The best player of the previous season Elena Mikhaylichenko told Anton Baboshin in an interview to Sport-Express that she would have awarded Anastasia Illarionova with the MVP title.
— And whom would you give the prize to?
— I would give it to my teammate Anastasia Illarionova. We communicate closely and I know, that she is always literally ready to give everything for the team. Last season she was both the captain and the leader of CSKA, the person who spent an enormous amount of time on the court almost every match. She had problems related to injuries, but Nastya has just an incredible level of self-sacrifice. Her contribution to the team’s success can hardly be overestimated, that is why she deserves the title of the best pivot of the championship and the MVP title. Not due to the fact that we’re friends, but since she really deserved it, — Mikhaylichenko said.
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Photo: HC CSKA press