Depiro BC announced this week that their search for a new women’s coach had been concluded with the appointment of Turkish coach Fatih Dedelioglu as Ruben Baldacchino’s replacement for the coming season.
Dedelioglu, who had arrived at the club ahead of the announcement on Sunday comes from a vast background in the international basketball community, having had stints in the United States, Poland, and Korea.
Speaking to the club’s socials, the 31-year-old coach said he was excited to be at the Mtarfa club and that he wants his side to play the best basketball possible this coming season.
“I’m really excited to bring all of my experience that I gained in Turkey for the last 10 years with different levels of basketball clubs,” Dedelioglu said.
“We will want to play the best basketball and reflect this onto the court during the whole season. Moreover, we would like to improve our youth players so that they can join the senior teams for the following season and of course to prepare them for national teams.”
The Istanbul native has been both the coach and assistant coach for various clubs, with experience both in juniors and seniors, his sides that reached the Final Four in the Turkish second and first divisions.
The fourth-B Class licensed coach will take over a Depiro squad that plays this coming season with hopes of a better finish after missing out on a place in the playoffs to eventual winners Caffe Moak Luxol.
The side’s campaign will be boosted by Danika Galea, Claire Ciantar, and Nicole Agius, all three players returning from National Team commitments. However, they will be on the lookout for new foreign import players with star player Hannah Johnson departing the club, while latest signing Kelly Koshuta has not been re-signed for the upcoming season.
Depiro CEO Baldacchino, who stepped down earlier this summer to fully focus on his administrative role at the club sounded his enthusiasm at the appointment.
“Another important signing for our club where we keep engaging professional coaches for the benefit of our players and our coaching staff,” Baldacchino said in a post on his socials after the announcement.
“His (Dedelioglu) experience in the women’s sector coming from a big basketball country like Turkey will definitely be an added bonus for our team.”
This has been the second coaching change for the club this summer after they announced Brian Semonian as the new men’s coach earlier in July.
