EUROBASKET NEWS REPORT - 9/24/2010

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Men News

*****************************************************
  ADRIATIC LEAGUE   


BASKETBALL CLINIC BELGRADE 2010 - by Zoran Popovic
Serbian Association of Basketball Coaches organizes the 9th consecutive International Coaching seminar called Basketball Clinic Belgrade 2010 that will be held on September 25th and 27th in Basket city in Belgrade. As previous years, this years seminar has kept the same concept with lecturers from the USA, Europe and Serbia. This year lecturers will be Aleksandar Dzikic , Head coach of Krka Novo Mesto, Jerry Finkbeiner Head coach of Oral Roberts University, Professor Milivoje Karalejic, Mr Ljubica Bacanac and Tihomir Bubalo. This seminar is mandatory for all licensed coaches in Serbia . The program of the seminar will be announced soon. Closer information will be published on the web-site of SABC soon (www.ukts.rs). All lectures will be translated into English language.

Serbian Association of Basketball Coaches


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  AFGHANISTAN   


2010 Afghanistan National Team Roster - by Mamo Raqif
Afghanistan National Team
2010 Roster

No. Name Ht. Pos. Weight Hometown (Playing Experience)

4 Yousof Etemadi 6-4 G/F 195 Laguna Hills, CA (Cal Poly-Pomona)

5 Nafi Mashriqi 6-7 F/C 220 Queens, NY (NYC Thunder, ABA)

6 Qais Haider 6-4 F 200 Fremont, CA (Washington HS)

7 Billal Azizi 6-6 F/C 225 Eden Prairie, MN (Vanguard University)

8 Mostafa Asefi 6-1 G 188 Tracy, CA (Columbia College)

9 Habib Kabir 6-6 F/C 200 Elk Grove, CA (Franklin HS)

10 Abdullah Karimi 6-0 G 170 San Diego, CA (Bethany College)

11 Haroun Arefi 6-4 G/F 197 San Diego, CA (Kearny HS)

12 Ali Noorzad 6-4 G/F 200 Cherry Hill, NJ (Cherry Hill HS East)

13 Safi Mojaddidi 6-0 G 160 Fremont, CA (Washington HS)

14 Ahmad Shekeb 6-0 G 160 Kabul, Afghanistan

15 Sayed Amiri 6-5 F 195 Herat, Afghanistan

*R Abdul Roshan 6-4 G/F 190 Scranton, Pennsylvania (Penn State-Worthington)

*R Joseph Momand 6-2 F 205 Union City, CA (Washington HS)

*R Rishad Noorzad 6-3 G 205 Cherry Hill, NJ (Cherry Hill HS East)

*R Shafiq Luden 6-4 G/F 195 Columbus, OH (Centennial HS)

*R Suhail Mohammadi 6-0 G 165 San Carlos, CA (Foothill College)

*R Wahidullah Mehirdel 6-3 F 238 Flushing, NY (Flushing HS)

*R Yama Kader 6-0 G 175 Mission Viejo, CA (Santa Ana College)

*R Yusuf Ansary 5-11 G 190 Springfield, VA (Northern Virginia College)

President of Basketball Federation: Abdul Saboor Azizi (Kabul, Afghanistan)
Secretary General of Basketball Federation: Ghulam Ghous Nikbeen (Herat, Afghanistan)
Head Coach: Mamo Rafiq (BS History: UC Davis/MPE-AA: Idaho State University)
Assistant Coach: Qayed Shareef (Vice President; Display Network: Traffic Marketplace)
Assistant Coach: Kamran Sufi (BA Liberal Arts: St. Marys College)
Assistant Coach: David Palmer (BS Physical Education: Southern Utah University)
Assistant Coach: Andrew Jolly (BS History: Sacramento State University)
Director of Basketball Management: Haji Mateen Farhamand (Kabul, Afghanistan)
Assistant Director of Basketball Management: Esmael Husseini
Director of Basketball Administration: Kamran Lutfi (Marketing Director: TriVision Studios)
Director of Basketball Marketing: Sal Aziz (BA Business/Sociology: UC Riverside)
Director of External Relations: Edriss Miskinyar (Senior Program Manager: VPI Insurance)
*R= Reserves



Former Bengal Mamo Rafiq Coaches Afghanistan to First Ever Basketball Gold Medal - by Mamo Raqif
Former Idaho State Bengal Mamo Rafiq has coached the Afghanistan National basketball Team since 2007, and he recently helped establish a first for his native country, as Afghanistan won the 2010 11th Annual South Asian Games, held in Dhaka, Bangladesh. The Gold Medal is the first ever in the history of Afghanistan Team Sports.

Team Afghanistan won all three of their preliminary round games, winning over Pakistan 86-68, Sri Lanka 95-64, and over India in overtime 77-74. The team then easily won their semifinal game 107-34 over Nepal before taking on India again in a rematch for the title. Afghanistan then beat India, currently ranked #49 in the latest FIBA rankings, 65-64 to win their first ever gold medal in a team competition.

The team is sponsored by the Marshall Legacy Institute, which is working towards removing landmines in Afghanistan. Rafiq said of the experience, 'Winning the first gold medal in Afghanistan's history in a team sport is a tremendous honor. We are extremely thankful to our team sponsor, The Marshall Legacy Institute (MLI) for supporting our team and our country. Representing Afghanistan and the efforts of MLI who is attempting to remove landmines from our worn-torn country has been a dream come true on and off the court. It's a great accomplishment to share good news about Afghanistan with the world'

Rafiq played at Idaho State from 2000-02 before transferring to UC Davis to be closer to his family. He later returned to Idaho State and worked in ISU's academic services department. In 2001-02, he was the only Afghan native playing Division I basketball, and after the 9/11 attacks he was the subject of a special ESPN report that aired on Christmas Day in 2001, chronicling his life in Pocatello, and the adjustments he had to make after September 11.

Always a well liked player and a crowd favorite, Rafiq became the head coach of the Afghanistan National Basketball Team, a member of the Afghan Sports Federation, in 2007.


Courtesy of Isubengals.com



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  ALGERIA   


Algeria surrender against Lebanon in Beirut - by Eurobasket News
Lebanon - Algeria 74:57

Algeria did not manage to advance into the Arab Nations Cup Final. They got eliminated by Lebanon at the semifinal stage. It was a close battle in three quarters before the hosts ran away in the final quarter.
Lebanon strongly finished the first term. Ali Fakhreddine (204-C-83) helped the hosts to take a 20:11 advantage after ten minutes. Lebanon maintained the lead early in the second stanza. Moreover the home side established a 15-point cushion 32:17. But Algeria did not think of surrendering. They went on a 16:3 run to cut the deficit at just two points at halftime 33:35. Algeria got as close as one point 45:46 in the third quarter. But Lebanon stayed in charge as they entered the final term up by two points 50:48. Lebanon secured a 9:1 start of the fourth stanza. The gap soon grew at 13-point mark and Lebanon rushed to the victory at the end. Fadi El Khatib (199-F-79, agency: Pro Management Agency) notched 20 points and 7 rebounds for Lebanon. Ali Fakhreddine contributed 14 points, while Elie Estephane (195-G/F-86, agency: Pro Management Agency, college: Alabama So. CC) had 11 points for the winners. Hocine Gaham (194-G/F-86) netted 18 points for Algeria. Nabil Saidi (200-F/C-80) accounted for 11 points in defeat.
Lebanon will take on Egypt for the title on Friday.

Lebanon: Fadi El Khatib 20, Ali Fakhreddine 14, Elie Estephane 11
Algeria: Hocine Gaham 18, Nabil Saidi 11


*****************************************************
  ARAB NATIONS CUP   


Lebanon and Egypt reach title game in Beirut - by Eurobasket News
Semifinals
Egypt - Morocco 75:56
Egypt will play in the championship game of the Arab Nations Cup. Yesterday they held off Morocco in the first semifinal of the tournament. Egypt will now take on Lebanon for the title.
Egypt played some stifling defense in the opening quarter. They limited Morocco to 13 points and ensured a 3-point lead ten minutes into the encounter. Both teams increased the tempo in the second term. Egypt stayed in charge as they fired 23 points. The halftime scoreboard read 39:32 for Egypt. Morocco tried to change the complexion of the battle in the third stanza. They narrowed the deficit at 6-point mark with one quarter to go. But Egypt stormed past their opponents in the fourth quarter. They fired 23 points and rallied to the victory at the end.
Amro Sherif (192-G-91) stepped up with 15 points to pace Egypt. Ramy Gunady (185-G-81) added 12 points, while Haytham Kamal (207-F-87) notched 6 points in the win. Abdelhakim Zouita (201-F-86) responded with 11 points for Morocco. Zakaria El Masbahi (191-G-79) accounted for 10 points in the losing effort.

Egypt: Amro Sherif 15, Ramy Gunady 12, Haytham Kamal 6
Morocco: Abdelhakim Zouita 11, Zakaria El Masbahi 10

Lebanon - Algeria 74:57
Algeria did not manage to advance into the Arab Nations Cup Final. They got eliminated by Lebanon at the semifinal stage. It was a close battle in three quarters before the hosts ran away in the final quarter.
Lebanon strongly finished the first term. Ali Fakhreddine (204-C-83) helped the hosts to take a 20:11 advantage after ten minutes. Lebanon maintained the lead early in the second stanza. Moreover the home side established a 15-point cushion 32:17. But Algeria did not think of surrendering. They went on a 16:3 run to cut the deficit at just two points at halftime 33:35. Algeria got as close as one point 45:46 in the third quarter. But Lebanon stayed in charge as they entered the final term up by two points 50:48. Lebanon secured a 9:1 start of the fourth stanza. The gap soon grew at 13-point mark and Lebanon rushed to the victory at the end. Fadi El Khatib (199-F-79, agency: Pro Management Agency) 20 points and 7 rebounds for Lebanon. Ali Fakhreddine contributed 14 points, while Elie Estephane (195-G/F-86, agency: Pro Management Agency, college: Alabama So. CC) had 11 points for the winners. Hocine Gaham (194-G/F-86) netted 18 points for Algeria. Nabil Saidi (200-F/C-80) accounted for 11 points in defeat.
Lebanon will take on Egypt for the title on Friday.

Lebanon: Fadi El Khatib 20, Ali Fakhreddine 14, Elie Estephane 11
Algeria: Hocine Gaham 18, Nabil Saidi 11


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  ARGENTINA   


Meridiano Alicante signs Axel Weigand - by Eurobasket News
Meridiano Alicante added new player for the upcoming season. The Spanish team signed a one-year deal with Argentinean big guy Axel Weigand (200-C-85). The 25-year old player already played for Alicante in the past. He was their member from 2004 to 2009. Last season, he started with Spanish EBA team Santa Pola Lucentum Alicante averaging 12.9 points and 5.1 rebounds for 8 games. In January, he moved to Argentina signing a deal with Union de Sunchales. However, he had limited playing time with them registering just 1.2 ppg and 1.3 rpg for 13 league games.
Axel Weigand helped Alicante to win the LEB Gold Playoff in 2009 and of course to earn a spot for ACB. That season Weigand had 4.5 ppg and 2.8 rpg for 36 games. Before Alicante, Weigand spent many years with Boca Juniors Capital Feder. They won the Argentinean LigaA title in 2004.
Axel Weigand was a member of the Argentinean U16, U18 and U21 National Team in the past. He helped U21 team to win the Gold at the South American U21 Championship in 2004. He also played at the Dallas Global Games in 2004.

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  ASIAN CHAMPIONSHIPS U18   


Standings
Standings
Group A
1. Iran2-0
2. Malaysia1-1
3. Taiwan1-1
4. Sri Lanka0-2
Group B
1. Lebanon2-0
2. Kazakhstan.1-1
3. S.Korea1-1
4. Qatar0-2
Group C
1. China2-0
2. Philippine.2-0
3. Syria0-2
4. Saudi Arab.0-2
Group D
1. Japan2-0
2. Yemen2-0
3. India0-2
4. Iraq0-2


Day: 2 (Preliminary Round) - by Eurobasket News
Group A
Taiwan - Malaysia 96-47
Taiwan posted the initial victory at the U18 Asia Championship in Yemen. They shot down Malaysia in the second round of action in Group A. Chien Wei-Ju (188-G/F-92) scored 20 points to lead Taiwan. Both teams are now tied at 1-1 record. Taiwan limited their opponents to just two points in the opening five points. Taiwan surged ahead and rallied to a 22:8 advantage at the first break. Malaysia continued to struggle offensively in the second quarter. They accounted for 10 points to face a 21-point deficit at the interval. Malaysia stepped on the gas after the big break but Taiwan were ready for the challenge. They easily matched the effort and posted a 67:34 lead at the final intermission. Taiwan maintained the tempo in the fourth quarter and cruised to the victory at the end. Chien Chao-Yi (180-G-93) and Ko Min-Hao (182-G-92) knocked down 11 points each for Taiwan. Hung Kang-Chiao (191-F-92) accounted for 10 points in the victory. Kok Chun Ng (183-F-92) replied with 9 points for Malaysia. Vui Hang Ang and Yen Yee Fong (185-F-93) had 6 points apiece in the loss.

Iran - Sri Lanka 110-32
Iran celebrated the second straight win at U18 Asia Championship in Yemen. They fired past Sri Lanka to remain on top of Group A. Sri Lanka suffered the second consecutive defeat at the tournament. Iran silenced their opponents in the starting quarter. Led by Mirzaeitalarposhti Meisam (92) and Amir Sedighi (185-F/G-93) Iran exploded with 34 points and posted a 28-point lead. Iran tipped off the second quarter with a 15:4 run to boost the distance. Iran arrived at halftime leading by as many as 38 points. Things hardly changed in the second half. Iran dominated every facet of the encounter. They headed into the final quarter enjoying a massive 79:17 buffer and did not look back en route to the victory. Mirzaeitalarposhti Meisam stepped up with 23 points for Iran. Amir Sedighi added 21 points, while Mirfattahi Mirmohammad (93) accounted for 15 points in the winning effort. Madhushanka Rathnayake (185-G-92) answered with 13 points for Sri Lanka. Shehan Vasana Perera (193-F-92) delivered 8 points in the loss.

Group B
Kazakhstan - Lebanon 67-83
Lebanon ensured the second stage birth at the U18 Asia Championship in Yemen. They toppled Kazakhstan for 2-0 record in Group B. Kazakhstan slipped at 1-1 record after the defeat. Ahmad Ibrahim (201-G/F-92) stepped up with game-high 27 points to pace Lebanon. Danny Ammous team grabbed the initiative in the first quarter. They limited the Kazakh team to 12 points and established a 22:12 lead after ten minutes. Lebanon opened the second stanza on a 15:6 run to boost the distance. They ensured a comfortable 17-point cushion at halftime. Alexey Verechshagin (197-F-92) tried to bring Kazakhstan back to life early in the third stanza. They got within 10 points but Lebanon stayed determined and soon they regained a 17-point lead. Kazakhstan narrowly outscored Lebanon in the final quarter but it did not prevent Danny Ammous team from celebrating the second straight win at the tournament. Constantin Kodsi (177-G-92) scored 16 points and grabbed 7 rebounds to lead the effort. Karam Mechref (188-G-92) contributed 12 points in the win. Alexey Verechshagin answered with 25 points for Kazakhstan. Pavel Ilin (202-F-92) accounted for 16 points in the loss.

South Korea - Qatar 108-38
South Korea bounced back after the starting loss at the U18 Asia Championship in Yemen. They dismantled Qatar on the second day of the tournament. The victory propelled South Korea at 1-1 record, while Qatar slipped at o-2 in Group B. It was a one-way traffic from start to finish. South Korea unleashed 32 points in the first quarter to take a 24-point lead. Things just kept getting worse for Qatar. They faced a massive 39-point deficit at the interval. South Korea maintained the pressure in the third stanza. They held their opponents to 9 points establishing an unassailable 55-point deficit at the final intermission. Qatar never recovered suffering the second stunning loss in a row. Moon Seong-Gon nailed 17 points to pace the winners. Heo Ung (183-G-93), Kim Jun-Yl (202-C-92) and Lee Dong-Yeop (194-F-94) contributed 12 points apiece for South Korea. Ali Al-Kuwari (92) answered with 12 points for Qatar. Jassim Al-Jaber (92) had 7 points in defeat.

Group C
Syria - Philippines 60-61
Philippines recorded the second straight win at the U18 Asia Championship in Yemen. They narrowly defeated Syria to improve at 2-0 record in Group C. Syria fell at 0-2 record and would face Saudi Arabia for the spot in the qualifying round. The teams stayed close early in the first term. Philippines stepped on the gas late in the quarter as they used a 9:2 run to take a 17:9 lead. Philippines ensured a 24:16 advantage midway through the second term but Syria recovered. They went on a 12:3 rally and ensured a 28:27 lead at halftime. Philippines returned the advantage in the third stanza. They posted a 46:40 lead at the final intermission. Syria did not allow their opponents to run away in the fourth period. The teams stayed neck and neck however Philippines managed to eke out a tough victory at the end. Kiefer Isaac Ravena (181-G/F-93) produced 19 points for the winners. Raphael Banal (186-G-92) contributed 15 points, while Joshua Angelo Alolino (181-G-94) contributed 13 points for Philippines. Obida Al Samman (184-F-92) answered with 15 points for Syria. Amer Al Sati (203-C-92) had 13 points and 23 rebounds in defeat.

China - Saudi Arabia 115-60
Guo Ailun (193-G-93) scored 23 points to lead China to another confident performance at the U18 Asia Championship in Yemen. China eased past Saudi Arabia for 2-0 record in Group C. Saudi Arabia suffered the second straight loss and endangered their title ambitions. The teams traded baskets early in the encounter. But China capped the first quarter with a strong spurt to take a 26:14 lead. They opened the second stanza with a 13:4 rally to establish a 21-point advantage. China accounted for 40 points in the second stanza and ensured a 66:24 buffer at halftime. Saudi Arabia continued to struggle defensively in the second half. China scored their points easily as they reached 100-point mark early in the fourth quarter. They never slowed down and coasted to the victory at the end. Wang Zhelin (213-C-94) provided 15 points and 6 rebounds for China. Xu Tao (211-C-93) and Wang Zirui (190-G-93) accounted for 13 points each in the victory. Racan Barnawi (184-F-92), Hadi Alnamer (170-G-94) and Marzouq Almuwalled (177-G-92) replied with 8 points each in the loss. China will next take on Philippines, while Saudi Arabia will look for their first win when they face Syria.

Group D
Japan - Iraq 78-62
Japan stayed on the winning track at U18 Asia Championship in Yemen. They held off Iraq to climb at 2-0 record in Group D. Shinnosuke Ogaki (184-G-92) stepped up with 19 points to lead the effort. Iraq slipped at 0-2 record after the defeat. Japan did not waste too much time as they surged ahead early. They opened a double-digit lead midway through the starting quarter. Japan finished the first term ahead by 13 points 24:11. Iraq however bounced back early in the second period. They opened the stanza on a 12:6 spurt to narrow the deficit. Japan quickly stopped the bleeding and ensured a 45:30 lead at the interval. Japan wisely kept their opponents at bay throughout the third term. They entered the fourth period ahead by 12 points. Iraq did not threaten the margin in the final quarter and had to give up at the end. Kodai Kimura (190-G/F-92) canned 11 points for the winning side. Takaya Sasayama (178-G-93) accounted for 10 points for Japan. Ahmed Mankhi Talaq Al-Jashaami (171-G-92) responded with 17 points for Iraq. Ali Muayad Ismael (201-C-94) notched 15 points in the loss.

India - Yemen 58-95
Yemeni U18 selection posted the second straight win at the Asia Championship. The hosts battered India for 2-0 record in Group D. India suffered the second loss in a row. Mohammed Yaeesh (182-G-93) and Sabri Sadaqah (188-F-93) came up with 27 points apiece for Yemen in the victory. Yemen limited their opponents to 13 points in the first quarter to step in front. The home team posted an 18:13 advantage after ten minutes. Yemen went on a 16:3 run at the start of the second frame to stretch the gap. The hosts controlled the tempo and secured a 46:22 lead at the interval. Yemen stayed aggressive defensively in the third stanza. India did not get open looks and had to deal with a 33-point deficit at the final break. Yemen did not slow down in the fourth stanza and rolled to the victory at the end. Samer Abdullah (92) accounted for 18 points and 8 rebounds in the win. Abdulaziz Moqbel (188-F-93) contributed 14 points and 15 rebounds for Yemen. Arjun Singh (188-F-92) replied with 27 points for India. Rajan Sharma (184-G-92) had 8 points in defeat.



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  AUSTRALIA   


Perth Wildcats favoured to repeat - by Eurobasket News
As the National Basketball League gears up for the tip-off of the 2010/11 iiNet NBL Championship season on October 15, the Perth Wildcats are currently favoured to go back-to-back defend their title and win an unprecedented sixth NBL trophy.

Last season import Kevin Lisch (188-G, agency: Warren Sports International, college: St.Louis) scored 29 points to lead the Wildcats to a 96-72 win over the Wollongong Hawks in Game Three of the 2010 NBL Grand Final series at Challenge Stadium in Perth to become the first team ever to win five NBL titles.

According to the latest betting odds on the Centrebet website, Lisch and Perth ($3.50) are now favoured to win a record-breaking sixth NBL title.

Just behind the Wildcats in the betting are the Gold Coast Blaze ($4.50), who last year were swept 2-0 in the best-of-three Semi Finals by Perth.

The Townsville Crocodiles raised eyebrows in the off-season when they decided against re-signing league Most Valuable Player Corey Williams, but the punters clearly like the make-up of the new-look Crocs roster. The team, which will be headed by a new import tandem of Gabe G-Force Freeman and Will Blalock, is rated as the third most likely to take home the hardware at $6.50.

The Sydney Kings are at $12 to complete a fairytale comeback to the league, which is the same price being offered on last seasons runners-up, the Wollongong Hawks.

Last season the Adelaide 36ers suffered through their darkest campaign in history, finishing with a league-worst 10-18 record and taking out the wooden spoon for the first time ever. Despite having a new coach in Marty Clarke and having gone an impressive 3-1 in pre-season matches thus far, the punters remain wary of the 36ers and have installed the South Australian side as the club least likely to win the title at $17.00.

A full list of Centrebet odds for the 2010/11iiNet NBL Championship season is below.

All nine NBL teams travel to the Northern territory next week to play in the 2010 NBL Top End Challenge pre-season tournament. Stay tuned to www.nbl.com.au for more details.


Championship Winner Centrebet Odds
Pay on Winner of 2010/11 Championship

PERTH WILDCATS 3.50
GOLD COAST BLAZE 4.50
TOWNSVILLE CROCODILES 6.50
NEW ZEALAND BREAKERS 7.00
MELBOURNE TIGERS 8.00
SYDNEY KINGS 12.00
WOLLONGONG HAWKS 12.00
CAIRNS TAIPANS 14.00
ADELAIDE 36ERS 17.00

Courtesy of NBL (www.nbl.com.au)



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  BELIZE   


The Denver Nugget's Center: Chris 'The Birdman: Andersen to Visit Belize!!! - by David Magana
In a surprising move by the Belize Basketball Federation in Collaboration with the Belize Natural Energy oil company, have made arrangements to bring the Denver Nugget's center: Chris Andersen (211-C-78, college: Blinn JC) to visit the jewel. This important visit will help to inspire many young basketball talents and increase the number of fans that up to this point, the basketball sport is enjoying in our country. There is no doubt that basketball will continue to grow in Belize thanks to the sponsors and to the remarkable job done by the Federation. For more news on the schedule of The Birdman visit to Belize, you can visit the Belize Basketball Federation website at: http://bbfbelize.org.

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  BOSNIA   


Vladan Jocovic signs with Borac Nektar - by Eurobasket News
Borac Nektar is set to return a familiar face. The club has agreed a deal with big guy Vladan Jocovic (211-C-82). Jocovic spent last season in Romania and he already played for Borac in the past. He is expected not to have problems adjusting and is seen as great reinforcement under the basket.
Vladan Jocovic started his career as member of Borac Nektar in 2001. In his second season with the club, he appeared in 11 Adriatic League games averaging 5.9 points and 2.5 rebounds. In 16 Bosnian league games, he has posted averages of 3.8 points. In 2005, after four seasons with Borac, Jocovic moved to Slovenia. He signed a deal with Geoplin Slovan. In 23 league matches, he averaged 5.9 points and 2.8 rebounds per contest. Following season, Jocovic signed a deal with St. Polten Haie in Austria. He had 12.3 points and 5.9 rebounds in 8 games there, before getting injured. In 2007, Jocovic returned to Bosnia, this time to Jedinstvo. He moved again in 2008 and his destination was Polish outfit Atlas Sal Ostrow. There he averaged 5.7 points and 4.2 rebounds in 32 games. Last season, Jocovic spent a year with U-Mobitelco Cluj in Romania. In 20 games he has scored 4.4 points and grabbed 3.5 rebounds per match.

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  CBL   


Miami Stars join CBL - by Eurobasket News
The Miami Stars have joined the CBL for the 2011 season; it was announced today by Continental Basketball League Commissioner Dennis Truax. The Stars will begin play in April 2011 and announce their venue at a later date.

The Stars are owned by Tony Spates. Spates will also man the sidelines for the Stars. Spates, a well-respected member of the Miami business community, is a former assistant coach at Palm Beach Atlantic University and with several local high schools. Under his direction, numerous players have been rated in the Top 50 for their graduating class and have also gone onto successful careers in Europe and overseas.

'I am greatly honored to be a part of the CBL,' said Spates. 'This is an up and coming league that does things the right way and that's the way we do things with the Stars. We will be active members of the community and provide vast opportunities for the local talent here in Miami as players and also as a part of our front office. I am looking forward to an outstanding year on and off the court with the Stars.'

'We are very happy to have the Stars on board with us for the upcoming season,' said CBL Commissioner Truax. 'The Stars are our third team in the Sunshine State and we are already preparing for quite the rivalry between them the Titans and the Flight. Mr. Spates is an accomplished businessman and coach and will have a great team on the floor and also in the front office. We are looking forward to having his franchise do great things in the CBL.'

For more information on the CBL go to www.cblhoopsonline.com and the Miami Stars at www.miamistars.com.

Courtesy of CBL

Palm Beach Titans joining CBL - by Eurobasket News
The Palm Beach Titans have joined the CBL for the 2011 season; it was announced today by Continental Basketball League Commissioner Dennis Truax. The Titans will begin play in April 2011 and play at the Northwood University located in West Palm Beach, Florida.

The Titans are owned by Avion Brown of West Palm Beach, Florida. Brown is presently the owner of the Palm Beach Mariners, a minor league football franchise playing in the SEFL and an active member of the Palm Beach community as a whole. Heading up the Titans front office will be General Manager Vincent Currie. The Titans have secured the services of local coaching legend Fred Brown as their first Head Coach. Charmaine Stringer has also been hired as the Titans Dance Coordinator for the 2011 season.

Already gearing up for the 2011 season, the Titans have secured the services of Orlando Hall and Carl Jenkins for their inaugural season. The Titans also expect to have point guard Leemire Goldwire on board after his return from Europe in 2011.

