Enthusiasm, emotions and unsalted jokes before a new beginning for U-BT Cluj-Napoca »who declared the key people of the Romanian champion

U-BT Cluj-Napoca is preparing for a historical season, one that will record the debut in the ABA League, a strong regional competition of which 3 Euroliga teams, 3 Eurocup and 2 of Basketball Champions League are part.

With 8 new players in the lot, U-BT Cluj-Napoca is preparing for the debut in the ABA League

After a season in which the “students” won, with difficulty, the national title and were eliminated in the quarterfinals of the Romanian Cup and in the quarterfinals, the leadership of the Romanian champion made the decision to change most of the lot.

The only players left in the lot of Mihai Silvășan are Patrick Richard and Karel Guzman, along with the junior Darius Miron, Alexis Petric, Radu Cepoi and Tudor Tancău. In addition, Clujs performed 8 transfers, Daron Russell, Trey Woodbury, Molinar, Jefffery Taylor, Mitch Creek, Ben Altit, Nathan Mensah and Dusan Miletic, completing the lot.

With the exception of Molinar and Creek, all the other players have already arrived in Cluj-Napoca and, after the medical visit made on Sunday, August 17, met in Barena Monday, August 18, for other physical tests prepared by the medical staff.

One by one, all the students of Silvășan were invited by Adrian Resteman, Andrei Bălan and Tudor Pintea on the Prosecutor's Office in Cluj-Napoca for some physical tests. Meanwhile, the marketing team has prepared various games and activities meant to relax the atmosphere.

Patrick Richard, the captain of the black and white, before a new season: “Cluj is home. I really feel this”

Captain Patrick Richard, who was in the 7th season in U-BT Cluj-Napoca's shirt, was sitting between Jefffery Taylor, a 7 seasons player at Real Madrid, and Trey Woodbury, a basketball player from ARIS THEONNIC.

“Cluj is home. I really feel that. I am excited to continue to build. Obviously we have a lot of new players, but this is the fun part, to put all the pieces together and, during the season, to have satisfaction and great results”, He would declare the American naturalized at the press conference that was following at 1:00 pm.

“It's a wonderful feeling. In my first season here, I was playing in the Fiba Europe Cup preliminaries. To see the steps I took year by year … I am super gratful to continue to be part of this project. I signed the extension without thinking, I appreciate these two guys (no Branko Cuic and Mihai Silvășan) because I have been working.

In the room was present and Alexander Geddes, U-BT's new second coach, who replaced Mihai Popa, after spending summer being part of the Romanian national staff. The Scottish technician was not scared of time and quickly spoke with the new black and white players, with discussions, among others, with Nathan Mensah and Jefffery Taylor.

Branko Cuic about the entrance to the ABA League, the participation in the LNBM and the team's objectives in the 2025-2026 season

In addition to basketball players and staff members, in Barena were members of the media team, but also various volunteers, feeling the enthusiasm and emotions of a new beginning. These emotions were also seen at the press conference, where the executive director Branko Cuic took the first word.

“Hello everyone! I'm glad we see each other again and I hope that this year we will have even more opportunities to spend together. It is a historical season in front of us, a proof of the seriousness and the rewarded work of our club – we will participate in the ABA League, where we will have 3 opponents from Euroliga. We are proud to participate in this competition. As I said before, it is a win-win situation, we have more and stronger matches, and they have in the league a team that has had respectable results in Eurocup. It will be a league with 3 Euroliga teams, 3 of Eurocup and 2 from the BCL, so it will be one of the top leagues in Europe, ”he started his speech.

“Besides, not to understand us wrong, we were and we will be proud that we are the champions of Romania. The national path is very important for us and so it will always be,” stressed the leader of the Cluj club.

Later, Cuic would confirm that U-BT intends to play directly in the National League playoff and that the national championship managers are expected to agree with it. Also, the former player of Cluj revealed that negotiations with players were easier due Winning the national title and the Romanian Cup, the qualification in the EuroCup playoff, where you want an extra step compared to the previous seasons, and the presence in the top 6 in the ABA League.

Last but not least, Cuic explained that there are television discussions to take the U-BT matches in the ABA League, so that the fans of Transylvanians can watch the team in the first season in this competition.

Mihai Silvășan, satisfied with U-BT's lot: “I think we are very well covered in all positions”

Mihai Silvășan followed at the microphone, who announced that the lot is completed, although the basic rotation has only 10 players.

“Honestly, I am very pleased with the purchases I have made so far. In order not to be many discussions, at the moment the lot is closed. I think we are very well covered on absolutely all positions. We have multipurpose players who can play different positions. I think we have a good, not exaggerated, not very big rotation, which gives us the chance to be competitive on both fronts, both in Eurocup and in the ABA League”, Said the one who will start the 10th season as U-BT's head coach.

Silvășan said he wanted a mix between experienced players, such as Patrick Richard, Jefffery Taylor and Mitch Creek, and young and hungry basketball players.

“I think we are physically stronger than last season. We will have a faster and more athletic team. This is definitely what we wanted. Now talent exists, it only remains to unite, to create a team spirit that will bring us performance, because, we know very well, that without creating this team, and this is a team, At the age of 40, who stressed that there have never been so many new players and that they hope there are no injuries.

“From the experience of past years, many things can happen. We take things step by step and see what to do if something is needed or if we have injuries to make us think about changes. ”

Silvășan was also satisfied with the contingent of the local players, where the U-BT relies on Patrick Richard and Ben Altit and the juniors Miron, Cepoi, Petric and Tancău. The “students” technician revealed that there were negotiations with other Romanian basketball players, but they refused to come, for various reasons, and confirmed that Daron Russell's naturalization is desired.

The inappropriate joke of the champion coach: “He has been married for only one year, we do not know if he resists 5 years”

Instead, Silvășan explained that there is no chance that Guzman will be naturalized and Cuic said that, although the Cuban is married to a Romanian, the law says that in order to obtain the passport it is necessary for marriage to last over 5 years.

It was the moment of an unsatisfied joke of the coach from Cluj, who said the following about Guzman: “He, poor, E [căsătorit] Only for a year, we do not know if it resists 5 years. “

At the end of the conference, Richard took over the microphone and looked gladly because he had a free summer, saying he feels younger around some young teammates.

“Honestly, it's all about work, starting tomorrow when we start working together – that's how we build chemistry. We need to get over the difficult times in the preseazon because it is normal to be hard. Then we have to have conversations and get to know each other better. But for now the boys are great. We have experience and some young boys and I think, if we manage to put this mix in value, we will be fine ”, concluded the black and white captain.

U-BT Cluj-Napoca's program in Presezon

U-BT Cluj-Napoca will prepare locally until the first week of September, when he will leave for Râmnicu Vâlcea, for A preparation tour with CS Vâlcea 1924 (7 September) and AEK Athens (September 8).

Then, on September 13-15, the Romanian champion will participate in a tour in Aleksandrovac, Bosnia and Herzegovina, where will play against Kk Igokea (September 13) and BC Nizhny Novgorod (September 15).

On September 20, U-BT Cluj-Napoca will take place with CSO Voluntari in Brasov, in the Romanian Super Cupafter which he will have two more friendly in Serbia, with KK Mega Basket (September 22) and Subotica Spartak (September 24).

The debut of Cluj in the new season of EuroCup will be recorded on October 1, in Barena, when U-BT receives the visit of Bahcesehir College Istanbul. In contrast, the first game of Transylvanians in the ABA League will take place on Friday, October 10, on KK Krka's field.