Tomorrow, November 7, Tsmoki-Minsk will play a VTB United League home match against Estonian Kalev. The game will take place at the "Falcon Club" arena and will start at 15.00.
The full name of our rival is Kalev-Kramo. The Tallinn club has been writing its history since 1998, and it is the most starring team in Estonia. The full name of our rival is Kalev-Kramo. The Tallinn club has been writing its history since 1998, and it’s the most starring team in Estonia. Kalev is a 12-time national champion, 7 times won the Estonian Cup. In addition, this year they won the Latvian-Estonian League.
Kalev takes part in 3 championships - VTB United League, Champions League and Latvian-Estonian League.
In the Champions League Kalev is in the last place in Group F with one victory in 3 rounds - Tofas (Turkey), Strasbourg (France) and Oostende (Belgium) are ahead of it.
In the Latvian-Estonian league, which unites 14 clubs from the two Baltic countries, Kalev is now in 4th place: the ratio of wins and losses is 3/1.
This is the 13th season for the team in VTB United League. Best achievement - 7th place in the 2018/19 regular season and reaching the playoffs, where the Estonians lost 0: 3 to UNICS in the quarterfinals.
On November 1, Kalev sensationally beat CSKA Moscow at home - 67:56. This success became the second for the team, three more times they lost. With a win rate of 40%, the Blues are at the bottom of the playoff zone.
There are 6 legionnaires in the Kalev roster. These are Americans Kamari Murphy, JeQuan Lewis, Davion Barry and Silas Melson, as well as Latvians Marcis Vitols and Ojars Silins.
The coaching staff is also headed by a foreigner - 46-year-old Latvian specialist Roberts Shtelmahers. Two years ago, he replaced the Lithuanian Donaldas Kairis, who once worked at Tsmoki-Minsk.
By the way, Dragons’ American center Robert Upshaw was playing for “Kalev” in 2016, albeit not for long, only two months. Also, three basketball players from Belarus national team wore the uniform of the Tallinn club: Pavel Ulyanko (in the 2011/12 season), Vitaly Lyutych (2016/17) and Maxim Salash (2018/19).
In Kalev, the leaders in scoring in the VTB League are: JeQuan Lewis averages 13.2 PTS per match + 7 AST + 2.8 REB + 1 STL, Rauno Nurger - 11.6 PTS + 7.4 REB + 1.4 AST + 0.6 STL + 0.6 BLK, Davion Barry - 10.2 PTS + 3.4 REB + 2.6 AST, Silas Melson - 9.2 PTS + 3.6 REB + 2 AST.
In the confrontation between Tsmoki-Minsk and Kalev, there is still a tiny advantage on the side of the Baltics - 6/7. The last time the Dragons won in December 2019 - 84:79. The largest victory was taken by our team in 2016 - 100: 77.
KALEV-KRAMO (Tallin, Estonia)
Guards:
0. Silas Melson (USA, 22.08.1996, 196)
1. JeQuan Lewis (USA, 07.09.1994, 186)
6. Marcis Vitols (Latvia, 02.05.1992, 185)
11. Georg Kask (16.08.2002, 185)
15. Davion Barry (USA, 01.11.1991, 193)
22. Martin Dorbek (21.01.1991, 194)
24. Egerd Haller (01.04.1995, 190)
Forwards:
4. Ojars Silins (Latvia, 20.07.1993, 203)
8. Tanel Kurbas (08.05.1988, 198)
13. Kregor Hermet (09.06.1997, 205)
14. Kristjan Kangur (23.10.1982, 204)
21. Kamari Murphy (USA, 14.09.1993, 204)
33. Kristjan Kitsing (11.12.1990, 205)
Center:
20. Rauno Burger (24.11.1993, 208)
Head Coach - Roberts Shtelmahers (Latvia)