The Vrbas Wheelchair Basketball Club is entering the new NLB League season with major ambitions. Their season premiere is set for Saturday, 29 November, when they will play two games in Podgorica. The first opponent will be the reigning champions Paraplegic Sports Slovenia, followed by a match against the home team, KKI Paramount.
The Banja Luka side, eight-time champions of this regional competition, base their optimism on a strengthened roster. Their new push for the title will be supported by Russian players Dinar Kamaliev, Albert Bagamanov, Vladimir Kuchin, and Viktor Kainov, with Vasily Kochekov set to join later.
“With reinforcements from our brother club Wings of Bars from Kazan, we are entering the NLB League much stronger. Alongside them, Strahinja Rosuljaš (KKK Bijeljina) and Nermin Hujić (KIK Sana) will also play for us. There is no doubt we have a highly respectable roster capable of achieving our goal — to once again be the best in this prestigious competition,” said Marinko Umičević, president of the trophy-winning KKI Vrbas.
Vlado Švraka, one of the team’s key players, emphasized that all clubs have significantly strengthened their squads for the new season.
“Almost every team has brought in strong reinforcements from abroad. It will be a very competitive league. We face two major challenges against the Slovenians and Montenegrins. We will give everything to return from Podgorica with wins,” said Švraka, last season’s MVP of the regional league.
Team captain Biljana Nedić is also optimistic ahead of the new season.
“I expect us to record two victories in Podgorica. It certainly won’t be easy, but we will give our heart and soul on the court to reach our goal,” said Nedić, who has shown excellent form in the BiH League.
First-round fixtures of the NLB League on 29 November in Podgorica:
KKI Vrbas – Paraplegic Sports Slovenia (11:30)
KKI Paramount – KKI Vrbas (13:15)
KKI Paramount – KIK Una Sana (15:15)
Source: RTRS
