By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Giffey (2.00 meters, 26 years old) averaged 6.6 points on 42.9% three-point shooting and 2.4 rebounds in 14 7DAYS EuroCup games last season. Born in Berlin, he finished his four-year college career at the University of Connecticut, returning to ALBA before the start of the 2014-15 season. He helped UConn win two NCAA titles in 2011 and 2014, also lifting the German Cup trophy with ALBA in 2016. Giffey is also a member of the German national team. “Berlin is my home and ALBA, the club where I grew up,” Giffey said. “The concept of player development with coach Aito (Garcia Reneses) convinced me. I hope to make it to the next step in my development.”
Kempton (2.08 meters, 22 years old) is set to start his professional career in Bilbao. He arrives from Lehigh University, where he averaged 20.4 points and 10.3 rebounds in 31 NCAA games last season and was twice named Patriot League Conference Player of the Year during his four seasons at the school. His father, Tim Kempton Sr., was also a professional basketball player with a long career in European basketball that featured stops in Italy, Spain, Turkey and France.
“Tim Kempton Jr is a big man with a lot of resources on offense, with his back to the basket, but also facing the rim; he hit over 40% of his three-point shots in his senior year,” Bilbao sport director Raul Lopez said. “He is a great rebounder, especially on defense, a hard worker with a high basketball IQ. He improved his numbers and shooting percentages over the years, getting better as his college career went on.”