Eurobasket Daily News Report:

EUROBASKET NEWS REPORT - 3/14/2011

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ADRIATIC LEAGUE

Round 25: Partizan defeats Krka, secures first place - by Eurobasket News
There will be only one (last) round of the Regular Season in Adriatic League. The fans could enjoy quite many interesting games this weekend. Partizan secured first place, Crvena Zvezda survived, while Zadar faces with relegation. Buducnost and Zagreb are still in the race for the last Final Four ticket, but Buducnost has greater chance now.

The most crucial game of the last round was a loss of Slovenian Krka (17-8) in Novo Mesto on Saturday night. Hosts were defeated by Serbian Partizan (17-8) 72-62. It ended at the same time the seven-game winning streak of Krka. Partizan secured first place before the Final Four as both teams had the same 16-8 record before this meeting. The game was mostly controlled by Partizan. Krka managed to win second period 17-12. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. Worth to mention a great performance of forward Dusan Kecman (197-77, agency: Beo Basket) who helped to win the game recording 17 points. American guard Curtis Jerrells (185-87, college: Baylor) contributed with 18 points for the winners. American power forward Christopher Booker (208-81, college: Purdue, agency: Lanshire Group) answered with 16 points and 8 rebounds for Krka. Both coaches used bench players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. Defending Serbian champion keeps a position of league leader, while Krka is No.2 now. Partizan is looking forward to face Cibona (#12) in Zagreb in the next round which should be an easy win for them. Krka will play on the road against Hemofarm (#6) in Vrsac and is hoping to win this game.
Another exciting game for Croatian Cedevita (13-12) which played in Kragujevac against Serbian Radnicki (12-13). Sixth ranked Cedevita won 79-73. Center Andrija Zizic (207-80, agency: Beo Basket) stepped up with a double-double by scoring 13 points and 14 rebounds for the winners and Damjan Rudez chipped in 20 points and 4 assists. Cedevita's coach Aleksandar Petrovic allowed to play the deep bench players saving starting five for next games. At the losing side swingman Marko Cakarevic (200-88, agency: Interperformances) responded with a double-double by scoring 18 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists and 5 steals. Cedevita maintains sixth place with 13-12 record, which they share with Hemofarm. Radnicki at the other side dropped to the eighth position with 13 games lost. They share it with CEZ Nymburk. Cedevita will play against Igokea (#11) in Aleksandrovac in the next round which should be theoretically an easy game. Radnicki will play on the road against Union Olimpija in Ljubljana and hopes to get back on the winning track.
One of the most interesting games of round 25 was a derby match between two teams from Bosnia. The game took place in Aleksandrovac where twelfth ranked Siroki TT Kabeli edged host Igokea (11-14) 73-71. Vedran Morovic nailed 29 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists for the winning side. Siroki TT Kabeli's coach Ivan Velic used a ten-player rotation in such tough game. Donnell Harvey came up with a double-double by scoring 17 points and 11 rebounds for Igokea in the defeat. Defending Bosnian champion moved-up to tenth place, which they share with defeated Igokea. Siroki TT Kabeli will meet at home bottom-ranked Zadar (#14) in the next round. Igokea will play against Cedevita (#7) in Zagreb and hope to secure a win.
Very important is a road loss of third ranked Slovenian Union Olimpija (16-9) against thirteenth ranked Serbian Crvena Zvezda (8-17) on Sunday night. Visiting Union Olimpija was crushed by Crvena Zvezda in Beograd 92-70. It ended at the same time the four-game winning streak of Union Olimpija. Ricardo Marsh fired 30 points for the winners. The winner was already known earlier in the game, so both coaches allowed to play the bench players saving starting five for next games. Crvena Zvezda maintains thirteenth place with 8-17 record and they avoided relegation in Adriatic league. Union Olimpija at the other side keeps the third position with nine games lost. Crvena Zvezda's next round opponent will be higher ranked KK Zagreb CO (#5) on the road and it will be quite challenging to get another victory. Union Olimpija will play against Radnicki in Kragujevac.
Worth to mention about the upset in a game between Croatian KK Zagreb CO (14-11) and Czech CEZ Nymburk (12-13), which took place in Nymburk. 4th placed KK Zagreb CO lost to tenth ranked CEZ Nymburk in a road game 74-83 on Friday. It was a very good performance for Pavel Slezak who helped to win the game recording 23 points. CEZ Nymburk's coach Ronen Ginzburg used a ten-player rotation and allowed the starting five to rest. Defending Czech champion moved-up to eighth place, which they share with Radnicki. Loser KK Zagreb CO keeps the fourth position with 11 games lost. CEZ Nymburk will face higher ranked Buducnost (#4) in Podgorica in the next round and it will be quite challenging to get another victory. KK Zagreb CO will play at home against Crvena Zvezda in Beograd.

In the last two games of round 25 Hemofarm beat Zadar on the road 88-71. Cibona lost to Montenegrin defending champion Buducnost on its own court 70-80.
The most impressive performance of 25th round was 25 points and 6 rebounds by Vladimir Dragicevic of Buducnost.

CEZ Nymburk - KK Zagreb CO 83-74

Worth to mention about the upset in a game between Croatian KK Zagreb CO (14-11) and Czech CEZ Nymburk (12-13), which took place in Nymburk. 4th placed KK Zagreb CO lost to tenth ranked CEZ Nymburk in a road game 74-83 on Friday. The hosts trailed by 5 points after three quarters before their 30-16 charge, which allowed them to win the game. CEZ Nymburk shot 60.4 percent from the field. It was a great shooting night for CEZ Nymburk especially from behind the arc, where they had solid 57.9 percentage. It was a very good performance for guard Pavel Slezak (186-84) who helped to win the game recording 23 points. Israeli-French guard Afik Nissim (180-81, agency: Beo Basket) contributed with 16 points and 5 assists for the winners. CEZ Nymburk's coach Ronen Ginzburg used a ten-player rotation and allowed the starting five to rest. American guard Alex Renfroe (190-86, college: Belmont) answered with 11 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists and swingman Krunoslav Simon (197-85) added 8 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists and 4 steals in the effort for KK Zagreb CO. Four KK Zagreb CO players scored in double figures. Defending Czech champion moved-up to eighth place, which they share with Radnicki. Loser KK Zagreb CO keeps the fourth position with 11 games lost. CEZ Nymburk will face higher ranked Buducnost (#4) in Podgorica in the next round and it will be quite challenging to get another victory. KK Zagreb CO will play at home against Crvena Zvezda in Beograd.
Top scorers:
KK Zagreb CO: L.Zoric 16+4reb, M.Kasun 12+7reb, D.Mulaomerovic 11+1reb+2ast, A.Renfroe 11+5reb+5ast, K.Simon 8+8reb+5ast, P.Babic 6+1reb
CEZ Nymburk: P.Slezak 23+1reb+2ast, A.Nissim 16+4reb+5ast, C.Simmons 13+5reb+5ast, V.Stimac 8+4reb+1ast, L.Sokolovsky 6+1reb+1ast, R.Necas 6+11reb+2ast

Igokea - Siroki TT 71-73

One of the most interesting games of round 25 was a derby match between two teams from Bosnia. The game took place in Aleksandrovac where twelfth ranked Siroki TT Kabeli edged host Igokea (11-14) 73-71. The guests trailed by 5 points after first quarter, but they rallied back to get the 2-point lead at the halftime and eventually won the game 73-71. Croatian guard Vedran Morovic (184-83, college: Olney Central CC, agency: Beo Basket) nailed 29 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists for the winning side and guard Dalibor Persic (193-85) accounted for 15 points. Siroki TT Kabeli's coach Ivan Velic used a ten-player rotation in such tough game. American center Donnell Harvey (203-80, college: Florida) came up with a double-double by scoring 17 points and 11 rebounds and the other American import guard Brian Chase (178-81, college: Virginia Tech) added 10 points, 10 rebounds and 4 assists respectively for Igokea in the defeat. Four Igokea players scored in double figures. Defending Bosnian champion moved-up to tenth place, which they share with defeated Igokea. Siroki TT Kabeli will meet at home bottom-ranked Zadar (#14) in the next round. Igokea will play against Cedevita (#7) in Zagreb and hope to secure a win.
Top scorers:
Igokea: D.Harvey 17+11reb+1ast, M.Dozet 14+3reb, C.Vitkovac 14+7reb+1ast, B.Chase 10+10reb+4ast, N.Joksimovic 7+1reb+4ast, M.Pantic 7+4reb
Siroki TT: V.Morovic 29+5reb+4ast, D.Persic 15+4reb+1ast, S.Stemberger 9+1reb+2ast, S.Spralja 6+8reb, B.Barac 5+4reb, I.Grgat 3+8reb

Radnicki - Cedevita 73-79

Another exciting game for Croatian Cedevita (13-12) which played in Kragujevac against Serbian Radnicki (12-13). Sixth ranked Cedevita won 79-73. Radnicki was ahead by 3 points at the halftime before a 25-15 third quarter run of Cedevita. Their players were unselfish on offense dishing 23 assists. Center Andrija Zizic (207-80, agency: Beo Basket) stepped up with a double-double by scoring 13 points and 14 rebounds for the winners and forward Damjan Rudez (206-86) chipped in 20 points and 4 assists. Cedevita's coach Aleksandar Petrovic allowed to play the deep bench players saving starting five for next games. At the losing side swingman Marko Cakarevic (200-88, agency: Interperformances) responded with a double-double by scoring 18 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists and 5 steals and American forward Michael Lee (207-86) scored 18 points and 6 rebounds. Cedevita maintains sixth place with 13-12 record, which they share with Hemofarm. Radnicki at the other side dropped to the eighth position with 13 games lost. They share it with CEZ Nymburk. Cedevita will play against Igokea (#11) in Aleksandrovac in the next round which should be theoretically an easy game. Radnicki will play on the road against Union Olimpija in Ljubljana and hopes to get back on the winning track.
Top scorers:
Radnicki: M.Cakarevic 18+10reb+5ast, M.Lee 18+6reb+1ast, D.Mijatovic 11+2reb+1ast, S.Markovic 7+5reb+6ast, A.Gaddefors 7+3reb+1ast, V.Vukosavljevic 7+8reb+3ast
Cedevita: D.Rudez 20+3reb+4ast, D.Draper 18+5reb+3ast, A.Zizic 13+14reb+1ast, V.Princ 9+1reb+4ast, M.Bazdaric 9+6reb+6ast, B.Wright 6+4ast

Crvena Zvezda - Union Olimpija 92-70

Very important is a road loss of third ranked Slovenian Union Olimpija (16-9) against thirteenth ranked Serbian Crvena Zvezda (8-17) on Sunday night. Visiting Union Olimpija was crushed by Crvena Zvezda in Beograd 92-70. It ended at the same time the four-game winning streak of Union Olimpija. The game without a history. Crvena Zvezda led from the first minutes and controlled entire game increasing their lead in each quarter. They made 26-of-34 charity shots (76.5 percent) during the game. 28 personal fouls committed by Union Olimpija helped opponents get some easy free throw opportunities. American forward Ricardo Marsh (202-81, college: ODU) fired 30 points for the winners. Montenegrin guard Boris Bakic (194-86, agency: Beo Basket) chipped in 16 points and 4 steals. Five Crvena Zvezda players scored in double figures. American swingman Kenny Gregory (197-78, college: Kansas) produced 15 points and forward Goran Jagodnik (203-74, agency: Beo Basket) added 12 points and 5 rebounds respectively for lost side. The winner was already known earlier in the game, so both coaches allowed to play the bench players saving starting five for next games. Crvena Zvezda maintains thirteenth place with 8-17 record. Union Olimpija at the other side keeps the third position with nine games lost. Crvena Zvezda's next round opponent will be higher ranked KK Zagreb CO (#5) on the road and it will be quite challenging to get another victory. Union Olimpija will play against Radnicki in Kragujevac.
Top scorers:
Union Olimpija: K.Gregory 15+4reb, S.Ozbolt 14+2reb, G.Jagodnik 12+5reb, D.Bertans 9+2reb, V.Ilievski 4+4reb+5ast, A.Anagonye 4+2reb
Crvena Zvezda: R.Marsh 30+4reb+1ast, B.Bakic 16+3reb+2ast, V.Subotic 13+3reb+3ast, A.Cvetkovic 13+4reb, U.Nikolic 11+8reb+2ast, J.Young 3+3reb+1ast

Zadar - Hemofarm 71-88

No shocking result in a game when seventh ranked Serbian Hemofarm (13-12) beat on the road bottom-ranked Croatian Zadar (7-18) 88-71 on Sunday. The game was mostly controlled by Hemofarm. Zadar was better in third quarter 24-18. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. Quite impressive performance for Jamaican center Jerome Jordan (213-86, college: Tulsa) who helped to win the game recording 18 points and 7 rebounds (on 8-of-9 shooting from the field). Montenegrin guard Miljan Pavkovic (178-81, agency: Beo Basket) contributed with 9 points and 9 assists for the winners. Swingman Marko Car (188-85) answered with 20 points and American forward Brandon Brown (202-81, college: Tulane) added 9 points and 7 rebounds in the effort for Zadar. Zadar's coach Daniel Jusup rotated ten players seeing no chance for a win. Hemofarm moved-up to sixth place, which they share with Cedevita. Loser Zadar stay at the bottom position with 18 games lost. Hemofarm will face league's second-placed Krka in Novo Mesto in the next round and it will be quite challenging to get another victory. Zadar will play on the road against Siroki TT Kabeli (#10) in Siroki Brijeg.
Top scorers:
Zadar: M.Car 20+4reb+2ast, I.Ivanov 11+2reb, P.Marcinkovic 9+1reb+1ast, B.Brown 9+7reb+3ast, I.Batur 9+3reb, D.Downey 6+2reb+2ast
Hemofarm: J.Jordan 18+7reb, M.Sutalo 12+4reb, B.Savovic 10+2reb, M.Abdul-Hamid 9+1reb+3ast, M.Pavkovic 9+9ast, M.Borisov 9+2reb+1ast

Cibona - Buducnost 70-80

Very expected game when 11th ranked Croatian Cibona (10-15) lost to fifth ranked Montenegrin Buducnost (14-11) in Zagreb 70-80 on Saturday. The game was mostly controlled by Buducnost. Cibona was better in third quarter 21-15. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. They made 17-of-22 free shots (77.3 percent) during the game. Buducnost outrebounded Cibona 32-20 including a 25-14 advantage in defensive rebounds. Quite impressive performance for Montenegrin power forward Vladimir Dragicevic (206-86) who helped to win the game recording 25 points and 6 rebounds (on 11-of-14 shooting from the field). Serbian forward Marko Simonovic (202-86, agency: Beo Basket) contributed with 17 points and 6 rebounds for the winners. Bosnian-Croatian swingman Bojan Bogdanovic (202-89) answered with 13 points and power forward Tomislav Zubcic (214-90, agency: Beo Basket) added 8 points and 5 assists in the effort for Cibona. Both coaches tested many bench players and allowed the starting five to get some rest. Defending Montenegrin champion moved-up to fourth place, which they share with KK Zagreb CO. Cibona lost third consecutive game. Defending Croatian champion dropped to the twelfth position with 15 games lost. Buducnost will face CEZ Nymburk (#8) at home in the next round. Cibona will play against the league's leader Partizan (#1) in Beograd.
Top scorers:
Cibona: B.Bogdanovic 13+1reb+2ast, G.Vrbanc 13+1ast, P.Barac 9+2reb, T.Zubcic 8+2reb+5ast, A.Krapic 7+4reb, L.Radosevic 6+4reb
Buducnost: V.Dragicevic 25+6reb, M.Simonovic 17+6reb+2ast, A.Popovic 10+4reb+3ast, M.Scekic 8+5reb+6ast, G.Kadziulis 8+1ast, B.Dubljevic 4+4reb

Krka - Partizan 62-72

The most crucial game of the last round was a loss of Slovenian Krka (17-8) in Novo Mesto on Saturday night. Hosts were defeated by Serbian Partizan (17-8) 72-62. It ended at the same time the seven-game winning streak of Krka. It was a key game for the top position in the league as both teams had the same 16-8 record before this meeting. The game was mostly controlled by Partizan. Krka managed to win second period 17-12. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. Worth to mention a great performance of forward Dusan Kecman (197-77, agency: Beo Basket) who helped to win the game recording 17 points. American guard Curtis Jerrells (185-87, college: Baylor) contributed with 18 points for the winners. American power forward Christopher Booker (208-81, college: Purdue, agency: Lanshire Group) answered with 16 points and 8 rebounds and Serbian-Montenegrin guard Dusan Djordjevic (195-83, agency: Beo Basket) added 14 points, 5 assists and 4 steals in the effort for Krka. Both coaches used bench players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. Defending Serbian champion keeps a position of league leader, which they share with defeated Krka. Partizan is looking forward to face Cibona (#12) in Zagreb in the next round which should be an easy win for them. Krka will play on the road against Hemofarm (#6) in Vrsac and is hoping to win this game.
Top scorers:
Krka: C.Booker 16+8reb+1ast, D.Djordjevic 14+4reb+5ast, G.Ikonic 8+1reb, Z.Dragic 7+10reb+1ast, S.Pavic 4+1reb+1ast, D.Drobnjak 4+2reb
Partizan: C.Jerrells 18+1ast, D.Kecman 17+4reb+3ast, J.Gist 11+5reb, J.Vesely 6+2reb+1ast, P.Bozic 6, V.Lucic 5+1reb

Standings

Adriatic League Standings

1. Partizan			17-8
2. Krka			17-8
3. Union Olimpija			16-9
4. Buducnost			14-11
5. KK Zagreb CO			14-11
6. Hemofarm			13-12
7. Cedevita			13-12
8. CEZ Nymburk			12-13
9. Radnicki			12-13
10. Siroki TT			11-14
11. Igokea			11-14
12. Cibona			10-15
13. Crvena Zvezda			8-17
14. Zadar			7-18

Stats Leaders

Points Per Game

Michael LEE
  Radnicki
  (207-F-86)
  Avg: 19.8

1. Lee, Radnicki	19.8
2. Zoric, KK.	19.2
3. Macvan, Hemofarm	19.2
4. Marsh, Crvena Z.	19.2
5. Bogdanovic, Cibona	18.7
6. Edwards, Cedevita	17.5
7. Draper, Cedevita	17.5
8. Car, Zadar	16.4
9. Dragicevic, Buduc.	16.0
10. Chase, Igokea	15.8

Rebounds Per Game

Luka ZORIC
  KK Zagreb CO
  (211-C/F-84)
  Avg: 8.2

1. Zoric, KK.	8.2
2. Harvey, Igokea	7.2
3. Dragicevic, Buduc.	7.0
4. Macvan, Hemofarm	6.8
5. Necas, CEZ Nymburk	6.5
6. Kasun, KK.	6.3
7. Gist, Partizan	6.3
8. Benda, CEZ Nymburk	5.8
9. Nikolic, Crvena Z.	5.8
10. Lee, Radnicki	5.8

Assists Per Game

Miljan PAVKOVIC
  Hemofarm
  (178-G-81)
  Avg: 5.3

1. Pavkovic, Hemofarm	5.3
2. Draper, Cedevita	5.3
3. Markovic, Radnicki	5.0
4. Morovic, Siroki TT	4.1
5. Chase, Igokea	4.0
6. Ilievski, Union O.	3.8
7. Renfroe, KK.	3.7
8. Nissim, CEZ N.	3.5
9. Bazdaric, Cedevita	3.4
10. Car, Zadar	3.4

Steals Per Game

Dontaye DRAPER
  Cedevita
  (180-G-84)
  Avg: 2.3

1. Draper, Cedevita	2.3
2. Stemberger, Siroki T.	2.2
3. Lee, Radnicki	2.1
4. Car, Zadar	1.9
5. Pumprla, CEZ N.	1.9
6. Renfroe, KK.	1.8
7. Cakarevic, Radnicki	1.8
8. Dragic, Krka	1.7
9. Simmons, CEZ N.	1.6
10. Ozbolt, Union O.	1.6

Blocks Per Game

Luka ZORIC
  KK Zagreb CO
  (211-C/F-84)
  Avg: 1.3

1. Zoric, KK.	1.3
2. Nikolic, Crvena Z.	1.1
3. Shermadini, Union O.	0.9
4. Kasun, KK.	0.9
5. Dragicevic, Buduc.	0.9
6. Radosevic, Cibona	0.9
7. Jawai, Partizan	0.8
8. Gist, Partizan	0.8
9. Edwards, Cedevita	0.7
10. Vesely, Partizan	0.7

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ARGENTINA

Battle's double-double lands him (Second Stage) Player of the Week award - by Eurobasket News
29-year old center Robert Battle (204-C-81, agency: Dream Team Management) put on an amazing game in the last round for Libertad S. and receives a Latinbasket.com Player of the Week award for round 24 (Second Stage).
He had a double-double of 28 points and 14 rebounds, while his team beat Argentino (#15, 8-16) 80-71. Libertad S. is placed at 5th position in Argentinian league. They would have been even better if they hadn't lost a few games earlier in Second Stage. Libertad S. will need more victories to improve their 14-10 record. Battle turned to be Libertad S.'s top player in his first season with the team. Drexel University graduate has very impressive stats this year. Battle is in league's top in rebounds (3rd best: 9.2rpg) and averages solid 2.0bpg and 58.1% FGP.

Second best performed player last round was Alejandro Zilli (200-F-82) of Sionista. He is a forward in his second season at Sionista. In the last game Zilli recorded impressive 27 points, 9 rebounds and 3 assists. Bad luck as Sionista lost that game 93-100 to the higher-ranked Estudiantes (#8, 12-11). Sionista are still at the very bottom. His team is not often considered as one of the league's best with a mere 8-16 record. Zilli is well-known at Sionista and he already established his position as one of the team's leaders.

Third place about best performers goes to Derrick Alston (208-C/F-72, agency: Priority Sports) of Boca Jrs (#12). Alston scored 23 points and grabbed thirteen rebounds (!!!). He was a key player of Boca Jrs, leading his team to a 88-85 win against slightly higher-ranked Club 9 (#10, 11-13). The chances of Boca Jrs ranking at the top of the league, however are very questionable as they have already lost 15 games, recording just ten victories. With bigger assistance of his teammates, Alston could help Boca Jrs to bring them higher in the standings. Alston has a great season in Argentina. After 20 games, he made it on the list of the league's leaders in rebounds with 8.2rpg (7th best).

Other top performing players last week:
4. Devin Davis (202-F-74) of Estudiantes - 20 points and 12 rebounds
5. Terrell Taylor (203-C-81) of Lanus - 16 points and 17 rebounds
6. Gregory Lewis (198-F-78) of Atenas - 24 points and 10 rebounds
7. Pepe Sanchez (193-G-77) of Estudiantes - 14 points and 12 assists
8. Gabriel Mikulas (201-F-80) of La Union - 20 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists
9. Martin Melo (197-F-82) of Club 9 - 21 points, 8 rebounds and 4 assists
10. Dionisio Gomez Camargo (203-F-80) of Quimsa - 19 points, 6 rebounds and 3 assists

The Player of the week is choosen based on efficiency calculation, but also including game result, importance of the game, if played recorded double-double/triple-double, etc.
The efficiency formula is a combination of various formulas used by different basketball organizations/leagues. We got involved many basketball scouts and journalists to assure it's accuracy.
The formula: 1.5*PTS + 3*(REB+AST+ST+BL-TO) - 2*BSAG - 4*PF + 3*PFRV + 4*(2FGPM+3FGPM) + 1.5*FTM - 3*(2FGPA-2FGPM) - 3*(3FGPA-3FGPM) - (FTA-FTM)

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AUSTRALIA

NBL Round 22: #1 New Zealand Breakers are defeated by Townsville Crocodiles - by Eurobasket News
The games are now more important than at the beginning of the Regular Season. We may still expect few shocking results in upcoming 3 rounds.

The most crucial game of the last round was a loss of top-ranked New Zealand Breakers (19-6) in Wulguru on Saturday night. Visitors were defeated by third ranked Townsville Crocodiles (15-10) 100-92. The hosts trailed by 12 points after first quarter, but they rallied back and won the game by 8 points. Townsville Crocodiles made 23-of-27 free shots (85.2 percent) during the game. They also forced 20 New Zealand Breakers turnovers. The former international center Luke Schenscher (216-82, college: Georgia Tech, agency: Priority Sports) scored 16 points and 7 rebounds to lead the charge for the winners and the former international guard Peter Crawford (193-79) chipped in 20 points during the contest. At the losing side New Zealand swingman Thomas Abercrombie (198-87, college: Washington St.) responded with 18 points and 7 rebounds. New Zealand Breakers' coach rotated ten players in this game, but that didn't help. Townsville Crocodiles maintains third position with 15-10 record having four points less than leader Breakers. New Zealand Breakers at the other side still keep top place with six games lost. Townsville Crocodiles are looking forward to face league's second-placed Perth Wildcats at home in the next round and it will be for sure the game of the week. New Zealand Breakers will play against Kings in Sydney and are hoping to win this game.
Bottom-ranked Kings managed to get the second consecutive victory. This time they won against eighth-ranked Adelaide 36ers in Sydney 76-72. The former international center Julian Khazzouh (211-86) notched a double-double by scoring 20 points and 16 rebounds to lead the effort and Trey Gilder supported him with 20 points. Even 13 points and 6 rebounds by the former international forward Adam Ballinger (205-79, college: Michigan St.) did not help to save the game for Adelaide 36ers. Adelaide 36ers' coach tested ten players, but that didn't help to avoid defeat in this game. Kings (8-17) moved-up to eighth place, which they share with 36ers. Adelaide 36ers lost seventh consecutive game. Kings will play against league's leader New Zealand Breakers in Auckland in the next round and they do not belong to the favorites in that game. Adelaide 36ers will play at home against Melbourne Tigers (#7) and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
The game in Broadbeach was also quite interesting. Fourth ranked Wollongong Hawks (14-12) played at the court of 6th ranked Gold Coast Blaze (11-14). Wollongong Hawks defeated Gold Coast Blaze 80-68 on Friday. Gary Ervin fired 18 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists for the winners. Adam Gibson produced 16 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists for lost side. Wollongong Hawks have a solid four-game winning streak. They maintain fourth position with 14-12 record. Loser Gold Coast Blaze keeps the sixth place with 14 games lost. Wollongong Hawks will meet at home Cairns Taipans (#5) in the next round. Gold Coast Blaze will play against Melbourne Tigers and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Fourth ranked Wollongong Hawks (14-12) crushed at home 8th ranked Adelaide 36ers (8-17) by 27 points 87-60, which is the biggest margin this round. Worth to mention a great performance of Gary Ervin who helped to win the game recording 15 points and 5 rebounds. Wollongong Hawks' coach felt very confident that he used 11 players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. Wollongong Hawks have a solid four-game winning streak. They maintain fourth position with 14-12 record. Adelaide 36ers lost seventh consecutive game. They keep the eighth place with 17 games lost. Wollongong Hawks' next round opponent will be Cairns Taipans (#5) at home. Adelaide 36ers will play against Melbourne Tigers and it may be a tough game between close rivals.

In the last two games of round 22 Blaze were destroyed by Wildcats on the opponent's court 102-81. Taipans managed to outperform Tigers in a home game 79-63.

Hawks - 36ers 87-60

Fourth ranked Wollongong Hawks (14-12) crushed at home 8th ranked Adelaide 36ers (8-17) by 27 points 87-60, which is the biggest margin this round. The game without a history. Wollongong Hawks led from the first minutes and controlled entire game increasing their lead in each quarter. They made 16-of-20 charity shots (80.0 percent) during the game. Wollongong Hawks outrebounded Adelaide 36ers 47-30 including a 34-17 advantage in defensive rebounds. Worth to mention a great performance of American guard Gary Ervin (186-83, college: Arkansas) who helped to win the game recording 15 points and 5 rebounds. The former international swingman Glen Saville (197-76) contributed with 14 points and 6 rebounds for the winners. Five Wollongong Hawks players scored in double figures. Wollongong Hawks' coach felt very confident that he used 11 players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. The former international forward Adam Ballinger (205-79, college: Michigan St.) replied with 16 points and 8 rebounds and American guard Eddie Shannon (180-77, college: Florida) added 13 points in the effort for Adelaide 36ers. Wollongong Hawks have a solid four-game winning streak. They maintain fourth position with 14-12 record. Adelaide 36ers lost seventh consecutive game. They keep the eighth place with 17 games lost. Wollongong Hawks' next round opponent will be Cairns Taipans (#5) at home. Adelaide 36ers will play against Melbourne Tigers and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Hawks: O.Forman 16+4reb, G.Ervin 15+5reb+3ast, G.Saville 14+6reb+2ast, M.Campbell 11+5reb+3ast, L.Davidson 10+9reb, T.Coenraad 6+5reb+1ast
36ers: A.Ballinger 16+8reb+1ast, E.Shannon 13+3reb+2ast, B.Hill 9+1reb, J.Dowdell 5+4reb, D.Johnson 5+4reb+1ast, A.Bruce 5+1ast

Sydney K. - 36ers 76-72

Bottom-ranked Kings managed to get the second consecutive victory. This time they won against eighth-ranked Adelaide 36ers in Sydney 76-72. Adelaide 36ers were ahead by 5 points after three quarters before a 24-15 charge of Kings, which allowed them to win the game. They made 23-of-30 charity shots (76.7 percent) during the game, while Adelaide 36ers only scored six points from the stripe. They outrebounded Adelaide 36ers 40-28 including a 29-16 advantage in defensive rebounds. Adelaide 36ers were plagued by 26 personal fouls down the stretch. The former international center Julian Khazzouh (211-86) notched a double-double by scoring 20 points and 16 rebounds to lead the effort and American forward Trey Gilder (206-85, college: Northwestern St.) supported him with 20 points. Even 13 points and 6 rebounds by the former international forward Adam Ballinger (205-79, college: Michigan St.) did not help to save the game for Adelaide 36ers. Center Daniel Johnson (212-88, college: Pepperdine) added 12 points for lost side. Adelaide 36ers' coach tested ten players, but that didn't help to avoid defeat in this game. Kings (8-17) moved-up to eighth place, which they share with 36ers. Adelaide 36ers lost seventh consecutive game. Kings will play against league's leader New Zealand Breakers in Auckland in the next round and they do not belong to the favorites in that game. Adelaide 36ers will play at home against Melbourne Tigers (#7) and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Sydney K.: J.Khazzouh 20+16reb+1ast, T.Gilder 20+3reb+2ast, P.Sanders 13+4reb+1ast, B.Knight 9+5reb+3ast, B.Madgen 9+5reb+2ast, L.Martin 4+2ast
36ers: A.Ballinger 13+6reb+1ast, D.Johnson 12+2reb+1ast, B.Hill 10+3reb+2ast, J.Holmes 8+3reb+1ast, R.Carter 8+2reb+2ast, A.Bruce 7+3reb+4ast

Wildcats - Blaze 102-81

Very expected game when 6th ranked Gold Coast Blaze (11-14) was crushed on the road by second ranked Perth Wildcats (16-10) 102-81. The game was mostly controlled by Perth Wildcats. Gold Coast Blaze was better in fourth quarter 26-18. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. Perth Wildcats made 17-of-21 charity shots (81.0 percent) during the game. They also forced 22 Gold Coast Blaze turnovers and had a 21-7 advantage in offensive rebounds. 24 personal fouls committed by Gold Coast Blaze helped opponents get some easy free throw opportunities. It was a very good performance for international guard Damian Martin (188-84, college: Loyola Marymount) who helped to win the game recording a double-double by scoring 11 points, 11 rebounds, 8 assists and 7 steals. The former international power forward Matthew Knight (204-85, college: Loyola Marymount) contributed with 21 points and 7 rebounds for the winners. The former international swingman James Harvey (196-79, agency: Interperformances) replied with 25 points (made all of his nine free throws !!!) and international guard Adam Gibson (188-86) added 12 points and 5 assists in the effort for Gold Coast Blaze. Five Perth Wildcats and four Gold Coast Blaze players scored in double figures. The winner was already known earlier in the game, so both coaches allowed to play the bench players saving starting five for next games. Perth Wildcats have a solid three-game winning streak. Defending champion maintains second position with 16-10 record having just two points less than leader Breakers. Gold Coast Blaze at the other side keeps the sixth place with 14 games lost. Perth Wildcats' next round opponent will be Townsville Crocodiles (#3) in Wulguru, which may be the game of the day. Gold Coast Blaze will play on the road against Melbourne Tigers and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Wildcats: M.Knight 21+7reb+1ast, S.Weigh 17+6reb, K.Lisch 16+2reb+1ast, A.Brown 13+5reb+2ast, D.Martin 11+11reb+8ast, C.Tovey 8+6reb+4ast
Blaze: J.Harvey 25+4reb, T.Garlepp 13+5reb+1ast, A.Gibson 12+2reb+5ast, I.Clark 10+8reb+1ast, C.Goulding 7+1reb, A.Majok 7+4reb+1ast

Blaze - Hawks 68-80

The game in Broadbeach was also quite interesting. Fourth ranked Wollongong Hawks (14-12) played at the court of 6th ranked Gold Coast Blaze (11-14). Wollongong Hawks defeated Gold Coast Blaze 80-68 on Friday. The guests trailed by 3 points at the halftime before their 46-31 charge in the second half, which allowed them to win the game. Wollongong Hawks outrebounded Gold Coast Blaze 45-33 including a 17-5 advantage in offensive rebounds. American guard Gary Ervin (186-83, college: Arkansas) fired 18 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists for the winners. The former international swingman Glen Saville (197-76) chipped in 21 points and 5 rebounds. International guard Adam Gibson (188-86) produced 16 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists and American power forward Ira Clark (203-75, college: Texas) added 14 points and 5 rebounds respectively for lost side. Wollongong Hawks have a solid four-game winning streak. They maintain fourth position with 14-12 record. Loser Gold Coast Blaze keeps the sixth place with 14 games lost. Wollongong Hawks will meet at home Cairns Taipans (#5) in the next round. Gold Coast Blaze will play against Melbourne Tigers and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Hawks: G.Saville 21+5reb+3ast, G.Ervin 18+7reb+5ast, L.Davidson 16+12reb, O.Forman 9+11reb+1ast, M.Campbell 7+1ast, R.Martin 6+3reb+1ast
Blaze: A.Gibson 16+5reb+4ast, I.Clark 14+5reb+2ast, D.Hudson 10+3reb+1ast, S.Hoare 7+5reb, J.Harvey 7+4reb+1ast, T.Garlepp 5+6reb

Taipans - Tigers 79-63

Rather predictable result when fifth ranked Cairns Taipans (13-12) defeated at home 7th ranked Melbourne Tigers (9-15) 79-63. The game was mostly controlled by Cairns Taipans. Melbourne Tigers was better in second period 17-16. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. It was a very good performance for American swingman Ronald Dorsey (197-83, college: McNeese St.) who helped to win the game recording 13 points and 8 rebounds. British-New Zealand guard Phill Jones (196-74) contributed with 14 points and 5 rebounds for the winners. Four Cairns Taipans players scored in double figures. Jamaican-American guard Corey Williams (191-77, college: Alabama St.) replied with a double-double by scoring 19 points, 10 rebounds and 7 assists and the former international power forward Matthew Burston (210-82) added 18 points and 11 rebounds in the effort for Melbourne Tigers. Cairns Taipans maintains fifth position with 13-12 record. Melbourne Tigers at the other side keep the seventh place with 15 games lost. Cairns Taipans' next round opponent will be higher ranked Wollongong Hawks (#4) in Gwynneville and it may be quite challenging game. Melbourne Tigers will play at home against Gold Coast Blaze in Broadbeach and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Taipans: A.Ubaka 16+1reb+2ast, P.Jones 14+5reb+2ast, R.Dorsey 13+8reb+2ast, D.Rychart 10+2reb+3ast, D.Dillon 7+5reb, I.Crosswhite 6+4reb+5ast
Tigers: C.Williams 19+10reb+7ast, M.Burston 18+11reb+1ast, W.Helliwell 9+3reb, T.Greer 7+3reb+1ast, D.Corletto 6+3reb+1ast, B.Lewis 3

Crocodiles - Breakers 100-92

The most crucial game of the last round was a loss of top-ranked New Zealand Breakers (19-6) in Wulguru on Saturday night. Visitors were defeated by third ranked Townsville Crocodiles (15-10) 100-92. The hosts trailed by 12 points after first quarter, but they rallied back and won the game by 8 points. Townsville Crocodiles made 23-of-27 free shots (85.2 percent) during the game. They also forced 20 New Zealand Breakers turnovers. The former international center Luke Schenscher (216-82, college: Georgia Tech, agency: Priority Sports) scored 16 points and 7 rebounds to lead the charge for the winners and the former international guard Peter Crawford (193-79) chipped in 20 points during the contest. At the losing side New Zealand swingman Thomas Abercrombie (198-87, college: Washington St.) responded with 18 points and 7 rebounds and American forward Gary Wilkinson (206-82, college: Utah St.) scored 22 points. Four Townsville Crocodiles and five New Zealand Breakers players scored in double figures. New Zealand Breakers' coach rotated ten players in this game, but that didn't help. Townsville Crocodiles maintains third position with 15-10 record having four points less than leader Breakers. New Zealand Breakers at the other side still keep top place with six games lost. Townsville Crocodiles are looking forward to face league's second-placed Perth Wildcats at home in the next round and it will be for sure the game of the week. New Zealand Breakers will play against Kings in Sydney and are hoping to win this game.
Top scorers:
Crocodiles: P.Crawford 20+3reb+2ast, L.Schenscher 16+7reb+3ast, N.Crosswell 15+3reb+1ast, R.Hinder 12+2reb+1ast, M.Cedar 11+1reb+3ast, B.Williamson 10+3reb
Breakers: G.Wilkinson 22+2reb+3ast, T.Abercrombie 18+7reb+2ast, K.Penney 13+3reb+2ast, C.Bruton 12+2reb+4ast, K.Braswell 10+4reb+2ast, M.Vukona 7+5reb+2ast

NBL Round 23 Preview - by Duncan Matheson
NBL Preview Round 23

Here we are in round 23, only three weeks left in the regular season and there is still so much to be decided before the seasons end. New Zealand have clinched the minor premiership, and Townsville and Perth now looking all but certain to once again make the playoffs where they have been consistently for quite some time. Wollongong and Cairns appear locked into a tight battle for fourth spot, with Gold Coast's two losses on the weekend pushing them back to being only an outside chance to see finals action. While at the bottom of the ladder, Melbourne (9 wins), Sydney (8 wins) and Adelaide (8 wins) are all locked in a battle to restore some pride and avoid that dreaded wooden spoon.

New Zealand Breakers v Sydney Kings

Two teams going in different directions, with the top of the ladder Breakers having lost 3 out of 4, against the Kings who after starting the season 1-14 have won 7 of their last ten. Julian Khazzouh (211-C-86) continues his MVP-type form dominated with 20 points and 16 rebounds in the win over Adelaide, while Trey Gilder (206-F-85, college: Northwestern St.) had his best game of the year also with 20. Mark Dickel (187-G-76, college: UNLV) has been an amazing influence for the Kings, proving to those young ballers out there who like to check the scoresheet after the game you dont need to score to be effective. 'Sparky' Dickel as hes known, who some believed would not have the same impact after some major injuries and having lost half a pace, has run the Kings offence as smoothly as possible while racking up high assist numbers, and his calming influence will be important against a Breakers team that loves to press up the court, force turnovers and turn it into a running game. Fellow MVP candidate Kirk Penney (196-G-80, college: Wisconsin) will be looking to bounce back after a poor game by his standards in Townsville, while Gary Wilkinson (206-F-82, college: Utah St.) has been a revelation for the Breakers suiting their style perfectly and will again looking to wreak havoc with the defence scoring from inside and outside. The Kings have shown tremdous spirit in the back half of the season, and will make this a highly competitive and entertaining game, but looking to regain their dominant form heading into the playoffs the Breakers should get home by single figures, in a game for those having a wager where over 180 points are scored.

Townsville Crocodiles v Perth Wildcats

So much on the line in this game as 2nd plays 3rd, making this a potential semi-final preview. In an NBL competition where the home team is dominant, this game will be influential in deciding who most likely hosts that semi-final, and after struggling to beat Perth at home in the past few seasons the Crocodiles, who at 12-1 own the leagues best home record, will look to finish their home schedule on a major high. The Crocodiles are fresh off a 100-92 win over the Breakers, in a typically well-rounded performance led by Peter Crawford (193-G-79) with 20 points and Luke Schenscher (216-C-82, agency: Priority Sports, college: Georgia Tech) with 16. Since the loss of captain Shawn Redhage (203-F-81, agency: Warren Sports International, college: Arizona St.) the Wildcats have turned to import Kevin Lisch (188-G, agency: Warren Sports International, college: St.Louis) to take on more of the scoring load, along with Matthew Knight (204-F/C-85, college: Loyola Marymount), who has been red hot since returning from injury and last week posted 21 points and 7 rebounds. Both teams possess outstanding depth, but a huge crowd packed with screaming Crocs fanatics may give Townsville the advantage and push them to a victory that will most likely land them 2nd place on the NBL ladder and a home semi-final.

Adelaide 36ers v Melbourne Tigers

Two teams looking to avoid finishing on the bottom of the ladder, in particular Adelaide who will desperate want to avoid doing so for the second straight season. The good news for fans of these those teams is that one team has to win, something neither team has done a whole lot of in recent times. Captain reliable Adam Ballinger (205-F-79, college: Michigan St.) will again lead from the front, posting all-NBL type numbers, showing no sign of slowing down still devastating teams with that consistent and deadly mid-range jumper that opposing big men struggle to contest. Unfortunately for the 36ers, Ballinger has been provided little assistance and are at great risk of finishing cellar dwellers once again this season. For the Tigers, since the appointment of new coach D-Mac, Darryl McDonald the team has played with a new energy and exuberance, with Lucas Walker (203-F, college: St.Mary's, CA) and Benny Lewis (203-G/F-87, college: Benedict) in particular bringing some youth and flair to a Tigers team that early in the season seemed to have the weight of the world in expectation on their shoulders. Corey Williams (191-G-77, college: Alabama St.) has had another outstanding season with consistent scoring which he is known for, but also consistently high rebounding and assist numbers making him a constant triple double threat, while also looking to have an improved perimeter jump shot. Its time for Adelaide to stand up and show some real pride, and show some positive signs to their fans who are not used to losing. However, the Tigers have looked more likely in the last month and if they can contain Ballinger should secure their 10th victory of the season.

Wollongong Hawks v Skytrans Cairns Taipans

With both teams on 12 losses the winner of this game will go a long way to securing the fourth and final playoff position. Its been a difficult year for Hawks fans, who have seen the Jekyll and Hyde of performances from their Hawks, who after starting 9-2, then lost stalwart Glen Saville (197-G/F-76) and crumbled to nine straight losses, before bouncing back to win five of their last six. The Hawks are led by import and MVP candidate Gary Ervin (186-G-83, college: Arkansas), but the real turn around has come from the return of Saville and the improved play of their role players. During their slump the Hawks were far too reliant on Ervin, which saw opposing defences cram the paint and help aggressively to cut off his dynamic quickness and penetration. But with the return of Saville the Hawks look back to their old style, utilising ball movement opening up the likes of Oscar Forman (205-F-82) and Larry Davidson (207-C-83, college: Boise St.) to stretch the floor from the perimeter, while Rhys Martin (193-G-86, college: Nova SE) has been outstanding in giving the Hawks another penetrating guard to get into the paint and find open shooters. The Taipans are just 3-10 on the road this season, but one of those wins did come in Wollongong which will give them a great deal of confidence. The key to this game will most likely be who wins the battle on the boards and in the paint, and taking on a Hawks front court that lacks size and toughness Ian Crosswhite (212-C-82, college: Oregon) and Alexander Loughton (205-F/C-83, college: ODU) will look to assert their dominance, both of whom have had all-NBL type seasons. Loughton is the real x-factor, who two weeks ago scored 17 of his 21 points in the fourth quarter to lead Cairns to a comeback win over the 36ers. If the Hawks can contain Loughton, their recent return to form and a vocal home crowd should see them record a victory and move one step closer to a finals berth.

Melbourne Tigers v Gold Coast Blaze

A 16-day layoff came at the worst possible time for the Blaze, who after turning their season around and getting right back into the finals race last week looked sluggish and slumped to consecutive losses. Any team coached by Joey Wright will not accept failure or allow themselves to quit, and the Tigers can expect to see a fired up Blaze team playing for their playoff lives. Gold Coast will look to have this a fast-paced battle and take advantage of their smaller, quicker line-up and outstanding perimeter shooters, in particular James Harvey (196-G/F-79, agency: Interperformances) and Chris Goulding (190-G-88). The Blaze have struggled against the Tigers this year and will look to get some revenge, needing to assert Ira Clark (203-C/F-75, college: Texas) in the game early and allow him to be his dominant self against a Tigers interior defence that quite often looks soft and timid. Adam Gibson (188-G-86) will again get the tough job on Corey Williams, but for the Tigers to score another upset win over the Blaze captain Cameron Tragardh (209-C/F-83, college: ORU) will need to have a big performance. Look for him to be excited early and do some chest pumping and screaming to inspire his teammates, but with their slim playoff hopes on the line the Blaze should be too strong.

Stats Leaders - NBL

Points Per Game

Gary ERVIN
  Hawks
  (186-G-83)
  Avg: 20.3

1. Ervin, Hawks	20.3
2. Penney, Breakers	20.3
3. Redhage, Wildcats	18.0
4. Khazzouh, Sydney K.	17.6
5. Williams, Tigers	17.5
6. Worthington, Blaze	16.8
7. Clark, Blaze	16.8
8. Ballinger, 36ers	15.8
9. Wilkinson, Breakers	15.6
10. Devendorf, Tigers	14.6

Rebounds Per Game

Julian KHAZZOUH
  Sydney K.
  (211-C-86)
  Avg: 10.2

1. Khazzouh, Sydney K.	10.2
2. Davidson, Hawks	8.2
3. Vukona, Breakers	7.6
4. Nevill, Tigers	7.4
5. Worthington, Blaze	7.0
6. Crosswhite, Taipa.	6.9
7. Brown, Wildcats	6.9
8. Williams, Tigers	6.8
9. Burston, Tigers	6.8
10. Clark, Blaze	6.7

Assists Per Game

Corey WILLIAMS
  Tigers
  (191-G-77)
  Avg: 6

1. Williams, Tigers	6.0
2. Gibson, Blaze	5.4
3. Ervin, Hawks	4.5
4. Braswell, Breakers	4.3
5. Saville, Hawks	4.2
6. Carter, 36ers	4.2
7. Shannon, 36ers	4.1
8. Ubaka, Taipans	3.9
9. DeVries, 36ers	3.4
10. Blalock, Crocodiles	3.4

Steals Per Game

Damian MARTIN
  Wildcats
  (188-G-84)
  Avg: 2.3

1. Martin, Wildcats	2.3
2. Saville, Hawks	1.5
3. Ervin, Hawks	1.4
4. Crawford, Croco.	1.4
5. Carter, 36ers	1.4
6. Williams, Tigers	1.3
7. Shannon, 36ers	1.3
8. Braswell, Breakers	1.3
9. Ellis, Crocodiles	1.3
10. Tovey, Wildcats	1.3

Blocks Per Game

Ater MAJOK
  Blaze
  (208-F-87)
  Avg: 2

1. Majok, Wildcats	2.0
2. Ballinger, 36ers	2.0
3. Khazzouh, Sydney K.	1.9
4. Clark, Blaze	1.2
5. Nevill, Tigers	1.1
6. Worthington, Blaze	1.1
7. Schenscher, Croco.	1.0
8. Crosswhite, Taipa.	1.0
9. Gilder, Sydney K.	0.9
10. Freeman, Croco.	0.9

Standings - NBL

NBL Standings

1. Breakers		19-6
2. Wildcats		16-10
3. Crocodiles		15-10
4. Hawks		14-12
5. Taipans		13-12
6. Blaze		11-14
7. Tigers		9-15
8. 36ers		8-17
9. Sydney K.		8-17

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

AUSTRIA

Standings - A Bundesliga

A Standings

Group A
1. Gmunden		22-6
2. Arkadia		18-10
3. Furstenfeld		18-10
4. Oberwart		17-11
5. Kapfenberg		14-14
6. Klosterneub.		14-14
Group B
1. Wels		16-11
2. UBSC Graz		13-14
3. Gussing		12-16
4. BC Vienna		11-17
5. St.Polten		10-18
6. Worthersee		2-26

Stats Leaders

Points Per Game

Stjepan STAZIC
  Furstenfeld
  (199-G-78)
  Avg: 26.4

1. Stazic, BC Vienna	26.4
2. Vay, Arkadia	20.0
3. Kennedy, Worth.	19.4
4. Brokenboroug., Wel.	18.8
5. Houston, Arkadia	18.2
6. Shavies, Furstenf.	17.8
7. Mayes, Gmunden	17.4
8. Heard, Gussing	17.3
9. Miletic, UBSC G.	17.0
10. Nagler, Klostern.	16.3

Rebounds Per Game

Russell HICKS
  Furstenfeld
  (213-C-85)
  Avg: 9.7

1. Hicks, BC Vienna	9.7
2. Heard, Gussing	9.3
3. Johnson, Oberwart	8.6
4. Stazic, BC Vienna	7.9
5. Volcic, Oberwart	7.8
6. Vay, Arkadia	7.7
7. Graham, UBSC G.	7.6
8. Stegnjaic, UBSC G.	7.4
9. Djuric, Gussing	7.4
10. Mayer, Gmunden	7.4

Assists Per Game

Anthony SHAVIES
  Furstenfeld
  (191-G-83)
  Avg: 7.9

1. Shavies, Furstenf.	7.9
2. Carr, BC Vienna	7.3
3. Holcomb-Faye, Wels	6.6
4. Danek, Arkadia	6.0
5. Schreiner, St.Po.	5.7
6. Miletic, UBSC G.	4.7
7. Parker, Oberwart	4.5
8. Stazic, BC Vienna	4.4
9. Boylan, Gmunden	4.4
10. Lanegger, Kapfe.	4.1

Steals Per Game

Thomas SCHREINER
  St.Polten
  (195-G-87)
  Avg: 2.4

1. Schreiner, St.Po.	2.4
2. Shavies, Furstenf.	2.3
3. Boylan, Gmunden	2.3
4. Jandl, St.Polten	2.2
5. Ray, Furstenfeld	2.1
6. Parker, Oberwart	2.1
7. Vay, Arkadia	1.8
8. Danek, Arkadia	1.7
9. Stazic, BC Vienna	1.7
10. Artner, Oberwart	1.7

Blocks Per Game

Russell HICKS
  Furstenfeld
  (213-C-85)
  Avg: 2.3

1. Hicks, BC Vienna	2.3
2. Graham, UBSC G.	1.5
3. Hampton, Furstenf.	1.3
4. Hicks, Furstenfeld	1.2
5. Pekovic, BC Vienna	1.1
6. Slack, Gmunden	1.0
7. Vay, Arkadia	1.0
8. Sally, Oberwart	1.0
9. Miljkovic, BC Vi.	0.9
10. Heard, Gussing	0.8

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

BELARUS

Premier League Round 7: Minsk-2006 defeats Sozh Gomel in the game between Top 4 teams - by Eurobasket News
An interesting game for Minsk-2006 (35-0) which hosted in Minsk 4th placed Sozh Gomel (18-17). Leader Minsk-2006 had an easy win 118-90. Defending champion maintains first place in League with 35-0 record. Sozh Gomel at the other side keeps the fourth position with 17 games lost.

An interesting game for OZAA Osipovichi (22-13) which played road game in Grodno against their biggest opponent Grodno-93 (22-13). Third ranked OZAA Osipovichi managed to get a 14-point victory 94-80. It was a key game for the second position in League. OZAA Osipovichi moved-up to second place in League.

An interesting game for Borifsen (13-22) which hosted in Mogilev 3rd placed BGUIR-RCOR (6-27). Second ranked Borifsen managed to get a 10-point victory 79-69. Borifsen maintains second place in League with 13-22 record having three points less than leader Lokomotiv. Newly promoted BGUIR-RCOR keeps the third position with 27 games lost.

An interesting game for Lokomotiv (18-15) which hosted in Vitebsk 4th placed Vitalyur-RGUOR (4-31). First ranked Lokomotiv had an easy win 73-56. Lokomotiv maintains first place in League with 18-15 record. Vitalyur-RGUOR at the other side keeps the fourth position with 31 games lost.

Group A

Minsk-2006 - Sozh Gomel 118-90

An interesting game for Minsk-2006 (35-0) which hosted in Minsk 4th placed Sozh Gomel (18-17). Leader Minsk-2006 had an easy win 118-90. Defending champion maintains first place in League with 35-0 record. Sozh Gomel at the other side keeps the fourth position with 17 games lost.

Grodno-93 - OZAA Osipov. 80-94

An interesting game for OZAA Osipovichi (22-13) which played road game in Grodno against their biggest opponent Grodno-93 (22-13). Third ranked OZAA Osipovichi managed to get a 14-point victory 94-80. It was a key game for the second position in League. It looked good early as Grodno-93 took an 11-point lead at the end of first quarter. But then OZAA Osipovichi took control and eventually winning the game that evening by 14 points. OZAA Osipovichi moved-up to second place in League.

Group B

Borifsen - BGUIR-RCOR 79-69

An interesting game for Borifsen (13-22) which hosted in Mogilev 3rd placed BGUIR-RCOR (6-27). Second ranked Borifsen managed to get a 10-point victory 79-69. The game was mostly controlled by Borifsen. BGUIR-RCOR managed to win second period 20-18. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. Borifsen maintains second place in League with 13-22 record having three points less than leader Lokomotiv. Newly promoted BGUIR-RCOR keeps the third position with 27 games lost.