'We look forward to continuing the success of the Mariners on the basketball side with the Titans,' said Brown. 'We feel that we have a great foundation to build upon and the support we have received from the community has shown us that basketball will be successful in Palm Beach. We have a great facility at Northwood University and Coach Brown has already brought three great players to us for the new season. The season can't start soon enough for us here in Palm Beach.'

'The Titans join the Flight as we continue to grow our footprint into the state of Florida,' said CBL Commissioner Truax. 'Avion Brown has shown himself to be an outstanding owner and someone that can help the CBL move forward. He is an owner that gets things done and I know will have his team ready for every contest. We are very lucky to have him in the CBL.'

For more information on the CBL go to www.cblhoopsonline.com and the Palm Beach Titans at www.pbtitans.com.

Courtesy of CBL

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  CHINA   


Iran, Lebanon Take Clear Leads in Their Groups - by Arthur Volbert
Iran and Lebanon took clear leadership of their groups with 2-0 records. China will meet the Philippines tomorrow to decide the Group C leader while Japan will meet Yemen to decide who will lead Group D.

The Philippines edged Syria 61-60. This likely bodes well for China, which defeated Syria handily. But sometimes, especially in junior competition, the proficiency of one game does not carry over to the next.

Chinese Taipei 96 Malaysia 47
Lebanon 83 Kazakhstan 67
Korea 108 Qatar 38
Japan 78 Iraq 62
Philippines 61 Syria 60
Yemen 85 India 68
Iran 110 Sri Lanka 32
China 115 Saudi Arabia 60

GROUP A
Team W L Pts GA
I.R.Iran 2 0 4 2.01
Ch. Taipei 1 1 3 1.33
Malaysia 1 1 3 0.90
Sri Lanka 0 2 2 0.43

GROUP B
Team W L Pts GA
Lebanon 2 0 4 2.08
Korea 1 1 3 1.55
Kazakhstan 1 1 3 0.94
Qatar 0 2 2 0.30

GROUP C
Team W L Pts GA
China 2 0 4 1.82
Philippines 2 0 4 1.15
Syria 0 2 2 0.76
Saudi Arabia 0 2 2 0.64

GROUP D
Team W L Pts GA
Yemen 2 0 4 1.67
Japan 2 0 4 1.25
India 0 2 2 0.71
Iraq 0 2 2 0.69

China Destroys Saudi Arabia 115-60 in U-18 - by Arthur Volbert
China defeated Saudi Arabia 115-60 in the FIBA Asia Under-18 Championship. China led 26-14 after the first quarter and 66-24 at the half. The score was 91-45 after three quarters. China outshot Saudi Arabia 58 percent to 35 percent, outrebounded the Saudis 33 to 13 and had 17 assists to 7 for Saudi Arabia. The teams were tied in turnovers 16 to 16.

Guo Ailun led China with 23 points on 8 of 11 shooting. 213 cm Wang Zhelin (213-C-94), listed as born in 1994, had 15 points and 6 rebounds and appears to be the most effective of China's big men. 210 cm Xu Tao had 13 points and 5 rebounds. Wang Zirui scored 13, Sun Tonglin scored 12, Zhai Xiaochuan scored 11 and Wu Qian scored 10.

The only disappointment was 219 cm Li Muhao, who was fouled on his only shot attempt and had 1 point and 1 rebound in 14 minutes. Li's performance appears consistently to be far beneath his hype. Perhaps he is just a workout warrior, like Darko Milicic, and not the next Yao Ming as the hype has suggested.

Hadi Alnamer, Marzouq Almuwalled and Racan Barnawi each scored 8 for Saudi Arabia.



Link to box score:

http://www.fibalivestats.com/matches/4142/02/35/24/56ogUs2k3JWM/





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  COLOMBIA   


Standings
Copa Federacion Standings
 1. Bucaros 10-3 
 2. Arrieros 9-4 
 3. Canoneros 9-4 
 4. Cangrejeros 8-5 
 5. Piratas 7-6 
 6. Fast Break 4-9 
 7. Patriotas 4-9 
 8. Los Pastos 1-12 


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  CROATIA   


Zadar beats Crvena Zvezda in a friendly game - by Eurobasket News
Crvena Zvezda - Zadar 70-77

Zadar traveled to Belgrade to square off against Crvena Zvezda in a friendly game. In the end it was the Croatian outfit who celebrated 7-point margin win. Game started off even as both teams played good offensively. After trading basket for basket, it was the hosts who ended first period with 22-21. Zadar players turned their defensive intensity in the second frame and hosts failed to cope with it. Thanks to easy transition opportunities, Zadar players were able to build their first bigger lead. At the halftime the score stood at 35-40. After the breather, tempo of the match went down. Both teams struggled offensively, but Zadar was maintaining their lead. With 10 minutes left to play, visitors were still up 47-50. Than in the final quarter, both teams picked it up on the offensive end. Again both teams were hitting shots, but it was Zadar who held calmer nerves in the end. They routinely closed the game out for the final 70-77 win.
Pavle Marcinkovic (197-G-89) led Zadar with 14 points on the night. Brandon Brown (202-F-81, college: Tulane) added 12 points, while Jurica Golemac (209-F-77, agency: Beo Basket) chipped in 11 of his own. For Crvena Zvezda, Nemanja Nedovic (192-G-91, agency: Beo Basket) had a great game as he poured in 20 points. Lazar Radosavljevic (203-F-91, agency: Beo Basket) and Luka Drca (196-G-87, agency: Beo Basket, college: Utah) also reached double-digits as they scored 12 and 11 points respectively.

Crvena Zvezda: Nemanja Nedovic 20, Lazar Radosavljevic 12, Luka Drca 11
Zadar: Pavle Marcinkovic 14, Brandon Brown 12, Jurica Golemac 11

Dubrava gets Dario Saric on loan - by Eurobasket News
BC Zagreb is set to send Dario Saric (204-F/C-94) on loan. One of the most promising players in Croatia, signed with Zagreb last season and is seen as a long term project. He will spend next six months with BC Darda, where he is expected receive a chance to develop. This is seen as good move for everyone involved, but it remains to be seen whether the deal will be extended after six months.
Dario Saric is a product of BC Drazen Petrovic youth system. He made his professional debut during last season as member of BC Zrinjevac. In December of 2009, he was snapped by BC Zagreb as one of the most talented Croatian prospects. He appeared in 2 Adriatic league games and was scoring 1.0 ppg. At one point, Saric was one of the most sought young talents by most of European powerhouses. So far he has represented Croatia at youth level. In 2009 he played at the U16 European Championship in Lithuania, where in 9 games he has posted 11.3 points and 8.3 rebounds per game. In 2010, he played at the Albert Schweitzer Tournament where he also impressed. Also he led U16 Croatia to gold medal at the U16 European Championships in Montenegro. In 8 games, Saric has averaged 24.3 points, 11.5 rebounds and 5.8 assists per game. He was voted Torunament MVP for his performances and has also been awarded best forwards award. Saric also played with U18 Croatia at the U18 European Championships in Lithuania. In 9 games, he has averaged 12.8 points and 5.4 rebounds per game.

Cedevita too much for Zagreb in a friendly duel - by Eurobasket News
Cedevita - Zagreb CO 87-76

Cedevita and Zagreb played a control match in which hosts managed to secure 11-point margin win. Start of the game did not promise such finish, as both teams were close. Cedevita took the initial lead, but Zagreb players managed to catch up with them. After 10 minutes of play, visitors were holding onto 14-16 lead. Second period brought more closely contested game. Teams exchanged basket for basket for the most part, so at the halftime Zagreb was still up by 2 as the score stood at 32-34. In the third quarter, both teams increased their offensive intensity. Players from both teams were hitting almost every shot so after a high scoring period, Cedevita was able to take 1-point lead. Heading into the fourth quarter, hosts were up 60-59. Than in the final quarter, Cedevita players continued with same intensity while Zagreb players looked like they are running out of steam. Cedevita mounted a run which gave them their first double-digit lead of the game. Hosts were able to keep it and after the final buzzer they have celebrated 87-76 win.
Marino Bazdaric (197-G/F-78) led the winning side with 23 points in this game. Vedran Vukusic (206-F-82, college: Northwestern) followed with 15 points, while Dontaye Draper (180-G-84, college: Charleston) added 12 points of his own. On the other side, Luka Zoric (211-C/F-84) and Krunoslav Simon (197-G/F-85) stood out for Zagreb with 30 and 22 points respectively. Unfortunately they were the only players in double-digits as the next best scorer was Petar Babic (190-G-85) with 9 points.

Cedevita: Marino Bazdaric 23, Vedran Vukusic 15, Dontaye Draper 12
Zagreb: Luka Zoric 30, Krunoslav Simon 22, Petar Babic 9

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  D-LEAGUE   


Houston Rockets sign Antonio Anderson - by Eurobasket News
The NBA Development League Champion Rio Grande Valley Vipers announced on Wednesday that their parent club, the Houston Rockets, has signed guard Antonio Anderson (6'6''-G-85, college: Memphis), who played with the Vipers last season.

The Vipers' first round pick in the 2009 NBA Development League Draft. Anderson recorded the assist on Craig Winder's Championship-winning buzzer-beater on April 27 at State Farm Arena. He averaged 17.9 points, 6.0 rebounds and 7.1 assists per game in the postseason after averaging 16.2 points, 4.0 rebounds and 6.1 assists per game during the regular season. Anderson earned a GATORADE Call-Up the Oklahoma City Thunder during the season, signing two 10-day contracts. He also played for the Charlotte Bobcats in the 2010 AirTran Airways Pro Summer League in Orlando and the Denver Nuggets during the 2010 NBA Summer League in Las Vegas.

Anderson is one of four Vipers alumni in training camp with the Rockets, joining guards Aaron Brooks (6-0, 161, Oregon) and Jermaine Taylor (6-4, 210, Central Florida) as well as reigning NBA Development League Most Valuable Player and forward Mike Harris (6-6, 235, Rice). Brooks spent time with the Vipers during the 2007-08 season while Taylor and Harris played for the Vipers during the 2009-10 season.

The Rockets open training camp on Saturday at Toyota Center in Houston. The Rockets will shift Training Camp to State Farm Arena in Hidalgo on October 3 and 4 before hosting the Orlando Magic in their first pre-season game on October 5 at 7:30 p.m. on the Vipers' home court. Tickets are still available and can be purchased by calling the Vipers at 972-1144 or online at rgvipers.com.

Courtesy of The Rio Grande Valley Vipers

Utah Flash hire Assistant Coach Gene Cross - by Eurobasket News
The Utah Flash announced today the addition of Gene Cross to the coaching staff. Cross fills the vacancy left by Mark Madsen, who has taken a leave from basketball to further his education at Stanford University.

'I am very excited to announce the addition of Gene Cross to the Utah Flash family. He has a very successful track record as an assistant coach and brings valuable head coaching experience to the Flash as well,' said Head Coach Kevin Young. 'Gene is a very hard worker and he will be great with our players.'

Cross, 38, comes to the Flash after a long and productive career coaching college basketball. Cross played at the University of Illinois, and has coached at the University of Illinois-Chicago, Depaul, Virginia, Notre Dame, and the University of Toledo. Cross was an assistant under 2007 and 2008 Big East Coach of the Year, Mike Brey.

'We couldn't be happier to have a guy like Gene Cross on our staff,' said Team President Drew Sellers. 'By all accounts Gene is a team player, and will do whatever it takes to make our organization successful both on and off the court.'

In addition to his on the floor coaching experience, Cross has held leadership positions as President of the Assistant Coaches Board in the National Association of Basketball Coaches. Cross has also been a key player in recruiting and access guidelines in the NCAA during his 15 year coaching career.

The Utah Flash begins its season by traveling to play the Reno Bighorns on Nov. 20. The Flash home opener is Dec. 3 against the Austin Toros at the UCCU Center. Tipoff is at 7 p.m. Tickets can be purchased by calling 801-434-4667 or visiting www.utahflash.com.

Courtesy of The Utah Flash

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  DOMINICAN REPUBLIC   


LNB: Regular season is over - by Eurobasket News
The LNB regular season ended yesterday. In the last round Tiburones was better than Metros 97-93, while Caneros blasted Cocolos 102-82. Kelvin Pena (193-G-80, college: Southeastern CC) was the leading player in Tiburones with 32 points and 9 rebounds. Mostly owing to him, they finished regular season with 6-3 record. Caneros had Maurice Carter (183-G-83, college: Robert Morris) in a game mood against Cocolos. He spent 35 minutes on the court draining 31 points. As a part of Round 9, Metros outsmarted Indios SF 102-98 and Leones SD grabbed tiny 73-71 win against Caneros.
Metros is the winner of Group North with 6-3 record. They will skip the Group Semifinals and will join at the next stage. Tiburones also had six wins but ended as No.2, while third ranked team is Indios SF with 4-5 record. It means that Tiburones and Indios will meet each other in Group Semis. First game is scheduled for today.
In Group South, there is a three way tie on top with 5-4 record. However, Caneros are No.1 and they already booked a spot for the Group Finals. Cocolos is No.2 and Titanes is third ranked team, so they will play against each other in the Group Semis. First game is scheduled for tomorrow.

Standings - District National
LNB Standings
North Division
 1. Metros 6-3 
 2. Tiburones 6-3 
 3. Indios SF 4-5 
 4. Reales 2-7 
South Division
 1. Caneros 5-4 
 2. Cocolos 5-4 
 3. Titanes 5-4 
 4. Leones SD 3-6 


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  EGYPT   


Egypt edge Morocco to enter championship game - by Eurobasket News
Egypt - Morocco 75:56

Egypt will play in the championship game of the Arab Nations Cup. Yesterday they held off Morocco in the first semifinal of the tournament. Egypt will now take on Lebanon for the title.
Egypt played some stifling defense in the opening quarter. They limited Morocco to 13 points and ensured a 3-point lead ten minutes into the encounter. Both teams increased the tempo in the second term. Egypt stayed in charge as they fired 23 points. The halftime scoreboard read 39:32 for Egypt. Morocco tried to change the complexion of the battle in the third stanza. They narrowed the deficit at 6-point mark with one quarter to go. But Egypt stormed past their opponents in the fourth quarter. They fired 23 points and rallied to the victory at the end.
Amro Sherif (192-G-91) stepped up with 15 points to pace Egypt. Ramy Gunady (185-G-81) added 12 points, while Haytham Kamal (207-F-87) notched 6 points in the win. Abdelhakim Zouita (201-F-86) responded with 11 points for Morocco. Zakaria El Masbahi (191-G-79) accounted for 10 points in the losing effort.

Egypt: Amro Sherif 15, Ramy Gunady 12, Haytham Kamal 6
Morocco: Abdelhakim Zouita 11, Zakaria El Masbahi 10


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  EUROLEAGUE   


Montepaschi Siena keeps Marco Carraretto until 2013 - by Eurobasket News
Montepaschi Siena reached a new agreement with Marco Carraretto (196-G-77, agency: Players Group) to stay together until the end of the 2012-13 season. The experienced combo guard already spent four consecutive years with the Italian powerhouse. In 2009/10, he played 16 Euroleague games for the club registering 1.8 ppg. In SerieA, Carraretto increased his numbers to 4 ppg and 1 rpg in 40 games. Since he joined the club in 2006, Carraretto was very useful player in rotation. His best season with Montepaschi so far was 2008/09, when he had 3.5 ppg and 1.1 rpg for 11 games in Euroleague. That season he also had 3.7 ppg and 1.4 rpg for 38 games in Italy. Carraretto, who is a fan favourite due to his hustle and fighting spirit, was already under contract and set to start his fifth season with Montepaschi, but they agreed to extend that deal for two more years. Marco Carraretto helped Montepaschi to win four straight titles in Italy. They also celebrated twice in Italian National Cup, three times in SuperCup and they reached Euroleague Final Four in 2008. Before Monpetaschi, Carraretto spent almost two years with Leche Rio Breogan in Spain. He also played for Tau Ceramica one month. In the past, Carraretto was a member of Biella, Verona, Udine, Mestre and Benetton Treviso.
Marco Carraretto played for the Italian National Team this summer. He appeared 10 times in Qualifications to European Championships 2011 averaging 3.9 points, 2.5 rebounds and 1 assists.

Zalgiris Kaunas inks Tomas Delininkaitis - by Eurobasket News
Zalgiris Kaunas came up with important news yesterday. The Lithuanian outfit signed a three-season deal (2+1) with guard Tomas Delininkaitis (192-G-82, agency: Interperformances). The 28-year-old player was a member of the Lithuanian National Team, who won the Bronze in Turkey this summer. He appeared 9 times for his country posting averages of 7.6 points, 1.8 rebounds and 1.8 assists.
Tomas Delininkaitis returns to Lithuanian league after three seasons abroad. He started the latest one in Spain with Murcia registering 7.6 ppg, 1.9 rpg and 1.4 apg for them in 21 games. In April, Delininkaitis agreed a deal in Greece with PAOK Thessaloniki. There he had 10.3 ppg, 2 rpg and 2.2 apg for 6 games. Season 2008/09, Delininkaitis started with Azovmash, but after just few games moved to Budivelnyk Kyiv. He appeared 30 for them in Ukrainian league averaging 17.3 points, 2.4 rebounds and 3.8 assists. In 2007/08 he had 10.1 ppg and 2.4 rpg for Azovmash in Superlague.
Tomas Delininkaitis grew up with the Lithuanian team Neptunas Klaipeda. He left them in 2003 for Lietuvos Rytas Vilnius, where he stayed four years. He helped Rytas to win Baltic league title in 2006 and 2007. They also won the ULEB Cup trophy in 2005 and Lithuanian league in 2006. With Azovmash, Delininkaitis won the Ukrainian league title and National Cup in 2008.

Asseco Prokom lands NBA player Bobby Brown - by Eurobasket News
Asseco Prokom announced signing of Bobby Brown (188-G-84, agency: Priority Sports, college: Cal.St. Fullerton) to a one-year deal. The American guard is back to Europe after two years in NBA. He started the latest one with the New Orleans Hornets averaging 6.6 points and 2.1 rebounds for 22 games. In January, Brown moved to the Los Angeles Clippers adding 3.5 ppg, 1 rpg and 2.1 apg in 20 appearances. On season 2008/09, Brown also changed two teams. He had 5.2 ppg and 1.9 apg for 47 games with the Sacramento Kings, where he played until February of 2008. Than he was traded to the Wolves, where he added 4.7 ppg and 1.4 apg in 19 games.
Bobby Brown played for ALBA Berlin on season 2007/08 helping them to win the German title. He appeared 45 times for the club collecting 13.8 ppg, 2.6 rpg and 3.7 apg. ALBA also participated in ULEB Cup that season, where Brown was even better registering 16 ppg, 2.6 rpg and 4.2 apg for 10 games.
Bobby Brown is a product of the California State Fullerton University, where he graduated in 2007. In his senior season Brown has 20.2 ppg, 2.7 rpg and 5.1 apg. His new team will compete in PLK and Euroleague next season. They managed to defend the title in Poland and to reach the Euroleague Quarterfinals in 2009/10.

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  FINLAND   


KORISLIIGA: John Williamson next in Finland - by Rauno Hurmalainen
American Center John Williamson (198-C-86, college: Cincinnati) has signed and will join with Honka (Espoo) roster to play both in Top League (Korisliiga) in Finland and in the VTB United League in Eastern Europe. Williamson has played earlier pro basketball in France, Poland, Sweden and Philippines. VTB United League will be a new experience for a Finnish Team (Honka). The opponents come from seven different countries: Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland.

KORISLIIGA: Five teams want to win it all - by Rauno Hurmalainen
Basketball season 2010-11 is ready to start. Tomorrow. 12 teams in Top League (Korisliiga) playing 44 rounds and 264 games already during the regular season (September 24 - March 26). Then the play-off-games for the eight best and the Finnish Champion will be clear by May 4. All together 36 foreigner players on the rosters starting the new season among them many familiar faces. Five teams anxious to win it all being also the favourite teams: Honka (Espoo), Kataja (Joensuu), KTP (Kotka), Pyrinto (Tampere) and Torpan Pojat (Helsinki). Only one foreigner Head Coach (Miguel Lopez, ToPo) and The Grand 'Old Man' Jarmo Laitinen, 56, (YMCA Lappeenranta) starting his 17th season as Head Coach in Finland.

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  FRANCE   


Limoges CSP brings in American Awvee Storey - by Eurobasket News
Limoges CSP announced signing of Awvee Storey (198-G/F-77, agency: Priority Sports, college: Arizona St.) for the upcoming season. At the same time, the French squad parted ways with Strahinja Milosevic (203-F-85, agency: Beo Basket), who spent last week on try-out.
The 33-year-old Awvee Storey is coming to Limoges CSP from the Philippines, where he played for Barangay Ginebra Kings. He appeared five times for them posting averages of 24 points, 17.6 rebounds and 2 assists. Season 2009/09 he started with the New Zealand Breakers, but they parted ways in November. In 9 games he had 7.8 ppg and 5.1 rpg. Before the above mentioned teams, Storey played one season in China with Liaoning Panpan Hunters. He appeared 44 times in CBA averaging 23.3 ppg and 7.1 rpg.
Awvee Storey is a player with NBA experience. He spent 2007/08 season with the Milwaukee Bucks averaging 3.5 points and 2.1 rebounds for them in 26 games. In the past he also played for the New Jersey Nets and Washington Wizards. In Europe, Storey was a member of New Yorker Phantoms Braunschweig. Awvee Storey is a product of the Arizona State University, where he graduated in 2002. He played in Korea and Venezuela after that. In 2005, Storey helped Wonju TG Sambo Xers to win the Korean championship.

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  FYR MACEDONIA   


Pero Blazevski returns to Rabotnicki - by Eurobasket News
Rabotnicki has continued to strengthen its roster for the upcoming season. After recently agreeing a deal with Toni Simic (210-C-76), club is ready to bring back another familiar face. According to the reports from FYROM media, Rabotnicki will sign contract with Pero Blazevski (200-C-72). Experienced forward has spent whole summer working out with the team and is looking set to sing a deal for the upcoming season. Blazevski would be a great reinforcement for Rabotnicki who is looking to build a respectable roster for this season.
Pero Blazevski started his career with Rabotnicki, making his debut during 1990-1991 season. After 4 seasons with the club and National Title in 1994, he moved to MZT Skopje in 1996 where he averaged 17.6 points and 3.7 rebounds. Later, Blazevski averaged 19.2 points and 3.4 rebounds in his second stint with Rabotnicki adding another National Title to his pocket. In his career, Blazevski also played for the likes of Gostivar, Kumanovo, Lusitania dos Acores, Prishtina and Helios Domzale, before signing with Mabetex Prishtine at the start of 2005-2006 season. Two seasons later, Blazevski returned to FYROM and has helped Vardar Osiguruvanje to win the National Cup in 2007. Last season, Blazevski appeared in 30 games for Vardar Osiguruvanje averaging 11.9 points and 4.1 rebounds. He was also a regular member of FYROM National Team from 1998-2009. He represented FYROM at the 2009 EuroBasket in Poland. At this event, Blazevski played in 7 games and has averaged 3.1 points and 1.1 rebounds per game.

Jane Petrovski set to remain with MZT Skopje - by Eurobasket News
MZT Skopje has secured a great reinforcement for the upcoming season. The club has reached an agreement with member of FYROM National Team Jane Petrovski (181-G-87, agency: 011 Sports). The deal has been struck for one season to mutual delight. Janevski was hoping to continue his career aboard, but when MZT Skopje showed their resolve to build a contending team he has decided to stay. This will be the second stint for Janevski with MZT Skopje and he will be looked upon to bring stability at the guard position. Janevski will join his new teammates immediately.
Jane Petrovski started his career with Nikol Fert Gostivar. He made his debut during 2002-2003 season in a Regional Challenge Cup match scoring 12 points. Following season he moved to Mac 91 Polo Trade Strumica and one year later he was snapped up by MZT Skopje. He gradually improved his game and as result he was voted All-Macedonian League Honorable Mention in 2008. Following season he signed with Ukrainian outfit Gryfony Symferopil. In 38 League matches he posted averages of 13.2 points and 4.4 assists per game. Last season he started with Gryphony for whom he played in 9 matches and has averaged 3.9 points and 1.2 rebounds. In February of 2010, Petrovski signed a deal with Bulgarian outfit Rilski Sportist. He averaged 7.6 points and 3.0 assists per game in 20 matches played.

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  GERMANY   


Ahmad Smith continues his career in Dortmund - by Moritz Korff
Regionalliga West outfit SVD 49 Dortmund has made a spectacular signing, tying up a deal with Ahmad Smith (194-G-84, college: St.Bonaventure). The reigning Eurobasket.com All-2. Bundesliga Pro B Player of the Year was set to play for Wuerzburg in the Pro A in this upcoming season, but parted company with the club during pre-season. Smith is an extremely versatile and well-rounded player and should be outstanding in the RLW. In 2008 he spent some time in Dortmund before making the move to Wulfen. In 2009-2010 Smith averaged 18.2 points, 8.7 rebounds and 7.1 assists per contest for Pro B side Hertener Loewen.

The Giessen 46ers Sign Chase Griffin - by Miles Schmidt-Scheuber
The Giessen 46ers waited some time, but were able to get a solid BEKO BBL player with Chase Griffin (188-G-83, college: Pepperdine). Griffin is a 27 year old 188cm combo guard from Sammamish, Washington. Last season, he played in Hagen playing 33 games: 13.5ppg, 3.2rpg, 2.3apg, FGP: 47.1%, 3PT: 33.6%, FT: 83.5%. Griffin is expected to arrive Saturday in Giessen. 'We are very pleased to get a player like him shortly before the season starts. He showed his playing ability lasts eason in the BEKO BBL: With his playing style, he will give our team at the smaller positions more quality and depth', stressed Giessen coach Vladimir Bogojevic .

Griffin started his basketball career at Pepperdine (NCAA) in 2002 and played there until 2007. In his senior year, he played 31 games: 15.7ppg, 4.4rpg, 2.0apg, 1.7spg, FGP: 43.3%, 3Pts: 37.3%, FT: 80.7%. In 2007-2008, he came to Germany and started his professional basketball career with Phoenix Hagen playing 15.7ppg, 4.6rpg, 3.3apg, 1.4spg, 2FGP: 44.4%, 3FGP: 41.5%, FT: 76.1%. In 2008-2009, he remained with Phoenix Hagen (PRO A) playing 28 games: 16.9ppg, 3.9rpg, 4.3apg, FGP: 56.0%, 3PT: 40.5%, FT: 78.1%. Some awards that he has won in his career are as follows with WCC Tournament Semifinals -04, All-WCC Honorable Mention -07, Eurobasket.com All-German 2.Bundesliga Pro A All-Imports Team -09, Eurobasket.com All-German 2.Bundesliga Pro A 1st Team -09, and German 2.Bundesliga Pro A Runner-Up -09.

Source: Giessen 46ers

OTB signs NAIA All-American Scott Buschman - by Moritz Korff
Oldenburger TB (Regionalliga North) has completed the signing of Scott Buschman (201-F, college: Viterbo). The 23-year-old made the 2009-10 NAIA Division 2 All-America First Team following a stellar senior campaign at Viterbo University. Buschman, who hails from Naperville, Illinois, appeared in 29 games for the V-Hawks during this past season, leading the team in points per contest (20.4ppg), rebounding (11.3rpg) and blocked shots (1.2bpg). The 23-year-old is a very athletic player who can get the job done both inside and outside.

