Originally Posted by
Gabri3l
Prezentarea Asesoftului pe ulebcup.com
CSU Asesoft Ploiesti has already made history by becoming the first Romanian team in the competition, but it is ready to impress everyone in the biggest competition it has ever taken part, the ULEB Cup. Ploiesti landed center Rashard Griffith, one of the most dominant big men in Europe just 5 years ago, as well as keeping Bojan Obradovic, Darius Hargrove or Reggie Elliott. The arrival of top guns De'Angelo Alexander and Arvydas Cepulis only makes Plioesti more dangerous. Griffith has been battling injuries in recent seasons, but if he is in good shape, Ploiesti can run its offense through him due to his power and talent. Obradovic is back to power the boards and score fluently with unlimited range. Hard-nose power forward Virgil Carutasu offers intensity and experience off the bench. Shooting specialist Cepulis shined in Siauliai last season due to his unlimited range. He will share the scoring duties with Obradovic and Alexander, a gifted athlete ready to make some noise in the ULEB Cup. Tomas Gaidamavicius led the Lithuanian and Baltic Leagues in assists and has plenty of work to keep everyone happy in his new team. Elliott is back to offer deep range and defensive skills, while Hargrove provides driving skills and athleticism. Get ready, because Ploiesti is not a conventional ULEB Cup newcomer.
Few teams have dominated their domestic competition in recent years like CSU Asesoft Ploiesti, the perennial Romanian League champion, now ready to reach even higher in its ULEB Cup debut. Founded in 1998, Asesoft started a revolution in Romanian basketball once it overcame some financial problems in its early years. It was not until 2001 when the team started to soar, reaching the Romanian League finals that year before losing against West Petrom. Asesoft soon established itself as an emerging power, reaching the Romanian League semifinals in 2002 and 2003. Asesoft had to wait until the 2003-04 season to make its debut in European competitions, taking part in the 2004 FIBA EuroCup Challenge. Few could think, however, that the best was yet to come, as Asesoft was about to make history. With players like Nicolae Toader, Milojica Zekovic or Vladimir Arnautovic, Asesoft downed Dinamo Erbasu Bucuresti to win its first Romanian League title. Asesoft then became the first Romanian team to win a European title, the 2005 FIBA EuroCup Challenge. The club survived a tough group stage, then beat Boncourt and Banvit in a second group stage to meet Lokomotiv Rostov in the title game in Ploiesti. Vladimir Kuzmanovic sent a whole city to celebrate when he hit the game-winning free throws with eight seconds left to make Asesoft beat Lokomotiv 75-74 in thrilling fashion.
Kuzmanovic led his team with 28 points on 6-of-7 triples while Ivan Krasic added 14. Back at home, Asesoft has been rolling, barely losing games to conquer five consecutive Romanian League titles. Asesoft now becomes the first Romanian team to join the ULEB Cup, as it hopes to represent its country in the best possible way while it tries to please thousands of fans in a new, tough basketball adventure.
sursa: ulebcup.com