AVENTURA, Fla. - The Maccabi Haifa professional basketball team, the Israeli Premier League runner-up last season, announced Tuesday they have signed 6-foot-6, 200-pound former University of Colorado guard Richard Roby for the 2009-10 season.
Roby, 24, was a four-year starter for the University of Colorado from 2005-08. During his time at CU, Roby averaged 16.8 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.5 steals per game. He finished his collegiate career as Colorado's all-time leading scorer with 2,001 points (4th highest in Big 12 history).
He also ranks as Colorado's all-time leader in games started (116), tied for second in three-point field goals made (214), fifth in steals (176) and eighth in blocked shots (92). Roby is only the third player in school history to lead the team in scoring all four years.
Roby, who played last season in the Israeli Premier League for Bnei Hasharon, landed in Israel on Monday to join his new team. Last season for Bnei Hasharon, he averaged 10 points and 2.6 rebounds per game in 19 minutes played, and in EuroCup competition he excelled with 13.6 points and 2.4 rebounds per game in 21 minutes played.
Roby was named MVP of the Week 11 game last season against Maccabi Haifa, where he led Bnei Hasharon to a victory over Maccabi Haifa, by scoring 21 points in 27 minutes.
"Roby is a very versatile player who will add support at both the shooting guard and small forward positions," said coach Avi Ashkenazi. "He is an excellent scorer and an extremely athletic player."
Roby, a native of San Bernardino, Calif., joins a very talented Maccabi Haifa roster, which features strong American players including Davon Jefferson (USC), Jason Rich (FSU), Jesse Pellot-Rosa (VCU), Jeremy Tyler (San Diego H.S.), and Ben Strong (Guilford).
"We were interested in Roby over the summer since he is a very well-respected player and proved he could play in Israel," said Maccabi Haifa owner and American businessman Jeffrey Rosen. "Roby will complement our players well because he is suitable for a fast-paced game in the open court."
About Maccabi Haifa
Maccabi Haifa, an Israeli Premier League basketball team, has a long and storied legacy as they were one of the original eight teams to form the Premier League during the 1954 season. This past season under the ownership of American businessman Jeffrey Rosen, the team earned an appearance in both the Premier League Finals as well as the State Cup Finals in the team's first season back in the Premier League after a 10-year absence. The team was purchased by Jeffrey Rosen in July 2007. For more information about Maccabi Haifa, please visit www.mhbasket.co.il.
About Triangle Financial Services
Triangle Financial Services, a sports and entertainment investment firm based in Aventura, Fla., has a diverse portfolio of international sports enterprises. The acquisition of the Maccabi Haifa professional basketball team as well as the Second Division team Hapoel Kiryat Tivon in Israel along with the launch of Triangleinternet.tv, the first-ever Internet TV site to feature full-length Israeli Premier League games and highlights in English, represent Triangle's continued effort to invest in emerging international sports ventures. For more information on Triangle Financial Services, please visit www.trianglefs.com.
