Darko Milicic

  Team Serbia without Darko Milicic on Eurobasket 2009 Qualifications - Aug. 7, 2008 - by Dragan Jankovski
The bad news came from Serbian senior National Team. Darko Milicic (212-C-85) of Memphis Grizzlies won't be able to help his teammates on the upcoming Eurobasket 2009 Qualifications. Namely, due to Achilles injury Milicic already missed strong tournament in Moscow as well as a Diamond Ball in Nanjing. Head coach of the Team Serbia Dusan Ivkovic announced that the best solution for both sides is that Milicic leave NT camp in order to recover as soon as possible for his future obligations with the Grizzlies.

'Milicic suffered inconvenient Achilles injury on July 20. Despite it he traveled with us to Moscow and to Nanjing but he wasn't able to play. Therapies helped him but not as much as we expected. The last check we had yesterday but we decided that it is better for him to leave NT and focus on recovering. Most probably he will he ready to play very soon but the problem is that Eurobasket 2009 Qualification starts in two weeks and he for sure won't be 100% ready for it. We agreed together that the best possible solution is to find a replacement for him on position number 5. NT doctors will be on line with Milicic in order to help him recover asap' - said Dusan Ivkovic.

Serbian National Team is currently in city of Kovilovo where it prepares for the very important upcoming event. Serbia is placed into Group A for together with Hungary, Italy, Bulgaria and Finland. In the first round, which is scheduled for August 20, Italy will host Serbia. Basketball fans in Serbia will have an opportunity to watch their team their country on August 27 against Hungary. Two best teams from this group will automatically advance to the Eurobasket 2009. Third and fourth ranked teams will have a chance to do the same through the Additional Qualifying Round while the weakest team of Group A will fight for the survival in A division.

Tahir Bakhshiyev

  European Championship Division C. Finals - Jun. 23, 2008 - by Eurobasket News
Final

Azerbaijan - Moldova 80:78
Azerbaijan clinched the European Championship title defending their 2006 campaign success. They needed to overcome a 10-point halftime deficit to grab a dramatic victory over Moldova in yesterdays final. Moldova looked impressive throughout the tournament and proved their ambitions early in the contest as Eugeniu Scripcaru (205-F-83) and Melinic put them in front. They both teamed up for 15 out of 24 Moldovan points in the first frame to keep Azerbaijan at a 7-point distance. Tahir Bakhshiyev (199-F-82) and Anar Sariyev (196-G-81) knocked down back-to-back baskets to open the second stanza. Moldova responded with consecutive three-pointers from Rulevski and Maxim Rusu (196-G-88) to stay ahead. Eugeniu Scripcaru's jump shot late in the first half marked a 16-point lead for Moldova. However Davit Barbakadze (204-F-82) and Kitayev dropped two three-pointers to finalize the half with Azerbaijan trailing by 10. Tahir Bakhshiyev scored 8 points early in the third quarter and Azerbaijan cut the deficit to 6 points. But Maxim Rusu kept Moldova alert as they led by 7 points at the end of the third frame. Anar Sariyev and Fedorenco traded treys to start the final quarter and then Fedorenco nailed another one to make task hardly achievable for Azerbaijan. But the team never surrendered. Davit Barbakadze completed a three-point play following his layup, while Fuad Niftaliyev (178-G-80) drained a three-pointer and Azerbaijan clipped the distance to 4 points. Then Slozhenitsin nailed 4 straight points to square things up at 76 with just over two minutes remaining. Fuad Niftaliyev fired form downtown as Azerbaijan surged in front 79:76 with over a minute left. Eugeniu Scripcaru came up with a jumper to shave the difference to minimum. However Tcaci committed a turnover and Fuad Niftaliyev sealed the winning outcome from charity stripe.
Tahir Bakhshiyev finished the game with 25 points and 8 boards to pace Azerbaijan. Fuad Niftaliyev delivered 15 points, while Anar Sariyev and Davit Barbakadze had 14 points apiece in a win. Eugeniu Scripcaru delivered 25 points and 14 boards for Moldova. Maxim Rusu had 16 points in a losing effort. Azerbaijan were outrebounded 35:41 but forced Moldovan players to 19 turnovers.

