Ukrainian Maxibasketball Championship was held on May 26-29, 2016, in Yuzhny City. Veterans competed in M40+, M45+ and M65+ age categories. Four veterans’ teams from Odessa, Nikolaev, Lviv and Kyiv competed in M65+ age category. Kyiv and Odessa teams were strengthened by several players from Dnipro and Sevastopol respectively.

           On May 27 AMICO-Nikolaev team competed against Kyiv team. In the first quarter AMICO pulled away rapidly from the start. Baskets from Drobitsko, Zhukov, Kultyhin, Zaretskiy gave AMICO a 18 : 6 advantage. After the first interval Kyiv team made some adjustments in their play and began the second period with offensive onslaught spanning the second and third terms to take a lead 43 : 28. AMICO was better in the last period 16 : 14. But it was not enough to get a victory that day. Kyiv won the game 57 : 44.

        Next day on May 28 AMICO met with Lviv team. Lviv opened a 5-point advantage (9 : 4) in the first period. However, AMICO cut the gap to 3 points, outscoring Lviv 12 : 10 in the second term. Six-point scoring from AMICO’s player Sorokin in the third quarter ensured his side a way into the final stanza with 28 : 27 lead. But Lviv team did not want to get beaten by a barrage of one point. They got a competitive rhythm and accomplished the game by running out to a 39 : 33 victory.

      Same day Kyiv faced Odessa team. In this match the destiny of gold medals was decided. Odessa managed to win the first quarter 10 : 7. In the second period Odessa’s players strengthened their impact on Kyiv team. Having a nine-point advantage at the halftime break (25 : 16) Odessa continued to lead in the third frame 12 : 8 before increasing total gap to 16 points (51 : 35) in the final frame. Odessa celebrated important victory in the battle for the first place in the Ukrainian Maxibasketball Championship 65+. Yurin and Sevasteev were the most productive Odessa’s players scoring 16 points apiece. Vedeneev provided valuable support for Kyiv with 12 points.  

        In the last day of the tournament on May 29 Odessa contested against AMICO-Nikolaev. Odessa earned a hard-fought 48 : 41 victory thanks to Sevasteev’s 18 points. Sorokin responded with AMICO team-high 15 points. Same day Kyiv received the second place outscoring Lviv team 37 : 26. AMICO team came back home without medals. But AMICO’s players hope that forthcoming European Maxibasketball Championship in Serbia will be more successful for their 60+ team.