EUROBASKET NEWS REPORT - 2/16/2012

Copyright © 1997-2012 Eurobasket
WARNING:
Do not copy, redistribute, publish or otherwise exploit information that you download from the site!
Do not encumber, license, modify, publish, sell, transfer or transmit, or in any way exploit, any of the
content of the report, nor will you attempt to do so.
More info:www.eurobasket.com


Men News

*****************************************************
  ANGOLA   


Porto and Petro Luanda reach Compal SuperCup Final - by Eurobasket News
Porto and Luanda Petro will fight for the 3rd Edition of Compal Cup trophy.
Porto defeated the defending champions 1 De Agosto 70:63 to reach the title game. Robert Johnson (203-C/F-81, college: Oregon) stepped up with 19 points and 13 rebounds to lead the Dragons. Carlos Andrade (197-F-78, college: Queens, NC) added 12 points for the winners.
Luanda Petro snatched a 73:70 win over Libolo. Petro used a 24:12 run in the second quarter to pile up a 38:34 halftime lead. Petro were up by 10 points 58:48 heading into the final frame. But Libolo bounced back surging ahead for a 61:59 advantage. But Carlos Morais (190-G-85) stepped up for Petro giving them back a 71:64 advantage and helping them to the victory. Roderick Nealy (198-F-80, college: Houston Baptist) stepped up with 23 points for Petro. Carlos Morais added 9 points in the win. Luis Costa (193-F-78) answered with 19 points for Libolo. Tommie Eddie (201-F/C-82, college: Mississippi) had 10 points in the loss.


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


Standings - LigaA
LigaA Standings
 1. Penarol 16-6 
 2. Obras 15-6 
 3. Libertad S. 15-7 
 4. Sionista 15-7 
 5. Atenas 13-8 
 6. Lanus 13-9 
 7. La Union 13-10 
 8. GECR Indalo 11-11 
 9. Regatas C. 11-11 
 10. Quimsa 11-12 
 11. Boca Jrs 9-12 
 12. Wuber-Est.Bahia 9-13 
 13. Olimpico LB 7-15 
 14. Club 9 7-15 
 15. Quilmes MP 6-16 
 16. San Mart.C. 5-18 


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


Road to the Promise Land - by Jamar Wilson
Last week was easily one of our biggest games of the season. We have a game tomorrow which most would agree is our biggest game of the season. Not only would it keep us in the top 4 but it will give us the advantage over the Crocs, if it comes down to the wire. Were looking forward to the challenge. Now is the time for teams to get Gritty and show what they're about. Were looking to make the most of this opportunity with our next 4 out of 7 games at home.

On a less serious note the weather has been a great look. Its been 90 degrees+ for the last two weeks. We have a pretty tough stretch coming up but the next little break we get, which is in 3 weeks i am looking forward to getting out on the Barrier Reef to do some fishing. If you love seafood, this is the place to be. Most of the seafood is caught around the Reef which is our back yard. I now know what it means to have fresh seafood. Im from New York where we love our seafood. What we call shrimp back home is nothing compared to what you get out here. Shrimp (Prawns) are huge! Sometimes i wonder if the fish/crustation down here get fed steroids.

Down here in the tropics everyone seems chilled out. I feel like its Illegal to have a sugar rush haha. Mellow is a understatement. People come and go as they please. The culture seems relaxed in general, equivalent to the stereotypical American version of a San Diegan (Person from San Diego). I don't understand how some locals rock (wear) no shoes. If you walk around town, youll see dozens of people walking around barefoot. Its to hot down here to be walking with no shoes on, I always wonder if theyre actually on their way to the store to by some ha.

Anyways thats all i have for now. Since i said Diegan earlier, Anchorman has been embedded in my head. So i have to leave you with it 'Im Ron Burgundy, You Stay Classy San Diego'

Dubbs
@jaydubbs5



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


Standings - A Bundesliga
A Bundesliga Stage Two Standings
Group A
 1. Klosterneub. 17-3
 2. Gmunden 15-5
 3. Wels 15-5
 4. Kapfenberg 14-6
 5. Oberwart 13-7
 6. Gussing 10-10
Group B
 1. Furstenfeld 7-13
 2. UBSC Graz 7-13
 3. BC Vienna 7-13
 4. Arkadia 4-16
 5. St.Polten 1-19
Stage One Standings


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


Siauliai added American Miguel Morton - by Eurobasket News
Siauliai added American Miguel Morton (208-F-83, agency: TSS Management, college: Columbus St.) for the rest of the season. A 208cm player joined the team.
In 2004-2005 he started for Alabama St. (NCAA) and in 10 games averaged 0.9ppg, 1.5rpg. In 2005-2006 for Alabama St. (NCAA) he improved to 3.0ppg, 2.6rpg, 1.0apg. In 2006-2007 his stats read 7.0ppg, 4.4rpg, 1.0apg, 2FGP: 51.1%, 3PT: 33.3%. The season 2007-2008 Miguel spent with Columbus St. (NCAA2) and showed 8.6ppg, 6.0reb, 3.5apg.
In October 2009 moved to SK Dnipro Azot Dnepropetrovsk (Ukraine-Superleague, starting five) and had 10.5ppg, 7.3rpg, 1.6bpg, FGP: 47.5%, 3PT: 30.0%, FT: 74.4%, in Mar.'10 signed at BC Odessa (Ukraine-Superleague).
The season 2010-2011 appeared for Usak Universitesi (Turkey-TB2L), injured in Nov.'10. In 3 games he had high 16.0ppg, 10.3rpg, 2.7bpg. Later he played for Black Monopoly (SEBL) and Athens Razors (ABA, starting five).


Standings - Men
Baltic League Standings
Elite Division
 1. Siauliai 13-3 
 2. Triumph 11-4 
 3. Ventspils 11-5 
 4. Kalev/Cramo 11-7 
 5. Rudupis 10-5 
 6. Pieno Zvaigzdes 7-8 
 7. Kedainiai 7-9 
 8. Juventus 7-10 
 9. Tartu Ulikool 6-12 
 10. Baltai Kaunas 3-12 
 11. Liepaja 3-14 
Challenge Cup
 1. Tarvas 8-2 
 2. Naglis Palangos 6-4 
 3. Neptunas 6-4 
 4. Barsy Atyrau 3-5 
 5. Jelgava 1-7 
 6. Sakalai 9-3 
 7. Techasas 8-2 
 8. Valmiera 8-4 
 9. TTU/Kalev 3-9 
 10. Rapla 2-8 
 11. Turiba 2-8 


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


Standings - Division I
D1 Standings
 1. Spirou 12-5 
 2. Aalstar 11-6 
 3. Oostende 11-6 
 4. Antwerp 10-6 
 5. M.Hainaut 9-7 
 6. Leuven 9-8 
 7. Liege 6-10 
 8. Gent 5-12 
 9. Verviers-Pep. 2-15 


*****************************************************
  BELIZE   


University of Belize Continues to Dominate ATLIB Basketball!!! - by David Magana
The University of Belize (UB) Hosted the Association of Tertiary Level Institutions in Belizes (ATLIB) Southern Regional Tournament this past Saturday at UBs Recreation and Sports Center (Gym), in Belmopan. The tournament was inaugurated by UBs President Dr. Cary Fraser, who wished all teams success and also spoke of the importance of sportsmanship, discipline, organization and working together to achieve goals. Also present was the Dean of Student Affair, Mr. William Neal who thanked all teams for their participation. The teams included the University of Belize Black Jaguars (male and female), Galen University (male), Ecumenical Junior College (male and female), Independence Junior College (male), and Sacred Heart Junior College (male).

Black Jaguars both male and female teams were victorious in their games at the ATLIB Basketball Southern Regional held last Saturday. In the first game Galen University (GU) was triumphant over Independence Junior College (IJC), scoring 61-43. Ecumenical Junior College (EJC) and Sacred Heart Junior College (SHJC) played the second game which ended up 77-54 in favor of EJC. The UB Lady Black Jaguars toppled Ecumenical Junior College 27-21. The top Black Jaguar scorers were Glenda Torres and Kimberly Spencer. This female decided first and second for the region. The following game, the UB Black Jaguars defeated the guys from Independence Junior College by 68-26. Top scorers for Black Jaguars were: Farron Lauriano (198-F-89), Winston Pratt (186-G-90), and Alfred Bainton (193-F). Galen University up against Sacred Heart Junior College (SHJC) won 78-63. Dribbling down to the last game, UB Black Jaguars outscored EJC 61-48 in favor of the defending champions, UB Black Jaguars. Top scorers were Farron Lauriano, Daniel Nolberto, and Travis Lennon (193-G/F-89). Thus the Black Jaguars ended as the number one side with two wins, zero losses same as Galen University but with better scoring difference.

The Finals will be held in San Ignacio at the Falcon Field this coming Saturday, games are as follows:

Females:

UB Vs St. Johns College Junior College

EJC Vs WJC

Males:

UB Vs SPJC

GU VS WJC

Winners move to the play the finals.

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


Standings - BIH League
D1 Standings
 1. Igokea 17-1 
 2. Capljina 14-4 
 3. Bosna 13-4 
 4. Varda HE 10-7 
 5. Leotar 10-8 
 6. Mladost 10-8 
 7. Hercegovac 8-9 
 8. Servitium 8-9 
 9. Borac Nektar 5-12 
 10. Zrinjski HT 5-12 
 11. Celik 5-13 
 12. Brotnjo 4-13 
 13. Vogosca 4-13 
Play in international cups:
 1. Siroki WWin 0-0 


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


Standings - BNL
NBB Standings
 1. Pinheiros/Sky 16-3 
 2. Flamengo 14-3 
 3. S.Jose/Unimed 14-4 
 4. Unitri/Universo 13-6 
 5. Uniceub/BRB 12-6 
 6. Itabom/Bauru 12-6 
 7. Paulistano 12-7 
 8. Cia do Terno 9-9 
 9. Winner/Limeira 9-9 
 10. Liga Sorocaba 7-12 
 11. Minas 6-12 
 12. Vivo/Franca 6-12 
 13. Tijuca TC 5-14 
 14. Araraquara 2-17 
 15. Vila Velha 1-18 


*****************************************************
  BULGARIA   


Cherno more drowned Rilski, the host is out of the Cup - by Maria Mitzova
Euroins Cherno More killed the buzz in Samokov, drowning the host of 2012 Cup Final 8 Rilski Sportist Samokov 86:64.
In the most interesting of the four quarterfinals, the young squad of coach Lyubomir Minchev managed to take maximum advantage of the pressure, fallen on Rilski Sportist Samokov. It was a close adventure in the first half, with teams switching the lead.
The hosts played their cards well at the end of the first half, to lead 37-33 after 20 minutes. Euroins Cherno More went out of the locker room in a killer mode after the break, and made the life of Rilski very difficult with great defensive performance.
Rilski couldn't get under the basket, and tried shooting threes, but never really got the needed rhythm. Euroins Cherno More was in control all the way down the stretch and comfortably took the win at last.
It was great game for the 'sailors', who only made eight turnovers. Aleksandar Yanev (203-F-90, agency: Interperformances) led the bunch with 15 pts, seven rebounds and 2 blocks. 5 more players scored in double digits - Jimmie Hunt (187-G-82, agency: Interperformances, college: Franklin Pierce) added 16, Nikolay Kolev (204-F/C-88) - 14, 13 each by Tihomir Jelev (190-G-90) and Simeon Iliev (202-F-89, agency: Interperformances), and 11 by Milcho Borisov (196-G-90).
Branko Mirkovic had 12 for Rilski Sportist Samokov but was lacking his focus in offense. Vaklinov, Marinov and Vukosavljevic each got 10 points.
Euroins Cherno More will fight Levski for a spot on the Final.

Fourth consecutive final for Levski - by Vladi Lazarova
Levski was shaking until the end, but fulfilled the first goal of the season to reach the National Cup final. The Blues outplayed the babies of Cherno More 98:90. The game in Samokov will be remembered with the fantastic Aaron Harper (199-G/F-81, agency: Strategic Sports, college: Mississippi). He finished with 39 points, including four three pointers, 6 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 steals for 35 minutes on the court. Harper was 12/20 (60%) in his field goals, 8/14 (57%) for 2 pts, 4/6 (67%) for 3 pts and 11/14 (79%) of the free throw line.

In the final game for the Cup this Saturday Levski will face the winner of the match Lukoil Academic and Yambol. The Blues didn't miss the Cup final since 2009. In the last three finals Levski won twice - once in 2009 against Lukoil Academic in Pleven and in 2010 against Rilski sportist in Yambol, but lost to Lukoil Academic last spring in Sofia.



Cup holder Lukoil cruises into the semis - by Maria Mitzova
Lukoil Academik Sofia took the easiest victory of all quarterfinals, nailing down a 92:57 win against BC Spartak Pleven.
The champions, and most recent Cup holders, literally had a training game, to reach semifinals, where their next opponent will be Yambol. Spartak was missing the starting center Todor Todorov, who stayed at home with a heavy fever.
It took only four minutes for Lukoil Academik Sofia to make the lead in double digits. It spiraled up to 25 by the end of the first half. The break came at 49:28, with perfect from the floor Brandon Heath (193-G-84, college: San Diego St.) - 16 points in 16 minutes without a miss.
After the restart, again Lukoil Academik Sofia needed only 5 minutes to make it a 30 point lead, and then even 38. In the last quarter, the closest Spartak got was 28 points, and that ended Pleven's team appearance in the Cup Final 8.
Heath scored 18 for Lukoil Academik Sofia, plus eight assists, and Lamont Mack added 15 points. Veselin Georgiev got 17 points and five assists for Spartak.

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


Lightning miss one, snag high scorer - by Eurobasket News
With the deadline for signing players one day away, the London Lightning missed on one deal but managed to add a player with great athleticism and upside.

National Basketball League of Canada teams have until Friday to sign players. The Lightning have been in negotiation for a month with former Toronto Raptor Jamario Moon (6'8''-F-80, college: Meridian CC) but were told Tuesday the six-foot-eight free agent forward was holding out for an NBA team.

'I coached him for a couple of years in Albany,' Lightning coach Micheal Ray Richardson said. 'We were hoping he would decide to join us for the last part of our season, but he decided to try something else.'

Moon would have been a tremendous addition, not only to the Lightning but the league.

Instead, the Lightning signed 22-year-old Jamar Abrams (6'6''-G/F-89, agency: KMG Sports Management, college: E.Carolina), a six-foot-six swingman who can really sky and shoot.

Abrams was released by the Maine Red Claws of the NBA D-League in January. The Virginia native played university basketball at East Carolina where he played in more games than anyone in school history. He finished his career as one of 14 players in ECU history to have more than 1,000 points and 500 rebounds. Abrams was known for his ability to hit the three-point shot.

'He's a good player,' Richardson said. 'He's very athletic and he can score.'

It all happened suddenly for Abrams.

'My agent found the opening and called me. He told me it was a great team,' he said. 'He told me Monday. I got here Tuesday. I came here without hesitation.'

It's Abrams first time anywhere outside of the United States.

'I'm just trying to grow every day as a player,' he said. 'Wherever it takes me, I'm fine. I didn't know anything about the league. I did some research and found out it was the first professional basketball league in Canada so I am definitely excited to be a part of that.'

Abrams played against Lightning forward Shamari Spears in university.

The Lightning have been looking for another scorer and rebounder. 'My strength is that I can really shoot the ball and I have athletic ability. I can really jump,' Abrams said.

Abrams will be in the lineup when the Lightning take on the Saint John Mill Rats Thursday at 7 p.m. the John Labatt Centre. The Lighting are trying to wrap up first place in the NBL. The Mill Rats are battling to close out the Oshawa Power for the fourth and final playoff spot. The Lightning and Mill Rats may be first-round playoff opponents.

To make room for Abrams, the Lightning released former all-Canadian Kyle Julius. The decision had nothing to do with Julius' ability, but his full-time job in property management. It was difficult to mesh both schedules.

The Lightning are expected to be at full strength against the Mill Rats. Gabe Freeman is moving freely on his injured ankle.

'I'll be playing,' Freeman said. 'Looking to get back to where I was before.'

Also expected to play is centre Shawn Daniels who suffered a shoulder injury and has been out two weeks.

Courtesy of www.lfpress.com

Oshawa Power win OT thriller 120-119 over Saint John Mill Rats - by Eurobasket News
Durham's Team the Oshawa Power kept their post season dream alive with a thrilling 120-119 overtime victory over the fourth place Saint John Mill Rats at the GM Centre in Oshawa.

The Power started the game slowly and looked as though they would be blown out for the second straight game against the Mill Rats, but a strong second quarter sparked a push that saw the Power lead by as many as 15 points in the fourth. The Mill Rats made a magical comeback of their own forcing overtime.

'The win was just us taking care of what we have to do' said Canadian Kevin Shand (6'10''-C-74, college: Duquesne) after the game. 'Once we play as a team, and do what we have to do we normally get a win.'

Shand had a monster game recording 10 points and 7 rebounds. Brandon Robinson (6'6''-F-89, college: Clayton St.) continued his offensive tear with a game-high 37 points and added 6 rebounds. Number one overall draft pick Morgan Lewis (6'4''-F-87, college: Findlay, OH) had a double-double of 21 points and 12 rebounds in the thrilling win.

The Mill Rats got a solid effort from their bench scoring 76 of their 119 points. Canadian Isaac Kuon (6'4''-F/G-87) led the way with 21 points, and guard Darren Duncan (5'11''-G-88, college: Merrimack) netted 17.

The next Power game is February 19 as they visit the Moncton Miracles at 1:00 p.m. e.s.t.

Power Glance

Record: 13-19

Courtesy of www.oursportscentral.com

St.Francis X take 13-4 on top - by Eurobasket News
The Regular Season in CIS is slowly approaching the end. But there may be still some important changes in the final standings in the last 3 rounds. There were many interesting games last round. The round ended with change at the leadership position, extra overtimes, derby games, favorites losing the games and games ending by tiny margin.

Round 30 in CIS means a new league leader. The biggest surprise took place in Antigonish, NS where host X-Men (13-4) edged league's leader Panthers (12-5) 70-69 in overtime on Sunday evening. It was a key game for the top position in the league. The hosts were tied at the half and again at the end of regular time. But they managed to win overtime period 12-11. X-Men forced 23 Panthers turnovers and outrebounded them 55-41 including a 23-12 advantage in offensive rebounds. The best player for the winners was guard Terry Thomas (193) who had a double-double by scoring 15 points, 12 rebounds and 4 assists. Forward Jeremy Dunn (198) chipped in 14 points and 9 rebounds. At the other side the best for losing team was guard Jonathan Cooper (183-88) who recorded 22 points and 8 rebounds. X-Men have a solid four-game winning streak. They maintain first position with 13-4 record, which they share with Victoria and UBC. Panthers at the other side dropped to the second place with five games lost. They were replaced at the leadership position by Saskatchewan. Panthers will play next round against strong Axemen trying to make it back to the top of the standings. X-Men will have a break next round, and it should allow them to practice more before next game.

Rest of the games of round 30 were quite predictable and ended without any surprises. Here they are:
McMaster defeated Western in Hamilton, ON 90-79. Cape Breton was smashed by St.Francis X. at home 68-87. Windsor won against Brock on the opponent's court 78-72. Waterloo managed to outperform Laurier in a home game 96-95. Acadia recorded a loss to Cape Breton on the road 111-106. UBC Okanagan crushed TRU on its own court 93-71. Memorial was beaten by St.Mary's in Halifax, NS 74-63.
The best stats of 30th round was 49 points (!!!), 8 rebounds and 14 assists by Jimmy Dorsey of Cape Breton.

Western - McMaster 79-90

There was no surprise in London, ON where 7th ranked Mustangs (8-13) were defeated by third ranked Marauders (16-5) 90-79 on Wednesday. Marauders outrebounded Mustangs 44-31 including 16 on the offensive glass. The best player for the winners was forward Cam Michaud (198) who scored 23 points and 8 rebounds. Aaron Redpath chipped in 18 points. Five Marauders players scored in double figures. At the other side the best for losing team was guard Ryan Barbeau (178) who recorded 34 points (!!!) and guard Quinn Henderson (191) added 10 points and 8 rebounds respectively. Marauders have an impressive seven-game winning streak. They moved-up to second place, which they share with Laurier. Loser Mustangs keep the seventh position with 13 games lost. Both teams do not play next round, which will be an opportunity for some rest.
Top scorers:
McMaster: C.Michaud 23+8reb+3ast, A.Redpath 18+3reb+3ast, N.Pelech 13+10reb, A.Presutti 11+7reb+6ast, T.Black 11+6reb, J.Rocca 8+2reb+1ast
Western: R.Barbeau 34+3reb+3ast, P.Scholtes 13+1reb, Q.Henderson 10+8reb+1ast, C.Drouin 8+4reb, G.Morrow 7+9reb+2ast, R.Higgins 4+4reb+1ast
gschID: 155947


Cape Breton - St.Francis X. 68-87

No shocking result in a game in Sydney, NS where first ranked X-Men (13-4) smashed 3rd ranked Capers (10-7) 87-68 on Wednesday. The game was mostly controlled by X-Men. Capers was better in third quarter 19-17. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. X-Men forced 21 Capers turnovers. The best player for the winners was the former international forward Bol Kong (198, college: Gonzaga) who scored 32 points and 8 rebounds. Guard Terry Thomas (193) chipped in 17 points and 7 rebounds. Four X-Men players scored in double figures. At the other side the best for losing team was American guard Jimmy Dorsey (188) who recorded a double-double by scoring 12 points and 11 assists and guard Julien Smith (178) added 15 points respectively. Both coaches used bench players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. X-Men have a solid four-game winning streak. They maintain first position with 13-4 record, which they share with Victoria and UBC. Loser Capers keep the third place with seven games lost. Both teams do not play next round, which will be an opportunity for some rest.
Top scorers:
St.Francis X.: B.Kong 32+8reb+2ast, T.Thomas 17+7reb, J.Clarke 12+2reb+4ast, J.Dunn 10+4reb+1ast, M.Clayton 7+3reb+3ast, E.Ffrench 5+1reb+1ast
Cape Breton: J.Smith 15+4reb+3ast, M.Lufile 12+8reb+1ast, J.Dorsey 12+4reb+11ast, A.Geugjes 7+2reb, J.Glasgow 6+2reb+2ast, M.Peutz 5+2reb
gschID: 155944


Brock - Windsor 72-78

The game between closely ranked teams ended with 5th ranked Badgers' (9-13) home loss to fourth ranked Lancers (14-7) 72-78 on Wednesday. The guests trailed by 1 point at the halftime before their 49-42 charge in the second half, which allowed them to win the game. Lancers made 21-of-27 free shots (77.8 percent) during the game, while Badgers only scored two points from the stripe. The best player for the winners was international forward Lien Phillip (203-89) who had a double-double by scoring 15 points, 15 rebounds and 6 assists. Guard Josh Collins (186-90) chipped in 21 points, 5 assists and 4 steals. At the other side the best for losing team was forward Mark Gibson (198) who recorded 16 points and 9 rebounds and guard Andrew Kraus (188-86) added 14 points and 7 assists respectively. Both teams had four players each who scored in double figures. Lancers maintains fourth position with 14-7 record. Badgers lost sixth consecutive game. They keep the fifth place with 13 games lost. Both teams do not play next round, which will be an opportunity for some rest.
Top scorers:
Windsor: J.Collins 21+2reb+5ast, R.Osuntola 19+2reb, L.Phillip 15+15reb+6ast, J.McQueen 10+6reb, E.Matthews 9+3reb+3ast, E.Diloreto 2+2reb+2ast
Brock: M.Gibson 16+9reb+1ast, T.Kasamba 14+5reb+1ast, A.Kraus 14+3reb+7ast, D.Mukendi 13+5reb+6ast, A.Ferguson 7+6reb+1ast, M.Williams 6+1reb
gschID: 155945


Waterloo - Laurier 96-95

There was a surprise result in Waterloo, ON where eighth ranked Warriors (6-15) edged second-best Golden Hawks (16-5) 96-95 on Wednesday. The hosts trailed by 5 points after first quarter, but they rallied back to get the 1-point lead at the halftime and eventually won the game 96-95. The best player for the winners was guard Mike Wright (180-91) who scored 23 points and 8 assists. Forward Zach Angelini (188-92) chipped in 18 points and 9 rebounds. At the other side the best for losing team was international forward Kale Harrison (196) who recorded a double-double by scoring 26 points and 13 rebounds and center Matthew Buckley (215) added 20 points and 8 rebounds respectively. Both teams had four players each who scored in double figures. Both coaches used bench players in such tough game. Warriors maintains eighth position with 6-15 record. Loser Golden Hawks keep the second 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 23+4reb+8ast, Z.Angelini 18+9reb+2ast, C.McIntyre 17+3reb+1ast, W.Bridge 12+5reb+4ast, A.Melbourne 11+1ast, G.Filgiano 6+5reb
Laurier: K.Harrison 26+13reb+2ast, K.Enright 20+4reb+2ast, M.Buckley 20+8reb+2ast, M.Allin 12+7reb+3ast, W.Coulthard 6+3reb, J.Forde 5+2reb+3ast
gschID: 155946


Cape Breton - Acadia 111-106

There was a minor upset in Sydney, NS where one of their biggest challengers Axemen (9-6) was defeated by third ranked Capers (10-7) 111-106 on Sunday. The hosts took control from the first minutes by winning the initial quarter 30-25. But Axemen won second period 32-28. However it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. The game was decided in the last minutes when Capers won last quarter 30-27. They shot the lights out from three sinking 16 long-distance shots on high 55.2 percentage. Capers looked well-organized offensively handing out 31 assists. The best player for the winners was American guard Jimmy Dorsey (188) who had a double-double by scoring 49 points (!!!), 8 rebounds and 14 assists. Guard Al Alilovic (198) chipped in 22 points and 8 rebounds. At the other side the best for losing team was international forward Owen Klassen (208-91) who recorded 35 points (!!!) and 5 rebounds and point guard Sean Stoqua (180) added 19 points and 7 assists (went 8 for 8 at the free throw line) respectively. Both teams had four players each who scored in double figures. Capers maintains third position with 10-7 record having thirteen points less than leader Saskatchewan. Loser Axemen dropped to the fourth place with six games lost. Capers will have a break next round. Axemen will play at home against the league's second-placed Panthers (#2) in Charlottetown, PEI and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Cape Breton: J.Dorsey 49+8reb+14ast, A.Alilovic 22+8reb+2ast, J.Smith 15+2reb+8ast, M.Lufile 10+3reb+1ast, A.Geugjes 6+3reb, L.Macquarrie 5+2reb+2ast
Acadia: O.Klassen 35+5reb+2ast, S.Stoqua 19+4reb+7ast, T.Scott 16+5reb+3ast, A.Ashe 12+8reb+3ast, T.Filgiano 10+4ast, J.Tull 9+2reb+1ast
gschID: 155941


St.Francis X. - UPEI 70-69 OT

Round 30 in CIS means a new league leader. The biggest surprise took place in Antigonish, NS where host X-Men (13-4) edged league's leader Panthers (12-5) 70-69 in overtime on Sunday evening. It was a key game for the top position in the league. The hosts were tied at the half and again at the end of regular time. But they managed to win overtime period 12-11. X-Men forced 23 Panthers turnovers and outrebounded them 55-41 including a 23-12 advantage in offensive rebounds. The best player for the winners was guard Terry Thomas (193) who had a double-double by scoring 15 points, 12 rebounds and 4 assists. Forward Jeremy Dunn (198) chipped in 14 points and 9 rebounds. Four X-Men players scored in double figures. At the other side the best for losing team was guard Jonathan Cooper (183-88) who recorded 22 points and 8 rebounds and Sudanese forward Manock Lual (198-89) added 16 points, 11 rebounds and 4 assists respectively. X-Men have a solid four-game winning streak. They maintain first position with 13-4 record, which they share with Victoria and UBC. Panthers at the other side dropped to the second place with five games lost. They were replaced at the leadership position by Saskatchewan. Panthers will play next round against strong Axemen trying to make it back to the top of the standings. X-Men will have a break next round, and it should allow them to practice more before next game.
Top scorers:
St.Francis X.: T.Thomas 15+12reb+4ast, J.Dunn 14+9reb+2ast, B.Kong 10+10reb, T.Vernon 10+4reb+5ast, R.Madera 6+6reb+2ast, M.Clayton 6+9reb
UPEI: J.Cooper 22+8reb+2ast, M.Lual 16+11reb+4ast, D.Moss 13+11reb+1ast, A.Robbins 8+3reb, J.Duke 4+4reb+2ast, G.Doane 3+3reb
gschID: 155942


UBC Okanagan - TRU 93-71

We could consider it a predictable result in the game between close teams in Kelowna, BC where sixth ranked Heat (3-15) outleveled 5th ranked Wolfpack (6-12) 93-71 on Sunday. The game was mostly controlled by Heat. Wolfpack was better in third quarter 22-18. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. The best player for the winners was Yassine Ghomari who scored 25 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists. Simon Pelland chipped in 16 points and 8 rebounds. Four Heat players scored in double figures. At the other side the best for losing team was forward Chas Kok (196) who recorded 21 points and 9 rebounds and Justin King added 19 points and 5 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. Heat maintains sixth position with 3-15 record. Loser Wolfpack keeps the fifth place with 12 games lost. Both teams do not play next round, which will be an opportunity for some rest.
Top scorers:
UBC Okanagan: Y.Ghomari 25+6reb+4ast, S.Pelland 16+8reb, M.Roth 14+3reb+1ast, B.Macdonald 14+2reb+1ast, I.Con 7+5reb+3ast, B.Quevillon 7+2reb+5ast
TRU: C.Kok 21+9reb, J.King 19+5reb+1ast, Z.Usherwood 9+3reb, K.Pribilsky 9+1reb+1ast, B.Parker 5+2reb, B.Rouault 3+1reb
gschID: 155943


St.Mary's - Memorial 74-63

There was no surprise in Halifax, NS where 8th ranked Sea Hawks (1-15) were defeated by sixth ranked Huskies (8-9) 74-63 on Sunday. The game was mostly controlled by Huskies. Sea Hawks was better in third quarter 23-17. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. The best player for the winners was Brian Rouse who scored 22 points. Nigerian guard Harry Ezenibe (190-87) chipped in 9 points and 10 rebounds. At the other side the best for losing team was center Jason Shepherd (193-89) who recorded 16 points and 6 rebounds and guard Mark Woodland (183-87) added 15 points and 7 rebounds respectively. Sea Hawks' coach rotated ten players in this game, but that didn't help. Huskies moved-up to fifth place. Sea Hawks lost fourteenth consecutive game. They keep the eighth position with 15 games lost. Huskies will face Varsity Reds (#7) in Fredericton, NB in the next round.
Top scorers:
St.Mary's: B.Rouse 22+3reb+1ast, R.Halpin 13+7reb+1ast, M.Pink 13+4reb+5ast, W.Liang 10+1reb, H.Ezenibe 9+10reb+3ast, I.Robertson 4+6reb
Memorial: J.Shepherd 16+6reb+2ast, M.Woodland 15+7reb, R.Habib 11+7reb+1ast, M.Helsby 8+5reb+2ast, T.Stanoev 7, T.Sargent 4+1reb
gschID: 155940




CIS Standings
CIS Standings
Atlantic
 1. St.Francis X. 13-4 
 2. UPEI 12-5 
 3. Cape Breton 10-7 
 4. Acadia 9-6 
 5. St.Mary's 8-9 
 6. Dalhousie 7-9 
 7. New Brunsw. 6-11 
 8. Memorial 1-15 
CanWest Pacific Division
 1. UBC 13-4 
 2. Victoria 13-4 
 3. UFV 13-5 
 4. TWU 10-8 
 5. TRU 6-12 
 6. UBC Okanagan 3-15 
CanWest Prairie Division
 1. Saskatchewan 15-4 
 2. Alberta 14-6 
 3. Lethbridge 11-9 
 4. Calgary 10-10 
 5. Manitoba 8-12 
 6. Brandon 7-13 
 7. Regina 5-14 
 8. Winnipeg 4-16 
OUA East
 1. Carleton 20-0 
 2. Ottawa 13-7 
 3. Ryerson 12-8 
 4. Toronto Univ. 9-11 
 5. Laurentian 9-11 
 6. York 3-17 
 7. Queen's 2-18 
 8. RMC 0-20 
OUA West
 1. Lakehead 19-2 
 2. McMaster 16-5 
 3. Laurier 16-5 
 4. Windsor 14-7 
 5. Brock 9-13 
 6. Guelph 8-12 
 7. Western 8-13 
 8. Waterloo 6-15 
Quebec League
 1. Concordia 10-2 
 2. McGill 8-5 
 3. UQAM 6-7 
 4. Laval 4-8 
 5. Bishop's 3-9 


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


Standings - CBA
CBA Standings
 1. Guandong ST 27-5
 2. Beijing Ducks 21-11
 3. Shanxi Zh. 19-12
 4. Xinjiang F.T. 19-13
 5. DongGuan L. 19-13
 6. Shanghai S. 18-14
 7. Guangsha L. 18-14
 8. Fujian XX 17-15
 9. Qingdao DS 16-16
 10. Zhejiang C. 15-16
 11. Liaoning H. 15-17
 12. Jilin NE T. 14-18
 13. Shandong FB 14-18
 14. Bayi Fubang 10-21
 15. TianJin R. 10-22
 16. Foshan 10-22
 17. Jiangsu D. 9-23


Gaines' double-double lands him Player of the Week award - by Eurobasket News
30-year old forward Charles Gaines (201-F-81) put on an amazing game in the last round for Shanxi Zh. and receives a Asia-basket.com Player of the Week award for round 34.
He had a double-double of 41 points and 10 rebounds, while his team beat DongGuan L. (#4, 19-13) 124-114. The game was between two of the league's top four teams. Shanxi Zh. is placed at 3rd position in Chinese league. They would have been even better if they hadn't lost a few games earlier this season. Shanxi Zh. will need more victories to improve their 19-12 record. Gaines turned to be Shanxi Zh.'s top player in his first season with the team. University of Southern Mississippi graduate has very impressive stats this year. Gaines is in league's top in points (4th best: 29.0ppg), rebounds (4th best: 13.3rpg) and averages solid 63.1% FGP.

Second best performed player last round was Jackson Vroman (208-C/F-81) of Jiangsu D.. He is American-Lebanese in his first season at Jiangsu D.. In the last game Vroman recorded impressive double-double of 36 points and 11 rebounds. Of course he lead Jiangsu D. to another comfortable win 142-127 over the higher-ranked Jilin NE T. (#12, 14-18) being unquestionably team leader. The game was between two teams which are definitely not main contenders for the title. Jiangsu D. is still at the dead bottom 17th position. 23 lost games are too many comparing to just nine victories Jiangsu D. managed to get this year. Vroman is a newcomer at Jiangsu D. and quickly became one of team's most reliable players.

Third place about best performers goes to forward Wilson Chandler (203-F-87) of Guangsha L. (#7). Chandler got into 30-points club by scoring 41 points in the last round. He went also for eighteen rebounds . He was a key player of Guangsha L., leading his team to a 114-94 easy win against the higher-ranked Beijing Ducks (#2, 21-11). Guangsha L. needs these victories very badly if they think about getting closer to top teams. Their record at this point is 18 victories and 14 lost games. Chandler has a very solid season. In 31 games in China he scored 26.2ppg. He also has 11.4rpg and FGP: 51.2%.

Other top performing players last week:
4. Marcus Williams (201-F/G-86) of Shanxi Zh. - 37 points, 10 rebounds and 2 assists
5. Tim Pickett (193-G/F-81) of Xinjiang F.T. - 42 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists
6. James Singleton (203-F-81) of Guandong ST - 26 points and 12 rebounds
7. Will McDonald (211-C-79) of Fujian XX - 32 points, 10 rebounds and 4 assists
8. Josh-Emmanuel Akognon (180-G-86) of DongGuan L. - 35 points and 2 assists
9. Xiaoxu Li (207-C-90) of Liaoning H. - 19 points and 22 rebounds
10. ZhiZhi Wang (214-C-77) of Bayi Fubang - 31 points, 8 rebounds and 4 assists

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

*****************************************************
  CROATIA   


Kresimir Cosic Cup: Zagreb and Cedevita to fight for the trophy - by Eurobasket News
Semifinals games of the Croatian Kresimir Cosic Cup were played last night. Zagreb and Cedevita managed to beat their rivals and they will fight for the Cup trophy.
Zagreb had to work very hard against Zadar to register 76-72 victory. Zadar was up by 14 at the halftime, but was not able to keep the lead for rest of the way. Sean May (206-F-84, college: N.Carolina) top-scored in victory with 19 points and Mario Kasun (213-C-80) had 17. Ive Ivanov (201-C-85) shined in defeat with 23 points and Ante Delas (201-G/F-88) had 16. Zagreb will have a chance to fight for third straight Cup trophy.
Cedevita eliminated Split 102-74. Third quarter was the crucial one as Cedevita made 13-3 run for 15-point lead. Miro Bilan (213-F-89) led the winners with 16 points. Matjaz Smodis (205-F-79) followed him with two less. In the loosing squad, Josip Sobin (203-G/F-89) and Ivan Mimica (193-G-80) had 23 and 11 points respectively.

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


Enad Etha for the cup semi-final = Game Analysis - by Dr. Nasios Orinos
Great game at Lefkotheo indoor arena with Enad and Etha battling for a place at the cup final.

Etha did not make it to a passionate Enad that fought very well and lost 73-70. Statistics were very similar and the game was settled in details. If I was going to choose one detail for which Enad won the game, this would be free throws.

Both teams hit the same number of 2p and 3p-FG, 18 and 7 respectively. Their only difference was that Enad succeeded in 16 FT as opposed to 13 of Etha. Considering that the game finished on a 3 pt difference you can imagine how important free throws were.

Turnovers, rebounds and steals were also close. Enad committed15 turnovers as opposed to 16 of Etha, and had 31 rebounds as opposed to 28 of Etha.

Interesting is the fact that Enad had only 2 steals and Etha only 1, something that proves how good both teams were defensively.

Aleksandar Damjanovic (206-C/F-73) had a great game. He finished with 16 pts, hitting a few crucial pts at the end.


Cyprus Cup: Semi Finals - ENAD is at the finals! - by Chris Mammides
Ydra Asfalistiki ENAD will participate after many-many years (22) in the Cyprus Cup Final after beating the team of Intercollege Etha Engomis with 73-70! The newcomers for ENAD, Greek forward Dimitris Makris (202-F-83) and the American Lazer were the key to this triumph together with the veteran Aleksandar Damjanovic (206-C/F-73), and having in mind that this heroic win came over the team which won the double last season is even greater in terms of worth.

About the game now, the team of Coach Argyrou was more passionated and more demanding for the victory, while in the psychological part of the game were better than their opponents, and especially from the charity line at the dramatic end.

In more details, after the first four minutes and with the score being just 6-5 for ENAD the home team speed up and with a 5-0 took the score to 11-5 initially and then 17-10 to end the first period with 20-13. The home team was obviously more passionated than its opponents, and the score was 100% fair showing the two team's difference.

The 2nd period was even better for the home team who saw the score increasing to the 28-13 and ENAD succeeding an awesome 8-0 in less than 3 minutes with Dewayne Reed (185-G-87, college: Auburn) and Dimitris Makris mainly doing this difference. Anastasiadis and Ken Tutt (185-PG-84, college: ORU) scored 5 consecutive points before another three pointer comes from Dimitris Makris to reshape the score to 31-17, 5.21' before the end of the half time. Dimitris Makris was on fire and he proved it after scoring his 3rd continouous three pointer 3.06' before the end of the first half to reshape the score to 39-25, Darryl Watkins (211-C-84, college: Syracuse) and Massamba took the score to 39-31 with the end of the quarter.

The 3rd quarter was a personal 'battle' between Darryl Watkins and Damjianovic, the talent versus the experience in a very intersting match up, the specific quarter ended with 17-18 for Etha but the score was still controled totally by ENAD. The score became 56-49 as Yiannas scored a solid three pointer at the very end of the period.

The 4th period was the more dramatic period as both teams enter teh court ready to give it all, the home team with Tyler Laser (185-PG-88, college: E.Illinois) in a gret shape did a small series to take the score to 61-52, 7:27' before the end of the game, Dewayne Reed was dominating in the rebounding area and that was the reason of the 63-52 some seconds after (6.43') the battle between Darryl Watkins and Aleksandar Damjanovic continued with the American scorng another 6 points for his team (19 in total) followed by 4 points for the Serb (16 in total). With 2.55' to the end, the home team was leading the score with 68-61 and everybody thought that Etha is finished, but the players of Konstantinidis did their come-back and with Darryl Watkins and Ken Tutt brought the dramatic game to the point (a series of 1-7) ,with the score 69-68. Massamba fouled on Tyler Laser who was calm to score both the free throws from the charity line and with 10 seconds to the end gave a smal deficit to his team of 3 points, Djurasovic did a smart foul on Massamba to stop the clock to 5 seconds with the player of Etha succeding in both the throws, Jackson in no time fouled Tyler Laser who was calm enough to score both of them to take teh score to 73-70 and end the game once and for all for ENAD.
Quarters: 20-13, 39-31, 56-49, 73-70
Scorers:
ENAD: Giannas 5, Matic 12, Tyler Laser 15, Djurasovic 3, Aleksandar Damjanovic 16, Dewayne Reed 13 and 11 rebounds and Dimitris Makris 9
ETHA: Jackson 10. Dabkus 1, Anastasiadis 4, Massamba 9, Ken Tutt 12 , Cup 8, Darryl Watkins 21, Djiganovic 5



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


Standings - Basketligaen
Ligaen Standings
 1. Bakken 21-1 
 2. Svendborg 21-2 
 3. Naestved 15-9 
 4. SISU 11-13 
 5. Horsholm 9-14 
 6. Vaerlose 9-14 
 7. Horsens IC 8-15 
 8. Aalborg 8-15 
 9. Aabyhoj 8-16 
 10. Falcon 6-17 


Standings - 1st Division
1st Division Standings
 1. Randers 15-3 
 2. Amager BK 14-3 
 3. Lemvig 12-5 
 4. Aarhus BF 12-6 
 5. Koge BK 11-7 
 6. Glostrup 9-9 
 7. Stevnsgade 7-8 
 8. Virum 7-9 
 9. Haderslev 6-10 
 10. Jonstrup 5-12 
 11. ALBA 4-12 
 12. Solrod 0-18 


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


Standings
D-League Standings
East Conference
 1. Iowa E. 19-9 
 2. Springfield A. 18-13 
 3. Canton C. 15-16 
 4. Dakota W. 14-14 
 5. Erie Bay H. 14-16 
 6. Maine RC 12-19 
 7. Ft.Wayne MA 10-21 
 8. Sioux Falls S. 8-23 
West Conference
 1. Los Angeles D. 23-10 
 2. Austin T. 21-9 
 3. Rio Grande VV 20-13 
 4. Reno B. 16-16 
 5. Bakersfield J. 15-14 
 6. Tulsa 66ers 15-18 
 7. Texas L. 15-18 
 8. Idaho S. 12-18 


Los Angeles Lakers re-assign forward Devin Ebanks - by Eurobasket News
The Los Angeles Lakers have made a minor move Wednesday.

The Lakers re-assigned forward Devin Ebanks (6'9''-F-89, college: W.Virginia) to their NBA D-League team the Los Angeles Defenders. The Lakers are possibly setting up for a potential run at unrestricted free agent guard J.R. Smith.

Ebanks started four games averaging 2.7 points per game and 2.0 rebounds per game. Bu he eventually fell out of head coach Mike Browns rotation and has not seen the floor since Jan. 31 against the Charlotte Bobcats.

