EUROBASKET NEWS REPORT - 1/7/2012

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Men News

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


Standings
Adriatic League Standings
 1. Maccabi T-A 13-1 
 2. Cedevita 11-2 
 3. Buducnost 9-4 
 4. Partizan 9-4 
 5. Union Olimpija 8-5 
 6. KK Zagreb CO 7-6 
 7. Cibona 7-6 
 8. Radnicki K. 6-7 
 9. Siroki WWin 6-7 
 10. Krka 4-9 
 11. Crvena Zvezda 4-10 
 12. Hemofarm 4-10 
 13. Helios 3-10 
 14. Zlatorog 2-12 


*****************************************************
  ARGENTINA   


Standings - LigaA
LigaA Standings
 1. Obras 9-1 
 2. Penarol 9-2 
 3. Libertad S. 8-3 
 4. Atenas 6-4 
 5. La Union 6-4 
 6. Sionista 6-4 
 7. Quimsa 6-5 
 8. Wuber-Est.Bahia 5-5 
 9. Lanus 5-5 
 10. Boca Jrs 4-6 
 11. Regatas C. 4-6 
 12. San Mart.C. 3-7 
 13. GECR Indalo 3-7 
 14. Club 9 3-7 
 15. Olimpico LB 2-7 
 16. Quilmes MP 2-8 


Stats Leaders - LigaA

Points Per Game
 Juan GUTIERREZ
  Obras
  (205-F/C-83)
  Avg: 18.3
 1. Gutierrez, Obras18.3 
 2. Smith, La Union18.3 
 3. McHopson, Quilm.17.0 
 4. Villegas, Sionista16.8 
 5. Meyinsse, Wuber-.16.7 
 6. OBannon, Boca Jrs16.7 
 7. Mojica, Wuber-Es.16.6 
 8. Pittman, Libertad.15.7 
 9. Mikulas, La Union15.5 
 10. Roe, Regatas C.15.3 
Rebounds Per Game
 Ruben GARCES
  Atenas
  (206-C/F-73)
  Avg: 9.4
 1. Garces, Atenas9.4 
 2. Sandes, Sionista9.3 
 3. Gutierrez, Obras9.0 
 4. Lloreda, Olimpico.8.8 
 5. Battle, Libertad S.8.6 
 6. Truscott, Quilm.8.3 
 7. Cowan, Club 97.6 
 8. Mikulas, La Union7.2 
 9. McFarlan, San M.7.0 
 10. Williams, Quimsa7.0 
Assists Per Game
 Facundo CAMPAZZO
  Penarol
  (180-G-91)
  Avg: 6.9
 1. Campazzo, Penarol6.9 
 2. Sanchez, Wuber-.6.8 
 3. Stanic, Boca Jrs5.9 
 4. Martinez, Regat.5.6 
 5. Cequeira, Sionista5.1 
 6. Victoriano, San M.4.2 
 7. Sucatzky, Atenas4.1 
 8. Smith, La Union3.9 
 9. Osimani, Obras3.5 
 10. Quinteros, Regat.3.4 
Steals Per Game
 Matias LESCANO
  Atenas
  (196-G/F-79)
  Avg: 2.2
 1. Lescano, Atenas2.2 
 2. Campazzo, Penarol2.2 
 3. McHopson, Quilm.1.9 
 4. Sanchez, Wuber-.1.7 
 5. Beitzel, San M.1.6 
 6. Washam, Obras1.6 
 7. Stanic, Boca Jrs1.5 
 8. Quinteros, Regat.1.5 
 9. Pau, La Union1.5 
 10. Funes, GECR I.1.5 
Blocks Per Game
 Louis ROE
  Regatas C.
  (200-F-72)
  Avg: 1.2
 1. Roe, Regatas C.1.2 
 2. Battle, Libertad S.1.1 
 3. Gutierrez, Obras1.1 
 4. Clancy, Atenas1.1 
 5. Ayarza, Club 91.0 
 6. Rollins, San M.0.9 
 7. Garces, Atenas0.9 
 8. Sanchez, Wuber-.0.8 
 9. Gamble, Club 90.8 
 10. Meyinsse, Wuber-.0.8 


*****************************************************
  AUSTRALIA   


Tigers to look at Mills option - by Eurobasket News
Melbourne Tigers head coach Trevor Gleeson (agency: Warren Sports International ) has said his club will inquire as to whether Boomers point guard Mills Patrick (183-PG-88, college: St.Mary's, CA) might be able to rejoin the club after he was released by his Chinese team yesterday.

Mills was sacked by Chinese club Xinjiang Flying Tigers after being accused of faking a hamstring injury, a claim that Mills has since vehemently denied.

Gleeson told the Herald Sun he did not doubt Mills injury was genuine and that he would love to have him back in a Tigers uniform.

'We'll inquire, but knowing Patty I am pretty sure the first stop will be back in the NBA,' Gleeson said.

'He's going through a little bit with the China team but if Patty says he's injured, he's injured. I trust him fully.

'Once you sign in China, they weren't going to release you to play elsewhere.

'But they have released him from the contract so I don't know if that entails him having a free licence to play elsewhere.'

Under NBL rules, Mills could only return to the Melbourne Tigers if one of their contracted players suffered a season-ending injury. He could however join any other NBL team as a free agent if they had sufficient salary cap and points cap space to fit him in.

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

*****************************************************
  AUSTRIA   


Alex Lanegger back in Graz - Mirza Ahmetbasic and BC Vienna part ways - by Stefan Prager
With the start of the new year there is some movement in the Austrian ABL. January is the last months where teams are allowed to add or change players which means that the transfer deadline is the same as the end of the first stage of the championship. So the UBSC Graz brings back former point guard Alexander Lanegger (192-G-86). Lanegger retired at the end of the 09/10 campaign and has been playing in the Austrian Landesliga since then. In his debut yesterdaya against the Traiskirchen Lions Lanegger saw 17 minutes of action scoring 3 points and dishing out 5 dimes in a 96:80 road win for the UBSC. Meanwhile the BC Vienna and guard Mirza Ahmetbasic (193-G-87, agency: World Sport Agency, college: Abil.Christian) have parted ways. Ahmetbasic' contract ran out at the end of December was not renewed by Vienna. In 10 appearances for BC Vienna Ahmetbasic averaged 14.8ppg along with 3.9rpg as well as 3.9apg. He shot 44.6% from the field and 35.6% from beyond the arc.

*****************************************************
  BALTIC LEAGUE   


Stats Leaders
Points Per Game
 Denzel BOWLES
  Siauliai
  (208-F/C-89)
  Avg: 21
 1. Bowles, Siauliai21.0 
 2. Kalve, Valmiera18.7 
 3. Krumins, Jelgava18.4 
 4. Barinov, Naglis P.18.0 
 5. Hallik, Tarvas17.2 
 6. Soo, Rapla17.0 
 7. Amis, Tartu Ulikool16.6 
 8. Reminas, Naglis P.16.5 
 9. Runkaukas, Neptun.16.0 
 10. Mayo, Liepaja16.0 
Rebounds Per Game
 Kaspars CIPRUSS
  Tarvas
  (210-C-82)
  Avg: 10.5
 1. Cipruss, Tarvas10.5 
 2. Ringmets, Rapla9.3 
 3. Johnson, Naglis P.8.8 
 4. Galdikas, Neptunas8.7 
 5. Mednis, Turiba8.6 
 6. Nelson, Jelgava8.4 
 7. Arnold, TT.8.3 
 8. McClure, Kedainiai8.3 
 9. Benn, Naglis Palan.7.8 
 10. Bowles, Siauliai7.6 
Assists Per Game
 Mindaugas STASYS
  Neptunas
  (180-PG-86)
  Avg: 6.7
 1. Stasys, Neptunas6.7 
 2. Broadus, Siauliai5.9 
 3. Maceina, Juventus5.7 
 4. Kriisa, Tarvas5.5 
 5. Dainys, Neptunas5.0 
 6. Rinkevicius, Nagli.5.0 
 7. Dorbek, Tarvas4.8 
 8. Janavicius, Baltai4.5 
 9. Tsiopych, Barsy A.4.4 
 10. Strelnieks, Vents.4.3 
Steals Per Game
 Dainius SALENGA
  Rudupis
  (197-F-77)
  Avg: 2.2
 1. Salenga, Rudupis2.2 
 2. Virsis, Valmiera2.2 
 3. Benn, Naglis Palan.2.0 
 4. Kriisa, Tarvas2.0 
 5. Keedus, TT.2.0 
 6. McKee, Triumph2.0 
 7. Hughes, Pieno Z.1.9 
 8. Krumins, Jelgava1.9 
 9. Landry, Triumph1.8 
 10. Evstigneev, Barsy1.8 
Blocks Per Game
 Dane JOHNSON
  Naglis P.
  (208-C-86)
  Avg: 2
 1. Johnson, Naglis P.2.0 
 2. Rozitis, Valmiera1.9 
 3. Gumeniuk, Juventus1.9 
 4. Staniulis, Techasas1.6 
 5. Toome, Kalev/Cramo1.5 
 6. Masiulis, Kedainiai1.5 
 7. Fall, Kalev/Cramo1.3 
 8. Amis, Tartu Ulikool1.2 
 9. Jefferson, Triumph1.0 
 10. Cipruss, Tarvas1.0 


Standings - Men
Baltic League Standings
Elite Division
 1. Siauliai 9-1 
 2. Triumph 8-3 
 3. Rudupis 7-3 
 4. Kalev/Cramo 7-3 
 5. Pieno Zvaigzdes 6-4 
 6. Ventspils 6-5 
 7. Juventus 5-5 
 8. Tartu Ulikool 3-8 
 9. Kedainiai 2-8 
 10. Liepaja 2-8 
 11. Baltai Kaunas 2-9 
Challenge Cup
Group A
 1. Naglis Palangos 5-1 
 2. Neptunas 5-2 
 3. Tarvas 4-2 
 4. Barsy Atyrau 3-5 
 5. Jelgava 0-7 
Group B
 1. Techasas 6-2 
 2. Sakalai 6-2 
 3. Valmiera 6-3 
 4. TTU/Kalev 3-5 
 5. Rapla 2-6 
 6. Turiba 2-7 


*****************************************************
  BELGIUM   


Charleroi News - by Peter Buyse
Spirou Charleroi has annouced that Demond Mallet (186-G-78, McNeese St.) has signed a new 2 year deal with them till the end of the 2013-2014 season. His 6 month contract with Maccabi Tel Aviv was made official just recently.
In other news from Charleroi they announced that former Aalstar and Oostende guard Trevor Huffman (185-PG-79, Kent St.) will join them for a try-out starting today. The test could last a couple of weeks.
Dwayne Broyles (196-F/G-82, college: JMU) recently got reinstated to the active roster, but Christophe Beghin (207-F-80) will be out for about 15 days due to a torn muscle in his leg.

*****************************************************
  BOSNIA   


RECAP KK SPARS at Nike L'Hospitalet Tournament in Spain - by Chris Mathieu
RECAP KK SPARS at Nike L'Hospitalet Tournament in Spain. KK Spars maybe the most talented team in Bosnia. This may seem odd to some as the team plays in the KSBiH A2 South league not exactly a powerhouse of basketball in Europe. The team competed at a high level against some of the very best teams in Europe and put up good results going 1-3 in the tournament. KK Spars would have done much better if they didnt have to rely on their starting five so much. The drop off between them and the bench was massive, the bench coming in with a combined ranking of -8. Three obvious signs of a bad team is 1) turnovers 2) poor 3 point shooting and shot selection 3) poor rebounding. Those are the most obvious numbers that show if a team is likely to win or not. Spars has great size and rebounded very well in the tournament but its three point accuracy and ball security were severely lacking. How Nedim Salcin (who showed nothing) started the first game over Aleksej Nikolic made no sense to me at all.
The recap of the starting five
PG Aleksej Nikolic member of the Slovenia Jr National Team and has gotten a lot of publicity as a highly regarded European level point guard prospect. Lacking in great athleticism which limits his NBA upside, he is a great all around point guard that just really needs to work on ball security to develop into a high level player. His range doesnt quite extend out to the three point line. He does show a good shot and eventually should develop into a good outside shooter once he fills out his frame. Bosnia would be smart to try to steal him to their country by offering him a spot on their senior national team.
SG Adin Vrabac Showed the talent that has made him a top flight Bosnian prospect. He too often settles for outside shooting and camping on the perimeter instead of using his 6'8' frame to establish his position on the court. He needs to develop his body, improve his outside shooting and continue to work hard to achieve his maximum potential.
C Doko Salic Showed all the potential you expected from one of the best young prospects in Europe. You cant teach size and he has plenty of it at 6'11' who is only 16 years old. He has a chance to add a few inches and has a very good shooting touch for such a big player his size. If he develops a better handle and some post moves he could be a beast in a few years. Doko plays for the Serbian national team so far, but was born in BiH and is another player that KSBiH should be trying to lure back to the country.
SF Nedim Buza possibly the most talented player on a team with plenty of talent. He has a great all-around game but needs to develop a go to move and settle on a position. Is he a small forward or an undersized power forward? If he is a four he is a little short to be a dominate player at 6'7' but he flashes a high skill level and has a great all-around game for a young player. He too, needs to work on his ball handling and ball security.
PF Stefan Glogovac 6'8' forward who is the least talented of the starting 5 on the team but played very well for them and was getting everything out of his ability on the court.


NIJT Qualification Tournament: L'Hospitalet - KK Spars 65:74 - by Miljan Veskovic
KK Spars ended their participation at Nike Junior Euroleague qualification tournament with the win over hosting side CB L'Hospitalet. In the end KK Spars finished this tournament at the seventh spot but with the little bit of luck it could have been different. Their participation was far from disappointing, in every game the boys were close till the last seconds and showed that they can compete against top European clubs on this level. As for the game against L'Hospitalet, the second quarter run helped Spars take a 41-30 lead at the break, that later on increased all the way to a maximum of 17, 58-41 in the third quarter. In the final quarter L'Hospitalet cut the margin to seven points, 64-57 with over six minutes to play but Salic kept his team safe to finish with a good taste. For the winners Nedim Buza (201-F-95) had 17 points and 6 rebounds, Doko Salic (206-C-95) had 16 points and 7 rebounds while Stefan Glogovac (204-F/C-94) finished the game with 14 points and 8 rebounds.

*****************************************************
  BRAZIL   


Standings - BNL
NBB Standings
 1. Flamengo 9-1 
 2. Unitri/Universo 9-2 
 3. Pinheiros/Sky 9-2 
 4. Itabom/Bauru 8-2 
 5. Paulistano 7-3 
 6. S.Jose/Unimed 7-3 
 7. Liga Sorocaba 5-5 
 8. Uniceub/BRB 5-5 
 9. Cia do Terno 4-6 
 10. Winner/Limeira 4-6 
 11. Tijuca TC 3-7 
 12. Minas 3-7 
 13. Vivo/Franca 3-8 
 14. Vila Velha 1-9 
 15. Araraquara 0-11 


Flamengo clear on top of the standings - by Eurobasket News
Flamengo gained the ninth win in the NBB season. They held off visiting Vivo/Franca 93:81 to improve 9-1 record on top of the ladder. David Jackson (196-G-82, college: Penn St.) poured in 23 points to pace the winners. Flamengo aggressively entered the game. They outscored Vivo/Franca 27:13 in the opening frame. The visitors stopped the bleeding in the second term but suffered a 13:27 blow in the third term not to recover again. Marcelo Magalhaes (199-F/G-75, agency: Interperformances) notched 19 points in the victory. Kevin Sowell (190-G-81, agency: Interperformances) answered with 19 points for Vivo/Franca as they fell at 3-8 record.
Liga Sorocabana surprised Pinheiros/Sky 99:95 at home court. Kenny Dawkins (175-G-87, college: Lamar) unloaded 25 points for the hosts. Cesar Araujo (201-F/C-81) had 23 points as the home team improved at 5-5 record. Marquinhos Vieira (207-F-84) nailed 24 points for Pinheiros/Sky as they suffered just the second loss in the season.
Joinville prevailed against Winner/Limeira 70:55 at home court. Andre Goes (195-G/F-87) netted 21 points in the victory. Kojo Mensah (185-PG-85, agency: Interperformances, college: Duquesne) delivered 18 points for Joinville. Winner/Limeira answered with 11 points from Ronald Ramon (185-G-86, college: Pittsburgh).


*****************************************************
  CANADA   


Stats Leaders
Points Per Game
 Justin KING
  TRU
  (--)
  Avg: 26.9
 1. King, TRU26.9 
 2. Habib, Memorial23.4 
 3. Fassett, St.Mary''s23.4 
 4. Dunn, St.Francis X.22.2 
 5. Mackinnon, Victoria22.0 
 6. Thomas, St.Franc.22.0 
 7. Barbeau, Western21.6 
 8. Baker, Alberta21.5 
 9. Diloreto, Windsor21.3 
 10. Yu, UBC21.3 
Rebounds Per Game
 Lien PHILLIP
  Windsor
  (203-F-89)
  Avg: 11.2
 1. Phillip, Windsor11.2 
 2. Baker, Alberta10.8 
 3. King, TRU10.6 
 4. Burke, UBC10.5 
 5. Klassen, Acadia9.7 
 6. Hadzimuratov., Lav.9.5 
 7. Staniscia, Ryerson8.9 
 8. Cote-K., UQ.8.8 
 9. Thomas, St.Franc.8.8 
 10. Hull, Laurentian8.6 
Assists Per Game
 Jimmy DORSEY
  Cape Breton
  (188-G-)
  Avg: 8.1
 1. Dorsey, Cape Bret.8.1 
 2. Kraus, Brock6.2 
 3. Yu, UBC6.0 
 4. Kanza Mata, Dalho.6.0 
 5. Shepherd, Memorial5.8 
 6. Helsby, Memorial5.8 
 7. Barrett, Saskatch.5.8 
 8. Bonhomme, Brandon5.8 
 9. Collins, Windsor5.6 
 10. Vernon, St.Franc.5.4 
Steals Per Game
 Evens LAROCHE
  Concordia
  (193-F-)
  Avg: 4.5
 1. Laroche, Concordia4.5 
 2. Thomas, St.Franc.4.2 
 3. Cooper, Lethbridge3.5 
 4. Collins, Windsor2.9 
 5. Carter, Lakehead2.8 
 6. Brown, UPEI2.8 
 7. Cooper, UPEI2.8 
 8. Baker, Alberta2.8 
 9. Smith, TWU2.6 
 10. Dorsey, Cape Bre.2.6 
Blocks Per Game
 Dominyc COWARD
  Lethbridge
  (198-F-)
  Avg: 1.8
 1. Coward, Lethbridge1.8 
 2. Bains, UBC1.8 
 3. Klassen, Acadia1.7 
 4. Tufegdzich, York1.4 
 5. Glisic, Toronto Un.1.4 
 6. Thomas, St.Franc.1.4 
 7. Andrews, Bishop''s1.3 
 8. Eyitayo, Concordia1.3 
 9. Gibson, Brock1.2 
 10. Pryce, Ryerson1.1 


CIS Round 12: Golden Hawks keep a leadership position - by Eurobasket News
There were many interesting games last round. The round ended with derby games, favorites losing the games and games ending by tiny margin.

The game had a very big importance for second-ranked Golden Hawks as it allowed them to take a leadership position. Golden Hawks smashed 7th ranked Warriors in Waterloo, ON 110-60. The game without a history. Golden Hawks led from the first minutes and controlled entire game increasing their lead in each quarter. Golden Hawks outrebounded Warriors 46-26 including a 32-19 advantage in defensive rebounds. They looked well-organized offensively handing out 30 assists comparing to just 7 passes made by Warriors' players. The best player for the winners was forward Maxwell Allin (193) who scored 21 points and 5 assists. Center Patrick Donnelly (203) chipped in 10 points, 10 rebounds and 5 assists. At the other side the best for losing team was guard Mike Wright (180-91) who recorded 25 points. The winner was already known earlier in the game, so both coaches allowed to play the bench players saving starting five for next games. As mentioned above they are alone now at the top position. Warriors lost fourth consecutive game. They keep the seventh place with five games lost. Both teams do not play next round, which will be an opportunity for some rest.
Important game to mention about took place in St.Catharines, ON. Fourth ranked Badgers (7-2) saved a 3-point derby victory at home edging 5th ranked Gryphons (5-4) 77-74 on Wednesday evening. It ended at the same time the two-game winning streak of Gryphons. It was a good game for guard Andrew Kraus (188-86) who led his team to a victory with 21 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists. Andrew Ferguson contributed with 8 points and 10 rebounds for the winners. Forward Adam Bering (201-88) replied with a double-double by scoring 19 points and 10 rebounds for Gryphons. Gryphons' coach rotated ten players in this game, but that didn't help. Badgers moved-up to third place, which they share with McMaster. Gryphons at the other side dropped to the sixth position with four games lost. Both teams do not play next round, which will be an opportunity for some rest.
Very important is a road loss of third ranked Marauders (7-2) against sixth ranked Lancers (6-3) on Wednesday night. Visiting Marauders were defeated by Lancers in Windsor, ON 78-64. It ended at the same time the seven-game winning streak of Marauders. Worth to mention a great performance of Josh Collins who helped to win the game recording 19 points, 6 assists and 5 steals. The best for the losing side was Aaron Redpath with 21 points. Both coaches used bench players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. Lancers have a solid three-game winning streak. They moved-up to fifth place. Loser Marauders keep the third position with two games lost. They share it with Brock. Both teams do not play next round, which will be an opportunity for some rest.
Very important is a road loss of third ranked Capers (4-3) against fourth ranked Axemen (3-3) on Thursday night. Visiting Capers were crushed by Axemen in Wolfville, NS 108-65. It ended at the same time the four-game winning streak of Capers. The winners were led by Anthony Sears who scored that evening 35 points (!!!) and 8 rebounds (perfect from downtown making all five shots). Axemen's coach Stephen Baur felt very confident that he used 11 players and allowed the starting five to rest. Axemen maintains fourth position with 3-3 record. Capers at the other side keep the third place with three games lost. Both teams do not play next round, which will be an opportunity for some rest.
An exciting game between Top Four teams was played in Montreal, QC. Top-ranked Stingers faced 4th ranked Citadines. Guests from Montreal, QC (4-0) defeated host Citadines (2-3) 73-60. The best player for the winners was Decee Krah who scored 18 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists and 4 steals. Both coaches tested many bench players and allowed the starting five to get some rest. Stingers have a solid four-game winning streak. They maintain first position with 4-0 record. Citadines lost third consecutive game. They keep the fourth place with three games lost. Both teams do not play next round, which will be an opportunity for some rest.



UQAM - Concordia 60-73

An exciting game between Top Four teams was played in Montreal, QC. Top-ranked Stingers faced 4th ranked Citadines. Guests from Montreal, QC (4-0) defeated host Citadines (2-3) 73-60. The game without a history. Stingers led from the first minutes and controlled entire game increasing their lead in each quarter. Stingers forced 24 Citadines turnovers. The best player for the winners was guard Decee Krah (180) who scored 18 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists and 4 steals. International point guard Kyle Desmarais (188-87, college: Cent.Conn.St.) chipped in 16 points. At the other side the best for losing team was guard Eric Cote-Kougnima (193-88) who recorded a double-double by scoring 26 points and 12 rebounds (went 17 for 17 at the free throw line !!!) and power forward Vincent Lanctot-Fortier (203) added 14 points and 10 rebounds respectively. Both coaches tested many bench players and allowed the starting five to get some rest. Stingers have a solid four-game winning streak. They maintain first position with 4-0 record. Citadines lost third consecutive game. They keep the fourth place with three games lost. Both teams do not play next round, which will be an opportunity for some rest.
Top scorers:
UQAM: E.Cote-Kougnima 26+12reb+3ast, V.Lanctot-Fortier 14+10reb, G.Saint-Amand 8+8reb, A.Bernard 6+9reb+1ast, M.Bazile 2, K.Bitondo 2+1ast
Concordia: D.Krah 18+5reb+4ast, K.Desmarais 16+4reb+3ast, J.Clark 9+2reb+1ast, E.Laroche 8+8reb, F.Fiola 8+5reb+1ast, T.Garner 6+2reb
gschID: 155710


Brock - Guelph 77-74

Important game to mention about took place in St.Catharines, ON. Fourth ranked Badgers (7-2) saved a 3-point derby victory at home edging 5th ranked Gryphons (5-4) 77-74 on Wednesday evening. It ended at the same time the two-game winning streak of Gryphons. It looked good early as Gryphons took an 3-point lead at the end of first quarter. But then Badgers had a 20-14 second period charge getting the lead and Gryphons were not able to take back game control losing it eventually 74-77. They outrebounded Gryphons 43-23 including a 30-10 advantage in defensive rebounds. It was a good game for guard Andrew Kraus (188-86) who led his team to a victory with 21 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists. Forward Andrew Ferguson (198-84) contributed with 8 points and 10 rebounds for the winners. Forward Adam Bering (201-88) replied with a double-double by scoring 19 points and 10 rebounds and guard Kareem Malcolm (183) added 21 points in the effort for Gryphons. Gryphons' coach rotated ten players in this game, but that didn't help. Badgers moved-up to third place, which they share with McMaster. Gryphons at the other side dropped to the sixth position with four games lost. Both teams do not play next round, which will be an opportunity for some rest.
Top scorers:
Guelph: K.Malcolm 21+1reb+3ast, A.Bering 19+10reb, J.Beatty 10+3reb, Z.Angus 8+2reb+2ast, D.McCarthy 7+3reb+2ast, D.Morris 6+3reb+1ast
Brock: A.Kraus 21+5reb+4ast, B.Nahimana 12+7reb+1ast, D.Mukendi 10+2reb+1ast, T.Kasamba 10+3reb, M.Gibson 8+8reb, A.Ferguson 8+10reb+3ast
gschID: 155707


Windsor - McMaster 78-64

Very important is a road loss of third ranked Marauders (7-2) against sixth ranked Lancers (6-3) on Wednesday night. Visiting Marauders were defeated by Lancers in Windsor, ON 78-64. It ended at the same time the seven-game winning streak of Marauders. The hosts trailed by 1 point after first quarter, but they stormed back to get the 5-point lead at the halftime and eventually won the game 78-64. Lancers dominated down low during the game scoring 50 of its points in the paint compared to Marauders' 28. Worth to mention a great performance of guard Josh Collins (186-90) who helped to win the game recording 19 points, 6 assists and 5 steals and forward Jahmal McQueen (201-89) who added 16 points and 5 rebounds (on 7-of-9 shooting from the field) during the contest. The best for the losing side was Aaron Redpath with 21 points and guard Victor Raso (193) scored 9 points and 7 rebounds. Both coaches used bench players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. Lancers have a solid three-game winning streak. They moved-up to fifth place. Loser Marauders keep the third position with two games lost. They share it with Brock. Both teams do not play next round, which will be an opportunity for some rest.
Top scorers:
McMaster: A.Redpath 21+2reb+3ast, C.Michaud 9+4reb, V.Raso 9+7reb+3ast, A.Presutti 5, T.Black 4+7reb+1ast, N.Mccarthy 4+5reb
Windsor: J.Collins 19+4reb+6ast, J.McQueen 16+5reb+1ast, L.Phillip 9+9reb, E.Matthews 7+5reb, E.Diloreto 7+5reb+4ast, R.Christie 7+7reb+1ast
gschID: 155708


Acadia - Cape Breton 108-65

Very important is a road loss of third ranked Capers (4-3) against fourth ranked Axemen (3-3) on Thursday night. Visiting Capers were crushed by Axemen in Wolfville, NS 108-65. It ended at the same time the four-game winning streak of Capers. The game without a history. Axemen led from the first minutes and controlled entire game increasing their lead in each quarter. They also forced 19 Capers turnovers. Axemen shot the lights out from three nailing 14 long-distance shots on high 60.9 percentage. The winners were led by guard Anthony Sears (193) who scored that evening 35 points (!!!) and 8 rebounds (perfect from downtown making all five shots) and guard Anthony Ashe (193) supported him with 21 points (on 9-of-10 shooting from the field). Four Axemen players scored in double figures. Axemen's coach Stephen Baur felt very confident that he used 11 players and allowed the starting five to rest. Even 12 points and 6 rebounds by guard Jamie Glasgow (180) did not help to save the game for Capers. Stephane Goosen added 9 points and 7 rebounds. Axemen maintains fourth position with 3-3 record. Capers at the other side keep the third place with three games lost. Both teams do not play next round, which will be an opportunity for some rest.
Top scorers:
Cape Breton: J.Glasgow 12+6reb+2ast, A.Alilovic 9+4reb+1ast, S.Goosen 9+7reb, M.Peutz 9+2reb, J.Dorsey 7+3reb+5ast, A.Geugjes 7+4reb
Acadia: A.Sears 35+8reb+2ast, A.Ashe 21+4reb+2ast, S.Stoqua 15+3reb+1ast, T.Scott 14+1reb+2ast, J.Tull 9+7reb+3ast, O.Klassen 6+4reb+3ast
gschID: 155709


Laurier - Waterloo 110-60

The game had a very big importance for second-ranked Golden Hawks as it allowed them to take a leadership position. Golden Hawks smashed 7th ranked Warriors in Waterloo, ON 110-60. The game without a history. Golden Hawks led from the first minutes and controlled entire game increasing their lead in each quarter. Golden Hawks outrebounded Warriors 46-26 including a 32-19 advantage in defensive rebounds. They looked well-organized offensively handing out 30 assists comparing to just 7 passes made by Warriors' players. The best player for the winners was forward Maxwell Allin (193) who scored 21 points and 5 assists. Center Patrick Donnelly (203) chipped in a double-double by scoring 10 points, 10 rebounds and 5 assists. Five Golden Hawks players scored in double figures. At the other side the best for losing team was guard Mike Wright (180-91) who recorded 25 points and Max Klien added 8 points and 6 rebounds respectively. The winner was already known earlier in the game, so both coaches allowed to play the bench players saving starting five for next games. As mentioned above they are alone now at the top position. Warriors lost fourth consecutive game. They keep the seventh place with five games lost. Both teams do not play next round, which will be an opportunity for some rest.
Top scorers:
Waterloo: M.Wright 25+3reb+2ast, M.Klien 8+6reb+1ast, S.Pejicic 7+3reb, J.Johnson 5+3reb, W.Bridge 4+2reb+2ast, C.McIntyre 4+2reb+2ast
Laurier: M.Allin 21+2reb+5ast, K.Enright 17+2reb+1ast, W.Coulthard 16+3reb+3ast, K.Harrison 10+7reb+3ast, P.Donnelly 10+10reb+5ast, M.Buckley 8+6reb+1ast
gschID: 155706




CIS Standings
CIS Standings
Atlantic
 1. UPEI 6-0 
 2. St.Francis X. 5-0 
 3. Cape Breton 4-3 
 4. Acadia 3-3 
 5. New Brunsw. 2-4 
 6. St.Mary's 2-5 
 7. Dalhousie 1-4 
 8. Memorial 1-5 
CanWest
 1. Victoria 8-0 
 2. Alberta 6-2 
 3. Saskatchewan 5-2 
 4. UFV 5-3 
 5. UBC 4-2 
 6. Lethbridge 4-4 
 7. Manitoba 4-4 
 8. TRU 4-4 
 9. Calgary 3-5 
 10. Brandon 3-5 
 11. Regina 2-5 
 12. TWU 2-6 
 13. Winnipeg 2-6 
 14. UBC Okanagan 1-5 
OUA East
 1. Carleton 8-0 
 2. Ottawa 4-4 
 3. Ryerson 3-5 
 4. Toronto Univ. 3-5 
 5. Laurentian 2-6 
 6. Queen's 0-8 
 7. RMC 0-8 
 8. York 0-8 
OUA West
 1. Laurier 8-1 
 2. Lakehead 7-1 
 3. Brock 7-2 
 4. McMaster 7-2 
 5. Windsor 6-3 
 6. Guelph 5-4 
 7. Waterloo 4-5 
 8. Western 3-5 
Quebec League
 1. Concordia 4-0 
 2. McGill 3-2 
 3. Laval 2-2 
 4. UQAM 2-3 
 5. Bishop's 0-4 


*****************************************************
  CHINA   


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


Stats Leaders - CBA
Points Per Game
 Lester HUDSON
  Qingdao DS
  (191-G-84)
  Avg: 33.1
 1. Hudson, Qingdao DS33.1 
 2. Smith, Zhejiang C.33.1 
 3. Williams, Shanxi Z.29.8 
 4. Chandler, Guangsha.28.4 
 5. Gaines, Shanxi Zh.27.9 
 6. McDonald, Fujian X.27.5 
 7. Mills, Xinjiang.26.5 
 8. Martin, Jilin N.26.1 
 9. Akognon, DongGuan.25.9 
 10. Vroman, Jiangsu D.25.5 
Rebounds Per Game
 Zaid ABBAS
  Fujian XX
  (203-F-83)
  Avg: 14.8
 1. Abbas, Fujian XX14.8 
 2. Ramos, Guangsha L.13.5 
 3. Oyedeji, Qingdao DS13.4 
 4. Harvey, TianJin R.13.3 
 5. Gaines, Shanxi Zh.13.1 
 6. Gadzuric, Jiang.13.1 
 7. Hunter, Shandong12.8 
 8. Boone, Zhejiang C.12.8 
 9. Randolph, DongGua.12.3 
 10. Harris, Shanghai12.1 
Assists Per Game
 Osama DAGHLES
  Jilin N.
  (198-G-79)
  Avg: 7.6
 1. Daghles, Jilin N.7.6 
 2. Hudson, Qingdao DS6.6 
 3. Marbury, Beijing6.3 
 4. Yang, Liaoning H.6.0 
 5. Lu, Shanxi Zh.5.3 
 6. Mengke, Xinjiang.5.1 
 7. Brooks, Guandong4.9 
 8. Anderson, Shandon.4.6 
 9. Zhang, Liaoning H.4.4 
 10. Fahed, TianJin R.4.4 
Steals Per Game
 Lester HUDSON
  Qingdao DS
  (191-G-84)
  Avg: 3.2
 1. Hudson, Qingdao DS3.2 
 2. Lee, Beijing Ducks2.9 
 3. Smith, Zhejiang C.2.8 
 4. Hu, Jiangsu D.2.6 
 5. Daghles, Jilin N.2.5 
 6. Anderson, Shandon.2.5 
 7. Lu, Shanxi Zh.2.4 
 8. Williams, Shanxi Z.2.3 
 9. Marbury, Beijing2.3 
 10. Brooks, Guandong2.3 
Blocks Per Game
 Dan GADZURIC
  Jiang.
  (211-C-78)
  Avg: 2
 1. Gadzuric, Jiang.2.0 
 2. Randolph, DongGua.1.8 
 3. Xu, Bayi Fubang1.8 
 4. Zhang, Shanghai S.1.8 
 5. Boone, Zhejiang C.1.7 
 6. Douthit, Foshan1.6 
 7. Carney, Liaoning H.1.5 
 8. Vroman, Jiangsu D.1.5 
 9. Morris, Beijing Du.1.5 
 10. Watkins, Jilin N.1.3 


Beijing Loses Again and Guangdong Takes Two-Game Lead - by Arthur Volbert
Beijing continued its slide from the top of the CBA standings with a 109-85 loss to Dongguan. Its record is now 14-6 and it is two games behind league-leading Guangdong and tied for second with Zhejiang Guangsha. Shavlik Randolph led Guangdong to victory with 31 points on 12 of 15 shooting and 11 rebounds. Josh Akognon scored 24. Qiu Biao had 22 points and 6 assists. Sun Tonglin had 13 points, 11 rebounds and 4 assists and significantly outplayed Beijing's young power forward Zhu Yanxi. He Zhongmian had 6 points and 5 rebounds. Dongguan improved to 12-8. Stephon Marbury had 31 points and 9 assists for Beijing. Randolph Morris had 18 points and 7 rebounds. Chen Lei scored 16 and Ji Zhe scored 8. But Beijing's two talented rookies had awful games. Zhu Yanxi had 6 points on 2 of 7 shooting and 6 rebounds and Zhai Xiaochuan had 3 points, taking only one shot, and 5 rebounds.

Brooks Aaron (183-PG-85, college: Oregon) scored 40 points as Guangdong solified its hold on first place with a 16-4 record. Zhou Peng scored 14. Wang Zheng had 12 points and 9 rebounds in 18 minutes. Zhu Fangyu had 11 points, 3 rebounds and 4 assists. Su Wei had 8 points and 4 rebounds. James Singleton had 7 points and 14 rebounds. Zhang Nan had 25 points and 8 rebounds for Tianjin. Donnell Harvey had 20 points and 8 rebounds. Shen Tujun scored 17. Xu Lei had 13 points and 4 rebounds. Xu Guijun had 8 points, 4 rebounds and 4 assists. Zhang Zhihan scored 8. David Harrison had 4 points, 11 rebounds and 3 assists and was outplayed by Guangdong's two native centers, Wang Zheng and Su Wei.

Michel Maadanly had 27 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists as Foshan edged Zhejiang Guangsha 97-96. Marcus Douthit had 18 points and 10 rebounds. Marcus Haislip had 14 points and 9 rebounds. Zheng Zhun had 9 points and 3 rebounds. Yang Wenbo scored 8 and Hou Bing had 7. Maiwulan had 7 points and 5 rebounds. Wilson Chandler had 30 points and 10 rebounds for Guangsha. Peter John Ramos had 23 points and 10 rebounds. Zhang Wei had 13 points and 6 rebounds. Zhang Yongpeng had 10 points and 3 rebounds. Wang Fei scored 7.

Zhejiang edged Xinjiang in overtime 114-112 to improve to 12-7. Josh Boone had 25 points and 22 rebounds. J. R. Smith had 24 points, 9 rebounds and 12 assists. Tang Hai had 22 points and 4 rebounds. Ju Peng scored 18 and Wang Dayong had 12. New import Tim Pickett, a CBA veteran, had 35 points, 9 rebounds, 6 assists and 5 steals. Gani Lawal had 26 points and 12 rebounds. Xirelijiang had 17 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists and 5 steals. Xu Guozhong scored 12. Mengke Bateer had 9 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists.,

Allan Anderson scored 50 points as Shandong topped Jilin 100-99. Cao Zhenhua had 18 points and 6 rebounds. Tao Hanlin had 11 points and 8 rebounds. Liu Jiulong had 11 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists. Sun Jie had 6 points and 6 rebounds. Othello Hunter and Sui Ran did not play. Cartier Martin had 34 points for Jilin. Osama Daghlas had 24 points, 8 rebounds and 4 assists. Jameel Watkins ahd 19 points and 2 rebounds. Zhong Cheng had 12 points and 9 rebounds but missed his 5 three-points shots, as the 6-9 widebody continues to futilely fire from long-range. National teamer Yu Shulong again was scoreless as he continues to regress this year.

Lester Hudson had 33 points, 6 rebounds and 12 assists as Qingdao blasted Liaoning 111-96. Olumide Oyedeji had 14 points, 10 rebounds and 8 assists. Sani Sakakini had 17 points and 7 rebounds. Li Gen scored 14. Xue Yuyang scored 11. Cai Liang had 7 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 steals. Rodney Carney played 11 minutes for Liaoning and scored 2 points. Josh Powell had 12 points and 3 rebounds in 32 minutes. So Liaoning got virtually nothing from its imports, not good in the CBA, Zhang Qingpeng scored 21. Li Xiaoxu had 20 points and 7 rebounds. Yang Ming had 11 points, 5 rebounds and 8 assists. He Tianju had 9 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists. Han Dejun had 9 points and 4 rebounds.

Bayi, the Army team and once the perennial league champion, fell to 6-13 with a 110-105 loss to Shanxi. Bayi was outscored 39-17 in the fourth quarter to plunge to defeat. Marcus Williams had 32 points and 5 rebounds for Shanxi. Charles Gaines had 20 points and 16 rebounds. Bao Zhaobao had 11 points and 4 rebounds before fouling out in 29 minutes. Duan Jiangpeng scored 11 though he only hit 1 of 6 three-pointers. Ren Junhui and Shang Ping each scored 8 and Zhang Xuewen had 7. Xing Zhiqiang scored 6. Wang Lei scored 28 for Bayi. Delehei had 26 points and 12 rebounds. Xu Zhonghao had 14 points, 17 rebounds and 4 blocks. Fading Wang Zhizhi had 15 points and 7 rebounds. Zhang Chengyu scored 10 and Zhang Bo had 8.

Jiangsu, a long-time league leader, tightened its hold on last place with a 4-16 record as ist lost to Fujian 105-84. Anthony Roberson had 34 points and 6 rebounds for Fujian. Zaid Abbas had 17 points and 9 rebounds. Will McDonald had 15 points and 5 rebounds but fouled out in 20 minutes. Zhao Tailong had 14 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 steals. Guo Lei scored 10 and Zhou Qixin had 8. Li Hang had 5 points and 11 rebounds. Jackson Vroman, who last year led Dongguan to a spectacular regular season, scored 28 points and grabbed 12 rebounds for Jiangsu. But he could not bring victory as second import Marcus Williams had only 11 points and 6 rebounds in 28 minutes. National team star Yi Li had 17 points and 7 rebounds. Meng Da scored 13. Hu Xuefeng did not play, Tang Zhengdong is gone to Xinjiang and declining skills and no one has arisen to take their place.

CBA Round 21: Foshan beats Zhejiang Guangsha Lions by one after a very close game - by Eurobasket News
The fans could enjoy quite many interesting games in the last round. The round ended with extra overtimes, favorites losing the games and games ending by tiny margin.

The most exciting game of round 21 in the CBA took place in Foshan. This derby game ended with only one-point defeat on the road of second-best Zhejiang Guangsha Lions (14-6) to sixteenth ranked Foshan (6-13) 97-96 on Friday evening. It was quite big embarassment for the guest team. The hosts trailed by 12 points after first quarter, but they rallied back winning next two quarters and won the game by 1 point. Foshan made 16-of-19 free shots (84.2 percent) during the game. It was a good game for Syrian guard Michel Maadanly (195-81) who saved his team from a defeat with 27 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists and 4 steals. American-Filipino power forward Marcus Douthit (210-80, college: Providence, agency: Edge Sports) contributed with 18 points and 10 rebounds for the winners. American forward Wilson Chandler (203-87, college: De Paul) answered with a double-double by scoring 30 points and 10 rebounds (went 12 for 12 at the free throw line !!!) for Zhejiang Guangsha Lions. Both coaches used bench players in such tough game. Foshan moved-up to fourteenth place, which they share with Bayi Fubang. Zhejiang Guangsha Lions at the other side keep the second position with six games lost. They share it with Beijing Ducks. Foshan is looking forward to face higher ranked Jilin Tigers (#13) in Changchun in the next round and it will be quite challenging to get another victory. Zhejiang Guangsha Lions will play at home against Shanghai Sharks (#6) and are hoping to win this game.
Very important is a home loss of third ranked Beijing Ducks (14-6) against fifth ranked DongGuan Leopards (12-8) on Friday night. Host Beijing Ducks were crushed by DongGuan Leopards in Beijing 109-85. American forward Shavlik Randolph (208-83, college: Duke) stepped up with a double-double by scoring 31 points and 11 rebounds (on 12-of-15 shooting from the field) for the winners and Biao Qiu chipped in 22 points and 6 assists. The best for the losing side was American guard Stephon Marbury (187-77, college: Georgia Tech) with 31 points and 9 assists. Beijing Ducks' coach LuLei Min gave up on the game allowing to play twelve players seeing no chance for a win. DongGuan Leopards maintains fifth place with 12-8 record. Beijing Ducks lost third consecutive game. They dropped to the second position with six games lost. They share it with Guangsha L.. DongGuan Leopards will play against TianJin Rongcheng (#16) in Tianjin in the next round which should be another easy win for them. Beijing Ducks will play at home against Fujian SBS XunXin (#8) in Jinjiang and hope to get back on the winning track.
CBA top team - Guandong Tigers (16-4) managed to deliver another win on Friday. This time they beat fifteenth ranked TianJin Rongcheng (6-14) in Tianjin 110-97. Aaron Brooks nailed 40 points (!!!) and 5 steals for the winning side. Nan Zhang came up with 25 points and 8 rebounds for TianJin Rongcheng in the defeat. TianJin Rongcheng's coach rotated ten players in this game, but that didn't help. Guandong Tigers have a solid series of three victories in a row. They maintain first place with 16-4 record. Loser TianJin Rongcheng dropped to the sixteenth position with 14 games lost. Guandong Tigers will meet at home Qingdao Double Star (#11) in the next round and are hoping to win another game. TianJin Rongcheng will play against DongGuan Leopards (#5) and hope to secure a win.
Xinjiang Flying Tige (#9) forced the game against Zhejiang Cyclones (#5) into an overtime, but lost by two points 112-114. It ended at the same time the two-game winning streak of Xinjiang Flying Tige. American players dominated the game. The best player for the winners was Josh Boone who had a double-double by scoring 25 points and 22 rebounds. Both coaches tested many bench players in such tough game. Zhejiang Cyclones (12-7) moved-up to fourth place. Xinjiang Flying Tige at the other side keeps the ninth position with eight games lost. Zhejiang Cyclones' next round opponent will be Shanxi Zhongyu (#10) in Taiyuan which should be theoretically an easy game. Xinjiang Flying Tige will play on the road against Jiangsu Dragons in Nanjing.
Important game to mention about took place in Changchun. Thirteenth ranked Shandong Bulls (8-12) saved a 1-point victory on the road edging 12th ranked Jilin Tigers (7-13) 100-99 in the game for the twelfth place. It was a good game for Alan Anderson who saved his team from a defeat with 50 points (!!!) and 4 steals (went 10 for 10 at the free throw line !!!). Both coaches allowed to play bench players in such tough game. Shandong Bulls moved-up to twelfth place. Jilin Tigers lost fourth consecutive game. They dropped to the thirteenth position with 13 games lost. Shandong Bulls will face higher ranked Liaoning Hunters (#7) in Yingkou in the next round and it will be quite challenging to get another victory. Jilin Tigers will play at home against Foshan (#15) and it may be a tough game between close rivals.

There were no big surprises in other games of round 21: Fujian XX smashed Jiangsu D. on the road 105-84. Bayi Fubang lost to Shanxi Zh. on its own court 105-110. Liaoning H. unfortunately lost to Qingdao DS in a road game 96-111.


