BASKETBALL SCHOOL "TORNADO" 2017 was ended with the most massive international basketball tournament in the history of Lithuania ‒ „Christmas Cup 2017“
December 28th – 30th Xth and the most massive international youth basketball tournament in Lithuania „Christmas Cup 2017“ to win Kaunas district mayor’s cup took place in Kaunas city and district. 38 basketball teams participated in this tournament and 29 of them were guests from foreign countries. Organizators – “Tornado” basketball school and Sports Agency Tstar invited to participate in this tournament teams from four age groups – 2001, 2004, 2006 and 2007. Director of “Tornado” basketball school shared thougts of the tournament benefits for kids and peripetias of event organisation.
„Everything started about twelve – thirteen years ago, when first basketball tournament “Kaunas Cup” was organized. Perhaps five teams from foreign countries participated in this tournament. “Christmas Cup” started later, ten years ago. There there were only three teams from foreign county and only few teams from Lithuania. Christmas period is good time to organize tournament. It’s holiday time and teams from foreign can come to Lithuania and participate in the tournament”.
Year by year more and more teams from abroad joined tournament. According to director of “Tornado” BS it’s not correct to talk about the growth of level, because his curve in not constant. Anyway, D. Čiuprinskas notes that approach of foreign teams to this tournament really changed.
“We can’t rate the level of games, because the curve is changing every year. Sometimes one age group seems to be strong, another year seems that kids just started play basketball. It's easier to see the attitude of teams coming from abroad to this tournament and the development of the level of preparation. For example Slovenian basketball team – few years ago they came to our tournament and lost a lot of games, but when they saw the level of tournament, started to create stronger teams taking some good players from few schools. They really seriously looking to this tournament, - about the guests’ attitude talked “Tornado” BS director Dainius Čiuprinskas. – All the foreign teams come to Lithuania to high level tournament and want to look seriously. Anyway, very rarely happens, that the first place would win team, not by the Lithuanian basketball school”.
Teams from eleven countries – Ukraine, Poland, Slovenia, Germany, Czech Republic, Latvia, Estonia, Belarus, Russia, Denmark and Lithuania participated in the international basketball tournament “Christmas Cup 2017”. According to the director, benefit for children is multifaceted - starting with acquaintance a different style of basketball to knowledge of other cultures.
"When you play against a team from foreign country, you see the different style of basketball, different culture or mentality. Children coming out of the normal conditions of the environment or game conditions and it leaves them a really big impression. Of course, we are trying to make their communication not only during the games, but they have the ability to communicate with each other during their free time at gyms. It's great to see children do not have a language barrier! – about the benefit of tournament for kids told Dainius Čiuprinskas. – some families of players of “Tornado” BS accommodate our guests at their home, in this way children get even more excitement and expanding their horizons. The tournament is not just about basketball, here the children learn from each other. "
No doubt, to organize such a huge tournament is challenge for organizers. During the four days almost 100 games are played, almost 500 players are competing in Kaunas city and district basketball gyms. Dainius Čiuprinskas, who is one of organizers, point out that that it is important to learn from your mistakes and organize everything so as you wish to find gone elswhere.
“Organization of tournament starts just after ending other tournament. You start to create your plans, mark what was wrong and thinking about upcoming year. The active part of organization start in September, when all the participating teams are clear. Then start creating sub-groups, trying to try to meet all expectations. It’s really not so easy to organize meal, transport, accommodation, gyms, referees for nearly five hundred people and ensure that everything goes smoothly, - about the troubles of tournament told director of “Tornado” BS – During the four days ninety five games are played, so workloead is really high. Of course, there are everything, but learn from our mistakes and we really get a lot of admiring words".
International youth basketball tournament looks really successful at the current stage, but the organizes are not going to stop. Although the expansion of certain aspects does not allow the infrastructure features of Kaunas city and Kaunas district, they can see the possible progress elsewhere.
„There is no limit to perfection and you can grow everywhere! But the main problem with the expansion of tournament it’s city’s sports infrastructure, which, of course, is improving but insufficient. Kaunas District has many excellent sports facilities and offers good sports facilities for children, but there are no multi-functional centers with at least several gyms, which would allow more teams to be invited. Even accommodation would be a problem, as there are not enough economy-class hotels that can accommodate even more participants in the tournament, - the problems of tournament development described D. Čiuprinskas. – This year we can’t invite all teams that wish to participate, because of limited number of participants. It remains to improve organizational preparation, because, as I said before, there is no limit to perfection. The goal is to expand not only the quantity, but also quality of tournament, possibly inviting teams from such a basketball countries as Spain, France or Serbia”.
About results of tournament “Xiaomi Christmas Cup 2017”
12 teams competed in group 2007. Nine of them were guests from foreign countries. However, no one of them became a medalists and all three Lithuanian temas shared first three place. Gold medals in group 2007 went to Kauno KM “Perkūnas” team. After tough game they won against Tornado KM – “FSA” players who had to celebrate second place victory. Marijampolės ŽSM team became the bronze medalist after defeating Tukuma SS team.
Raigardas Žičkus from Kauno KM „Perkūnas“ team and Titas Ratkevičius from Tornado KM – „FSA“ competed in the final of “Three point schoot contest”. Titas scored more points and celebrated the first place victory.
