Eurobasket Daily News Report:

EUROBASKET NEWS REPORT - 1/2/2012

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Men News

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AUSTRALIA

Standings - NBL

NBL Standings

1. Wildcats		10-5
2. Breakers		10-5
3. Tigers		9-6
4. Taipans		7-7
5. Kings		7-9
6. Blaze		6-6
7. Crocodiles		6-6
8. 36ers		5-9
9. Hawks		3-10

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BOSNIA

Ognjen Kuzmic has another big game for his team in a loss in the Spanish LEB Gold League game - by Chris Mathieu
Ognjen Kuzmic has another big game for his team in a loss in the Spanish LEB Gold League game.
Ognjen Kuzmic had another outstanding performance; his team still lost 76-81 to Leon. The loss drops his teams record to 2-14 on the season bottom of the division and likely to face regulation to a lower division at the end of the season. Ognjen scored 22 points on 8-11 from the field and 6-9 from FT line; he pulled down 9 rebounds and had a block and an assist. He has averaged 10.1 ppg 6.8 rbpg and 1.7 blpg in limited minutes so far.

Dejan Todorovic didnt play in the loss.

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CHINA

Standings - CBA

CBA Standings

1. Beijing Ducks		14-4
2. Guandong ST		14-4
3. Guangsha L.		13-5
4. Zhejiang C.		11-6
5. DongGuan L.		10-8
6. Liaoning H.		10-8
7. Shanghai S.		10-8
8. Xinjiang F.T.		9-7
9. Fujian XX		9-9
10. Shanxi Zh.		8-9
11. Jilin NE T.		7-11
12. Qingdao DS		7-11
13. Shandong FB		7-11
14. Bayi Fubang		6-11
15. TianJin R.		6-12
16. Foshan		5-12
17. Jiangsu D.		4-14

Stats Leaders - CBA

Points Per Game

J.R. SMITH
  Zhejiang C.
  (198-G-85)
  Avg: 33.5

1. Smith, Zhejiang C.	33.5
2. Hudson, Qingdao DS	33.3
3. Williams, Shanxi Z.	29.7
4. Chandler, Guangsha.	28.5
5. Gaines, Shanxi Zh.	28.4
6. McDonald, Fujian X.	27.6
7. Vroman, Jiangsu D.	26.9
8. Mills, Xinjiang.	26.5
9. Akognon, DongGuan.	25.8
10. Martin, Jilin N.	25.6

Rebounds Per Game

Zaid ABBAS
  Fujian XX
  (203-F-83)
  Avg: 15.3

1. Abbas, Fujian XX	15.3
2. Oyedeji, Qingdao DS	14.4
3. Ramos, Guangsha L.	13.9
4. Harvey, TianJin R.	13.6
5. Gadzuric, Jiang.	13.1
6. Hunter, Shandong	13.1
7. Gaines, Shanxi Zh.	12.9
8. Boone, Zhejiang C.	12.6
9. Randolph, DongGua.	12.2
10. Chandler, Guangsh.	12.1

Assists Per Game

Osama DAGHLES
  Jilin N.
  (198-G-79)
  Avg: 7.7

1. Daghles, Jilin N.	7.7
2. Hudson, Qingdao DS	6.2
3. Marbury, Beijing	6.0
4. Yang, Liaoning H.	5.4
5. Mengke, Xinjiang.	5.2
6. Lu, Shanxi Zh.	5.1
7. Brooks, Guandong	4.9
8. Anderson, Shandon.	4.7
9. Zhang, Liaoning H.	4.6
10. Williams, Shanxi	4.5

Steals Per Game

Lester HUDSON
  Qingdao DS
  (191-G-84)
  Avg: 3.4

1. Hudson, Qingdao DS	3.4
2. Lee, Beijing Ducks	2.9
3. Smith, Zhejiang C.	2.9
4. Vroman, Jiangsu D.	2.7
5. Hu, Jiangsu D.	2.7
6. Daghles, Jilin N.	2.6
7. Marbury, Beijing	2.4
8. Williams, Shanxi Z.	2.3
9. Mills, Xinjiang.	2.3
10. Lu, Shanxi Zh.	2.3

Blocks Per Game

Dan GADZURIC
  Jiang.
  (211-C-78)
  Avg: 2

1. Gadzuric, Jiang.	2.0
2. Randolph, DongGua.	1.8
3. Boone, Zhejiang C.	1.8
4. Zhang, Shanghai S.	1.8
5. Xu, Bayi Fubang	1.6
6. Vroman, Jiangsu D.	1.6
7. Carney, Liaoning H.	1.6
8. Douthit, Foshan	1.5
9. Watkins, Jilin N.	1.4
10. Li, Liaoning H.	1.3

Gani Lawal erupted in his Xinjiang's debut - by Eurobasket News
Lawal Gani (206-F-88, college: Georgia Tech) erupted in his Xinjiang's debut. The game between closely ranked teams ended with 9th ranked Shanxi Zhongyu's road loss to eighth ranked Xinjiang Flying Tige 94-100 on Sunday. The hosts started the game with a very strong first quarter 31-15. But Shanxi Zhongyu won second period 28-19. However it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. They outrebounded Shanxi Zhongyu 55-30 including a 23-12 advantage in offensive rebounds. Shanxi Zhongyu was plagued by 28 personal fouls down the stretch. It was a great evening for Nigerian forward Lawal Gani who led his team to a victory with a double-double by scoring 27 points and 24 rebounds.
Few days ago Xinjiang Flying Tigers have bolstered their frontcourt. They agreed on terms of contract with Lawal Gani. He played for Zastal Zielona Gora this season. He averaged 16.5 points, 11.7 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per appearance. Last season the forward started in the Phoenix Suns. Lawal Gani then moved to the Iowa Energy. His stats read 11.2 points and 6.0 rebounds per game in D-League. Martin Kenyon left the team in December. He posted 13.9 points, 9.7 rebounds and 1.8 assists per appearance in CBA.

CBA Round 19: #1 Beijing Ducks are defeated by Liaoning Hunters - by Eurobasket News
There was no lack of interesting games this round. The round ended with defeat of the leader, extra overtimes and favorites losing the games.

The most surprising game was a loss of top-ranked Beijing Ducks (14-4) at the home court on Sunday night. Hosts were defeated by sixth ranked Liaoning Hunters (10-8) 111-104. The guests started the game with a very strong first quarter 32-23. But Beijing Ducks won third quarter 35-21. However it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. Liaoning Hunters made 27-of-35 free shots (77.1 percent) during the game. They looked well-organized offensively handing out 21 assists. 25 personal fouls committed by Beijing Ducks helped opponents get some easy free throw opportunities. Americans were the main players on the court. It was a great evening for forward Rodney Carney (201-84, college: Memphis) who led his team to a victory scoring 29 points. Forward Josh Powell (206-83, college: N.Carolina St., agency: Strategic Sports) helped adding 21 points and 11 rebounds. At the losing side power forward Randolph Morris (211-86, college: Kentucky) responded with a double-double by scoring 35 points (!!!) and 13 rebounds. Beijing Ducks' coach LuLei Min rotated eleven players in this game, but that didn't help. Liaoning Hunters moved-up to fifth place, which they share with Shanghai S. and DongGuan L. Beijing Ducks at the other side still keep top position with four games lost. They share it with Guandong ST. Liaoning Hunters is looking forward to face TianJin Rongcheng (#15) in Tianjin in the next round and are hoping to win another game. Beijing Ducks will play at home against the league's second-placed Guandong Tigers (#2) in Dongguan and it may be a tough game between close rivals.

There were no shocking results in the rest of the games of round 19: Shanxi Zh. lost to Xinjiang F.T. on the opponent's court 94-100. Guangsha L. unfortunately lost to Qingdao DS in a home game 81-93. Guandong ST rolled over Jiangsu D. on the road 124-96. Jilin NE T. was defeated by TianJin R. on its own court 96-100. Shandong FB was beaten by Shanghai S. in a road game 92-75. DongGuan L. lost to Zhejiang C. at home 88-100.
The most impressive stats of the last round was 37 points (!!!), 8 rebounds and 12 assists by Lester Hudson of Qingdao DS.

Beijing Ducks - Liaoning H. 104-111

The most surprising game was a loss of top-ranked Beijing Ducks (14-4) at the home court on Sunday night. Hosts were defeated by sixth ranked Liaoning Hunters (10-8) 111-104. The guests started the game with a very strong first quarter 32-23. But Beijing Ducks won third quarter 35-21. However it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. Liaoning Hunters made 27-of-35 free shots (77.1 percent) during the game. They looked well-organized offensively handing out 21 assists. 25 personal fouls committed by Beijing Ducks helped opponents get some easy free throw opportunities. Americans were the main players on the court. It was a great evening for forward Rodney Carney (201-84, college: Memphis) who led his team to a victory scoring 29 points. Forward Josh Powell (206-83, college: N.Carolina St., agency: Strategic Sports) helped adding 21 points and 11 rebounds. Five Liaoning Hunters players scored in double figures. At the losing side power forward Randolph Morris (211-86, college: Kentucky) responded with a double-double by scoring 35 points (!!!) and 13 rebounds and guard Stephon Marbury (187-77, college: Georgia Tech) scored 25 points, 7 rebounds, 8 assists and 5 steals. Beijing Ducks' coach LuLei Min rotated eleven players in this game, but that didn't help. Liaoning Hunters moved-up to fifth place, which they share with Shanghai S. and DongGuan L. Beijing Ducks at the other side still keep top position with four games lost. They share it with Guandong ST. Liaoning Hunters is looking forward to face TianJin Rongcheng (#15) in Tianjin in the next round and are hoping to win another game. Beijing Ducks will play at home against the league's second-placed Guandong Tigers (#2) in Dongguan and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Beijing Ducks: M.Randolph 35+13reb+3ast, M.Stephon 25+7reb+8ast, J.Zhe 10+1reb+1ast, Z.YanXi 10+7reb, Z.Xiaochuan 8+5reb+1ast, W.Xiaohui 6+6reb
Liaoning H.: C.Rodney 29+2reb+3ast, P.Josh 21+11reb+1ast, Y.Ming 16+4reb+9ast, G.Ailun 13+3reb+5ast, L.Xiaoxu 10+13reb, H.Dejun 9+2reb+1ast

Xinjiang F.T. - Shanxi Zh. 100-94

The game between closely ranked teams ended with 9th ranked Shanxi Zhongyu's (8-9) road loss to eighth ranked Xinjiang Flying Tige (9-7) 94-100 on Sunday. The hosts started the game with a very strong first quarter 31-15. But Shanxi Zhongyu won second period 28-19. However it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. They outrebounded Shanxi Zhongyu 55-30 including a 23-12 advantage in offensive rebounds. Shanxi Zhongyu was plagued by 28 personal fouls down the stretch. It was a great evening for Nigerian forward Gani Lawal (206-88, college: Georgia Tech) who led his team to a victory with a double-double by scoring 27 points and 24 rebounds. The former international center ZhengDong Tang (213-84) helped adding 29 points and 7 rebounds. At the losing side American forward Charles Gaines (201-81, college: S.Mississippi) responded with a double-double by scoring 33 points (!!!) and 16 rebounds (on 13-of-17 shooting from the field) and the other American import swingman Marcus Williams (201-86, college: Arizona, agency: Interperformances) scored 29 points and 4 steals. Both teams had four players each who scored in double figures. Shanxi Zhongyu's coach tested ten players, but that didn't help to avoid defeat in this game. Xinjiang Flying Tige maintains eighth place with 9-7 record. Loser Shanxi Zhongyu dropped to the tenth position with nine games lost. Xinjiang Flying Tige will face Bayi Fubang (#14) in Ningbo in the next round which should be theoretically an easy game.
Top scorers:
Shanxi Zh.: G.Charles 33+16reb, W.Marcus 29+1reb+3ast, P.Jiang 11+3reb+1ast, B.ZhaoBao 10+3reb, D.JiangPeng 6+2ast, L.XiaoMing 2+2reb+5ast
Xinjiang F.T.: T.ZhengDong 29+7reb+3ast, L.Gani 27+24reb+1ast, C.Tal 15+4reb+2ast, M.Bateer 14+12reb, X.GuoChong 8+4reb, P.Duo 7+1reb+3ast

Guangsha L. - Qingdao DS 81-93

There was a surprise result in Hangzhou where fourteenth ranked Qingdao Double Star (7-11) defeated 3rd placed Zhejiang Guangsha Lions (13-5) 93-81 on Sunday. The game was mostly controlled by Qingdao Double Star. Zhejiang Guangsha Lions was better in second period 23-22. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. It was a great evening for American guard Lester Hudson (191-84, college: Tenn-Martin) who led his team to a victory with a double-double by scoring 37 points (!!!), 8 rebounds and 12 assists. Nigerian-British power forward Olumide Oyedeji (208-81) helped adding 8 points and 15 rebounds. At the losing side American forward Wilson Chandler (203-87, college: De Paul) responded with 29 points and 8 rebounds and American-Puerto Rican center Peter John Ramos (222-85) produced a double-double by scoring 16 points and 11 rebounds. Both coaches used bench players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. Qingdao Double Star moved-up to eleventh place, which they share with Shandong FB and Jilin NE T. Loser Zhejiang Guangsha Lions keep the third position with five games lost. Qingdao Double Star will face Jilin Tigers (#11) in Changchun in the next round. Zhejiang Guangsha Lions will play at home against Shandong Bulls (#13) in Jinan.
Top scorers:
Guangsha L.: C.Wilson 29+8reb+2ast, R.Peter John 16+11reb+3ast, J.Lipeng 10+2reb+2ast, L.Chih-Chieh 7+4reb+2ast, Z.Wei 5+4reb, Z.Yongpeng 4+7reb+2ast
Qingdao DS: H.Lester 37+8reb+12ast, L.Gen 19+5reb+2ast, S.Sani 10+8reb+2ast, O.Olumide 8+15reb+3ast, Z.Jinshuai 6+2reb, C.Liang 4+9reb+1ast

Jiangsu D. - Guandong ST 96-124

Not a big story in a game in Nanjing where 17th ranked Jiangsu Dragons (4-14) were rolled over by second ranked Guandong Tigers (14-4) 124-96 on Sunday. The game without a history. Guandong Tigers led from the first minutes and controlled entire game increasing their lead in each quarter. Guandong Tigers forced 24 Jiangsu Dragons turnovers. They looked well-organized offensively handing out 21 assists. Great defensive blocking was one of the keys in this match when Guandong Tigers made 7 blocks. Jiangsu Dragons were plagued by 24 personal fouls down the stretch. It was a great evening for American forward James Singleton (203-81, college: Murray St.) who led his team to a victory with a double-double by scoring 18 points, 22 rebounds and 4 blocks (made all of his eight free throws). International forward FangYu Zhu (201-83) helped adding 26 points. At the losing side American-Lebanese power forward Jackson Vroman (208-81, college: Iowa St.) responded with a double-double by scoring 17 points and 13 rebounds and American guard Marcus Williams (191-85, college: Connecticut) scored 20 points and 7 assists. Four Guandong Tigers and five Jiangsu Dragons 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. Guandong Tigers used an opportunity after Beijing Ducks lost their game and moved up joining them at the top position. Loser Jiangsu Dragons stay at the bottom place with 14 games lost. Guandong Tigers will face league's leader Beijing Ducks on the road in the next round and it will be for sure the game of the week. Jiangsu Dragons will play against DongGuan Leopards (#5).
Top scorers:
Jiangsu D.: W.Marcus 20+3reb+7ast, V.Jackson 17+13reb+3ast, M.Da 15+2reb+3ast, Y.Li 14+4reb+1ast, H.XueFeng 11+4reb+1ast, W.Junjie 8+4reb
Guandong ST: Z.FangYu 26+2reb+3ast, W.ShiPeng 20+1reb+1ast, S.James 18+22reb+2ast, B.Aaron 15+2reb+5ast, Z.Peng 13+2reb+1ast, S.Wei 11+2reb+1ast

Jilin NE T. - TianJin R. 96-100

There was a surprise result in Changchun where fifteenth ranked TianJin Rongcheng (6-12) beat higher ranked Jilin Tigers (7-11) 100-96 on Sunday. The guests trailed by 15 points after three quarters before their 36-17 charge, which allowed them to win the game. Jilin Tigers were plagued by 29 personal fouls down the stretch. It was a great evening for American power forward Donnell Harvey (203-80, college: Florida) who led his team to a victory with a double-double by scoring 26 points and 12 rebounds. His fellow American import center David Harrison (213-82, college: Colorado) helped adding 19 points and 6 rebounds. At the losing side American power forward Jameel Watkins (211-77, college: Georgetown) responded with a double-double by scoring 20 points and 15 rebounds and Jordanian guard Osama Daghles (198-79, college: Midwestern St.) scored 17 points, 9 rebounds and 5 assists. Four Jilin Tigers players scored in double figures. Both coaches used bench players in such tough game. TianJin Rongcheng maintains fifteenth place with 6-12 record. Loser Jilin Tigers keep the eleventh position with 11 games lost. TianJin Rongcheng will face higher ranked Liaoning Hunters (#6) in Yingkou in the next round and it will be quite challenging to get another victory.
Top scorers:
Jilin NE T.: W.Jameel 20+15reb+2ast, M.Cartier 20+3reb+3ast, D.Osama 17+9reb+5ast, L.Wei 16+4reb, Z.Cheng 9+6reb+5ast, Z.Biao 6+2reb
TianJin R.: H.Donnell 26+12reb+3ast, H.David 19+6reb+1ast, Z.Nan 17+4reb+1ast, X.GuiJun 9+2reb, S.Chun 8+5reb+2ast, M.XiangLong 7+3reb+1ast

Fujian XX - Bayi Fubang 119-115 2OT

Fujian defeated Bayi in overtime 119-115. Anthony Roberson had 39 points and 11 rebounds. Will McDonald had 30 points and 9 rebounds. Zhao Tailong had 15 points and 7 rebounds. Guo Lei had 9 points and 8 rebounds. Luo Yiting had 8 points, 5 rebounds and 7 assists. Wang Lei had 28 points, 11 rebounds and 5 assists for Bayi. Wang Zhizhi had 35 points and 6 rebounds. Zhang Bo scored 20. Delehei had 13 points and 3 rebounds. Xu Zhonghao had 11 points, 12 rebounds and 4 assists but fouled out in 45 minutes.

Top scorers:
Bayi Fubang: W.ZhiZhi 35+6reb, W.Lei 28+11reb+5ast, Z.Bo 20+2reb+3ast, D.Lehei 13+3reb, X.ZhongHao 11+12reb+4ast, H.Shuo 4+3reb+4ast
Fujian XX: R.Anthony 39+11reb+2ast, M.Will 30+9reb+3ast, Z.TaiLong 15+7reb+1ast, G.Lei 9+8reb+2ast, L.Yi Ting 8+5reb+7ast, Y.Qin 7+1ast

Shanghai S. - Shandong FB 92-75

There was no surprise when 12th ranked Shandong Bulls (7-11) were defeated on the road by seventh ranked Shanghai Sharks (10-8) 92-75 on Sunday. The game was mostly controlled by Shanghai Sharks. Shandong Bulls was better in third quarter 21-20. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. Shanghai Sharks dominated down low during the game scoring 62 of its points in the paint compared to Shandong Bulls' 40. Great defensive blocking was one of the keys in this match when Shanghai Sharks made 7 blocks. It was a great evening for American forward Mike Harris (198-83, college: Rice) who led his team to a victory scoring 36 points (!!!) and 7 rebounds (on 15-of-18 shooting from the field). Guard Tian Feng (186-89) helped adding 16 points and 6 rebounds. At the losing side American swingman Alan Anderson (198-82, college: Michigan St., agency: Priority Sports) responded with 25 points, 9 rebounds and 5 assists and Liberian-American forward Othello Hunter (203-86, college: Ohio St., agency: David Lee services) produced a double-double by scoring 12 points and 12 rebounds. Both teams had four players each who scored in double figures. Both coaches used bench players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. Shanghai Sharks have an impressive series of five victories in a row. They moved-up to fifth place, which they share with Liaoning H. and DongGuan L. Loser Shandong Bulls dropped to the eleventh position with 11 games lost. Shanghai Sharks will face Foshan (#16) at home in the next round which should be an easy win for them. Shandong Bulls will play against Zhejiang Guangsha Lions (#3) in Hangzhou.
Top scorers:
Shandong FB: A.Alan 25+9reb+5ast, W.Ke 13+8reb, H.Othello 12+12reb, S.Jie 10+4reb+3ast, W.Ruheng 6+2reb+1ast, S.Ran 4+1reb
Shanghai S.: H.Mike 36+7reb+1ast, F.Tian 16+6reb+1ast, M.Lingyuan 13+5reb+1ast, L.Wei 10+2reb+3ast, W.Yong-Liang 8+3reb+1ast, J.Xiang 6+7reb

DongGuan L. - Zhejiang C. 88-100

The game between closely ranked teams ended with fourth ranked Zhejiang Cyclones' (11-6) road victory over 5th ranked DongGuan Leopards (10-8) 100-88 on Sunday. The guests trailed by 3 points at the halftime before their 52-37 charge in the second half, which allowed them to win the game. It was a great evening for American guard J.R. Smith (198-85) who led his team to a victory scoring 18 points, 9 rebounds and 7 assists. His fellow American import power forward Josh Boone (208-84, college: Connecticut) helped adding 20 points and 13 rebounds. Four Zhejiang Cyclones players scored in double figures. At the losing side American forward Shavlik Randolph (208-83, college: Duke) responded with a double-double by scoring 28 points, 16 rebounds and 5 blocks and Nigerian-American guard Josh-Emmanuel Akognon (180-86, college: CS Fullerton) scored 22 points. Zhejiang Cyclones maintains fourth place with 11-6 record. Loser DongGuan Leopards keep the fifth position with eight games lost. Zhejiang Cyclones will face Fujian SBS XunXin (#9) in Jinjiang in the next round which should be theoretically an easy game. DongGuan Leopards will play at home against Jiangsu Dragons (#17) in Nanjing.
Top scorers:
DongGuan L.: R.Shavlik 28+16reb, A.Josh-Emmanuel 22+4reb, Q.Biao 15+5reb, H.ZhongMian 8+3reb+1ast, H.Chih-Shan 5+1reb+1ast, L.Muhao 4+1reb
Zhejiang C.: T.Hai 25+8reb+1ast, B.Josh 20+13reb+1ast, C.Fei 19+4reb+6ast, S.J.R. 18+9reb+7ast, Z.Dayu 7+1reb, D.Jinhui 4+9reb+4ast

Guangdong Ties Beijing for CBA Lead - by Arthur Volbert
Beijing lost for the fourth time in five games and fell back into a tie with Guangdong for the CBA lead at 14-4. Getting 29 points from Rodney Carney and 21 points and 11 rebounds from Josh Powell, Liaoning defeated Beijing 111-104. Yang Ming had 16 points, 4 rebounds and 9 assists and is consistently giving the best performance of any native point guard in the league. Guo Ailun had 13 points, 3 rebounds, 5 assists and 3 steals. Li Xiaoxu had 10 points and 13 rebounds. Han Dejun and Zhang Qingpeng each scored 9. Randolph Morris, playing against Han Dejun, led Beijing with 35 points and 13 rebounds. Stephon Marbury had 25 points, 7 rebounds, 8 assists and 5 steals. Zhu Yanxi and Ji Zhe each scored 10. Zhai Xiaochuan had 8 points and 5 rebounds. Wang Xiaohui had 6 points and 6 rebounds.

Guangdong blasted Jiangsu 124-96. Zhu FangYu (201-F-83) had 26 points and Wang Shipeng had 20. James Singleton had 18 points and 22 rebounds. Aaron Brooks had 15 points and 5 assists. Zhou Peng scored 13 and Su Wei had 11. Chen Jianghua had 4 points, 4 rebounds and 8 assists. Marcus Williams had 20 points and 7 assists for Jiangsu. Jackson Vroman had 17 points and 13 rebounds. Meng Da scored 15, Yang Li had 14 and Hu Xuefeng scored 11. Wang Junjie scored 8.

Zhejiang Guangsha fell to 13-5 with a 93-81 loss to Qingdao. Lester Hudson had 37 points, 8 rebounds and 12 assists to lead Qingdao. Young Li Gen, who is consistently suggesting he may belong on the National team. scored 19. Sani Sakakini had 10 points and 8 rebounds. Olumide Oyedeji had 8 points and 15 rebounds. Wilson Chandler had 29 points and 8 rebounds for Guangsha. Peter John Ramos had 16 points and 11 rebounds. Jin Lipeng scored 10. Lin Chih-Chieh had 7 points and 4 rebounds, hitting 2 of 11 shots.

Zhejiang moved to 11-6 with a 100-88 win over 10-8 Dongguan. Young Tang Hai, in his first outstanding game, had 25 points and 8 rebounds. Josh Boone had 20 points and 13 rebounds. Cao Fei had 19 points, 4 rebounds and 6 assists and rivals Yang Ming as a rising point guard. J. R. Smith had 18 points, 9 rebounds and 7 assists. Zhang Dayu scored 7. Ding Jinhui had 4 points, 9 rebounds and 4 assists. Shavlik Randolph had 28 points and 16 rebounds for Dongguan. Josh Akognon scored 22. Qiu Biao had 15 points and 5 rebounds. He Zhongmian scored 8. Zhang Kai again did not play.

Michael Harris had 36 points and 7 rebounds as Shanghai defeated Shandong 92-75. Feng Tian had 16 points and 6 rebounds. Meng Lingyuan had 13 points and 5 rebounds. Liu Wei scored 10 and Wang Yong had 8. Ji Xiang had 6 points, 7 rebounds and 2 blocks. Ryan Forehan-Kelly was scoreless in 8 minutes. Allan Anderson had 25 points, 9 rebounds and 5 assists for Shandong. Wu Ke had 13 points and 8 rebounds. Othello Hunter had 12 points and 12 rebounds. Sun Jie scored 10.

Tang Zhengdong had 29 points and 7 rebounds as Xinjiang defeated Shanxi 100-94. New import Gani Lawal had 27 points and 24 rebounds. Xirelijiang had 15 points and 4 assists. Mengke Bateer had 14 points and 12 rebounds. Xu Guozhong scored 8 and Meng Duo had 7. Charles Gaines had 33 points and 16 rebounds for Shanxi. Marcus Williams scored 29. Bao Zhaobao had 10 points and 3 rebounds. Pan Jiang scored 11. Duan Jiangpeng, who is having a very disappointing season, had 3 points and no rebounds, hitting 2 of 6 shots.

Fujian defeated Bayi in overtime 119-115. Anthony Roberson had 39 points and 11 rebounds. Will McDonald had 30 points and 9 rebounds. Zhao Tailong had 15 points and 7 rebounds. Guo Lei had 9 points and 8 rebounds. Luo Yiting had 8 points, 5 rebounds and 7 assists. Wang Lei had 28 points, 11 rebounds and 5 assists for Bayi. Wang Zhizhi had 35 points and 6 rebounds. Zhang Bo scored 20. Delehei had 13 points and 3 rebounds. Xu Zhonghao had 11 points, 12 rebounds and 4 assists but fouled out in 45 minutes.

Tianjin defeated Jilin 100-96. Donnell Harvey had 26 points and 12 rebounds. David Harrison had 19 points and 6 rebounds. Zhang Nan scored 17. Shen Tujun had 8 points and 5 rebounds. Jameel Watkins had 20 points and 15 rebounds for Jilin. Cartier Martin scored 20. Osama Daghlas had 17 points, 9 rebounds and 5 assists. Lu Wei scored 16. Zhong Cheng had 9 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists and 3 steals.

Yi Jianlian Reported to Sign With Dallas Mavericks - by Arthur Volbert
Yi Jianlian (213-F/C-87) is reported to have signed a contract with the NBA champion Dallas Mavericks with the contract to be finalized in the next two days. Yi will begin play with the D-League Texas Legends, rehabilitating his knee injury. There he will be playing for former Chinese National Team coach Del Harris.

Dallas president of basketball operations Donnie Nelson has long had ties to China. Dallas signed Wang Zhizhi as the first Chinese player to play in the NBA. Dallas has been looking for a big man to replace Tyson Chandler, who defected to the New York Knicks.

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D-LEAGUE

Fort Wayne Mad Ants adds Brown to their roster - by Eurobasket Center
Fort Wayne Mad Ants added to their roster 25-year old forward Gilbert Brown (198-F-98kg-87, college: Pittsburgh). In his first game he scored 5 points helping his new team beat Canton C. 104-103. Brown played most recently at Boston Celtics (NBA). He just graduated University of Pittsburgh and actually missed last season. It will be his first season in pro basketball.

