2008-09 Club Profile: Brose Baskets
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 The start of a new competition, the 2008-09 Eurocup, also marks the beginning of a new era for Brose Baskets Bamberg of Germany. Besides making its first head coaching change since early this decade by bringing in Chris Fleming, a long-time assistant in Germany, Bamberg has hired eight new players.
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Brose Baskets Roster 2008-09
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| Name |
Pos.
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Height
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| John Goldsberry |
G
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1.91
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| Dominik Schneider |
F
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2.03
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| Demond Greene |
G
|
1.85
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| Predrag Suput |
F
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2.00
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| Karsten Tadda |
G
|
1.90
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| Jared Newson |
F
|
1.96
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| Daniel Schmidt |
G
|
1.86
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| Robert Garrett |
G
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1.94
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| Adenola Okulaja |
F
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2.06
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| Tim Ohlbrecht |
C
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2.10
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| Filiberto Rivera |
G
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1.88
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| Blanchard Obiango |
C
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2.04
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| Alexander Johnson |
C
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2.08
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| Eric Taylor |
F
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2.01
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| Jason Forte |
G
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1.96
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| Beckahm Wyrick |
F
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1.98
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| Chris Fleming |
Head Coach
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Already known for its diehard fans, Bamberg is backed by four decades' worth of basketball tradition as it takes up another in a series of new challenges, the Eurocup. Bamberg first got attention when it won a German Cup title in 1992 and qualified for European competitions several times, but real competitiveness came when Dirk Bauermann arrived as the head coach of an ambitious project to take the club to the very elite of German basketball. That's exactly what the team accomplished, selling out most games on its way to becoming an annual contender in its domestic competition. Bamberg lost the 2003 and 2004 German League finals, but in doing so added experience to a talented roster, a respected coach and the support of many great fans - everything a winning team needed. Bamberg had to wait until Game 5 of the 2005 domestic finals against Frankfurt Skyliners, but this time the team managed to overcome and lift the German League trophy for the first time. In its Euroleague debut during 2005-06, Bamberg did itself and its country proud, becoming the only German team to ever reach the Top 16. The next season, 2006-07, Bamberg went all the way again to the title again in the German League, establishing itself as more than a one-year sensation. After a down year last season, Bamberg decided to shake things up, hiring a clutch of fresh talent including guards Filiberto Rivera, Jason Forte and John Goldsberry, big men Alexander Johnson and Dominik Schneider, and versatile forwards Eric Taylor, Beckham Wyrick and Jared Newsom. They will be joined by three Olympians from Germany's national team, the perimeter tandem of Robert Garrett and Demond Greene, plus developing center developing center Tim Ohlbrecht. Another national team member, veteran forward Ademola Okulaja, is not expected to play this season due to a tumor, but is not known as "The Warrior" for no reason. Veteran guard Predrag Suput and his young understudy Karsten Tadda round out a roster that is highlighted by strong perimeter players who can rebound from any position, ensuring that Bamberg will again rely on defense as a mainstay. In a short competition with opponents often unfamiliar with each other, defense is a good bet to keep Bamberg where it wants to be, in a position to make noise in the 2008-09 Eurocup.
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Monday, September 22, 2008
Eurocupbasketball.com
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