Spain
won European Championships U16 beating Russia in double overtime - Aug. 20, 2006
Final:
Russia - Spain
106-110 (28-22, 18-23, 12-18, 29-24, 12-12, 7-11)
Russia: Babunashvili 28, Sprygin 18+9reb+5ast, Karpukhin 17, Okrasinskiy
17+6reb, Semenov 15, Valiev 5, Murychev 4, Pichkurov 2, Mikulitis 0, Polokhin 0
Spain: Rubio 51+24reb+12ast (!!!), Sosa 12, Perez Otero 11, Jodar 8+5reb,
Santana 8, Sole 8, Jaume Vicens 6, Guardia 6, Perez Zapata 0, Esteban 0 Ricard
Rubio (192-G-90) had a performance for the ages as Spain defeated Russia
110-106 in a double overtime thriller in the gold medal game of the Termosteps
U16 European Championship in Spain.
Rubio, the tournaments Most Valuable Player, tallied the highest total in FIBA
Europe youth competition play this summer with an astounding 51 points, three of
which came on a buzzer-beating three-pointer which sent the game into overtime.
The 192-cm Rubio also recorded his third triple double of the competition by
tallying 24 rebounds and 12 assists. He was three steals shy of a quadruple
double as he finished with seven.
The 15-year-old point guard had already collected two triple-doubles in helping
Spain reach the final, including one in the semis against Croatia.
Rubio saved perhaps his best performance for the final though as he scored more
than four times as many points as his next-best team-mate while handing out all
but five of Spain's assists.
More than his individual numbers, Rubio's clutch performance helped Spain lift
the gold medal. He scored 14 of the 51 in the two overtime sessions not to
mention his end of regulation heroics.
After Teymuraz Babunashvili buried a three-pointer to give Russia an 87- 84 lead
with two seconds to go in regulation, Rubio kept his teams gold medal hopes
alive by burying a three of his own as the regulation buzzer sounded, tying the
game at 87 and sending the contest into overtime.
It was the second time in the final seconds of the game that Rubio tied the game
up for Spain.
After Boris Sprygin hit jumper with six seconds left to put Russia up 84-82,
Rubio scored on a driving lay-up to the game at 84 with four seconds remaining.
In the first overtime, Rubio scored six points, including a pair of free-throws
with 37 seconds left which tied the game at 99.
Following a Russia turnover, Rubio had a chance to win the game at the final
buzzer, but his jump shot rimmed out forcing a second overtime.
Spain scored the first six points in double overtime on a jumper and lay-up from
Rubio and a Julio Sosa basket to go ahead 105-99 with just over three minutes to
go.
Russia fought back to 105-104, but Rubio broke their momentum by knocking down a
jumper to give Spain a 107-104 advantage at the 2:29 mark.
The game would turn into a free-throw shooting contest over the final minute of
play, with Russia hit 2-of-4 and Spain converting 3-of-4.
Fittingly, Rubio would ultimately seal the game for Spain by hitting a pair frm
the charity stripe with 17 seconds left put Spain up four, 110-106.
Russia failed to score on their ensuing possession and Spain would run the clock
out and go on to celebrate their gold medal game triumph in front of
approximately 3,000 of their Spanish fans.
Aside from Rubio, Spain only had two other players make double-figures, with
Julio Sosa scoring 12 points and Daniel Perez Otero adding 11.
Babunashvili paced his side with 28 points, while Sprygin added 18 points and
nine rebounds.
Sergey Okrasinskiy added 17 and six and Aleksandr Karpukhin 17 and three.
Courtesy of FIBA
Day
6 of European Championship U16 men Division A - Aug. 18, 2006 Richard
Rubio continued his all-around brilliant play at the Termosteps U16 European
Championship Men as Spain defeated Italy 79-72. Croatia swept toIsrael 81-57,
Zubcic taking the match by storm as Croatia won the last quarter 24-14 to seal
the win. Pichkurov's lay-up helped Russia claw their way back to edge Turkey
81-79. Serbia & Montenegro were even closer to reaching three figures when they
subjected France to a 98-68 defeat. Greece saw off Iceland to wreck up 3-0
record and race to the top of Group G. After one day break, Russia, Serbia &
Montenegro, Croatia and Spain will contest for the final tickets.
Day 6 Games
Group E
Croatia - Israel
81-57
Croatia: Zubcic 23p+9r+7bs, Smajlagic 18p+9r, Fodor 12p.
Israel: Ariely 16p, Arbiv 10p. Turkey - Russia
79-81
Turkey: Batuk and Yildirim 23p, Orge 16p.
Russia: Karpukhin 24p, Babunashvili 18p, Semenov 13p, valiev 13r.
Group F
Serbia & Montenegro - France
98-68
Serbia & Montenegro: Subotic 19p+11r, Mitrovic 17p, Musli 12p.
France: Tanghe 18p, Leonard 16p, Rousselle 12p. Italy - Spain
72-79
Italy: Campani 20p+14r, Crotta 15p+11r.
Spain: Rubio 20p+9r+5as+7st, Sole 13p, Perez Otero 11p.
Group H
Portugal - Germany
76-65
Portugal: Correia 26p, Rodrigues 18p+12r.
Germany: Hulsewede 14p+10r, Monse and Schmitz 12p. Lithuania - Ukraine
77-58
Lithuania: Markevicius 21p, Jukonis 12p, Gaska 11p, Motiejunas 9p+18r.
Ukraine: Kozlovets 13p, Temriakovych 11p, Natyazhko 10p+11r.
Day
5 of European Championship U16 men Division A - Aug. 17, 2006 Croatia's
early run helped them beat Turkey 67-58 to go level with their opponents on 1-1
behind Russia in Group E of the Termosteps U16 European Championship. The
stature advantage helped Russia crab 30 more rebounds than Israel and got the
first place in Group E. Serbia & Montenegro went level on 1-1 with Italy in
Group F quarter-final round play, thanks largely to a superb all-round
performance from Dejan Musli. Spain have four player scored in double figures
and prevail France with ease. Greece outscored Latvia 24-10 in the pivotal
fourth quarter to win 65-58 and top in Group G. Ukraine and Lithuania will
contest to the first place of Group H next day.
Day 5 Games
Group E
Croatia - Turkey
67-58
Croatia: Fodor 22p, Smajlagic 21p+10r, Delas 11p+19r, Zubcic 12p.
Turkey: Orge 17p, Yildirim 10p, batuk 10r. Israel - Russia
80-102
Israel: Moran 21p, Ventura 20p+7r, Shiran 14p.
Russia: Semenov 19p+15r, Karpukhin 19p, Babunashvili 10p.
Group F
Serbia & Montenegro - Italy
78-69 Serbia & Montenegro: Musli 20p+19r, Sepa 17p, Petrovic 15p.
Italy: Spizzichini and Campani 14p, Romagnoli 10p. France - Spain
63-85
France: Jacques 17p+10r, Leonard 11p+11r.
Spain: Rubio 15p+9r, Santana 14p, Jodar 10p.
Group G
Greece - Latvia
65-58 Greece: Pappas 22p, Mantzaris and Giankovits 7p.
Latvia: Blaus 13p+10r, Vilcins 13p, Krumins 10p. Iceland - Slovenia
