Chorale Roanne team profile
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 It had to wait nearly half a century, but the 2006-07 season was a magic one for Chorale Roanne. Not only did Roanne win its first French League title since 1959, but it also clinched a spot in the Euroleague and so will make its first appearance in the competition since 1960. That doesn't mean that Roanne lacks a traditon, however. The club was founded back in 1932 as a school club. Henri Rhodamel helped to create its basketball section in 1937 and its first superstar was Andre Vacherese, who helped Roanne’s junior team to reach the French semifinals in 1946 and became the team captain at age 18. Roanne won that first and only previous league title in 1959, reached the French Cup final in 1964 and developed another homegrown talent who would become a European superstar, Alain Gilles. The team’s highlight then was reaching the 1960 Euroleague quarterfinals before losing to Slovan Prague. In 1967, the club was relegated to the French second division, but that season also saw "Fanfan" Monestier make his Roanne debut. Monestier would remain with the club for 15 years. Roanne returned to the French elite in 1969 and soon inked its first American player, Dick Smith, who would also coach the team in the mid-1970s. Roanne finished sixth in 1974 and played the Korac Cup their following year, but still floated between the first and second French divisions throughout the '80s.
2006-07 RESULTS | French League | R. Season | 24-10 | Playoffs | Champion |
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Roanne slipped to the French second division again in 1993 and would need an entire decade to return again to the first. Even though 2002 was the start of a new era for Roanne, it still needed a little luck to avoid relegation that season and was still as low as 16th in the French League standings as recently as 2005. Things changed in 2006, however, as Roanne made a big step forward by finishing ninth in the regular season and making the preliminary round of the playoffs before losing against Cholet. Last season, Roanne managed to land Dewarick Spencer and Marc Salyers, who led the team to their biggest success in decades. Salyers had 29 points and Spencer 18 to help Roanne beat Le Mans for the Semaine Des As title. Roanne then rounded out a perfect season by beating Nancy 74-81 in the single-game French League final. Salyers led Roanne with 27 points and 8 rebounds and Spencer had 13 of his 18 points in the fourth quarter. Their names will be linked forever to the history of this club, as thanks to their efforts, Roanne now looks forward to a bright future that includes its first Euroleague games in 47 years.
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Euroleague.net
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