Russia’s national basketball team drew scrutiny from Andrei Kirilenko, president of the Russian Basketball Federation, as they wrapped their Friendship Cup preparation tournament in Moscow. Kirilenko’s assessment aimed to guide the program forward and frame what the squad needed to do to lift its level ahead of major international events.
He said the opening game deserved a C grade, noting the extra period victory kept the scoreline respectable but the performance was not up to standard. Against Libya, there was little to take away, and he could not give that contest any high marks because the margin of victory or defeat did not reflect the level of competition. Taken together, over the two-game set, the overall rating remained at a C.
The Friendship Cup ran in Moscow from November 22 to 24. The Russian team captured first place by defeating Tunisia in overtime with a score of eighty-one to seventy-three and beating Libya by one hundred eight to sixty.
Earlier in 2022, the International Olympic Committee urged international federations to bar Russian and Belarusian athletes from competitions. By late 2023, the IOC decided to allow Russians and Belarusians to compete at the 2024 Olympic Games as neutral athletes provided they met specific eligibility criteria. Additionally, medals won by Russians and Belarusians in those Games were not counted toward the official medal table.
On the club level, Russian teams have occasionally posted large-margin wins in regional and international play, underscoring the talent present in the system despite ongoing challenges in the broader sporting landscape.