Kirilenko named the Euroleague Best Defender
Forward CSKA Moscow Andrey Kirilenko is named the Euroleague’s Best Defensive Player of 2011-12 season by head coaches’ vote.
Kirilenko finished first three rounds of the tournament (regular season, Top 16, play-offs) as the Euroleague’s leader in rebounds (7.2), blocked shots (1.87) and second-best in steals (1.53).
What is more important, Kirilenko’s height and jumping abilities make him a tough matchup on small forward position, his ability to help the partners make him the key figure in team’s defensive schemes. CSKA is the best team in the Euroleague in opponents’ shooting percentage (45.7%) and three-point percentage (29.5%). Besides the team is on fourth position in points allowed (71.9).
In its 8-year history the trophy was won by Panathinaikos point guard Dimitrios Diamantidis six times. The only time the other player was awarded was in the 2009-10 season when CSKA forward Victor Khryapa was named the tournament’s Best Defender.
