CSKA — Avtodor, 23 November 2022
LIVE (for Russia): Match! Igra, Match! Strana, Start TV, VTB-League.com, MatchTV.ru, SportBox.ru
Nov 24 (Thu):
Match! Igra: 7:50, 21:30
Match! Strana: 10:05
Start TV: 11:50
PRE-GAME BREAKDOWN
It is interesting that the away meeting took place exactly a month ago - on October 23rd. Then the Saratov team was still headed by Milos Pavicevic, who was later replaced by Darko Russo, and they had Nikola Rebic, now playing for Nizhny Novgorod. Avtodor signed two foreigners - Danilo Nikolic and Malik Newman. Under the new head coach, the team won two in a row, with rookie Newman averaging 20.5 points.
The red-blues returned from Astana on Saturday morning, and on Sunday they returned to work in Krylatskoye (“charged” with the energy of donuts, brought by Samson Ruzhentsev for another hundred points scored). On Tuesday, the team practiced at Megasport without Semen Antonov, who is recovering from surgery.
WORD TO THE COACH
Emil Rajkovic, CSKA head coach:
We will face basically new team, with new coach and two new foreigners. They won two games in a row and they are playing much more aggressive defense now. They will do much better in the second part of the season. We have all players back after injuries (with exception of Antonov) so our tasks will be to insert them back in the system, to match Avtodor’s aggressiveness and to continue our progress as a team.
PAST MATCHUPS
Wins/losses: 60-16
Games of 2021-22 VTB League season:
23-Oct-2022. Avtodor – CSKA: 75-102 (+27)
SHORT DOSSIER
Avtodor Saratov
Founded: 1960
Colors: black, white
Home court: Kristall Ice Palace (5,500)
President: Vladimir Rodionov
Head coach: Darko Russo
Website: www.avtodor.ru
Trophy case: 4-time Russian League runner-up (1994, 97, 98, 99), 2-time Russian League bronze winner (1992, 96), EuroCup semifinalist (1998), Superleague A champion (1997, 98), Superleague B champion (2009), Superleague champion (2013/14)