Cholet Basket inks John Linehan

Cholet Basket improved its backcourt for its Eurocup return in the 2009-10 season by inking point guard John Linehan to a one-year deal, the club confirmed Monday. Linehan (175, 31) arrives from BC Kalev/Cramo Tallinn, where he averaged 13.6 points, 3.7 assists and 3.6 steals in 17 Estonian League games last season, helping his team to win the title. Linehan, an accomplished defender and ballhandler, has also played for Sluc Nancy, Strasbourg and Paris Basket Racing in France, the Dakota Wizards in the CBA and the Greenville Groove in the D-League since finishing his college career at Providence College (NCAA). He led the Big East Conference in steals three different seasons, becoming the 2002 Big East Defensive Player of the Year. Linehan averaged 12.5 points, 3.8 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 4.5 steals in the 2001-02 season. He also won the CBA title with the Wizards in 2004.