2008-09 Club Profile: PGE Turow
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 One of the most pleasant surprises in any European club competition last season, PGE Turow Zgorzelec of Poland, returns to the international stage in the 2008-09 Eurocup with practically a brand new team.
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PGE Turow Roster 2008-09
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| Name |
Pos.
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Height
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| Donald Copeland |
G
|
1.78
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| Darian Townes |
F
|
2.08
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| John Turek |
C
|
2.06
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| Alex Harris |
G
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1.98
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| Chris Daniels |
F
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2.00
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| Bryan Bailey |
G
|
1.85
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| Gorjan Radonjic |
F
|
1.99
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| Robert Witka |
F
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2.05
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| Krzysztof Roszyk |
F
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2.00
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| Iwo Kitzinger |
G
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1.88
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| Mateusz Jarmakowicz |
C
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2.07
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| Bartosz Bochno |
G
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1.88
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| Maciej Strzelecki |
F
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2.03
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| Sebastian Szymanski |
G
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1.81
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| Damir Miljkovic |
G
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1.94
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| Saso Filipovski |
Head Coach
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Making its debut outside of Poland in 2007-08, Turow stunned many by storming through its ULEB Cup regular season group and reaching the Final Eight. Now, Turow is eager to prove that its debut was no fluke. Founded in 1948, the club opened its basketball section in 1965 and grew to win back-to-back Polish League titles in 1977 and 1978. There followed long stays in the Polish second and third divisions, until in 2003 the club rejected an offer to enter the Polish League as a wild card, saying that it preferred to gain promotion on merit. That happened the following year, and in its return to the first division, Turow finished fourth at the end of the 2004-05 regular season, losing against eventual champ Prokom in the playoff semifinals. Basketball fever was back in Zgorzelec. Turow consolidated its Polish League status with a seventh-place finish the next season, but lost in the playoff quarterfinals. That summer Turow took a step forward by signing current head coach Saso Filipovski and building a competitive roster featuring Andres Rodriguez, Dragisa Drobnjak, Thomas Kelati and Lance Williams. Turow was second after the regular season and easily reached the Polish finals, but once again, Prokom stood in the way to the trophy. Last season, Filipovski added David Logan to the mix and found success on all fronts, winning seven straight ULEB Cup games en route to the Final Eight, where it was outgunned by Dynamo Moscow in the quarterfinals. Back home, Turow finished first in the regular season, but lost its quest for the Polish title in a grueling seven-game final series against Prokom. Perhaps victims of their success, with several players leaving for bigger markets, Turow and Filipovski have used the summer to revamp their roster. In come guards Bryan Bailey, Damir Miljkovic and Donald Copeland, swingman Alex Harris, forwards Gorjan Radonjic and Chris Daniels, and big men Darian Townes and John Turek. Coming back are Iwo Kitzinger and Bartosz Bochno. Almost all of the newcomers have been scorers at their previous stops, and Filipovski guarantees strong defense, so after coming close to glory in 2008, the goals this season are set even higher in Zgorzelec.
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Tuesday, September 09, 2008
Eurocupbasketball.com
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