The club's announcement playfully alluded to a high-profile basketball transfer, stating: "If Vasilije Micic can cause a stir with his arrival, so can we!" This bold statement signals Athinaikos's ambitious intentions for the new season.
The official club statement read: "Athinaikos continues to strengthen its roster with Morgan Bertsch coming to provide solutions both near and far from the basket. The managing committee of Athinaikos Qualco gladly welcomes Morgan Bertsch, who will bolster our team, but WILL NOT participate in the 3x3 in Syros. The American forward comes from an outstanding season with Hozono Global Jairis, with whom she won the Spanish Cup and competed in the league and EuroCup. Bertsch played in eight EuroCup games with 14.1 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.1 assists on average, while in the domestic league, she had 13.2 points and 3.8 rebounds in 25 minutes per game. Morgan Bertsch has extensive experience in European leagues, having played for Spartak Moscow, Lublin, Gdynia, Mechelen, and Girona, and has also played (with excellent numbers) two seasons in the EuroLeague. She played in the WNBA in 2023 with the Chicago Sky and in 2024 with the Phoenix Mercury and Dallas Wings, and also participated in this year's Chicago training camp."
Player Profile
Morgan Bertsch (born April 20, 1997, in Santa Rosa, California, U.S.) is a versatile professional basketball forward. Standing at 1.93m (6'4") and weighing 78kg (173 lbs), Bertsch is recognized for her ability to score effectively from various spots on the court and her strong rebounding presence. She had a distinguished collegiate career at UC Davis before embarking on an extensive professional journey through Europe and the WNBA.
Career Highlights
Collegiate Success (UC Davis, 2014-2019): She was named Big West Player of the Year in 2019, earned First-team All-Big West honors three times, and was selected for the Big West All-Defensive Team in 2019.
WNBA Experience (2019, 2023-2024): Drafted by the Dallas Wings in 2019, she later played for the Chicago Sky (2023), Phoenix Mercury (2024), and Dallas Wings (2024), also participating in the Chicago Sky training camp this year.
European Veteran: Her extensive European career includes stops at Spartak Moscow (Russia), Polski-Cukier AZS-UMCS Lublin (Poland), Arka Gdynia (Poland), Kangoeroes Basket Mechelen (Belgium), Uni Girona CB (Spain), and most recently, Hozono Global Jairis (Spain). She's played two seasons in the prestigious EuroLeague Women.
Recent Season Performance
2023-24 (Chicago Sky - WNBA): Averaged 4.8 points, 1.9 rebounds, and 0.7 assists in 30 games (14.8 minutes), with 43.6% shooting from three-point range.
2023-24 (Spar Girona - Spanish League): Contributed 9.4 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 1.1 assists in 29 games (21.7 minutes), hitting 39.3% of her threes.
2024-25 (Hozono Global Jairis - EuroCup Women): Had a standout performance, averaging 14.9 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.1 assists in 8 games (21.6 minutes). She was highly efficient, shooting 63.2% from the field, 53.3% from beyond the arc, and 93.8% from the free-throw line.
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