Champions Battle15 october 2015
Our team starts 2015-16 Turkish Airlines Euroleague campaing. On Friday, October 16, 2015 BC Khimki will face the reigning champion Real Madrid. The beginning of the meeting is at 20.00 msk in Basketball center of Moscow Region. We need the support of each fan!
OUR OPPONENT
REAL MADRID (SPAIN)
Founded in 1931
Team colors: white and black
Honors: Spanish National League (1957, 1958, 1960-1966, 1968-1977, 1979, 1980, 1982, 1984-1986, 1993, 1994, 2000, 2005, 2007, 2013, 2015), Spanish National Cup (1951, 1952, 1954, 1956, 1957, 1960-1962, 1965-1967, 1970-1975, 1977, 1985, 1986, 1989, 1993, 2012, 2014, 2015), Spanish Supercup (1985, 2012-2014), Euroleague (1964, 1965, 1967, 1968, 1974, 1978, 1980, 1995, 2015), Eurocup (2007), Saporta Cup (1984, 1989, 1992, 1997), Korac Cup (1988), Intercontinental Cup (1976-1978, 1981, 2015)
Arena: Barclaycard Center (capacity – 15000)
President: Florentino Perez
Official website: www.realmadrid.com/en/basketball
Watch live at NTV-PLUS Basketball and HD Sport.
PRE-GAME QUOTES
Rimas Kurtinaitis, BC Khimki head coach:
“Real is a champion and after three losses in a row they suffer a huge pressure. I understand the very responsibility that is lain on them. The behavior of a stricken breast is tough to predict, as they say. Therefore, after such problems they will play with doubled energy and try to succeed. Another question if they are capable of doing this. They are a very good team and the game undoubtedly will be tough. As for us, we are in a good shape right now but a lot will depend on the very players, their attitude and mood. More or less but I’m satisfied with our preparations so far. We have our own scheme as we have practiced hard since last week. We have clear goals and try to beat Real at home court. Everyone wants to defeat the champion but we are also the champions, just of another Cup so this matchup will be the so-called Supercup of Europe. We are ready to compete”.
James Augustine, BC Khimki forward:
“It’s gonna be a tough game and we have to play hard. Real hasn’t been played very well so far but they are the champions and we accept it. They changed several players from the last season but managed to preserve the core of same players. They pretty much have the same team and it will be hard to compete. Good defense and hard team effort can be the key for this game. We have a run offense right but playing defense will be the key for us”.
Tyler Honeycutt, BC Khimki forward:
“We are excited to start. This is what we wanted form last year and now we have a tough first group. All the teams are good and experienced. It’s gonna be a battle. Real Madrid is a good team every year. They have couple of new and resigned players. Of course, they lost three games in a row but it won’t stop them from being a competitive team as they are. We faced them in a preseason matchup but it was a different Real as they were missing many guys and now it will be a quite different play. We are not to let them make runs as they have dangerous players and everybody can go for 20 points, i.e. Trey Thompkins or other good stretch shooters”.
REAL MADRID (SPAIN)
Founded in 1931
Team colors: white and black
Honors: Spanish National League (1957, 1958, 1960-1966, 1968-1977, 1979, 1980, 1982, 1984-1986, 1993, 1994, 2000, 2005, 2007, 2013, 2015), Spanish National Cup (1951, 1952, 1954, 1956, 1957, 1960-1962, 1965-1967, 1970-1975, 1977, 1985, 1986, 1989, 1993, 2012, 2014, 2015), Spanish Supercup (1985, 2012-2014), Euroleague (1964, 1965, 1967, 1968, 1974, 1978, 1980, 1995, 2015), Eurocup (2007), Saporta Cup (1984, 1989, 1992, 1997), Korac Cup (1988), Intercontinental Cup (1976-1978, 1981, 2015)
Arena: Barclaycard Center (capacity – 15000)
President: Florentino Perez
Official website: www.realmadrid.com/en/basketball
Watch live at NTV-PLUS Basketball and HD Sport.
PRE-GAME QUOTES
Rimas Kurtinaitis, BC Khimki head coach:
“Real is a champion and after three losses in a row they suffer a huge pressure. I understand the very responsibility that is lain on them. The behavior of a stricken breast is tough to predict, as they say. Therefore, after such problems they will play with doubled energy and try to succeed. Another question if they are capable of doing this. They are a very good team and the game undoubtedly will be tough. As for us, we are in a good shape right now but a lot will depend on the very players, their attitude and mood. More or less but I’m satisfied with our preparations so far. We have our own scheme as we have practiced hard since last week. We have clear goals and try to beat Real at home court. Everyone wants to defeat the champion but we are also the champions, just of another Cup so this matchup will be the so-called Supercup of Europe. We are ready to compete”.
James Augustine, BC Khimki forward:
“It’s gonna be a tough game and we have to play hard. Real hasn’t been played very well so far but they are the champions and we accept it. They changed several players from the last season but managed to preserve the core of same players. They pretty much have the same team and it will be hard to compete. Good defense and hard team effort can be the key for this game. We have a run offense right but playing defense will be the key for us”.
Tyler Honeycutt, BC Khimki forward:
“We are excited to start. This is what we wanted form last year and now we have a tough first group. All the teams are good and experienced. It’s gonna be a battle. Real Madrid is a good team every year. They have couple of new and resigned players. Of course, they lost three games in a row but it won’t stop them from being a competitive team as they are. We faced them in a preseason matchup but it was a different Real as they were missing many guys and now it will be a quite different play. We are not to let them make runs as they have dangerous players and everybody can go for 20 points, i.e. Trey Thompkins or other good stretch shooters”.
