Prokom Trefl Sopot 2008-09, team profile
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Heading into its fifth consecutive season in the Euroleague, Prokom Trefl Sopot is an ambitious rising force looking to raise the flag of Poland even higher in continental basketball. Injuries dented the club's high hopes last season, but after recording its fifth straight Polish championship in June, Prokom is back for more. Founded in 1995, the club needed just a decade to establish itself as the team to beat in Poland. STK Trefl Sopot started its basketball activities in the Polish third division, where it went undefeated. It took the team just one more season to reach the Polish first division, and by 2000, the club had won its first title, the Polish Cup. With players like Josip Vrankovic, Igor Milicic, Filip Dylewicz and Darius Maskoliunas, Prokom managed to win another Polish Cup title in 2001, as well as making it to the Korac Cup quarterfinals in its European competitions debut. Prokom landed Mike Ansley and Gary Alexander in the 2001-02 season, when it returned to the Korac Cup quarterfinals. The team reached the Polish League finals that season, but lost against Slask Wroclaw. The 2002-03 season saw Prokom, now with Goran Jagodnik, Tomas Masiulis and Joe McNaull, return to the Polish League finals, losing this time to Anwil Wloclawek. It was only a question of time before the club would win its first league title. Also that season, Prokom went all the way to the FIBA Europe Champions Cup final, missing its first continental trophy by a single point, 84-83, against Aris Thessalonikia. Next came a chance to step up in competition and join the ULEB Cup, where Prokom made its debut in the 2003-04 season. Prokom advanced to the elimination rounds only to lose against eventual champs Hapoel Jerusalem in the eighthfinals. That same season, Prokom finally won its first Polish League title, downing Slask in the finals to seal a Euroleague ticket. In 2004-05, Prokom achieved what no other Polish team had before, making it to the Euroleague Top 16.
2007-08 RESULTS | Euroleague | | Polish League | R. Season | 17-7 | Playoffs | Champion | Cup | Champion |
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Back in Poland, Prokom beat Anwil 4-1 in the Polish League finals to win another league title. Despite being unable to match its Euroleague results achieved a year earlier, Prokom, claimed its third consecutive Polish League crown in 2006. The arrival of players like Huseyin Besok and Donatas Slanina helped Prokom to return to the Top 16 again in 2007, when it repeated again as Polish champion. Last season, Prokom hosted the Euroleague opening game against CSKA Moscow and had high hopes for further success, but injuries forced the team to using nine different starting lineups in the first nine game and Prokom missed the Top 16. Still, after a seven-game battle with PGE Turow, Prokom defended its Polish crown and is back in its now-familiar spot among European basketball elite.
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Euroleague.net
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