MBA-MAI — CSKA, 18 February 2026

One player in double-digits

The second team from the capital started the season strongly, spending a long time in the top four, but gradually fell to the middle of the standings and is currently holding on to seventh place. Moreover, Vasily Karasev's men are certainly in a fighting mood: before the All-Star break, the team suffered a narrow home loss to Enisey.

The experienced Andrei Zubkov remains the Muscovites' leader in scoring and rebounding (15.0 points, 6.3 rebounds), and he is the only player to reach double-digit points. Next in line is the newly crowned winner of the Three-Point Contest, Pavel Savkov, with 9.8 points on 38.5% shooting from three-point range. MBA-MAI currently has three players out: veterans Artem Komolov and Vladislav Trushkin, as well as young center Maxim Ogarkov. However, CSKA youth team graduate Alexander Gudumak has been helping the team since the New Year.

Refreshed

The break allowed the coaching staff to give their players three full days off at the beginning of last week. However, the team has been training hard since Thursday in Krylatskoye. Ivan Zaitsev, who suffered a broken foot, remains sidelined and has been replaced in the starting lineup by CSKA-2 leader Yaroslav Nikonov.

"MBA-MAI is a team that has been playing good basketball lately; they are very competitive against top opponents and play with particular motivation," noted CSKA head coach Andreas Pistiolis. "I hope we'll look fresher after the break and pick up where we left off. I expect us to play seriously and have a good game."

Past matchups

Win/loss ratio: 11-0

Game of the 2025-26 season:

21-Dec-2025. CSKA – MBA-MAI: 97-58 (+39)

Brief dossier

MBA-MAI Moscow

Founded: 2011
Colors: white, red
Home arena: Basket Hall Moscow (5,000 spectators)
President: Tatyana Kocharyan
Head coach: Vasily Karasev
Website: mbabasket.pro
Trophy case: 2014 Russian Major League runners-up, bronze medalist of the Russian Cup (2023, 2025)