Portuguese LPB 2012-2013

[JRS Bonnet]

Sports newspaper Record informs that FC Porto waived PG José Costa (1.87, 1973). The former member of the Portuguese NT says that he is not yet ready to retire.

[JRS Bonnet]

Welcome back, coach

Académica Coimbra has a new Head Coach and it is a familiar face: NORBERTO ALVES replaces Orlando Simões.

[JRS Bonnet]

New rules for the V LPB (2012-2013)

These are old news but well worth mentioning again. In 2012-2013, the number of foreign players will be limited to 3 (three!!!) per team. Furthermore, each team will have to include 3 (three) U23 players on their roster.

[JRS Bonnet]

Wise move

PG MÁRIO FERNANDES (1.74, 1982) signed a two years contract with FC Porto. This is a huge move by FC Porto. Last season, the point guard scored 11.5 points and dished out 6.6 assists for CAB Madeira. He will probably be the starting PG for the Portuguese NT in the qualification campaign for EUROBAKET 2013.

[JRS Bonnet]

Work in progress

F.C. Porto remains very active this offseason: according to the team’s site, contract extensions were agreed between the club and NUNO MARÇAL (SF, 2.05, 1975), DAVID GOMES (PF/C, 2.00, 1986) and DIOGO CORREIA (G, 1.82, 1990). Furthermore, ANDRÉ BESSA (PG, 1.79, 1989) returns from his loan to Vitória Guimarães where, last season, he posted encouraging numbers: 7.8 points, 2.0 assists and 1.57 steals.

[JRS Bonnet]

One more season... really???

Acording to a local site (Guimaraesdigital.com), Vitória Guimarães will participate in the 2012-2013 LPB season. The team currently has 0 (zero) players, one head coach (Fernando Sá) that accepted a salary reduction and a budget of about 50 000 Euros.

[JRS Bonnet]

He will be missed

Small-forward SÉRGIO RAMOS (2.00, 1975), arguably the best Portuguese player of the last 15 years, will not play for S.L. Benfica next season and will probably retire. He was offered a position on the coaching staff but an agreement is yet to be achieved. Last season, despite injuries, Ramos was still able to be a very productive player: 10.0 points, 4.3 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 1.1 steals, tons of character and outstanding leadership.

[rikhardur]

He'll be missed. He still holds the record for most points in a league game (55).

[JRS Bonnet]

Académica de Coimbra waived point guard Miguel Barroca (1.82, 1984). Last season, Barroca fought Diogo Simões for the starting PG job. His stats: 6.5 points, 2.0 assists and 1.14 steals.

[JRS Bonnet]

S.L. Benfica lost one of their brightest prospects: ANTÓNIO MONTEIRO (PF/C, 2.02, 1989) will head for Angola having signed a contract with reigning champions C.R.D. Libolo.

[JRS Bonnet]

F.C. Barreirense lost their Spanish head-coach: next season, ANTONIO HERRERA will be in charge of Basquet Coruña (LEB Silver).

[Khalid80]

S.L. Benfica lost one of their brightest prospects: ANTÓNIO MONTEIRO (PF/C, 2.02, 1989) will head for Angola having signed a contract with reigning champions C.R.D. Libolo.

Is it common for Portuguese players to head to play in Angola because I thought it was usually Angolans who would go to play in Portugal?

I know that Angola used to be a Portuguese colony and speak Portuguese so this definitely helps.

And which league would you consider to be better because recently and with the economic crisis and such I think the Angolan league has become slightly more competitive than the Portuguese one I think?

[JRS Bonnet]

Times... they are changing

Is it common for Portuguese players to head to play in Angola because I thought it was usually Angolans who would go to play in Portugal?

And which league would you consider to be better because recently and with the economic crisis and such I think the Angolan league has become slightly more competitive than the Portuguese one I think?

The days when the best Angolan players (Jean-Jacques Conceição, José Carlos Guimarães, Aníbal Moreira, David Dias, Paulo Macedo …) spent several seasons in the Portuguese league are long gone.

I completely agree with your opinion about the Angolan league being more competitive than the LPB. Basketball popularity in the African nation, the economic crisis in Portugal and the Angolan economic boom allowed the Angolan clubs not only to retain the top local talent but also to offer Portuguese coaches (Mário Palma, Alberto Babo, Luís Magalhães) better working conditions.

António Monteiro is following the footsteps of Armando Costa (starting PG of the Angolan NT), a player formed in C.A. Queluz (near Lisbon).

[rikhardur]

Yes, there's definitely a shift there. I can see more Portuguese players going to Angola where salaries are higher and the league much more competitive. Besides, there they can have the chance to win a continental title...

[Khalid80]

Thanks for the info. guys