The VTB League newcomers will play their first games against CSKA and Lokomotiv Kuban.
Samara (Samara) – CSKA (Moscow)
Time: 19:00 (18:00 Moscow time)
Place: Russia, Samara, Dvorets Sporta
Broadcast: TV Start, League website
Samara: The Samara team will play the first game against, possibly, the most difficult opponent in the League – CSKA. But the Army team is not the favorite. After all, Samara managed to make noise in the summer by signing bunch of strong players. What is only James Ennis transfer, who played in the NBA for 8 years before that! The team had a shock pre-season training, Samara beat UNICS and won the Primatov Home Cup and are approaching their debut game in the VTB League in a fighting mood.
CSKA: However, even with Samara summer signings, the Army team are going to their first game of the season as favorites. On the side of the Moscow team is an experience that should not be underestimated. Alexey Shved, who missed the SuperCup, has returned to the roster and other CSKA leaders are also ready to play. The head coach Emil Rajkovic stressed that Samara will be extremely motivated for the first game in front of their fans, so it is not necessary to expect CSKA to underestimate rivals.
Lokomotiv Kuban (Krasnodar) – MBA (Moscow)
Tina: 20:00 (Moscow time)
Place: Russia, Krasnodar, Basket-Hall
Broadcast: TV Start, Match! Igra, League website
Lokomotiv Kuban: This season, the Krasnodar team are focusing on their youth, who showed their potential last spring. Martyuk, Shcherbenev, Emchenko, Vedishchev with Jaylen Barford and Darral Willis will try to please Krasnodar fans with a win in the first game. The chances are not bad, the home court and the the first game in the VTB League for MBA at all. Alexander Sekulic has already pleasantly surprised at the SuperCup, getting two wins in three games.
MBA: The Moscow team is starting to write a new chapter of the history in Krasnodar. There are no legionnaires in Vasily Karasev’s team, but this will only make it more interesting to follow MBA. Their advantage is in a long line–up, where almost any player can shoot in a single game. In Krasnodar, MBA needs to guard the unstoppable Barford and defend Martyuk and Willis, as well to catch Loko on mistakes and punish them.