Azerbaijan: Tahir Bakhshiyev 25, Fuad Niftaliyev 15, Anar Sariyev 14, Davit Barbakadze 14
Moldova: Eugeniu Scripcaru 25+14 boards, Maxim Rusu 16


Bronze medals game

Scotland - Andorra 90:76
Scottish National team thumped Andorra to claim the third overall spot at the European championship in Division C held in Edinburgh. Scotland rebounded after a bitter loss in the semifinals to stun Andorra en route to Bronze medals. Andorra got to a flying start as Marin and De Oliveira built a 6:0 lead. But Murray and Collins came up with 12 points for Scotland to put the hosts in charge 12:10. The teams traded baskets before Andrew Stevens (188-G-85) nailed a jumper to cap the frame at 18:17 lead for Scottish side. Andrew Stevens added two more trebles early in the second period to give Scotland 26:19 advantage. Later Keith Bunyan (191-G-77) drilled straight trebles to make it 38:27. Keith Bunyan would not stop bombarding the basket from beyond the arc as his third trey in the period marked a 41:30 lead for the home team. Xavier Galera (182-G-82) crowned the first half with a three-pointer for Andorra to trail by 8 points. Trebles frenzy continued in the second half as Murray twice and Laurie Costello (188-G-82) connected from downtown for Scotland to accumulate a 52:39 advantage. Laurie Costello and Anderson finalized the third period outcome at 69:53 for the hosts. Scotland wisely kept their opponents at bay throughout the final frame and celebrated a comfortable win at the end. Andrew Stevens nailed 14 points for Scotland. Keith Bunyan added 13 points, while Laurie Costello finished with 12 for the winning side. Francesco Sansa (183-F-79) dropped 19 points for Andorra. Xavier Galera delivered 13 in a losing effort. Scotland repeated the success of 2004, 2002 and 2000 campaigns when they also grabbed Bronze medals. Andorra were third in 2006 following their successful Golden trips in 1998, 2000 and 2004.

Scotland: Andrew Stevens 14, Keith Bunyan 13, Laurie Costello 12
Andorra: Francesco Sansa 19, Xavier Galera 13


5th-6th place game

San Marino - Gibraltar 77:64
San Marino clinched the 5th spot at the European Championship in Division C today. They overcame Gibraltar in Edinburgh to complete their campaign with a 3-2 record. Gibraltar got to a fast start of the encounter as Guerrero and David Garcia (205-F-76) put them ahead 9:3. But Emanuele Crescentini (198-F-83) kept San Marino in contest and they finally grabbed their first lead of the game following Flavio Bottiroli (194-G/F-77)s layup 17:16. The teams finished the first half all square at 23. The lead changed hands for 7 times throughout the second period before Stefano Rossini (183-G-74) nailed a three-pointer to cap the first half with San Marino leading 42:41. Tentoni and Flavio Bottiroli stretched the gap to 9 points early in the third stanza as San Marino took over. Tentoni and Andrea Raschi (198-G/F-79) soon marked a double-digit advantage for San Marino. Ugolini and Emanuele Crescentini crowned the frame with back-to-back treys to make the cushion looked comfortable at 65:51. David Garcia scored 5 straight points for Gibraltar to drag them within 10 points early in the fourth quarter. David Garcia later added 4 more points and Gibraltar appeared just 7 points behind with less than 3 minutes left. Emanuele Crescentini converted a vital layup for San Marino to silence Gibraltar. San Marino withstood at the end to celebrate victory. Emanuele Crescentini nailed 26 points to pace San Marino. Andrea Raschi secured 15 points and 8 boards for the winners. David Garcia answered with 22 points and 13 boards for Gibraltar. Guerrero had 11 points in a losing effort.

