After the home match with MBA, our men's team goes to Saratov, where they will play Avtodor for the second time this season. In the previous meeting, which took place in October at the Minsk Falcon Club Arena, the guests won with a score of 97:72. Read more about how things have been going with the opponent since then in our preview.
Season 2022/23
Our team is preparing to take the long-awaited revenge, because the meeting with MINSK in October brought Avtodor the first victory of the season. Now the opposing team is on the 9th line of the standings with 6 wins in 17 matches. The Volga team also beat Astana (94:72), Samara (74:69), Enisey (86:81), and MBA (72:68) in previous meetings. Perhaps the most sensational victoria of the season, the team of Darko Russo can boast after the game with the current champions. On December 18” Avtodor beat Zenit with a score of 91:79.
A month ago Avtodor signed an agreement with Serbian coach Darko Russo, who has 28 years of professional career behind him. Previously, the specialist headed the Serbian “Partizan”, the Montenegrin “Budućnost”, the Greek “Apollo”, “Marusia” and “Iraklis”, the Bosnian “Igokea", the Austrian “Vienna“ and the Ukrainian "Khimik". In the 2021/22 season, Darko headed Astana, under his leadership, the Kazakh team also won a sensational victory over Zenit.
After signing several foreign players, the average age of Avtodor players is 24 years, the average height is 201 cm. In November, Montenegrin heavy forward Danilo Nikolic joined the club. Nikolic previously played for the French club “Dijon”, Belgrade “Mega”, Spanish “Bilbao”, as well as for Montenegrin “Budućnost”, “Lovcen” and “Gorshtak". In 9 duels in the composition “Avtodor” Danilo averaged 12.2 points per game, adding to them 5.9 rebounds and 1.4 assists.
American defender Malik Newman also played for Saratov in 9 matches, spending an average of about 31 minutes on the floor per game. Malik scored 16.4 points, made 2.7 rebounds and 2.8 assists.
American-Brazilian point guard Scott Machado, who has experience playing for NBA teams, played three games in the squad “Avtodor” with the following average statistics: points – 11.0, rebounds – 2.7, assists – 3.3, steals – 1.0.
Forward of MINSK Kanstantsin Pasko: "The game in Saratov will definitely be difficult. Avtodor, after defeating Zenit, which is currently in third place in the VTB United League standings, will be serious. Every game, every minute spent on the floor is important to us. We hope, of course, to win. I really want to please our "sixth player", our fans."
Avtodor's pre-match roster (Saratov)
Guards:
1. Vytalius Pranauskis (195 cm, 08.12.2002, Russia),
4. Malik Newman (02/21/1997, 190 cm, USA),
8. Scott Machado (08.06.1990, 187 cm, Brazil)
9. Alexandr Petenev (197 cm, 24.11.2000, Russia),
10. Nikita Mikhailovskii (203 cm, 10.09.2000, Russia),
11. Andrey Ivanov (200 cm, 23.07.2003, Russia),
24. Evgenii Kolesnikov (195 cm, 12/26/1985, Russia).
Forwards:
2. Christian Jones (201 cm, 06.07.1993, USA),
12. Andrey Fedorov (200 cm, 19.08.2003, Russia),
15. Brandon Garrett (206 cm, 30.08.1990, USA),
23. Andrei Pechkin (206 cm, 12.02.2002, Russia),
25. Rade Zagorac (204 cm, 12.08.1995, Serbia),
34. Danilo Nikolic (08.04.1993, 207 cm, Montenegro),
Center:
14. Evgeniy Minchenko (215 cm, 13.12.1994, Russia).
The head coach is Darko Russo (Serbia).
The live broadcast of the match will be available on the VTB United League website, as well as on Belarus 5 Internet. Let's support MINSK!