Courtesy of www.rantsports.com

Latest games - by Eurobasket News
Texas L. - Idaho S. 93-84
Marcus Banks had 20 points and the Stampede (12-18) made 12-of-13 free throws, but the Texas Legends beat Idaho 93-84. Terrico White (15 points) and Mikki Moore (12 points) joined Banks in double-figure scoring. Idaho made three more field goals than Texas, but had 16 fewer made free throws as the Legends went 28-of-31 from the free throw line, including 10-of-12 in the final quarter. The Stampede trailed by just two points after three quarters, and then made 8-of-10 two-point field goals in the final quarter, but went just 2-of-9 from behind the three point line. Idaho out-scored Texas 48-28 in points in the paint. Texas (15-18) was led by Booker Woodfox, who scored 21 points off the bench. Antonio Daniels added 14 points and 11 assists, while Dominique Johnson had 15 points and five rebounds. Sean Williams (6'10''-F-86, college: Boston Coll.) had 12 points, nine rebounds, seven turnovers and five blocked shots. Idaho comes home to play the Reno Bighorns on Friday and Saturday at CenturyLink Arena at 7 p.m. (MST). *Courtesy of www.kboi2.com

Erie Bay H. - Dakota W. 118-128
As cold as it was outside Tullio Arena, the Dakota Wizards torched the Erie BayHawks like Johnny Blaze in their 128-118 win Sunday night inside Tullio. The Wizards made 13 of their last 14 shots from the field to pull out the come-from-behind win. 'It's embarrassing,' Erie coach Jay Larranaga said. 'I'm embarrassed. I've got to do a better job of preparing them for the level of competitiveness and physicality and toughness that is necessary to win a professional basketball game.' Shooting a blistering 75 percent from the field in the fourth quarter, Dakota (14-14) made its final 11 shots from the field. The Wizards ended the game on a 37-21 run after falling behind 96-91 with 9 minutes, 1 second left. 'We showed no resistance,' Larranaga said. 'Didn't defend. Didn't compete. We got down by three points and came to the bench and acted like the game was over.' In a game in which there were 14 ties and 18 lead changes, Dakota's hot shooting helped them overcome Erie (14-16) getting a combined 56 points from former NBA veterans Michael James (6'1''-G-75, college: Duquesne) and Keith McLeod. The two point guards each scored 28 points in defeat. 'We didn't clamp down,' McLeod said. Small forward Edwin Ubiles, a 2012 D-League All-Star selection, had 10 of his 27 points in the fourth quarter to lead the Dakota comeback. 'They started riding that play and we couldn't score on the other end,' James said. Sunday's game was originally scheduled for Saturday at 7 p.m., but it was postponed because of inclement weather. The Wizards had played at Iowa Friday night and flew to Detroit Saturday morning. The Wizards said their flight out of Detroit to Erie nearly reached Erie International Airport before having to go back to Detroit because of the weather. 'A lot of guys were asleep and didn't know,' Dakota forward Marcus Dove said. 'I happened to wake up right when the flight attendant starting telling people. I was looking around. We were real low and then the pilot said we were turning around.' Unable to get another flight out of Detroit Saturday night, Dakota landed in Erie Sunday morning around 11:30. Sunday's game started at 6 p.m., but the short turnaround didn't seem to bother the Wizards when it mattered. 'For our guys to fight back, I'm so proud of them,' Dakota coach Nate Bjorkgren said On the other hand, the BayHawks had a day's rest after their 117-110 home win Friday night against the Maine Red Claws, but couldn't stop the Wizards in the fourth. 'They made a run and we just gave it away,' said Erie forward Mychel Thompson (6'7''-F-88, college: Pepperdine), who had 15 points off the bench. 'We didn't close it out like we should have.' Ubiles gave the BayHawks the most trouble. In the game's final 2 minutes, Ubiles hit two jumpers and had two assists. He found Maurice Baker for a 3-pointer and hit Tommy Smith for a dunk that gave the Wizards a 124-112 lead with 54.2 seconds left. 'He had a great fourth quarter,' Bjorkgren said. 'He was scoring and he was sharing. He made the right choice about four of five trips in a row.' The BayHawks also had five of 20 turnovers in the fourth that led to 13 fourth-quarter points for the Wizards. For the game, Dakota scored 32 points off Erie's 20 turnovers. 'It's hard when you're getting turnovers on one end and they're getting possessions on the other end,' James said. Courtesy of www.goerie.com

Maine RC - Texas L. 107-114
The Texas Legends knew exactly how to beat the Maine Red Claws on Sunday. With Maine big man Craig Brackins on the bench because of foul trouble, the Legends pounded the ball into the paint to spark a 19-7 run. Then they held on as the Red Claws' comeback fell short in a 114-107 loss at the Portland Expo. 'It was them turning up the heat on us,' Maine Coach Dave Leitao said of the third-quarter run. 'Every time I looked up the ball was in the paint. What we talked about was on some nights, when we're not having the best game, you've gotta be aggressive and take it into the paint. It opens up options for you.' Texas (14-18) was able to ride out its lead despite the return of Brackins and a late rally by the Red Claws. Maine (12-19) trailed by 11 with less than four minutes left and was still down six when point guard Kenny Hayes dropped a pass to Brackins, who was trailing Hayes down the court. Brackins sank a 3-pointer -- he was 4 for 6 from behind the arc -- to cut Texas' lead to 110-107 with 28.2 seconds remaining. Needing a stop, the Red Claws played for a turnover on the other end, but Hayes was called for a foul. The ensuing foul shots from Drew Neitzel (6'0''-G-85, agency: Priority Sports, college: Michigan St.) gave Texas a 112-107 cushion and essentially ended Maine's comeback bid. Hayes needed some encouragement from a teammate after committing the foul. 'I looked at the clock and that was just an error on me,' Hayes said. 'I just have to move on from it and try to be a leader.' Hayes had 17 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds to boost the offense. Morris Almond (6'6''-F/G-85, college: Rice) led the Red Claws in scoring with 26 points. Former Boston College center Sean Williams had 27 points and seven blocked shots for the Legends. It was Brackins who provided the most important sparks for the Red Claws. With a 76ers logo on the back of his jersey, indicating he's playing with the Red Claws on assignment from the NBA team, the mohawked 6-foot-10 post player had inside and outside impact in his first game in Portland. Brackins scored 11 points in the first three minutes of the game as his teammates struggled to heat up. But he picked up his third foul with 4:58 remaining in the second quarter, then got his fourth early in the third and had to go to the bench again. When he came back on the floor in the fourth quarter, he had a measurable impact. He banged down low to hit a short basket, had an emphatic dunk and made a pair of free throws before his late 3-pointer. Not bad for a guy who's still learning the offense in his third game with the team. 'When we get into situations, I just try to adapt because I don't know all of the plays yet,' he said. 'I just try to adapt on the fly.' Brackens finished with 20 points. Courtesy of www.pressherald.com

Ft.Wayne MA - Springfield A. 87-118
The fast-rising Springfield Armor slammed home another message Sunday night. Led by Jeff Foote (7'0''-C-88, college: Cornell) 's 23 points and 9 rebounds, the Armor won a franchise-record fifth consecutive game, totally ripping apart the Fort Wayne Mad Ants 118-87 in front of a silenced 3,706 at Allen County War Memorial Coliseum. Six Armor players reached double figures for the second consecutive game, including all five starters. It took Foote just 10 minutes to get there. Dennis Horner (6'9''-F-88, agency: Strategic Sports, college: N.Carolina St.) added 17 points and Jameson Curry 16, including a game-high four 3-pointers. Point guard Jerry Smith had 15 points and a team-high five assists. Weve just got a bunch of unselfish guys that dont care who scores the ball, said Springfields L.D. Williams, who scored 14 points and had three assists. Unselfish guys who like being around each other and winning. And its the type of winning Springfield hasnt always seen from the Armor. The streak has boosted the Armor (18-13) into second place in the D-Leagues East Conference, just 2 games behind Iowa. Only the West Conference-leading Los Angeles D-Fenders have a longer active win streak at six. First-year Armor head coach Bob Mackinnon has seen a camaraderie develop that goes beyond the wins. Optional shooting practices, he said, have drawn perfect attendance. In games, he wants the Armor to have 16 pass or shot deflections per half. Sunday, they totaled an incredible 40, including a pair of blocked shots from both Foote and Curry. I think theyre seeing that hard work pays off. This is becoming a very tough and resilient team, Mackinnon said. Sunday, the Armor had to withstand a travel schedule that began at 6 a.m., continued with a flight connection through Dallas and ended with an arrival in Fort Wayne three hours before the game. No worries. The Armor took the Mad Ants to school in a textbook first half. Springfield made 60 percent of its shots, nearly doubled Fort Wayne in rebounds and outscored the Ants 34-20 in the paint, including 22-8 in the opening quarter. The Armor led by as many as 35 points. Foote, a 7-foot center from Cornell who began the season in the Portland Trail Blazers NBA camp, was particularly strong for the Armor early on, scoring their first three baskets. The Mad Ants had no answer for his moves, forcing Mad Ants coach Steve Gansey to eventually send in backup center Sean Sonderleiter to muscle him around a bit. In the opening quarter alone, Foote scored on a dunk, a reverse layup and a hook shot. It was more of my teammates setting me up. I have to give them a lot of credit, Foote said. They did a great job tonight. I think Jeff is an NBA player, Mackinnon said. Hes a guy who can have a 10- to 12-year playing career in the NBA. The presence of Foote and Horner (nine rebounds, three assists) caused Fort Wayne defensive problems the entire game. And when the inside was clogged up, Curry, Smith and Preston Knowles combined to hit 10 3-pointers. We want to establish the inside, Williams said. When were getting in the lane and getting shots in the paint and creating for others, thats when were at our best. The Armor never trailed and allowed a tie just once, at 2-2. The Mad Ants (10-21) have lost five straight. Devan Downey, a former star at South Carolina, led Fort Wayne with 20 points and a game-high nine assists. Courtesy of www.masslive.com

Tulsa 66ers - Idaho S. 92-100
Marcus Banks (6'2''-G-81, college: UNLV) had 19 points, six assists and four rebounds and the Idaho Stampede (12-17) beat the Tulsa 66ers 100-92 after trailing by as many as 16. Banks scored 15 of his 19 in the fourth quarter alone, assisting on the three field goals he didn't score himself. It was the team's fifth win in its last six games. Idaho trailed 30-18 after the first quarter, but won each of the final three quarters, holding the 66ers to just 35 points in the second half. The Stampede won the rebounding battle 43-31 and held a big advantage in second chance points 23-2, securing those 23 points on 13 offensive rebounds. Banks' teammates from the bench aided the offense again, with Seth Tarver (6'5''-G/F-88, college: Oregon St.) scoring 12, Antoine Walker adding 11, Tony Bobbitt scoring 10 points and Reggie Larry finishing with seven points and six rebounds. Terrico White (6'5''-G-90, college: Mississippi) was the only starter to reach double-figures, finishing with 13 points. The Stampede out-scored the 66ers by 15 in the second half, as the road team shot 46.9 percent from the floor and made 16-of-20 free throws, while Tulsa made 8-of-21 free throws and shot 46.4 percent. The Stampede sent Tulsa to the line for 40 free throw attempts, but the home team made just 22 (55.0 percent), including center Marcus Lewis who went 3-for-18 from the free throw line, finishing with nine points and 13 rebounds. Robert Vaden led the 66ers (15-18) with a game-high 29 points (9-12 FG, 4-5 3FG, 7-7 FT). Idaho takes on the Texas Legends tomorrow in Frisco, Texas at 6 p.m. (MST). Courtesy of www.oursportscentral.com

Reno B. - Austin T. 110-118
When the Reno Bighorns allowed the Austin Toros to score 73 points in the first half of the game Tuesday night, optimism was dwindling in Reno. Even an exciting third quarter surge would not be enough as the Bighorns fell 110-118 to the powerful Toros. Josh Selby (6'2''-G-91, college: Kansas), on assignment from the Memphis Grizzlies, made his Bighorns debut memorable with a team-high 26 points. Bobby Simmons (6'6''-F-80, agency: Priority Sports, college: Florida St.) posted 19 points and six rebounds while Zach Graham had 18 points and six rebounds for the Bighorns. The Toros big men led the way with Leo Lyons 27 points and Eric Dawson's 19 points and 12 rebounds. Down 57-73 at halftime, the Bighorns stormed back to pull within one point at the end of the third quarter. But the run was too little, too late and the Bighorns could not build on the momentum, eventually falling towards the end of the fourth quarter. The Toros proved that size trumps all, outrebounding the Bighorns 37 to 28 and converting on 16 second chance points compared to the Bighorns four. The Bighorns shot the ball efficiently with a 58.4 shooting percentage but the Toros attempted nine more shots from the field. The Bighorns will travel to Boise to take on the Idaho Stampede on Friday and Saturday before they return to Reno on Tuesday, February 21 to finish a three-game series against the Stampede at the Reno Events Center. Courtesy of www.kolotv.com

66ers sign former Edison standout Creekmore - by Eurobasket News
The Tulsa 66ers have signed former Edison standout Will Creekmore (6'9''-C-89, college: Missouri St.).

According to World correspondent Kevin Henry, Creekmore will be only the second Tulsa high school graduate to play for the 66ers. The other was Booker T. Washington's Ryan Humphrey.

Creekmore started his pro basketball career last September with a German team, Ehingen Steeples.

The NCAA denied Creekmores bid for a fifth season of eligibility in 2011-12. He hoped to get an extra year of because he played in only four games at Boston University as a freshman before transferring to Missouri State.

Creekmore, a 6-foot-9 center, played the last three seasons at Missouri State, where he had 892 points and 535 rebounds. Last season, he averaged 11.3 points and 6.5 rebounds. In 2010, he was the CollegeInsider.com Tournament most valuable player. Creekmore also was an All-Academic All-America team selection.

I had a pretty satisfying college career, Creekmore said last September. A lot of people didnt think I could play Division One basketball. Playing pro basketball has always been a dream of mine.

In 2007, Creekmore averaged 22.9 points and led Edison to its first state tournament since 1989.

Courtesy of www.tulsaworld.com

Hassell goes back to Charge after trade is voided - by Eurobasket News
Hopefully the Charge kept Hassell stitched to the back of the No. 33 jersey.

Frank Hassell (6'8''-F-88, college: ODU) is headed back to Canton after failing his physical with the Erie BayHawks.

The Charge traded the 23-year-old Hassell to Erie on Monday for veteran forward Sharrod Ford (6'9''-F/C-82, agency: Pro One Sports, college: Clemson). Ford passed his physical with the Charge and practiced with them Tuesday.

But Hassell failed his physical with Erie on Tuesday because of a right knee problem. The trade was then voided Wednesday with the NBA Development Leagues approval.

Charge General Manager Wes Wilcox was not available for comment Wednesday. The team was traveling to Texas for a Thursday night game at Rio Grande Valley.

Hassell is with the team, but its uncertain if he will be available to play Thursday. If he cant, that leaves the Charge with only eight players for the game.

The Charge administered their own physical before the trade was completed. Hassell passed it, according to the team.

The 6-foot-8, 235-pound rookie from Old Dominion has iced the knee after games and practices. But he hadnt missed any time game or practice due to it. And his play has picked up of late. He produced double-doubles in his last three games.

Hassell has played in 20 games (two starts) with the Charge. He is averaging 10.1 points and 7.8 rebounds, while shooting 52.0 percent from the field.

Erie was the D-League affiliate for the Cleveland Cavaliers before the Cavs decided to own and operate their own D-League team in Canton this year. Wilcox also the Cavs director of player personnel served as the liaison between Cleveland and Erie, so he has close ties to the BayHawks organization. He and Erie head coach Jay Larranaga are close friends, so its puzzling how the trade could have unraveled.

Ford, a 6-9 forward who has some NBA and D-League experience, is an accomplished player overseas. The Clemson product averaged 15.8 points, 10.4 rebounds and 2.3 blocks playing in Italys top league last year. The Charge were looking for him to add athleticism and shot blocking to the front court.

Ford, 30, was acquired by Erie from the available player pool on Monday for the specific purpose of trading him to Canton for Hassell. So it will be interesting to see how he fits into the BayHawks plans going forward.

The good news for the Charge is they like Hassell. Head coach Alex Jensen has been pleased with Hassells development since his acquisition in late December. So welcoming him back to the lineup shouldnt be a problem.

The Charge (15-16) have won five of their last seven games entering Thursday.

Courtesy of www.cantonrep.com

*****************************************************
  ESTONIA   


Standings - KML
KML Standings
 1. Tartu Ulikool 16-2 
 2. Kalev/Cramo 13-1 
 3. Tarvas 12-6 
 4. Rapla 11-8 
 5. TTU/Kalev 9-9 
 6. Tln Kalev 7-15 
 7. Parnu 3-16 
 8. Valga/CKE 3-17 


*****************************************************
  EUROCHALLENGE   


Stats Leaders
Points Per Game
 Jovo STANOJEVIC
  Karsi.
  (208-C-77)
  Avg: 20.4
 1. Stanojevic, Karsi.20.4 
 2. Chatman, Karsiyaka20.0 
 3. Copeland, Aalstar19.6 
 4. Dykes, U.Mobite.19.0 
 5. Karadeniz, Turk T.18.3 
 6. Stimac, Olin Edirne18.0 
 7. Richardson, Armia17.8 
 8. Clemente, Nitra17.8 
 9. Roll, Antwerp16.9 
 10. Trotter, Szolnok16.8 
Rebounds Per Game
 Will THOMAS
  Armia
  (203-PF-86)
  Avg: 11.3
 1. Thomas, Armia11.3 
 2. Mensah-Bonsu, Bes.10.0 
 3. Kjellbom, Armia9.8 
 4. Majok, Nitra9.3 
 5. Arnold, BK Pardu.8.9 
 6. Elonu, Pau-Lacq.8.6 
 7. Bader, Szolnok8.5 
 8. Stanojevic, Karsi.8.5 
 9. Terry, Khimik8.2 
 10. Young, Aalstar8.2 
Assists Per Game
 Jared JORDAN
  Telekom .
  (188-PG-84)
  Avg: 9.2
 1. Jordan, Telekom9.2 
 2. Eldridge, Minsk-20.6.5 
 3. Tchicamboud, Cha.6.2 
 4. Moore, Keravnos6.0 
 5. Holston, Art.Drag.5.8 
 6. Barrett, Roanne5.8 
 7. Gipson, Pau-Lacq.5.7 
 8. Gaines, Armia5.5 
 9. Wright, Olin Edirne5.3 
 10. Slagter, Leiden5.1 
Steals Per Game
 Denis CLEMENTE
  Nitra
  (185-PG-86)
  Avg: 2.8
 1. Clemente, Nitra2.8 
 2. Frazier, Keravnos2.7 
 3. Moore, Keravnos2.6 
 4. Diane, Nitra2.5 
 5. Morris, U.Mobite.2.4 
 6. Greene, Hoverla2.3 
 7. Washington, Turk T.2.3 
 8. Pandula, BK Prost.2.3 
 9. Hasbrouck, EWE B.2.0 
 10. Young, Ventspils1.8 
Blocks Per Game
 Tony GAFFNEY
  Teleko.
  (204-F-84)
  Avg: 2.3
 1. Gaffney, Teleko.2.3 
 2. Kjellbom, Armia2.3 
 3. Sene, Fuenlabrada1.7 
 4. Hardin, Minsk-20061.7 
 5. Mejri, Antwerp1.7 
 6. Elonu, Pau-Lacq.1.6 
 7. Knox, Minsk-20061.5 
 8. Mensah-Bonsu, Bes.1.4 
 9. Pustovyi, Khimik1.4 
 10. Baxter, Enisey1.4 


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


Standings - Korisliiga
Korisliiga Standings
 1. Kataja 24-5 
 2. Nilan Bisons 20-7 
 3. Pyrinto 19-10 
 4. Kauhajoki 18-11 
 5. ToPo 16-13 
 6. KTP 12-17 
 7. LrNMKY 11-18 
 8. Salon Vilpas 11-18 
 9. Korihait 10-18 
 10. Kouvot 10-19 
 11. Namika Lahti 7-22 


KORISLIIGA: Pyrinto defeated Bisons - by Rauno Hurmalainen
Korisliiga, round 29: Last season Finnish Champion Pyrinto (Tampere) defeated first time this season Top League newcomer Bisons (Loimaa). These teams met eachother tonight third time and Pyrinto won by 11 points 77-66 (36-39). Quarters: 13-15, 23-24, 22-12, 19-15. Pyrinto (19-10) won the sixth contest in a row, which means The Reds are coming when the most important games are soon at the door. The Bisons (20-7) are still # 2 on the standings. Ville Makalainen (194-F-85, agency: Pro Partner Sports Management) played his first game on Bisons roster (6pts/5rbs in 12:25 mpg). Jeb Ivey (190-G-80, college: Portland St.) led the visitors with 19 pts. Antwine Williams (192-F-75, agency: Prossin Sports Management, college: N.Colorado) led Pyrinto with 17 pts. Damon Williams (201-F-73, college: Colorado St.-Pueblo) had a douple-double 15pts/17rbs. D.Williams had as many defensive rebounds as the rest of the team!
Pyrinto - Bisons 77-66 (36-39). (Antwine Williams 17, Damon Williams 15/17, Antti Nikkila 12 - Jeb Ivey 19, Martin Zeno 12, Ryan McDade 11/8. A: 958).



*****************************************************
  FYR MACEDONIA   


D1 Standings
Superleague Standings
 1. MZT Skopje 16-3 
 2. Feni Indistrija 16-3 
 3. Torus Skopje 13-6 
 4. Lirija 11-8 
 5. Rabotnicki 8-11 
 6. Kumanovo 8-11 
Play Out
 1. Vardar 4-12 
 2. Kozuv 3-13 
 3. ABA Strumica 2-14 


Best players of FYR Macedonian Superleague round 3 (Second Stage) - by Eurobasket News
Experienced Serbian Dusan Knezevic (207-C-80, agency: BeoExcell) had an amazing evening in the last round for league's second-best Feni Indistrija and that's him to receive a Eurobasket.com Player of the Week award for round 3 (Second Stage).
The 31-year old center had the game-high 27 points adding seven rebounds and four assists for Feni Indistrija in his team's victory, helping them to beat Lirija (#4, 11-8) 94-86. The game was between two of the league's top four teams. Feni Indistrija maintains the 2nd position in FYR Macedonian Superleague. They are still close to the very top. Feni Indistrija would have been even better if they kept winning the games like in the last round. They have a solid 16-3 record. Knezevic has many years of experience at Feni Indistrija, through which he has constantly improved. Dusan Knezevic averages this season 11.7ppg and 6.1rpg.

The second most remarkable performance in last round's games was 28-year old Serbian forward Milan Janjusevic (196-F-83) of Kumanovo. Janjusevic impressed basketball fans with 29 points and 7 rebounds. Bad luck as Kumanovo lost that game 83-98 to MZT Skopje (16-3). The Second Stage is still at the very beginning and this lost game may not be such crucial, of course if they start win the games. Let's wait for the next round. Janjusevic is a newcomer at Kumanovo and it seems he did not have too much trouble to become one of team's leaders.

The third best performed player last round was American Noah Dahlman (200-F-89) of top-ranked MZT Skopje. Dahlman scored 24 points and grabbed six rebounds. He was a key player of MZT Skopje, leading his team to a 98-83 easy win against Kumanovo (#6, 8-11). MZT Skopje confirms their top position in the standings Dahlman has a great season in FYR Macedonia. After 16 games, he made it on the list of the league's leaders in rebounds with 8.5rpg (#1 in league).

Other top performing players last week:
4. Justin Reynolds (204-F/C-88) of Torus Skopje - 21 points and 7 rebounds
5. Kiril Nikolovski (210-C/F-88) of Feni Indistrija - 17 points, 8 rebounds and 3 assists
6. Gjorgi Cekovski (203-F/C-79) of MZT Skopje - 15 points, 10 rebounds and 5 assists
7. Toni Simic (210-C-76) of Lirija - 17 points, 11 rebounds and 3 assists
8. Dimitar Karadzovski (190-G-84) of Torus Skopje - 14 points, 3 rebounds and 6 assists
9. Vladimir Filipovic (195-G-85) of Lirija - 16 points, 8 rebounds and 3 assists
10. Milos Pavlovic (210-F/C-84) of Rabotnicki - 11 points, 15 rebounds and 4 assists

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

Superleague Round 3: Torus Skopje beats Fersped-Rabotnicki in a derby game - by Eurobasket News
The most exciting game was a derby match between two local teams from Skopje: Torus Skopje (#3) and Fersped-Rabotnicki (#5). Torus Skopje (13-6) won against visiting Fersped-Rabotnicki (8-11) 75-67. The hosts trailed by 3 points after first quarter, but they rallied back to get the 9-point lead at the halftime and eventually won the game 75-67. Torus Skopje made 17-of-22 free shots (77.3 percent) during the game. The best player for the winners was American power forward Justin Reynolds (204-88, college: Texas A&M-CC) who scored 21 points and 7 rebounds. The former international power forward Bojan Trajkovski (206-88, agency: Global Sports Plaza) chipped in 18 points and 7 rebounds. At the other side the best for losing team was Serbian power forward Milos Pavlovic (210-84, agency: BeoExcell) who recorded a double-double by scoring 11 points, 15 rebounds and 4 assists. Torus Skopje maintains third place with 13-6 record having just three points less than leader MZT Skopje. Fersped-Rabotnicki lost third consecutive game. They keep the fifth position with 11 games lost. They share it with Kumanovo. Torus Skopje are looking forward to face league's second-placed Feni Indistrija in Kavadarci in the next round and it will be for sure the game of the week. Fersped-Rabotnicki will play at home against Kumanovo 2009 and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
An exciting game between Top Four teams was played in Skopje. Second ranked Feni Indistrija faced 4th placed Lirija. Guests from Kavadarci (16-3) defeated host Lirija (11-8) 94-86. It was a good game for Serbian center Dusan Knezevic (207-80, agency: BeoExcell) who led his team to a victory with 27 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists (on 12-of-15 shooting from the field). Kiril Nikolovski contributed with 17 points and 8 rebounds for the winners. Naturalized Serbian center Toni Simic (210-76) answered with a double-double by scoring 17 points and 11 rebounds for Lirija. Defending champion keeps a position of league leader, which they share with MZT Skopje. Lirija at the other side keeps the fourth place with eight games lost. Feni Indistrija will play against Torus Skopje (#3) at home in the next round, which may be the game of the day. Lirija's supporters look forward to an exciting derby game next round, where their team will travel locally in Skopje to the arena MZT Skopje.
Leader MZT Skopje delivered the sixteenth victory on Wednesday night. This time they beat 6th ranked Kumanovo 2009 (8-11) 98-83. It was a great evening for Noah Dahlman who led his team to a victory scoring 24 points and 6 rebounds. The best for the losing side was Milan Janjusevic with 29 points and 7 rebounds. MZT Skopje (16-3) have an impressive series of eight victories in a row. They maintain first place, which they share with Feni Indistrija. Loser Kumanovo 2009 dropped to the fifth position with 11 games lost. They share it with Rabotnicki. MZT Skopje's supporters look forward to an exciting derby game next round, where their team will face at home their local rival from Skopje Lirija.



Kumanovo - MZT Skopje 83-98

Leader MZT Skopje delivered the sixteenth victory on Wednesday night. This time they beat 6th ranked Kumanovo 2009 (8-11) 98-83. The game without a history. MZT Skopje led from the first minutes and controlled entire game increasing their lead in each quarter. They made 18-of-19 free shots (94.7 percent) during the game. MZT Skopje shot the lights out from three sinking 12 long-distance shots on high 63.2 percentage. It was a great evening for American forward Noah Dahlman (200-89, college: Wofford) who led his team to a victory scoring 24 points and 6 rebounds. The former international power forward Gjorgi Cekovski (203-79, agency: New Trend Agency) helped adding 15 points, 10 rebounds and 5 assists. Four MZT Skopje players scored in double figures. The best for the losing side was Serbian forward Milan Janjusevic (196-83) with 29 points and 7 rebounds and Serbian forward Dejan Mikic (201-86) scored 18 points and 5 rebounds. MZT Skopje (16-3) have an impressive series of eight victories in a row. They maintain first place, which they share with Feni Indistrija. Loser Kumanovo 2009 dropped to the fifth position with 11 games lost. They share it with Rabotnicki. MZT Skopje's supporters look forward to an exciting derby game next round, where their team will face at home their local rival from Skopje Lirija.
Top scorers:
Kumanovo: M.Janjusevic 29+7reb+1ast, D.Mikic 18+5reb+2ast, A.Kostoski 14+6reb+3ast, D.Matic 6, M.Janevski 5+4reb+2ast, P.Brooks 4+2reb+1ast
MZT Skopje: N.Dahlman 24+6reb+1ast, I.Mijajlovic 16+3reb+2ast, G.Cekovski 15+10reb+5ast, N.Vucurovic 13+3reb+2ast, T.Grncarov 12+2ast, O.Stojanovski 8+2reb+5ast
gschID: 168282


Lirija - Feni Indistrija 86-94

An exciting game between Top Four teams was played in Skopje. Second ranked Feni Indistrija faced 4th placed Lirija. Guests from Kavadarci (16-3) defeated host Lirija (11-8) 94-86. It looked good early as Lirija took an 2-point lead at the end of first quarter. But then Feni Indistrija had a 20-13 second period charge getting the lead and Lirija was not able to take back game control losing it eventually 86-94. It was a good game for Serbian center Dusan Knezevic (207-80, agency: BeoExcell) who led his team to a victory with 27 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists (on 12-of-15 shooting from the field). International power forward Kiril Nikolovski (210-88) contributed with 17 points and 8 rebounds for the winners. Naturalized Serbian center Toni Simic (210-76) answered with a double-double by scoring 17 points and 11 rebounds and the former international forward Dime Tasovski (200-80) added 23 points in the effort for Lirija. Four Feni Indistrija and five Lirija players scored in double figures. Defending champion keeps a position of league leader, which they share with MZT Skopje. Lirija at the other side keeps the fourth place with eight games lost. Feni Indistrija will play against Torus Skopje (#3) at home in the next round, which may be the game of the day. Lirija's supporters look forward to an exciting derby game next round, where their team will travel locally in Skopje to the arena MZT Skopje.
Top scorers:
Lirija: D.Tasovski 23+4reb+1ast, T.Simic 17+11reb+3ast, V.Filipovic 16+8reb+3ast, C.Morban 13+2reb+8ast, B.Radunovic 12+3reb+1ast, I.Sazdov 3+1reb+1ast
Feni Indistrija: D.Knezevic 27+7reb+4ast, K.Nikolovski 17+8reb+3ast, D.Sokolov 17+3reb+3ast, I.Lilov 12+5reb+3ast, G.Samardziev 8+2reb+2ast, J.Frye 7+5reb+2ast
gschID: 168280


Torus Skopje - Rabotnicki 75-67

The most exciting game was a derby match between two local teams from Skopje: Torus Skopje (#3) and Fersped-Rabotnicki (#5). Torus Skopje (13-6) won against visiting Fersped-Rabotnicki (8-11) 75-67. The hosts trailed by 3 points after first quarter, but they rallied back to get the 9-point lead at the halftime and eventually won the game 75-67. Torus Skopje made 17-of-22 free shots (77.3 percent) during the game. The best player for the winners was American power forward Justin Reynolds (204-88, college: Texas A&M-CC) who scored 21 points and 7 rebounds. The former international power forward Bojan Trajkovski (206-88, agency: Global Sports Plaza) chipped in 18 points and 7 rebounds. At the other side the best for losing team was Serbian power forward Milos Pavlovic (210-84, agency: BeoExcell) who recorded a double-double by scoring 11 points, 15 rebounds and 4 assists and Serbian swingman Vladimir Zujovic (201-80, college: Lock Haven) added 18 points respectively. Four Torus Skopje and five Fersped-Rabotnicki players scored in double figures. Torus Skopje maintains third place with 13-6 record having just three points less than leader MZT Skopje. Fersped-Rabotnicki lost third consecutive game. They keep the fifth position with 11 games lost. They share it with Kumanovo. Torus Skopje are looking forward to face league's second-placed Feni Indistrija in Kavadarci in the next round and it will be for sure the game of the week. Fersped-Rabotnicki will play at home against Kumanovo 2009 and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Rabotnicki: V.Zujovic 18+3reb+3ast, J.Petrovski 13+2reb+4ast, M.Pavlovic 11+15reb+4ast, N.Jelesijevic 10+3reb+1ast, E.Bogoev 10+3reb+3ast, E.Hadzibulic 5+3reb
Torus Skopje: J.Reynolds 21+7reb+1ast, B.Trajkovski 18+7reb+2ast, D.Karadzovski 14+3reb+6ast, N.Karakolev 10+2reb+1ast, P.Blazevski 4+1reb+1ast, I.Dimcevski 3+3reb+1ast
gschID: 168281




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


BBL Round 22: Bayern Muenchen surprise Ratiopharm Ulm - by Eurobasket News
The most important game in the last round took place in Muenchen between second ranked ratiopharm Ulm (17-4) and eighth ranked Bayern Muenchen (12-10) on Wednesday night. ratiopharm Ulm was defeated by Bayern Muenchen in a tough game on the road 83-87. The hosts trailed by 6 points after three quarters before their 31-21 charge, which allowed them to win the game. Strangely ratiopharm Ulm outrebounded Bayern Muenchen 41-29 including 16 on the offensive glass. Worth to mention a great performance of American guard Je'Kel Foster (191-83, college: Ohio St.) who helped to win the game recording 22 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists. American-Bulgarian center Jared Homan (206-83, college: Iowa St.) contributed with 21 points, 6 rebounds and 4 blocks for the winners. Bayern Muenchen's coach Dirk Bauermann used an eleven-player rotation in such tough game. American forward Roderick Trice (191-84, college: S.Carolina) replied with a double-double by scoring 12 points and 13 rebounds for ratiopharm Ulm. Bayern Muenchen moved-up to seventh place. ratiopharm Ulm at the other side keeps the second position with four games lost. Bayern Muenchen are looking forward to face Deutsche Bank Skyliners (#12) in Frankfurt in the next round where they are favorite. ratiopharm Ulm will play at home against Eisbaeren Bremerhaven (#6) and is hoping to win this game.
Fourteenth-ranked LTi 46ers (7-15) were very close to win a game against third ranked Artland Dragons (17-5) in Quakenbrueck. Artland Dragons managed to secure only two-point victory 72-70. However their fans expected much easier game. American swingman Anthony Hilliard (193-86, college: Elizabeth City) had a double-double by scoring 14 points, 12 rebounds and 5 assists to lead the charge for the winners and Anthony King chipped in 14 points and 14 rebounds during the contest. At the losing side Bosnian power forward Elvir Ovcina (210-76, college: Syracuse, agency: Interperformances) responded with 10 points, 8 rebounds and 7 assists. LTi 46ers' coach Bjoern Harmsen rotated ten players in this game, but that didn't help. Artland Dragons have an impressive five-game winning streak. They maintain third position with 17-5 record having just one points less than leader Brose Baskets. LTi 46ers lost third consecutive game. They dropped to the sixteenth place with 15 games lost. They share the position with EnBW L'burg. Artland Dragons will play against ALBA Berlin (#4) on the road in the next round. LTi 46ers will play against BBC Bayreuth (#13) and hope to get back on the winning track.
Worth to mention about the upset in a game between EWE Baskets (11-10) and Telekom Baskets (11-11), which took place in Oldenburg. Higher ranked EWE Baskets were outleveled at home by tenth ranked Telekom Baskets 99-75 on Wednesday. Chris Ensminger notched 29 points and 8 rebounds to lead the effort. Even 15 points and 9 rebounds by Adam Chubb did not help to save the game for EWE Baskets. The winner was already known earlier in the game, so both coaches allowed to play the bench players saving starting five for next games. Telekom Baskets maintains tenth position with 11-11 record. Loser EWE Baskets dropped to the eighth place with ten games lost. They share the position with NY Phantoms. Telekom Baskets will meet at home EnBW Ludwigsburg (#16) in the next round where they are favorite. EWE Baskets will play against Walter Tigers (#11) in Tuebingen and hope to secure a win.
The game between seventeenth ranked EnBW Ludwigsburg (7-15) and 18th ranked BG Goettingen (2-20) in Ludwigsburg ended with biggest points difference. EnBW Ludwigsburg outscored guests from Goettingen 92-64. Alex Harris fired 20 points and 5 rebounds for the winners. 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. EnBW Ludwigsburg moved-up to sixteenth place, which they share with LTi 46ers. BG Goettingen lost tenth consecutive game. They stay dead last with 20 lost games. EnBW Ludwigsburg's next round opponent will be higher ranked Telekom Baskets (#10) in Bonn and they do not belong to the favorites in that game. BG Goettingen will play at home against the league's leader Brose Baskets (#1) having rather not much hope for a victory.

In the last two games of round 22 s.Oliver Baskets beat Bayreuth on the road 64-55. Bremerhaven won against Fraport SKY on its own court 76-70.

Bayreuth - s.Oliver Baskets 55-64

No shocking result in a game when fifth ranked s Oliver Baskets (13-9) beat on the road 13th ranked BBC Bayreuth (8-14) 64-55. The guests started the game with a very strong first quarter 16-7. But BBC Bayreuth won second period 15-14. However it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. s Oliver Baskets dominated on the defensive end, holding BBC Bayreuth to just 7 points in first quarter. American players dominated the game. Guard Ben Jacobson (188-83, college: N.Iowa) fired 11 points and 5 rebounds for the winners. Guard Chris Kramer (191-88, college: Purdue) chipped in 12 points and 5 rebounds. Four s Oliver Baskets players scored in double figures. s Oliver Baskets' coach John Patrick allowed to play the deep bench players saving starting five for next games. Forward Brandon Hunter (201-80, college: Ohio) produced 16 points (on 6-of-7 shooting from the field) and guard Danny Gibson (180-84, college: S.Indiana, agency: Limelight Hoops) added 10 points and 5 assists respectively for lost side. Newly promoted s Oliver Baskets maintains fifth position with 13-9 record. BBC Bayreuth lost fourth consecutive game. They keep the thirteenth place with 14 games lost. s Oliver Baskets' next round opponent will be New Yorker Phantoms (#8) in Braunschweig. BBC Bayreuth will play on the road against LTi 46ers (#17) in Giessen.
Top scorers:
s.Oliver Baskets: C.Kramer 12+5reb+1ast, J.Boone 12+3reb, B.Jacobson 11+5reb+2ast, A.King 11+5reb, I.Elliott 7, C.Frazier 5+2reb+1ast
Bayreuth: B.Hunter 16+3reb, E.Ibekwe 12+5reb, D.Gibson 10+3reb+5ast, O.Jeanty 9+1reb+2ast, R.Veideman 6+1reb+2ast, M.Shtein 2+3reb
gschID: 133289


B.Muenchen - Ratiopharm 87-83

The most important game in the last round took place in Muenchen between second ranked ratiopharm Ulm (17-4) and eighth ranked Bayern Muenchen (12-10) on Wednesday night. ratiopharm Ulm was defeated by Bayern Muenchen in a tough game on the road 83-87. The hosts trailed by 6 points after three quarters before their 31-21 charge, which allowed them to win the game. Strangely ratiopharm Ulm outrebounded Bayern Muenchen 41-29 including 16 on the offensive glass. Worth to mention a great performance of American guard Je'Kel Foster (191-83, college: Ohio St.) who helped to win the game recording 22 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists. American-Bulgarian center Jared Homan (206-83, college: Iowa St.) contributed with 21 points, 6 rebounds and 4 blocks for the winners. Bayern Muenchen's coach Dirk Bauermann used an eleven-player rotation in such tough game. American forward Roderick Trice (191-84, college: S.Carolina) replied with a double-double by scoring 12 points and 13 rebounds and his fellow American import forward Keaton Nankivil (203-89, college: Wisconsin) added 13 points and 9 rebounds in the effort for ratiopharm Ulm. Five ratiopharm Ulm players scored in double figures. Bayern Muenchen moved-up to seventh place. ratiopharm Ulm at the other side keeps the second position with four games lost. Bayern Muenchen are looking forward to face Deutsche Bank Skyliners (#12) in Frankfurt in the next round where they are favorite. ratiopharm Ulm will play at home against Eisbaeren Bremerhaven (#6) and is hoping to win this game.
Top scorers:
B.Muenchen: J.Foster 22+5reb+4ast, J.Homan 21+6reb+2ast, C.Troutman 11+8reb+2ast, R.Benzing 8+2reb+1ast, J.Wallace 7+3ast, B.Doreth 6+2reb+2ast
Ratiopharm: I.Swann 17+2reb+3ast, P.Guenther 15+1ast, K.Nankivil 13+9reb+1ast, R.Trice 12+13reb+1ast, J.Bryant 11+9reb+3ast, T.Mason-Griffin 9+2reb+2ast
gschID: 133290


Art.Dragons - LTi 46ers 72-70

Fourteenth-ranked LTi 46ers (7-15) were very close to win a game against third ranked Artland Dragons (17-5) in Quakenbrueck. Artland Dragons managed to secure only two-point victory 72-70. However their fans expected much easier game. LTi 46ers were tied at the half but could not keep up in last two quarters eventually losing the game. LTi 46ers were plagued by 24 personal fouls down the stretch. American swingman Anthony Hilliard (193-86, college: Elizabeth City) had a double-double by scoring 14 points, 12 rebounds and 5 assists to lead the charge for the winners and the other American import power forward Anthony King (206-85, college: Miami, FL, agency: Interperformances) chipped in 14 points and 14 rebounds during the contest. At the losing side Bosnian power forward Elvir Ovcina (210-76, college: Syracuse, agency: Interperformances) responded with 10 points, 8 rebounds and 7 assists and American power forward Chad Prewitt (206-80, college: Arizona St., agency: Priority Sports) scored 16 points and 6 rebounds. LTi 46ers' coach Bjoern Harmsen rotated ten players in this game, but that didn't help. Artland Dragons have an impressive five-game winning streak. They maintain third position with 17-5 record having just one points less than leader Brose Baskets. LTi 46ers lost third consecutive game. They dropped to the sixteenth place with 15 games lost. They share the position with EnBW L'burg. Artland Dragons will play against ALBA Berlin (#4) on the road in the next round. LTi 46ers will play against BBC Bayreuth (#13) and hope to get back on the winning track.
Top scorers:
Art.Dragons: A.King 14+14reb+1ast, A.Hilliard 14+12reb+5ast, A.Hess 10+3reb+1ast, D.Fenn 9+6reb+4ast, G.Gruenheid 7+2reb, B.Bailey 7+1reb+2ast
LTi 46ers: B.Stewart 16+3reb+1ast, C.Prewitt 16+6reb, E.Ovcina 10+8reb+7ast, K.Archibong 10+2reb, W.Bernard 9+3reb+2ast, R.Pilcevic 4+3reb+9ast
gschID: 133285


EWE Baskets - Telekom Baskets 75-99

Worth to mention about the upset in a game between EWE Baskets (11-10) and Telekom Baskets (11-11), which took place in Oldenburg. Higher ranked EWE Baskets were outleveled at home by tenth ranked Telekom Baskets 99-75 on Wednesday. The game was mostly controlled by Telekom Baskets. EWE Baskets managed to win second period 21-16. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. Telekom Baskets shot 62.3 percent from the field. It was a great shooting night for Telekom Baskets especially from behind the arc, where they had solid 53.3 percentage. They looked well-organized offensively handing out 24 assists comparing to just 9 passes made by EWE Baskets' players. American center Chris Ensminger (209-73, college: Valparaiso, agency: Limelight Hoops) notched 29 points and 8 rebounds to lead the effort and the other American import point guard Jared Jordan (188-84, college: Marist) supported him with 2 points, 7 rebounds and 18 assists. Even 15 points and 9 rebounds by American power forward Adam Chubb (208-81, college: Pennsylvania, agency: Pro One Sports) did not help to save the game for EWE Baskets. Guard Dominik Bahiense de Mello (190-85, agency: Pro One Sports) added 11 points for lost side. Both teams had four players each who scored in double figures. The winner was already known earlier in the game, so both coaches allowed to play the bench players saving starting five for next games. Telekom Baskets maintains tenth position with 11-11 record. Loser EWE Baskets dropped to the eighth place with ten games lost. They share the position with NY Phantoms. Telekom Baskets will meet at home EnBW Ludwigsburg (#16) in the next round where they are favorite. EWE Baskets will play against Walter Tigers (#11) in Tuebingen and hope to secure a win.
Top scorers:
Telekom Baskets: C.Ensminger 29+8reb+1ast, T.Gaffney 20+4reb+1ast, S.Serapinas 15+2reb+2ast, B.Veikalas 11+4reb+1ast, T.Battle 10+1ast, Z.Buljan 5+4reb
EWE Baskets: A.Chubb 15+9reb+1ast, R.Paulding 14+2ast, D.Bahiense de Mello 11+4reb+1ast, B.Brown 10+1reb+2ast, M.Majstorovic 8+1reb+1ast, R.Burrell 7+4reb
gschID: 133286


EnBW L'burg - Goettingen 92-64

The game between seventeenth ranked EnBW Ludwigsburg (7-15) and 18th ranked BG Goettingen (2-20) in Ludwigsburg ended with biggest points difference. EnBW Ludwigsburg outscored guests from Goettingen 92-64. The game without a history. EnBW Ludwigsburg led from the first minutes and controlled entire game increasing their lead in each quarter. EnBW Ludwigsburg outrebounded BG Goettingen 39-20 including a 30-14 advantage in defensive rebounds. They shot the lights out from three nailing 13 long-distance shots on high 61.9 percentage. 25 personal fouls committed by BG Goettingen helped opponents get some easy free throw opportunities. American guard Alex Harris (196-86, agency: Interperformances) fired 20 points and 5 rebounds for the winners. The other American import guard Anthony Fisher (191-86, agency: Hart Sports Mngm) chipped in 16 points. American guard Matt Bauscher (188-85, college: Boise St., agency: Scorers 1st Sportmanagement) produced 12 points and 7 assists and swingman Max Weber (201-85) added 11 points and 5 rebounds respectively for lost side. 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. EnBW Ludwigsburg moved-up to sixteenth place, which they share with LTi 46ers. BG Goettingen lost tenth consecutive game. They stay dead last with 20 lost games. EnBW Ludwigsburg's next round opponent will be higher ranked Telekom Baskets (#10) in Bonn and they do not belong to the favorites in that game. BG Goettingen will play at home against the league's leader Brose Baskets (#1) having rather not much hope for a victory.
Top scorers:
EnBW L'burg: A.Harris 20+5reb+1ast, A.Fisher 16+2reb+3ast, M.Howard 14+3reb+1ast, M.Dorris 9+3reb+6ast, T.Koch 8+4reb, J.Lischka 7+7reb
Goettingen: M.Bauscher 12+3reb+7ast, M.Weber 11+5reb, P.Noch 8+2reb, D.Tucker 8+1reb+1ast, N.Adamczak 8+1reb, J.Allen 8+4reb+2ast
gschID: 133288


Bremerhaven - Fraport SKY 76-70

Very expected game when 11th ranked Deutsche Bank Skyliners (9-13) lost on the road to seventh ranked Eisbaeren Bremerhaven (12-9) 76-70. However just six-point win is not that big difference and the fans of host team counted on more convincing victory. It looked good early as Deutsche Bank Skyliners took an 4-point lead at the end of first quarter. But then Eisbaeren Bremerhaven had a 28-11 second period charge getting the lead and Deutsche Bank Skyliners were not able to take back game control losing it eventually 70-76. Eisbaeren Bremerhaven made 21-of-27 charity shots (77.8 percent) during the game. American guard Anthony Smith (196-86, college: Liberty, agency: Pro One Sports) fired 25 points for the winners. The other American import guard Mike Smith (198-87, college: E.Tenn.St.) chipped in 12 points and 5 rebounds. International power forward Tim Ohlbrecht (211-88) produced a double-double by scoring 12 points and 11 rebounds and American guard Jimmy McKinney (192-83, college: Missouri, agency: Strategic Sports) added 16 points respectively for lost side. Five Deutsche Bank Skyliners players scored in double figures. Eisbaeren Bremerhaven have a solid three-game winning streak. They moved-up to sixth place. Deutsche Bank Skyliners at the other side dropped to the twelfth position with 13 games lost. Eisbaeren Bremerhaven's next round opponent will be league's second-placed ratiopharm Ulm on the road and it may be quite challenging game. Deutsche Bank Skyliners will play against Bayern Muenchen (#7).
Top scorers:
Bremerhaven: A.Smith 25+2reb+3ast, M.Smith 12+5reb+1ast, C.McNaughton 9+5reb+2ast, J.Cain 8+5reb, J.Raffington 7+1ast, Z.Peacock 7+1reb+1ast
Fraport SKY: J.McKinney 16+2ast, T.Ohlbrecht 12+11reb, D.Gibson 12+2reb+1ast, J.Burtschi 11+2reb+1ast, M.Thompson 10+2ast, Q.Robertson 5+3reb
gschID: 133284




Standings - 1. Bundesliga
1.Bundesliga Standings
 1. Brose Baskets 19-2 
 2. Ratiopharm 17-4 
 3. Art.Dragons 17-5 
 4. ALBA 14-6 
 5. s.Oliver Baskets 13-9 
 6. Bremerhaven 12-9 
 7. B.Muenchen 12-10 
 8. NY Phantoms 11-10 
 9. EWE Baskets 11-10 
 10. Telekom Baskets 11-11 
 11. Walter Tigers 9-12 
 12. Fraport SKY 9-13 
 13. Bayreuth 8-14 
 14. Phoenix Hagen 7-14 
 15. TBB Trier 7-14 
 16. EnBW L'burg 7-15 
 17. LTi 46ers 7-15 
 18. Goettingen 2-20 


Standings - Pro B
ProB Standings
Group North
 1. Hannover 17-4 
 2. Herten 15-7 
 3. Vechta 15-7 
 4. SU Medien 15-7 
 5. Dorsten 13-9 
 6. Schwelm 13-9 
 7. Stahnsdorf 11-12 
 8. Wulfen 10-13 
 9. Wolfenbuettel 9-13 
 10. Rist Wedel 9-13 
 11. Bayer Giants 8-14 
 12. ALBA Berlin II 6-16 
 13. Bernau 2-20 
Group South
 1. Gotha 16-4 
 2. Leipzig 14-6 
 3. Noerdlingen 13-7 
 4. BSW Sixers 13-7 
 5. Dragons 12-7 
 6. Hanau 12-8 
 7. Langen 11-9 
 8. Licher Baeren 9-11 
 9. TSV Troester 9-11 
 10. Fraport SKY II 6-14 
 11. BG Illertal 3-17 
 12. Giessen 2-18 


New Yorker Phantoms clinch Semifinal Cup ticket - by Eurobasket News
ALBA Berlin -New Yorker Phantoms Braunschweig 89:95 OT

New Yorker Phantoms clinch Semifinal Cup ticket after an overtime thriller over ALBA Berlin. Trailing 11 points after the first period Braunschweig needed a strong finish to win the game.
ALBA won the first period 26:15 and looked forward to keep the lead in the game. New Yorker Phantoms Braunschweig however bounced with 20-13 in the second quarter and added 19-18 in the third frame. Moreover they sent the game to overtime after 20-17 in the fourth period. In extra time NY needed 21-15 to seal the victory.
Branko Jorovic (205-F-81, agency: Beo Basket) top-scored for the winners with 20 points and Rich Melzer (203-F/C-79, agency: Court Side, college: Wisc.-RiverFal.) netted 17. Michael Umeh (188-PG-84, agency: Pro One Sports, college: UNLV) notched 16, while Immanuel McElroy (193-G-80, college: Cincinnati) scored 11. DaShaun Wood (185-G-85, college: Wright St.) ended up with 22 points in the losing effort and Marko Simonovic (202-F-86, agency: Beo Basket) delivered 19. Kyle Weaver (198-G-86, agency: Interperformances, college: Washington St.) notched 15 and Bryce Taylor (196-G-86, agency: Priority Sports) as well as Torin Francis (210-F-83, college: Notre Dame) had 13 apiece.

ALBA Berlin: DaShaun Wood 22, Marko Simonovic 19, Kyle Weaver 15 Bryce Taylor 13, Torin Francis 13
New Yorker Phantoms Braunschweig: Branko Jorovic 20, Rich Melzer 17, Michael Umeh 16, Immanuel McElroy 11

Jason Cain Muscle And Anthony Smith Precision Pace The Eisbaeren Bremerhaven Past The Fraport Skyliners 76-70 - by Miles Schmidt-Scheuber
For Quantez Robertson coming to play in the northern most Beko BBL city of Bremerhaven to display his mind boggling athletic arsenal has been a joy since he arrived on the scene in Germany in 2009. In his first two encounters in the Eisbaeren cage, he suffered negative experiences losing a nail biter in the regular season 76-74 and game one 78-75 of the 2010 semi final playoff series. However since then the energetic flying Cincinnati kid had left the floor in Bremerhaven as a successful Eisbaeren hunter having won game three 79-53 and the exciting game five 56-52 in 2010 where you could of told a devoted eight year old Eisbaeren fan that Lebron James was outside the Stadthalle with Rihanna and the kid would probably still have followed the ending of the thriller playoff game. Super Tez Robertson also helped contribute to the win last season as Frankfurt rolled by Bremerhaven 71-56 with a typical Dashaun Wood Derrick Rose stat line of 25, 8 and 7. Robertson seldom smiles except for his energy outbursts as he was going for his fourth win in a row in Bremerhaven, but was denied as the Eisbaeren withstood a fourth quarter Skyliner comeback and closed out the game with a 7-0 run winning 76-70 giving Frankfurt sort of a taste of their own medicine as they had let Braunschweig come back last weekend, but saw them lose it in overtime through a clutch Jimmy Mckinney performance. Eisbaeren fan favorite American Torrell Martin is close to making his comeback, but sat out one last time and remembered the Robertson athletic flair two years ago. I remember how dynamic Tez was in that playoff series two years ago. We both always had great battles. We were always both very aggressive and he elevated my game to new heights. Frankfurt made a comeback at the end tonight2, but we were able to pull it out, stressed Torrell Martin.

