Lokomotiv-Kuban Krasnodar hosts Enisey Krasnoyarsk to open its regular-season campaign.
Who:
Lokomotiv-Kuban, 2015-16 VTB United League quarterfinalists, 2015-16 Euroleague Final Four
vs.
Enisey, 2015-16 FIBA Europe Cup Final Four
Where:
Basket Hall (capacity 7,500), Krasnodar, Russia
When:
4:00 PM (4:00 MSK), October 16, 2016
TV:
Match TV, VTB-League.com
Balance of Power
A remade Lokomotiv is ready to get going in the VTB United League. This will be only its second official game of the season. Enisey, on the other hand, has already played twice in the League and hopes Krasnodar is a little rusty on Sunday.
The 2015-16 Euroleague bronze medalists overhauled their roster and brought in a new head coach, but haven’t lowered expectations and are focused on returning to the Euroleague as quickly as possible. Regardless of the offseason, Krasnodar is always one of the League’s most dangerous teams. But the club has a lot to work to do and battle-tested Enisey should be a good challenge.
Krasnoyarsk may not match its epic upset in January 2014, when the Siberians raced to a shocking 23-point win in Krasnodar, but a victory for Enisey isn’t out of the question.
Oleg Okulov’s men impressed against CSKA in the home opener, then lost by 44 points to UNICS in Kazan. Lokomotiv also struggled in a hard-fought Eurocup win against Olimpija earlier in the week. Loko’s debut in the League could result in an upset, though the Railwaymen are favored.
Face to Face
Lokomotiv-Kuban and Enisey have met 10 times in the League. Enisey has only come out on top twice and hasn’t won in nearly three years, trailing 8-2 in the all-time series.
Looking Back
Trade
Loko and Enisey “exchanged” young Russians during the summer. After a breakout season in Krasnoyarsk, Denis Zakharov moved to Lokomotiv, while rising prospect Igor Kanygin took his game to frigid Siberia.
A native of Krasnodar, Kanygin had outgrown the youth league and wasn’t expected to get much playing time this season with Loko. That shouldn’t be the case at Enisey.
Zakharov, meanwhile, also needs minutes, but will face much stiffer competition in Krasnodar. He got a DNP in Slovenia on Wednesday, but will likely see the court vs. his former team. Kanygin should also play: He’s averaging 12 minutes over Enisey’s first two games.
Players to Watch
Katsikaris is still getting to know his team, but he’s very familiar with Ian Vougioukas from his time with the Greek national team. Vougioukas has been a key member of the rotation and gets a lot of touches on offense in the paint. Playing against Enisey, the Greek center will be expected to show off his post moves and neutralize Krasnoyarsk’s frontcourt of Frank Elegar and Andrey Koshcheev.
It’s tough to imagine Enisey without Tony Taylor. With the departure of Delroy James and D.J. Kennedy, Taylor has become the unquestioned leader on the court. The team’s reliance on the American playmaker is especially noticeable when he takes a breather on the bench. It’s hard to see Enisey causing much trouble in Krasnodar without a monster game from Taylor.
Player under Pressure
Another foreign player, Maalik Wayns, was expected to have a big impact in Krasnoyarsk. The newly-minted Belarusian national team guard was signed to score points, but is a measly 2-13 from the field in two games for seven total points. If he doesn’t improve soon, Enisey’s front office may be searching for a new scorer.
Quotes
Lokomotiv-Kuban guard Denis Zakharov:
– This is our first home game and VTB United League debut. We want to get a good result in front of our fans. We need to win. I don’t feel any different because Enisey is my former team. I’m preparing for this game like any other and will do what the coach says.
Enisey center Igor Kanygin:
– The first games of the season exposed our weaknesses. Our main challenge vs. Loko is not repeating mistakes we made in previous games. Despite the opening losses, the team has a positive attitude and everyone’s trying to support each other. Of course, it’s nice to return to my home city of Krasnodar and see my friends and relatives, but I’m on the other side of the barricades now. As for goals, nothing’s changed for me. I need to play hard every minute on the court in order to help out the team.