Jiangsu D. - Fujian XX 84-105

No shocking result in a game when ninth ranked Fujian SBS XunXin (11-9) crushed bottom-ranked Jiangsu Dragons (4-16) in Nanjing 105-84 on Friday. The game was mostly controlled by Fujian SBS XunXin. Jiangsu Dragons was better in second period 17-16. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. Fujian SBS XunXin dominated down low during the game scoring 66 of its points in the paint compared to Jiangsu Dragons' 44. Fujian SBS XunXin had a 35-19 advantage in offensive rebounds. It was a good game for American guard Anthony Roberson (188-83, college: Florida) who led his team to a victory with 34 points (!!!) and 6 rebounds. Jordanian forward Zaid Abbas (203-83) contributed with 17 points, 9 rebounds and 4 assists for the winners. Fujian SBS XunXin's coach Joseph Stiebing felt very confident that he used entire bench which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. American-Lebanese power forward Jackson Vroman (208-81, college: Iowa St.) answered with a double-double by scoring 28 points and 12 rebounds and international swingman Li Yi (203-85) added 17 points and 7 rebounds in the effort for Jiangsu Dragons. Both teams had four players each who scored in double figures. Fujian SBS XunXin have a solid series of three victories in a row. They moved-up to seventh place, which they share with Liaoning H. Jiangsu Dragons lost third consecutive game. They stay at the bottom position with 16 games lost. Fujian SBS XunXin will face higher ranked Beijing Ducks (#3) on the road in the next round and it will be quite challenging to get another victory. Jiangsu Dragons will play against Xinjiang Flying Tige (#9) in Urumqi.
Top scorers:
Fujian XX: R.Anthony 34+6reb+3ast, A.Zaid 17+9reb+4ast, M.Will 15+5reb+1ast, Z.TaiLong 14+5reb+3ast, G.Lei 10+2reb, Z.Qixin 8
Jiangsu D.: V.Jackson 28+12reb, Y.Li 17+7reb+2ast, M.Da 13+1reb, W.Marcus 11+6reb+2ast, Y.Li 6+2reb+3ast, L.Yahui 4+4reb+1ast
gschID: 158200


Bayi Fubang - Shanxi Zh. 105-110

Very expected game when 14th ranked Bayi Fubang (6-13) lost to tenth ranked Shanxi Zhongyu (9-9) in Ningbo 105-110 on Friday. The guests trailed by 17 points after three quarters before their 39-17 charge, which allowed them to win the game. Shanxi Zhongyu forced 22 Bayi Fubang turnovers. Bayi Fubang was plagued by 28 personal fouls down the stretch. It was a good game for American swingman Marcus Williams (201-86, college: Arizona, agency: Interperformances) who led his team to a victory with 32 points and 5 rebounds (on 11-of-13 shooting from the field). His fellow American import forward Charles Gaines (201-81, college: S.Mississippi) contributed with a double-double by scoring 20 points and 16 rebounds for the winners. Shanxi Zhongyu's coach used an eleven-player rotation in such tough game. The former international forward Lehei De (208-87) answered with a double-double by scoring 26 points and 12 rebounds and the former international forward Lei Wang (203-86) added 28 points in the effort for Bayi Fubang. Four Shanxi Zhongyu and five Bayi Fubang players scored in double figures. Shanxi Zhongyu maintains tenth place with 9-9 record. Bayi Fubang lost ninth consecutive game. They keep the fourteenth position with 13 games lost. Shanxi Zhongyu will face higher ranked Zhejiang Cyclones (#4) in Hangzhou in the next round and it will be quite challenging to get another victory.
Top scorers:
Shanxi Zh.: W.Marcus 32+5reb+1ast, G.Charles 20+16reb, D.JiangPeng 11+3reb+1ast, B.ZhaoBao 11+4reb, R.Junwei 8+3reb, P.Shang 8+3reb
Bayi Fubang: W.Lei 28+4reb+3ast, D.Lehei 26+12reb, W.ZhiZhi 15+7reb+1ast, X.ZhongHao 14+17reb+2ast, Z.Chengyu 10+1reb+2ast, Z.Bo 8+1ast
gschID: 158197


TianJin R. - Guandong ST 97-110

CBA top team - Guandong Tigers (16-4) managed to deliver another win on Friday. This time they beat fifteenth ranked TianJin Rongcheng (6-14) in Tianjin 110-97. The guests trailed by 5 points after first quarter, but they stormed back to get the 12-point lead at the halftime and eventually won the game 110-97. Guandong Tigers forced 19 TianJin Rongcheng turnovers. American point guard Aaron Brooks (183-85, college: Oregon) nailed 40 points (!!!) and 5 steals for the winning side and his fellow American import forward James Singleton (203-81, college: Murray St.) accounted for 7 points, 14 rebounds and 4 assists. Forward Nan Zhang (197-81) came up with 25 points and 8 rebounds and American power forward Donnell Harvey (203-80, college: Florida) added 20 points and 8 rebounds respectively for TianJin Rongcheng in the defeat. Both teams had four players each who scored in double figures. TianJin Rongcheng's coach rotated ten players in this game, but that didn't help. Guandong Tigers have a solid series of three victories in a row. They maintain first place with 16-4 record. Loser TianJin Rongcheng dropped to the sixteenth position with 14 games lost. Guandong Tigers will meet at home Qingdao Double Star (#11) in the next round and are hoping to win another game. TianJin Rongcheng will play against DongGuan Leopards (#5) and hope to secure a win.
Top scorers:
Guandong ST: B.Aaron 40+1reb+2ast, Z.Peng 14+2reb, W.Zheng 12+9reb+1ast, Z.FangYu 11+3reb+4ast, S.Wei 8+4reb+1ast, W.ShiPeng 7+2reb+2ast
TianJin R.: Z.Nan 25+8reb+1ast, H.Donnell 20+8reb+2ast, S.Chun 17, X.Lei 13+4reb, Z.Zhihan 8+1reb, X.GuiJun 8+4reb+4ast
gschID: 158198


Beijing Ducks - DongGuan L. 85-109

Very important is a home loss of third ranked Beijing Ducks (14-6) against fifth ranked DongGuan Leopards (12-8) on Friday night. Host Beijing Ducks were crushed by DongGuan Leopards in Beijing 109-85. The game was mostly controlled by DongGuan Leopards. Beijing Ducks was better in second period 23-22. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. DongGuan Leopards forced 21 Beijing Ducks turnovers. American forward Shavlik Randolph (208-83, college: Duke) stepped up with a double-double by scoring 31 points and 11 rebounds (on 12-of-15 shooting from the field) for the winners and forward Biao Qiu (200-83) chipped in 22 points and 6 assists. Four DongGuan Leopards players scored in double figures. The best for the losing side was American guard Stephon Marbury (187-77, college: Georgia Tech) with 31 points and 9 assists and the other American import power forward Randolph Morris (211-86, college: Kentucky) scored 18 points and 7 rebounds. Beijing Ducks' coach LuLei Min gave up on the game allowing to play twelve players seeing no chance for a win. DongGuan Leopards maintains fifth place with 12-8 record. Beijing Ducks lost third consecutive game. They dropped to the second position with six games lost. They share it with Guangsha L.. DongGuan Leopards will play against TianJin Rongcheng (#16) in Tianjin in the next round which should be another easy win for them. Beijing Ducks will play at home against Fujian SBS XunXin (#8) in Jinjiang and hope to get back on the winning track.
Top scorers:
DongGuan L.: R.Shavlik 31+11reb+1ast, A.Josh-Emmanuel 24+1reb+3ast, Q.Biao 22+3reb+6ast, S.TongLin 13+11reb+4ast, Z.Kai 7+1ast, H.ZhongMian 6+5reb+2ast
Beijing Ducks: M.Stephon 31+4reb+9ast, M.Randolph 18+7reb+1ast, C.Lei 16+2reb+1ast, J.Zhe 8+3reb, Z.YanXi 6+6reb, Z.Xiaochuan 3+5reb
gschID: 158199


Jilin NE T. - Shandong FB 99-100

Important game to mention about took place in Changchun. Thirteenth ranked Shandong Bulls (8-12) saved a 1-point victory on the road edging 12th ranked Jilin Tigers (7-13) 100-99 in the game for the twelfth place. The guests trailed by 4 points at the halftime before their 28-21 charge in the third quarter, which allowed them to win the game. Jilin Tigers were plagued by 31 personal fouls down the stretch. It was a good game for American swingman Alan Anderson (198-82, college: Michigan St., agency: Priority Sports) who saved his team from a defeat with 50 points (!!!) and 4 steals (went 10 for 10 at the free throw line !!!). Center ZhenHua Cao (205-85) contributed with 18 points and 6 rebounds for the winners. American swingman Cartier Martin (201-84, college: Kansas St.) answered with 34 points (!!!) and 4 steals and Jordanian guard Osama Daghles (198-79, college: Midwestern St.) added 24 points, 8 rebounds and 4 assists in the effort for Jilin Tigers. Both teams had four players each who scored in double figures. Both coaches allowed to play bench players in such tough game. Shandong Bulls moved-up to twelfth place. Jilin Tigers lost fourth consecutive game. They dropped to the thirteenth position with 13 games lost. Shandong Bulls will face higher ranked Liaoning Hunters (#7) in Yingkou in the next round and it will be quite challenging to get another victory. Jilin Tigers will play at home against Foshan (#15) and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Shandong FB: A.Alan 50+3reb+2ast, C.ZhenHua 18+6reb+1ast, T.HanLin 11+8reb, L.JiuLong 11+7reb+4ast, S.Jie 6+6reb+3ast, W.Ke 2+1reb
Jilin NE T.: M.Cartier 34+4reb+3ast, D.Osama 24+8reb+4ast, W.Jameel 19+2reb+2ast, Z.Cheng 12+9reb+1ast, L.Tao 4+1reb, L.Wei 2+2reb
gschID: 158194


Foshan - Guangsha L. 97-96

The most exciting game of round 21 in the CBA took place in Foshan. This derby game ended with only one-point defeat on the road of second-best Zhejiang Guangsha Lions (14-6) to sixteenth ranked Foshan (6-13) 97-96 on Friday evening. It was quite big embarassment for the guest team. The hosts trailed by 12 points after first quarter, but they rallied back winning next two quarters and won the game by 1 point. Foshan made 16-of-19 free shots (84.2 percent) during the game. It was a good game for Syrian guard Michel Maadanly (195-81) who saved his team from a defeat with 27 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists and 4 steals. American-Filipino power forward Marcus Douthit (210-80, college: Providence, agency: Edge Sports) contributed with a double-double by scoring 18 points and 10 rebounds for the winners. American forward Wilson Chandler (203-87, college: De Paul) answered with a double-double by scoring 30 points and 10 rebounds (went 12 for 12 at the free throw line !!!) and American-Puerto Rican center Peter John Ramos (222-85) added 23 points and 10 rebounds in the effort for Zhejiang Guangsha Lions. Four Zhejiang Guangsha Lions players scored in double figures. Both coaches used bench players in such tough game. Foshan moved-up to fourteenth place, which they share with Bayi Fubang. Zhejiang Guangsha Lions at the other side keep the second position with six games lost. They share it with Beijing Ducks. Foshan is looking forward to face higher ranked Jilin Tigers (#13) in Changchun in the next round and it will be quite challenging to get another victory. Zhejiang Guangsha Lions will play at home against Shanghai Sharks (#6) and are hoping to win this game.
Top scorers:
Foshan: M.Michel 27+5reb+5ast, D.Marcus 18+10reb+3ast, H.Marcus 14+9reb+1ast, Z.Zhun 9+3reb, Y.Wenbo 8+4reb+4ast, M.WuLan 7+5reb
Guangsha L.: C.Wilson 30+10reb+2ast, R.Peter John 23+10reb+2ast, Z.Wei 13+6reb+1ast, Z.Yongpeng 10+3reb+1ast, W.Fei 7+2reb+1ast, L.Chih-Chieh 4+3reb+2ast
gschID: 158195


Qingdao DS - Liaoning H. 111-96

There was a surprise result when eleventh ranked Qingdao Double Star (9-11) won against at home higher ranked Liaoning Hunters (11-9) 111-96 on Friday. The hosts trailed by 5 points at the halftime before their 67-47 charge in the second half, which allowed them to win the game. Qingdao Double Star looked well-organized offensively handing out 30 assists. It was a good game for American guard Lester Hudson (191-84, college: Tenn-Martin) who led his team to a victory with a double-double by scoring 33 points (!!!), 6 rebounds and 12 assists. Nigerian-British power forward Olumide Oyedeji (208-81) contributed with a double-double by scoring 14 points, 10 rebounds and 8 assists for the winners. Qingdao Double Star's coach used entire bench which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. The former international center Xiaoxu Li (207-90) answered with 20 points and 7 rebounds and guard Ming Yang (193-85) added 11 points, 5 rebounds and 8 assists in the effort for Liaoning Hunters. Both teams had four players each who scored in double figures. Qingdao Double Star have a solid series of three victories in a row. They maintain eleventh place with 9-11 record. Loser Liaoning Hunters dropped to the seventh position with nine games lost. Qingdao Double Star will face league's leader Guandong Tigers in Dongguan in the next round and it will be quite challenging to get another victory.
Top scorers:
Qingdao DS: H.Lester 33+6reb+12ast, S.Sani 17+7reb, L.Gen 14+2reb+2ast, O.Olumide 14+10reb+8ast, X.YuYang 11, C.Liang 7+4reb+3ast
Liaoning H.: Z.QinPeng 21+1reb+1ast, L.Xiaoxu 20+7reb+1ast, P.Josh 12+3reb+1ast, G.Ailun 12+2ast, Y.Ming 11+5reb+8ast, H.Dejun 9+4reb+1ast
gschID: 158196


Zhejiang C. - Xinjiang F.T. 114-112 OT

Xinjiang Flying Tige (#9) forced the game against Zhejiang Cyclones (#5) into an overtime, but lost by two points 112-114. It ended at the same time the two-game winning streak of Xinjiang Flying Tige. The hosts took control from the first minutes by winning first half. But Xinjiang Flying Tige won third quarter 33-28. However it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening, at least not yet. The game turned upside-down in the last quarter, where Xinjiang Flying Tige used huge pressure winning it 31-26 getting a tie at the end of regular time. They lost eventually overtime period 11-13. Zhejiang Cyclones made 25-of-33 charity shots (75.8 percent) during the game. Zhejiang Cyclones outrebounded Xinjiang Flying Tige 50-37 including 17 on the offensive glass. Their players were unselfish on offense dishing 22 assists. 30 personal fouls committed by Xinjiang Flying Tige helped opponents get some easy free throw opportunities. American players dominated the game. The best player for the winners was power forward Josh Boone (208-84, college: Connecticut) who had a double-double by scoring 25 points and 22 rebounds. Guard J.R. Smith (198-85) chipped in a double-double by scoring 24 points, 9 rebounds and 12 assists. At the other side the best for losing team was swingman Tim Pickett (193-81, college: Florida St.) who recorded 35 points (!!!), 9 rebounds, 6 assists and 5 steals and forward Gani Lawal (206-88, college: Georgia Tech) added 26 points and 10 rebounds respectively. Five Zhejiang Cyclones and four Xinjiang Flying Tige players scored in double figures. Both coaches tested many bench players in such tough game. Zhejiang Cyclones (12-7) moved-up to fourth place. Xinjiang Flying Tige at the other side keeps the ninth position with eight games lost. Zhejiang Cyclones' next round opponent will be Shanxi Zhongyu (#10) in Taiyuan which should be theoretically an easy game. Xinjiang Flying Tige will play on the road against Jiangsu Dragons in Nanjing.
Top scorers:
Zhejiang C.: B.Josh 25+22reb+1ast, S.J.R. 24+9reb+12ast, T.Hai 22+4reb, J.Peng 18+2reb+2ast, W.DaYong 12+2reb+2ast, Z.ChunJun 5+1reb+2ast
Xinjiang F.T.: P.Tim 35+9reb+6ast, L.Gani 26+10reb, C.Tal 17+7reb+3ast, X.GuoChong 12+2reb+2ast, M.Bateer 9+7reb+6ast, P.Duo 7+1reb
gschID: 158193




Xinjiang announced Tim Pickett - by Eurobasket News
Xinjiang announced Pickett Tim (193-G/F-81, college: Florida St.) for the rest of the season. The American player already debuted for the team.
Xinjiang Gyang Hui Flying Tigers added to their roster 31-year old American swingman Pickett Tim. In his first game he scored 35 points, grabbed 9 rebounds and 6 assists. Despite his good performance his new team lost to Zhejiang C. 112-114.
Pickett played most recently at Meralco Bolts (Philippines). In 2010-2011 he started for Ironi Ashkelon (Israel-Premier League) and in 7 games averaged 10.4ppg, 3.7rpg, 1.0apg, FGP: 48.1%, 3PT: 34.3%, FT: 84.6%. in Jan.'11 moved to Jilin Northeast Tigers (China-CBA, starting five) and after 17 games erupted with 27.1ppg, 8.5rpg, 2.5apg, 2.3spg, FGP: 54.0%, 3PT: 44.4%, FT: 79.5%.
He is a very experienced player. Pickett played also pro basketball in Bulgaria, France, Israel, Italy, Jordan, Philippines and Puerto Rico. He graduated Florida State University in 2004 and actually missed last season. It will be his eighth season in pro basketball.


*****************************************************
  CYPRUS   


Week 12: Keravnos keeps his unbeaten record. - by Chris Mammides
In the 12th round of the Cyprus Mini league the home teams succeeded great victories while another shameful night took place for the so called queen of the Cyprus Basketball as Intercollege Etha Engomis thrashed the cadet team of Proteas DaNoi AEL with 80 points difference.
The games in more analysis were as follows:
Keravnos Strovolou - Papa Johns Pizza Omonoia 101-88
Another victory was added in the unbeaten record f Coach Yiannaras after beating the team of Omonoia which traveled in Strovolos without its two Americans and only with the newcomer Lazar Trifunovic (203-F-87, college: Radford) from the bosman players.
The 1st period was a real derby as Lazar Trifunovic and Papadopoulos were keeping the Nicosia team in the score with their great shooting skills from the parameter, so even though the home team was more of a team in the court the first period ended with 24-24
The 2nd period though was a bit different as Marcus Moore took it personally and with his own personal points and together with Veselovs in his best performance since he arrived in Cyprus, dominated in the court and the first half ended with 56-48.
The 3rd period was more or less the same as the 2nd period as Moore, Veselovs and Gragicevic created a tremendous triangle to continue the paste of their team who increased the deficit to 85-71.
The 4th and final quarter was a typical procedure as the home team relaxed and Omonoia with Papadopoulos, Devron Bostick (196-G-88, college: Minnesota) and Lazar Trifunovic who scored the 72 out of the 88 points of their team. The final score was 101-88.
Top scorers:
Keravnos: Moore 26 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals, Veselovs 16 points, 7 rebounds and 1 block shot, Dragicevic 15 points and 5 rebounds, Hatcher 12, Pilavas 10.
Omonoia: Papadopoulos 29, Devron Bostick 23 and 7 rebounds, Lazar Trifunovic 20 points and 10 rebounds

Pizza Express Apollon - Ydra Asfalistiki ENAD 89-78
The team of Igor Miglinieks who suffered last week with its second loss overcame the negative result and succeeded to add another victory in its great record this season after beating the team of Coach Argyrou, ENAD with 11 points.
The 1st period the home team showed its tempered and moods and with great offensive tactic together with the great shooting ability of the trio Rush, Troy Gillenwater (205-F-88, college: N.Mexico St.) and Robinson got an initial lead with 7 points, 27-20.
The 2nd period was more or less the same with Apollon players keep scoring and increasing the difference to a double digit by the end of the first half (52-40).
ENAD players tried to react in the 3rd period but the trio was still scoring from all over so the deficit kept growing and by the end of the 3rd period the score became 75-60.
The 4th period was a typical case as the only thing that was managed by ENAD was to cut the deficit to 11 points by the end of the game (89-78).
Top scorers:
Apollon: Troy Gillenwater 20 points, 6 rebounds and 2 assists, Rush 17 points 4 rebounds, 6 assists and 4 steals, Robinson 17 points, 5 assists & 3 rebounds, Gabrans 13 & Lezhava 11
ENAD: Dewayne Reed (185-G-87, college: Auburn) 21, Wilson 16, Damjanovic 16 and Wells 10.

Intercollege Etha Engomis - Proteas Da Noi AEL 112-32
There are not many comments to give in the specific game as there is nothing to say in an 80 points game just that is shame for AEL to delete its history with this seasons shameful results.
Top scorers:
Etha: Watkins 22 points and 13 rebounds, Cup 16, Massamba 16, Konstantinou 13 and Kassinopoulos 10
AEL: Loizidis and Marios Georgiou 7 points each


*****************************************************
  CZECH REPUBLIC   


Standings - D2
1Liga Standings
 1. J.Hradec 16-0 
 2. Sparta Praha 13-3 
 3. Opava B 12-3 
 4. Proton Zlin 11-4 
 5. Sokol H.Kralove 10-5 
 6. Sokol Prazsky 9-7 
 7. Trutnov 8-7 
 8. Liberec 8-8 
 9. Benesov 6-10 
 10. Vysehrad 6-10 
 11. Prostejov B 4-11 
 12. Litomerice 4-12 
 13. Kladno 1-14 
 14. Mlada Boleslav 1-15 


Canadian Forward Troy Gottselig Comes to Usti nad Labem on Try-Out - by Surujh Roopnarine
SLUNETA Usti nad Labem have announced that 6-8 forward Troy Gottselig (203-F-87) has been signed for a try-out period. The 24-year old Canadian split time this season in the National Basketball League (NBL) of Canada with the Summerside Storm and Halifax Rainmen. Gottselig is in his third professional season after playing collegiately at the University of Saskatchewan (CIS). Upon clearing his administrative paperwork, Gottselig should be in uniform in time to face BK Decin on Sunday, January15. This will be the first overseas experience for the player.

*****************************************************
  DENMARK   


Standings - Basketligaen
Ligaen Standings
 1. Svendborg 16-1 
 2. Bakken 15-1 
 3. Naestved 10-7 
 4. Aalborg 7-9 
 5. SISU 7-10 
 6. Horsholm 6-10 
 7. Vaerlose 6-10 
 8. Horsens IC 6-11 
 9. Aabyhoj 6-11 
 10. Falcon 4-13 


Stats Leaders - Basketligaen
Points Per Game
 Ryan WHITE
  Aalborg
  (177-PG-88)
  Avg: 25.6
 1. White, Aalborg25.6 
 2. Harris, Horsens IC23.8 
 3. Henry, Naestved22.3 
 4. Rutherford, SISU20.1 
 5. Rasmussen, Vaerl.19.7 
 6. Kingsley, Svendborg19.7 
 7. Curry, Aabyhoj19.4 
 8. Bishop, Aalborg18.7 
 9. Bak, Horsholm16.6 
 10. Nielsen, Bakken15.8 
Rebounds Per Game
 Tony BISHOP
  Aalborg
  (201-F-89)
  Avg: 10.8
 1. Bishop, Aalborg10.8 
 2. Glynn, Naestved10.6 
 3. St.John, Horsens10.4 
 4. Benjamin, Horsholm9.6 
 5. Curry, Aabyhoj9.5 
 6. Phillips, Aabyhoj8.6 
 7. Colas, Horsholm8.5 
 8. Osgood-R., Vaerlose8.4 
 9. Harris, Horsens IC8.4 
 10. Johansen, Naestv.8.2 
Assists Per Game
 Corin HENRY
  Naestved
  (180-PG-88)
  Avg: 4.9
 1. Henry, Naestved4.9 
 2. White, Aalborg4.8 
 3. Sattler, Horsens IC4.2 
 4. Colman, Svendborg4.1 
 5. Elgmork, Aalborg4.0 
 6. McFarlane, Falcon3.9 
 7. Curry, Aabyhoj3.5 
 8. Plannthin, Svend.3.2 
 9. Sakne, Horsens IC3.2 
 10. Iversen, Bakken3.1 
Steals Per Game
 Corin HENRY
  Naestved
  (180-PG-88)
  Avg: 4.6
 1. Henry, Naestved4.6 
 2. White, Aalborg2.9 
 3. Wire, Vaerlose2.9 
 4. Bishop, Aalborg2.5 
 5. Dennis, SISU2.2 
 6. McFarlane, Falcon1.9 
 7. Curry, Aabyhoj1.8 
 8. Plannthin, Svend.1.8 
 9. Sattler, Horsens IC1.7 
 10. Kristiansen, Aalb.1.7 
Blocks Per Game
 Jenard HARRISON
  SISU
  (203-F-84)
  Avg: 2.3
 1. Harrison, SISU2.3 
 2. Phillips, Aabyhoj2.1 
 3. Colas, Horsholm1.9 
 4. Christoffers., Bak.1.9 
 5. Bishop, Aalborg1.7 
 6. Curry, Aabyhoj1.6 
 7. Marinkovic, Horsho.1.4 
 8. Eleraky, Aalborg1.1 
 9. Larsen, Vaerlose1.0 
 10. Vinson, Svendborg0.8 


Falcon adds Norsgaard to their roster - by Eurobasket Center
Falcon added to their roster 33-year old guard Kristian Norsgaard (190-G-79). In his first game he scored 5 points helping his new team beat Aabyhoj 80-63. Norsgaard played most recently at Vaerlose BBK (Ligaen). He is a very experienced player.

By Eurobasket Data Center

Ligaen Round 17: Svendborg beats SISU in the most crucial game of the week - by Eurobasket News
Coincidentally all hosts won their games.

An exciting game between Top Four teams was played in Svendborg. First ranked Svendborg faced 4th placed SISU. Host Svendborg (16-1) smashed guests from Copenhagen (7-10) 94-66. The hosts trailed by 1 point at the halftime before their 55-26 charge in the second half, which allowed them to win the game. Svendborg outrebounded SISU 40-26 including a 33-18 advantage in defensive rebounds. It was a great shooting night for Svendborg especially from behind the arc, where they had solid 52.4 percentage. They looked well-organized offensively handing out 23 assists. The best player for the winners was the former international guard Adama Darboe (190-86) who had a double-double by scoring 20 points and 10 rebounds. American forward Matthew Kingsley (206-86, college: SF Austin) chipped in 13 points and 8 rebounds. International point guard Mikael Nielsen (178-90) produced 18 points for the guests. The winner was already known earlier in the game, so both coaches allowed to play the bench players saving starting five for next games. Svendborg maintains first place with 16-1 record. SISU at the other side dropped to the fifth position with ten games lost. Svendborg are looking forward to face Naestved (#3) on the road in the next round, which may be the game of the day. SISU will play against Horsholm and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
An exciting game between Top Four teams was played in Aarhus. Second ranked Bakken faced 3rd placed Naestved. Host Bakken (15-1) smashed guests from Naestved (10-7) 86-59. American guard Joshua Alexander (193-87, college: SF Austin) orchestrated the victory by scoring 26 points and 9 rebounds. Nicolai Iversen contributed with 12 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists for the winners. American point guard Corin Henry (180-88, college: Tarleton St.) answered with 24 points and 5 rebounds for Naestved. Since the result was very predictable, it gave the chance for the coaches to test many bench players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. Bakken have an impressive series of eleven victories in a row. Defending champion maintains second place with 15-1 record behind leader Svendborg. Naestved at the other side keeps the third position with seven games lost. Bakken will play against Aabyhoj (#9) at home in the next round and are hoping to win another game. Naestved will play against the league's leader Svendborg (#1) and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Bottom-ranked Falcon managed to get a fourth victory, breaking the series of four consecutive loses on Thursday night. This time newly promoted Falcon won against seventh-ranked Aabyhoj 80-63. It's especially surprising that the victory came too easily and 17-point difference suggests that Falcon is in a good shape to leave the bottom place. Robert Fields stepped up and scored 22 points and 5 rebounds for the winners. Falcon's coach Henrik Koll used an eleven-player rotation and allowed the starting five to rest. D'Mario Curry responded with a double-double by scoring 17 points and 12 rebounds. Newly promoted Falcon maintains tenth place with 4-13 record. Aabyhoj lost their seventh game in a row. They dropped to the eighth position with 11 games lost. They share it with Horsens IC. Falcon will meet at home higher ranked Aalborg (#4) in the next round and it will be quite challenging to get another victory. Aabyhoj will play against the league's second-placed Bakken (#2) and will have a slim chance for a victory.

In the last game of round 17 Horsens IC was defeated by Aalborg in a road game 91-86.


Aalborg - Horsens IC 91-86

There was no surprise when 7th ranked Horsens IC (6-11) was defeated on the road by fifth ranked Aalborg (7-9) 91-86 on Wednesday. The hosts were tied at the half but managed to speed up in last two quarters eventually winning the game. Aalborg made 21-of-25 free shots (84.0 percent) during the game. They also forced 20 Horsens IC turnovers. American point guard Ryan White (177-88, college: Texas St.) stepped up and scored 24 points, 7 assists and 7 steals (was perfect 10-for-10 from the free throw line !!!) for the winners and forward Soren Sorensen (196-88) chipped in 22 points and 8 rebounds. Four Aalborg players scored in double figures. Slovenian guard Davor Sattler (185-86, agency: Global Sports Plaza) responded with 20 points and 7 assists and American forward Will Harris (198-86, college: Albany) produced a double-double by scoring 18 points and 11 rebounds. Aalborg moved-up to fourth place. Loser Horsens IC dropped to the eighth position with 11 games lost. They share it with Aabyhoj. Aalborg will meet bottom-ranked Falcon (#10) on the road in the next round which should be theoretically an easy game. Horsens IC will play against Vaerlose and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Aalborg: R.White 24+2reb+7ast, S.Sorensen 22+8reb, T.Bishop 15+12reb+3ast, S.Eleraky 12+8reb+1ast, M.Christensen 10+2reb+1ast, M.Rasmussen 8+7reb+2ast
Horsens IC: H.Schur 21+5reb+3ast, D.Sattler 20+4reb+7ast, W.Harris 18+11reb+2ast, C.Lindberg 10+1reb, J.Larsen 8+2reb+4ast, M.St.John 5+5reb+2ast
gschID: 136166


Svendborg - SISU 94-66

An exciting game between Top Four teams was played in Svendborg. First ranked Svendborg faced 4th placed SISU. Host Svendborg (16-1) smashed guests from Copenhagen (7-10) 94-66. The hosts trailed by 1 point at the halftime before their 55-26 charge in the second half, which allowed them to win the game. Svendborg outrebounded SISU 40-26 including a 33-18 advantage in defensive rebounds. It was a great shooting night for Svendborg especially from behind the arc, where they had solid 52.4 percentage. They looked well-organized offensively handing out 23 assists. The best player for the winners was the former international guard Adama Darboe (190-86) who had a double-double by scoring 20 points and 10 rebounds. American forward Matthew Kingsley (206-86, college: SF Austin) chipped in 13 points and 8 rebounds. Four Svendborg players scored in double figures. International point guard Mikael Nielsen (178-90) produced 18 points and American forward Donald Rutherford (198-87, college: Catawba) added 11 points and 7 rebounds respectively for the guests. The winner was already known earlier in the game, so both coaches allowed to play the bench players saving starting five for next games. Svendborg maintains first place with 16-1 record. SISU at the other side dropped to the fifth position with ten games lost. Svendborg are looking forward to face Naestved (#3) on the road in the next round, which may be the game of the day. SISU will play against Horsholm and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Svendborg: A.Darboe 20+10reb+3ast, N.Degn-Andersen 14+3reb, M.Kingsley 13+8reb+2ast, C.Colman 13+2reb+8ast, M.Plannthin 8+3reb+5ast, C.Magaard 8+1reb+1ast
SISU: M.Nielsen 18+3reb, M.Flowers 13+3reb+1ast, D.Rutherford 11+7reb+2ast, J.Harrison 8+4reb+2ast, M.Dennis 7+6reb+5ast, D.Harder 6+1reb+2ast
gschID: 136168


Bakken - Naestved 86-59

An exciting game between Top Four teams was played in Aarhus. Second ranked Bakken faced 3rd placed Naestved. Host Bakken (15-1) smashed guests from Naestved (10-7) 86-59. The game was mostly controlled by Bakken. Naestved was better in second period 21-15. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. American guard Joshua Alexander (193-87, college: SF Austin) orchestrated the victory by scoring 26 points and 9 rebounds. The former international power forward Nicolai Iversen (205-80, college: San Jose City JC) contributed with 12 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists for the winners. American point guard Corin Henry (180-88, college: Tarleton St.) answered with 24 points and 5 rebounds and the other American import forward Jordan Glynn (200-89, college: SF Austin, agency: I.D.S. Law) added 14 points and 8 rebounds in the effort for Naestved. Since the result was very predictable, it gave the chance for the coaches to test many bench players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. Bakken have an impressive series of eleven victories in a row. Defending champion maintains second place with 15-1 record behind leader Svendborg. Naestved at the other side keeps the third position with seven games lost. Bakken will play against Aabyhoj (#9) at home in the next round and are hoping to win another game. Naestved will play against the league's leader Svendborg (#1) and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Bakken: J.Alexander 26+9reb+2ast, N.Iversen 12+6reb+4ast, C.Nielsen 12+1reb+2ast, M.Dejworek 8+9reb, C.Christoffersen 8+1reb+1ast, H.Falsvig 7+3reb+2ast
Naestved: C.Henry 24+5reb+2ast, J.Glynn 14+8reb, M.Creppy 13+1reb+1ast, M.Frandsen 6+9reb, M.Nielsen 2+5reb, P.Christensen 0
gschID: 136169


Falcon - Aabyhoj 80-63

Bottom-ranked Falcon managed to get a fourth victory, breaking the series of four consecutive loses on Thursday night. This time newly promoted Falcon won against seventh-ranked Aabyhoj 80-63. It's especially surprising that the victory came too easily and 17-point difference suggests that Falcon is in a good shape to leave the bottom place. The game without a history. Falcon led from the first minutes and controlled entire game increasing their lead in each quarter. They also forced 22 Aabyhoj turnovers. Mexican Robert Fields stepped up and scored 22 points and 5 rebounds for the winners and the former international guard Julian McFarlane (184-86) chipped in 17 points. Falcon's coach Henrik Koll used an eleven-player rotation and allowed the starting five to rest. American forward D'Mario Curry (201-85, college: Lincoln Memorial) responded with a double-double by scoring 17 points and 12 rebounds and the other American import forward Demetrius Phillips (207-87, college: Bridgeport) produced a double-double by scoring 11 points and 10 rebounds. Both teams had four players each who scored in double figures. Newly promoted Falcon maintains tenth place with 4-13 record. Aabyhoj lost their seventh game in a row. They dropped to the eighth position with 11 games lost. They share it with Horsens IC. Falcon will meet at home higher ranked Aalborg (#4) in the next round and it will be quite challenging to get another victory. Aabyhoj will play against the league's second-placed Bakken (#2) and will have a slim chance for a victory.
Top scorers:
Falcon: R.Fields 22+5reb+2ast, J.McFarlane 17+3reb+3ast, P.Ba 13+7reb+1ast, C.Nielsen 11+7reb+2ast, C.Thomsen 6, K.Norsgaard 5
Aabyhoj: D.Curry 17+12reb+3ast, R.Soby Dalboge 13, D.Jukic 12+8reb+2ast, D.Phillips 11+10reb+2ast, R.Laier 6+4reb, L.Jensen 2
gschID: 136170




Robert Fields is a newcomer at Falcon - by Eurobasket Center
Falcon added to their roster Mexican Robert Fields ). In his first game he scored 22 points and grabbed 5 rebounds helping his new team beat Aabyhoj 80-63. Fields played most recently at Porvoon Tarmo (Finland).

By Eurobasket Data Center

*****************************************************
  D-LEAGUE   


Springfield Armor adds Johnson to their roster - by Eurobasket Center
Springfield Armor agreed terms with 25-year old forward Damian Johnson (201-F-91kg-87, college: Minnesota). In In his first game he didnt score any points but grabbed 8 rebounds helping his new team beat Erie Bay H. 113-111. Johnson played most recently at Bakersfield Jam (D-League). He graduated University of Minnesota in 2010 and actually missed last season. It will be his second season in pro basketball.

By Eurobasket Data Center

Latest D-League games - by Eurobasket Center
Tulsa 66ers - Texas L. 107-86
Marcus Lewis (6'8''-F/C-86, college: ORU) recorded 20 points and 12 rebounds for his seventh double-double of the season, Larry Owens (6'7''-G/F-83, college: ORU) added 18 points and 10 boards and three others scored in double figures to lead the Tulsa 66ers (8-6) past the Texas Legends (5-10) by a 107-86 final Thursday night inside the Tulsa Convention Center. Also scoring in double figures for Tulsa was reserve Dwight Buycks with a game-high 22, Jerome Dyson with 13 and Nkem Ojougboh with 12. The 21-point win marked the largest margin of victory this season for the 66ers. Aiding Tulsa in the big win was a 58-34 advantage in points in the paint and a 26-17 edge in fast break scoring. The 66ers, who never trailed in the contest and led by as many as 28, notched a season-high 25 assists, led by Dyson with eight dishes. 'I thought we did an excellent job tonight of sharing the basketball,' 66ers head coach Dale Osbourne said. 'This week in practice we emphasized ball movement and making plays for teammates, and I think we did a great job of that.' Defensively, the 66ers held the Legends to 30-of-74 (.405) shooting from the floor and forced 19 turnovers. Leading Tulsa in steals was Owens and Lewis with three and two, respectively. 'Defense will continue to be our focus every day,' Osbourne said. 'We know that defense and effort win basketball games, and tonight was a great example of that.' Leading the Legends was guard Drew Neitzel with 14 points and five assists. Reserve Ramon Dyer added 13 points and a team-high nine rebounds. The 66ers will continue their three-game home stand with a contest this Saturday, Jan. 7, against the Maine Red Claws at 7 p.m. CT inside the Tulsa Convention Center. *Courtesy of www.oursportscentral.com

Austin T. - Maine RC 109-103
The Maine Red Claws continued their slide Thursday night, losing its fifth straight game, 109-103 to the Austin Toros. But unlike its previous four games in which Maine lost by an average of 17 points, the Red Claws stayed close for much of the game. Maine (4-11) was tied with Austin at 27 after one quarter, then trailed 55-51 at halftime and 84-75 after three quarters before mounting a comeback . Maine got within two points twice in the fourth quarter and and trailed 107-104 in the final seconds before being forced to foul. Maine had a solid shooting effort, hitting of 40 of 80 field goals and 15 of 20 free throws, but had trouble with its inside game. Austin held a 47-34 advantage on rebounds. Justin Brownlee (6'7''-F-88, college: St.John's) and Lawrence Hill (6'8''-F-87, college: Stanford) each had 17 points to lead six Red Claws in double figures. Courtney Pigram and Xavier Silas followed with 16 points apiece, Randle had 12 and Ricky Davis finished with 11. Austin (10-3) was led by Justin Dentmon, who had 24 points with five assists, and Lance Thomas, who had 18 points and six rebounds. Leo Lyons closed with 15 points, and Eric Dawson chipped in 12 points and a game-high 10 rebounds. The Red Claws will be at Tulsa on Saturday and at Texas on Sunday before heading to New England for three games against Springfield beginning Jan. 14. *Courtesy of www.pressherald.com

Los Angeles D. - Bakersfield J. 104-94
The Los Angeles D-Fenders claimed a 104-94 victory over the Bakersfield Jam after a huge fourth-quarter run at the Toyota Sports Center on Wednesday night. The back-and-forth contest included 11 lead changes and 11 ties before Los Angeles (11-6) went on a 21-8 run in the final frame to get the win and stretch its win streak to three games. Brandon Costner (6'9''-F-87, college: N.Carolina St.), the D-Fenders' leading scorer for the 11th time this season, led the way as he finished with 24 points (16 second half points), five rebounds and three assists. Elijah Millsap (6'6''-G-87, agency: Interperformances, college: UAB) tallied 21 points, seven rebounds and five assists, Malcolm Thomas posted a 14-point, 10-rebound double-double to go with four blocks, and Zach Andrews added 16 points along with eight rebounds to round out the D-Fenders high scorers. Additionally, Courtney Fortson handed out 10 assists in the win. Bakersfield (8-6) was guided by Jeremy Wise, who totaled 17 points (8-11 FG), four rebounds and five assists, and Osiris Eldridge, who scored 13 points. Solomon Alabi, assigned from the Toronto Raptors earlier today, finished with 10 points and 13 rebounds off the bench while Jeremy Hazell chipped in 14 points and Juan Pattillo added 12 points to round out the Jam players in double-figures. The D-Fenders next travel to play the Reno Bighorns on January 6 at 7 p.m. in the first of a home-and-home series of games between the teams. *Courtesy of www.sportspagemagazine.com

Reno B. - Ft.Wayne MA 98-94
The Reno Bighorns got a 98-94 win against the Fort Wayne Mad Ants Wednesday night, completing a two-game sweep in Reno. Andre Emmett (6'5''-G/F-82, college: Texas Tech) led the Bighorns with 23 points and seven rebounds and Blake Ahearn (6'2''-PG-84, college: Missouri St.) tallied 19 points and five assists. Mad Ants were led by Ron Howard with a game-high 32 points. The Bighorns used a strong effort in the paint, winning the rebounding battle 53 to 36 and outscoring the Mad Ants 56 to 36 in the painted area. Terrance Thomas played tough for the Bighorns with 18 points and seven rebounds while Bobby Simmons neared a double-double with 10 points and nine rebounds. Hassan Whiteside continued his strong play with seven points, eight rebounds and four blocked shots in the win. The Bighorns play again at the Reno Events Center on Friday night against the Los Angeles D-Fenders, the NBA D-League affiliate of the Los Angeles Lakers. The game marks the return of former head coach Eric Musselman, who now coaches the D-Fenders. *Courtesy of www.kolotv.com

Springfield A. - Erie Bay H. 113-111 OT
The Springfield Armor avenged an earlier overtime loss to edge the Erie BayHawks 113-111 in overtime Thursday night before 1,749 fans at the MassMutual Center. Devin Green (6'7''-G/F-82, college: Hampton) missed a 3-pointer at the buzzer for Erie (6-10), which beat the Armor (8-7) in its previous game against them 123-117 at Springfield on Dec. 15. Green, who finished with a game-high 34 points Thursday, got a clear out on the right wing to go 1-on-1 on L.D. Williams, but couldn't hit a fading 3-pointer. Green was 0-of-8 from 3-point range heading into Thursday's game. He made his first 3-pointer Thursday but missed his last four attempts, including the potential game winner. The BayHawks play at Springfield again Saturday at 7 p.m. and expect to have former NBA point guard Mike James available to play. Sources close to the situation confirmed Thursday that the BayHawks added James. Out of Duquesne, James was listed on Erie's roster Thursday, but wasn't sitting on the bench and didn't play. The BayHawks must waive a player to add James. They had a full 10-man roster Thursday. The 6-foot 2-inch, 188-pound James averaged 10.5 points in nine NBA seasons. James, who was undrafted, has played for Miami, Detroit, Boston, Houston, Milwaukee, Toronto, Minnesota, New Orleans and Washington. In 2005-06, James, 36, averaged a career-high 20.3 points while with the Raptors. James was last in the NBA in 2009-10 when he played four games for the Wizards. He averaged 4.5 points. ShamSports.com reported that James played in Turkey and China during the 2010-11 season. In Thursday's loss, Erie lead 54-50 at halftime behind Green's 19 first-half points. Green came into Thursday's game averaging 10.7 points. He's played four games for Erie. The 6-foot, 7-inch guard joined the BayHawks through the D-League's allocation rule after being waived by the New York Knicks in their training camp. D-League teams can get up to three players who were waived from the training camps of their NBA affiliates. Kyle Spain added 20 points for the BayHawks. Marvin Phillips had two points and two rebounds in his Erie debut after the BayHawks traded a fourth-round pick in the 2012 D-League Draft to Fort Wayne for him. Jameson Curry (6'4''-G-86, agency: Strategic Sports, college: Oklahoma St.) paced Springfield with a team-high 27 points while Jeff Foote added 24. Erie tried to use Foote, a 7-footer out of Cornell, as a practice player in its training camp, but teams couldn't use practice players in that situation. Erie coach Jay Larranaga was an assistant at Cornell before becoming Erie's coach in 2010-11. *Courtesy of www.goerie.com

Reno B. - Ft.Wayne MA 116-103
The Mad Ants' slow start led to another disappointing finish. After falling behind by 14 points in the first quarter, the Ants lost 116-103 to the Reno Bighorns on Tuesday in an NBA D-League game in Reno. Reno led the entire game. Fort Wayne (5-9) had no answer for the Reno tandem of Blake Ahearn (32 points on 11-of-15 shooting) and Andre Emmett (29 points on 11-of-18 shooting). Reno shot 58 percent from the field to the Ants' 42 percent. The Ants, who have lost five of their last six games, were led by Cameron Jones, who hit 11 of 16 shots and finished with 28 points. Ron Howard added 16 points and Walker Russell Jr. scored 14. Darnell Lazare led the Ants with eight rebounds. The two teams play again in Reno at 10 p.m. Fort Wayne time on Wednesday. Fort Wayne travels to Canton on Friday and returns to play Canton at home on Saturday. Earlier in the day, the Ants finalized their trade that sent Marvin Phillips Jr. to Erie for a fourth-round pick in next year's draft. The team activated rookie Sadiel Rojas, who had been waived due to injury. *Courtesy of www.news-sentinel.com



Standings
D-League Standings
East Conference
 1. Iowa E. 10-4 
 2. Springfield A. 8-7 
 3. Canton C. 7-7 
 4. Dakota W. 6-6 
 5. Erie Bay H. 6-10 
 6. Ft.Wayne MA 5-10 
 7. Sioux Falls S. 5-10 
 8. Maine RC 4-11 
West Conference
 1. Los Angeles D. 11-6 
 2. Austin T. 10-3 
 3. Rio Grande VV 10-6 
 4. Bakersfield J. 8-6 
 5. Tulsa 66ers 8-6 
 6. Reno B. 8-7 
 7. Idaho S. 6-8 
 8. Texas L. 5-10 


Stats Leaders
Points Per Game
 Blake AHEARN
  Reno B.
  (188-PG-84)
  Avg: 26.1
 1. Ahearn, Reno B.26.1 
 2. Costner, Los A.25.6 
 3. Millsap, Los A.23.4 
 4. Dentmon, Austin T.22.0 
 5. Emmett, Reno B.21.8 
 6. Howard, Ft.Wayne.21.5 
 7. Mitchell, Sioux F.20.7 
 8. Curry, Springfield19.8 
 9. Moses Randal., Iow.19.8 
 10. Biggs, Canton C.19.6 
Rebounds Per Game
 Marcus LEWIS
  Tulsa 66ers
  (203-F/C-86)
  Avg: 14.2
 1. Lewis, Tulsa 66ers14.2 
 2. Famous, Iowa E.11.0 
 3. Milligan, Canton C.10.8 
 4. Dawson, Austin T.10.3 
 5. Thomas, Reno B.9.8 
 6. Harris, Maine RC9.6 
 7. Brown, Springfield9.1 
 8. Foote, Springfield9.0 
 9. Reid, Tulsa 66ers8.9 
 10. Daniels, Erie B.8.8 
Assists Per Game
 Walker RUSSELL
  Ft.Wayne.
  (183-G-82)
  Avg: 9.1
 1. Russell, Ft.Wayne.9.1 
 2. Sloan, Erie Bay H.8.4 
 3. Tinsley, Los A.7.6 
 4. Coleman, Sioux F.7.5 
 5. Ewing, Iowa E.7.0 
 6. Cooksey, Texas L.6.9 
 7. Ahearn, Reno B.6.7 
 8. Baker, Dakota W.6.5 
 9. Bailey, Idaho S.6.4 
 10. Wise, Bakersfield6.2 
Steals Per Game
 Elijah MILLSAP
  Los A.
  (198-G-87)
  Avg: 3
 1. Millsap, Los A.3.0 
 2. Baker, Dakota W.2.4 
 3. Tinsley, Los A.2.4 
 4. Curry, Springfield2.3 
 5. Fortson, Los A.2.3 
 6. Roberts, Texas L.2.2 
 7. Dentmon, Austin T.2.1 
 8. Coleman, Sioux F.2.1 
 9. Russell, Ft.Wayne.2.1 
 10. Harris, Rio G.2.1 
Blocks Per Game
 Will FOSTER
  Idaho S.
  (226-C-88)
  Avg: 3.5
 1. Foster, Idaho S.3.5 
 2. Daniels, Erie B.2.2 
 3. Thompson, Erie B.2.0 
 4. Dove, Dakota W.1.9 
 5. Anderson, Dakota1.6 
 6. Kent, Maine RC1.6 
 7. Ojougboh, Tulsa1.6 
 8. Tisdale, Maine RC1.6 
 9. Fazekas, Reno B.1.5 
 10. Major, Bakersfi.1.4 


Erie Bay Hawks sign Marvin Phillips - by Eurobasket Center
Erie Bay Hawks signed 29-year old forward Marvin Phillips (201-F-107kg-83, college: Claflin). In his first game he scored 2 points. However his new team lost to Springfield A. 111-113. Phillips played most recently at Fort Wayne Mad Ants (D-League). He played also pro basketball in Colombia and Mexico. Phillips graduated Claflin University in 2004 and actually missed last season. It will be his eighth season in pro basketball.

