Guangsha defeated Shaanxi 111-103 today behind 30 points from new import Rodney White (206-F-80, college: Charlotte), one of the very talented imports recently added to CBA teams. Yu Junkai scored 27 points for Guangsha. Brandon Robinson had 26 points for Shaanxi while Liu Jiulong added 25. Dongguan defeated Shandong 132-124 as new import Mike Harris and Chinese star Zhang Kai each scored 28 points. Zhang added 20 rebounds. Herve Lamizana scored 26 points, Mack Tuck scored 23, and Guo Lei scored 20 for Shandong.

CBA teams have recently added five to seven new imports to shore up their teams. With the play of native Chinese improving, the native stars of their teams are often equal to the imports and the lesser native players are not totally outclassed.

So teams are now using two imports for the full 60 minutes allowed. Both Guangsha and Shaanxi used their imports for the full 60 minutes allowed. Guangsha has White and Garnett Thompson while Shaanxi has Robinson and Brandon Crump. Shandong used its two imports for the full 60 minutes. Dongguan used its imports for only 59 minutes, likely because Anthony Myles fouled out.

The imports are clearly superior to secondary Chinese players at present. So the teams benefit from using the imports to their fullest extent yet they no longer completely overwhelm the Chinese players.

My prediction is that when the class of '89 reaches true maturity in about ten years, and succeeding classes prove even stronger, it will be difficult to find imports good enough to play in the CBA.

But right now imports perform a very valuable function. For while they displace lesser Chinese players, they provide competition that helps improve the Chinese stars.

Jilin has signed Babacar Camara, a 211 cm 120 kg center born 1981. He replaces Steve Castleberry. Camara played for Jilin last year and was one of the better imports in the league.

Xinjiang has signed Aaron McGhee a 202 cm forward born 1979. He replaces Brandon Cole. McGhee starred at the University of Oklahoma and has played in Europe and Korea.

Guangsha's Rodney White a 206 cm forward born 1980. White was the ninth pick of the 2001 NBA draft. He played for the Detroit Pistons in 2001-2 and for the Denver Nuggets from 2002-2005. He replaces the departed David Lucas.

Dongguan has signed Mike Harris. The CBA lists him as a 198 cm forward born in 1983. We do not have a matching record for this player but hope to soon find out his identity. CBA height and birth figures are sometimes in error and we need to be certain of which Mike Harris he is. Harris replaces Franz Steyn.

Guangdong has signed Lamond Murray a 201 cm forward born in 1973. Murray starred at the University of California and was the seventh pick in the 1994 NBA draft. He played for the Los Angeles Clippers from 1994-1999, with the Cleveland Cavaliers from 1999-2002, and with the Toronto Raptors from 2003-2006. He replaces Cassiano Matheus.

Shanghai has reportedly signed a new import and Jiangsu is considering signing one of two new imports. But because of previous situations with CBA imports I do not count signings as being official until the names appear in the box scores.

Guangsha 111
#8 3p+4r+2a+2s+2bl, Yu Junkai 27p+2r+1a, Garnett Thompson 12p+6r+1a, Zhang Nan 18p+3r+1a+3s, Jia Nan 12p+4r+4a+2s, Rodney White 30p+10r+5a+3s+5to
Shaanxi 103
Tian Yu 12p+7r+1a+2s, Dai Yong 10p+6r+5a+1s+5to, Zhang Wei 12p+4r+2a+2s, Liu Jiulong 25p+7r+5a+3s+1bl+5to, Brandon Robinson 26p+8r+2a+2s+1bl+5to, Brandon Crump 13p+4r+1a, He Ben 5p+1r+1s

