The new Moscow Region Head Coach, Kestutis KEMZURA is well aware that it won't be easy for his team in the game against the most renown Serbian club (ex-Yugoslavia).

— I have to develop some split-second combinations for the team. I am grateful to my colleagues, who have given me good suggestions, as Russell Bergman did on Saturday’s game several times. But this does not exempt me from the task: we must fight for victory and try to bring it home from Belgrade.

— It's enough to glance at the club’s statistics to understand that the key man on the rival team is Milan Gurovic (forward). Despite his 30 years, he has rarely spent less than 35 minutes on court, scoring 27.0 points and more than 5 rebounds on average per game in the ULEB Cup. All their opponents know this, but can't stop Milan. He even makes his opponent foul almost eight times per game. If we can stop Milan, we can win the game. An added plus is that the return game will be held on our home court, while the match in the Pionir Hall will be empty of spectators (from ULEBs sanctions against the Serbian team’s fans). It's not worth discussing Serb fan support.

Making do without Gurovic…

On Saturday, almost simultaneously facing off Khimki, the Serb team, Crvena Zvezda, played as visiting team in an Adriatic League game. The strongest ex Yugoslavian clubs face off in the battle for the medals in the National Championship games from the second stage, and they played the Bosnian Siroki. This club now holds no. 12 in ranking, after a defeat against the Serbian capital’s team: 76-85 (27-24, 21-21, 15-14, 13-26).

Without taking into account the two outsiders, the results from the dozen clubs are consistent: the advantage the leader, Cibona has over Siroki is of 8 victories (after 19 days). Without Milan Gurovic, the best of the visiting team were Dragicevic: 22 points + 8 rebounds, Antic: 17, Radivoevic: 11.

Meet the opponent

The club with the red insignia was founded after the end of the Second World War in 1945, as the Armed Forces of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. They held the championship 15 times: 1946–55, ’69, ’72, ’93, ’94, and ‘98. Silver medalists in 1984, ‘85, ‘90, ‘92, ‘99, 2004, and ’06. Bronze medalists: 1995, 2000, 2003-04. Six — time National Cup, and 1974 Cup of Cups winner. The team played the ULEB Cup on four occasions, clinching a place in the quarter finals of last season. Crvena has one foreigner on their roster, the North American guard, Billy Thomas.

Crvena Zvezda
(Belgrade, Serbia)

4	Igor Krasnic	Guard	1988	192
5	Igor Milosevic	Guard	1986	192
6	Marco Popadic	Guard	1989	190
7	Steven Markovic	Forward	1985	190
9	Petar Popovic	Forward	1979	211
11	Mirko Kovac	Guard	1983	195
12	Billy Thomas	Guard	1975	193
13	Nenad Misanovic	Center	1984	217
15	Milan Gurovic	Forward	1976	207
18	Vuk Radivojevic	Guard	1983	195
20	Tadija Dragicevic	Forward	1986	209
21	Pero Antic	Forward	1982	209
55	Nemanja Alexandrov

Head Coach: Dragan Sakota
Assistant coaches: Stevan Karagic, Sasha Nikitovic, Predrag Zimonic