Gabon Giants

Team season records:

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Season 1: 9-53 (worst team in the league!)

Season 2: 9-71 (worst team in the league... again!)

Season 3: 65-15 (Atlantic division champion)

Season 4: 61-19 (Atlantic division champion)

Season 5: 61-19 (2nd place in the Atlantic)

Season 6: 50-30 (4th in the Atlantic)

Season 7: 43-37 (5th in the Altantic)

Season 8: 41-39 (5th in the Atlantic)

Season 9: 36-44 (5th in the Atlantic)

Season 10: 41-39 (5th in the Atlantic)

Season 11: 27-53 (6th in the Atlantic)

Season Leaders:

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Season 1:

Min: Dave Starr (34)

Pts: Dave Starr (13.6)

Rbd: Mike Mays (7.2)

Ast: Dave Starr (4.9)

Stl: Dave Starr (1.5)

Blk: Mike Mays (0.9)

FG%: Tom Currie (51,0%)

FT%: Bill Zachary (88,2%)

3pt%: Len Curtis (52,9%)

Season 2:

Min: John McGinnis (29)

Pts: Mike Mays (14.3)

Rbd: Mike Mays (7.3)

Ast: Dave Brower (5.3)

Stl: Dave Brower (1.4

Blk: Mike Mays (1.2)

FG%: Mike Mays (56,4%)

FT%: Bill Zachary (95,8%)

3pt%: Len Curtis (37,7%)

Season 3:

Min: Derek Vinyard-Otto Hameleers (34)

Pts: Otto Hameleers (20.3)

Rbd: Jerry Bramson (10.8)

Ast: Leon Berthelson (8.9)

Stl: Otto Hameleers (3.2)

Blk: Jerry Bramson (2.2)

FG%: Curt Wilson (52%)

FT%: Fred Chapman (100%)

3pt%: Otto Hameleers (42.9%)

Season 4:

Min: Otto Hameleers (37)

Pts: Otto Hameleers (22.8)

Rbd: Jerry Bramson (10.9)

Ast: Leon Berthelson (7.8)

Stl: Otto Hameleers (3.3)

Blk: Barry Daskalothanasis (1.8)

FG%: Mike Mays (48.8%)

FT%: Dave Brower (89.1%)

3pt%: Len Curtis (100%)

Season 5:

Min: Jerry Bramson-Leon Berthelson (38)

Pts: Otto Hameleers (21.3)

Rbd: Jerry Bramson (11.1)

Ast: Leon Berthelson (8.1)

Stl: Otto Hameleers (3.4)

Blk: Jerry Bramson (2.0)

FG%: Willie Toth (54.3%)

FT%: NIck Evans (100%)

3pt%: Otto Hameleers (38.1%)

Season 6:

Min: Jerry Bramson (40)

Pts: Otto Hameleers (20.0)

Rbd: Jerry Bramson (11.4)

Ast: Ethan Hunt (7.3)

Stl: Otto Hameleers (3.8)

Blk: Jerry Bramson (2.4)

FG%: Mike Mays (73.7%)

FT%: Mike Mays (100%)

3pt%:Derek Vinyard (37.9%)

Season 7:

Min:Jerry Bramson (40)

Pts: Derek Vinyard (18.6)

Rbd: Jerry Bramson (10.4)

Ast: Ethan Hunt (7.2)

Stl: Otto Hameleers (3.8)

Blk: Jerry Bramson (2.4)

FG%: Ethan Hunt (52.9%)

FT%: John Diblasi (96.9%)

3pt%: Derek Vinyard (36.9%)

Season 8:

Min: Jerry Bramson (39)

Pts: Magic Toby (21.7)

Rbd:Jerry Bramson (10.7)

Ast: Ethan Hunt (7.1)

Stl: Otto Hameleers (3.8)

Blk: Magic Toby (2.2)

FG%: Magic Toby (53.5%)

FT%: Magic Toby (91.3%)

3pt%: Otto Hameleers (30.8%)

Season 9 :

Min: Jerry Bramson (36)