Lokomotiv - Vitalyur 73-56

An interesting game for Lokomotiv (18-15) which hosted in Vitebsk 4th placed Vitalyur-RGUOR (4-31). First ranked Lokomotiv had an easy win 73-56. Lokomotiv maintains first place in League with 18-15 record. Vitalyur-RGUOR at the other side keeps the fourth position with 31 games lost.

Standings - Premier League

Premier Standings

Group A
1. Minsk-2006		35-0
2. OZAA Osipov.		22-13
3. Grodno-93		22-13
4. Sozh Gomel		18-17
Group B
1. Lokomotiv		18-15
2. Borifsen		13-22
3. BGUIR-RCOR		6-27
4. Vitalyur		4-31

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BELGIUM

Belgian D1 round 23 best performance: Lionel Bosco - by Eurobasket News
International guard Lionel Bosco (176-G-81, agency: Court Side) put on an extraordinary performance in the last round for Optima Gent, receiving a Eurobasket.com Player of the Week award for round 23.
The 29-year old player was the main contributor (15 points, four rebounds and six assists) to his team's victory, helping them to beat Liege (#8, 6-13) 65-59. Gent maintains the 9th position in Belgian D1. Too late to salvage the team, which is currently ranked at the very bottom. They already lost 17 games and recorded just three victories. It's Bosco's second year at Gent and it's hard to imagine this team without him. Lionel Bosco averages this season 9.3ppg.

The second best player in last round's games was 24-year old American Will Thomas (200-F-86, agency: Interperformances) of Oostende. Thomas had a very good evening with a double-double of 17 points and 10 rebounds. Bad luck as Oostende lost that game 73-83 to slightly higher-ranked Antwerp (#4, 11-9). Oostende managed to keep the same 5th spot in the standings. His team is not often considered as one of the league's best with a mere 10-11 record. Thomas is a newcomer at Oostende, but is already one of team's top players.

Third on the list of top players last round was DR Congolese swingman Wen Boss Mukubu (198-G/F-83, agency: SportsTalent) of Liege (#8). Mukubu scored 23 points and grabbed six rebounds. Despite Mukubu's great performance Liege lost 59-65 to slightly lower-ranked Gent (#9, 3-17). But his team cannot count on just a single player as he also needs help of the other teammates. The chances of Liege not to end season at such low position in the league, however are less than slim as they have already lost 13 games, recording just six victories. With bigger assistance of his teammates, Mukubu could try to bring Liege's a little bit higher in the standings. Mukubu has a very solid season. In 5 games in Belgium he scored 16.0ppg. Wen Boss Mukubu has also Belgian passport and can play in the league with a status of domestic player.

Other top performing players last week:
4. Graham Brown (205-C-84) of Antwerp - 13 points, 15 rebounds and 2 assists
5. Darnell Wilson (198-F-85) of Antwerp - 20 points, 9 rebounds and 2 assists
6. Timothy Black (178-G-81) of Antwerp - 17 points and 7 assists
7. Christopher Young (206-F/C-79) of Aalstar - 18 points and 9 rebounds
8. Rashaun Freeman (206-C/F-84) of Verviers-Pep. - 14 points, 7 rebounds and 2 assists
9. Matt Lojeski (198-G-85) of Oostende - 16 points, 2 rebounds and 3 assists
10. Luc Louves (207-F-89) of Gent - 10 points and 9 rebounds

The Player of the week is choosen based on efficiency calculation, but also including game result, importance of the game, if played recorded double-double/triple-double, etc.
The efficiency formula is a combination of various formulas used by different basketball organizations/leagues. We got involved many basketball scouts and journalists to assure it's accuracy.
The formula: 1.5*PTS + 3*(REB+AST+ST+BL-TO) - 2*BSAG - 4*PF + 3*PFRV + 4*(2FGPM+3FGPM) + 1.5*FTM - 3*(2FGPA-2FGPM) - 3*(3FGPA-3FGPM) - (FTA-FTM)

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BOSNIA

Standings - BIH League

D1 Standings

1. Bosna		18-5
2. Borac Nektar		16-7
3. Capljina		15-8
4. Mladost		15-8
5. Sloboda Dita		14-9
6. Zrinjski HT		14-9
7. Hercegovac		12-11
8. SL IAT Leotar		12-11
9. Celik		10-14
10. Varda HE		9-14
11. Kakanj		7-16
12. Brotnjo		6-17
13. Slavija		2-21
Play in international cups:
1. Igokea		-
2. Siroki TT		-

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CANADA

CONSOLATION CIS championship - by Eurobasket News
HALIFAX (CIS) Russell Venzal (188-G-87, college: Vermilion CC) scored a tournament-high 29 points to lead the Lakehead University Thunderwolves to a 75-67 win over the Acadia Axemen in the first consolation game of the CIS mens basketball championship, Saturday afternoon, at the Halifax Metro Centre.

Championship website: http://english.cis-sic.ca/championships/mbkb

The fourth-seeded T-Wolves, who suffered a disappointing 82-74 first round loss to Trinity Western on Friday after claiming their first-ever OUA title a week ago, advance to Sundays consolation final for fifth place, where theyll face either Dalhousie or Concordia.

Lakehead will improve from a seventh-place finish at last years Final 8 in Ottawa.

The loss marks the end of the season for eighth-ranked Acadia, which dropped a 96-77 quarter-final decision to No. 1 UBC on Friday.

Russell, a third-year guard who hails from Detroit, Mich., had 16 points at halftime on 7-of-9 shooting from the floor, and went 12-for-17 for the match, including 3-for-4 from beyond the arc.

Its always tough to play on the consolation side of the draw, but we gave it our all, said Russell, who earned game MVP honours. Coach asked us to keep shooting, thats our game. It was just clicking for me today.

Fifth-year senior Jamie Searle (186-G-87) of Belleville, Ont., added 18 points for the winners.

Six-foot-10 forward Owen Klassen (208-F), a sophomore from Kingston, Ont., paced Acadia with 26 points and 14 rebounds, while Justin Boutlier of Niagara Falls, Ont., finished with 17 points.

One of the differences on the afternoon was three-point shooting. Lakekead was 10-for-19 (52.6%) from long distance, while Acadia went 3-for-17 (17.6%).

The T-Wolves went to the locker room at halftime with a slim one-point advantage (33-32) thanks to a three-pointer by Ryan Thomson at the buzzer.

Lakehead held the lead through the third quarter and well into the fourth stanza until Boutlier sent the Axemen ahead, at 59-58, with five minutes remaining.

Searle responded right away with back-to-back hits from beyond the arc to initiate a 13-0 Lakehead run that put the game away.

STAT LEADERS

Lakehead
Points: Russell Venzal (29), Jamie Searle (18), Greg Carter (9)
Rebounds: Yoosrie Salhia (198-F-87) (7), Russell Venzal (5)
Assists: Russell Venzal (2), Jamie Searle (2)

Player of the game: Russell Venzal

Acadia
Points: Owen Klassen (26), Justin Boutlier (17)
Rebounds: Owen Klassen (14), Justin Boutlier (6)
Assists: Owen Klassen (4)

HALIFAX (CIS) Fifth-year guard Simon Farine (188-G-87) led all scorers with 21 points as the sixth-seeded Dalhousie Tigers defeated the No. 7 Concordia Stingers 76-65 in the second consolation game of the CIS mens basketball championship, Saturday afternoon, at the Halifax Metro Centre.

Championship website: http://english.cis-sic.ca/championships/mbkb

Dalhousies win sets up a consolation final between conference champions Sunday at 10:30 a.m. AT. The AUS champ Tigers, who lost 91-79 to defending W.P. McGee Trophy winner Saskatchewan in Fridays quarter-final round, will face OUA champ Lakehead for fifth place.

Concordia, which claimed the Quebec title this season, returns home from the Final 8 with an 0-2 record. The Stingers dropped a 73-66 decision to Carleton on Friday.

Its not the final you want to play in but the guys worked hard today, and theyll play hard again tomorrow, said Dalhousie head coach John Campbell. Tomorrow is all about pride. We can still finish fifth in the country.

Farine, a senior from Toronto, and fellow fifth-year veteran Joseph Schow (206-F/C-83) of Medicine Hat, Alta., led the way for the Tigers. Farine grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds to complete a double-double, while Schow was named player of the match following a 14-point, nine-board effort.

Decee Krah (180-G), a fourth-year guard from Hamilton, paced Concordia with 20 points. Second-team all-Canadian Kyle Desmarais of Montreal had 13.

The Tigers prevailed despite shooting only 40 per cent from the floor (28-of-70) including 30 per cent from beyond the arc (6-of-20). The Stingers were hurt by poor free throw shooting, making only 46.2 per cent of their attempts (6-of-13).

Dalhousie took the lead early on and never looked back. The Tigers were up 18-13 after the first quarter and 38-29 at halftime, and led by as many as 20 points late in the third frame following a three-pointer by Peter Leighton of Halifax, another senior in his final weekend wearing the yellow and gold uniform.

Concordia came back to within nine early in the fourth but Dalhousie quickly restored a double-digit advantage en route to the comfortable 11-point win.

STAT LEADERS

Dalhousie
Points: Simon Farine (21), Joseph Schow (14), William Yengue (11)
Rebounds: Simon Farine (10), Joseph Schow (9)
Assists: Simon Farine (7)

Player of the game: Joseph Schow

Concordia
Points: Decee Krah (20), Kyle Desmarais (13), Zach Brisebois (201-F) (12)
Rebounds: Zach Brisebois (7), James Clarke (6)
Assists: James Clarke (4)
Courtesy of: english.cis-sic.ca

SEMIFINAL #1 CIS championship: First-timer Spartans stun No. 1 UBC - by Eurobasket News
HALIFAX (CIS) Kyle Coston (203-F-87, college: Portland St.) drained a three-point shot with 11.6 seconds remaining as the fifth-seeded Trinity Western University Spartans erased a 16-point second quarter deficit to upset the top-ranked UBC Thunderbirds 74-72 in the first semifinal of the CIS mens basketball championship, Saturday afternoon, at the Halifax Metro Centre.

Championship website: http://english.cis-sic.ca/championships/mbkb

In their first appearance at the Final 8 tournament since they joined CIS back in 1999-2000, the Canada West bronze medallist Spartans advance to Sundays gold medal final at 5 p.m. Atlantic Time, where they will face the winners of Saturdays late semifinal between No. 2 Carleton and defending national champion Saskatchewan.

The Canada West champion Thunderbirds, who had reached the CIS final each of the past two years, will play for bronze at 1:15 p.m. AT.

After being held to three points in the first half, Colston caught fire after the break with 20 points. The 6-foot-8 forward from Blaine, Wash., in his first season with the Spartans after starting his university career at Portland State in the NCAA, added a team-high 12 rebounds and was named player of the game for TWU for the second straight day.

It feels amazing. Ive played in big games before. I played in two March Madness tournaments with Portland State. But to hit an important shot like that on such a big stage, its pretty amazing, said Coston, who also had a double-double with 20 points and 11 rebounds in Trinity Westerns 82-74 quarter-final win over No. 4 Lakehead on Friday.

It was the third meeting of the campaign between the conference rivals. UBC swept the head-to-head series early in the regular season with 91-69 and 90-77 road wins on Oct. 29-30.

Its tough to win three in a row against the same team. I dont know if I would have wanted to be in that position, said head coach Scott Allen, in his third season at the helm at TWU. Its obviously a huge win for us. Kyle came up big once again.

First-team all-Canadian Jacob Doerksen (200-F-87, agency: SportsList Inc.), a former CIS MVP from Abbotsford, B.C., contributed 16 points in the victory, while Calvin Westbrook of Courtenay, B.C., had 15.

UBC was paced by fifth-year guard Alex Murphy (185-G) of Richmond, B.C., with 21 points. Three other T-Birds scored in double figures including Nathan Yu of Prince George, B.C., with 14 points, Kamar Burke (196-G-86) of Mississauga, Ont., who had a 13-point, 15-rebound double-double, and first-team all-Canadian Josh Whyte of Calgary, who scored a dozen.

UBC struggled out of the gate, making only one of its first six field goal attempts.

A Yu layup made it 11-10 with 2:21 left in the opening quarter and the Thunderbirds never trailed again before halftime. The fourth-year guard then drained a three-pointer with 25 seconds on the clock to send the Birds into the second frame with a 22-12 lead.

Murphy took over in the second quarter scoring 11 of his 15 first-half points. His layup four minutes into the period gave UBC its biggest lead of the opening 20 minutes, at 31-15.

Trinity Western responded with a 15-6 run to cut the deficit to seven at 37-30 but Yu closed out the half with a bucket at the buzzer to make it 39-30 UBC at the break.

One of the difference before the intermission was three-point shooting, with UBC making good on five of 11 attempts from beyond the arc while TWU went one for 11.

The Spartans stunned their BC rivals with a 10-0 run to open the third quarter capped off by a Doerksen hook shot - and all of a sudden found themselves back on top, at 40-39. UBC was held scoreless in the first 4:05 of the period.

The rest of the quarter featured three lead changes and as many ties before a Tonner Jackson layup at the buzzer made it 53-51 Spartans heading into the final period.

Trinity Western remained ahead until Yu scored on a hard drive to the hoop with 6:01 on the clock to give UBC a slim 63-62 advantage.

Three lead changes followed in the next two and a half minutes and a pair of free throws by Coston gave the Spartans a three-point cushion at 68-65 with 2:45 to go.

Whyte was fouled on a three-point attempt on the ensuing play however and went 3-for-3 at the line to tie the affair at 68 all with 2:30 left.

After three more lead changes and Trinity Western ahead 71-70, Coston had a chance to give the Spartans a three-point lead but went 0-of-2 from the charity stripe.

On the ensuing UBC possession, Burke grab a rebound off a Whyte miss and scored to make it 72-71 T-Birds, and set up Costons heroics.

Burke had a chance to win it at the buzzer but his three-point attempt hit the rim and refused to fall.

After shooting 45.5 per cent from the floor in the first half, UBCs success rate fell to 25.7 per cent after the break (9 of 35). They finished at 35.3 per cent.

Trinity Western improved from 37.9% in the opening 20 minutes to 47.2 per cent after the intermission to finish at 43.1 percent.

NOTE: Trinity Western had lost six straight times to UBC since an 87-78 regular season home win on Jan. 8, 2009... Since November of 2004, the Spartans were 1-20 overall against their BC rivals...

STAT LEADERS

Trinity Western
Points: Kyle Coston (23), Jacob Doerksen (16), Calvin Westbrook (15)
Rebounds: Kyle Coston (12), Tyrell Mara (8)
Assists: Kyle Coston (3), 3 others with 3

Player of the game: Kyle Coston

UBC
Points: Alex Murphy (21), Nathan Yu (14), Kamar Burke (13), Josh Whyte (12)
Rebounds: Kamar Burke (15), Josh Whyte (5)
Assists: Alex Murphy (3), Kamar Burke (3)
Courtesy of: english.cis-sic.ca

SEMIFINAL #2 CIS championship: Ravens oust champs, return to national final - by Eurobasket News
HALIFAX (CIS) Reigning CIS player of the year Tyson Hinz (198-F) scored a tournament-high 32 points as the second-seeded Carleton University Ravens beat the defending national champion Saskatchewan Huskies 95-83 in the second semifinal of the Final 8 mens basketball championship, Saturday night, at the Halifax Metro Centre.

Championship website: http://english.cis-sic.ca/championships/mbkb

With the win, the Ravens avenged an 86-82 loss to Saskatchewan in last years semifinals in Ottawa and return to the championship game for the seventh time in nine years. They will try to capture the seventh W.P. McGee Trophy in program history when they face the No. 5 Trinity Western Spartans Sunday at 5 p.m. Atlantic Time.

The victory improved Carletons overall record to 33-1 against CIS competition this season, and extended their winning streak at the Metro Centre to 19 straight games since a 78-77 quarter-final loss to McMaster in 2001. The Ravens have claimed the last five McGee Trophies contested in Halifax from 2003 to 2007, and captured their sixth CIS banner in 2009 in the nations capital.

Weve had great success in this building over the years but this is a different team, we only have one player left (Mike Kenny) since our last win here, said Carleton bench boss Dave Smart, the four-time CIS coach of the year.

It was a solid effort tonight. We were much improved from last night, added Smart, whose team got all it could handle from No. 7 Concordia in the quarter-final round before prevailing 73-66.

Hinz, who was named CIS MVP in only his second university season on Thursday, took over the game in the fourth quarter as Carleton entered the final period holding a slim 66-63 advantage. The 6-foot-6 forward from Ottawa scored 13 points in the last 10 minutes, most of them on a devastating spin move inside, en route to player-of-the-game honours.

That loss in last years semis has been at the back of our of minds for 365 days. It feels awesome to beat them in the same round this time around, said Hinz, who was also named game MVP on Friday following a 19-point effort. Theyre a great team and they never quit tonight. It was a tough win.

Three other Ravens scored in double digits including CIS rookie of the year Philip Scrubb (191-G-93) of Richmond, B.C., with 17 points, Cole Hobin of Ashton, Ont., with 13, and Elliot Thompson (191-G-89) of Fredericton, with a dozen.

For Saskatchewan, the dynamic duo of Rejean Chabot (183-G-87) of Saskatoon and first-team all-Canadian Jamelle Barrett (180-G) of Rancho Cordova, California, led the way with 28 and 26 points, respectively. No other Huskies player had more than eight.

Give Carleton a lot of credit. We had a game plan and they defended it. They have a very good, very well-coached team, said Saskatchewan interim head coach Barry Rawlyk, who was an assistant a year ago when the Huskies captured the first McGee Trophy in school history.

Scrubb gave Carleton a 12-9 lead four minutes into the contest with a three-point shot and the Ravens stayed ahead for the rest of the first half.

A Kyle Smendziuk (198-F) layup at the buzzer completed a dominating 27-16 opening period for the OUA finalists.

The experienced Huskies didnt panic however and climbed all the way back to within one point midway through the second frame, at 31-30, on a pair of Chabot free throws.

Carleton responded with a 7-0 run capped off by a Scrubb three-pointer to restore an eight-point advantage.

The score was 44-39 Ravens at the end of a first half that featured four players in double digits in scoring two on each side including Hinz (14) and Scrubb (10) for Carleton and Chabot (16) and Barrett (12) for Saskatchewan.

Carleton made six of 18 shots from beyond the arc in the opening 20 minutes (33.3%), while Saskatchewan was only good on one of eight attempts from long distance (12.5%).

The Huskies once again cut the deficit to only one point, at 44-43, early in the third quarter following a Chabot layup but the Ravens went on another run, this one of eight straight points, to go up 52-43.

Saskatchewan made it a one-point affair twice more before the end of the third, including two Barrett free throws that reduced the Carleton advantage to 64-63 with 58 seconds on the clock.

It was 66-63 Carleton after 30 minutes.

Chabot had a chance to finally tie it early in the fourth but missed his second attempt from the charity stripe, which left the Huskies trailing 70-69.

The Ravens went up by eight points, at 83-75, with three minutes to go thanks to a long three by Elliot Thompson and were never really in danger after that point.

Saskatchewan was hurt by poor free throw shooting in the final 10 minutes, missing no less than seven attempts from the line. For the game, the Huskies were 28 for 45 on foul shots (62.2%).

The Canada West finalists also never found their groove from three-point line finishing at 14.3 per cent (3 for 21). Barrett was only two for 12 from long distance, while Chabot missed his four attempts.

STAT LEADERS

Carleton
Points: Tyson Hinz (32), Philip Scrubb (17), Cole Hobin (13), Elliot Thompson (12)
Rebounds: Kyle Smendziuk (11), Tyson Hinz (9), Philip Scrubb (7), Cole Hobin (7)
Assists: Elliot Thompson (7), Philip Scrubb (5)

Player of the game: Tyson Hinz

Saskatchewan
Points: Rejean Chabot (28), Jamelle Barrett (26)
Rebounds: Michael Lieffers (203-F) (12), Chris Unsworth (10)
Assists: Jamelle Barrett (5)

CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE & RESULTS (All times ATLANTIC TIME)

Friday, March 11

Quarter-final #1: UBC 96, Acadia 77
Quarter-final #2: Trinity Western 82, Lakehead 74
Quarter-final #3: Saskatchewan 91, Dalhousie 79
Quarter-final #4: Carleton 73, Concordia 66

Saturday, March 12

Consolation #1: Lakehead 75, Acadia 67
Consolation #2: Dalhousie 76, Concordia 65
Semifinal #1: Trinity Western 74, UBC 72
Semifinal #2: Carleton 95, Saskatchewan 83

Sunday, March 13

10:30 Consolation final (5th place): Lakehead vs. Dalhousie (SSN Canada webcast)
13:15 Bronze medal game: UBC vs. Saskatchewan (SSN Canada webcast)
17:00 Championship final: Trinity Western vs. Carleton (TSN2 tape delayed to 19:00 AT)
Courtesy of: english.cis-sic.ca

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CHINA

If You're Picking 50th or Higher in the NBA Draft, Take Han Dejun - by Arthur Volbert
With the regular season over and the playoffs over a week away, there is time to reflect. So are there any CBA players who might be drafted by the NBA this spring.

The players eligible for the draft are those listed as born in 1989. Chen Jianghua will not be drafted. He was once listed as the fourth-best international prospect in the draft but that was a long time ago. His stock has dropped markedly since. Zhou Peng also will not be drafted though his was listed as a prospect a few years ago. The two players who could even be considered for the draft are Han Dejun (215-C-89) and Su Wei (212-C-89), both seven-foot big men.

If I were drafting 50th or higher in the NBA draft, and had no one else in mind, I would take Han. At 7 foot 1 and 300 pounds he has truly exceptional size and agility to go along with it. He could be as good in his prime as Shaq has been the past couple of years. He might even be better than Shaq is today. On the other hand, he could be as big a flop as Xue Yuyang. Both Xue and Manu Ginobili were drafted 57th.

You have to be prepared to park Han in China for at least a year and most likely two before he's ready to be brought to pre-season training camp. On the other hand, with labor trouble in the wind, it might be better to take Han than a college senior whom you might not have the time to develop. Han just finished fourth in our player-of-the-week statistics with 31 points and 13 rebounds. He is very good on offense with excellent scoring and rebounding statistics per minutes played. But the opposing center last week, Tao Hanlin, born in 1991, had 32 points with his best game of the year. Han appears at present be defensively challenged and we do not know whether or not he can correct this deficiency.

The other problem is Han's age. When Han played at the United States Basketball Academy camp in Oregon in 2007, he was listed as being born in May 1987. Now he is listed as being born in May 1989. His year of birth changed a couple of years ago. But Han is a late bloomer. When I first heard of him in 2005 he was listed as being only 208 cm. and born in 1987. So he had a late growth spurt which made him 7 cm taller. If he was born in 1987, this would mean that he spurted after age 18. But he is one of the few instances where it is possible that they lied about his age when he was younger for reasons other than basketball because no one thought he would ever be a pro basketball player. Then again it is possible that they are lying now. The only thing certain is that he lied about his age one way or the other.

Or you could draft Su Wei and the best you'd get is a career backup.

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CROATIA

A1, Round 18: First stage is over - by Eurobasket News
The first stage in A1 just ended. Split, Borik, Alkar and Zabok booked a spot for the Superleague (League for the title). Split is the winner of Stage One with 15-3 record. Cibona, Zagreb, Cedevita and Zadar will join in this phase.

A1 Standings
1. KK Split 15-3
2. Borik 11-7
3. Alkar Sinj 11-7
4. Zabok 10-8
5. Dubrovnik 10-8
6. Kvarner 2010 9-9
7. Darda 8-10
8. Svjetlost 7-11
9. Dubrava 5-13
10. Trogir 4-14

KK Split - Borik 80-65

An exciting game between Top Four teams was played in Split. First ranked KK Split faced second-best Borik Puntamika. Host KK Split (15-3) defeated guests from Zadar (11-7) 80-65. It ended at the same time the three-game winning streak of Borik Puntamika. The game was mostly controlled by KK Split. Borik Puntamika was better in second period 20-15. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. KK Split dominated down low during the game scoring 54 of its points in the paint compared to Borik Puntamika's 30. It was a good game for guard Ivan Mimica (193-G-80) who led his team to a victory with 18 points. Guard Toni Katic (185-92) contributed with 19 points for the winners. Guard Teo Petani (190-88) replied with 17 points and power forward Jure Skific (202-88) added 16 points in the effort for Borik Puntamika. Both teams had four players each who scored in double figures.
Top scorers:
KK Split: T.Katic 19+1reb+2ast, I.Mimica 18+3reb+3ast, S.Rezic 14+3reb, J.Sobin 10+7reb+3ast, L.Babic 8+3reb, S.Subotic 5+4ast
Borik: T.Petani 17+2reb+2ast, J.Skific 16+3reb+2ast, M.Cakarun 12+3reb+1ast, M.Sarlija 10, J.Mrkic 4+1reb, M.Jurjevic 3+3reb+1ast

Kvarner 2010 - Darda 81-70

Everything could happen in Rijeka at the game between two tied teams. Both sixth ranked Kvarner 2010 and 7th ranked Vrijednosnice OS had identical 8-9 record. This time Kvarner 2010 used a home court advantage and beat the opponent from Darda 81-70. Vrijednosnice OS was ahead by 11 points at the halftime before a 52-30 second half run of Kvarner 2010. They made 20-of-24 charity shots (83.3 percent) during the game. They also forced 19 Vrijednosnice OS turnovers. It was a good game for center Zoran Pehar (209-81) who led his team to a victory with a double-double by scoring 14 points and 12 rebounds. Guard Hrvoje Puljko (193-83) contributed with 18 points and 6 assists for the winners. Forward Zvonimir Ridl (204-73) replied with 16 points and 4 assists and guard Ivan Bakovic (197-81) added 19 points and 5 steals in the effort for Vrijednosnice OS. Five Kvarner 2010 and four Vrijednosnice OS players scored in double figures.
Top scorers:
Kvarner 2010: H.Puljko 18+4reb+6ast, Z.Pehar 14+12reb+3ast, J.Surina 13+2reb+1ast, N.Mazar 12+3reb+2ast, F.Filipovic 11+3reb, A.Boban 5+3reb+1ast
Darda: I.Bakovic 19+4reb+1ast, Z.Ridl 16+4reb+4ast, I.Krolo 12+9reb, F.Kordic 12+2reb+1ast, A.Bicvic 8+3reb, M.Rakitic 2

A1 Standings

1. KK Split		15-3
2. Borik		11-7
3. Alkar Sinj		11-7
4. Zabok		10-8
5. Dubrovnik		10-8
6. Kvarner 2010		9-9
7. Darda		8-10
8. Svjetlost		7-11
9. Dubrava		5-13
10. Trogir		4-14
Play in international cups:
1. Cedevita		-
2. Cibona		-
3. KK Zagreb CO		-
4. Zadar		-

Stats Leaders - A1

Points Per Game

Luka PETKOVIC
  Svjetlost
  (190-G-88)
  Avg: 22.1

1. Petkovic, Svjetlost	22.1
2. Puljko, Kvarner .	21.8
3. Zitko, Trogir	18.9
4. Mimica, KK Split	17.9
5. Krapic, Zabok	17.6
6. Saric, Dubrava	16.4
7. Sobin, KK Split	16.4
8. Krolo, Darda	16.2
9. Ridl, Darda	16.0
10. Bakovic, Darda	15.9

Rebounds Per Game

Ante KRAPIC
  Cibona
  (202-F-85)
  Avg: 9.4

1. Krapic, Zabok	9.4
2. Krolo, Darda	8.8
3. Saric, Dubrava	8.7
4. Radic, Alkar Sinj	8.1
5. Sobin, KK Split	8.1
6. Ragsdale, Kvarner .	6.3
7. Ridl, Darda	6.2
8. Ruzic, Borik	6.1
9. Zupic, Alkar Sinj	5.5
10. Kamaldin, Darda	5.4

Assists Per Game

Milan KARAKAS
  Trogir
  (190-G-80)
  Avg: 5.1

1. Karakas, Trogir	5.1
2. Petkovic, Svjetlost	4.6
3. Blajic, Alkar Sinj	4.4
4. Blajic, Trogir	4.3
5. Tomeljak, Zabok	3.9
6. Delas, Alkar Sinj	3.5
7. Jugo, Kvarner 2010	3.3
8. Katic, KK Split	3.1
9. Sarac, Svjetlost	3.0
10. Primorac, Dubrava	2.9

Steals Per Game

Teo PETANI
  Borik
  (190-G-88)
  Avg: 2.3

1. Petani, Borik	2.3
2. Saric, Dubrava	2.1
3. Anzulovic, Alkar Sinj	2.1
4. Puljko, Kvarner .	1.9
5. Kamaldin, Darda	1.9
6. Blajic, Trogir	1.8
7. Tomeljak, Zabok	1.8
8. Swift, Darda	1.8
9. Zitko, Trogir	1.7
10. Skific, Borik	1.6

Blocks Per Game

Nikola VLADOVIC
  Trogir
  (214-F/C-87)
  Avg: 1.4

1. Vladovic, Trogir	1.4
2. Vitali, Trogir	1.3
3. Kraljevic, Zabok	1.2
4. Krolo, Darda	1.2
5. Sobin, KK Split	1.1
6. Ragsdale, Kvarner .	1.0
7. Saric, Dubrava	0.9
8. Sarlija, Borik	0.9
9. Ridl, Darda	0.8
10. Vukicevic, Svjetlost	0.8

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

CZECH REPUBLIC

NBL Round 4: BK Pardubice improved to 3-0 record - by Eurobasket News
The most crucial game of the last round was the first loss of undefeated BK Decin (1-1) at the home court on Saturday night. Hosts were rolled over by BK Pardubice (3-0) 70-50. It ended at the same time the six-game winning streak of BK Decin. The guests trailed by 1 point at the halftime before their 40-19 charge in the second half, which allowed them to win the game. BK Pardubice dominated on the defensive end, holding BK Decin to just 6 points in third quarter. They outrebounded BK Decin 46-32 including 34 on the offensive glass. American power forward Marcus Arnold (207-84, college: Illinois, agency: Stanley International) fired a double-double by scoring 14 points and 11 rebounds for the winners. International forward Petr Bohacik (202-85) chipped in 15 points and 8 rebounds. Swingman Lubos Stria (197-81) produced 8 points and 4 assists for lost side. Both coaches used bench players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. BK Pardubice have a solid three-game winning streak. They maintain first position in A1 with 3-0 record. BK Decin at the other side dropped to the fourth place with one game lost. BK Pardubice will have a break next round, and it should allow them to practice more before next game. BK Decin will play at home against CEZ Nymburk (#3) and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Important game to mention about took place in Prostejov. Fourth ranked BK Prostejov (2-1) saved a 2-point victory at home edging bottom-ranked Novy Jicin (0-3) 79-77 on Saturday evening. Worth to mention a great performance of American center Bertengeh Cadri-Nicholson (208-83, college: Denver) who helped to win the game recording a double-double by scoring 13 points and 10 rebounds. Kyle Landry contributed with 15 points and 8 rebounds for the winners. Canadian-Jamaican forward Corey Muirhead (198-83, college: W.Carolina) replied with 13 points and 8 rebounds for Novy Jicin. Both coaches tested many bench players in such tough game. BK Prostejov moved-up to second place in A1. Novy Jicin at the other side still closes the standings with three games lost. Both teams do not play next round, which will be an opportunity for some rest.
Third-ranked Basketbol Brno (7-17) made lots of trouble for first ranked B&W Opava (13-11) on Saturday. B&W Opava managed to secure only two-point victory 72-70. However their fans expected easier game. Worth to mention a great performance of Jan Kratochvil who helped to win the game recording 14 points and 6 rebounds. B&W Opava's coach David Klapetek used a ten-player rotation in such tough game. At the losing side Peter Sedmak responded with 19 points and 7 rebounds. B&W Opava have a solid three-game winning streak. They maintain first position in A2 with 13-11 record. Basketbol Brno lost fourth consecutive game. They keep the third place with 17 games lost. They share the position with USK Praha. B&W Opava will meet at home Basketbal Svitavy (#5) in the next round. Basketbol Brno will play against USK Praha and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Very important is a home loss of second ranked BC Kolin (11-13) against fourth ranked USK Praha (7-17) on Saturday night. Host BC Kolin was defeated by USK Praha in Kolin 78-68. The winners were led by Lukas Kotas who scored that evening 19 points and 5 rebounds. USK Praha's coach Ken Scalabroni allowed to play the deep bench players saving starting five for next games. USK Praha moved-up to third place in A2, which they share with Basketbol Brno. BC Kolin at the other side keeps the second position with 13 games lost. USK Praha's next round opponent will be Basketbol Brno (#3) at home, which may be the game of the day. BC Kolin will play against Lokomotiva Plzen.

In the last game of round 4 In A2 Plzen was defeated by Svitavy in Svitavy 82-65.
The best stats of 4th round was 20 points and 12 rebounds by Robert Sarovic of Mlekarna Miltra Novy Jicin.

Group A1

BK Decin - BK Pardubice 50-70

The most crucial game of the last round was the first loss of undefeated BK Decin (1-1) at the home court on Saturday night. Hosts were rolled over by BK Pardubice (3-0) 70-50. It ended at the same time the six-game winning streak of BK Decin. The guests trailed by 1 point at the halftime before their 40-19 charge in the second half, which allowed them to win the game. BK Pardubice dominated on the defensive end, holding BK Decin to just 6 points in third quarter. They outrebounded BK Decin 46-32 including 34 on the offensive glass. American power forward Marcus Arnold (207-84, college: Illinois, agency: Stanley International) fired a double-double by scoring 14 points and 11 rebounds for the winners. International forward Petr Bohacik (202-85) chipped in 15 points and 8 rebounds. Arnold is a former Eurobasket Summer League player, which is considered top international summer league in the market. Swingman Lubos Stria (197-81) produced 8 points and 4 assists and international forward Pavel Houska (201-84) added 4 points and 9 rebounds respectively for lost side. Both coaches used bench players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. BK Pardubice have a solid three-game winning streak. They maintain first position in A1 with 3-0 record. BK Decin at the other side dropped to the fourth place with one game lost. BK Pardubice will have a break next round, and it should allow them to practice more before next game. BK Decin will play at home against CEZ Nymburk (#3) and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
BK Decin: L.Sanders 10+1reb+2ast, L.Stria 8+2reb+4ast, J.Houska 7+4reb+1ast, A.Alic 7+1reb+4ast, W.Hatcher 6+1reb+2ast, P.Houska 4+9reb+1ast
BK Pardubice: P.Bohacik 15+8reb+1ast, M.Arnold 14+11reb+2ast, T.Toth 12+1reb+4ast, M.Hampton 9+4reb+1ast, Z.Pospisil 6+4reb, L.Kraus 5+3reb

BK Prostejov - Novy Jicin 79-77

Important game to mention about took place in Prostejov. Fourth ranked BK Prostejov (2-1) saved a 2-point victory at home edging bottom-ranked Novy Jicin (0-3) 79-77 on Saturday evening. Novy Jicin was ahead by 3 points at the halftime before a 24-14 third quarter run of BK Prostejov. BK Prostejov shot 26 for 38 from the free-throw line, while Novy Jicin only scored ten points from the stripe. Novy Jicin was plagued by 32 personal fouls down the stretch. Worth to mention a great performance of American center Bertengeh Cadri-Nicholson (208-83, college: Denver) who helped to win the game recording a double-double by scoring 13 points and 10 rebounds. Canadian forward Kyle Landry (206-86, college: N.Arizona) contributed with 15 points and 8 rebounds for the winners. Canadian-Jamaican forward Corey Muirhead (198-83, college: W.Carolina) replied with 13 points and 8 rebounds and power forward Rostislav Pelikan (207-78) added 12 points and 7 rebounds (on 6-of-7 shooting from the field) in the effort for Novy Jicin. Both teams had four players each who scored in double figures. Both coaches tested many bench players in such tough game. BK Prostejov moved-up to second place in A1. Novy Jicin at the other side still closes the standings with three games lost. Both teams do not play next round, which will be an opportunity for some rest.
Top scorers:
Novy Jicin: C.Muirhead 13+8reb, R.Pelikan 12+7reb+1ast, V.Peciukas 12+1reb+2ast, E.Ubilla 12+1ast, W.Channels 10+6reb+1ast, R.Sarovic 9+7reb+1ast
BK Prostejov: B.Veikalas 15+2reb, K.Landry 15+8reb, A.Slezas 13+6reb+1ast, B.Cadri-Nicholson 13+10reb+1ast, J.Prasil 9, J.Bohacik 5+1reb

Group A2

Svitavy - Plzen 82-65

The game between closely ranked teams ended with 6th ranked Lokomotiva Plzen's (3-21) road loss to fifth ranked Basketbal Svitavy (6-18) 65-82. The game without a history. Basketbal Svitavy led from the first minutes and controlled entire game increasing their lead in each quarter. They brought some defensive toughness making 8 blocks. The winners were led by power forward Ladislav Horak (205-86) who scored that evening 22 points, 8 rebounds and 4 assists and center Radim Kramny (212-85) supported him with 15 points. Even 24 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists by the former international guard Stepan Vrubl (186-76) did not help to save the game for Lokomotiva Plzen. Power forward Jaroslav Kovanda (204-82) added 10 points for lost side. Both coaches allowed to play bench players saving starting five for next games. Basketbal Svitavy have an impressive five-game winning streak. Newly promoted Basketbal Svitavy maintains fifth position in A2 with 6-18 record. Lokomotiva Plzen at the other side, also newcomer in the league, keeps the sixth place with 21 games lost. Basketbal Svitavy's next round opponent will be league's leader B&W Opava on the road and it may be quite challenging game. Lokomotiva Plzen will play against the league's second-placed BC Kolin (#2).
Top scorers:
Plzen: S.Vrubl 24+7reb+6ast, M.Soukup 10+2ast, J.Kovanda 10+4reb, P.Frana 7+5reb+1ast, P.Novak 6+3reb, V.Honomichl 5+2reb
Svitavy: L.Horak 22+8reb+4ast, R.Kramny 15+3reb+1ast, T.Macela 9+3reb+2ast, J.Spacek 8+6reb, B.Meno 8+8reb+1ast, T.Teply 6+1reb+2ast

BC Kolin - USK Praha 68-78

Very important is a home loss of second ranked BC Kolin (11-13) against fourth ranked USK Praha (7-17) on Saturday night. Host BC Kolin was defeated by USK Praha in Kolin 78-68. They made 16-of-19 charity shots (84.2 percent) during the game. USK Praha outrebounded BC Kolin 37-26 including a 29-18 advantage in offensive rebounds. The winners were led by international forward Lukas Kotas (194-84) who scored that evening 19 points and 5 rebounds and center Martin Klimes (203-83, college: Vermont) supported him with 14 points and 7 rebounds. USK Praha's coach Ken Scalabroni allowed to play the deep bench players saving starting five for next games. Even 13 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists by American guard Brad Jones (186-85, college: Wyoming, agency: Stanley International) did not help to save the game for BC Kolin. Forward Richard Field (196-85, college: Mercyhurst) added 18 points for lost side. USK Praha moved-up to third place in A2, which they share with Basketbol Brno. BC Kolin at the other side keeps the second position with 13 games lost. USK Praha's next round opponent will be Basketbol Brno (#3) at home, which may be the game of the day. BC Kolin will play against Lokomotiva Plzen.
Top scorers:
BC Kolin: R.Field 18+2reb, B.Jones 13+6reb+5ast, T.Smith 11+3reb+3ast, D.Machac 8+6reb+1ast, J.Jelinek 7+5reb+1ast, R.Marko 6+1reb+1ast
USK Praha: L.Kotas 19+5reb+2ast, M.Klimes 14+7reb+1ast, V.Hruban 14+2reb+3ast, M.Bjegovic 8+3reb, M.Sotnar 6+10reb+2ast, J.Slavik 6+4reb

B&W Opava - Basketbol Brno 72-70

Third-ranked Basketbol Brno (7-17) made lots of trouble for first ranked B&W Opava (13-11) on Saturday. B&W Opava managed to secure only two-point victory 72-70. However their fans expected easier game. The hosts trailed by 13 points after first quarter, but they rallied back and won the game by 2 points. Worth to mention a great performance of forward Jan Kratochvil (200-82) who helped to win the game recording 14 points and 6 rebounds and international guard Michal Carnecky (184-85) who added 9 points and 9 assists during the contest. B&W Opava's coach David Klapetek used a ten-player rotation in such tough game. At the losing side Slovakian center Peter Sedmak (203-85) responded with 19 points and 7 rebounds and forward Stepan Reinberger (201-81) scored 22 points. B&W Opava have a solid three-game winning streak. They maintain first position in A2 with 13-11 record. Basketbol Brno lost fourth consecutive game. They keep the third place with 17 games lost. They share the position with USK Praha. B&W Opava will meet at home Basketbal Svitavy (#5) in the next round. Basketbol Brno will play against USK Praha and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Basketbol Brno: S.Reinberger 22+4reb, P.Sedmak 19+7reb+1ast, D.Gajdosik 10+5reb+2ast, E.Holloway 9+1ast, M.Norwa 6+8reb+2ast, S.Maio 4+1ast
B&W Opava: J.Kratochvil 14+6reb+2ast, J.Blazek 13+6reb+1ast, B.Brlit 11+6reb, M.Carnecky 9+4reb+9ast, O.Dygryn 8+4reb+2ast, J.Dihel 5+2reb

Stats Leaders - NBL

Points Per Game

Terry SMITH
  BC Kolin
  (185-G-86)
  Avg: 17.7

1. Smith, BC Kolin	17.7
2. Burke, NH Ostrava	15.7
3. Landry, BK Prost.	15.7
4. Horak, Svitavy	15.2
5. Kotas, USK Praha	14.7
6. Hatcher, BK Decin	14.5
7. Houska, BK Decin	14.2
8. Muirhead, Novy Jicin	14.1
9. Hampton, BK Pardu.	14.1
10. Sirina, B&W Opava	13.5

Rebounds Per Game

Boris MENO
  Svitavy
  (203-F-83)
  Avg: 10.4

1. Meno, Basketbo.	10.4
2. Burke, NH Ostrava	9.4
3. Spagrud, NH Ostrava	8.7
4. Houska, BK Decin	8.6
5. Landry, BK Prost.	8.2
6. Arnold, BK Pardu.	8.1
7. Kramny, Svitavy	7.5
8. Frana, Plzen	7.3
9. Gadri, BK Prostejov	6.6
10. Machac, BC Kolin	6.2

Assists Per Game

Stepan VRUBL
  Plzen
  (186-G-76)
  Avg: 5.6

1. Vrubl, Plzen	5.6
2. Lawrence, BK Prost.	5.1
3. Carnecky, B&W O.	3.9
4. Kotas, USK Praha	3.7
5. Jones, BC Kolin	3.6
6. Hatcher, BK Decin	3.5
7. Channels, Novy Jicin	3.2
8. Sanders, BK Decin	3.0
9. Macela, Svitavy	2.9
10. Maio, Basketbo.	2.7

Steals Per Game

Lukas KOTAS
  USK Praha
  (194-F-84)
  Avg: 2.1

1. Kotas, USK Praha	2.1
2. Wright, BK Pardu.	2.0
3. Smith, BC Kolin	1.9
4. Hampton, BK Pardu.	1.8
5. Holloway, Basket.	1.8
6. Sirina, B&W Opava	1.7
7. Field, BC Kolin	1.7
8. Hatcher, BK Decin	1.5
9. Vrubl, Plzen	1.5
10. Channels, Novy Jicin	1.5

Blocks Per Game

Cezary TRYBANSKI
  NH Ostrava
  (218-C-79)
  Avg: 1.5

1. Trybanski, NH Os.	1.5
2. Miklosik, B&W O.	1.2
3. Hanke, USK Praha	1.1
4. Kramny, Svitavy	1.1
5. Gadri, BK Prostejov	1.0
6. Pelikan, Novy Jicin	0.9
7. Egwuatu, Svitavy	0.8
8. Meno, Basketbo.	0.8
9. Houska, BK Decin	0.8
10. Arnold, BK Pardu.	0.7

Standings - NBL

NBL Standings

A1
1. BK Pardubice		3-0
2. BK Prostejov		2-1
3. CEZ Nymburk		1-0
4. BK Decin		1-1
5. NH Ostrava		0-2
6. Novy Jicin		0-3
A2
1. B&W Opava		13-11
2. BC Kolin		11-13
3. Basketbol Brno		7-17
4. USK Praha		7-17
5. Svitavy		6-18
6. Plzen		3-21

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

DENMARK

Stats Leaders - Basketligaen

Points Per Game

Thomas SOLTAU
  SISU
  (210-F-82)
  Avg: 22.8

1. Soltau, SISU	22.8
2. Morris, Aabyhoj	22.5
3. Hall, Aalborg	22.1
4. Brasas, Amager BK	21.3
5. Colas, Vaerlose	19.8
6. Iversen, Svendborg	18.9
7. Roberts, Naestved	18.8
8. Dennis, SISU	18.8
9. Falkner, Aalborg	16.8
10. McGinn, Aalborg	16.7

Rebounds Per Game

Lee ROBERTS
  Naestved
  (201-F/C-87)
  Avg: 13.2

1. Roberts, Naestved	13.2
2. Colas, Vaerlose	10.5
3. St.John, Horsens IC	10.0
4. Morris, Aabyhoj	9.9
5. Falkner, Aalborg	9.6
6. Johansen, Naestved	9.4
7. Soltau, SISU	8.8
8. Williams, Svendborg	7.7
9. Rutherford, SISU	7.1
10. Hakanowitz, Horsh.	7.0

Assists Per Game

D.J. SMEDLEY
  Naestved
  (180-G-84)
  Avg: 6.6

1. Smedley, Naestved	6.6
2. Claitt, Horsens IC	5.6
3. Hall, Aalborg	5.3
4. Dennis, SISU	4.6
5. Nielsen, Horsholm	4.2
6. Burgess, Bakken	4.1
7. Martin, Aabyhoj	4.0
8. Jensen, Vaerlose	3.8
9. Darboe, Svendborg	3.7
10. Nielsen, SISU	3.4

Steals Per Game

Marquis HALL
  Aalborg
  (183-G-87)
  Avg: 4

1. Hall, Aalborg	4.0
2. Kristiansen, Aalborg	2.2
3. Dennis, SISU	1.9
4. Nielsen, Horsholm	1.9
5. Jakobsen, Bakken	1.8
6. Burgess, Bakken	1.8
7. Colman, Svendborg	1.8
8. Nielsen, SISU	1.7
9. Jukic, Aabyhoj	1.7
10. Smedley, Naestved	1.7

Blocks Per Game

Edward MORRIS
  Aabyhoj
  (203-F-84)
  Avg: 2.1

1. Morris, Aabyhoj	2.1
2. Blackmon, Horsholm	1.7
3. Christoffers., Bak.	1.6
4. Colas, Vaerlose	1.4
5. Roberts, Naestved	1.1
6. St.John, Horsens IC	0.9
7. Brown, SISU	0.8
8. Johansen, Naestved	0.7
9. McGinn, Aalborg	0.7
10. Rutherford, SISU	0.6

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

D-LEAGUE

Standings

D-League Standings

Central Division
1. Iowa E.		31-11
2. Erie Bay H.		27-13
3. Ft.Wayne MA		19-22
4. Dakota W.		16-27
5. Sioux Falls S.		9-31
Southwest Division
1. Tulsa 66ers		29-12
2. Rio Grande		28-12
3. Texas L.		19-24
4. Austin T.		18-23
5. New Mexico		16-26
6. Maine RC		14-27
West Division
1. Bakersfield J.		26-15
2. Reno Bighorns		26-16
3. Utah F.		24-16
4. Idaho S.		17-24
5. Springfield A.		11-31

Stats Leaders

Points Per Game

Trey JOHNSON
  Bakersfield J.
  (196-G-84)
  Avg: 25.3

1. Johnson, Bakersfi.	25.3
2. Johnson, Erie B.	21.4
3. Jeffers, Iowa E.	21.2
4. Adrien, Rio Grande	19.9
5. Alexander, Texas L.	19.8
6. McNeal, Rio Grande	19.5
7. Dentmon, Texas L.	19.4
8. Sims, Maine RC	19.0
9. Byars, Bakersfi.	18.5
10. Stinson, Iowa E.	17.9

Rebounds Per Game

Jeff ADRIEN
  Golde State W.
  (201-F-86)
  Avg: 12.2

1. Adrien, Rio Grande	12.2
2. Ewing, Sioux F.	10.4
3. Davidson, Idaho S.	10.0
4. Sims, Iowa E.	9.6
5. Williams, Texas L.	9.4
6. Phillips, Ft.Wayne.	9.3
7. Johnson, Dakota W.	9.2
8. Jeffers, Iowa E.	9.0
9. Alexander, Texas L.	9.0
10. Cousin, Austin T.	8.6

Assists Per Game

Curtis STINSON
  Iowa E.
  (187-G-83)
  Avg: 9.2

1. Stinson, Iowa E.	9.2
2. Miles, Reno Bighorns	8.7
3. Daniels, Texas L.	8.6
4. Russell, Ft.Wayne.	7.9
5. Crittenton, Dakota W.	7.8
6. Jackson, Idaho S.	7.2
7. Jackson, Erie B.	6.6
8. Johnson, Austin T.	6.4
9. Reynolds, Spring.	6.0
10. Ahearn, Erie Bay H.	5.8

Steals Per Game

Zabian DOWDELL
  Phoenix Suns
  (191-G-84)
  Avg: 2.5

1. Dowdell, Tulsa 66ers	2.5
2. Miles, Reno Bighorns	2.5
3. Crittenton, Dakota W.	2.5
4. Lin, Reno Bighorns	2.3
5. Lofton, Iowa E.	2.1
6. Greene, Utah F.	2.0
7. Lafayette, Ft.Wayne.	2.0
8. Shakur, Rio Grande	1.9
9. Jeffers, Iowa E.	1.9
10. Reynolds, Spring.	1.9

Blocks Per Game

Sean WILLIAMS
  Texas L.
  (208-F-86)
  Avg: 2.8

1. Williams, Texas L.	2.8
2. Johnson, Dakota W.	2.8
3. Aldrich, Tulsa 66ers	2.4
4. Whiteside, Reno B.	2.2
5. Atchley, Rio Grande	2.1
6. Naymick, Bakersfi.	2.1
7. Gaffney, Utah F.	1.8
8. Sykes, Sioux F.	1.8
9. Pittman, Sioux F.	1.7
10. Gladness, Dakota W.	1.7

Saturday's games - by Eurobasket News
New Mexico - Dakota W. 97-122
The Dakota Wizards (16-27) used a big first quarter to jump out to an early lead on the New Mexico Thunderbirds (16-26) and eventually win by a score of 122-97 The Wizards jumped out to a quick start on the Thunderbirds going up by a score of 17-9 to start the first quarter. After the Thunderbirds closed to within six points, the Wizards went on a 10-0 run to open up a 16-point lead. They would lead 39-24 after one quarter. In the second quarter, Dar Tucker hit a 3-pointer to cut the Wizards lead to 11 with 1:25 remaining. Jamaine Peterson had 11 in the first half for the Thunderbirds, but Dakota led 60-49 at the half. Javaris Crittenton (6'5''-G-87, agency: Priority Sports, college: Georgia Tech) led all scorers with 13 at the break. With the Thunderbirds still trailing by 11 in the third quarter, the Wizards went on a 23-7 run to open up a 93-66 lead and take control of the game for good. They would lead 95-67 after three quarters and go on to win by 25 points. Crittenton led all scorers with 29 points in the game for the Wizards and Anthony Goods (6'3''-G-87, college: Stanford) added 20 points. The T-Birds had six players score in double figures led by Peterson who finished the game with 18 points off the bench. J.R. Giddens added 12 points. *Courtesy of www.oursportscentral.com

Reno Bighorns - Utah F. 90-100
Reno's Danny Green (6'6''-F/G-87, college: N.Carolina) and Donald Sloan (6'3''-G-88, agency: Impact Basketball, college: Texas A&M) each recorded a double-double Saturday, but the Utah Flash jumped in front early and never relinquished the lead, topping the Bighorns 100-90 in the Reno Events Center. The Utah victory forces a weekend split, after the Bighorns defeated the Flash on Friday night. The Bighorns (26-16) ran out to a quick 4-0 lead in the first quarter, but Utah (24-16) answered with a 10-0 run, taking a lead it would not let slip away. After Reno trailed by 16 after three periods of play, the Bighorns chipped away at the deficit in the fourth quarter, but ultimately ran out of time. Green scored 18 points and added a game-high 14 rebounds for the Horns, while Sloan chipped-in 12 points and 11 assists. Marcus Landry paced five Bighorns in double figures with 19 points. Reno shot 41 percent from the floor and 16.7 percent from beyond the arc on Saturday. All five Flash starters registered double figures on the night, with Kevin Kruger leading the way with 18 points thanks to a perfect night beyond the arc (3-for-3) and from the stripe (3-for-3). Tony Gaffney added 13 points, 10 boards and four steals. Reno outrebounded the Flash 44-39 and forced 18 Utah turnovers. Three different Utah players hit at least two three-pointers, and the Flash shot 60 percent (9-for-15) from beyond the arc as a team. *Courtesy of www.kolotv.com

Tulsa 66ers - Sioux Falls S. 115-100
Guard Jerome Dyson (6'3''-G-87, college: Connecticut) led all scorers with 24 points on 9-of-13 shooting and Byron Mullens (7'0''-C-89, college: Ohio St.) added 19 points and six rebounds to lead the Tulsa 66ers (29-12) to a 115-100 victory over the Sioux Falls Skyforce (9-31) Saturday evening inside the Tulsa Convention Center. 'I thought tonight our defense created a lot of opportunities for our offense,' 66ers head coach Nate Tibbetts said. 'I thought our pressure was good and our guys really focused on getting stops.' Also scoring in double figures for Tulsa was Elijah Millsap with 19, Robert Vaden and Matt Bouldin with 12 each and Latavious Williams with 10. The 66ers improved to 15-1 this season with six 66ers post double figures in scoring. Offensively, Tulsa shot 48-87 (.552) from the floor and led by as many as 20 points. As a team, Tulsa totaled 23 assists, led by Dyson and Bouldin with five each. *Courtesy of www.kdlt.com

Texas L. - Austin T. 99-114
The Toros moved within one game of the eighth and final playoff spot by beating the Legends 114-99 Saturday. Carldell Johnson (5'10''-G-83, college: UAB) led Austin with 26 points and helped fuel a 39-point fourth quarter that sealed the deal. Austin was able to regroup from a four point loss Friday night and turn in a much more solid effort on both sides of the ball. For the game, the Toros shot 49.4 percent and held Texas to 39.8 percent from the field. Leo Lyons (6'9''-F-87, agency: Priority Sports, college: Missouri) had a double-double with 20 points and ten rebounds and is establishing himself as the go-to-guy on offense. He has scored at least 20 points in five of his last six games. The 6'9'' forward is shooting 42 percent from three-point range and his versatility presents matchup problems for opponents. Kevin Palmer had 17 points and seven rebounds. He has now hit double figures in his last four, with the Toros winning three of those four games. Joe Alexander turned in his best scoring output of the season with 32 points in a losing cause for the Legends. *Courtesy of www.torosnation.com

Idaho S. - Bakersfield J. 93-115
Seven Jam players scored in double-digits, led by Derrick Byars (6'8''-G/F-84, agency: Priority Sports, college: Vanderbilt) with 20 points and Trey Carldell Johnson (6'5''-G-84, agency: Priority Sports, college: Jackson St.) and Willie Warren with 16 as Bakersfield defeated the Idaho Stampede 115-93 Saturday in an NBA D-League game. Carlos Wheeler had 19 points, Tony Bobbitt had 18, Luke Babbitt had 16 and Antoine Walker had 14 points to lead Idaho. The Jam (26-15), held the Stampede to 26.3 percent (10-of-38) shooting in the second half. The teams were tied at 57 at halftime. Bakersfield won the season series 6-2. *Courtesy of www.bakersfield.com

Springfield A. - Ft.Wayne MA 94-98 OT
The Mad Ants used a furious third-quarter rally to defeat Springfield 98-94 in overtime Saturday in their NBA D-League game in Springfield, Mass. The Ants (19-22) trailed 48-32 at halftime but outscored Springfield 35-16 in the third period to take a 67-64 lead going into the fourth quarter. Although Springfield (11-31) caught the Ants at 92 to send the game into overtime, Fort Wayne outscored the Armor 6-2 in the overtime session. Guard Roderick Wilmont (6'4''-G-83, college: Indiana) led the Mad Ants with 29 points, the first time the former Indiana University standout surpassed the 20-point mark since scoring a season-high 35 against Erie on Jan. 12. Marvin Phillips (6'6''-G/F-83, college: Claflin) added 17 points, former Purdue and Huntington North guard Chris Kramer had 16 points and a team-high eight assists, and Darnell Lazare had 11 points. The Ants visit Maine tonight and return home to face Springfield on Thursday. Fort Wayne is half a game ahead of Texas (19-23) for the eighth and final playoff spot. *Courtesy of www.journalgazette.net

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

ESTONIA

EMKL Round 29: Kalev/Cramo beats BC Rakvere by three after a very close game - by Eurobasket News
Fourth-ranked BC Rakvere (15-14) was very close to win a game against first ranked Kalev/Cramo (28-3) in Tallinn on Tuesday. Kalev/Cramo managed to secure only three-point victory 90-87. However their fans expected easier game. The hosts trailed by 9 points after three quarters before their 23-11 charge, which allowed them to win the game. 27 personal fouls committed by BC Rakvere helped opponents get some easy free throw opportunities. American center Michael Dunigan (208-89, college: Oregon, agency: N.E.T.) orchestrated the victory with a double-double by scoring 26 points and 11 rebounds. International forward Joosep Toome (202-85) contributed with 17 points, 12 rebounds and 5 blocks for the winners. Kalev/Cramo's coach Aivar Kuusmaa used an eleven-player rotation in such tough game. Latvian forward Ivars Timermanis (202-82, agency: Alti Sport) answered with 27 points and 8 rebounds for BC Rakvere. Kalev/Cramo have an impressive series of eleven victories in a row. They maintain first place with 28-3 record. BC Rakvere at the other side keeps the fourth position with 14 games lost. Kalev/Cramo will have a break next round, and it should allow them to practice more before next game. BC Rakvere will play on the road against TTU/Kalev (#3) in Tallinn and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Important game to mention about took place in Tartu. Third ranked TTU/Kalev (20-7) saved a 1-point victory on the road edging second-ranked TU/Rock (26-3) 72-71 on Tuesday evening. The former international guard Valmo Kriisa (190-74) stepped up and scored 16 points and 5 rebounds (on 6-of-7 shooting from the field) for the winners and Casey Archibald chipped in 16 points and 5 rebounds. The former international center Vallo Allingu (206-78) responded with a double-double by scoring 15 points and 13 rebounds. TTU/Kalev maintains third place with 20-7 record having twelve points less than leader Kalev/Cramo. Defending champion TU/Rock keeps the second position with three games lost. TTU/Kalev will play against KK Parnu (#8) at home in the next round which should be theoretically an easy game. TU/Rock will have a break next round.
Another exciting game was a derby match between two local teams from Tallinn: Kalev/Cramo (#1) and TTU/Kalev (#3). TTU/Kalev was defeated at home 73-79 and even the advantage of their own court did not help. Kristjan Kitsing nailed 15 points and 8 rebounds for the winning side. Kalev/Cramo's coach Aivar Kuusmaa allowed to play the deep bench players saving starting five for next games. Bambale Osby came up with a double-double by scoring 23 points and 13 rebounds for TTU/Kalev in the defeat. The victory was the eleventh consecutive win for Kalev/Cramo. They maintain first place with 28-3 record. Loser TTU/Kalev keeps the third position with seven games lost. Kalev/Cramo will have a break next round, and it should allow them to practice more before next game. TTU/Kalev will play against KK Parnu and hope to secure a win.
The game in Parnu supposed to be also worth to mention about. Second ranked TU/Rock (26-3) played at the court of 8th ranked KK Parnu (8-22). TU/Rock smashed KK Parnu 93-60. The best player for the winners was Timo Eichfuss who had a double-double by scoring 17 points and 10 rebounds. Defending champion maintains second place with 26-3 record having 2 victories less than leader Kalev/Cramo. KK Parnu at the other side keeps the eighth position with 22 games lost. TU/Rock will have a break next round. KK Parnu will play on the road against TTU/Kalev (#3) in Tallinn.