Canada's leading rebounder joins SC Rist - by Moritz Korff
SC Rist Wedel (2. Bundesliga Pro B) has bolstered its roster by bringing in Canadian power forward Mitch Leger (198-F-87, college: Queen's University). The 23-year-old out of Kingston, Ontario completed his college career at Queen's University (CIS) earlier this year. He comes to Wedel with some outstanding numbers under his belt. In the 2009/2010 season Leger scored 20.4 points per contest for the Gaels and led the CIS in rebounding (11.9rpg). If things work out as planned he could make his debut for SC Rist on gameday one against Wolfenbuettel.

The Brose Baskets Bamberg Test Michael Crowell - by Miles Schmidt-Scheuber
Shortly before the start of the BEKO BBL season, The Brose Baskets Bamberg have announced that they are giving Michael Crowell (201-F-85, college: Idaho) a 10 day tryout. Crowell is a 24 year old 201cm forward with the American-German nationality. Last season, he played for the SAMG Verve Scottish Rocks (United Kingdom-BBL): 32 games: 8.7ppg, 3.6rpg, 1.1apg, FGP: 52.6%, 3PT: 42.8%, FT: 65.2%. He already has played in Germany and gained expereince in Spain for Alerta Cantabria Lobos (Spain-LEB Bronze, starting five), Spanish League: 11 games: 2.1ppg; in Jan.'09 moved to BC Scholz Recycling Weissenhorn (Germany-Regionalliga): 11 games: 12.0ppg. The idea to bring in Crowell has to do with letting him also play for farm team TSV Troster Breitengussbach and give relief to some of the young Germans in the team that have the double license. Crowell played at Blinn college and at Central Arizona college before transfereing to Idaho. In his senior year at Idaho, he played 28 games: 10.9ppg, 5.3rpg, 1.5apg, FGP: 44.1%, 3Pts: 45.9%, FT: 79.1%. He is expected to play tonight in a test game against FC Bayern Munich.

Source: Brose Baskets Bamberg



The Deutsche Bank Skyliners Win Their 8th Preseason Game In A Row Controlling EnBW Ludwigsburg 75-58 - by Miles Schmidt-Scheuber
For many the number seven is a lucky number and the seven game winning streak of Frankfurt must of given the team some sort of special hidden fortune similar to the New York Jets 18-0 second half run and win against The New England Patriots, or for singer Chris Brown letting his number one track Deuces bring back the ladies to him forgetting his fist attacks on Rihanna or English soccer god Wayne Rooney getting back his wife despite having given the word excessive compulsive cheating a new meaning as The Deutsche Bank Skyliners dismantled EnBW Ludwigsburg 75-58. Despite the number 7 and the winning streak, no players felt that the digit had anything to do with the success of Frankfurt on the court. It is preseason and this winning streak doesnt really mean anything. If we start the season winning seven games then we can talk about a winning streak, stressed Frankfurt center Marius Nolte. I dont know about number seven, but my lucky number is 20 and I dont believe in superstitions. The winning streak has helped us giving confidence and courage to win games which we will need in Bamberg, warned Skyliner guard Jimmy Mckinney. I dont really have a lucky number. Maybe their seven game winning streak helped Frankfurt. It will help Frankfurt going into the season being a good confidence booster, stressed Ludwigsburg point guard Jerry Green.

Frankfurt won their 8th game in a row and were never in doubt of losing. We had a solid effort tonight and played great team defense and offense. We are still trying to put together some pieces, but we looked good as a team. Missing Dabbert and Tez really hurts, but we have to keep up the intensity to be successful, warned Jimmy Mckinney. EnBW forward Johannes Lischka was the first player out of the showers and was sitting on a chair at the bench waiting for his teammates looking as if he had seen 10 ghosts in shapes of Skyliners and was very direct about the poor play of his team. We defended bad, had too many turnovers and had no fast break play and no easy points. Frankfurt is a good team and when you dont execute well then you wont get more than 60 points, expressed Johannes Lischka.

This season marks the return of EnBW Ludwigsburg fan favourite Jerry Green who had played in Belgium and Italy the last three years. Green had played in Ludwigsburg from 2004-2007 and had helped his team be one of the surprise teams in the 2006-2007 season. The face of Green looked fresh and one could sense that he is hungry once again to tear up the BEKO BBL this season. It is good to be back in Germany. Seeing the fans feels like being home again. It was a good time to go away in 2007 to see new cultures and places and other competitive leagues. But On the economic side Germany has always been stable. It may not pay much, but at least you get your money, commented Jerry Green. Green who is from Pomona, California may be 30y ears old and not as fast and flashy as in his first time with Ludwigsburg from 2004-2007, but he will have another strength to present this season. I have more experience now. I might not be as fast anymore, but I play more a slow down game and see the court better. In crunch time situations, I am stronger at leading my team to victory, warned Jerry Green.

For some Skyliner fans, it was also the first time seeing new forward Carlos Powell who was brought in to bring some scoring punch to the team. Powell who is from Florence, South Carolina had been a scorer in Portugal, New Zealand, Korea, China and the D-League finished with 7 points, four rebounds and two assists in 22 minutes, but knows that he can still show more brilliance in his game. It feels good to be here, but it was not my best game tonight. I still have to get adjusted to the game, refs and players and once I do that it should be a very good situation here for me, said Carlos Powell. The 27 year old reminds one of ex Skyliner Chris Williams and at times looked as if he could hide behind John Bowler, but kept his own against the bigger players. I played a lot of three in college and here the four position. I use my speed and quickness to be successful. Big guys tend to want to bang you around, but you cant let them feel you. You have to mess with their heads, joked Carlos Powell. Scoring may be his big strength, but with Dabbert out, will bring his other strength into use. I may be undersized, but I am a good rebounder which not many know, commented Powell.

EnBW Ludwigsburg played their best basketball in the first few minutes as they shocked Frankfurt going out on a 7-0 lead. Sharp shooter and 1995 NCAA champion with UCLA Toby Bailey got the attack going with a three pointer, which was followed by NBA draft pick Rick Rickert with an easy lay up and another jumper by Bailey. It seemed like Frankfurt was sitting back dreaming about their 7 game winning streak instead of getting going. However Frankfurt got their heads out of the sand and as if coach Gordie Herbert had blown a horn signalling the team to finally start playing exploded out on a 17-2 run to lead 17-9. Jimmy Mckinney got the ball rolling with a jumper getting a nice dish out from Dashaun Wood, Ajene Moye (193-G-82, college: Indiana) hit a mid distance jumper, Mckinney a runner and Marius Nolte a free throw and all of a sudden the game was dead locked at 9-9. Frankfurt didnt stop their to marvel in their current success, but kept the pressure on as the club showed their offense versatility as Kimmo Muurinen hit a jumper and Moye scoring inside off a quick Mckinney feed. Frankfurt was outworking Ludwigsburg inside as Muurinen made a tip in off a Mckinney miss and Moye snatched an offensive rebound off a Wood miss. Frankfurt led 17-9 and looked like they were just getting heated up. Jerry Green then demonstrated that he can create his own shot and make a difficult fade away jumper cutting the Frankfurt lead to 17-12. A luxury for Frankfurt this season will be bringing in captain Pascal Roller and telling him to play his own version of horse and just let him take shots from outside. He found the hot hand quickly burying a jumper as The Deutsche Bank Skyliners led 20-12 after one quarter.

The Deutsche Bank Skyliners kept the momentum and intensity in the second quarter as they kept the comfortable lead and could sub in players at their leisure while EnBW Ludwigsburg only had a slim 8 man rotation. Dominik Bahiense De Mello hit a three pointer for the 23-14 Frankfurt lead. Frankfurt also played smart team basketball as Roller caught Ludwigsburg napping and fired a pass to Powell on the fast break who had snuck ahead of the pack for the easy layup. German David Mccray showed flashes of brilliance which sooner or later will get him an invitation to the German National team as he nailed a catch and pop jumper as he got around the block about as quickly as Randy Moss can out run corner backs on the football field. Powell reacted with a three pointer as Frankfurt led 28-17. Ludwigsburg then got some luck, but also a heads up play by Mccray as he fetched a loose ball and had a free runway to the hoop making a thunderous dunk which might have awoken the one or other bird napping on the BCM roof. EnBW Ludwigsburg then had some productive minutes cutting the Frankfurt lead to 30-24 as Lischka posted up against Powell and made a quick move and fingertip roll for two points and John Bowler made a dunk off a nice Bailey feed. However this hardly fazed Frankfurt as they finished the second quarter with a 11-5 run to lead 41-29 at the halftime break. In the last minutes, the Frankfurt game was helped with immaculate defense as Moye made a steal and went coast to coast, Muurinen hit a three pointer and Mckinney made a steal and Wood scored on the fast break as Frankfurt led 37-24. Bowler and Moye then traded baskets twice. Bowler who is known for making spectacular but difficult unorthodox baskets scored a semi hook shot high off the glass and a lay in and Moye scored twice inside as Ludwigsburg continued to have problems getting any stops inside. At halftime, The Deutsche Bank Skyliners were shooting 67% from the field and 50% from outside while EnBW Ludwigsburg were shooting 60& from the field and 40% from outside. Ludwigsburg had the slight 10-8 rebound edge and three turnovers while Frankfurt had two.

In the third quarter, The Deutsche Bank Skyliners continued to have control over the game and one had the kind of feeling that the boys of coach Gordie Herbert could do nothing really wrong which would put their comfortable lead in jeopardy. Ajene Moye got the third quarter going with a tough fade away jumper and Nolte hit two rare free throws on this day as Frankfurt led 45-29. Ludwigsburg seemed like they might get back into the game as Rick Rickert who has been with the club less than a week and could be the go to guy scored inside and Bailey sunk a three pointer as Frankfurt only led 45-34. However Frankfurt had too much fire power as they rarely missed or even had a weak spurt in the game. Mckinney sunk a pair of free throws twice and Wood made a floater and scored inside as Frankfurt was starting to run away with the game leading 53-36. Powell made a runner and it was a fact that Frankfurt could do almost everything on this day except find Paris Hilton in the stands watching, because most everything worked. After three quarters Frankfurt led 58-41.

In the fourth quarter The Deutsche Bank Skyliners would be able to lead by 20 points, but also let Ludwigsburg cut the lead back to nine points, but also quickly got the lead back up as the game ended. De Mello made a mid distance jumper and Grayson Moyer nailed a three pointer as Frankfurt led 63-44. The Frankfurt defense didnt give any free room and whenever Ludwigsburg shot it was nearly always a forced shot. Here and there a forced shot like the one from Rickert went in as a bank shot. Very rarely did Frankfurt have break downs, but Ludwigsburg found cracks and mustered a 4-0 run as Bowler scored inside and Sebastian Greene made a dunk off a Jerry Green pass as Frankfurt only led 65-50. Ludwigsburg continued their stronger play and continued their run getting consecutive points from Rickert who made a fancy turn around left handed lay in and then played cherry picker standing under the hoop and getting a loose ball gift for two points. Greene then made a mid distance jumper as Ludwigsburg had cut the lead to 65-56. However with time running out, Frankfurt finished the game strong going on a 10-2 run to go home with an 8 game winning streak. The Frankfurt offense was well oiled and rehearsed as De Mello made two open three pointers and Pascal Roller one.

The Deutsche Bank Skyliners ahd four players in double figures as Ajene Moye had 14 points on 6/6 shooting. Dominik Bahiense De Mello chipped in with 11 points. Jimmy Mckinney and Pascal Roller added 10 points a piece. EnBW Ludwigsburg were led by Rick Rickert with 16 points and nine rebounds. Jerry Green and John Bowler chipped in with 11 points a piece.

All in all, The Deutsche Bank Skyliners played a strong game with good shooting and top notch defense while EnBW Ludwigsburg were weak in many parts of the game and simply were no real competition for Frankfurt on this day. Frankfurt finished the game shooting 49% from the field and 43% from the parking lot whiel EnBW Ludwigsburg shot 46% from the field and 33% from the parking lot. Ludwigsburg did win the rebounding duel 31-28, but considering the size and strength of the guests and Joe Dabbert watching in street clothes, Frankfurt gave their best under the boards. We need to get our chemistry. We still do not know where our strentghes are. I hope we can find them in the next weeks and be ready for the first game, warned Ex Phoenix Sun Toby Bailey. We missed Alex Harris today. We had a small rotation. We still need some time to get it together. We showed at times what we can do on the court. We still have to work on defense. We have experienced players to be successful, stressed EnBW Ludwigsburg sport director Mario Probst. Frankfurt is ready for the season and showed that they are not afraid of losing. Our strength at the moment is our confidence. We know as a team that we cant be successful without each other, stressed Jimmy Mckinney. The Brose Baskets Bamberg host The Deutsche Bank Skyliners in the Champions Cup September 25th at 20:00.

Mark MacDonald shines in Germany debut - by Moritz Korff
Mark MacDonald (206-F/C-85, college: Brown) has made his debut for Regionalliga West newcomer Citybasket McSolar Recklinghausen this past weekend. Shortly after having landed in Germany the 25-year-old forward/center from Lexington, MA stepped on the court for his new team and didn't show any sign of being jetlagged. MacDonald contributed a team best 25 points and 8 rebounds in almost 34 minutes played, but could not fend off the Bochum AstroStars who prevailed 76-74. MacDonald graduated from Brown University (NCAA1) in 2008. Michael Selling (203-F-86, college: Sacramento St.) had worked out with Citybasket during the summer as well, but eventually the coaching staff decided to waive him and bring in MacDonald instead.

Fuller and Gray in Crailsheim - by Moritz Korff
Kameron Gray (186-G-82, agency: Union Sports, college: Oklahoma City) and Reggie Fuller (198-F-86, college: Binghamton) are the latest newcomers to the 2010-2011 Crailsheim Merlins squad. Both players are expected to put on the Merlins' jersey for the first time on Saturday, when the Crailsheim team takes on the UBC Hannover Tigers on gameday one of the 2. Bundesliga Pro A.
Gray has spent his first two years of pro basketball in Switzerland, shooting hoops for SAM Basket Massagno in this past season. The 28-year-old guard scored an average of 15.5 points through 25 LNA encounters, dished out 4.4 assists, pulled down 3.8 rebounds and had 2.9 steals a game. Prior to moving to Europe the Fremont, CA native won two NAIA National Championship titles with Oklahoma City University.
Fuller comes off a solid Pro A season with the Cuxhaven BasCats. He averaged 12.8 points and 7 boards per contest, while being named to the Eurobasket.com All-2. Bundesliga Pro A 2nd Team and Defensive Team.

Ukeagu agrees to terms with BG Karlsruhe - by Moritz Korff
Only two days prior to the start of the 2010-2011 season BG Karlsruhe (2. Bundesliga Pro A) completed the signing of Ezenwa Ukeagu (203-C/F-81, college: Washington St.). The American of Nigerian descent is no stranger to German basketball fans, as he played for the Duesseldorf Magics from 2004 until 2007. Ukeagu is well-known as a defense-minded athlete with outstanding presense in the painted area and as an above average rebounder. During the 2009-2010 campaign the 2004 graduate of Washington State University appeared in 34 games for Saint Vallier Basket Drome of France and averaged 6.8 points as well as 6.3 boards in the French second division.

Can The Deutsche Bank Skyliners Win Their First Title In Bamberg After Failing In 2005 And 2010? - by Miles Schmidt-Scheuber

A fifth game final two point loss compared to a Champions Cup final game is about as different in meaning as Lebron James playing in a Lakers uniform than in a Heat uniform, The USA mens national team winning against a team with five Kobe Bryants than against the Turkish national team or Paris Hilton taking an Iberia commercial flight from Los Angeles to Madrid rather than lear private jet, but a game is a game and for The Deutsche Bank Skyliners winning anytime in Bamberg is like winning a lottery even if it is only a meaningless preseason game. Frankfurt play Bamberg in the Champions Cup on Saturday and enter the game with an 8 game winning streak and with their confidence as sky high as 20 Sears towers in Chicago staked on top of each other. Frankfurt lost two finals to Bamberg last season including a bitter fifth game final by two points and a cup final and some players like Pascal Roller (180-G-76) Dominik Bahiense de Mello (190-G-85, agency: Pro One Sports) and Grayson Moyer (196-G-86, agency: Hart Sports Mngm, college: Humboldt St.) may have the two games in the back of their heads, but for the new players like Carlos Powell (199-F-83, college: S.Carolina), DaShaun Wood (185-G-85, college: Wright St.) or Kimmo Muurinen (202-F-81, college: UALR), it will just be another game. 'Game 5 was a very tough loss for the players. One or two free throws made and the game might have been different. I think this is a game that no player will ever forget. I wont forget it. Frankfurt must win the Champions Cup', stressed ex Skyliner Dragan Labovic (207-C/F-87).

One cant dwell on the past, but look ahead as the 2010-2011 BEKO BBL season is just around the corner and The Deutsche Bank Skyliners go into the season with question marks a few months ago, but now with the preseason almost completed seem to have a very interesting roster that could surprise a lot of people. It is no secret that the club had to cut their players budget for this season and it was no surprise that key players like Derrick Allen (203-F-80, agency: Pro One Sports, college: Mississippi) Aubrey Reese (183-G-78, agency: Interperformances, college: Murray St.) and Seth Doliboa (203-F-80, agency: Hart Sports Mngm, college: Wright St.) went elsewhere where there was more bread growing on trees. Despite the lack of funds, it seems like coach Gordon Herbert has done a fine job finding solid players that already seem to have a special chemistry brewing in preseason. 'Frankfurt is a talented and well coached team with a healthy mix of youth and experience. Frankfurt looks very balanced and they had a big challenge getting good players for less money and they seem to have done the maximum. The team looks pretty good so far', warned Giessen 46er center Jannik Freese (211-F/C-86)

The team has brought back captain Pascal Roller who will be playing his 11th season in Frankfurt. Last season, he played 46 games averaging 8.5ppg, 2.0rpg, 2.7apg, FGP: 44.3%, 3PT: 40.0%, FT-1 (90.8%). As the older he gets, the less of a role he has, but he is still the first option in crunch time for that big shot. This season, he can play the position two again and work on swishing shots since DaShaun Wood will carry the bulk at the point guard position. Dominik Bahiense de Mello is back for his 6th season and last year played 43 games averaging 2.6ppg. The shooting guard position always seems to be filled and that wont be any different this season, but with age and experience playing time could still rise. 'It seems like this years team is differently coached than the end of last season despite the same coach. I think that De Mello will get his chance this year and show the good quality that he has', added ex Braunschweig center Jannik Freese The team also brought back Marius Nolte (206-C-81, agency: Limelight Hoops) who will be playing his second season in Frankfurt. Last season in a reduced role, he played 28 games: 2.5ppg, 1.0rpg. Already in preseason, he has shown that he wants to play more with very good results including 11 points in the final in Trier. Nolte will get his chance in the next weeks since new center Joe Dabbert (210-C-81, college: Creighton) is injured and will return in 3-4 weeks. Nolte has a big heart and has the confidence of colleagues as well. 'He can become a factor if he can fullfill his role. He can definitely help Frankfurt with his spirit and fighting mentality', stated Jannik Freese The team received a shock as Quantez Robertson was injured and will miss 6-8 weeks. The spark plug on defense played 48 games last season averaging 6.0ppg, 4.0rpg, 2.1apg, 1.3spg, FGP: 49.3%, 3PT: 35.6%, FT: 60.0%. Last week, the club also brought back Grayson Moyer (196-G-86, agency: Hart Sports Mngm, college: Humboldt St.) who is a very versatile player with the deadly pass, shot and will dive into the third row even if there is a bee hive there. Last season, he played 44 games averaging 5.2ppg, 2.0rpg, 1.8apg, FGP: 49.4%, 3PT: 34.4%, FT: 63.0%. Jimmy McKinney (192-G-83, agency: Strategic Sports, college: Missouri) will be playing his 5th s eason with The Deutsche Bank Skyliners. Last season, he played 39 games: 5.7ppg, 1.4rpg, 1.1apg, FGP: 53.0%, 3PT: 40.3%, FT: 71.4%. He has been plagued with injuries the last years and is still trying to find the form of his rookie season where he averaged 12.3ppg, 3.2rpg, 1.6apg, 2FGP: 44.9%, 3FGP: 38.5%, FT: 77.2%. He came to life at the end of las tseason as coach Gordon Herbert arrived. Since his arrival last season, Mckinney scored in double figures 8 times in the last 18 games. His confidence is as strong as ever and this could be his breakout season.

The Deutsche Bank Skyliners added five new players. The first signing was experienced BEKO BBL player Ajene Moye (193-G-82, college: Indiana) who played in Finland last season for Kouvot Kouvola (Finland-Korisliiga, starting five): 52 games: 18.6ppg, 5.4rpg, 1.7apg, FGP: 52.4%, 3PT: 35.2%, FT: 87.7%. He played for the Walter Tigers Tuebingen from 2006-2009. He is a great player who can do it all. Can score in a variety of ways and is a very spectacular Player. Makes everybody around him better, is a fantastic defender, great 1-1 Player and a team leader on and off the Court. He is a guy when the going gets tough will get vocal on and off the court to get the team going. The team than proceeded to sign 24 year old 185cm guard DaShaun Wood who is from Detroit, Michigan. He had a healthy college career at Wright state from 2003-2007. In his first two seasons as a pro, he played in Italy and showed his qualities at Tisettanta Cantu (Italy-SerieA, starting five): 38 games: Score-5 (16.9ppg), 3.0rpg, Assists-4 (3.3apg), 2.7spg, 2FGP:52.1%, 3PT-2 (42.8%), FT:77.4%. He has natural leadership abilities, who directs teammates on the floor and takes the ball in clutch moments. Loves to go inside to score, challenging the big guys, but has also shooting range from behind the 3 point arch. Despite lack of size, he can be effective even at the defensive side.

The team then signed Kimmo Muurinen (202-F-81, college: UALR) who is a 29 year old 202cm forward from Finland. He is playing his second season away from his home country. Last season, he played in Italy for Martos Napoli (Italy-SerieA, starting five): 12 games: 7.3ppg, 3.0rpg, 1.0spg, FGP: 51.7%, 3PT: 42.9%, FT: 56.3%, in Jan.'10 moved to Scafati Basket (Italy-Lega2): 18 games: 4.4ppg, 3.3rpg. He is a swingman with great athletic ability, agility and versatility. The team then signed Joe Dabbert (210-C-81, college: Creighton) who is a 29 year old 210cm center from Bailey, Colorado. He played at Cfreighton (NCAA) from 2000-2004. Most of his career was spent in the States in the D-League, CBA and USBL league. He also played in Spain and Korea. Up until his injury, he has left a fine impression with his play under the boards being leading scorer in some preseason games. The team recently added American Carlos Powell (199-F-83, college: S.Carolina) who is a 27 year old 199cm forward. He is an athletic player who has good vision on the court. Team plays off his energy. He played at South Carolina from 2001-2005. He has played in Portugal, China, Ukraine and in the D-league and wherever he has played he has been a scorer. Last season he played for the Albuquerque Thunderbirds (D-League, starting five): 33 games: 22.1ppg, 5.0rpg, 5.0apg, 1.6spg, FGP: 53.3%, 3PT: 31.0%, FT. With stats like that it is surprising that no NBA team picked him up. This past summer he played NBA Summer League in Las Vegas (New York Knicks).

The Brose Baskets Bamberg are seeking their fourth BEKO BBL title in 2010-2011 after winning the coveted trophy in 2005, 2007 and 2010. Bamberg management did a good job keeping a core of players and adding a few key players to help fill small holes. The motto dont change a winning team too much stuck with coach Chris Fleming as he was able to hold key players like Casey Jacobsen (198-G/F-81, college: Stanford) (11.4ppg, 3.7rpg, 2.9apg, FGP: 50.7%, 3PT: 38.5%, FT: 77.0%), Brian Roberts (188-G-85, agency: Arik Krayn Services) (11.8ppg, 1.7rpg, 1.7apg, FGP: 52.0%, 3PT: 44.4%, FT-2 (88.4%)), Predrag Suput (200-F-77, agency: Beo Basket) (14.9ppg, 4.7rpg, 1.9apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 53.7%, 3PT: 41.6%, FT: 84.6%), John Goldsberry (191-G-82, agency: Pro One Sports, college: NC-Wilmington) (6.4ppg, 1.9rpg, 3.1apg, 1.2spg, FGP: 59.3%, 3PT: 36.7%, FT: 71.1%), Anton Gavel (189-G-84, agency: Pro One Sports) (10.0ppg, 2.3rpg, 2.1apg, FGP: 50.5%, 3PT: 44.1%, FT: 71.7%; EuroCup: 12 games: 6.8ppg, 1.8apg, 1.2spg, FGP: 54.5%, 3PT: 41.4%, FT: 84.0%), 2010 NBA drafte Tibor Pleiss (214-F/C-89) who averaged 8.0ppg, 5.9rpg, Blocks-2 (1.3bpg), FGP: 56.9%, 3PT: 44.4%, FT: 70.8%) and Karsten Tadda (189-G-88, agency: Pro One Sports) (3.2ppg, 1.2rpg, 1.0apg). The team added Reyshawn Terry (203-F-84, college: N.Carolina) who is a 26 year old 203cm forward from Winston-Salem, North Carolina. He is a solid small forward who can hit a long jumper and has the size to be a good defender. He's very versatile and athletic, gives his best in transition. Has the ideal frame for a three, but can easily adapt to play at the PF if needed. He played at the well known North Carolina university from 2003-2007 reaching the NCAA Elite Eight in 2007. Last season, he played for Xacobeo BluSens Obradoiro (Spain-ACB, starting five): 34 games: 12.1ppg, 4.9rpg, FGP: 40.3%, 3PT: 33.6%, FT: 84.6%. This past summer, he played NBA Summer League in Las Vegas (Portland Trail Blazers). The club also signed Kyle Hines (198-F/C-86) who is a 24 year old 198cm power forward/center from Sicklerville, New Jersey. He is a powerful player who loves to attack the basket. Has a good 1-vs-1 game and likes to go inside. He is undersized to play the power forward, but his great wingspan (7-1) allows him to guard taller players and to intimidate. He's also a great leaper and reads the opponent's game well. 'My game is similar to that of Chuck Hayes or Paul Millsap', commented Kyle Hines (198-F/C-86).He played at NC-Greensboro (NCAA) from 2004-2008. In his senior year, he played 31 games: 19.2ppg, 9.1rpg, 1.4apg, 1.8spg, 3.1bpg, FGP: 55.6%, 3Pts: 12.5%, FT: 62.8%. Last season, he played for Prima Veroli (Italy-Lega2, starting five): 40 games: 18.5ppg, 8.1rpg, Steals-2 (3.5spg), Blocks-4 (1.6bpg), FGP-3 (64.0%), 3PT: 18.8%, FT: 57.8%. 'I am excitedabout every game we play. The Champions Cup is another game where we can get better. Its a new season, new team, new atmosphere and a new chance for me and the team to get better especially against a competitive team like Frankfurt', stressed Kyle Hines (198-F/C-86).

