Eurobasket Daily News Report:

EUROBASKET NEWS REPORT - 3/4/2012

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Men News

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ADRIATIC LEAGUE

Standings

Adriatic League Standings

1. Maccabi T-A			20-1
2. Cedevita			17-5
3. Partizan			16-6
4. Buducnost			15-6
5. Siroki WWin			13-10
6. Cibona			12-10
7. Union Olimpija			11-11
8. Radnicki K.			11-11
9. KK Zagreb CO			11-11
10. Crvena Zvezda			10-13
11. Helios			6-16
12. Hemofarm			5-17
13. Krka			5-17
14. Zlatorog			2-20

Stats Leaders

Points Per Game

David SIMON
  Radnicki K.
  (207-C-82)
  Avg: 19.7

1. Simon, Radnicki K.	19.7
2. Kasun, KK.	18.1
3. Scott, Radnicki K.	17.9
4. Vucevic, Buducnost	16.9
5. Simon, KK.	16.8
6. Pilepic, Siroki W.	15.1
7. Pavkovic, Radnicki	14.1
8. Pasalic, Helios	13.9
9. Gay, Helios	13.6
10. Prepelic, Helios	13.5

Rebounds Per Game

Boris SAVOVIC
  Hemofarm
  (206-F-87)
  Avg: 11.4

1. Savovic, Hemofarm	11.4
2. Vucevic, Buducnost	9.7
3. Kasun, KK.	8.4
4. Macvan, Partizan	8.4
5. Simon, Radnicki K.	6.8
6. Pasalic, Helios	6.1
7. Pavic, Krka	6.1
8. Scott, Radnicki K.	6.1
9. Simon, KK.	5.7
10. Thompson, Union	5.6

Assists Per Game

Steven MARKOVIC
  Radnicki K.
  (190-G-85)
  Avg: 7.5

1. Markovic, Radnicki	7.5
2. Pavkovic, Radnicki	6.6
3. Vladovic, Siroki W.	5.1
4. Vujasinovic, Zlato.	4.8
5. Nissim, Krka	4.4
6. Mulaomerovic, KK Z.	4.4
7. Papaloukas, Macca.	4.1
8. Simon, KK.	3.8
9. Popovic, Crvena Z.	3.5
10. Draper, Cedevita	3.5

Steals Per Game

D.J. GAY
  Helios
  (183-G-89)
  Avg: 2.2

1. Gay, Helios	2.2
2. Markovic, Radnicki	1.8
3. Simon, KK.	1.8
4. Dragic, Krka	1.7
5. Papaloukas, Macca.	1.7
6. Ramljak, Siroki W.	1.6
7. Draper, Cedevita	1.5
8. Hendrix, Maccabi	1.4
9. Scott, Radnicki K.	1.4
10. Zubcic, Cibona	1.4

Blocks Per Game

David SIMON
  Radnicki K.
  (207-C-82)
  Avg: 1.5

1. Simon, Radnicki K.	1.5
2. James, Maccabi T-A	1.5
3. Vucevic, Buducnost	1.1
4. Hendrix, Maccabi	1.1
5. Thompson, Union O.	1.0
6. Savovic, Hemofarm	1.0
7. Rizvic, Buducnost	1.0
8. Ilic, Crvena Zvezda	0.9
9. Scott, Radnicki K.	0.8
10. Pekovic, Partizan	0.8

Round 22 of Regular Season - 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.

Round 22 most important game was a victory of Croatian Cibona over 8th ranked Slovenian Union Olimpija 61-58 on Saturday night. The guests trailed by 8 points after three quarters before their 24-13 charge, which allowed them to win the game. 25 personal fouls committed by Union Olimpija helped opponents get some easy free throw opportunities. Worth to mention a great performance of Bosnian-Croatian center Goran Suton (209-85, college: Michigan St.) who helped to win the game recording a double-double by scoring 17 points and 10 rebounds. American-Lebanese swingman Antwain Barbour (196-82, college: Kentucky, agency: Court Side) contributed with 12 points and 6 rebounds for the winners. American forward Deon Thompson (203-88, college: N.Carolina) replied with 14 points and 6 rebounds for Union Olimpija. Union Olimpija's coach Saso Filipovski tried various players' combinations and tested in total eleven players in this game, but that didn't help. Cibona maintains sixth position with 12-10 record. Union Olimpija lost fourth consecutive game. They dropped to the seventh place with 11 games lost. They share the position with KK Zagreb CO and Radnicki K.. Cibona's supporters look forward to an exciting derby game next round, where their team will face at home their local rival from Zagreb Cedevita.
One of the most interesting games of round 22 was a derby match between two teams from Serbia. The game took place in Vrsac where third ranked Partizan outleveled host Hemofarm (5-17) 87-66. Center Miroslav Raduljica (213-88) scored 17 points and 6 rebounds to lead the charge for the winners and Dominic James chipped in 15 points during the contest. At the losing side center Mladen Pantic (209-82, agency: Alti Sport) responded with 22 points. The winner was already known earlier in the game, so both coaches allowed to play the bench players saving starting five for next games. Partizan (16-6) have an impressive five-game winning streak. Defending Serbian champion maintains third position having three points less than leader Maccabi T-A. Hemofarm lost fifth consecutive game. They dropped to the twelfth place with 17 games lost. They share the position with Krka. Partizan will play against Buducnost (#4) in Podgorica in the next round. Hemofarm will play at home against Zlatorog (#14) in Lasko and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
One of the most interesting games of round 22 was a derby match between two teams from Slovenia. The game took place in Lasko where twelfth ranked Helios won against host Zlatorog (2-20) 73-67. Drazen Bubnic notched 18 points and 5 rebounds to lead the effort. Even a double-double of 17 points and 10 rebounds by Alen Omic did not help to save the game for Zlatorog. Helios (6-16) moved-up to eleventh place. Zlatorog lost twelfth consecutive game. They stay dead last with 20 lost games. Helios will meet higher ranked Radnicki K. (#8) in the next round and it may be quite challenging game. Zlatorog will play against Hemofarm (#12) in Vrsac and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
An interesting game for Israeli Maccabi T-A (20-1) which played road game in Zagreb against their biggest opponent Croatian Cedevita (17-5). First ranked Maccabi T-A managed to get a 6-point victory 83-77. It ended at the same time the four-game winning streak of Cedevita. Lior Eliyahu fired 14 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists for the winners. Maccabi T-A's coach David Blatt used entire bench which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. Maccabi T-A have an impressive nine-game winning streak. Defending Israeli champion maintains first position with 20-1 record. Cedevita at the other side keeps the second place with five games lost. Maccabi T-A will have a break next round. Cedevita's supporters look forward to an exciting derby game next round, where their team will travel locally in Zagreb to the arena Cibona.

Other games in round 22 were not that significant. Siroki WWin was beaten by Buducnost on the road 68-61. KK Zagreb CO lost to Radnicki K. on its own court 76-81. Krka unfortunately lost to Crvena Zvezda in Beograd 78-82.
The most impressive performance of 22th round was 26 points and 16 rebounds by Mario Kasun of KK Zagreb CO.

Union Olimpija - Cibona 58-61

Round 22 most important game was a victory of Croatian Cibona over 8th ranked Slovenian Union Olimpija 61-58 on Saturday night. The guests trailed by 8 points after three quarters before their 24-13 charge, which allowed them to win the game. 25 personal fouls committed by Union Olimpija helped opponents get some easy free throw opportunities. Worth to mention a great performance of Bosnian-Croatian center Goran Suton (209-85, college: Michigan St.) who helped to win the game recording a double-double by scoring 17 points and 10 rebounds. American-Lebanese swingman Antwain Barbour (196-82, college: Kentucky, agency: Court Side) contributed with 12 points and 6 rebounds for the winners. American forward Deon Thompson (203-88, college: N.Carolina) replied with 14 points and 6 rebounds and guard Jaka Blazic (193-90) added 10 points and 6 rebounds in the effort for Union Olimpija. Union Olimpija's coach Saso Filipovski tried various players' combinations and tested in total eleven players in this game, but that didn't help. Cibona maintains sixth position with 12-10 record. Union Olimpija lost fourth consecutive game. They dropped to the seventh place with 11 games lost. They share the position with KK Zagreb CO and Radnicki K.. Cibona's supporters look forward to an exciting derby game next round, where their team will face at home their local rival from Zagreb Cedevita.
Top scorers:
Union Olimpija: D.Thompson 14+6reb+1ast, S.Salin 13+2reb+2ast, J.Blazic 10+6reb+1ast, D.Muric 6+5reb, G.Jagodnik 5+2reb, J.Mocnik 4+1reb+1ast
Cibona: G.Suton 17+10reb, A.Barbour 12+6reb+3ast, D.Rudez 11+4reb+1ast, D.Harper 7+3reb+1ast, H.Kovacevic 7+4reb, T.Hampl 4

Buducnost - Siroki WWin 68-61

The game between closely ranked teams ended with fourth ranked Montenegrin Buducnost's (15-6) home victory over 5th ranked Bosnian HKK Siroki WWin (13-10) in Podgorica 68-61. The hosts took control from the first minutes by winning first half. But HKK Siroki WWin won third quarter 20-17. However it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. Center Bojan Dubljevic (205-91, agency: Beo Basket) fired 15 points and 5 rebounds for the winners. Serbian forward Cedomir Vitkovac (201-82, agency: Beo Basket) chipped in 9 points and 5 rebounds. American forward Coleman Collins (206-86, college: Virginia Tech, agency: Interperformances) produced 15 points and 6 rebounds and Croatian point guard Jakov Vladovic (186-83) added 15 points and 4 assists respectively for lost side. Four HKK Siroki WWin players scored in double figures. Both coaches used bench players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. Defending Montenegrin champion maintains fourth position with 15-6 record. Defending Bosnian champion HKK Siroki WWin keeps the fifth place with ten games lost. Buducnost's next round opponent will be higher ranked Partizan (#3) in Beograd and it may be the game of the week. HKK Siroki WWin will play at home against Union Olimpija in Ljubljana and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Siroki WWin: C.Collins 15+6reb, J.Vladovic 15+1reb+4ast, D.Planinic 10+2reb, F.Pilepic 10+3reb+3ast, B.Barac 5+2reb, I.Ramljak 3+8reb+2ast
Buducnost: B.Dubljevic 15+5reb, C.Vitkovac 9+5reb+2ast, N.Ivanovic 9+2reb+3ast, A.Popovic 9+4reb+1ast, M.Milosevic 9+2reb, J.Anderson 7+2ast

Hemofarm - Partizan 66-87

One of the most interesting games of round 22 was a derby match between two teams from Serbia. The game took place in Vrsac where third ranked Partizan outleveled host Hemofarm (5-17) 87-66. The game without a history. Partizan led from the first minutes and controlled entire game increasing their lead in each quarter. Hemofarm was plagued by 26 personal fouls down the stretch. Center Miroslav Raduljica (213-88) scored 17 points and 6 rebounds to lead the charge for the winners and American point guard Dominic James (180-86, college: Marquette) chipped in 15 points during the contest. At the losing side center Mladen Pantic (209-82, agency: Alti Sport) responded with 22 points and guard Marko Sutalo (194-83, agency: BeoExcell) scored 12 points. The winner was already known earlier in the game, so both coaches allowed to play the bench players saving starting five for next games. Partizan (16-6) have an impressive five-game winning streak. Defending Serbian champion maintains third position having three points less than leader Maccabi T-A. Hemofarm lost fifth consecutive game. They dropped to the twelfth place with 17 games lost. They share the position with Krka. Partizan will play against Buducnost (#4) in Podgorica in the next round. Hemofarm will play at home against Zlatorog (#14) in Lasko and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Hemofarm: M.Pantic 22+4reb, M.Sutalo 12+2reb, A.Nesovic 8+2reb+1ast, M.Jeremic 6+1reb+1ast, L.Mitrovic 6+2reb, D.Gagic 4+2reb
Partizan: M.Raduljica 17+6reb, D.James 15+2ast, V.Lucic 8+3reb+2ast, D.Andjusic 8+1reb, D.Kecman 7+3reb+2ast, M.Cakarevic 6+2reb

Zlatorog - Helios 67-73

One of the most interesting games of round 22 was a derby match between two teams from Slovenia. The game took place in Lasko where twelfth ranked Helios won against host Zlatorog (2-20) 73-67. The guests trailed by 1 point at the halftime before their 23-15 charge in the third quarter, which allowed them to win the game. Croatian forward Drazen Bubnic (205-86) notched 18 points and 5 rebounds to lead the effort and Croatian power forward Drago Pasalic (208-84) supported him with 16 points. Four Helios players scored in double figures. Even a double-double of 17 points and 10 rebounds by center Alen Omic (213-92) did not help to save the game for Zlatorog. Croatian power forward Jure Skific (202-88) added 11 points and 7 rebounds for lost side. Helios (6-16) moved-up to eleventh place. Zlatorog lost twelfth consecutive game. They stay dead last with 20 lost games. Helios will meet higher ranked Radnicki K. (#8) in the next round and it may be quite challenging game. Zlatorog will play against Hemofarm (#12) in Vrsac and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Zlatorog: A.Omic 17+10reb, J.Skific 11+7reb+1ast, M.Smrdelj 10+5reb+1ast, N.Strnad 9+1reb+2ast, D.Vujasinovic 9+2reb+2ast, L.Lapornik 7+5reb
Helios: D.Bubnic 18+5reb+3ast, D.Pasalic 16+4reb+1ast, K.Prepelic 10+3reb+7ast, B.Cresnar 10+3reb+1ast, D.Gay 9+1reb+1ast, V.Petrovic 8+2reb+2ast

KK Zagreb CO - Radnicki K. 76-81

There was a minor upset when 7th ranked Croatian KK Zagreb CO (11-11) lost at home to ninth ranked Serbian Radnicki K. (11-11) 81-76. The guests took control from the first minutes by winning first half. But KK Zagreb CO won third quarter 30-22. However it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. Strangely KK Zagreb CO outrebounded Radnicki K. 44-30 including a 20-9 advantage in offensive rebounds. American forward Mike Scott (203-86, college: Kent St.) fired a double-double by scoring 15 points and 13 rebounds for the winners. Montenegrin guard Miljan Pavkovic (178-81, agency: Beo Basket) chipped in 16 points and 7 assists. Four Radnicki K. players scored in double figures. Center Mario Kasun (213-80) produced a double-double by scoring 26 points and 16 rebounds and forward Krunoslav Simon (197-85) added 19 points and 10 rebounds respectively for lost side. Radnicki K. moved-up to seventh place, which they share with KK Zagreb CO and Union Olimpija. Radnicki K.'s next round opponent will be Helios (#11) in Domzale.
Top scorers:
KK Zagreb CO: M.Kasun 26+16reb+2ast, K.Simon 19+10reb+2ast, D.Mulaomerovic 10+2reb+3ast, A.Masic 8+2reb, S.Ozbolt 4+3reb+2ast, M.Halilovic 4+3reb
Radnicki K.: M.Pavkovic 16+1reb+7ast, M.Scott 15+13reb+2ast, S.Bircevic 14+5reb, V.Vuksanovic 13+5ast, D.Simon 9+5reb+2ast, B.Bakic 8+3reb

Crvena Zvezda - Krka 82-78

The game between closely ranked teams ended with tenth ranked Serbian Zvezda's (10-13) home victory over 11th ranked Slovenian Krka (5-17) in Beograd 82-78. Krka was ahead by 3 points at the halftime before a 47-40 second half run of Zvezda. They made 24-of-30 charity shots (80.0 percent) during the game. Zvezda outrebounded Krka 42-27 including 18 on the offensive glass. 26 personal fouls committed by Krka helped opponents get some easy free throw opportunities. Center Petar Popovic (211-79) fired 16 points and 9 rebounds for the winners. Guard Bojan Popovic (191-83) chipped in 19 points and 4 assists. Swingman Zoran Dragic (196-89) produced 19 points and 4 assists and forward Jure Balazic (204-80) added 15 points respectively for lost side. Both coaches used bench players in such tough game. Zvezda maintains tenth position with 10-13 record. Defending Slovenian champion Krka dropped to the twelfth place with 17 games lost. Zvezda will have a break next round. Krka will play at home against KK Zagreb CO (#9).
Top scorers:
Krka: Z.Dragic 19+4reb+4ast, J.Balazic 15+4reb, J.Lalic 10+1reb, S.Pavic 8+6reb+3ast, B.Krivec 7+3reb+2ast, M.Abdul-Hamid 6+2reb+2ast
Crvena Zvezda: B.Popovic 19+2reb+4ast, P.Popovic 16+9reb+2ast, S.Lesic 16+8reb, O.Thomas 8+4reb+2ast, N.Nedovic 7+2reb+3ast, A.Milutinovic 5+4reb

Cedevita - Maccabi T-A 77-83

An interesting game for Israeli Maccabi T-A (20-1) which played road game in Zagreb against their biggest opponent Croatian Cedevita (17-5). First ranked Maccabi T-A managed to get a 6-point victory 83-77. It ended at the same time the four-game winning streak of Cedevita. Cedevita was ahead by 4 points after three quarters before a 24-14 charge of Maccabi T-A, which allowed them to win the game. 24 personal fouls committed by Cedevita helped opponents get some easy free throw opportunities. Power forward Lior Eliyahu (206-85, agency: Z.A.G. - Law Offices) fired 14 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists for the winners. American swingman Devin Smith (196-83, college: Virginia) chipped in 14 points and 8 rebounds. Maccabi T-A's coach David Blatt used entire bench which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. Swingman Marino Bazdaric (197-78) produced 12 points, 7 rebounds and 7 assists and American forward Haywood Owens (204-79, college: Texas, agency: Pro One Sports) added 16 points respectively for lost side. Both teams had four players each who scored in double figures. Maccabi T-A have an impressive nine-game winning streak. Defending Israeli champion maintains first position with 20-1 record. Cedevita at the other side keeps the second place with five games lost. Maccabi T-A will have a break next round. Cedevita's supporters look forward to an exciting derby game next round, where their team will travel locally in Zagreb to the arena Cibona.
Top scorers:
Cedevita: M.Smodis 16+4reb, H.Owens 16+4reb+2ast, M.Bazdaric 12+7reb+7ast, M.Car 10+4reb+5ast, M.Bilan 8+5reb+1ast, D.Draper 7+5reb+1ast
Maccabi T-A: D.Smith 14+8reb+2ast, R.Hendrix 14+5reb+1ast, L.Eliyahu 14+6reb+4ast, D.Blu 12+1reb, D.Mallet 10, S.Schortsanitis 7+5reb

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ARGENTINA

Standings - LigaA

LigaA Standings

1. Obras		19-7
2. Penarol		19-8
3. Lanus		18-9
4. Libertad S.		17-9
5. Sionista		15-10
6. Quimsa		15-12
7. Atenas		15-12
8. La Union		14-12
9. GECR Indalo		14-13
10. Regatas C.		13-14
11. Wuber-Est.Bahia		11-15
12. Olimpico LB		11-17
13. Boca Jrs		11-17
14. Club 9		8-19
15. Quilmes MP		8-19
16. San Mart.C.		6-21

Standings - TNA

TNA Standings

TNA1 North
1. Union Progr.		4-2
2. Obera TC		4-3
3. Estudian.Con.		4-3
4. San Isidro		3-3
5. Alvear		1-5
TNA1 South
1. Ciclista		5-3
2. Argentino		5-3
3. Alianza Viedma		4-4
4. Banda Norte		3-5
5. Huracan		3-5
TNA2 North
1. A.Italiana		4-2
2. Union Sunch		4-3
3. A.Espanola		3-3
4. Atl.Echague		3-4
5. Tomas Rocam.		2-4
TNA2 South
1. Rosario Cent.		4-1
2. Sport Club		3-3
3. Bragado		3-3
4. San Mart.MJ		3-4

Stats Leaders - LigaA

Points Per Game

Joe SMITH
  La Union
  (193-G-77)
  Avg: 17.6

1. Smith, La Union	17.6
2. Gutierrez, Obras	17.5
3. Villegas, Sionista	17.4
4. DeGroat, Olimpico.	16.1
5. OBannon, Boca Jrs	15.9
6. Pittman, Libertad.	15.7
7. McHopson, Quilm.	15.7
8. Meyinsse, Wuber-.	15.7
9. Nelson, GECR I.	15.6
10. Gutierrez, Penarol	15.4

Rebounds Per Game

Jack Michael MARTINEZ
  San M.
  (203-F/C-81)
  Avg: 12.6

1. Martinez, San M.	12.6
2. Battle, Libertad S.	9.9
3. Garces, Atenas	9.4
4. Sandes, Sionista	9.4
5. Davis, GECR I.	9.0
6. Lloreda, Olimpico.	8.8
7. Gutierrez, Obras	8.5
8. Williams, Quimsa	7.4
9. Truscott, Quilm.	7.3
10. Cowan, Club 9	7.0

Assists Per Game

Facundo CAMPAZZO
  Penarol
  (180-G-91)
  Avg: 6.6

1. Campazzo, Penarol	6.6
2. Sanchez, Wuber-.	5.9
3. Stanic, Boca Jrs	5.6
4. Cequeira, Sionista	5.1
5. Martinez, Regat.	4.8
6. Sucatzky, Atenas	3.9
7. Victoriano, San M.	3.6
8. Laprovittola, Lanus	3.6
9. Osimani, Obras	3.5
10. Smith, La Union	3.4

Steals Per Game

Matias LESCANO
  Atenas
  (196-G/F-79)
  Avg: 2.4

1. Lescano, Atenas	2.4
2. Campazzo, Penarol	2.3
3. Moldu, Olimpico LB	1.9
4. McHopson, Quilm.	1.7
5. Sanchez, Wuber-.	1.6
6. Stanic, Boca Jrs	1.5
7. Treise, Libertad S.	1.5
8. Quinteros, Regat.	1.4
9. Gerbaudo, Club 9	1.4
10. Funes, GECR I.	1.4

Blocks Per Game

Robert BATTLE
  Libertad S.
  (204-C-81)
  Avg: 1.4

1. Battle, Libertad S.	1.4
2. Gutierrez, Obras	1.2
3. Rollins, Sionista	1.2
4. Roe, Regatas C.	1.1
5. Humphrey, Atenas	1.1
6. Matthews, Quilm.	1.1
7. Meyinsse, Wuber-.	1.1
8. Ayarza, Club 9	0.9
9. Garces, Atenas	0.9
10. Rollins, San M.	0.9

Aerochaco Boca Juniors Capital Feder lands Farmer - by Eurobasket Center
Aerochaco Boca Juniors Capital Feder strengthened their roster with addition of 31-year old American swingman Desmon Farmer (196-F/G-100kg-81, college: USC). In his first game he scored 19 points helping his new team beat Atenas 78-77. Farmer played most recently at Metros de Santiago (Dominican Rep.). He is a very experienced player. Farmer played also pro basketball in Belgium, Croatia, Dominican Rep., Greece, Israel, Poland, Puerto Rico, Russia, Spain, Ukraine and USA. He graduated University of Southern California in 2004 and it will be his eighth season in pro basketball.

By Eurobasket Data Center

San Martin Corrientes adds Garcia Morales to their roster - by Eurobasket Center
San Martin Corrientes agreed terms with 32-year old Italian-Uruguayan guard Leandro Garcia Morales (186-G-80, college: Texas A&M). In his first game he scored 22 points and added 3 assists. Despite his good performance his new team lost to Penarol 92-97. Garcia Morales played most recently at Atletico Bigua (Uruguay). While playing 3 games for Bigua this season he averaged 17.7ppg and 3.0apg. Garcia Morales is a very experienced player. He played also pro basketball in Brazil, Iran, Italy, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Uruguay and Venezuela. Garcia Morales graduated Texas A&M University in 2004 and it will be his eighth season in pro basketball.

By Eurobasket Data Center

Pellot-Rosa comes back to Asociacion Quimsa Santiago del Estero - by Eurobasket Center
Asociacion Quimsa Santiago del Estero added to their roster 28-year old Puerto Rican ex-international-Puerto Rican guard Jesse Pellot-Rosa (193-G-88kg-84, college: VCU). It''s actually Pellot-Rosa''s comeback to Quimsa as he played here before. In his first game he scored 11 points helping his new team beat Club 9 89-73. Pellot-Rosa played most recently at Atleticos de San German (Puerto Rico). He is a very experienced player. Pellot-Rosa played also pro basketball in Denmark, Dominican Rep., Iceland, Israel, Mexico and Puerto Rico. He graduated Virginia Commonwealth University in 2007 and it will be his fifth season in pro basketball. Pellot-Rosa played for Puerto Rican senior national until 2009.

By Eurobasket Data Center

Ginobili's return seems imminent - by Eurobasket News
If his performance in a vigorous 3-on-3 game after the Spurs Thursday morning practice is any indication, Emanuel Ginobili's (6'6''-G-77, agency: Interperformances) return to the Spurs lineup is imminent.

Ginobili hasnt played since suffering a strained left oblique in the teams overtime victory over the Los Angeles Clippers on Feb. 18, but he looked like his slashing, driving, reckless self in the 3-on-3 session.

Officially, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich calls his availability for tonights game against the Charlotte Bobcats at the AT&T Center a game-time decision.

Unofficially, Popovich could not hide his enthusiasm when the session ended after about 30 vigorous minutes.

The strained oblique short-circuited Ginobilis return from a broken left hand after just four games. He missed 22 games with that injury, sustained Jan. 2, during the fifth game of the season.

Ginobilis return would be welcomed by a team that continues to battle injuries. Popovich said rookie Kawhi Leonard, who sat out Wednesdays game against Chicago with sore calves, is unlikely to suit up against the Bobcats.

Additionally, guard-forward Danny Green, who has started nine games, is questionable for tonights game with a sore left shoulder, an injury sustained during the fourth quarter of Mondays loss to the Bulls.

His shoulder got a pretty good stinger, Popovich said. Nothing is dislocated, but he got a sprain and he didnt practice today. Hes been working through the pain, and well see how he feels tomorrow.

James Anderson, who played 24 solid minutes against the Bulls on Wednesday, left the court with head athletic trainer Will Sevening after appearing to tweak his lower back during the 3-on-3 game involving Ginobili, T.J. Ford and Cory Joseph.

Courtesy of http://blog.mysanantonio.com

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

ASEAN LEAGUE

Standings

O Standings

1. Philip.Patriots			7-1
2. KL Dragons			7-2
3. Petron Blaze			6-3
4. Singapore S.			4-5
5. Thailand S.			4-6
6. Satria Muda			4-6
7. Bangkok C.			3-6
8. Saigon H.			1-7

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

AUSTRALIA

Standings - NBL

NBL Standings

1. Breakers		17-6
2. Wildcats		16-8
3. Blaze		14-9
4. Taipans		14-11
5. Crocodiles		13-11
6. Tigers		11-14
7. Kings		9-15
8. 36ers		8-16
9. Hawks		6-18

SBL: Hussey signs with Wanneroo - by Eurobasket News
Defending men's State Basketball League champions Wanneroo Wolves have signed Australian under 19 representative Jackson Hussey (188-G-92) for the 2012 campaign.

Hussey, who can play either guard position, represented Australia at the 2011 FIBA World Championships, where he averaged and also represented WA in several junior competitions.

The 20-year-old also played at the Australian Institute of Sport from 2009 until 2011 and the Wolves are confident the former Cockburn junior can have a big impact in the SBL.

'His time at the AIS and also in the Australian team that competed at the World championships sees him with a wealth of experience that we believe he can bring to our young team this year,' Wanneroo coach Ben Ettridge said.

'One of Jackson's greatest qualities is his ability to communicate up and down. He reminds me of Matt Schemchtig in that way.

'He can speak to a coach, then to the youngest player on the team, and then to a veteran and get his point across. That is very important skill for a leader to have'

'He has fit right into the Wolfpack way of doing things with his dedication to the process, and he is a great kid with a great attitude'

Hussey said he was excited to work with Ettridge, who led Wanneroo to a drought-breaking title in his first season in charge.

'Ben Ettridge and myself have built a strong mateship over the last three years while I lived at the AIS,' Hussey said.

'Ben has a high Basketball IQ and is always looking for ways to build the team and push the club in the right direction which I felt was very important.

'From the moment I first stepped on the floor in the pre-season with my soon to be team mates I felt very welcomed.

'Even though the Wolfpack had won the SBL championship the previous year, they were all hard workers and went about their business in a very professional way.

'I felt this is exactly what I'm looking for, a team where each player is pushed to their limits and held accountable.'

Article by Jacob Kagi
Courtesy of SBL

Stats Leaders - NBL

Points Per Game

Patrick MILLS
  Tigers
  (183-PG-88)
  Avg: 18.6

1. Mills, Tigers	18.6
2. Lisch, Wildcats	17.3
3. Tragardh, Tigers	17.2
4. Wilson, Taipans	17.0
5. Johnson, 36ers	16.4
6. Khazzouh, Kings	16.3
7. Deleon, Blaze	16.1
8. Wilkinson, Breakers	16.0
9. Worthington, Blaze	15.9
10. Abercrombie, Brea.	14.7

Rebounds Per Game

Julian KHAZZOUH
  Kings
  (209-C-86)
  Avg: 11

1. Khazzouh, Kings	11.0
2. Holmes, Crocodiles	9.6
3. Grant, Kings	8.2
4. Simpsons, 36ers	8.1
5. Johnson, 36ers	7.8
6. Crosswhite, Taipa.	7.8
7. Worthington, Blaze	6.7
8. Vukona, Breakers	6.5
9. Jackson, Breakers	6.3
10. Bose, Kings	6.1

Assists Per Game

Cedric JACKSON
  Breakers
  (191-G-86)
  Avg: 6.1

1. Jackson, Breakers	6.1
2. Mills, Tigers	5.0
3. Crosswell, 36ers	4.7
4. Gibson, Blaze	4.6
5. Bruce, Kings	4.4
6. Gill, Crocodiles	4.1
7. Martin, Wildcats	3.6
8. Martin, Hawks	3.4
9. Ubaka, Tigers	3.3
10. Dillon, Tigers	3.2

Steals Per Game

Cedric JACKSON
  Breakers
  (191-G-86)
  Avg: 2.5

1. Jackson, Breakers	2.5
2. Martin, Wildcats	2.4
3. Robbins, Wildcats	1.8
4. Deleon, Blaze	1.4
5. Mims, Crocodiles	1.4
6. Tovey, Wildcats	1.3
7. Gill, Crocodiles	1.3
8. Glover, Hawks	1.2
9. Gibson, Blaze	1.2
10. Crawford, Croco.	1.1

Blocks Per Game

Julian KHAZZOUH
  Kings
  (209-C-86)
  Avg: 2.1

1. Khazzouh, Kings	2.1
2. Simpsons, 36ers	1.6
3. Grant, Kings	1.5
4. Johnson, 36ers	1.2
5. Nevill, Wildcats	1.2
6. Abercrombie, Break.	1.1
7. Crosswhite, Taipa.	1.0
8. Martin, Wildcats	0.9
9. Worthington, Blaze	0.9
10. Pledger, Breakers	0.8

SBL: Pre-Season Blitz Results - by Eurobasket News
Men's SBL

Friday
Perth Redbacks 49 defeated East Perth Eagles 24
Stirling Senators 61 defeated Cockburn Cougars 45
Willetton Tigers 45 defeated Kalamunda Eastern Suns 37
Lakeside Lightning 72 defeated Perry Lakes Hawks 34
Under 18 Metro Men 49 defeated Rockingham Flames 37
Mandurah Magic 51 defeated Wanneroo Wolves 42

Saturday
Stirling Senators 44 defeated Wanneroo Wolves 36
South West Slammers 52 defeated Goldfields Giants 38
Geraldton Buccaneers 65 defeated Country Men 21
Coutrtesy of: SBL

Lakeside smash Hawks (Friday night Blitz wrap) - by Eurobasket News
Lakeside Lightning sent an early ominous warning to the rest of the men's State Basketball League with a 72-34 thrashing of Perry Lakes Hawks in the Pre-Season Blitz on Friday.

The Lightning, last season's minor premiers who were bundled out in the semi-finals by Perry Lakes, showed the off-season retirement of starting guard Steve Butler wouldn't slow them down too much with the easy win.

Lakeside incredibly went 16-0 up early in the shortened game against the under-strength Hawks, who lost the 2011 Grand Final, and the result was never in doubt from there.

Mandurah Magic provided the biggest shock of the night, beating defending champions Wanneroo Wolves 51-42.

The Magic missed the playoffs in 2011 but showed hugely positive signs in the win, albeit against a Wanneroo side missing several key players.

Willetton Tigers made a victorious start under new coach Matt Foster , fighting off a late comeback to beat Kalamunda Eastern Suns 45-37.

In other results, Perth annihilated fellow 2011 finalists East Perth 49-24, Stirling beat Cockburn 61-45 and Rockingham suffered a disappointing 49-37 loss to the Under 18 Metro men's side.

Last year's wooden spooners Rockingham showed they could be the big improvers on the women's side though by beating Mandurah 45-40.

Perth also showed they could shoot up the ladder with their convincing 53-31 victory over Stirling.

Elsewhere, reigning champions Willetton thrashed the Suns 48-28, East Perth beat Cockburn 41-33, Wanneroo defeated the Under 18 Country side 64-30 and Lakeside suffered a shock 33-30 to the Metro team.

Courtesy of SBL

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

AZERBAIJAN

Araz wrap up regular season with win - by Eurobasket News
Araz remained undefeated after the win in the last round of regular season. The league leaders held off Chag Oiretim 73:53.
Gala occupied the second position in the ladder. They defeated Aztop 92:60 to finish with 17 points to their record.
NTL-Tudor shared the third position with Chag Oiretim at the end of the regular season. NTL-Tudor prevailed against BGu 58:46 in the final round.

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

BALTIC LEAGUE

Povilas Butkevicius claims Baltic League weekly honour - by Eurobasket News
Povilas Butkevicius (203-F-87) had an amazing evening in the last round for Rudupis and that's him to receive a Eurobasket.com Player of the Week award for round 19.
The 24-year old forward had a double-double of 18 points and ten rebounds, while his team lost the game against Siauliai (#1, 15-3) 71-80. Rudupis maintains the 4th position in Baltic League . They would have been even better if they hadn't lost a few games earlier this season. Rudupis will need to avoid more loses keep or improve their 11-7 record. Butkevicius just recently signed at Rudupis, being already a very valuable addition to the team. Povilas Butkevicius averages this season 13.3ppg and 6.1rpg.

The second most remarkable performance in last round's games was 22-year old center Vaidas Cepukaitis (207-C-89, agency: Interperformances) of league's best team Techasas. Cepukaitis impressed basketball fans with 22 points and 7 rebounds. It was enough for Lietkabelis to edge slightly lower-ranked Naglis Palangos (#3, 6-5) by 1 point 63-62. It was definitely game of the week between two contenders to the top position in Semifinal. Lietkabelis consolidated its place in the very top position of the standings. His team lost just two games this season, while they won 11 matches. Cepukaitis is a newcomer at Lietkabelis 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.

The third best performed player last round was Valdas Vasylius (203-F-83) of top-ranked Siauliai. Vasylius scored 18 points. He was a key player of Siauliai, leading his team to a 80-71 win against #4 ranked Rudupis. Siauliai confirms their top position in Vasylius has a very solid season. In 16 games in Baltic League he scored 14.6ppg. He also has 5.1rpg and FGP: 76.6%.

Other top performing players last week:
4. Zydrunas Urbonas (198-F-76) of Juventus - 16 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists
5. Karolis Petrukonis (212-C-87) of Juventus - 12 points and 8 rebounds
6. Arvydas Siksnius (196-F-87) of Siauliai - 20 points and 4 rebounds
7. Cam Long (193-G-88) of Siauliai - 10 points, 5 rebounds and 2 assists
8. Gediminas Maceina (188-PG-84) of Juventus - 12 points, 4 rebounds and 3 assists
9. Jonas Maciulis (198-G/F-85) of Baltai Kaunas - 16 points, 4 rebounds and 2 assists
10. Rashaun Broadus (183-PG-84) of Siauliai - 16 points, 6 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)

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

BELGIUM

Dexia Mons-Hainaut land Ivan Maras - by Eurobasket News
Dexia Mons-Hainaut strengthened their roster. They landed Ivan Maras (208-C/F-86, agency: Beo Basket). The Montenegrin centre started the season in Serbia. Ivan Maras played for Hemofarm Vrsac. The centre tallied 11.2 points, 4.8 rebounds per game in Adriatic League. Last season Ivan Maras also spent with Hemofarm. Previously he spent seven straight seasons with Buducnost. Ivan Maras has been the member of Montenegrin National Team since 2008. The centre also was the member of U18 and U20 National Teams. Eurobasket.com named the centre All-Montenegrin League Defensive Player of the Year in 2009.

Standings - Division I

D1 Standings

1. Spirou		14-6
2. Oostende		13-6
3. Antwerp		12-6
4. Aalstar		12-7
5. Leuven		11-8
6. M.Hainaut		9-10
7. Liege		7-12
8. Gent		5-15
9. Verviers-Pep.		3-16

Stats Leaders - Division I

Points Per Game

Christopher COPELAND
  Aalstar
  (203-F-84)
  Avg: 20.3

1. Copeland, Aalstar	20.3
2. Bostic, Liege	17.0
3. Mallet, Spirou	16.3
4. Rich, Oostende	15.7
5. Lojeski, Oostende	15.0
6. Green, Spirou	14.6
7. Taylor, M.Hainaut	14.4
8. Freeman, Leuven	14.2
9. Black, Antwerp	14.1
10. Haynes, Gent	14.0

Rebounds Per Game

Graham BROWN
  Gent
  (205-C-84)
  Avg: 8.2

1. Brown, Gent	8.2
2. Love, Verviers-Pep.	7.9
3. McLean, Leuven	7.4
4. Young, Aalstar	7.1
5. Merriex, Verviers.	7.0
6. Mejri, Antwerp	7.0
7. Booker, Oostende	6.3
8. Wright, Oostende	6.1
9. Green, Spirou	5.8
10. Matela, Liege	5.7

Assists Per Game

Dominic WATERS
  Liege
  (185-PG-86)
  Avg: 4.1

1. Waters, Liege	4.1
2. Wisniewski, Spirou	3.7
3. Djordjevic, Ooste.	3.6
4. Marnegrave, Leuven	3.4
5. Bosco, Gent	3.4
6. Black, Antwerp	3.3
7. Thompson, Verviers.	3.1
8. Singletary, M.Hain.	3.0
9. Winston, Oostende	3.0
10. Slaughter, M.Hai.	2.9

Steals Per Game

Sean SINGLETARY
  M.Hainaut
  (183-PG-85)
  Avg: 2.5

1. Singletary, M.Hain.	2.5
2. Dagunduro, Leuven	2.3
3. Black, Antwerp	2.3
4. Wilson, Antwerp	2.2
5. Mukubu, Verviers.	1.9
6. Mallet, Spirou	1.9
7. Ruoff, Aalstar	1.8
8. Steinbach, Aalstar	1.8
9. Slaughter, M.Hai.	1.7
10. Bostic, Liege	1.7

Blocks Per Game

Salah MEJRI
  Antwerp
  (216-C-86)
  Avg: 2.5

1. Mejri, Antwerp	2.5
2. Riddick, Spirou	1.8
3. Jennings, Liege	1.6
4. Young, Aalstar	1.1
5. Love, Verviers-Pep.	0.9
6. Booker, Oostende	0.9
7. Vaughn, Antwerp	0.6
8. Nivins, M.Hainaut	0.6
9. Holiday, Aalstar	0.6
10. Copeland, Aalstar	0.6

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

BOSNIA

Jusuf Nurkic punished for his strong commitment? - by Nedzad Kladusak
Jusuf Nurkic (210-C-94) is one of the leaders of the young and according to experts golden generation of BIH living up the dreams Bosnian basketball community to play for medals.
Only three days after Jusuf Nurkic confirmed Aleksandar Petrovic and that he will play for BIH and that he is really looking forward to play for his home country.
Matijaz Sporar, his coach obviously had other plans with him and he told him after the participation in the NIJT in Belgrade that he is not to be a starting five player in the junior team.
Few weeks before Nurkic was even told he might to join the senior team since he excels of other players of his generation. Jusuf Nurkic asked for a cancellation of his contract.
However only three days later Nurkic signed for Cedevita , the ancient team of NT headcoach Aleksandar Petrovic.

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

BULGARIA

Varbanov parts ways with BC Kalev/Cramo - by Maria Mitzova
Bulgarian NT member Nikolay Varbanov (209-C-85, agency: Interperformances) parted ways with Estonian BC Kalev/Cramo Tallinn. Both sides reached a mutual agreement, that this will be the best for the player and the club. Varbanov is still under contract with BC Kalev/Cramo Tallinn, but is free to sign with another club on loan.
The main reason for the leave is the limited minutes Varbanov has been given lately, because BC Kalev/Cramo Tallinn coach chooses to play mostly the ones with long-term contracts.
Nikolay Varbanov wants more playing time, in order to be in shape for the upcoming European qualifiers in the summer, as he is a valuable member of the Bulgarian national team.
He signed with BC Kalev/Cramo Tallinn last summer, after great season with Bulgaria bronze medal winner Tundja Yambol, and played in the Eurobasket 2011.

Rilski denied Levski for the first place - by Maria Mitzova
Visiting Rilski Sportist Samokov demolished Levski Sofia 91-77, less than two months after doing the same in Samokov.
Before that first game of the 20th round of Bulgarian NBL, Levski Sofia had a good chance for the first place, which now remains occupied by Lukoil. After the game, chances Levski Sofia to finish first in the regular season are down to minimum.
For Rilski Sportist Samokov the win was also of great importance, as the team is fighting for the third place with Yambol, and needed to regain confidence after crashing out early at the Cup Finals.
Levski Sofia managed to oppose Rilski Sportist Samokov only in the first quarter, and was completely overwhelmed in the next three.
Lousy defense and many turnovers by the hosts let the good-looking Rilski Sportist Samokov team lead by as many as 33 in the second half.
No player could find the rhythm for Levski Sofia throughout the game, and Rilski Sportist Samokov completed some great transitions to get the win.
Branko Mirkovic (190-G-82, agency: Global Sports Plaza) was again the main contributor for Rilski Sportist Samokov with 17 points and 10 assists. Ante Bilobrk (203-SF-82, agency: Global Sports Plaza) had his best game for Rilski Sportist Samokov so far, with 17 points and nine rebounds, and seems to be a pattern to play well against Levski Sofia. Filip Vukosavljevic (205-F/C-83) added 14 points, and from the bench Martin Marinov (190-SG-85) and Sasa Mijajlovic (211-C-80, college: Hutchinson CC) scored 11 each.
Aaron Harper (199-G/F-81, agency: Strategic Sports, college: Mississippi) had 14 points for Levski Sofia, but only three of those after the first quarter. Vasil Evtimov (207-C/F-77, agency: Interperformances, college: N.Carolina) nailed another double-double with 10 points and 15 assists, and three more played scored 10 for Levski Sofia.

