team analysis
After a frenzied season in which promotion was brushed against the palm of their hands, Leyma Básquet Coruña has rearmed with the intention of trying the epic again. The competition during the 2021-22 season will be very tough due to the level of the teams that will face each other throughout this season. Entering the team situation, Leyma Básquet Coruña has only kept three pieces compared to last season. These players are: Augustas Peciuckevicius, who will be out for a couple of weeks, Zach Monaghan and Javi Vega. To the three capital players we must add the continuity of Sergio García, a coach who has all the confidence on the part of the club and the sports management.
As with the signings last year, the Herculine team has opted to sign players with experience in the competition, in addition to the typical bets, which in this case come from the Canadian CEBL. It will not be easy to repeat what happened last year, but if something is breathed in A Coruña, it is illusion to repeat what was achieved last year and, why not, improve what was experienced. Oh, and also for filling “O Forno de Riazor”, one of the factors that should be differential this season with the return of the public to the courts.
squad 2021-22
basit is
- Álex Hernández (31 years – 189 cms): One of the great signings of this Leyma Básquet Coruña has been Álex Hernández. The Murcian player is a sure thing in the base position thanks to his abilities to be able to play both for the team and to make a difference in scoring. At 31 years old, Álex Hernández is in great shape, something that Sergio García will make the most of during his stay in A Coruña. His numbers from last season translate into 10.1 points, 3.5 rebounds and 3.9 assists in 28 games played.
- Mo Soluade (26 years – 196 cms): Accompanying Álex Hernández in the base position will be Mo Soluade. Despite achieving promotion to the ACB with the Breogán River, the British player could not return to the top national competition after the Lugo team decided to dispense with his services. Now, the Unicaja youth squad will have a new opportunity to shine in LEB Oro, a competition that he dominates perfectly after spending three seasons in the league. In the year of Breo’s promotion, Soluade averaged 5.2 points, 1.2 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 33 games.
- Augustas Peciuckevicius (29 years – 193 cms): He was called to be an important player last season, but a serious injury (ruptured Achilles tendon in his left foot) prevented him from contributing everything he had to Leyma Básquet Coruña. The relationship between the Lithuanian and the Galician team is very good, so this summer it seemed logical the idea that both parties continue hand in hand for one more season. Being healthy can be a differential player in the competition.
escorts and eaves
- Kadre Gray (23 years – 186 cms): Landing directly from Canada, Kadre Gray is called to be the reference in attack for Leyma Básquet Coruña. After a successful campaign in the CEBL with the Ottawa Blackjacks, Kadre Gray will have his first experience in Europe. There are many hopes placed on the player, so now it is up to him to respond. It seems like a risky bet for being a rookie in Europe, but if it turns out well, the Herculine team can have Gray a scoring machine from the perimeter. During his time at the CEBL, Kadre Gray averaged 15.2 points, 5.6 rebounds and 4.6 assists.
- Zach Monaghan (28 years – 188 cms): If we talk about Zachary Michael Monaghan, better known as Zach Monaghan, we are referring to a player loved by the entire A Coruña parish. The magic of the American guard will continue to amaze the fans and surprise his rivals, but Monaghan is expected to be closer than that of the past playoffs, in which his season averages dropped substantially. Still, Zach Monaghan averaged 9.6 points, 1.9 rebounds and 3.7 assists in 30 LEB Gold games.
- Johan Lofberg (26 years – 199 cms): In the forward position this summer, one of the signings that has most surprised the Herculean fans arrived. From France, and with extensive experience in Spain, Johan Lofberg landed in Coruña to contribute all the experience and leadership in a position in which, a priori, he starts as a starter in Sergio Garcia’s schemes. With a past in Oviedo, Breogán and Palma de Mallorca, the Swedish forward returns to Spain to be important after learning about the French second division at the hands of Vichy-Clemont. There he averaged 9.4 points, 3 rebounds and 1.7 assists.
- Mikel Sanz (22 years – 195 cms): Johan Lofberg’s companion in the forward position will be a young player but characterized by being a born hard worker. The young man from Donostia arrives in Coruña after previously passing through Melilla Sport Capital, a team with which he debuted in LEB Oro after standing out in Grupo Alega Cantabria in LEB Plata. Able to contribute both in attack and defense, Mikel Sanz seems the perfect complementary profile to Johan Lofberg. Last season he averaged 2.8 points and 2.1 rebounds in 26 Regular League games.
power forwards and centers
- Ashley Hamilton (33 years – 201 cms): If this Leyma Básquet Coruña needs something, it is veteran. The inside game is very important in LEB Oro, and that is why the Coruña team has decided to combine veterancy and quality in a player who can be a differential in the league. Ashley Hamilton will be in charge of accompanying Javi Vega in the power forward position, forming one of the best power forward pairs in the competition. Get to know the competition after going through BAXI Manresa (2017-18) and Básquet Coruña (2019-20). A year later, and after standing out in the Plymouth Riders (16.3 points and 8.3 rebounds on average), Hamilton returns to the Forno de Riazor with the intention of taking the team to the ACB.
- Javi Vega (33 years – 205 cms): Just one season in Coruña and he is already a player loved by the fans of the Galician team. After falling into ostracism at the ACB at the hands of San Pablo Burgos, Javi Vega recovered his sensations at LEB Oro. In one year he has already stood out, but this second season in Coruña must be the definitive one as regards his role . Leader on and off the court. Now all that remains is for the group results to arrive and make the orange team dream. In his first season with Básquet Coruña, Javi Vega averaged 7.8 points, 3.7 rebounds and 1.2 assists.
- Roeland Schaftenaar (33 years – 210 cms): He was the last player to sign with the A Coruña club, but it seemed obvious that the team needed a profile like his. Both Atoumane Diagne and Nick Ward are two experiments, which can go well or badly, so with the signing of Roeland Schaftenaar they ensured a safe sword. At 33 years old, the Dutch pivot stood out last season in Cáceres, which endorses him as a very good signing. There he averaged 10.8 points, 5.4 rebounds and 1.9 assists.
- Atoumane Diagne (22 years – 215 cms): The great unknown of this Leyma Básquet Coruña is called Atoumane Diagne. The Senegalese pivot was considered a pearl in the Barça quarry, but constant injuries ended up cutting off the progression of a young center. that he was called to be important in the first team of the Blaugrana team. Now, at 22, Atoumane Diagne arrives in Coruña after a year in dry dock due to injuries. His last experience was in the French first division with Limoges.
- Nick Ward (24 years – 206 cms): The last piece of this Leyma Básquet Coruña is called Nick Ward. The Canadian pivot has been the main protagonist of the preseason in the Galician team, and now it is his turn to repeat this role in the league. After a magnificent NCAA career and positive experiences in the minor leagues, Nick Ward has a great opportunity. After standing out in the Turkish second division and in the Canadian CEBL, Nick Ward will contribute to this Leyma Coruña many points in the paint and intimidation to his rivals in the area. Led by Turkish Istanbul, Nick Ward averaged 21.8 points and 8.3 rebounds in the second division.
objective
The objective of Leyma Básquet Coruña is the same as last season. That is, to fight again for the positions that give way to the Endesa League. The path that the Coruña team will have to travel does not seem easy at all, and it is that the Movistar Estudiantes and Covirán Granada projects start with the favorite poster. However, if the Galician team is characterized by something, it is by not lowering its arms at any time and fighting until the last second of the match. The 2021-22 season will be the team’s tenth campaign in the LEB Gold, so there is no better time to fight for promotion than in the 10th anniversary in the silver category of national basketball.