Avtodor Saratov opens the season at home against Enisey Krasnoyarsk.
Where:
Kristall (capacity 5,500), Saratov, Russia
When:
5:00 PM (4:00 MSK), October 14, 2017
TV:
Match! Nash Sport, VTB-League.com
Offseason
After missing the postseason, Avtodor signed Andrea Mazzon as head coach in May and initiated a roster makeover, while staying true to an aggressive offense-first mentality. An experienced and demanding coach, Mazzon is expected to instill discipline and channel the team’s trademark energy.
Following the best season in club history, Enisey was unable to re-sign all of its leaders. Krasnoyarsk brought in a big contingent to replace the departures, but wasn’t able to play a single preseason game with everyone available. Enisey then lost badly to CSKA in the season opener. It’s not easy to judge a team based on a result vs. CSKA. However, head coach Oleg Okulov was unhappy afterwards, saying they had “a lot of thinking and work to do.”
Face to Face
Avtodor and Enisey aren’t necessarily big rivals. After entering the League in 2014, Saratov enjoyed two strong seasons, while Enisey struggled to be competitive. The two teams then reversed roles last season. Avtodor leads the overall series, 4-2.
Looking Back
Intrigue
In the past, games between Avtodor and Enisey may not have been the most competitive, but that should change this season. At least that’s what everyone hopes to see on Saturday. These are two of the top contenders to challenge the Big Five. Both teams plan on reaching the postseason at a minimum.
Balance of Power
Saratov had a very productive preseason. After several exhibitions against Italian competition, the club advanced to the final round of Champions League qualifying, losing the final game to Orlandina. Nonetheless, the players had plenty of time to gel and picked up an impressive 10 victories. However, since exiting the Champions League, Avtodor will have gone 12 days between games.
Enisey, on the other hand, followed the season-opening loss to CSKA with a road win in the Champions League against Oldenburg. The Siberians may be fatigued from the trip to Germany, but Oleg Okulov has a deep bench (using 10 players, without counting Pavlov or Pichkurov) and the season has only started. Riding the wave from Wednesday’s win, not to mention the chemistry resulting from regular action should outweigh any fatigue or limited time to scout. We’ll see on Saturday.
X-Factor
Rebounding. Everyone knows how much rebounding matters in basketball. Avtodor and Enisey are not the best in this area of the game thanks to a preference for going small. But when they rebound well, they tend to win. Case in point: Enisey’s victory over Oldenburg (34-25 on the glass). So, rebounding could prove crucial in Krasnoyarsk this weekend.
Duel
Coty Clarke vs. Suleiman Braimoh. Saratov’s Draymond Green vs. the 2017 League Sixth Man of the Year. These two Americans do a lot of work on both ends of the court and are vital to the small ball preached by Mazzon and Okulov.
Worth Watching
Artem Klimenko vs. Igor Kanygin. This isn’t the biggest duel in the Game of the Week, but no less fascinating. One of these two men could be the starting center for the Russian national team in a few years. For now, they are starters at Avtodor and Enisey, though they have yet to rise to star status or play big minutes.
Quote
Avtodor head coach Andrea Mazzon:
– We’re finally starting in the VTB League. The guys worked very hard this week and will try to do everything possible to win in the first game of the season. We’re happy to play in front of our fans and hope there’s a sellout tomorrow. We respect Enisey, but need to focus on our game and plan. We need to play like we did in the preseason and not be afraid to make mistakes. I trust the players and am confident they will do a great job of preparing mentally.