The Eisbaeren Bremerhaven entered the game in seventh place and were looking for their third win in a row after a huge OT win at home against the New Yorker Phantoms Braunschweig and a scoring blow out win in Giessen last weekend, while the Fraport Skyliners were looking for their second win in a row after an exciting 81-80 OT win against the New Yorker Phantoms Braunschweig. Frankfurt were looking for their fourth win in a row in Bremerhaven and wanted to regain their old form on defense after they had given up an average of 80 points in the last three games while they had given up only an average of 63 points in the 11 games prior to the last three games. Eisbaeren manager Jan Rathjen was all smiles after the game and it is a wonder at times that he continues to flash that youth and stays free of white or gray on his head despite the Beko BBL getting tighter every year. It was a very close game. We had two nice leads and both times let them come back. We lost our rhythm in the fourth quarter and you have to be careful because Frankfurt is a team that will take advantage of your mistakes. I give the team credit for winning the game at the end by six points. Every game is important for us for the playoffs. If you relax too much then you can easily lose games, stressed Bremerhaven manager Jan Rathjen. For the Fraport Skyliners, every win is huge for getting higher up in the standings, but in the end it was the little things that cost them the game. We battled hard as the game went back and fourth. They made the big plays and were able to slow down our transition, said Skyliner guard Michael Thompson. Skyliner forward Jacob Burtschi was the tragic hero at the end getting a technical foul and was brief as he was the first to leave the dressing room. This was a very bitter loss. We fought back, but had bad turnovers and Jason Cain got that big offensive rebound at the end, stated Oklahoma native Jacob Burtschi.

The game took place on a rare Wednesday as only 2390 people wanted to experience the basketball showdown between the Fraport Skyliners and the Eisbaeren Bremerhaven. Frankfurt was still without ex NBA player Jermareo Davidson and Justin Gray while Bremerhaven was still resting Torrell Martin who is expected to make his return on the weekend in Ulm. The Fraport Sklyiners came out with a lot of energy something they have displayed on the road the last two months getting some timely three pointers by Jacob Burtschi to get them going early. The Eisbaeren Bremerhaven also had their own three point bomber with American Anthony Smith (196-G-86, agency: Pro One Sports, college: Liberty) who hit his first two three pointers to keep his club at pace with Frankfurt. Michael Thompson also connected from downtown, but Bremerhaven stayed on the heels of Frankfurt trailing only 19-15 after one quarter. The Fraport Skyliners were shooting 54% from the field and 50% from outside while the Eisbaeren Bremerhaven were shooting 50% from the field and 50% from outside. Bremerhaven had the seven to five rebound edge, but already six turnovers while Frankfurt had only three turnovers.

The game remained tight in the first few minutes as Chris Mcnaughton and Jacob Burtschi traded baskets as the Fraport Skyliners led 21-17. However after an average first quarter offensively for Bremerhaven, they finally found their groove now going on a 11-2 run to lead 28-23. Smith continued to give the Skyliners a three point shooting contest nailing twice while quick guard Terrell Everett scored with his left hand inside and American Mike Smith made a finger tip roll in. Frankfurt was relaxing more on defense as the Eisbaeren were getting inside as easily as if they had an open cage door with fishes being flung at them. Despite a enormous dunk by Jason Cain who had no defense staring down his throat, it was St Louis native Jimmy Mckinney who dropped two three point bombs to cut the lead to 30-28. However it was the Eisbaeren Bremerhaven who continued to gain momentum on offense closing out the second quarter with a 13-2 run. Bremerhaven head coach Doug Spradley didnt hesitate to use his bench and they produced for him. Ex BG Goettingen forward Jermaine Raffington came up huge in this run nailing an untypical three pointer, making a dunk after getting fed by a no look Everett pass and then hitting another jumper. Anthony Smith (196-G-86, agency: Pro One Sports, college: Liberty) ended the run with a three pointer for the corner after retrieving a pretty kick out pass from Everett who finished with eight assists. Mckinney scored again with a lay up, but the Eisbaeren Bremerhaven led 43-30 at halftime. We hit some open shots, but our defense was as good as in the first quarter. We gave them some easy layups. When Bremerhaven gets going on offense, then there defense automatically gets going, stressed Skyliner sport director Kamil Novak.The Eisbaeren Bremerhaven were shooting 64% from the field and 75% from the three point line while the Fraport Skyliners were shooting 55% from the field and 44% from the three point line. Bremerhaven still led the rebounding duel 12-9, but Frankfurt had turned over the ball eight times in this quarter and had 11 turnovers while Bremerhaven had eight turnovers.

In the third quarter, The Fraport Skyliners continued to attack the Eisbaeren Bremerhaven lead, but every time they were cutting the lead down, Bremerhaven responded with a big shot. The Fraport Skyliners started hot with an 8-2 run to cut down the Bremerhaven lead to 45-38. Mcnaughton started off the quarter with a lay in and then Robertson made a banging dunk. German national player Tim Ohlbrecht got an offensive rebound and put back plus and one while Robertson showed his athletic trot again scoring inside and getting an and one. However the Eisbaeren Bremerhaven figured two can play at that game banging a 7-0 run into the faces of the Skyliners to lead big again 52-38. Mike Smith snuck inside getting an easy lay up on an inbounds pass from Everett, Anthony Smith (196-G-86, agency: Pro One Sports, college: Liberty) connected again from the corner and Miami native Zach Peacock hit two free throws. Runs continued to be the name of the third quarter as the Fraport Sklyiners continued never to give up but match the intensity of their opponent going on an important 10-0 run to trail Bremerhaven only 52-48. Thompson started the run with a three pointer seeing no one open going to his left an releasing a three pointer. Then it was Mckinney taking something out of the Pascal Roller handbook of basketball going on the fast break and connecting on a pull up jumper from the three point line something that Roller will probably be able to do in his sleep for the rest of his life. Bremerhaven then hurt Frankfurt inside getting production from their big en Cain and Mcnaughton as a Davidson really was missing inside. Ohlbrecht finished the third quarter with a tip in and the Eisbaeren Bremerhaven led 56-50. We started off a bit slow. It was a quarter of runs. We didnt always execute as well as we could as Frankfurt did, stated Torrell Martin. The Eisbaeren Bremerhaven were shooting 57% from the field and 58% from the parking lot while the Fraport Skyliners were shooting 49% from the field and 40% from the parking lot. Bremerhaven still had the rebound edge 20-17 and both teams had 13 turnovers.

In the fourth quarter, the Eisbaeren Bremerhaven had the lead, but the Fraport Skyliners continued to chip away at the Eisbaeren lead and as the OT period against Braunschweig last weekend belonged to Jimmy Mckinney, the fourth quarter belonged to Devin Gibson as he scored all 11 of his points and looked like a seasoned veteran once again as he had done in Wurzburg and at home against Giessen last month. Gibson scored twice in the first minutes once on a coast to coast fast break an dthen on a set play where he spun around an Eisbaer and finished with a lay up as Frankfurt trailed only 60-54. Alex Gordon and Smith then got to the free throw line and Burtschi connected for a three pointer as Bremerhaven still led 64-57. One phrase that the Fraport Skyliners believe in this season has been we believe. With crunch time slowly approaching the Eisbaeren cage cooking and Bremerhaven always dangerous at home, it was Frankfurt that buckled up on defense and on offense cruised out on a 9-2 run to dead lock the game at 66-66. They put more pressure on us and capitalized on our turnovers, stressed Torrell Martin. Ohlbrecht scored inside while Gibson made a steal and went coast to coast for the lay up and then made the most strange hoop of the night as his attempted ally-op pass to Ohlbrecht swished into the hoop. Little seen German national player Johannes Herber then made a lay up. Peacock them made a mid distance jumper as Bremerhaven led 68-66. Gibson then sprouting with about as much self confidence as Eli Manning has now as a two time Super Bowl winner hit a jumper tying the game at 68-68. Peacock then had an air ball and Gibson went coast to coast again giving Frankfurt the 70-69 advantage. Peacock then made one of two free throws as Frankfurt still led 70-69. Robertson then had an airball and Anthony Smith (196-G-86, agency: Pro One Sports, college: Liberty) hit two free throws as Bremerhaven regained the lead 71-70 and would never look back again. Mckinney then missed a jumper and Cain had the big offensive rebound. Cain made the big play. I told him that he doesnt always have to score, but be aggressive and make the plays. It is the same with me, everybody thinks all I do is score, but I like to do it all, warned Torrell Martin. Anthony Smith (196-G-86, agency: Pro One Sports, college: Liberty) then hit two more free throws and Jacob Burtschi was hit with a technical foul which ultimately sealed the win for Bremerhaven. I was being fouled and I looked over to the ref and told him that and I was hit with technical, said Jacob Burtschi. Burtschi had been warned earlier about flopping, commented Torrell Martin. Alex Gordon ended the game with two free throws as the Fraport Skyliners were so close, but had no cigar at the end. 2Things didnt go our way at the end. We tried to get good shots, but they didnt fall. They attacked the hoop and got to the free throw line, added Michael Thompson.

The Eisbaeren Bremerhaven were led by Anthony Smith (196-G-86, agency: Pro One Sports, college: Liberty) with 25 points. I told him before the game to step it up and dont be afraid to shoot, added Torrell Martin. Mike Smith chipped in with 12 points and five rebounds. The Fraport Skyliners were led by Jimmy Mckinney with 16 points. German national player Tim Ohlbrecht had 12 points and 11 rebounds and Devin Gibson had 12 points. Jacob Burtschi had 11 points and Michael Thompson had 10 points. The Eisbaeren Bremerhaven had a hot shooting night with 51% from the field and 50% from outside while the Fraport Skyliners were solid form the field at 53%, but let up a bit from outside at 37%. Bremerhaven ruled the boards 27-22 and the points in the paint 32-26 and second chance points 13-6. Frankfurt had problems controlling Cain and Mcnaughton down low, but there biggest strength continues to be there never give up attitude and defense is getting back on par. We fought hard and played good half court defense and were able to slow them down, warned Michael Thompson. The Eisbaeren Bremerhaven continue to have their goal, the Beko BBL playoffs and will be looking for their fourth win in a row in Ulm this weekend. The offensive boards were big tonight and limiting their easy baskets. Our big men played very well. Chris Mcnaughton is one of the best centers in the league. He continues to fight for position even when he doesnt get it right away, stressed Torrell Martin. The Fraport Skyliners host FC Bayern Munich February 18th at 20:00.



ProB Round 24: Spot Up Medien Baskets are defeated by SC Rasta Vechta - by Eurobasket News
There are only two more rounds left in the Regular Season in ProB.

The most important game in the last round took place in Vechta between second ranked Spot Up Medien Baskets (15-7) and fourth ranked SC Rasta Vechta (15-7) on Tuesday night. Spot Up Medien Baskets were crushed by SC Rasta Vechta on the road 97-67. The game was mostly controlled by SC Rasta Vechta. Spot Up Medien Baskets managed to win second period 23-20. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. They outrebounded Spot Up Medien Baskets 48-22 including a 20-7 advantage in offensive rebounds. SC Rasta Vechta looked well-organized offensively handing out 23 assists comparing to just 8 passes made by Spot Up Medien Baskets' players. Worth to mention a great performance of American forward Marcus Smallwood (198-82, college: N.Illinois, agency: Court Side) who helped to win the game recording a double-double by scoring 16 points and 15 rebounds and guard Flavio Stuckemann (187-85) who added 12 points and 11 assists during the contest. SC Rasta Vechta's coach Patrick Elzie felt very confident that he used 10 players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. The best for the losing side was Cuban swingman Howard Sant-Roos (198-91) with 18 points. SC Rasta Vechta moved-up to second place, which they share with SU Medien and Herten. SC Rasta Vechta is looking forward to face RSV Eintracht (#7) in Stahnsdorf in the next round where they are favorite. Spot Up Medien Baskets will play on the road against the league's second-placed Hertener Loewen (#2) and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
ProB top team - Hannover Tigers (17-4) added another victory to their record. This time they beat seventh ranked RSV Eintracht (11-12) in Stahnsdorf 80-72. The winners were led by American guard Richard Williams (178-87, college: San Diego St.) who scored that evening 25 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists and 7 steals and Stephen Janzen supported him with 22 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists. Even 22 points and 7 rebounds by American swingman Akeem Bennett (190-87, college: St.Francis, NY) did not help to save the game for RSV Eintracht. Hannover Tigers have a solid three-game winning streak. They maintain first position with 17-4 record. RSV Eintracht lost fifth consecutive game. They keep the seventh place with 12 games lost. Hannover Tigers will play against SC Rist Wedel (#10) at home in the next round and are hoping to win another game. RSV Eintracht will play against SC Rasta Vechta and hopes to get back on the winning track.
ALBA Berlin II (#12) forced the game against SC Rist Wedel (#10) into an overtime, but lost by four points 84-88 on Wednesday night. The best player for the winners was Anthony Pettaway who scored 30 points, 8 rebounds and 4 assists. SC Rist Wedel's coach Ozhan Gurel used an eleven-player rotation in such tough game. At the other side the best for losing team was Darren Stackhouse who recorded a double-double by scoring 21 points, 11 rebounds and 5 assists. SC Rist Wedel (9-13) moved-up to ninth place, which they share with Wolfenbuettel. ALBA Berlin II at the other side keeps the twelfth position with 16 games lost. SC Rist Wedel will meet league's leader Hannover Tigers in the next round and they do not belong to the favorites in that game. ALBA Berlin II will play against SG Schwelmer Baskets (#6) and hope to secure a win.

There were no shocking results in the other games in round 24: Wulfen lost to Herten on the opponent's court 70-81. Schwelm unfortunately lost to Dorsten in a home game 85-91. Bayer Giants recorded a loss to Bernau on the road 66-78.


Group North
Herten - Wulfen 81-70

Very expected game when 8th ranked BSV Wulfen (10-13) was defeated on the road by fourth ranked Hertener Loewen (15-7) 81-70 on Wednesday. The game was mostly controlled by Hertener Loewen. BSV Wulfen managed to win third quarter 25-19. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. Hertener Loewen made 20-of-25 free shots (80.0 percent) during the game. They looked well-organized offensively handing out 25 assists comparing to just 6 passes made by BSV Wulfen's players. The best player for the winners was American guard Zamal Nixon (185-89, college: Houston) who had a double-double by scoring 29 points and 14 assists. Forward Vincent Kittmann (199-88) chipped in 17 points and 5 rebounds. At the other side the best for losing team was American guard Steve Briggs (178-85, college: Okla.Wesleyan) who recorded 17 points and his fellow American import forward Dijon Smith (203-89, college: Ft.Hays State) added 12 points and 5 rebounds respectively. Four BSV Wulfen players scored in double figures. Hertener Loewen moved-up to second place, which they share with SU Medien and Vechta. Newly promoted BSV Wulfen keeps the eighth position with 13 games lost. Hertener Loewen will meet at home Spot Up Medien Baskets (#4) in the next round. BSV Wulfen will have a break next round.
Top scorers:
Herten: Z.Nixon 29+3reb+14ast, V.Kittmann 17+5reb+2ast, J.Taylor 14+4reb+2ast, J.Hartmann 6+3reb+3ast, C.Hackenesch 6+14reb+3ast, C.Marquardt 4+2reb
Wulfen: S.Briggs 17+4reb+1ast, R.Sherman 14+1reb, D.Smith 12+5reb, H.Bellscheidt 10+3reb+1ast, N.Janoschek 9+5reb+1ast, T.Reuter 6+2ast
gschID: 143716


Stahnsdorf - Hannover 72-80

ProB top team - Hannover Tigers (17-4) added another victory to their record. This time they beat seventh ranked RSV Eintracht (11-12) in Stahnsdorf 80-72. It looked good early as RSV Eintracht took an 5-point lead at the end of first quarter. But then Hannover Tigers had a 18-10 second period charge getting the lead and RSV Eintracht was not able to take back game control losing it eventually 72-80. Hannover Tigers forced 21 RSV Eintracht turnovers. The winners were led by American guard Richard Williams (178-87, college: San Diego St.) who scored that evening 25 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists and 7 steals and naturalized Canadian guard Stephen Janzen (191-82) supported him with 22 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists. Even 22 points and 7 rebounds by American swingman Akeem Bennett (190-87, college: St.Francis, NY) did not help to save the game for RSV Eintracht. Guard Thomas Schoeps (188-89, college: Odessa JC) added 17 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists. Hannover Tigers have a solid three-game winning streak. They maintain first position with 17-4 record. RSV Eintracht lost fifth consecutive game. They keep the seventh place with 12 games lost. Hannover Tigers will play against SC Rist Wedel (#10) at home in the next round and are hoping to win another game. RSV Eintracht will play against SC Rasta Vechta and hopes to get back on the winning track.
Top scorers:
Hannover: R.Williams 25+5reb+6ast, S.Janzen 22+5reb+4ast, J.Doerksen 17+5reb, T.Welzel 8+1reb+1ast, J.Lodders 4+3reb+1ast, M.Williams 2+2reb
Stahnsdorf: A.Bennett 22+7reb+3ast, T.Schoeps 17+7reb+5ast, T.Modersitzki 8+6reb+1ast, O.Mackeldanz 7+7reb, R.Jorch 7+4reb, K.Watson 5+2reb+4ast
gschID: 143714


Schwelm - Dorsten 85-91

We could consider it a predictable result in the game between close teams when sixth ranked Dorsten (13-9) defeated on the road 5th ranked SG Schwelmer Baskets (13-9) 91-85 on Wednesday. The game without a history. Dorsten led from the first minutes and controlled entire game increasing their lead in each quarter. They made 20-of-26 free shots (76.9 percent) during the game. The best player for the winners was swingman Tom Lipke (194-86, agency: Court Side) who had a double-double by scoring 19 points and 10 rebounds. American guard Terry Bryant (186-85, college: SE Louisiana) chipped in 21 points and 5 assists (went 7 for 7 at the free throw line). At the other side the best for losing team was American guard Jason Holmes (191-86, college: Le Moyne) who recorded a double-double by scoring 16 points, 11 rebounds and 5 assists and naturalized American forward Kristofer Speier (206-81, college: Lewis-Clark St.) added 19 points and 6 rebounds respectively. Four Dorsten and five SG Schwelmer Baskets players scored in double figures. Dorsten moved-up to fifth place, which they share with Schwelm. Dorsten will meet Bayer Giants (#11) in the next round where they are favorite. SG Schwelmer Baskets will play against ALBA Berlin II (#12) and hope to secure a win.
Top scorers:
Dorsten: T.Bryant 21+3reb+5ast, T.Lipke 19+10reb+2ast, J.Cadmus 18, G.Hagner 12+6reb+1ast, B.Poole 9+11reb+1ast, N.Pelaj 7+1reb
Schwelm: K.Speier 19+6reb+2ast, J.Holmes 16+11reb+5ast, M.Dohmen 13+9reb+2ast, J.Smith 13+1reb+6ast, A.Starr 10+3reb+4ast, M.Kramer 7+3reb+1ast
gschID: 143715


Vechta - SU Medien 97-67

The most important game in the last round took place in Vechta between second ranked Spot Up Medien Baskets (15-7) and fourth ranked SC Rasta Vechta (15-7) on Tuesday night. Spot Up Medien Baskets were crushed by SC Rasta Vechta on the road 97-67. The game was mostly controlled by SC Rasta Vechta. Spot Up Medien Baskets managed to win second period 23-20. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. They outrebounded Spot Up Medien Baskets 48-22 including a 20-7 advantage in offensive rebounds. SC Rasta Vechta looked well-organized offensively handing out 23 assists comparing to just 8 passes made by Spot Up Medien Baskets' players. Worth to mention a great performance of American forward Marcus Smallwood (198-82, college: N.Illinois, agency: Court Side) who helped to win the game recording a double-double by scoring 16 points and 15 rebounds and guard Flavio Stuckemann (187-85) who added 12 points and 11 assists during the contest. Five SC Rasta Vechta players scored in double figures. SC Rasta Vechta's coach Patrick Elzie felt very confident that he used 10 players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. The best for the losing side was Cuban swingman Howard Sant-Roos (198-91) with 18 points and center Frank Theis (200-82) scored 15 points. SC Rasta Vechta moved-up to second place, which they share with SU Medien and Herten. SC Rasta Vechta is looking forward to face RSV Eintracht (#7) in Stahnsdorf in the next round where they are favorite. Spot Up Medien Baskets will play on the road against the league's second-placed Hertener Loewen (#2) and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Vechta: D.Krause 21+1reb, M.Smallwood 16+15reb+1ast, D.Madrich 16+5reb+1ast, M.Reid 13+4reb+5ast, F.Stuckemann 12+4reb+11ast, P.Heitzhausen 8+1reb+3ast
SU Medien: H.Sant-Roos 18+2reb+3ast, F.Theis 15+3reb+1ast, W.Buchmiller 11+3reb, D.Theis 9+4reb, B.Wenzel 5+2reb+1ast, L.Gertz 5+3reb+2ast
gschID: 143711


Bernau - Bayer Giants 78-66

There was a minor upset when 11th ranked Bayer Giants (8-14) were defeated on the road by thirteenth ranked SSV Lok Bernau (2-20) 78-66 on Wednesday. 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 78-66. The best player for the winners was American power forward Martinis Woody (201-82, college: Benedict) who had a double-double by scoring 21 points and 14 rebounds. The other American import guard Jermale Jones (186-86, college: Tuskegee) chipped in 14 points and 4 assists. Jones is a former Eurobasket Summer League player, which is considered top international summer league in the market. SSV Lok Bernau's coach Axel Rueber used a ten-player rotation and allowed the starting five to rest. At the other side the best for losing team was guard Till-Joscha Joenke (189-92) who recorded 12 points and 5 rebounds and American forward Casey Robinson (198-87, college: Alaska-Anch.) added 10 points and 6 rebounds respectively. Four Bayer Giants players scored in double figures. SSV Lok Bernau maintains thirteenth position with 2-20 record. Bayer Giants at the other side keep the eleventh place with 14 games lost. SSV Lok Bernau will meet higher ranked Herzoege Wolfenbuettel (#9) on the road in the next round and it may be quite challenging game. Bayer Giants will play against Dorsten and hope to secure a win.
Top scorers:
Bernau: M.Woody 21+14reb, J.Jones 14+3reb+4ast, D.Klein 10+4reb, V.Mier 9, J.Heide 6+3reb+3ast, F.Schekauski 5+2reb+2ast
Bayer Giants: M.Brueggemann 12+1reb, T.Joenke 12+5reb+3ast, C.Robinson 10+6reb+3ast, M.Goddek 10+7reb, F.Sadek 8+5reb+5ast, M.Kuczmann 6+2reb
gschID: 143712


Rist Wedel - ALBA Berlin II 88-84 OT

ALBA Berlin II (#12) forced the game against SC Rist Wedel (#10) into an overtime, but lost by four points 84-88 on Wednesday night. ALBA Berlin II was trailing by 1 point at halftime but managed to get 7-point lead after three quarters before a 21-14 charge of SC Rist Wedel, which allowed them to tie the game at the end of regular time. They were better in overtime eventually winning that period 15-11. SC Rist Wedel forced 23 ALBA Berlin II turnovers. They looked well-organized offensively handing out 22 assists. The best player for the winners was American center Anthony Pettaway (203-87, college: Defiance) who scored 30 points, 8 rebounds and 4 assists. Forward Kay Gausa (199-92) chipped in 8 points and 4 assists. Four SC Rist Wedel players scored in double figures. SC Rist Wedel's coach Ozhan Gurel used an eleven-player rotation in such tough game. At the other side the best for losing team was American forward Darren Stackhouse (198, college: Shepherd, agency: ProSportsCareers) who recorded a double-double by scoring 21 points, 11 rebounds and 5 assists and naturalized Turkish forward Cem Dinc (211-85, college: Harvard) added 15 points and 13 rebounds respectively. SC Rist Wedel (9-13) moved-up to ninth place, which they share with Wolfenbuettel. ALBA Berlin II at the other side keeps the twelfth position with 16 games lost. SC Rist Wedel will meet league's leader Hannover Tigers in the next round and they do not belong to the favorites in that game. ALBA Berlin II will play against SG Schwelmer Baskets (#6) and hope to secure a win.
Top scorers:
Rist Wedel: A.Pettaway 30+8reb+4ast, A.Johnston 13+3ast, I.Akpinar 11+1reb+1ast, P.Wischnewski 11+2reb+2ast, K.Gausa 8+4reb+4ast, F.Boeke 6+5reb+2ast
ALBA Berlin II: D.Stackhouse 21+11reb+5ast, S.Fulle 19+2reb, C.Dinc 15+13reb, M.Marin 9+1reb, J.Ney 7+7reb+6ast, N.Schumann 7+2ast
gschID: 143713




German ProB round 24 best performance: Zamal Nixon - by Eurobasket News
American guard Zamal Nixon (185-G-89) put on an extraordinary performance in the last round for second-ranked Herten, receiving a Eurobasket.com ProB Player of the Week award for round 24.
The 22-year old player got a double-double of 29 points and 14 assists, while his team beat Wulfen (#8, 10-13) 81-70. Herten is placed at 2nd position in German ProB. They would have been even better if they hadn't lost a few games earlier this season. Herten will need more victories to improve their 15-7 record. In the team's last game Nixon had a remarkable four three-pointers out of 7 attempts. He turned to be Herten's top player in his first season with the team. Former University of Houston star has very solid stats this year. Nixon is in league's top in assists (2nd best: 6.3apg) and averages impressive 2.3spg and 60.2% FGP.

The second best player in last round's games was 24-year old American Anthony Pettaway (203-C-87) of Rist Wedel. Pettaway had a very good evening with 30 points, 8 rebounds and 4 assists. It was enough for Rist Wedel to edge slightly lower-ranked ALBA Berlin II (#12, 6-16) in overtime 88-84. The game was between two teams which are definitely not main contenders for the title. Rist Wedel keeps 10th position. His team is not often considered as one of the league's best with a mere 9-13 record. Pettaway is a newcomer at Rist Wedel, but is already one of team's top players.

Third on the list of top players last round was American forward Martinis Woody (201-F/C-82) of Bernau (#13). Woody scored 21 points and grabbed fourteen rebounds (!!!). He was a key player of Bernau, leading his team to a 78-66 win against slightly higher-ranked Bayer Giants (#11, 8-14). Bernau can only dream about fighting for top spots in the league. They have rather bad season and 2-20 record places them close to the bottom of the standings. Too bad for Woody he does not play for a better team. But maybe if he did, his season stats would not be that high. Woody has individually a great season in Germany. After 21 games, he made it on the list of the league's leaders in rebounds with 9.3rpg (5th best). He also has 1.2bpg and FGP: 58.5%.

Other top performing players last week:
4. Darren Stackhouse (198-F) of ALBA Berlin II - 21 points, 11 rebounds and 5 assists
5. Tom Lipke (194-G/F-86) of Dorsten - 19 points, 10 rebounds and 2 assists
6. Richard Williams (178-G-87) of Hannover - 25 points, 5 rebounds and 6 assists
7. Akeem Bennett (190-G/F-87) of Stahnsdorf - 22 points, 7 rebounds and 3 assists
8. Marcus Smallwood (198-F-82) of Vechta - 16 points and 15 rebounds
9. Jason Holmes (191-G-86) of Schwelm - 16 points, 11 rebounds and 5 assists
10. Cem Dinc (211-F-85) of ALBA Berlin II - 15 points and 13 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)

Ensminger's 29 points and 8 rebounds give him Player of the Week award - by Eurobasket News
38-year old center Chris Ensminger (209-C-73, agency: Limelight Hoops) put on an amazing game in the last round for Telekom Baskets and receives a Eurobasket.com Player of the Week award for round 22.
He had the game-high 29 points adding eight rebounds for Telekom Baskets in his team's victory, helping them to crush EWE Baskets (#9, 11-10) with 24-point margin 99-75. The game rather meaningless between the teams, which do not have any influence on the top of the standings. Telekom Baskets maintains the 10th position in German league. Telekom Baskets is a typical solid league team placed somewhere in the middle or a little bit lower in the standings. They need more victories to improve their 11-11 record. Ensminger has many years of experience at Telekom Baskets, through which he has constantly improved. Valparaiso University graduate has very impressive stats this year. Ensminger is in league's top in points (5th best: 15.0ppg), rebounds (4th best: 7.8rpg) and averages solid 55.8% FGP.

Second best performed player last round was Anthony King (206-F/C-85, agency: Interperformances) of Art.Dragons. He is American forward in his first season at Art.Dragons. In the last game King recorded impressive double-double of 14 points and 14 rebounds. It was enough for Art.Dragons to edge the lower-ranked LTi 46ers (#17, 7-15) by 2 points 72-70. Art.Dragons' 3rd position in the standings has not changed. His team's 17-5 record is not bad at all. King is a newcomer at Art.Dragons and quickly became one of team's most reliable players.

Third place about best performers goes to another Art.Dragons' star - swingman Anthony Hilliard (193-G/F-86). Hilliard showcased his all-around game by recording 14 points, twelve rebounds (!!!) and five assists in the last round. He was another key player of Art.Dragons, helping his team with a 72-70 win against the lower-ranked LTi 46ers (#17, 7-15). Art.Dragons needs these victories very badly if they think about getting closer to top teams. Their record at this point is 17 victories and 5 lost games. Hilliard has a very solid season. In 15 games in Germany he scored 9.0ppg. He also has 4.8rpg and FGP: 50.6%.

Other top performing players last week:
4. Jared Jordan (188-PG-84) of Telekom Baskets - 2 points, 7 rebounds and 18 assists
5. Tony Gaffney (204-F-84) of Telekom Baskets - 20 points and 4 rebounds
6. Anthony Smith (196-G-86) of Bremerhaven - 25 points, 2 rebounds and 3 assists
7. Je'Kel Foster (191-G-83) of B.Muenchen - 22 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists
8. Tim Ohlbrecht (211-C/F-88) of Fraport SKY - 12 points and 11 rebounds
9. Adam Chubb (208-F/C-81) of EWE Baskets - 15 points and 9 rebounds
10. Jared Homan (206-C-83) of B.Muenchen - 21 points, 6 rebounds and 2 assists

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

Regionalliga stars: Joseph Roberson - by Moritz Korff
Continuity isn't a wide spread trait among the majority of American players who head over the pond to compete at the professional level. Play a good year here, then move on to play a good year there. That's the way it goes. Joseph Roberson (193-F-83, college: Concordia Irvine) has taken a different approach. 'It's my home away from home definitely', the native of Canyon Lake, California, says about Treis-Karden, a municipality on the river Moselle. Besides historic houses and churches, quality wines and a beautiful nature, Roberson has found more: 'I think what I like most about living in Treis is how close the community is. Being here for my 3rd year now, you get to know everyone and it's more enjoyable that way.' For the 28-year-old this seems to correspond well with the success, that TuS Treis-Karden is enjoying this season in the 1. Regionalliga South-West: 'Playing wise it would be the same. How close I am with the guys on the team. After spending so much time at practice, road trips, and hanging out outside of basketball it is impossible to not become like a family. If you ask most teams why we are in the top of the league, I think they would all say: it is because we play so well as a team', he explains.

When the Holiday Check Baskets Konstanz fell short to Saarlouis in late January, Treis-Karden was right there to put itself on top of the table and since then has defended the number one spot. A championship in the making? Roberson: 'There is no doubt in my mind that this team has a championship mindset. Unlike most of the top teams in this league we have had to win 'A LOT' of close games. Before last week we had three consecutive two point victories, where in each game our opponent had a 3-point look at the buzzer to win the game. Those kind of games test a teams character and composure, and in every game we had a different guy step up and either hit a big shot or get a defensive stop to secure the victory.' However, it's a long journey to win some hardware, as Roberson can tell from his junior season at Concordia Irvine. In 2007 the Eagles made it all the way to the NAIA Division 1 championship game, but got knocked off by Oklahoma City University in the final. Thus, Roberson knows that it's not over til it's over and for that reason prefers to take it one game at a time: 'Our mindset is to not look ahead on the schedule to any opponent and only worry about the team we are playing that week. This week we play Freiburg, and the only thing that matters to us in our preparation at practice is to get a road victory in Freiburg.'

Roberson first arrived to Treis-Karden in 2008, with a solid college-career under his belt. At NAIA powerhouse Concordia Irvine he did not appear as a big time scorer, but as Mr. Versatile and a tenacious defender. After his arrival to Germany he unveiled his ability to score and has led Treis-Karden in points per contest ever since. 'I feel my greatest strength is my versatility and being able to be moved around offensively and defensively. I am not great at any one thing, but I do all things pretty well. My natural position is probably the 3. Although from age 5 to about age 20 I was primarily a point guard, then switched over to the wing in college', he says. While you will rarely see Roberson take a shot from beyond the arc, the 6'4'' (1,93m) guard/forward is not afraid to throw his body around and to fight for every rebound: 'Every player that has ever played the game of basketball has strengths and weaknesses. I am no different, I have never been considered a knock down outside shooter. Part of maturing as a basketball player is to realize your weakness and learn to use your strengths to overcome them. Rebounding is not a skill you learn, its all about effort. I learned at a young age from my youth coach, Rick Wolter, that there are only two things you can control on the basketball court: your attitude and the effort you put forth. That has stuck with me throughout my playing career. If you go to the boards every time you are going to give yourself an opportunity to get more rebounds. Now of course it wouldn't hurt to be 6'8' with long arms either!', he laughs. Averaging 18.6 points (knocking down 58.8% of his shots from the field), 7.3 rebounds, 2.9 steals and 2.8 assists, the 28-year-old is as productive as it gets in the 1. Regionalliga South-West. 'I think it comes down to not only being a stand-out player statistically, but you have to be a stand-out on a winning team. When you can do that then I think you can garner a little more attention from the higher leagues. I think any player who said he doesn't have a desire to play in a higher league would be lying. Of course as a competitor I would welcome that challenge. But at the same time I also recognize that Treis-Karden gave me an opportunity to play professional basketball when no other team would. They have always treated me fairly and with respect. And for that I will always be eternally grateful to the people of Treis-Karden', he tells.

Continuity is about to pay off for TuS Treis-Karden. The core of the team has been playing together for several years - a fact that the club is now benefiting from, considering that only one American player per team is permitted. It has become harder to buy your way to the top. Roberson: 'I think the only thing that has changed is you don't have a super team anymore that is untouchable by the rest of the league. Last year it was Hanau for us who were almost fully professional at every position with I believe 3-4 Americans. This year the competition from game to game has increased. Any team in the league can beat anyone. For the young German players I can not speak for other teams, but for sure on our team we have young local Germans like Dominic Neeb and Dominique Tholey who have a ton of potential and now are gaining the confidence through playing and being relied upon to be a big part of a teams success. An opportunity they may have not had if more Americans were allowed to be on the team.'

*****************************************************
  GREECE   


A1 Week 18: Normal Results before the Break! - by Chris Mammides
Since there are official Holidays in Greece, the games which supposed to take place on the Weekend took place tonight and we had quite normal results considering the team's situations.
The results for the 18th week were as follows:
Kolossos Rodou - Olympiakos 64-78
KAOD - Ikaros 84-80
AGOR - PAOK 81-71
Panathinaikos - Kavala 93-71
Peristeri - Ilysiakos 60-65
Panionios - Maroussi 97-57

The games in more detail:
Kolossos Rodou - Olympiakos 64-78
Quarters:11-11, 26-24, 35-48, 64-78
For 25 minutes the game was a derby as the home team with Nikos Liakopoulos (191-G-83, agency: FCM) in the leading role was fighting back the top seated team of Olympiakos, but after the 25th minute the Reds speed up and they never looked back. This time the team of Olympiakos was not so good (like in the game against Panathinaikos) and that was one of the major reasons why the islanders wre leading the game for as amny as 24 something minutes. For another one game (the 10th this season) top scorer and top performer was Georgios Printezis (206-F-85, agency: FCM) who is among the players to travel in Puerto Rico for the Olympic Tournament before London. Also it is worth mentioned the fact that Law performed his best game since he arrived in Greece.
Top scorers:
Kolossos: Hatten 16, Ruben Boykin (201-F-85, college: N.Arizona) 16 Liakopoulos 10
Olympiakos: Georgios Printezis 14, Law 10, Spanoulis 10

KAOD - Ikaros 84-80
Quarters: 18-13, 36-33, 64-56, 84-80
The first of the two derbies of this week end up with a home win for Coach Kalafatakis team over the fighting team of Coach Skourthopoulos, Ikaros, with a Romel Beck (203-G/F-82, agency: Interperformances, college: UNLV) (203-G/F-82, college: UNLV) from another planet ending his game with a career high in the Greek courts, 34 points, 2 rebounds, 1 steal and 5 assists he is the MVP of the week no matter what. The game was a derby from the early beggining until the very end and the victory could easily be dedicated (for another one game) to the rejuvenated veteran Kosta Charalampidis (189-G-76) who was there in all the crucial moments for his team. He ended the game with 26 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals and 8 winning fouls.
Top scorers:
KAOD: Kosta Charalampidis 26, Hunt 13, Zaras 12
Ikaros: Romel Beck 34, Skordilis 15

AGOR - PAOK 81-71
Quarters: 26-23, 44-36, 63-50, 81-71
The heroic Dimos Dikoudis (206-F/C-77) gave his best shot for another one game but he was all alone in the 11th negative game for Coach Markopoulos in 18 matches. AGOR and Coach Koufos saw Papanikolaou in another one game being steady and performed very well while usual suspects in scoring, Americans Dionte Christmas (196-G-86, college: Temple) and Wright like most of the season were there steady and with good productive results. PAOK was for another game below the expectations of its fans and with the two veterans, Giannis Kalambokis (195-G-78, agency: FCM) and Dimos Dikoudis who scored the 42 points of the 71 of their team were not able to do anything but to minimise the loss at the end.
Top scorers:
AGOR: Dionte Christmas 19, Wright 18, Papanikolaou 12
PAOK: Dimos Dikoudis 26, Giannis Kalambokis 16

Panathinaikos - Kavala 93-71
Quarters: 21-24, 46-42, 68-61, 93-71
The team which is the reason of the second position for Coach Obradovic team, the team of Coach Priftis's Kavala, was very competitive for more than 31 minutes but the last 8 minutes were totally painted green, as the players of Obadovic took it seriously and they probably remembered how did they lose a game of their own in Kavala, and they speed up in the last 8 minutes and that was the result of the reshaped of teh score from 70-63 to the final 93-71 as the Greens succeed an amazing 23-8 in less than 8 minutes. Michael Taylor (188-G-86, college: Iowa St.) was great in anotehr game against Panathinaikos and was a continouous thread for the Greens with his fast breaks and together with the Bulgarian Kostov, kept their team very close to the score for most of the game, at the end they got tired and the Greens reacted.
Top scorers:
Panathinaikos: Sarunas Jasikevicius (192-G-76, college: Maryland) 16, Vougioukas 15, Kaimakoglou 15, Diamantidis 10 and 7 assists, Perperoglou 13
Kavala: Michael Taylor 16, Kostov 11, Simtsak 10, O' Bryant 11, Agelopoulos 12

Peristeri - Ilysiakos 60-65
Quarters: 11-20, 31-32, 45-45 and the final 60-65
A great Road Win for the team of Coach Flevarakis took palce in Peristeri earlier on this afternoon. The victory is dedicated to the man of the match who was no other than the Cameroonian power forward Harding NaNa (203-F-81, college: Delaware) who was the A-Z for Iliysiakos Road win against the 'fighting' team of Peristeri. Harding NaNa ended the game with 19 points, 11 rebounds, 2 steals, 1 assist, 1 steal and 1 block shot and was the man to put a tompstone in the dreams of Coach Pedoulakis team for a possible victory. It is worth mentioend the fact that Peristeri play most of the time with a pure Greek team as with the exception of Edwards who played for all 40 minutes, Mitrovic and Jovovic played all and all 13 minutes all together, so players like Psaropoulos (17 minutes) Tsiloulis (22 minutes), Sotirios Manolopoulos (208-F-87, agency: FCM) (208-F-87) (37 minutes) and Papantoniou (29 minutes) had the chance to play more time and gain experiences who will be very helpfull in the short term future.
Top scorers:
Peristeri: Sotirios Manolopoulos 21, Haralampos Giannopoulos (206-F-89, agency: FCM) 11, Papantoniou 10, Edwards 10 and 9 rebounds
Ilysiakos: Harding NaNa 19, Kaselakis and Matalos 9 per head.

Panionios - Marousi 97-57
Quarters: 23-13, 46-24, 67-46, 97-57
There are not many words to describe a 40 points game other than its a pitty for such a team like Maroussi to be so close to catastrophy not only due to the certain A2 league next season but for the total downgrade of the team in less than one year, if one considers the fact that this team 14 monhts ago was among the top 16 teams in the Euroleague then he will be able to compare the great difference and the sour taste of the financial issues of the team.
Top scorers:
Panionios: Jon Diebler (198-G-88, college: Ohio St.) 22 and 11 rebounds, Sarikopoulos 17, Kavvadas 10
Maroussi: Yannis Gagaloudis (192-G-78) 16 and 10 assists, Kommatos 14



Standings - A1
A1 Standings
 1. Olympiakos 17-1 
 2. Panathinaikos 15-2 
 3. Kolossos 13-4 
 4. Panionios 13-5 
 5. AGOR 10-7 
 6. Kavala 9-9 
 7. KAOD 7-11 
 8. Ilysiakos 7-11 
 9. PAOK 7-11 
 10. Aris 6-11 
 11. Peristeri GS 6-11 
 12. Ikaros 4-15 
 13. Marousi 0-18 


Zack Wright claims Greek A1 weekly honour - by Eurobasket News
American Zack Wright (188-G-85, agency: Court Side) had an amazing evening in the last round for AGOR and that's him to receive a Eurobasket.com Player of the Week award for round 19.
The 26-year old guard had the game-high 18 points adding three rebounds and four assists for AGOR in his team's victory, helping them to beat PAOK (#9, 7-11) 81-71. AGOR maintains the 5th position in Greek A1. They would have been even better if they hadn't lost a few games earlier this season. AGOR will need more victories to improve their 10-7 record. Wright turned to be AGOR's top player in his first season with the team. University of Central Missouri graduate has very impressive stats this year. Wright is in league's top in assists (6th best: 4.3apg) and averages solid 2.2spg and 52.9% FGP.

The second most remarkable performance in last round's games was 34-year old former international power forward Dimos Dikoudis (206-F/C-77) of PAOK. Dikoudis impressed basketball fans with 26 points, 5 rebounds and 3 assists. Bad luck as PAOK lost that game 71-81 to the higher-ranked AGOR (#5, 10-7). This loss caused PAOK to drop to 9th position in the standings. His team is not often considered as one of the league's best with a mere 7-11 record. Dikoudis is a newcomer at PAOK and it seems he did not have too much trouble to become one of team's leaders. He belongs to the best scorers in the league with 15.0ppg (#9). He also registered 4.5 boards per game.

The third best performed player last round was American Romel Beck (203-G/F-82, agency: Interperformances) of Ikaros (#12). Beck got into 30-points club by scoring 34 points in the last round. He went also for five assists. Despite Beck's great performance Ikaros lost 80-84 to the higher-ranked KAOD (#7, 7-11). But his team cannot count on just a single shooter as he also needs help of the other teammates. Ikaros can only dream about fighting for top spots in the league. They have rather bad season and 4-15 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 9 games in Greece he scored 13.2ppg.

Other top performing players last week:
4. Jon Diebler (198-G-88) of Panionios - 22 points and 11 rebounds
5. Harding NaNa (203-F-81) of Ilysiakos - 19 points and 11 rebounds
6. Kosta Charalampidis (189-G-76) of KAOD - 26 points, 3 rebounds and 2 assists
7. Marios Batis (188-G-80) of Panionios - 16 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists
8. Dionte Christmas (196-G-86) of AGOR - 19 points, 7 rebounds and 3 assists
9. Yannis Gagaloudis (192-G-78) of Marousi - 16 points, 2 rebounds and 10 assists
10. Zisis Sarikopoulos (213-C-90) of Panionios - 17 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)

*****************************************************
  HOLLAND   


ZZ Leiden: Worthy de Jong re-signs for two seasons - by Fred Roggen
Reigning Dutch champion ZZ Leiden announced that guard Worthy de Jong signed a contract extension on Wednesday that will keep him at the club until the end of the 2013-14 season.
Worthy de Jong joined ZZ Leiden in 2010 and averaged 7.5 points and 1.4 assists in 48 Dutch League games, helping the club to lift the trophy.
His often spectacular way of playing and especially his dunks have made him very popular in Leiden.


Stepco BSW inks prospect Quincy Treffers - by Fred Roggen
Dutch prospect forward Quincy Treffers (202-F-91) joins Stepco BSW. A familiar face will be back in the Dutch Basketball League this season, none other than Quincy Treffers, who inked a deal for the remain of this season with the Dutch DBL team on Wednesday.
Treffers who played the previous season for WCAA Giants went after the bankruptcy of WCAA Giants to Las Palmas and played this season for the Canarias Basketball Academy.
Last season Treffers averaged 3.7 points and 2.7 rebounda in 26 Dutch Basketball League games for WCAA Giants.


Standings - Eredivisie
Eredivisie Standings
 1. Groningen 15-5 
 2. Leiden 13-4 
 3. Den Bosch 13-6 
 4. Nijmegen 11-8 
 5. Zwolle 10-10 
 6. Leeuwarden 8-11 
 7. Rotterdam 3-16 
 8. Weert 3-16 


*****************************************************
  HUNGARY   


TK moves to Zalaegerszeg - by Tamas Deri
After the lost game against JKSE last weekend the management of ZTE KK decided to make some changes on the roster and try to fill in the wishes of the management, coaching stuff, players and all the fans of the historical club, to keep the team in the top division for the next season. The team of coach Kiss is with a 1-17 record on the last place of the championship and would need at least 5 more wins in the last 8 rounds to move up. It is almost sure, that ZTE will attend the playout against the 13th place team - right now it is Factum Sport Debrecen - after the regular season and try to win 2 games of the best of three series.
Even for this reason the management was negotiating with one of the most experienced playmakers of our league and could finally agree with american Thomas Kelley (188-G-77, agency: TSS Management, college: Michigan St.). TK is a well known player in our country as he has been playing here for several years since 2005, when he signed with Szolnok. He spent three seasons with the club and helped it to win the Hungarian Championship and Cup in 2007. He moved to Pecs in 2008 and won with his team the Hungarian Cup again. In summer 2009 he moved back to Szolnok and sigend a two-years contract which got broken in March 2010 because of his health problems. During the summer he got fit again and agreed with Sopron and averaged 16.4ppg, 3.6rpg, 6.1apg in 26 games. He signed with Kecskemet in July 2011 and helped coach Ivkovic's team with 10.6 points, 3.9 assists and 1.9 rebounds in 31 minutes on the court.

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


Standings - Superleague
Superleague Standings
 1. Mahram 18-0 
 2. Foolad Mahan 16-3 
 3. Petrochimi 14-5 
 4. Azad 14-5 
 5. Zob Ahan 12-6 
 6. Sanaye Petrochimi 10-9 
 7. M.H.Ahvaz 8-14 
 8. Pouya 7-14 
 9. Shiraz a.s Pipe 6-15 
 10. Gorgan 6-15 
 11. Zanjan 5-16 
 12. Jahesh 3-17 


*****************************************************
  IRELAND   


Killeen's double-double lands him Player of the Week award - by Eurobasket News
26-year old center Jason Killeen (211-C-85, agency: JEMsports) put on an amazing game in the last round for UL Eagles and receives a Eurobasket.com Player of the Week award for round 17.
He had a double-double of 34 points and 30 rebounds, while his team crushed Moycullen (#4, 4-14) with 21-point margin 80-59. The game was between two of the league's top four teams. UL Eagles maintains the 3rd position in Irish league. UL Eagles is a typical solid league team placed somewhere in the middle or a little bit lower in the standings. They need more victories to improve their 9-8 record. Killeen turned to be UL Eagles' top player in his first season with the team. Augusta State University graduate has very impressive stats this year. Killeen is in league's top in rebounds (3rd best: 12.4rpg) and averages solid 2.4bpg and 53.2% FGP.

