By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Coming off a couple of seasons in Turkey, Ryan Luther penned a one-year contract to join UCAM Murcia, the team announced Tuesday. Previous offseason additions feature James Anderson, Travis Trice, and Jordan Sakho, while captain Sadiel Rojas inked a contract extension.
Luther, 26, carries the experience of eight games played in the Basketball Champions League as his new side returns to FIBA’s top European club competition after three years. He logged six appearances in the 2020-21 season attached to Darussafaka and a couple more with Ventspils in the 2019 Qualifiers.
The powerful big man spent the 2021-22 season at Gaziantep averaging 9.7 points, 6.1 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 0.6 steals, and 0.4 blocks per contest in Turkey’s BSL. After helping the team coached by Tutku Acik earn the fourth seed in the Playoffs bracket, his former team Dacka edged out the best-of-three series to move past the Quarterfinals and thus knock out Gaziantep.
Defending BCL champion Lenovo Tenerife announced the addition of 30-year-old center Ivan Cruz on a two-year contract with an option for a third season. Meanwhile, Surne Bilbao released Rafa Luz with the Brazilian-Spanish point guard returning to MoraBanc Andorra and also picked up former UNC Greensboro standout Francis Alonso from Unicaja signing the 26-year-old guard to a 1+1 contract.
Elsewhere in the Champions League, 23-year-old American point guard Markell Johnson became the latest addition for German side MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg and Turkish side Tofas re-signed 23-year-old center Emre Tanisan for the 2022-23 season.
Photo Credit: Basketball Champions League