By Eurobasket Data Center

Reno Bighorms Acquire NBA Veteran Bobby Simmons - by Surujh Roopnarine
The New Year brought the return of a familiar face to the Reno Bighorns, as former NBA forward Bobby Simmons (6'7''-F/G-80, agency: Priority Sports, college: Florida St.) was acquired on January 2. Simmons, 31, played in 15 games with the Bighorns last season and averaged averaging 13.2 points and 6.2 rebounds per game while shooting 56.3% from the field. Simmons, the NBA's Most Improved Player in 2005 has played in nine NBA seasons, averaging 9.4 points and 4.0 rebounds. His most successful NBA campaign was the 2004-05 season when he averaged 16.4 points, 6.0 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.4 steals with the Los Angeles Clippers.
To make room on the roster the Bighorns released Taj McCullough (6'7''-F-86, college: Winthrop). McCullough played 11 games with the Bighorns this season, averaging 14.2 points and 4.1 rebounds per game.

Bighorns acquire Will Blalock, release Doug Thomas - by Eurobasket News
The Reno Bighorns have acquired Will Blalock (6'0''-PG-83, agency: Priority Sports, college: Iowa St.) as a returning player. In order to fill the spot on the roster, the Bighorns waived Douglas Thomas (6'9''-F/C-83, college: Iowa).

During the 2009-10 NBA D-League season, Blalock played 28 games for the Bighorns, averaging 11.8 points and 7.4 assists per game. He was selected in the second round (60th overall) of the 2006 NBA Draft by the Detroit Pistons, where he played 14 games during the 2006-07 season.

Douglas Thomas played 11 games with the Bighorns this season, averaging 6.6 points and 5.5 rebounds. Thomas played a total of 111 games with the Bighorns over three seasons. He recently attended the San Antonio Spurs training camp.

Fans can see Blalock in action when the Bighorns take on former head coach Eric Musselman and the Los Angeles D-Fenders, affiliate of the Los Angeles Lakers, on Friday night at the Reno Events Center. The first 1,000 fans through the door will receive a Reno Bighorns fleece blanket.

Courtesy of www.oursportscentral.com

Mad Ants land new big man in trade - by Eurobasket News
The Mad Ants have traded for a new big man in their effort to break out of their current funk.

Jarrid Famous (6'11''-F/C-88, college: S.Florida), a 6-foot-11 center who was averaging 16.8 points and 11 rebounds per game for the Iowa Energy, was acquired Thursday in exchange for the Ants' second pick in next year's NBA D-League draft.

The Ants waived center Chris Hunter (6'11''-F/C-84, college: Michigan) due to injury. He has been fighting a groin injury and did not play in the team's 98-84 loss at Reno on Wednesday night.

'We're doing everything possible to get this thing turned around,' Mad Ants president Jeff Potter said.

Despite having one of the most talented rosters on paper, the Ants are 5-10 and have lost five of their last six games.

Famous competed in the Indiana Pacers training camp before being cut and returning to Iowa. He is en route to join the Ants for their game in Canton, Ohio, on Friday, but it is uncertain whether he'll play. He will likely play when the Ants return home for a game against Canton at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at Memorial Coliseum.

Courtesy of www.news-sentinel.com

Babbitt and Johnson assigned to Stampede - by Eurobasket News
The Portland Trail Blazers, with little practice times in a cramped season, have sent second-year players Luke Babbitt (6'9''-F-89, college: Nevada) and Armon Johnson (6'3''-PG-89, college: Nevada) to the Idaho Stampede, the team's affiliate in the NBA Development League.

Although the team did not specify how long the assignment would last, the move brings the Blazers down to 12 players available for Thursday's game against the Lakers.

NBA teams are allowed to activate 13 players per game until Feb. 6, a temporary measure the league instituted to help teams deal with the shortened, compacted season. Sending Babbitt and Johnson to Idaho leaves them with 12 healthy players and Greg Oden.

Courtesy of www.oregonlive.com

Erie BayHawks add former NBA point guard Mike James - by Eurobasket News
The Erie BayHawks have added former NBA point guard Michael James (6'1''-G-75, college: Duquesne), sources close to the situation confirmed today.

The website Ridiculous Upside first reported the transaction.

The 6-foot 2-inch, 188-pound James isn't expected to play in today's 7 p.m. at Springfield (7-7). Erie (6-9) will play at Springfield again Saturday at 7 p.m.

James, who played at Duquesne University, averaged 10.5 points in 528 NBA games over a span of nine seasons.

An Amityville, N.Y. native, James, who was undrafted, has played for the Miami Heat, Detroit Pistons, Boston Celtics, Houston Rockets, Milwaukee Bucks, Toronto Raptors, Minnesota Timberwolves, New Orleans Hornets and Washington Wizards. In 2005-06, James averaged a career-high 20.3 points while with the Raptors.

James last played in the NBA in 2009-10 when he played four games for the Wizards. He averaged 4.5 points.

ShamSports.com reported that James played for Aliaga Petkim in Turkey and for the Zhejiang Cyclones in China during the 2010-11 season.

In order to add James, the BayHawks will have to waive a player. They have three point guards on their current roster: B.J. Jenkins, Mike Gerrity and Loren Stokes.

Each of the three was added during the season. Jenkins, 23, is averaging 11.6 points and 3.8 assists while Gerrity, 25, is averaging 10.2 points and 3.6 assists.

Stokes, 28, is averaging 8.1 points and 1.7 assists.

Erie has six remaining roster moves this season.

Courtesy of www.goerie.com

Brandon Costner named Player of the Month - by Eurobasket News
Los Angeles D-Fenders forward Brandon Costner (6'9''-F-87, college: N.Carolina St.) has been named NBA Development League Player of the Month for games played in Nov. and Dec. The honor, the first of the 2011-12 season, is also the first of Costner's NBA D-League career.

Costner (6-9, 235, North Carolina State), led Los Angeles to a 10-6 record during Nov. and Dec., averaging 25.7 points on 47-percent shooting to go with 6.1 rebounds and 2.2 assists. He scored a season-high 42 points in a 90-97 loss to the Idaho Stampede on Dec. 10, and four-times notched 30-plus point games. For his efforts, he was named NBA D-League Performer of the week on Dec. 12.

Fifteen additional players earned honorable mention accolades, they include: Austin's Justin Dentmon, Bakersfield's Renaldo Major, Canton's Tyrell Biggs, Dakota's Maurice Baker, Erie's Kyle Goldcamp, Fort Wayne's Ron Howard, Idaho's Seth Tarver, Iowa's Moses Ehambe, Maine's Courtney Pigram, Rio Grande Valley's Tyren Johnson, Reno's Blake Ahearn, Springfield's Lance Hurdle, Sioux Falls' Charles Garcia, Texas' Chris Roberts and Tulsa's Marcus Lewis.

Courtesy of www.oursportscentral.com

*****************************************************
  ECUADOR   


1/2 Way there! - by Bayo Arigbon
Bayo Arigbon (197-F-86, college: San Diego Chr.) Whats up everyone 1st I want to say I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas and a Happy new year. Its that time now where we are on break before the 2nd half of the season starts. I plan on resting , but at the same time working out & preparing for the 2nd half of the season. I am so THANKFUL to GOD for this opportunity that ive had to play in Chile. Im thankful for teammates and a coach that believes in me. Not only that but we finished the 1st half of the season 9-5, which is 3rd in the standings. Also i am thankful that GOD has allow me to play well and lead this league in scoring, and in a few other categories, none of this would be possible without him. I am sad that Adrian Hill (203-F-84, college: Rutgers) has parted ways with the team, but everything happens for a reason, and I know he has the talent and skills to land another job. The Player that will replace him is Rome Sanders (203-F/C-84, college: Florida A&M), so i am excited to build chemistry with a new player, and work hard with him because he shares the same goal as me. WIN A CHAMPIONSHIP! I added a short highlight of 6 games (because its took hard to get away game film here in CHILE) that shows a little of the action from the 1st half. Although we had a good 1st half I am looking forward to having GREAT second half.


Here is the LINK to the 1ST HALF HIGHLIGHTS

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gYHk8mOIM_M


*****************************************************
  EUROCUP   


Paok is considering new additions - by Philip Mulryne
According to talkbasket.net, Greece powerhouse PAOK is considering two new additions to the roster. After the departure of Marcus Goree to Benetton, the team wants to sign Milutin Aleksic (203-F-82) and Ryvon Covile (206-C-84, agency: Z.A.G. - Law Offices, college: Detroit Mercy). Aleksic is a Serbian forward, blossomed from Crvena Zvezda ranks and played at various teams includind Buducnost, ASK Riga, Hemofarm, BC Donetsk and Yugoslavia U20 National Team. Last January, he left AEL and came to Panionios where this season he had 10.3 pts and 5.4 rebs per match. Covile is a center who spent most of his carerr up to now at France. Last year, he was again at Panionios before Aleksic but then left for Nanterre. With those additions PAOK aims to recover from the 4-7 W/L count at domestic league.

*****************************************************
  EUROLEAGUE   


Caja Laboral bring in Matt Walsh - by Eurobasket News
Caja Laboral strengthened their roster. They signed a deal with Matt Walsh (197-F/G-82, college: Florida). The guard reportedly signed a one-month deal with the team. Matt Walsh was recently released by UCAM Murcia. He tallied 10.0 points, 3.8 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.0 steal per game in ACB. Last season Matt Walsh spent in France. He played for ASVEL Villeurbanne. The forward notched 17.7 points, 8.3 boards, 6.0 assists and 1.0 steal in EuroCup. In ProA Matt Walsh posted 13.9 points, 4.8 boards, 4.9 assists and 2.0 steals per appearance. The forward had stints Greece, Spain, Belgium and Slovenia. Eurobasket.com named Matt Walsh All-Greek A1 League Newcomer of the Year in 2007.


CLOUDS OVER NEW YORK.. - by Dimitris Kats
After six games (and setting a 2-4 record)the Knicks are not what the most people expect to see. For sure,not a contetor. Although the team signed Mike Woodson at summer with the goal be undertaken to upgrade the defense sector,Knicks are still weak. This year the team is trying to change philosophy and playing a more ''east-cost'' basketball. Forget the New York D'anto-knicks and the famous SSO (seven seconds offense). New York is trying to slow the pace and get advantage of Carmello Anthony's ability to score in the half court. This transition is difficult. After the Christmas match against Boston,the Knicks lost due to injuries two of their best defensive stoppers,rookie Iman Shumpert and Jarred Jefries (he got booed on the opening game). Although D'Antoni's team has great individual defenders like Douglas,Fields and Chandler there is a big issue in the team-defense in which the lack of hustle is being apparent.

The point guard position is a ''black hole''. Without Nash or Billups and with Baron Davis out at least until February coach D'Antoni gave the starting role to Toney Douglas,a great shooter,lockdown defender but far away from what we mean ''pure'' point guard. The Knicks have no rythm at offense (shooting 40%,the 3rd worst) and they display many ups & downs from quarter to quarter.Carmello Anthony has been responsible to run all the pick 'n rolls (usually in a pair with Stoudemire,a coperation which last year didn't excist on Knicks offense)and create for his teamates. Coaching stuff is planning a two guard starting lineup for the next games with combo guard Iman Sumpert next to Douglas but it's obvious that without a healthy Baron Davis,to run the show,they have no chance to compete Heat,Bulls even Pacers or Celtics. Beside defensive problems the squad remains last at rebounding in the whole league. Chandler presence can't change it all without team work and Landry Fields (one of the league's best guard-rebounders)got booed at the last match in Garden for being in a ''low flight'' after Melo's trade. We don't know how Spike Lee is feeling about this..

Knicks fans are arguably the most demanding crowd in the NBA and D'Antoni's offensive minded style has always been questioned in New York. It's obvious that his job is on the line and the predictions say that quickly Mike Woodson will take charge but squad's fans are critical with him too. January's schedule is offer a chance for development. There is an open secret at Madison Square Garden the last 2 weeks.. Everyone wants Phil Jackson back in town!


CLOUDS OVER NEW YORK.. - by Dimitris Kats

After six games (and setting a 2-4 record)the Knicks are not what the most people expect to see. For sure,not a contetor. Although the team signed Michael Woodson at summer with the goal be undertaken to upgrade the defense sector,Knicks are still weak. This year the team is trying to change philosophy and playing a more ''east-cost'' basketball. Forget the New York D'anto-knicks and the famous SSO (seven seconds offense). New York is trying to slow the pace and get advantage of Carmello Anthony's ability to score in the half court. This transition is difficult. After the Christmas match against Boston,the Knicks lost due to injuries two of their best defensive stoppers,rookie Iman Shumpert and Jarred Jefries (he got booed on the opening game). Although D'antoni's team has great individual defenders like Douglas,Fields and Chandler there is a big issue in the team defense which the lack of hustle being apparent.

The point guard position is a black hole. Without Nash or Billups and with Baron Davis out at least until February coach D'Antoni gave the starting role to Toney Douglas,a great shooter,lockdown defender but far away from what we mean ''pure'' point guard. The Knicks have no rythm at offense (shooting 40%,the 3rd worst) and they display many ups & downs from quarter to quarter.Carmello Anthony has been responsible to run all the pick 'n rolls (usually in a pair with Stoudemire,a coperation which last year didn't excist on Knicks offense)and create for his teamates. Coaching stuff is planning a two guard starting lineup for the next games with combo guard Iman Sumpert next to Douglas but it's obvious that without a healthy Baron Davis,to run the show,they have no chance to compete Heat,Bulls even Pacers or Celtics. Beside defensive problems the squad remains last at rebounding in the whole league. Chandler presence can't change it all without team work and Landry Fields (one of the league's best guard-rebounders)got booed at the last match in Garden for being in a ''low flight'' after Melo's trade.We don't know how Spike Lee is feeling about this..

Knicks fans are arguably the most demanding crowd in the NBA and D'Antoni's offensive minded style has always been questioned in New York. It's obvious that his job is on the line and the predictions say that quickly Mike Woodson will take charge but squad's fans are critical with him too. January's schedule is offer a chance for development. There is an open secret at Madison Square Garden the last 2 weeks..Everyone wants Phil Jackson back in town!

*****************************************************
  FINLAND   


KORISLIIGA: 100 points in one contest - by Rauno Hurmalainen
Korisliiga, round 21: When YMCA Lahti and Kouvot from Kouvola met tonight in Lahti, scoring seemed to be very difficult. By the half time these two teams had scored 42 points (25-17) and the same trend continued during the second half. YMCA Lahti won finally 58-42, which means teams scored altogether 100 points. That is the fewest pts ever in the top league in Finland. The old 'record' was from the year 2005, when YMCA Lappeenranta defeated Honka (Espoo) 63-50 = 113 pts. Another record tonight in Lahti was the 42 points Kouvot scored in the game. The old record was 46 pts (Team Componenta and Kouvot), verifies Finnish Basketball Grand Old Man Pentti Salmi.
YMCA Lahti (5-16) was winning again and is climbing upwards as is doing KTP (Kotka) as well. KTP (now 7-14) was visiting the capital city Helsinki and beating Torpan Pojat 67-82 (43-45). ToPo was playing well three quarters, but the last one was heavy (9-20). ToPo had only one American player Chase Griffin (188-G-83, college: Pepperdine) on the roster. Corey McIntosh (183-G-85, agency: Court Side, college: Iowa St.) didn't get a contract and was no more in action. KTP had three Americans, who combined 52 pts and 23 rbs. Tim Blue (205-F-84, college: Middle Tenn.St.) and Tony Crocker (201-G/F-87, college: Oklahoma) scored both 22 pts.
In Tampere local Pyrinto crushed Korihait (Uusikaupunki) 107-66 (50-29). Antwine Williams (192-F-75, agency: Prossin Sports Management, college: N.Colorado) led Pyrinto with 21 pts and Damon Williams (201-F-73, college: Colorado St.-Pueblo) made almost a triple double:19pts/15rbs/9a! At Kauhajoki local Karhu beat Vilpas (Salo) 95-73 (53-30). Karhu was shooting with 58% (14/24) accuracy from behind the arc. Kelly Beidler (199-F-88, agency: R.H.Consultancy, college: Mt.St.Mary's) and Clevin Hannah (180-PG-87, agency: Court Side, college: Wichita St.) netted 24 pts both.
YMCA Lahti - Kouvot 58-42 (25-17). (Ryan Brooks 17, Sami Pekkola 10, Malik Moore 8/6a - Anthony Brown 15/14, Josh Gonner 8, Samuli Vanttaja 7. A: 1059).
ToPo - KTP 67-82 (43-45). (Hanno Mottola 16, Chase Griffin 13/6a, Carl Lindbom 11 - Tim Blue 22, Tony Crocker 22, Jukka Matinen 13. A: 1174).
Pyrinto - Korihait 107-66 (50-29). (Antwine Williams 21, Damon Williams 19/15/9a, Antti Nikkila 15/11 - Cory Johnson 28, Pyry Rainamaa 10, Mikael Herbert 8. A: 958).
Karhu - Vilpas 95-73 (53-30). (Kelly Beidler 24, Clevin Hannah 24, Todd Hendley 14 - Allen Durham 23, John Fields 12, Roope Ahonen 12. A: 775).



Korisliiga Round 23: Bottom-ranked Namika Lahti wins against Kouvot - by Eurobasket News
Bottom-ranked Namika Lahti managed to get the third consecutive victory on Friday night. This time they won against sixth-ranked Kouvot 58-42. It's especially surprising that the victory came too easily and 16-point difference suggests that Namika Lahti is in a good shape to leave the bottom place. Namika Lahti dominated on the defensive end, holding Kouvot to just 5 points in second quarter. American players dominated the game. Guard Ryan Brooks (193-81, college: Temple, agency: Pro One Sports) orchestrated the victory by scoring 17 points and 7 rebounds. Guard Malik Moore (192-77, college: Amer.Internat., agency: Prossin Sports Management) contributed with 8 points, 8 rebounds and 6 assists for the winners. Namika Lahti's coach Kimmo Kujansivu used a ten-player rotation which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. Forward Anthony Brown (203-86, college: Oklahoma St., agency: KMG Sports Management) answered with a double-double by scoring 15 points and 14 rebounds for Kouvot. Namika Lahti have a solid series of three victories in a row. They maintain eleventh place with 5-16 record. Kouvot at the other side keeps the sixth position with 11 games lost. Namika Lahti are looking forward to face higher ranked Salon Vilpas (#9) on the road in the next round and it will be quite challenging to get another victory. Kouvot will play against the league's leader Joensuun Kataja and will have a slim chance for a victory.
Korisliiga top team - Joensuun Kataja (17-4) managed to deliver another win. This time they beat seventh ranked LrNMKY (8-13) 86-75. American players dominated also this game. It was a great evening for swingman Jared Newson (195-84, college: Tenn-Martin, agency: Pro One Sports) who led his team to a victory with a double-double by scoring 25 points and 11 rebounds. B.A. Walker helped adding 19 points and 7 assists. Guard DeAndre Haynes (187-84, college: Kent St., agency: Court Side) responded with 19 points and 7 assists. Joensuun Kataja maintains first place with 17-4 record. LrNMKY at the other side keeps the seventh position with 13 games lost. They share it with Korihait and Salon Vilpas. Joensuun Kataja will play against Kouvot (#6) in Kouvola in the next round which should be theoretically an easy game. LrNMKY will have a break next round.
Worth to mention about the upset in a game between Torpan Pojat (12-9) and KTP-Basket (7-14), which took place in Helsinki. 4th placed Torpan Pojat lost at home to tenth ranked KTP-Basket 67-82 on Friday. It was an exceptional evening for Tim Blue who led the winners and scored 22 points, 8 rebounds and 4 blocks. Chase Griffin came up with 13 points, 5 rebounds and 6 assists for Torpan Pojat in the defeat. KTP-Basket have a solid series of three victories in a row. They maintain tenth place with 7-14 record. Loser Torpan Pojat dropped to the fifth position with nine games lost. KTP-Basket will meet at home higher ranked Tampereen Pyrinto (#3) in the next round and it will be quite challenging to get another victory. Torpan Pojat will play against the league's second-placed Loimaan Korikonkarit and will have a slim chance for a victory.
The game between third ranked Tampereen Pyrinto (13-7) and 7th ranked UU-Korihait (8-13) in Tampere ended with biggest points difference. Tampereen Pyrinto outscored guests from Uusikaupunki 107-66. The best player for the winners was Damon Williams who had a double-double by scoring 19 points, 15 rebounds and 9 assists. Defending champion maintains third place with 13-7 record having five points less than leader Kataja. UU-Korihait lost fourth consecutive game. They keep the seventh position with 13 games lost. Tampereen Pyrinto's next round opponent will be KTP-Basket (#10) in Kotka and are hoping to win another game. UU-Korihait will play at home against Kauhajoen Karhu in Kauhajoki.

In the last game of round 23 Salon Vilpas was smashed by Kauhajoki on the road 95-73.


Pyrinto - Korihait 107-66

The game between third ranked Tampereen Pyrinto (13-7) and 7th ranked UU-Korihait (8-13) in Tampere ended with biggest points difference. Tampereen Pyrinto outscored guests from Uusikaupunki 107-66. The game without a history. Tampereen Pyrinto led from the first minutes and controlled entire game increasing their lead in each quarter. They dominated down low during the game scoring 64 of its points in the paint compared to UU-Korihait's 26 and made 16-of-21 charity shots (76.2 percent) during the game. They outrebounded UU-Korihait 47-27 including a 35-17 advantage in defensive rebounds. Tampereen Pyrinto players were unselfish on offense dishing 27 assists comparing to just 12 passes made by UU-Korihait's players. The best player for the winners was American forward Damon Williams (201-73, college: Colorado St.-Pueblo) who had a double-double by scoring 19 points, 15 rebounds and 9 assists. The former international power forward Antti Nikkila (210-78, college: Valparaiso) chipped in a double-double by scoring 15 points and 11 rebounds. Five Tampereen Pyrinto players scored in double figures. American forward Cory Johnson (200-88, college: Valparaiso, agency: Scorers 1st Sportmanagement) produced 28 points and 6 rebounds and guard Pyry Rainamaa (194-90) added 10 points respectively for the guests. Defending champion maintains third place with 13-7 record having five points less than leader Kataja. UU-Korihait lost fourth consecutive game. They keep the seventh position with 13 games lost. Tampereen Pyrinto's next round opponent will be KTP-Basket (#10) in Kotka and are hoping to win another game. UU-Korihait will play at home against Kauhajoen Karhu in Kauhajoki.
Top scorers:
Pyrinto: A.Williams 21+3reb+2ast, D.Williams 19+15reb+9ast, A.Nikkila 15+11reb+1ast, O.Ahvenniemi 12+6reb, A.Lehto 12+3reb+8ast, O.Heinonen 12+1reb+1ast
Korihait: C.Johnson 28+6reb+2ast, P.Rainamaa 10+1reb+2ast, M.Herbert 8+3reb, P.Heinonen 5+4reb+2ast, S.Vanzant 5+1reb+1ast, N.Moore 5+6reb+1ast
gschID: 141737


ToPo - KTP 67-82

Worth to mention about the upset in a game between Torpan Pojat (12-9) and KTP-Basket (7-14), which took place in Helsinki. 4th placed Torpan Pojat lost at home to tenth ranked KTP-Basket 67-82 on Friday. It was a very close game until the last quarter, when KTP-Basket's pressure prevailed and they won that period 20-9 extending their advantage to 15 points. It was an exceptional evening for American forward Tim Blue (205-84, college: Middle Tenn.St.) who led the winners and scored 22 points, 8 rebounds and 4 blocks. His fellow American import swingman Tony Crocker (201-87, college: Oklahoma) accounted for 22 points and 6 rebounds (was perfect 8-for-8 from the free throw line) for the winning side. American guard Chase Griffin (188-83, college: Pepperdine) came up with 13 points, 5 rebounds and 6 assists and the former international power forward Hanno Mottola (209-76, college: Utah) added 16 points and 5 rebounds respectively for Torpan Pojat in the defeat. Four Torpan Pojat players scored in double figures. KTP-Basket have a solid series of three victories in a row. They maintain tenth place with 7-14 record. Loser Torpan Pojat dropped to the fifth position with nine games lost. KTP-Basket will meet at home higher ranked Tampereen Pyrinto (#3) in the next round and it will be quite challenging to get another victory. Torpan Pojat will play against the league's second-placed Loimaan Korikonkarit and will have a slim chance for a victory.
Top scorers:
KTP: T.Crocker 22+6reb, T.Blue 22+8reb+1ast, J.Matinen 13+4reb, J.Williams 8+9reb, B.Sarcevic 7+7reb+6ast, M.Pounds 7
ToPo: H.Mottola 16+5reb, C.Griffin 13+5reb+6ast, C.Lindbom 11+8reb, K.Muurinen 10+9reb+1ast, E.Lehtinen 7+4reb+1ast, T.Heinonen 6+5reb+1ast
gschID: 141738


Kataja - LrNMKY 86-75

Korisliiga top team - Joensuun Kataja (17-4) managed to deliver another win. This time they beat seventh ranked LrNMKY (8-13) 86-75. The game was mostly controlled by Joensuun Kataja. LrNMKY was better in third quarter 22-15. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. They outrebounded LrNMKY 41-24 including a 32-21 advantage in defensive rebounds. American players dominated also this game. It was a great evening for swingman Jared Newson (195-84, college: Tenn-Martin, agency: Pro One Sports) who led his team to a victory with a double-double by scoring 25 points and 11 rebounds. Guard B.A. Walker (188-84, college: VCU, agency: Pro One Sports) helped adding 19 points and 7 assists. Guard DeAndre Haynes (187-84, college: Kent St., agency: Court Side) responded with 19 points and 7 assists and forward Lawrence Hamm (198-84, college: Towson, agency: Court Side) scored 18 points and 8 rebounds. Five Joensuun Kataja and four LrNMKY players scored in double figures. Joensuun Kataja maintains first place with 17-4 record. LrNMKY at the other side keeps the seventh position with 13 games lost. They share it with Korihait and Salon Vilpas. Joensuun Kataja will play against Kouvot (#6) in Kouvola in the next round which should be theoretically an easy game. LrNMKY will have a break next round.
Top scorers:
Kataja: J.Newson 25+11reb+3ast, B.Walker 19+4reb+7ast, J.Price 18+11reb, A.Kanervo 11+7reb, S.Lehtoranta 10+5reb+1ast, P.Virtanen 3+3reb+8ast
LrNMKY: D.Haynes 19+2reb+7ast, L.Hamm 18+8reb+2ast, P.Riihela 12+8reb, T.Kulha 11+1ast, M.Ojala 5+2reb, T.Tiedeman 5+4reb+1ast
gschID: 141734


Namika Lahti - Kouvot 58-42

Bottom-ranked Namika Lahti managed to get the third consecutive victory on Friday night. This time they won against sixth-ranked Kouvot 58-42. It's especially surprising that the victory came too easily and 16-point difference suggests that Namika Lahti is in a good shape to leave the bottom place. Namika Lahti dominated on the defensive end, holding Kouvot to just 5 points in second quarter. American players dominated the game. Guard Ryan Brooks (193-81, college: Temple, agency: Pro One Sports) orchestrated the victory by scoring 17 points and 7 rebounds. Guard Malik Moore (192-77, college: Amer.Internat., agency: Prossin Sports Management) contributed with 8 points, 8 rebounds and 6 assists for the winners. Namika Lahti's coach Kimmo Kujansivu used a ten-player rotation which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. Forward Anthony Brown (203-86, college: Oklahoma St., agency: KMG Sports Management) answered with a double-double by scoring 15 points and 14 rebounds and guard Josh Gonner (188-82, college: S.Carolina) added 8 points and 5 rebounds in the effort for Kouvot. Namika Lahti have a solid series of three victories in a row. They maintain eleventh place with 5-16 record. Kouvot at the other side keeps the sixth position with 11 games lost. Namika Lahti are looking forward to face higher ranked Salon Vilpas (#9) on the road in the next round and it will be quite challenging to get another victory. Kouvot will play against the league's leader Joensuun Kataja and will have a slim chance for a victory.
Top scorers:
Namika Lahti: R.Brooks 17+7reb+1ast, S.Pekkola 10+4reb, R.Suonio 8+1reb+2ast, M.Moore 8+8reb+6ast, B.Bailey 7+4reb, S.Cakici 3
Kouvot: A.Brown 15+14reb+2ast, J.Gonner 8+5reb+2ast, S.Vanttaja 7+4reb+1ast, A.Jordan 4+10reb, T.Rintala 4+1reb, I.Seppala 2+1reb
gschID: 141735


Kauhajoki - Salon Vilpas 95-73

No shocking result in a game when fifth ranked Kauhajoen Karhu (13-8) crushed 8th ranked Salon Vilpas (8-13) in Kauhajoki 95-73. The game was mostly controlled by Kauhajoen Karhu. Salon Vilpas was better in third quarter 19-14. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. Kauhajoen Karhu forced 25 Salon Vilpas turnovers. They shot the lights out from three nailing 14 long-distance shots on high 58.3 percentage. Americans were the main players on the court. The best player for the winners was forward Kelly Beidler (199-88, college: Mt.St.Mary's, agency: R.H.Consultancy) who scored 24 points and 8 rebounds. point guard Clevin Hannah (180-87, college: Wichita St., agency: Court Side) chipped in 24 points and 5 assists (on 10-of-13 shooting from the field). Four Kauhajoen Karhu players scored in double figures. Forward Allen Durham (198-88, college: Grace Bible) produced 23 points and 7 rebounds and forward John Fields (205-88, college: Tennessee) added 12 points and 8 rebounds respectively for the guests. Salon Vilpas' coach Mikko Tupamaki gave up on the game allowing to play twelve players seeing no chance for a win. Kauhajoen Karhu moved-up to fourth place. Salon Vilpas at the other side dropped to the seventh position with 13 games lost. Kauhajoen Karhu's next round opponent will be UU-Korihait (#8) in Uusikaupunki. Salon Vilpas will play at home against Namika Lahti.
Top scorers:
Kauhajoki: K.Beidler 24+8reb, C.Hannah 24+2reb+5ast, T.Hendley 14+5reb, J.Eskola 12+2reb+2ast, A.Huuskonen 8+3reb, H.Hirvikoski 8+3reb+2ast
Salon Vilpas: A.Durham 23+7reb+1ast, J.Fields 12+8reb, R.Ahonen 12+1reb+4ast, E.Holloway 5+8reb+2ast, I.Kallio 5, J.Kataja 5+2reb+1ast
gschID: 141736




Standings - Korisliiga
Korisliiga Standings
 1. Kataja 17-4 
 2. Nilan Bisons 13-5 
 3. Pyrinto 13-7 
 4. Kauhajoki 13-8 
 5. ToPo 12-9 
 6. Kouvot 9-11 
 7. LrNMKY 8-13 
 8. Korihait 8-13 
 9. Salon Vilpas 8-13 
 10. KTP 7-14 
 11. Namika Lahti 5-16 


Stats Leaders - Korisliiga
Points Per Game
 Tim BLUE
  KTP
  (205-F-84)
  Avg: 21.8
 1. Blue, KTP21.8 
 2. Zeno, Nilan Bisons21.7 
 3. Crocker, KTP20.6 
 4. Beidler, Kauhajoki20.1 
 5. Holloway, Salon V.19.7 
 6. Newson, Kataja18.6 
 7. Brooks, Namika L.18.5 
 8. Griffin, ToPo17.9 
 9. Hamm, LrNM.17.5 
 10. Tiedeman, LrNM.17.3 
Rebounds Per Game
 John FIELDS
  Salon Vilpas
  (205-F-88)
  Avg: 14.1
 1. Fields, Salon Vilp.14.1 
 2. Blue, KTP11.5 
 3. Newson, Kataja9.3 
 4. Beidler, Kauhajoki9.0 
 5. Hairston, Salon V.8.7 
 6. Williams, Pyrinto8.7 
 7. McDade, Nilan B.8.5 
 8. Zeno, Nilan Bisons8.1 
 9. Nikkila, Pyrinto7.9 
 10. Hamm, LrNM.7.9 
Assists Per Game
 Jeb IVEY
  Nilan Bisons
  (190-G-80)
  Avg: 5.2
 1. Ivey, Nilan Bisons5.2 
 2. Williams, Pyrinto4.5 
 3. Hannah, Kauhajoki4.3 
 4. Virtanen, Kataja4.1 
 5. Sarcevic, KTP4.0 
 6. Moore, Namika L.4.0 
 7. Haynes, LrNM.4.0 
 8. Walker, Kataja3.9 
 9. Nikkarinen, Kouvot3.3 
 10. Ahonen, Salon Vil.3.3 
Steals Per Game
 Juha STEN
  Kataja
  (191-G-83)
  Avg: 2.5
 1. Sten, Kataja2.5 
 2. Moore, Korihait2.4 
 3. Williams, Pyrinto2.3 
 4. Beidler, Kauhajoki2.2 
 5. Newson, Kataja1.9 
 6. Holloway, Salon V.1.7 
 7. Sarcevic, KTP1.7 
 8. Brooks, Namika L.1.7 
 9. Haynes, LrNM.1.7 
 10. Jordan, Kouvot1.6 
Blocks Per Game
 John FIELDS
  Salon Vilpas
  (205-F-88)
  Avg: 2.5
 1. Fields, Salon Vilp.2.5 
 2. Beidler, Kauhajoki2.1 
 3. Hairston, Salon V.1.3 
 4. Lehtoranta, Kataja1.0 
 5. Blue, KTP1.0 
 6. Zeno, Nilan Bisons0.9 
 7. Jones, Nilan Bisons0.9 
 8. Price, Kataja0.8 
 9. McDade, Nilan B.0.8 
 10. Ahvenniemi, Pyrin.0.7 


*****************************************************
  FRANCE   


Standings - ProA
ProA Standings
 1. Chalon 11-2 
 2. Gravelines 11-2 
 3. Nancy 10-2 
 4. Le Mans 10-3 
 5. Paris-Levallois 9-4 
 6. Orleans 8-5 
 7. Roanne 6-6 
 8. ASVEL 6-7 
 9. Dijon 6-7 
 10. Strasbourg 5-8 
 11. Cholet 5-8 
 12. Le Havre 4-9 
 13. Nanterre 4-9 
 14. Pau-Lacq-Orthez 4-9 
 15. Hyeres-Toulon 2-11 
 16. Poitiers 2-11 


*****************************************************
  GERMANY   


Standings - ProA
ProA Standings
 1. MBC 12-3 
 2. Kirchheim 12-4 
 3. Crailsheim 10-5 
 4. Chemnitz 9-6 
 5. Webmoebel 8-7 
 6. NBC 8-7 
 7. Duesseldorf 8-7 
 8. Jena 8-8 
 9. Heidelberg 7-7 
 10. Ehingen 7-8 
 11. ETB Wohnbau 6-9 
 12. Cuxhaven 6-9 
 13. Braves 5-10 
 14. Karlsruhe 5-10 
 15. Leitershofen 2-13 


Stats Leaders - 2.Bundesliga
Points Per Game
 Martin SAMARCO
  Karlsruhe
  (191-G-85)
  Avg: 21.1
 1. Samarco, Karlsruhe21.1 
 2. McKiver, Braves20.2 
 3. Reese, Duesseldorf19.7 
 4. Stommes, Webmoebel19.3 
 5. Hassan, Leitersh.18.2 
 6. Alexander, ETB W.17.8 
 7. Roessler, Karlsruhe17.8 
 8. Webb, Crailsheim17.5 
 9. Howard, Karlsruhe17.5 
 10. Reid, MBC17.1 
Rebounds Per Game
 Justin HOWARD
  Karlsruhe
  (208-C-81)
  Avg: 10.7
 1. Howard, Karlsruhe10.7 
 2. Uskoski, Kirchheim8.6 
 3. Black, Jena8.2 
 4. Webb, Crailsheim7.9 
 5. Lawson, Chemnitz7.7 
 6. Harris, Cuxhaven7.4 
 7. Richardson, Leiter.7.2 
 8. Mason, Webmoebel6.9 
 9. De Michael, NBC6.8 
 10. Watts, Heidelberg6.6 
Assists Per Game
 Ahmad SMITH
  Kirchheim
  (194-G-84)
  Avg: 6
 1. Smith, Kirchheim6.0 
 2. Johnson, Chemnitz5.7 
 3. Jeka, Braves5.5 
 4. Holcomb Faye, MBC4.9 
 5. Hill, Crailsheim4.7 
 6. Burgess, Heidelberg4.6 
 7. Chavis, NBC4.5 
 8. Diggs, Webmoebel4.5 
 9. Rice, Cuxhaven4.4 
 10. Reese, Duesseldo.4.3 
Steals Per Game
 Cedric BROOKS
  Kirchheim
  (185-G-80)
  Avg: 2.3
 1. Brooks, Kirchheim2.3 
 2. Bowlin, Leitershof.1.9 
 3. Rice, Cuxhaven1.8 
 4. Capel, Cuxhaven1.7 
 5. Johnson, Chemnitz1.7 
 6. Ishizaki, Chemnitz1.6 
 7. Harris, NBC1.5 
 8. Williamson, Ehingen1.5 
 9. Diggs, Webmoebel1.5 
 10. Hill, Crailsheim1.4 
Blocks Per Game
 Dmitriy CHEREMNYKH
  Braves
  (213-C-78)
  Avg: 1.8
 1. Cheremnykh, Braves1.8 
 2. De Michael, NBC1.5 
 3. Zipser, Heidelberg1.3 
 4. Williamson, Ehingen1.2 
 5. Oakes, MBC0.9 
 6. Okoye, NBC0.9 
 7. Harris, Cuxhaven0.9 
 8. Flomo, Duesseldorf0.9 
 9. Howard, Karlsruhe0.9 
 10. Thomas, Kirchheim0.8 


Crailsheim Merlins bring in Aaron Cook - by Moritz Korff
Aaron Cook (186-G-83, college: Hartford) has put pen to paper on a deal with the Crailsheim Merlins (2. Bundesliga Pro A), the club tells today. Cook started this current season with Mitteldeutscher BC, but appeared in only three league games (5.3ppg, 2.3apg, 2.3rpg), as he suffered a broken bone in his hand early in the season and parted ways with MBC recently. The 28-year-old combo guard was named Eurobasket.com All-Pro A Honorable Mention following the impact he made on the Cuxhaven BasCats last season. Cook will be the fifth American player on the Merlins' team, who wanted to add some more experience and depth for the stretch run and their antcipated play off appearance.

Can Jerry Green Get EnBW Ludwigsburg To The Beko BBL Playoffs This season? - by Miles Schmidt-Scheuber
Since the return of EnBW Ludwigsburg to the Beko BBL in 2002, the club has reached only three playoff appearances from 2004-2007 and the name Jerry Green (191-G-80, college: Cal-Irvine) was as important and key for those three glorious years as Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow has been for their success this season in Denver, Borusia Monchengladback German Marco Reus for his timely goals and team current fourth place or Christmas giving the Wham song last Christmas endless radio play each December to the hearts content for people across the globe, but in his second tour of duty in Ludwigsburg, Green hasnt had his magic wan working as last season the club missed the playoffs on the last game day. With the new 4,500 Ludwigsburg arena in its third season of operation and the attendance rate down from the 2009-2010 season by 300 patrons per game, pressure continues to rise rapidly on the team to reach the May games like smoke from an erupted volcano. One cant always rely on one player or coach to always bring consistent success to a place like legendary head coach Jerry Sloan did to the Utah Jazz for 15 years from 1989-2003 and having needed components like Karl Malone and Jerry Stockton dont grow on maple trees either. To say that Jerry Green (191-G-80, college: Cal-Irvine) is at fault for not leading EnBW Ludwigsburg to the Beko BBL playoffs last season and for their current slide would be more than unfair. I dont think that Green is feeling pressure to have to do extra incredible things to get that success. One cant say he is the reason for the non success now. There are so many other factors involved that have been the reason for their slide at the moment. Green is the complete point guard that is athletic, can score and is a good passer who helps the team in so many ways, stressed Artland Dragon German Christian Hoffmann.

It has been a while since the wins for EnBW Ludwigsburg were as frequent as theyhave been for the Brose Baskets Bamberg in the last years. There was one season, where the team was winning, winning, winning and Who could forget the 2006-2007 EnBW Ludwigsburg Cinderella team that started the season on a seven game winning streak, winning the first 11 of 12 games and dominating the BBL the whole season until losing in the semi finals against The Brose Baskets Bamberg who would later win the BBL title. There was something so fresh with this team as team basketball had been taught by coach Silvano Propat and his players had learned it as quickly as first graders do their a,b,cs. However the last two seasons were a downgrade as the playoffs were missed. In the 2007-2008 season, the team reached the BBL cup final losing to The Artland Dragons, but management somehow had their differences with coach Silvano Poropat as he had to pack his bags and go. In 2008-2009, management brought in ex Bamberg player Rick Stafford as the team missed the playoffs again and were searching for an identity all season long, but never found one. After December 14th, 2008, the team would not win more than one game at a time before losing again. It was a very disappointing and weird season as the biggest highlights were the three B wins against Berlin, Bonn and Bamberg, and then the strange 1-0 win as The Giessen 46ers were unable to get to Ludwigsburg on time as they were stuck in traffic. It also marked the last professional season of all rounder and likeable American Brandon Woudstra who decided to hang up his sneakers and return back to the States to start a new life with his family. The 2009-2010 season marked a rebirth as a new arena was introduced, a new coach with Tolga Ongoren and many new Americans that would hopefully lead the club back to the playoffs. Many fans had to get used to watching basketball in a new state of the art arena as the club said goodbye to the old, but comfy Rundsporthalle that had been alive for 37 years. The goal last season could only be the playoffs as the club has a lot of pressure from their sponsor to perform in the new arena, but this important goal was missed as the team missed the playoffs for the third consecutive season finishing the season in 11th place with a record 17-17. In the last three seasons, the club had a dismal record of 48-54. Two years ago, the club started well last season winning seven of their first nine games including a six game winning streak, but then lost nine of 11 games. The team had the problem of being consistent and was unable to beat the big teams. Their two biggest wins of the season was against Oldenburg and BG Goettingen. The team was strong on paper, with players like Kyle Bailey, Michael King, Quadre Lollis, Kyle Visser, Michael Haynes, Domonic Jones and Richard Chaney, but coach Tolga Ongoren was unable to produce a chemistry on the court and something else was missing as well. 'It seemed that winning wasnt as important to some guys as their selves. They definitely were talented enough for the playoffs, but they lost some games that they should of won', stressed ex Paderborn guard Steven Wright.

Last season, EnBW Ludwigsburg got off to a slow start as they were in 15th place with a record of 2-5 before the first meeting with The Deutsche Bank Skyliners in Frankfurt in November. Despite the poor start, it was simply to early to have any panic yet in Ludwigsburg. 'Ludwigsburg is a very experienced team. They were tough to handle down low, because they are so big. The team seemed to have tough luck at the start', stressed Quentin Pryor. It didnt help the team either that power forward Donatas Zavackas was injured in the first months missing 7 games. In November EnBW Ludwigsburg and many other teams were having growing pains. 'Ludwigsburg is a very good team and were finding each other as are many other teams in the league were. They have great players and continued to improve. Their strength is the guards and Harris, Green and Bowler play a great role. They have a good inside out game and have depth at the guard position. It was just a matter of time before they started winning. I just think they play well together and they started to understand their go to guys and their roles later', said John Bynum. 'Their weakness is that they lack some depth from the bench', expressed Quentin Pryor. 'I think depth is their weakness, but at the same time they make it up with what there starters bring to the table', added John Bynun. Jerry Green (191-G-80, college: Cal-Irvine) might be their key player for the team, but so was Harris, Bowler and Rickert. 'Alex Harris was their X-factor last season being their leading scorer and main threat from the perimeter. Bowler and Rickert were a tough tandem to handle because they are so big. You have to crowd Bowler and make him put the ball on the floor. You have to fight Rickert for position and cant let him catch the ball close to the basket, because then you will be in trouble', stated Quentin Pryor. 'Without a question Alex Harris was their X-factor', warned John Bynum. EnBW Ludwigsburg went on a five game winning streak in December 2010 which got them more into the direction of the beko BBL playoffs. The club showed nerves of steel winning a big game in Oldenburg 67-66. Since the winning streak, the team has played in spurts having two three game winning streaks and one three game losing streak, but at the same time were over 500 with a 10-8 record and on course for the playoffs as they their fate leads in their hands. In the last two months it seems like the chemistry has progressed positively as they have won five of their last eight games and three of their last four games. 'They were clicking right at the right time. They have did some good things in the last couple of weeks and they were showing why they are in the playoff race. If a team clicks especially at this time of the year it can be very dangerous to play for a higher seed', warned John Bynum. The biggest wins of the season for EnBW Ludwigsburg was against 8 time beko BBL champion Alba Berlin, BG Goettingen and The New Yorker Phantoms Braunschweig at home. However their 2010-2011 rollar coaster season ended at home on a sad note as the ylost the last two games of the season to Bamberg and 94-79 to Frankfurt which they had to win to enter the playoffs and finished with a 18-16 record landing in ninth place.