During the awarding ceremony, symbolic five players and tournament MVP were awarded prizes, established by Xiaomi. Mi Band 2 smart wristbands went to P. Korotkov (Moscow Dynamo, RUS), E. Kolkans (Tukuma SS, LAT), A. Juozaitis (Marijampolės ŽSM, LTU), Ą. Hopenas (Tornado KM – „FSA“, LTU) and J. Vyšniauskas (Kauno KM „Perkūnas“, LTU). The best player of tournament – D. Grunkis (Kauno KM „Perkūnas“) was awarded with Mi headphones.
All the winners awarded director of “Tornado” KM Dainius Čiuprinskas and player of National Lithuanian Women’s team – Santa Okockytė.
| Place | Team |
|---|---|
| I | Kauno KM „Perkūnas“ (Lithuania) |
| II | Tornado KM – „FSA“ (Lithuania) |
| III | Marijampolės ŽSM (Lithuania) |
| IV | Tukuma SS (Latvia) |
| V | Maskvos Dynamo (Russia) |
| VI | Marupe SC (Latvia) |
| VII | Tartu BC (Estonia) |
| VIII | Minsko Tsmoki (Belarus) |
| IX | DBV Charlottenburg (Germany) |
| X | Horsens IC (Denmark) |
| XI | Rapla KK (Estonia) |
| XII | KK Viimsi (Estonia) |
Team from Sostinės KM was unstoppable in group 2006. They won all five games and became winners of tournament. Second place went to Krvavec team from Slovenia. Tornado KM – “1000 linijų” won bronze medals after defeating Minsk, Tsmoki team.
The best three point shooter became Lukas Satkevičius from Tornado KM – „1000 linijų“ and second place won T. Jankovskis from Sostinės KM. Both boys scored 10 points in the semifinal, but in final game L/ Satkevičius scored 10 and his oppnnent only 5.
Coaches elected best five players who were awarded by Xiaomi prize - E. Kaliushik (Tsmoki, Minsk, BLR), G. Kučinskas (Tornado KM – „1000 linijų“, LTU), M. Todejc and F. Potkowski (Krvavec, SLO) and A. Buivydas (Sostinės KM, LTU). S. Žilakauskis (Sostinės KM, LTU) became MVP of tournament.
All the winners were awarded by basketball players of LSU – Aistės Gintarė Jasiunskaitė and Akvilė Baronėnaitė.
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Eight teams participated in group 2004, six of them guests from foreign. Both teams from Lithuanian last season played in final 4 tour of Lithuanian championship, Tornado KM – “Envija” won second place, V. Knašiaus KM - fourth.
The title of tournament champions in group 2004 went to V. Knašiaus KM team. In the final game, boys from Klaipėda (Lithuania) defeated Tornado KM – “Envija” team. Bronze medals won players of Minsk, Tsmoki team. Shooter from the same team – I. Millashevski was the best in three point shoot contest. Second and third places went to A. Knystautas (V. Knašiaus KM, LTU) and Š. Morkevičius (Tornado KM – “Envija”, LTU).
A. Knystautas (V. knašiaus KM, LTU), P. Murauskas and E. Skorobogatvos (Tornado KM – „Envija“ LTU), I. Millashevski (Minsk, Tsmoki, BLR) and A. Karadžič (Krvavec, SLO) were awarded Xiaomi prizes as tournament symbolic five. Tournament MVP became – G. Gedrimas (V. Knašiaus KM, LTU)
Final standings of group 2004
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Lot of teams were interested in group 2001, so this year we had 10 participating teams – eight of them from abroad and two from Lithuania.
The winners of Xiaomi Christmas Cup 2017 became Kauno KM “Aisčiai” team. They won against Krvavec (Slovenia) team and celebrated first place victory. The third place went to Sokol Sršni Pisek from Czech Republic.
R. Miškinis (Kauno KM „Aisčiai“, LTU), A. Stavrov (Krvavec, SLO), S. Vojtech (Sokol Sršni Pisek, CZE), M. Brencans (Ogres BS, LAT) and L. Wagner ( DBV Charlottenburg, GER) were awarded with Xiaomi prizes as symbolic five players.
Tournament MVP became T. Urbonas from Kauno KM „Aisčiai“ team.
Final standings of group 2001
| Vieta | Komanda |
|---|---|
| I | Kauno KM „Aisčiai“ (Lithuania) |
| II | Krvavec (Slovenia) |
| III | Sokol Sršni Písek (Czech Republic) |
| IV | Ogre BS (Latvia) |
| V | DBV Charlotteburg (Germany) |
| VI | TJ Sokol Pražsky (Czech Republic) |
| VII | Odessa, SDYSHOR im. Litvaka (Ukraine) |
| VIII | Tornado KM – „Sostena“ (Lithuania) |
| IX | Khimik Yuzhne (Ukraine) |
| X | Siedlecki KK (Poland) |
Tornado” KM especially thanks municipality of Kaunas District, sponsors – Xiaomi Lietuva, UAB „New Nordic“, Kanes, UAB „Diremta“ for establishing prizes also for parents and all community of school for help during all tournament.
