BC Astana Tigers & Kazakh Basket : One Step Further

One year ago, Valery Tikhonenko (General Director of BC Astana Tigers), managed his team to join VTB United League. The former USSR basketball legend succeeded in bringing this powerful competition to Kazakhstan. Quite an important achievement to develop basketball in the nation.

BC Astana Board wanted to create a solid project and the first stage was signing head coach Matteo Boniccioli. The italian did not hesitate and accepted the challenge. Then the following step was to build up a competitive starting five: (PG) Jerry Johnson (Galatasaray), (SG) Branko Cvetkovic (BC Donetsk), (PF) Rawle Marshall (PAOK), (F) Eric Johnson (Cantú) and (F) Goran Cakic (Mega Vizura) joined the club. Unquestionably, quite a solid core of ballers in ULEB competitions. During the season other foreigners as (F) Igor Milosevic, (F) Greer Wright and (PG) Luka Drca came to Astana to reinforce the roster. Of course there was also space for Kazakh players as Rustam Yargaliyew and Vsevolod Fadeykin.

The results have been quite positive in this first VTB League experience, with a 7/9 balance in the 2011-12 regular season, winning historical games vs Zalgiris and Khimki Moscow. Astana Tigers have almost qualified to the playoffs and they will try harder next season. They want to grow and develop as a powerhouse in this competition.

2012-13 Season and Kazakhstan National Team

Six weeks ago, the club announced that coach Boniccioli and PG Jerry Johnson had extended his contract for two more years. In the same time Luka Drca, Branko Cvetkovic and Rawle Marshall re-signed for another season, as well. 

Boniccioli, has not only extended his contract with BC Astana but also has become the new head coach of the Kazakhstan NT, with a two-year contract. PG Jerry Johson has got the Kazakh passport and will play for the NT to get to Asiabasket 2013. 

Appart from keeping last season key players, BC Astana has announced the signing of two big centers this week: David Simon (Radnicki Kragujevac) and Andreas Glyniadakis (Olympiakos). They will replace Eric Johnson and Goran Cakic in the paint.  

Simon (207 1982) has had an outstanding season in Adriatic League averaging 19.4 points and 6.5 rebounds per game. Glyniadakis (216 1981) will add deffensive attitude, intimidation, rebounding skills and a lot of experience after winning Euroleague title with Olympiakos.