Iceland - new destination for Croatian players

Photo: www.icelandreview.com

Iceland is growing up as basketball nation. Their national team finaly took their place on last two Eurobasket tournament and despite they lost all 10 games, basketball became more popular on this island on the north of Atlantic ocean.

As one thing leads to another, therefore investments in basketball teams grew in Iceland in last few years, both in Dominos League and Division 1. And for next season there are currently nine Croatian players on rosters in Iceland, most players behind domestic and Americans.

And those nine guys would be very good addition to any Croatian Premijer Liga side, they would even make solid results in domestic competition, led by new coach of Division 1 team Snaefell Vladimir Ivanković, but they all decided to continue their careers on this beautiful island.

Photo: www.sportcom.hr

Damir Mijić would fight battles under the rim with other big guys in Division 1, as he would wear Thor AK Akureyri jersey next season. He played for Croatian Prva Liga side Agrodalm last season, finishing season on 3rd place. 200 cm tall Mijić was second in scoring in the competition with 19,3 points per game.

Rookie from Sacred Heart University Mario Matasović signed with Dominos League side Njardvik. He is 202 cm tall Power Forward who averaged 11,5 points and 6,4 rebounds per game in his Senior year.

His teammate would be Julian Rajić, former member of Hermes Analitica, for whom he played both in first and second division of Croatian basketball. Julian is 206 cm tall Center and last season he averaged 12,6 points and 5,4 rebounds per game on 55% shooting.

Photo: www.ksz-zagreb.hr

Hamar strenghten themselves on Forward position with adding Marko Milekić, 201 cm tall 23 year old player from Pula, where he played last season for team Istrauni, averaging 18,9 points and 12,3 rebounds per game, which made him top rebounder and 3rd in scoring in entire league

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After having solid season on another European island - Ireland, Dino Knezović moved north to Iceland. This 198 cm tall Forward is new member of Sindri, member of Division 1.

Small Forward Matej Buovac will continue his career in Skallargrimur, where he would compete in Dominos League. Last season he played for Zagreb and got relegated from Premijer Liga, but Matej had solid individual season with 10,7 points and 3,7 rebounds per game.

Experienced Swingman Dino Stipčić is coming to Iceland from another Premijer Liga side Škrljevo. He played there last three seasons, but in last one he averaged solid all-round numbers - 9,5 points, 5,5 rebounds, 4,5 assists and 1,3 steals. In new season he would play Dominos League for KR. They will attack their sixth league title in a row this season!

28 years old with great experience, Dino Butorac, is new member of U.M.F. Tindastoll where he came from German ProB side Rostock. This 191 cm tall Shooting Guard also played in many Croatian teams, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Sweden, Hungary and Great Britain.

Nick Tomsick is American player of Croatian origin and in last two seasons he spent season and half in Croatian Premijer Liga, first for Zabok and last for Vrijednosnice Osijek. He is 185 cm tall Point Guard and he averaged 10,3 points and 2,6 assists per game, while shooting 46% for 3 last few months in Osijek. In new season he will play for Thot Thorl, winner of Icelandic Supercup last two seasons.