In the last two games of round 29 Rapla was beaten by Rakvere on the road 94-77. Bottom-ranked Voru KK lost to Valga/CKE on its own court 78-91.

Rakvere - Rapla 94-77

The game between closely ranked teams ended with fourth ranked BC Rakvere's (15-14) home victory over 5th ranked Rapla (11-17) 94-77. It was a very close game until the last quarter, when BC Rakvere's pressure prevailed and they won that period 30-14 extending their advantage to 17 points. The best player for the winners was Latvian forward Ivars Timermanis (202-82, agency: Alti Sport) who scored 32 points and 8 rebounds. Latvian guard Raimonds Vaikulis (191-80) chipped in 17 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists. Swingman Heigo Erm (190-80) produced 19 points and 9 rebounds and guard Rait-Riivo Laane (180-93) added 17 points and 6 rebounds respectively for the guests. Both teams had four players each who scored in double figures. BC Rakvere maintains fourth place with 15-14 record. Newly promoted Rapla keeps the fifth position with 17 games lost. BC Rakvere's next round opponent will be higher ranked TTU/Kalev (#3) in Tallinn and it will be quite challenging to get another victory. Rapla will play at home against Voru KK.
Top scorers:
Rapla: H.Erm 19+9reb+1ast, R.Laane 17+6reb+1ast, R.Raap 12+3reb+1ast, S.Kaldre 11+5reb+2ast, R.Ringmets 8+3reb, I.Kajupank 5+5reb+1ast
Rakvere: I.Timermanis 32+8reb, R.Vaikulis 17+7reb+4ast, V.Viljar 15+5reb, J.Vahter 13+11reb+2ast, B.McGee 8+6reb+1ast, O.Metsalu 5

TTU/Kalev - Kalev/Cramo 73-79

Another exciting game was a derby match between two local teams from Tallinn: Kalev/Cramo (#1) and TTU/Kalev (#3). TTU/Kalev was defeated at home 73-79 and even the advantage of their own court did not help. The guests trailed by 2 points after first quarter, but they rallied back to get the 5-point lead at the halftime and eventually won the game 79-73. Power forward Kristjan Kitsing (201-90) nailed 15 points and 8 rebounds for the winning side and international swingman Gregor Arbet (194-83) accounted for 14 points and 5 rebounds. Four Kalev/Cramo players scored in double figures. Kalev/Cramo's coach Aivar Kuusmaa allowed to play the deep bench players saving starting five for next games. American-DR Congolese forward Bambale Osby (203-86, college: Maryland) came up with a double-double by scoring 23 points and 13 rebounds and the former international guard Valmo Kriisa (190-74) added 9 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists respectively for TTU/Kalev in the defeat. The victory was the eleventh consecutive win for Kalev/Cramo. They maintain first place with 28-3 record. Loser TTU/Kalev keeps the third position with seven games lost. Kalev/Cramo will have a break next round, and it should allow them to practice more before next game. TTU/Kalev will play against KK Parnu and hope to secure a win.
Top scorers:
TTU/Kalev: B.Osby 23+13reb+1ast, M.Kurg 13+7reb, M.Kaja 12+4reb+1ast, K.Makke 10+1reb+1ast, V.Kriisa 9+6reb+5ast, C.Archibald 3+4reb+5ast
Kalev/Cramo: K.Kitsing 15+8reb, G.Arbet 14+5reb+3ast, R.Tamm 11+4reb+1ast, T.Sokk 10+2reb+2ast, R.Keerles 9+1reb, A.Skele 5+1reb

Parnu - TU/Rock 60-93

The game in Parnu supposed to be also worth to mention about. Second ranked TU/Rock (26-3) played at the court of 8th ranked KK Parnu (8-22). TU/Rock smashed KK Parnu 93-60. The game without a history. TU/Rock led from the first minutes and controlled entire game increasing their lead in each quarter. TU/Rock outrebounded KK Parnu 54-38 including a 35-23 advantage in defensive rebounds. 26 personal fouls committed by KK Parnu helped opponents get some easy free throw opportunities. The best player for the winners was forward Timo Eichfuss (200-88) who had a double-double by scoring 17 points and 10 rebounds. The former international swingman Marek Doronin (200-83) chipped in a double-double by scoring 15 points and 10 rebounds. Four TU/Rock players scored in double figures. Guard Martin Paasoja (189-93) produced a double-double by scoring 13 points and 10 rebounds and guard Elgar Tamsalu (182-87) added 18 points and 5 rebounds respectively for the hosts. Defending champion maintains second place with 26-3 record having 2 victories less than leader Kalev/Cramo. KK Parnu at the other side keeps the eighth position with 22 games lost. TU/Rock will have a break next round. KK Parnu will play on the road against TTU/Kalev (#3) in Tallinn.
Top scorers:
Parnu: E.Tamsalu 18+5reb, T.Raadik 13+5reb+1ast, M.Paasoja 13+10reb+2ast, J.Larionov 6+2reb, S.Joosep 5+3reb, R.Karner 3+7reb+2ast
TU/Rock: T.Eichfuss 17+10reb, G.Tsintsadze 16+4reb+3ast, M.Doronin 15+10reb+2ast, R.Raadik 13+13reb, A.Paade 9+5reb, S.Leppik 8+4reb+2ast

Kalev/Cramo - Rakvere 90-87

Fourth-ranked BC Rakvere (15-14) was very close to win a game against first ranked Kalev/Cramo (28-3) in Tallinn on Tuesday. Kalev/Cramo managed to secure only three-point victory 90-87. However their fans expected easier game. The hosts trailed by 9 points after three quarters before their 23-11 charge, which allowed them to win the game. 27 personal fouls committed by BC Rakvere helped opponents get some easy free throw opportunities. American center Michael Dunigan (208-89, college: Oregon, agency: N.E.T.) orchestrated the victory with a double-double by scoring 26 points and 11 rebounds. International forward Joosep Toome (202-85) contributed with a double-double by scoring 17 points, 12 rebounds and 5 blocks for the winners. Four Kalev/Cramo players scored in double figures. Kalev/Cramo's coach Aivar Kuusmaa used an eleven-player rotation in such tough game. Latvian forward Ivars Timermanis (202-82, agency: Alti Sport) answered with 27 points and 8 rebounds and American guard Matthew Hall (191-86, college: Stonehill) added 24 points and 5 assists in the effort for BC Rakvere. Kalev/Cramo have an impressive series of eleven victories in a row. They maintain first place with 28-3 record. BC Rakvere at the other side keeps the fourth position with 14 games lost. Kalev/Cramo will have a break next round, and it should allow them to practice more before next game. BC Rakvere will play on the road against TTU/Kalev (#3) in Tallinn and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Rakvere: I.Timermanis 27+8reb, M.Hall 24+4reb+5ast, R.Vaikulis 13+4reb+4ast, M.Dorbek 7+1reb+3ast, J.Hiiuvain 7+3reb, B.McGee 4+4reb
Kalev/Cramo: M.Dunigan 26+11reb, J.Toome 17+12reb+1ast, G.Arbet 12+2reb+2ast, G.Dorbek 11+7reb+2ast, A.Skele 9+1reb+3ast, T.Sokk 8+2reb+4ast

TU/Rock - TTU/Kalev 71-72

Important game to mention about took place in Tartu. Third ranked TTU/Kalev (20-7) saved a 1-point victory on the road edging second-ranked TU/Rock (26-3) 72-71 on Tuesday evening. It looked good early as TU/Rock took an 2-point lead at the end of first quarter. But then TTU/Kalev had a 26-16 second period charge getting the lead and TU/Rock was not able to take back game control losing it eventually 71-72. TTU/Kalev made 16-of-20 charity shots (80.0 percent) during the game. They also forced 20 TU/Rock turnovers. The former international guard Valmo Kriisa (190-74) stepped up and scored 16 points and 5 rebounds (on 6-of-7 shooting from the field) for the winners and Canadian guard Casey Archibald (195-84, agency: R.H.Consultancy) chipped in 16 points and 5 rebounds. The former international center Vallo Allingu (206-78) responded with a double-double by scoring 15 points and 13 rebounds and American power forward Callistus Eziukwu (208-85, college: Grand Valley St.) scored 16 points and 9 rebounds (on 7-of-8 shooting from the field). TTU/Kalev maintains third place with 20-7 record having twelve points less than leader Kalev/Cramo. Defending champion TU/Rock keeps the second position with three games lost. TTU/Kalev will play against KK Parnu (#8) at home in the next round which should be theoretically an easy game. TU/Rock will have a break next round.
Top scorers:
TU/Rock: S.Sokk 16+1reb+1ast, C.Eziukwu 16+9reb+3ast, V.Allingu 15+13reb+1ast, M.Doronin 9+7reb+1ast, S.Leppik 5+1reb+1ast, R.Veideman 5+2reb+3ast
TTU/Kalev: V.Kriisa 16+5reb+3ast, C.Archibald 16+5reb+2ast, B.Osby 13+7reb+1ast, K.Makke 8+2reb+1ast, M.Kurg 6+5reb+1ast, E.Keedus 6+4reb+1ast

Voru KK - Valga/CKE 78-91

Rather expected game when 9th ranked Voru KK (1-29) lost at home to sixth ranked Valga/CKE (11-17) 91-78. The game was mostly controlled by Valga/CKE. Voru KK was better in third quarter 29-25. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. The best player for the winners was guard Timo Oja (182-87) who scored 22 points and 6 rebounds (on 8-of-10 shooting from the field). The former international swingman Veljo Vares (200-81) chipped in 16 points and 7 rebounds. Valga/CKE's coach Andrus Renter allowed to play the deep bench players saving starting five for next games. American forward Juan Wyatt (203-84, college: Alcorn St.) produced a double-double by scoring 16 points and 16 rebounds and forward Silver Kuuba (198-74) added 12 points, 10 rebounds and 6 blocks respectively for the hosts. Both teams had five players each who scored in double figures. Valga/CKE moved-up to fifth place, which they share with Rapla. Voru KK lost their sixteenth game in a row. Newly promoted team stay dead last with 29 lost games. Valga/CKE's next round opponent will be TTU/Kalev II (#7) in Tallinn. Voru KK will play on the road against Rapla.
Top scorers:
Voru KK: T.Kimask 18+4reb+2ast, J.Wyatt 16+16reb+2ast, C.Allen 15+4reb+1ast, S.Kuuba 12+10reb+2ast, M.Niklus 11+6reb, A.Velleramm 3+1ast
Valga/CKE: T.Oja 22+6reb+1ast, A.Brown 17+6reb+1ast, V.Vares 16+7reb+2ast, A.Tagamets 13+5reb+1ast, D.Winston 10+3reb+6ast, R.Rebane 9+3reb+1ast

Standings - KML

EMKL Standings

1. Kalev/Cramo		28-3
2. TU/Rock		26-3
3. TTU/Kalev		20-7
4. Rakvere		15-14
5. Valga/CKE		11-17
6. Rapla		11-17
7. TTU/Kalev II		10-18
8. Parnu		8-22
9. Voru KK		1-29

Stats Leaders

Points Per Game

Andrais THORNTON
  Penafiel
  (203-C-85)
  Avg: 18.7

1. Thornton, Voru KK	18.7
2. Saage, Rakvere	18.1
3. Erm, Rapla	17.7
4. Raap, Parnu	16.6
5. Brown, Va.	16.6
6. Raadik, Parnu	16.1
7. Arnold, TT.	15.6
8. Osby, TT.	14.8
9. Pilk, TT.	14.5
10. Kuuba, Voru KK	14.2

Rebounds Per Game

Andrais THORNTON
  Penafiel
  (203-C-85)
  Avg: 12.2

1. Thornton, Voru KK	12.2
2. Brown, Va.	11.2
3. Arnold, TT.	11.0
4. Ringmets, Rapla	9.7
5. Kuuba, Voru KK	9.2
6. Osby, TT.	8.9
7. Eziukwu, TU/Rock	7.9
8. Pokla, Rakvere	7.4
9. Dunigan, Kalev/Cr.	7.1
10. Raadik, Parnu	6.7

Assists Per Game

Valmo KRIISA
  TTU/Kalev
  (190-G-74)
  Avg: 3.8

1. Kriisa, TT.	3.8
2. Sokk, Kalev/Cramo	3.5
3. Sokk, TU/Rock	3.5
4. Tamm, Kalev/Cramo	2.9
5. Tsintsadze, TU/Rock	2.8
6. Oja, Va.	2.8
7. Pokla, Rakvere	2.7
8. Dorbek, Rakvere	2.7
9. Archibald, TT.	2.6
10. Ringmets, Rapla	2.5

Steals Per Game

Armands SKELE
  Kalev/Cramo
  (192-G-83)
  Avg: 2.5

1. Skele, Kalev/Cramo	2.5
2. Leppik, TU/Rock	2.2
3. Saage, Rakvere	2.2
4. Raap, Parnu	2.2
5. Laane, Rapla	2.2
6. Karner, Parnu	2.1
7. Doronin, TU/Rock	2.0
8. Oja, Va.	1.8
9. Dorbek, Rakvere	1.8
10. Pilk, TT.	1.8

Blocks Per Game

Callistus EZIUKWU
  TU/Rock
  (208-F/C-85)
  Avg: 1.7

1. Eziukwu, TU/Rock	1.7
2. Osby, TT.	1.3
3. Dunigan, Kalev/Cr.	1.2
4. Raadik, Parnu	1.2
5. Arnold, TT.	0.9
6. Toome, Kalev/Cramo	0.9
7. Brown, Va.	0.8
8. Raadik, TU/Rock	0.8
9. Kuuba, Voru KK	0.7
10. Saarmets, TTU/K.	0.7

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

FINLAND

1.DIVISION: Greg Gibson continues - by Rauno Hurmalainen
American Basketball Coach Greg Gibson , 42, and Korikonkarit (Loimaa) have re-signed the contract to continue coaching at Loimaa untill springtime 2012. Gibson came to Finland in summer 2000 and started as a player on Karhu (Kauhajoki) roster. During the years 2003-2010 Gibson worked as Head Coach at Kauhajoki, but moved then to Loimaa coaching LoKoKo 2010-11. So, Gibson has been in Finland already nine seasons. There are four teams left in Division 1. play-off-games right now. Korikobrat (Lapua) crushed Huima (Aanekoski) tonight 96-63 (54-36) and that means BC Jyvaskyla will meet LoKoKo and FoKoPo (Forssa) will meet Lapua in the semi-finals. The first contests on Wednesday, March 16.

1st Division Round 3 of Quarter-Finals - by Eurobasket News
Lapua - Huima 96-63

Lapua advanced to the Semifinals. Lapuan Korikobrat led from the first minutes and controlled entire game increasing their lead in each quarter. Lapuan Korikobrat dominated down low during the game scoring 60 of its points in the paint compared to Aanekosken Huima's 36. Worth to mention a quality performance of American forward Derick Nelson (196-86, college: Oakland, agency: ACMT) who helped to win the game recording a double-double by scoring 29 points and 19 rebounds. Guard Kim Siven (197-88) helped adding 18 points and 10 rebounds. The best for the losing side was American guard Treylon Manning (178, college: Texas Coll.) with 17 points and 5 rebounds and Bahamas forward Jamal Douglas (201-85, college: E.Kentucky) scored 13 points and 8 rebounds. The winner was already known earlier in the game, so both coaches allowed to play the bench players saving starting five for next games.
Top scorers:
Lapua: D.Nelson 29+19reb+2ast, K.Siven 18+10reb, B.Valentine 14+3reb+5ast, J.Turja 12+1ast, V.Turja 9+4reb+4ast, T.Still 7+3reb+3ast
Huima: T.Manning 17+5reb+2ast, J.Douglas 13+8reb, S.Mantymaa 9+2reb, L.Roberson 8+7reb+3ast, L.Paanala 6+4reb, T.Ovaskainen 4+1reb+1ast

Stats Leaders - Division I

Points Per Game

Derick NELSON
  Lapua
  (196-F-86)
  Avg: 25.1

1. Nelson, Lapua	25.1
2. Stamper, LoKoKo	22.0
3. Manning, Huima	21.8
4. Graham, Kerava ET	21.2
5. Bojang, BC Nokia	19.9
6. Robinson, Jyvaskyla	19.6
7. Hall, SayRi	19.4
8. Valentine, Lapua	19.1
9. Douglas, Huima	18.7
10. Towa, Kerava ET	18.4

Rebounds Per Game

Carlton BROWN
  Ura Basket
  (198-F-79)
  Avg: 14.9

1. Brown, Namika II	14.9
2. Bojang, BC Nokia	14.2
3. Dantzler, LoKoKo	13.5
4. Douglas, Huima	13.5
5. Towa, Kerava ET	13.1
6. Nelson, Lapua	12.6
7. Stamper, LoKoKo	11.8
8. Hall, SayRi	10.8
9. Wilson, Huima	10.6
10. Robinson, Jyvaskyla	9.9

Assists Per Game

Treylon MANNING
  Huima
  (178-G-)
  Avg: 6

1. Manning, Huima	6.0
2. Riihela, BC Nokia	5.2
3. Ramey, Ura Basket	5.2
4. Horton, LoKoKo	3.9
5. Ikavalko, FoKoPo	3.5
6. Valentine, Lapua	3.0
7. Ahila, Jyvaskyla	2.9
8. Graham, Kerava ET	2.7
9. Pasanen, SayRi	2.4
10. Viertola, FoKoPo	2.3

Steals Per Game

Benny VALENTINE
  Lapua
  (170-G-87)
  Avg: 2.4

1. Valentine, Lapua	2.4
2. Horton, LoKoKo	2.4
3. Bojang, BC Nokia	2.1
4. Stamper, LoKoKo	2.1
5. Roberson, Huima	2.0
6. Ramey, Ura Basket	1.8
7. Pasanen, SayRi	1.8
8. Hall, SayRi	1.8
9. Foreman, FoKoPo	1.7
10. Rainamaa, TomPo II	1.7

Blocks Per Game

Carlton BROWN
  Ura Basket
  (198-F-79)
  Avg: 0.8

1. Brown, Namika II	0.8
2. Kopio, Honka	0.7
3. Setala, BC Nokia	0.7
4. Stamper, LoKoKo	0.7
5. Alanko, Ura Basket	0.6
6. Rainamaa, TomPo II	0.6
7. Heinonen, Namika I.	0.5
8. Siven, Lapua	0.5
9. Ojanen, Jyvaskyla	0.5
10. Alanen, Namika II	0.5

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

FRANCE

Carter's double-double lands him ProB Player of the Week award - by Eurobasket News
27-year old power forward Nate Carter (199-F/C-83) put on an amazing game in the last round for second-ranked Nanterre and receives a Eurobasket.com ProB Player of the Week award for round 25.
He had a double-double of 26 points and 10 rebounds, while his team outclassed Chalons-Reims (#8, 14-11) with 27-point margin 102-75. Nanterre maintains the 2nd position in French ProB. They would have been even better if they hadn't lost a few games earlier this season. Nanterre will need more victories to improve their 18-7 record. It's Carter's second year at Nanterre and it's hard to imagine this team without him. The University of Oklahoma graduate has very impressive stats this year. Carter is in league's top in points (4th best: 18.1ppg) and averages solid 63.5% FGP.

Second best performed player last round was Chris Daniels (200-F-82, agency: Limelight Hoops) of Chalons-Reims. He is American forward in his first season at Chalons-Reims. In the last game Daniels recorded impressive 20 points, 6 rebounds and 2 assists. Bad luck as Chalons-Reims lost that game 75-102 to the higher-ranked Nanterre (#2, 18-7). Chalons-Reims managed to keep the same 8th spot in the standings. His team lost some distance to top teams. But 14-11 record is not bad and everything may still change. Daniels is a newcomer at Chalons-Reims and quickly became one of team's most reliable players.

Third place about best performers goes to guard Calvin Watson (196-G-85, agency: Court Side) of Evreux (#3). Watson scored 25 points and passed four assists. He was a key player of Evreux, leading his team to a 85-79 win against slightly lower-ranked Le Portel (#5, 15-10). Evreux needs these victories very badly if they think about getting closer to top teams. Their record at this point is 16 victories and 9 lost games. Watson has a great season in France. After 25 games, he made it on the list of the league's leaders in points with 16.0ppg (6th best).

Other top performing players last week:
4. Sean Barnette (195-F-86) of Lille - 27 points and 8 rebounds
5. Moses Sonko (196-F-83) of Maurienne - 20 points and 8 rebounds
6. Corey Rouse (203-F-84) of Charleville - 25 points, 9 rebounds and 3 assists
7. Aaron Cel (203-F-87) of Nantes - 26 points and 4 rebounds
8. Taron Downey (186-G-83) of Nantes - 18 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists
9. Jason Siggers (187-G-85) of Rouen - 23 points and 5 rebounds
10. Nigel Wyatte (204-F/C-81) of Le Portel - 13 points, 13 rebounds and 3 assists

The Player of the week is choosen based on efficiency calculation, but also including game result, importance of the game, if played recorded double-double/triple-double, etc.
The efficiency formula is a combination of various formulas used by different basketball organizations/leagues. We got involved many basketball scouts and journalists to assure it's accuracy.
The formula: 1.5*PTS + 3*(REB+AST+ST+BL-TO) - 2*BSAG - 4*PF + 3*PFRV + 4*(2FGPM+3FGPM) + 1.5*FTM - 3*(2FGPA-2FGPM) - 3*(3FGPA-3FGPM) - (FTA-FTM)

Walsh's double-double lands him Player of the Week award - by Eurobasket News
28-year old swingman Matt Walsh (197-F/G-82) put on an amazing game in the last round for ASVEL Lyon-Villeurbanne Basket and receives a Eurobasket.com Player of the Week award for round 21.
He got a double-double of 12 points and 20 assists, while his team beat Vichy (#16, 5-16) 101-88. ASVEL maintains the 7th position in French league. ASVEL 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 11-10 record. Walsh turned to be ASVEL's top player in his first season with the team. University of Florida graduate has very impressive stats this year. Walsh is in league's top in assists (6th best: 5.3apg) and averages solid 2.4spg and 57.0% FGP.

Second best performed player last round was John McCord (201-F-73) of Strasbourg IG. He is American-British forward in his first season at Strasbourg. In the last game McCord recorded impressive double-double of 13 points and 16 rebounds. Of course he lead Strasbourg to another comfortable win 83-66 over the higher-ranked Hyeres-Toulon (#6, 12-9) being unquestionably team leader. This victory allowed Strasbourg to move up to 11th position in the standings. His team is not often considered as one of the league's best with a mere 9-12 record. McCord is a newcomer at Strasbourg and quickly became one of team's most reliable players.

Third place about best performers goes to guard Alex Acker (196-G-83) of Le Mans Sarthe Basket (#8). Acker scored 19 points. He was a key player of Le Mans, leading his team to a 88-78 win against the lower-ranked Limoges (#15, 5-16). The chances of Le Mans ranking at the top of the league, however are very questionable as they have already lost 11 games, recording just ten victories. With bigger assistance of his teammates, Acker could help Le Mans to bring them higher in the standings. Acker has a very solid season. In 20 games in France he scored 12.6ppg. He also has 3.3apg and and 3PT: 42.9%.

Other top performing players last week:
4. Blake Schilb (201-G-83) of Chalon - 20 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists
5. Willie Deane (186-G-80) of Nancy - 13 points, 5 rebounds and 8 assists
6. Marquez Haynes (191-G-86) of Chalon - 24 points and 8 assists
7. Christophe Massie (206-F/C-77) of Limoges - 20 points, 9 rebounds and 2 assists
8. Randal Falker (201-F-85) of Cholet - 18 points, 7 rebounds and 3 assists
9. Mickael Gelabale (201-F-83) of ASVEL - 21 points, 4 rebounds and 5 assists
10. Pops Mensah-Bonsu (206-F-83) of ASVEL - 19 points, 4 rebounds and 2 assists

The Player of the week is choosen based on efficiency calculation, but also including game result, importance of the game, if played recorded double-double/triple-double, etc.
The efficiency formula is a combination of various formulas used by different basketball organizations/leagues. We got involved many basketball scouts and journalists to assure it's accuracy.
The formula: 1.5*PTS + 3*(REB+AST+ST+BL-TO) - 2*BSAG - 4*PF + 3*PFRV + 4*(2FGPM+3FGPM) + 1.5*FTM - 3*(2FGPA-2FGPM) - 3*(3FGPA-3FGPM) - (FTA-FTM)

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

FYR MACEDONIA

D1 Standings

Superleague Standings

Superleague
1. Feni Indistrija		20-2
2. MZT Skopje		18-4
3. Rabotnicki		15-7
4. Torus Skopje		13-9
5. ABA Strumica		10-12
6. Lirija		7-15
Play OUT
1. Kumanovo 2009		10-11
2. Ovce Pole		6-14
3. Ultimate Basket		5-15
4. Pelister Bitola		2-17

Stats Leaders - Superleague

Points Per Game

Darko MATIC
  Kumanovo 2009
  (-C-84)
  Avg: 21.9

1. Matic, Kumanovo.	21.9
2. Jovanovic, Ultima.	20.3
3. Trajkovski, Torus S.	17.4
4. Morban, Lirija	16.8
5. Petkovski, Pelist.	16.8
6. Filipovic, Ovce Pole	16.4
7. Mirakovski, Rabot.	16.1
8. Jelesijevic, Ovce P.	16.1
9. Nikolovski, MZT S.	16.0
10. Blazevski, Rabotnicki	15.7

Rebounds Per Game

Gjorgje JOVANOVIC
  Ultimate Basket
  (209-C-80)
  Avg: 10.6

1. Jovanovic, Ultima.	10.6
2. Jelesijevic, Ovce P.	9.9
3. Pavlovski, Lirija	9.2
4. Jovanovic, Lirija	9.1
5. Nikolovski, MZT S.	8.9
6. Talevski, Pelist.	8.1
7. Trajkovski, Torus S.	8.0
8. Chappell, ABA S.	7.6
9. Filipovic, Ovce Pole	7.1
10. Simic, Rabotnicki	7.1

Assists Per Game

Carlos MORBAN
  Lirija
  (187-G-82)
  Avg: 5.2

1. Morban, Lirija	5.2
2. Mirakovski, Rabot.	5.1
3. Kostovski, Torus S.	5.0
4. Blazevski, Rabotnicki	4.0
5. Petrovski, MZT S.	4.0
6. Mladenovic, Ultima.	3.7
7. Lazic, Ultimate.	3.3
8. Samardziev, Feni I.	3.0
9. Vukotic, Kumanovo.	2.9
10. Sokolov, Feni I.	2.8

Steals Per Game

Gjorgi ANAKIEVSKI
  Pelister Bitola
  (185-G-85)
  Avg: 2.5

1. Anakievski, Pelist.	2.5
2. Azemi, Lirija	1.5
3. Petrovski, MZT S.	1.5
4. Dimcevski, Torus S.	1.5
5. Mladenovic, Ultima.	1.4
6. Stojanovski, Feni I.	1.4
7. Morban, Lirija	1.3
8. Blazevski, Rabotnicki	1.3
9. Stimson, ABA S.	1.3
10. Grncarov, MZT S.	1.2

Blocks Per Game

Bojan TRAJKOVSKI
  Torus Skopje
  (206-C/F-88)
  Avg: 2

1. Trajkovski, Torus S.	2.0
2. Chappell, ABA S.	1.7
3. Petric, Kumanovo.	1.1
4. Avramovski, MZT S.	1.1
5. Jelesijevic, Ovce P.	1.1
6. Gocevski, Rabotnicki	1.0
7. Krstevski, Torus S.	1.0
8. Dendra, Rabotnicki	0.9
9. Frye, Feni Indistrija	0.9
10. Simic, Rabotnicki	0.9

Superleague Round 4: ABA Strumica defeats Lirija in the closest game of the week - by Eurobasket News
Host teams show no mercy winning all games.

The most exciting game of round 4 in the Superleague took place in Strumica. This derby game ended with only one-point defeat on the road of 6th ranked Lirija (7-15) to fifth ranked ABA Strumica (10-12) 81-80 in the game for the fifth place. The hosts took control from the first minutes by winning first half. But Lirija won fourth quarter 17-11. However it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. Worth to mention a great performance of center Slobodanco Hadzivasilev (208-C-81) who helped to win the game recording 11 points and 8 rebounds and American guard David Buchberger (193, college: Lehigh) who added 10 points and 8 rebounds during the contest. ABA Strumica's coach used a ten-player rotation in such tough game. At the losing side Gorge Jovanovic responded with 19 points and 9 rebounds. Newly promoted ABA Strumica maintains fifth position in Superleague with 10-12 record. Lirija at the other side, also newcomer in the league, keeps the sixth place with 15 games lost. ABA Strumica are looking forward to face higher ranked Torus Skopje (#4) on the road in the next round and it may be quite challenging game. Lirija will play against Fersped-Rabotnicki in Skopje and is hoping to prove to their fans that this time they can win.
Another interesting game was a derby match between two teams from Skopje: MZT Skopje (#2) and Torus Skopje (#4). MZT Skopje (18-4) smashed visiting Torus Skopje (13-9) by 27 points 94-67. The winners were led by center Kiril Nikolovski (210-88, agency: Interperformances) who scored that evening 24 points and 9 rebounds and Zlatko Gocevski supported him with 17 points and 13 rebounds. Even 21 points and 8 rebounds by the former international power forward Bojan Trajkovski (206-88, agency: Global Sports Plaza) did not help to save the game for Torus Skopje. The winner was already known earlier in the game, so both coaches allowed to play the bench players saving starting five for next games. MZT Skopje maintains second position in Superleague with 18-4 record having just two points less than leader Feni Indistrija. Torus Skopje at the other side keeps the fourth place with nine games lost. MZT Skopje will play against league's leader Feni Indistrija in Kavadarci in the next round and it will be for sure the game of the week. Torus Skopje will play at home against ABA Strumica and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
The game between Top Four teams took place in Kavadarci. First ranked host Feni Indistrija (20-2) defeated 3rd ranked Fersped-Rabotnicki (15-7) 72-65. Jarrid Frye fired 14 points and 8 rebounds for the winners. Feni Indistrija's coach Emil Rajkovic allowed to play the deep bench players saving starting five for next games. Pero Blazevski produced 14 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists for lost side. Defending champion maintains first position in Superleague with 20-2 record. Loser Fersped-Rabotnicki keeps the third place with seven games lost. Feni Indistrija will meet league's second-placed MZT Skopje on the road in the next round and it will be for sure the game of the week. Fersped-Rabotnicki will play against Lirija and hope to secure a win.
The game between Top Four teams took place in Kumanovo. First ranked host Kumanovo 2009 (10-11) smashed 3rd ranked Ultimate Basket (5-15) 118-74. It was a very good performance for Daniel Kalov who helped to win the game recording a double-double by scoring 15 points and 10 rebounds. Kumanovo 2009's coach felt very confident that he used entire bench which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. Newly promoted Kumanovo 2009 maintains first position in Play OUT with 10-11 record. Ultimate Basket at the other side, also newcomer in the league, keeps the third place with 15 games lost. Both teams do not play next round, which will be an opportunity for some rest.

The most impressive stats of the last round was 34 points (!!!), 11 rebounds and 5 assists by Muhamed Taci of Lirija.

Superleague

Feni Indistrija - Rabotnicki 72-65

The game between Top Four teams took place in Kavadarci. First ranked host Feni Indistrija (20-2) defeated 3rd ranked Fersped-Rabotnicki (15-7) 72-65. The hosts trailed by 5 points after first quarter, but they rallied back to get the 1-point lead at the halftime and eventually won the game 72-65. American guard Jarrid Frye (194-85, college: Sacred Heart) fired 14 points and 8 rebounds for the winners. Power forward Slobodan Mihajloski (202-82) chipped in 11 points. Feni Indistrija's coach Emil Rajkovic allowed to play the deep bench players saving starting five for next games. The former international center Pero Blazevski (200-72) produced 14 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists and Geri Dendra added 12 points and 11 rebounds respectively for lost side. Four Fersped-Rabotnicki players scored in double figures. Defending champion maintains first position in Superleague with 20-2 record. Loser Fersped-Rabotnicki keeps the third place with seven games lost. Feni Indistrija will meet league's second-placed MZT Skopje on the road in the next round and it will be for sure the game of the week. Fersped-Rabotnicki will play against Lirija and hope to secure a win.
Top scorers:
Feni Indistrija: O.Stojanovski 14+1reb+1ast, J.Frye 14+8reb, S.Mihajloski 11+4reb+2ast, B.Jovovic 7+1reb+2ast, D.Sokolov 7, D.Knezevic 5+4reb+3ast
Rabotnicki: P.Blazevski 14+6reb+4ast, V.Filipovic 13+5reb+1ast, G.Dendra 12+11reb, E.Bogoev 11+3reb+1ast, T.Simic 8+5reb, D.Mirakovski 7+2reb+3ast MZT Skopje - Torus Skopje 94-67

Another interesting game was a derby match between two teams from Skopje: MZT Skopje (#2) and Torus Skopje (#4). MZT Skopje (18-4) smashed visiting Torus Skopje (13-9) by 27 points 94-67. The game without a history. MZT Skopje led from the first minutes and controlled entire game increasing their lead in each quarter. They dominated down low during the game scoring 50 of its points in the paint compared to Torus Skopje's 30. They outrebounded Torus Skopje 43-28 including 30 on the defensive glass. The winners were led by center Kiril Nikolovski (210-88, agency: Interperformances) who scored that evening 24 points and 9 rebounds and the former international center Zlatko Gocevski (206-82, agency: Interperformances) supported him with 17 points and 13 rebounds. Four MZT Skopje players scored in double figures. Even 21 points and 8 rebounds by the former international power forward Bojan Trajkovski (206-88, agency: Global Sports Plaza) did not help to save the game for Torus Skopje. Center Aleksandar Kostovski (204-88) added 14 points and 4 assists for lost side. The winner was already known earlier in the game, so both coaches allowed to play the bench players saving starting five for next games. MZT Skopje maintains second position in Superleague with 18-4 record having just two points less than leader Feni Indistrija. Torus Skopje at the other side keeps the fourth place with nine games lost. MZT Skopje will play against league's leader Feni Indistrija in Kavadarci in the next round and it will be for sure the game of the week. Torus Skopje will play at home against ABA Strumica and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
MZT Skopje: K.Nikolovski 24+9reb+1ast, Z.Gocevski 17+13reb+1ast, T.Grncarov 14+7reb+2ast, J.Petrovski 11+3reb+6ast, N.Zivcevic 9+3reb+2ast, M.Pupovic 7+4reb
Torus Skopje: B.Trajkovski 21+8reb+2ast, A.Kostovski 14+4reb+4ast, N.Jelesijevic 8+2reb+2ast, I.Dimcevski 8+3reb, B.Krstevski 7+2reb, L.Gilhreserik 5+2reb
ABA Strumica - Lirija 81-80

The most exciting game of round 4 in the Superleague took place in Strumica. This derby game ended with only one-point defeat on the road of 6th ranked Lirija (7-15) to fifth ranked ABA Strumica (10-12) 81-80 in the game for the fifth place. The hosts took control from the first minutes by winning first half. But Lirija won fourth quarter 17-11. However it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. Worth to mention a great performance of center Slobodanco Hadzivasilev (208-81) who helped to win the game recording 11 points and 8 rebounds and American guard David Buchberger (193, college: Lehigh) who added 10 points and 8 rebounds during the contest. ABA Strumica's coach used a ten-player rotation in such tough game. At the losing side Gorge Jovanovic responded with 19 points and 9 rebounds and Dominican guard Carlos Morban (187-82, college: Florida Intern., agency: Global Sports Plaza) scored 19 points. Both teams had five players each who scored in double figures. Newly promoted ABA Strumica maintains fifth position in Superleague with 10-12 record. Lirija at the other side, also newcomer in the league, keeps the sixth place with 15 games lost. ABA Strumica are looking forward to face higher ranked Torus Skopje (#4) on the road in the next round and it may be quite challenging game. Lirija will play against Fersped-Rabotnicki in Skopje and is hoping to prove to their fans that this time they can win.
Top scorers:
ABA Strumica: Z.Delev 12+3reb+2ast, S.Hadzivasilev 11+8reb+2ast, J.Chappell 11+3reb, P.Cvetkov 11+3reb+1ast, M.Hasanov 10+2reb+1ast, D.Buchberger 10+8reb
Lirija: C.Morban 19+2reb+2ast, G.Jovanovic 19+9reb, E.Azemi 12+4reb+3ast, M.Despotovic 12+1reb, S.Mavel Rejnerio 11+5reb+2ast, K.Pavlovski 4+7reb

Play OUT

Kumanovo 2009 - Ultimate Basket 118-74

The game between Top Four teams took place in Kumanovo. First ranked host Kumanovo 2009 (10-11) smashed 3rd ranked Ultimate Basket (5-15) 118-74. The game without a history. Kumanovo 2009 led from the first minutes and controlled entire game increasing their lead in each quarter. Kumanovo 2009 dominated down low during the game scoring 72 of its points in the paint compared to Ultimate Basket's 40. They outrebounded Ultimate Basket 37-25 including a 21-10 advantage in offensive rebounds. Kumanovo 2009 players were unselfish on offense dishing 22 assists comparing to just 8 passes made by Ultimate Basket's players. It was a very good performance for power forward Daniel Kalov (204-89) who helped to win the game recording a double-double by scoring 15 points and 10 rebounds. Bosnian guard Ivica Vukotic (183-77) contributed with 15 points and 6 assists for the winners. Five Kumanovo 2009 players scored in double figures. Kumanovo 2009's coach felt very confident that he used entire bench which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. Center Miroslav Petrovski (208-88) replied with 29 points and 9 rebounds and guard Slavisa Janeski (183-90) added 25 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists in the effort for Ultimate Basket. Newly promoted Kumanovo 2009 maintains first position in Play OUT with 10-11 record. Ultimate Basket at the other side, also newcomer in the league, keeps the third place with 15 games lost. Both teams do not play next round, which will be an opportunity for some rest.
Top scorers:
Kumanovo 2009: I.Vukotic 15+4reb+6ast, D.Kalov 15+10reb+1ast, M.Janjusevic 15+2reb+3ast, D.Mikic 15+4reb+1ast, K.Manevik 12+5reb+2ast, D.Matic 10+2reb
Ultimate Basket: M.Petrovski 29+9reb+2ast, S.Janeski 25+5reb+5ast, P.Hristijan 7+2reb, T.Nikoloski 4+5reb, F.Konzulov 4+2reb, H.Petreski 3+2reb+1ast

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

GEORGIA

Ilia Londaridze claims Georgian Superleague weekly honour - by Eurobasket News
Talented Ilia Londaridze (205-C-89) had an amazing evening in the last round for league's second-best TSU Tbilisi and that's him to receive a Eurobasket.com Player of the Week award for round 17.
The 21-year old center had a double-double of 23 points and nineteen rebounds, while his team crushed Army (#1, 14-2) with 18-point margin 92-74. The game was between two of the league's top four teams. TSU Tbilisi maintains the 2nd position in Georgian Superleague. They would have been even better if they hadn't lost a few games earlier this season. TSU Tbilisi will need more victories to improve their 13-4 record. Londaridze turned to be TSU Tbilisi's top player in his first season with the team. Londaridze has impressive league stats. He is in league's top in rebounds (6th best: 9.9rpg) and averages solid 54.3% FGP.

The second most remarkable performance in last round's games was young center Akaki Dvalishvili (206-C-90) of Samedicino. Dvalishvili impressed basketball fans with a double-double of 22 points and 12 rebounds. Of course he lead Samedicino to another comfortable win outscoring the lower-ranked Dinamo Tbilisi (#11, 1-16) 72-45. Samedicino's 7th position in the standings has not changed. His team is not often considered as one of the league's best with a mere 6-10 record. Dvalishvili is one of the most experienced players at Samedicino and has a reputation of one of team's most reliable players. He belongs to the best scorers in the league with 19.2ppg (#5). He also registered 11.6 boards per game.

The third best performed player last round was Beqa Chikviladze (195-G-91) of GTU Tbilisi (#9). Chikviladze got into 30-points club by scoring 42 points in the last round. He went also for five assists. Despite Chikviladze's great performance GTU Tbilisi lost 83-90 to the higher-ranked MIA Tbilisi (#4, 12-4). But his team cannot count on just a single shooter as he also needs help of the other teammates. GTU Tbilisi can only dream about fighting for top spots in the league. They have rather bad season and 5-12 record places them close to the bottom of the standings. Too bad for Chikviladze he does not play for a better team. But maybe if he did, his season stats would not be that high. Chikviladze has individually a great season in Georgia. After 16 games, he made it on the list of the league's leaders in points with 22.9ppg (2nd best).

Other top performing players last week:
4. Eugene Harris (188-G-86) of Sokhumi - 28 points and 5 assists
5. Vasili Beruashvili (198-F-90) of GTU Tbilisi - 23 points, 10 rebounds and 2 assists
6. Giorgi Barbakadze (203-F-91) of Kutaisi - 16 points, 9 rebounds and 5 assists
7. Lasha Keshelava (200-F-81) of Batumi - 21 points, 6 rebounds and 2 assists
8. Beka Tsivtsivadze (190-G-89) of MIA Tbilisi - 18 points, 5 rebounds and 7 assists
9. Mikheil Berishvili (205-F-87) of TSU Tbilisi - 16 points, 5 rebounds and 6 assists
10. Talba Toudjani (201-F-80) of MIA Tbilisi - 10 points, 12 rebounds and 2 assists

The Player of the week is chosen based on efficiency calculation, but also including game result, importance of the game, if played recorded double-double/triple-double, etc.
The efficiency formula is a combination of various formulas used by different basketball organizations/leagues. We got involved many basketball scouts and journalists to assure it's accuracy.
The formula: 1.5*PTS + 3* (REB+AST+ST+BL-TO) - 2*BSAG - 4*PF + 3*PFRV + 4* (2FGPM+3FGPM) + 1.5*FTM - 3* (2FGPA-2FGPM) - 3* (3FGPA-3FGPM) - (FTA-FTM)

Zaza and the Hawks win - by Akaki Bakradze
The most popular basketball player of Georgia, Atlanta Hawks center Zaza Pachulia spent his 62 match in this season. Hawks defeated at home Portland Trail Blazers 91:82 and
Zaza spent on the court 31 minutes.
He scored 6 points, made 6 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 1 blockshot and 1 turnover.
After Al Horford's injury, Zaza gets more playing time. Zaza Pachulia is the captain and the chief hope of the Georgian National Team on the forthcoming 2011 European
Championships in Lithuania.
Zaza Pachulia (212-C-84)

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

GERMANY

Standings - 1. Bundesliga

1.Bundesliga Standings

1. Brose Baskets		25-2
2. Dt.Bank SKY		20-6
3. ALBA		18-8
4. Art.Dragons		17-9
5. NY Phantoms		15-11
6. EWE Baskets		15-11
7. TBB Trier		14-12
8. EnBW L'burg		14-12
9. Goettingen		13-12
10. Bremerhaven		13-13
11. Walter Tigers		13-13
12. Telekom Baskets		12-13
13. ratiopharm		11-15
14. Phoenix Hagen		11-16
15. MBC		7-19
16. LTi 46ers		7-19
17. Bayreuth		6-20
18. Duesseldorf		3-23

Standings - ProA

ProA Standings

1. B.Muenchen		23-1
2. Wuerzburg		18-6
3. Chemnitz		16-8
4. Osnabrueck		15-8
5. Braves		14-9
6. Crailsheim		14-10
7. Kirchheim		13-11
8. Webmoebel		12-12
9. Karlsruhe		11-13
10. Hannover		10-14
11. Heidelberg		9-15
12. Freiburg		8-16
13. Cuxhaven		7-17
14. Dragons		7-17
15. ETB Wohnbau		7-17
16. Jena		7-17

Stats Leaders - 1.Bundesliga

Points Per Game

DaShaun WOOD
  Dt.Bank SKY
  (185-G-85)
  Avg: 18.8

1. Wood, Dt.	18.8
2. Rice, Art.Dragons	16.9
3. Allen, ALBA	16.5
4. Benzing, ratio.	16.2
5. Bell, Phoenix Hagen	16.1
6. Ross, MBC	15.4
7. Martin, Bremerha.	15.4
8. Harris, EnBW L.	15.1
9. Peacock, LTi 46ers	14.7
10. Dorris, Phoenix .	14.7

Rebounds Per Game

John BRYANT
  ratiopharm
  (208-C-87)
  Avg: 10.6

1. Bryant, ratiopharm	10.6
2. Ensminger, Teleko.	8.6
3. Reiner, Bayreuth	8.0
4. Watts, Walter T.	7.8
5. Martin, Bremerha.	7.1
6. Ovcina, LTi 46ers	7.1
7. Stevic, EWE B.	7.0
8. Peacock, LTi 46ers	6.6
9. Pleiss, Brose B.	6.5
10. Burtschi, Phoenix .	6.5

Assists Per Game

Branislav RATKOVICA
  Walter Tigers
  (193-G-85)
  Avg: 7.8

1. Ratkovica, Walter T.	7.8
2. Wood, Dt.	5.9
3. Joyce, TBB Trier	5.4
4. Rice, Art.Dragons	5.2
5. Jordan, MBC	4.3
6. Green, EnBW L.	4.2
7. Goldsberry, Brose B.	4.1
8. Gamqrelidze, LTi	4.1
9. Campbell, EWE B.	4.1
10. Hamilton, NY Phant.	4.0

Steals Per Game

Kevin HAMILTON
  NY Phantoms
  (193-G-84)
  Avg: 2

1. Hamilton, NY Phant.	2.0
2. Martin, Bremerha.	1.7
3. Burtschi, Phoenix .	1.6
4. Pryor, Phoenix .	1.6
5. Goldsberry, Brose B.	1.5
6. Dorris, Phoenix .	1.5
7. Wood, Dt.	1.4
8. Wise, Telekom .	1.4
9. Bailey, Art.Dragons	1.4
10. Bernard, MBC	1.3

Blocks Per Game

Ekene IBEKWE
  Bayreuth
  (206-F-85)
  Avg: 2.4

1. Ibekwe, Art.Drag.	2.4
2. Pleiss, Brose B.	2.0
3. Buechert, Phoenix .	1.6
4. Bryant, ratiopharm	1.5
5. Seward, Phoenix .	1.3
6. Brempong, Duesseld.	1.2
7. Goree, NY Phantoms	1.1
8. Scott, Goettingen	1.0
9. Hines, Brose B.	1.0
10. Trice, ratiopharm	0.9

Stats Leaders - 2.Bundesliga

Points Per Game

Kejuan JOHNSON
  Webmoebel
  (193-G-85)
  Avg: 21.5

1. Johnson, Webmoebel	21.5
2. Shepherd, Osnab.	20.2
3. Roessler, Karlsruhe	18.3
4. Watts, Dragons	18.3
5. Lewis, ETB Wohnbau	18.1
6. Brooks, Kirchheim	18.0
7. Gause, Freiburg	17.4
8. Samarco, Webmoebel	17.3
9. Yearby, Cuxhaven	17.0
10. Gray, Crailsheim	16.7

Rebounds Per Game

Marcus SMALLWOOD
  Kirchheim
  (198-F-82)
  Avg: 10.9

1. Smallwood, Cuxha.	10.9
2. Smallwood, Kirchheim	9.6
3. Yearby, Cuxhaven	9.5
4. Black, Karlsruhe	8.7
5. Lewis, ETB Wohnbau	8.6
6. Watts, Dragons	8.6
7. Schoo, Heidelberg	8.1
8. De Michael, Kirchheim	8.0
9. Shaw, Chemnitz	7.9
10. Wohlfarth-B., Drago.	7.8

Assists Per Game

Kameron GRAY
  Crailsheim
  (186-PG-82)
  Avg: 5.8

1. Gray, Crailsheim	5.8
2. Zazai, Chemnitz	5.8
3. Cook, Cuxhaven	5.7
4. Brooks, Kirchheim	5.6
5. Jeka, Wuerzburg	4.8
6. Johnson, Webmoebel	4.7
7. Burnette, Osnab.	4.5
8. Larsen, Dragons	4.5
9. Hamann, B.Muenchen	4.4
10. Lowery, Braves	4.4

Steals Per Game

Kejuan JOHNSON
  Webmoebel
  (193-G-85)
  Avg: 3

1. Johnson, Webmoebel	3.0
2. Gause, Freiburg	3.0
3. Lewis, ETB Wohnbau	2.3
4. Zazai, Chemnitz	2.0
5. Johnson, Chemnitz	2.0
6. Brooks, Kirchheim	1.9
7. Shaw, Chemnitz	1.9
8. Gray, Crailsheim	1.8
9. Burns, Webmoebel	1.7
10. Scott, Kirchheim	1.7

Blocks Per Game

Marcus SMALLWOOD
  Kirchheim
  (198-F-82)
  Avg: 2

1. Smallwood, Kirchheim	2.0
2. Schoo, Heidelberg	1.8
3. Williams, Karlsruhe	1.8
4. Wohlfarth-B., Drago.	1.8
5. Yearby, Cuxhaven	1.5
6. Shaw, Cuxhaven	1.3
7. Fleetwood, Osnab.	1.3
8. Henry, Hannover	1.3
9. Hill, Jena	1.2
10. De Michael, Kirchheim	1.1

1.Bundesliga Round 26: Top-ranked Brose Baskets win another game - by Eurobasket News
1.Bundesliga top team - Brose Baskets (25-2) had no problems winning another game on Tuesday. This time they crushed eleventh ranked Walter Tigers (13-13) in Bamberg 113-73. It ended at the same time the six-game winning streak of Walter Tigers. The game was mostly controlled by Brose Baskets. Walter Tigers managed to win third quarter 33-29. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. Brose Baskets shot 61.3 percent from the field and made 19-of-23 free shots (82.6 percent) during the game. Brose Baskets forced 20 Walter Tigers turnovers. They shot the lights out from three sinking 18 long-distance shots on high 66.7 percentage. Brose Baskets looked well-organized offensively handing out 21 assists. Great defensive blocking was one of the keys in this match when Brose Baskets made 7 blocks. American swingman Casey Jacobsen (198-81, college: Stanford) orchestrated the victory by scoring 29 points (on 10-of-12 shooting from the field). The other American import power forward Kyle Hines (198-86) contributed with 18 points and 4 steals (on 8-of-9 shooting from the field) for the winners. Serbian guard Branislav Ratkovica (193-85, agency: Beo Basket) replied with 18 points and 5 assists (was perfect 7-for-7 from the free throw line) for Walter Tigers. The winner was already known earlier in the game, so both coaches allowed to play the bench players saving starting five for next games. Defending champion maintains first position with 25-2 record. Walter Tigers at the other side dropped to the tenth place with 13 games lost. They share the position with Bremerhaven. Brose Baskets are looking forward to face ALBA Berlin (#3) on the road in the next round, which may be the game of the day. Walter Tigers will play against the league's second-placed Deutsche Bank Skyliners (#2) in Frankfurt and are hoping to prove to their fans that the loss was just an accident.
The game in Bremerhaven supposed to be also worth to mention about. Fourth ranked Artland Dragons (17-9) played at the court of 8th ranked Eisbaeren Bremerhaven (13-13). Artland Dragons smashed Eisbaeren Bremerhaven 103-82. American guard Tyrese Rice (185-87, college: Boston Coll., agency: Priority Sports) scored 33 points (!!!), 9 assists and 4 steals (on 10-of-11 shooting from the field) to lead the charge for the winners and Nathan Peavy chipped in 18 points and 9 rebounds during the contest. Canadian power forward Sean Denison (210-85, college: Santa Clara) responded with 17 points. Since the result was very predictable, it gave the chance for the coaches to test many bench players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. Artland Dragons have a solid three-game winning streak. They maintain fourth position with 17-9 record. Eisbaeren Bremerhaven at the other side dropped to the tenth place with 13 games lost. They share the position with Walter Tigers. Artland Dragons will play against LTi 46ers (#16) in Giessen in the next round which should be another easy win for them. Eisbaeren Bremerhaven will play on the road against EnBW Ludwigsburg (#8) and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Worth to mention about the upset in a game between TBB Trier (14-12) and BBC Bayreuth (6-20), which took place in Bayreuth. Higher ranked TBB Trier lost to seventeenth ranked BBC Bayreuth in a road game 71-84 on Sunday. It ended at the same time the two-game winning streak of TBB Trier. Ekene Ibekwe notched 15 points and 7 rebounds (perfect from the field making all six shots) to lead the effort. BBC Bayreuth's coach Andreas Wagner used a ten-player rotation and allowed the starting five to rest. Even 13 points and 6 assists by Dru Joyce did not help to save the game for TBB Trier. Newly promoted BBC Bayreuth maintains seventeenth position with 6-20 record. Loser TBB Trier keeps the seventh place with 12 games lost. They share the position with EnBW L'burg. BBC Bayreuth will meet higher ranked Telekom Baskets (#12) in the next round and they do not belong to the favorites in that game. TBB Trier will play against EWE Baskets (#6) in Oldenburg and it may be a tough game between close rivals.

