Astana Tigers

Tigers Astana Basketball Club (Kazakh: Zholbarystar Astana Basketbol Kluby) or more commonly Astana Tigers (Kazakh: Astana Zholbarystary) is a Kazakh basketball club based in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan.

Not to be confused with BC Astana.
Astana Tigers
Astana Tigers logo
LeaguesKazakhstan Higher League
Founded2000
HistoryAstana Tigers
(2000–present)
LocationNur-Sultan, Kazakhstan
Team colorsBlack, Yellow
   
PresidentOleg Severgin
Head coachAlexander Chernov
Championships6 Domestic Championships
4 Domestic Cups

Founded in 2000, the club competed in the Kazakhstan Basketball Championship where it won six consecutive titles from 2004 to 2010, also adding four Kazakhstan Basketball Cup titles.

Since 2011 and the inception of rival BC Astana, who have won nearly every domestic trophy each year, the Tigers have seen their standing wane, as of June 2015 they now play in the second division Higher league.

History

Astana Tigers saw the light in 2000, originally they were a youth side, bringing in young players from all over the country, including Anton Ponomarev and Rustam Yargaliev from Kostanay, living in the Olympic reserve school with other athletes.[1][2]

Starting in 2002–03 the side starting playing in the national first division Kazakhstan Basketball Championship, finishing 8th. Despite having players aged 16–17 years on average (from a 15-year-old Ponomarev to a 19-year-old) the Tigers, coached by first-time coach Vitaly Strebkov, finished third in the 2003–04 championship.[3][4]

In 2004–05 they did even better, winning their first title, the 2004 Kazakhstan Basketball Cup,[5] and romping to a 3-0 series win to add to the Championship title.[6]

It would be the first of six straight titles in the league for the Tigers, also adding 4 cups during that period.

In 2010, the Kazakhstanis also took part in the FIBA Asia Champions Cup, having participated in 2007 whilst turning down the invitation in 2008.[7] They reached the quarterfinals, winning their final two games to finish a team record 5th.[8]

Their winning streak in the Championship was ended during the 2010–11 season as they lost in the semifinals to perennial runners-up Tobol Kostanay.[9]

The 2011 off season would provide more disappointment, as newly formed side BC Astana poached a number of players from the side in addition to coach Strebkov.[10][11]

The 2011–12 season would see the Tigers play in the second division Higher league,[12] where they have stayed as of June 2015.

Astana Tigers women

The women's basketball of the side has inversely kept competing for titles, winning the Kazakhstan Basketball Championship for women as recently as 2015.[13]

Titles

Kazakhstan Basketball Championship:

  • 6x champions: 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010

Kazakhstan Basketball Cup:

  • 4x winners: 2004, 2006, 2008, 2010

Notable players
  • Kazakhstan Dmitri Gavrilov 2 seasons: '09–'11
  • Russia Sergei Drozhanov 4 seasons: '04–'08
  • Kazakhstan Andrei Shpekht 4 seasons: '04–'08
  • Kazakhstan Egor Biryulin 9 seasons: '02–'11
  • Kazakhstan Ilya Koptelov 9 seasons: '02–'11
  • Kazakhstan Artem Skorniakov 9 seasons: '02–'11
  • Kazakhstan Alexander Tyutyunik 9 seasons: '02–'11
  • Kazakhstan Maxim Voyeykov 9 seasons: '02–'11
  • Kazakhstan Rustam Yargaliev 9 seasons: '02–'11
  • Kazakhstan Anton Ponomarev 8 seasons: '02–'10

References
  1. Strelnikov, Alexander (24 January 2013). "Рустам Яргалиев: Боничиолли учит предельной концентраци" Русский [Boniciolli teaches concentration to the limit]. BC Astana (in Russian). Sports.kz. Archived from the original on 26 June 2015. Retrieved 24 June 2015 – via BC Astana.
  2. Strelnikov, Alexander (6 April 2012). "Антон Пономарев: "На каждый поединок настраиваемся всерьез"" Русский [Anton Ponomarev: Ready for every game]. Gazeta.kz (in Russian). Sports.kz. Archived from the original on 26 June 2015. Retrieved 24 June 2015 – via Gazeta.kz.
  3. "15-летний баскетболист из Астаны хочет дорасти до лучшего центрового Казахстана" Русский [15-year-old basketball player from Astana wants to grow into the best center in Kazakhstan]. Gazeta.kz (in Russian). 17 September 2003. Archived from the original on 26 June 2015. Retrieved 24 June 2015.
  4. "Виталий Стребков: Игроков европейского уровня в "Тиграх" пока нет. Они только подрастают" Русский [Tigers' players are not at a European level yet. They've just grown to 202]. Gazeta.kz (in Russian). 7 June 2004. Archived from the original on 2015-06-26. Retrieved 24 June 2015.
  5. "Кубок Казахстана достался столичным "Тиграм"" Русский [The Kazakhstan cup went to the capital Tigers]. Gazeta.kz (in Russian). 1 November 2004. Archived from the original on 24 June 2015. Retrieved 24 June 2015.
  6. "Чемпионат Казахстана. Высшая лига. Мужчины. Финал. 20-22 мая. Астана. Спорткомплекс "Казахстан". Результаты соревнований:" Русский [Kazakhstan Championship. Higher league. Men. Final. 20–22 May. Astana. Sports complex "Kazakhstan". Competition results:]. Gazeta.kz (in Russian). 24 May 2005. Archived from the original on 26 June 2015. Retrieved 25 June 2015.
  7. "Eurobasket news report – 5/4/2008: Almaty will participate in Asian Championship". Eurobasket.com. 4 May 2008. Retrieved 20 June 2015.
  8. "Mahram triumph in Doha!". Asia-Basket. Eurobasket.com. 30 May 2010. Retrieved 25 June 2015.
  9. "KAZ – Barsy take on Tobol in Finals". FIBA. Atyrau/Astana. 20 April 2011. Archived from the original on June 29, 2015. Retrieved 20 June 2015.
  10. "Valery Tikhonenko: The goal of "Astana" - is return big basketball to Kazakhstan". VTB United League. 13 June 2011. Archived from the original on 26 June 2015. Retrieved 19 June 2015.
  11. Ibraev, Serik (6 April 2011). "Новые "Тигры"" Русский [New Tigers]. Sports.kz (in Russian). Np.kz. Retrieved 26 June 2015 – via Sports.kz.
  12. "Таблица результатов XX-го Чемпионата РК среди мужских команд. Высшей лиги" Русский [Results table XXth RK championship for men's teams. Higher league] (PDF). National Basketball Federation Kazakhstan (in Russian). Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 October 2017. Retrieved 26 June 2015.
  13. "Eurobasket news report – 4/16/2015: Astana Tigers conquer D1 title". Eurobasket.com. 16 May 2015. Retrieved 26 June 2015.
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