MUNICH (FIBA Europe Cup) - There will be only three teams in Group E of the FIBA Europe Cup, but each of them brings along a history that would make most European clubs proud.

Elan Bearnais Pau-Lacq-Orthez (FRA) once dominated not only French basketball, but was a big actor on the European stage as well and BC Tartu (EST) have always been one of the main Estonian basketball pillars at club level.

Perhaps least known from the trio are the Redwell Oberwart Gunners (AUT), but two Austrian titles in the past six seasons speak louder than words.

New-look BC Tartu back in FIBA Europe Cup

Unlike most European teams, Tartu already have a taste of international basketball this season, having competed in both Basketball Champions League (BCL) Qualification Rounds. After overcoming Donar Groningen (NED), the Estonians were later stopped by Bakken Bears (DEN) and consequently switched to the FIBA Europe Cup.

The competition will be familiar ground for Tartu, who also played in the FIBA Europe Cup last year and reached the Round of 32 before bowing out.

One of two most successful modern-day Estonian basketball clubs, Tartu could not defend neither the Estonian championship title, nor the Estonian Cup last season, with main rivals Kalev/Cramo claiming both trophies.

Coach Gert Kullamae’s side finished last year’s silver collection with a second-place finish in the Baltic Basketball League as well.

Having modified its name to simply BC Tartu, the club also changed more than half of its roster. Quite a few old-timers left the club, opening opportunities for newcomers and younger players like Janari Joesaar who especially stood out during the BCL qualifiers.

Playing in the shadows of past glory for Elan Bearnais

An historic organisation in more ways than one, Elan Bearnais dominated French basketball alongside Limoges CSP at the end of the last century and then during early years of the new one with the likes of Boris Diaw and the Pietrus brothers.

However, there was little to celebrate over the past decade and the club's ambitions for the most part were reduced to maintaining a place in the French LNB Pro A. On two separate occasions, Elan Bearnais did get relegated, but earned immediate promotion the following year.

Last season brought some new optimism to the fans of the three-city club, as the Pau-Lacq-Orthez side qualified for the Play-Offs for the first time since 2006 under the watchful eye of coach Eric Bartecheky.

There will be major challenges ahead in the new season for Elan Bearnais with a number of key players such as Will Yeguete, Michael Thompson, Steven Smith and Lance Harris signing elsewhere.

The success of the team will in a large way depend on two new American newcomers – D.J. Cooper and Ron Lewis. The former might be an early bird candidate to lead FIBA Europe Cup in assists, while the latter will torch many opponents from long-range.

Elan Bearnais also have former France international Alain Koffi who has been rock solid the last couple of seasons. The one thing that does remain a question mark waiting to be answered is whether the squad is deep enough for coach Bartacheky.

The Cinderella story of the Redwell Oberwart Gunners 

Redwell Oberwart Gunners are gearing up for their FIBA Europe Cup debut in good spirits after winning a miraculous double that shocked everyone in Austria last season, when the side triumphed both in the Austrian Bundesliga and the Austrian Cup.

Having started the season with minimal expectations, Oberwart handed the reins of the club to Greek specialist Chris Chougaz who was asked to bring academy players into the main squad and oversee the reboot process in the club with sights on a more distant future.

However, what was initially expected to be a three-year plan brought immediate results, with the Gunners getting off to a smoking hot start, crowned by the Austrian Cup in December and later the national title as well.

It was the second Austrian Bundesliga title and the fourth Austrian Cup trophy for the Oberwart Gunners.

Retaining last year's players was a difficult task for the Oberwart club, but some of them did stay on to make a FIBA Europe Cup debut with the new Austrian champions.

Although last season's Austrian Bundesliga MVP Quincy Diggs did leave for Germany, the two other top scorers of the team Derek Jackson Jr. and Christopher McNealy did stay in Oberwart and will form the main axis of the team in the upcoming season.

FIBA