Eurobasket Daily News Report: 4/13/2012 1:04:01 AM

EUROBASKET NEWS REPORT - 4/13/2012 1:04:01 AM

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Men News

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ARGENTINA

Stats Leaders - LigaA

Points Per Game

Joe SMITH
  La Union
  (193-G-77)
  Avg: 17.3

1. Smith, La Union	17.3
2. Gutierrez, Obras	16.8
3. Villegas, Sionista	16.6
4. McHopson, Quilm.	16.3
5. Matthews, Quilm.	16.0
6. OBannon, Boca Jrs	15.9
7. DeGroat, Olimpico.	15.8
8. Martinez, San M.	15.6
9. Pittman, Libertad.	15.5
10. Lo Grippo, Quimsa	15.0

Rebounds Per Game

Jack Michael MARTINEZ
  San M.
  (203-F/C-81)
  Avg: 12.4

1. Martinez, San M.	12.4
2. Battle, Libertad S.	9.9
3. Davis, GECR I.	9.5
4. Garces, Atenas	9.4
5. Sandes, Sionista	9.1
6. Lloreda, Olimpico.	8.8
7. Gutierrez, Obras	8.4
8. Williams, Quimsa	7.6
9. DeGroat, Olimpico.	7.5
10. Truscott, Quilm.	7.3

Assists Per Game

Facundo CAMPAZZO
  Penarol
  (180-G-91)
  Avg: 6.3

1. Campazzo, Penarol	6.3
2. Sanchez, Wuber-.	5.6
3. Stanic, Boca Jrs	5.5
4. Martinez, Regat.	4.9
5. Cequeira, Sionista	4.8
6. Laprovittola, Lanus	3.9
7. Sucatzky, Atenas	3.7
8. Victoriano, San M.	3.7
9. Osimani, Obras	3.5
10. Ciorciari, GECR I.	3.4

Steals Per Game

Matias LESCANO
  Atenas
  (196-G/F-79)
  Avg: 2.3

1. Lescano, Atenas	2.3
2. Campazzo, Penarol	2.3
3. Quinteros, Regat.	1.7
4. Moldu, Olimpico LB	1.7
5. McHopson, Quilm.	1.6
6. Sanchez, Wuber-.	1.5
7. Ciorciari, GECR I.	1.5
8. Beitzel, San M.	1.4
9. Stanic, Boca Jrs	1.4
10. Torre, Club 9	1.4

Blocks Per Game

Robert BATTLE
  Libertad S.
  (204-C-81)
  Avg: 1.5

1. Battle, Libertad S.	1.5
2. Rollins, Sionista	1.2
3. Meyinsse, Wuber-.	1.2
4. Clancy, Club 9	1.2
5. Gutierrez, Obras	1.1
6. Roe, Regatas C.	1.0
7. Matthews, Quilm.	1.0
8. Humphrey, Atenas	0.9
9. Garces, Atenas	0.9
10. Ayarza, Club 9	0.9

Mannheim 2012: Argentina edge New Zealand for the initial win - by Eurobasket News

Argentina U18-New Zealand U18 62:46

Argentina edge New Zealand for the initial win at the Albert Schweitzer Tournament 2012. The Latin American team celebrated a 62:46 defensive victory for 1-2 record in Group G. New Zealand finished it with 0-3 record and remained winless at the tournament.
Both teams entered the game without victories and tried their best to achieve the first one. Argentina grabbed 18:16 after the first 10 minutes and added 18-11 in the second frame. The winners felt more comfortable after 20-14 in the third quarter, while the tempo had slowed down in the last stanza. Both teams managed to post only 11 points as a result Argentine won the frame 6-5. Gonzalo Torres (201-C-94) was the last to score for the winners to bring the intial win.
Martin Massone (187-F-94) and Gonzalo Torres top-scored for the winners with 10 points each. Pedro Barral (181-G-94) followed them with 9 points in the start of Day 5 campaign. Jarrod Sorenson ended up with 9 points in defeat and Tai Jack Webster (183-G-95) nailed 7.

Argentina U18: Martin Massone 10, Gonzalo Torres 10, Pedro Barral 9
New Zealand U18: Jarrod Sorenson 9, Tai Jack Webster 7

LigaA Quarterfinals: Third games - by Eurobasket News

Regatas C. - Lanus 79-68 (1-2)
Regatas is alive in this best-of-five series. They managed to beat Lanus 79-68 and teams will meet again on Saturday. Regatas will host that meeting as well. Regatas Corrientes looked well-organized offensively handing out 21 assists. It was an exceptional evening for naturalized Paraguayan guard Javier Martinez (189-78, agency: Dream Team Management) who led the winners and scored 16 points and 8 assists (went 7 for 7 at the free throw line). International power forward Nicolas Romano (197-87) accounted for 17 points and 5 rebounds for the winning side. Four Regatas Corrientes players scored in double figures. Panamanian power forward Jamaal Levy (206-83, college: Wake Forest) came up with 13 points and 5 rebounds and naturalized Italian swingman Adrian Boccia (196-82) added 8 points and 9 rebounds respectively for Lanus in the defeat. Lanus' coach Silvio Jose Santander let to play ten players, but that didn't help to avoid defeat in this game.
Top scorers:
Regatas C.: N.Romano 17+5reb+3ast, J.Martinez 16+3reb+8ast, L.Roe 14+7reb, P.Quinteros 14+2reb+1ast, D.Cavaco 6+6reb+3ast, D.Kante 5+4reb
Lanus: J.Levy 13+5reb+1ast, L.Wade 11+1reb+1ast, D.Guaita 11+1reb, F.Giorgi 9, A.Boccia 8+9reb+1ast, B.Brown 8+9reb

Wuber-Est.Bahia - Penarol 88-78 (1-2)
Estudiantes survived in Game Three and forced at least one more. Penarol has 1-2 lead and still needs just one win for the Semis. Game Four is scheduled for today and Estu will be the host once again. The game was mostly controlled by Wuber-Est.Bahia. Penarol managed to win fourth quarter 19-17. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. Wuber-Est.Bahia looked well-organized offensively handing out 22 assists. 24 personal fouls committed by Penarol helped opponents get some easy free throw opportunities. It was a good game for international guard Juan Ignacio Sanchez (193-77, college: Temple) who led his team to a victory with a double-double by scoring 13 points, 8 rebounds and 12 assists. American power forward Jerome Meyinsse (206-88, college: Virginia) contributed with 16 points and 8 rebounds for the winners. Four Wuber-Est.Bahia players scored in double figures. The former international power forward Martin Leiva (208-80) answered with a double-double by scoring 20 points and 12 rebounds and guard Facundo Campazzo (180-91) added 17 points and 7 assists in the effort for Penarol. Penarol's coach Sergio Hernandez rotated eleven players in this game, but that didn't help.
Top scorers:
Wuber-Est.Bahia: J.Espil 21+1ast, J.Meyinsse 16+8reb+1ast, R.Stanton 16+4reb+1ast, J.Ignacio Sanchez 13+8reb+12ast, A.Zago 9+6reb, L.Faggiano 6+5ast
Penarol: M.Leiva 20+12reb, F.Campazzo 17+1reb+7ast, S.Safar 14+1reb+1ast, L.Gutierrez 6+6reb+2ast, K.Lamonte 6, F.Giorgetti 5+3reb+1ast

GECR Indalo - Libertad S. 81-85 (1-2)
Libertad did a great job in this game taking 1-2 series lead. Teams will meet today in Game Four and GECR Indalo will be the host. Libertad needs one more win for the Semis. The guests were tied after three quarters but managed to speed up in last quarter eventually winning the game. It was a great evening for American swingman Will Graves (198-88, college: N.Carolina) who led his team to a victory scoring 27 points and 8 rebounds. The former international power forward Alejandro Alloatti (203-84) helped adding 18 points and 9 rebounds (on 7-of-9 shooting from the field). The best for the losing side was American-Spanish forward Devin Davis (202-74, college: Miami, OH) with a double-double by scoring 14 points and 16 rebounds and American power forward Kahiem Seawright (203-86, college: Rhode Island, agency: Edge Sports) produced a double-double by scoring 19 points and 11 rebounds. Both teams had four players each who scored in double figures. GECR Indalo's coach Marcelo Richotti tested ten players, but that didn't help to avoid defeat in this game.
Top scorers:
Libertad S.: W.Graves 27+8reb, J.Pittman 19+3reb, A.Alloatti 18+9reb+1ast, F.Calvi 14+5reb+1ast, J.Treise 7+3reb+6ast, J.Benitez 0+2reb
GECR Indalo: C.McGowan 25+2reb, K.Seawright 19+11reb, D.Davis 14+16reb+3ast, F.Mansilla 10+2reb+1ast, D.Ciorciari 7+2reb+6ast, S.Scala 3+1reb

Boca Juniors beat Obras on the road 68-80, tie the score to 1-1 - by Eurobasket News

Liga A Quarterfinals, Game 2: Obras - Boca Jrs 68-80 (1-1)

Boca Juniors did a great job in Game Two of the Liga A Quarterfinals against Obras. They celebrated 68-80 road victory tying the score to 1-1 in the series. The format is best-of-five and Boca Juniors will be the hosts in the next two meetings. They are scheduled for April 13 and 15. Game Two was the game without a history. Boca Juniors led from the first minutes and controlled entire game increasing their lead in each quarter. American guard Larry O'Bannon (194-G-83, agency: Interperformances, college: Louisville) the victory by scoring 33 points (!!!). The former international guard Maximiliano Stanic (178-G-78, agency: Players Group) with 12 points and 8 assists for the winners. International power forward Juan Gutierrez (205-F/C-83) replied with 18 points and 5 rebounds and American forward Tony Washam (200-F-82, college: St.Vincent) added 13 points in the effort for Obras. Obras was better than Boca Juniors in the first game 83-67.

Boca Jrs: L.O'Bannon 33+1reb+2ast, M.Stanic 12+4reb+8ast, F.Martina 10+12reb, M.Fierro 8+3reb, A.Diez 8+4reb, B.Raymond 5+2reb+4ast
Obras: J.Gutierrez 18+5reb+1ast, T.Washam 13+4reb+2ast, D.Fells 10+1reb+1ast, A.Elsener 7+1reb, M.Osimani 6+4reb+4ast, A.Konsztatd 5+1ast

Ginobili becomes fifth Spur to score 10,000 NBA points - by Eurobasket News

Emanuel Ginobili (6'6''-G-77, agency: Interperformances) made history on Wednesday night, becoming the fifth player in the Spurs NBA franchise history to reach 10,000 points for his career.

Ginobili passed the mark with a layup with 9:01 left in the fourth quarter, finishing his scoring in the disappointing loss to the Los Angeles Lakers.

The defeat to the Spurs enduring rivals tempered some of Ginobili's excitement of reaching the statistical milestone.

'It was not that important', Ginobili said after the game. 'If not tonight, it would have come soon enough. Youd rather have it happen when we win.'

Here's a list of the leading scorers in teams NBA history through Wednesday's game.

Tim Duncan 22,440

David Robinson 20,790

George Gervin 19,383

Tony Parker 13, 458

Manu Ginobili 10,001

Mike Mitchell 9,779

Sean Elliott 9,659

Larry Kenon 6,733

Avery Johnson 6,486

Alvin Robertson 6,285

Courtesy of http://blog.mysanantonio.com

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AUSTRALIA

Stats Leaders - NBL

Points Per Game

Kevin LISCH
  Wildcats
  (188-G-86)
  Avg: 17.4

1. Lisch, Wildcats	17.4
2. Wilson, Taipans	17.3
3. Deleon, Blaze	16.6
4. Johnson, 36ers	16.5
5. Khazzouh, Kings	16.4
6. Tragardh, Tigers	16.3
7. Wilkinson, Breakers	16.1
8. Bose, Kings	15.5
9. Abercrombie, Break.	15.5
10. Crawford, Croco.	14.8

Rebounds Per Game

Julian KHAZZOUH
  Kings
  (209-C-86)
  Avg: 10.8

1. Khazzouh, Kings	10.8
2. Holmes, Crocodiles	9.0
3. Simpsons, 36ers	8.6
4. Grant, Kings	8.1
5. Johnson, 36ers	7.7
6. Crosswhite, Taipa.	7.7
7. Bose, Kings	6.7
8. Worthington, Blaze	6.3
9. Vukona, Breakers	6.1
10. Hudson, Blaze	6.0

Assists Per Game

Cedric JACKSON
  Breakers
  (191-G-86)
  Avg: 6.2

1. Jackson, Breakers	6.2
2. Gibson, Blaze	4.7
3. Bruce, Kings	4.4
4. Gill, Crocodiles	3.8
5. Martin, Hawks	3.6
6. Martin, Wildcats	3.5
7. Dillon, Tigers	3.4
8. Ubaka, Tigers	3.3
9. Warren, 36ers	3.2
10. Lisch, Wildcats	3.2

Steals Per Game

Cedric JACKSON
  Breakers
  (191-G-86)
  Avg: 2.3

1. Jackson, Breakers	2.3
2. Martin, Wildcats	2.1
3. Deleon, Blaze	1.6
4. Robbins, Wildcats	1.5
5. Gill, Crocodiles	1.4
6. Mims, Crocodiles	1.3
7. Tovey, Wildcats	1.2
8. Lisch, Wildcats	1.1
9. Crawford, Croco.	1.1
10. Gibson, Blaze	1.1

Blocks Per Game

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

1. Khazzouh, Kings	2.1
2. Simpsons, 36ers	1.5
3. Grant, Kings	1.4
4. Nevill, Wildcats	1.2
5. Johnson, 36ers	1.0
6. Abercrombie, Break.	0.9
7. Crosswhite, Taipa.	0.9
8. Martin, Wildcats	0.9
9. Pledger, Breakers	0.8
10. Forman, Hawks	0.8

Standings - ABA

ABA Standings

Big V
1. Diamond V.E.		3-0
2. Ringwood H.		3-0
3. Hume City		3-1
4. Eltham W.		2-1
5. Sherbrooke S.		2-3
6. Corio Bay		1-2
7. Waverley F.		1-2
8. Bulleen B.		0-3
9. Melbourne		0-3
Central ABL
1. Forestville E.		1-0
2. N.Adelaide R.		1-0
3. Norwood F.		1-0
4. W.Adelaide B.		1-0
5. Woodville W.		1-0
6. C.District L.		0-1
7. Eastern M.		0-1
8. S.Adelaide P.		0-1
9. South.Tigers		0-1
10. Sturt S.		0-1
QBL
1. Brisbane C.		0-0
2. Bundaberg B.		0-0
3. Caboolture S.		0-0
4. Gladstone P.		0-0
5. Gold Coast R.		0-0
6. Ipswich F.		0-0
7. Mackay M.		0-0
8. Maroochydore		0-0
9. Northside W.		0-0
10. Rockhampton		0-0
11. SW Metro P.		0-0
12. Toowoomba		0-0
13. Townsville H.		0-0
SEABL-East
1. Geelong S.		4-0
2. Dandenong		3-2
3. Sandringham S.		3-2
4. Frankston B.		2-1
5. Bendigo B.		2-1
6. Brisbane S.		1-2
7. Canberra G.		1-3
SEABL-South
1. Knox R.		3-1
2. Nunawading S.		3-1
3. Kilsyth C.		3-1
4. Albury W.B.		2-2
5. Ballarat M.		1-2
6. Hobart C.		1-3
7. Mt Gambier		0-4
8. NW Tasmania		0-4
WARATAH
1. Hills H.		2-0
2. Maitland M.		2-0
3. Newcastle H.		2-0
4. Norths Bears		2-0
5. Colonial Hotel		1-1
6. Illawarra H.		1-1
7. Sutherland S.		1-1
8. Sydney C.		1-1
9. Bankstown B.		0-2
10. Cent.Coast C.		0-2
11. Manly Warr.		0-2
12. Parramatta W.		0-2

Regular Season: Round 4

BIG V

Apr. 14: Corio Bay - Diamond V.E.
Apr. 14: Sherbrooke S. - Hume City
Apr. 14: Eltham W. - Melbourne
Apr. 14: Bulleen B. - Ringwood H.
Apr. 15: Waverley F. - Bulleen B.

Central ABL

Apr. 14: N.Adelaide R. - Norwood F.
Apr. 14: S.Adelaide P. - South.Tigers
Apr. 14: W.Adelaide B. - Woodville W.
Apr. 14: C.District L. - Eastern M.
Apr. 14: Forestville E. - Sturt S.

SEABL

Apr. 12: Dandenong - Knox R. 87-84
Apr. 13: Canberra G. - Mt Gambier
Apr. 13: Ballarat M. - Bendigo B.
Apr. 13: Hobart C. - Geelong S.
Apr. 14: Brisbane S. - Mt Gambier
Apr. 14: Frankston B. - Ballarat M.
Apr. 14: NW Tasmania - Geelong S.
Apr. 14: Knox R. - Sandringham S.
Apr. 14: Kilsyth C. - Nunawading S.
Apr. 15: Bendigo B. - Albury W.B.
Apr. 15: Nunawading S. - Frankston B.

WARATAH

Apr. 14: Parramatta W. - Illawarra H.
Apr. 14: Hills H. - Norths Bears
Apr. 14: Sutherland S. - Cent.Coast C.
Apr. 14: Colonial Hotel - Manly Warr.
Apr. 14: Maitland M. - Sydney C.
Apr. 15: Hills H. - Manly Warr.
Apr. 15: Bankstown B. - Norths Bears

SEABL Mid Week previews-Round 4 - by Eurobasket News

SEABL MEN GAME OF THE WEEK

KILSYTH vs NUNAWADING

Saturday 14th April 8:15pm @ Kilsyth Sports Stadium

For almost two and a half quarters against Knox last round, Kilsyth were the better team. They ran the ball, they scored through a variety of players, their defence forced Knox into contested shots, and overall they looked like a well-drilled unit. But when the game was there for the taking, the Cobras relented. Granted the Raiders started to find their rhythm, but the best teams dont allow opposition sides to find that rhythm. If they fall into a similar position this week, the Spectres will punish Kilsyth. If however, the Cobras play four quarters of solid team basketball with players prepared to sacrifice for one another, we could see the type of Kilsyth team that can finally make it to a conference final.

The current Nunawading team are a long way below the side that won the 2011 championship. Granted, they are making adjustments on the fly, with their import yet to secure his foreign players licence and some new faces in the team, but the Spectres 3-1 record overstates their position and warrants further inspection. The 11-point win against Hobart was against a team on the back end of a road double, and they just secured victory over Dandenong (2 points) and Ballarat (3 points). Each of those games was in the balance until the old firm McDonald, Cameron and Conn stepped up to get the job done. How often can Nunawading call on the brilliance of those players before it just becomes too much to ask?

Kilsyth only need to put together the effort they showed in the opening half against Knox for the full 40 minutes and they will climb up the ladder. Nunawading however are obviously yet to recapture their blistering form of late 2011 and are vulnerable at the moment. Despite this, instincts and big game experience probably make the visiting team favourites.

Prediction: Nunawading by 3 points.

DANDENONG vs KNOX

Thursday 12th April 8:30pm

The Raiders experience shone through when these teams met in the opening round. The Rangers have since improved as a unit, but Knox should still be too strong across the floor for Dandenong.

CANBERRA vs MT GAMBIER

Friday 13th April 7:30pm

After suffering some harrowing defeats recently, the Gunners can return to the winners list against a Pioneers team that traditionally struggle on the road. But Mt Gambier would also be desperate to record their first win this year, so should be a tough battle.

BALLARAT vs BENDIGO

Friday 13th April 7:45pm

At home in front of a big crowd, Ballarat would gain plenty of credibility by beating the Braves. If Bendigo wants to keep pressure on Geelong for conference top spot, they need to win. Should be a cracker, especially with Tom Garlepp (203-F-86, college: UCSB) debuting for Bendigo.

HOBART vs GEELONG

Friday 13th April 8:00pm

Struggling for results, Hobart took action last week by axing Sam Harris (221-C-84, college: ODU). The Chargers wont have long to make the new combination work, running into the undefeated Geelong this week. Hobarts always tough at home, but the Supercats will be favourites.

BRISBANE vs MT GAMBIER

Saturday 14th April 7:15pm

The Spartans can get their season back on track when they play their first home game for the year this weekend against the road-weary Pioneers. Brisbane will also be strengthened with the return of Tommy Ammar and possibly Dean Brebner to the line-up.

FRANKSTON vs BALLARAT

Saturday 14th April 7:30pm

This promises to be a fascinating generational clash. up-and-comers Ballarat have something to prove, while wise hands Frankston are out to show they can still be a force. The Blues home court gives them a slight edge.

NW TASMANIA vs GEELONG

Saturday 14th April 7:30pm

Should Geelong win both of their games in Tasmania, they will rocket to a 6-0 record, and set up their season. Given recent form, its hard to see the Thunder getting up, but an upset win could jump-start their season.

KNOX vs SANDRINGHAM

Saturday 14th April 8:00pm

Given the Sabres lost both of their games in round 3, perhaps the hype surrounding their early season form was misplaced. But a win over Knox and you can expect excitement levels to rise once again, although tough to see the Raiders losing at home.

BENDIGO vs ALBURY/WODONGA

Sunday 15th April 2:00pm

Although much improved from 2011, until the Bandits can beat an opponent of this calibre on the road, they will struggle to be taken seriously as a playoff contender. Not to say they cant do it, but Bendigo will easily be favourites at home.

NUNAWADING vs FRANKSTON

Sunday 15th April 2:30pm

While Nunawading are still finding their best, the Blues have an opportunity against the defending champions. But with the game on the Spectres home court, Nunawading will be favourites.
Courtesy of: www.seabl.com.au

Game One: Breakers down Wildcats in OT! - by Eurobasket News

New Zealand Breakers moved a step closer to defending their NBL title with an overtime victory against Perth Wildcats in game one of the grand final series in Auckland.

The Breakers and Wildcats were deadlocked at 84-84 at full-time, before the home side edged ahead in the extra period to triumph 104-98.

It was a thrilling game in which the Wildcats came back from a 15-point deficit at half-time to lead well into the last quarter before the Breakers, who were without swingman Thomas Abercrombie (198-F/G-87, agency: Priority Sports, college: Washington St.), came back to earn overtime in the first of the best-of-three game series.

'It's really hard to take because we set very high standards with the Wildcats, with work ethic and intensity,' Wildcats coach Rob Beveridge told Grandstand.

'We want to outwork teams and we didn't do that consistently enough.'

Breakers coach Andrej Lemanis felt the game proved to be the ideal endorsement for the NBL.

'That's what grand finals should be about, two teams going at it giving it everything they've got,' he said.

'Players making plays, massive swings of momentum throughout and everyone staying focussed on the task.

'So, I think that's good for the league.'

The Wildcats started brilliantly, scoring the first 11 points and getting Abercrombie's replacement Leon Henry into early foul trouble.

But the Breakers offence, orchestrated brilliantly by Cedric Jackson (191-G-86, college: Cleveland St.), came quickly back with a barrage of three-pointers and a 14-0 run helped the Breakers take a 28-24 lead at the end of the first quarter.

The Breakers continued their momentum in the second quarter, keeping the Wildcats to just 11 points in the term with some stellar defence, while scoring 22 themselves to lead 50-35 at half-time.

Any thoughts the game would be one-sided were blown away when the Wildcats, led by Kevin Lisch (188-G-86, college: St.Louis) and Matthew Knight (204-F/C-85, college: Loyola Mary), dominated the early stages after the break to take a 54-53 lead four minutes into the third quarter.

The Breakers managed to regain their composure and led at three-quarter time, but the Wildcats were the better team early in the last quarter. They had a six-point lead well inside the final period, but some late Jackson points earned a shot at overtime.

The Wildcats led for much of the overtime period but some crucial intercepts and two key plays from CJ Bruton helped the home team secure the points they needed.

Jackson top scored for the Breakers with 25 points, while Lisch posted a game-high 27 points for the Wildcats.

The Breakers will attempt to secure the series in Perth next weekend.

Courtesy of www.abc.net.au

Mannheim 2012: Emus finished Group H with 3-0 record - by Eurobasket News

Australia U18-Greece U18 87:75

Emus finished Group H with 3-0 record at the Albert Schweitzer Tournament 2012. Australia U18 beat Greece U18 87:75 in the last game of the group stage. The Greek side ended up with 1-2 record on the third place.
Both sides exchanged the lead several times in the opening period. Australia led 12:7 but then Greece took 20:19 at the end of the quarter. The European team increased to 35:28 midway through the second frame and had 42:37 at the halftime. The third quarter however was decisive in the game as Emus erupted with 33-15 to take the lead and never looked behind after. Greece responded with 18-17 in the last period but it was not enough to compete with the winners.
Jack Lopez (194-G-94) poured in 20 points to lead the charge, while Emmett Naar (186-G-94) netted 19. Dane Pineau (203-F-94) notched 18 and Michael Rowley (200-F-94) added 12. Eleftherios Bochoridis (194-G-94) ended up with 25 points in the losing effort. Michail Kamperidis (196-G-94) nailed 12, while Dimitrios Agravanis (208-F-94) posted 11 for the European side.

Australia U18: Jack Lopez 20, Emmett Naar 19, Dane Pineau 18, Michael Rowley 12
Greece U18: Eleftherios Bochoridis 25, Michail Kamperidis 12, Dimitrios Agravanis 11

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AUSTRIA

Stats Leaders

Points Per Game

Stjepan STAZIC
  BC Vienna
  (199-G-78)
  Avg: 25.8

1. Stazic, BC Vienna	25.8
2. Drenovac, Arkadia	23.0
3. Reed, Oberwart	19.9
4. Shaw, Oberwart	18.3
5. Shavies, Furstenf.	18.0
6. Stegnjaic, UBSC G.	17.1
7. Grum, UBSC G.	17.1
8. Fears, Kapfenberg	17.1
9. Curry, Gmunden	17.0
10. Djuric, Gussing	16.8

Rebounds Per Game

Joe WERNER
  Wels
  (201-C-84)
  Avg: 9.9

1. Werner, Wels	9.9
2. Gordon, Kapfenberg	8.5
3. Reed, Oberwart	7.8
4. Oppland, Gmunden	7.7
5. Skurdauskas, Arkad.	7.2
6. Ware, Furstenfeld	7.2
7. Moric, UBSC G.	7.1
8. Robinson, Furstenf.	7.0
9. Nelson, Kapfenberg	6.9
10. Lamesic, Wels	6.7

Assists Per Game

Benedikt DANEK
  Arkadia
  (176-PG-86)
  Avg: 6.9

1. Danek, Arkadia	6.9
2. Fears, Kapfenberg	6.4
3. Shavies, Furstenf.	5.8
4. Schreiner, Kapfe.	5.4
5. Klepeisz, Gussing	4.9
6. Stazic, BC Vienna	4.8
7. Curry, Gmunden	4.5
8. Schaal, UBSC G.	4.4
9. Grum, UBSC G.	3.9
10. Lanegger, Kloster.	3.9

Steals Per Game

Jeremy FEARS
  Kapfenberg
  (196-G-85)
  Avg: 2.5

1. Fears, Kapfenberg	2.5
2. Shavies, Furstenf.	2.3
3. Pryor, Wels	2.1
4. Schreiner, Kapfe.	2.0
5. Toroman, BC Vienna	1.9
6. Brown, Wels	1.8
7. O''Neal, Furstenfeld	1.5
8. Mayer, Gmunden	1.5
9. Danek, Arkadia	1.4
10. Milosevic, St.Pol.	1.4

Blocks Per Game

Gary WARE
  Furstenfeld
  (205-F/C-83)
  Avg: 1.1

1. Ware, Furstenfeld	1.1
2. Scott, Gussing	1.0
3. Skurdauskas, Arkad.	0.8
4. Kohlmaier, Wels	0.7
5. Brown, Wels	0.7
6. Arnold, Gmunden	0.7
7. Koch, Gussing	0.7
8. Rizvic, Oberwart	0.6
9. Moric, UBSC G.	0.6
10. Francois, BC Vien.	0.5

A Bundesliga Quarterfinals: Second games (best-of-five) - by Eurobasket News

Kapfenberg - Gussing 87-67 (1-1)
Kapfenberg Bulls dominated down low during the game scoring 62 of its points in the paint compared to Gussing Knights' 28. Kapfenberg Bulls looked well-organized offensively handing out 29 assists comparing to just 16 passes made by Gussing Knights' players. American guard Jeremy Fears (196-85, college: Bradley) scored 23 points and 8 assists to lead the charge for the winners and the other American import forward Larry Gordon (196-87, college: Cal Poly Pomona, agency: Scorers 1st Sportmanagement) chipped in 10 points, 14 rebounds and 5 assists during the contest. Four Kapfenberg Bulls players scored in double figures. International guard Thomas Klepeisz (188-91) responded with 16 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists and Slovenian forward Elvis Kadic (201-80, agency: Kotnik Sports Agency) scored 14 points. Gussing Knights' coach rotated eleven players seeing no chance for a win.
Top scorers:
Kapfenberg: J.Fears 23+1reb+8ast, C.Gray 16+6reb+5ast, D.Mayes 15+4reb+3ast, L.Gordon 10+14reb+5ast, D.Nelson 10+4reb+1ast, T.Schreiner 8+2reb+6ast
Gussing: T.Klepeisz 16+7reb+4ast, E.Kadic 14+1reb+2ast, S.Koch 11+3reb+2ast, C.Scott 9+4reb+1ast, M.Heard 7+3reb, A.Djuric 7+7reb

Klosterneub. - Furstenfeld 84-50 (1-1)
The game without a history. Xion Dukes led from the first minutes and controlled entire game increasing their lead in each quarter. They made 20-of-23 free shots (87.0 percent) during the game. The best player for the winners was Bosnian power forward Ramiz Suljanovic (206-79) who scored 18 points and 8 rebounds. The former international guard Christoph Nagler (196-84) chipped in 12 points and 4 assists. American power forward Gary Ware (205-83, college: Purdue, agency: TSS Management) produced 19 points and his fellow American import guard Anthony Shavies (191-83, college: Missouri St., agency: Interperformances) added 9 points and 9 rebounds respectively for the guests. The winner was already known earlier in the game, so both coaches allowed to play the bench players saving starting five for next games.
Top scorers:
Klosterneub.: R.Suljanovic 18+8reb+1ast, C.Nagler 12+4reb+4ast, J.Chappell 11+5reb+2ast, C.Bobb 11+2reb, D.Zeleznik 9+2reb+2ast, D.Hamidovic 8+5reb
Furstenfeld: G.Ware 19+4reb, A.Shavies 9+9reb+3ast, J.Robinson 6+4reb, K.Payton 5+6reb+1ast, B.Weber 4+4reb, L.O'Neal 4+1reb+3ast

Wels - Oberwart 77-75 (2-0)
Oberwart Gunners were ahead by 9 points after three quarters before a 23-12 charge of Raiffeisen Wels, which allowed them to win the game. Oberwart Gunners were plagued by 24 personal fouls down the stretch. American center Joe Werner (201-84, college: Wisc.-La Cros.) orchestrated the victory with a double-double by scoring 14 points, 10 rebounds and 4 assists. The former international forward Davor Lamesic (203-83, agency: Interperformances) contributed with 18 points and 5 rebounds for the winners. Four Raiffeisen Wels players scored in double figures. American forward Joe Dean Shaw (199-87, college: Nevada) replied with 27 points and 5 rebounds (was perfect 13-for-13 from the free throw line !!!) and his fellow American import guard Vernard Hollins (190-80, college: Wright St.) added 14 points and 4 assists in the effort for Oberwart Gunners.
Top scorers:
Wels: D.Lamesic 18+5reb+3ast, Q.Pryor 17+6reb+3ast, T.Brown 15+6reb+4ast, J.Werner 14+10reb+4ast, A.Farokhmanesh 9+3ast, M.Kohlmaier 4+3reb
Oberwart: J.Dean Shaw 27+5reb+2ast, V.Hollins 14+4reb+4ast, H.Artner 8+2reb+1ast, N.Gacesa 8+3reb+1ast, J.Johnson 7+12reb, D.Jandl 4+2reb+2ast

Gmunden - BC Vienna 82-64 (1-1)
The game was mostly controlled by Gmunden Swans. BC Vienna managed to win second period 24-18. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. American guard Morris Curry (178-87, college: Providence) scored 23 points, 8 rebounds and 7 assists to lead the charge for the winners and the other American import forward Dan Oppland (203-84, college: Valparaiso, agency: SportsTalent) chipped in 18 points and 8 rebounds (on 8-of-9 shooting from the field) during the contest. Four Gmunden Swans players scored in double figures. The former international guard Stjepan Stazic (199-78, agency: World Sport Agency) responded with 25 points, 8 rebounds and 7 assists and Croatian guard Denis Toroman (194-82, agency: TSS Management) scored 17 points.
Top scorers:
Gmunden: M.Curry 23+8reb+7ast, R.Arnold 20+4reb+2ast, D.Oppland 18+8reb+1ast, M.Mayer 11+7reb+1ast, M.Oppland 4+4reb, P.Huetter 4+1reb+1ast
BC Vienna: S.Stazic 25+8reb+7ast, D.Toroman 17+1reb+3ast, B.Matthews 13+6reb+1ast, J.Francois 7+6reb, T.Gaspar 2+2reb+3ast, D.Hasenburger 0

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BELGIUM

Standings - Division I

D1 Standings

1. Spirou		18-7
2. Antwerp		17-8
3. Oostende		16-8
4. Aalstar		14-10
5. M.Hainaut		12-12
6. Leuven		12-12
7. Liege		8-15
8. Gent		8-17
9. Verviers-Pep.		4-20

Regular Season: Round 28

Apr. 12: Spirou - Antwerp 70-61
Apr. 14: Gent - Liege
Apr. 14: Verviers-Pep. - Aalstar
Apr. 14: Oostende - M.Hainaut

Stats Leaders - Division I

Points Per Game

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

1. Copeland, Aalstar	20.3
2. Bostic, Liege	16.4
3. Lojeski, Oostende	15.1
4. Taylor, M.Hainaut	14.6
5. Black, Antwerp	13.9
6. Haynes, Gent	13.8
7. Broyles, Spirou	13.6
8. Freeman, Leuven	13.3
9. Love, Verviers-Pep.	13.3
10. Green, Spirou	13.3

Rebounds Per Game

Graham BROWN
  Gent
  (205-C-84)
  Avg: 8.1

1. Brown, Gent	8.1
2. Mejri, Antwerp	7.5
3. Love, Verviers-Pep.	7.4
4. McLean, Leuven	7.0
5. Young, Aalstar	6.9
6. Mukubu, Verviers.	6.6
7. Merriex, Verviers.	6.6
8. Booker, Oostende	5.9
9. Jackson, Aalstar	5.9
10. De Zeeuw, Vervier.	5.8

Assists Per Game

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

1. Waters, Liege	4.1
2. Djordjevic, Ooste.	3.6
3. Marnegrave, Leuven	3.5
4. Bosco, Gent	3.2
5. Slaughter, M.Hai.	3.1
6. Black, Antwerp	3.1
7. Bostic, Liege	2.8
8. Taylor, M.Hainaut	2.7
9. Thompson, Verviers.	2.5
10. Steinbach, Aalstar	2.5

Steals Per Game

Adeola DAGUNDURO
  Leuven
  (196-G-86)
  Avg: 2.4

1. Dagunduro, Leuven	2.4
2. Black, Antwerp	2.1
3. Mukubu, Verviers.	2.0
4. Wilson, Antwerp	1.9
5. Hopkins, Antwerp	1.8
6. Bosco, Gent	1.8
7. Muya, Liege	1.7
8. Bostic, Liege	1.7
9. Haynes, Gent	1.6
10. Slaughter, M.Hai.	1.5

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	1.7
4. Love, Verviers-Pep.	1.0
5. Young, Aalstar	0.9
6. Booker, Oostende	0.7
7. Vaughn, Antwerp	0.6
8. Nivins, M.Hainaut	0.6
9. De Zeeuw, Verviers.	0.5
10. Mukubu, Verviers.	0.5

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

CANADA

WELCOME TO 3on 3 Basketball - by John Gary

courtesy basketball.ca The Winnipeg Minor Basketball Association,with the support of Basketball Manitoba,announced today it will be piolting a new basketball game structure for the 8year old Boys Division in the spring of 2012. All games at this level will now be played in a 3on 3 half court setting different from the traditional 5on 5 full court game. The 3 on 3 model encourages a more age apprioate fundamental skill development of players based on long term athelete development concepts. Basketballs international governing body FIBA and Canada Basketball,are recommending that all basketball played at the age 9 and under level use the 3on 3 half court model. The new modifications will be expanded through the WMBA to ages 9 and under over the coming year.