By Eurobasket Data Center

Jerome Randle is a newcomer at Maine Red Claws - by Eurobasket Center
Maine Red Claws added to their roster 25-year old guard Jerome Randle (178-G-87, college: California). In his first game he scored 6 points. However his new team lost to Rio Grande VV 83-101. Randle played most recently at Frisco Texas Legends (D-League). He played also pro basketball in Israel and Turkey. Randle graduated University of California in 2010 and actually missed last season. It will be his second season in pro basketball.

By Eurobasket Data Center

Standings

D-League Standings

East Conference
1. Iowa E.		10-4
2. Canton C.		7-7
3. Springfield A.		7-7
4. Dakota W.		6-6
5. Erie Bay H.		6-9
6. Ft.Wayne MA		5-8
7. Sioux Falls S.		5-10
8. Maine RC		4-10
West Conference
1. Los Angeles D.		10-6
2. Rio Grande VV		10-6
3. Austin T.		9-3
4. Bakersfield J.		8-5
5. Tulsa 66ers		7-6
6. Reno B.		6-7
7. Idaho S.		6-8
8. Texas L.		5-9

Stats Leaders

Points Per Game

Blake AHEARN
  Reno B.
  (188-PG-84)
  Avg: 26.2

1. Ahearn, Reno B.	26.2
2. Costner, Los A.	25.7
3. Millsap, Los A.	23.7
4. Dentmon, Austin T.	21.7
5. Mitchell, Sioux F.	20.7
6. Emmett, Reno B.	20.6
7. Lazare, Ft.Wayne.	20.3
8. Moses Randal., Iow.	19.8
9. Biggs, Canton C.	19.6
10. Garcia, Sioux F.	19.3

Rebounds Per Game

Marcus LEWIS
  Tulsa 66ers
  (203-F/C-86)
  Avg: 14.4

1. Lewis, Tulsa 66ers	14.4
2. Famous, Iowa E.	11.0
3. Milligan, Canton C.	10.8
4. Dawson, Austin T.	10.3
5. Thomas, Reno B.	9.9
6. Harris, Maine RC	9.6
7. Daniels, Erie B.	9.6
8. Brown, Springfield	9.4
9. Foote, Springfield	9.1
10. Reid, Tulsa 66ers	8.9

Assists Per Game

Walker RUSSELL
  Ft.Wayne.
  (183-G-82)
  Avg: 10.4

1. Russell, Ft.Wayne.	10.4
2. Sloan, Erie Bay H.	8.4
3. Tinsley, Los A.	7.6
4. Coleman, Sioux F.	7.5
5. Cooksey, Texas L.	7.3
6. Ewing, Iowa E.	7.0
7. Ahearn, Reno B.	7.0
8. Baker, Dakota W.	6.5
9. Bailey, Idaho S.	6.4
10. Bozeman, Reno B.	6.2

Steals Per Game

Elijah MILLSAP
  Los A.
  (198-G-87)
  Avg: 3.3

1. Millsap, Los A.	3.3
2. Curry, Springfield	2.4
3. Baker, Dakota W.	2.4
4. Tinsley, Los A.	2.4
5. Fortson, Los A.	2.3
6. Dyson, Tulsa 66ers	2.1
7. Russell, Ft.Wayne.	2.1
8. Harris, Rio G.	2.1
9. Coleman, Sioux F.	2.1
10. Hamilton, Los A.	2.0

Blocks Per Game

Will FOSTER
  Idaho S.
  (226-C-88)
  Avg: 3.5

1. Foster, Idaho S.	3.5
2. Daniels, Erie B.	2.4
3. Thompson, Erie B.	2.0
4. Dove, Dakota W.	1.9
5. Tisdale, Maine RC	1.6
6. Anderson, Dakota	1.6
7. Kent, Maine RC	1.5
8. Fazekas, Reno B.	1.5
9. Ojougboh, Tulsa	1.4
10. Major, Bakersfi.	1.4

Dan Vandervieren joins Sioux Falls Skyforce - by Eurobasket Center
Sioux Falls Skyforce agreed terms with 24-year old forward Dan Vandervieren (210-F-120kg-88, college: Concordia-St.Paul). In his first game he scored 6 points and grabbed 5 rebounds. However his new team lost to Dakota W. 88-93. Vandervieren played most recently at Austin Toros (D-League). While playing 10 games for Austin T. this season he averaged 5.1ppg, 6.2rpg and 1.2apg. Vandervieren just graduated Concordia-St. Paul and actually missed last season. It will be his first season in pro basketball.

By Eurobasket Data Center

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ESTONIA

Tartu Ulikool clinch Estonian Cup title - by Eurobasket News
Tartu Ulikool - Kalev/Cramo 87:81

Tartu Ulikool celebrated the Estonian Cup title. They overcame their archrivals Kalev/Cramo in the Final. Vallo Allingu (206-C-78) stepped up with 23 points and 8 rebounds to pace the winners.
It was a tough battle from starting minutes. The teams were knotted at 21 after ten minutes of action. Tartu Ulikool put their noses in front in the second frame. They earned a narrow 45:41 halftime advantage. Tartu boosted the gap in the third term. They stretched the margin to as many as 7 points 70:63. Kalev/Cramo tried to stay within striking distance throughout the final period but Tartu remained calm and executed the victory at the end. Tanel Kurbas (197-F-88) posted 15 points, while Bill Amis (205-F-87, college: Hawaii) finished with 14 points in the winning effort. Tanel Sokk (184-G-85) answered with 15 points for Kalev/Cramo. Gert Dorbek (194-G-85) had 14 points in the loss.

Tartu Ulikool: Vallo Allingu 23, Tanel Kurbas 15, Bill Amis 14
Kalev/Cramo: Tanel Sokk 15, Gert Dorbek 14

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EUROCUP

Benetton keeps Becirovic - by Philip Mulryne
According to sportando.net; Benetton extended Sani Becirovic's contract until 2015. Experienced Slovenian player had a good season until this part of the year, after the spell at Turk Telekom in Turkey. Benetton, coached by Djordjevic is advanced to Last 16. However, the team is having difficulty domestically after Allesandro Gentile left for Armani Jeans, Moore and Scalabrine turned back to NBA.

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FRANCE

ProA All-Star game: French players beat foreigners, Amara Sy MVP - by Eurobasket News
French players - Foreigners 130-123

ProA All-Star Game took place at the Bercy arena in Paris last Thursday. French players celebrated 130-123 victory against foreigners in this spectacle. Amara Sy (202-F-81) shined for the winners with 23 points and 10 rebounds. He was named MVP of this event. Adrien Moreman also was great adding 22 points and 11 rebs, while Charles Kahudi (197-F-86, agency: Beo Basket) followed them with 15 points and 7 rebs. In the loosing squad, Lamont Hamilton (208-C/F-84, college: St.John's) collected 21 points and 6 rebs. Alade Aminu (207-C/F-87, college: Georgia Tech) scored 15 and Jawad Williams (204-F-83, college: N.Carolina) netted 13 pts. Quarters: 37-39, 28-31, 26-34, 39-19. Xavier Corosine (17 pts) is the winner of 3-point shootout. He was better than Kyle McAlarney (15 pts) in the Finals. Leo Westermann won the skills contest at Bercy. At the same time, Westermann was the youngest participant at this event.

French players: Amara Sy 23+10 boards, Adrien Moerman (203-F/C-88) 22+11 boards, Charles Kahudi 15+7 boards
Foreigners: Lamont Hamilton 21+6 boards, Alade Aminu 15, Jawad Williams 13

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GERMANY

Can Bjoern Harmsen Bring Some Pat Riley Success And Glitz To The Giessen 46ers? - by Miles Schmidt-Scheuber
Recently two German head coaches Sebastian Machowski and Bjoern Harmsen stood head to head in the always bedlam like atmosphere of the Osthalle in Giessen and their demenour and style couldnt have been more opposite with the Braunschweig pooh bah Machowski staying calm for most of the game while the Giessen skipper Harmsen jumping around like a small displeased boy not getting any candy in his Christmas stocking and constantly having one on one talks with his players after mistakes especially with Achmadschah Zazai and discussing with referees as if he was playing the lottery with getting possible technical fouls. For years, Harmsen has been prowling the Beko BBL sidelines and has been known for being the youngest coach in the league getting his first taste of the top German league in 2007 with Science City Jena. He then moved a bit more east to the Mitteldeutscher BC where it didnt take him long to shape the 2004 Fiba cup winner into an almost Beko BBL playoff team in 2010 just missing the playoffs by a hair. When examining the German closer, you see a mix between German actor Ralf Richter in one of his evil roles in the famous German crime show Ein fall Fur zwei with his glasses and the legendary ex Los Angeles Lakers head coach Pat Riley with his slicked back hair. Harmsen is a basketball junkie who already released his book at age 20 Basketball emotional-With mental strength to success. He got tips from famous Spanish coach Sergio Scariolo as well as German coach Dirk Bauermann. Harmsen has understood in the last years, how to make mediocre teams into better teams and is slowly on his way to making the LTi Giessen 46ers into a team that wants nothing to do with the Beko BBL cellar. Harmsen is an intense coach. He brings good tactical skills to the court and has had success with lower budget teams in this league. I definitely dont want to see his hair gel bill, joked New Yorker Phantoms Braunschweig center Kyle Visser. One Giessen 46ers who definitely knows how the coaching clock of Harmsen ticks is Serb radenko Pilcevic who is playing his third season for the German coach. A coach that he looks up to is the Spanish coach Sergio Scariolo. He has a lot of experience, knows how to work with players and makes for a good atmosphere. I remember my first season with MBC, we played very well and we needed one win to reach the playoffs. We beat all the top teams that season like Bamberg, Alba Berlin, Artland and Oldenburg. The season was a lot of fun and I remember most how he waited for me to play well and had so much trust in my game, added Radenko Pilcevic. Harmsen sticks to details, can motivate players well and just plays European basketball, stressed ex Giessen 46er and 2009 beko BBL champion with Oldenburg Marco Buljevic.

On January 2, the Fraport Skyliners will visit the LTi Giessen 46ers and a A very big special quality about the Hessen derby is that the two cities are only 65 kilometers apart, which gives fans the opportunity to be at both games. This is a charmed quality of service in the BBL that the distances are not as far, but in the NBA for example in a Lon Angeles-Boston series, it is very rare for fans to travel around the NBA, unless your actor Jack Nicholson, who can travel with a private jet, champagne and some models clinging from his arms. The Frankfurt-Giessen series is so close in comparison to NBA standards as if a kid had to only walk down the street to get some candy in the drug store. The two cities are are in size as different as are the skyscraper Messe turm in Frankfurt and a two story University building in Giessen. The town of Giessen is known as a University location and almost half of the population are students. Giessen is one of the few cities in Germany that has a Budhist temple and one of Electronic music most known German DJs Chris Liebing. Giessen is diminutive, but have a huge heart for Basketball.Giessen loves Basketball! It is tradition there, added Murat Didin.

Last season, despite losing eight players including key guys like David Teague, Kevin Johnson, and Lorenzo Williams and only keeping two players with Elvir Ovcina and Jannik Freese, the Giessen 46ers jumped out to a 5-2record and was one of the biggest surprises in the BEKO BBL last season together with Phoenix Hagen in the first two months. The team might not have beat the most glamorous sounding and strong BEKO BBL teams besides the Telekom Baskets Bonn, but they played The EWE Baskets Oldenburg tough and losing a nail bitter to the Brose Baskets Bamberg 81-80, a game where they made a furious comeback and just coming up short. 'We started playing defense after 30 minutes against Bamberg', stressed Elvir Ovcina. Giessen may not have the most talented, but they had achieved one important ingredient early that many teams have problems finding which is that early team chemistry. 'We had a complete squad and many people players complimented each other. We had very athletic wing players and big guys with great hands and that take up a lot of space. We knew how to work with each other and we know each time that when we stepped on the court, we were capable of surprising any team in the BEKO BBL', added Elvir Ovcina. In 2009-2010, the team started 0-6 and after six games last season had 4 wins already. 'Management did a good job bringing in new players. Only me and Jannik Freese remained. We might not have good results in preseason, but we always knew that if we continued to work hard, we would have success', stressed Elvir Ovcina. 'I wasnt surprised by the good Giessen start. They had some talent on their team that came together early', commented Quentin Pryor. 'Their strength were their guards who were great and you had a great inside presence with Peacock. As far their weaknesses, I think just consistency', expressed John Bynum. The question remained how well the Giessen 46ers would play if the team sustained an injury or went into a slump. Misfortune hit the club in Frankfurt as Anthony Smith got hurt in the first half in the 82-64 loss. After this loss, it seemed like some nasty plague was stuck in them as the team went on a 13 game losing streak as the team went from the playoffs places to the back places of the standings as quickly as Marv Albert can yelp yessssssssssssss. The team then made changes and some results started to evolve. The team brought in the fire man Michael Jordan to try to save the season and brought in coach Steven Key. 'Giessen had been up and down last season but they became a different team , with a new head coach and the addition of MJ, they can play with anyone on any night just like any other team in the BBL', warned John Bynum. Since the arrival of Jordan, the team started to win more games and slowly crawled away from the bottom. The team seemed very solid at the start of the season, but with the addition of new coach Steven key and Jordan and Jeffers, the team seemed to be so much stronger at the end. The LTI Giessen season was saved as they finished the season in 15th place with a record of 9-25. They finished the season losing six of their last seven games, but beat MBC on the second to last game day to save their miserable season.

Every new season, a new saying can be, it can only get better as fans can only hope that something will change and some kind of success will come back to the small university town. The club decided to bring in 29 year old Bjoern harmsen who is younger than the star players Elvir Ovcina and Maurice Jeffers. Harmsen brought success to MBC, so why cant he do the same in Giessen? Back in the 70s, Giessen had nothing to do with cellar duels as they won many German titles, but any dreaming of that is as distant as Kevin Durnant ever playing for BBC Bayreuth. Our goal is to stay in the league. If we can limit injuries then maybe we can achieve a bit more, added Bjoern Harmsen . Harmsen came to Giessen and did a house cleaning axing eight players, but keeping team captain Elvir Ovcina who is getting worse with age, but continues to be one of the top centers in the league, fan favorite and x-factor Maurice Jeffers who can always change a game with his play, young German big man Robert Ohle and young developing German point guard Mathias Perl. He brought in MBC players Wayne Bernard who is a Beko BBL veteran and point guard Radenko Pilcevic. Some players didnt worl out like Angel Garcia and Bozo Djurasovic, but Harmsen had an ace in his back pocket bringing in more quality with second year man Barry Stewart, athletic rebounder and Euroleague veteran Koko Archibong and flashy Achmadschau Zazai. Harmsen also got a lot of credit for bringing in basketball project Misan Nikabatse who is always remembered for his dunk over Yao Ming in 2002 and seemed to be on his way to the NBA in 2002. His career didnt quite reach the heights that he expected to and he was saved by Harmsen as the German hadnt played professional basketball in the last two years.

At the moment, the LTI Giessen 46ers are keeping themselves a float in the middle field of the Beko BBL standings and cant afford to go on a big losing streak as the cellar will creep up faster than Bob Cat guard Kemba Walker can sink a floater in the lane. Giessen started the season slow with a three game losing streak, but then won a wild 110-109 scoring festival in the Osthalle. They won back to back games in Trier and was the frst team this season to beat the Brose Baskets Bamberg at home 68-65. Giessen has been some what unpredictable as they beat Phoenix Hagen at home, but also lost on back to back weekends on the road in Munich and Tuebingen by a combined score of 59 points, but then again should have beat Braunschweig at home losing 63-62 not being able to win game on last possession. In the Beko BBL, any team can beat any team and Giessen has the potential to always be capable of making surprises. Giessen is a great team that plays tough. They play very well at home and play scrappy. They can move the ball well and have good perimeter shooters with Stewart and Bernard. They also know how to defend and press very well, stressed ex LTi Giessen 46er Michael Umeh. One thing that Giessen excels at is their guard play. You need to take away their guard play. They seem to make about 60% of their points from their guards. You also always have to be aware of Elvir Ovcina. I have played against him a lot and he is such a great passer and has great court vision, warned ex Wake Forest player Kyle Visser. Defense also seems to have gelled in the early going as the yhave allowed 75 points or fewer in eight of the first 14 games. Our strength is our defense. If we can keep teams at 75 points, then we always have a good chance to win, added Achmadschau Zazai. Despite the well rounded guard play, point guard Zazai knows where the team can still improve. We have to have better ball movement. We have the least assists in the league, warned Zazai.

The Fraport Skyliners may not have had the best start this season, but are slowly starting to recover thanks to their extremely strong and proud play on the road as they will be seeking their fourth win in a row on the road as they enter the Osthalle with a positive 4-3 road record. The Fraport Skyliners still have some injury woes, but seemed to have played their best when confronted with tough injuries and undermanned line ups. The team hope that new point guard Devin Gibson can give his debut in Giessen. The 182cm rookie played at the University of Texas at San Antonio and recently performed at the San Antonio Spurs training camp. If Frankfurt can play like they did in Braunschweig then they will have good chances with their fighting mentality. Having Davidson play well and controlling their guards and denying Ovcina in the low post will be key for getting a win in Giessen, stressed ex EnBW Ludwigsburg center Kyle Visser. Frankfurt continue to do an excellent job limiting turnovers especially against press defense and will need to do it again in Giessen. Frankfurt has to take care of the ball and limit their turnovers against the Giessen press, warned Braunschweig sharp shooter Lamarr Greer. LTi Giessen guard Radenko Pilcevic already did his homework early about how to beat Frankfurt. We have to play tough defense like we did against Braunschweig. Frankfurt is better with the recent good play of Davidson and Burtschi. We have to stop these two guys, warned Radenko Pilcevic. If the game goes down to the wire, then Frankfurt should know which 46er will get the ball in his hand. Jeffers is our x-factor. He will get the ball in the deciding moment, warned Achmadschau Zazai. my ex teammate Jeffers brings a difference to the game when it counts, warned Michael Umeh.

In the last years, The Skyliners have dominated the Hessen derby posting a 10-2 record. Frankfurt has demonstrated a special confidence and calmness that makes the Osthalle in Giessen look more like their own personal lounge area than a hostile Giessen playground with naughty kids throwing sticks and stones. Who could forget the onslaught before Christmas 2005 as Frankfurt routed Giessen 96 to 63 with seven three pointers from Desmond Ferguson. I had a good rhythm going on in that game and my teammates made a good job getting me the ball. I wasnt able to find my rhythm much while I played in Frankfurt for various reasons, but that game was probably my highlight playing there, added ex Skyliner Desmond Ferguson. Three years ago under the guidance of Charles Barton, Frankfurt won a nail bitter 73 to 67 as Frankfurt showed nerves of steal in the dwindling minutes of the fourth quarter. Two years ago, Frankfurt won a tight game, even though it seemed like they were never in any real danger of losing as Derrick Allen led the team with 19 points and an energized Alex King flew into the arena with a specially made superman cape and steered the team off the bench scoring in double figures. Who could forget the buzzer beater by Karlsruhe German Rouven Roessler in 2007? Well that game winning shot that beat Frankfurt was 34 months ago, and Roessler still has the shot dancing in his dreams. I remember that buzzer beater as if it was yesterday. I got the video clip to the game three weeks ago, said ex Giessen 46er Rouven Roessler. . In the 2008-2009 season, The Deutsche Bank Skyliners won in Giessen 75-57 getting 19 points form Lorenzo Gordon. In Frankfurt, they pounded Giessen 93-72 as Pascal Roller and in 2009-2010, Frankfurt won at home 80-69 getting 22 points from Derrick Allen. The last game against Giessen was a nail bitter win by Frankfurt in Giessen which was won 69-68 as Pascal Roller won the game with 13 seconds to play with two free throws. In the first meeting last season Frankfurt won 82-64 as Giessen was outscored 48-21 in the second half. The Deutsche Bank Skyliners were led by Dashaun Wood with 21 points and Roger Powell added 18 points. In the second meeting in Frankfurt, Giessen lost 81-62 as Dashaun Wood scored 26 points. The last time that Frankfurt lost was in December 2002 and they have won the last eight games in a row against Giessen.

The LTi Giessen 46ers are led by 32 year old 194cm shooting guard/small forwardMaurice Jeffers who is back in Giessen for a fourth season. He played at St Louis (NCAA) and was drafted by The Sacremento Kings in 2001. He played five years in Spain before coming to the Giessen 46ers in 2008. In 2009-2010, he averaged 14.4ppg, 4.0rpg, 1.3apg, FGP: 55.0%, 3PT: 35.3%, FT: 79.4%. Last season he played in Cyprus and Argentina before coming to Giessen where he finished the season playing 13 games: 10.2ppg, 4.2rpg, 1.2apg, 1.0spg, FGP: 47.6%, 3PT: 44.7%, FT: 80.8%. In Spain, he won the Spanish LEB Gold (Cope Principe de Asturias) in 2008 with Leche Rio Breogan Lugo. The team also brought back 35 year old 211cm power forward/center Elvir Ovcina who came late to the Giessen 46ers in the 2009-2010 season and is playing his third season in Giessen. He is a movable center, who passes and scores well. He played at Syracuse (NCAA) from 1995-1999 and played a year together with ex NBA player John Wallace reaching the NCAA final in 1996 losing to Kentucky. He played for the EWE Baskets Oldenburg from 2001-2004 and won the BEKO BBL cup with Rhein Energy Cologne in 2005. He had his most success as a player with one team with Ostende winning the league title in 2006 and 2007 and cup in 2008. In 2009-2010 for Giessen, he played 14 games averaging 14.1ppg, 8.1rpg, 2.8apg, 1.0bpg, FGP: 57.7%, 3PT: 32.3%, FT: 69.4%. Last season, he played 34 games: 11.4ppg, 6.6rpg, 2.4apg, FGP: 50.0%, 3PT: 17.6%, FT: 76.4%.

Barry Stewart is a 23 year old 191cm shooting guard from Shelbyville, Tennessee who is playing his second season in the Beko BBL and first with Giessen. He played at Mississippi St. (NCAA) from 2006-2010 and in his senior year played 36 games: 11.8ppg, 3.6rpg, 2.7apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 37.4%, 3PT: 35.1%, FT: 71.4%. Last season he was a Beko BBL rookie with TBB Trier playing 35 games: 8.8ppg, 3.4rpg, FGP: 35.8%, 3PT: 31.4%, FT: 78.4%. Wayne Bernard who was the 2009 PRO A player of the year is a 30 year old 190cm combo guard from Poway, California who is playing his first season for the LTi Giessen 46ers. He has displayed a knack for knocking down clutch baskets in key situations and is a player that performs at his best in pressure situations. He has superb range on his jumper, and can also drive to the hoop with slashing moves. He is also a capable ball handler. He played at Davidson (NCAA) from 2000-2003. Bernard has very much experience having played in countries like Israel, Greece, France, Sweden and Finland It doesnt matter where Bernard has played, he has always been a scorer. in the 2008-2009 season where MBC moved up to the BEKO BBL, he played 30 games: 14.4ppg, 2.3rpg, 2.6apg, 1.2spg, FGP: 56.9%, 3PT: 43.2%, FT: 80.4%. In 2009-2010 for MBC, he played 34 games: 8.6ppg, 1.9rpg, 1.7apg, Steals-5 (1.5spg), FGP: 41.6%, 3PT: 33.6%, FT: 80.8%. Last season for MBC, he played 34 games: 11.1ppg, 3.1rpg, 1.8apg, 1.3spg, FGP: 46.9%, 3PT: 33.3%, FT: 85.7%. . Radenko Pilcevic is a 25 year old 188cm guard from Serbia that is playing his first season for Giessen. He had solid stats at KK Borac Cacak in 2008-2009 playing 31 games and averaging 10.7ppg, 2.0rpg, 2.9apg, 1.5spg, FGP: 54.2%, 3PT: 31.9%, FT: 85.1%. Pilcevic played for MBC from 2009-2011 and in his first season played 33 games averaging 7.4ppg, 1.7rpg, 3.2apg, FGP: 50.7%, 3PT: 31.7%, FT: 72.0%. Last season for MBC, he played 27 games: 7.4ppg, 1.4rpg, 2.0apg, FGP: 37.7%, 3PT: 29.0%, FT: 76.1%.

The team also brought in the very experienced Koko Archibong who is a 30 year old 202cm forward that has the Nigerian/American citizenship and is playing his first season with Giessen and has found a home in Germany as Giessen is his sixth team in the Beko BBL. He played at Pennsylvania (NCAA) from 1999-2003 and was Ivy League champion in 2000 and 2002. He then almost made it to the NBA in 2003 as he was one of the last cuts of the Los Angeles Lakers. He started his professional basketball career in France with Elan Bearnais Pau-Orthez (France-ProA): Euroleague: 13 games: 3.2ppg, 1.9rpg; French ProA League: 21games: 3.8ppg, 1.9rpg. He won the league title and cup in France. Besides playing the 2008-2009 season with Asseco Prokom Sopot (Poland-PLK): Euroleague: 13 games: 2.8ppg, 3.5rpg, 1.1apg; Polish League: 20 games: 6.1ppg, 3.4rpg, 1.1apg, FGP: 52.3%, 3PT: 31.3%, FT: 70.6%,, he has been all of his career in Germany. He played for The Brose Baskets Bamberg from 2004-2006 winning the BEKO BBL title in 2005. He played for Alba Berlin in 2006-2007 (ULEB Cup: 12 games: 4.4ppg, 4.3rpg, 1.3apg; German League: 37 games: 6.1ppg, 3.7rpg, 1.2apg, 2FGP: 48.5%, 3FGP: 30.8%, FT: 68.6%) and in 2007-2008 played for The Deutsche Bank Skyliners (ULEB Cup: 6 games: 11.3ppg, 6.0rpg, 2.5spg, FGP: 51.4%, 3PT: 45.5%, FT: 83.3%; German League: 41 games: 8.4ppg, 5.1rpg, 1.3apg, 1.0spg, 2FGP: 52.4%, 3PT: 43.4%, FT: 57.0%). In 2009-2010 he had a disappointing season in Duesseldorf playing 33 games: 11.7ppg, 5.9rpg, 1.5apg, FGP: 49.6%, 3PT: 31.9%, FT: 70.2%. Last season, he played for BBC Bayreuth playing 16 games: 8.6ppg, 3.9rpg, 1.5apg, FGP: 53.5%, 3PT: 20.0%, FT: 54.1%.

The team also signed 23 year old 209cm center Robert Ohle who started his basketball career in Paderborn. He already got Beko BBL experience from 2007-2010 playing a total of 35 beko BBL games and already played a Beko BBL game as a 19 year old. Last season, he played a year in the PRO A to sharpen his skills and get more playing time for the : Saar-Pfalz Braves playing 26 games: 8.4ppg, 5.7rpg, FGP: 48.3%, FT: 64.6%. He played at the European Championships U20 Division B in Targu Mures (Romania) -08: (Champion): 6 games: 5.8ppg, 3.2rpg, 1.0bpg, 2FGP: 73.7%, FT: 77.8%. Giessen also hauled in the quick 25 year old 177cm Achmadschah Zazai who has already played for 11 teams in his still young career. He started his basketball career at TUS Lichterfelde in 2003. From 2005-2011, he played for teams like SG FT/MTV Braunschweig, : BSG Ludwigsburg, Bremen Roosters, Horsens IC (Denmark), Telemotive Muenchen, Artland Dragons, TV Langen, USC Freiburg and last season for : BV Chemnitz 99 (Germany-ProA) playing 30 games: 11.6ppg, 2.8rpg, Assists-2 (5.9apg), Steals-4 (2.1spg), FGP: 51.6%, 3PT: 34.8%, FT: 64.7%. Chad Prewitt is a 31 year old 206cm power forward that was born in Cody Wyoming and is from Phoenix, Arizona. He is playing his first season with the Giessen 46ers. He played at Arizona State from 1998-2002. In his first three professional years, he played two years for the Dakota Wizzards (CBA) and one season for theCedar Rapids River Raiders (USBL). He then came to Europe and played most of his time with the Artland Dragons from 2005-2010. In the 2007-2008 season, he had a short stay with Ago Rethimno (Greece-A1, starting five), only pre-season, then moved to EnBW Ludwigsburg (Germany-1.Bundesliga) playing 12 games: 8.2ppg, 3.8rpg, 2FGP: 52.4%, 3PT: 37.5%, FT: 78.6%; ULEB Cup: 5 games: 10.0ppg, 4.0rpg, 1.8apg, 1.2spg. His best season with the Dragons was 2006-2007 when he averaged 11.3ppg, 5.7rpg, 1.8apg, 2FGP: 44.0%, 3FGP: 40.8%, FT: 81.6%. He is a a great defender and team player who also has a nice shooting stroke. He can shoot the three with consistency, plays hard every night and wins everywhere he goes. He played a total of 175games for the Artland Dragons. Last season, he saw the glitz of FC Bayern Muenchen (Germany-ProA): 28 games: 6.6ppg, 2.9rpg, FGP: 64.6%, 3PT: 37.2%, FT: 76.5%.

