The team of Panagiotis Giannakis proved once more that is not kidding at all, the Hellenic National Team thrashed the Brazilian team with 89-69 and in front of a crowded OAKA (16,000 basketball fans) made a crucial step in joining the Olympic games.
The Hellenic NT started the game quite nervously as the crowded court at the beginning was acted more or less like a boomerang for the Greeks. Panagiotis Yiannakis saw his team to loose quite many easy baskets and to be having big trouble on defence. Even though, Vassilis Spanoulis (193-G-82) and Theodoros Papaloukas (200-G-77) were trying to 'push' their team-mates, the Greek team couldn't unstack from the smart Brazilian game ( The Brazilian coach was changing every 10 seconds the defensive system and created some serious problems mainly with Splitter. The first half of the game ended with 18-17 for the host team.
Giannakis decided to rotate the team so Pelekanos, Schortsianitis and Tsartsaris with an amazing crescent and in only 3 minutes made the score 36-25 at the early beginning of the second quarter. The Brazilians were scoring only from the charity line, Theodoros Papaloukas though, proved why Angelopoulos brother brought him in Olympiakos as he performed an one man show and with his three consecutive steals brought his team into +10 by the end of the first half, (40-30) with Brazilians having big problem with the fould as Huertas already been called with four personal fouls after the 'small talk' he had in the court with Vassilis Spanoulis (his first personal foul after the technical foul which both players called)
The third quarter was Show time for Antonis Fotsis (210-F-81), Antonis Fotsis is the to performer for the Greek team from the very beginning, the experienced forward was unstoppable and with 11 personal points took the Hellenic team into a difference which characterised as the beginning of the end for the Brazilians (+16 points), Batman as is the nickname of the powerful forward performed his show time after an amazing dunk who made the crowd become even more 'live'.
The fourth quarter was simply done for practical reasons as the winning team was obvious in the court. The difference went up to 24 points and upon everybody was waiting for the final cal of the referees, the men in Gray and especially the American Kennedy Williams (who had a 'problematic' attitude' in the overall game and not so friendly with the Greek team), called a technical foul against the best defender for three consecutive years, Dimitris Diamantidis, this was not enough to change the situation but to prove once more that the American referee was not exactly fair.
The final score was 89-69 and the quarters were: 18-17, 40-30, 66-50, and 89-69

The scorers for the two teams were:

Brazil: Marcelingo 14, Murilo 2, Huertas 14, Garcia 15, Batista 4, Splitter 20.

Greece: Theodoros Papaloukas 2, Ioannis Bouroussis (212-C-83) 10, Nikos Zisis (195-G-83) 10, Spanoulis 14, Vasilopoulos 7, Antonis Fotsis 18, Printezis 6, Tsartsaris 9, Diamantidis 6, Schortsianitis 3 and Pelekanos 4

If you like drama, then Canada's heart-stopping, lurching, improbably comeback win over South Korea Wednesday morning was for you.

There was conflict, tension and a major plot twist - and that was before the Canadian national team even left their hotel.

According to multiple sources, the decision to have Philadelphia 76ers centre Samuel Dalembert leave the team came just hours before Canada's do-or-die win against South Korea.

National team coach Leo Rautins confronted Dalembert as the team bus was about to leave for the arena, questioning his commitment to the team. Dalembert in turn challenged Rautins.

One source said it was Rautins who told Dalembert to 'get lost,' while another said it wasn't clear who had the final word, only that there was mutual agreement the team and it's high-profile centre should part ways.

Attempts to reach Dalembert yesterday were unsuccessful, but his agent, Marc Cornstein, disputed the notion his client's commitment to the national team program was ever in doubt.

'I did talk to him briefly,' Cornstein said from Las Vegas. 'The only thing I can say is questioning any type of commitment on Sam's part is ludicrous. It's been extremely difficult to get high level NBA players to become part of the national team program and Sam not only made the effort last year to get his Canadian citizenship, he committed his off-season last year to helping Canada qualify for Greece.

'And this summer, unless I'm mistaken, he was there at the beginning of training camp and hasn't asked for any special treatment, so I don't know why anyone would question his commitment.'

