BC Astana unveils new coaching staff for the senior team
Basketball Club Astana is proud to announce the coaching staff for the senior team for the 2025/26 season. The staff has been completely refreshed, and the club is embarking on the new season under the guidance of experienced, ambitious professionals.
Head Coach — Ramūnas Čvirka
Ramūnas Čvirka is a highly respected coach with a wealth of basketball experience. He began his coaching career in 2004 in the Lithuanian league, and by 2008 was the assistant coach who helped Azovmash win the Ukrainian Superleague title and Ukrainian Cup.
Čvirka made his name working with Khimki-2’s youth team: under his leadership, they twice won bronze in the VTB Youth United League (2011, 2012), took the U20 EYBL title (2013), and won back-to-back VTB Youth League championships in 2013 and 2014. In 2018, he led Lithuanian club Nevėžis to the EuroCup Top 16.
Over the past two seasons, Čvirka has worked successfully in Kazakhstan, coaching Irbis-Alatau. The team won the national championship in 2023/24 and finished with silver in 2024/25. He was named Kazakhstan’s Coach of the Year in both seasons.
Assistant Coaches
Joining the staff is Dainius Šalenga — a legendary player with an equally impressive résumé. A 2003 European Champion with Lithuania’s national team, he also won the FIBA EuroChallenge (2006/07 with Akasvayu Girona), is a multiple-time Lithuanian champion, and a two-time Ukrainian champion. As a coach, Šalenga worked as an assistant with Prienai CBET (2019–2021) and Pieno Žvaigždės (2021–2023).
Another key addition is Anton Ponomarev, a true icon of Kazakh basketball. He played for Spartak Primorye and spent many years with Astana, winning multiple Kazakhstan championships with the club.
Astana’s new coaching team is a blend of international experience, youth development expertise, and national identity. The club has set ambitious goals for the 2025/26 season and believes that under Ramūnas Čvirka and his assistants, Astana will once again delight fans with big victories.