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

CHILE

Dimayor: Liceo Mixto is the champion !!! - by Daniel Valencia

CD Liceo Mixto de Los Andes is the champion of Dimayor 2011/2012. In game 6 of the Finals, Liceo defeated to CD Universidad de Concepcion 75-66 and won the series 4-2. Led by the Finals MVP, Anthony Danridge (196-G/F-86, college: N.Mexico), Liceo took a 15 point lead in the first quarter (25-10) and despite the reaction of Concepcion, that cut the lead to 5 points at the beginning of the fourth quarter, the experience of players like Patricio Briones (213-C-72, college: Dade CC) and Patrick Saez (193-G/F-79), who combined have 15 Dimayor titles, was too much for the visitors. This is the fourth title for Liceo Mixto, after the 2007, 2008 and 2009 championships.

CD Liceo Mixto de Los Andes 75 - CD Universidad de Concepcion 66
Lic: Anthony Danridge 21 pts. Howard Wilkerson 11 pts.
Ucon: Alain Laroche 24 pts. Jason Keep 17 pts.

1 25-10 2 40-30 3 57-49 4 75-66

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

CHINA

DENMARK

Stats Leaders - Basketligaen

Points Per Game

Ryan WHITE
  Aalborg
  (177-PG-88)
  Avg: 24.9

1. White, Aalborg	24.9
2. Harris, Horsens IC	24.6
3. Alexander, Bakken	22.2
4. Henry, Naestved	22.1
5. Rutherford, SISU	21.0
6. Curry, Aabyhoj	20.7
7. Bishop, Aalborg	19.0
8. Rasmussen, Vaerl.	18.8
9. Sprinker, Vaerlose	17.3
10. Delk, Vaerlose	16.8

Rebounds Per Game

D''Mario CURRY
  Aabyhoj
  (201-F-85)
  Avg: 11.6

1. Curry, Aabyhoj	11.6
2. Bishop, Aalborg	11.3
3. Glynn, Naestved	10.4
4. St.John, Horsens	10.2
5. Vinson, Svendborg	8.9
6. Phillips, Aabyhoj	8.6
7. Osgood-R., Vaerlose	8.4
8. Benjamin, Horsholm	8.3
9. Ba, Falcon	8.2
10. Rutherford, SISU	8.0

Assists Per Game

Davor SATTLER
  Horsens IC
  (185-G-86)
  Avg: 5.4

1. Sattler, Horsens IC	5.4
2. Henry, Naestved	5.1
3. White, Aalborg	4.9
4. Delk, Vaerlose	4.6
5. Colman, Svendborg	4.5
6. Fields, Falcon	3.9
7. McFarlane, Falcon	3.9
8. Nielsen, SISU	3.6
9. Darboe, Svendborg	3.6
10. Curry, Aabyhoj	3.5

Steals Per Game

Corin HENRY
  Naestved
  (180-PG-88)
  Avg: 3.4

1. Henry, Naestved	3.4
2. Wire, Vaerlose	2.9
3. White, Aalborg	2.8
4. Dennis, SISU	2.6
5. Bishop, Aalborg	2.3
6. Fields, Falcon	2.1
7. Sattler, Horsens IC	2.0
8. Nielsen, SISU	1.9
9. Curry, Aabyhoj	1.8
10. McFarlane, Falcon	1.8

Blocks Per Game

Bonell COLAS
  Horsholm
  (205-F-82)
  Avg: 1.7

1. Colas, Horsholm	1.7
2. Curry, Aabyhoj	1.7
3. Christoffers., Bak.	1.7
4. Bishop, Aalborg	1.6
5. Phillips, Aabyhoj	1.6
6. Vinson, Svendborg	1.3
7. Sprinker, Vaerlose	1.2
8. Marinkovic, Horsho.	1.1
9. Johansen, Naestved	0.9
10. Eleraky, Aalborg	0.9

Mannheim 2012:China and Denmark open Day 5 - by Eurobasket News

China U18-Denmark U18 74:66

China and Denmark open Day 5 at the Albert Schweitzer Tournament 2012. The Chinese team celebrated a 74:66 win to finish Group H with 2-1 record. Denmark U18 dropped at 0-3 record despite a great game from RasmusG Larsen (212-C-94) and Peter Moller (186-G-94).
China started better and took 22:9 after the first 10 minutes of the game. The European side however replied with 22-19 in the second quarter as the board showed 41:31 at the halftime. Denmark continued to reduce the gap and cut it to 8 points before the final stanza. China meanwhile saved the difference as both sides nailed 18 points each in the last period.
Zhao Jiwei (185-G-95) paced all the winners with 16 points and Luo Kaiwen (198-F-95) netted 14. Zhou Qi (215-C-96) delivered 12, while Wang Zhengbo (187-G-96) added 9. RasmusG Larsen replied with 27 points and 15 rebounds, while Peter Moller notched 22 in defeat.

China U18: Zhao Jiwei 16, Luo Kaiwen 14, Zhou Qi 12, Wang Zhengbo 9
Denmark U18: RasmusG Larsen 27+15 rebs, Peter Moller 22

Ligaen Finals: Rabbits celebrate 52-61 road win in Game One (best-of-seven) - by Eurobasket News

Bakken - Svendborg 52-61 (0-1)

The guests took control from the first minutes by winning first half. But Bakken won fourth quarter 15-14. However it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. 25 personal fouls committed by Bakken helped opponents get some easy free throw opportunities. American forward Durell Vinson (201-85, college: Wagner) stepped up with a double-double by scoring 21 points and 16 rebounds for the winners and international guard Mikkel Plannthin (195-88) chipped in 14 points. At the losing side American guard Joshua Alexander (193-87, college: SF Austin) responded with a double-double by scoring 15 points and 13 rebounds and the former international power forward Nicolai Iversen (205-80, college: San Jose City JC) produced a double-double by scoring 12 points and 10 rebounds. Bakken's coach Philip Dejworek rotated ten players in this game, but that didn't help. Game Two - Monday. Svendborg will be the host.

Top scorers:
Bakken: J.Alexander 15+13reb+1ast, N.Iversen 12+10reb, M.Dejworek 8+4reb, A.Jakobsen 5+2reb+1ast, J.Jensen 5+4reb, C.Christoffersen 5+7reb
Svendborg: D.Vinson 21+16reb+3ast, M.Plannthin 14+4reb+3ast, C.Colman 10+2reb+3ast, M.Kingsley 6+7reb, A.Darboe 5+6reb+3ast, M.Mariegaard 5+2reb

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

D-LEAGUE

Stats Leaders

Points Per Game

Blake AHEARN
  Reno B.
  (188-PG-84)
  Avg: 23.8

1. Ahearn, Reno B.	23.8
2. Almond, Maine RC	23.4
3. Emmett, Reno B.	23.1
4. Dentmon, Austin T.	22.8
5. Costner, Los A.	20.0
6. Efevberha, Iowa E.	19.6
7. Mitchell, Sioux F.	19.6
8. Ubiles, Dakota W.	19.3
9. Millsap, Los A.	19.3
10. Gilder, Sioux F.	19.2

Rebounds Per Game

Marcus LEWIS
  Tulsa 66ers
  (203-F/C-86)
  Avg: 12.7

1. Lewis, Tulsa 66ers	12.7
2. Harangody, Canton	12.6
3. Dawson, Austin T.	10.5
4. Butch, Bakersfi.	10.0
5. Thomas, Los A.	9.6
6. Williams, Texas L.	8.9
7. Foote, Springfield	8.9
8. Criswell-L., Austi.	8.9
9. Reid, Tulsa 66ers	8.6
10. Horner, Springfi.	8.5

Assists Per Game

Walker RUSSELL
  Ft.Wayne.
  (183-G-82)
  Avg: 9.9

1. Russell, Ft.Wayne.	9.9
2. Conroy, Rio G.	9.0
3. Daniels, Texas L.	8.7
4. Wise, Bakersfield	6.3
5. Curry, Springfield	6.3
6. Fortson, Los A.	5.9
7. Bailey, Idaho S.	5.8
8. Stinson, Iowa E.	5.8
9. Baker, Dakota W.	5.7
10. Johnson, Austin	5.6

Steals Per Game

Dominique COLEMAN
  Sioux F.
  (190-G-84)
  Avg: 2.2

1. Coleman, Sioux F.	2.2
2. Blakely, Sioux F.	2.2
3. Hannah, Dakota W.	2.1
4. Smith, Springfield	2.1
5. Fortson, Los A.	2.1
6. Curry, Springfield	1.9
7. Millsap, Los A.	1.9
8. Owens, Tulsa 66ers	1.9
9. Saunders, Rio G.	1.9
10. Bobbitt, Idaho S.	1.8

Blocks Per Game

Hamady N''DIAYE
  Maine R.
  (213-C-87)
  Avg: 3.2

1. N''Diaye, Maine R.	3.2
2. Foster, Idaho S.	2.9
3. Williams, Texas L.	2.5
4. Saunders, Rio G.	2.3
5. Daniels, Erie B.	2.1
6. Thomas, Los A.	2.1
7. Hill, Maine RC	1.8
8. Ojougboh, Tulsa	1.7
9. Dawson, Austin T.	1.6
10. Strong, Iowa E.	1.6

The Portsmouth Invitational Tournament (PIT) Portsmouth, Virginia - by Adam Prossin

For 60 years the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament (PIT) has been a proving ground for college seniors trying to get noticed by NBA scouts and managers in the hopes of becoming an NBA draft pick. Obviously for the players that result would be a dream come true, however, they are also well aware of the prospects of being offered a contract to play overseas which would allow them to continue their dreams of becoming a professional basketball player on foreign soil.
The PIT not only attracts the scouting staffs and GMs of all of the NBA teams but it also is an excellent opportunity for agents as well as 100s of managers & scouts of teams from numerous countries throughout the world to come to try to find players for their teams for next season. This year is no different than in the past in that regard. Most of the teams from the top leagues in Europe have their managers or scouts in attendance evaluating players including numerous representatives from Italy, Spain, France and of the top teams from a number of other countries in Europe. As usual the teams from South Korea have a large contingent in attendance and there are also representatives of teams from Japan & China and other countries present.
The PIT is a tournament where 64 top college basketball seniors from throughout the country are invited to showcase their skills in front of all of the professional talent evaluators mentioned above. The players are divided up into 8 teams of 8 players so there is plenty of playing time for all participants.
This years rosters includes many All-Conference players and several Conference Player of the Year recipients including hometown favorite Kyle O'Quinn (6'10''-F-90) from Norfolk State University who was this years MEAC Player of the Year (POY) and the following POYs: Jorge Gutierrez (6'3''-G-88) (California) - PAC 12 POY, Wendell McKines (6'6''-F-88) (New Mexico State) - WAC POY, Laron Dendy (6'9''-C-88) (Middle Tennessee) - Sun Belt POY, Zack Rosen (6'1''-PG) (6'2''-G) (Penn) - Ivy League POY.
Braydon Hobbs (6'5''-G) (Bellarmine) is a strong representative of NCAA Divison II. He was recently selected as the NCAA Division II National Player of the Year. This year the PIT roster of players also include two D-III standout players. Bryant Voiles (6'9''-F) (Augustana (Ill.) College) & David Michaels (6'7''-GF-90) (Whitman (Wash.) College), The Northwest Conference POY become the first D-III players invited to the PIT since 2004.
Good luck to all of the players in their quest for a professional basketball playing opportunity.

Full Tournament Schedule:
Day 1 - Wednesday April 11, 2012
Game #1 - 7:00PM
Game #2 - 9:00PM
Day 2 - Thursday April 12, 2012
Game #3 - 3:15PM
Game #4 - 7:00PM
Game #5 - 9:00PM
Day 3 - Friday April 13, 2012
Game #6 - 3:15PM
Game #7 - 7:00PM
Game #8 - 9:00PM
Day 4 - Saturday April 14, 2012
Game #9 - 12:00 Noon (7th Place)
Game #10 - 2:00PM (Consolation Championship)
Game #11 - 6:00PM (3rd Place)
Game #12 - 8:05PM (Championship)

Day #1 - The Portsmouth Invitational Tournament (PIT) - Wednesday, April 11, 2012 - Portsmouth, Virginia - by Adam Prossin

Day 1 Scores - Wednesday, April 11, 2012:
Game #1 - Portsmouth Sports Club (88) vs. Norfolk Sports Club (76)
Game #2 - Cherry, Bekaert & Holland (85) vs. K & D Rounds Landscaping (73)

Game #1 Summary - Portsmouth Sports Club (88) vs. Norfolk Sports Club (76)
The 60th Annual Portsmouth Invitational Tournament was kicked off with Portsmouth Sports Club (PSC) & Norfolk Sports Club (NSC) teams facing each other in Game #1.
Hometown favorite Kyle O'Quinn (6'10''-F-90),,, Norfolk State University senior and 2012 MEAC Player of the Year award recipient, received the loudest applause during introductions and he seemed to be highly motivated to impress the local fans as well as the 100s of general managers, pro scouts & agents in attendance as well as his college coach, Norfolk State University's Head Coach, Anthony Evans who came out to show his support.
The NSC, in the red jerseys, jumped out to an early lead and were up 19-11 on the PSC team, in black jerseys, by the 12:22 mark.
At this point of the game PSC slowly began to assert themselves on offense. Kyle O'Quinn (6'10''-F-90) scored on back to back chances to pull PSC within 2 points at 23-21 with 10:30 left in the 1st half. Wendell McKines (6'6''-F-88) responded by sinking a long 3 point attempt to extend NSCs lead to 26-21 and to send NSC on a 7-2 run resulting in a 33-23 lead on Alex Young (6'6''-G/F)'s 3 pointer at the 7:32 mark. With 6:20 left in the half Lazeric Jones (6'1''-G-90) had an impressive play where he went up against 2 defenders and he split the defenders and drove to the hoop strong to make it 37-27 for NSC. O'Quinn then asserted himself offensively with a strong dunk followed by another basket to cut the lead to 39-35 with 3:20 to go in the 1st. O'Quinn then showed his diversity with a strong inside pass in traffic to Michael Glover (6'7''-F) for the lay-in and assist by O'Quinn to even the score at 41 with 1:34 showing on the clock. Henry Sims (6'10''-C-90) ended the 1st half scoring with a strong powerslam for PSC to go up by 5 at 46-41 at the buzzer.
The 2nd half started out with some great back and forth action. Augustus Gilchrist (6'10''-F/C-89) took the ball strong to the hoop and slammed it home with power to retake the lead for NSC, 51-50 at the 16:15 mark. This was followed with some more great back and forth action and the score was 67-63 in favor of PSC after Devoe Joseph (6'4''-G-90) hit a 3 pointer with 9:00 to go.
PSC then started to gain control of the pace again and went on a 17-7 run over the next 6 minutes including a nice alley-oop score by the games leading scorer, Kevin Murphy (6'6''-G-90), and PSC were up by 14 with 3:23 to go at 84-70. PSC closed the game out with good defense and ended as the victors with an 88-76 final score.
Kevin Murphy was the games leading scorer for Portsmouth Sports Club with 27 points on an excellent shooting display going 11-14 from the field, 3-3 form behind the 3-point line and 3-4 from the foul line to go with his 6 rebounds. Kyle O'Quinn had an impressive all-around game with 18 points on 8-13 shooting, a game high 12 rebounds, 2 assists and 4 blocked shots. Henry Sims added a strong 12 points and 7 rebounds for PSC. Michael Glover also showed himself well for PSC even though Glover played the fewest minutes for PSC. In 17 minutes Glover scored 8 points on 3-5 shooting, 2-2 from the foul line and added 6 rebounds and 1 assist.
Norfolk Sports Club was led by Wendell McKines with 16 points on 7-18 shooting to go along with his 10 rebounds. Charlie Westbrook (6'4''-G) added 15 points for NSC and had 2 blocks and 2 steals. Augustus Gilchrist tied for the game high in rebounds with 12 and added 12 points and 2 blocked shots. Mitchell Watt (6'10''-F-89) had a monster game on defense for NSC as he had 7 blocked shots while scoring 11 points and pulling down 8 rebounds.
Portsmouth Sports Club (88) - Murphy 27, OQuinn 18, Sims 12, Glover 8, Joseph, Walker 6, Moore 6, Voiles 4
Norfolk Sports Club (76) - McKines 16, Westbrook 15, Gilchrist 12, Watt 11, Young 9, Jones 7, Morrison 6, Hobbs 0

Game #2 Summary - Cherry, Bekaert & Holland (85) vs. K & D Rounds Landscaping (73)
Game #2 of the 2012 PIT saw the Cherry, Bekaert & Holland (CBH) team in blue taking on K & D Rounds Landscaping (K&D) in the white Jerseys.
CBH jumped out quick and held a 17-4 lead by the 15:40 mark of the 1st half after a strong offensive rebound and put-back by Eli Holman (6'10''-F/C-89) followed by a 3-pointer by Jason Clark (6'2''-G-90). CBH continued to control the pace and were up 26-11 when Kent Bazemore (6'5''-G/F-89) energized his team and the crowd after a monster dunk with 8:34 left in the first half. K&D showed they were not going to go easily and continued to close the gap over the next 6 minutes and were down by only 1 point when Zack Rosen (6'1''-PG) hit a 3-pointer with 0:33 left to play in the half to help K&D take their first lead of the game at 36-33. CBH took the ball for their last possession of the half and mapped out a nice play resulting in Reggie Hamilton (5'11''-G-89) hitting a long 3-pointer at the buzzer to end the half with the teams tied 36-36.
The 2nd half started with the teams trading baskets and the lead until CBH began to take control and were up 49-43 with 16:10 to play. CBH continued to extend their lead and by the 5:29 mark CBH held a 12 point lead at 76-64 after Larry Anderson (6'5''-G) accepted a long outlet pass and took it to the hoop for a loud backboard shaking slam. Laron Dendy (6'9''-C-88) scored 2 baskets in a row for K&D but CBH held a 14 point lead at 82-68 with 3:08 remaining in the game. CBH coasted to the win from there and it ended with a 12 point victory at 85-73 at the final buzzer.
Cherry, Bekaert & Holland had a great team victory with the points being distributed fairly evenly amongst their 8 players. 5 players ended in double digit scoring and the other 3 had 9 points each with all players playing at least 22 minutes. Larry Anderson topped CBH with 14 points on 5-8 shooting and 4-6 from the line as well as a game high 7 assists and 4 rebounds. Jason Clark had 13 points on 5-7 shooting, 6 rebounds and 2 assists. Eli Holman led CBH with 10 rebounds to go with 9 points, and 2 blocks. Jordan Taylor (6'1''-PG-89) also tied for a game high with 7 assists as well as scoring 10 points to go with 6 rebounds and 3 steals.
K & D Rounds Landscaping were led by Laron Dendy with a game high 15 points & 5 rebounds. Rakim Sanders (6'5''-G/F-89) had 14 points & 8 rebounds. Jarrod Jones (6'9''-F-90) added a game high 11 rebounds as well as registering 7 points & 3 steals.
Cherry, Bekaert & Holland (85) - Anderson 14, Clark 13, Stanback 11, Taylor 10, Mangano 10, Holman 9, Hamilton 9, Wright 9
K & D Rounds Landscaping (73) - Dendy 15, Sanders 14, Hinkle 11, Bazemore 9, Moore 8, Jones 7, Bryant 5, Rosen 4
<<>><<>>

Jam win Game 1 over Wizards - by Eurobasket News

The Bakersfield Jam started the 2012 postseason with a 107-94 victory over the Dakota Wizards at the Jam Events Center on Thursday night. Brian Butch (6'11''-C/F-84, agency: Edge Sports, college: Wisconsin) paced the Jam with a double-double of 32 points (12-of 19 from the field) and 15 rebounds.

Bakersfield began the game dominating Dakota at both ends of the floor, scoring 12 unanswered points and, behind staggering defense from the Jam, forcing the Wizards to shoot tough shots as they missed their first seven field goal attempts of the game. However, Dakota fought back and were only down three points (22-19) after one period of play. Butch scored 13 of his season-high 32 points in the second quarter, helping the Jam increase their lead to 50-38 at intermission. Bakersfield maintained that double-digit lead for the rest of the game and increased it by as many as 23 points in the second half. The Jam extends their home-winning streak to nine games, and most importantly takes the series advantage.

Jeremy Wise (6'3''-G-86, agency: Strategic Sports, college: S.Mississippi) recorded 19 points and a team-high seven assists. Derrick Byars (6'7''-G/F-84, agency: Beo Basket, college: Vanderbilt) had 13 points, five rebounds, and three steals on the night. Trey Johnson (6'5''-G-84, college: Jackson St.) contributed 11 points off the bench for the Jam.

Mike Anderson (6'7''-F-86, agency: Top Notch Sports, college: VCU) led the way for the Wizards scoring 15 points off the bench. Stefhon Hannah finished with 14 points and eight assists, while Golden State Warriors assignee Chris Wright had 13 points and nine rebounds.

Both teams will now travel to Dakota to play the remainder of the series. Game two will be played on Sunday, April 15 at 1:00 p.m. PT and if necessary, game three will be held on Monday, April 16 at 5:00 p.m. PT.

Courtesy of D-League

Armor re-acquire Dennis Horner, release Eugene Spates - by Eurobasket News

The 2012 Eastern Conference champion Springfield Armor re-acquired Dennis Horner (6'9''-F-88, agency: Strategic Sports, college: N.Carolina St.). To make room on the roster, the Armor waived Eugene Spates (6'8''-F-87, college: Northeastern).

Horner returns to Springfield after earning his second GATORADE Call-Up this season to the Armor's NBA affiliate, the New Jersey Nets. In two stints with New Jersey, Horner scored 5 points and grabbed 5 rebounds in 22 minutes in eight games off the Nets' bench.

Horner has played in 25 games this season with the Armor, 20 starts, averaging 17.0 points, 8.5 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 31.4 minutes. Horner has posted 10 double-doubles and has shot .471 from the field and .863 from the foul line this season. In his most recent game with Springfield on March 27, Horner recorded season-highs in points (29) and rebounds (15) in the Armor's victory over the Maine Red Claws.

Horner joined the Armor for practice in Springfield today and will travel with the team to Canton for the Armor's first-ever playoff game against the Charge on Friday a 7:30 p.m. EST.

Courtesy of www.oursportscentral.com

Erie takes Game One from Austin, 108-95 - by Eurobasket News

The Erie BayHawks were able to commandeer their first round series, downing the Austin Toros by a final score of 108-95 in game one. Erie, the fifth seed, was able to put together a solid team effort in their double-digit victory over Austin, the playoff's three seed. Seven of the nine BayHawks who saw action scored in double figures, led by D.J. Kennedy (6'6''-G/F-89, agency: Interperformances, college: St.John's) and New York Knicks assignment player Jerome Jordan (7'0''-C-86, college: Tulsa), who both scored 19 points.

It was the Toros that were able to jump out to an early advantage, leading by seven points midway through the first quarter. Erie was able to fight back and took a 30-29 lead on a Keith McLeod (6'3''-PG-79, college: Bowling Green) jumper at the end of the frame. The BayHawks would not look back as they kept the lead for the remainder of the contest. In the second quarter, the BayHawks grew their lead to twelve points, thanks in part to Kyle Spain's (6'5''-F-87, college: San Diego St.) 11 point outburst. At the intermission, Erie held a seven point advantage, 60-53.

Despite shooting only 36%, the Toros were able to cut the Erie lead down to three in the final two minutes of the third quarter behind Ronald Murray's (6'4''-G-79, college: Shaw) nine points. Two free throws from Kennedy boosted Erie's lead back to five entering the final twelve minutes. Erie started the fourth quarter on a 10-2 run and kept a double digit lead for the majority of quarter. Austin would cut the lead to seven but the BayHawks went on another 10-2 run to put the Toros away for good.

Kennedy finished the game with 19 points, 12 rebounds and six assists while Jordan tallied 19 points and six rebounds. Keith McLeod chipped in with 15 points, Joey Graham (6'7''-G/F-82, college: Oklahoma St.) scored 14, Spain finished with 11 and Kyle Goldcamp (6'10''-F-86, college: Gannon) and Tyrone Brazelton also pitched in with 10 points each. Austin was paced by Murray, who finished with a game high 24 points. Julian Wright (6'8''-F-87, college: Kansas) (18), Carldell Johnson (14), Eric Dawson (12) and Luke Zeller (10) also tallied double-digit totals for the Toros. Erie was able to out muscle the Toros on the glass, grabbing 43 rebounds to Austin's 36. The BayHawks also shot 54% from the floor, compared to Austin's 39%.

The teams will travel to Austin to play the remainder of the series. Game two will be held on Sunday at 4:00 PM and if necessary, game three will be played on Monday at 8:30 PM.

Courtesy of www.oursportscentral.com

Springfield Armor prepare for D-League playoffs - by Eurobasket News

Springfield Armor coach Bob MacKinnon might have been suspected of a vicious fever had he voiced his preseason prediction to a doctor. Nobody would have believed MacKinnons stance that the previously moribund franchise would reach between 28 and 32 wins this regular season.

Yet MacKinnon walked into the first day of practice and preached confidence. He, general manager Milton Lee and assistant coach Chris Carrawell exuded optimism that roped Armor players into the franchises new culture.

From day one, they believed we were good enough, Armor forward L.D. Williams (6'4''-G-88, college: Wake Forest) said of the teams leadership trio. Theyve been the catalysts all along.

The Armor stand ready to enter the D-League playoffs as the No. 2 seed, proving their coach a prophet after claiming the Eastern Conference championship with a 29-21 regular season. Springfield begins its first postseason Friday night in Canton, with the franchises first home playoff game on Sunday at 7 p.m. against the Charge at the MassMutual Center.

Perhaps the most amazing aspect of Springfields league-record 16-game improvement is that the team has done it with many of the same faces.

In the D-League, where rosters often have more turnover than Jeremy Lin on his most reckless day, returning six players on a 10-man roster is normally considered good for continuity. But the Armor finished last season with just 13 wins, and some questioned the wisdom of bringing back so many players.

Other people around the league thought it wasnt a good thing, said MacKinnon, hired during the offseason to fix last years mess.

But MacKinnon saw potential in what others viewed skeptically. He looked at a backcourt that featured Jerry Smith (6'2''-G-87, college: Louisville), Jameson Curry (6'4''-G-86, agency: Strategic Sports, college: Oklahoma St.) and Lance Hurdle (6'2''-G-87, college: Miami, FL) and saw the leagues best rotation of guards. He pondered a frontcourt with Jeff Foote, Dennis Horner and Jamar Brown and envisioned a physical group that could control the boards.

And even if were not the most talented team, its more important were the toughest, MacKinnon said.

Springfield established a franchise record number of NBA call-ups with four. Smith and Foote both saw time in the NBA this season, and Horner, called up by the New Jersey Nets on two separate occasions, has just returned to the Armor.

To be honest with you, I think we deserved more call-ups, MacKinnon said.

When the Armor went undefeated in eight February games, Williams said he finally realized how good they could be.

You expect to win every game you play, but we lost so many games last year, he said. In February, we just came together.

We led the league in rebounding and offensive rebounding, MacKinnon said. You look around and Jeff Footes the only seven-footer in the league diving for loose balls.

Foote characterizes a team-wide professionalism that is symbolized during late-night shooting sessions at the Springfield YMCA. Every night the Armor are not on the road, the team has an optional shooting session at 9 p.m.

Curry has not missed a single voluntary workout, and at least six players have been present at each session.

Said Williams, I can say that last year, at least half the guys wouldnt have shown up. There just wasnt the same enthusiasm.

Only Jamar Brown, who won the D-League championship in 2009 with the MacKinnon-coached Colorado 14ers, has prior D-League playoff experience. But MacKinnon believes his players have enough big-game experience from college and elsewhere. Foote reached the Sweet 16 with Cornell, and Smith and Preston Knowles made the Elite Eight twice with Louisville, for example.

Even if his players didnt have experience with pressure basketball, MacKinnon believes their intense practices simulate a postseason environment.

Williams agreed.

We talk a lot of smack; we get really physical. Today was one of the most intense, physical practices ever. Guys literally almost fighting because we want to win, even during practice, he said Tuesday.

It sounds bad, but its healthy. Were ready.

Courtesy of www.masslive.com

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

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

Standings - LIDOBA

SRT Standings

1. Plaza		10-4
2. Capitanes		8-5
3. CDP		7-6
4. GUG		7-7
5. Cupes		6-8
6. Sameji		3-10

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EL SALVADOR

Standings - Liga Superior

LEBES Standings

1. Leones		4-0
2. UTEC		4-1
3. San Marcos		3-1
4. Delgadense		2-2
5. Denver		2-2
6. ExSAL		1-3
7. Roll Royce		1-3
8. Chaleco		0-5

Tuesday night games results - by Jaime Arevalo

On tuesday, April 11, the Salvadorean First Division went on with the results down:

DELGADENSE - CHALECO 79-75 (Marlon Bonilla 18 pts, Juan Hernandez 13 pts; Mario Flamenco 25 pts)

DENVER - UTEC 84-83 (Mauricio Lahud (176-PG-84) 24 pts, Bob Hunter (193-F-76) 17 pts; Jorge Loucel (186-F-90) 33 pts, Carlos Valle (169-PG-79) 14 pts)

After the fisrt loss in the season, UTEC loses the first place in the table and Leones-Automoto is the only team undefeated

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ESTONIA

Stats Leaders

Points Per Game

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

1. Strupovics, Valga	20.9
2. Raadik, Parnu	18.1
3. Raley-Ross, Tln K.	17.1
4. Soo, Rapla	16.9
5. Cipruss, Tarvas	16.5
6. Raap, Parnu	16.2
7. Veideman, Tartu U.	15.6
8. Pilk, TTU	15.4
9. Hallik, Tarvas	14.7
10. Akenparg, TTU	14.4

Rebounds Per Game

Kaspars CIPRUSS
  Tarvas
  (210-C-82)
  Avg: 10.3

1. Cipruss, Tarvas	10.3
2. Cricelli, Valga	8.4
3. Fedortchuk, Tln K.	8.2
4. Arnold, TTU	7.8
5. Raadik, Parnu	7.8
6. Shaw, Tln Kalev	7.5
7. Ringmets, Rapla	7.2
8. Pilk, TTU	6.6
9. Fall, Kalev/Cramo	6.4
10. Allingu, Tartu U.	6.4

Assists Per Game

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

1. Cunda, Valga	4.5
2. Laane, Rapla	4.3
3. Sokk, Tartu Ulikool	3.9
4. Kriisa, Tarvas	3.6
5. Pilk, TTU	3.5
6. Dorbek, Tarvas	3.4
7. Raap, Parnu	3.3
8. Keedus, TTU	3.0
9. Veideman, Tartu U.	2.8
10. Skele, Kalev/Cramo	2.8

Steals Per Game

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

1. Cunda, Valga	2.5
2. Laane, Rapla	2.2
3. Raley-Ross, Tln K.	2.2
4. Veideman, Tartu U.	2.1
5. Kaldre, Rapla	2.0
6. Leppik, Tartu Ulik.	2.0
7. Dorbek, Tarvas	2.0
8. Skele, Kalev/Cramo	1.9
9. Raap, Parnu	1.8
10. Cricelli, Valga	1.7

Blocks Per Game

Bamba FALL
  Kalev/Cramo
  (216-C-86)
  Avg: 1.7

1. Fall, Kalev/Cramo	1.7
2. Raadik, Parnu	1.4
3. Amis, Tartu Ulikool	1.2
4. Fedortchuk, Tln K.	1.0
5. Toome, Kalev/Cramo	0.7
6. Hallik, Tarvas	0.5
7. Veski, Tarvas	0.5
8. Ulyanko, Kalev/Cr.	0.5
9. Keedus, TTU	0.4
10. Shaw, Tln Kalev	0.4

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

EUROLEAGUE

Euroleague's disciplinary judge fines Panathinaikos - by Kostas Papadopoulos

The Turkish Airlines Euroleague's independent disciplinary judge has sanctioned Panathinaikos Athens with a fine of 88,001 for conduct detrimental to the competition on the part of the club's fans at Game 5 of the Euroleague playoffs on Thursday, April 5 at OAKA. During the game, flares were lit, lasers were used to distract players, objects were thrown and fans invaded the court right after the buzzer.
Panathinaikos Athens is urged by the disciplinary judge to carry out the necessary measures in order to ensure order and security within its sports facilities for the next seasons. Should incidents keep occurring during the next seasons, the Disciplinary Judge, accordind to the relative announcement, will seriously and much earlier consider the possibility to impose sanctions other than fines. Euroleague Basketball would like to reiterate to all its fans, partners and television broadcasters across the globe who share its values that the security and well-being of fans is its utmost priority. It will always ensure that the enjoyment of its games is in line with the universal values of the sport. It will have zero tolerance toward violence in Euroleague arenas.