Pts: Otto Hameleers (16.6)

Rbd:Jerry Bramson (8.2)

Ast: Marty Feldman-Stub Madison (4.5)

Stl: Otto Hameleers (3.0)

Blk: Jerry Bramson (1.5)

FG%: Elvis Harris (50.6%)

FT%: Jerry Bramson (88.1%)

3pt%: Oryn Dasing (46.3%)

Season 10 :

Min: Jerry Bramson (39)

Pts: Otto Hameleers (17.6)

Rbd:Jerry Bramson (9.1)

Ast: Marty Feldman (6.8)

Stl: Otto Hameleers (2.9)

Blk: Jerry Bramson (1.4)

FG%: Elvis Harris (55.3%)

FT%: Jerry Bramson (90.1%)

3pt%: Oryn Dasing (48.7%)

Season 11 :

Min: Jerry Bramson (39)

Pts: Otto Hameleers (18.5)

Rbd: Jerry Bramson (9.1)

Ast: Marty Feldman (6.1)

Stl: Otto Hameleers (2.5)

Blk: Jerry Bramson (1.7)

FG%: Magic Toby (58.9%)

FT%: Misha Krytnesov (95.0%)

3pt%: Otto Hameleers (40.9%)

Draft selections:

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Season 1: Inaugural Draft

Season 2: No draft picks

Season 3: Otto Hameleers, PG/SG (#2) Jerry Bramson, PF (#4) Leon Berthelson, PG (#9) Blaine Brooks, SF/PF (#14) Derek Vinyard, SF/PF (#16) Wille Toth, C (#29)

Season 4: Leo Rice, PF/C (#13) Jason Lawrence, SG (#41)

Season 5: John Diblasi, C (#8), Fernando Edwards, SF (#25), Art Marchese (#53)

Season 6: Kadeem Reed (#21), Derek Berenyi ,C (#49)

Season 7: Ed Liang (#48)

Season 8: John Devine, C (#15), Dudka Catelinas, C (#43)

Season 9: Reid Dall, PG (#18)

Season 10: Jarrod Roe, C (#15)

Season 11: Omar Raoumbe, PF (#7)

Trades:

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Season 1:

- Ray Walters, Ed Williams & Maury Starr to Los Angeles for Woody Sommers & LA's first and second round picks for seasons 2, 3, and 4

- Woody Summers & Pat McDaniel to New York for Frank Nolton, Tom Currie, and Both NY's first and second round picks from season 5

- LA's season 2 first round pick & Gabon's season 2 2nd round pick to Boston for Mike Mays

Season 2:

- Season 2 picks #7 & # 56 to Albacete for Albecete's and Indiana's season 3 first round picks

- Indiana's 1st Rounder Season 3 & Jesse Bradley to Fernie for Bermuda's 1st Rounder Season in 3 & Mark Whitehead

Season 3:

- Gabon Season 4 2nd to New York for LA's season 5 2nd and Curt Wilson

Season 4:

- Leo Rice, 3 mill in season 4 and 2 mill in season 5 to Maine for New York's season 6 first rounder

Season 5:

- $1.25m for season 6 to Los Angeles for LA`s Pick #24

- $1.25 millions for season 6 to Nebraska for Picks #37, #41 & #52

- Sage Walker to Baltimore for Burt Rodriquez

Season 6:

- Texas' season 10 first to Texas for Dave Foreman & $2.00 in season 6

- Blaine Brooks to Texas for Ray Tango

Season 7:

- No trades

Season 8:

- Kadeem Reed & Pick #15 to Texas for Magic Toby

Season 9:

- Texas 1st pick season 10 & 1 million in cash season 10 to Capetown for Capetown 1st round pick season 12

- Gabon 1st pick season 10 & 2 millions in cash season 10 to Salt Lake for NY first pick season 13

- Gabon's second round pick season 10 to Cancun for Wong-Wei Wang

- Magic Toby to Boston for Jim Wilson, Marty Feldman, Boston first round pick season 10 & $1 million in season 9

- Ray Tango to Oregon for Oryn Dansing

Season 10:

