On Sunday, on the 10th of October “Tsmoki-Minsk” will host the Perm team-“ Parma-Parimatch” in the framework of the VTB United League. The game start at 13.00.
The basketball club “Parma” was founded in August 2012. It was based on the "Basketball Academy" project, founded by the former leaders of the famous PBC Ural Great Perm, which ceased to exist in 2009. Aleksandr Bashminov (became the general director) and Vyacheslav Shushakov (head of the coaching staff). Since the first seasons, “Parma” counted on the players of Perm basketball school, what favorably distinguishes it from other Russian clubs. “Molot” Sports Palace is the home arena of the team, which accommodates 7000 spectators.
"Parma” started in the major leagues and the Super League of the Russian Championship. At first it looked modest, but with time it began to increase in power. The first significant success came in 2016. The Ural team made it to the "Final Four" of the Cup of Russia, which was held in Perm. In the title match they outplayed St. Petersburg’s “Zenit” (97:65) and won an honorary trophy. Three years later they won the Cup for the second time.
In July 2016, “Parma” was accepted into the VTB United League. The debut season was unsuccessful. The team had only one win, therefore, they were in last place in the tournament.
In the 2019/20 season “Parma” was in eighth place with 8 wins in 18 games and was a real contender for first place in the playoffs of the VTB United League, but, because of the coronavirus pandemic, the championship was interrupted.
Regarding the relationship between “Tsmoki-Minsk” and “Parma”, in the past 9 games (in the 2019/20 season, the game in Minsk was not held because of the pandemic) the Belarusian team won more often - 5/4.
In September, “Parma” and “Tsmoki-Minsk” participated in Champions League qualification. In the group "D", which was played in Sofia, Parma outplayed Israel Hapoel Eilat B.C. (79:76) and French Le Mans Sarthe Basket (82:69). In these games, the center of the Belarusian national team Artsiom Parakhouski made his debut as part of “Parma” and showed himself in all his glory: 12 + 7 rb + 2 bl— in the first and "double-double" 11 + 10 rb — on the second. However, in the decisive battle for entry into the group round of the Champions League, the Perm team lost to the Ukrainian “Prometey” (65:67).
The match with “Prometey” was the last one that the Ural team held under the old name. After signing a cooperation agreement with an international betting company, the name became double - "Parma-Parimatch".
The team's progress in recent seasons is directly related to the fact, that in 2019 it was headed by the Lithuanian coach Kazys Maksvytis. For quite a long period, he led the Lithuanian youth teams of different ages and achieved great achievements with them: three times with the teams U-16, U-18 and U-20 he won the Europe Championship, and with the U-19 he became the world champion. In 2019, The Lithuanian Basketball Federation offered Maksvytis to lead his native country's national team, but after discussions with Parma's management, the coach declined the offer, citing that he wanted to concentrate entirely on his work for the club. And in mid-September 2021, the 44-year-old coach received a second invitation to become the head coach of the Lithuanian national team. This time he gave his consent. Whether the coaching job will have a negative impact on “Parma-Parimatch's” results, the season will show.
The team composition of “Parma-Parimatch”:
Defenders:
3. Adas Juskevicius (Lithuania, 3.01.1989, 193)
8. Jeremiah Hill (USA, 4.09.1995, 188)
11. Marcel Ponitka (Poland, 28.08.1997, 194)
12. Vladislav Perevalov (21.10.2001, 191)
18. Evgeny Voronov (7.05.1986, 194)
28. Aleksander Platunov (6.07.1997, 192).
Forwards:
5. Mareks Mejeris (Latvia, 2.09.1991, 207)
6. Eigirdas Zukauskas (Lithuania, 3.06.1992, 204)
22. Gleb Sheiko (19.11.1996, 200)
43. Nikolai Zhmako (9.04.1989, 195)
52. Konstantin Bulanov (Captain, 4.09.1990, 204)
77. Aleksander Kurov (25.09.2000, 205)
Centers:
9. Artsiom Parakhovski (Belarus, 6.10.1987, 211)
35. Artem Zabelin (15.01.1988, 215)
The head coach - Kazys Maksvytis (Lithuania).