The roster for the visit was not usual. Injured Victor Khryapa and Aaron Jackson stayed home as well as Anton Astapkovich. Joel Freeland went with the team for the first time this season: he started practicing with the team but not ready to play right now – his goal is to practice individually with athletic trainer Kostas Chatzichristos.
“We play against the German champion, the team that won all four games last month, that has the November MVP, Nicolo Melli, that plays at home pushed by a very supportive crowd,” CSKA head coach Dimitris Itoudis said. “We know their strengths and weaknesses, so we will come to Bamberg prepared. Despite the bad luck we have with injuries, we are in a good situation. The team is united and dedicated to what we are doing. We expect tough physical battle and hopefully it will be a battle based on clear game of basketball.”
The game in Bamberg will be special. One Team Week, a celebration of the important work that Turkish Airlines Euroleague clubs are doing to year-round to marginalized groups in communities all across the continent, will take place at all of the competition’s games between Wednesday and Friday in 10 different countries across the continent.
Close “relations”
Kyle Hines began his Euroleague career with Brose Baskets Bamberg during the 2010-11 season. He helped Bamberg to the German League and Cup double that season.
Nikos Zisis played two seasons for CSKA between 2007 and 2009. Only forwards Victor Khryapa, Andrey Vorontsevich and Nikita Kurbanov remain from his time at the club. Together they won the Euroleague in 2008.
Zisis was a teammate of Nikita Kurbanov during the 2013-14 season at Unics Kazan.
Janis Strelnieks was a teammate of Nikita Kurbanov during the 2012-13 season at Spartak St. Petersburg.
Important numbers
CSKA is the Euroleague’s top scoring team through round 7 this season with an average of 89.9 points per game.
Kyle Hines moved past Darjus Lavrinovic for sole possession of 10th place on the competition’s list of shots blocked last week. He has rejected 125 shots in his Euroleague career. Former CSKA center Aleksey Savrasenko is ninth with 130 career rejections.
Milos Teodosic needs 6 more points to reach the 2,000-point milestone for his Euroleague career. He will become the 17th player to achieve that feat.
Teodosic needs 2 more three-pointers to tie retired CSKA great Trajan Langdon for sixth place on the all-time Euroleague charts with 339 threes.
Teodosic has made at least 1 three-pointer in 31 consecutive Euroleague games, Nando De Colo – in 13, Andrey Vorontsevich – in 9.
De Colo has scored in double figures in each of his last 12 Euroleague appearances, Teodosic – in 7.
De Colo is the Euroleague’s career leader in free throw accuracy. He’s shooting 92.99 %, having made 199 free throws out of 214 attempts over 54 games for Valencia Basket and CSKA.
De Colo has made 16 consecutive free throws in Euroleague action, Vitaly Fridzon – 13, Teodosic – 9.
Past matchups
Wins/losses: 9-0.
2005-06 – Euroleague. Top 16: Brose Baskets – CSKA: 64-75 (+11)
2005-06 – Euroleague. Top 16: CSKA – Brose Baskets: 76-64 (+12)
2011-12 – Euroleague. Regular Season: CSKA – Brose Baskets: 94-74 (+20)
2011-12 – Euroleague. Regular Season: Brose Baskets – CSKA: 78-81 (+3)
2012-13 – Euroleague. Regular Season: CSKA – Brose Baskets: 76-67 (+9)
2012-13 – Euroleague. Regular Season: Brose Baskets – CSKA: 89-97 (+8)
2012-13 – Euroleague. Top 16: CSKA – Brose Baskets: 90-83 (+7)
2012-13 – Euroleague. Top 16: Brose Baskets – CSKA: 58-78 (+20)
2015-16 – Euroleague. Regular Season: CSKA – Brose Baskets: 83-77 (+6)
Short dossier
Brose Baskets Bamberg, Germany
Founded: 1955
Colors: red, white
Homecourt: brose Arena (6,900)
President: Norbert Sieben
Head coach: Andrea Trinchieri
Website: www.brosebaskets.de
Trophy case: 7-time German champion (2005, 07, 10, 11, 12, 13, 15), 4-time German Cup winner (1992, 2010, 11, 12)
