UNICS Kazan hosts Nizhny Novgorod in the 2016-17 season tip-off.
Who:
UNICS, 2015-16 VTB United League runners-up
vs.
Nizhny Novgorod, 2015-16 VTB United League quarterfinalists
Where:
Basket Hall (capacity 7,000), Kazan, Russia
When:
1:00 PM (1:00 PM MSK), October 2, 2016
TV:
Match TV, VTB-League.com
Face to Face
The season opener will not disappoint. The rivalry between UNICS and Nizhny Novgorod has grown in recent years and this game has become much more than another “Volga derby.”
Last season, in addition to splitting two games in the regular season, UNICS and Nizhny also met in the Last 32 stage of the Eurocup. Kazan swept the series, but both teams still advanced to the playoffs.
The two clubs also met in the League playoffs. Gritty defense, bench production, and firepower from Keith Langford helped the White-Greens sweep the series in three games and advance to the semifinals.
Kazan and Nizhny Novgorod have met 11 times in the VTB United League and UNICS holds a commanding 9-2 advantage.
Looking Back
Intrigue
After a very successful campaign in 2015-16, UNICS didn’t make many changes to the roster. Nizhny Novgorod, on the other hand, has everything from a brand-new website and club logo to a new roster and coaching staff. Not surprisingly, Kazan will once again be favored when the two teams tip off on Sunday afternoon.
UNICS brought back last season’s stars and added depth, while Nizhny has had to start fresh, going with a young roster and 31-year-old head coach Arturs Stalbergs.
Kazan enjoyed a productive preseason and is preparing to compete in the Euroleague. Nizhny opened its preseason with four consecutive losses, but the team soon got on track, stringing together five wins.
Though much has changed, Nizhny remains true to its identity and fearless approach. Stalberg’s men don’t yet know what they can do, but are highly motivated to spring an upset in the long-awaited opening game of the season. Will that be enough to stop an experienced, disciplined, and veteran-laden UNICS? We’ll know soon.
Old Friends
The rivalry has grown with each season, but there’s been a lot of player movement between the clubs. Vadim Panin (2011-14) and Artsiom Parakhouski (2014-15) made names for themselves in Nizhny before leaving for Kazan. Petr Gubanov did the same after his breakout season in 2013-14, but returned to Nizhny this summer.
Question
Can Nizhny Novgorod stop Keith Langford?
Langford’s value in Kazan is difficult to overestimate. Night in and night out he carries the club, lifting the offense with remarkable consistency. The league’s leading scorer in 2015-16 dominated in the quarterfinals against Nizhny, finishing with 26, 18, and 29 points in the three contests. Not surprisingly, Nizhny will pay close attention to the American guard on Sunday. The outcome of the game may depend on their success.
On offense, Nizhny will likely try to push the tempo. The White-Blacks have two players at each position and they are young, unlike Kazan’s older roster. The biggest challenge for Nizhny is going to be staying focused and maintaing composure for 40 minutes, especially on defense. Nizhny struggled in that area in the preseason: UNICS will not forgive any mistakes.
Duel
Artsiom Parakhouski vs. Petr Gubanov
Gubanov is listed as a center on Nizhny’s roster and will take on the difficult task of guarding Parakhouski. The Russian battled his former teammate many times in practice and knows all of his strengths and weaknesses. Nonetheless, stopping the Belarusian machine is never easy. Gubanov, however, needs to deliver for his team with two very young back-ups in Ilya Popov and Nikita Zverev.
Quotes
UNICS center Artsiom Parakhouski:
– I don’t have anything to prove to my former teammates. I just need to win. But Nizhny Novgorod is a dangerous team, even though they lost their top players over the summer. They’ve brought in replacements. Nizhny is still an ambitious club and always plays with heart. It’s going to be a tough game. It definitely won’t be easy.
Nizhny Novgorod forward Petr Gubanov:
– UNICS is a good team with starpower. We won’t have it easy. We want to force them to play up-tempo, given that Kazan has a lot more older players than Nizhny. Defense will be another key factor. Personally, I’m preparing for this game like any other and am going to give 100%. But I can’t deny that it would be nice to play well against my former club, and, most importantly, pull out a win!