San Marino: Emanuele Crescentini 26, Andrea Raschi 15, Flavio Bottiroli 12, Stefano Rossini 12
Gibraltar: David Garcia 22+13 boards, Angel Guerrero 11


7th-8th place game

Malta - Wales 84:67
Maltese National team did not leave Scotland winless. They registered their first win at the tournament beating Wales today in the clash for the 7th overall spot. The teams entered the contest exchanging the baskets but Maltese team soon surged in front. Steve Schembri (187-F-79) nailed back-to-back trebles and Malta accumulated a 20:12 lead. Ben Potts (194-F-85) cut it back to 3 however Malta had the last laugh in the period as Omar Said (177-G-80) and Christopher Sammut finalized the outcome at 26:17. Omar Said and Steve Schembri combined for 5 points early in the second period and Malta stretched the margin to as many as 12 points. Anthony Berry (200-C-78) and Pearce managed to cap the firs half with straight jumper and Wales trailed by 6 at the interval. Omar Said opened the second half with two triples to give Malta a safe 12-point buffer. The team maintained the gap and when Omar Said and Steve Schembri notched 5 points in a row at the end of the quarter Malta were up by 15. Pearce, Waite and Anthony Berry revived the hope for Welsh team early in the fourth term clipping the deficit to 9 points. But Omar Said, Christopher Sammut and Steve Schembri reacted with 7 straight points to keep the distance comfortable. Wales failed to recover in the dying stages and suffered a sour loss at the end. Omar Said topscored with 25 points for Malta. Steve Schembri provided 19 points, while Marco Mercieca (184-G-83) added 11 for the winners. Anthony Berry had 22 points and 8 boards for Wales. Ben Potts nailed 15 points in a losing effort. Welsh team outrebounded their opponents 46:38 but shot only 37% from the field and suffered 20 turnovers.

Malta: Omar Said 25, Steve Schembri 19, Marco Mercieca 11
Wales: Anthony Berry 22, Ben Potts 15

Andrea Raschi

  San Marino topples Gibraltar for the 5th spot in Scotland - Jun. 22, 2008 - by Eurobasket News
San Marino - Gibraltar 77:64

San Marino clinched the 5th spot at the European Championship in Division C today. They overcame Gibraltar in Edinburgh to complete their campaign with a 3-2 record. Gibraltar got to a fast start of the encounter as Guerrero and David Garcia (205-F-76) put them ahead 9:3. But Emanuele Crescentini (198-F-83) kept San Marino in contest and they finally grabbed their first lead of the game following Flavio Bottiroli (194-G/F-77)s layup 17:16. The teams finished the first half all square at 23. The lead changed hands for 7 times throughout the second period before Stefano Rossini (183-G-74) nailed a three-pointer to cap the first half with San Marino leading 42:41. Tentoni and Flavio Bottiroli stretched the gap to 9 points early in the third stanza as San Marino took over. Tentoni and Andrea Raschi (198-G/F-79) soon marked a double-digit advantage for San Marino. Ugolini and Emanuele Crescentini crowned the frame with back-to-back treys to make the cushion looked comfortable at 65:51. David Garcia scored 5 straight points for Gibraltar to drag them within 10 points early in the fourth quarter. David Garcia later added 4 more points and Gibraltar appeared just 7 points behind with less than 3 minutes left. Emanuele Crescentini converted a vital layup for San Marino to silence Gibraltar. San Marino withstood at the end to celebrate victory. Emanuele Crescentini nailed 26 points to pace San Marino. Andrea Raschi secured 15 points and 8 boards for the winners. David Garcia answered with 22 points and 13 boards for Gibraltar. Guerrero had 11 points in a losing effort.