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

CANADA

Rainmen suspend Brown indefinitely, cut Kuso - by Eurobasket News
A day after clinching second place, the Halifax Rainmen are suddenly short two players for Sunday's regular-season finale and perhaps for a longer duration.

On the eve of the National Basketball League of Canada playoffs, the Rainmen announced Friday that they have suspended Taliek Brown (6'1''-G-82, agency: Global Sports Plaza, college: Connecticut) indefinitely to allow the star guard to address some personal problems and have also parted company with centre Abdullahi Kuso (6'9''-F-84, college: Tallahassee CC).

'Taliek has been one of our leaders and I think some things that are happening in his personal life maybe affect his performance on the floor, so we just felt that its best that he not join the team until he has these personal matters dealt with,' Rainmen owner Andre Levingston said in an interview Friday.

'We care a lot about Taliek and we think that this is the best decision because we care more about Taliek the man, the person, than we do Taliek the basketball player.'

Brown, in his second season in Halifax, was selected this week to play in the NBL all-star game on April 1 at the Metro Centre. Hes second in the NBL in assists and fourth in steals, and in 34 games has averaged 13.0 points and 5.7 assists.

The six-foot-one point guard led the Rainmen in Thursdays come-from-behind win over the Moncton Miracles, scoring 15 points and dishing out eight assists while playing 30 minutes, including 19 in the second half.

The victory gave the Rainmen home-court advantage in their best-of-three semifinal against the Quebec Kebs that starts March 11. They wrap up the regular season Sunday in Saint John.

But Brown, who routinely played 30 to 35 minutes a game earlier in the season, has seen his playing time reduced recently. The teams co-captain averaged only 19 minutes in the four games prior to Thursday as rookie Chris Hagan gained more floor time at his expense.

Levingston wouldnt rule out Brown being back in uniform for Halifaxs playoff opener next Sunday. The Rainmen owner, who wouldnt divulge what personal issues Brown is dealing with, was adamant that the suspension was not a punishment and that he hoped the guard would be able to rejoin the club soon.

'But he has to be focused and his head has to be in the right place for that to happen or he doesnt help us,' Levingston said.

'Taliek is about to turn 30 years old and there are some things that he needs to deal with in his personal life for him to even make the next transition in his life. It has to be dealt with right now and it can no longer be overlooked.

'It has absolutely nothing to do with basketball and we have to give him the time and the help and the support to deal with it.'

Brown, a native of New York City, led the Connecticut Huskies to the NCAA Division 1 title in 2004.

Meanwhile, the Rainmen on Friday also released Kuso, a six-foot-nine centre who has accepted an offer to play in Croatia.

Kuso, who averaged 6.5 points and 5.6 rebounds in 25 games, had also played sparingly in the last couple of weeks. But his departure leaves a void since the team cant fill his spot on the roster.

Courtesy of http://thechronicleherald.ca

CIS Round 3 of Play-Offs - by Eurobasket News

Group AUS 1/4

St.Mary's - UPEI 89-77

The hosts trailed by 3 points after three quarters before their 33-18 charge, which allowed them to win the game. It was a great evening for guard Jerome Smith who led his team to a victory scoring 25 points, 6 rebounds and 6 assists (went 10 for 10 at the free throw line !!!). Nigerian guard Harry Ezenibe (190-87) helped adding 16 points and 14 rebounds. Four Huskies players scored in double figures. The best for the losing side was guard Jonathan Cooper (183-88) with a double-double by scoring 16 points and 10 rebounds and forward Jermaine Duke (198) scored 9 points and 13 rebounds.
Top scorers:
St.Mary's: J.Smith 25+6reb+6ast, T.Fassett 17+8reb+2ast, H.Ezenibe 16+14reb, B.Rouse 13+4reb+4ast, M.Pink 9+5reb+4ast, I.Robertson 5+1reb
UPEI: J.Cooper 16+10reb+3ast, O.Smith 15+1reb+2ast, D.Moss 15+3reb, J.Duke 9+13reb+1ast, G.Doane 7+7reb+3ast, M.Lual 6+4reb+1ast

Dalhousie - Cape Breton 61-85

The game was mostly controlled by Capers. Tigers was better in second period 19-17. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. Capers forced 24 Tigers turnovers. The best player for the winners was American guard Jimmy Dorsey (188) who scored 23 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists and 8 steals. Guard Al Alilovic (198) chipped in 16 points and 7 rebounds. At the other side the best for losing team was Bahamas forward Robert Nortmann (198) who recorded 22 points and 6 rebounds and guard Casey Fox (193) added 10 points and 4 assists respectively. 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.
Top scorers:
Cape Breton: J.Dorsey 23+6reb+5ast, A.Alilovic 16+7reb+2ast, J.Glasgow 10+1reb+2ast, J.Smith 9+4reb+6ast, L.Macquarrie 8+2reb+2ast, A.Geugjes 6+5reb+2ast
Dalhousie: R.Nortmann 22+6reb+2ast, C.Fox 10+4reb+4ast, D.Norris 7+1reb, R.Kanza Mata 6+6reb+5ast, S.Lopez 6+5reb+3ast, A.Arthur 4+1reb

Group Canada West

Victoria - UFV 62-63

The guests trailed by 19 points after three quarters before their 24-6 charge, which allowed them to win the game. Cascades dominated on the defensive end, holding Vikies to just 6 points in fourth quarter. They dominated down low during the game scoring 42 of its points in the paint compared to Vikies' 22. The best player for the winners was forward Kyle Grewal (198-88) who scored 12 points and 7 rebounds. Guard Samuel Freeman (191) chipped in 10 points and 8 rebounds. Cascades' coach Barnaby Craddock used a ten-player rotation in such tough game. At the other side the best for losing team was guard Ryan Mackinnon (193-89) who recorded 15 points and guard Zac Andrus (180) added 12 points and 8 rebounds (went 7 for 7 at the free throw line) respectively.
Top scorers:
UFV: K.Grewal 12+7reb+1ast, J.Blackman 11+2reb, J.Friesen 10+4reb+3ast, S.Freeman 10+8reb+1ast, M.James 9+7reb, J.Moedt 5+9reb
Victoria: R.Mackinnon 15+4reb+3ast, Z.Andrus 12+8reb+1ast, T.Evans 9+6reb+1ast, M.Acheampong 9, M.Berg 6+8reb+2ast, R.Theil 6+2reb

Group Canada West

Alberta - Saskatchewan 89-73

The game was mostly controlled by Golden Bears. Huskies was better in third quarter 22-21. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. It was a good game for international guard Jordan Baker (192-91, college: Utah Valley) who led his team to a victory with 24 points, 9 rebounds and 7 assists. Forward Sahr Saffa (191-90) contributed with 20 points for the winners. American point guard Jamelle Barrett (180) answered with 24 points and 7 assists and international forward Michael Lieffers (203-87) added 14 points and 13 rebounds in the effort for Huskies. Both teams had four players each who scored in double figures.
Top scorers:
Alberta: J.Baker 24+9reb+7ast, S.Saffa 20+4reb+2ast, D.Ferguson 18+4reb+1ast, T.Bergen-Henengouwen 11+5reb, R.Dewar 6+7reb+3ast, L.Taylor 6+2reb+2ast
Saskatchewan: J.Barrett 24+4reb+7ast, M.Lieffers 14+13reb, P.Lomuro 12+4reb, B.Baker 10+5reb+1ast, M.Forbes 5+7reb, D.Jones 5+3reb

Group OUA semi

McMaster - Carleton 56-80

The game without a history. Ravens led from the first minutes and controlled entire game increasing their lead in each quarter. It was an exceptional evening for international guard Philip Scrubb (194-92) who led the winners and scored 26 points and 5 rebounds. International guard Cole Hobin (198-89) accounted for 10 points and 8 rebounds for the winning side. Four Ravens players scored in double figures. Center Taylor Black (201) came up with 6 points and 10 rebounds and Adam Presutti added 7 points and 4 assists respectively for Marauders in the defeat. The winner was already known earlier in the game, so both coaches allowed to play the bench players saving starting five for next games.
Top scorers:
Carleton: P.Scrubb 26+5reb+2ast, T.Scrubb 12+5reb, E.Thompson 11+4reb+1ast, C.Hobin 10+8reb+2ast, T.Hinz 8+6reb+3ast, W.Manigat 7+1reb+1ast
McMaster: J.Rocca 10+2reb+1ast, V.Raso 10+1reb, N.Pelech 7+3reb+1ast, A.Presutti 7+3reb+4ast, T.Black 6+10reb, S.Wahidi 6+3reb

Ryerson - Lakehead 86-70

The game was mostly controlled by Rams. Thunderwolves was better in second period 23-18. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. Rams had a 34-21 advantage in offensive rebounds. It was a great shooting night for Rams especially from behind the arc, where they had solid 56.3 percentage. The best player for the winners was Aaron Best who scored 26 points and 8 rebounds (on 11-of-14 shooting from the field). International point guard Jahmal Jones (183-91) chipped in 18 points and 7 assists. Four Rams players scored in double figures. At the other side the best for losing team was American guard Venzal Russel (188-87, college: Vermilion CC) who recorded a double-double by scoring 23 points and 12 rebounds and guard Joseph Jones (188-89) added 14 points respectively.
Top scorers:
Ryerson: A.Best 26+8reb+2ast, J.Jones 18+4reb+7ast, B.Michaelsen 17+6reb+5ast, J.Gauthier 15+8reb+1ast, O.Adegboruwa 6+3reb+2ast, L.Staniscia 4+10reb
Lakehead: V.Russel 23+12reb+3ast, J.Jones 14+3reb+2ast, B.Johnson 11+5reb+1ast, Y.Salhia 7+5reb+1ast, G.Carter 7+1reb+1ast, A.Johnson 4+7reb+1ast

Stats Leaders

Points Per Game

Manny PASQUALE
  Laure.
  (183-G-)
  Avg: 24.8

1. Pasquale, Laure.	24.8
2. King, TRU	23.1
3. Barbeau, Western	23.0
4. Dorsey, Cape Bret.	22.8
5. Barrett, Saskatch.	22.8
6. Fassett, St.Mary''s	21.1
7. Ferguson, Alberta	19.8
8. Mackinnon, Victoria	19.8
9. Kok, TRU	19.3
10. Baker, Alberta	19.3

Rebounds Per Game

Lien PHILLIP
  Windsor
  (203-F-89)
  Avg: 12.4

1. Phillip, Windsor	12.4
2. Lieffers, Saskatch.	11.5
3. Burke, UBC	10.5
4. Baker, Alberta	10.3
5. King, TRU	10.1
6. Coward, Lethbridge	9.7
7. Klassen, Acadia	9.6
8. Hadzimuratov., Lav.	9.0
9. Lual, UPEI	8.8
10. Buckley, Laurier	8.7

Assists Per Game

Jimmy DORSEY
  Cape Breton
  (188-G-)
  Avg: 8.6

1. Dorsey, Cape Bret.	8.6
2. Barrett, Saskatch.	7.1
3. Smith, TWU	5.8
4. Cunningham, Winnip.	5.8
5. Kanza Mata, Dalho.	5.8
6. Collins, Windsor	5.7
7. Bonhomme, Brandon	5.6
8. Kraus, Brock	5.4
9. Allin, Laurier	5.4
10. Vernon, St.Franc.	5.1

Steals Per Game

Jimmy DORSEY
  Cape Breton
  (188-G-)
  Avg: 3.1

1. Dorsey, Cape Bret.	3.1
2. Collins, Windsor	2.7
3. Carter, Lakehead	2.6
4. Thomas, St.Franc.	2.6
5. Cote-K., UQ.	2.5
6. Oliver, Manitoba	2.5
7. Laroche, Concordia	2.5
8. Fassett, St.Mary''s	2.4
9. Ogungbemi, Calgary	2.4
10. Russel, Lakehead	2.4

Blocks Per Game

Mike ANDREWS
  Bishop''s
  (208-C-)
  Avg: 1.9

1. Andrews, Bishop''s	1.9
2. Glisic, Toronto Un.	1.7
3. Fidler, Calgary	1.7
4. Duke, UPEI	1.5
5. Bains, UBC	1.5
6. Coward, Lethbridge	1.5
7. Klassen, Acadia	1.4
8. Thomas, St.Franc.	1.1
9. Ezenibe, St.Mary''s	1.1
10. Dewar, Alberta	1.1

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

CROATIA

Stats Leaders - A1

Points Per Game

Ivan MIMICA
  KK Split
  (193-G-80)
  Avg: 21

1. Mimica, KK Split	21.0
2. Ceskovic, Kvarner	19.6
3. Ross, Jolly	18.8
4. Tomeljak, Svjet.	17.4
5. Ciklic, Dubrovnik	17.4
6. Vrbanc, Zadar	16.9
7. Kostomaj, Svjet.	15.0
8. Kruslin, Zabok	15.0
9. Simovic, Kvarner	14.9
10. Peraica, Darda	13.8

Rebounds Per Game

Andrej STIMAC
  Svjetlost
  (204-F/C-79)
  Avg: 7.5

1. Stimac, Svjetlost	7.5
2. Ivanov, Zadar	7.4
3. Simovic, Kvarner	7.3
4. Sobin, KK Split	7.2
5. Poscic, Svjetlost	7.0
6. Zupic, Alkar Sinj	6.9
7. Mrva, Jolly	6.5
8. Peraica, Darda	6.3
9. Cakarun, Borik	6.2
10. Cinac, Kvarner 20.	6.1

Assists Per Game

Ivan TOMELJAK
  Svjet.
  (194-G-79)
  Avg: 6.3

1. Tomeljak, Svjet.	6.3
2. Glavinic, Krizevci	5.6
3. Kostomaj, Svjet.	4.5
4. Ross, Jolly	4.5
5. Ceskovic, Kvarner	3.4
6. Blajic, Kvarner	3.2
7. Subotic, KK Split	3.1
8. Dosen, Dubrovnik	2.8
9. Mimica, KK Split	2.8
10. Tomas, Zabok	2.8

Steals Per Game

Ronald ROSS
  Jolly
  (188-G-83)
  Avg: 3.5

1. Ross, Jolly	3.5
2. Kostomaj, Svjet.	2.7
3. Blajic, Kvarner	2.2
4. Krapic, Zadar	2.1
5. Bicvic, Darda	2.0
6. Mimica, KK Split	1.8
7. Zadnik, Zadar	1.7
8. Stimac, Svjetlost	1.7
9. Salamun, Kvarner	1.6
10. Tomas, Zabok	1.5

Blocks Per Game

Marino SARLIJA
  Borik
  (207-F/C-89)
  Avg: 1.2

1. Sarlija, Borik	1.2
2. Zupic, Alkar Sinj	1.1
3. Bubalo, Zabok	1.0
4. Buva, Krizevci	1.0
5. Vukovic, KK Split	0.9
6. Sobin, KK Split	0.8
7. Ridl, Darda	0.8
8. Cakarun, Borik	0.6
9. Ciklic, Dubrovnik	0.6
10. Kastropil, Zadar	0.6

A1 Standings

A1 Standings

1. Zadar		13-4
2. Jolly		13-4
3. KK Split		11-6
4. Zabok		10-7
5. Svjetlost		9-8
6. Darda		8-9
7. Kvarner 2010		8-10
8. Alkar Sinj		7-10
9. Borik		7-11
10. Krizevci		6-12
11. Dubrovnik		3-14
Play in international cups:
1. Cedevita		-
2. Cibona		-
3. KK Zagreb CO		-

A1 Round 19: Jolly edges Zabok by one point - by Eurobasket News
The Regular Season in A1 is slowly approaching the end. But there may be still some important changes in the final standings in the last 3 rounds. Host teams show no mercy winning all games.

The most exciting game of round 19 in the A1 took place in Sibenik. This derby game ended with only one-point defeat on the road of 4th placed Zabok (10-7) to second ranked Jolly (13-4) 86-85 on Saturday evening. Zabok was trailing by 1 point at halftime but managed to get 1-point lead after three quarters before a 20-18 charge of Jolly, which allowed them to win the game. American guard Ronald Ross (188-83, college: Texas Tech) fired a double-double by scoring 23 points, 13 rebounds, 7 assists and 7 steals for the winners. Forward Mate Mrva (195-83) chipped in 15 points and 5 rebounds. Guard Filip Kruslin (198-89, agency: Interperformances) produced 26 points, 8 rebounds and 4 assists for lost side. Both coaches used bench players in such tough game. Jolly have an impressive series of ten victories in a row. They keep a position of league leader, which they share with Zadar. Zabok at the other side keeps the fourth place with seven games lost. Jolly is looking forward to face KK Split (#3) on the road in the next round, which may be the game of the day. Zabok will play against Svjetlost in Slavonski Brod and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
An exciting game between Top Four teams was played in Zadar. First ranked Zadar faced 3rd placed KK Split. Host Zadar (13-4) defeated guests from Split (11-6) 90-78. Worth to mention a great performance of the former international guard Goran Vrbanc (194-84) who helped to win the game recording 16 points. Zoran Vrkic contributed with 18 points (on 7-of-8 shooting from the field) for the winners. The former international center Nikola Vujcic (211-78) answered with 30 points and 5 rebounds for KK Split. Both coaches tested many bench players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. Zadar maintains first place with 13-4 record, which they share with Jolly. KK Split at the other side keeps the third position with six games lost. Zadar will play against bottom-ranked Dubrovnik (#11) on the road in the next round and are hoping to win another game. KK Split will play against the league's second-placed Jolly (#2) in Sibenik and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
The game in Darda was also quite interesting. 6th ranked Kvarner 2010 (8-10) played at the court of seventh ranked Vrijednosnice OS (8-9). Vrijednosnice OS did not have too big problems and got a relatively easy victory 85-68 on Saturday. It was a great evening for Mato Peraica who led his team to a victory scoring 18 points, 8 rebounds and 4 assists (on 7-of-9 shooting from the field). At the losing side Matija Ceskovic responded with 35 points (!!!) (on 13-of-16 shooting from the field). The victory was the third consecutive win for Vrijednosnice OS. They moved-up to sixth place. Loser Kvarner 2010 dropped to the seventh position with ten games lost. Vrijednosnice OS will meet Borik Puntamika (#9) in the next round. Kvarner 2010 will have a break next round.

In the last two games of round 19 Krizevci was defeated by Svjetlost in Slavonski Brod 75-66. Alkar Sinj beat Borik at home 76-66.

Svjetlost - Krizevci 75-66

There was no surprise in Slavonski Brod where 10th ranked Krizevci (6-12) was defeated by fifth ranked Svjetlost (9-8) 75-66 on Saturday. The hosts took control from the first minutes by winning the initial quarter 21-16. But Krizevci won second period 21-20. However it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. It was a great evening for the former international power forward Ljubo Samadan (208-83) who led his team to a victory scoring 17 points and 6 rebounds. Power forward Andrej Stimac (204-79) helped adding 15 points and 5 rebounds. Five Svjetlost players scored in double figures. At the losing side power forward Mladen Gligora (204-82, agency: Court Side) responded with 14 points and the former international power forward Ivan Grgat (210-74, agency: Court Side) scored 10 points and 6 rebounds. Krizevci's coach Rudolf Jugo rotated eleven players in this game, but that didn't help. Svjetlost maintains fifth place with 9-8 record. Newly promoted Krizevci keeps the tenth position with 12 games lost. Svjetlost will meet higher ranked Zabok (#4) in the next round and it will be quite challenging to get another victory. Krizevci will play against Alkar Sinj (#8) and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Svjetlost: M.Batina 17+3reb, L.Samadan 17+6reb+3ast, A.Stimac 15+5reb+3ast, M.Kljaic 11+1reb+3ast, T.Kostomaj 10+2reb+5ast, P.Zivkovic 5+2reb+1ast
Krizevci: M.Gligora 14+1reb+3ast, I.Grgat 10+6reb+1ast, F.Gacesa 9+3reb+2ast, I.Mikulic 8+5reb, L.Zitko 6+1reb, I.Svoboda 5+2reb+1ast

Jolly - Zabok 86-85

The most exciting game of round 19 in the A1 took place in Sibenik. This derby game ended with only one-point defeat on the road of 4th placed Zabok (10-7) to second ranked Jolly (13-4) 86-85 on Saturday evening. Zabok was trailing by 1 point at halftime but managed to get 1-point lead after three quarters before a 20-18 charge of Jolly, which allowed them to win the game. American guard Ronald Ross (188-83, college: Texas Tech) fired a double-double by scoring 23 points, 13 rebounds, 7 assists and 7 steals for the winners. Forward Mate Mrva (195-83) chipped in 15 points and 5 rebounds. Guard Filip Kruslin (198-89, agency: Interperformances) produced 26 points, 8 rebounds and 4 assists and forward Filip Kraljevic (214-89, agency: PEPI SPORT) added 17 points respectively for lost side. Both coaches used bench players in such tough game. Jolly have an impressive series of ten victories in a row. They keep a position of league leader, which they share with Zadar. Zabok at the other side keeps the fourth place with seven games lost. Jolly is looking forward to face KK Split (#3) on the road in the next round, which may be the game of the day. Zabok will play against Svjetlost in Slavonski Brod and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Jolly: R.Ross 23+13reb+7ast, M.Mrva 15+5reb+1ast, I.Josipovic 14+3reb+2ast, L.Katura 9+1reb+1ast, D.Vrsaljko 7+5reb+2ast, J.Gulam 6+1reb+1ast
Zabok: F.Kruslin 26+8reb+4ast, F.Kraljevic 17+4reb, D.Basic 10, I.Perincic 9+4reb+1ast, S.Zadravec 9+2reb+3ast, L.Pesut 7+4reb+3ast

Zadar - KK Split 90-78

An exciting game between Top Four teams was played in Zadar. First ranked Zadar faced 3rd placed KK Split. Host Zadar (13-4) defeated guests from Split (11-6) 90-78. The hosts were tied after three quarters but managed to speed up in last quarter eventually winning the game. KK Split was plagued by 31 personal fouls down the stretch. Worth to mention a great performance of the former international guard Goran Vrbanc (194-84) who helped to win the game recording 16 points. International guard Zoran Vrkic (200-87) contributed with 18 points (on 7-of-8 shooting from the field) for the winners. The former international center Nikola Vujcic (211-78) answered with 30 points and 5 rebounds and forward Luka Babic (200-91) added 14 points and 6 rebounds (on 7-of-9 shooting from the field) in the effort for KK Split. Both coaches tested many bench players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. Zadar maintains first place with 13-4 record, which they share with Jolly. KK Split at the other side keeps the third position with six games lost. Zadar will play against bottom-ranked Dubrovnik (#11) on the road in the next round and are hoping to win another game. KK Split will play against the league's second-placed Jolly (#2) in Sibenik and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Zadar: Z.Vrkic 18+2reb, G.Vrbanc 16+4reb+3ast, A.Delas 12+2reb+3ast, F.Kastropil 9+1reb, U.Zadnik 9, A.Krapic 7+2reb
KK Split: N.Vujcic 30+5reb+2ast, S.Subotic 14+2reb+1ast, L.Babic 14+6reb+2ast, M.Filipovic 9, J.Sobin 5+6reb, B.Markulin 4+2ast

Darda - Kvarner 2010 85-68

The game in Darda was also quite interesting. 6th ranked Kvarner 2010 (8-10) played at the court of seventh ranked Vrijednosnice OS (8-9). Vrijednosnice OS did not have too big problems and got a relatively easy victory 85-68 on Saturday. The hosts trailed by 1 point after three quarters before their 32-14 charge, which allowed them to win the game. Vrijednosnice OS dominated down low during the game scoring 44 of its points in the paint compared to Kvarner 2010's 24. They outrebounded Kvarner 2010 32-19 including 21 on the defensive glass. It was a great evening for Bosnian center Mato Peraica (203-81) who led his team to a victory scoring 18 points, 8 rebounds and 4 assists (on 7-of-9 shooting from the field). Guard Luka Panduric (192-93) helped adding 19 points and 5 rebounds (on 8-of-9 shooting from the field). Five Vrijednosnice OS players scored in double figures. At the losing side naturalized Bosnian guard Matija Ceskovic (192-81, agency: Court Side) responded with 35 points (!!!) (on 13-of-16 shooting from the field) and Bosnian center Teo Simovic (205-84, agency: Interperformances) scored 10 points and 6 rebounds. The victory was the third consecutive win for Vrijednosnice OS. They moved-up to sixth place. Loser Kvarner 2010 dropped to the seventh position with ten games lost. Vrijednosnice OS will meet Borik Puntamika (#9) in the next round. Kvarner 2010 will have a break next round.
Top scorers:
Darda: L.Panduric 19+5reb+2ast, M.Peraica 18+8reb+4ast, V.Budimir 17+6reb, D.Meznaric 11+7reb+5ast, I.Milenkovic 10+4reb+3ast, R.Jugo 6+1reb+1ast
Kvarner 2010: M.Ceskovic 35+2reb, T.Simovic 10+6reb, J.Blajic 9+3reb+1ast, M.Juricic 5+1reb+1ast, Z.Pehar 4+2reb, M.Kucan 3+1reb+2ast

Alkar Sinj - Borik 76-66

We could consider it a predictable result in the game between close teams when ninth ranked Alkar Sinj (7-10) defeated at home 8th ranked Borik Puntamika (7-11) 76-66 on Saturday. They outrebounded Borik Puntamika 44-27 including 18 on the offensive glass. It was a great evening for guard Nikola Gaurina (199-83, agency: Interperformances) who led his team to a victory scoring 18 points and 8 rebounds. Forward Zeljko Zupic (205-81, college: Denver) helped adding 12 points and 11 rebounds. Five Alkar Sinj players scored in double figures. At the losing side power forward Marino Sarlija (207-89) responded with 16 points and 8 rebounds and guard Luka Drezga (196-87) scored 13 points and 5 rebounds. Both coaches allowed to play bench players saving starting five for next games. Alkar Sinj moved-up to eighth place. Loser Borik Puntamika dropped to the ninth position with 11 games lost. Alkar Sinj will meet Krizevci (#10) on the road in the next round. Borik Puntamika will play against Vrijednosnice OS in Darda and hope to secure a win.
Top scorers:
Alkar Sinj: N.Gaurina 18+8reb+1ast, F.Bubalo 16+4reb+3ast, Z.Zupic 12+11reb+2ast, J.Lozancic 10+7reb+2ast, R.Rogic 10+3reb+3ast, M.Modric 7+2reb+1ast
Borik: M.Sarlija 16+8reb+2ast, R.Jurlina 13+3reb+1ast, L.Drezga 13+5reb+3ast, P.Maric 6+1reb+1ast, M.Pesut 5+1reb+4ast, M.Jurjevic 5+1reb

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

CYPRUS

Apoel ties the series 1-1 - by Dr. Nasios Orinos
Good game at Lefkotheo Indoor Arena with two good teams and Apoel getting an important victory over Aek 96-79 tying the series 1-1.

Even though the game was close at the 1st half, Apoel kept a safety lead. At the second half with Sims, Cuffee and Johnson being in a good night Apoel had a 10-1 run and opened the lead from 74-70 to 84-71.

Apoel was a lot improved in this game and it seems that Johnson's addition has helped the team.

For the winners, the 'Dragon' Sims was in a great night finishing with 20 points. Cuffee finished with18 and Johnson added another 16.

In the loosing squad Fisher had 18, Subotic 17 and Panteli 13.

Next and final game will take place on Monday the 5th at 19:00 in Larnaka.

Pizza Express Apollon makes it through the semi - by Michael Aristidou

Pizza Express Apollon is the second team that places their name into the semi-finals of Cyprus league. Pizza Express Apollon won Ydra Asfalistiki ENAD Agios Dometios 98-82 and pass in the semi finals. The winning part had Troy Gillenwater (205-F-88, college: N.Mexico St.) in great night with 21 points.
Quarters: 18-24, 34-50, 57-71, 82-98
Ydra Asfalistiki ENAD Agios Dometios: Yiannas 7 (1), Masias 3 (1), Kyriakides, Matic, Filippou 6, Laser 24 (2), Djurasovic 6, Damjanovic 7, Reed 21 (2), Eljaji, Makris 8 (2)
Pizza Express Apollon: Troy Gillenwater 24 (1), Ford 4, Gabrans 1, Rush 8, Robinson 14 (1), Lezhava 15 (3), Gagaloudis 16 (1), Grafs 16,

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

CZECH REPUBLIC

Standings - D2

1Liga Standings

1. J.Hradec		22-1
2. Sparta Praha		20-4
3. Opava B		17-6
4. Proton Zlin		15-8
5. Sokol H.Kralove		15-9
6. Sokol Prazsky		14-10
7. Trutnov		12-12
8. Liberec		11-13
9. Vysehrad		10-13
10. Benesov		9-14
11. Prostejov B		9-15
12. Litomerice		8-15
13. Mlada Boleslav		2-22
14. Kladno		1-23

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

D-LEAGUE

Travis Leslie assigned to D-League - by Eurobasket News
The Los Angeles Clippers assigned rookie guard Travis Leslie (6'4''-G-90, college: Georgia) to the Bakersfield Jam of the NBA Development League, the team announced Friday.

Leslie, who was the 47th overall selection in the 2011 NBA Draft, has averaged 1.5 points and 1.0 rebounds. He appeared in eight games this season.

The Clippers signed veteran swingman Bobby Simmons to a 10-day contract on Monday to bring the team's roster to 15 players. Simmons scored 13 points off the bench for the team Thursday night and seems likely to be kept on for the remainder of the season.

Courtesy of ESPN

Latest games: Vipers top 66ers, 99-94 - by Eurobasket News
Ft.Wayne MA - Dakota W. 116-115
The Fort Wayne Mad Ants ended a six game Dakota Wizards winning streak in a thrilling 116-115 victory over the Dakota Wizards. The Wizards started the game with the hot hand scoring an impressive 40 points in the first period shooting 75% from the field. They led the Mad Ants 40-24 going into the second. They cooled off significantly in the second due to stifling Mad Ants defense. The Mad Ants cut the lead to just 4 points going into the locker rooms at the half. The second was an all out battle as the period saw 9 lead changes and 8 ties. The Mad Ants outscored the Wizards 34-27 behind 11 third period points from Cameron Jones as they led 93-90 going into the final period of the game. The Wizards led by 5 with just 1:24 left on the clock but the Mad Ants scored 6 straight points including back to back jump shots from Ron Howard to take the lead with just 0:12 left. Stefhon Hannah (6'1''-G-85, college: Missouri) answered quickly for the Wizards with a jump shot to take the lead back for the Wizards. With :06 left on the clock Jones was fouled on a drive to the basket and nailed two free throws to seal the win for Mad Ants. Marcus Dove (6'9''-F-85, college: Oklahoma St.) led the way for the Wizards with 22 points off of 10 of 13 shooting from the field. Hannah finished with 21 points and 9 assists. Howard led all scorers with 27 points on 11 of 14 shooting. Jones finished with 21 points and Darnell Lazare added 17. *Courtesy of www.wane.com

Tulsa 66ers - Rio Grande VV 94-99
Marshall Brown (6'7''-F-85, college: Missouri) had 20 points and William Conroy (6'2''-G-82, agency: Z.A.G. - Law Offices, college: Washington) 14 points and 10 assists to lead the Rio Grande Valley Vipers to a 99-94 victory over theTulsa66ers on Friday. They will meet again at 7 o'clock tonight. 'Rio GrandeValley did a great job tonight of finding and knocking down big shots,' Tulsacoach Dale Osbourne said. 'I thought we had moments where we played great as a team, and we will come back tomorrow night ready to battle.' The 66ers were led by Lazar Hayward's 30 points and seven rebounds and Marcus Lewis' 26th double-double of the season with 17 points and 12 rebounds. *Courtesy of www.themonitor.com

Maine RC - Springfield A. 100-94
The Maine Red Claws awoke from a weak six-game stretch to upend the Springfield Armor 100-92 on Friday night at the Portland Expo. For a change it was the Red Claws (14-22) making key plays down the stretch. They denied the Armor (21-14) the top spot in the East and halted Springfield's eight-game win streak. The Red Claws had a pair of steals and took a charge in the closing minutes to shut down the Armor's offense. With the score 92-92, Kenny Hayes (6'2''-PG-87, agency: KMG Sports Management, college: Miami, OH) drove to his left and into traffic for a layup and a 94-92 lead with 45 seconds remaining. Six free throws and a charging call later, the Red Claws got a second win in seven games. 'I think some of it is they didn't play their best game. They didn't play as well as they have. But some of it is us, too. We defended a whole lot better than we have,' Maine Coach Dave Leitao said. 'Particularly late in the game, we probably haven't had a game-saving charge like we did today. It didn't win the game but it really made a difference.' The win was a welcome bit of good news for the Red Claws. Maine allowed 111 or more points in six of its seven games prior to topping Springfield. It helped the Red Claws that Springfield had its worst shooting night of the season. The Armor hit 28 of 91 shots, just 30.8 percent, as the offense stuttered all night. Credit Maine with some of that, but Springfield also hit just 5 of 27 3-pointers, many of them good looks. Morris Almond (6'6''-F/G-85, college: Rice) led the offense with 34 points. Lawrence Hill scored 17 points. Hill, the team's lone All-Star, said the short D-League All-Star break helped the Red Claws come out with more enthusiasm against the Armor. Hill certainly had some. He took a charge on the perimeter in the first quarter and pumped his fists. He posed a little after getting fouled on a dunk in the fourth quarter. 'I feel like the break was good for us, a chance for us to start something new,' Hill said. 'We were taking charges, getting rebounds and charges, blocked shots, and that's how you win.' After hitting the layup that gave the Red Claws the 94-92 lead with 45 seconds remaining, Hayes hit four free throws and Almond added two to ice the victory. With the way the defense was playing, Hayes' layup might have been enough. *Courtesy of www.pressherald.com

Knicks reassign Jerome Jordan to Erie Bayhawks - by Eurobasket News
Jerome Jordan (7'0''-C-86, college: Tulsa) re-joins the BayHawks on his second assignment from the Knicks. Jordan was part of the Knicks' first NBA Development League assignment, with Jeremy Lin, to Erie when he played two games with the BayHawks in January.

While with the Knicks, Jordan (7-0, 240 lbs.) has appeared in 13 games this season, averaging 1.5 points and 1.2 rebounds in 4.7 minutes per game. On his previous assignment to Erie, he averaged 18.0 points and 7.5 rebounds in two appearances.

The Jamaican native was drafted in the second round in 2010 by the Milwaukee Bucks before being traded to the Knicks. While playing collegiately at Tulsa, he was a defensive force in the Conference USA, setting the league's all-time blocked shots record. He was also named to multiple All-Conference Teams as well as the All-Defensive Team as a Hurricane.

He is expected to join the BayHawks in time for Saturday night's game against the Sioux Falls Skyforce at 7:00 pm.

Courtesy of www.oursportscentral.com

Standings

D-League Standings

East Conference
1. Iowa E.		21-13
2. Springfield A.		21-14
3. Dakota W.		19-15
4. Canton C.		18-17
5. Erie Bay H.		16-17
6. Maine RC		14-22
7. Ft.Wayne MA		11-26
8. Sioux Falls S.		9-26
West Conference
1. Los Angeles D.		27-11
2. Austin T.		22-13
3. Rio Grande VV		22-16
4. Bakersfield J.		19-16
5. Texas L.		18-18
6. Reno B.		17-18
7. Tulsa 66ers		16-22
8. Idaho S.		15-21

Stats Leaders

Points Per Game

Blake AHEARN
  Reno B.
  (188-PG-84)
  Avg: 24.4

1. Ahearn, Reno B.	24.4
2. Emmett, Reno B.	23.7
3. Almond, Maine RC	22.9
4. Dentmon, Austin T.	22.5
5. Harris, Canton C.	21.4
6. Ubiles, Dakota W.	20.9
7. Costner, Los A.	20.9
8. Howard, Ft.Wayne.	20.8
9. Mitchell, Sioux F.	19.6
10. Green, Los A.	19.1

Rebounds Per Game

Marcus LEWIS
  Tulsa 66ers
  (203-F/C-86)
  Avg: 13

1. Lewis, Tulsa 66ers	13.0
2. Dawson, Austin T.	10.2
3. Milligan, Canton C.	9.2
4. Criswell-L., Austi.	9.0
5. Williams, Texas L.	8.7
6. Foote, Springfield	8.6
7. Andrews, Los A.	8.3
8. Horner, Springfi.	8.3
9. Moore, Idaho S.	8.2
10. Dyer, Texas L.	8.1

Assists Per Game

William CONROY
  Rio G.
  (187-G-82)
  Avg: 10.2

1. Conroy, Rio G.	10.2
2. Russell, Ft.Wayne.	9.9
3. Wise, Bakersfield	6.3
4. Curry, Springfield	6.3
5. Stinson, Iowa E.	6.2
6. Baker, Dakota W.	6.0
7. Fortson, Los A.	5.9
8. Johnson, Austin T.	5.8
9. Bailey, Idaho S.	5.8
10. Coleman, Sioux F.	5.3

Steals Per Game

Dominique COLEMAN
  Sioux F.
  (190-G-84)
  Avg: 2.3

1. Coleman, Sioux F.	2.3
2. Hannah, Dakota W.	2.2
3. Stinson, Iowa E.	2.1
4. Fortson, Los A.	2.1
5. Curry, Springfield	1.9
6. Russell, Ft.Wayne.	1.9
7. Millsap, Los A.	1.9
8. Owens, Tulsa 66ers	1.9
9. Baker, Dakota W.	1.8
10. Emmett, Reno B.	1.8

Blocks Per Game

Will FOSTER
  Idaho S.
  (226-C-88)
  Avg: 2.9

1. Foster, Idaho S.	2.9
2. Williams, Texas L.	2.7
3. Saunders, Rio G.	2.4
4. Thomas, Los A.	2.2
5. Daniels, Erie B.	2.1
6. Hill, Maine RC	1.8
7. Ojougboh, Tulsa	1.8
8. Dawson, Austin T.	1.7
9. Dove, Dakota W.	1.7
10. Kent, Maine RC	1.6

D-Fenders acquire Jamario Moon - by Eurobasket News
The Los Angeles D-Fenders have acquired Jamario Moon (6'8''-F-80, college: Meridian CC), it was announced today.

Moon, a 6-8, 205-pound forward, originally joined the NBA after signing with Toronto in 2007 as an undrafted free agent. A four-year NBA veteran, Moon has appeared in 278 career games (157 starts) for the Raptors, Heat, Cavaliers and Clippers, averaging 6.4 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.0 assists in 22.8 minutes.

Prior to joining the NBA, Moon played in the NBA Development League for the Mobile Revelers (2001-2003), Huntsville Flight (2003-04), and Fort Worth Flyers (2005-06), averaging 5.0 points (34.3 3FG%) and 1.9 rebounds in a combined 59 career D-League games.

Courtesy of www.oursportscentral.com

Ants get another new player - by Eurobasket News
The newest member of the Fort Wayne Mad Ants has seen more Ants wins than Fort Wayne guard Devan Downey (5'9''-G-87, college: S.Carolina), and Downey has been with the team for more than a month.

Charles Garcia (6'9''-F-88, college: Seattle), a 6-foot-9, 230-pound forward, was picked up by the Ants today and is expected to play when the Ants face Dakota at 7:30 p.m. at Memorial Coliseum.

Garcia, who scored 12 points for the East in the recent D-League All-Star game, was waived by Sioux Falls and quickly snagged by the Ants, who will attempt to end a 10-game losing streak that enveloped all of February.

Garcia was a member of the Sioux Falls Skyforce when they played the Ants in the season opener - a game in which the Ants won, 110-106. Garcia torched the Ants for 32 points and 18 rebounds in the game.

To make room for Garcia, the Ants waived guard Travis Walton.

Courtesy of www.journalgazette.net

NBA D-League Alum MaJic Dorsey Inks Deal with Duhok of Iraq - by Surujh Roopnarine
Coming off the best season of his professional career, LNBP Player of the Year MaJic Dorsey (6'1''-PG-81, college: S.Indiana) has inked a lucrative deal with top Iraqi club Duhok. Duhok has a critical game coming up on Monday in Lebanon as they will face Al Riyadi Amman of Jordan for a spot in the FIBA Asia Clubs Championships which will take place in Lebanon later this year. Having lost in the quarterfinals of the WABA league to the same club, Duhok added the 30-year old Dorsey to pair with veteran big man Malcolm Battles (6'9''-F/C-79, college: N.Mexico) as their two imports. Dorsey, a Baltimore, Maryland native, spent this past season in Mexico, beginning the season with Halcones UV Xalapa before playing the majority of his time Aguilas Rojas de San Juan del Rio. With Aguilas is where Dorsey truly made his mark. In 27 games he averaged a league-leading 30.5 points per game, to go along with 2.4 rebounds, 8.7 assists (#2) and 2.1 steals (#2) over 27 contests. For his efforts, Dorsey was named the Eurobasket.com LNBP Player of the Year and Import Player of the Year.
In consecutive games he set the LNBP and then FIBA assists records, tallying 21 and 23 respectively.
A veteran of five NBA D-League seasons, the 6-1 Dorsey has started 72 of 147 career D-League games, with career averages of 9.1 points, 1.9 rebounds and 3.3 steals while shooting 43.2% from the field and 83.0% from the free-throw line.
Dorsey arrived in Lebanon a few days ago and has already begun training with Duhok and head coach Tamer Radif. Though the contract is for only a two week period, an impressive showing here could lead the way to further opportunities in the region. According to Dorsey, Coach Radif is a great person and accepted me as soon as I stepped off the plane, he has treated me like his own son and I hope to re-ay the favor by helping the team advance to the Asian Clubs Championships. Regarding new teammate Malcolm Battles, He is a true professional both on and off the court. We knew each other from our time splaying in Mexico and he wholeheartedly endorsed the clubs decision to bring me in, saying I was the best point guard he had ever seen in person. He's also really helped me adjust to the culture differences and feeling comfortable while with the club.
Coming off such a spectacular season statistically, Dorsey is ready for a new challenge and opportunity that awaits on Monday. According to Dorsey, Elie El Khoury was instrumental in helping me land the opportunity with Duhok, and I am truly grateful for the chance to make the fans and club management proud.

