Plymouth Raiders have signed England International point guard Matt Guymon has put pen to paper.
Guymon has represented England Juniors at the U16 & U18 European championship and also made the 2007 & 2008 Great Britain's Men's squads. Most recently, he was selected by Team GB coach Chris Finch for the GB Futures u23 team. Just 2 weeks ago, he was selected for the England team that played in a tournament against Belgium, Luxembourg, Tunisia and Ivory Coast.
The 6'4", 23 year old is excited about the opportunity of moving to Plymouth. "I am really looking forward to playing for the Raiders next year, with best supporters and game day atmosphere in the BBL. I think we have the players and coaches in place to have a great year."
Guymon left England to complete his high school studies in Oklahoma, before enrolling at Oklahoma City University, where he won two NAIA National Championships.
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Showing posts with label plymouth Raiders. Show all posts
Showing posts with label plymouth Raiders. Show all posts
Friday, 30 July 2010
Tuesday, 22 June 2010
Cheshire, Plymouth make early signings
Cheshire Jets have confirmed that Colin O'Reilly has signed up for the 2010/11 season, the first player to be confirmed as a definite in the new roster.
The 6'7" Irish forward arrived last summer from UCC Demons.
"The highlight in the season past for me was the winning run we went on to close out the regular season and gain a top 4 finish," he said. "We played great basketball throughout, which was enjoyable for the fans and for the players to play in. Obviously the two cup semi wins were big for the club and its profile but the way we achieved the wins gave great pleasure to the team."
Plymouth Raiders have announced their second signing of the summer, England international player Taner Adu. The 6'3", 26 year old Adu comes to Plymouth following a season in the BBL with Essex Pirates where he averaged 17 points, 3 assists, 3 rebounds and 2 steals per game. He will be a key player for the England team this summer in their round of friendly games, and Raiders Coach Gavin Love was delighted to have secured his signature.
"Taner is a great pick up for us," said Love. "A number of BBL teams offered Taner a contract, but I think our reputation here, together with the opportunities that he will get playing for the Raiders helped swing the balance in our favour. Taner spoke to former Raiders players Haggai Hundert and Dean Williams (both teammates at Essex) and they were able to tell him a lot about the club and the area."
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The 6'7" Irish forward arrived last summer from UCC Demons.
"The highlight in the season past for me was the winning run we went on to close out the regular season and gain a top 4 finish," he said. "We played great basketball throughout, which was enjoyable for the fans and for the players to play in. Obviously the two cup semi wins were big for the club and its profile but the way we achieved the wins gave great pleasure to the team."
Plymouth Raiders have announced their second signing of the summer, England international player Taner Adu. The 6'3", 26 year old Adu comes to Plymouth following a season in the BBL with Essex Pirates where he averaged 17 points, 3 assists, 3 rebounds and 2 steals per game. He will be a key player for the England team this summer in their round of friendly games, and Raiders Coach Gavin Love was delighted to have secured his signature.
"Taner is a great pick up for us," said Love. "A number of BBL teams offered Taner a contract, but I think our reputation here, together with the opportunities that he will get playing for the Raiders helped swing the balance in our favour. Taner spoke to former Raiders players Haggai Hundert and Dean Williams (both teammates at Essex) and they were able to tell him a lot about the club and the area."
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Tuesday, 15 June 2010
Love inks Toppert as Plymouth Raiders re-build
New Plymouth Raiders coach Gavin Love has made shooting guard Cody Toppert his first signing for the 2010-11 season. The 27 year old has both German and American nationality, which means that Raiders are still permitted to bring in three American players.
Toppert graduated from Cornell University in the USA in 2005, averaging just over 11 points and 3 rebounds per game. But it was his career in basketball after leaving Cornell that really excited Love. He went on to play for the Albuquerque Thunderbirds in the NBA Development League, exciting fans with his long range shooting ability. After a season in New Mexico, he moved to New Zealand’s top league where he played for the Taranaki Mountain Airs and finished the season as the third highest scorer in the league. He then moved to Portugal where he played in the premier league for Barreirense and put up some impressive statistics. Last season, Toppert played in the German league for Goettingen in the Bundesliga and BC Scholz Recycling Weissenhorn in Pro B.