San Marino: Emanuele Crescentini 26, Andrea Raschi 15, Flavio Bottiroli 12, Stefano Rossini 12
Gibraltar: David Garcia 22+13 boards, Angel Guerrero 11

  European Championship Division C. Day 4 - Jun. 21, 2008 - by Eurobasket News

Semifinals

Playoffs for 5th-8th place

Gibraltar - Wales 93:77
Gibraltar finally delivered their first win at the European Championship in Division C in Scotland. It came just in time for Gibraltar to take a chance to fight for the 5th overall spot tomorrow. Gibraltar edged Wales 93:77 and would play against San Marino for the 5th-6th spots in tomorrows campaign-ending encounter. However the start of the game never looked like Gibraltar would be able to break through the losing tradition at the competition. Alan Duppa (199-F/C-80) and Berry scored 6 unanswered points to open the game. Alan Duppa added 4 more points and Welsh team maintained the gap at 10:4. But Garcia and Adam Cassaglia (192-G/F-78) gradually evened the teams. Gibraltar eventually jumped ahead and Jordan Ramagge (180-G-78) hit two freebies to make it 17:12 midway through the starting frame. Gibraltar enjoyed a 24:18 lead after ten minutes of action. Jordan Ramagge and Garcia stretched the margin to double figures at the start of the second term. Gibraltar kept Wales at bay throughout the major part of the quarter before Potts and Michael Gregory (195-F-80) nailed 4 points in a row to cut the deficit to 5 points at halftime. Jordan Ramagge netted 7 quick points to tip off the second half and Gibraltar once again were up by 10. Garcia hit from beyond the arc and Jordan Ramagge added another layup for South Europeans to widen the damage. Garcias layup with just over 4 minutes remaining in the period marked a 20-point cushion for Gibraltar. However Wales did not say die. Alan Duppa, Asa Waite and Christopher Pearce shaved the distance to 10 points at the end of three quarters. Jordan Ramagge and Garcia though did not allow Welsh side to come any closer in the final stanza. They were too accurate for Wales to revive any sort of intrigue and carried Gibraltar to the initial win at the tourney. Jordan Ramagge finished with 23 points, 8 boards, 5 assists and 2 steals to lead Gibraltar. Garcia had 19 points and 16 boards, while Adam Cassaglia nailed another 19 points for the winners. Alan Duppa answered with 24 points and 8 boards for Wales. Michael Gregory delivered 19 points and 8 caroms in defeat. Wales will play against Malta for the 7th-8th places tomorrow.

Gibraltar: Jordan Ramagge 23, David Garcia 19+16 boards, Adam Cassaglia 19
Wales: Alan Duppa 24, Michael Gregory 19


San Marino - Malta 73:57
San Marino celebrated their second straight win at the European championship in Division C. Today they exercised Malta to fight for the 5th spot tomorrow. Malta meanwhile suffered their 4th straight loss and would try to clinch the 7th place. The teams traded baskets early on with neither side able to clear off. Maltese team relied mainly on offensive courage from Dirk Schembri (193-F-85). He nailed 6 points and Gauci added a three-pointer for Malta to accumulate an 11:8 early advantage. However Stefano Rossini (184-G-74) capped the first frame with 4 points and San Marino held to a 17:14 lead. San Marino kept Malta at distance throughout the second period and Andrea Raschi (198-G/F-79) finalized a 34:26 lead for San Marino at the interval. Five points in a row from Stefano Rossini gave San Marino a 12-point cushion at the start of the third stanza. Then Andrea Raschi hit five freebies and San Marino stretched the gap to as many as 17 points. They maintained the margin and entered the final period ahead by 19. Stefano Rossini came up with a three-pointer to make it 64:40 for San Marino midway through the final quarter. The game was done and San Marino breezed to an overall win at the end. Andrea Raschi topscored with 23 points and 10 boards for San Marino. Emanuele Crescentini (198-F-83) nailed 20 points, while Stefano Rossini added 18 for the winners. Dirk Schembri and Lawrence Deguara (183-G-70) answered with 12 points apiece for Malta. Gauci secured 7 points in defeat. Malta outrebounded San Marino 40:36 but suffered 22 turnovers.