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

EGYPT

League come back - by Khaled El Saied
Egyptian basketball federation decided to resume the league on March 21 few changes will take place in the games roaster which will be cut into less than 3 months instead of 4 months on the other hand some teams will suffer from injuries as Al Gezira team who lost 2 of their best players Ramy Genedy and Amr Elgendy serious injury,also the Egyptian National team under 17 with their fascinating performance in the last champion ship that took place in Turkey last month are getting ready for the World cup by playing some friendly games against some local teams.

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

ESTONIA

Triumph overcame Tartu Ulikool in BBL - by Eurobasket News
Baltic League
Triumph - Tartu Ulikool 58:50

Triumph overcame Tartu Ulikool in Baltic league campaign. The Russian team improved to 13-4 record after 58:50 victory.
Tartu Ulikool trailed by 15 points after 3 quarters before a 15-8 run in the last quarter cut the deficit to 50-58 at the end of the game. They outrebounded Tartu Ulikool 39-12 including a 14-3 advantage in offensive rebounds. It was a great evening for Lazar Trifunovic (203-F-87, college: Radford) who led his team to a victory scoring 13 points and 9 rebounds. Victor Zvarykin (198-G-86) helped adding 14 points and 6 rebounds. At the losing side guard Valmo Kriisa (190-G-74) responded with 10 points and center Vallo Allingu (206-C-78) scored 12 points.
Triumph Lyubertsy have a solid series of three victories in a row. Loser Tartu Ulikool keeps the ninth position with 13 games lost. Triumph Lyubertsy will meet at home league's leader Siauliai in the next round and it will be for sure the game of the week. Tartu Ulikool will play against Rudupis in Prienai and hope to secure a win.

Triumph: Victor Zvarykin 14, Lazar Trifunovic 13+9rebs, Evgeny Valiev (205-F-90) 8
Tartu Ulikool: Vallo Allingu 12, Valmo Kriisa 10, Marek Doronin (200-F/G-83) 8

Standings - KML

KML Standings

1. Tartu Ulikool		19-2
2. Kalev/Cramo		16-2
3. Tarvas		14-7
4. Rapla		13-10
5. TTU		10-11
6. Tln Kalev		9-15
7. Parnu		3-19
8. Valga		3-21

Stats Leaders

Points Per Game

Reinis STRUPOVICS
  Valga
  (192-G-87)
  Avg: 20.9

1. Strupovics, Valga	20.9
2. Raadik, Parnu	18.8
3. Pilk, TTU	17.6
4. Cipruss, Tarvas	17.6
5. Raley-Ross, Tln K.	17.5
6. Soo, Rapla	17.4
7. Raap, Parnu	16.3
8. Veideman, Tartu U.	15.6
9. Arnold, TTU	14.5
10. Hallik, Tarvas	14.4

Rebounds Per Game

Kaspars CIPRUSS
  Tarvas
  (210-C-82)
  Avg: 10.4

1. Cipruss, Tarvas	10.4
2. Arnold, TTU	8.9
3. Cricelli, Valga	8.4
4. Fedortchuk, Tln K.	8.3
5. Ringmets, Rapla	8.1
6. Raadik, Parnu	8.0
7. Blaus, Valga	7.8
8. Shaw, Tln Kalev	7.6
9. Allingu, Tartu U.	6.8
10. Amis, Tartu Uliko.	6.6

Assists Per Game

Edgars CUNDA
  Valga
  (196-G-84)
  Avg: 4.5

1. Cunda, Valga	4.5
2. Laane, Rapla	4.2
3. Kriisa, Tarvas	3.6
4. Raap, Parnu	3.5
5. Keedus, TTU	3.4
6. Sokk, Tartu Ulikool	3.3
7. Pilk, TTU	3.3
8. Dorbek, Tarvas	3.2
9. Veideman, Tartu U.	2.8
10. Karner, Parnu	2.7

Steals Per Game

Edgars CUNDA
  Valga
  (196-G-84)
  Avg: 2.5

1. Cunda, Valga	2.5
2. Laane, Rapla	2.2
3. Veideman, Tartu U.	2.1
4. Dorbek, Tarvas	2.1
5. Kaldre, Rapla	2.1
6. Raley-Ross, Tln K.	2.0
7. Leppik, Tartu Ulik.	2.0
8. Skele, Kalev/Cramo	1.9
9. Keedus, TTU	1.7
10. Cricelli, Valga	1.7

Blocks Per Game

Bamba FALL
  Kalev/Cramo
  (216-C-86)
  Avg: 1.8

1. Fall, Kalev/Cramo	1.8
2. Raadik, Parnu	1.5
3. Amis, Tartu Ulikool	1.5
4. Blaus, Valga	1.0
5. Fedortchuk, Tln K.	1.0
6. Toome, Kalev/Cramo	0.7
7. Varbanov, Kalev/Cr.	0.7
8. Hallik, Tarvas	0.6
9. Makke, TTU	0.5
10. Ulyanko, Kalev/Cr.	0.5

KML Round 23 of Regular Season - by Eurobasket News
The teams have now bigger motivation at this stage of Regular Season. Every game can be crucial and decide about teams' position at the end of Regular Season.

The game in Valga supposed to be quite interesting. Second ranked Kalev/Cramo (16-2) played at the court of 8th ranked Valga (3-21). Kalev/Cramo smashed Valga 85-45 on Friday. The game without a history. Kalev/Cramo led from the first minutes and controlled entire game increasing their lead in each quarter. They dominated on the defensive end, holding Valga to just 7 points in first quarter. Kalev/Cramo held Valga to an opponent 14.3 percent shooting from the field compared to 46.3 percent accuracy of the winners and made 16-of-20 free shots (80.0 percent) during the game. Kalev/Cramo forced 20 Valga turnovers. 24 personal fouls committed by Valga helped opponents get some easy free throw opportunities. It was a great evening for international forward Joosep Toome (202-F-85) who led his team to a victory scoring 15 points and 7 rebounds. The former international guard Tanel Sokk (184-85) helped adding 12 points. Latvian center Lauris Blaus (204-90, agency: FCM) responded with a double-double by scoring 13 points and 10 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. Defending champion maintains second place with 16-2 record having 3 victories less than leader Tartu Ulikool. Valga lost eighth consecutive game. They stay dead last with 21 lost games. Both teams do not play next round, which will be an opportunity for some rest.
The game in Parnu was also worth to mention about. Sixth ranked Tln Kalev (9-15) played at the court of 7th ranked KK Parnu (3-19). Tln Kalev managed to secure a 8-point victory 74-66. It was an exceptional evening for American guard Brandis Raley-Ross (188-87, college: S.Carolina) who led the winners and scored 17 points, 7 rebounds and 7 assists. Matt Shaw accounted for 22 points and 8 rebounds. Tln Kalev's coach Indrek Reinbok allowed to play the deep bench players saving starting five for next games. Power forward Taavi Hamarsalu (199-89) came up with a double-double by scoring 20 points and 10 rebounds for KK Parnu in the defeat. Tln Kalev maintains sixth place with 9-15 record. KK Parnu lost fifth consecutive game. They keep the seventh position with 19 games lost. Tln Kalev will play against higher ranked BC Rakvere (#3) on the road in the next round and it will be quite challenging to get another victory. KK Parnu will play against Rapla (#4) and hopes to get back on the winning track.
The game in Tallinn was also quite interesting. Fourth ranked Rapla (13-10) played at the court of 5th ranked TTU (10-11). Rapla defeated TTU 87-71 on Friday. The best player for the winners was Janar Soo who scored 22 points and 6 rebounds. Rapla's coach Indrek Ruut used an eleven-player rotation which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. Andrew Arnold produced 15 points and 9 rebounds for the hosts. Rapla maintains fourth place with 13-10 record. TTU at the other side keeps the fifth position with 11 games lost. Rapla will meet KK Parnu (#7) on the road in the next round. TTU will play against BC Rakvere and it may be a tough game between close rivals.

In the last game of round 23 bottom-ranked Valga lost to Rapla on the opponent's court 83-88.
The most impressive stats of the last round was 30 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists and 4 steals by Rait-Riivo Laane of Rapla.

Valga - Kalev/Cramo 45-85

The game in Valga supposed to be quite interesting. Second ranked Kalev/Cramo (16-2) played at the court of 8th ranked Valga (3-21). Kalev/Cramo smashed Valga 85-45 on Friday. The game without a history. Kalev/Cramo led from the first minutes and controlled entire game increasing their lead in each quarter. They dominated on the defensive end, holding Valga to just 7 points in first quarter. Kalev/Cramo held Valga to an opponent 14.3 percent shooting from the field compared to 46.3 percent accuracy of the winners and made 16-of-20 free shots (80.0 percent) during the game. Kalev/Cramo forced 20 Valga turnovers. 24 personal fouls committed by Valga helped opponents get some easy free throw opportunities. It was a great evening for international forward Joosep Toome (202-85) who led his team to a victory scoring 15 points and 7 rebounds. The former international guard Tanel Sokk (184-85) helped adding 12 points. Four Kalev/Cramo players scored in double figures. Latvian center Lauris Blaus (204-90, agency: FCM) responded with a double-double by scoring 13 points and 10 rebounds and Latvian guard Reinis Strupovics (192-87) scored 14 points. The winner was already known earlier in the game, so both coaches allowed to play the bench players saving starting five for next games. Defending champion maintains second place with 16-2 record having 3 victories less than leader Tartu Ulikool. Valga lost eighth consecutive game. They stay dead last with 21 lost games. Both teams do not play next round, which will be an opportunity for some rest.
Top scorers:
Valga: R.Strupovics 14+3reb, L.Blaus 13+10reb, V.Vares 8+4reb+2ast, R.Petersonig 3+3reb, A.Vasar 3+1reb, K.Pullisaar 2+2reb
Kalev/Cramo: J.Toome 15+7reb+1ast, T.Sokk 12+4reb+1ast, B.Fall 11+5reb, G.Arbet 10+1reb+3ast, K.Kitsing 10+4reb, P.Ulyanko 9+6reb

Rapla - Valga 88-83

Very expected game when 8th ranked Valga (3-21) was defeated on the road by fourth ranked Rapla (13-10) 88-83 on Saturday. However just five-point win is not that big difference and the fans of host team counted on more convincing victory. The hosts were tied at the half but managed to speed up in last two quarters eventually winning the game. Rapla forced 19 Valga turnovers. The best player for the winners was point guard Rait-Riivo Laane (179-93) who scored 30 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists and 4 steals. The former international forward Andre Parn (200-77) chipped in a double-double by scoring 14 points and 10 rebounds. Four Rapla players scored in double figures. Latvian guard Reinis Strupovics (192-87) produced 28 points and 6 rebounds and the former international swingman Veljo Vares (200-81) added 19 points (on 8-of-9 shooting from the field) respectively for the guests. Rapla maintains fourth place with 13-10 record. Valga lost eighth consecutive game. They stay dead last with 21 lost games. Rapla will meet KK Parnu (#7) on the road in the next round. Valga will have a break next round.
Top scorers:
Valga: R.Strupovics 28+6reb+2ast, V.Vares 19+4reb, J.Juerisaar 8+2reb+3ast, L.Blaus 8+3reb+3ast, K.Koolman 7+1reb, K.Pullisaar 6+3reb+1ast
Rapla: R.Laane 30+7reb+5ast, A.Parn 14+10reb+1ast, I.Kajupank 11+4reb+1ast, S.Kaldre 11+1reb+1ast, J.Soo 8+6reb+1ast, A.Antson 5+3reb+1ast

Parnu - Tln Kalev 66-74

The game in Parnu was also worth to mention about. Sixth ranked Tln Kalev (9-15) played at the court of 7th ranked KK Parnu (3-19). Tln Kalev managed to secure a 8-point victory 74-66. The guests were ahead by 4 points but lost the second period ending it with a 3-point deficit before their 20-9 run, which allowed them to win the game. Tln Kalev players were unselfish on offense dishing 21 assists. It was an exceptional evening for American guard Brandis Raley-Ross (188-87, college: S.Carolina) who led the winners and scored 17 points, 7 rebounds and 7 assists. His fellow American import forward Matt Shaw (203-88, college: UNLV) accounted for 22 points and 8 rebounds for the winning side. Tln Kalev's coach Indrek Reinbok allowed to play the deep bench players saving starting five for next games. Power forward Taavi Hamarsalu (199-89) came up with a double-double by scoring 20 points and 10 rebounds and center Toomas Raadik (202-90) added 10 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists and 4 blocks respectively for KK Parnu in the defeat. Tln Kalev maintains sixth place with 9-15 record. KK Parnu lost fifth consecutive game. They keep the seventh position with 19 games lost. Tln Kalev will play against higher ranked BC Rakvere (#3) on the road in the next round and it will be quite challenging to get another victory. KK Parnu will play against Rapla (#4) and hopes to get back on the winning track.
Top scorers:
Parnu: T.Hamarsalu 20+10reb+1ast, E.Tamsalu 18+2reb+1ast, T.Raadik 10+10reb+4ast, R.Karner 7+6reb+5ast, S.Olmre 6+3reb+4ast, K.Voolaid 5+3reb
Tln Kalev: M.Shaw 22+8reb+1ast, B.Raley-Ross 17+7reb+7ast, M.Paiste 10+1reb, A.Fedortchuk 10+15reb+3ast, M.Kurg 9+4reb+1ast, R.Roos 5+1reb+6ast

TTU - Rapla 71-87

The game in Tallinn was also quite interesting. Fourth ranked Rapla (13-10) played at the court of 5th ranked TTU (10-11). Rapla defeated TTU 87-71 on Friday. The game was mostly controlled by Rapla. TTU managed to win second period 21-19. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. Strangely TTU outrebounded Rapla 43-31 including 16 on the offensive glass. The best player for the winners was swingman Janar Soo (199-91) who scored 22 points and 6 rebounds. point guard Rait-Riivo Laane (179-93) chipped in a double-double by scoring 10 points, 6 rebounds and 11 assists. Four Rapla players scored in double figures. Rapla's coach Indrek Ruut used an eleven-player rotation which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. American center Andrew Arnold (208-86, college: Lewis-Clark St.) produced 15 points and 9 rebounds and forward Kiur Akenparg (190-88) added 11 points and 8 rebounds respectively for the hosts. Rapla maintains fourth place with 13-10 record. TTU at the other side keeps the fifth position with 11 games lost. Rapla will meet KK Parnu (#7) on the road in the next round. TTU will play against BC Rakvere and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
TTU: A.Arnold 15+9reb, M.Kaja 13+6reb, K.Akenparg 11+8reb, S.Tomingas 9+3reb+3ast, I.Pilk 8+2reb+3ast, K.Makke 8+6reb+3ast
Rapla: J.Soo 22+6reb, S.Kaldre 17+4reb+1ast, I.Kajupank 12+6reb+2ast, R.Laane 10+6reb+11ast, R.Nurger 8+2reb, A.Parn 6+4reb+1ast

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

EUROLEAGUE

FINLAND

Nilan Bisons Loimaa lands Nunnally - by Eurobasket Center
Nilan Bisons Loimaa strengthened their roster with addition of 26-year old American forward Michael Nunnally (203-F-103kg-86, college: Pacific). In his first game he scored 5 points helping his new team beat Pyrinto 80-79. Nunnally played most recently at Takamatsu Five Arrows (Japan). While playing 31 games for Takamatsu FA this season he averaged 10.8ppg, 8.9rpg and 1.0apg. Nunnally played also pro basketball in Germany and Japan. He graduated University of Pacific in 2010 and it will be his second season in pro basketball.

By Eurobasket Data Center

KORISLIIGA: Bisons beat Pyrinto by one - by Rauno Hurmalainen
Korisliiga, round 33: Bisons from Loimaa (23-8) beat tonight Pyrinto (Tampere) by one 80-79 (37-41) in the thriller, where there were 15 lead changes and eight ties. G Joni Harjula (189-G-83), playing his first game this season on Pyrinto roster, fouled 'Bison' Matti Nuutinen (200-F-90) at the final buzzer, when the hosts were down by one (78-79). Nuutinen made both FTs and Bisons had won 80-79. Pyrinto had won nine games in a row, but Bisons are tough at home: Only one loss in 15 home games. Jeb Ivey (190-G-80, college: Portland St.) leading again the Bisons with 18 points. By the same Ivey made a new record: He has made at least one 3-pointer in 82 consecutive contests (September 24, 2010 untill March 3, 2012) shooting 549 treys during that period of time and making 225 of them (41%). Ville Makalainen (194-F-85, agency: Pro Partner Sports Management) added 16 pts. Kenneth Lowe (192-G-80, college: Purdue) led Pyrinto (22-11) with 19 pts. Damon Williams (201-F-73, college: Colorado St.-Pueblo) had 18pts/10rbs and still five assists.
At Kouvola local Kouvot lost vs YMCA Lappeenranta 71-89 (48-39). YMCA LPR had lost seven games in a row, but this time team's three American players had decided to win. They combined 61 points. Tyler Tiedeman (201-F-85, agency: Interperformances, college: Boise St.) led the visitors with 29 pts (1 - 4/4, 2 - 8/12, 3 - 3/3).
Bisons - Pyrinto 80-79 (37-41). (Jeb Ivey 18, Ville Makalainen 16, Matti Nuutinen 14 - Kenneth Lowe 19, Damon Williams 18/10/5a, Antwine Williams 15. A: 852).
Kouvot - YMCA LPR 71-89 (48-39). (Josh Gonner 22, Antto Nikkarinen 13, Antoine Jordan 12 - Tyler Tiedeman 29, DeAndre Haynes 17/10a, Lawrence Hamm 15. A: 1023).

Standings - Korisliiga

Korisliiga Standings

1. Kataja		25-8
2. Nilan Bisons		24-8
3. Pyrinto		22-11
4. Kauhajoki		20-13
5. ToPo		18-14
6. KTP		14-19
7. Salon Vilpas		13-20
8. LrNMKY		12-20
9. Korihait		12-20
10. Kouvot		11-21
11. Namika Lahti		8-25

Stats Leaders - Korisliiga

Points Per Game

Tim BLUE
  KTP
  (205-F-84)
  Avg: 22.5

1. Blue, KTP	22.5
2. Zeno, Nilan Bisons	20.4
3. Beidler, Kauhajoki	19.3
4. Newson, Kataja	19.1
5. Holloway, Salon V.	18.9
6. Crocker, KTP	18.8
7. Durham, Salon Vilp.	18.5
8. Tiedeman, LrNM.	18.4
9. Griffin, ToPo	18.3
10. Ivey, Nilan Bisons	18.2

Rebounds Per Game

John FIELDS
  Salon Vilpas
  (205-F-88)
  Avg: 13.2

1. Fields, Salon Vilp.	13.2
2. Durham, Salon Vilp.	11.5
3. Blue, KTP	10.4
4. Beidler, Kauhajoki	9.7
5. Williams, Pyrinto	9.1
6. Newson, Kataja	9.0
7. Zeno, Nilan Bisons	8.3
8. McDade, Nilan B.	8.3
9. Brown, Kouvot	7.8
10. Hamm, LrNM.	7.7

Assists Per Game

Malik MOORE
  Namika L.
  (192-G-77)
  Avg: 5

1. Moore, Namika L.	5.0
2. Ivey, Nilan Bisons	4.8
3. Hannah, Kauhajoki	4.6
4. Virtanen, Kataja	4.3
5. Haynes, LrNM.	4.3
6. Williams, Pyrinto	4.2
7. Sarcevic, KTP	4.1
8. Walker, Kataja	3.8
9. Holloway, Salon V.	3.4
10. Zeno, Nilan Bisons	3.2

Steals Per Game

Juha STEN
  Kataja
  (191-G-83)
  Avg: 2.5

1. Sten, Kataja	2.5
2. Moore, Korihait	2.3
3. Williams, Pyrinto	2.3
4. Beidler, Kauhajoki	2.2
5. Holloway, Salon V.	1.8
6. Williams, Pyrinto	1.8
7. Haynes, LrNM.	1.7
8. Jordan, Kouvot	1.7
9. Newson, Kataja	1.7
10. Sarcevic, KTP	1.6

Blocks Per Game

John FIELDS
  Salon Vilpas
  (205-F-88)
  Avg: 2.1

1. Fields, Salon Vilp.	2.1
2. Beidler, Kauhajoki	1.9
3. Blue, KTP	1.5
4. Zeno, Nilan Bisons	1.0
5. Lehtoranta, Kataja	0.8
6. Jones, Nilan Bisons	0.8
7. Hamm, LrNM.	0.7
8. Williams, Pyrinto	0.7
9. Bell, KTP	0.7
10. Price, Kataja	0.7

Korisliiga Round 36: Loimaan Korikonkarit defeats leader Joensuun Kataja - 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 crucial game of the last round was another loss of top-ranked Joensuun Kataja (25-8) on the court of second ranked Loimaan Korikonkarit on Thursday night. Visitors were edged by Loimaan Korikonkarit 88-86. It may be a crucial game in the contest for the top position in the league. Joensuun Kataja trailed by 11 points after 3 quarters before a 27-18 run in the last quarter cut the deficit to 86-88 at the end of the game. It was a good game for American guard Jeb Ivey (190-80, college: Portland St.) who led his team to a victory with 30 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists (on 11-of-13 shooting from the field). The other American import guard Martin Zeno (196-85, college: Texas Tech) contributed with 19 points and 13 rebounds for the winners. American swingman Jared Newson (195-84, college: Tenn-Martin, agency: Pro One Sports) replied with 25 points and 9 rebounds for Joensuun Kataja. Loimaan Korikonkarit have a solid four-game winning streak. They maintain second position with 24-8 record behind leader Kataja. Joensuun Kataja lost third consecutive game. Joensuun Kataja at the other side still keeps top place with eight games lost. Loimaan Korikonkarit are looking forward to face Kauhajoen Karhu (#4) in Kauhajoki in the next round. Joensuun Kataja will play at home against UU-Korihait in Uusikaupunki and is hoping to win this game.
Important game to mention about took place in Salon. Seventh ranked Salon Vilpas (13-20) saved a 2-point victory at home edging top-ranked Joensuun Kataja (25-8) 76-74 on Friday evening. It was quite big embarassment for the guest team. Worth to mention a great performance of American forward Allen Durham (198-88, college: Grace Bible) who helped to win the game recording a double-double by scoring 16 points and 18 rebounds and Mikael Sandberg who added 17 points and 8 rebounds during the contest. The best for the losing side was American swingman Jared Newson (195-84, college: Tenn-Martin, agency: Pro One Sports) with 20 points and 9 rebounds. Salon Vilpas maintains seventh position with 13-20 record. Joensuun Kataja lost third consecutive game. Joensuun Kataja at the other side still keeps top place with eight games lost. Salon Vilpas will play against LrNMKY (#8) in Lappeenranta in the next round. Joensuun Kataja will play at home against UU-Korihait (#9) in Uusikaupunki and hopes to get back on the winning track.
A very close game took place in Loimaa between Loimaan Korikonkarit and Tampereen Pyrinto. Second ranked Loimaan Korikonkarit (24-8) got a very close home victory over one of their biggest challengers Tampereen Pyrinto (22-11). Loimaan Korikonkarit managed to escape with a 1-point win 80-79 in the fight for the second place. It ended at the same time the nine-game winning streak of Tampereen Pyrinto. American players dominated the game. The winners were led by Martin Zeno who had that evening a double-double by scoring 13 points, 13 rebounds and 5 assists. Even a double-double of 18 points, 10 rebounds and 5 assists by Damon Williams did not help to save the game for Tampereen Pyrinto. Loimaan Korikonkarit have a solid four-game winning streak. They maintain second position with 24-8 record behind leader Kataja. Defending champion Tampereen Pyrinto keeps the third place with 11 games lost. Loimaan Korikonkarit will meet Kauhajoen Karhu (#4) in the next round. Tampereen Pyrinto will play against Torpan Pojat in Helsinki and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
The game between 10th ranked Kouvot (11-21) and ninth ranked LrNMKY (12-20) in Kouvola ended with biggest points difference. Guests from Lappeenranta beat Kouvot 89-71. American players dominated also this game. The best player for the winners was Tyler Tiedeman who scored 29 points and 6 rebounds. LrNMKY moved-up to eighth place, which they share with Korihait. Kouvot at the other side keeps the tenth position with 21 games lost. LrNMKY's next round opponent will be higher ranked Salon Vilpas (#7) at home and it may be quite challenging game.

In the last game of round 36 bottom-ranked Namika Lahti was beaten by Korihait on the road 99-82.

Nilan Bisons - Kataja 88-86

The most crucial game of the last round was another loss of top-ranked Joensuun Kataja (25-8) on the court of second ranked Loimaan Korikonkarit on Thursday night. Visitors were edged by Loimaan Korikonkarit 88-86. It may be a crucial game in the contest for the top position in the league. Joensuun Kataja trailed by 11 points after 3 quarters before a 27-18 run in the last quarter cut the deficit to 86-88 at the end of the game. It was a good game for American guard Jeb Ivey (190-80, college: Portland St.) who led his team to a victory with 30 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists (on 11-of-13 shooting from the field). The other American import guard Martin Zeno (196-85, college: Texas Tech) contributed with a double-double by scoring 19 points and 13 rebounds for the winners. American swingman Jared Newson (195-84, college: Tenn-Martin, agency: Pro One Sports) replied with 25 points and 9 rebounds and the former international swingman Samuel Haanpaa (203-86) added 16 points and 7 rebounds in the effort for Joensuun Kataja. Both teams had four players each who scored in double figures. Loimaan Korikonkarit have a solid four-game winning streak. They maintain second position with 24-8 record behind leader Kataja. Joensuun Kataja lost third consecutive game. Joensuun Kataja at the other side still keeps top place with eight games lost. Loimaan Korikonkarit are looking forward to face Kauhajoen Karhu (#4) in Kauhajoki in the next round. Joensuun Kataja will play at home against UU-Korihait in Uusikaupunki and is hoping to win this game.
Top scorers:
Nilan Bisons: J.Ivey 30+5reb+4ast, M.Zeno 19+13reb+3ast, E.Aaltonen 14+3reb, M.Koivisto 12+2reb+1ast, M.Nuutinen 8+3reb+2ast, V.Makalainen 3+9reb+4ast
Kataja: J.Newson 25+9reb+2ast, A.Kanervo 17+2reb, S.Haanpaa 16+7reb, S.Lehtoranta 13+4reb+2ast, B.Walker 7+3reb+6ast, P.Virtanen 4+4ast

Kouvot - LrNMKY 71-89

The game between 10th ranked Kouvot (11-21) and ninth ranked LrNMKY (12-20) in Kouvola ended with biggest points difference. Guests from Lappeenranta beat Kouvot 89-71. Kouvot was ahead by 9 points at the halftime before a 50-23 second half run of LrNMKY. They dominated down low during the game scoring 52 of its points in the paint compared to Kouvot's 32. They outrebounded Kouvot 33-19 including 21 on the defensive glass. American players dominated also this game. The best player for the winners was forward Tyler Tiedeman (201-85, college: Boise St., agency: Interperformances) who scored 29 points and 6 rebounds. Guard DeAndre Haynes (187-84, college: Kent St., agency: Court Side) chipped in a double-double by scoring 17 points and 10 assists. Four LrNMKY players scored in double figures. At the other side the best for losing team was guard Josh Gonner (188-82, college: S.Carolina) who recorded 22 points and guard Antoine Jordan (196-83, college: Siena) added 12 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists respectively. LrNMKY moved-up to eighth place, which they share with Korihait. Kouvot at the other side keeps the tenth position with 21 games lost. LrNMKY's next round opponent will be higher ranked Salon Vilpas (#7) at home and it may be quite challenging game.
Top scorers:
LrNMKY: T.Tiedeman 29+6reb+3ast, D.Haynes 17+4reb+10ast, L.Hamm 15+6reb+1ast, V.Vanjoki 10+9reb, P.Riihela 8+5reb, H.Valimaa 5+2reb
Kouvot: J.Gonner 22+2reb+1ast, A.Nikkarinen 13+3ast, A.Jordan 12+7reb+4ast, A.Perttu 9+2reb+1ast, I.Seppala 7+1reb, A.Brown 4+3reb+1ast

Nilan Bisons - Pyrinto 80-79

A very close game took place in Loimaa between Loimaan Korikonkarit and Tampereen Pyrinto. Second ranked Loimaan Korikonkarit (24-8) got a very close home victory over one of their biggest challengers Tampereen Pyrinto (22-11). Loimaan Korikonkarit managed to escape with a 1-point win 80-79 in the fight for the second place. It ended at the same time the nine-game winning streak of Tampereen Pyrinto. The hosts trailed by 4 points at the halftime before their 43-38 charge in the second half, which allowed them to win the game. American players dominated the game. The winners were led by guard Martin Zeno (196-85, college: Texas Tech) who had that evening a double-double by scoring 13 points, 13 rebounds and 5 assists and guard Jeb Ivey (190-80, college: Portland St.) supported him with 18 points and 4 assists. Five Loimaan Korikonkarit players scored in double figures. Even a double-double of 18 points, 10 rebounds and 5 assists by forward Damon Williams (201-73, college: Colorado St.-Pueblo) did not help to save the game for Tampereen Pyrinto. Forward Antwine Williams (192-75, college: N.Colorado, agency: Prossin Sports Management) added 15 points and 9 rebounds. Loimaan Korikonkarit have a solid four-game winning streak. They maintain second position with 24-8 record behind leader Kataja. Defending champion Tampereen Pyrinto keeps the third place with 11 games lost. Loimaan Korikonkarit will meet Kauhajoen Karhu (#4) in the next round. Tampereen Pyrinto will play against Torpan Pojat in Helsinki and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Nilan Bisons: J.Ivey 18+1reb+4ast, V.Makalainen 16+3reb, M.Nuutinen 14+3reb, M.Zeno 13+13reb+5ast, M.Koivisto 12+3reb, M.Nunnally 5+2reb+1ast
Pyrinto: K.Lowe 19+3reb, D.Williams 18+10reb+5ast, A.Williams 15+9reb+1ast, A.Lehto 9+1reb+1ast, A.Nikkila 9+7reb+1ast, J.Niemi 7+1reb+1ast

Salon Vilpas - Kataja 76-74

Important game to mention about took place in Salon. Seventh ranked Salon Vilpas (13-20) saved a 2-point victory at home edging top-ranked Joensuun Kataja (25-8) 76-74 on Friday evening. It was quite big embarassment for the guest team. Salon Vilpas forced 20 Joensuun Kataja turnovers. Joensuun Kataja was plagued by 26 personal fouls down the stretch. Worth to mention a great performance of American forward Allen Durham (198-88, college: Grace Bible) who helped to win the game recording a double-double by scoring 16 points and 18 rebounds and center Mikael Sandberg (210-91) who added 17 points and 8 rebounds during the contest. Durham is a former Eurobasket Summer League player, which is considered top international summer league in the market. The best for the losing side was American swingman Jared Newson (195-84, college: Tenn-Martin, agency: Pro One Sports) with 20 points and 9 rebounds and international guard Petri Virtanen (183-80) scored 14 points and 5 assists. Both teams had four players each who scored in double figures. Salon Vilpas maintains seventh position with 13-20 record. Joensuun Kataja lost third consecutive game. Joensuun Kataja at the other side still keeps top place with eight games lost. Salon Vilpas will play against LrNMKY (#8) in Lappeenranta in the next round. Joensuun Kataja will play at home against UU-Korihait (#9) in Uusikaupunki and hopes to get back on the winning track.
Top scorers:
Salon Vilpas: M.Sandberg 17+8reb+2ast, E.Holloway 17+4reb+4ast, A.Durham 16+18reb+3ast, R.Ahonen 14+3reb+2ast, K.Brace 4+3reb+2ast, J.Savolainen 3+2reb
Kataja: J.Newson 20+9reb+3ast, P.Virtanen 14+3reb+5ast, S.Lehtoranta 13+3reb, B.Walker 12+4reb+4ast, S.Haanpaa 8+10reb+2ast, A.Kanervo 3+3reb+1ast

Korihait - Namika Lahti 99-82

The game between closely ranked teams ended with tenth ranked UU-Korihait's (12-20) home victory over bottom-ranked Namika Lahti (8-25) in Uusikaupunki 99-82. The game was mostly controlled by UU-Korihait. Namika Lahti was better in fourth 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 American swingman Nigel Moore (195-81, college: Alabama A&M) who had a double-double by scoring 20 points, 12 rebounds and 6 assists. The other American import swingman Jonathan Heard (198-86) chipped in 21 points and 9 rebounds. UU-Korihait's coach Tom Westerholm allowed to play the deep bench players saving starting five for next games. At the other side the best for losing team was American guard Malik Moore (192-77, college: Amer.Internat., agency: Prossin Sports Management) who recorded 19 points and 7 assists and forward Sami Pekkola (200-83) added 19 points and 8 rebounds respectively. Five UU-Korihait and four Namika Lahti players scored in double figures. UU-Korihait moved-up to eighth place, which they share with LrNMKY. Namika Lahti lost third consecutive game. They stay dead last with 25 lost games. UU-Korihait's next round opponent will be league's leader Joensuun Kataja on the road and they do not belong to the favorites in that game. Namika Lahti will play against KTP-Basket (#6) in Kotka.
Top scorers:
Korihait: J.Heard 21+9reb+1ast, N.Moore 20+12reb+6ast, M.Jalonen 17+4reb+8ast, C.Latimer 17+3reb+2ast, P.Heinonen 15+1reb+2ast, P.Rainamaa 5
Namika Lahti: M.Moore 19+3reb+7ast, S.Pekkola 19+8reb, J.Vanttaja 13+2reb, R.Suonio 13+4reb+1ast, R.Brooks 8+7reb+4ast, B.Bailey 6+3reb+2ast

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

FRANCE

Standings - ProA

ProA Standings

1. Chalon		17-3
2. Gravelines		17-3
3. Paris-Levallois		14-6
4. Orleans		13-7
5. Nancy		13-7
6. Le Mans		12-8
7. ASVEL		10-10
8. Roanne		9-11
9. Dijon		9-11
10. Cholet		9-11
11. Strasbourg		8-11
12. Nanterre		8-11
13. Le Havre		6-14
14. Poitiers		6-14
15. Pau-Lacq-Orthez		6-14
16. Hyeres-Toulon		2-18

Standings - ProB

ProB Standings

1. Boulazac		19-5
2. Limoges		19-5
3. Chalons-Reims		17-7
4. Fos Ouest		16-8
5. Maurienne		15-9
6. Lille		13-11
7. Boulogne		12-12
8. Bordeaux		12-12
9. St Vallier		11-13
10. Nantes		11-13
11. Bourg		11-13
12. Antibes		10-14
13. Denain		10-14
14. Le Portel		10-14
15. Evreux		10-14
16. Rouen		9-15
17. Quimper		6-18
18. Vichy		5-19
19. St Etienne		0-0

Stats Leaders - ProA

Points Per Game

Eric CHATFIELD
  Paris-.
  (191-G-79)
  Avg: 21.9

1. Chatfield, Paris-.	21.9
2. Rochestie, Le Mans	19.2
3. Hamilton, Paris-.	17.2
4. Gipson, Pau-Lacq.	16.9
5. Williams, Paris-.	16.6
6. Causeur, Cholet	16.6
7. Cox, Le Havre	15.8
8. Schilb, Chalon	15.4
9. Ray, Pau-Lacq.	15.2
10. Wise, Le Havre	15.1

Rebounds Per Game

Chinemelu ELONU
  Pau-Lacq.
  (206-F/C-87)
  Avg: 8.6

1. Elonu, Pau-Lacq.	8.6
2. Hamilton, Paris-.	8.3
3. Akingbala, Nancy	7.7
4. Greer, Strasbourg	7.6
5. Aminu, Chalon	7.5
6. Armstrong, AS.	7.2
7. Allen, Strasbourg	7.2
8. Falker, Cholet	7.0
9. Nsonwu-Amadi, Roa.	6.9
10. Vebobe, Cholet	6.8

Assists Per Game

Kareem REID
  Hyeres-Toulon
  (178-PG-75)
  Avg: 7.6

1. Reid, Hyeres-Toulon	7.6
2. Rochestie, Le Mans	6.8
3. Parker, AS.	6.3
4. Wise, Le Havre	5.8
5. Linehan, Nancy	5.4
6. Pellin, Orleans	5.3
7. Dixon, Dijon	5.1
8. Barrett, Roanne	4.9
9. Schilb, Chalon	4.8
10. Gipson, Pau-Lacq.	4.7

Steals Per Game

Andrew ALBICY
  Gravelines
  (178-PG-90)
  Avg: 2.5

1. Albicy, Gravelines	2.5
2. Batum, Nancy	2.1
3. Linehan, Nancy	2.1
4. Wise, Le Havre	1.9
5. Riley, Nanterre	1.9
6. Melody, Dijon	1.9
7. Acker, Le Mans	1.8
8. Pellin, Orleans	1.8
9. Fournier, Poitiers	1.7
10. Gipson, Pau-Lacq.	1.7

Blocks Per Game

Alexis AJINCA
  Strasbourg
  (215-C-88)
  Avg: 2.2

1. Ajinca, Strasbourg	2.2
2. Falker, Cholet	1.6
3. Akingbala, Nancy	1.1
4. Batum, Nancy	1.1
5. Issa, Gravelines	1.1
6. Hamilton, Paris-.	1.1
7. Gobert, Cholet	1.1
8. Williams, Paris-.	1.0
9. Nichols, Cholet	1.0
10. Elonu, Pau-Lacq.	0.9

Stats Leaders - ProB

Points Per Game

Chris DAVIS
  Le Portel
  (195-F/G-80)
  Avg: 18.7

1. Davis, Le Portel	18.7
2. Sonko, Bourg	18.5
3. Siggers, Rouen	17.5
4. Denave, St Vallier	17.2
5. Wood, Evreux	16.3
6. Paelay, Quimper	16.3
7. Prowell, St Vallier	15.6
8. Barro, Bourg	15.5
9. Brown, Maurienne	15.5
10. Monroe, Boulazac	15.5

Rebounds Per Game

Christophe MASSIE
  Limoges
  (206-C/F-77)
  Avg: 11.8

1. Massie, Limoges	11.8
2. Wood, Evreux	11.5
3. Monroe, Boulazac	9.5
4. Osby, Maurienne	9.5
5. Badiane, Antibes	9.3
6. Rossiter, Denain	9.2
7. Allen, Antibes	8.9
8. Barro, Bourg	8.8
9. Daniels, Chalons-.	8.5
10. Badiane, Nantes	8.3

Assists Per Game

Ronnie TAYLOR
  Le Portel
  (188-PG-81)
  Avg: 7.5

1. Taylor, Le Portel	7.5
2. Rowland, Evreux	5.7
3. Copeland, Bourg	5.4
4. Patiejunas, Rouen	5.3
5. Darnauzan, Mauri.	5.2
6. Mullins, Chalons-.	5.0
7. Mouillard, Quimper	4.9
8. Darrigand, Bordeaux	4.9
9. Denave, St Vallier	4.8
10. Choquet, Fos Oue.	4.4

Steals Per Game

Chris MCCRAY
  Boulogne
  (196-G/F-84)
  Avg: 2.6

1. McCray, Boulogne	2.6
2. Charles, Nantes	2.6
3. Paelay, Quimper	2.1
4. Shiloh, St Vallier	2.1
5. Flowers, Vichy	2.0
6. Allen, Antibes	2.0
7. Rowland, Evreux	1.8
8. Taylor, Le Portel	1.8
9. Eito, Vichy	1.8
10. Denave, St Vallier	1.8

Blocks Per Game

Moussa BADIANE
  Antibes
  (205-C-81)
  Avg: 2.1

1. Badiane, Antibes	2.1
2. Gay, Fos Ouest	1.7
3. Jefferson, Vichy	1.7
4. Badiane, Antibes	1.6
5. Osby, Maurienne	1.6
6. Ford, Bordeaux	1.2
7. Massie, Limoges	1.1
8. Prowell, St Vallier	0.9
9. Fields, Nantes	0.9
10. Daniels, Chalons-.	0.9

ProB Round 24: Leader Boulazac Basket loses to SO Maritime Boulogne - by Eurobasket News
There were many interesting games last round. The round ended with defeat of the leader, favorites losing the games and games ending by tiny margin.