- Sacramento's Season 14 2nd round pick + John Diblasi to Sacramento for $0.25 mil in season 10 and Sage Walker

- Derek Vinyard & 3.00 mil in season 10 to Omaha for Jamie Crouch

Season 11:

- Gabon pick #17 + Gabon 2nd round pick season 12to London for pick #15 Jarrod Roe

- Fernando Edwards, Albacete 2nd rounders season 12, Gabon 2nd rounder season 13 & 0.25$ millions season 11 to Albacete for Long Island 1st round pick season 12

- Jim Wilson to Capetown for Oregon first pick draft 12, Albacete 2nd rounder season 12, Floyd Alcevedo and Larry Chapman

Season 1 recap:

Starting five: Dave Brower, Nick Evans, Dave Starr, John McGinnis, Mike Mays

Key bench players: Fred Chapman, Jesse Bradley

Playoffs: Did not make the playoffs

After the inaugural draft lottery, Gabon obtain the last pick for the first round. The management team was very disapointed and they felt they had to make a move to put this franchise on the map someday. What they made was an enourmous move that would really help this team... but only two season after that. They decide to excxhange almost all the valuable and good players on this squad for a lot of draft selections before the third season. So, after that was done, a time of defeat and misery was beginning for the Giants. The result of the first season was catastrophic, as they piled 53 defeats in 62 games, and was by far the worst team in the league. On the positive side, if you can say so, this bad situation in Gabon had given opportunity to young player like Dave Brower and Mike Mays to get a lot of playing time. They had all the freedom to work and develop their game, and these two average-skilled players would become some nice role players later.

Season 2 recap:

Starting five: Dave Brower, Fred Chapman, Dave Starr, John McGinnis, Mike Mays

Key bench players: Len Curtis, Bill Zachary

Playoffs: Did not make the playoffs

The second season is looking pretty much the same as the first one.. very ugly that is. Not only the Giants kept pilling up defeat in a big way, they also became a team that everyone in this league was laughing about. It was an incredible shame for a WBA owner to see their team get beat by Gabon for the rare time that was happening. The patience of the fans in Libreville was tested in this process, as they were cheering when the season arrived to a conclusion. No one really knew if the plan of the management team would really work, but one thing was sure, this time of intense and unbeatble misery had come to an end. The fan had great hope about next season. They would not have wait in vain.

Season 3 recap:

Starting five: Leon Berthelson, Otto Hameleers, Derek Vinyard, Jerry Bramson, Mike Mays

Key bench players: Dave Brower, Mike Mays, Blaine Brooks, Willie Toth

Playoffs: Lost to Washington in second round (0-4)

A lot of new faces, a lot of changes... a lot of victories. The fan would not have waited in vain and their patience would finally payed off. The Giants ruled the Atlantic division as they won 65 games with an incredible 35-5 record on the road. They also won by an average of 17.1 pts while dominating every statistical categories possible. At the All-Star week-end, 4 first-year players were selected from this squad (Otto Hameleers, Jerry Bramson, Derek Vinyard and Leon Berthelson) earning them a name that would stay forever... the Rookie All-Stars. They even carry their energy and enthousiasm into the playoff, as they won the first round against New York... before getting swept by the Washington Monuments. A wind of frenesy for this revamped Gabon squad was circulating all over the continent. Hopes and expectations were great about the seasons to come.

Season 4 recap:

Starting five: Leon Berthelson, Otto Hameleers, Derek Vinyard, Jerry Bramson, Mike Mays

Key bench players: Dave Brower, Mike Mays, Blaine Brooks, Barry Daskalothanasis

Playoffs: Loss to Albecete in the first round (1-3)

The second year of the rookie All-Stars brought much of the same than the first one... tons of victories. Another incredible record of more than 60 wins in the regular season, another division championship and a popularity beyond border in Africa. These youngsters were proving to everyone in this league that they were there to stay. As the season drew to a close fans had high expectations for the playoffs. They wanted more than a first round victory. What they got is a first round exit. Gabon was overpowered by Albacete as fans and the management team were shock in disbelief. What they didnt know yet is that was just the beginning of an era of strugle in the post-season.

