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Cholet Basket
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President
Patrick Chiron
Address 3, Avenue Marcel Prat, 49307 Cholet Cedex, FRANCE
Tel. +33(241) 58 50 58
Fax +33(241) 58 13 64
Arena LA MEILLERAIE
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Roster
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5
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CAUSEUR, FABIEN
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France
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Guard
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1.94
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1987
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6
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BARNETT, ALEXANDER
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USA
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Forward
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1.98
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1986
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6
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GELABALE, MICKAEL
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France
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Forward
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2.01
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1983
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7
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LARROUQUIS, THOMAS
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France
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Guard
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1.97
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1985
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8
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EITUTAVICIUS, ARVYDAS
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Lithuania
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Guard
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1.88
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1982
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9
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MEJIA, SAMMY
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Dominican Republic
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Guard
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1.98
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1983
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11
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MARQUIS, CLAUDE
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France
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Forward
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2.04
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1980
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12
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LEONARD, CHRISTOPHE
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France
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Forward
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1.99
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1990
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13
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SERAPHIN, KEVIN
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France
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Center
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2.05
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1989
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14
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FALKER, RANDAL
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USA
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Center
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2.01
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1985
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15
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CHUPIN, MAXIME
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France
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Forward
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2.04
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1989
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16
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LINEHAN, JOHN
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USA
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Guard
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1.75
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1978
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17
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ANDRE, ERWAN
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France
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Forward
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2.00
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1989
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18
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ROBINSON, ANTYWANE
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USA
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Forward
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2.03
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1984
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19
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IDOMENEE, KEVIN
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France
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Guard
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1.84
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1991
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20
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TATUM, JAMAAL
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USA
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Guard
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1.88
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1984
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The Club
French League champion Cholet Basket faces a new challenge in what will be its first Euroleague season since 2000. Even though the club's history is quite short, the sport has existed in Cholet since 1926, when the basketball section of the Club Omnisports Choletais de la Jeune France was established. In June 1975, some managers of that section decided to found Cholet Basket. In its first season, 1975-76, the club played in the French third division. Between 1976 and 1983, Cholet reached the Excellence Departementale in the second division. And just a dozen seasons after its creation, Cholet reached the French elite, in 1987-88, and qualified for a European competition the very next year. Cholet has a reputation for finding and developing young talent. Players like Antoine Rigaudeau, Aymeric Jeanneau, Claude Marquis, Jim Bilba and Nando de Colo have shined in Cholet through the years. Cholet kept continued to reach new heights with the outstanding Rigaudeau and even when he left in 1998, the team won the French Cup and reached the Korac Cup and the French League semifinals that season. Cholet managed to defend its French Cup title in 1999 and qualified to the Euroleague for the first time in club history. The team, however, could not survive the group stages although it did defeat eventual champ Panathinaikos. In the original ULEB Cup season, 2002-03, Cholet was the next-to-last team to win a game, but rallied to almost make it to the elimination rounds. Cholet also went out after the ULEB Cup regular season in 2003-04, but stayed loyal to its group of homegrown players. The club made it to the elimination rounds in 2004-05 only to fine PAOK waiting in the eighthfinal series. Cholet missed the French League playoffs that season too. In 2008, signs of a bright future showed when Cholet won the Semaine des As title. With De Colo and Rodrigue Beaubois as the stars, Cholet downed defending champion Chorale Roanne and Asvel Basket before overwhelming Vichy 40-67 in the final for its first domestic title in almost a decade. In 2008-09, Cholet missed the Eurocup when it lost in the qualifying rounds, but turned it around and marched through the EuroChallenge until the title game, ultimately losing by one basket to Virtus Bologna. Its great EuroChallenge success overshadowed a tough domestic run, in which the club was unable to qualify for neither the Semaine des As nor the French League playoffs. Cholet bounced back last season and with Mickael Gelabale, Antywane Robinson, Sammy Mejia and Marcellus Sommerville leading a very deep roster, the club won the regular season and marched all the way to win its first French League title, downing Le Mans 81-65 in the final. The excitement generated by winning French League - and its return to the Euroleague - will be critical for Cholet, as its fans enjoy the chance to see their team compete against the very best in Europe for the first time in a decade. |
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