Top ranked Boulazac Basket (19-5) recorded its fifth loss at the home court on Saturday night. Hosts were defeated by ninth ranked SO Maritime Boulogne (12-12) 83-75. It ended at the same time the two-game winning streak of Boulazac Basket. The guests trailed by 1 point after three quarters before their 29-20 charge, which allowed them to win the game. SO Maritime Boulogne forced 19 Boulazac Basket turnovers. 25 personal fouls committed by Boulazac Basket helped opponents get some easy free throw opportunities. The best player for the winners was American Corey Rouse (204-84, college: E.Carolina, agency: Court Side) who had a double-double by scoring 14 points and 13 rebounds. point guard Jonathan Rousselle (190-90) chipped in 13 points and 5 assists. At the other side the best for losing team was American power forward Darryl Monroe (202-86, college: George Mason) who recorded a double-double by scoring 20 points and 15 rebounds. Boulazac Basket's coach rotated ten players in this game, but that didn't help. SO Maritime Boulogne moved-up to seventh place, which they share with Bordeaux. Boulazac Basket at the other side still keeps top position with five games lost. They share it with Limoges. SO Maritime Boulogne is looking forward to face higher ranked Chalons-Reims (#3) at home in the next round and it may be quite challenging game. Boulazac Basket will play against Saint Vallier and is hoping to win this game.
Very important is a road loss of second ranked Limoges CSP Elite (19-5) against fifteenth ranked Denain Voltaire (10-14) on Friday night. Visiting Limoges CSP Elite was defeated by Denain Voltaire in a tough game in Denain 85-90. It ended at the same time the nine-game winning streak of Limoges CSP Elite. It was a good game for American guard Nate Rohnert (197-87, college: Denver) who led his team to a victory with 22 points and 5 assists. Lamine Kante contributed with 18 points and 4 assists for the winners. American power forward Christophe Massie (206-77, college: Memphis, agency: Court Side) replied with a double-double by scoring 19 points and 13 rebounds (on 8-of-9 shooting from the field) for Limoges CSP Elite. Limoges CSP Elite's coach tested ten players, but that didn't help to avoid defeat in this game. Denain Voltaire moved-up to twelfth place, which they share with 3 other teams. Limoges CSP Elite at the other side still keeps top position with five games lost. They share it with Boulazac. Denain Voltaire will play against Olympique Antibes (#12) on the road in the next round. Limoges CSP Elite will play against Lille Metropole (#6) and hopes to get back on the winning track.
The game in Nantes was also quite interesting. Seventh ranked Lille Metropole (13-11) played at the court of 8th ranked Nantes (11-13). Lille Metropole managed to secure a 8-point victory 73-65 on Friday. Worth to mention a great performance of Steffon Bradford who helped to win the game recording 17 points and 6 rebounds. Lille Metropole's coach Fabien Romeyer used a ten-player rotation which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. The best for the losing side was Jerald Fields with 14 points, 9 rebounds and 4 assists. Lille Metropole moved-up to sixth place. Loser Nantes dropped to the ninth position with 13 games lost. They share it with Bourg and St Vallier. Lille Metropole will meet league's second-placed Limoges CSP Elite on the road in the next round and it may be quite challenging game. Nantes will play against Aix-Maurienne (#5) in Aix-les-Bains and hope to secure a win.
A very interesting game took place in Quimper. It ended with only three-point defeat on the road of higher ranked ALM Evreux (10-14) to seventeenth ranked Quimper UJAP (6-18) 77-74 on Saturday evening. It was quite big embarassment for the guest team. The winners were led by Aurelien Salmon who scored that evening 17 points and 5 rebounds. Quimper UJAP maintains seventeenth position with 6-18 record. ALM Evreux at the other side keeps the twelfth place with 14 games lost. Quimper UJAP's next round opponent will be JA Vichy (#18) on the road.
We should mention about the upset which took place in Saint Vallier, where higher ranked Bordeaux (12-12) lost to eleventh ranked Saint Vallier (11-13) in a road game 78-84 on Saturday. The best player for the winners was LaQuan Prowell who scored 18 points and 8 rebounds. Saint Vallier moved-up to ninth place, which they share with Bourg and Nantes. Newly promoted Bordeaux keeps the seventh position with 12 games lost. Saint Vallier will face league's leader Boulazac Basket at home in the next round and they do not belong to the favorites in that game.

Rest of the games of round 24 were quite predictable and ended without any surprises. Here they are:
Chalons-Reims defeated Rouen in a road game 83-77. Vichy beat Bourg at home 77-70. Antibes lost to Fos Ouest on the opponent's court 64-70. Le Portel unfortunately lost to Maurienne in a home game 75-89.
The best stats of 24th round was 20 points and 16 rebounds by Jeremiah Wood of Evreux.

Nantes - Lille 65-73

The game in Nantes was also quite interesting. Seventh ranked Lille Metropole (13-11) played at the court of 8th ranked Nantes (11-13). Lille Metropole managed to secure a 8-point victory 73-65 on Friday. Worth to mention a great performance of American power forward Steffon Bradford (199-78, college: Nebraska, agency: Pro Partner Sports Management) who helped to win the game recording 17 points and 6 rebounds and the other American import Steve Smith (200-81, college: Iona) who added 12 points and 9 rebounds during the contest. Lille Metropole's coach Fabien Romeyer used a ten-player rotation which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. The best for the losing side was American power forward Jerald Fields (201-82, college: E.Tenn.St.) with 14 points, 9 rebounds and 4 assists and naturalized American guard David Fergerson (185-78, college: St.Louis) scored 12 points. Lille Metropole moved-up to sixth place. Loser Nantes dropped to the ninth position with 13 games lost. They share it with Bourg and St Vallier. Lille Metropole will meet league's second-placed Limoges CSP Elite on the road in the next round and it may be quite challenging game. Nantes will play against Aix-Maurienne (#5) in Aix-les-Bains and hope to secure a win.
Top scorers:
Nantes: J.Fields 14+9reb+4ast, D.Fergerson 12+4reb+3ast, M.Badiane 8+3reb+1ast, N.Gayon 7+4reb+1ast, K.Idomenee 7+2reb, M.Drame 7+3reb
Lille: B.Gillet 19+1reb+1ast, S.Bradford 17+6reb+3ast, S.Smith 12+9reb+1ast, M.Tensorer 8+3reb, A.Rigaux 6+3reb+1ast, J.Sauret 4+3reb+1ast

Rouen - Chalons-Reims 77-83

There was no surprise when 16th ranked SPO Rouen (9-15) was defeated at home by third ranked Chalons-Reims (17-7) 83-77 on Saturday. The guests trailed by 6 points at the halftime before their 47-35 charge in the second half, which allowed them to win the game. SPO Rouen was plagued by 25 personal fouls down the stretch. The best player for the winners was American Chris Daniels (200-82, college: Georgia, agency: Limelight Hoops) who had a double-double by scoring 18 points and 11 rebounds. American-Irish point guard Bryan Mullins (185-87, college: S.Illinois) chipped in 14 points. At the other side the best for losing team was American Jason Siggers (189-85, college: Albany) who recorded 24 points (went 9 for 9 at the free throw line !!!) and his fellow American import power forward Alex Dunn (210-82, college: Wyoming) added 17 points and 10 rebounds (went 7 for 7 at the free throw line) respectively. Both teams had four players each who scored in double figures. Chalons-Reims maintains third position with 17-7 record having just two points less than leader Boulazac. Loser SPO Rouen keeps the sixteenth place with 15 games lost. Chalons-Reims will face SO Maritime Boulogne (#7) on the road in the next round. SPO Rouen will play against ALM Evreux (#15) and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Rouen: J.Siggers 24+4reb+1ast, A.Dunn 17+10reb+1ast, P.Poupet 10+4ast, S.Dia 10+4reb, T.Maizeroi 8+3reb+1ast, C.Bronchard 3+7reb
Chalons-Reims: C.Daniels 18+11reb+1ast, R.Mels 15+1reb, B.Mullins 14+4reb+3ast, E.Plateau 13+5reb+2ast, N.Carter 11+4reb, K.Corre 7+9reb+4ast

St Vallier - Bordeaux 84-78

We should mention about the upset which took place in Saint Vallier, where higher ranked Bordeaux (12-12) lost to eleventh ranked Saint Vallier (11-13) in a road game 78-84 on Saturday. Bordeaux trailed by 12 points after 3 quarters before a 24-18 run in the last quarter cut the deficit to 78-84 at the end of the game. The best player for the winners was American LaQuan Prowell (203-84, college: Auburn, agency: Z.A.G. - Law Offices) who scored 18 points and 8 rebounds. David Denave (195-85) chipped in 12 points, 6 rebounds and 7 assists. At the other side the best for losing team was American guard Christopher Dunn (189-83, college: W.Virginia St.) who recorded 19 points and 5 assists and his fellow American import power forward Kurt Cunningham (204-87, college: Boise St.) added 19 points respectively. Both teams had four players each who scored in double figures. Saint Vallier moved-up to ninth place, which they share with Bourg and Nantes. Newly promoted Bordeaux keeps the seventh position with 12 games lost. Saint Vallier will face league's leader Boulazac Basket at home in the next round and they do not belong to the favorites in that game.
Top scorers:
Bordeaux: K.Cunningham 19+4reb+1ast, C.Dunn 19+3reb+5ast, G.Darrigand 13+2ast, J.Ford 12+5reb, M.Doubal 10+1ast, S.Driss 2+10reb+7ast
St Vallier: L.Prowell 18+8reb, S.Barrett 15+1reb+1ast, D.Denave 12+6reb+7ast, K.Shiloh 11+7reb+4ast, F.Tortosa 10+1reb+1ast, H.Disy 8+4reb+1ast

Quimper - Evreux 77-74

A very interesting game took place in Quimper. It ended with only three-point defeat on the road of higher ranked ALM Evreux (10-14) to seventeenth ranked Quimper UJAP (6-18) 77-74 on Saturday evening. It was quite big embarassment for the guest team. The hosts were ahead by 6 points but lost the second period ending it with a 4-point deficit before their 23-16 run, which allowed them to win the game. The winners were led by Aurelien Salmon (204-87) who scored that evening 17 points and 5 rebounds and Liberian-American Pele Paelay (193-84, college: Co.Carolina) supported him with 11 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists. Paelay is a former Eurobasket Summer League player, which is considered top international summer league in the market. Even a double-double of 20 points and 16 rebounds (on 8-of-10 shooting from the field) by American power forward Jeremiah Wood (200-85, agency: Court Side) did not help to save the game for ALM Evreux. His fellow American import point guard Austen Rowland (186-81, college: Lehigh, agency: Court Side) added 12 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists. Both teams had four players each who scored in double figures. Quimper UJAP maintains seventeenth position with 6-18 record. ALM Evreux at the other side keeps the twelfth place with 14 games lost. Quimper UJAP's next round opponent will be JA Vichy (#18) on the road.
Top scorers:
Evreux: J.Wood 20+16reb+3ast, D.Reed 14+6reb+2ast, L.Konate 13+1reb+1ast, A.Rowland 12+5reb+5ast, G.Florimont 8+4reb, S.Ho You Fat 4+2reb
Quimper: A.McCoy 19+2ast, A.Salmon 17+5reb+2ast, N.Roche 13+4reb+1ast, P.Paelay 11+7reb+4ast, A.Mendy 6+2reb+3ast, B.Doumbe 6+2reb+2ast

Vichy - Bourg 77-70

There was a surprise result when eighteenth ranked JA Vichy (5-19) defeated at home higher ranked JL Bourg (11-13) 77-70 on Saturday. The hosts trailed by 1 point at the halftime before their 48-40 charge in the second half, which allowed them to win the game. Great defensive blocking was one of the keys in this match when JA Vichy made 9 blocks. The best player for the winners was guard Mathieu Guichard (188-88) who scored 21 points and 6 assists. Naturalized Ivorian swingman Wilfrid Aka (192-79) chipped in 19 points. Four JA Vichy players scored in double figures. At the other side the best for losing team was the former international swingman Cedric Ferchaud (195-80) who recorded 18 points and naturalized Greek guard Angelo Tsagarakis (190-84) added 14 points respectively. JL Bourg's coach let to play ten players, but that didn't help to avoid defeat in this game. JA Vichy maintains eighteenth position with 5-19 record. JL Bourg lost third consecutive game. They dropped to the ninth place with 13 games lost. JA Vichy will face higher ranked Quimper UJAP (#17) at home in the next round and it may be quite challenging game.
Top scorers:
Bourg: C.Ferchaud 18+4reb+3ast, A.Tsagarakis 14+3reb, J.Cornley 10+5reb+1ast, R.Chery 9+2reb, D.Copeland 7+2reb+6ast, I.Koma 6+5reb+1ast
Vichy: M.Guichard 21+2reb+6ast, W.Aka 19+3reb+1ast, D.Coleman 13+6reb, A.Eito 11+3reb+5ast, M.Jefferson 8+2reb+1ast, N.Faye Djobo 3+7reb+1ast

Denain - Limoges 90-85

Very important is a road loss of second ranked Limoges CSP Elite (19-5) against fifteenth ranked Denain Voltaire (10-14) on Friday night. Visiting Limoges CSP Elite was defeated by Denain Voltaire in a tough game in Denain 85-90. It ended at the same time the nine-game winning streak of Limoges CSP Elite. The hosts were already 13 points ahead after 3 quarters before a 24-16 Limoges CSP Elite's run in the last quarter cut the lead to 90-85 at the end of the game. Denain Voltaire forced 19 Limoges CSP Elite turnovers. Their players were unselfish on offense dishing 22 assists. It was a good game for American guard Nate Rohnert (197-87, college: Denver) who led his team to a victory with 22 points and 5 assists. Lamine Kante (200-87) contributed with 18 points and 4 assists for the winners. American power forward Christophe Massie (206-77, college: Memphis, agency: Court Side) replied with a double-double by scoring 19 points and 13 rebounds (on 8-of-9 shooting from the field) and naturalized Mali Sambou Traore (199-79) added 21 points and 5 rebounds (on 9-of-10 shooting from the field) in the effort for Limoges CSP Elite. Five Denain Voltaire and four Limoges CSP Elite players scored in double figures. Limoges CSP Elite's coach tested ten players, but that didn't help to avoid defeat in this game. Denain Voltaire moved-up to twelfth place, which they share with 3 other teams. Limoges CSP Elite at the other side still keeps top position with five games lost. They share it with Boulazac. Denain Voltaire will play against Olympique Antibes (#12) on the road in the next round. Limoges CSP Elite will play against Lille Metropole (#6) and hopes to get back on the winning track.
Top scorers:
Limoges: S.Traore 21+5reb+3ast, C.Massie 19+13reb+1ast, R.Desroses 15+3reb+4ast, K.McAlarney 10+2reb+2ast, J.Gomis 8+2reb+1ast, J.Mipoka 7+2reb+1ast
Denain: N.Rohnert 22+4reb+5ast, L.Kante 18+3reb+4ast, R.Rossiter 13+6reb+3ast, J.James 12+9reb+4ast, X.Gaillou 11+2reb+4ast, A.Aboubakar Zaki 8

Boulazac - Boulogne 75-83

Top ranked Boulazac Basket (19-5) recorded its fifth loss at the home court on Saturday night. Hosts were defeated by ninth ranked SO Maritime Boulogne (12-12) 83-75. It ended at the same time the two-game winning streak of Boulazac Basket. The guests trailed by 1 point after three quarters before their 29-20 charge, which allowed them to win the game. SO Maritime Boulogne forced 19 Boulazac Basket turnovers. 25 personal fouls committed by Boulazac Basket helped opponents get some easy free throw opportunities. The best player for the winners was American Corey Rouse (204-84, college: E.Carolina, agency: Court Side) who had a double-double by scoring 14 points and 13 rebounds. point guard Jonathan Rousselle (190-90) chipped in 13 points and 5 assists. At the other side the best for losing team was American power forward Darryl Monroe (202-86, college: George Mason) who recorded a double-double by scoring 20 points and 15 rebounds and his fellow American import Amadi McKenzie (201-86) added 10 points and 10 rebounds respectively. Four Boulazac Basket players scored in double figures. Boulazac Basket's coach rotated ten players in this game, but that didn't help. SO Maritime Boulogne moved-up to seventh place, which they share with Bordeaux. Boulazac Basket at the other side still keeps top position with five games lost. They share it with Limoges. SO Maritime Boulogne is looking forward to face higher ranked Chalons-Reims (#3) at home in the next round and it may be quite challenging game. Boulazac Basket will play against Saint Vallier and is hoping to win this game.
Top scorers:
Boulazac: D.Monroe 20+15reb+2ast, R.Ayers 12+1reb+1ast, T.Dubiez 12+2reb+3ast, A.McKenzie 10+10reb+1ast, S.Njoya 8+6reb+4ast, F.Adjiwanou 6+1ast
Boulogne: Z.Bah 15+1reb+2ast, C.Rouse 14+13reb, J.Rousselle 13+4reb+5ast, T.Stanley 9+2reb+1ast, J.Mathis 9+6reb+1ast, M.Le Pellec 8+5reb+2ast

Fos Ouest - Antibes 70-64

Very expected game when 11th ranked Olympique Antibes (10-14) was defeated on the road by fourth ranked Fos Ouest (16-8) 70-64 on Friday. However just six-point win is not that big difference and the fans of host team counted on more convincing victory. The hosts took control from the first minutes by winning the initial quarter 24-17. But Olympique Antibes won second period 19-14. However it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. The best player for the winners was Jamaican-American Sherman Gay (201-82, college: Loyola Mary) who scored 16 points and 5 rebounds. Naturalized Algerian swingman Karim Atamna (194-80) chipped in 6 points, 8 rebounds and 7 assists. At the other side the best for losing team was American point guard Trevor Huffman (185-79, college: Kent St., agency: Interperformances) who recorded 11 points and 4 assists and naturalized Senegalese center Moussa Badiane (205-81, college: E.Carolina) added 10 points and 6 rebounds respectively. Five Olympique Antibes players scored in double figures. Fos Ouest maintains fourth position with 16-8 record. Loser Olympique Antibes dropped to the twelfth place with 14 games lost. Fos Ouest will face JL Bourg (#11) on the road in the next round and are hoping to win another game. Olympique Antibes will play against Denain Voltaire and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Antibes: T.Huffman 11+3reb+4ast, L.Bengaber 11+4reb+1ast, M.Courby 11+2reb, B.Monclar 10+5reb+1ast, M.Badiane 10+6reb+1ast, F.Prenom 6+4reb+1ast
Fos Ouest: S.Gay 16+5reb+2ast, R.Roby 13+6reb+1ast, B.Clark 12+3reb+4ast, M.Dia 9+2reb, K.Atamna 6+8reb+7ast, S.Giffa 6+4reb+1ast

Le Portel - Maurienne 75-89

Very predictable result when fifth ranked Aix-Maurienne (15-9) beat on the road 13th ranked Le Portel (10-14) 89-75 on Friday. The game without a history. Aix-Maurienne led from the first minutes and controlled entire game increasing their lead in each quarter. They made 16-of-19 free shots (84.2 percent) during the game. The best player for the winners was American-DR Congolese power forward Bambale Osby (203-86, college: Maryland) who had a double-double by scoring 16 points and 17 rebounds. American Wilbert Brown (199-84, college: Niagara, agency: Z.A.G. - Law Offices) chipped in 23 points and 5 rebounds. Osby is a former Eurobasket Summer League player, which is considered top international summer league in the market. Aix-Maurienne's coach Antoine Michon allowed to play the deep bench players saving starting five for next games. At the other side the best for losing team was American swingman Chris Davis (195-80, college: N.Texas, agency: Court Side) who recorded 23 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists and his fellow American import point guard Ronnie Taylor (188-81, college: NC-Greensboro, agency: Court Side) added 11 points and 11 assists respectively. Aix-Maurienne maintains fifth position with 15-9 record. Loser Le Portel dropped to the twelfth place with 14 games lost. Aix-Maurienne will face Nantes (#10) at home in the next round where they are favorite. Le Portel will play against Bordeaux.
Top scorers:
Le Portel: C.Davis 23+7reb+4ast, R.Taylor 11+4reb+11ast, G.Leburgue 8+2reb, J.Ludon 8+3reb, I.Sy 7+4reb, M.Labeyrie 7+2reb+1ast
Maurienne: W.Brown 23+5reb+1ast, B.Osby 16+17reb+1ast, D.Tucker 12+3reb, J.Ekanga-Ehawa 9+6reb+2ast, S.Darnauzan 8+2reb+3ast, M.Traore 5+4reb+1ast

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GEORGIA

News from abroad - by Eurobasket News
Georgian guard Manuchar Markoishvili (196-G-86) put on an extraordinary performance in the last round for Bennet Cantu, receiving a Eurobasket.com Player of the Week award for round 6 (Top 16).
The 25-year old player was the main contributor (32 points, two rebounds and two assists) to his team's victory, helping them to beat Zalgiris 77-71. Markoishvili had a remarkable 57.1% from 2-point range and got five three-pointers out of 10 attempts. He has many years of experience at Bennet Cantu, through which he has constantly improved. Manuchar Markoishvili averages this season 9.1ppg.
Meanwhile Canadian Solar Bologna forward Viktor Sanikidze (203-F-86, agency: World Sport Agency) injured his left ankle during practice. The Georgian player left the practice using crutches and will probably miss the next Serie A game against Cimberio Varese. The doctors are evaluating him and in the next hours the timeline for his recovery will be known. Sanikidze actually is the best rebounder (10,7 rpg) of the Italian league averaging also 13 points per game.

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GERMANY

Dane Watts (ratiopharm Ulm) Braunschweig Didnt Give Up Until The Buzzer Sounded In Our First Game - by Miles Schmidt-Scheuber
Dane Watts (203-F-86, agency: Pro One Sports) is a 25 year old 203cm forward from Warrensburg, Missouri. He is playing his first season for ratiopharm Ulm. He played at Creighton (NCAA) from 2004-2008 with NBA player Anthony Tolliver. In his senior year, he played 33 games: 11.3ppg, 6.4rpg, 1.0apg, FGP: 53.4%, 3Pts: 42.5%, FT: 71.8%. In 2008, he came to Germany and started his professional basketball career with EnBW Ludwigsburg (Germany-1.Bundesliga, starting five): 32 games: 8.9ppg, 3.8rpg, FGP-1 (68.4%), 3PT: 30.8%, FT: 68.7%. In 2009-2010, he came to The Walter Tigers Tuebingen playing 34 games: 10.2ppg, 5.4rpg, 1.5apg, FGP: 57.1%, 3PT: 37.6%, FT: 71.0%. Last season for Tuebingen, he played 33 games: 13.7ppg, Reb-4 (7.6rpg), 1.1apg, 1.2spg, FGP: 57.9%, 3PT: 36.7%, FT: 54.5%; in May'11 moved to Hyeres-Toulon Var Basket (France-ProA): 3 games: 7.0ppg, 6.3rpg, 1.7apg, 1.0spg. At Creighton, he won awards such as MVC Tournament Winner -05, 07, MVC All-Freshman Team -05, MVC Regular Season Runner-Up -07, and MVC Tournament Semifinals -08. He spoke to eurobasket before their game against the New Yorker Phantoms Braunschweig march 3rd.

ratiopharm Ulm have lost Rocky Trice for 6-8 weeks. How big of a loss is this for the team?

Rocky was playing really well over the last two months for us, he was giving us a big lift on defense and rebounding from the guard spot.

The team obviously have a deep roster, but how will the club want to compensate this loss best?

We can move Steve Esterkamp back to his natural position now that I am back playing. It will be a collective effort from the 1-3 spot.

ratiopharm Ulm today also announced the arrival of Artur Kolodziejski who will head the ratiopharm academy. What do you remember most from his play on the court when he helped Bonn reach the beko BBL final 3 times?

I remember him being a tough perimeter defender.

ratiopharm Ulm heads home for a new home game this weekend against the New Yorker Phantoms Braunschweig. What is your memory of the exciting 88-86 win?

I remember we were in control and then they started making all sorts of desperation 3s in the last minute. They did not give up until the buzzer sounded.

Braunschweig is a playoff team that has suffered some tough loses in the last weeks in OT. They also had injuries, but are more healthy again. What will be key in getting the win?

Playing tough for 40 mins, protecting our home court.

You have played quite a few games now in the new arena. If you compare it to the other arenas in the Beko BBL, what does this state of the art arena have that others dont have?

It is a great new facility that is one of the top in Germany. It is also a great basketball atmosphere, there is not a bad seat in the house and the arena can get really loud.

Jason Kidd has announced that he may retire. How will Kidd be remembered best after his career?

He will be remembered for his passing and leadership skills, being a champion in 2011.

What is your whole take on all these Dwight Howard trade rumours. Is this good for his mental health?

I dont think it is good for mental health, it wasnt for Melo last year and he seems to be drifting back and forth on if he wants to stay or go.

Thanks for the chat Dane

Chris Miles (White Wings Hanau) My Fondest Memory With Jimmer Fredette Was Beating Florida In The NCAA Tournament - by Miles Schmidt-Scheuber
Chris Miles (211-F/C-86, agency: The Black Agency, LLC, college: BYU) is a 24 year old 211cm power forward/center from Provo, Utah that is playing his second professional season and first in Germany for the White Wings Hanau. He played at BYU from 2004-2010 playing a total of 131 NCAA games and in his senior year, he played 36 games: 4.5ppg, 3.4rpg, FGP: 52.1%, FT: 67.3%. As a rookie last season, he gained valuable experience playing for BC Kolin (Czech Rep.-NBL, starting five): 13 games: 5.8ppg, 4.6rpg, FGP: 39.7%, FT: 46.4%, left in Dec.'10, then moved to TG 1837 White Wings Hanau (Germany-Regionalliga, starting five): 11 games: 14.5ppg. He spoke to euriobasket before the upcoming playoff series against SC Vechta.

Hanau won two of their last three games. How ready is the team for the upcoming playoffs against Vechta?

We've had good preparation and a full week to prepare so we are prepared as we could be

Your opponent is Vechta that is in third place in the PRO B north. How exciting is it playing in a playoff series against a team that you didnt play this season?

It's really exciting to play a new team for the first time with so much on the line. And it's always fun to play a good opponent.

SC Vechta finished the season with a 17-7 record and have 5 guys that have scored in double figures. What kind of series can we await and what will be key in advancing?

Defense and rebounding will be key. It should be an exciting series.

You played last season for BC Kolin (Czech Rep.-NBL). How difficult was it going down a level to play in the German PRO B?

I have a family and need stability and security so the decision to leave BC Kolin and find a team that could offer me better financial security than they were able to at that time was a fairly easy decision. And I look forward to the future.

There are some veterans on the club with guys like Anish Sharda, but you have played in the NCAA and in the Czech Republic. Are you a guy that will get vocal in the locker room when its needed?

I am not afraid to get vocal so that comes only when necessary.

What is the most incredible thing that you have seen Anish Sharda do in a practice or game?

Scored 25 points in a first half.

What was the most important thing that coach Predrag Benachek was able to give you last season in the Czech Republic?

Post offense, left hand.

What was your fondest memory at BYU with current NBA player Jimmer Fredette?

Beating Arizona by 30 points at Arizona or beating Florida in the NCAA tournament.

What are your early 2012 NCAA Final 4 picks?

Duke, North Carolina, UNLV, BYU

What was the last DVD movie that you saw?

The Dark Knight.

Thanks Chris for the chat.

Kevin Hamilton (BBC Bayreuth) We Must Get Off To A Better Start Against BG Goettingen Than We Did Against Frankfurt - by Miles Schmidt-Scheuber
Kevin Hamilton (193-G-84, agency: Limelight Hoops, college: Holy Cross) is a 28 year old 193cm guard from Queens Village, New York that is playing his first season for BBC Bayreuth. He played at Holy Cross from 2002-2006 and played together with ex Skyliner Keith Simmons. In his senior year, he played 31 games averaging 17.6ppg, 6.3rpg, 3.5apg, 3.3spg, FG: 38.1%, 3PT: 33.2%, FT: 77.7%. In his rookie season 2006-2007, he came to Europe and played in Poland for Polpak Swiecie playing 19 games and averaging 13.0ppg, 4.5rpg, 3.8apg, Steals-2 (2.3spg), 2FGP: 44.8%, 3PT: 38.2%, FT: 64.2%. In 2007-2008, he played in France for Besancon Basket Comte Doubs (France-ProB) playing 2 games and averaging 6.0ppg, 2.5rpg, 2.5apg. He also had a short tenure in Mexico with Pioneros de Quintana Roo-Cancun. In 2008-2009, he returned back to Poland to play for SKK Kotwica Kolobrzeg playing 32 games averaging 11.0ppg, 5.1rpg, Assists-1 (6.4apg), Steals-1 (2.8spg), FGP: 43.6%, 3PT: 32.6%, FT: 66.5%. He was not lazy in the last three summers staying in game shape and playing in Puerto Rico playing 90 games. In tue summer of 2009, he played for Indios de Mayaguez playing 35 games and averaging 10.5ppg, 4.7rpg, Assists-3 (6.3apg), Steals-2 (1.7spg), FGP: 45.4%, 3PT: 28.1%, FT: 70.6%. His father was a draft pick of The Boston Celtics in 1980. In 2009-2010, he played his first season in Braunschweig playing 39 games: 10.1ppg, 3.8rpg, Assists-3 (5.4apg), Steals-2 (1.9spg), FGP: 63.7%, 3PT: 33.9%, FT: 77.6%. In 2010-2011 for Braunschweig, he averaged 9,oppg, 4,1rpg and 4,3apg. Last summer, he played in Puerto Rico for Indios de Mayaguez (Puerto Rico-BSN) averaging 10,6ppg, 4,4rpg and 8,0apg. He spoke to Eurobasket before the game against BG Goettingen March 3rd.

A tough 90-57 loss last weekend against the Fraport Skyliners. What is BBC Bayreuth have to improve most from this loss for the next game in Goettingen?

I think we have to get off to better starts. Frankfurt came out real hot and we didn't match their intensity. We have to do a better job of bringing energy and getting stops early in the game, especially at home because the crowd can give us a great advantage.

How happy were you not having to take part in the next practice after the loss to Frankfurt? It seemed like the team needed a wake up call.

I was not happy at all, I wish I was out there with my teammates, and hopefully I will be out there soon.

The next game is against BG Goettingen. How have you followed the hardship that this team has experienced this season?

I have seen that they have struggled a bit so far this season but they are still a very talented and dangerous team.

BG Goettingen will move back down to the PRO A after 5 seasons in the BEKO BBL. What will always stay in your memory about this extraordinary team?

They are not a memory just yet, there is still a lot of basketball to be played in this league.

BG Goettingen is riding on a big losing streak. Every game now is like a Super Bowl because they want to win as much as possible before moving down. What will be key in getting the win?

I think for us we obviously have to handle their pressure and not fall into their kind of game. Aside from that we MUST get off to a better start.

What will you remember most about Jason Kidd when he retires? He has announced that he might?

I will remember him as being one of the best fast break and passing guards of all time and being someone who was able to transform his game to becoming a shooter and is now a champion.

What is your take on the Dwight Howard trade rumors? Is this good for his mental health?

I think his mental health is fine. He seems to be having fun.

What was the last DVD movie that you saw?

Tower Heist.

Thanks Kev for the chat.

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GREECE

Euroleague Top-16, Week 6: Our thoughts.. - by Dimitris Katsionis
End of regular season with Gescrap BB,Olympiakos and Unics being the last qualifiers. Although it's 12-4 record, Real Madrid stays out..

Matter of Rhythm

Big game in Peace & Friendship Stadioum between two hard nosed teams ,each of them wanted to impose it's game tempo. Ivkovic started his best perimeter defender now,Mantzaris,guarding Lucas and press the ball at 4/4. On the other side Mahmudi had prepare Koksal for the mission imposible of guarding Spanoulis. The Redss game plan was to run and score the less 80 points,a number that normally Galata couldnt reach at SEF. Thats what they did on the 1st quarter ,almost perfectly. Leading by a very aggressive Spanoulis and Dorseys dominant presence at the paint, Greeks took an early lead and manage to score 24 in just 10 against one of the competitions best defensive teams. Mahmudi try to change the game on the 2nd period. He started Lakovic next to Arslan and Sumbert at 4 in an undersized lineup and implemented a 2-3 defense to slow the pace and control the paint. His plan worked . Galata played much better defense and came back to the game with Ivkovics team having problems to create especially without Spanoulis.

Key part: The 'law in town' and the quarterback..

When your point guard,from the top spot of your offense either drives deep in the opponents 'prepared' defense,passes wrong or shoots at the wrong time from everywhere, your defense usually has absolutelly no balance to resist in a fast break. No defensive transition at all. With Lucas injured and Arslan having problems too,Lakovic was an easy target for Olympiakos defense. The Reds took advantage the Slovenian's predictable offense ,and hit on transition a non-balanced defense with the specialist on the open court,Acie Law. Ex Partizan guard is more of a quality player on Olympiakoss limited minutes compared with his presence in Sebia. Law now thinks more of his choises and the knowledge that he doesnt have complete freedom gives him the feeling of a 'creative pressure'. At the moment that the Turkish team had almost tie the game in the 3rd period, betrayed from their small-due to problems-guard rotation at the same time that Ivkovic had Spanoulis and Law on the court. . Gordon Lucas was awesome for one more game. In addition with Lakovic the American is a complete perimeter player ,a true quarterback for Mahmudis team,solid in both ends of the floor. His value now is even bigger in the European basketball stock..

Copying a legend

Seeing Manuchar Markoishvili (196-G-86) shooting style turns me back in time and reminds me -in a ridiculous way- Sasha Danilovic. Just notice the way he receives the ball, his legs and of course his hands and release. Cantus guard-forward must have spent thousands of hours watching videotapes with the Serbian legend, again and again.. The thing is that in Kaunas the Georgian had his own legendary night scoring 32 (5/10 3pt) against Zalgiris and ranking 1st for the 'MVP of the week' award. Cantu proved that has nothing less than a playoff team. It could easily be on the post season..

Celebrating renewals..

Maccabi proposed recently Richard Hendrix a new contract and the American forward-center celebrate it with a huge performance on Palau Blaugrana, although it wasnt enough for his team to win. It is rumored that Real Madrid prepares a proposal for Hendrix (3 years/3millions)too, but right now the player is closer to Maccabi. Keep in mind that another dominated-undersized center, Marcus Slaughter is the 'balader' in this case..

Pasqual didnt use Navarro after some discomfort on the leg, plus Eidson permanent absence so it was time for Pete Mickeal to show his leadership. Barcelona doubled Schortsianitis in the post and that was the best practice for Sofos passing skills and attitude in double team situations. Its a piece of his game that needs to work although the last couple of years has really been improved. Blatt tried to keep his team close with his favorite match up zone and he manage to control games tempo and slow the pace,knowing this is the way to have a shoot for the win. With Blu out, he used Hendrix next to Sofo at 4 spot, something that is not so common this year. Barcelona dominate the boards and that was the key part of the game (44-30) although they turnover the ball 18 times and Maccabi had more possessions. Except Mikael ,Marcelinio Huertas was desicive for Barcelona ,with Pasqual spliting equal the playing time for everyone, giving Rabaseda 15 and the youngster Jose Perez 5 minutes. Both teams need a lot of work, due to a playoff series with the Catalonians being the favorite against Kazan and David Blatts team prepare for the rivalry against Panathinaikos.

'Defending' champ

Obradovic tried to give a sense of freshness to his team starting the game without Diamantidis-Batiste and Sato and by putting Maric at 5 to match Jawais size. The greenss defense target on Henry Domercant. Zots put Kalathes on him with the order to play deny on a one-pass distance. Domercant had big difficulties to receive the ball on a hot-spot,practically he couldnt breath from Kalathes pressure but his experience and quality made him think and not take hasty shots. Kelly McCartyss defensive plays give a boost to Unics. Panathinaikos played great defense on the second quarter, using zone press and changing on man to man under circumstances. It was interesting how they put the 'red hot' Leen Greer in a 'cold ice' situation. Although Greer found Jasikevicius to defend him, he didnt manage to hit in Lithuanians slow legs due to the immediately help that was offered to Saras from his closest teammate,exactly the time that Greer was starting his way to the rim. As a result Unics didnt take advantage the isolations that uses for Greer. Pashutin facilitated Obradovics plans by putting Samoylenco on the court, cause Saras could defend the Russian guard. In this part of the game,Lydays absence was obvious.

Moneyball

Those games justify why Zeliko Obradovic insisted for the sign of Jasikevicious last summer. Saras is like a 'secure' for the big games. After his 'in all-zero' performance against Milano last week the Lithuanian clinched the win for Panathinaikos with his incredible speed of thought and mentality. The way he found Maric alone for consetitive baskets in crucial moments proves that he remains the best 'pick n roller' on Europe . His speed of thought is faster than any other ballers legs and thats why Saras can still make the difference on 1-2 regular season games and all the playofs games that his coach really needs him through the season. Although Domercant could score even with 0.5 given time, Panathinaikos took the gold win and home court advantage for the post season. Unics qualify to,after Armani Milanos win against Fener. That was the fairest result for the group..

A2 Round 21 of Regular Season - by Eurobasket News
Twelfth-ranked Amyntas Dafnis (9-12) gave a tough game to second ranked Apollon Patras (16-5) in Athens on Saturday. The visitors from Patra managed to secure only four-point victory 84-80. However their fans expected much easier game. Nikos Argyropoylos (188-G-78) stepped up and scored 31 points and 6 assists for the winners. Apollon Patras' coach used a ten-player rotation in such tough game. Apollon Patras maintains second place with 16-5 record behind leader Panelefsiniakos. Amyntas Dafnis at the other side dropped to the eleventh position with 12 games lost. Apollon Patras will face Nea Kifisia (#6) in Athens in the next round. Amyntas Dafnis will play on the road against the league's leader Panelefsiniakos (#1) in Eleusina.

There were no shocking results in the rest of the games of round 21: Arkadikos lost to Nea Kifisia on the opponent's court 61-74. Lavrio managed to outperform Ikaroi Serron in a home game 81-78. Perama Ermis rolled over AEK/Argous on the road 125-62. AEK defeated Panerythraikos on its own court 88-71. Pagrati was beaten by Periko/Arhelaos in Perikos 72-71. Ermis Lagkada won against OFI at home 93-82. Panelefsiniakos managed to outperform Doxa Lefkadas on the opponent's court 76-74.
The most impressive stats of the last round was 32 points by Dimitris Tsarouchas of Perama Ermis.

