Italian League champion Montepaschi Siena completed its frontcourt for the upcoming season by inking big men Milovan Rakovic and Andrea Michelori to respective multi-year deals, the club announced Tuesday. Montepaschi also extended Tomas Ress until the end of the 2011-12 season.

Rakovic (208, 25) inked a three-year deal and arrived from Spartak St. Petersburg, where he averaged 14.3 points and 6 rebounds in 6 Eurocup games last season. He has also played for several teams in his native Serbia such as Mega Ishrana, Atlas Banka Novi Beograd and Polet Keramika Novi Becej.

Rakovic helped Spartak to make it to the Russian League semifinals in 2009 and reached the Russian Cup semifinals last season. Michelori (202, 32) inked a two-year deal and arrived from Pepsi Caserta, where he averaged 9.5 points and 5.3 rebounds in 38 Italian League games last season, helping the team to make it to the semifinals. He has also played for Virtus Bologna, Cantu, Biella and Milano throughout his career.

Michelori has also been a member of the Italian national team. He helped Virtus to reach the Italian League and the Italian Cup finals in 2007. Ress (211, 29) averaged 3.5 points in 11 Euroleague games last season. In his three years with Montepaschi Siena, Ress has won as many Italian League titles, as well as reaching the Euroleague Final Four in 2008.

Ress has also played for Fortitudo Bologna and Scavolini Pesaro. He has also been a member of the Italian national team. Rakovic, Michelori and Ress join Ksistof Lavrinovic and Shaun Stonerook – who were already under contract – in Montepaschi’s frontcourt.

by www.euroleague.net