TURKEY BOUND – Russia’s Khryapa shows his value once again

MOSCOW (2010 FIBA World Championship) – If there’s one certainty for Russia coach David Blatt ahead of this year’s FIBA World Championship in Turkey, it’s that power forward Viktor Khryapa will be in the starting line-up and playing big minutes if fit.

No player in the Russia squad is more important than Khryapa, a tough-as-nails defender, rebounder and scorer, and that includes Andrei Kirilenko of the Utah Jazz.

Khryapa on Wednesday night had a terrific all-round performance for CSKA Moscow in the Euroleague Top 16.

He had 12 points, 13 rebounds, six assists and two blocked shots as they beat Unicaja Malaga, 86-78.

Heading into the season, there were plenty of questions being asked of CSKA following the move of coach Ettore Messina to Real Madrid and the promotion of assistant Evgeny Pashutin to the head coaching position.

CSKA also lost Matjaz Smodis to injury but with Khryapa, who hit a game-winning three-pointer against Maroussi earlier in the competition, and the solid play of other veterans like Ramunas Siskauskas and Trajan Langdon, the Russian giants haven’t missed a beat.

They have now won eight consecutive games in the Euroleague.

Khryapa has been thriving in the Superleague and was also voted MVP of the inaugural VTB League as well after leading CSKA to that title.

Another who has impressed for CSKA and could force his way into Blatt’s line-up is Sasha Kaun, a 24-year-old center who averaged more than eight points and almost four rebounds in 22 minutes per game for CSKA in the Regular Season.

He had nine points and two rebounds in less than 18 minutes on Wednesday night against Unicaja.

FIBA