Panathinaikos inks Kaimakoglou, Vougioukas

Perennial Greek League champion Panathinaikos keeps getting ready for the upcoming 2009-10 Euroleague season. On Friday, just one day after extending Mike Batiste and Drew Nicholas, the Greens announced the arrival of versatile forward Kostas Kaimakoglou and center Ian Vougioukas, who inked respective two-year deals with Panathinaikos. Kaimakoglou (205, 27) arrives from Maroussi BC, where he averaged 9.6 points and 2.9 rebounds in 15 Euroleague games last season, helping his team to go from the Qualifying Round to the Top 16. Kaimakoglou has arrived to Maroussi in summer 2004 and now joins Panathinaikos after six seasons with the club. He helped Maroussi to reach the Greek League semifinals five times from 2005 to 2010, as well as making it to the Greek Cup final in 2006. He is also a regular member of the Greek national team and helped it to win the bronze medal at EuroBasket 2009. Kaimakoglou also won the gold medal at the 2002 European under-20 Championships. Vougioukas (212, 25) comes off a breakout season with Panellinios, averaging 11.4 points, 4.1 rebounds and 1.1 blocks in 16 Eurocup games last season. He helped Panellinios to make it to the Eurocup Finals and the Greek League semifinals. Vougioukas has also played for Olympiacos and Ago Rethimno in his native Greece since finishing his four-year college career at Saint Louis University (NCAA). Vougioukas is also a member of the Greek national team. He helped Greece to the silver medal at the 2005 World under-20 Championships and the bronze medal at the 2003 World under-18 Championships.

“I was expecting to take a big jump in my career for many years and Panathinaikos has given me this opportunity which makes me feel very enthusiastic. I have to work and try harder in order to give what Panathinaikos needs, but I feel more matured after my recent experiences with Maroussi," Kaimakoglou said. "I feel very happy and also impatient to start practicing with my new team and help them, using the experience I got last season. Panathinaikos is a great and glorious club, which fight for all titles every season. This is a great challenge in my career," Vougioukas added.