By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Victor Kobzystyy has died. The former player was killed after a Russian attack on Lviv.
The terrible news was relayed by reporter Oleksandr Proshuta on Friday, noting that a drone flew into his house in the city of western Ukraine.
Kobzystyy was 44.
Widely considered a star of Ukrainian basketball, his playing days included representing his country in two editions of EuroBasket, in 2001 and 2005, under head coach Gennadi Zaschuk. Stints at Azovmash Mariupol, Budivelnyk Kyiv, and Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk described his club career in his country, besides numerous spells abroad.
His son Oleksandr Kobzystyy has been labeled as a promising prospect of Ukrainian basketball. The international career of the youngster features summer spells with the U16 and U20 national teams over recent years. At the club level, he currently plays for Mega MIS averaging 2.6 points per contest over seven appearances in the 2023-24 Regular Season of the AdmiralBet ABA League.
Ukraine representative in the BKT EuroCup, Prometey also reacted to the most recent attacks conducted by Russia on cities across the country located in Eastern Europe.
Relocating to Riga, Prometey packing a 7-6 record ranks sixth overall in Group A of EuroCup’s Regular Season, at the bottom end of the Playoffs zone, distanced three games from following clubs on the standings.
Competing in the Paf Latvian–Estonian Basketball League, the same home venue also suits the club originally based in Slobozhanske. A 12-1 W-L tally ranks second behind Kalev/Cramo in the 2023-24 Regular Season.