San Marino: Andrea Raschi 23+10 boards, Emanuele Crescentini 20, Stefano Rossini 18
Malta: Dirk Schembri 12, Lawrence Deguara 12

Andrea Raschi

  Andrea Raschi propels San Marino past Gibraltar - Jun. 20, 2008 - by Eurobasket News
San Marino - Gibraltar 91:80

San Marino grabbed their first win at the European championship in Division C in Scotland. They held off Gibraltar to claim the third overall spot in preliminary Group A. San Marino will now take on Malta in the lower playoffs for the 5th-8th spots. Gibraltar will look for their initial victory against Wales tomorrow.
San Marino relied on an impressive performance from Andrea Raschi (198-G/F-79) as he poured in 38 points, grabbed 5 boards and dished out 3 assists to lead San Marino. He was well helped by Flavio Bottiroli (197-G/F-77) with 21 points and 13 boards. Andrea Raschi scored 4 points and Rossini added a three-pointer to give San Marino a 15:8 lead midway through the first frame. But Buxton answered with 6 points for Gibraltar to get them in front 20:18 late in the period. But back-to-back trebles from Andrea Raschi allowed San Marino to lead 24:22 at the end of the first quarter. Flavio Bottiroli, Tentoni, Righi netted consecutive three-pointers for San Marino late in the second frame for a 50:34 advantage. San Marino enjoyed a 52:34 lead at the interval but Raul Garcia (202-C-74) opened the third stanza with 8 points in a row to cut the deficit. William Buxton and Ramagge added three freebies as Gibraltar got within 7 points. But San Marino secured a 12-point buffer at the end of three quarter. Gibraltar once again clipped the difference to just 5 points early in the final stanza but San Marino answered immediately. Flavio Bottiroli scored 6 straight points to give some breathing space for San Marino. Gibraltar failed to come close enough for the final strike and lost the battle. Raul Garcia knocked down 18 points and pulled down 9 boards for Gibraltar. William Buxton had 12 points in defeat.

San Marino: Andrea Raschi 38, Flavio Bottiroli 21, Emanuele Crescentini (198-F-83) 14
Gibraltar: Raul Garcia 18, William Buxton 12

Gareth Murray

  European championship Division C. Day 3 - Jun. 19, 2008 - by Eurobasket News

Wales - Malta 56:50
Welsh National team grabbed the initial victory at their European championship in Division C campaign. They held off Malta to gain the third overall spot in the preliminary Pool B. Wales opened the game confidently as Alan Duppa (201-F/C-80) and Mike Gregory (199-F-80) scored first 4 points. However Omar Said (177-G-80) and Dirk Schembri (193-F-85) answered with a 5:0 run to put Malta in front. Mike Gregory added 5 more points and Waite capped the first frame with a jumper for a 12:7 Welsh advantage. Lawrence Deguara (183-G-70) reigned the scene early in the second term. His 6 points put Malta in charge 15:14. But a three-pointer from Rhys Williams and a jumper from Berry allowed the Welsh side to keep in front 21:20 at halftime. Malta jumped ahead early in the third stanza and when Baldacchino scored a jump shot Malta were up 28:25. The lead changed hands several times before Mike Gregory nailed two free throws for a 38:38 tie at the end of the third quarter. The teams traded baskets at the start of the fourth term before Alan Duppa and Waite carried Wales up 49:44 midway through the frame. Alan Duppa and Omar Said exchanged trebles and then Dirk Schembri cut the deficit to 4 points with a minute remaining. Alan Duppa nailed a jumper just for Dirk Schembri to answer with a layup. But Rhys Williams crowned the game with two freebies to seal the winning outcome for Wales. Mike Gregory provided 13 points and 11 boards, while Alan Duppa finished with 13 points and 9 caroms for Wales. Rhys Williams provided 12 points and 7 boards for the winners. Lawrence Deguara produced 13 points and 15 boards to pace Malta. Omar Said had 11 points in the third straight loss for Malta.