The Brose Baskets Bamberg already have a huge advantage over most of the other 17 BEKO BBL teams in that they have kept a core of their team. It seems as if Bamberg will keep many teams off guard with not just one style of play. 'We can play a multitude of different styles. We have players on our roster that can do everything. The style we play depends on our opponent and style of game they play. We will always be able to tailor our game to match the opponent', added Bamberg forward Kyle Hines (198-F/C-86). It seems like Bamberg have no weak spot at any position. 'We are a strong team and have depth at every position with a number of players being able to play multiple positions', said Kyle Hines (198-F/C-86). But the biggest strength of the Brose Baskets Bamberg is something that every team in basketball any where on earth strive to have. 'We simply play team basketball. We have developed a chemistry in a short time. There is no player on this team that is looking for individual stats. Each guy is interested in trying to do what is best for the team to have success', warned Kyle Hines (198-F/C-86).

The Deutsche Bank Skyliners would love nothing more than to depart from the Jako Arena and win their third title of the preseason and go into the important Eurocup qualifying game against Besiktas Cola Turka Istanbul with self confidence. Frankfurt is weakened inside with the injury to Joe Dabbert (210-C-81, college: Creighton) and will have to find a solution to stopping Bamberg easy points inside anyway possible. Frankfurt have many offensive weapons and Bamberg understand what part of their game will have to shine. 'The key to beating Frankfurt will be on defense. If we can get stops and get rebounds then we have enough talent on offense that that part of our game will take care of its self', warned Kyle Hines (198-F/C-86). Bamberg is the favourite on paper, but as soon as the players are on the court, it is a game of 40 minutes where anything is possible as Frankfurt showed last season in the finals. 'Frankfurt has to find an even bigger hunger than what they had last season losing the two finals. Perhaps this time the hunger will carry them to victory', stressed Jannik Freese The Brose Baskets Bamberg host The Deutsche Bank Skyliners in the Champions Cup on Saturday Septmeber 25th.

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  GREECE   


Dewarick Spencer left Marousi for Budivelnyk - by George Fragkos
The situation in Marousi BC gets worse every day. A few weeks ago, we were informed that Dewarick Spencer (193-G-82, agency: Higher Vision Sports, college: Arkansas St.) considered leaving the club and now it is officially true. The American guard has left the team from Athens and signed with Ukrainian Budivelnyk Kyiv, which is the team that took the place of the Greeks at the second qualifying round.

Marousi BC keeps losing players, has not appointed a head coach yet and if the financial problems keep on, the participation of the team at the A1 league will be even put in doubt.


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  HOLLAND   


Standings - Promotie Divisie
Prom.Divisie Standings
 1. Akrides 0-0 
 2. Almonte 0-0 
 3. Amsterdam 2 0-0 
 4. Binnenland B. 0-0 
 5. Black Eagles 0-0 
 6. Cangeroes 0-0 
 7. Dehoppers 0-0 
 8. Goba 0-0 
 9. Groene 0-0 
 10. Hoofddorp 0-0 
 11. Leiden 2 0-0 
 12. Punch 0-0 
 13. Red Giants 0-0 
 14. Wildcats 0-0 


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  HUNGARY   


Damian Hollis will be tested by Albacomp - by Tamas Deri
The american forward will arrive tonight to Hungary and spend an 8 days tryout period with coach Dzunics team.
The 203 cm tall Damian Hollis (203-F-88, college: George Washington) graduated on the University of George Washington this summer, where he had an excellent senior season averaging 13.9ppg, 4.9rpg, 1.2apg, FGP: 42.4%, 3PT: 35.6%, FT: 83.9% in 31 games of the A10 conference. As a freshman he was voted into the All-Rookie team in 2007 and was winning also the A10 Tournament with GWU. In that year he was also playing with the U19 National Team of USA on the WC.
This summer he signed a contract with VOO Verviens-Pepinster in Belgium, but the parties agreed to break the contract two days ago, so Hollis got a free agent and will try to get on the roster of Albacomp.

You can watch his NCAA highlights on this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vs6--cQGNFU



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  INDIA   


Yemen knock down India in Sanaa - by Eurobasket News
Yemen U18 - India U18 95:58

Yemeni U18 selection posted the second straight win at the Asia Championship. The hosts battered India for 2-0 record in Group D. India suffered the second loss in a row. Mohammed Yaeesh (182-G-93) and Sabri Sadaqah (188-F-93) came up with 27 points apiece for Yemen in the victory.
Yemen limited their opponents to 13 points in the first quarter to step in front. The home team posted an 18:13 advantage after ten minutes. Yemen went on a 16:3 run at the start of the second frame to stretch the gap. The hosts controlled the tempo and secured a 46:22 lead at the interval. Yemen stayed aggressive defensively in the third stanza. India did not get open looks and had to deal with a 33-point deficit at the final break. Yemen did not slow down in the fourth stanza and rolled to the victory at the end.
Samer Abdullah (92) accounted for 18 points and 8 rebounds in the win. Abdulaziz Moqbel (188-F-93) contributed 14 points and 15 rebounds for Yemen. Arjun Singh (188-F-92) replied with 27 points for India. Rajan Sharma (184-G-92) had 8 points in defeat.

Yemen U18: Mohammed Yaeesh 27, Sabri Sadaqah 27, Samer Abdullah 18
India U18: Arjun Singh 27, Rajan Sharma 8


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  IRAN   


Sri Lanka unable to match Iran - by Eurobasket News
Iran U18 - Sri Lanka U18 110:32

Iran celebrated the second straight win at U18 Asia Championship in Yemen. They fired past Sri Lanka to remain on top of Group A. Sri Lanka suffered the second consecutive defeat at the tournament.
Iran silenced their opponents in the starting quarter. Led by Mirzaeitalarposhti Meisam (92) and Amir Sedighi (185-F/G-93) Iran exploded with 34 points and posted a 28-point lead. Iran tipped off the second quarter with a 15:4 run to boost the distance. Iran arrived at halftime leading by as many as 38 points. Things hardly changed in the second half. Iran dominated every facet of the encounter. They headed into the final quarter enjoying a massive 79:17 buffer and did not look back en route to the victory.
Mirzaeitalarposhti Meisam stepped up with 23 points for Iran. Amir Sedighi added 21 points, while Mirfattahi Mirmohammad (93) accounted for 15 points in the winning effort. Madhushanka Rathnayake (185-G-92) answered with 13 points for Sri Lanka. Shehan Vasana Perera (193-F-92) delivered 8 points in the loss.

Iran U18: Mirzaeitalarposhti Meisam 23, Amir Sedighi 21, Mirfattahi Mirmohammad 15
Sri Lanka U18: Madhushanka Rathnayake 13, Shehan Vasana Perera 8


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  IRAQ   


Iraqi U18 National Team 2010 - by Greg
4 Abbas Hashim Mhalhal Lami 191-F-94
5 Ali Muayad Ismael 201-C-94
6 Amjed Awadh 171-G-94
7 Jasim Dheyaa Mahdi 191-F-92
8 Ahmed Mankhi Talaq Al-Jashaami 171-G-92
9 Hassan Abdullah 190-F-94 As Sadd Qatar
10 Safaa Saleem Al-Saedi 171-G-94
11 Wisam Salim Mohsin 183-G-92
12 Dhulfiqar Fahem Al-Hcaimi 201-C-94
13 Layth Basim Jasim Al-Hashimi 202-C-94
14 Omar Khaeel Alwan Obaidi 197-F-92
15 Essam Jawad Kadhim Al-Akabi 190-G/F-94

Hassan Ali Abdullah Head Coach


Japan post second win in Sanaa - by Eurobasket News
Japan U18 - Iraq U18 78:62

Japan stayed on the winning track at U18 Asia Championship in Yemen. They held off Iraq to climb at 2-0 record in Group D. Shinnosuke Ogaki (184-G-92) stepped up with 19 points to lead the effort. Iraq slipped at 0-2 record after the defeat.
Japan did not waste too much time as they surged ahead early. They opened a double-digit lead midway through the starting quarter. Japan finished the first term ahead by 13 points 24:11. Iraq however bounced back early in the second period. They opened the stanza on a 12:6 spurt to narrow the deficit. Japan quickly stopped the bleeding and ensured a 45:30 lead at the interval. Japan wisely kept their opponents at bay throughout the third term. They entered the fourth period ahead by 12 points. Iraq did not threaten the margin in the final quarter and had to give up at the end.
Kodai Kimura (190-G/F-92) canned 11 points for the winning side. Takaya Sasayama (178-G-93) accounted for 10 points for Japan. Ahmed Mankhi Talaq Al-Jashaami (171-G-92) responded with 17 points for Iraq. Ali Muayad Ismael (201-C-94) notched 15 points in the loss.

Japan U18: Shinnosuke Ogaki 19, Kodai Kimura 11, Takaya Sasayama 10
Iraq U18: Ahmed Mankhi Talaq Al-Jashaami 17, Ali Muayad Ismael 15


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  ISRAEL   


Euroleague Qualifiers - Leg 1 Recap - by Carl Berman
The Euroleague qualification play has started. The play is designed to name the two final teams who will end up in the Euroleague regular season that October 20t . Fourteen teams were in action looking to get off to a good start and win the first game of these home and home series where point differential is just as important as wins and losses since it is what decides any splits. Road teams had a slight edge yesterday as four of seven road teams got the win in leg one.

Alba Berlin - 79 @ Chorale Roanne - 86

Chorale Roanne were able to hold serve on their home court and bring a seven point lead to Germany when they play Alba Berlin on Friday. This game was a back and forth battle for most of the first half until Roanne used an 8-0 run to give them a 46-43 lead at half time. Roanne then took that lead into the second half and held it for the rest of the way. Things got close after Alba Berlin went on an 11-0 run to cut the lead in the final minutes, but that was the closest they ever got. Alba Berlin lost this game despite shooting 73.5% from 2s, while hitting 5 more than Roanne. Roanne won the game at the foul line though going 16-21, making 11 more free throws than Alba Berlin.

It was a team effort for Chorale Roanne, as they had five players score in double figures lead by Pape-Philippe Amagou who scored 22 points. Uchenna Nsonwu drew 8 fouls, leading to 7 free throws which helped him get his 15 points. Julius Jenkins scored 18 in a losing effort.

KK Hemofarm Stada - 97 @ Hapoel Gilboa Galil 84

Hemofarm Stada took it to Hapoel Gilboa Galil right from the opening tip, starting the game by taking a 14-4 lead, and using that start to finish the first quarter leading 26-16. Hapoel Gilboa wasnt about to give up on this game though, outscoring Hemofarm 29-21 in the second and 27-20 in the third to take a five point lead to start the fourth quarter. Hemofarm Stada awoke from their daze and took it to Hapel Gilboa, scoring 30 points in the 4th and winning their road game by 13 points.

Hemofarm Stada was a two man show on Tuesday with Bojan Krstovic and Milan Macvan combining for 53 of the teams 97 points. The two men produced in two very different ways. Krstovic was hot from the outside, going 6-8 from three (he finished with 22 points) while Macvan dominated the inside scoring 26 of his 31 points on two point shots. Former All-ACC player and University of Miami standout Jack McClinton (185-G-85, college: Miami (FL)) scored 18 points for Hapoel Gilboa in the loss.

Unics Kazan 84 @ GasTerra Flames 72

The Russian club Unics Kazan was able to use a strong third quarter where they held GasTerra to just 10 points, scoring 22 themselves to continue the trend of road teams winning first leg games during qualifying. Unics Kazans really turned up the heat on the defensive end for the entire second half, as they held GasTerra to 27 points over the course of the final twenty minutes (GasTerra actually scored more points in the second quarter 29 than they scored in the third and the fourth combined).

Maciej Lampe scored 26 points and grabbed 13 rebounds to power Unics, while Matt Haryasz led the one man show for GasTerra scoring 25 points on 19 shots. Haryasz was the only player on the Flames to score in double digits as he took 19 of the teams 49 shots from two.

CEZ Nymburk 68 @ Spirou 79

Spirou was another team who used a strong defensive effort to get a win during the first leg of qualification. The most points that CEZ Nymburk scored in any quarter was 21. Despite that, the game was still close at half time with Spirou only holding a two point lead. Spirou pulled away in the second half, even extending their lead to 20 points in the fourth quarter before Nymburk cut it down to 10 late in the quarter.

The big difference in this game was at the three point line. Spirou (7 for 21) outscore Nymburk (3 for 14) by 12 points from behind the line, with Joseph Gomis connecting on 4 out of his 6 attempts from the outside as he lead the way for Spirou with 18 points.

Asvel Basket 64 @ Buducnost 69

Buducnost looked to be the dominate team early jumping out to a 19-2 lead over the French club Asvel Basket in the opening moments of game. Asvel Basket was able to cut the lead to 10 by the end of the first quarter, and they were able to claw back even more by cutting the lead to six as they trailed 41-35 at the half. However, all that effort getting back into the game took its toll on Asvel as they were unable to finish the comeback in the second half. Both Asvel Basket and Buducnost struggled in the final twenty minutes as the teams scored only 29 and 28 points respectively.

Buducnosts starting lineup of Marko Scekic, Vladimir Dragicevic, Marko Simonovic, Gintaras Kadziulis, and Aleksej Nesovic scored 64 of the teams 69 points despite the fact that all 12 of the teams players saw minutes. Virginia Tech standout ngel Vassallo scored 18 in the losing effort.

Le Mans 78 @ Banvit BK 72

Le Mans dominated the boards against Banvit BK and used that to power themselves to a six point win. Le Mans grabbed 29 (with 8 of them being on the offensive end) rebounds compared to just 20 for Banvit BK. Rebounding was important for Le Mans because it was able to keep Banvit from getting any extra possessions. The result was five more shots overall for Le Mans.

Banvits strategy going into this game must have been to use the three point shot to their advantage, but they clearly struggled from deep. Despite shooting 36.3% from behind the arc, Banvit were firing away all game. 22 of the teams 49 shots for the game were from the three point line. The frontline trio of Thierry Rupert, J. P. Batista, and Alain Koffi powered Le Mans, scoring 42 of the teams 78 points.

BC Khimki 77 @ Pepsi Caserta 74

This game was the most exciting of the seven, with BC Khimki needing a Keith Langford three pointer at the buzzer, allowing them to return to Russia with a three point victory. Khimki used an ISO set and just let Langford work off of that, getting the three pointer off at the top of the key. It was a tight game throughout, but it looked like Khimki was going to pull away at the end as they took a 68-61 lead early in the fourth. Pepsi Caserta fought back though and were able to tie the game at 74 before, forcing Langford to hit his buzzer beater.

Pepsi Caserta kept this game close at the free throw line as they hit more free throws (21) than BC Khimki even attempted (16). However, that wasnt enough as Keith Langford lead all scorers with 19 points, allowing for Khimki to return home with a key road win.

Sebastian Pruiti is a Correspondent for NetScouts Basketball. Information on NetScouts Basketball and their International Recruiting Service can be found at www.netscoutsbasketball.com.

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  ITALY   


Euroleague Qualifiers - Leg 1 Recap - by Carl Berman
The Euroleague qualification play has started. The play is designed to name the two final teams who will end up in the Euroleague regular season that October 20t . Fourteen teams were in action looking to get off to a good start and win the first game of these home and home series where point differential is just as important as wins and losses since it is what decides any splits. Road teams had a slight edge yesterday as four of seven road teams got the win in leg one.

Alba Berlin - 79 @ Chorale Roanne - 86

Chorale Roanne were able to hold serve on their home court and bring a seven point lead to Germany when they play Alba Berlin on Friday. This game was a back and forth battle for most of the first half until Roanne used an 8-0 run to give them a 46-43 lead at half time. Roanne then took that lead into the second half and held it for the rest of the way. Things got close after Alba Berlin went on an 11-0 run to cut the lead in the final minutes, but that was the closest they ever got. Alba Berlin lost this game despite shooting 73.5% from 2s, while hitting 5 more than Roanne. Roanne won the game at the foul line though going 16-21, making 11 more free throws than Alba Berlin.

It was a team effort for Chorale Roanne, as they had five players score in double figures lead by Pape-Philippe Amagou who scored 22 points. Uchenna Nsonwu drew 8 fouls, leading to 7 free throws which helped him get his 15 points. Julius Jenkins scored 18 in a losing effort.

KK Hemofarm Stada - 97 @ Hapoel Gilboa Galil 84

Hemofarm Stada took it to Hapoel Gilboa Galil right from the opening tip, starting the game by taking a 14-4 lead, and using that start to finish the first quarter leading 26-16. Hapoel Gilboa wasnt about to give up on this game though, outscoring Hemofarm 29-21 in the second and 27-20 in the third to take a five point lead to start the fourth quarter. Hemofarm Stada awoke from their daze and took it to Hapel Gilboa, scoring 30 points in the 4th and winning their road game by 13 points.

Hemofarm Stada was a two man show on Tuesday with Bojan Krstovic and Milan Macvan combining for 53 of the teams 97 points. The two men produced in two very different ways. Krstovic was hot from the outside, going 6-8 from three (he finished with 22 points) while Macvan dominated the inside scoring 26 of his 31 points on two point shots. Former All-ACC player and University of Miami standout Jack McClinton (185-G-85, college: Miami (FL)) scored 18 points for Hapoel Gilboa in the loss.

Unics Kazan 84 @ GasTerra Flames 72

The Russian club Unics Kazan was able to use a strong third quarter where they held GasTerra to just 10 points, scoring 22 themselves to continue the trend of road teams winning first leg games during qualifying. Unics Kazans really turned up the heat on the defensive end for the entire second half, as they held GasTerra to 27 points over the course of the final twenty minutes (GasTerra actually scored more points in the second quarter 29 than they scored in the third and the fourth combined).

Maciej Lampe scored 26 points and grabbed 13 rebounds to power Unics, while Matt Haryasz led the one man show for GasTerra scoring 25 points on 19 shots. Haryasz was the only player on the Flames to score in double digits as he took 19 of the teams 49 shots from two.

CEZ Nymburk 68 @ Spirou 79

Spirou was another team who used a strong defensive effort to get a win during the first leg of qualification. The most points that CEZ Nymburk scored in any quarter was 21. Despite that, the game was still close at half time with Spirou only holding a two point lead. Spirou pulled away in the second half, even extending their lead to 20 points in the fourth quarter before Nymburk cut it down to 10 late in the quarter.

The big difference in this game was at the three point line. Spirou (7 for 21) outscore Nymburk (3 for 14) by 12 points from behind the line, with Joseph Gomis connecting on 4 out of his 6 attempts from the outside as he lead the way for Spirou with 18 points.

Asvel Basket 64 @ Buducnost 69

Buducnost looked to be the dominate team early jumping out to a 19-2 lead over the French club Asvel Basket in the opening moments of game. Asvel Basket was able to cut the lead to 10 by the end of the first quarter, and they were able to claw back even more by cutting the lead to six as they trailed 41-35 at the half. However, all that effort getting back into the game took its toll on Asvel as they were unable to finish the comeback in the second half. Both Asvel Basket and Buducnost struggled in the final twenty minutes as the teams scored only 29 and 28 points respectively.

Buducnosts starting lineup of Marko Scekic, Vladimir Dragicevic, Marko Simonovic, Gintaras Kadziulis, and Aleksej Nesovic scored 64 of the teams 69 points despite the fact that all 12 of the teams players saw minutes. Virginia Tech standout ngel Vassallo scored 18 in the losing effort.

Le Mans 78 @ Banvit BK 72

Le Mans dominated the boards against Banvit BK and used that to power themselves to a six point win. Le Mans grabbed 29 (with 8 of them being on the offensive end) rebounds compared to just 20 for Banvit BK. Rebounding was important for Le Mans because it was able to keep Banvit from getting any extra possessions. The result was five more shots overall for Le Mans.

Banvits strategy going into this game must have been to use the three point shot to their advantage, but they clearly struggled from deep. Despite shooting 36.3% from behind the arc, Banvit were firing away all game. 22 of the teams 49 shots for the game were from the three point line. The frontline trio of Thierry Rupert, J. P. Batista, and Alain Koffi powered Le Mans, scoring 42 of the teams 78 points.

BC Khimki 77 @ Pepsi Caserta 74

This game was the most exciting of the seven, with BC Khimki needing a Keith Langford three pointer at the buzzer, allowing them to return to Russia with a three point victory. Khimki used an ISO set and just let Langford work off of that, getting the three pointer off at the top of the key. It was a tight game throughout, but it looked like Khimki was going to pull away at the end as they took a 68-61 lead early in the fourth. Pepsi Caserta fought back though and were able to tie the game at 74 before, forcing Langford to hit his buzzer beater.

Pepsi Caserta kept this game close at the free throw line as they hit more free throws (21) than BC Khimki even attempted (16). However, that wasnt enough as Keith Langford lead all scorers with 19 points, allowing for Khimki to return home with a key road win.

Sebastian Pruiti is a Correspondent for NetScouts Basketball. Information on NetScouts Basketball and their International Recruiting Service can be found at www.netscoutsbasketball.com.

Montepaschi Siena keeps Marco Carraretto until 2013 - by Eurobasket News
Montepaschi Siena reached a new agreement with Marco Carraretto (196-G-77, agency: Players Group) to stay together until the end of the 2012-13 season. The experienced combo guard already spent four consecutive years with the Italian powerhouse. In 2009/10, he played 16 Euroleague games for the club registering 1.8 ppg. In SerieA, Carraretto increased his numbers to 4 ppg and 1 rpg in 40 games. Since he joined the club in 2006, Carraretto was very useful player in rotation. His best season with Montepaschi so far was 2008/09, when he had 3.5 ppg and 1.1 rpg for 11 games in Euroleague. That season he also had 3.7 ppg and 1.4 rpg for 38 games in Italy. Carraretto, who is a fan favourite due to his hustle and fighting spirit, was already under contract and set to start his fifth season with Montepaschi, but they agreed to extend that deal for two more years. Marco Carraretto helped Montepaschi to win four straight titles in Italy. They also celebrated twice in Italian National Cup, three times in SuperCup and they reached Euroleague Final Four in 2008. Before Monpetaschi, Carraretto spent almost two years with Leche Rio Breogan in Spain. He also played for Tau Ceramica one month. In the past, Carraretto was a member of Biella, Verona, Udine, Mestre and Benetton Treviso.
Marco Carraretto played for the Italian National Team this summer. He appeared 10 times in Qualifications to European Championships 2011 averaging 3.9 points, 2.5 rebounds and 1 assists.

L'Aget triumphs in Torneo di Imola - by Eurobasket News
L'Aget triumphs in Torneo di Imola as in the final game the team overcame Casalpusterlengo 80:76 in overtime. The latter controlled the court in the majority of the game but could not keep 21-point advantage. The teams were tied at after four quarters and then L'Aget won the extra time and the game. Ebi top-scored for the winners with 25 points and Ringstrom nailed 19. Boykin and Marigney responded with 20 points each in defeat and Cerella nailed 13.
BENETTON TREVISO meanwhile overcame ANGELICO BIELLA 73:63. Trailing 9-11 after the opening quarter, the team from Treviso grabbed 33:29 at the halftime. The third quarter again belonged to Biella that took 51:49 after three quarters. Benetton however made the final push in the last stanza and won the game. Peric poured in 17 points for the winners and Toolson netted 15. Motiejunas delieverd 11, while Brunner posted 10. Slaughter ended up with 13 points in the losing effort and Salyers as well as Viggiano scored 12 apiece.




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  JAPAN   


Japan post second win in Sanaa - by Eurobasket News
Japan U18 - Iraq U18 78:62

Japan stayed on the winning track at U18 Asia Championship in Yemen. They held off Iraq to climb at 2-0 record in Group D. Shinnosuke Ogaki (184-G-92) stepped up with 19 points to lead the effort. Iraq slipped at 0-2 record after the defeat.
Japan did not waste too much time as they surged ahead early. They opened a double-digit lead midway through the starting quarter. Japan finished the first term ahead by 13 points 24:11. Iraq however bounced back early in the second period. They opened the stanza on a 12:6 spurt to narrow the deficit. Japan quickly stopped the bleeding and ensured a 45:30 lead at the interval. Japan wisely kept their opponents at bay throughout the third term. They entered the fourth period ahead by 12 points. Iraq did not threaten the margin in the final quarter and had to give up at the end.
Kodai Kimura (190-G/F-92) canned 11 points for the winning side. Takaya Sasayama (178-G-93) accounted for 10 points for Japan. Ahmed Mankhi Talaq Al-Jashaami (171-G-92) responded with 17 points for Iraq. Ali Muayad Ismael (201-C-94) notched 15 points in the loss.

Japan U18: Shinnosuke Ogaki 19, Kodai Kimura 11, Takaya Sasayama 10
Iraq U18: Ahmed Mankhi Talaq Al-Jashaami 17, Ali Muayad Ismael 15


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  KAZAKHSTAN   


Lebanon hold off Kazakhstan - by Eurobasket News
Lebanon U18 - Kazakhstan U18 83:67

Lebanon ensured the second stage birth at the U18 Asia Championship in Yemen. They toppled Kazakhstan for 2-0 record in Group B. Kazakhstan slipped at 1-1 record after the defeat. Ahmad Ibrahim (201-G/F-92) stepped up with game-high 27 points to pace Lebanon.
Danny Ammous team grabbed the initiative in the first quarter. They limited the Kazakh team to 12 points and established a 22:12 lead after ten minutes. Lebanon opened the second stanza on a 15:6 run to boost the distance. They ensured a comfortable 17-point cushion at halftime. Alexey Verechshagin (197-F-92) tried to bring Kazakhstan back to life early in the third stanza. They got within 10 points but Lebanon stayed determined and soon they regained a 17-point lead. Kazakhstan narrowly outscored Lebanon in the final quarter but it did not prevent Danny Ammous team from celebrating the second straight win at the tournament.
Constantin Kodsi (177-G-92) scored 16 points and grabbed 7 rebounds to lead the effort. Karam Mechref (188-G-92) contributed 12 points in the win. Alexey Verechshagin answered with 25 points for Kazakhstan. Pavel Ilin (202-F-92) accounted for 16 points in the loss.

Lebanon U18: Ahmad Ibrahim 27, Constantin Kodsi 16, Karam Mechref 12
Kazakhstan U18: Alexey Verechshagin 25, Pavel Ilin 16


*****************************************************
  LEBANON   


Lebanon hold off Kazakhstan - by Eurobasket News
Lebanon U18 - Kazakhstan U18 83:67

Lebanon ensured the second stage birth at the U18 Asia Championship in Yemen. They toppled Kazakhstan for 2-0 record in Group B. Kazakhstan slipped at 1-1 record after the defeat. Ahmad Ibrahim (201-G/F-92) stepped up with game-high 27 points to pace Lebanon.
Danny Ammous team grabbed the initiative in the first quarter. They limited the Kazakh team to 12 points and established a 22:12 lead after ten minutes. Lebanon opened the second stanza on a 15:6 run to boost the distance. They ensured a comfortable 17-point cushion at halftime. Alexey Verechshagin (197-F-92) tried to bring Kazakhstan back to life early in the third stanza. They got within 10 points but Lebanon stayed determined and soon they regained a 17-point lead. Kazakhstan narrowly outscored Lebanon in the final quarter but it did not prevent Danny Ammous team from celebrating the second straight win at the tournament.
Constantin Kodsi (177-G-92) scored 16 points and grabbed 7 rebounds to lead the effort. Karam Mechref (188-G-92) contributed 12 points in the win. Alexey Verechshagin answered with 25 points for Kazakhstan. Pavel Ilin (202-F-92) accounted for 16 points in the loss.