National team veteran Rowan Barrett said the team is unified going forward. 'The bottom line is you're representing Canada here,' Barrett said. 'The coaches, Leo, the last guy on the team, the doctors - we are all united here. We aren't waiting for Steve Nash or Sam Dalembert. We have to do it with the guys who are here.'

The move came only a day after Dalembert struggled badly in Canada's opening game against Slovenia in which he was 1-of-9 from the field and grabbed four rebounds.

In interviews after the game, Rautins called for Dalembert to give a greater effort offensively and defensively, but added he wasn't singling him out for the loss.

Yesterday, Rautins said the decision to part ways with Dalembert had been 'brewing for a while.'

According to sources, some of the tension began last summer in Las Vegas when Dalembert - though initially enthusiastic about being part of the national team program for the first time, even going so far as to treat his teammates to a few nights out - increasingly isolated himself from the team, was regularly late for meetings and was quick to opt out of practice.

This year, the frustrations started when Dalembert, despite advance warning of the national team's schedule, volunteered for the NBA's Basketball Without Borders program even though it conflicted with the summer season. Dalembert eventually withdrew from the program and arrived on time for the team's three-week training camp. Again, he took his teammates out for a night in Toronto, but once more seemed to lose enthusiasm for the task.

He took himself out of Canada's final three exhibition games, citing a pre-existing hip problem. At the time, Rautins praised Dalembert for continuing to participate in meetings and attend practice - and he was an enthusiastic teammate on the bench.

In Europe, insiders say Dalembert didn't participate in team meals and spent most of his time with a group of friends he had travelling with him.

'He's not a bad person,' said one player agent who asked not to be named. 'But his level of dedication isn't the same as a Rowan Barrett or a Joel Anthony. He's kind of got an NBA aura. He's a role player in the league, but he sees what stars can get away with there and now that he's in a smaller pond, he's pulling a lot of the same stuff.'

Dalembert came to Montreal from Haiti as a teenager before moving to New Jersey to pursue basketball and finish high school. Rautins worked diligently to push Dalembert to get his citizenship work done.

Sources say Rautins may have created some of the issues because the program was desperate to add a player of his stature in the absence of the likes of Nash. 'He's a player's coach and he was so happy to have Sam that he may have overlooked some things and set up a double-standard,' one source said.

Dalembert is the second big man Rautins has sent home in less than two weeks. On the eve of departing for Europe, he cut former Niagara University star Juan Mendez in favour of Rens Brempong.

Canada's inside rotation will be sorely tested today against Croatia, which boasts one of the bigger and more experienced front lines in the tournament.

Marcus Kahn, who spent the last six seasons as head men's basketball coach at the University of Pittsburgh - Greensburg, has been named head men's basketball coach at Cabrini College. Kahn inherits a Cavaliers program ranked sixth in all-time winning percentage (.658) among NCAA Division III programs.

Joe Giunta, Cabrini's director of athletics and recreation, announced the appointment today.

'We are thrilled to welcome Marcus Kahn to Cabrini College as the head coach of our men's basketball program,' Giunta said. 'Marcus' emphasis on the complete student-athlete - in the classroom, on the court and in the community - is consistent with Cabrini's mission. Additionally, he brings a great deal of head coaching success at the Division III level. Under Marcus' guidance, we look forward to remaining one of the elite Division III programs in the country.'

At the helm of the Bobcats, Kahn became the program's all-time leader in career victories (77), recruited two Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC) Newcomers of the Year (2005-06, 2007-08) and guided Pitt-Greensburg to its first postseason appearance since the 1999-2000 season. He becomes the fifth men's basketball head coach in Cabrini's 34-year program history.

'I want to thank Vice President Dr. Christine Lysionek and Director of Athletics and Recreation Joe Giunta for giving me the opportunity to be the head men's basketball coach at Cabrini College,' Kahn said. 'Cabrini embodies everything that I am looking for in a coaching position. With a strong athletic and academic reputation, as well as a great facility in the Dixon Center and a passionate athletic department staff, I know the Cabrini men's basketball program can be taken to the next level.'

Kahn mentored Pitt-Greensburg to two AMCC championship games (2005-07) and claimed the conference's regular season crown in 2004-05, the first in program history. In his first season in 2002-03, he led the Bobcats to a 14-12 overall record and trip to the conference tournament. Kahn inherited a team that had won just 10 games combined during the 2000-01 and 2001-02 campaigns.

