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Prostejov Open Preview
ratiopharm Ulm Ready for Fantastic Challenge!! One of the most exciting and interesting times for a European basketball team is the preseason which is filled with fresh anticipation for the challenges ahead. Along with the enthusiasm associated with the start of a new season, the preseason often allows for travel to new places and competition against opponents from different countries. For ratiopharm Ulm, the 2007 preseason will reach a peak this week as the team travels to the Czech Republic for the Prostejov Open where they will meet three high-powered opponents in their final preseason games. Along with host BK Prostejov, Ulm will meet powerhouse BK Khimky from the Russian Superleague and BC Cherkassy an outstanding team from the Ukraine. Certainly the tournament will be extremely challenging and will provide outstanding high competition level for the second year Bundesliga team. Confronting fantastic challenges such as the Prostejov open will be another terrific experience for the entire Ulm organization.
TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE Tuesday September 25, 2007 4:30pm BK Prostejov vs. ratiopharm Ulm 7pm BC Khimky vs. BC Cherkassy Wednesday September 26, 2007 4:30pm BK Prostejov vs. BC Khimky 7pm ratiopharm Ulm vs. BC Cherkassy Thursday September 27, 2007 5pm BK Prostejov vs. BC Cherkassy 7:30pm ratiopharm Ulm vs. BC Khimky
ratiopharm Ulm enters this high power preseason tournament aiming to challenge themselves and raise their level as Bundesliga tip off approaches. Ulm's preseason buildup has included several games against top teams including Austrian Champ Gmunden Swans, Czech Champ Nymburk and French power Strasbourg. Along with these strong opponents, Ulm has faced several German Pro A teams and the varied levels has allowed Ulm to work on several aspects of their team in the preseason. Facing international level opponents is the perfect cap to a quality preseason as ratiopharm Ulm begins to focus on their first game in Braunschweig October 6th. For the Ulm team, the travel and the talent level of the Prostejov Open will be an outstanding experience from preseason 2007. ratiopharm Ulm Roster 4 EJ Gallup Ulm's shooting G has enjoyed excellent preseason/adds terrific shooting 7 Sebastian Betz hardworking young wing progressing daily/great weekend in Karlsrune 9 Kyle Bailey Ulm PG sparked run in Karlsruhe with personal 8-0/ strong preseason 10 Konrad Wysocki possibly Ulm's best player in preseason/brings energy to team 12 Dru Joyce rookie PG impressive in first experiences against top Euro competition 13 Jan Sprunken veteran wing has played strong minutes in each preseason game 14 Florian Mobius missed weekend games resting a knee injury/expected to play 15 Emeka Erege Ulm captain provides intensity, intangibles and defensive effort 34 Jeff Gibbs enjoying excellent preseason/ developing perimeter game 54 Sean Finn Ulm big man recovering from Flu-like symptoms from last week 55 Bryan Lucas enjoying excellent preseason with strong work ethic Head Coach Mike Taylor (USA) Team Website: www.basketball-ulm.com BC Cherkassy Monkeys from the Ukraine will play in the FIBA EUROPE CUP this season and have built a talented team for success. Americans Leon Rodgers and Jason Straight will be major factors in the team this year. Straight played at Wyoming and has enjoyed several excellent seasons in Israel while Rodgers, from Columbus Ohio and friends with Ulm's Jeff Gibbs, has enjoyed a terrific European pro career. Fadi El Khatib is a one on one scoring machine who averaged 29.8ppg last season and has NBA level talent. He was invited to workout with Michael Jordan and his personal trainers in Chicago in the mid 90's. The remaining players on the Monkey roster are experienced and talented putting Cherkassy in a great position heading into the new year. Without question, Wednesday nights game against Cherkassy will be a tremendous challenge and provide