BC SPARTAK SAINT PETERSBURG SIGNS ANTHONY PJ TUCKER

BC Spartak Saint Petersburg has signed a 1 +1 deal with American Power Forward Anthony Tucker, also known as PJ Tucker. Tucker spent last season with German team Brose Baskets, BEKO BBL Champions.

Last season in 10 Euroleague games averaged 8.9 points, 6.3 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game. In BEKO BBL Tucker averaged 16.2 points, 7.1 rebounds and 1,4 assists becoming a key player to win German Bundesliga.

With experience in Hapoel Holon (MVP 2007-08), BC Donetsk, Aris and Montegranaro he will be a key addition to Jure Zdovc´s roster. Now Spartak will work hard to bring new sharp shooters to the backcourt.

Anthony Tucker (PJ Tucker)


Height: 198 cm
Weight: 102 kg
Position: Small Forward
Date of birth: 05/05/1985
Place of Birth: Ralif, North Carolina, USA
Nationality: United States
Career:


2011-2012 - BC "Brose Baskets" (Bamberg, Germany)
2010-2011 - BC "Aris" (Thessaloniki, Greece), BC "Montegranaro" (Montegranaro, Italy)
2009-2010 - BC "Donetsk" (Donetsk, Ukraine), BC "Bnei Hasharon" (Herzliya, Israel)
2008-2009 - BC "Donetsk" (Donetsk, Ukraine)
2007-2008 - BC "Hapoel Holon" (Holon, Israel)
2006-2007 - "Toronto Raptors" (Toronto, Canada)
2003-2006 - University of Texas Team


Achievements: German Champion 2012, Champion of Israel 2008, MVP Championship-2008 Israel.

The chances of Triumph Lyubertsy to play VTB United League 2012-2013, close to 100 percent

VTB United League keeps on innovating, developing and increasing the number of teams in its fourth regular season. Founded in 2008 and sponsored by VTB Bank it will feature a total of 20 teams next season. There will be a lot of expectations in 2012-13 VTB League as, for the first time, it will directly affect the distribution of the European Cup licenses.


2012/13 season will be particularly important from an organizational point of view as Russian PBL and VTB League will merge into this new tournament. Leaded by Sergei Ivanov and Andrey Shirokov,  VTB President and CEO,  they have got the support of the Euroleague. Thanks to their efforts in the future of the tournament,  the competition will move forward  to conquer new markets.


Triumph Lyubertsy , most likely, will be the nineteenth contender in next VTB League season. 
Now the question is which club will get the twentieth spot?


18 out of 20 participants of VTB United League, are already known: 


Russia: CSKA Moscow, Khimki, UNICS Kazan, Lokomotiv Kuban, Spartak Saint Petersburg, Nizhny Novgorod, Krasnye Krylia, Enisey Krasnoyarsk.


Lithuania: Zalgiris Kaunas, Lietuvos Rytas.
Ukraine:  Azovmash Mariupol, Budivelnyk.
Latvia: VEF Riga.
Belarus: Minsk 2006.
Kazakhstan: BC Astana.
Poland:  Asecco Prokom.
Czech Republic: Basketball Nymburk.
Estonia: Kalev Kramo.


More than ten teams have requested for the two vacancies for next season. Which ones and how - directly or through qualifications - get into the tournament will be determined no later than mid-July. Meanwhile, league continues to receive and consider bids from all corners.


These are the main contenders for the two remaining spots:


Russia: Triumph Lyubertsy 
Ukraine: Donetsk, Dnipro and BC Kiev
Poland: Prokom Trefl Sopot and Zielona Gora
Lithuania: Siauliai and Neptunas
Sweden: Norrköping Dolphins.


It is almost impossible to predict which team will accompany Triumph as new members for next season. Apparently, as in previous seasons, the lucky club will be determined by qualifications and terms of a system which (along with a calendar of the main stage) will be approved by the Board of VTB League in July. That will be held  even after Turkish Airlines Euroleague Draw. 


In my opinion, BC Donetsk has many options to clinch twentieth voucher as it´s the most powerful team among the last contenders. However, LKL clubs (Siauliai and Neptunas) are working hard to get another spot in the competition.  For the following seasons, it would be quite interesting to see representatives of new countries as BC Armia of Tbilisi. The Georgian club is seriously improving  and growing as they shew this past season at FIBA Eurochallenge.


There are high expectactions in the future of this VTB United League Competition and these are the best news for Basketball fans in Europe.

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.