February 09, 2012
2008-09 Club Profile: Iurbentia Bilbao Basket
iurbentia Bilbao BasketThere is no time like the present for Iurbentia Bilbao Basket of Spain, which is not only a newcomer to continental competition as it enters the 2008-09 Eurocup, but was a newcomer in its own country at the start of the decade. Founded in 2000, Bilbao has marched along a road of success that started in the Spanish third division to earn its place in the Eurocup.
Iurbentia Bilbao Roster 2008-09
Name
Pos.
Height
Janis Blums
G
1.90
Renaldas Seibutis
G
1.96
Tomas Hampl
C
2.15
Luke Recker
F
1.98
Paco Vazquez
G
1.90
Predrag Savovic
G
1.98
Marko Banic
F
2.04
Javi Salgado
G
1.80
Fred Weis
C
2.18
Quincy Lewis
F
2.01
Drago Pasalic
C
2.08
Salva Guardia
F
2.06
Txus Vidorreta
Head Coach
Not the first professional basketball club in the city, Bilbao tapped into a ready base of eager basketball fans as it moved up almost a division per year under head coach Txus Vidorreta, who had the likes of a future all-Euroleague superstar, Tiago Splitter, on the roster. The culmination of that climb saw Bilbao ace the second-division playoffs to qualify for the first in spring of 2004. To take advantage of the promotion, Bilbao inked experienced players like Frederic Weis and Predrag Savovic, who helped the team finish 14th overall in its debut Spanish League season. Bilbao recognized the need for a second transition and, sure enough, started making noise. Still with Vidorreta as coach, Bilbao used a core of players featuring Javier Salgado, Marko Banic, Martin Rancik, Luke Recker, Andy Panko and Weis to finish 10th in the 2006-07 Spanish League. The arrivals guard Marcelinho Huertas and shooter Quincy Lewis last season helped Bilbao climb even higher, making the Spanish League playoff quarterfinals, the Spanish King's Cup semifinals and the Spanish Supercup title game. To prepare for the Eurocup, Bilbao this summer has kept adding talent in the form of point guards Janis Blums and Nikos Pappas, shooting guard Renaldas Seibutis and veteran forward Salvador Guardia. But a continuing nucleus of Salgado, Recker, Banic, Lewis, Weis, Savovic, veteran Paco Vazquez and big man Drago Pasalic shows that Bilbao has confidence in the roster that got the team this far. With thousands of diehard fans and a solid organization, don't expect Bilbao Basket to be an average newcomer to European club competition.
Friday, September 12, 2008
Eurocupbasketball.com
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