2008-09 Club Profile: Pamesa Valencia
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 The original ULEB Cup champion, Pamesa Valencia, heads into the 2008-09 Eurocup with an excellent roster made up of many of the players that reached the competition’s Final Eight last year plus a handful of former Euroleague studs looking to conquer the new Eurocup.
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Pamesa Valencia Roster 2008-09
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| Name |
Pos.
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Height
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| Albert Oliver |
G
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1.87
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| Ruben Douglas |
G
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1.93
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| Kosta Perovic |
C
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2.17
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| Victor Claver |
F
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2.06
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| Shammond Williams |
G
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1.86
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| Ermal Kuqo |
C
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2.07
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| Albert Miralles |
C
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2.07
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| Vule Avdalovic |
G
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1.91
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| Rafa Martinez |
G
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1.90
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| Florent Pietrus |
F
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2.02
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| Dimos Dikoudis |
F
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2.06
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| Fotis Katsikaris |
Head Coach
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The rise of basketball in Valencia hit one of its first peaks in 2003 when Pamesa won the inaugural ULEB Cup. It was quite a feat for a club founded rather recently, in 1986. Pamesa reached the top league in Spain in 1988 and didn’t stick for good until 1996. Two years later, the team claimed its first success, the Spanish King's Cup title. Soon, Pamesa became a regular in the domestic playoffs, though for four years it could not break into the semifinals. In Europe, Pamesa reached the Saporta Cup final twice, losing in 1999 to Benetton and in 2002 to Montepaschi. But if Pamesa knocked on the door to success before, in 2002-03 it knocked it down. First came the ULEB Cup title as Pamesa swept Krka Novo Mesto in the finals. Pamesa also roared through the Spanish playoffs all the way to the finals. Though it was unable to stop Euroleague champ Barcelona for the Spanish League title, Pamesa's season ended with everyone knowing there was a new power in Valencia. Momentum and excitement marked the 2003-04 season when Pamesa made it to the Euroleague Top 16 and came within one win of reaching the Final Four. The club returned to the ULEB Cup in 2004-05 and reached the semifinals, but its brilliant season came to an end against Lietuvos Rytas on point differential. A Spanish King's Cup final in 2006 and a playoff appearance in 2007 meant a return to form for Pamesa. Last Shammond Williams and Ruben Douglas led Pamesa to win its ULEB Cup regular season group and the team survived elimination rounds against Panionios and Zadar despite losing respective first leg games on the road to reach the Final Eight. Eventual champion DKV Joventut knocked Pamesa off in the quarterfinals, but the team is back now even stronger. Budding star Victor Claver, guards Vule Avdalovic and Albert Oliver and of course Williams and Douglas are just some of the players that remain from last season’s team. Former Euroleague champ Demos Dikoudis, Ermal Kuqo, Kosta Perovic and Florent Pietrus revamp the frontcourt and Rafa Martinez gives head coach Fotios Katsikaris another three-point ace. Together Pamesa can boast a deep, talented and balanced team that can take aim at the Eurocup crown this season.
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Eurocupbasketball.com
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