Second best performed player last round was Jermaine Turner (195-F-74) of league's second-best 11890 Killester. He is naturalized American forward in his 3rd season at 11890 Killester. In the last game Turner recorded impressive double-double of 47 points and 23 rebounds. Bad luck as 11890 Killester was edged by slightly lower-ranked Belfast Star (#4, 2-14) 112-109. It was definitely game of the week between two contenders to the title. 11890 Killester still maintains its place in the top 2 of the standings, even despite this loss. His team's 11-6 record is not bad at all. Turner is one of the most experienced players at 11890 Killester and has a reputation of one of team's most reliable players. He belongs to the best scorers in the league with 19.4ppg (#4). His other stats are also decent: 18.5rpg and 4.0apg.

Third place about best performers goes to forward Ronald Thompson (208-F/C-81) of league's second-best B.Gais Neptune. Thompson got into 30-points club by scoring 31 points in the last round. He went also for nineteen rebounds and five assists. He was a key player of B.Gais Neptune, leading his team to a 89-71 easy win against #3 ranked UCD Marian. B.Gais Neptune needs these victories very badly if they think about taking over top position in the standings. Their record at this point is 10 victories and 6 lost games. Thompson has a great season in Ireland. After 13 games, he made it on the list of the league's leaders in points with 23.9ppg (2nd best) and rebounds with 14.2rpg (2nd best). He also has 3.2spg, 2.2bpg and FGP: 59.2%.

Other top performing players last week:
4. Shawn Atupem (200-F-89) of UCC Demons - 38 points, 12 rebounds and 5 assists
5. Joshua Johnson (199-F-85) of Belfast Star - 21 points, 15 rebounds and 2 assists
6. Philip Taylor (196-G/F-86) of B.Gais Neptune - 15 points and 12 rebounds
7. Patrick Glover (193-F-77) of DCU Saints - 12 points, 10 rebounds and 5 assists
8. Michael Trimmer (204-C-67) of DCU Saints - 19 points, 4 rebounds and 3 assists
9. Gerard Noonan (180-G-82) of B.Gais Neptune - 24 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists
10. Kieran O'Brien (203-F/C-82) of 11890 Killester - 12 points, 14 rebounds and 4 assists

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

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


Standings - SerieA
SerieA Standings
 1. Montepaschi 15-5 
 2. Armani MI 12-8 
 3. CS Bologna 12-8 
 4. Banco di Sard. 12-8 
 5. Umana Venezia 11-7 
 6. Scavolini PS 11-7 
 7. Bennet Cantu 11-8 
 8. Sidigas AV 11-8 
 9. Cimberio VA 10-10 
 10. Otto Caserta 9-10 
 11. Acea Roma 9-11 
 12. Angelico BI 9-11 
 13. Benetton TV 8-11 
 14. Banca Tercas 7-12 
 15. Fabi Shoes 7-12 
 16. Vanoli CR 6-14 
 17. Novipiu CM 5-15 


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


*****************************************************
  KAZAKHSTAN   


Standings -D1
D1 Standings
 1. BC Astana 17-0 
 2. Barsy Atyrau 13-5 
 3. BK Almaty 7-7 
 4. Tobol 7-10 
 5. Kaspiy Aktau 5-9 
 6. BK Atyrau 0-18 


*****************************************************
  KOSOVO   


Start of the season, delayed for the second time - by Dren Shporta
Start of the second part of the season in BKT Superliga is delayed again. This decision was taken after Basketball Federation of Kosovo has analyzed the situation at clubs and courts. With these polar temperatures held for more than a month in Kosovo and high level of snow it is very hard to heat the courts, says a notification of FBK.

They also added that it would be hard for teams to travel from a city to city. For these reasons the Board of FBK has decided to delay the start of the season for one week more. So, if conditions will be all right, the second part of the season in BKT Superliga will start with 25 and 26 of February.




The Independence Tournament starts today! - by Dren Shporta
Tournament that is organized for Kosovos Independence Day will start today. Basketball Federation of Kosovo (FBK) has made all needed preparations for this event. The teams that will take part in this tournament are Kosovos National Team U-18, Zrinjevac from Croatia, Feniks from Macedonia and Cair from Macedonia.

Today will be played two semifinal matches. The draw has made possible these clashes, Kosovo against Feniks and Zrinjevac against Cair. The first semifinal game will be played between Kosovo and Feniks, starting at 13:00. While the second semifinal match will start at 15:00.

As you can see the team of Cair was not in a list for this tournament as notified before, but after Podgorica team couldnt came because of the hard weather situation there, FBK invited the Macedonian team which immediately accepted the invitation.

This tournament will be held for two days in a row. Today are semifinal matches and tomorrow will be played matches for third and first place. FBK is organizing this tournament for Kosovos fourth birthday as a state. Kosovo is Independent State since 2008, February 17th.





*****************************************************
  KUWAIT   


The most exciting game all night - Qadsia va Sahel - by Mohammed Al Shimeri
February 15, 2011: Kazma beats Yarmouk 101 to 72 and Kuwait beats Jahra 76 to 69; the game that was worth watching was tonights last game where Al Al Qadsia scraped by for the win against Al Sahel (who beat them by 10 points last game). In the first quarter, Al Al Qadsia's Mohammed, Fahad and Ahmed were already throwing elbows and were in foul trouble; as was Saleh, for Al Sahel. However, Anthony (Nathan Green (203-F-75, college: Idaho St.) , Abdullah and Ahmed were putting it in the hole left and right. Al Al Qadsia was leading with 2 points in the first half for a while and along with a few baskets by Tyrone Anderson (193-G-84, college: Concord) that helped them keep that 2 point lead. Despite Al Al Qadsias local players ability to hit a bunch of 3s and Al Sahels weak defence, somehow Al Sahel tied and didnt let Al Al Qadsia get the big lead. Al Sahel kept penetrating for the layup, time after time. However, Al Sahel did struggle with their free throws and this cost them the game, coupled with some poor calls by the referees in over time. Although Al Al Qadsias coach gave his American player Tyrone a break and brought out his big, Lee Benson (208-F/C-73, agency: Paris Global Sports, college: Brown Mackie), neither player was any match for Anthony as he kept his energy strong the whole game (Al Sahel depends on one verses two Americas and is the only team in the top 6 teams that doesnt employ two players he plays against two imports like he was two players). Al Sahel came back from half time to win. They found their self in the lead quickly to the frustration of Al Al Qadsia who continued to foul out players (fortunately for Al Al Qadsia they werent key players). In the end it came down to a tough call made by the referees that put Al Sahel in a situation where they had 1.2 seconds left without the foul call on Al Al Qadsia they deserved. Abdullah proved to be a key player for Al Al Qadsia and took home 30points, half from free throws. Anthony was the top scoring player for Al Sahel, but Abdullah was right behind him and so was Ahmed they really know how to share the ball. The most exciting game of the night!

Standings
D1 Standings
 1. Al Kuwait 9-3 
 2. Kazma 8-4 
 3. Al Qadsia 8-4 
 4. Al Sahel 7-5 
 5. Al Jahraa 3-9 
 6. Al Yarmook 1-11 


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


Standings - LBAL
LBL2 Standings
 1. BK VEF 20-2 
 2. Barons/Keizar. 18-2 
 3. Liepaja-2 18-3 
 4. Saldus 17-4 
 5. VEF Kadeti 13-8 
 6. Riga 12-9 
 7. RSU 12-9 
 8. VA 11-11 
 9. DSN 10-11 
 10. Ogres 7-14 
 11. Jelgava/LLU 7-15 
 12. Cesis 7-15 
 13. Livani 7-15 
 14. Valmiera U21 5-17 
 15. Gulbene 5-18 
 16. Ridzene 3-19 


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


Siauliai added American Miguel Morton - by Eurobasket News
Siauliai added American Miguel Morton (208-F-83, agency: TSS Management, college: Columbus St.) for the rest of the season. A 208cm player joined the team.
In 2004-2005 he started for Alabama St. (NCAA) and in 10 games averaged 0.9ppg, 1.5rpg. In 2005-2006 for Alabama St. (NCAA) he improved to 3.0ppg, 2.6rpg, 1.0apg. In 2006-2007 his stats read 7.0ppg, 4.4rpg, 1.0apg, 2FGP: 51.1%, 3PT: 33.3%. The season 2007-2008 Miguel spent with Columbus St. (NCAA2) and showed 8.6ppg, 6.0reb, 3.5apg.
In October 2009 moved to SK Dnipro Azot Dnepropetrovsk (Ukraine-Superleague, starting five) and had 10.5ppg, 7.3rpg, 1.6bpg, FGP: 47.5%, 3PT: 30.0%, FT: 74.4%, in Mar.'10 signed at BC Odessa (Ukraine-Superleague).
The season 2010-2011 appeared for Usak Universitesi (Turkey-TB2L), injured in Nov.'10. In 3 games he had high 16.0ppg, 10.3rpg, 2.7bpg. Later he played for Black Monopoly (SEBL) and Athens Razors (ABA, starting five).


Standings - NKL
NKL Standings
 1. LKKA-Atletas 22-12 
 2. Nafta Universitetas 22-12 
 3. Radviliskis 21-12 
 4. Delikatesas 21-13 
 5. Triobet 19-15 
 6. Mazeikiai 19-15 
 7. Zalgiris-Sabonio 18-14 
 8. Matinga-Juod. 18-15 
 9. Statyba 18-16 
 10. Ezerunas-Karys 18-16 
 11. Perlas-MRU 16-18 
 12. Meresta 16-19 
 13. S.Marciulionio 15-19 
 14. Silute 12-22 
 15. Gargzdai 9-26 
 16. ABRO-Univ. 7-27 


Sakalai won the Quarterfinal game over Neptunas - by Eurobasket News
Sakalai won the Quarterfinal game over Neptunas 86:74 in BBL that was enough to seal the place in the semis. Neptunas managed to win third quarter 16-14. But 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 Neptunas used huge pressure winning it 20-17 getting a tie at the end of regular time. They lost eventually overtime period 7-15. 33 personal fouls committed by Neptunas helped opponents get some easy free throw opportunities. Worth to mention a great performance of forward Evaldas Baniulis (201-F-87, college: S.Carolina) who helped to win the game recording 11 points, 8 rebounds and 4 assists. Laurynas Samenas (192-G-88) contributed with 18 points for the winners. Laurynas Mikalauskas (205-F-85, college: Virginia) replied with a double-double by scoring 15 points and 13 rebounds and Arturs Brunins (198-F-82) added 10 points and 8 rebounds in the effort for Neptunas.
Leading Siauliai recorded its third loss at the home court. Hosts were defeated by eighth ranked Kedainiai in overtime 105:99. It ended at the same time the two-game winning streak of Siauliai. Siauliai was ahead by 6 points after three quarters before a 27-21 charge of Kedainiai, which allowed them to tie the game at the end of regular time. They were better in overtime eventually winning that period 19-13.. Siauliai was plagued by 27 personal fouls down the stretch. Worth to mention a great performance of point guard Vytenis Jasikevicius who helped to win the game recording 23 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists and David McClure (200-F-86, college: Duke) who added 13 points and 10 rebounds during the contest. At the losing side Cam Long (193-G-88, agency: KMG Sports Management, college: George Mason) responded with 31 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists and Julius Jucikas scored 21 points and 8 rebounds.



*****************************************************
  LUXEMBOURG   


T71 Dudelange and Sparta reach Cup Final - by Eurobasket News
T71 Dudelange and Sparta will play for Luxembourg Cup title. The teams advanced into the title game after victories in the respective semis. The Final is scheduled for April 28.
Sparta dethroned Etzella beating those 73:71 in the first semifinal. Sparta earned a narrow 37:33 halftime lead. Etzella pulled ahead in the third term but Sparta bounced back in the final frame and sealed the victory at the end. Kasey Ulin (184-PG-82, college: Dickinson St.) knocked down 27 points to lead the effort. Larrie Smith (198-F-75, college: Tenn Tech) added 20 points and 9 rebounds for Sparta. Corey Raji (198-F-88, agency: Pro Partner Sports Management, college: Boston Coll.) answered with 22 points and 19 rebounds for Etzella.
T71 Dudelange stopped Musel Pikes 66:59 in another semifinal. Tom Schumacher (190-G-87, college: Cal.Baptist) accounted for 17 points, while Frank Muller (194-F/C-88, college: Cuesta JC) had 15 points and 18 rebounds for T71. Musel Pikes led by as many as 9 points at halftime 37:28. But T71 went on a massive comeback rally in the second half to seal the winning outcome at the end. Bob Kieffer (196-F-86) provided 10 points in the victory. Philip Perre (198-F-79, college: N.Alabama) answered with 23 points for Musel Pikes.


*****************************************************
  MALTA   


Standings
Powerade League Standings
 1. Athleta 6-0 
 2. Floriana 3-3 
 3. Bupa 3-3 
 4. Depiro 3-3 
 5. Siggiewi 2-4 
 6. Loyola 1-5 


Loyola draw first blood in National League - by Eurobasket News
Loyola snapped their five-game losing skid and celebrated the initial win in the championship. They surprised Luxol 68:63 on the road. Loyola needed an overtime to tame the hosts. Rashanti Harris (203-F) knocked down 20 points to lead the effort. Sean Pace contributed 16 points in the victory. Jeron Belin (198-F-88, agency: Dynamics Global Management, college: St.Peter's) reacted with 21 points for Luxol as they fell at 3-3 record.
Athleta earned the sixth straight win as they fired past Floriana 83:46 away from home. Omar Said (177-G-80) stepped up with 22 points for the league leaders. Marko Todorovic (204-F/C-85) had 15 points in the winning case. Christopher Sammut (169-G-85) delivered 19 points for Floriana as they slipped at 3-3 record.
Depiro posted the third victory beating Siggiewi 73:68 at home court. Depiro trailed by 6 points heading into the final frame but went on a 31:20 rally to snatch victory at the end. Adrian Micallef (190-F-79) and Greg Hamlin (201-F-86, college: E.Tenn.St.) netted 17 points apiece in the winning effort. Marko Matijevic (200-F-78) answered with 20 points for Siggiewi.


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


NBA announces Three-Point Contest participants - by Eurobasket News
Bombs away.

The NBA announced its field of six competitors for the annual Three-Point Contest, a Saturday staple of All-Star Weekend. This year's Three-Point Contest will take place at the Amway Center in Orlando on Saturday, Feb. 25.

The field includes Miami Heat forward James Jones (6'8''-F-80, college: Miami, FL), the defending champion, plus Heat guard Mario Chalmers (6'1''-PG-86, college: Kansas), Minnesota Timberwolves All-Star forward Kevin Love (6'10''-C-88, college: UCLA), Atlanta Hawks All-Star guard Joe Johnson (6'7''-G-81, college: Arkansas), Orlando Magic forward Ryan Anderson (6'10''-F-88, college: California) and New Jersey Nets guard Anthony Morrow (6'5''-G-85). Last week, Love revealed that he would be among the competitors.

Chalmers leads this year's field with 46.3 percent 3-point shooting. He's actually not even the best 3-point shooter on the Heat, as Mike Miller is connecting on 52.1 percent of his tries, although he's only taken 48 through Tuesday night's action. Anderson is next at 42.1 percent (22nd in the league among shooters with enough attempts), Morrow is at 42.0 percent (26th in the league), Love is at 36.1 percent (63rd in the league) and Johnson is at 35.6 percent (65th in the league). Jones is shooting 40.4 percent from deep but hasn't hoisted enough threes to make the leaderboard. He would place in the mid-thirties if he had.

Here's how the competition works, in case you are new to the sport of basketball.

The players will compete in the two-round competition with the top three finishers from the first round advancing to the finals. Five shooting stations will be set up around the three-point line, with four Official Spalding NBA game balls worth one point each and one Spalding NBA All-Star 2012 commemorative money ball worth two points at each location. Each player will have one minute to shoot as many balls as he can. In the final round, players will shoot in ascending order of first-round scores. At the discretion of the referee, television instant replay may be consulted for clarification of rules compliance.

At 2011 All-Star Weekend in Los Angeles, Jones defeated a field that included Boston Celtics All-Star forward Paul Piece, Celtics All-Star guard Ray Allen, Oklahoma City Thunder All-Star forward Kevin Durant, Golden State Warriors forward Dorell Wright and Cleveland Cavaliers guard Daniel Gibson.

Courtesy of www.cbssports.com

Hornets sign Solomon Jones - by Eurobasket News
The New Orleans Hornets announced today that they have signed forward Solomon Jones (6'10''-F/C-84, college: S.Florida) to a 10-day contract.

Jones, a University South Florida product, appeared in 10 regular season games with the Los Angeles Clippers this season before being waived on February 7th. Originally signed by Los Angeles on January 3, 2012, Jones averaged 0.6 points, 1.7 rebounds and 0.5 blocks in 9.6 minutes of play with the Clippers.

The 6'10' forward is in his sixth NBA season, originally drafted by the Atlanta Hawks with the 33rd pick in the 2006 NBA draft. After spending three seasons in Atlanta where he played in 156 games (including eight starts during his rookie season), Jones spent the 2009-10 and 2001-11 campaigns with the Indiana Pacers before landing with the Clippers this season. The Eustis, Florida native holds career averages of 3.0 points, 2.3 rebounds and 0.6 blocks in 10.8 minutes over 257 games.

Jones will wear #18.

Courtesy of www.fox8live.com

Team USA set for Games warm-up - by Eurobasket News
The United States will play Spain and Argentina in a pre-Olympic warm-up event that marks the 20th anniversary of the arrival of the 'Dream Team.'

The three countries will play a round-robin style tournament at Palau Sant-Jordi, starting July 22. Spain will face the United States in a Beijing Olympic gold medal rematch on July 24.

Led by NBA greats Michael Jordan (6'7''-F-63, college: N.Carolina), Larry Bird and Magic Johnson (6'10''-G-59, college: Michigan St.), the Americans won gold at the 1992 Barcelona Games -- the first Olympics with professional basketball players competing.

London will host this year's Olympics from July 27-Aug. 12, with men's basketball play starting on July 29.

Courtesy of ESPN

Exciting Wednesday: 13 games - by Eurobasket News
Golde State W. - Portland TB 91-93
Gerald Wallace (6'7''-F-82, college: Alabama) scored 24 points and Jamal Crawford hit a key 3-pointer and a pair of late free throws to lift the Portland Trail Blazers over the Golden State Warriors 93-91 Wednesday night. Nicolas Batum added 17 points for the Trail Blazers, who had lost 11 of their last 12 in Oakland. Marcus Camby added 12 points and 11 rebounds. David Lee matched his season high with 29 points to lead the Warriors, who had a three-game winning streak snapped. Lee also grabbed 11 rebounds. Crawford, who finished with 14 points, hit a long 3-pointer to put Portland ahead 91-90 with 1:03 left. Nate Robinson made one of two from the foul line to tie it with 51 seconds remaining before Crawford knocked down a pair of free throws with 44 seconds to go for the final points of the game. Portland All-Star LaMarcus Aldridge missed the game with a left ankle injury sustained early in Tuesday night's game against Washington. Robinson finished with 21 points for the Warriors. Dorell Wright had 12, but Monta Ellis was limited to 10. Wallace scored 10 points in the second quarter to help rally the Trail Blazers to a 57-54 halftime advantage. Portland took a 72-70 lead into the fourth quarter as the Warriors missed their last six shots of the third and their first four of the final period before Klay Thompson hit a 3-pointer from the corner with 8:52 remaining, tying the game at 74. Thompson's shot sparked a 16-6 run that gave the Warriors an 88-82 edge with 3:04 left. The Trail Blazers tied it at 88 with just under 2 minutes to play on Wallace 3-pointer. The Warriors scored the game's first seven points and shot nearly 58 percent to take a 27-20 lead after the opening quarter. *Courtesy of www.ktvn.com

Cleveland C. - Indiana P. 98-87
Rookie Kyrie Irving (6'3''-G-92, college: Duke) scored 22 points in his return after missing three games with a concussion, leading the Cleveland Cavaliers to a 98-87 win Wednesday night over the Indiana Pacers, who dropped their fifth straight. Irving played for the first time since Feb. 7, when he banged his head following a collision in Miami. The 19-year-old was only cleared to play in the morning by Cavs doctors, who followed the NBA's new guidelines on head injuries during his recovery. Irving made the Cavs more complete, but they're still without center Anderson Varejao, out indefinitely with a broken wrist. Semih Erden started for Varejao and scored a career-high 18. Darren Collison scored 18 and Roy Hibbert 17 for Indiana, which was without leading scorer Danny Granger because of a sprained ankle. *Courtesy of www.cbsnews.com

Minnesota T. - Charlotte B. 102-90
Kevin Love (6'10''-C-88, college: UCLA) had 30 points and 18 rebounds to help the Minnesota Timberwolves hand the Charlotte Bobcats their 16th loss in a row, 102-90 on Wednesday night. Nikola Pekovic added 21 points and 11 rebounds in 43 minutes for Minnesota. The Timberwolves snapped a four-game skid of their own. Kemba Walker had 21 points and six rebounds, and Corey Maggette scored 18 points for the Bobcats, who have lost 22 of the last 23 games. D.J. Augustin played for the first time in 12 games, but his return wasn't enough to lift Charlotte out of the worst losing streak in franchise history. *Courtesy of www.newsobserver.com

Dallas M. - Denver N. 102-84
Shawn Marion (6'7''-F-78, college: UNLV) had 16 points and 10 rebounds, leading six Dallas players scoring in double figures as the Mavericks stretched their winning streak to five in a row with a 102-84 victory over the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday night. Dallas jumped out to a 9-1 lead in the first 3 minutes and was never really challenged. The five straight wins match a season high for Dallas. They have come since a rare three-day break between games that followed three consecutive losses. Vince Carter had 15 points for the Mavericks. Lamar Odom scored 14, Jason Kidd 13 and Dirk Nowitzki 12. None of the starters played more than 27 minutes. Rudy Fernandez led the Nuggets with 14 points. Al Harrington, another reserve, had 13. *Courtesy of www.cbsnews.com

LA Clippers - Washington W. 102-84
On the day that Chauncey Billups underwent surgery in Colorado to repair a torn left Achilles that ended his season, Randy Foye demonstrated why the Los Angeles Clippers have the confidence to start him at shooting guard. Foye scored all 10 of his points in the fourth quarter against his former team, leading the Clippers to a 102-84 victory over the Washington Wizards on Wednesday night. 'Foye was outstanding, and we're going to need that from him,' point guard Chris Paul (6'0''-PG-85, college: Wake Forest) said. 'Tonight he hit some very timely 3s that gave us some separation. I've known him for years and I used to play against him when he was in Minnesota. 'Foye was one of those guys who used to give us fits because he's such a good player. I think at times, he's better than he thinks he is. He can handle the ball, he's big and strong and athletic, and he can shoot it. So we just need him to keep getting his confidence.' Blake Griffin had 23 points and 15 rebounds, Caron Butler added 21 points and the Clippers increased their lead in the Pacific Division to two games over the idle Lakers with their ninth victory in 12 contests. Paul had 16 points and nine assists. *Courtesy of www.washingtonpost.com

Orlando M. - Philadelph.76 103-87
Ryan Anderson (6'10''-F-88, college: California) had seven 3-pointers and scored 27 points, Dwight Howard added 17 points and 14 rebounds and the Orlando Magic shot their way past the Philadelphia 76ers, 103-87 on Wednesday night. Orlando made 15 of 25 attempts from 3-point range, and had all five starters reach double figures for the second consecutive game. Jason Richardson had 14 points, including four 3s, and Orlando's Jameer Nelson tied a career high with 14 assists, added 12 points. The Magic have won three straight and seven of nine since losing to the Sixers last month. Louis Williams led Philadelphia with 21 points and seven assists, and Andre Iguodala had 15 points. The loss ended the 76ers' winning streak at two. Orlando shot 53 percent from the field (40 for 75) and had 30 points in the paint. Philadelphia also helped out with 14 turnovers that led to 13 Magic points The Magic's 16-point halftime lead was cut to eight at 88-80 with less than 5 minutes to play in the game. But Orlando quickly responded with an 8-2 spurt, capped by consecutive 3-pointers by Anderson and Richardson, to make it 97-82. Two more 3-pointers by the Magic a few possessions later - both following Sixers turnovers - got it to 103-86 with under a minute a play to put the game out of reach. The Magic's strong shooting night started early as they sizzled offensively in the first half and led 55-39, connecting on 57 percent (22 for 38) of their attempts overall from the field and 53 percent (7 for 13) from beyond the arc. Anderson had four of the Magic's 3s in the half and led all scorers with 14 points. Howard was just as active inside, with 13 points and seven rebounds. As a team the Magic outscored the Sixers 20-10 in the paint. Williams had 11 first-half points to the lead the Sixers. But they turned it over eight times, leading to eight Orlando points on the other end. *Courtesy of www.kptv.com

New Jersey N. - Memphis G. 100-105
Rudy Gay (6'9''-F/G-86, college: Connecticut) scored 25 points and Tony Allen matched his season high with 21 to help the Memphis Grizzlies beat New Jersey 105-100 on Wednesday night, handing the error-prone Nets their season-high seventh straight loss. Marreese Speights added a season-high 20 points and a career-high 18 rebounds, and the Grizzlies won for the fourth time in five games. Mike Conley had 16 points and 10 assists for the Grizzlies, who surrendered at least 100 points for only the fourth time this season. Deron Williams scored 20 of his 26 points in the first half for the Nets, who committed four turnovers in the final 2:40 in handing the game to Memphis. Anthony Morrow added 17 points, hitting 3 of 8 from long range. Neither team led by more than three points in the opening 10 minutes of the fourth quarter with Allen putting the Grizzlies ahead for good at 95-93 with a 3-pointer from the right wing with 2:57 to play. After Williams and Morrow miscommunicated on a pass, Gay missed a jumper. With a chance to tie the game again, MarShon Brooks missed Williams with a pass and Gay made them pay this time with a jumper for a 97-93 lead with 1:53 to go. Once again Williams threw a pass away on the ensuing possession and Allen scored on a layup to push the lead to six at 99-93 with 1:38 left and the Nets never got close again. Trailing 77-69 with 4:20 to play in the third quarter, the Nets closed the period with a 9-0 run that Sundiata Gaines capped with a 3-pointer. The Nets played one of their best halves of the season in the first 24 minutes. Williams scored 20 points and the Nets shot nearly 53 percent but the performance only gave them a two-point lead. Memphis even picked up some late momentum when Gay hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer to cap a 16-point half and get the Grizzlies to within 55-53. Memphis led most of the third quarter but it missed its final seven shots and trailed by a point entering the final 12 minutes. *Courtesy of http://abclocal.go.com

Milwaukee B. - N.Orleans H. 89-92
Marco Belinelli (6'5''-G-86) made a career-high six 3-pointers and scored a season-high 22 points to lead the short-handed New Orleans Hornets to a 92-89 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday night. Chris Kaman added 18 points and 10 rebounds for New Orleans. Gusvtavo Ayon had 12 points and 12 rebounds, as New Orleans (6-23) won its second straight game for the first time starting the season 2-0. Ersan Ilyasova led the Bucks with a season-high 23 points, two off his career high, but the Bucks dropped their third straight and sixth of eight to fall further out of the Eastern Conference playoff picture, with the surging New York Knicks now in the No. 8 spot. New Orleans had lost eight in a row and 17 of 18 before beating Portland, 86-80, on Monday. The Hornets led the entire second half and by as many as 13 points in the third quarter, but the Bucks kept it close in the fourth. Belinelli's 3-pointer put the Hornets up 87-81 with 2:59 left, and Brandon Jennings responded with a 3 with 2:40 remaining. Ayon's reverse layup made it 89-84 with 1:28 left. Mike Dunleavy hit a 3-pointer to cut it to 89-87, before Belinelli sealed the win with two free throws with 15.5 seconds remaining. The Hornets led 50-45 at halftime despite 15 points from Ilyasova, two off his season high. New Orleans heated up in the third quarter, leading by as many as 13 behind three Belinelli 3-pointers and eliciting boos from the small home crowd. But the Bucks drew within 72-71 with a 12-0 run spanning the third and fourth quarters. Jennings, the Bucks leading scorer, (18.4 points per game) had 18 points but struggled from the field (7 of 21). The Hornets only dressed 10 players and remained without their three leading scorers, leading rebounder and leading assist man. Emeka Okafor missed his second straight game with a sore left knee, and Jarrett Jack missed his third straight with a bruised left knee. Carl Landry (second degree MCL sprain) and Jason Smith (concussion) have both missed the last five games. And leading scorer Eric Gordon has missed 22 straight games with a right knee contusion. Gordon had successful arthroscopic surgery to clean up his right knee on Tuesday and will miss approximately six weeks, the team said. Gordon, a restricted free agent after the season, injured his knee in the first quarter of the team's opening game and has played in just two games for the Hornets after being acquired along with Al-Farouq Aminu and Kaman in the trade that sent Chris Paul to the Los Angeles Clippers. *Courtesy of www.wwltv.com

Phoenix Suns - Atlanta H. 99-101
Josh Smith (6'9''-F-85) matched his season high with 30 points and grabbed 17 rebounds to rally the Atlanta Hawks to a 101-99 victory over the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday night. Smith, whose career best is 32, had 20 points and 12 rebounds in the second half as Atlanta snapped a two-game skid and won for only the third time in eight games. Steve Nash, back after a night off as the Suns played their third game in three days, had 22 points and 16 assists. Grant Hill, who also sat out Tuesday night in a loss at Denver, scored 18 points for Phoenix. Willie Green added 20 for Atlanta, including 4 of 6 3-pointers. Joe Johnson, hounded by Hill all night, scored just six points on 2-of-10 shooting. Atlanta trailed throughout, and by 15 early in the second half, until what amounted to a four-point play with 7:38 remaining. Smith scored on a drive, was fouled and referee Tre Maddox called Nash for a technical. Nash was incredulous afterward but the official ignored him and walked away. Johnson made the technical, and Smith added his free throw to put the Hawks ahead 82-81. That started a 10-0 run that put Atlanta up 88-81 on Green's fast-break layup with 6:27 remaining. Green's 3 put the Hawks ahead 98-89 with 2:17 to go. Nash drove the lane, then somehow flipped the ball over his head with just enough spin on it for a layup while being fouled. The three-point play cut it to 98-95 with 42.9 seconds to go. The Suns got the ball back after Johnson's miss and Nash found Channing Frye open for what would have been the tying 3-pointer from the top of the key. But he missed and the Hawks escaped from there. The Suns, 0-3 in their stretch of three games in three nights, took the lead with an early 14-0 run that put them up 31-17 on Michael Redd's three-point play with 1:13 left in the third quarter. The Hawks, coming off a loss to the Lakers in Los Angeles on Tuesday night, went 5:40 without a point during Phoenix's outburst. Atlanta twice cut it to two points in the second quarter, the last time at 42-40 when Zaza Pachulia sank a 15-footer with 5 1/2 minutes left. Nash and Frye followed with 3-pointers to boost the lead to 48-40 and Phoenix led 56-47 at the break. The Suns scored the first six, the last two on Gortat's layup on a pass from Nash, to lead 62-47. The Hawks responded with six straight to cut it to nine. Phoenix's offense went cold the rest of the period, and a pair of 3s by Smith, the last with 36.9 seconds left in the period, cut the lead to 76-71. Smith's rebound basket with six seconds left cut the Suns' advantage to four at 77-73 entering the final quarter. Nash went down hard on the court with 4:41 to play in the third quarter and came up limping, but walked it off during a timeout and stayed in the game. *Courtesy of www.newsobserver.com

New York K. - Sacramento K. 100-85
Jeremy Lin (6'3''-PG-88, college: Harvard) grabbed a spot on the bench next to Carmelo Anthony in the third quarter and shared a laugh with the injured All-Star. 'We were just having fun and kind of talking about how we're both excited for when he comes back,' Lin said. Hey 'Melo, no need to rush. Lin and the Knicks just keep on winning. Lin put aside his record-setting scoring to hand out a career-best 13 assists, and New York got back to .500 with its seventh straight victory, 100-85 over the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday night. Lin added 10 points, focusing more on his role as a distributor while others torched the Kings for 51 percent shooting. Landry Fields had 15 points and 10 rebounds, while Bill Walker and Steve Novak each chipped in 14 points as the Knicks put seven players in double figures for the first time since April 5, 2009, at Toronto. 'As a point guard, my field goal attempts have been really high and I don't think that's necessarily good,' Lin said. 'I think it's more of my job to distribute and get people in rhythm.' Lin scored 136 points in his first five starts, most by any NBA player since the NBA merged with the ABA in 1976. His 3-pointer with 0.5 seconds left Tuesday allowed the Knicks to pull out a 90-87 victory in a game they trailed nearly the whole way. The Knicks (15-15) led this one almost throughout, evening their record for the first time since they were 6-6 after a loss to Oklahoma City on Jan. 14. They host hapless New Orleans on Friday, hoping Anthony will return from a strained right groin. Lin, the reigning Eastern Conference player of the week, played 26 minutes before checking out for good late in the third quarter. 'We wanted to be aggressive, make it hard for (Lin), but he still ran the team and got assists,' Sacramento's Tyreke Evans said. 'They made shots. It seemed like they were making everything tonight.' Evans scored 19 points for the Kings, who had won four in a row in New York. DeMarcus Cousins added 15 but shot only 7 of 18 and grabbed just four rebounds. Already the NBA's biggest story, Linsanity had peaked about 24 hours earlier with the former Harvard guard's winner in Toronto. The shot was replayed on the overhead video board at the Garden, triggering a huge ovation as if it had just happened live. But Lin would have few other scoring highlights, taking only six shots. Fans, quite a few wearing Lin's jerseys or holding masks of his face, loved it anyway. They chanted 'MVP! MVP!' as he was interviewed on the court after the game and held up signs such as 'Lin Your Face,' ''Linderella,' and - of course - 'Marry Me Jeremy.' 'It's crazy. Thank you for the energy as always,' he said to the crowd. Then he was peppered with an array of questions usually reserved for superstars, from his thoughts about President Barack Obama watching him, to whether it was time to get a new haircut. But for Lin, the only focus is basketball. 'I knew him before he was Linmania. He's still the same humble guy,' Kings coach Keith Smart said. 'The guy has not changed a bit, which is real special for a young man.' Lin played last season in Golden State for Smart, who praised Lin's work ethic and attitude, but never imagined 'the perfect storm' that would lead to these results. 'It's good Monday morning quarterbacks are here now, but no one could have predicted this guy being this big in this place here,' Smart said before the game. Lin opened the game with a three-point play, giving him nine straight points dating to late Tuesday, but passed more than shot as the Knicks scored easily in the first half. Lin beat the defense with penetration and dishes to shooters, or by throwing lob passes over the top. The Knicks led 25-17 after one quarter, then blew it open late in the second. Novak converted a four-point play, Lin hooked up with Fields for an alley-oop dunk, then made a free throw to cap a run of seven straight points and make it an 18-point game. The Knicks closed the scoring when Lin drove and threw a wraparound pass to Tyson Chandler for a dunk with 1.7 seconds left, extending it to 54-36. 'I just thought we played really exceptionally well the first quarter,' Knicks coach Mike D'Antoni said. 'Just the ball was moving, every time we drew up a play they ran it perfectly. Every time I think there was an opportunity to make a great pass, they did it.' Lin had six points and nine assists in the first half. He found Fields for a layup that made it a 25-point game early in the third, and the Knicks coasted from there. *Courtesy of www.ktvn.com

Boston C. - Detroit P. 88-98
Veteran guard Ben Gordon (6'2''-G-83, college: Connecticut), who once scored 42 points in a playoff game in Boston, burned the Celtics again Wednesday night. Gordon, who had the 42 in a 2009 playoff game while playing for the Bulls, drilled four 3-pointers in the fourth quarter Wednesday, leading the Pistons to a 98-88 upset win. Coming off the bench with a 13.7-point scoring average, Gordon scored 22 points in 28 minutes and led the Pistons (now 9-22) on a 20-4 run bridging the third and fourth quarters, as Detroit rallied to overcome the second straight big game by Boston's Rajon Rondo. The Pistons were just 2-12 on the road coming in, but won with the Celtics missing Kevin Garnett (hip flexor). Rondo, who had a triple-double Sunday, tying his career high with 32 points and adding 15 assists and 10 rebounds, topped his career high with 35 points, but the Celtics lost for the third time in their last four games. Paul Pierce and Ray Allen scored just 10 apiece. The Celtics went just 19 of 32 from the foul line in falling to 15-13. Rodney Stuckey scored 25 points and Greg Monroe 22 for Detroit, while Chris Wilcox scored a season-high 17 for the Celtics. Playing their first season under former Boston assistant coach Lawrence Frank, the Pistons used a 6-0 run over the final 1:34 of the third quarter to take a one-point lead into the fourth, and then ran away with the game. The visitors had stayed in the game despite a 10-point third quarter by Rondo, who was hitting shots from everywhere. In the first half, he hit his first 3-pointer since Dec. 30, ending a personal 0-for-9 drought from behind the arc in this calendar year. Garnett was a gametime decision. He went through the shoot-around and coach Doc Rivers told the media before the game he would check with athletic trainer Ed Lacerte. Apparently, he got word Garnett would miss his first game of the season. *Courtesy of Yahoo! Sports

Houston R. - Oklah.City T. 96-95
Kevin Martin (6'7''-G/F-83, college: W.Carolina) tied a season high with 32 points, including the winning free throws with 23.6 seconds remaining, to lead the Houston Rockets to a 96-95 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday night at Houston. Kevin Durant, who scored 33 points, missed three shots in the last 16 seconds and Houston finally grabbed the rebound on the last miss to secure the win. Goran Dragic missed two free throws for Houston after that, but the Thunder didn't have time to get down the court for another shot. Martin's performance came a night after he went scoreless for the first time in six years in Houston's 93-83 loss to Memphis. He didn't score in the fourth quarter until his free throws for the win. *Courtesy of www.latimes.com

Toronto R. - San Antonio S. 106-113
Tony Parker (6'0''-PG-82) had 34 points and 14 assists, and the San Antonio Spurs extended their season-best winning streak to nine games with a 113-106 victory over the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday night. Danny Green scored 13 points and matched his career high with seven rebounds, Tiago Splitter also had 13 points and Manu Ginobili added 11 for the Spurs, who have not lost since a 101-100 overtime defeat at Dallas on Jan. 29. Parker went 12 for 12 from the foul line for San Antonio, which last won nine straight during a 10-0 stretch from Dec. 3-22, 2010. The victory was the sixth straight away from home for the Spurs, their longest run since winning eight straight road games to begin the 2010-11 season. San Antonio's Tim Duncan failed to extend his run of five straight double-doubles, finishing with eight points and three rebounds. DeMar DeRozan scored 29 points for the Raptors, who have lost three straight and eight of 10. Jose Calderon added 16 points and 11 assists. Toronto guard Jerryd Bayless missed his fourth straight game with a sore left ankle, while forward Linas Kleiza was sidelined with a sore left knee. Leading scorer Andrea Bargnani sat for the 18th time in 20 games because of a strained left calf. 'We're a little undermanned,' Raptors coach Dwane Casey said before the game. 'If anybody is looking for a 10-day (contract), we're looking for bodies.' Toronto trailed by five points to begin the fourth, but used a pair of baskets by Calderon and a driving layup by DeRozan to cut it to one at 97-96 with 4:14 left. San Antonio answered with a baseline jump shot by Gary Neal and a pair of free throws by Parker, restoring their five point advantage with 3:25 left. Parker made all eight of his free-throw attempts down the stretch as the Spurs improved to 23-9 all-time against Toronto. Green got all seven of his rebounds and made three of San Antonio's six 3-pointers in the opening half as the Spurs, who shot 6 for 10 from beyond the arc, led 55-45 at the break. Toronto battled back by making its first 10 shots of the second half. DeRozan scored 13 points in less than six minutes, including two on a reverse alley-oop from Calderon, and the Raptors followed with a layup from James Johnson that tied it at 66. San Antonio answered with a 13-4 run over the next four minutes, taking a 79-70 lead and forcing Toronto to call timeout. The Spurs led 83-78 heading to the fourth. *Courtesy of www.miamiherald.com



Los Angeles Lakers re-assign forward Devin Ebanks - by Eurobasket News
The Los Angeles Lakers have made a minor move Wednesday.

The Lakers re-assigned forward Devin Ebanks (6'9''-F-89, college: W.Virginia) to their NBA D-League team the Los Angeles Defenders. The Lakers are possibly setting up for a potential run at unrestricted free agent guard J.R. Smith.

Ebanks started four games averaging 2.7 points per game and 2.0 rebounds per game. Bu he eventually fell out of head coach Mike Browns rotation and has not seen the floor since Jan. 31 against the Charlotte Bobcats.

Courtesy of www.rantsports.com

Billups undergoes successful surgery on left leg - by Eurobasket News
Clippers guard Chauncey Billups (6'3''-PG-76, college: Colorado) underwent a successful surgery in Colorado on Wednesday to repair his torn left Achilles tendon that cost him the remainder of his first season in Los Angeles.

The Clippers say Billups is expected to remain in Colorado for about four weeks before returning to Los Angeles to begin rehabilitation.

Billups was injured in a Feb. 6 game against Orlando when he turned to run up the court and buckled.

The five-time All-Star had been a huge addition for the club, which claimed Billups in December after he was waived by the New York Knicks under the league's new amnesty clause. He was averaging 14.9 points and four assists. But it was his impact in mentoring Chris Paul and Blake Griffin that made Billups invaluable.

Courtesy of www.sacbee.com

Lakers Coach Mike Brown spoke to JR Smith - by Eurobasket News
Chris Paul may feel supremely confident about the Clippers landing Smith J.R. (6'6''-G-85), but the other team that plays in the Staples Center is also interested in Smith's services. From the LA Times: Coach Michael Brown spoke with free agent J.R. Smith, a forward-guard who could solve two problems at once for the Lakers. Smith could help them at small forward and also provide backup support for Kobe Bryant at shooting guard. Smith, 26, has played in China since the NBA season began. He signed with a Chinese pro team during the NBA lockout and was obligated to honor the contract until this month. There are some problems for the Lakers as far as Smith. They can offer him only a comparatively small salary of less than $1 million, a prorated portion of the veterans minimum, because they are over the salary cap and spent their entire mini-midlevel exception on Josh McRoberts. Smith made $6.8 million last season with Denver. There are several other teams pursuing Smith. He listed them on his Twitter page: New York, Chicago, Indiana, Orlando and the Clippers.

Courtesy of www.slamonline.com

New York 100, Sacramento 85 - by Milord Nikolic
The Linsanity continued as Jeremy Lin recorded a career-high 13 assists to go with 10 points and five rebounds for New York, which picked up its seventh straight win while sending Sacramento to its third consecutive loss. Lin focused more on his role as a distributor against the Kings, taking only two shots after the first quarter and finishing 4 of 6 from the field. The Harvard product joined most of the starters on the bench for the fourth quarter. Landry Fields picked up a double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds and Bill Walker scored 14 for New York, which climbed back to .500 at 15-15. Lin began the game with a traditional three-point play and the Knicks never looked back, taking a 54-36 lead into the half. Fields scored 11 points before the break as the receiving end of several of Lins assists. Sacramento never made a move to get back into the game, falling behind by as much as 28 points in the fourth quarter before New York took its foot off the gas. Tyreke Evans scored 19 points to lead the Kings.


Standings
NBA Standings
Eastern Conference
Atlantic Div.
 1. Philadelph.76 20-10 
 2. Boston C. 15-13 
 3. New York K. 15-15 
 4. Toronto R. 9-22 
 5. New Jersey N. 8-22 
Central Div.
 1. Chicago B. 24-7 
 2. Indiana P. 17-12 
 3. Milwaukee B. 12-17 
 4. Cleveland C. 11-16 
 5. Detroit P. 9-22 
Southeast Div.
 1. Miami Heat 23-7 
 2. Atlanta H. 19-11 
 3. Orlando M. 19-11 
 4. Washington W. 7-23 
 5. Charlotte B. 3-26 
Western Conference
Northwest Div.
 1. Oklah.City T. 22-7 
 2. Denver N. 17-13 
 3. Portland TB 16-14 
 4. Utah Jazz 14-14 
 5. Minnesota T. 14-16 
Pacific Div.
 1. LA Clippers 18-9 
 2. LA Lakers 17-12 
 3. Phoenix Suns 12-18 
 4. Golde State W. 11-15 
 5. Sacramento K. 10-19 
Southwest Div.
 1. San Antonio S. 21-9 
 2. Dallas M. 19-11 
 3. Houston R. 17-13 
 4. Memphis G. 16-14 
 5. N.Orleans H. 6-23 


Source: NBA is hoping to add NY Knicks sensation Jeremy Lin to All-Star Weekend in Orlando - by Eurobasket News
Jeremy Lin (6'3''-PG-88, college: Harvard) has taken the Knicks on an emotional two-week journey. His emergence should land him in Orlando next week and perhaps China next season.

How can you have an All-Star Weekend without the biggest story of the NBA season?

The league has been asking itself that same question, and now it appears as if Lin will make it to Orlando next week.

According to a source, the NBA is hoping to add Lin to its All-Star lineup by having the second-year shooting guard participate in the Haier Shooting Stars competition during All-Star Saturday night.

The competition features one current NBA player, one current WNBA player and one TNT on-air talent and legend on each team.

Lin is an obvious choice to represent the Knicks, especially since he has become an overnight sensation and the most talked about athlete in professional sports.

Lin entered Wednesday nights game against Sacramento 5-0 as a starter while the Knicks had won six straight since he became the full-time point guard out of necessity.

Lins biggest moment came on Tuesday when his last second three-pointer lifted the Knicks to a 90-87 victory over the Toronto Raptors.

The Harvard graduate was not chosen to participate in the game featuring the leagues top rookies and second-year players. However, if any player chosen for the game cant participate due to injury, Lin could conceivably get the call.

Of course, Lin produced his first NBA dunk last week against Washington and perhaps he could be a candidate for the slam dunk competition.

Lins popularity and Asian heritage could also have the Knicks heading to the Far East for the first time in October. The NBA annually schedules exhibition games in Europe and China, and the Knicks are the logical choice to play in China. Last season, they played an exhibition game in Danilo Gallinaris hometown of Milan, Italy as well as Paris.

Courtesy of www.nydailynews.com

The Jeremy Lin story... - by Chris Mathieu
Linsanity has taken over the NBA and China! Jeremy Lin (6'3''-PG-88, college: Harvard) has taken New York, the NBA and China by storm this week! Jeremy Shu-How Lin 190cm PG born in 1988 in California of Chinese-American descent. Jeremy was a high school standout in California who received no scholarship offers to college. He ended up enrolling at Harvard. He was all Ivy first teams his junior and senior year.
He was invited to Portsmouth Invitational Tournament after graduating from college but received little interest leading up to the NBA draft and went undrafted. Jeremy made the Golden State Warriors his rookie season, received little playing time played in 29 games averaged 2.6 ppg on 38.9% shooting from the field. Golden State changed coaches and Jeremy was waived before getting a chance to show the new coach, NBA veteran Mark Jackson what he had to offer.
He then signed with the Houston Rockets after the lockout, ended but was stuck deep on the bench in preseason in Houston and was waived. New York signed him after that and he was stuck to their bench behind Toney Douglas, Michael Bibby, Iman Shumpert the team signed Baron Davis hoping he would be their starting point guard. Baron was hurt, never got on the court, Toney Douglas isn't a true point guard, neither is the ultra-athletic Iman Shumpert. Michael Bibby was given a chance to run the team but looks completely finished as an NBA player. The team became so desperate that they starting using Carmelo Anthony to distribute the ball for the team. 'Melo' never known for unselfish play was ill fitted for the position and the high octane Mike D'Antoni offense bogged down and the question became how much longer he would last as coach on the team. Then Melo got hurt, Amare Stoudemire left the team to attend to a family tragedy and the only man left on the bench to run the team was Jeremy Lin.
Jeremy exploded on the scene; the team had gone 2-11 in its last 13 games before giving Jeremy a shot. In his first game off the bench he scored 25pts, 7ass and 5 rbs in a win against New Jersey. The team has now won 6 games in a row including putting up 38 points against Kobe and the Lakers! Since getting onto the court he has scored 25, 28, 23, 38, 20 and 27 all in wins! He has averaged 8.5 aspg during that time as well. The downside is he has averaged 5 turnovers per game, a very high number. Impressive as well is his ability to get Tyson Chandler easy baskets around the rim.
Jeremy isn't an explosive athlete or impressive passer or shooter with great range. All the tangibles that make scouts take notice. What he is is extremely smart, fundamentally sound player who understands the game of basketball and knows were to be on the court. The D'Antoni system is perfect for a player like Jeremy and the two appear to be a match made in NBA heaven. Jeremy still struggles with some aspects of the NBA game, ball security and guarding athletic guards. This Lin-fever that is gripping the basketball world is a godsend for the NBA in the midst of the aftermath of apathy after the lockout and on one of the biggest stages in the basketball world, New York.
He has taken the world by storm practically coming from nowhere to lead the Knicks surging back into playoff contention after being left for dead after their early season struggles. It will be interesting to see how Melo and Amare get reintegrated into the team with in the midst of Linsanity gripping New York.
Apparently Jeremy Lin and Ming Yao are close friends who talk every week. It will be interesting to see if Yao will be able to convince Jeremy to join the Chinese National Team in time for the London Olympics this summer. China's weakness has always been on the perimeter and adding a playing such as Jeremy to the team would change that dynamic drastically. There is also talk of Yao trying to get into decent enough shape to play 15-20 minutes a game in the Olympics for China. If these two things happen China could be in great position to upset some teams at the Olympics.
I don't know how long Lin-sanity is going to last, but it has been a fun ride so far.

