Triumph Lyubertsy vs. Artland Dragons

Kristaps Valters, Triumph Lyubertsy

The latest pickup on the Triumph Lyubertsy roster was point guard Kristaps Valters, whose arrival could pay dividends in the elimination rounds. For one, he has played in Germany before and therefore knows what Artland Dragons, the Last 32 opponent of Triumph, brings to the table. And he shared the ULEB Cup record for three-pointers made in a game with 8, which makes him a threat any time he comes on the court. An all-around player despite being mainly a point guard, Valters will bring versatility and experience to the task of Triumph's first-ever shot at ULEB Cup glory.

"Finishing the regular season as group champion is nothing but a good result, because we are newcomers in the competition. I think that we are quite a good team but I came only one month ago and played only three ULEB Cup games with Triumph. Even so, I think that out team is stronger than the Artland Dragons but we have to prove it on court. It will be very difficult to win in their arena, however. Their fans are really loud."




"They beat BC Kyiv at home - and Kyiv is a good team - so I am sure we will have a really tough game in Germany. We have to keep playing as we did so far. We have to use our big guys. The Dragons don't have many powerful guys at the center spot, so we have an advantage there. We have to play fast and use our other strong sides such as penetrations and fastbreaks."

"Of course, it is an advantage to play the last game of the series at home, in front of our own fans, especially when you already know the result of the first leg. Home court, familiar rims, fans who cheer for you, the team is not tired after the trip... These are the things give the home team an advantage. I think we must make it to the Final Eight. It is our minimum goal. We will do our best to get there but have tough opponents ahead of us. First we have to beat Artland Dragons and if we advance, Turk Telekom or Unics Kazan. Both are very strong teams. We must concentrate on each game, play our best and we will what happens at the end."

Adam Chubb , Artland Dragons

Not many around Europe were familiar with the Artland Dragons before the season started, but bog man Adam Chubb has made a point of changing that. Chubb led the Dragons in scoring and rebounding this season as the club advanced to the Last 32 in its first season in the ULEB Cup. Chubb not only led Artland, but dominated in its victories, averaging 17.2 points when Artland won, compared to 9.8 when the club lost. With that kind of impact, Chubb is certain to be a key in the club’s Last 32 series against Triumph Lyubertsy.


"It's a real honor to have reached the Last 32. It’s a tribute to all the hard work that we’ve put in so far this season and for us as a team, for this to be the first year that we’ve actually been in the ULEB Cup and to make it to the next round is a big accomplishment."






"We still have a couple of German League games before facing Triumph and we really try to take things one game at a time. We usually finish one game and get ready for the next. We don’t prepare for an opponent until it’s the next one on the list. So we’re not really preparing for Triumph yet. The ULEB Cup is a little different than what we were used to in the German League. The refereeing is a little different. Not necessarily better or worse, but there are some differences in European play. I think though for the most part that we’ve done a good job of making adjustments and going forward."

"We go in every game trying to win and we will play these games just like we have before. It’s hard to really say now what the keys to the series might be. I think we need to really excel at the things we do in terms of both offense and defense. We need to take the games as they come and to do the best that we can."