There were no big surprises in other games of round 26: Phoenix Hagen was beaten by EWE Baskets on the road 102-91. EnBW L'burg won against Telekom Baskets on its own court 78-71. MBC were outscored by ratiopharm in Ulm 99-79. Bottom-ranked Duesseldorf recorded a loss to ALBA at home 63-76. Goettingen was defeated by Dt.Bank SKY on the opponent's court 88-82. Art.Dragons smashed Bayreuth in a home game 88-68.

EWE Baskets - Phoenix Hagen 102-91

No shocking result in a game when sixth ranked EWE Baskets (15-11) beat 14th ranked Phoenix Hagen (11-16) in Oldenburg 102-91 on Saturday. The game was mostly controlled by EWE Baskets. Phoenix Hagen managed to win second period 28-27. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. EWE Baskets forced 19 Phoenix Hagen turnovers. They looked well-organized offensively handing out 26 assists. Serbian forward Luka Bogdanovic (210-85, agency: Beo Basket) notched 26 points and 6 rebounds to lead the effort and Lithuanian guard Mindaugas Lukauskis (198-79) supported him with 17 points, 7 rebounds and 7 assists. Even 21 points and 5 assists by American guard David Bell (186-81, college: Montana, agency: Impact Basketball) did not help to save the game for Phoenix Hagen. His fellow American import forward Jacob Burtschi (198-84, college: Air Force) added 12 points and 11 rebounds for the guests. Both teams had five players each who scored in double figures. Phoenix Hagen's coach Ingo Freyer rotated ten players in this game, but that didn't help. EWE Baskets moved-up to fifth place, which they share with NY Phantoms. Loser Phoenix Hagen keeps the fourteenth position with 16 games lost. EWE Baskets will meet TBB Trier (#7) on the road in the next round. Phoenix Hagen will play against ratiopharm Ulm (#13) and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
EWE Baskets: L.Bogdanovic 26+6reb+2ast, M.Lukauskis 17+7reb+7ast, R.Paulding 12+4reb+1ast, O.Stevic 12+4reb+2ast, L.Campbell 11+3reb+3ast, A.Baynes 10+1reb+1ast
Phoenix Hagen: D.Bell 21+5ast, Z.Jonusas 19+3reb+1ast, Q.Pryor 13+5reb+2ast, J.Burtschi 12+11reb+2ast, E.Seward 11+5reb, D.Spohr 7+1reb

Bremerhaven - Art.Dragons 82-103

The game in Bremerhaven supposed to be also worth to mention about. Fourth ranked Artland Dragons (17-9) played at the court of 8th ranked Eisbaeren Bremerhaven (13-13). Artland Dragons smashed Eisbaeren Bremerhaven 103-82. The game without a history. Artland Dragons led from the first minutes and controlled entire game increasing their lead in each quarter. Artland Dragons outrebounded Eisbaeren Bremerhaven 38-20 including 27 on the defensive glass. They shot the lights out from three nailing 12 long-distance shots on high 54.5 percentage. American guard Tyrese Rice (185-87, college: Boston Coll., agency: Priority Sports) scored 33 points (!!!), 9 assists and 4 steals (on 10-of-11 shooting from the field) to lead the charge for the winners and American-Puerto Rican forward Nathan Peavy (203-85, college: Miami, OH, agency: Limelight Hoops) chipped in 18 points and 9 rebounds during the contest. Canadian power forward Sean Denison (210-85, college: Santa Clara) responded with 17 points and American swingman John Allen (194-82, college: Seton Hall, agency: Court Side) scored 10 points and 5 assists. Four Artland Dragons and five Eisbaeren Bremerhaven players scored in double figures. Since the result was very predictable, it gave the chance for the coaches to test many bench players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. Artland Dragons have a solid three-game winning streak. They maintain fourth position with 17-9 record. Eisbaeren Bremerhaven at the other side dropped to the tenth place with 13 games lost. They share the position with Walter Tigers. Artland Dragons will play against LTi 46ers (#16) in Giessen in the next round which should be another easy win for them. Eisbaeren Bremerhaven will play on the road against EnBW Ludwigsburg (#8) and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Art.Dragons: T.Rice 33+3reb+9ast, N.Peavy 18+9reb+1ast, A.Hess 13+5reb+1ast, R.Kurz 12+10reb+1ast, B.Bailey 9+4ast, F.Hartenstein 6+6reb
Bremerhaven: S.Denison 17+2reb+2ast, T.Brazelton 11+1reb+2ast, T.Everett 10+4reb+2ast, A.Drevo 10+2reb+1ast, J.Allen 10+2reb+5ast, M.Shtein 6+1reb

EnBW L'burg - Telekom Baskets 78-71

Rather expected game when 12th ranked Telekom Baskets (12-13) lost on the road to ninth ranked EnBW Ludwigsburg (14-12) 78-71 on Sunday. The hosts trailed by 1 point after first quarter, but they rallied back to get the 2-point lead at the halftime and eventually won the game 78-71. EnBW Ludwigsburg made 30-of-38 free shots (78.9 percent) during the game, while Telekom Baskets only scored ten points from the stripe. American players dominated the game. Forward John Bowler (206-84, college: E.Michigan, agency: Limelight Hoops) notched 11 points and 8 rebounds to lead the effort and swingman Toby Bailey (198-75, college: UCLA) supported him with 17 points. Even a double-double of 29 points and 10 rebounds by center Chris Ensminger (209-73, college: Valparaiso, agency: Limelight Hoops) did not help to save the game for Telekom Baskets. Guard Nic Wise (178-87, college: Arizona) added 15 points and 4 assists for the guests. EnBW Ludwigsburg moved-up to seventh place, which they share with TBB Trier. Telekom Baskets lost fourth consecutive game. They keep the twelfth position with 13 games lost. EnBW Ludwigsburg will meet at home Eisbaeren Bremerhaven (#10) in the next round. Telekom Baskets will play against BBC Bayreuth and hope to secure a win.
Top scorers:
EnBW L'burg: T.Bailey 17+4reb, D.McCray 11+1reb, J.Bowler 11+8reb+3ast, R.Rickert 10+5reb+1ast, J.Green 9+3reb+4ast, D.Zavackas 8+5reb
Telekom Baskets: C.Ensminger 29+10reb+1ast, N.Wise 15+1reb+4ast, J.Hunt 13+2reb+1ast, F.Thulig 7+2reb+2ast, F.Campbell 2+1reb, J.Jaacks 2+4reb+2ast

Brose Baskets - Walter Tigers 113-73

1.Bundesliga top team - Brose Baskets (25-2) had no problems winning another game on Tuesday. This time they crushed eleventh ranked Walter Tigers (13-13) in Bamberg 113-73. It ended at the same time the six-game winning streak of Walter Tigers. The game was mostly controlled by Brose Baskets. Walter Tigers managed to win third quarter 33-29. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. Brose Baskets shot 61.3 percent from the field and made 19-of-23 free shots (82.6 percent) during the game. Brose Baskets forced 20 Walter Tigers turnovers. They shot the lights out from three sinking 18 long-distance shots on high 66.7 percentage. Brose Baskets looked well-organized offensively handing out 21 assists. Great defensive blocking was one of the keys in this match when Brose Baskets made 7 blocks. American swingman Casey Jacobsen (198-81, college: Stanford) orchestrated the victory by scoring 29 points (on 10-of-12 shooting from the field). The other American import power forward Kyle Hines (198-86) contributed with 18 points and 4 steals (on 8-of-9 shooting from the field) for the winners. Four Brose Baskets players scored in double figures. Serbian guard Branislav Ratkovica (193-85, agency: Beo Basket) replied with 18 points and 5 assists (was perfect 7-for-7 from the free throw line) and American forward Dane Watts (203-86, agency: Pro One Sports) added 10 points and 10 rebounds in the effort for Walter Tigers. The winner was already known earlier in the game, so both coaches allowed to play the bench players saving starting five for next games. Defending champion maintains first position with 25-2 record. Walter Tigers at the other side dropped to the tenth place with 13 games lost. They share the position with Bremerhaven. Brose Baskets are looking forward to face ALBA Berlin (#3) on the road in the next round, which may be the game of the day. Walter Tigers will play against the league's second-placed Deutsche Bank Skyliners (#2) in Frankfurt and are hoping to prove to their fans that the loss was just an accident.
Top scorers:
Brose Baskets: C.Jacobsen 29+4reb+3ast, K.Hines 18+2reb, A.Gavel 15+2ast, B.Roberts 13+5reb+1ast, R.Terry 10+4reb+2ast, P.Suput 9+6reb+4ast
Walter Tigers: B.Ratkovica 18+3reb+5ast, A.Kashirov 12+4reb, D.Watts 10+10reb, R.Markovic 9, J.Thomas 7+3reb+2ast, R.Spoden 6+2reb

ratiopharm - MBC 99-79

The game between closely ranked teams ended with fourteenth ranked ratiopharm Ulm's (11-15) home victory over 15th ranked Mitteldeutscher BC (7-19) 99-79 on Saturday. The game without a history. ratiopharm Ulm led from the first minutes and controlled entire game increasing their lead in each quarter. They shot the lights out from three sinking 12 long-distance shots on high 52.2 percentage. American players dominated the game. Center John Bryant (208-87, college: Santa Clara) notched 12 points, 9 rebounds and 4 blocks to lead the effort and guard Tommy Mason-Griffin (180, college: Oklahoma) supported him with 10 points and 9 assists. Five ratiopharm Ulm players scored in double figures. Even 16 points and 6 rebounds by guard Wayne Bernard (190-81, college: Davidson) did not help to save the game for Mitteldeutscher BC. Guard Richard Shields (193-82, college: Rutgers) added 14 points for the guests. Both coaches used bench players and allowed the starting five to rest. ratiopharm Ulm moved-up to thirteenth place. Loser Mitteldeutscher BC keeps the fifteenth position with 19 games lost. They share it with LTi 46ers. ratiopharm Ulm will meet Phoenix Hagen (#14) on the road in the next round. Mitteldeutscher BC will play against Gloria Giants in Duesseldorf and hope to secure a win.
Top scorers:
ratiopharm: L.Humphrey 17+1reb, R.Benzing 13, D.Fitzgerald 12, R.Trice 12+3reb+3ast, J.Bryant 12+9reb+2ast, C.Collins 10+5reb+1ast
MBC: W.Bernard 16+6reb+1ast, R.Shields 14+3reb+2ast, R.Ross 12+1reb+4ast, V.Radinovic 9+6reb, S.Leutloff 8+1reb+2ast, G.Grunheid 7+1reb+2ast

Bayreuth - TBB Trier 84-71

Worth to mention about the upset in a game between TBB Trier (14-12) and BBC Bayreuth (6-20), which took place in Bayreuth. Higher ranked TBB Trier lost to seventeenth ranked BBC Bayreuth in a road game 71-84 on Sunday. It ended at the same time the two-game winning streak of TBB Trier. The hosts trailed by 2 points after first quarter, but they stormed back to get the 8-point lead at the halftime and eventually won the game 84-71. It was a great shooting night for BBC Bayreuth especially from behind the arc, where they had solid 52.9 percentage. Nigerian-American forward Ekene Ibekwe (206-85, college: Maryland) notched 15 points and 7 rebounds (perfect from the field making all six shots) to lead the effort and American center Jared Reiner (211-82, college: Iowa, agency: Priority Sports) supported him with 13 points and 5 rebounds. Four BBC Bayreuth players scored in double figures. BBC Bayreuth's coach Andreas Wagner used a ten-player rotation and allowed the starting five to rest. Even 13 points and 6 assists by American guard Dru Joyce (183-85, college: Akron) did not help to save the game for TBB Trier. His fellow American import guard Barry Stewart (191-88, college: Mississippi St.) added 18 points for the guests. Newly promoted BBC Bayreuth maintains seventeenth position with 6-20 record. Loser TBB Trier keeps the seventh place with 12 games lost. They share the position with EnBW L'burg. BBC Bayreuth will meet higher ranked Telekom Baskets (#12) in the next round and they do not belong to the favorites in that game. TBB Trier will play against EWE Baskets (#6) in Oldenburg and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Bayreuth: E.Ibekwe 15+7reb+1ast, S.Schmitz 14+2reb+1ast, J.Reiner 13+5reb+2ast, J.Harris 11+1reb+2ast, D.Neitzel 10+2ast, P.Campbell 9+1reb
TBB Trier: B.Stewart 18+3reb, D.Joyce 13+4reb+6ast, M.Zirbes 10+7reb, G.Evans 9, S.Picard 9+4reb, J.Bynum 6+2reb+1ast

Duesseldorf - ALBA 63-76

Not a big story in a game when 18th ranked Gloria Giants (3-23) lost to third ranked ALBA Berlin (18-8) in Duesseldorf 63-76 on Sunday. The guests trailed by 7 points after first quarter, but they stormed back to get the 5-point lead at the halftime and eventually won the game 76-63. ALBA Berlin made 20-of-24 free shots (83.3 percent) during the game. They also forced 19 Gloria Giants turnovers. American forward Derrick Allen (203-80, college: Mississippi, agency: Pro One Sports) notched 18 points and 5 rebounds to lead the effort and Serbian center Miroslav Raduljica (213-88) supported him with 20 points. Four ALBA Berlin players scored in double figures. ALBA Berlin's coach Muli Katzurin allowed to play the deep bench players saving starting five for next games. Even 12 points and 8 rebounds by Bosnian center Esmir Rizvic (213-82, college: Texas Tech) did not help to save the game for Gloria Giants. Lithuanian forward Laimonas Kisielius (203-85, college: William & Mary) added 12 points for the hosts. ALBA Berlin have a solid four-game winning streak. They maintain third position with 18-8 record having eight points less than leader Brose Baskets. Gloria Giants lost eighth consecutive game. They stay dead last with 23 lost games. ALBA Berlin will meet at home league's leader Brose Baskets in the next round and it will be for sure the game of the week. Gloria Giants will play against Mitteldeutscher BC (#15) in Weissenfels and hope to secure a win.
Top scorers:
ALBA: M.Raduljica 20+3reb, D.Allen 18+5reb+1ast, B.Taylor 13+3reb+5ast, T.Rochestie 10+1reb+2ast, I.McElroy 9+5reb+2ast, T.Dragicevic 3+4ast
Duesseldorf: L.Kisielius 12+4reb+1ast, G.Watt 12+3reb, E.Rizvic 12+8reb, P.Pope 9+1reb, S.Wright 7+5reb+3ast, J.Buck 5+4reb+2ast

Dt.Bank SKY - Goettingen 88-82

Everything went according to plan when second ranked Deutsche Bank Skyliners (20-6) defeated 8th ranked BG Goettingen (13-12) in Frankfurt 88-82 on Saturday. However just six-point win is not that big difference and the fans of host team counted on more convincing victory. The hosts trailed by 10 points after first quarter, but they rallied back to get the 6-point lead at the halftime and eventually won the game 88-82. Deutsche Bank Skyliners made 28-of-37 free shots (75.7 percent) during the game. Deutsche Bank Skyliners had a 28-17 advantage in offensive rebounds. American players dominated the game. Guard DaShaun Wood (185-85, college: Wright St.) notched a double-double by scoring 25 points, 7 rebounds and 12 assists to lead the effort and guard Quantez Robertson (190-84, college: Auburn) supported him with 14 points, 8 rebounds and 4 assists. Robertson is a former Eurobasket Summer League player, which is considered top international summer league in the market. Deutsche Bank Skyliners' coach Gordon Herbert allowed to play the deep bench players saving starting five for next games. Even 16 points and 6 rebounds by forward Dwayne Anderson (198-86, college: Villanova, agency: Interperformances) did not help to save the game for BG Goettingen. Power forward Jason Boone (198-85, college: New York U.) added 14 points and 6 rebounds for the guests. Five Deutsche Bank Skyliners and four BG Goettingen players scored in double figures. Deutsche Bank Skyliners have an impressive five-game winning streak. They maintain second position with 20-6 record having six points less than leader Brose Baskets. Loser BG Goettingen dropped to the ninth place with 12 games lost. Deutsche Bank Skyliners will meet Walter Tigers (#11) in the next round and are hoping to win another game. BG Goettingen will play against New Yorker Phantoms in Braunschweig and hope to secure a win.
Top scorers:
Dt.Bank SKY: D.Wood 25+7reb+12ast, Q.Robertson 14+8reb+4ast, R.Powell 13+2reb, C.Moss 12+7reb, J.McKinney 10+5reb+1ast, K.Muurinen 6+3reb+1ast
Goettingen: D.Anderson 16+6reb+2ast, L.Dale 15+2reb+1ast, J.Boone 14+6reb+1ast, T.Meacham 12+3reb+4ast, M.Meeks 7+2reb, R.Kulawick 6+2reb+1ast

Round 19

Art.Dragons - Bayreuth 88-68

There was no surprise when 17th ranked BBC Bayreuth (6-20) was outleveled by fourth ranked Artland Dragons (17-9) in Quakenbrueck 88-68 on Wednesday. Artland Dragons made 28-of-32 free shots (87.5 percent) during the game. Artland Dragons outrebounded BBC Bayreuth 41-28 including 16 on the offensive glass. American-Puerto Rican forward Nathan Peavy (203-85, college: Miami, OH, agency: Limelight Hoops) notched 16 points and 9 rebounds to lead the effort and American guard Tyrese Rice (185-87, college: Boston Coll., agency: Priority Sports) supported him with 15 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists. Even 9 points and 11 rebounds by Nigerian-American forward Ekene Ibekwe (206-85, college: Maryland) did not help to save the game for BBC Bayreuth. American center Jared Reiner (211-82, college: Iowa, agency: Priority Sports) added 14 points and 5 rebounds for the guests. Both coaches used bench players and allowed the starting five to get some rest. Artland Dragons have a solid three-game winning streak. They maintain fourth position with 17-9 record. BBC Bayreuth lost fifth consecutive game. Newly promoted team keeps the seventeenth place with 20 games lost. Artland Dragons will meet LTi 46ers (#16) in the next round which should be another easy win for them. BBC Bayreuth will play against Telekom Baskets in Bonn and hope to secure a win.
Top scorers:
Art.Dragons: N.Peavy 16+9reb+2ast, T.Rice 15+5reb+4ast, R.Boumtje 14+5reb, A.Seggelke 9, A.Hess 9+8reb+1ast, R.Kurz 8+11reb+2ast
Bayreuth: J.Reiner 14+5reb, M.Ginyard 12+2reb, S.Wachalski 11+4reb+1ast, E.Ibekwe 9+11reb+1ast, P.Campbell 9+1reb+1ast, D.Gibson 8+1reb+1ast

ProA Round 24: GiroLive-Ballers edge Kirchheim Knights by three points - by Eurobasket News
There were many interesting games last round. The round ended with favorites losing the games and games ending by tiny margin.

The most exciting game of round 24 in the ProA took place in Kirchheim. This derby game ended with only three-point home defeat of 7th ranked Kirchheim Knights (13-11) to fourth ranked GiroLive-Ballers (15-8) 84-81 on Saturday evening. The guests trailed by 13 points after first quarter, but they rallied back winning two of next three quarters and won the game by 3 points. The best player for the winners was forward Tom Spoeler (206-88) who scored 16 points and 8 rebounds. American forward Aaron Fleetwood (206-84, college: Delaware St., agency: Scorers 1st Sportmanagement) chipped in 15 points and 7 rebounds. GiroLive-Ballers' coach Thorsten Leibenath used a ten-player rotation in such tough game. At the other side the best for losing team was American swingman Gordon Scott (195-76, college: Idaho) who recorded 17 points and 8 assists. GiroLive-Ballers maintains fourth position with 15-8 record. Kirchheim Knights at the other side keep the seventh place with 11 games lost. GiroLive-Ballers are looking forward to face Crailsheim Merlins (#6) at home in the next round. Kirchheim Knights will play against Cuxhaven BasCats and are hoping to prove to their fans that this time they can win.
Very important is a home loss of third ranked BV Chemnitz 99 (16-8) against twelfth ranked USC Freiburg (8-16) on Saturday night. Host BV Chemnitz 99 was defeated by USC Freiburg in a tough game in Chemnitz 79-83. It ended at the same time the three-game winning streak of BV Chemnitz 99. It was a good game for swingman Janis Heindel (199-83) who led his team to a victory with a double-double by scoring 19 points and 10 rebounds. Nikita Khartchenkov contributed with 18 points for the winners. American power forward Ty Shaw (202-79, college: Albertson, agency: Scorers 1st Sportmanagement) replied with a double-double by scoring 25 points and 11 rebounds (on 9-of-11 shooting from the field) for BV Chemnitz 99. USC Freiburg maintains twelfth position with 8-16 record. BV Chemnitz 99 at the other side keeps the third place with eight games lost. USC Freiburg will play against league's second-placed s Oliver Baskets in Wuerzburg in the next round and they do not belong to the favorites in that game. BV Chemnitz 99 will play on the road against USC Heidelberg and hopes to get back on the winning track.
Bottom-ranked ETB Wohnbau managed to get a seventh victory, breaking the two-game losing streak on Saturday night. This time they won against thirteenth-ranked Cuxhaven BasCats in Essen 89-85. The game was dominated by American players. Worth to mention a great performance of Chris Alexander who helped to win the game recording 23 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists. The best for the losing side was Deilvez Yearby with a double-double by scoring 33 points (!!!) and 10 rebounds. ETB Wohnbau (7-17) moved-up to thirteenth place, which they share with 3 other teams including defeated Cuxhaven BasCats. ETB Wohnbau will meet higher ranked Webmoebel Baskets (#8) in the next round and they do not belong to the favorites in that game. Cuxhaven BasCats will play against Kirchheim Knights (#7) and hope to secure a win.
Leader Bayern Muenchen delivered the twentieth third victory. This time they beat 5th ranked Crailsheim Merlins (14-10) 69-58. The winners were led by Aleksandar Nadjfeji who scored that evening 20 points. Both coaches used bench players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. Bayern Muenchen (23-1) have an impressive 18-game winning streak. They maintain first position. Crailsheim Merlins at the other side dropped to the sixth place with ten games lost. Bayern Muenchen's next round opponent will be BG Karlsruhe (#9) at home and are hoping to win another game. Crailsheim Merlins will play against GiroLive-Ballers in Osnabrueck and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Important game to mention about took place in Karlsruhe. Sixth ranked Saar-Pfalz Braves (14-9) saved a 1-point victory on the road edging 9th ranked BG Karlsruhe (11-13) 72-71 on Saturday evening. The best player for the winners was Rob Lowery who scored 12 points, 9 rebounds and 4 assists. Saar-Pfalz Braves moved-up to fifth place. Loser BG Karlsruhe keeps the ninth position with 13 games lost. Saar-Pfalz Braves will face Hannover Tigers (#10) in Hannover in the next round where they are favorite. BG Karlsruhe will play on the road against the league's leader Bayern Muenchen.

Rest of the games of round 24 were quite predictable and ended without any surprises. Here they are:
Jena was defeated by Hannover in Hannover 88-78. Wuerzburg beat Webmoebel at home 87-82. Heidelberg lost to Dragons on the opponent's court 75-86. Webmoebel managed to outperform Heidelberg in a home game 94-87.

ETB Wohnbau - Cuxhaven 89-85

Bottom-ranked ETB Wohnbau managed to get a seventh victory, breaking the two-game losing streak on Saturday night. This time they won against thirteenth-ranked Cuxhaven BasCats in Essen 89-85. Cuxhaven BasCats were tied after three quarters but could not keep up in the last quarter eventually losing the game. It was a great shooting night for ETB Wohnbau especially from behind the arc, where they had solid 53.3 percentage. They looked well-organized offensively handing out 22 assists. The game was dominated by American players. Worth to mention a great performance of guard Chris Alexander (186-83, college: Southern) who helped to win the game recording 23 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists and forward Kendall Chones (201-84, college: Colgate) who added 17 points, 11 rebounds and 4 assists during the contest. Four ETB Wohnbau players scored in double figures. The best for the losing side was forward Deilvez Yearby (198-87, college: IPFW) with a double-double by scoring 33 points (!!!) and 10 rebounds and guard Aaron Cook (186-83, college: Hartford) scored 12 points, 5 rebounds and 8 assists. ETB Wohnbau (7-17) moved-up to thirteenth place, which they share with 3 other teams including defeated Cuxhaven BasCats. ETB Wohnbau will meet higher ranked Webmoebel Baskets (#8) in the next round and they do not belong to the favorites in that game. Cuxhaven BasCats will play against Kirchheim Knights (#7) and hope to secure a win.
Top scorers:
ETB Wohnbau: C.Alexander 23+7reb+4ast, S.Esterkamp 19+6reb+4ast, K.Chones 17+11reb+4ast, S.Schroter 16+5reb+3ast, M.Buljevic 7+1reb+4ast, K.Kern 3+2ast
Cuxhaven: D.Yearby 33+10reb+3ast, J.Capel 14+2reb, A.Cook 12+5reb+8ast, A.Canty 9+1reb+1ast, J.Schaffrath 8+2reb, E.Shaw 6+5reb+1ast

Crailsheim - B.Muenchen 58-69

Leader Bayern Muenchen delivered the twentieth third victory. This time they beat 5th ranked Crailsheim Merlins (14-10) 69-58. The game was mostly controlled by Bayern Muenchen. Crailsheim Merlins was better in fourth quarter 18-14. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. Strangely Crailsheim Merlins outrebounded Bayern Muenchen 44-30 including a 21-8 advantage in offensive rebounds. 27 personal fouls committed by Crailsheim Merlins helped opponents get some easy free throw opportunities. The winners were led by Serbian forward Aleksandar Nadjfeji (203-76) who scored that evening 20 points and international guard Steffen Hamann (194-81) supported him with 14 points. Even 15 points and 5 rebounds by American forward Frank Young (196-84, college: W.Virginia) did not help to save the game for Crailsheim Merlins. His fellow American import point guard Kameron Gray (186-82, college: Oklahoma City) added 12 points. Both coaches used bench players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. Bayern Muenchen (23-1) have an impressive 18-game winning streak. They maintain first position. Crailsheim Merlins at the other side dropped to the sixth place with ten games lost. Bayern Muenchen's next round opponent will be BG Karlsruhe (#9) at home and are hoping to win another game. Crailsheim Merlins will play against GiroLive-Ballers in Osnabrueck and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
B.Muenchen: A.Nadjfeji 20+3reb+2ast, S.Hamann 14+2reb+3ast, R.Garrett 9+5reb+1ast, B.Wyrick 7+3reb, D.Hall 6+9reb+1ast, J.Wallace 3+3reb+3ast
Crailsheim: F.Young 15+5reb, K.Gray 12+4reb+3ast, D.Dorr 6+2reb, B.Obiango 5+5reb, R.Anderson 5+1reb+2ast, S.Brooks 5+7reb

Hannover - Jena 88-78

There was no surprise when 13th ranked Science City Jena (7-17) was defeated on the road by tenth ranked Hannover Tigers (10-14) 88-78 on Sunday. The game was mostly controlled by Hannover Tigers. Science City Jena was better in third quarter 24-20. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. Hannover Tigers made 32-of-41 free shots (78.0 percent) during the game. They also forced 20 Science City Jena turnovers. Science City Jena was plagued by 28 personal fouls down the stretch. The best player for the winners was Canadian guard Stuart Turnbull (188-84) who scored 18 points. American forward Brad Byerson (201-85, college: Virginia Union) chipped in 13 points and 6 rebounds. Hannover Tigers' coach Michael Mai allowed to play the deep bench players saving starting five for next games. At the other side the best for losing team was power forward Christoph Roquette (203-82) who recorded 19 points and 5 rebounds and American guard Melvin Hall (183-85, college: S.Indiana) added 18 points and 6 rebounds respectively. Both teams had four players each who scored in double figures. Hannover Tigers have a solid three-game winning streak. They maintain tenth position with 10-14 record. Loser Science City Jena dropped to the bottom place with 17 games lost. Hannover Tigers will face higher ranked Saar-Pfalz Braves (#5) in Homburg in the next round and they do not belong to the favorites in that game. Science City Jena will play at home against Dragons Rhoendorf (#14) and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Hannover: S.Turnbull 18+2reb+3ast, T.Evans 18+3reb, B.Byerson 13+6reb+3ast, S.Janzen 11+5reb+2ast, C.Henry 10+6reb, D.Arigbabu 9+6reb+2ast
Jena: C.Roquette 19+5reb+1ast, M.Hall 18+6reb+1ast, E.Vierneisel 12+2reb+1ast, J.Eichler 11+2reb, T.Kepkay 7+4reb+5ast, E.Reyes-Napoles 7+3reb+1ast

Wuerzburg - Webmoebel 87-82

No shocking result in a game in Wuerzburg where second ranked s Oliver Baskets (18-6) defeated 8th ranked Webmoebel Baskets (12-12) 87-82 on Saturday. However just five-point win is not that big difference and the fans of host team counted on more convincing victory. The hosts took control from the first minutes by winning the initial quarter 29-23. But Webmoebel Baskets won second period 15-13. However it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. s Oliver Baskets dominated down low during the game scoring 56 of its points in the paint compared to Webmoebel Baskets' 34. They outrebounded Webmoebel Baskets 37-23 including 28 on the defensive glass. Webmoebel Baskets were plagued by 27 personal fouls down the stretch. The best player for the winners was center Sascha Kesselring (209-85) who scored 11 points and 8 rebounds. Liberian-American guard Pele Paelay (193-84, college: Co.Carolina) chipped in 13 points. Paelay is a former Eurobasket Summer League player, which is considered top international summer league in the market. s Oliver Baskets' coach Marcel Schroeder allowed to play the deep bench players in such tough game. At the other side the best for losing team was American guard Draelon Burns (194-85, college: De Paul) who recorded 27 points and 5 rebounds and his fellow American import guard Kejuan Johnson (193-85, college: Long Beach St.) added 13 points, 8 rebounds and 4 assists respectively. Both teams had four players each who scored in double figures. Newly promoted s Oliver Baskets maintains second position with 18-6 record having five points less than leader B.Muenchen. Loser Webmoebel Baskets keep the eighth place with 12 games lost. s Oliver Baskets will face USC Freiburg (#12) on the road in the next round and are hoping to win another game. Webmoebel Baskets will play against ETB Wohnbau (#15) in Essen and be promoted back to the 1.Bundesliga just one year after relegation.
Top scorers:
Wuerzburg: K.Wysocki 15+2reb, T.Burnette 13+2ast, P.Paelay 13+3reb+1ast, L.Jeka 12+4ast, S.Kesselring 11+8reb+1ast, J.Levy 8+4reb+3ast
Webmoebel: D.Burns 27+5reb+2ast, B.Spoeler 16+2reb+2ast, K.Johnson 13+8reb+4ast, M.Samarco 12+4reb, T.Hampton 4+1reb, O.Wendt 4+2reb+1ast

Kirchheim - Osnabrueck 81-84

The most exciting game of round 24 in the ProA took place in Kirchheim. This derby game ended with only three-point home defeat of 7th ranked Kirchheim Knights (13-11) to fourth ranked GiroLive-Ballers (15-8) 84-81 on Saturday evening. The guests trailed by 13 points after first quarter, but they rallied back winning two of next three quarters and won the game by 3 points. The best player for the winners was forward Tom Spoeler (206-88) who scored 16 points and 8 rebounds. American forward Aaron Fleetwood (206-84, college: Delaware St., agency: Scorers 1st Sportmanagement) chipped in 15 points and 7 rebounds. GiroLive-Ballers' coach Thorsten Leibenath used a ten-player rotation in such tough game. At the other side the best for losing team was American swingman Gordon Scott (195-76, college: Idaho) who recorded 17 points and 8 assists and naturalized American power forward Ryan De Michael (205-77, college: Tennessee-Martin) added 19 points and 5 rebounds (on 8-of-9 shooting from the field) respectively. Both teams had five players each who scored in double figures. GiroLive-Ballers maintains fourth position with 15-8 record. Kirchheim Knights at the other side keep the seventh place with 11 games lost. GiroLive-Ballers are looking forward to face Crailsheim Merlins (#6) at home in the next round. Kirchheim Knights will play against Cuxhaven BasCats and are hoping to prove to their fans that this time they can win.
Top scorers:
Osnabrueck: T.Spoeler 16+8reb+1ast, A.Fleetwood 15+7reb+1ast, T.Blackwood 10+5ast, P.Johnson 10+3reb+1ast, P.Friedel 10+1reb+4ast, A.Hird 8+2reb
Kirchheim: R.De Michael 19+5reb+2ast, G.Scott 17+2reb+8ast, R.Tomasevic 13+3reb+1ast, M.Smallwood 12+12reb+2ast, C.Brooks 11+3reb+2ast, B.Lischka 7+1reb

Chemnitz - Freiburg 79-83

Very important is a home loss of third ranked BV Chemnitz 99 (16-8) against twelfth ranked USC Freiburg (8-16) on Saturday night. Host BV Chemnitz 99 was defeated by USC Freiburg in a tough game in Chemnitz 79-83. It ended at the same time the three-game winning streak of BV Chemnitz 99. BV Chemnitz 99 was ahead by 7 points after three quarters before a 26-15 charge of USC Freiburg, which allowed them to win the game. They also forced 19 BV Chemnitz 99 turnovers. BV Chemnitz 99 was plagued by 25 personal fouls down the stretch. It was a good game for swingman Janis Heindel (199-83) who led his team to a victory with a double-double by scoring 19 points and 10 rebounds. Naturalized Russian forward Nikita Khartchenkov (200-87) contributed with 18 points for the winners. Five USC Freiburg players scored in double figures. American power forward Ty Shaw (202-79, college: Albertson, agency: Scorers 1st Sportmanagement) replied with a double-double by scoring 25 points and 11 rebounds (on 9-of-11 shooting from the field) and naturalized Afghani point guard Achmadschah Zazai (177-86) added 16 points and 8 assists in the effort for BV Chemnitz 99. USC Freiburg maintains twelfth position with 8-16 record. BV Chemnitz 99 at the other side keeps the third place with eight games lost. USC Freiburg will play against league's second-placed s Oliver Baskets in Wuerzburg in the next round and they do not belong to the favorites in that game. BV Chemnitz 99 will play on the road against USC Heidelberg and hopes to get back on the winning track.
Top scorers:
Freiburg: J.Heindel 19+10reb, N.Khartchenkov 18+2reb+3ast, G.Hagner 12+6reb+3ast, A.Shoutvin 11+7reb, P.Gause 11+2reb, B.McKenzie 8+2reb+2ast
Chemnitz: T.Shaw 25+11reb+1ast, T.Harbut 17+2reb, A.Zazai 16+4reb+8ast, G.Johnson 8+2reb+9ast, J.Schmidt 5+3reb, D.Lawson 4+7reb

Karlsruhe - Braves 71-72

Important game to mention about took place in Karlsruhe. Sixth ranked Saar-Pfalz Braves (14-9) saved a 1-point victory on the road edging 9th ranked BG Karlsruhe (11-13) 72-71 on Saturday evening. BG Karlsruhe was trailing by 1 point at halftime but managed to get 1-point lead after three quarters before a 23-21 charge of Saar-Pfalz Braves, which allowed them to win the game. The best player for the winners was American guard Rob Lowery (188-87, college: Dayton) who scored 12 points, 9 rebounds and 4 assists. The other American import guard Jason Jamerson (188-86, college: Grand Valley St.) chipped in 16 points. At the other side the best for losing team was forward Rouven Roessler (200-80) who recorded 13 points, 9 rebounds and 4 assists and guard Flavio Stuckemann (187-85) added 16 points respectively. Saar-Pfalz Braves moved-up to fifth place. Loser BG Karlsruhe keeps the ninth position with 13 games lost. Saar-Pfalz Braves will face Hannover Tigers (#10) in Hannover in the next round where they are favorite. BG Karlsruhe will play on the road against the league's leader Bayern Muenchen.
Top scorers:
Braves: J.Jamerson 16+2reb+2ast, R.Lowery 12+9reb+4ast, T.Carr 10+1reb+3ast, T.Tarver 7+3reb, M.Weber 7+1reb+1ast, R.Oehle 6+3reb
Karlsruhe: J.Jones 17+4reb+2ast, F.Stuckemann 16+4reb+3ast, R.Roessler 13+9reb+4ast, A.Rueck 9+5reb+2ast, J.Black 6+5reb+1ast, D.Thorne 4+2reb+2ast

Dragons - Heidelberg 86-75

There was an upset when higher ranked USC Heidelberg (9-15) was defeated on the road by fifteenth ranked Dragons Rhoendorf (7-17) 86-75 on Saturday. The game was mostly controlled by Dragons Rhoendorf. USC Heidelberg was better in second period 26-18. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. USC Heidelberg was plagued by 25 personal fouls down the stretch. The best player for the winners was American forward Sanijay Watts (193-87, college: Cent.Missouri, agency: Limelight Hoops) who scored 27 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists. Center Jonas Wohlfarth-Bottermann (207-90) chipped in 14 points and 7 rebounds. At the other side the best for losing team was power forward Oliver Komarek (210-86) who recorded a double-double by scoring 22 points and 12 rebounds and the former international power forward Bjorn Schoo (213-81, college: Northern St., agency: Court Side) added 17 points and 5 rebounds respectively. Both teams had four players each who scored in double figures. Dragons Rhoendorf moved-up to thirteenth place, which they share with 3 other teams. USC Heidelberg lost fifth consecutive game. They keep the eleventh position with 15 games lost. Dragons Rhoendorf will face bottom-ranked Science City Jena (#16) on the road in the next round.
Top scorers:
Dragons: S.Watts 27+7reb+4ast, D.Spraggins 14+2reb+2ast, J.Wohlfarth-Bottermann 14+7reb, K.Moore 11+1reb+2ast, N.Larsen 6+1reb+6ast, F.Montag 5+2reb
Heidelberg: O.Komarek 22+12reb+2ast, B.Schoo 17+5reb+2ast, G.Baker 11+9reb+2ast, J.Wright 10+3reb+2ast, K.Barth 4+1reb+1ast, N.Montgomery 4+1reb

Round 19

Webmoebel - Heidelberg 94-87

Rather predictable result in Paderborn where eighth ranked Webmoebel Baskets (12-12) beat 11th ranked USC Heidelberg (9-15) 94-87 on Wednesday. The hosts trailed by 8 points after first quarter, but they rallied back and won the game by 7 points. Webmoebel Baskets made 20-of-24 free shots (83.3 percent) during the game. The best player for the winners was American guard Kejuan Johnson (193-85, college: Long Beach St.) who scored 24 points and 5 assists. The other American import guard Martin Samarco (191-85, college: Bowling Green, agency: Scorers 1st Sportmanagement) chipped in 27 points and 5 rebounds. Four Webmoebel Baskets players scored in double figures. Webmoebel Baskets' coach Thomas Glasauer allowed to play the deep bench players saving starting five for next games. At the other side the best for losing team was American guard Jason Bohannon (190-87, college: Wisconsin, agency: Limelight Hoops) who recorded 30 points and the former international power forward Bjorn Schoo (213-81, college: Northern St., agency: Court Side) added 14 points and 8 rebounds respectively. Webmoebel Baskets maintains eighth position with 12-12 record. USC Heidelberg lost fifth consecutive game. They keep the eleventh place with 15 games lost. Webmoebel Baskets will face ETB Wohnbau (#15) in Essen in the next round and are hoping to win another game. USC Heidelberg will play at home against BV Chemnitz 99 (#3).
Top scorers:
Webmoebel: M.Samarco 27+5reb, K.Johnson 24+4reb+5ast, B.Spoeler 20+5reb+2ast, T.Hampton 10+6reb+3ast, D.Lieneke 4+2reb+2ast, D.Burns 4+4reb+4ast
Heidelberg: J.Bohannon 30+4reb+2ast, B.Schoo 14+8reb, J.Wright 12+1reb+1ast, G.Baker 8+5reb+2ast, L.Mendez 7+10reb+2ast, N.Montgomery 5+3reb+3ast

ProB Round 2 of Quarter-Finals - by Eurobasket News

Play-Downs

Gotha - Bernau 75-97

The game without a history. SSV Lok Bernau led from the first minutes and controlled entire game increasing their lead in each quarter. SSV Lok Bernau outrebounded Oettinger Rockets Gotha 32-16 including a 24-11 advantage in defensive rebounds. American power forward Dreshawn Vance (203-85, college: Cal Poly - SLO) scored 15 points and 9 rebounds to lead the charge for the winners and swingman Felix Schekauski (198-87) chipped in 14 points and 6 rebounds during the contest. Five SSV Lok Bernau players scored in double figures. American forward Parnell Smith (198-84, college: Buffalo) responded with 9 points and guard John Cadmus (183-85) scored 11 points. Oettinger Rockets Gotha's coach gave up on the game allowing to play eleven players seeing no chance for a win.
Top scorers:
Gotha: J.Cadmus 11, P.Smith 9+4reb+1ast, A.Kuppe 6+1reb, N.Valentic 6+1reb, J.Boucher 4+2reb+2ast, D.Kreis 4+2reb+2ast
Bernau: D.Vance 15+9reb+1ast, F.Schekauski 14+6reb+2ast, J.Heide 13+3reb+4ast, C.Brock 12+2reb, S.Trzcionka 10+5reb+1ast, L.Rothenbacher 2+2reb

Rist-Wedel - Konstanz 76-61

The hosts trailed by 10 points after first quarter, but they stormed back and won the game by 15 points. Guard Steffen Kiese (189-G-87) (189-87) scored 20 points and 4 assists (on 7-of-8 shooting from the field) to lead the charge for the winners and forward Erwin Gausa (195-90) chipped in 17 points during the contest. Four SC Rist Wedel players scored in double figures. SC Rist Wedel's coach Ozhan Gurel used an eleven-player rotation which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. American guard Michael Lay (175-83, college: Concordia (OR)) responded with 11 points, 6 rebounds and 8 assists and guard Peter Leidig (188-83) scored 17 points (on 7-of-9 shooting from the field).
Top scorers:
Konstanz: P.Leidig 17+1reb, M.Lay 11+6reb+8ast, R.Louisme 10+6reb, L.Menck 7+1reb, M.Radulovic 5+2reb+1ast, C.McKnight 4+9reb
Rist-Wedel: S.Kiese 20+4reb+4ast, P.Huber-Saffer 17+1reb, E.Gausa 17+3reb+2ast, M.Leger 10+3reb, F.Moysich 7+3reb+2ast, J.Laatzen 3+3reb

ALBA Berlin II - Schwenningen 84-71

The hosts were tied at the half but managed to speed up in last two quarters eventually winning the game. ALBA Berlin II dominated on the defensive end, holding BV Villingen-Schwenningen to just 7 points in third quarter. They dominated down low during the game scoring 52 of its points in the paint compared to BV Villingen-Schwenningen's 32. Power forward Andreas Seiferth (206-89, college: ALBA Berlin II) had a double-double by scoring 22 points and 12 rebounds (on 8-of-10 shooting from the field) to lead the charge for the winners and international guard Lucca Staiger (196-88, college: Iowa St.) chipped in 22 points and 5 assists during the contest. ALBA Berlin II's coach Alan Ibrahimagic used a ten-player rotation which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. American guard Blake Young (188-85, college: Kansas St.) responded with 14 points, 9 rebounds and 8 assists and guard Marco Schlafke (185-82) scored 27 points. Four BV Villingen-Schwenningen players scored in double figures.
Top scorers:
Schwenningen: M.Schlafke 27+2reb, M.Hallgrimson 15+2reb+1ast, B.Young 14+9reb+8ast, J.Fikiel 11+9reb, G.Rietti 2+5reb, B.Goehrke 2+3reb+1ast
ALBA Berlin II: L.Staiger 22+4reb+5ast, A.Seiferth 22+12reb+1ast, J.Saibou 13+4reb+2ast, T.Thorwarth 9+6reb+3ast, S.Fulle 8+7reb+1ast, T.Grauel 8+1reb+1ast

Dt.Bank SKY II - Wolfenbuettel 71-80

The guests trailed by 6 points after first quarter, but they rallied back to get the 1-point lead at the halftime and eventually won the game 80-71. Herzoege Wolfenbuettel made 19-of-24 free shots (79.2 percent) during the game. They also forced 22 Deutsche Bank Skyliners II turnovers. American guard Christopher Rodgers (186-81, college: Bucknell) scored 26 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists to lead the charge for the winners and swingman Henje Knopke (193-85) chipped in 22 points, 7 assists and 7 steals during the contest. American forward Christopher Rojik (200-74, college: Holy Cross) responded with a double-double by scoring 23 points and 10 rebounds and guard Falko Theilig (180-92) scored 11 points and 9 assists. Four Deutsche Bank Skyliners II players scored in double figures.
Top scorers:
Dt.Bank SKY II: C.Rojik 23+10reb, F.Theilig 11+2reb+9ast, NICOLAY 10+6reb, R.Staudacher 10+5reb, F.Franke 8+3reb+2ast, K.Luyeye 4+2reb
Wolfenbuettel: C.Rodgers 26+6reb+5ast, H.Knopke 22+4reb+7ast, B.Giles 9+3reb, S.Schubert 9+2reb+1ast, M.Schwarz 8+5reb, J.Sexton 6+10reb

Play-Offs

Giessen - Schwelm 71-81

The game was mostly controlled by SG Schwelmer Baskets. Giessen Pointers was better in second period 12-11. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. SG Schwelmer Baskets made 23-of-30 free shots (76.7 percent) during the game. SG Schwelmer Baskets outrebounded Giessen Pointers 39-28 including a 31-18 advantage in defensive rebounds. Giessen Pointers were plagued by 24 personal fouls down the stretch. Naturalized American forward Kristofer Speier (206-81, college: Lewis-Clark) scored 21 points and 9 rebounds to lead the charge for the winners and American guard Jason Holmes (191-86, college: Le Moyne) chipped in 16 points, 8 rebounds and 5 assists during the contest. American guard Marcus Johnson (191-87, college: Dayton) responded with 16 points and 6 rebounds and Jamaican-American forward Kimmani Barrett (198-87, college: La Salle) scored 10 points and 9 rebounds. Four SG Schwelmer Baskets and five Giessen Pointers players scored in double figures. Giessen Pointers' coach rotated ten players in this game, but that didn't help.
Top scorers:
Giessen: M.Johnson 16+6reb+2ast, P.Unger 14+4reb+2ast, Z.Pavlovic 12+1reb, K.Barrett 10+9reb+2ast, S.Rotaru 10+7reb, F.Rotaru 4+1reb+1ast
Schwelm: K.Speier 21+9reb+1ast, D.Bunts 20+5reb+2ast, J.Holmes 16+8reb+5ast, J.Ducker 10+10reb, T.Doll 6+1reb, M.Dohmen 5+1reb

Langen - Stahnsdorf 90-82

The hosts took control from the first minutes by winning first half. But RSV Eintracht won third quarter 22-21. However it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. TV 1862 Langen made 24-of-30 free shots (80.0 percent) during the game. RSV Eintracht was plagued by 24 personal fouls down the stretch. Forward Marco Voeller (201-89) scored 17 points and 6 rebounds (perfect from the field making all six shots) to lead the charge for the winners and American guard Nathan Drury (188-85, college: Carroll) chipped in 19 points and 4 assists (was perfect 7-for-7 from the free throw line) during the contest. TV 1862 Langen's coach Fabian Villmeter used a ten-player rotation which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. American guard Mychal Green (193-83, college: Ohio) responded with 22 points and 5 rebounds and his fellow American import forward Kellen Williams (193-84, college: E.Washington) scored 19 points and 6 rebounds (perfect from the field making all nine shots !!!). Five TV 1862 Langen and four RSV Eintracht players scored in double figures.
Top scorers:
Stahnsdorf: M.Green 22+5reb+2ast, K.Williams 19+6reb+1ast, M.Haucke 11+5reb+2ast, Y.Evans 11+5reb+3ast, A.Moosmann 9+1reb, K.Moore 6+1reb
Langen: N.Drury 19+2reb+4ast, A.MacMillan 17+4reb+1ast, M.Voeller 17+6reb+2ast, P.Heckmann 11+4reb+4ast, J.Domdey 10+1ast, N.Anders 5

