Game with Cholet Basket is a first match for our team in Eurocup 2011/2012. Our team moved to France in full strength — so far injured Croatian guard Zoran Planinic joined the squad. The yellow-blue landed in Nantes, and moved to Cholet via bus.

CHOLET BASKET (Cholet, France)

The French club is not a Eurocup rookie, vivid Euroleague 2010/2011 performance makes respect and fear this team. The team debuted in the first division in the 1987–88 season and after managing to get to the premier league in only 12 years. After winning the National Cup in 1999, Cholet automatically qualified for its first participation to the Euroleague (3 victories – 13 defeats). During the 2004–05 season 10 of the 12 players in the first team derrived from the youth system. Some of the most illustrious players who had their debut in the team are Antoine Rigaudeau, Jim Bilba and Mickaël Gelabale.

During the 2008–2009 season, Cholet was defeated by Virtus Bologna in the EuroChallenge's Final (75–77). In 2010, Cholet finished first of the 2009–2010 Pro A League regular season and won the championship after defeating Le Mans in the Play-Offs Final (81–65). Thanks to its national champion title, Cholet was automatically qualified for the 2010–2011 Euroleague season. Cholet was eliminated during the first round (4 victories – 6 defeats) of the 2010–2011 Euroleague after defeating prestigious (and at the time unbeaten) Fenerbahçe Ülker (82–78).

In 2011, Cholet, defending its title finished 1st again of the 2011-12 Pro A League regular season and was only defeated during the finals by SLUC Nancy (74-76).

CITY OF CHOLET

Cholet is a commune of western France in the Maine-et-Loire department. It was the capital of military Vendée. Its population is about 55000 people (census 2006). Cholet stands on an eminence on the right bank of the Moine, which used to be crossed by a bridge from the fifteenth century. It is about 50 km southeast of Nantes.

During the early years of the French revolutionary wars, the town found itself at the heart of the counter-revolutionary struggle in the Vendée, culminating in October 1793 with the Battle of Cholet which was won by the republicans and followed by a period of brutal government repression.

HOME COURT

La Meilleraie is an indoor sporting arena located in Cholet, France. The capacity of the arena is 5,191 people. It is currently home to the Cholet Basket basketball. Cholet Basket fan-club names les C’BULLS.

EXCHANGE OF OPINIONS

Rimas Kurtinaitis, BC Khimki head coach:

— Cholet Basket is a very serious team with a good roster. Last season the French team took part in the Euroleague and played quite well. It’s a fast and offensive squad, the guys like to score three-pointers and first of all we have to play tough in defense. Home-game factor will be a good advantage for our opponent and for us this game will be not an easy going. Nevertheless we are as usual ready for a battle and go to France only with a one goal – victory.

Kresimir Loncar:

— The game with Cholet Basket is the first BC Khimki match within the bounds of Eurocup and we will try to do all our best for a victory. We scored eight victories in a row and plan to do a ninth win. I don’t know well this team but at the training we saw video and I got first conception about Cholet. Usually French teams play very tough, in the rosters there are a lot of good offensive players and, to my mind, the game will be hard for us.

VISITING CARD

CHOLET BASKET (Cholet, France)

Achievements:

French League (1) — 2010, French Cup (2) — 1998, 1999, La Semaine des As Cup (1) — 2008, Eurocup finalist (1) — 2010

Team colors: Red and White
President: Patrick Chiron
Official website: www.cholet-basket.com

ROSTER

№	Player	Position	Height	Birthday	Nationality
5	Fabien Causeur	G	193	1987	France
6	Vafessa Fofana	F	200	1992	France
7	Luc-Arthur Vebobe	F	202	1980	France
9	Robert Dozier	F	206	1985	USA
11	Robert Hite	G	188	1984	USA
12	Talor Battle	G	182	1988	USA
13	Romain Duport	C	217	1986	France
14	Randal Falker	C	201	1985	USA
15	Rudy Gobert	C	213	1992	France
16	Carl Ona Embo	G	185	1989	France
17	William Gradit	F	197	1982	France
18	Chandler Parsons	F	205	1988	USA
19	Demetris Nichols	F	205	1984	USA
20	Donnie McGrath	G	193	1984	Ireland

Head coach: Erman Kunter (Turkey)