Courtesy of Euroleague

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

FINLAND

Stats Leaders - Korisliiga

Points Per Game

Tim BLUE
  KTP
  (205-F-84)
  Avg: 23.1

1. Blue, KTP	23.1
2. Zeno, Nilan Bisons	20.1
3. Crocker, KTP	19.3
4. Hawkins, ToPo	19.3
5. Beidler, Kauhajoki	19.1
6. Durham, Salon Vilp.	18.9
7. Brooks, Namika L.	18.6
8. Hannah, Kauhajoki	18.5
9. Newson, Kataja	18.3
10. Holloway, Salon V.	18.3

Rebounds Per Game

John FIELDS
  Salon Vilpas
  (205-F-88)
  Avg: 12.2

1. Fields, Salon Vilp.	12.2
2. Durham, Salon Vilp.	11.1
3. Blue, KTP	10.5
4. Beidler, Kauhajoki	9.9
5. Williams, Pyrinto	9.5
6. Newson, Kataja	8.8
7. Zeno, Nilan Bisons	8.5
8. McDade, Nilan B.	8.5
9. Brown, Kouvot	8.1
10. Hamm, LrNM.	7.8

Assists Per Game

Malik MOORE
  Namika L.
  (192-G-77)
  Avg: 5.2

1. Moore, Namika L.	5.2
2. Haynes, LrNM.	4.8
3. Ivey, Nilan Bisons	4.8
4. Hannah, Kauhajoki	4.3
5. Williams, Pyrinto	4.3
6. Sarcevic, KTP	4.3
7. Virtanen, Kataja	3.9
8. Walker, Kataja	3.9
9. Nikkarinen, Kouvot	3.4
10. Holloway, Salon V.	3.3

Steals Per Game

Kelly BEIDLER
  Kauhajoki
  (199-F-88)
  Avg: 2.4

1. Beidler, Kauhajoki	2.4
2. Moore, Korihait	2.2
3. Williams, Pyrinto	2.2
4. Williams, Pyrinto	2.0
5. Holloway, Salon V.	1.8
6. Haynes, LrNM.	1.7
7. Sarcevic, KTP	1.6
8. Newson, Kataja	1.6
9. Jordan, Kouvot	1.6
10. Hawkins, ToPo	1.5

Blocks Per Game

Kelly BEIDLER
  Kauhajoki
  (199-F-88)
  Avg: 1.9

1. Beidler, Kauhajoki	1.9
2. Fields, Salon Vilp.	1.8
3. Blue, KTP	1.4
4. Zeno, Nilan Bisons	1.0
5. Williams, Pyrinto	0.9
6. Lehtoranta, Kataja	0.8
7. Mottola, ToPo	0.8
8. Jones, Nilan Bisons	0.8
9. Hamm, LrNM.	0.8
10. Newson, Kataja	0.7

Korisliiga Round 2 of Quarter-Finals - by Eurobasket News

LrNMKY - Nilan Bisons 70-71

The guests trailed by 8 points after first quarter, but they rallied back winning two of next three quarters and won the game by 1 point. 25 personal fouls committed by LrNMKY helped opponents get some easy free throw opportunities. Americans were the main players on the court. Guard Martin Zeno (196-85, college: Texas Tech) had a double-double by scoring 18 points, 10 rebounds and 4 assists to lead the charge for the winners and forward Ryan McDade (201-80, college: N.Arizona) chipped in 17 points and 12 rebounds during the contest. Forward Lawrence Hamm (198-84, college: Towson, agency: Court Side) responded with a double-double by scoring 23 points and 11 rebounds and forward Tyler Tiedeman (201-85, college: Boise St., agency: Interperformances) scored 15 points. Both teams had four players each who scored in double figures. Both coaches used bench players in such tough game.
Top scorers:
LrNMKY: L.Hamm 23+11reb+2ast, T.Tiedeman 15+1reb+3ast, V.Vanjoki 14+4reb+1ast, P.Riihela 10+6reb+1ast, D.Haynes 6+7reb+6ast, M.Ojala 2
Nilan Bisons: M.Zeno 18+10reb+4ast, R.McDade 17+12reb, J.Ivey 15+1reb+3ast, M.Koivisto 12+1reb+1ast, M.Nuutinen 6+6reb, J.Kivinen 2

KTP - Pyrinto 89-85

The hosts were already 17 points ahead after 3 quarters before a 26-13 Tampereen Pyrinto's run in the last quarter cut the lead to 89-85 at the end of the game. Tampereen Pyrinto was plagued by 24 personal fouls down the stretch. Americans were the main players on the court also this time. Forward Tim Blue (205-84, college: Middle Tenn.St.) notched 21 points, 8 rebounds and 6 assists to lead the effort and swingman Tony Crocker (201-87, college: Oklahoma) supported him with 20 points and 5 rebounds. Even 24 points and 9 rebounds by forward Damon Williams (201-73, college: Colorado St.-Pueblo, agency: Two Points) did not help to save the game for Tampereen Pyrinto. Guard Kenneth Lowe (192-80, college: Purdue) added 24 points and 4 assists for the guests. Both teams had four players each who scored in double figures.
Top scorers:
Pyrinto: K.Lowe 24+3reb+4ast, D.Williams 24+9reb+3ast, A.Williams 15+4reb+1ast, A.Lehto 10+1reb, A.Nikkila 5+4reb, O.Ahvenniemi 4+7reb
KTP: T.Blue 21+8reb+6ast, T.Crocker 20+5reb+2ast, J.Williams 17+9reb, J.Lehtoranta 12+3reb, B.Sarcevic 7+6reb+5ast, M.Pounds 7+1reb+1ast

ToPo - Kauhajoki 78-59

The game was mostly controlled by Torpan Pojat. Kauhajoen Karhu managed to win third quarter 17-14. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. Torpan Pojat dominated down low during the game scoring 48 of its points in the paint compared to Kauhajoen Karhu's 26. They outrebounded Kauhajoen Karhu 42-29 including a 33-20 advantage in defensive rebounds. The game was dominated by American players. The best player for the winners was forward Justin Hawkins (201-85, college: N.Mexico St.) who had a double-double by scoring 20 points and 10 rebounds. Guard Chase Griffin (188-83, college: Pepperdine) chipped in 21 points. Forward Casey Reed (197-86, college: Seattle Pacific) produced 12 points and 8 rebounds and point guard Clevin Hannah (180-87, college: Wichita St., agency: Court Side) added 13 points respectively for the guests. Four Kauhajoen Karhu players scored in double figures. Both coaches tested many bench players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games.
Top scorers:
Kauhajoki: C.Hannah 13+2reb+3ast, C.Reed 12+8reb, J.Eskola 11+4reb, K.Beidler 10+5reb, A.Huuskonen 5+1ast, V.Makalainen 4+1reb+1ast
ToPo: C.Griffin 21+4reb, J.Hawkins 20+10reb+1ast, C.Lindbom 11+4reb+2ast, K.Muurinen 6+7reb+3ast, T.Iisalo 6+1reb+3ast, E.Lehtinen 5+1reb+1ast

Salon Vilpas - Kataja 63-75

Salon Vilpas was ahead by 4 points at the halftime before a 44-28 second half run of Joensuun Kataja. They outrebounded Salon Vilpas 45-25 including a 33-15 advantage in defensive rebounds. 27 personal fouls committed by Salon Vilpas helped opponents get some easy free throw opportunities. The former international power forward Sami Lehtoranta (205-79) orchestrated the victory with a double-double by scoring 14 points and 13 rebounds. American guard B.A. Walker (188-84, college: VCU, agency: Pro One Sports) contributed with 15 points and 7 assists (was perfect 7-for-7 from the free throw line) for the winners. Four Joensuun Kataja players scored in double figures. American forward Allen Durham (198-88, college: Grace Bible) replied with a double-double by scoring 20 points and 10 rebounds and guard Alex Vaenerberg (183-92) added 23 points in the effort for Salon Vilpas. Salon Vilpas' coach Mikko Tupamaki rotated ten players in this game, but that didn't help.
Top scorers:
Salon Vilpas: A.Vaenerberg 23+2ast, A.Durham 20+10reb+3ast, R.Ahonen 9+1reb+5ast, M.Sandberg 6+5reb, K.Brace 3+4reb, J.Kataja 2+2reb+2ast
Kataja: S.Haanpaa 16+7reb, B.Walker 15+3reb+7ast, S.Lehtoranta 14+13reb, J.Price 11+4reb, A.Kanervo 9+4reb, J.Newson 8+9reb

KORISLIIGA: Buzzer beater Jeb Ivey - by Rauno Hurmalainen

Korisliiga, quarter-finals, game # 2: Four contests, two thrillers tonight. American SG Jeb Ivey (190-G-80, college: Portland St.) (Bisons, Loimaa) became the buzzer beater, when scoring the winning bucket at Lappeenranta at the last moment. YMCA Lappeenranta lost by one: 70-71 (38-35). Ryan McDade (201-F-80, college: N.Arizona) was back in action and led the Bisons with a double-double 17pts/12rbs. Bisons - YMCA LPR 2-0.
At Kotka KTP defeated Pyrinto (Tampere) 89-85 (52-43). Tim Blue (205-F-84, college: Middle Tenn.St.) (KTP) blocked Antwine Williams (192-F-75, agency: Prossin Sports Management, college: N.Colorado) shot at the end and no OT was needed. KTP and Pyrinto are now tied 1-1. 1112 spectators could see and feel the heat of the game. There were given four technical fouls at time 38.14 as the referees punished Olli Ahvenniemi (207-C-83, college: Maine), Damon Williams (201-F-73, agency: Two Points, college: Colorado St.-Pueblo), Tony Crocker (201-G/F-87, college: Oklahoma) and Jeremy Williams (200-SF-87, college: UTEP) about the same time!
Torpan Pojat (Helsinki) holding Karhu (Kauhajoki) again in 59 points and winning 78-59 (53-34). ToPo - Karhu now 2-0. Kataja (Joensuu) winning second time over Vilpas (Salo). Vilpas had only one American player Allen Durham (198-F-88, college: Grace Bible) on the court. Vilpas - Kataja 0-2. Games # 3 on Saturday, April 14.
YMCA LPR - Bisons 70-71 (38-35). (Lawrence Hamm 23/11, Tyler Tiedeman 15, Viljami Vanjoki 14 - Ryan McDade 17/12, Martin Zeno 18/10, Jeb Ivey 15. A: 835).
KTP - Pyrinto 89-85 (52-43). (Tim Blue 21/6a, Tony Crocker 20, Jeremy Williams 17/9 - Damon Williams 24/9, Kenneth Lowe 24, Antwine Williams 15. A: 1112).
Vilpas - Kataja 63-75 (35-31). (Alex Vaenerberg 23, Allen Durham 20/10, Roope Ahonen 9 - Samuel Haanpaa 16, BA Walker 15/7a, Sami Lehtoranta 14/13).
ToPo - Karhu 78-59 (53-34). (Chase Griffin 21, Justin Hawkins 20/11, Carl Lindbom 11 - Clevin Hannah 13, Casey Reed 12/8, Jussi Eskola 11. A: 1094).

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FRANCE

Mannheim 2012: France pip Turkey in a thriller - by Eurobasket News

France U18-Turkey U18 75:74

France pip Turkey in a thriller at the Albert Schweitzer Tournament 2012. The French side won the European battle 75:74.
At first France started with 23:19 at the end of the first period and then could not keep the lead. Turkey replied with 19-9 in the second frame and grabbed 6-point halftime advantage. Moreover Turkey needed 23-22 in the third quarter for 7-point deficit with 10 minutes remaining. It was not however enough to seal the victory. Mouhammadou Jaiteh (201-F/C-94) brought 74:70 and Boris Dallo (193-G-94) scored for 75:72. Tayfun Erulku (188-G/F-94) made two free throws at the very end for the final result.
Mouhammadou Jaiteh led the way with 18 points and Boris Dallo netted 17. Alexandre Chassang (199-C-94) posted 13, while Louison Thomas (204-F-94) added 8. Cedi Osman (195-PG-95) delivered 19 points in the losing effort and Metecan Birsen (205-F/G-95) notched 14. Burak Yildizli (200-F-94) brought 12 and Tayfun Erulku had 10.

France U18: Mouhammadou Jaiteh 18, Boris Dallo 17, Alexandre Chassang 13, Louison Thomas 8
Turkey U18: Cedi Osman 19, Metecan Birsen 14, Burak Yildizli 12, Tayfun Erulku 10

Yann Devehat is back to Poitiers - by Eurobasket News

Yann Devehat (205-C-80) is back to Poitiers as he was absent since January. The French Center is ready to help the team after his return.
Yann Devehat joined Union Poitiers Basket 86 early in 2002 and remained with the team for the whole time. This season he averages 3.1 points per game and 2.0 rebounds.
Earlier Eurobasket wrote that Jonathan Aka extended with Poitiers. The French player moved to the team in January and averages 4.0 points per game. In Jan.'12 moved to Union Poitiers Basket 86 (ProA) from JA Vichy Val d'Allier Auvergne basket. In 2005 Jonathan Aka was a French U20 National Team member. He participated at the European Championships U20 in Moscow -05 and averaged 2.0ppg, 1.6rpg.
After Yann Devehats return the team farewell to Jonathan Aka. Yesterday Paris-Levallois brought in Jonathan Aka. The power forward signed a short-term deal with the team. He is meant to replace Vincent Masingue on the roster.

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GERMANY

Kirchheim Knights land Anthony Pettaway and are keen on David Rotim - by Moritz Korff

While the Kirchheim Knights are in the middle of a playoff run and will take on either Chemnitz or Duesseldorf in the Pro A semifinals, plans for the 2012-13 season are being pushed. As local newspaper Teckbote tells today, the Knights have reached an agreement with Anthony Pettaway (203-C-87, college: Defiance). The 24-year-old, who spent a stellar 2011-12 campaign with Pro B team SC Rist Wedel, will receive a contract with the Kirchheim side, which includes a tryout period. According to Teckbote, Pettaway will join the Knights in August to try to land a permanent contract for the entire 2012-13 campaign during pre season practice. Pettaway appeared in 27 games for SC Rist during the 2011-12 season, averaging 18.7 points, 8.3 rebounds and 1.8 assists per contest. He scored a season high 30 points against ALBA Berlin II in February and posted 11 double-doubles throughout the year. The Toledo, Ohio, native had joined SC Rist in 2011 following two years at Regionalliga club Dachau Spurs.
According to Teckbote, the Kirchheim Knights are also keen on Noerdlingen forward David Rotim (197-F-85). In the course of the 2011-12 season the 26-year-old averaged 9.2 points, 3.7 boards and 2.1 assists a game for the Giants.

Mannheim 2012: Germany eliminate Italy in double-overtime thriller - by Eurobasket News

Italy U18-Germany U18 85:91

Germany eliminate Italy in double-overtime thriller from the medals and sent them to play for 5-8 places. The hosts of the Albert Schweitzer Tournament 2012 won 91:85 and clinched the top place in Group E.
Italy started with 22:16 and looked better in the second frame as well. The guests of the tournament produced a 18-13 for 11-point advantage at the halftime. Moreover Italy won the third period 19-18 and could not even think of a hard time in the last stanza. Trailing 13 points with 8 minutes to go, the hosts of the tournament erupted with an 8-0 run to reduce to 5 points and then took 69:68 lead with 2 minutes to go. Procacci tied the game at 69:69 and then gave Italian side the minimum advantage. Imbro brought 71:69 from the free throw line, but Zipser tied the game at 71:71 to send the teams to overtime.
In the first extra time Italian team played better, but Germany caught them up later. Pipitone scored for 78:75, but Marin tied the game at 78:78. Muller meanwhile tied it again for 80:80 at the end of the first overtime. It was also Muller who opened the extra time with a three, while Schilling added a foul shot and Marin a drive. Marin had a huge game and carried Germany through this tough time and Schillings basket for the 90:83 sealed the deal.
Paul Zipser (195-G-94) top-scored for the winners with 20 points and Gavin Schilling (205-PF-95) nailed 18.Malik Muller followed them with 16, while Mauricio Marin (188-PG-94) added 11. Mirco Turel (192-G-94) ended up with 17 points in the losing case and Alessandro Procacci (180-G-94) notched 14. Simone Fontecchio (197-F-95) poured in 13 and Matteo Imbro (190-PG-94) chipped in with 11 points.

Italy U18: Mirco Turel 17, Alessandro Procacci 14, Simone Fontecchio 13, Matteo Imbro 11
Germany U18: Paul Zipser 20, Gavin Schilling 18,Malik Muller 16, Mauricio Marin 11

Quantez Robertson Flies, Dunks And Blocks The Fraport Skyliners Past The Phoenix Hagen Thunderbirds 92-47 - by Miles Schmidt-Scheuber

Four months ago, the Fraport Skyliners were about as far away from the Beko BBL playoffs as Jack Black is from having a sensual love scene with Jessica Alba and Scarlett Johansson at the same time in a movie, Peyton Manning from winning a Super Bowl again with his first NFL team Indianapolis Colts or the New Orleans Saints from regaining any kind of respect again in the next years. Back in early December, Frankfurt fans were wondering if a long winter in the Beko BBL cellar was to happen making early Christmas shopping and wondering if Jon Leuer would leave for the NBA. Now more than four months after the 83-65 win in Hagen and 27 point performance from Jon Leuer, Phoenix Hagen continue to be fighting to stay in the Beko BBL while the Fraport Skyliners continue to make a late season run for the Beko BBL playoffs and showed a powerful display of offense and defense totally dismantling Phoenix Hagen 92-47 holding a Beko BBL team under 50 points for the third time this season. The way the Fraport Skyliners play now then compared to early December is like night and day and that has to do mostly with coach Muli Katzurin, the team as a whole and a player that can play Monopoly with the best of them. I think a big part of the success in Frankfurt has to do with Jacob Burtschi. He does all the little things that keep a team together and he is the glue guy. The way he plays makes the team get better. It also took some time for the team to mesh and understands the coaches defensive style. We expected them to be a lot better than four months ago. There defense is a lot better, but that is because they know each other better. Their size and athleticism are the same, but whats different is that the Skyliners are clicking, expressed ex Duesseldorf Giant Marc Anthony Carter. I think that my non stop style has helped the team. I dont have to score as much as in Hagen, but can do other things like rebound and find my teammates, added ex Phoenix Hagen forward Jacob Burtschi. Frankfurt play more together now than then making the extra pass and just doing things that good teams have to do, stated Phoenix Hagen American Adam Constatine.

The Fraport Skyliners entered the game in ninth place and had been playing strong basketball the last weeks beating teams like Artland, ratiopharm Ulm and Oldenburg, but had a little mini wipe out at home against BG Goettingen. The team didnt want another slip up to happen and pretty much had easy game at the end of the first quarter where they slowly broke away and never looked back. I think we showed with our body language in warm ups and right at the start that we were focused. The Goettingen loss was like a blessing in disguise. This was a big win for us. I remember winning by 40 points last season against Oldenburg, but also losing by much in Frankfurt. It was great winning against my old team, but at the same time, I feel for them. I hope they can get it going and win some games and stay in the league. It took some time to find our rhythm on offense, but we still did a good job on defense allowing 11 points. Our three quick baskets in the second quarter got us going and held until the end, stressed Oklahoma native Jacob Burtschi. For Phoenix Hagen, nothing has been going right and the team lost their 12th game out of the last 13 games and continue to show that there defense is not on the same page with their offense giving up an average of 90 points per game this season. We didnt play well on offense. You have to give Frankfurt a lot of credit on defense. We got behind early and it was tough coming back. I think that if we could of made more shots early, we might have had a chance, because we can be dangerous on offense when we get going. The absence of Jonusas also hurt, because he gives us size and can make shots, commented Marc Anthony Carter.

The game marked the first time that Skyliner forward Jacob Burtschi would play against his ex team and already in warm ups, the American was showing his trademark big jovial smile as he was chatting with his ex teammates like Dominik Spohr, Bern Kruel and the rest of the German young guns that had been his teammates last season. Burtschi also had extra gotten a haircut for his ex team. Jordan Hasquet who scored 38 points against FC Bayern Munich was sporting along hair dew and looked like a mix of Chris Ensminger and German soccer player Christoph Metzelder. American Adam Constatine was still sporting his Mr T mohawk look. Two years ago, where Phoenix Hagen was in the same situation fighting to stay in the league, a Michael Jordan outburst couldnt turn the teams fortune around in the game and now with the fierce look of Constatine, one may of thought he could of given the team the much needed Mr T toughness in words, but instead got a nice compliment from Skyliner Justin Gray about his mohawk. I do what I can to help the team win, which means doing the dirty work if it is playing defense or diving for loose balls. I feel that I have no earned the right to be the vocal leader yet. I lead by action. Davin White is our leader and knows how to correct us without negative criticism, warned Adam Constatine. The game was on a untypical wednesday and only attracted 3,500 patrons. Phoenix Hagen got on the board first with a Marc Carter free throw and Davin White layup high off the glass. The Fraport Skyliners countered with a Tim Ohlbrecht bucket getting fed by a pretty Michael Thompson no look pass. Phoenix Hagen found their rhythm quickly on offense as Montana native Jordan Hasquet scored on a runner over Tim Ohlbrecht, but at this time the Skyliners were a one man scoring team as it was Ohlbrecht again scoring on a dunk as Burtschi showed his passing skills. Constatine then made an ally-op dunk, but it was Ohlbrecht again with a tip in to knot the score at 7-7. Canadian Tristan Blackwood then found ex Skyliner Bernd Kruel for a quick bucket, but it was American Devin Gibson that dribbled all ove rthe court until he was under the hoop where no one challenged him and he finished himself with an easy lay up as the score was 9-9. At this point, the Fraport Skyliners were not as concentrated as they might have been getting five turnovers already. After coming back four times to tie the score, the team then took their first lead going on a 8-4 run to end the first quarter with the 17-11 lead. Frankfurt got a Jermareo Davidson step up jumper over Constatine that almost looks as if he could do it in his sleep and then two easy transition baskets from Robertson who dunked and Devin Gibson who scored as the buzzer sounded to end the first quarter. Frankfurt seemed a bit nervous which led to unnecessary turnovers. Tim Ohlbrecht had a good start which helped the team. The Skyliners found their rhythm with good defense. Phoenix Hagen should of pressured more at the start, answered Fraport Skyliner junior Jan Novak. We didnt start well on offense, but stayed with our defense which got our offense going. When we play good defense, then we can play with anyone, stated Skyliner center Marius Nolte. The Fraport Skyliners were shooting 47% from the field and 0% from outside while Phoenix Hagen was shooting 42% from the field and 0% from outside. Frankfurt had the 8-7 rebound edge and five turnovers while Phoenix Hagen had six turnovers.

After a good end to the first quarter, the Fraport Skyliners continued their solid play in the second quarter going on a 6-0 run as Davidson hit a step up jumper, German national player Johannes Herber nailed a pull up jumper and Skyliner captain Marius Nolte scored inside being served a bullet over the shoulder pass from Robertson as Frankfurt led 23-13. Frankfurt continued to score getting to the free throw line and with the 27-15 Frankfurt lead came the first of two Quantez Robertson (189-G-84, college: Auburn) play of the games as he blocked American Davin White from behind on the fast break setting the Fraport arena into a frenzy. White tried to cut me off as I came to the basket, but I was able to jump a little higher and was able to time my block perfect to his shot, commented Quantez Robertson (189-G-84, college: Auburn). The block of Super Tez Robertson led to a Tim Ohlbrecht dunk as Frankfurt led 30-15. The second quarter continued to belong to the Fraport Skylners as they rode into halftime on a 18-4 run. Both teams were going inside with the only difference that Phoenix Hagen was missing easy lay ups and their in and outs seemed to be like a disease. After a Gibson jumper, Jimmy Mckinney hit consecutive baskets as Frankfurt led 37-17. Davidson and Burtschi then had consecutive tip ins as Phoenix Hagen trailed 41-19. Davidson then took the major mismatch against Davin White hitting a shot over him and Robertson dunked and Johannes Herber hit a jumper at the buzzer. It seemed like Phoenix Hagen had already given up in the second quarter just from their body language. They didnt seem to know what to do against the Skyliners defense. Frankfurt showed quickly that they would have a good scoring day, added Jan Novak. The Fraport Skyliners were shooting 59% from the field and 40% from the three point line while Phoenix Hagen was shooting 35% from the field and 0% from the three point line. Frankfurt had the 18-12 rebound edge and only six turnovers while Phoenix Hagen had 13 turnovers.

It got a lot worse in the third quarter as the Fraport Skyliners didnt come out unfocused but turned their offense up a notch winning the quarter 31-12. The Fraport Skyliners had so many numerous weapons and it helped that their shots were falling as nicely as snow would on Christmas eve in Miami. Thompson hit a pretty jumper as he waited until White committed himself while Davidson got two easy put backs buckets as Phoenix Hagen trailed 54-25. Of course whenever an offense is rolling, it seems to turn on other players as Thompson got hot nailing a three pointer and then unveiling his gorgeous floater as the Fraport Skyliners led 63-27. Then the stage was set for Quantez Super Tez Robertson to follow up his block from the first half with a thunderous dunk where he could give the name Air Tez a new meaning as he was in the air which seemed like minutes dunking between Brandon Brooks and Dominik Spohr and giving the Frankfurt fans a new highlight reel for the ages. That dunk has to be in my top 5 that I have ever done with the Skyliners, smilied Quantez Robertson (189-G-84, college: Auburn). That was not the best dunk of Tez. There have been so many. I thought his block on White was better. One could see just how well he can jump and how much athleticism that he really has, stated St Louis native Jimmy Mckinney. Herber then hit a three pointer and little used German Danilo Barthel scored with a runner to end the third quarter with the Fraport Skyliners leading 72-32. It is never easy to stay focused when your up by so much. Coach kept us focused. We played three good quarters and were a bit lackadaisical in the fourth quarter, added Jacob Burtschi. The Fraport Skyliners were shooting 57% from the field and 36% from the parking lot while Phoenix Hagen was shooting 33% from the field and 0% from the parking lot. Frankfurt had the 30-23 rebound lead and only 10 turnovers while Phoenix hagen had 18 turnovers.

With the 40 point lead, the game was more than decided, but Frankfurt still had a flow on offense with Devin Gibson connecting on a three pointer and Herber making a fad eaway jumper as Phoenix Hagen trailed 80-36. Skyliner captain Marius Nolte also took advantage of the lax Hagen defense doing something for his points account as he did damage inside as Constatine wasnt showing his Mr T face allowing the German to walk unscathed to the hoop. Gibson then scored consecutive baskets as there was absolutely no defense as the game turned more to a streetball game as Frankfurt led 84-40. With Frankfurt leading 86-44, Skyliner head coach Muli Katzurin inserted Germans Fabian Franke and Falko Thelig. For Hagen fans, just waiting for the game seemed to be like an eternity as the clock was still ticking as Thompson and Spohr hit some buckets at the end. The game finally did end as Tim Ohlbrecht led the team humba chant as Marius Nolte took a breather from his usual duty as he wasnt totally fit vocal wise. This was a real character test for us. We had beat many top teams in the last weeks, but had had problems with the lower teams. We knew how important this game was and we were able to take their wind out of their sail rather quickly, stressed Marius Nolte. The Skyliners play together on defense. They pack in the paint well and it is hard to finish around the paint. The small guards all seem to have their hands on the ball, added Marc Carter.

The Fraport Skyliners were led by Devin Gibson with 16 points. Jermareo Davidson contributed 14 points and eight rebounds. Tim Ohlbrecht added 13 points and eight rebounds. Michael Thompson had 11 points and Johannes Herber chipped in with 10 points. Phoenix Hagen was led by Devin Gibson with nine points. Adam Constatine and Jordan Hasquet added eight points a piece. The Fraport Skyliners shot very well from the field at 51% while Phoenix Hagen shot 32% from the field and a miserable 0% from the parking lot. Frankfurt dominated the rebounding41-37, points in the paint 17-3, points in the paint 46-32, second chance points 20-12, fast break points 21-8 and turnovers 11-20. Even though that defense is the strength of the team, it was offense that struck a chord with Jimmy Mckinney. Our biggest strength tonight was that we made a lot of shots, stressed Jimmy Mckinney. Phoenix Hagen continue to fight to stay in the league and didnt get any help from TBB Trier who lost in Giessen. My ex team needs to find some fire. They played well in the first four minutes, but then were flat until the end and it seemed like they didnt want to be on the court. I hope that they find the fire in the last games, stressed Jacob Burtschi. They are an offensive team and they should just continue to stick to what they do best, but they have to play some defense as well, added Jimmy Mckinney. The hope for the playoffs continue on Sunday as the Fraport Skyliners play in Trier. The Fraport Skyliners lost the first game at home against TBB Trier 64-54 and nobody will be expecting an offensive game. This is going to be another defensive battle, stressed Jimmy Mckinney. TBB Trier host the Fraport Skyliners on Sunday April 15th at 17:00.

Harald Debelka Gets Contract Extension With Nordlingen Giants - by Miles Schmidt-Scheuber

PRO B club Nordlingen Giants who recnetly ended their season with their playoff loss to Vechta are already looking to the next season and have extended the contract of Harald Debelka (191-G-91). Debelka is a 21 year old 191cm shooting guard who just completed his first season playing 22 games averaging 3,0ppg and 1,3rpg in 9,8 minutes per game. The young German was plagued by an injury for parts of the season and club feels that he hasnt used all his potential yet. 'At the start, it was difficult for him on the court after missing a good part of the season. However after a while in the latter part of the season and playoffs, I could see a good development in his defense and rebound work. I think that he will make agood jump in the next season and with his shooting qualities be a danger for the opponent', stressed Giants head coach Mario Matic.

Source: Giants Nordlingen

Justin Gray Will Continue Basketball Career In Greece For Enosi Kalathosfairisis Kavalas - by Miles Schmidt-Scheuber

The amazing buzzer beater by Justin Gray (188-G-84, college: Wake Forest) agaisnt the s.Oliver Baskets Wurzburg which was six months ago remains a sweet memory, but the guard from North Carolina soon after played his last Beko BBL game against the Eisbaeren Bremerhaven and since not played nursing a knee injury. This season for Frankfurt, Gray averaged 16,0ppg, 2,8rpg and 3,5apg and will be headed to Greece. Gray asked the Fraport Skyliners to be removed from his contract and has gotten the green light from the Greek league to continue to play for ENOSI KALATHOSFAIRISIS KAVALAS. 'We tried to get the best solution for the team and me. I liked playing for the team and my relationship to the team is very good. But I asked to be removed from my contract so I can start to play as much as I can once I am fit. I hope the team goes far into the playoffs and it deserves a lot of respect. I will wear my Skyliner jersey and follow the team and root them on', stressed Justin Gray (188-G-84, college: Wake Forest). The Fraport Skyliners did a good job crawling out of the cellar without Gray, but the friendly American will still be dearly missed. 'We got Justin so he would be our point guard. He showed his talent in the pre season. A pity was that he got an injury at the start of the season and had to miss many months. We had to react and got new help on the point guard position. We were waiting for Justin to come back from his injury, but it took a lot longer than we expected. The team had to develop without him. Injuries is the negative part of the sport and this hit Justin. I want to thank Justin for his work here. His prasence, personality and leadership qualities helped us a lot as he was injured. I wish him much success and good health for his future', stressed Sklyiner head coach Muli Katzurin . 'We understand the situation of Justin and he understands our situation. It was a tough season with his injury for us and him. It is a pity that we cant guarentee him the playing time he wants at the moment. He was very professional here and supported the team mentally in tough situations. We want to thank him and that is why we are granting his wish to go', stressed Skyliner sport director Kamil Novak

Source: Fraport Skyliners/www.eurobasket.com/greece

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GREECE

Standings - A1

A1 Standings

1. Olympiakos		23-1
2. Panathinaikos		22-2
3. Kolossos		16-8
4. AGOR		15-9
5. Panionios		14-10
6. Kavala		13-11
7. Aris		11-13
8. PAOK		10-14
9. KAOD		9-15
10. Ikaros		8-16
11. Ilysiakos		7-17
12. Peristeri GS		7-17
13. Marousi		1-23

Regular Season: Round 26

Apr. 11: AGOR - KAOD 98-67
Apr. 11: Marousi - Ikaros 79-104
Apr. 11: Peristeri GS - Aris 78-63
Apr. 11: Kavala - Panionios 75-68
Apr. 11: Ilysiakos - Olympiakos 57-83
Apr. 10: Panathinaikos - Kolossos 100-57

Quarter-Finals: Round 1

Apr. 18: Kolossos - Kavala
Apr. 18: AGOR - Panionios
Apr. 19: Olympiakos - PAOK
Apr. 19: Panathinaikos - Aris

Stats Leaders - A1

Points Per Game

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

1. Kommatos, Marousi	20.4
2. Christmas, AGOR	18.2
3. Gagaloudis, Marousi	15.6
4. Charalampidi., KAO.	15.6
5. Dikoudis, PAOK	15.0
6. Beck, Ikaros	14.8
7. James, Aris	14.5
8. Tapoutos, Aris	14.3
9. Taylor, Kavala	13.9
10. Baynes, Ikaros	13.6

Rebounds Per Game

Aron BAYNES
  Ikaros
  (208-C-86)
  Avg: 8.7

1. Baynes, Ikaros	8.7
2. Haritopoulos, Maro.	7.6
3. NaNa, Ilysiakos	7.5
4. Stepheson, Panio.	7.2
5. Kommatos, Marousi	6.6
6. Tapoutos, Aris	6.2
7. Symtsak, Kavala	6.2
8. O''Bryant, Kavala	5.9
9. Boykin, Kolossos	5.7
10. Scott, Peristeri	5.7

Assists Per Game

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

1. Gagaloudis, Marousi	6.0
2. Spanoulis, Olympia.	4.9
3. Diamantidis, Panat.	4.6
4. Charalampidi., KAO.	4.3
5. Wright, AGOR	4.1
6. James, Aris	4.1
7. Xanthopoulos, Pani.	4.1
8. Thompson, Ilysi.	3.5
9. Calathes, Panathin.	3.1
10. Mocnik, Perister.	3.1

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. Logan, Panathin.	1.7
5. Thompson, Ilysi.	1.7
6. Perperoglou, Panat.	1.6
7. Christmas, AGOR	1.6
8. Hatten, Kolossos	1.5
9. Gagaloudis, Marousi	1.5
10. Davis, Aris	1.4

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. Petway, AGOR	1.3
4. Elegar, Marousi	1.1
5. Hines, Olympiakos	1.0
6. Michel, KAOD	0.9
7. Vougioukas, Panat.	0.9
8. Stepheson, Panio.	0.8
9. Tsontzos, Marousi	0.7
10. Giddens, PAOK	0.7

B Division: Week 26 Filtahtlitikos is the 2nd team promoted to A2 league - by Chris Mammides

After the results of the 26th week in the exciting league of the second division, Filathlitikos is officially the second team to be promoted in the A2 as the amazing kids of Coach Zivas added another one crucial victory over Anagennisi Flogas and reached the magic number of 49 points in this seasons awesome league. Other than that the fight for the third place seems that took its way as Irakleio lost again, this time in Amaliada and Niki Volou which beat earlier the team of Egaleo has now a +1 in the race for the third place and the ticket to the A2. Just a point behind are the teams of KAP who beat MENT and Irakleio, so one of these three teams will be following Aiolos and Filathlitikos in the second best league of the country.

The results in more details were as follows:

Filathlitikos - Anagennisi Flogas 79-64
Quarters: 22-13, 41-30, 54-43, 79-64.
In a celebrating game for Coach Zivas and his youngsters the team of Filathlitikos added another victorious result this time against the doomed team of Anagennisi Flogas, with Christos Saloustros (201-F-90) being the top performer and putting his sealed in Filathlitikos offcial promotion within the 26th week. In a brilliant season for the kids of Coach Zivas and especially the Adetokoubo brothers, Christos Saloustros and Gikas and the rest of the kids who were among the stant outs in each and every game this season, with the amazing fact that these kids all together averaging 19 years of age!! The 23 victorious results over 26 games and the top performing offense of the league with 2037 points, nearly 100 point more than the top seat team of Aiolos Trikallon are a couple of proofs that these players are ready for the big step in their careers, and Eurobasket.com is strongly believe that many of these players will be promoted in better leagues (even A1, some of these amazing youngsters)
Top scorers:
Filathlitikos: Thanasis Adetokoubo 11, Christos Saloustros 21, Georgiadis 11
Anagennisi Flogas: Giannis Mitsakis (181-PG-81) 19, Samaras 11, Hatzivretas 13.

Koroivos- Irakleio 84-65
Quarters: 18-10, 41-32, 61-52, 84-65.
The team of Coach Giannaris took the lead from the very beginning and never looked back. Even though the game was a do or die for Coaches Rallis and Bitzanis, they couldnt resist against the duet of Vangelis Gkeros (206-C-81) (dominated also in the rebounding area) and Giorgos Antoniadis (202-G-87) who scored 48 points both of them just 17 points less than the team of Irakleio all together,
Top scorers:
Koroivos: Agapiadis 11, Nikolakopoulos 11, Vangelis Gkeros 24 and Giorgos Antoniadis 24
Irakleio: Giannis Stefanakis (185-PG-80) 17, Harisis 10, Karalis 14

Aias Evosmou - Near East 85-87
Quarters: 23-17, 45-40, 60-56, 85-87.
In a do or die game for Aias and Coach Aggelis, the players of Tolis Karnesis and especially the veterans Themis Koupidis (198-G-84) and Emmanouilidis decided for the unlucky team of Aias Evosmou, Themis Koupidis was perfect from the arc while the top performer for Aias Foivos Fivos Gimnopoulos (184-G-77) was also the fatal player as his last shot was an air ball. Some statistical elemnt is also the 4000 points reached by the veteran Vassilis Emmanouilidis with his 17 points scored in the specific game.
Top scorers:
Aias: Tsimbis 14, Fivos Gimnopoulos 24, Mavridis 18, Eleftheriadis 18
Near East: Pappas 12, Emmanouilidis 17, Themis Koupidis 20, Psaropoulos 16

Iraklis - Doukas 85-73
Quarters: 18-20, 39-31, 69-51, and 85-73.
Iraklis of Coach Vatos is with one step in the division as the decisive victory took place in Ivanofeion melathron was one of the most critical for Iraklis this season. Not the players of Coach Vatos need another one victory in the remaining 3 games of the league.
Top scorers:
Iraklis: Moullakis 15, Petalotis 10, Traianos 14, Karagiolidis 16, Lefteris Neofitidis (208-C-86) 19
Doukas : Passalidis 16, Giannis Zakinthinos (190-F-85) 23, Papadionisiou 18.

