Eurobasket.com
Unics continued to bolster their roster. After signing Alexey Savrasenko the Kazan team has agreed on terms of contract with Marcus Williams (191-G-85, college: Connecticut).
The 25-year-old guard spent the previous season in Enisey. The guard tallied 12.0 points, 6.5 assists and 5.0 rebounds per game in EuroChallenge Qualifying Round. In PBL Marcus Williams posted 15.3 points, 6.8 assists and 3.6 boards per appearance. The guard made it into Eurobasket.com Russian PBL All-Imports Team. Previously Marcus Williams played for the New Jersey Nets, Golden State Warriors and Memphis Grizzlies in the NBA and Quebradillas Pirates in Puerto Rico. He was named Latinbasket.com All-Puerto Rican BSN Import Player of the Year in 2009. Marcus Williams made it into NBA All-Rookie 2nd Team in 2007. The guard played for USA U21 National Team.
According to 'Gazeta Wyborcza', Tomas Pacesas will continue as a Head Coach of the Polish powerhouse Asseco Prokom. Reportedly, they already agreed an extension, but the club will have lower budget than the last season. Tomas Pacesas started his coaching career as an AC with Prokom in 2007. After one year, he was promoted to HC position. Pacesas led Asseco Prokom to Euroleague Quarterfinals in 2010. As Head Coach, Pacesas won three consecutive titles in Poland. He also has one as an assistant (2008). That same year Prokom also won the Polish Cup. Last season, they defended the PLK title after 76-71 win against Turow in decisive Game Seven of the Finals. Prokom was the regular season champion with 17-5 record.
Rolandas Alijevas (192-G-85) is a new member of Budivelnyk. The Lithuanian guard arrives from Rudupis Prienu, where he finished last season. He joined them in April averaging 8.3 points, 3.1 rebounds and 4.3 assists for 7 games in LKL. Alijevas started the season with Nevezis. He played 20 games for them in Baltic league collecting 12.4 ppg, 5.1 rpg and 4.8 apg. Alijevas also added 14.9 ppg, 5.5 rpg and 5.9 apg for 23 games in LKL. He finished the season as No.1 in assists. Eurobasket awarded Alijevas with Eurobasket.com All-Lithuanian LKL Guard of the Year -11. He was also named Eurobasket.com All-Baltic League Guard of the Year -11. Rolandas Alijevas changed three teams in 2009/10 season. He started with Greek Olimpia Larissa and in February of 2010 moved to Nevezis. After few games Alijevas agreed a deal with German Phoenix Hagen. In the past, he also played for Krka, Zalgiris, Samara, Polonia Warszawa, Boncourt and ASVEL.
As expected, Armani Jeans Milano announced signing of the floor general Omar-Sharif Cook (186-G-82, agency: Beo Basket, college: St.John's) for the next season. The 29-year-old American/Montenegrin heads to Milano from Power Electronics Valencia. He was targeted by Efes Pilsen and Galatasaray, but it seems AJ Milano made the best offer to the player. Omar-Sharif Cook joined Valencia last summer from Unicaja. In Spanish league he had 6.4ppg, 2.4rpg, Assists-2 (5.4apg), Steals-1 (2.2spg), FGP: 41.4%, 3PT: 27.4%, FT: 81.0%. In Euroleague after 21 games his stats read 8.0ppg, 2.4rpg, Assists-2 (5.6apg), Steals-4 (1.8spg), FGP: 41.2%, 3PT: 35.1%, FT: 79.1%. Valencia reached Euroleague Quarterfinals and was close to eliminate Real Madrid. In 2008-2009 for Omar joined Unicaja Malaga (Spain-ACB, starting five) and in Spanish League averaged 6.1ppg, 1.5rpg, 4.5apg, 1.6spg, FGP: 55.0%, 3PT: 31.1%, FT: 73.1%. In Euroleague after 16 games his stats read 5.6ppg, 1.9rpg, Assists-2 (5.1apg), 1.3spg, FGP: 32.1%, 3PT: 39.1%, FT: 75.0%. In 2009-2010 for Unicaja Malaga (Spain-ACB, starting five) in Spanish League he improved to 8.6ppg, 1.4rpg, Assists-1 (5.7apg), 1.3spg, FGP: 41.0%, 3PT: 36.5%, FT: 85.1% and in Euroleague showed 9.7ppg, 1.8rpg, Assists-1 (5.9apg), 1.2spg, FGP: 45.2%, 3PT: 38.5%, FT: 79.4%. Only last year Omar became Spanish ACB Supercup Finalist -11, Spanish Cup (Copa del Rey) Semifinals -11, Eurobasket.com All-Euroleague Honorable Mention -11, Eurobasket.com Euroleague All-Defensive Team -11, Euroleague Quarterfinals -11, Eurobasket.com All-Spanish ACB Defensive Player of the Year -11, Eurobasket.com All-Spanish ACB 3rd Team -11. In the past, Omar cook played for Crvena Zvezda, Samara and Dexia Mons-Hainaut. He was Eurobasket.com All-Adriatic League Guard of the Year -08 with Crvena Zvezda.
