BASKETBALL SCHOOL "TORNADO" Lithuanians defend their fortress in the international basketball tournament Kaunas Cup 2017!
September 29th - October 1st IVth international basketball tournament Kaunas Cup 2017 took place at Kaunas. There were 22 teams from six different countries in 3 age groups. Became traditional and one of the most massive basketball tournament in Lithuania, Kaunas Cup 2017 attracts more and more foreigners every year. This year 11 teams from different Europe countries joined Kaunas Cup! There were champions of Estonia - BC Tartu, on the basis of the Belarusian national team formed RGUOR team, champions of Scania Cup - SISU and bronze medalist of Scania Cup - Falcon Basket.
Eight teams competed in group 2005. At the highest level in Lithuania playing Tornado KM - "Alburnus", Kauno KM "Aisčiai", Vilniaus KM, Biržų SM and Tornado KM - "Sharp" tried to prove foreigners - Falcon Basket (DEN), MKS Pruszkow (POL) and BC Tartu (EST) that the basketball country is Lithuania. And they did! Without any defeats, Kauno KM "Aisčiai" (coach A. Visockas) became champions of Kaunas Cup 2017. Tornado KM - "Alburnus" (coach Š. Zablockis) lost the final game only in 1 point and had to celebrate second place. Bronze medals second year in a row went to Biržai SM (coach. Ž. Kačinskas) team.
Five best players were elected to Xiaomi symbolic five. Award were given to Liutauras Serkevičius (Kauno KM „Aisčiai“, LTU), Jokūbas Riškus (Tornado KM – „Alburnus“, LTU), Nojus Petraitis (Biržų SM, LTU), Jonas Van Meuurs (Falcon Basket, DEN) and Maciej Czemerys (MKS Pruszkow, POL).
Coach of Falcon Basket Anders Stuhr Jørgensen was very happy about team's trip to Lithuania: „It was not only a high level tournament with strong teams, but also accommodation, meals and service were great. Organizers did good job, really. I think next year we want to come back and won higher place".
Kauno KM „Aisčiai“ shooter Liutauras Serkevičius and Danish Emil Goodman from Falcon Basket won three point shoot contest.
Final results of group 2005
| Team | Place |
|---|---|
| Kauno KM "Aisčiai" (Lithuania) | I |
| Tornado KM - "Alburnus" (Lithuania) | II |
| Biržų SM (Lithuania) | III |
| MKS Pruszkow (Poland) | IV |
| Falcon Basket (Denmark) | V |
| Vilniaus KM (Lithuania) | VI |
| BC Tartu (Estonia) | VII |
| Tornado KM – „Sharp“ (Lithuania) | VIII |
There were eight teams in group 2003. Lithuanians - Tornado KM – „Glass Drive“, Kauno KM – „Aisčiai“, Šiaulių KA „Saulė“ and guests SPK Bialystok (Poland), from players of Belarusian national team formed RGUOR, BK Adaži (Latvia) and SISU (Denmark). After group game, two Lithuanian and9 two foreigner teams came to semifinals. Team Tornado KM defeated BK Adaži (LAT) and KM "Aisčiai" won against RGUOR. In the bronze game RGUOR team were stronger and won against BK Adaži. Final game was between Lithuanian teams and gold medals went to KM "Aisčiai".
Arnas Radzevičius (Kauno KM „Aisčiai“, LTU), Paulius Murauskas (Tornado KM – „Glass Drive“, LTU), Ivan Baldnyen (RGUOR, BLR), Valters Briedis (BK Adaži, LAT) ir Luca Sampson (SISU, DEN) were elected as Xiaomi symbolic five players.
The SISU team is participating in the tournament for the third time, only me as a coach for the first time, - said SISU coach Gediminas Zybartas. - The first year, boys played for bronze medals, the second year were 8th between 12 teams and this year we took 5th place. Tournament was really high level, we had an opportunity to compete with strong opponents. Kids were very satisfied both in the tournament, both in the accommodation and leisure. after coming back to Denmark, we will keep working and hope next year will come back stronger and will fight for medals".
SISU player Sebastian Chancellor and RGUOR player Egor Jermulchik won three points shoot contest.
Final results of group 2003
| Team | Place |
|---|---|
| Kauno KM "Aisčiai" (Lithuania) | I |
| Tornado KM - "Glass Drive" (Lithuania) | II |
| Minsko RGUOR (Belarus) | III |
| BK Adaži (Latvia) | IV |
| Kopenhen SISU (Denmark) | V |
| Šiaulių KA „Saulė“ (Lithuania) | VI |
| Minsk Tsmoki (Belarus) | VII |
| SPK Bialystok (Poland) | VIII |
6 teams competed in group 2002. There were three Lithuanian teams - Tornado KM - "Fudo", Marijampolės ŽSM and Jonavos KKSC and three Polish teams - MKS Pruszkow, UKS Probasket ir De la Salle Politechnika. The hosts of tournament - Tornado KM team won gold medals without suffer any defeat. Silver medals went to Jonavos KKSC team and guests from Poland UKS Probasket team won third place.
Laurynas Virbalas, Matas Makauskas and Kostas Čepavičius (Tornado KM – „Fudo“, LTU), Paulius Petrauskas (Jonavos KKSC, LTU) and Kacper Skup (UKS Probasket, POL). were awarded as Xiaomi symbolic five players.
The best three point shooter became Arnoldas Juozaitis from MArijampolės ŽSM and Paulius Petrauskas from Jonavos KKSC.
„We are very happy that tournament went great! - said director of Tornado basketball school Dainius Čiuprinskas. - It was a great opportunity for participating teams to prepare for upcoming season. Coaches can share their experience with each other and meet new colleagues. We are very thankful Lithuanian basketball federation for established medals and cups, Xiaomi Lithuania for great prizes, Kaunas city Municipality, parents and all staff of Tornado basketball school for help during all tournament. Because of you we got great feedback and we believe that each year the name of tournament will get louder and more and more teams come to Kaunas!"
Pictures of „Kaunas Cup 2017“ at Tornado KM facebook