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


Lightning miss one, snag high scorer - by Eurobasket News
With the deadline for signing players one day away, the London Lightning missed on one deal but managed to add a player with great athleticism and upside.

National Basketball League of Canada teams have until Friday to sign players. The Lightning have been in negotiation for a month with former Toronto Raptor Jamario Moon (6'8''-F-80, college: Meridian CC) but were told Tuesday the six-foot-eight free agent forward was holding out for an NBA team.

'I coached him for a couple of years in Albany,' Lightning coach Micheal Ray Richardson said. 'We were hoping he would decide to join us for the last part of our season, but he decided to try something else.'

Moon would have been a tremendous addition, not only to the Lightning but the league.

Instead, the Lightning signed 22-year-old Jamar Abrams (6'6''-G/F-89, agency: KMG Sports Management, college: E.Carolina), a six-foot-six swingman who can really sky and shoot.

Abrams was released by the Maine Red Claws of the NBA D-League in January. The Virginia native played university basketball at East Carolina where he played in more games than anyone in school history. He finished his career as one of 14 players in ECU history to have more than 1,000 points and 500 rebounds. Abrams was known for his ability to hit the three-point shot.

'He's a good player,' Richardson said. 'He's very athletic and he can score.'

It all happened suddenly for Abrams.

'My agent found the opening and called me. He told me it was a great team,' he said. 'He told me Monday. I got here Tuesday. I came here without hesitation.'

It's Abrams first time anywhere outside of the United States.

'I'm just trying to grow every day as a player,' he said. 'Wherever it takes me, I'm fine. I didn't know anything about the league. I did some research and found out it was the first professional basketball league in Canada so I am definitely excited to be a part of that.'

Abrams played against Lightning forward Shamari Spears in university.

The Lightning have been looking for another scorer and rebounder. 'My strength is that I can really shoot the ball and I have athletic ability. I can really jump,' Abrams said.

Abrams will be in the lineup when the Lightning take on the Saint John Mill Rats Thursday at 7 p.m. the John Labatt Centre. The Lighting are trying to wrap up first place in the NBL. The Mill Rats are battling to close out the Oshawa Power for the fourth and final playoff spot. The Lightning and Mill Rats may be first-round playoff opponents.

To make room for Abrams, the Lightning released former all-Canadian Kyle Julius. The decision had nothing to do with Julius' ability, but his full-time job in property management. It was difficult to mesh both schedules.

The Lightning are expected to be at full strength against the Mill Rats. Gabe Freeman is moving freely on his injured ankle.

'I'll be playing,' Freeman said. 'Looking to get back to where I was before.'

Also expected to play is centre Shawn Daniels who suffered a shoulder injury and has been out two weeks.

Courtesy of www.lfpress.com

Oshawa Power win OT thriller 120-119 over Saint John Mill Rats - by Eurobasket News
Durham's Team the Oshawa Power kept their post season dream alive with a thrilling 120-119 overtime victory over the fourth place Saint John Mill Rats at the GM Centre in Oshawa.

The Power started the game slowly and looked as though they would be blown out for the second straight game against the Mill Rats, but a strong second quarter sparked a push that saw the Power lead by as many as 15 points in the fourth. The Mill Rats made a magical comeback of their own forcing overtime.

'The win was just us taking care of what we have to do' said Canadian Kevin Shand (6'10''-C-74, college: Duquesne) after the game. 'Once we play as a team, and do what we have to do we normally get a win.'

Shand had a monster game recording 10 points and 7 rebounds. Brandon Robinson (6'6''-F-89, college: Clayton St.) continued his offensive tear with a game-high 37 points and added 6 rebounds. Number one overall draft pick Morgan Lewis (6'4''-F-87, college: Findlay, OH) had a double-double of 21 points and 12 rebounds in the thrilling win.

The Mill Rats got a solid effort from their bench scoring 76 of their 119 points. Canadian Isaac Kuon (6'4''-F/G-87) led the way with 21 points, and guard Darren Duncan (5'11''-G-88, college: Merrimack) netted 17.

The next Power game is February 19 as they visit the Moncton Miracles at 1:00 p.m. e.s.t.

Power Glance

Record: 13-19

Courtesy of www.oursportscentral.com

NBLC Standings
NBL Canada Standings
 1. London L. 24-6 
 2. Quebec K. 20-11 
 3. Halifax R. 17-11 
 4. St.John M.R. 14-16 
 5. Oshawa P. 13-19 
 6. Summerside S. 11-21 
 7. Moncton M. 8-23 


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


No. 16 Murray State beats SE Missouri 75-66 - by Eurobasket News
Maybe Murray State is getting over its chance of an unbeaten season being spoiled.

The 16th-ranked Racers did a good job neutralizing Southeast Missouri State's first sellout crowd in 12 years, clinching their third straight Ohio Valley Conference championship. And without much from leading scorer Isaiah Canaan.

Donte Poole (6'3''-G-89) hit four 3-pointers and scored 25 points and Murray State held Southeast Missouri State to season-worst 37.3 percent shooting in a 75-66 victory Wednesday night.

'It shows a lot. It shows our toughness, how deep we are and how tight we are,' Poole said. 'Not every game is going to be Isaiah's game. It was just on us to come out and help him.'

Poole totaled 23 points the previous three games on 6-for-24 shooting. He was 4 for 6 from 3-point range and 7 for 12 overall.

'We just tried to key on Canaan and ended up letting the next-best player go off,' Southeast Missouri's Corey Wilford (6'2''-G) said. 'We're going to have to stop both of them the next time.'

Ivan Aska (6'7''-F-90) had 14 points and nine rebounds for the Racers (25-1, 13-1), who have won two straight since getting upset at home by Tennessee State last week to end a 23-0 start. They have dominated the series with Southeast Missouri, 50-17.

'The Tennessee State game is still surreal,' first-year coach Steve Prohm said. 'I'll move past it a little bit now that we won tonight.'

Now, the players want a lot more.

'We want to win a conference tournament championship and go and make some noise in the NCAA tournament,' Poole said. 'We have bigger goals and aspirations and we just want to make sure we're hungry every game.'

Canaan, second in the conference with a 19.6 average, was held scoreless for the first 17 minutes and finished with nine points on 2-for-11 shooting. Canaan had 32 points in the first meeting, an 81-73 victory at home Feb. 2.

'When Isaiah gets only nine points and we get 75, that makes me feel really good,' Brohm said. 'Isaiah's terrific, I wouldn't trade him for anybody.'

Leon Powell (6'7''-F-88) had 13 points and eight rebounds for Southeast Missouri State (14-12, 9-5), and Wilford added 12 points with three 3-pointers in the second half. Tyler Stone, the Redhawks' leading scorer with a 15.0 average, was scoreless in 15 minutes.

Southeast Missouri State's home finale was also the school's first home game against a Top 25 team and attracted a crowd of 7,125, the first sellout at the Show Me Center in 12 years The Redhawks beat Murray State at home last season but have never beaten the Racers in consecutive years at home.

Southeast Missouri State hoped the loss wouldn't scare away fans in the future.

'The outcome wasn't like we wanted but we thank them,' Wilford said. 'Don't let it just be a one-time thing.'

Murray State trailed by 11 points early in the second half of the earlier meeting. The Racers led by 10 at halftime of the rematch despite Canaan's shaky start and Southeast Missouri got no closer than five points the rest of the way.

'I think you've got to credit their go-to guys,' Southeast Missouri State coach Dickey Nutt said. 'They just made big shot after big shot.'

Poole hit all four 3-pointers in the first half, two during a stretch of eight consecutive points that put Murray State up 32-20 with 54 seconds to go. That offset a poor start by Canaan, who missed his first six shots against frequent double coverage before hitting a 3-pointer with just under 3 minutes left.

Southeast Missouri State's halftime point total was just one more than its season-worst and the Redhawks fell short despite shooting 53 percent the rest of the way. Players hoped it wouldn't scare away fans in the future.

'The outcome wasn't like we wanted but we thank them,' Wilford said. 'Don't let it just be a one-time thing.'

Courtesy of www.nbcsports.msnbc.com

No. 13 SDSU stunned by New Mexico, 77-67 - by Eurobasket News
The No. 13 San Diego State Aztecs aren't used to losing like this.

Kendall Williams (6'3''-G-91) scored 21 points and Drew Gordon (6'9''-F-90) had 17 points and 17 rebounds as New Mexico stunned the Aztecs 77-67 on Wednesday night in their loud, crazy arena to move into first place in the Mountain West Conference.

The Lobos (21-4, 7-2) won their sixth straight game and held Chase Tapley, the conference's leading scorer, to seven points. He came in averaging 16.2 points and had been in double figures in 18 straight games. Tapley was held scoreless until making a layup with 4:38 to play.

Jamal Fenton (5'9''-G-91) had 15 points for the Lobos.

It was just the second home conference loss in two seasons for SDSU (20-5, 6-3) and the first time the Aztecs lost consecutive games since January 2010. They had gone 79 games without consecutive losses. Jamaal Franklin scored 16 points for the Aztecs, while Tim Shelton had 13 and James Rahon 11.

'I think that speaks to our program and how much it's grown, We are not used to losing,' Rahon said.

'We didn't play well, we didn't defend well, we didn't rebound the ball, we didn't do what we have been doing throughout the season,' Shelton said

New Mexico's big win came one night after No. 11 UNLV lost 102-97 in overtime at TCU. UNLV and SDSU are tied for second.

On Saturday, San Diego State erased a 13-point deficit at UNLV and took a one-point lead with less than 2 minutes to play but had turnovers on each of its final three possessions and lost 65-63.

When the Lobos and Aztecs met on Jan. 18 at The Pit, San Diego State fell behind 10-0 before rallying for a 75-70 win. The Aztecs trailed by 10 points in the first half of this game and tied it at 38 with a 6-1 burst to open the second half. But, fueled by Gordon's rebounding and San Diego State's turnovers and poor shooting, the Lobos responded with a 16-1 run that essentially put it away at 54-39.

Chad Adams started the run with a 3-pointer, followed by consecutive 3s by Williams. Adams made a bank shot, Gordon and A.J. Hardeman had two free throws apiece and Hardeman added a dunk.

'You're going to lose some tough ones,' Rahon said. 'They outplayed us tonight. They got the better of us on our home court. We have to get our heads back. This league is tough.'

San Diego State's only point during that stretch came when Garrett Green made the second of two free throws.

New Mexico took an early lead behind Williams and Gordon. The Lobos were up 27-17 on a 3-pointer by Adams with 8:42 before halftime. San Diego State pulled to 31-29 before Williams buried a 3 from the corner.

Each team was called for a technical foul in the contentious first half. San Diego State's Franklin was whistled for one after throwing the ball off Phillip McDonald's face. Williams was whistled for a T for arguing a call against Gordon. Coach Steve Alford vigorously argued as well -- even whipping off his sport coat in anger -- but was spared a technical. San Diego State made three of four free throws to close to 36-32 at halftime.

Courtesy of www.boston.com

Miami loses to No. 8 North Carolina 73-64 - by Eurobasket News
Miami Hurricane's coach Jim Larranaga and his players visited campus dorms this week inviting students to Wednesday night's game against North Carolina, and a near-capacity crowd showed up.

For much of the game, Miami had a shot at the kind of upset that might keep fans coming back.

But the Hurricanes squandered an eight-point lead in the second half, went nearly five minutes without a point down the stretch and lost to the No. 8 Tar Heels 73-64.

'It was a missed chance for us to make the next step,' Hurricanes center Reggie Johnson (6'10''-C-89) said. 'The crowd was good. I like that a lot. But we came up short in the end.'

Miami (15-9, 6-5 Atlantic Coast Conference) lost to the Tar Heels for the 18th time in their 20 meetings, including two defeats this year.

'We played a very solid first half,' Larranaga said. 'But we never played great, and what we're looking for is for this team to become a great team.'

Fan chants of 'Aus-tin Ri-vers' down the stretch failed to rattle the Tar Heels. Rivers hit a 3-point buzzer-beater last week to cap a furious rally and help Duke beat North Carolina.

The crowd of 7,071 was Miami's largest at home this season. Larranaga and his players visited campus dorms Monday, passed out chicken wings and T-shirts and encouraged students to attend the game.

'We want our students to feel like school spirit is an important part of your college life,' Larranaga said.

The Tar Heels, who came in averaging 83.5 points, shot only 38 percent and went 5 for 18 from 3-point range. But they forced turnovers on four consecutive possessions in the second half to get back in the game.

'Defensively we can be a very good team,' said North Carolina center Tyler Zeller, who was held to nine points but made three steals. 'We can win games in the 50s and 60s. And when we start making shots, hopefully we can win by a bigger margin.'

North Carolina (22-4, 9-2) took a half-game lead over Duke and Florida State atop the ACC standings.

'It was one of those wins you have to have to have a fantastic year,' coach Roy Williams said. 'It was a tough win, it was an ugly win in some ways. To be able to grit it out defensively - we did some better things there. That's a huge benefit to win games when you play ugly.'

Durand Scott (6'4''-G-90) scored 15 points for Miami, and Kenny Kadji (6'11''-F/C-88) added 13 points and seven rebounds. But Malcolm Grant's shooting slump continued, and he finished 1 for 6 and scored three points, nine below his average.

Harrison Barnes (6'8''-F-92) led North Carolina with 23 points, including a trio of 3-pointers in the final 16 minutes. John Henson (6'11''-F-90) had 14 points, 11 rebounds and three blocks for the Tar Heels, who beat Miami for the 10th time in a row.

Zeller was held seven points below his average and shot 4 for 13. Kendall Marshall went 0 for 6, and while the Tar Heels came up with some key offensive rebounds, they edged Miami by only six on the boards.

But they outscored the Hurricanes 14-6 off turnovers.

'When the shots aren't falling, you've got to bring something else to the table,' guard Reggie Bullock said. 'Hopefully the shots start falling.'

In three of their past four wins, the Tar Heels have shot under 40 percent.

The Tar Heels sank only five 3-pointers, all in the final 16 minutes. They fell behind 44-36, then used defense to rally.

Turnovers by Miami helped North Carolina score eight consecutive points and make it 44-all. Barnes' 3-pointer moments later gave the Tar Heels their first lead since early in the opening half.

Another 3-pointer by Barnes put North Carolina ahead by five for the first time, 58-53.

Kadji's 3-pointer for the Hurricanes cut the margin to 63-58 with 6:10 left, but they then went cold. Bullock's 3-pointer put the Tar Heels up 67-58, and they sank four of six free throws in the final minute to sew up the win.

Courtesy of www.miamiherald.com

No. 3 Missouri beats Oklahoma State 83-65 - by Eurobasket News
After handing No. 3 Missouri one of its two losses of the season three weeks ago in Stillwater, Oklahoma State expected a significantly better effort from the Tigers in their rematch Wednesday night.

It got one, too.

Marcus Denmon (6'3''-G-90) scored 17 points and was joined by four teammates in double figures as the Tigers avenged that earlier defeat with an 83-65 rout over the Cowboys. Missouri (24-2, 11-2) led by 22 points at halftime and by as many as 35 well into the second half before a late run fueled by Keiton Page (5'9''-G-89) made the final score a tad more respectable.

'We weren't aggressive,' Cowboys forward Le'Bryan Nash (6'7''-G/F-92) said. 'Our offense wasn't flowing well in the first half. They're the No. 3 team in the country, so when they're hitting shots, they're not going to stop hitting them. I'll give credit where credit is due, they're probably one of the best teams in the country.'

Page led Oklahoma State (12-14, 5-8) with 23 points, but 14 of those came in the game's final 7 minutes once the outcome wasn't in doubt. He hit 5 of 9 attempts from beyond the arc.

Missouri held Nash to 11 points after he torched the Tigers for 27 in a seven-point win in January. Nash sat out 5 minutes early in the first half after picking up two quick fouls.

'It did frustrate me a lot,' Nash said. 'As soon as I got that second foul, as soon as I went out, they went on their run. I fell like it was partly my fault because I got stupid fouls. If I would've stayed in the game, it would have probably been a different game.'

Missouri started slow, making just one of its first six shots as the Cowboys took an early 4-point lead. But the Tigers soon found their shooting touch and it fueled a 23-4 run over 9 minutes in first half that helped Missouri put the game away.

Coach Travis Ford attributed his team's lackluster interior presence to Missouri's defense.

'I was disappointed we didn't get the ball inside enough,' he said. 'That's one thing you try to work on. We wanted to, but we just never got to it, but a lot of it had to do with Missouri's defense. The pressure on the perimeter was some of the best we've seen all year.'

English, the primary Missouri defender on Nash, said he learned what not to do after the prolific scorer had a career night in their previous encounter.

'I really was focused on getting him off the blocks where he's comfortable,' English said. 'I sniffed out some of their plays early and didn't let him get going early. With young, prolific scorers, if they make some baskets early, their jump shots get going, they get a little bit more moxie.'

The Tigers, who start four guards along with the 6-foot-8 Ratliffe, had a 37-29 rebound advantage, their first after being outrebounded by an average of more than nine boards the previous five games. But for a change, the defensive matchup was favorable against a team that starts three guards and also has no starter taller than 6-8. That big man, redshirt freshman Michael Cobbins, had 12 points and seven rebounds for the Cowboys.

Missouri's lead was so large that coach Frank Haith was able to put little-used reserves Jarrett Sutton and Andrew Jones, a tight end recruited from the football team early in the hoops season to shore up a thin front line, into the game with nearly 5 minutes remaining.

If seeking revenge for one of its only two losses this season was on No. 3 Missouri's mind, the Tigers kept that goal in the locker room Wednesday night.

'Just business,' English said. 'But we definitely remembered how we didn't perform in Stillwater.'

Ricardo Ratliffe (6'8''-F-89) and sixth-man Michael Dixon (6'1''-G-90) both had 15 points and English and Phil Pressey (5'10''-PG-91) scored 13 apiece for Missouri, which is tied with No. 4 Kansas for first place in the Big 12.

The victory extended the school record of 101 for Missouri's four-man senior class, a group that consists of English, Denmon, Ratliffe and Matt Pressey, Phil's older brother.

But like his stone-faced public persona when asked about revenge as a possible motivation, English said the record is the byproduct of a more significant plan one the Tigers hope will culminate in the school's first Final Four and a national championship.

'Those are product goals. We're stuck in the process,' he said, repeating what has become a near-mantra for Haith and his team. 'You're going to get some accolades along the way if you really consume yourself with getting better every day. That's a testament to us just getting lost in preparation every week, especially this season.'

Courtesy of www.nj.com

Southern Miss. 77, Tulsa 69 - by Milord Nikolic
Neil Watson made a game-tying 3-point shot with a half-second left in regulation and Jonathan Mills scored a career-high 25 points as Southern Mississippi outlasted Tulsa 77-69 in overtime Wednesday night. The victory left the Golden Eagles (22-4, 9-2) tied for first in Conference USA with Memphis (19-7, 9-2). Tulsa (15-11, 8-4) lost for only the second time in its past 10 games. Mills, who finished with a double-double after grabbing 10 rebounds, had a near-perfect shooting night, going 6 of 7 from the floor and 13 of 13 from the foul line. Torye Pelham had 11 rebounds as the Golden Eagles outrebounded the Golden Hurricane 39-34. The Golden Eagles made 31 of 35 free throws, including 5 of 6 in overtime. Jordan Clarkson's 3-pointer with 16 seconds left in regulation broke a 63-63 tie, but Watson lofted his own 3-pointer with .5 seconds to play to send the game into overtime. Watson finished with 18 points, while Maurice Bolden added 11 points. Tulsa got 19 points from Scottie Haralson, while Clarkson added 17 and Steven Idlet had 10. Mills was perfect in the first half, hitting all three of his shots from the floor and going 7 of 7 from the free-throw line. His teammates shot just 28.5 percent from the floor (6 of 21), but the Golden Eagles made 14 of 15 free throws. The Golden Hurricane, which shot 50 percent from the floor in the first half (13 of 26), went just twice to the line, making one. Southern Miss, which led 34-28 at halftime, built a 15-point lead with 9:09 to play only to see the Golden Hurricane roar back. Haralson and Clarkson scored seven points apiece to spark an 18-2 run, with the second of Clarkson's two free throws giving Tulsa a 55-54 lead with 4:17 to go. From there, the teams dueled down the stretch. With Tulsa leading 57-55, Bolden hit a jump-hook in the lane, and then dropped in a 3-pointer for a 60-57 Southern Miss lead. Idlet had a pair of low-post baskets sandwiched around a pair of Mills free throws to get Tulsa within 62-61, and after Watson made a free throw, Clarkson drained a 3-pointer from two steps beyond the arc on at the top of the left wing. Watson was called for a push-off with and Tulsa's Eric McClellan followed with two free throws with 6.1 seconds to play. That proved to be enough time for Watson to streak downcourt, and then pull up off the left arc to send the game into overtime. Southern Miss took over right away, as Tulsa's three big men, Idlet, D.J. Magley and Kodi Maduka fouled out on consecutive possessions. Pelham hit three free throws, and LaShay Page added two more as the Golden Eagles built a five-point lead and never were headed.

Top 25 - Men
Standings
East Division
 1. Akron 10-1 (17-7) 
 2. Buffalo 9-3 (15-7) 
 3. Ohio 8-3 (20-4) 
 4. Bowling Green 7-4 (13-10) 
 5. Kent St. 6-3 (16-6) 
 6. Miami, OH 4-8 (8-16) 
West Division
 1. E.Michigan 5-5 (10-13) 
 2. Toledo 4-7 (12-13) 
 3. Ball St. 4-7 (12-11) 
 4. W.Michigan 4-7 (10-14) 
 5. Cent.Michigan 3-7 (7-15) 
 6. N.Illinois 1-10 (2-22) 


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


PBA Roundup: Feb. 15, 2012 - by Enzo Flojo
MERALCO BOLTS over PETRON BLAZE BOOSTERS, 105-83
Meralco snapped a four-game slump dating back to last conference as the Bolts pounced on the Petron Blaze Boosters lethargic game for a big rout in the PBA Commissioner Cup Wednesday night.

The Bolts pummeled the Boosters in the last three quarters as they broke into the win-column in the mid-season tourney after a losing debut versus the B-Meg Llamados Friday.

Import Jarrid Famous showed marked improvement from his initial game with the team, churning out 26 points, 17 rebounds, 3 steals, 2 blocks and 1 assist in 38 minutes of action. Mark Borboran had his breakout game in a Meralco jersey while Mac Cardona and Gabby Espinas got their usual games as the Bolts dealt the Boosters their second loss in as many starts.

Borboran came through with a double-double line of 18 points and 11 rebounds. The former Alaska Aces player also made a big impact on defense, holding Arwind Santos to just 2 points his lowest output in a game since limited to the same score in the last Commissioners Cup.

Cardona chipped in 16 points, 6 rebounds and 3 assists, while Espinas contributed 13 markers and 7 boards.

MER 105 - Famous 26, Borboran 18, Cardona 16, Espinas 13, Artadi 8, Ross 7, Macapagal 6, Taulava 6, Hugnatan 5, Yee 0.
PBB 83 - Fazekas 33, Cabagnot 15, Lutz 11, Ildefonso 8, Yeo 6, Miranda 3, Reyes 2, Santos 2, Tugade 2, Al-Hussaini 1.
QS: 25-22, 56-39, 78-62, 105-83

B-MEG LLAMADOS over BARAKO BULL ENERGY, 88-86
B-Meg may have just come out a winner by the skin of its teeth, but head coach Tim Cone is far from displeased.

In fact, Cone is the exact opposite after his Llamados edged the Barako Bull Energy to assume the early solo lead of the PBA Commissioner's Cup.

Joe Devance highlighted a game-high 26-point performance with four of his team's last seven points and B-MEG held Barako to a lone field goal in the last four minutes of play for its follow-up to a victory over Meralco on opening day.

Unlike last Friday, when the Llamados led by as many as 14 points in the fourth period before cruising to the win, the victory over the Energy was more nerve-wracking.

DerMarr Johnson scored 21 points to lead the Energy, but he was held to only two points and 1-for-11 field goal shooting in the second half by the Llamados' alternating defense anchored mainly on Marc Pingris and JC Intal. As a result, Barako went blank for close to a four-minute span in the stretch after going 1-for-8 from the field and missing two free throws.

Despite being saddled by foul trouble, Denzel Bowles managed to finish 19 with points and 13 rebounds. His undergoal stab sandwiched back-to-back baskets by Devance and helped give B-MEG an 87-83 cushion.

James Yap, who turned 30 yesterday, added 14 points for the Llamados with Pingris chipping in 9 and 5 rebounds, including a put-back early in the third period that made him the 42nd member of the league's 1,000 Offensive Rebound club, the fifth to achieve the feat this season.

BML 88 - Devance 26, Bowles 19, Yap J. 14, Pingris 9, Intal 8, Urbiztondo 4, De Ocampo 3, Reavis 2, Yap R. 2, Barroca 1, Simon 0.
BBE 86 - Johnson 21, Allado 14, Pennisi 12, Miller 9, Tubid 8, Pena 7, Arboleda 5, Salvador 4, Lanete 2, Andaya 2, Najorda 2.
QS: 26-23, 41-52, 69-71, 88-86


Source: Game recaps were compressed and compiled from PBA.ph


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


Intermarche Basket Cup: down to Final Four - by Michal Koza
This year Polish Cup will be decided in the Final Four tournament formula. Intermarche Basket Cup will take place this weekend in Zielona Gora. As home team (Zastal Zielona Gora) awaits rivals, Six teams fought Wednesday in the quarterfinals to compete for a prize.

PGE Turow - Asseco Prokom 85:70

This was first game this year for Asseco Prokom Gdynia in a Polish competition as team was released from the first stage of the Polish league (PLK) due to heavy schedule in the Euroleague and VTB in which Asseco Prokom Gdynia, as Polish champion, also participated. A day before, Polish media have informed that two best Asseco Prokom Gdynia players will not play because the club wants to rest them. Jerel Blassingame (175-G-81, college: UNLV) and Donatas Motiejunas (213-F/C-90, agency: Interperformances) did not travel with the team. Tomas Pacesas , Asseco Prokom Gdynias head coach, stayed also home as the team was leaded by an assistant coach Andrzej Adamek .
The first quarter gave some hopes for a depleted guests as Przemyslaw Zamojski (186-G-86, agency: Alti Sport, college: Independence CC) was red hot (17 points in the first half). Six point edge (17:23) did not last very long as PGE Turow Zgorzelec forced their way back into the game by winning second quarter by ten. The game was decided in the third as home fans saw their favorites building a 14 point lead with 11 minutes to play. They were never challenged in the fourth and won 85:70. Daniel Kickert scored a game high 21 points.

PGE Turow Zgorzelec: Daniel Kickert 21, David Jackson (193-G-86, college: W.Illinois) 13, Aaron Cel (203-F-87) 12
Asseco Prokom Gdynia Prokom: Przemyslaw Zamojski 18, Fedor Dmitriev (205-F-84, agency: Alti Sport) 12, Adam Hrycaniuk (206-C-84, agency: Alti Sport, college: Cincinnati) 12.

Trefl Sopot - Energa Czarni 86:70

There was no thriller in another quarterfinal as Trefl Sopot led from the beginning of the game till the very end and won by 16. Energa Czarni Slupsk were outscored by 11 in the first quarter (31-20) including a 10-2 start and outrebounded 19-6 in the first half. 54:39 after 20 minutes of action. The start of the second half was a different story as guests started third with a 12-2 run and reduced the lead to five points (56:51). Lukasz Koszarek (187-G-84) nailed a long bomb to increase the lead to eight and in the next possession Trefl Sopot reestablished double-digit lead. From that point the victory for the home team was never in doubt. Final score: 86:70.

Trefl Sopot: Lukasz Koszarek 16, Jermaine Mallett (190-G-88, agency: Interperformances, college: Missouri St.) 15, Lukasz Wisniewski (186-G-84, college: Barton County CC) 12
Energa Czarni Slupsk: Stanley Burrell (190-PG-84) 16, Scott Morrison (212-C-86, college: Portland St.) 12, Darnell Hinson (186-G-80, college: Northeastern St.) 8.

Anwil - Slask Wroclaw 80:83 (OT)

Anwil Wloclawek took on WKS Slask Wroclaw in a battle of two important teams in Polish basketball history for a place in a Polish Cup semifinal. It was a close game from the start and visitors led by Akselis Vairogs (195-F-85, agency: Players Group) and Aleksandar Mladenovic (207-F/C-84, agency: BeoExcell) opened a 5 point lead after first half (37:42). Lorinza Harrington (193-G-80, college: Wingate) played well for the hosts and helped his team to start the third quarter with a 16-7 run. Both teams had their chances in the last ten minutes but the game went into overtime. Anwil Wloclawek stroke first to lead 73:71 but Robert Skibniewski 3+1 and Akselis Vairogs 3-pointer made it for WKS Slask Wroclaw.

Anwil Wloclawek: Lorinza Harrington 18, Nick Lewis (207-F/C-83, college: San Diego) 15, Lukasz Majewski (199-F-82) 10
WKS Slask Wroclaw: Akselis Vairogs 25, Aleksandar Mladenovic 10, Adam Wojcik (207-F-70, agency: Beo Basket) 10.

The semifinals will be played on 18th February, the Final will take place the next day:

Semifinals:
PGE Turow Zgorzelec - Trefl Sopot
Zastal Zielona Gora - WKS Slask Wroclaw



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


Associacao Academica de Coimbra sign Curtis Terry - by Eurobasket Center
Associacao Academica de Coimbra signed 27-year old American swingman Curtis Terry (196-G/F-85, college: UNLV). Terry played most recently at Akita Northern Happinets (Japan). While playing 14 games for Akita NH this season he averaged 11.3ppg, 3.5rpg and 2.4apg. Terry played also pro basketball in Japan and Turkey. He graduated University of Nevada -Las Vegas in 2008 and it will be his fourth season in pro basketball.

By Eurobasket Data Center

Porto and Petro Luanda reach Compal SuperCup Final - by Eurobasket News
Porto and Luanda Petro will fight for the 3rd Edition of Compal Cup trophy.
Porto defeated the defending champions 1 De Agosto 70:63 to reach the title game. Robert Johnson (203-C/F-81, college: Oregon) stepped up with 19 points and 13 rebounds to lead the Dragons. Carlos Andrade (197-F-78, college: Queens, NC) added 12 points for the winners.
Luanda Petro snatched a 73:70 win over Libolo. Petro used a 24:12 run in the second quarter to pile up a 38:34 halftime lead. Petro were up by 10 points 58:48 heading into the final frame. But Libolo bounced back surging ahead for a 61:59 advantage. But Carlos Morais (190-G-85) stepped up for Petro giving them back a 71:64 advantage and helping them to the victory. Roderick Nealy (198-F-80, college: Houston Baptist) stepped up with 23 points for Petro. Carlos Morais added 9 points in the win. Luis Costa (193-F-78) answered with 19 points for Libolo. Tommie Eddie (201-F/C-82, college: Mississippi) had 10 points in the loss.


*****************************************************
  PUERTO RICO   


Quebradillas signs Shavlik Randolph: - by Luis Modestti
Piratas de Quebradillas continue to be aggresive in the market as they announced the signing of Randolph Shavlik (208-F-83, college: Duke) for the 2012 BSN season. Randolph played last season with Gallitos de Isabela and was selected as the best import in 2011.

Randolph is currently playing in China with DongGuan and he is expected to join Quebradillas after he finishes his commitment there.

Quebradillas announced Terrence Shannon (203-F-79, agency: Paris Global Sports, college: Elgin CC) and Corey Williams (191-G-77, college: Alabama St.) who will be there from the start of the season on March 1. They expect to announce their third import soon since Williams Marcus (201-F/G-86, agency: Interperformances, college: Arizona) is scheduled to play in the Chinese league playoffs as well.


*****************************************************
  RUSSIA   


Vladislav Trushkin gets MVP of the Week award for Russian Superleague - by Eurobasket News
Talented Vladislav Trushkin (201-F-93) had an amazing evening in the last round for Spartak V. and that's him to receive a Eurobasket.com Superleague Player of the Week award for round 25.
The 18-year old forward had a double-double of 11 points and fourteen rebounds, while his team crushed Ataman (#2, 14-6) with 19-point margin 71-52. Spartak V. maintains the 8th position in Russian Superleague. The season is in a full swing, so it's only a dream for the team to make it into top half of the standings. For contrary they may face relegation if the situation turns from bad to worse. Spartak V. have already lost 16 games and recorded just six victories. It's Trushkin's second year at Spartak V. and it's hard to imagine this team without him. Trushkin has impressive league stats. He is in league's top in rebounds (8th best: 6.1rpg).

The second most remarkable performance in last round's games was 27-year old guard Anton Ageev (192-G-84) of Ruskon-Mord.. Ageev impressed basketball fans with 23 points and 8 rebounds. Bad luck as Ruskon-Mord. was edged by slightly lower-ranked Sojuz Zaretchny (#9, 4-16) 92-88. Ruskon-Mord. is still second from the bottom in the standings. His team is not often considered as one of the league's best with a mere 6-14 record. Ageev is well-known by Ruskon-Mord. fans and he already established his position as one of team's most reliable players. He belongs to the best scorers in the league with 14.7ppg (#3). He also registered 4.1 boards per game.

The third best performed player last round was Pavel Aleksandrov (196-G-89) of Sojuz Zaretchny (#9). Aleksandrov scored 19 points and passed nine assists. He was a key player of Sojuz Zaretchny, leading his team to a 92-88 win against slightly higher-ranked Ruskon-Mord. (#7, 6-14). Sojuz Zaretchny can only dream about fighting for top spots in the league. They have extremely bad season and 4-16 record places them at the very bottom of the standings. Too bad for Aleksandrov he does not play for a better team. But maybe if he did, his season stats would not be that high. Aleksandrov has individually a great season in Russia. After 16 games, he made it on the list of the league's leaders in points with 10.4ppg (6th best) and assists with 3.4apg (8th best).

Other top performing players last week:
4. Semen Shashkov (205-F-89) of Ural Ekaterinb. - 20 points, 3 rebounds and 2 assists
5. Aleksandr Zaykin (208-F/C-84) of TEMP-SUMZ - 20 points, 6 rebounds and 2 assists
6. Ivan Shamov (191-PG-91) of Rjazan - 13 points and 6 rebounds
7. Lorenzo Gordon (201-F-83) of Ural Ekaterinb. - 20 points and 9 rebounds
8. Dmitriy Ponosov (220-C-84) of Sojuz Zaretchny - 6 points, 14 rebounds and 2 assists
9. Aleksander Pushkin (203-F-87) of Sojuz Zaretchny - 12 points and 9 rebounds
10. Alexei Kuznetsov (203-F/C-84) of Ruskon-Mord. - 16 points and 8 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)

*****************************************************
  SERBIA   


SKP Banska Bystrica add Serbian Aleksandar Vuletic - by Eurobasket News
SKP Banska Bystrica add Serbian Aleksandar Vuletic (202-F-86, college: Indian Hills CC) for the rest of the season. In his first game he scored 3 points and grabbed 12 rebounds. However his new team lost to Vahostav-Zilina 79-84.
Vuletic played most recently at Viva Basket Beograd. While playing 15 games for Viva Basket this season he averaged 14.9ppg, 11.8rpg, 2.0apg and 3.0spg.
Fir his Awards/Achievements it is a must to mention Teams Most Improved Player -03, Junior Champions of Belgrade -04, #1 Top Rebounder of Championship Tournament -04, Team Promoted to Serbia A League (SERBIA TOP LEAGUE) 07. He became IOWA STATE CHAMPIONS -08, REGION CHAMPIONS -08 and clinched 6th place at All-American Final Tournament in Kansas -08. He was selected as the Serbian B League BEST REBOUNDER (first half of season) -10. In 2010 he was awarded Eurobasket.com All-Serbian B League 1st Team. Last year he became #2 TOP REBOUNDER IN LEAGUE -11, Recorded 10 Double-Doubles during the season -11, was named Eurobasket.com All-Serbian B League 2nd Team.


Standings - B Liga
B League Standings
 1. Mladost Zemun 11-4 
 2. Konstantin 11-5 
 3. Jagodina 11-6 
 4. Radnicki OB 10-6 
 5. Spartak 10-6 
 6. Mladost Cacak 10-7 
 7. Crnokosa 8-8 
 8. Napredak A. 8-9 
 9. Sabac 7-10 
 10. Viva Basket 7-10 
 11. Beovuk 72 6-10 
 12. Vojvodina 5-11 
 13. Radnicki Stud. 5-11 
 14. Jedinstvo NB 5-12 


Final tournament of Radivoj Korac Cup - Preview - by Ivan Milenkovic
Final tournament of Serbian Cup (Radivoj Korac Cup) will be played from Thursday to Sunday in Nis. Although surprises in Cup are not impossible, only three teams have realistic chance to win this year's tournament. There is big quality difference between teams who come from Adriatic and Serbian league and it is expected that all four semifinalists will be Adriatic league teams.

Main favourites are four times Cup winners in a row Partizan MTS, who will open final tournament against Mega Vizura. Partizan won last 14 Serbian and Adriatic finals and always finds way to win games in which trophy is at stake since 2007. Also, Partizan have by far best record of Serbian teams in Adriatic league (others have more lost than won games) and finally completed roster with arrival of Dominic James (180-PG-86, college: Marquette), who played very well in his debut for Partizan. Mega Vizura should have no chances to surprise, especially without their leader Branko Milisavljevic (193-G-76, agency: Beo Basket), who suffered knee injury and is out. Also, young star Vasilije Micic (192-PG-94, agency: Beo Basket) is injured for a long time. Mega will mostly rely on another hot prospect Nenad Miljenovic (194-G-93, agency: Beo Basket), on loan from Partizan.

Later on Thursday, Radnicki Kragujevac will face Vojvodina. Although they are leaders in Serbian league, it is difficult to see Vojvodina causing problems to Muta Nikolic's team. Radnicki have Adriatic league MVP leader David Simon (207-C-82, college: IPFW), who will dominate Vojvodina's centers. Other American Mike Scott (203-F-86, college: Kent St.) is 2nd best scorer and those two together are averaging almost 40 points per game. With pair of good guards - Steven Markovic (190-G-85) and Miljan Pavkovic (178-G-81, agency: Beo Basket) - Radnicki maybe have even the best starting line up, but their problem could be short rotation. Also, their form in last couple of games was bad.

Many expect that winner of first semifinal between (most likely) Partizan and Radnicki Kragujevac will win this year's Radivoj Korac Cup. But, Crvena zvezda Beograd will try to upset the odds and win first trophy after many years. Work of master coach Svetislav Pesic (agency: Interperformances) is obvious and Crvena zvezda Beograd improved their form significantly in 2012. They certainly have weaker roster in comparison to Partizan and Radnicki, but it didn't stop them to win in Kragujevac 86-90 in Adriatic league game recently. Their first rivals, in opening Friday's game, will be BKK Radnicki who is playing nice basketball this season, but lacks quality to surprise in Nis.

Finally, last quarterfinals game will be Hemofarm Stada - Radnicki FMP. Hemofarm - with new coach Nebojsa Bogavac - is the weakest of all four Adriatic league teams, in financial problems and recently lost their best player Boris Savovic, who signed for Galatasaray. But, they were lucky during draw as their rivals will be the weakest team in final tournament. Radnicki FMP is second team of Crvena zvezda Beograd, full of young players and not ready to be competitive with Adriatic league teams yet.

Including competitions in ex Yugoslavia, Partizan won most trophies in Cup - 12. Black and whites are followed by Crvena zvezda (5), FMP (4), OKK Beograd (3), BKK Radnicki and IMT (1).

Quarterfinals:
(1) Partizan MTS - Mega Vizura Thursday 18:00
(2) Radnicki Kragujevac - Vojvodina Thursday 20:30
(3) Crvena zvezda Beograd - BKK Radnicki Friday 18:00
(4) Hemofarm Stada - Radnicki FMP Friday 20:30

Semifinals:
Winner 1 - Winner 2 Saturday 18:00
Winner 3 - Winner 4 Saturday 20:30

Finals:
Sunday 20:30

*****************************************************
  SLOVAKIA   


SKP Banska Bystrica add Serbian Aleksandar Vuletic - by Eurobasket News
SKP Banska Bystrica add Serbian Aleksandar Vuletic (202-F-86, college: Indian Hills CC) for the rest of the season. In his first game he scored 3 points and grabbed 12 rebounds. However his new team lost to Vahostav-Zilina 79-84.
Vuletic played most recently at Viva Basket Beograd. While playing 15 games for Viva Basket this season he averaged 14.9ppg, 11.8rpg, 2.0apg and 3.0spg.
Fir his Awards/Achievements it is a must to mention Teams Most Improved Player -03, Junior Champions of Belgrade -04, #1 Top Rebounder of Championship Tournament -04, Team Promoted to Serbia A League (SERBIA TOP LEAGUE) 07. He became IOWA STATE CHAMPIONS -08, REGION CHAMPIONS -08 and clinched 6th place at All-American Final Tournament in Kansas -08. He was selected as the Serbian B League BEST REBOUNDER (first half of season) -10. In 2010 he was awarded Eurobasket.com All-Serbian B League 1st Team. Last year he became #2 TOP REBOUNDER IN LEAGUE -11, Recorded 10 Double-Doubles during the season -11, was named Eurobasket.com All-Serbian B League 2nd Team.


BK Vahostav-SK Zilina signed Devin Chambers - by Eurobasket News
BK Vahostav-SK Zilina signed Devin Chambers (183-G-86, college: S.Maine) for the rest of the season. The American player already debuted for his new team with 8 points.
In 2007-2008 he started for William Carey University (NAIA1) and averaged 8.5ppg, 1.5apg, 2.0spg. In 2008-2009 for William Carey University (NAIA1) he improved to 9.0ppg, 1.2rpg, 4.2apg. In 2009-2010 moved to Mississippi College (NCAA3) and showed 11ppg, 3.0apg, 2.0spg. The season 2010-2011 appeared for University of Southern Maine (NCAA3) where his stats read 12.5ppg, 2.2rpg, 1.4spg, 3.4apg.
The season 2011-2012 Devin Chambers started for Volcanes de Toluca (Mexico-LNBP, starting five) and after 10 games averaged 10.8ppg, 3.3rpg, 3.1apg, 1.3spg, FGP: 42.7%, 3PT: 10.5%, FT: 65.3%. In Dec.'11 moved to Cleveland Havok (UBA), and in Feb.'12 agreed terms with BK Vahostav-SK Zilina (Slovakia-Extraliga, starting five).
In his top game this season for Volcanes de Toluca he recorded 24 points. Volcanes lost on the road their 28th consecutive match to Correcaminos 107:59.American guard Devin Chambers produced 24 points and 5 rebounds and Jesus Rivera added 11 points and 13 rebounds respectively for the guests.



Standings - D1
Extraliga Standings
 1. Nitra 19-9 
 2. Prievidza 19-9 
 3. Komarno 17-10 
 4. Handlova 16-11 
 5. Nova Ves 14-14 
 6. Svit 13-14 
 7. Levice 11-16 
 8. B.Bystrica 7-20 
 9. Vahostav-Zilina 7-20 


*****************************************************
  SPAIN   


Lubos Barton leaves Fuenlabrada - by Eurobasket News
Lubos Barton (202-F/G-80, college: Valparaiso) and Fuenlabrada split ways. The Czech forward joined the Madrid team back in 2010. He averaged 7.9 points, 4.9 rebounds per EuroChallenge game this season. In ACB Lubos Barton tallied 6.1 points and 4.7 rebounds per appearance. Lubos Barton previously had stints with Barcelona, Joventut, Lottomatica Roma, Bologna. The forward has been the member of Czech National Team since 1998.


*****************************************************
  SWEDEN   


Mark Tyndale gets MVP of the Week award for Swedish Basketligan - by Eurobasket News
American Mark Tyndale (196-G-86) had an amazing evening in the last round for Sundsvall and that's him to receive a Eurobasket.com Player of the Week award for round 29.
The 25-year old guard had a double-double of 16 points and twelve rebounds, while his team crushed 08 (#8, 13-16) with 22-point margin 89-67. Sundsvall is placed at 4th position in Swedish Basketligan. They would have been even better if they hadn't lost a few games earlier this season. Sundsvall will need more victories to improve their 16-12 record. Tyndale just recently signed at Sundsvall, being already a very valuable addition to the team. Mark Tyndale averages just after three games 16.3ppg, 9.0rpg and 5.0apg.

The second most remarkable performance in last round's games was 24-year old American forward William Walker (201-F-87, agency: Warren Sports International) of Solna. Walker impressed basketball fans with 28 points, 7 rebounds and 3 assists. Bad luck as Solna was edged by the higher-ranked Sodertalje (#1, 19-9) 87-84. This loss caused Solna to drop to 5th position in the standings. His team lost some distance to top teams. But 16-12 record is not bad and everything may still change. Walker is a newcomer at Solna and it seems he did not have too much trouble to become one of team's leaders.

The third best performed player last round was American Kenneth Simms (203-C-86) of top-ranked Sodertalje. Simms scored 22 points and grabbed nine rebounds. He was a key player of Sodertalje, leading his team to a 87-84 win against the lower-ranked Solna (#5, 16-12). Sodertalje confirms their top position in the standings. Their record at this point is 19 victories and 9 lost games. Simms has a great season in Sweden. After 27 games, he made it on the list of the league's leaders in rebounds with 8.6rpg (7th best). He also has 1.8bpg and FGP: 58.2%.

Other top performing players last week:
4. Hlynur Baeringsson (200-F/C-82) of Sundsvall - 19 points, 5 rebounds and 2 assists
5. Demond Watt (200-F-89) of Eco Orebro - 19 points and 11 rebounds
6. Michael Palm (208-C-79) of Boras - 17 points, 11 rebounds and 2 assists
7. Keith Ramsey (205-F-87) of LF Basket - 8 points and 11 rebounds
8. Delvon Johnson (206-F/C-89) of Uppsala - 12 points, 8 rebounds and 2 assists
9. Christopher Ryan (196-G-90) of LF Basket - 21 points, 2 rebounds and 4 assists
10. Keith Ramsey (205-F-87) of LF Basket - 17 points and 8 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)

*****************************************************
  TPBL   


Sea Dawgs announce 2012 home schedule - by Eurobasket News
The Wilmington Sea Dawgs are pleased to announce its home schedule for the 2012 season. All home games will be played at the Schwartz Center located on newly renovated downtown campus of Cape Fear Community College. The dates for these games are as follows:

Sun 4/1/12 vs.Prime Time
Tip off: 6:00 PM

Fri 4/6/12 vs. Carolina
Tip off: 7:00 PM

Sat 4/7/12 vs. Cary
Tip off: 7:00 PM

Fri 4/13/12 vs. Big Texas
Tip off: 7:00 PM

Fri 5/11/12 vs. Big Texas
Tip off: 7:00 PM

Fri 5/18/12 vs. Fayetteville
Tip off: 7:00 PM

Fri 5/25/12 vs. Queen City
Tip off: 7:00 PM

The Sea Dawgs will be playing their sixth season in the newly formed Tobacco Road Basketball League. The TRBL will feature teams from across the Carolinas, creating an intense rivalry week in and week out.

In addition to these great matchups, the Wilmington Sea Dolls and their Mini and Junior squads will pair up with Salty again this year to pump up the crowd. There will also be games, giveaways, and theme nights for every game on the schedule.