The team also got Misan Nikagbatse who is a 29 year old 193cm guard from Berlin that has the German/Nigerian citizenship. He can play both point and shooting guard. Can also rebound in the traffic. He has impressive physical skills, with an explosive leaping ability. He started his basketball career in 1998 with Lichterfelde Berlin. He already had NBA scouts after him after playing at the Albert Schweitzer Junior Championships in Mannheim (Germany) in 2000 where he was (Best Scorer -27.8ppg): All-Star 1st Team. He seemed to be near the jump to the NBA and went to top Euroleague team Olympiakos Pireus (Greece) in 2000, but never really found his role there as he played only a total of 41 games but got good experience playing 21 Euroleague games before being transported off to Italy. In 2003-2004, he returned to Germany playing with theMitteldeutscher Basketball Club winning the Fiba Europe Cup playing FIBA Europe Cup: 10 games: 9.8ppg, 3.9rpg, 2.7apg, 1.6spg; German 1.Bundesliga: 28 games: 11.4ppg, 3.2rpg, 2.9apg, 1.6spg, 3.0bpg. He then had a steady career in Italy from 2004-2007 playing for Euro Roseto, Cantu and Premiata Montegranaro. He then returned to Germany to play for : Koeln 99ers in 2007-2008 playing ULEB Cup: 8 games: 7.1ppg, 1.6rpg, 1.9apg, FGP: 52%, 3PT: 29.2%, FT: 62.5%; German League: 15 games: 8.7ppg, 2.5rpg, 2.5apg, 2FGP: 48.1%, 3PT: 22.7%, FT: 69.8%. In 2008-2009, he played for Cimberio Varese (Italy-Lega2): 23 games: 6.7ppg, 2.5rpg, 1.3spg, FGP: 43.1%, 3PT: 34.6%, FT: 75.7%. From 2009-2011, he didnt play professional basketball as he played for DBV Charlottenburg (Germany-2.Regionalliga). Matthias Perl is a 22 year old 188cm quick point guard that is a relentless defender. He has been playing for Giessen teams since 2004 when he started for the MTV Giessen cadet team. He then played for VfB Giessen (Regionalliga) before playing for LTi Lich (ProA) from 2007-2009. In 2009-2010, he played for LTi Giessen 46ers (1.Bundesliga): 7 games: 0.7ppg; also played at Licher Basket Baeren (ProB): 28 games: 5.2ppg, 2.0rpg, 1.9apg, 1.6spg, FGP: 39.5%, 3PT: 31.1%, FT: 73.5%. Last season, he for Giessen he played 16 games: 1.6ppg, 1.0rpg. The LTi Giessen 46ers host the Fraport Skyliners on January 2nd, 2012 at 20:00.

Josh Young (Walter Tigers Tuebingen) My 2011 Tiger Highlight Was Watching Julian Albus Score His First Two Points Of The Season - by Miles Schmidt-Scheuber
Joshua Young (185-G-88, agency: Pro One Sports, college: Drake) is a 23 year old 185cm guard from Lawton, Oklahoma. He played at Drake from 2006-2010. In his senior year, he played 32 games: 14.4ppg, 3.9rpg, 2.7apg, 1.0spg, FGP: 44.0%, 3PT: 35.8%, FT: 73.0%. Last season he came to Germany and played for Bayer Giants Leverkusen (Germany-ProB, starting five): 11 games: 26.7ppg, 6.4rpg, 3.0apg, 2.3spg, FGP: 45.2%, 3PT: 45.3%, FT: 79.0%. He spoke to Eurobasket after the 85-65 home win.

Congrats on the 85-65 win against TBB Trier at home. What was key for getting this big home win?

The key to the win was containing Dru Joyce. Hes a great point guard and really makes his team go. Outside of that, we were able to play aggressive defensively and solid offensively.

What was the secret to pouring in 85 points against a TBB Trier team that defend well?

I think we did a good job of attacking the basket and then finding shooters on the perimeter. We were also able to run in transition and get some easy buckets.

How was it playing against Lebron James friend Dru Joyce? What did you like most from his game?

Dru is always in control. His change of speed is excellent and hes really good off the pick and roll.

The next game is against EnBW Ludwigsburg who are hungry to win again since they are in a long losing drought. What will be key to getting the win?

Matching their intensity will be key. Its a home game for them as well as a derby game. We have to be ready for a 40 minute battle.

What has been your favorite Tiger 2011 moment?

Watching Julian Albus score his first two points of the season last night. We were all proud of him.

What was your first thought when you saw the final Artland 49-Frankfurt 44? Ulm and Braunschweig scored more in the first 20 minutes.

When I first saw the score, I figured it was only halftime. After I realized how late it was, I knew it had to be the final.

The Phoenix Suns signed Michael Redd who has been plagued by injuries the last three years. Will he be able to revive his career there and what will he give the Suns most?

Michael Redd is a scorer. Thats what he does best. Hopefully, he will be able to stay healthy and provide another threat for the Suns.

What is your favorite childhood New Years memory?

Just being with my family, bringing in the New Year with loved ones.

Thanks Josh for the chat

Tim Ohlbrecht Remains With The Fraport Skyliners - by Miles Schmidt-Scheuber
The Fraport Skyliners gave German national player Tim Ohlbrecht (211-C/F-88) a very happy new year by keeping him until the end of the season. Ohlbrecht who had had a short tern contract until the end of December was able to convince management that it was worth it to keep him until the end of the season. 'I am very happy to stay in Frankfurt. I feel very comfortable here and am happy that the relationship that has been built here can continue and that we came together', stressed Tim Ohlbrecht (211-C/F-88). Ohlbrecht who unexpectedly had to have his appendix removed had been playing better and better including 27 point against BBC Bayreuth. In 12 Beko BBL games he was averaging 5,3ppg and 2,8rpg while shooting 65% from the two point distance. 'I ma happy that we found a way to keep Tim. I think it is good for Tim and the team. He has developed further since he came. Unfortunately, his appendix has kept him from playing recently, but I am sure that he will find his form again', stressed Skyliner head coach Muli Katzurin. 'Tim has developed in the last months and had good games before the removal of his appendix. We are happy that we can work together for the future', added Skyliner sport director Kamil Novak.

Source: Fraport Skyliners

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GREECE

Marcus Goree terminated his contract with PAOK - by Giorgos Diploidis
Marcus Goree (201-F-77, college: W.Virginia) will not be a player of PAOK Thessaloniki any more. Two days after the win in the rival game against Aris the two sides terminated their co-operation. PAOK Thessaloniki now has to try to find the player who will replace the American power forward. These days they were making a try to terminate the contract of the injured Martynas Andriuskevicius (218-C/F-86) and to sign another center and if they had money to take also another one combo guard.

The experienced player in his career in Greek league so far had 12.1 ppg and 7.1 rpg in ten matches.

KAOD reached one month deal with Chris Monroe - by Giorgos Diploidis
Chris Monroe (191-G-81, college: G.Washington) agreed on a one month deal with KAO Dramas. The team of Drama was looking for a guard after the injury of Jeremy Hunt and Kostas Haralambidis who were the two starting line up guards. Monroe returns to the Greek league after some years because the season 2009-2010 was a starting line up guard for PAOK having a very good year.

In PAOK Monroe had 14.3 ppg, 2.5 apg in 29 matches in the Greek league. Since then it was heard for many Greek clubs, even for his return to PAOK and finally he is back to Greece in the start of 2012.

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HOLLAND

BF Belgrade (U21) and VEF Riga (U18) gain the victory on the Rinus de Jong Invitational - by Fred Roggen
In the very scorching final of the U21 tournament in the Rinus de Jong Invitational BF Belgrade was the strongest team beating Canarias Basketball Academy. After forty tremendous minutes of pure basketball (74-74) the match became a thrilling and classic one in overtime (81-80).
For the Serbians Luka Maksimovic (194-SG-91) was the big man at the end and he decided this fantastic game. In the last second of the regular time he scored an essential three-point shot. In overtime Maksimovic also showed that he can perform under pressure. With only five seconds before the end he drove into the basket and made a fantastic lay-up: 81-80 and the victory in the tournament!

The big final of the U18 tournament in the Rinus de Jong Inviatational was an exciting match between VEF Riga and Canarias Basketball Academy from Spain! VEF Riga won all their three matches in the group, including a large victory on the international youngsters of CBA (80-58). It was a very well opportunity for CBA to take their revenge
It was a long time a very close match between the two active playing teams teams. Both squads showed their good will with nice shots and marvelous actions on the court. In the 4th quarter the youngsters from Latvia made the difference in the game. With some nice three-pointers of Davis Geks (183-G-95) and Kristaps Gluditis VEF Riga demolished the CBA defence and they won the attractive match with 77-66. Gluditis finished with 20 points and was the top scorer for Riga. For CBA Dutchmen Shane Hammink (198-G-94) and Floris Versteeg (200-F-94) were the most important players with respectively 18 points and 16 points.

After the final Maksimovic was named the MVP of the Invitational. Topscorer of the tournament was Boris Bojanovsky (215-C-93) (CBA), best defensive player Janis Berzins (172-G-88) of Under 18 winner VEF Riga while his teammate Ivars Rihards Zvigurs was named the most talented player of this thrilling tournament.

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IRAN

Memphis Grizzlies sign center Hamed Haddadi - by Eurobasket News
Reserve center Hamed Haddadi (7'2''-C-85) sat amongst the FedExForum crowd Friday night in dress clothes.

Now, hes ready to suit up for the Grizzlies.

Haddadi, 26, signed a one-year deal with the team today, which marks the start of his fourth NBA season. The 7-foot Iranian averaged 2.4 points and 2.2 rebounds, and generated a cult following last season with the Grizzlies. Haddadi received a loud ovation Friday when he appeared on the FedExForum scoreboard during the Grizzlies' 113-93 victory over the Houston Rockets.

Haddadi finally arrived in Memphis on Friday with a tourism visa. He is expected to obtain a work visa soon and officially practice with the Grizzlies next week. Haddadi wont be available to play Sunday when the Griz play a road game against the Chicago Bulls.

Memphis roster now stands at 15 players.

Courtesy of www.commercialappeal.com

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IRELAND

Stats Leaders - Men

Points Per Game

Luke ENOS
  Moycullen
  (201-F-)
  Avg: 24.5

1. Enos, Moycullen	24.5
2. Thompson, B.Gais N.	23.8
3. Atupem, UCC Demons	23.5
4. Turner, 11890 K.	20.9
5. Stith, UCD Marian	19.8
6. Jefferson, UL Ea.	17.4
7. Cummins, Belfast	16.4
8. Noonan, B.Gais N.	15.8
9. Glover, DCU Saints	15.3
10. Provizors, DCU S.	14.5

Rebounds Per Game

Jermaine TURNER
  11890 K.
  (195-F-74)
  Avg: 19.1

1. Turner, 11890 K.	19.1
2. Thompson, B.Gais N.	14.1
3. Provizors, DCU S.	12.6
4. Killeen, UL Eagles	12.1
5. Enos, Moycullen	11.6
6. Atupem, UCC Demons	10.1
7. Stith, UCD Marian	9.9
8. Tummon, Moycullen	8.7
9. Glover, DCU Saints	8.2
10. O''Reilly, UCC D.	7.8

Assists Per Game

Scott KINEVANE
  UL Eagles
  (175-G-87)
  Avg: 4.6

1. Kinevane, UL Eagl.	4.6
2. Clarke, 11890 K.	4.4
3. Noonan, B.Gais N.	4.3
4. Madsen, 11890 K.	4.2
5. Turner, 11890 K.	4.2
6. Donnelly, DCU S.	4.1
7. Coughlan, UCC D.	4.1
8. Dowd, Moycullen	4.0
9. Cunningham, Moycul.	3.8
10. Thompson, B.Gais	3.7

Steals Per Game

Jermaine TURNER
  11890 K.
  (195-F-74)
  Avg: 3.8

1. Turner, 11890 K.	3.8
2. Thompson, B.Gais N.	3.6
3. Stith, UCD Marian	2.3
4. Noonan, B.Gais N.	2.3
5. Donnelly, DCU S.	2.3
6. Anderson, DCU S.	2.2
7. Madsen, 11890 K.	2.2
8. Jefferson, UL Ea.	2.1
9. Taylor, B.Gais N.	1.9
10. Clarke, 11890 K.	1.7

Blocks Per Game

Jermaine TURNER
  11890 K.
  (195-F-74)
  Avg: 3.6

1. Turner, 11890 K.	3.6
2. Killeen, UL Eagles	2.7
3. Thompson, B.Gais N.	2.1
4. Stith, UCD Marian	1.9
5. Trimmer, DCU S.	1.5
6. Casey, 11890 K.	1.3
7. O''Brien, 11890 K.	1.3
8. Enos, Moycullen	1.1
9. Quigley, UL Eagles	0.8
10. Provizors, DCU S.	0.8

Standings - EBS Superleague

SuperLeague Standings

North Conference
1. DCU Saints		12-2
2. 11890 Killester		9-4
3. UCD Marian		5-7
4. Belfast Star		1-11
South Conference
1. UCC Demons		7-4
2. B.Gais Neptune		7-5
3. UL Eagles		6-7
4. Moycullen		3-10

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ITALY

Charlie Bell is close to Pepsi JuveCaserta - by Eurobasket News
Charlie Bell (191-G-79, agency: Priority Sports, college: Michigan St.) may be announced as Pespi JuveCaserta player as early as next week. Several sources report the sides have reached an agreement on terms of contract. The guard spent the pre-season with the Golden State Warriors but did not make it to the roster. Last season Charlie Bell played for the Warriors. His stats read 1.8 points and 1.0 board per game in NBA. Charlie Bell is not new to Italy. The guard used to play for Benetton Treviso, Virtus Bologna and Mabo Livorno. He also had stints in NBA, ABA and Spain. Charlie Bell was named Eurobasket.com All-Spanish ACB Guard of the Year in 2005. The guard was the member of the USA National Team the same year.

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MEXICO

Standings - LNBP

LNBP Standings

1. Halc.Rojos		34-6
2. Fuerza Regia		32-8
3. Toros		28-12
4. Pioneros		27-13
5. Soles		27-13
6. Halc.Xalapa		26-14
7. Huracanes		25-15
8. Barreteros		17-23
9. Abejas		16-24
10. Corr.Victoria		16-24
11. Lechugueros		15-25
12. Panteras		11-29
13. Aguilas Rojas		6-34
14. Volcanes		0-40

LNBP: Regular season is over - by Eurobasket News
Regular Season in LNBP is over. Halcones Rojos are No.1 with 34-6 record. Fuerza Regia, Toros and Pioneros also advanced directly to the Quarterfinals. Teams from 5th to 12th place will play in the 1/8 Finals, which start on January 3.

LNBP Standings
1. Halc.Rojos 34-6
2. Fuerza Regia 32-8
3. Toros 28-12
4. Pioneros 27-13
-----------
5. Soles 27-13
6. Halc.Xalapa 26-14
7. Huracanes 25-15
8. Barreteros 17-23
9. Abejas 16-24
10. Corr.Victoria 16-24
11. Lechugueros 15-25
12. Panteras 11-29
-----------
13. Aguilas Rojas 6-34
14. Volcanes 0-40

Halc.Xalapa - Fuerza Regia 95-76
LNBP round 42 caused change at the leadership position. Eighth defeat of league's leader Fuerza Regia (32-8) against seventh ranked Halcones UV Xalapa (26-14) 95-76 was the most important game of the last round. It ended at the same time the nine-game winning streak of Fuerza Regia. The game without a history. Halcones UV Xalapa led from the first minutes and controlled entire game increasing their lead in each quarter. They made 22-of-28 free shots (78.6 percent) during the game. Halcones UV Xalapa outrebounded Fuerza Regia 40-28 including a 34-20 advantage in defensive rebounds. They looked well-organized offensively handing out 25 assists. It was a good game for international guard Orlando Mendez-Valdez (185-86, college: W.Kentucky) who led his team to a victory with 20 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists. American guard Henry Dugat (183-87, college: Baylor) contributed with 21 points for the winners. American forward Jeremis Smith (203-86, college: Georgia Tech) replied with 18 points and 6 rebounds and his fellow American import guard Donta Smith (201-83, college: SE Illinois JC) added 14 points and 8 rebounds in the effort for Fuerza Regia.
Top scorers:
Fuerza Regia: J.Smith 18+6reb+1ast, D.Smith 14+8reb+2ast, A.Joseph Tyronzic 13+1reb+2ast, A.Izaguirre 10+6reb+1ast, M.Mitchell 9+2reb+8ast, A.Cruz 5+1reb+2ast
Halc.Xalapa: H.Dugat 21+1reb+3ast, O.Mendez-Valdez 20+5reb+4ast, D.White 17+2reb+6ast, T.Thomas 12+6reb, R.Mata 12+4reb+1ast, H.Hernandez 5+5reb+1ast

Halc.Xalapa - Lechugueros 97-64
No shocking result in a game when seventh ranked Halcones UV Xalapa (26-14) crushed at home 11th ranked Lechugueros (15-25) 97-64 on Thursday. The game without a history. Halcones UV Xalapa led from the first minutes and controlled entire game increasing their lead in each quarter. They dominated down low during the game scoring 74 of its points in the paint compared to Lechugueros' 36. Halcones UV Xalapa forced 21 Lechugueros turnovers and outrebounded them 47-36 including a 35-24 advantage in defensive rebounds. Halcones UV Xalapa looked well-organized offensively handing out 32 assists comparing to just 10 passes made by Lechugueros' players. It was a good game for international guard Orlando Mendez-Valdez (185-86, college: W.Kentucky) who led his team to a victory with 20 points and 5 assists. The former international center Real Mata (205-86) contributed with 8 points and 12 rebounds for the winners. Halcones UV Xalapa's coach Andy Stoglin felt very confident that he used 10 players saving starting five for next games. Bahamas power forward Ryan Moss (200-74, college: UALR) replied with a double-double by scoring 16 points and 13 rebounds and American forward Jamaal Thomas (202-80, college: Angelo St.) added 15 points and 5 rebounds in the effort for Lechugueros.
Top scorers:
Lechugueros: R.Moss 16+13reb+2ast, D.Ford 15+2reb+2ast, J.Thomas 15+5reb+1ast, P.Brito 7+4reb+2ast, E.Ochoa 4+5reb+1ast, E.Zuniga 4+2reb+2ast
Halc.Xalapa: O.Mendez-Valdez 20+5ast, H.Hernandez 14+5reb, D.White 12+3reb+3ast, T.Thomas 11+4reb+2ast, H.Dugat 10+4reb+1ast, J.Herrera 8+7reb+7ast

Halc.Rojos - Abejas 91-79
The game had a very big importance for second-ranked Halcones Rojos as it allowed them to take a leadership position. Halcones Rojos defeated 10th ranked Abejas in Veracruz 91-79. Abejas were ahead by 6 points at the halftime before a 54-36 second half run of Halcones Rojos. They also forced 19 Abejas turnovers. Venezuelan power forward Luis Bethelmy (200-F/C-86) scored 18 points and 6 rebounds to lead the charge for the winners and Puerto Rican point guard Carlos Rivera (187-83, college: Hofstra, agency: Paris Global Sports) chipped in 19 points during the contest. Four Halcones Rojos players scored in double figures. Halcones Rojos' coach Eddie Casiano used entire bench and allowed the starting five to rest. The best for the losing side was American forward Lorrenzo Wade (198-85, college: San Diego St.) with 26 points and 6 rebounds and American-Jamaican forward Mattis McHugh (198-84, college: S.Florida) produced a double-double by scoring 21 points and 10 rebounds (on 7-of-9 shooting from the field).
Top scorers:
Abejas: L.Wade 26+6reb+1ast, M.McHugh 21+10reb, V.Buelna 9+4reb, J.Verdejo 6+1reb+3ast, M.Jackson 6+7reb+1ast, C.Castillo 6+1ast
Halc.Rojos: C.Rivera 19+3ast, L.Bethelmy 18+6reb+1ast, P.Stoll 14+4reb+2ast, N.Alonzo 13+3reb+1ast, J.Aubry 9+3reb+1ast, G.Vargas 7+4reb+8ast

Huracanes - Fuerza Regia 81-80
Leading Fuerza Regia (32-8) recorded its eighth loss in Tampico on Thursday night. Visitors were edged by sixth ranked Huracanes (25-15) 81-80. It ended at the same time the nine-game winning streak of Fuerza Regia. Fuerza Regia was trailing by 4 points at halftime but managed to get 8-point lead after three quarters before a 24-15 charge of Huracanes, which allowed them to win the game. American players dominated the game. Center Albert Fuqua (211-83, college: UTSA) notched a double-double by scoring 21 points and 13 rebounds to lead the effort and forward Ollie Bailey (201-85, college: Oklahoma City) supported him with 20 points. Even 25 points and 7 rebounds by forward Jeremis Smith (203-86, college: Georgia Tech) did not help to save the game for Fuerza Regia. Guard Donta Smith (201-83, college: SE Illinois JC) added 16 points, 7 rebounds and 4 blocks.
Top scorers:
Fuerza Regia: J.Smith 25+7reb+2ast, D.Smith 16+7reb, M.Mitchell 12+3reb+3ast, A.Joseph Tyronzic 10+5reb, J.Hastings 8+3reb+2ast, A.Cruz 4
Huracanes: A.Fuqua 21+13reb+3ast, O.Bailey 20+4reb, R.Hornsby 18+4reb+2ast, N.Colmenares 10+5reb+3ast, O.Quintero 6+1reb+1ast, L.Davis 4+1reb+3ast

Corr.Victoria - Toros 86-93
The game in Ciudad Victoria was also worth to mention about. Third ranked Toros (28-12) played at the court of 8th ranked Correcaminos (16-24). Toros managed to secure a 7-point victory 93-86. The guests took control from the first minutes by winning first half. But Correcaminos won third quarter 19-18. However it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. Toros made 21-of-24 charity shots (87.5 percent) during the game. The best player for the winners was American guard Thomas Gardner (195-85, college: Missouri) who scored 27 points. American-Nigerian forward Ike Ofoegbu (205-85, college: SMU, agency: Paris Global Sports) chipped in 20 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists. At the other side the best for losing team was American point guard Myron Allen (180-79, college: Lee JC) who recorded 23 points and 4 assists and his fellow American import point guard Steve Monreal (180, college: CS Monterey) added 18 points respectively. Both teams had four players each who scored in double figures.
Top scorers:
Corr.Victoria: M.Allen 23+4reb+4ast, S.Monreal 18+3reb+1ast, F.Harris 14+2reb+1ast, D.Lamont 10+4reb, J.Green 9+1reb, R.Brown 8+10reb+1ast
Toros: T.Gardner 27+4reb+1ast, I.Ofoegbu 20+5reb+5ast, E.Manuel Guzman 14+6reb+1ast, J.Lopez 11+5reb+2ast, W.Pagan 11+2reb+1ast, R.Rougeau 6+10reb+3ast

Pioneros - Barreteros 78-82
There was an upset when higher ranked Pioneros (27-13) lost to ninth ranked Barreteros (17-23) in Cancun 78-82 on Thursday. The guests trailed by 6 points at the halftime before their 46-36 charge in the second half, which allowed them to win the game. Strangely Pioneros outrebounded Barreteros 46-28 including a 32-19 advantage in defensive rebounds. It was a good game for naturalized American guard Forrest Fisher (193-84) who led his team to a victory with 21 points and 6 assists. American forward Jerome Habel (208-85, college: San Diego St.) contributed with 19 points and 5 rebounds for the winners. American guard LeRoy Hickerson (196-82, college: Cumberlands) replied with 24 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists and Panamanian power forward Antonio Garcia (203-76, college: Ky Wesleyan) added 8 points, 22 rebounds and 4 assists in the effort for Pioneros.
Top scorers:
Pioneros: L.Hickerson 24+6reb+4ast, J.Millsap 19+8reb+1ast, H.Llamas 11+1reb+1ast, A.Garcia 8+22reb+4ast, C.Hernandez 5+3reb+3ast, E.Moreno 4+1ast
Barreteros: F.Fisher 21+4reb+6ast, J.Habel 19+5reb, J.Reaves 10+9reb, G.Stokes 9+2reb+5ast, L.White 8+2reb+5ast, R.Navarro 8+1reb

Halcones UV Xalapa sign Henry Dugat - by Eurobasket Center
Halcones UV Xalapa (LNBP) signed 25-year old American guard Henry Dugat (183-G-87, college: Baylor). In his first game he scored 10 points and grabbed 4 rebounds helping his new team beat Lechugueros 97-64. Dugat played most recently at Marinos de Anzoategui (Venezuela). While playing 7 games for Marinos last season his stats were: 9.7ppg, 2.1rpg, 2.2apg and 1.2spg. He played also pro basketball in Venezuela and USA. Dugat graduated Baylor University in 2009 and actually missed last season. It will be his third season in pro basketball.

By Eurobasket Data Center

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MOROCCO

Standings - Men

D1 Standings

1. ASS Sale		8-1
2. RSB Berkane		7-1
3. MAF Fez		6-3
4. WAC Casabl.		6-3
5. PCS Plazza C.		5-4
6. CRA Hoceima		3-4
7. FUS Rabat		3-4
8. KAC		2-7
9. RCA Casabl.		1-7
10. IRT Tanger		1-8

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NAIA

Marygrove's Vaughn Bobbitt Nets 20-20 Game in 90-55 Victory - by Stephan Ditgens
DETROIT, Mich. -- The Mustangs (7-10) held their last home contest on the 2011 calendar against a familiar international friend - the Saints of St. Clair College (Windsor). Despite being shorthanded due to injuries, the Mustangs were able to top the Saints, 90-55.

Vaughn Bobbitt (Phoenix, Ariz./Oakland CC) took full advantage of the team being shorthanded and compiled a stat line he won't soon forget. Bobbitt's dominant play in the post resulted in a record-breaking performance that topped the 20-point, 20-rebound mark.

The senior forward bullied the Saints for a total of 20 points and 25 rebounds in the 90-55 lopsided victory. Adding to the bulky stat line for Bobbitt was a pair of steals to go along with four blocks. The 20-20 game marked the first of its kind in men's basketball history at Marygrove College.

'Vaughn had an great game for us this afternoon,' said head coach Dave Sichterman. 'He came out strong and never backed down in a game where his athleticism and size proved to be a mismatch. I look forward to more strong rebounding performances out of Vaughn this season.'

Darryll Dixon (Flint, Mich./Hamady) lit up the nets for back-to-back-to-back threes en route to an18-point performance. Dixon also added eight assists and six rebounds to complete a well-rounded afternoon.

All-time leading scorer Marcus Hopkins (Southfield, Mich./Southfield) added 19 in the win for the Mustangs.
The Mustangs will begin 2012 with a trio of road contests before returning home against Siena Heights University on January 16th.

source: www.marygrovemustangs.com

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NBA

Stats Leaders

Points Per Game

LeBron JAMES
  Miami Heat
  (203-F-84)
  Avg: 29.6

1. James, Miami Heat	29.6
2. Durant, Oklah.Ci.	27.4
3. Griffin, LA Clipp.	26.0
4. Love, Minnesota T.	25.8
5. Anthony, New Y.	25.0
6. Bryant, LA Lakers	24.0
7. Bargnani, Toron.	23.0
8. Jennings, Milwauke.	22.7
9. Nowitzki, Dallas M.	21.8
10. Ellis, Golde S.	21.0

Rebounds Per Game

Dwight HOWARD
  Orlando M.
  (211-C-85)
  Avg: 17

1. Howard, Orlando M.	17.0
2. Love, Minnesota T.	15.3
3. Bynum, LA Lakers	14.5
4. Hawes, Philadelph..	12.5
5. Cousins, Sacramen.	11.3
6. Bogut, Milwauke.	11.0
7. Okafor, N.Orlean.	10.8
8. Hayes, Sacramen.	10.6
9. Camby, Portland TB	10.5
10. Hibbert, Indiana	10.5

Assists Per Game

Kyle LOWRY
  Houston R.
  (183-PG-86)
  Avg: 11.5

1. Lowry, Houston R.	11.5
2. Rondo, Boston C.	10.0
3. Paul, LA Clippers	9.8
4. Calderon, Toron.	9.3
5. Rose, Chicago B.	8.6
6. Nash, Phoenix Suns	7.8
7. Ellis, Golde S.	7.7
8. Rubio, Minnesot.	7.3
9. Collison, Indiana	7.3
10. Miller, Denver N.	7.2

Steals Per Game

Ty LAWSON
  Denver N.
  (180-PG-87)
  Avg: 2.8

1. Lawson, Denver N.	2.8
2. Curry, Golde S.	2.7
3. Paul, LA Clippers	2.5
4. Lowry, Houston R.	2.5
5. James, Miami Heat	2.4
6. Gallinari, Denver	2.4
7. Granger, Indiana P.	2.3
8. Kidd, Dallas M.	2.2
9. Thornton, Sacramen.	2.2
10. Westbrook, Oklah..	2.0

Blocks Per Game

DeAndre JORDAN
  LA Clippers
  (213-C-88)
  Avg: 3.8

1. Jordan, LA Clippers	3.8
2. Stiemsma, Boston	3.3
3. Howard, Orlando M.	3.0
4. Chandler, New Y.	2.8
5. Dalembert, Houst.	2.5
6. Gasol, Memphis G.	2.5
7. McGee, Washingt.	2.3
8. Okafor, N.Orlean.	2.3
9. Wade, Miami Heat	2.2
10. Ibaka, Oklah.Ci.	2.2

Standings

NBA Standings

Eastern Conference
Atlantic Div.
1. New York K.		2-2
2. Philadelph.76		2-2
3. Boston C.		2-3
4. Toronto R.		1-3
5. New Jersey N.		1-4
Central Div.
1. Chicago B.		4-1
2. Indiana P.		3-1
3. Milwaukee B.		2-1
4. Cleveland C.		2-2
5. Detroit P.		1-3
Southeast Div.
1. Miami Heat		5-0
2. Orlando M.		4-1
3. Atlanta H.		3-1
4. Charlotte B.		1-3
5. Washington W.		0-4
Western Conference
Northwest Div.
1. Oklah.City T.		5-0
2. Portland TB		3-1
3. Denver N.		3-2
4. Minnesota T.		1-3
5. Utah Jazz		1-3
Pacific Div.
1. LA Lakers		3-3
2. LA Clippers		2-2
3. Golde State W.		2-2
4. Sacramento K.		2-3
5. Phoenix Suns		1-3
Southwest Div.
1. San Antonio S.		3-1
2. Houston R.		2-2
3. N.Orleans H.		2-2
4. Memphis G.		1-3
5. Dallas M.		1-4

LeBron James and Savannah Brinson are engaged at New Years Eve party in Miami - by Eurobasket News
LeBron James (6'8''-F-84) went all-out to ring in the New Year Saturday night.