Niki Volou - Egaleo 71-58
Quarters: 22-11, 32-28, 57-41, 71-58.
No problem for Coach Zafeiroudis team against Egaleo, the aggressive game of Thanassis Koutinas (SF-87) and Zarogiannis was enough for the team from Volos to outscore quite easily the team of Coach Gounaris.
Top scorers:
Niki Volou: Thanassis Koutinas 16, Zarogiannis 14, Politis 11
Egaleo: Karavolas 11, Alexis Tolias (201-F-79) 17, Atsamoglou 11

Agia Paraskevi MENT 80-68
Quarters: 17-17, 38-31, 58-47, and 80-68.
Just 12 minutes was the time that MENT was able to defend and resist against the very solid (in the second round) team of Coach Hatzipanigiris who will fight until the last minute for the promotion in the A2!
Top scorers:
KAP: Kostas Hatzikostis (185-G-81) 17, Zervos 16, Kouris 11
MENT: Nikolopoulos11, Zigouras 13, Akis Trantas (194-G-88) 14, Sikalidis 12, Pallis 12

Charalampidis joins Enel Brindisi - by Giorgos Diploidis

Enel Brindisi announced a few minutes ago the signing of the experienced guard Kosta Charalampidis (189-G-76). Charalampidis was a member of KAO Dramas which finished in the 9th position of the Greek Basketleague, in the first season after the return in the A1 category. The player although he had some injuries maybe was the best player of the team of Drama and the games he missed had as a result KAO Dramas to not be in the first eight places which lead to the Play offs.

Charalampidis in 22 matches had 15.6 ppg, 3rpg and 4.3apg.

Justin Gray the new "entry" for Kavala - by Giorgos Diploidis

Enosi Kalathosfairisis Kavalas yesterday after the end of the regular season in Greek Basketleague announced the signing of Justin Gray (188-G-84, college: Wake Forest). The team of Macedonia finished in the 6th position and will have to face Kolossos which finished in the 3rd.

Justin Gray (188-G-84, college: Wake Forest) will take the place of Michael Taylor (188-G-86, agency: Priority Sports, college: Iowa St.) who suffered an injury some time ago and he will be out for the rest of the season. Gray has an experience from Greek courts because the season 2010-2011 was playing for PAOK Thessaloniki. In the team of Thessaloniki in the Greek league in 18 matches had 11.8ppg, 2.9rpg and 2.8apg.

Euroleague's disciplinary judge fines Panathinaikos - by Kostas Papadopoulos

The Turkish Airlines Euroleague's independent disciplinary judge has sanctioned Panathinaikos Athens with a fine of 88,001 for conduct detrimental to the competition on the part of the club's fans at Game 5 of the Euroleague playoffs on Thursday, April 5 at OAKA. During the game, flares were lit, lasers were used to distract players, objects were thrown and fans invaded the court right after the buzzer.
Panathinaikos Athens is urged by the disciplinary judge to carry out the necessary measures in order to ensure order and security within its sports facilities for the next seasons. Should incidents keep occurring during the next seasons, the Disciplinary Judge, accordind to the relative announcement, will seriously and much earlier consider the possibility to impose sanctions other than fines. Euroleague Basketball would like to reiterate to all its fans, partners and television broadcasters across the globe who share its values that the security and well-being of fans is its utmost priority. It will always ensure that the enjoyment of its games is in line with the universal values of the sport. It will have zero tolerance toward violence in Euroleague arenas.

Courtesy of Euroleague

Mannheim 2012: Emus finished Group H with 3-0 record - by Eurobasket News

Australia U18-Greece U18 87:75

Emus finished Group H with 3-0 record at the Albert Schweitzer Tournament 2012. Australia U18 beat Greece U18 87:75 in the last game of the group stage. The Greek side ended up with 1-2 record on the third place.
Both sides exchanged the lead several times in the opening period. Australia led 12:7 but then Greece took 20:19 at the end of the quarter. The European team increased to 35:28 midway through the second frame and had 42:37 at the halftime. The third quarter however was decisive in the game as Emus erupted with 33-15 to take the lead and never looked behind after. Greece responded with 18-17 in the last period but it was not enough to compete with the winners.
Jack Lopez (194-G-94) poured in 20 points to lead the charge, while Emmett Naar (186-G-94) netted 19. Dane Pineau (203-F-94) notched 18 and Michael Rowley (200-F-94) added 12. Eleftherios Bochoridis (194-G-94) ended up with 25 points in the losing effort. Michail Kamperidis (196-G-94) nailed 12, while Dimitrios Agravanis (208-F-94) posted 11 for the European side.

Australia U18: Jack Lopez 20, Emmett Naar 19, Dane Pineau 18, Michael Rowley 12
Greece U18: Eleftherios Bochoridis 25, Michail Kamperidis 12, Dimitrios Agravanis 11

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HOLLAND

Standings - Eredivisie

Eredivisie Standings

1. Leiden		21-6
2. Den Bosch		21-7
3. Groningen		20-7
4. Nijmegen		17-10
5. Zwolle		11-16
6. Leeuwarden		10-18
7. Weert		5-22
8. Rotterdam		4-23

Regular Season: Round 32

Apr. 12: Den Bosch - Leeuwarden 97-79
Apr. 14: Groningen - Rotterdam
Apr. 14: Leiden - Weert
Apr. 14: Zwolle - Nijmegen

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IBA

Johnson is back to the Legends - by Gianni Pascucci

Lloyd Johnson (5'11''-G-85), from Albany NY, returns to the Legends roster after playing the 2011-12 winter season for Lucera Italy in the Italian Basketball League.
For Lucera, Lloyd averaged 31 ppg and over 8 assists in his rookie season with the Italiam League team. Johnson, a member of the 2012 IBL Championship Legend's team, leads the Legends with 733 career points and 156 total assist. His Legend career averages are 16.6 ppg, 3.4 rpg and 3.5 apg and has played in 44 games for the Legends. His career high of 35 points came in 2010

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IBL

Mitch Johnson leaving Slam for TCU - by Eurobasket News

The Bellingham Slam has announced that newly-signed guard Mitch Johnson (6'1''-G, college: Stanford) has left the team to accept a coaching position with Texas Christian University 's men's basketball program.

Johnson was previously announced as a new member of the Slam two weeks ago. His departure opens up a roster spot for an additional guard which the team expects to fill prior to the start of the regular season on April 20.

Mitch was selected to join TCU's men's basketball coaching staff by new head coach Trent Johnson, who coached Mitch at Stanford from 2005 to 2008.

At Stanford, under Trent Johnson's tutelage, Mitch helped guide the Cardinal to consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances, with his team advancing to the Sweet 16 in 2008.

Last season, Mitch assisted with Seattle University 's men's basketball program.

Mitch Johnson was a prep standout at Seattle 's O'Dea High School, where he played alongside current Slam forward Michael Duty. He helped lead O'Dea to back-to-back 3-A State Tournament titles as a junior and senior.

The Slam open their 2012 International Basketball League schedule on April 20 with a road game in Olympia, before hosting their home opener on Saturday, April 21 against the Salem Soldiers. Tip-off for the game is set for 7 p.m. at Whatcom Pavilion.

Courtesy of www.oursportscentral.com

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ICELAND

Big win for Thor - by Siggi Hjorleifsson

Thor came to secong game in the semifinals against KR sp ready and tryed to destroy them. They did most of the time, leading 24 -12 after first quarter and 49-33 at halftime.
Leading up to as many as 30 points and after third quarter the score was 73-51 and final score 94-78
All games between these two teams so far this year have been a close one until tonight.
What went so wrong for KR last years Champion against rookie team in the league. Bad shooting in all area 55%-45% in 2 points. 43%-26% in 3 points. 84%-62 from freethrow line is a big different . Also, Thor 24 assist KR 11. Bad ball movement probably .
Scorers for Thoor. Darrin Govens 30.Gudmundur Jonsson 17. darri hilmarsson 14. Blagoj Janev 14. Joseph Henley (196-F-85, college: Sacred Heart) 13 Henley arrived to Iceland 3 hours before the game to replace injury player Hairston. Gretar Erlendsson 4 . Baldur ragnarsson 2.
For KR. Joshua Brown 19.Robert Ferguson 15. Dejan Sencanski 8. Hreggvidur Magnusson 8. Martin Hermannsson 7. Finnur Magnusson 6. Jon Kristjansson 6. Emil Johannsson 3. Kristofer Acox 2. Agust Angantyusson 2

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ISRAEL

Yotam Halperin selected the top Israeli playing abroad in last week's games - by Eurobasket Center

We bring you last week's top performances from Israelis who are playing abroad and who all have had prior experience of national team duties at youth or senior level.

Yotam Halperin

#1. This week's number one is an international guard Yotam Halperin (196-84). He led Spartak St.Petersburg to an easy victory against the closely-ranked Krasnie Krilya (7-9) crushing them 86-63 in the Russian PBL in Thursday night's game. Halperin recorded 15 points and added 7 assists in 23 minutes on the court. Spartak St.Petersburg (8-9) is placed fifth in the PBL. There are only two games left until the end of the Regular Season. So now every game will be critical. Halperin is ranked fifth on the list of the best passers in the league with 4.6apg. He also averaged so far 10.0ppg, 2.2rpg, 1.7spg, 2FGP: 63.1%(41-65), 3FGP: 38.1% and FT: 88.9% in the 17 games he played so far. Halperin is currently a member of the Israeli senior national team.

Omri Casspi

#2. Second place goes to an international swingman Omri Casspi (204-88). He led Cleveland Cavaliers to a victory against the Charlotte Bobcats (7-48) 103-90 in the NBA last Tuesday. Casspi scored 12 points and grabbed 4 rebounds. The Cleveland Cavaliers have rather weak 19-37 record this season. It's Casspi's first year with the team. This year he averages: 6.9ppg, 3.4rpg, 2FGP: 47.3%, 3FGP: 31.9% and FT: 65.6%. Casspi is in the roster of the Israeli senior national team.

Afik Nissim

#3. The Israeli player who performed third best last week abroad was an international point guard Afik Nissim (180-81, agency: Beo Basket). He was the major contributor in Krka's victory against the second-ranked Union Olimpija (4-1) 58-47 in the Slovenian Telemach League on Sunday night. Nissim scored 11 points and added 3 assists in 26 minutes. It was the game of the round between two top 3 ranked teams in Group Championship. Krka Novo Mesto (3-2) is placed third in Championship Group. This year Nissim's overall stats are: 8.2ppg, 1.6rpg, 4.0apg, 2FGP: 55.0%, 3FGP: 27.3% and FT: 83.3% in the five games. He has a dual citizenship: Israeli and French. Despite Nissim played previously for the French national team, he is currently a member of the Israeli senior national team.

Chanan Colman

#4. Guard Chanan Colman (191-84, college: Chipola) contributed to an easy victory against the closely-ranked Naestved (17-10) 90-75 in the Danish Ligaen in Monday night's game. Colman scored 23 points and added 9 assists. It was the game of the round between two top 4 ranked teams. Svendborg Rabbits (23-4) is placed second in the Ligaen. Colman is currently fifth on the list of best passers. He has individually a very good season with high stats. Colman averages: 16.1ppg, 4.3rpg, 4.6apg and 1.1spg. He is another player who holds two passports: Israeli and Danish. Despite Colman played previously for the Danish national team, he is currently in the Israeli national team roster.

Oded Brandwein

#5. Former U20 international guard Oded Brandwein (188-88, agency: N.E.T.), who plays in the Polish PLK could not help Kotwica (18-19) in their last game. Despite Brandwein's very good performance the third-placed Kotwica was badly defeated 85-68 on the road by the second-ranked AZS Koszalin in the Group B. He was the top scorer with 20 points. Brandwein also added made 6 passes and 3 steals in 33 minutes. His team will play only one more game in the Second Stage. And now that game is very crucial. Brandwein has relatively good stats this year: 12.1ppg, 2.0rpg and 4.1apg in the 36 games. He has both Israeli and Polish nationalities. Despite Brandwein played previously for the Polish national team, he is currently in the Israeli U20 national team roster.

Gal Mekel

#6. Point guard Gal Mekel (192-88, college: Wichita St.), who plays in the Italian SerieA was not able to help Benetton Treviso (11-15) in their last game on Sunday. Despite Mekel's good performance Benetton Treviso was defeated 89-77 in Sassari by the much higher-ranked Banco di Sardegna (#5). He recorded 10 points and added 5 passes. It's Mekel's first season with the team. Mekel's total stats this year are: 6.1ppg, 2.0rpg and 3.6apg. Despite he played previously for the Polish national team, Mekel is also an international player who is currently on the senior Israeli National Team roster.

Jason Thomas

#7. International guard Jason Thomas (191-82, college: American), who plays in the Swedish Basketligan was not able to secure a victory for one of league's weakest teams Boras Basket (21-15) in their last game. Despite his good performance Boras Basket lost 76-88 in Norrkoping to the second-ranked Dolphins. Thomas was the second best scorer with 13 points. He also added 3 steals in 30 minutes. They ended the series of four consecutive victories. This year Thomas has relatively solid stats: 11.4ppg, 6.0rpg, 1.3apg and 1.5spg in the 43 games. He is a naturalized American. Despite Thomas played previously for the USA national team, he is currently in the Israeli national team roster. Thomas used to play for Ironi Kfar Hamaccabia Ramat Gan in Israeli league.

Other top Israeli players, who play abroad:

Robert Rothbart (217-C-86) plays for Union Olimpija in Slovenian Telemach League
Facundo Sucatzky (176-G-72) plays for Atenas in Argentinian LigaA
Yaniv Green (206-C/F-80) plays for Banca Tercas in Italian SerieA
Ram Elias-Pour (208-C-93) plays for Zwolle in Dutch Eredivisie
Guy Aud (182-G-89) plays for Licher Baeren in German ProB
Shawn Weinstein (186-G-85) plays for Barako Bull in Filipino PBA
Or Sela (180-G-84) plays for Charlottenburg in German Regionalliga
Aner Levron (192-G-84) plays for TuS Makkabi Frankfurt in German 2.Regionalliga

Notice: The list above includes only some of the Israeli playing currently abroad. Go to Israeli Abroad Page to see completed list.

Mannheim 2012: Israel U18 wins Group G - by Eurobasket News

Israel U18-Sweden U18 78:62

Israel U18 wins Group G at the Albert Schweitzer Tournament 2012. The team improved to 3-0 record after 78:62 victory over Sweden U18.
The Scandinavian team started better and took 10:8 lead in the opening tip. Israel tied the game at 21:21 later in the quarter and then grabbed 30:25 midway through the second quarter. The Israeli team enjoyed 38:35 after the half and then increased to 45:40 in the third quarter. Israel pushed the tempo at the end of the third quarter and had 58:42 before the final stanza. Both teams nailed 20 points in the last period for the final result.
Yaniv Solomon (196-F-94) top-scored for the winners with 24 points and 15 rebounds, while Rafael Menco (198-F-94) added 22. Daniel Sealine (183-G-94) followed them with 8 points. Jacob Magnusson (185-G-94) ended up with 11 points in the losing effort as Sweden finished with 2-1 record. Ludvig Hakanson (190-PG-96) notched 10, while Niklas Larsson (196-G-94) posted 9.

Israel U18: Yaniv Solomon 24+15 rebs, Rafael Menco 22, Daniel Sealine 8
Sweden U18: Jacob Magnusson 11, Ludvig Hakanson 10, Niklas Larsson 9

Warriors and Grizzlies Plan Preseason Scrimmage Versus Maccabi Haifa - by David Pick

Being just moments away from the NBA Playoffs and despite the fact that League teams are far from announcing their 2012-13 preseason game schedules, it seems that Maccabi Haifa of the Israeli Basketball Super League, will make another appearance across the Atlantic for a pair of preseason scrimmages.

Eurobasket received notice that Haifa, owned by American businessman and Fla. resident, Jeff Rosen, is undergoing advanced scrimmage planning with the Golden State Warriors and the Memphis Grizzlies, for hosting the Israeli squad somewhere between Oct. 10th and 21st, 2012.

High sources close to Haifa's management confirmed the information to Eurobasket.

Last season, Haifa was the only Israeli team to play a friendly match versus an NBA organization when challenging the New Jersey Nets at the Prudential Center. Earlier this summer, Haifa's scrimmage against the Orlando Magic on Oct. 23rd, was canceled due to the 2011 NBA lockout.

Haifa recently bounced back from a season long 16-game losing streak, yet, they're still ranked rock bottom in Israeli League with a negative 4-19 record and has lost chances of qualifying for the domestic playoffs. Nonetheless, due to a special League rule, no Division 1 teams will drop to Israel's secondary league at the end of the season.

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ITALY

Standings - SerieA

SerieA Standings

1. Montepaschi		18-7
2. Bennet Cantu		18-9
3. Umana Venezia		16-10
4. Armani Mit		16-10
5. Banco di Sard.		16-10
6. Scavolini PS		16-10
7. CS Bologna		15-11
8. Cimberio VA		14-12
9. Sidigas AV		13-13
10. Acea Roma		13-14
11. Fabi Shoes		11-15
12. Benetton TV		11-15
13. Angelico BI		11-16
14. Otto Caserta		10-16
15. Vanoli CR		10-17
16. Banca Tercas		9-18
17. Novipiu CM		6-20

Regular Season: Round 29

Apr. 15: Novipiu CM - Montepaschi
Apr. 15: Armani Mit - Bennet Cantu
Apr. 15: Otto Caserta - Sidigas AV
Apr. 15: Benetton TV - CS Bologna
Apr. 15: Cimberio VA - Scavolini PS
Apr. 15: Banco di Sard. - Fabi Shoes
Apr. 15: Acea Roma - Banca Tercas
Apr. 15: Vanoli CR - Umana Venezia

Round 26

Apr. 12: Bennet Cantu - Montepaschi 95-94 OT

Stats Leaders - SerieA

Points Per Game

Andre SMITH
  Otto C.
  (203-F-85)
  Avg: 18.3

1. Smith, Otto C.	18.3
2. Coleman, Angelico.	17.9
3. White, Scavolin.	16.6
4. Diener, Banco d.	16.4
5. Dean, Sidigas AV	16.3
6. Shakur, Novipiu CM	16.1
7. Hickman, Scavolin.	15.9
8. Pullen, Angelico BI	15.8
9. Andersen, Montepa.	15.7
10. Green, Sidigas AV	15.5

Rebounds Per Game

Viktor SANIKIDZE
  CS Bo.
  (203-F-86)
  Avg: 10.7

1. Sanikidze, CS Bo.	10.7
2. Johnson, Sidigas	9.8
3. Ivanov, Fabi Shoes	8.0
4. Brunner, Fabi Shoes	7.6
5. Smith, Otto C.	7.5
6. Jones, Scavolini PS	7.4
7. Chiotti, Novip.	7.0
8. Miralles, Angelico.	6.7
9. Gigli, CS Bologna	6.7
10. Dragicevic, Angel.	6.5

Assists Per Game

Marques GREEN
  Sidigas AV
  (167-PG-82)
  Avg: 6.4

1. Green, Sidigas AV	6.4
2. Collins, Otto Case.	5.4
3. Diener, Banco d.	5.3
4. Cook, Armani Mit	5.0
5. Shakur, Novipiu CM	4.4
6. Poeta, CS Bologna	4.1
7. Stipcevic, Cimberi.	3.9
8. Mekel, Benetton TV	3.6
9. Pullen, Angelico BI	3.4
10. Rannikko, Cimberi.	3.3

Steals Per Game

Aubrey COLEMAN
  Angelico.
  (193-G-87)
  Avg: 3.3

1. Coleman, Angelico.	3.3
2. Kirksay, Fabi Shoes	2.6
3. Green, Sidigas AV	2.5
4. Hackett, Scavolin.	2.3
5. Hosley, Banco d.	2.3
6. Dean, Sidigas AV	2.0
7. Di Bella, Fabi S.	1.9
8. Pullen, Angelico BI	1.9
9. Poeta, CS Bologna	1.8
10. Johnson, Sidigas	1.8

Blocks Per Game

Tony EASLEY
  Banco d.
  (206-F-87)
  Avg: 1.5

1. Easley, Banco d.	1.5
2. Cusin, Scavolini PS	1.5
3. Shermadini, Bennet	1.0
4. Szewczyk, Umana V.	1.0
5. Johnson, Sidigas	1.0
6. Viggiano, Benetton.	0.9
7. Slokar, Acea Roma	0.9
8. Sanikidze, CS Bo.	0.8
9. Crosariol, Acea R.	0.8
10. Bourousis, Armani	0.8

Day #1 - The Portsmouth Invitational Tournament (PIT) - Wednesday, April 11, 2012 - Portsmouth, Virginia - by Adam Prossin

Day 1 Scores - Wednesday, April 11, 2012:
Game #1 - Portsmouth Sports Club (88) vs. Norfolk Sports Club (76)
Game #2 - Cherry, Bekaert & Holland (85) vs. K & D Rounds Landscaping (73)

Game #1 Summary - Portsmouth Sports Club (88) vs. Norfolk Sports Club (76)
The 60th Annual Portsmouth Invitational Tournament was kicked off with Portsmouth Sports Club (PSC) & Norfolk Sports Club (NSC) teams facing each other in Game #1.
Hometown favorite Kyle O'Quinn (6'10''-F-90),,, Norfolk State University senior and 2012 MEAC Player of the Year award recipient, received the loudest applause during introductions and he seemed to be highly motivated to impress the local fans as well as the 100s of general managers, pro scouts & agents in attendance as well as his college coach, Norfolk State University's Head Coach, Anthony Evans who came out to show his support.
The NSC, in the red jerseys, jumped out to an early lead and were up 19-11 on the PSC team, in black jerseys, by the 12:22 mark.
At this point of the game PSC slowly began to assert themselves on offense. Kyle O'Quinn (6'10''-F-90) scored on back to back chances to pull PSC within 2 points at 23-21 with 10:30 left in the 1st half. Wendell McKines (6'6''-F-88) responded by sinking a long 3 point attempt to extend NSCs lead to 26-21 and to send NSC on a 7-2 run resulting in a 33-23 lead on Alex Young (6'6''-G/F)'s 3 pointer at the 7:32 mark. With 6:20 left in the half Lazeric Jones (6'1''-G-90) had an impressive play where he went up against 2 defenders and he split the defenders and drove to the hoop strong to make it 37-27 for NSC. O'Quinn then asserted himself offensively with a strong dunk followed by another basket to cut the lead to 39-35 with 3:20 to go in the 1st. O'Quinn then showed his diversity with a strong inside pass in traffic to Michael Glover (6'7''-F) for the lay-in and assist by O'Quinn to even the score at 41 with 1:34 showing on the clock. Henry Sims (6'10''-C-90) ended the 1st half scoring with a strong powerslam for PSC to go up by 5 at 46-41 at the buzzer.
The 2nd half started out with some great back and forth action. Augustus Gilchrist (6'10''-F/C-89) took the ball strong to the hoop and slammed it home with power to retake the lead for NSC, 51-50 at the 16:15 mark. This was followed with some more great back and forth action and the score was 67-63 in favor of PSC after Devoe Joseph (6'4''-G-90) hit a 3 pointer with 9:00 to go.
PSC then started to gain control of the pace again and went on a 17-7 run over the next 6 minutes including a nice alley-oop score by the games leading scorer, Kevin Murphy (6'6''-G-90), and PSC were up by 14 with 3:23 to go at 84-70. PSC closed the game out with good defense and ended as the victors with an 88-76 final score.
Kevin Murphy was the games leading scorer for Portsmouth Sports Club with 27 points on an excellent shooting display going 11-14 from the field, 3-3 form behind the 3-point line and 3-4 from the foul line to go with his 6 rebounds. Kyle O'Quinn had an impressive all-around game with 18 points on 8-13 shooting, a game high 12 rebounds, 2 assists and 4 blocked shots. Henry Sims added a strong 12 points and 7 rebounds for PSC. Michael Glover also showed himself well for PSC even though Glover played the fewest minutes for PSC. In 17 minutes Glover scored 8 points on 3-5 shooting, 2-2 from the foul line and added 6 rebounds and 1 assist.
Norfolk Sports Club was led by Wendell McKines with 16 points on 7-18 shooting to go along with his 10 rebounds. Charlie Westbrook (6'4''-G) added 15 points for NSC and had 2 blocks and 2 steals. Augustus Gilchrist tied for the game high in rebounds with 12 and added 12 points and 2 blocked shots. Mitchell Watt (6'10''-F-89) had a monster game on defense for NSC as he had 7 blocked shots while scoring 11 points and pulling down 8 rebounds.
Portsmouth Sports Club (88) - Murphy 27, OQuinn 18, Sims 12, Glover 8, Joseph, Walker 6, Moore 6, Voiles 4
Norfolk Sports Club (76) - McKines 16, Westbrook 15, Gilchrist 12, Watt 11, Young 9, Jones 7, Morrison 6, Hobbs 0

Game #2 Summary - Cherry, Bekaert & Holland (85) vs. K & D Rounds Landscaping (73)
Game #2 of the 2012 PIT saw the Cherry, Bekaert & Holland (CBH) team in blue taking on K & D Rounds Landscaping (K&D) in the white Jerseys.
CBH jumped out quick and held a 17-4 lead by the 15:40 mark of the 1st half after a strong offensive rebound and put-back by Eli Holman (6'10''-F/C-89) followed by a 3-pointer by Jason Clark (6'2''-G-90). CBH continued to control the pace and were up 26-11 when Kent Bazemore (6'5''-G/F-89) energized his team and the crowd after a monster dunk with 8:34 left in the first half. K&D showed they were not going to go easily and continued to close the gap over the next 6 minutes and were down by only 1 point when Zack Rosen (6'1''-PG) hit a 3-pointer with 0:33 left to play in the half to help K&D take their first lead of the game at 36-33. CBH took the ball for their last possession of the half and mapped out a nice play resulting in Reggie Hamilton (5'11''-G-89) hitting a long 3-pointer at the buzzer to end the half with the teams tied 36-36.
The 2nd half started with the teams trading baskets and the lead until CBH began to take control and were up 49-43 with 16:10 to play. CBH continued to extend their lead and by the 5:29 mark CBH held a 12 point lead at 76-64 after Larry Anderson (6'5''-G) accepted a long outlet pass and took it to the hoop for a loud backboard shaking slam. Laron Dendy (6'9''-C-88) scored 2 baskets in a row for K&D but CBH held a 14 point lead at 82-68 with 3:08 remaining in the game. CBH coasted to the win from there and it ended with a 12 point victory at 85-73 at the final buzzer.
Cherry, Bekaert & Holland had a great team victory with the points being distributed fairly evenly amongst their 8 players. 5 players ended in double digit scoring and the other 3 had 9 points each with all players playing at least 22 minutes. Larry Anderson topped CBH with 14 points on 5-8 shooting and 4-6 from the line as well as a game high 7 assists and 4 rebounds. Jason Clark had 13 points on 5-7 shooting, 6 rebounds and 2 assists. Eli Holman led CBH with 10 rebounds to go with 9 points, and 2 blocks. Jordan Taylor (6'1''-PG-89) also tied for a game high with 7 assists as well as scoring 10 points to go with 6 rebounds and 3 steals.
K & D Rounds Landscaping were led by Laron Dendy with a game high 15 points & 5 rebounds. Rakim Sanders (6'5''-G/F-89) had 14 points & 8 rebounds. Jarrod Jones (6'9''-F-90) added a game high 11 rebounds as well as registering 7 points & 3 steals.
Cherry, Bekaert & Holland (85) - Anderson 14, Clark 13, Stanback 11, Taylor 10, Mangano 10, Holman 9, Hamilton 9, Wright 9
K & D Rounds Landscaping (73) - Dendy 15, Sanders 14, Hinkle 11, Bazemore 9, Moore 8, Jones 7, Bryant 5, Rosen 4
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The Portsmouth Invitational Tournament (PIT) Portsmouth, Virginia - by Adam Prossin

For 60 years the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament (PIT) has been a proving ground for college seniors trying to get noticed by NBA scouts and managers in the hopes of becoming an NBA draft pick. Obviously for the players that result would be a dream come true, however, they are also well aware of the prospects of being offered a contract to play overseas which would allow them to continue their dreams of becoming a professional basketball player on foreign soil.
The PIT not only attracts the scouting staffs and GMs of all of the NBA teams but it also is an excellent opportunity for agents as well as 100s of managers & scouts of teams from numerous countries throughout the world to come to try to find players for their teams for next season. This year is no different than in the past in that regard. Most of the teams from the top leagues in Europe have their managers or scouts in attendance evaluating players including numerous representatives from Italy, Spain, France and of the top teams from a number of other countries in Europe. As usual the teams from South Korea have a large contingent in attendance and there are also representatives of teams from Japan & China and other countries present.
The PIT is a tournament where 64 top college basketball seniors from throughout the country are invited to showcase their skills in front of all of the professional talent evaluators mentioned above. The players are divided up into 8 teams of 8 players so there is plenty of playing time for all participants.
This years rosters includes many All-Conference players and several Conference Player of the Year recipients including hometown favorite Kyle O'Quinn (6'10''-F-90) from Norfolk State University who was this years MEAC Player of the Year (POY) and the following POYs: Jorge Gutierrez (6'3''-G-88) (California) - PAC 12 POY, Wendell McKines (6'6''-F-88) (New Mexico State) - WAC POY, Laron Dendy (6'9''-C-88) (Middle Tennessee) - Sun Belt POY, Zack Rosen (6'1''-PG) (6'2''-G) (Penn) - Ivy League POY.
Braydon Hobbs (6'5''-G) (Bellarmine) is a strong representative of NCAA Divison II. He was recently selected as the NCAA Division II National Player of the Year. This year the PIT roster of players also include two D-III standout players. Bryant Voiles (6'9''-F) (Augustana (Ill.) College) & David Michaels (6'7''-GF-90) (Whitman (Wash.) College), The Northwest Conference POY become the first D-III players invited to the PIT since 2004.
Good luck to all of the players in their quest for a professional basketball playing opportunity.

Full Tournament Schedule:
Day 1 - Wednesday April 11, 2012
Game #1 - 7:00PM
Game #2 - 9:00PM
Day 2 - Thursday April 12, 2012
Game #3 - 3:15PM
Game #4 - 7:00PM
Game #5 - 9:00PM
Day 3 - Friday April 13, 2012
Game #6 - 3:15PM
Game #7 - 7:00PM
Game #8 - 9:00PM
Day 4 - Saturday April 14, 2012
Game #9 - 12:00 Noon (7th Place)
Game #10 - 2:00PM (Consolation Championship)
Game #11 - 6:00PM (3rd Place)
Game #12 - 8:05PM (Championship)

Mannheim 2012: Germany eliminate Italy in double-overtime thriller - by Eurobasket News

Italy U18-Germany U18 85:91

Germany eliminate Italy in double-overtime thriller from the medals and sent them to play for 5-8 places. The hosts of the Albert Schweitzer Tournament 2012 won 91:85 and clinched the top place in Group E.
Italy started with 22:16 and looked better in the second frame as well. The guests of the tournament produced a 18-13 for 11-point advantage at the halftime. Moreover Italy won the third period 19-18 and could not even think of a hard time in the last stanza. Trailing 13 points with 8 minutes to go, the hosts of the tournament erupted with an 8-0 run to reduce to 5 points and then took 69:68 lead with 2 minutes to go. Procacci tied the game at 69:69 and then gave Italian side the minimum advantage. Imbro brought 71:69 from the free throw line, but Zipser tied the game at 71:71 to send the teams to overtime.
In the first extra time Italian team played better, but Germany caught them up later. Pipitone scored for 78:75, but Marin tied the game at 78:78. Muller meanwhile tied it again for 80:80 at the end of the first overtime. It was also Muller who opened the extra time with a three, while Schilling added a foul shot and Marin a drive. Marin had a huge game and carried Germany through this tough time and Schillings basket for the 90:83 sealed the deal.
Paul Zipser (195-G-94) top-scored for the winners with 20 points and Gavin Schilling (205-PF-95) nailed 18.Malik Muller followed them with 16, while Mauricio Marin (188-PG-94) added 11. Mirco Turel (192-G-94) ended up with 17 points in the losing case and Alessandro Procacci (180-G-94) notched 14. Simone Fontecchio (197-F-95) poured in 13 and Matteo Imbro (190-PG-94) chipped in with 11 points.

Italy U18: Mirco Turel 17, Alessandro Procacci 14, Simone Fontecchio 13, Matteo Imbro 11
Germany U18: Paul Zipser 20, Gavin Schilling 18,Malik Muller 16, Mauricio Marin 11

Andrea Bargnani selected the top Italian playing abroad in last week's games - by Eurobasket Center

We bring you last week's top performances from Italians who are playing abroad and who all have had prior experience of national team duties at youth or senior level.

Andrea Bargnani

#1. This week's number one is an international power forward Andrea Bargnani (209-85). He led Toronto Raptors to a victory over the Philadelphia 76ers (31-26) crushing them 99-78 in the NBA in Wednesday night's game. Bargnani was MVP of the game. He scored 24 points and grabbed 5 rebounds (was perfect 5-for-5 from the free throw line) in 34 minutes on the court. The Toronto Raptors have rather weak 20-39 record this season. It's Bargnani's sixth year with the team. Bargnani has individually a very good year with high stats. He averages: 19.5ppg, 5.5rpg, 1.9apg, 2FGP: 47.0%, 3FGP: 30.4% and FT: 87.3% in the 31 games he played so far. Bargnani is currently a member of the Italian senior national team.

Danilo Gallinari

#2. Second place goes to an international forward Danilo Gallinari (208-88, agency: Players Group). He contributed to a Denver Nuggets' victory against the Minnesota Timberwolves (26-33) 113-107 in the NBA last Wednesday. Gallinari scored 18 points, had 4 rebounds and dished 4 assists. The Denver Nuggets have 32-25 record this season. It was his team's third consecutive victory in a row. This season Gallinari has very high stats. He averages: 15.3ppg, 4.9rpg, 2.7apg, 2FGP: 48.9%, 3FGP: 32.7% and FT: 87.1%. Gallinari is in the roster of the Italian senior national team.

Marco Belinelli

#3. The Italian player who performed third best last week abroad was an international guard Marco Belinelli (196-86). He was the major contributor in a New Orleans Hornets' victory against the Sacramento Kings (19-40) 105-96 in the NBA on Wednesday night. Belinelli scored 21 points and added 3 assists in 30 minutes. The New Orleans Hornets have not so impressive 16-42 record this season. Belinelli has very impressive stats this year: 11.9ppg, 2.7rpg, 1.5apg, 2FGP: 44.7%, 3FGP: 38.4% and FT: 77.6% in the 58 games. He is also a member of the Italian senior national team.

Marcelinho Huertas

#4. Point guard Marcelinho Huertas (191-83, agency: Edge Sports) managed to help Regal FC Barcelona to win against the tenth-ranked CAI Zaragoza (14-14) 68-49 in the Spanish ACB in Sunday night's game. Huertas recorded 5 points, 9 rebounds and 3 assists. Regal FC Barcelona (23-5) is placed first in the ACB. It was his team's fourth consecutive victory in a row. It's Huertas' first season with the team. His overall stats this year are: 8.0ppg, 2.7rpg and 3.4apg. Huertas has a dual citizenship: Brazilian and Italian. He is also Italian national team player.