Wulfen - Licher Baeren 81-77

The hosts trailed by 6 points at the halftime before their 48-38 charge in the second half, which allowed them to win the game. Licher Baeren was plagued by 24 personal fouls down the stretch. American guard Steve Briggs (178-85, college: Okla.Wesleyan) scored 29 points to lead the charge for the winners and the other American import forward Joseph Henley (196-85, college: Sacred Heart) chipped in 19 points and 7 rebounds during the contest. BSV Wulfen's coach Phillip Kappenstein used a ten-player rotation in such tough game. American guard Willis Gardner (185-86, college: Colorado St., agency: Stanley International) responded with 25 points, 7 rebounds and 7 assists (on 9-of-11 shooting from the field) and naturalized Austrian forward Armin Willemsen (200-85) scored 18 points and 8 rebounds.
Top scorers:
Licher Baeren: W.Gardner 25+7reb+7ast, A.Willemsen 18+8reb+2ast, V.Klassen 11+2reb+1ast, R.Christen 9+3reb+1ast, T.Fairley 7+2reb, R.Scholz 4+1ast
Wulfen: S.Briggs 29+3reb+3ast, J.Henley 19+7reb+3ast, S.Hummelt 11+3reb, T.Reuter 8+3reb+2ast, J.Sprunken 5+5reb+2ast, P.Mazur 4+3reb

TSV Troester - Herten 88-78 OT

The hosts trailed by 3 points after three quarters before their 23-20 charge, which allowed them to tie the game at the end of regular time and get a 10-point victory in overtime. TSV Troester made 24-of-31 free shots (77.4 percent) during the game. Great defensive blocking was one of the keys in this match when TSV Troester made 7 blocks. Hertener Loewen was plagued by 25 personal fouls down the stretch. Center Philipp Neumann (210-92) had a double-double by scoring 14 points, 13 rebounds and 4 blocks to lead the charge for the winners and guard Maurice Stuckey (187-90, agency: Pro One Sports) chipped in 22 points and 4 assists during the contest. Five TSV Troester players scored in double figures. American swingman Marcus Monk (198-86, college: Arkansas) responded with a double-double by scoring 23 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists and 5 steals and forward Vincent Kittmann (199-88) scored 23 points (was perfect 7-for-7 from the free throw line).
Top scorers:
Herten: V.Kittmann 23+4reb+1ast, M.Monk 23+10reb+4ast, C.Hackenesch 10+11reb+1ast, M.Berger 8+3reb+3ast, J.Hartmann 6+3reb+1ast, B.Schultz 6+6reb+1ast
TSV Troester: M.Stuckey 22+3reb+4ast, D.Schmidt 19+1reb+4ast, P.Neumann 14+13reb+2ast, I.Pavic 10+4reb+3ast, F.Hoffmann 10+12reb, E.Land 6+2reb

NBC - Leipzig 94-82

The hosts were tied at the half but managed to speed up in last two quarters eventually winning the game. NBC made 33-of-41 free shots (80.5 percent) during the game. NBC had a 26-13 advantage in offensive rebounds. They looked well-organized offensively handing out 21 assists. USC Leipzig was plagued by 25 personal fouls down the stretch. American guard Ahmad Smith (194-84, college: St.Bonaventure) had a double-double by scoring 10 points, 7 rebounds and 13 assists to lead the charge for the winners and swingman Cornelius Adler (195-89) chipped in 25 points (on 7-of-9 shooting from the field) during the contest. American forward Monyea Pratt (196-85, college: Stillman) responded with 25 points and 7 assists and power forward Ralph Schirmer (203-86) scored 23 points and 7 rebounds. Five NBC and four USC Leipzig players scored in double figures.
Top scorers:
Leipzig: M.Pratt 25+4reb+7ast, R.Schirmer 23+7reb, L.Morinia 19+3reb+2ast, N.Beier 10+4reb+1ast, K.Kranz 3+4reb+1ast, F.Brathwaite 2
NBC: C.Adler 25+2reb+1ast, W.Chavis 19+2reb+3ast, M.Ides 12+8reb+2ast, C.Ceccotti 11+5reb+1ast, A.Smith 10+7reb+13ast, J.Reile 7+3reb+1ast

SU Medien - Leitershofen 85-87

The guests trailed by 4 points after three quarters before their 24-18 charge, which allowed them to win the game. Leitershofen made 22-of-27 free shots (81.5 percent) during the game. Spot Up Medien Baskets were plagued by 24 personal fouls down the stretch. American center Devin Uskoski (198-85, college: Rocky Mountain) had a double-double by scoring 26 points and 14 rebounds to lead the charge for the winners and forward Dominik Veney (200-87) chipped in 21 points and 6 rebounds during the contest. Leitershofen's coach Stefan Goschenhofer used a ten-player rotation in such tough game. Guard Dennis Schroeder (184-93) responded with 18 points, 5 assists and 4 steals and guard Jusuf El Domiaty (189-90) scored 12 points and 6 rebounds. Both teams had four players each who scored in double figures.
Top scorers:
SU Medien: D.Schroeder 18+4reb+5ast, J.El Domiaty 12+6reb+1ast, D.Theis 12+4reb+1ast, P.Noch 12+1reb, J.Ghebreigziabiher 12+3reb+3ast, F.Theis 8+3reb
Leitershofen: D.Uskoski 26+14reb+1ast, D.Veney 21+6reb+1ast, M.Mathey 11+2reb+4ast, J.Genck 10+1reb+2ast, A.Chalusiak 7+3ast, S.Montag 5+5reb+2ast

BG Illertal - Vechta 67-74

The guests trailed by 2 points after first quarter, but they rallied back to get the 7-point lead at the halftime and eventually won the game 74-67. American guard Eric Reid (185-84, college: Cameron) scored 29 points, 9 rebounds and 7 assists to lead the charge for the winners and the other American import forward Christopher Thompson (198-82, college: S.Indiana) chipped in 20 points and 12 rebounds during the contest. Forward Marcel Heberlein (195-90) responded with 21 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists and forward Florian Moebius (202-79) produced a double-double by scoring 12 points and 14 rebounds. BG Illertal/Weissenhorn's coach rotated ten players in this game, but that didn't help.
Top scorers:
BG Illertal: M.Heberlein 21+5reb+5ast, F.Moebius 12+14reb+1ast, M.Simic 12+4reb+1ast, N.Stevanovic 8+2reb+1ast, E.Williams 5+6reb+1ast, P.Vojkovic 3
Vechta: E.Reid 29+9reb+7ast, C.Thompson 20+12reb+1ast, A.Kronhardt 11+5reb+1ast, M.Stertenbrink 5+4reb, M.Moelle 3+8reb, A.Jarchow 3+2reb

Bayer Giants - Ehingen 72-75

The guests trailed by 2 points at the halftime before their 20-10 charge in the third quarter, which allowed them to win the game. American guard Virgil Matthews (188-83, college: Montana) scored 25 points and 9 rebounds to lead the charge for the winners and guard Mario Blessing (184-92) chipped in 17 points during the contest. American guard Josh Young (185-88, college: Drake) responded with 24 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists and his fellow American import center Justin Eller (203-87, college: Sacramento St.) scored 15 points and 6 rebounds. Bayer Giants' coach Chris Martin rotated ten players in this game, but that didn't help.
Top scorers:
Bayer Giants: J.Young 24+7reb+5ast, N.Michael 16+2reb+2ast, J.Eller 15+6reb+1ast, F.Sadek 9+4reb+6ast, F.Engel 3+3reb+3ast, M.Thimm 2+6reb
Ehingen: V.Matthews 25+9reb+3ast, M.Blessing 17+3reb+1ast, K.Bright 10+7reb+3ast, T.Lang 8+6reb, A.Vargas 5+3reb+1ast, M.Schick 4+1reb

Another Typical Day At The Office For Dashaun Wood Displaying A Strong Combination Of Monta/Kemba/Lebron Stats As The Deutsche Bank Skyliners Outgrind BG Goettingen 88-82 - by Miles Schmidt-Scheuber
This season, it has become a fact that Skyliner DaShaun Wood (185-G-85, college: Wright St.) has been reigning the BEKO BBL and has been as dominant in his sport as internet hero Mr facebook Mark Zuckerberg is with his company worth of 23 billion, Sergey Brin co founder of the search engine Google and Jimmy 'jimbo' Wales who came up with the unique website Wikepdeia as his net worth is calculated at 25 million in their jobs. Wood might not be making the astronomical sums of these internet junkies, but his worth to The Deutsche Bank Skyliners is seen each weekend as he is the motor that makes the Frankfurt engine run so smoothly at all types of precarious situations and on top of that his engine is as vital to the club as that of a X-43 plane. Wood has to see different defensive guard formations on him each weekend, but he always finds a way to have great games. Against BG Goettingen, he didnt have to put up with organized chaos, but moreover a controlled pressure that gave Frankfurt some problems in the first half, but in the second half as if somebody had ordered him to finally take control, Wood showed why he is the 2011 BEKO BBL MVP leading his team to a 88-82 win. It doesnt really matter what type of pressure defense BG Goettingen hurled at Wood, the American was able to escape all danger as if a halo was over his head at all times. BG Goettingen coach John Patrick was sad about the loss, but in awe about the play of Wood. 'I have been coaching 12 years now, but Wood is about as close to unstoppable as I have ever seen. We tried to use so many different strategies on him, but nothing seemed to work. I thought we did a pretty good job on him, but his 25 points and 12 assists shows how good he really is', stressed BG Goettingen skipper John Patrick . 'Wood is a great player. He hit a couple of three pointers and then the basket gets a lot bigger. We wanted to keep him out of the lane, but that was easier said than done', added BG Goettingen guard Trenton Meacham (188-G-85, agency: Warren Sports International, college: Illinois) Wood teammate Quantez Super Tez Robertson, who might be a regular in the highlight films, but knows who the real BEKO BBL MVP is. 'Wood didnt make many shots in the first half, but got us going. In the second half, he hit big shots and got to the free throw line. For me he is the BEKO BBL MVP and has a big lead over the other players', warned Quantez Robertson (190-G-84, college: Auburn).

This season in the BEKO BBL, DaShaun Wood has scored over 30 points twice and twenty points or more nine times. Wood also has shown his versatility getting his share of assists and rebounds each weekend. He has dished out 12 assists twice and has had eight rebounds four times and nine rebounds once. It is very rare, in the BEKO BBL, that a player consistently gets high stats in points, rebounds and assists, but Wood has done it on a regular basis this season and the question is when will he register his first triple double. While everyone is waiting for that magical moment to happen, one can pass the time by throwing up brilliant NBA players and current NCAA players who compare to the current Wood stats. It seems like the name Monta Ellis (192-G-85) has been thrown around by the American, but after the 25 point, 12 assist, seven rebound performance, Wood threw out a name that might just reign at the 2011 March Madness. 'I have been watching a lot of basketball recently and UCONNs Kemba Walker (185-G-90) scored something like 33 points and 12 rebounds the other night. Guards like that have a knack for competing. We show that we can be efficient in more ways besides scoring and passing. It is hard to defend guys like that when they can do more than two things well', joked DaShaun Wood. After the game, teammate Jimmy Mckinney took about 10 seconds to come up with some NBA names that could warrant the Wood stat line. 'There are so many good NBA players that I could compare to that stat line. If I had to choose a few I would take the old Chris Paul (183-G-85, college: Wake Forest) before his injury, Tony Parker and Derrick Rose', added Jimmy McKinney (192-G-83, agency: Strategic Sports, college: Missouri) Teammate Super Tez didnt hesitate long before coming up with a name that would make any player get goose bumps getting compared to him. 'Dashaun always says that was my Lebron show. I would compare those stats to LeBron James (203-F-84)', laughed Quantez Robertson (190-G-84, college: Auburn). 'I think the Monta Ellis (192-G-85) comparison is on par for Wood. But no matter how good his game stats are, one must remember that he wants to win most before anything else', commented Jevohn Shepherd (196-F-86, college: Michigan).

Since the loss to The Brose Baskets Bamberg 5 weeks ago, The Deutsche Bank Skyliners have played very strong basketball winning their sixth game in a row. 2010 Eurochallenge winner BG Goettingen had their three game winning streak snapped, but despite hanging heads at the conclusion of the game, the club that is fighting for a playoff spot played a very spirited game and never gave up. 'We needed to be better tonight, but we just couldnt. Powell hit big three pointers as did Wood and he got to the basket whenever he wanted to. Frankfurt play hard each game. We have to learn to play intense for 40 minutes, but we had a little blackout in the second quarter. We played hard, but lost concentration in the second quarter. Frankfurt deserved to win', stressed BG Goettingen coach John Patrick . This win was a bit more difficult to achieve then the last wins against a very tough BG Goettingen team, but The Deutsche Bank Skyliners keep showing that they belong to the best crunch time teams in the BEKO BBL. 'You have to give BG Goettingen a lot of credit. They are a very good offensive and defensive team. We played very tough in the last 4-5 minutes and even though they fought until the end, we just had a little more than they did', added DaShaun Wood.

Before tipoff, The Deutsche Bank Skyliners looked very relaxed in warm ups as Marius Nolte (206-C-81, agency: Limelight Hoops) traded some head butts with new Ballsporthalle figure Rookie. Rookie also tried to scare some BG Goettinge players in warm ups, but was unsuccessful as the players were laughing more than weeping. The game which was on national TV started with many signs being placed throughout the Ballsporthalle as fans showed their discontent with the city of Frankfurt for not showing much support for the sport of basketball as a new club sponsor still hasnt been found for The Deutsche Bank Skyliners. Signs like 'Sport city Frankfurt', Eintracht place 13th, Skyliners place 2, and Frankfurt is carrying the sport to the grave' were supposed to send a message to the city. The two fans clubs of both teams also got their vocal chords going by chanting their recently made famous chant Hello Goettingen, Hello Frankfurt. 4,590 fans came to see BG Goettingen got off to a quick start leading 7-2. American Dwayne Anderson (198-F-86, agency: Interperformances, college: Villanova) seemed to be on a mission as he scored his inside and with three pointer. BG Goettingen had a lot of intensity while that of Frankfurt seemed to be enjoying the warm weather and chirping birds outside. Frankfurt didnt allow BG Goettingen to just run away with the game yet as Robertson found Muurinen inside with a bullet pass and Chris Moss (204-F-80, college: W.Virginia) scored inside getting a nice feed from Muurinen. BG Goettingen led 7-6, but were bale to step up their intensity a tad more racing on a 11-5 run to lead 18-11. Mike Scott got the attack going with a jumper and then 38 year old Michael Meeks (207-C/F-72, agency: Interperformances, college: Canisius) who was the 5th best scorer at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney for Canada silenced Frankfurt with two three pointers. Louis dale then split the defense racing inside receiving a quick pass from Jason Boone (198-F/C-85, college: New York U.) out of the low post. Frankfurt crept back to 18-14 as Roger Powell (198-F-83, agency: Interperformances, college: Illinois) hit his second three pointer in a row despite a 27% shooting percentage from the parking lot. Boone then scored inside as there was little resistance from Powell and Marius Nolte (206-C-81, agency: Limelight Hoops) and Dale hit a pretty floater something which wasnt unusual for him at Cornell from 2006-2010. BG Goettingen had the comfortable 24-14 lead after one quarter. 'We had a bad start. We allowed them to play their run and gun game which isnt our strength', stressed Kimmo Muurinen. 'We got into the game well. We were defending very well like against Bamberg last week. We also were looking to find the open man', added BG Goettingen manager Franz Marc . BG Goettingen was shooting 53% from the field and 60% from outside while The Deutsche Bank Skyliners were shooting 46% from the field and 50% from outside. The rebounding was deadlocked at 8 a piece. Frankfurt had five turnovers and BG Goettingen none.

A run in a basketball game is as inevitable as is a Kevin Love (208-C-88, college: UCLA) double double in almost every game this season and The Deutsche Bank Skyliners went on a 11-0 run to start the second quarter to take the lead 25-24. Kimmo 'Mr invisible who does the dirty work' Muurinen out fought a few BG Goettingen players getting an offensive rebound and getting a put back. New Skyliner Jevohn Shepherd (196-F-86, college: Michigan) then sunk two free throws and then made his second ally op dunk in his second game as current BEKO BBL top scorer DaShaun Wood connected with him with a very high lob pass. 'I called for the ball again. Wood has great eyes and is a great passer. His pass was very high, but I just got up there and got it', joked Jevohn Shepherd (196-F-86, college: Michigan). 'I was almost at half court. I just put it up and I knew that Jevohn would get it', smiled DaShaun Wood. Wood did a good job getting his teammates into scoring position and drawing fouls. Muurinen and Moss hit free throws. BG Goettingen regained the lead two more times with a catch and pop jumper from Meacham and an off balance lay up by Louis Dale. Frankfurt kept playing aggressive as Robertson snatched two offensive rebounds which led to a huge Jimmy Mckinney bomb as Frankfurt led again 30-29 . Wood then fed Robertson for a two handed dunk on the fast break as Frankfurt 32-29. Down the stretch Wood scored on a lay up and Mckinney with a lay up on transition as Frankfurt continued to catch BG Goettingen napping on the transition defense. Frankfurt had one last spectacular play for the fans at the end of the second quarter as on the last play Jimmy Mckinney nailed a three pointer deep from the corner as if he was shooting from the Frankfurt-Hochst train station as Frankfurt led 39-33 at halftime. At halftime Wood had 6 points, 6 assists and 3 rebounds. His scoring was not there yet, but it would follow soon. 'I thought I did well in the first half. What people dont understand is that I set up my teammates. People get caught up too much with my scoring, but I wasnt about to force up tough shots when I had open teammates', added DaShaun Wood. 'We buckled down on defense in the second quarter. We got more stops and got fast break points', said Quantez Robertson (190-G-84, college: Auburn). 'Frankfurt found their rhythm. Frankfurt was rebounding better and playing better defense. They also executed on second chance plays. We slept a bit in the second quarter', commented BG manager Franz Marc . The Deutsche Bank Skyliners were shooting 42% from the field and 33% from the three point line while BG Goettingen was shooting 43% from the field and 36% from the three point line. Frankfurt had the huge 26-11 rebound edge, but had seven turnovers while BG Goettingen had two turnovers.

In the third quarter, BG Goettingen didnt allow The Deutsche Bank Skyliners to increase their lead as they surprised them with a lightening 7-2 run to cut the Frankfurt lead to 41-40. Anderson started the run with two free throws which was followed by a Boone dunk set up by Anderson who had spun around Mckinney on the bass line and found the center open under the hoop. Wood then found Super Tez back door for a lay up and Anderson nailed a catch and pop three pointer. The BG Goettingen run didnt impress Frankfurt as they struck back with their own 7-1 run. Wood waited until the defense collapsed and then found Chris Moss (204-F-80, college: W.Virginia) with a pretty bounce pass and lay up. Boone then scored on a second effort and Roger Powell (198-F-83, agency: Interperformances, college: Illinois) barreled over Michael Meeks (207-C/F-72, agency: Interperformances, college: Canisius) for two points. Super Tez then scored on a back door play again as Wood found him. Frankfurt led 48-42, but werent helped by a Mckinney technical foul as Meacham made four free throws as BG Goettingen trailed only 48-46. Frankfurt then sped out on a 5-0 run as Robertson made a big tip in dunk and Wood made a three pointer as Frankfurt got one of many loose ball breaks on this night as Frankfurt led 53-46. Down the stretch, BG Goettingen continued to threaten, but were not consistent enough on defense to get consecutive stops. Powell drooped another three pointer, but Meacham answered with a beautiful fade away jumper over Wood, but Frankfurt still had the lead after three quarters 59-52. 'We were very up and down in the third quarter. We werent that solid as BG Goettingen continued to stay in the game', added Skyliner forward Kimmo Muurinen. The Deutsche Bank Skyliners were shooting 45% from the field and 32% from downtown as BG Goettingen was shooting 40% from the field and 29% from downtown. Frankfurt had the giant 36-18 rebound edge, but 11 turnovers while BG Goettingen only had five turnovers.

Marius Nolte (206-C-81, agency: Limelight Hoops) started the fourth quarter with two free throws, but BG Goettingen showed quickly that they had been conserving energy and got back into the game with a 7-0 run to cut the Frankfurt lead to 61-59. Jason Boone (198-F/C-85, college: New York U.) scored twice with a dunk and a lay in over Powell showing that he has matured nicely since his Regionaliga days with Lok Bernau in 2007. German sharp shooter Robert Kulawick (191-G-86, agency: Court Side) then finally nailed a three pointer after having missed his first five shots from downtown. BG Goettingen remained aggressive especially on the offensive boards as Boone had a tip in dunk and Wood made a floater as Frankfurt led 64-61. 'We gave them some easy baskets and our transition defense was bad. They had too many offensive rebounds in that phase', stressed Kimmo Muurinen. 'That big run is really what we have done all year long. When we are desperate, then we play fast and that run and gun gets us back into the game', added Antoine Jordan (196-G-83, college: Siena). BG Goettingen still had a huge huff as they went on a mini 4-0 run to take their last lead of the game 65-64. Dale scored inside easily past Moss and little John Little showed how a 180cm player can out battle guys 25 centimeters taller as he made a tip off an own miss. Then as if he Gordon Herbert had whispered some magical words into his ears like 'Win the game for us now please', Wood led The Deutsche Bank Skyliners on a 11-2 run in which he scored each point showing just how dominant the road runner can be as Frankfurt led more comfortably 75-67. Wood started the run with a high rainbow from the top of the key which was met by a nice dunk by Anderson who flew to the hoop in a Super Tez like manner as Frankfurt still led 67-66. Wood then scored 8 unanswered points with another three pointer from the wing, a seemingly impossible lay up in traffic and three free throws. He also set up Quantez Robertson (190-G-84, college: Auburn) for a nice dunk as he threw up a high lob pass from in front of the Skyliner bench as Super Tez got to the head of the pack getting the ball and putting it home. 'Whenever there is a steal or rebound, me and Tez are always gone. This time Tez beat me up the floor, but I had the ball and from the corner of my eye I saw Tez like a bat out of hell and just threw the ball up. I knew Tez would be there to get it', smiled DaShaun Wood. 'Wood took control of the game. He showed again how he is a quality leader in tough situations. He took over the game and won it. He is a great individual talent', warned teammate Kimmo Muurinen. 'Wood hit some big three pointers and that was it. This was the first time that I saw him play and he is really good', added Antoine Jordan (196-G-83, college: Siena). 'I have been taking control of the game all my life. I want the ball at all times and am not afraid to fail. When I take a shot, I am taking it to make it like Kobe Bryant (198-G-78)', warned DaShaun Wood. In the last few minutes, BG Goettingen hit some big shots and continued not to be out of the game. Meacham and Dale hit big three pointers to cut the Frankfurt lead to 82-76, but Frankfurt had the clock and the free throw line on their side as they kept getting to the line and had misfortune missing too many shots as well as Dale and Kulawick made further shots from down town as Frankfurt led only 85-82. However Powell and Wood shut the door on BG Goettingen with free throws ending the game 88-82. 'Wood was crucial in crunch time making the big plays', said Jevohn Shepherd (196-F-86, college: Michigan). 'We fought very hard, but just couldnt finish it. We dug ourselves too deep a hole', stressed Trenton Meacham 'Frankfurt out hustled us in the fourth quarter. They got many more loose balls and second chance points', said Antoine Jordan (196-G-83, college: Siena).

The Deutsche Bank Skyliners were led by DaShaun Wood with 25 points, 12 assists and seven rebounds. Quantez Robertson (190-G-84, college: Auburn) had 14 points, eight rebounds and four assists. Roger Powell (198-F-83, agency: Interperformances, college: Illinois) added 13 points. Chris Moss (204-F-80, college: W.Virginia) chipped in with 12 points. Jimmy Mckinney produced 10 points. BG Goettingen was led by Dwayne Anderson (198-F-86, agency: Interperformances, college: Villanova) with 16 points and six rebounds. Jason Boone (198-F/C-85, college: New York U.) contributed 14 points and six rebounds. Trenton Meacham had 12 points.

Another big win for The Deutsche Bank Skyliners who continue to show that they are the second best team after The Brose Baskets Bamberg. Despite being out rebounded 17-8 in the last quarter, Frankfurt won the rebounding duel 44-35. 'We had a tough night rebounding. Frankfurt got at the rim well and also had many long rebounds and loose balls which got them going. We played hard, but they were scrappier getting more of the 50/50 balls', stressed BG Goettingen guard Trenton Meacham Despite giving up 82 points, The Deutsche Bank Skyliners showed a great defensive effort and could of given up 10 less points had it not been for some big three pointers in the last 2 minutes by BG Goettingen. 'We played great defense. We had a lot of intensity and we did a good job limiting them to one shot. I thought we had a very high defense intensity from the second quarter until the end', stressed Skyliner guard Jimmy McKinney The next game is against The Walter Tigers Tuebingen and after two painful loses in Bamberg and Giessen, The Deutsche Bank Skyliners will have to ready for a fight in the Paul Horn arena Wednesday. 'Tuebingen is a very good offensive team at home. They will be ready to go after their loss in Giessen. We will have to have our A game. We will have to see that Bane Ratkovica doesnt get the ball to his teammates', warned DaShaun Wood. 'We want to continue to execute in Tuebingen like we have in the last 6 games. We have to be aggressive on offense and defense', stressed Quantez Robertson (190-G-84, college: Auburn). The Walter Tigers Tuebingen host The Deutsche Bank Skyliners March 16th at 20:00.

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GREECE

A2 Round 18 of Regular Season - by Eurobasket News
Lavrio (12-6) outlasted AGOR (13-6) in overtime by two points 93-91 on Saturday night. It ended at the same time the two-game winning streak of AGOR. Dionysios Giannakopoulos (195-G/F-82) had a double-double by scoring 13 points, 14 rebounds and 9 assists to lead the charge for the winners. Lavrio's coach Christos Serellis used a ten-player rotation in such tough game. Newly promoted Lavrio maintains fourth position with 12-6 record. AGOR at the other side dropped to the third place with six games lost. Lavrio will face Arkadikos (#5) in Arkadia in the next round. AGOR will play at home against Near East in Kesariani.

There were no shocking results in the other games in round 18: Ermis Lagkada lost to AEK/Argous on the opponent's court 66-69. Bottom-ranked Near East unfortunately lost to KAOD in a home game 68-76. Apollon Patras managed to beat Koroivos on the road 58-57. Ikaroi Serron defeated Periko/Arhelaos on its own court 70-61. Amyntas Dafnis was beaten by Pagrati in Athens 75-67. Panelefsiniakos destroyed Panerythraikos at home 87-62. Arkadikos unfortunately lost to Olimpiada on the opponent's court 76-80.
The most impressive stats of the last round was 29 points and 5 rebounds by Yiannis Kakiouzis of Lavrio.

AEK/Argous - Ermis Lagkada 69-66

There was a minor upset when 9th ranked Ermis Lagkada (8-10) was edged on the road by eleventh ranked AEK/Argous (8-10) 69-66 on Saturday. The hosts trailed by 2 points after first quarter, but they rallied back to get the 3-point lead at the halftime and eventually won the game 69-66. AEK/Argous outrebounded Ermis Lagkada 42-26 including a 33-21 advantage in defensive rebounds. Ermis Lagkada was plagued by 24 personal fouls down the stretch. Power forward Andronikos Gizogiannis (200-83, agency: FCM) had a double-double by scoring 16 points and 17 rebounds to lead the charge for the winners and Croatian center Ivan Kartelo (208-79, college: Purdue) chipped in 23 points and 6 rebounds during the contest. The best for the losing side was forward Nikos Gamouras (202-86) with 15 points and forward Alexandros Panagiotopoulos (202-80, agency: FCM) scored 8 points and 7 rebounds. Both teams had four players each who scored in double figures. AEK/Argous moved-up to eighth place, which they share with Ermis Lagkada and Amyntas Dafnis. AEK/Argous will face higher ranked Panelefsiniakos (#6) in Eleusina in the next round and it may be quite challenging game.
Top scorers:
AEK/Argous: I.Kartelo 23+6reb+2ast, A.Gizogiannis 16+17reb+1ast, D.Papantoniou 11+3reb+3ast, D.Lewis 10+7reb+3ast, G.Kopsaftis 5+1reb+2ast, T.Kasabalis 2+4reb+1ast
Ermis Lagkada: N.Gamouras 15+3reb+1ast, D.Rallis 13+2reb+3ast, S.Nisiotis 12+4reb, G.Anagnostopoulos 10+5reb, N.Papakonstantinou 8+3reb+3ast, A.Panagiotopoulos 8+7reb+3ast

Near East - KAOD 68-76

Very predictable result in Kesariani where first ranked KAOD (17-1) defeated bottom-ranked Near East (4-14) 76-68 on Saturday. The game without a history. KAOD led from the first minutes and controlled entire game increasing their lead in each quarter. They made 29-of-36 free shots (80.6 percent) during the game. KAOD outrebounded Near East 44-26 including a 26-14 advantage in defensive rebounds. Near East was plagued by 26 personal fouls down the stretch. Montenegrin center Ljubo Jovanovic (206-87) scored 19 points and 7 rebounds to lead the charge for the winners and power forward Vageli Margaritis (202-82) chipped in 14 points, 8 rebounds and 4 assists during the contest. KAOD's coach Fotis Takianos used a ten-player rotation which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. The best for the losing side was the former international guard Filippos Moschovitis (190-78) with 14 points and 4 assists and guard Alkis Pappas (185-88, agency: FCM) scored 16 points. Four Near East players scored in double figures. KAOD have an impressive 16-game winning streak. They maintain first position with 17-1 record. Near East lost third consecutive game. They stay at the bottom place with 14 games lost. KAOD will face Koroivos (#15) at home in the next round which should be an easy win for them. Near East will play against AGOR in Rethymno.
Top scorers:
KAOD: L.Jovanovic 19+7reb, N.Katsares 15+2reb+5ast, V.Margaritis 14+8reb+4ast, V.Kitsoulis 9+5reb, C.Choumas 6+2reb, I.Vukantinov 5+6reb
Near East: A.Pappas 16+2reb+2ast, N.Tsoutsos 14+3reb, F.Moschovitis 14+4reb+4ast, A.Gribaviotis 14+1reb, C.Gavanopoulos 4+5reb+2ast, A.Psaropoulos 4+7reb+2ast

Koroivos - Apollon Patras 57-58

Not a big story in a game when 15th ranked Koroivos (5-13) was edged at home by seventh ranked Apollon Patras (9-9) 58-57 on Saturday. The guests trailed by 6 points after first quarter, but they rallied back to get the 1-point lead at the halftime and eventually won the game 58-57. Serbian forward Djordje Pantelic (204-84) scored 10 points, 8 rebounds and 5 blocks to lead the charge for the winners and guard Nikos Argyropoylos (188-78) chipped in 15 points during the contest. Apollon Patras' coach Nikos Vetoulas used a ten-player rotation in such tough game. The best for the losing side was Serbian forward Predrag Kosanovic (203-76, agency: BeoExcell) with 25 points and 7 rebounds and forward Takis Ifantis (203-80, agency: FCM) scored 6 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists. Newly promoted Apollon Patras maintains seventh position with 9-9 record. Koroivos lost third consecutive game. Koroivos at the other side, also newcomer in the league, keeps the fifteenth place with 13 games lost. Apollon Patras will face league's second-placed Ikaroi Serron in Serres in the next round and they do not belong to the favorites in that game. Koroivos will play on the road against the league's leader KAOD (#1) where they are definitely not considered as a favorite in this game either.
Top scorers:
Apollon Patras: N.Argyropoylos 15+2reb+1ast, D.Pantelic 10+8reb+1ast, Z.Milovic 9+5reb+2ast, G.Lianos 8+6reb+2ast, G.Petropoulos 8+2reb+1ast, G.Thanopoulos 3+3reb+1ast
Koroivos: P.Kosanovic 25+7reb, M.Pekovic 9+2reb+3ast, N.Pettas 8+3reb+1ast, T.Ifantis 6+6reb+5ast, T.Dimitriadis 4+9reb+2ast, M.Matalon 3+3reb+5ast

Ikaroi Serron - Periko/Arhelaos 70-61

Everything went according to plan in Serres where third ranked Ikaroi Serron (13-5) beat 10th ranked Periko/Arhelaos (8-11) 70-61 on Saturday. The hosts trailed by 4 points at the halftime before their 43-30 charge in the second half, which allowed them to win the game. Ikaroi Serron outrebounded Periko/Arhelaos 44-27 including a 31-18 advantage in defensive rebounds. Periko/Arhelaos was plagued by 27 personal fouls down the stretch. Forward Filipp Simeonidis (204-80, agency: Court Side) scored 9 points, 9 rebounds and 4 assists to lead the charge for the winners and guard Kostas Totsios (191-78) chipped in 19 points during the contest. The best for the losing side was guard Giannis Rodostoglou (197-83) with 14 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists and forward Antonis Sivorotka (203-85) scored 15 points and 7 rebounds. Four Periko/Arhelaos players scored in double figures. Ikaroi Serron moved-up to second place. Newly promoted Periko/Arhelaos dropped to the eleventh position with 11 games lost. Ikaroi Serron will face Apollon Patras (#7) on the road in the next round where they are favorite. Periko/Arhelaos will play against Pagrati (#13) in Athens and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Ikaroi Serron: K.Totsios 19+3reb, K.Kakaroudis 12+2reb+1ast, K.Pehlivanis 10+3reb, F.Simeonidis 9+9reb+4ast, T.Topouzis 8+7reb, E.Tevetzidis 4+3reb
Periko/Arhelaos: A.Sivorotka 15+7reb+1ast, G.Rodostoglou 14+6reb+4ast, K.Behlivanis 10+1reb+1ast, P.Nanis 10+7reb+1ast, E.Jeromanovs 5+1ast, U.Igbavboa 4+3reb

Pagrati - Amyntas Dafnis 75-67

There was an upset in Athens where higher ranked Amyntas Dafnis (8-10) was defeated by thirteenth ranked Pagrati (7-11) 75-67 on Saturday. The hosts trailed by 11 points after first quarter, but they rallied back and won the game by 8 points. Amyntas Dafnis was plagued by 27 personal fouls down the stretch. Guard Fotis Vasilopoulos (187-86) scored 21 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists to lead the charge for the winners and center Kostas Macheras (205-85, agency: FCM) chipped in 16 points and 7 rebounds during the contest. The best for the losing side was forward Panag Koukounias (199-88) with 18 points and 8 rebounds (on 7-of-8 shooting from the field) and forward Pigas Papargiropoulos (202-86) scored 19 points and 5 rebounds. Both coaches used bench players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. Pagrati moved-up to twelfth place, which they share with Olimpiada. Amyntas Dafnis at the other side keeps the eighth position with ten games lost. Pagrati will face higher ranked Periko/Arhelaos (#11) in Perikos in the next round and it may be quite challenging game.
Top scorers:
Pagrati: F.Vasilopoulos 21+5reb+5ast, K.Macheras 16+7reb+2ast, C.Skouzis 13+5reb+2ast, T.Vardianos 9+5reb+1ast, D.Lolas 8+7reb, G.Dimakos 5+1reb+1ast
Amyntas Dafnis: P.Papargiropoulos 19+5reb, P.Koukounias 18+8reb+1ast, B.Samothrakis 14+1ast, K.Vardavas 5+3reb, S.Dorkofikis 3+2reb, K.Boutros 2+1reb+1ast

Panelefsiniakos - Panerythraikos 87-62

No shocking result in a game in Eleusina where sixth ranked Panelefsiniakos (10-8) outleveled 14th ranked Panerythraikos (6-12) 87-62 on Saturday. The game without a history. Panelefsiniakos led from the first minutes and controlled entire game increasing their lead in each quarter. Panelefsiniakos outrebounded Panerythraikos 39-24 including a 30-17 advantage in defensive rebounds. Guard Thomas Nikou (185-79) scored 12 points, 6 rebounds and 8 assists to lead the charge for the winners and guard Makis Theos (202-84) chipped in 16 points and 8 rebounds during the contest. Four Panelefsiniakos players scored in double figures. The best for the losing side was Cypriot guard Andreas Sizopoulos (189-83) with 11 points and 6 assists and forward Nikos Matzioris (197-82) scored 5 points and 9 rebounds. The winner was already known earlier in the game, so both coaches allowed to play the bench players saving starting five for next games. Panelefsiniakos moved-up to fifth place, which they share with Arkadikos. Panerythraikos at the other side, also newcomer in the league, keeps the fourteenth position with 12 games lost. Panelefsiniakos will face AEK/Argous (#10) on the road in the next round where they are favorite. Panerythraikos will play against Olimpiada (#12) in Patras and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Panelefsiniakos: M.Theos 16+8reb, M.Dioletis 13+6reb+1ast, V.Balafas 13+3reb+1ast, T.Nikou 12+6reb+8ast, C.Deligiannis 9+8reb+1ast, P.Martzos 9+1reb
Panerythraikos: A.Sizopoulos 11+1reb+6ast, N.Kourtis 10+2reb, M.Laksa 10+2ast, T.Kallianotis 8+2reb+1ast, N.Pritsos 5+1reb, G.Stamatis 5+3reb

Olimpiada - Arkadikos 80-76

There was an upset in Patras where higher ranked Arkadikos (10-8) was defeated by twelfth ranked Olimpiada (7-11) 80-76 on Saturday. The hosts started the game with a very strong first quarter 20-10. But Arkadikos won second period 21-18. However it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. Olimpiada made 28-of-34 free shots (82.4 percent) during the game, while Arkadikos only scored twelve points from the stripe. Arkadikos was plagued by 28 personal fouls down the stretch. Center Apostolos Koutroulias (206-76) had a double-double by scoring 18 points and 11 rebounds to lead the charge for the winners and guard Sakis Veskoukis (195-80) chipped in 16 points, 8 rebounds and 5 assists during the contest. Four Olimpiada players scored in double figures. The best for the losing side was forward Dimitris Katiakos (205-87) with 21 points and power forward Sokrates Gizogiannis (202-82) scored 18 points and 5 rebounds. Arkadikos' coach rotated ten players in this game, but that didn't help. Olimpiada maintains twelfth position with 7-11 record, which they share with Pagrati. Arkadikos at the other side keeps the fifth place with eight games lost. Olimpiada will face Panerythraikos (#14) in New Eritrea in the next round. Arkadikos will play at home against Lavrio (#4) where they are definitely not considered as a favorite in this game either.
Top scorers:
Olimpiada: A.Koutroulias 18+11reb+1ast, K.Tsotsos 17+3reb+1ast, S.Veskoukis 16+8reb+5ast, N.Makris 15+1reb+8ast, M.Sakota 9+1reb, D.Makris 3+2reb
Arkadikos: D.Katiakos 21+1reb+2ast, S.Gizogiannis 18+5reb, M.Papadakis 13+5ast, G.Prodromou 7+4reb+1ast, V.Morfis 5+3reb+1ast, V.Giannoulakos 4+10reb+1ast

Lavrio - AGOR 93-91 OT

Lavrio (12-6) outlasted AGOR (13-6) in overtime by two points 93-91 on Saturday night. It ended at the same time the two-game winning streak of AGOR. The hosts started the game with a very strong first quarter 32-18. But AGOR won second period 25-15. However it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening, at least not yet. The game turned upside-down in the last quarter, where AGOR used huge pressure winning it 20-15 getting a tie at the end of regular time. They lost eventually overtime period 6-8. Lavrio dominated down low during the game scoring 60 of its points in the paint compared to AGOR's 32 and made 18-of-22 free shots (81.8 percent) during the game. Lavrio looked well-organized offensively handing out 22 assists. AGOR was plagued by 24 personal fouls down the stretch. Swingman Dionysios Giannakopoulos (195-82) had a double-double by scoring 13 points, 14 rebounds and 9 assists to lead the charge for the winners and forward Yiannis Kakiouzis (205-78) chipped in 29 points and 5 rebounds during the contest. Lavrio's coach Christos Serellis used a ten-player rotation in such tough game. The best for the losing side was Serbian center Damir Latovic (204-80) with a double-double by scoring 18 points and 12 rebounds and the former international forward Tasos Charismidis (203-81, agency: FCM) scored 20 points. Four Lavrio and five AGOR players scored in double figures. Newly promoted Lavrio maintains fourth position with 12-6 record. AGOR at the other side dropped to the third place with six games lost. Lavrio will face Arkadikos (#5) in Arkadia in the next round. AGOR will play at home against Near East in Kesariani.
Top scorers:
Lavrio: Y.Kakiouzis 29+5reb+1ast, N.Psileas 20+7reb+8ast, M.Perrakis 14+1reb+1ast, D.Giannakopoulos 13+14reb+9ast, G.Bakas 6+1reb, K.Sinnis 4+1reb+1ast
AGOR: T.Charismidis 20+4reb, D.Latovic 18+12reb+3ast, S.Magounis 17+5reb+1ast, G.Kiriakopoulos 16+4reb+3ast, G.Koumoulos 12+4reb+7ast, A.Tsochlas 8+1reb+2ast

Stats Leaders - A2

Points Per Game

Yiannis KAKIOUZIS
  Lavrio
  (205-F-78)
  Avg: 18.3

1. Kakiouzis, Lavrio	18.3
2. Gizogiannis, AEK/A.	17.7
3. Totsios, Ikaroi S.	16.2
4. Argyropoylos, Apollo.	16.1
5. Koutroulias, Olimp.	16.1
6. Koupidis, Near East	15.8
7. Vasilopoulos, Pagrati	15.7
8. Giannakopoul., Lavrio	15.7
9. Vardavas, Amynta.	15.6
10. Kaklamanos, Panele.	15.6

Rebounds Per Game

Apostolos KOUTROULIAS
  Olimpiada
  (206-C-76)
  Avg: 8.8

1. Koutroulias, Olimp.	8.8
2. Pantelic, Apollo.	8.3
3. Gizogiannis, AEK/A.	8.1
4. Macheras, Pagrati	8.0
5. Kartelo, AE.	8.0
6. Latovic, AGOR	7.9
7. Amato, Near East	7.9
8. Kosanovic, Koroivos	7.2
9. Simeonidis, Ikaroi S.	7.0
10. Lolas, Pagrati	7.0

Assists Per Game

Thomas NIKOU
  Panelefsiniakos
  (185-G-79)
  Avg: 5.3

1. Nikou, Panelefs.	5.3
2. Katsares, KAOD	4.9
3. Kaberidis, Ikaroi S.	4.9
4. Zoupas, Amyntas .	4.9
5. Giannakopoul., Lavrio	4.1
6. Rallis, Ermis Lagkada	4.0
7. Makris, Olimpiada	3.7
8. Kiriakopoulo., AGOR	3.7
9. Argyropoylos, Apollo.	3.7
10. Apostolopoul., Koroi.	3.5

Steals Per Game

Nikos KATSARES
  KAOD
  (190-G-83)
  Avg: 2.2

1. Katsares, KAOD	2.2
2. Makris, Olimpiada	2.0
3. Michalos, Pagrati	1.9
4. Giannakopoul., Lavrio	1.8
5. Pettas, Koroivos	1.8
6. Koumoulos, AGOR	1.5
7. Zoupas, Amyntas .	1.4
8. Papadakis, Arkad.	1.4
9. Sourlis, KAOD	1.3
10. Pappas, Near East	1.3

Blocks Per Game

Djordje PANTELIC
  Apollon Patras
  (204-F-84)
  Avg: 2

1. Pantelic, Apollo.	2.0
2. Kartelo, AE.	2.0
3. Jovanovic, KAOD	1.5
4. Kasabalis, AE.	1.2
5. Mprozos, Arkadikos	0.9
6. Margaritis, KAOD	0.9
7. Psathas, Apollon .	0.9
8. Kakaroudis, Ikaroi S.	0.7
9. Karavanas, Panery.	0.7
10. Papachristos, Periko.	0.7

Standings - A2

A2 Standings

1. KAOD		17-1
2. Ikaroi Serron		13-5
3. AGOR		13-6
4. Lavrio		12-6
5. Arkadikos		10-8
6. Panelefsiniakos		10-8
7. Apollon Patras		9-9
8. Amyntas Dafnis		8-10
9. Ermis Lagkada		8-10
10. AEK/Argous		8-10
11. Periko/Arhelaos		8-11
12. Olimpiada		7-11
13. Pagrati		7-11
14. Panerythraikos		6-12
15. Koroivos		5-13
16. Near East		4-14

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HOLLAND

Magixx Kidsright Cools Off WCAA Giants - by Sanders Jackson
Thursday night in Bergen-op-Zoom, after a strong 1st quarter start by surging WCAA Giants, the next three quarters belonged to Magixx Kidsright, as they brought the recently hot WCAA Giants team back to earth, with a 3rd quarter 9-0 run and strong rebounding making a difference, as the Magixx cruised to a 97-79 win. Magixx extended their lead
from 63-59 to 73-59 in the 3rd quarter, and never relinquished their double-digit lead through the game. Magixx also had balanced scoring, with Brian Laing leading five Magixx players in double figures with 24 pts., and Zaire Taylor adding 21. Tim Blue led the Giants with 19 pts. Magixx had little resistance to the basket, making 68% FG with a 40-30 rebounding advantage. With the win, Magixx close in to within two games of nemesis Eiffel Towers, while the Giants remain locked in a three-way tie for 5th place.

Steve Ross suspended for three games - by Fred Roggen
Canadian Steve Ross (201-G/F-80, agency: Court Side, college: Santa Clara) has been suspended three games after the away match against Nijmegen. Ross went after the defeat against Nijmegen on March 3, railing against the referees and got disqualified.
This is shown Saturday during a hearing session of the Disciplinary and Arbitration Board of the NBB in Nieuwegein, where Ross, the referees and the commissioner could provide their views on the incident.
The small forward of Gasterra Flames has been served a game. He is missing the next two games, including the semifinal of the Dutch Cup.

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ICELAND

D-1 play-offs - by Siggi Hjorleifsson
D-1 play-offs is now played. Thor Thorlakshofn already made it up to Iceland Express league as they won they league.
Next four are playing for the other spot.
Results from thosev games are as follows.
Skallagrimur 91 Valur 96. Hafthor Gunnarson 20 Mateuz Zowa 20 + 19 boards. Kristjan Andresson 17 Darrell Flake 16 for Skallagrim. Calvin Wooten 35 Philip Perre 25 + 10 rebs for Valur.
Valur 95 Skallagrimur 82. Philip Perre 33 + 11 rebs Calvin Wooten 25 + 9 assist for Valur. Hafthor Gunnarsson 27 Darrell Flake 24 + 13 rebs for Skallagrim
Thor Ak 81 Breidablik 72. Konrad Tota 21. Dimitar Petrushev 21 for Thor. Thorsteinn Gunnlaugsson 19 for Breidablik
Breidablik 84 Thor Ak 88. Adalsteinn Palsson 22 Arnar Petursson 13 for Breidablik. Konrad Tota 22 Wesley Hsu 18. Olafur Torfason 18 + 13 boards for Thor
Valur & Thor will meet in the finals

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IRAN

Sami to leave Guifoes Sports Club - by Eurobasket
Due to undisclosed reasons regarding visa status, the Guifoes Sport Clube and Behdad Sami (183-G-86, college: Linn Benton CC) reached an agreement for him to be released from his contract and return to the USA. There are only 5 official games left in the regular season, which cuts his stay 1 month short. Behdad is now under no contract and is an available free agent (USA Passport).

I was sad to hear the news regarding my visa situation. I wish the Guifoes organization and players nothing but the best. I will be rooting for them in these last 5 games in hopes for a push into the playoff run. I will miss everyone and I thank everyone from the organization, the players and the city for taking me in and the hospitality I received. Behdad Sami

The Guifoes next scheduled game will be on March 19 against 4th ranked Terceira Basket.

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

ITALY

Lega2 Round 23: Umana Venezia defeats Aget Imola in the closest game of the week - by Eurobasket News
Eighth-ranked Aget Imola (11-12) gave a tough game to first ranked Umana Venezia (17-6) on Sunday. The visitors from Venezia managed to secure only two-point victory 79-77. However their fans expected much easier game. Aget Imola was trailing by 2 points at halftime but managed to get 1-point lead after three quarters before a 22-19 charge of Umana Venezia, which allowed them to win the game. They also forced 20 Aget Imola turnovers. It was a great evening for American-Bulgarian guard Kiki Clark (173-84, college: St.Peter's) who led his team to a victory scoring 26 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists and 4 steals. American forward Tamar Slay (204-80, college: Marshall) helped adding 15 points and 8 rebounds. American guard Trent Whiting (185-76, college: BYU) responded with 19 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists and 4 steals. Umana Venezia maintains first place with 17-6 record. Aget Imola at the other side keeps the eighth position with 12 games lost. They share it with Fileni BPA. Umana Venezia are looking forward to face Tuscany Pistoia (#11) at home in the next round and are hoping to win another game. Aget Imola will play against Mazzeo San Severo and is hoping to prove to their supporters that this time they can win.
Trenkwalder RE (#14) forced the game against Naturhouse Ferrara (#11) into an overtime, but lost by one point 87-88. It was an exceptional evening for naturalized Albanian swingman Klaudio Ndoja (198-85) who led the winners and scored 29 points and 5 rebounds. David Cournooh accounted for 15 points and 4 steals. American guard Dawan Robinson (189-82, college: Rhode Island) came up with 28 points and 5 rebounds for Trenkwalder RE in the defeat. Naturhouse Ferrara (10-13) moved-up to tenth place, which they share with Tuscany PT. Trenkwalder RE at the other side keeps the fourteenth position with 16 games lost. Naturhouse Ferrara will play against higher ranked Sigma Barcellona (#6) on the road in the next round and it will be quite challenging to get another victory. Trenkwalder RE will play against MarcoPoloShop.it (#15) in Forli and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
An interesting game took place in Forli where higher ranked Sigma Barcellona (15-8) was upset on the court of fifteenth ranked MarcoPoloShop.it (6-17) 98-89 on Sunday. It ended at the same time the three-game winning streak of Sigma Barcellona. The best player for the winners was Leemire Goldwire who scored 32 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists (was perfect 8-for-8 from the free throw line). Joseph Crispin produced 21 points and 4 assists for the guests. Sigma Barcellona's coach rotated ten players in this game, but that didn't help. Newly promoted MarcoPoloShop.it maintains fifteenth place with 6-17 record, which they share with San Severo. Sigma Barcellona at the other side, also newcomer in the league, dropped to the fourth position with eight games lost. They share it with Immobiliare SR and Sunrise Scafati. MarcoPoloShop.it will meet higher ranked Trenkwalder RE (#14) in the next round and it will be quite challenging to get another victory. Sigma Barcellona will play against Naturhouse Ferrara (#10) and hope to secure a win.
Second ranked Fastweb CM (16-7) crushed at home 15th ranked Mazzeo San Severo (6-17) by 38 points 89-51, which is the biggest margin this round. Ricky Hickman orchestrated the victory by scoring 17 points and 5 assists. Fastweb CM's coach Marco Crespi felt very confident that he used entire bench which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. Fastweb CM maintains second place with 16-7 record behind leader Umana Reyer, which they share with Snaidero UD. Newly promoted Mazzeo San Severo dropped to the bottom position with 17 games lost. Fastweb CM's next round opponent will be Immobiliare SR (#4) in Rimini. Mazzeo San Severo will play at home against Aget Imola (#9).

There were no shocking results in the rest of the games of round 23: Assigeco lost to Fileni BPA on the opponent's court 72-86. Tuscany PT unfortunately lost to Sunrise Scafati in a home game 61-70. Tezenis Verona recorded a loss to Snaidero UD on the road 78-84. Immobiliare SR defeated Prima Veroli on its own court 69-64.