James, the Miami Heat All-Star, proposed to his long-time girlfriend Savannah Brinson at a party to celebrate New Year's Eve and his 27th birthday, which was Friday, The Associated Press reports. According to the Miami Herlad, Dwyane Wade and girlfriend Gabrielle Union attended the party - which was held at Miami Beach's Shelborne Hotel - along with Chris Bosh, Queens-bred rapper Nas and James' mother, Gloria James. The couple's two children - LeBron Jr. (7) and Bryce (4) - were also on hand for the bash.

James and Brinson, who have been together since James' days at St. Vincent-St. Mary HS in Akron, Ohio, were showered with well-wishes by their friends on Twitter shortly after the ball dropped.

'CONGRATS are in order!! 2012 has already come in w/a BANG!! Congrats to @KingJames and @SavannahRB on their engagement!! We love u guys!!,' Lala Vazquez, wife of Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony, tweeted.

Clippers point guard Chris Paul added: 'Happy for my brother @KingJames and sis @SavannahRB on their engagement!!! Extremely happy for them and the good times to come #HappyNewYear'

No wedding date or details on the ring were announced.

The engagement announcement follows the pending wedding news of James' idol, Michael Jordan. Yvette Prieto, Jordan's girlfriend, revealed Thursday that she and the six-time NBA champion were getting hitched.

James is certainly on a hot streak as the calendar turns to 2012. In addition to getting Brinson to say 'yes,' his Heat are 4-0 and James is averaging 33 points, 7.5 rebounds and 7 assists per game to start the season.

The engagement assures that at least one person in James' home will have a ring in 2012.

Courtesy of /www.nydailynews.com

New Orleans Hornets waive F Lance Thomas - by Eurobasket News
The New Orleans Hornets waived free-agent forward Lance Thomas (6'8''-F-88, college: Duke) on Saturday, trimming their roster to 14 and at the same time shrinking a crowded reserve front court that will fight for minutes this season.

Thomas appeared in two of the Hornets first three games this year. He scored one point in the win over the Boston Celtics on Wednesday. Thomas, 6 foot 8, 225 pounds from Duke, did not play in the season opener against Phoenix and was in for 91 seconds at the end of Friday night's loss to the Suns.

The roster move perhaps indicates the Hornets could activate power forward Gustavo Ayon, who on Thursday received his U.S. work visa, clearing him for participation in practice and games. The team has consistently said it hopes to bring Ayon, a native of Mexico, along slowly. He has been inactive for the season's first three games.

Courtesy of www.nola.com

Mavericks sign Yi to one-year deal - by Eurobasket News
The Dallas Mavericks have agreed to terms with free agent forward Yi Jianlian (7'0''-F/C-87) on a one-year deal, a league source told SI.com.

Yi, 24, averaged 5.6 points and 3.9 rebounds with Washington last season. His best season came in 2009-2010 when Yi averaged 12.0 points and 7.2 rebounds with New Jersey.

The 6-foot-10 power forward has spent the past four seasons in the NBA but was still available in free agency thanks in part to a knee injury Yi suffered during a brief stint playing for the Guangdong Southern Tigers, after helping the Chinese national team clinch a spot in the 2012 London Olympics earlier in the summer.

ESPN first reported the deal.

Courtesy of http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com

Memphis Grizzlies sign center Hamed Haddadi - by Eurobasket News
Reserve center Hamed Haddadi (7'2''-C-85) sat amongst the FedExForum crowd Friday night in dress clothes.

Now, hes ready to suit up for the Grizzlies.

Haddadi, 26, signed a one-year deal with the team today, which marks the start of his fourth NBA season. The 7-foot Iranian averaged 2.4 points and 2.2 rebounds, and generated a cult following last season with the Grizzlies. Haddadi received a loud ovation Friday when he appeared on the FedExForum scoreboard during the Grizzlies' 113-93 victory over the Houston Rockets.

Haddadi finally arrived in Memphis on Friday with a tourism visa. He is expected to obtain a work visa soon and officially practice with the Grizzlies next week. Haddadi wont be available to play Sunday when the Griz play a road game against the Chicago Bulls.

Memphis roster now stands at 15 players.

Courtesy of www.commercialappeal.com

Last games in 2011 - by Eurobasket News
Sacramento K. - New York K. 92-114
Carmelo Anthony (6'8''-F-84, college: Syracuse) scored 23 points, Tyson Chandler (7'1''-C-82) had 18 of his 22 in the second half, and the New York Knicks assumed control early in beating the Sacramento Kings 114-92 on Saturday night. The Knicks didn't miss starting forward Amare Stoudemire, their leading rebounder and second-leading scorer who sat out with a sprained left ankle. They got an unexpected lift from replacement Josh Harrellson, a rookie from Kentucky who made his first NBA start and had career highs of 14 points and 12 rebounds, and hit four 3-pointers. In the team's first three games, Harrellson had three points and five rebounds in 29 minutes. New York (2-2) used a 15-0 run in the opening quarter to take a 35-20 lead. Toney Douglas scored nine points and had three of the Knicks' six 3-pointers. Landry Fields had 21 points and Chandler added seven rebounds for the Knicks, who had struggled offensively in losing their previous two games, but had a season-high point total against the Kings. Douglas had 17 points and eight assists. Marcus Thornton had 14 points for the struggling Kings (1-3), who have lost three straight after defeating the Lakers at home to start the season. Both Jason Thompson and Tyreke Evans had 13 points. The Kings shot 35 percent from the field and made only 26 of 41 free throws. With the Knicks getting contributions from many different players, Anthony was quiet early in the game and his first basket didn't come until he made a driving layup midway through the second quarter. Yet he still had 17 at halftime and the Knicks had a 14-point lead. With the Knicks ahead by 13 points entering the fourth quarter, Chandler scored eight points in the opening three minutes, including two three-point plays. Chandler's second one put New York ahead 88-70. The lead was 20 points or more for much of the fourth quarter. Chandler was in foul trouble and barely a factor in the first half, playing four minutes. However, the veteran center made all six free throws and had eight points in the third quarter in helping the Knicks take a 78-65 lead into the fourth. Anthony scored 15 points and Harrellson had 11 in the opening half, when the Knicks led 56-42. The Kings shot 33 percent as their offensive problems continued. *Courtesy of www.ktvn.com

San Antonio S. - Utah Jazz 104-89
Emanuel Ginobili (6'6''-G-77, agency: Interperformances) scored 23 points, 14 in the second quarter, to lead the San Antonio Spurs to a 104-89 victory over the Utah Jazz on Saturday night. Ginobili was 9 of 10 from the field, including 5 of 6 from 3-point range. The win gave Spurs coach Gregg Popovich his 800th career coaching victory. He is the 14th coach to reach that milestone and third among active coaches behind George Karl (1038) and Rick Adelman (945). DeJuan Blair had 17 points and 10 rebounds. Tony Parker (6'0''-PG-82) added 14 points, and Tim Duncan 12 as San Antonio moved to 3-1. Duncan continued to struggle to find his form. The 36-year-old forward followed up his 1-of-8 performance in Houston by going 4 of 13 from the field. He had nine rebounds. Ginobili injected life to an offense that had gone cold in Thursday's 105-85 loss to the Houston Rockets. He began the Spurs' quick turnaround in the second period, scoring the first 11 points of the quarter. That propelled San Antonio on a 22-10 run that ended with Richard Jefferson hitting a 3-pointer with 5:26 left and gave the Spurs 17-point lead. The Spurs were 7 of 8 from the 3-point line during the second period and were 10 and 16 for the game ( 63 percent). Al Jefferson returned to the starting lineup for Utah, scoring 21 points with 11 rebounds in 35 minutes. Jefferson sat out Utah's 102-99 win over Philadelphia on Friday night with an inflamed right ankle. But Utah shot just 35 percent (18 of 51) from the field and had only 11 assists. San Antonio never trailed and built its largest lead at 27 points on Blair's basket with 9:52 left that made it 89-62. Josh Howard, who flirted with signing with San Antonio earlier in the month before committing to the Jazz, had 18 points. Forward Derrick Favors, who had a career-high 20 points in his first career start Friday, only had seven points. *Courtesy of www.ktvn.com

Oklah.City T. - Phoenix Suns 107-97
Russell Westbrook (6'3''-PG-88, college: UCLA) scored 18 points, Daequan Cook (6'5''-G-87, college: Ohio St.) hit four 3-pointers in quick succession to help Oklahoma City pull away in the first half and the Thunder led wire to wire in a 107-97 victory over the Phoenix Suns on Saturday night. The Thunder improved to 5-0 and remained perfect in four New Year's Eve home games that have become a tradition since the franchise moved from Seattle to Oklahoma City. Two nights after his buzzer-beater against Dallas, Kevin Durant had only 12 points in his bid to become the first player since Michael Jordan a quarter-century earlier to score at least 30 in the first five games of a season. Hakim Warrick and rookie Markieff Morris had 15 points apiece for the Suns, who shot just 40 percent. Oklahoma City led from the outset, getting a two-handed dunk from Serge Ibaka just after the opening tip and scoring the first seven points. The lead grew to 17-5 after Westbrook's steal and two-handed breakaway dunk just over 5 1/2 minutes in. Channing Frye answered with a right-handed putback jam at the other end to get Phoenix going, and the Suns closed within 23-22 after Robin Lopez's two free throws to complete a 10-2 run. That was the only time it would be close. Nick Collison hit a runner at the other end, and Oklahoma City's reserves started to take over after the quarter break. Cook hit four 3-pointers in a 5-minute span and Collison and Nazr Mohammed both had two-handed slams during a 22-6 push that extended the lead to 54-35. The Thunder led by 14 at halftime, despite only two first-half points from Durant, and only let Phoenix get closer than that a couple times in the final 5 minutes, when both teams had reserves playing in garbage time. Durant's 3-pointer with 5.5 seconds left in the third quarter bumped Oklahoma City's edge to 89-67 and the Thunder's starters remained on the bench throughout the final period as everyone got to play. Lazar Hayward, picked up in a preseason trade with Minnesota, and first-round pick Reggie Jackson each got their first playing time of the season. Hayward scored his first points with Oklahoma City on a right-handed, fast-break dunk. Jackson got his first pro bucket on a baseline drive for a layup. Thabo Sefolosha also scored 12 points, Collison added 11 and James Harden had 10 points and matched his career high with eight assists for Oklahoma City. *Courtesy of www.miamiherald.com

Golde State W. - Philadelph.76 79-107
Andre Iguodala (6'6''-G-84, college: Arizona) had 14 points, eight rebounds and seven assists, Louis Williams (6'3''-PG-86) added 23 points off the bench, and the Philadelphia 76ers overcame a sluggish start to beat the Golden State Warriors 107-79 on Saturday night. One night after blowing a 13-point lead in a loss to Utah, Philadelphia fell behind by that same margin before outscoring the Warriors 69-41 over the second and third quarters. Spencer Hawes had 14 points and 12 rebounds for the 76ers, who have one more stop left on their season-opening, five-game road trip - the longest trip to start a season in franchise history. Stephen Curry, back in the lineup after a one-game absence due to a sprained ankle, scored 21 points for Golden State, which played without guard Monta Ellis. The Sixers were playing for the second straight night while the Warriors hadn't played since Wednesday. It showed early, as Golden State built a lead midway through the first quarter. Philadelphia coach Doug Collins tweaked his lineup slightly after that, getting Williams on the court in place of starting guard Jodie Meeks. Williams, who missed a potential tying shot in the final seconds against Utah, immediately gave the Sixers a spark and finished 7 of 11 from the floor, 4 for 4 on 3-pointers. Philadelphia, which had lost five of its previous six in Oracle Arena, built a 20-point lead early in the third quarter, then coasted the rest of the way. Ellis, who left the team earlier in the week following the death of his grandmother, was in Mississippi for the funeral. It's uncertain whether he'll return in time for Monday's game in Phoenix. Klay Thompson started in place of Ellis and scored three points with three assists. Curry did not play in Wednesday's win over the New York Knicks after spraining his right ankle two nights earlier, the same ankle he had surgery on in May. The Warriors held Curry out of practice this week then cleared him to play against the Sixers. Both decisions paid off nicely for Golden State. Curry looked strong following the brief layoff and moved around without any noticeable restrictions. He also scored 10 points in the first quarter, including a 3-pointer with 1.4 seconds left to give the Warriors a 25-19 lead. Philadelphia, which missed 11 of its first 14 shots while settling for mid-range jumpers, attacked Golden State's defense more aggressively in the second and scored 31 points to take control. Less than 24 hours after their meltdown against the Jazz, Philadelphia didn't let up against Golden State and led by as much as 66-45 midway through the third quarter. The Warriors, who didn't attempt a free throw until 2 1/2 minutes into the second half, played so sluggishly after their quick start that new owner Joe Lacob slumped in his courtside chair, arms folded in frustration. Golden State managed just 12 points in the third and trailed 72-54 going into the final period. *Courtesy of www.startribune.com

Detroit P. - Indiana P. 96-88
Jonas Jerebko (6'9''-F-87) had 20 points and 12 rebounds, and the Detroit Pistons ended Lawrence Frank's 20-game losing streak with a 96-88 victory over the Indiana Pacers on Saturday night. Jerebko, who missed all of last season after tearing his Achilles' tendon in the preseason, narrowly missed his career bests of 22 points and 13 boards. Frank hadn't won a game since April 13, 2009, when his Nets beat the Charlotte Bobcats. The Nets lost their final game that season, and Frank was fired after New Jersey got off to a 0-16 start the next fall. He also lost his first three games with the Pistons since replacing John Kuester during the offseason. Tyler Hansbrough and George Hill each had 16 points off the bench for the Pacers, who lost for the first time in four games this season. Greg Monroe added 19 points and 11 rebounds for Detroit, while Ben Gordon had 16 points and Rodney Stuckey scored 15. The Pistons got a scare with 2:58 left when Monroe and Stuckey collided going for a loose ball. Both needed attention from the training staff, but stayed in the game after the ensuing timeout. Both teams played Friday night, but the Pacers seemed drained by their overtime victory over Cleveland, while the Pistons bounced back from a loss in Boston. Jerebko had 16 points in the first half to help Detroit to a 52-44 lead. The Pistons, who struggled badly in the third quarter a year ago, came out strong against the Pacers and moved the advantage to 82-64 with 12 minutes left. Detroit got sloppy down the stretch, allowing the Pacers to get within six, but Jerebko had a key steal in the final minute to prevent a dramatic finish. *Courtesy of www.startribune.com

LA Lakers - Denver N. 92-89
Andrew Bynum (7'0''-C-87, agency: David Lee services) provided the Los Angeles Lakers with a powerful performance in his season debut, following a four-game suspension that carried over from the playoffs. It all would have been for naught, however, had it not been for some clutch shooting in the fourth quarter by Kobe Bryant (6'6''-G-78) and a couple of equally critical hustle plays by Derek Fisher and Pau Gasol in the final minutes. Bynum scored 29 points on 13 for 18 shooting and grabbed 13 rebounds, leading the Lakers to a 92-89 victory over the Denver Nuggets on Saturday. The 7-foot center played 31 1/2 grueling minutes, helping the Lakers win their third straight following their first 0-2 start since 2002-03. 'They were looking for me a lot. I was a focal point early in the offense, so I knew the quicker I got down the court, the better it was,' said Bynum, who made four of his first five shots and finished the first quarter with 10 points. 'I was winded like crazy. I couldn't breathe in the first six minutes. Defensively, getting back and all those things require me to be in better condition. So it's going to take a little while.' Bynum was suspended without pay for the first four games because of a flagrant foul against Dallas' J.J. Barea in Game 4 of the Western Conference semifinals. The original ban was five games, but was reduced on Dec. 23 as a result of a shortened schedule caused by the lockout. 'I really didn't have the highest expectations,' said the seven-year veteran, who totaled 41 points and 23 rebounds in two preseason games against the Clippers. 'I just wanted to come out and be aggressive. I wanted to get it down low, and when I got it, I made shots.' Bryant, bogged down by foul trouble, had 17 points along with nine assists and 10 rebounds. The Lakers overcame 2-for-24 shooting from 3-point range. Reserve forward Al Harrington had 21 points for the Nuggets, who have lost 25 of their last 29 road games against the Lakers. 'The game of basketball treats you badly sometimes,' Denver coach George Karl said. 'No one feels very good right now. They hurt us rebounding the ball and they hurt us with Bynum's power underneath the basket. They've very good at playing an aggressive style of disrupting you, with guys coming at you on pick-and-rolls.' *Courtesy of www.sfgate.com

Houston R. - Atlanta H. 95-84
Kyle Lowry (6'0''-PG-86, college: Villanova) delivered a career-high 18 assists, and a highlight-reel blocked shot for good measure. Kevin Martin (6'7''-G/F-83, college: W.Carolina) scored 27 points and the Houston Rockets looked energized from the start Saturday, despite playing their third game in three nights. But if any of them were feeling tired in the fourth quarter, Lowry provided an emotional jolt, chasing down Jannero Pargo and swatting away his layup attempt near the 10-minute mark of a 95-84 victory over the Atlanta Hawks. 'It was just one of those game-changing moments that he had for us,' forward Chase Budinger said. 'It was huge for us.' Luis Scola added 21 points, Jordan Hill grabbed a career-high 15 rebounds and Budinger scored 17 points for the Rockets, who never trailed. Lowry went 0 for 6 from the field, but spent the night setting up teammates with pinpoint passes. 'My teammates hit shots, that's what they're supposed to do,' Lowry said. 'Their job is to make shots. My job is to get them the ball, to make them comfortable to make shots.' Joe Johnson and Al Horford scored 15 points apiece for Atlanta. *Courtesy of www.click2houston.com

First games in 2012 - by Eurobasket News
LA Clippers - Portland TB 93-88
Blake Griffin (6'10''-F-89, college: Oklahoma) had his second straight double-double, Caron Butler (6'7''-F-80, college: Connecticut) scored 19 points and the Los Angeles Clippers opened the new year with a 93-88 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday night to snap a two-game skid. Griffin had 20 points and 10 rebounds to go with 17 points by Chris Paul and 13 by reserve Mo Williams in sending the Blazers to their first loss of the season. Jamal Crawford scored 23 points and LaMarcus Aldridge added 19 for the Blazers, playing on the road for the first time after opening 3-0 at home. Nicolas Batum added 15 points. They erased most of a 17-point deficit in the fourth quarter, but the Clippers hung on to end a five-game losing streak against their Western Conference rival. *Courtesy of www.sportsillustrated.cnn.com

Chicago B. - Memphis G. 104-64
Carlos Boozer (6'10''-F/C-80, college: Duke) scored 17 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, and the Chicago Bulls easily won their home opener, pounding the Memphis Grizzlies 104-64 on Sunday night. Derrick Rose (6'4''-G-88, college: Memphis) finished with 16 points after a slow start. Ronnie Brewer scored 17 with Richard Hamilton a late scratch because of a groin injury. But with Boozer dominating, the Bulls simply put this one away early. This game was so lopsided that fans started calling for backup Brian Scalabrine in the third quarter, with the outcome clearly in hand. It was, easily, the most dominant performance of the young season for a team with soaring expectations. With their eyes on a championship, Bulls took three of four out West, beating Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers in the opener and capping the trip with a victory over the Clippers. Boozer led the way with 15 points and 11 rebounds as Chicago built a 54-28 halftime lead, scoring down low and hitting mid-range jumpers as if they were breakaway layups. He had 11 points during a 13-3 second-quarter run that bumped Chicago's lead to 48-27. At 4-1, the Bulls are off to their best start since the 1996-97 team won its first 12, and they won this one easily even though Rose shot just 4 of 10 and Luol Deng finished with 11 points. The only downer for Chicago was Hamilton getting scratched from the lineup and C.J. Watson leaving with a left elbow injury in the fourth quarter after a scramble for a loose ball with Josh Selby near midcourt. They outrebounded the Grizzlies 55-40 and outshot them 46.4 percent to 31 percent. It was simply a brutal night for Memphis, which got just five points from Rudy Gay. Zach Randolph bruised his right knee and scored only two points in 11 minutes. Josh Davis and Sam Young were the only Grizzlies to score in double figures, with 10 points apiece. Jeremy Pargo, who grew up near Rose, hit just 2 of 13 shots and finished with four points filling in for Mike Conley. *Courtesy of www.miamiherald.com

Denver N. - LA Lakers 99-90
Danilo Gallinari (6'9''-G/F-88, agency: Players Group) scored 20 points, Ty Lawson (5'11''-PG-87, college: N.Carolina) had 17 points and 10 assists and the Denver Nuggets beat the Los Angeles Lakers 99-90 on Sunday night. Nene had 13 points for the Nuggets, who avenged a three-point loss to the Lakers in Los Angeles less than 24 hours earlier. Pau Gasol had 20 points and 11 rebounds and Andrew Bynum had 18 points and 16 rebounds for the Lakers. Kobe Bryant scored 16 points on 6-of-28 shooting. After a seesaw battle for most of the final period, the Nuggets scored the final 11 points to pull out the win. Gallinari scored two fast-break layups to give Denver a two-point lead with 2:07 left. After Gasol missed a short turnaround jumper, Lawson's layup gave the Nuggets a 94-90 lead with 1:20 left. Bryant missed a 3-pointer from the top of the circle and Harrington hit a 12-foot jumper to make it 96-90 with 49 seconds left. The Lakers took a 90-88 lead on Bryant's layup with 2:47 left and didn't score again. Trailing by 11 at halftime, the Lakers came out strong in the third quarter. Bynum scored seven points in the first four minutes, including a three-point play that tied it at 50-all. Denver didn't hit its first field goal of the second half until Lawson's drive gave the Nuggets the lead back with 7:03 left. Gallinari followed with Denver's first 3-pointer of the game to make it 55-50. Denver's lead grew to nine late in the third before the Lakers made another run to pull to 72-71 heading into the fourth. Bryant missed his first five shots and committed two offensive fouls before sitting in the final minute of the first quarter. He returned midway through the second, hit a 3-pointer but missed his next four. The Lakers team didn't fare any better. Los Angeles missed its last 11 shots of the first half and shot just 32 percent at the break. The Nuggets struggled from the field, too, missing all nine of their 3-point shots before the break, but they surged at the end of the second quarter. Leading 39-36, Al Harrington hit four free throws and had a nice interior pass to set up a dunk by Chris Andersen that helped Denver take a 47-36 lead at halftime. *Courtesy of www.ktvn.com

Sacramento K. - N.Orleans H. 96-80
Tyreke Evans (6'6''-PG-89, college: Memphis) had 27 points and Marcus Thornton (6'4''-G-87, college: LSU) scored 25 for the Sacramento Kings in a 96-80 victory over the New Orleans Hornets on Sunday night. Playing without DeMarcus Cousins, who demanded a trade prior to the game and was told by coach Paul Westphal to stay home, the Kings ended a three game skid. Cousins was among several players who expressed frustration with the team's poor play after a 114-92 loss to the New York Knicks on Saturday. Asked during halftime Sunday if Cousins would be traded, Kings vice president of basketball operations said he would talk to the brooding center on Monday. 'He has to grow up,' Petrie said. Tervor Ariza had 17 points for the Hornets, who have dropped two straight after opening the season with a pair of victories. Chris Kaman contributed 14 points and 15 rebounds, Emeka Okafor had 13 points and 12 rebounds, and Carl Landry had 12 points. Evans shot 9 of 18 from the field, made 7-of-8 free throws and added four rebounds and three assists. John Salmons added 13 points for the Kings, who outscored the Hornets 58-40 in the second half. Evans provided a huge lift in the third quarter to help put the Kings ahead and also delivered in the fourth. With the shot clock running down, Evans made a 28-foot 3-pointer then followed with a dunk off a fast-break, putting Sacramento ahead 90-72 with 3:42 remaining. Hornets standout guard Eric Gordon missed his third straight game. Gordon bruised his knee in the season opener and is still listed as day to day while the Hornets try to be cautious with him. Struggling on offense in the opening half when they shot 30 percent, the Kings got going in the third quarter behind Evans. The Kings point guard was penetrating inside for baskets and also made several perimeter shots in scoring 13 points. Evans received plenty of help from Salmons, who made a pair of 3-pointers and scored eight points as the Kings outscored New Orleans 30-18 to assume a 68-58 lead heading into the fourth. *Courtesy of www.sfgate.com

Washington W. - Boston C. 86-94
Rajon Rondo (6'1''-PG-86, college: Kentucky) had 18 points, 14 assists and 11 rebounds while Kevin Garnett (6'11''-PF-76) had 24 points and nine rebounds to lead the Boston Celtics over the winless Washington Wizards 94-86 on Sunday night. The victory was the Celtics' second straight after losing their first three. Washington is 0-4. After losing their opener by six to New Jersey, the Wizards have lost the last three by 47 points. The Celtics took the lead in the first three minutes and increased the margin to 19 points. Boston led by at least seven throughout the second half. Washington, which lost five straight to open the 2008-09 season, could match that start Monday in Boston when the teams play again. John Wall, who was 10 for 37 from the field in Washington's first three games, was 6-for-13. He had 19 points, eight assists and seven rebounds. *Courtesy of www.ktvn.com

Minnesota T. - Dallas M. 99-82
Kevin Love (6'10''-C-88, college: UCLA) had 25 points and 17 rebounds and hit two huge 3s in the fourth quarter to help the Minnesota Timberwolves beat the Dallas Mavericks 99-82 on Sunday night, ending an 18-game losing streak dating to last season. The young Wolves closed the game with a 15-0 run and this win has been a long time coming. They lost the last 15 games of last season and the first three of this year, meaning it's been 295 days since the franchise's last victory. Ricky Rubio (6'4''-G-90) added 14 points and seven assists and Luke Ridnour scored 11 for the Timberwolves (1-3), who were winners for the first time under new coach Rick Adelman. Dirk Nowitzki scored 21 points, but the defending champions have looked slow and sloppy in starting the season 1-4. *Courtesy of www.ktvn.com

Cleveland C. - New Jersey N. 98-82
Kyrie Irving (6'3''-G-92, college: Duke) grew up rooting for the New Jersey Nets. On Sunday night, he helped the Cleveland Cavaliers send his former favorite team to a loss. Irving scored 13 points and started Cleveland's barrage of 16 3-pointers, leading the Cavaliers to a 93-82 win over the Nets. 'I even was up in the cheap seats for the (2003) NBA Finals with my dad and sister,' he said. 'I'm in Cleveland now, so me being a Nets fan is kind of out the window. It's a great win for our team.' Antawn Jamison scored 23 points and Cleveland made 16 of 26 shots from 3-point range, falling one short of the team record for 3s in a game. The Cavaliers made 17 3-pointers in the 2008 and '09 seasons. Irving, the No. 1 pick in the draft, hit back-to-back 3-pointers early in the third period to start Cleveland's run that took control of the game. The Cavaliers pulled away in the fourth quarter and the team Irving used to root for is winless in four games since an opening night victory. Deron Williams led New Jersey with 16 points. The Nets lost despite having all five starters score in double figures. *Courtesy of www.star-telegram.com

