The playoffs begin today in St. Petersburg as Zenit hosts VEF. The League’s top eight teams will battle for a championship, competing in best-of-five game series.
In advance of the postseason, executives at each of the eight playoff clubs answered five questions.
Natalia Furaeva, vice president
1. The intensity. Obviously, we played a lot of games in the EuroLeague and not only the VTB League, but the overall impression isn’t divided by competition. For us, the regular season went well. We finished in 1st place, and, with rare exceptions, tried to play with focus and take a championship approach in every game. It was also great to see a lot of games in pretty good quality on TV. The League deserves an extra thank you for the work done.
2. You can absolutely see Zenit’s progress. They finished ahead of teams in the standings that are typically seen as Russian basketball powerhouses. St. Petersburg dealt us our worst loss of the regular season and did so after getting blown out in the USH CSKA. Enisey also looked really good this season.
3. I would mention Frank Elegar of Enisey. We knew about his ability and he showed what he could do for Kalev in the VTB League and Milan in the EuroLeague. But he had a very significant impact on his team’s success this season. Since we’re talking about surprises, which means we aren’t picking already established stars, I specifically want to give the Krasnoyarsk center credit.
4. Increasing the overall number of games forced management and the coaching staff to do a lot of work to restructure our team’s workflow in a lot of ways. Overall, I think we handled it well, but the extra load on the team and every division of the club made itself felt at the beginning of the season.
5. It’d be great if all the teams surprised the fans with exciting, competitive basketball.
Zenit Russia
2nd place (21-3)
Olga Antonova, deputy general director
1. As far as our team is concerned, the 15-game winning streak, which began on December 21 and continued until the end of the regular season, made the season memorable.
As for the League, the All-Star Game in Sochi made the biggest impression.
2. Enisey. In my opinion, they were one of the most successful teams this season in regards to value. The Siberians played well all season, despite being in two competitions and dealing with the challenges of frequent long flights. For the first time in its history, Enisey finished the regular season with a winning record.
3. Nick Minnerath of Avtodor. For winning the League scoring title, despite not really standing out any other clubs prior to this season.
4. Moving to a new arena at the SC Yubileyniy. To begin with, we had to equip an ice arena for basketball from scratch with very little time.
5. I hope Enisey continues to surprise everyone with its play.
Khimki Russia
3rd place (19-5)
Pavel Astakhov, general director
1. Of course, the All-Star Game in Sochi, which was run on a very professional level. The number of fans that attended the grand event speaks for itself. The event also included a youth basketball league final, college all-star game and celebrity game. This was a very good start, which needs to be continued and developed further.
2. VEF surprised me this season, not only by beating Khimki in the first game of the season. Riga finished 7th in the regular season, which they hadn’t been able to do before. I think they got this outcome by combining youth and experience, as well as excellent play from their leader, Janis Blums.
3. Slava Zaitcev was the biggest revelation as he earned a spot in the starting rotation and strengthened his grip on the role. Given the shortage at point guard, I think the Russian national team could use him too.
4. Definitely injuries to leading players. Evans is out for the rest of the season with a serious injury, Shved was hurt and missed two games against CSKA. Those circumstances were probably the most challenging for us.
5. I don’t like surprises, so I hope no one shocks anyone.
Lokomotiv-Kuban Russia
4th place (19-5)
Andrey Vedishchev, club president
1. The 1st-ever VTB United League All-Star Game.
2. I’d note Enisey. Both games against this team were surprisingly challenging.
3. Personally, Stefan Markovic of Zenit was a revelation: both his play and impact on the outcome.
4. Already at the beginning of the season, we had to take quick steps to save our season in the EuroCup and VTB United League. I think we managed to do it.
5. I’m confident it will be Lokomotiv-Kuban, because there are two EuroLeague teams blocking our path to the finals, including the reigning champion in Europe’s top competition.
UNICS Russia
5th place (15-9)
Evgeny Bogachev, club president
1. We had a tough time. We were also playing in the EuroLeague. This was our 3rd time in the competition, thanks to taking 2nd place in the VTB United League last season. We played against powerhouses like Real Madrid, Barcelona and Panathinaikos. We played CSKA four times in the regular season. The fans enjoyed it and filled up the arena.
2. Parma. They were a new team in the League and Perm’s first season didn’t go very well, but we also let down our guard. We barely escaped Perm, winning in overtime. They scared a lot of teams. Those are some amazing guys. Enisey also surprised this season. We beat them by a big margin in Kazan, but they defeated us at home.
But Parma, of course, is first. Maybe they will be able to restore Ural-Great’s former glory!
