MBA general director Kocharyan: youngsters got a chance against CSKA

MBA lost its opening VTB United League regular-season game to CSKA 65:82, and general director Igor Kocharyan said the side took the floor with a youth line-up because of injuries.

Kocharyan named five players who were unavailable: Savkov, Zubkov, Balashov, Ismailov and Voronov. "We essentially had a youth squad. With the large number of injuries, we were without Savkov, Zubkov, Balashov, Ismailov and Voronov – players who are too important," he told Match TV.

He said the young players needed time to get used to the intensity and emotion of the game, but settled as it went on. MBA won the third and fourth quarters, though not the game against the reigning champions.

"Given the situation we are in today, we also squeezed the positives out of this game," Kocharyan said. "The youngsters got experience, so that in the next games they can look more solid at such a serious level."

"At the same time, the youngsters were given a chance to show themselves straight away in a game with the champion, at the highest level," he added.

If the five absentees stay out for long, MBA may have to lean on the same young rotation in the coming fixtures.