Lebanon U18: Ahmad Ibrahim 27, Constantin Kodsi 16, Karam Mechref 12
Kazakhstan U18: Alexey Verechshagin 25, Pavel Ilin 16


This summer, Ramadan made it hard on sportsmen and trainers - by Mohamad Ezzedine
This year, just like every Ramadan, Lebanese athletes were due to combine religious convictions with sports. This years sacred month in Islam, during which the believers should fast from sunrise to sunset, came in a critical training period for the Lebanese sports clubs. To what extent does fasting curb the physical activity ? Does it cause risks for sportsmen? Which attitude should they adopt during such a particular period in order to keep on practicing while respecting their faith? Here are some testimonials and advice.

Ramadan is the ninth month of the lunar calendar adopted by Islam. According to the Muslim religion, the Prophet Muhammad had a vision from the angel Gabriel during this month in the year 610 (on the 27th day). The latter announced to Muhammad that God had chosen him as his Messenger among people. Therefore, Ramadan, which is one of the five pillars of Islam, is a sacred month during which Allah started to reveal his beliefs to Muhammad. During these thirty days, millions of believers throughout the world deprive themselves from eating and drinking, from sunrise to sunset.

This sacred month has put Muslim sportsmen in Lebanon in a harsh situation, as it started in September, few weeks before the resumption of the football and basketball seasons. The Lebanese clubs, which were in full preparations during this period, were due to play many games and participate in numerous friendly tournaments this month: a physical effort which could be a source of risk for athletes during fasting. Therefore, sportsmen in Lebanon wondered a lot: were they able to continue their physical activities during Ramadan?

We used to train after the Iftar (breaking the fast every night during Ramadan ed), said Ghaleb Reda, a Lebanese international basketball player. However, it is true that training or playing a game without eating or drinking, force the sportsmen to use the energy already stocked in their bodies and lead to a lot of exhaustion.

After around 14 hours of deprivation, fasting complicates the task of the organisms and, therefore, heavies the burden on the performance of Muslim sportsmen. According to the Lebanese technician in the Beirut Nejmeh team, Emil Rustom, the athletes should combine deprivation and sports during Ramadan.

Players should have a perfect knowledge of themselves in a way that their performance does not decrease much during the month of Ramadan, he added. As for Rizkallah Zaloum, this month is a delicate period of the year: as a coach, I recommended that our trainings take place after the Iftar. And this is what we did. Even when we had to play a game, we used to play at night. However, it is true that the players couldnt show their whole talent, mainly because of weariness.
Dr. Riad Salims advice
'Sportsmen should do their best not to exhaust themselves during the day and not to make violent efforts during the training sessions and the games scheduled before the Iftar, advised Riad Salim, the Lebanese sports doctor. Sportsmen should walk for an hour before eating; this allows a better blood circulation. I also advised the sportsmen, during the Iftar, to drink one warm glass of water, but I strongly warned them against engorging cold water as it causes terrible stomachaches. I also recommended that the sportsmen maintain a balanced diet.

Therefore, beware, during the Iftar, not to give in to the numerous sweets that are often on the tables! As for trainers, I warned them against the overactivity of their players. I recommended the decrease of the training time to 50 minutes or to a maximum of one hour, which means three sessions per week. Longer training in a potentially blistering heat could have lead to severe consequences on the hearts of our players.

Abroad, doctors and trainers were sometimes obliged to mingle Ramadan with sports. Christophe Baudot, who was the doctor of the French football club of the Marseille Olympics one year ago, explained that during the heat period, there is always a risk of dehydration, which leads to a lower performance; we also adapted training sessions in agreement with the coach. But when sportsmen are well hydrated and their alimentation is adequate [outside fasting period], there is no problem.
The dangers of fasting for a sportsman
For sportsmen, food and drink deprivation is not safe. In fact, doing sports without eating and drinking, especially in a hot weather (which could possibly happen in September in Lebanon), can decrease the muscular strength leading to a hypoglycemia. There are many symptoms for this condition: shaking, vertigo, balance disorders, nausea, vomiting, headache or even vigilance disorders. In some extreme cases, hypoglycemia could provoke coma, or even lead to death. Hypoglycemia could only be prevented by the means of complex sugars. Sportsmen should eat 3 hours before practicing any physical or sports activity.

Yet, this is incompatible with the rules of Ramadan. Another danger that is also due to heat: the heat stroke and the collapse from dehydration, with a possible stroke, heart attack or sudden death, because of the lack of food, the absence of fluids, and the excessive temperature of the sportsmans environment.

The sportsman can also be subject to an accident in his tendino-muscular unit due to inefficient alimentation and insufficient hydric supply, which can lead to traumatic accidents such as tendonitis, tears, muscle strain, due to muscular weakness.

A more rare case: the biological disturbance. The association of a physical activity with an inefficient alimentation leads to a metabolic disorder which could result in a blood waste increase, a blood sugar modification (hyperglycemia), and a alteration in the hepatorenal mechanism.

Finally, the decrease in the physical condition is the most visible effect when the sportsman does not eat properly. This is mainly witnessed during the first two weeks of Ramadan. Therefore, to practice sports safely, there is nothing like a specialists advice!


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  LITHUANIA   


Zalgiris Kaunas inks Tomas Delininkaitis - by Eurobasket News
Zalgiris Kaunas came up with important news yesterday. The Lithuanian outfit signed a three-season deal (2+1) with guard Tomas Delininkaitis (192-G-82, agency: Interperformances). The 28-year-old player was a member of the Lithuanian National Team, who won the Bronze in Turkey this summer. He appeared 9 times for his country posting averages of 7.6 points, 1.8 rebounds and 1.8 assists.
Tomas Delininkaitis returns to Lithuanian league after three seasons abroad. He started the latest one in Spain with Murcia registering 7.6 ppg, 1.9 rpg and 1.4 apg for them in 21 games. In April, Delininkaitis agreed a deal in Greece with PAOK Thessaloniki. There he had 10.3 ppg, 2 rpg and 2.2 apg for 6 games. Season 2008/09, Delininkaitis started with Azovmash, but after just few games moved to Budivelnyk Kyiv. He appeared 30 for them in Ukrainian league averaging 17.3 points, 2.4 rebounds and 3.8 assists. In 2007/08 he had 10.1 ppg and 2.4 rpg for Azovmash in Superlague.
Tomas Delininkaitis grew up with the Lithuanian team Neptunas Klaipeda. He left them in 2003 for Lietuvos Rytas Vilnius, where he stayed four years. He helped Rytas to win Baltic league title in 2006 and 2007. They also won the ULEB Cup trophy in 2005 and Lithuanian league in 2006. With Azovmash, Delininkaitis won the Ukrainian league title and National Cup in 2008.

*****************************************************
  MALAYSIA   


Taiwan record first win in Sanaa - by Eurobasket News
Taiwan U18 - Malaysia U18 96:47

Taiwan posted the initial victory at the U18 Asia Championship in Yemen. They shot down Malaysia in the second round of action in Group A. Chien Wei-Ju (188-G/F-92) scored 20 points to lead Taiwan. Both teams are now tied at 1-1 record.
Taiwan limited their opponents to just two points in the opening five points. Taiwan surged ahead and rallied to a 22:8 advantage at the first break. Malaysia continued to struggle offensively in the second quarter. They accounted for 10 points to face a 21-point deficit at the interval. Malaysia stepped on the gas after the big break but Taiwan were ready for the challenge. They easily matched the effort and posted a 67:34 lead at the final intermission. Taiwan maintained the tempo in the fourth quarter and cruised to the victory at the end.
Chien Chao-Yi (180-G-93) and Ko Min-Hao (182-G-92) knocked down 11 points each for Taiwan. Kang-chiao Hung accounted for 10 points in the victory. Kok Chun Ng (183-F-92) replied with 9 points for Malaysia. Vui Hang Ang (183-G-93) and Yen Yee Fong (185-F-93) had 6 points apiece in the loss.

Taiwan U18: Chien Wei-Ju 20, Chien Chao-Yi 11, Ko Min-Hao 11
Malaysia U18: Kok Chun Ng 9, Vui Hang Ang 6, Yen Yee Fong 6


*****************************************************
  MEXICO   


LNBP: Round 7 review - by Eurobasket News
Panteras - Volcanes 130-60
Panteras destroyed Volcanes registering the first win in LNBP. Ricardo Melendez (180-G-83) exploded for the hosts with 33 points. He made 8 of 13 attempts from behind the arc. On the other side, Volcanoes got 12 points and 9 rebounds from Jesus Rivera (G). They stay winless after seven games.

Angeles - Soles 72-61
6-1 for Angeles and 3-4 for Soles after this game. Luis Bethelmy (200-C-86) came up with double-double of 25 points and 11 rebounds for the winners. He was the MVP of this game with valuation 26. Kevin Kruger (186-G-83, college: UNLV) netted 17 pts in defeat.

Titanes - Potros 90-80
Both teams entered to this game with 2-4 record. Salomon Angounou (202-F-83, agency: Union Sports, college: Arizona St.) top-scored for the Titanes with 18 points and he grabbed 5 rebounds beside that. In defeat, Rafael Perez (193-G/F-82, agency: Paris Global Sports) was better than the others with 23 points and 10 rebounds.

Ola Verde - Lechugueros 101-97
Ola Verde celebrated in high-scoring game against Lechugueros mostly owing to Aaron Eneas (202-F-78, agency: Promotex), who scored 27 points and pulled down 9 rebounds. Visitors got 28 points from Ricky Johns (193-G-85, college: Utah). Both teams had 3-3 before this meeting.

Huracanes - Abejas 85-76
Robert Hornsby (196-F/C, college: Troy) was on fire last night scoring 25 points. He also grabbed 8 rebounds and was the MVP of this game with valuation 27. Steve Monreal (180-G, college: Cal.St.-Monterey) replied in defeat with 23 points and 5 boards. Huracanes 3-4, Abejas 3-4.

Jaguares - Pioneros 87-115
Pioneros remain on top alone with perfect 7-0 record. Their leading player in this game was Nathan Brumfield (196-F-86, college: Oklahoma Baptist) with 24 points. He spent 20 minutes on the court without missing any shot. In Jaguares (0-7), Jermaine Johnson (201-F-85, college: Charleston) delivered 19 pts.

Algodoneros - Lobos Grises 98-85
Blake Walker (196-G/F-82, college: Portland St.) stepped up for the hosts with 25 points. Lee Cook (208-C/F-80, college: Bowie St.) added 23 points and 9 rebounds. In the loosing squad, Jovan Harris (191-G/F-81, college: USF) shined with 21 pts. Both teams have 4-3 record now.

Today: Toros - Halcones Rojos

Today: Fuerza Regia - Halcones Xalapa

Standings - LNBP
LNBP Standings
 1. Pioneros 7-0 
 2. Angeles 6-1 
 3. Fuerza Regia 5-1 
 4. Halc.Xalapa 5-1 
 5. Toros 5-1 
 6. Algodoneros 4-3 
 7. Lobos Grises 4-3 
 8. Ola Verde 4-3 
 9. Halc.Rojos 3-3 
 10. Abejas 3-4 
 11. Huracanes 3-4 
 12. Lechugueros 3-4 
 13. Soles 3-4 
 14. Titanes 3-4 
 15. Potros 2-5 
 16. Panteras 1-6 
 17. Jaguares 0-7 
 18. Volcanes 0-7 


Stats Leaders - LNBP
Points Per Game
 Ricardo MELENDEZ
  Panteras
  (180-G-83)
  Avg: 27.2
 1. Melendez, Panteras27.2 
 2. Garcia Moral., Halc.X.26.8 
 3. Carmona, Fuerza R.24.0 
 4. Perez, Potros23.7 
 5. Walker, Algodone.23.3 
 6. Hornsby, Huracanes22.6 
 7. Arceneaux, Lechugue.22.0 
 8. Thomas, Soles21.2 
 9. Harris, Lobos G.20.9 
 10. Bethelmy, Angeles20.1 
Rebounds Per Game
 Antonio GARCIA
  Panteras
  (203-F/C-76)
  Avg: 14.5
 1. Garcia, Panteras14.5 
 2. Broxsie, Volcanes12.0 
 3. Thomas, Volcanes10.4 
 4. Smith, Fuerza R.10.2 
 5. Berghoefer, Potros9.7 
 6. Bethelmy, Angeles9.6 
 7. Smith, Lechugueros9.3 
 8. Roe, Halc.Xalapa9.0 
 9. Guzman, Ola Verde9.0 
 10. Angounou, Potros8.7 
Assists Per Game
 Paul STOLL
  Algodoneros
  (178-G-85)
  Avg: 7.4
 1. Stoll, Algodoneros7.4 
 2. Rivera, Halc.Rojos5.2 
 3. Vargas, Angeles4.7 
 4. Johns, Lechugueros4.3 
 5. Johnson, Fuerza R.4.2 
 6. Brown, Ola Verde4.0 
 7. Gomez, Toros4.0 
 8. Smith, Lechugueros3.8 
 9. Brown, Lobos G.3.8 
 10. Pagan, Toros3.8 
Steals Per Game
 Robert HORNSBY
  Huracanes
  (196-F/C-)
  Avg: 3.1
 1. Hornsby, Huracanes3.1 
 2. Thomas, Volcanes2.4 
 3. Aubry, Halc.Rojos2.2 
 4. Rivera, Halc.Rojos2.2 
 5. Monreal, Abejas2.0 
 6. Johnson, Jaguares1.9 
 7. Stoll, Algodoneros1.9 
 8. Roby, Halc.Rojos1.8 
 9. Arceneaux, Lechugue.1.8 
 10. Allen, Lobos Grises1.8 
Blocks Per Game
 Cheyenne MOORE
  Volcanes
  (198-G-84)
  Avg: 2
 1. Moore, Volcanes2.0 
 2. Thomas, Panteras1.5 
 3. Perez, Potros1.2 
 4. Carmona, Fuerza R.1.2 
 5. Soto, Abejas1.0 
 6. Brooks, Abejas1.0 
 7. Morinia, Volcanes0.8 
 8. Andrade, Abejas0.8 
 9. Guzman, Potros0.8 
 10. Arceneaux, Lechugue.0.7 


*****************************************************
  MOROCCO   


Egypt edge Morocco to enter championship game - by Eurobasket News
Egypt - Morocco 75:56

Egypt will play in the championship game of the Arab Nations Cup. Yesterday they held off Morocco in the first semifinal of the tournament. Egypt will now take on Lebanon for the title.
Egypt played some stifling defense in the opening quarter. They limited Morocco to 13 points and ensured a 3-point lead ten minutes into the encounter. Both teams increased the tempo in the second term. Egypt stayed in charge as they fired 23 points. The halftime scoreboard read 39:32 for Egypt. Morocco tried to change the complexion of the battle in the third stanza. They narrowed the deficit at 6-point mark with one quarter to go. But Egypt stormed past their opponents in the fourth quarter. They fired 23 points and rallied to the victory at the end.
Amro Sherif (192-G-91) stepped up with 15 points to pace Egypt. Ramy Gunady (185-G-81) added 12 points, while Haytham Kamal (207-F-87) notched 6 points in the win. Abdelhakim Zouita (201-F-86) responded with 11 points for Morocco. Zakaria El Masbahi (191-G-79) accounted for 10 points in the losing effort.

Egypt: Amro Sherif 15, Ramy Gunady 12, Haytham Kamal 6
Morocco: Abdelhakim Zouita 11, Zakaria El Masbahi 10


*****************************************************
  NBA   


Erick Dampier signing with Miami Heat is 'imminent' - by Eurobasket News
Erick Dampier (6'11''-C-74, college: Mississippi St.) started the summer on the Dallas Mavericks. Since then, he's been traded to the Charlotte Bobcats, only to be released due to his $13 million fully non-guaranteed contract. Needing work, the 34-year old center looks to have turned to the one contending team that needed him: the Miami Heat.

Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel is reporting that Dampier is about to sign with the Heat.

Erick Dampier actually has gone through meet-and-greet process, and it now appears as if his signing is imminent, if not already done.

If true, this is a big deal for the Heat, who lack a center that can soak up minutes and defend top post options. Dampier is long known for being the posted boy for underachievement, but even though he was overpaid in Dallas, he was still a solid defensive player, a good offensive rebounder and a passable guy at plugging the middle. Miami's biggest weakness before this move was interior defense, and Dampier helps solve that.

Dampier would have to sign for the veterans' minimum, since the Heat forfeited all their salary-cap exceptions to clear enough room for LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh.

Courtesy of www.sbnation.com

Scheyer recovers from injury, heads to Clippers - by Eurobasket News
Jon Scheyer (6'5''-G-87, agency: Priority Sports) is heading to training camp with the Los Angeles Clippers .

The former Duke guard, who captained the Blue Devils' NCAA championship team this past season, signed a non-guaranteed deal with the NBA team, his agent, Mark Bartelstein, said Wednesday night.

He is one of four players the Clippers invited to camp on Wednesday. The others are NBA veterans Jake Voskuhl (6'11''-C-77, agency: Priority Sports, college: Connecticut) and Jarron Collins (6'10''-F-78, college: Stanford) and rookie Stephen Dennis (6'6''-G), who was the 2010 Division II player of the year at Kutztown (Pa.) State.

Scheyer nearly agreed to a deal with the Utah Jazz before heading to the Clippers.

'He thinks it is a really good opportunity for him,' Bartelstein said. 'He's been going through everything and trying to decide on the best spot. He ultimately decided upon the Clippers.'

The 6-5 Scheyer, a combo guard, averaged 18.2 points and 4.9 assists for the Blue Devils (35-5). Despite mostly positive reviews from NBA draft analysts, he was not selected in June's two-round NBA Draft.

Scheyer played in the NBA's Summer League with the Miami Heat but suffered a setback when he was poked in the eye during in his second game. The injury was diagnosed as a lacerated eyelid and caused considerable swelling.

Bartelstein said Scheyer is healthy again and will be ready for the start of Clippers training camp on Tuesday.

'He's fully recovered now,' Bartelstein said. 'That injury set him back this summer. It made it difficult. But he's doing great now. He's excited.'

Scheyer scored 15 points in Duke's 61-59 win over Butler in the NCAA final at Indianapolis last April. He averaged double-figures in scoring during all four seasons of his career with the Blue Devils. Scheyer finished his career with 2,077 points, good for No. 9 on Duke's all-time scoring list.

Courtesy of http://dailyme.com

Kirk Penney gets NBA trial with San Antonio Spurs - by Eurobasket News
World class New Zealand shooter Kirk Penney (6'5''-G-80, college: Wisconsin) is on the verge of a long-awaited return to the National Basketball Association (NBA).

Breakers and Tall Blacks guard Penney announced yesterday has been offered a trial with the San Antonio Spurs and was to leave for the United States today in a bid to force his way onto the roster of one of the strongest NBA franchises.

Penney, 29, told the Deaker on Sport television show that he had waited five years for a chance to prove himself in the world's elite league. He played four games for the Los Angeles Clippers at the end of 2004 before being released.

'I'm going to get another crack, another shot after five years ago with the Clippers,' Penney said.

'And that was a short, short stint. So here we go.'

Penney's standout performances at the recent world basketball championships in Turkey raised his stock considerably. Penney emerged as the tournament's second leading scorer, helping the Tall Blacks reach the last 16.

Penney goes with the blessing of the Breakers, who have long said they would be happy for their premier scorer to chase his NBA dream.

He will probably have to compete against six other players for two or three spots on the roster ahead of the NBA season starting in late October.

Meanwhile, compatriot Sean Marks is currently in a training camp with the Washington Wizards as he seeks to extend a decade-long career in the NBA.

Courtesy of www.stuff.co.nz

Houston Rockets sign Antonio Anderson - by Eurobasket News
The NBA Development League Champion Rio Grande Valley Vipers announced on Wednesday that their parent club, the Houston Rockets, has signed guard Antonio Anderson (6'6''-G-85, college: Memphis), who played with the Vipers last season.

The Vipers' first round pick in the 2009 NBA Development League Draft. Anderson recorded the assist on Craig Winder's Championship-winning buzzer-beater on April 27 at State Farm Arena. He averaged 17.9 points, 6.0 rebounds and 7.1 assists per game in the postseason after averaging 16.2 points, 4.0 rebounds and 6.1 assists per game during the regular season. Anderson earned a GATORADE Call-Up the Oklahoma City Thunder during the season, signing two 10-day contracts. He also played for the Charlotte Bobcats in the 2010 AirTran Airways Pro Summer League in Orlando and the Denver Nuggets during the 2010 NBA Summer League in Las Vegas.

Anderson is one of four Vipers alumni in training camp with the Rockets, joining guards Aaron Brooks (6-0, 161, Oregon) and Jermaine Taylor (6-4, 210, Central Florida) as well as reigning NBA Development League Most Valuable Player and forward Mike Harris (6-6, 235, Rice). Brooks spent time with the Vipers during the 2007-08 season while Taylor and Harris played for the Vipers during the 2009-10 season.

The Rockets open training camp on Saturday at Toyota Center in Houston. The Rockets will shift Training Camp to State Farm Arena in Hidalgo on October 3 and 4 before hosting the Orlando Magic in their first pre-season game on October 5 at 7:30 p.m. on the Vipers' home court. Tickets are still available and can be purchased by calling the Vipers at 972-1144 or online at rgvipers.com.

Courtesy of The Rio Grande Valley Vipers

Steve Novak to join Mavericks' camp - by Eurobasket News
Steve Novak (6'10''-F-84, college: Marquette), a 6-10 forward who has been in the NBA the last four seasons, will be joining the Mavericks as a training camp invitee.

Novak was the 32nd overall pick in the 2006 draft by Houston. He played two seasons with the Rockets and has been with the Los Angeles Clippers the last two seasons. The former Marquette standout averaged 6.9 points in 2008-09, when he knocked in 41 percent of his 3-point shots.

The 27-year-old played just 54 games for the Clippers last season.

The Mavericks are looking for a backup to Dirk Nowitzki who plays a similar style, which Novak does.

Courtesy of www.dallasnews.com

Trail Blazers to invite four players to training camp, including Seth Tarver - by Eurobasket News
On the virtual eve of training camp, the Trail Blazers are poised to make multiple roster moves - just not the ones you might anticipate.

The Blazers are expected to sign as many as four players to training camp contracts before the team begins two-a-day practices Tuesday morning, potentially elevating the training camp roster to 19 players. One of the invites has local connections.

Seth Tarver (6'5''-G/F, college: Oregon St.), who graduated from Jesuit High School in Portland and Oregon State University, is one of three players the Blazers have all but locked to bring into camp. Tarver, whos father John played running back in the NFL, is an athletic 6-foot-5 forward who was named the Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year as a senior.

The Blazers also will bring in Dwight Lewis (6'5''-G-87, agency: Impact Basketball), a 6-5 shooting guard from USC, and Raymond Sykes (6'9''-F/C-86, college: Clemson), a 6-9 forward from Clemson who played in the NBA Development League last season.

One more player - a guard who played in the Atlantic Coast Conference - also could receive a training camp invitation.

Point guard Patty Mills, who played for the Blazers as a rookie last season and on their summer league team in July, is not expected to be a part of camp. The Blazers issued Mills a qualifying contract offer over the summer, but he has not signed it.

Courtesy of www.oregonlive.com

Spurs interested in Diogu? - by Eurobasket News
According to ESPN Dallas, the San Antonio Spurs have expressed interested in free agent forward Ike Diogu (6'8''-F/C-83, college: Arizona St.):

Diogu's agent, Thad Foucher, wasn't available Monday night, but Diogu said that Denver, Utah and San Antonio are the last three teams that have expressed interest. New Orleans, Diogu said, is out of the picture.

Diogu has dealt with a knee injury but said he is fully recovered and ready to produce for an NBA team:

He said if teams are concerned about his knee, recent MRI exams show no structural damage.

'The knee is fine, no problems at all with it. Basically it's a non-issue,' Diago said. 'I'm good to go.'

At 6'9' 250 lbs., Diogu is a big guy and could help the Spurs in the paint. He can grab some rebounds and play some defense but DeJuan Blair plays a similar role for the team.

Though Diogu would help, right now the Spurs' priority should be looking to add a backup small forward.

Courtesy http://projectspurs.com

*****************************************************
  NCAA1   


OU's Cade Davis sidelined with facial fracture - by Eurobasket News
Cade Davis (6'5''-G-88), the most proven player on Oklahoma's otherwise-inexperienced basketball team, sustained a facial fracture during a team workout last Friday.

Coach Jeff Capel said Davis is expected to make a full recovery in four to six weeks, which would have him ready to start the season. He has already been cleared for conditioning and shooting drills that do not require contact.

Davis sustained swelling around the cheek and eye after a collision at the workout. Capel said he may wear a protective mask once he is fully cleared to return.

Davis is the Sooners' leading returning scorer, having averaged 9.9 points last year as a junior, and 12.5 over OU's last 12 games. He also averaged 3.9 rebounds and a team-high 1.5 steals.

The Sooners, trying to bounce back from a 13-18 season, open Nov. 2 against Northern State, a Div. II program from Aberdeen, S.D.

Courtesy of www.tulsaworld.com

Kentucky, Gonzaga offer Irish early tests - by Eurobasket News
After already learning its Big East slate last week, Notre Dame mens basketball now has a complete picture for its upcoming season.

The Irish released their full schedule Tuesday, and the non-conference slate is highlighted by a trip to Louisville to play Kentucky in the Big East/SEC Invitational at 8:30 p.m. Dec. 8 and a home game against Gonzaga at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 11.

The Irish will face another SEC school at 7 p.m. Nov. 25 when they meet Georgia in the Old Spice Classic in Orlando, Fla., as previously announced. Notre Dame will play two more games in the classic Nov. 26 and 28.

The Irish begin the regular season with four consecutive home games, starting with Georgia Southern at 8 p.m. Nov. 12.

Notre Dame begins Big East play at home against Georgetown at 6 p.m. Dec. 29. The Irishs repeat opponents in conference play are Connecticut, Marquette and St. Johns.

Courtesy of www.journalgazette.net

Tennessee Vols detail NCAA violations by Bruce Pearl, staff - by Eurobasket News
The Tennessee basketball program has reported several NCAA violations committed under Coach Bruce Pearl, including nearly 100 excessive phone calls to recruits and permitting families of recruits to stay longer than allowed by the NCAA when visiting Knoxville.

In memos from Tennessee to Southeastern Conference Commissioner Mike Slive, Tennessee cited poor record keeping, miscommunication and carelessness in documenting the number of phone calls made to 10 recruits. The impermissible phone calls are part of an NCAA investigation into recruiting practices by Tennessee's basketball and football programs.