Fastweb CM - San Severo 89-51

Second ranked Fastweb CM (16-7) crushed at home 15th ranked Mazzeo San Severo (6-17) by 38 points 89-51, which is the biggest margin this round. The game without a history. Fastweb CM led from the first minutes and controlled entire game increasing their lead in each quarter. They shot 61.1 percent from the field. Fastweb CM forced 19 Mazzeo San Severo turnovers. They shot the lights out from three nailing 15 long-distance shots on high 62.5 percentage. American guard Ricky Hickman (190-85, college: NC-Greensboro, agency: Court Side) orchestrated the victory by scoring 17 points and 5 assists. His fellow American import guard Donell Taylor (198-82, college: UAB) contributed with 15 points for the winners. Four Fastweb CM players scored in double figures. Fastweb CM's coach Marco Crespi felt very confident that he used entire bench which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. American forward Kaniel Dickens (203-78, college: Idaho) answered with 11 points and the former international guard Fabio Zanelli (196-76) added 11 points in the effort for Mazzeo San Severo. Fastweb CM maintains second place with 16-7 record behind leader Umana Reyer, which they share with Snaidero UD. Newly promoted Mazzeo San Severo dropped to the bottom position with 17 games lost. Fastweb CM's next round opponent will be Immobiliare SR (#4) in Rimini. Mazzeo San Severo will play at home against Aget Imola (#9).
Top scorers:
Fastweb CM: R.Hickman 17+1reb+5ast, S.Pierich 16+2reb+1ast, D.Taylor 15+3reb+1ast, T.Fantoni 11+4reb+2ast, M.Malaventura 8+1reb, O.Nnamaka 6+9reb+2ast
San Severo: K.Dickens 11+3reb, F.Zanelli 11+1reb+2ast, P.Chiarello 6+2reb, L.Ianes 6+2reb, R.Stefanov 6+2reb+1ast, M.Ferri 5

Aget Imola - Umana Reyer 77-79

Eighth-ranked Aget Imola (11-12) gave a tough game to first ranked Umana Venezia (17-6) on Sunday. The visitors from Venezia managed to secure only two-point victory 79-77. However their fans expected much easier game. Aget Imola was trailing by 2 points at halftime but managed to get 1-point lead after three quarters before a 22-19 charge of Umana Venezia, which allowed them to win the game. They also forced 20 Aget Imola turnovers. It was a great evening for American-Bulgarian guard Kiki Clark (173-84, college: St.Peter's) who led his team to a victory scoring 26 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists and 4 steals. American forward Tamar Slay (204-80, college: Marshall) helped adding 15 points and 8 rebounds. American guard Trent Whiting (185-76, college: BYU) responded with 19 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists and 4 steals and naturalized Argentinian guard Patricio Prato (193-79, college: St.Bonaventure) scored 21 points. Umana Venezia maintains first place with 17-6 record. Aget Imola at the other side keeps the eighth position with 12 games lost. They share it with Fileni BPA. Umana Venezia are looking forward to face Tuscany Pistoia (#11) at home in the next round and are hoping to win another game. Aget Imola will play against Mazzeo San Severo and is hoping to prove to their supporters that this time they can win.
Top scorers:
Umana Reyer: K.Clark 26+6reb+4ast, T.Slay 15+8reb+2ast, A.Young 13+2reb+2ast, S.Bryan 7+4reb, M.Maestrello 6+1reb, G.Meini 5+1reb+2ast
Aget Imola: P.Prato 21+3reb, T.Whiting 19+7reb+5ast, D.Bruttini 13+8reb, M.Ringstrom 9+5reb, F.Masoni 7+4reb+1ast, A.Amici 4+2reb

Fileni BPA - Assigeco 86-72

The game between closely ranked teams ended with 12th ranked Assigeco BPL's (8-15) road loss to eleventh ranked Fileni BPA (11-12) 72-86. It looked good early as Assigeco BPL took an 3-point lead at the end of first quarter. But then Fileni BPA had a 26-11 second period charge getting the lead and Assigeco BPL was not able to take back game control losing it eventually 72-86. Fileni BPA dominated down low during the game scoring 60 of its points in the paint compared to Assigeco BPL's 40. The former international guard Andrea Pecile (187-80, agency: World Sport Agency) orchestrated the victory by scoring 24 points (was perfect 7-for-7 from the free throw line). The former international center Michele Maggioli (212-77) contributed with a double-double by scoring 19 points and 10 rebounds for the winners. Naturalized Argentinian swingman Bruno Cerella (194-86, agency: Players Group) answered with 18 points and 7 rebounds and American guard Paul Marigney (192-82, college: St.Mary's, CA) added 23 points in the effort for Assigeco BPL. Both coaches used bench players and allowed the starting five to rest. Fileni BPA moved-up to eighth place, which they share with Aget Imola. Assigeco BPL lost third consecutive game. They keep the twelfth position with 15 games lost. Fileni BPA's next round opponent will be higher ranked Snaidero Udine (#3) on the road and it will be quite challenging to get another victory. Assigeco BPL will play against Sunrise Scafati (#5).
Top scorers:
Fileni BPA: A.Pecile 24+4reb+2ast, M.Maggioli 19+10reb, B.Elder 13+3reb+1ast, F.Migliori 9+9reb, M.Nocedal 8+1reb+2ast, M.Rossi 7+1ast
Assigeco: P.Marigney 23+1reb, B.Cerella 18+7reb+1ast, R.Boykin 8+6reb, P.Ezugwu 6+7reb, M.Bertolazzi 6+2reb+2ast, D.Banti 4

Forli - Barcellona 98-89

An interesting game took place in Forli where higher ranked Sigma Barcellona (15-8) was upset on the court of fifteenth ranked MarcoPoloShop.it (6-17) 98-89 on Sunday. It ended at the same time the three-game winning streak of Sigma Barcellona. The hosts took control from the first minutes by winning first half. But Sigma Barcellona won third quarter 21-17. However it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. MarcoPoloShop.it made 22-of-22 free shots (100 percent !!!) during the game. The best player for the winners was American guard Leemire Goldwire (180-84, college: Charlotte, agency: Interperformances) who scored 32 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists (was perfect 8-for-8 from the free throw line). Finnish swingman Shawn Huff (198-84, college: Valparaiso) chipped in 16 points. American guard Joseph Crispin (186-79, college: Penn St.) produced 21 points and 4 assists and naturalized American swingman Ryan Bucci (192-81, college: C.W. Post) added 21 points and 5 rebounds respectively for the guests. Both teams had four players each who scored in double figures. Sigma Barcellona's coach rotated ten players in this game, but that didn't help. Newly promoted MarcoPoloShop.it maintains fifteenth place with 6-17 record, which they share with San Severo. Sigma Barcellona at the other side, also newcomer in the league, dropped to the fourth position with eight games lost. They share it with Immobiliare SR and Sunrise Scafati. MarcoPoloShop.it will meet higher ranked Trenkwalder RE (#14) in the next round and it will be quite challenging to get another victory. Sigma Barcellona will play against Naturhouse Ferrara (#10) and hope to secure a win.
Top scorers:
Forli: L.Goldwire 32+5reb+5ast, S.Huff 16+4reb+1ast, L.Campani 13+4reb+1ast, S.Borsato 12+1reb+1ast, M.Poletti 11+5reb+1ast, A.Ranuzzi 6+1reb+2ast
Barcellona: R.Bucci 21+5reb+1ast, J.Crispin 21+4reb+4ast, M.Hicks 17+2reb+2ast, K.Achara 13+9reb+1ast, A.Ghiacci 5+6reb+3ast, G.Sorrentino 5+1reb+1ast

N.Ferrara - Trenkwalder 88-87 OT

Trenkwalder RE (#14) forced the game against Naturhouse Ferrara (#11) into an overtime, but lost by one point 87-88. Trenkwalder RE was ahead by 9 points after three quarters before a 20-11 charge of Naturhouse Ferrara, which allowed them to tie the game at the end of regular time. They were better in overtime eventually winning that period 12-11. Naturhouse Ferrara forced 19 Trenkwalder RE turnovers. Trenkwalder RE was plagued by 31 personal fouls down the stretch. It was an exceptional evening for naturalized Albanian swingman Klaudio Ndoja (198-85) who led the winners and scored 29 points and 5 rebounds. Naturalized Ghanian guard David Cournooh (190-90) accounted for 15 points and 4 steals for the winning side. American guard Dawan Robinson (189-82, college: Rhode Island) came up with 28 points and 5 rebounds and the former international forward Rodolfo Valenti (198-80) added 17 points and 7 rebounds (was perfect 8-for-8 from the free throw line) respectively for Trenkwalder RE in the defeat. Four Trenkwalder RE players scored in double figures. Naturhouse Ferrara (10-13) moved-up to tenth place, which they share with Tuscany PT. Trenkwalder RE at the other side keeps the fourteenth position with 16 games lost. Naturhouse Ferrara will play against higher ranked Sigma Barcellona (#6) on the road in the next round and it will be quite challenging to get another victory. Trenkwalder RE will play against MarcoPoloShop.it (#15) in Forli and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
N.Ferrara: K.Ndoja 29+5reb+1ast, D.Cournooh 15+3reb+2ast, J.Boyette 12+4reb+3ast, R.Hoover 9+7reb+1ast, V.Mazzola 8+8reb, T.Kotti 8+7reb
Trenkwalder: D.Robinson 28+5reb+1ast, R.Valenti 17+7reb, T.Bell 16+3reb+2ast, D.Slanina 11+4reb+1ast, R.Chiacig 8+11reb+1ast, M.Frassineti 5+3reb

Tuscany PT - Sunrise Scafati 61-70

Rather predictable result when sixth ranked Sunrise Scafati (15-8) defeated on the road 9th ranked Tuscany Pistoia (10-13) 70-61. The guests took control from the first minutes by winning first half. But Tuscany Pistoia won fourth quarter 18-17. However it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. Sunrise Scafati made 20-of-26 charity shots (76.9 percent) during the game. They also forced 19 Tuscany Pistoia turnovers. American guard Ronald Davis (190-82, college: Wisc.-Milwaukee) orchestrated the victory by scoring 21 points and 5 rebounds. Forward Patrick Baldassarre (200-86, agency: Players Group) contributed with 14 points and 7 rebounds for the winners. Four Sunrise Scafati players scored in double figures. American guard Joseph Forte (193-81, college: N.Carolina, agency: JEMsports) answered with 17 points and power forward Fiorello Toppo (198-80) added 9 points and 10 rebounds in the effort for Tuscany Pistoia. Sunrise Scafati moved-up to fourth place, which they share with Immobiliare SR and Barcellona. Tuscany Pistoia at the other side dropped to the tenth position with 13 games lost. Sunrise Scafati's next round opponent will be Assigeco BPL (#12) in Lodi and are hoping to win another game. Tuscany Pistoia will play on the road against the league's leader Umana Venezia.
Top scorers:
Sunrise Scafati: R.Davis 21+5reb+2ast, P.Baldassarre 14+7reb+1ast, M.Casini 11+4reb+2ast, J.Hunter 10+3reb+1ast, N.Radulovic 8+6reb, M.Levin 4+4reb+3ast
Tuscany PT: J.Forte 17+2reb+2ast, A.Filloy 13+4reb+2ast, G.Fucka 10+6reb, F.Toppo 9+10reb+1ast, J.Varnado 6+6reb, J.Porzingis 4+3reb+1ast

Snaidero UD - Tezenis Verona 84-78

Not a big story in a game when 13th ranked Tezenis Verona (8-15) was defeated on the road by third ranked Snaidero Udine (16-7) 84-78. However just six-point win is not that big difference and the fans of host team counted on more convincing victory. Tezenis Verona was ahead by 7 points at the halftime before a 47-34 second half run of Snaidero Udine. They made 20-of-26 charity shots (76.9 percent) during the game. American guard Clint Cotis Harrison (194-76, college: N.Carolina St., agency: Court Side) orchestrated the victory by scoring 33 points (!!!). Naturalized American guard Donte Mathis (190-77, college: Texas St.) contributed with 7 points, 9 rebounds and 12 assists for the winners. Naturalized Argentinian guard Antonio Porta (188-83, agency: Players Group) answered with 19 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists and American-German power forward Keith Waleskowski (204-80, college: Dayton) added 12 points and 8 rebounds in the effort for Tezenis Verona. Both teams had four players each who scored in double figures. Snaidero Udine moved-up to second place, which they share with Fastweb CM. Tezenis Verona lost third consecutive game. Newly promoted team dropped to the twelfth position with 15 games lost. Snaidero Udine's next round opponent will be Fileni BPA (#8) in Jesi which should be theoretically an easy game. Tezenis Verona will play at home against Prima Veroli (#7).
Top scorers:
Snaidero UD: C.Cotis Harrison 33+2reb+1ast, J.Williams 21+4reb+1ast, L.Dordei 11+7reb+1ast, T.Rinaldi 11+13reb+2ast, D.Mathis 7+9reb+12ast, R.Prandin 1+2reb
Tezenis Verona: A.Porta 19+5reb+4ast, M.Jurevicus 16+4reb, F.Bellina 13+5reb+1ast, K.Waleskowski 12+8reb, J.Trepagnier 9+3reb, A.Renzi 7+3reb

Immobiliare SR - Prima Veroli 69-64

Everything went according to plan in Rimini where fifth ranked Immobiliare SR (15-8) beat 7th ranked Prima Veroli (13-10) 69-64. Prima Veroli was ahead by 2 points at the halftime before a 41-34 second half run of Immobiliare SR. They dominated down low during the game scoring 56 of its points in the paint compared to Prima Veroli's 28. They outrebounded Prima Veroli 49-27 including a 18-5 advantage in offensive rebounds. American power forward Quadre Lollis (200-73, college: Montana St.) orchestrated the victory with a double-double by scoring 21 points and 10 rebounds (on 9-of-11 shooting from the field). The former international forward Demian Filloy (198-82, agency: Interperformances) contributed with a double-double by scoring 12 points and 18 rebounds for the winners. American guard Jarrius Jackson (188-85, college: Texas Tech) answered with 20 points and the former international guard Guido Rosselli (196-83) added 13 points and 5 rebounds in the effort for Prima Veroli. Both teams had four players each who scored in double figures. Immobiliare SR have a solid series of three victories in a row. They moved-up to fourth place, which they share with Sunrise Scafati and Barcellona. Prima Veroli at the other side keeps the seventh position with ten games lost. Immobiliare SR's next round opponent will be league's second-placed Fastweb CM in Casale and it will be quite challenging to get another victory. Prima Veroli will play on the road against Tezenis Verona (#13).
Top scorers:
Immobiliare SR: Q.Lollis 21+10reb+2ast, T.Roderick 16+11reb+1ast, D.Filloy 12+18reb+2ast, G.Tomassini 11+1reb+2ast, G.Gurini 5+2reb+1ast, F.Foiera 4+2reb
Prima Veroli: J.Jackson 20+1reb+3ast, G.Rosselli 13+5reb+3ast, J.Penn 13+2reb+2ast, D.Brkic 12+4reb+1ast, I.Gatto 6+5reb, I.Andrea 0

Team Italy win All-Star Game - by Eurobasket News
Team Italy - All-Stars 90:88

Team Italy celebrated victory in the traditional All-Star Game held at the Mediolanum Forum in Assago. They held off All-Star Team that included the best import players from around the league. It was an exciting tight battle from start to finish. Team Italy managed to snatch a narrow last second victory at the end. Luigi Datome (202-G/F-87) knocked down a late basket to propel Italy to the win. Stefano Mancinelli (203-F-83) was trumped the MVP of the game. He finished with 22 points to lead Team Italy. Luigi Datome added 17 points for the winners. Nicolo Melli (205-F-91) accounted for 12 points for Italy. Othello Hunter (203-F-86, agency: David Lee services, college: Ohio St.) responded with 20 points and 10 rebounds for All-Stars selection. James White (198-G-84, agency: Court Side, college: Cincinnati) provided 16 points in the loss.
James White triumphed in Slam Dunk Contest. He overcame Earl Rowland (188-G-83, college: St.Mary's, CA) in the final stage of the contest. Nicolas Mazzarino (181-G-75, agency: Players Group) was the best sharpshooter as he claimed the victory in Three-Point Shootout Contest. He prevailed against Luigi Datome in the final round.

Team Italy: Stefano Mancinelli 22, Luigi Datome 17, Nicolo Melli 12
All-Stars: Othello Hunter 20+10 boards, James White 16, David Moss 12

Benetton claim Trofeo di Carnevale - by Eurobasket News
Benetton Treviso - Cimberio Varese 86:83

Benetton Treviso clinched Trofeo di Carnevale. They overcame Cimberio Varese in Montebelluna. The teams clashed during the All-Star Game pause in Seria A. Donatas Motiejunas (213-C-90, agency: Interperformances) nailed 20 points to pace Benetton. The centre was named the MVP of the game. Benetton led from the start. They posted a 20:17 lead after ten minutes. The Treviso team stretched the margin to as many as 9 points at halftime. Benetton maintained the lead throughout the bigger part of the second half however Varese did not surrender. Rannikko and Kangur dragged them within 2 points late in the game before Benetton sneaked to the victory at the end.
Hrvoje Peric (203-F-85) had 19 points for the winners. Brian Skinner (207-F-76, college: Baylor) added 13 points for Benetton. Rok Stipcevic (188-G-86) answered with 21 points for Varese. Phil Goss (186-G-83, college: Drexel) accounted for 15 points in the loss.

Benetton Treviso: Donatas Motiejunas 20, Hrvoje Peric 19, Brian Skinner 13
Cimberio Varese: Rok Stipcevic 21, Phil Goss 15

Stats Leaders - Lega2

Points Per Game

Trent WHITING
  Aget Imola
  (185-G-76)
  Avg: 23.7

1. Whiting, Aget Imola	23.7
2. Crispin, Barcellona	22.0
3. Jackson, Prima Veroli	20.6
4. Gordon, Forli	19.5
5. Ebi, Aget Imola	19.2
6. Clark, Umana Reyer	19.2
7. Marigney, Assigeco	18.3
8. Forte, Tuscany PT	18.1
9. Hickman, Fastw.	17.2
10. Slay, Umana Reyer	17.1

Rebounds Per Game

Ndudi EBI
  Limoges
  (206-F-84)
  Avg: 9.2

1. Ebi, Aget Imola	9.2
2. Filloy, Immobili.	9.0
3. Varnado, Tuscany PT	8.7
4. Boykin, Assigeco	8.4
5. Lollis, Immobili.	8.2
6. Dickens, San Severo	8.2
7. Johnson, San Severo	7.8
8. Gordon, Forli	7.8
9. Waleskowski, Tezeni.	7.8
10. Dordei, Snaidero UD	7.7

Assists Per Game

Leemire GOLDWIRE
  Forli
  (180-G-84)
  Avg: 5.4

1. Goldwire, Forli	5.4
2. Crispin, Barcellona	5.1
3. Porta, Tezenis .	4.7
4. Mathis, Snaidero.	3.9
5. Whiting, Aget Imola	3.7
6. Clark, Umana Reyer	3.7
7. Hickman, Fastw.	3.7
8. Farabello, N.Fer.	3.6
9. Marigney, Assigeco	3.5
10. Levin, Sunrise .	3.4

Steals Per Game

Terrence RODERICK
  Immobiliare SR
  (195-G/F-88)
  Avg: 3.1

1. Roderick, Immobi.	3.1
2. Ebi, Aget Imola	2.9
3. Hunter, Sunrise .	2.7
4. Achara, Barcellona	2.6
5. Filloy, Immobili.	2.4
6. Williams, Snaidero.	2.4
7. Cerella, Assigeco	2.4
8. Ndoja, N.Ferrara	2.3
9. Davis, Sunrise .	2.3
10. Piazza, Forli	2.3

Blocks Per Game

Jarvis VARNADO
  Tuscany PT
  (206-F-88)
  Avg: 2.7

1. Varnado, Tuscany PT	2.7
2. Ebi, Aget Imola	1.4
3. Maggioli, Fileni B.	1.2
4. Achara, Barcellona	1.1
5. Boykin, Assigeco	0.8
6. Frosini, Trenkwalder	0.8
7. Bryan, Umana Reyer	0.7
8. Cutolo, San Severo	0.7
9. Trepagnier, Tezeni.	0.7
10. Cervi, Trenkwalder	0.7

Standings - Lega 2

Lega2 Standings

1. Umana Reyer		17-6
2. Snaidero UD		16-7
3. Fastweb CM		16-7
4. Immobiliare SR		15-8
5. Sunrise Scafati		15-8
6. Barcellona		15-8
7. Prima Veroli		13-10
8. Aget Imola		11-12
9. Fileni BPA		11-12
10. Tuscany PT		10-13
11. N.Ferrara		10-13
12. Assigeco		8-15
13. Tezenis Verona		8-15
14. Trenkwalder		7-16
15. Forli		6-17
16. San Severo		6-17

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

KOSOVO

Standings - Superleague

SuperLeague Standings

1. Sigal Prishtina		19-1
2. Bambi		16-3
3. Peja		15-5
4. Trepca		10-9
5. Kosova		7-13
6. K.EuroSporti		6-14
7. Bashkimi		5-14
8. Mitrovica		0-19

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

LATVIA

Stats Leaders

Points Per Game

Mareks JUREVICUS
  Tezenis Verona
  (198-G/F-85)
  Avg: 22.1

1. Jurevicus, Liepaja	22.1
2. Wilson, Zemgale	16.1
3. Willjam, Barons	15.5
4. Valters, VEF R.	15.1
5. Bergmanis, Zemgale	15.1
6. Stimac, Ventspils	15.0
7. Mednis, Turiba	14.6
8. Mitchell, Liepaja	14.4
9. Peiners, LU	14.3
10. Veselovs, Valmiera	14.2

Rebounds Per Game

Arturas VALEIKA
  Caceres
  (206-F-85)
  Avg: 8.7

1. Valeika, Valmiera	8.7
2. Mednis, Turiba	8.2
3. Stimac, Ventspils	7.7
4. Berzins, VEF R.	7.5
5. Wilson, Zemgale	7.2
6. Rozitis, Zemgale	7.2
7. Aleksejevs, Liepaja	6.9
8. Selakovs, VEF R.	6.3
9. Piternieks, LU	5.9
10. Strelnieks, Ventspils	5.8

Assists Per Game

Mareks JUREVICUS
  Tezenis Verona
  (198-G/F-85)
  Avg: 4.9

1. Jurevicus, Liepaja	4.9
2. Willjam, Barons	4.8
3. Gabrans, Valmiera	4.7
4. Bertans, VEF R.	4.7
5. Mitchell, Liepaja	3.9
6. Strelnieks, Ventspils	3.8
7. Bergmanis, Zemgale	3.7
8. Gailitis, VEF R.	3.5
9. Piternieks, LU	3.2
10. Feldmanis, Barons	3.1

Steals Per Game

Mareks JUREVICUS
  Tezenis Verona
  (198-G/F-85)
  Avg: 2.6

1. Jurevicus, Liepaja	2.6
2. Jahovics, VEF R.	2.2
3. Cavars, Barons	1.9
4. Gailitis, VEF R.	1.9
5. Mitchell, Liepaja	1.9
6. Gabrans, Valmiera	1.8
7. Slisans, LU	1.8
8. Valters, VEF R.	1.7
9. Bertans, VEF R.	1.6
10. Motivans, Turiba	1.6

Blocks Per Game

Kaspars BERZINS
  VEF Riga
  (213-F/C-85)
  Avg: 2.1

1. Berzins, VEF R.	2.1
2. Rozitis, Zemgale	1.8
3. Beard, Liepaja	1.2
4. Mejeris, Liepaja	1.2
5. Skirmants, Barons	1.1
6. Pishchalniko., Barons	0.9
7. Meiers, Liepaja	0.9
8. Aleksejevs, Liepaja	0.9
9. Blaus, Ventspils	0.8
10. Piternieks, LU	0.8

LBL Standing

LBL Standings

1. Ventspils		16-3
2. Liepaja		16-7
3. Barons		14-9
4. Valmiera		13-8
5. VEF Riga jrs		12-9
6. Zemgale		7-12
7. Turiba		5-18
8. LU		3-20
Play in international cups:
1. VEF Riga		-

LBL Round 21: Ventspils keep a leadership position - by Eurobasket News
The game had a very big importance for second-ranked Ventspils as it allowed them to take a leadership position. Ventspils smashed 8th ranked Latvijas Universitate at home 91-57. The game without a history. Ventspils led from the first minutes and controlled entire game increasing their lead in each quarter. Ventspils forced 19 Latvijas Universitate turnovers and outrebounded them 43-26 including a 32-20 advantage in defensive rebounds. Ventspils looked well-organized offensively handing out 23 assists. The best player for the winners was center Lauris Blaus (204-90, agency: FCM) who scored 19 points, 8 rebounds and 4 assists. American forward Brandon Hunter (201-80, college: Ohio) chipped in 10 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists. Ventspils' coach Algirdas Brazys felt very confident that he used 10 players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. At the other side the best for losing team was guard Zanis Peiners (203-90) who recorded 10 points and 8 rebounds. As mentioned above they are alone now at the top position. Latvijas Universitate lost fourth consecutive game. Newly promoted team stay dead last with 20 lost games. Latvijas Universitate will play next round against strong Barons trying to get back on the winning streak. It will be a derby game for which supporters look forward to, where their team will face at home their local rival from Riga - Barons. Ventspils will try to continue on its current victory against second ranked Liepaja at home.
Very important is a home loss of third ranked Barons (14-9) against fourth ranked Valmiera (13-8) on Sunday night. Host Barons were defeated by Valmiera in a tough game in Riga 86-90. It ended at the same time the three-game winning streak of Barons. It was a good game for guard Janis Kaufmanis (185-89) who led his team to a victory with 19 points and 5 rebounds (on 8-of-10 shooting from the field). Janis Graudins contributed with 15 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists for the winners. American guard Derek Willjam (185-85, college: SMU) answered with 22 points and 4 assists for Barons. Valmiera maintains fourth place with 13-8 record. Defending champion Barons keep the third position with nine games lost. Valmiera will play against VEF Riga junior (#5) on the road in the next round. Barons' supporters look forward to an exciting derby game next round, where their team will travel locally in Riga to the arena Latvijas Universitate.
The game in Turiba supposed to be also quite interesting. Second ranked Ventspils (16-3) played at the court of 7th ranked Turiba (5-18). Ventspils smashed Turiba 95-69 on Wednesday. Oritseweyinmi Efejuku stepped up and scored 18 points for the winners. The best for the losing side was Lauris Mizis with 25 points and 5 rebounds. The winner was already known earlier in the game, so both coaches allowed to play the bench players saving starting five for next games. Ventspils keep a position of league leader. Newly promoted Turiba keeps the seventh place with 18 games lost. Ventspils will meet at home league's second-placed Liepaja in the next round and it will be for sure the game of the week. Turiba will play against Zemgale (#6) in Jelgava and it may be a tough game between close rivals.

In the last two games of round 21 bottom-ranked LU was crushed by Liepaja in a road game 102-72. Liepaja beat VEF Riga jrs at home 93-87.

Liepaja - LU 102-72

There was no surprise when 8th ranked Latvijas Universitate (3-20) was crushed on the road by second ranked Liepaja (16-7) 102-72 on Wednesday. The game without a history. Liepaja led from the first minutes and controlled entire game increasing their lead in each quarter. They dominated down low during the game scoring 66 of its points in the paint compared to Latvijas Universitate's 42. They outrebounded Latvijas Universitate 45-30 including a 35-17 advantage in defensive rebounds. Liepaja looked well-organized offensively handing out 21 assists comparing to just 7 passes made by Latvijas Universitate's players. Great defensive blocking was one of the keys in this match when Liepaja made 9 blocks. Center Martins Meiers (203-91) stepped up and scored 22 points and 7 rebounds for the winners and American guard Ashton Mitchell (180-88, college: Sam Houston St.) chipped in 12 points, 5 rebounds and 9 assists. Coach Agris Galvanovskis's team controlled all game and the coach could let to play 11 players and allowed the starting five to rest. The best for the losing side was guard Zanis Peiners (203-90) with 26 points and forward Arturs Duselis (200-89) scored 19 points. Five Liepaja and four Latvijas Universitate players scored in double figures. Liepaja have a solid series of three victories in a row. They maintain second place with 16-7 record having just -4 points less than leader Ventspils. Latvijas Universitate lost fourth consecutive game. Newly promoted team stay dead last with 20 lost games. Liepaja will meet league's leader Ventspils on the road in the next round and it will be for sure the game of the week. Latvijas Universitate's supporters look forward to an exciting derby game next round, where their team will face at home their local rival from Riga Barons.
Top scorers:
LU: Z.Peiners 26+4reb+2ast, A.Duselis 19+1reb+1ast, H.Rubenis 10+9reb, A.Malahovskis 10+5reb, D.Berzins 5+8reb+3ast, K.Jaunzems 2+1reb+1ast
Liepaja: M.Meiers 22+7reb, M.Mejeris 16+5reb+2ast, P.Caldwell 14+5reb+2ast, A.Mitchell 12+5reb+9ast, J.Kosuskins 11+4reb+5ast, K.Miglinieks 9+3reb+1ast

Liepaja - VEF Riga jrs 93-87

No shocking result in a game when second ranked Liepaja (16-7) defeated at home 5th ranked VEF Riga junior (12-9) 93-87 on Saturday. VEF Riga junior was trailing by 2 points at halftime but managed to get 4-point lead after three quarters before a 26-16 charge of Liepaja, which allowed them to win the game. They made 20-of-25 free shots (80.0 percent) during the game. Sandis Buskevics stepped up and scored 18 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists for the winners and American guard Pierce Caldwell (191-88, college: Incarnate World) chipped in 20 points and 4 assists. Caldwell is a former Eurobasket Summer League player, which is considered top international summer league in the market. The best for the losing side was Montenegrin guard Bojan Bakic (197-83, agency: Alti Sport) with 23 points and the former international swingman Sandis Valters (193-78) scored 16 points. Five Liepaja and four VEF Riga junior players scored in double figures. Liepaja have a solid series of three victories in a row. They maintain second place with 16-7 record having just -4 points less than leader Ventspils. Newly promoted VEF Riga junior keeps the fifth position with nine games lost. Liepaja will meet league's leader Ventspils on the road in the next round and it will be for sure the game of the week. VEF Riga junior will play against Valmiera (#4) and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
VEF Riga jrs: B.Bakic 23+2reb+3ast, S.Valters 16+4reb+1ast, I.Nelyubov 13+5reb, K.Berzins 12+5reb, G.Jahovics 11+4reb+1ast, D.Bertans 8+4reb+6ast
Liepaja: P.Caldwell 20+2reb+4ast, M.Mejeris 19+3reb, S.Buskevics 18+7reb+4ast, J.Aleksejevs 17+6reb, A.Mitchell 12+2reb+6ast, M.Meiers 5+3reb

Barons - Valmiera 86-90

Very important is a home loss of third ranked Barons (14-9) against fourth ranked Valmiera (13-8) on Sunday night. Host Barons were defeated by Valmiera in a tough game in Riga 86-90. It ended at the same time the three-game winning streak of Barons. Barons were ahead by 1 point at the halftime before a 49-44 second half run of Valmiera. They made 20-of-26 charity shots (76.9 percent) during the game. It was a great shooting night for Valmiera especially from behind the arc, where they had solid 52.6 percentage. Barons were plagued by 27 personal fouls down the stretch. It was a good game for guard Janis Kaufmanis (185-89) who led his team to a victory with 19 points and 5 rebounds (on 8-of-10 shooting from the field). Center Janis Graudins (201-78) contributed with 15 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists for the winners. Five Valmiera players scored in double figures. American guard Derek Willjam (185-85, college: SMU) answered with 22 points and 4 assists and the former international guard Ilmars Bergmanis (184-81) added 23 points in the effort for Barons. Valmiera maintains fourth place with 13-8 record. Defending champion Barons keep the third position with nine games lost. Valmiera will play against VEF Riga junior (#5) on the road in the next round. Barons' supporters look forward to an exciting derby game next round, where their team will travel locally in Riga to the arena Latvijas Universitate.
Top scorers:
Barons: I.Bergmanis 23+3reb+3ast, D.Willjam 22+3reb+4ast, A.Cavars 10+6reb+1ast, R.Feldmanis 9+2reb+1ast, I.Bankevics 7+3reb, D.Sweetney 5
Valmiera: J.Kaufmanis 19+5reb+3ast, J.Graudins 15+7reb+4ast, P.Veselovs 14+6reb, R.Gabrans 11+6reb+6ast, O.Virsis 11+3reb+4ast, J.Berzins 11+1ast

Ventspils - LU 91-57

The game had a very big importance for second-ranked Ventspils as it allowed them to take a leadership position. Ventspils smashed 8th ranked Latvijas Universitate at home 91-57. The game without a history. Ventspils led from the first minutes and controlled entire game increasing their lead in each quarter. Ventspils forced 19 Latvijas Universitate turnovers and outrebounded them 43-26 including a 32-20 advantage in defensive rebounds. Ventspils looked well-organized offensively handing out 23 assists. The best player for the winners was center Lauris Blaus (204-90, agency: FCM) who scored 19 points, 8 rebounds and 4 assists. American forward Brandon Hunter (201-80, college: Ohio) chipped in 10 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists. Four Ventspils players scored in double figures. Ventspils' coach Algirdas Brazys felt very confident that he used 10 players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. At the other side the best for losing team was guard Zanis Peiners (203-90) who recorded 10 points and 8 rebounds and guard Atis Slisans (184-81) added 15 points respectively. As mentioned above they are alone now at the top position. Latvijas Universitate lost fourth consecutive game. Newly promoted team stay dead last with 20 lost games. Latvijas Universitate will play next round against strong Barons trying to get back on the winning streak. It will be a derby game for which supporters look forward to, where their team will face at home their local rival from Riga - Barons. Ventspils will try to continue on its current victory against second ranked Liepaja at home.
Top scorers:
LU: A.Slisans 15+3reb+3ast, Z.Peiners 10+8reb+3ast, R.Eiduks 10+1reb+1ast, A.Malahovskis 7+5reb+2ast, T.Straudovskis 6+1reb, K.Jaunzems 4+4reb+2ast
Ventspils: L.Blaus 19+8reb+4ast, U.Pinete 14+2reb+3ast, A.Vairogs 13+1reb, M.Gulbis 12+8reb, B.Hunter 10+6reb+5ast, O.Efejuku 10+5reb

Turiba - Ventspils 69-95

The game in Turiba supposed to be also quite interesting. Second ranked Ventspils (16-3) played at the court of 7th ranked Turiba (5-18). Ventspils smashed Turiba 95-69 on Wednesday. The game without a history. Ventspils led from the first minutes and controlled entire game increasing their lead in each quarter. They dominated down low during the game scoring 62 of its points in the paint compared to Turiba's 28 and made 18-of-23 free shots (78.3 percent) during the game. Nigerian-Jamaican guard Oritseweyinmi Efejuku (196-86, college: Providence) stepped up and scored 18 points for the winners and forward Maris Gulbis (202-85) chipped in 18 points. The best for the losing side was forward Lauris Mizis (196-89) with 25 points and 5 rebounds and guard Martins Steinbergs (188-90) scored 9 points, 5 assists and 5 steals. The winner was already known earlier in the game, so both coaches allowed to play the bench players saving starting five for next games. Ventspils keep a position of league leader. Newly promoted Turiba keeps the seventh place with 18 games lost. Ventspils will meet at home league's second-placed Liepaja in the next round and it will be for sure the game of the week. Turiba will play against Zemgale (#6) in Jelgava and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Turiba: L.Mizis 25+5reb+1ast, M.Steinbergs 9+4reb+5ast, M.Rudmiezis 9+3reb+1ast, A.Strelis 8+6reb+1ast, J.Dilevka 5+5reb+2ast, U.Strauss 5+3reb+1ast
Ventspils: O.Efejuku 18+3reb+3ast, M.Gulbis 18+4reb+1ast, S.Kuzminskas 10+4reb, A.Vairogs 10+2reb+2ast, A.Strelnieks 10+5reb+1ast, L.Blaus 9+5reb+1ast

Devin Sweetney moves to Barons - by Eurobasket News
Devin Sweetney (198-G/F-87, agency: Strategic Sports, college: St.Francis, PA) has found new team. The 23-year-old guard signed a deal with Barons. Devin Sweetney spent pre-season with the Tulsa 66ers in D-League. The guard did not sign a contract and moved to Iceland in January. Devin Sweetney joined Hamar. The player tallied 28.0 points, 6.8 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game in Express League. It is the first pro season for Devin Sweetney. He graduated from the Saint Francis University in 2010. Devin Sweetney averaged 16.9 points, 7.4 boards, 2.1 assists and 1.2 steals per appearance in his senior season. The player made it into All-NEC 1st Team last year.

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LITHUANIA

LKL All-Stars celebrate victory in Siauliai - by Eurobasket News
LKL All-Stars - Time Team 122:114

LKL All-Stars claimed victory in an exciting ball game at the Siauliai Arena tonight. They held off Time Team at the LKL All-Star Game. Jonas Valanciunas (210-C-92) was named the MVP. Lietuvos Rytas scored 18 points and grabbed 10 rebounds for the winners.
LKL All-Stars erupted for 66 points in the first half to build a 19-point lead. Time Team comprised of the best import players in the league started to claw their way back into this one after the main break. They cut the deficit but five points in the third term but came up short of victory at the end. Martynas Pocius (196-G-86, agency: Interperformances, college: Duke) produced 21 points, 6 boards and 6 assists for LKL All-Stars. Arvydas Siksnius (196-F-87, college: Weatherford JC) added 17 points, while Mantas Kalnietis (196-G-86, agency: Interperformances) had 15 points for the winners. Rashaun Broadus (182-G-84, college: BYU) answered with 25 points for Time Team. Brad Newley (201-F-85, agency: Beo Basket) chipped in 15 points, while Milko Bjelica (207-C-84, agency: Beo Basket) had 14 points in the losing case.
Edvinas Ruzgas (198-G-87, college: TCU) celebrated victory in a traditional Three-Point Shootout Contest. He overcame Eimantas Bendzius (203-F-90) in the Final. Algirdas Palaima (195-F-90) of the students league was crowned the winner of Air King Slam Dunk Contest. He prevailed against Arnas Parachomikas in the final round.

LKL All-Stars: Martynas Pocius 21, Jonas Valanciunas 18+10 boards, Arvydas Siksnius 17
Time Team: Rashaun Broadus 25, Brad Newley 15, Milko Bjelica 14

Best players of Lithuanian NKL round 42 - by Eurobasket News
American Bryan Harrison (188-G-84) had an amazing evening in the last round for Mazeikiai and that's him to receive a Eurobasket.com NKL Player of the Week award for round 42.
The 26-year old guard had the game-high 24 points adding five rebounds and nine assists for Mazeikiai in his team's victory, helping them to crush Perlas-MRU (#8, 17-23) with 17-point margin 86-69. Mazeikiai maintains the 3rd position in Lithuanian NKL. They would have been even better if they hadn't lost a few games earlier this season. Mazeikiai will need more victories to improve their 25-15 record. In the team's last game Harrison had a remarkable 75.0% from 2-point range and got three three-pointers out of 7 attempts. He turned to be Mazeikiai's top player in his first season with the team. Georgia College & State University graduate has very impressive stats this year. Harrison is league's best passer with 7.1apg. Harrison is in league's top in and averages solid 2.8spg and 57.7% FGP.

The second most remarkable performance in last round's games was young forward Julius Kazakauskas (197-F-90) of Nafta/Universitetas Klaipeda. Kazakauskas impressed basketball fans with a double-double of 21 points and 10 rebounds. Bad luck as Nafta Universitetas lost that game 74-88 to slightly higher-ranked LKKA-Atletas (#5, 22-18). Despite lost game Nafta Universitetas moved up to 6th position in the standings. His team lost some distance to top teams. But 21-19 record is not bad and everything may still change. Kazakauskas is one of the most experienced players at Nafta Universitetas and has a reputation of one of team's most reliable players.

The third best performed player last round was Vytautas-Edvardas Pikalavicius (196-F/G-90) of Delikatesas (#5). Pikalavicius scored 20 points and grabbed thirteen rebounds (!!!). Despite Pikalavicius' great performance Delikatesas lost 65-73 to the higher-ranked Triobet Malsta (#1, 17-21). But his team cannot count on just a single player as he also needs help of the other teammates. The chances of Delikatesas not to end season at such low position in the league, however are less than slim as they have already lost 25 games, recording just thirteen victories. With bigger assistance of his teammates, Pikalavicius could try to bring Delikatesas' a little bit higher in the standings. Pikalavicius has individually a great season in Lithuania. After 18 games, he made it on the list of the league's leaders in rebounds with 10.2rpg (2nd best).

Other top performing players last week:
4. Azeez Oladimeji (204-F-89) of Radviliskis - 14 points and 14 rebounds
5. Arvydas Vaitiekus (210-C-83) of Silute - 19 points and 8 rebounds
6. Tomas Urbonas (214-C-92) of LKKA-Atletas - 12 points, 11 rebounds and 2 assists
7. Martynas Paliukenas (190-G-93) of Akademija - 14 points and 5 assists
8. Tadas Sebeziovas (183-G-85) of Triobet Malsta - 18 points, 3 rebounds and 4 assists
9. Justas Cesnavicius (211-C-79) of Silute - 16 points and 8 rebounds
10. Andrius Cizikas (197-G/F-88) of Silute - 11 points, 5 rebounds and 10 assists

The Player of the week is chosen based on efficiency calculation, but also including game result, importance of the game, if played recorded double-double/triple-double, etc.
The efficiency formula is a combination of various formulas used by different basketball organizations/leagues. We got involved many basketball scouts and journalists to assure it's accuracy.
The formula: 1.5*PTS + 3* (REB+AST+ST+BL-TO) - 2*BSAG - 4*PF + 3*PFRV + 4* (2FGPM+3FGPM) + 1.5*FTM - 3* (2FGPA-2FGPM) - 3* (3FGPA-3FGPM) - (FTA-FTM)

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LUXEMBOURG

Scoring Leaders - DBBL

Points Per Game

Marcus KENNEDY
  Residence
  (193-F-84)
  Avg: 25.1

1. Kennedy, Residence	25.1
2. Ulmer, Soleuvre	24.5
3. Crawford, Soleuvre	23.8
4. Schumacher, T71	23.5
5. McDaniel, Black S.	22.3
6. Reimold, Basket E.	21.8
7. Muller, T71	21.1
8. Gary, Contern	19.9
9. Smith, Sparta	19.1
10. Delgado, Etzella	19.1

Rebounds Per Game

Lamonte ULMER
  Soleuvre
  (198-F-86)
  Avg: 16.8

1. Ulmer, Soleuvre	16.8
2. McDaniel, Black S.	14.7
3. Gary, Contern	12.9
4. Crawford, Soleuvre	12.6
5. Kennedy, Residence	12.5
6. Stephens, T71	12.0
7. Wurtz, Musel Pikes	11.9
8. Scott, Etzella	10.9
9. Wojnowski, Musel P.	10.3
10. Birdsong, Amicale	9.7

Assists Per Game

Christian SCHARTZ
  Amicale
  (180-G-86)
  Avg: 5.2

1. Schartz, Amicale	5.2
2. Schumacher, T71	4.7
3. Rausch, Black Star	3.5
4. Delgado, Etzella	3.4
5. Reimold, Basket E.	3.3
6. Arbaut, Sparta	3.0
7. Schwartz, Musel P.	2.9
8. Koster, Residence	2.8
9. Ferreira, Etzella	2.4
10. McDaniel, Black S.	2.4

Steals Per Game

Christopher JONES
  Amicale
  (186-G-90)
  Avg: 2.2

1. Jones, Amicale	2.2
2. Kalmes, Contern	1.9
3. Birdsong, Amicale	1.7
4. Schartz, Amicale	1.7
5. Smith, Sparta	1.6
6. Delgado, Etzella	1.5
7. Abdiu, Residence	1.5
8. Kennedy, Residence	1.5
9. Gary, Contern	1.5
10. McDaniel, Black S.	1.5

Blocks Per Game

Brandon GARY
  Contern
  (202-F-83)
  Avg: 2.1

1. Gary, Contern	2.1
2. McDaniel, Black S.	1.9
3. Birdsong, Amicale	1.8
4. Hoffmann, Etzella	1.3
5. Stephens, T71	1.0
6. Abercrombie, Spa.	0.9
7. Ulmer, Soleuvre	0.8
8. Wurtz, Musel Pikes	0.8
9. Kennedy, Residence	0.7
10. Weisen, Soleuvre	0.6

Standings

Diekirch Standings

1-6 places
1. T71		17-4
2. Etzella		15-6
3. Amicale		13-8
4. Basket Esch		13-8
5. Sparta		11-10
6. Residence		9-12
7-10 places
1. Musel Pikes		10-10
2. Contern		7-12
3. Soleuvre		6-13
4. Black Star		1-19

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MONTENEGRO

Standings - 1A

1A Standings

1. Mornar Bar		15-3
2. Lovcen		14-4
3. Ulcijn		14-4
4. Teodo Tivat		12-6
5. Jedinstvo		10-8
6. Mogren		8-10
7. ABS Primorje		7-11
8. Danilovgrad		5-13
9. Gorstak		3-15
10. Ljubovic		3-15
Play in international cups:
1. Buducnost		-

Standings - 1B

1B Stage Two Standings

1. KK Podgorica		10-2
2. Sutjeska		10-2
3. Un.Mediteran		8-4
4. Ibar Rozaje		6-7
5. Centar BP		4-7
6. S.Centar		4-8
7. Rudar		4-9
8. Buducnost II		3-10

regular season Standings

MNE1A : Mornar at the end of the first part of the MNE1A league - by Dragan Scepanovic
Basketball Club Mornar from Bar in the derby 1A League, defeated the Ulcinj 103:65 league and finished the first part of MNE1A on first place.Mornar in the derby last round convincing victory against Ulcinj 103:65 (26:29, 24:10, 25:12, 28: 14) won first place at the end of the league of the MNE1A league.Vicoty tonight and realized Danilovgrad Lovcen.Danilovgrad on his floor beat Jednstvo 64:60 (22:19, 15:13, 13:16, 14:12 ), and Lovcen away better than ABS Primorje 97:79 (30:17, 17:16, 22:20, 28:26).Mogren is yesterdays match against the Gorstak got the official result 20-0, as the team from Kolasin has appeared in Budva at the scheduled time and Teodo has won the last round game with the official result 20-0, because their opponent - Ljubovic previously excluded from competition.
Reach the Super League won the Mornar, Lovcen, Ulcinj, Teodo and Jedinstvo, and that part of the competition, attach them Buducnost.U Super League game at the double point system, and four teams 1-4 placewill play in the semi play-off (the first game against the fourth and second against the third) in which is played in two semi-final duel obtained games.Winner will play for the title of champion of Montenegro, and the series is played in three matches obtained.In Survival (Play-out) the league will play Mogren, ABS Primorje, Danilovgrad, Gosrtak and the second placed team Super League 1B MCKL ( BC Podgorica or BC Sutjeska ).Two lowest placed teams are relegated from the Survival of the 1A MCKL. Games of first round of Super League and Survival (Play-out) League the program on 19 and 20 March.

Danilovgrad - Jedinstvo 64:60 (22:19, 15:13, 13:16, 14:12)
Danilovgrad - City SC. Spect: 150. Reff: Vojinovic (Niksic), Koljensic, Popovic (Podgorica).
Danilovgrad: Jovovic 11, Djerkovic 2, Skendic , Marko Milatovic (194-G-88) 2, Krivacevic, Jovanovic 20, Sekulic, Mrdak 4, Igor Bijelic (208-C/F-88) 17, Igor Lutersek (203-F/C-89) 8.
Jedinstvo: Ticevic, Miljic 4, Damjanovic, Omerovic 2, Babaca 9, Boban Medenica (204-F-87) 15, Petrovic 2, Vladimir Grdinic (190-G-78) 5, Milosev 15, Marko Ljujic (205-C-90) 8.

ABS Primorje - Lovcen 79:97 (17:30, 16:17, 20:22, 26:28)
Herceg Novi - SC Igalo. Spect :50. Reff: Rutesic, Janjusevic (Niksic), Lakicevic (Budvad).
ABS Primorje: Stefan Arapovic (191-G/F-90) 5, Djokovic 8, Ivan Misinezovic (188-G-93), Denis Arapovic (188-G-92) 2, Popovic 27, Bulatovic 12, Kovacevic 2, Ivan Zejak (203-F/C-87) 21, Brajovic, Savic 2.
Lovcen: Petar Stojanovic (185-G-90) 6, Latkovic 7, Boricic 14, Nikola Pavlicevic (192-G-88) 4, Vucurovic 3, Martinic 2, Lopicic 12, Kandic 5, Koprivica 5, Todorovic 15, Popovic 6, Mijatovic 18.

Mornar - Ulcinj 103:65 (26:29, 24:10, 25:12, 28:14)
Bar - SC: Topolica. Spect : 500. Reff: Dragojevic, Jokic (Podgorica), Raicevic (Bijelo Polje).
Mornar: Pesic, Damjanovic 11, Sarajlija 15, Radovic 10, Mikovic, Nikola Ljujic (202-F-91) 16, Jelenic 22, Ljubojevic 1, Gagic 15, Vujoevic 6, Ivanovic 7, Perovic
Ulcinj: Latkovic 10, Djuriic 10, Tepavcevic 1, Miloevic 15, Aleksandar1 Radulovic (209-C-84) 10, Durkovic 12, Jeftic, Klikovac, Mijovic 2, Mihailovic 5, Krstovic.

