CSKA to play in China

CSKA Moscow will face the Sichuan Blue Whales on 28 September in Chengdu and the Guangdong Tigers on 30 September in Shenzhen.

CSKA Moscow, headed by French guard and 2015-16 EuroLeague MVP, Nando De Colo, is ready to travel to China this fall for two exhibition games that will take them to the cities of Chengdu and Shenzhen. The reigning EuroLeague champions will start their tour in Chengdu, on 28 September, where they will face reigning CBA champions Sichuan Blue Whales, and will continue in Shenzhen, were they will play the CBA semifinalists Guangdong Tigers on 30 September.

This will be the second visit of CSKA Moscow to the Asian country within the EB World Tour, following their trip in 2007 that marked the first Euroleague Basketball showcase in China where they beat both Yao Ming’s Team China and the Sidney Kings in a tournament that also featured Benetton Treviso. Real Madrid, FC Barcelona, ALBA Berlin and Panathinaikos Athens have also represented Euroleague Basketball in China since then.

The tour will also go beyond the court with several other events that will expand Euroleague Basketball’s reach within the Chinese basketball community. Grass-roots, community events, coaching clinics and others will complete Euroleague Basketball’s experience in China. One Team, Euroleague Basketball’s corporate social responsibility programme, will be very present in this trip joining forces with the local governments to work with special communities that needs help. A Gala Dinner will take place in both cities featuring experts, sports industry employees and business partners. An International Coaches Clinic is scheduled in Chengdu.

Andrey Vatutin, CSKA President:

It will be our second visit to China and I hope it will be as successful as the previous one: we won a prestigious tournament in 2007. We were glad to accept the invitation from Euroleague Basketball and our Chinese partners: the country’s basketball market develops dynamically, it is important to occupy the niche there, to expand our fans base. We go to China as the best team in Europe and we will try hard to win, as usual, and to play spectacular basketball.

Andrey Vorontsevich, CSKA forward:

These kind of tours are always interesting, they give teams a chance to learn something new about the culture of a country which is not so well-known to many of us and it has basketball. Our trip to China in 2007 was memorable for me: our coaches let me have a serious role on the court for the first time, besides I had a chance to fight against Yao Ming in his prime. I am sure that we will be able to bring back again some good memories to Moscow.