The documents were first obtained by ESPN.

The recruits mentioned in the memos included Elliot Williams, who played at Duke and Memphis; Kansas' Josh Selby; Florida State's Chris Singleton; Ohio State's Aaron Craft; Xavier's Justin Martin and Griffin McKenzie; and Rico Pickett, who signed with Alabama but now plays professionally in Europe.

Names of current Tennessee players involved were redacted from the documents.

Tennessee also acknowledged assistant coach Jason Shay approved the lodging expenses for the families of three recruits who stayed in Knoxville for their official visits longer than the 48 hours allowed by the NCAA.

Tennessee athletic department officials have repeatedly declined to comment about the ongoing NCAA investigation.

According to documents dating from April to July, Tennessee punished itself by reducing the number of days coaches could recruit from 130 to 104 and their number of official visits from 12 to eight and by banning associate head coach Tony Jones from making recruiting calls for three months and Pearl from making calls for nine days.

Tennessee more severely punished the coaches after Pearl admitted giving incorrect and misleading information when he was asked by NCAA officials during an interview about a photo of him and Craft taken when the recruit was a high school junior. Prospects aren't allowed to meet with coaches away from campus as juniors.

Athletics Director Mike Hamilton has docked Pearl's pay by $1.5 million over five years and prohibiting him from participating in off-campus recruiting for a year beginning Sept 24. Pearl's three assistants also had their pay reduced and cannot participate in off-campus recruiting for periods varying from three months to a year.

Pearl told Sports Illustrated at a coaching clinic in New York on Sunday that he's embarrassed and should be made an example.

'But I hope that the things we did don't rise to the level of termination, because we run a clean program,' he said. 'We got investigated in a lot of areas.'

Courtesy of www.tennessean.com

Maryland's Gary Williams: Colleges can pay players, and should - by Eurobasket News
At least one prominent college basketball coach says that athletes in revenue-producing sports should be paid, and he said he is not alone.

Maryland's Gary Williams told a Baltimore radio station Tuesday afternoon that he would be in favor of athletes receiving a monthly stipend, that the NCAA undoubtedly could afford it without taking away from the non-revenue sports, and that as a member of the board of directors of the National Association of Basketball Coaches, the topic is discussed constantly among his colleagues.

'The problem we have, anything we bring up with the NCAA, they kind of look at it as, 'What do these coaches -- what are they doing now, what do they want? This is just to help them,''' Williams told the 'Sports With Coleman'' show on Baltimore's Fox 1370 Sports Radio. 'But it's not, and I know with all the stuff that's in the paper right now, there's a ton of coaches out there who care about their players and do a great job, and hopefully will be heard in the future.''

Williams was referring to last week's return of the Heisman Trophy by Reggie Bush in the wake of NCAA findings that he received benefits while playing for USC, as well as the spate of agent-related controversies in college football, including at fellow ACC member North Carolina. Williams, entering his 22nd season at Maryland and his 32nd overall in college coaching, pointed to the new $11 billion television contract for the NCAA basketball tournament as a rebuttal to the idea that
there is not enough money to go around for all sports to give some to the football and basketball players.

'That's what the NCAA will tell you,'' he said, 'but if you did pay the revenue-producing sports athletes, you would still have that money coming in that they exist on now. There's plenty of money off the men's basketball tournament that you can pay men's basketball players, football players, whatever, the revenue-producing sports, and still have enough money to run your other sports, and I think that's why a lot of people (believe) they should be paid.''

The figure Williams suggested was $200 a month -- based, he said, on the fact that when he played at Maryland in the mid-1960s, he and other athletes got $15 a month spending money as part of their scholarship. Even today, he added, regular students are allowed to receive living expenses and spending money as part of financial aid, but athletes on scholarship are not -- even though, he said, 'they say that they want student-athletes to be treated just like everybody else.

'These guys don't receive anything except room, board, books, tuition and fees, which doesn't put any cash in their pockets,'' Williams said. 'And some of these guys are pretty poor coming here, and a lot of college students have some money -- you feel out of place, you don't feel competitive academically sometimes, and I think it could do a lot of good.

'Plus, hopefully, it would keep away some of the unscrupulous people that do hang around the great athletes, where an athlete wouldn't befriend a guy just because a guy gave him 100 bucks or something like that.''

Better yet, Williams pointed out, it might keep players in school longer and decrease the temptation to go to the pros before they are truly ready, or if they are not ready at all. 'The thing is, $200 is not gonna keep a kid in school if he's got a chance to be a first-round pick,'' he said, 'but it's the other athletes, the four-year players and things like that, that might need money that, instead of taking a chance at going into the draft, they might stay another year so that they can afford to stay on the campus and they don't need that money and take the risk of not making a pro team.

'The whole thing was set up with college sports ... it was entertainment value for the other students on campus, but also to give people a chance to get an education because of the skill they do have. They shouldn't be discouraged, they should be encouraged in any way possible.''

Paying players is, he said, 'a tough argument, I understand, but amateurs make money now,'' pointing to track and field athletes among others whose definition of 'amateur'' has changed over the years.

'In college, you're kind of on an island now in terms of these guys,'' he said. 'They do get a scholarship -- the scholarship's probably worth here, at Maryland, about $40,000 (a year), so it's not a bad thing. But it gets tough when you see what's out there, and you see the people that kind of take advantage of that situation with the players.''

Williams, who coached Maryland to the 2002 NCAA title, will be inducted next week into the new Hall of Legends at Baltimore's Sports Legends at Camden Yards Museum; also in the inaugural class of state honorees are Babe Ruth, Johnny Unitas, Brooks Robinson, broadcaster Jim McKay and former Ravens owner Art Modell, who moved the Browns to Baltimore in 1995.

Courtesy of http://ncaabasketball.fanhouse.com

*****************************************************
  NEW ZEALAND   


Kirk Penney gets NBA trial with San Antonio Spurs - by Eurobasket News
World class New Zealand shooter Kirk Penney (6'5''-G-80, college: Wisconsin) is on the verge of a long-awaited return to the National Basketball Association (NBA).

Breakers and Tall Blacks guard Penney announced yesterday has been offered a trial with the San Antonio Spurs and was to leave for the United States today in a bid to force his way onto the roster of one of the strongest NBA franchises.

Penney, 29, told the Deaker on Sport television show that he had waited five years for a chance to prove himself in the world's elite league. He played four games for the Los Angeles Clippers at the end of 2004 before being released.

'I'm going to get another crack, another shot after five years ago with the Clippers,' Penney said.

'And that was a short, short stint. So here we go.'

Penney's standout performances at the recent world basketball championships in Turkey raised his stock considerably. Penney emerged as the tournament's second leading scorer, helping the Tall Blacks reach the last 16.

Penney goes with the blessing of the Breakers, who have long said they would be happy for their premier scorer to chase his NBA dream.

He will probably have to compete against six other players for two or three spots on the roster ahead of the NBA season starting in late October.

Meanwhile, compatriot Sean Marks is currently in a training camp with the Washington Wizards as he seeks to extend a decade-long career in the NBA.

Courtesy of www.stuff.co.nz

*****************************************************
  PBL   


Premier League debuts in Port City on December 9 - by Eurobasket News
New Brunswick's first professional basketball franchise will open its exhibition schedule Dec. 9 at Harbour Station against the Quebec Kebs.

Saint John Mill Rats general manager Ian McCarthy said Tuesday the Premier Basketball League club will play exhibition games on three consecutive nights before hitting the road for three more prior to the start of the regular season in January.

The Mill Rats will play the Halifax Rainmen Dec. 10 at Harbour Station before hosting the Vermont Frost Heaves the following night.

The exhibition schedule also include games in Halifax, Dec. 16, Vermont, Dec. 19, and Quebec City, Dec. 20. The regular season schedule has yet to be finalized.

'The exhibition games at home three weeks prior to the start of the season will be a good opportunity to showcase our product and show people how exciting our game is,' said McCarthy, whose team has sold between 500-700 season's tickets to date.

The team will be involved in the New Hampshire Pro Exposure Basketball Combine this weekend in Derry, N.H. The trip will enable the club to scout players to fill out its 10-man roster prior to training camp opening in Saint John Dec. 1.

The team signed a sponsorship deal this week with the Canada Games Aquatic Centre to allow its players to swim and train there. It will conduct practices at the University of New Brunswick Saint John as well as area high schools.

David Cooper (6'8''-F-83, college: JMU) is the lone player signed to a Mill Rats contract. The 6-8 forward played his college ball at Southern New Hampshire University before transferring to Division I James Madison.

He was also a member of the U.S. Virgin Islands National Team, playing in 2006 and 2009.

Cooper, who is also a co-owner and vice-president of marketing for the franchise, said he's excited about how sponsors and fans have embraced the team since it relocated to the Port City.

'You want to find a way to get everybody in the city involved,' Cooper said.

'Even though this is a big walk-up city (in terms of ticket sales), we would love to sell 3,000, 4,000 season's tickets, not so much for us?...?it's about supporting something that's in the city, that's going to be a part of Saint John.'

Premier Basketball League executives are to hold a conference call today to talk about possible expansion and to work out regular season scheduling.

The eight-team league includes the Dayton Air Strikers, Kentucky's Bluegrass Stallions, the Lawton-Fort Sill Cavalry and the Rochester RazorSharks.

Courtesy of http://telegraphjournal.canadaeast.com

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  PERU   


Club Centro Naval del Peru adds Davis to their roster - by Eurobasket
Club Centro Naval del Peru added to their roster 28-year old American forward Antonio Davis (198-F-82, college: Urbana). Davis played most recently at El Bosque (Superior B). Davis is a very experienced player. In his last year at college at Urbana, he recorded averages of 22.4ppg, 8.1rpg, FGP: 55.0% in 30 games.

By Eurobasket Data Center

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  PHILIPPINES   


Philippines survive against Syria - by Eurobasket News
Philippines U18 - Syria U18 61:60

Philippines recorded the second straight win at the U18 Asia Championship in Yemen. They narrowly defeated Syria to improve at 2-0 record in Group C. Syria fell at 0-2 record and would face Saudi Arabia for the spot in the qualifying round.
The teams stayed close early in the first term. Philippines stepped on the gas late in the quarter as they used a 9:2 run to take a 17:9 lead. Philippines ensured a 24:16 advantage midway through the second term but Syria recovered. They went on a 12:3 rally and ensured a 28:27 lead at halftime. Philippines returned the advantage in the third stanza. They posted a 46:40 lead at the final intermission. Syria did not allow their opponents to run away in the fourth period. The teams stayed neck and neck however Philippines managed to eke out a tough victory at the end. Kiefer Isaac Ravena (181-G/F-93) produced 19 points for the winners. Raphael Banal (186-G-92) contributed 15 points, while Joshua Angelo Alolino (181-G-94) contributed 13 points for Philippines. Obida Al Samman (184-F-92) answered with 15 points for Syria. Amer Al Sati (203-C-92) had 13 points and 23 rebounds in defeat.

Philippines U18: Kiefer Isaac Ravena 19, Raphael Banal 15, Joshua Angelo Alolino 13
Syria U18: Obida Al Samman 15, Amer Al Sati 13+23 boards


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  POLAND   


Asseco Prokom lands NBA player Bobby Brown - by Eurobasket News
Asseco Prokom announced signing of Bobby Brown (188-G-84, agency: Priority Sports, college: Cal.St. Fullerton) to a one-year deal. The American guard is back to Europe after two years in NBA. He started the latest one with the New Orleans Hornets averaging 6.6 points and 2.1 rebounds for 22 games. In January, Brown moved to the Los Angeles Clippers adding 3.5 ppg, 1 rpg and 2.1 apg in 20 appearances. On season 2008/09, Brown also changed two teams. He had 5.2 ppg and 1.9 apg for 47 games with the Sacramento Kings, where he played until February of 2008. Than he was traded to the Wolves, where he added 4.7 ppg and 1.4 apg in 19 games.
Bobby Brown played for ALBA Berlin on season 2007/08 helping them to win the German title. He appeared 45 times for the club collecting 13.8 ppg, 2.6 rpg and 3.7 apg. ALBA also participated in ULEB Cup that season, where Brown was even better registering 16 ppg, 2.6 rpg and 4.2 apg for 10 games.
Bobby Brown is a product of the California State Fullerton University, where he graduated in 2007. In his senior season Brown has 20.2 ppg, 2.7 rpg and 5.1 apg. His new team will compete in PLK and Euroleague next season. They managed to defend the title in Poland and to reach the Euroleague Quarterfinals in 2009/10.

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  PORTUGAL   


Cavel Wtter signs with Terceira Basket - by Bruno Baltazar
Terceira Basket from Proliga just signed the american point guard Cavel Witter (183-G-87, college: Creighton) ,he is a guard 6'0 a true guard in ball handling and comes from NCAA from Creighton where last season in 33 games he aveaged 7.2ppg, 1.2rpg, 1.6apg with great overal percentages of FGP: 39.6%, 3PT: 37.1%, FT: 82.4%.
He will be the first american in the team and will join them over this weekend ,they will try make a good season in Proliga and the 22 years old guard will help them.

Academica signed their 3 americans - by Bruno Baltazar
Academica just signed their 3 americans for this season.
First is Matthew Shaw (201-F-86, college: S.Illinois) ,the 6'7 forward is well known in the portuguese league since last year he played for Illiabum ,in 24 games he averaged 14.0ppg, 8.1rpg, 1.5apg, 1.5spg,he had good numbers in college for S.Illinois and played for LEB Gold with La Palma.
They also signed Yima Chia-Kur (196-F-86, college: Arkansas St.) ,he is a 6'5 forward ,versatil player ,he has a good 3 point shot,in 08/09 he played in college for Arkansas St.,in 14 games he averaged 6.6ppg, 3.3rpg,recently he was with Akron Rise of the ABA.
The last one is well known Manuel Johnson (201-F-83, agency: Court Side, college: Tex.A&M-Comm.) ,the 6'7 forward played in Academica for the past 3 seasons,last season in 24 games 14.4ppg, Reb-5 (9.3rpg), 1.5apg, 1.6spg.

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  QATAR   


South Korea overwhelm Qatar in Yemen - by Eurobasket News
South Korea U18 - Qatar U18 108:38

South Korea bounced back after the starting loss at the U18 Asia Championship in Yemen. They dismantled Qatar on the second day of the tournament. The victory propelled South Korea at 1-1 record, while Qatar slipped at o-2 in Group B.
It was a one-way traffic from start to finish. South Korea unleashed 32 points in the first quarter to take a 24-point lead. Things just kept getting worse for Qatar. They faced a massive 39-point deficit at the interval. South Korea maintained the pressure in the third stanza. They held their opponents to 9 points establishing an unassailable 55-point deficit at the final intermission. Qatar never recovered suffering the second stunning loss in a row.
Moon Seong-Gon (193-F-93) nailed 17 points to pace the winners. Heo Ung (183-G-93), Kim Jun-Yl (202-C-92) and Lee Dong-Yeop (194-F-94) contributed 12 points apiece for South Korea. Ali Al-Kuwari (92) answered with 12 points for Qatar. Jassim Al-Jaber (92) had 7 points in defeat.

South Korea U18: Moon Seong-Gon 17, Heo Ung 12, Kim Jun-Yl 12, Lee Dong-Yeop 12
Qatar U18: Ali Al-Kuwari 12, Jassim Al-Jaber 7



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  ROMANIA   


CSU Asesoft Ploiesti brings in center Goran Bajic - by Eurobasket News
CSU Asesoft Ploiesti continued with bolstering its squad for the upcoming season. Latest addition for the Romanian champion is Serbian big guy Goran Bajic (207-C-83, agency: Beo Basket). The 27-year-old player parted ways with PBG Basket Poznan recently and didnt have to wait long for the new job. He is expected to join his new teammates immediately.
Goran Bajic arrived to PBG Basket Poznan this summer from Bosna ASA BH Telecom Sarajevo. He played 26 games for the Bosnian squad in Adriatic league last season collecting 7 ppg and 3.2 rpg. In domestic championship, Bajic added 7.6 ppg and 2.5 rpg. Bajic helped Bosna to win the National Cup this year and to reach the Playoff Semifinals. From 2007 to 2009, Goran Bajic was a member of Vojvodina Srbija Gas Novi Sad. He shined in their second season together with 10.4 ppg and 4.3 rpg for 24 games in Adriatic league. In Serbia, his numbers were pretty lower. In 2007/08 he had 11.3 ppg and 5.9 rpg in Serbian Superleague and was named Eurobasket.com All-Serbian League Honorable Mention -08.
Goran Bajic played for the Serbian outfit Sloga Societe Generale Kraljevo many years in the past. He was one of the best league players on season 2006/07 as he collected 14.5 ppg, 5.7 rpg and 1.4 bpg for 15 games. In the past, he also was a member of Mega Ishrana Belgrade and Srem Sremska Mitrovica.

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  RUSSIA   


Miroslav Raicevic heads to Enisey - by Eurobasket News
Miroslav Raicevic (208-C-81) heads to Enisey and will help the team in the upcoming season. His first experience he gained with Aris Thessaloniki where he stayed until year 2005. In the last season there he averaged 4,1ppg, 2.0rpg, FGP: 50.0%, 3Pts: 33.3% in ULEB Cup and in Greek League Regular Season after 19 games his stats read 4.5ppg, 1.9rpg. In 2005-2006 moved to KK Crvena Zvezda Beograd and in
2006-2007 played for Dynamo Moscow. In 2007-2008 moved to Eldo Basket Napoli (Italy-SerieA,starting five) and after 8 games showed 5.9ppg, 2.9rpg, 2FGP:39.3%, 3PT:31.8%, FT:80.0%, later moved KK Crvena Zvezda Beograd (Serbia-A League) and in Adriatic League after 20 games showed 5.8ppg, 2.3rpg, FGP: 47.2%, 3PT: 39.3%, FT: 80%. In 2008-2009 played for Panionios ON Telecoms Athens (Greece-A1, starting five) and in Greek League after 22 games showed 4.9ppg, 2.1rpg. In Euroleague his stats read 5.8ppg, 1.9rpg, FGP-3 (80.0%), 3PT: 33.3%, FT: 72.7%. In 2009-2010 appeared for Iraklis Thessaloniki (Greece-A2): DNP, then moved to Kavala/Panorama (Greece-A1). He recorded 16 points last season as Ilysiakos outplayed Kavala in very important game mostly owing to Othello Hunter, who came up with 19 points and 10 rebounds. Vonteego Cummings helped with 13 pts and 6 assists. Visitors got 19 points and 8 boards from Miroslav Rajcevic.
Kirill Pischalnikov (198-C-88) meanwhile was another addition to the roster of Spartak. After playing in Russian for few years, the player moved to NCAA and got some experience there.


Interperformances: Top free agent Point Guards - by Interperformances


Today we would like to emphasize on the top point Guards represented by Interperformances that are still free agents. By clicking in each name you may view their complete profile:
Rashid Atkins (182-G-75, agency: Interperformances, college: St.Joseph's) Apoel Nicosia Reached the Quarterfinals of the EuroChallenge and won Cypriot Championship.
Filip Covic (180-G-89) FMP Serbia A League - EuroChallenge ranked 4th in Assists per game (4.8apg).
Brandon Ewing (187-G-86, agency: Interperformances, college: Wyoming) Ironi Ramat Gan - Israel-Premier League-Coming off an excellent rookie season from Israel.
Jason Fontenet (178-G-82, agency: Interperformances, college: Oregon St.) Averaged 18 pts per game and almost 6 assists in the competitive Ukranian league. Signed the end of the past season at the Greek division I level with Olympia Larissas.
Leemire Goldwire (180-G-84, agency: Interperformances, college: Charlotte) Sioux Falls Skyforce-DLeague 13.0ppg, 2.7rpg, 3.1apg - 2008/9 Bulgarian League All-Defensive Team 09 and ranked 5th in steals per game.
Germaine Jackson (195-G-76, agency: Interperformances, college: Detroit Mercy) Former NBA player and Euroleague player. He has been in and out the NBA for years and has played in different top European leagues.
Dimitar Mirakovski (180-G-81, agency: Interperformances) Fyrom NT where he is one of the leading players. finished the season in BC Euroins-Cherno More (Bulgaria-NBL) 13.9ppg, 3.0rpg, Assists-3 (4.4apg) - Eurobasket.com Bulgarian League All-Bosmans Team -2010.
Dwayne Mitchell (194-G-82, agency: Interperformances, college: La-Lafayette) Hapoel Holon (Israel-Premier League): 16.1ppg, 4.4rpg, 3.0apg. 2008/09 Los Angeles D-Fenders- D-League 18.6, 6.9rpg and 4.3apg.
Marius Prekevicius (196-F-84, agency: Interperformances, college: S.Florida) Azovmash Mariupol (Ukraine-Superleague,) 9.0ppg, 2.7rpg, 3.1apg- VTB United League: 10.7ppg, 1.0rpg, 1.3apg - BC Siauliai (LKL) 6.2ppg, 2.9rpg, 3.0apg
Mladen Sljivancanin (200-G/F-85, agency: Interperformances) Apollon (Cyprus-Division A) Assists-7 (52 ast)- and then in JL Bourg Basket (France-ProB)12.7ppg, 4.0rpg, 2.9apg The seasons before he was a starter at Samara/Red Star/Franfkurt Skyliners
Avery Smith (191-G, agency: Interperformances, college: Wisc.-Milwaukee) Basically still la rookie for Europe but remember he was a starting 2-1 of top NCAA program Winsconsin one of the top programs in the nation.
Jason Straight (188-G-83, agency: Interperformances, college: Wyoming) Dakota Wizards (D-League): 11.1ppg, 2.5rpg, 2.4apg -Can play both at the 1 and the 2 spot. Had an excellent 2008 season in Poland finished in the top 5 scorers of the league, top 3 in assit per game and steals per game.

By searching through our website at www.interperformances.com you may also view the profiles of several other notable players that can help your team for the 2010/2011 season.



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  SAUDI ARABIA   


China cruise past Saudi Arabia - by Eurobasket News
China U18 - Saudi Arabia U18 115:60

Guo Ailun (193-G-93) scored 23 points to lead China to another confident performance at the U18 Asia Championship in Yemen. China eased past Saudi Arabia for 2-0 record in Group C. Saudi Arabia suffered the second straight loss and endangered their title ambitions.
The teams traded baskets early in the encounter. But China capped the first quarter with a strong spurt to take a 26:14 lead. They opened the second stanza with a 13:4 rally to establish a 21-point advantage. China accounted for 40 points in the second stanza and ensured a 66:24 buffer at halftime. Saudi Arabia continued to struggle defensively in the second half. China scored their points easily as they reached 100-point mark early in the fourth quarter. They never slowed down and coasted to the victory at the end. Wang Zhelin (213-C-94) provided 15 points and 6 rebounds for China. Xu Tao (211-C-93) and Wang Zirui (190-G-93) accounted for 13 points each in the victory. Racan Barnawi (184-F-92), Hadi Alnamer (170-G-94) and Marzouq Almuwalled (177-G-92) replied with 8 points each in the loss. China will next take on Philippines, while Saudi Arabia will look for their first win when they face Syria.

China U18: Guo Ailun 23, Wang Zhelin 15, Xu Tao 13, Wang Zirui 13
Saudi Arabia U18: Racan Barnawi 8, Hadi Alnamer 8, Marzouq Almuwalled 8



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  SERBIA   


CSU Asesoft Ploiesti brings in center Goran Bajic - by Eurobasket News
CSU Asesoft Ploiesti continued with bolstering its squad for the upcoming season. Latest addition for the Romanian champion is Serbian big guy Goran Bajic (207-C-83, agency: Beo Basket). The 27-year-old player parted ways with PBG Basket Poznan recently and didnt have to wait long for the new job. He is expected to join his new teammates immediately.
Goran Bajic arrived to PBG Basket Poznan this summer from Bosna ASA BH Telecom Sarajevo. He played 26 games for the Bosnian squad in Adriatic league last season collecting 7 ppg and 3.2 rpg. In domestic championship, Bajic added 7.6 ppg and 2.5 rpg. Bajic helped Bosna to win the National Cup this year and to reach the Playoff Semifinals. From 2007 to 2009, Goran Bajic was a member of Vojvodina Srbija Gas Novi Sad. He shined in their second season together with 10.4 ppg and 4.3 rpg for 24 games in Adriatic league. In Serbia, his numbers were pretty lower. In 2007/08 he had 11.3 ppg and 5.9 rpg in Serbian Superleague and was named Eurobasket.com All-Serbian League Honorable Mention -08.
Goran Bajic played for the Serbian outfit Sloga Societe Generale Kraljevo many years in the past. He was one of the best league players on season 2006/07 as he collected 14.5 ppg, 5.7 rpg and 1.4 bpg for 15 games. In the past, he also was a member of Mega Ishrana Belgrade and Srem Sremska Mitrovica.

Zadar beats Crvena Zvezda in a friendly game - by Eurobasket News
Crvena Zvezda - Zadar 70-77

Zadar traveled to Belgrade to square off against Crvena Zvezda in a friendly game. In the end it was the Croatian outfit who celebrated 7-point margin win. Game started off even as both teams played good offensively. After trading basket for basket, it was the hosts who ended first period with 22-21. Zadar players turned their defensive intensity in the second frame and hosts failed to cope with it. Thanks to easy transition opportunities, Zadar players were able to build their first bigger lead. At the halftime the score stood at 35-40. After the breather, tempo of the match went down. Both teams struggled offensively, but Zadar was maintaining their lead. With 10 minutes left to play, visitors were still up 47-50. Than in the final quarter, both teams picked it up on the offensive end. Again both teams were hitting shots, but it was Zadar who held calmer nerves in the end. They routinely closed the game out for the final 70-77 win.
Pavle Marcinkovic (197-G-89) led Zadar with 14 points on the night. Brandon Brown (202-F-81, college: Tulane) added 12 points, while Jurica Golemac (209-F-77, agency: Beo Basket) chipped in 11 of his own. For Crvena Zvezda, Nemanja Nedovic (192-G-91, agency: Beo Basket) had a great game as he poured in 20 points. Lazar Radosavljevic (203-F-91, agency: Beo Basket) and Luka Drca (196-G-87, agency: Beo Basket, college: Utah) also reached double-digits as they scored 12 and 11 points respectively.

Crvena Zvezda: Nemanja Nedovic 20, Lazar Radosavljevic 12, Luka Drca 11
Zadar: Pavle Marcinkovic 14, Brandon Brown 12, Jurica Golemac 11

BASKETBALL CLINIC BELGRADE 2010 - by Zoran Popovic
Serbian Association of Basketball Coaches organizes the 9th consecutive International Coaching seminar called Basketball Clinic Belgrade 2010 that will be held on September 25th and 27th in Basket city in Belgrade. As previous years, this years seminar has kept the same concept with lecturers from the USA, Europe and Serbia. This year lecturers will be Aleksandar Dzikic , Head coach of Krka Novo Mesto, Jerry Finkbeiner Head coach of Oral Roberts University, Professor Milivoje Karalejic, Mr Ljubica Bacanac and Tihomir Bubalo. This seminar is mandatory for all licensed coaches in Serbia . The program of the seminar will be announced soon. Closer information will be published on the web-site of SABC soon (www.ukts.rs). All lectures will be translated into English language.