Amyntas Dafnis - Apollon Patras 80-84 OT
Twelfth-ranked Amyntas Dafnis (9-12) gave a tough game to second ranked Apollon Patras (16-5) in Athens on Saturday. The visitors from Patra managed to secure only four-point victory 84-80. However their fans expected much easier game. The guests trailed by 6 points after three quarters before their 25-19 charge, which allowed them to tie the game at the end of regular time and get a 4-point victory in overtime. Amyntas Dafnis was plagued by 25 personal fouls down the stretch. Guard Nikos Argyropoylos (188-78) stepped up and scored 31 points and 6 assists for the winners and naturalized Serbian swingman Vladimir Petrovic-Stergiou (198-77, agency: BeoExcell) chipped in 12 points and 17 rebounds. Apollon Patras' coach used a ten-player rotation in such tough game. The best for the losing side was guard Kostas Vardavas (193-81) with a double-double by scoring 15 points and 14 rebounds and guard Leonidas Zoupas (182-82) scored 15 points and 9 assists. Five Apollon Patras and four Amyntas Dafnis players scored in double figures. Apollon Patras maintains second place with 16-5 record behind leader Panelefsiniakos. Amyntas Dafnis at the other side dropped to the eleventh position with 12 games lost. Apollon Patras will face Nea Kifisia (#6) in Athens in the next round. Amyntas Dafnis will play on the road against the league's leader Panelefsiniakos (#1) in Eleusina.
Top scorers:
Amyntas Dafnis: K.Vardavas 15+14reb+2ast, L.Zoupas 15+9ast, F.Pagonis 13+8reb+1ast, T.Vardianos 13+4reb+1ast, G.Sourlis 8+4reb+3ast, S.Tsougarakis 7+6reb+1ast
Apollon Patras: N.Argyropoylos 31+3reb+6ast, V.Petrovic-Stergiou 12+17reb, I.Krolo 11+9reb, D.Lyberis 11+6reb, G.Lianos 10+5reb+2ast, G.Petropoulos 6+1reb

Nea Kifisia - Arkadikos 74-61
There was a minor upset in Athens where 4th placed Arkadikos (12-9) was defeated by seventh ranked Nea Kifisia (12-9) 74-61 on Saturday. The game without a history. Nea Kifisia led from the first minutes and controlled entire game increasing their lead in each quarter. Nea Kifisia outrebounded Arkadikos 35-19 including a 25-11 advantage in defensive rebounds. Guard Savas Nikitakis (184-76) stepped up and scored 24 points and 5 assists for the winners and power forward Christos Petrodimopoulos (209-80, agency: FCM) chipped in 18 points and 6 rebounds (on 7-of-8 shooting from the field). The best for the losing side was power forward Andronikos Gizogiannis (200-83, agency: FCM) with 15 points and 6 rebounds and guard Giorgos Kopsaftis (192-83, agency: FCM) scored 16 points. Both teams had four players each who scored in double figures. Nea Kifisia moved-up to fifth place, which they share with Lavrio and Arkadikos. Nea Kifisia will face league's second-placed Apollon Patras on the road in the next round and it will be quite challenging to get another victory. Arkadikos will play against Ermis Lagkada in Lagadas.
Top scorers:
Arkadikos: G.Kopsaftis 16+3reb+2ast, A.Gizogiannis 15+6reb+2ast, P.Ifantis 15+3reb, T.Tsiotras 10+2reb+1ast, P.Kosanovic 3+1reb, S.Gizogiannis 2+3reb
Nea Kifisia: S.Nikitakis 24+4reb+5ast, C.Petrodimopoulos 18+6reb+2ast, F.Moschovitis 11+3reb+5ast, M.Kolokas 10+7reb+1ast, S.Diamantopoulos 4+2reb, T.Sioutis 4+10reb

Lavrio - Ikaroi Serron 81-78
There was a small surprise when sixth ranked Lavrio (12-9) edged at home 3rd placed Ikaroi Serron (13-8) 81-78 on Saturday. 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 81-78. Lavrio made 17-of-21 free shots (81.0 percent) during the game. It was a great shooting night for Lavrio especially from behind the arc, where they had solid 55.6 percentage. Ikaroi Serron was plagued by 25 personal fouls down the stretch. Forward Nikos Psileas (200-80) stepped up and scored 25 points for the winners and swingman Dionysios Giannakopoulos (195-82) chipped in 12 points, 10 rebounds and 6 assists. Four Lavrio players scored in double figures. Lavrio's coach Christos Serellis allowed to play the deep bench players in such tough game. The best for the losing side was guard Savvas Kaberidis (187-78) with 23 points and guard Kostas Totsios (191-78) scored 23 points. Lavrio moved-up to fifth place, which they share with Nea Kifisia and Arkadikos. Loser Ikaroi Serron keeps the third position with eight games lost. Lavrio will face Perama Ermis (#13) on the road in the next round and are hoping to win another game. Ikaroi Serron will play against Doxa Lefkadas (#10).
Top scorers:
Ikaroi Serron: K.Totsios 23+2reb+2ast, S.Kaberidis 23+2reb+3ast, G.Theodorakos 10+2reb+2ast, E.Margaritis 7+8reb, F.Simeonidis 6+8reb+3ast, K.Pehlivanis 5+2reb+1ast
Lavrio: N.Psileas 25+4reb, M.Perakis 14+5reb+1ast, D.Giannakopoulos 12+10reb+6ast, V.Kounas 10+4reb+4ast, G.Psomaderis 8+1reb+2ast, G.Tirlas 8+4reb

AEK/Argous - Perama Ermis 62-125
Not a big story in a game when bottom-ranked AEK/Argous (0-21) was rolled over at home by thirteenth ranked Perama Ermis (9-12) 125-62 on Saturday. The game without a history. Perama Ermis led from the first minutes and controlled entire game increasing their lead in each quarter. They dominated on the defensive end, holding AEK/Argous to just 6 points in second quarter. Perama Ermis shot 65.7 percent from the field and made 17-of-21 free shots (81.0 percent) during the game. Perama Ermis outrebounded AEK/Argous 40-25 including a 32-16 advantage in defensive rebounds. They shot the lights out from three sinking 20 long-distance shots on high 64.5 percentage. Perama Ermis looked well-organized offensively handing out 36 assists comparing to just 15 passes made by AEK/Argous' players. Guard Dimitris Tsarouchas (197-86) stepped up and scored 32 points (on 11-of-14 shooting from the field) for the winners and Serbian-Slovenian forward Marko Milicevic (204-82) chipped in 21 points and 8 rebounds (on 9-of-11 shooting from the field). Five Perama Ermis players scored in double figures. The best for the losing side was naturalized Serbian guard Alex Stevovic (191-90) with 24 points and 5 rebounds and guard Giannis Flevaris (183-86) scored 11 points and 5 rebounds. Perama Ermis moved-up to eleventh place, which they share with Amyntas Dafnis and Panerythraikos. Loser AEK/Argous still closes the standings. Perama Ermis will face higher ranked Lavrio (#5) at home in the next round and it will be quite challenging to get another victory. AEK/Argous will play against Panerythraikos (#12) in New Eritrea and hopes to get finally their first victory.
Top scorers:
AEK/Argous: A.Stevovic 24+5reb, G.Flevaris 11+5reb+3ast, G.Vourdoulas 11+4reb+4ast, S.Tsabis 6+5ast, G.Vavatsikos 6+3reb, G.Koukounias 4+4reb+2ast
Perama Ermis: D.Tsarouchas 32+4reb+2ast, M.Milicevic 21+8reb+3ast, L.Skoutaris 19+5reb+2ast, D.Karabatsos 11+8reb, D.Kapiniaris 10+2reb+16ast, A.Koronidis 9+2reb+4ast

AEK - Panerythraikos 88-71
Everything went according to plan in Athens where fifth ranked AEK (13-8) beat 11th ranked Panerythraikos (9-12) 88-71 on Saturday. The game without a history. AEK led from the first minutes and controlled entire game increasing their lead in each quarter. Forward Vaggelis Sklavos (202-77) stepped up with a double-double by scoring 25 points and 13 rebounds for the winners and guard Antonis Mantzaris (196-86) chipped in 21 points. The best for the losing side was forward Sotiris Katoufas (206-79) with 20 points and 8 rebounds and center Kostas Macheras (205-85, agency: FCM) scored 14 points and 6 rebounds. Four Panerythraikos players scored in double figures. Both coaches used bench players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. AEK have a solid series of three victories in a row. They moved-up to third place, which they share with Ikaroi Serron. Loser Panerythraikos keeps the eleventh position with 12 games lost. AEK's supporters look forward to an exciting derby game next round, where their team will travel locally in Athens to the arena Pagrati.
Top scorers:
Panerythraikos: S.Katoufas 20+8reb+2ast, K.Macheras 14+6reb, G.Rodostoglou 11+3reb+3ast, N.Pritsos 10+2reb, A.Michaloglou 6, C.Lakkas 4+1reb
AEK: V.Sklavos 25+13reb+3ast, A.Mantzaris 21+4reb+2ast, A.Falekas 14+4ast, D.Despos 9+9reb+1ast, V.Tzolos 9, A.Siamandouras 4+1reb

Periko/Arhelaos - Pagrati 72-71
The game between closely ranked teams ended with 15th ranked Pagrati's (6-15) road loss to fourteenth ranked Periko/Arhelaos (8-13) 71-72 on Saturday. Pagrati cut a 13-point halftime deficit to one at the end of the game. Guard Kostas Bechlivanis (180-74, agency: FCM) stepped up and scored 16 points and 6 rebounds for the winners and forward Paraskeva Martzos (197-85, agency: FCM) chipped in 19 points. Periko/Arhelaos' coach allowed to play the deep bench players in such tough game. The best for the losing side was forward Alexandros Raptis (200-81) with 21 points and 9 rebounds and guard Nikos Makris (188-79) scored 15 points, 8 assists and 6 steals. Four Pagrati players scored in double figures. Periko/Arhelaos maintains fourteenth place with 8-13 record. Pagrati lost fourth consecutive game. They keep the fifteenth position with 15 games lost. Periko/Arhelaos will face higher ranked OFI (#8) in Heraklion in the next round and it will be quite challenging to get another victory. Pagrati's supporters look forward to an exciting derby game next round, where their team will face at home their local rival from Athens AEK.
Top scorers:
Pagrati: A.Raptis 21+9reb+1ast, N.Makris 15+2reb+8ast, A.Sigounas 11+12reb+1ast, G.Dimakos 11+3reb, S.Veskoukis 7+2reb+2ast, A.Antonakis 6+7reb+1ast
Periko/Arhelaos: P.Martzos 19+3reb+2ast, K.Bechlivanis 16+6reb+2ast, D.Marmarinos 9+2reb+1ast, G.Damalis 9+1reb+2ast, S.Bourdanos 7+4reb+4ast, N.Bochoridis 6+2reb

Ermis Lagkada - OFI 93-82
There was a small surprise in Lagadas where tenth ranked Ermis Lagkada (11-10) won against 8th ranked OFI (11-10) 93-82 on Saturday. The game was mostly controlled by Ermis Lagkada. OFI was better in fourth quarter 23-16. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. They outrebounded OFI 33-19 including 22 on the defensive glass. It was a great shooting night for Ermis Lagkada especially from behind the arc, where they had solid 52.6 percentage. Guard Spyros Kekelis (181-80) stepped up and scored 24 points and 4 assists (on 10-of-11 shooting from the field) for the winners and forward Stratos Nisiotis (203-78) chipped in 13 points and 7 rebounds. Four Ermis Lagkada players scored in double figures. The best for the losing side was American-Icelandic guard Darrel Lewis (192-76, college: Lincoln, MO) with 20 points and 7 steals and center Stavros Toutziarakis (210-87, agency: FCM) scored 18 points. Both coaches used bench players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. Ermis Lagkada moved-up to eighth place, which they share with defeated OFI. Ermis Lagkada will face higher ranked Arkadikos (#7) in Arkadia in the next round and it will be quite challenging to get another victory.
Top scorers:
OFI: D.Lewis 20+3reb+1ast, S.Toutziarakis 18+4reb, D.Karadolamis 17+4reb, S.Panagakis 9+2reb+2ast, A.Sizopoulos 8+2reb+1ast, G.Kerasovitis 5+1reb
Ermis Lagkada: S.Kekelis 24+3reb+4ast, N.Gamouras 16+4reb, S.Nisiotis 13+7reb+3ast, T.Onasoglou 10+3reb+2ast, B.Paritsis 9+2reb+2ast, G.Anagnostopoulos 9+4reb+4ast

Doxa Lefkadas - Panelefsiniakos 74-76
Very expected game when 9th ranked Doxa Lefkadas (10-11) was edged at home by first ranked Panelefsiniakos (17-4) 76-74 on Saturday. The guests took control from the first minutes by winning the initial quarter 17-9. But Doxa Lefkadas won second period 22-19. However it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. Doxa Lefkadas was plagued by 27 personal fouls down the stretch. Guard Spyros Magounis (200-85, agency: FCM) stepped up and scored 34 points (!!!) and 7 rebounds for the winners and forward Sokratis Manavopoulos (205-81) chipped in 10 points and 6 rebounds. The best for the losing side was guard Nikos Pettas (195-81) with a double-double by scoring 24 points and 12 rebounds and center Nikos Libaris-Psomas (210-84) scored 10 points and 9 rebounds. Doxa Lefkadas' coach rotated ten players in this game, but that didn't help. Panelefsiniakos have a solid series of four victories in a row. They maintain first place with 17-4 record. Newly promoted Doxa Lefkadas dropped to the tenth position with 11 games lost. Panelefsiniakos will face Amyntas Dafnis (#11) in Athens in the next round and are hoping to win another game. Doxa Lefkadas will play on the road against Ikaroi Serron in Serres.
Top scorers:
Doxa Lefkadas: N.Pettas 24+12reb+2ast, M.Pekovic 11+2ast, N.Libaris-Psomas 10+9reb+1ast, O.Matenidis 9+4reb+3ast, K.Tsotsos 8, V.Ekine 7+1reb
Panelefsiniakos: S.Magounis 34+7reb+2ast, S.Manavopoulos 10+6reb, N.Voulgaris 8+2reb, V.Giannoulakos 8+7reb+1ast, C.Deligiannis 6+3reb+3ast, G.Kyriakopoulos 5+5ast

Stats Leaders - A1

Points Per Game

Nestoras KOMMATOS
  Marousi
  (203-F-77)
  Avg: 20.4

1. Kommatos, Marousi	20.4
2. Christmas, AGOR	19.4
3. Charalampidi., KAO.	17.4
4. Roby, Peristeri GS	16.4
5. Beck, Ikaros	16.0
6. Dikoudis, PAOK	15.6
7. Gagaloudis, Marousi	15.6
8. Tapoutos, Aris	14.9
9. Baynes, Ikaros	14.6
10. James, Aris	14.5

Rebounds Per Game

Aron BAYNES
  Ikaros
  (208-C-86)
  Avg: 9.1

1. Baynes, Ikaros	9.1
2. Haritopoulos, Maro.	7.6
3. NaNa, Ilysiakos	7.6
4. Stepheson, Panio.	7.4
5. Goree, PAOK	7.1
6. Kommatos, Marousi	6.6
7. Bavcic, KAOD	6.2
8. Symtsak, Kavala	6.2
9. O''Bryant, Kavala	5.9
10. Tapoutos, Aris	5.9

Assists Per Game

Yannis GAGALOUDIS
  Marousi
  (192-G-78)
  Avg: 6

1. Gagaloudis, Marousi	6.0
2. Diamantidis, Panat.	4.7
3. Spanoulis, Olympia.	4.7
4. Charalampidi., KAO.	4.7
5. Xanthopoulos, Pani.	4.4
6. Wright, AGOR	4.2
7. James, Aris	4.1
8. Thompson, Ilysi.	4.0
9. Tsamis, Kolossos	3.5
10. Petroulas, Perist.	3.2

Steals Per Game

Zack WRIGHT
  AGOR
  (188-G-85)
  Avg: 2.5

1. Wright, AGOR	2.5
2. James, Aris	1.9
3. Calathes, Panathin.	1.8
4. Baxter, Ikaros	1.7
5. Logan, Panathin.	1.7
6. Hatten, Kolossos	1.7
7. Christmas, AGOR	1.6
8. Perperoglou, Panat.	1.6
9. Thompson, Ilysi.	1.6
10. Gagaloudis, Marou.	1.5

Blocks Per Game

Patrick O''BRYANT
  Kavala
  (213-C-86)
  Avg: 1.5

1. O''Bryant, Kavala	1.5
2. Muldrow, Aris	1.4
3. Flowers, KAOD	1.3
4. Hines, Olympiakos	1.2
5. Elegar, Marousi	1.1
6. Johnson, Ikaros	1.0
7. Michel, KAOD	0.9
8. Petway, AGOR	0.9
9. Stepheson, Panio.	0.9
10. Gardener, Ilysiak.	0.7

Stats Leaders - A2

Points Per Game

Nikos ARGYROPOYLOS
  Apollo.
  (188-G-78)
  Avg: 20.3

1. Argyropoylos, Apol.	20.3
2. Iliadis, Ermis L.	19.0
3. Totsios, Ikaroi S.	17.8
4. Gizogiannis, Arkad.	17.7
5. Vasilopoulos, AEK	17.1
6. Psileas, Lavrio	17.1
7. Stevovic, AE.	17.0
8. Pettas, Doxa L.	16.9
9. Magounis, Panele.	16.9
10. Sinadinovic, AEK/.	16.4

Rebounds Per Game

Vladimir PETROVIC-STERGIOU
  Apollo.
  (198-F/G-77)
  Avg: 8.4

1. Petrovic-S., Apoll.	8.4
2. Gizogiannis, Arkad.	8.3
3. Toutziarakis, OFI	7.8
4. Lolas, Amyntas	7.5
5. Krolo, Apollon Pat.	7.5
6. Sklavos, AEK	7.4
7. Simeonidis, Ikaroi	7.3
8. Nisiotis, Ermis L.	7.3
9. Macheras, Panery.	7.2
10. Paschalis, Perama	7.0

Assists Per Game

Miron PAPADAKIS
  Arkad.
  (183-G-88)
  Avg: 6.4

1. Papadakis, Arkad.	6.4
2. Zoupas, Amyntas	5.9
3. Nikou, Panelefs.	5.2
4. Koronidis, Perama	5.2
5. Vasilopoulos, AEK	5.2
6. Makris, Pagrati	4.6
7. Argyropoylos, Apol.	4.5
8. Kaberidis, Ikaroi	4.2
9. Kekelis, Ermis L.	4.1
10. Kounas, Lavrio	3.8

Steals Per Game

Darrel LEWIS
  OFI
  (192-G-76)
  Avg: 1.8

1. Lewis, OFI	1.8
2. Margaritis, Ikaroi	1.8
3. Magounis, Panele.	1.8
4. Pettas, Doxa L.	1.8
5. Nikitakis, Nea K.	1.7
6. Papadakis, Arkad.	1.6
7. Vavatsikos, AEK/A.	1.5
8. Argyropoylos, Apol.	1.5
9. Tsiotras, Arkadikos	1.5
10. Zoupas, Amyntas	1.4

Blocks Per Game

Sotiris KATOUFAS
  Panery.
  (206-F-79)
  Avg: 1.2

1. Katoufas, Panery.	1.2
2. Libaris-P., Doxa L.	1.1
3. Karadolamis, OFI	1.1
4. Bracey, Pagrati	1.0
5. Toutziarakis, OFI	1.0
6. Krolo, Apollon Pat.	0.9
7. Margaritis, Ikaroi	0.8
8. Foutsitzis, Periko.	0.7
9. Koutroulias, Pagra.	0.7
10. Vagenas, Doxa L.	0.6

Standings - A2

A2 Standings

1. Panelefsiniakos		17-4
2. Apollon Patras		16-5
3. AEK		13-8
4. Ikaroi Serron		13-8
5. Lavrio		12-9
6. Nea Kifisia		12-9
7. Arkadikos		12-9
8. OFI		11-10
9. Ermis Lagkada		11-10
10. Doxa Lefkadas		10-11
11. Amyntas Dafnis		9-12
12. Panerythraikos		9-12
13. Perama Ermis		9-12
14. Periko/Arhelaos		8-13
15. Pagrati		6-15
16. AEK/Argous		0-21

Standings - A1

A1 Standings

1. Olympiakos		18-1
2. Panathinaikos		17-2
3. Kolossos		14-5
4. Panionios		13-6
5. AGOR		11-7
6. Kavala		10-10
7. PAOK		8-12
8. KAOD		7-11
9. Aris		7-12
10. Ilysiakos		7-13
11. Peristeri GS		6-13
12. Ikaros		5-15
13. Marousi		1-19

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

ICELAND

Standings - Iceland Express League

Express L. Standings

1. Grindavik		17-1
2. Stjarnan		12-6
3. Thor Thorl		12-6
4. Keflavik		12-6
5. KR		11-7
6. Snaefell		9-9
7. Tindastoll		9-9
8. Njardvik		8-10
9. IR		7-11
10. Fjolnir		7-11
11. Haukar		4-14
12. Valur		0-18

Standings - 1 Division

D1 Standings

1. KFI		16-1
2. Skallagrimur		12-4
3. Hamar		11-5
4. Hottur		9-6
5. IA		8-8
6. Breidablik		8-9
7. Thor AK		6-10
8. FSU		6-11
9. IG		4-13
10. Armann		2-15

Express L. Round 18 of Regular Season - by Eurobasket News
Snaefell (#6) forced the game against Keflavik (#5) into an overtime, but lost by one point 100-101 on Thursday night. Magnus Gunnarsson (186-G-81) scored 35 points (!!!) and 6 rebounds to lead the charge for the winners. Keflavik's coach Sigurour Ingimundarson used an eleven-player rotation in such tough game. Keflavik (12-6) moved-up to second place, which they share with Stjarnan and Thor Thorl. Snaefell lost third consecutive game. They keep the sixth position with nine games lost. Keflavik will face Njardvik (#8) in Njardvik in the next round where they are favorite. Snaefell will play at home against Fjolnir in Reykjavik.

In the last game of round 18 winless Valur lost to IR on the opponent's court 95-102. Tindastoll managed to outperform Haukar in a home game 68-64. Njardvik recorded a loss to Stjarnan on the road 74-61. Grindavik defeated KR on its own court 87-85. Thor Thorl smashed Fjolnir in Thorlakshofn 105-86.
The most impressive stats of the last round was 28 points, 14 rebounds and 8 blocks by Junior Hairston of Thor Thorl.

IR - Valur 102-95

Rather expected game in Reykjavik where bottom-ranked Valur (0-18) was defeated by tenth ranked IR (7-11) 102-95 on Friday. Valur trailed by 15 points after 3 quarters before a 31-23 run in the last quarter cut the deficit to 95-102 at the end of the game. IR forced 19 Valur turnovers. American guard Robert Jarvis (180-87, college: ORU) scored 29 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists to lead the charge for the winners and the other American import forward Rodney Alexander (201-87, college: Oklahoma City) chipped in 24 points and 8 rebounds during the contest. Four IR players scored in double figures. The best for the losing side was center Birgir Petursson (205-86) with 27 points and 6 rebounds (on 11-of-13 shooting from the field) and American forward Marvin Jackson (195, college: St.Andrews, agency: Strategic Sports) scored 21 points and 7 rebounds. Both coaches used bench players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. IR moved-up to ninth place, which they share with Fjolnir. Newly promoted Valur still closes the standings. IR will face league's second-placed Stjarnan on the road in the next round and they do not belong to the favorites in that game. Valur will play against Haukar (#11) in Hafnarfjordur and hopes to get finally their first victory.
Top scorers:
Valur: B.Petursson 27+6reb, M.Jackson 21+7reb+1ast, R.Gylfason 19+6reb+2ast, S.Thorvaldsson 8+5reb+1ast, H.Dicko 6+3reb+2ast, A.Dungal 6+1ast
IR: R.Jarvis 29+7reb+4ast, R.Alexander 24+8reb+2ast, N.Sovic 13+2reb+1ast, T.Hauksson 10+1reb+1ast, K.Jonasson 7+3reb+3ast, H.Fridriksson 6+4reb

Tindastoll - Haukar 68-64

Rather predictable result in Sauoarkrokur where seventh ranked Tindastoll (9-9) defeated 11th ranked Haukar (4-14) 68-64 on Thursday. However just four-point win is not that big difference and the fans of host team counted on more convincing victory. Haukar was tied after three quarters but could not keep up in the last quarter eventually losing the game. Swingman Helgi Viggosson (189-83) had a double-double by scoring 19 points and 12 rebounds to lead the charge for the winners and American guard Maurice Miller (187-88, college: Georgia Tech) chipped in 13 points, 8 rebounds and 7 assists during the contest. The best for the losing side was American forward Christopher Smith (198-82, college: St.Edward's) with a double-double by scoring 20 points, 11 rebounds and 5 blocks and his fellow American import point guard Aleek Pauline (185-87, college: Norfolk St., agency: Strategic Sports) scored 9 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists and 4 steals. Tindastoll have a solid three-game winning streak. They moved-up to sixth place, which they share with Snaefell. Haukar at the other side keeps the eleventh position with 14 games lost. Tindastoll will face higher ranked KR (#5) in Reykjavik in the next round and it may be quite challenging game. Haukar will play at home against Valur (#12) in Reykjavik and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Haukar: C.Smith 20+11reb+3ast, H.Einarsson 11+3reb+2ast, A.Pauline 9+8reb+4ast, H.Oskarsson 9+1reb+2ast, O.Sigurdarson 8+4reb, E.Barja 3+5reb+3ast
Tindastoll: H.Viggosson 19+12reb+1ast, M.Miller 13+8reb+7ast, T.Johannsson 11+2reb+3ast, H.Margeirsson 8+1reb+2ast, I.Tratnik 8+10reb, H.Birgisson 5+5reb

Keflavik - Snaefell 101-100 OT

Snaefell (#6) forced the game against Keflavik (#5) into an overtime, but lost by one point 100-101 on Thursday night. The hosts trailed by 4 points at the halftime before their 30-25 charge in the third quarter, which allowed them to tie the game at the end of regular time. They were better in overtime eventually winning that period 8-7. Keflavik looked well-organized offensively handing out 24 assists. The former international guard Magnus Gunnarsson (186-81) scored 35 points (!!!) and 6 rebounds to lead the charge for the winners and American guard Charles Parker (193-85, college: Millersville) chipped in 25 points, 10 rebounds and 7 assists during the contest. Keflavik's coach Sigurour Ingimundarson used an eleven-player rotation in such tough game. The best for the losing side was American point guard Marquis Hall (183-87, college: Lehigh) with 25 points, 6 rebounds and 9 assists and his fellow American import forward Quincy Hankins-Cole (203-90) produced a double-double by scoring 14 points, 16 rebounds, 4 assists and 4 blocks. Four Snaefell players scored in double figures. Keflavik (12-6) moved-up to second place, which they share with Stjarnan and Thor Thorl. Snaefell lost third consecutive game. They keep the sixth position with nine games lost. Keflavik will face Njardvik (#8) in Njardvik in the next round where they are favorite. Snaefell will play at home against Fjolnir in Reykjavik.
Top scorers:
Snaefell: M.Hall 25+6reb+9ast, P.Sigurgeirsson 23+8reb+1ast, Q.Hankins-Cole 14+16reb+4ast, S.Davidsson 12+7reb, O.Torfason 9+10reb+3ast, H.Gunnarsson 9
Keflavik: M.Gunnarsson 35+6reb+3ast, C.Parker 25+10reb+7ast, J.Cole 11+13reb+2ast, A.Jonsson 8+2reb+3ast, V.Valsson 6+1reb+3ast, H.Halldorsson 5+2reb

Stjarnan - Njardvik 74-61

Not a big story in a game when 8th ranked Njardvik (8-10) was defeated on the road by third ranked Stjarnan (12-6) 74-61 on Thursday. The game was mostly controlled by Stjarnan. Njardvik was better in second period 17-8. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. American-Estonian forward Renato Lindmets (198-84, college: Westfield St.) had a double-double by scoring 21 points and 10 rebounds to lead the charge for the winners and American guard Justin Shouse (180-81, college: Mercyhurst) chipped in 15 points and 8 assists during the contest. Four Stjarnan players scored in double figures. The best for the losing side was American power forward Cameron Echols (203-81, college: Ball St.) with 24 points and 6 rebounds and his fellow American import guard Travis Holmes (193-86, college: VMI, agency: Strategic Sports) scored 18 points, 7 rebounds and 4 blocks. Stjarnan moved-up to second place, which they share with Keflavik and Thor Thorl. Njardvik at the other side keeps the eighth position with ten games lost. Stjarnan will face IR (#9) in Reykjavik in the next round and are hoping to win another game. Njardvik will play at home against Keflavik.
Top scorers:
Njardvik: C.Echols 24+6reb+1ast, T.Holmes 18+7reb+3ast, E.Fridriksson 11+3reb+6ast, O.Jonsson 3+5reb+2ast, P.Kristinsson 2+3reb, S.Fjeldsted 2+8reb+2ast
Stjarnan: R.Lindmets 21+10reb+2ast, J.Shouse 15+1reb+8ast, M.Valdimarsson 14+3reb+5ast, K.Cothran 10+8reb+2ast, J.Zdravevski 9+4reb+1ast, F.Helgason 4+13reb

Grindavik - KR 87-85

Everything went according to plan when first ranked Grindavik (17-1) edged at home 4th ranked KR (11-7) 87-85 on Friday. KR was trailing by 3 points at halftime but managed to get 4-point lead after three quarters before a 24-18 charge of Grindavik, which allowed them to win the game. American guard Giordan Watson (178-85, college: Cent.Michigan) scored 25 points and 4 assists to lead the charge for the winners and the other American import forward J'Nathan Bullock (196-87, college: Cleveland St., agency: Pro One Sports) chipped in 23 points and 9 rebounds during the contest. The best for the losing side was American guard Joshua Brown (187-88, college: Towson) with 21 points, 5 assists and 5 steals and the former international forward Hreggviaur Magnusson (198-82) scored 14 points and 7 rebounds. Both coaches used bench players in such tough game. Grindavik have an impressive ten-game winning streak. They maintain first position with 17-1 record. Defending champion KR dropped to the fifth place with seven games lost. Grindavik will face Thor Thorl (#3) in Thorlakshofn in the next round, which may be the game of the day. KR will play at home against Tindastoll in Sauoarkrokur and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
KR: J.Brown 21+4reb+5ast, H.Magnusson 14+7reb, F.Magnusson 11+6reb+2ast, D.Sencanski 9+3reb+1ast, M.Hermannsson 8+1reb, S.Ingason 8+3reb+1ast
Grindavik: G.Watson 25+4reb+4ast, J.Bullock 23+9reb+1ast, T.Olafsson 9+2reb+3ast, R.Pettinella 9+4reb+2ast, S.Thorsteinsson 8+6reb, J.Olafsson 5+4reb+4ast

Fjolnir - Thor Thorl 86-105

There was no surprise in Reykjavik where 9th ranked Fjolnir (7-11) was outplayed by fifth ranked Thor Thorl (12-6) 105-86 on Friday. The guests trailed by 15 points after first quarter, but they stormed back and won the game by 19 points. Great defensive blocking was one of the keys in this match when Thor Thorl made 8 blocks. American forward Junior Hairston (203-84, college: Towson, agency: KMG Sports Management) had a double-double by scoring 28 points, 14 rebounds and 8 blocks to lead the charge for the winners and the other American import guard Darrin Govens (185-88, college: St.Joseph's) chipped in 25 points, 5 rebounds and 6 assists during the contest. The best for the losing side was American guard Calvin O'Neil (193-85, college: Middle Tenn.St.) with 26 points and 5 assists and forward Jon Sverrisson (198-88) produced a double-double by scoring 13 points and 10 rebounds. Four Thor Thorl and five Fjolnir players scored in double figures. Both coaches used bench players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. Thor Thorl have a solid four-game winning streak. They moved-up to second place, which they share with Keflavik and Stjarnan. Fjolnir lost third consecutive game. They keep the ninth position with 11 games lost. Thor Thorl will face league's leader Grindavik at home in the next round and it will be for sure the game of the week. Fjolnir will play against Snaefell (#6) in Stykkisholmur.
Top scorers:
Fjolnir: C.O'Neil 26+4reb+5ast, N.Walkup 19+3reb+1ast, A.Gudmundsson 13+9reb+2ast, J.Sverrisson 13+10reb+3ast, B.Rikhardsson 11+4reb+1ast, H.Vilhjalmsson 3+2reb+1ast
Thor Thorl: J.Hairston 28+14reb+2ast, D.Govens 25+5reb+6ast, G.Jonsson 21+3reb+4ast, D.Hilmarsson 13+7reb+2ast, B.Ragnarsson 9+2reb+1ast, B.Janev 9+2reb+1ast

D1 Round 17 of Regular Season - by Eurobasket News
Coincidentally all hosts won their games.

The game in supposed to be quite interesting. 5th ranked Breidablik (8-9) played at the court of sixth ranked IA (8-8). IA smashed Breidablik 109-81 on Friday. The game without a history. IA led from the first minutes and controlled entire game increasing their lead in each quarter. IA moved-up to fifth place. Breidablik lost third consecutive game. They dropped to the sixth position with nine games lost. IA are looking forward to face bottom-ranked Armann (#10) in Reykjavik in the next round which should be theoretically another easy game. Breidablik will play at home against Hottur (#4) in Egilsstadir and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
The game with biggest result difference took place in Borgarnes. Local Skallagrimur (12-4) outscored 9th ranked IG (4-13) 121-81. Skallagrimur maintains second place with 12-4 record having five points less than leader KFI. IG lost twelfth consecutive game. Newly promoted team keeps the ninth position with 13 games lost. Skallagrimur will play against league's leader KFI in Reykjavik in the next round and it will be for sure the game of the week. IG will play at home against Hamar (#3) and hopes to get back on the winning track.

In the last two games of round 17 bottom-ranked Armann was crushed by FSU in Selfoss 97-76. Hamar smashed Thor AK at home 98-79.

IA - Breidablik 109-81

The game in supposed to be quite interesting. 5th ranked Breidablik (8-9) played at the court of sixth ranked IA (8-8). IA smashed Breidablik 109-81 on Friday. The game without a history. IA led from the first minutes and controlled entire game increasing their lead in each quarter. IA moved-up to fifth place. Breidablik lost third consecutive game. They dropped to the sixth position with nine games lost. IA are looking forward to face bottom-ranked Armann (#10) in Reykjavik in the next round which should be theoretically another easy game. Breidablik will play at home against Hottur (#4) in Egilsstadir and it may be a tough game between close rivals.

FSU - Armann 97-76

There was no surprise in Selfoss where 10th ranked Armann (2-15) was crushed by eighth ranked FSU (6-11) 97-76. It looked good early as Armann took an 4-point lead at the end of first quarter. But then FSU had a 30-8 second period charge getting the lead and Armann was not able to take back game control losing it eventually 76-97. FSU maintains eighth place with 6-11 record. Armann lost fifth consecutive game. They stay at the bottom position with 15 games lost. FSU will play against higher ranked Thor AK (#7) in Akureyri in the next round and it will be quite challenging to get another victory. Armann will play against IA and hopes to get back on the winning track.

Hamar - Thor AK 98-79

No shocking result in a game when third ranked Hamar (11-5) smashed at home 7th ranked Thor AK (6-10) 98-79. It looked good early as Thor AK took an 4-point lead at the end of first quarter. But then Hamar had a 26-18 second period charge getting the lead and Thor AK was not able to take back game control losing it eventually 79-98. Hamar have an impressive series of five victories in a row. They maintain third place with 11-5 record having six points less than leader KFI. Thor AK at the other side keeps the seventh position with ten games lost. Hamar will play against IG (#9) in the next round which should be theoretically an easy game. Thor AK will play against FSU in Selfoss and it may be a tough game between close rivals.

Skallagrimur - IG 121-81

The game with biggest result difference took place in Borgarnes. Local Skallagrimur (12-4) outscored 9th ranked IG (4-13) 121-81. The game without a history. Skallagrimur led from the first minutes and controlled entire game increasing their lead in each quarter. Skallagrimur maintains second place with 12-4 record having five points less than leader KFI. IG lost twelfth consecutive game. Newly promoted team keeps the ninth position with 13 games lost. Skallagrimur will play against league's leader KFI in Reykjavik in the next round and it will be for sure the game of the week. IG will play at home against Hamar (#3) and hopes to get back on the winning track.

Division one news - by Siggi Hjorleifsson
When only one round is left in Division one picture is getting clear of who will make it to play-offs.
KFI has already won the league and will move up to top league without going to play-offs. Next four teams will fight for the second spot to move up.
Skallagrimur, Hamar and Hottur are in there and then its b question if it will be IA or Breidablik. IA has the better chance, need to win Armann who are already out of the league for next season but Breidablik needs to win Hottur away. If IA wins their game their in. IG will also drop down from the league with Armann.
Result from last round.
Skallagrimur 121 IG 81. Lloyd Harrison & Hordur Hreidarsson 21 each for the winner. Bergvin Olafarson 30 for IG.
Hamar 98 Thor Ak 79. Calvin Wooten 25 for Hamar. Darko Milosevic 30 for Thor
FSU 97 Armann 76. Saemundur Valdimarsson and Steven Crawford 18 for FSU. Wesley HSU 18 for Armann
IA 109. Breidablik 81. IA got another BIG game from player/coach Terrence Watson (196-F-87, college: Ball St.) 44 points and 15 rebounds. Askell Jonsson 21 also for IA. Atli Gunnarsson 17 for Breidablik

Results in Swedish league - by Siggi Hjorleifsson
Sundsvall Dragons last year Champion won their 7th game in a row by beating Uppsala Basket 1095 and are now tight on the top with 2 other teams
Jakob Sigurdarson scored 17 points, grab 1 rebound and dished out 3 assist. Hlynur Baeringsson 11 pts, 6 boards and 4 assist.
08 Stockholm 89 Solna Vikings 77. Helgi magnusson 16 pts, 9 rebs, 2 assist for 08. Logi Gunnarsson 11, 3 rebs & 3 assist for Solna.
Jamtland basket 76. Boras 80 Brynjar Bjornsson 10 points, 3 rebs, 2 assist for Jamtland

Stats Leaders (Men)

Points Per Game

Cameron ECHOLS
  Njardvik
  (203-F/C-81)
  Avg: 23.6

1. Echols, Njardvik	23.6
2. Govens, Thor Thorl	23.1
3. Dagostino, Keflavik	22.9
4. Walkup, Fjolnir	22.8
5. Shuler, Haukar	22.7
6. Jarvis, IR	22.6
7. Holmes, Njardvik	22.6
8. Johnson, Valur	22.0
9. Bullock, Grindavik	22.0
10. Hairston, Thor T.	21.7

Rebounds Per Game

Junior HAIRSTON
  Thor T.
  (203-F-84)
  Avg: 15.4

1. Hairston, Thor T.	15.4
2. Hankins-Cole, Snae.	13.1
3. Echols, Njardvik	11.5
4. Smith, Haukar	11.5
5. Ringgold, Thor Tho.	11.3
6. Bullock, Grindavik	10.4
7. Tratnik, Valur	10.4
8. Walkup, Fjolnir	10.3
9. Shuler, Haukar	10.0
10. Hampton, Tindasto.	9.9

Assists Per Game

Maurice MILLER
  Tindastoll
  (187-G-88)
  Avg: 6.7

1. Miller, Tindastoll	6.7
2. Shouse, Stjarnan	6.7
3. Watson, Grindavik	6.6
4. Hall, Snaefell	5.8
5. Pauline, Haukar	5.2
6. Dagostino, Keflavik	4.8
7. Brown, KR	4.7
8. O''Neil, Fjolnir	4.6
9. Haraldsson, Haukar	4.6
10. Fridriksson, Njar.	4.6

Steals Per Game

Travis HOLMES
  Njardvik
  (193-G-86)
  Avg: 3.1

1. Holmes, Njardvik	3.1
2. Hall, Snaefell	2.8
3. Brown, KR	2.7
4. Cothran, Stjarnan	2.6
5. Shuler, Haukar	2.5
6. Allen, Tindastoll	2.5
7. Shouse, Stjarnan	2.5
8. Pauline, Haukar	2.3
9. Parker, Keflavik	2.3
10. Miller, Tindastoll	2.1

Blocks Per Game

Junior HAIRSTON
  Thor T.
  (203-F-84)
  Avg: 5.1

1. Hairston, Thor T.	5.1
2. Smith, Haukar	3.4
3. Hugee, Valur	2.3
4. Tratnik, Valur	2.2
5. Pettinella, Grinda.	1.3
6. Lindmets, Stjarnan	1.3
7. Hampton, Tindastoll	1.3
8. Holmes, Njardvik	1.1
9. Ferguson, KR	1.1
10. Gudbrandsson, Kef.	1.1

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

INDONESIA

ASEAN League: Westports Dragons hold off Indonesia Warriors - by Eurobasket News
Westports Dragons - Indonesia Warriors 82:79

Westports Dragons earned the seventh win in the ASEAN League championship. They overcame Indonesia Warriors at home court to improve at 7-2 record. Tiras Wade (200-F-81, agency: Interperformances, college: La-Lafayette) delivered 32 points and 7 rebounds to lead the hosts. The Warriors suffered the sixth loss in the season.
The teams stayed close throughout the first half. The Dragons however managed to snatch a narrow 43:40 halftime lead. Westports Dragons stretched the lead in the third term. The hosts established a 67:60 lead with ten minutes remaining. The Dragons opened a double-digit lead with just over three minutes remaining 79:69. The visitors tried hard to come back into the game triggering a 10:2 rally but Tiras Wade hit a free throw to seal the victory for the hosts. Brian Williams (208-C-87, agency: VVG Sports, college: Tennessee) and Patrick Cabahug (186-G) notched 19 points each in the victory. Jonathan Smith (206-F-82, college: Bowie St.) responded with 18 points and 7 rebounds for the Warriors. Rony Gunawan (194-F/C-80) had 15 points in the loss.

Westports Dragons: Tiras Wade 32, Brian Williams 19, Patrick Cabahug 19
Indonesia Warriors: Jonathan Smith 18, Rony Gunawan 15

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

IRAN

All Iranian WABA semi finals, Mahram- Zob Ahan - by Aydin Dianat
From Monday, we will see an all Iranian WABA semi finals between Mahram Tehran and Zob Ahan Esfahan. Both teams added a new player to their squad. Zob Ahan added Rashad Anderson (195-G/F-83, agency: Interperformances, college: Connecticut) , a player from their fellow Isfahan team Foolad Mahan Esfahan only for this series and Mahram, due to Pape Sow (207-F-81, college: CS Fullerton)'s finger injury added Slavko Vranes (230-C-83, agency: Beo Basket) only for the series against Zob Ahan to replace Pape Sow. Mahram is entering the series with an advantage of winning both home and away games in the Iranian Super League against Zob Ahan. But the last encounter in Isfahan between two teams was very close so fans will see a very good all Iranian series. The winner of the game will be qualified directly to the Asian Club championships.

Standings - Superleague

Superleague Standings

1. Mahram		21-0
2. Foolad Mahan		18-4
3. Petrochimi		15-6
4. Azad		14-7
5. Zob Ahan		14-7
6. Sanaye Petrochimi		11-11
7. M.H.Ahvaz		8-14
8. Gorgan		7-15
9. Zanjan		7-15
10. Pouya		6-16
11. Shiraz a.s Pipe		6-16
12. Jahesh		3-19

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

ITALY

Fileni Jesi and Enel Brindisi advance into Final Four Final - by Eurobasket News
Fileni Jesi and Enel Brindisi will play in LegaDue Final Four (Cup) Final. They celebrated vicotries in respective semifinals in Bari tonight.
Fileni Jesi snatched a narrow 79:78 win over Scafati. Fileni Jesi dominated throughout the game. They led by ten points 44:34 at halftime. Jesi enjoyed an 8-point lead heading into the fourth term. But Scafati erased the deficit and set up nail-biting dying seconds. Fileni Jesi however stayed calm and escaped with a narrow one-point victory at the end. Michele Maggioli (212-C-77) produced 20 points and 12 rebounds for Fileni Jesi. Richard McConnell (182-G-89, agency: Priority Sports, college: St.Mary's, CA) added 18 points in the victory. Paul Marigney (192-G-82, college: St.Mary's, CA) answered with 24 points for Scafati. Nikola Radulovic (207-F-73) had 18 points in the loss.
Enel Brindisi edged Tezenis Verona 68:60 behind 21 points from Jimmy Hunter (197-G-77, college: Life). Dejan Borovnjak (207-F/C-86, agency: Beo Basket) added 14 points and 11 rebounds for the winning side. Tezenis Verona led by 6 points heading into the fourth term 52:46. But Enel Brindisi replied with 22:12 run in the fourth quarter to seal the victory at the end. Marco Giuri (194-G-88) contributed 13 points for Enel Brindisi. Donnie McGrath (193-G-84, college: Providence) and Mario West (195-G-84, college: Georgia Tech) nailed 16 points each in defeat.

Avellino split ways with Dimitri Lauwers - by Eurobasket News
Sidigas Avellino released Dimitri Lauwers (187-G-79). The Belgian player started the season with the team. It was the third straight season for Dimitri Lauwers with Avellino. Dimitri Lauwers tallied 2.7 points and 1.3 rebounds per game in SeriaA. Previously the guard had stints with Bologna, Varese, Scafati Basket, Teramo, Reggio Emilia, Dijon, Cholet, Le Mans and Oostende. The guard was named Belgian League Rookie of the Year in 1998. Eurobasket.com also named the guard into Italian Seria A All-Newcomers Team in 2005. Dimitri Lauwers has been the member of Belgian National Team since 1997. He participated at 2011 EuroBasket. The guard delivered 7.0 points, 2.2 assists and 1.2 rebounds per game in Lithuania.

C Regionale Campania - Round 21 Results - by Crazy

SERIE C REGIONALE CAMPANIA - ROUND 21 RESULTS

GROUP A:

Basket Capua - Partenope: 61-48
(C: Jalloh 22, Branca 13; P: Marinello 15)

S.Michele Maddaloni - Cala Moresca: 64-58
(SM: A.Bove 17, Francesco Chiavazzo (187-G-87) 13; CM: De Simone 13, Giovanni Canzonieri (202-C-75) 12)

Stabia - Barra: 66-55
(S: Salvatore 25, Somma 16; B: Marra 18, Varriale 17)

Scafati - Pielle Matera: 83-60
(S: Di Lauro 18, P.Catapano 16; PM: Radovic 16)

Arzano - Telese: 56-63

Virtus Matera - Baiano: 82-58
(V: Durante 16; B: Paolo Cantelmo (185-G-86) 23)

Standings: S.Michele Maddaloni 42 (21-0), Scafati 30, Pielle Matera 26, Stabia 26, Cala Moresca 26, Partenope 20, Arzano 20, Capua 20, Virtus Matera 18, Telese 16, Barra 8, Baiano 0.