Leandro Garcia Morales

#5. International guard Leandro Garcia Morales (186-80, college: Texas A&M) helped Cocodrilos win their game against the fifth-ranked Trotamundos (18-16) crushing them 105-84 in the Venezuelan LPB last Wednesday. Garcia Morales recorded 8 points, 5 assists and 3 steals in 23 minutes. It was his first game for Cocodrilos this season. His team is placed first in the LPB. His team will play only one more game in the Regular Season. And that game will be critical. Garcia Morales is another player who holds two passports: Italian and Uruguayan. Despite he played previously for the Uruguayan national team, Garcia Morales is currently in the Italian national team roster.

Ryan Zamroz

#6. Guard Ryan Zamroz (191-87, agency: JEMsports, college: Master's) helped Boras Basket win their game against the closely-ranked Norrkoping Dolphins (23-13) 96-85 in the Swedish Basketligan on Friday night. He scored 14 points; quite an impressive performance considering it's only Zamroz's third season in pro basketball. It was the game of the round between two top 4 ranked teams. Boras Basket (21-15) is placed third in the Basketligan. It was his team's fourth consecutive victory in a row. This season Zamroz has very high stats. He averages: 15.8ppg, 2.1rpg and 2.0apg. Zamroz is a naturalized American. Despite he played previously for the USA national team, Zamroz is also an international player who is currently on the senior Italian National Team roster. Strangely he has never played in Italy.

Anthony Dobbins

#7. International guard Anthony Dobbins (194-81, college: Richmond), who plays in the French ProA could not help Poitiers (8-17) to beat Paris-Levallois (16-9). Dobbins recorded 8 points, 5 rebounds, 7 assists and 3 steals in 31 minutes. Poitiers lost 73-87 at home to the much higher-ranked (#6) Paris-Levallois. This year Dobbins' overall stats are: 7.5ppg, 5.6rpg, 3.7apg and 2.2spg in the 10 games. He is a naturalized American. Despite Dobbins played previously for the USA national team, he is currently in the Italian national team roster. Dobbins used to play for Banca Nuova Trapani in Italian league.

Mauricio Aguiar

#8. Forward Mauricio Aguiar (197-83, also represented by Players Group) helped Hebraica win their game against the leader Aguada (0-0) 80-66 in the Uruguayan LUB last Monday. He scored 14 points and added 4 assists. It was the game of the round between two top 3 ranked teams in Serie 1. Hebraica Macabi (9-1) is placed first. It was his team's ninth consecutive victory in a row. This season Aguiar has very high stats. He averages: 17.6ppg, 2.9rpg and 2.8apg. Despite Aguiar played previously for the Uruguayan national team, he is currently in the Italian national team roster.

Ross Schraeder

#9. Former international swingman Ross Schraeder (196-83, college: Cal-Irvine) helped Ford Burgos win their game against the 16th-ranked Lobe Huesca (11-20) 93-90 in the Spanish LEB Gold (second division) on Sunday night. Schraeder recorded 12 points in a mere 16 minutes. Autocid Ford Burgos (20-11) is placed second in the LEB Gold. It was his team's third consecutive victory in a row. There are only three games left until the end of the Regular Season. So now every game is very crucial. This year Schraeder's total stats are: 7.3ppg and 1.4rpg in the 31 games. He is a naturalized American. Despite Schraeder played previously for the USA national team, he is currently in the Italian national team roster. Schraeder used to play for 86.4%, in March '06 signed a 3 year contract with Bipop-Carire Reggio Emilia in Italian league.

Alejandro Muro

   #10. An experienced guard Alejandro Muro (187-74, another player represented by Players Group) faced previously mentioned Mauricio Aguiar in the Uruguayan LUB last game. Muro was not able to help Aguada (0-0) in their game against Hebraica (9-1). He scored 5 points and added 6 assists. The first-placed Aguada was defeated 80-66 on the road by the leading Hebraica in the Serie 2. Muro belongs to league's best passers and is ranked #5. He has very reliable stats this season: 12.9ppg, 2.8rpg, 5.0apg and 1.3spg. Muro is a former international player as eleven years ago he still played for the Italian senior national team.

   #11. Former international power forward Ryan Pettinella (206-84, college: Cincinnati) helped Grindavik win their game against the closely-ranked Stjarnan 83-74 in the Icelandic Express League last Tuesday. He recorded 7 points and grabbed 6 rebounds in only 14 minutes. Pettinella has averaged so far 5.5ppg, 4.6rpg and 1.5apg in the 13 games. He is a naturalized American. Despite Pettinella played previously for the USA national team, he is currently in the Italian national team roster. Pettinella used to play for Premiata Montegranaro in Italian league.

   #12. Former international center Davor Barovic (211-90) helped Branik win their n overtime game against the 11th-ranked Jance Prit 108-105 in the Slovenian D2 (second division) on Tuesday night. He recorded a double-double by scoring 14 points and getting 10 rebounds. Barovic is currently sixth on the list of best rebounders and also on the list of best blockers (first place). He has averaged so far 8.4ppg, 7.7rpg and 1.1bpg. Despite Barovic played previously for the Slovenian U20 national team, he is currently in the Italian national team roster.

   #13. Former international point guard Steve Dagostino (180-85, agency: Duran International, college: St.Rose, NY) was not able to secure a victory for Lleida Basquet in their game against Canarias in the Spanish LEB Gold (second division). Dagostino recorded 5 points and had 3 steals in 14 minutes. His team lost 77-91. He has averaged so far 5.2ppg, 1.6rpg, 2.8apg and 1.6spg in the five games. Dagostino is a naturalized American. He used to play for the Italian national team two years ago. Dagostino played also for Edimes Pavia in Italian league.

   #14. Former international power forward Cristopher Mortellaro (206-82, college: Drury) couldn't help Baloncesto Leon in their game against Grupo Iruna Navarra in the Spanish LEB Gold (second division). He cannot count Sunday's game as one of the best ones. Mortellaro recorded only 3 points and grabbed 6 rebounds. His team was defeated in a double overtime 94-89. He has relatively good stats this season: 10.7ppg and 7.5rpg. Mortellaro is a naturalized American. He used to play for the Italian national team back in 2010. Mortellaro played also for Sicc BPA Jesi in Italian league.

Enel Brindisi signs Kostas Charalampidis - by Eurobasket News

Kostas Charalampidis (189-G-76) is a new member of Enel Brindisi. The Greek point guard penned a deal for rest of the season. Charalampidis started it with KAO Dramas. He appeared in 22 Greek league games averaging 15.6 points, 4.3 assists and 3 rebounds. He joined KAOD last summer from Aris Thessaloniki. With Aris he had 11.2 ppg, 2.5 apg and 1.8 rpg in Greece. Charalampidis also added 9.3 ppg and 1.5 apg for 13 EuroCup games last season. In the past, he played for Panellinios, Marousi, Makedonikos and Olimpia Larisa. Kostas Charalampidis was named Eurobasket.com All-Greek A1 League 2nd Team -10. That same year he was also awarded with Eurobasket.com All-EuroCup Honorable Mention -10.

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IVORY COAST

Mouloukou Diabate selected the top Ivorian playing abroad in last week's games - by Eurobasket Center

Here is the weekly review of the top performing Ivorian players, who play currently abroad.

Mouloukou Diabate

#1. This week's number one is an international point guard Mouloukou Diabate (183-87). Diabate led Chorale de Roanne to an overtime victory against one of league's weakest teams Pau-Lacq-Orthez (6-19) 97-87 in the French ProA last Saturday. He recorded 12 points and added 7 assists. Chorale de Roanne Basket (13-12) is placed seventh in the ProA. This season Diabate averages: 7.0ppg, 3.0rpg, 4.0apg, 1.3spg, 2FGP: 58.8%(47-80), 3FGP: 18.4% and FT: 89.7%. He has a dual citizenship: Ivorian and French. Despite Diabate played previously for the French national team, he is currently a member of the Ivorian senior national team.

Mamadou Lamizana

#2. Second place goes to an international power forward Mamadou Lamizana (207-81, agency: Top Notch Sports, college: Rutgers). Lamizana led Vaqueros to a 3-point victory over the closely-ranked Atleticos (10-10) 74-71 in the Puerto Rican BSN on Wednesday night. He was MVP of the game. Lamizana scored 23 points and grabbed 6 rebounds in 28 minutes. Vaqueros de Bayamon (10-9) is placed third in the BSN. They ended the series of four consecutive loses. Lamizana is currently first on the list of best blockers with 2.3bpg. This year his other stats are: 11.4ppg, 5.2rpg, 1.8apg, 1.1spg, 2FGP: 49.3%, 3FGP: 26.9% and FT: 71.4% in the 17 games he played so far. Lamizana is another player who holds two passports: Ivorian and French. Despite he played previously for the French national team, Lamizana is currently a member of the Ivorian senior national team.

Mamadi Diane

#3. The Ivorian player who performed third best last week abroad was an international swingman Mamadi Diane (196-86, college: Virginia). He contributed to Ventspils' victory against the league leader Liepaja (17-9) 88-84 in the Latvian LBL in Tuesday night's game. Diane scored 9 points. It was the game of the round between two top 4 ranked teams. BK Ventspils (15-1) is placed third in the LBL. The Regular Season already ended. Diane's overall stats this season are: 9.7ppg, 1.5rpg, 1.5apg, 1.5spg, 2FGP: 51.4%, 3FGP: 37.5% and FT: 73.3%. He has both Guinean and Ivorian nationalities. Despite Diane played previously for the Guinean national team, he is currently a member of the Ivorian senior national team.

Pape-Philippe Amagou

#4. Guard Pape-Philippe Amagou (185-85, agency: Beo Basket), who plays in the French ProA could not help Sluc Nancy (16-9) to beat Gravelines-Dunkerque (22-3). Amagou recorded 8 points and added 3 assists in 34 minutes. Sluc Nancy was crushed 83-61 on the road by the leading Gravelines-Dunkerque. Amagou has relatively good stats this year: 10.4ppg, 2.0rpg and 2.2apg in the 25 games. He also holds two passports: Ivorian and French. Despite Amagou played previously for the French U20 national team, he is currently in the Ivorian national team roster.

Alain Koffi

#5. Former international center Alain Koffi (207-83, also represented by Beo Basket) was not able to help Le Mans (16-9) in their game against Cholet (12-13) in the French ProA. Koffi recorded 7 points. Le Mans was defeated 87-76 at home by the lower-ranked Cholet (#8). It was Le Mans' first loss after four consecutive victories. Koffi's overall stats this season are: 7.0ppg and 3.4rpg. He has Ivorian and French nationalities. Despite Koffi played previously for the French national team, he is currently in the Ivorian national team roster.

Jonathan Kale

#6. Forward Jonathan Kale (203-85, college: Providence) was not able to secure a victory for Lleida Basquet (19-12) in their game against Canarias (24-7) in the Spanish LEB Gold (second division). Kale recorded 9 points and grabbed 5 rebounds in 16 minutes. But Lleida Basquet lost 77-91 in Tenerife to the leading Canarias. There are only three games left until the end of the Regular Season. So now every game will be critical. This year Kale has relatively solid stats: 11.8ppg, 5.4rpg and 1.1spg in the 31 games. He holds both American and Ivorian passports. Despite Kale played previously for the USA national team, he is also an international player who is currently on the senior Ivorian National Team roster.

Errick Craven

#7. International guard Errick Craven (188-83, college: USC), who plays in the French ProB (second division) couldn't help JA Vichy (7-22) in their last game on Saturday. Despite Craven's good performance JA Vichy was defeated 71-58 in Lille by the much higher-ranked Metropole (#6). He was the second best scorer with 12 points. Craven also added 4 rebounds. Craven has reliable stats this season: 10.5ppg, 4.0rpg, 2.9apg and 1.8spg. He holds both American and Ivorian passports. Despite Craven played previously for the USA national team, he is currently in the Ivorian national team roster.

Issife Soumahoro

#8. Forward Issife Soumahoro (197-88) contributed to an easy victory against the 17th-ranked Quimper UJAP (8-21) crushing them 80-56 in the French ProB (second division) on Saturday night. Soumahoro scored 9 points in 19 minutes. Boulazac Basket Dordogne (22-7) is placed first in the ProB. This year Soumahoro's overall stats are: 4.1ppg and 1.4rpg in the 27 games. Despite he played previously for the French national team, Soumahoro is currently in the Ivorian national team roster.

Andre Oupoh

#9. Former international forward Andre Oupoh (196-84, college: Abil.Christian) managed to help Caballeros de Culiacan to win against the league outsider Coras de Tepic (0-17) 81-65 in the Mexican CIBACOPA in Wednesday night's game. He recorded 5 points and grabbed 4 rebounds. Caballeros de Culiacan (8-10) is placed sixth in the CIBACOPA. It was his team's fourth consecutive victory in a row. Oupoh's total stats this season are: 6.6ppg, 1.6rpg and 1.1apg. He holds both American and Ivorian passports. Oupoh used to play for the Ivorian national team two years ago.

Ismael N'Diaye

   #10. Forward Ismael N'Diaye (197-82, college: FIU) led Boncourt to a 2-point victory against the second-ranked Monthey (19-5) 76-74 in the Swiss LNA last Wednesday. He scored 11 points, grabbed 4 rebounds and dished 4 assists in 36 minutes. BC Boncourt Red Team (7-17) is placed seventh in the LNA. It's N'Diaye's first season with the team. N'Diaye's stats this year are: 13.1ppg, 4.6rpg, 3.1apg and 1.8spg in the 27 games. Despite he played previously for the USA national team, N'Diaye is also an international player who is currently on the senior Ivorian National Team roster.

   #11. An experienced former international swingman Wilfrid Aka (192-79) is a teammate of previously mentioned Errick Craven and both played together in the last French ProB game. Aka couldn't help JA Vichy in their game against Lille Metropole. He cannot count Saturday's game as one of the best ones. Aka scored only 3 points and grabbed 5 rebounds. His team was defeated 71-58. Aka's total stats this season are: 7.8ppg, 3.2rpg and 1.4apg. He used to play for the Ivorian national team three years ago.

   #12. International point guard Mickael Toti (181-87) contributed to a Saint Vallier's victory against the closely-ranked Olympique Antibes 93-88 in the French ProB (second division) in Saturday night's game. Toti scored only 3 points in 9 minutes on the court. This year his total stats are: 2.8ppg, 1.1rpg and 1.7apg in the 28 games. Toti is also in the roster of the Ivorian national team.

One more player who has never been selected to any of national teams, but has Ivorian passport:

   #1. Walter Hodge (183-PG-86, college: Florida) led Zastal ZG to a victory over the fourth-ranked Anwil (4-5) 75-69 in the Polish PLK in Saturday night's game. He was MVP of the game. Hodge scored 19 points, made 6 passes and 3 steals in 37 minutes; quite an impressive performance considering it's only his third season in pro basketball. Zastal Zielona Gora (6-3) is placed third in Group A. Hodge's team will play only one more game in the Second Stage. And that game will be critical. It's Hodge's first year with the team. Hodge is currently first on the list of top scorers and also on the list of best passers (second place). He has individually a very good year with high stats. Hodge averages: 18.6ppg, 2.8rpg, 6.0apg and 1.4spg in the 33 games he played so far. He has also Puerto Rican passport.

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JAMAICA

Roy Hibbert's double-double lands him Player of the Week award among Jamaicans playing currently abroad - by Eurobasket Center

We bring you last week's top performances from Jamaicans who are playing abroad and who all have had prior experience of national team duties at youth or senior level.

Roy Hibbert

#1. This week's number one is former international center Roy Hibbert (218-86, college: Georgetown). He was the major contributor in an Indiana Pacers' victory against the Oklahoma City Thunder (42-16) 103-98 in the NBA in Friday night's game. Hibbert had a double-double by scoring 21 points and getting 12 rebounds. He also added 4 blocks in 32 minutes on the court. The Indiana Pacers have a solid 36-22 record this season. It's Hibbert's fourth year with the team. Hibbert has individually a very good year with high stats. He averages: 12.8ppg, 8.8rpg, 1.7apg, 2.0bpg, 2FGP: 49.6% and FT: 69.7% in the 58 games he played so far. Hibbert is a naturalized American. Despite he played previously for the USA national team, Hibbert played also for the Jamaican national team in 2010.

Adrian Uter

#2. Second place goes to former international power forward Adrian Uter (201-84, agency: Gross Zeev ISA, college: Hofstra). He led Maccabi Rishon to a victory over the closely-ranked Hapoel J-M (13-10) 82-76 in the Israeli Premier League last Sunday. Uter was MVP of the game. He scored 24 points, had 6 rebounds and dished 5 assists. It was the game of the round between two top 4 ranked teams. Maccabi Rishon Le-Zion (14-9) is placed third in the Premier League. It was his team's fourth consecutive victory in a row. There are only two games left until the end of the Regular Season. So now every game will be critical. It's Uter's first season with the team. Uter is currently third on the league's list of best blockers. He has very reliable stats this season: 14.0ppg, 7.1rpg, 2.5apg, 1.7bpg, 1.7spg, 2FGP: 53.2% and FT: 61.6%. Uter is a naturalized American. Despite he played previously for the USA national team, Uter played also for the Jamaican national team in 2007.

Samardo Samuels

#3. The Jamaican player who performed third best last week abroad was former international power forward Samardo Samuels (206-89, college: Louisville), who plays in the NBA. He could not help the Cleveland Cavaliers (19-37) in their last game. Despite Samuels' good performance the Cleveland Cavaliers lost in an overtime 98-104 on the road to the Indiana Pacers. He scored 13 points and grabbed 5 rebounds in a mere 18 minutes. This year Samuels' overall stats are: 4.8ppg, 3.1rpg, 2FGP: 44.0% and FT: 67.0% in the 44 games. Despite he played previously for the USA national team, Samuels played also for the Jamaican national team in 2009.

Garry Gallimore

#4. Guard Garry Gallimore (192-84) was the main contributor in a CSM Bucuresti's victory against the second-ranked Timisoara (21-7) 97-84 in the Romanian Division A in Wednesday night's game. He was the best player in that game. Gallimore recorded 27 points (!!!) and added 4 assists. CS Municipal Bucuresti (19-9) is placed seventh in the Division A. It was his team's fourth consecutive victory in a row. Gallimore is currently seventh on the list of top scorers. This season he has very high stats. Gallimore averages: 18.4ppg, 4.4rpg, 2.1apg and 1.3spg. He has a dual citizenship: Jamaican and Canadian. Despite Gallimore played previously for the Canadian university national team, he is currently in the Jamaican national team roster.

Oritseweyinmi Efejuku

#5. Former international guard Oritseweyinmi Efejuku (196-86, college: Providence), who plays in the Puerto Rican BSN was not able to help Indios (15-4) in their last game. Despite Efejuku's very good performance the league leader Indios lost 79-87 in San German to the lower-ranked (#6) Atleticos. He was the top scorer with 20 points. Efejuku also added 5 rebounds and dished 3 assists in 28 minutes; quite an impressive performance considering it's only his third season in pro basketball. Efejuku has relatively good stats this year: 14.8ppg, 3.5rpg and 2.7apg in the 13 games. He is another player who holds two passports: Nigerian and Jamaican. Despite Efejuku played previously for the Nigerian national team, he is currently in the Jamaican national team roster.

Maurice Bailey

#6. Guard Maurice Bailey (183-81, college: Sacred Heart) contributed to an easy victory against the seventh-ranked Jurmala (9-17) crushing them 117-61 in the Latvian LBL on Wednesday night. Bailey scored 6 points. VEF Riga (15-1) is placed second in the LBL. It was his team's ninth consecutive victory in a row. The Regular Season already ended. Bailey's total stats this season are: 8.8ppg, 3.0rpg, 3.5apg and 1.2spg. He is a naturalized American. Despite Bailey played previously for the USA national team, he is also a former international player as he played for the Jamaican senior team three years ago.

Bryan Bailey

#7. Former international point guard Bryan Bailey (185-80, college: Bucknell) contributed to an overtime Artland Dragons' victory against the 15th-ranked EnBW Ludwigsburg (9-22) 95-89 in the German BBL in Wednesday night's game. Bailey recorded 6 points in 32 minutes. Artland Dragons Quakenbrueck (21-10) is placed fourth in the BBL. There are only three games left until the end of the Regular Season. So now every game is very crucial. This year Bailey's total stats are: 6.0ppg and 2.0apg in the 17 games. He is a naturalized American. Despite Bailey played previously for the USA national team, he is currently in the Jamaican national team roster.

Sherman Gay

#8. Power forward Sherman Gay (201-82, college: Loyola Mary) contributed to an easy victory against the 16th-ranked Denain Voltaire (10-19) crushing them 88-64 in the French ProB (second division) last Friday. Gay scored 16 points, grabbed 4 rebounds and made 2 blocks. Fos Ouest Provence Basket (19-10) is placed fourth in the ProB. Gay is currently second on the list of best blockers. This season he has very high stats. Gay averages: 15.3ppg, 6.0rpg, 1.2apg and 1.8bpg. He is a naturalized American. Despite Gay played previously for the USA national team, he is currently in the Jamaican national team roster.

Jermaine Bucknor

#9. Former international forward Jermaine Bucknor (199-83, college: Richmond) contributed to a s Oliver Baskets' victory against the 14th-ranked TBB Trier (10-21) 75-61 in the German BBL on Saturday night. Bucknor scored 8 points and grabbed 4 rebounds in only 13 minutes. s.Oliver Baskets Wuerzburg (19-12) is placed sixth in the BBL. There are only three games left until the end of the Regular Season. So now every game will be important. Bucknor has averaged so far 4.6ppg and 2.6rpg in the eight games. Despite he played previously for the Canadian national team, Bucknor is currently in the Jamaican national team roster.

Ronald Yates

   #10. Forward Ronald Yates (201-83, college: St.Peter's) helped Fribourg win their game against the closely-ranked SAV Vacallo (13-10) 64-55 in the Swiss LNA in Wednesday night's game. He recorded a double-double by scoring 11 points and getting the same number of rebounds. Yates also added 5 assists. Benetton Fribourg Olympic (4-1) is placed second in the LNA. It was his team's sixth consecutive victory in a row. This season Yates has very high stats. He averages: 16.1ppg, 6.3rpg, 2.4apg and 1.4spg. Yates is a naturalized American. Despite he played previously for the USA national team, Yates is also a former international player as two years ago he still played for the Jamaican senior national team.

   #11. Former international forward Corey Muirhead (198-83, college: W.Carolina) was not able to secure a victory for BK Pardubice in their game against CEZ Nymburk in the Czech Republic NBL. He cannot count Friday's game as one of the best ones. Muirhead recorded only 1 points and grabbed 8 rebounds in 20 minutes. His team lost in an overtime 77-91. This year Muirhead has relatively solid stats: 10.8ppg, 5.9rpg, 2.0apg and 1.2spg in the 33 games. He used to play for the Jamaican national team two years ago.

   #12. Former international center Kevin Young (206-84, college: Missouri) helped Aishin Sea Horses win their game against the closely-ranked Panasonic Trians 79-69 in the Japanese JBL on Saturday night. Young recorded 6 points and grabbed 7 rebounds. Young has averaged so far 8.7ppg and 6.7rpg. Despite he played previously for the Canadian national team, Young is currently in the Jamaican national team roster.

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

JAPAN

BJ League Season : What's new? - by Emeka Eke

As the BJ league season draws to a close this April, the 6-month hiatus to be observed by all teams in the league starting from April will prove an important resource for players and coaches from overseas to get lucrative contracts in Japan. It is hoped that some NBA-tested players will join the BJ league for the new season which starts in october. Already players and coaches from around europe are showing interests to play in the league in the new season. Most are talking with their agents to help them secure good offers.

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

JUCO

NJCAA D3 Awards 2012 - by Greg

NJCAA D3 All-America 1st Team 2012

Towns

Clayton

Early

Henderson

Hernandez

All-Tournament MVP: Daquain Towns (6'0''-G) of Sandhills CC
Coach of the Tournament: Mike Apple of Sandhills CC

1st Team
Jamario Clayton of Ocean Co.
Cleanthony Early (6'8'') of Sullivan CC
Joshua Henderson (6'2'') of Herkimer County
Maurice Hernandez (6'4'') of Central Lakes CC
Bakari Turner (6'4'') of Cedar Valley JC

2nd Team
Deon Boyce (6'5'') of Big Texas
Kevin Eaglin of Anne Arundel
Markell Lotharp (6'7'') of Sandhills CC
Jerome Parkins (6'2'') of Gateway CC
Cory Proctor of Joliet CC

3rd Team
Claude Blue of Bronx CC
John Chesmond of Camden CC
Ajani Ogbonna of Allegheny CC
Princeton Ordu of Oxford JC
Taylor Smaller of Vermilion CC

Honorable Mention
Paul Becklens (6'1''-G) of Roxbury CC
Garrett Borgrud of Madison CC
Ashley Crayton (6'2''-G) of Mountain View
Remington Glenn of Mohawk Valley CC
Demontray McCormick of Western Tech

All-Tournament Team
Markell Lotharp (6'7''-F) of Sandhills CC
Bakari Turner (6'4'') of Cedar Valley JC
Quayshaun Mitchell (6'4'') of SUNY-Delhi
Claude Blue of Bronx CC
Ronnie Kornbaum (6'1''-G) of Central Lakes CC
Kahlil Bennett of Brookdale CC
Paul Becklens (6'1''-G) of Roxbury CC
Rishaad Alexander of Milwaukee Tech

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KOSOVO

Ulug Kacaniku selected the top Kosovan playing abroad in last week's games - by Eurobasket Center

Traditionally, every week we bring you a list of the top performances of Kosovans who are currently playing abroad.

Ulug Kacaniku

#1. This week's number one is an international swingman Ulug Kacaniku (202-85), who plays in the Turkish TB2L (second division). Kacaniku could not help Istanbulspor (12-23) in their last game on Wednesday. Despite his very good performance Istanbulspor was defeated 83-78 at home by the second-ranked Optimum TED. Kacaniku was the top scorer with 24 points. He also added 8 rebounds. There are only three games left until the end of the Regular Season. So now every game will be critical. Kacaniku has relatively good stats this season: 14.0ppg, 5.9rpg, 1.4apg, 2FGP: 41.0%, 3FGP: 38.9% and FT: 69.6%. He has a dual citizenship: Kosovan and Turkish. Despite Kacaniku played previously for the Turkish national team, he is currently a member of the Kosovan senior national team.

Kenan Sipahi

#2. Second place goes to former international point guard Kenan Sipahi (192-95). Sipahi contributed to Tofas' victory against the league outsider Bandirma Kirmizi (3-24) 77-63 in the Turkish TBL on Wednesday night. He scored 8 points in only 14 minutes. Tofas Bursa (13-14) is placed eighth in the TBL. There are only three games left until the end of the Regular Season. So now every game is very crucial. This year Sipahi averages: 4.0ppg, 1.5rpg, 2.4apg, 2FGP: 54.3%, 3FGP: 32.5% and FT: 62.2% in the 25 games he played so far. He is another player who holds two passports: Kosovan and Turkish. Despite Sipahi played previously for the Turkish U18 national team, he played also for the Kosovan national team in 2006.

Dragan Pusic

#3. The Kosovan player who performed third best last week abroad was an international guard Dragan Pusic (193-84), who plays in the Slovenian D2 (second division). Pusic was not able to help Sencur CP (19-6) in their last game on Saturday. Despite his very good performance Sencur CP was defeated 82-77 on the road by the lower-ranked Medvode (#9). Pusic was the second best scorer with 20 points. His team will play only one more game in the Regular Season. And now that game is quite important. Pusic is currently first on the list of most steals. He has individually a very good season with high stats. Pusic averages: 16.2ppg, 2.6rpg, 2.4apg, 2.0spg, 2FGP: 53.3%, 3FGP: 39.1% and FT: 79.3%. Despite he played previously for the Turkish national team, Pusic is currently a member of the Kosovan senior national team.

Erjon Kastrati

#4. Swingman Erjon Kastrati (197-94) was not able to secure a victory for LTHcast Mercator (4-21) in their game against Rogaska (13-12) in the Slovenian Telemach League. He scored 7 points in 24 minutes. The fifth-placed LTHcast Mercator was crushed 81-59 in Rogaska Slatina by the higher-ranked (#3) Rogaska in the Play-out group. There are only three games left until the end of the Second Stage. This year Kastrati's overall stats are: 5.0ppg and 2.0rpg in the 14 games. He has both Kosovan and Albanian nationalities. Despite Kastrati played previously for the Albanian national team, he is currently in the Kosovan national team roster.

One more player who has never been selected to any of national teams, but has Kosovan passport:

#1. Dardan Berisha (192-G-88, agency: INVICTUS Sports Group) led Anwil to a victory over the fifth-ranked Energa Czarni (2-7) 71-55 in the Polish PLK in Wednesday night's game. He was MVP of the game. Berisha scored 25 points and grabbed 5 rebounds in 25 minutes. Anwil Wloclawek (4-5) is placed fourth in Group A. His team will play only one more game in the Second Stage. And that game will be critical. Berisha has relatively good stats this year: 12.1ppg, 3.0rpg and 2.1apg in the 29 games he played so far. He has a dual citizenship: Kosovan and Polish. Despite Berisha's Kosovan passport, he currently plays for the Polish national team and is not eligible to play for the Kosovan team.

Other top Kosovan players, who play abroad:

Gazmend Sinani (203-F-91) plays for Malbas in Swedish Basketettan
Korab Ferizi (201-F/C-85) plays for Malbas in Swedish Basketettan
Rasim Beqiri (203-F/C-85) plays for Kristiansand in Norwegian 1Div.
Elio Sadiku (187-PG-91) plays for Saint Chamond in French NM2

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LATVIA

Stats Leaders

Points Per Game

Ernests KALVE
  Valmiera
  (200-F-87)
  Avg: 18.8

1. Kalve, Valmiera	18.8
2. Peiners, LU	18.5
3. Mayo, Liepaja	18.3
4. Ozols, Jurmala	16.4
5. Lucas, Valmiera	16.3
6. Krumins, Jelgava	16.1
7. Mediss, Turiba	15.5
8. Young, Ventspils	14.3
9. Kravcenko, Liepaja	13.9
10. Timma, Liepaja	13.3

Rebounds Per Game

Ervins JONATS
  Jurmala
  (199-F-91)
  Avg: 9.3

1. Jonats, Jurmala	9.3
2. Willard, Ventspils	8.4
3. Rozitis, Valmiera	8.3
4. Dargais, LU	7.9
5. Berzins, VEF Riga	7.6
6. Mednis, Turiba	6.7
7. Kalve, Valmiera	6.3
8. Timma, Liepaja	6.1
9. Nelson, Jelgava	6.0
10. Butjankovs, Valmi.	6.0

Assists Per Game

Josh MAYO
  Liepaja
  (182-G-87)
  Avg: 5

1. Mayo, Liepaja	5.0
2. Lucas, Valmiera	4.4
3. Kravcenko, Liepaja	4.0
4. Coders, Jurmala	3.6
5. Lejasmeiers, Vents.	3.5
6. Krumins, Jelgava	3.3
7. Gray, Ventspils	3.0
8. Peiners, LU	3.0
9. Silavs, Jelgava	2.9
10. Antrops, Turiba	2.4

Steals Per Game

Kristaps KANBERGS
  Jelgava
  (190-G-88)
  Avg: 1.9

1. Kanbergs, Jelgava	1.9
2. Peiners, LU	1.9
3. Timma, Liepaja	1.7
4. Osins, LU	1.7
5. Mayo, Liepaja	1.7
6. Gray, Ventspils	1.6
7. Kosuskins, Jurmala	1.4
8. Young, Ventspils	1.4
9. Piternieks, Turiba	1.4
10. Ozols, Jurmala	1.4

Blocks Per Game

Jekabs ROZITIS
  Valmiera
  (206-F/C-86)
  Avg: 1.6

1. Rozitis, Valmiera	1.6
2. Berzins, VEF Riga	1.2
3. Leiteris, Liepaja	1.0
4. Ozols, Jurmala	0.9
5. Jonats, Jurmala	0.8
6. Plivda, LU	0.7
7. Meiers, Ventspils	0.6
8. Duselis, Jelgava	0.6
9. Peiners, LU	0.5
10. Krastins, U18	0.5

Kaspars Cipruss' double-double lands him Player of the Week award among Latvians playing currently abroad - by Eurobasket Center

Here is the weekly review of the top performing Latvian players, who play currently abroad.

Kaspars Cipruss

#1. This week's number one is former international center Kaspars Cipruss (210-82, agency: Interperformances). He was the major contributor in a BC Rakvere's victory against the sixth-ranked Tln Kalev (12-16) 94-76 in the Estonian KML in Friday night's game. Cipruss had a double-double by scoring 20 points and getting 14 rebounds in 33 minutes on the court. BC Rakvere Tarvas (19-9) is placed second in the KML. It was his team's fourth consecutive victory in a row. Cipruss is currently fifth on the league's list of top scorers and also on the list of best rebounders (first place). He has individually a very good year with high stats. Cipruss averages: 16.5ppg, 10.3rpg, 2FGP: 65.9%(170-258), 3FGP: 25.0% and FT: 70.6% in the 28 games he played so far. He played for the Latvian senior national team four years ago.

Rinalds Sirsnins

#2. Second place goes to former international point guard Rinalds Sirsnins (186-85) is a teammate of previously mentioned Kaspars Cipruss and both played together in the last Estonian KML game. Sirsnins led BC Rakvere to a victory over the sixth-ranked Tln Kalev (12-16) 94-76. He was MVP of the game. Sirsnins recorded 20 points and added 9 assists. Sirsnins has relatively good stats this season: 11.9ppg, 2.8rpg, 3.7apg, 1.6spg, 2FGP: 31.8%, 3FGP: 44.4% and FT: 80.8%. He played for the Latvian national team in 2010.

Janis Strelnieks

#3. The Latvian player who performed third best last week abroad was an international guard Janis Strelnieks (191-89). Strelnieks contributed to an easy victory against the closely-ranked Krasnie Krilya (7-9) crushing them 86-63 in the Russian PBL on Thursday night. He recorded 11 points, 3 assists and 3 steals in 24 minutes. Spartak St.Petersburg (8-9) is placed fifth in the PBL. There are only two games left until the end of the Regular Season. So now every game will be critical. This year Strelnieks averages only 4.7ppg, 2FGP: 58.8%(10-17), 3FGP: 38.1% and FT: 85.7% in the 12 games. He is also a member of the Latvian senior national team.

Armands Skele

#4. Guard Armands Skele (192-83), who plays in the Estonian KML could not help Kalev/Cramo (23-5) in their last game on Wednesday. Despite Skele's good performance Kalev/Cramo was edged 76-74 at home by the leading Tartu Ulikool. He was the top scorer with 14 points. Skele also added 7 rebounds and dished 6 assists. The Regular Season already ended. Skele's overall stats this season are: 8.1ppg, 3.6rpg, 2.8apg and 1.9spg. He used to play for the Latvian national team back in 2009.

Juris Umbrasko

#5. An experienced former international swingman Juris Umbrasko (197-79) is a teammate of previously mentioned Kaspars Cipruss. He played also in the last Estonian KML game facing Rinalds Sirsnins (above) in the other team. Umbrasko contributed to an easy victory against the sixth-ranked Tln Kalev (12-16) 94-76. He recorded 17 points, 4 rebounds and 3 assists in 32 minutes. This year Umbrasko has relatively solid stats: 10.8ppg, 4.0rpg, 1.9apg and 1.3spg in the 24 games. He used to play for the Latvian national team four years ago.

