RUS - Petrenko killed in crash

SAMARA (EuroCup) - BC Khimki and Russia forward Aleksandr Petrenko has been killed in a car accident near the city of Samara.

Petrenko was at the wheel of his Hummer when he lost control and crashed into a KAMAZ truck.

The 30-year-old Petrenko, his wife and her parents were all killed in the accident. Petrenko's baby daughter was the only survivor.

The tragedy occurred on the road between Samara and the village of Neftogorsk, where CSK VVS-Samara's feeder club is based.

A statement on the BC Khimki website said: "Khimki is deeply sorry to announce that Khimki and Russia forward Aleksandr Petrenko, a fine man and sportsman of international class, has been tragically killed in a car accident. We sincerely sympathise with Sasha's friends and relatives."

Petrenko's former coach and close friend Valeri Tikhonenko said: "A terrible tragedy has occurred. At this point I cannot and do not want to believe what has happened.

"I sympathise with Sasha's parents his friends and all those close to him. He was a great and kind man. It's such a shame that fate is so unfair."

It is not yet known why Petrenko was in the Samara region, where neither he nor his family are known to have any ties.

This season, Petrenko played in the EuroCup final for Khimki, scoring 11 points and pulling down five rebounds as his side lost 88-63 to DKV Joventut.

PA Sport