Kondrashin and Belov Cup. Preview
On September 3rd, Zenit started a project "A Day in History" in which we will recall the most significant events from the club's 10-year history. The first major event was the anniversary of the revival of the Cup named after the legends of Leningrad basketball. You can read about the history of the tournament and remember how the first editions of the revived competition took place in this text. Now let's take a closer look what awaits us at this year's Kondrashin and Belov Cup.
Quotes
Alexander Tserkovny, CEO of basketball club Zenit:
We are pleased to welcome all fans and basketball enthusiasts to the traditional Kondrashin and Belov Cup. We hope that this tournament will provide everyone with great motivation and energy for the upcoming basketball season to be held at the highest level. The revived tournament will take place in the city on the Neva for the fourth consecutive year. I wish the teams to show all their best qualities and to give a spectacular and beautiful game for the fans. The start of the new season is near, but the participants can lay the foundation for future victories on the court of the CSC Arena. We invite everyone to come and enjoy basketball!
Alexandra Ovchinnikova, widow of Alexander Belov, honoured master of sports of the USSR, European and world champion:
It is always important to preserve history and pass it on to future generations. Vladimir Petrovich Kondrashin was the first Soviet coach to win the Olympic Games. Sasha was one of the best players, a pupil of Kondrashin, and a native Leningrader. Their memory must be preserved. Zenit is working in the right direction. It is wonderful and pleasing that Zenit has revived the tournament in its current form. Vladimir Petrovich and Sasha grew up on this land, worked here, earned titles, played, and brought glory. Our fellow citizens should know the history and preserve the memory of such people. Therefore, I hope that fans will come to watch our Zenit'on September 5th and 6th.
Ivan Edeshko, 1972 Olympic Champion, honored master of sports of the USSR, honored coach of Russia and the USSR:
I remember all the intense matches we played in Leningrad. I know the basketball fans and supporters. When Vladimir Petrovich Kondrashin and Alexander Belov were working in Leningrad, the team had dedicated fans. A true fan is someone who lines up for tickets on the morning of the game day. These are Kondrashin's words. Kondrashin and Belov are the pride of Leningrad. I have deep respect for them. My great thanks to Zenit for preserving basketball in St. Petersburg and for reviving this tournament. Thanks to the organizers and the club's management for keeping the memory of former players and coaches, for treating veterans with care, and for everyone who loves this game. We remember not only Kondrashin and Belov but also all those who played with them on the same team. I am sure that there will be many basketball fans at the tournament games.
Zenit
The blue-whites have won the last three editions of the Vladimir Kondrashin and Alexander Belov Cup. Since the tournament's revival, Xavier Pascual's team has not relinquished the trophy to anyone.
In the off-season, the club from the banks of the Neva was strengthened by Omari Spellman, Xavier Moon, Dwayne Bacon, Alexander Shcherbenev and Andrey Vorontsevich. Center Alex Poythress also returned after a two-year absence.
The team has been preparing for the new season since mid-August. During this time, the blue-whites played a friendly match against Tambov (105:69) and two games against Erokspor as part of their training camp in Turkey — 94:55 and 95:76. The revamped Zenit will aim to give its best at the home tournament and win the trophy for the fourth time in a row.
Xavier Pascual, head coach of Zenit:
The Vladimir Kondrashin and Alexander Belov tournament is very important for us and for the club because it will be our first meeting with the fans before the new season. Since I took charge of Zenit I have treated this tournament as seriously as possible. I always strive to do everything to win the Vladimir Kondrashin and Alexander Belov Cup. As for the schedule, this time the competition will take place quite early. I hope that the fans will come on September 5th and 6th and will be able to see our entire team together for the first time, enjoy this moment, and the game of Zenit.
Opponents
Kazan's UNICS is well known to Zenit players and the blue-whites fans. Previously, Vince Hunter, Georgy Zhbanov, and the newcomer Andrey Vorontsevich played for the team from Tatarstan. Before the start of the new season, it was announced that former Zenit player Dmitry Kulagin was appointed captain of the team for the upcoming season. UNICS will participate in the Vladimir Kondrashin and Alexander Belov Cup for the second year in a row. Last season, the Kazan club came close to winning the VTB United League playoffs.
Velimir Perasovic, head coach of UNICS:
UNICS is preparing for the final preseason competition before the official VTB United League Super Cup tournament. The Kondrashin and Belov Cup matches in St. Petersburg will show us the current form of the team. At the moment, we are working on establishing team coordination. Unfortunately, two of our players are injured. However, the rest of the team is working hard. It's worth noting that due to the limited number of joint training sessions, we are still unsure of the team's current condition. These matches in St. Petersburg will help us assess our play and make the necessary adjustments. Frankly, it’s difficult for me to objectively evaluate our opponents — Zenit, MBA-MAI, and Pari NN. We haven't yet conducted a detailed analysis or thoroughly studied their strengths. At this stage, the most important thing for UNICS is to establish team coordination and build our game.
The team from Nizhny Novgorod can hardly consider last season's results as a success. On the other hand, as usual, the team is gearing up to exceed expectations and delight their fans with bright and spectacular play. In the Vladimir Kondrashin and Alexander Belov Cup, the Nizhny Novgorod team will kick off on September 5th with a match against Kazan's UNICS. In 2023, the team, under former coach Zoran Lukic, won the Russian Cup in St. Petersburg, so it can be said that the Pari NN has been particularly fortunate in the city on the Neva. Moreover, head coach Sergey Kozin has brought a capable squad to St. Petersburg.
Sergey Kozin, head coach of Pari Nizhny Novgorod:
This is not our first year participating in this tournament, and we always look forward to it with great anticipation. Our colleagues in St. Petersburg attract strong opponents, making the games as interesting and intense as possible. We are happy to return to the cultural capital, to feel the atmosphere of St. Petersburg basketball, and to take part in such a significant tournament honoring the legends of Russian and Soviet basketball. Our preseason goal is to establish connections within the team, and we will make every effort to win every game.
The Moscow MBA-MAI team will participate in the Vladimir Kondrashin and Alexander Belov Cup for the third year in a row. The capital club focuses on talented Russian players and always aims to showcase beautiful basketball. On the first day of the competition, the Moscow team will face off against Zenit. One of the main intrigues of the upcoming Cup is the duel between MBA-MAI head coach Vasily Karasev and his son, Sergey Karasev, who plays for the blue-whites. This exciting showdown awaits us on September 5th.
Vasily Karasev, head coach of MBA-MAI:
It's clear that for me, as a coach, playing in St. Petersburg in the Vladimir Kondrashin and Alexander Belov Cup is very important, significant, and pleasant. This is my hometown, and the people here have given me so much. I'm very grateful to Zenit for inviting us to this tournament. Our main goal is to perform with dignity.
Referees
The main referee of the tournament will be FIBA commissioner Igor Demenkov. He will be assisted by Anton Makhlin — deputy main referee, commissioner of the All-Russian category.
The decisions on the court this year will be made by FIBA referees Alexey Davydov, Anton Kruglov, Sergey Mikhaylov, and Yaroslav Oreshin, along with All-Russian category referees Alexander Lazutkin and Sergey Timoshkov.
Game Schedule
September 5
16:30 — Semifinal: UNICS vs. Pari Nizhny Novgorod
19:30 — Semifinal: Zenit vs. MBA-MAI
September 6
16:30 — Third Place Game
19:30 — Final
Exclusive broadcasts will be available on Okko.
Tickets and mini-subscriptions can be purchased at tickets.bc-zenit.com.