Before the season started, team CEO Alexander Reil stressed a three point plan that he wanted to achieve with EnBW Ludwigsburg with consistency, Identification and giving the fans an attractive basketball game. The club hasnt reached the Beko BBL playoffs since 2007 and since then the fans have gotten impatient, but it seems like with only a minimal budget, the expectations seem to be a lot higher than what they should be. Markus Jochem started his planning for this season, by doing an important deed by keep a healthy core of his players from last season with with John Mr old school Bowler, German forward Johannes Lischka who is on the verge of breaking out, the heart and soul of the team point guard Jerry Green (191-G-80, college: Cal-Irvine), athletic sharp shooter Alex Harris, Mr versatile forward Lithuanian Donatas Zavackas and the added assistant coach on the court who will do anything to win David Mccray. Jochum brought in defense stand out Mark Dorris who was the fifth best scorer in the Beko BBL last season, shot blocking sensation and rebound ace Kurt Looby and recently Jeff Greer who adds experience that is lacking with the retirement to ex NBA player Toby Bailey. The team lost only Bailey and Rick Rickert. Recently the club brought in experienced Jeff Greer who has had a long and successful basketball career in France.

The 2011-2012, season started off with a bang as EnBW Ludwigsburg won three of their first four games beating Giessen and potential playoff teams the EWE Baskets Oldenburg and Bremerhaven at home showing early their scoring power averaging 90 points in the two wins against the teams from the north. However then out of nowhere and totally unexpected, the club went on a severe tailspin losing nine of ten games and recently axed having Markus Jochum as head coach a man who Is a basketball legend in Ludwigsburg having played for the club from 1987-1996 and played 62 games for the German national team, the team recently had to react and he had to pack his bags and assistant coach Steven Key took over the reigns. The team has misfortune at the start of the losing streak losing to Braunschweig and Ulm by one point, but in the last weeks have given up more than 80 points per game as their bad habit of allowing too many points from last season seems to have surfaced again. The team has a very solid roster and should be a team that can be in the 10-13 range in the standings.Ludwigsburg have been going through a tough period. They have been without Jerry Green (191-G-80, college: Cal-Irvine) and structure is missing. Dorris is more of a scoring point guard than an organizer, added ex TBB Trier German Christian Hoffmann. It is no secret that the Beko BBL has gotten stronger each year, but EnBW Luwdwigsburg is a club that could battle for the positions 9-12. Their strength is their athletic guards. Their weakness is the defense. Their big guys arent as mobile and the opponents get easy baskets inside. Without Green, something is missing on defense. On offense , a guy like John Bowler needs to get the ball inside more where he is dangerous, but too often he is only taking the pick and pop which he can make, but his game is more inside, warned Christian Hoffmann.

The Fraport Skyliners have nice memories of the last 12 games against EnBW Ludwigsburg having a 8-4 record. They have a 4-1 record in the Ballsporthalle. One player who has fond memories of playing EnBW Ludwigsburg is ex Skyliner Derrick Allen who was the top scorer of Frankfurt in four of the last six games including a 37 point performance in a 96-87 win in 2008. In 2008-2009, The Deutsche Bank Skyliners split the season series 1-1 winning 68-64 at home getting 19 points from Aubrey Reese and losing the last game of the season 71-62 on the road getting 18 points from Derrick Allen. Last season, The Deutsche Bank Skyliners beat EnBW Ludwigsburg 74-67 in a low scoring affair. Frankfurt was led by Roger Powell with 16 points and six rebounds while current beko BBL top scorer Dashaun Wood chipped in with 13 points and eight assists. EnBW Ludwigsburg was led by Alex Harris with 18 points and ex Telekom Baskets Bonn center John Bowler was tough with 13 points and nine rebounds. In the last game of the season in Ludwigsburg, the Skyliners whipped EnBW Ludwigsburg 94-79 as ex NBA player Roger Powell had his best game as a Skyliner pouring in 28 points and Dashaun Wood added a double double with 19 points and 10 assists.

The Fraport Skyliners enter the game against EnBW Ludwigsburg with more personal with new player Devin Gibson who played at The university of Texas at San Antonio and is looking for his debut. Frankfurt continues to be a force on the road, but havent won in their own living room in almost three months. In order to be successful in the German league, you need to be able to win at home. Frankfurt needs to play good defense like they did against us which usually will spark their offense. They have to take out their big guys and attack from outside, stressed Christian Hoffmann. EnBW Ludwigsburg finally won again in Tuebingen after having lost nine of their last 10 games and the Skyliners know that this team will not be a cake walk. We have to control their guards and make it tough for them and we will be fine. We have been defending well for weeks and will need to continue to do that. The reason for our winning the last years has been because of our defense, stressed Jimmy Mckinney. We will have to be ready for Ludwigsburg. We need to bring the momentum from Giessen into that game and finally win at home again, stressed Jacob Burtschi.

EnBW Ludwigsburg are led by 31 year old 203cm Donatas Zavackas from Lithuania who is playing his second season there. He is a hard nosed and very versatile player, with good on 1-on-1 offensive skills; excels in game without the ball, and runs the court very well; shoots well from the distance, and defense well, thanks to a strong body can play in the two forward positions, but his size and quickness make him better for the Shooting forward position. He played at : Pittsburgh (NCAA) from 1998-2003 reaching the NCAA Sweet 16 in 2002 and 2003. In his 8 year professional basketball career, he has played in countries like Poland, France, Belgium, Italy and Spain. Before coming to Germany, he played for top European team Lietuvos Rytas Vilnius from 2008-2010 playing 10 Euroleague games. Last season for Ludwigsburg, he played 27 games: 12.5ppg, 5.7rpg, 1.3apg, FGP: 41.7%, 3PT-2 (49.5%), FT-3 (88.5%). He was Lithuanian League Champion and cup winner in 2009 and 2010 and won the Eurocup in 2009 with Lietuvos Rytas Vilnius. The team brought back Alex Harris who is a 25 year old 196cm guard from Mission Viejo, California that is playing his first season in Luwdigsburg. He grew up in Alameda, California and played at the University of California/Santa Barbara from 2004-2008 and in his senior year, he played games: 20.2ppg, 3.7rpg, 1.7apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 43.0%, 3Pts: 42.3%, FT: 81.2%. After college, he played in the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament (Pre-NBA Draft): 3 games: 8.3ppg, 3.0rpg, 1.0apg, 1.0spg, FGP: 34.5%, 3PT: 11.1%, FT: 66.7%. In 2008-2009, he turned professional and played in Poland the last two seasons. In 2008-2009, he played for Turow Zgorzelec (Poland-DBE, starting five): Eurocup: 6 games: 6.8ppg, 1.0rpg, 1.0apg; Polish League: 34 games: 7.3ppg, 2.1rpg, FGP: 40.4%, 3PT: 38.9%, FT: 82.7%. In 2009-2010, he played for Czarni Slupsk (Poland-PLK, starting five): 30 games: 9.7ppg, 3.0rpg, 1.4apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 38.2%, 3PT: 40.0%, FT: 81.5%. He played in the Polish Allstar game 2010. Last season for Ludwigsburg, he played 34 games: Score-4 (16.0ppg), 2.4rpg, 1.6apg, FGP: 50.0%, 3PT: 42.8%, FT: 80.8%. He played at the 2011 Beko BBL Allstar game in Trier.

John Bowler is a 27 year old 206cm forward/center from Chicago, Illinois that is playing his second season with EnBW Luwigsburg. He is the ultimate team player who really understands the game of basketball and does not back down from anybody.He is a big competitor who does everything needed to win. He played at Eastern Michigan from 2002-2006. In his senior year, he played 28 games: 20.1ppg, 10.8rpg, 2.5apg, FG: 54.9%, 3PT: 28.6%, FT: 72.3%. He finished being the 11th best scorer in Eastern Michigan history getting 1427 points and fifth best rebounder with 801 rebounds. he recorded 32 double doubles in his college career. He started his professional basketball career for The Telekom Baskets Bonn in 2006 and played there until 2010. In his four seasons with the Telekom Baskets, he made it to the German BBL Finals twice and qualified every season for the play-offs... named Most Likeable Player in German BBL in 2008. His best season was 2007-2008 as he played 39 games: 12.1ppg, 5.3rpg, 1.1apg, 2FGP: 56.0%, 3PT: 41.9%, FT: 70.5%. In 2009-2010, he played 27 games: 7.7ppg, 3.5rpg, FGP: 52.0%, 3PT: 25.0%, FT: 79.4%. Last season for Ludwigsburg, he played 34 games: 11.8ppg, 5.1rpg, 1.2apg, FGP: 56.4%, 3PT: 16.7%, FT: 79.5%. The club brought back fan favorite Jerry Green (191-G-80, college: Cal-Irvine) who could jump in for the soul singer Lionel Richie at a concert simply because of the similarity in appearance. He played for EnBW Ludwigsburg from 2004-200t and led the team to their best season in club history in the 2006-2007 season as they belonged to the top teams in the BEKO BBL and reached the semi finals of the playoffs before bowing out to Bamberg. Green is a 30 year old 191cm point guard from Pomona, California. He is a point guard, with great offesive skills, but a first-look-to-pass mentality. He led his college team in scoring for 3 seasons and in assists for 4 seasons... Has a solid body and this allows him to defend well and to grab some rebounds. He can easily hit a three pointer, if left open. He played at Cal Irvine from 1999-2002. In his senior year, he played games: ScoreConf-1 (20.3ppg), 3.9rpg, 4.0apg, 1.5spg, FGPConf-7 (48.2%), 3PTConf-5 (36.7%), FTConf-2 (82.2% ). He finished his college career as the alltime Cal Urvine leading scorer with 1993 points. In his first two professional seasons, he played in germany for MBC an din Poland before going to Ludwigsburg. His best season in Ludwigsburg was 2006-2007 as he played 42 games: Score-3 (16.1ppg), 4.1rpg, Assists-3 (4.7apg), 1.5spg, 2FGP: 55.4%, 3FGP: 35.4%, FT: 85.5%. The three seasons away from Ludwigsburg, he played in Belgium for Ostende (8.8ppg, 2.8rpg, 3.1apg, 1.1spg, 2FGP: 56.0%, 3PT: 31.0%, FT: 80.0%), and two years in Italy for Solsonica Rieti (2.7rpg, 2.7apg, 1.7spg, FGP: 48.9%, 3PT: 35.5%, FT: 76.0%) and in 2009-2010 for Cantu playing 37 games: 9.6ppg, 2.6rpg, 2.2apg, FGP: 52.2%, 3PT: 34.4%, FT: 83.5%. Last season for Ludwigsburg, he played 34 games: 9.9ppg, 2.5rpg, Assists-5 (4.6apg), FGP: 50.9%, 3PT: 27.5%, FT: 80.4% Green won the Belgium cup with Ostende in 2008 with ex Skyliner Titus Ivory.

24 year old 203cm power forward Johannes Lischka is playing his second season with EnBW Ludwigsburg.He can hurt you with his three pointer and has a very dangerous penetration into the lane where he can finish in many different ways He started his professional basketball career with TV Lich in 2004 and played for the Giessen 46ers from 2007-2010 while also playing for TV Lich. In 2008-2009 for TV Lich he led the PRO A in scoring with 23,7ppg, 8,8rpg, 2,2apg and 1,8spg. He was bitterly disappointed in 2009 not being invited to the Euro Championships in Poland. The next calamity happened in the second game of the season, as he injured his hand in Frankfurt missing seven games. In 2009-2010, he played games: 5.4ppg, 3.5rpg, FGP: 50.0%, 3PT: 30.8%, FT: 56.1%. In three seasons for Giessen, he played 86 games. He was a member of the German A-2 national team in 2009 and then played at the University Games in Belgrade (Serbia) -09: 7 games: 10.6ppg, Reb-5 (10.4rpg), 2.0spg, FGP: 41.0%, FT: 77.4%. Last season for Ludwigsburg, he played 34 games: 5.9ppg, 3.5rpg, FGP: 51.7%, FT: 71.6%. The team hauled in . Mark Dorris is a 26 year old 188 cm guard that is playing his first season for EnBW Ludwigsburg. He was born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio and visited Princeton high school. He then attended St. Catharine College for a year before transfering to Marshall where he played from 2005-2008. In his senior year, he played 30 games averaging 13.6ppg, 4.0rpg, 2.4apg, 1.8spg, FGP: 39.1%, 3Pts: 34.3%, FT: 75.9%.For Cuxhaven, he played 29 games: 18.3ppg, 4.8rpg, 3.7apg, Steals-3 (2.3spg), FGP: 55.4%, 3PT: 26.7%, FT: 77.3%. Last season for Phoenix Hagen, he was invited to the Beko BBL Allstar game and for Hagen played 34 games: 15.3ppg, 3.0rpg, 3.6apg, 1.4spg, FGP: 49.0%, 3PT: 24.4%, FT: 72.8%.

The club brought in 27 year old 208cm power forward/center Kurt Looby who is an American/Antiguan. Looby started his basketball career for Tyler (JC) where he played from 2003-2005 and then played for Iowa (NCAA) from 2005-2008. His senior year, he played 32 games: 3.6ppg, 4.6rpg, 1.3bpg, FGP: 66.7%, FT: 41.7%: Finished two year career at Iowa ranked seventh all-time in blocked shots with 96. In 2008-2009, he played for Rio Grande Valley Vipers (D-League): 50 games: 6.4ppg, 8.1rpg, Blocks-2 (2.5bpg), FGP-3 (56.4%), FT: 57.4% and in the summer of 2009 forGrises de Humacao (Puerto Rico-BSN, starting five): 22 games: 9.4ppg, Reb-3 (10.5rpg), Blocks-1 (2.8bpg), FGP: 56.3%, 3PT: 25.0%, FT: 66.2%. In 2009-2010, he played for Rio Grande Valley Vipers (D-League, starting five): 11 games: 3.3ppg, 5.4rpg, 2.6bpg, in Jan.'10 moved to Albuquerque Thunderbirds (D-League, starting five): 26 games: 6.8ppg, 9.0rpg, Blocks-2 (3.2bpg), FGP: 59.3%, FT: 56.4%; in Mar.'10 signed at Maine Red Claws (D-League, starting five): 13 games: 5.2ppg, 7.8rpg, 4.0bpg, FGP: 66.7%, FT: 30.8%. Last season, he came to Europe and played for DASH Peristeri GS Athens (Greece-A1): 28 games: 6.5ppg, 7.0rpg, Blocks-4 (1.1bpg), FGP: 54.1%, FT: 61.0%. Recently the team signed Jeff Greer who is a 32 year old 196cm shooting guard/small forward from the Bronx, New York that has the Dominican Republic citzenship. He played at Rutgers (NCAA) from 1997-2001. He turned professional in 2001 and in his 10 year basketball career, he has played nine years in France for teams like Vichy, Le Havre, SIG Strassburg (2 years), Sluc Nancy (three years) and one season in Israel. Last season, he played for BCM Gravelines Dunkerque Grand Littoral (France-ProA): EuroChallenge: 13 games: 8.4ppg, 4.4rpg, 1.7apg, 1.0spg, FGP: 48.5%, 3PT: 34.0%, FT: 70.7%; French League: 35 games: 7.4ppg, 3.7rpg, 1.6apg, FGP: 49.5%, 3PT: 34.3%, FT: 54.3%. He was French Pro A champion 2008 and won the French La Semaine des AS Cup in 2011.

25 year old 188cm guard German guard David Mccray is playing his fifth season with EnBW Ludwigsburg. He already made his debut in the BBL as an 18 year old in 2004 with BG Karlsruhe where he played until 2007. He is very athletic that can put the ball in the hoop. He is tough to stop on one on one defense and he is secretly the teams energizer and coach on the court. He can be very efficient on the court as he showed in 2009-2010 as he scored 13 points in 15 minutes against Bamberg and 11 points in 12 minutes against Ratiopharm Ulm. In 2009-2010, he played 33 games: 5.0ppg, 1.9rpg, 1.1apg, FGP: 42.3%, 3PT: 37.2%, FT: 65.0%. Last season, he played 34 games: 5.7ppg, 1.4rpg, 1.8apg, FGP: 57.4%, 3PT: 31.8%, FT: 64.2%. The club also has big german/Albanian talent Besnik Bekteshi who is a 18 year old 188cm guard. In 2009-2010, he played for BSG Ludwigsburg (Germany-Regionalliga): 19 games: 12.6ppg, played also for BBA Ludwigsburg (NBBL): 11 games: 16.0ppg, 4.0rpg, 2.4apg, 3.7spg. He made an early name for himself in the summer of 2010 at the European Championships U17 in Hamburg (Germany) -10: 8 games: 15.5ppg, 4.8rpg, 2.9apg, Steals-4 (2.3spg), FGP: 47.1%, 3PT: 40.7%, FT-3 (87.0%). He won a bronze at the 2010 Albert Schweitezr tournament in Mannheim. He played at the European Championships U18 in Wroclaw (Poland) -11: 8 games: 9.1ppg, 1.8rpg, 1.4apg, Steals-5 (2.4spg), FGP: 48.6%, 3PT: 41.7%, FT-3 (87.5%)




Can Jerry Green Get EnBW Ludwigsburg To The Beko BBL Playoffs This Season? - by Miles Schmidt-Scheuber

Since the return of EnBW Ludwigsburg to the Beko BBL in 2002, the club has reached only three playoff appearances from 2004-2007 and the name Jerry Green (191-G-80, college: Cal-Irvine) was as important and key for those three glorious years as Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow has been for their success this season in Denver, Borusia Monchengladback German Marco Reus for his timely goals and team current fourth place or Christmas giving the Wham song last Christmas endless radio play each December to the hearts content for people across the globe, but in his second tour of duty in Ludwigsburg, Green hasnt had his magic wan working as last season the club missed the playoffs on the last game day. With the new 4,500 Ludwigsburg arena in its third season of operation and the attendance rate down from the 2009-2010 season by 300 patrons per game, pressure continues to rise rapidly on the team to reach the May games like smoke from an erupted volcano. One cant always rely on one player or coach to always bring consistent success to a place like legendary head coach Jerry Sloan did to the Utah Jazz for 15 years from 1989-2003 and having needed components like Karl Malone and Jerry Stockton dont grow on maple trees either. To say that Jerry Green is at fault for not leading EnBW Ludwigsburg to the Beko BBL playoffs last season and for their current slide would be more than unfair. I dont think that Green is feeling pressure to have to do extra incredible things to get that success. One cant say he is the reason for the non success now. There are so many other factors involved that have been the reason for their slide at the moment. Green is the complete point guard that is athletic, can score and is a good passer who helps the team in so many ways, stressed Artland Dragon German Christian Hoffmann.

It has been a while since the wins for EnBW Ludwigsburg were as frequent as they have been for the Brose Baskets Bamberg in the last years. There was one season, where the team was winning, winning, winning and Who could forget the 2006-2007 EnBW Ludwigsburg Cinderella team that started the season on a seven game winning streak, winning the first 11 of 12 games and dominating the BBL the whole season until losing in the semi finals against The Brose Baskets Bamberg who would later win the BBL title. There was something so fresh with this team as team basketball had been taught by coach Silvano Propat and his players had learned it as quickly as first graders do their a,b,cs. However the last two seasons were a downgrade as the playoffs were missed. In the 2007-2008 season, the team reached the BBL cup final losing to The Artland Dragons, but management somehow had their differences with coach Silvano Poropat as he had to pack his bags and go. In 2008-2009, management brought in ex Bamberg player Rick Stafford as the team missed the playoffs again and were searching for an identity all season long, but never found one. After December 14th, 2008, the team would not win more than one game at a time before losing again. It was a very disappointing and weird season as the biggest highlights were the three B wins against Berlin, Bonn and Bamberg, and then the strange 1-0 win as The Giessen 46ers were unable to get to Ludwigsburg on time as they were stuck in traffic. It also marked the last professional season of all rounder and likeable American Brandon Woudstra who decided to hang up his sneakers and return back to the States to start a new life with his family. The 2009-2010 season marked a rebirth as a new arena was introduced, a new coach with Tolga Ongoren and many new Americans that would hopefully lead the club back to the playoffs. Many fans had to get used to watching basketball in a new state of the art arena as the club said goodbye to the old, but comfy Rundsporthalle that had been alive for 37 years. The goal last season could only be the playoffs as the club has a lot of pressure from their sponsor to perform in the new arena, but this important goal was missed as the team missed the playoffs for the third consecutive season finishing the season in 11th place with a record 17-17. In the last three seasons, the club had a dismal record of 48-54. Two years ago, the club started well last season winning seven of their first nine games including a six game winning streak, but then lost nine of 11 games. The team had the problem of being consistent and was unable to beat the big teams. Their two biggest wins of the season was against Oldenburg and BG Goettingen. The team was strong on paper, with players like Kyle Bailey, Michael King, Quadre Lollis, Kyle Visser, Michael Haynes, Domonic Jones and Richard Chaney, but coach Tolga Ongoren was unable to produce a chemistry on the court and something else was missing as well. 'It seemed that winning wasnt as important to some guys as their selves. They definitely were talented enough for the playoffs, but they lost some games that they should of won', stressed ex Paderborn guard Steven Wright.

Last season, EnBW Ludwigsburg got off to a slow start as they were in 15th place with a record of 2-5 before the first meeting with The Deutsche Bank Skyliners in Frankfurt in November. Despite the poor start, it was simply to early to have any panic yet in Ludwigsburg. 'Ludwigsburg is a very experienced team. They were tough to handle down low, because they are so big. The team seemed to have tough luck at the start', stressed Quentin Pryor. It didnt help the team either that power forward Donatas Zavackas was injured in the first months missing 7 games. In November EnBW Ludwigsburg and many other teams were having growing pains. 'Ludwigsburg is a very good team and were finding each other as are many other teams in the league were. They have great players and continued to improve. Their strength is the guards and Harris, Green and Bowler play a great role. They have a good inside out game and have depth at the guard position. It was just a matter of time before they started winning. I just think they play well together and they started to understand their go to guys and their roles later', said John Bynum. 'Their weakness is that they lack some depth from the bench', expressed Quentin Pryor. 'I think depth is their weakness, but at the same time they make it up with what there starters bring to the table', added John Bynun. Jerry Green might be their key player for the team, but so was Harris, Bowler and Rickert. 'Alex Harris was their X-factor last season being their leading scorer and main threat from the perimeter. Bowler and Rickert were a tough tandem to handle because they are so big. You have to crowd Bowler and make him put the ball on the floor. You have to fight Rickert for position and cant let him catch the ball close to the basket, because then you will be in trouble', stated Quentin Pryor. 'Without a question Alex Harris was their X-factor', warned John Bynum. EnBW Ludwigsburg went on a five game winning streak in December 2010 which got them more into the direction of the beko BBL playoffs. The club showed nerves of steel winning a big game in Oldenburg 67-66. Since the winning streak, the team has played in spurts having two three game winning streaks and one three game losing streak, but at the same time were over 500 with a 10-8 record and on course for the playoffs as they their fate leads in their hands. In the last two months it seems like the chemistry has progressed positively as they have won five of their last eight games and three of their last four games. 'They were clicking right at the right time. They have did some good things in the last couple of weeks and they were showing why they are in the playoff race. If a team clicks especially at this time of the year it can be very dangerous to play for a higher seed', warned John Bynum. The biggest wins of the season for EnBW Ludwigsburg was against 8 time beko BBL champion Alba Berlin, BG Goettingen and The New Yorker Phantoms Braunschweig at home. However their 2010-2011 rollar coaster season ended at home on a sad note as the ylost the last two games of the season to Bamberg and 94-79 to Frankfurt which they had to win to enter the playoffs and finished with a 18-16 record landing in ninth place.

Before the season started, team CEO Alexander Reil stressed a three point plan that he wanted to achieve with EnBW Ludwigsburg with consistency, Identification and giving the fans an attractive basketball game. The club hasnt reached the Beko BBL playoffs since 2007 and since then the fans have gotten impatient, but it seems like with only a minimal budget, the expectations seem to be a lot higher than what they should be. Markus Jochem started his planning for this season, by doing an important deed by keep a healthy core of his players from last season with with John Mr old school Bowler, German forward Johannes Lischka who is on the verge of breaking out, the heart and soul of the team point guard Jerry Green, athletic sharp shooter Alex Harris, Mr versatile forward Lithuanian Donatas Zavackas and the added assistant coach on the court who will do anything to win David Mccray. Jochum brought in defense stand out Mark Dorris who was the fifth best scorer in the Beko BBL last season, shot blocking sensation and rebound ace Kurt Looby and recently Jeff Greer who adds experience that is lacking with the retirement to ex NBA player Toby Bailey. The team lost only Bailey and Rick Rickert. Recently the club brought in experienced Jeff Greer who has had a long and successful basketball career in France.

The 2011-2012, season started off with a bang as EnBW Ludwigsburg won three of their first four games beating Giessen and potential playoff teams the EWE Baskets Oldenburg and Bremerhaven at home showing early their scoring power averaging 90 points in the two wins against the teams from the north. However then out of nowhere and totally unexpected, the club went on a severe tailspin losing nine of ten games and recently axed having Markus Jochum as head coach a man who Is a basketball legend in Ludwigsburg having played for the club from 1987-1996 and played 62 games for the German national team, the team recently had to react and he had to pack his bags and assistant coach Steven Key took over the reigns. The team has misfortune at the start of the losing streak losing to Braunschweig and Ulm by one point, but in the last weeks have given up more than 80 points per game as their bad habit of allowing too many points from last season seems to have surfaced again. The team has a very solid roster and should be a team that can be in the 10-13 range in the standings.Ludwigsburg have been going through a tough period. They have been without Jerry Green and structure is missing. Dorris is more of a scoring point guard than an organizer, added ex TBB Trier German Christian Hoffmann. It is no secret that the Beko BBL has gotten stronger each year, but EnBW Luwdwigsburg is a club that could battle for the positions 9-12. Their strength is their athletic guards. Their weakness is the defense. Their big guys arent as mobile and the opponents get easy baskets inside. Without Green, something is missing on defense. On offense , a guy like John Bowler needs to get the ball inside more where he is dangerous, but too often he is only taking the pick and pop which he can make, but his game is more inside, warned Christian Hoffmann.

The Fraport Skyliners have nice memories of the last 12 games against EnBW Ludwigsburg having a 8-4 record. They have a 4-1 record in the Ballsporthalle. One player who has fond memories of playing EnBW Ludwigsburg is ex Skyliner Derrick Allen who was the top scorer of Frankfurt in four of the last six games including a 37 point performance in a 96-87 win in 2008. In 2008-2009, The Deutsche Bank Skyliners split the season series 1-1 winning 68-64 at home getting 19 points from Aubrey Reese and losing the last game of the season 71-62 on the road getting 18 points from Derrick Allen. Last season, The Deutsche Bank Skyliners beat EnBW Ludwigsburg 74-67 in a low scoring affair. Frankfurt was led by Roger Powell with 16 points and six rebounds while current beko BBL top scorer Dashaun Wood chipped in with 13 points and eight assists. EnBW Ludwigsburg was led by Alex Harris with 18 points and ex Telekom Baskets Bonn center John Bowler was tough with 13 points and nine rebounds. In the last game of the season in Ludwigsburg, the Skyliners whipped EnBW Ludwigsburg 94-79 as ex NBA player Roger Powell had his best game as a Skyliner pouring in 28 points and Dashaun Wood added a double double with 19 points and 10 assists.

The Fraport Skyliners enter the game against EnBW Ludwigsburg with more personal with new player Devin Gibson who played at The university of Texas at San Antonio and is looking for his debut. Frankfurt continues to be a force on the road, but havent won in their own living room in almost three months. In order to be successful in the German league, you need to be able to win at home. Frankfurt needs to play good defense like they did against us which usually will spark their offense. They have to take out their big guys and attack from outside, stressed Christian Hoffmann. EnBW Ludwigsburg finally won again in Tuebingen after having lost nine of their last 10 games and the Skyliners know that this team will not be a cake walk. We have to control their guards and make it tough for them and we will be fine. We have been defending well for weeks and will need to continue to do that. The reason for our winning the last years has been because of our defense, stressed Jimmy Mckinney. We will have to be ready for Ludwigsburg. We need to bring the momentum from Giessen into that game and finally win at home again, stressed Jacob Burtschi.

EnBW Ludwigsburg are led by 31 year old 203cm Donatas Zavackas from Lithuania who is playing his second season there. He is a hard nosed and very versatile player, with good on 1-on-1 offensive skills; excels in game without the ball, and runs the court very well; shoots well from the distance, and defense well, thanks to a strong body can play in the two forward positions, but his size and quickness make him better for the Shooting forward position. He played at : Pittsburgh (NCAA) from 1998-2003 reaching the NCAA Sweet 16 in 2002 and 2003. In his 8 year professional basketball career, he has played in countries like Poland, France, Belgium, Italy and Spain. Before coming to Germany, he played for top European team Lietuvos Rytas Vilnius from 2008-2010 playing 10 Euroleague games. Last season for Ludwigsburg, he played 27 games: 12.5ppg, 5.7rpg, 1.3apg, FGP: 41.7%, 3PT-2 (49.5%), FT-3 (88.5%). He was Lithuanian League Champion and cup winner in 2009 and 2010 and won the Eurocup in 2009 with Lietuvos Rytas Vilnius. The team brought back Alex Harris who is a 25 year old 196cm guard from Mission Viejo, California that is playing his first season in Luwdigsburg. He grew up in Alameda, California and played at the University of California/Santa Barbara from 2004-2008 and in his senior year, he played games: 20.2ppg, 3.7rpg, 1.7apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 43.0%, 3Pts: 42.3%, FT: 81.2%. After college, he played in the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament (Pre-NBA Draft): 3 games: 8.3ppg, 3.0rpg, 1.0apg, 1.0spg, FGP: 34.5%, 3PT: 11.1%, FT: 66.7%. In 2008-2009, he turned professional and played in Poland the last two seasons. In 2008-2009, he played for Turow Zgorzelec (Poland-DBE, starting five): Eurocup: 6 games: 6.8ppg, 1.0rpg, 1.0apg; Polish League: 34 games: 7.3ppg, 2.1rpg, FGP: 40.4%, 3PT: 38.9%, FT: 82.7%. In 2009-2010, he played for Czarni Slupsk (Poland-PLK, starting five): 30 games: 9.7ppg, 3.0rpg, 1.4apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 38.2%, 3PT: 40.0%, FT: 81.5%. He played in the Polish Allstar game 2010. Last season for Ludwigsburg, he played 34 games: Score-4 (16.0ppg), 2.4rpg, 1.6apg, FGP: 50.0%, 3PT: 42.8%, FT: 80.8%. He played at the 2011 Beko BBL Allstar game in Trier.
John Bowler is a 27 year old 206cm forward/center from Chicago, Illinois that is playing his second season with EnBW Luwigsburg. He is the ultimate team player who really understands the game of basketball and does not back down from anybody.He is a big competitor who does everything needed to win. He played at Eastern Michigan from 2002-2006. In his senior year, he played 28 games: 20.1ppg, 10.8rpg, 2.5apg, FG: 54.9%, 3PT: 28.6%, FT: 72.3%. He finished being the 11th best scorer in Eastern Michigan history getting 1427 points and fifth best rebounder with 801 rebounds. he recorded 32 double doubles in his college career. He started his professional basketball career for The Telekom Baskets Bonn in 2006 and played there until 2010. In his four seasons with the Telekom Baskets, he made it to the German BBL Finals twice and qualified every season for the play-offs... named Most Likeable Player in German BBL in 2008. His best season was 2007-2008 as he played 39 games: 12.1ppg, 5.3rpg, 1.1apg, 2FGP: 56.0%, 3PT: 41.9%, FT: 70.5%. In 2009-2010, he played 27 games: 7.7ppg, 3.5rpg, FGP: 52.0%, 3PT: 25.0%, FT: 79.4%. Last season for Ludwigsburg, he played 34 games: 11.8ppg, 5.1rpg, 1.2apg, FGP: 56.4%, 3PT: 16.7%, FT: 79.5%.

The club brought back fan favorite Jerry Green who could jump in for the soul singer Lionel Richie at a concert simply because of the similarity in appearance. He played for EnBW Ludwigsburg from 2004-200t and led the team to their best season in club history in the 2006-2007 season as they belonged to the top teams in the BEKO BBL and reached the semi finals of the playoffs before bowing out to Bamberg. Green is a 30 year old 191cm point guard from Pomona, California. He is a point guard, with great offesive skills, but a first-look-to-pass mentality. He led his college team in scoring for 3 seasons and in assists for 4 seasons... Has a solid body and this allows him to defend well and to grab some rebounds. He can easily hit a three pointer, if left open. He played at Cal Irvine from 1999-2002. In his senior year, he played games: ScoreConf-1 (20.3ppg), 3.9rpg, 4.0apg, 1.5spg, FGPConf-7 (48.2%), 3PTConf-5 (36.7%), FTConf-2 (82.2% ). He finished his college career as the alltime Cal Urvine leading scorer with 1993 points. In his first two professional seasons, he played in germany for MBC an din Poland before going to Ludwigsburg. His best season in Ludwigsburg was 2006-2007 as he played 42 games: Score-3 (16.1ppg), 4.1rpg, Assists-3 (4.7apg), 1.5spg, 2FGP: 55.4%, 3FGP: 35.4%, FT: 85.5%. The three seasons away from Ludwigsburg, he played in Belgium for Ostende (8.8ppg, 2.8rpg, 3.1apg, 1.1spg, 2FGP: 56.0%, 3PT: 31.0%, FT: 80.0%), and two years in Italy for Solsonica Rieti (2.7rpg, 2.7apg, 1.7spg, FGP: 48.9%, 3PT: 35.5%, FT: 76.0%) and in 2009-2010 for Cantu playing 37 games: 9.6ppg, 2.6rpg, 2.2apg, FGP: 52.2%, 3PT: 34.4%, FT: 83.5%. Last season for Ludwigsburg, he played 34 games: 9.9ppg, 2.5rpg, Assists-5 (4.6apg), FGP: 50.9%, 3PT: 27.5%, FT: 80.4% Green won the Belgium cup with Ostende in 2008 with ex Skyliner Titus Ivory.

24 year old 203cm power forward Johannes Lischka is playing his second season with EnBW Ludwigsburg.He can hurt you with his three pointer and has a very dangerous penetration into the lane where he can finish in many different ways He started his professional basketball career with TV Lich in 2004 and played for the Giessen 46ers from 2007-2010 while also playing for TV Lich. In 2008-2009 for TV Lich he led the PRO A in scoring with 23,7ppg, 8,8rpg, 2,2apg and 1,8spg. He was bitterly disappointed in 2009 not being invited to the Euro Championships in Poland. The next calamity happened in the second game of the season, as he injured his hand in Frankfurt missing seven games. In 2009-2010, he played games: 5.4ppg, 3.5rpg, FGP: 50.0%, 3PT: 30.8%, FT: 56.1%. In three seasons for Giessen, he played 86 games. He was a member of the German A-2 national team in 2009 and then played at the University Games in Belgrade (Serbia) -09: 7 games: 10.6ppg, Reb-5 (10.4rpg), 2.0spg, FGP: 41.0%, FT: 77.4%. Last season for Ludwigsburg, he played 34 games: 5.9ppg, 3.5rpg, FGP: 51.7%, FT: 71.6%. The team hauled in . Mark Dorris is a 26 year old 188 cm guard that is playing his first season for EnBW Ludwigsburg. He was born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio and visited Princeton high school. He then attended St. Catharine College for a year before transfering to Marshall where he played from 2005-2008. In his senior year, he played 30 games averaging 13.6ppg, 4.0rpg, 2.4apg, 1.8spg, FGP: 39.1%, 3Pts: 34.3%, FT: 75.9%.For Cuxhaven, he played 29 games: 18.3ppg, 4.8rpg, 3.7apg, Steals-3 (2.3spg), FGP: 55.4%, 3PT: 26.7%, FT: 77.3%. Last season for Phoenix Hagen, he was invited to the Beko BBL Allstar game and for Hagen played 34 games: 15.3ppg, 3.0rpg, 3.6apg, 1.4spg, FGP: 49.0%, 3PT: 24.4%, FT: 72.8%.

The club brought in 27 year old 208cm power forward/center Kurt Looby who is an American/Antiguan. Looby started his basketball career for Tyler (JC) where he played from 2003-2005 and then played for Iowa (NCAA) from 2005-2008. His senior year, he played 32 games: 3.6ppg, 4.6rpg, 1.3bpg, FGP: 66.7%, FT: 41.7%: Finished two year career at Iowa ranked seventh all-time in blocked shots with 96. In 2008-2009, he played for Rio Grande Valley Vipers (D-League): 50 games: 6.4ppg, 8.1rpg, Blocks-2 (2.5bpg), FGP-3 (56.4%), FT: 57.4% and in the summer of 2009 forGrises de Humacao (Puerto Rico-BSN, starting five): 22 games: 9.4ppg, Reb-3 (10.5rpg), Blocks-1 (2.8bpg), FGP: 56.3%, 3PT: 25.0%, FT: 66.2%. In 2009-2010, he played for Rio Grande Valley Vipers (D-League, starting five): 11 games: 3.3ppg, 5.4rpg, 2.6bpg, in Jan.'10 moved to Albuquerque Thunderbirds (D-League, starting five): 26 games: 6.8ppg, 9.0rpg, Blocks-2 (3.2bpg), FGP: 59.3%, FT: 56.4%; in Mar.'10 signed at Maine Red Claws (D-League, starting five): 13 games: 5.2ppg, 7.8rpg, 4.0bpg, FGP: 66.7%, FT: 30.8%. Last season, he came to Europe and played for DASH Peristeri GS Athens (Greece-A1): 28 games: 6.5ppg, 7.0rpg, Blocks-4 (1.1bpg), FGP: 54.1%, FT: 61.0%. Recently the team signed Jeff Greer who is a 32 year old 196cm shooting guard/small forward from the Bronx, New York that has the Dominican Republic citzenship. He played at Rutgers (NCAA) from 1997-2001. He turned professional in 2001 and in his 10 year basketball career, he has played nine years in France for teams like Vichy, Le Havre, SIG Strassburg (2 years), Sluc Nancy (three years) and one season in Israel. Last season, he played for BCM Gravelines Dunkerque Grand Littoral (France-ProA): EuroChallenge: 13 games: 8.4ppg, 4.4rpg, 1.7apg, 1.0spg, FGP: 48.5%, 3PT: 34.0%, FT: 70.7%; French League: 35 games: 7.4ppg, 3.7rpg, 1.6apg, FGP: 49.5%, 3PT: 34.3%, FT: 54.3%. He was French Pro A champion 2008 and won the French La Semaine des AS Cup in 2011.
25 year old 188cm guard German guard David Mccray is playing his fifth season with EnBW Ludwigsburg. He already made his debut in the BBL as an 18 year old in 2004 with BG Karlsruhe where he played until 2007. He is very athletic that can put the ball in the hoop. He is tough to stop on one on one defense and he is secretly the teams energizer and coach on the court. He can be very efficient on the court as he showed in 2009-2010 as he scored 13 points in 15 minutes against Bamberg and 11 points in 12 minutes against Ratiopharm Ulm. In 2009-2010, he played 33 games: 5.0ppg, 1.9rpg, 1.1apg, FGP: 42.3%, 3PT: 37.2%, FT: 65.0%. Last season, he played 34 games: 5.7ppg, 1.4rpg, 1.8apg, FGP: 57.4%, 3PT: 31.8%, FT: 64.2%. The club also has big german/Albanian talent Besnik Bekteshi who is a 18 year old 188cm guard. In 2009-2010, he played for BSG Ludwigsburg (Germany-Regionalliga): 19 games: 12.6ppg, played also for BBA Ludwigsburg (NBBL): 11 games: 16.0ppg, 4.0rpg, 2.4apg, 3.7spg. He made an early name for himself in the summer of 2010 at the European Championships U17 in Hamburg (Germany) -10: 8 games: 15.5ppg, 4.8rpg, 2.9apg, Steals-4 (2.3spg), FGP: 47.1%, 3PT: 40.7%, FT-3 (87.0%). He won a bronze at the 2010 Albert Schweitezr tournament in Mannheim. He played at the European Championships U18 in Wroclaw (Poland) -11: 8 games: 9.1ppg, 1.8rpg, 1.4apg, Steals-5 (2.4spg), FGP: 48.6%, 3PT: 41.7%, FT-3 (87.5%)

Marcus Slaughter (Brose Baskets Bamberg) I Am Not Really A Slam Dunk Kind Of Guy, But PJ Tucker Will Be Coaching Me - by Miles Schmidt-Scheuber
Marcus Slaughter (204-C/F-85, college: San Diego St.) is a 26 year old 203cm forward from Riverside California. He played at San Diego State from 2003-2006. In his senior year, he played 30 games averaging 16.5ppg, 11.0rpg, 1.9apg, 1.2spg, 1.0bpg, FGP: 49%, FT: 76.2%. He started his professional basketball career in Turkey for Pinar Karsiyaka SK Izmir playing 29 games averaging 13.3ppg, Reb-3 (10.2rpg), 1.3apg, 2.3spg, 2FGP: 51.6%, 3PT: 12.5%, FT: 67.2%. In 2007-2008, he was with the Miami Heat in preseason and then played in Israel and France for Hapoel Migdal Jerusalem, Israeli League: 8.0ppg, 6.4rpg, ULEB Cup: 5 games: 5.6ppg, 4.8rpg, 1.8apg, waived in Dec.'07, in Jan.'08 signed at BCM Gravelines Dunkerque Grand Littoral 15 games: 9.5ppg, 7.2rpg, 1.4apg, 1.3spg, 2FGP-3 (63.2%), FT: 58.9%. in 2008-2009, he started with the Eisbaeren Bremerhaven (8 games: 18.8ppg, 10.0rpg, 1.3apg, 2.6spg, 1.3bpg, FGP: 59.8%, 3PT: 60.0%) before moving to France to Le Havre playing 21 games: 16.0ppg, Reb-1 (9.5rpg), 1.6apg, 1.6spg, FGP: 58.8%, 3PT: 40.0%, FT: 65.4%; Eurocup: 6 games: 12.2ppg, 8.7rpg, 1.0apg, 1.5spg, 1.8bpg. In 2009-2010, he played for Sluc Nancy Basket Pro (France-ProA): EuroCup: 6 games: 8.5ppg, 9.0rpg, 2.8spg, 2.0bpg, FGP: 50.0%, FT: 76.7%; French League: 29 games: 12.5ppg, 7.0rpg, 1.4apg, 1.5spg, Blocks-5 (1.4bpg), FGP: 64.5%, 3PT: 33.3%, FT: 69.1%. Last season, he played for Blancos de Rueda Valladolid (Spain-ACB, starting five): 34 games: 9.9ppg, 6.0rpg, 1.4spg, 1.0bpg, FGP: 65.0%, FT: 67.5%. He is back in the Beko BBL with the Brose Baskets Bamberg. He spoke to eurobasket before the game against FC Bayern Munich January 7th.

Congrats on the 68-66 win in Bayreuth. How impressed were you with the atmosphere there?

I was very impressed. It is the loudest arena I have been in besides our own.I was a bit surprised how loud it can get in there.

Describe the game winning shot by Brian Roberts.

That shot helped us win the win and it was big. It was off a broken shot, but he is the type of guy you want taking a shot like that at the end of a game. He has been doing it for years.

Who would win an arm wrestling contest you or Brandon Hunter?

I think he would win that. I defended everyone in that game including him. It was the first time that I played against him. He is a very strong player with a lot of energy and tough to play against. He always gives 100% effort on the court.

The Brose Baskets Bamberg mustered only 6 assists in Bayreuth. Is this aproblem the team needs to worry about?

We have to be aware of this problem and are. We need better ball movement. We have a lot of scorers on the team. We are working on ball movement in practice.

How excited are you about playing FC Bayern Munich? You destroyed them in preseason and now it counts.

All are real games and this just counts for the record. We sent a message in preseason. This is real exciting for the fans and this game is all what has been talked about in last weeks. Tickets are in high demand and this is the type of game that a basketball player loves to play in.

When you hear the name FC Bayern Munich what do you think about?

I obviously think about their soccer team. I dont really follow soccer, but I dont think that they won in a while in Europe, but continue to win titles in Germany.

You played against Jared Homan in Turkey in the 2006-2007 season. What do you remember from his game?

I dont remember too much from his play in Turkey, but I know that he has done well wherever he has played. He is a strong player, plays hard and very smart. He is a scorer and can defend pretty well as well.

What will be key to beating FC Bayern Munich who are coming off a buzzer beater loss to ratiopharm Ulm?

The key to win is always defense. We have to get the crowd involved and limit their fast break chances and we will be ok. Home games are always a bit easier for us. We should also get early stops to get into the game.

Who is your favourite to win the 2012 Euroleague?

I think that since Kirilenko is back in Europe that CSKA Moscow have the best chances. I see a team like Real Madrid or FC Barcelona making the final.

How excited are you about taking place in the 2012 Beko BBL Allstar game in the slam dunk contest?

I didnt even know I was named to participate. A teammate told me. I am not really a dunk contest type of guy, but I think that it will be a fun event. PJ Tucker has been in an event like that and will be coaching me.

Would you take your teammate Anton Gavel along to help you with ally-ops?

I think that he will rather be on his break and enjoy that more than helping me, but I could always use him.

Who will reach the 2012 NFL Superbowl?

I think the Green Bay Packers will meet the Pittsburgh Steelers.

What was the last DVD movie that you saw?

Contingency with Matt Damon and Jude Law. It is about a viral epidemic disease. It was a decent movie.

Thanks Marcus for the chat.

Illertal/Weissenhorn replaces Soyer with Falkner - by Moritz Korff
Pro B side BG Illertal/Weissenhorn has picked up a new import player in Barkley Falkner (203-F/C-86, college: Sam Houston St.). The 25-year-old Oxford, MS native replaces veteran center Mirko Soyer (212-C-78), who steps back due to family reasons.
Falkner has shown his nose for the rebound and his ability to score in the paint last season, when he played for the Danish first league team Aalborg Vikings under Coach John Staudt . He averaged 16.9 points and 9.6 boards per contest. He spent his college career at NAIA school Spring Hill College and at Sam Houston State University (NCAA D1).

