By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Signings were completed for Basketball Champions League participants Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem and Tofas Bursa Monday.
Brandon Brown moved his talents to the Israeli outfit penning a contract for the remainder of the 2022-23 season. “I had long talks with coach Dzikic and understood he built a solid team. I hope I can fit in and show my talent,” commented the newcomer, “I have also heard a lot of good things about the fans and I can’t wait to play for them.”
Brown, 33, carries previous BCL experience from U-BT Cluj-Napoca and Nizhny Novgorod stretching to 29 games played. He emerged as the December MVP in 2021-22 and Gameday 8 MVP in 2019-20. Earlier in his ventures around Europe, the Montana Western product logged a FIBA Europe Cup campaign as a member of Balkan. This season, he initially signed with Peristeri bwin but parted ways with the Greek club before actually debuting under head coach Vassilis Spanoulis.
The team coached by Aleksandar Dzikic currently sits second in Group E of the Champions League Regular Season with a 2-1 W-L tally. Four wins in six games shape the early effort in Israel’s Winner League.
As for Tofas, the Bursa outfit inked domestic guard/forward Tolga Gecim to a two-year contract. He has been sidelined since last February due to an injury.
Gecim, 26, is a veteran of 33 games in the Champions League spread through the three later seasons of his stint at Banvit. A youth product of the club based in Bandirma, he turned pro in 2014. Five years later, he joined Anadolu Efes and was a part of the squad capturing the 2021 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague championship. The next step was Frutti Extra Bursaspor last January.
At 1-2, Tofas is tied for third in Group A of the BCL Regular Season. Domestically, the team coached by Dimitris Priftis rides on a 4-3 record.
Photo Credit: Basketball Champions League