Courtesy of www.wwaytv3.com

*****************************************************
  TUNISIA   


E.S.Sahel takes 4-0 record on top of Play-off Stage - by Eurobasket News
E.S.Sahel takes 4-0 record on top of Play-off Stage after the victory over C.Africain 85:64 in the top game of the Round. C.Africain and Stade Nabeulien follow them with 3-1 record each. Stade Nabeulien lost to J.S.Kairaoun 60:73, while E.S.Rades overcame Etoile Sportive Goulettoise 79:74.



Standings - D1
D1 Standings
Places 1-8
 1. ES Sahel 4-0 
 2. Stade Nabeulien 3-1 
 3. C Africain 3-1 
 4. ES Rades 2-2 
 5. JS Kairouan 2-2 
 6. Ezzahra 1-2 
 7. CA Bizerte 0-0 
 8. ESG 0-4 
Places 9-14
 1. AS Hammamet 1-0 
 2. ASC Bizerte 1-0 
 3. JS Manazeh 1-1 
 4. Tunisair 0-0 
 5. C Cheminots 0-1 
 6. US Monastir 0-4 


*****************************************************
  TURKEY   


SPORTOTO Turkish Cup DAY 2 - by Baha Kurtulus
Besiktas Milangaz Istanbul and Galatasaray Medical Park Istanbul advanced to semi final too.

Besiktas Milangaz Istanbul - Aliaga Petkim : 87 -82
Pops Mensah-Bonsu (206-F-83, agency: SportsTalent, college: G.Washington) 21 points, 8 rebounds and 4 assists, Carlos Arroyo (188-G-79, college: FIU) added 18 points, 4 rebounds and 4 assists Serhat Cetin (197-G-86) helped 14 points respectively for winner.
Umit Sonkol (206-F-82) chipped 27 points and 9 boards, Ersin Gorkem (195-F-77) helped 18 points and 5 rebounds in defeat.

Galatasaray Medical Park Istanbul - Antalya Buyuksehir Belediye : 94 -57
The game between Galatasaray Medical Park Istanbul and Antalya Buyuksehir Belediye in Konya ended with biggest points difference.
Joshua Shipp (196-G/F-86, college: UCLA) fired 16 points and 7 rebounds, Cevher Ozer (206-F/C-83, agency: 1x1 Sports) produced 14 points and 4 rebounds ans Furkan Aldemir (207-F-91, agency: Beo Basket) added 13 points and 7 boards for the winners.
Stevan Jelovac (208-F/C-89, agency: BeoExcell) chipped 14 points and 3 rebounds, Guy Fisher, Scott Reynolds and Bora Hun Pacun added 11 points each.

Semi final games will be playing today.
18:00 Banvit Basketbol Kulubu - Anadolu Efes Istanbul
20:15 Besiktas Milangaz Istanbul - Galatasaray Medical Park Istanbul



*****************************************************
  U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS   


Champions!: Racers claim 3rd straight OVC crown - by David Edole
APE GIRARDEAU, Mo. Maybe Murray State is getting over its chance of an unbeaten season being spoiled.

The 16th-ranked Racers did a good job neutralizing Southeast Missouri States first sellout crowd in 12 years, clinching their third straight Ohio Valley Conference championship. And without much from leading scorer Isaiah Canaan.

Donte Poole hit four 3-pointers and scored 25 points and Murray State held Southeast Missouri State to season-worst 37.3 percent shooting in a 75-66 victory Wednesday night.

It shows a lot. It shows our toughness, how deep we are and how tight we are, Poole said. Not every game is going to be Isaiahs game. It was just on us to come out and help him.

Poole totaled 23 points the previous three games on 6-for-24 shooting. He was 4 for 6 from 3-point range and 7 for 12 overall.

We just tried to key on Canaan and ended up letting the next-best player go off, Southeast Missouris Corey Wilford said. Were going to have to stop both of them the next time.

Ivan Aska (200-F-90) had 14 points and nine rebounds for the Racers (25-1, 13-1), who have won two straight since getting upset at home by Tennessee State last week to end a 23-0 start. They have dominated the series with Southeast Missouri, 50-17.

The Tennessee State game is still surreal, first-year coach Steve Prohm said. Ill move past it a little bit now that we won tonight.

Now, the players want a lot more.

We want to win a conference tournament championship and go and make some noise in the NCAA tournament, Poole said. We have bigger goals and aspirations and we just want to make sure were hungry every game.

Canaan, second in the conference with a 19.6 average, was held scoreless for the first 17 minutes and finished with nine points on 2-for-11 shooting. Canaan had 32 points in the first meeting, an 81-73 victory at home Feb. 2.

When Isaiah gets only nine points and we get 75, that makes me feel really good, Brohm said. Isaiahs terrific, I wouldnt trade him for anybody.

Leon Powell had 13 points and eight rebounds for Southeast Missouri State (14-12, 9-5), and Wilford added 12 points with three 3-pointers in the second half. Tyler Stone, the Redhawks leading scorer with a 15.0 average, was scoreless in 15 minutes.

Southeast Missouri States home finale was also the schools first home game against a Top 25 team and attracted a crowd of 7,125, the first sellout at the Show Me Center in 12 years The Redhawks beat Murray State at home last season but have never beaten the Racers in consecutive years at home.

Southeast Missouri State hoped the loss wouldnt scare away fans in the future.

The outcome wasnt like we wanted but we thank them, Wilford said. Dont let it just be a one-time thing.

Murray State trailed by 11 points early in the second half of the earlier meeting. The Racers led by 10 at halftime of the rematch despite Canaans shaky start and Southeast Missouri got no closer than five points the rest of the way.

I think youve got to credit their go-to guys, Southeast Missouri State coach Dickey Nutt said. They just made big shot after big shot.

Poole hit all four 3-pointers in the first half, two during a stretch of eight consecutive points that put Murray State up 32-20 with 54 seconds to go. That offset a poor start by Canaan, who missed his first six shots against frequent double coverage before hitting a 3-pointer with just under 3 minutes left.

Southeast Missouri States halftime point total was just one more than its season-worst and the Redhawks fell short despite shooting 53 percent the rest of the way. Players hoped it wouldnt scare away fans in the future.

The outcome wasnt like we wanted but we thank them, Wilford said. Dont let it just be a one-time thing.


Sanford faces tournament-level test - by David Edole
Written by
BRAD MYERS
The News Journal

The champion of the DIAA Boys Basketball State Tournament will have to win two games in a three-day period three separate times. The next three days will be the ultimate preview for Sanford.

The top-ranked Warriors will play second-ranked Hodgson tonight and third-ranked St. Andrew's on Saturday -- both on the road.

'This will be a good test for us,' Sanford coach Stan Waterman said. 'It's set up on a Thursday and a Saturday to kind of simulate a state tournament feel. It's a nice way for us to end the season and kind of gauge where we are.'

Tonight's 6:45 tipoff at Hodgson is sold out. Waterman believes the winner may be decided by which team can keep its cool.

'I think the key is going to be which team is able to play within themselves. It's a big game, and the kids will be hyped,' he said. 'You've got No. 1 vs. No. 2, and sometimes kids have a tendency to step outside what they've done all year long. The team that's able to kind of stick with what they've done will have the better chance.'

The Silver Eagles (16-2) are led by a stellar trio of 5-foot-11 senior guards -- Anthony Bowers (14.3 points per game), Parris Ridgeway-Higgs (13.4) and Tyaire Hudson (13.3). And Hodgson will still be feeling the sting of a 59-58 loss at St. Georges on Tuesday.

'They have the three guards who've been together for four years, and they're very experienced and familiar with each other,' Waterman said. 'They play very well together, and that's a tough combination. I don't think you can stop them. We just hope to be able to slow them down a little bit.'

The Warriors counter with a balanced lineup that has plenty of big-game experience, since Sanford has won the last two state titles. Senior guard Khallid Hart does it all for the 17-0 Warriors, averaging 15.3 points, 6.2 assists, 3.2 rebounds and 2.7 steals per game. Guard Sabri Thompson averages 12.2 points, and forward Todd Hughes adds 10.7 points.

With three super-quick guards, it would be logical to expect Hodgson to push the pace. But the opposite may be true.

'We have to force [Sanford] to execute in the half court, because they're so good in transition,' Silver Eagles coach Ed Sobocinski said. 'They're very good in the half court, too, but they're great in transition. You have to try to take one of those things away.'

Win or lose tonight, the Warriors will have another tough opponent waiting Saturday at St. Andrew's. Sanford beat the Saints 48-38 at home Jan. 17, but going on the road is always tough. Especially when the Saints (14-3) have two super sophomores in 6-foot-8 center Ben Bentil (19.1 points per game) and muscular guard Austin Tilghman (18.5).

'They've got a nice one-two punch with Tilghman and Bentil,' Waterman said. 'But I like the way our guys have played, too. We focus on what other teams are doing, but we truly believe if we do what we do game in and game out, our chances of being successful are pretty good.'

St. Andrew's coach Terell Myers hopes the Warriors will be worn out after the Hodgson game.

'I'm going to call coach Sobo and ask him to full-court press the whole game, give us a chance,' Myers said with a laugh. 'We're going to do some things to prepare for [Sanford], but it's very hard to mimic that speed in practice. We're just learning, trying to stay under the radar and win some games.'

Sanford faces tournament-level test - by David Edole
Written by
BRAD MYERS
The News Journal

The champion of the DIAA Boys Basketball State Tournament will have to win two games in a three-day period three separate times. The next three days will be the ultimate preview for Sanford.

The top-ranked Warriors will play second-ranked Hodgson tonight and third-ranked St. Andrew's on Saturday -- both on the road.

'This will be a good test for us,' Sanford coach Stan Waterman said. 'It's set up on a Thursday and a Saturday to kind of simulate a state tournament feel. It's a nice way for us to end the season and kind of gauge where we are.'

Tonight's 6:45 tipoff at Hodgson is sold out. Waterman believes the winner may be decided by which team can keep its cool.

'I think the key is going to be which team is able to play within themselves. It's a big game, and the kids will be hyped,' he said. 'You've got No. 1 vs. No. 2, and sometimes kids have a tendency to step outside what they've done all year long. The team that's able to kind of stick with what they've done will have the better chance.'

The Silver Eagles (16-2) are led by a stellar trio of 5-foot-11 senior guards -- Anthony Bowers (14.3 points per game), Parris Ridgeway-Higgs (13.4) and Tyaire Hudson (13.3). And Hodgson will still be feeling the sting of a 59-58 loss at St. Georges on Tuesday.

'They have the three guards who've been together for four years, and they're very experienced and familiar with each other,' Waterman said. 'They play very well together, and that's a tough combination. I don't think you can stop them. We just hope to be able to slow them down a little bit.'

The Warriors counter with a balanced lineup that has plenty of big-game experience, since Sanford has won the last two state titles. Senior guard Khallid Hart does it all for the 17-0 Warriors, averaging 15.3 points, 6.2 assists, 3.2 rebounds and 2.7 steals per game. Guard Sabri Thompson averages 12.2 points, and forward Todd Hughes adds 10.7 points.

With three super-quick guards, it would be logical to expect Hodgson to push the pace. But the opposite may be true.

'We have to force [Sanford] to execute in the half court, because they're so good in transition,' Silver Eagles coach Ed Sobocinski said. 'They're very good in the half court, too, but they're great in transition. You have to try to take one of those things away.'

Win or lose tonight, the Warriors will have another tough opponent waiting Saturday at St. Andrew's. Sanford beat the Saints 48-38 at home Jan. 17, but going on the road is always tough. Especially when the Saints (14-3) have two super sophomores in 6-foot-8 center Ben Bentil (19.1 points per game) and muscular guard Austin Tilghman (18.5).

'They've got a nice one-two punch with Tilghman and Bentil,' Waterman said. 'But I like the way our guys have played, too. We focus on what other teams are doing, but we truly believe if we do what we do game in and game out, our chances of being successful are pretty good.'

St. Andrew's coach Terell Myers hopes the Warriors will be worn out after the Hodgson game.

'I'm going to call coach Sobo and ask him to full-court press the whole game, give us a chance,' Myers said with a laugh. 'We're going to do some things to prepare for [Sanford], but it's very hard to mimic that speed in practice. We're just learning, trying to stay under the radar and win some games.'

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


Standings - Superleague
Superleague Standings
 1. Budivelnyk 20-6 
 2. BC Donetsk 19-8 
 3. Azovmash 18-9 
 4. BC Odessa 17-10 
 5. Hoverla 16-11 
 6. Khimik 16-11 
 7. Ferro-ZNTU 16-11 
 8. Dnipro 14-13 
 9. BC Kyiv 13-15 
 10. Mykolaiv 11-17 
 11. Kryvbasbasket 10-17 
 12. DniproAzot 8-19 
 13. Cherkasy 7-20 
 14. Halychyna 5-23 


*****************************************************
  UNITED KINGDOM   


Jets sign Serbian/Greek big man - by Paul Nilsen
The Cheshire Jets have wasted no time in filling the space in their roster as they welcome Milan Psaltou (205-F/C-84) to the Northgate for the remainder of the season. Milan, who is 27 years old and 6 ft 9in tall, can play either the power forward or the small forward position. He flew in from Greece, where he had been playing this season for Polis Kallitheas team in the Greek C league on Sunday and was introduced to the crowd during half time of the Jets v Prestige Homes Milton Keynes Lions game.



Milan was born in Serbia in 1984 and started playing basketball at the KK Partizan Club until he left to come to Greece at the age of 18. He was a member of the Yugoslav National team at both U16 & U18 age groups. He is a dual national Serbian / Greek.



Cheshire Jets Director Peter Hawkins commented, 'Milan comes to us highly recommended: he has an impressive skill-set ranging from defending on and off the ball and rebounding at both ends of the court - and he also has an impressive shooting record from three point range. One of his great strengths is his willingness to hustle on every play - and this leads to him creating openings for his team mates.'



Head Coach John Lavery added, 'I've recently gone on record as saying that the team lacks some height, and Milan at 6'9' will hopefully help us to sort this out. I am very much looking forward to working with him in training this week and seeing what he can do to help us in our attempt to secure a play-off position.'

Sharks Cut Dobbins, Add Patton - by Paul Nilsen
One Health Sharks Sheffield have announced a change in their roster with the release of big man Justin Dobbins and replacing him with the signing of former Sharks guard Ryan Patton (181-G-78, college: Youngstown St.).


The decision to release Dobbins was a difficult one for Head Coach Atiba Lyons, but under the circumstances and based on overall recent performances it was felt that the guard position needed to be addressed.


'Justin is a good guy and a great athlete. I just feel I want to go in a different direction for the remainder of the season and I feel we need to try and support the guard position more, in view of the fact that Nate (Reinking) is several weeks away from playing,' said Lyons.


It would have been ideal for the Sharks to add guards into the roster but with the negotiation of a significant investor falling through the club remains committed to recovering the finances and making prudent decisions.


Patton, the 6'0' former sharks general has agreed to come back to the club that he enjoyed back to back BBL Cup successes with in his previous tenure. Despite a hiatus for the first part of the season the club and player remained on good terms, and Patton became the natural choice.


'I am pleased to have Ryan back in the squad, he brings so much to a team on and off the court, obviously it would have been better to have had him in from the start but we can only look forward now,' said Lyons. 'I think with everyone playing and healthy we have a good look for the playoffs but we will continue to take it game by game.'

Nate Not Done - by Jeff King
Sheffield Sharks star Great Britain guard Nathan Reinking (188-G-73, college: Kent St.) was obviously disappointed and down after being only able to watch his side crash out of the BBL Trophy Semi-Final at the hands of the Newcastle Eagles.

Reinking who got injured in the BBL Championship game in January in Newcastle after an accidental clash with team-mate Colin Sing was unable to play any part through injury in either of the two-legs and was restricted to a watching and assistant coaching brief from the bench.

He alluded to how tough it had been to sit and watch and not help out his team-mates especially with all the off-court controversy also going on that clearly affected everyone at Sheffield.

'It was really tough and really disappointing but it was just one of those things, The Eagles are playing well at the moment and you're not going to come back from 30 points down against them. We were never going to come back unless things got out of control or a miracle happened.'

'We weren't at full strength in either game but that's the way basketball is. Its a long season and there's injuries and off the court stuff which you just have to deal with and move on.'

Reinking though refuted that he was out for the rest of the campaign and seems determined to get back on court and help his side out down the stretch.

'I'm hoping to get back before the end of the season. I'm just taking the rehab and making sure everything is back to full strength before I get back on court.'

If Reinking is to get back for Sharks he wants the Club and his team-mates to regain focus and push hard for the remainder of the games left.

'First of all we need, hopefully, to get everybody back and on-court including Atiba and everyone really. We need to put all this stuff behind us and hopefully move forward. I guess if we did that we'd start a whole second season with what'll feel like a different squad.'

Interestingly enough Sharks have made a major move and change in their roster since the loss to Newcastle and intriguingly its at the guard position. They've released 6' 8' centre Justin Dobbins and brought back 6' 0' shooting/point guard Ryan Patton in a move that has surprised many.

Whether they feel Reinking may struggle to get back and they wanted to address their guard position is open to judgement but perhaps with the likes of Mike Tuck, Olu Babalola and Atiba Lyons as their main forwards they felt that this was a better fit for the side moving forward. Time will tell.

As for Reinking? Well, it does appear he has a major date with destiny on his mind and that's this summer's Olympics in London.

'Getting fit and then getting selected for The Olympics is the main goal. I'd like to finish up with The Sharks at the end of the season to help me get healthy for that and go in full strength to them.'

'It's been on my mind since last summer and it's been my focus for years now. Like I said if I can get healthy and be there in London it's going to be the greatest feeling ever.'

No-one in British basketball would begrudge a very popular player that opportunity. Nathan Reinking has been there throughout the GB push through the European Championships and helped in getting his adopted nation to the Olympics. It would certainly help the GB cause if he were there.

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


Standings - LUB
LUB Standings
Serie 1
 1. Welcome 6-1 
 2. Hebraica 6-1 
 3. Bohemios 4-3 
 4. Lagomar 2-5 
 5. Wanderers 2-5 
 6. Trouville 1-6 
Serie 2
 1. Defensor 5-2 
 2. Aguada 5-2 
 3. Malvin 4-2 
 4. Anastasia 2-4 
 5. Bigua 2-5 
 6. Plaza 2-5 


Defensor Sporting defeated Malvin, the last LUB champions - by Hector Lopez
Christopher Jackson (208-C-81, college: N.Mexico St.) netted 12 points and grabbed 10 rebounds leading Defensor Sporting to beat Malvin 65-57 for the group 1 for the LUB scond stage. Malvin, the current champion, is already classified to play quarter finals play off. For Defensor Sporting Tyler Smith (203-F/C-80, college: Penn St.) added 11 points 4 rebounds and 2 blocks. For Malvin Christopher Jeffries (199-F-80, college: Wash.-St.Louis) 19 points 6 rebounds, Anthony Myles (208-F/C-82, agency: KMG Sports Management, college: Xavier) 9 points 8 rebounds and Ryan Blankson (201-F-80, college: Loyola, IL) 1 point 6 rebounds.

*****************************************************
  VENEZUELA   


Toros de Aragua bring in Maureece Rice, release Ricardo Soliver - by Eurobasket News
Toros de Aragua are still looking for the ways to build the winning roster. They recently acquired Maureece Rice (185-PG-84, college: G.Washington). The guard spend the previous season in D-League. He started with the Erie Bay Hawks. Maureece Rice however shortly after moved to the Sioux Falls Skyforce. His stats read 11.4 points, 2.1 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game. Previously Maureece Rice had stints in D-League and Ukraine.
In the meantime Toros de Aragua released Ricardo Soliver (191-G-84, college: Iona). The guard started the season with the team. He notched 19.0 points, 3.0 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game in LPB. Ricardo Soliver is the member of Dominican Republic National Team.


Venezuelans Abroad - Greivis Vasquez and New Orleans win second straight (NBA) - by Francisco Vega
Barquisimeto, Venezuela.- Venezuelan PG Greivis Vasquez (198-PG-87) and the New Orleans Hornets were able to pull off an away win out of Bradley Center and defeat Milwaukee Bucks, 92-89, for their second straight win, improving their 2011-2012 NBA record to 6-23, in an injury plagued season for the team to which Vasquez arrived last December, traded by the Memphis Grizzlies.

Vasquez played 25:52 minutes and dealed with foul trouble, finishing with 6 points, 7 assists, 2 rebounds, a steal, 4 turnovers and 5 fouls. He scored 3 out of 6 two-point attempts and missed his two three-point shots of the night, still filling in as a starter for injured Jarrett Jack (191-PG-83, college: Georgia Tech), who's still dealing with left knee issues.

Italian Marco Belinelli (196-G-86) was the man of the night with six three pointers and a total of 22 points, Chris Kaman (213-C-82) added a double double of 18 points and 10 boards, Trevor Ariza (203-F-85) tallied 14 points and Mexican Gustavo Ayon (209-F/C-85) had his first double double in the NBA with 12 points and 12 rebounds.

For Milwaukee, the attack of Ersan Ilyasova (207-F-87) with 23 points coming off the bench wasn't enough. Brandon Jennings (183-PG-89) added 18 points, Argentinian Carlos Delfino (198-G-82) and Drew Gooden (208-F-81) came up with 11 each and reserve Mike Jr. Dunleavy (204-G/F-80) added 10 more. Milwaukee's record is now 12-17.

Vasquez, a 25 year-old, 1.98m tall former standout player in the NCAA for the Maryland Terrapins, is now averaging 7.8 points, 4.7 assists, 2.4 rebounds and 1.2 steals per game in 29 matches and is about to play his 100th game as a pro in the NBA, combining the 70 he played for Memphis in the 2010-2011 season (3.6 points, 2.2 assists, 1.1 rebounds per game) and the ones he's played since joining the Hornets. Up next, he'll face the New York Knicks on Friday at Madison Square Garden.



Standings - LPB
LPB Standings
 1. Cocodrilos 7-0 
 2. Marinos 6-1 
 3. Guaiqueries 6-2 
 4. Gigantes 5-3 
 5. Bucaneros 4-3 
 6. Trotamundos 3-4 
 7. Guaros 2-5 
 8. Gaiteros 2-7 
 9. Panteras 2-7 
 10. Toros 1-6 


*****************************************************
  VTB UNITED LEAGUE   


Massey number one in VTB United League for round 21 - by Eurobasket News
American-FYR Macedonian forward Jeremiah Massey (202-F-82) put on an extraordinary performance in the last round for Lokomotiv, receiving a Eurobasket.com Player of the Week award for round 21.
The 29-year old player had a double-double of 19 points and 13 rebounds, while his team beat CEZ Nymburk (#6, 6-7) 71-65. Lokomotiv is placed at 4th position in VTB United League . They would have been even better if they hadn't lost a few games earlier this season. Lokomotiv will need more victories to improve their 7-5 record. In the team's last game Massey had a remarkable 57.1% from 2-point range. It's his second year at Lokomotiv and it's hard to imagine this team without him. Jeremiah Massey averages this season 12.8ppg and 5.8rpg.

The second best player in last round's games was 28-year old Croatian Kresimir Loncar (210-F-83, agency: Alti Sport) of league's second-best Khimky. Loncar had a very good evening with 19 points, 6 rebounds and 2 assists. It was enough for Khimky to edge slightly lower-ranked N.Novgorod (#4, 7-8) 79-77. It was definitely game of the week between two contenders to the title. Khimky consolidated its place in top 2 of the standings. His team's 11-3 record is not bad at all. Loncar is well-known at Khimky and is a proven leader in his second season with the team.

Third on the list of top players last round was Montenegrin Vladimir Dragicevic (206-C/F-86) of league's second-best Spartak SP. Dragicevic scored 21 points and grabbed seven rebounds. He was a key player of Spartak SP, leading his team to a 88-66 easy win against the lower-ranked Minsk-2006 (#9, 1-13). Spartak SP is closer and closer to the top of the standings. They will still need more victories. But 10-2 record is not that bad... Dragicevic has a very solid season. In 10 games in VTB United League he scored 9.5ppg. He also has 5.2rpg and FGP: 65.5%.

Other top performing players last week:
4. Jonas Valanciunas (210-C-92) of Lietuvos rytas - 13 points and 14 rebounds
5. Chester Simmons (198-G-82) of CEZ Nymburk - 23 points, 6 rebounds and 2 assists
6. Nathan Jawai (208-F/C-86) of Unics - 19 points and 4 rebounds
7. Lynn Greer (186-PG-79) of Unics - 16 points, 2 rebounds and 8 assists
8. Henry Domercant (192-G-80) of Unics - 16 points, 4 rebounds and 3 assists
9. Aaron Miles (186-G-83) of Krasnie Krilya - 17 points, 6 rebounds and 6 assists
10. Suad Sehovic (197-G/F-87) of Budivelnyk - 26 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)



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

Women News

*****************************************************
  ADRIATIC LEAGUE - Women  


Standings
Adriatic League Standings
 1. Partizan 14-0 
 2. Celik 11-5 
 3. Radivoj Korac 10-5 
 4. Hemofarm 10-5 
 5. Athlete Celje 9-7 
 6. Vozdovac 8-6 
 7. Mladi Krajisnik 6-10 
 8. Buducnost 5-9 
 9. Vojvodina 2-13 
 10. Sloboda 0-15 


*****************************************************
  BALTIC LEAGUE - Women  


Standings
Baltic League Standings
Group W
 1. Berezina 0-0 
 2. Eclex Tallinn 0-0 
 3. Frankivsk-Hal. 0-0 
 4. Kibirkstis-Tiche 0-0 
 5. KK Tallina U. 0-0 
 6. Sirenos 0-0 
 7. TTT Juniores 0-0 
 8. Victoria 0-0 
Group C
 1. Lemminkainen 1-0 
 2. VICI-Aistes 1-1 
 3. TTT Riga 0-0 
 4. Minsk-2006 0-1 
Group D
 1. Olimpia 1-0 
 2. Gorizont 0-0 
 3. Spartak SP 0-0 
 4. Tim-Scuf 0-1 


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


Olimpia overcame Tim-Scuf in the start of Second Stage of BWBL - by Eurobasket News
Olimpia - Tim-Scuf 92:73

Olimpia overcame Tim-Scuf in the start of Second Stage of Baltic League. The team from Belarus handed the Ukrainian squad 92:73 loss.
The game was mostly controlled by Olimpia GrGAU. Tim-Scuf managed to win fourth quarter 20-18. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. Great defensive blocking was one of the keys in this match when Olimpia GrGAU made 8 blocks. Worth to mention a great performance of Lyubov Alyoshkina (203-C-81) who helped to win the game recording a double-double by scoring 23 points and 15 rebounds. Ukrainian forward Anna Pokoiova (188-F-87) contributed with a double-double by scoring 16 points and 11 rebounds for the winners.
Olga Maznichenko (187-F-91, agency: LBM Management) answered with 17 points and 6 rebounds and forward Nataliya Gavryliuk (178-F-90) added 12 points and 10 rebounds in the effort for Tim-Scuf. Olimpia GrGAU will try to continue on its current victory against second ranked Gorizont in Minsk.

Olimpia: Lyubov Alyoshkina 23+15rebs, Victoria Shmatova (170-G-87) 20, Anna Pokoiova 16+11rebs, Katsiaryna Kashlei (171-PG-90) 10
Tim-Scuf: Olga Maznichenko 17, Ina Faskhudinova (182-F-84) 14 Krystyna Matsko (182-F-91) 14, Nataliya Gavryliuk 12+10rebs



*****************************************************
  BOSNIA - Women  


Standings - Women
D1 Standings
 1. Zeljeznicar 9-1 
 2. Rudar Sport 6-4 
 3. Jedinstvo 5-3 
 4. Borac ML-IEFK 5-4 
 5. RMU Banovici 5-5 
 6. Mladost 3-7 
 7. Igokea 0-9 
Play in international cups:
 1. Celik - 
 2. Igman - 
 3. Mladi Krajisnik - 
 4. Sloboda - 


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


Standings - CNBF
LBF Standings
 1. Americana 11-0 
 2. Ourinhos 10-4 
 3. Poty/Acucar 9-4 
 4. Sao Jose 8-4 
 5. Santo Andre 8-6 
 6. Maranhao 5-7 
 7. Blumenau 4-9 
 8. Basquete Clube 3-10 
 9. Sao Caetano 0-14 


LBF Round 8 of Regular Season - by Eurobasket News
Ourinhos (10-4) survived in overtime against Poty/Acucar (9-4) by five points 73-68 on Monday night. It ended at the same time the two-game winning streak of Poty/Acucar. It was a key game for the second position in the league. The best player for the winners was Chuca De Oliveira who scored 22 points and 6 rebounds. Ourinhos have a solid four-game winning streak. They moved-up to second place. Poty/Acucar at the other side dropped to the third position with four games lost. Ourinhos will face bottom-ranked Sao Caetano (#9) at home in the next round and are hoping to win another game. Poty/Acucar will play against Maranhao (#6) in Maranho.

In the last two games of round 8 Basquete Clube defeated Sao Caetano in Aracatuba 77-63. Sao Jose lost to undefeated Americana at home 54-76. Santo Andre lost to Maranhao on the opponent's court 60-61. Maranhao outscored Blumenau in a home game 83-63. Basquete Clube was rolled over Ourinhos on the road 64-83. Winless Sao Caetano was crushed by Poty/Acucar on its own court 46-86.
The best stats of 8th round was 35 points (!!!) and 7 rebounds by Iziane Castro Marques of Maranhao.


Ourinhos - Poty/Acucar 73-68 OT

Ourinhos (10-4) survived in overtime against Poty/Acucar (9-4) by five points 73-68 on Monday night. It ended at the same time the two-game winning streak of Poty/Acucar. It was a key game for the second position in the league. Poty/Acucar was trailing by 4 points at halftime but managed to get 1-point lead after three quarters before a 12-11 charge of Ourinhos, which allowed them to tie the game at the end of regular time. They were better in overtime eventually winning that period 11-6. Ourinhos forced 19 Poty/Acucar turnovers. They looked well-organized offensively handing out 26 assists. The best player for the winners was the former international swingman Chuca De Oliveira (182-79) who scored 22 points and 6 rebounds. The former international center Kelly Santos (192-79, agency: Josep and Nicolas) chipped in a double-double by scoring 14 points and 12 rebounds. International center Gilmara Justino (191-81, agency: Josep and Nicolas) produced 10 points and 8 rebounds and center Katia Da Silva (190-77) added 10 points and 7 rebounds respectively for the guests. Both teams had four players each who scored in double figures. Ourinhos have a solid four-game winning streak. They moved-up to second place. Poty/Acucar at the other side dropped to the third position with four games lost. Ourinhos will face bottom-ranked Sao Caetano (#9) at home in the next round and are hoping to win another game. Poty/Acucar will play against Maranhao (#6) in Maranho.
Top scorers:
Poty/Acucar: P.Marcal 13+4reb+1ast, F.Oliveira 11+4reb+2ast, K.Da Silva 10+7reb+2ast, G.Justino 10+8reb+2ast, K.Da Silva 9+7reb+2ast, N.Mares Burian 8+4reb+1ast
Ourinhos: C.De Oliveira 22+6reb+2ast, K.Santos 14+12reb+3ast, S.Gustavo 13+6reb+7ast, B.Vasconcelos 10+3reb+7ast, T.Conceicao 6+6reb+1ast, J.de Souza 6+3reb+6ast
gschID: 168717


Sao Caetano - Basquete Clube 63-77

The game between closely ranked teams ended with bottom-ranked Sao Caetano's (0-14) home loss to eighth ranked Basquete Clube (3-10) 63-77 on Wednesday. The game without a history. Basquete Clube led from the first minutes and controlled entire game increasing their lead in each quarter. Basquete Clube forced 21 Sao Caetano turnovers. Strangely Sao Caetano outrebounded Basquete Clube 37-24 including 23 on the defensive glass. The best player for the winners was center Fernanda Bibiano (193-85) who scored 17 points and 7 rebounds. Forward Cleia Crepaldi (173-77) chipped in 21 points. Power forward Monica Da Silva Nascimento (191-91) produced 14 points and 7 rebounds and center Eliane Ferreira (190-78, agency: Josep and Nicolas) added 11 points and 8 rebounds respectively for the hosts. Basquete Clube maintains eighth position with 3-10 record. Loser Sao Caetano still closes the standings with 14 games lost. Basquete Clube will face higher ranked Maranhao (#6) in Maranho in the next round and it may be quite challenging game. Sao Caetano will play on the road against the league's second-placed Ourinhos and will have a slim chance for a victory.
Top scorers:
Sao Caetano: M.Da Silva Nascimento 14+7reb, J.Santos 12+7reb+1ast, E.Ferreira 11+8reb+1ast, T.Frediani 9+1reb+4ast, B.Brazilio 7+6reb+1ast, C.Jackson 6+4reb
Basquete Clube: C.Crepaldi 21+1reb+3ast, G.Amaral 19, F.Bibiano 17+7reb+2ast, I.Nascimento 8+8reb, F.Santana 8+7reb, L.Rosa 4+1reb+1ast
gschID: 168718


Sao Jose - Americana 54-76

No shocking result in a game when top-ranked Americana (11-0) smashed on the road 3rd ranked Sao Jose (8-4) 76-54 on Saturday. The game without a history. Americana led from the first minutes and controlled entire game increasing their lead in each quarter. They dominated down low during the game scoring 44 of its points in the paint compared to Sao Jose's 20 and made 17-of-20 free shots (85.0 percent) during the game. Americana forced 26 Sao Jose turnovers. The best player for the winners was the former international center Clarissa Dos Santos (184-88) who scored 15 points and 8 rebounds (on 7-of-9 shooting from the field). The former international center Mama Dantas (191-78) chipped in 16 points and 6 rebounds. The former international forward Izabela De Andrade (185-86) produced 9 points and 8 rebounds and the former international center Alessandra De Oliviera (201-73) added 9 points and 8 rebounds respectively for the hosts. The winner was already known earlier in the game, so both coaches allowed to play the bench players saving starting five for next games. Americana have an impressive 11-game winning streak. They maintain first position with 11-0 record. Loser Sao Jose dropped to the fourth place with four games lost. Americana will face Blumenau (#7) on the road in the next round where they are favorite. Sao Jose will play against Santo Andre and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Sao Jose: P.Ribeiro 12+3reb+2ast, T.Nascimento 10+2reb+1ast, C.Souza 9+3reb+1ast, I.De Andrade 9+8reb+2ast, A.De Oliviera 9+8reb+2ast, T.Paixao 3+3reb
Americana: M.Dantas 16+6reb, C.Dos Santos 15+8reb+1ast, K.Martins 8+3reb+2ast, B.Generoso 8+2reb+9ast, S.Irvin 7+4reb, K.Gustavo 7+1reb+4ast
gschID: 168715


Maranhao - Santo Andre 61-60

We cannot really consider it an upset in the game between close teams in Maranho where 5th ranked Santo Andre (8-6) was edged by sixth ranked Maranhao (5-7) 61-60 on Monday. The hosts took control from the first minutes by winning first half. But Santo Andre won third quarter 16-11. However it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. Maranhao dominated on the defensive end, holding Santo Andre to just 7 points in first quarter. The best player for the winners was international swingman Iziane Castro Marques (183-82, agency: Josep and Nicolas) who scored 24 points and 7 rebounds. Center Dominick Rocha (185-89) chipped in 14 points and 6 rebounds. International forward Micaela Martins (180-79, agency: Josep and Nicolas) produced a double-double by scoring 12 points and 13 rebounds and the former international forward Jaqueline Silvestre (177-86) added 18 points respectively for the guests. Maranhao maintains sixth position with 5-7 record. Defending champion Santo Andre keeps the fifth place with six games lost. Maranhao will face Basquete Clube (#8) in Aracatuba in the next round. Santo Andre will play at home against Sao Jose and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Santo Andre: J.Silvestre 18+3reb+2ast, E.Garvao 14+7reb+1ast, M.Martins 12+13reb, K.Cavallaro 8+2reb+1ast, N.Gomes 6+7reb+1ast, A.Felipe 2+3reb+1ast
Maranhao: I.Castro Marques 24+7reb+3ast, D.Rocha 14+6reb, R.Oliveira 12+6reb, C.Dos Santos 7+10reb+3ast, M.Claudia Fonseca 2+1reb, B.Silva 2+6reb+3ast
gschID: 168716


Maranhao - Blumenau 83-63

There was a small surprise in Maranho where sixth ranked Maranhao (5-7) outscored 6th ranked Blumenau (4-9) 83-63 on Saturday. The game was mostly controlled by Maranhao. Blumenau was better in fourth quarter 27-21. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. They dominated on the defensive end, holding Blumenau to just 7 points in third quarter. The best player for the winners was international swingman Iziane Castro Marques (183-82, agency: Josep and Nicolas) who scored 35 points (!!!) and 7 rebounds. Forward Renatinha Oliveira (182-85) chipped in 8 points and 10 rebounds. Maranhao's coach used an eleven-player rotation which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. Cuban forward Yulianne Rodriguez (185-82) produced 22 points and 6 rebounds and guard Roberta Fogaca (166-87) added 17 points and 7 rebounds respectively for the guests. Maranhao maintains sixth position with 5-7 record. Loser Blumenau dropped to the seventh place with nine games lost. Maranhao will face Basquete Clube (#8) in Aracatuba in the next round. Blumenau will play at home against the league's leader Americana in Vila Medon.
Top scorers:
Blumenau: Y.Rodriguez 22+6reb, R.Fogaca 17+7reb+1ast, M.Camargo 9+5reb+1ast, C.Santos Luz 9, A.Braghin 5+4reb, L.Angeloni 1+5reb+3ast
Maranhao: I.Castro Marques 35+7reb, B.Silva 19+2reb, R.Oliveira 8+10reb+3ast, R.Oliveira 5, R.de Souza 5, M.Claudia Fonseca 4+1reb+1ast
gschID: 168712


Ourinhos - Basquete Clube 83-64

Not a big story in a game when 8th ranked Basquete Clube (3-10) was outplayed on the road by third ranked Ourinhos (10-4) 83-64 on Saturday. It was a very close game until the last quarter, when Ourinhos's pressure prevailed and they won that period 24-7 extending their advantage to 19 points. They dominated on the defensive end, holding Basquete Clube to just 7 points in fourth quarter. Ourinhos dominated down low during the game scoring 58 of its points in the paint compared to Basquete Clube's 36. Ourinhos forced 19 Basquete Clube turnovers. They looked well-organized offensively handing out 29 assists comparing to just 16 passes made by Basquete Clube's players. The best player for the winners was the former international forward Silvia Gustavo (185-82, agency: Josep and Nicolas) who had a double-double by scoring 22 points, 11 rebounds and 5 assists. The former international center Kelly Santos (192-79, agency: Josep and Nicolas) chipped in 18 points and 7 rebounds. Four Ourinhos players scored in double figures. Center Fernanda Bibiano (193-85) produced a double-double by scoring 22 points and 12 rebounds and forward Cleia Crepaldi (173-77) added 15 points respectively for the guests. Both coaches used bench players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. Ourinhos have a solid four-game winning streak. They moved-up to second place. Loser Basquete Clube keeps the eighth position with ten games lost. Ourinhos will face bottom-ranked Sao Caetano (#9) at home in the next round and are hoping to win another game. Basquete Clube will play against Maranhao in Maranho and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Basquete Clube: F.Bibiano 22+12reb+1ast, C.Crepaldi 15+2reb+3ast, L.Rosa 13+5reb, G.Amaral 8+5ast, F.Santana 3+9reb+5ast, I.Nascimento 3+8reb
Ourinhos: S.Gustavo 22+11reb+5ast, K.Santos 18+7reb+1ast, C.De Oliveira 14+3reb+2ast, J.de Souza 14+1reb+7ast, B.Vasconcelos 6+2reb+8ast, J.De Sousa 5+2reb+1ast
gschID: 168713


Sao Caetano - Poty/Acucar 46-86

Everything went according to plan when second ranked Poty/Acucar (9-4) outleveled on the road bottom-ranked Sao Caetano (0-14) 86-46 on Saturday. The game without a history. Poty/Acucar led from the first minutes and controlled entire game increasing their lead in each quarter. They dominated on the defensive end, holding Sao Caetano to just 7 points in third quarter. Poty/Acucar forced 22 Sao Caetano turnovers. The best player for the winners was the former international guard Natalia Mares Burian (170-84, agency: Josep and Nicolas) who scored 11 points and 8 assists. The former international center Karina Da Silva (186-85) chipped in 9 points and 9 rebounds. Center Eliane Ferreira (190-78, agency: Josep and Nicolas) produced 8 points and 12 rebounds and guard Camila Jackson (174-91) added 8 points and 5 rebounds respectively for the hosts. Sao Caetano's coach Vania Paulette gave up on the game allowing to play ten players seeing no chance for a win. Despite that victory Poty/Acucar went down to third position due to points difference. Loser Sao Caetano still closes the standings with 14 games lost. Poty/Acucar will face Maranhao (#6) in Maranho in the next round. Sao Caetano will play on the road against the league's second-placed Ourinhos and hopes to get finally their first victory.
Top scorers:
Sao Caetano: J.Santos 12+2reb, M.Da Silva Nascimento 8+6reb+1ast, C.Jackson 8+5reb+3ast, E.Ferreira 8+12reb+1ast, T.Frediani 6+2reb+1ast, C.Da Costa 2+1reb
Poty/Acucar: F.Oliveira 13+5reb, V.Gattei 13+1reb+3ast, P.Marcal 12+3reb, N.Mares Burian 11+4reb+8ast, F.Guedes 10+3reb, K.Da Silva 10+5reb+1ast
gschID: 168714




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


CIS Standings
CIS Standings
AUS
 1. Acadia 13-2 
 2. Cape Breton 12-5 
 3. St.Mary's 11-6 
 4. Memorial 9-7 
 5. St.Francis X. 8-9 
 6. Dalhousie 7-9 
 7. New Brunsw. 4-13 
 8. UPEI 2-15 
CanWest Pacific Division
 1. UBC 14-3 
 2. UFV 12-6 
 3. TRU 9-9 
 4. TWU 9-9 
 5. Victoria 8-9 
 6. UBC Okanagan 2-16 
CanWest Prairie Division
 1. Regina 19-0 
 2. Saskatchewan 14-5 
 3. Calgary 14-6 
 4. Alberta 13-7 
 5. Winnipeg 9-11 
 6. Lethbridge 6-14 
 7. Manitoba 3-17 
 8. Brandon 0-20 
QSSF
 1. McGill 10-3 
 2. Concordia 7-5 
 3. Bishop's 5-7 
 4. UQAM 5-8 
 5. Laval 4-8 
UOA East
 1. Ottawa 17-3 
 2. Carleton 15-5 
 3. Toronto Univ. 14-6 
 4. Ryerson 11-9 
 5. Queen's 10-10 
 6. York 7-13 
 7. Laurentian 3-17 
 8. RMC 0-20 
UOA West
 1. Windsor 19-2 
 2. Brock 14-7 
 3. Laurier 13-8 
 4. Western 11-10 
 5. McMaster 10-11 
 6. Guelph 9-11 
 7. Lakehead 9-11 
 8. Waterloo 1-20 


CIS Round 27: Cape Breton defeats leader Acadia - by Eurobasket News
The games at this stage are more interesting as they can be crucial for the final standings in Regular Season. Despite we already know who is stronger and who is weaker, there may be still last minute susprises and upsets. The fans could enjoy quite many interesting games in the last round. The round ended with defeat of the leader and derby games.

The most crucial game of the last round was a loss of top-ranked Acadia (13-2) in Sydney on Sunday night. Visitors were defeated by second ranked Cape Breton (12-5) 88-71. It ended at the same time the 11-game winning streak of Acadia. It may be a crucial game in the contest for the top position in the league. The game without a history. Cape Breton led from the first minutes and controlled entire game increasing their lead in each quarter. They looked well-organized offensively handing out 29 assists. It was a good game for American guard Cassie Cooke (175-91, college: Mt.St.Marys) who led her team to a victory with 28 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists. Guard Jahlica Kirnon (170) contributed with 17 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists for the winners. Forward Jasmine Parent (180) answered with 25 points for Acadia. Cape Breton have an impressive series of nine victories in a row. They maintain second place with 12-5 record having nine points less than leader Windsor. Acadia at the other side still keeps top position with two games lost. Cape Breton will have a break next round, and it should allow them to practice more before next game. Acadia will play at home against UPEI in Charlottetown and is hoping to win this game.
Another exciting game was a derby match between two teams from Waterloo: Laurier (#3) and Waterloo (#8). Waterloo was crushed at home by 30 points 45-75 and even the advantage of their own court did not help. It was a great evening for forward Christa Mancino (185) who led her team to a victory with a double-double by scoring 19 points and 10 rebounds. Laura Doyle helped adding 17 points and 4 steals. The best for the losing side was guard Marti Killeen (180) with 12 points and 5 rebounds. The winner was already known earlier in the game, so both coaches allowed to play the bench players saving starting five for next games. Laurier maintains third place with 13-8 record having four points less than leader Windsor. Waterloo lost their eighteenth game in a row. They keep the eighth position with 20 games lost. Both teams do not play next round, which will be an opportunity for some rest.
An interesting game for Huskies (11-6) which hosted in Halifax, NS 4th placed Memorial (9-7). Third ranked Huskies managed to get a 11-point victory 70-59. It ended at the same time the three-game winning streak of Memorial. It was an exceptional evening for Justine Colley who led the winners and scored 25 points, 6 rebounds and 6 assists. Robyn O'Rielly came up with 15 points for Memorial in the defeat. Memorial's coach Doug Partridge rotated eleven players in this game, but that didn't help. Huskies maintains third place with 11-6 record having ten points less than leader Windsor. Loser Memorial keeps the fourth position with seven games lost. Huskies will meet UNB (#7) in the next round. Memorial will have a break next round.
The game in London was also worth to mention about. 4th placed McMaster (10-11) played at the court of fifth ranked Western (11-10). Western managed to secure a 7-point victory 77-70. The best player for the winners was Katelyn Leddy who had a double-double by scoring 25 points and 12 rebounds. Both coaches used bench players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. Western moved-up to fourth place. McMaster at the other side dropped to the fifth position with 11 games lost. Both teams do not play next round, which will be an opportunity for some rest.
The game in was also quite interesting. Fifth ranked Thompson Rivers (9-9) played at the court of 6th ranked UBC Okanagan (2-16). Thompson Rivers defeated UBC Okanagan 69-59 on Sunday. It was a good game for Jen Ju who led her team to a victory with 23 points and 5 steals. Both coaches tested many bench players and allowed the starting five to rest. The victory was the fourth consecutive win for Thompson Rivers. They moved-up to third place, which they share with TWU. UBC Okanagan lost their eleventh game in a row. They keep the sixth position with 16 games lost. Both teams do not play next round, which will be an opportunity for some rest.

In the last two games of round 27 St.Francis X. was smashed by Cape Breton on the road 84-56. St.Francis X. destroyed UPEI on its own court 98-67.