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  GREECE   


Hatten's 27 points and 7 rebounds give him Player of the Week award - by Eurobasket News
31-year old guard Marcus Hatten (186-G-80) put on an amazing game in the last round for Kolossos and receives a Eurobasket.com Player of the Week award for round 11.
He had the game-high 27 points adding seven rebounds and three assists for Kolossos in his team's victory, helping them to edge out AGOR (#5, 5-5) in overtime 93-90. Kolossos maintains the 3rd position in Greek league. Kolossos has a very good season and are considered to have a run for the championship title. They improved their record to 9-1. In the team's last game Hatten had a remarkable 55.6% from 2-point range and got three three-pointers out of 6 attempts. He turned to be Kolossos' top player in his first season with the team. St.John's University graduate has very impressive stats this year. Hatten is in league's top in points (9th best: 14.6ppg) and averages solid 54.0% FGP.

Second best performed player last round was Edin Bavcic (210-F/C-84, agency: Beo Basket) of KAOD. He is Bosnia and Herzegovina forward in his first season at KAOD. In the last game Bavcic recorded impressive double-double of 19 points and 13 rebounds. Of course he lead KAOD to another comfortable win outscoring slightly higher-ranked PAOK (#9, 4-7) 93-72. The game was between two teams which are definitely not main contenders for the title. KAOD keeps 11th position. His team is not often considered as one of the league's best with a mere 3-7 record. Bavcic is a newcomer at KAOD and quickly became one of team's most reliable players. He belongs to the best scorers in the league with 17.0ppg (#4). He also registered 9.8 boards per game.

Third place about best performers goes to swingman Romel Beck (203-G/F-82, agency: Interperformances) of Ikaros (#12). Beck showcased his all-around game by recording 25 points, five rebounds and five assists in the last round. He was a key player of Ikaros, leading his team to a 75-69 win against slightly higher-ranked Ilysiakos (#10, 4-7). Ikaros can only dream about fighting for top spots in the league. They have rather bad season and 2-8 record places them close to the bottom of the standings. Too bad for Beck he does not play for a better team. But maybe if he did, his season stats would not be that high. Beck has a very solid season. In 2 games in Greece he scored 21.0ppg.

Other top performing players last week:
4. Nestoras Kommatos (203-F-77) of Marousi - 25 points, 10 rebounds and 3 assists
5. Aleks Maric (211-C-84) of Panathinaikos - 13 points, 7 rebounds and 3 assists
6. Andreas Glyniadakis (215-C-81) of Olympiakos - 17 points and 4 rebounds
7. Kosta Charalampidis (189-G-76) of KAOD - 17 points, 2 rebounds and 5 assists
8. Ruben Boykin (201-F-85) of Kolossos - 19 points and 8 rebounds
9. Sergio Kerusch (195-F-89) of Aris - 24 points and 7 rebounds
10. Dionte Christmas (196-G-86) of AGOR - 25 points and 5 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)

Stats Leaders - A1
Points Per Game
 Kosta CHARALAMPIDIS
  KAO.
  (189-G-76)
  Avg: 19.7
 1. Charalampidi., KAO.19.7 
 2. Christmas, AGOR18.5 
 3. Kommatos, Marousi18.0 
 4. Bavcic, KAOD17.0 
 5. Roby, Peristeri GS16.4 
 6. Tapoutos, Aris16.3 
 7. James, Aris15.1 
 8. Baynes, Ikaros14.8 
 9. Hatten, Kolossos14.6 
 10. Dikoudis, PAOK14.5 
Rebounds Per Game
 Edin BAVCIC
  KAOD
  (210-F/C-84)
  Avg: 9.8
 1. Bavcic, KAOD9.8 
 2. Baynes, Ikaros9.7 
 3. Haritopoulos, Maro.8.2 
 4. Stepheson, Panio.8.1 
 5. Goree, PAOK7.1 
 6. Kommatos, Marousi6.7 
 7. Flowers, KAOD6.7 
 8. Giddens, PAOK6.6 
 9. Muldrow, Aris6.3 
 10. Tapoutos, Aris6.0 
Assists Per Game
 Yannis GAGALOUDIS
  Marousi
  (192-G-78)
  Avg: 5.3
 1. Gagaloudis, Marousi5.3 
 2. Spanoulis, Olympia.5.1 
 3. Xanthopoulos, Pani.5.0 
 4. Diamantidis, Panat.5.0 
 5. James, Aris4.7 
 6. Charalampidi., KAO.4.3 
 7. Thompson, Ilysi.3.8 
 8. Petroulas, Periste.3.8 
 9. Wright, AGOR3.4 
 10. Mocnik, Perister.3.3 
Steals Per Game
 Darryl THOMPSON
  Ilysi.
  (173-PG-85)
  Avg: 2.3
 1. Thompson, Ilysi.2.3 
 2. Wright, AGOR2.1 
 3. James, Aris1.8 
 4. Christmas, AGOR1.7 
 5. Calathes, Panathin.1.7 
 6. Tsamis, Kolossos1.6 
 7. Logan, Panathin.1.5 
 8. Hatten, Kolossos1.4 
 9. O''Bryant, Kavala1.3 
 10. Gardener, Ilysiak.1.3 
Blocks Per Game
 Sam MULDROW
  Aris
  (205-F-88)
  Avg: 1.8
 1. Muldrow, Aris1.8 
 2. O''Bryant, Kavala1.4 
 3. Flowers, KAOD1.3 
 4. Hines, Olympiakos1.2 
 5. Stepheson, Panio.1.0 
 6. Johnson, Ikaros1.0 
 7. Scott, Peristeri GS0.9 
 8. Giddens, PAOK0.9 
 9. Vougioukas, Panat.0.7 
 10. Gardener, Ilysiak.0.7 


Standings - A2
A2 Standings
 1. Panelefsiniakos 10-2 
 2. AEK 9-3 
 3. Apollon Patras 8-4 
 4. Ikaroi Serron 7-5 
 5. OFI 7-5 
 6. Lavrio 7-5 
 7. Arkadikos 6-6 
 8. Panerythraikos 6-6 
 9. Ermis Lagkada 6-6 
 10. Perama Ermis 6-6 
 11. Pagrati 5-7 
 12. Doxa Lefkadas 5-7 
 13. Nea Kifisia 5-7 
 14. Periko/Arhelaos 5-7 
 15. Amyntas Dafnis 4-8 
 16. AEK/Argous 0-12 


Standings - A1
A1 Standings
 1. Olympiakos 9-1 
 2. Panathinaikos 9-1 
 3. Kolossos 9-1 
 4. Panionios 7-3 
 5. AGOR 5-5 
 6. Peristeri GS 5-5 
 7. Kavala 5-5 
 8. Aris 4-6 
 9. PAOK 4-7 
 10. Ilysiakos 4-7 
 11. KAOD 3-7 
 12. Ikaros 2-8 
 13. Marousi 0-11 


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  HOLLAND   


Standings - Eredivisie
Eredivisie Standings
 1. Den Bosch 10-3 
 2. Groningen 9-4 
 3. Leiden 8-4 
 4. Zwolle 8-6 
 5. Nijmegen 7-5 
 6. Leeuwarden 7-6 
 7. Rotterdam 2-12 
 8. Weert 1-12 


Gerald checking in - by Gerald Robinson
Hey basketball world what's up this is Gerald Robinson checking in..... This is my 1st blog so I will start by introducing myself a little bit. I was born in Amsterdam, Holland and at a young aged moved to Los Angeles. I'm currently in my 4th professional season overseas...I've played in Spain, Germany, England, Iceland and now here in Holland for Landstede Zwolle. I wanted to play in Holland this year so I could play in front of some friends and family...really liked and learned a lot of things playing in different countries and have met and made some good friends over the years... BUT...there is nothing like being able to play in front of some family and friends this year...one of the toughest things overseas is not seeing your fam!!
it's Christmas and New Years break now, I didn't go home to Florida where I live just stayed here and chilled. Me and one of my friends went to Germany just to get away for a few days and do some shopping in Dusseldorf and Cologne. I love to travel and see new things. We had to be back here in Zwolle on the 27th because we had to play as we hosted a international tournament Basketballdays which started on the 26th, 6 teams from 4 different continents including an American team, the Nigerian National team and a team from Brazil. We won the tournament and it's always fun to play against other countries.
In the Dutch basketball league we are tied for 5th place right now. It's a really tight league this year and anyone can beat anyone. You win 2 games you can be in 2nd and lose 2 games you can be in 5 th so every game is important. We really rely on our defense as we are #1 and #2 in defense and rebounding. We struggled on offense in the past sometimes because of the type of offense we run which is new to me and most of the players on our team but lately our offense has been running really good and we are scoring alot more points. It just took some time! We have a great group of guys and we all get along, the locker room is always fun as we always joke around and stuff and pull little pranks. Our next game is January 4th against Weert so talk to you guys sometime after that!! Until next time. G -Rob


Stats Leaders - Eredivisie
Points Per Game
 Lance JETER
  Leeuwarden
  (190-G-)
  Avg: 18.1
 1. Jeter, Leeuwarden18.1 
 2. Sally, Rotterdam17.9 
 3. Anderson, Weert17.2 
 4. Humphrey, Nijmegen16.7 
 5. Acker, Nijmegen16.5 
 6. Wesby, Groningen15.5 
 7. Hargrove, Nijmegen15.4 
 8. Sanchez, Leeuw.14.9 
 9. Boxley, Leiden14.8 
 10. Bell, Groningen14.0 
Rebounds Per Game
 Yamene COLEMAN
  Weert
  (206-C-86)
  Avg: 9.2
 1. Coleman, Weert9.2 
 2. Sanchez, Leeuw.8.7 
 3. Robinson, Zwolle7.9 
 4. Bekkering, Nijme.7.4 
 5. van Kempen, Weert6.7 
 6. de Randamie, Groni.6.7 
 7. Wesley, Den Bosch6.5 
 8. Humphrey, Nijmegen6.4 
 9. Van Paassen, Den6.4 
 10. Boxley, Leiden6.3 
Assists Per Game
 DeMario ANDERSON
  Weert
  (193-G-85)
  Avg: 4.6
 1. Anderson, Weert4.6 
 2. Turner, Den Bosch4.6 
 3. Harman, Weert4.5 
 4. Jeter, Leeuwarden4.1 
 5. Acker, Nijmegen3.8 
 6. Wells, Zwolle3.4 
 7. Bell, Groningen3.2 
 8. Huffman, Zwolle3.1 
 9. Defares, Groningen3.0 
 10. Slagter, Leiden3.0 
Steals Per Game
 David GONZALVEZ
  Den B.
  (193-G-87)
  Avg: 2.7
 1. Gonzalvez, Den B.2.7 
 2. Harman, Weert2.5 
 3. Wells, Zwolle2.5 
 4. Huffman, Zwolle2.4 
 5. Turner, Den Bosch2.0 
 6. de Jong, Leiden1.9 
 7. Acker, Nijmegen1.9 
 8. Wesley, Den Bosch1.8 
 9. Wesby, Groningen1.7 
 10. Anderson, Weert1.7 
Blocks Per Game
 Ross BEKKERING
  Nijme.
  (203-F-85)
  Avg: 1.6
 1. Bekkering, Nijme.1.6 
 2. Maddox, Zwolle1.5 
 3. Wyatt, Groningen1.5 
 4. Wesley, Den Bosch1.1 
 5. Minter, Weert0.9 
 6. Zondervan, Zwolle0.9 
 7. Boxley, Leiden0.8 
 8. Kennedy, Leiden0.7 
 9. Poels, Leeuwarden0.7 
 10. Aarts, Nijmegen0.6 


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  IBA   


Knights clinch IBA playoff berth - by Eurobasket News
A Battle Creek Knights second half surge gave them their third-straight victory as they took care of the Chicago Redline in a Wednesday night Independent Basketball Association battle at Kellogg Arena.

The Knights locked up a playoff berth after their 156-144 win.

'It will be nice to come out Friday and not worry about what happens,' Knights assistant coach Dennis Sare said about clinching a playoff spot.

The Knights found themselves in an early hole, trailing the Redline for much of the first quarter. The second quarter provided a back-and-forth battle between the two teams, including six lead changes.

The Knights took a 42-38 lead after two acrobatic layups by Joe Young and Corey Massey with 10:05 remaining in the first half.

Chicago would then rattle off an 11-3 run on the Knights, thanks in large part to Tony Bennett (6'1''-G-84, college: Bradley), who had two fast break dunks and a three-pointer to help put Redline ahead 70-64 with 2:07 left to play in the first half.

After trailing 74-68 at intermission, the Knights offensive began to take over, outscoring Redline 16-4 to start in third quarter.

Brandon Vorhees remained hot from downtown in the third quarter, nailing a deep ball to extend the Knights lead, 100-87, with 2:50 remaining in the third quarter.

Battle Creek outscored Redline by 20 points in the third quarter, which allowed the team to control a 117-103 lead heading into the final quarter.

'We weren't playing defense,' Sare said about his team's third quarter outburst. 'We were having trouble with their high pick and roll. We couldn't fight through it, so we hedged it,'
A fadeaway jumper from the baseline by Andre Tyler (6'1''-G, college: Kennedy-King CC) gave Chicago hope, cutting the Knights lead to 134-125 with 6:30 to play in the game.

Vorhess put an early dagger in Redline's hopes, however, drilling a long-range 3-pointer as the shot clock expired, giving the Knights their largest lead of the game, 153-133, with 2:20 left in regulation.

The Knights were led of offense by Vorhess with 35 points and 11 rebounds while Young added 23 points and Axon had 22 points.

'Once in a while you're just feeling good,' Vorhess said about his hot shooting performance. 'The team got me the ball in the right spots. It was a lot of fun.'

Brian Edwards had a team-high nine assists for the Knights and Courtney Smith (F/C) pulled down a team-high 17 rebounds in the win.

Bennett had a game-high 60 points in the loss for Chicago. Andre Tyler had 25 points and 10 rebounds to go along with Terry Williams' 20 points and nine rebounds.

The Knights face Gary on Friday at Kellogg Arena at 7:30 p.m. If the Knights win, they will host a playoff game on Wednesday at Kellogg Arena as the third seed.

Courtesy of www.battlecreekenquirer.com

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  IBL   


Former Volcano Tarver takes his talents to D-League - by Kip Leonetti
Former Vancouver Volcanoes standout guard Josh Tarver (6'3''-G-86, college: Oregon St.) has officially taken his game to the next level.

The Oregon State graduate, who helped lead the Volcanoes to the 2011 International Basketball League championship last July, is now starting for the NBA Development Leagues Rio Grande Valley Vipers.

Through 16 games, Tarver is averaging 5.6 points as well as 3.3 rebounds and assists per game. He has helped propel the Vipers to a 10-6 record and third place in the D-Leagues West Conference. Tarver is tasked with getting the Vipers back to the D-League championship series for the third consecutive season.

Tarvers current stint in Texas is the latest and most significant stop in a career that has also seen him play in Rwanda and China. After finishing his collegiate career with the Beavers in 2010, Tarvers first stop was up the road in McMinnville, Ore., where he starred for the Yamhill Highflyers and helped lead them to the semi-finals of the IBL playoffs that season.

Tarver followed his Yamhill debut with stints in Chinas National Basketball League and with Rwandas national team. Last June, Tarver found his way to Vancouver where he joined the Volcanoes in time for a push to the playoffs.

Volcanoes head coach Bryan Hunter believes that Tarvers mid-season addition was a key factor in his teams success, stating that Josh was an instant spark to our offense. In addition to his ability to direct the team on the court, he was also one of our best defenders.

I believe that his addition to our team may have been the turning point we needed to make our championship run, Hunter added.

Tarvers journey to the D-League wasnt without its bumps, however. An unsuccessful tryout with the Reno Bighorns in 2010 taught him lessons that he used when another opportunity came along. Tarver credits his faith and Rio Grandes coaching staff for giving him that second chance.

You have to really talk to the people youre going to try out for because a lot of these teams really dont take anyone from the tryout, commented Tarver. This time around the coaches actually wanted me to come out here and I found they were more serious than other teams I was communicating with.

On this team I can play the one through three positions, even a little bit of the four, and guard most one through threes, Tarver continued. But I have improved my skills a lot since last year to a level where I thought I needed to be. Im just trying to show that I can knock down the open three and run the team and create for others and show that I can really play defense at this level.

Josh, who comes from an athletic family his father John played in the NFL and his four siblings also played collegiate athletics isnt the only Tarver playing in the D-League this season. His brother Seth, with whom he was teammates at Oregon State, is currently suiting up for the Idaho Stampede after participating in the Portland Trailblazers training camp.

The two have never competed against each other in an official game, and Josh has mixed feelings about the possibility, predicting that a showdown with Seth would be exciting but weird.

Should Josh and Seth remain with Rio Grande and Idaho, respectively, the two would face each other in a two-game series in Boise on February 3 and 4.

For more information on the International Basketball League and the Vancouver Volcanoes, visit www.ibl.com or www.vancouvervolcanoes.com.

ALBANY Legends Offer Pro Combine - by John Gary
courtesy oursportscentral.com The Albany Legends,former IBl champions,and newly placed IBA team have announced a player combine to be held in the Capital District. The dates for the combine will be January 14-15 and the cost per player is 75 dollars for non-stay and 100 dollars in full if the player requires a room for the night.This past 6 months the Legends staff placed 9 players in 7 different countries for the 2011-12 season is looking to reload with talent. The Legends are holding the combine in order to afford players the ability to try out for the upcoming 2012 roster and also the chance to have videoed workouts assessments and player profiles established.
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  ICELAND   


Express L. Round 10: Stjarnan beats Fjolnir by one after a very close game - by Eurobasket News
The fans could enjoy quite many interesting games in the last round. The round ended with extra overtimes and games ending by tiny margin.

The most exciting game of round 10 in the Express L. took place in Fjolnir. This derby game ended with only one-point home defeat of 7th ranked Fjolnir (5-5) to second ranked Stjarnan (8-2) 78-77 on Thursday evening. Guest team only slightly avoided a big embarassment. It ended at the same time the two-game winning streak of Fjolnir. The guests trailed by 7 points after three quarters before their 18-10 charge, which allowed them to win the game. Worth to mention a great performance of American guard Justin Shouse (180-81, college: Mercyhurst) who helped to win the game recording 21 points and 5 assists. Forward Gudjon Larusson (195-81) contributed with 18 points and 7 rebounds for the winners. American forward Nathan Walkup (200-88, college: Texas A&M) replied with a double-double by scoring 28 points, 11 rebounds and 4 assists for Fjolnir. Stjarnan have a solid three-game winning streak. They maintain second position with 8-2 record behind leader Grindavik. Fjolnir at the other side dropped to the sixth place with five games lost. They share the position with IR. Stjarnan are looking forward to face league's leader Grindavik at home in the next round and it will be for sure the game of the week. Fjolnir will play against Keflavik (#3) and is hoping to prove to their fans that this time they can win.
Express L. top team - Grindavik (9-1) added another victory to their record. This time they beat eighth ranked Njardvik (4-6) 73-65. American forward J'Nathan Bullock (196-87, college: Cleveland St., agency: Pro One Sports) scored 24 points and 9 rebounds to lead the charge for the winners and Olafur Olafsson chipped in 15 points, 11 rebounds and 6 assists during the contest. At the losing side American guard Travis Holmes (193, college: VMI, agency: Strategic Sports) responded with a double-double by scoring 17 points and 13 rebounds. Njardvik's coach rotated ten players in this game, but that didn't help. Grindavik maintains first position with 9-1 record. Njardvik lost third consecutive game. They keep the eighth place with six games lost. They share the position with Snaefell and Tindastoll. Grindavik will play against league's second-placed Stjarnan on the road in the next round and it will be for sure the game of the week. Njardvik will play against Tindastoll (#9) in Sauoarkrokur and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Bottom-ranked Valur is still unable to win any game. This time they could not use their home court advantage losing their tenth consecutive match to fourth ranked Thor Thorl (6-4) 90-73 on Thursday evening. James Hairston notched a double-double by scoring 25 points and 14 rebounds to lead the effort. Even 23 points by Garrison Johnson did not help to save the game for Valur. Valur's coach tested ten players seeing no chance for a win. Newly promoted Thor Thorl maintains fourth position with 6-4 record, which they share with KR. Valur at the other side, also newcomer in the league, still closes the standings with ten games lost. Thor Thorl will meet at home Haukar (#11) in the next round and are hoping to win another game. Valur will play against Snaefell in Stykkisholmur and hopes to get finally their first victory.
Tenth ranked Snaefell won an overtime thriller edging 9th ranked Tindastoll by one point 99-100. The game took place in Sauoarkrokur. But the guests from Stykkisholmur were better at the end. It ended at the same time the four-game winning streak of Tindastoll. Quincy Hankins-Cole fired a double-double by scoring 26 points and 11 rebounds for the winners. Snaefell (4-6) moved-up to eighth place, which they share with Njardvik and Tindastoll. Snaefell's next round opponent will be bottom-ranked Valur (#12) in Reykjavik.
The game in Reykjavik was also quite interesting. Third ranked Keflavik (7-3) played at the court of 6th ranked IR (5-5). Keflavik defeated IR 95-84 on Thursday. It was a very good performance for Charles Parker who helped to win the game recording 34 points (!!!) and 9 rebounds. Keflavik's coach used a ten-player rotation which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. Keflavik maintains third position with 7-3 record having just two points less than leader Grindavik. Loser IR keeps the sixth place with five games lost. Keflavik will face Fjolnir (#7) at home in the next round. IR's supporters look forward to an exciting derby game next round, where their team will travel locally in Reykjavik to the arena KR.

In the last game of round 10 KR beat Haukar on the road 82-74.


IR - Keflavik 84-95

The game in Reykjavik was also quite interesting. Third ranked Keflavik (7-3) played at the court of 6th ranked IR (5-5). Keflavik defeated IR 95-84 on Thursday. The game was mostly controlled by Keflavik. IR was better in second period 14-11. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. They dominated down low during the game scoring 62 of its points in the paint compared to IR's 42. It was a very good performance for American guard Charles Parker (193-85, college: Millersville) who helped to win the game recording 34 points (!!!) and 9 rebounds. American-Italian guard Steve Dagostino (180-85, college: St.Rose, NY, agency: Duran International) contributed with 19 points and 5 assists for the winners. Keflavik's coach used a ten-player rotation which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. Serbian-Canadian forward Nemanja Sovic (198-77, college: Pfeiffer) replied with a double-double by scoring 26 points and 10 rebounds and American guard Robert Jarvis (180-87, college: ORU) added 16 points and 8 assists in the effort for IR. Both teams had four players each who scored in double figures. Keflavik maintains third position with 7-3 record having just two points less than leader Grindavik. Loser IR keeps the sixth place with five games lost. Keflavik will face Fjolnir (#7) at home in the next round. IR's supporters look forward to an exciting derby game next round, where their team will travel locally in Reykjavik to the arena KR.
Top scorers:
IR: N.Sovic 26+10reb+2ast, J.Bartolotta 18+1reb+3ast, R.Jarvis 16+4reb+8ast, H.Fridriksson 10+5reb+1ast, E.Arnarson 7+3reb+2ast, K.Jonasson 3+1reb+2ast
Keflavik: C.Parker 34+9reb+2ast, S.Dagostino 19+4reb+5ast, J.Cole 16+3reb+1ast, M.Gunnarsson 10+5reb+2ast, V.Valsson 7+2reb+3ast, A.Gudbrandsson 6+8reb
gschID: 140123


Fjolnir - Stjarnan 77-78

The most exciting game of round 10 in the Express L. took place in Fjolnir. This derby game ended with only one-point home defeat of 7th ranked Fjolnir (5-5) to second ranked Stjarnan (8-2) 78-77 on Thursday evening. Guest team only slightly avoided a big embarassment. It ended at the same time the two-game winning streak of Fjolnir. The guests trailed by 7 points after three quarters before their 18-10 charge, which allowed them to win the game. Worth to mention a great performance of American guard Justin Shouse (180-81, college: Mercyhurst) who helped to win the game recording 21 points and 5 assists. Forward Gudjon Larusson (195-81) contributed with 18 points and 7 rebounds for the winners. Four Stjarnan players scored in double figures. American forward Nathan Walkup (200-88, college: Texas A&M) replied with a double-double by scoring 28 points, 11 rebounds and 4 assists and forward Jon Sverrisson (197-88) added 15 points, 14 rebounds and 4 assists in the effort for Fjolnir. Stjarnan have a solid three-game winning streak. They maintain second position with 8-2 record behind leader Grindavik. Fjolnir at the other side dropped to the sixth place with five games lost. They share the position with IR. Stjarnan are looking forward to face league's leader Grindavik at home in the next round and it will be for sure the game of the week. Fjolnir will play against Keflavik (#3) and is hoping to prove to their fans that this time they can win.
Top scorers:
Fjolnir: N.Walkup 28+11reb+4ast, C.O'Neil 18+6reb+5ast, J.Sverrisson 15+14reb+4ast, A.Gudmundsson 7+2ast, T.Eiriksson 4+5reb+1ast, B.Rikhardsson 3+2reb+2ast
Stjarnan: J.Shouse 21+4reb+5ast, G.Larusson 18+7reb+2ast, F.Helgason 13+8reb+3ast, K.Cothran 12+5reb+2ast, M.Valdimarsson 9+5reb+1ast, S.Larusson 5+5reb+2ast
gschID: 140124


Grindavik - Njardvik 73-65

Express L. top team - Grindavik (9-1) added another victory to their record. This time they beat eighth ranked Njardvik (4-6) 73-65. The hosts took control from the first minutes by winning first half. But Njardvik won third quarter 24-17. However it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. The game was decided in the last minutes when Grindavik won last quarter 16-9. They also forced 19 Njardvik turnovers and outrebounded them 45-33 including a 14-3 advantage in offensive rebounds. American forward J'Nathan Bullock (196-87, college: Cleveland St., agency: Pro One Sports) scored 24 points and 9 rebounds to lead the charge for the winners and guard Olafur Olafsson (190-90) chipped in 15 points, 11 rebounds and 6 assists during the contest. At the losing side American guard Travis Holmes (193, college: VMI, agency: Strategic Sports) responded with a double-double by scoring 17 points and 13 rebounds and his fellow American import power forward Cameron Echols (203-81, college: Ball St.) scored 22 points and 9 rebounds. Njardvik's coach rotated ten players in this game, but that didn't help. Grindavik maintains first position with 9-1 record. Njardvik lost third consecutive game. They keep the eighth place with six games lost. They share the position with Snaefell and Tindastoll. Grindavik will play against league's second-placed Stjarnan on the road in the next round and it will be for sure the game of the week. Njardvik will play against Tindastoll (#9) in Sauoarkrokur and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Njardvik: C.Echols 22+9reb+1ast, T.Holmes 17+13reb+3ast, E.Fridriksson 7+2reb+1ast, H.Einarsson 6+3reb+3ast, M.Baginski 5+1ast, J.Askarsson 4+1reb
Grindavik: J.Bullock 24+9reb+1ast, O.Olafsson 15+11reb+6ast, S.Thorsteinsson 12+5reb+1ast, T.Olafsson 6+1reb+1ast, G.Watson 6+7reb+6ast, B.Brynjolfsson 5+1reb
gschID: 140125


Tindastoll - Snaefell 99-100 OT

Tenth ranked Snaefell won an overtime thriller edging 9th ranked Tindastoll by one point 99-100. The game took place in Sauoarkrokur. But the guests from Stykkisholmur were better at the end. It ended at the same time the four-game winning streak of Tindastoll. The guests were already 12 points ahead after 3 quarters before a 22-10 Tindastoll's run in the last quarter tied the game, leading to overtime which they eventually won 19-18. Snaefell made 25-of-30 charity shots (83.3 percent) during the game. American forward Quincy Hankins-Cole (203, agency: Hoops Ambassadors) fired a double-double by scoring 26 points and 11 rebounds for the winners. Forward Jon Olafur Jonsson (199-81) chipped in 24 points and 6 rebounds. American guard Maurice Miller (187-88, college: Georgia Tech) produced a triple-double by scoring 19 points, 11 rebounds, 11 assists and 4 steals and his fellow American import guard Curtis Allen (193-86, college: ORU) added 19 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists respectively for lost side. Five Tindastoll players scored in double figures. Snaefell (4-6) moved-up to eighth place, which they share with Njardvik and Tindastoll. Snaefell's next round opponent will be bottom-ranked Valur (#12) in Reykjavik.
Top scorers:
Tindastoll: H.Viggosson 22+5reb+1ast, M.Miller 19+11reb+11ast, C.Allen 19+6reb+5ast, F.Hreinsson 14+1reb+1ast, T.Johannsson 11+3reb+2ast, S.Birgisson 10+3reb+1ast
Snaefell: Q.Hankins-Cole 26+11reb+3ast, J.Olafur Jonsson 24+6reb+1ast, M.Hall 15+6reb+6ast, O.Hjartarson 9+5reb, H.Gunnarsson 9+3reb+3ast, P.Sigurgeirsson 8+8reb+3ast
gschID: 140126


Valur - Thor Thorl 73-90

Bottom-ranked Valur is still unable to win any game. This time they could not use their home court advantage losing their tenth consecutive match to fourth ranked Thor Thorl (6-4) 90-73 on Thursday evening. The guests trailed by 6 points after first quarter, but they stormed back to get the 7-point lead at the halftime and eventually won the game 90-73. American guard James Hairston (191-85, college: California, PA) notched a double-double by scoring 25 points and 14 rebounds to lead the effort and the other American import guard Darrin Govens (185-88, college: St.Joseph's) supported him with 25 points. Even 23 points by American guard Garrison Johnson (196-88, college: Jackson St., agency: Strategic Sports) did not help to save the game for Valur. American-French guard Hamid Dicko (, college: Hillsdale) added 14 points and 4 assists for lost side. Valur's coach tested ten players seeing no chance for a win. Newly promoted Thor Thorl maintains fourth position with 6-4 record, which they share with KR. Valur at the other side, also newcomer in the league, still closes the standings with ten games lost. Thor Thorl will meet at home Haukar (#11) in the next round and are hoping to win another game. Valur will play against Snaefell in Stykkisholmur and hopes to get finally their first victory.
Top scorers:
Valur: G.Johnson 23+4reb+3ast, B.Petursson 14+8reb, H.Dicko 14+4reb+4ast, S.Thorvaldsson 8+3reb, A.Bracey 7+4reb+2ast, R.Gylfason 4+4reb
Thor Thorl: D.Govens 25+4reb+2ast, J.Hairston 25+14reb+1ast, G.Jonsson 18+6reb+2ast, B.Ragnarsson 7+5ast, B.Janev 7+6reb, D.Hilmarsson 4
gschID: 140127


Haukar - KR 74-82

No shocking result in a game when fifth ranked KR (6-4) beat 11th ranked Haukar (2-8) in Hafnarfjordur 82-74 on Thursday. The guests trailed by 2 points at the halftime before their 25-12 charge in the third quarter, which allowed them to win the game. KR made 25-of-33 free shots (75.8 percent) during the game, while Haukar only scored nine points from the stripe. KR forced 21 Haukar turnovers. Haukar was plagued by 24 personal fouls down the stretch. American players dominated the game. Quite impressive performance for guard Joshua Brown (187-88, college: Towson) who helped to win the game recording 26 points and 5 steals. Power forward Robert Ferguson (203-85, college: St.Joseph's) contributed with 17 points and 6 rebounds for the winners. Brown is a former Eurobasket Summer League player, which is considered top international summer league in the market. KR's coach allowed to play the deep bench players saving starting five for next games. Forward Christopher Smith (198-82, college: St.Edward's) replied with a double-double by scoring 16 points and 12 rebounds and forward Hayward Fain (196, college: St.Augustine, agency: Strategic Sports) added 18 points and 8 rebounds in the effort for Haukar. Defending champion moved-up to fourth place, which they share with Thor Thorl. Loser Haukar keeps the eleventh position with eight games lost. KR's supporters look forward to an exciting derby game next round, where their team will face at home their local rival from Reykjavik IR.
Top scorers:
Haukar: H.Fain 18+8reb+3ast, C.Smith 16+12reb+3ast, H.Oskarsson 13+1ast, D.Hermannsson 9+2reb+1ast, E.Barja 9+8reb+6ast, H.Einarsson 4+6reb+2ast
KR: J.Brown 26+4reb+3ast, E.Johannsson 17+3reb+2ast, R.Ferguson 17+6reb, S.Ingason 8+5reb+4ast, J.Kristjansson 6+4reb, F.Magnusson 5+4reb+2ast
gschID: 140128




Stats Leaders (Men)
Points Per Game
 Brandon COTTON
  Snaefell
  (185-G-85)
  Avg: 35.3
 1. Cotton, Snaefell35.3 
 2. Govens, Thor Thorl25.5 
 3. Johnson, Valur24.6 
 4. Jarvis, IR24.3 
 5. Sovic, IR23.7 
 6. Echols, Njardvik23.1 
 7. Dagostino, Keflavik23.0 
 8. Walkup, Fjolnir22.8 
 9. Shuler, Haukar22.7 
 10. Tairu, KR21.4 
Rebounds Per Game
 Quincy HANKINS-COLE
  Snaef.
  (203-F-)
  Avg: 14.2
 1. Hankins-Cole, Snae.14.2 
 2. Echols, Njardvik11.4 
 3. Ringgold, Thor Tho.11.3 
 4. Walkup, Fjolnir10.9 
 5. Tratnik, Valur10.7 
 6. Shuler, Haukar10.0 
 7. Hampton, Tindastoll9.9 
 8. Miller, Tindastoll9.6 
 9. Cole, Keflavik9.2 
 10. Smith, Haukar9.0 
Assists Per Game
 Marquis HALL
  Snaefell
  (183-G-87)
  Avg: 6.7
 1. Hall, Snaefell6.7 
 2. Shouse, Stjarnan6.7 
 3. Watson, Grindavik6.7 
 4. Miller, Tindastoll6.2 
 5. Claessen, IR5.7 
 6. Haraldsson, Haukar5.0 
 7. O''Neil, Fjolnir4.7 
 8. Dagostino, Keflavik4.6 
 9. Steinarsson, Fjoln.4.4 
 10. Horton, KR4.3 
Steals Per Game
 Travis HOLMES
  Njardvik
  (193-G-)
  Avg: 3.1
 1. Holmes, Njardvik3.1 
 2. Hall, Snaefell2.9 
 3. Shouse, Stjarnan2.7 
 4. Shuler, Haukar2.5 
 5. Cothran, Stjarnan2.4 
 6. Gunnarsson, Kefla.2.3 
 7. Fain, Haukar2.3 
 8. Johnson, Valur2.2 
 9. Parker, Keflavik2.2 
 10. Barja, Haukar2.2 
Blocks Per Game
 Christopher SMITH
  Haukar
  (198-F-82)
  Avg: 3.8
 1. Smith, Haukar3.8 
 2. Tratnik, Valur2.4 
 3. Hugee, Valur2.3 
 4. Hampton, Tindastoll1.3 
 5. Gudbrandsson, Kefl.1.1 
 6. Ragnarsson, Fjolnir1.1 
 7. Jonsson, Snaefell1.0 
 8. Johnson, Valur1.0 
 9. Magnusson, KR1.0 
 10. Holmes, Njardvik0.9 


Standings - Iceland Express League
Express L. Standings
 1. Grindavik 9-1 
 2. Stjarnan 8-2 
 3. Keflavik 7-3 
 4. KR 6-4 
 5. Thor Thorl 6-4 
 6. IR 5-5 
 7. Fjolnir 5-5 
 8. Snaefell 4-6 
 9. Tindastoll 4-6 
 10. Njardvik 4-6 
 11. Haukar 2-8 
 12. Valur 0-10 


*****************************************************
  IRAN   


Mahram stay without loose - by Kazem Ghayem
16th week games held last night and like other 15 weeks Mahram Tehran won again and stay perfect from 16.
Azad University Tehran - Foolad Mahan Esfahan
in the most important games azad faced Foolad Mahan Esfahan in Tehran. in this game Javad Davari (185-G-83) lead his team in score with 23 pts had a great role in the 80-76 win over Azad University Tehran.
Asghar Kardoust (212-C-86, agency: SportsList Inc.) also had a great night with 22 pts and 7 reb in 27 mins.

Petrochimi Bandar Imam Harbour - Zob Ahan Esfahan
in the other important match Petrochimi Bandar Imam Harbour played against Zob ahan in Mahshahr. in this game petrochimi's new Guard Joseph Forte (193-G-81, agency: JEMsports, college: N.Carolina) made a good show with 22pts and 6 steel in the 76-70 win over Zob ahan. this two team also should play a few days later against each other in the WABA championship. Aren Davoudichegani (185-PG-86) also had a good show with 22 pts and Oshin Sahakian (200-F-86) with 13 rebs and 17 pts was not enough to win.

Melli Haffari Ahvaz - Shiraz a.s Pipe
Melli Haffari Ahvaz had a difficult night against Shiraz. but finally they could beat Shiraz 63-60.

Shahrdari Gorgan Municipality - Hamyari Shahrdari Zanjan
Shahrdari Gorgan Municipality had no problem to win over zanjan in Shahrdari Gorgan Municipality. they easily beat Hamyari Shahrdari Zanjan 90-71.

Jahesh Tarabar Qom - Sanaye Petrochimi Mahshahr
Jahesh Tarabar Qom win another team from mahshahr in their home. this time Sanaye Petrochimi Mahshahr loose to them 82-70.

Mahram Tehran - Pouya Tehran
another win for perfect team in the day that Samad Nikkhah (198-G/F-83, agency: SportsList Inc.) had rest.
this game was a chance for bench players to show themselves. Sajjad Mashayekhi (180-PG-94) was one of the young players that had a acceptable show with 17 pts. but Mahdi Kamrani (186-PG-82) was top scorer in this match with a 30 pts record and 4 of 5 3pts range. mahram made their best win record with the 121-59 win over Pouya Tehran.

Playoff tree getting clear , 3 teams prepare themselves for WABA - by Aydin Dianat
As we get close to the end of the regular season there are 6 teams qualified for the playoffs and between Melli Haffari Ahvaz, Shahrdari Gorgan Municipality , Shiraz a.s Pipe and Hamyari Shahrdari Zanjan two team will fill the last three spots remaining in the playoffs tree so the upcoming weeks will be very crucial for those clubs and each win counts their hopes to reach the playoffs. Between the 6 top teams, Mahram Tehran which has the best record will most probably remain the number one seed. Mahram Tehran has to to go Lebanon for his WABA games at the end of January. The new coming team of Foolad Mahan Esfahan showed high hopes as a contender this season with a combination of young and experienced players. Zob Ahan Esfahan and Petrochimi who have games in WABA league also in the next 10 days has to prepare themselves in facing each other on the opening day of the games in Beirut. Azad University Tehran is another team in the top 6 with a motivated and young team. And the new team from Mahshahr also see itself in the playoffs which is a very good result for the club on its first appearance in the Iranian Superleague. Exciting weeks in the Iranian League starts now.

Standings - Superleague
Superleague Standings
 1. Mahram 16-0 
 2. Foolad Mahan 13-3 
 3. Petrochimi 11-5 
 4. Zob Ahan 11-5 
 5. Azad 11-5 
 6. Sanaye Petrochimi 8-8 
 7. M.H.Ahvaz 6-10 
 8. Pouya 5-11 
 9. Gorgan 5-11 
 10. Shiraz a.s Pipe 4-12 
 11. Jahesh 3-13 
 12. Zanjan 3-13 


*****************************************************
  ISRAEL   


Bnei Hasharon Hires New Head Coach, Extends Kenny Lawson's Contract - by David Pick
A busy Friday afternoon reached Bnei Hasharon headquarters. First, after head coach Adi Azulay resigned last night, Eurobasket exclusively informed that the team was going to appoint Ariel Beit-Halamy as the new coach. The Israeli team decided to make things official and Beit-Halamy, who coached Bnei during the 2008-09 season, already held his first practice earlier today, preparing for Monday's State-Cup elimination game against Maccabi Tel Aviv.

Then, Bnei officially extended Kenny Lawson's contract for an extra month in hopes of keeping him on board for the remainder of the season.

Update, Bnei's shooting guard LaceDarius Dunn will miss Monday's game due to an injury.

Follow David Pick on Twitter: @IAmDPick


*****************************************************
  ITALY   


Sant'Antimo signs Troy Bell - by Andrea Centenari
This morning Troy Bell (186-G-80, college: Boston Coll.) has signed his new contract with Ass.Pallacanestro Sant' Antimo. The shooting guard played with Trenkwalder Reggio Emilia in the last season becoming a free agent in this season. Bell has already played in Italy with Vanoli-Braga Cremona, Angelico Biella and Novipiu Casale Monferrato.
'I want him with my team for his technical skills - said coach Gennaro Di Carlo - and because he's a great expert of the italian Leag2'.
Bell will arrive in Sant'Antino on the next week.

stats leader
Points Per Game
 Bernardo MUSSO
  Napoli
  (192-G-86)
  Avg: 19.3
 1. Musso, Napoli19.3 
 2. Evangelisti, Recan.19.2 
 3. Portannese, Torino16.9 
 4. Mei, Comsum.it SI16.1 
 5. Prandin, Casalp.15.6 
 6. Carrizo, Ferentino15.6 
 7. Benevelli, Orlandi.15.5 
 8. Carra, Trieste15.4 
 9. Amici, Firenze15.2 
 10. Fattori, San Seve.14.9 
Rebounds Per Game
 Emanuele ROSSI
  Chieti
  (208-C-82)
  Avg: 11.8
 1. Rossi, Chieti11.8 
 2. Iannilli, Napoli9.9 
 3. Benevelli, Orlandi.8.7 
 4. Borra, Treviglio8.4 
 5. Simeoli, Comsum.i.8.3 
 6. Baldi Rossi, Perug.8.3 
 7. Tessitori, Comsum..8.2 
 8. Raminelli, Castell.7.7 
 9. Ferraro, Trieste7.6 
 10. Gandini, Trieste7.6 
Assists Per Game
 Matteo BERTOLAZZI
  Omegna
  (181-G-79)
  Avg: 5.2
 1. Bertolazzi, Omegna5.2 
 2. Musso, Napoli3.7 
 3. Stanic, Fabriano3.6 
 4. Zanelli, Orlandina3.3 
 5. Vico, Matera3.2 
 6. Guarino, Ferentino3.1 
 7. Forray, Trento3.1 
 8. Rivali, Santarcang.2.9 
 9. Ferrarese, Castell.2.8 
 10. Santolamazza, An.2.7 
Steals Per Game
 Alessio IARDELLA
  Fabriano
  (187-F-88)
  Avg: 3.8
 1. Iardella, Fabriano3.8 
 2. Bertolazzi, Omegna3.3 
 3. Portannese, Torino3.1 
 4. Malamov, Anagni3.0 
 5. Guarino, Ferentino3.0 
 6. Stanic, Fabriano3.0 
 7. Musso, Napoli2.9 
 8. Vico, Matera2.9 
 9. Amici, Firenze2.9 
 10. Pilotti, Matera2.8 
Blocks Per Game
 Andrea CAPITANELLI
  Firenze
  (203-C-86)
  Avg: 1.5
 1. Capitanelli, Firen.1.5 
 2. Borra, Treviglio1.4 
 3. Ancellotti, Santar.1.3 
 4. Candido, San Seve.1.2 
 5. Benevelli, Orlandi.1.0 
 6. Cazzaniga, Pavia1.0 
 7. Corral, Anagni0.9 
 8. Tardito, Matera0.9 
 9. Feliciangeli, Chie.0.9 
 10. Tessitori, Comsum.0.9 


Lega2 Round 14: Tuscany Pistoia is upset by MarcoPoloShop.it - by Eurobasket News
The most important game in the last round took place in Forli between second ranked Tuscany Pistoia (9-5) and twelfth ranked MarcoPoloShop.it (6-7) on Thursday night. Tuscany Pistoia was defeated by MarcoPoloShop.it in a tough game on the road 87-91. It ended at the same time the two-game winning streak of Tuscany Pistoia. The hosts were tied at the half but managed to speed up in last two quarters eventually winning the game. MarcoPoloShop.it made 16-of-19 free shots (84.2 percent) during the game. The best player for the winners was American guard Austin Freeman (190-89, college: Georgetown) who scored 33 points (!!!), 5 rebounds and 4 assists. Finnish swingman Shawn Huff (198-84, college: Valparaiso) chipped in 28 points and 11 rebounds. American guard Dwight Hardy (188-87, college: St.John's) produced 37 points (!!!) and 6 rebounds for the guests. MarcoPoloShop.it moved-up to eighth place, which they share with 3 other teams. Tuscany Pistoia at the other side keeps the second position with five games lost. MarcoPoloShop.it is looking forward to face league's leader Trenkwalder RE in Reggio Emilia in the next round and they do not belong to the favorites in that game. Tuscany Pistoia will have a break next round.
Very important is a road loss of third ranked Centrale Latte (8-5) against fifth ranked Givova Scafati (8-5) on Thursday night. Visiting Centrale Latte was defeated by Givova Scafati in a tough game in Scafati 81-89. American guard Paul Marigney (192-82, college: St.Mary's, CA) orchestrated the victory by scoring 28 points, 6 assists and 5 steals. James Thomas contributed with 14 points and 14 rebounds for the winners. American guard Ryan Thompson (198-89, college: Rider) replied with 25 points and 7 rebounds for Centrale Latte. Centrale Latte's coach rotated ten players in this game, but that didn't help. Givova Scafati moved-up to third place, which they share with Enel Brindisi and Centrale Latte. Centrale Latte lost third consecutive game. Givova Scafati will play against Enel Brindisi (#5) on the road in the next round. Centrale Latte will play against Assi Ostuni and hopes to get back on the winning track.
Bottom-ranked S.Antimo managed to get a third victory, breaking the two-game losing streak on Thursday night. This time newly promoted S.Antimo edged fourth-ranked Morpho Basket in Piacenza 70-67. It ended at the same time the three-game winning streak of Morpho Basket. Folarin Campbell scored 22 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists to lead the charge for the winners. Clint Cotis Harrison responded with 17 points and 6 rebounds (was perfect 7-for-7 from the free throw line). Newly promoted S.Antimo maintains fifteenth position with 3-10 record. Morpho Basket at the other side, also newcomer in the league, dropped to the sixth place with five games lost. They share the position with Sigma Barcel.. S.Antimo will meet at home higher ranked Aget Imola (#12) in the next round and it may be quite challenging game. Morpho Basket will play against Tezenis Verona (#8) and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Leader Trenkwalder RE delivered the tenth victory. This time they beat 10th ranked Aget Imola (5-8) 86-77. Donell Taylor notched 21 points and 4 assists (on 10-of-13 shooting from the field) to lead the effort. Trenkwalder RE maintains first position with 10-3 record. Aget Imola at the other side dropped to the twelfth place with eight games lost. Trenkwalder RE's next round opponent will be MarcoPoloShop.it (#11) in Forli and are hoping to win another game. Aget Imola will play on the road against S.Antimo in Sant'Antimo.
Prima Veroli (4-9) survived in overtime against Tezenis Verona (6-7) by three points 90-87 on Thursday night. It ended at the same time the three-game winning streak of Tezenis Verona. The best player for the winners was David Brkic who had a double-double by scoring 24 points, 12 rebounds and 4 assists. Prima Veroli moved-up to thirteenth place, which they share with Biancoblu BO. Loser Tezenis Verona dropped to the eighth position with seven games lost. Prima Veroli will face higher ranked Fileni BPA (#10) in Jesi in the next round and it may be quite challenging game.

