Grigorij Khizhnyak
Grigorij Khizhnyak (Ukrainian: Григорій Хижняк; July 16, 1974 – October 5, 2018) was a Ukrainian professional basketball player.[1] Standing at 7 ft 1 in (2.16 m), he played as center and was the EuroLeague blocks leader two consecutive times, in 2001 and 2002.
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | July 16, 1974 Mykolaiv, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union |
| Died | October 5, 2018 (aged 44) |
| Nationality | Ukrainian |
| Listed height | 7 ft 1 in (2.16 m) |
| Listed weight | 232 lb (105 kg) |
| Career information | |
| Playing career | 1994–2010 |
| Position | Center |
| Career history | |
| 1994–1995 | SC Mykolaiv |
| 1995–1998 | Budivelnyk |
| 1998–1999 | Avtodor Saratov |
| 1999–2000 | Kyiv |
| 2000–2002 | Žalgiris Kaunas |
| 2002–2003 | Kyiv |
| 2003 | Pamesa Valencia |
| 2003–2004 | GS Peristeri |
| 2004–2005 | Makedonikos |
| 2005–2006 | Dynamo St. Petersburg |
| 2006–2007 | Kyiv |
| 2007–2009 | Dnipro |
| 2009–2010 | Budivelnyk |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Professional career
A dominant defensive force in the paint, the 7 ft 1 in (2.16 m) tall center, led the EuroLeague in blocks per game for two consecutive years, in 2001 and 2002, while playing with Žalgiris Kaunas. Among his greatest career achievements, was his participation in the 2005 ULEB Cup (now called EuroCup) final, with Makedonikos.
National team career
Khizhnyak was a regular member of the senior men's Ukrainian national basketball team.
EuroLeague career statistics
| Legend | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game | ||
| FG% | Field-goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field-goal percentage | FT% | Free-throw percentage | ||
| RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game | ||
| BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game | PIR | Performance Index Rating | ||
| Bold | Career high | ||||||
Note: The EuroLeague is not the only competition in which the player participated for the team during the season. He also played in domestic competition, and regional competition if applicable.
| Led the league |
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG | PIR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000–01 | Žalgiris Kaunas | 12 | 12 | 29.8 | .539 | .000 | .840 | 7.2 | .8 | .7 | 3.2 | 12.1 | 18.8 |
| 2001–02 | 14 | 14 | 32.2 | .508 | .333 | .888 | 8.1 | 1.4 | .9 | 3.2 | 14.4 | 21.6 | |
| Career | 26 | 26 | 31.1 | .520 | .167 | .865 | 7.7 | 1.2 | .8 | 3.2 | 13.3 | 20.3 | |
References
- "Помер знаменитий український баскетболіст Григорій Хижняк". ukr.segodnya.ua (in Ukrainian). October 5, 2018. Retrieved October 8, 2018.