Miami Heat - Charlotte B. 129-90
Chris Bosh (6'11''-F-84, college: Georgia Tech) elected to celebrate LeBron James' engagement. So did Dwyane Wade (6'4''-G-82, college: Marquette). And Joel Anthony. And Mario Chalmers. James? This time he was the one who embraced the joy from the side. A night after James proposed to his longtime companion Savannah Brinson, and hours after several members of the Miami Heat discussed their elation over being there for the moment Saturday night, the after-party was a 129-90 Sunday annihilation of the Charlotte Bobcats at AmericanAirlines Arena. 'This was a high school team playing in a professional game,' Charlotte forward Corey Maggette said of his befuddled Bobcats. The victory raised the Heat to 5-0 for the first time in the franchise's 24 seasons. It was produced despite just one first-half basket by the man of the hour. 'We came into the game trying to play with a heightened sense of athleticism,' Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. 'It starts with our disposition, our energy, our activity. We started the game out very active.' The franchise's largest victory remains 43, 126-83 over the Los Angeles Clippers on Dec. 29, 1994. The Heat's only other previous 40-point victory was 113-72 March 5, 1996 against the Minnesota Timberwolves. The 129 points were the most scored in the NBA this season. 'It was a lot of fun out there,' Anthony said. 'I didn't realize until late it got into the 40s. When I figured it out, I was like, 'Wow.' ' While James finished with 16 points, nine rebounds and five assists in a hardly taxing 28 minutes, he hardly was Sunday's best man. That would have been Bosh, who picked up where he left off in Friday's 16-point second half in Minnesota. The All-Star power forward this time scored 20 in the first half and closed with 24 points on 9-of-13 shooting, in addition to 10 rebounds. *Courtesy of www.sun-sentinel.com

Orlando M. - Toronto R. 102-96
There will be nights when the Raptors are beaten entirely on merit, defeated by a team with superior talent and those nights will hurt but they will be understandable to some degree. And then there will be nights like Sunday, when they lose a game that have every right to win, when they give one away because of what they didn't do rather than what an opponent did and the hurt from those will be excruciating. Kind of like it was in the locker room of the Amway Center after Toronto had pretty much given away a 102-96 game to the Orlando Magic. 'It's frustrating to play this good for three quarters and lose like that in the fourth quarter,' said a dejected Andrea Bargnani (6'10''-F/C-85). 'I don't think it's physical, it's more mental. We're young, we have energy, just our focus in the fourth quarter wasn't the same as in the first three. 'We played great three quarters but we've got to learn how to close the game.' There it is, the recurring theme of a short road trip that's now included losses in Dallas and in here, both games that the Raptors had in their grasp and let slip away. It was a 13-point fourth quarter lead that got away from them against the Magic as Toronto simply made bad decision after bad decision at both ends of the floor. It is of no comfort to them right now but if these are the lesson they need in order to learn to win, they will eventually be well worth it. 'It's almost like a broken record but we're growing, we are doing some good things, we just have to be able to finish it out,' said coach Dwane Casey. 'Where a veteran team comes and closes the door like Orlando did tonight we have to be able to hold the led and not let a team take a run on us. 'Believe me, I know to everybody, the super fans, they don't see the growth, I see the growth, I see the movement but I also see some of the mental breakdowns at crucial times, we're decreasing those but in the crucial situations we have to execute and make the right decisions.' Two of the biggest faux pas on the night came on the offensive end. DeMar DeRozan and Anthony Carter both missed crucial, yet ill-advised three-pointers in the midst of a game-changing 20-2 Orlando run. In a vacuum, the shots might have looked like good ones; in the flow of that particular game, they were awful. 'It's knowing what plays to make at what time, it's experience more than anything else and they made the big plays,' said Casey. 'They made some tough shots, we forced them into some turnovers, got some steals, now we have to go down and execute and those are the decisions we have to make. 'Those (bad shot) decisions will kill you. You can't fault a guy who's wide open taking a three-point shot but, again, is there a better shot, you have to ask yourself Is there a better option in that situation?' The Raptors once again wasted a tremendous offensive effort from Bargnani, who had 28 points and seven rebounds, and a glittering night from Jose Manuel Calderon (6'3''-PG-81), who had 10 points and 13 assists. DeRozan shrugged off long stretches of invisibility to add 17 for the Raptors but Ed Davis had two points in 13 minutes and the two primary small forwards - Rasual Butler and James Johnson - had a combined three points and two rebounds. The Magic got 23 points from Ryan Anderson (6'10''-F-88, college: California), 21 off the bench from JJ Redick and Hedo Turkoglu made a series of big shots and finished with 15. 'Anderson, JJ, Hedo, they really played good,' said Bargnani. 'The shots they made in the fourth quarter were really quite something.' *Courtesy of www.thestar.com

No. 15 Mississippi State beats Utah State, 66-64 - by Eurobasket News
Utah State nearly knocked off No. 15 Mississippi State on its home court. That's not good enough for coach Stew Morrill.

'We made some errors down the stretch,' Morrill said. 'I'm pleased that we were in the game, but we've had enough success in our program that we're not going to feel good about losing a game like that. That was a game we could have won.'

Utah State's Danny Berger (6'6''-G/F) missed a 3-pointer at the buzzer as the Aggies fell to Mississippi State 66-64 Saturday at Humphrey Coliseum. Berger got a fairly clean look, but the ball skipped off two sides of the rim and fell to the floor, breaking the Aggies' four-game winning streak.

Preston Medlin (6'4''-G) led the Aggies with 15 points, Brockeith Pane (6'1''-G-88) added 11 and Morgan Grim (6'8''-F) had 10.

Rodney Hood (6'8''-G) scored 16 points and Arnett Moultrie (6'11''-F-90) had 15, and Mississippi State (13-2) rebounded from a loss to No. 6 Baylor this week.

'We weren't at our best from the tip - from the first possession,' Mississippi State coach Rick Stansbury said. 'You have some guys not feeling great, the emotion of Baylor and then put them against a very good Utah State team and that's what you get - a one-possession game. We're lucky we found a way to win it.'

Renardo Sidney added 13 points on 6-of-8 shooting from the field. Moultrie had 10 rebounds for his eighth double-double of the season. Stansbury said both players had a sinus infection but fought through it to post good numbers.

The Aggies have played in three straight NCAA tournaments, but lost several starters from last season's team. They still had plenty of talent to make things difficult for the Bulldogs.

Mississippi State's Dee Bost had four assists to become the school's career leader, passing Derrick Zimmerman's record of 514. But Bost struggled for most of the game, shooting just 1 of 10 from the field. He's struggled over his past four games, shooting just 11 of 52 from the field.

'Lately, I've been playing bad, but other guys have been stepping up,' Bost said. 'That's the luxury we have.'

Mississippi State was coming off Wednesday's 54-52 loss to Baylor in Dallas - a much-anticipated, emotional game that came down to the final seconds. The Bulldogs looked less enthused in front of a half-full and only partly interested Humphrey Coliseum crowd on Saturday, and their performance in the first half reflected that malaise.

Utah State pulled ahead 15-6 midway through the first half as Mississippi State missed shots, made sloppy passes and blew defensive assignments, but the Bulldogs eventually responded with a 13-4 run that tied the game at 19. Sidney's 3-pointer with 27 seconds remaining in the half gave Mississippi State a 32-29 lead.

Mississippi State could never shake Utah State in the second half. Every time the Bulldogs made a good pass or shot to take the lead, the Aggies would respond with an equally impressive possession - though Mississippi State's lax defense was a factor, too.
'It was real frustrating,' Moultrie said. 'I was real mad. Our guards were mad, too, but we just had to stick together and fight to get the win.

The Aggies pulled ahead 64-62 on Kyisean Reed's jumper with 2:42 left. But Reed missed two free throws on the next possession and Moultrie tied the game at 64 on a putback with 1:25 remaining.

Bost made two free throws with 34 seconds remaining, giving the Bulldogs a 66-64 lead.

Utah State's final possession had several stops and starts because Mississippi State had fouls to give, making it difficult for the Aggies to set up a play. But the final look was decent, with Berger catching the ball on the inbounds play, taking a step toward the basket and letting a 3-pointer fly.

Courtesy of www.miamiherald.com

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

NBLCANADA

NBLC Standings

NBL Canada Standings

1. Quebec K.		14-7
2. London L.		13-4
3. Halifax R.		10-4
4. St.John M.R.		9-9
5. Summerside S.		7-11
6. Oshawa P.		7-14
7. Moncton M.		2-13

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

NCAA1

Stats Leaders - NCAA1

Points Per Game

Brandon RILEY
  S.Caroli.
  (187-G/F-)
  Avg: 18.6

1. Riley, S.Caroli.	18.6
2. Gallo, Coppin St.	18.2
3. Pellum, Hampton	18.1
4. Clement, N.C.Cent.	15.9
5. Sutton, N.C.Central	15.9
6. Tate, Delaware St.	15.4
7. Willis, N.C.Cent.	14.9
8. O''Quinn, Norfolk	14.8
9. Thompson, Morgan	14.2
10. Ellis, Coppin St.	13.3

Rebounds Per Game

Kyle O''QUINN
  Norfolk .
  (208-F-90)
  Avg: 10.1

1. O''Quinn, Norfolk	10.1
2. Bruce, Hampton	8.7
3. Thompson, Morgan	8.6
4. Sutton, N.C.Central	7.6
5. Williams, Coppin S.	7.1
6. Sanders, S.Caroli.	7.1
7. Louis, Savannah S.	6.8
8. Oliver, Delaware S.	6.8
9. Phillips, Howard	6.7
10. Crowder, Florida	6.4

Assists Per Game

Emanuel CHAPMAN
  N.C.Cent.
  (185-G-)
  Avg: 6.8

1. Chapman, N.C.Cent.	6.8
2. Threatt, Delaware.	5.1
3. Blackmon, Savanna.	4.7
4. Tuitt, Hampton	4.4
5. Gallo, Coppin St.	4.0
6. Ellis, Coppin St.	3.8
7. Hill, N..	3.8
8. Toombs, S.Caroli.	3.6
9. Woods, Md-E Shore	3.5
10. Willis, N.C.Cent.	3.3

Steals Per Game

Jay THREATT
  Delaware.
  (180-G-89)
  Avg: 2.5

1. Threatt, Delaware.	2.5
2. Sutton, N.C.Central	2.5
3. Jackson, Morgan S.	2.0
4. Willis, N.C.Cent.	1.7
5. Tolson, Hampton	1.7
6. Powell, N.Car.	1.7
7. Andrews, Howard	1.6
8. Tuitt, Hampton	1.6
9. Breeze, Beth.-Co.	1.6
10. Woods, Md-E Shore	1.5

Blocks Per Game

Kendall GRAY
  Delaware St.
  (208-C-)
  Avg: 3.5

1. Gray, Delaware St.	3.5
2. O''Quinn, Norfolk	2.7
3. Sanders, S.Caroli.	2.0
4. Agbelese, Hampton	1.9
5. Chiles, Morgan St.	1.8
6. Crowder, Florida	1.8
7. Smith, Savannah.	1.5
8. Oliver, Delaware S.	1.5
9. Thompson, Morgan	1.3
10. Kosile, Md-E Shore	1.2

Top 25 - Men

TOP25 Standings

1. Syracuse		1-0 (13-0)
2. Ohio St.		1-1 (13-2)
3. Kentucky		0-0 (13-1)
4. Louisville		0-1 (11-4)
5. N.Carolina		0-0 (11-0)
6. Baylor		0-0 (12-0)
7. Duke		0-0 (10-0)
8. Missouri		0-0 (13-0)
9. Connecticut		2-0 (12-1)
10. Florida		0-0 (10-3)
11. Wisconsin		1-1 (12-3)
12. Georgetown		2-0 (14-0)
13. Indiana		1-1 (13-1)
14. Marquette		0-0 (10-2)
15. Mississippi St.		0-0 (13-2)
16. Michigan St.		2-0 (14-2)
17. Kansas		0-0 (10-3)
18. Michigan		1-0 (12-2)
19. UNLV		0-0 (15-2)
20. Murray St.		2-0 (14-0)
21. Creighton		1-1 (11-2)
22. Pittsburgh		0-1 (11-3)
23. Virginia		0-0 (11-1)
24. Harvard		0-0 (11-1)
25. San Diego St.		0-0 (12-2)

No. 10 Florida 90, Yale 70 - by Eurobasket News
Florida coach Billy Donovan was worried. His 10th-ranked Gators had arrived back on campus 36 hours earlier after playing its poorest game of the season.

He was concerned about his team being tired and dispirited after being upset in double-overtime Thursday night at Rutgers..

Not to worry.

With Kenny Boynton (6'2''-G-89) scoring 26 points the Gators raced to a 90-70 victory over Yale on Saturday with so signs of fatigue or the holiday blues.

'For them to come back and do what they did, I was really proud of them,' Donovan said.

'I thought it was one of the best games we've played this year,' Donovan said. 'Coming out of the Rutgers game and as bad as we were ... and on a one-day prep, I was really proud of them. '

Patric Young (6'9''-F/C-92) added 19 points, Erik Murphy (6'10''-F) had 18 and freshman Bradley Beal (6'3''-G-93) scored 11 for Florida (11-3), which hosts UAB on Jan. 3 before opening its Southeastern Conference schedule Jan. 7, at Tennessee.

Boynton, who came into the game averaging 18.9 points, had a big first half making 6 of 7 shots, including 3 of 4 from 3-point range.

'He's efficient, he's shooting a good percentage,' Donovan said. 'To me that's the sign of a great scorer. There's a lot of guys who can score if they get a lot of shots.'

Greg Mangano led Yale (8-4) with 26 points and Austin Morgan added 10. Mangano's game-high 15 rebounds helped the Bulldogs to a 37-32 rebound advantage.

'We were good today, but we had to be great to win,' Yale coach James Jones said. 'We were not great.'

Boynton, who matched his season-high in scoring, had 18 points by halftime as the Gators took a 46-35 lead. Florida held its biggest lead at 83-57 with 4:04 left.

Florida took the lead for keeps at 13-12 on a basket by Murphy after Yale started the game by making three straight 3-point shots to grab a 9-0 lead in the opening two minutes.

'We're figuring it out,' Donovan said. 'They (players) are all getting better.'

Yale hit 9 of 14 from 3-point range in the opening half to keep the score respectable with the 6-foot-10 Mangano perfect on three tries from long distance. Mangano had 11 points and seven rebounds in the first half.

Both teams shot well from 3-point range. Yale connected on 11 of 21 with Mangano hitting 5 of 7, while Florida was 12 of 21 with Boynton and Murphy each good on 5 of 7.

Florida shot 53.4 percent overall to Yale's 42.9 percent.

Yale was also coming off a tough road loss Thursday night. Yale rallied from a 19-point deficit before having a six-game winning streak snapped at Wake Forest.

'What's good about these games is it gives us a gauge in terms of what we need to do to get better,' Jones said about Yale's two-game southern swing. 'Now we get to go back and take care of some of the ways we were exposed.'

The Gators blew a seven-point lead in the final 3 minutes of regulation and a three-point lead with less than 20 seconds to go in the first overtime before losing at Rutgers. All three of Florida's losses this season have come on the road, the others against Syracuse and Ohio State, the nation's Nos. 1 and 2 teams. The Gators are 8-0 at home and 3-0 at neutral sites.

Courtesy of www.cbssports.com

No. 9 UConn cruises to 83-69 win over St. John's - by Eurobasket News
Oftentimes this season, even after wins, UConn coach Jim Calhoun has expressed displeasure with certain players or, more commonly, the team's general inconsistency.

'He always has something to say,' UConn freshman Andre Drummond (6'11''-C-93). said 'He wants us to be perfect. He wants us to be the greatest basketball team there is.'

For 33 minutes on Saturday, UConn was pretty darn close.

With George Blaney leading the way for the second straight game, the Huskies turned in arguably their most complete effort of the season as they opened up a 23-point lead on St. John's and cruised to an 83-69 victory Saturday at the XL Center.

'I'm pretty sure (Calhoun would) have a lot of things to say today, but I think he'd be pretty happy with a great team win,' Drummond said.

He'd also be happy with this: Ninth-ranked UConn, now 12-1, shot 60.4 percent from the field -- its second-highest percentage against Big East opponents in the past 15 years -- and assisted on 21 of 29 field goals.

Credit that to Shabazz Napier (6'0''-G-91), who orchestrated a fluid UConn offense that shredded the Red Storm with the deep ball and, of course, the alley-oop.

The Huskies' first points of the game came on a lob from Napier to Drummond, as did their first basket of the second half. Drummond finished with 16 points and 11 rebounds and scored half of those points on alley-oops.

Blaney, filling in while Calhoun serves his three-game NCAA suspension, would like to see a few more lob passes to the big fellow.

'I would like to see them do it about 15 more times,' Blaney said. 'And I would like to see Andre get in position to do it 15 more times. He's still learning how to get position. We're trying to teach him how to offensive box-out.'

Coming off his worst game of the season (1-for-9 against South Florida), Napier registered a team-high 17 points on 5-for-6 shooting and dished out nine assists. Like Calhoun, though, he can be a bit critical.

'I know I had four turnovers,' Napier said. 'And I don't even need to look at the stats -- I just remember from the game.'

UConn's offense became stagnant when it built a 23-point lead, and St. John's came storming back to cut the deficit to 11. But there would be no repeat of Fairfield or Central Florida.

'It's kind of a story of what's gone on all year,' Blaney said. 'The good part is it got down to 11, and we didn't let it get down any further.'

Ryan Boatright hit two free throws and buried a 3-pointer with 1:48 remaining to push UConn's lead back to 15 and shut the door for good.

St. John's freshman Moe Harkless, a one-time UConn recruit who committed to the Huskies in Dec. 2009 and backed out seventh months later, scored 16 points, 10 of which came in the second half. He was limited to 2-for-7 shooting in the opening period, pretty much on par with his teammates' accuracy in the first half.

The Red Storm (7-6) fell behind 38-25 at the break, largely due to a woeful 25 percent effort from the field. There were a pair of lowlights from God'sgift Achiuwa -- a layup attempt in traffic that sailed over the backboard and a 3-pointer that hit the side of the glass. St. John's was 1-for-13 from beyond the arc in the first half and kept launching as it finished 4-for-24 for the game.

'The fact of the matter is that they were wide-open 3s,' said St. John's assistant coach Mike Dunlap, subbing for Steve Lavin, who continues to recuperate from prostate surgery. 'We are trying to get better in that area, and with our youth, that will sometimes be a mixed message. When you look at the film, we'll probably have to endure (some misses) in order to develop a 3-point mindset.'

The Huskies, facing a matchup zone for most of the game, clearly aren't lacking long-range shooters. Jeremy Lamb, who hit four of UConn's nine 3-pointers, converted a four-point play that blew things wide open, giving UConn a 52-35 advantage.

The Huskies head to New Jersey next week -- at Seton Hall Tuesday and at Rutgers next Saturday. Calhoun is expected back after the Seton Hall game on Wednesday.

Courtesy of www.ctpost.com

No. 3 Kentucky beats No. 4 Louisville 69-62 - by Eurobasket News
Freshman Michael Gilchrist (6'7''-F-93) had season-highs with 24 points and 19 rebounds to lead No. 3 Kentucky in a rough-and-tumble 69-62 victory over No. 4 Louisville on Saturday to extend the nation's longest home winning streak.

Fellow freshman Anthony Davis added 18 points, all in the second half, for the Wildcats (13-1) in their annual in-state rivalry game that at times looked more like a free throw shooting contest with 52 fouls.

The Cardinals (12-2) only led at 2-0, but gave Kentucky all it could handle after rallying from an early 15-point deficit before tying it in the second half thanks to Russ Smith (6'0''-G), who had a career-high 30 points.

But Kidd-Gilchrist's hustle and Davis' emergence proved to be the difference with rapper Jay-Z, actress Ashley Judd and nearly a dozen NBA scouts on hand.

Kentucky has won 44 straight at home, including 43 in a row at Rupp Arena, for the nation's longest streak ahead of Duke's 43. This one will be remembered after the teams came in with the highest combined ranking in history.

With the game tied at 40 early in the second half, Louisville had a chance to take its second lead but Peyton Siva (5'11''-G-90) never hit the rim on an 18-foot jumper.

Kentucky went on a 7-0 run from there, with Kidd-Gilchrist hitting one of two free throws and making a layup on another trip before Davis got to the line and made four free throws over two possessions to make it 47-40.

Davis blocked Chris Smith on one end, then cleaned up Kentucky's fast break on the other to give the Wildcats a 49-42 lead. His alley-oop slam from Doron Lamb made it 56-48 with 6:40 left.

The battles kept going after the whistle with Davis and Rakeem Buckles tangled up on an out-of-bounds play and Davis pleading for a foul.

On another one, Davis went flying into the crowd trying to make a save and landed on an older woman in the front row. Kidd-Gilchrist came over, screaming, 'A.D.! A.D.!' with a smile on his face as he pulled his teammate back toward the court.

Kidd-Gilchrist's three-point play with 3:41 left gave the Wildcats a 61-50 lead, its first beyond double digits since the first half, and Kentucky was never seriously threatened for its third straight win in the series.

Gorgui Dieng (6'10''-C), who entered the second half with one foul, picked up three in a span of 2:20 to head to the bench with 16:08 left, but seconds later, Kentucky coach John Calipari picked up a technical foul for his displeasure with the officiating.

Trailing 40-36, Smith hit a 3-pointer and was fouled by Kidd-Gilchrist. He converted it to tie the game with 15:21 left, but Louisville never got over the hump after also rallying from an 11-point deficit before losing against No. 12 Georgetown for its first loss on Wednesday.

Louisville freshman Chane Behanan was the first player to lose his cool in this emotionally-charged matchup of schools separated by 78 miles.

Behanan, recruited by both schools, had already picked up an early foul when he was called for a charge and assessed a technical for his reaction with 16:16 left in the first half.

Louisville opened with a 2-0 lead, but Darius Miller answered with a 3-pointer and Kidd-Gilchrist was the only Wildcat to make a field goal over the next 13:45 as Kentucky feasted at the foul line to build a 31-16 lead.

The only adversity early came when Davis crashed into Russ Smith to draw his second foul and then bowled into associate head coach Richard Pitino, son of coach Rick Pitino, on the Louisville bench midway through the first half.

Trailing by 15 points, Louisville's two Smiths mounted a 13-0 run.

Chris and Russ Smith, who aren't related, scored five points apiece in the spurt that cut it to 31-29 with 2:51 left. Louisville cut it to 34-33 exactly a minute later after a basket by Russ Smith, but Kyle Wiltjer's layup gave Kentucky a 36-33 lead at the half.

Louisville would tie it before 5 minutes passed in the second half, but never could mount a push to take control in one of the most hyped games since the 1983-84 season opener.

In that game, No. 2 Kentucky won over No. 6 Louisville, which marked the start of the annual matchup between the schools following the Cardinals' 1983 NCAA tournament win in overtime over the Wildcats in the regional finals.

Courtesy of www.miamiherald.com

No. 12 Georgetown hangs on for 49-40 win over Providence - by Eurobasket News
After trailing by 14 in the first half, Providence seemingly had no business being in the game against taller, stronger No. 12 Georgetown.

Yet there the Friars were, tied with 8 minutes to play, with a chance to break a pair of very long, dubious streaks. They didn't win, eventually falling 49-40 in Saturday's game, but first-year coach Ed Cooley counted it as a significant step in the right direction.

'This was the first time, I think, as the head coach here at Providence we had a complete 40 minutes of effort,' Cooley said.

That's quite a leap after Cooley called his players 'pathetic today in every way' after a 24-point loss to St. John's on Tuesday. Had the Friars made a few more free throws - they went 11 for 20 from the line - or grabbed another clutch rebound or two down the stretch, the might have been celebrating a real win instead of a moral one in the nation's capital.

'I thought we had momentum,' Cooley said. 'A lot of it played into our hands. It's just when you're limited on depth and you're limited in certain areas, you're going to come up short in some games. It was right there, and what I told my team in the locker room is we've got to learn how to win.'

LaDontae Henton had 13 points and 11 rebounds to lead the Friars (11-4, 0-2), whose 25.5 percent shooting from the field was the school's worst ever in a Big East game. The Friars have lost 17 straight conference road games and 23 straight road games to ranked teams.

Jason Clark (6'2''-G) had 16 points and eight rebounds for the Hoyas (12-1, 2-0), who won their 10th straight despite shooting 30.5 percent - their worst in a victory in eight seasons under coach John Thompson III. Freshman Otto Porter (6'8''-F) grabbed 12 rebounds, including a key putback that made the score 43-40 with 4:04 remaining.

Henry Sims (6'10''-C) had a line that reflected a Hoyas' mixed bag of numbers: 2 for 13 from the field but 7 for 9 from the free throw line, four turnovers but also four blocks, 11 points and seven rebounds as well as three of Georgetown's seven assists, a stunningly low tally for the ball-movement offense preached by Thompson.

'This was just an ugly game,' Thompson said. 'We went for a long period when we weren't scoring, so you just have to figure out how to get stops, you have to figure out how to get rebounds.'

The score was tied at 35 before Georgetown closed with a 14-5 run. The Hoyas have their longest winning streak since the 2006-07 Final Four team won 11 straight. They are poised to move into the top 10 next week after their 71-68 victory at No. 4 Louisville on Wednesday.

The Friars scored only four points in the first 11 minutes and managed only six field goals while committing eight turnovers in the first half. The score was as close as it was because Georgetown wasn't shooting well, either.

A modest 9-3 run by the Friars cut the Hoyas' lead to 27-19 at halftime. Then Providence became more aggressive in the second half, attacking the basket and tying the game on a pair of free throws by Henton.

Clark's putback put the Hoyas back ahead for good, ending Georgetown's 6 1-2 minute scoring drought.

'It's frustrating,' Cooley said. 'I'm learning, our children are learning. It's a process. It's not going to happen overnight. It is frustrating. It hurts. I wanted to bring in the new year and try to win on the road.'

Providence's Kadeem Batts, a sophomore, made his first start since returning from an academic suspension, giving the Friars one starter taller than 6-foot-6. He had four points and six rebounds before fouling out with 1:04 to play.

Courtesy of www.chron.com

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NEW ZEALAND

Lemanis And Co can reflect on an outstanding year - by Mike Lacey
Despite losing the last two games of the year, now is an ideal opportunity to reflect on a wonderful 2011 for all associated with the SKY CITY New Zealand Breakers. The highlight was obviously last seasons iiNet Championship title, a win that captured the imagination of the New Zealand sporting public and has seen them shortlisted for Team of the Year at the upcoming Halberg Sports Awards. Much has been written about the Championship win but less has been said about the hard work that has gone on behind the scenes to create the ongoing success and the positive winning culture that is associated with the SKY CITY New Zealand Breakers.
All successful sports clubs are well led and the Breakers are no different. They have a strong, visionary board and management who have invested in a coaching team that are repaying them in spades. In turn the coaching team of Andrej Lemanis , Dean Vickerman and Judd Flavell have delivered a team that plays an attractive brand of basketball and captures a good deal of deserved attention from the New Zealand sporting media.
At the beginning of this season, few, myself included Im sorry to say, would have believed that the Breakers would be top of the iiNet ANBL league at the end of the year (albeit equal with the Perth Wildcats). The loss of Penney would be impossible to cover, the retirement of Henare would damage the team synergy, and the injury to CJ would weaken our scoring firepower or so many thought,
All doubts have proved unfounded. Huge credit must go to the afore mentioned coaches who not only recruited a playing roster capable of winning the Championship but have also been able to introduce new players and a new style to continue on their winning way. There is no luck associated with this success, just good structures and exceptional planning. Talented Kiwis like Mika Vukona, Tom Abercrombie, Leon Henry and B J Anthony have been and are being nurtured and developed. Outstanding Australians CJ Bruton and Daryl Corletto have added quality on and off the court and the hazardous paths of recruiting American imports have been negotiated with some style, Gary Wilkinson and Cedric Jackson is arguably the best import combo in the league.
Can the successes of 2011 be duplicated in 2012? Lets leave it with the coaches and enjoy the ride.

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PBL

Rochester Razorsharks win season opener - by Eurobasket News
The Rochester Razorsharks started off the 2012 PBL season by celebrating their 2011 PBL Championship and giving the fans a 107-98 win over the new expansion Scranton-Wilkes Barre Steamers in front of 6, 017 fans at the Blue Cross Arena. The teams went back and forth the entire game until Rochester slowly pulled away in the fourth by playing smart and hustling.

Jerice Crouch lead the fourth quarter surge, as he drove straight down an open late with about four minutes to go, made the layup, got the foul, and sank the free throw for the three point play. With a minute left in the game, he took a steal down the baseline and finished with an emphatic slam dunk to excite the crowd for the win. Crouch lead the Razorsharks with 21 points, four assists, and two steals.