In 2005-06, Kahn led UPG to a second-place finish in the AMCC Tournament and the Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference (ECAC) championship game. At the conclusion of the 2007-08 season, Kahn had coached the Bobcats to its fifth appearance in the conference tournament in six seasons.

Kahn brings a wealth of Division III coaching experience to Cabrini, beginning as an assistant at Wesley College in Dover, Del. (1998-2000). In two seasons, he assisted in all areas of the recruiting process, scheduling/scouting opponents and practice/game preparation.

During the 2000-01 season, Kahn served as an assistant coach at Albright College in Reading, Pa., directing the program's academic, recruiting and film exchange operations. He spent a season as the top assistant at Division II Shepherd University in Shepherdstown, W. Va. in 2001-02. With the Rams, Kahn served as the academic, recruiting and scouting/film exchange coordinator.

Kahn's coaching career began as an assistant in 1997-98 with NAIA Division II Grand View College in Des Moines, Iowa.

Kahn's campus presence has reached beyond the hardwood throughout his sideline tenure, spending seven years in the classroom as a professor. He instructed a physical education and recreation course at Shepherd (2001-02) and a freshman seminar class at Pitt-Greensburg (2002-2008).

Kahn earned a bachelor of arts degree in education from the University of Redlands in 1997 and a master's degree in education from Wesley in 2000. He has been a member of the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) since 1999.

Courtesy of www.cabriniathletics.com

The team of Panagiotis Giannakis proved once more that is not kidding at all, the Hellenic National Team thrashed the Brazilian team with 89-69 and in front of a crowded OAKA (16,000 basketball fans) made a crucial step in joining the Olympic games.
The Hellenic NT started the game quite nervously as the crowded court at the beginning was acted more or less like a boomerang for the Greeks. Panagiotis Yiannakis saw his team to loose quite many easy baskets and to be having big trouble on defence. Even though, Vassilis Spanoulis (193-G-82) and Theodoros Papaloukas (200-G-77) were trying to 'push' their team-mates, the Greek team couldn't unstack from the smart Brazilian game ( The Brazilian coach was changing every 10 seconds the defensive system and created some serious problems mainly with Splitter. The first half of the game ended with 18-17 for the host team.
Giannakis decided to rotate the team so Pelekanos, Schortsianitis and Tsartsaris with an amazing crescent and in only 3 minutes made the score 36-25 at the early beginning of the second quarter. The Brazilians were scoring only from the charity line, Theodoros Papaloukas though, proved why Angelopoulos brother brought him in Olympiakos as he performed an one man show and with his three consecutive steals brought his team into +10 by the end of the first half, (40-30) with Brazilians having big problem with the fould as Huertas already been called with four personal fouls after the 'small talk' he had in the court with Vassilis Spanoulis (his first personal foul after the technical foul which both players called)
The third quarter was Show time for Antonis Fotsis (210-F-81), Antonis Fotsis is the to performer for the Greek team from the very beginning, the experienced forward was unstoppable and with 11 personal points took the Hellenic team into a difference which characterised as the beginning of the end for the Brazilians (+16 points), Batman as is the nickname of the powerful forward performed his show time after an amazing dunk who made the crowd become even more 'live'.
The fourth quarter was simply done for practical reasons as the winning team was obvious in the court. The difference went up to 24 points and upon everybody was waiting for the final cal of the referees, the men in Gray and especially the American Kennedy Williams (who had a 'problematic' attitude' in the overall game and not so friendly with the Greek team), called a technical foul against the best defender for three consecutive years, Dimitris Diamantidis, this was not enough to change the situation but to prove once more that the American referee was not exactly fair.
The final score was 89-69 and the quarters were: 18-17, 40-30, 66-50, and 89-69

The scorers for the two teams were:

Brazil: Marcelingo 14, Murilo 2, Huertas 14, Garcia 15, Batista 4, Splitter 20.

Greece: Theodoros Papaloukas 2, Ioannis Bouroussis (212-C-83) 10, Nikos Zisis (195-G-83) 10, Spanoulis 14, Vasilopoulos 7, Antonis Fotsis 18, Printezis 6, Tsartsaris 9, Diamantidis 6, Schortsianitis 3 and Pelekanos 4