The Sunday Mail
ZIMBABWEAN international centre Vitalis Chikoko has signed a two-year contract extension at French club Élan Béarnais Pau-Orthez.
The new deal prolongs his stay up to the end of 2018/19 season.
The 26-year-old joined Pau-Orthez from German powerhouses Bayern Munich at the start of the 2016/17 campaign and gave his new paymasters value for money before a knee injury cut his season short.
However, Chikoko had already made last impression and last week his club’s director Didier Gadou showered Chikoko with high praises.
“Last season, at the request of the staff, we were looking for an extra player in the domestic sector, knowing that we had to compete for both the championship and the FIBA ??Europe Cup.
“We were very pleased with our decision to support JK Edwards and Alain Koffi because Vitalis Chikoko has met our expectations perfectly.
He has demonstrated both talent and heart throughout the season,” Gadou was quoted as saying.
Chikoko was one of the standout performers of the just ended French Pro1 Ligue and European Cup, with his partnership with Frenchman Alain Koffi the biggest story of the season.
The former Prince Edward student averaged 10.1 points and 4.8 rebounds in his 27 games for Pau-Orthez.
He finished the season as the most skilful player in the Pro A (69.4% success) ahead of Moustapha Fall.
Chikoko’s success was not confined to the French Ligue only but transcended to the Euro Cup where his shooting percentage even reached 82%.
In the continental competition he averaged 9.8 points and 5.4 rebounds, with his performance against Czech Republic outfit Pardubice earning him high praise from pundits and fellow players.
Chikoko finished that game with 28 points, shooting 11/11 inside the key, during Pau-Orthez’s 101-66 win over Czech side.
In an exclusive interview with The Sunday Mail last week Chikoko vowed to improve on his debut season and revealed a burning desire to win the championship.
“I am very excited, to have signed this new contract, and hope to repay the club’s faith in me with good performances,” he said.
“My plans, now, are pretty much the same as there have been throughout my career and that is to win the championship. With this team, l think it’s possible.
““We have a good team, l feel comfortable here, like everyone else, and the coaching staff have lots of faith in their players. I don’t see why we can’t win a title.”
Chikoko also took the time to shed some light on his absence from Zimbabwe’s failed attempts to qualify for the AfroBaskets championship.
“I didn’t make it (for the AfroBasket qualifiers) because my team and the Zimbabwe federation failed to reach an agreement.
“By the time the issue was resolved, and the play-offs in South Africa came up, l had got injured.
I must hasten to end that I love my country and am always ready to answer the call national duty,” he said.
