Maccabi inks Ford Trophy winner Rochestie

Jun 21, 2015 by Euroleague.net Print
Maccabi inks Ford Trophy winner Rochestie

Maccabi Electra Tel Aviv started building its team for the next few seasons by signing reigning Alphonso ford Top Scorer Trophy winner Taylor Rochestie to a multi-year deal. Rochestie (1.85 meters, 30 years old) signed for two seasons with an option for the 2017-18 campaign. He arrives from Nizhny Novgorod of Russia, where Rochestie averaged 18.9 points on 50% three-point shooting plus 5.7 assists in 21 Turkish Airlines Euroleague games last season. He also led the league in free throw accuracy (92.5%), was third in three-point accuracy, fifth with 103 three-pointers made and sixth in the league in assists. And Rochesti set a Euroleague Top 16 record with 15 assists against Anadolu Efes Istanbul. Rochestie didn’t just dominate in the Euroleague, where he led Nizhny to the Top 16 in its first season in the competition; Rochestie also helped Nizhny reach the VTB United League semifinals with 14.7 points and 5.3 assists over 31 games.

Rochestie has also played for Montepaschi Siena and Angelico Biella in Italy, Caja Laboral (now known as Laboral Kutxa) Vitoria in Spain, Le Mans Sarthe Basket in France, Alba Berlin and MEG Goettingen in Germany and Galatasaray Istanbul in Turkey. He has represented the Montenegrin national team, too. Rochestie helped Goettingen win the FIBA EuroChallenge in 2010 and earned final four MVP honors.

"I’m very excited and proud to be joining Maccabi Tel Aviv, not only to play basketball at the highest levels in Europe, but also to experience the country of Israel and play for the best fans in the world," Rochestie said. "Maccabi has an amazing tradition. Everyone in Europe and the U.S. knows it, and I’m ready for the big challenge. I’m well aware of the high level of expectations in Maccabi Tel Aviv; I’ve talked about it a lot with Tyrese Rice and Gal Mekel.

"I plan to work hard every day so I can keep improving as a player, and to work even harder for my new team. I’m crazy about basketball, and the fans can be sure that I’ll give everything I have to help Maccabi Tel Aviv succeed. I want to thank Maccabi’s management for the faith they have placed in me, and I’m eager to meet the fans."

"We are happy that Rochestie is joining the Maccabi family," head coach Guy Goodes said. "Taylor finished the season as one of the best point guards in the Euroleague. He has a lot of variety to his game offensively with a fantastic three-point shot and the ability to create for others and to distribute important assists. He brings with him a lot of energy and he can contribute a lot to Maccabi."