In the last two games of round 14 Enel Brindisi defeated Biancoblu BO in a road game 89-82. Assi Ostuni beat Fileni BPA at home 87-72.
The best stats of 14th round was 29 points, 7 rebounds and 9 assists by Trent Whiting of Aget Imola.


Aget Imola - Trenkwalder 77-86

Leader Trenkwalder RE delivered the tenth victory. This time they beat 10th ranked Aget Imola (5-8) 86-77. The guests were already 11 points ahead at halftime and as many as 13 after three quarters before a 24-20 last quarter charge of Aget Imola cut the lead to 86-77 at the end of the game. They outrebounded Aget Imola 47-28 including 33 on the defensive glass. American guard Donell Taylor (198-82, college: UAB) notched 21 points and 4 assists (on 10-of-13 shooting from the field) to lead the effort and the other American import guard Dawan Robinson (189-82, college: Rhode Island) supported him with 17 points and 4 assists. Five Trenkwalder RE players scored in double figures. Even 29 points, 7 rebounds and 9 assists by American guard Trent Whiting (185-76, college: BYU) did not help to save the game for Aget Imola. Naturalized Argentinian guard Patricio Prato (196-79) added 18 points and 5 rebounds for the hosts. Trenkwalder RE maintains first position with 10-3 record. Aget Imola at the other side dropped to the twelfth place with eight games lost. Trenkwalder RE's next round opponent will be MarcoPoloShop.it (#11) in Forli and are hoping to win another game. Aget Imola will play on the road against S.Antimo in Sant'Antimo.
Top scorers:
Trenkwalder: D.Taylor 21+4reb+4ast, D.Robinson 17+4reb+4ast, D.Filloy 12+6reb+4ast, R.Cervi 10+10reb, D.Slanina 10+3reb+4ast, F.Ruini 8+4reb
Aget Imola: T.Whiting 29+7reb+9ast, P.Prato 18+5reb+3ast, D.Bruttini 14+3reb, T.Kotti 5+5reb+1ast, F.Masoni 5+4reb, D.Cournooh 3+2reb+2ast
gschID: 135545


MarcoPoloShop - Giorgio Tesi PT 91-87

The most important game in the last round took place in Forli between second ranked Tuscany Pistoia (9-5) and twelfth ranked MarcoPoloShop.it (6-7) on Thursday night. Tuscany Pistoia was defeated by MarcoPoloShop.it in a tough game on the road 87-91. It ended at the same time the two-game winning streak of Tuscany Pistoia. The hosts were tied at the half but managed to speed up in last two quarters eventually winning the game. MarcoPoloShop.it made 16-of-19 free shots (84.2 percent) during the game. The best player for the winners was American guard Austin Freeman (190-89, college: Georgetown) who scored 33 points (!!!), 5 rebounds and 4 assists. Finnish swingman Shawn Huff (198-84, college: Valparaiso) chipped in a double-double by scoring 28 points and 11 rebounds. American guard Dwight Hardy (188-87, college: St.John's) produced 37 points (!!!) and 6 rebounds and his fellow American import forward Bobby Jones (201-84, college: Washington) added 13 points and 9 rebounds respectively for the guests. MarcoPoloShop.it moved-up to eighth place, which they share with 3 other teams. Tuscany Pistoia at the other side keeps the second position with five games lost. MarcoPoloShop.it is looking forward to face league's leader Trenkwalder RE in Reggio Emilia in the next round and they do not belong to the favorites in that game. Tuscany Pistoia will have a break next round.
Top scorers:
MarcoPoloShop: A.Freeman 33+5reb+4ast, S.Huff 28+11reb+1ast, S.Borsato 9+2reb+4ast, J.Trapani 7+5reb, T.Marino 5+1reb+2ast, R.Casoli 4+1reb+2ast
Giorgio Tesi PT: D.Hardy 37+6reb+3ast, B.Jones 13+9reb+2ast, D.Mathis 9+4reb+1ast, G.Galanda 9+5reb+2ast, G.Yango 9+1reb, G.Gurini 8+5reb+2ast
gschID: 135546


Biancoblu BO - Enel Brindisi 82-89

There was no surprise in Bologna where 13th ranked Biancoblu BO (4-9) was defeated by sixth ranked Enel Brindisi (8-5) 89-82 on Thursday. The guests took control from the first minutes by winning first half. But Biancoblu BO won third quarter 24-18. However it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. The game was decided in the last minutes when Enel Brindisi won last quarter 27-21. They dominated down low during the game scoring 58 of its points in the paint compared to Biancoblu BO's 34. The best player for the winners was naturalized Albanian swingman Klaudio Ndoja (198-85) who scored 17 points and 9 rebounds. American guard Alex Renfroe (190-86, college: Belmont) chipped in 13 points, 6 rebounds, 7 assists and 4 steals. American guard Tre Kelley (182-85, college: S.Carolina) produced 21 points and 4 assists and the former international guard Andrea Pecile (187-80) added 10 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists and 4 steals respectively for the hosts. Five Enel Brindisi and four Biancoblu BO players scored in double figures. Enel Brindisi moved-up to third place, which they share with Centrale Latte and Givova Scafati. Biancoblu BO lost fourth consecutive game. Newly promoted team keeps the thirteenth position with nine games lost. Enel Brindisi will face Givova Scafati (#3) at home in the next round, which may be the game of the day. Biancoblu BO will play against Sigma Barcellona (#7).
Top scorers:
Enel Brindisi: K.Ndoja 17+9reb, D.Borovnjak 16+4reb, J.Hunter 14+5reb+5ast, A.Renfroe 13+6reb+7ast, A.Zerini 13+6reb, M.Giuri 7+2reb
Biancoblu BO: T.Kelley 21+1reb+4ast, Z.Vrkic 12+6reb+1ast, B.Blizzard 11+1reb+6ast, A.Pecile 10+5reb+4ast, E.Dimsa 9+4reb, M.Canavesi 8+7reb+1ast
gschID: 135547


Assi Ostuni - Fileni BPA 87-72

There was a small surprise when eleventh ranked Assi Ostuni (6-7) defeated at home 8th ranked Fileni BPA (6-7) 87-72 on Thursday. The game without a history. Assi Ostuni led from the first minutes and controlled entire game increasing their lead in each quarter. Assi Ostuni outrebounded Fileni BPA 33-17 including a 25-12 advantage in defensive rebounds. Fileni BPA was plagued by 24 personal fouls down the stretch. The best player for the winners was American guard Aaron Johnson (172-88, college: UAB) who scored 17 points and 8 assists. Latvian swingman Mareks Jurevicus (198-85) chipped in 16 points and 4 assists. Four Assi Ostuni players scored in double figures. Assi Ostuni's coach Franco Marcelletti used an eleven-player rotation which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. American guard Richard McConnell (182-89, college: St.Mary's, CA, agency: Priority Sports) produced 24 points and the former international center Michele Maggioli (212-77) added 17 points respectively for the guests. Assi Ostuni moved-up to eighth place, which they share with 3 other teams including defeated Fileni BPA. Assi Ostuni will face higher ranked Centrale Latte (#4) in Brescia in the next round and it may be quite challenging game.
Top scorers:
Assi Ostuni: A.Johnson 17+8ast, J.Klobucar 17+1reb, M.Jurevicus 16+3reb+4ast, G.Carenza 12+4reb+1ast, D.Diliegro 6+14reb+1ast, M.Rossetti 5+5reb
Fileni BPA: R.McConnell 24+2reb+2ast, M.Maggioli 17+2reb, M.Santiangeli 10+5reb+2ast, J.Brooks 9+5reb+1ast, F.Migliori 7+1reb+1ast, R.Hoover 5+2reb+4ast
gschID: 135548


Morpho Basket - S.Antimo 67-70

Bottom-ranked S.Antimo managed to get a third victory, breaking the two-game losing streak on Thursday night. This time newly promoted S.Antimo edged fourth-ranked Morpho Basket in Piacenza 70-67. It ended at the same time the three-game winning streak of Morpho Basket. Morpho Basket cut a 15-point halftime deficit to three at the end of the game. American swingman Folarin Campbell (193-86, college: George Mason) scored 22 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists to lead the charge for the winners and the former international power forward Alessandro Cittadini (207-79) chipped in 19 points and 9 rebounds during the contest. American guard Clint Cotis Harrison (194-76, college: N.Carolina St., agency: Court Side) responded with 17 points and 6 rebounds (was perfect 7-for-7 from the free throw line) and American-Danish guard Alan Voskuil (191-86, college: Texas Tech) scored 15 points and 4 assists. Newly promoted S.Antimo maintains fifteenth position with 3-10 record. Morpho Basket at the other side, also newcomer in the league, dropped to the sixth place with five games lost. They share the position with Sigma Barcel.. S.Antimo will meet at home higher ranked Aget Imola (#12) in the next round and it may be quite challenging game. Morpho Basket will play against Tezenis Verona (#8) and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
S.Antimo: F.Campbell 22+5reb+4ast, A.Cittadini 19+9reb, M.Rossi 9+4reb, M.Bozovic 8+6reb, G.Eliantonio 6+1ast, C.Cantone 6+6reb+1ast
Morpho Basket: C.Cotis Harrison 17+6reb+2ast, A.Voskuil 15+4reb+4ast, R.Amoroso 10+9reb, A.Simoncelli 9+1reb+2ast, D.Anderson 8+5reb, L.Infante 6+1reb+1ast
gschID: 135549


Prima Veroli - Tezenis Verona 90-87 OT

Prima Veroli (4-9) survived in overtime against Tezenis Verona (6-7) by three points 90-87 on Thursday night. It ended at the same time the three-game winning streak of Tezenis Verona. The hosts trailed by 1 point at the halftime before their 24-18 charge in the third quarter, which allowed them to tie the game at the end of regular time. They were better in overtime eventually winning that period 16-13. Prima Veroli had a 12-1 advantage in offensive rebounds. Tezenis Verona was plagued by 29 personal fouls down the stretch. The best player for the winners was the former international forward David Brkic (210-82, agency: Interperformances) who had a double-double by scoring 24 points, 12 rebounds and 4 assists. Finnish-American forward Gerald Lee (208-87, college: ODU) chipped in 19 points and 7 rebounds. Naturalized Argentinian guard Antonio Porta (188-83, agency: Players Group) produced 18 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists and international power forward Andrea Renzi (208-89, agency: Players Group) added 12 points and 6 rebounds respectively for the guests. Both teams had four players each who scored in double figures. Prima Veroli moved-up to thirteenth place, which they share with Biancoblu BO. Loser Tezenis Verona dropped to the eighth position with seven games lost. Prima Veroli will face higher ranked Fileni BPA (#10) in Jesi in the next round and it may be quite challenging game.
Top scorers:
Prima Veroli: D.Brkic 24+12reb+4ast, B.Elder 20+6reb+2ast, G.Lee 19+7reb+2ast, R.Cortese 13+6reb+1ast, R.Rullo 8+3reb, J.Jackson 5+3reb+2ast
Tezenis Verona: A.Porta 18+5reb+4ast, D.Vukcevic 15+1reb+1ast, A.Renzi 12+6reb+2ast, K.Waleskowski 11+5reb+2ast, G.Boscagin 9+1reb+2ast, M.West 8+4reb
gschID: 135543


Givova Scafati - Centrale Latte 89-81

Very important is a road loss of third ranked Centrale Latte (8-5) against fifth ranked Givova Scafati (8-5) on Thursday night. Visiting Centrale Latte was defeated by Givova Scafati in a tough game in Scafati 81-89. The hosts were tied after three quarters but managed to speed up in last quarter eventually winning the game. Givova Scafati players were unselfish on offense dishing 21 assists. Centrale Latte was plagued by 24 personal fouls down the stretch. American guard Paul Marigney (192-82, college: St.Mary's, CA) orchestrated the victory by scoring 28 points, 6 assists and 5 steals. The other American import power forward James Thomas (203-80, college: Texas) contributed with a double-double by scoring 14 points and 14 rebounds for the winners. American guard Ryan Thompson (198-89, college: Rider) replied with 25 points and 7 rebounds and Lithuanian center Deividas Busma (213-87, college: Idaho St.) added 12 points and 7 rebounds (on 6-of-7 shooting from the field) in the effort for Centrale Latte. Both teams had four players each who scored in double figures. Centrale Latte's coach rotated ten players in this game, but that didn't help. Givova Scafati moved-up to third place, which they share with Enel Brindisi and Centrale Latte. Centrale Latte lost third consecutive game. Givova Scafati will play against Enel Brindisi (#5) on the road in the next round. Centrale Latte will play against Assi Ostuni and hopes to get back on the winning track.
Top scorers:
Givova Scafati: P.Marigney 28+4reb+6ast, A.Ghiacci 19+4reb+5ast, J.Thomas 14+14reb+1ast, M.Casini 11, O.Gueye 6, D.Rosignoli 5+4reb
Centrale Latte: R.Thompson 25+7reb+3ast, M.Jose Ghersetti 16, L.Goldwire 12+1reb+2ast, D.Busma 12+7reb+2ast, F.Bushati 10+1reb, S.Stojkov 6+1reb+5ast
gschID: 135544




Standings - B1
Nazionale Standings
Div.North-East
 1. Trento 12-5 
 2. Trieste 11-5 
 3. Perugia 8-9 
 4. Firenze 6-11 
 5. Comsum.it SI 5-12 
 6. Santarcangelo 4-13 
Div.North-West
 1. Omegna 14-2 
 2. Torino 12-5 
 3. Treviglio 11-6 
 4. Casalpusterlengo 9-8 
 5. Castelletto 8-9 
 6. Pavia 7-10 
Div.South-East
 1. Recanati 9-8 
 2. Bari 9-8 
 3. Chieti 9-8 
 4. San Severo 7-10 
 5. Fabriano 5-12 
 6. Ruvo 2-15 
Div.South-West
 1. Napoli 13-4 
 2. Orlandina 11-6 
 3. Ferentino 11-6 
 4. Latina Basket 8-9 
 5. Matera 7-10 
 6. Anagni 6-11 


Stats Leaders - Lega2
Points Per Game
 Austin FREEMAN
  MarcoPol.
  (190-G-89)
  Avg: 23.5
 1. Freeman, MarcoPol.23.5 
 2. Marigney, Givova S.23.2 
 3. Hardy, Giorgio22.6 
 4. Voskuil, Morpho B.19.7 
 5. Taylor, Trenkwal.18.8 
 6. Robinson, Trenkwal.18.8 
 7. Whiting, Aget Imola18.0 
 8. McConnell, Fileni17.7 
 9. Rowe, Prima Veroli17.0 
 10. Kelley, Biancobl.16.6 
Rebounds Per Game
 James THOMAS
  Givova S.
  (203-F/C-80)
  Avg: 10.5
 1. Thomas, Givova S.10.5 
 2. Easley, MarcoPol.9.4 
 3. Diliegro, Assi Ost.8.6 
 4. Anderson, Morpho B.8.3 
 5. Borovnjak, Enel B.7.8 
 6. Chiacig, Trenkwald.7.4 
 7. Maggioli, Fileni B.7.0 
 8. Brooks, Fileni BPA6.9 
 9. Baldassarre, Bianc.6.9 
 10. Huff, MarcoPol.6.6 
Assists Per Game
 Roman NARDI
  MarcoPol.
  (186-G-85)
  Avg: 6.8
 1. Nardi, MarcoPol.6.8 
 2. Johnson, Assi O.5.5 
 3. Porta, Tezenis4.6 
 4. Whiting, Aget Imola3.9 
 5. Green, Sigma B.3.8 
 6. Rowe, Prima Veroli3.3 
 7. Blizzard, Biancobl.3.3 
 8. Marigney, Givova S.3.3 
 9. Renfroe, Enel B.3.2 
 10. Levin, Givova Sca.3.2 
Steals Per Game
 Nikola RADULOVIC
  Givova S.
  (207-F-73)
  Avg: 3.1
 1. Radulovic, Givova3.1 
 2. Marigney, Givova S.2.9 
 3. West, Tezenis2.8 
 4. Rowe, Prima Veroli2.8 
 5. Thompson, Centra.2.8 
 6. Taylor, Trenkwal.2.5 
 7. Blizzard, Biancobl.2.4 
 8. Robinson, Trenkwal.2.3 
 9. Prato, Aget Imola2.3 
 10. Hunter, Enel Brin.2.3 
Blocks Per Game
 Michele MAGGIOLI
  Fileni B.
  (212-C-77)
  Avg: 1.7
 1. Maggioli, Fileni B.1.7 
 2. Cervi, Trenkwalder1.6 
 3. Trapani, MarcoPol.1.1 
 4. Brkic, Prima Veroli0.9 
 5. Da Ros, Sigma B.0.8 
 6. Thomas, Givova S.0.8 
 7. Renzi, Tezenis0.8 
 8. Campbell, S.Antimo0.7 
 9. Busma, Centrale.0.7 
 10. Edwards, Tezenis0.7 


Standings - Lega 2
Lega2 Standings
 1. Trenkwalder 10-3 
 2. Giorgio Tesi PT 9-5 
 3. Givova Scafati 8-5 
 4. Centrale Latte 8-5 
 5. Enel Brindisi 8-5 
 6. Morpho Basket 7-5 
 7. Sigma Barcel. 7-5 
 8. Tezenis Verona 6-7 
 9. Assi Ostuni 6-7 
 10. Fileni BPA 6-7 
 11. MarcoPoloShop 6-7 
 12. Aget Imola 5-8 
 13. Biancoblu BO 4-9 
 14. Prima Veroli 4-9 
 15. S.Antimo 3-10 


Nazionale A Round 17: Bari loses #1 position - by Eurobasket News
Nazionale A is at the halfway of the Regular Season and there are still another 17 rounds left.

Round 17 in Nazionale A means a new league leader. The biggest surprise took place in Napoli where host Napoli (13-4) crushed league's leader Bari (9-8) 74-50 on Thursday evening. Napoli dominated on the defensive end, holding Bari to just 7 points in second quarter. They also forced 25 Bari turnovers and outrebounded them 41-24 including a 32-14 advantage in defensive rebounds. 31 personal fouls committed by Bari helped opponents get some easy free throw opportunities. The best player for the winners was naturalized Argentinian guard Bernardo Musso (192-86) who scored 24 points and 4 steals. Center Andrea Iannilli (207-84) chipped in 12 points and 11 rebounds. Forward Marco Cardillo (196-85) produced 10 points and 5 steals for the guests. The winner was already known earlier in the game, so both coaches allowed to play the bench players saving starting five for next games. Napoli have a solid series of three victories in a row. Newly promoted Napoli maintains first place with 13-4 record which they share with defeated Bari. Bari at the other side, also newcomer in the league, still keeps top position with eight games lost. They share it with 3 other teams. They were replaced at the leadership position by Omegna. Bari will play next round against Anagni trying to make it back to the top of the standings. Napoli will try to continue on its current victory against fifth ranked Fabriano at home.
The game had a very big importance for second-ranked Recanati as it allowed them to take a leadership position after previous leader's (Bari) loss. Recanati defeated 4th placed Mazzeo San Severo at home 87-79. Guard Marco Evangelisti (198-84) orchestrated the victory by scoring 24 points. Federico Gilardi contributed with 16 points for the winners. Forward Francesco Amoroso (202-78) answered with 22 points for Mazzeo San Severo. Recanati have a solid series of three victories in a row. As mentioned above they are at the top of the standings, which they share with 3 other teams. Mazzeo San Severo lost third consecutive game. They keep the fourth place with ten games lost. They share the position with Pavia and Matera. Mazzeo San Severo will play next round against strong Latina Basket trying to get back on the winning streak. Recanati will try to continue on its current victory against sixth ranked Ruvo at Ruvo di Puglia.
An interesting game was played in Siena where Firenze (#5) beat host Comsum.it SI (#4) 90-76 on Thursday evening. Andrea Capitanelli stepped up with a double-double by scoring 17 points and 13 rebounds for the winners. Stefano Simeoli responded with 20 points and 8 rebounds. Firenze (6-11) moved-up to fourth place, which they share with Anagni. Comsum.it SI lost fourth consecutive game. They dropped to the fifth position with 12 games lost. They share it with Fabriano. Firenze will meet league's second-placed Torino on the road in the next round and it will be quite challenging to get another victory. Comsum.it SI will play against Perugia and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
An exciting game between Top Four teams was played in Chieti. Third ranked Chieti faced 4th placed Latina Basket. Host Chieti (9-8) defeated guests from Latina (8-9) 74-68. It was a key game for the top position in the league. Emanuele Rossi nailed a double-double by scoring 14 points and 11 rebounds for the winning side. Chieti keeps a position of league leader, which they share with 3 other teams. Latina Basket at the other side dropped to the third place with nine games lost. Chieti's next round opponent will be Ferentino (#3) on the road, which may be the game of the day. Latina Basket will play against Mazzeo San Severo and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
An exciting game between Top Four teams was played in Perugia. Second ranked Trieste faced 3rd placed Perugia. Guests from Trieste (11-5) defeated host Perugia (8-9) 72-68. The best player for the winners was Alfredo Moruzzi who scored 15 points. Trieste maintains second place with 11-5 record behind leader Omegna. Perugia lost fourth consecutive game. They keep the third position with nine games lost. Trieste will face Pavia (#6) on the road in the next round. Perugia will play against Comsum.it SI in Siena and it may be a tough game between close rivals.

Other games of round 17 were quite predictable and ended without any surprises. Here they are:
Anagni was defeated by Ferentino in a road game 78-69. Ruvo was beaten by Orlandina at home 69-77. Matera won against Fabriano on the opponent's court 60-56. Santarcangelo unfortunately lost to Torino in a home game 58-72. Casalpusterlengo recorded a loss to Treviglio on the road 58-62. Trento defeated Pavia on its own court 73-57. Castelletto was smashed by Omegna in a road game 83-59.
The best stats of 17th round was 22 points and 8 rebounds by Andrea Vitale of Treviglio.


Ferentino - Anagni 78-69

There was no surprise when 5th ranked Anagni (6-11) was defeated on the road by third ranked Ferentino (11-6) 78-69 on Thursday. The hosts trailed by 4 points at the halftime before their 39-26 charge in the second half, which allowed them to win the game. Ferentino dominated on the defensive end, holding Anagni to just 7 points in third quarter. They made 16-of-19 free shots (84.2 percent) during the game. The best player for the winners was swingman Salvatore Parrillo (190-92) who scored 28 points (was perfect 7-for-7 from the free throw line). Forward Francesco Ihedioha (196-86) chipped in a double-double by scoring 11 points and 12 rebounds. Ferentino's coach Franco Gramenzi used a ten-player rotation which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. The former international guard Riccardo Santolamazza (195-83) produced 19 points, 8 rebounds and 4 assists and naturalized Argentinian center Diego Corral (205-86, agency: Players Group) added 11 points and 10 rebounds respectively for the guests. Ferentino moved-up to second place, which they share with Treviglio and Orlandina. Anagni lost fourth consecutive game. They dropped to the fourth position with 11 games lost. Ferentino will face Chieti (#3) at home in the next round, which may be the game of the day. Anagni will play against the league's second-placed Bari and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Ferentino: S.Parrillo 28+2reb+1ast, S.Bonfiglio 13+4reb+1ast, F.Ihedioha 11+12reb+1ast, L.Panzini 8+2reb, F.Marcante 7+2reb+4ast, F.Gagliardo 4+1reb
Anagni: R.Santolamazza 19+8reb+4ast, A.Malamov 15+2reb, D.Corral 11+10reb+1ast, N.Benedusi 9+3reb+2ast, L.Ciribeni 8+3reb+1ast, M.Baroncelli 4+1ast
gschID: 135766


Chieti - Latina Basket 74-68

An exciting game between Top Four teams was played in Chieti. Third ranked Chieti faced 4th placed Latina Basket. Host Chieti (9-8) defeated guests from Latina (8-9) 74-68. It was a key game for the top position in the league. The hosts were already 16 points ahead after 3 quarters before a 22-12 Latina Basket's run in the last quarter cut the lead to 74-68 at the end of the game. Chieti made 16-of-21 charity shots (76.2 percent) during the game. The former international center Emanuele Rossi (208-82) nailed a double-double by scoring 14 points and 11 rebounds for the winning side and swingman Antonio Porfido (190-90) accounted for 12 points and 5 rebounds. Four Chieti players scored in double figures. Guard Tommaso Milani (190-88) came up with 17 points and Riccardo Romano (191-84) added 13 points and 8 rebounds respectively for Latina Basket in the defeat. Chieti keeps a position of league leader, which they share with 3 other teams. Latina Basket at the other side dropped to the third place with nine games lost. Chieti's next round opponent will be Ferentino (#3) on the road, which may be the game of the day. Latina Basket will play against Mazzeo San Severo and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Chieti: E.Rossi 14+11reb+2ast, A.Porfido 12+5reb+2ast, M.Diomede 11+1ast, S.Rajola 11+2reb+1ast, A.Raschi 9+5reb+4ast, F.Gialloreto 8+1ast
Latina Basket: T.Milani 17+4reb+2ast, R.Romano 13+8reb, M.Micevic 10+7reb, G.Gazzotti 8+6reb, R.Tavernelli 8+3reb+2ast, R.Serena 6+2ast
gschID: 135767


Comsum.it SI - Firenze 76-90

An interesting game was played in Siena where Firenze (#5) beat host Comsum.it SI (#4) 90-76 on Thursday evening. The guests trailed by 3 points after first quarter, but they stormed back to get the 8-point lead at the halftime and eventually won the game 90-76. Firenze dominated on the defensive end, holding Comsum.it SI to just 5 points in fourth quarter. Center Andrea Capitanelli (203-86) stepped up with a double-double by scoring 17 points and 13 rebounds for the winners and swingman Alessandro Amici (200-91) chipped in 18 points. Five Firenze players scored in double figures. Forward Stefano Simeoli (200-86) responded with 20 points and 8 rebounds and guard Nicola Mei (186-85) scored 21 points. Firenze (6-11) moved-up to fourth place, which they share with Anagni. Comsum.it SI lost fourth consecutive game. They dropped to the fifth position with 12 games lost. They share it with Fabriano. Firenze will meet league's second-placed Torino on the road in the next round and it will be quite challenging to get another victory. Comsum.it SI will play against Perugia and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Firenze: A.Amici 18+3reb+2ast, A.Capitanelli 17+13reb, D.Scodavolpe 17+2reb, F.Bellina 10+9reb+1ast, S.Spizzichini 10+4reb+1ast, M.Sanna 9+3reb
Comsum.it SI: N.Mei 21+4reb+2ast, S.Simeoli 20+8reb+1ast, A.Tessitori 18+7reb, G.Spizzichini 8+2reb+3ast, M.Cucco 3+1reb, R.Bernardi 3+2reb
gschID: 135760


Perugia - Trieste 68-72

An exciting game between Top Four teams was played in Perugia. Second ranked Trieste faced 3rd placed Perugia. Guests from Trieste (11-5) defeated host Perugia (8-9) 72-68. The guests took control from the first minutes by winning first half. But Perugia won fourth quarter 17-15. However it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. The best player for the winners was Alfredo Moruzzi (193-80) who scored 15 points. Power forward Marco Maganza (204-91) chipped in 13 points. The former international power forward Luca Bisconti (206-82) produced 17 points and power forward Filippo Baldi Rossi (207-91) added 11 points and 5 rebounds respectively for the hosts. Trieste maintains second place with 11-5 record behind leader Omegna. Perugia lost fourth consecutive game. They keep the third position with nine games lost. Trieste will face Pavia (#6) on the road in the next round. Perugia will play against Comsum.it SI in Siena and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Trieste: A.Moruzzi 15+3reb, M.Maganza 13+3reb+1ast, D.Mastrangelo 12+1reb+1ast, M.Ruzzier 10, M.Carra 8+1reb+1ast, I.Ferraro 7+6reb+1ast
Perugia: L.Bisconti 17+2reb, M.Caroldi 12+1reb+2ast, F.Baldi Rossi 11+5reb, C.Cutolo 9+1reb, R.Truccolo 8+4reb, D.Poltroneri 5+3reb+1ast
gschID: 135761


Napoli - Bari 74-50

Round 17 in Nazionale A means a new league leader. The biggest surprise took place in Napoli where host Napoli (13-4) crushed league's leader Bari (9-8) 74-50 on Thursday evening. Napoli dominated on the defensive end, holding Bari to just 7 points in second quarter. They also forced 25 Bari turnovers and outrebounded them 41-24 including a 32-14 advantage in defensive rebounds. 31 personal fouls committed by Bari helped opponents get some easy free throw opportunities. The best player for the winners was naturalized Argentinian guard Bernardo Musso (192-86) who scored 24 points and 4 steals. Center Andrea Iannilli (207-84) chipped in a double-double by scoring 12 points and 11 rebounds. Forward Marco Cardillo (196-85) produced 10 points and 5 steals and guard Marco Bona (194-89) added 10 points and 5 steals respectively for the guests. The winner was already known earlier in the game, so both coaches allowed to play the bench players saving starting five for next games. Napoli have a solid series of three victories in a row. Newly promoted Napoli maintains first place with 13-4 record which they share with defeated Bari. Bari at the other side, also newcomer in the league, still keeps top position with eight games lost. They share it with 3 other teams. They were replaced at the leadership position by Omegna. Bari will play next round against Anagni trying to make it back to the top of the standings. Napoli will try to continue on its current victory against fifth ranked Fabriano at home.
Top scorers:
Napoli: B.Musso 24+3reb+2ast, A.Iannilli 12+11reb+2ast, G.Guastaferro 10+2reb+1ast, N.Bastone 7+1reb, S.Gatti 5+4reb+2ast, S.Lenardon 5+3reb
Bari: M.Cardillo 10+3reb+1ast, M.Bona 10+1reb+3ast, D.Morena 9+5reb, S.Gigena 9+1reb+1ast, S.Deguara 4+5reb+1ast, D.Barozzi 4+4reb
gschID: 135762


Ruvo - Orlandina 69-77

No shocking result in a game in Ruvo di Puglia where second ranked Orlandina (11-6) defeated 6th ranked Ruvo (2-15) 77-69 on Thursday. The guests trailed by 3 points at the halftime before their 46-35 charge in the second half, which allowed them to win the game. Orlandina made 16-of-20 free shots (80.0 percent) during the game. The best player for the winners was forward Thomas De Min (203-86) who scored 12 points and 7 rebounds. Forward Andrea Benevelli (202-85) chipped in 13 points and 9 rebounds. Four Orlandina players scored in double figures. Marco Tagliabue (206-86) produced a double-double by scoring 14 points and 12 rebounds and swingman Christian Villani (200-82) added 12 points and 5 rebounds respectively for the hosts. Orlandina have a solid series of three victories in a row. Newly promoted Orlandina maintains second place with 11-6 record behind leader Omegna, which they share with Ferentino and Treviglio. Ruvo lost eighth consecutive game. They keep the sixth position with 15 games lost. Orlandina will face Matera (#5) at home in the next round. Ruvo will play against the league's leader Recanati.
Top scorers:
Orlandina: G.Zampolli 15+3reb+1ast, A.Benevelli 13+9reb, T.De Min 12+7reb+3ast, F.Alessandri 11+3reb+4ast, N.Damiani 8+2reb, N.Crow 7+2reb
Ruvo: M.Tagliabue 14+12reb+1ast, F.Emejuru 13+2reb+2ast, C.Villani 12+5reb+2ast, D.Merletto 9+1reb, D.Bonacini 8+4reb+4ast, M.Deregibus 8+3reb+1ast
gschID: 135763


Recanati - San Severo 87-79

The game had a very big importance for second-ranked Recanati as it allowed them to take a leadership position after previous leader's (Bari) loss. Recanati defeated 4th placed Mazzeo San Severo at home 87-79. The hosts took control from the first minutes by winning first half. But Mazzeo San Severo won third quarter 25-21. However it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. Guard Marco Evangelisti (198-84) orchestrated the victory by scoring 24 points. Naturalized Argentinian guard Federico Gilardi (190-79, agency: Players Group) contributed with 16 points for the winners. Forward Francesco Amoroso (202-78) answered with 22 points and swingman Fabio Lovatti (194-89) added 18 points in the effort for Mazzeo San Severo. Four Mazzeo San Severo players scored in double figures. Recanati have a solid series of three victories in a row. As mentioned above they are at the top of the standings, which they share with 3 other teams. Mazzeo San Severo lost third consecutive game. They keep the fourth place with ten games lost. They share the position with Pavia and Matera. Mazzeo San Severo will play next round against strong Latina Basket trying to get back on the winning streak. Recanati will try to continue on its current victory against sixth ranked Ruvo at Ruvo di Puglia.
Top scorers:
Recanati: M.Evangelisti 24+2reb+1ast, F.Gilardi 16+2reb+1ast, M.Ceron 12+5reb, R.Fossati 9+4reb, A.Cecchetti 8+3reb, P.Chiarello 8+3reb
San Severo: F.Amoroso 22+3reb+1ast, F.Lovatti 18+3reb+1ast, I.Scarponi 17+2reb, R.Marzoli 10+6reb, M.Poluzzi 6+2reb, F.Candido 5+2reb
gschID: 135764


Fabriano - Matera 56-60

We cannot really consider it an upset in the game between close teams when 5th ranked Fabriano (5-12) was defeated at home by sixth ranked Matera (7-10) 60-56 on Thursday. The guests took control from the first minutes by winning first half. But Fabriano won third quarter 17-13. However it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. Matera forced 22 Fabriano turnovers. The best player for the winners was the former international swingman Andrea Pilotti (196-80, agency: Players Group) who scored 14 points and 6 steals. Naturalized Argentinian guard Sebastian Vico (190-86, agency: Players Group) chipped in 14 points and 4 assists. Forward Giorgio Sgobba (202-92) produced a double-double by scoring 10 points and 12 rebounds and power forward Luca Usberti (201-73) added 10 points respectively for the hosts. Matera moved-up to fourth place, which they share with Pavia and San Severo. Newly promoted Fabriano keeps the fifth position with 12 games lost. Matera will face league's second-placed Orlandina on the road in the next round and it will be quite challenging to get another victory. Fabriano will play against the league's leader Napoli.
Top scorers:
Matera: S.Vico 14+1reb+4ast, A.Pilotti 14+4reb+2ast, A.LaGioia 10+1ast, L.Tardito 8+4reb, P.Aprea 5+5reb+1ast, C.Grappasonni 5+12reb+2ast
Fabriano: C.Fontani 11+1reb, G.Sgobba 10+12reb+2ast, L.Usberti 10+3reb+1ast, N.Manuel Stanic 9+1reb+4ast, M.Gigena 8+2reb+1ast, M.Trapella 4+5reb+1ast
gschID: 135765


Santarcangelo - Torino 58-72

Rather predictable result in Sant'Arcangelo where second ranked Torino (12-5) beat 6th ranked Santarcangelo (4-13) 72-58 on Thursday. The game was mostly controlled by Torino. Santarcangelo was better in fourth quarter 19-13. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. The best player for the winners was guard Marco Portannese (192-89, agency: Players Group) who scored 18 points and 7 rebounds. The former international power forward Francesco Conti (205-83) chipped in 16 points and 5 rebounds. Torino's coach Filippo Faina used a ten-player rotation which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. Forward Giorgio Broglia (198-86) produced 13 points and 8 rebounds and center Andrea Ancellotti (212-88) added 10 points and 8 rebounds respectively for the hosts. Torino have a solid series of three victories in a row. They keep a position of league leader, which they share with Trento. Santarcangelo lost fifth consecutive game. Newly promoted team keeps the sixth place with 13 games lost. Torino will face Firenze (#4) at home in the next round. Santarcangelo will play against the league's leader Omegna.
Top scorers:
Torino: M.Portannese 18+7reb, F.Conti 16+5reb, C.Masper 9+2reb+1ast, M.DeFant 7+3reb+1ast, F.Giusto 7, L.Fontecchio 6+5reb+1ast
Santarcangelo: G.Broglia 13+8reb, L.Bedetti 13+3reb, A.Ancellotti 10+8reb+1ast, N.Italiano 8+2reb, L.Pesaresi 6+1reb+3ast, J.Silimbani 4+2reb
gschID: 135756


Treviglio - Casalpusterlengo 62-58

The game between closely ranked teams ended with 4th placed Casalpusterlengo's (9-8) road loss to third ranked Treviglio (11-6) 58-62 on Thursday. The hosts trailed by 1 point at the halftime before their 30-25 charge in the second half, which allowed them to win the game. The best player for the winners was swingman Andrea Vitale (199-82, agency: Interperformances) who scored 22 points and 8 rebounds. Center Jacopo Borra (212-90) chipped in 6 points and 11 rebounds. Guard Roberto Prandin (188-86) produced 16 points and 6 rebounds and power forward Alberto Chiumenti (204-87, agency: Players Group) added 10 points and 10 rebounds respectively for the guests. Treviglio moved-up to second place, which they share with Ferentino and Orlandina. Loser Casalpusterlengo still keeps top position with eight games lost. Treviglio will face league's leader Trento on the road in the next round and it will be for sure the game of the week. Casalpusterlengo will play against Castelletto and be promoted back to the Lega2 just one year after relegation.
Top scorers:
Treviglio: A.Vitale 22+8reb+1ast, M.Planezio 11+1reb+2ast, G.Zanella 10+4reb, N.Cazzolato 7+3reb+2ast, J.Borra 6+11reb+1ast, S.Tomasini 2+3reb+1ast
Casalpusterlengo: R.Prandin 16+6reb+2ast, A.Chiumenti 10+10reb+1ast, M.Venuto 10+3reb, F.Loschi 9+4reb, P.Biligha 4+8reb, R.Castelli 4+4reb
gschID: 135757


Trento - Pavia 73-57

Everything went according to plan when first ranked Trento (12-5) won against at home 6th ranked Pavia (7-10) 73-57 on Thursday. The hosts trailed by 4 points at the halftime before their 42-22 charge in the second half, which allowed them to win the game. Trento dominated on the defensive end, holding Pavia to just 2 points in third quarter. They also forced 20 Pavia turnovers. The best player for the winners was center Marco Pazzi (203-79) who scored 15 points and 5 rebounds. Guard Marco Spanghero (186-91) chipped in 14 points. Trento's coach Maurizio Buscaglia used a ten-player rotation which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. Power forward Roberto Cazzaniga (205-78) produced 13 points and 7 rebounds and center Davide Bozzetto (207-89) added 10 points and 8 rebounds respectively for the guests. Trento have an impressive series of seven victories in a row. They maintain first place with 12-5 record, which they share with Torino. Loser Pavia dropped to the fourth position with ten games lost. Trento will face Treviglio (#3) at home in the next round, which may be the game of the day. Pavia will play against the league's second-placed Trieste and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Trento: M.Pazzi 15+5reb+1ast, M.Spanghero 14+3reb+1ast, S.Fiorito 8, A.Forray 8+5reb+4ast, W.Santarossa 7+6reb+3ast, D.Pascolo 7+5reb+1ast
Pavia: R.Cazzaniga 13+7reb, D.Bozzetto 10+8reb, S.Borgna 9+1reb+2ast, R.Maggio 8+2reb+3ast, L.Furlanetto 5+3reb+2ast, I.Cisse 4+3reb+1ast
gschID: 135758


Omegna - Castelletto 83-59

There was no surprise when 5th ranked Castelletto (8-9) was crushed on the road by first ranked Omegna (14-2) 83-59 on Thursday. It was a very close game until the last quarter, when Omegna's pressure prevailed and they won that period 24-7 extending their advantage to 24 points. They dominated on the defensive end, holding Castelletto to just 7 points in fourth quarter. Omegna dominated down low during the game scoring 50 of its points in the paint compared to Castelletto's 22. They outrebounded Castelletto 33-20 including a 27-15 advantage in defensive rebounds. The best player for the winners was swingman Daniele Casadei (199-81) who scored 18 points. Guard Matteo Bertolazzi (181-79) chipped in 16 points and 7 assists (on 6-of-7 shooting from the field). Center Matteo Raminelli (203-83) produced 16 points and 6 rebounds and guard Filiberto Dri (190-89) added 16 points respectively for the guests. Omegna maintains first place with 14-2 record. Loser Castelletto dropped to the third position with nine games lost. Omegna will face Santarcangelo (#6) in Sant'Arcangelo in the next round which should be theoretically another easy game. Castelletto will play on the road against Casalpusterlengo and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Omegna: D.Casadei 18+4reb+3ast, M.Bertolazzi 16+1reb+7ast, A.Saccaggi 15+2reb+1ast, T.Raspino 9+5reb+1ast, P.Picazio 8+3reb+2ast, S.Masciadri 6+6reb+1ast
Castelletto: F.Dri 16+3reb, M.Raminelli 16+6reb, S.Ferrarese 14+2reb+1ast, A.Iannone 6+2reb, L.Marmugi 6+3reb, S.Cotani 1+4reb+2ast
gschID: 135759




*****************************************************
  JAPAN   


Standings - BJ League
BJ Standings
Eastern
 1. Niigata Albirex 14-8 
 2. Akita NH 13-9 
 3. Hamamatsu P. 13-10 
 4. Sendai 89ers 11-11 
 5. Toyama Grouses 10-10 
 6. Chiba Jets 10-12 
 7. Shinshu BW 9-13 
 8. Yokohama BC 8-13 
 9. Saitama Bron. 7-14 
 10. Iwate Big Bulls 7-17 
Western
 1. Okinawa GK 19-5 
 2. Osaka Evessa 15-5 
 3. Kyoto Hannar. 15-5 
 4. Shiga L-Stars 15-7 
 5. Fukuoka Rizing 15-9 
 6. Shimane SM 12-10 
 7. Miyazaki SS 11-13 
 8. Oita H.Devils 5-18 
 9. Takamatsu FA 1-21 


*****************************************************
  LATVIA   


Standings - LBAL
LBL2 Standings
 1. BK VEF 15-0 
 2. Liepaja-2 15-1 
 3. Barons/Keizar. 14-2 
 4. Saldus 12-3 
 5. Riga 9-6 
 6. RSU 9-6 
 7. VEF Kadeti 8-6 
 8. VA 8-7 
 9. DSN 6-8 
 10. Cesis 5-11 
 11. Livani 5-11 
 12. Ogres 4-11 
 13. Jelgava/LLU 4-12 
 14. Ridzene 3-12 
 15. Valmiera U21 3-12 
 16. Gulbene 2-14 


LBL Standing
LBL Standings
 1. Valmiera 10-3 
 2. Ventspils 8-0 
 3. VEF Riga 7-1 
 4. Liepaja 7-7 
 5. Jelgava 7-7 
 6. LU 6-7 
 7. Jurmala 4-10 
 8. Turiba 4-10 
 9. U18 0-8 


LBL2 Round 19: Riga beats RSU in a derby game - by Eurobasket News
Host teams show no mercy winning all games.

The most exciting game was a derby match between two local teams from Riga: Riga (#6) and RSU (#5). Riga (9-6) won against visiting RSU (9-6) 72-62. The game was mostly controlled by Riga. RSU managed to win third quarter 20-16. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. Riga moved-up to fifth place, which they share with defeated RSU. Riga is looking forward to face Ventspils Augstskola (#8) at home in the next round. RSU will have a break next round.
Important game to mention about took place in Jelgava. Fifteenth ranked Zemgale/Juniors (4-12) saved a 1-point derby victory at home edging 16th ranked Gulbene (2-14) 65-64 on Tuesday evening. Zemgale/Juniors moved-up to thirteenth place. Newly promoted Gulbene stay at the bottom position with 14 games lost. Zemgale/Juniors will play against Valmiera U21 (#15) in the next round. Gulbene will play against VEF Kadeti in Riga and hopes to get back on the winning track.
The game with biggest result difference took place in Riga. Local Barons/Keizar. (14-2) outscored 14th ranked Ridzene (3-12) 106-61 on Friday night. Barons/Keizar. maintains third place with 14-2 record behind leader BK VEF. Ridzene at the other side keeps the fourteenth position with 12 games lost. They share it with Valmiera U21. Barons/Keizar.'s supporters look forward to an exciting derby game next round, where their team will travel locally in Riga to the arena .

In the last two games of round 19 Livani was crushed by Cesis in a road game 102-62. Liepaja-2 beat Gulbene at home 82-65.


Cesis - Livani 102-62

We cannot really consider it an upset in the game between close teams when 10th ranked Livani (5-11) was crushed on the road by eleventh ranked Cesis (5-11) 102-62 on Friday. The game without a history. Cesis led from the first minutes and controlled entire game increasing their lead in each quarter. They dominated on the defensive end, holding Livani to just 7 points in third quarter. Cesis moved-up to tenth place, which they share with defeated Livani. Cesis will meet higher ranked DSN (#9) in the next round and it will be quite challenging to get another victory. Livani will have a break next round.
gschID: 165376


Riga - RSU 72-62

The most exciting game was a derby match between two local teams from Riga: Riga (#6) and RSU (#5). Riga (9-6) won against visiting RSU (9-6) 72-62. The game was mostly controlled by Riga. RSU managed to win third quarter 20-16. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. Riga moved-up to fifth place, which they share with defeated RSU. Riga is looking forward to face Ventspils Augstskola (#8) at home in the next round. RSU will have a break next round.
gschID: 165373


Barons/Keizar. - Ridzene 106-61

The game with biggest result difference took place in Riga. Local Barons/Keizar. (14-2) outscored 14th ranked Ridzene (3-12) 106-61 on Friday night. The game without a history. Barons/Keizar. led from the first minutes and controlled entire game increasing their lead in each quarter. Barons/Keizar. maintains third place with 14-2 record behind leader BK VEF. Ridzene at the other side keeps the fourteenth position with 12 games lost. They share it with Valmiera U21. Barons/Keizar.'s supporters look forward to an exciting derby game next round, where their team will travel locally in Riga to the arena .
gschID: 165374


Jelgava/LLU - Gulbene 65-64

Important game to mention about took place in Jelgava. Fifteenth ranked Zemgale/Juniors (4-12) saved a 1-point derby victory at home edging 16th ranked Gulbene (2-14) 65-64 on Tuesday evening. The hosts were ahead by 5 points but lost the second period ending it with a 1-point deficit before their 18-16 run, which allowed them to win the game. Zemgale/Juniors moved-up to thirteenth place. Newly promoted Gulbene stay at the bottom position with 14 games lost. Zemgale/Juniors will play against Valmiera U21 (#15) in the next round. Gulbene will play against VEF Kadeti in Riga and hopes to get back on the winning track.
gschID: 165371


Liepaja-2 - Gulbene 82-65

No shocking result in a game when second ranked Liepaja-2 (15-1) defeated at home bottom-ranked Gulbene (2-14) 82-65 on Wednesday. The game was mostly controlled by Liepaja-2. Gulbene managed to win second period 15-8. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. Liepaja-2 have an impressive series of five victories in a row. They maintain second place with 15-1 record having just -1 point less than leader BK VEF. Newly promoted Gulbene stay at the bottom position with 14 games lost. Liepaja-2 will have a break next round, and it should allow them to practice more before next game. Gulbene will play against VEF Kadeti (#7) in Riga and hope to secure a win.
gschID: 165372




*****************************************************
  LITHUANIA   


BBL: Neptunas crushes Jelgava - by Adomas Kraunevicius
BK Zemgale Jelgava - Neptunas Klaipeda 96:114

Neptunas Klaipeda (5-2) achieved its fifth victory in the BEKO-BBL Challenge Cup in a very high scoring game versus BK Zemgale Jelgava (0-7) - 114:96 (35:23, 21:23, 26:31, 32:19).

