MONTEPASCHI inks three to complete frontcourt
Italian League champion Montepaschi Siena completed its frontcourt for the upcoming season by inking big men Milovan Rakovic and Andrea Michelori to respective multi-year deals, the club announced Tuesday. Montepaschi also extended Tomas Ress until the end of the 2011-12 season. Rakovic (208, 25) inked a three-year deal and arrived from Spartak St. Petersburg, where he averaged 14.3 points and 6 rebounds in 6 Eurocup games last season. He has also played for several teams in his native Serbia such as Mega Ishrana, Atlas Banka Novi Beograd and Polet Keramika Novi Becej. Michelori (202, 32) inked a two-year deal and arrived from Pepsi Caserta, where he averaged 9.5 points and 5.3 rebounds in 38 Italian League games last season, helping the team to make it to the semifinals. He has also played for Virtus Bologna, Cantu, Biella and Milano throughout his career. Ress (211, 29) averaged 3.5 points in 11 Euroleague games last season. In his three years with Montepaschi Siena, Ress has won as many Italian League titles, as well as reaching the Euroleague Final Four in 2008. Rakovic, Michelori and Ress join Ksistof Lavrinovic and Shaun Stonerook - who were already under contract - in Montepaschi's frontcourt.