Davis Bertans

#6. Forward Davis Bertans (208-92) contributed to Partizan's victory against the leader Zvezda (4-2) 76-69 in a derby game in the Serbian A League on Sunday night. Bertans scored 8 points. It was the game of the round between two top 3 ranked teams in group SuperLiga. BC Partizan MT:S Beograd (4-2) is placed third. Bertans' overall stats this season are: 4.2ppg and 1.5rpg. He is an international player who is currently on the senior Latvian National Team roster.

Andris Biedrins

#7. Former international center Andris Biedrins (213-86) managed to help Golden State Warriors in a victory against the Denver Nuggets (32-25) 112-97 in the NBA in Saturday night's game. Biedrins scored only 4 points, grabbed 6 rebounds and made 2 blocks in 18 minutes. The Golden State Warriors have 21-35 record this season. It's Biedrins' eighth year with the team. This year his overall stats are: 1.7ppg and 3.8rpg in the 45 games. Biedrins used to play for the Latvian national team three years ago.

Edgard Jeromanovs

#8. Point guard Edgard Jeromanovs (186-86) contributed to a Norrkoping Dolphins' victory against the closely-ranked Boras Basket (21-15) 84-70 in the Swedish Basketligan last Tuesday. He scored 10 points, had 6 rebounds and dished 6 assists. It was the game of the round between two top 4 ranked teams. Norrkoping Dolphins (2-4) is placed second in the Basketligan. Jeromanovs' total stats this season are: 10.0ppg, 3.0rpg, 3.8apg and 1.5spg. He plays currently for the Latvian national team.

Rolands Freimanis

#9. International power forward Rolands Freimanis (207-88) helped Girona FC win their game against the league outsider Clinicas Rincon (5-26) 75-59 in the Spanish LEB Gold (second division) on Sunday night. Freimanis recorded 14 points and grabbed 9 rebounds in 29 minutes. Sant Josep Girona (18-8) is placed fourth in the LEB Gold. There are only three games left until the end of the Regular Season. So now every game is very crucial. Freimanis has reliable stats this year: 12.6ppg and 5.7rpg in the 31 games. He is also in the roster of the Latvian national team.

Kaspars Kambala

   #10. Center Kaspars Kambala (206-78, agency: Alti Sport, college: UNLV) was not able to help one of league's weakest teams Turk Telekom (11-16) in their game against Hacettepe University (11-16) in the Turkish TBL. Kambala scored 8 points. Turk Telekom was edged 80-78 in a derby game by the higher-ranked Hacettepe University (#10). It was Turk Telekom's third consecutive loss in a row. There are only three games left until the end of the Regular Season. So now every game will be important. Kambala averaged so far 10.6ppg and 4.7rpg. He is a former international player as three years ago he still played for the Latvian senior national team.

   #11. Former international center Raitis Grafs (208-81, college: Valparaiso) helped Siauliai win their game against the eighth-ranked Kedainiai 92-80 in the Lithuanian LKL last Tuesday. Grafs recorded 6 points in only 11 minutes. This year Grafs' total stats are: 9.7ppg and 4.7rpg in the three games. He used to play for the Latvian national team two years ago.

   #12. International guard Janis Blums (190-82) helped Gescrap BB win their game against the 15th-ranked Blusens Monbus 79-71 in the Spanish ACB on Sunday night. Blums recorded only 3 points. Blums has averaged so far 6.1ppg and 1.4rpg. He is also in the roster of the Latvian national team.

   #13. International swingman Gary Gandel (203-80), who plays in the Israeli National League (second division) was not able to secure a victory for Hod Hasharon (13-13) in their last game. Despite Gandel's very good performance Hod Hasharon lost 96-101 on the road to the lower-ranked (#11) Ironi Kiryat Ata. He was the top scorer with 20 points. Gandel also added 9 rebounds in 34 minutes. Gandel has very impressive stats this year: 16.8ppg, 7.8rpg, 3.0apg and 1.7spg in the 25 games. Despite he played previously for the Israeli national team, Gandel is currently in the Latvian national team roster.

   #14. Former international guard Kristaps Valters (190-81) couldn't help Unicaja Malaga in their game against Assignia Manresa in the Spanish ACB. He recorded only 4 points. His team was defeated 96-81. Valters has averaged so far 9.9ppg, 1.7rpg and 2.6apg. He used to play for the Latvian national team back in 2009.

   #15. Former U20 international forward Maris Gulbis (202-85, agency: Players Group) helped Vitoria SC win their game against one of league's weakest teams Terceira Basket crushing them 95-72 in the Portuguese LPB on Saturday night. Gulbis recorded 20 points and grabbed 6 rebounds in 25 minutes. Gulbis' stats this year are: 13.0ppg and 5.3rpg in the 22 games. Despite he played previously for the Israeli national team, Gulbis is currently in the Latvian U20 national team roster.

LU and Liepaja won Quarter-Finals openers - by Eurobasket News

Valmiera - LU 76-87 (0-1)

The guests trailed by 4 points at the halftime before their 44-29 charge in the second half, which allowed them to win the game. Latvijas Universitate made 26-of-34 free shots (76.5 percent) during the game. 30 personal fouls committed by Valmiera helped opponents get some easy free throw opportunities. Worth to mention a great performance of guard Zanis Peiners (203-90, agency: Interperformances) who helped to win the game recording 29 points and 6 rebounds. point guard Marcis Vitols (190-92) contributed with 18 points for the winners. The former international swingman Ingus Bankevics (195-85, agency: Players Group) answered with 25 points and 6 rebounds and power forward Artjoms Butjankovs (205-91, agency: FCM) added 10 points and 7 rebounds in the effort for Valmiera. Four Valmiera players scored in double figures.
Top scorers:
LU: Z.Peiners 29+6reb+2ast, M.Vitols 18+4reb+3ast, I.Aizpurs 13+7reb, H.Rubenis 8+5reb+1ast, A.Osins 8+6reb+5ast, Z.Plivda 6+6reb+2ast
Valmiera: I.Bankevics 25+6reb+2ast, J.Porzingis 12+5reb, M.Ziedins 11+7reb, A.Butjankovs 10+7reb+2ast, J.Lucas 5+4ast, V.Iljins 4+7reb+1ast

Liepaja - Jelgava 78-66 (1-0)

Jelgava was tied after three quarters but could not keep up in the last quarter eventually losing the game. Worth to mention a great performance of American guard Josh Mayo (182-87, college: Ill.-Chicago, agency: Ryzhov Stanislav) who helped to win the game recording 32 points and 5 assists (made all of his ten free throws !!!). Swingman Janis Timma (201-92, agency: FCM) contributed with 20 points and 8 rebounds for the winners. American forward Kyle Nelson (203-89, college: Augustana, IL, agency: N.E.T.) answered with a double-double by scoring 26 points and 10 rebounds and guard Kalvis Krumins (183-90) added 9 points and 7 assists in the effort for Jelgava. Jelgava's coach rotated ten players in this game, but that didn't help.
Top scorers:
Liepaja: J.Mayo 32+3reb+5ast, J.Timma 20+8reb+2ast, M.Kravcenko 7+3reb+3ast, A.Helmanis 6+5reb+1ast, K.Miglinieks 6+1reb, A.Bricis 5+5reb+1ast
Jelgava: K.Nelson 26+10reb+1ast, K.Krumins 9+4reb+7ast, L.Mizis 9+8reb+2ast, K.Kanbergs 7+8reb+1ast, E.Krumins 5+5reb+2ast, I.Grasmanis 5+3reb

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LEBANON

Standings - Division A

Div.A Standings

1. Champville		26-2
2. Al Riyadi		24-3
3. Anibal		17-10
4. Sagesse		14-14
5. Moutahed		12-16
6. Byblos		10-18
7. Bejjeh		8-18
8. Hoops		6-22

Second Stage: Round 13

Apr. 11: Byblos - Champville 80-93
Apr. 11: Hoops - Moutahed 77-94

Stats Leaders - Men

Points Per Game

Desmond PENIGAR
  Byblos
  (201-F-81)
  Avg: 28.5

1. Penigar, Byblos	28.5
2. Khatib, Champville	27.3
3. Spencer, Al Riyadi	25.4
4. Gray, Byblos	24.4
5. Youngblood, Anibal	22.3
6. Johnson, Sagesse	22.1
7. Johnson, Moutahed	20.6
8. Hoskin, Champville	19.6
9. Souaid, Bejjeh	18.9
10. Khoury, Sagesse	18.1

Rebounds Per Game

Desmond PENIGAR
  Byblos
  (201-F-81)
  Avg: 12.1

1. Penigar, Byblos	12.1
2. Crump, Sagesse	11.4
3. Ismail, Al Riyadi	11.4
4. Thompson, Champvil.	11.1
5. Hoskin, Champville	10.0
6. Trim, Moutahed	9.2
7. Hamdar, Hoops	8.8
8. Bawji, Moutahed	8.1
9. Bou Abboud, Bejjeh	7.6
10. Johnson, Sagesse	7.5

Assists Per Game

Ali MAHMOUD
  Al Riyadi
  (185-G-83)
  Avg: 6.5

1. Mahmoud, Al Riyadi	6.5
2. Akl, Anibal	6.3
3. Gray, Byblos	5.6
4. Johnson, Moutahed	5.6
5. Ismail, Al Riyadi	5.5
6. Khatib, Champville	5.3
7. Johnson, Sagesse	4.7
8. Spencer, Al Riyadi	4.4
9. Barada, Byblos	4.3
10. Youngblood, Anibal	3.8

Steals Per Game

Jasmon YOUNGBLOOD
  Anibal
  (195-G-84)
  Avg: 3

1. Youngblood, Anibal	3.0
2. Johnson, Moutahed	2.7
3. Mahmoud, Al Riyadi	2.5
4. Estephane, Champvi.	2.3
5. Spencer, Al Riyadi	2.1
6. Johnson, Sagesse	1.7
7. Akl, Anibal	1.7
8. Souaid, Bejjeh	1.6
9. Ismail, Al Riyadi	1.6
10. Thompson, Champvi.	1.6

Blocks Per Game

Ahmad ISMAIL
  Al Riyadi
  (205-F-76)
  Avg: 1.9

1. Ismail, Al Riyadi	1.9
2. Vogel, Al Riyadi	1.6
3. Hamdar, Hoops	1.6
4. Crump, Sagesse	1.5
5. Thompson, Champvil.	1.5
6. Sabra, Byblos	1.4
7. Youngblood, Anibal	1.3
8. Tabet, Anibal	1.1
9. Hoskin, Champville	1.1
10. Bou Abboud, Bejj.	1.0

Brian Beshara, a smooth transition to coaching - by Eurobasket News

Brian Beshara-Feghali (204-F-77, agency: Pro Management Agency, college: LSU), a name that hasn't been on the Lebanese basketball table for quite some time since he was pushed out of Sagesse in very strange conditions in 2010 while playing for free. Since then the former National Team Player (34 years), who scored 26 points in the 2004 Final win of Sagesse in the Asian Clubs Championships, has started a major shift in his career, preparing in the NCAA for a coaching future, while keeping in the possibilities a return to play in the Lebanese League in the right conditions.

Q- Hello Brian, its been well over a year and a half since you left Lebanon. What have you been doing?

A- Well I was offered an assistant coaching position at the University of New Orleans last year and I have always been interested in coaching so I decided to get my coaching career started. Our Head Coach moved to the University of Arizona, which is one of the very best colleges in the NCAA and I got a chance to move up a level also and go to Tulane University as their director of Player Development and Video. We just finished our first season last month and are busy as the host school for the Final Four which is going on this weekend in New Orleans as Im sure you know...so all in all it's been a fun great experience the last couple of seasons.

Q- What did you benefit from the College coaching experience?

A- The experience has been unbelievable...from reconnecting with all of my friend and contact in the NCAA and NBA basketball over here to the actual day to day experience of learning from some of the very best in the business. My head coach last year worked under Bob Knight at Indiana who is a Hall of Fame coach and coaching legend here in America and this year was another great experience watching and learning from our coach who had been an assistant at North Carolina St and Tennessee previously. It's really allowed me to evolve from the player I always was to start becoming the coach I think I am meant to be. Technically speaking, I have been consumed with the strategic side of the game and spent 1000's of hours watching and dissecting other teams and players so I just have an even deeper comfort level with the game to compliment my experiences and feel for the game I had as a player.

Q- Have you been practicing or playing any kind of basketball?

A- I have played in friendly leagues and pickup games just for fun and to stay in shape but coaching has been my priority and coaching here really dominates your time if you want to do it well. I still beat our players in shooting games and short games of 1 on 1 though from time to time just to not let them get too satisfied with themselves haha...

Q- Are you still following the Lebanese basketball news and teams?

A- I am actually...my experience playing in Lebanon was a real blessing and I will always follow how things go over there. It looks like things have not changed too much at the top of the league with Riyadi and Champville still apart from the rest but it's nice to see the some new teams show some ambition and positive results this year...it would be great to see Sagesse and Moutahed get back to where they have been in the past and where I was fortunate to be a part of some very good teams.

Q- How do you think can Lebanese basketball improve in the short term

A- In the short term I would just say to focus on the best interests of the game and only the game. No individual or group or team is more important than the game and I think some short sightedness and maybe greed has caused basketball to fall from where it was during the late 90's and early 2000's. We need to have an abundance mentality rather than a scarcity or zero-sum mentality...there is enough success to go around for everyone and the better and more marketable basketball becomes in general the better it will be for everyone.

I think it's a shame to be honest to see what happened with the national team for instance. As everyone knows, we almost beat China in my last time playing for Lebanon and I had not injured my knee severely in the beginning of the tournament we would have had a great great chance to win the whole tournament. We really had some high level talent playing together and the entire core of the team Jackson, Matt, Jean, Fadi, Ali, myself and others were all still capable of playing at a high level along with some nice young developing talent to draw from. We were on the verge of becoming dominant in Asian basketball if we had stayed the course and put the game of basketball before any other issue. Now nobody is afraid of Lebanese Basketball unfortunately

On the bright side I do see some positive things happening with the local league so I hope this can continue while we suffer through a difficult time on the National Team side. Basketball in Lebanon has an incredible potential and I hope it realizes this potential locally and on the world level.

Q- Any chances of seeing you again as a Player in Lebanon?

A- I would never say never...ive only just turned 34 and my body has been able to stay fresh from not playing 60-80 games a year for the past few years. But that said, my last year there was difficult after passing up a big contract to try and help Sagesse through the issues they were and still seem to be going through so it would just have to feel like a really good situation with a management that had the resources, ambition, and professional mentality to be champions. I dont feel like I have anything left to prove as a player but the challenge of helping to build a champion is definitely the next focus of my career wherever I am...as a player or a coach.

Q- What are you future plans for this coming season?

A- Right now, I really enjoy my situation at Tulane but this is the time of year a lot of movement happens in college basketball...pretty much every coach in the country is in New Orleans for the final four so I am looking forward to touching base with all of my friends in the business and seeing what everyone is up to and if any other interesting opportunities open up here at Tulane or maybe somewhere else.

Q- Any wish list you might have for yourself basketball wise?

A- Well I am looking forward to being a head coach one day as soon as possible...the last two years have given me confidence that I am ready to take this challenge. Im also definitely looking forward to coming back to Lebanon soon for vacation or professionally...either one is fine with me as long as I get to visit soon!

Respect!! - by Aaron Mitchell

Hello Basketball fans out there. This is Coach A coming to you from Austria. The number 1 subject of basketball as of late is the NBA. Playoffs are near and it promises to be exciting. I am excited to see the love of the game back at a 100% because of the lock out situation. Lebanon had some disturbing news in the form of a player scoring 100 plus points in a game. The media laughs at this and labels the league as weak and non talented. I can tell the world from first hand experience this is not the case. I coached in this league for the past 2 years and each year it has gotten stronger and competitive. This one game should not label the rest of the league. The problems of this league are not the players , for there are some super talented Americans and locals in the league. My only hope is the media will give the league Respect again!! Coach A

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

LEGAL CORNER

Powers of Attorney: A Cautionary Tale - by John Kern

Powers of Attorney: A Cautionary Tale

Today I want to relate an unfortunate and cautionary tale that grew out of a professional basketball player's claim for the recovery of $2.74 million in unpaid salaries that was reported by the FIBA Basketball Arbitral Tribunal in 2011. This decision carries a series of warnings to players who have their contracts wrongly cut by clubs and suggestions about guiding their actions in relation to Power of Attorney.

Lawrence Roberts is a former NCAA First Team All American and NBA player with the Memphis Grizzlies. After two years in the NBA, he signed a two year contract for the 2007-08 and 2008-09 seasons with Olympiakos in Athens. Roberts was to receive $1.5 million for the first year and $1.75 million for the second season with the Greek club.

It appears that Roberts was paid $550,000 by Olympiakos during the preseason and then, according to the BAT arbitrator, 'on about the 3rd of October 2007, the [club] decided that [Roberts] was not to continue as part of its team.' The reasons for this decision are not provided in the arbitration award, but on October 4, 2007, Euroleague.net reported that, 'Roberts failed to meet the expectations of head coach Pini Gershon, who decided to cut him and search for another player.'

Within a couple of days, a Greek agent that Roberts had included in the initial negotiations with the Club, Konstantinos Papadakis, showed up at Roberts' door and here came the player's first mistake. Roberts executed a blanket 'Power of Attorney' authorizing Papadakis to exercise all of the player's rights in seeking a settlement of his outstanding claims against the club. Now recall that as of this time, Roberts had not been paid $2.74 million of his $3.25 million contract. Consider also that Roberts had no back up contract with another team and in fact, Roberts remained out of basketball for the remainder of the 2007-08 season.

Incredibly, within 72 hours of receiving the 'Power of Attorney,' the Greek agent exercised the player's rights to negotiate a resolution on his $2.74 million claim against Olympiakos and reached, on Roberts behalf, a 'Termination Agreement' with Olympiakos providing Roberts with a settlement. Unfortunately for Roberts, the settlement amounted to nothing. Zero. Niente. So in exchange for Roberts $2.74 million in contract rights, Papadakis and Olympiakos agreed that the player would not receive a single dollar.

Moreover, not only were Roberts' rights against the club zeroed out by this 'Termination Agreement,' the arbitrator found that there was no fiduciary duty running from the agent to the player pursuant to the Olympiakos contract. This was Roberts' second mistake. Roberts did not have prepared (or at least he did not submit) any other agreement as between himself and Papadakis establishing a duty on the agent to protect his rights, or any parameters for the eventual settlement of the Olympiakos claim, so he was unable to establish or even allege any contractual basis to recover against the agent and his claims against the agent were dismissed.

The third world of caution comes out of a legal doctrine known in Europe as venire contra factum proprium - a general principal providing that one's conduct or statements of intent concerning existing contractual rights can lead to a prohibition on the invocation of such rights. In the US and the UK, we know this as the doctrine of 'estoppel.' In the Roberts case, the application of this doctrine took two forms both his conduct and his statements and led to the dismissal of the Player's claim against Olympiakos.

First, the arbitrator noted the player's failure to undertake the prompt prosecution of the claim. The player waited nearly three years before bringing his case before the BAT, attributing the period of the delay to the need to formulate claims, gather evidence, locate witnesses, etc. His attorneys argued that the statute of limitations in Switzerland 10 years should be the BATs sole guide on the timeliness of the claim; nonetheless, the arbitrator disagreed, noting that there was no record of any written demands placed by Roberts on Olympiakos between the creation of the October 2007 Termination Agreement and the August 2010 BAT arbitration. Even though the arbitrator suggested it would have been reasonable for the player to wait until after the end of the 2008-09 season (when his duty to mitigate contract damages by securing other employment would have expired) the delay of an additional 14 months before the case was eventually filed was too much for the arbitrator.

Second, the arbitrator found that the player had given an interview to a Greek reporter in January 2010. In the interview Roberts suggested that he was satisfied with the outcome of his contract with Olympiakos, by commenting on his season cut short by Olympiakos, besides I received a big part of the fees that were agreed for the first year. Indeed, the arbitrator held, it seems inconceivable that [Roberts] would have made such conciliatory remarks about [Olympiakos] in January 2010 were arbitration proceedings in preparation. This combination of the delay and this publicized remark was fatal to the players claim which was dismissed in its entirety.

So, players draw these lessons from Roberts v. KAE Olympiakos SPF & Papadakis (121/10 BAT):

* If forced to negotiate a settlement of your contract claims, dont hand over your rights through a 'Power of Attorney' to an agent without defining what are the limits on that agents negotiating authority.

* Always prepare a clear, written understanding of the parameters (the minimum limits) for the agents exercise of those rights that establishes the agent's duty to you as the player.

* Don't delay in assembling the facts, witnesses (including witness statements) and theories in a contract claim and don't neglect sending the Club demands for their performance, even if you don't have all of the evidence about the case that you expect to gather from your witnesses.

* Don't talk to reporters about your contract rights.

I trust that the unfortunate experience of Mr. Roberts won't be visited upon other players in the future and that this article will help others avoid a similar fate.

_________________________________________

The Eurobasket Legal Corner is written and produced by John B. Kern, an American lawyer with offices in the United States and San Marino, who focuses on international sports rights and arbitrations. The legal principles discussed are general in nature. Laws change and even similar circumstances may call for the application of different laws.

If you have a question for a future edition of The Eurobasket Legal Corner, please write to Mr. Kern at kern@jbkinternational.com.

2012 JBK Intl Cons. LLC. All rights reserved. 120401

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

LITHUANIA

Ksistof Lavrinovic selected the top Lithuanian playing abroad in last week's games - by Eurobasket Center

Here is the weekly review of the top performing Lithuanian players, who play currently abroad.

Ksistof Lavrinovic

#1. This week's number one is an experienced international center Ksistof Lavrinovic (210-79), who plays in the Italian SerieA. He could not help Montepaschi Siena (18-7) in their last game. Despite Lavrinovic's very good performance the league leader Montepaschi Siena was edged in an overtime 95-94 on the road by the second-ranked Bennet Cantu. He was the top scorer with 21 points. Lavrinovic also added 5 rebounds in 23 minutes on the court. It was Montepaschi Siena's first loss after three consecutive victories. It's Lavrinovic's fifth season with the team. This year he averages: 9.1ppg, 4.8rpg, 2FGP: 51.9%, 3FGP: 31.8% and FT: 84.2% in the 10 games he played so far. Lavrinovic is currently a member of the Lithuanian senior national team.

Donatas Motiejunas

#2. Second place goes to an international power forward Donatas Motiejunas (213-90, agency: Interperformances). He led Asseco Prokom to a 3-point victory over the fifth-ranked Energa Czarni (2-7) 76-73 in the Polish PLK last Saturday. Motiejunas was MVP of the game. He scored 21 points and grabbed 5 rebounds. Asseco Prokom Gdynia (7-2) is placed first in Group A. It was his team's third consecutive victory in a row. They will play only one more game in the Second Stage. And that game will be critical. It's Motiejunas' first season with the team. Motiejunas has individually a very good year with high stats. He averages: 16.6ppg, 6.2rpg, 1.3spg, 2FGP: 49.4%, 3FGP: 33.3% and FT: 72.5%. Motiejunas is in the roster of the Lithuanian senior national team.

Sarunas Jasikevicius

#3. The Lithuanian player who performed third best last week abroad was an international guard Sarunas Jasikevicius (192-76, college: Maryland). He was the major contributor in Panathinaikos' victory against the closely-ranked Maccabi T-A (3-3) 86-85 in the Euroleague on Thursday night. Jasikevicius scored 13 points and added 3 assists in a mere 17 minutes. It was the game of the round between two top 2 ranked teams in group G. Panathinaikos Athens (4-2) is placed first. This year Jasikevicius' overall stats are: 6.6ppg, 1.2rpg, 2.5apg, 2FGP: 57.7%(41-71), 3FGP: 36.4% and FT: 87.5% in the 20 games. He is also a member of the Lithuanian senior national team.

Linas Kleiza

#4. Forward Linas Kleiza (203-85, college: Missouri), who plays in the NBA was not able to help the Toronto Raptors (20-39) in their last game on Monday. Despite Kleiza's very good performance the Toronto Raptors were defeated 103-98 in Indianapolis by the Indiana Pacers. He was the top scorer with 18 points (made all of his ten free throws !!!). Kleiza has relatively good stats this season: 9.4ppg and 3.8rpg. He used to play for the Lithuanian national team back in 2010.

Tautvydas Lydeka

#5. Former international power forward Tautvydas Lydeka (208-83) led Scavolini Pesaro to an easy victory against the 15th-ranked Vanoli-Braga (10-17) crushing them 86-64 in the Italian SerieA last Monday. Lydeka recorded 20 points and grabbed 9 rebounds in 32 minutes. Scavolini Siviglia Pesaro (16-10) is placed sixth in the SerieA. This year Lydeka's total stats are: 8.0ppg and 5.0rpg in the 26 games. He used to play for the Lithuanian national team six years ago.

Benas Veikalas

#6. Guard Benas Veikalas (192-83, college: Metro St.), who plays in the German BBL was not able to secure a victory for Telekom Baskets (15-15) in their last game on Wednesday. Despite Veikalas' very good performance Telekom Baskets was edged 82-80 at home by the lower-ranked Walter Tigers (#12). He was the top scorer with 23 points. Veikalas also added 5 assists. There are only three games left until the end of the Regular Season. So now every game is very crucial. This season Veikalas has relatively solid stats: 13.3ppg, 3.5rpg and 1.9apg. He is a former international player as he played for the Lithuanian senior team six years ago.

Justinas Sinica

#7. Former University international forward Justinas Sinica (203-85) led Minsk-2006 to a victory over the fourth-ranked Minsk-2006 II (9-17) crushing them 120-83 in a derby game in the Belarusian Premier League in Friday night's game. Sinica was the best player in that game. He recorded 22 points and grabbed 8 rebounds in 25 minutes. BK Minsk-2006 (25-1) is placed first in Championship group. There are only four games left until the end of the Second Stage. So now every game will be important. Sinica has reliable stats this year: 10.7ppg, 3.9rpg and 1.7apg in the 12 games. He used to play for the Lithuanian university national team five years ago.

Ronaldas Rutkauskas

#8. Forward Ronaldas Rutkauskas (203-92) is a teammate of previously mentioned Justinas Sinica and both played together in the last Belarusian Premier League game. Rutkauskas contributed to an easy victory against the fourth-ranked Minsk-2006 II (9-17) crushing them 120-83 in a derby game. He recorded 21 points. Rutkauskas is currently first on the list of top scorers and also on the list of best rebounders (second place). He has very reliable stats this season: 10.7ppg, 3.9rpg and 1.7apg. Rutkauskas used to play for the Lithuanian U18 national team back in 2010.

Petras Balocka

#9. Former international center Petras Balocka (205-86, college: Hawaii) contributed to a Norrkoping Dolphins' victory against the closely-ranked Boras Basket (21-15) 84-70 in the Swedish Basketligan on Tuesday night. He scored 18 points and grabbed 9 rebounds in 26 minutes; quite an impressive performance considering it's only Balocka's second season in pro basketball. It was the game of the round between two top 4 ranked teams. Norrkoping Dolphins (2-4) is placed second in the Basketligan. Balocka has averaged so far 9.0ppg and 4.9rpg in the 42 games. He used to play for the Lithuanian national team two years ago.

Simas Jasaitis

   #10. Small forward Simas Jasaitis (201-82), who plays in the Turkish TBL couldn't help Turk Telekom (11-16) in their last game on Friday. Despite Jasaitis' good performance Turk Telekom was defeated 82-74 on their home court in Ankara by the leading Galatasaray. He scored 13 points and grabbed 6 rebounds. There are only three games left until the end of the Regular Season. So now every game will be extremely important. Jasaitis has averaged so far 9.1ppg, 4.4rpg and 1.1apg. He is an international player who is currently on the senior Lithuanian National Team roster.

   #11. International guard Martynas Pocius (196-86, also represented by Interperformances, college: Duke) couldn't help Real Madrid in their game against Caja Laboral in the Spanish ACB. Pocius recorded 6 points in 16 minutes. His team was edged 67-66. Pocius has averaged so far 6.1ppg and 1.8rpg in the 25 games. He plays currently for the Lithuanian national team.

   #12. Former U20 international guard Mantas Cesnauskis (189-81) faced previously mentioned Donatas Motiejunas in the Polish PLK last game. Cesnauskis, who plays in the Polish PLK couldn't help Energa Czarni (2-7) in their last game on Saturday. Despite his good performance the fifth-placed Energa Czarni was edged 76-73 on their home court in Slupsk by the leading Asseco Prokom in the Group A. Cesnauskis scored 13 points and added 4 passes (was perfect 6-for-6 from the free throw line). Cesnauskis has averaged so far 9.8ppg, 2.2rpg, 2.2apg and 1.2spg. Despite he played previously for the Polish national team, Cesnauskis is currently in the Lithuanian U20 national team roster.

   #13. Former international forward Mantas Griskenas (200-85, college: Wichita St.) couldn't help Sodertalje Kings in their game against LF Basket in the Swedish Basketligan, despite his very good performance in Friday night's game. He was the top scorer with 20 points. Griskenas also added 4 rebounds in 31 minutes. But his team lost 79-91. Griskenas' stats this year are: 12.4ppg, 5.4rpg and 1.1apg in the 41 games. Despite he played previously for the Polish national team, Griskenas is currently in the Lithuanian national team roster.

   #14. Former U22 international power forward Arnas Kazlauskas (204-76, agency: Court Side) couldn't help one of league's weakest teams Worcester Wolves in their game against Newcastle Eagles in the British BBL. Despite his very good performance last Friday He scored 16 points, grabbed 4 rebounds and dished 3 assists. Kazlauskas' stats this season are: 10.7ppg, 4.5rpg and 2.4apg. Despite he played previously for the Polish national team, Kazlauskas is currently in the Lithuanian U22 national team roster.

   #15. International guard Martynas Gecevicius (193-88) managed to help Olympiakos S.F.P. Pireus in a victory against the sixth-ranked Kavala crushing them 85-60 in the Greek A1 on Thursday night. He recorded 5 points in 15 minutes. Gecevicius has averaged so far 8.3ppg, 1.3rpg and 1.1apg in the 21 games. He is also in the roster of the Lithuanian national team.

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

MEXICO

Standings - CIBACOPA

CIBACOPA Standings

1. Guaymas		14-4
2. Hermosillo		14-4
3. Tijuana		12-5
4. Nogales		12-6
5. Los Mochis		8-10
6. Culiacan		8-10
7. Cananea		8-10
8. Guasave		7-11
9. Navolato		6-12
10. Tepic		0-17

Regular Season: Round 18

Apr. 11: Navolato - Hermosillo 92-100 OT
Apr. 11: Nogales - Culiacan 88-84
Apr. 11: Guasave - Guaymas 83-93
Apr. 11: Cananea - Tijuana 81-89
Apr. 11: Tepic - Los Mochis 75-87

Regular Season: Round 19

Apr. 13: Culiacan - Tijuana
Apr. 13: Hermosillo - Nogales
Apr. 13: Guaymas - Cananea
Apr. 13: Los Mochis - Guasave
Apr. 13: Tepic - Navolato

CIBACOPA Stats Leaders

Points Per Game

O''Louis MCCULLOUGH
  Nogales
  (198-G/F-82)
  Avg: 23

1. McCullough, Nogales	23.0
2. Robinson, Culiacan	21.6
3. Selleaze, Navolato	20.5
4. Thomas, Cananea	19.9
5. Wiley, Los Mochis	19.8
6. Carter, Guasave	19.4
7. Quintero, Tijuana	18.6
8. Gibson, Navolato	17.7
9. Sanders, Hermosillo	16.9
10. Habel, Guaymas	16.8

Rebounds Per Game

Markhuri SANDERS-FRISON
  Nogales
  (200-C-88)
  Avg: 9.4

1. Sanders-F., Nogales	9.4
2. Selleaze, Navolato	9.2
3. Robinson, Culiacan	8.7
4. Lopez, Hermosillo	7.7
5. Zamora, Culiacan	7.7
6. Wiley, Los Mochis	7.1
7. McCullough, Nogales	7.1
8. Strobbe, Nogales	7.1
9. Habel, Guaymas	6.9
10. Little, Hermosillo	6.7

Assists Per Game

Tayloe TAYLOR
  Los Mochis
  (191-G-86)
  Avg: 5.9

1. Taylor, Los Mochis	5.9
2. Nungaray, Guaymas	5.8
3. Monreal, Hermosillo	4.8
4. Pulido, Culiacan	3.7
5. Heredia, Nogales	3.3
6. Quintero, Tijuana	3.2
7. McCullough, Nogales	3.2
8. McSwine, Navolato	3.2
9. Harris, Cananea	3.1
10. Buelna, Guasave	2.9

Steals Per Game

Derek THOMAS
  Cananea
  (193-F-84)
  Avg: 2

1. Thomas, Cananea	2.0
2. Gibson, Navolato	1.7
3. Buelna, Guasave	1.6
4. Carter, Guasave	1.5
5. Heredia, Nogales	1.5
6. Giron, Guasave	1.2
7. Reatiga, Navolato	1.2
8. Pulido, Culiacan	1.2
9. Monreal, Hermosillo	1.2
10. Robinson, Culiacan	1.1

Blocks Per Game

Sylvester SEAY
  Tijuana
  (208-F-85)
  Avg: 1.8

1. Seay, Tijuana	1.8
2. Habel, Guaymas	1.1
3. Zamora, Culiacan	1.1
4. Robinson, Culiacan	1.1
5. Wiley, Los Mochis	1.0
6. Johnson, Guaymas	0.9
7. Verdugo, Navolato	0.7
8. Clemmons, Cananea	0.7
9. McCullough, Nogales	0.7
10. Spicer, Guasave	0.6

CIBACOPA Round 18 of Regular Season - by Eurobasket News

Ninth-ranked Garra Canera de Navolato (6-12) gave a tough game to second ranked Rayos de Hermosillo (14-4) on Wednesday. The visitors from Hermosillo managed to secure only eight-point victory 100-92. However their fans expected much easier game. Patrick Sanders (198-F-85, college: Cal-Irvine) scored 27 points to lead the charge for the winners. Both coaches used bench players in such tough game. Rayos de Hermosillo keeps a position of league leader, which they share with Guaymas. Garra Canera de Navolato lost seventh consecutive game. They keep the ninth place with 12 games lost. Rayos de Hermosillo will face Fuerza Guinda Nogales (#4) at home in the next round. Garra Canera de Navolato will play against Coras de Tepic (#10) and it may be a tough game between close rivals.

The most impressive stats of the last round was 36 points (!!!) and 11 rebounds by Eric Cuen of Los Mochis.

