Qualifying Round B, Game 1 preview: EclipseJet MyGuide Amsterdam vs. BC FMP
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FMP hopes to improve on a disappointing season in Europe and to least reach the Eurocup regular season, but faces a tough battle against Ecplise Jet MyGuide Amsterdam in the first round of Eurocup qualifying. Slobodan Klipa arrives as new FMP head coach, taking over after coaching the Serbian club's B side last season. And Klipa has nearly the entire team intact that finished 3-7 in fifth place in Group B of the ULEB Cup regular season last year. FMP has struggled at the start of the 2008-09 campaign, losing twice in the Adriatic League - at home against Red Star and at Olimpija. Predrag Samardziski remains in the post along side Dragan Labovic and Miroslav Raduljica with Mladen Jeremic and Nemanja Protic in the backcourt. The exciting - and troublesome - part of this is that none of these players are older than 22 years. In addition, playmaker Filip Covic, shooting guard Branko Lazic and small forward Stefan Zivanovic are all just 19 years old and wing player Andreja Milutinovic is just 18. Klipa will have to deal with plenty of growing pains, which could play a big role in this matchup. Amsterdam on the other hand comes in as a fairly experienced club. Head coach Arik Shivek's reigning Dutch League champion won its first three game of its domestic season and Shivek has seen the depth of his squad. High-scoring forward Victor Thomas, playmaker Orien Greece, point guard Teddy Gipson, shot-blocking center Avis Wyatt and veteran big man Peter Van Paassen have all proven to be trusty offensive options. Shivek also has veteran CC Harrison and Tamien Trent as strong options in the backcourt. The coach otherwise has a group of talented, but young players and it remains to be seen how much they can contribute. A big lift from one of those players could be crucial against FMP.
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Eurocupbasketball.com
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