The 10-day national team window is in full swing. National teams from around the globe will play in world and continental championship qualifying tournaments between Thursday and Monday.
2019 World Championships qualifying
Not surprisingly, the League’s biggest contingent is joining the Russian national team: 12 players from Lokomotiv-Kuban (Dmitry Kulagin, Vitaly Fridzon, Dmitry Khvostov, Stanislav Ilnitsky, Vladimir Ivlev), CSKA (Ivan Ukhov, Andrey Vorontsevich), Zenit (Evgeny Valiev, Sergey Karasev), Nizhny Novgorod (Evgeny Baburin), UNICS (Artem Klimenko) and Khimki (Petr Gubanov) will play Finland on the road (November 30) before adding Khimki forward Andrey Zubkov and CSKA center Joel Bolomboy for a home game with the Czech Republic on December 3.
The Kazakh national team is almost entirely made up of Astana players: Nikolai Bazhin, Vadim Shcherbak, Rustam Murzagaliyev, Rustam Yergali, Alexander Zhigulin, Dmitry Gavrilov, Maxim Marchuk, Ruslan Aitkali and Askar Maidekin will try to lead Kazakhstan to road wins vs. the Philippines (November 30) and Japan (December 3).
Nizhny Novgorod is now represented in Hungary with naturalized American Darrin Govens, who recently joined the club from Tsmoki-Minsk, facing Croatia (November 29) and the Netherlands (December 2) as a member of the Hungarian national team.
Zielona Gora’s Michal Sokolowski, Adam Hrycaniuk and Lukasz Koszarek as well as Loko forward Mateusz Ponitka will compete for Poland. The Red and White take on the Netherlands (November 29) and Italy (December 2).
Latvia boasts 6 League players: Artis Ate, Arturs Ausejs, Andrejs Grazulis, Andris Misters (VEF), Janis Blums (PARMA) and Martins Meiers (Enisey), who will try to earn a spot in the World Championships with games vs. Montenegro (November 29) and Slovenia (December 2).
Estonia, which includes Kalev’s Janari Joesaar, Kristjan Kangur, Kristjan Kitsing and Sten Sokk, will play Georgia (November 30) and Germany (December 3).
Zenit has the most international roster during this international break. In addition to the Russian call-ups, three other players will be in action: Marko Simonovic and Serbia play Israel (November 30) and Greece (December 3), Philip Scrubb left for Canada to play Venezuela (November 30) and Brazil (December), while Gal Mekel captains the Israeli national team in a game vs. Serbia (November 30). Mekel will not, however, be able to play due to injury and returns to St. Petersburg following the game.
2021 EuroBasket pre-qualifying
The Belarusian national team and Tsmoki-Minsk have a close bond with eight national team players on the club. Belarus faces away games with Denmark (November 29) and Sweden (December 2).
Nizhny Novgorod forward Chris Czerapowicz will take on Belarus and former Tsmoki teammates as a member of the Swedish national team, where he has a leadership role.
Complete list of League players joining national teams:
Astana: Nikolai Bazhin, Vadim Shcherbak, Rustam Murzagaliyev, Rustam Yergali, Alexander Zhigulin, Dmitry Gavrilov, Maxim Marchuk, Ruslan Aitkali, Askar Maidekin (Kazakhstan).
VEF: Artis Ate, Arturs Ausejs, Andrejs Grazulis, Andris Misters (Latvia).
Enisey: Martins Meiers (Latvia).
Zielona Gora: Michal Sokolowski, Adam Hrycaniuk, Lukasz Koszarek (Poland).
Zenit: Evgeny Valiev, Sergey Karasev (Russia), Marko Simonovic (Serbia), Philip Scrubb (Canada), Gal Mekel (Israel).
Kalev: Janari Joesaar, Kristjan Kangur, Kristjan Kitsing, Sten Sokk (Estonia).
Lokomotiv-Kuban: Dmitry Kulagin, Vitaly Fridzon, Dmitry Khvostov, Stanislav Ilnitsky, Vladimir Ivlev (Russia), Mateusz Ponitka (Poland).
Nizhny Novgorod: Evgeny Baburin (Russia), Darrin Govens (Hungary), Chris Czerapowicz (Sweden).
PARMA: Janis Blums (Latvia).
UNICS: Artem Klimenko (Russia).
Khimki: Petr Gubanov, Andrey Zubkov (Russia).
Tsmoki-Minsk: Devon Saddler, Kiryl Sitnik, Aliaksei Trastsinetski, Mikita Meshcharakou, Vitali Liutych, Aliaksandr Semianiuk, Aliaksandr Kudrautsau, Dzmitry Paliashchuk (Belarus).
CSKA: Ivan Ukhov, Andrey Vorontsevich, Joel Bolomboy (Russia).