Scoring Leaders: Njegos Visnjic (199-F-79) (Maddaloni) 23.7 points per game, Giuseppe Frascolla (194-G-62) (Baiano) 21.4 ppg, Andrija Djukanovic (205-PF-89) (Telese) 19.9 ppg

GROUP B:

Battipaglia - Casavatore: 87-88

Nola - Meomartini: 73-80
(N: Russelli 20; M: Romano 27)

Cercola - Senise: 61-74
(C: Ciervo 12; S: Gabriel Gonzales (C) 26, Dominik Kos (198-G/F-87) 14)

Mugnano - Savoia: 65-68
(M: Palma 15; S: Carrozzo 18)

S.Maria - Casaurea: 67-59
(S: Fucci 24, Adrian Forray (197-F-81) 12; C: Di Febbraio 15)

Standings: Senise 38, S.Maria 26, Savoia 26, Casaurea 22, Meomartini 22, Mugnano 20, Cercola 18, Casavatore 18, Solofra 12, Nola 6, Battipaglia 2.

Scoring Leaders: Accettola (Meomartini) 23.0 points per game, Dominik Kos (Senise) 19.7 ppg, Riccardo Fiore (182-G-85) (Mugnano) 17.3 ppg

San Martin Corrientes adds Garcia Morales to their roster - by Eurobasket Center
San Martin Corrientes agreed terms with 32-year old Italian-Uruguayan guard Leandro Garcia Morales (186-G-80, college: Texas A&M). In his first game he scored 22 points and added 3 assists. Despite his good performance his new team lost to Penarol 92-97. Garcia Morales played most recently at Atletico Bigua (Uruguay). While playing 3 games for Bigua this season he averaged 17.7ppg and 3.0apg. Garcia Morales is a very experienced player. He played also pro basketball in Brazil, Iran, Italy, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Uruguay and Venezuela. Garcia Morales graduated Texas A&M University in 2004 and it will be his eighth season in pro basketball.

By Eurobasket Data Center

Stats Leaders - Lega2

Points Per Game

Dwight HARDY
  Giorgio .
  (188-PG-87)
  Avg: 22.5

1. Hardy, Giorgio	22.5
2. Marigney, Givova S.	22.2
3. Freeman, MarcoPol.	21.6
4. McConnell, Fileni	19.3
5. Robinson, Trenkwal.	18.4
6. Taylor, Trenkwal.	18.2
7. Voskuil, Morpho B.	18.1
8. Whiting, Aget Imola	17.9
9. Maggioli, Fileni B.	17.5
10. Rowe, Prima Veroli	17.0

Rebounds Per Game

James THOMAS
  Givova S.
  (203-F/C-80)
  Avg: 11.2

1. Thomas, Givova S.	11.2
2. Easley, MarcoPol.	9.4
3. Anderson, Morpho B.	8.2
4. Jones, Giorgio	7.8
5. Baldassarre, Bianc.	7.8
6. Diliegro, Assi Ost.	7.8
7. Borovnjak, Enel B.	7.7
8. Maggioli, Fileni B.	7.3
9. Huff, MarcoPol.	7.0
10. Brkic, Prima Vero.	6.8

Assists Per Game

Aaron JOHNSON
  Assi O.
  (172-PG-88)
  Avg: 5

1. Johnson, Assi O.	5.0
2. Green, Sigma B.	4.7
3. Porta, Tezenis	4.6
4. Kelley, Biancobl.	3.9
5. Marigney, Givova S.	3.7
6. McConnell, Fileni	3.4
7. Rowe, Prima Veroli	3.3
8. Whiting, Aget Imola	3.3
9. Renfroe, Enel B.	3.2
10. Blizzard, Biancob.	3.2

Steals Per Game

Mario WEST
  Tezenis .
  (195-G-84)
  Avg: 3

1. West, Tezenis	3.0
2. Radulovic, Givova	2.9
3. Rowe, Prima Veroli	2.8
4. Thompson, Centra.	2.7
5. Marigney, Givova S.	2.5
6. Green, Sigma B.	2.4
7. Goldwire, Centra.	2.4
8. Taylor, Trenkwal.	2.3
9. Prato, Aget Imola	2.3
10. Ghersetti, Centra.	2.3

Blocks Per Game

Riccardo CERVI
  Trenkwalder
  (215-C-91)
  Avg: 2

1. Cervi, Trenkwalder	2.0
2. Maggioli, Fileni B.	1.5
3. Thomas, Givova S.	0.8
4. Brkic, Prima Veroli	0.8
5. Trapani, MarcoPol.	0.8
6. Radulovic, Givova	0.8
7. Da Ros, Sigma B.	0.7
8. Edwards, Tezenis	0.7
9. DiGiuliomari., Tez.	0.6
10. Easley, MarcoPol.	0.6

Standings - Lega 2

Lega2 Standings

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

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

JAPAN

Standings - JBL

JBL Standings

1. Aishin SH		26-9
2. Toyota Alvark		24-11
3. Hitachi SR		20-14
4. Panasonic T.		20-15
5. Hokkaido L.		16-19
6. Tochigi Brex		15-19
7. Mitsubishi DD		12-22
8. Toshiba BT		5-29

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

KOSOVO

Kosovos Liga e Pare starts today - by Dren Shporta
One week after the BKT Superliga, starts Kosovos second basketball league, Liga e pare. In the first clashes of the spring season the leaders Vellaznimi will have a free gameweek. The three matches of a second part of the season are: Lipjani against Kastrioti, Fushe Kosova against RTV21 and Llapi vs. Skenderaj.

It is reported from Basketball Federation of Kosovo (FBK) that the match, that should be played at Podujeve between Llapi and Skenderaj will be played on some other date. The reasons havent been known. Lipjani against Kastrioti is in program today, while Fushe Kosova against RTV 21 will be played tomorrow.

Kolegji Univers in chase of surprise - by Dren Shporta
College boys of Dritero Sefaja are preparating all their forces for the game against oranges from Prizren, Bashkimi. Kolegji Univers has started well the season and it is one of the teams that do not have international players in BKT Superliga. After the victory against Futura and defeat against leaders Trepca, they want to surprise the team that hasnt find yet the form, Bashkimi. Naser Oskaceks boys have lost 2 out of 2 games in the February, agasint their main rivals Trepca and Peja.

In other match of Saturday, champions Sigal Prishtina wait for the last placed in the classification table, Futura. Arben Krasniqi s boys, after the first season defeat in their court, are coming back to their game. In the other hand, Jeton Nixhas team, Futura, has reached a big win against Kosova last gameweek and for the first time this season are in the chance to escape the bottom of classification, and fight for the play-out place.

The other two matches of BKT Superliga will be played tomorrow.

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

LATVIA

LBL2 Round 30: VEF Kadeti is defeated by VEF Riga junior in a derby game - by Eurobasket News
The games are now more important than at the beginning of the Regular Season. We may still expect few shocking results in upcoming 6 rounds.

The most interesting game was a derby match between two local teams from Riga: VEF Riga junior (#2) and VEF Kadeti (#5). VEF Kadeti was defeated at home 56-68 and even the fact of playing on their own court did not help. It ended at the same time the four-game winning streak of VEF Kadeti. The game was mostly controlled by VEF Riga junior. VEF Kadeti managed to win second period 22-17. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. VEF Riga junior have a solid four-game winning streak. They keep a position of league leader, which they share with Barons kvartals. VEF Kadeti at the other side keeps the fifth place with nine games lost. VEF Riga junior's supporters look forward to another derby game next round, where their team will travel locally in Riga to the arena Barons kvartals.
Important game to mention about took place in . Fifteenth ranked Gulbene (6-20) saved a 3-point derby victory at home edging higher ranked BS Ogre (8-16) 61-58 on Thursday evening. Newly promoted Gulbene maintains fifteenth position with 6-20 record. BS Ogre at the other side keeps the tenth place with 16 games lost. Gulbene will play against higher ranked RSU (#7) in Riga in the next round and they do not belong to the favorites in that game. BS Ogre will play at home against Ventspils Augstskola and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Second ranked Barons kvartals (22-2) crushed at home 15th ranked Gulbene (6-20) by 53 points 103-50, which is the biggest margin this round on Friday night. Barons kvartals have an impressive ten-game winning streak. They keep a position of league leader, which they share with BK VEF. Newly promoted Gulbene keeps the fifteenth place with 20 games lost. Barons kvartals' supporters look forward to an exciting derby game next round, where their team will face at home their local rival from Riga VEF Riga junior.
Another interesting game was again a derby between two teams from Riga: RSU (#7) and DSN (#9). RSU (13-10) smashed visiting DSN (10-13) by 26 points 76-50. RSU moved-up to sixth place, which they share with BS Riga. DSN lost third consecutive game. DSN at the other side, also newcomer in the league, keeps the ninth position with 13 games lost. RSU's next round opponent will be Gulbene (#15) and are hoping to win another game. DSN will play against Valmiera BSS (#14).

There were no shocking results in the other games in round 30: Jelgava/LLU lost to Saldus on the opponent's court 72-76. Livani outscored Ridzene in a home game 104-73. BS Riga managed to beat Cesis on the road 84-78.

VEF Kadeti - BK VEF 56-68

The most interesting game was a derby match between two local teams from Riga: VEF Riga junior (#2) and VEF Kadeti (#5). VEF Kadeti was defeated at home 56-68 and even the fact of playing on their own court did not help. It ended at the same time the four-game winning streak of VEF Kadeti. The game was mostly controlled by VEF Riga junior. VEF Kadeti managed to win second period 22-17. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. VEF Riga junior have a solid four-game winning streak. They keep a position of league leader, which they share with Barons kvartals. VEF Kadeti at the other side keeps the fifth place with nine games lost. VEF Riga junior's supporters look forward to another derby game next round, where their team will travel locally in Riga to the arena Barons kvartals.

Gulbene - Ogres 61-58

Important game to mention about took place in . Fifteenth ranked Gulbene (6-20) saved a 3-point derby victory at home edging higher ranked BS Ogre (8-16) 61-58 on Thursday evening. The hosts were tied after three quarters but managed to speed up in last quarter eventually winning the game. Gulbene dominated on the defensive end, holding BS Ogre to just 6 points in third and fourth quarters. Newly promoted Gulbene maintains fifteenth position with 6-20 record. BS Ogre at the other side keeps the tenth place with 16 games lost. Gulbene will play against higher ranked RSU (#7) in Riga in the next round and they do not belong to the favorites in that game. BS Ogre will play at home against Ventspils Augstskola and it may be a tough game between close rivals.

Saldus - Jelgava/LLU 76-72

Very expected game when 11th ranked Zemgale/Juniors (8-17) were defeated on the road by fourth ranked Saldus (19-4) 76-72. However just four-point win is not that big difference and the fans of host team counted on more convincing victory. Zemgale/Juniors were tied at the half but could not keep up in last two quarters eventually losing the game. Saldus have an impressive five-game winning streak. They maintain fourth position with 19-4 record. Zemgale/Juniors at the other side keep the eleventh place with 17 games lost. Saldus' next round opponent will be VEF Kadeti (#5) in Riga. Zemgale/Juniors will play on the road against BS Riga (#6).

Livani - Ridzene 104-73

Rather predictable result when thirteenth ranked Livani (8-17) smashed at home bottom-ranked Ridzene (3-22) 104-73. The game without a history. Livani led from the first minutes and controlled entire game increasing their lead in each quarter. Livani moved-up to eleventh place, which they share with Cesis and Jelgava/LLU. Ridzene lost twelfth consecutive game. They stay dead last with 22 lost games. Livani's next round opponent will be higher ranked VEF Kadeti (#5) in Riga and they do not belong to the favorites in that game. Ridzene will play on the road against Cesis (#12).

Cesis - BS Riga 78-84

Not a big story in a game when 12th ranked Cesis (8-17) were defeated at home by seventh ranked BS Riga (13-10) 84-78. Cesis were tied at the half but could not keep up in last two quarters eventually losing the game. BS Riga moved-up to sixth place, which they share with RSU. Newly promoted Cesis dropped to the eleventh position with 17 games lost. BS Riga's next round opponent will be Zemgale/Juniors (#11) in Jelgava where they are favorite. Cesis will play at home against Ridzene in Riga.

RSU - DSN 76-50

Another interesting game was again a derby between two teams from Riga: RSU (#7) and DSN (#9). RSU (13-10) smashed visiting DSN (10-13) by 26 points 76-50. The game was mostly controlled by RSU. DSN was better in fourth quarter 19-11. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. They dominated on the defensive end, holding DSN to just 2 points in second quarter and to 13 points in first half. RSU moved-up to sixth place, which they share with BS Riga. DSN lost third consecutive game. DSN at the other side, also newcomer in the league, keeps the ninth position with 13 games lost. RSU's next round opponent will be Gulbene (#15) and are hoping to win another game. DSN will play against Valmiera BSS (#14).

Barons kvartals - Gulbene 103-50

Second ranked Barons kvartals (22-2) crushed at home 15th ranked Gulbene (6-20) by 53 points 103-50, which is the biggest margin this round on Friday night. The game was mostly controlled by Barons kvartals. Gulbene managed to win fourth quarter 22-21. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. They dominated on the defensive end, holding Gulbene to just 4 points in first quarter. Barons kvartals have an impressive ten-game winning streak. They keep a position of league leader, which they share with BK VEF. Newly promoted Gulbene keeps the fifteenth place with 20 games lost. Barons kvartals' supporters look forward to an exciting derby game next round, where their team will face at home their local rival from Riga VEF Riga junior.

Standings - LBAL

LBL2 Standings

1. BK VEF		22-2
2. Barons kvartals		22-2
3. Liepaja-2		21-3
4. Saldus		19-4
5. VEF Kadeti		14-9
6. BS Riga		13-10
7. RSU		13-10
8. VA		11-13
9. DSN		10-13
10. Ogres		8-16
11. Jelgava/LLU		8-17
12. Cesis		8-17
13. Livani		8-17
14. Valmiera BSS		6-17
15. Gulbene		6-20
16. Ridzene		3-22

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

LEBANON

Riyadi and Champville prepared for the WABL Semi Final with wins in the LBF League - by Asia-Basket Lebanon
Before the waited encounter in the WABL semi final Riyadi and Champville prepared for the game in the best way possible , the two teams had easy wins against Bejjeh and Hoops.
In Murr Stadium Chamville had in the absence of Sam Hoskin had a slow start against Hoops , but it was very clear that the guest team was controlling the game especially in the 2nd quarter by the zone defense which allowed Champville to outscore Hoops 20 to . Fadi Khatib had a big start and continued the big performance he finished the game with 36 points. In the 2nd half the tempo dropped and Champville scored another win in its campaign on the score of 83-94.
Damond Williams finished with 25 points for hoops , Guarnette Thompson who had a big game on last Tuesday against Petrochimi in the WABL continued its good performance he finished this game with 23 points.
In another game the Leader of the League Riyadi had a so called easy game against Bejjeh whos playing without its foreign players after the LBF decision of banning the team from signing any foreign player for the rest of the season. Riyadi also played this game without its foreign players and Coach Fouad Abou Chakra rested his foreign players for Tuesdays game. The game saw a close first half which at the end of it Riyadi led 48-41. In the 3rd quarter Riyadi made a big run and outscored Bejjeh 26-11 this run gave Riyadi an easy win at the end on the score of 105-80.
Amir Saoud the new talent led all scorers with 31 points , on the other side Nadim Souaid led Bejjeh with 24 points.
Riyadi and Champville will meet on Tuesday at 6pm in Manara in the first game of the WABL semi final , the format of the WABL semi final is best of 3. In the other semi Final Mahram will meet Zob Ahan in Tehran on next Monday.

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

LIGA AMERICAS

Standings

Liga Americas Standings

Group A
1. Pioneros			2-1
2. La Union			2-1
3. Vivo/Franca			1-2
4. Fuerza Regia			1-2
Group B
1. Obras			1-0
2. Guaros			0-1
3. Bucaneros			1-0
4. Regatas C.			0-1
Group C
1. Arecibo			0-0
2. Cia do Terno			0-0
3. Cocodrilos			0-0
4. Leones SD			0-0
Group D
1. Itabom/Bauru			0-0
2. Los Leones			0-0
3. Quimsa			0-0
4. Uniceub/BRB			0-0

Stats Leaders

Points Per Game

Joe SMITH
  La Union
  (193-G-77)
  Avg: 22.3

1. Smith, La Union	22.3
2. Basden, Vivo/Fran.	20.3
3. Hickerson, Bucan.	20.0
4. Hornsby, Pioneros	19.0
5. Harris, Pioneros	17.3
6. Fuller, Fuerza Reg.	17.3
7. Washam, Obras	17.0
8. Dugat, Fuerza Reg.	16.7
9. Lewis, La Union	16.3
10. Mazzaro, Obras	16.0

Rebounds Per Game

Hiram FULLER
  Fuerza Regia
  (206-C-81)
  Avg: 11.3

1. Fuller, Fuerza Reg.	11.3
2. Lewis, La Union	11.3
3. Drudi, Vivo/Franca	10.0
4. Romano, Regatas C.	8.0
5. Gutierrez, Obras	8.0
6. Hickerson, Bucan.	8.0
7. Kante, Regatas C.	8.0
8. Ivanovic, Vivo/Fra.	7.0
9. Hernandez, Pioneros	6.3
10. Julio, Bucaneros	6.0

Assists Per Game

Alejandro KONSZTATD
  Obras
  (190-G-89)
  Avg: 8

1. Konsztatd, Obras	8.0
2. Smith, La Union	4.3
3. Penna, Vivo/Franca	4.3
4. Martinez, Regat.	4.0
5. Romano, Regatas C.	4.0
6. Basden, Vivo/Fran.	4.0
7. Parker, Guaros	4.0
8. Harris, Pioneros	4.0
9. Cedeno, Bucaneros	4.0
10. Dugat, Fuerza Re.	3.7

Steals Per Game

Smush PARKER
  Guaros
  (193-G-81)
  Avg: 4

1. Parker, Guaros	4.0
2. Fells, Obras	3.0
3. Washam, Obras	3.0
4. Adams, Guaros	2.0
5. Elsener, Obras	2.0
6. Cavaco, Regatas C.	2.0
7. Smith, La Union	2.0
8. Konsztatd, Obras	2.0
9. Martinez, Regat.	2.0
10. Hickerson, Bucan.	2.0

Blocks Per Game

Nicolas ROMANO
  Regatas C.
  (197-F/C-87)
  Avg: 1

1. Romano, Regatas C.	1.0
2. Hickerson, Bucan.	1.0
3. Milosevic, Bucaner.	1.0
4. Wolkowyski, La Uni.	1.0
5. Hubbard, Guaros	1.0
6. Gutierrez, Obras	1.0
7. Hornsby, Pioneros	1.0
8. Lewis, La Union	1.0
9. Bayona, Bucaneros	1.0
10. Mikulas, La Union	0.7

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

LITHUANIA

NKL Round 10: Leader Radviliskis lose to Matinga-Juod. - by Eurobasket News
Top ranked Radviliskis (26-14) recorded its fourteenth loss at the home court on Saturday night. Hosts were defeated by fifth ranked Matinga-Juod. (23-17) 88-83. The guests trailed by 1 point after first quarter, but they rallied back to get the 9-point lead at the halftime and eventually won the game 88-83. Matinga-Juod. dominated down low during the game scoring 58 of its points in the paint compared to Radviliskis' 36. Guard Aurimas Birgelis (190-G-88) fired 27 points for the winners. Center Mindaugas Kalvelis (205-80) chipped in 20 points and 8 rebounds. Guard Tomas Rakauskas (183-81) produced 19 points and 4 assists (made all of his ten free throws !!!) for lost side. Matinga-Juod. moved-up to fourth place in . Radviliskis at the other side still keeps top position with 14 games lost. Matinga-Juod. are looking forward to face Zalgiris-Sabonio (#5) in Kaunas in the next round. Radviliskis will play on the road against the league's second-placed LKKA-Atletas (#2) in Kaunas and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Another exciting game was played in Joniskis between sixth ranked Zalgiris-Sabonio and one of their biggest challengers Delikatesas where Zalgiris-Sabonio (23-17) beat Delikatesas (22-18) on the road 83-72. Worth to mention a great performance of guard Justas Tamulis (194-94) who helped to win the game recording 26 points. Simonas Kymantas contributed with 14 points and 9 rebounds for the winners. Zalgiris-Sabonio's coach Tomas Masiulis allowed to play the deep bench players saving starting five for next games. Center Tautvydas Slezas (207-90, agency: Interperformances) replied with a double-double by scoring 16 points and 15 rebounds for Delikatesas. Zalgiris-Sabonio moved-up to fifth place in . Delikatesas at the other side dropped to the sixth position with 18 games lost. Zalgiris-Sabonio will play against higher ranked Matinga-Juod. (#4) in Marijampole in the next round and it may be quite challenging game. Delikatesas will play on the road against Mazeikiai and it may be a tough game between close rivals.

Rest of the games of round 10 were very predictable and ended without any surprises. Here they are:
Triobet was defeated by LKKA-Atletas in Kaunas 89-74. Nafta Universitetas beat Mazeikiai at home 84-78. Silute lost to S.Marciulionio on the opponent's court 65-73. Ezerunas-Karys managed to outperform ABRO-Univ. in a home game 77-66. Gargzdai was rolled over Statyba on the road 82-63. Perlas-MRU was defeated by Meresta on its own court 87-97.
The best stats of 10th round was 34 points (!!!), 7 rebounds and 5 assists by Audrius Mineikis of Radviliskis.

Group A

LKKA-Atletas - Triobet 89-74

There was no surprise in Kaunas where 9th ranked Triobet (20-20) was defeated by second ranked LKKA-Atletas (25-15) 89-74. It looked good early as Triobet took an 5-point lead at the end of first quarter. But then LKKA-Atletas had a 26-15 second period charge getting the lead and Triobet was not able to take back game control losing it eventually 74-89. LKKA-Atletas forced 19 Triobet turnovers. Worth to mention a great performance of forward Vidmantas Sragauskis (200-86) who helped to win the game recording 21 points and 8 rebounds. Guard Sarunas Vingelis (192-89) contributed with 21 points for the winners. Five LKKA-Atletas players scored in double figures. Forward Martynas Linkevicius (197-85) replied with 15 points, 8 rebounds and 4 assists and center Paulius Vaitiekunas (208-87) added 18 points and 7 rebounds in the effort for Triobet. Triobet's coach Kestutis Narusevicius rotated ten players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. LKKA-Atletas maintains second position in with 25-15 record behind leader Radviliskis. Triobet at the other side dropped to the eleventh place with 20 games lost. LKKA-Atletas will play against league's leader Radviliskis at home in the next round and it will be for sure the game of the week. Triobet will play against Nafta Universitetas (#3) in Klaipeda and hopes to get back on the winning track.
Top scorers:
Triobet: H.Vorotnikovas 18+1reb, P.Vaitiekunas 18+7reb+1ast, M.Linkevicius 15+8reb+4ast, V.Kruzikas 9+1ast, R.Cepanonis 8+1reb, T.Sebeziovas 2+3ast
LKKA-Atletas: S.Vingelis 21+3reb+3ast, V.Sragauskis 21+8reb+2ast, T.Urbonas 12+5reb, M.Sapiega 12+2reb+6ast, T.Tamosiunas 11+1reb+1ast, D.Gricius 5+2reb+2ast

Delikatesas - Zalgiris-Sabonio 72-83

Another exciting game was played in Joniskis between sixth ranked Zalgiris-Sabonio and one of their biggest challengers Delikatesas where Zalgiris-Sabonio (23-17) beat Delikatesas (22-18) on the road 83-72. The game without a history. Zalgiris-Sabonio led from the first minutes and controlled entire game increasing their lead in each quarter. Worth to mention a great performance of guard Justas Tamulis (194-94) who helped to win the game recording 26 points. Power forward Simonas Kymantas (204-93) contributed with 14 points and 9 rebounds for the winners. Zalgiris-Sabonio's coach Tomas Masiulis allowed to play the deep bench players saving starting five for next games. Center Tautvydas Slezas (207-90, agency: Interperformances) replied with a double-double by scoring 16 points and 15 rebounds and guard Vidmantas Uzkuraitis (189-85) added 12 points, 9 rebounds and 4 assists in the effort for Delikatesas. Both teams had four players each who scored in double figures. Zalgiris-Sabonio moved-up to fifth place in . Delikatesas at the other side dropped to the sixth position with 18 games lost. Zalgiris-Sabonio will play against higher ranked Matinga-Juod. (#4) in Marijampole in the next round and it may be quite challenging game. Delikatesas will play on the road against Mazeikiai and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Delikatesas: V.Jatulevicius 17+6reb, A.Kvedaravicius 16+6reb+2ast, T.Slezas 16+15reb+3ast, V.Uzkuraitis 12+9reb+4ast, P.Klemas 8+2reb+1ast, I.Lianzbergas 3+2reb
Zalgiris-Sabonio: J.Tamulis 26+3reb+3ast, S.Kymantas 14+9reb+1ast, Z.Skucas 13+5reb+2ast, V.Kariniauskas 12+5reb+3ast, T.Dimsa 6+6reb+3ast, R.Jakstas 3

Nafta Universitetas - Mazeikiai 84-78

No shocking result in a game in Klaipeda where third ranked Nafta Universitetas (25-15) defeated 7th ranked Mazeikiai (22-18) 84-78. However just six-point win is not that big difference and the fans of host team counted on more convincing victory. The hosts were ahead by 3 points but lost the second period ending it with a 1-point deficit before their 22-15 run, which allowed them to win the game. Nafta Universitetas forced 23 Mazeikiai turnovers. Mazeikiai was plagued by 30 personal fouls down the stretch. It was a very good performance for guard Evaldas Lengvinas (190-89) who helped to win the game recording 28 points (on 11-of-14 shooting from the field). Center Arturas Gudaitis (208-93) contributed with 9 points, 8 rebounds and 4 blocks for the winners. Nafta Universitetas' coach Dainius Miliunas used a ten-player rotation which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. Forward Dainius Vaitelis (201-86) replied with 17 points and 5 rebounds and point guard Mindaugas Stasys (180-86) added 16 points and 4 assists in the effort for Mazeikiai. Four Mazeikiai players scored in double figures. Nafta Universitetas maintains third position in with 25-15 record behind leader Radviliskis. Mazeikiai at the other side keeps the seventh place with 18 games lost. Nafta Universitetas will play against Triobet (#11) in Jonava in the next round and are hoping to win another game. Mazeikiai will play at home against Delikatesas (#6) in Joniskis and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Mazeikiai: D.Vaitelis 17+5reb+1ast, M.Stasys 16+3reb+4ast, M.Norkus 12+6reb, A.Aleksandrovas 11+3reb+1ast, P.Brown 8+5reb+4ast, C.Brock 6+3reb+1ast
Nafta Universitetas: E.Lengvinas 28+2reb+2ast, J.Kazakauskas 13+2reb+1ast, V.Chodosovskis 12+3reb+1ast, D.Norkus 9+5reb, A.Gudaitis 9+8reb+1ast, D.Anuzis 6+1reb+2ast

Radviliskis - Matinga-Juod. 83-88

Top ranked Radviliskis (26-14) recorded its fourteenth loss at the home court on Saturday night. Hosts were defeated by fifth ranked Matinga-Juod. (23-17) 88-83. The guests trailed by 1 point after first quarter, but they rallied back to get the 9-point lead at the halftime and eventually won the game 88-83. Matinga-Juod. dominated down low during the game scoring 58 of its points in the paint compared to Radviliskis' 36. Guard Aurimas Birgelis (190-88) fired 27 points for the winners. Center Mindaugas Kalvelis (205-80) chipped in 20 points and 8 rebounds. Guard Tomas Rakauskas (183-81) produced 19 points and 4 assists (made all of his ten free throws !!!) and forward Audrius Mineikis (201-77) added 17 points and 6 rebounds (made all of his ten free throws !!!) respectively for lost side. Both teams had four players each who scored in double figures. Matinga-Juod. moved-up to fourth place in . Radviliskis at the other side still keeps top position with 14 games lost. Matinga-Juod. are looking forward to face Zalgiris-Sabonio (#5) in Kaunas in the next round. Radviliskis will play on the road against the league's second-placed LKKA-Atletas (#2) in Kaunas and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Radviliskis: T.Rakauskas 19+4reb+4ast, A.Mineikis 17+6reb+2ast, J.Ramanauskas 14+7reb+3ast, L.Pipiras 10+3reb, R.Rauktys 8+1reb+2ast, L.Valantinas 7+3reb+2ast
Matinga-Juod.: A.Birgelis 27+3reb+3ast, M.Kalvelis 20+8reb+1ast, M.Valukonis 12+6reb+3ast, A.Cizikas 10+3reb+3ast, P.Knyza 6+1reb, Z.Kuklierius 6+2reb+5ast

Group B

S.Marciulionio - Silute 73-65

Very expected game in Vilnius where 14th ranked Silute (15-25) was defeated by tenth ranked S.Marciulionio (21-19) 73-65. The hosts were tied after three quarters but managed to speed up in last quarter eventually winning the game. S.Marciulionio brought some defensive toughness making 10 blocks. It was a very good performance for center Egidijus Mockevicius (204-92) who helped to win the game recording a double-double by scoring 21 points, 11 rebounds and 6 blocks. point guard Robertas Bitinas (182-84) contributed with 18 points for the winners. Guard Ignas Razutis (185-87) replied with a double-double by scoring 17 points, 13 rebounds and 4 assists and guard Evaldas Saulys (193-93) added 15 points in the effort for Silute. S.Marciulionio moved-up to ninth place in . Silute at the other side keeps the fourteenth position with 25 games lost. S.Marciulionio will play against bottom-ranked ABRO-Universitetas (#16) in Siauliai in the next round and are hoping to win another game. Silute will play at home against Meresta in Pakruojis and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Silute: I.Razutis 17+13reb+4ast, E.Saulys 15+2reb, R.Rackauskas 11+3reb, V.Pancerevas 8+4ast, A.Kaubrys 6+7reb+2ast, D.Petravicius 4+6reb+4ast
S.Marciulionio: E.Mockevicius 21+11reb+1ast, R.Bitinas 18+1reb+3ast, J.Elvikis 13+2reb+1ast, T.Lekunas 8+4reb+3ast, M.Pociukonis 5+1reb+2ast, N.Varnelis 3+8reb+4ast

Ezerunas-Karys - ABRO-Univ. 77-66

Very predictable result in Moletai where eleventh ranked Ezerunas-Karys (20-20) beat bottom-ranked ABRO-Universitetas (7-33) 77-66. The game was mostly controlled by Ezerunas-Karys. ABRO-Universitetas was better in second period 16-14. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. It was a very good performance for forward Andrius Slezas (200-75) who helped to win the game recording 17 points, 9 rebounds and 6 assists. Center Marius Janisius (203-77) contributed with 18 points and 5 rebounds for the winners. Four Ezerunas-Karys players scored in double figures. Ezerunas-Karys' coach Mindaugas Kildisius used entire bench which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. Guard Rokas Giedraitis (195-92) replied with 16 points and forward Edvinas Vaupsas (201-91) added 11 points and 8 rebounds in the effort for ABRO-Universitetas. Ezerunas-Karys moved-up to tenth place in . ABRO-Universitetas at the other side stay dead last with 33 lost games. Ezerunas-Karys will play against Gargzdai-Bremena (#15) on the road in the next round where they are favorite. ABRO-Universitetas will play against S.Marciulionio in Vilnius and hopes to get back on the winning track.
Top scorers:
ABRO-Univ.: R.Giedraitis 16+4reb+3ast, A.Kurauskas 12+1reb+3ast, E.Vaupsas 11+8reb+1ast, V.Pikalavicius 8+7reb+1ast, A.Gurklys 6+6reb, T.Stankunas 6+3reb
Ezerunas-Karys: M.Janisius 18+5reb, P.Lescinskas 18+2reb+1ast, A.Slezas 17+9reb+6ast, G.Kulbis 12+1reb+2ast, E.Narusis 6+4reb+3ast, A.Ziukas 4

Statyba - Gargzdai 82-63

Not a big story in a game in Vilnius where 15th ranked Gargzdai-Bremena (12-28) was outplayed by eighth ranked Statyba (22-18) 82-63. It looked good early as Gargzdai-Bremena took an 7-point lead at the end of first quarter. But then Statyba had a 22-12 second period charge getting the lead and Gargzdai-Bremena was not able to take back game control losing it eventually 63-82. Statyba forced 19 Gargzdai-Bremena turnovers. Their players were unselfish on offense dishing 22 assists. It was a very good performance for swingman Tadas Rinkunas (195-91) who helped to win the game recording 22 points and 5 rebounds. Guard Ovidijus Varanauskas (187-91) contributed with 13 points, 5 rebounds and 6 assists for the winners. Four Statyba players scored in double figures. Statyba's coach Gintautas Regina used entire bench which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. Forward Egidijus Ramanauskas (202-88) replied with a double-double by scoring 13 points and 11 rebounds and swingman Tadas Mazelis (194-92) added 15 points in the effort for Gargzdai-Bremena. Statyba maintains eighth position in with 22-18 record. Newly promoted Gargzdai-Bremena keeps the fifteenth place with 28 games lost. Statyba's supporters look forward to an exciting derby game next round, where their team will face at home their local rival from Vilnius Perlas-MRU.
Top scorers:
Gargzdai: T.Mazelis 15+3reb+2ast, E.Ramanauskas 13+11reb, R.Jonelis 10+4reb+1ast, L.Lucinskas 8+3reb, L.Jonuska 7+4reb+2ast, M.Grigaitis 6+1reb+2ast
Statyba: T.Rinkunas 22+5reb+1ast, O.Varanauskas 13+5reb+6ast, M.Budzinauskas 12+1reb+3ast, D.Tarvydas 12+3reb+1ast, V.Luksa 8+2reb+1ast, R.Sugintas 6+5reb+3ast

Perlas-MRU - Meresta 87-97

Everything could happen in Vilnius at the game between two tied teams. Both twelfth ranked Meresta and 13th ranked Perlas-MRU had identical 18-21 record. But Perlas-MRU was not able to use a home court advantage and lost to the opponent from Pakruojis 97-87. The guests were ahead by 6 points but lost the second period ending it with a 2-point deficit before their 34-22 run, which allowed them to win the game. Meresta made 20-of-26 charity shots (76.9 percent) during the game. They also forced 20 Perlas-MRU turnovers. Perlas-MRU was plagued by 24 personal fouls down the stretch. It was a very good performance for forward Audrius Maneikis (203-84, college: Motlow St. CC) who helped to win the game recording 25 points and 5 assists. Guard Saulius Raziulis (183-76, agency: Court Side) contributed with 18 points and 4 assists for the winners. Forward Antanas Udras (203-92) replied with 18 points, 8 rebounds and 5 assists and power forward Mantas Virbalas (203-88) added 13 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists in the effort for Perlas-MRU. Both teams had four players each who scored in double figures. Perlas-MRU's coach Mindaugas Sakalauskas rotated ten players in this game, but that didn't help. Meresta maintains twelfth position in with 19-21 record. Perlas-MRU at the other side keeps the thirteenth place with 22 games lost. Meresta will play against Silute (#14) on the road in the next round. Perlas-MRU's supporters look forward to an exciting derby game next round, where their team will travel locally in Vilnius to the arena Statyba.
Top scorers:
Perlas-MRU: A.Udras 18+8reb+5ast, Z.Stankus 14+3reb+2ast, M.Kazonas 13+5reb+2ast, M.Virbalas 13+5reb+4ast, T.Padegimas 12+1reb+1ast, P.Semaska 8+3reb+7ast
Meresta: A.Maneikis 25+2reb+5ast, L.Radavicius 20+2reb+1ast, S.Raziulis 18+3reb+4ast, D.Griskenas 17+3reb, K.Artamonov 9+4reb+6ast, S.Slivka 4+3reb

Standings - NKL

NKL Standings

1. Radviliskis		26-14
2. LKKA-Atletas		25-15
3. Nafta Universitetas		25-15
4. Matinga-Juod.		23-17
5. Zalgiris-Sabonio		23-17
6. Delikatesas		22-18
7. Mazeikiai		22-18
8. Statyba		22-18
9. S.Marciulionio		21-19
10. Ezerunas-Karys		20-20
11. Triobet		20-20
12. Meresta		19-21
13. Perlas-MRU		18-22
14. Silute		15-25
15. Gargzdai		12-28
16. ABRO-Univ.		7-33

Stats Leaders - NKL

Points Per Game

Sarunas VINGELIS
  LKKA-.
  (192-G-89)
  Avg: 21.5

1. Vingelis, LKKA-.	21.5
2. Uzkuraitis, Delika.	19.4
3. Birgelis, Matinga-.	18.4
4. Rakauskas, Radvili.	18.3
5. Jucikas, AB.	17.8
6. Maneikis, Meresta	17.7
7. Varnelis, S.Marc.	17.3
8. Sragauskis, LKKA-.	17.1
9. Brown, Mazeikiai	16.5
10. Lengvinas, Nafta	15.8

Rebounds Per Game

Arturas GUDAITIS
  Gargzdai
  (208-C-93)
  Avg: 10.8

1. Gudaitis, Gargzdai	10.8
2. Ambrulaitis, Ezeru.	8.7
3. Mineikis, Radvilis.	8.2
4. Urbonas, LK.	7.9
5. Linkevicius, Triob.	7.5
6. Ramanauskas, Radvi.	7.5
7. Jucikas, AB.	7.4
8. Kalvelis, Matinga-.	7.3
9. Pikalavicius, Deli.	7.3
10. Kazakauskas, Naf.	7.0

Assists Per Game

Matas SAPIEGA
  LK.
  (179-PG-90)
  Avg: 8.5

1. Sapiega, LK.	8.5
2. Kurauskas, AB.	5.4
3. Razutis, Silute	5.0
4. Semaska, Perla.	4.9
5. Vileita, Perla.	4.5
6. Malasauskas, LKKA.	4.5
7. Kuklierius, Mating.	4.4
8. Varanauskas, Stat.	4.3
9. Vasiliauskas, Trio.	4.3
10. Birgelis, Matinga.	4.2

Steals Per Game

Ignas RAZUTIS
  Silute
  (185-G-87)
  Avg: 2.8

1. Razutis, Silute	2.8
2. Vileita, Perla.	2.5
3. Brown, Mazeikiai	2.4
4. Slivka, Meresta	2.2
5. Jogela, Zalgir.	2.1
6. Uzkuraitis, Delika.	2.0
7. Paliukenas, S.Marc.	1.9
8. Birgelis, Matinga-.	1.9
9. Kulbis, Ezerunas.	1.9
10. Semaska, Perla.	1.8

Blocks Per Game

Tomas URBONAS
  LK.
  (218-C-92)
  Avg: 2.9

1. Urbonas, LK.	2.9
2. Mockevicius, S.Mar.	2.0
3. Gudaitis, Gargzdai	1.7
4. Kaubrys, Silute	1.3
5. Jucikas, AB.	1.1
6. Krestinin, S.Marc.	1.1
7. Ramanauskas, Sil.	1.0
8. Kymantas, Zalgir.	1.0
9. Vaitiekunas, Triob.	1.0
10. Griskenas, Meresta	0.9

LKL All-Star Game. Lithuania edge Time Team - by Eurobasket News
Lithuania - Time Team 115:98

Lithuania Team celebrated victory in a traditional LKL All-Star Game that took place in Klaipeda tonight. They defeated Time Team comprised of LKL import star players. Jonas Valanciunas (210-C-92) tallied 25 points, 13 rebounds and 6 assists to lead the winners. The centre was named the MVP after the game.
The teams brought an exciting performance to the fans. The first period was an explosive mixture of offensive brilliance from both sides. Lithuania grabbed a narrow 34:33 lead after ten minutes. However Time Team changed the situation in the second term. Delas and Sonny Weems (198-G/F-86, college: Arkansas) made it 58:55 for Time Team at halftime. Lithuania took over again in the third term. Lithuania natives grabbed a 79:72 lead late in the frame. Time Team faced a 77:83 deficit heading into the fourth quarter. Lithuania went on an 11:0 run late in regulation to take a 115:94 lead and cruised to the victory at the end. Kuzminaskas provided 24 points, while Renaldas Seibutis (195-G-85) added 17 points for the winners. Sonny Weems answered with 21 points for Time Team. Rashaun Broadus (183-PG-84, college: BYU) had 20 points in the loss.
Traditional contests took place right before the game. Sonny Weems turned out the winner of Slam Dunk Contest. He prevailed against Raimundas Danys in the Final.
Zygimantas Sestokas claimed Three-Point Shooutout Contest crown edging Aleksandar Rasic in the final round.

Lithuania: Jonas Valanciunas 25+13 boards, Mindaugas Kuzminskas (205-F-89) 24, Renaldas Seibutis 17, Mantas Kalnietis 13+11 assists
Time Team: Sonny Weems 21, Rashaun Broadus 20, Rakovic 13

Lithuanian NKL round 9 (Second Stage) best performance: Vidmantas Sragauskis - by Eurobasket News
Forward Vidmantas Sragauskis (200-F-86) put on an extraordinary performance in the last round for second-ranked LKKA-Atletas, receiving a Eurobasket.com NKL Player of the Week award for round 9 (Second Stage).
The 25-year old player was the main contributor (35 points, three rebounds) to his team's victory, helping them to beat Mazeikiai (#7, 22-17) 100-87. LKKA-Atletas is placed at 2nd position in Lithuanian NKL. They would have been even better if they hadn't lost a few games earlier in Second Stage. LKKA-Atletas will need more victories to improve their 24-15 record. In the team's last game Sragauskis had a remarkable 83.3% from 2-point range and got five three-pointers out of 6 attempts. He has many years of experience at LKKA-Atletas, through which he has constantly improved. Vidmantas Sragauskis has solid league stats. He is in league's top in points (8th best: 17.0ppg) and averages impressive 62.2% FGP and 41.7% from behind 3-point line.

