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BELGACOM SPIROU
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ROSTER
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4
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HILL, CHRIS |
G
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1.91
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5
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WELSCH, JIRI |
G
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2.02
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6
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BROYLES, DWAYNE |
F
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1.96
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7
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HAMILTON, JUSTIN |
G
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1.90
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8
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GREEN, CALEB |
F
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2.03
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10
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RIDDICK, ANDRE |
C
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2.08
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11
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JADIN, AMAURY |
G
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1.89
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12
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MALLET, DEMOND |
G
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1.86
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13
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PENNINCK, BORIS |
C
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2.02
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14
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MORAY, YANNICK |
F
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1.96
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16
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BEGHIN, CHRISTOPHE |
C
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2.07
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20
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SHENGELIA, TORNIKE |
F
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2.02
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Head Coach: BOZZI, GIOVANNI |
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Historic Results
2010-11: 3-7, Regular Season
2009-10: 0-6, RS Eurocup
2008-09: 8-4, Last 16 Eurocup
2007-08: 4-6, RS ULEB Cup
2005-06: 5-7, Eighthfinals UC
2004-05: 9-5, Quarterfinals UC
2003-04: 7-5, Eighthfinals UC
2002-03: 7-5, Eighthfinals UC
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2010-11 Results
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Euroleague:
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Regular Season
3-7
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Belgian League:
Champion
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Belgian Cup:
Semifinalist
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Belgacom Spirou Basket returns to the Turkish Airlines Euroleague for the second straight season looking to continue climbing the ladder to continental prominence. The Belgian champs reached the Euroleague Regular Season via the qualifying rounds through a fantastic team effort. Head coach Giovanni Bozzi has six players back from last year’s squad, including top scorer Demond Mallet and defensive ace Andre Riddick. Center Christophe Beghin, who missed last year’s Euroleague campaign through injury, but returned during the Belgian League, is also back. Meanwhile Euroleague veteran Jiri Welsch signed to bolster the backcourt, while young power forward Tornike Shengelia is looking like a rising star ready to shoulder a heavy load. In fact, with Shengelia and fellow forward Caleb Green being the only projected rotation players without past Euroleague experience, Spirou should arrive ready to tackle Europe’s biggest clubs and looking to challenge for at least a Top 16 berth.
Mallet comes off a brilliant season in which he proved to be Spirou’s go-to guy. He can score through penetration and from outside, but is also a good passer and led the club in assists. What makes the Charleroi attack even harder to stop is its multitude of ball handlers. The experienced Justin Hamilton settles in for his fourth Euroleague campaign as an ideal backcourt mate of Mallet. An all-around force, Hamilton is a good passer, can bury the open jumper and can lockdown opposing guards on defense. Welsch has the body and skills of a small forward plus the court vision and mentality of a point guard. That trio makes help defending a dangerous proposition against Spirou. Combo-guard Chris Hill combines his high basketball IQ with tenacious defense, a sweet shooting touch and an eye for the open man. He could be a real difference maker off the bench. Small forward Dwayne Broyles has shown the knack for heating up in a hurry and scoring points in bunches, which make him a true weapon. Prospect Yannick Moray rounds out the Spirou backcourt.
Shengelia turned heads with his performances at EuroBasket 2011. While he has legitimate power forward size and is a strong rebounder, Shengelia has quick feet and can dribble, which allows him to get to the basket for easy baskets or fouls. This season is a test for him, but if Shengelia passes, he could join the upper echelon of European big men soon. Green was Spirou’s leading scorer and rebounder in the Turkish Airlines Euroleague Qualifying Rounds despite coming off the bench in two of the three games. His physical presence and athleticism makes Green the perfect player to share time with Shengelia. Rookie Boris Penninck will also see playing time at power forward. The team’s senior player, Andre Riddick, is the ultimate team player. He dominates the paint on defense with his uncanny shot-blocking skills and tenacious rebounding efforts and does the dirty work down low on offense. Spirou’s other center is Riddick’s opposite. Christophe Beghin is a back-to-the-basket scorer with a nice mid-range jumper. His array of offensive skills helps create room for the rest of the team to operate. Belgacom Spirou Basket is a sneaky good team with talent at every position, experience, great leadership and perhaps most important of all, a crew of team-first players that care about winning more than anything. The players and fans in Charleroi know that the road is not easy, but you can expect to see Spirou fighting every step of the way to establish itself as a Top 16 team now and going forward.
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VIDEOS
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Justin Hamilton
Giovanni Bozzi
Caleb Green
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