Dongguan 132
Zhang Kai 28p+20r+2a+1s+3bl, Qiu Biao 19p+2r+3a, Wang Jing 16p+2r+2s+1bl, Anthony Myles 28min+16p+3r+1a+6fl, #23 12p+1r+1a, Mike Harris 28p+10r+2a+1bl+5to, Yu Ning 9p+2r+1s
Shandong 124
Wang Gang 13p+4r+5a, Sun Jie 11p+2r+2a+1s, Li Lin 4p+1r+2a+1s, Guo Lei 20p+7r+2a, Herve Lamizana 26p+6r+2a+3s, Mack Tuck 23p+6r+2s+5to, Lou Yandong 20p+3r+1a+2s

Coca-Cola finally gets big man it desperately needs
With their teams experiencing rough sailing midway through the elimination round of the 2007-08 Smart PBA Philippine Cup, The Talk N Text Phone Pals and the Coca-Cola Tigers agreed to a blockbuster trade involving two of the league's most dominating big men.
Asi Taulava and Ali Peek (194-F-75, college: St.Mary's, CA) are trading places - a deal which the two ballclubs hope will drastically turn their fortunes for the better in the second half of the eliminations.

Interestingly, the trade was sealed in the aftermath of TNT's back-to-back defeats during the weekend that left the Phone Pals out of the Top Four with a 5-5 record.

Five years ago, giving up Taulava, who spent all his eight seasons in the PBA with TNT, was completely unimaginable as the 6-foot-9 behemoth was the cornerstone of the TNT franchise.

But the arrival of Harvey Carey, Jay Washington, Yancy de Ocampo and Don Allado - all hardworking biggies with good perimeter shooting - who improved with each passing season obviously made Taulava, a Fil-Tongan, expendable.

"It was a tough decision. Our franchise fought side by side with Asi during the most difficult time. But we have to do it for a bigger purpose," said Ricky Vargas, Talk N Text's representative to the Board of Governors.

"I will personally miss Asi. He will always be a friend," added the former PBA chairman.

Although he is five inches shorter than Taulava, the 6-4 Peek is a certified monster off the boards and an excellent defender with a soft shooting touch - exactly the kind of middleman TNT needs badly.

Now 32 and in his ninth season, Peek will be playing for his fourth team in the league. He started his career with Pop Cola in 1998 before being traded to Alaska and later to Coca-Cola.

Coca-Cola coach Binky Favis said he is excited to have Taulava on his team, adding that Taulava's ceiling should compensate for their manpower shortage.

Can the presence of Taulava boost the spirits of the Tigers, who are reeling from seven consecutive losses. At present, the Tigers bring up the rear of the 10-team field with a 1-7 mark.

"We really haven't played with a complete lineup yet," offered Favis, whose injured players include John Arigo (arm), rookie Ronjay Buenafe (bruised foot bone) and Cesar Catli (strained calf).

"But as long as we have five guys, and as long as our remaining guys play with big hearts, good things will happen." (DBC)

SOURCE: PBA.PH

Conquistadores de Guaynabo signed for two seasons Melvin Simon. Last year Melvin Simon played the BSN with Indios de Mayaguez where He scored 3,8 pts (49% 2pts, 53% 3pts, 71% FT) and 3,4 rebs in 28 games. Simon had already played for Guaynabo in 2006, a good season for him, where He scored 11 pts per game.
Alvin Cruz will play the Liga de Las Americas with Miami Tropics. Miami Tropics is in the group B with Capitanes de Arecibo.
BORICUAS ABROAD
In NBA, Orlando Magic defeated Portland 85-74. Carlos Arroyo played 19 minutes with 4pts (2/3 2pts, 0/2 3pts) and 5 assts. Dallas was defeated by Washington 110-98. Jose Juan Barea played less than 12 minutes and He scored 15 pts (5/5 2pts, 1/3 3pts, 2/2 FT).

