Group A: Can Donar and Telenet Giants hold off newcomers Le Portel and Bosna?

MUNICH (FIBA Europe Cup) - There is a unique mix of teams in Group A of the FIBA Europe Cup, with the customary participants Telenet Antwerp Giants and Donar Groningen joined by ESSM Le Portel and Bosna Sarajevo.

Having reached the Second Round last season, the two returning teams come back for their third season in the competition with refurbished rosters but will nonetheless have an experience edge over the newcomers.

Making the club's international debut, Le Portel will be the only French representatives in the FIBA Europe Cup, while Bosna bring with them an illustrious history and a trophy cabinet full of accomplishments from decades ago.

TELENET ANTWERP GIANTS

Having come up just one win short of making the Play-Offs in the FIBA Europe Cup last season, Telenet Antwerp Giants enter the new campaign having retained star man Jason Clark but with an otherwise all-new core.

The 27-year-old guard from Arlington, Virginia claimed the Belgian EuroMillions League MVP award and will be the go-to player on this season's squad as well, albeit with solid reinforcements coming his way.

Dave Dudzinski was one of the top rebounders in the FIBA Europe Cup last season for Steaua, while Paris Lee, Aleksandar Marelja and Tyler Kalinoski all proved to be worthy additions during the early-season action.

Before transferring to the FIBA Europe Cup, the Giants had a strong run in the Basketball Champions League, eliminating Swedish champions Lulea and Nizhny Novgorod from Russia along the way, before meeting their own fate against Polish side Rosa Radom in Qualification Round 3.

Jason Clark averaged was the Giants' leader in the Basketball Champions League Qualifiers

Star Player: Jason Clark
Top Prospects: Hans Vanwijn; Ismael Bako
Path to the Regular Season: Defeated Lulea in BCL QR1 (+11); defeated Nizhny Novgorod in BCL QR2 (+7); lost to Rosa Radom in BCL QR3 (-7)
European Record in 2016-17: 8-4 in the FIBA Europe Cup, Second Round
Domestic Performance in 2016-17: 2nd in the Belgian EuroMillions League Regular Season; lost 3-1 to Basic-Fit Brussels in the Semi-Finals

DONAR GRONINGEN

Donar Groningen will be taking part in the FIBA Europe Cup for the third season in a row, having reached the Second Round last time around and finished just outside the Play-Off race.

Head coach Erik Braal lost two of his biggest names in Lance Jeter and Chase Fieler, both of whom made a big mark in the FIBA Europe Cup last season, with the latter holding the all-time single game efficiency record.

Donar old-timer Justin Dourisseau will try to glue together a competitive squad around himself, big man Drago Pasalic, point guard Sean Cunningham and and newcomers Brandyn Curry, Evan Bruinsma and former USA international at youth level, Stephen Domingo.

After making it through two Qualification Rounds in the Basketball Champions League, Groningen fell short on their goal after losing an overtime thriller to Movistar Estudiantes in the second leg of the Qualification Round 3 tie in Madrid.

Brandyn Curry will have a tough task of replacing Lance Jeter

Star Player: Brandyn Curry
Top Prospects: Stephen Domingo; Rienk Mast; Tim Hoeve
Path to the Regular Season: Defeated Vytautas in BCL QR1 (+21); defeated Bakken Bears in BCL QR2 (+6); lost to Movistar Estudiantes in BCL QR3 (-8)
European Record in 2016-17: 8-4 in the FIBA Europe Cup, Second Round
Domestic Performance in 2016-17: Dutch Basketball League champions — 1st in the Regular Season; defeated Zwolle 4-1 in Finals — and NBB Cup winners

ESSM LE PORTEL

ESSM Le Portel are set to make their debut on the continental stage in the FIBA Europe Cup after only getting promotion to the LNB Pro A after a successful 2015-16 season in the tier below.

The Eric Girard-coached side turned some heads already in their first season in the French top flight by qualifying for the Play-Offs and consequently earning a ticket to international waters.

During the off-season, Le Portel retained two of the team's three double-digit scorers in Frank Hassel and Jakim Donaldson, and brought in Trae Golden as a replacement for Darrin Dorsey, who was typically the number one option on offense last season.

Said to have the best fans in France, the international newcomers will be a tough team to beat on their home floor, as their FIBA Europe Cup Qualification Round 2 opponents Parma found out, the hard way.

Le Portel will keep the ball in Trae Golden's hands

Star Player: Trae Golden
Top Prospects: N/A
Path to the Regular Season: Defeated Parma in FIBA Europe Cup QR2 (+19)
European Record in 2016-17: N/A
Domestic Performance in 2016-17: 7th in the LNB Pro A Regular Season; lost 2-0 to Elan Chalon in the Quarter-Finals

BOSNA SARAJEVO

A club with a decorated history, Bosna Sarajevo will be looking for inspiration from past glory as they turn a new international page, as they set out for their maiden season in the FIBA Europe Cup.

The club enjoyed its most successful years in the late 1970s with FIBA Hall of Famer Mirza Delibasic, winning the Euroleague crown in the 1978-79 season, but those days are in the past.

The Bosnian and Herzegovinian runners-ups will have to prove themselves all over again, as their 187-119 loss to MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg showed in the Basketball Chamions League Qualification Round 1.

Forward Devon Walker will be the engine guiding the team forward this season, with 37-year-old former Bosnia and Herzegovina international Goran Ikonic and point guard Drasko Knezevic also expected to bring significant contributions.

Devon Walker was the leading scorer in the tie against MHP Riesen

Star Player: Goran Ikonic
Top Prospects: Miroslav Pasaljic, Atif Durak
Path to the Regular Season: Lost to MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg in BCL QR 1 (-69)
European Record in 2016-17: N/A
Domestic Performance in 2016-17: Bosnia and Herzegovina runners-up – 1st in the Regular Season; 2nd in the Second Round; lost Igokea 3-2 in the Finals
European Trophies: Euroleague champions (1978-79); Euroleague third-place winners (1979-80); FIBA Korac Cup runners-up (1977-78); FIBA Intercontinental Cup runners-up (1979); FIBA Intercontinental Cup third-place winners (1980)

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