“I’m over the moon with getting Cody on board,” said Love. “He brings a very high basketball IQ, and he’s played for a lot of very high profile teams internationally. Ive spoken with Cody a lot, and I think he’s going to be a great fit for this team. He can really shoot the ball, and he’s going to bring a lot of experience to the team.”
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Toppert graduated from Cornell University in the USA in 2005, averaging just over 11 points and 3 rebounds per game. But it was his career in basketball after leaving Cornell that really excited Love. He went on to play for the Albuquerque Thunderbirds in the NBA Development League, exciting fans with his long range shooting ability. After a season in New Mexico, he moved to New Zealand’s top league where he played for the Taranaki Mountain Airs and finished the season as the third highest scorer in the league. He then moved to Portugal where he played in the premier league for Barreirense and put up some impressive statistics. Last season, Toppert played in the German league for Goettingen in the Bundesliga and BC Scholz Recycling Weissenhorn in Pro B.
“I’m over the moon with getting Cody on board,” said Love. “He brings a very high basketball IQ, and he’s played for a lot of very high profile teams internationally. Ive spoken with Cody a lot, and I think he’s going to be a great fit for this team. He can really shoot the ball, and he’s going to bring a lot of experience to the team.”
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Tuesday, 8 June 2010
Gavin Love confirmed as new Plymouth Raiders head coach
Plymouth Raiders have appointed former club captain Gavin Love as their new head coach, despite interviewing several candidates in the USA lat month.
Love re-joined the Raiders half-way through last season as an assistant to Gary Stronach following a career as a player that spanned 13 years.
The Englishman has revealed he has already been in touch with several potential signings since he agreed to take the job, with two offers already made for next season.
"This is a great opportunity for me," said Love, "and I'm confident that I can put a team together that will excite the fans and give us a great chance to get the club back to where it deserves to be. I can't wait for the players to get here now and to start pre season training. The team I want in place will be dynamic, exciting and I want us to play a brand of basketball that fans will want to come and watch."
At the same time as announcing Love as Head Coach, the Raiders announced that former Raiders player Mark Cahill will be returning to the team as Strength & Conditioning Coach as part of a support team that also includes Andy Murphy - the team's new Sports Injury Consultant.
"We'll be training eight times a week," said Love. "That's made up with five on court sessions, and three strength and conditioning sessions. Mark is going to be very active with the team, devising individual workout programmes for every player.
“We want to be the team in the best shape in the BBL this year - it's a long season, and the guys have to be ready for it. Our pre-season is going to be really intense as well, with the Royal Navy playing a huge part in fitness and team bonding work. I really can't describe how excited I am to get started."
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Love re-joined the Raiders half-way through last season as an assistant to Gary Stronach following a career as a player that spanned 13 years.
The Englishman has revealed he has already been in touch with several potential signings since he agreed to take the job, with two offers already made for next season.
"This is a great opportunity for me," said Love, "and I'm confident that I can put a team together that will excite the fans and give us a great chance to get the club back to where it deserves to be. I can't wait for the players to get here now and to start pre season training. The team I want in place will be dynamic, exciting and I want us to play a brand of basketball that fans will want to come and watch."
At the same time as announcing Love as Head Coach, the Raiders announced that former Raiders player Mark Cahill will be returning to the team as Strength & Conditioning Coach as part of a support team that also includes Andy Murphy - the team's new Sports Injury Consultant.
"We'll be training eight times a week," said Love. "That's made up with five on court sessions, and three strength and conditioning sessions. Mark is going to be very active with the team, devising individual workout programmes for every player.
“We want to be the team in the best shape in the BBL this year - it's a long season, and the guys have to be ready for it. Our pre-season is going to be really intense as well, with the Royal Navy playing a huge part in fitness and team bonding work. I really can't describe how excited I am to get started."
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Thursday, 13 May 2010
Plymouth Raiders set to opt for American coach
Plymouth Raiders’ new head coach will be an American, Britball can reveal.
The Devon outfit received applications from all around the world, including from within the UK, for the vacancy that arose when Gary Stronach brought his long stint at the club to an end last month.
And Raiders chairman Bob Widdecombe has revealed that a decision could be reached within days to appoint his successor after officials met with a number of candidates.