Neptunas Klaipeda developed an early lead however at the end of the third quarter the hosts cut the lead to a minimum - 76:77. But Neptunas Klaipeda then spurted 20:3 and developed a decisive lead 97:79.

Neptunas Klaipeda: Marius Runkaukas (189-G-86) 30 (8/11 3pt), Laurynas Mikalauskas (205-F-85, college: Virginia) 29 (9 rebs., 5 ast.), Mantas Ruikis (197-G/F-85) 23, Arturas Valeika (207-F-85, college: Midland CC) 12 (11 rebs.), Evaldas Dainys (180-PG-82, college: Cent.Florida CC) 11 (8 ast.).

BK Zemgale Jelgava: Arturs Duselis (200-F-89), Sandis Silavs (194-G-88) and Edgars Krumins (194-G/F-86)as po 16, Kyle Nelson (203-F-89, agency: N.E.T., college: Augustana, IL) 14 (7 rebs.).

LKL: Utena claims a last second victory over Panevezys, Triobet defeats Naglis - by Adomas Kraunevicius
Juventus-LKSK Utenos - Panevezys Techasas 82:79

Arunas Vasiliauskas (201-F-85)' three pointer has given Juventus-LKSK Utenos (5-7) their fifth victory in the BEKO-LKL. They achieved a home win over Panevezys Techasas (1-10) 82:79 (17:23, 34:22, 9:17, 22:17).

With 25 seconds left to play, Vaidas Cepukaitis (207-C-89, agency: Interperformances) tied up the score at 79:79 with two free throws. However, Arunas Vasiliauskas responded with a three pointer and left 1.6 seconds for Techasas' last possession.

Vaidas Cepukaitis attempted the last shot for Panevezys Techasas but it was not successful.

Juventus-LKSK Utenos: Vaidotas Volkus (203-F-85, college: Redlands CC) 21, Gediminas Maceina (188-PG-84) and Gintautas Matulis (195-F/G-86) 13.

Panevezys Techasas: Vaidas Cepukaitis 19, Osvaldas Matulionis (200-F-91) 17, Julius Zurna (188-G-86) 9.

Kedainiai Triobet - Naglis Palangos 86:72

Successful three point shooting was not enough for Naglis Palangos to achieve a victory in Kedainiai. They had to admit their opponents' superiority 72:86 (16:25, 23:20, 11:12, 22:29).

At the end of the fourth quarter Palangos cut the deficit to 5 after Tomas Rinkevicius' (178-PG-78) three pointer (60:65) but Triobet made a 7:0 run and built a decisive 72:60 lead.

Naglis Palangos shot 60% of their three pointers (12/20) whereas they only made 50% of the free throws (4/8)

Rico Pickett (193-G-89, college: Manhattan) gathered 7 points (2/11 2pt, 1/2 3pt) and 5 rebounds in 20 minutes in his debut at Naglis Palangos.

Kedainiai Triobet: David McClure (198-F-86, college: Duke) 19, Aurimas Adomaitis (206-PF-87, college: LIU Brooklyn) 16, Marius Valukonis (198-F-88) 15 (9 rebs.), Vidas Ginevicius (193-G-78, agency: Interperformances) 8.

Naglis Palangos: Paulius Kleiza (195-SF-88) 20, Nikita Barinov (200-F-91) 12 (14 rebs.), Paul Davis (205-F-88, college: Winston Salem) 11 (11 rebs.), Tomas Rinkevicius (178-PG-78) and Mindaugas Reminas (190-G-86) 9.

BBL: Baltai lose to Lyubertsy - by Adomas Kraunevicius

KK Baltai Kaunas suffered their eighth loss in the Baltic Basketball League by losing a home game to Valdemaras Chomicius' Triumph Lyubertsy 68:75 (22:23, 13:17, 17:16, 16:19).

This was the second KK Baltai Kaunas loss to Triumph Lyubertsy in the past two weeks. Triumph reached a 83:71 victory on the 20th of December in Kaunas.

KK Baltai Kaunas: Edgaras Ulanovas (198-G-92) 15, Mario Delas (207-F/C-90) 14 (12 rebs.), Zygimantas Janavicius (192-G-89, agency: Interperformances) 14.

Triumph Lyubertsy: Sergey Karasev (200-F-93) (200-F-93) 18, Dmitry Kulagin (195-G-92) 12, Kyle Landry (207-C/F-86, college: N.Arizona) and Alexey Kurtsevich (209-C-89) 10.

BBL: Lyubertsy ends Pieno Zvaigzdes' winning streak - by Adomas Kraunevicius
Pieno Zvaigzdes Pasvalys - Triumph Lyubertsy 69:76

Pieno Zvaigzdes Pasvalys Pasvalys (7-4) has suffered its fourth loss in the Baltic Basketball League, losing a home game versus one of the leaders of BBL Triumph Lyubertsy (9-3), coached by Valdemaras Chomicius - 69:76 (18:14, 17:26, 8:11, 26:28).

With three minutes left to play, Pieno Zvaigzdes Pasvalys trailed by 2 (63:65) but Triumph Lyubertsy spurted 7:0 and built a 9 point lead (72:63) which was too big to wipe out in the remaining 40 seconds.

Pieno Zvaigzdes Pasvalys: Eimantas Bendzius (203-F-90) 20, TreVon Hughes (183-PG-87, agency: Edge Sports, college: Wisconsin) and Paulius Morkeliunas (201-F-85, college: LIU Brooklyn) 11.

Triumph Lyubertsy: Dmitry Kulagin (195-G-92) (195-G-92) 19, Artem Kuzyakin (200-G-80) 14, Sergey Karasev (200-F-93) 13.

LKL updates: Palanga inks Pickett, Weems ill before Lietuvos Rytas match - by Adomas Kraunevicius
Naglis Palangos signed guard Rico Pickett. He will wear #4 jersey and may debut in today's BEKO-LKL game in Kedainiai versus local Kedainiai Triobet. Naglis Palangos is currently 11th in the league table with 2 wins and 12 losses.

Pickett, who can play both point and shooting guard positions, was drafted last year in the fourth round of NBDL by Dakota Wizards but was waived later on.

In 2009-2010 season Pickett represented Manhattan Jaspers college team where he averaged 17.7 points, 3.9 rebounds and 1 assist.

B.C. Zalgiris Kaunas swingman Sonny Weems (198-G/F-86, college: Arkansas) caught cold before important match versus Lietuvos rytas Vilnius and missed Thursday's training session. However, coach Trifunovic expressed his hopes that Weems will join the team before the match. Weems is Zalgiris' leader with 17.5 points in the Euroleague. In the BEKO-LKL he sees less playing time hence his averages are lower - 8.9 points per game.

Zalgiris and Lietuvos rytas Vilnius will meet on Saturday in Vilnius.


Standings - LKL
LKL Standings
 1. Lietuvos rytas 11-1 
 2. Zalgiris 8-0 
 3. Rudupis 8-2 
 4. Siauliai 8-4 
 5. Neptunas 6-4 
 6. Baltai Kaunas 6-5 
 7. Pieno Zvaigzdes 5-5 
 8. Juventus 5-7 
 9. Kedainiai 3-8 
 10. Sakalai 3-9 
 11. Naglis Palangos 2-11 
 12. Techasas 1-10 


Stats Leaders - LKL
Points Per Game
 Povilas BUTKEVICIUS
  Rudupis
  (203-F-87)
  Avg: 18.7
 1. Butkevicius, Rudup.18.7 
 2. Valanciunas, Lietu.17.4 
 3. Urbonas, Juventus16.3 
 4. Mazeika, Neptunas14.9 
 5. Benn, Naglis Palan.14.5 
 6. Lowe, Kedainiai14.4 
 7. Hughes, Pieno Z.13.9 
 8. Orelikas, Rudupis13.8 
 9. Vasylius, Siauliai13.6 
 10. Seibutis, Lietuv.13.5 
Rebounds Per Game
 Dane JOHNSON
  Naglis P.
  (208-C-86)
  Avg: 10.4
 1. Johnson, Naglis P.10.4 
 2. Butkevicius, Rudup.9.1 
 3. Cepukaitis, Techa.7.8 
 4. McClure, Kedainiai7.8 
 5. Benn, Naglis Palan.7.5 
 6. Valanciunas, Lietu.7.4 
 7. Petrukonis, Juven.7.3 
 8. Adomaitis, Kedaini.7.3 
 9. Davis, Naglis P.7.0 
 10. Bowles, Siauliai6.4 
Assists Per Game
 Mantas KALNIETIS
  Zalgiris
  (196-G-86)
  Avg: 5.3
 1. Kalnietis, Zalgiris5.3 
 2. Peciukeviciu., Sak.5.2 
 3. Broadus, Siauliai5.0 
 4. Dainys, Neptunas4.9 
 5. Rice, Lietuvos.4.6 
 6. Ezerskis, Techasas4.5 
 7. Maceina, Juventus4.2 
 8. Kelys, Pieno Z.3.6 
 9. Janavicius, Baltai3.5 
 10. Hughes, Pieno Z.3.4 
Steals Per Game
 TreVon HUGHES
  Pieno Z.
  (183-PG-87)
  Avg: 2.8
 1. Hughes, Pieno Z.2.8 
 2. Lowe, Neptunas2.3 
 3. Broadus, Siauliai2.3 
 4. Collins, Zalgiris2.0 
 5. Kelys, Pieno Z.1.9 
 6. Seibutis, Lietuv.1.9 
 7. Dainys, Neptunas1.9 
 8. Ginevicius, Kedain.1.8 
 9. Long, Siauliai1.7 
 10. Benn, Naglis Pala.1.7 
Blocks Per Game
 Jonas VALANCIUNAS
  Lietuv.
  (210-C-92)
  Avg: 2.3
 1. Valanciunas, Lietu.2.3 
 2. Johnson, Naglis P.1.7 
 3. Samardziski, Lietu.1.4 
 4. Staniulis, Techasas1.3 
 5. McClure, Kedainiai1.3 
 6. Petrukonis, Juven.1.3 
 7. Morgan, Pieno Z.1.2 
 8. Butkevicius, Rudup.1.1 
 9. Kairys, Pieno Z.1.1 
 10. Zelionis, Rudupis1.0 


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


Malacca earn MABA Cup title - by Eurobasket News
Malacca celebrated MACA Cup title. They defeated Johor in the final of the 53rd MABA Cup. Batumalai Guganeswaran (182-G-82) scored 26 points to pace the winners. The teams stayed on level terms in the first quarter. However Malacca pulled in charge in the second frame. They went on a 29:12 run to take a decisive lead at halftime. Johor failed to recover after the big break suffering a 78:84 loss at the end. Chee Li Wei (198-F/C-83) finished with 12 points and 11 rebounds for the winners. Wen Keong Tong (180-G-92) accounted for 22 points, 9 rebounds and 5 steals for Johor. Soo Eng Heng (182-G-84) had 14 points in the loss.



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


Robert Fields is a newcomer at Falcon - by Eurobasket Center
Falcon added to their roster Mexican Robert Fields ). In his first game he scored 22 points and grabbed 5 rebounds helping his new team beat Aabyhoj 80-63. Fields played most recently at Porvoon Tarmo (Finland).

By Eurobasket Data Center

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


Kings fire coach Paul Westphal after two-plus seasons; Keith Smart signs deal to take over - by Eurobasket News
If the Sacramento Kings stood any chance at success this season, Paul Westphal had to find a way to control talented but volatile center DeMarcus Cousins (6'11''-C/F-90, agency: SportsTalent, college: Kentucky).

He couldn't - and lost his job because of it.

The Kings fired Westphal Thursday after two-plus seasons as coach, cutting ties amid a slow start and an escalating dispute with Cousins that threatened to consume the locker room. Assistant Keith Smart , let go by the Golden State Warriors in April after one season at the helm, signed a deal to become the teams new head coach.

With the Cousins-Westphal spat showing no resolution, Kings owners Joe and Gavin Maloof finally decided to take action. Instead of trading away a promising young big man, they made Westphal the first firing of the lockout-shortened season.

Were in a situation here where you cant take a philosophical vacation because things are happening in real time, Kings president of basketball operations Geoff Petrie said. You start to keep seeing the same things over and over again, you cant sit around and meditate forever about how youre going to approach them or try and change them.

Looking to build momentum for a new arena project, Sacramento stumbled at the start again this year.

A talented and athletic albeit raw roster under Westphal was 2-5 and in last place in the Pacific Division before a 103-100 victory over Milwaukee on Thursday night with Smart on the sideline. Westphal finished with a 51-120 record in Sacramento.

The 61-year-old previously coached the Phoenix Suns and Seattle SuperSonics. In a statement released by the team, Westphal thanked the Maloofs, his coaching staff and players for the opportunity.

While the job is far from finished, I am proud of the strides we were able to make, he said.

In the last week, all of Westphals efforts in Californias capital shattered.

He abruptly released a statement Sunday criticizing Cousins commitment to the franchise and excused him from the teams game against New Orleans. He also said Cousins asked for a trade, which the centers agent refuted.

Petrie said he knew of Westphals plans to release the statement but indicated that the Maloofs didnt. Petrie dodged questions about whether he supported Westphals statement about Cousins, who expressed remorse for Westphal and said he would soon reach out to his former coach.

Its been an emotional week and a lot of misunderstandings, Cousins said. But it comes with the territory. Coach Westphal was a great teacher to a lot of us and a good coach. But this was a management decision.

Sacramento drafted Cousins with the fifth overall pick in 2010 after he spent one season at Kentucky. The 21-year-old was averaging 13.7 points and 9.3 rebounds in 26 minutes per game this season.

Cousins behavior has been well documented going back to high school and his one season at Kentucky, mixing in dramatic and astonishing plays with outbursts against players, coaches, trainers and referees. His conditioning has been questioned and so has his work ethic. However, he showed up for training camp in prime condition and appeared ready for a breakout season.

Kings fire coach Paul Westphal after two-plus seasons; Keith Smart signs deal to take over
Text Size PrintE-mailReprintsOf course people are going to tie (Westphals firing) to me, Cousins said. It will just show their ignorance. But like I said, its not my decision.

The Kings had high hopes for a major turnaround this year.

Teamed with 2009-10 rookie of the year Tyreke Evans, Cousins was expected to anchor the front line for a young and emerging roster in the deep Western Conference. Sacramento finished 24-58 last season and missed the playoffs for the fifth straight year, although a late-season surge behind a healthy Evans provided hope that maybe the Kings werent that far off from making the postseason again.

Turns out, the Maloofs couldnt wait any longer.

We have a lot of respect for Paul and hes a classy individual. But its time for a change, Gavin Maloof said at halftime of the Kings-Bucks game. We just got to put everything behind us, all of the negatives and try and push forward and think positive.

The NBA and the Maloofs have given Sacramento a March 1 deadline to approve a plan to help finance a new arena, or the franchise could again explore relocation. The Kings nearly moved south to Anaheim, Calif., in April before the leagues Board of Governors decided to give Sacramento another chance.

Now the Cousins conflict is Smarts responsibility to fix.

Smart, the former Indiana guard best known for hitting The Shot against Syracuse that won the Hoosiers the 1987 NCAA title, spent seven years as an assistant with Golden State before he replaced the ousted Don Nelson just before training camp last year. The Warriors went 36-46 under Smart, a 10-game improvement from the previous season but not enough to appease new owners Joe Lacob and Peter Guber.

Smart said he never imagined his next chance coming so soon. While taking over for a fired coach is not the type of opportunity he envisioned, he feels comfortable with the decision after Westphal passed along his blessings.

He said, Dont do anything stupid and reject this. I want you to coach this team, Smart said of Westphal. He felt it, and I felt that he meant it from the bottom of his heart.

Asked how he would approach Cousins differently after watching Westphals relationship with the center go sour, Smart smiled and said, Probably have a good relationship with him.

His job may depend on it.

Courtesy of www.washingtonpost.com

Celtics deny trying to trade Rajon Rondo - by Eurobasket News
When the NBA lockout finally got wrapped up and teams could start signing free agents, waiving big-contract players, and trading whomever else was left, things got a little nutty, particularly for the teams trying to acquire Chris Paul (6'0''-PG-85, college: Wake Forest) or Dwight Howard (6'11''-C-85).

The Boston Celtics were said to be interested in landing Paul and one of the rumors had it that Rajon Rondo (6'1''-PG-86, college: Kentucky) could have disappeared via trade in order to make it happen.

Danny Ainge , the president of basketball operations, is now saying that the team never actively pushed to trade Rondo. 'I sat down with Rondo when he got back into town, when the lockout ended, and I just told him the truth of what was going on,' Ainge said, according to WEEI.com. 'I've had conversations since, told him exactly what was happening. I was not trying to trade Rajon Rondo. There's a big difference between trying to acquire a player and trying to trade a player. Rondo knows what I was trying to do, and he knows I wasn't shopping him around and trying to trade him, as has been reported. There's a big difference.'

It doesn't appear that the rumors have affected Rondo's performance much. In fact, the team might want to circulate more of them: The 25-year-old two-time All-Star has gone up in scoring and rebounding this season as compared to last while falling slightly in assists: He is averaging 15.3 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 10.7 assists per game. Last season, he averaged 10.6 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 11.2 assists.

Courtesy of Yahoo! Sports

Wizards hold players-only meeting - by Eurobasket News
Mired in the worst start in franchise history, the Washington Wizards held a players-only meeting on Thursday afternoon in which they addressed myriad issues that have left them the only team in the NBA without a victory.

Veteran guard-forward Maurice Evans (6'5''-G-78, college: Texas) organized the meeting that took place between a film session and practice at Verizon Center one day after the Wizards lost to Orlando, 103-85, to drop to 0-6. The meeting lasted 15 to 20 minutes, according to forward Andray Blatche, who invited criticism following a season-opening 90-84 loss to New Jersey in which he called for the ball in the post after the team blew a 21-point lead at home.

The sense of entitlement thats here sometimes, Ive never seen before, said Evans, who came to Washington last year in a trade with Atlanta. We have to start earning things. Earn your way into the rotation. Earn your way onto the floor, and then you earn your minutes by being productive, and when youre not in the rotation, you be supportive and make guys better in practice.

Evans has yet to play this season because of discomfort in his right knee. Still, he remains among the most respected players in the locker room as a veteran who has been on playoff teams and as a vice president of the players union.

Blatche pointed to Evans, Roger Mason Jr. and Rashard Lewis as teammates whose messages resonated the most. Like Evans, Mason and Lewis have played with contenders for parts of their careers, and their leadership has become that much more necessary as Washington tries to extricate itself from a culture of losing that has continued despite preseason optimism.

At the top of the discussion list during the meeting, players said, was delineating roles on a team on which no player, including 2010 No. 1 pick John Wall, has distinguished himself. Wall is averaging 13.8 points per game, second on the Wizards, but is shooting 33 percent - second lowest on the team. Hes also averaging 3.7 turnovers per game.

Among the starters, only center JaVale McGee is shooting above 38 percent. McGee is averaging 12.5 points per game and is the third-leading scorer. Blatche, meanwhile, is averaging 12 points per game and went 2 for 13 in a 101-83 loss to Atlanta one game after he told reporters he should be more involved in the offense in the low post.

Were just trying to hold ourselves accountable, Blatche said. A lot of guys say, This is the reason, thats the reason [for the losing streak]. Mo brought us together and said, The reason is us. Weve got nobody to blame but ourselves. At the end of the day, were the players out there. Theres nobody else playing but us, so we all had a good talk. We all said our piece, and hopefully all the guys took it in and didnt take it personally.

Blatche was referring especially to the rookies and his younger teammates. The Wizards have seven players 23 years or younger, including rookies Jan Vesely, the No. 6 overall pick in this years draft, Chris Singleton and Shelvin Mack. Jordan Crawford, 23, was among the most despondent players in the locker room following Wednesdays loss to the Magic, which put on an exhibition of team basketball the Wizards would be delighted to match.

Crawford said the atmosphere was dead and he felt as if the Wizards had been playing for months rather than two weeks. Lewis, who played for Orlando for more than three seasons before being traded to Washington for Gilbert Arenas, said the team took five steps back.

Coach Flip Saunders echoed that evaluation in the postgame news conference, and on Thursday he mentioned that he has coached winning teams that have conducted players-only meetings.

As you become a playoff team and a good team, players also have to hold themselves accountable on the floor because we only have so many timeouts that we can call, said Saunders, who coached regular playoff participants in Minnesota and Detroit. So a lot of times things happen out there, and the players have to communicate to themselves.

What accountability does is it increases the trust level that players have with each other, and usually when youre struggling, its because its a lack of trust at times, and so you worry more about what you have to do than about what the team has to do. I think more than anything else, [the meeting] was just an emphasis that were going to hold each other accountable, that were a team, were family.

Courtesy of www.washingtonpost.com

Glen Davis: Will adjust after coach's criticism - by Eurobasket News
Magic forward Glen Davis (6'9''-F-86, college: LSU) says he'll keep working to adjust his game to fit into a more defensive and rebounding role the coaching staff wants him to fill.

Orlando coach Stan Van Gundy was critical of Davis' shot selection in the Magic's win over Washington on Wednesday night. He spoke with Davis in more detail at practice Thursday.

Van Gundy says he thinks Davis was hampered by not having a full training camp following his preseason trade from Boston for Brandon Bass. He added he may have started the season preoccupied with producing big offensive numbers.

Davis says he thinks the improvement will show when the Magic host Chicago on Friday.

Courtesy of www.foxsportsflorida.com

Source: Kobe Bryant gets shots in wrist - by Eurobasket News
Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant (6'6''-G-78) is receiving a shot in his right wrist before games in order to numb the pain caused by his torn lunotriquetral ligament, according to a team source.

Bryant suffered the right wrist injury, his shooting hand, during a Lakers preseason loss to the Los Angeles Clippers when he fell to the floor and braced his body weight on his right hand after having his shot attempt blocked by DeAndre Jordan. On Thursday, the Lakers confirmed a report in the Orange County Register detailing Bryant's treatment.

Bryant missed the Lakers preseason finale after suffering the injury but has played in all seven of the Lakers games to start the regular season, averaging 25.9 points, 6.3 rebounds and 6.0 assists on 41.7 percent shooting.

The 16-year veteran had a tough shooting stretch during a back-to-back against Denver, going a combined 12-for-46 (26.1 percent) in the two games.

He admitted the necessity to 'make some adjustments with (his) jumper' after missing 22 of 28 shot attempts in a 99-90 loss to the Nuggets on Sunday and bounced back with 37 points on 14-for-29 shooting in a 108-99 win against the Houston Rockets on Tuesday.

Courtesy of ESPN

Game Recap: Indiana Pacers 87 - Boston Celtics 74 - by Daniel Gibson
BOSTON---The Indiana Pacers came into the TD Garden to face the Celtics and walked away with something they hadnt accomplished in five years, a win.

The Celtics were fighting back but in the end the Pacers ball movement led to open shots and 87-74 victory.

Danny Granger led the team in scoring with 15 points and three steals. He struggles from the floor shooting only 3-of-14 but he was 7-7 from the free-throw line. Darren Collison knocked down clutch shots all night and finished with 14 points.

The Celtics struggled shooting all night, really both teams did but he Pacers had the lead. They finished the game shooting 39%. Their defense was tight and disruptive but they couldnt knock down shots consistently. Ray Allen led the way with 23 points on 7-of-11 shooting and knocking down 4-of-5 three-pointers.

Without his production the game wouldnt have been close.

Paul Pierce had 10 points but he had to work extremely hard for it shooting 3-of-17. Kevin Garnett scored 12 points but the team needed more from him as they struggled all night. Rajon Rondo had 11 points and nine assists but he had his hands full with Collison.

It was a difficult night for David West as he finished with two points but he did grab 10 boards. He was booed early and often because of his decision to sign with the Pacers over the Celtics but his decision looked like a smart one, at least for tonight.

The Pacers finished their road trip and head home tonight to face the Charlotte Bobcats tomorrow.


Thursday's games review (4): Wallace scores 31 as Blazers beat Lakers 107-96 - by Eurobasket News
San Antonio S. - Dallas M. 93-71
Matt Bonner (6'9''-F-80, college: Florida) scored 17 points to lead the San Antonio Spurs to a 93-71 victory over the Dallas Mavericks on Thursday night. Richard Jefferson (6'6''-F/G-80, college: Arizona) scored 16 points and Gary Neal added 12 for the Spurs, who limited Dirk Nowitzki to six points on 3-of-11 shooting - the German star's lowest output since he had five in a Dec. 18, 2009, game that he left early because of injury. Jason Terry scored 12 points and Delonte West had 10 to lead Dallas, which lost point guard Jason Kidd to a lower back injury with 24.7 seconds remaining in the first quarter. Kidd, who appeared to pull up, was replaced by Vince Carter and didn't return. Even Kidd's presence might not have mattered much with the Mavericks hitting only 27 of 77 shots, including 1 of 19 from 3-point range. San Antonio, which hit 16 of 33 shots from long range, jumped out to an 18-point lead in the first quarter. The Spurs led 55-29 at halftime behind 11-of-18 shooting from 3-point range. Bonner, Jefferson and Neal and each hit three 3-pointers in the first half. The Spurs were playing their second game without leading scorer Manu Ginobili. Ginobili had successful surgery on the fifth metacarpal in his left hand Thursday morning, the team announced. He's expected to be out about six weeks. He was hurt at Minnesota on Monday night. *Courtesy of www.miamiherald.com

Sacramento K. - Milwaukee B. 103-100
As the buzzer sounded and the home crowd roared, DeMarcus Cousins (6'11''-C/F-90, agency: SportsTalent, college: Kentucky) sought out Keith Smart and bear-hugged the new Sacramento Kings coach in a warm embrace. At long last, Cousins could smile with a head coach again. Cousins had 19 points and 15 rebounds, Tyreke Evans (6'6''-PG-89, college: Memphis) made four free throws in the final minute to finish with 26 points and Sacramento overcame a 21-point halftime deficit to stun the Milwaukee Bucks 103-100 on Thursday night. The victory came just hours after the Kings fired coach Paul Westphal amid an escalating feud with Cousins. 'You just felt free out there,' Cousins said. 'You didn't feel like you had like 30-pound bags on your back. You just felt free. It felt good to be out there.' Especially when it leads to a win. Evans hit the go-ahead free throws with 18.1 seconds remaining and followed with two more to make former assistant and Golden State Warriors coach Smart a winner in his Kings debut. Sacramento completed a stretch of three games in three nights in three cities with the lone win. 'The way we played tonight, it was unbelievable,' Cousins said. Milwaukee mismanaged a runaway into a swift and surprising defeat. Brandon Jennings scored 31 points and dished out seven assists, and Drew Gooden had 18 points and nine rebounds for the Bucks in place of center Andrew Bogut, who missed his second straight game for undisclosed personal reasons. Stephen Jackson added 13 points, five rebounds and four assists in Milwaukee's third straight loss. The Bucks outshot the Kings 51 percent to 40 percent. *Courtesy of www.sfgate.com

Portland TB - LA Lakers 107-96
Gerald Wallace (6'7''-F-82, college: Alabama) knew exactly when the Portland Trail Blazers had the Los Angeles Lakers beaten. It was a little more than midway through the third quarter and the Blazers were in the midst of a 17-6 run that would seal their 107-96 victory Thursday night. Kobe Bryant (6'6''-G-78) missed a 3-point attempt and Marcus Camby pulled down the rebound before hurling the ball downcourt to Wallace, who leapt for a stunning windmill dunk that put Portland up 70-66. 'I think that was the game-changer,' said Wallace, who joked that he only performed the highlight-reel dunk because teammate LaMarcus Aldridge promised he'd make one, too. 'Watch out for L.A.'s windmill next,' he laughed. Wallace finished with 31 points, including the windmill, while Aldridge added 28 points and 10 rebounds for his first double-double of the season. Portland, which led by as many as 14 points, had just four turnovers despite pushing the tempo for the entire game. The Blazers sit atop the Western Conference at 5-1 - their lone loss coming on New Year's Day at the Clippers. Kobe Bryant scored 30 points despite a torn ligament in his right wrist, and Andrew Bynum had 21 points and 12 rebounds for the Lakers, who have had trouble at the Rose Garden with losses in 11 of their last 13 games there. 'They (the Blazers) played a heckuva game,' Lakers coach Mike Brown said. 'Portland came out in the second half and pushed the pace, and we came apart.' Los Angeles went 0 for 11 from 3-point range. It was the first time that the team had a game without a 3-pointer since November, 2003. The Lakers, who fell to 4-4, were coming off a 108-99 home victory over Houston on Tuesday. Bynum, who was suspended for the first four games of the season, had 21 points and 22 rebounds against the Rockets - the first 20-20 game of his career. The Blazers were coming off a 103-93 victory at Oklahoma City, another statement win to open the lockout-shortened season. 'It's still early,' Aldridge said. 'It's always good to get off to a quick start, especially in a short season. But we know it's a process.' The Lakers were without Josh McRoberts, who sat out a second straight game with a strained big toe on his left foot. Blazers coach Nate McMillan promised that Portland would run against the Lakers, and the result was a frenetic pace from the start. Paul Gasol's tip-in gave Los Angeles their biggest lead of the first half at 28-21. The Blazers closed the gap and Jamal Crawford's jumper and free throw put them up 36-35 with just over 8 minutes to go in the half. The lead was short-lived but Portland stayed close. Los Angeles shot 61 percent from the field, but led just 56-52 at the half. Portland shot 43 percent. Both teams were even at 46 percent in the end. The Blazers trailed 60-59 early in the third quarter before Wallace made a layup and a free throw early to spark a 17-6 run that included his dunk. The surge was capped by Wesley Matthews' 3-pointer that made it 76-66. Crawford made a 27-foot 3-pointer as time ran out in the third to put Portland up 84-74. 'They came out in the second half and just beat us down the court in transition and that was it,' Bynum said. 'We've got to get back on D, that's huge for us.' Wallace appeared to seal it with a fast-break layup past falling Lakers guard Steve Blake that made it 96-83 with 6:39 left. Bryant was asked after the game about the storyline of losses in Portland. 'It drives me crazy,' he said. The Blazers travel to Phoenix to play the Suns on Friday night, while the Lakers host Golden State at the Staples Center. *Courtesy of www.chron.com

Atlanta H. - Miami Heat 109-116 2OT
There may be no need for LeBron James and Dwyane Wade to rush their return from injuries. Mario Chalmers (6'1''-PG-86, college: Kansas) and Chris Bosh (6'11''-F-84, college: Georgia Tech) proved Thursday night they can play the starring roles for the Miami Heat. With James and Wade cheering from the bench, Bosh scored 33 points and the Heat beat the Atlanta Hawks 116-109 in triple-overtime. Chalmers had 22 of his 29 points after the third quarter for the Heat, including five of Miami's seven points in the third overtime. 'Coach said I had to be aggressive,' Chalmers said. Wade missed his second straight game with a sore left foot and James was held out after he turned his left ankle late in the third quarter of Wednesday night's 118-83 win over Indiana. Neither star was in uniform. Bosh hit a last-second, tying 3-pointer at the end of regulation to force the first overtime. 'It was a lucky shot,' Bosh said. Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said his team survived a test of its character. 'That game, the way it went down in the end, was an exercise in absolute endurance and mental and physical toughness,' Spoelstra said. 'Both teams played their hearts out there at the end.' Joe Johnson had 20 points for the Hawks, who did not score in the third extra period. It was only the 10th time in NBA history a team did not score in an overtime period. Josh Smith added 17 points and 13 rebounds for Atlanta, which was seeking its second win over the Heat in four days but missed 15 of 46 free throws. Hawks coach Larry Drew said his players ignored his warning against a letdown if James and Wade didn't play. 'There was a total, total mental letdown,' Drew said, adding his players lacked the spark they had when they won 100-92 in Miami on Monday. 'I didn't see the sense of urgency I saw in Miami,' Drew said. 'The tendency is to let your guard down, and we certainly did tonight.' Bosh, the only healthy member of Miami's Big Three, also had 14 rebounds. Rookie Terrel Harris had nine points and 14 rebounds. The Hawks led 93-90 when Bosh launched the tying 3-point attempt from the wing over Marvin Williams with only six-tenths of a second remaining in regulation. Miami took a 67-54 lead on a 3-pointer by Chalmers midway through the third before the Hawks closed the quarter with a 16-1 run to take control. Little-used rookie Ivan Johnson was a big surprise with 13 points for Atlanta. Johnson, an undrafted player from Cal State-San Bernardino, had a steal and jam to cut Miami's lead to one point and then closed the third quarter with two free throws to give the Hawks their first lead of the second half. Ivan Johnson and Al Horford fouled out in the third overtime. Drew saw he turned to Ivan Johnson and Willie Green, who had 14 points, because he was 'really searching' for players who showed 'a sense of urgency.' Spoelstra said before the game Wade 'was a little bit more unlikely' than James to play. Afterward, Spoelstra said he was trying to protect Wade from a more serious injury. 'He's making progress with it, but we really want to take care of this before it's something that can linger,' Spoelstra said. Wade hurt his foot at Charlotte on Dec. 28. James participated in pregame warmups but his status for Miami's game at New Jersey on Saturday remains uncertain. 'He's walking around and hopefully he'll be able to play soon,' Spoelstra said. 'Whether that will be Saturday, I don't know.' James and Wade were often active and animated as they watched from Miami's bench, at times leaping up as they reacted to plays. James Jones and Shane Battier were the fill-in starters. 'I hope the guys realize it doesn't matter who's in the uniform, it's the standard of play,' said Battier, who had nine points and played a lead role in defending Joe Johnson, who made only 7 of 20 shots from the field. 'I've been in a lot of games in my 10 years in the league and this is right up there,' Battier said. The Hawks, whose win at Miami gave the Heat their only loss, struggled with poor shooting as there were 17 lead changes in the first half. Miami led 54-49 at halftime. *Courtesy of www.ktvn.com


Stats Leaders
Points Per Game
 LeBron JAMES
  Miami Heat
  (203-F-84)
  Avg: 29.9
 1. James, Miami Heat29.9 
 2. Anthony, New Y.27.8 
 3. Bryant, LA Lakers26.4 
 4. Durant, Oklah.Ci.26.1 
 5. Love, Minnesota T.25.7 
 6. Griffin, LA Clipp.25.2 
 7. Bargnani, Toron.24.0 
 8. Ellis, Golde S.23.8 
 9. Aldridge, Portland.23.2 
 10. Bynum, LA Lakers22.3 
Rebounds Per Game
 Dwight HOWARD
  Orlando M.
  (211-C-85)
  Avg: 16
 1. Howard, Orlando M.16.0 
 2. Bynum, LA Lakers15.8 
 3. Love, Minnesota T.15.0 
 4. Hawes, Philadelph..11.4 
 5. Gasol, Memphis G.10.2 
 6. Cousins, Sacramen.10.1 
 7. Haslem, Miami Heat10.1 
 8. Hibbert, Indiana P.10.0 
 9. Humphries, New J.10.0 
 10. Bogut, Milwauke.10.0 
Assists Per Game
 Rajon RONDO
  Boston C.
  (185-PG-86)
  Avg: 10.7
 1. Rondo, Boston C.10.7 
 2. Calderon, Toron.10.0 
 3. Lowry, Houston R.10.0 
 4. Paul, LA Clippers9.8 
 5. Nash, Phoenix Suns8.7 
 6. Jack, N.Orleans H.8.6 
 7. Rose, Chicago B.8.6 
 8. Ellis, Golde S.8.2 
 9. Felton, Portland TB7.5 
 10. James, Miami Heat7.4 
Steals Per Game
 Mike CONLEY
  Memphis G.
  (186-PG-87)
  Avg: 3
 1. Conley, Memphis G.3.0 
 2. Lawson, Denver N.2.6 
 3. Paul, LA Clippers2.6 
 4. Henderson, Charlot.2.0 
 5. Millsap, Utah Jazz2.0 
 6. Allen, Memphis G.2.0 
 7. Granger, Indiana P.2.0 
 8. Teague, Atlanta H.2.0 
 9. Lowry, Houston R.2.0 
 10. Westbrook, Oklah..2.0 
Blocks Per Game
 DeAndre JORDAN
  LA Clippers
  (213-C-88)
  Avg: 3
 1. Jordan, LA Clippers3.0 
 2. McGee, Washingt.2.8 
 3. Howard, Orlando M.2.7 
 4. Stiemsma, Boston2.6 
 5. Faried, Denver N.2.5 
 6. Bynum, LA Lakers2.3 
 7. Hawes, Philadelph..2.2 
 8. Chandler, New Y.2.2 
 9. Ibaka, Oklah.Ci.2.0 
 10. Wade, Miami Heat2.0 


Standings
NBA Standings
Eastern Conference
Atlantic Div.
 1. Boston C. 4-3 
 2. Philadelph.76 3-2 
 3. Toronto R. 3-3 
 4. New York K. 2-4 
 5. New Jersey N. 1-6 
Central Div.
 1. Chicago B. 6-1 
 2. Indiana P. 4-2 
 3. Cleveland C. 3-3 
 4. Detroit P. 2-4 
 5. Milwaukee B. 2-4 
Southeast Div.
 1. Miami Heat 7-1 
 2. Orlando M. 5-2 
 3. Atlanta H. 4-3 
 4. Charlotte B. 2-4 
 5. Washington W. 0-6 
Western Conference
Northwest Div.
 1. Portland TB 5-1 
 2. Denver N. 5-2 
 3. Oklah.City T. 5-2 
 4. Utah Jazz 3-3 
 5. Minnesota T. 2-4 
Pacific Div.
 1. LA Lakers 4-4 
 2. LA Clippers 3-2 
 3. Sacramento K. 3-5 
 4. Phoenix Suns 2-4 
 5. Golde State W. 2-4 
Southwest Div.
 1. San Antonio S. 5-2 
 2. Memphis G. 3-3 
 3. Dallas M. 3-5 
 4. Houston R. 2-4 
 5. N.Orleans H. 2-4 


*****************************************************
  NBLCANADA   


NBLC Standings
NBL Canada Standings
 1. Quebec K. 15-7 
 2. London L. 14-4 
 3. Halifax R. 12-4 
 4. St.John M.R. 9-11 
 5. Summerside S. 8-11 
 6. Oshawa P. 7-16 
 7. Moncton M. 3-15 


Latest games - by Eurobasket News
Quebec K. - St.John M.R. 112-101
The Saint John Mill Rats, presented by Rogers, fell short on the road against the Quebec Kebs 112-101 despite Gregory Plummer's (6'4''-G-83, college: Eckerd) 40 points. The game featured the debut of guards Darren Duncan (5'11''-G-88, college: Merrimack) and Courtland Bluford (6'0''-G-88, college: Assumption). Duncan scored 8 points and added 10 assists. Bluford scored 5 points and added 8 assists. 'We dug ourselves a hole in the first half, but the guys fought hard and rallied in the second half,' stated Mill Rats Head Coach Jaren Jackson. 'We'll bounce back, the guys need time to gel and practice - we definitely missed Anderson.' The Kebs led 61-42 at the half behind Royce Parran's 12 points. Saint John rallied to cut the lead to 103-99 but could not close the gap. In addition to Plummer's 40, Antoine Tisby added 19 points and 15 rebounds, and Antonio Burks had 11. Parren ended with 22 and Ralphy Holmes 17 for Quebec. Saint John drops to 9-11 on the season and the Kebs improve to 15-7. The Mill Rats next pay a visit to the red-hot Halifax Rainmen, who have won 9 in a row on January 14. Join the team Jan. 14th, Saturday as they take on the Rainmen by riding on the Mill Rats Fan Bus with Coach Jackson making the return trip with the fans. The Mill Rats host a rematch with the #1 ranked London Lightning on Sunday, January 15th for the 'Smells Like School Spirit' theme night. *Courtesy of www.oursportscentral.com

Moncton M. - St.John M.R. 102-87
The Moncton Miracles earned a measure of revenge with an impressive performance in a 102-87 victory over the Saint John Mill Rats in National Basketball League of Canada action last night in front of 1,504 fans at the Moncton Coliseum. Moncton established a franchise record for fewest points against in a game and posted its first-ever win in the Battle of New Brunswick. The Miracles are 1-3 against the Mill Rats. *Courtesy of http://basketballbuzz.ca

Halifax R. - Oshawa P. 117-93
Durham's Team the Oshawa Power fell for the second time in as many games to the Halifax Rainmen 117-93 at the Metro Centre Thursday night. Omari Johnson (6'9''-F, college: Oregon St.) continued his stellar play for the Power, netting an NBL Canada record 37 points, on a very efficient 14-of-19 shooting to go along with 16 rebounds for the double-double, his seventh of the season. Brandon Robinson (6'6''-F-89, college: Clayton St.) scored 17 points and Canadian Paul Campbell scored 8 points and grabbed 12 rebounds for the 7-16 Power. Johnson would surely have traded all those points for a victory in this one and it didn't take much analysis from the former Oregon State Beaver as to the reasons for the loss. 'We weren't guarding at all and had too many turnovers,' said Johnson. Just like the game between these two teams on Sunday, the Power got off to a good start trailing by only 3 after one quarter. But the Rainmen took the second quarter by 10 points, taking a 60-47 advantage into halftime. The Power kept close by keeping their turnovers to a minimum in the first half with only 6 giveaways. But the game came undone in a 5:24 stretch from the end of the third quarter and into the early part of the fourth, as the tenacious defense by the Rainmen second unit put the game out of reach for the home side. Lawrence Wright scored a team-high 22 points for the Rainmen. The next game for the Power is on Thursday January 12 on the road against the Summerside Storm. Game time is 6 p.m. E.S.T. from the Consolidated Credit Union Place. The next Power home game is January 26, 2012 at 7:30 p.m. against the Saint John Mill Rats. Power Glance Record: 7-16 *Courtesy of www.northumberlandview.ca

Moncton M. - Summerside S. 104-119
Stephen McDowell (5'11''-G-85, agency: Warren Sports International, college: Chattanooga) scored 28 points to lead the Summerside Storm to an 119-104 win over the Moncton Miracles in National Basketball League of Canada action Thursday night. Mike Williams (6'7''-F-85, college: Cincinnati) added 19 points for the Storm (8-11) while Julien Allen had 17 and Eric Gilchrese had 16. Darrell Wonge led the Miracles (3-15) with 27 points, followed by Akeem Wright with 20 and Trayvon Lathan with 19. The Storm led 71-53 at the half. The Storm travels to London, Ont., to face the league-leading Lightning (14-4) tonight. The Storm then returns home to host the Oshawa Power on Thursday, Jan. 12, before heading back out on the road to face the Quebec Kebs on Jan. 15. *Courtesy of www.theguardian.pe.ca



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


Mississippi's Dundrecous Nelson dismissed after arrest - by Eurobasket News
Mississippi scoring leader Dundrecous Nelson (5'11''-G) has been dismissed from the basketball team for a 'violation of team rules' a day after he was arrested and charged with possession of drug paraphernalia by the Oxford Police Department.

The 5-foot-11 guard from Jackson averaged 11.6 points and led the team with 20 steals. Backup guard Jamal Jones also was dismissed. The 6-foot-8 guard averaged 1.8 points over five games.

'We're all disappointed that this had to happen,' Kennedy told The Associated Press. 'But there's a standard that has to be met to stay in this program. The fact that we had to take our most harsh disciplinary step speaks to the seriousness of the situation.'

Ole Miss will open Southeastern Conference play at LSU on Saturday.

According to the arrest affidavit, Nelson stated under oath he 'unlawfully and willfully used paraphernalia to ingest or inhale a controlled substance.'

Nelson was booked into the Lafayette County Detention Center, where he was released on bond. He is scheduled to appear in court Jan. 25.

Nelson's departure means a large chunk of playing time is suddenly available in the Ole Miss backcourt. The most likely candidates to see increased minutes are Jelan Kendrick, LaDarius White and Maurice Aniefiok.

Kendrick, a 6-foot-6 freshman guard, is a former McDonald's All-American who transferred from Memphis last season. He became eligible in December, but has struggled to find a regular spot in the rotation.

'We can't expect anyone to fill Nelson's role right away - that wouldn't be fair,' Kennedy said. 'We just need every other player on our team to pick up some of the slack and make this team better.'

Courtesy of http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com

Arizona State suspends three players - by Eurobasket News
Three Arizona State players have been suspended for 'unacceptable conduct' and did not make the trip to Los Angeles for games Thursday and Saturday.

Starters Keala King (6'4''-G) and Kyle Cain (6'7''-F), and reserve Chris Colvin (6'2''-G-87) did not travel with the Sun Devils (4-9, 0-1 Pac-12) on its trip to Los Angeles. The three will not play against Southern California on Thursday night or UCLA on Saturday.

This is Colvin's second suspension this season. He missed a Dec. 10 game against North Dakota State for 'conduct detrimental' to the team.

King is averaging a team-high 13.7 points while Crain averages 8.5 points and Colvin 5.4.

The suspensions leave the Sun Devils with only six scholarship players.

Courtesy of http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com

No. 16 Michigan falls 73-71 at No. 12 Indiana - by Eurobasket News
Michigan has lost very possible way at Indiana over the past 15 years.

It happened again Thursday night.

Christian Watford (6'9''-F-91) scored 25 points, Cody Zeller (6'11''-F) had 18 and Zack Novak (6'4''-G-90) 's desperation heave bounced high off the backboard, sealing a 73-71 victory for No. 12 Indiana.

