Tomorrow, October 20, Tsmoki-Minsk will play against the German club Crailsheim in the second round of the FIBA Europe Cup. The game will start at 21.00 Belarus time.
Crailsheim first entered Germany 6th division in 1995. The Club have been gradually rising higher and higher, until it reached the Bundesliga in 2015. Unfortunately, the team had to leave the elite division after two seasons. But not for long - 2 years later they got back to BBL. 2019/20 season was the most successful for the club, when it finished the regular season in a high 3rd place. However, in the playoffs they performed poorly, and quickly wiped out their own prospects. Last season, Crailsheim finished in 5th in the regular season, but was knocked out in the quarter-finals by Bayern Munich (1-3).
Since this season, Crailsheim is headed by 37-year-old Sebastian Gleim. His entire short coaching career took place in Germany. For several years he headed the national U-16 and U-20 teams, then worked in the 2nd division, and for the last 3 seasons he was the head coach of Skyliners in German Bundesliga.
Sebastian Gleim is definitely betting on foreign basketball players. There are 10 (!) legionnaires in the team. Four players remained from last year roster: Serbs Bogdan Radosavljevic and Aleksa Kovacevic, Belgian Elias Lasisi, Bosnian Dejan Kovacevic. This summer, five Americans joined the legionnaire squad: TJ Shorts (from Gamburg), Terrell Harris (from Chemnitz), Jaren Lewis (from Italian Latina, D2), Jared Savage (from Greek Lavrio), Richmond Aririguzoh (from Danish Horsens). Also 18-year-old Czech Matej Zejdl received a promotion from the youth team.
In the opening round of the FIBA European Cup, Crailsheim have confidently beat Denmark Bakken Bears 91:78. Legionnaires scored the most points: TJ Shorts - 24 PTS + 5 AST + 3 REB + 3 STL, Elias Lasisi - 21 PTS + 3 REB + 3 AST, Jared Savage 13 PTS, Terrell Harris - 11 PTS + 6 REB + 5 AST + 4 STL, Bogdan Radosavljevic - 7 PTS + 10 REB + 3 AST + 2 STL + 1 BLK.
But in the German championship Crailsheim is playing modestly: after 4 rounds team has 5 points and takes 17th place. On Saturday, Crailsheim played at home with Ulm - BBL table neighbor, and lost a lot - 71:93. Crailsheim scoring leaders were: Stuckey 20 PTS, Shorts - 10 PTS + 8 AST + 4 REB.
Crailsheim roster for 2021-22 season:
Guards:
0. TJ Shorts (USA, 1997, 175 cm)
3. Maurice Stuckey (1990, 188 cm)
5. Aleksa Kovacevic (Serbia, 2002, 188 cm)
8. Terrell Harris (USA, 1993, 191 cm)
11. Rene Kindzeka (1995, 185 cm)
Forwards:
1. Jaren Lewis (USA, 1996, 198 cm)
2. Jared Savage (USA, 197, 196 cm)
6. Elias Lasisi (Belgium, 1992, 192 cm)
9. Fabian Bleck (1993, 194 cm)
12. Dejan Kovacevic (Bosnia and Herzegovina, 1996, 208 cm)
Centers:
15. Bogdan Radosavljevic (Serbia, 1993, 213 cm)
34. Richmond Aririguzoh (USA, 1998, 206 cm)
42. Matej Zejdl (Czech, 2003, 207 cm)
Head Coach - Sebastian Gleim