THESSALONIKI (Basketball Champions League) - Group A participants Aris BC Thessaloniki announced on Wednesday that Serbian power forward Tadija Dragicevic has agreed terms with the club to step in for Georgian international Victor Sanikidze, who suffered a season-ending knee injury at the weekend.

The 30-year-old Dragicevic played last season for Buducnost Podgorica and helped them win the Montenegrin Cup while he was the ABA League leading scorer in the Regular Season. The Serbian forward had spent the previous year at fellow Basketball Champions League participants SIG Strasbourg and won the domestic cup title also in France.

"I will try to be ready for the inaugural Basket Champions League game next week [against Helios Suns Domzale].” - Dragicevic

“I am aware that Aris has a great history and tradition and that it’s fans are among the best in Europe,” Dragicevic told the media after signing his contract. “I am only sorry that in the end I came under these circumstances, because of an injury. Aris works well as a team and I want part of the system as soon as possible. I know there is not much to acclimatise because we have games every few days but I will try to be ready for the inaugural Basket Champions League game next week [against Helios Suns Domzale].”

Dragicevic has long had the reputation of a charismatic scorer and now arrives at a team which has a clear defensive mindset. The Serbian forward believes his scoring prowess will prove to be an added extra rather than an impediment in him adapting to the team’s style of play.

“I talked about this with the coach [Dimitris Priftis], we discussed the kind of game the team wants to play. From my side I will try to take the chances that come my way on the offensive end and play my part on the defensive end, as defence is the basis of the team’s play.”