The second best player in last round's games was 33-year old Nerijus Varnelis (200-F-78) of S.Marciulionio. Varnelis had a very good evening with a double-double of 22 points and 12 rebounds. Of course S.Marciulionio cruised to a 99-91 relatively comfortable win over slightly lower-ranked Meresta (#12, 18-21). The game was between two teams which are definitely not main contenders for the top position in group B. S.Marciulionio keeps 10th position. His team lost some distance to top teams. But 20-19 record is not bad and everything may still change. Varnelis is a newcomer at S.Marciulionio, but is already one of team's top players. He belongs to the best scorers in the league with 18.1ppg (#5). He also registered 6.2 boards per game.

Third on the list of top players last round was another S.Marciulionio's star - center Egidijus Mockevicius (204-C-92). Mockevicius scored 19 points and grabbed eleven rebounds (!!!). He was another key player of S.Marciulionio, helping his team with a 99-91 win against slightly lower-ranked Meresta (#12, 18-21). S.Marciulionio needs these victories very badly if they think about getting closer to top teams in group B. Their record at this point is 20 victories and 19 lost games. Mockevicius has a very solid season. In 17 games in Lithuania he scored 11.5ppg. He also has 6.0rpg, 1.8bpg and FGP: 70.8%.

Other top performing players last week:
4. Antanas Udras (203-F-92) of Perlas-MRU - 15 points, 15 rebounds and 3 assists
5. Audrius Mineikis (201-F-77) of Radviliskis - 17 points, 10 rebounds and 3 assists
6. Marius Valukonis (198-F-88) of Matinga-Juod. - 25 points, 8 rebounds and 2 assists
7. Rokas Giedraitis (195-G-92) of ABRO-Univ. - 20 points, 6 rebounds and 3 assists
8. Tautvydas Slezas (207-C-90) of Delikatesas - 16 points, 11 rebounds and 5 assists
9. Martynas Linkevicius (197-F-85) of Triobet - 9 points, 12 rebounds and 3 assists
10. Agnius Gurklys (205-C-88) of ABRO-Univ. - 18 points, 3 rebounds and 2 assists

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

Juventus and Siauliai grab the home victories - by Eurobasket News
Juventus and Siauliai grab the home victories in Baltic league.
One of the most interesting games of round 19 was a derby match between two teams from Lithuania. First ranked Siauliai won against visiting Rudupis 80-71. Rashaun Broadus (183-PG-84, college: BYU) helped to win the game recording 16 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists. Arvydas Siksnius (196-F-87, college: Weatherford JC) contributed with 20 points for the winners. Povilas Butkevicius answered with a double-double by scoring 18 points and 10 rebounds and Arturas Milaknis added 14 points in the effort for Rudupis.
Juventus outleveled visiting Baltai Kaunas. The hosts trailed by 2 points after first quarter, but they stormed back to get the 4-point lead at the halftime and eventually won the game 86-67. It was a great evening for forward Zydrunas Urbonas (198-F-76) who led his team to a victory scoring 16 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists. Darius Pakamanis (193-G-81) helped adding 11 points and 8 rebounds. At the losing side Jonas Maciulis responded with 16 points and Zygimantas Janavicius (192-G-89, agency: Interperformances) scored 6 points and 6 assists.

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

LUXEMBOURG

Scoring Leaders - DBBL

Points Per Game

Lamonte ULMER
  Soleuvre
  (198-SF-86)
  Avg: 25.2

1. Ulmer, Soleuvre	25.2
2. Arre, BBC Nitia	24.9
3. Raji, Etzella	24.1
4. Kennedy, Residence	23.5
5. Schumacher, T71	23.2
6. McNutt, Heffingen	22.4
7. Rajniak, Basket E.	21.8
8. Muller, T71	20.8
9. Walker, Heffingen	20.3
10. Perre, Musel Pikes	20.3

Rebounds Per Game

Billy MCNUTT
  Heffingen
  (203-F-85)
  Avg: 12.6

1. McNutt, Heffingen	12.6
2. Ulmer, Soleuvre	12.3
3. Gary, Musel Pikes	11.7
4. Svitek, Basket Es.	11.6
5. Stephens, T71	11.6
6. Walker, Heffingen	10.7
7. Raji, Etzella	10.2
8. Kennedy, Residence	10.1
9. Horace, Etzella	9.8
10. Smith, Sparta	9.6

Assists Per Game

Kasey ULIN
  Sparta
  (184-PG-82)
  Avg: 4.8

1. Ulin, Sparta	4.8
2. Schartz, Amicale	4.0
3. Schumacher, T71	3.9
4. Reimold, Basket E.	3.6
5. Rajniak, Basket E.	3.5
6. Delgado, Etzella	3.4
7. Biever, Basket Es.	3.3
8. Arre, BBC Nitia	3.0
9. Di Bartolome., BBC	2.9
10. Ruffato, T71	2.9

Steals Per Game

Christopher JONES
  Amicale
  (188-G-90)
  Avg: 2.8

1. Jones, Amicale	2.8
2. Kennedy, Residence	2.1
3. Reimold, Basket E.	2.0
4. Arre, BBC Nitia	1.9
5. Perre, Musel Pikes	1.8
6. Ulmer, Soleuvre	1.6
7. Brown, Amicale	1.3
8. Carvalho, Heffingen	1.3
9. Smith, Sparta	1.2
10. McNutt, Heffingen	1.2

Blocks Per Game

Brandon GARY
  Musel Pikes
  (202-F/C-83)
  Avg: 2

1. Gary, Musel Pikes	2.0
2. Walker, Heffingen	1.7
3. Hoffmann, Sparta	1.4
4. Ulmer, Soleuvre	1.2
5. McNutt, Heffingen	1.0
6. Carvalho, Heffingen	0.9
7. Jorssen, Soleuvre	0.8
8. Reimold, Basket E.	0.7
9. Brown, Amicale	0.7
10. Horace, Etzella	0.7

Diekirch League Round 2 of Second Stage - by Eurobasket News
Third-ranked Amicale (11-9) gave a tough game to first ranked T71 (17-3) in Dudelange on Friday. T71 managed to secure only five-point victory 100-95. However their fans expected easier game. Frank Muller (194-F/C-88, college: Cuesta JC) scored 25 points and 8 rebounds to lead the charge for the winners. Defending champion maintains first position in League with 17-3 record. Amicale at the other side keeps the third place with nine games lost. T71 will face league's second-placed Sparta in Bertrange in the next round and it will be for sure the game of the week. Amicale will play on the road against Etzella in Ettelbruck and it may be a tough game between close rivals.

The most impressive stats of the last round was 22 points, 10 rebounds and 4 assists by Philip Perre of Musel Pikes.

1-6 places

Residence - Sparta 66-98

Very expected game in Bereldange where 6th ranked Residence (10-10) was crushed by second ranked Sparta (16-4) 98-66 on Friday. The game without a history. Sparta led from the first minutes and controlled entire game increasing their lead in each quarter. Sparta outrebounded Residence 40-23 including a 28-16 advantage in defensive rebounds. American point guard Kasey Ulin (184-82, college: Dickinson St.) scored 23 points and 9 rebounds to lead the charge for the winners and the former international forward Larrie Smith (198-75, college: Tenn Tech) chipped in 22 points and 8 rebounds during the contest. Four Sparta players scored in double figures. American forward Marcus Kennedy (193-84, college: Montevallo, agency: Interperformances) responded with a double-double by scoring 24 points and 12 rebounds and U.S. Virgin Islands forward Jerome Gumbs (194-82, college: USF) scored 19 points. Sparta maintains second position in League with 16-4 record behind leader T71. Residence at the other side keeps the sixth place with ten games lost. Sparta will face league's leader T71 in Dudelange in the next round and it will be for sure the game of the week. Residence will play on the road against Musel Pikes (#4) in Stadrbredimus and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Sparta: K.Ulin 23+9reb+3ast, L.Smith 22+8reb+3ast, R.Wolzfeld 18+4reb, E.Ukeagu 14+10reb, P.Arbaut 8+2reb+1ast, J.Hublart 6+6reb+2ast
Residence: M.Kennedy 24+12reb+2ast, J.Gumbs 19+3reb, P.Koster 14+2reb+2ast, M.Schmit 7+1reb+1ast, K.Moura 2+1reb, L.Jovicic 0

T71 - Amicale 100-95 OT

Third-ranked Amicale (11-9) gave a tough game to first ranked T71 (17-3) in Dudelange on Friday. T71 managed to secure only five-point victory 100-95. However their fans expected easier game. Amicale trailed by 11 points after 3 quarters before a 30-19 run in the last quarter tied the game at the end of regular time, But then they lost eventually overtime period 15-20. T71 made 32-of-40 free shots (80.0 percent) during the game, while Amicale only scored thirteen points from the stripe. Amicale was plagued by 29 personal fouls down the stretch. The former international power forward Frank Muller (194-88, college: Cuesta JC) scored 25 points and 8 rebounds to lead the charge for the winners and international guard Tom Schumacher (190-87, college: Cal.Baptist) chipped in 24 points and 7 rebounds during the contest. Cameroonian forward Yves Mekongo (201-87, college: La Salle, agency: Dynamics Global Management) responded with a double-double by scoring 21 points and 14 rebounds and Croatian-Austrian forward Ivan Djerman (203-83) scored 24 points and 6 rebounds. Both teams had four players each who scored in double figures. Defending champion maintains first position in League with 17-3 record. Amicale at the other side keeps the third place with nine games lost. T71 will face league's second-placed Sparta in Bertrange in the next round and it will be for sure the game of the week. Amicale will play on the road against Etzella in Ettelbruck and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
T71: F.Muller 25+8reb+1ast, T.Schumacher 24+7reb+2ast, G.Ruffato 14+5reb+6ast, D.Stephens 14+9reb, B.Kieffer 11+3reb, J.Delgado 7+7reb+3ast
Amicale: I.Djerman 24+6reb+2ast, Y.Mekongo 21+14reb+2ast, C.Schartz 20+3reb+3ast, A.Laurent 11+2reb, C.Jones 8+5reb+3ast, R.Birenbaum 5+2reb

Musel Pikes - Etzella 90-69

Everything could happen in Stadrbredimus at the game between two tied teams. Both fourth ranked Musel Pikes and 5th ranked Etzella had identical 10-9 record. This time Musel Pikes used a home court advantage and smashed the opponent from Ettelbruck 90-69 on Friday night. The game was mostly controlled by Musel Pikes. Etzella was better in fourth quarter 22-14. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. They made 18-of-23 free shots (78.3 percent) during the game. American-British forward Philip Perre (198-79, college: N.Alabama) had a double-double by scoring 22 points, 10 rebounds and 4 assists to lead the charge for the winners and American power forward Brandon Gary (202-83, college: Hutchinson CC) chipped in 22 points, 10 rebounds and 6 blocks during the contest. Four Musel Pikes players scored in double figures. Nigerian forward Corey Raji (198-88, college: Boston Coll., agency: Pro Partner Sports Management) responded with a double-double by scoring 14 points, 10 rebounds and 4 assists and the former international swingman Nelson Delgado (188-80) scored 17 points and 6 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. Musel Pikes maintains fourth position in League with 11-9 record. Loser Etzella keeps the fifth place with ten games lost. Musel Pikes will face Residence (#6) in Bereldange in the next round. Etzella will play at home against Amicale in Steinsel and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Musel Pikes: B.Gary 22+10reb, P.Perre 22+10reb+4ast, G.Schmit 15+2reb+1ast, L.Schwartz 11+4reb+2ast, J.Kox 8+1reb+3ast, T.Steffen 4+1reb
Etzella: N.Delgado 17+6reb+2ast, D.Horace 17+6reb+1ast, C.Raji 14+10reb+4ast, G.Polfer 7, P.Hoffmann 3, E.Bissener 3+8reb

7-10 places

Basket Esch - Heffingen 75-70

Not a big story in a game when 4th ranked Heffingen (2-17) was defeated on the road by first ranked Basket Esch (10-9) 75-70 on Saturday. The hosts took control from the first minutes by winning first half. But Heffingen won third quarter 23-15. However it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. The game was decided in the last minutes when Basket Esch won last quarter 23-19. Basket Esch outrebounded Heffingen 39-26 including 32 on the defensive glass. Heffingen was plagued by 26 personal fouls down the stretch. International forward Martin Rajniak (204-78, college: CSU Bakersfield) scored 22 points and 4 assists to lead the charge for the winners and Slovakian power forward Stefan Svitek (203-77) chipped in 14 points and 15 rebounds during the contest. Four Basket Esch players scored in double figures. Canadian forward Billy McNutt (203-85) responded with a double-double by scoring 30 points and 15 rebounds and guard Claude Weyrich (184-86) scored 11 points. Heffingen's coach Joao Costa rotated ten players in this game, but that didn't help. Basket Esch maintains first position in League with 10-9 record. Newly promoted Heffingen keeps the fourth place with 17 games lost. Both teams do not play next round, which will be an opportunity for some rest.
Top scorers:
Basket Esch: M.Rajniak 22+4reb+4ast, M.Latinovic 19+7reb, S.Svitek 14+15reb+1ast, C.Donnersbach 10+3reb+2ast, P.Biever 8+3reb, A.Rodenbourg 2+3reb+1ast
Heffingen: B.McNutt 30+15reb+1ast, C.Weyrich 11+3reb+3ast, C.Schroeder 10+1reb+1ast, D.Benseghir 6+3reb+1ast, C.Zender 5, T.Schmit 4+1reb

Standings

Diekirch Standings

1-6 places
1. T71		17-3
2. Sparta		16-4
3. Amicale		11-9
4. Musel Pikes		11-9
5. Etzella		10-10
6. Residence		10-10
7-10 places
1. Basket Esch		10-9
2. Soleuvre		8-10
3. BBC Nitia		2-16
4. Heffingen		2-17

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MALAYSIA

MOLDOVA

Gamma beat PGU-SDUSHOR in top game - by Eurobasket News
Gamma beat PGU-SDUSHOR in top game of the latest round. Gamma celebrated a 76;63 win to take 5-2 record. PGU-SDUSHOR remains on the second spot of the League with 6-2 record.
The League-leader Donbasket edged ASEM 86:51. UASM lost to Fireball 55:75 and Politech overcame Soroka 74:70.

Standings

D1 Standings

1. Donbasket		9-0
2. PGU-SDUSHOR		6-2
3. Gamma		5-2
4. Fireball		4-4
5. UASM		4-5
6. Politech		3-6
7. ASEM		3-6
8. Soroka		1-8

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MONTENEGRO

The opening game of EBL Round 17 brought a surprise. Mornar defeated against bottom ranked ABS Primorje! - by Darko Pekic
In the opening game of EBL Round 17, ABS Primorje, the bottom ranked team with only 3 wins so far, upseted the huge favorite from Bar and complicated the situation in the bottom part of the table (92-88). Dejan Jevtic 's team played a great game last night and showed its potential while coach Mihajlo Pavicevic 's players were probably thinking about upcoming challanges in Superleague and Balcan League. Despite the loss, they have no worries. Mornar secured the first place in regular season a long time ago..

The game started well for ABS Primorje. They took the lead and were able to find the way tos core always, but the guest were a tough challanger and did not want to let the game slip away. At the halftime the result was +3 for ABS Primorje (45-42). In the third quarter the guests turned the result in their favor and entered the last quarter with +2 points (65-63). But ABS realized the importance of the game and started pushing the botton again in the last quarter. They managed to take the lead again and won the game. The best player in both sides last night was Goran Bulatovic (184-G-88) who scored 23 points and had 5 assists. The experienced Serbian player, Bogoljub Devrnja (203-F/C-79, agency: 011 Sports) had a great scoring night with 25 points also. For the guests, Lazar Radosavljevic (204-F-91, agency: Beo Basket) scored 17 and Ivan Jelenic (190-SG-85, agency: BeoExcell) followed him with 16.

The game between Sutjeska and Mogren was registered 2:0 for the club from Niksic as the guests got expelled from the league. Other matches will be played today.

Maras joins Dexia Mons - by Darko Pekic
Ivan Maras (208-C/F-86, agency: Beo Basket) left Hemofarma and joined Dexia Mons, It was announced today by the club from Belgium. The Montenegrin power forward started the season in Serbia and he averaged 11.2 points, 4.8 rebounds per game in Adriatic League. The falling giant from Vrsac had financial difficulties and they decided to let all starting five members go because they do not have money to pay them. Boris Savovic (206-F-87, agency: Beo Basket) took that opportunity and moved to Turkey and Maras decided to follow his steps.

Last season Ivan Maras also spent with Hemofarm. Previously he spent seven straight seasons with Buducnost where he started his professional career and became team captain.. Ivan Maras has been the member of Montenegrin National Team since 2008. The 25 year old also was the member of U18 and U20 Serbia and Montenegro National Teams. Eurobasket.com named him All-Montenegrin League Defensive Player of the Year in 2009.

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NBA

Cleveland Cavaliers sign G Manny Harris to second 10-day contract - by Eurobasket News
The Cleveland Cavaliers have signed guard Manny Harris (6'5''-G-89, college: Michigan) to a second 10-day contract.

Harris first 10-day deal with the Cavs expired Thursday. Harris played in just one game over the stretch, which included the All-Star break.

Before signing with Cleveland the first time, Harris played 17 games for Canton, the Cavaliers affiliate in the NBAs Development League. He averaged 21.4 points, 7.9 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.7 steals in 32.9 minutes.

Once Harris second 10-day contract runs out, the Cavs must sign him for the remainder of the season if they want to keep him.

The Cavs host the Chicago Bulls on Friday night.

Courtesy of www.washingtonpost.com

Friday's games review (11): Jazz break Heat's nine-game winning streak with 99-98 victory - by Eurobasket News
San Antonio S. - Charlotte B. 102-72
The San Antonio Spurs gave Emanuel Ginobili (6'6''-G-77, agency: Interperformances) at least one more night off, and they didn't need him. Once Tony Parker (6'0''-PG-82) and the rest of the Spurs got running, there was nothing the Charlotte Bobcats could do to stop them. Parker scored 15 points, and the Spurs overwhelmed the Bobcats in the second half for a 102-72 victory on Friday night. The Spurs (25-11) bounced back from a rare home loss earlier this week against Chicago to win for the 13th time in their last 15 games. The Bobcats (4-30), who were playing San Antonio for the only time this season, have lost four straight and 20 of their last 21. 'They don't have a great record, obviously, but coach (Paul) Silas isn't going to let them just walk out there and do nothing,' Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. 'They were aggressive. They went after it and did everything they could. We got hot there in the second half and had a good run, and that was the game. But they busted their butts all night long and worked very hard.' Richard Jefferson scored 14 points and hit four 3-pointers, and Tim Duncan had 14 points and eight rebounds for the Spurs. Matt Bonner added 14 points, and Kawhi Leonard had 10. Ginobili missed his fifth straight game with a strained oblique. He was a game-time decision, but coach Gregg Popovich decided to rest him and said he'll see how Ginobili feels after practice Saturday. The Spurs' next game is against Denver on Sunday. Corey Maggette and Boris Diaw each scored 14 points for the Bobcats, who were held below 100 points for the 21st straight game. San Antonio outrebounded Charlotte 55-37, with DeJuan Blair leading all players with 11 rebounds. Jefferson added seven for the Spurs, who outscored the Bobcats 51-31 in the second half. San Antonio, which was playing the second game of a seven-game homestand, never trailed after the first quarter. 'Whenever you have a young team like they have, you have to always be aware of them coming out, getting off to a good start,' Jefferson said. 'We were a little rusty that first quarter, and as the game progressed, we picked it up.' The Spurs' defense frustrated the Bobcats throughout the game, with Charlotte hitting only 31 of 83 shots. Starting guards D.J. Augustin and Gerald Henderson combined to shoot 5 of 21. 'I just think as a group we're not shooting the ball well at all, and I start with myself,' said Corey Maggette, who shot 4 of 12. 'We've got to be a better shooting team. When you're playing one of the best teams in the league and shoot 30-plus percent, it's hard for anybody to win.' Maggette was hounded by Jefferson all night long, who said the key was 'good team defense. Great team defense.' Popovich was more direct in his praise. 'I thought he was real aggressive defensively tonight,' Popovich said. 'I thought he had a darn good defensive game. Corey's a tough nut. He likes to drive, he's real physical. I thought Richard had one of his better games in that regard.' The Spurs led 51-41 at halftime behind Parker's 13 points and Duncan's 10 points and eight rebounds. San Antonio held Charlotte to 17-of-49 shooting in the half to help overcome 10 turnovers. Charlotte actually jumped out a 16-12 lead, but the Spurs went on a 11-0 run and led 29-20 after the first quarter. Jefferson's 3-pointer with 4:23 left gave the Spurs a 17-16 lead they wouldn't lose the rest of the game. Parker, the Spurs' only All-Star, hit all four of his shots in the quarter, and continually left the Bobcats frustrated with his quickness. After stealing a pass intended for Augustin at halfcourt with 3:25 left in the first quarter, Parker went in for an uncontested layup. Augustin never got past halfcourt, instead protesting what he thought was a foul. 'The thing with Tony is he's always getting better,' Diaw said. 'Season after season, it always surprises everybody else. Like, ah, that's the best he's been playing. Year after year, that's the best he's been playing. Nothing surprising anymore. He's doing great. I'm happy he got a chance to go to the All-Star game this year. He's really a point of focus on his team now.' *Courtesy of www.therepublic.com

Phoenix Suns - LA Clippers 81-78
Jared Dudley (6'7''-F-85, agency: Priority Sports, college: Boston Coll.) scored 22 points and made two crucial free throws in the final minute as the Phoenix Suns rallied from an 11-point deficit to beat the Los Angeles Clippers 81-78 on Friday night. Marcin Gortat had 18 points and 14 rebounds, and Grant Hill added 14 points for the Suns, who won for the fourth time in five games despite shooting 35 percent from the floor. Channing Frye was emblematic of both the Suns' offensive struggles and defensive success, shooting 2 of 18 from the floor but adding a key free throw and pulled down 14 rebounds. Blake Griffin scored 17 points, Chris Paul had 16 and Kenyon Martin added 14 off the bench for the Clippers, who have lost two of three. The Suns, who trailed by 11 points midway through the second quarter, opened a 63-52 lead on Markief Morris' 3-pointer with 9.7 seconds left in the third. The Clippers slowly rallied, tying the game at 70 on Mo Williams' 3-pointer from the left corner with 4 minutes to play. Gortat blocked Caron Butler and Frye made 1 of 2 free throws to give the Suns a 77-72 lead with 29.5 seconds left. Paul pulled the Clippers within 77-75 with a wide-open 3-pointer from the top of the arc off the inbounds pass with 26.5 to go. After a pair of Phoenix timeouts, Frye broke free to Hill's inbound pass before the Suns worked the ball to Dudley, who was fouled. Dudley's two free throws put the Suns ahead 79-75. Paul attempted a 3-pointer but his shot was blocked by Hill, who then scored on a layup to secure the Suns' 13th win in their past 14 games against the Clippers. Phoenix scored just 15 second-quarter points yet trailed only 35-32 at the half. Hill gave the Suns their first lead since the early minutes, 38-37, on 14-foot jumper 9:56 into the third quarter. The Suns have won nine straight at home against the Clippers, dating to April 17, 2007. *Courtesy of www.startribune.com

Atlanta H. - Milwaukee B. 99-94
Vladimir Radmanovic (6'10''-F-80) made the go-ahead 3-pointer with 11.9 seconds remaining and the Atlanta Hawks rallied in the final period to beat the Milwaukee Bucks 99-94 on Friday night. Jannero Pargo scored 11 points, all in the fourth quarter. The Hawks, playing without leading scoring Joe Johnson, leaned on their reserves, including veterans Tracy McGrady and Jerry Stackhouse, in the final period. The Bucks, led by Brandon Jennings' 34 points, were ahead by 15 in the third quarter. Atlanta pulled ahead with a 15-3 run to open the final period. McGrady, Pargo and Radmanovic hit 3-pointers in the run that gave Atlanta its first lead since the second quarter. Drew Gooden, who had 24 points and 10 rebounds, hit two free throws with 1:16 remaining for a 92-92 tie. Josh Smith answered with a jam before Ersan Ilyasova scored on a tip-in for a 94-94 tie. Radmanovic took a pass from McGrady and hit the go-ahead 3. After Smith rejected a shot by Gooden, Stackhouse made two free throws to add to the lead. Smith had 24 points and 19 rebounds. The Bucks, led by Jennings, closed the first half with a 13-2 run to lead 51-39 at the break. Jennings started the run with back-to-back 3-pointers. After stealing a pass from Smith, Jennings then added a running layup to cap his personal 8-0 run. The Hawks cut the lead to 69-65 late in the third period before Jennings took over again, sinking two 3-pointers while scoring seven straight points to push the lead to 76-65. The Hawks were without Johnson and backup shooting guard Willie Green. Each will miss at least two games. Kirk Hinrich made his second start, joining Jeff Teague in Atlanta's backcourt. After missing two games and the All-Star game because of tendinitis in his left knee, Johnson returned to lead Atlanta with 18 points in Wednesday night's 85-82 loss to Golden State. Johnson's knee was stiff after playing more than 37 minutes. Coach Larry Drew said he wants to make sure Johnson's knee is stronger before he returns. Green left Wednesday night's game with lower back spasms. The Hawks, already missing centers Al Horford (torn left pectoral muscle) and Jason Collins (sprained left elbow), struggled early in the game without Johnson. Hinrich had five of Atlanta's 17 first-half turnovers. Radmanovic had three 3-pointers for all of his nine points in the final period. McGrady had nine points and 11 rebounds. *Courtesy of www.miamiherald.com

Boston C. - New Jersey N. 107-94
Paul Pierce (6'7''-F/G-77, college: Kansas) had 27 points and eight assists, and the Boston Celtics got back above .500 with their third straight win, beating the New Jersey Nets 107-94 on Friday night. Kevin Garnett added 20 points and 10 rebounds for his second straight double-double and third in four games. Rajon Rondo joined him with a double-double, finishing with 14 points and 13 assists for Boston (18-17). The Celtics were playing without Ray Allen, who was sick Friday night, but still controlled nearly the entire game and had five players score in double figures. Boston also had assists on 35 of its 45 field goals and topped 100 points for the third time in four games. Brook Lopez had 28 points for the Nets and Deron Williams finished with 12 points and eight assists. MarShon Brooks, Anthony Morrow and Gerald Green scored 11 apiece for New Jersey. New Jersey is still trying to recover from an eight-game losing streak last month. The Nets had gone 3-2 since the skid, including a 93-92 road win over the defending NBA champion Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday, but slipped back to their old form on Friday night. The Celtics shot 50 percent in the first half, taking a 58-40 lead into the break. Boston controlled the lane, outscoring New Jersey 32-18 inside and running for 14 fast-break points while holding the Nets to none. Mickael Pietrus scored 11 and reserve Chris Wilcox had 14 points and seven rebounds while playing 27 minutes, 41 seconds - the longest night for any Boston player. Most of his teammates were enjoying a rest at the end after shutting down a brief rally by the Nets. The Nets continued to unravel in the third quarter, as Garnett scored eight early in the period, then Pierce converted a three-point play to put the Celtics up 73-49 with 6:27 left in the period. New Jersey was playing a man down because Lopez was still at the other end complaining his shot that was blocked by Brandon Bass should have been called goaltending. There was no whistle and Rondo found Pierce under the basket for an easy layup as DeShawn Stevenson committed the foul. The Celtics' lead grew to 26 before the Nets rallied to make it a little interesting near the end of the third with a 15-4 run. Green scored on three straight dunks, including a towering alley-oop from Brooks, during the surge, but the Nets still couldn't get closer than 14. Garnett opened the fourth with a long jumper for the Celtics, who didn't allow the Nets to threaten again. *Courtesy of www.ktvn.com

Houston R. - Denver N. 105-117
Ty Lawson (5'11''-PG-87, college: N.Carolina) had 22 points and a career-high 15 assists, Arron Afflalo scored 16 of his 17 points in the second half and the Denver Nuggets rallied to beat the Houston Rockets 117-105 on Friday night. Kenneth Faried added 16 points and 11 rebounds and Andre Miller scored 16 for the Nuggets, who shook off a dismal shooting start and ended up with seven players scoring in double figures. Kevin Martin scored a season-high 35 points, but the Rockets were outrebounded 49-35 and gave up a season-high 33 second-chance points to lose for just the third time in eight games. Denver had 19 offensive rebounds. Corey Brewer scored 15, Al Harrington had 13 and Kosta Koufos 10 for the Nuggets, who won for the third time in eight games. Denver shot 32 percent (16 for 50) in the first half and trailed 54-51. Afflalo opened the third quarter with two long jumpers, kickstarting a 15-5 spurt. Martin scored 20 points in the first half, and kept Houston close in the third with three 3-pointers. His last 3 of the period sent him over 30 points for the fourth time this season, and put Houston up 78-76. Afflalo flipped in a hook shot, and the Nuggets built an 82-78 lead heading to the fourth. Denver continued to shoot well in the final quarter, helping it hold on to a slim lead. Lawson hit a floater in the lane, then added a free throw with 4:22 left to put Denver up 100-94. Lawson and Miller then scored on drives, and Harrington sank a 3-pointer from the corner to give Denver its biggest lead to that point, at 107-97. The Rockets were outscored 52-36 in the paint and generated only seven fast-break points. Denver led 26-25 after one quarter, despite shooting 30 percent (7 of 23) in the first 12 minutes. The Rockets went 0 for 6 from 3-point range in the quarter, but were 11 of 14 at the free-throw line to keep pace. The Nuggets' shooting didn't improve in the second quarter, and many of the misses came from close range. The Rockets could only stretch the lead to as large as five, though, as they continued to misfire from beyond the arc. Afflalo scored 10 points in the first four minutes of the third quarter, helping the Nuggets surge to a 66-59 lead. *Courtesy of www.ktvn.com

Philadelph.76 - Golde State W. 105-83
Louis Williams (6'3''-PG-86) scored 25 points, and Elton Brand had 14 points and 14 rebounds to lead the Philadelphia 76ers to a 105-83 victory over the Golden State Warriors on Friday in the 50th anniversary of Wilt Chamberlain's 100-point game. The Sixers topped 100 points for the first time in 20 games on the night they paid tribute to the record Chamberlain set for the Philadelphia Warriors against the New York Knicks on March 2, 1962, at the Hershey Sports Arena. The Sixers gave fans pieces of the court and honored Chamberlain's sisters and former teammates during a halftime ceremony. On that memorable night, Chamberlain scored 41 points by halftime and 69 points through three quarters. The Sixers had 50 points at the break and 75 points through three on Friday. Andre Iguodala had 12 points and 11 rebounds for the Sixers. Thaddeus Young scored 16 points. Chamberlain's single-game scoring record was never in jeopardy. David Lee had 24 points and 15 rebounds for Golden State, and Monta Ellis scored 20 points. Stephen Curry (foot) sat out. Chamberlain's feat was recognized with interview clips, audio from the record-breaking fourth quarter, and a mounted 2'x2' piece of hardwood from the game court the Sixers recently purchased from the owners in Hershey, Pa. They donated part of the court to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Chamberlain died in 1999. He played all 48 minutes in Philadelphia's 169-147 win over the Knicks. He shot 36 of 63 from the floor and an un-Wilt like 28 of 32 from the free-throw line. When the Sixers made their 37th basket Friday in the fourth quarter, it gave them 92 points. The Sixers made their push to match Chamberlain in the fourth when Jrue Holiday and Williams hit 3s midway through the quarter to build an 85-67 lead. Nearly 18,500 fans were rocking, helping the Sixers - and the atmosphere - match their early-season fast start when they won 12 of 14 at home. The Sixers had dropped five of six home games. Brand had his second straight double-double after missing a pair of games with a strained right thumb. With center Spencer Hawes out with a strained Achilles', Brand realized he needed to become a more reliable scoring option down low. He had eight points and eight rebounds in the third quarters as the Sixers stretched the lead to double digits. With only their second win in eight games in hand, the crowd turned their attention down the stretch to the 100-point mark. In Hershey, Chamberlain's point total was announced to the fans after each bucket late in the game. Fans on this night chanted '100 for Wilt!' Young's jumper bounced high off the rim and through to make it 99-79. Iguodala swished an 18-footer with 1:22 left for 101 points and the crowd erupted as if the shot were a playoff winner. Of course, 100 points also meant free McDonald's for everyone in the crowd. Fifty years ago, the crowd went wild for The Big Dipper. In 2012, it's Big Macs. The point total was about the lone moment of suspense in a game the Sixers controlled for the final 24 minutes. *Courtesy of www.ktvn.com

Utah Jazz - Miami Heat 99-98
Devin Harris scored from 12 feet with four seconds left, then added a point from the foul line to lead the Utah Jazz to a 99-98 win over the Miami Heat, who had a nine-game National Basketball Association winning streak broken. Harris had 13 points for the Jazz, who improved to 17-18 at EnergySolutions Arena in Salt Lake City, Utah. The victory was saved when Miami's Udonis Haslem missed an 18-foot attempt at the buzzer. Al Jefferson led the Jazz with 20 points and C.J. Miles had 14 points. LeBron James had a game-high 35 points and 10 rebounds and Dwyane Wade had 31 points for the Heat (28-8). The Heat are one game behind the Chicago Bulls in the Eastern Conference, while the Jazz are 11 1/2 games behind the leading Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference. *Courtesy of www.bloomberg.com

LA Lakers - Sacramento K. 115-107
On Sunday, the Los Angeles Lakers play a much-anticipated game against the Miami Heat and public enemy No. 1 Dwyane Wade. Wade gave the Lakers' Kobe Bryant (6'6''-G-78) a mild concussion, broken nose and sore neck in Sunday's All-Star Game. He's the reason Bryant is wearing a protective mask. But before the Lakers could take aim at the Heat, they had to take care of the lowly Sacramento Kings, a task that proved harder than it looked. The Kings pushed the Lakers Friday before succumbing, 115-107, at Staples Center. 'It was an interesting game,' Lakers coach Mike Brown said. 'I'm going to take the win.' The Lakers were facing the worst shooting team in the league and one that had won just four road games. The Kings should have folded against the Lakers defense, which ranks third in the league in field-goal percentage. Instead, the Lakers took their time finding their offensive balance and get their defense in gear. They limited the Kings to just 16 third-quarter points on their way to what appeared to be a comfortable 92-74 lead. The Kings didn't show any signs of fatigue, though, in their second game of a back-to-back and took one more run at the Lakers in the fourth quarter. Trailing 94-74, they outscored the Lakers bench players, 21-6, including an 11-0 run that was capped by a Jimmer Fredette 3-pointer to pull to 100-95. 'Part of me thought we relaxed a little bit (in the fourth),' Brown said. 'We had put the reserves in, and for some reason, they couldn't get it going. You know how this league is, when one team makes a few in a row, they start to feel it.' Bryant again didn't seem to have any trouble playing with the mask and scored a game-high 38 points with eight rebounds. Andrew Bynum added 19 points and 15 rebounds, while Pau Gasol had 15 points and seven rebounds. Metta World Peace (15 points) and Matt Barnes (10 points) also scored in double figures. *Courtesy of http://news.bostonherald.com

Cleveland C. - Chicago B. 91-112
Luol Deng (6'9''-F-85, agency: Interperformances, college: Duke) scored a season-high 24 points and Derrick Rose added 19 as the Chicago Bulls won their fifth straight, 112-91 on Friday night over the Cleveland Cavaliers, who were without rookie guard Kyrie Irving. Up by 12 at halftime, Chicago built a 24-point lead in the third quarter and coasted to its 12th win in 14 games to stay on Miami's heels for the best record in the Eastern Conference. Carlos Boozer added 13 points and 11 rebounds as the Bulls won their seventh straight over Cleveland. Irving has been fighting a flu bug for several days and missed his fourth game. The Cavs sorely missed their leading scorer and playmaker while dropping their fourth straight. Antawn Jamison scored 22 for Cleveland, 0-3 since the All-Star break. The Bulls had to work a little harder than they did on their last visit to Cleveland. On Jan. 20, they beat the Cavaliers by 39 despite not having Rose, who was sidelined with a sore toe. This time, Chicago didn't begin pulling away until midway through the third, when Rose turned his game up a notch and the Bulls followed their fearless leader. Driving to the basket whenever he felt the need, Rose scored 10 points and added six assists in the third, when the Bulls scored 38 and ended any lingering suspense. The Cavs had no one to challenge Rose, who powered his way inside, drew body contact and converted a three-point play to make it 89-66. Deng's 3-pointer with 11 seconds to go put the Bulls ahead 94-70, causing many Cleveland fans to grab their jackets and head toward the exits. Rose, Boozer and fellow starters Joakim Noah and Richard Hamilton didn't even have to play in the fourth as Chicago's backups also controlled the Cavs. Not feeling well, Irving stayed home from the morning shootaround. He arrived at Quicken Loans Arena several hours before tip-off and shot around on the floor before doctors decided to have him take the night off. Cavs coach Byron Scott said the 19-year-old picked up 'a bug' during All-Star weekend in Orlando 'that finally caught up with him.' Irving's illness prevented him from matching skills with Rose for the second time. It's possible they won't face each other at all this season. Cleveland visits Chicago in the regular-season finale, but Rose will only play if that game has any impact on the playoff seedings. Scott said he addressed the recent embarrassing blowout against the Bulls, who despite not having the league's reigning MVP, destroyed the Cavs 114-75 - the most lopsided loss in Cleveland history. Scott's message? 'Man up,' he said. The Cavs did for as long as they could. Cleveland only trailed 30-28 after one quarter, but the Bulls began to show their weaponry in the second. Kyle Korver made three consecutive 3-pointers to help Chicago open a 15-point lead. The Bulls only led 56-44 at half, and the Cavs must have felt they had a chance when they returned from the break. Rose, though, had other plans. *Courtesy of www.sfgate.com

N.Orleans H. - Dallas M. 97-92
Chris Kaman (7'0''-C-82, college: Cent.Michigan) had 20 points and 13 rebounds, Jarrett Jack hit a key basket down the stretch and the New Orleans Hornets beat the Dallas Mavericks 97-92 on Friday night. The Hornets led for the entire second half but did not secure the win until Jack hit a leaning jumper with 17.9 seconds left, giving them a 93-89 lead. Xavier Henry added a season-high 19 points off the bench. Jack finished with 15 points and six assists. Dirk Nowitzki added 19 points, but he was only 7-of-19 from the floor as Dallas lost a season-high fourth in a row. Jason Terry was 1 of 9 from the field, and Jason Kidd had only one field goal. Rodrigue Beaubois had a season-high 25 points for Dallas, making 11 of 17 shots after starting for the first time in 13 games. *Courtesy of www.ktvn.com

Toronto R. - Memphis G. 99-102
Prior to Friday's game against Memphis, Toronto Raptors head coach Dwane Casey identified Jose Calderon as one of his 'closers' -- a player he trusts to take clutch shots late in games. To that end, the Raptors had the ball in the hands of the right guy against the Grizzlies -- they just didn't get the result they wanted. Calderon missed the potential game-tying three-pointer in the final seconds Friday night as the Raptors dropped a 102-99 decision to Memphis. Toronto's 11th loss in the past 15 games may have been one of the most difficult to digest, given that the Raptors outplayed Memphis for long stretches while prevailing in several statistical categories. Calderon acknowledged that he had a good look on the shot, which clanked off the left edge of the rim to propel Memphis to its seventh win in the last eight games. 'It felt good when it came out of my hand,' said Calderon, who finished with 10 points and nine assists. 'If they want me to take it again, I'll take it. It happens.' It wasn't the only key miss down the stretch for the Raptors, who watched Linas Kleiza bounce a wide-open 17-footer off the back of the rim with 13.9 seconds left and the Raptors trailing 100-99. That shot came moments after Rudy Gay (6'9''-F/G-86, college: Connecticut), who led the Grizzlies with 23 points, put his team ahead for good with a long jumper that was accompanied by a mocking finger to his lips as he ran back down court. Calderon also misfired on a free throw with 1:07 remaining that would have given Toronto a two-point lead. 'Linas was probably too open,' Casey lamented. 'Any how many times is Jose going to miss a free throw? (It's) just a lot of little things (related to) closing out games and game-winning plays.' The game wasn't decided until the final minute, but the turning point may have come at the beginning of the second half. Toronto shot 56.8 per cent in the opening 24 minutes but missed its first four shots of the third quarter, during which the Grizzlies exploded for 11 unanswered points to turn a seven-point deficit into a four-point lead. 'We had trouble scoring, turned the ball over and couldn't make buckets,' Casey said. 'We kind of came out in second gear out of the locker-room so we had to call a timeout and address that. 'We knew it was coming. A team as tough as Memphis, at some point is going to turn up the heat and they did at the beginning of the third.' Toronto also struggled to deal with a swarming Grizzlies defence that ranks near the top of the league in steals, forced turnovers and points off opposing giveaways. At the top of the whiteboard in the Raptors' locker room, under the heading 'KEYS,' was a simple message: Keep turnovers down. That didn't happen. Despite besting the Grizzlies in shooting percentage, rebounds and assists, Toronto was ultimately done in by 16 turnovers which led to 24 Memphis points. 'This Memphis team is one of the most mentally tough teams in the league,' Casey said. 'We had a lead and didn't protect it. We won every category we wanted to except turnovers. 'They are a lot like Miami, and when you turn it over they convert on it. That was our bugaboo.' Toronto did get a major boost from its bench, which outscored the Grizzlies' reserves 54-29 and shot 62.5 percent from the floor. 'We played hard, we played well, but we struggled with their bench,' said Memphis head coach Lionel Hollins. *Courtesy of http://toronto.ctv.ca

Boston Celtics' Doc Rivers angered by Rajon Rondo report - by Eurobasket News
Boston Celtics coach Doc Rivers was annoyed by a report this week that suggested Boston was actively shopping point guard Rajon Rondo (6'1''-PG-86, college: Kentucky).

Heres my take on any of it: I dont mind any rumors that are true, Rivers said after the Celtics beat the Nets, 107-94, tonight. I do get upset when theyre not true, or in my opinion, sometimes news is created, and then people report on the news they created. And when that happens, Im not real happy with it.

Rivers said he was not concerned with the part of the report that said Rondo was being shopped due to the fact that he and Rivers do not see eye-to-eye.

I wasnt unhappy about that part (as much as) I was unhappy about the rumors - the shopping rumors that were not doing, River said. That bothered me more.