Wales: Mike Gregory 13+11 boards, Alan Duppa 13, Rhys Williams 12
Malta: Lawrence Deguara 13+15 boards, Omar Said 11


Moldova - Azerbaijan 70:61
Moldovan National team celebrated their third straight win at the European championship in Division C in Scotland. They held off Azerbaijan to win Group A and advanced to the semifinal. Azerbaijan also made it to the semis despite loss. Both teams entered the game having secured the spots in the playoffs but the game turned into a heated battle. Tcaci scored 4 early points to put Moldova in front. However Azerbaijan kept it close and Davit Barbakadze (204-F-82) tied the scoreline at 12 apiece late in the frame. Tcaci hit from beyond the arc to give Moldova a 17:14 lead after the opening stanza. Davit Barbakadze and Fuad Niftaliyev (178-G-80) quickly put Azerbaijan in charge in the second quarter. Davit Barbakadze continued to deliver points to stretch the gap to as many as 7 points. But Moldova regained the lead after Melinic and Evgeni Scripcaru (202-F-83) came up with a string of successful attempts. They posted a 29:27 advantage at halftime. The lead changed hands for a number of time throughout the third stanza before Davit Barbakadze squared things up at 47 at the end of the term. Melinic, Vitaliy Oprea (200-F-86) and Evgeni Scripcaru netted 9 straight points to open the final stanza and Moldova claimed a 56:47 lead. Azerbaijan came within three points following a three-pointer from Bakhshiyev with under 3 minutes remaining in regulation. But Evgeni Scripcaru and Melinic responded with 4 straight points to restore a 9-point buffer with 29 seconds left. Azerbaijan never recovered and suffered their first loss at the tournament. Melinic provided 24 points and 10 boards to pace Moldova. Evgeni Scripcaru added 19 points and 7 boards, while Tcaci added 15 points for the winners. Davit Barbakadze had 18 points and 14 boards for Azerbaijan. Fuad Niftaliyev came up with 13 points, 6 boards and 6 assists in a loss. The teams will now await the result of Scotland vs. Andorra clash to get to know their semifinal opponents.

Moldova: Eugeniy Melinic 24+10 boards, Evgeni Scripcaru 19, Tcaci 15
Azerbaijan: Davit Barbakadze 18+14 boards, Fuad Niftaliyev 13

Ronald Gordon

  European Championship Division C. Day 2 - Jun. 18, 2008 - by Eurobasket News

Moldova - Gibraltar 97:54
Moldova gained their second win at the European Championship in Division C in Edinburgh. Gibraltar meanwhile suffered their second straight loss and remained at the bottom of Pool A. Adam Cassaglia (192-G) scored a layup to put Gibraltar in charge. However Moldova quickly hit back. Maxim Rusu (196-G-88) and Tcaci nailed back-to-back trebles to put Moldova up for good. Melinic and Tcaci extended the run for Moldova as they piled up a 22:12 lead at the first intermission. Tcaci, Maxim Rusu and Evgeni Scripcaru (202-F-83) nailed three consecutive bombs from beyond the arc to open the second period. Gibraltar struggled to slow down their opponents and trailed by 27 points at halftime. Nartov and Caputerco continued long-range bombardment as Moldova widened the gap to 39 points midway through the third stanza. Moldova never looked back in the final quarter and celebrated a cruising win at the end. Vladimir Priscepnii (200-F-88) provided 16 points and 5 boards to lead Moldova. Evgeni Scripcaru added 13 points, while Tcaci had 12 in a win. Camacho Mena netted 14 points to pace Gibraltar. Guerrero Torres delivered 8 points and 7 boards in defeat. Moldova outrebounded their opponents 47:30 and forced those to 16 turnovers. Moldova will face Azerbaijan in the final round of preliminary action. Gibraltar will look for their initial victory against San Marino tomorrow.