excellent preparation. BC CHERKASSY MONKEYS ROSTER Leon Rodgers 6'7 F Back to back Dutch league Champ and Player of the Year Jason Straight 5'11 G joins Monkeys from Israel Givat Shmuel/ Hapoel Galil Elyon Martynas Andriukaitis 6'9 F won Latvian League with ASK Riga in 2006 Rolandis Jarutis 6' G former Lithuanian National team G Fadi El Khatib 6'6 F Lebanese Scoring Machine Balca Radunovic 6'9 F/C joins Monkeys after three seasons in Cyprus Gjorgi Cekovski 6'8 F 2006 9.5pt 5.5reb for PBC Lukoil Akademik Sophia in Bulgaria Andrei Lebedev 6'3 G shot 43% from three with Monkeys last season in EuroCup Pavel Revzin 6'5 G young wing joins Monkeys from MBK Mykolaiv Dmitro Podoliako 6'2 G joins Monkeys for first season Head Coach Andrei Podkovyrov Ukrainian Superleague Semifinals 2006, 2007 From the Russian Superleague, BC Khimky brings a top talent European roster to the Prostejov Open. Former NBA players Kelly McCarty, Daniel Ewing and Marciej Lampe strengthen Khimky heading into the 2007-2008 season and 6'10 big man Uladzimir Veremeyenka was the #48 draft pick this summer for the Washington Wizards in the second round of the NBA draft. The giant Khimky roster features two 7 footers, a 6'11 big man, another 6'10 post and three 6'9 players. Another interesting part of the Khimky team is the talented Russian wings Nikita Shahalkin (All EuroCup Challenge last season with CSK Moscow) and Anton Ponkrashov (a young versatile 6'7 do-it all player on the NBA radar). Clearly this outstanding team from Russia will be a tremendous test for ratiopharm Ulm and will be excellent preparation for the new season ahead! BC KHIMKY ROSTER Kelly McCarty 6'7 F former Southern Miss/Denver Nugget F avg 14pt 5reb in 2006 Daniel Ewing 6'3 G former Duke G joins Khimky after 2yrs with LA Clippers Mike Wilkinson 6'9 F Wisconsin badger joins Khimky after 2yrs Aris Thessaloniki Greece Marciej Lampe 6'11 F/C Polish national team/NBA with Knicks, Suns, Hornets, Rockets Uladzimir Veremeyenka 6'10 C 2006 Washington Wizards pick Rd2#48 Nikita Shahalkin 6'9 F 2007 All EuroCup Challenge with CSK Moscow Vladimir Dyatchok 6'9 F versatile young wing also from CSK Moscow Vitali Fridzon 6'5 F 9.8ppg 3.8reb 42% 3pt for Khimky last season Teemu Rannikko 6'3 PG Finnish /great passer/6yr in Italy/Benntton Treviso and more Anton Ponkrashov 6'7 young talent from CSK Moscow on NBA radar Aleksei Savkov 6'5 G entering 6th season with Khimky Sergei Krasnikov 6'7 F entering 9th season with Khimky Sergey Karaulov 7'1 C 2006 Rocky Mountain Review Spurs Timofey Mozgov 7'1 C young big man working way up Khimky organization Head Coach: Kestutis Kemzura (Lithuanian) Team Website: www.bckhimki.ru
A team on the rise in the Czech Republic, the tournament host BK Prostejov will compete in the FIBA EUROPE CUP this season and are looking to rival traditionall Czech power Nymburk for the top spot in Czech basketball. BK PROSTEJOV ROSTER Rashaan Ames 6'1 G Shaw U product joins Prostejov after all star yr in Pardubice Bojic Aleksandar 6'10 C Serbian C from Hawaii Pacific played last yr in Bulgaria Jan Pavlik 6'1 G played parts of 3 seasons in Atomeromu SE Paks Stanislav Votroubek 7' C shooting big man 46% 3pt from Nymburk last 3yrs Ondrej Soska 6'10 C 6pt 3reb with Prostejov last season Goran Savanovic 6'6 G experienced combo G joins Prostejov from Nymburk Matas Niparavicius 6'10 C/F Lithuanina post Weber St product Pavel Novak 6'6 F Martin Vanak 6'7 F Robert Tomaszek 6'9 F former Texas Tech big man avg 10pt 6reb for Prostejov last yr Petr Dokoupil 6'2 G Pavel Pumprla 6'5 G Ludek Jurecka 6' 7 F Pavel Bosak 6'4 G Petr Kunst 6'3 G Jakob Mikulec 6'8 F
Head Coach: Miroslav Marko (Slovakian) Team Website: www.bkprostejov.cz Czech League finalist 2007 Czech League Semi-finalist 2005 BK Prostejov in European Cups 2005-2006: EuroCup Challenge: 3rd place (0-4) in Group B Follow all the fast breaking ratiopharm Ulm baketball action all season long on Taylorhoops.com! GO ULM! MIKE T
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