Season 5 recap:

Starting five: Leon Berthelson, Otto Hameleers, Derek Vinyard, Jerry Bramson, Barry Daskalothanasis

Key bench players: Dave Brower, Mike Mays, Dave Foreman, Burt Rodriguez

Playoffs: Loss to Albacete in the first round (2-3)

After a third season with more than 60 vicories, the quatuor of rookie All-Stars was still shinning trought out the regular season as they multiplied incredible performances. Altought they had lost the Atlantic crown to a London team on a mission, Gabon had their eyes looking at one thing, the playoffs. A second spot in the entire eastern conference is not a bad thing to start with, but a matchup against the migthy Albacate Burning hell is not so good. A first round duel that was bringing back memories of last year shocking defeat. This series would be a hard-foughted one, decided but a last must-game win for both team. Gabon would, again, come a little short. This defeat was even more brutal than it was the year before. Gabon was really needing to beef up the team at the center position, the weakest link that have hurted them so much in all the playoff defeats. the Hunt for a center was on by the management team had started.

Season 6 recap:

Starting five: Ethan Hunt, Otto Hameleers, Derek Vinyard, Jerry Bramson, John Dibalsi

Key bench players: Fernando Edwards,Barry Daskalothanasis, Dave Foreman, Burt Rodriguez, Dave Brower

Playoffs: Loss to Wasington in the second round (0-4)

The rookie All-stars were no more a quatuor as Leon Berthelson was lost to free agency in the off-season. Without the lack of choices available at the point guard position, management signs Ethan Hunt for a big 7-year contract with a total value of 42 millions. A lot of money for a player this caliber. Gabon was also needing help at the center position if they wanted to be competitive against the greater teams and complement the trio of rookie All-stars remaining. They drafted John Diblasi, a young and promising center with a knack for offense. Despite his young age, he was helping Gabon by bringing them some scoring firepower from the center position. The Giants lost 11 more games than the previous regular season but that didnt matter at all. The goal in sight was the post-season. Facing Budapest in the first round, Gabon would finally win another playoff series (only their second thus far) in 5 games to advance. Washington was too much to handle in the second as they swept (again) the Giants in 4 games.

Season 7 recap:

Starting five: Ethan Hunt, Otto Hameleers, Derek Vinyard, Jerry Bramson, John Diblasi

Key bench players: Fernando Edwards, Frank Fitzgerald, Kadeem Reed

Playoffs: Lost to Albacete in the first round (1-3)

Another winning season, but a season of deception in terms of expectations. Second year center Diblasi had not much improved from his rookie season and his weakness in rebounding was hurting the Giants badly. Pojnt guard Ethan Hunt was far away the player Leon Berthelson was and this squad had become an average team at best. Changes needed to be made but the management team seems to be almost inexistant, as the owner was traveling around the world without taking care of his little Giants. Results: Another first round exit. Fans were vanishing little-by-little as was championship hopes for the ex-rookie All-Stars, who were not getting younger in a squad that was going down slowly but surely.

Season 8 recap:

Starting five: Ethan Hunt, Otto Hameleers, Derek Vinyard, Jerry Bramson, Magic Toby

Key bench players: Fernando Edwards, Ray Tango, Barry Daskalothanasis

Playoffs: Loss to Brooklyn in the first round (2-3)

Gabon`s management team finally made a move as they welcomed a new weapon into their arsenal, offensive force Magic Toby. Primarly a scorer, Toby brought some offense punch and energy to a team who could really use his help. He is not the type of strong and defensive-minded center that management have tried for many years to find but he his by far better than his predecessor at that position in Gabon. With him and the emergence of youngster like Fernando Edwards, who has developped into a solid role-player, the Giants barely made it to the playoff by catching the last spot in the East with a victory in the last game of the regular season. They almost surprise the Brooklyn Rage in the first round by forcing them to a decisive game 5. With a decline in the standings for the last 5 years, Gabon were really in needs of some adjustements soon if they wanted to be a playoff team for the next year.

