By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
A second opportunity in the Basketball Champions League for Jordan Howard, but this time around through the Qualifiers.
Howard, 27, emerged as the latest newcomer announced by Monbus Obradoiro on Friday. The brother of Baskonia’s Markus Howard will move his talents to Spain’s Liga Endesa for the first time in his career, besides competing for a spot in the BCL Regular Season, early in the 2023-24 schedule.
Eurohoops’ Aris Barkas had reported on Howard joining Obradoiro on Thursday.
Jordan Howard, brother of Markus Howard, closed in Obradoiro ACB. More on @EurohoopsES and @Eurohoopsnet
— Aris Barkas (@arbarkas) August 3, 2023
The Galicia outfit will face Mornar Barsko Zlato in the Quarterfinals of the eight-team tournament for one single berth in the Regular Season. CBet, Ironi Hai Motors Ness Ziona, Kauhajoki Karhu Basket, Legia Warszawa, and SIG Strasbourg along with the Caledonia Gladiators or Fribourg Olympic will be the rest of the teams battling for the spot.
Carrying the experience of five games played in the Champions League with Strasbourg in 2021-22, Howard placed with Marek Blazevic, Pol Figueras, Ruben Guerrero, Rigoberto Mendoza, Alvaro Munoz, Artem Pustovyi, Thomas Scrubb, Alex Suarez, Eric Washington, and Fernando Zurbriggen on the roster for longtime head coach Moncho Fernandez.
Meanwhile, CBet inked 25-year-old Ivan Gandia-Rosa to a 1+1 contract. The Puerto Rican guard became the second summer addition following Michael Hughes for the team coached by Virginijus Seskus.
Teams completing their respective squads
Michel Diouf penning a two-year contract extension and Southern Miss rookie DeAndre Pinckney were the final summer moves for the Bakken Bears. The roster for the Qualifiers outfit additionally consists of Sylvester Berg, Skyler Bowlin, Noah Churchill, Frederik Drejer, Ryan Evans, Magnus Hoj, Andreas Holst, Darko Jukic, Gustav Knudsen, Silas Oriane, Malik Parsons, and Markus Vinther.
Wrapping up as well, the Gladiators welcomed Canadian-born British veteran guard Kyle Johnson. The team based in Glasgow already featured Fahro Alihodzic, Oscar Baldwin, Jonny Bunyan, Trent Buttrick, Ian DuBose, Kyle Jimenez, Mihailo Jovicic, Fraser Malcolm, Clifton Moore, Prince Onwas, Lukas Palyza, and Patrick Whelan on the squad for play-caller Gareth Murray.
On the opposite end of the Pre-Qualifiers versus the Gladiators, Fribourg Olympic completed the 2023-24 squad with 19-year-old guard Dylan Ducommun. The Switzerland champions already had Arnaud Cotture, Xavier Green, Natan Jurkovitz, Jonathan Kazadi, Killian Martin, Eric Nottage, and Cheikh Sane in for head coach Thibaut Petit.
Photo Credit: Basketball Champions League