Nogales - Culiacan 88-84

The game between closely ranked teams ended with 5th ranked Caballeros de Culiacan's (8-10) road loss to fourth ranked Fuerza Guinda Nogales (12-6) 84-88 on Wednesday. The hosts trailed by 4 points after first quarter, but they rallied back to get the 1-point lead at the halftime and eventually won the game 88-84. Fuerza Guinda Nogales outrebounded Caballeros de Culiacan 42-23 including a 29-17 advantage in defensive rebounds. International forward Michael Strobbe (201-85) had a double-double by scoring 19 points, 14 rebounds and 4 assists to lead the charge for the winners and American swingman O'Louis McCullough (198-82, college: Francis Marion) chipped in 19 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists during the contest. Four Fuerza Guinda Nogales players scored in double figures. The best for the losing side was American forward Rob Robinson (203-87, college: Robert Morris, agency: SDJ Sports) with 27 points and 5 rebounds and the former international center Rodrigo Zamora (206-86, college: Montana St.) scored 19 points and 7 rebounds (on 9-of-11 shooting from the field). Caballeros de Culiacan's coach rotated ten players in this game, but that didn't help. Fuerza Guinda Nogales maintains fourth position with 12-6 record. Caballeros de Culiacan at the other side keeps the fifth place with ten games lost. Fuerza Guinda Nogales will face league's second-placed Rayos de Hermosillo on the road in the next round and it may be the game of the week. Caballeros de Culiacan will play against Tijuana Zonkeys and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Culiacan: R.Robinson 27+5reb+2ast, R.Zamora 19+7reb+2ast, R.Lopez 9+2reb+1ast, V.Avila 8+1reb+1ast, M.Henderson 8+4reb+3ast, R.Navarro 7
Nogales: R.Jarvis 23+1reb+2ast, O.McCullough 19+6reb+5ast, M.Strobbe 19+14reb+4ast, B.Heredia 13+3reb+3ast, M.Sanders-Frison 9+13reb+2ast, V.Rojo 3+2reb+2ast

Navolato - Hermosillo 92-100 OT

Ninth-ranked Garra Canera de Navolato (6-12) gave a tough game to second ranked Rayos de Hermosillo (14-4) on Wednesday. The visitors from Hermosillo managed to secure only eight-point victory 100-92. However their fans expected much easier game. Garra Canera de Navolato was trailing by 1 point at halftime but managed to get 8-point lead after three quarters before a 28-20 charge of Rayos de Hermosillo, which allowed them to tie the game at the end of regular time. They were better in overtime eventually winning that period 16-8. Rayos de Hermosillo dominated down low during the game scoring 70 of its points in the paint compared to Garra Canera de Navolato's 42 and made 18-of-19 free shots (94.7 percent) during the game. American forward Patrick Sanders (198-85, college: Cal-Irvine) scored 27 points to lead the charge for the winners and the other American import forward Emmanuel Little (196-85, college: N.Dakota) chipped in 20 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists during the contest. Little 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 forward Ronald Selleaze (197-76, college: CSU Bakersfield, agency: Dream Team Management) with 37 points (!!!) and 6 rebounds (went 8 for 8 at the free throw line) and Dominican-American guard Damien McSwine (193-78, college: Loyola, IL) scored 14 points, 7 rebounds and 7 assists. Both teams had four players each who scored in double figures. Both coaches used bench players in such tough game. Rayos de Hermosillo keeps a position of league leader, which they share with Guaymas. Garra Canera de Navolato lost seventh consecutive game. They keep the ninth place with 12 games lost. Rayos de Hermosillo will face Fuerza Guinda Nogales (#4) at home in the next round. Garra Canera de Navolato will play against Coras de Tepic (#10) and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Navolato: R.Selleaze 37+6reb+3ast, M.Gibson 21+1reb+3ast, D.McSwine 14+7reb+7ast, C.Uribe 10+5reb+2ast, F.Verdugo 5+5reb, J.Gutierrez 3
Hermosillo: P.Sanders 27+4reb+1ast, J.Lopez 22+6reb, E.Little 20+6reb+5ast, S.Monreal 11+6reb+4ast, S.Coleman 7+1reb, J.Camacho 6+7reb+4ast

Tepic - Los Mochis 75-87

Rather predictable result when seventh ranked Pioneros Los Mochis (8-10) defeated on the road bottom-ranked Coras de Tepic (0-17) 87-75 on Wednesday. The game was mostly controlled by Pioneros Los Mochis. Coras de Tepic was better in second period 18-14. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. They outrebounded Coras de Tepic 47-30 including a 19-6 advantage in offensive rebounds. Naturalized American forward Eric Cuen (196, college: Grand Canyon) had a double-double by scoring 36 points (!!!) and 11 rebounds to lead the charge for the winners and American forward Devon Pearson (198-84, college: SMU) chipped in 22 points and 12 rebounds during the contest. Four Pioneros Los Mochis players scored in double figures. The best for the losing side was American center Deangelo Riley (205, college: Azusa Pacific) with a double-double by scoring 24 points, 13 rebounds and 5 assists and his fellow American import forward Ray Reese (196-87, college: Tulsa, agency: David Lee services) scored 19 points. Coras de Tepic's coach rotated ten players in this game, but that didn't help. Pioneros Los Mochis have a solid three-game winning streak. They moved-up to fifth place, which they share with Cananea and Culiacan. Coras de Tepic at the other side still closes the standings. Pioneros Los Mochis will face Frayles de Guasave (#8) at home in the next round. Coras de Tepic will play against Garra Canera de Navolato and hopes to get finally their first victory.
Top scorers:
Tepic: D.Riley 24+13reb+5ast, R.Reese 19+3reb+2ast, H.Torres 5+3reb, C.Ledon 3, S.Lugo 2+2reb+1ast, D.Gonzalez 0+3reb+1ast
Los Mochis: E.Cuen 36+11reb+2ast, D.Pearson 22+12reb+2ast, S.Scott 14+7reb+2ast, J.Favela 10+7reb+3ast, T.Taylor 5+6reb+8ast, F.Ibarra 0+2reb

Guasave - Guaymas 83-93

Not a big story in a game when 8th ranked Frayles de Guasave (7-11) was defeated at home by first ranked Ostioneros de Guaymas (14-4) 93-83 on Wednesday. The game was mostly controlled by Ostioneros de Guaymas. Frayles de Guasave was better in third quarter 20-17. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. They outrebounded Frayles de Guasave 41-30 including a 31-20 advantage in defensive rebounds. Ostioneros de Guaymas looked well-organized offensively handing out 21 assists. American forward Jerome Habel (208-85, college: San Diego St.) had a double-double by scoring 20 points and 12 rebounds to lead the charge for the winners and the other American import guard Haakim Johnson (201-87, college: Pikeville) chipped in 19 points and 5 rebounds during the contest. The best for the losing side was American guard Russell Carter (196-85, college: Notre Dame) with 28 points and 6 rebounds and the former international swingman Alonso Izaguirre (200-76) scored 14 points and 5 rebounds. Four Ostioneros de Guaymas and five Frayles de Guasave players scored in double figures. Ostioneros de Guaymas have a solid three-game winning streak. They maintain first position with 14-4 record, which they share with Hermosillo. Frayles de Guasave at the other side keeps the eighth place with 11 games lost. Ostioneros de Guaymas will face Mineros de Cananea (#7) at home in the next round where they are favorite. Frayles de Guasave will play against Pioneros Los Mochis.
Top scorers:
Guasave: R.Carter 28+6reb+1ast, A.Izaguirre 14+5reb+1ast, V.Buelna 13+3reb+2ast, S.Spicer 13+4reb+3ast, C.Moore 10+8reb+1ast, F.Sanchez 3+3reb
Guaymas: J.Habel 20+12reb+1ast, J.Sanchez 19+3reb+4ast, H.Johnson 19+5reb+2ast, F.Benitez 10+3reb+1ast, D.Dorsey 10+9reb+5ast, H.Carrillo 9+5reb+5ast

Cananea - Tijuana 81-89

Everything went according to plan when third ranked Tijuana Zonkeys (12-5) beat on the road 6th ranked Mineros de Cananea (8-10) 89-81 on Wednesday. The guests trailed by 10 points after first quarter, but they rallied back and won the game by 8 points. Strangely Mineros de Cananea outrebounded Tijuana Zonkeys 32-19 including 23 on the defensive glass. American swingman Marcus Morrison (198-84, college: Middle Tenn.St.) scored 28 points and 9 rebounds to lead the charge for the winners and the former international point guard Omar Quintero (183-81, college: S.Nazarene) chipped in 26 points during the contest. The best for the losing side was American forward Derek Thomas (193-84, college: Appalachian St.) with 25 points and 6 rebounds and his fellow American import guard Roburt Sallie (196-86, college: Memphis) scored 14 points and 9 rebounds. Both teams had four players each who scored in double figures. Mineros de Cananea's coach rotated ten players in this game, but that didn't help. Tijuana Zonkeys maintains third position with 12-5 record having just three points less than leader Guaymas. Defending champion Mineros de Cananea dropped to the fifth place with ten games lost. Tijuana Zonkeys will face Caballeros de Culiacan (#6) on the road in the next round. Mineros de Cananea will play against the league's leader Ostioneros de Guaymas.
Top scorers:
Cananea: D.Thomas 25+6reb+2ast, R.Sallie 14+9reb+2ast, F.Harris 12+1reb+1ast, J.Verdugo 10+5reb, K.Waller 6+3ast, M.Acuna 4+1ast
Tijuana: M.Morrison 28+9reb+3ast, O.Quintero 26+3reb+2ast, A.Solares 16+2reb+1ast, E.Medina 11+2ast, L.Ramirez 6, A.Sandoval 2

Cuen number one in Mexico for round 18 - by Eurobasket News

Naturalized American forward Eric Cuen (196-F) put on an extraordinary performance in the last round for Los Mochis, receiving a Latinbasket.com Player of the Week award for round 18.
The -year old player had a double-double of 36 points and 11 rebounds, while his team beat Tepic (#10, 0-17), the league's bottom-ranked team 87-75. Los Mochis is placed at 5th position in American CIBACOPA. Los Mochis is a typical solid league team placed somewhere in the middle or a little bit lower in the standings. They need more victories to improve their 8-10 record. In the team's last game Cuen had a remarkable 62.5% from 2-point range and got eight three-pointers out of 12 attempts. He just recently signed at Los Mochis, being already a very valuable addition to the team. Eric Cuen averages this season 12.7ppg.

The second best player in last round's games was -year old American Deangelo Riley (205-C) of Tepic. Riley had a very good evening with a double-double of 24 points and 13 rebounds. Bad luck as Tepic lost that game 75-87 to the higher-ranked Los Mochis (#5, 8-10). Tepic are still at the very bottom. 17 lost games are too many considering they did not win any game. Riley is one of the most experienced players at Tepic and has a reputation of one of team's most reliable players.

Third on the list of top players last round was American swingman Marcus Morrison (198-G/F-84) of Tijuana (#3). Morrison scored 28 points and grabbed nine rebounds. He was a key player of Tijuana, leading his team to a 89-81 win against the lower-ranked Cananea (#7, 8-10). Tijuana needs these victories very badly if they think about getting closer to top teams. Their record at this point is 12 victories and 5 lost games. Morrison has a very solid season. In 17 games in Mexico he scored 13.2ppg. He also has 6.2rpg and FGP: 60.0%.

Other top performing players last week:
4. Patrick Sanders (198-F-85) of Hermosillo - 27 points and 4 rebounds
5. Michael Strobbe (201-F-85) of Nogales - 19 points, 14 rebounds and 4 assists
6. Jerome Habel (208-F-85) of Guaymas - 20 points and 12 rebounds
7. Rodrigo Zamora (206-C-86) of Culiacan - 19 points, 7 rebounds and 2 assists
8. Jesus Lopez (205-F-83) of Hermosillo - 22 points and 6 rebounds
9. Emmanuel Little (196-F-85) of Hermosillo - 20 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists
10. Ronald Selleaze (197-F-76) of Navolato - 37 points, 6 rebounds and 3 assists

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

Ray Reese is a newcomer at Coras de Tepic - by Eurobasket Center

Coras de Tepic added to their roster 25-year old American forward Ray Reese (196-F-87, college: Tulsa). In his first game he scored 19 points and grabbed 3 rebounds. Despite his good performance his new team lost to Los Mochis 53-87. Reese played most recently at Los Angeles D-Fenders (D-League) in the U.S. He graduated The University of Tulsa in 2009 and actually missed last season. It will be his third season in pro basketball.

By Eurobasket Data Center

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MOLDOVA

Standings

D1 Standings

1. Donbasket		14-0
2. Gamma		10-4
3. PGU-SDUSHOR		9-5
4. UASM		9-5
5. Fireball		7-7
6. Politech		3-11
7. Soroka		2-12
8. ASEM		2-12

Top 4: Round 1

Apr. 27: Gamma - PGU-SDUSHOR
Apr. 27: Donbasket - UASM

Donbasket wins the Regular Season - by Eurobasket News

Donbasket wins the Regular Season as they finished it with a 14-0 record. None of the other teams could upset the League-leaders. Gamma finished with 10-4 record on the second place and PGU-SDUSHOR is third with 9-5 record. UASM has also 9-5 record, but finished 4th. These four teams will compete in the Top 4 Play-offs for the title. Kishinev will host Final Four event on April 27-29.

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MONTENEGRO

MNE S-League 6 Round : Easy wins for Buducnost and Mornar - by Dragan Scepanovic

Basketball Clubs Buducnost from Podgorica and Mornar from Bar achieve easy victory in the sixth round matches of MNE Erste Super League for a club. The Buducnost is away beat Ulcinj 102:60 (35:9, 22:18, 26:22, 19:11), while the Mornar in the derby game , in Niksic against Sutjeska team won 89:78 (19:19, 21:16 , 24:14, 25:28). In the last match of the sixth round, Teodo on Friday welcomed Lovcen.

ULCINJ - BUDUCNOST 60-102
Most efficient in the winning team were Cedomir Vitkovac (201-F-82, agency: Beo Basket) 15 and Bojan Dubljevic with 14 points and had double figures and Vladimir Mihailovich (13), Marko Mugoa (13), Aleksa Popovic (12) and Jermaine Anderson (12). The rows of Ulcinj were the best Boban Medenica (204-F-87) with 14 and Veljko Lakovic with 11 points

SUTJESKA - MORNAR 78-89
In derby game , which was played in Niksic, Mornar was better than Sutjeska 89:78 and the fourth consecutive victory, made a great overture before the duel against the Basketball Club Buducnost in the next round.Basketball Club Mornar from Bar to victory led Ivan Jelenic (190-SG-85, agency: BeoExcell) with 34 points, while Nemanja Vranjes (188-G-88) was most efficient in the ranks Sutjeska and the match finished with 28 points.

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NBA

Standings

NBA Standings

Eastern Conference
Atlantic Div.
1. Boston C.		34-24
2. Philadelph.76		31-26
3. New York K.		30-28
4. New Jersey N.		21-38
5. Toronto R.		20-39
Central Div.
1. Chicago B.		45-14
2. Indiana P.		36-22
3. Milwaukee B.		27-30
4. Detroit P.		22-36
5. Cleveland C.		19-37
Southeast Div.
1. Miami Heat		40-17
2. Atlanta H.		33-24
3. Orlando M.		33-24
4. Washington W.		14-44
5. Charlotte B.		7-49
Western Conference
Northwest Div.
1. Oklah.City T.		42-16
2. Denver N.		32-25
3. Utah Jazz		31-28
4. Portland TB		27-31
5. Minnesota T.		26-34
Pacific Div.
1. LA Lakers		37-22
2. LA Clippers		36-23
3. Phoenix Suns		30-28
4. Golde State W.		21-36
5. Sacramento K.		19-40
Southwest Div.
1. San Antonio S.		41-16
2. Memphis G.		34-24
3. Dallas M.		33-26
4. Houston R.		32-26
5. N.Orleans H.		16-42

Regular Season: Round 106

Apr. 12: Chicago B. - Miami Heat 96-86 OT
Apr. 12: Charlotte B. - Detroit P. 85-109
Apr. 12: Minnesota T. - LA Clippers 82-95
Apr. 12: San Antonio S. - Memphis G. 107-97
Apr. 12: Golde State W. - Dallas M. 103-112

Regular Season: Round 107

Apr. 13: Toronto R. - Boston C.
Apr. 13: Orlando M. - Atlanta H.
Apr. 13: New York K. - Washington W.
Apr. 13: Houston R. - Phoenix Suns
Apr. 13: Oklah.City T. - Sacramento K.
Apr. 13: LA Lakers - Denver N.
Apr. 13: Philadelph.76 - New Jersey N.
Apr. 13: Indiana P. - Cleveland C.
Apr. 13: Miami Heat - Charlotte B.
Apr. 13: Detroit P. - Milwaukee B.
Apr. 13: N.Orleans H. - Utah Jazz
Apr. 13: Portland TB - Dallas M.

Stats Leaders

Points Per Game

Kobe BRYANT
  LA Lakers
  (198-G-78)
  Avg: 28.1

1. Bryant, LA Lakers	28.1
2. Durant, Oklah.Ci.	27.5
3. James, Miami Heat	27.0
4. Love, Minnesota T.	26.0
5. Westbrook, Oklah..	24.2
6. Wade, Miami Heat	22.5
7. Rose, Chicago B.	22.4
8. Ellis, Golde S.	21.9
9. Anthony, New Y.	21.9
10. Aldridge, Portlan.	21.7

Rebounds Per Game

Dwight HOWARD
  Orlando M.
  (211-C-85)
  Avg: 14.5

1. Howard, Orlando M.	14.5
2. Love, Minnesota T.	13.4
3. Bynum, LA Lakers	12.2
4. Cousins, Sacramen.	11.1
5. Humphries, New J.	11.0
6. Griffin, LA Clipp.	10.9
7. Gasol, LA Lakers	10.5
8. Chandler, New Y.	10.0
9. Gortat, Phoenix	9.8
10. Smith, Atlanta H.	9.7

Assists Per Game

Rajon RONDO
  Boston C.
  (185-PG-86)
  Avg: 11.4

1. Rondo, Boston C.	11.4
2. Nash, Phoenix Suns	11.1
3. Paul, LA Clippers	8.9
4. Calderon, Toron.	8.8
5. Williams, New J.	8.6
6. Rubio, Minnesot.	8.2
7. Rose, Chicago B.	7.9
8. Wall, Washington W.	7.8
9. Parker, San A.	7.7
10. Lowry, Houston R.	7.0

Steals Per Game

Chris PAUL
  LA Clippers
  (183-PG-85)
  Avg: 2.4

1. Paul, LA Clippers	2.4
2. Conley, Memphis G.	2.3
3. Rubio, Minnesot.	2.2
4. James, Miami Heat	1.9
5. Iguodala, Philadel.	1.8
6. Kidd, Dallas M.	1.8
7. Shumpert, New Y.	1.8
8. Rondo, Boston C.	1.8
9. Millsap, Utah Jazz	1.8
10. Lowry, Houston R.	1.7

Blocks Per Game

Serge IBAKA
  Oklah.Ci.
  (208-C/F-89)
  Avg: 3.6

1. Ibaka, Oklah.Ci.	3.6
2. McGee, Washingt.	2.5
3. Howard, Orlando M.	2.1
4. Jordan, LA Clippers	2.1
5. Bynum, LA Lakers	2.0
6. Hibbert, Indiana P.	2.0
7. Gasol, Memphis G.	1.9
8. Smith, Atlanta H.	1.8
9. Dalembert, Houst.	1.7
10. Jefferson, Utah	1.7

Warriors and Grizzlies Plan Preseason Scrimmage Versus Maccabi Haifa - by David Pick

Being just moments away from the NBA Playoffs and despite the fact that League teams are far from announcing their 2012-13 preseason game schedules, it seems that Maccabi Haifa of the Israeli Basketball Super League, will make another appearance across the Atlantic for a pair of preseason scrimmages.

Eurobasket received notice that Haifa, owned by American businessman and Fla. resident, Jeff Rosen, is undergoing advanced scrimmage planning with the Golden State Warriors and the Memphis Grizzlies, for hosting the Israeli squad somewhere between Oct. 10th and 21st, 2012.

High sources close to Haifa's management confirmed the information to Eurobasket.

Last season, Haifa was the only Israeli team to play a friendly match versus an NBA organization when challenging the New Jersey Nets at the Prudential Center. Earlier this summer, Haifa's scrimmage against the Orlando Magic on Oct. 23rd, was canceled due to the 2011 NBA lockout.

Haifa recently bounced back from a season long 16-game losing streak, yet, they're still ranked rock bottom in Israeli League with a negative 4-19 record and has lost chances of qualifying for the domestic playoffs. Nonetheless, due to a special League rule, no Division 1 teams will drop to Israel's secondary league at the end of the season.

Maggette out for season. - by Bryan Floyd

Corey Maggette (6'6''-G-79, college: Duke) will not play again this season. Maggette is done for the year, Paul Silas told the media at shoot around on Thursday. At this point there is no reason to play him regardless if he was kind of healthy or not. In limited games this season Maggette did average 15 points a game and was the dreadful Bobcats leading scorer. He has already missed 24 games this season due to various injuries and has never been known as a guy who stays very healthy.

Bynum enters beast mode on the boards. - by Bryan Floyd

Andrew Bynum (7'0''-C-87, agency: David Lee services) pulled down the first 30-rebound game in the NBA in more than two years last night as the Lakers dominated the Spurs in every aspect of the game. Even without the Black Mamba Kobe Bryant who is still nursing his shin injury, the Lakers were able to have their way with the Spurs. The final score was 98-84 on Wednesday night, but the game wasn't even that close. Bynum is the first player this season with 30 rebounds in a game and he also added 16 points. Kevin Love and Bynum are the only two players in the last 12 years to hit the 30-rebound mark as Love snagged 31 boards against the Knicks in 2010. 'It's great to have 30 boards, but my shots not working and I'm little upset about that,'' said Bynum, who was 7 of 20 from the field. ''For me, I'll remember shooting poorly.'' The Spurs will probably not remember anything except the rebound disparity. In the win Metta World Peace scored 26 points, and Pau Gasol added 21 points and 11 rebounds.

Metta World Peace says back pain nearly led to retirement - by Eurobasket News

After dropping a season-high 26 points in the Lakers 98-84 win in San Antonio on Wednesday, Metta World Peace (6'7''-G/F-79, college: St.John's) revealed that he considered retiring before the season because of a lumbar disorder in his lower back.

World Peace, formerly known as Ron Artest, told reporters that he played with back pain through last season and that it limited motion in his legs and feet, as well as his jumping ability.

'I just thought my body was maybe messed up,' World Peace said, per ESPN.com. 'I was like, 'Yeah, 15 years (in the NBA) is a lot of years. I got two more years on my contract and I could potentially be done.''

The back issue may help explain the drop in World Peaces production. He averaged 8.5 points and 3.2 rebounds per game and shot 39.7 percent from the field last season, all career lowsuntil this season, that is, as hes averaging just 7.1 points on 39.1 percent shooting. Hes improved in April, however, with a 14.3 points per game average and 54.2 percent shooting over seven games this month.

Lakers trainer Gary Vitti referred World Peace to a nerve doctor in May, but because of the lockout, which began July 1, the player could not rehab with the help of the Lakers medical staff. Partly because of this, World Peace came into training camp 25-30 pounds overweight and his back still an issue.

'Now I'm getting in more shape every day,' World Peace said, according to ESPN.

Added Lakers coach Mike Brown, 'He's extremely engaged. ... He's locked in right now.'

Courtesy of http://aol.sportingnews.com

Ginobili becomes fifth Spur to score 10,000 NBA points - by Eurobasket News

Emanuel Ginobili (6'6''-G-77, agency: Interperformances) made history on Wednesday night, becoming the fifth player in the Spurs NBA franchise history to reach 10,000 points for his career.

Ginobili passed the mark with a layup with 9:01 left in the fourth quarter, finishing his scoring in the disappointing loss to the Los Angeles Lakers.

The defeat to the Spurs enduring rivals tempered some of Ginobili's excitement of reaching the statistical milestone.

'It was not that important', Ginobili said after the game. 'If not tonight, it would have come soon enough. Youd rather have it happen when we win.'

Here's a list of the leading scorers in teams NBA history through Wednesday's game.

Tim Duncan 22,440

David Robinson 20,790

George Gervin 19,383

Tony Parker 13, 458

Manu Ginobili 10,001

Mike Mitchell 9,779

Sean Elliott 9,659

Larry Kenon 6,733

Avery Johnson 6,486

Alvin Robertson 6,285

Courtesy of http://blog.mysanantonio.com

LaMarcus Aldridge done for season - by Eurobasket News

The Portland Trail Blazers' slim hopes of making the NBA playoffs got worse Thursday after the news that All-Star forward LaMarcus Aldridge (6'11''-F/C-85, college: Texas) will have surgery on his right hip and miss the rest of the season.

No date has been set for the arthroscopic procedure, which will repair a slight labral tear. Aldridge says he has had pain for about two weeks and is unsure how the injury occurred.

Aldridge is averaging 21.7 points, 8.0 rebounds and 2.4 assists this season while shooting a career-high 51.2%.

Meanwhile, the Charlotte Bobcats are shutting down forward Corey Maggette (6'6''-G-79, college: Duke) for the season because of the continued strain in his right Achilles tendon that he initially injured March 30 against the Denver Nuggets.

Coach Paul Silas hoped Maggette would become the team's veteran leader this season, but Maggette appeared in just 32 games. He averaged 15 points, 3.9 rebounds and 1.2 assists.

Courtesy of www.usatoday.com

Colangelo says paying Olympians not feasible, eliminates Lamar Odom - by Eurobasket News

Dwyane Wade (6'4''-G-82, college: Marquette) and Ray Allen (6'5''-G-75, college: Connecticut) believe NBA players should be paid for participating in the Olympics. But it's not going to happen anytime soon.

At least that's the word from USA Basketball chairman Jerry Colangelo.

'It's never been discussed and it's not even feasible in the reality of economics,' Colangelo said by phone Wednesday night.

Allen, who won a gold medal in the 2000 Olympics, told FOX Sports Florida on Tuesday he believes NBA Olympians should be paid. Wade, who won bronze in the 2004 Olympics and gold in 2008 and is expected to be on this year's team in London, said Wednesday he agrees with Allen.

'From what I was told by people at USA Basketball, Ray Allen has been consistent with his position ever since he played in 2000, and I am aware of what Dwyane said,' said Colangelo, who revealed that USA Basketball plans to announce the 12-man team around June 1. 'First of all, everybody's entitled to his opinion, and I respect everybody's opinion, but the reality of what USA Basketball is all about is that the senior men's team (with NBA players) supports all the other programs in USA Basketball.'

Both Allen and Wade suggested that money to compensate players could come from Olympic jersey sales. However, Colangelo said any money USA Basketball gets from jerseys, which are made by Nike, is among the revenue that goes to all the other programs. Those programs include all the women's teams, including for the Olympics and World Championship teams, and all the men's teams for younger players, which have featured many of the NBA players now with USA Basketball.

Colangelo said USA Basketball doesn't get any subsidies from the government and it was losing money when he took over in 2005. Through sponsorships, he said revenue since has increased from $9 million to $34 million annually, and it now breaks even.

Beyond the economics, Colangelo made the point that NBA players in the Olympics are given a unique forum that can result in them reaching a global audience.

'Everybody acknowledges that it is a privilege to represent your country,' Colangelo said. 'There are some other benefits from the standpoint that (the players) all have shoe contracts and apparel contracts and we are living in a global economy. They spend time traveling around the world and promoting their product (while with USA Basketball) and it's a perfect platform for them, the World Championships and the Olympics. So it's a privilege to represent your country and there are some amazing financial benefits.'

Since Colangelo came to USA Basketball in 2005, the American men have won bronze in the 2006 World Championshps, gold in the 2008 Olympics and gold in the 2010 World Championships. They are favored to win another gold in London.

Colangelo said he will have a meeting May 1 in Las Vegas with Team USA Coach Mike Krzyzewski and assistants Nate McMillan, Mike D'Antoni and Jim Boeheim. It's there that discussions will begin in earnest on which 12 players for the final roster will be selected from the group of 20 finalists that was announced in January, and which already has been pared down.

Clippers guard Chauncey Billups is out of the mix due to a season-ending torn Achilles. And a source said that forward Lamar Odom (6'10''-F-79, college: Rhode Island), who had a poor season and has been made inactive by Dallas for the rest of the season due to squabbles with the team, has been eliminated from Olympic consideration.

'We will have an extremely deep team,' said Colangelo, who said discussions in Las Vegas will include how many big men the Americans will keep and other such roster considerations. 'Coach K used eight players (regularly) in 2008. He could use all 12 (in London).'

Colangelo said he has had no discussions yet about whether Krzyzewski might return after the London Olympics. But Colangelo, who has not yet committed to anything past 2012, sounded optimistic he could continue as chairman past the London Games.

'Part of the equation is how I feel, and I feel great,' said Colangelo, 72. 'My health would not prohibit it.'

Asked if that's an indication he's leaning toward staying on, Colangelo said, 'Maybe.'

Courtesy of www.foxsportsflorida.com

David West sends Cavaliers' mascot to hospital - by Eurobasket News

In the 'man bites dog' portion of the news today, we have Indiana Pacers forward David West (6'8''-F-80, college: Xavier) sending Cleveland Cavaliers mascot Moondog to the hospital after the two tangled just prior to the tip in the Pacers' win over the Cavs last night.

Obviously, the end result sounds much worse than the actual incident which involved DWest thinking he was having a friendly bump with the opposing mascot and then seeing the mascot appear to be playing in pain on the floor. Except ol' Moondog wasn't playing.

During pregame introductions, West got into a mock fight with Moondog, the Cavs' floppy-eared mascot, who often interacts and teases opposing players. West accidentally struck the character in the mask, sending him to the hospital with an eye injury.

''I feel terrible about that, I really do,'' said West, who was visibly upset. ''We were just having fun. We were just messing around. I really hope he's OK. Make sure he knows I'm sorry.''

If I had to pick the least likely player in the Pacers locker room to jack around with a mascot before the game it would be David West. If I had to pick the most likely player in the Pacers locker room to snap and send a mascot to the hospital, it would be David West. But an accidental injury? That would be Tyler Hansbrough.

Courtesy of www.indycornrows.com

Jason Kidd wants to play next year - by Eurobasket News

Jason Kidd (6'4''-PG-73, college: California) has played in 24 career homecoming games on the road against the Golden State Warriors in his 18 seasons with the Dallas Mavericks, Phoenix Suns and New Jersey Nets.

Yet Kidd insisted Wednesday, on the eve of the Mavericks' second and final visit of the season to Golden State, that Thursday night's nationally televised showdown on TNT won't be his last game on Oakland hardwood.

'I want to play another year,' Kidd told ESPN.com.

Despite turning 39 on March 23 and struggling throughout this lockout-shortened season with various back, calf and groin ailments that have shelved him for 15 games -- including the Mavericks' previous trip to Oakland on March 10 -- Kidd says he's determined to play on to try to help Dallas add to the breakthrough championship it won last season.

Sources with knowledge of the Mavericks' thinking likewise indicate that management is determined to find a way to re-sign the former Cal star in free agency even amid the roster clearout that Dallas has planned to create the requisite salary-cap space to pursue Dallas-area native Deron Williams in free agency this summer. Kidd's most recent three-year contract expires at season's end, but he long has been regarded as one of the Mavs' point men for recruiting free agents since returning to Dallas in 2008. Sources say, furthermore, that Kidd has a good relationship with Williams from their time playing together on Team USA.

One source close to the situation, asked if bringing Kidd back remains part of the Mavs' plans, said: 'Absolutely.'

Furthermore, team sources say the 10-time All-Star happily would move into a backup role should the Mavs win the Williams sweepstakes.

On the current squad, though, Kidd's teammates openly have longed for his return after a groin injury forced him to sit out four games last week. Although he's generating career-low numbers in virtually every category, Kidd continues to run the Mavericks' offense with a level of precision no one else on the roster can match, with half-court execution ranking as one of the strengths that propelled Dallas past the favored Los Angeles Lakers and Miami Heat in two of its four playoff rounds last spring.

Kidd returned to the lineup in Tuesday night's home win over Sacramento and had seven points, seven assists and six rebounds in 22 minutes and said afterward it was 'the best he's felt all season' from a health standpoint.

This is just the fifth time Kidd has missed at least 15 games in a season.

The Mavericks believe his health woes, as much as anything, have contributed to Kidd's modest averages in points (5.9), rebounds (4.1), and assists per game (5.3), as well as his career low shooting percentage (.347).

Kidd has recorded two of his 107 career triple-doubles in Oakland and has lifetime averages of 16.8 points, 10.3 assists and 6.7 rebounds against the Warriors to go with a record of 13-11. He has never faced the Warriors in a playoff game.

Courtesy of ESPN

Rockets sign forward Diamon Simpson - by Eurobasket News

Houston Rockets General Manager Daryl Morey announced today that the team has signed forward Diamon Simpson (6'7''-F-87, college: St.Mary's, CA) for the remainder of the season. Simpson will wear jersey #20 with the Rockets.

Simpson (6-7, 230, Saint Marys) joins the Rockets from the Adelaide 36ers of Australias National Basketball League (NBL). In 27 matches with the 36ers in 2011-12, Simpson averaged 14.3 points (.592, 155-262 FG), 8.6 rebounds and 1.5 blocks. He also posted 12 double-doubles and five 20-point performances this season with Adelaide. Simpson collected 22 points and 10 rebounds in leading Adelaide to a 96-84 win over Perth, capturing the inaugural Paul Rogers medal as the game MVP between the leagues oldest rivals. Prior to the 36ers, the 6-foot-7 forward spent part of the 2010-11 season in the Turkish Basketball League with Trk Telekom. He actually began his international career with the Alaska Aces of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) for their 2010 campaign.

As a collegian at Saint Marys (CA), Simpson finished his career as the schools all-time leader in rebounds (1,130), blocked shots (239), steals (174), free throws made (470) and free throws attempted (777). He helped the Gaels to an 87-41 (.680) mark in a school-record 128 career games over his four years, ranking tied for the most wins in school history for a Saint Marys player (87 by Ian OLeary). Simpson also ranked third all-time in scoring at Saint Marys (1,603 points) and was second in the West Coast Conference in career blocks (239).

Following a successful collegiate career, he was invited to training camp in 2009 with the Golden State Warriors before joining the D-Leagues L.A. D-Fenders in 2009-10. Simpson averaged 15.5 points, 9.6 rebounds (8th in D-League), 2.2 assists, 1.80 steals and 1.40 blocks in 30 games (30 starts) with the D-Fenders that season. He was also selected to participate in the 2010 NBA D-League Shooting Stars competition.

