One year later21 july 2007

Last summer was marked by heart-break. Nobody and never can imagine it. Russian basketball had an irreplaceable loss: in a car crash not far from Samara along with his wife and her parents the BC Khimki and The Russian National team forward Alexander Petrenko was killed. Only the daughter, Sasha 8-years old, escaped her life. Petrenko was only 30…

Sasha liked cars. When he went again to the relatives in Samara, everybody thought, that everything would be alright as usual. But the destiny can be unjust. Absurdly, sadly and cruelly

The death takes away such person who loves life, who does everything in his power to change her for better – for the common good. Alexander Petrenko was such man. He loved life, loved basketball, loved teammates and fans.

During the career years he made for the basketball much. And so did basketball for him. The sympathy was reciprocal.
He was Russian player, coaches and teammates could always rely on him. He was a player who was not afraid to be responsible and act strongly. Even in strained moments of match. He took a ball and did what he could do the best…

On the playground modest, but quite all-sufficient guy changed into furious lion. The lion, which battled for the victory unsparingly and with all his might. At the same time somebody hardly could reproach him with the premeditated roughness. He acted strictly according to the rules. Were these rules clear or hidden.

The contribution of Petrenko to the success of BC Khimki cannot be overemphasized. In 2002 Sasha came to Moscow Region hungered for the victories and basketball.

He played in Samara, Tula, Kazan, Moscow and in Russian team of various ages. But just in Khimki according to Petrenko he was given an opportunity to work for improving oneself and make progress. And just in Khimki he achieved the basketball success.
Petrenko returned the inspiring game for confidence to his teammates and fans. That’s why in a short term he became a favorite of Moscow region fans. And after Mikhail Soloviev Petrenko became a captain of the team.

As a person with good character and as player he deserved to be given the honor, the right to head the team in difficult moments. On the playground as well as off-court.

The desert in winning of 3 sets of silver medals by the team, at which fans were happy, is great.

Still Petrenko liked to smile. He was going to the basketball court smiling…He took the ball and became serious and concentrated; he was making his work industriously, but feeling at ease. After the final buzzer he always applauded fans, went from the court and showed his sunny smile. He always cared for his family.

It is hard to imagine our club without Alexander…Time heals, it is said. But his friends, teammates, coaches, fans miss him. The jubilee season we played without Petrenko…

Petrenko will be memorialized. In the context of the 1st ALEXANDER PETRENKO Pro Memoria International Tournament the memorial tablet of his name will be opened. And the shirt with his number 4 found its place under arcades of Khimki Basketball Center.
Alexander Petrenko with his wife is buried on the Novoluginskoe cemetery in Khimki. And fans of Moscow Region team staged in last September the tournament in the memory of this excellent player and person.
Author: BC Khimki