Serbian Association of Basketball Coaches


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  SOUTH KOREA   


South Korea overwhelm Qatar in Yemen - by Eurobasket News
South Korea U18 - Qatar U18 108:38

South Korea bounced back after the starting loss at the U18 Asia Championship in Yemen. They dismantled Qatar on the second day of the tournament. The victory propelled South Korea at 1-1 record, while Qatar slipped at o-2 in Group B.
It was a one-way traffic from start to finish. South Korea unleashed 32 points in the first quarter to take a 24-point lead. Things just kept getting worse for Qatar. They faced a massive 39-point deficit at the interval. South Korea maintained the pressure in the third stanza. They held their opponents to 9 points establishing an unassailable 55-point deficit at the final intermission. Qatar never recovered suffering the second stunning loss in a row.
Moon Seong-Gon (193-F-93) nailed 17 points to pace the winners. Heo Ung (183-G-93), Kim Jun-Yl (202-C-92) and Lee Dong-Yeop (194-F-94) contributed 12 points apiece for South Korea. Ali Al-Kuwari (92) answered with 12 points for Qatar. Jassim Al-Jaber (92) had 7 points in defeat.

South Korea U18: Moon Seong-Gon 17, Heo Ung 12, Kim Jun-Yl 12, Lee Dong-Yeop 12
Qatar U18: Ali Al-Kuwari 12, Jassim Al-Jaber 7



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  SPAIN   


Interperformances: Top free agent Point Guards - by Interperformances


Today we would like to emphasize on the top point Guards represented by Interperformances that are still free agents. By clicking in each name you may view their complete profile:
Rashid Atkins (182-G-75, agency: Interperformances, college: St.Joseph's) Apoel Nicosia Reached the Quarterfinals of the EuroChallenge and won Cypriot Championship.
Filip Covic (180-G-89) FMP Serbia A League - EuroChallenge ranked 4th in Assists per game (4.8apg).
Brandon Ewing (187-G-86, agency: Interperformances, college: Wyoming) Ironi Ramat Gan - Israel-Premier League-Coming off an excellent rookie season from Israel.
Jason Fontenet (178-G-82, agency: Interperformances, college: Oregon St.) Averaged 18 pts per game and almost 6 assists in the competitive Ukranian league. Signed the end of the past season at the Greek division I level with Olympia Larissas.
Leemire Goldwire (180-G-84, agency: Interperformances, college: Charlotte) Sioux Falls Skyforce-DLeague 13.0ppg, 2.7rpg, 3.1apg - 2008/9 Bulgarian League All-Defensive Team 09 and ranked 5th in steals per game.
Germaine Jackson (195-G-76, agency: Interperformances, college: Detroit Mercy) Former NBA player and Euroleague player. He has been in and out the NBA for years and has played in different top European leagues.
Dimitar Mirakovski (180-G-81, agency: Interperformances) Fyrom NT where he is one of the leading players. finished the season in BC Euroins-Cherno More (Bulgaria-NBL) 13.9ppg, 3.0rpg, Assists-3 (4.4apg) - Eurobasket.com Bulgarian League All-Bosmans Team -2010.
Dwayne Mitchell (194-G-82, agency: Interperformances, college: La-Lafayette) Hapoel Holon (Israel-Premier League): 16.1ppg, 4.4rpg, 3.0apg. 2008/09 Los Angeles D-Fenders- D-League 18.6, 6.9rpg and 4.3apg.
Marius Prekevicius (196-F-84, agency: Interperformances, college: S.Florida) Azovmash Mariupol (Ukraine-Superleague,) 9.0ppg, 2.7rpg, 3.1apg- VTB United League: 10.7ppg, 1.0rpg, 1.3apg - BC Siauliai (LKL) 6.2ppg, 2.9rpg, 3.0apg
Mladen Sljivancanin (200-G/F-85, agency: Interperformances) Apollon (Cyprus-Division A) Assists-7 (52 ast)- and then in JL Bourg Basket (France-ProB)12.7ppg, 4.0rpg, 2.9apg The seasons before he was a starter at Samara/Red Star/Franfkurt Skyliners
Avery Smith (191-G, agency: Interperformances, college: Wisc.-Milwaukee) Basically still la rookie for Europe but remember he was a starting 2-1 of top NCAA program Winsconsin one of the top programs in the nation.
Jason Straight (188-G-83, agency: Interperformances, college: Wyoming) Dakota Wizards (D-League): 11.1ppg, 2.5rpg, 2.4apg -Can play both at the 1 and the 2 spot. Had an excellent 2008 season in Poland finished in the top 5 scorers of the league, top 3 in assit per game and steals per game.

By searching through our website at www.interperformances.com you may also view the profiles of several other notable players that can help your team for the 2010/2011 season.



Meridiano Alicante signs Axel Weigand - by Eurobasket News
Meridiano Alicante added new player for the upcoming season. The Spanish team signed a one-year deal with Argentinean big guy Axel Weigand (200-C-85). The 25-year old player already played for Alicante in the past. He was their member from 2004 to 2009. Last season, he started with Spanish EBA team Santa Pola Lucentum Alicante averaging 12.9 points and 5.1 rebounds for 8 games. In January, he moved to Argentina signing a deal with Union de Sunchales. However, he had limited playing time with them registering just 1.2 ppg and 1.3 rpg for 13 league games.
Axel Weigand helped Alicante to win the LEB Gold Playoff in 2009 and of course to earn a spot for ACB. That season Weigand had 4.5 ppg and 2.8 rpg for 36 games. Before Alicante, Weigand spent many years with Boca Juniors Capital Feder. They won the Argentinean LigaA title in 2004.
Axel Weigand was a member of the Argentinean U16, U18 and U21 National Team in the past. He helped U21 team to win the Gold at the South American U21 Championship in 2004. He also played at the Dallas Global Games in 2004.

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  SRI LANKA   


Sri Lanka unable to match Iran - by Eurobasket News
Iran U18 - Sri Lanka U18 110:32

Iran celebrated the second straight win at U18 Asia Championship in Yemen. They fired past Sri Lanka to remain on top of Group A. Sri Lanka suffered the second consecutive defeat at the tournament.
Iran silenced their opponents in the starting quarter. Led by Mirzaeitalarposhti Meisam (92) and Amir Sedighi (185-F/G-93) Iran exploded with 34 points and posted a 28-point lead. Iran tipped off the second quarter with a 15:4 run to boost the distance. Iran arrived at halftime leading by as many as 38 points. Things hardly changed in the second half. Iran dominated every facet of the encounter. They headed into the final quarter enjoying a massive 79:17 buffer and did not look back en route to the victory.
Mirzaeitalarposhti Meisam stepped up with 23 points for Iran. Amir Sedighi added 21 points, while Mirfattahi Mirmohammad (93) accounted for 15 points in the winning effort. Madhushanka Rathnayake (185-G-92) answered with 13 points for Sri Lanka. Shehan Vasana Perera (193-F-92) delivered 8 points in the loss.

Iran U18: Mirzaeitalarposhti Meisam 23, Amir Sedighi 21, Mirfattahi Mirmohammad 15
Sri Lanka U18: Madhushanka Rathnayake 13, Shehan Vasana Perera 8


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  SWEDEN   


Dragons play some friendlies - by Eurobasket News
Dragons play some friendlies in order to prepare better for the upcoming season. Dragons lost to Kataja 75:91 trailing in the majority of the game. The latter opened the game with 25-20 and added 20-17 in the second period. For Dragons Johan Jeansson (197-G-85) poured in 27 points and Hlynur Baeringsson posted 15.
Dragons won over Lahti 91:75 taking 23-20 after the first 10 minutes. Hlynur Baeringsson (200-F/C-82) paced all the winners with 22 points and Johan Jeansson netted 18.
Dragons also were beaten by LF Basket 68:72. The latter opened the game with 19-13, but the Dragons replied with 16-13 in the second period. Later the teams exchanged the victories in the second half, but it brought the loss for the team from Sundsvall. Johan Pierre scored 16 points and Brandon Barton notched 15.
Last night Dragons rolled over Jamtland 71:64. Hlynur Baeringsson stepped up with 19 points and Johan Jeansson as well as Alex Wesby (196-G-80, agency: R.H.Consultancy, college: Temple) posted 17 each. Stefan Hellgren and Stian Mjos (182-G-89) ended up with 18 points each in the losing effort.



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  SWITZERLAND   


Standings - LNB
LNB Standings
 1. Acad.Fribourg 0-0 
 2. Bern 0-0 
 3. Bernex 0-0 
 4. Chene 0-0 
 5. DDV Lugano 0-0 
 6. Martigny 0-0 
 7. Momo' Basket 0-0 
 8. Neuchatel 0-0 
 9. Pully 0-0 
 10. Swiss Central 0-0 
 11. Vernier 0-0 
 12. Vevey 0-0 
 13. Villars 0-0 


*****************************************************
  SYRIA   


Philippines survive against Syria - by Eurobasket News
Philippines U18 - Syria U18 61:60

Philippines recorded the second straight win at the U18 Asia Championship in Yemen. They narrowly defeated Syria to improve at 2-0 record in Group C. Syria fell at 0-2 record and would face Saudi Arabia for the spot in the qualifying round.
The teams stayed close early in the first term. Philippines stepped on the gas late in the quarter as they used a 9:2 run to take a 17:9 lead. Philippines ensured a 24:16 advantage midway through the second term but Syria recovered. They went on a 12:3 rally and ensured a 28:27 lead at halftime. Philippines returned the advantage in the third stanza. They posted a 46:40 lead at the final intermission. Syria did not allow their opponents to run away in the fourth period. The teams stayed neck and neck however Philippines managed to eke out a tough victory at the end. Kiefer Isaac Ravena (181-G/F-93) produced 19 points for the winners. Raphael Banal (186-G-92) contributed 15 points, while Joshua Angelo Alolino (181-G-94) contributed 13 points for Philippines. Obida Al Samman (184-F-92) answered with 15 points for Syria. Amer Al Sati (203-C-92) had 13 points and 23 rebounds in defeat.

Philippines U18: Kiefer Isaac Ravena 19, Raphael Banal 15, Joshua Angelo Alolino 13
Syria U18: Obida Al Samman 15, Amer Al Sati 13+23 boards


*****************************************************
  TAIWAN   


Taiwan record first win in Sanaa - by Eurobasket News
Taiwan U18 - Malaysia U18 96:47

Taiwan posted the initial victory at the U18 Asia Championship in Yemen. They shot down Malaysia in the second round of action in Group A. Chien Wei-Ju (188-G/F-92) scored 20 points to lead Taiwan. Both teams are now tied at 1-1 record.
Taiwan limited their opponents to just two points in the opening five points. Taiwan surged ahead and rallied to a 22:8 advantage at the first break. Malaysia continued to struggle offensively in the second quarter. They accounted for 10 points to face a 21-point deficit at the interval. Malaysia stepped on the gas after the big break but Taiwan were ready for the challenge. They easily matched the effort and posted a 67:34 lead at the final intermission. Taiwan maintained the tempo in the fourth quarter and cruised to the victory at the end.
Chien Chao-Yi (180-G-93) and Ko Min-Hao (182-G-92) knocked down 11 points each for Taiwan. Kang-chiao Hung accounted for 10 points in the victory. Kok Chun Ng (183-F-92) replied with 9 points for Malaysia. Vui Hang Ang (183-G-93) and Yen Yee Fong (185-F-93) had 6 points apiece in the loss.

Taiwan U18: Chien Wei-Ju 20, Chien Chao-Yi 11, Ko Min-Hao 11
Malaysia U18: Kok Chun Ng 9, Vui Hang Ang 6, Yen Yee Fong 6


*****************************************************
  UKRAINE   


Dewarick Spencer join Budivelnyk Kyiv - by Alexei Revenko
The situation in Marousi BC gets worse every day. A few weeks ago Dewarick Spencer  (193-G-82, agency: Higher Vision Sports, college: Arkansas St.)  considered leaving the club and now it is officially true. The American guard has left the team from Athens and signed with Ukrainian Budivelnyk Kyiv. Last season he played in France Le Mans Sarthe Basket. In national championship he played 36 games scored 18.7 points, 5.7 rebounds and 3.6 assists. In eurocup 12 games: Score-5 (17.6ppg), 3.4rpg, 2.3apg, FGP: 57.4%, 3PT: 39.3%, FT: 93.3%

Standings - Superleague
Superleague Standings
 1. Azovmash 0-0 
 2. BC Donetsk 0-0 
 3. BC Kyiv 0-0 
 4. BC Odessa 0-0 
 5. Budivelnyk 0-0 
 6. Dnipro 0-0 
 7. DniproAzot 0-0 
 8. Ferro-ZNTU 0-0 
 9. Gryfony 0-0 
 10. Halychyna 0-0 
 11. Hoverla 0-0 
 12. Khimik 0-0 
 13. Kryvbasbasket 0-0 
 14. Mykolaiv 0-0 
 15. Pulsar 0-0 


*****************************************************
  URUGUAY   


Standings - LUB
LUB Standings
 1. Bigua 7-0 
 2. Trouville 7-2 
 3. Sayago 5-3 
 4. Malvin 5-4 
 5. Defensor 4-2 
 6. Aguada 4-3 
 7. Hebraica 4-3 
 8. Cordon 4-4 
 9. Montevideo 3-3 
 10. Anastasia 3-4 
 11. Un.Atletica 3-6 
 12. Welcome 3-6 
 13. Bohemios 2-5 
 14. Olimpia 2-5 
 15. Cader 1-7 


Stats Leaders - LUB
Points Per Game
 Johwen VILLEGAS
  Olimpia
  (193-G-85)
  Avg: 32
 1. Villegas, Olimpia32.0 
 2. Taboada, Bigua29.0 
 3. Cornley, Cader28.8 
 4. Craft, Cordon28.6 
 5. McGowan, Sayago27.3 
 6. Elliott, Hebraica26.0 
 7. Woodward, Defensor23.8 
 8. Osimani, Montevideo23.3 
 9. Rogers, Un.Atletica23.0 
 10. Aguiar, Hebraica22.7 
Rebounds Per Game
 Emiliano BASTON
  Hebraica
  (200-F-88)
  Avg: 14
 1. Baston, Hebraica14.0 
 2. Jackson, Anastasia13.0 
 3. Puckett, Aguada12.8 
 4. Sikes, Anastasia11.7 
 5. Dilligard, Olimpia11.7 
 6. Izaguirre, Defensor11.5 
 7. Shelman, Sayago11.3 
 8. Billings, Bigua11.0 
 9. Coleman, Bohemios10.0 
 10. McGowan, Sayago10.0 
Assists Per Game
 Brian LATHAM
  Anastasia
  (184-G-83)
  Avg: 7.7
 1. Latham, Anastasia7.7 
 2. Elliott, Hebraica7.7 
 3. Tornaria, Trouville5.2 
 4. Gonzalez, Defensor5.0 
 5. Trasante, Olimpia5.0 
 6. Cortizas, Aguada5.0 
 7. Vidal, Bigua5.0 
 8. Osimani, Montevideo4.7 
 9. Rak, Trouville4.4 
 10. Nelson, Welcome4.3 
Steals Per Game
 Carl ELLIOTT
  Hebraica
  (193-G-83)
  Avg: 3.7
 1. Elliott, Hebraica3.7 
 2. Latham, Anastasia3.3 
 3. Monroe, Malvin3.2 
 4. Trelles, Bohemios3.0 
 5. Newsome, Malvin2.8 
 6. Crain, Un.Atletica2.7 
 7. Rovira, Bigua2.7 
 8. Giacometti, Cader2.6 
 9. Lado, Welcome2.5 
 10. Fernandez, Sayago2.3 
Blocks Per Game
 Greg DILLIGARD
  Olimpia
  (203-F-85)
  Avg: 5
 1. Dilligard, Olimpia5.0 
 2. Shelman, Sayago3.3 
 3. Colon, Bohemios3.0 
 4. Wilborn, Bigua2.7 
 5. Billings, Bigua2.3 
 6. Jackson, Anastasia2.3 
 7. Kanis, Trouville2.2 
 8. Thorson, Un.Atlet.2.0 
 9. Bouzout, Cordon2.0 
 10. Puckett, Aguada1.8 


Sikes' a double-double lands him Player of the Week award - by Eurobasket News
26-year old forward Marcus Sikes (203-F-84, agency: STKG) put on an amazing game in the last round for Anastasia de Fray Bentos and receives a Eurobasket.com Player of the Week award for round 8.
He had a double-double of 25 points and 17 rebounds, while his team beat Trouville (#2, 7-2) 105-100. Anastasia maintains the 10th position in Uruguayan league. Anastasia is a typical solid league team placed somewhere in the middle or a little bit lower in the standings. They need more victories to improve their 3-4 record. Sikes turned to be Anastasia's top player in his first season with the team. University of Cincinnati graduate has very impressive stats this year. Sikes is in league's top in rebounds (4th best: 11.7rpg).

Second best performed player last round was De Andre Coleman (201-F-86) of Bohemios. He is American forward in his first season at Bohemios. In the last game Coleman recorded impressive double-double of 26 points and 13 rebounds. Bad luck as Bohemios was edged by the higher-ranked Defensor (#5, 4-2) 85-81. Despite lost game Bohemios moved up to 13th position in the standings. 5 lost games is too many comparing to just two victory Bohemios managed to get this year. Coleman is a newcomer at Bohemios and quickly became the team's new leader.

Third place about best performers goes to forward Jamelle Cornley (196-F-87) of Cader (#15). Cornley got into 30-points club by scoring 36 points in the last round. He went also for seven rebounds . Despite Cornley's great performance Cader lost 95-109 to the higher-ranked Hebraica (#7, 4-3). But his team cannot count on just a single shooter as he also needs help of the other teammates. Cader can only dream about fighting for top spots in the league. They have extremely bad season and 1-7 record places them at the very bottom of the standings. Too bad for Cornley he does not play for a better team. But maybe if he did, his season stats would not be that high. Cornley has individually a great season in Uruguay. After only 5 games, he made it on the list of the league's leaders in points with 28.8ppg (3rd best).

Other top performing players last week:
4. Albert Jackson (211-F/C-88) of Anastasia - 19 points, 21 rebounds and 5 assists
5. Carl Elliott (193-G-83) of Hebraica - 34 points, 3 rebounds and 6 assists
6. Cedric McGowan (198-F-85) of Sayago - 27 points, 9 rebounds and 3 assists
7. Brian Woodward (191-G-81) of Defensor - 25 points, 11 rebounds and 4 assists
8. Craig Craft (191-G-87) of Cordon - 29 points, 2 rebounds and 3 assists
9. Mauricio Aguiar (197-F-83) of Hebraica - 33 points and 4 assists
10. Johwen Villegas (193-G-85) of Olimpia - 25 points and 2 assists

*****************************************************
  YEMEN   


Yemen knock down India in Sanaa - by Eurobasket News
Yemen U18 - India U18 95:58

Yemeni U18 selection posted the second straight win at the Asia Championship. The hosts battered India for 2-0 record in Group D. India suffered the second loss in a row. Mohammed Yaeesh (182-G-93) and Sabri Sadaqah (188-F-93) came up with 27 points apiece for Yemen in the victory.
Yemen limited their opponents to 13 points in the first quarter to step in front. The home team posted an 18:13 advantage after ten minutes. Yemen went on a 16:3 run at the start of the second frame to stretch the gap. The hosts controlled the tempo and secured a 46:22 lead at the interval. Yemen stayed aggressive defensively in the third stanza. India did not get open looks and had to deal with a 33-point deficit at the final break. Yemen did not slow down in the fourth stanza and rolled to the victory at the end.
Samer Abdullah (92) accounted for 18 points and 8 rebounds in the win. Abdulaziz Moqbel (188-F-93) contributed 14 points and 15 rebounds for Yemen. Arjun Singh (188-F-92) replied with 27 points for India. Rajan Sharma (184-G-92) had 8 points in defeat.

Yemen U18: Mohammed Yaeesh 27, Sabri Sadaqah 27, Samer Abdullah 18
India U18: Arjun Singh 27, Rajan Sharma 8




*****************************************************

Women News

*****************************************************
  ARGENTINA - Women  


Czech Republic has joyful Day One in Brno - by Eurobasket News
World Championship, Day One: CZECH REPUBLIC - ARGENTINA 67-53

The host of FIBA World Championship had a joyful Day One in Brno. Czech Republic met Argentina and managed to beat them with comfortable 67-53. The hosts had excellent first and third quarter, what was enough for the victory today. Eva Viteckova (189-F-82) came up with 16 points for her team. Jana Vesela (190-F-83) helped with double-double of 13 points and 14 rebounds, while Ivana Vecerova (194-C-79) added 9 points and 6 boards. On the other side, Argentina did not have anyone with double-digits in scoring. Their leading player was Paula Reggiardo (84) with 9 points. Florencia Fernandez (190-C-86) followed with 8 points and 7 rebounds. Two countries are placed to Preliminary Group D, together with Japan and Russia.
Czech Republic opened this game in style making 20-12 lead in the first ten minutes. Argentina improved defensively in the second frame, but that was not enough. They scored just 13 points on the other side and the hosts reached the same number. Czech Republic was up by 8 at the half time and they came out strong for Q3 limiting Argentina to just 6 points in ten minutes. Eva Viteckova and Jana Vesela were one fire helping their squad to reach 15 pts in third quarter for 48-31 with 10:00 left. Question about the winner was resolved and Q4 was just the formality.
Czech Republic will meet Russia tomorrow. Argentina will try to grab the first win at this event and its rival will be Japan.

Czech Republic: Eva Viteckova 16, Jana Vesela 13+14 boards, Ivana Vecerova 9+6 boards
Argentina: Paula Reggiardo 9, Florencia Fernandez 8+7 boards

*****************************************************
  AUSTRALIA - Women  


Australia blasts Canada, begins title defense in style - by Eurobasket News
World Championship, Day One: CANADA - AUSTRALIA 47-72

Australia had an easy job in Day One of the FIBA World Championship in Czech Republic. The defending champion from 2006 destroyed Canada 47-72 for 1-0 in Group A. Earlier today, Belarus was better than China in this pool. Lauren Jackson (196-F/C-81) and Kristi Harrower (166-G-75) were the leading players in this victory with 13 points each. The 2010 WNBA MVP, Jackson, grabbed 7 rebounds beside that. Samantha Richards (167-G-83) followed them with 9 points. In the loosing squad, Kimberley Smith (187-F-84, college: Utah) top-scored with 11 points. Teresa Gabriele (165-G-79) stopped to 8 pts.
Australia dominated in all basketball elements today. They opened this meeting with impressive 1-13 and later 3-18 lead. It was a clear sign that Canada will not have a chance in this game. They came to 12-20 until the end of the first quarter, but Lauren Jackson and her teammates were still in control and looked comfortable. They were better in Q2 as well jumping to plus 11 until the halftime. At the middle of third Canada closed the gap to six points, but Australia had an answer for that. They created quick 0-7 run keeping the safe distance again. At the end of Q3 it was already 38-52 for the defending champions. Plus 27 was the biggest lead by Australia in this meeting and it happened with 2:24 to go.
In Day Two, Australia will meet Belarus. Canada will play against China.

Canada: Kimberley Smith 11, Teresa Gabriele 8
Australia: Lauren Jackson 13+7 boards, Kristi Harrower 13, Samantha Richards 9

*****************************************************
  BELARUS - Women  


Belarus outplays China 68-57 in Ostrava - by Eurobasket News
World Championship, Day One: BELARUS - CHINA 68-57

Belarus had to work very hard in order to beat China today. It was the opening game of the FIBA World Championship 2010 and Belarus celebrated 68-57 win. These two teams are together with Canada and Australia placed to Preliminary Group A.
Teams started with exchanging baskets at the very beginning and neither of them was able to make a bigger lead. Thanks to free throw by Marchanka, Belarus grabbed 11-10 at the end of Q1. They shined at the beginning of the next frame making 14-5 run for the first double-digit lead in this game. However, China didnt panic and managed to close the gap to 31-27 until the half time. China continued in the same rhythm after the breather taking 33-34 lead at the beginning of Q3. Teams exchanged in lead many times after that and it was Belarus holding 52-48 after 30 minutes. Chine made the first basket in the last quarter, but Belarus created 6-0 run after that for 58-51. They were building up their lead to plus 13 in the finish and the game winner was known. Yelena Leuchanka (196-C-83, college: W.Virginia) stepped up for her team with double-double of 20 points and 12 rebounds. Natalia Marchanka (170-G-79) scored 10 points and was the last one with double-digits. Anastasiya Veremeenko (192-C-87) helped with 9 points and 14 rebs. In China, Chen Nan (197-C-83) had 13 points and 11 rebounds. Miao LiJie (180-G-81) (5 rebs, 5 as) and Liu Dan (194-C-87) netted 13 pts each.

Belarus: Yelena Leuchanka 20+12 boards, Natalia Marchanka 10, Anastasiya Veremeenko 9+14 boards
China: Chen Nan 13+11 boards, Miao LiJie 13+5 boards+5 as, Liu Dan 13

*****************************************************
  BRAZIL - Women  


South Korea grabs thriller win against Brazil in Brno - by Eurobasket News
World Championship, Day One: SOUTH KOREA - BRAZIL 61-60

South Korea grabbed 61-60 thriller win against Brazil in the opening day of the FIBA World Championship in Czech Republic. Ji Yoon-Kim (170-G-76) was hero for Korea as she made the winning basket from the paint with 6 seconds left in the game. Brazil had the last possession, but Erika DeSouza (197-C-82) committed a turnover (ball handling). Kim Kwe-Ryong (192-C-79) shined for the winners with 14 points and 5 rebounds. Jung Sun-Min (185-F-74) (8 rebs) and Kim Dan-Bi (180-F-90) helped with 13 points each, while Beon Yeon-Ha (180-F-80) added 10 pts. In Brazil, Erika DeSouza collected 15 points and 12 boards. Alessandra Santos (200-C-73) followed her with 13 points and 9 boards. These two teams are together with Mali and Spain placed to Preliminary Group C.
Korea was slightly better team at the beginning as they made 21-19 lead. Both teams slowed down offensively in the second quarter missing many wide open shots and committing many mistakes. That resulted with low-scoring period, but still Korea won this one as well, 12-10. Brazil shined after the breather making 44-45 turn in 27th minute. They increased the lead to three points before the last quarter. Brazil kept 3-point margin with 1:25 remaining, but was scoreless for rest of the way.
In Day Two, Korea will play against Spain. Brazil will meet Mali.

