The third Autumn in a row „Tornado“ basketball school together with sporting events agency „Tstar“ organized international youth basketball tournament „Kaunas Cup 2016“. 24 teams, 15 from them from foreign countries participated in this one of the biggest basketball tournament in Lithuania. Within three days almost 350 basketball players showed the subtleties of basketball.
The most teams competed in group 2003. Together with Lithuanians Tornado KM – “Glass Drive”, Kauno KM “Aisčiai”, Šiaulių KA “Saulė and Palangos SC “Žemaitukai” competed Berlin “Tusli” (GER), SPK Bialystok (POL), Copenhagen “SISU” and Horsens IC (DEN), Minsk, Tsmoki and RGUOR (BLR), Adaži and BS Riga/Pardaugava (LAT). After three days of basketball games, gold medals and cup of the first place won Kauno KM “Aisčiai” (Coach J. Pranevičius). The second place went to Adaži (Latvia). After tought game the bronze medals went to Tornado KM – “Glass Drive” (Coach T. Kentra) and the fourth were TuSLi, Berlin. Player from Palanga Rokas Tiškus won three points shoot, the second place went to player of Tornado KM – “Glass Drive” – Benas Samuilis.
| Players of symbolic 5: | |
| Fynn Fisher | (TuSLi, Berlin, GER) |
| Paulius Murauskas | (Tornado KM – “Glass Drive”, LTU) |
| Edijs Eglitis | (Adaži, LAT) |
| Henrikas Grubliauskas | (Kauno KM “Aisčiai”, LTU) |
| Rokas Jocius | (Kauno KM “Aisčiai”, LTU) |
„Thank you for the excellent organization of the tournament, – thanked coach of Copenhagen SISU Arne Sampson. – We have participated in this tournament last year and were happy come back again! This year teams were better, so we got more tough games. I am glad that we were able to not only to play in the tournament, but also to visit LKL game in Zalgiris arena!”
Final standings of group 2003:
| Team | Place |
| Kauno KM „Aisčiai“ (Lietuva) | I |
| Adaži (Latvija) | II |
| Tornado KM – „Glass Drive“ (Lietuva) | III |
| Berlyno TuSLi (Vokietija) | IV |
| Palangos SM – „Žemaitukai“ (Lietuva) | V |
| Minsko RGUOR (Baltarusija) | VI |
| Šiaulių KA „Saulė“ (Lietuva) | VII |
| Kopenhagos SISU (Danija) | VIII |
| Minsko Tsmoki (Baltarusija) | IX |
| Horsens IC (Danija) | X |
| SPK Bialystok (Lenkija) | XI |
| BS Riga/Pardaugava (Latvija) | XII |
Six teams competed in group 2002 – Tornado KM – “Fudo” (LTU), Kauno KM “Aisčiai” (LTU), Kretingos SM (LTU), AK Olsztyn and SPK Bialystok (POL), BC Prinemanie, Grodno (BLR). After first day of tournament, the leaders of group 2002 became Kauno KM “Aisčiai” (Coach S. Marčiukaitis) and finally they won gold medals. The second place went to Tornado KM – “Fudo” (Coach A. Grigaliūnas) and the third – to Kretingos SM (Coach V. Šližius). The winner of sniper competition became player of Kretinga SM Šarūnas Tiškus and the second place went to player of Tornado KM – “Fudo” – Matas Makauskas.
| Players of symbolic 5: | |
| Kasparas Jonauskas | (Kretingos SM, LTU) |
| Andrej Ščerbak | (BC Prinemanie, Grodno, BLR) |
| Kostas Čepavičius | (Tornado KM – “Fudo”, LTU) |
| Dominyaks Stenionis | (Kauno KM “Aisčiai”, LTU) |
| Vincas Aleknavičius | (Kauno KM “Aisčiai”, LTU) |
| Team | Place |
| Kauno KM „Aisčiai“ (Lietuva) | I |
| Tornado KM – „Fudo“ (Lietuva) | II |
| Kretingos SM (Lietuva) | III |
| BC Prinemanie, Grodno (Baltarusija) | IV |
| SPK Bialystok (Lenkija) | V |
| AK Olsztyn (Lenkija) | VI |
Six teams from Lithuania and foreign countries participated in group 2000. Tornado KM – “Viči” and V. Knašaus KM – “Atlantic Express” (LTU) successfully represented Lithuania and from foreign countries there was Horsens IC (DEN), SPL Bialystok and MKS Piotrowka Radom (POL). No matter how hard guests from Europe tried to won, Lithuanians were stronger. V. Knašiaus KM – “Atlantic Express” (Coach A. Kaniava) won the first place and Tornado KM – “Viči” had to enjoy with the second place. Awards of the third place went to Denmark with team Horsens IC.
However, foreigners were better in three points shoot competition. Danish players Bakir Serdarevic and Marcus Norgaard were unstopable and won the first and the second places.
| Players of symbolic 5: | |
| PAtryk Kwandrans | (MKS Piotrowka, Radom, POL) |
| Marcus Noorgard | (Horsens IC, DEN) |
| Tautvydas Kupstas | (Tornado KM – “Viči”, LTU) |
| Klaidas Metrikis | (V. Knašiaus KM, LTU) |
| Rokas Jokubaitis | (V. Knašiaus KM, LTU) |
„Tournament was really high level teams from Lithuania were very strong! – said the head coach of Horsens IC. – Everything was organized really well – both the games, accommodation and meal. I am glad that we were able to participate here.
| Team | Place |
| V. Knašiaus KM – „Atlantic Express“ (Lietuva) | I |
| Tornado KM – „Viči“ (Lietuva) | II |
| Horsens IC (Danija) | III |
| MKS Piotrowka Radom (Lenkija) | IV |
| SPK Bialystok (Lenkija) | V |
| BS Riga/Pardaugava (Latvija) | VI |
| SPK Bialystok (Lenkija) | XI |
| BS Riga/Pardaugava (Latvija) | XII |
Good emotions at the end of the tournament didn’t hide the director of „Tornado“ KM Dainius Čiuprinskas: “We are glad that every year more and more teams from foreign countries join this tournament. Coaches have possibility not only to communicate with each others, but also to share new experience. Pre-season tournament helps to prepare for upcoming official basketball competitions. We would like to say thank you for Kaunas City Municipality to establishing – cups and medals, sponsors for prizes, parents for help. We are happy that everything went very well and we received a lot of positive feedback from participants”.
The winners were awarded by cups and medals established by Kaunas City Municipality, the winners of three-point shoot contest and symbolic five players received gifts from electronic sporting goods store sportpoint.lt, Vici and Amadeira.
Sports agency “Tstar” and “Tornado” basketball school promised not to stop and continue to enjoy basketball lovers organizing tournament and other events!
