La Salle: Men’s Basketball Announces Two Additions To Roster

[administrator]

PHILADELPHIA — The La Salle men's basketball team announced the additions of Efe Tahmaz and Milos ­Kovacevic to the 2023-24 roster on Wednesday. 

"We are thrilled to have Efe and Milos join our program," La Salle head coach Fran Dunphy said. "They are two highly skilled players who have experience playing at a high level internationally and in the U.S. They will have an impact on our program." 

A native of Istanbul, Turkey, Tahmaz played for KK Partizan and Beşiktaş — two of the highest club level teams in the world. Tahmaz played for KK Paritzan, a club team in Serbia, for three seasons before joining Besiktas, a club team in Turkey, for one season. 

While representing these teams, the 6-foot-7 forward competed in the Junior NBA league and played in the Adidas Next Generation Tournament three times. Tahmaz was the first Turkish player to play at a high level club in Serbia. Tahmaz made such an impact for KK Patrizan that he earned a chance to play in the Besiktas Super League last season. 

A native of Belgrade, Serbia, Kovacevic comes to 20th & Olney after playing on the junior college level in the U.S. for the past two seasons. 

In the U.S., Kovacevic had his most successful season at Highland Community College in Freeport, (Ill.), where he helped the Cougars win a NJCAA Region IV championship in 2022-23. During that season, the 6-foot, 9-inch forward averaged 6.3 points per game and shot 61.9 percent from the field in 31 games played, including 16 starts. Before attending Highland CC, Kovacevic played for Howard College in Big Spring, Texas in 2021-22, averaging 4.4 points per game in seven contests.  

Before his time in the U.S., Kovacevic played basketball on the youth level for KK Partizan.  

Tahmaz and Kovacevic give the Explorers three international players in their recruiting class after the team also brought aboard Swedish native Tunde Vahlberg Fasasi in July.