Scranton/Wilkes-Barre started the game off well and took a 15-9 lead, but just before the first media timeout, Tasheed Carr (6'4''-G-85, college: St.Joseph's) found himself all alone on a fast break and threw down the slam dunk after a lead pass from a long rebound from Crouch, bringing the crowd to life for the first time.

The second quarter started real well for the visitors, as Scranton/Wilkes-Barre went on a 16-2 run, including 11 points from Chris Commons, who finished with a game high 34 points. Rochester took a two point lead into the half, as Crouch stole the ball, passed to Keith Friel who missed the deep two, but Todd McCoy (6'4''-F-84, college: Indiana St.) had just enough time to put the rebound in for the score.

Both teams continued to go back and forth in the third quarter, as Rochester expanded its lead to nine with the score of 80-71 before finishing up the game with the nine point win. Other standouts for Rochester were McCoy with 15 points off the bench and Aaron Williams, also off the bench, with 13 points and nine rebounds. All 12 Razorsharks saw at least 12 minutes of game time and 11 of them scored.

Steamers Rob Robinson and Vincent Simpson (6'1''-G-88, college: Hampton) finished with 26 and 20 points, respectively, and Darrion Griffin (6'4''-G-87, college: Jackson St.) finished with 9 points and 10 rebounds.

Courtesy of http://razorsharks.thepbl.com

Standings

PBL Standings

Central Division
1. Cent.Illinois D.		0-0
2. Chicago M.		0-0
3. Indiana D.		0-0
4. NW Indiana S.		0-0
5. Sauk Valley P.		0-0
6. St. Louis P.		0-0
Eastern Division
1. Rochester R.		1-0
2. Charleston G.		0-0
3. Dayton A.S.		0-0
4. Lake Michigan		0-0
5. Scranton/W-B		0-1

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SAUDI ARABIA

Charles to Al Ahli - by Ali Ahmed
Christien Charles (213-F/C-81, college: Villanova) is a new member of Al Ahli Jeddah. The American center signed a deal for rest of the season.

Chris is a true 7 footer who has tremendously improved his game since he finished college. As a reserve on the nationally ranked Villanova team, Chris had the opportunity to be trained by some of the best coaches in the country. He has developed into a very good player who plays with a lot of energy and heart. He can run the floor extremely well, rebound, and block shots. If left open, he can also knock down the 15 foot jump shot with consistency. Chris would be a valuable asset to any team looking to add some size.

Awards/Achievements:
Big East Tournament Semifinals -04, 05, 06
NIT Quarterfinals -04
NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 -05
Big East Regular Season Runner-Up -06
NCAA Sweet 8 -06
IBL Regular Season Champion -08
IBL Finalist -08
All-IBL Team -08
Asia-Basket.com All-Lebanese League Center of the Year -09
Asia-Basket.com All-Lebanese League 1st Team -09
Asia-Basket.com Lebanese League All-Imports Team -09
Asia-Basket.com All-Syrian League 1st Team -09, 10
Asia-Basket.com Syrian League All-Imports Team -09, 10
Asia-Basket.com Syrian League All-Defensive Team -09, 10
Asian Club Championships -09 (Bronze)
Asia-Basket.com All-Syrian League Center of the Year -10
Syrian League Regular Season Runner-Up -10, 11
Syrian League Champion -10
Asia-Basket.com All-Syrian League 2nd Team -11
WABA Club Championships -11
Syrian League Finalist -11

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SLOVAKIA

Well needed Break - by Bobby Davis
For starters I hope everyone enjoyed there Christmas and New Years. I know that I enjoyed Christmas with my family. I didn't get a chance to visit South Carolina ,but I was able to be in Kansas with my kids for the holidays. Seeing them was a great feeling for me, not being able to be with them for a few months was a lot on me and them. It was a great feeling to come home for a couple of weeks just to spend time with them and pick up where we left off. Being able to play and go shopping was a great feeling. This break was well needed just based on resting my body and just getting away from basketball for a few days. We played 20 games so far and are mid-way through the season as a player your body needs time to rest. Going into this new year I know as a player and a team we are going to make new goals for the next half of the season. I have already made my personal goals for myself and I am ready to get back to Slovakia to see has a team what our goals are going to be. I hope everyone has safe travels as they travel back to there teams this week.

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SOUTH KOREA

Standings

KBL Standings

1. Dongbu Promy		27-7
2. Anyang KGC		24-9
3. Sonic Boom KT		21-11
4. KCC Egis		21-12
5. ET Land		17-15
6. Mobis Phoebus		14-18
7. SK Knights		13-20
8. LG Sakers		13-20
9. Daegu Orions		8-25
10. Samsung Th.		6-27

KBL Round 35: Dongbu Promy beats Anyang KGC in the most crucial game of the week - by Eurobasket News
The round was rather attractive and full of interesting results. The round ended with derby games and favorites losing the games.

An exciting game between Top Four teams was played in Anyang. First ranked Dongbu Promy faced second-ranked Anyang KGC. Guests from Wonju (27-7) defeated host Anyang KGC (24-9) 60-53. Anyang KGC was trailing by 6 points at halftime but managed to get 3-point lead after three quarters before a 20-10 charge of Dongbu Promy, which allowed them to win the game. The best player for the winners was American power forward Rodrique Benson (207-84, college: California) who had a double-double by scoring 22 points and 13 rebounds. The former international power forward Joo-Sung Kim (205-79) chipped in 14 points and 8 rebounds. American power forward Rodney White (206-80, college: Charlotte) produced a double-double by scoring 16 points and 12 rebounds for the hosts. Dongbu Promy maintains first place with 27-7 record. Anyang KGC at the other side keeps the second position with nine games lost. Dongbu Promy will have a break next round, and it should allow them to practice more before next game. Anyang KGC will play at home against KCC Egis in Jeonju and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
The game in Seoul was also worth to mention about. Sixth ranked Mobis Phoebus (14-18) played at the court of 8th ranked SK Knights (13-20). Mobis Phoebus managed to secure a 5-point victory 84-79. American center Terrence Leather (204-81, college: S.Florida) orchestrated the victory with a double-double by scoring 34 points (!!!) and 16 rebounds. Dong-Geun Yang contributed with 20 points and 4 assists for the winners. playernamefromunbr answered with 23 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists for SK Knights. Defending champion maintains sixth place with 14-18 record. SK Knights at the other side dropped to the seventh position with 20 games lost. They share it with LG Sakers. Mobis Phoebus will play against higher ranked ET Land Elephants (#5) in Inchon in the next round and it will be quite challenging to get another victory. SK Knights will play on the road against Sonic Boom KT in Busan and hope to get back on the winning track.
We should mention about the upset which took place in Jeonju, where 4th placed KCC Egis (21-12) lost at home to ninth ranked Daegu Orions (8-25) 78-87 on Saturday. It ended at the same time the four-game winning streak of KCC Egis. It was a great evening for Chris Williams who led his team to a victory with a double-double by scoring 24 points, 10 rebounds, 7 assists and 4 blocks. Daegu Orions' coach Il-Seung Choo used a ten-player rotation which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. DeShawn Sims responded with a double-double by scoring 29 points and 12 rebounds. Daegu Orions maintains ninth place with 8-25 record. Loser KCC Egis keep the fourth position with 12 games lost. Daegu Orions will have a break next round, and it should allow them to practice more before next game. KCC Egis will play against the league's second-placed Anyang KGC (#2) and will have a slim chance for a victory.
The game with biggest result difference took place in Anyang. Local Anyang KGC (24-9) outscored 10th ranked Samsung Thunders (6-27) 86-66. It was a quality performance for Sek-Eun Oh who led the winners with a double-double by scoring 14 points and 15 rebounds. Samsung Thunders' coach rotated eleven players seeing no chance for a win. Anyang KGC maintains second place with 24-9 record having four points less than leader Dongbu Promy. Samsung Thunders lost fifth consecutive game. They stay dead last with 27 lost games. Anyang KGC's next round opponent will be KCC Egis (#4) in Jeonju. Samsung Thunders will play on the road against LG Sakers (#8) in Changwon and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Another exciting game was a derby match between two local teams from Seoul: SK Knights (#8) and Samsung Thunders (#10). Samsung Thunders were defeated at home 75-89 and even the advantage of their own court did not help. The best player for the winners was playernamefromunbr who had a double-double by scoring 27 points, 15 rebounds and 5 assists. SK Knights (13-20) moved-up to seventh place, which they share with LG Sakers. Samsung Thunders lost fifth consecutive game. They stay dead last with 27 lost games. SK Knights will face higher ranked Sonic Boom KT (#3) in Busan in the next round and it will be quite challenging to get another victory. Samsung Thunders will play on the road against LG Sakers (#8) in Changwon and it may be a tough game between close rivals.

In the last game of round 35 LG Sakers were defeated by ET Land in Inchon 79-71.

Samsung Th. - SK Knights 75-89

Another exciting game was a derby match between two local teams from Seoul: SK Knights (#8) and Samsung Thunders (#10). Samsung Thunders were defeated at home 75-89 and even the advantage of their own court did not help. The game was mostly controlled by SK Knights. Samsung Thunders was better in fourth quarter 19-16. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. The best player for the winners was playernamefromunbr who had a double-double by scoring 27 points, 15 rebounds and 5 assists. Center Jung-Won Han (198-84) chipped in 16 points and 5 rebounds. Four SK Knights players scored in double figures. International power forward Eric Sandrin (206-78, college: Seattle Pacific) produced a double-double by scoring 28 points, 11 rebounds and 6 assists and American power forward Ira Clark (203-75, college: Texas) added 19 points and 8 rebounds respectively for the hosts. SK Knights (13-20) moved-up to seventh place, which they share with LG Sakers. Samsung Thunders lost fifth consecutive game. They stay dead last with 27 lost games. SK Knights will face higher ranked Sonic Boom KT (#3) in Busan in the next round and it will be quite challenging to get another victory. Samsung Thunders will play on the road against LG Sakers (#8) in Changwon and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
SK Knights: playernamefromunbr 27+15reb+5ast, H.Kim 18+1reb+1ast, J.Han 16+5reb, S.Lee 12+1reb+3ast, K.Hoon Byun 9+1reb+1ast, S.Hwang 4+2reb+1ast
Samsung Th.: E.Sandrin 28+11reb+6ast, I.Clark 19+8reb+1ast, J.Park 15+1reb, W.Lee 8+2reb+4ast, S.Kim 5+3reb+2ast, K.Ngi 0+1reb

Anyang KGC - Dongbu Promy 53-60

An exciting game between Top Four teams was played in Anyang. First ranked Dongbu Promy faced second-ranked Anyang KGC. Guests from Wonju (27-7) defeated host Anyang KGC (24-9) 60-53. Anyang KGC was trailing by 6 points at halftime but managed to get 3-point lead after three quarters before a 20-10 charge of Dongbu Promy, which allowed them to win the game. The best player for the winners was American power forward Rodrique Benson (207-84, college: California) who had a double-double by scoring 22 points and 13 rebounds. The former international power forward Joo-Sung Kim (205-79) chipped in 14 points and 8 rebounds. American power forward Rodney White (206-80, college: Charlotte) produced a double-double by scoring 16 points and 12 rebounds and international center Sek-Eun Oh (200-87) added 12 points and 13 rebounds respectively for the hosts. Dongbu Promy maintains first place with 27-7 record. Anyang KGC at the other side keeps the second position with nine games lost. Dongbu Promy will have a break next round, and it should allow them to practice more before next game. Anyang KGC will play at home against KCC Egis in Jeonju and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Dongbu Promy: R.Benson 22+13reb+1ast, J.Kim 14+8reb+1ast, H.Yoon 10+2reb+2ast, J.Ahn 6+4reb+1ast, J.Hwang 5+3reb+4ast, J.Park 3+3reb
Anyang KGC: R.White 16+12reb+3ast, S.Oh 12+13reb, C.Park 9+1reb+3ast, T.Kim 7, S.Kim 3+1reb, J.Lee 3+1reb+4ast

Anyang KGC - Samsung Th. 86-66

The game with biggest result difference took place in Anyang. Local Anyang KGC (24-9) outscored 10th ranked Samsung Thunders (6-27) 86-66. The game without a history. Anyang KGC led from the first minutes and controlled entire game increasing their lead in each quarter. Anyang KGC forced 20 Samsung Thunders turnovers. It was a quality performance for international center Sek-Eun Oh (200-87) who led the winners with a double-double by scoring 14 points and 15 rebounds. American power forward Rodney White (206-80, college: Charlotte) accounted for 20 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists for the winning side. Four Anyang KGC players scored in double figures. Guard Won-Soo Lee (181-83) came up with 19 points and American power forward Ira Clark (203-75, college: Texas) added 15 points and 7 rebounds respectively for Samsung Thunders in the defeat. Samsung Thunders' coach rotated eleven players seeing no chance for a win. Anyang KGC maintains second place with 24-9 record having four points less than leader Dongbu Promy. Samsung Thunders lost fifth consecutive game. They stay dead last with 27 lost games. Anyang KGC's next round opponent will be KCC Egis (#4) in Jeonju. Samsung Thunders will play on the road against LG Sakers (#8) in Changwon and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Anyang KGC: J.Lee 21+3reb+2ast, R.White 20+7reb+4ast, S.Oh 14+15reb+2ast, T.Kim 12+2reb+3ast, C.Park 8+5reb+4ast, H.Eun 6+1ast
Samsung Th.: W.Lee 19+2reb+3ast, I.Clark 15+7reb+2ast, K.Ngi 12+3reb, D.Park 8, E.Sandrin 4+9reb+1ast, T.Kim 2+2reb+2ast

SK Knights - Mobis Phoebus 79-84

The game in Seoul was also worth to mention about. Sixth ranked Mobis Phoebus (14-18) played at the court of 8th ranked SK Knights (13-20). Mobis Phoebus managed to secure a 5-point victory 84-79. SK Knights were ahead by 4 points after three quarters before a 30-21 charge of Mobis Phoebus, which allowed them to win the game. They made 17-of-20 charity shots (85.0 percent) during the game. Mobis Phoebus outrebounded SK Knights 31-18 including a 24-13 advantage in defensive rebounds. American center Terrence Leather (204-81, college: S.Florida) orchestrated the victory with a double-double by scoring 34 points (!!!) and 16 rebounds. The former international guard Dong-Geun Yang (181-81) contributed with 20 points and 4 assists for the winners. playernamefromunbr answered with 23 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists and swingman Ki Hoon Byun (187-89) added 19 points and 4 assists in the effort for SK Knights. Four SK Knights players scored in double figures. Defending champion maintains sixth place with 14-18 record. SK Knights at the other side dropped to the seventh position with 20 games lost. They share it with LG Sakers. Mobis Phoebus will play against higher ranked ET Land Elephants (#5) in Inchon in the next round and it will be quite challenging to get another victory. SK Knights will play on the road against Sonic Boom KT in Busan and hope to get back on the winning track.
Top scorers:
Mobis Phoebus: T.Leather 34+16reb+2ast, D.Yang 20+4reb+4ast, D.Kim 14+1reb+2ast, J.Park 9+3reb, J.Lee 4+4reb, G.Park 3+2reb
SK Knights: playernamefromunbr 23+6reb+5ast, K.Hoon Byun 19+2reb+4ast, S.Lee 18+1reb+1ast, H.Kim 16+1reb+1ast, J.Han 2+2reb, H.Joo 1+6reb+1ast

KCC Egis - Daegu Orions 78-87

We should mention about the upset which took place in Jeonju, where 4th placed KCC Egis (21-12) lost at home to ninth ranked Daegu Orions (8-25) 78-87 on Saturday. It ended at the same time the four-game winning streak of KCC Egis. The guests trailed by 1 point at the halftime before their 48-38 charge in the second half, which allowed them to win the game. Daegu Orions looked well-organized offensively handing out 22 assists. It was a great evening for American swingman Chris Williams (199-80, college: Virginia) who led his team to a victory with a double-double by scoring 24 points, 10 rebounds, 7 assists and 4 blocks. His fellow American import forward Jin-Soo Choi (202, college: Maryland) helped adding 19 points and 6 rebounds. Four Daegu Orions players scored in double figures. Daegu Orions' coach Il-Seung Choo used a ten-player rotation which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. American forward DeShawn Sims (203-88, college: Michigan) responded with a double-double by scoring 29 points and 12 rebounds and naturalized American guard Tony Akins (180-80, college: Georgia Tech, agency: Court Side) scored 22 points and 6 assists. Daegu Orions maintains ninth place with 8-25 record. Loser KCC Egis keep the fourth position with 12 games lost. Daegu Orions will have a break next round, and it should allow them to practice more before next game. KCC Egis will play against the league's second-placed Anyang KGC (#2) and will have a slim chance for a victory.
Top scorers:
Daegu Orions: C.Williams 24+10reb+7ast, J.Choi 19+6reb+2ast, D.Kim 17+2reb+5ast, S.Cho 14+3reb+3ast, H.Cho 3+5reb+3ast, K.Kim 3
KCC Egis: D.Sims 29+12reb+1ast, T.Akins 22+3reb+6ast, S.Ha 12+9reb+2ast, T.Kim 4+3reb, S.Choo 4+1reb+3ast, J.Lim 4+1reb

ET Land - LG Sakers 79-71

There was no surprise in Inchon where 7th ranked LG Sakers (13-20) were defeated by fifth ranked ET Land Elephants (17-15) 79-71 on Sunday. The hosts trailed by 3 points after three quarters before their 25-14 charge, which allowed them to win the game. ET Land Elephants outrebounded LG Sakers 37-24 including 22 on the defensive glass. It was a great shooting night for ET Land Elephants especially from behind the arc, where they had solid 52.9 percentage. The best player for the winners was international forward Tae-Jong Moon (199-75, college: Richmond, agency: Alti Sport) who scored 24 points, 9 rebounds and 4 assists. American forward Herbert Hill (208-84, college: Providence) chipped in a double-double by scoring 21 points and 12 rebounds. American forward Aaron Haynes (201-81, college: Boise St.) produced a double-double by scoring 23 points and 13 rebounds and naturalized American forward Gregory Stevenson (198-78, college: Richmond, agency: SportsTalent) added 14 points and 4 assists respectively for the guests. ET Land Elephants maintains fifth place with 17-15 record. LG Sakers lost fifth consecutive game. They keep the seventh position with 20 games lost. ET Land Elephants will face Mobis Phoebus (#6) in Ulsan in the next round. LG Sakers will play at home against Samsung Thunders in Seoul.
Top scorers:
ET Land: T.Moon 24+9reb+4ast, H.Hill 21+12reb+3ast, K.Shin 12+1reb, H.Lee 6+10reb, H.Kang 6+3ast, B.Chung 5+1reb
LG Sakers: A.Haynes 23+13reb+2ast, G.Stevenson 14+3reb+4ast, I.Baek 14+2reb, C.Young Jung 9+1reb+5ast, H.Byun 6+1reb+4ast, C.Song 3+2reb

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SPAIN

Nihad Dedovic moves to UCAM Murcia - by Eurobasket News
Nihad Dedovic (196-F-90, agency: Beo Basket) will continue his career in Spain. The forward moved to UCAM Murcia on loan. The Bosnian player started the season in Italy. He joined Acea Virtus Roma on loan from Barcelona. Nihad Dedovic posted 10.5 points, 3.7 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game in Seria A. Last season the forward also played for Lottomatica Roma. His stats read 11.3 points, 3.4 boards, 2.3 steals and 1.1 assist per game in Seria A. In Euroleague Nihad Dedovic accounted for 9.3 points, 3.1 boards, 2.1 assists and 1.7 steals per appearance. Nihad Dedovic participated at EuroBasket 2011. He notched 10.6 points, 4.8 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game in Lithuania.

Estudiantes suspend Antoine Wright - by Eurobasket News
Estudiantes decided to suspend Antoine Wright (201-F/G-84, college: Texas A&M). The suspension is temporarily and without pay. The reasons for the decision are not disclosed but quoted as very serious ones. Antoine Wright joined the team at the start of the season. He tallied 10.9 points, 2.8 rebounds, 1.3 steals and 1.0 assist per game. Last season the forward started in the NBA. He played for the Sacramento Kings tallying 0.3 points per game. In November Antoine Wright moved to China. He joined the Jiangsu Nangang Dragons Nanjing. His stats read 20.9 points, 6.2 boards, 2.3 assists and 1.3 steals in CBA.

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SYRIA

The season here in Syria started with the Federation cup .. - by Tarek Burhan
Yes .. the basketball season here in Syria started with the Federation Cup .. new challenge for the teams ...
the teams spilit on 2groups .. the lead team in every group goes to the final game .. and here is the groups :
North Group : Jalaa - Ittihad - Hurriya - Yarmouk
South Group : Jeish - Wehda - Kasyoun - Thawra

and here are the results
Day1 results :
Jalaa 91-62 Yarmouk
Ittihad 79-59 Hurriya
Jeish 77-62 Thawra
Wehda 77-62 Kasyoun

Day2 results :
Ittihad 98-70 Yarmouk
Jalaa 88-72 Hurriya
Wehda 66-61 Thawra
Jeish 79-54 Kasyoun

Day3 results :
Hurriya 74-57 Yarmouk
Ittihad 70-67 Jalaa
Thawra 66-57 Kasyoun
Jeish 80-49 Wehda

Day4 results :
Jalaa 91-63 Yarmouk
Ittihad 81-65 Hurriya
Jeish 80-43 Thawra
Wehda 73-74 Kasyoun

Day5 results : 2nd/January
Ittihad - Yarmouk
Jalaa - Hurriya
Wehda - Thawra
Jeish - Kasyoun

Day6 results : 4th/January
Hurriya - Yarmouk
Ittihad - Jalaa
Thawra - Kasyoun
Jeish - Wehda

The final game between the champion of North Group V/S the champion of South Group will be at 9th/Januray

The season here in Syria started with the Federation cup .. - by Tarek Burhan
Yes .. the basketball season here in Syria started with the Federation Cup .. new challenge for the teams ...
the teams spilit on 2groups .. the lead team in every group goes to the final game .. and here is the groups :
North Group : Jalaa - Ittihad - Hurriya - Yarmouk
South Group : Jeish - Wehda - Kasyoun - Thawra

and here are the results
Day1 results :
Jalaa 91-62 Yarmouk
Ittihad 79-59 Hurriya
Jeish 77-62 Thawra
Wehda 77-62 Kasyoun

Day2 results :
Ittihad 98-70 Yarmouk
Jalaa 88-72 Hurriya
Wehda 66-61 Thawra
Jeish 79-54 Kasyoun

Day3 results :
Hurriya 74-57 Yarmouk
Ittihad 70-67 Jalaa
Thawra 66-57 Kasyoun
Jeish 80-49 Wehda

Day4 results :
Jalaa 91-63 Yarmouk
Ittihad 81-65 Hurriya
Jeish 80-43 Thawra
Wehda 73-74 Kasyoun

Day5 results : 2nd/January
Ittihad - Yarmouk
Jalaa - Hurriya
Wehda - Thawra
Jeish - Kasyoun

Day6 results : 4th/January
Hurriya - Yarmouk
Ittihad - Jalaa
Thawra - Kasyoun
Jeish - Wehda

The final game between the champion of North Group V/S the champion of South Group will be at 9th/Januray

EX Syrian League foreign Stars shine in Gulf Countries .. - by Ahmad Madwar
Many foreign players played in Syria before and now they are playing in Gulf countries .. and lets start the Ryan Holmes (197-F/G-82, college: Philander Smith)
The forward of the year season 2009/2010 now playing in Suadia Arabia with Al-Fateh .. this is the second season for Ryan Holmes with Al-Fateh, Ryan great Sg/Sg player played with two teams here in Syria before Wathba and Yarmouk .. he did like a miracle for yarmouk when he helped them to stay in the first Division .. also when he played with Wathba he was Mr Double Double in the league .. he helped the team a lot specially in the definsive side with more 11 rebounds in the game .. and added 25pts everygame ..

Andre Pites and Christopher Moore (205-F-82, college: Virginia Union) together again ..
Andre Pites the legend of Syria league, he was the first foreign player in the Syrian league when he came to Wehda 9 years ago .. after that he played in UAE, Iran and now in Kuwait with Al-Naser Team .. he played in Ittihad last season in the first half of the season .. after that he moed to Al-Naser
another player joins in his team Christopher Moore .. the monster who played in Syria 3 seasons ago with Kasyoun when he was the best rebounder and blockshooter in the league and the fifth in the score .. he was one of the best 4/5 who played in Syrian League .. Chris and Andre played together in Dubai Tournament with Ittihad team ..

Christien Charles (213-F/C-81, college: Villanova) in Saudia Arabia ..
The best center in lebanon and Syria season 2008/2009, 2009/2010 .. now he joins in Saudia Arabia with Al-Ahli club .. This is his first season in Saudia Arabia .. he played in Lebanon and Syria before with the best clubs there

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TAIWAN

Stats Leaders

Points Per Game

Emmanuel JONES
  Taiwan Beer
  (200-F-85)
  Avg: 23.5

1. Jones, Taiwan Beer	23.5
2. Yang, Taiwan Beer	19.4
3. Johnson, Yulon L.	19.0
4. Lu, Yulon Luxgen	18.3
5. Broxsie, KKL	18.2
6. Dials, Pure Youth	17.0
7. Felix, Dacin Tigers	17.0
8. Chang, Dacin Tigers	17.0
9. Davis, Pure Youth	16.2
10. Hsu, Bank o.	15.0

Rebounds Per Game

Kevin JOHNSON
  Yulon L.
  (201-F-84)
  Avg: 18.4

1. Johnson, Yulon L.	18.4
2. Broxsie, KKL	14.5
3. Carr, Taiwan Mobile	13.0
4. Dials, Pure Youth	13.0
5. Jones, Taiwan Beer	12.0
6. Carr, Taiwan Beer	11.0
7. Vaudreuil, Bank o.	9.5
8. Cheng, Taiwan Beer	9.4
9. Felix, Dacin Tigers	9.2
10. Davis, Pure Youth	9.0

Assists Per Game

Yi-Chieh SU
  Taiwan Mobile
  (181-PG-87)
  Avg: 6.3

1. Su, Taiwan Mobile	6.3
2. Chen, Yulon Luxgen	5.2
3. Johnson, Yulon L.	3.7
4. Chen, Taiwan Beer	3.4
5. Tien, Dacin Tigers	3.3
6. Lin, Bank o.	2.7
7. Week, KKL	2.5
8. Ke, Pure Youth	2.5
9. Chen, Pure Youth	2.5
10. Chang, Dacin Tige.	2.3

Steals Per Game

Hsiao-Wen CHUAN
  Bank o.
  (190-F-83)
  Avg: 3

1. Chuan, Bank o.	3.0
2. Chang, Dacin Tigers	2.5
3. Creighton, Pure Y.	2.4
4. Liu, KKL	2.3
5. Yang, Taiwan Beer	2.2
6. Lin, Bank o.	2.0
7. Ke, Pure Youth	2.0
8. Cheng, Taiwan Beer	1.8
9. Zheng, Bank o.	1.7
10. Su, Taiwan Mobile	1.7

Blocks Per Game

Antoine BROXSIE
  KKL
  (209-F-79)
  Avg: 4.3

1. Broxsie, KKL	4.3
2. Felix, Dacin Tigers	3.3
3. Johnson, Yulon L.	2.3
4. Davis, Pure Youth	2.2
5. Chou, Yulon Luxgen	1.6
6. Chen, Taiwan Mobile	1.5
7. Carr, Taiwan Beer	1.3
8. Vaudreuil, Bank o.	1.0
9. Tien, Dacin Tigers	0.8
10. Chen, Taiwan Mobi.	0.8

Standings - SBL

SBL Standings

1. Dacin Tigers		5-1
2. Yulon Luxgen		5-2
3. Taiwan Beer		3-2
4. Pure Youth		3-3
5. KKL		2-4
6. Taiwan Mobile		2-4
7. Bank of Taiwan		1-5

SBL Round 3: Pure Youth hands first defeat to Dacin Tigers - by Eurobasket News
It's still too early stage of the Regular Season in SBL, but even now we can clearly see the differece between stronger teams and outsiders. Very exciting round. It does not happen too often that three games need overtime in just one round. The round was rather attractive and full of interesting results. The round ended with defeat of the leader, extra overtimes, favorites losing the games and games ending by tiny margin.

Undefeated Dacin Tigers (5-1) recorded its first loss against fourth ranked Pure Youth on Sunday night. Pure Youth were defeated by Pure Youth 72-60. It ended at the same time the five-game winning streak of Dacin Tigers. Pure Youth was tied at the half but managed to speed up in last two quarters eventually winning the game. The best player for the winners was international forward Creighton Douglas (195-F-85) who scored 16 points and 9 rebounds. American power forward Quincy Davis (206-83, college: Tulane) chipped in 15 points and 8 rebounds. At the other side the best for losing team was the former international forward Lei Tien (203-83) who recorded a double-double by scoring 14 points, 11 rebounds and 4 assists. Both coaches used bench players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. Pure Youth maintains fourth place with 3-3 record. Dacin Tigers at the other side still keep top position with one game lost. Pure Youth are looking forward to face bottom-ranked Bank of Taiwan (#7) in the next round. Dacin Tigers will play against the league's second-placed Yulon Luxgen (#2) and it may be a tough game between close rivals.

