BC “Prometey” – BC “Lietkabelis Panevezys”(Lithuania). October 12. 19:00. Group tournament 7DAYS EuroCup. Group A. 1st tour. Riga(Latvia). “Arena Riga”. Video broadcast - YouTube channel “DIVISPORT BASKETBALL”.
Tomorrow, on October 12, another 7DAYS EuroCup tournament starts, the second in status in the European club hierarchy. “Prometey” debuts in this competition with the home duel against Lithuanian club “Lietkabelis Panevezys”. In the previous two seasons our team first represented Ukraine in the FIBA EuroCup and then in the Champions League.
In these two tournaments, “Prometey” was quite successful. They finished the group round of FIBA EuroCup with the 100% result, but lost to Belgian “Mons”in the 1/8 finals. In the Champions League, “red and white” successively passed three qualification stages, the first group round, play-in stage. However, in the second group tournament, having had quite good chance to advance to play-off, they were forced to withdraw from the competition because of the war in Ukraine.
And now is the premiere in the 7DAYS EuroCup, which is held under the auspices of Euroleague. The start of this tournament was in the 2002/2003 season after the Saport Cup and the Korac Cup united in 2002. The record holder in terms of number of victories is Spanish “Valencia” – 4.
This year, matches will be held according to the last year's scheme: 20 teams, devided into two groups, initially will play in the two-round tournament. Then, 8 best teams from each group will advance to the play-off. All tours of the second stage of the competition, starting from the 1/8 final, will consist of one match.
The first, out of 9 “Prometey” opponents in group A, “Lietkabelis Panevezys” represents a city in the north of Lithuania – Panevezys, the fifth largest city in the country. The basketball club was founded in 1964 and has had its current name since 2011. “Lietkabelis Panevezys” is a two-time silver medallist of the Lithuanian championship and a three-time finalist of the National Cup. The last set of silver medals of Lithuanian Superleague (LKL) was obtained last season. At the same time, in the semi-final play-off series, the “Prometey” rival defeated the long-time leader of Lithuanian club basketball, regular Euroleague participant, Kaunas “Zalgiris” with the score of 3:1. In the final series LKL “Lietkabelis” lost in three matches to “Ritas” from Vilnius.
Last Sunday, “Zalgiris” took revenge on “Lietkabelis” for all fails of the previous season. The club from Kaunas won 74:66 in the away match in Panevezys, but before that both teams won three matches each in the LKL. Now, the 4th in club history participation in the 7DAYS EuroCup, is in the agenda of “Lietkabelis”.The club from Panevezys has never advanced beyond the second group stage. And the current tournament format, when there is a wide “window” to advance to the next stage and any tour of play-off consists of one match, gives “Lietkabelis” great opportunities to demonstrate the best club result in the EuroCup.
The current roster of the “Prometey” opponent is quite balanced in terms ofin lines and the players’ age. The oldest “Lietkabelis” player is a 34-year-old Croat Zeljko Sakic. Zeljiko, with his 19 points, became the most effective player of his team in their September match LKL with “Siauliai” (88:85 in favour of “Lietkabelis”). His colleague Vitenis Lipkevicius (33 years old) successfully played in the match againt “Zalgiris”. An American guard, 29-year-old Jamel Morris is quite an experienced player as well.
Regarding the younger players, it is worth mentioning a 23-year-old Estonian point guard, Kristian Kullamae and two Lithuanian talents Mantas Rubstavicius (number 3, 20 years old) and Paulius Murauskas (forward, 18 years old). Kristian Kullamae became well-known to “Prometey” representatives in the National team at the last EuroBasket. In the match Estonia-Ukraine (73:74), Kullamae brought 11 points to the Estonian team, but did not realise a three-point throw in the last seconds, that could have brought victory for the Estonian National team. Rubstavicius cut his teeth in “Zalgiris”. Murauskas can be considered as one of the leaders of “Lietkabelis”.
The head coach of “Prometey”, Ronen Ginzburg pays tribute to the first opponent of his wards in the 7DAYS EuroCup: “This is the team with great traditions, particularly with the experience of playing in the EuroCup and the Champions League. Lithuanian basketball, at all times, is a very good basketball. Right now, “Lietkabelis” is a first-second team of the league. Last season they were in second place in the Lithuanian Championship. They are good and a really strong opponent, and, of course, we respect them”.
Talking about the current condition of the team, Ronen Ginzburg noted, that it’s not 100%, but all participants of EuroCup are at the same level of readiness. At the same time, the team is completely ready for the upcoming match, which gives fans every right to hope for a successful start in the 7DAYS EuroCup.
To follow the course of the match “Prometey” – “Lietkabelis Panevezys”, watch the video broadcast on YouTube channel “DIVISPORT BASKETBALL” on October 12, starting at 19:00