Waterloo - Laurier 45-75

Another exciting game was a derby match between two teams from Waterloo: Laurier (#3) and Waterloo (#8). Waterloo was crushed at home by 30 points 45-75 and even the advantage of their own court did not help. The game without a history. Laurier led from the first minutes and controlled entire game increasing their lead in each quarter. They held Waterloo to an opponent 24.6 percent shooting from the field compared to 46.6 percent accuracy of the winners. Laurier forced 20 Waterloo turnovers. It was a great evening for forward Christa Mancino (185) who led her team to a victory with a double-double by scoring 19 points and 10 rebounds. Guard Laura Doyle (170) helped adding 17 points and 4 steals. Four Laurier players scored in double figures. The best for the losing side was guard Marti Killeen (180) with 12 points and 5 rebounds and forward Kate Kuntze (183) scored 9 points and 8 rebounds. The winner was already known earlier in the game, so both coaches allowed to play the bench players saving starting five for next games. Laurier maintains third place with 13-8 record having four points less than leader Windsor. Waterloo lost their eighteenth game in a row. They keep the eighth position with 20 games lost. Both teams do not play next round, which will be an opportunity for some rest.
Top scorers:
Laurier: C.Mancino 19+10reb+3ast, L.Doyle 17+4reb+2ast, C.Bruce 12+3reb+1ast, K.Yeldon 10+9reb, N.Taylor 6+1reb, A.Luciani 6+3reb+2ast
Waterloo: M.Killeen 12+5reb+1ast, K.Kuntze 9+8reb, L.Burnett 8+2reb+2ast, S.McIntyre 6+6reb, T.Jacobse 3+1reb+1ast, L.Bossers 2+2reb+1ast
gschID: 156377


Western - McMaster 77-70

The game in London was also worth to mention about. 4th placed McMaster (10-11) played at the court of fifth ranked Western (11-10). Western managed to secure a 7-point victory 77-70. The hosts were already 12 points ahead after 3 quarters before a 22-17 McMaster's run in the last quarter cut the lead to 77-70 at the end of the game. Western made 16-of-21 charity shots (76.2 percent) during the game. They also forced 20 McMaster turnovers. The best player for the winners was forward Katelyn Leddy (183-89) who had a double-double by scoring 25 points and 12 rebounds. Guard Laura Dally (180-92) chipped in 14 points and 6 rebounds. At the other side the best for losing team was forward Taylor Chiarot (180-89) who recorded 24 points and 9 rebounds and guard Vanessa Bonomo (165) added 13 points and 9 assists respectively. Both teams had four players each who scored in double figures. Both coaches used bench players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. Western moved-up to fourth place. McMaster at the other side dropped to the fifth position with 11 games lost. Both teams do not play next round, which will be an opportunity for some rest.
Top scorers:
Western: K.Leddy 25+12reb+2ast, L.Dally 14+6reb+3ast, L.Knox 13+1reb+1ast, R.Moss 12+5reb, E.Nieuwenhuizen 4+4reb, J.Vaughan 4+4reb+3ast
McMaster: T.Chiarot 24+9reb, V.Bonomo 13+4reb+9ast, E.Burns 12+6reb, H.Milligan 10+10reb+1ast, K.Knight 4+1reb, S.Truelove 3+3reb+4ast
gschID: 156378


UBC Okanagan - TRU 59-69

The game in was also quite interesting. Fifth ranked Thompson Rivers (9-9) played at the court of 6th ranked UBC Okanagan (2-16). Thompson Rivers defeated UBC Okanagan 69-59 on Sunday. The game was mostly controlled by Thompson Rivers. UBC Okanagan was better in second period 17-9. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. Thompson Rivers forced 23 UBC Okanagan turnovers and outrebounded them 44-26 including 29 on the defensive glass. It was a good game for guard Jen Ju (170) who led her team to a victory with 23 points and 5 steals. Center Diane Schuetze (191) contributed with 9 points and 9 rebounds for the winners. Center Roslyn Huber (182) answered with 21 points and 5 rebounds and guard Emily Kanester (168) added 18 points and 4 steals in the effort for UBC Okanagan. Both coaches tested many bench players and allowed the starting five to rest. The victory was the fourth consecutive win for Thompson Rivers. They moved-up to third place, which they share with TWU. UBC Okanagan lost their eleventh game in a row. They keep the sixth position with 16 games lost. Both teams do not play next round, which will be an opportunity for some rest.
Top scorers:
TRU: J.Ju 23+1reb+3ast, K.Widsten 12+5reb, T.Worsfeld 10+5reb, D.Schuetze 9+9reb+1ast, J.Duxbury 8+5reb+5ast, T.Kocs 3+4reb+1ast
UBC Okanagan: R.Huber 21+5reb+1ast, E.Kanester 18+3reb+2ast, L.Campbell 8+5reb, A.White 4+2reb+4ast, M.Carnes 3+1reb, A.Siebert-Timmer 2+3reb
gschID: 156375


Cape Breton - St.Francis X. 84-56

No shocking result in a game when second ranked Cape Breton (12-5) crushed 5th ranked St.Francis Xavier (8-9) in Sydney 84-56 on Wednesday. The game was mostly controlled by Cape Breton. St.Francis Xavier was better in second period 19-18. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. Cape Breton made 21-of-25 free shots (84.0 percent) during the game. They also forced 24 St.Francis Xavier turnovers and outrebounded them 47-32 including a 22-9 advantage in offensive rebounds. It was a good game for American guard Cassie Cooke (175-91, college: Mt.St.Marys) who led her team to a victory with 30 points and 4 assists (went 8 for 8 at the free throw line). Forward Stephanie Toxopeus (191) contributed with 9 points, 10 rebounds and 4 blocks for the winners. Cape Breton's coach Fabian McKenzie felt very confident using 10 players and allowed the starting five to get some rest. Forward Donisha Young (180) answered with a double-double by scoring 14 points and 13 rebounds and guard Vanessa Pickard (180-92) added 9 points, 7 assists and 4 steals in the effort for St.Francis Xavier. The victory was the ninth consecutive win for Cape Breton. They maintain second place with 12-5 record having nine points less than leader Windsor. Loser St.Francis Xavier keeps the fifth position with nine games lost. Both teams do not play next round, which will be an opportunity for some rest.
Top scorers:
Cape Breton: C.Cooke 30+2reb+4ast, J.Kirnon 11+6reb+1ast, K.McCarron 10+3reb, V.Thistle 10+4reb+1ast, S.Toxopeus 9+10reb+2ast, H.Edwards 8+6reb
St.Francis X.: D.Young 14+13reb+3ast, R.Sheehan 12+1reb+4ast, K.Roper 10+3reb, V.Pickard 9+4reb+7ast, A.Kiberd 8+4reb+1ast, J.Moore 3+4reb+1ast
gschID: 156376


St.Mary's - Memorial 70-59

An interesting game for Huskies (11-6) which hosted in Halifax, NS 4th placed Memorial (9-7). Third ranked Huskies managed to get a 11-point victory 70-59. It ended at the same time the three-game winning streak of Memorial. The hosts trailed by 1 point after first quarter, but they stormed back to get the 11-point lead at the halftime and eventually won the game 70-59. Huskies dominated on the defensive end, holding Memorial to just 4 points in fourth quarter. They dominated down low during the game scoring 46 of its points in the paint compared to Memorial's 26. Huskies forced 23 Memorial turnovers. It was an exceptional evening for international guard Justine Colley (175-91) who led the winners and scored 25 points, 6 rebounds and 6 assists. Forward Naomie Fequiere accounted for 14 points for the winning side. Four Huskies players scored in double figures. Forward Robyn O'Rielly (178) came up with 15 points and forward Ally Forsey (191-90) added 12 points and 8 rebounds respectively for Memorial in the defeat. Memorial's coach Doug Partridge rotated eleven players in this game, but that didn't help. Huskies maintains third place with 11-6 record having ten points less than leader Windsor. Loser Memorial keeps the fourth position with seven games lost. Huskies will meet UNB (#7) in the next round. Memorial will have a break next round.
Top scorers:
St.Mary's: J.Colley 25+6reb+6ast, N.Fequiere 14+2reb+1ast, L.Panchan 13+1reb, S.Canvin 10+7reb, R.Nuttall 6+3reb, L.Langille 2+4reb
Memorial: R.O'Rielly 15+4reb+1ast, A.Forsey 12+8reb, K.Devison 11+3reb, G.Fishbein 5+2ast, E.Jameson 5+4reb+2ast, K.Pond 4+1ast
gschID: 156372


Cape Breton - Acadia 88-71

The most crucial game of the last round was a loss of top-ranked Acadia (13-2) in Sydney on Sunday night. Visitors were defeated by second ranked Cape Breton (12-5) 88-71. It ended at the same time the 11-game winning streak of Acadia. It may be a crucial game in the contest for the top position in the league. The game without a history. Cape Breton led from the first minutes and controlled entire game increasing their lead in each quarter. They looked well-organized offensively handing out 29 assists. It was a good game for American guard Cassie Cooke (175-91, college: Mt.St.Marys) who led her team to a victory with 28 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists. Guard Jahlica Kirnon (170) contributed with 17 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists for the winners. Forward Jasmine Parent (180) answered with 25 points and guard Lindsay Harris (178) added 9 points, 6 rebounds and 7 assists in the effort for Acadia. Cape Breton have an impressive series of nine victories in a row. They maintain second place with 12-5 record having nine points less than leader Windsor. Acadia at the other side still keeps top position with two games lost. Cape Breton will have a break next round, and it should allow them to practice more before next game. Acadia will play at home against UPEI in Charlottetown and is hoping to win this game.
Top scorers:
Cape Breton: C.Cooke 28+6reb+5ast, J.Kirnon 17+6reb+5ast, T.McClurkin 14+2reb+6ast, V.Thistle 9+8reb+4ast, S.Toxopeus 7+6reb+1ast, K.McCarron 5+4reb+4ast
Acadia: J.Parent 25+2reb+2ast, K.Moore 14+4reb+1ast, L.Harris 9+6reb+7ast, A.Duinker 8+4reb+4ast, E.Duinker 7+7reb+5ast, M.Gottschall 6+2ast
gschID: 156373


St.Francis X. - UPEI 98-67

Rather expected game when 8th ranked UPEI (2-15) was smashed by fifth ranked St.Francis Xavier (8-9) in Antigonish 98-67 on Sunday. The game without a history. St.Francis Xavier led from the first minutes and controlled entire game increasing their lead in each quarter. St.Francis Xavier forced 26 UPEI turnovers. They looked well-organized offensively handing out 25 assists comparing to just 12 passes made by UPEI's players. It was a good game for guard Vanessa Pickard (180-92) who led her team to a victory with 22 points and 4 assists. Forward Rebecca Sheehan (180) contributed with 11 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists and 4 steals for the winners. Five St.Francis Xavier players scored in double figures. Guard Amy Gough (178) answered with 21 points and 6 rebounds and forward Laura Power (182) added 9 points in the effort for UPEI. Since the result was very predictable, it gave the chance for the coaches to test many bench players and allowed the starting five to get some rest. St.Francis Xavier maintains fifth place with 8-9 record, which they share with Victoria. UPEI lost their seventh game in a row. They keep the eighth position with 15 games lost. St.Francis Xavier will have a break next round. UPEI will play on the road against the league's leader Acadia (#1) in Wolfville.
Top scorers:
St.Francis X.: V.Pickard 22+3reb+4ast, D.Young 14+7reb+4ast, B.Brown 13+1ast, K.Roper 12+3reb+1ast, A.Kiberd 11+3reb+5ast, R.Sheehan 11+8reb+6ast
UPEI: A.Gough 21+6reb+2ast, T.Herrick 10+3reb, L.Power 9+3reb+2ast, J.Jones 8+1reb, K.Moore 4+2reb+1ast, C.Lafave 4+1reb
gschID: 156374




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


Standings - ZBL (W)
ZBL Standings
Group A1
 1. USK Praha 26-0 
 2. Frisco Sika 19-4 
 3. Trutnov 16-8 
 4. Hradec Kralove 16-9 
 5. VS Praha 16-10 
 6. Slovanka MB 14-12 
Group A2
 1. Strakonice 13-13 
 2. Valosun Brno 11-14 
 3. Karlovy Vary 11-15 
 4. VSE Praha 7-19 
 5. Pardubice 3-23 
 6. DSK Karlin 0-25 


ZBL Round 3: USK Praha beats Kara Trutnov in the most crucial game of the week - by Eurobasket News
An exciting game between Top Four teams was played in Praha. Leader USK Praha faced 3rd placed Kara Trutnov. Host USK Praha (26-0) smashed guests from Trutnov (16-8) 92-69. The best player for the winners was the former international center Petra Kulichova (198-84) who scored 12 points and 9 rebounds. Ukrainian center Viktoria Mircheva (190-87, agency: LBM Management) chipped in 16 points and 5 rebounds. USK Praha's coach Lubor Blazek felt very confident using 10 players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. At the other side the best for losing team was center Lenka Vetrovcova (188-84) who recorded 17 points and 9 rebounds. Undefeated USK Praha have an impressive series of twenty six victories in a row. They maintain first place in Group A1 with 26-0 record. Kara Trutnov at the other side keeps the third position with eight games lost. USK Praha are looking forward to face Sokol Hradec Kralove (#4) at home in the next round. Kara Trutnov will play against VS Praha and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
An exciting game between Top Four teams was played in Praha. First ranked Aldast Strakonice faced 4th placed VSE Praha. Guests from Strakonice (13-13) defeated host VSE Praha (7-19) 84-74. It was a good game for forward Katerina Krizova (186-80) who led her team to a victory with 23 points and 9 rebounds. Zuzana Mracnova contributed with 26 points for the winners. American forward Marshae Dotson (180-87, college: Florida) answered with 30 points and 6 rebounds for VSE Praha. The victory was the fourth consecutive win for Aldast Strakonice. They maintain first place in Group A2 with 13-13 record. Newly promoted VSE Praha keeps the fourth position with 19 games lost. Aldast Strakonice will play against league's second-placed Valosun Brno at home in the next round and it will be for sure the game of the week. VSE Praha will play against Lokomotiva Karlovy Vary and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
The game in Vodochody was also quite interesting. Fifth ranked VS Praha (16-10) played at the court of 6th ranked Basket Slovanka MB (14-12). VS Praha managed to secure a 9-point victory 76-67 on Wednesday. It was a great evening for Petra Reisingerova who led her team to a victory with a double-double by scoring 20 points and 12 rebounds. The best for the losing side was Lenka Sipova with a double-double by scoring 20 points and 10 rebounds. VS Praha maintains fifth place in Group A1 with 16-10 record. Basket Slovanka MB lost their fourth game in a row. They keep the sixth position with 12 games lost. VS Praha will meet higher ranked Kara Trutnov (#3) on the road in the next round and it will be quite challenging to get another victory. Basket Slovanka MB will play against the league's second-placed Frisco Sika in Brno and hope to secure a win.

In the last game of round 3 In Group A2 Pardubice was defeated by Karlovy Vary in a road game 73-55.

A1
Slovanka MB - VS Praha 67-76

The game in Vodochody was also quite interesting. Fifth ranked VS Praha (16-10) played at the court of 6th ranked Basket Slovanka MB (14-12). VS Praha managed to secure a 9-point victory 76-67 on Wednesday. It was a great evening for center Petra Reisingerova (195-73) who led her team to a victory with a double-double by scoring 20 points and 12 rebounds. point guard Tereza Vyoralova (176-94) helped adding 14 points and 12 rebounds. Four VS Praha players scored in double figures. The best for the losing side was center Lenka Sipova (185-88) with a double-double by scoring 20 points and 10 rebounds and center Eva Dujsikova (188-86) scored 10 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists. VS Praha maintains fifth place in Group A1 with 16-10 record. Basket Slovanka MB lost their fourth game in a row. They keep the sixth position with 12 games lost. VS Praha will meet higher ranked Kara Trutnov (#3) on the road in the next round and it will be quite challenging to get another victory. Basket Slovanka MB will play against the league's second-placed Frisco Sika in Brno and hope to secure a win.
Top scorers:
VS Praha: P.Reisingerova 20+12reb+3ast, A.Tarasava 16+2reb+4ast, T.Vyoralova 14+12reb+3ast, K.Elhotova 10+3reb+1ast, T.Vorlova 8+3reb, D.Pohunkova 5
Slovanka MB: L.Sipova 20+10reb+2ast, H.Nezdarilova 11+2reb+5ast, E.Dujsikova 10+6reb+4ast, P.Pospisilova 9+4reb+1ast, K.Novotna 6+3reb+1ast, T.Bursey 6+3reb+1ast
gschID: 168801


USK Praha - Trutnov 92-69

An exciting game between Top Four teams was played in Praha. Leader USK Praha faced 3rd placed Kara Trutnov. Host USK Praha (26-0) smashed guests from Trutnov (16-8) 92-69. The best player for the winners was the former international center Petra Kulichova (198-84) who scored 12 points and 9 rebounds. Ukrainian center Viktoria Mircheva (190-87, agency: LBM Management) chipped in 16 points and 5 rebounds. USK Praha's coach Lubor Blazek felt very confident using 10 players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. At the other side the best for losing team was center Lenka Vetrovcova (188-84) who recorded 17 points and 9 rebounds and point guard Darina Misurova (163-81) added 15 points and 5 rebounds respectively. Five USK Praha and four Kara Trutnov players scored in double figures. USK Praha have an impressive series of twenty six victories in a row. They maintain first place in Group A1 with 26-0 record. Kara Trutnov at the other side keeps the third position with eight games lost. USK Praha are looking forward to face Sokol Hradec Kralove (#4) at home in the next round. Kara Trutnov will play against VS Praha and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
USK Praha: V.Mircheva 16+5reb+2ast, L.Whalen 16+1reb+2ast, F.Eldebrink 12+2reb+1ast, P.Kulichova 12+9reb+2ast, E.Viteckova 11+5reb, K.Elhotova 9+1reb+1ast
Trutnov: L.Vetrovcova 17+9reb+2ast, D.Misurova 15+5reb+1ast, K.Hindrakova 13+4reb, K.Novakova 11+2reb, I.Komzikova 6+5reb+1ast, P.Zaplatova 5+2reb
gschID: 168799


A2
Karlovy Vary - Pardubice 73-55

There was no surprise when 5th ranked BK Pliska Studanka (3-23) was defeated on the road by third ranked Lokomotiva Karlovy Vary (11-15) 73-55 on Wednesday. Lokomotiva Karlovy Vary forced 25 BK Pliska Studanka turnovers. It was a great evening for forward Sarka Kucerova (181) who led her team to a victory with a double-double by scoring 20 points and 12 rebounds. Swingman Michaela Muchova (178-91) helped adding 15 points and 4 assists. The best for the losing side was forward Hana Kramperova (176-85) with 13 points and guard Pavlina Jirkova (175-88) scored 12 points. Both coaches used bench players and allowed the starting five to rest. Lokomotiva Karlovy Vary maintains third place in Group A2 with 11-15 record having fifteen points less than leader USK Praha. BK Pliska Studanka lost their fourth game in a row. They keep the fifth position with 23 games lost. Lokomotiva Karlovy Vary will meet at home VSE Praha (#4) in the next round. BK Pliska Studanka will play against DSK Karlin and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Karlovy Vary: S.Kucerova 20+12reb+2ast, M.Muchova 15+3reb+4ast, L.Krc-Turbova 13+8reb+1ast, J.Houdkova 8+4reb, M.Letkova 6+4reb, B.Sedlackova 3+2reb+3ast
Pardubice: H.Kramperova 13+4reb, P.Jirkova 12+4reb, M.Ondrejova 8+2reb, C.Quintana 6+2reb, R.Brezinova 5+7reb+1ast, M.Belohoubkova 4
gschID: 168802


VSE Praha - Strakonice 74-84

An exciting game between Top Four teams was played in Praha. First ranked Aldast Strakonice faced 4th placed VSE Praha. Guests from Strakonice (13-13) defeated host VSE Praha (7-19) 84-74. Aldast Strakonice forced 20 VSE Praha turnovers. VSE Praha was plagued by 28 personal fouls down the stretch. It was a good game for forward Katerina Krizova (186-80) who led her team to a victory with 23 points and 9 rebounds. Slovakian forward Zuzana Mracnova (180-80) contributed with 26 points for the winners. Four Aldast Strakonice players scored in double figures. American forward Marshae Dotson (180-87, college: Florida) answered with 30 points and 6 rebounds and the other American import forward Dalila Eshe (191-84, college: Florida) added 16 points and 5 rebounds (on 6-of-7 shooting from the field) in the effort for VSE Praha. The victory was the fourth consecutive win for Aldast Strakonice. They maintain first place in Group A2 with 13-13 record. Newly promoted VSE Praha keeps the fourth position with 19 games lost. Aldast Strakonice will play against league's second-placed Valosun Brno at home in the next round and it will be for sure the game of the week. VSE Praha will play against Lokomotiva Karlovy Vary and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Strakonice: Z.Mracnova 26+1reb, K.Krizova 23+9reb+2ast, Z.Skrabalova 11+1reb, D.Benuskova 10+2reb+1ast, A.Jenisova 9+5reb, M.Uhrova 3+3reb+1ast
VSE Praha: M.Dotson 30+6reb, D.Eshe 16+5reb+1ast, D.Harapesova 7+4reb+8ast, S.Sinclair 7+2reb+2ast, P.Kubusova 6+2reb, K.Jandova 6+3reb+2ast
gschID: 168803




*****************************************************
  ESTONIA - Women  


Standings - Women
Meistriliiga Standings
 1. KK Tallina U. 8-1 
 2. Eclex Tallinn 6-2 
 3. Tartu Ulikooli 2-7 
 4. Audentes SG/N. 1-7 


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


Standings - Women
A1 Standings
 1. Athinaikos 16-0 
 2. Esperides 13-3 
 3. Panionios 11-5 
 4. Panathinaikos 11-5 
 5. Asteras 10-6 
 6. DAS Ano Liosa 9-7 
 7. FEA Neas 8-8 
 8. Kronos AD 6-10 
 9. Aris 4-12 
 10. PAOK 4-12 
 11. Apollon Kal. 2-14 
 12. Apollon Ptol. 2-14 


*****************************************************
  HOLLAND - Women  


Standings - Women
Eredivisie Standings
 1. Binnenland 14-5 
 2. ProBuild Lions 14-5 
 3. Lekdetec.nl 11-7 
 4. Grasshoppers 9-7 
 5. CTO 9-9 
 6. HLB Account. 4-13 
 7. Eurosped 3-15 


*****************************************************
  IRELAND - Women  


Maguire's double-double lands her Player of the Week award - by Eurobasket News
36-year old forward Susanne Maguire (183-F-75) put on an amazing game in the last round for DCU Mercy and receives a Eurobasket.com Player of the Week award for round 14.
She had a double-double of 23 points and 12 rebounds, while her team crushed TM Hotel Cork (#2, 14-2) with 17-point margin 70-53. The game was between two of the league's top four teams. DCU Mercy maintains the 3rd position in Irish Superleague. They are still close to the very top. DCU Mercy would have been even better if they kept winning the games like in the last round. They have a solid 12-2 record. Maguire has many years of experience at DCU Mercy, through which he has constantly improved. Maguire has impressive league stats. She is in league's top in assists (9th best: 2.5apg) and averages solid 3.3spg.

Second best performed player last round was Cathy Kavanagh (187-G-90) of Waterford W.. She is former international guard in her 4th season at Waterford W.. In the last game Kavanagh recorded impressive double-double of 16 points and 12 rebounds. Of course Waterford W. cruised to a 60-49 relatively comfortable win over the lower-ranked Oblate Dynamos (#10, 1-14). Waterford W.'s 7th position in the standings has not changed. Her team is not often considered as one of the league's best with a mere 6-9 record. Kavanagh is one of the most experienced players at Waterford W. and has a reputation of one of team's most reliable players.

Third place about best performers goes to Noleen Lennon of Ulster Rockets (#6). Lennon scored 10 points and grabbed thirteen rebounds (!!!). She was a key player of Ulster Rockets, leading her team to a 54-46 win against the lower-ranked Liffey Celtics (#9, 1-14). The chances of Ulster Rockets ranking at the top of the league, however are very questionable as they have already lost 8 games, recording just six victories. With bigger assistance of his teammates, Lennon could help Ulster Rockets to bring them higher in the standings. Lennon has a great season in Ireland. After only 8 games, she made it on the list of the league's leaders in rebounds with 10.9rpg (2nd best). She also has 2.9spg and 1.8bpg.

Other top performing players last week:
4. Aoife McDermott (185-91) of UL Aughinish - 15 points, 11 rebounds and 4 assists
5. Rachel Vanderwal (176-G-83) of UL Aughinish - 18 points, 2 rebounds and 6 assists
6. Rachel Clancy (175-G-88) of UL Aughinish - 15 points, 7 rebounds and 3 assists
7. Michelle Fahy (183-C-82) of UL Aughinish - 16 points, 3 rebounds and 6 assists
8. Lisa Palmer (186-G/F-86) of DCU Mercy - 12 points and 11 rebounds
9. Valerie O'Driscoll (175-F-90) of TM Hotel Cork - 17 points, 7 rebounds and 2 assists
10. Aine O'Connor) of Liffey Celtics - 16 points and 10 rebounds

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

Standings - Women
Superleague Standings
 1. UL Aughinish 14-0 
 2. TM Hotel Cork 14-2 
 3. DCU Mercy 12-2 
 4. Killester 9-6 
 5. Meteors 8-6 
 6. Ulster Rockets 6-8 
 7. Waterford W. 6-9 
 8. Singleton 2-12 
 9. Liffey Celtics 1-14 
 10. Oblate Dynamos 1-14 


*****************************************************
  LATVIA - Women  


LSBL Round 23: RTU-Merks beat Liepajas 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 Riga. Third ranked RTU-Merks faced 4th placed Liepajas. Host RTU-Merks (15-6) smashed guests from Liepaja (11-11) 75-44. The game was mostly controlled by RTU-Merks. Liepajas managed to win second period 18-12. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. They dominated on the defensive end, holding Liepajas to just 5 points in fourth quarter and to 13 points in second half. RTU-Merks made 22-of-28 free shots (78.6 percent) during the game, while Liepajas only scored six points from the stripe. They outrebounded Liepajas 47-22 including a 34-12 advantage in defensive rebounds. Great defensive blocking was one of the keys in this match when RTU-Merks made 7 blocks. 25 personal fouls committed by Liepajas helped opponents get some easy free throw opportunities. The best player for the winners was forward Laura Audere (180-84) who had a double-double by scoring 19 points, 13 rebounds and 4 assists. Power forward Ieva Vitola (187-85) chipped in 19 points and 8 rebounds. Guard Kristina Cirsa (177-87) produced 12 points for the guests. Liepajas' coach gave up on the game allowing to play twelve players seeing no chance for a win. RTU-Merks have a solid series of four victories in a row. They maintain third place with 15-6 record having five points less than leader TTT Riga. Liepajas lost third consecutive game. They keep the fourth position with 11 games lost. RTU-Merks are looking forward to face league's second-placed Cesis on the road in the next round and it will be for sure the game of the week. Liepajas will play against Kolibri/U-16 in Riga and are hoping to prove to their supporters that they can break losing series.
The game with biggest result difference took place in Daugavpils. Local Daugavpils Universitate (9-13) outscored 7th ranked Latvijas Universitate (5-17) 83-51. Forward Kristina Egle (177-86) orchestrated the victory with a double-double by scoring 18 points and 11 rebounds. Olga Kazakevica contributed with 12 points, 6 rebounds and 10 assists for the winners. Daugavpils Universitate's coach felt very confident using 10 players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. Guard Liba Paula Berga (173-93) answered with 14 points and 5 rebounds for Latvijas Universitate. Daugavpils Universitate maintains sixth place with 9-13 record. Latvijas Universitate at the other side keeps the seventh position with 17 games lost. Both teams do not play next round, which will be an opportunity for some rest.



RTU-Merks - Liepajas 75-44

An exciting game between Top Four teams was played in Riga. Third ranked RTU-Merks faced 4th placed Liepajas. Host RTU-Merks (15-6) smashed guests from Liepaja (11-11) 75-44. The game was mostly controlled by RTU-Merks. Liepajas managed to win second period 18-12. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. They dominated on the defensive end, holding Liepajas to just 5 points in fourth quarter and to 13 points in second half. RTU-Merks made 22-of-28 free shots (78.6 percent) during the game, while Liepajas only scored six points from the stripe. They outrebounded Liepajas 47-22 including a 34-12 advantage in defensive rebounds. Great defensive blocking was one of the keys in this match when RTU-Merks made 7 blocks. 25 personal fouls committed by Liepajas helped opponents get some easy free throw opportunities. The best player for the winners was forward Laura Audere (180-84) who had a double-double by scoring 19 points, 13 rebounds and 4 assists. Power forward Ieva Vitola (187-85) chipped in 19 points and 8 rebounds. Four RTU-Merks players scored in double figures. Guard Kristina Cirsa (177-87) produced 12 points and center Krista Krasovska (184-93) added 9 points and 6 rebounds respectively for the guests. Liepajas' coach gave up on the game allowing to play twelve players seeing no chance for a win. RTU-Merks have a solid series of four victories in a row. They maintain third place with 15-6 record having five points less than leader TTT Riga. Liepajas lost third consecutive game. They keep the fourth position with 11 games lost. RTU-Merks are looking forward to face league's second-placed Cesis on the road in the next round and it will be for sure the game of the week. Liepajas will play against Kolibri/U-16 in Riga and are hoping to prove to their supporters that they can break losing series.
Top scorers:
RTU-Merks: I.Vitola 19+8reb, L.Audere 19+13reb+4ast, L.Lisnere 16+6reb+2ast, I.Malkevica 13+6reb+2ast, S.Langenfelde 6+7reb+5ast, D.Lazdeniece 2+2reb+2ast
Liepajas: K.Cirsa 12+1reb+3ast, R.Misus 11+4reb, K.Krasovska 9+6reb+1ast, Z.Alilujeva 4+5reb+1ast, M.Line 4+2reb+1ast, D.Line 3+2reb
gschID: 167043


DU - LU 83-51

The game with biggest result difference took place in Daugavpils. Local Daugavpils Universitate (9-13) outscored 7th ranked Latvijas Universitate (5-17) 83-51. The game without a history. Daugavpils Universitate led from the first minutes and controlled entire game increasing their lead in each quarter. Daugavpils Universitate forced 21 Latvijas Universitate turnovers. It was a great shooting night for Daugavpils Universitate especially from behind the arc, where they had solid 58.8 percentage. Forward Kristina Egle (177-86) orchestrated the victory with a double-double by scoring 18 points and 11 rebounds. Guard Olga Kazakevica (165-90) contributed with a double-double by scoring 12 points, 6 rebounds and 10 assists for the winners. Five Daugavpils Universitate players scored in double figures. Daugavpils Universitate's coach felt very confident using 10 players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. Guard Liba Paula Berga (173-93) answered with 14 points and 5 rebounds and Signe Berga (-91, college: Palm Beach CC) added 7 points and 6 rebounds in the effort for Latvijas Universitate. Daugavpils Universitate maintains sixth place with 9-13 record. Latvijas Universitate at the other side keeps the seventh position with 17 games lost. Both teams do not play next round, which will be an opportunity for some rest.
Top scorers:
DU: K.Egle 18+11reb+1ast, O.Jevsejeva 18+7reb+3ast, O.Lakomko 17+2reb+2ast, S.Baltace 16+7reb, O.Kazakevica 12+6reb+10ast, T.Savicka 2
LU: L.Paula Berga 14+5reb, A.Strupovica 9+3reb+1ast, S.Berga 7+6reb+2ast, L.Purina 6+3reb+3ast, R.Putnina 6+2reb+2ast, L.Pagrode 5+3reb+4ast
gschID: 167042




Standings - LSBL
LSBL Standings
 1. TTT Riga 20-1 
 2. Cesis 15-5 
 3. RTU-Merks 15-6 
 4. Liepajas 11-11 
 5. TTT Juniores 9-11 
 6. DU 9-13 
 7. LU 5-17 
 8. Kolibri/U-16 0-20 


Best players of Latvian LSBL round 23 - by Eurobasket News
Ieva Vitola (187-F/C-85) had an amazing evening in the last round for RTU-Merks and that's her to receive a Eurobasket.com Player of the Week award for round 23.
The 26-year old power forward had the game-high 19 points adding eight rebounds for RTU-Merks in her team's victory, helping them to outclass Liepajas (#4, 11-11) with 31-point margin 75-44. The game was between two of the league's top four teams. RTU-Merks maintains the 3rd position in Latvian LSBL. They would have been even better if they hadn't lost a few games earlier this season. RTU-Merks will need more victories to improve their 15-6 record. In the team's last game Vitola had a remarkable 75.0% from 2-point range. It's her second year at RTU-Merks and it's hard to imagine this team without her. Ieva Vitola averages this season 13.6ppg and 6.1rpg.

The second most remarkable performance in last round's games was young guard Olga Kazakevica (165-G-90) of DU. Kazakevica impressed basketball fans with a double-double of 12 points and 10 assists. Of course she lead DU to another comfortable win outscoring slightly lower-ranked LU (#7, 5-17) 83-51. DU's 6th position in the standings has not changed. Her team is not often considered as one of the league's best with a mere 9-13 record. Kazakevica is one of the most experienced players at DU and has a reputation of one of team's most reliable players.

The third best performed player last round was another DU's star - Kristina Egle (177-F-86). Egle scored 18 points and grabbed eleven rebounds (!!!). She was another key player of DU, helping her team with a 83-51 easy win against slightly lower-ranked LU (#7, 5-17). The chances of DU ranking at the top of the league, however are very questionable as they have already lost 13 games, recording just nine victories. With bigger assistance of his teammates, Egle could help DU to bring them higher in the standings. Egle has a great season in Latvia. After 21 games, she made it on the list of the league's leaders in points with 17.0ppg (5th best) and rebounds with 8.1rpg (5th best).

Other top performing players last week:
4. Laura Audere (180-F-84) of RTU-Merks - 19 points, 13 rebounds and 4 assists
5. Olesja Jevsejeva (174-F-86) of DU - 18 points, 7 rebounds and 3 assists
6. Lina Lisnere (192-F/C-86) of RTU-Merks - 16 points, 6 rebounds and 2 assists
7. Santa Baltace (178-F/C-92) of DU - 16 points and 7 rebounds
8. Olga Lakomko (172-G-85) of DU - 17 points, 2 rebounds and 2 assists
9. Liba Paula Berga (173-G-93) of LU - 14 points and 5 rebounds
10. Ieva Malkevica (175-F-87) of RTU-Merks - 13 points, 6 rebounds and 2 assists

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

*****************************************************
  LITHUANIA - Women  


Lemminkainen upset VICI-Aistes to start the Baltic league - by Eurobasket News
Lemminkainen upset VICI-Aistes to start the Baltic league Second Stage. Lemminkainen managed to escape with a 2-point win 94:92. The guests trailed by 1 point after first quarter, but they rallied back to get the 17-point lead at the halftime and eventually won the game 94-92. Julita Bungaite (186-PF-87, college: Hawaii) nailed 12 points and 8 rebounds for the winning side and Rita Milieskiene (175-PG-78) accounted for 16 points. Tatsiana Likhtarovich (179-G/F-88, agency: LBM Management) came up with 17 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists and Aija Putnina (192-F/C-88, agency: Josep and Nicolas) added 18 points and 6 rebounds respectively for VICI-Aistes in the defeat.
Last night VICI-Aistes celebrated its first victory beating Belarusian Minsk-2006. It looked good early as Minsk-2006 took an 3-point lead at the end of first quarter. But then VICI-Aistes had a 22-14 second period charge getting the lead and Minsk-2006 was not able to take back game control losing it eventually 57-66.



*****************************************************
  NCAA1 - Women  


Arkansas eyeing NCAA berth after SEC win streak - by Eurobasket News
Tom Collen wanted to do everything possible to forget about those first four Southeastern Conference games.

The Razorbacks' coach went so far as to put up a new group of standings in the team's locker room, one that featured only nine SEC teams rather than the league's full complement of 12.

Collen's philosophy: Arkansas had already lost to the top three teams in the league - Georgia, Kentucky and Tennessee - so why not just focus on finishing at the top of what was left?

Whatever the reasoning or psychology, Collen's plan worked. Following a defeat at Mississippi on Jan. 12 - a loss that sent the Razorbacks to 0-4 in the SEC - Arkansas has won a program-best eight SEC games in a row.

The streak has lifted the Razorbacks (19-5, 8-4 SEC) from the bottom of the league to the top of Collen's limited standings. Heading into Thursday night's game with LSU (17-8, 7-5), Arkansas is fourth in the SEC - with hopes of returning to the NCAA tournament for the first time since the 2002-03 season.

'They took some hard knocks again this year, but they've been able to rebound from it,' Collen said. 'I don't know if they could have rebounded from 0-4 last year, but this year they did.'

The Razorbacks are rolling behind a group of five seniors who formed Collen's first recruiting class. C'eira Ricketts, Lyndsay Harris and Ashley Daniels were forced to play large roles as freshmen - resulting in growing pains at times.

The lowest point was a 12-18 record two years ago, Collen's only losing campaign in 12 seasons as a head coach to that point. He had never finished with less than 19 wins before that, but a lack of depth and experience led to a 4-12 record in the SEC.

It was the first time Collen, now in his fifth season at Arkansas, had failed to reach a postseason tournament - after reaching the NCAA tourney in eight of his nine previous seasons at Colorado State and Louisville.

The Razorbacks rebounded last season to finish 22-12, but they still struggled to a 6-10 mark in the SEC and reached the quarterfinals of the WNIT.

This season, however, they have found success.

'We play well together and we feel that,' freshman Calli Berna said. 'It's something you feel on the court. You go out there and know that we're on the same page and working for the same purpose.

'Sometimes people overlook that aspect of the game, but I think going on the floor now as opposed to a little earlier in the season, we can feel that and it's definitely worked to our advantage.'

Another area Arkansas feels as though is being overlooked is its ranking, or lack thereof. Despite its winning streak, along with three wins over ranked teams this season, the Razorbacks are still unranked. They are 28th in votes in the AP poll, three spots behind No. 25 South Carolina - which Arkansas easily defeated 68-47 last week.

' (We're) not necessarily surprised that we're not; maybe surprised as some of the other teams that are that we've beaten,' Harris said. 'But I feel like a lot of that is based on your history of your program. We're trying to be like those programs that are always in the Top 25, so we're doing what we have to do.'

Collen only cares about the rankings because of the recognition it provides the players. He has no doubt that if Arkansas keeps winning, it will get all the recognition it deserves.

'I'm OK playing the underdog role,' Collen said. 'The only thing you can control is what you do on the basketball court. If you go out and keep winning games, then eventually you're going to be recognized. When that comes, it will be even sweeter that we had to work hard for it.'

Arkansas hasn't finished the regular season in the top four in the SEC since the 1994-95 season, but that's where it is at the moment - along with eyeing a career-ending NCAA tournament appearance for its seniors.

'We would like nothing more than to leave on good terms,' Harris said. 'I think this is the best way to leave, the way we're going right now. It just feels good after all the things we've been through. We've been through some heart aches and some tough times, and it just feels good to finally get to this point.'

Courtesy of http://sports.sportsillustrated.cnn.com

Liston scores 17, No. 5 Duke women beat Va. Tech - by Eurobasket News
Tricia Liston (6'1''-G-92) scored 17 points to help No. 5 Duke beat Virginia Tech 67-45 on Wednesday night.

Chelsea Gray (5'11''-G-92) added 15 points as the Blue Devils (22-3) improved to 13-0 in Atlantic Coast Conference play for the fifth time in program history.

Liston made two 3-pointers and a steal during a 14-2 run in the second half as Duke pulled away for its 29th consecutive home win against conference foes.

Elizabeth Williams (6'3''-C-93) added 12 points and Haley Peters had 11 for the Blue Devils.

Aerial Wilson (5'8''-G-91) scored 15 of her 19 points in the first half to lead Virginia Tech (7-19, 3-10). The Hokies suffered their 10th loss in the last 11 games and their 17th consecutive defeat against Duke.

Virginia Tech went scoreless for the final 5:30 of the game as the Blue Devils closed with an 11-0 run.

Courtesy of www.boston.com

No. 1 Baylor women beat Oklahoma State 83-51 - by Eurobasket News
Brittney Griner (6'8''-C-90) had 28 points and 10 rebounds, Kimetria Hayden (6'0''-G-90) scored a season-high 20 points and top-ranked Baylor remained perfect this season by beating Oklahoma State 83-51 on Wednesday night.

The Bears (26-0, 13-0 Big 12) easily avoided an upset in an arena that's been unfriendly at times over the years. Baylor had a losing record in Stillwater coming into the game and had teams ranked in the top 5 lose at Oklahoma State twice in the past four years.

Griner made sure there was no chance for history to repeat itself, making 11 of 17 shots and also blocking six on the other end. Hayden provided only the second 20-point game of her career, with the other coming against the Cowgirls two years ago in her first career start.

Taylor Schippers (5'8''-G-93) led Oklahoma State (13-9, 5-8) with 11 points.

Courtesy of www.sfgate.com

*****************************************************
  OLYMPIC GAMES - Women  


Olympic Games Qualifying Tournament Draw - by Eurobasket News
Olympic Qualifying Tournament was drawn on Wednesday in Ankara. 12 teams were drawn into four pools with three teams in each. The top two teams from each group will qualify for the Quarterfinals. The four winners of Quarterfinal round will advance directly to Olympic Games tournament. The losing teams will play for the last remaining spot. The Olympic Qualifying Tournament will take place in Ankara, Turkey from June 25 through July 1.
Here are the groups:

Group A: Puerto Rico, Japan, Turkey
Group B: Czech Republic, Argentina, New Zealand
Group C: Croatia, South Korea, Mozambique
Group D: Canada, France and Mali.


*****************************************************
  POLAND - Women  


Knezevic's 19 points and 8 rebounds give her Player of the Week award - by Eurobasket News
24-year old forward Adrijana Knezevic (185-F-87) put on an amazing game in the last round for Lotos Gdynia and receives a Eurobasket.com Player of the Week award for round 21.
She had the game-high 19 points adding eight rebounds and two assists for Lotos Gdynia in her team's victory, helping them to outclass ROW Rybnik (#5, 13-8) with 38-point margin 102-64. Lotos Gdynia maintains the 3rd position in Polish PLKK. They are still close to the very top. Lotos Gdynia would have been even better if they kept winning the games like in the last round. They have a solid 17-4 record. It was one of impressive evenings for Knezevic as usually she does not deliver so high stats. Adrijana Knezevic averages this season 7.4ppg.

Second best performed player last round was Olga Urbanowicz (189-C/F-81) of LKS Siemens. She is a in her first season at LKS Siemens. In the last game Urbanowicz recorded impressive double-double of 22 points and 10 rebounds. It was enough for LKS Siemens to edge slightly lower-ranked Artego Bydg. (#9, 9-12) by 2 points 85-83. LKS Siemens' 7th position in the standings has not changed. Her team lost some distance to top teams. But 10-10 record is not bad and everything may still change. Urbanowicz is a newcomer at LKS Siemens and despite he is not a team leader yet, every game he becomes more reliable player. Hopefully performances like the last one will happen more often.

Third place about best performers goes to forward Mekia Valentine (193-F/C-88, agency: Merit Sports) of ROW Rybnik (#5). Valentine scored 22 points and grabbed six rebounds. Despite Valentine's great performance ROW Rybnik lost 64-102 to slightly higher-ranked Lotos Gdynia (#3, 17-4). But her team cannot count on just a single player as she also needs help of the other teammates. The last thing ROW Rybnik needs is to lose another game like this one. They lose more and more distance to the top teams. Their record is 13 victories and 8 lost games. Valentine has a very solid season. In 4 games in Poland she scored 2.0ppg.

Other top performing players last week:
4. Ewelina Kobryn (193-C-82) of Wisla Can-Pak - 21 points, 6 rebounds and 2 assists
5. Justyna Jeziorna (173-G-81) of LKS Siemens - 11 points, 8 rebounds and 6 assists
6. Geraldine Robert (184-F-80) of Lotos Gdynia - 16 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists
7. Marke Freeman (165-PG-88) of Tecza Leszno - 26 points, 3 rebounds and 4 assists
8. Renee Taylor (158-G-85) of Artego Bydg. - 28 points, 2 rebounds and 4 assists
9. Jetta McIntyre (169-G-84) of LKS Siemens - 20 points, 4 rebounds and 4 assists
10. Megan Frazee (191-G/F-87) of CCC Polkowice - 11 points, 9 rebounds and 3 assists

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

Standings - PLKK
PLKK Standings
 1. Wisla Can-Pak 20-1 
 2. CCC Polkowice 17-3 
 3. Lotos Gdynia 17-4 
 4. Energa Torun 14-6 
 5. ROW Rybnik 13-8 
 6. Gorzow 12-9 
 7. LKS Siemens 10-10 
 8. Lider Pruszkow 10-11 
 9. Artego Bydg. 9-12 
 10. Widzew 7-13 
 11. Tecza Leszno 6-15 
 12. Odra Brzeg 5-16 
 13. MUKS Poznan 4-17 
 14. Inea AZS 1-20 


PLKK Round 21: LKS Siemens beat Artego Bydg. by two after a very close game - by Eurobasket News
The games at this stage are more interesting as they can be crucial for the final standings in Regular Season. Despite we already know who is stronger and who is weaker, there may be still last minute susprises and upsets.

The most exciting game of round 21 in the PLKK took place in Bydgoszcz. This derby game ended with only two-point home defeat of 8th ranked Artego Bydg. (9-12) to seventh ranked LKS Siemens (10-10) 85-83 on Wednesday evening. Artego Bydg. trailed by 12 points at halftime and as many as 21 after three quarters before a 30-11 last quarter charge cut the deficit to 83-85 at the end of the game. 24 personal fouls committed by Artego Bydg. helped opponents get some easy free throw opportunities. It was a good game for power forward Olga Urbanowicz (189-81) who led her team to a victory with a double-double by scoring 22 points, 10 rebounds and 5 assists. American guard Jetta McIntyre (169-84, college: Kansas St.) contributed with 20 points and 4 assists for the winners. American guard Renee Taylor (158-85, college: Miami, FL, agency: Merit Sports) answered with 28 points and 4 assists for Artego Bydg.LKS Siemens maintains seventh place with 10-10 record. Artego Bydg. lost fourth consecutive game. They dropped to the ninth position with 12 games lost. LKS Siemens are looking forward to face Odra Brzeg (#12) at home in the next round which should be theoretically an easy game. Artego Bydg. will play against MUKS Poznan and is hoping to prove to their supporters that they can break losing series.
PLKK top team - Wisla Can-Pak (20-1) had no problems winning another game. This time they crushed twelfth ranked Odra Brzeg (5-16) 80-59. The former international center Ewelina Kobryn (193-82) stepped up and scored 21 points and 6 rebounds for the winners and Milka Bjelica chipped in 10 points and 5 rebounds. Wisla Can-Pak's coach Jose Ignacio Hernandez felt very confident using 11 players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. The best for the losing side was American guard Jessica Starling (186, college: S.Alabama) with 12 points and 9 rebounds. Wisla Can-Pak have an impressive series of eight victories in a row. Defending champion maintains first place with 20-1 record. Odra Brzeg at the other side keeps the twelfth position with 16 games lost. Wisla Can-Pak will play against Tecza Leszno (#11) at home in the next round and are hoping to win another game. Odra Brzeg will play against LKS Siemens in Lodz and hopes to get back on the winning track.
The game in Gorzow Wlkp. supposed to be also quite interesting. Second ranked CCC Polkowice (17-3) played at the court of 6th ranked AZS Gorzow Wielkopolski (12-9). CCC Polkowice smashed AZS Gorzow Wielkopolski 93-62 on Wednesday. American players dominated the game. Jantel Lavender nailed 16 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists for the winning side. Coach Arkadiusz Rusin's team controlled all game and the coach could let to play 10 players and allowed the starting five to rest. Lyndra Weaver came up with 20 points and 6 rebounds for AZS Gorzow Wielkopolski in the defeat. The victory was the fourth consecutive win for CCC Polkowice. They maintain second place with 17-3 record having four points less than leader Wisla Can-Pak. Loser AZS Gorzow Wielkopolski keeps the sixth position with nine games lost. CCC Polkowice will meet at home Widzew (#10) in the next round and are hoping to win another game. AZS Gorzow Wielkopolski will have a break next round.
The game between third ranked Lotos Gdynia (17-4) and 5th ranked ROW Rybnik (13-8) in Gdynia ended with biggest points difference. Lotos Gdynia outscored guests from Rybnik 102-64. The best player for the winners was Adrijana Knezevic who scored 19 points and 8 rebounds. The winner was already known earlier in the game, so both coaches allowed to play the bench players saving starting five for next games. The victory was the seventh consecutive win for Lotos Gdynia. They maintain third place with 17-4 record having just three points less than leader Wisla Can-Pak. ROW Rybnik at the other side keeps the fifth position with eight games lost. Lotos Gdynia's next round opponent will be Energa Torun (#4) at home. ROW Rybnik will play against Inea AZS in Poznan.

In the last two games of round 21 MUKS Poznan was smashed by Lider Pruszkow on the road 86-50. Tecza Leszno won against Inea AZS on its own court 64-60.


