2008-09 Club Profile: Tartu Rock
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 Since the turn of the millennium, Tartu Rock has become the team to beat in Estonia. Five titles and seven regular season first-place finishes in nine seasons have seen Tartu climb to the pinnacle of Estonian basketball. Now the club will move its game to the bigger and brighter stage of the new Eurocup. Tartu Rock was founded in 1996 and has been a member of Estonia’s top league from Day 1.
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Tartu Rock Roster 2008-09
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| Name |
Pos.
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Height
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| Kristo Aab |
G
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1.94
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| Sten-Timmu Sokk |
G
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1.81
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| Tanoka Beard |
C
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2.06
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| Tanel Tein |
G
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1.93
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| George Tsintsadze |
G
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1.92
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| Timo Eichfuss |
F
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2.00
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| Vallo Allingu |
C
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2.06
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| Marek Doronin |
F
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2.00
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| Asko Paade |
F
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2.05
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| Viktor Sanikidze |
F
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2.03
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| Gert Kullamae |
G
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1.96
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| Janar Talts |
F
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2.05
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| Silver Leppik |
g
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1.86
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| Kristjan Kitsing |
F
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2.02
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| Ullar Kerde |
Head Coach |
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Even in the early years it was a tough team to beat, never finishing lower than fourth in any of its first four seasons. Its consistency paid off in 1999-2000 when Tartu Ulikool-Delta played its first game in a European competition, the Saporta Cup. Despite going out with only one win, the club led by veteran Margus Metsak and a young Tanel Tein won the Estonian Cup and stormed through the Estonian playoffs en route to its first domestic championship. Tartu took a few years off from the European scene after that, but continued to dominate at home, finishing the regular season atop the standings over each of the next five seasons and winning the title in 2001 and 2004. The club returned to European competitions in 2003, but over each of the next three seasons failed to post a winning record or to advance a stage. Still the team remained a juggernaut at home and after finishing as league runner-up to BC Kalev/Cramo n 2005 and 2006 regained the title in 2007 and last season. This past year also marked Tartu’s European breakthrough. Led by promising guard George Tsintsadze and big man Brian Cusworth plus the return of Tein, Tartu dominated the FIBA EuroCup, winning its regular season group and eventually reaching the final four, a sign to its fans that Tartu has arrived. Now the pride of Estonia will try to match its success as it enters the new Eurocup.
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Eurocupbasketball.com
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