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NBA

Saturday's games - by Eurobasket News
Houston R. - San Antonio S. 107-115
The San Antonio Spurs knew the Houston Rockets would provide a test, and they were ready for it. Tony Parker (6'0''-G-80) scored 21 points and helped the Spurs beat back a second-half comeback bid by the Rockets for a 115-107 victory Saturday night. The Spurs led by 13 points in the second quarter and were up by 10 at the half before Houston took its first lead at 67-66 on a dunk by Jordan Hill with 6:06 left in the third quarter. ''Houston is a very hard team to guard,'' Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. ''We made a lot of big stops when we needed to. I felt fortunate to get out of here with a win as Houston always gives us problems.'' Houston's final lead was 89-87 with 9:52 to play on a three-point play by Kyle Lowry. The Rockets tied it at 97 with 6:39 to play, but a 3-pointer by Parker with 6:24 to go put San Antonio in the lead for good. ''It was a great win and a very physical game,'' Parker said. ''We made the big stops and shots at the end. We did a good job as a team in slowing down Lowry and the Houston offense. I thought we did a great job defensively and to get a win on the road.'' Manu Ginobili (6'6''-G-77, agency: Interperformances) added 19 points and Antonio McDyess had 12 points and 12 rebounds for the Spurs. *Courtesy of www.comcast.net

Denver N. - Detroit P. 131-101
J.R. Smith (6'6''-G-85) finally got the message. 'Everybody's been telling me to catch and shoot and stop trying to make plays off the dribble,' Smith said. 'The last month and a half, two months, I've been passing up a lot of open 3s to get to the basket. Everybody wants me to catch and shoot, so that's what I did tonight.' Smith had a season-high 31 points, connecting on seven of his nine 3-pointers in the fourth quarter to help the Denver Nuggets pull away for a 131-101 victory over the Detroit Pistons on Saturday night. Nene added 18 points and 11 rebounds, and Ty Lawson (5'11''-G-87, college: N.Carolina) had 15 points and 11 assists for the Nuggets, 7-2 since the blockbuster trade that sent Carmelo Anthony to New York on Feb. 22. *Courtesy of www.cbssports.com

N.Orleans H. - Sacramento K. 115-103
Chris Paul (6'0''-G-85, college: Wake Forest) dealt with a brief bout of anxiety as he prepared to return from a mild concussion that had sidelined him for two games. It had nothing to do with his health, though. ''Before the game, I was a little bit nervous, just because I feel like we've been playing well and I didn't want to come out and mess anything up,'' Paul said. Really? The All-Star guard scored a season-high 33 points to go with 15 assists, seven rebounds and five steals, and the New Orleans Hornets beat the Sacramento Kings 115-103 on Saturday night. ''I'm never surprised by those kinds of numbers,'' Hornets coach Monty Williams said. ''That's what he's capable of doing. Scoring 33 points is probably a little high for him, but he's capable of that. When he's able to push the ball in transition and knock down his jumper, he can do that more often than people think.'' David West had 25 points and former Kings forward Carl Landry (6'7''-F-83, college: Purdue) added 20 for New Orleans, which has won four of five games and passed Portland for sixth place in the Western Conference. *Courtesy of www.comcast.net

Chicago B. - Utah Jazz 118-100
Derrick Rose (6'4''-G-88, college: Memphis) and Luol Deng (6'7''-F-85, agency: Interperformances, college: Duke) each scored 26 points, and the Chicago Bulls ran away with their 13th win in 15 games, all but grabbing a share of the Eastern Conference lead with an easy 118-100 victory over the Utah Jazz on Saturday. Rose scored 17 points in a blistering first quarter as the Bulls grabbed a 37-17 lead, and Chicago set a franchise record with 18 3-pointers while pulling within percentage points of Boston. It was a championship-level performance by a team that's trying to carve its own historical niche, and it came on a night when Chicago celebrated the 20th anniversary of its first title. With Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen and other players and coaches from that team on hand for a halftime ceremony, the Bulls put on a show the old-timers could appreciate. Rose, the All-Star point guard and MVP candidate, buried 5 of 11 3-pointers. Deng added seven rebounds, six assists and three steals in another strong game despite a bruised left thigh. Joakim Noah contributed 16 points and nine rebounds. Kyle Korver scored 17, C.J. Watson added 16 points and eight assists, and Chicago won again even though Carlos Boozer missed his second game in as many nights with a sprained left ankle. Al Jefferson had 33 points and 18 rebounds, Devin Harris scored 24, but the Jazz fell for the 10th time in 13 games since Jerry Sloan stepped down as coach. *Courtesy of www.sfgate.com

Milwaukee B. - Philadelph.76 102-74
The Milwaukee Bucks are shooting their way back into the Eastern Conference playoff race. Andrew Bogut (7'0''-F/C-84, college: Utah) scored 17 points and Luc Mbah a Moute (6'7''-G/F-86, college: UCLA) a Moute had 14 points, 12 rebounds and five steals to lift the Bucks to a 102-74 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday night. 'Our defense has always been kind of stable. On the offensive end, we're moving the ball better, guys are shooting their shots with more confidence,' Mbah a Moute said. 'We need to play that way for the rest of the season if we want to make the playoffs.' The Bucks have been the worst-shooting, lowest-scoring team in the NBA, but were anything but for a third straight game to match their season-best winning streak. Despite a trying season because of injuries to all five starters, the Bucks (26-38) are a half-game back of Indiana and Charlotte for the final spot in the Eastern Conference playoffs. 'It's pretty ridiculous, isn't it?' Bogut said. Brandon Jennings scored 15 points, Keyon Dooling 13 and Carlos Delfino 12 as the Bucks got contributions from all over and blew the game open in the first half. Philadelphia never got closer than 12 after halftime. *Courtesy of www.cbssports.com

Dallas M. - LA Lakers 91-96
Kobe Bryant (6'6''-G-78) went through an array of emotions, grimacing in pain and initially thinking his left ankle might be hurt bad enough to end his season. Then he realized things would be all right and even got back in the game. Bryant now has a sore ankle and is still struggling with his shot, but was able to do plenty to help the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Dallas Mavericks 96-91 on Saturday night in matchup of Western Conference powers - and a potential playoff preview. Andrew Bynum (7'0''-C-87, agency: David Lee services) led the Lakers with 22 points and 15 rebounds, while Pau Gasol had 18 points and Ron Artest 12. Dirk Nowitzki and Shawn Marion had 25 points apiece for Dallas while both posting double-doubles. Marion had 12 rebounds and Nowitzki grabbed 10. Courtesy of www.miamiherald.com

Miami Heat - Memphis G. 118-85
In less than a minute, Dwyane Wade (6'4''-G-82, college: Marquette) set the tone for the Miami Heat. Wade blocked four shots in a dazzling 55-second span shortly after tipoff, and the Heat wound up rolling past the Memphis Grizzlies 118-85 on Saturday to win their second straight. It was one of Miami's top defensive displays of the season, holding the Grizzlies to 39 percent shooting and forcing Memphis into missing its final 10 shots of the first half. And Wade was the catalyst, with that stretch that started when he blocked Tony Allen's jumper with 7:56 left in the first quarter. Another Allen layup was blocked 17 seconds later, and then Sam Young started getting Miami's attention. He had three shots swatted away in 36 seconds, the first by LeBron James (6'8''-F-84), the last two by Wade. Wade's final line: 28 points, nine assists, five rebounds and five blocks. The last NBA guard to have numbers like that in a game? Michael Jordan, in 1988. LeBron James scored 27 points while taking the fourth quarter off for Miami, which got 18 points and 10 rebounds from Chris Bosh. The 33-point victory margin was Miami's largest this season, and the Heat set a season high with 11 blocked shots. *Courtesy of www.ktvn.com

Atlanta H. - Portland TB 91-82
Jeff Teague (6'2''-G-88, college: Wake Forest) matched a career high with 24 points, Jamal Crawford (6'5''-G-80, college: Michigan) added 20 and the Atlanta Hawks snapped a four-game slide with a 91-82 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers on Saturday night. LaMarcus Aldridge scored 22 and Wesley Matthews finished with 19 for Portland, which has lost two straight following a four-game winning streak. The Hawks were without starting center Al Horford because of a sprained ankle and reserve forward Josh Powell, who was arrested before the game on traffic charges not far from Philips Arena. All of Crawford's points came in the second half on 8 for 14 shooting. Hawks coach Larry Drew started Zaza Pachulia in Horford's spot and benched forward Marvin Williams in favor of Teague at shooting guard. Joe Johnson moved to the No. 3 guard spot. *Courtesy of www.sfgate.com

Washington W. - LA Clippers 101-122
Blake Griffin (6'10''-F-89, college: Oklahoma) scored all of his 26 points in the first half and the Los Angeles Clippers rolled to a 122-101 victory over the Washington Wizards on Saturday night. In the matchup between the last two No. 1 overall picks, Griffin got the best of John Wall, both on the scoreboard and in the individual battle. Wall finished with 25 points, although the rookie from Kentucky also added eight assists and seven rebounds. Los Angeles built a 19-point, first-half lead, only to see Washington close the gap to 68-65 with 8:36 left in the third quarter. But the Clippers went on a 29-8 burst over the third and fourth periods to cruise to their fifth win in six tries. Eric Bledsoe (6'1''-G-89, college: Kentucky) added a career-high 23 points for Los Angeles. Jordan Crawford scored 16 for the Wizards, who have lost 19 of 22. *Courtesy of www.miamiherald.com

<<>><<>>

Stats Leaders

Points Per Game

Kevin DURANT
  Oklah.City T.
  (206-G/F-88)
  Avg: 28.1

1. Durant, Oklah.Ci.	28.1
2. Stoudemire, New Y.	26.4
3. James, Miami Heat	26.2
4. Wade, Miami Heat	25.5
5. Anthony, Denver N.	25.2
6. Ellis, Golde S.	25.0
7. Bryant, LA Lakers	25.0
8. Rose, Chicago B.	24.7
9. Gordon, LA Clippers	23.7
10. Nowitzki, Dallas M.	23.1

Rebounds Per Game

Kevin LOVE
  Minnesota T.
  (208-C-88)
  Avg: 15.8

1. Love, Minnesota T.	15.8
2. Howard, Orlando M.	14.0
3. Randolph, Memph.	12.8
4. Griffin, LA Clipp.	12.3
5. Noah, Chicago B.	11.6
6. Bogut, Milwauke.	11.4
7. Camby, Portland TB	10.8
8. Gasol, LA Lakers	10.3
9. Humphries, New J.	9.9
10. Horford, Atlanta H.	9.8

Assists Per Game

Rajon RONDO
  Boston C.
  (186-G-86)
  Avg: 12

1. Rondo, Boston C.	12.0
2. Nash, Phoenix Suns	11.4
3. Williams, Utah Jazz	9.7
4. Paul, N.Orleans H.	9.7
5. Calderon, Toron.	9.2
6. Felton, New Y.	9.0
7. Wall, Washington W.	8.8
8. Westbrook, Oklah..	8.5
9. Kidd, Dallas M.	8.3
10. Rose, Chicago B.	8.0

Steals Per Game

Chris PAUL
  N.Orleans H.
  (183-G-85)
  Avg: 2.4

1. Paul, N.Orleans H.	2.4
2. Rondo, Boston C.	2.3
3. Ellis, Golde S.	2.3
4. Conley, Memphis G.	1.8
5. Felton, New Y.	1.8
6. Westbrook, Oklah..	1.7
7. Gay, Memphis G.	1.7
8. Evans, Sacramen.	1.7
9. Allen, Memphis G.	1.7
10. Kidd, Dallas M.	1.7

Blocks Per Game

Andrew BOGUT
  Milwaukee B.
  (212-F/C-84)
  Avg: 2.7

1. Bogut, Milwauke.	2.7
2. Howard, Orlando M.	2.3
3. Milicic, Minnesota T.	2.2
4. McGee, Washingt.	2.2
5. Ibaka, Oklah.Ci.	2.1
6. Duncan, San A.	2.0
7. Stoudemire, New Y.	2.0
8. Jefferson, Utah J.	2.0
9. Bynum, LA Lakers	1.9
10. Okafor, N.Orlean.	1.9

Standings

NBA Standings

Eastern Conference
Atlantic Div.
1. Boston C.		46-17
2. New York K.		34-30
3. Philadelph.76		34-32
4. New Jersey N.		21-43
5. Toronto R.		18-47
Central Div.
1. Chicago B.		47-18
2. Indiana P.		27-38
3. Milwaukee B.		26-38
4. Detroit P.		23-44
5. Cleveland C.		12-52
Southeast Div.
1. Miami Heat		45-21
2. Orlando M.		41-25
3. Atlanta H.		38-28
4. Charlotte B.		27-38
5. Washington W.		16-48
Western Conference
Northwest Div.
1. Oklah.City T.		41-23
2. Denver N.		39-27
3. Portland TB		37-29
4. Utah Jazz		34-33
5. Minnesota T.		17-50
Pacific Div.
1. LA Lakers		47-20
2. Phoenix Suns		33-30
3. Golde State W.		29-36
4. LA Clippers		26-41
5. Sacramento K.		15-49
Southwest Div.
1. San Antonio S.		54-12
2. Dallas M.		47-19
3. N.Orleans H.		39-29
4. Memphis G.		36-31
5. Houston R.		33-34

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

NCAA1

Bucknell Wins 2011 Patriot League Championship - by Eurobasket
Lewisburg, Pa. - Bucknell never trailed and pulled away late in the second half to defeat Lafayette, 72-57, and win the 2011 Patriot League Men's Basketball Championship on Friday at Sojka Pavilion.
The Bison return to the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament for the first time since 2006, third as a Patriot League member and fifth overall. Bucknell has won a first-round game in each of its previous appearances representing the League in 2005 and 2006. The NCAA Tournament brackets will be announced on Sunday at 6 p.m. on CBS.
Patriot League Tournament Most Valuable Player Mike Muscala (6'10''-F/C) led all scorers with 18 points for Bucknell, making 7-of-9 shots in the game. The sophomore became the first player to earn both the Patriot League Player of the Year and Tournament MVP award in the same season since Holy Cross' Keith Simmons in 2007, and the eighth to do so in League history.
He was joined on the All-Tournament Team by a pair of teammates, sophomore Bryson Johnson (6'1''-G-90) and freshman Cameron Ayers (6'5''-G). Filling out the squad were Lafayette senior Jared Mintz (6'9''-F), Lehigh sophomore C.J. McCollum (6'3''-G) and American senior Vlad Moldoveanu (6'9''-F-88).
The Bison also won the regular-season title in the Patriot League with a 13-1 record, and improve to 25-8 overall with their 10th consecutive victory. Bucknell has won 19 of its past 20 games since Christmas.
Bucknell became the sixth consecutive top seed to win the Patriot League Tournament and the 17th in 21 seasons.
Lafayette's season comes to an end in the Patriot League title game for the second straight year, as the Leopards finish at 13-19 overall. They tied for fourth place in the Patriot League with a 6-8 mark, and the sixth-seeded Leopards were the first team lower than No. 3 to make the Patriot League Championship.
Bucknell 72, Lafayette 57
Lewisburg, Pa. - Bucknell (25-8, 13-1 PL) led from start to finish and used a 21-10 stretch midway through the second half to separate from Lafayette (13-18, 6-8 PL) and beat the Leopards, 72-57, on Friday at Sojka Pavilion to win the 2011 Patriot League Men's Basketball Championship.
In a game that was quite similiar to last year's Patriot League title loss for Lafayette, the Leopards never led but hung tough for the first 30 minutes. Bryan Cohen (6'5''-G-89) scored Bucknell's first six points for an early 6-2 lead, and Muscala later scored five in a row to build the advantage to 17-9 with 11:33 to play in the first half. The margin stayed between three and eight points for the next six minutes until the Bison went on an 8-2 run for a 28-19 lead with 4:25 left in the half. A three-pointer by Ayers gave Bucknell its first double-digit lead at 31-21, but Lafayette chipped away before the end of the half. The Leopards went on an 11-5 run to get as close as 36-32 with 1:33 left, and Bucknell carried a 39-34 lead into the half.
Lafayette scored the first bucket of the second half, but Bucknell responded with eight straight points for its biggest lead of the game when Johnson made four straight free throws for a 47-36 advantage with 17:24 to play. Lafayette had a golden chance to get back in the game, as the Bison went scoreless for the next six minutes after building the 11-point lead. A three-point play by Tony Johnson (6'0''-G) made it 47-40 with 15:27 left, and he followed with a layup to trim Bucknell's lead to 47-42 with 13:40 to go. Lafayette had multiple chances to get within one possession, but Jim Mower (6'3''-G) missed a pair of free throws, Ryan Willen (6'8''-F), Levi Giese (6'9''-F) and Jared Mintz each misfired on a layup and Willen was off from three-point range in the next two-and-half minutes as the Bison maintained the five-point edge.
Bucknell got back on track in the following minutes to effectively put the game away. Muscala ended the scoring drought with a layup for a 49-42 lead with 11:07 left in the game, then teamed with Ayers to take over the next few minutes. A Muscala free throw and Ayers bucket put Bucknell up 52-42 with 10:05 left, and Ayers followed with a pair of foul shots and a three-pointer as Bucknell grabbed a 57-46 lead with 8:31 to go in the game. Lafayette would never get back within single digits, as the Bison later went on a 5-1 run to build the lead to 68-52 with 4:36 to play. The Bison cruised down the stretch to go on to the 72-57 win and take the Patriot League title for the third time and first since 2006.
Muscala led the Bison with 18 points on 7-of-9 shooting, while Bryson Johnson went 7-of-8 at the line and finished with 15 points. Ayers tallied 12 points off the bench while making all four of his free throw attempts. In a game that featured plenty of fouls on both sides, the Bison lived up to their spot in the top five in the nation in free-throw shooting by going 23-of-28 at the line. Bucknell made 21-of-50 shots overall, and 7-of-22 from three-point range. The Bison held a 37-34 edge on the boards, led by seven from Cohen.
Lafayette fell by nearly the exact same score as last year's title matchup with Lehigh, a 74-59 final. Mintz had 16 points and six rebounds for the Leopards, making 4-of-9 shots and 8-of-11 at the free-throw line. Tony Johnson had 12 points, five rebounds and three assists, while Jim Mower scored 11. Rob Delaney (6'4''-G) and Ryan Willen each scored eight points, with Willen going over the 1,000-point mark for his career in the final contest of his junior season. The Leopards struggled in all areas shooting the ball, with a 34.6 percent mark from the field (18-of-52) and just a 4-of-18 clip from three-point range. One of the top 10 teams in the nation in free-throw shooting entering the game, the Leopards left key points at the line in a 17-for-30 night.

Courtesy of Patriot League

Patriot League Regular Season Standings
1 Bucknell 13-1
2 American 11-3
3 Holy Cross 7-7
4 Lehigh 6-8
4 Navy 6-8
4 Lafayette 6-8
7 Colgate 4-10
8 Army 3-11

Patriot League Tournament Final: Bucknell - Lafayette 72-57
Patriot League Tournament Semifinals:
American - Lafayette 71-73 (2OT)
Bucknell - Lehigh 66-64

All-Patriot League Awards 2010-11

All-Patriot League 1st Team 2010-11

Muscala

McCollum

Mintz

Moldoveanu

Shazier

Player of the Year: Mike Muscala (6'10''-F/C) of Bucknell
All-Tournament MVP: Mike Muscala (6'10''-F/C) of Bucknell
Defensive Player of the Year: Bryan Cohen (6'5''-G-89) of Bucknell
Rookie of the Year: J.J. Avila (6'7''-F) of Navy
Scholar-Athlete of the Year: Nathan Hedgecock (6'3''-G/F) of Army
Coach of the Year: Dave Paulsen of Bucknell

1st Team
G: C.J. McCollum (6'3'') of Lehigh
F: Jared Mintz (6'9'') of Lafayette
F: Vlad Moldoveanu (6'9''-88) of American
F/C: Mike Muscala (6'10'') of Bucknell
G: Darryl Shazier (6'0''-89) of Bucknell

2nd Team
G: Devin Brown (6'1'') of Holy Cross
G: Bryson Johnson (6'1''-90) of Bucknell
F: Andrew Keister (6'9'') of Holy Cross
F: Stephen Lumpkins (6'8'') of American
G: Jordan Sugars (6'3''-90) of Navy

All-Tournament Team
Mike Muscala (6'10''-F/C) of Bucknell
Cameron Ayers (6'5''-G) of Bucknell
Bryson Johnson (6'1''-G-90) of Bucknell
C.J. McCollum (6'3''-G) of Lehigh
Jared Mintz (6'9''-F) of Lafayette
Vlad Moldoveanu (6'9''-F-88) of American

All-Rookie Team
Cameron Ayers (6'5''-G) of Bucknell
J.J. Avila (6'7''-F) of Navy
Dave Dudzinski (6'9''-F) of Holy Cross
Josh Herbeck (6'4''-G) of Army
Mackey McKnight (6'0''-G) of Lehigh
Pat Moore (6'5''-G) of Colgate
Isaiah Roberts (6'2''-G) of Navy

All-Academic Team
Nathan Hedgecock (6'3''-G/F) of Army
Nick Hendra (6'3''-G) of American
Andrew Keister (6'9''-F) of Holy Cross
Gabe Knutson (6'9''-F) of Lehigh
Mike Muscala (6'10''-F/C) of Bucknell
Ryan Willen (6'8''-F) of Lafayette

UTSA Takes Down No. 1 Seed McNeese State to Reach NCAAs - by Ernest
KATY, Texas - A week ago, UTSA was uncertain if even a trip to the Southland Conference tournament was in the offing.
One week later, coach Brooks Thompson 's squad sits atop the conference, and a trip to the NCAA tournament to boot.
Conference freshman of the year Jeromie Hill scored 25 points to go along with Devin Gibson (6'0''-G)'s inspirational performance to give seventh-seeded UTSA (19-13) a thrilling 75-72 win over top-seed McNeese State on Saturday to give the Roadrunners their first conference crown since 2004 and the school's third overall.
UTSA defeated the tourney's top three seeds - McNeese, Northwestern State and Sam Houston State - in order to reach the field of 68.
'I didn't think it would be this quick, but it shows the character of these guys,' said Thompson, who suited six freshmen and just one senior in Gibson, who overcame an early injury to finish with 15 points, four rebounds and three assists en route to earning tournament most valuable player honors.
The character of UTSA was tested in the final 81 seconds as McNeese mounted a furious comeback from a nine-point deficit and nearly forced overtime before all-conference standout Patrick Richard (6'4''-F)'s game-tying attempt from the right corner glanced off the rim just as the horn sounded.
Trailing 69-60, the Cowboys, who were 4 for 23 from beyond the arc in the first 38:39 of the contest, hit four straight treys to whittle the lead down to 74-72. The regular season champions actually had a chance to take the lead, but C.J. Collins (5'11''-G-88) stepped out of bounds after grabbing his own rebound from what would have been the go-ahead 3-pointer.
After Melvin Johnson (6'5''-G) missed the second of two free throws with six seconds, Richard pulled down the rebound and pushed the ball toward the corner. He got his shot off, but Stephen Franklin stuck his hand in Richard's face just long enough to alter a shot that would have provided one of the wildest finishes in the history of the Southland tournament.
'It felt good... it looked good,' said Richard, who had 12 points and 10 rebounds. 'It just didn't go down.'
Having won the regular season title, the Cowboys will play in the National Invitational Tournament and will find out their first round opponent on Sunday night. The loss denied McNeese State a chance to become the first team in conference annals to have both their men's and women's teams win both the regular season and tournament crowns in the same season.
McNeese struggled from the field until the closing flurry, as UTSA's zone defense kept the Cowboys' perimeter offense off balance. After Diego Kaplan's 3-pointer cut the margin to 32-31 with 18:26 remaining, McNeese did not hit another triple until Kapelan (20 points) found the mark with 3:44 left.
'We just didn't have our 'A' game from the perimeter,' said Cowboys coach Dave Simmons .
Hill, however, did.
The freshman from Australia picked up the slack when Gibson was hit in the face just 2:06 into the game. Gibson stayed on the floor briefly before moving to the bench. He returned a couple of minutes later, but struggled for the bulk of the first half.
Meanwhile, Hill scored 13 points in the first half, including a dunk and an ensuing free throw with 4:30 left that brought UTSA within 26-25. He then followed with a layup that gave the Roadrunners the lead for good with 3:26 remaining.
Hill's scoring outburst continued after intermission, where he nailed consecutive 3-pointers that helped keep McNeese at bay.
'I got confident,' he said. 'I knew that if I could see daylight, I knew they'd keep falling in.'
For Gibson, Saturday marked the climax to a vision that began in the living room of his home in Houston four years ago. It was there where Thompson convinced the young man to come up help re-establish a program that had won just seven games the previous season.
Four years and 70 wins later, Gibson's goal of a Southland Conference championship ring was realized, a moment that finally struck him as he began to cut down the nets.
'I was like, 'wow, it's really happening,'' said Gibson, who was joined on the all-tournament team by Hill, Richard, Kapelan and Sam Houston State's Gilberto Clavell (6'6''-F-89).
The Roadrunners will learn their first round fate when the NCAA tournament bracket is unveiled on Sunday evening. Having experienced the excitement of two trips to the tournament while playing at Oklahoma State, Thompson knows his team will be in for a thrill ride, however long it lasts.
'It's going to be the greatest experience of their basketball lives....so far,' he said. 'I can't wait to go through that with them.'

Courtesy of Southland Conference

Southland Conf. Regular Season Standings

East Division
1 McNeese St. 11-5
2 Northwestern St. 10-6
3 SE Louisiana 9-7
4 Nicholls St. 8-8
5 Lamar 7-9
6 Cent.Arkansas 1-15

West Division
1 Sam Houston St. 10-6
2 Texas St. 10-6
3 Stephen F. Austin 9-7
4 UTSA 9-7
5 Texas Arlington 7-9
6 Texas A&M - C.C. 5-11

Southland Conf. Tournament Final: Mc Neese St. - UTSA 72-75
Southland Conf. Tournament Semifinals:
Sam Houston St. - UTSA 70-79
Mc Neese St. - Texas St. 91-83

All-Southland Conf. Awards 2010-11

All-Southland Conf. 1 st Team 2010-11

Clavell

Bose

Gibson

Scott

Player of the Year: Gilberto Clavell (6'6''-F-89) of Sam Houston St.
All-Tournament MVP: Devin Gibson (6'0''-G) of UTSA
Freshman of the Year: Jeromie Hill (6'8''-F) of UTSA
Newcomer of the Year: Bo Ingram (6'5''-F-90) of Texas Arlington
Coach of the Year: Dave Simmons of McNeese St.

1st Team
F: Gilberto Clavell (6'6''-89) of Sam Houston St.
F: Patrick Richard (6'4'') of McNeese St.
G/F: Anatoly Bose (6'6''-88) of Nicholls St.
G: Devin Gibson (6'0'') of UTSA
C: Jereal Scott (6'7''-89) of Stephen F. Austin

2nd Team
F: Tony Bishop (6'6''-89) of Texas St.
F: Will Pratt (6'5'') of Northwestern St.
C: William Mosley (6'7''-89) of Northwestern St.
G: Diego Kapelan (6'3''-87) of McNeese St.
F: Jordan Glynn (6'7''-89) of Stephen F. Austin

3rd Team
G: Ryan White (5'10''-88) of Texas St.
G: Trent Hutchin (6'1''-87) of SE Louisiana
G: Brandon Fortenberry (6'3''-90) of SE Louisiana
F: P.J. Alawoya (6'7''-88) of McNeese St.
F: Demond Watt (6'7''-89) of Texas A&M - C.C.

Honorable Mention
Josten Crow (6'4''-F-87) of Sam Houston St.
Bo Ingram (6'5''-F-90) of Texas Arlington
Devon Baker (6'1''-G-87) of Northwestern St.
Anthony Miles (6'1''-G-89) of Lamar
Cameron Johnson (6'7''-F-88) of Texas St.
Fred Hunter (6'5''-G-89) of Nicholls St.
Melvin Johnson (6'5''-G) of UTSA
Devon Lamb (6'2''-G) of Lamar
Jeromie Hill (6'8''-F) of UTSA

All-Tournament Team
Devin Gibson (6'0''-G) of UTSA
Jeromie Hill (6'8''-F) of UTSA
Diego Kapelan (6'3''-G-87) of McNeese St.
Gilberto Clavell (6'6''-F-89) of Sam Houston St.
Patrick Richard (6'4''-F) of McNeese St.

#5 UC Santa Barbara Goes Back-to-Back, Wins 2011 ampm Big West Tournament Title - by Eurobasket
Orlando Johnson scored 23 points and Jaime Serna (6'7''-F-89) added 14 from the paint Saturday to lead defending champion UC Santa Barbara to a 64-56 victory over No. 1-seeded Long Beach State for the ampm Big West Conference Tournament championship and an automatic berth into the NCAA tournament.
The No. 5-seeded Gauchos (18-13) won their season-high fourth game In a row and avenged a season sweep over a third opponent in three nights. It's their third conference tourney title and will be their sixth NCAA trip. UCSB will find its NCAA Tournament fate tomorrow live on CBS at 3 p.m. (PDT).
Casper Ware (5'10''-G) scored 14 points to lead Long Beach (22-11), which saw an 11-game win streak snapped in losing to UCSB in the title game for the second year in a row. Larry Anderson (6'5''-G) had 11 points and 12 rebounds and T.J. Robinson (6'8''-F) had 9 points and 12 rebounds for the 49ers, who will now compete in the NIT Tournament.
Jon Pastorek (6'10''-F-87) grabbed a career-high 12 rebounds for the Gauchos and hit the game's biggest basket, a 3-pointer from the corner to beat the shot clock and give UCSB a 59-50 lead with 1:30 to play.
Johnson, the tournament MVP with 85 points in 3 games, scored 18 points in the second half including 8 unanswered to cap a 10-0 UCSB run that erased the last 49ers lead and put the Gauchos in control at 45-36 with 9:15 to play.
Long Beach State shot a season-low 29 percent from the floor with numerous short-range shots rolling off the rim. Ware, the Big West player of the year, made only 2 of 10 3-point tries and 5 of 17 overall. The 49ers made only 4 of 17 tries from the arc and only 56 percent at the foul line.
UCSB had lost to Long Beach by 16 and 18 points in the regular season. UCSB also had gone 0-2 vs. Pacific and Cal State Northridge, the teams it beat to get to the championship game.
Johnson, who had made 19 of 33 shots (9 of 12 treys) and 15 of 17 free throws in the first two tourney games, had only 5 points in the first half on 2 of 8 shooting and 0 for 2 at the line. But he went one-on-one several times in the second half to score almost half of UCSB's 37-point output and finished 8-for-19.
Long Beach led only once in the first half, at 26-25, and its biggest margin in the second half was 30-27. With a 36-35 lead at 13:45 on a Robinson bucket, the 49ers failed to score for more than five minutes. The closest it got again was 6 points.
UCSB lost in the first round of last year's NCAA Tournament to Ohio State, 68-51.

Courtesy of Big West

Big West Regular Season Standings
1 Long Beach St. 14-2
2 Cal Poly - SLO 10-6
3 Cal.St. Northridge 9-7
4 Pacific 8-8
4 UCSB 8-8
6 Cal.St. Fullerton 7-9
7 Cal-Riverside 6-10
7 Cal-Irvine 6-10
9 Cal-Davis 4-12

Big West Tournament Final: Long Beach State - UC Santa Barbara 56-64
Big West Tournament Semifinals:
Long Beach State - UC Riverside 74-63
Cal State Northridge - UC Santa Barbara 63-83

All-Big West Awards 2010-11

All-Big West 1st Team 2010-11

Ware

Anderson

Daniel

Johnson

Lewis

Player of the Year: Casper Ware (5'10''-G) of Long Beach St.
All-Tournament MVP: Orlando Johnson (6'5''-G-89) of UCSB
Defensive Player of the Year: Casper Ware (5'10''-G) of Long Beach St.
Co-Freshman of the Year: Maliik Love (6'3''-G) of Cal Poly - SLO
Co-Freshman of the Year: Josh Ritchart (6'9''-F) of Cal-Davis
Newcomer of the Year: Andre Hardy (6'6''-F-86) of Cal.St. Fullerton
Sixth Man of the Year: Isiah Umipig (6'1''-G) of Cal.St. Fullerton
Best Hustle Player: Joe Harden (6'8''-G) of Cal-Davis
Coach of the Year: Dan Monson of Long Beach St.

1st Team
G: Larry Anderson (6'5'') of Long Beach St.
F: Lenny Daniel (6'7'') of Cal.St. Northridge
G: Orlando Johnson (6'5''-89) of UCSB
G: Shawn Lewis (6'4''-89) of Cal Poly - SLO
G: Casper Ware (5'10'') of Long Beach St.
F: Sam Willard (6'9'') of Pacific

2nd Team
G: Javon Borum (5'11'') of Cal-Riverside
F: David Hanson (6'5''-89) of Cal Poly - SLO
G/F: Rashaun McLemore (6'5'') of Cal.St. Northridge
G: Darren Moore (6'3'') of Cal-Irvine
F: T.J. Robinson (6'8'') of Long Beach St.

Honorable Mention
Joe Harden (6'8''-G) of Cal-Davis
Allen Huddleston (6'2''-G) of Pacific
Jervaughn Johnson (6'6''-F) of Cal.St. Fullerton
James Nunnally (6'5''-F-90) of UCSB
Mark Payne (6'8''-G) of Cal-Davis
Eugene Phelps (6'6''-F) of Long Beach St.
Greg Plater (6'1''-G-89) of Long Beach St.
Patrick Rembert (6'0''-G) of Cal-Irvine
Eric Wise (6'5''-F) of Cal-Irvine

All-Tournament Team
Orlando Johnson (6'5''-G-89) of UCSB
James Nunnally (6'5''-F-90) of UCSB
Jaime Serna (6'7''-F-89) of UCSB
Larry Anderson (6'5''-G) of Long Beach St.
Casper Ware (5'10''-G) of Long Beach St.
Lenny Daniel (6'7''-F) of Cal.St. Northridge

North Dakota Outlasts South Dakota in Double-Overtime in Great West Tournament Finals - by Eurobasket
OREM, Utah -- Josh Schuler hit a 3-pointer with four seconds remaining in double-overtime to lift North Dakota over South Dakota, 77-76, in the 2011 Great West Conference Basketball Tournament at the UCCU Center.
The double-overtime was a fitting ending to a tournament that had seen all six of its games decided by a combined 11 points.
Second-team All-GWC performer and all-tournament honoree Troy Huff led the Fighting Sioux with 15 points, while honorable mention All-GWC selection and tournament MVP Patrick Mitchell (6'8''-G) added 14 points. Jamal Webb posted a double-double of 12 points and 10 rebounds and Aaron Anderson contributed 11 points and eight rebounds.
'It was an unbelievable game for two programs and fans, and that's how March Madness should be,' said UND head coach Brian Jones . 'It was a great tournament with a lot of close games. I couldn't be more proud of my guys. They did it all weekend long. All three games came down to a couple possessions, and we made enough plays down the stretch and had a lot of toughness and resiliency.'
North Dakota took a five-point lead with five seconds remaining in regulation on two free throws by Anderson. South Dakota's Jake Thomas (6'3''-G-91), an honorable mention all-conference honoree, answered with a 3-pointer with 41 seconds left and then Kendall Cutler (6'0''-G-89) tied the score at 50-50 on a layup, was fouled, but missed the free throw and the game went to overtime.
In the first OT, UND enjoyed its largest lead of eight, 60-52, on two free throws by Anderson at the 1:32 mark. The Coyotes steadily cut into the Sioux lead and tied the game at the buzzer on a 25-foot 3-pointer by second-team All-GWC selection Louie Krogman (6'1''-G-89) that bounced around before falling in, sending the game to double-overtime.
The second overtime went back-and-forth with South Dakota taking a four-point lead with 15 seconds remaining on two free throws by Thomas which would be USD's final points. Webb hit a layup for the Sioux with 11 seconds left before Schuler hit his game-winner.
Cutler, last year's GWC Tournament MVP was a repeat selection on the all-tournament team and finished the game with 24 points. Also in double-figures for the Coyotes were Krogman with 17 points, Thomas with 11 points and Mitchell Bouie (6'4''-G-87) with 10 points and eight rebounds. Ricardo Andreotti (6'8''-F) pulled down a game-high 17 rebounds.
'It was a hard-fought game, I thought our kids battled,' said USD head coach Dave Boots . 'There were so many plays that we're going to rehash, and the kids are going to have to deal with that for a while. This is one you won't forget for a long, long time.'

Courtesy of Great West

GWC Regular Season Standings
1 Utah Valley St. 19-11 11-1
2 NJIT 15-15 9-3
3 N.Dakota 19-14 8-4
4 S.Dakota 18-15 7-5
5 Chicago St. 6-25 3-9
6 Houston Baptist 5-26 2-10
6 UTPA 6-25 2-10

GWC Tournament Final: North Dakota - South Dakota 77-76 (2OT)
GWC Tournament Semifinals:
Utah Valley - South Dakota 70-72
North Dakota - Houston Baptist 65-63

All-GWC Awards 2010-11

All-GWC 1st Team 2010-11

Williams

Gonzalez

Montgomery

Westbrook

Wilkerson

Player of the Year: Isiah Williams (6'0''-G) of Utah Valley St.
All-Tournament MVP: Patrick Mitchell (6'8''-G) of N.Dakota
Defensive Player of the Year: Michael Moss (6'0''-G-88) of Houston Baptist
Newcomer of the Year: Isiah Williams (6'0''-G) of Utah Valley St.
Sixth Man of the Year: Justin Baker (6'7''-F) of Utah Valley St.
Coach of the Year: Dick Hunsaker of Utah Valley St.

1st Team
F: Andrew Gonzalez (6'6''-89) of Houston Baptist
F: Carl Montgomery (6'7'') of Chicago St.
G: Charlie Westbrook (6'4'') of S.Dakota
G: Isaiah Wilkerson (6'3''-90) of NJIT
G: Isiah Williams (6'0'') of Utah Valley St.

2nd Team
C: Ben Aird (6'10'') of Utah Valley St.
G: Chris Flores (6'2''-90) of NJIT
G/F: Troy Huff (6'4'') of N.Dakota
G: Louie Krogman (6'1''-89) of S.Dakota
G: Brandon Provost (6'3'') of UTPA

Honorable Mention
Holton Hunsaker (5'11''-G) of Utah Valley St.
Patrick Mitchell (6'8''-G) of N.Dakota
Michael Moss (6'0''-G-88) of Houston Baptist
Geddes Robinson (6'5''-F-87) of Utah Valley St.
Jordan Swarbrick (6'6''-G) of Utah Valley St.
Jake Thomas (6'3''-G-91) of S.Dakota
Jheryl Wilson (6'3''-G-89) of NJIT

All-Newcomers Team
Ben Aird (6'10''-C) of Utah Valley St.
Troy Huff (6'4''-G/F) of N.Dakota
Brandon Provost (6'3''-G) of UTPA
Charlie Westbrook (6'4''-G) of S.Dakota
Isiah Williams (6'0''-G) of Utah Valley St.

All-Tournament Team
Carl Montgomery (6'7''-F) of Chicago St.
Michael Moss (6'0''-G-88) of Houston Baptist
Troy Huff (6'4''-G/F) of N.Dakota
Patrick Mitchell (6'8''-G) of N.Dakota
Kendall Cutler (6'0''-G-89) of S.Dakota
Patrick Mitchell (6'8''-G) of N.Dakota

Buckeyes beat Penn State 71-60 in Big Ten Tourney Finale - by Eurobasket News
Penn State and Ohio State earned the right to play each other for the B1G Tournament Title. The Buckeyes earned their 16th straight win over the Nittany Lions 71-60, a streak stretching back to 2004. OSU got the job done by carrying a late first half surge into a big lead early in the second before coasting it in to the finish. Talor Battle (6'0''-G-88) led all scorers with 22 points, while William Buford (6'5''-G) led the Buckeyes with 16. Jared Sullinger (6'9''-F) completed his third straight double-double of the tournament with 15 points and 11 rebounds.

The Nittany Lions came into the game playing tough defense, very similar to the way they did against Wisconsin a couple of days before. The Defensive look gave the Buckeyes fits on the first few possessions, allowing Talor Battle to give the Nits the lead on his first two three pointers. It was apparant that Battle was trying to get his game going before Aaron Craft could enter the game.

The Buckeyes, however, were not going to stay down for long. William Buford and Jon Diebler put in treys of their own to keep pace, on top of a Lauderdale driving hookshot to give the Bucks the lead going into the first break. Penn States man-to-man defense, despite giving up a few outside looks, still did a fantastic job of limiting OSUs offense on the interior. The Nits simply did not want to give up easy looks.

Not unlike the earlier games, Ohio State came in shooting the ball poorly. Even when PSUs defense gave the Bucks an open look, they couldnt knock the shot down. It made for a frustrating start to the game, but Penn States shooting outside of Talor Battle was 0-7 from the floor during the same span, allowing the Buckeyes to cling to the lead.

Eventually, Penn State began to commit turnovers in the face of the stifiling OSU defense. The Buckeyes managed to convert those turnovers into points. That took the lid off the basket and allowed them to jump out to a lead.

The Nits didnt let it stay that way. Talor Battle led his team to a slow and steady comeback, capped by freethrows off a questionable foul call. It occured during a 6 minute period that the Bucks scored 0 points, primarily due to mental errors on offense, primarily turnovers.

With two minutes left in the first, a Lauderdale block gave Diebler a coast to coast transition layup to break the streak. The sudden change in momentum gave the Buckeyes the opportunity to rebuild some of their lead heading into the half. A huge Diebler three, made with Talor Battle's hand in his face, gave the Buckeyes a six point lead in the closing seconds.

Both teams shot poorly, though not as badly as it seemed watching the game. The Buckeyes hit 38.5% (10-26) from the floor and 37.5% (3-8) from three, while Penn State hit 8-25 (32.0%) and 3-7 (42.9%) respectively. Both teams played a very even game in all the other stats, expressing how closely the game was truly played through the first half.

Ohio State rode the momentum of the first half straight into the start of the second. Diebler started off the scoring with another three pointer, keeping the Bucks hot while Lighty and Jared Sullinger took over for him in building a double digit lead for the scarlet and gray.

As the second half rolled on, the Nittany Lions tried desperately to keep up with the Buckeyes. Ohio State was in no hurry to blow Penn State out of the gym, but they did do more than enough to maintain their 15 point lead. Nothing the Nits did seemed to be able to close the gap at all. In fact, the Buckeyes continued to slowly grow the lead as the clock ran down.

With 6 and a half minutes left, Penn State rained in two quick three pointers spaced by a Lauderdale dunk to start to creep back into the game. While the Buckeyes had seemed to be playing lackadaisical, the shots were made with a hand in the shooters faces. It was clear that Ed Dechellis had lit a fire under his team in the waning moments to try to get the last bit of effort out of them. The shots seemed to wake Penn State up and allowed them to hit two additional quick three pointers to close the gap to ten.

Its a little nerve-wracking to see the Buckeyes continually piss away big leads late in games. It seems to happen almost exclusively against teams that are clearly inferior, suggesting a focus issue indicative of a young team. Considering our experience overall, including our 4 upperclassmen, means that this should simply not happen. This is a very frustrating trait that I hope does not hurt us during the Tournament.

This time, though, the Buckeyes refocused more quickly than they did yesterday against Michigan. They effectively used the under-4 minute TV timeout to rethink their offensive strategies, going back to the dribble drive with Craft and Diebler to get easy baskets late in the game. The switch was enough to take care of the lead and keep Penn State from making anything of their comeback attempt.

With the win, the Buckeyes have won 3 of their last 5 visits to the B1G Conference Championship, including winning the last two. All 3 of those wins have occurred in the last 5 years, demonstrating the incredible dominance Thad Matta has had on this conference tournament.

The Buckeyes ended the game with much hotter shooting in the second half than in the first. OSU hit 51.0% (26-51) from the floor and 43.8% (7-16) from three while Penn State shot only 39.3% (22-56) and 38.9% (7-18) respectively. The Buckeyes completely outplayed the Nittany Lions in the second half, expressing their dominance over a team that desperately wanted the win.

The Buckeyes, likely the top seed in the NCAA Tournament, will next play on either Thursday or Friday.

Courtesy of www.thebuckeyebattlecry.com

Southeastern Conference Finals: Knight, Miller lead Kentucky past Florida 70-54 - by Eurobasket News
Brandon Knight (6'3''-G) scored 17 points, Darius Miller (6'7''-G-90) hit two crucial 3-pointers and No. 15 Kentucky cruised to another Southeastern Conference tournament title, routing regular-season champion Florida 70-54 on Sunday.

The 12th-ranked Gators (26-7) had a miserable day shooting, especially guards Kenny Boynton (6'2''-G-89) and Erving Walker (5'8''-G). They combined to go 7 of 26 from the field, their woes epitomized in the closing minutes when they put up back-to-back airballs trying desperately to bring Florida back.

Kentucky (25-8) streaked into the NCAAs with its sixth straight win, second straight SEC tournament crown and 27th title overall - more than every other school combined.

Florida trailed at halftime for the third straight game. The Gators came back against Tennessee and Vanderbilt, but they were doomed when Kentucky pushed it out to a 14-point lead with just over 9 minutes remaining on consecutive 3s by Miller, who was named tournament MVP.

Boynton scored 10 points, the only Florida player in double figures. But he was just 4 of 16 from the field, which pretty much summed up what kind of day it was for the Gators.

They shot just 39 percent (22 of 57), matched their second-lowest scoring game of the season and almost took their worst loss, just getting in under a 93-75 defeat to Ohio State back in November. This is a team that lives by the jump shot. When those shots didn't fall, they were dead.

But hand it to Kentucky, a team that totally rebuilt around three freshmen and a very thin roster after most of the big names bolted to the NBA a year ago.

Even with one of those newcomers, Doron Lamb, plagued by a sprained ankle, the Wildcats appear to be a team that is all grown up at the most important time of year. They have won eight of nine - the only loss in that stretch an overtime setback at Arkansas - and surely improved their seeding for the tournament that really matters.

Miller hit 6 of 8 shots, grabbed six rebounds and finished with 15 points. Freshman Terrence Jones chipped in with 16 points. And Knight, the third youngster, ran the show with four assists and capped the big win with a thunderous dunk in the final minute.

Hardly looking like a team with so much youth, Kentucky turned it over just six times. Florida had 14 turnovers, and no one stepped up as the game got away. The ultra-quick Walker tried putting up jumpers and penetrating the lane, not having much success at either. He shot just 3 of 10 and had eight points.

Chandler Parsons (6'9''-F) added to the woes with a 4-of-12 performance to finish with nine points.

The shooting problems carried over the foul line, where the Gators made just 3 of 8.

Lamb sprained his left ankle in the closing minutes of a semifinal victory over Alabama. He went through pregame warmups, then started out on the bench, with DeAndre Liggins taking his place in the lineup.

The freshman checked in just ahead of the second TV timeout and seemed to move around without much problem, though he wasn't a major factor in the game. He played 23 minutes and scored six points.

Still, Lamb just playing was a big relief to Kentucky fans who made up the bulk of the crowd in 'Catlanta,' giving the Wildcats a home-court advantage a long way from Lexington. A loud cheer went up when Lamb checked into the game, meaning he should at least be in decent shape for the NCAAs.

That's important for Kentucky, which basically uses a six-man rotation. Perhaps looking to stretch his bench, coach John Calipari gave early playing time to little-used junior Eloy Vargas, who had four rebounds, two points and a steal in 10 solid minutes.

When it was done, Lamb was the first one up the ladder to cut down the nets. During a raucous celebration in front of press row, he and the other freshmen hopped around like this was something new to them - which, of course, it was.

For Kentucky, though, this was just business as usual at the SEC tournament.

Courtesy of www.newsobserver.com

O'Neill reinstated as USC basketball coach - by Eurobasket News
Kevin O'Neill has been reinstated as Southern California's basketball coach after being suspensed during the Pac-10 tournament.

Athletic director Pat Haden announced the decision Sunday.

O'Neill was suspended for USC's semifinal loss to Arizona on Friday after a verbal altercation involving him, his wife and a Wildcats booster at the team hotel a night earlier.

Haden says he believes the suspension served its purpose and will eliminate any such inappropriate behavior by O'Neill in the future. Haden says O'Neill still faces additional discipline by the school and a fine.

O'Neill says in a statement that he and his wife both regret the embarrassment they caused USC. He says he made a 'serious error in judgment' Thursday.

The Trojans (19-14) are hoping to be selected to play in a postseason tournament.

Courtesy of http://abcnews.go.com

Anderson has 23 as Richmond wins first A10 title - by Eurobasket News
Kevin Anderson (6'0''-G-88, college: Hawaii) capped a tournament MVP performance with 23 points and Richmond finished the job this season, winning its first Atlantic 10 title with a 67-54 victory over Dayton on Sunday.

Justin Harper (6'10''-F-89) added 18 points as the third-seeded Spiders (27-7) won their seventh straight game and earned consecutive NCAA tournament berths for the second time in school history.

It also gave them a feeling much different than a year ago when they lost the title game to Temple in a heartbreaker, giving the Owls their third straight championship in this casino resort.

The Spiders, who went to the NCAAs in 1990 and 1991. brought down the boardwalk empire on Saturday with a 58-54 win over Temple.

They also all but ended ninth-seeded Dayton's hopes for an NCAA bid. Despite upsetting top-seeded Xavier in the quarterfinals, the defending NIT champion Flyers (22-13) probably needed to win the tournament to get in the NCAA field.

Kevin Smith added 12 points and Darrius Garrett came off the bench when Harper got in foul trouble early in the second half and grabbed nine rebounds. The Spiders also came up big from long range, hitting 10 of 21.

Chris Johnson had 11 points for Dayton, which got off to a terrible start, fell behind by 15 and never could get over the hump. Paul Williams and Chris Wright, who carried the Flyers in the early rounds, were limited to eight points apiece, taking only a combined 13 shots.

The story of the game and the tournament was Anderson, the league's 2010 player of the year.

The senior point guard was 6 of 15 from the field, but every shot he hit seemed to be a big one. He scored 11 points in the first 15 minutes allowing the Spiders to build a 29-14 lead.

Dayton made its only serious run in the final 5 minutes of the first half and the opening few minutes of the second, drawing within 34-29 on a three-point play by Johnson.

However, Anderson nailed a 3-pointer shortly after Harper left with his third foul and Smith hit three free throws and a layup off a nice assist by fifth-year senior Dan Geriot to push the lead to 42-29.

The closest the Flyers got after that was 44-38 when Williams ended a personal six-point run with a jumper with 11:33 to go.

Of course, Anderson responded with a jumper and Smith hit a layup off a nice feed by Harper and the Spiders were pretty much home free with their 14th win in 16 games.

Anderson, who said after the win on Saturday that the tournament would not be complete without a title, helped put the game away with five free throws in the final 2 minutes. He walked off the court into a huge hug from coach Chris Mooney with 30.4 seconds to go as the fans in the half empty Boardwalk Hall - capacity 10,000 - chanted M-V-P.

This was Richmond's third shot at the league crown in its 10 years in the Atlantic 10. It lost in 2002 to Xavier and came up just short last season.

The third time was a charm.

Dayton, which last went to the NCAA tournament in 2009, won its only league title in 2003. It lost the title game in 2004 to Xavier.

If Dayton did anything wrong, it settled for jumpers in the opening 15 minutes and didn't get going until it started attacking the rim.

Courtesy of www.miamiherald.com

No. 5 Duke beats No. 6 UNC 75-58 in ACC final - by Eurobasket News
Add another Atlantic Coast Conference championship to fifth-ranked Duke's record haul.

Nolan Smith (6'2''-G-88) had 20 points and the Blue Devils ended No. 6 North Carolinas run of big comebacks at the ACC tournament, beating the Tar Heels 75-58 in Sunday's championship game.

Kyle Singler (6'8''-F-88) added 11 points for the Blue Devils (30-4), who led the entire way for a record 19th tournament title. In the first meeting between the fierce rivals in the finals in a decade, second-seeded Duke led by 18 points in the first half and never let the top-seeded Tar Heels (26-7) build any momentum for a third straight tournament escape.

North Carolina had rallied from 19 down in the final 10 minutes to beat Miami on a last-play layup in the quarterfinals, then rallied from 14 down to force overtime and beat Clemson in the semifinals. This time, however, the Tar Heels got no closer than nine after halftime as the veteran Blue Devils maintained firm control from the tip.

The Blue Devils won their third straight tournament and their 10th in 13 years, putting them two ahead of the Tar Heels in the all-time standings.

Smith was named tournament MVP after overcoming a jammed toe in the quarterfinals against Maryland and finishing with 10 assists, while Singler had a better showing after struggling mightily against the Tar Heels in the two regular-season meetings. But on Sunday, the supporting cast backed up Dukes senior stars in a way it had failed to do in last weeks loss to the Tar Heels that gave North Carolina the ACC regular-season title outright.

Seth Curry (6'1''-G-90) had 11 points, including a crucial 3-pointer after the Tar Heels had pulled to within nine. Ryan Kelly (6'10''-F-91) added another 3 a few minutes later helped silence North Carolinas last-gasp push to get back in it and finished with nine points.

Duke shot 62 percent in the first half and 50 percent for the game. The Blue Devils shut down North Carolinas offense and held the Tar Heels to 34 percent shooting in a dominant performance that could put the reigning national champions in line for a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament.

Harrison Barnes struggled to get things going a day after scoring a tournament freshman record 40 points against Clemson, finishing with 16 points to lead the Tar Heels.

Tyler Zeller (7'0''-F-90) had 14 points while John Henson (6'10''-F) added 10 points and 18 rebounds, but North Carolina never looked anything like the team that had won 19 of 21 games and handled the Blue Devils with relative ease in last weeks 81-67 victory.

Then again, the Tar Heels never looked like themselves in Greensboro at all.

Henson acknowledged after the Clemson win that the Tar Heels couldnt keep this up much longer considering how those slow starts could cost them not only an ACC title, but could also mean an early exit from the NCAAs. Yet North Carolina started with the same indifferent performance from the previous two games, while Duke looked more active, more aggressive and just more determined from the opening tip.

The Blue Devils scored on their first four possessions for an 8-0 lead while North Carolina bumbled its way through the opening 2 minutes. That lead would grow to 18 points when Andre Dawkins took a kickout feed from Smith and buried a 3-pointer to make it 40-22 with 1:42 left before halftime.

The Tar Heels didnt make much of a push until the final 7 minutes when Barnes hit a 3-pointer then followed with a jumper that bounced high off the back of the rim before dropping through the net. That brought the Tar Heels to within 63-54 with 5:54 left and had a largely light-blue tinged Greensboro Coliseum crowd into a roar that another improbable rally could be in the works.

But Smith evaded a trap out near halfcourt then found Curry on the left side for a crushing 3-pointer that pushed the margin back to 66-54. Then, after Barnes missed a good look on a transition 3, Smith found Ryan Kelly in the far right corner for another 3 that made it 69-56 with 4:44 left.

Smith added two more free throws then Mason Plumlee threw down a victory-punctuating dunk for a 73-56 lead.

Finally, with the game in hand, Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski could substitute Smith and Singler out of the game with 52.4 seconds left to a standing ovation from Duke fans. The Hall of Famer greeted both with a hugSmith practically jumped in his armswhile North Carolina coach Roy Williams joined the applause for Dukes four-year stars as they left the ACC tournament with three titles.

Courtesy of Yahoo

Arkansas fires Pelphrey after missing 3rd straight NCAA tourney - by Eurobasket News
Arkansas has fired basketball coach John Pelphrey and called a news conference for Sunday night to discuss the future of the program.

Pelphrey was 69-59 in four seasons with the Razorbacks, including an 18-13 record this season. Arkansas lost to Tennessee in the opening round of the Southeastern Conference tournament on Thursday.

Pelphrey replaced Stan Heath as coach of the Razorbacks in 2007-08 and finished 23-12. Arkansas advanced to the NCAA tournament that season, defeating Indiana before losing to North Carolina.

The Razorbacks struggled in Pelphrey's next two seasons, winning 14 games in each. This season will mark the third straight year Arkansas will miss the NCAA tournament.

Athletic director Jeff Long said in a statement that a national search would begin immediately.

Courtesy of http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com

Hornets Win SWAC Championship - by Eurobasket
GARLAND, Texas - Alabama State (ASU) defeated Grambling State 65-48 at the Special Events Center in the 2011 Farmers Insurance Southwestern Athletic Conference Championship. The victory gave Lewis Jackson his second conference tournament crown in his six years as head coach. It was the school's fourth championship title.
ASU led 10-4 at the 15 minute mark in the first half. GSU responded with a pair of layups from Justin Patton (6'7''-G/F) and Donald Qualls (5'7''-G) tying the game at 10 apiece. Qualls scored 35 points the night prior in the semi-finals against Jackson State. He finished with only 12 points on the night to lead the Tigers.
Grambling's first lead came off of a Peter Roberson (7'0''-C) jump hook to make the score 22-20, with just under seven minutes to play before halftime. GSU later took a 26-20 lead on four free-throws from Qualls.
A jump-shot by Tramaine Butler (6'2''-PG), who scored 13 points, then a steal and a layup by Ivory White (6'4''-G) cut Grambling's lead down to two points at 26-24 with 4:05 left in the first half. Kenderek Washington (6'4''-G) made a baseline jumper out of the last media timeout making the score 28-26 and for the first time all week, ASU trailed at the half.
Alabama State came out of halftime on a 14-2 run taking a commanding 40-30 lead. ASU outscored GSU 30-6 through the first 17 minutes of the second half. The Hornets made four treys during that run and never looked back. ASU's biggest lead was by 22 points with 5:31 left.
'This was a heartfelt game, very tough game and both teams played hard,' Alabama State coach Lewis Jackson said. The first half we came out a little slow. The guys really stepped it up and put pressure on the guards in the second half and we were able to come out with a victory.'
Tramayne Moorer (6'5''-F) (6'5''-F) locked up the tournament's MVP scoring 14 points along with eight rebounds. Washington was also selected to the all-tournament team. He scored eight points and pulled down eight rebounds. Butler finished with 13 points and six boards for ASU.
Alabama State will await its fate Sunday night for the NCAA Tournament selection process.

Courtesy of SWAC

SWAC Regular Season Standings
1 Texas Southern 16-2
2 Jackson St. 12-6
2 Miss.Valley St. 12-6
4 Alabama St. 11-7
5 Alabama A&M 10-8
6 Grambling St. 8-10
7 Prairie View A&M 7-11
7 Arkansas-Pine Bluff 7-11
9 Alcorn St. 4-14
10 Southern 3-15

SWAC Tournament Final: Alabama State - Grambling State 65-48
SWAC Tournament Semifinals:
Grambling State - Jackson State 81-75, OT
Alabama State - Texas Southern 73-66

All-SWAC Awards 2010-11

All-SWAC 1st Team 2010-11

Jones

Galloway

Jackson

Maxey

Crosby

Player of the Year: Travele Jones (6'8''-F) of Texas Southern
All-Tournament MVP: Tramayne Moorer (6'5''-F) of Alabama St.
Defensive Player of the Year: Chris Duncan (6'8''-F) of Alabama St.
Freshman of the Year: Lawrence Johnson-Danner (6'4''-G) of Texas Southern
Newcomer of the Year: Kevin Galloway (6'7''-F-88) of Texas Southern
Coach of the Year: Tony Harvey of Texas Southern

1st Team
F: Kevin Galloway (6'7''-88) of Texas Southern
G: Dangelo Jackson (6'1'') of Miss.Valley St.
F: Travele Jones (6'8'') of Texas Southern
F: Grant Maxey (6'7''-88) of Jackson St.
C: Paul Crosby (6'8'') of Miss.Valley St.

2nd Team
G: Cornelius Hester (6'3'') of Alabama A&M
G: Jenirro Bush (6'8'') of Jackson St.
G/F: Casey Cantey (6'5'') of Alabama A&M
G/F: Justin Patton (6'7'') of Grambling St.
F: Brandon Webb (6'7'') of Prairie View A&M

3rd Team
G: Marquis Baker (6'2'') of Alcorn St.
G: Trant Simpson (5'10'') of Prairie View A&M
G: Ivory White (6'4'') of Alabama St.
G/F: Tyrone Hanson (6'7''-87) of Jackson St.
F: Chris Duncan (6'8'') of Alabama St.

