Today two leaders of Russian National team in the 90s Sergey Panov and Vasily Karasev said good-bye to it. The video clip with the best actions and movements of both players were shown in front of the crowd gathered at CSKA Universal Sports Hall. After that the former captain of the National team Karasev gave Andrei Kirilenko the captain band. There is no such accessory in basketball; it was just a symbol.
After the ceremony both heroes gave us short interviews. Sergey Panov mentioned that in general he would not mind returning to the team for World Championship in Japan next year. Vasily Karasev was not so optimistic: ‘Every player and every team has the best time. We had the peak in the late 90s. I gave the National team a lot, the National team gave me even more, but it is time to leave. Probably I am even late with it.’
After that a new National team played the Supercup of Federations game against Lithuania.
Russia vs Lithuania: 77-71 (17-20, 22-8, 14-23, 24-20)
Russia: Holden (17), Monya (17), Kirilenko (11 + 14 reb + 6 bs), Khryapa (11), Morgunov (9), Samoylenko (5), Z.Pashutin(4), Likholitov (2), Fridzon (1).
Lithuania: M.Zukauskas (15), D.Lavrinovic (15 + 9 reb), Yasaytis (11), Jankunas (8 + 7 reb), Ginevicius (6 + 7 ass), Siskauskas (6 + 6 reb), K.Lavrinovic(6 + 7 reb), R.Javtokas (2), Gustas (2)
On the one hand Russia played spectacular basketball. With the great dunks of Kirilenko, Khryapa and Monya, with the actions of J.R.Holden that seemed to be a small performance. But on the other hand the weak point of Russia was the team game. It is clear that the caches have a lot of work to do in a week before the European championship in Serbia.
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