Other games of round 3 were quite predictable and ended without any surprises. Here they are:
Dacin Tigers defeated Taiwan Mobile 82-79. KKL was beaten by Yulon Luxgen 76-77. Taiwan Mobile won against Bank of Taiwan 78-70. Bottom-ranked Bank of Taiwan managed to outperform KKL 76-64. Taiwan Mobile recorded a loss to Yulon Luxgen 96-78. Taiwan Beer defeated Pure Youth 93-91.
The best stats of 3rd round was 17 points, 21 rebounds, 7 assists and 4 blocks by Kevin Johnson of Yulon Luxgen.

Yulon Luxgen - Taiwan Beer 83-90 OT

Taiwan Beer needed overtime to tame Yulon Luxgen on the road. C.Yang stepped up with 28 points to pace Taiwan Beer to the third win in the season. J.Cheng notched 22 points and 8 rebounds, while Emmanuel Jones added 19 points and 18 rebounds for the winners. C.Lu answered with 27 points for Yulon Luxgen as they slipped at 5-2 record.
Top scorers:
Taiwan Beer: C.Yang 28+3reb+1ast, J.Cheng 22+8reb+1ast, E.Jones 19+18reb, S.Ho 12+5reb+1ast, S.Chen 6+4reb+6ast, C.Wang 2+1reb
Yulon Luxgen: C.Lu 27+1ast, K.Johnson 22+18reb+3ast, P.Chou 10+10reb+1ast, C.Lee 8+3reb, F.Wu 6, L.Canopy 6+7reb+3ast

Pure Youth - Dacin Tigers 72-60

Undefeated Dacin Tigers (5-1) recorded its first loss against fourth ranked Pure Youth on Sunday night. Pure Youth were defeated by Pure Youth 72-60. It ended at the same time the five-game winning streak of Dacin Tigers. Pure Youth was tied at the half but managed to speed up in last two quarters eventually winning the game. The best player for the winners was international forward Creighton Douglas (195-85) who scored 16 points and 9 rebounds. American power forward Quincy Davis (206-83, college: Tulane) chipped in 15 points and 8 rebounds. Four Pure Youth players scored in double figures. At the other side the best for losing team was the former international forward Lei Tien (203-83) who recorded a double-double by scoring 14 points, 11 rebounds and 4 assists and Belizean-American power forward Noel Felix (205-81, college: Fresno St.) added 11 points and 7 rebounds respectively. Both coaches used bench players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. Pure Youth maintains fourth place with 3-3 record. Dacin Tigers at the other side still keep top position with one game lost. Pure Youth are looking forward to face bottom-ranked Bank of Taiwan (#7) in the next round. Dacin Tigers will play against the league's second-placed Yulon Luxgen (#2) and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Pure Youth: D.Creighton 16+9reb+2ast, Q.Davis 15+8reb, H.Chen 14+5reb+3ast, T.Lin 14+3reb+2ast, C.Ke 9+1reb+4ast, T.Zuo 2+1reb
Dacin Tigers: L.Tien 14+11reb+4ast, N.Felix 11+7reb+2ast, C.Wang 8+1reb+3ast, T.Chen 7+1reb, C.Chang 6+3reb+4ast, H.Hsu 5+2reb+2ast

Taiwan Mobile - Dacin Tigers 79-82

There was no surprise when 6th ranked Taiwan Mobile (2-4) was edged by first ranked Dacin Tigers (5-1) 82-79 on Saturday. Dacin Tigers took control from the first minutes by winning the initial quarter 22-15. But Taiwan Mobile won second period 19-14. However it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. Dacin Tigers made 18-of-21 free shots (85.7 percent) during the game. Strangely Taiwan Mobile outrebounded Dacin Tigers 43-30 including 31 on the defensive glass. The best player for the winners was Belizean-American power forward Noel Felix (205-81, college: Fresno St.) who scored 21 points, 7 rebounds and 4 blocks. The former international guard Chih-Feng Chang (183-81) chipped in 22 points. At the other side the best for losing team was guard Jing-Huan Chen (190-86) who recorded 21 points and 7 rebounds and international point guard Yi-Chieh Su (181-87) added 11 points, 8 rebounds and 8 assists respectively. Five Taiwan Mobile players scored in double figures. Both coaches tested many bench players in such tough game. Dacin Tigers have an impressive series of five victories in a row. They maintain first place with 5-1 record. Loser Taiwan Mobile dropped to the fifth position with four games lost. Dacin Tigers will face league's second-placed Yulon Luxgen in the next round and it will be for sure the game of the week. Taiwan Mobile will play against the league's second-placed Yulon Luxgen.
Top scorers:
Dacin Tigers: C.Chang 22+2reb+2ast, N.Felix 21+7reb, L.Tien 13+5reb+6ast, Y.Lin 9+5reb+2ast, H.Hsu 9+3reb, W.Huang 4+3reb+1ast
Taiwan Mobile: J.Chen 21+7reb+1ast, S.Liu 16+2reb+3ast, J.Chang 16+7reb+1ast, Y.Su 11+8reb+8ast, D.Carr 11+12reb+1ast, C.Lin 2+1ast

KKL - Yulon Luxgen 76-77

No shocking result in a game when second ranked Yulon Luxgen (5-2) edged 4th placed KKL (2-4) 77-76 on Saturday. Yulon Luxgen trailed by 5 points after first quarter, but they rallied back to get the 8-point lead at the halftime and eventually won the game 77-76. The best player for the winners was American forward Kevin Johnson (201-84, college: Humboldt St., agency: Hart Sports Mngm) who had a double-double by scoring 18 points and 17 rebounds. The former international point guard Chih-Chung Chen (185-77) chipped in 8 points and 9 assists. At the other side the best for losing team was American forward Antoine Broxsie (209-79, college: Oklahoma St.) who recorded a double-double by scoring 14 points and 20 rebounds and guard Owned Week (183-87) added 11 points and 5 assists respectively. Four KKL players scored in double figures. Yulon Luxgen have a solid series of three victories in a row. They maintain second place with 5-2 record having just -1 point less than leader Dacin Tigers. KKL lost third consecutive game. They dropped to the fifth position with four games lost. Yulon Luxgen will face Taiwan Mobile (#6) in the next round. KKL will play against Taiwan Beer and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Yulon Luxgen: K.Johnson 18+17reb+3ast, C.Lu 15+2reb, C.Yang 9+7reb+1ast, C.Chen 8+4reb+9ast, P.Chou 8+4reb+2ast, F.Wu 7+1ast
KKL: C.Lee 15+2reb, A.Broxsie 14+20reb+1ast, W.Shang 13+1reb, O.Week 11+2reb+5ast, C.Liu 10+5reb+2ast, C.Hung 8+8reb+1ast

Bank of Taiwan - Taiwan Mobile 70-78

Everything could happen at the game between two tied teams. Both sixth ranked Taiwan Mobile and 7th ranked Bank of Taiwan had identical 1-4 record. This time Taiwan Mobile won against the opponent 78-70 on Sunday night. Taiwan Mobile trailed by 3 points at the halftime before their 46-35 charge in the second half, which allowed them to win the game. Bank of Taiwan was plagued by 24 personal fouls down the stretch. The best player for the winners was American forward Dennis Carr (201-81, college: Embry Riddle, agency: TSS Management) who had a double-double by scoring 19 points and 15 rebounds. Guard Jing-Huan Chen (190-86) chipped in 23 points. Four Taiwan Mobile players scored in double figures. At the other side the best for losing team was the former international forward Chih-Chiang Hsu (194-82) who recorded a double-double by scoring 17 points and 10 rebounds and American power forward John Vaudreuil (203-85, college: Minn.-Duluth, agency: Warren Sports International) added 13 points and 7 rebounds respectively. Both coaches tested many bench players and allowed the starting five to rest. Taiwan Mobile (2-4) moved-up to fifth place, which they share with KKL. Loser Bank of Taiwan stay at the bottom position with five games lost. Taiwan Mobile will face league's second-placed Yulon Luxgen in the next round and it will be quite challenging to get another victory. Bank of Taiwan will play against Pure Youth (#4).
Top scorers:
Taiwan Mobile: J.Chen 23+3reb+1ast, D.Carr 19+15reb, Y.Su 11+3reb+9ast, S.Liu 10+2reb+1ast, J.Chang 6+2reb, A.Teng 5+4reb
Bank of Taiwan: C.Hsu 17+10reb, J.Vaudreuil 13+7reb+2ast, C.Chen 8+1reb+3ast, P.Chang 7+5reb+1ast, J.Lin 7+3reb+1ast, X.Hao Zheng 7+2reb+3ast

Bank of Taiwan - KKL 76-64

There was a small surprise when seventh ranked Bank of Taiwan (1-5) beat 4th placed KKL (2-4) 76-64 on Friday. The game without a history. Bank of Taiwan led from the first minutes and controlled entire game increasing their lead in each quarter. They dominated down low during the game scoring 54 of its points in the paint compared to KKL's 26. Bank of Taiwan forced 20 KKL turnovers. They looked well-organized offensively handing out 22 assists. The best player for the winners was the former international forward Chih-Chiang Hsu (194-82) who scored 18 points and 8 rebounds. American power forward John Vaudreuil (203-85, college: Minn.-Duluth, agency: Warren Sports International) chipped in 14 points and 4 assists. At the other side the best for losing team was American forward Antoine Broxsie (209-79, college: Oklahoma St.) who recorded a double-double by scoring 17 points, 14 rebounds and 5 blocks and center Chun-Wei Lee (199-88) added 7 points and 6 rebounds respectively. Both coaches tested many bench players and allowed the starting five to rest. Bank of Taiwan maintains seventh place with 1-5 record. It was KKL's third loss in a row. They dropped to the fifth position with four games lost. Bank of Taiwan will face higher ranked Pure Youth (#4) in the next round and it will be quite challenging to get another victory. KKL will play against Taiwan Beer and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Bank of Taiwan: C.Hsu 18+8reb+3ast, J.Vaudreuil 14+4reb+4ast, P.Chang 10+3reb+2ast, H.Chuan 9+6reb+2ast, W.Hsu 8+3reb, J.Lin 7+5reb+9ast
KKL: A.Broxsie 17+14reb+1ast, W.Shang 9+2reb+2ast, C.Hung 8+4reb+2ast, C.Lee 7+6reb+2ast, O.Week 7+3ast, C.Liu 6+6reb+1ast

Yulon Luxgen - Taiwan Mobile 96-78

Not a big story in a game when 6th ranked Taiwan Mobile (2-4) was defeated by second ranked Yulon Luxgen (5-2) 96-78 on Friday. The game was mostly controlled by Yulon Luxgen. Taiwan Mobile was better in third quarter 25-23. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. They dominated on the defensive end, holding Taiwan Mobile to just 6 points in second quarter. Yulon Luxgen forced 19 Taiwan Mobile turnovers. Great defensive blocking was one of the keys in this match when Yulon Luxgen made 7 blocks. Taiwan Mobile was plagued by 26 personal fouls down the stretch. The best player for the winners was American forward Kevin Johnson (201-84, college: Humboldt St., agency: Hart Sports Mngm) who had a double-double by scoring 17 points, 21 rebounds, 7 assists and 4 blocks. International Po-Chen Chou (197-90) chipped in 11 points and 9 rebounds. Five Yulon Luxgen players scored in double figures. At the other side the best for losing team was American forward Dennis Carr (201-81, college: Embry Riddle, agency: TSS Management) who recorded a double-double by scoring 10 points and 12 rebounds and Yu-Lin Chang (190-86) added 14 points and 6 rebounds respectively. Both coaches tested many bench players and allowed the starting five to rest. Yulon Luxgen have a solid series of three victories in a row. They maintain second place with 5-2 record having just -1 point less than leader Dacin Tigers. Loser Taiwan Mobile dropped to the fifth position with four games lost. Yulon Luxgen will face again Taiwan Mobile (#6) in the next round. Taiwan Mobile will play against Taiwan Beer and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Yulon Luxgen: F.Wu 17+1reb, K.Johnson 17+21reb+7ast, C.Lu 14+1reb, C.Chen 14+2reb+4ast, P.Chou 11+9reb+3ast, S.Chou 10+4reb+2ast
Taiwan Mobile: Y.Chang 14+6reb+1ast, J.Chang 12+5reb, D.Carr 10+12reb, S.Liu 9+2ast, X.Chen 8+9reb, J.Chen 8+2reb+2ast

Taiwan Beer - Pure Youth 93-91

We could consider it a predictable result in the game between close teams when fifth ranked Taiwan Beer (3-2) edged 4th placed Pure Youth (3-3) 93-91 on Saturday. Taiwan Beer trailed by 4 points after three quarters before their 26-20 charge, which allowed them to win the game. It was a great shooting night for Taiwan Beer especially from behind the arc, where they had solid 52.4 percentage. The best player for the winners was American forward Emmanuel Jones (200-85, college: UTPA) who scored 28 points and 6 rebounds. International guard Chin-Min Yang (188-84) chipped in 27 points and 6 rebounds. Jones is a former Eurobasket Summer League player, which is considered top international summer league in the market. At the other side the best for losing team was American power forward Quincy Davis (206-83, college: Tulane) who recorded a double-double by scoring 29 points and 10 rebounds (on 10-of-12 shooting from the field) and the former international swingman Hsin-An Chen (196-80) added 19 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists respectively. Four Pure Youth players scored in double figures. Pure Youth's coach Chin-Tse Hsu tried various players' combinations and tested in total eleven players in this game, but that didn't help. Taiwan Beer moved-up to third place. Loser Pure Youth keeps the fourth position with three games lost. Taiwan Beer will face KKL (#5) in the next round. Pure Youth will play against Bank of Taiwan.
Top scorers:
Taiwan Beer: E.Jones 28+6reb+2ast, C.Yang 27+6reb, S.Ho 15+5reb+4ast, J.Cheng 7+10reb, S.Chen 6+1reb+4ast, C.Wang 5+4reb
Pure Youth: Q.Davis 29+10reb, H.Chen 19+6reb+4ast, C.Ke 13+3reb+4ast, D.Creighton 13+5reb, C.Huang 9, T.Lin 6+5reb+3ast

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TURKEY

TBL Round 12: Fenerbahce Ulker edges Galatasaray 80-79. - by Pervin Elgin
In the fight for second place in the Beko Basketbal League Fenerbahce Ulker narrowly defeated Galatasaray Medical Park in an exciting Istanbul derby. After trailing most of the game, Fener set things straight in the fourth period and edged Galatasaray 80-79. Engin Atsur scored 16 points for Fenerbahce, Oguz Savas and James Gist scored 14.

Fenebahce's first game without guard Roko-Leni Ukic, who will be sidelined at least a month due to injury, started with mutual basket, 4-4. James Gist and Kaya Peker gave Ulker the lead after 5 minutes of playing time, 10-8, but after that Galatasaray captured a 0-6 series, bringing the score to 10-14. The guests hung on to the lead and finished the first period 17-21 ahead.

In the first minutes of the second period Luksa Andric stepped up for the guest team, taking the score to 19-27. After a scoreless period Omer Onan's three-pointer broke the silence, and with 1.5 minutes of playing time left Fenerbahce closed the gap to 4 points: 32-36. In the remainder of the period both team weren't able to produce a score, and Galatasaray took the 4-point lead to the dressing room.

Ulker started the second period fast, with Engin Atsur scoring 5 points and bringing the lead back to the home team again: 37-36. Darius Songaila and Luksa Andric established another lead change, 40-42, Galatasaray increased the gap to 5 points (55-60) and finished the third quarter with a 6 point lead: 57-63.

Oguz Savas opened the score for Fenerbahce in the fourth period, but Galatasaray brought the difference in scores to 8 points, 62-70. Fener took a break, and after mutual scores two consecutive three-point scores by Marko Tomas levelled the score: 76-76. Engin Atsur and Curtis Jerrells continued the run, 80-76, and even though Atsur missed a three-point basket Fenerbahce managed to hang on to the lead, finishing the derby with a 80-79 victory.

With the win Fenerbahce moved up to second place again, shared with 3 other teams including Galatasaray. Ulker will play 11th ranked Hacettepe University in Ankara next week.

Fisher number one in Turkey for round 12 - by Eurobasket News
American guard Corey Fisher (185-G-88) put on an extraordinary performance in the last round for Antalya, receiving a Eurobasket.com Player of the Week award for round 12.
The 23-year old player was the main contributor (30 points, seven rebounds and five assists) to his team's victory, helping them to crush Trabzonspor (#15, 1-11) with 21-point margin 98-77. The game rather meaningless between the teams, which do not have any influence on the top of the standings. Antalya maintains the 14th position in Turkish TBL. Too late to salvage the team, which is currently ranked such low. They already lost 10 games and recorded just two victories. In the team's last game Fisher had a remarkable four three-pointers out of 6 attempts. He turned to be Antalya's top player in his first season with the team. Former Villanova University star has very solid stats this year. Fisher is in league's top in points (9th best: 16.9ppg) and averages impressive 43.3% from behind 3-point line.

The second best player in last round's games was 24-year old Serbian Vladimir Stimac (209-C-87, agency: Interperformances) of Olin Edirne. Stimac had a very good evening with a double-double of 20 points and 12 rebounds. Bad luck as Olin Edirne was edged by the higher-ranked Erdemir (#6, 7-5) 67-64. Olin Edirne is still in a red zone at 12th spot in the standings. His team is not often considered as one of the league's best with a mere 4-8 record. Stimac is a newcomer at Olin Edirne, but is already one of team's top players.

Third on the list of top players last round was American guard Mire Chatman (187-G-78, agency: Higher Vision Sports) of Karsiyaka (#7). Chatman showcased his all-around game by recording 22 points, ten rebounds and six assists in the last round. He was a key player of Karsiyaka, leading his team to a 88-81 win against the lower-ranked Aliaga (#10, 6-6). Karsiyaka needs these victories very badly if they think about getting closer to top teams. Their record at this point is 7 victories and 5 lost games. Chatman has a great season in Turkey. After 12 games, he made it on the list of the league's leaders in points with 18.4ppg (4th best) and assists with 6.3apg (3rd best).

Other top performing players last week:
4. Zoran Erceg (210-C/F-85) of Besiktas - 28 points, 9 rebounds and 2 assists
5. Jovo Stanojevic (208-C-77) of Karsiyaka - 26 points and 10 rebounds
6. James Mays (206-F-86) of Mersin - 22 points, 16 rebounds and 2 assists
7. Kenan Bajramovic (206-F-81) of Banvit BK - 21 points and 4 rebounds
8. KZell Wesson (201-F/C-77) of Erdemir - 18 points and 4 rebounds
9. Vincent Grier (195-G/F-83) of Mersin - 16 points, 7 rebounds and 2 assists
10. Kerem Tunceri (190-G-79) of Anadolu Efes - 17 points, 3 rebounds and 5 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)

The Turkish Airlines Euroleague Top 16 draw - by Pervin Elgin
The Turkish Airlines Euroleague Top 16 draw determined the groups that make up the second phase of the Euroleague which will take place on Wednesday, December 28. The games will be played on Wednesdays and Thursdays between January 18 and March 1, the best two teams from each Top 16 group will move on to the playoffs for a spot in the 2012 Final Four, from May 11 to 13 at Istanbuls Sinan Erdem Arena.

Turkish Airlines Euroleague Top 16 draw is as follow:

GROUP E
CSKA Moscow
Olympiacos Piraeus BC
Anadolu Efes
Galatasara Medical Park

GROUP F
Real Madrid
Montepaschi Siena
Unicaja Malaga
BB Gescrap

GROUP G
Fenerbahce Ulker
Panathinaikos Athens
Unics Kazan
EA7 Emporio Armani

GROUP H
Regal FC Barcelona
Maccabi Electra Tel Aviv
Bennet Cantu
Zalgiris Kaunas

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UNITED KINGDOM

Standings - BBL

BBL Standings

1. Newcastle E.		9-1
2. Worcester W.		9-3
3. Glasgow Rocks		7-5
4. Leicester R.		6-1
5. Plymouth R.		5-2
6. Sheffield S.		5-5
7. MK Lions		4-6
8. Cheshire Jets		3-5
9. Guildford Heat		2-7
10. Mersey Tigers		2-7
11. Durham W.		1-10

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URUGUAY

Defensor Sporting Club adds Chase to their roster - by Eurobasket Center
Defensor Sporting Club agreed terms with 25-year old American power forward Rashad Chase (201-F/C-102kg-87, college: Georgia St.). In his first game he scored 10 points and grabbed 10 rebounds. Despite his good performance his new team lost to Larre Borges 75-79. Chase played most recently at Toowoomba Mountaineers (Australia). He is a very experienced player. Chase played also pro basketball in Australia, Turkey and USA. He graduated Georgia State University in 2009 and actually missed last season. It will be his third season in pro basketball.

By Eurobasket Data Center

Standings - LUB

LUB Standings

Capital
1. Hebraica		18-3
2. Malvin		16-6
3. Defensor		15-7
4. Welcome		14-8
5. Aguada		14-9
6. Bigua		12-10
7. Trouville		12-11
8. Larre Borges		12-11
9. Un.Atletica		10-12
10. Cordon		10-12
11. Bohemios		9-13
12. Olimpia		8-14
13. Guruyu Waston		8-14
14. Montevideo		8-15
15. Sayago		7-16
16. Cader		5-17
Littoral
1. Anastasia		4-0
2. Remeros		3-1
3. Wanderers		2-2
4. Universitario S.		1-3
5. Juventus Salto		0-4
South
1. Lagomar		5-0
2. Plaza		3-2
3. Lavalleja		2-2
4. Maldonado		2-3
5. Flores Trinidad		0-5

Stats Leaders - LUB

Points Per Game

Willard CREWS
  Cader
  (203-F-88)
  Avg: 24.8

1. Crews, Cader	24.8
2. Humphrey, Bigua	23.7
3. Brown, Trouville	23.7
4. Herring, Bohemios	22.7
5. Keenan, Larre B.	22.5
6. Roland, Sayago	22.1
7. Eddie, Cordon	21.7
8. Johnson, Olimpia	21.0
9. Garcia Moral., Big.	20.7
10. Evans, Cader	20.3

Rebounds Per Game

Otis POLK
  Montevideo
  (206-C-88)
  Avg: 14.4

1. Polk, Montevideo	14.4
2. Wilborn, Un.Atleti.	12.5
3. Humphrey, Bigua	11.9
4. Davis, Aguada	11.7
5. Shellman, Sayago	10.9
6. Crews, Cader	10.5
7. Passos, Hebraica	10.5
8. Jackson, Defensor	10.4
9. Keenan, Larre B.	10.4
10. Douglas, Bohemios	9.7

Assists Per Game

Gustavo BARRERA
  Hebraica
  (194-G-85)
  Avg: 8.9

1. Barrera, Hebraica	8.9
2. Fitipaldo, Malvin	5.6
3. Gonzalez, Aguada	5.3
4. Taboada, Larre B.	5.1
5. Braggs, Guruyu W.	5.0
6. de Gouveia, Monte.	4.8
7. Cambon, Bigua	4.7
8. Silvarrey, Sayago	4.7
9. Garcia Moral., Big.	4.6
10. Muro, Aguada	4.6

Steals Per Game

Gustavo BARRERA
  Hebraica
  (194-G-85)
  Avg: 2.7

1. Barrera, Hebraica	2.7
2. Tornaria, Trouville	2.7
3. Shellman, Sayago	2.4
4. Clarkson, Larre B.	2.4
5. Vazquez, Olimpia	2.3
6. Aguilera, Trouville	2.3
7. Garcia Moral., Big.	2.3
8. Evans, Cader	2.1
9. Silvarrey, Sayago	2.1
10. Brown, Trouville	2.0

Blocks Per Game

Elgrace WILBORN
  Un.Atletica
  (203-F-83)
  Avg: 2

1. Wilborn, Un.Atleti.	2.0
2. Humphrey, Bigua	2.0
3. Polk, Montevideo	1.9
4. Herring, Bohemios	1.7
5. Clarkson, Larre B.	1.7
6. Suarez, Cordon	1.6
7. Crews, Cader	1.6
8. Newsome, Malvin	1.5
9. Augustus, Hebraica	1.5
10. Douglas, Bohemios	1.4

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VENEZUELA

Greivis Vasquez with Hornets - by Yelitza La Torre
New Orleans obtained Venezuelan guard Greivis Vasquez from the Memphis Grizzlies in exchange for forward Quincy Pondexter.
' We feel this is a trade that benefits both teams. We will miss Quincy and we thank him for his efforts, professionalism and work ethic,' said Hornets GM Dell Demps. 'We are excited to add Greivis Vasquez to our team, organization and community. Greivis is an exciting, big guard that plays with a passion that we hope will thrill our fans at the Hive.'
The Venezuelan was drafted 28th overall by the Grizzlies in the 2010 NBA Draft, averaged 3.6 points and 2.2 assists in 12.3 minutes of action over 70 games (one start) for Memphis last season. In two preseason games this season, he averaged 4.5 points and 4.5 assists in 14.5 minutes of play. He is the first Venezuelan-born player ever selected in the NBA Draft and only the third Venezuelan to play in the NBA, joining Carl Herrera (206-C-66, college: Houston)1991-99) now professional basketball coach and Oscar Torres (2001-03). Greivis Vasquez (198-PG-87,college: Maryland) was named the ACC Player of the Year and won the Bob Cousy Award as the best point guard in the nation in 2009-10 while at Maryland University. He is the only player in ACC history to record at least 2,000 points (2,171), 750 assists (772) and 600 rebounds (647) in a career.

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Women News

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ADRIATIC LEAGUE - Women

Pavicevic leaves Buducnost, Bosilj part ways with Mladi Krajisnik - by Zeljko Zule
Belgian club Dexia Namur have reached an agreement with Montenegrin Biljana Pavicevic for the remainder of the season. She was taken in place of American Ify Ibekwe (187-PF-89, agency: LBM Management, college: Arizona) who decided to not return to Europe after the Christmas break. Ibekwe was the team leading scorer and rebounder before going in the Christmas break. Pavicevic finished last season with Tarbes in France and started this one in Adriatic League with Buducnost. She averaged 10.4 points (2P 38%, FT 71%), 4.6 rebounds, 2,0 assists, 1.0 steals and 0.2 blocks in 5 games.

Croatian Monika Bosilj (178-G-85, college: FIU) parted ways with Bosnian team Mladi Krajisnik. She averaged 8.3 points (2P 43%, 3P 31%,m FT 70%), 5.0 rebounds, 0.5 assists, 0.7 steals and 0.3 blocks in 10 Adriatic League games this season. Bosilj already inked with Novi Zagreb for the remainder of the season.

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CHINA - Women

Chinese WCBA round 17 best performance: Chante Black - by Eurobasket News
American center Chante Black (196-C-85) put on an extraordinary performance in the last round for Shandong, receiving a Asia-basket.com Player of the Week award for round 17.
The 26-year old player had a double-double of 26 points and 14 rebounds, while her team Shandong moved-up to the 11th position in the Chinese WCBA. Too late to salvage the team, which is currently ranked such low. They already lost 14 games and recorded just three victories. Black turned to be Shandong's top player in her first season with the team. Former Duke University star has very solid stats this year. Black is in league's top in rebounds (3rd best: 12.6rpg) and averages impressive 1.6bpg and 57.2% FGP.

The second best player in last round's games was young Jie Sun (183-F/G-91) of Henan. Sun had a very good evening with a double-double of 34 points and 10 rebounds. Bad luck as Henan lost that game 80-100 to the higher-ranked Guangdong (#7, 10-7). Henan are still at the very bottom. 16 lost games are too many comparing to just one victory Henan managed to get this year. Sun is one of the most experienced players at Henan and has a reputation of one of team's most reliable players.

Third on the list of top players last round was international center Wei Wei (207-C-89) of Guangdong (#7). Wei scored 20 points and grabbed ten rebounds. She was a key player of Guangdong, leading her team to a 100-80 easy win against the lower-ranked Henan (#12, 1-16). Guangdong needs these victories very badly if they think about getting closer to top teams. Their record at this point is 10 victories and 7 lost games. Wei has a very solid season. In 17 games in China she scored 13.6ppg. She also has 5.2rpg and 1.2bpg.

