08 October, 2019
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Transfer Report - Gameday 9

MIES (Switzerland) - Do you find yourself scrambling through countless news publishers and twitter feeds to keep up with the ever-changing rosters of the Basketball Champions League? Well, scramble no further, the Transfer Report is a one-stop-shop for all of the BCL's confirmed signings, and even the odd rumor or soon-to-be-announced arrival.

To play on Gameday 9, players needed to be registered with the hard-working people in the FIBA House of Basketball by close of play on Monday (yesterday).

Confirmed

The following are registered and confirmed incomings and outgoings ahead of Gameday 9. 

IN

Georgios Bogris, C, 30 years, 6'11" (2.11m) 🛬 Iberostar Tenerife

Aniano Cabrera (General Manager): "Georgios Bogris is an expert and experienced player. He’s very familiar with ACB, he added great strength on and off the court to our last project in his previous season with our organization."

Georgios Bogris: "I’m coming home. It was a pretty easy decision. I just needed 5 minutes to talk with Txus. He’s quite similar to me and we have good chemistry together. I’m so happy to work with him again."

Deep runs in the Play-Offs require deep squads. Especially when you consider that Tenerife are in the hunt for Play-Off run in the ACB as well. We may not see Bogris this week in the BCL, but as the fixtures pile up there is a great chance that we will. It's always great for fans to welcome back a champion and for Tenerife GM Aniano Cabrera and Head CoachTxus Vidorreta this was almost certainly a no brainer. Bogris will take no time to adjust and start contributing to the culture and style of play Bogris will know exactly what Txus expects and needs from him and will be able to deliver as soon as his first boot steps across the sideline.

Ousmane Drame, C, 27 years, 6'9" (2.06m) 🛬 EB Pau-Lacq-Orthez


The club said:
"After the arrival of Justin Dentmon (to replace Matt Mobley) then Ekene Ibekwe (to make up for the long-term absence of Nicolas De Jong) it's Ousmane Drama's turn (2.06m, 27 years old) to arrive in Béarn to reinforce a group now without Cheikh Mbodj for 6 weeks (double fracture in the face following the punch received during the match in Roanne)."

Ousmane Drame said: "Last year in Ventspils we won the title in Latvia. I can't wait to discover my new environment."

Vojdan Stojanovski, SG, 32 years, 6'5" (1.96m) 🛬 EB Pau-Lacq-Orthez

Vojdan Stojanovski said: "I am really happy to arrive in a historic club like Elan Béarnais. I will try to help this team as soon as possible because I am only there for 6 weeks but I already know that there are a lot of very important matches during this period. After the series of injuries the group has experienced, I now hope that we will all stay in shape and play our best basketball over the next few weeks. I can shoot but I define myself above all as a team player, a player who defends and ready to take on any role, it will depend on the coach!"

With injuries coming thick and fast in Pau, the club has been extremely busy in the transfer market. If Drame and Stojanovski settle and contribute with the same impact that Dentmon and Ibekwe have enjoyed, the front office staff should win whatever prizes and awards for front office staff. Basketball can throw so many different challenges at you. EB Pau-Lacq-Orthez have seen almost all of them this year.

Michael Jenkins, G, 33 years, 6'3" (1.91m) 🛬 Nizhny Novgorod

 

Zoran Lukic said: "After the departure of Chavon Lewis from Nizhny Novgorod, it was important for us to find a player who can not only help the team, but also quickly adapt to our conditions and game rhythm. Jenkins is well acquainted with the VTB League and the Champions League. And not just familiar, but was one of the main scores for“Astana” last season. Now he needs time to get used to the atmosphere in our team, because it is special in comparison with other clubs. I think he will have no problems as he is an experienced player. We expect from him that he will improve the quality of our game."

Michael Jenkins said: "I saw many of my current teammates in past seasons and even played against them, first as part of Venice, then Astana. Yes, I remember Zoran Lukic from the 2014-2015 season in the Turkish championship, when he coached Banvit, and I played for Istanbul. I can well imagine what awaits me in Nizhny Novgorod, in the VTB United League and the Champions League. During the season I watched several matches and was impressed with how the guys are fighting on the floor. I will be a part of this team with great pleasure and try to help Nizhny as far as I can."

The article on the club's website has plenty of further info and some video of Jenkins at work for Astana. You can check it here.

Jenkins is a player known to BCL fans after his stint with Umana Reyer Venezia. Any player coming into Nizhny Novgorod talking about playing with fight on the floor is likely to settle in well. Jenkins can score as well. The Russians are still very much in the hunt for the Play-Offs and Jenkins will be a player they are hoping can help them reach and succeed in the knockouts.

Steph Branch, G, 24 years, 6'5" (1.96m) 🛬 Telenet Giants Antwerp

Branch very much fits the bill for the prototypical Antwerp signing. He is a young, up-and-coming combo guard that started this season in the Finnish league with Ura Basket. 21 points, 5.2 assists and 9.6 rebounds are outstanding production for a rookie season in any European league. If he can contribute even half those numbers for Antwerp this season, he will look like another in the long list of players that have put themselves on the map after playing for Antwerp.

Saulius Kulvietis, F, 28 years, 6'9" (2.06m) 🛬 JDA Dijon 


The club released an interview with Saulius Kulvietis that included some video of him playing for Lietkabelis last season. You can read that here.

BCL fans will know about Kulvietis from his time with Lietkabelis last season. The Lithuanian floor stretcher scored 10 points and pulled 4 rebounds per game for the club from Panevėžys last season. He also shot over 40% from behind the arc on over 4 attempts. Dijon's frontcourt have been dunking all over everyone this season, the addition of a skilled, high IQ Lithuanian stretch forward will add some excellent balance. Dijon are having their best season yet in the BCL. Long may that continue. 

Diccon Lloyd-Smeath

Diccon Lloyd-Smeath

Diccon is a basketball coach and analyst living in Madrid. Constantly digging in the crates of box scores and clicking through hours of game footage. Diccon is on the hunt for the stories within the stories. If you like to get a closer look at what’s going in the Basketball Champions League, you have found it.