Maxibasketball battles 2017 Highlights

Maxibasketball season 2017 was very intensive and exciting for both men’s and women’s teams from Nikolayev’s AMICO Club. The season started with the traditional memorial tournament in commemoration of Professor Michael Alexandrov. The tournament is considered to be the flagship event of the Ukrainian Maxibasketball. The National University of Shipbuilding Sports Hall was the host venue of the tournament from March 31 to April 02 2017. In frames of the tournament four men’s teams participated in the Ukrainian Maxibasketball male Championship 60+: AMICO (Nikolayev), the national team of Ukraine, Odessa team and Zhytomyr team. AMICO managed to win three consecutive tournament’s games and won the Champion’s title. AMICO’s captain Yuriy Zhukov celebrated victory by holding the Cup aloft. Zhytomyr team proved to be strong opponent and earned the silver medals. The national team of Ukraine received the bronze medals.

14th FIMBA World Maxibasketball Championship was the key veterans’ sporting event of 2017. The tournament took place from June 30th to July 9th, 2017 in Montecatini Terme, Tuscany, Italy. 367 teams from 45 countries, more than 5000 competitors took part in the Championship. It is the new amazing achievement of FIMBA tournament. Ukraine sent eight teams to the World Championship: two women’s teams Ladies’Legion F30+, Ladies’ Legion F45+ and six men’s teams: Udavu M40+, Veteran Basket M50+, Veteran Basket M55+, AMICO M60+, Lions of Galichina M65+, BIG GAME M70+. Ukrainian teams showed a good results despite flawed competition system of the tournament. At this championship the group stage was played in a round robin format where only the winner of the group was advanced to the Quarter-Finals round of the tournament to compete for medals with top teams from another groups. AMICO M60+ team took the 10th place. Only one Ukrainian team F45+ had won all matches and became the world champion. In this gold female team there were representatives of Nikolayev Evgenia Tregubova and Svetlana Levera. Both players were very grateful to the famous Nikolayev’s Maxibasketball leader Elena Zhukova for an opportunity to participate in the Championship. At this tournament Elena Zhukova played for “Ladies’ Legion F30+” team and earned the 4th place.

During the Championship FIMBA conferences were held in Montecatini Terme. FIMBA representatives in Ukraine Yuriy Zhukov and Elena Zhukova took part in these conferences. Participants of conferences focused on the development of female and male Maxibasketball movement in the world. These consultations sought views from FIMBA representatives on how to ensure a new collaborative approach to develop sport in their countries and create new areas of activity and opportunities for Maxibasketball to grow and succeed. FIMBA conference also marked a historic milestone. An exciting new development for the next 15th FIMBA World Maxibasketball Championship in Finland was the addition of the M80+ age division for men’s basketball and F65+ age division for women’s basketball. New age categories will help veterans to pursue their personal best and also to contribute their sporting activity to their longevity, mental and spiritual wellbeing.

After the battles of the 14th FIMBA World Maxibasketball Championship in Italy AMICO M65+ men’s team took part in the tournament in frames of the 7th Summer All-Ukrainian Veterans Games in commemoration of Mikhail Baka. This event took place in Odessa on August 17-20, 2017. Five veterans’ teams from Odessa, Nikolayev, Dnipropetrovsk, Zhytomyr and Kyiv regions competed in M65+ age category. In the final game veterans from Kyiv’s region outscored Dnipropetrovsk’s region 33-30 and won the gold medals. AMICO M65+ team claimed their bronze victory by defeating Zhytomyr’s team 41-20.

AMICO men’s team also took part in the tournament of the name of Vadym Gladun. The tournament was held on September 22-24, 2017, in Nova Kakhovka City. Four veterans’ teams from Odessa, Nikolayev, Kyiv and Nova Kakhovka competed for the Cup. Nova Kakhovka team was strengthened by several young players. With young energy they won the Gladun’s Cup. Other participants were rewarded by hospitality of hosts of the tournament.

