynolds is a real showman, and almost every game he’s in is a little basketball-themed performance. The atmosphere of the preseason tournament should help the American bigman bright qualities to shine through.
Trent Frazier, Zenit
The fastest player in Europe, Frazier is the started of Zenit offense. Pascual relies not only on the guard’s speed – every year Trent progresses as playmaker. And if the American has a shot in the game, neutralizing him becomes an impossible task.
Andrey Martiuk, Lokomotiv Kuban
Russian center with unlimited development potential. Andrey has a soft hand with serious size, as well as the desire and ability to play the fast and athletic basketball that Loko loves so much. Martiuk was already the December MVP of the VTB League last season, and was repeatedly recognized as the League’s best young player. Now it’s time for the 24-year-old bigman to show himself as the leader of the revitalized team.
Jonah Matthews, Besiktas
The 26-year-old guard is a rising star of European basketball and has already best in Moscow a year ago. Euroleague clubs were looking at Matthews, but Besiktas managed to keep their leader. The versatile, athletic swingman is good at driving, and if he is handed the ball at the crucial moment, he can win the game.
Where to buy tickets?
You can buy tickets via the link.
There will be show program, contests and gifts.
Schedule
September 11 (Wednesday)
17:00 UNICS vs Besiktas
20:00 CSKA vs Lokomotiv Kuban
September 12 (Thursday)
17:00 Zenit vs Besiktas
20:00 CSKA vs Crvena Zvezda
September 13 (Friday)
17:00 Lokomotiv Kuban vs Craven Zvezda
20:00 UNICS vs Zenit
September 14 (Saturday)
13:00 5th place game
16:00 3rd place game
19:00 final.
