ESP/SVK - Rancik arrives At Caja Laboral

VITORIA (ACB) – Caja Laboral have unveiled Martin Rancik as the latest player they are hoping will help in the club’s title defense in year one of the post-Tiago Splitter era.
 
With the Brazil international Splitter having left for the NBA’s San Antonio Spurs, the Basque club has been tinkering with its squad.
 
After a brief flirtation with Britain’s Pops Mensah Bonsu in the summer, the two sides separated and the club signed Florent Pietrus for a month.
 
Electing not to keep the France international after that contract expired, Caja Laboral on Tuesday introduced Slovakian big man Rancik to the media.
 
He, too, has signed a one-month deal.
 
Calling Caja Laboral one of the biggest clubs in Spain and Europe, Rancik said he would do everything in his power to earn a permanent deal with the team.
 
"In a team that has so much quality in attack, I’ll try to adapt to what the coach asks of me every time,” he said.
 
Rancik is no stranger to the Basque country, having been on the books of Bilbao.
 
The 32-year-old has also played in the ACB with Estudiantes.
 
Pietrus, meanwhile, is doing his best to turn a two-month deal into a season-long contract back at Power Electronics Valencia, the club of his previous two campaigns.
 
“I will fight like crazy to stay here,” Pietrus said to FIBA.com.
 
He had only good things to say about Caja Laboral.
 
“It was a really good month for me,” Pietrus said.
 
“I like the team, I like the city and I like the coach.
 
“It was a pleasure for me to play for this team because it’s one of the most important teams in Europe and in Spain.
 
“For me, it was a great experience and I would like one day to go back to Vitoria.”
 
FIBA