Krka got a new Head Coach for the next season. The team hired Serbian coach Nenad Trajkovic to replace his countryman Aleksandar Dzikic, who left for Lietuvos Rytas. Coach Ned heads to Krka from the NBA Team Phoenix Suns, where he worked as Assistant Coach (players development). He worked as AC of Lottomatica Roma in 2009.
Nenad Trajkovic was a Head Coach of the Latvian National Team in 2008. As a HC, Trajkovic also worked with BC Banjalucka Pivara in 2003/04. From 1999 to 2001, Trajkovic was HC of Partizan Belgrade. In the past he also worked as HC of Sloga Kraljevo and Borac Cacak. In 2003, Trajkovic was coaching Iranian National Team. They won the fifth place at the Asian Championship in China. Nenad Trajkovic will have a very difficult job with Krka, who had wonderful last season. They will compete in Euroleague Qualifying Round.
Zalgiris and Martynas Pocius (196-G-86, agency: Interperformances, college: Duke) extended their cooperation for another season. The guard joined the Kaunas powerhouse back in 2009 straight out of Duke. Last season Martynas Pocius tallied 10.7 points, 2.1 boards and 2.1 assists per game in LKL. In Euroleague his stats read 10.9 points, 2.7 rebounds and 2.4 assists. In Baltic League Pocius averaged 8.3 points and 3.3 rebounds per appearance. The guard also posted 12.0 points, 2.0 assists and 1.2 boards per game in VTB-League. Martynas Pocius made it into Eurobasket.com All-Lithuanian LKL 1st Team. He was also named into Eurobasket.com VTB-League All-Europeans Team. Martynas Pocius played for Lithuania at 2010 World Championship. His stats read 9.6 points, 2.6 boards and 1.6 assists per game in Turkey.
Spirou Basket Charleroi announced signing of two-year contract extension with Demond Mallet (185-G-78, agency: Higher Vision Sports, college: McNeese St.). It means that the American scoring machine will stay with the club until the end of the 2012/13 season. Mallet joined Charleroi last summer from Turk Telekom. He appeared 16 times in Euroleague averaging 12.6 points, 2.2 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.3 steals. He also added 15.7 ppg, 2.5 epg, 2.2 apg and 2.1 spg for 35 games in Belgian league. Mallet helped Charleroi to defend the title. He was named Eurobasket.com All-Belgian League Player of the Year -11. Before Charleroi, Demond Mallet had 12.3 ppg and 3.2 apg for Turk Telekom in 12 EuroCup games. In TBL, Mallet registered 10.4 ppg, 2.7 rpg and 3.4 apg. In the past, he was a member of DKV Joventut, Rhein Energie Koeln, Bamberg and Braunschweig.
Erazem Lorbek (209-F/C-84, college: Michigan St.) will stay with Regal Barca. The Slovenian buy signed a one-year contract extension with the club. Erazem Lorbek finished 2010/11 season in style. Lorbek and his Barca won the ACB title with perfect 3-0. They blasted Bilbao in the Finals with two home and one road victory. Lorbek exploded in Game One with 24 points and 7 rebounds, while he also had 9 pts and 5 rebs in Game two, plus 7 pts and 6 rebs in Game Three. Lorbek joined Regal Barca in 2009 from CSKA Moscow. He appeared 40 times in ACB this season averaging 8.9 points, 4.6 rebounds and 1.3 assists. He also added 8.5 ppg and 3.7 rpg for 20 Euroleague games.Regal Barca signed Chuck Eidson few days ago and extended Pete Mickeal. Alan Anderson and Terence Morris will leave the club.
Galatasaray announced that Oktay Mahmudi (agency: Beo Basket ) will be their Head Coach in 2011/12 season. The Turkish specialist was close to take a position of CEO in the club, but at the end two sides made a decision that Mahmudi continues as Head Coach. Oktay Mahmudi (agency: Beo Basket ) took over Galatasaray last summer. He led them to TBL Finals and secured participation for Euroleague Qualifying Round 2011/12. The team started new era with Mahmudi and it is already clear they will have even stronger roster for next season. Before Galata, Mahmudi worked with Benetton Treviso. He was named Eurocup Coach of the Year -09. From 2000 to 2007, Oktay Mahmudi (agency: Beo Basket ) was a Head Coach of Efes Pilsen. He helped them win four Turkish league titles and also four trophies in Turkish Cup. They reached Euroleague Quarterfinals twice. In 2001, Mahmudi led Efes Pilsen to third place in European Suproleague Final Four.
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