“We have a short-list of six and we’ve sent someone to the USA to do interviews,” he said. “We’ll see how those went and we’ll look to try and make a decision at the end of next week.”
One route Plymouth won’t be going down is to hire a playcaller who also plays.
“We did discuss the pros and cons of bringing in a player-coach,” Widdecombe added. “Sheffield and Newcastle both have one and it can work but `I want to put together a team. It’s not just about one individual. It’s a team on and off the court with all the community work we do in the south-west.”
Stronach, who is not involved in the hiring process, remains on the hunt for a new job at home or abroad.
“It’s hard for a British coach to get in the door but we’ll see what happens,” he confirmed.
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The Devon outfit received applications from all around the world, including from within the UK, for the vacancy that arose when Gary Stronach brought his long stint at the club to an end last month.
And Raiders chairman Bob Widdecombe has revealed that a decision could be reached within days to appoint his successor after officials met with a number of candidates.
“We have a short-list of six and we’ve sent someone to the USA to do interviews,” he said. “We’ll see how those went and we’ll look to try and make a decision at the end of next week.”
One route Plymouth won’t be going down is to hire a playcaller who also plays.
“We did discuss the pros and cons of bringing in a player-coach,” Widdecombe added. “Sheffield and Newcastle both have one and it can work but `I want to put together a team. It’s not just about one individual. It’s a team on and off the court with all the community work we do in the south-west.”
Stronach, who is not involved in the hiring process, remains on the hunt for a new job at home or abroad.
“It’s hard for a British coach to get in the door but we’ll see what happens,” he confirmed.
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Tuesday, 20 April 2010
Plymouth boosted by job interest
Plymouth Raiders chairman Bob Widdecombe has revealed that the club have received over 20 applications for their head coaching vacancy since it was announced incumbent Gary Stronach was quitting the post at the end of the season.
The Devon outfit, who missed the BBL play-offs, have seen expressions of interest from all over the world, including ex-national team bosses - and a leading female coach from Brazil.
“We have to temper our excitement with the importance of appointing the right person for the job,” added Widdecombe. “There’s an awful lot to consider, and the last thing we want is someone who comes in for a year, and is gone again, leaving us to go through the recruitment process again this time next year. We’re determined to get back among the BBL’s elite teams, so we’ll be talking to the coaches that we decide to shortlist about how they would go about building a team for the medium to long term, and their contacts within the game.
"As it is with players, it’s important that we get a good person, as well as a good coach. We have a fantastic reputation throughout the UK and our own franchise area here in Devon and Cornwall, so it’s important to us that this is maintained and even built on.”
Plymouth will hold a board meeting on Thursday to discuss how to fill the club's first coaching vacancy in over a decade.
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The Devon outfit, who missed the BBL play-offs, have seen expressions of interest from all over the world, including ex-national team bosses - and a leading female coach from Brazil.
“We have to temper our excitement with the importance of appointing the right person for the job,” added Widdecombe. “There’s an awful lot to consider, and the last thing we want is someone who comes in for a year, and is gone again, leaving us to go through the recruitment process again this time next year. We’re determined to get back among the BBL’s elite teams, so we’ll be talking to the coaches that we decide to shortlist about how they would go about building a team for the medium to long term, and their contacts within the game.
"As it is with players, it’s important that we get a good person, as well as a good coach. We have a fantastic reputation throughout the UK and our own franchise area here in Devon and Cornwall, so it’s important to us that this is maintained and even built on.”
Plymouth will hold a board meeting on Thursday to discuss how to fill the club's first coaching vacancy in over a decade.
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Thursday, 15 April 2010
Gary Stronach to quit as Plymouth Raiders coach
Plymouth Raiders have confirmed that long-serving head coach Gary Stronach is to leave the club after 24 years. The Sunderland-born playcaller, who also played 356 games for the Raiders before moving full-time to the bench in 1999, will depart after the final match of the BBL season, on Sunday, against Worthing Thunder.
Stronach, who was thought to be frustrated at the budget cuts imposed last summer, has confirmed he took the decision to seek a fresh challenge within basketball, revealing that the idea "has been brewing for a few years." The search will now begin for a new man to re-build Plymouth ahead of the new campaign. It is likely the Devon side will follow the budgetary lead of many of their rivals and appoint a player-coach to fill the vacancy created by the move although club sources confirmed no decision on that issue has yet been made. Current assistant Gavin Love is expected to be among the candidates.