Rivers said he was very happy the Nets signed former Celtic Gerald Green after Green spent the past 2 seasons out of the NBA.

I think thats wonderful, Rivers said. Me and Avery (Johnson) talked about it a long time (Thursday) night. I think there still is a very good chance for Gerald Green. He was just so young when he was here. Hes skilled. He just hadnt been taught how to play basketball. And hes a gift.

I hope it works out for him, it would be a terrific story, Rivers continued. I would probably be one of the happier guys.

Hes not a bad kid. Hes never been a bad kid. He just needed some direction. Sometimes, you have to go through hard times sometimes to make it. And Im really hoping he make it.

Green scored 11 points and had three rebounds and two steals in 25:30 tonight.

Courtesy of www.nj.com

Mavericks recall Lamar Odom - by Eurobasket News
Forward Lamar Odom (6'10''-F-79, college: Rhode Island) will skip what was Saturday's scheduled return to the court in the D-League, and instead report directly to the Dallas Mavericks as they seek to snap a four-game skid.

The Mavericks, who recalled Odom from the D-League's Texas Legends earlier in the day, have lost five of six and face the Utah Jazz on Saturday night in Dallas.

Odom, his agent, Jeff Schwartz, and Mavs owner Mark Cuban had met earlier this week in Dallas and worked out a plan to ease Odom back onto the team after his personal absence unexpectedly extended more than a week.

He was just hours away from reporting to the Legends in nearby Frisco for the morning shootaround and was to play in their game Saturday night to build up stamina before returning to the Mavs for their road game Monday at Oklahoma City. Odom has not played in a game since Feb. 20.

But after Dallas lost Friday to the New Orleans Hornets 97-92, plans changed because the Mavs need him now.

Earlier Friday, coach Rick Carlisle for the first time made strong comments regarding Odom's situation and what will be expected from him upon his return.

Carlisle said that patience -- from Cuban to president of basketball operations Donnie Nelson, to himself and the players in the locker room -- is running thin.

'Mark asks a fundamental question of anybody in our franchise: Are they in or are they not in?' Carlisle said Friday during his weekly radio show on ESPN Dallas 103.3 FM's 'Galloway & Co.' 'Our fans want to know that Lamar's in. Our players want to know that Lamar's in. It's not about how many points he's scoring or rebounds; those things are a factor. Our fans, our players want to see the guy playing like his pants are on fire and we haven't seen that so far and that's got to change.'

Point guard Jason Kidd acknowledged that Odom's inconsistent effort and extended absence were issues worthy of concern, although Kidd remained supportive of his teammate.

'Trust factor is always big,' Kidd told ESPNDallas.com's Tim MacMahon after Friday morning's shootaround. 'For that, he's going to have to earn it with a lot of the guys. But we all give second chances, third chances. For that, we just want him to be him and be comfortable and play.'

Added forward Dirk Nowitzki, who has to play heavier minutes with Odom away from the team: 'If he can play hard every night and be there for us, it'll be OK. It'll work out. I said two months ago that he can be a big part of what we can do in the playoffs, because his versatility on both ends of the floor is something not a lot of teams have. We'd love to give it a shot and go from there.'

Carlisle acknowledged Friday that Odom is dealing with a personal issue, but he said he does not know specific details.

Even so, Carlisle said that Odom's underwhelming season -- the worst in his 13-year career, combined with the off-court drama -- is wearing thin on a veteran core of players attempting to defend its championship.

'There is a personal issue here and we do not know the extent of it or the details of it,' Carlisle said. 'There is a fine line between compassion, which our owner is showing, and gross insensitivity.'

'I'm disappointed,' Carlisle continued, 'with the way the whole thing's gone. We've worked hard with this kid. I'm a patient guy, Mark is a patient guy, Donnie is a patient guy, our team is a patient team, but patience has worn thin here.'

Courtesy of ESPN

Suns add Lindsey Hunter to staff - by Eurobasket News
The Phoenix Suns have added former NBA player and two-time NBA Champion Lindsey Hunter (6'2''-G-70, agency: Priority Sports, college: Jackson St.) as a team scout, the club announced today.

In his new role, Hunter will assist Suns head scout, Bubba Burrage, with assessing talent in the NBA, D-League and college ranks. Serving in this capacity, Hunter will provide crucial information needed to make many team personnel decisions, including but not limited to free agent signing, D League call-ups, and NBA Draft selections.

We are very fortunate to have a proven champion like Lindsey on our scouting staff, said Suns General Manager, Lance Blanks. With ownerships support we are continually making investments in our future and having someone of Lindseys caliber to help us evaluate players and make informed personnel choices will be invaluable.

A 6-foot-2 guard, Hunter joins the Suns as a scout after playing 17 NBA seasons with the Detroit Pistons (1993-2000, 2003-08), Milwaukee Bucks (2000-01), Los Angeles Lakers (2001-02), Toronto Raptors (2002-03) and Chicago Bulls (2008-10). During his career, he played in 937 games (438 starts) and averaged 8.5 points, 2.2 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.2 steals. Hunter also appeared in 129 NBA playoff games, averaging 3.5 points, 1.3 rebounds and 1.2 assists en route to two NBA Championships (Los Angeles Lakers in 2002 and Detroit Pistons in 2004).

I am thrilled to join an organization that has a proven tradition of winning like that of the Phoenix Suns, said Hunter. I look forward to using my experiences in the NBA, as well as my knowledge of the game, to assist with bringing in the talent necessary for building a team that can consistently compete for a championship.

After his playing career concluded in 2010, the Bulls hired Hunter as a player development assistant where he focused on the development of younger players such as league-MVP Derrick Rose.

Originally selected by the Pistons with 10th overall pick in the 1993 NBA draft, Hunter entered the NBA after his playing career at Jackson State. He holds the Division I single-game record for most three-point field goals attempted with 26 against Kansas on Dec. 27, 1992.

Courtesy of www.insidehoops.com

Kings F J.J. Hickson out 3 games with bruised hip - by Eurobasket News
Sacramento Kings forward J.J. Hickson (6'9''-F/C-88, college: N.Carolina St.) will miss at least the next three games with a bruised hip.

Hickson was injured in Sacramento's 108-100 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Thursday night after leaping for a rebound and landing hard on his hip. The team said an X-ray and an MRI exam Friday showed no fractures.

Hickson will be re-evaluated when the Kings return from their current road trip next week. Sacramento was playing at the Lakers on Friday night, at Phoenix on Sunday and at Denver on Monday.

Hickson is averaging 4.9 points and 5.1 rebounds in 18 minutes per game for the Kings this season.

Courtesy of http://sports.yahoo.com

Kings: Smart to return next season - by Eurobasket News
Kings coach Keith Smart will return next season, according to Sacramento co-owner Joe Maloof.

In a wide-ranging interview with SI.com on Thursday night, Maloof -- whose family appears to be on the verge of remaining in Sacramento after reaching a tentative arena agreement with city officials on Monday -- said it's a formality that the Kings will exercise Smart's team option for 2012-13. The former Golden State coach was promoted from Kings assistant in early January when Paul Westphal was fired after a 2-5 start. Sources had said previously that the team was leaving its options open to possibly land a bigger-name coach this summer.

'Yes,' Maloof said emphatically when asked if Smart's option would be picked up. 'With no disrespect to our past coaches, we really have someone who everybody likes now. The players like him, the basketball staff likes him, we trust him, and he knows the game. Keith Smart is a wonderful coach, and we're lucky to have him. ... Yes, we'll pick it up. We want him to be our coach forever.'

Smart is the Kings' fifth coach since Rick Adelman's departure in 2006, the last time they made the playoffs. Asked if Smart might be given a new, long-term deal, Maloof said, 'We really like him. I think our objective is to keep him as long as we can.'

While the Kings are just 10-18 under Smart, his approval rating has been directly tied to his ability to connect with the fiery player who is now considered the team's centerpiece, DeMarcus Cousins. The second-year center consistently battled with Westphal but appears to have clicked with Smart, and the production of their pairing has ownership elated.

In Cousins' six games under Westphal, he averaged 13.7 points (on 38.6 percent shooting), 9.3 rebounds and 26 minutes. In the 28 games since the coaching change, Cousins is averaging 17.4 points (on 44.9 percent shooting), 12 rebounds and 30 minutes. Beyond the numbers, Cousins' play has been reflection of the ways in which Smart is changing the team's culture. It started with Cousins, whom he visits with often outside of the team's facility, and has since extended to his teammates.

'There was one game where we won, and DeMarcus didn't have a real good fourth quarter, so the next day [Smart] took DeMarcus to breakfast, sat down with him and it was fantastic,' Maloof said. 'DeMarcus really respects him, trusts him, believes in him. You've got to have trust, and that's the most important thing that I think he's been able to develop with the team. They have a trust and they stick together, these guys.'

While high-profile rookie Jimmer Fredette has struggled to perform or get consistent time in the rotation, Smart's use of second-round pick Isaiah Thomas has helped the new coach's case, too. Thomas, a 5-foot-9 point guard who was taken with the final pick (No. 60) and signed to a three-year deal, averaged 18.3 points and 6.3 assists in his last six games of February. What's more, Maloof said it's led to the official end of the Tyreke Evans point-guard project. Evans played the point in his first two-plus seasons, but he has been moved to small forward for the last six games. All of which makes for an interesting time for the 2009 Rookie of the Year, as he is eligible for an extension this summer but is hardly assured of being offered one.

'He'll be the point-forward, not the point guard anymore,' Maloof said. 'The point guard is Isaiah and Jimmer and those guys. It's an incredible surprise [how Thomas is playing]. Nobody gave the guy a chance and I'm so proud of our basketball operations to pick him at No. 60, and then to have the success that he's having says a lot for the scouts. They really picked a winner there.'

Meanwhile, the team's fans look to have landed a victory of their own.

When Sacramento Mayor and former NBA point guard Kevin Johnson announced the 'framework of an agreement' for an arena on Monday, it was quite the turnaround from a year ago. The Maloof family, which bought the team in 1998, filed for relocation last March, but was steered back to Sacramento when its proposal fell apart and faced serious opposition from the NBA Board of Governors.

A year later, Joe Maloof's brother Gavin was shedding tears of joy while discussing the news that the team would likely stay (the plan must first be approved by City Council on Tuesday). The unfiltered emotion, Joe said, continued when the family returned to Sacramento.

'It's everywhere I go,' he said with a laugh. 'I went and got Tasty Freeze, had an ice cream cone, and the guy was yelling, 'Thank you!' People are just appreciative. They love this team. It's the life and soul of this community.'

The Maloof family has had financial struggles in recent years, as evidenced by the selling of their lucrative beer distributorship in New Mexico and losing controlling interest of the Palms Casino and Hotel in Las Vegas. But Joe Maloof reiterated that the family finances are in order, and added that the league's new, post-lockout revenue-sharing plan is 'a game-changer for every small market.'

'Shoot, it's five times greater than it was before,' Maloof said. 'Things are different now because with revenue sharing, you have an opportunity with a small-market team to compete with the large market. So our position now [compared to] a couple years ago is completely different. We've got cap space. We're going to have revenue sharing.

'It's great for all the small markets, for the Utahs of the world, and the Portlands, the San Antonios. The league did a really good job with that. We can do very well with it.'

Though the team's payroll is near the league minimum, Maloof said he didn't anticipate any roster shake-up before the March 15 trade deadline. The family is willing and able to make moves, he said, but would prefer to add pieces via free agency this summer.

'Of course' they'll pay to compete, he said. 'We wouldn't be in the league if we couldn't. We did that when we had the opportunity to win the titles back in the glory days [in the early 2000s]. Our payroll was the second- and third-highest in the league for many years. We paid the luxury tax. This year, we went after free agents. We went after [Andrei] Kirilenko, Jamal [Crawford].

'But why spend all your cap space if you don't have a player who's worth it? We did that in the past. We brought in all these mid-level [exception] guys through the years, the five- and six-million-dollar players. We learned our lesson. When there's a player who really can come around and help us win, we're going to sign him.'

Maloof also refuted a late-January report that Kings basketball president Geoff Petrie was in danger of being fired.

'No, no, no, no,' he said. 'He's part of this. We've been together so long. We're in this, and we're going to get our way back to the playoffs together.'

Courtesy of http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com

Phoenix Suns playing a risky game with Steve Nash - by Eurobasket News
Tick tock, tick tock. The Suns have less than two weeks to change their minds.

Alas, there seems to be some confusion.

In his final appearance before the All-Star break, coach Alvin Gentry was seen pounding the lectern, cursing and fuming like Dennis Green on Red Bull.

If his team is so obviously deprived of talent, why are they making him so upset?

'They call it home-court advantage for a reason, and there's no reason for us to have as many wins at home as we do on the road,' Gentry said before Thursday's game against the Timberwolves. 'That's inexcusable.'

Alternative answer: His contract is up after next season, and employment in the future largely depends on meeting unrealistic expectations in the present. So he's trying to pull a Kirk Gibson, imploring a team to play beyond its boundaries.

'I visit with Kirk,' Gentry admitted. 'And you have to believe, if you play to the level you're supposed to, maybe even overachieve some, being a playoff team is a possibility.'

Sadly, the NBA and Major League Baseball are not comparable. In the NBA, 16 teams make the playoffs. Getting in is no big deal, especially when you have little chance to last more than one round.

So what exactly are we doing here?

Upstairs, there seems to be little inclination for radical overhaul. There is no urgency to trade Steve Nash (6'3''-PG-74, college: Santa Clara) before the March 15 deadline. Robert Sarver said he gave his point guard lifts to and from the All-Star Game, and the private flights did not include trade scenarios.

This is a dangerous strategy if Nash leaves in the summer, when most of the second-tier free agents that would be in the Suns' grasp aren't worth the newsprint, especially when it could mean sending Gentry into the final year of his contract without a franchise player and even less talent than he has this season.

Yet Sarver said he likes his chances to re-sign Nash after the season.

'I think those odds are probably pretty good,' Sarver said. 'I think he likes the organization. His family lives here. He's had tremendous success with the organization. He's still playing well. Listen, he's a free agent (after the season) and has the ability to look around. But I wouldn't rule him out continuing here.'

Alternative answer: Don't blame us if Nash chooses to sign elsewhere. We tried.

Nash is a curious case, and should not be dictating policy in this case. As an athlete, he is a marvelous facilitator. His enjoyment comes from giving to the group, for setting the table and the right example. By his own code, he can never ask for a trade just to gratify his own wishes.

That would be cheap, tacky, unbecoming. That would mean bailing on his teammates, leaving guys such as Grant Hill and Marcin Gortat to fend for themselves. The Suns have a better chance to land Dwight Howard than hearing a trade request from Nash.

Yet during the All-Star festivities, Nash also said he was 'totally open' to whatever the team needs, including a trade. That's seems like a pretty strong cue, and Sarver could trade Nash to a contender near home, namely Dallas (Lamar Odom and a draft pick?)

Some believe the organization is afraid to trade Nash, fearful of an empty arena and the stigma of trading a highly popular player. To the contrary, some Suns fans might actually appreciate the gesture, for Nash's good and our own.

Sarver said he hasn't exactly been overwhelmed with offers, and added that much of the media speculation has been unfounded. But he also said he's keeping an open mind.

'The last week (before the deadline) is when people have more-serious conversations,' Sarver said.

The Suns would be wise to listen, find a deal and get on with their future. Or if they're really committed to Nash, they should extend Gentry's contract before he attains lame-duck status. That surely would score points with their prized point guard.

Courtesy of www.azcentral.com

Report: Dwight Howard would not sign contract extension if traded to Lakers - by Eurobasket News
Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard (6'11''-C-85) will not sign a contract extension if traded to the Lakers, according to Los Angeles Lakers radio play-by-play personality John Ireland.

Ireland said on ESPN Radio Tuesday that Dan Fegan, Howards agent, told him that he would not be interested in a long term deal with Los Angeles.

Howard is considered to be one of the biggest targets as the NBA trade deadline approaches, however, teams are not likely to be willing to deal for him unless they know that they can keep him for the long term. Prior to this season, Howard told the Orlando Magic that he would like to be traded, and he gave the club a short list of teams that he would sign an extension with if he were dealt there. The Magic still believe that they will be able to sign the three-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year to a long-term contract.

Howard has had a dominant season for the Magic thus far, averaging 20.1 points, 15.3 rebounds and 2.2 blocks per game. Orlando currently sits fifth in the Eastern Conference at 22-13, 5.5 games behind the Miami Heat.

Courtesy of http://tracking.si.com

Ginobili's return seems imminent - by Eurobasket News
If his performance in a vigorous 3-on-3 game after the Spurs Thursday morning practice is any indication, Emanuel Ginobili's (6'6''-G-77, agency: Interperformances) return to the Spurs lineup is imminent.

Ginobili hasnt played since suffering a strained left oblique in the teams overtime victory over the Los Angeles Clippers on Feb. 18, but he looked like his slashing, driving, reckless self in the 3-on-3 session.

Officially, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich calls his availability for tonights game against the Charlotte Bobcats at the AT&T Center a game-time decision.

Unofficially, Popovich could not hide his enthusiasm when the session ended after about 30 vigorous minutes.

The strained oblique short-circuited Ginobilis return from a broken left hand after just four games. He missed 22 games with that injury, sustained Jan. 2, during the fifth game of the season.

Ginobilis return would be welcomed by a team that continues to battle injuries. Popovich said rookie Kawhi Leonard, who sat out Wednesdays game against Chicago with sore calves, is unlikely to suit up against the Bobcats.

Additionally, guard-forward Danny Green, who has started nine games, is questionable for tonights game with a sore left shoulder, an injury sustained during the fourth quarter of Mondays loss to the Bulls.

His shoulder got a pretty good stinger, Popovich said. Nothing is dislocated, but he got a sprain and he didnt practice today. Hes been working through the pain, and well see how he feels tomorrow.

James Anderson, who played 24 solid minutes against the Bulls on Wednesday, left the court with head athletic trainer Will Sevening after appearing to tweak his lower back during the 3-on-3 game involving Ginobili, T.J. Ford and Cory Joseph.

Courtesy of http://blog.mysanantonio.com

Knicks reassign Jerome Jordan to Erie Bayhawks - by Eurobasket News
Jerome Jordan (7'0''-C-86, college: Tulsa) re-joins the BayHawks on his second assignment from the Knicks. Jordan was part of the Knicks' first NBA Development League assignment, with Jeremy Lin, to Erie when he played two games with the BayHawks in January.

While with the Knicks, Jordan (7-0, 240 lbs.) has appeared in 13 games this season, averaging 1.5 points and 1.2 rebounds in 4.7 minutes per game. On his previous assignment to Erie, he averaged 18.0 points and 7.5 rebounds in two appearances.

The Jamaican native was drafted in the second round in 2010 by the Milwaukee Bucks before being traded to the Knicks. While playing collegiately at Tulsa, he was a defensive force in the Conference USA, setting the league's all-time blocked shots record. He was also named to multiple All-Conference Teams as well as the All-Defensive Team as a Hurricane.

He is expected to join the BayHawks in time for Saturday night's game against the Sioux Falls Skyforce at 7:00 pm.

Courtesy of www.oursportscentral.com

Jermaine O'Neal to miss 2 weeks - by Eurobasket News
When Jermaine O'Neal (6'11''-F/C-78) declined to have surgery on his ailing left wrist last season, he probably didnt bargain on the problem stretching into the following season.

But thats where the Celtics [team stats] center finds himself today. After meeting with a hand specialist yesterday, ONeal decided to forgo surgery once again, instead opting for a cortisone shot.

According to Celtics president Danny Ainge, ONeal could be out for another 14 days while waiting for the pain-killing drug to do its work.

Hes going to need surgery at some point, said Ainge. But hell play with it for now. He needed the surgery last season but wanted to play. Now, though, they think hell be ready to play in another 10 or 14 days.

ONeal has missed the last three games with the injury, and nine overall for assorted maladies. ONeal is averaging 5.0 points, 5.4 rebounds and 22.8 minutes in 25 games this season.

Courtesy of www.bostonherald.com

Stats Leaders

Points Per Game

Kobe BRYANT
  LA Lakers
  (198-G-78)
  Avg: 28.8

1. Bryant, LA Lakers	28.8
2. Durant, Oklah.Ci.	28.2
3. James, Miami Heat	27.9
4. Love, Minnesota T.	25.0
5. Westbrook, Oklah..	23.6
6. Wade, Miami Heat	23.1
7. Rose, Chicago B.	22.3
8. Ellis, Golde S.	22.2
9. Aldridge, Portland.	21.9
10. Williams, New J.	21.7

Rebounds Per Game

Dwight HOWARD
  Orlando M.
  (211-C-85)
  Avg: 15

1. Howard, Orlando M.	15.0
2. Love, Minnesota T.	13.6
3. Bynum, LA Lakers	12.8
4. Varejao, Clevelan.	11.5
5. Cousins, Sacramen.	11.5
6. Griffin, LA Clipp.	11.0
7. Humphries, New J.	10.5
8. Gortat, Phoenix	10.4
9. Gasol, LA Lakers	10.4
10. Monroe, Detroit P.	10.1

Assists Per Game

Steve NASH
  Phoenix Suns
  (190-PG-74)
  Avg: 11

1. Nash, Phoenix Suns	11.0
2. Rondo, Boston C.	9.8
3. Calderon, Toron.	8.8
4. Paul, LA Clippers	8.4
5. Williams, New J.	8.3
6. Rubio, Minnesot.	8.3
7. Parker, San A.	8.0
8. Wall, Washington W.	7.6
9. Rose, Chicago B.	7.6
10. Lowry, Houston R.	7.4

Steals Per Game

Mike CONLEY
  Memphis G.
  (186-PG-87)
  Avg: 2.6

1. Conley, Memphis G.	2.6
2. Rubio, Minnesot.	2.3
3. Paul, LA Clippers	2.2
4. Shumpert, New Y.	2.0
5. Iguodala, Philadel.	1.9
6. Lowry, Houston R.	1.9
7. Allen, Memphis G.	1.8
8. James, Miami Heat	1.8
9. Westbrook, Oklah..	1.8
10. Curry, Golde S.	1.8

Blocks Per Game

Serge IBAKA
  Oklah.Ci.
  (208-C/F-89)
  Avg: 3.1

1. Ibaka, Oklah.Ci.	3.1
2. Jordan, LA Clippers	2.6
3. McGee, Washingt.	2.6
4. Howard, Orlando M.	2.2
5. Gasol, Memphis G.	2.2
6. Bynum, LA Lakers	2.1
7. Smith, Atlanta H.	2.1
8. Dalembert, Houst.	1.9
9. Hibbert, Indiana P.	1.8
10. Udoh, Golde S.	1.7

Standings

NBA Standings

Eastern Conference
Atlantic Div.
1. Philadelph.76		22-15
2. Boston C.		18-17
3. New York K.		18-18
4. Toronto R.		11-25
5. New Jersey N.		11-26
Central Div.
1. Chicago B.		30-8
2. Indiana P.		23-12
3. Milwaukee B.		14-23
4. Cleveland C.		13-22
5. Detroit P.		12-26
Southeast Div.
1. Miami Heat		28-8
2. Orlando M.		24-14
3. Atlanta H.		22-15
4. Washington W.		8-28
5. Charlotte B.		4-30
Western Conference
Northwest Div.
1. Oklah.City T.		29-8
2. Denver N.		20-17
3. Minnesota T.		19-19
4. Portland TB		18-19
5. Utah Jazz		17-19
Pacific Div.
1. LA Lakers		22-14
2. LA Clippers		21-13
3. Phoenix Suns		16-20
4. Golde State W.		14-19
5. Sacramento K.		12-24
Southwest Div.
1. San Antonio S.		25-11
2. Memphis G.		22-15
3. Dallas M.		22-16
4. Houston R.		21-16
5. N.Orleans H.		9-28

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

NBLCANADA

NBL Canada Standings

1. London L.		27-8
2. Halifax R.		22-13
3. Quebec K.		22-14
4. St.John M.R.		17-18
5. Oshawa P.		15-21
6. Summerside S.		12-23
7. Moncton M.		9-27

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

NCAA1

Top 25 - Men

TOP25 Standings

1. Kentucky		11-0 (25-1)
2. Syracuse		13-1 (25-1)
3. Kansas		13-2 (23-5)
4. Duke		11-2 (22-3)
5. Michigan St.		11-1 (23-3)
6. N.Carolina		12-2 (23-2)
7. Missouri		12-3 (25-3)
8. Marquette		10-4 (20-6)
9. Baylor		9-5 (22-5)
10. Ohio St.		10-4 (22-5)
11. Georgetown		9-5 (21-5)
12. Murray St.		15-1 (28-1)
13. Michigan		8-4 (19-7)
14. Wisconsin		6-6 (17-8)
15. Wichita St.		16-2 (26-4)
16. Florida		9-3 (21-6)
17. UNLV		9-4 (25-6)
18. Indiana		8-5 (21-5)
19. Louisville		9-6 (20-9)
20. Notre Dame		12-3 (20-8)
21. San Diego St.		9-4 (23-6)
22. Florida St.		10-3 (19-8)
23. Temple		12-3 (23-6)
24. Virginia		6-6 (18-7)
25. Creighton		13-3 (24-4)

Marshall leads Butler to 7th straight Horizon semifinal berth with 71-49 win over Milwaukee - by Eurobasket News
Khyle Marshall's (6'6''-F-92) double-double led Butler to the Horizon League tournament semifinals for the seventh straight year with a 71-49 victory over Milwaukee on Friday night.

Marshall scored 17 points and grabbed 10 rebounds for the fifth-seeded Bulldogs (20-13), who will meet top-seeded Valparaiso in the semifinals Saturday night. Roosevelt Jones (6'4''-F) made 8 of 11 shots and matched Marshalls 17 points.

James Haarsma' (6'7''-F-89) nine points led the fourth-seeded Panthers (20-13), whose five-game winning streak ended. Milwaukee shot 32 percent and was outrebounded 46-25.

Butler, which has won seven of eight, had two 11-0 runs.

The Bulldogs led 20-18 before scoring the next 11 points, seven by Marshall, for a 31-18 lead with 17:30 left.

After the Panthers closed within 33-26, Butler reeled off another 11 in a row for a 44-26 edge with 11:47 remaining.

It got no closer than 13 after that.

Butler clinched its seventh consecutive 20-win season.

Courtesy of www.washingtonpost.com

Wichita State makes big first impression with 72-48 win - by Eurobasket News
First seed, first on the floor, first to make a great impression in March Madness.

No. 15 Wichita State routed Indiana State 72-48 on Friday in the quarterfinals of the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament at the Scottrade Center. The Shockers erased any concerns about their level of interest in winning this championship in the first 10 minutes. They played with a dive-for-loose-balls desperation more fitting of the eighth seed than a team cruising into an NCAA Tournament berth.

Thats not the way the Shockers (27-4) think. They won their ninth straight game by burying the eighth-seeded Sycamores (18-14) under a 20-3 lead. WSU plays in Saturdays 1:30 p.m. semifinal against Illinois State.

We wanted to come out and set an example, and youve got to do that on the defensive end, WSU guard Demetric Williams (6'2''-G-91) said.

Everybody on this team was buying into the getting on the floor first.

WSUs defense knocked the Sycamores off-stride immediately. Dwayne Lathan (6'3''-G-89) walked on Indiana States first possession. Carl Richard took Indiana States first shot and missed everything from three-point range. A steal by Toure Murry (6'5''-G-89) got Williams a layup for for a 7-0 lead. A few minutes later, Murry stole the ball and dove to beat Jake Odum to the loose ball. After another Murry deflection, Joe Ragland (6'0''-G-89) went to the floor to grab the ball and pass ahead to Murry for a layup and a 28-7 lead.

The first one on the floor usually wins championships and wins the game, Murry said. Usually, Im not known as a guy that gets on the floor, so I think that really helped defensively.

WSUs defensive burst left the Sycamores shaken. They recovered briefly after halftime, but never seriously threatened.

I felt like they were on top of everything we wanted to do, Richard said. They took away our strength, and we just didnt come back with any type of resistance.

The Sycamores missed nine of their first 10 shots, six of the misses from three-point range. The Shockers contested most shots and sealed off the lane. The Sycamores shot 26.9 percent from the field, missing 17 of 22 threes. No Sycamore reached double figures.

We probably settled for too many threes in the first half, Indiana State coach Greg Lansing said. When a team is pressuring you, its easy to stand outside the three-point arc and fire those.

Williams effort on Odum kicked off WSUs defensive effort. Odum finished with six points on 2-of-9 shooting, along with two turnovers and one assist. WSU limited his creative forays into the lane, either by contesting his shots or covering up potential targets. With Odum ineffective, the Sycamore offense never revved up. Center Myles Walker only took four shots, leaving Indiana State to try and compete with jumpers.

We just tried to put a lot of pressure and clog up everything in the paint and close out on shooters, Ragland said. We did a real good job of that the first 20 minutes.
Ragland and Murry both scored 14 points to lead the Shockers, who shot 50 percent from the field and 50 percent (7 of 14) from three-point range. Williams added 10 points.

The Shockers led 40-19 at halftime after outscoring Indiana State 20-2 in the paint. The Sycamores cut the lead to 40-28, helped by six straight Shockers misses to start the second half. Then Ragland made a three off a screen by Carl Hall. Within two minutes, WSU built the lead back to 20 and fans started chanting This is our house.

Not yet. By Sunday, that may be the case.

Courtesy of www.kansas.com

Stats Leaders - NCAA1

Points Per Game

Gerardo SUERO
  Albany
  (193-G-89)
  Avg: 21.7

1. Suero, Albany	21.7
2. Partin, Boston U.	19.7
3. McLemore, Maine	17.0
4. Plummer, UMBC	15.4
5. Aronhalt, Albany	14.2
6. Edwards, Maine	14.1
7. Mansell, Binghamton	14.0
8. Abreu, New H.	13.8
9. Black, Albany	13.6
10. Dickinson, Bingha.	13.5

Rebounds Per Game

Brian BENSON
  New H.
  (205-F-90)
  Avg: 8.4

1. Benson, New H.	8.4
2. Voelkel, Vermont	8.3
3. Brenton, Stony B.	7.9
4. Fraser, Maine	7.8
5. Plummer, UMBC	7.4
6. Allison, Maine	6.8
7. Joyner, Stony Bro.	6.5
8. Dickinson, Bingham.	6.1
9. Morris, Boston U.	5.9
10. Konan, New H.	5.8

Assists Per Game

D.J. IRVING
  Boston U.
  (182-G-92)
  Avg: 5.4

1. Irving, Boston U.	5.4
2. Voelkel, Vermont	5.0
3. Torres, Hartford	4.2
4. Black, Albany	4.2
5. Gray, Binghamton	3.6
6. Singleton, Maine	3.4
7. Rogers, Maine	3.4
8. Edwards, Maine	3.4
9. Brenton, Stony B.	3.3
10. Suero, Albany	3.0

Steals Per Game

Jimmy GRAY
  Binghamton
  (182-G-91)
  Avg: 1.9

1. Gray, Binghamton	1.9
2. Torres, Hartford	1.8
3. Voelkel, Vermont	1.7
4. Brenton, Stony B.	1.6
5. Plummer, UMBC	1.4
6. Edwards, Maine	1.4
7. Suero, Albany	1.2
8. Brothers, Hartford	1.2
9. Getz, UMBC	1.2
10. Carissimo, Vermont	1.2

Blocks Per Game

Mike ALLISON
  Maine
  (205-F/C-90)
  Avg: 2.1

1. Allison, Maine	2.1
2. Hazel, Boston U.	1.6
3. Fraser, Maine	1.3
4. Benson, New H.	0.9
5. Schneck, Hartford	0.7
6. Joyner, Stony Bro.	0.7
7. Nwakamma, Hartford	0.7
8. Metcalf, Albany	0.7
9. Thomas, Boston U.	0.6
10. Myrick, New H.	0.6

MVC tournament: Creighton eliminates Drake 68-61 - by Eurobasket News
Just 3:23 into the game Friday, each of Drakes starters had made a basket and a murmur rippled through the Scottrade Center.

March is defined by underdogs, and the Bulldogs seemed primed to play the role.

No one delivered the scrpt to the Creighton bench.

The second-seeded Bluejays withstood Drake's early flurry, then brought additional defensive pressure in the second half to pull out a 68-61 victory in a Missouri Valley Conference Tournament quarterfinal.

'It was a one-game season, really', Bulldog forward Ben Simons (6'8''-F-91) said. 'We knew we had to lay it on the line. In the end we were a little short, but we were proud of how we played and how we fought.'

A familiar nemesis hastened Drakes downfall. Bluejay star Doug McDermott (6'7''-F-92), an Ames High graduate and the Valleys player of the year, scored a game-high 26 points, including a trio of spirit-breaking 3-pointers in the second half. McDermott scored 54 points in Creightons previous two victories over the Bulldogs this season.

He got his 3s off on ball screens, pick and pops. I thought we were there a couple of times, Drake coach Mark Phelps said. They do a really good job making adjustments on how we play defense.

Drake (17-15) was less than 24 hours removed from a victory over Bradley and playing without starting point guard Karl Madison, out with a lower back injury.

Winded and wounded. And willing.

Phelps played his starters 181 out of 200 minutes, and they responded by scoring at least eight points apiece, including the first nine of the game.

They really threw that first punch to start the game, Creighton coach Greg McDermott said. Our goal going into the game was for us to do that, to try to really be aggressive early and see if we get them back on their heels and get them thinking about how tired they should have been.

By halftime, Creighton (26-5) held a slim 35-34 lead, hurting Drake with eight layups.

In the second half, fatigue seemed to arrive to torment the Bulldogs, who made just 1-of-15 3-pointers overall and shot just 33 percent in the final 20 minutes (10-of-30). Creighton drew out to a 61-48 lead with 4:33 left. But Drake had one more charge left, trimming the deficit to 63-60 within 3 minutes before missing its final six shots.

Phelps said he didnt realize he was leaning on his starting five so heavily, only doing so because he quickly deduced it was the best way to keep pace with the No. 25 Bluejays.

We needed our best players in the game as much as possible, he said. We tried to give guys breaks during the media timeouts. We subbed like we normally do; we just got our starters back in more quickly.

Those starters were happy to oblige, following the lead of junior center Jordan Clarke (6'8''-F-89), who had 11 points and 11 rebounds while tying a season high by logging 34 minutes.

We thought it was more of a mental thing, Clarke said. If we wanted to be tired, we were going to be tired. If we didnt think we were going to be tired, then we werent going to be tired. And I thought we came out with the energy that we needed. We just didnt have enough in the end.

Courtesy of www.desmoinesregister.com

Calhoun Returns, UConn Beats Pitt 74-65 - by Eurobasket News
Jim Calhoun returned to the bench after more than a month of medical leave and coached Connecticut to a 74-65 win over Pittsburgh on Saturday.

Shabazz Napier (6'0''-G-91) scored 23 points, including a big 3-pointer with a minute left. Roscoe Smith (6'8''-F-91) added 14 points and seven rebounds for the Huskies (18-12, 8-10 Big East) who kept alive hopes for an at-large bid to defend their NCAA national championship.

J.J. Moore (6'6''-F-91) led Pittsburgh (16-15, 5-13) with 16 points.

The Panthers, who were coming off a 20-point win over St. John's, came back from a 14-point halftime deficit to take a 61-60 lead with 2:51 left, but could not hold on and lost for the sixth time in seven games.

Courtesy of http://abcnews.go.com

Southern Illinois fires coach Chris Lowery - by Eurobasket News
Southern Illinois has fired men's basketball coach Chris Lowery after back-to-back losing seasons.

Athletic director Mario Moccia announced the decision Friday. The Salukis lost 66-51 to Indiana State in the first round of the Missouri Valley Conference tournament a day earlier and finished the season 8-23.

Lowery was 145-116 in eight seasons as coach. His teams made three NCAA tournament appearances, including the Sweet 16 in 2007.

But the Salukis haven't been to the tournament since then and have had a losing record in three of their last four seasons. Moccia noted that SIU has lost six of the 11 players who made up what had been promising signing classes in 2008 and '09 to transfers.

Lowery played at SIU in the early 1990s.

Courtesy of http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com

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

NCAA2

All-CACC Summary 2011-2012 - by Greg
CACC Tournament Final: Bloomfield - Goldey-Beacom 62-50
CACC Tournament Semifinals:
Bloomfield - Philadelphia 72-63
Goldey-Beacom - Dominican 72-66

All-CACC 1st Team 2011-2012

Harris

Quimby

Connolly

Porter

Payton

Co-Player of the Year: Ahmad Harris (5'9''-G) of Bloomfield
Co-Player of the Year: Cory Quimby (6'6''-C/F) of Dominican, NY
All-Tournament MVP: Ahmad Harris (5'9''-G) of Bloomfield
Rookie of the Year: Garret Kerr (6'3''-F) of Univ.Sciences
Coach of the Year: Chuck Hammond of Goldey-Beacom

1st Team
G: Ahmad Harris (5'9'') of Bloomfield
C/F: Cory Quimby (6'6'') of Dominican, NY
G: Jim Connolly (6'3''-90) of Philadelphia
G: Leon Porter (5'6'') of Dominican, NY
G: Corye Payton (6'4''-G) of Wilmington College

2nd Team
F: Argelix Gil (6'5'') of Concordia, NY
G: Marcus Porter (6'4'') of Goldey-Beacom
G: Mark Dirugeris Jr. (6'1'') of Chestnut Hill
F: Garret Kerr (6'3'') of Univ.Sciences
F: Matt Wafula (6'6'') of Bloomfield

3rd Team
G: Nikola Otovic (6'1''-89) of Caldwell
F/C: Dan Comas (6'6'') of Chestnut Hill
C: Temi Adebayo (7'0''-88) of Philadelphia
C: Rickie Crews (6'9'') of Holy Family
G: Khiry Hankins (6'1'') of Holy Family

Honorable Mention
Alberto Munoz (6'5''-G) of Holy Family
A.J. Picard (6'1''-G) of Goldey-Beacom
Jake Wilcox (5'11''-G) of Post
Josh Lopez (5'11''-G) of Post

All-Tournament Team
Ahmad Harris (5'9''-G) of Bloomfield
Jim Connolly (6'3''-G-90) of Philadelphia
Cory Quimby (6'6''-C/F) of Dominican, NY
Khiry Hankins (6'1''-G) of Holy Family
Rich Flemming (6'7''-F) of Goldey-Beacom
Marcus Porter (6'4''-G) of Goldey-Beacom
Matt Wafula (6'6''-F) of Bloomfield
Marvin Williams (6'0''-G) of Bloomfield

NCAA D2 Colleges & Prospects at Hidden Gems Spring Showcase March 17th! - by Lucius Jones
Our goal will be to attract as many quality universities as possible to each and every event and to provide personal, consistent assistance with each connection built during the process. Players of all levels of skill will be accepted and a balance will be established to ensure each level of college has several recruiting prospects involved in the event. Our Autumn, Spring, & Summer events will focus more on the true Hidden Gems of the basketball world and give them an even playing field for establishing collegiate connections. $50.00 per player and per school; $5.00 per visitor over the $70-$100 usually charged for players and colleges and the $7-$10 charged at the door for each person.

Former Players: B.J. Mullens/Ohio St & Oklahoma City (NBA), Jared Sullinger/Ohio State, Aaron Craft/Ohio State, Scott Thomas/Bowling Green, J.D. Weatherspoon/Ohio State, Michael Green/Akron, Greg Avery/W.Carolina & Findlay, Vinny Zollo/Kentucky, Rob Brandenburg/VCU, Ethan Michael/Air Force, Remon Nelson/S.C. Aiken, Eric Beard/James Madison, Taylor Hobbs/Tusculum, Auston Young/Salem International, Lothario Jones/Urbana, Rob Matthews/Urbana, Robbie Taylor/Mt Vernon Naz, Vinny Coleman/West Vriginia Tech, Ian Quick/MtVernon Naz, Scott Hilbert/Mt Vernon Naz, Ian Nixson/Shawnee St, Sean Hobbs (D1), Josh Schuler, Stevie Taylor, Trey Burke, Jalen Robinson, Kyle Molock,Devon Scott, Willie Moore, T'yonte Robertson, Matt Rhodes, Jordan Cowgill, Nick Archer, Carter Smith, Eric Roby, and many more!

HIDDEN GEMS H.S. BOYS FALL SHOWCASE

105 Kids
51 Colleges
5 Scouting/Rankings Services
4 Highlight/Game Filmers
12 Scholarship Offers

HIDDEN GEMS SHOWCASE AWARDS
MVP:
Carter Smith

ALL TOURNAMENT TEAM:
Roy Alexander
Devon Scott
Willie Moore
Doug Richey
Matt Rhodes
Khalid King
William Hill
Kechaun Lewis
Brandon Bapst
Lance Leslie
Julian Henderson
Austin Gardner

* DATE: March 17th, 2012

* LOCATION: New Covenant Believers' Church 3400 Kohr Blvd Col,Oh 43224

* CHECK IN TIME: 3pm

* STARTING TIME: 4pm

* Open to 9th-12th Graders & SELECT 8th Graders & Young Adults

* Space limited to 120 players

* Highlight Films of the event will be on youtube from: Citylghoops' Ty Kish, EHoops Ohio's Ethan Knopp, TripleDoubleProspects, Slim Simz, and more!

* Scouting & Rankings Services always cover the event like: John Stovall of ESPN & Prep Spotlight, TripleDoubleProspects, Buckeye Prep Report, and more!

* Top Colleges from each level of play will be in attendance:

NCAA D1 affiliates
NCAA D2
NAIA D1 & D2
NCAA D3
JC D1 & D2
Prep

* ENTRY FEE: Only $5.00 for visitors

* FEES: $50.00 per player

* REGISTRATION DEADLINE: March 12th, 2012

* PAY TO:
Hidden Gems
P.O. Box 26582
Columbus,Ohio 43226

EMAIL INFORMATION TO:
hiddengemsbasketball@yahoo.com

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

NEW ZEALAND

Standings Men

NBL Standings

1. Auckland P.		1-0
2. Bay Hawks		1-0
3. Taranaki MA		1-0
4. OceanaGold N.		1-1
5. Manawatu J.		0-0
6. Nelson