In frames of the 7th Summer All-Ukrainian Veterans Games in commemoration of Mikhail Baka Maxibasketball tournament was held on October 5-8, 2017, in Zhytomyr. Six veterans’ teams from Zhytomyr, Kyiv, Nikolayev, L’viv, Dnipro and Kropivnickiy competed in M60+ age category. In the tournament’s final AMICO team met with Dnipro team. In this game Nikolayev’s players contributed all their efforts both on offense and on defense that ultimately ensured victory. Dnipro team was crushed by AMICO 78-37. The Cup travelled to Nikolayev.

The 27th International tournament in commemoration of master of sports of USSR Nikolay Bagley finished Maxibasketball season 2017. AMICO, Nikolayev played in M65+ age bracket. Only AMICO team and BIG GAME team from Dnipro corresponded to age qualification. Much younger players competed in Veteran (Kyiv) and Galichina (L’viv) teams. More senior players from AMICO and BIG GAME teams tried not to concede in anything to rivals, playing on a limit of their opportunities. In this tournament AMICO was a winless team. But the most important was basketball playing and communication with old friends.

The most important event of sports year in Nikolayev was foundation of Maxibasketball women's team. Nikolayev’s AMICO female team was formed thanks to main organizers Yuriy Zhukov, Elena Zhukova and Oksana Shumakova (team’s captain). It took great commitment and responsibility for sponsorship, accounting, finding volunteers and players to be a nationally competitive. The team’s players began their competitions less than one year ago, but they have already achieved good results and team intends to keep going. The team debuted at Christmas Tournament in Mukachevo. AMICO female team took the 4th place from 9 teams. At the traditional memorial tournament in commemoration of Professor Michael Alexandrov in Nikolayev AMICO F40+ team met with the legendary “Ladies’ Legion” team from Kyiv. The “Ladies’ Legion” have won medals from bronze to gold on World and European competitions of higher level. Masters of Sports, Masters of Sports of International category, Honored Master Masters of Sports are in the team’s line-up. Nikolayev’s players competed with dignity with such great team but lost the game 49-64. For the recently formed Nikolayev’s team it was a very good result. On May, 2017 AMICO female team took the 4th place at the Championship of Ukraine in the Krivoy Rog City. After that the Nikolayev's Maxibasketball team brightly performed at the Tournament in commemoration of Yuriy Lizogub in Berdiansk where earned the 4th place. In November 2017 at the 27th Maxibasketball international tournament in commemoration of Nikolay Bagley AMICO female team received the third place. In 2017 the team gained invaluable experience, participating in tournaments of the national level. At the14th FIMBA World Maxibasketball Championship in Montecatini Terme, Italy Nikolayev’s players Evgeniya Tregubova and Svetlana Levera became the world champions in line-up of “Ladies’ Legion F45+” team. It was also the application of AMICO women's team on participation in the international tournaments. AMICO’s teamgirls have the ambition of competing better to succeed at the highest level and anticipate explosive growth of the female Maxibasketball in Nikolayev. Senior women’s basketball is on the move! Now our Maxibasketball players with new experience and new inspiration are preparing for the forthcoming key sports events: 6th FIMBA World Maxibasketball League tournament which will take place from April 21 to April 26, 2018, in Matsue, Japan and 10th FIMBA European Maxibasketball Championship which will take place from June 22 to July 1, 2018, in Maribor, Slovenia.

For AMICO team’s players their Maxibasketball club is more than sports competitions, it is a way of life. It is “AMICO-ship”. AMICO-ship promotes health, active life and wellness for veterans through fitness and sport. Maxibasketball contains opportunities for personal growth. AMICO-ship helps you to elevate your physical, mental, spiritual levels and uncover your own special gifts. It helps to focus more generally on the level of your dayly life. It helps you to find surprising new places at the international tournaments. But Maxibasketball is not a fashion that is taken up with great enthusiasm for a brief period. It is hard work and dedication. It is the struggle where your courage is tested. It is an opportunity to live each year to the fullest.