“I’ve had an absolutely fantastic career as a player, player-coach and head coach of Plymouth,” said Stronach, who revealed he rejected an offer to coach in Belgium three years ago. “I’ve made many friends and acquaintances over my 24 years. I feel the time is now right for me to pursue another challenge at this stage of my career.”
Arguably Stronach’s proudest moment as coach of the Raiders was lifting the BBL Trophy in 2007 following several EBL successes. He was also in charge when the Raiders made the jump from England Basketball’s Division One to the fully professional BBL in 2004.
Raiders Chairman Bob Widdecombe said, “On behalf of the Board of Directors of the Raiders, we’d all like to thank Gary for everything he has done over his 24 years for the club. The club’s present set up is unrecognisable from the club that Gary joined back in 1985. The search for a new coach will start next week, but for this week, the Raiders are focused on the remaining two games of the 2009/10 season.”
The final bow will be an emotional occasion for Stronach with his side missing out on the play-offs after a disappointing campaign that never rebounded fully from a 0-12 start and a series of injuries.
“I’d really like for every fan coming to the game to wear something green,” said Stronach. “Whether it’s a hat, a t-shirt or top, or just something with green on it, I want to be able to look out at a sea of green in my last game with the team, and walk away with some very proud memories of what we have achieved here.”
However, it won’t be Stronach’s final game of the season. The soon-to-be ex-Raiders coach will helm the GB representative team in the BBL All Star game against the Rest of the World squad on May 8 at the NIA in Birmingham.
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Stronach, who was thought to be frustrated at the budget cuts imposed last summer, has confirmed he took the decision to seek a fresh challenge within basketball, revealing that the idea "has been brewing for a few years." The search will now begin for a new man to re-build Plymouth ahead of the new campaign. It is likely the Devon side will follow the budgetary lead of many of their rivals and appoint a player-coach to fill the vacancy created by the move although club sources confirmed no decision on that issue has yet been made. Current assistant Gavin Love is expected to be among the candidates.
“I’ve had an absolutely fantastic career as a player, player-coach and head coach of Plymouth,” said Stronach, who revealed he rejected an offer to coach in Belgium three years ago. “I’ve made many friends and acquaintances over my 24 years. I feel the time is now right for me to pursue another challenge at this stage of my career.”
Arguably Stronach’s proudest moment as coach of the Raiders was lifting the BBL Trophy in 2007 following several EBL successes. He was also in charge when the Raiders made the jump from England Basketball’s Division One to the fully professional BBL in 2004.
Raiders Chairman Bob Widdecombe said, “On behalf of the Board of Directors of the Raiders, we’d all like to thank Gary for everything he has done over his 24 years for the club. The club’s present set up is unrecognisable from the club that Gary joined back in 1985. The search for a new coach will start next week, but for this week, the Raiders are focused on the remaining two games of the 2009/10 season.”
The final bow will be an emotional occasion for Stronach with his side missing out on the play-offs after a disappointing campaign that never rebounded fully from a 0-12 start and a series of injuries.
“I’d really like for every fan coming to the game to wear something green,” said Stronach. “Whether it’s a hat, a t-shirt or top, or just something with green on it, I want to be able to look out at a sea of green in my last game with the team, and walk away with some very proud memories of what we have achieved here.”
However, it won’t be Stronach’s final game of the season. The soon-to-be ex-Raiders coach will helm the GB representative team in the BBL All Star game against the Rest of the World squad on May 8 at the NIA in Birmingham.
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Friday, 19 February 2010
Stronach opts against Plymouth signing move
Plymouth Raiders coach Gary Stronach has ruled out making any additions to his squad before the transfer window closes on February 28.
The Devon outfit have been hampered by injuries all season but even though they remain in a battle to steal a play-off spot, Stronach will stand put.
He told the Plymouth Herald: "I'm not making any changes – we'll go with what we have."
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The Devon outfit have been hampered by injuries all season but even though they remain in a battle to steal a play-off spot, Stronach will stand put.
He told the Plymouth Herald: "I'm not making any changes – we'll go with what we have."
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