Odra Brzeg - Wisla Can-Pak 59-80

PLKK top team - Wisla Can-Pak (20-1) had no problems winning another game. This time they crushed twelfth ranked Odra Brzeg (5-16) 80-59. The game without a history. Wisla Can-Pak led from the first minutes and controlled entire game increasing their lead in each quarter. Wisla Can-Pak shot 24 for 32 from the free-throw line, while Odra Brzeg only scored eight points from the stripe. Odra Brzeg was plagued by 24 personal fouls down the stretch. The former international center Ewelina Kobryn (193-82) stepped up and scored 21 points and 6 rebounds for the winners and Montenegrin forward Milka Bjelica (193-81) chipped in 10 points and 5 rebounds. Wisla Can-Pak's coach Jose Ignacio Hernandez felt very confident using 11 players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. The best for the losing side was American guard Jessica Starling (186, college: S.Alabama) with 12 points and 9 rebounds and Ukrainian guard Inna Kochubei (174-82) scored 13 points. Both teams had four players each who scored in double figures. Wisla Can-Pak have an impressive series of eight victories in a row. Defending champion maintains first place with 20-1 record. Odra Brzeg at the other side keeps the twelfth position with 16 games lost. Wisla Can-Pak will play against Tecza Leszno (#11) at home in the next round and are hoping to win another game. Odra Brzeg will play against LKS Siemens in Lodz and hopes to get back on the winning track.
Top scorers:
Wisla Can-Pak: E.Kobryn 21+6reb+2ast, E.Phillips 12+3reb+2ast, M.Bjelica 10+5reb+3ast, A.Dabovic 10+3reb+4ast, N.Powell 8+7reb+1ast, P.Pawlak 7+2reb+1ast
Odra Brzeg: I.Kochubei 13+3reb+2ast, J.Starling 12+9reb+3ast, M.Zylczynska 11+4reb, E.Ellis 10+5reb, N.Malaszewska 5+3reb+2ast, J.Daniel 4+4reb+3ast
gschID: 139668


Artego Bydg. - LKS Siemens 83-85

The most exciting game of round 21 in the PLKK took place in Bydgoszcz. This derby game ended with only two-point home defeat of 8th ranked Artego Bydg. (9-12) to seventh ranked LKS Siemens (10-10) 85-83 on Wednesday evening. Artego Bydg. trailed by 12 points at halftime and as many as 21 after three quarters before a 30-11 last quarter charge cut the deficit to 83-85 at the end of the game. 24 personal fouls committed by Artego Bydg. helped opponents get some easy free throw opportunities. It was a good game for power forward Olga Urbanowicz (189-81) who led her team to a victory with a double-double by scoring 22 points, 10 rebounds and 5 assists. American guard Jetta McIntyre (169-84, college: Kansas St.) contributed with 20 points and 4 assists for the winners. Five LKS Siemens players scored in double figures. American guard Renee Taylor (158-85, college: Miami, FL, agency: Merit Sports) answered with 28 points and 4 assists and the former international forward Elzbieta Mowlik (180-83, agency: Data Plus Group) added 18 points and 6 rebounds in the effort for Artego Bydg.LKS Siemens maintains seventh place with 10-10 record. Artego Bydg. lost fourth consecutive game. They dropped to the ninth position with 12 games lost. LKS Siemens are looking forward to face Odra Brzeg (#12) at home in the next round which should be theoretically an easy game. Artego Bydg. will play against MUKS Poznan and is hoping to prove to their supporters that they can break losing series.
Top scorers:
LKS Siemens: O.Urbanowicz 22+10reb+5ast, J.McIntyre 20+4reb+4ast, M.Dalembert 16+11reb, A.Modelska 11+2reb+2ast, J.Jeziorna 11+8reb+6ast, R.Schmidt 5+2ast
Artego Bydg.: R.Taylor 28+2reb+4ast, E.Mowlik 18+6reb, A.Szott 14+3reb, L.Jimenez 7+7reb+1ast, A.Kulaga 6+2reb+2ast, D.Sissoko 4+7reb
gschID: 139669


Lider Pruszkow - MUKS Poznan 86-50

No shocking result in a game when ninth ranked Lider Pruszkow (10-11) crushed at home 13th ranked MUKS Poznan (4-17) 86-50. The game without a history. Lider Pruszkow led from the first minutes and controlled entire game increasing their lead in each quarter. Lider Pruszkow outrebounded MUKS Poznan 33-19 including 23 on the defensive glass. They shot the lights out from three nailing 17 long-distance shots on high 58.6 percentage. Lider Pruszkow players were unselfish on offense dishing 28 assists comparing to just 9 passes made by MUKS Poznan's players. The best player for the winners was American power forward Angelina Williams (183-83, college: Illinois) who scored 14 points and 8 rebounds. Her fellow American import guard Laurie Koehn (173-82, college: Kansas St.) chipped in 20 points. At the other side the best for losing team was the former international power forward Natalia Mrozinska (191-84) who recorded 14 points and forward Agnieszka Makowska (182-82) added 8 points and 5 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. Lider Pruszkow moved-up to eighth place. Newly promoted MUKS Poznan keeps the thirteenth position with 17 games lost. Lider Pruszkow's next round opponent will be higher ranked Energa Torun (#4) on the road and it will be quite challenging to get another victory. MUKS Poznan will play against Artego Bydg. (#9) in Bydgoszcz.
Top scorers:
Lider Pruszkow: L.Koehn 20+2reb+1ast, A.Williams 14+8reb+2ast, A.Pietrzak 10+5reb+4ast, A.Bednarek 8+1ast, A.Wielebnowska 8+2reb+3ast, A.Chomac 6+5reb
MUKS Poznan: N.Mrozinska 14+2reb, R.Casimiro 9+1reb, A.Makowska 8+5reb+1ast, I.Szarzynska 7+3reb, Z.Durak 5+3reb+2ast, M.Koperwas 5+3reb+1ast
gschID: 139670


Gorzow - CCC Polkowice 62-93

The game in Gorzow Wlkp. supposed to be also quite interesting. Second ranked CCC Polkowice (17-3) played at the court of 6th ranked AZS Gorzow Wielkopolski (12-9). CCC Polkowice smashed AZS Gorzow Wielkopolski 93-62 on Wednesday. The game was mostly controlled by CCC Polkowice. AZS Gorzow Wielkopolski managed to win fourth quarter 27-17. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. CCC Polkowice dominated on the defensive end, holding AZS Gorzow Wielkopolski to just 5 points in second quarter. They outrebounded AZS Gorzow Wielkopolski 40-27 including a 28-14 advantage in defensive rebounds. CCC Polkowice shot the lights out from three sinking 14 long-distance shots on high 73.7 percentage. American players dominated the game. Center Jantel Lavender (193-88, college: Ohio St.) nailed 16 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists for the winning side and swingman Megan Frazee (191-87, college: Liberty) accounted for 11 points and 9 rebounds. Coach Arkadiusz Rusin's team controlled all game and the coach could let to play 10 players and allowed the starting five to rest. Forward Lyndra Weaver (185-87, college: Virginia) came up with 20 points and 6 rebounds and center Paris Johnson (193-89, college: San Diego St.) added 15 points respectively for AZS Gorzow Wielkopolski in the defeat. Five CCC Polkowice and four AZS Gorzow Wielkopolski players scored in double figures. The victory was the fourth consecutive win for CCC Polkowice. They maintain second place with 17-3 record having four points less than leader Wisla Can-Pak. Loser AZS Gorzow Wielkopolski keeps the sixth position with nine games lost. CCC Polkowice will meet at home Widzew (#10) in the next round and are hoping to win another game. AZS Gorzow Wielkopolski will have a break next round.
Top scorers:
CCC Polkowice: J.Lavender 16+7reb+4ast, V.Musina 15+3reb+1ast, A.Bibrzycka 15+3reb, E.Maltsi 12+3reb+4ast, M.Frazee 11+9reb+3ast, A.Gajda 6+1reb
Gorzow: L.Weaver 20+6reb, P.Johnson 15+4reb+1ast, A.Smalley 12+3reb+2ast, A.Skobel 11+4reb+4ast, A.Kaczmarczyk 4+7reb, M.Szajtauer 0
gschID: 139665


Lotos Gdynia - ROW Rybnik 102-64

The game between third ranked Lotos Gdynia (17-4) and 5th ranked ROW Rybnik (13-8) in Gdynia ended with biggest points difference. Lotos Gdynia outscored guests from Rybnik 102-64. The game without a history. Lotos Gdynia led from the first minutes and controlled entire game increasing their lead in each quarter. They dominated down low during the game scoring 66 of its points in the paint compared to ROW Rybnik's 40. Lotos Gdynia forced 29 ROW Rybnik turnovers. Their players were unselfish on offense dishing 21 assists. The best player for the winners was Serbian forward Adrijana Knezevic (185-87) who scored 19 points and 8 rebounds. Gabonese-French forward Geraldine Robert (184-80) chipped in 16 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists and 6 steals (on 8-of-10 shooting from the field). Four Lotos Gdynia players scored in double figures. At the other side the best for losing team was American power forward Mekia Valentine (193-88, college: UCSB, agency: Merit Sports) who recorded 22 points and 6 rebounds (on 9-of-10 shooting from the field) and the other American import guard Alexis Rack (170-88, college: Mississippi St.) added 12 points 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. The victory was the seventh consecutive win for Lotos Gdynia. They maintain third place with 17-4 record having just three points less than leader Wisla Can-Pak. ROW Rybnik at the other side keeps the fifth position with eight games lost. Lotos Gdynia's next round opponent will be Energa Torun (#4) at home. ROW Rybnik will play against Inea AZS in Poznan.
Top scorers:
Lotos Gdynia: A.Knezevic 19+8reb+2ast, J.Anderson 19+3reb+1ast, G.Robert 16+5reb+4ast, A.Henry 10+6reb, M.Zietara 10+1reb+1ast, C.Jinks 9+2reb+5ast
ROW Rybnik: M.Valentine 22+6reb, A.Rack 12+2reb+3ast, R.Harris 7+3reb+4ast, M.Skorek 6+3reb+2ast, K.Suknarowska 5+5reb+4ast, R.Fitz 4+3reb
gschID: 139666


Tecza Leszno - Inea AZS 64-60

Rather expected game when 14th ranked Inea AZS (1-20) lost on the road to eleventh ranked Tecza Leszno (6-15) 64-60. The hosts took control from the first minutes by winning first half. But Inea AZS won third quarter 16-8. However it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. The best player for the winners was American point guard Marke Freeman (165-88, college: N.Illinois) who scored 26 points and 4 assists. Forward Katarzyna Bednarczyk (184-89, agency: Data Plus Group) chipped in 9 points and 7 rebounds. At the other side the best for losing team was American power forward Amber Petillon (193-82, college: Richmond) who recorded a double-double by scoring 11 points and 13 rebounds and guard Magdalena Gawronska (168-83) added 14 points and 7 rebounds respectively. Tecza Leszno maintains eleventh place with 6-15 record. Inea AZS at the other side stay dead last with 20 lost games. Tecza Leszno's next round opponent will be league's leader Wisla Can-Pak in Krakow and it will be quite challenging to get another victory. Inea AZS will play at home against ROW Rybnik (#5).
Top scorers:
Tecza Leszno: M.Freeman 26+3reb+4ast, J.Grabowska 9+1reb+1ast, K.Bednarczyk 9+7reb+3ast, E.Gala 8+8reb+1ast, A.Kuncewicz 8+6reb, D.Urbaniak 4+2reb+2ast
Inea AZS: M.Gawronska 14+7reb+3ast, A.Kotnis 13+7reb, A.Petillon 11+13reb+2ast, E.Horodenska 6+2reb+4ast, J.Kedzia 6+2reb, A.Drzewinska 5+1ast
gschID: 139667




*****************************************************
  PORTUGAL - Women  


Standings - Women
Liga Feminina Standings
 1. Alges 14-1 
 2. AD Vagos 14-1 
 3. GDESSA 10-5 
 4. Boa Viagem 10-5 
 5. Lombos Quinta 9-6 
 6. CAB Madeira 8-5 
 7. Montijobanda 6-8 
 8. AFC-Liberty S. 5-9 
 9. Olivais 5-9 
 10. Barcelos 4-12 
 11. EMA Menres 2-13 
 12. CDTorres N. 1-14 


*****************************************************
  ROMANIA - Women  


Standings - Women
D1 Standings
 1. Targoviste 18-1 
 2. Alba Iulia 18-3 
 3. ICIM Arad 16-3 
 4. Targu Mures 16-4 
 5. Alexandria 15-4 
 6. Satu Mare 12-6 
 7. Craiova 12-9 
 8. Timisoara 11-8 
 9. Sp.Studentesc 10-8 
 10. Brasov 7-12 
 11. Cluj Napoca 4-14 
 12. Rapid 4-15 
 13. Olimpia 3-16 
 14. Oradea 3-17 
 15. Iasi 2-17 
 16. Sf.Gheorghe 0-14 


*****************************************************
  RUSSIA - Women  


Maria Kalmykova signs with Spartak Moscow Region - by Eurobasket News
Maria Kalmykova (194-C-78) signs with Spartak Moscow Region for the rest of the season. The team could not bring Vieru back and due to the injury of Milovanovic needed another player.
Maria Kalmykova started in 2005-2006 for Spartak Moscow Region (A Superleague) and in Russian Superleague after 23 games averaged 6.4ppg, 5.0rpg, 1.1bpg, 2FGP: 51.0%, 3PT: 35.0%, FT: 84.0%. In EuroCup after 8 games her stats read 1.9ppg, 2.9rpg, 0.3apg.
In 2006-2007 moved to Dynamo Moscow (A Superleague) and in 20 games showed 4.0ppg, 3.3rpg. In EuroCup she had 5.1ppg, 3.3rpg, FGP: 61.9%, FT: 83.3%. In 2007-2008 Maria Kalmykova moved to Vologda-Chevakata (A Superleague). Starting from 2008-2009 the player was with Gloria Moscow (B Superleague, starting five).
She was also the Russian U18 National Team -96, won European Championships U18 -96 (gold), was a member of the Russian National Team -01-04. She won Silver at World Championships in China -02 (Silver) and Gold at European Championships -03. At the Olympic Games in Athens she won Bronze with the team. Over the last few seasons she became Russian B Superleague Runner-Up -09, 11.


*****************************************************
  SLOVAKIA - Women  


Standings - Women
Extraliga Standings
 1. Good Angels 19-0 
 2. MBK Ruzomb. 14-3 
 3. Samorin 12-7 
 4. Poprad 9-10 
 5. Dannax Sport 5-13 
 6. Roznava 4-15 
 7. Cassovia K. 2-17 


Dobri Anjeli keep Natalia Vieru - by Eurobasket News
Dobri Anjeli keep Natalia Vieru for the rest of the season. The Slovakian team cannot imagine the squad without the Russian player and asked the Russian Spartak to prolong the contract.
Dobri Anjeli brought in Natalia Vieru in the start of the season. The 21-year-old centre played for Spartak Moscoe Region since 2007. Last season Natalia Vieru posted 1.3 points and 1.7 rebounds per game in Euroleague. In Russian League the centre posted 5.2 points and 4.2 rebounds per appearance. Natalia Vieru participated at 2010 World Championship. She averaged 3.3 points, 2.3 boards and 1.0 block per game in Czech Republic. The centre is the member of Russian University National Team that will travel to China in August.
In her top game this season Natalia Vieru recorded 26 points. Dobri Anjeli smashed Roznava 119:34 at the Regular Season Round 4.


*****************************************************
  SLOVENIA - Women  


Standings - Women
SKL Standings
 1. Athlete Celje 14-1 
 2. Triglav 14-1 
 3. Grosuplje 12-3 
 4. AJM Maribor 9-6 
 5. Jezica 8-7 
 6. Ilrija 7-7 
 7. Pomurje 5-10 
 8. Rogaska 4-11 
 9. Domzale 1-14 
 10. Odeja KED 0-14 
Play in international cups:
 1. Hit K.Gora 0-0 


*****************************************************
  SPAIN - Women  


Standings - LFB
LFB Standings
 1. Ros Casares 19-0 
 2. Perfumerias 18-2 
 3. Girona 15-6 
 4. Mann Filter 13-7 
 5. Rivas Ecopolis 13-7 
 6. Cadi la Seu 11-9 
 7. Gran Canaria 10-9 
 8. Mariana 10-10 
 9. Burgos 7-13 
 10. Cajarural 6-14 
 11. Hondar.-Irun 5-15 
 12. Real C.Vigo 5-15 
 13. Navarra 5-16 
 14. Ibiza 3-17 


LFB Round 20 of Regular Season - by Eurobasket News
Mann Filter (#4) forced the game against Argon Uni Girona (#3) into an overtime, but lost by five points 73-78 on Wednesday night. The game took place in Zaragoza. But the guests from Girona were better at the end. Worth to mention a great performance of Angelica Robinson (196-F-87, college: Georgia) who helped to win the game recording a double-double by scoring 20 points and 11 rebounds. Mann Filter's coach rotated ten players in this game, but that didn't help. Argon Uni Girona have a solid three-game winning streak. They maintain third position with 15-6 record having just -9 point less than leader Ros Casares. Mann Filter at the other side keeps the fourth place with seven games lost. Argon Uni Girona will face Gran Canaria (#7) in Las Palmas in the next round. Mann Filter will play on the road against Cajarural in Zamora.

In the last two games of round 20 Cajarural won against Ibiza on the opponent's court 88-71. Perfumerias managed to outperform Real C.Vigo in a home game 75-70. Ros Casares rolled over Hondar.-Irun on the road 91-53. Burgos crushed Cadi la Seu on its own court 73-39. Mariana was beaten by Gran Canaria in Las Palmas 58-57. Navarra won against Rivas Ecopolis at home 77-68.
The most impressive stats of the last round was 26 points and 7 rebounds by Daria Mieloszynska of Cajarural.

Mann Filter - Girona 73-78 OT
Mann Filter (#4) forced the game against Argon Uni Girona (#3) into an overtime, but lost by five points 73-78 on Wednesday night. The game took place in Zaragoza. But the guests from Girona were better at the end. The guests trailed by 5 points after three quarters before their 22-17 charge, which allowed them to tie the game at the end of regular time and get a 5-point victory in overtime. Argon Uni Girona outrebounded Mann Filter 44-23 including a 32-21 advantage in defensive rebounds. Worth to mention a great performance of American forward Angelica Robinson (196-87, college: Georgia) who helped to win the game recording a double-double by scoring 20 points and 11 rebounds and Canadian-British guard Shona Thorburn (178-82, college: Utah) who added 16 points and 12 rebounds during the contest. Bulgarian forward Jaklin Zlatanova (190-88) responded with 12 points and 8 rebounds and American forward Arhonda Covington (185-85, college: Louisville) scored 15 points. Four Mann Filter players scored in double figures. Mann Filter's coach rotated ten players in this game, but that didn't help. Argon Uni Girona have a solid three-game winning streak. They maintain third position with 15-6 record having just -9 point less than leader Ros Casares. Mann Filter at the other side keeps the fourth place with seven games lost. Argon Uni Girona will face Gran Canaria (#7) in Las Palmas in the next round. Mann Filter will play on the road against Cajarural in Zamora.
Top scorers:
Girona: G.Vega 20+10reb, A.Robinson 20+11reb+2ast, S.Thorburn 16+12reb+3ast, N.Jordana 8+2reb+3ast, A.Carbo 7+3reb+1ast, O.Sarr 7+6reb+4ast
Mann Filter: A.Covington 15+1reb+2ast, C.Ouvina 14+1reb+1ast, J.Zlatanova 12+8reb+3ast, R.Vynuchalova 12+1ast, M.Revuelto 7+5reb+1ast, B.Marcos 5+1reb
gschID: 153896


Ibiza - Cajarural 71-88
Very expected game when 14th ranked Ibiza (3-17) was defeated at home by tenth ranked Cajarural (6-14) 88-71 on Wednesday. The game without a history. Cajarural led from the first minutes and controlled entire game increasing their lead in each quarter. They dominated down low during the game scoring 58 of its points in the paint compared to Ibiza's 36. They outrebounded Ibiza 42-30 including a 28-16 advantage in defensive rebounds. Worth to mention a great performance of Polish forward Daria Mieloszynska (188-83, college: Texas, agency: Data Plus Group) who helped to win the game recording 26 points and 7 rebounds (on 11-of-14 shooting from the field) and American forward Bernice Mosby (186-84, college: Baylor) who added 19 points and 10 rebounds during the contest. The former international swingman Silvia Morales (170-79) responded with 19 points and 5 assists and the former international center Aina Denti (195-85) produced a double-double by scoring 12 points and 11 rebounds. Newly promoted Cajarural maintains tenth position with 6-14 record. Loser Ibiza stay at the bottom place with 17 games lost. Cajarural will face higher ranked Mann Filter (#4) in Zaragoza in the next round and they do not belong to the favorites in that game. Ibiza will play on the road against Rivas Ecopolis (#5).
Top scorers:
Cajarural: D.Mieloszynska 26+7reb+3ast, B.Mosby 19+10reb+1ast, S.Niedola 8+7reb+2ast, L.Gimeno 8+5reb+1ast, A.Parham 7+3reb+1ast, T.Tuukkanen 7+5reb
Ibiza: M.De Kleijn 19+2reb+1ast, S.Morales 19+2reb+5ast, A.Denti 12+11reb, R.Perez 9+4reb+2ast, S.Barnert 7+1ast, C.Szczechowiak 5+11reb+1ast
gschID: 153897


Perfumerias - Real C.Vigo 75-70
Very predictable result in Salamanca where second ranked Perfumerias Avenida (18-2) defeated 11th ranked Real Celta Vigo (5-15) 75-70 on Wednesday. However just five-point win is not that big difference and the fans of host team counted on more convincing victory. The hosts trailed by 6 points at the halftime before their 23-9 charge in the third quarter, which allowed them to win the game. Perfumerias Avenida made 22-of-25 free shots (88.0 percent) during the game. Worth to mention a great performance of American guard DeWanna Bonner (193-87, college: Auburn, agency: Josep and Nicolas) who helped to win the game recording 23 points and the former international guard Laura Antoja (166-77, agency: Josep and Nicolas) who added 16 points during the contest. Perfumerias Avenida's coach Lucas Mondelo used an eleven-player rotation in such tough game. Brazilian center Damiris Dantas (192-92) responded with a double-double by scoring 19 points and 11 rebounds and Senegalese forward Aya Traore (186-83, college: Purdue) scored 14 points and 5 rebounds. Four Real Celta Vigo players scored in double figures. Perfumerias Avenida have an impressive six-game winning streak. They maintain second position with 18-2 record having just -11 point less than leader Ros Casares. Loser Real Celta Vigo keeps the eleventh place with 15 games lost. Perfumerias Avenida will face league's leader Ros Casares in Valencia in the next round and it will be for sure the game of the week. Real Celta Vigo will play at home against Navarra Pamplona (#13) and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Perfumerias: D.Bonner 23+4reb+1ast, L.Antoja 16+3reb+1ast, M.Xargay Casademont 12+1reb+4ast, I.Sanchez 8+3reb+2ast, L.Pascua 6+5reb+2ast, M.Fernandez 4
Real C.Vigo: D.Dantas 19+11reb+1ast, A.Traore 14+5reb+1ast, A.Gomez 13+1ast, S.Gomez 11+2reb+2ast, M.Delgado 9+1reb+2ast, D.Adams 4+6reb
gschID: 153892


Hondar.-Irun - Ros Casares 53-91
Not a big story in a game when 12th ranked Hondarribia-Irun (5-15) was rolled over at home by top-ranked Ros Casares (19-0) 91-53 on Wednesday. The game without a history. Ros Casares led from the first minutes and controlled entire game increasing their lead in each quarter. Ros Casares forced 25 Hondarribia-Irun turnovers. It was a great shooting night for Ros Casares especially from behind the arc, where they had solid 72.7 percentage. They looked well-organized offensively handing out 21 assists. Worth to mention a great performance of Australian power forward Lauren Jackson (196-81) who helped to win the game recording 16 points and forward Maya Moore (182-89, college: Connecticut) who added 13 points and 5 assists during the contest. Five Ros Casares players scored in double figures. Ros Casares' coach Roberto Iniguez felt very confident using 10 players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. Brazilian center Franciele Nascimento (191-87, agency: Josep and Nicolas) responded with 15 points and 8 rebounds and Chilean center Tatiana Gomez (193-81, agency: Josep and Nicolas) scored 10 points. Ros Casares have an impressive 19-game winning streak. Defending champion maintains first position with 19-0 record. Loser Hondarribia-Irun dropped to the eleventh place with 15 games lost. Ros Casares will face league's second-placed Perfumerias Avenida in Salamanca in the next round and it will be for sure the game of the week. Hondarribia-Irun will play on the road against Cadi la Seu (#6) in Seu D'urgell.
Top scorers:
Ros Casares: L.Jackson 16+4reb+1ast, K.Honti 14+4ast, I.Yacoubou-Dehoui 13+3reb, M.Moore 13+3reb+5ast, S.Lyttle 12+8reb, E.Murphy 8+1reb+1ast
Hondar.-Irun: F.Nascimento 15+8reb, T.Gomez 10+3reb, A.Gastaminza 8+3reb+1ast, L.Garcia 6, T.Quintero 5+1reb+5ast, L.Gil 5+2reb
gschID: 153893


Burgos - Cadi la Seu 73-39
There was a small surprise when ninth ranked Arranz-Jopisa Burgos (7-13) outscored at home 6th ranked Cadi la Seu (11-9) 73-39 on Wednesday. The game without a history. Arranz-Jopisa Burgos led from the first minutes and controlled entire game increasing their lead in each quarter. They dominated on the defensive end, holding Cadi la Seu to just 6 points in second and third quarters. Arranz-Jopisa Burgos held Cadi la Seu to an opponent 22.2 percent shooting from the field compared to 39.4 percent accuracy of the winners. Arranz-Jopisa Burgos forced 22 Cadi la Seu turnovers and outrebounded them 50-38 including 39 on the defensive glass. Worth to mention a great performance of Chilean center Ziomara Morrison (193-89) who helped to win the game recording a double-double by scoring 14 points and 14 rebounds and center Celia Menendez (188-90) who added 11 points and 7 rebounds during the contest. Nigerian-American guard Chineze Nwagbo (183-82, college: Syracuse) responded with 5 points and 10 rebounds and American guard Adrianne Ross (173-84, college: TCU, agency: Merit Sports) scored 7 points and 8 rebounds. Cadi la Seu's coach gave up on the game allowing to play ten players seeing no chance for a win. Newly promoted Arranz-Jopisa Burgos maintains ninth position with 7-13 record. Loser Cadi la Seu keeps the sixth place with nine games lost. Arranz-Jopisa Burgos will face higher ranked Joventud Mariana (#8) in Soller in the next round and it may be quite challenging game.
Top scorers:
Burgos: Z.Morrison 14+14reb+1ast, L.Pablos 12+5reb, T.Broring 12+1reb+2ast, C.Menendez 11+7reb+2ast, L.Herrera 7+4reb, I.Ibekwe 7+10reb+2ast
Cadi la Seu: A.Ross 7+8reb+1ast, M.De Ciman 6+1reb, N.Mendez 6, M.Stevenson 5+6reb, C.Nwagbo 5+10reb+1ast, C.Garcia 4+2reb
gschID: 153894


Gran Canaria - Mariana 58-57
We cannot really consider it an upset in the game between close teams in Las Palmas where 7th ranked Joventud Mariana (10-10) was edged by eighth ranked Gran Canaria (10-9) 58-57 on Wednesday. Gran Canaria moved-up to seventh place. Joventud Mariana lost third consecutive game. They dropped to the eighth position with ten games lost. Gran Canaria will face higher ranked Argon Uni Girona (#3) on the road in the next round and it may be quite challenging game. Joventud Mariana will play against Arranz-Jopisa Burgos (#9) and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
gschID: 153895


Navarra - Rivas Ecopolis 77-68
There was a surprise result when thirteenth ranked Navarra Pamplona (5-16) won against at home higher ranked Rivas Ecopolis (13-7) 77-68 on Wednesday. The hosts took control from the first minutes by winning first half. But Rivas Ecopolis won fourth quarter 14-13. However it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. Worth to mention a great performance of the former international guard Maria Begona Garcia (175-76, agency: Josep and Nicolas) who helped to win the game recording 12 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists and Serbian power forward Jovana Rad (187-87, agency: Josep and Nicolas) who added 12 points and 6 rebounds during the contest. Forward Asjha Jones (188-80, college: Connecticut) responded with 16 points and 8 rebounds and international center Laura Nicholls (189-89, agency: Josep and Nicolas) scored 17 points and 7 rebounds (on 7-of-9 shooting from the field). Both teams had four players each who scored in double figures. Navarra Pamplona maintains thirteenth position with 5-16 record. Loser Rivas Ecopolis dropped to the fourth place with seven games lost. Navarra Pamplona will face higher ranked Real Celta Vigo (#12) on the road in the next round and it may be quite challenging game. Rivas Ecopolis will play against Ibiza (#14).
Top scorers:
Navarra: A.Dapo 13+1reb+2ast, M.Begona Garcia 12+5reb+5ast, J.Rad 12+6reb, M.Asurmendi 11+3reb+2ast, M.Dennett 10, P.Segui 9+7reb
Rivas Ecopolis: L.Nicholls 17+7reb, A.Jones 16+8reb+2ast, E.Carson 14+4reb, E.Aguilar 12+3reb+2ast, A.Cruz 7+4reb+2ast, V.Gimeno Martinez 2+2ast
gschID: 153891




Spanish LFB round 20 best performance: Angelica Robinson - by Eurobasket News
American forward Angelica Robinson (196-F-87) put on an extraordinary performance in the last round for Girona, receiving a Eurobasket.com Player of the Week award for round 20.
The 24-year old player had a double-double of 20 points and 11 rebounds, while her team beat Mann Filter (#4, 13-7) in overtime 78-73. The game was between two of the league's top four teams. Girona maintains the 3rd position in Spanish LFB. They would have been even better if they hadn't lost a few games earlier this season. Girona will need more victories to improve their 15-6 record. In the team's last game Robinson had a remarkable 54.5% from 2-point range. She turned to be Girona's top player in her first season with the team. Former University of Georgia star has very solid stats this year. Robinson leads league in rebounds with 12.1rpg. Robinson is in league's top in and averages impressive 57.4% FGP.

The second best player in last round's games was 28-year old Polish Daria Mieloszynska (188-F-83, agency: Data Plus Group) of Cajarural. Mieloszynska had a very good evening with 26 points, 7 rebounds and 3 assists. Of course she lead Cajarural to another comfortable win 88-71 over the lower-ranked Ibiza (#14, 3-17) being unquestionably team leader. The game was between two teams which are definitely not main contenders for the title. Cajarural keeps 10th position. Her team is not often considered as one of the league's best with a mere 6-14 record. Mieloszynska is one of the most experienced players at Cajarural and has a reputation of one of team's most reliable players.

Third on the list of top players last round was Brazilian center Damiris Dantas (192-C-92) of Real C.Vigo (#12). Dantas scored 19 points and grabbed eleven rebounds (!!!). Despite Dantas' great performance Real C.Vigo lost 70-75 to the higher-ranked Perfumerias (#2, 18-2). But her team cannot count on just a single player as she also needs help of the other teammates. Real C.Vigo can only dream about fighting for top spots in the league. They have rather bad season and 5-15 record places them close to the bottom of the standings. Too bad for Dantas she does not play for a better team. But maybe if she did, her season stats would not be that high. Dantas has a very solid season. In 18 games in Spain she scored 12.8ppg.

Other top performing players last week:
4. DeWanna Bonner (193-G-87) of Perfumerias - 23 points and 4 rebounds
5. Bernice Mosby (186-F-84) of Cajarural - 19 points and 10 rebounds
6. Laura Nicholls (189-C-89) of Rivas Ecopolis - 17 points and 7 rebounds
7. Ziomara Morrison (193-C-89) of Burgos - 14 points and 14 rebounds
8. Gisela Vega (187-C-82) of Girona - 20 points and 10 rebounds
9. Paola Ferrari (178-G/F-85) of Mariana - 21 points
10. Aina Denti (195-C-85) of Ibiza - 12 points and 11 rebounds

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

*****************************************************
  SWEDEN - Women  


Damligan, Round 22: First stage is over - by Eurobasket News
The first stage of Damligan just ended. Mark Basket, Northland, Telge and Solna advanced to Group A of the Second Stage. Sallen, Visby, Norrkoping and 08 Stockholm are placed to Group B. The Second Stage begins on February 22.

Damligan Standings
Group 1
1. Telge 20-2
2. Northland 19-3
3. Solna Vikings 17-5
4. Mark Basket 17-5
Group 2
1. Sallen 14-8
2. Norrkoping 9-13
3. 08 8-14
4. Visby 8-14

Umea - Eos 50-57
The guests trailed by 1 point at the halftime before their 32-24 charge in the second half, which allowed them to win the game. IK Eos outrebounded Umea Comets 44-33 including a 31-20 advantage in defensive rebounds. Danish guard Simona Bartkova (178-86) had a double-double by scoring 14 points and 11 rebounds to lead the charge for the winners and naturalized Russian forward Irene Otamiri (179-83, college: NC-Greensboro) chipped in 11 points and 7 rebounds during the contest. IK Eos' coach used a ten-player rotation which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. At the losing side American forward Kara Murphy (172-88, college: Akron) responded with a double-double by scoring 27 points and 14 rebounds and Serbian-Croatian power forward Tanja Licina (188-85, college: Rhode Island) scored 14 points and 6 rebounds.
Top scorers:
Umea: K.Murphy 27+14reb+2ast, T.Licina 14+6reb, K.Nybom 4+2reb+1ast, E.Enjebo 2+4reb+1ast, M.Renholm 2+4reb, M.Bozikov 1+1reb
Eos: S.Bartkova 14+11reb+2ast, I.Otamiri 11+7reb, K.Lundahl 10+4reb+2ast, R.Gultekin 8+3reb+1ast, M.Nilsson 6+4reb, J.Ausmann 5+6reb

gschID: 151603


Norrkoping - Solna Vikings 60-71
The game without a history. Solna Vikings led from the first minutes and controlled entire game increasing their lead in each quarter. They dominated on the defensive end, holding Norrkoping Dolphins to just 6 points in third quarter. Solna Vikings made 16-of-18 charity shots (88.9 percent) during the game. They also forced 19 Norrkoping Dolphins turnovers. American guard Celeste Hoewisch (170-87, college: Wisc.-Green Bay) notched 16 points to lead the effort and the other American import swingman Christy Bacon (182-80, college: Wyoming) supported her with 8 points and 7 rebounds. Four Solna Vikings players scored in double figures. Solna Vikings' coach Jurgita Kausaite allowed to play the deep bench players saving starting five for next games. Even a double-double of 22 points and 11 rebounds by point guard Hayet Neffati (173-91) did not help to save the game for Norrkoping Dolphins. Swingman Tanya Massamba (182-91) added 16 points and 6 rebounds for lost side.
Top scorers:
Norrkoping: H.Neffati 22+11reb+1ast, T.Massamba 16+6reb+2ast, M.Nilsson 8+2reb, M.Enlund 4+5reb+3ast, F.Jern Bruhn 3+3reb+1ast, G.De Leeuw 3+1reb+2ast
Solna Vikings: C.Hoewisch 16+2reb+2ast, P.Rosanio 13+2reb+1ast, J.Andersson 12+2reb+1ast, K.Andersson 11+1reb+1ast, C.Bacon 8+7reb+2ast, M.Carpreaux 6+4reb
gschID: 151604


08 - Kvarnby 67-57
The game without a history. 08 Stockholm led from the first minutes and controlled entire game increasing their lead in each quarter. 08 Stockholm outrebounded Kvarnby 41-30 including a 32-19 advantage in defensive rebounds. Guard Nathalie Fontaine (183-93) fired 13 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists for the winners. Canadian center Leanne Evans (191-86) chipped in 8 points and 14 rebounds. American guard Brittany Smart (175-85, college: Cedarville) produced a double-double by scoring 22 points and 14 rebounds and forward Paula Juhlin (184-91) added 14 points and 5 rebounds respectively for lost side.
Top scorers:
Kvarnby: B.Smart 22+14reb+3ast, P.Juhlin 14+5reb+3ast, E.Soderstrom 6+4reb+1ast, E.Gunnarsson 5, J.Sundstrom 4+3reb, C.Larsson 4+1reb
08: N.Fontaine 13+7reb+4ast, A.Kalmstroem 11+2reb+1ast, A.Asoro 11+3reb+1ast, H.Rutberg 9+4reb+4ast, L.Evans 8+14reb+1ast, N.Risto 7+7reb+4ast
gschID: 151600


Telge - Visby 112-60
Telge led from the first minutes and controlled entire game increasing their lead in each quarter. They dominated down low during the game scoring 72 of its points in the paint compared to Visby Ladies' 18. They outrebounded Visby Ladies 59-28 including a 41-19 advantage in defensive rebounds. It was a great shooting night for Telge especially from behind the arc, where they had solid 56.3 percentage. Their players were unselfish on offense dishing 23 assists comparing to just 9 passes made by Visby Ladies' players. Worth to mention a great performance of forward Binta Drammeh (180-F-92) who helped to win the game recording 35 points (!!!) and 8 rebounds (on 14-of-18 shooting from the field). American point guard Brittney Thomas (179-89, college: Michigan St.) contributed with 21 points, 8 rebounds and 7 assists for the winners. Four Telge players scored in double figures. Telge's coach Jens Tillman felt very confident using 10 players and allowed the starting five to rest. American guard Jeannie Saunders (173-86, college: Salem Intern.) replied with 19 points and 7 rebounds and her fellow American import swingman Ashleigh Brown (183-87, college: Miami, OH) added 8 points and 10 rebounds in the effort for Visby Ladies.
Top scorers:
Visby: J.Saunders 19+7reb, H.Munthe-Gottberg 10+2reb+1ast, A.Brown 8+10reb+2ast, C.Danielsson 7+3reb+1ast, E.Hagg-Myntti 5+2reb+2ast, C.Holst 4+1reb
Telge: B.Drammeh 35+8reb+1ast, B.Thomas 21+8reb+7ast, U.Holmqvist 21+6reb+1ast, A.Zahui 18+16reb, S.Kabengano 8+6reb+6ast, H.Kurt 5+3reb+4ast
gschID: 151601


Northland - Sallen 64-61
The hosts took control from the first minutes by winning first half. But Sallen won third quarter 20-16. However it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. Brazilian swingman Silvia Santos Luz (173-75, agency: Josep and Nicolas) scored 23 points and 6 assists to lead the charge for the winners and the former international forward Anna Barthold (183-80, college: St.Peter's, agency: Josep and Nicolas) chipped in 11 points and 8 rebounds during the contest. At the losing side Colombian guard Erika Valek (168-82, college: Purdue) responded with 13 points and 6 assists and guard Felicia Nekmouche (175-83, college: Bradley) scored 12 points. Sallen's coach Jenny Hakanson rotated ten players in this game, but that didn't help.
Top scorers:
Sallen: E.Valek 13+2reb+6ast, F.Nekmouche 12+4reb+2ast, H.Kjellgren 11+7reb, A.Nordstrom 8+6reb+1ast, I.Nnamaka 7+4reb+3ast, A.Krantz 6+2reb
Northland: S.Santos Luz 23+3reb+6ast, T.Edwards 12+5reb+3ast, A.Barthold 11+8reb+1ast, J.Vesterberg 7+6reb+4ast, F.Grahn 6+3reb+2ast, E.Nystrom 5+7reb+2ast
gschID: 151602


Jarfalla - Mark Basket 81-82
The guests trailed by 7 points at the halftime before their 19-8 charge in the third quarter, which allowed them to win the game. Mark Basket made 16-of-19 free shots (84.2 percent) during the game. They also forced 25 Jarfalla turnovers. Forward Hanna Brandmark (184-91) scored 25 points (made all of her seven free throws) to lead the charge for the winners and American guard Ashley Key (177-85, college: N.Carolina St.) chipped in 14 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists and 7 steals during the contest. Four Mark Basket players scored in double figures. Mark Basket's coach Frank Alm used a ten-player rotation in such tough game. At the losing side the former international forward Malin Edlund (183-88) responded with 22 points and 6 rebounds and American guard Kesley Bolte (185-88, college: Iowa St.) scored 12 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists.
Top scorers:
Jarfalla: M.Edlund 22+6reb+2ast, J.Ahlin 17+2reb+4ast, K.Bolte 12+6reb+5ast, J.Sundberg 8+4reb+1ast, A.Begenisic 8+13reb+1ast, J.Sandmark 7+4reb
Mark Basket: H.Brandmark 25+4reb+2ast, K.Turk 15+6reb+2ast, A.Key 14+6reb+5ast, T.Broman 11+2reb, S.Johansson 6, C.Thuresson 5

Standings - Damligan
Damligan Stage Two Standings
Group 1
 1. Telge 20-2
 2. Northland 19-3
 3. Solna Vikings 17-5
 4. Mark Basket 17-5
Group 2
 1. Sallen 14-8
 2. Norrkoping 9-13
 3. 08 8-14
 4. Visby 8-14
Stage One Standings


*****************************************************
  TURKEY - Women  


Standings - TBBL
TKBL Standings
 1. Fenerbahce 16-2 
 2. Galatasaray 15-3 
 3. Kayseri 12-6 
 4. Mersin 10-8 
 5. Ceyhan Bld 9-9 
 6. Samsun 9-9 
 7. Botas 8-10 
 8. Tarsus Bld 7-11 
 9. Antakya 7-11 
 10. Optimum TED 6-12 
 11. Besiktas 6-12 
 12. Istanbul Univ. 3-15 


*****************************************************
  UKRAINE - Women  


Olimpia overcame Tim-Scuf in the start of Second Stage of BWBL - by Eurobasket News
Olimpia - Tim-Scuf 92:73

Olimpia overcame Tim-Scuf in the start of Second Stage of Baltic League. The team from Belarus handed the Ukrainian squad 92:73 loss.
The game was mostly controlled by Olimpia GrGAU. Tim-Scuf managed to win fourth quarter 20-18. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. Great defensive blocking was one of the keys in this match when Olimpia GrGAU made 8 blocks. Worth to mention a great performance of Lyubov Alyoshkina (203-C-81) who helped to win the game recording a double-double by scoring 23 points and 15 rebounds. Ukrainian forward Anna Pokoiova (188-F-87) contributed with a double-double by scoring 16 points and 11 rebounds for the winners.
Olga Maznichenko (187-F-91, agency: LBM Management) answered with 17 points and 6 rebounds and forward Nataliya Gavryliuk (178-F-90) added 12 points and 10 rebounds in the effort for Tim-Scuf. Olimpia GrGAU will try to continue on its current victory against second ranked Gorizont in Minsk.

Olimpia: Lyubov Alyoshkina 23+15rebs, Victoria Shmatova (170-G-87) 20, Anna Pokoiova 16+11rebs, Katsiaryna Kashlei (171-PG-90) 10
Tim-Scuf: Olga Maznichenko 17, Ina Faskhudinova (182-F-84) 14 Krystyna Matsko (182-F-91) 14, Nataliya Gavryliuk 12+10rebs



*****************************************************
  USBA - Women  


WUSBA announce final roster of teams for 2012 spring basketball season; seventeen teams will take the court - by USBA Media

Atlanta, Ga. (February 15, 2012) --- 'Its the midnight hour', said WUSBA president, Duane Allen Jenkins. 'The roster of teams for our first season is now final. The Women's United States Basketball Association (WUSBA) today announced their final their roster of teams and the teams home arenas and gymnasiums. This new women's professional basketball league is scheduled to begin play on April 11, 2012. The league has settled on seventeen teams for activation.

'Timing is everything, particularly in this business, the time is right to begin our inaugural basketball campaign'. After eighteen months of planning it now appears the league is finally set to begin. The primary goal of the WUSBA is to assist basketball players in an effort to help them reach the next level in professional basketball. The WUSBA four divisions are spread over eight southern states. The Southeastern Conference consists of the Appalachian, the Piedmont, the Southern and the Atlantic divisions. The lists of teams and divisions are;

The Southern Division will house the Atlanta Platinum, the Birmingham Starz, the Tallahassee Cypress and the
Columbus Gold.

The Atlantic Division will field the Charleston Cadets, the Jacksonville Surf, the Norfolk Blaze
and the Savannah Seahawks.

The Appalachian Division will consist of the Knoxville Reign, the West Virginia Capitals and the Chattanooga Royal, the Huntsville Rockets and the Nashville Thunder.

The Piedmont Division will send to court the Richmond Colonials, the Macon the Charlotte Blue Wave, the Augusta Raging River and the Columbia Breeze.

Richmond was moved to the Piedmont Division. The former teams slated for the 2012 basketball season were eliminated for the following reasons;

Mobile Spirit - Jaguar Gymnasium on the campus of University of South Alabama was reduced in size from a seating capacity of 2500 to just over 1200. The Physical Education Department acquired the rights to the gym and turned it in to a volleyball arena. There is now seating on only one side of the gym. The league was informed in the middle of January of the reconfiguration. South Alabama was not aware of the leagues seating capacity requirements. Each arena must be a miniumun of 2000 seats.

Winston Salem Cardinals - Winston Salem State University reneged on an agreement to rent the C.E. Gaines Center to the WUSBA. The league was informed of their decision in late January. The WUSBA sent a rental proposal to the school in early October 2011. It was reported that a conflict flared up and the WUSBA cancelled the team. The team will reappear in Greensboro, North Carolina for the 2013 season.

Macon Storm - Mercer University could not give a final approval to the WUSBA. The league decided to skip Macon and move the team to Asheville, North Carolina for the 2013 basketball season. The league needed a final yes or no and Mercer University had not decided on the disposition as to date.

Kentucky, Raleigh, Pensacola, Memphis, Jackson, Greensboro and the other teams mentioned above will be slated to open in 2013.

'These sites been eliminated from the roster of location due to the fact we cannot find rental space in these towns, well try again next year to secure placement in other facilities,' said Jenkins. 'There are a number of other suitable facilities in each of these cities.'

The WUSBA originated in January 2010. The league was born out of an effort to expand womens professional basketball in the United States. The WUSBA initial efforts were stalled for preious seasons, when a series of conflicts in booking dates and the discovery of no air conditioning in a number of arenas arose came to light in the beginning of last summer. 'Hey, we are grateful to the schools to continue to allow us to apply to rent their gymnasiums, now its time to play some basketball', said Jenkins. Jenkins made the decision to continue efforts behind the activation of the WUSBA. The decision to postpone again the opening of the WUSBA was not an easy one to make; there are critics who will blast me for this decision; however after every forest fire, new life assuredly flourishes', said Jenkins. 'The WUSBA is now ready. The schools we now are contracted, have given us great facilities to rent and for that, we appreciate their cooperation'.

'In the United States, in China, South America and in Europe women play ball on the highest level and we are pleased with our decision to place our emphasis on their success. The league will begin with teams spread out over eight southern states.'

New cities and teams will be added in the 2013 spring basketball season. 'We already have colleges and universities who have agreed to let rent their arenas in the 2013 basketball season'. 'I am grateful to the schools who have worked with us over the years.' The complete 2012 schedule will become available in the very near future, now that the rental agreements are confirmed. The leagues announcement of teams is final and the schedule of games to the public on February 25, 2012.

Each team will play a 30 game regular season followed by the leagues championship tournament. The WUSBA team rosters are complete in each team city. 'I'm real comfortable in the leagues success,' said Jenkins. 'I feel we can make a real impact on the game of basketball and the local charitable organizations in each of our teams cities.' The league has ties with the United States Marine Corps Toys for Tots, Feeding America, Boys and Girls Club of America and local churches. During previous holiday seasons, the WUSBA enlisted the help of the Feeding America and the U.S.M.C. to conduct a series of basketball games to collect toys, clothing and food for the needy. According to reports filed, seven cities held games in previous years. The WUSBA gave away prizes to fans that contributed toys, clothing and food. 'The WUSBA will make the same commitment to the communities and give them aid via the programs we created.' said Jenkins.


*****************************************************
  WNBA - Women  


Mystics add Laura Harper and Ashley Walker - by Eurobasket News
Laura Harper (6'4''-F/C-86, college: Maryland) is best known as the 2006 MVP for the NCAA Tournament when Maryland won it all. She is playing very well for her European team averaging a double double in points and boards for Turkish team Antakya. Ashley Walker (6'1''-F/C-87, agency: Merit Sports, college: California) was also a late 1st round pick for Seattle and played sparingly in the WNBA, but is also enjoying a good year in Europe.

These are the types of moves I wanted to see the Mystics make, unlike the recent trades. However, it remains to be seen whether they even remain on the team past training camp given how many players are in the frontcourt right now.

On another note, Kerri Gardin (6'1''-F-84, college: Virginia Tech) was re-signed as well.

Courtesy of www.swishappeal.com

Dream brings back Coco Miller, re-signs center Courtney Paris - by Eurobasket News
The Atlanta Dream has re-signed guard Coco Miller (5'9''-G-78, college: Georgia), who helped the team reach the WNBA finals the last two years.

Coach Marynell Meadors announced Miller's return on Wednesday, calling the 12-year veteran 'very instrumental in our success.'
Miller, an unrestricted free agent, is coming off the best of her three seasons with the Dream. She started five games, averaging 7.3 points 1.9 rebounds and 1.4 assists.

Coach Marynell Meadors announced Miller's return on Wednesday, calling the 12-year veteran 'very instrumental in our success.' She played her college ball at Georgia, leading the Lady Bulldogs to the Final Four in 1999.

The Dream also announced that backup center Courtney Paris (6'4''-C-87, college: Oklahoma) has re-signed. She appeared in 28 games last season, averaging 3.4 points and 3.1 rebounds.

Courtesy of www.therepublic.com