Moldova: Vladimir Priscepnii 16, Evgeni Scripcaru 13, Tcaci 12
Gibraltar: Camacho Mena 14, Guerrero Torres 8


Azerbaijan - San Marino 75:69
Azerbaijan National team posted their second straight win at the European Championship in Division C held in Scotland. San Marino suffered their second loss and opened the way for Azerbaijan and Moldova towards the semifinal. The teams traded baskets early on with neither side able to clear off substantially. San Marino held to a 10:8 lead after the first frame. The lead changed hands for a couple of times before Davit Barbakadze (204-F-82) and Tahir Bakhshiyev (199-F-82) nailed back-to-back triples to put Azerbaijan in front 16:12. However Andrea Raschi (198-G/F-79) and Bottirolli soon carried San Marino back in charge 20:19. Nevertheless Azerbaijan had the last laugh in the half as Davit Barbakadze capped it with a jumper to make it 36:31 for Azerbaijan. Tahir Bakhshiyev and Davit Barbakadze continued to terrorize San Marino defense in the third period as they opened up a double-digit lead 49:39. Ugolini and Andrea Raschi cut it back to 6 points before Azerbaijan finalized three-quarter outcome at 57:48. Rzaguliyevs trey marked an 11-point cushion for Azerbaijan early in the final period. San Marino refused to give up as Stefano Rossini (184-G-74) accounted for 5 straight points and Bottirolli added layup to shave the distance to 5 points. Two free throws from Stefano Rossini allowed San Marino to get within 4 points with 32 seconds remaining in regulation but Azerbaijan withstood. Davit Barbakadze dunked the ball home, while Stefano Rossini and Andrea Raschi missed three-pointers to seal the winning outcome for Azerbaijan. Davit Barbakadze finished with game-high 27 points and 9 boards. Alexandr Rindin (225-C-85, agency: Interperformances) and Tahir Bakhshiyev added 13 points apiece for the winners. Stefano Rossini nailed 20 points and pulled down 6 boards for San Marino. Andrea Raschi had 15 points and 10 boards in a loss.

Azerbaijan: Davit Barbakadze 27, Alexandr Rindin 13, Tahir Bakhshiyev 13
San Marino: Stefano Rossini 20, Andrea Raschi 15+10 boards

Scotland - Wales 71:45
The European Championship in Division C wrapped up its second round action. The hosting Scotland held off Wales to book ticket to the semifinal stage. Scotland posted their second straight victory and advanced to the semifinals from Pool B together with Andorra. Alan Duppa (201-F/C-80) put Wales on the scoreboard first hitting a jumper but Scotland took over pretty quickly. Murray and Gibson hit from outside and the hosts surged ahead. Scotland finished the opening stanza ahead 12:7 and went on a run in the second period. Attah scored 4 points in a row early in the second term as the gap reached 6 points. He also ignited a 25:1 from Scotland to give the home team a 37:13 lead late in the quarter. Steven capped the first half with a jump shot to make it 41:18 at the interval. Berry, Waite and Alan Duppa cut the deficit early in the third stanza but Scotland never loosened the grip. Keith Bunyan (189-G-77) and Anderson crowned the frame with 4 straight points to accumulate a 55:28 lead heading into the fourth period. Anderson scored 7 points in the fourth quarter and Scotland kept Wales at bay for the reminder of the contest. Laurie Costello (188-G-82) led well balanced hosts offense with 10 points. Ronald Gordon (207-C-81, college: Findlay (OH)) provided 9 points and 14 boards, while Keith Bunyan contributed 9 in a win. Mike Gregory (199-F-80) replied with 14 points and 12 boards for Wales. Alan Duppa nailed 7 points in a losing effort. Scotland had an overwhelming advantage under the rims pulling down impressive 67 boards including 19 offensive ones. They will face Andorra for the top spot in Pool B tonight.

Scotland: Laurie Costello 10, Ronald Gordon 9+14 boards, Keith Bunyan 9
Wales: Mike Gregory 14+12 boards, Alan Duppa 7