Other top performing players last week:
4. Nicky Anosike (190-C-86) of Beijing - 15 points, 12 rebounds and 4 assists
5. Zengyu Ma (183-F-84) of Liaoning - 34 points
6. Rashidat Junaid (193-C-87) of Heilongjiang - 15 points and 16 rebounds
7. Xiaojia Chen (177-PG-88) of Jiangsu - 21 points, 10 rebounds and 5 assists
8. Lu Wen (188-F-90) of Bayi - 12 points, 4 rebounds and 10 assists
9. Dan Liu (194-C-87) of Shenyang - 18 points and 11 rebounds
10. Katie Mattera (202-C-82) of Zhejiang - 15 points and 11 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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CROATIA - Women

Jelavic moves to Turkey, Novi Zagreb adds Bosilj, Perlic joins Obenasa, - by Zeljko Zule
National team member Anda Jelavic (172-G-80) has left Novi Zagreb to join Turkish side Kayseri KASKI. Jelavic, who tore her ACL while preparing for the EuroBasket Women 2011, has recovered from the injury and has played just one game this season for Novi Zagreb scoring 6 points. Last season she played for Wisla Can-Pack Krakow in Poland where she averaged 4.9 points, 3.1 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game in EuroLeague Women action.

Novi Zagreb inked Monika Bosilj (178-G-85, college: FIU) for the remainder of the season. She arrives from Bosnian side Mladi Krajisnik. Bosilj averaged 8.3 points (2P 43%, 3P 31%,m FT 70%), 5.0 rebounds, 0.5 assists, 0.7 steals and 0.3 blocks in 10 Adriatic League games this season.

Spanish team UNB Obenasa Lacturale has announced the signing of Marta Perlic, formerly Marta Cakic (175-G-82). She arrives from Sibenik Jolly JBS for whom she averaged 8.5 points in 2 Croatian League games this season. During the summer Marta Cakic was a part of the fifth placed Croatian NT.

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LATVIA - Women

Sabine Niedola joined the forces of Caja Rural Valbusenda - by Eurobasket News
Sabine Niedola (184-F-91) joined the forces of Caja Rural Valbusenda for the rest of the season. The Latvia star will finish the season in Spain.
In November 2011 the rising star Sabine Niedola joined TTT-Riga. After six years with local Liepajas metalurgs, the Latvian player moved to the country champions and debuted with high 15 points and 15 rebounds. TTT Riga beat TTT Juniores by 30 points 83:53. TTT Riga led from the first minutes and controlled entire game increasing their lead in each quarter.
In 2010-2011 she however played for Reze Nantes Basket 44 (France-LFB, starting five). In EuroCup after 12 games she averaged 9.3ppg, 5.9rpg, 1.2apg, 1.4spg, FGP: 56.8%, FT: 71.4% and in French League showed 6.9ppg, 4.2rpg, FGP: 50.4%, 3PT: 33.3%, FT: 75.5%.
This season Sabine Niedola started for Liepajas and in three games averaged 19.0 points per game and 11.0 rebounds.
For TTT Riga she played 9 games in the league and averaged 18.1 points per game and 10.4 rebounds.

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SOUTH KOREA - Women

South Korean WKBL round 23 best performance: Eun-Joo Ha - by Eurobasket News
Naturalized Japanese center Eun-Joo Ha (200-C-83) put on an extraordinary performance in the last round for top-ranked S-Birds, receiving a Asia-basket.com Player of the Week award for round 23.
The 28-year old player had a double-double of 20 points and 10 rebounds, while her team beat KB Stars (#4, 10-13) 68-61. The game was between two of the league's top four teams. It allowed S-Birds to consolidate first place in the Japanese WKBL. S-Birds have a solid 20-3 record. Ha has many years of experience at S-Birds, through which he has constantly improved. Eun-Joo Ha has solid league stats. She is in league's top in points (6th best: 13.6ppg) and averages impressive 69.3% FGP.

The second best player in last round's games was 35-year old international guard Ji-Yoon Kim (170-G-76) of Cool Cats. Kim had a very good evening with 18 points, 2 rebounds and 7 assists. Bad luck as Cool Cats lost that game 56-73 to slightly higher-ranked Bichumi (#3, 13-10). Cool Cats managed to keep the same 5th spot in the standings. Her team is not often considered as one of the league's best with a mere 7-15 record. Kim is one of the most experienced players at Cool Cats and has a reputation of one of team's most reliable players. She belongs to the best scorers in the league with 14.9ppg (#1). Her other stats are also decent: 4.2rpg and 6.6apg.

Third on the list of top players last round was another S-Birds' star - former international center Young-Suk Kang (187-C-81). Kang scored 17 points and grabbed nine rebounds. She was another key player of S-Birds, helping her team with a 68-61 win against #4 ranked KB Stars in a game of the week. S-Birds confirms their top position in the standings Kang has a great season in South Korea. After 23 games, she made it on the list of the league's leaders in points with 15.9ppg (3rd best) and rebounds with 8.5rpg (3rd best). She also has 1.3bpg and FGP: 53.5%.

Other top performing players last week:
4. Jung Ja Sin (185-F/C-80) of Winnus - 14 points, 12 rebounds and 6 assists
5. Tae-Eun Park (170-G-87) of Bichumi - 16 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists
6. Ji-Nah Won (182-C-84) of Winnus - 19 points and 4 rebounds
7. Seon-Hwa Lee (181-C-88) of Bichumi - 16 points and 5 rebounds
8. Yun-Ha Heo (183-C-79) of Cool Cats - 15 points and 6 rebounds
9. Chae-Jin Han (174-F-84) of Winnus - 16 points, 2 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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SPAIN - Women

Gran Canaria bring Lisa Lee - by Eurobasket News
Gran Canaria bring Lisa Lee (183-F-84, college: Charleston) for the rest of the season. The American Forward will join the team in year 2012.
In 2005-2006 she appeared for Charleston (NCAA) and averaged 18,9 ppg, 8,4 rpg in 27,6 mpg. In 2006-2007 moved to Kotka Peli-Karhut (Finland-D1) and in 2007-2008 played for Amicale Steinsel (Luxembourg-DBBL, starting five). In 20 games she averaged high 28.7ppg.
In 2008-2009 moved to Amicale Steinsel (Luxembourg-Diekirch League, starting five) and in 19 games showed 22.4ppg. In 2009-2010 moved to Kotka Peli-Karhut (Finland-D1, starting five) and became the top-scorer with 21.5ppg, 8.8rpg, 2.2apg, Steals-2 (3.1spg), FGP: 49.6%, 3PT: 35.7%, FT: 67.5%.
In January 2011 signed at Catz Lappeenranta (Finland-D1, starting five) and had 15.3ppg, 8.0rpg, 1.7apg, Steals-5 (2.9spg), FGP: 42.1%, 3PT: 22.2%, FT: 72.2%. The season 2011-2012 started with Quinta dos Lombos (Portugal-Liga Feminina, starting five) and had 14.5 points per game in the League. In EuroCup her stats read 17.2 points per game.

Aitana Cuevas agreed terms with Thetrend Social Cortegada - by Eurobasket News
Aitana Cuevas (187-C/F-86) agreed terms with Thetrend Social Cortegada for the rest of the season. The Spanish player comes from ASAC Comunicaciones Adba Aviles.
In her top game in 2011 she erupted with 20 points at the Regular Season Round 12. The biggest surprise of round 12 in LF2 was guest Socinsa Bembibre's road victory over one of their biggest challengers ADBA 70:63. Aitana Cuevas recorded 20 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists.
In 2007-2008 Aitana Cuevas started for Cajarural Verona Norte (LF2, starting five) and in 29 games averaged 11.9ppg, 6.5rpg, 2FGP: 43.0%, FT: 38.0%. In 2008-2009 for Cajarural Verona Norte (LF2, starting five) she had 11.5ppg, 5.9rpg, 2FGP: 48.0%, FT: 67.0%. In 2009-2010 moved to Caja Rural Valbusenda (LF2, starting five) and averaged 7.8ppg, 3.4rpg, 2FGP: 49%, 3PT: 0%, FT: 65%. The season 2010 started for Union Florida (Argentina-Liga National) but then moved to Caja Rural Valbusenda (LF2, starting five). In 30 games her stats read 12.4ppg, 7.1rpg, 1.2apg, 2FGP: 51.1%, FT: 47.0%.

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TURKEY - Women

Carolyn Swords joins Istanbul Universitesi SK - by Eurobasket Center
Istanbul Universitesi SK agreed terms with 23-year old American center Carolyn Swords (198-C-89, college: Boston Coll.). In her first game she scored 15 points and grabbed 10 rebounds. Despite her good performance her new team lost to Besiktas 70-73. Swords played most recently at Soller Joventud Mariana (Spain). She just graduated Boston College and actually missed last season. It will be her first season in pro basketball.

By Eurobasket Data Center

Optimum TED Ankara Kolejliler sign Kara Braxton - by Eurobasket Center
Optimum TED Ankara Kolejliler signed 29-year old American center Kara Braxton (198-C-102kg-83, college: Georgia). In her first game she scored 20 points and grabbed 9 rebounds. Despite her good performance her new team lost to Samsun 62-87. Braxton played most recently at New York Liberty (WNBA) in the U.S. While playing 16 games for New York L. this season she averaged 4.1ppg and 3.3rpg. Braxton helped them to make it to the semifinals. She is a very experienced player. Braxton played also pro basketball in China, Italy, Poland and USA. She graduated University of Georgia in 2004 and actually missed last season. It will be her eighth season in pro basketball.

By Eurobasket Data Center

TKBL Round 11: Ceyhan Bld loses to Mersin in the biggest upset of the week - by Eurobasket News
TKBL is at the halfway of the Regular Season and there are still another 11 rounds left.

The most shocking disappointment of round 11 in the TKBL was a home defeat of 4th placed Ceyhan Bld (7-4) to seventh ranked Mersin (5-6) 75-65. It ended the three-game winning streak of Ceyhan Bld. The guests trailed by 5 points after first quarter, but they rallied back to get the 5-point lead at the halftime and eventually won the game 75-65. It was a great evening for American forward Erlana Larkins (185-86, college: N.Carolina) who led her team to a victory with a double-double by scoring 18 points and 18 rebounds. Her fellow American import guard Shavonte Zellous (178-86, college: Pittsburgh) helped adding 28 points. Spanish guard Natasha Lacy (178-85, college: UTEP, agency: Merit Sports) responded with 25 points and 4 steals. Mersin moved-up to sixth place, which they share with Botas. Ceyhan Bld at the other side keeps the fourth position with four games lost. They share it with Samsun. Mersin is looking forward to face higher ranked Kayseri (#3) on the road in the next round and it will be quite challenging to get another victory. Ceyhan Bld will play against the league's second-placed Galatasaray in Istanbul and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
TKBL top team - Fenerbahce (10-1) had no problems winning another game. This time they crushed ninth ranked Tarsus Bld (3-8) in Mersin 96-73. It was a quality performance for Australian forward Penny Taylor (185-81) who led the winners and scored 25 points and 6 rebounds. Ivana Matovic accounted for 14 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists (on 7-of-9 shooting from the field). Fenerbahce's coach Georgios Dikeoulakos felt very confident using entire bench which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. American power forward Tangela Smith (193-77, college: Iowa, agency: Josep and Nicolas) came up with 20 points and 9 rebounds for Tarsus Bld in the defeat. Fenerbahce have an impressive series of nine victories in a row. Defending champion maintains first place with 10-1 record, which they share with Galatasaray. Tarsus Bld lost seventh consecutive game. They keep the ninth position with eight games lost. They share it with Besiktas and Antakya. Fenerbahce will play against Botas (#7) in Adana in the next round which should be theoretically another easy game. Tarsus Bld will play at home against Optimum TED in Ankara and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
A very close game took place in Istanbul between Besiktas and Istanbul Universitesi. Eleventh ranked Besiktas (3-8) got a very close home victory over 12th ranked Istanbul Universitesi (1-10). Besiktas managed to escape with a 3-point win 73-70 on Saturday evening. Americans were the main players on the court. The best player for the winners was Ebony Hoffman who scored 18 points, 9 rebounds and 5 assists. Besiktas' coach Sandro Orlando used a ten-player rotation in such tough game. Charde Houston produced a double-double by scoring 20 points and 12 rebounds for the guests. Besiktas moved-up to ninth place, which they share with Tarsus Bld and Antakya. Istanbul Universitesi lost their seventh game in a row. They stay at the bottom position with ten games lost. Besiktas will meet at home Antakya (#10) in the next round. Istanbul Universitesi will play against Samsun.
Fifth ranked Samsun (7-4) crushed at home 8th ranked Optimum TED (4-7) by 25 points 87-62, which is the biggest margin this round. It ended at the same time the two-game winning streak of Optimum TED. Americans were the main players on the court also this time. Jillian Robbins orchestrated the victory with a double-double by scoring 20 points and 11 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. Samsun moved-up to fourth place, which they share with Ceyhan Bld. Newly promoted Optimum TED keeps the eighth position with seven games lost. Samsun's next round opponent will be bottom-ranked Istanbul Universitesi (#12) in Istanbul and are hoping to win another game. Optimum TED will play on the road against Tarsus Bld (#9) in Mersin and it may be a tough game between close rivals.

In the last two games of round 11 Botas was destroyed by Galatasaray on the opponent's court 86-63. Kayseri managed to outperform Antakya in a home game 78-72.

Galatasaray - Botas 86-63

Very expected game in Istanbul where 6th ranked Botas (5-6) was crushed by second ranked Galatasaray (10-1) 86-63. The game was mostly controlled by Galatasaray. Botas was better in fourth quarter 15-14. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. Galatasaray dominated down low during the game scoring 52 of its points in the paint compared to Botas' 28. Italian-American swingman Diana Taurasi (182-82, college: Connecticut) orchestrated the victory by scoring 22 points and 4 assists. Spanish forward Alba Torrens (188-89) contributed with 20 points for the winners. American center Courtney Paris (193-87, college: Oklahoma) answered with 9 points and 9 rebounds and international point guard Nilay Kartaltepe Yigit (172-79) added 11 points in the effort for Botas. The winner was already known earlier in the game, so both coaches allowed to play the bench players saving starting five for next games. The victory was the fifth consecutive win for Galatasaray. They keep a position of league leader, which they share with Fenerbahce. Botas at the other side keeps the sixth place with six games lost. Galatasaray's next round opponent will be Ceyhan Bld (#4) in Adana. Botas will play on the road against the league's leader Fenerbahce in Istanbul.
Top scorers:
Galatasaray: D.Taurasi 22+3reb+4ast, A.Torrens 20+4reb+3ast, S.Fowles 14+10reb, S.Ivegin 6+3reb+1ast, I.Alben 6+1reb+1ast, T.Charles 6+5reb+2ast
Botas: N.Kartaltepe Yigit 11+3reb+2ast, M.Wright 11+3reb, Q.Chaney 10+5reb, C.Paris 9+9reb, M.Kress 8+2reb, P.Bilgic 5+1reb+1ast

Tarsus Bld - Fenerbahce 73-96

TKBL top team - Fenerbahce (10-1) had no problems winning another game. This time they crushed ninth ranked Tarsus Bld (3-8) in Mersin 96-73. The game was mostly controlled by Fenerbahce. Tarsus Bld was better in fourth quarter 29-12. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. Fenerbahce dominated down low during the game scoring 68 of its points in the paint compared to Tarsus Bld's 40. Their players were unselfish on offense dishing 23 assists. It was a quality performance for Australian forward Penny Taylor (185-81) who led the winners and scored 25 points and 6 rebounds. Serbian center Ivana Matovic (197-83) accounted for 14 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists (on 7-of-9 shooting from the field) for the winning side. Four Fenerbahce players scored in double figures. Fenerbahce's coach Georgios Dikeoulakos felt very confident using entire bench which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. American power forward Tangela Smith (193-77, college: Iowa, agency: Josep and Nicolas) came up with 20 points and 9 rebounds and center Jessica Adair (193-86, college: G.Washington, agency: LBM Management) added 15 points and 12 rebounds respectively for Tarsus Bld in the defeat. Fenerbahce have an impressive series of nine victories in a row. Defending champion maintains first place with 10-1 record, which they share with Galatasaray. Tarsus Bld lost seventh consecutive game. They keep the ninth position with eight games lost. They share it with Besiktas and Antakya. Fenerbahce will play against Botas (#7) in Adana in the next round which should be theoretically another easy game. Tarsus Bld will play at home against Optimum TED in Ankara and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Fenerbahce: P.Taylor 25+6reb, Z.Tamane 15+3reb+3ast, I.Matovic 14+5reb+4ast, N.Yilmaz 10+7reb+1ast, E.Babkina 7+3ast, N.Nevlin 7+6reb+2ast
Tarsus Bld: T.Smith 20+9reb+1ast, J.Pohlen 16+7reb+2ast, J.Adair 15+12reb, N.Uzun 6+3reb+5ast, Y.Dalgalar 6+3reb+2ast, I.Latta 4+2reb+1ast

Kayseri - Antakya 78-72

Very predictable result when third ranked Kayseri (8-3) defeated at home 10th ranked Antakya (3-8) 78-72. However just six-point win is not that big difference and the fans of host team counted on more convincing victory. The hosts were already 11 points ahead after 3 quarters before a 23-18 Antakya's run in the last quarter cut the lead to 78-72 at the end of the game. 27 personal fouls committed by Antakya helped opponents get some easy free throw opportunities. The former international swingman Dila Askin (177-87) orchestrated the victory by scoring 18 points. American-Montenegrin Anna De Forge (178-76, college: Nebraska, agency: Josep and Nicolas) contributed with 16 points and 5 rebounds for the winners. Five Kayseri players scored in double figures. American power forward Laura Harper (193-86, college: Maryland) answered with a double-double by scoring 24 points and 12 rebounds and Nigerian guard Mactabene Amachree (190-78, college: Abil.Christian) added 9 points and 10 rebounds in the effort for Antakya. Antakya's coach rotated ten players in this game, but that didn't help. Kayseri maintains third place with 8-3 record having just two points less than leader Fenerbahce. Antakya lost their fifth game in a row. Newly promoted team dropped to the ninth position with eight games lost. Kayseri's next round opponent will be Mersin (#6) at home. Antakya will play against Besiktas in Istanbul and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Kayseri: D.Askin 18+3reb+3ast, A.De Forge 16+5reb+2ast, L.Sanders 14+7reb, N.Sanford 14+7reb+1ast, B.Ozturk 12+4reb+3ast, P.Demirok 2+2reb+1ast
Antakya: L.Harper 24+12reb+3ast, S.Mosch 13+3reb+2ast, S.Bobbitt 9+3reb+3ast, M.Amachree 9+10reb+2ast, N.Guler 6+2reb+2ast, S.Tabakci 4+5reb

Samsun - Optimum TED 87-62

Fifth ranked Samsun (7-4) crushed at home 8th ranked Optimum TED (4-7) by 25 points 87-62, which is the biggest margin this round. It ended at the same time the two-game winning streak of Optimum TED. The game without a history. Samsun led from the first minutes and controlled entire game increasing their lead in each quarter. They also forced 21 Optimum TED turnovers. Samsun players were unselfish on offense dishing 21 assists. Americans were the main players on the court also this time. Forward Jillian Robbins (185-84, college: Tulsa, agency: LBM Management) orchestrated the victory with a double-double by scoring 20 points and 11 rebounds. Guard Coco Miller (175-78, college: Georgia) contributed with 19 points for the winners. Center Kara Braxton (198-83, college: Georgia) answered with 20 points and 9 rebounds and power forward Demya Walker (193-77, college: Virginia) added 12 points in the effort for Optimum TED. The winner was already known earlier in the game, so both coaches allowed to play the bench players saving starting five for next games. Samsun moved-up to fourth place, which they share with Ceyhan Bld. Newly promoted Optimum TED keeps the eighth position with seven games lost. Samsun's next round opponent will be bottom-ranked Istanbul Universitesi (#12) in Istanbul and are hoping to win another game. Optimum TED will play on the road against Tarsus Bld (#9) in Mersin and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Samsun: J.Robbins 20+11reb+2ast, C.Miller 19+4reb, K.Miller 13+4reb+2ast, D.Colakoglu 9+3reb+4ast, G.Dogan 7+5reb+6ast, M.Bakircioglu 5+1reb+1ast
Optimum TED: K.Braxton 20+9reb, D.Walker 12+4reb+1ast, M.Ajavon 10+5reb+2ast, G.Akkaya 7+6reb+1ast, H.Ozden 4+2reb, E.Thorn 3+3reb+4ast

Besiktas - Istanbul Univ. 73-70

A very close game took place in Istanbul between Besiktas and Istanbul Universitesi. Eleventh ranked Besiktas (3-8) got a very close home victory over 12th ranked Istanbul Universitesi (1-10). Besiktas managed to escape with a 3-point win 73-70 on Saturday evening. The hosts 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 73-70. Besiktas forced 21 Istanbul Universitesi turnovers. Strangely Istanbul Universitesi outrebounded Besiktas 38-26 including 28 on the defensive glass. Americans were the main players on the court. The best player for the winners was power forward Ebony Hoffman (188-82, college: USC) who scored 18 points, 9 rebounds and 5 assists. Guard Candice Wiggins (180-87, college: Stanford) chipped in 15 points. Besiktas' coach Sandro Orlando used a ten-player rotation in such tough game. Forward Charde Houston (185-86, college: Connecticut, agency: LBM Management) produced a double-double by scoring 20 points and 12 rebounds and center Carolyn Swords (198-89, college: Boston Coll., agency: LBM Management) added 15 points and 10 rebounds (on 7-of-9 shooting from the field) respectively for the guests. Four Istanbul Universitesi players scored in double figures. Besiktas moved-up to ninth place, which they share with Tarsus Bld and Antakya. Istanbul Universitesi lost their seventh game in a row. They stay at the bottom position with ten games lost. Besiktas will meet at home Antakya (#10) in the next round. Istanbul Universitesi will play against Samsun.
Top scorers:
Besiktas: E.Hoffman 18+9reb+5ast, C.Wiggins 15+2reb+1ast, E.Sencebe 12+1reb+1ast, I.Korstin 9+5reb+2ast, Y.Horasan 8+3reb+2ast, K.Engin 4+1reb
Istanbul Univ.: C.Houston 20+12reb+1ast, C.Swords 15+10reb, R.Hodges 12+5reb+3ast, E.Erden 12+2reb+1ast, B.Yapar 7+7reb+7ast, M.Ayim 4+2reb+1ast

Ceyhan Bld - Mersin 65-75

The most shocking disappointment of round 11 in the TKBL was a home defeat of 4th placed Ceyhan Bld (7-4) to seventh ranked Mersin (5-6) 75-65. It ended the three-game winning streak of Ceyhan Bld. The guests trailed by 5 points after first quarter, but they rallied back to get the 5-point lead at the halftime and eventually won the game 75-65. It was a great evening for American forward Erlana Larkins (185-86, college: N.Carolina) who led her team to a victory with a double-double by scoring 18 points and 18 rebounds. Her fellow American import guard Shavonte Zellous (178-86, college: Pittsburgh) helped adding 28 points. Spanish guard Natasha Lacy (178-85, college: UTEP, agency: Merit Sports) responded with 25 points and 4 steals and American forward Tiffany Jackson (191-85, college: Texas) scored 14 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists and 5 steals. Mersin moved-up to sixth place, which they share with Botas. Ceyhan Bld at the other side keeps the fourth position with four games lost. They share it with Samsun. Mersin is looking forward to face higher ranked Kayseri (#3) on the road in the next round and it will be quite challenging to get another victory. Ceyhan Bld will play against the league's second-placed Galatasaray in Istanbul and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Mersin: S.Zellous 28+1reb+2ast, E.Larkins 18+18reb+1ast, T.Palazoglu 14+1reb+2ast, C.Thomas 5+12reb, M.Bilge 4, A.Dilek Unuvar 3+2reb+1ast
Ceyhan Bld: N.Lacy 25+4reb+2ast, T.Jackson 14+7reb+4ast, A.Walker 12+7reb, C.Kozluca 8+8reb+1ast, A.Paris 4+5reb, A.Sevinc 2

Standings - TBBL

TKBL Standings

1. Fenerbahce		10-1
2. Galatasaray		10-1
3. Kayseri		8-3
4. Ceyhan Bld		7-4
5. Samsun		7-4
6. Mersin		5-6
7. Botas		5-6
8. Optimum TED		4-7
9. Tarsus Bld		3-8
10. Antakya		3-8
11. Besiktas		3-8
12. Istanbul Univ.		1-10

Stats Leaders - Women

Points Per Game

Diana TAURASI
  Galatasa.
  (182-F/G-82)
  Avg: 22.7

1. Taurasi, Galatasa.	22.7
2. Lavender, Besiktas	22.7
3. McCoughtry, Fener.	20.7
4. Lacy, Ceyhan Bld	20.7
5. Miller, Samsun	20.5
6. Wright, Botas	20.4
7. Zellous, Mersin	20.4
8. Walker, Ceyhan Bld	20.2
9. Smith, Tarsus Bld	19.5
10. Taylor, Fenerbahce	17.4

Rebounds Per Game

Courtney PARIS
  Botas
  (193-C-87)
  Avg: 13.9

1. Paris, Botas	13.9
2. Larkins, Mersin	12.6
3. Jackson, Ceyhan B.	11.0
4. Charles, Galatasa.	10.1
5. Harper, Antakya	9.9
6. Sanders, Kayseri	9.8
7. Appel, Samsun	9.5
8. Hoffman, Besiktas	9.2
9. Walker, Ceyhan Bld	8.9
10. Smith, Tarsus Bld	8.9

Assists Per Game

Natasha LACY
  Ceyhan Bld
  (178-G-85)
  Avg: 7.3

1. Lacy, Ceyhan Bld	7.3
2. Kartaltepe Y., Bot.	6.0
3. Vardarli, Fener.	5.6
4. Vandersloot, Besik.	5.2
5. Hodges-Lewis, Kay.	4.6
6. Taurasi, Galatasa.	3.7
7. Yilmaz, Fenerbahce	3.5
8. Miller, Samsun	3.5
9. Taylor, Fenerbahce	3.4
10. Torrens, Galatasa.	3.3

Steals Per Game

Natasha LACY
  Ceyhan Bld
  (178-G-85)
  Avg: 3.3

1. Lacy, Ceyhan Bld	3.3
2. McCoughtry, Fener.	2.6
3. Jackson, Ceyhan B.	2.5
4. Taylor, Fenerbahce	2.5
5. Walker, Ceyhan Bld	2.4
6. Robbins, Samsun	2.3
7. Young, Istanbul.	2.2
8. Kartaltepe Y., Bot.	2.0
9. Hoffman, Besiktas	2.0
10. Ajavon, Optimum	1.9

Blocks Per Game

LaToya SANDERS
  Kayseri
  (191-PF-86)
  Avg: 2.5

1. Sanders, Kayseri	2.5
2. Adair, Tarsus Bld	1.6
3. Tamane, Fenerbahce	1.3
4. Ayim, Istanbul Uni.	1.2
5. Smith, Tarsus Bld	1.1
6. Harper, Antakya	1.1
7. Appel, Samsun	1.0
8. Harris, Besiktas	1.0
9. Fowles, Galatasa.	1.0
10. Walker, Ceyhan Bld	0.8

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

WBCBL - Women

She's Back! WBCBL Columbus Hidden Gems Star Jeannie Saunders returns from major injury! - by Lucius Jones
WBCBL Columbus Hidden Gems Star Jeannie Saunders (5'8''-G-86, college: Salem Intern.) has put up quality numbers for years now from NCAA D2 Salem International to the Columbus Hidden Gems to Sweden with the Visby Ladies . She most recently led Sweden in scoring last season. At the conclusion of that season however, Jeannie officially found out what was folklore rumor, which was that she had been playing for 2years on an ankle that was broken and calling for major reconstructive surgery. 4 games into stage 2 of her career, Jeannie Saunders is back! Having won 3 of her first 4 games with Visby Ladies, who was below .500 without her on the season, she averaged 18ppg 4rpg 3apg 3spg and has shot nearly 50% from 3point range. The former WBCBL Regional MVP, National All-Tournament 1st Team, triple-double (even 1time quadruple-double)machine known as 'westside' for her California birth roots and Long Beach St collegiate beginnings will look to lead the Columbus Hidden Gems back to WBCBL prominence in 2012.

The 2009 & 2010 editions of the Columbus Hidden Gems were Nationally Ranked each year and held the #1 National Rankings much of 2010 before losing in the Elite 8 of the National Tournament. In 2011 the team fell below .500 in Jeannie's absence among others, but looks to reload in an attempt at again reaching the top of the WBCBL standings for 2012. The 2012 version of the Gems will display its impressive list of official, initial signings very soon that will include the Visby Ladies Star as well as her teammate #2 in the country in Rebounds per Game, Ashleigh Brown (6'0''-F/G-87, college: Miami, OH).

Looking ahead, the 2012 portion of the Swedish season should be a promising one. Fully loaded, the Visby Ladies look to improve their final season positioning and play 'playoff spoiler' as their record will not be a full indication of how competitive this team can be during their Championship push.