BC Khimki

BC Khimki is a Russian professional basketball team that is based in Khimki, Moscow Oblast. The club's senior men's first team participates in the Russian Basketball Super League 1. The club's full official name is BC Khimki Moscow Region. Khimki has a Moscow-based rivalry with the Russian club CSKA Moscow. History BC Khimki was founded on January 5, 1997, and won the first seasons' championship of its regional league, to earn a place in the Russian Superleague A. The following year, Khimki positioned itself among the top 10 basketball clubs in Russia, guaranteeing a place in the 3rd-tier European cup competition, the FIBA Korać Cup. There, the team competed against a group of defeated leaders of the Turkish Super League, YUBA Liga, and Bulgarian League. The team remained in a middle position in the Russian Super League until the 2002–03 season. That year the club finished in fourth place in the Russian Super League. During the subsequent years, the Russian high society behind the club decided to make the roster stronger, by signing players such as Gianmarco Pozzecco, Óscar Torres, and Rubén Wolkowyski. The team then participated several times in European-wide continental tournaments, like the 3rd-tier level FIBA EuroChallenge and the 2nd-tier level EuroCup. In 2006, Khimki played in the EuroChallenge's championship game, against Joventut Badalona. On 7 October 2006, Khimki played in a game against the NBA club the Los Angeles Clippers, losing by a score of 98 to 91.