3. Our Artsiom Parkahouski. This is his 2nd season at UNICS. He’s playing extremely well and and took all of his positive traits to the next level.
4. We had a very busy schedule this season. There was only one day between games and the team took the court literally straight from the plane. There wasn’t time to recover, which is why we had so many injuries. Players were on the injured list for months. That’s why we suffered some disappointing losses and fell in close games.
5. Zenit. They are in 2nd place right now. They’ve got every chance to make the finals.
Enisey Russia
6th place (13-11)
Vladimir Petrakovsky, general director
1. The regular season had a lot of intrigue. With 2-3 games remaining, it still wasn’t clear who and wouldn’t make the playoffs. Obviously, some teams had a better chance than others, but everyone battled to the end.
2. I would note Baltic clubs VEF and Kalev, as well as Tsmoki-Minsk. These teams played quality basketball. Everyone else played as expected.
3. Vlad Trushkin. He’s in his first season in the VTB League and played quite well.
4. Happily, the season went well and there weren’t any major challenges or problems. Moving to a new arena raised some concerns about playing on a court above ice. We were a little nervous, since our suppliers were a little late with the protective surface. But, as it turned out, nothing is impossible and we tested and polished everything. Now it’s no problem for hockey players to play one day and basketball players the next.
5. Until the playoffs start, I’d say everyone!
VEF Latvia
7th place (11-13)
Edgars Janups, board chairman
1. Our first win of the season over Khimki comes to mind immediately. We had never previously beat them. This is our 2nd time reaching the VTB United League playoffs. The incredible All-Star Game was also one of the biggest events of the season. The event was run very professionally. Thanks to the League for doing it.
2. I’d note Zenit. Throughout the season, the team played at a high level. They took one more step toward the top. St. Petersburg may not have realized its potential in the EuroCup, but they showed their quality several times in the VTB League, beating the leaders. I’d even say that Zenit’s ability is on par with EuroLeague teams.
3. Janis Blums was the biggest and most pleasant surprise. Signing him we knew we were getting a very good player, captain and leader. But his ability to play at a high level in every game was unexpected. Many top teams wanted to buy Blums during the season, which says a lot.
4. We had fewer games than in previous seasons. It was important to work with the schedule so that the team stayed sharp. We needed to be at our best before big games. In most situations I think we managed to do that, which is why we made the playoffs.
5. Zenit can surprise. St. Petersburg could go very far in the playoffs. But they still need to beat VEF!
Astana Kazakhstan
8th place (9-15)
Valery Tikhonenko, general manager
1. I’ll remember this season for our team’s return to the VTB United League’s top eight. The extremely well-run and 1st-ever League All-Star Game was also a memorable event. I’ll also probably remember the Perm fans, who continued to support the team and believe in a win no matter the results. You can probably only find that type of love for your team in the VTB United League!
2. The biggest surprise, of course, was our team, Astana. We started the season with a completely new team. We signed a contract with a young, ambitious coach, signed the top players on the Kazakh national team and several young foreigners. Did I think we could make the VTB United League playoffs? I believed in it and it happened! In the end, we were able to surprise a lot of skeptics, which makes me very happy. But VEF Riga and Enisey Krasnoyarsk also need to be mentioned. They did very good work this season. I think the Astana – Enisey game that went to double overtime was a highlight of the season.
3. I’ll note my players here. First of all, of course, would be the national team players. Coach added at least two more players, Rustam Murzagaliev and Alexander Zhigulin to our leaders Ergali and Ponomarev. Our young guys Vadim Shcherbak, Denis Degtyarev, Maxim Marchuk also made progress. I want to say that if Dima Gavrilov believes in himself, he could become a key player on the team! I also have to mention Miller, Krubally, Lowery. These guys played very good basketball and there were games when each of them rewarded our fans with incredible performances.
As for players on other teams, I was surprised by Latvian sniper Janis Blums’ revival. He played great on our team, but he’s doing unbelievable things with VEF. Sometimes you just have to marvel. Don’t forget he’s one of the oldest players in the VTB United League.
4. There was one very challenging moment during the season. We had big upcoming games in the League, but they were preceded by the Kazakhstan Cup in basketball. Only native players can compete in the competition. Foreign players are not permitted. The cup lasts a week and I had to figure out what to do with our six foreigners. Should I leave them in Astana or take them to practice in Almaty? I chose the second option and never regretted it. The support our foreign players gave our guys I’ve never seen anywhere else. That’s when the team really bonded for a second time. We won the Kazakhstan Cup, reached the VTB League playoffs and recently became Kazakh champions. I think our decision was fully justified.
5. I’ll be simple and say that every team in the playoffs could surprise!