All-Tournament Team
Tramayne Moorer (6'5''-F) of Alabama St.
Kenderek Washington (6'4''-G) of Alabama St.
Donald Qualls (5'7''-G) of Grambling St.
Grant Maxey (6'7''-F-88) of Jackson St.
Harrison Smith (6'3''-G) of Texas Southern

Connecticut Wins 2011 BIG EAST Championship with 69-66 Win Over Louisville - by Ernest
NEW YORK -- Kemba Walker capped the best five days an individual and team may have ever had in college basketball, scoring 19 points to lead Connecticut (No. 19 ESPN/USA Today, No. 21 AP) to a 69-66 victory over No. 14 Louisville in the Big East championship Saturday night.
Walker, a 6-foot-1 junior guard, took home the most obvious MVP award in any conference tournament after leading the ninth-seeded Huskies (26-9) to five wins in as many days -- the last four over teams ranked in the Top 25 -- and the program's seventh conference title, tying Georgetown for the most in Big East history.
He finished the five games with 130 points, 46 more than the previous record. It wasn't just the points. He grabbed so many big rebounds, made so many key passes and clutch steals, all while exhibiting leadership good enough to take a team loaded with sophomores and freshmen to the championship.
Preston Preston Knowles (6'1''-G-89) had 18 points for the third-seeded Cardinals (25-8) and his 3-point attempt at the buzzer bounced off the rim, setting off a well-deserved celebration by the Huskies.
When the Huskies ended the regular season with a home loss to Notre Dame, few gave them much chance at winning the tournament considering they would have to win five games to do it.
Nobody should have discounted a team with Walker.
He beat top-seeded Pittsburgh with a jumper at the buzzer. His game against fourth-seeded Syracuse in the semifinals was an all-around performance rarely seen by a guard.
He had 33 points, 12 rebounds, five assists and six steals.
Considering the way he struggled in the two regular-season losses to Louisville (36 points on 10-of-33 shooting), it seemed things were stacked against him.
Nobody should have discounted another great effort from Walker.
He picked up his second foul with 7:15 to play in the first half and the Huskies leading 27-15. He made one brief appearance in the final seconds and Connecticut held a 38-32 lead at halftime.
The second half was always close -- neither team led by more than four points over the final 8 minutes -- and the sellout crowd of 19,375 at Madison Square Garden seemed to be just waiting for Walker to do something special.
He made a great drop pass to Jeremy Lamb (6'5''-G/F) for a basket that gave the Huskies the lead for good at 65-64 with 33 seconds left.
Louisville turned the ball over on the inbound pass and Walker added two free throws with 16.4 seconds to go.
Preston Knowles' 3-point attempt with 7 seconds left was tapped back out and Mike Marra was fouled by Walker taking a 3 with 3.9 seconds to go. Marra, a 78.6 percent free throw shooter, made the first and third to make it a one-point game.
Freshman Shabazz Napier (6'0''-G) was fouled with 3.3 seconds left and the 75.6 percent free throw shooter made both for the final margin.
Lamb had 13 points for the Huskies and fellow freshman Roscoe Smith (6'8''-F) had 12. Both grabbed seven rebounds.
Siva had 13 points, seven rebounds and seven assists for the Cardinals.
The tournament title moved Connecticut coach Jim Calhoun ahead of Georgetown's John Thompson for the most in conference history with seven.
Louisville, which beat Marquette and Notre Dame after receiving a double-bye to the quarterfinals, was looking for its second title in as many championship game appearances. The Cardinals won it all in 2009.
Pitino may have paid Walker the highest compliment of the five-day stretch.
When Walker was fouled in the second half as he flipped the ball over head toward the basket, Pitino yelled to the officials: 'He's not Michael Jordan. He's not Michael Jordan.'
For five special days in Madison Square Garden, he was.

Courtesy of STATS LLC and The Associated Press

All-Big East Awards 2010-11

Big East Regular Season Standings
1 Pittsburgh 15-3
2 Notre Dame 14-4
3 Louisville 12-6
3 Syracuse 12-6
3 Fort St. John, B.C.'s 12-6
6 W.Virginia 11-7
6 Cincinnati 11-7
8 Georgetown 10-8
9 Connecticut 9-9
9 Villanova 9-9
9 Marquette 9-9
12 Seton Hall 7-11
13 Rutgers 5-13
14 Providence 4-14
15 S.Florida 3-15
16 De Paul 1-17

Big East Tournament Final: Connecticut - Louisville 69-66
Big East Tournament Semifinals:
Louisville - Notre Dame 83-77, OT
Connecticut - Syracuse 76-71

All-Big East Awards 2010-11

All-Big East 1st Team 2010-11

Hansbrough

Walker

Freeman

Gibbs

Brooks

Player of the Year: Ben Hansbrough (6'3''-G-87) of Notre Dame
All-Tournament MVP: Kemba Walker (6'1''-G-90) of Connecticut
Defensive Player of the Year: Rick Jackson (6'9''-F-89) of Syracuse
Rookie of the Year: Cleveland Melvin (6'8''-F) of De Paul
Most Improved Player of the Year: Dwight Hardy (6'2''-G) of St.John's
Sixth Man of the Year: Justin Burrell (7'9''-F-88) of St.John's
Scholar-Athlete of the Year: Tim Abromaitis (6'8''-F-89) of Notre Dame
Sportsmanship Award: Brad Wanamaker (6'4''-G-89) of Pittsburgh
Coach of the Year: Mike Brey of Notre Dame

1st Team
G: Kemba Walker (6'1''-90) of Connecticut
G: Austin Freeman (6'3''-89) of Georgetown
G: Ben Hansbrough (6'3''-87) of Notre Dame
G: Ashton Gibbs (6'2''-90) of Pittsburgh
G/F: Marshon Brooks (6'5''-89) of Providence
G: Dwight Hardy (6'2'') of St.John's

2nd Team
G: Preston Knowles (6'1''-89) of Louisville
G: Darius Johnson-Odom (6'2''-89) of Marquette
G: Brad Wanamaker (6'4''-89) of Pittsburgh
F: Rick Jackson (6'9''-89) of Syracuse
G: Corey Fisher (6'1''-88) of Villanova

3rd Team
G: Chris Wright (6'1''-89) of Georgetown
F: Tim Abromaitis (6'8''-89) of Notre Dame
G: Jeremy Hazell (6'5''-86) of Seton Hall
F: Kris Joseph (6'7''-88) of Syracuse
G: Corey Stokes (6'5''-88) of Villanova

Honorable Mention
Peyton Siva (5'11''-G-90) of Louisville
Jimmy Butler (6'7''-G/F-89) of Marquette
Scoop Jardine (6'2''-G-88) of Syracuse
Kevin Jones (6'8''-F) of W.Virginia

All-Tournament Team
Kemba Walker (6'1''-G-90) of Connecticut
Jeremy Lamb (6'5''-G/F) of Connecticut
Peyton Siva (5'11''-G-90) of Louisville
Preston Knowles (6'1''-G-89) of Louisville
Rick Jackson (6'9''-F-89) of Syracuse
Scott Martin (6'8''-G-88) of Notre Dame

All-Rookie Team
Sean Kilpatrick (6'4''-G) of Cincinnati
Jeremy Lamb (6'5''-G/F) of Connecticut
Shabazz Napier (6'0''-G) of Connecticut
Cleveland Melvin (6'8''-F) of De Paul
Brandon Young (6'3''-G) of De Paul
Gilvydas Biruta (6'8''-F-91) of Rutgers

Back-to-Back MWC Champs! Aztecs Topple Cougars 72-54 - by Ernest
SDSU's Billy Billy White (6'8''-F-89) had 21 points, 12 rebounds and five steals.
LAS VEGAS (AP)- Brandon Brandon Davies (6'9''-F)' asbsence might not have made much difference. Not as passionate and poised as No. 7 San Diego State played in its third meeting with No. 8 BYU.
Senior Billy White put on an offensive display that was equally as impressive as his defense that helped bedevil national scoring leader Jimmer Fredette (6'2''-G) in leading the Aztecs past the top-seeded Cougars 72-54 Saturday night for the Mountain West Conference title.
Second-seeded San Diego State (32-2), whose only two losses were against the Cougars (30-4), finally figured out how to topple top-seeded BYU, which was playing its fifth game without Brandon Davies, the Cougars' best post player, who was suspended last week for violating the school's honor code.
Without him, the Cougars sport a smaller lineup that was no match for the longer, deeper, faster Aztecs.
'It's a big factor. He's a key player on that team,' Billy White said. 'We took advantage of that and crashed the boards, just played San Diego State basketball. We knew if we just tried to contain Jimmer and tried to make everybody else shoot, we knew that we had the game.'
Without Brandon Davies, the Cougars were outscored 38-14 in the paint, and they shot just 32 percent.
'The thing with Brandon Davies is we moved on,' BYU senior Jackson Emery said. 'That was last week. We're a different team now. We're not going to make excuses anymore. We're a different team. We have a lot of confidence in the guys we have. We believe we could have beaten them with these guys. We're not going to put anything on not having Brandon.'
Despite 30 points from a late-charging Jimmer Fredette, the Cougars fell to 3-2 without Brandon Davies, posing an intriguing conundrum for the NCAA selection committee, although their loss to the athletic Aztecs eliminated all hope of the No. 1 seed the Cougars envisioned two weeks ago after climbing to third in the rankings.
The Aztecs?
They will likely be a No. 2 seed, but maybe they deserve top billing. They avenged their only losses of the season Saturday and they're 31-0 against all others.
Either way, the Aztecs, who also won last year's conference tournament, have all the ingredients for a deep run in the NCAA tournament: a deep, experienced roster, a grizzled coach in Steve Fisher , savvy floor leadership behind D.J. Gay (6'0''-G-89) and star power with Billy White, Kawhi Leonard (6'7''-F-91) and Malcolm Thomas (6'9''-F) running up and down the floor for rim-rattling baskets and muscle tip-ins.
'We know that we're good. How good we still don't know,' Fisher insisted. 'But we had a thought that if we came and competed, we would have a chance to back-to-back cut down nets. That doesn't happen often. It doesn't happen unless you have talented players with character that will give to get.'
Jimmer Fredette, who had a career-high 52 points against New Mexico on Friday night, was 10 for 25 from the floor after sinking 22 shots against the Lobos.
'They played good defense,' Jimmer Fredette said. 'They're long, they're athletic. They caused us some problems. But at the end, you know, we just didn't really make shots that sometimes we normally make to keep us in the game.'
When teams send three defenders at Jimmer Fredette, his cohorts have to make shots, BYU coach Dave Rose said, 'especially against San Diego State, because when you turn into a driving team and you try to get to the rim, that's where they're terrific. They've got size. They've got length. They've got athleticism. They make you change your shot at the rim.'
Although they were regular season co-champs, the Cougars swept the Aztecs, winning by 13 points both times-but that was with Brandon Davies manning the middle. This time, he was watching from the end of the bench in street clothes.
Fisher insisted his strategy, however, wasn't that much different. He said he just emphasized better play against BYU's zone, and Billy White came through in a big way.
'Obviously, a 6-8, 6-9 really good player no longer there affects you. But we played well. We played very good basketball at both ends,' Fisher said.
The Aztecs took a 43-31 halftime lead and outscored the Cougars 17-6 over the first 10 minutes of the second half to make it 60-37.
'I'm really impressed with San Diego State,' Rose said. 'I thought that they just played with a lot of passion, a lot of emotion. They caused us a lot of problems.'
The Cougars had one last run left in them, a 15-2 spurt led by Jimmer Fredette that made it 62-52 with just under 5 minutes left. They had a chance to cut it to single digits but James Anderson (6'10''-F/C), one of the seldom-used big men Cougars inserted into the lineup to counter the Aztecs' superior size, missed a jump hook, and Kawhi Leonard's tip-in at the other end started a 10-2 San Diego State run to end the game.
Jimmer Fredette was chosen the tournament's Most Valuable Player, something Kawhi Leonard insisted didn't bother him.
'I just thought it would go to the winning team,' Kawhi Leonard said. 'But, you know, he played a great tournament, so I'm not doubting him at all. I don't know what he averaged, but he had 52 in the semifinal game. That deserved the MVP.'

Courtesy of Mountain West

All-MWC Summary 2010-11

MWC Regular Season Standings
1 San Diego St. 14-2 32-2
2 BYU 14-2 30-4
3 UNLV 11-5 24-8
4 Colorado St. 9-7 19-12
5 N.Mexico 8-8 21-12
6 Air Force 6-10 15-15
6 Utah 6-10 13-18
8 Wyoming 3-13 10-21
9 TCU 1-15 11-22

MWC Tournament Final: San Diego State - BYU 72-54
MWC Tournament Semifinals:
BYU - New Mexico 87-76
San Diego State - UNLV 74-72

All-MWC Awards 2010-11

All-MWC 1st Team 2010-11

Fredette

Ogide

Gary

Gay

Leonard

Player of the Year: Jimmer Fredette (6'2''-G) of BYU
All-Tournament MVP: Jimmer Fredette (6'2''-G) of BYU
Defensive Player of the Year: Jackson Emery (6'3''-G-87) of BYU
Freshman of the Year: Kendall Williams (6'3''-G) of N.Mexico
Newcomer of the Year: Drew Gordon (6'9''-F-90) of N.Mexico
Sixth Man of the Year: Pierce Hornung (6'5''-F) of Colorado St.
Co-Coach of the Year: Dave Rose of BYU
Co-Coach of the Year: Steve Fisher of San Diego St.

1st Team
G: Jimmer Fredette (6'2'') of BYU
F: Andy Ogide (6'9''-87) of Colorado St.
PG: Dairese Gary (6'1''-88) of N.Mexico
G: D.J. Gay (6'0''-89) of San Diego St.
F: Kawhi Leonard (6'7''-91) of San Diego St.

2nd Team
G: Jackson Emery (6'3''-87) of BYU
F: Drew Gordon (6'9''-90) of N.Mexico
F: Malcolm Thomas (6'9'') of San Diego St.
G: Trevon Willis (6'4''-88) of UNLV
G/F: Will Clyburn (6'7''-90) of Utah

3rd Team
G: Michael Lyons (6'6'') of Air Force
F: Brandon Davies (6'9'') of BYU
G: Hank Thorns (5'9''-89) of TCU
G: Oscar Bellfield (6'2''-90) of UNLV
G/F: Chace Stanback (6'8''-89) of UNLV

Honorable Mention
Tom Fow (6'6''-F) of Air Force
Evan Washington (6'4''-G) of Air Force
Noah Hartsock (6'8''-F) of BYU
Travis Franklin (6'7''-F-88) of Colorado St.
Kendall Williams (6'3''-G) of N.Mexico
Billy White (6'8''-F-89) of San Diego St.
Josh Watkins (6'0''-G-89) of Utah
Desmar Jackson (6'5''-G-90) of Wyoming
Amath M'Baye (6'8''-F-89) of Wyoming

All-Defensive Team
Jackson Emery (6'3''-G-87) of BYU
Dairese Gary (6'1''-PG-88) of N.Mexico
Kawhi Leonard (6'7''-F-91) of San Diego St.
Malcolm Thomas (6'9''-F) of San Diego St.
David Foster (7'3''-C-88) of Utah

All-Tournament Team
Jimmer Fredette (6'2''-G) of BYU
D.J. Gay (6'0''-G-89) of San Diego St.
Kawhi Leonard (6'7''-F-91) of San Diego St.
Billy White (6'8''-F-89) of San Diego St.
Trevon Willis (6'4''-G-88) of UNLV

Akron Stuns Kent State, Returns to NCAA Tournament - by Eurobasket
CLEVELAND, Ohio - In the end, it was only fitting that one of the MAC's biggest rivalries would need a few extra minutes to sort things out in the championship game of the MAC tournament. With each team trading haymaker runs throughout the game, senior Brett McKnight (6'6''-F) stepped up and nailed two free throws with 12.8 seconds left in overtime to regain the Zips' lead and the defense would handle things from there, forcing an off-balance runner followed by a blocked three-point attempt at the buzzer to seal a thrilling 66-65 victory and return Akron to the NCAA Tournament after a one-year hiatus.
It certainly didn't appear to be Akron's night early on as Kent State jumped all over the Zips, reaching its largest advantage of the night just four and a half minutes into the game at 14-3. Luckily for the multitudes of Akron fans in attendance, Steve McNees (6'2''-G-87) proved that experience counts, cashing in back-to-back threes to draw Akron within five points and halting the Kent State momentum. The game settled into a rhythm from there with Akron drawing even for the first time at 24 apiece and taking its first lead of the game at 33-31 heading into halftime thanks to two more McNees bombs.
The second half became a see-saw battle throughout until Akron was able to break through with a six-point edge at 54-48 after a tough Darryl Roberts (6'0''-G-86) drive with just less than five minutes remaining in regulation, forcing Kent State into a timeout. The Golden Flashes responded quickly behind the unconscious outside shooting of Randal Holt (6'2''-G-91). Holt converted on back-to-back threes with less than four minutes left to bring the game back to even once again at 56-56. The final minutes then became a free-throw contest that neither side wanted to win, sending the game into an extra five minutes tied at 59.
Holt started the extra period by nailing another three, his fourth of the game, but Akron's senior leaders refused to be put away. McKnight hit on a tough turnaround to bring the game within one at 63-62 and Roberts used a nifty spin in the lane to open up room for a high floater over the defense to give the lead back to the Zips in the final minute.
Showing mettle of their own, the Golden Flashes jumped back on top as Carlton Guyton (6'4''-G) swished a mid-range jumper from the wing with 39 seconds left. On the ensuing Akron possession, McKnight was fouled and recovered from an airballed free throw at the end of regulation to knock down two and provide the Zips' final margin of 66-65. With no timeouts remaining on either side, Kent State couldn't get a good look in the final seconds, setting off a raucous celebration from many of the 8, 926 fans in attendance.
Akron will find out its next opponent during tomorrow evening's NCAA Selection Show. As regular-season league champion, Kent State is assured of making the NIT and will learn of its opponent tomorrow night as well.

Courtesy of MAC

MAC Regular Season Standings
East Division
1 Kent St. 12-4 23-11
2 Miami, OH 11-5 16-16
3 Akron 9-7 23-12
3 Ohio 9-7 18-15
5 Buffalo 8-8 18-13
5 Bowling Green 8-8 14-19
West Division
1 W.Michigan 11-5 20-12
2 Ball St. 10-6 19-13
3 Cent.Michigan 7-9 10-21
4 N.Illinois 5-11 9-21
4 E.Michigan 5-11 9-22
6 Toledo 1-15 4-28

MAC Tournament Final: Kent State - Akron 65-66 (OT)
MAC Tournament Semifinals:
WMU - Akron 68-79
Kent St. - Ball St. 79-68

All-MAC Awards 2010-11

All-MAC 1st Team 2010-11

Greene

Mavunga

Cooper

Silas

Jones

Player of the Year: Justin Greene (6'8''-F) of Kent St.
All-Tournament MVP: Zeke Marshall (7'0''-C) of Akron
Defensive Player of the Year: Michael Porrini (6'2''-G) of Kent St.
Freshman of the Year: Javon McCrea (6'6''-F) of Buffalo
Sixth Man of the Year: Carlton Guyton (6'4''-G) of Kent St.
Coach of the Year: Geno Ford of Kent St.

1st Team
F: Justin Greene (6'8'') of Kent St.
F/C: Julian Mavunga (6'8'') of Miami, OH
G: D.J. Cooper (5'11''-90) of Ohio
G: Xavier Silas (6'5''-88) of N.Illinois
F: Jarrod Jones (6'9''-90) of Ball St.

2nd Team
F: Brandon Bowdry (6'6''-88) of E.Michigan
F: Nikola Cvetinovic (6'8''-88) of Akron
G: Rodriguez Sherman (6'2''-87) of Kent St.
G: Byron Mulkey (6'0''-88) of Buffalo
G: Demetrius Ward (6'3''-90) of W.Michigan

Honorable Mention
Zach Filzen (6'3''-G-88) of Buffalo
Javon McCrea (6'6''-F) of Buffalo
Auston Calhoun (6'7''-F) of Bowling Green
Scott Thomas (6'6''-F-89) of Bowling Green
Trey Zeigler (6'5''-G-91) of Cent.Michigan
Jalin Thomas (6'4''-G/F-89) of Cent.Michigan
Michael Porrini (6'2''-G) of Kent St.
Nick Winbush (6'7''-F) of Miami, OH
Devaughn Washington (6'8''-F-89) of Ohio
Flenard Whitfield (6'7''-F-90) of W.Michigan

All-Tournament Team
Jarrod Jones (6'9''-F-90) of Ball St.
Michael Porrini (6'2''-G) of Kent St.
Justin Greene (6'8''-F) of Kent St.
Brett McKnight (6'6''-F) of Akron
Zeke Marshall (7'0''-C) of Akron

All-Freshman Team
Chris Bond (6'4''-F) of Ball St.
Javon McCrea (6'6''-F) of Buffalo
Trey Zeigler (6'5''-G-91) of Cent.Michigan
Nick Kellogg (6'3''-G) of Ohio
Juwan Howard (6'9''-F-73) of Portland TB

Aggie Are 2011 WAC Champions With 77-69 Win Over Boise State - by Ernest
USU Wins Second WAC Tournament Title In Three Years; Pane Named MVP, Joined By Wesley And Bendall On All-Tournament Team
LAS VEGAS, Nev. - For the second time in the last three years, Utah State is the Western Athletic Conference Men's Basketball Tournament Champion after the No. 17/23 Aggies beat the Broncos of Boise State, 77-69, Saturday night in the championship game at the Orleans Arena.
It was USU's second WAC Tournament title after winning the 2009 crown and eighth tournament championship overall, winning six postseason titles in 27 years in the Big West Conference.
Utah State won its eighth-straight game in improving to 30-3 overall, tying a school record for most wins, matching the 2008-09 squad (30-5) and earned the WAC's automatic berth in the NCAA Tournament. It is the Aggies' eighth NCAA Tournament berth in the last 12 years under head coach Stew Morrill , ninth in the last 14 years and 20th time in school history. The only other time in school history that USU has gone to the NCAA Tournament in three-straight years was 1962, '63 and '64.
Boise State had its eight-game win streak snapped in sliding to 20-12 on the year. Saturday was USU's sixth-consecutive win over BSU, and the Aggies now own a 28-8 all-time record against the Broncos. In postseason play, USU is now 3-1 against BSU, as Saturday was the first-ever meeting between the two teams in a tournament championship game.
Junior guard Brockeith Pane (6'1''-G-88) was named the Tournament MVP after a 19-point, four-assist effort in the championship game. Pane was joined on the All-Tournament team by senior forward teammates Tai Wesley (6'7''-F-86, college: Utah St.) and Nate Bendall (6'9''-F-87), who posting 19 and 16 points, respectively, a new season-high for Bendall. Wesley pulled down a game-high nine rebounds while Bendall snared six boards. Pane scored a baker's dozen in the first half, while Wesley netted 15 of his points after halftime.
With the 19 points, Wesley tallied his 100th career double-digit game, on the way to being named to the all-tournament team for the third-straight year.
Senior guard Brian Green (6'1''-G-88) added 12 points off the bench, hitting two of USU's three three-pointers on the night. Wesley hit the Aggies' other trey, just his fifth of the season and is now 7-of-12 from behind the arc for his career.
Boise State was led by Lashard Anderson (6'1''-G) 18 points, while Daequon Montreal (6'7''-F) and Jeff Elorriaga (6'2''-G) added 10 points apiece. Elorriaga led the Broncos with five rebounds.
USU shot 53.1 percent (26-of-49) from the field, its 12th time this season, including fifth in the last seven games. The Aggies have now won 53-straight games when making at least half of its shots. Utah State was also 3-of-8 (37.5 percent) from three-point range but were 22-of-26 (84.6 percent) from the free throw line, its ninth game this season shooting 80 percent or better from the free pitch stripe.
Boise State was 23-of-58 (39.7 percent) from the field, the Aggie defense's 19th time this year holding the opponent under 40 percent. The Broncos were 6-of-26 (23.1 percent) from behind the arc and were 17-of-21 (81.0 percent) at the free throw line.
USU pulled away from an 8-all tie with a 5-0 spurt, capped by a Green three-pointer from the right wing for a 13-8 lead at the 13:23 mark. Bendall later hit a layup for a 24-12 Aggie advantage with 9:07 on the clock, capping an 11-2 streak. Boise State battled back with a 10-2 run to take a 33-30 lead with 2:16 to go, as Andersen scored seven unanswered. Yet the Aggies regained the lead with five straight points, as Pane hit a layup with three seconds left and was fouled, hitting the free throw to send USU into halftime with a 35-33 lead.
The Aggies are 25-0 on the year and have won 49-straight games when leading at intermission.
Utah State's scoring streak picked up right where it left off to start the second half, as Bendall hit a baseline jumper and Wesley drained his three-pointer from the top of the arc at the 17:10 mark to cap USU's 12-0 second half streak and 16-0 run overlapping halftime, with a 47-33 lead. BSU pecked away at the deficit, closing to 56-54 after a pair of Elorriaga free throws with 6:04 to go.
That would be the closest BSU would get, as Wesley righted the ship with a three-point play, getting fouled while hitting a baseline layup. That was part of the WAC's regular-season MVP scoring streak, as he later hit a pair of free throws, capping a spurt of scoring USU's last nine points and giving the Aggies a 63-58 lead. Utah State hit all six of its free throws in the final 31 seconds and junior forward Morgan Grim put the exclamation point on the scoring and sparking the celebration with a jam in the waning seconds.
Utah State will find out its NCAA Tournament seeding and location in the Selection Show airing on CBS (Comcast Ch. 2 in Cache Valley) on Sunday afternoon at 4 p.m. (MT). Fans should stay tuned to www.UtahStateAggies.com for complete NCAA Tournament information, including game announcement and ticket information.

Courtesy of Utah State

All-WAC Summary 2010-11

WAC Regular Season Standings
1 Utah St. 15-1
2 Boise St. 10-6
3 Idaho 9-7
3 N.Mexico St. 9-7
5 Hawaii 8-8
5 Nevada 8-8
7 Fresno St. 6-10
8 San Jose St. 5-11
9 Louisiana Tech 2-14

WAC Tournament Final: Utah State - Boise State 77-69
WAC Tournament Semifinals:
Utah State - San Jose State 58-54
Boise State - New Mexico State 81-63

All-WAC Awards 2010-11

All-WAC Awards 1st Team 2010-11

Wesley

Anderson

Gillenwater

Oliver

Pane

Player of the Year: Tai Wesley (6'7''-F-86) of Utah St.
All-Tournament MVP: Brockeith Pane (6'1''-G-88) of Utah St.
Freshman of the Year: Deonte Burton (6'1''-G-91) of Nevada
Coach of the Year: Stew Morrill of Utah St.

1st Team
G: Lashard Anderson (6'1'') of Boise St.
F: Troy Gillenwater (6'8'') of N.Mexico St.
G: Adrian Oliver (6'4''-88) of San Jose St.
G: Brockeith Pane (6'1''-88) of Utah St.
F: Tai Wesley (6'7''-86) of Utah St.

2nd Team
F: Bill Amis (6'9''-87) of Hawaii
G: Brian Green (6'1''-88) of Utah St.
F: Dario Hunt (6'8''-89) of Nevada
G: Jeff Ledbetter (6'3'') of Idaho
C: Greg Smith (6'10''-91) of Fresno St.

Honorable Mention
Olu Ashaolu (6'7''-F-88) of Louisiana Tech
Kyle Barone (6'10''-C) of Idaho
Deonte Burton (6'1''-G-91) of Nevada
Justin Graham (6'4''-G-88) of San Jose St.
Zane Johnson (6'6''-G) of Hawaii

All-Defensive Team
Lashard Anderson (6'1''-G) of Boise St.
Olu Ashaolu (6'7''-F-88) of Louisiana Tech
Justin Graham (6'4''-G-88) of San Jose St.
Dario Hunt (6'8''-F-89) of Nevada
Tyler Newbold (6'4''-G-86) of Utah St.

All-Newcomers Team
Deonte Burton (6'1''-G-91) of Nevada
Olek Czyz (6'7''-F-90) of Nevada
Zane Johnson (6'6''-G) of Hawaii
Brockeith Pane (6'1''-G-88) of Utah St.
Tim Steed (6'4''-G) of Fresno St.

All-Tournament Team
Lashard Anderson (6'1''-G) of Boise St.
Nate Bendall (6'9''-F-87) of Utah St.
Adrian Oliver (6'4''-G-88) of San Jose St.
Tai Wesley (6'7''-F-86) of Utah St.
Brockeith Pane (6'1''-G-88) of Utah St.

Hampton Wins 2011 MEAC Tournament Title - by Eurobasket
Winston-Salem, N.C.-March 12---Brandon Tunnell (6'1''-PG-89) scored 12 of his career-high 20 points in the second half and Darrion Pellum (6'6''-G/F-87) added all 12 of his after intermission to help Hampton defeat Morgan State, 60-55 in the MEAC Tournament Championship at the Joel Coliseum.
'It was a war,' Hampton head coach Edward Joyner said. 'It was what we expected; it's the one we wanted to win.'
The Pirates (24-8) denied the Bears the third consecutive tournament title and Joyner obtained his first ever as a head coach. The win also secured Hampton an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. Hampton will learn when and where they will compete in the NCAA tournament once the pairings are announced on Sunday.
'This is huge to the Hampton community and University community,' Joyner said. 'We have great fans, I'm happy for them.'
Mike Tuitt (6'3''-G) and Kwame Morgan (6'3''-G-88) picked up the slack for Hampton in the first 20 minutes when Pellum, Hampton's leading scorer struggled, missing all seven of his shots to go scoreless.
'I already knew it would be tough,' Pellum said. 'My teammates told me to keep shooting.'
The Pirates got out of the block early with a 10-2 lead before the Bears (17-14) settled in and responded with a 10-2 run to cut the deficit to one. From there, the contest went back and forth with Hampton maintaining a three-point lead through most of the game until Dewayne Jackson (6'8''-F) led a 7-3 spurt to take a 29-28 lead at the half.
'We're typically a better second half team,' Brandon Tunnell said. 'As long as we stayed together and believed in one another, we felt we could get it done.'
Tuitt began to assert himself in the second half and along with Pellum, as the duo led Hampton to an 18-8 run to take a 46-37 advantage at the 8:20 mark. Tuitt and Pellum combined for 16 of Hampton's 18 points scored during the run.
Hampton's success also resulted from a solid defensive performance, as the Pirates were able to contain Morgan State's Kevin Thompson (6'9''-F-89), who had dominated play in the previous rounds.
'Kevin's a great player,' praised Joyner. 'We were going to show them we weren't going to lie down. Even if we have to lay down 45 fouls to show we're not going to give up the inside.'
Thompson missed all five shots he took during the second half and finished with a mere eight points by the conclusion of the game.
'We need Kevin on the floor; that's obvious.' Morgan State head coach Todd Bozeman said. 'He fought hard in there. It's hard when you're at the disadvantage.'
'Defense got us this far,' Tunnell said. 'Some teams are based on offense; we're bred on defense.'
Not only did Hampton's defense limit Thompson, but the Pirates also held the Bears to 20 free throw attempts and forced Morgan State to take outside shots.
'Kevin Thompson is a great player,' Joyner said. 'From a defensive standpoint we wanted to make sure that he would not beat us by himself. We did a great job on help defense and forced other players for them to take shots.'
Supporting the Bears throughout the game was Dewayne Jackson, who led all scorers with 25 points. Jackson, who was named to the MEAC All-Tournament team, shot 9 -of-19 from the field, including four shots behind the arc along with six rebounds. Other than Jackson, Thompson was the only other member of the Bears' squad to post double digit numbers as he grabbed 15 rebounds, leading both the Morgan State and Hampton players.
Pellum was named to the Outstanding Performer of the tournament, while Joyner was named the Outstanding Coach. Jackson, Pellum, Morgan, Thompson and Kyle O'Quinn (6'10''-F-90) of Norfolk State earned All-Tournament team honors.
'The game was a blur for me; I can half remember of what happened, but we won,' Joyner said. 'I give a lot of credit to these kids. They took me on this ride and I appreciate them for that.'

Courtesy of MAC

MEAC Regular Season Standings
1 Bethune-Cookman 13-3 21-12
2 Hampton 11-5 24-8
2 Coppin St. 11-5 16-14
4 Morgan St. 10-6 17-14
5 N.Carolina A&T 9-7 15-17
6 Norfolk St. 8-8 12-20
7 Florida A&M 7-9 12-20
8 S.Carolina St. 5-11 10-22
8 Delaware St. 5-11 9-21
9 Md-Eastern Shore 5-11 9-22
11 Howard 4-12 6-24

MEAC Tournament Final: Hampton - Morgan State 60-55
MEAC Tournament Semifinals:
Hampton - Norfolk State 85-61
Morgan State - Bethune-Cookman 61-48

All-MEAC Awards 2010-11

All-MEAC 1st Team 2010-11

Reed

Pellum

Jackson

O'Quinn

Coleman

Player of the Year: C.J. Reed (6'3''-G) of Bethune-Cookman
All-Tournament MVP: Darrion Pellum (6'6''-G/F-87) of Hampton
Defensive Player of the Year: Kyle O'Quinn (6'10''-F-90) of Norfolk St.
Rookie of the Year: Casey Walker (6'5''-G) of Delaware St.
Coach of the Year: Clifford Reed of Bethune-Cookman

1st Team
G: C.J. Reed (6'3'') of Bethune-Cookman
G/F: Darrion Pellum (6'6''-87) of Hampton
F: Dewayne Jackson (6'8'') of Morgan St.
F: Kyle O'Quinn (6'10''-90) of Norfolk St.
F/C: Thomas Coleman (6'9''-88) of N.Carolina A&T

2nd Team
G: Michael Harper (6'4''-90) of Coppin St.
G: Kwame Morgan (6'3''-88) of Hampton
G: Hillary Haley (6'6''-88) of Md-Eastern Shore
F: Kevin Thompson (6'9''-89) of Morgan St.
F: Alexander Starling (6'6''-89) of Bethune-Cookman

All-Tournament Team
Darrion Pellum (6'6''-G/F-87) of Hampton
Kwame Morgan (6'3''-G-88) of Hampton
Kevin Thompson (6'9''-F-89) of Morgan St.
Dewayne Jackson (6'8''-F) of Morgan St.
Kyle O'Quinn (6'10''-F-90) of Norfolk St.

All-Rookie Team
Casey Walker (6'5''-G) of Delaware St.
Desmond Washington (6'2''-G) of Delaware St.
Avery Moore (5'10''-G) of Florida A&M
Justin Black (6'2''-G) of Morgan St.
Pendarvis Williams (6'6''-G) of Norfolk St.

Memphis wins 2011 Buick Conference USA Championship - by Eurobasket
Memphis did not hold a lead until the final seven seconds of the game, but Joe Jackson (6'0''-G)'s two free throws at that time proved to be the difference in the contest as the Tigers pulled out a 67-66 win over UTEP to win the 2011 Buick Conference USA Men's Basketball Championship. The title is the fifth in the last six years for Memphis (25-9), who earn the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Championship.
Jackson was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player, scoring 17 points off the bench one day after pouring in a career-high 24 in the semifinal victory over East Carolina. In addition to his 17 points, he dished out seven assists and grabbed two rebounds.
Chris Crawford (6'4''-G) scored all 15 of his points on three-pointers, connecting on 5-of-6 attempts from beyond the arc. Tarik Black (6'8''-F) notched a double-double for the Tigers, scoring 11 points and pulling down 10 boards.
UTEP (25-9) led by as many as 13 points early in the second half and the score was tied four times, but the Miners only trailed in the final seven seconds. The Miners had an opportunity to win the game in the final seconds, but Christian Polk (6'3''-G-87)'s jumper hit the front of the rim and fell short.
Polk led all scorers with 27 points, two shy of the C-USA Championship Game record. He hit 8 of his first 9 shots and finished the game 11-of-14 from the field. Polk was the only Miner to reach double-figure scoring, as Jeremy Williams (6'7''-F-87) and Claude Britten (6'11''-C-88) added eight apiece.
Julyan Stone (6'6''-G-88) had a game-high 11 rebounds and dished out seven assists for UTEP, which fell in the C-USA Championship Game for the second year in a row.
The one-point margin of victory marked the third time in the 16-year history of the tournament that the final game was decided by a single point.

Courtesy of Conference USA

C-USA Regular Season Standings
1 UAB 12-4 22-8
2 Tulsa 11-5 19-12
2 UTEP 11-5 24-8
4 Memphis 10-6 23-9
5 S.Mississippi 9-7 21-10
5 Marshall 9-7 21-11
7 SMU 8-8 17-13
7 E.Carolina 8-8 18-14
9 Cent.Florida 6-10 19-10
10 Rice 5-11 13-18
11 Houston 4-12 12-17
12 Tulane 3-13 13-16

C-USA Tournament Final: Memphis - UTEP 67-66
C-USA Tournament Semifinals:
Memphis - East Carolina 76-56
UTEP - Tulsa 66-54

All-C-USA Awards 2010-11

All-C-USA 1st Team 2010-11

Johnson

Culpepper

Dia

Flowers

Hurtt

Player of the Year: Aaron Johnson (5'8''-G-88) of UAB
All-Tournament MVP: Joe Jackson (6'0''-G) of Memphis
Defensive Player of the Year: Papa Dia (6'9''-F-87) of SMU
Freshman of the Year: Deandre Kane (6'4''-G) of Marshall
Newcomer of the Year: Scottie Haralson (6'4''-G-90) of Tulsa
Sixth Man of the Year: Brock Young (5'11''-G-88) of E.Carolina
Coach of the Year: Mike Davis of UAB

1st Team
G: Randy Culpepper (6'0''-89) of UTEP
F: Papa Dia (6'9''-87) of SMU
F: Gary Flowers (6'8'') of S.Mississippi
G: Justin Hurtt (6'4''-88) of Tulsa
G: Aaron Johnson (5'8''-88) of UAB
G: Jamarr Sanders (6'4''-88) of UAB

2nd Team
G: Marcus Jordan (6'3''-88) of Cent.Florida
F: Arsalan Kazemi (6'7''-90) of Rice
F: Cameron Moore (6'8''-90) of UAB
G: Julyan Stone (6'6''-88) of UTEP
G/F: Kendall Timmons (6'5''-90) of Tulane

3rd Team
G: Will Barton (6'6'') of Memphis
F: Keith Clanton (6'8'') of Cent.Florida
G: Deandre Kane (6'4'') of Marshall
F: Robert Nyakundi (6'8''-89) of SMU
G: Jontae Sherrod (6'2''-89) of E.Carolina

All-Defensive Team
Zamal Nixon (6'1''-G-89) of Houston
Papa Dia (6'9''-F-87) of SMU
SaiQuon Stone (6'6''-G-87) of S.Mississippi
Aaron Johnson (5'8''-G-88) of UAB
Julyan Stone (6'6''-G-88) of UTEP

All-Tournament Team
Joe Jackson (6'0''-G) of Memphis
Darrius Morrow (6'8''-F-90) of E.Carolina
Justin Hurtt (6'4''-G-88) of Tulsa
Randy Culpepper (6'0''-G-89) of UTEP
Christian Polk (6'3''-G-87) of UTEP

All-Freshman Team
Deandre Kane (6'4''-G) of Marshall
Will Barton (6'6''-G) of Memphis
Tarik Black (6'8''-F) of Memphis
Devonte Newbill (6'4''-G-92) of S.Mississippi
Jordan Clarkson (6'4''-G-92) of Tulsa

All-Academic Team
Johnny Thomas (6'6''-F) of Marshall
Connor Frizzelle (6'1''-G-90) of Rice
Lucas Kuipers (6'8''-F-90) of Rice
Collin Mangrum (6'5''-G) of SMU
Isaac Sosa Carrion (6'3''-G-90) of Cent.Florida

Boston U. Storms Back Against Stony Brook to Win Title - by Ernest
BOSTON -- John Holland (6'5''-G/F-88) scored 23 of his 27 points in the second half and led Boston University back from a 15-point deficit as the second-seeded Terriers held off fifth-seeded Stony Brook, 56-54, to capture the 2011 America East men's basketball title Saturday at Agganis Arena.
Holland, who was named the Reggie Lewis Most Outstanding Player of the tournament, sank two free throws with 2.4 seconds left to deliver Boston U. its first league title since 2002 and sixth overall. With the win, Boston U. earned the league's automatic NCAA tournament berth and will learn its draw on Sunday at 6 p.m. on CBS.
Boston U. (21-13) struggled offensively in the first half, shooting just 22 percent from the floor in the period. As a result Stony Brook (15-17), which was making its first-ever championship game appearance, was able to build a double-digit lead. Sophomore Leonard Hayes (6'4''-G), an All-Championship team selection, scored all 14 of his points in the first half and hit an elbow jumper to give the Seawolves a 17-7 lead with 5:32 left in the period.
The Terriers, who have won 11 straight games, stayed in the contest by getting to the foul line and sank 11-of-14 freebies in the first half to trim the deficit to 30-23 by halftime.
The Seawolves, who were trying to become the lowest seeded squad to ever win the league title, grew their advantage to 15 in the early part of the second half. Senior Chris Martin, who scored 12 points and was an All-Championship team choice, put his team up 41-26 with just over 15 minutes to go in the game.
That's when Holland took over the game. He scored the contest's next 14 points, and added two steals and a rebound in the stretch, to bring his team to within one at 41-40 on a three-point play with 10:31 left.
But Stony Brook, which outrebounded Boston U. 41-34 in the contest, withstood the rally and stretched its lead six with 3:31 to go after a pair of free throws by Martin. Those would be the last points the Seawolves would score however as Boston U. closed the game on an 8-0 run, capped by Holland's free throws. Bryan Dougher's half-court heave caught the rim but fell off and many of the 3,845 fans stormed the court to celebrate.
'We practice for the worst situations, so when you're really in it and you're really facing it, you're going to keep a calm head and maintain an even keel, said Holland, the league's Player of the Year. 'And I know to just keep playing hard. During the game, I wasn't making some shots in the first half, but it's really just about being confident and staying confident.'
Holland, who added 11 rebounds and averaged 20 points and 7.3 rebounds in the three tournament games, was joined on the All-Championship team by teammate Darryl Partin (6'6''-G), who had 12 points in Saturday's win. Hartford's Genesis Maciel (6'9''-F/C-89) rounded out the all-tournament team.

Courtesy of AEC

All-AEC Summary 2010-11

AEC Regular Season Standings
1 Vermont 13-3
2 Boston U. 12-4
3 Maine 9-7
3 Albany 9-7
5 Stony Brook 8-8
6 Hartford 7-9
7 New Hampshire 6-10
8 Binghamton 4-12
8 UMBC 4-12

AEC Tournament Final: Stony Brook - Boston U. 54-56
AEC Tournament Semifinals:
Stony Brook- Vermont 69-47
Boston U. - Hartford 55-49

All-AEC Awards 2010-11

All-AEC 1st Team 2010-11

Holland

Wright

Ambrose

Partin

Barnies

Player of the Year: John Holland (6'5''-G/F-88) of Boston U.
All-Tournament MVP: John Holland (6'5''-G/F-88) of Boston U.
Defensive Player of the Year: Brendan Bald (6'4''-G) of Vermont
Rookie of the Year: Brian Voelkel (6'6''-F) of Vermont
Coach of the Year: Mike Lonergan of Vermont

1st Team
F: Greer Wright (6'7''-89) of Binghamton
G: Tim Ambrose (6'0''-87) of Albany
G/F: John Holland (6'5''-88) of Boston U.
G: Darryl Partin (6'6'') of Boston U.
F: Troy Barnies (6'7''-89) of Maine
F: Evan Fjeld (6'8'') of Vermont

2nd Team
G: Joe Zeglinski (6'0''-87) of Hartford
G: Gerald McLemore (6'3'') of Maine
G: Chris De La Rosa (5'9''-88) of UMBC
G: Tyrone Conley (6'2''-88) of New Hampshire
G: Bryan Dougher (6'1''-89) of Stony Brook

3rd Team
G: Logan Aronhalt (6'3'') of Albany
G: Mike Black (6'0'') of Albany
F: Mahamoud Jabbi (6'7''-87) of Binghamton
F: Morgan Sabia (6'8''-89) of Hartford
G: Brendan Bald (6'4'') of Vermont

All-Defensive Team
Mahamoud Jabbi (6'7''-F-87) of Binghamton
Patrick Hazel (6'6''-F-88) of Boston U.
Milton Burton (6'5''-G/F) of Hartford
Chandler Rhoads (6'4''-G-90) of New Hampshire
Brendan Bald (6'4''-G) of Vermont

All-Tournament Team
John Holland (6'5''-G/F-88) of Boston U.
Darryl Partin (6'6''-G) of Boston U.
Genesis Maciel (6'9''-F/C-89) of Hartford
Leonard Hayes (6'4''-G) of Stony Brook
Chris Martin (6'1''-G) of Stony Brook

All-Rookie Team
Luke Devlin (6'8''-F) of Albany
D.J. Irving (6'0''-G) of Boston U.
Dominique Morrison (6'7''-F) of ORU
Jordon Bronner (6'0''-G) of New Hampshire
Brian Voelkel (6'6''-F) of Vermont

All-Academic Team
Billy Allen (6'6''-F) of Albany
Logan Aronhalt (6'3''-G) of Albany
Jacob Iati (5'10''-G) of Albany
Andrew Rogers (5'9''-G-90) of Maine
Brian Benson (6'9''-F-90) of New Hampshire

Davis' Buzzer-Beater Lifts Tigers Over Crimson, 63-62 - by Eurobasket
NEW HAVEN, Conn. - Douglas Davis (5'11''-PG-89) shot Princeton back into the NCAA tournament for the first time in seven years and kept Harvard waiting at least a little bit longer.
Davis hit a leaning jump shot at the buzzer to give the Tigers a wild 63-62 win over Harvard, and the Ivy League's automatic bid.
'It felt good. It went in.' Davis said. 'I fell on the ground and that was the worst decision I ever made, because everyone just jumped on me.'
The Crimson, who split the regular season title with Princeton, were seeking their first NCAA bid since 1946. Now they have to sweat out selection Sunday to see if they get at-large bid.
Davis had 15 points to lead the Tigers (25-6), who will represent the league for the 24th time in the tournament after overcoming an eight-point second half deficit.
Keith Wright (6'8''-F/C) scored 16 points for Harvard (23-6), which still has a chance for an at-large bid.
The game had six lead changes in the final 2:35.
Ian Hummer's driving basket in the lane gave Princeton a 61-60 lead with 37 seconds left. Harvard chose not to call a timeout and Brandyn Curry (6'1''-PG) found himself open for a driving layup that gave Harvard the lead with 11 seconds left.
Princeton called a timeout with just under 3 seconds left to run their final play.
Davis took the pass, dribbled to his right, made a move to his left to lose Harvard's Oliver McNally (6'3''-G) and launched the game-winner from about 14 feet, right in front of the Princeton student section.
The celebration paused for a couple minutes, before the referees confirmed on the monitor that the shot was released in time. It was.
'It was a great feeling,' said Princeton guard Dan Mavraides (6'4''-G-88). 'Doug has an amazing mid-range game and it was an amazing shot. But, I think he makes that seven out of 10 times to be honest.'
Because the Ivy League is the only one in Division I without a postseason tournament, they had to play the tiebreaker to claim the automatic NCAA bid. It was the league's first tiebreaker since 2002.
'We're certainly heartbroken and devastated, as you can imagine being on the end of that,' said Harvard coach Tommy Amaker . 'But both teams could have felt they deserved to win this basketball game. I think that would be a fair statement.'
Harvard and Princeton split their regular-season meetings. The Tigers won at home 65-61 on Feb. 4, and Harvard beat Princeton 79-67 last weekend to earn a share of the conference title.
The league played the game on Yale's campus, about 130 miles from each school.
Before the game, Harvard and Princeton students joined in chanting 'Yale sucks!'
The Crimson led 38-30 early in the second half after a pair of baskets from Wright.
But Princeton cut it to 40-38 thanks to Hummer, who had five points during the Tigers' 8-2 run.
Wright, who did not have a foul in the first half, picked up fourth with just over 7 minutes left in the game and Harvard leading 50-46.
Davis hit a long two-pointer and followed that with a 3 to give the Tigers a 51-50 lead.
A 3-pointer by Harvard's Brandyn Curry tied the game at 55.
Princeton outrebounded the Crimson 36-24, and had 14 offensive boards.
Harvard has never earned even a share of an Ivy title since the league began playing basketball in 1956.
Princeton has now won 26 titles, but it was the first for coach Sydney Johnson , a 1997 graduate who played on two of those championship teams and took over as coach in 2007.
'This is the first time that these guys get to go to the NCAA tournament, and it's a very special moment for us,' Johnson said.
Princeton came in with a 126-39 record against Harvard, including five in a row, before the Crimson's win a week ago.
The Ivy League has never sent two teams to the NCAA tournament in one year, but Harvard is hoping to get an at-large bid in the expanded 68-team field.
'I don't know how that process works,' Amaker said. 'The powers that be will make those cases and those decisions.'

Courtesy of Ivy League

Ivy League Standings
1 Harvard 12-2
2 Princeton 12-2
3 Yale 8-6
4 Pennsylvania 7-7
5 Columbia 6-8
5 Cornell 6-8
7 Brown 4-10
8 Dartmouth 1-13

Final: Princeton - Harvard 63-62

All-Ivy League Awards 2010-11

All-Ivy League 1st Team 2010-11

Wright

Agho

Rosen

Maddox

Mangano

Player of the Year: Keith Wright (6'8''-F/C) of Harvard
Defensive Player of the Year: Kareem Maddox (6'8''-F-89) of Princeton
Rookie of the Year: Sean McGonagill (6'1''-G) of Brown
Coach of the Year: James Jones of Yale

1st Team
G: Noruwa Agho (6'3'') of Columbia
F/C: Keith Wright (6'8'') of Harvard
G: Zack Rosen (6'1'') of Pennsylvania
F: Kareem Maddox (6'8''-89) of Princeton
F: Greg Mangano (6'10'') of Yale

2nd Team
G: Chris Wroblewski (6'0'') of Cornell
F: Kyle Casey (6'7'') of Harvard
PG: Brandyn Curry (6'1'') of Harvard
F: Ian Hummer (6'7''-90) of Princeton
G: Dan Mavraides (6'4''-88) of Princeton

Honorable Mention
Tucker Halpern (6'8''-F-89) of Brown
Brian Barbour (6'1''-G) of Columbia
Christian Webster (6'5''-G/F) of Harvard
Jack Eggleston (6'8''-F-88) of Pennsylvania

Thomas' Buzzer-Beater Gives Washington Tournament Title - by Ernest
LOS ANGELES - Isaiah Thomas' step-back jumper at the buzzer in overtime ended the final men's basketball game in Pac-10 history Saturday at Staples Center in thrilling fashion, sending Washington to a 77-75 win over Arizona in the title game of the Pacific Life Pac-10 Tournament.
Thomas' heroics came after Arizona's Kevin Parrom (6'6''-G/F) hit a 3-pointer to tie the game with 19 seconds go to, giving Washington one last possession to get the win.
It was the first overtime game in tournament title game history and Thomas was its star.
The dynamic point guard finished with 28 points, and led Washington to back-to-back tournament titles. The Huskies won both titles as a No. 3 seed. Washington becomes the first Pac-10 school to win back-to-back tournament titles since the new incarnation of the tournament began in 2002.
'We felt from the beginning of the year if we came out and played Husky basketball and played the way we were capable of, we'd have a chance to be successful in most any game,' Washington coach Lorenzo Romar said. 'So we'll go see. We'll see what happens. It's a good time for us to be playing together and playing right.'
Arizona is credited with winning four in a row from 1988-90 and then 2002 when the tournament returned.
The Wildcats (26-8) lost the contest, but won the conference regular-season title and await a high seed in the upcoming NCAA Tournament. Arizona was making its first title game appearance since 2005.
Arizona was led by Pac-10 Player of the Year Derrick Williams (6'8''-F), who had 24 points and 11 rebounds.
Williams credited Thomas after the game.
'Give him credit. Great players make great shots and it's going to go down as one of the greatest shots in Pac-10 tournament history,' Williams said.
The two teams split the regular-season series, and this was a nip and tuck game for much of the afternoon. The lead changed hands 12 times with eight ties. Arizona led by as many as eight points in the first half. Washington had a six-point lead with 10:52 to go in the second half.
'These were teams that were playing their hearts out,' said Arizona coach Sean Miller . 'In terms of this game, we gave them 16 second- (chance) shots. Some of their possessions on defense seemed like an eternity because they were getting second and third shots. It's tough to win against Washington when you give them 16 second shots.
'The good news for us is that we played hard and we played well and we are looking forward to the NCAA Tournament.'
Thomas, who also set the tournament record for assists in a three-game effort, scored nine of his points in the final seven minutes of the game. He finished with seven assists and played all 45 minutes.
I was just worried about making plays for my teammates,' Thomas said. 'When it came down to it, when I needed to score, I did. At the end of the day it was just about making plays and seeing where I could get people open shots.'
Washington freshman Terrence Ross (6'6''-G), making just the third start of his career, finished with 16 points.
'One of these days when I'm not coaching anymore I'll sit back in the rocking chair and reminisce about this game,' Washington coach Lorenzo Romar said. 'I'll remember a lot of things about this tournament, and they're all good.'
Arizona led 36-31 at the half, but Washington stayed close thanks to Thomas, who had 19 at the half, the single-best half from a Huskies player this season.

Courtesy of Pac10

All-Pac-10 Summary 2010-11

Pac-10 Regular Season Standings
1 Arizona 14-4
2 UCLA 13-5
3 Washington 11-7
4 USC 10-8
4 California 10-8
6 Washington St 9-9
7 Stanford 7-11
7 Oregon 7-11
9 Oregon St. 5-13
10 C.J. Wilcox St 4-14

Pac-10 Tournament Final: Washington - Arizona 77-75
Pac-10 Tournament Semifinals:
Arizona - USC 67-62
Washington - Oregon 69-51

All-Pac-10 Awards 2010-11

All-Pac-10 1st Team 2010-11

Williams