2009-10 Team Profile: Spirou Basket
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A signature team in Europe's second competition is back for another run. Spirou Basket won its eighth Belgian League title since 1996 last season and despite being a young club, it has the basketball tradition, a solid base of diehard fans and a state-of-the-art arena in the Spiroudome. Born from the ashes of Spirou Monceau, which moved to Charleroi in 1989, the team reached the Belgian League playoffs in 1992 for the first time ever. The turnaround came in 1996 with the Belgian Cup title, turning Spirou into the first club from the Wallone region to win a trophy. Then came the first league title, which led to an appearance in the Euroleague for the first time.
Charleroi continued ruling Belgium from 1997 to 1999 and returned to the Euroleague from 2000 to 2002. Its efforts seemed to take away from its strength at home, where no new titles came. That changed when Charleroi found a perfect balance, finding success in the ULEB Cup, while winning domestic titles in Belgium. In 2004, Charleroi reached the ULEB Cup elimination rounds, losing in the eighthfinals against Estudiantes. It also won the Belgian League title following a five-game battle with Liege. The 2003-04 season was another special one for the club. Not only did Spirou win its second straight Belgian League title, but its home court, the Spiroudome, hosted the ULEB Cup Final for the first time. Charleroi made the 2005 ULEB Cup quarterfinals, losing against Pamesa Valencia, and returned to the elimination rounds in 2006, too. A short dry spell ensued – including missing the 2006-07 ULEB Cup – but by the next season Charleroi was back and as strong as ever, returning to the ULEB Cup and sweeping Basket Bree for its seventh Belgian championship. Head coach Drazen Anzulovic, who took over midway through the 2007-08 season, stayed on and led Spirou to yet another successful year. Spirou kept veteran defensive ace Andre Riddick, big man Len Matela, playmaker Justin Hamilton and brought back scoring machine Matt Walsh. Spirou lived up to the expectations, making it to the Eurocup Last 16 and coming within one win of reaching the Final Eight. Back home, Spirou won its fourth double in club history, lifting both the Belgian Cup and Belgian League titles in yet another domestic season to remember. Spirou started this season in the Euroleague qualifying rounds where it dominated opponent Entente Orleanaise for the first 32 minutes of the home leg, but a late Orleans charge resulted in a slim win that Spirou was unable to protect on the road. As a result, Spirou returns to the Eurocup focused on having another strong campaign both in Europe and in the Belgian League as it takes the steps forwards needed to establish itself among the very best clubs on the continent.
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Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Eurocupbasketball.com
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