In the annals of CSKA Moscow’s storied basketball history, one achievement remains curiously overlooked: their victory in the 1985 USSR Cup. Despite the significance of the win, it seems to have been overshadowed by other events and is often not included in official club records. Here’s an exploration of the forgotten tournament and the story behind CSKA’s 1985 triumph, as detailed by Vladimir Titorenko for the book People and Legends.
The Context of the Tournament
By March 1985, CSKA Moscow, long a dominant force in Soviet basketball, had just lost the USSR championship title to Žalgiris in a controversial ending. The defeat was particularly frustrating for CSKA’s head coach, Aleksandr Gomelsky, who had recently returned to the team. In response to this setback, Gomelsky decided to channel his frustration into revitalizing the nearly forgotten USSR Cup.
Reviving the USSR Cup
The USSR Cup was reintroduced with Gomelsky at the helm, and the tournament took place in three stages:
- Quarter-Final Subgroups: Held at the end of July, featuring teams from the first and second leagues, divided geographically.
- Semifinal Groups: Running from August 9 to 11, this stage included top league teams minus national players who were preoccupied with international commitments, such as the Universiade in Kobe.
The Semifinals
During the semifinal stage, CSKA Moscow, despite missing key players who were representing the USSR national team, managed to perform well. Other strong contenders included Žalgiris, Stroitel Kyiv, and Spartak Leningrad. Each of these teams had notable absences due to international duties, impacting their performances.
The semifinal results were as follows:
- Žalgiris triumphed in Palanga, defeating Dynamo Moscow, Statiba (without Marčiulionis), and SKA Kyiv (without Goborov).
- Stroitel Kyiv excelled in Chelyabinsk, overcoming VEF, Lokomotiv Novosibirsk, and Panevėžys.
- Spartak Leningrad emerged from the Leningrad group.
CSKA Moscow played their semifinal games in Donetsk, where they defeated Tashkent University and narrowly beat Shakhtar Donetsk.
The Final Tournament
The final tournament took place from August 23-25 in Donetsk, a venue praised by Gomelsky and players alike for its excellent open-air court. The final results were:
- August 23: Spartak vs. Žalgiris (106-96), CSKA vs. Stroitel Kyiv (93-76)
- August 24: Stroitel Kyiv vs. Žalgiris (86-76), CSKA vs. Spartak Leningrad (85-78, with Tkachenko scoring 33 points)
- August 25: Spartak Leningrad vs. Stroitel Kyiv (93-92), CSKA vs. Žalgiris (96-79)
CSKA Moscow emerged victorious in the final standings with a perfect record of 3-0. The final table was:
- CSKA Moscow: 3-0
- Spartak Leningrad: 2-1
- Stroitel Kyiv: 1-2
- Žalgiris: 0-3
The Team and Legacy
CSKA Moscow’s squad for the 1985 USSR Cup included Alexander Gusev, Alexander Ermolinsky, Andrei Lopatov, Alexander Meleshkin, Anatoly Myshkin, Viktor Pankrashkin, Sergey Popov, Sergey Tarakanov, Vladimir Tkachenko, and Heino Enden, under the leadership of head coach Alexander Gomelsky.
Despite the significance of this achievement, the victory has been somewhat neglected in club histories and almanacs. Nonetheless, it remains a testament to CSKA’s enduring excellence and the impact of Aleksandr Gomelsky’s leadership during a challenging period for the team.
This forgotten trophy is a reminder of the rich history and legacy of CSKA Moscow basketball, reflecting the resilience and skill of a team that continued to thrive despite adversity.
