The fourth edition of United League’s All-Star Game is about in 2 weeks! On February 16, Moscow’s VTB Arena will host the event. Make sure to buy your ticket while there’re some left.
Meanwhile, we’ll recap the second All-Star Game.
What: The second edition of United League’s All-Star Game
Where: Yubileynyi Sports Hall, Saint Petersburg
When: February 17, 2018
Attendance: 7 thousand
Russia Stars — World Stars — 125:124 (31-23, 36-36, 33-33, 25-32)
Russia Stars: Dmitriy Khvostov, Dmitriy Kulagin (both Lokomotiv-Kuban), Sergey Karasev (Zenit), Andrey Vorontsevich, Nikita Kurbanov (both CSKA); Anton Ponkrashov (UNICS), Ivan Ukhov (PARMA), Mikhail Kulagin (CSKA), Evgeny Voronov (Zenit), Ivan Strebkov, Petr Gubanov (both Nizhny Novgorod), Sergey Monia (Khimki); head coach – Vasiliy Karasev (Zenit)
World Stars: Nando de Colo (CSKA), Joaquim Colom (UNICS), Coty Clarke (Avtodor), Anthony Gill (Khimki), Frank Elegar (Lokomotiv-Kuban); Sergio Rodriguez (CSKA), Codi Miller-McIntyre (PARMA), Justin Carter (Astana), Anthony Hilliard (Enisey), Murdy Collins (Lokomotiv-Kuban), Stephane Lasme (UNICS), Drew Gordon (Zenit); head coach – Sasa Obradovic (Lokomotiv-Kuban)
Soldout
The venue was perfect for the second VTB League All-Star Game. Saint Petersburg loves basketball and proved it with a soldout at the legendary arena.
Star
Basta.
There were so many people wanting to see the artist, that the arena was crowded already one hour prior to the game. “Basta heeeere,” the Sports hall heard. Rapper’s songs were a perfect fit to the All-Star atmosphere. His performance set the highest level that the players maintained for the next 4 hours.
The crowd gave their hands to Hands up, sang the Sansara and were on Chistyi Kaif. 30-minute set were closed by the legendary Moya igra, right before the tip-off.
First ecoball
Today, everybody’s used to the Ecoball, official ball of 2019/20 season. In February 2018, however, this was a surprise to learn that basketball would be played with a ball of recycled plasitc.
This idea originates from Basketbottle project which started collecting plastic bottles on League’s games back in 2017. All the bottles were sent to recycling and it would only make sense to create a ball with it.
Therefore, Saint Petersburg All-Star Game is in history as the first basketball game played with a recycled plastic ball.
Ballet
Isn’t Saint Petersburg just a perfect city to mix ballet and basketball?
In order to create an opening dance show, United League made friends with Eifman’s ballet theatre. And it was not a random choice, as Eifman’s signature feature is bringing narrative to the play. The head of the theatre was happy to participate in the thing and make some ballet on a basketball court. This gave a Petersburg-style intellectual touch to the show.
Going vertical
2 months before the All-Star, the movie with the largest box office in Russian history was released. Within few days, Going vertical gathered more than 700 thousand viewers in Russia only!
On February 17, cast members got on court again: Kuzma Sprykin (Ivan Edeshko) and Egor Klimovich (Alexander Boloshev) played for the ‘blues’ under Evgeny Yakovlevich Gomelskiy in a celebrity game at Yubileinyi. Saprykin couldn’t help flop:
— VTB United League (@VTBUL) February 17, 2018
But League president Sergey Kushchenko was the one to be awarded with a techincal foul that night. However, that didn’t stop the ‘Reds’ as they won 41:36.
Rise of the machines
Usually cheerleaders get on court between the quarters. Obviously, the All-Star should be different: beautiful ladies were replaced by basketball-shaped drones!
The view was fascinating, add the right music and the drones’ sounds and it felt like the rise of the machines was starting at Yubileynyi.
Krasnodar wins the contests
Ryan Broekhoff is the Australian voodoo. That’s the only way to explain Loko guards’ win in a three-pointer contest given his last shot in the final round didn’t even make it to the rim!
On his way to the final, Broekhoff kicked out Sergio Rodriguez, and then faced Janis Blums who set the record in the first round (21 points). Seems like he showed his best in the first round as the final ended 20-15 for Broekhoff.
Dunk contenders were ready to show some skills! Ike Udanoh of Astana jumped over huge Under Armour logo, Tyler Honeycutt of Khimki showed a windmill and jumped over five guys!
Nonetheless, charming Frank Elegar of loko won the contest:
Which made it 2 of 2 for Krasnodar.
MVP
The game of the night was high-scoring. Teams played no defense in the first 35 minutes allowing alley-oops and dunks. But then the real struggle started.
Russia Stars were leading almost all 40 minutes and eventually won. Anthony Gill could make it to the OT, but didn’t convert and one after this slam over a teammate:
😍😍😍 pic.twitter.com/CBHgtzczCN
— VTB United League (@VTBUL) February 17, 2018
In the last possession, trailing by one, Nando de Colo took his time to find a sweet spot for a three-pointer, but couldn’t make it. Russia Stars won the second in a row.
Zenit forward Sergey Karasev received an MVP award that night with 29 points and 7 assists. The jackpot – UAZ Patriot – stayed in Saint Petersburg.
DUNK
You can watch this McIntyre’s flight forever.
OH. MY. GOD. @CMMPatience pic.twitter.com/XjRzMsg8yg
— VTB United League (@VTBUL) February 17, 2018
All-Star Top 5
The 2020 All-Star Game will be held on February 16 at Moscow’s VTB Arena. The game will feature Russia Stars vs World Stars. Tickets available at https://allstar.vtb-league.com.
Alexey Norman