In D-League, Albuquerque Thunderbirds were defeated by Iowa 101-98. Miguel Ali Berdiel played 38 minutes with 11pts (3/10 2pts, 0/2 3pts, 5/6 FT) 4 rebs and 6 assts.
A. Fontana

In the 10th week Josep Chema Marcos (187-G-78) (WTC Cornella) was the MVP in the Adecco LEB-Silver. He made 40 of efficiency, and scores 30 points, grabs 7 rebounds and made 7 assists.
Nate Higgs (200-F-70, college: Elizabeth City) (Alaior Opel Jovent) scores 30 points and grabs 7 rebounds and he was the MVP in Adecco LEB-Bronze with 37 of efficiency.

TOP 5 Efficiency LEB-Silver 10th Round:

Josep M. Marcos (WTC Cornella): 40 (30pt + 7rb + 7as)

Brandon Wolfram (Farho Gijon): 36 (26pt + 5rb)

Stevei Johnson (Caja Rioja): 27 (20pt + 7rb)

Adrian Tigert (CB Almeria): 26 (18pt + 7rb)

Pau Del Tio (Imatge Sabadell): 25 (18pt + 7as)

TOP 5 Effiency LEB-Bronze 10th Round:

Nate Higgs (Alaior Jovent): 37 (30pt + 7rb)

Brett Beeson (Balneario Archena) 34 (20pt + 9rb + 7as + 7st)

Douglas Nunes (AB Merida): 31 (23pt + 6rb)

Pablo Machado (Torrevieja): 29 (18pt + 14rb)

Javier Mugica (Carrefour El Bulevar): 28 (19pt + 15rb)

By JIM UTTER of the Charlotte Observer
Nice job by tournament organizers to get the communities of the U.S. Virgin Islands involved in this four-day event. Students at different schools attended games, schools took turns in shooting contests to win money for their schools and several local bands and dancing troupes performed at halftime and during timeouts.
• There has been plenty of downtime built into the tournament for the eight teams visiting St. Thomas. On Charlotte's off day Sunday, the 49ers took a snorkeling trip to some reefs a few miles offshore. Before today's late afternoon flight back to Charlotte, the team will make a shopping trip in downtown Charlotte Amalie.

2008 Paradise Jam Preview: Uconn, Miami, LaSalle and Wisconsin have all committed to the Jam.

Virgin Island junior /senior national team members are faring well in junior college division.
Add two more marks to the win column for the Missouri State University-West Plains Grizzly Basketball team after it successfully completed its first road trip of the season this past holiday weekend
The Grizzlies raised their record to 9-1 after trouncing Minnesota West Community & Technical College 117-72 Wednesday, Nov. 21, in Worthington and slipping past Minneapolis Community & Technical College 56-52 Saturday, Nov. 24, in Minneapolis.
You are always a bit leery of being on the road; however a lot of team building also happens on the road,” Grizzly Head Coach Brian Ostermann said.
That was evident Wednesday when the Grizzlies took the early lead over the Minnesota West Bluejays and never looked back. By halftime, the Grizzlies held a 59-29 point advantage over their hosts, and they continued to build on that lead in the second half.
“Our kids looked very good out there. They shared the ball and did some good things,” Ostermann said of his team's performance against the Bluejays. “I thought (Danny) Sanders stepped up and played well. Devon Peltier (178-G) did his customary five three-pointers, and (Paul) Carter played well, also. The backbone of this team is defense, and our defense keeps getting better.”
Peltier recorded 16 in the contest.
Peltier was held to four points in the tough win over Minneapolis Community Tech.

TCI drops 2 in Florida

Khalid Gerard had a two game tally of 43 points but Technical Career Institute (7-6) dropped both games at Gulf Coast CC Thanksgiving Classic. Gerard had 24 in an 117-87 lost to Walter State Senators Friday night. Gerard was 7-20 form the floor with five treys.

TCI also lost to the host team Gulf Coast's 94-82 on Saturday at the Billy Harrison Field House. Gerard had 19 points and dropped in four more three pointers.
After taking a 39-36 halftime lead, Gulf Coast exploded for 55 second-half points. The two teams combined for 101 points in the second half.