Andorra - Malta 55:52
Andorra grabbed their second win at the European Championship in Division C in Scotland. They pip Malta 55:52 to ensure the semifinal birth and leaving Maltese National team without the playoffs. The teams are equally ranked at the worlds basketball scene and expected to provide some heated fight for a win. Malta got to a slightly better start as Schembri and Bonnici kept them in front throughout the first frame. Sammut nailed a jumper midway through the second period to give Malta a 16:11 lead. However 5 points from Daniel Marin (-78) allowed Andorra to surge in front 21:18 late in the quarter. They maintained the gap and enjoyed a 23:20 advantage at halftime. The teams traded baskets early in the third stanza before Ross, Schembri and Lawrence Deguara (183-G-70) put Malta back in charge 37:29. Andorra answered with 6 points from Martret Rebollar to head into the final term trailing by one 38:39. Xavier Galera (182-G-82) and Martret Rebollar sank three freebies to open the final quarter and gave Andorra a 41:39 advantage. Said and Sammut retained the lead for Malta with 4 straight points but Daniel Marin accounted for 5 points in a row to put Andorra back in the driving seat. Alvarez Farras nailed two free throws for a 5-point cushion with 36 seconds remaining in regulation. Baldacchino answered with a trey to cut it back to 2 but Xavier Galera nailed a free throw to seal the winning outcome for Andorra in the dying seconds. Daniel Marin led all scorers with 16 points and 10 boards. Martret Rebollar provided 11 points and 6 boards for the winners. Lawrence Deguara and Gauci responded with 10 apiece for Malta. Andorra outrebounded their opponents 54:41 and forced Malta to 25 turnovers.

Andorra: Daniel Marin 16+10 boards, Martret Rebollar 11, Xavier Galera 10+10 boards
Malta: Lawrence Deguara 10, Gauci 10

Gareth Murray

  European Championship Division C. Day 1 - Jun. 17, 2008 - by Eurobasket News

Andorra - Wales 78:52
Andorra and Wales tipped off the action at the European Championship in Division C that started in Edinburgh. The teams got into preliminary Group B and began todays basketball action. The teams looked well matched early on and traded baskets throughout the first frame. Andorra managed to spur ahead late in the quarter to enjoy a 24:20 lead into the second frame. The pressure kept on growing as Andorra tightened up defense. They held their opponents to 10 points in the second stanza and built a 9-point cushion at the interval. The breakthrough came for Andorra right after the break as they went on another run and opened up a double-digit lead. Wales failed to recover and found themselves trailing by 18 points before the final term. Andorra breezed to an overall victory at the end and celebrated the initial victory at the tournament. Xavier Galera Ruz led Andorra with 17 points and 6 assists. Marc Martret Rebollar added 9 points and 10 boards for the winners. Alan Duppa (201-F/C-80) answered with 15 points for Wales. Anthony Berry provided 5 points and 13 boards in defeat. Andorra topped Pool B and would face Malta tomorrow. Wales will trey to rebound against hosting Scotland next.

Andorra: Xavier Galera Ruz 17, Marc Martret Rebollar 9+10 boards
Wales: Alan Duppa 15, Anthony Berry 5+13 boards


Moldova - San Marino 85:64
Moldova opened their European Championship Division C campaign with a cruising win over San Marino. The teams tipped off the action in Pool A. They got into the same group with Azerbaijan and Gibraltar and would fight for two tickets to the semis. San Marino got to a better start as they looked too good for Moldovan team in the early minutes. San Marino accounted for 29 points in the first period and led by 13 into the second frame. But Moldova gradually found the right tempo and started to cut the deficit. They outgunned their opponents 30:13 in the second stanza to grab a 46:42 lead at halftime. San Marino obviously ran out of steam in the second half as Moldova took over the control. They limited their counterparts to 8 points in the third stanza and stretched the gap to 13 points heading into the final period. San Marino raised the tempo but one of the tournaments favorites were ready for the effort and easily held San Marino at bay in the final stanza. Oleg Doros (204-C-68) topscored for Moldova with 21 points. Vladimir Priscepnii (200-F-88) contributed 19 points and 9 boards, while Platon Jorneac (200-F-88) had 18 points and 15 boards for the winners. San Marino answered with 21 points from Elismar Guerra. Michelangelo Pamantini provided 20 points in a losing case. San Marino will face Azerbaijan, while Moldova will take on Gibraltar tomorrow.

Moldova: Oleg Doros 21, Vladimir Priscepnii 19, Platon Jorneac 18
San Marino: Elismar Guerra 21, Michelangelo Pamantini 20

Gerti Shima