Season 9 recap:

Starting five: Otto Hameleers, Elvis Harris, Derek Vinyard, Jerry Bramson, John Devine

Key bench players: Fernando Edwards, Jim Wilson, Marty Feldman, Oryn Dasing, Stub Madison

Playoffs: Loss to Washington in the first round (2-3)

Gabon's owner finally made some moves this season that helped strenghten long-time weakness at the center position. Despite their season team record has decreased from the previous season, the Giants have improved with some nice tradings since the middle of the season. They give away the best offensive player they had (Magic Toby) but they got a lot in return. An experienced and very productive veteran in the middle (Jim Wilson), a young guard with good potential and a first round pick ( point guard Reid Dall). With that move , management were not only fillling a void at the center position, they were also preparing for the future. A little later they added another weapons to their arsenal by the name of Oryn Dasing, a player with unlimited offensive skills. Rookie John Devine was extremely solid at the defensive end and with some work on his offense this 21 years-old could be a major for in a near future. And so could be this improved defensive-oriented Giants squad.

It was a year of change, not only on the roster page, but also in the heart of Gabon's fans. Hope and excitement are back in Libreville. You could really feel that in the playoff, as the Giants almost upset the #1 seed Monuments. The future looks bright for Gabon.

Season 10 recap:

Starting five: Reid Dall, Otto Hameleers, Elvis Harris, Jerry Bramson, John Devine

Key bench players: Marty Feldman, Jim Wilson, Oryn Dasing,

Playoffs: Loss to Rochester in the first round (2-3)

Gabon had a nice season by improving their record from last year while giving plenty of playing time to their youngsters to help them improve their skills. The trio of John Devine, Reid Dall and Marty Feldman all showed great promises for the future of the Gabon franchise. The addition of rookie Jarrod Roe is also very good new for the Giants, and he will help them strengthen the frontcourt of this team for years to come. Not only Gabon improved their record from last season, but they also clinched the 5th spot in the eastern conference, a place they have not been for some time now. The question now for the Giants is will the young players mature quickly enough to give the proven veterans of this club (Jerry Bramson and Otto Hameleers) a chance to go deeper in the playoff? Who knows…Something is for sure tough, that the return of a certain Magic man in Africa will help them in their cause.

Season 11 recap:

Starting five: Reid Dall, Otto Hameleers, Elvis Harris, Jerry Bramson, John Devine

Key bench players: Marty Feldman, Jarrod Roe, Magic Toby, Oryn Dasing

Playoffs: Did not make the playoffs

The playoff streak for the Giant has come to an end this year. With a very mediocre record, Gabon was already sure at the midpoint in the season that they were lottery bound. Jerry Bramson and Otto Hameleers were solid all season long, but the young players were not mature enough to make their team competitive in this campaign. Add some injury into the mix and the result was pretty ugly, only 27 wins. So, after 7 playoffs appearances, it is now rebuilding time for the Giants.

Altough the general manager was very disappointed as his team was now in the bottom of the standing, He still sees hope for the future. He also change his approach regarding his plan for the upcoming seasons. Instead of trying to build something quickly to try to win right away, the management team have decided to take advantage of their situation to develop young talents in the next two or three season and see where they can go from there. Bramson, Hameleers and Elvis, all long-time veterans, seems happy with the new goals of this team and will gladly share their experience with the younger players in Gabon. So with that said who are theses young prospects trying to develop into good wba players next season for Gabon? First there is center John Devine and guard Marty Feldman. Devine has improved his scoring and rebounding total in his first 3 years, and Gabon are putting a lots of hope in him this year, altough health is still a major concern for him. Feldman is a good role player but he needs lots of scorers surrounding him to be effective. The play of last year rookie Jarrod Roe was one of the most positive aspect of this long and tough season. Only 21 he could be a major force in the league if he develops to his potential. At draft day, Giants fans were thrilled as Gabon selected local hero Omar Raoumbe with their 7th pick. The Omar smash is well known all over Africa and him joining the Giants could be the beginning of something special.