Author: Boris Karebin

  • Ukrainian standout Kate Koval left LSU

    Ukrainian standout Kate Koval left LSU

    Kate Koval, the 6-foot-5 Ukrainian center, has left LSU after one season with the Tigers for personal reasons. LSU head coach Kim Mulkey confirmed her departure on August 24. (TigerRag.com⁠)

    Koval entered college as a McDonald’s All-American and one of the top recruits in the 2024 class. At Notre Dame, she was named to the ACC All-Freshman Team after averaging 5.3 points, 4.7 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game. (Notre Dame Athletics⁠)

    In her 2025–26 season at LSU, Koval improved to 8.3 points, 6.3 rebounds, 1.1 steals and 1.2 blocks per game, shooting 56% from the field in 35 games. (LSUsports⁠)

    Koval now has two years of Division I experience and three years of eligibility remaining.

  • Zane Straudovska has arrived at Chipola. The next chapter begins now.

    Zane Straudovska has arrived at Chipola. The next chapter begins now.

    Latvian U20 national team player Zane Strudovska has arrived at Chipola College in Florida and has begun full preparation with the women’s basketball program.

    The move to Chipola represents an important next step in Zane’s development and her path toward NCAA Division I basketball.

    At 6’1”, Strudovska brings a valuable combination of size, shooting ability, and international experience. She has established herself as one of Latvia’s most dangerous perimeter shooters at her age level, including outstanding performances in Latvian junior competition.

    A Strong Environment for Development

    Chipola College is one of the recognized junior college basketball programs in the United States. The women’s program competes at the NJCAA Division I level and regularly plays against high-level junior college competition.

    For Zane, the goal is not simply to play another season of basketball. The goal is to maximize her development and prepare her for the next level.

    At Chipola, we expect Zane to continue developing as a complete wing player — not only as a three-point shooter, but also as a defender, rebounder, transition player and decision-maker.

    Her shooting will remain one of her biggest weapons. With her size and ability to stretch the floor, Zane has the potential to become a very difficult matchup for opposing defenses.

    The Next Step

    The 2026–27 season will be an important evaluation period.

    We want to see Zane become stronger physically, more consistent from three-point range, more aggressive offensively and more versatile defensively. Most importantly, we want her to establish herself as a major contributor in a competitive NJCAA Division I program.

    A successful season at Chipola could put Zane in an excellent position for the next step: an NCAA Division I opportunity for the 2027–28 season.

  • Ukrainian Egor Bilyi Receives High School Invitation from Oklahoma

    Ukrainian Egor Bilyi Receives High School Invitation from Oklahoma

    Ukrainian basketball player Egor Bilyi has received an invitation from a high school in Oklahoma and is considering the opportunity to spend either a full season or part of the season in the United States.

    Egor comes to this opportunity with experience playing for Resovia Rzeszów. He averaged 8.3 points, 3.1 assists, 2.2 assists, 2.1 rebounds and 2.2 steals per game, with an average playing time of 10 minutes per game.

    For Egor, this could be an important step in his basketball career. He wants to test himself in American basketball, gain valuable experience and find out how ready he is for the next level — college basketball.

    Egor still needs to obtain a U.S. visa in order to make the move to America, but the opportunity to spend a season at an American high school already represents an important chance for his development.

    The main goal for Egor is to test himself in the American basketball environment. The level of high school basketball in the United States is quite high, but the college level is significantly more demanding. If Egor can compete at a high level in high school, the season in America will help him determine how ready he is to take the next step.

    That is why spending a season at an American high school before entering college looks like a very reasonable option. It will allow Egor to adapt to the American style of play, experience the training system, understand the expectations of American coaches and, at the same time, evaluate his own potential.

    Egor’s parents fully support the idea. For a young player, this experience could become much more than simply a basketball season — it could be an important stage in both his athletic and personal development.

    It will also be a two-way street. Egor will have the opportunity to show himself to American coaches and understand what level of college basketball he can realistically target. At the same time, college coaches will be able to watch him compete in a real American basketball environment and evaluate whether he could be a good fit for their programs.

    For a European player, the high school route can be a good way to enter the American college basketball system. Instead of trying to go directly from Europe to college, Egor can first gain experience living and playing in the United States, adapt to the American system and then take the next step.

    The most important thing now is not to lose time and to make the most of this opportunity. A season in Oklahoma can help Egor better understand his own level, define his realistic basketball ambitions and, most importantly, learn what it takes to reach the American college level.

    We hope that Egor Bilyi will successfully complete this stage, make an impact at the high school level and use his American season as a stepping stone toward the next chapter of his basketball career — playing college basketball in the United States.

    We wish Egor good luck, a successful transition to American basketball and the opportunity to prove that he is ready for the college level!

  • Ukraine U-20 National Team Leader Elina Syniakova Arrives at University Training Camp in Texas

    Ukraine U-20 National Team Leader Elina Syniakova Arrives at University Training Camp in Texas

    Elina Syniakova, a leader of the Ukrainian U-20 National Team, has arrived at her university’s training camp in Texas and begun preparations for the new NCAA season.

    Following her performance at the FIBA U20 Women’s EuroBasket, Elina has joined her new team, where the coaching staff had been eagerly awaiting her arrival. The university made significant efforts to bring Elina to the program and help her continue her basketball career in the United States.

    At the 2026 FIBA U20 Women’s EuroBasket Division B, Syniakova was one of the key players for the Ukrainian national team. Over seven games, she averaged 14.1 points and 8.9 rebounds, along with 0.7 assists and a 16.4 efficiency rating per game. In total, Elina recorded 99 points and 62 rebounds during the tournament.

    Syniakova came close to recording a double-double several times and posted a 13-point, 14-rebound performance against the Czech Republic and a 20-point, 12-rebound game against Romania. In the final games of the tournament, she also recorded 14 points and 9 rebounds against Albania and 18 points and 9 rebounds against Bosnia and Herzegovina.

    Her performance at the European Championship generated significant interest from universities. Now, Elina is entering a new stage of her career as she begins full preparation for the NCAA season.

    Elina’s American basketball journey has included playing at Louisiana Tech, followed by Butler Community College. During the 2025–26 season, she helped Butler achieve a successful campaign and is now moving on to the next level of American college basketball.

    Elina also brings considerable international experience. She has represented Ukraine at different youth levels since 2021, and at the 2026 U20 European Championship she became one of the key players for the Ukrainian team.

    Now the focus is on preparing for the new season and making the most of her experience. Elina already understands American basketball, knows the demands of the college system, and has experience competing at the international level.

    We expect a very successful season for Elina Syniakova and believe this year can become an important step in the continued development of her career.

  • Tatyana Evko Begins Full Season Preparation with New Mexico Junior College

    Tatyana Evko Begins Full Season Preparation with New Mexico Junior College

    Tatyana Evko (190 cm), pictured in the center with her new teammates, has begun full preparation for the upcoming season with New Mexico Junior College. Alongside her are Thioro Gueye Seck from Senegal and Ramouna Vitta from Paris, France.

    Tatyana previously played for Nadezhda Orenburg and Magnitogorsk. She was developed under the guidance of coach Evgeny Babaytsev.

    This year, Tatyana finally achieved her goal of coming to the United States to continue her basketball career at the Junior College level. She joined New Mexico Junior College and has already begun preparing for the new season.

    The team’s training camp opened earlier this summer. The first weeks of preparation were very intensive, with a strong focus on physical conditioning and basketball development. Since yesterday, the team has officially moved into full team practices as they prepare for the upcoming season.

    We wish Tatyana a successful start to this new chapter of her basketball career in the United States!