South Korea: Kim Kwe-Ryong 14+5 boards, Jung Sun-Min 13+8 boards, Kim Dan-Bi 13, Beon Yeon-Ha 10
Brazil: Erika DeSouza 15+12 boards, Alessandra Santos 13+9 boards

*****************************************************
  CANADA - Women  


Australia blasts Canada, begins title defense in style - by Eurobasket News
World Championship, Day One: CANADA - AUSTRALIA 47-72

Australia had an easy job in Day One of the FIBA World Championship in Czech Republic. The defending champion from 2006 destroyed Canada 47-72 for 1-0 in Group A. Earlier today, Belarus was better than China in this pool. Lauren Jackson (196-F/C-81) and Kristi Harrower (166-G-75) were the leading players in this victory with 13 points each. The 2010 WNBA MVP, Jackson, grabbed 7 rebounds beside that. Samantha Richards (167-G-83) followed them with 9 points. In the loosing squad, Kimberley Smith (187-F-84, college: Utah) top-scored with 11 points. Teresa Gabriele (165-G-79) stopped to 8 pts.
Australia dominated in all basketball elements today. They opened this meeting with impressive 1-13 and later 3-18 lead. It was a clear sign that Canada will not have a chance in this game. They came to 12-20 until the end of the first quarter, but Lauren Jackson and her teammates were still in control and looked comfortable. They were better in Q2 as well jumping to plus 11 until the halftime. At the middle of third Canada closed the gap to six points, but Australia had an answer for that. They created quick 0-7 run keeping the safe distance again. At the end of Q3 it was already 38-52 for the defending champions. Plus 27 was the biggest lead by Australia in this meeting and it happened with 2:24 to go.
In Day Two, Australia will meet Belarus. Canada will play against China.

Canada: Kimberley Smith 11, Teresa Gabriele 8
Australia: Lauren Jackson 13+7 boards, Kristi Harrower 13, Samantha Richards 9

*****************************************************
  CHINA - Women  


Belarus outplays China 68-57 in Ostrava - by Eurobasket News
World Championship, Day One: BELARUS - CHINA 68-57

Belarus had to work very hard in order to beat China today. It was the opening game of the FIBA World Championship 2010 and Belarus celebrated 68-57 win. These two teams are together with Canada and Australia placed to Preliminary Group A.
Teams started with exchanging baskets at the very beginning and neither of them was able to make a bigger lead. Thanks to free throw by Marchanka, Belarus grabbed 11-10 at the end of Q1. They shined at the beginning of the next frame making 14-5 run for the first double-digit lead in this game. However, China didnt panic and managed to close the gap to 31-27 until the half time. China continued in the same rhythm after the breather taking 33-34 lead at the beginning of Q3. Teams exchanged in lead many times after that and it was Belarus holding 52-48 after 30 minutes. Chine made the first basket in the last quarter, but Belarus created 6-0 run after that for 58-51. They were building up their lead to plus 13 in the finish and the game winner was known. Yelena Leuchanka (196-C-83, college: W.Virginia) stepped up for her team with double-double of 20 points and 12 rebounds. Natalia Marchanka (170-G-79) scored 10 points and was the last one with double-digits. Anastasiya Veremeenko (192-C-87) helped with 9 points and 14 rebs. In China, Chen Nan (197-C-83) had 13 points and 11 rebounds. Miao LiJie (180-G-81) (5 rebs, 5 as) and Liu Dan (194-C-87) netted 13 pts each.

Belarus: Yelena Leuchanka 20+12 boards, Natalia Marchanka 10, Anastasiya Veremeenko 9+14 boards
China: Chen Nan 13+11 boards, Miao LiJie 13+5 boards+5 as, Liu Dan 13

*****************************************************
  CZECH REPUBLIC - Women  


Czech Republic has joyful Day One in Brno - by Eurobasket News
World Championship, Day One: CZECH REPUBLIC - ARGENTINA 67-53

The host of FIBA World Championship had a joyful Day One in Brno. Czech Republic met Argentina and managed to beat them with comfortable 67-53. The hosts had excellent first and third quarter, what was enough for the victory today. Eva Viteckova (189-F-82) came up with 16 points for her team. Jana Vesela (190-F-83) helped with double-double of 13 points and 14 rebounds, while Ivana Vecerova (194-C-79) added 9 points and 6 boards. On the other side, Argentina did not have anyone with double-digits in scoring. Their leading player was Paula Reggiardo (84) with 9 points. Florencia Fernandez (190-C-86) followed with 8 points and 7 rebounds. Two countries are placed to Preliminary Group D, together with Japan and Russia.
Czech Republic opened this game in style making 20-12 lead in the first ten minutes. Argentina improved defensively in the second frame, but that was not enough. They scored just 13 points on the other side and the hosts reached the same number. Czech Republic was up by 8 at the half time and they came out strong for Q3 limiting Argentina to just 6 points in ten minutes. Eva Viteckova and Jana Vesela were one fire helping their squad to reach 15 pts in third quarter for 48-31 with 10:00 left. Question about the winner was resolved and Q4 was just the formality.
Czech Republic will meet Russia tomorrow. Argentina will try to grab the first win at this event and its rival will be Japan.

Czech Republic: Eva Viteckova 16, Jana Vesela 13+14 boards, Ivana Vecerova 9+6 boards
Argentina: Paula Reggiardo 9, Florencia Fernandez 8+7 boards

*****************************************************
  FRANCE - Women  


France cruises past Senegal for 83-45 victory - by Eurobasket News
World Championship, Day One: SENEGAL - FRANCE 45-83

France had a great start today in Ostrava. They cruised past Senegal to reach the first win at the FIBA World Championship 2010. Celine Dumerc (169-G-82) was the MVP of this meeting with valuation 20. She scored 12 points and handed out 6 assists to her teammates. Clemence Beikes (179-G-83) also had 12 points and Emmeline Ndongue (190-C-83) added two less than her. Aya Traore (186-F-83, college: Purdue) replied with 10 points in defeat. Mame-Marie Sy (185-F-85) stopped on 8 points and 6 rebs.
France dominated in all game segments today. Senegal was fighting, but they simply were not able to resist against powerful French squad. In the opening ten minutes France already made 13-22 lead. They totally destroyed Senegal in the second quarter stopping them to just 3 points. They scored 22 once again for impressive 16-44 lead at the half time. Senegal somehow improved in Q3 and won this period with 16-11, but of course that was not a treat for France, who shined in the last ten minutes closing this game out with 13-28.
In Day Two, France will play against Greece, who failed today against USA. Senegal will meet the Americans.

Senegal: Aya Traore 10, Mame-Marie Sy 8+6 boards
France: Celine Dumerc 12+6 as, Clemence Beikes 12, Emmeline Ndongue 10

*****************************************************
  GERMANY - Women  


Wildcats bring in Roli-Ann Nikagbatse - by Moritz Korff
DBBL outfit BC Wolfenbuettel Wildcats has signed Roli-Ann Nikagbatse (178-F-84, college: Liberty) for the 2010-2011 season. The 26-year-old German National Team player should help the Wildcats in the backcourt as well as on the wing. Nikagbatse spent this past season in Italy, shooting hoops for Gea Magazzini Alcamo in the A2 league. As of today the Berlin native has received 32 caps for the German NT. She also participated in the 2007 European championships and had completed her collegiate career at NCAA Division One school Liberty University the same year.

*****************************************************
  GREECE - Women  


USA too much for Greece in Ostrava - by Eurobasket News
World Championship, Day One: GREECE - USA 73-99

USA opened the FIBA World Championship with nice 73-99 victory against Greece. The Americans dominated from the beginning having no troubles to register the first win in Ostrava. Swin Cash (6'2''-F-79, college: Connecticut) (6 rebs) and Angel McCoughtry (6'1''-F-86, college: Louisville) were the leading scorers in USA with 16 points. Tina Charles (6'4''-C-88, agency: LBM Management, college: Connecticut) shined with 12 points and 9 rebounds, while Candice Dupree (6'2''-F/C-84, agency: LBM Management, college: Temple) also helped her team with 12 pts. In Greece, Evanthia Maltsi (5'11''-F-78) was great as she drained 29 points. Styliani Kaltsidou (6'2''-C/F-83) followed with 21 points, 7 boards and 5 assists. USA and Greece are together with Senegal and France placed to Preliminary Group B.
After 9-6 for Greece in third minute, USA made impressive 3-17 run. They closed the first quarter later with 18-32, what was a clear signal that Greece will not have a chance in this game. Second quarter also belonged to Americans (17-20), who were 17 points up at the half time. Teams were pretty leveled after the breather and each of them scored 15 points in Q3. Despite the game winner was already known, USA players shined in the last ten minutes (23-32) setting the score to final 73-99.
Tomorrow, USA will play against Senegal and another easy win is expected. Greece will take on France.

Greece: Evanthia Maltsi 29, Styliani Kaltsidou 21+7 boards+5 as
USA: Swin Cash 16+6 boards, Angel McCoughtry 16, Tina Charles 12+9 boards, Candice Dupree 12

FIBA world championship for Women - Group B: USA - Hellas 99-73 - by Chris Mammides
The Hellenic National Team of the teacher Head Coach Kostas Missas will not be an easy target for nobody!! Tonight, ina game that just finished in the Czech Republic for the Group B of the World Games the Hellenic National team played like an equal team with probably the top performing team in the tournament. The Hellenic team played an open game without any fear or any tactic to play anti-basket in order to loose with less points and the final deficit to be 10-15 points. Coach Kostas Missas team had only a bad 5 minutes in the fourth quarter and that is why the difference went up to 26 points as in more thna 36 minutes the difference was between 12-16 points with Evanthia Maltsi (180-F-78) and Styliani Kaltsidou (188-C/F-83) basecally doing whatever they wanted but not having the necessary help in scoring from all the other team-mates.
Evanthia Maltsi scored 29 points and stole the ball from the Americans 5 times, in the opening game for the Hellenic NT and against one of the best teams in the world while Styliani Kaltsidou scored 21 points and dashed down 7 rebounds and gave 5 assists too, these two girls were 'all the money' for the Hellenic NT while Zoi Dimitrakou (188-F-87) scored 11 points, Pelagia Papamichail (189-F/C-86) 9 points and Nicole Soulis (188-F-85, college: Wisc.-Green Bay) 3, those were the only 5 players to score against the American NT as Dimitra Kalentzou (174-G-78) had 0 points withn 0/4 attempts, Chatzinikolaou had no points with no attempts in 10 minutes game time, while Limoura, Stavridou, Mitropoulou and Sotiriou played between 1-6 minutes only.
Cash was the top scorer for the USA NT followed by Angel McCoughtry (185-F-86, college: Louisville) with 16 and Dupree with Moore 12 a peace.
Next game for the Hellenic NT is tomorrow against the French NT which in a game that finished a while thrashed the poor Senegal NT with 30 points difference.



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  IRAN - Women  


Qazvin passed easily Mahram on season openning - by Aydin Dianat
Qazvin Basketball team passed Mahram 89 to 41 in the season openning game in Qazvin. Hasmik Mamikounyan had 28 pts and Saeideh Elli ,Iran national guard had 24 pts to help Qazvin team pass Mahram easily. Banafshe Dehghani had 11 pts and Shadi Sharifpour had 10 pts. Shokoufeh Sarrafpour the Iranian national forward played his first game for Qavin against her previous team.
On the second game of the day the defending champion,Foolad Sepehan lost to Gaz Tehran in a very close game 68 to 72.

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  JAPAN - Women  


Russia opens World Championship with comfortable win against Japan - by Eurobasket News
World Championship, Day One: JAPAN - RUSSIA 63-86

Russia demonstrated nice performance in Day One of the FIBA World Championship 2010. They outplayed Japan 63-86 for 1-0 record in Preliminary Group D. Participants of the same pool are also Argentina and the host Czech Republic. Irina Osipova (196-F-81) top-scored for the winners today with 18 points and she pulled down 7 rebounds beside that. Maria Stepanova (203-C-79) also was great as she added 17 points and 7 rebs, while Ilona Korstine (183-G-80) helped with 15 points and 8 boards. In Japan, Yuko Oga (170-G-82) was way better than the others with 23 points. Their second scorer was Ayumi Suzuki (180-C/F-85) with 13 pts.
Russia took control on its rival from the very beginning and looked comfortable for rest of the way. Irina Osipova and her teammates opened this meeting with nice 14-21 in the first ten minutes. Japan improved offensively after that and mostly owing to Yuko Oga they cut the margin for two points until the HT. Russia exploded offensively after the breather. Osipova, Maria Stepanova and Ilona Korstine were almost unstoppable helping their team to drain 27 points in third quarter. They stopped Japan to 15 on the other side and question about the winner was already resolved. Russia made 10-16 in the last ten minutes for the final 63-86 victory.
In Day Two, Russia will meet Czech Republic, while Japan will take on Argentina.

Japan: Yuko Oga 23, Ayumi Suzuki 13
Russia: Irina Osipova 18+7 boards, Maria Stepanova 17+7 boards, Ilona Korstine 15+8 boards

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  MALI - Women  


Spain destroys Mali in Day One of FIBA World Championship - by Eurobasket News
World Championship, Day One: MALI - SPAIN 36-80

As expected, Spain celebrated an easy win against Mali to start FIBA World Championship with 1-0 in Group C. Earlier today in this pool Korea grabbed thriller win against Brazil 61-60. Amaya Valdemoro (184-F-76) stepped up for Spain with 18 points for 15 minutes on the court. She made 4 of 6 attempts from behind the arc. Sancho Lyttle (193-C-83, college: Houston) helped with 13 points and 7 rebounds, while Alba Torrens (184-F-89) added 11 pts. In Mali, Djenebou Sissoko (190-F/C-82, college: Union (TN)) was the only one with double-digits in scoring with 12 pts.
Spain took control on Mali from the very beginning. Despite missing some wide open shots, Spain created 7-15 lead in the first ten minutes. They intensified defense even more in the next quarter limiting Mali to just 6 points in this period. Spain exploded with 26 on the other side for comfortable plus 28 at the halftime. The game winner was already known despite there was 20 more minutes to be played. Spain blasted Mali in Q3 with 10-24 and closed this game out with 13-15 for the last ten minutes. At the end it was huge 36-80 victory for Spain, who is looking forward to Day Two.
Tomorrow in Brno, Spain will play against Korea and the winner of that game will have a nice chance to end this stage as No.1 of Group C. Mali will meet Brazil.

Mali: Djenebou Sissoko 12
Spain: Amaya Valdemoro 18, Sancho Lyttle 13+7 boards, Alba Torrens 11

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  RUSSIA - Women  


Russia opens World Championship with comfortable win against Japan - by Eurobasket News
World Championship, Day One: JAPAN - RUSSIA 63-86

Russia demonstrated nice performance in Day One of the FIBA World Championship 2010. They outplayed Japan 63-86 for 1-0 record in Preliminary Group D. Participants of the same pool are also Argentina and the host Czech Republic. Irina Osipova (196-F-81) top-scored for the winners today with 18 points and she pulled down 7 rebounds beside that. Maria Stepanova (203-C-79) also was great as she added 17 points and 7 rebs, while Ilona Korstine (183-G-80) helped with 15 points and 8 boards. In Japan, Yuko Oga (170-G-82) was way better than the others with 23 points. Their second scorer was Ayumi Suzuki (180-C/F-85) with 13 pts.
Russia took control on its rival from the very beginning and looked comfortable for rest of the way. Irina Osipova and her teammates opened this meeting with nice 14-21 in the first ten minutes. Japan improved offensively after that and mostly owing to Yuko Oga they cut the margin for two points until the HT. Russia exploded offensively after the breather. Osipova, Maria Stepanova and Ilona Korstine were almost unstoppable helping their team to drain 27 points in third quarter. They stopped Japan to 15 on the other side and question about the winner was already resolved. Russia made 10-16 in the last ten minutes for the final 63-86 victory.
In Day Two, Russia will meet Czech Republic, while Japan will take on Argentina.

Japan: Yuko Oga 23, Ayumi Suzuki 13
Russia: Irina Osipova 18+7 boards, Maria Stepanova 17+7 boards, Ilona Korstine 15+8 boards

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  SENEGAL - Women  


France cruises past Senegal for 83-45 victory - by Eurobasket News
World Championship, Day One: SENEGAL - FRANCE 45-83

France had a great start today in Ostrava. They cruised past Senegal to reach the first win at the FIBA World Championship 2010. Celine Dumerc (169-G-82) was the MVP of this meeting with valuation 20. She scored 12 points and handed out 6 assists to her teammates. Clemence Beikes (179-G-83) also had 12 points and Emmeline Ndongue (190-C-83) added two less than her. Aya Traore (186-F-83, college: Purdue) replied with 10 points in defeat. Mame-Marie Sy (185-F-85) stopped on 8 points and 6 rebs.
France dominated in all game segments today. Senegal was fighting, but they simply were not able to resist against powerful French squad. In the opening ten minutes France already made 13-22 lead. They totally destroyed Senegal in the second quarter stopping them to just 3 points. They scored 22 once again for impressive 16-44 lead at the half time. Senegal somehow improved in Q3 and won this period with 16-11, but of course that was not a treat for France, who shined in the last ten minutes closing this game out with 13-28.
In Day Two, France will play against Greece, who failed today against USA. Senegal will meet the Americans.

Senegal: Aya Traore 10, Mame-Marie Sy 8+6 boards
France: Celine Dumerc 12+6 as, Clemence Beikes 12, Emmeline Ndongue 10

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  SLOVAKIA - Women  


Standings - Women
Extraliga Standings
 1. Banska Bystrica 0-0 
 2. Dobri Anjeli 0-0 
 3. MBK Ruzomb. 0-0 
 4. Nitra 0-0 
 5. Poprad 0-0 
 6. Presov 0-0 
 7. Roznava 0-0 
 8. Samorin 0-0 
 9. Slovan 0-0 


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  SLOVENIA - Women  


2010-11 Cup - Round 1, Game 1 - by Zeljko Zule
Five teams got closer to reach the 2010-11 Slovenian Cup quarterfinals by downing its opponents by +20 points in Game 1 of two-way series.
2010-11 Slovenian Cup - Round 1, Game 1.
Slovita Erin- Bucar Maribor 51-72
Jezica-Rogaska 98-60 (Ziherl 8, Serdinsek Betlehem 2, Peric 9, Hatic 5, Gabrovsek 12, Macura 22, Rupnik 14, Pavli 15, Trusnovec 8, Marjanovic 3 - Starcek 11, Vodeb 3, Turk 6, Krebs 8, Baloh 12, Muhovic 6, Svetic 14).
AJM Maribor-GVT Konjice 82-47
Panter Ilirija-Odeja 66-51 (Zalar 16, Barjaktarevic 8, Kroprivsek 5, Grobisa 2, kof 12, Vene 14, Oberc 9 - Resek 3, Oblak 11, Primozic 3, Brdnik 9, akelj 7, Horvat 16, Istenic 2)
Grosuplje-Domzale 60-38 (Kristof 4, Kolman 16, Kastelic 9, Gjerkes 8, Ovsenik 1, Zupancic 7, Dolinsek 13, Music 2 - Brus 5, Zagar 2, Stupica 6, Poljansek 2, Lesjak 9, Kotnik 4, Klampfer 2, Mulec 4, Sencar 3)
Pivka U18-Triglav 36-70
Celje and Hit Kranjska Gora bye.


Grosuplje inks Kolman and Mikic - by Zeljko Zule
Grosuplje inked former national team member Ziva Kolman (175-G-83) and Bosnian national team member Natasa Mikic (181-G-84) for the upcoming season. Kolman arrives from Jezica, for whom she averaged 8.5 points, 5.1 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.9 steals in 21 Slovenian League games last season. Mikic arrives from Bosnian team Mladi Krajisnik, where she averaged 7.1 points, 3.6 rebounds, 0.8 assists and 0.8 steals in 16 Adriatic League games last season and 4.3 points, 2.3 rebounds and 0.3 assists in 6 games of Bosnian Superleague last season.

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  SOUTH KOREA - Women  


South Korea grabs thriller win against Brazil in Brno - by Eurobasket News
World Championship, Day One: SOUTH KOREA - BRAZIL 61-60

South Korea grabbed 61-60 thriller win against Brazil in the opening day of the FIBA World Championship in Czech Republic. Ji Yoon-Kim (170-G-76) was hero for Korea as she made the winning basket from the paint with 6 seconds left in the game. Brazil had the last possession, but Erika DeSouza (197-C-82) committed a turnover (ball handling). Kim Kwe-Ryong (192-C-79) shined for the winners with 14 points and 5 rebounds. Jung Sun-Min (185-F-74) (8 rebs) and Kim Dan-Bi (180-F-90) helped with 13 points each, while Beon Yeon-Ha (180-F-80) added 10 pts. In Brazil, Erika DeSouza collected 15 points and 12 boards. Alessandra Santos (200-C-73) followed her with 13 points and 9 boards. These two teams are together with Mali and Spain placed to Preliminary Group C.
Korea was slightly better team at the beginning as they made 21-19 lead. Both teams slowed down offensively in the second quarter missing many wide open shots and committing many mistakes. That resulted with low-scoring period, but still Korea won this one as well, 12-10. Brazil shined after the breather making 44-45 turn in 27th minute. They increased the lead to three points before the last quarter. Brazil kept 3-point margin with 1:25 remaining, but was scoreless for rest of the way.
In Day Two, Korea will play against Spain. Brazil will meet Mali.

South Korea: Kim Kwe-Ryong 14+5 boards, Jung Sun-Min 13+8 boards, Kim Dan-Bi 13, Beon Yeon-Ha 10
Brazil: Erika DeSouza 15+12 boards, Alessandra Santos 13+9 boards

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  SPAIN - Women  


Spain destroys Mali in Day One of FIBA World Championship - by Eurobasket News
World Championship, Day One: MALI - SPAIN 36-80

As expected, Spain celebrated an easy win against Mali to start FIBA World Championship with 1-0 in Group C. Earlier today in this pool Korea grabbed thriller win against Brazil 61-60. Amaya Valdemoro (184-F-76) stepped up for Spain with 18 points for 15 minutes on the court. She made 4 of 6 attempts from behind the arc. Sancho Lyttle (193-C-83, college: Houston) helped with 13 points and 7 rebounds, while Alba Torrens (184-F-89) added 11 pts. In Mali, Djenebou Sissoko (190-F/C-82, college: Union (TN)) was the only one with double-digits in scoring with 12 pts.
Spain took control on Mali from the very beginning. Despite missing some wide open shots, Spain created 7-15 lead in the first ten minutes. They intensified defense even more in the next quarter limiting Mali to just 6 points in this period. Spain exploded with 26 on the other side for comfortable plus 28 at the halftime. The game winner was already known despite there was 20 more minutes to be played. Spain blasted Mali in Q3 with 10-24 and closed this game out with 13-15 for the last ten minutes. At the end it was huge 36-80 victory for Spain, who is looking forward to Day Two.
Tomorrow in Brno, Spain will play against Korea and the winner of that game will have a nice chance to end this stage as No.1 of Group C. Mali will meet Brazil.

Mali: Djenebou Sissoko 12
Spain: Amaya Valdemoro 18, Sancho Lyttle 13+7 boards, Alba Torrens 11

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  SWITZERLAND - Women  


Women LNA Rosters 2010-11 - by Melanie Nussbaumer
Here are the news about the Women LNA Rosters 2010-11: After the retirement of the team of Sierre last season, most of the roster moved to neighbor's team Sdent Helios Basket, including the head coach, Erik Lehmann . In addition, Sarah Kershaw (180-F/C-85), Anne-Sophie GAVIN and Caroline Turin (173-F-87) transfered from Sdent Nyon Basket Feminin. At the center position, Helios hired, Djenebou Sissoko (190-F/C-82, college: Union (TN)) who played in Poland last season. Nyon Basket Feminin added Hilary Klimowicz (191-C-87) to their young roster, mainly composed with players coming out of the center of formation. Canti Riva Basket Ceresio signed WNBA prospect and versatile forward, Heather Bowman (188-F-88, agency: LBM Management, college: Gonzaga) in addition to Traci Edwards (188-F/C-87, agency: LBM Management, college: Wisc.-Milwaukee). BCF Elfic Fribourg Basket kept Laure Diederich (183-C-87) and the MVP of last season, Celeste Trahan (184-C-85, agency: LBM Management, college: Elizabeth City). Esperance Sportive Pully kept their Senegalese national team point guard Diodio Diouf (170-G-84) and add Mariesa Greene (183-F, college: Barry), a very versatile player. New comer in the first division, Lu-Town Highflyers Luzern hired two american players, at the guard position Christine Presswood (170-G-88, college: S.Illinois) and on the post JoAnn Hamlin (191-F/C-86, college: Iowa). Hope-GBA Bernex is composed exclusively of young talented swiss players. And SC BC Uni Basel Basket can still count on their talented veteran player Aminata Yanni (183-F-82)-IMGRUETH and acquired Megan Skouby (193-C-86, college: Iowa) from Riva Basket. Jessica GONZALES-CAMPO will also be a good addition to the Basel Team. The season's opening is taking place Saturday September 25th in Riva.

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  WNBA - Women  


USA too much for Greece in Ostrava - by Eurobasket News
World Championship, Day One: GREECE - USA 73-99

USA opened the FIBA World Championship with nice 73-99 victory against Greece. The Americans dominated from the beginning having no troubles to register the first win in Ostrava. Swin Cash (6'2''-F-79, college: Connecticut) (6 rebs) and Angel McCoughtry (6'1''-F-86, college: Louisville) were the leading scorers in USA with 16 points. Tina Charles (6'4''-C-88, agency: LBM Management, college: Connecticut) shined with 12 points and 9 rebounds, while Candice Dupree (6'2''-F/C-84, agency: LBM Management, college: Temple) also helped her team with 12 pts. In Greece, Evanthia Maltsi (5'11''-F-78) was great as she drained 29 points. Styliani Kaltsidou (6'2''-C/F-83) followed with 21 points, 7 boards and 5 assists. USA and Greece are together with Senegal and France placed to Preliminary Group B.
After 9-6 for Greece in third minute, USA made impressive 3-17 run. They closed the first quarter later with 18-32, what was a clear signal that Greece will not have a chance in this game. Second quarter also belonged to Americans (17-20), who were 17 points up at the half time. Teams were pretty leveled after the breather and each of them scored 15 points in Q3. Despite the game winner was already known, USA players shined in the last ten minutes (23-32) setting the score to final 73-99.
Tomorrow, USA will play against Senegal and another easy win is expected. Greece will take on France.

Greece: Evanthia Maltsi 29, Styliani Kaltsidou 21+7 boards+5 as
USA: Swin Cash 16+6 boards, Angel McCoughtry 16, Tina Charles 12+9 boards, Candice Dupree 12

'Blaze' leaving Liberty - by Eurobasket News
Carol Blazejowski is stepping down as president and general manager of the Liberty, the team announced in an e-mail yesterday.

'Carol has been an integral part of the Liberty from the very beginning,' said MSG Sports president Scott O'Neil. 'We thank her for her many years of passion, commitment and dedication to the team and the entire WNBA.

'Carol is a true professional and a class act and there is no doubt that she has more success ahead of her. We wish her the very best in her future endeavors.'

The Liberty said a search for Blazejowski's replacement will begin immediately.

Courtesy of www.nypost.com

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  WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS - Women  


Standings
Standings
Group A
1. Australia1-0
2. Belarus1-0
3. Canada0-1
4. China0-1
Group B
1. France1-0
2. USA1-0
3. Greece0-1
4. Senegal0-1
Group C
1. Spain1-0
2. S.Korea1-0
3. Mali0-1
4. Brazil0-1
Group D
1. Czech Repu.1-0
2. Russia1-0
3. Japan0-1
4. Argentina0-1