2008-09 club profile: Base Oostende
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 Once a ULEB Cup regular, Base Oostende now sets its sights on the new Eurocup. Founded in 1970, BC Oostende is one of the classic teams in Belgian basketball. It only took the team nine years to win its first title, the Belgian Cup in 1979, and it was just the beginning of the team's golden age. Oostende dominated the Belgian basketball scene and became the team to beat,
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2008-09 provisional roster
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| Name |
Pos.
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Height
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| Lionel Bosco |
G
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1.75
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| Jimmy Baxter |
G
|
1.98
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| Ivan Paunic |
G
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1.94
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| Kris Sergeant |
G
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1.93
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| Mike Bauer |
F
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2.03
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| Slobodan Ljubotina |
F
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2.07
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| Veselin Petrovic |
F
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1.95
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| Sebastien Bellin |
C
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2.05
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| Leigh Enobakhare |
C
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2.08
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| Quentin Serron |
G
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1.90
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| Rashid Atkins |
G
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1.82
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| Matt Haryasz |
C
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2.11
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| Valda Vukoicic |
Head Coach |
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but no other seemed to be able do so all around Belgium in the early 1980s. Oostende won six consecutive league titles from 1980 to 1986 and added four more Belgium Cup titles as the city became fully devoted to the sport. The team was unable to maintain its remarkable dominance after that, but still managed to add some titles, like the 1988 Belgian League and the 1989 and 1991 Belgian Cups.
After several ups and downs through the 1990s, during which Oostende kept its name among the elite of Belgian basketball and added some more trophies to its roll of honors, the club found some success outside Belgian borders. Oostende advanced as far as the 1999 Korac Cup semifinals after knocking off teams like Unicaja of Spain and Galatasaray and Besitkas of Turkey. As soon as Telindus became the main sponsor of the team, Oostende again got to the top domestically, winning back-to-back Belgian League titles in 2001 and 2002, as well as claiming the 2001 Belgian Cup. Euroleague and ULEB Cup appearances followed during this decade, a sign of respect for a team that can proudly say it won 12 domestic league and cup titles in its successful history. Back-to-back league titles in 2006 and 2007 were another peak for the club. Last season, Oostende advanced to the ULEB Cup elimination rounds for the first time but, after winning the Belgian Cup again, went out unexpectedly early from the Belgian playoffs. Now with Base on board as the new sponsor, Oostende is aiming high once again.
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