Dimitris Itoudis named Coach of the Year

CSKA head coach Dimitris Itoudis has been named the 2014-15 VTB United League Coach of the Year.

The Coach of the Year was selected by the league's expert panel, featuring ten basketball legends from across Eastern Europe: Gundars Vetra (Latvia), Ivan Edeshko (Russia), Jiri Zidek (Czech Republic), Ilona Korstin (Russia), Hanno Mottola (Finland), Martin Muursepp (Estonia), Tomas Pacesas (Lithuania), Sergei Tarakanov (Russia), Valery Tikhonenko (Kazakhstan) and Heino Enden (Estonia).

Following a poll of the league's expert panel, CSKA head coach Dimitris Itoudis earned the most votes (5). Votes were also given to Kalev's Alar Varrak (2), Zenit's Vasily Karasev (1), Lokomotiv-Kuban's Sergei Bazarevich (1) and Khimki's Rimas Kurtinaitis (1). 

Dimitris Itoudis guided CSKA to the best overall record in the regular season (26-4). The Army Men were also the league's best defensive team (giving up just 71.7 points per game) and second-best offensive team (90.4 points).

This is the second year that the league has named a Coach of the Year. Khimki coach Rimas Kurtinaitis picked up the award last season.

- First of all, I thank my players and everyone on the staff: coaches, doctors, physiotherapists, and obviously management, who gave me the opportunity to work for such a great team with great players, - Itoudis told VTB-League.com. - We win and lose together. I also thank the people who voted for me. It's a great honor and I have to repeat that it's a team accomplishment. Still, we have a long way to go this season and I hope that we will earn more team trophies.