ISLANDERS VS BUCAROS GAME 3
Islanders need the overtime to defeat Bucaros in the Island, a very close game from the begin to the end, in the first half Bucaros perimeter was Sharp but Islanders took good rebunds and run well the floor, at the end of the first half Bucaros leaded by 2.
In the second half the game did not change, Sanz and Salcedo made the game for Bucaros while Islanders Alejandro Flores was the owner of the paint, Bucaros accuracy give the a 5 points lead with less than 2 minutes remaining in the regulation, and San Andres effort sent the game to overtime, Bucaros lost R. Washington for the overtime, and San Andres energy allowed them to outscore Bucaros 17-4 and won the game.
Islanders Sopesa 100- A. Flores 32pts+15rebs
Bucaros Freskaleche 87 - M. Marriaga 19pts.

ISLANDERS LEADS 2-1

Rune Larsen - the introduction:


Rune Larsen is well known to spectators of Danish and Swedish basketball, as an animated referee with a highly serious approach to the game.

Always striving towards a higher level of excellence, Rune Larsens professional demeanor, along with his calm court awareness and experience, over 2000 called games, makes him a favorite amongst most players.

As one of the two currant Danish FIBA referees Rune Larsen not only officiate in the Danish league, but also regularly in the Swedish League and in International competition.

Internationally Larsen is making steps up the ladder as well, calling National Team competitions and games in the Euroleague for women.

This past Tuesday yet another International season started for Larsen, as he was flown to Italy to call the womens Euroleague game Beretta Famila VS Lattes Montpellier.

Eurobasket Denmark was able to correspond with Rune Larsen after the game.


Rune Larsen the interview.


Eurobasket: Hi Rune, you have just called your first Euroleague game for women in the new season, what was this experience like?

It was great. It was a close game, with two exited teams, Schio from Italy and Montpellier from France. Both really wanted to win, and Famila Schio had some very good fans.

Eurobasket: It must be exciting getting to call a game of such a great importance, how do you handle the pressure?

It is always great to get the chance to officiate a game on the highest level of basketball. For women there is the WNBA and then the FIBA Euroleague. The thing is, not to get too excited - a little bit is ok, but you need to stay calm. Experience and having good teachers is the answer to that.

Eurobasket: You have been calling games since a very young age, what makes refereeing fun for you?

As a referee there is always room to develop and improve. It is like an education. The day I put down my whistle, is the day, I feel I cannot improve anymore, and that is what makes it fun the challenge to continue to get better.

Also having great colleagues all over Europe is another thing that keeps me going.

Eurobasket: Are there any bad sides to your job?

The worst thing is, when you make a wrong call, and it decides a lot. Referees are faced with having to make difficult calls every game, and unfortunately we also make mistakes from time to time. Besides misinterpreting a play that potentially could decide the outcome of the game, the worst thing is when we see great athletes getting hurt.

Eurobasket: To spectators it sometimes seems like referees have the most ungrateful job in the world the referee can never make all parties in the game happy how do you deal with that?

Well, my job is not to make everybody happy. More important is that I act in a fair and correct manner, treat everybody equal and that the game follows the essential rules of basketball.

It can be ungrateful, and therefore you need to possess a strong character as a referee, so that you do not take the negative things with you, when you leave the court. A referee must not dwell on his mistakes, but learn from them.

Eurobasket: What is your worst experience with refereeing?

In general, the worst thing is seeing players getting hurt. As a former player, serious injury is hard to witness, because I know how painful it can be.

Therefore it is also very important that referees conduct themselves in a manner, where they bear in mind a strong sense of ethics, in order to protect the players. Especially on the international level, as referees are always seen as 'conductors' of the game and role models for everyone.

Eurobasket: What is your best experience with refereeing?

There are so many, but surely every time the referee-team collectively has a good game. It is a great feeling to referee in competitive games, where the atmosphere is difficult, but I am very much a team-oriented-guy. It is all about teamwork, which it also why I prefer being three referees on the floor, opposed to only two.

Also, at the moment, I really enjoy being allowed to officiate in both the Danish and Swedish league, as well as the FIBA competitions, because I feel it is really developing for me.

Eurobasket: I know you are a very ambitious person, so what are your goals when it comes to your refereeing career?

I think it is difficult to put up specific goals like say: I wish to officiate in one particular final etc. That is not what it is about for me. I want to do so well, that I can measure myself with the best, and in Europe that means the mens Euroleague competition.

But hey, as Michael Jordan said: if you can dream it, you can do it, so why not the NBA? I know I can dream a lot :-)



- Thomas Soltau (c)