'We're a tough group,' Novak said. 'Even when we'd make runs, their crowd would get into it, try to hype their team back up which a lot of crowds don't do. But I thought we did a good job of fighting through that, and I thought we stayed pretty poised for the environment we were in.'

No. 16 Michigan (12-3, 2-1 Big Ten) is 1-14 at Assembly Hall since 1996, but at least they had a chance in the latest meeting.

Despite never holding a lead, Tim Hardaway and Trey Burke scored all the points in a 13-3 run that tied the score at 68 with 3:02 to go. It was only the second tie of the game.

But the Wolverines didn't score again until Stu Douglass' 3-pointer with 2.9 seconds left.

Hardaway finished with 19 points, Douglass had 11 and Burke had 10 points and eight assists.

It still wasn't enough to break the Hoosiers' hex.

'I'm really proud of our team, I thought they played really hard and did some of the things we needed to do to win,' Wolverines coach John Beilein said. 'But we needed a couple more possessions or have a few possessions back. It didn't go our way.'

The Hoosiers (14-1, 2-1 Big Ten) have won 11 straight at Assembly Hall, three times over ranked foes their highest season total since beating four Top 25 teams in 2005-06. The 14 wins are already a season-best for Crean, who in his fourth season in Bloomington.

Watford has had a huge hand in the remarkable turnaround.

He hit the game-winning 3-pointer against No. 1 Kentucky in mid-December, sealed Saturday's victory over No. 2 Ohio State with two free throws in the closing seconds and had the most complete game of his three-year career Thursday.

Watford led the Hoosiers with seven rebounds, was 8 of 11 from the field including 3 of 4 on 3-pointers, made 6 of 8 free throws and had four assists. Zeller had 18 points on 8-of-10 shooting, and Verdell Jones scored six of his eight points in the critical closing stretch for Indiana.

It impressed their toughest critic.

'I thought you had to recruit for grit and you had to recruit someone with grit,' coach Tom Crean said. 'But I've learned with these guys that grit can be developed and grit can come out. Verdell Jones and Christian Watford are developing grit. And Cody Zeller came with it. They are playing with it.'

The Hoosiers had no choice on a treacherous night.

Indiana led by as many as 15 points late in the first half and seemed poised for a blowout until the Wolverines rallied within seven points at halftime. Michigan trimmed the lead to 44-43 early in the second half, and finally tied the score at 46 when Evan Smotrycz connected on a 3-pointer.

Watford, of course, broke the tie with two free throws, and Zeller posted up for a layup to make it 50-46.

When the Hoosiers followed that with a 12-4 run that ended on Victor Oladipo's baseline drive for a dunk, the Hoosiers led 65-55 with 7:20 to go, and it looked like Indiana would pull away.

Not so fast.

'I thought we really hung in there,' Beilein said. 'This place gets rocking-and-rolling just like a lot of places in this league, and I thought we handled that. It came with our defense and we didn't allow them a lot of second opportunities.'

Michigan took advantage, too.

Burke and Hardaway keyed the late run, finally tying it when Hardaway converted a turnover into a breakaway dunk.

But Indiana's defense didn't crack. Jones broke the tie with two free throws 12 seconds after Hardaway's basket, then hit a 15-foot jumper with 25 seconds left to give the Hoosiers a 72-68 lead.

After Douglass' 3, the Wolverines fouled Watford, who missed the first, hit the second and then watched nervously as Novak's desperation bounced away.

'The bottom line is this team gritted it out again,' Crean said. 'They have won 14 games 14 different ways with a lot of room for improvement, and I'm excited about them.'

Courtesy of www.huffingtonpost.com

Oliver scores 21, leads Penn St over Purdue 65-45 - by Eurobasket News
Two grueling three-hour practices the last couple days following two Big Ten losses had Penn State refocused on rebounding and defense.

The drills paid off handsomely Thursday night in a 65-45 win over Purdue.

Billy Oliver (6'8''-F) scored a career-high 21 points and Penn State held the Boilermakers to a season-low 31-percent shooting to snap a six-game losing streak against Purdue and secure first-year coach Patrick Chambers' first Big Ten win with the Nittany Lions (9-7, 1-2).

'It was all about staples, defending and rebounding. Doing the little things,' guard Tim Frazier, who added 15 points, said about the recent practices. 'There was no doubt in my mind that we would go out and compete. I didn't know what the score would be at the end of the game, but I knew we would go out and compete.'

Frazier hit a leaning banker in traffic in the lane to extend the lead to 54-38 with about 8 minutes left. The tough bucket capped an 18-6 run to put the game out of reach.

Robbie Hummel's 14 points and five rebounds paced Purdue (12-4, 2-1), which lost to Penn State for the first time since a 67-64 defeat three years ago in Happy Valley.

This one wasn't nearly as close. Playing with four fouls, Oliver hit back-to-back 3s with just 5 minutes left for a 19-point lead. The Nittany Lions outhustled their opponents and outrebounded them 38-26.

'Our guys won a couple games and they were fat and sassy,' Purdue coach Matt Painter said.

Matt Glover (6'4''-G) led Penn State on the glass with 11 rebounds, to go with five assists and two steals.

'If we could get somebody to play as hard as Matt Glover,' Painter lamented. 'He made a lot of hustle plays for them and that's something we've really prided our program in, doing whatever it takes guarding rebounding and being unselfish.'

D.J. Byrd (6'5''-G/F) had 12 points for Purdue, which narrowed a 15-point deficit in the first half to 36-32 off Hummel's layup with 15:15 left.

But Penn State regrouped and went on a 7-0 run finished by Frazier's layup on the break following a steal by Glover.

An uncharacteristically sloppy first half left Purdue trailing 32-18 halftime, the Boilermakers' lowest-scoring half of the season. Penn State held Purdue without a field goal the final 6:46 of a half in which coach Matt Painter 's club committed seven turnovers, or about three fewer than its average for an entire game.

The enthusiastic Chambers has used the word 'attitude' as an energetic slogan for his squad all season. He relies on his players to battle under the boards and hustle for loose balls.

'It was great for this group,' Chambers said. 'It was great for them to take a couple hits and get back up and throw some hits.'

Oliver, a 6-foot-8 forward who likes to roam the perimeter, scored 12 in the first half on 4-of-6 shooting from 3-point range.

'When Billy plays like that it really opens up a lot of things for' Frazier, Chambers said. 'Now you don't know who to stop.'

Penn State led by as much as 15 in the half on Sasa Borovnjak's layup with 3 minutes to go before Purdue made its second-half push.

Jermaine Marshall added 10 points and five rebounds for the Nittany Lions, who played without starting guard Cammeron Woodyard (left hamstring).

Courtesy of www.desertnews.com

Long Beach State edges Cal Poly 55-50 - by Eurobasket News
Casper Ware (5'10''-G) scored 17 points and T.J. Robinson (6'8''-F) had the 45th double-double of his career to help Long Beach State defeat Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo 55-50 on Thursday night.

Robinson had 13 points and 14 rebounds for the 49ers (9-6, 2-0 Big West), whose final margin represented their biggest lead.

Will Taylor (6'7''-F-89) scored 16 points and David Hanson (6'5''-F-89) 11 for the Mustangs (9-6, 0-2).

Long Beach State, which has a 15-game home winning streak, has won five of its last six.

Mike Caffey's 3-pointer with 7:03 to go gave Long Beach State a 44-43 lead. But Taylor trimmed the deficit to 50-48 with 1:16 remaining. After Caffey sank a free throw, Hanson's layup cut it to 51-50 with 28 seconds left.

Ware sank two free throws to make it 53-50, and after Taylor missed a 3-pointer with 8 seconds left, Robinson hit two more foul shots to close it out.

Courtesy of www.sacbee.com

No. 17 UNLV routs Cal State Bakersfield 89-57 - by Eurobasket News
First-year Cal State Bakersfield coach Rod Barnes was upset with his team after it became the latest victim in No. 17 UNLV's seven-game winning streak.

Mike Moser (6'8''-F-90) and Justin Hawkins (6'3''-G-90) both scored 17 points as the Rebels beat the Roadrunners 89-57 on Thursday night.

Moser had 11 rebounds for the Rebels (16-2), who outscored the Roadrunners (7-9) 51-30 in the second half. It started with a 16-2 run over the first 4 minutes of the second half.

'The first half, I thought we competed,' Barnes said. 'Second half: it's unacceptable. We will not accept this kind of play as a coaching staff. We've got to get some guys' attention. We've got to go about our business so this does not become a trend on how we play against good teams.'

UNLV coach Dave Rice said there was a reason his team took control after halftime.

'We felt like our depth and our conditioning took a toll on them in the second half,' Rice said. 'That's one thing about our team. We play nine or 10 guys. Depth and conditioning is one of our strong suits. We've always been a second-half team.'

Oscar Bellfield had seven points and two assists in the 16-2 run that gave the Rebels a 54-29 lead with 16:08 to play. The lead never dropped below 30 points over the final 10 minutes.

'It's not the 16-2 run at the beginning (of the second half),' Barnes said. 'We never made a run to get back in the game. And we're that kind of team. ... We're the type of team to hang in there, make a run, make a game of it.'

Zachary Lamb (6'3''-G) scored 16 points on 7-of-11 shooting for Bakersfield.

'We literally laid down,' Lamb said. 'We got lackadaisical. It's not like us.'

Stephon Carter (6'3''-G) was 6 of 9 from the field and had 13 points for the Roadrunners, his fourth straight game in double figures.

UNLV outrebounded the Roadrunners 43-28 and forced 14 turnovers.

Chace Stanback, the Rebels' leading scorer with a 15.3 average, finished with seven points on 2-for-12 shooting including going 2 of 10 from 3-point range.

Moser made two free throws, Quintrell Thomas added one and Anthony Marshall made a layup in UNLV's 5-0 run to close the half that made it 38-27.

The Rebels' biggest lead was 34 points which they reached five times, the last at 88-54 on a dunk by Karam Mashour with 1:29 to play.

UNLV associate head coach Justin Hutson is a native of Bakersfield and a former assistant coach and player with the Roadrunners.

'We didn't play as well as we'd like in the first half and Cal State played really well,' Hutson said. 'We just wanted to keep doing what we're doing. We wanted to get stops and get out and run. That's Rebel basketball.'

Thomas had four of UNLV's five blocked shots.

The Rebels shot 48.5 percent from the field for the game (32 of 66) and were 9 of 32 from 3-point range (28.1 percent).

The Roadrunners shot 35.3 percent for the game (20 of 57) and were 4 of 12 from 3-point range.

'We didn't play with the fight and the fire and it's unacceptable,' Barnes said. 'I thank the fans that came out tonight but I also want to tell them to be patient, we'll get it fixed, it's not the type of effort exemplified in this program or teams that I coach.'

The game drew a crowd of 3,325 at Rabobank Arena.

Courtesy of www.sfexaminer.com

No. 25 Gonzaga beats Pepperdine 73-45 - by Eurobasket News
Freshman Gary Bell (6'1''-G) scored 15 points and No. 25 Gonzaga beat cold-shooting Pepperdine 73-45 on Thursday night for its 21st consecutive victory over the Waves.

Robert Sacre (7'0''-C-88) and Kevin Pangos (6'1''-G-93) each scored 11 points for Gonzaga (12-2, 2-0 West Coast Conference), which has won seven straight since consecutive losses to Illinois and Michigan State. They have not lost to the Waves since 2002, their longest current streak against a WCC rival.

Jordan Baker (6'3''-G) scored 10 points to lead Pepperdine (7-7, 1-2), which has not beaten a ranked opponent since 1994.

The Waves, who came in averaging 60 points per game, never led in the game and shot just 28.3 percent from the field. Their season-low had been 39 points in a loss to UCLA.

Gonzaga opened the game with a 12-3 run, but the Waves replied with a 9-3 surge to close to 15-12. Pepperdine hit a cold patch and scored just two points over the next 6 minutes and the Bulldogs took a 28-14 lead.

Gonzaga led 38-20 at halftime, having outscored the Waves 23-8 over the final 11 minutes. Pepperdine shot just 29 percent in the first half while Gonzaga hit 41 percent.

The Bulldogs opened the second half with a 12-3 run to build a 50-24 lead and was not threatened the rest of the way. Coach Mark Few substituted liberally in the second half.

Courtesy of www.miamiherald.com

Top 25 - Men
TOP25 Standings
 1. Syracuse 2-0 (14-0) 
 2. Duke 0-0 (10-1) 
 3. Connecticut 2-1 (12-2) 
 4. Seton Hall 2-1 (13-2) 
 5. Baylor 1-0 (14-0) 
 6. Gonzaga 2-0 (15-2) 
 7. Kentucky 0-0 (14-1) 
 8. Michigan St. 3-0 (15-2) 
 9. Ohio St. 2-1 (14-2) 
 10. Georgetown 3-0 (15-0) 
 11. UNLV 0-0 (16-2) 
 12. N.Carolina 0-0 (11-0) 
 13. Louisville 1-1 (12-4) 
 14. Long Beach St. 2-0 (8-6) 
 15. Indiana 2-1 (14-1) 
 16. Murray St. 3-0 (15-0) 
 17. S.Mississippi 1-0 (13-2) 
 18. Alabama 0-0 (10-2) 
 19. Minnesota 0-2 (13-3) 
 20. Marquette 0-1 (10-3) 
 21. Creighton 2-1 (12-2) 
 22. Harvard 0-0 (11-2) 
 23. N.Iowa 1-1 (11-3) 
 24. St.Mary's, CA 3-0 (14-2) 
 25. Illinois 2-1 (7-6) 


George Mason 63, Old Dominion 54 - by Milord Nikolic
Ryan Pearson scored 16 points and grabbed 14 rebounds as George Mason defeated Old Dominion 63-54 Thursday night for its fourth consecutive victory. Bryon Allen added 14 points, Vertrail Vaughns had 13 and Mike Morrison had 10 points and nine rebounds for the Patriots (11-4, 3-0 Colonial Athletic Association). George Mason led 34-31 at halftime after leading by as many as 12. The Patriots never relinquished the lead in the second half but couldn't build it back into double digits. The Monarchs trailed 45-43 with 13:21 left after a 3-pointer by Donte Hill, but two layups and a free throw by Allen pushed the lead to seven points, and the Patriots never cut it to less than five after that.

Basketball Hall of Fame Announces 20 Finalists for 2012 Bob Cousy Award - by Eurobasket News
Springfield, Mass. The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts announced today the 20 finalists for the 2012 Bob Cousy Collegiate Point Guard of the Year Award. The annual honor, named for Hall of Famer and former Boston Celtic Bob Cousy, recognizes the top point guards in college basketball. An original list of 60-plus candidates was trimmed by a Hall of Fame appointed, nationally-based committee to the below list of 20 student-athletes.

This list of 20 candidates consists of college basketballs elite point guards, said John L. Doleva, President & CEO of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Through the first few months of the season, these floor generals have demonstrated incredible leadership, court vision and toughness that epitomizes the legacy of Mr. Cousy.

The talent level among our 20 finalists demonstrates the competitiveness at the point guard position in college basketball this year, said Ken Kauffman, Chair of the 2012 Bob Cousy Award. As we move through the next rounds to our final award-winner, it will clearly be a difficult decision to select one player from this elite group.

The current listing of 20 finalists for the 2012 Bob Cousy Award will be narrowed down to 10 players in early February and then down five players by early March. The final five players in contention for the award will be presented to Mr. Cousy and the Hall of Fames selection committee. This Hall of Fame committee is made up of top college basketball personnel including media members, head coaches, Sports Information Directors and Hall of Famers. The winner of the 2012 Bob Cousy Award will be awarded at the Hall of Fames Class Announcement on Monday April 2nd in New Orleans as part of NCAA Final Four weekend.

Previous winners of the Bob Cousy Award have included Jameer Nelson (St. Josephs), Raymond Felton (North Carolina), Dee Brown (Illinois), Acie Law (Texas A & M), DJ Augustin (Texas), Ty Lawson (North Carolina), Greivis Vasquez (Maryland) and last years recipient Kemba Walker (Connecticut). For more information on the 2012 Bob Cousy, log onto www.CousyAward.com.

About the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame:
Located in Springfield, Massachusetts, the Birthplace of Basketball, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame promotes and preserves the game of basketball at every level professional, collegiate, men and women.

For more information:
Visit us on the web: www.hoophall.com
on Facebook: www.facebook.com/BBHOF
on Twitter: @hoophall
or call 1-877-4-HOOPLA

2012 Bob Cousy Award 20 Finalists
Pierre Jackson, Baylor
Shabazz Napier, UConn
Ray McCallum, Detroit
Seth Curry, Duke
Erving Walker, Florida
Scott Machado, Iona
Casper Ware, Long Beach State
Peyton Siva, Louisville
Trey Burke, Michigan
Dee Bost, Mississippi State
Phil Pressey, Missouri
Kendall Marshall, North Carolina
Aaron Craft, Ohio State
D.J. Cooper, Ohio
Zack Rosen, Pennsylvania
Ashton Gibbs, Pittsburgh
Scoop Jardine, Syracuse
Damian Lillard, Weber State
Jordan Taylor, Wisconsin
Tu Holloway, Xavier


Stats Leaders - NCAA1
Points Per Game
 Kevin JONES
  W.Virginia
  (203-F-)
  Avg: 19.6
 1. Jones, W.Virginia19.6 
 2. Melvin, De Paul18.9 
 3. Lamb, Connecticut18.9 
 4. Pope, Seton Hall18.3 
 5. Bryant, W.Virginia18.0 
 6. Johnson-Odom, Mar.17.9 
 7. Wayns, Villanova17.2 
 8. Young, De Paul16.8 
 9. Gibbs, Pittsburgh16.7 
 10. Crowder, Marquette16.6 
Rebounds Per Game
 Kevin JONES
  W.Virginia
  (203-F-)
  Avg: 11.6
 1. Jones, W.Virginia11.6 
 2. Pope, Seton Hall10.8 
 3. Dieng, Louisville9.6 
 4. Gates, Cincinnati9.3 
 5. Henton, Providence9.2 
 6. Cooley, Notre Dame8.4 
 7. Harkless, St.John''s8.1 
 8. Yarou, Villanova7.8 
 9. Behanan, Louisville7.5 
 10. Crowder, Marquette7.3 
Assists Per Game
 Travon WOODALL
  Pittsburgh
  (180-G-89)
  Avg: 7.5
 1. Woodall, Pittsburgh7.5 
 2. Theodore, Seton H.7.1 
 3. Council, Providence6.5 
 4. Napier, Connecticut6.4 
 5. Siva, Louisville6.0 
 6. Wright, Cincinnati5.2 
 7. Young, De Paul5.1 
 8. Collins, S.Florida5.1 
 9. Cadougan, Marqu.5.0 
 10. Wayns, Villanova4.9 
Steals Per Game
 Fuquan EDWIN
  Seton Hall
  (198-G/F-)
  Avg: 3.1
 1. Edwin, Seton Hall3.1 
 2. Smith, Louisville2.6 
 3. Collins, S.Florida2.4 
 4. Waiters, Syracuse2.1 
 5. Napier, Connecticut2.0 
 6. Young, De Paul1.9 
 7. Crowder, Marquette1.9 
 8. Siva, Louisville1.9 
 9. Lamb, Connecticut1.9 
 10. Clark, Georgetown1.8 
Blocks Per Game
 Gorgui DIENG
  Louisville
  (208-C-)
  Avg: 3.3
 1. Dieng, Louisville3.3 
 2. Melo, Syracuse3.1 
 3. Drummond, Connecti.2.7 
 4. Miller, Rutgers1.9 
 5. Birch, Pittsburgh1.9 
 6. Gaines, Cincinnati1.8 
 7. Pope, Seton Hall1.8 
 8. Gilchrist, S.Flori.1.7 
 9. Sims, Georgetown1.7 
 10. Jackson, Cincinna.1.7 


Eastern Michigan University Basketball is Hosting Polish-American Heritage Day - by Eurobasket
YPSILANTI-- On Saturday, February 11, 2012 Eastern Michigan University will be hosting Polish-American Heritage Day along with their scheduled basketball doubleheader. The women will take on Kent State at 2:00 p.m. and the men host perennial Mid-American Conference power Ohio University at 4:30 p.m.

The EMU women boast high scoring guard Tavelyn James, an All-America candidate, and rebounding whiz Olivia Fouty while the mens team features Polish national Kamil Janton.

The afternoon will be highlighted with a Polish art show, educational and historical exhibits. Polish dance troupes, folk music and Polish food items will also be featured. Childrens activities will be in abundance and the ever popular EMU mascot, SWOOP will entertain. The EMU SPIRIT dance team will be conducting a pregame dance tutorial for the attending dance groups.

For out-of-town visitors there is a special basketball package available. Polish fraternal organizations, Polish National Alliance and PRCUA are sponsoring the dance activities. The E-Club, an organization of athletic letter winners will be presenting the Hall of Fame inductees during halftime of the mens game.

Halftime entertainment will also include a folk dancing spectacular and the song renditions of Polish pop sensation Magda Kaminski.

Included with a game ticket will be a free chance at a $1,000 MacBook among other prizes. All the Mid-American Conference teams are finished with non-conference play and looking toward the MAC Championship in Cleveland March 7-10, 2012.

Submitted by Raymond Rolak

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


Predators announce assistance coach, Ryan Vaquez - by Eurobasket News
The Sauk Valley Predators announce an additional assistant coach to their organization, Ryan Vasquez. Ryan was born and raised in Sterling, IL and is the head coach for Sterling Public School's sophomore basketball team. He is a graduate of Ashford University in Clinton, IA with a degree in Psychology.

Ryan has coached basketball at Sterling Public School for the past 5 seasons. His current team holds a 13-3 record. Ryan demands hard work from his players on and off the court. His favorite quote is 'hard work beats talent, when talent doesn't work hard'.

Ryan is more than excited for this opportunity to help out the Sauk Valley Predators. He also looks forward to the experience that he will gain from Coach Keathley and the players. Ryan will continue his coaching duties at the high school and hopes that this opportunity will help bring in extra motivation for himself and his players on his current team.

'We are looking forward to watching Ryan grow with our organization and continue to focus on the athletes not only on our team, but in the community as well', stated Brad and Leah Grenoble, owners of the Predators. 'Ryan immediately became interested in our team and was attending practices, so it worked out that he could become a part of our organization as well'. 'He definitely has the drive, enthusiasm and commitment that we are looking for on our coaching staff'.

The Sauk Valley Predators kickoff their 2012 season tomorrow night, January 6th at the Homer Musgrove Fieldhouse in Sterling, IL at 6:30 p.m. Individual and season tickets can be purchased online at www.saukvalleypredators.com. You can also view the other Predator players and full schedule.

Courtesy of www.oursportscentral.com

*****************************************************
  PHILIPPINES   


2011 PBA Philippine Cup Semifinals: Tigers Twin Thirties - by Enzo Flojo
POWERADE TIGERS over RAIN OR SHINE ELASTO-PAINTERS, 121-113
Marcio Lassiter (188-G-87, college: CS Fullerton) bounced back strong from a dismal showing, forming a deadly duo with Gary David (187-G/F-78) as Powerade fought back and drubbed Rain or Shine in Game Two of their PBA Philippine Cup best-of-seven semifinal showdown.

Lassiter and David exploded for 62 points together as the Tigers recovered from their Game One defeat, beating the Elasto Painters in a high-scoring game to force a 1-1 tie in the series.

Lassiter, the former Smart Gilas mainstay, also churned out 7 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal and 1 block in a giant comeback from his two-point game Wednesday. David remained on a roll, coming through with a fourth straight 30-plus effort.

The Tigers broke loose from a tight game in the third period and held sway to the finish with Sean Anthony (193-F-86), Douglas Kramer (193-F-83), JV Casio, Celino Cruz and Romel Adducul having their shares. Anthony tallied 11 points and 15 rebounds in a solid game he capped with a big block on Larry Rodriguez at the finish.

POW 121 - David 32, Lassiter 30, Anthony 11, Kramer 11, Casio 10, Cruz 9, Adducul 7, Lingganay 3, Vanlandingham 3, Antonio 3, Crisano 2.
ROS 113 - Buenafe 25, Lee 23, Rodriguez 20, Matias 13, Belga 11, Norwood 8, Arana 7, Tang 4, Cruz 2, Chan 0, Ibanes 0.
QS: 28-34, 57-58, 91-79, 121-113

Source: Game recap was compressed and compiled from PBA.ph


*****************************************************
  POLAND   


Standings - DBE
PLK Standings
 1. PGE Turow 13-4 
 2. Trefl Sopot 13-5 
 3. Anwil 13-5 
 4. Energa Czarni 12-6 
 5. Kotwica 12-7 
 6. Zastal ZG 11-7 
 7. Slask Wroclaw 10-7 
 8. Siarka Jezioro 8-11 
 9. AZS Koszalin 7-10 
 10. Polpharma 6-13 
 11. PBG Basket 6-13 
 12. AZS PW 4-14 
 13. LKS Lodz 3-16 
Play in international cups:
 1. Asseco Prokom - 


DBE Stats Leaders
Points Per Game
 Corsley EDWARDS
  Anwil
  (205-C/F-79)
  Avg: 17.4
 1. Edwards, Anwil17.4 
 2. Kulig, PBG Basket17.0 
 3. Hodge, Zastal ZG16.8 
 4. Koszarek, Trefl S.16.8 
 5. Archibeque, LKS L.16.7 
 6. Lawal, Zastal ZG16.5 
 7. Reese, AZS Koszal.16.1 
 8. Corbett, Siarka J.15.8 
 9. Miller, Siarka J.15.7 
 10. Kickert, PGE Turow15.1 
Rebounds Per Game
 Gani LAWAL
  Zastal ZG
  (206-F-88)
  Avg: 11.7
 1. Lawal, Zastal ZG11.7 
 2. Harris, Kotwica11.5 
 3. Archibeque, LKS L.10.2 
 4. Burgess, Trefl S.8.7 
 5. Doaks, Siarka J.7.2 
 6. Bartosz, PBG Bask.6.8 
 7. Edwards, Anwil6.7 
 8. Bigus, AZS Koszalin6.5 
 9. Turek, Trefl Sopot6.4 
 10. Simmons, Polpharma6.4 
Assists Per Game
 Robert SKIBNIEWSKI
  Slask W.
  (182-G-83)
  Avg: 7.1
 1. Skibniewski, Slask7.1 
 2. Hodge, Zastal ZG6.7 
 3. Koszarek, Trefl S.5.6 
 4. Wilczek, AZS P.5.3 
 5. Szubarga, Anwil5.0 
 6. Burrell, Energa C.4.9 
 7. Moore, PGE Turow4.9 
 8. Sapp, Kotwica4.6 
 9. Micic, PBG Basket4.6 
 10. Miller, Siarka J.4.6 
Steals Per Game
 Krzysztof SZUBARGA
  Anwil
  (182-G-84)
  Avg: 2.1
 1. Szubarga, Anwil2.1 
 2. Sapp, Kotwica1.6 
 3. Skibniewski, Slask1.5 
 4. Cesnauskis, Energa1.5 
 5. Hodge, Zastal ZG1.4 
 6. Edwards, Anwil1.4 
 7. Koszarek, Trefl S.1.4 
 8. Nikolic, PBG Basket1.4 
 9. Reese, AZS Koszal.1.3 
 10. Miller, Siarka J.1.3 
Blocks Per Game
 Callistus EZIUKWU
  AZS K.
  (208-F/C-85)
  Avg: 2.2
 1. Eziukwu, AZS K.2.2 
 2. Burgess, Trefl S.1.7 
 3. Kesicki, Kotwica1.6 
 4. Lauderdale, PGE T.1.5 
 5. Morrison, Energa C.1.4 
 6. Lawal, Zastal ZG1.4 
 7. Harris, Kotwica1.3 
 8. Barycz, Siarka J.1.2 
 9. Mladenovic, Slask1.1 
 10. Turek, Trefl Sopot0.9 


PLK Round 20: Trefl Sopot loses #1 position - by Eurobasket News
Round 20 in PLK means a new league leader. The biggest surprise took place in Kolobrzeg where host Kotwica (12-7) beat league's leader Trefl Sopot (13-5) 64-59 on Thursday evening. It ended at the same time the six-game winning streak of Trefl Sopot. The hosts trailed by 1 point after first quarter, but they rallied back to get the 5-point lead at the halftime and eventually won the game 64-59. Kotwica dominated on the defensive end, holding Trefl Sopot to just 6 points in second quarter. They outrebounded Trefl Sopot 51-34 including a 41-29 advantage in defensive rebounds. The best player for the winners was naturalized Israeli guard Oded Brandwein (188-88, agency: N.E.T.) who scored 18 points and 4 assists. American power forward Darrell Harris (208-84, college: Rhode Island) chipped in 6 points and 14 rebounds. American power forward John Turek (205-83, college: Nebraska) produced 26 points and 6 rebounds (on 12-of-15 shooting from the field) for the guests. Kotwica maintains fifth position with 12-7 record. Trefl Sopot at the other side dropped to the second place with five games lost. They share the position with Anwil. They were replaced at the leadership position by PGE Turow. Trefl Sopot will play next round against PBG Basket trying to make it back to the top of the standings. Kotwica will try to continue on its current victory against fourth ranked Energa Czarni in Slupsk.
The game had a very big importance for third-ranked PGE Turow as it allowed them to take a leadership position. PGE Turow defeated 8th ranked Siarka Jezioro in Zgorzelec 80-72. Australian-Dutch center Daniel Kickert (208-83, college: St.Mary's, CA) orchestrated the victory by scoring 25 points, 8 rebounds and 4 assists. Ronald Moore contributed with 20 points for the winners. American forward Nicchaeus Doaks (202-87, college: Chattanooga, agency: Hart Sports Mngm) replied with a double-double by scoring 17 points and 15 rebounds for Siarka Jezioro. PGE Turow have a solid three-game winning streak. As mentioned above they took over a top position. Siarka Jezioro lost third consecutive game. They keep the eighth place with 11 games lost. Siarka Jezioro will play next round against AZS Koszalin trying to get back on the winning streak. PGE Turow will try to continue on its current victory against twelfth ranked AZS Politechnika Warszawska at Warszawa.
A very close game took place in Starogard between Polpharma and Energa Czarni. Eleventh ranked Polpharma (6-13) got a very close home victory over higher ranked Energa Czarni (12-6). Polpharma managed to escape with a 2-point win 78-76 on Friday evening. It was quite big embarassment for the guest team. Worth to mention a great performance of Michael Hicks who helped to win the game recording 26 points. Polpharma's coach Wojciech Kaminski used a ten-player rotation in such tough game. Stanley Burrell responded with 13 points and 5 assists. Polpharma moved-up to tenth place, which they share with PBG Basket. Energa Czarni lost third consecutive game. They keep the fourth position with six games lost. Polpharma will have a break next round, and it should allow them to practice more before next game. Energa Czarni will play against Kotwica (#5) in Kolobrzeg and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
The game with biggest result difference took place in Zielona Gora. Local Zastal ZG (11-7) outscored 12th ranked AZS Politechnika Warszawska (4-14) 92-61. The winners were led by Jakub Dloniak who scored that evening 19 points (on 8-of-10 shooting from the field). The winner was already known earlier in the game, so both coaches allowed to play the bench players saving starting five for next games. Zastal ZG have a solid three-game winning streak. They moved-up to sixth place. Newly promoted AZS Politechnika Warszawska keeps the twelfth position with 14 games lost. Zastal ZG's next round opponent will be bottom-ranked LKS Sphinx (#13) in Lodz and are hoping to win another game. AZS Politechnika Warszawska will play at home against the league's leader PGE Turow in Zgorzelec.

In the last two games of round 20 Anwil defeated PBG Basket in Wloclawek 78-64. Slask Wroclaw smashed LKS Lodz at home 71-49.


Zastal ZG - AZS PW 92-61

The game with biggest result difference took place in Zielona Gora. Local Zastal ZG (11-7) outscored 12th ranked AZS Politechnika Warszawska (4-14) 92-61. The game was mostly controlled by Zastal ZG. AZS Politechnika Warszawska was better in third quarter 25-16. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. Zastal ZG dominated down low during the game scoring 62 of its points in the paint compared to AZS Politechnika Warszawska's 38. Zastal ZG forced 20 AZS Politechnika Warszawska turnovers and outrebounded them 34-23 including 26 on the defensive glass. Zastal ZG players were unselfish on offense dishing 24 assists. The winners were led by forward Jakub Dloniak (192-83, agency: Promotex) who scored that evening 19 points (on 8-of-10 shooting from the field) and American center Kirk Archibeque (205-84, college: Fort Lewis, agency: Hart Sports Mngm) supported him with 13 points and 9 rebounds. Five Zastal ZG players scored in double figures. Even 17 points (on 7-of-8 shooting from the field) by international guard Mateusz Ponitka (196-93) did not help to save the game for AZS Politechnika Warszawska. Forward Michal Nowakowski (202-88) added 10 points for the guests. The winner was already known earlier in the game, so both coaches allowed to play the bench players saving starting five for next games. Zastal ZG have a solid three-game winning streak. They moved-up to sixth place. Newly promoted AZS Politechnika Warszawska keeps the twelfth position with 14 games lost. Zastal ZG's next round opponent will be bottom-ranked LKS Sphinx (#13) in Lodz and are hoping to win another game. AZS Politechnika Warszawska will play at home against the league's leader PGE Turow in Zgorzelec.
Top scorers:
Zastal ZG: J.Dloniak 19+2reb+3ast, K.Archibeque 13+9reb+2ast, M.Flieger 13+4reb+4ast, P.Stelmach 10+3reb+2ast, K.Chanas 10+2reb+3ast, U.Mirkovic 8+5reb
AZS PW: M.Ponitka 17+4reb, P.Pamula 11+1reb+2ast, M.Nowakowski 10+4reb+3ast, J.Mokros 7+3reb, L.Wilczek 4+1reb+6ast, L.Karwowski 4+4reb
gschID: 149251


PGE Turow - Siarka Jezioro 80-72

The game had a very big importance for third-ranked PGE Turow as it allowed them to take a leadership position. PGE Turow defeated 8th ranked Siarka Jezioro in Zgorzelec 80-72. The hosts were already 14 points ahead after 3 quarters before a 26-20 Siarka Jezioro's run in the last quarter cut the lead to 80-72 at the end of the game. Australian-Dutch center Daniel Kickert (208-83, college: St.Mary's, CA) orchestrated the victory by scoring 25 points, 8 rebounds and 4 assists. American guard Ronald Moore (183-88, college: Siena) contributed with 20 points for the winners. American forward Nicchaeus Doaks (202-87, college: Chattanooga, agency: Hart Sports Mngm) replied with a double-double by scoring 17 points and 15 rebounds and his fellow American import point guard Josh Miller (169, college: W.Virginia St., agency: Hart Sports Mngm) added 16 points and 6 assists in the effort for Siarka Jezioro. Both teams had four players each who scored in double figures. PGE Turow have a solid three-game winning streak. As mentioned above they took over a top position. Siarka Jezioro lost third consecutive game. They keep the eighth place with 11 games lost. Siarka Jezioro will play next round against AZS Koszalin trying to get back on the winning streak. PGE Turow will try to continue on its current victory against twelfth ranked AZS Politechnika Warszawska at Warszawa.
Top scorers:
PGE Turow: D.Kickert 25+8reb+4ast, R.Moore 20+3reb+3ast, K.Wysocki 13+7reb, A.Cel 10+9reb+1ast, D.Lauderdale 6+3reb, A.Mielczarek 3+5reb
Siarka Jezioro: N.Doaks 17+15reb, J.Miller 16+6ast, L.Corbett 15+2reb+4ast, M.Piechowicz 10+3reb, P.Karnowski 7+3reb+3ast, W.Barycz 4+4reb+1ast
gschID: 149252


Polpharma - Energa Czarni 78-76

A very close game took place in Starogard between Polpharma and Energa Czarni. Eleventh ranked Polpharma (6-13) got a very close home victory over higher ranked Energa Czarni (12-6). Polpharma managed to escape with a 2-point win 78-76 on Friday evening. It was quite big embarassment for the guest team. The hosts trailed by 5 points after first quarter, but they rallied back to get the 2-point lead at the halftime and eventually won the game 78-76. Worth to mention a great performance of American guard Michael Hicks (193-83, college: Central Mo.) who helped to win the game recording 26 points and the other American import forward Jeremy Simmons (203-89, college: Charleston, agency: Interperformances) who added 10 points and 13 rebounds during the contest. Polpharma's coach Wojciech Kaminski used a ten-player rotation in such tough game. American point guard Stanley Burrell (190-84) responded with 13 points and 5 assists and American-Puerto Rican guard Darnell Hinson (186-80, college: Northeastern St.) scored 11 points and 5 rebounds. Five Energa Czarni players scored in double figures. Polpharma moved-up to tenth place, which they share with PBG Basket. Energa Czarni lost third consecutive game. They keep the fourth position with six games lost. Polpharma will have a break next round, and it should allow them to practice more before next game. Energa Czarni will play against Kotwica (#5) in Kolobrzeg and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Polpharma: M.Hicks 26+2reb+1ast, G.Arabas 11+2reb, J.Simmons 10+13reb, T.Snieg 8+3reb+3ast, A.Metelski 6+9reb+2ast, D.Wall 6+3reb+1ast
Energa Czarni: M.Cesnauskis 13+4reb+2ast, S.Burrell 13+3reb+5ast, S.Morrison 12+7reb, Z.Bialek 11+4reb, D.Hinson 11+5reb+3ast, D.Weaver 6+3reb
gschID: 149247


Kotwica - Trefl Sopot 64-59

Round 20 in PLK means a new league leader. The biggest surprise took place in Kolobrzeg where host Kotwica (12-7) beat league's leader Trefl Sopot (13-5) 64-59 on Thursday evening. It ended at the same time the six-game winning streak of Trefl Sopot. The hosts trailed by 1 point after first quarter, but they rallied back to get the 5-point lead at the halftime and eventually won the game 64-59. Kotwica dominated on the defensive end, holding Trefl Sopot to just 6 points in second quarter. They outrebounded Trefl Sopot 51-34 including a 41-29 advantage in defensive rebounds. The best player for the winners was naturalized Israeli guard Oded Brandwein (188-88, agency: N.E.T.) who scored 18 points and 4 assists. American power forward Darrell Harris (208-84, college: Rhode Island) chipped in 6 points and 14 rebounds. American power forward John Turek (205-83, college: Nebraska) produced 26 points and 6 rebounds (on 12-of-15 shooting from the field) and the former international guard Lukasz Koszarek (187-84) added 12 points and 6 assists respectively for the guests. Kotwica maintains fifth position with 12-7 record. Trefl Sopot at the other side dropped to the second place with five games lost. They share the position with Anwil. They were replaced at the leadership position by PGE Turow. Trefl Sopot will play next round against PBG Basket trying to make it back to the top of the standings. Kotwica will try to continue on its current victory against fourth ranked Energa Czarni in Slupsk.
Top scorers:
Kotwica: O.Brandwein 18+2reb+4ast, T.Kesicki 12+5reb+1ast, J.Sapp 12+6reb, D.Harris 6+14reb+1ast, L.Wichniarz 6+1reb, M.Djuric 5+6reb
Trefl Sopot: J.Turek 26+6reb, L.Koszarek 12+4reb+6ast, L.Wisniewski 9+5reb+4ast, A.Waczynski 6+2reb+1ast, M.Stefanski 2+1reb, V.Cummings 2
gschID: 149248


PBG Basket - Anwil 64-78

There was no surprise in Poznan where 10th ranked PBG Basket (6-13) was defeated by third ranked Anwil (13-5) 78-64. The game was mostly controlled by Anwil. PBG Basket was better in fourth quarter 22-17. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. The winners were led by the former international guard Krzysztof Szubarga (182-84) who scored that evening 16 points and 5 assists and American power forward Corsley Edwards (205-79, college: Cent.Conn.St.) supported him with 13 points. Five Anwil players scored in double figures. Anwil's coach Emir Mutapcic allowed to play the deep bench players saving starting five for next games. Even a double-double of 16 points and 13 rebounds by the former international power forward Damian Kulig (205-87) did not help to save the game for PBG Basket. Serbian guard Djordje Micic (195-83) added 21 points for the hosts. Anwil have a solid four-game winning streak. They moved-up to second place, which they share with Trefl Sopot. PBG Basket at the other side keeps the tenth position with 13 games lost. Anwil's next round opponent will be Slask Wroclaw (#7) on the road where they are favorite. PBG Basket will play against the league's second-placed Trefl Sopot.
Top scorers:
Anwil: K.Szubarga 16+1reb+5ast, C.Edwards 13+3reb+2ast, D.Berisha 12+2reb+3ast, L.Majewski 11+3reb+1ast, N.Lewis 11+5reb, L.Kinnard 7+8reb
PBG Basket: D.Micic 21+1reb+3ast, D.Kulig 16+13reb+1ast, Z.Comagic 9+10reb+4ast, M.Bartosz 7+1reb+1ast, J.Parzenski 6+2reb, N.Nikolic 2+2reb+3ast
gschID: 149249


Slask Wroclaw - LKS Lodz 71-49

No shocking result in a game when seventh ranked Slask Wroclaw (10-7) smashed at home bottom-ranked LKS Sphinx (3-16) 71-49. The game was mostly controlled by Slask Wroclaw. LKS Sphinx was better in third quarter 17-15. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. They dominated on the defensive end, holding LKS Sphinx to just 7 points in fourth quarter. 26 personal fouls committed by LKS Sphinx helped opponents get some easy free throw opportunities. The winners were led by Serbian swingman Slavisa Bogavac (200-80, agency: BeoExcell) who scored that evening 12 points and 6 rebounds and the former international guard Robert Skibniewski (182-83) supported him with 9 points and 7 assists. Even 8 points and 8 rebounds by forward Jakub Dluski (200-87) did not help to save the game for LKS Sphinx. Center Krzysztof Sulima (202-90) added 6 points and 8 rebounds for the guests. Since the result was very predictable, it gave the chance for the coaches to test many bench players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. Slask Wroclaw have a solid three-game winning streak. Newly promoted Slask Wroclaw maintains seventh position with 10-7 record. LKS Sphinx lost eighth consecutive game. LKS Sphinx at the other side, also newcomer in the league, stay at the bottom place with 16 games lost. Slask Wroclaw's next round opponent will be higher ranked Anwil (#3) in Wloclawek and it may be quite challenging game. LKS Sphinx will play at home against Zastal ZG (#6) in Zielona Gora.
Top scorers:
Slask Wroclaw: Q.Calhoun 12+5reb+1ast, S.Bogavac 12+6reb+2ast, A.Mladenovic 10+5reb, P.Graham 9+4reb+3ast, R.Skibniewski 9+3reb+7ast, P.Niedzwiedzki 6+8reb
LKS Lodz: M.Salamonik 9+3reb, P.Malesa 8+1reb, J.Dluski 8+8reb+1ast, K.Sulima 6+8reb, F.Kenig 6+3reb+1ast, P.Trepka 5+4reb+3ast
gschID: 149250




*****************************************************
  PORTUGAL   


CAB Madeira - International Tournament - by Hugo Carvalho
CAB Madeira, a basketball club from the Portuguese island of Madeira is organizing a International Tournament for boys and girls under 14 and under 16. Teams should arrive July the 1st and depart the 8th. Games will take place at CAB Madeira facility (www.cab-madeira.com) from the 2nd to the 7th of July. Organization is giving the option for a social program for teams and accompanying parties too, like meeting the island, swimming in the ocean or sailing around the island.

Teams form Russia and Spain are expected to be present. Registration fee for the tournament is until April the 30th of 2012.

For any questions please fell free to contact coach Joo Pedro Vieira (+351 968 064 493, vp-gd@cab-madeira.com)

www.cab-madeira.com

*****************************************************
  ROMANIA   


Mobitelco BT Cluj-Napoca eye Phillip Michael Jones - by Eurobasket News
'U' Mobitelco BT Cluj-Napoca eye Phillip Michael Jones (208-F/C-85, agency: ARN Sports and Entertainment, college: Charlotte) to add to the roster. The player from U.S. Virgin Island might join the team soon.
In 2006-2007 he started for Charlotte (NCAA) and in 2007-2008 averaged 3.3ppg, 2.9rpg, FGP: 32.8%, FT: 58.9%. In 2008-2009 for Charlotte (NCAA) improved to 7.3ppg, 4.2rpg, 1.4bpg, FGP: 47.2%, 3PT: 50.0%, FT: 75.7%. In 2009-2010 his stats read 5.4ppg, 4.3rpg, 2.1bpg, FGP: 40.8%, 3PT: 23.1%, FT: 69.8%. In his last season for Charlotte (NCAA, starting five) Phillip Michael Jones averaged 7.5ppg, 5.5rpg, 1.9bpg, FGP: 55.8%, FT: 75.0%, missed second-half of season after being ruled academically ineligible.
In 2011 played for Team Brussels (Eurobasket Summer League in Las Vegas, starting five) and in 3 games showed 10.7ppg, 5.0rpg, 2.0bpg. The season 2011-2012 started for Atletico Aguada (Uruguay-LUB, starting five) and had 3.8 points per game. In his top game he debuted with 12 points and 11 rebounds as Aguada beat Trouville 78:66.


Angel Santana moved to CSU Asesoft Ploiesti - by Eurobasket News
Angel Santana (198-F-77, college: St.Francis, NY) moved to CSU Asesoft Ploiesti for the rest of the season. The Spanish player will finish the season with a new team. His former CS Otopeni withdrew from the League. The team finished the year 2011 with 4-11 record but due to the financial problems can not continue any more.
In 2004-2005 Angel moved to Rapid Isover Bucuresti (Romania-D1), but in Jan.'05 moved to Farul Constanca (Romania-D1). In 2005-2006 played for BCM Pitesti (Romania-Div.A, starting five) and in Feb.'06 moved to U.D.Vecindario (EBA).
In 2006-2007 started for CS Otopeni Bucuresti (Romania-Div.A, starting five) and in 2007-2008 averaged 14.9ppg, 4.1rpg, 1.5apg, 2FGP: 37%, 3PT: 53%, FT: 77.2%. In 2008-2009 for CS Otopeni Bucuresti (Romania-Div.A) his stats read 6.6ppg, 2.7rpg, FGP: 56.6%, 3PT: 33.8%, FT: 73.3%.
In 2009-2010 moved to CSM Bucuresti (Romania-Div.A) and had high 17.4ppg, 5.0rpg, 1.7apg, 1.0spg, FGP: 51.9%, 3PT: 36.6%, FT: 77.5%. In 2010-2011 for CS Municipal Bucuresti (Romania-Div.A) averaged 10.4ppg, 4.5rpg, 1.5apg, FGP: 39.3%, 3PT: 42.7%, FT: 67.0%.


Standings
Div.A Standings
 1. Timisoara 13-2
 2. U.Mobitel.CN 11-3