FENERBAHCE ULKER

ROSTER

4 UKIC, ROKO G 1.96 5 JERRELLS, CURTIS G 1.85 6 TURKCAN, MIRSAD F 2.06 7 ONAN, OMER G 1.94 8 EROGLU, ERBIL G 1.95 10 ATSUR, ENGIN G 1.93 12 MAHALBASIC, RASHID C 2.10 13 VIDMAR, GASPER C 2.10 14 PEKER, KAYA C 2.08 15 GIST, JAMES F 2.06 21 SAVAS, OGUZ C 2.13 23 DEMIREL, HAKAN G 1.92 32 CANDAN, BERKAY F 2.05 33 TOMAS, MARKO G 2.01 44 BOGDANOVIC, BOJAN F 2.00 55 PRELDZIC, EMIR F 2.06 Head Coach: SPAHIJA, NEVEN

Historic Results 2010-11: 10-6, Top 16 2009-10: 3-7, Regular Season 2008-09: 7-9, Top 16 2007-08: 9-13, Playoffs 2006-07: 5-9, Regular Season 2005-06: 6-14, Top 16 2004-05: 10-12, Playoffs 2003-04: 9-11, Top 16 2002-03: 12-8, Top 16 2001-02: 10-10, Top 16

2010-11 Results Euroleague: Regular Season 7-3 Top 16 3-3 Turkish League: Champion Turkish Cup: Champion

Fenerbahce Ulker has its sights set on a Final Four on its home floor in Sinan Erdem Arena, hoping to become only the second Turkish club in history to reach the season-ending tournament. Fener fans have good reason to dream big after the team won the domestic double crown last year and started the Turkish Airlines Euroleague action 3-0 in the Top 16 before running out of steam. Fenerbahce had no luck with injuries last season, but second-year head coach Neven Spahija hopes to turn around the team’s fortunes. Over the past 11 years Spahija has won national championships in six countries – Croatia, Slovenia, Lithuania, Israel, Spain and Turkey – as well as a Eurocup title with Pamesa Valencia. He has what may be Fenerbahce Ulker’s deepest roster yet, with newcomers James Gist and Bojan Bogdanovic adding more options to an already talented team.



Hope for success starts with Fener’s star point guard Roko Ukic, whose ball-control skills and ability to penetrate made him the team leader in both scoring and assists last season. Although he missed Eurobasket with a foot injury, he is ready for the start of the season. Another new player, Curis Jerrells, was brought in to add a spark of his own and help ease the burden on Ukic. He made his Euroleague debut with Partizan last year, displaying lightning quickness and scoring skills. Point guard Hakan Demirel is also available, but will likely have a limited role as he returns to Euroleague action after a three-year absence. A far bigger contribution, however, is expected of Bojan Bogdanovic. The reinforcement from Cibona is one of the most dangerous young scorers on the continent, with unlimited shooting range as well as the size and athletic ability to find creative ways to fill the basket. The always dependable Omer Onan is back with his energy, defensive intensity and three-point shooting. Entering his 10th Euroleague season, Onan is closing in on 150 games played in the competition. Engin Atsur will make his Euroleague debut at the guard position, where he will be needed to fill in for Marko Tomas, a big scoring threat and exceptional defender, who will miss first part of the season because of leg injury.

Fenerbahce Ulker’s frontcourt is led by Emir Preldzic, one of the most exciting and all-round players in the league. Endowed with a point guard’s brain in a forward’s body, he wreaks havoc on defenses by creating match-up problems. At power forward position coach Spahija can turn to James Gist, who joined the team this summer from Partizan, a threat on both ends of the court with his outside shooting and shot blocking, as well as veteran rebounder Mirsad Turkcan, the leading rebounder in Euroleague history and still going strong, winning another rebounding title last season. Along with Gasper Vidmar and Oguz Savas, two young but already experienced big men, Fenerbahce will have great interior size and depth. Vidmar is looking to continue where he left off a year ago when he hustled into a starting role before a knee injury cut his season short. Savas uses his size to make his presence felt and control the boards. With veteran big man Kaya Peker, Fenerbahce Ulker has yet another productive player in the paint who can rebound and score in the low post.

With its mix of talent and experience, Fenerbahce Ulker is aiming high, hoping to build on last year’s solid results. The Turkish powerhouse would like nothing more than to give hometown fans something to really cheer about at the Final Four.

VIDEOS Neven Spahija