Courtesy of www.insidehoops.com

Thursday's games review (6): Boozer scores 19, Bulls beat Heat 96-86 in OT - by Eurobasket News

Chicago B. - Miami Heat 96-86 OT
Had he known he was going to play so poorly, Derrick Rose (6'3''-G-88, college: Memphis) might have sat this one out. Good thing for him, his Chicago teammates picked up the slack. C.J. Watson scored 16 points, including the game-tying 3-pointer at the end of regulation, and the Chicago Bulls pulled away in overtime to beat the Miami Heat 96-86 on Thursday night. Carlos Boozer (6'10''-F/C-80, college: Duke) scored 19 points and Kyle Korver added 17 for the Bulls, who outscored Miami 12-2 in overtime to boost their lead in the Eastern Conference to four games. The Bulls were able to pull off the victory despite a horrible shooting night by Derrick Rose, who scored a career-low two points. 'If I'd have seen this coming, I wouldn't have played,' he said. 'Thought I was going to come out, do all right.' At least his team did just fine. LeBron James (6'8''-F-84) scored 30 points for Miami but missed a free throw that would have made it a two-possession game late in regulation. Dwyane Wade added 21 points, Chris Bosh scored 20, but the Heat lost for the sixth time in 11 games. 'This is one of the worst feelings in the regular season I've had this year,' James said. Things were looking good for Miami when James nailed a 3 that made it 83-81 with 49 seconds left in regulation. But with a chance to seal the game, he missed the first of two free throws with 11.4 seconds remaining. That kept the Bulls in it and Watson made a 3 to tie it at 84 with 2.2 seconds left. The game went into overtime when Wade missed a baseline jumper at the buzzer. Deng started the extra period with a jumper. Taj Gibson dunked on Ronny Turiaf for a three-point play and scored on a neat spin move after Wade hit a free throw, making it 91-85, sending the Bulls to a dramatic win on a night when their superstar had perhaps his worst game as a pro. 'I'm not worried about my stats or anything,' Rose said. 'Can I make up excuses? Yeah. But you know me, I'm not going to use no excuse. My shots weren't falling. Shots I normally hit, I wasn't hitting. My teammates had my back. I'm happy I have them on my team.' Rose hit just 1 of 13 shots and sat out the extra period, a brutal night for the reigning MVP. Then again, he hasn't played much lately, so this wasn't a total shocker. He returned from a 12-game absence due to a groin injury for Sunday's overtime loss at New York, only to sprain his right ankle. He did not play Tuesday, when the Bulls beat the Knicks at home, and he's missed 23 games in all this season. 'He's going to be a little rusty,' Korver said. 'I don't care who you are, you're going to be a little rusty.' But even with Rose struggling, the Bulls managed to pull this one out. Luol Deng scored 16. Boozer grabbed 11 rebounds and fed Watson for that tying 3. Korver came up big again, hitting 5 of 6 from beyond the arc after scoring 14 on Tuesday. He let out a big smile after nailing one in the extra period and helped the Bulls and helped send this one into overtime with eight points in the fourth quarter. His 3-pointer and jumper put Chicago ahead 78-74 with about 3:30 left, and after Wade scored, Boozer nailed a jumper and Ronnie Brewer hit a free throw to put the Bulls' lead at 5. Wade, however, kept Miami in it. He scored on a drive and a jumper to make it a one-point game, and Bosh came up with a key rebound off a miss by Wade, feeding James for the 3 that made it 83-81. But things unraveled for the Heat, particularly when Watson hit the 3 to force OT. 'I looked up and saw CJ wide open when Boozer caught it,' Wade said. 'I didn't know what was going on. I tried to get over there and make a play on it. He still made a tough shot. That play hurt. We never recovered back from that shot.' *Courtesy of http://abcnews.go.com

San Antonio S. - Memphis G. 107-97
Not since the old days does Tim Duncan (6'11''-F/C-76, college: Wake Forest) remember having the ball run through him so many times. But forget the old days. He was just relieved to get the San Antonio Spurs back to how they looked last week. Making good on a guarantee that the West's second-winningest team would start playing like it again, Duncan had 28 points and 12 rebounds and the Spurs shook off their funk to top the surging Memphis Grizzlies 107-97 on Thursday night. Duncan matched his season-high a night after the Kobe Bryant-less Los Angeles Lakers humiliated the Spurs on their home court. Lakers center Andrew Bynum made Duncan look particularly outplayed while becoming just the second NBA player in the last dozen years to corral 30 rebounds in a game. 'We got back on track. That was the key to the whole thing, getting back on track,' Duncan said. 'Played awful against the Lakers. Got blown out, came back in there tonight against another good team. A much better effort.' Emanuel Ginobili (6'6''-G-77, agency: Interperformances) added 20 points and Tony Parker scored 13. The Spurs had won 11 in a row before losing their last two - the Big Three didn't play at all the first one against Utah - and narrowly escaped their first three-game slide this season. Rudy Gay led Memphis with 19 points. The Grizzlies had their four-game winning streak halted after their rally from a late 14-point deficit fizzled in the final minutes, and fell 1 games behind the Los Angeles Clippers for the No. 4 playoff seed. It was only the third loss in 12 games for the Grizzlies since the return of Zach Randolph. 'We got close. We were there,' Memphis coach Lionel Hollins said. 'It was a ball game until the end.' Duncan, who scored 20 in the second half, guaranteed after the Lakers game that the Spurs would respond from their listless performance. So frustrated was Duncan following Wednesday's night 98-84 loss that he said he was grateful to be playing a back-to-back, which the health-conscious Spurs typically greet with groans. San Antonio steadily fed Duncan through their signature '4-Down' system in the second half, to the point that Duncan said afterward that it felt like the old days. 'He stepped it up to a whole other level,' Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. 'He was phenomenal. He was a monster.' The Spurs (41-16) are a half-game behind Oklahoma City (42-16) for first place. San Antonio owns the tiebreaker. After looking helpless against Bynum, the Spurs matched Memphis in rebounding and held Randolph to 10 points and 11 boards. Gay shot just 7 of 22 one night after he had 32 points against Phoenix. The Grizzlies whittled an 88-74 deficit down to two points with 3 minutes left before losing steam. Memphis staged its comeback despite shooting just 29 percent in the fourth. O.J. Mayo scored 16 points and Marreese Speights added 15 for the Grizzlies. 'No matter what we do, no matter what success we have, we're still going to have to prove ourselves,' Gay said. 'You know, I like being in that position. I think everybody on this team likes being in that position.' Hollins arrived in San Antonio reiterating that he has no intention of returning Randolph to the starting lineup anytime soon. 'I don't know that we're ever going to do that,' Hollins said. 'Zach can come in and score anytime. He's getting his double-doubles, so what else is there?' Randolph missed 43 games after injuring his right knee on New Year's Day in Chicago. Since combing back and taking an off-the-bench role for the first time since his second NBA season a decade ago, Randolph is averaging 10.3 points and eight rebounds, well below his All-Star numbers last year. Yet Hollins said Randolph is nowhere close to being fully back in shape, and he's not complaining with a 9-3 record since his big man returned. Danny Green added 10 points for the Spurs. Parker had nine assists and shot 5 of 12 after scoring just four points against the Lakers. *Courtesy of www.chron.com

Minnesota T. - LA Clippers 82-95
The Los Angeles Clippers are getting healthy and starting to roll at the right time, with hopes high that they're going to be playing deep into the postseason. The Minnesota Timberwolves are so banged up that this year can't end soon enough. Blake Griffin (6'10''-F-89, college: Oklahoma) had 19 points and 13 rebounds and Caron Butler (6'7''-F-80, college: Connecticut) scored 17 points to lead the playoff-bound Clippers to a 95-82 victory over the Timberwolves on Thursday night. Mo Williams had 14 points and five assists in his return for the Clippers, who entered the night 1 games behind the Lakers for the third seed in the West and just a 1/2 game ahead of Memphis for the fourth seed. 'It's great to get a win no matter what, especially at this time of year when we're fighting for spots,' said Griffin, whose Clippers improved to 15-14 on the road and haven't finished with a winning road record since relocating to L.A. in 1984. 'It's a great win for us.' Michael Beasley had 14 points and 10 rebounds and J.J. Barea had 10 points and 11 assists for the Timberwolves, who have lost eight straight games. They've lost 24 in a row in the month of April dating back to 2009. The Wolves were playing without All-Star Kevin Love, who missed the game with a mild concussion, the latest in a long line of injuries that derailed a once promising season. 'It can't get any worse, man,' Barea said with eight stitches in his lip courtesy of a collision late in the first half. 'It can't get any worse.' The Clippers made 12 3-pointers and turned 17 Minnesota turnovers into 24 points. Butler hit 5 of 8 from deep and the Clippers outscored Minnesota 20-6 in the first nine minutes of the final period to blow the game open. Williams was 6 for 11 in his first game since March 22. He missed 11 straight with a sprained big toe on his left foot, but he's returning just in time to get back into a groove before the playoffs. There was a little panic in Lob City when the Clippers lost eight of 11 games in March and appeared to be sliding down the Western Conference ladder. But they appear to be picking up steam at just the right time, with 10 wins in their last 12 games as the playoffs approach. 'It felt great. The team was in a great rhythm so I just didn't want to mess up the rhythm the team was playing with,' Williams said. 'I just wanted to step right in and do whatever I can to help the team.' The loss officially eliminated the Wolves from playoff contention, but they've been out of the conversation for quite some time. The Timberwolves took the first three games of the season series, including two at Staples Center, but it was an entirely different team that took the court on Thursday night. Ricky Rubio has been out since March 9 with torn ligaments in his left knee and Love missed the game with a concussion suffered in Denver on Wednesday. The Wolves were also missing Luke Ridnour (ankle) and Wayne Ellington (back spasms), and it appeared like the Clippers took the short-handed Wolves a little too lightly in the early going. The signs were there from the beginning, with Griffin missing a wide open, uncontested dunk and starting the game 2 for 7. The Wolves were shooting 53 percent to take a lead into halftime. Griffin finally started taking advantage of Love's absence in the fourth, throwing down three dunks and scoring on a back-down in the post during the deciding 20-2 run. Barea left in the final three minutes of the second quarter after being cut on the chin. He had 10 points and 10 assists in the first half, but picked up his fourth foul midway through the third quarter and was held to just one assist in the second half. Anthony Randolph had 16 points, nine rebounds and three blocks and Nikola Pekovic scored 17 for the Wolves. 'Five down going into the fourth quarter and just could not make a shot,' Wolves coach Rick Adelman said. 'Just ran out of gas.' *Courtesy of www.ktvn.com

Golde State W. - Dallas M. 103-112
Dirk Nowitzki (7'0''-F-78) scored 27 points and former Golden State lottery pick Brandan Wright (6'9''-F-87, college: N.Carolina) had 16 points and nine rebounds, leading the Dallas Mavericks past the Warriors 112-103 on Thursday night. Jason Kidd added 12 assists, 10 rebounds and nine points to pace the Mavericks to a 19-point lead before hanging on late, moving 1 games behind Memphis for the Western Conference's fifth playoff seed. The Grizzlies lost 107-97 to San Antonio earlier in the night. The Mavericks are just a half-game ahead of Denver and Houston. David Lee had 30 points and eight rebounds and rookie Klay Thompson finished with 24 points, eight assists and seven rebounds for the shorthanded Warriors. Golden State has lost three straight and is already eliminated from playoff contention. Dallas survived late behind its usual playmakers. After the Warriors whittled the deficit to three early in the fourth quarter, Nowitzki returned and took charge. The 7-footer made a difficult fadeaway and backed down defenders for a layup to start an avalanche of offense. Jason Terry followed by swishing a walk-up 3-pointer in front of the Warriors' bench. Then Nowitzki passed out of a double-team to find Vince Carter for another 3 and put away Golden State for good. These Warriors had little chance of a lasting comeback. Point guard Stephen Curry (sprained right ankle) and center Andrew Bogut (fractured left ankle) are likely out for the season. Leading scorer Monta Ellis and forward Ekpe Udoh departed in the trade that netted Bogut from Milwaukee, and rookie coach Mark Jackson has only a shattered roster remaining to explain why his misguided playoff prediction predictably flopped. Not until Nate Robinson swished a jumper and a 3-pointer and Brandon Rush dunked to open the fourth did Warriors fans - who still packed Oracle Arena with an announced crowd of 17,929 to cheer a franchise with one playoff appearance since 1994 - get riled up for anything other than next season. The shots sliced Dallas' lead to 89-86, giving the defending NBA champions a scare. If only a brief one. The site of another familiar face - a constant theme in these parts - ripping the home team did most of that early. Wright, drafted eighth overall by the Warriors in 2007, bullied and bruised his way around the paint against Golden State's undersized frontline. He had 12 points and six rebounds off the bench by halftime, including a pair of dunks. The Mavericks, who plucked the injury-riddled Wright - traded to New Jersey by the Warriors after 2 seasons - out of free agency in December, opened the game open behind patches of open space with the forward drawing so much attention. Nowitzki followed with a flurry of jumpers, giving Dallas a 60-41 lead late in the second quarter to take complete control. *Courtesy of http://abcnews.go.com

Charlotte B. - Detroit P. 85-109
Greg Monroe (6'11''-C-90, college: Georgetown) had 25 points and 11 rebounds to help the Detroit Pistons salvage a four-game road trip with a 109-85 rout of the woeful Charlotte Bobcats on Thursday night. Brandon Knight (6'3''-G-91, college: Kentucky) added 21 points and seven assists while Jason Maxiell was a perfect 8-for-8 from the field and finished with 17 points. Monroe was 11-for-14 from the field. The Pistons had won six of seven games before embarking on a road trip that included losses to Atlanta, Miami and Orlando, the final two by a combined margin of 53 points. But they had no such problems with Bobcats, who became the first team this season to lose 50 games. Detroit shot 61 percent from the field over the first three quarters and led by as many as 36. D.J. Augustin and Derrick Brown each had 13 points for the Bobcats, who dropped to 0-4 against the Pistons this season. It was more of the same for the Bobcats, who've now lost 14 straight games, two short of the franchise record set earlier this season. It was Charlotte's 17th loss by 20 or more points. The Bobcats, who announced earlier in the day that leading scorer Corey Maggette will miss the remainder of the season with a strained Achilles, struggled defensively. The Pistons repeatedly went inside and scored on Byron Mullens, who became a defensive liability on this night progressed and saw limited playing time. Inside or outside, it didn't matter -- everything seemed to work on this night for the Pistons (22-36). At times it appeared the Bobcats were stuck in glue on defense. The Pistons got plenty of easy baskets in the first half and led by as many as 19 before taking a 52-40 lead into the locker room. Led by Monroe and Maxiell, Detroit shot 58 percent from the field in the opening half. Monroe was 7 of 10 from the field, while Maxiell, who came in averaging just 6.3 points per game, converted on all six shots. *Courtesy of www.boston.com

Tests show Trail Blazers' LaMarcus Aldridge has 'abnormality' in sore right hip - by Eurobasket News

LaMarcus Aldridge's (6'11''-F/C-85, college: Texas) Tuesday trip to Vail, Colo., resulted in him missing last night's game against the Golden State Warriors and possibly the final 15 days of the season.

Trail Blazers interim general manager Chad Buchanan said an abnormality was discovered in Aldridges sore right hip during his visit with Dr. Marc Phillipon on Tuesday, and the All-Star power forward is officially listed as day-to-day. Forward J.J. Hickson will start in place of Aldridge tonight, when the Blazers host the Warriors at the Rose Garden.

Buchanan said Aldridge will undergo further medical consultation and all parties involved will have further conversation before the team decides what to do with its franchise cornerstone going forward. When asked if surgery was being considered, Buchanan did not rule it out.

Were not going to close the door on anything at this point, Buchanan said.

Aldridge traveled to Vail on Tuesday to visit Phillipon in search of a third medical opinion on his balky right hip. Hes experienced pain dating to at least January 2011, when he underwent an MRI, and it has increased in recent weeks.

Aldridge had an MRI performed this season, on March 28, but the tests came back negative. However, the pain lingered, so he and his agent, Thad Foucher, set up the visit with Phillipon. After another MRI was taken in Vail, the abnormality was discovered.

Buchanan said the team hopes to decide on a course of action for Aldridge and his hip in the next few days but said there was no set timetable. If surgery does occur, it would be Aldridge's second hip procedure in 2005, as a freshman at the University of Texas, he had surgery to repair torn cartilage in his left hip.

Even if surgery is not necessary, it seems more and more likely that Aldridge has played his last game of the season. He has been among the NBAs leaders in minutes played the last two seasons ranking third last season and 17th this season and because the Blazers are all but out of the playoff race, it only makes sense for the team to rest and protect its cornerstone.

Meanwhile, there was positive news regarding another injured Blazers player. Starting small forward Nicolas Batum participated in the teams shootaround this morning and will be a game-time decision against the Warriors.

Batum did not play in Monday nights loss to the Houston Rockets because of left quad tendinitis.

Courtesy of www.oregonlive.com

Mark Cuban: Clash was 'the end' - by Eurobasket News

Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban , saying he hopes Lamar Odom's (6'10''-F-79, college: Rhode Island) departure is 'addition by subtraction,' confirmed that a heated halftime confrontation between the owner and 13-year veteran was the breaking point that prompted the team and player to part ways.

During halftime of his final game with the Mavs, Odom and Cuban had the exchange in the visitors locker room Saturday night in Memphis.

Sources told ESPNDallas.com the heated words were 'the culmination' of an exasperating weekend, when Odom was tardy to the team's Friday home game against the Portland Trail Blazers and the Saturday morning meeting in Memphis. That convinced team officials to initiate discussions on Easter Sunday that led to the parties agreeing to split for the rest of the season.

Cuban confirmed Tuesday evening the crux of the heated halftime confrontation was Cuban questioning Odom's commitment. Odom, who had played only four minutes in the first half, reacted angrily to the question, shouting 'stop playing games' several times. Odom did not take his seat on the bench until after the third quarter began.

'Well, yeah,' Cuban said when asked whether that exchange was the final straw. 'Just his response to it. Everybody goes through ups and downs. Every player does. We tried to put him in a position to succeed. You guys saw it, saw what we did. It didn't work.

'And I just asked him, does he want to go for it or not? Is he in or is he out? I think he thought we were playing poker. I just didn't get a commitment. And that was the end.'

This was not the first time that Cuban had confronted Odom during a game. During a March 6 win over the New York Knicks, Cuban shouted at Odom from the owner's seat near the Mavs bench after the forward's failure to hustle back on defense resulted in an uncontested layup for New York's Landry Fields. Cuban and Odom both downplayed that incident at the time, with Cuban pointing out that he's a passionate fan who frequently yells at players.

Cuban admitted Tuesday that Odom's lack of commitment, which manifested itself in a lack of effort on the floor and habitual tardiness to team meetings, practices and shootarounds despite living across the street from the American Airlines Center, had been an issue all season.

Cuban said he tried to turn the situation into a positive 'the first 17 times,' but, with the defending NBA champions fighting for a playoff berth, the organization finally lost patience with Odom.

'We hope it's addition by subtraction,' Cuban said. 'Just put him in the Tariq Abdul-Wahad category and move on.'

Abdul-Wahad, a name uttered with disdain in the Dallas front office, played a total of 18 games for the Mavericks after being acquired in a blockbuster trade from the Denver Nuggets in 2002. Abdul-Wahad was banished from the team, but he remained on the Mavs' payroll for five seasons.

Cuban had been among Odom's staunchest supporters all season, spending two days meeting with Odom and agent Jeff Schwartz while the Mavs were on the road in the midst of a nine-game, 12-day stretch at the end of the veteran's 10-day midseason personal leave.

Cuban, saying 'every home run hitter strikes out every now and then,' acknowledged that the trade that brought Odom to Dallas in December was a bad swing and a miss.

Schwartz orchestrated the trade after the Los Angeles Lakers attempted to include Odom in the David Stern-vetoed deal that would have paired Chris Paul in a backcourt with Kobe Bryant. The Mavs sent a protected first-round pick and a trade exception -- acquired from the Knicks in the Tyson Chandler sign-and-trade deal -- for the reigning NBA Sixth Man of the Year.

Odom never meshed with the Mavs. He revealed early in the season that he considered taking a hiatus from basketball after a traumatic offseason that included the deaths of his cousin and a teenage pedestrian involved in an accident when Odom was a passenger in an SUV.

Cuban said he knew of Odom's emotional baggage before trading for him, understanding that was one reason why the Lakers made him available.

'My job is to look at every player, employee, whatever and just treat them individually and put them in a position to succeed,' Cuban said. 'I've failed miserably on this one. It's not the first time and won't be the last time. Move on to the next.'

Odom averaged career lows in points (6.6), rebounds (4.2), assists (1.7), shooting percentage (35.2) and minutes (20.5) during his abbreviated season with the Mavericks. Odom's poor effort and production led Mavs president of basketball operations Donnie Nelson to liken relying on him with the season on the line to 'going to war with wet gunpowder.'

As poorly as Odom performed, the Mavs were 0-7 when he has not played this season before Tuesday's home win over the Sacramento Kings.

'It's just time to turn the page,' said coach Rick Carlisle, who has otherwise declined to discuss Odom since Saturday night's loss.

The Mavs still owe Odom the remainder of his $8.9 million salary this season. The Mavericks intend to simply list him as inactive for the rest of the season.

Any team that has Odom on its roster as of June 29 must buy him out by that date for $2.4 million or otherwise accept responsibility for the full $8.2 million that Odom is scheduled to earn in 2012-13.

'Did I get my money's worth? No,' Cuban said. 'I don't know that the word's 'cheated.' But did I get my money's worth? No.'

Courtesy of ESPN

Wednesday's games review (11): Paul's layup lifts Clippers past Thunder, 100-98 - by Eurobasket News

Denver N. - Minnesota T. 113-107
George Karl was in a foul mood after his team squandered a 24-point lead and nearly the game against a Minnesota Timberwolves squad playing much of the contest without its star player. 'Worst win of the year,' the Denver Nuggets coach proclaimed. Hey, it sure beat the alternative. Ty Lawson (5'11''-PG-87, college: N.Carolina) scored 24 points, including four free throws in the final 17.6 seconds, to help the Nuggets hold on for a 113-107 win Wednesday night over the Timberwolves, who lost All-Star forward Kevin Love to a mild concussion in the first quarter. 'I'm happy that we won but I'm not very happy with the way we won,' Karl said. 'It was a very disappointing win.' But there are no style points for victories and the Nuggets need all they can accumulate to remain in the thick of the Western Conference playoff race. So, Lawson won't make any apologies for how his team won. 'Listen, right now we'll take a bad win,' Lawson said. 'As long as it's in the win column, it's good. I know Coach is mad because we were up 24. It shows we're immature.' Took the words right out of Karl's mouth. 'There's an immaturity to how we finish games off,' Karl said. 'There's an immaturity to how we play with leads. 'Fortunately, we figured out how to win it. It wasn't very pretty.' Up by as many as 24 points, Denver saw the Timberwolves steadily climb back into the game, even tying it late in the fourth quarter on a 3-pointer by Martell Webster. All this without their best player on the floor, too. Love sustained a head injury early in the game after taking an inadvertent elbow from JaVale McGee when the Nuggets center went up for a jumper. Love had missed all five of his shots before being knocked out of the game. He was going to be kept overnight at an area hospital for precautionary reasons. 'It was pretty bad, but hopefully he will be all right,' said guard J.J. Barea, who had a career-high 15 assists. 'As soon as he got hit, I knew that he was out. He was talking, but he wasn't all there, though.' Minnesota was trailing by three when Love went crashing to the court. With the UCLA product sidelined, Denver went on a 42-21 run to open up a sizable gap. That looked to be game, set and match. Only, the Timberwolves came roaring back, tying the game on Webster's 3-pointer with 1:41 left. But Lawson secured the win at the line by draining four free throws to turn away the banged-up Timberwolves, who were also without Luke Ridnour (ankle). 'We dug ourselves too big of a hole,' said Derrick Williams, who finished with 27 points. 'You don't want to go down that path.' As for Love, well, there was a certain shock factor after he went down. 'Kevin is our go-to guy,' Williams said. 'But I always say, injuries create opportunities for everybody else and people have to step up when their name is called.' Williams certainly answered the call. So did Anthony Randolph, who led the team with 28 points to pick up the slack for the Timberwolves, who have dropped seven straight. 'One name - Anthony Randolph,' Barea said. He did it all.' Rookie Kenneth Faried turned in another strong performance, as he finished with 16 points and 12 rebounds. This was on the heels of a 27-point, 17-rebound effort against Golden State two nights ago. The high-energy forward was just as difficult to contain for the Timberwolves, especially after Love went down. Early in the opening quarter, Faried was shaken up when Love gave him a hard shoulder to the chest as he flew down the lane after a rebound. Faried fell to the floor and had to be helped off, only to quickly return. Top reserve and team leader Al Harrington was noticeably limping up and down the court as he tries to play through a torn meniscus in his right knee. Harrington saw only 22 minutes of action, but still had 11 points. This is a banged-up Nuggets team that hasn't been healthy for most of the season. But they're steadily inching closer to having a full contingent. Wilson Chandler (strained hip) thinks he will be ready by at least Sunday, while Danilo Gallinari is just starting to regain his touch after breaking his left thumb last month. Gallinari came up clutch against the Timberwolves, scoring seven of his 18 points in the final 4:17. Still, it was a lot closer than Gallinari & Co. anticipated after such a big lead. 'There was a lot of intensity, but we cannot be very happy after this,' Gallinari said. 'This cannot happen again.' *Courtesy of www.ktvn.com

Houston R. - Utah Jazz 91-103
Gordon Hayward (6'9''-G/F-90, agency: Priority Sports, college: Butler) scored a season-high 29 points and the Utah Jazz helped their fading playoff hopes with a 103-91 win over the Houston Rockets on Wednesday night. Paul Millsap added 21 points and Al Jefferson had 15 for the Jazz, who held the No. 10 spot in the Western Conference standings coming into the game. The Jazz shot 51 percent (40 of 78) and led by as many as 18, taking advantage of Houston's poor shooting. Houston started the night in the sixth in the West, and had a four-game winning streak snapped. Goran Dragic scored 19, Kyle Lowry added 15 off the bench and Marcus Camby grabbed 13 rebounds for the Rockets, who shot 36 percent (31 of 87) from the field. Lowry drew a loud ovation when he replaced Dragic in the final minute of the first quarter. Lowry was playing in his third game - and first at home - since recovering from a bacterial infection that sidelined him for 15 games. The Rockets led early, but Hayward sank a 3-pointer and Millsap hit three mid-range shots during a 13-1 Utah spurt bridging the first and second quarters. The Rockets missed six straight shots during the spurt, and trailed 38-26. Houston answered with a quick 10-0 burst, finished by Chase Budinger's 3-pointer. But the Jazz made 22 of 38 shots in the first half (58 percent) and led 56-46 at the break. Hayward had 17 points and Millsap had 16 in the opening half. Early in the third quarter, a Jazz turnover led to a fast-break dunk by Courtney Lee to make it 64-56. Lee missed a 3-pointer on Houston's next trip, and Jefferson broke free for a two-handed dunk to quiet the crowd again. Jefferson and Millsap scored again from close range and Hayward sank his fourth 3-pointer as Utah stretched the lead to 76-60. The Rockets, meanwhile, went cold in the third quarter, missing 15 of 19 shots. Houston coach Kevin McHale had Lowry and Dragic on the floor together late in the third and early in the fourth quarter. Lowry drove for two layups, and assisted on baskets by Luis Scola and Patrick Patterson to start a Houston rally. Lowry threw a long pass to Dragic for a breakaway dunk with 6:56 left and the Rockets trailed only 85-80. Jefferson scored, but Lowry answered with his first 3-pointer of the night to cut the deficit to four. Budinger missed a 3, and Hayward raced for a crowd-silencing dunk with 5:34 remaining. Hayward made an off-balance shot, drew contact from Scola and hit the resulting free throw to put Utah up 93-83. Derrick Favors finished off the Rockets with a dunk with 1:10 left for a 98-89 lead. Hayward swished a pair of free throws with 56 seconds to go, and Utah hit 100 points for the fifth time in six games. *Courtesy of www.ktvn.com

Memphis G. - Phoenix Suns 104-93
Rudy Gay (6'9''-F/G-86, college: Connecticut) scored a season-high 32 points and the Memphis Grizzlies won their fourth straight with a 104-93 victory over the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday night. Memphis outscored the Suns 17-6 after Phoenix tied the game at 87 with 6:27 left. Dante Cunningham had six of his 10 points during the stretch run. Zach Randolph had 17 points and nine rebounds for Memphis, which won for the ninth time in the last 11 games. O.J. Mayo finished with 15 points, and Mike Conley had 12 points and seven assists. Marcin Gortat had 19 points for Phoenix on 9 of 12 from the floor, while Shannon Brown scored 18. The Suns' two-game winning streak was snapped. They are 10th in the Western Conference. Rookie Markieff Morris had 17 for Phoenix, and Steve Nash had 11 points and 10 assists. The victory, coupled with the Los Angeles Clippers' 100-98 win at Oklahoma City, left the Grizzlies a half-game behind the Clippers for the fourth seed and home-court advantage in the Western Conference playoffs. Memphis led 59-53 in a first half that saw very little defense for either team. Both teams were shooting 59 percent at the half, each hitting 24 of their 41 shots. Both teams were above 60 percent until the final minute of the half. The Suns relied on the inside presence of Gortat, who had 15 points in the half, missing only one of his eight shots. Josh Childress was perfect on his five shots in the half for all of his 10 points in the game, and Phoenix had 42 points in the paint. Gay led Memphis with 17 points on 7-of-8 shooting, while Randolph had 13 points. Memphis grabbed the first double-digit lead of the game early in the second half after a pair of technical fouls, one on Nash for a no-call, another on Brown during a scrum for position on an inbounds pass, contributed to a 65-55 lead. The Suns whittled it to 70-67 before Memphis rebuilt the advantage to 80-72 heading to the fourth. Phoenix opened the final period with an 11-1 run, and the game settled into a series of lead changes and ties, the final one coming a drive by Sebastian Telfair, knotting the score at 87 with 6:27 left. Memphis then scored six straight points, part of a 13-4 run to take the lead to 100-91. After the Suns' dominance inside in the first half, Phoenix managed to outscore Memphis in the paint by 56-54. *Courtesy of www.ktvn.com

Portland TB - Golde State W. 118-110
With LaMarcus Aldridge out, Jamal Crawford (6'5''-G-80, college: Michigan) saw an opportunity to fill the void for the Portland Trail Blazers. Crawford scored a season-high 34 points, Wesley Matthews had two baskets in the final minute and the Blazers beat the Golden State Warriors 118-110 on Wednesday night. An explosive 11th-year combo guard, Crawford joined the Blazers as a free agent before the season but has struggled to find his role in Portland. 'I envisioned more nights like this when I first came here, but everything happens for a reason and better late than never,' Crawford said. J.J. Hickson added 23 points and 13 rebounds, and Matthews finished with 18 points for Portland. Raymond Felton had 16 points and 10 assists. David Lee had 21 points and 14 rebounds for the Warriors (22-35), while Nate Robinson added 19 points and eight assists. Golden State trailed by as many as 15 in the third quarter but fought back to tie the game at 95. Portland led 109-106 after Klay Thompson made a 3-pointer for the Warriors, but Matthews knocked down a mid-range jumper and then a 3-pointer to put away the game. An examination of Aldridge's hip done Tuesday in Vail, Colo., showed an 'abnormality,' according to interim general manager Chad Buchanan. That could cause Portland to shut him down for the rest of the season and effectively end its faint playoff hopes. The Blazers are 4 1/2 games back of Denver for the eighth playoff spot in the West. 'Finally, we are playing with a sense of urgency,' Matthews said. 'I wish we could have done that two months ago.' Aldridge is averaging 21.7 points and 8.0 rebounds and was named to the All-Star team this season for the first time. Hickson, who has scored in double digits in eight of 12 games since Portland picked him up off waivers from Sacramento, replaced him in the starting lineup. The Warriors were coming off a 123-84 loss to Denver on Monday. They have dropped 11 of 15 games since trading Monta Ellis in February and are out of the playoff race. 'That may be an excuse for other teams, but for us that's unacceptable,' Golden State coach Mark Jackson said. 'The last two games we haven't been ourselves.' Portland went up 56-48 in the second quarter after back-to-back 3-pointers from Nicolas Batum and Luke Babbitt. Portland was up 85-75 after the third quarter, but the Warriors opened up the fourth on a 10-0 run to tie the score. But they didn't get stops at the end, allowing Portland to tally its second-highest scoring total of the season. 'For the most part, our team played hard,' Robinson said. 'We just gave up a lot of baskets that were uncalled for.' *Courtesy of www.cbssports.com

Cleveland C. - Indiana P. 98-104 OT
One of Indiana's players wrestled Cleveland's furry mascot before the game. The Pacers then had to fight off the spunky Cavaliers. Danny Granger (6'8''-F-83, agency: Priority Sports, college: N.Mexico) made a 3-pointer in overtime and scored 23 points, and George Hill made a dagger 3-pointer in the extra session, lifting Indiana to a 104-98 victory on Wednesday night and allowing the Pacers to hold onto the No. 3 spot in the Eastern Conference for one more day. David West added 19 points, Hill had 17 and Roy Hibbert finished with 11 rebounds, five assists and four blocks for Indiana, 6-1 in its last seven. The Pacers outscored the Cavs 10-4 in OT and stayed just ahead of Boston, Atlanta and Orlando in the standings. This was a dogfight - playfully and literally. During pregame introductions, West got into a mock fight with Moondog, the Cavs' floppy-eared mascot, who often interacts and teases opposing players. West accidentally struck the character in the mask, sending him to the hospital with an eye injury. ''I feel terrible about that, I really do,'' said West, who was visibly upset. ''We were just having fun. We were just messing around. I really hope he's OK. Make sure he knows I'm sorry.'' A Cavs spokesman said the mascot was checked out and released. Hibbert thought Moondog was joking when he went down holding the head of his costume. ''For real?'' Hibbert said. ''We thought he (Moondog) was just playing when it happened. Oh man, that's crazy. I can't believe it happened. I've never heard anything like that in the NBA.'' Antawn Jamison scored 21 and Lester Hudson 19 for the Cavs, who dropped to a league-worst 0-5 in overtime games. The Cavs, who were just 2 of 9 in the extra five minutes, were officially eliminated from the playoffs. *Courtesy of http://sports.yahoo.com

Oklah.City T. - LA Clippers 98-100
Blake Griffin (6'10''-F-89, college: Oklahoma) 's last visit to his hometown resulted in one of the most forgettable games of a young career that's already been filled with highlights. Chris Paul (6'0''-PG-85, college: Wake Forest) sent him out as a winner this time. Paul scored 31 points, including the game-winning shot on a layup with 8.8 seconds left, and the Los Angeles Clippers beat the Oklahoma City Thunder 100-98 on Wednesday night to stay in position for home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs. ''For me to come back and be able to play in front of family and friends is always fun,'' said Griffin, who was born and raised in Oklahoma City and played college ball at Oklahoma. ''But most importantly we're looking to get wins and this is a tough place to play and I'm proud of the way my teammates played and we dug out a win.'' The Clippers needed the win to hang on to fourth place in the Western Conference standings. Fifth-place Memphis, which beat L.A. on Monday night, remains a half-game behind the Clippers after beating Phoenix 104-93 Wednesday night. Griffin had lost his first three NBA games in his hometown, getting a career-low seven points in a 114-91 blowout loss last month. In that game, the Thunder's Kendrick Perkins set the tone by hitting Griffin in the face on a first-quarter foul that also earned him a technical. On Wednesday night, Griffin had 16 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists and provided some highlight material, most notably a right-handed slam over Ibaka midway through the third quarter. He flirted with his second career triple-double before failing to register an assist in the fourth quarter. But that's when Paul, playing on the court where he once starred with the relocated New Orleans Hornets, was at his best. Paul's right-handed runner during a 15-4 run tied it at 80 before he came out for a brief rest, and Randy Foye's 3-pointer from the right side with 8:35 remaining put L.A. ahead 85-84. It was the first lead for the Clippers since it was 6-5 in the opening 4 minutes. Paul also had a tiebreaking 3-pointer and a floater along the lane to give L.A. a five-point lead and then the 6-foot point guard restored that edge by tipping in his own miss a few trips later. After Durant's 3-pointer tied it at 98 with 32 seconds left, Paul drained the shot clock before coming up with the decisive basket - the ball rattling around the rim before falling through. He got past Thunder defensive specialist Thabo Sefolosha and squeezed the ball onto the rim past the league's leading shot blocker, Serge Ibaka, to put L.A. ahead. ''That's the reason he's the best down the stretch. He takes over games,'' Griffin said. ''For that to be our guy, and he has the ball in his hands a lot, it just works out perfectly.'' Paul had 24 points in the second half, including 11 in the final quarter. ''We just got lazy in the second half,'' said Thunder guard James Harden, who had 17 points off the bench. ''We didn't come out with that aggression like we did in the first half to really control him, and he took advantage of it.'' Kevin Durant missed a 3-pointer that could have won it, hitting the back rim on a shot over Clippers center DeAndre Jordan from the left wing. ''He was playing off me a little and it got clogged up,'' Durant said. ''I didn't want to risk a turnover, so I shot it.'' Durant led Oklahoma City with 22 points and Russell Westbrook scored 20. The West-leading Thunder (42-16) have lost four of their last six games and are one game ahead of second-place San Antonio. The Spurs (40-16) have the same number of losses and would win the tiebreaker against Oklahoma City for the No. 1 seed. The Thunder also fell two games behind idle Chicago (44-14) for the best record in the NBA. ''You're going to have to win games in the playoffs, no matter who you play. We're not worried about that,'' Harden said. ''We just want to close these remaining games out and then go from there.'' Durant was 7-for-21 and Westbrook 3-for-14 as both Oklahoma City All-Stars struggled from the field. The rest of the Thunder roster was 21-for-41, for 51 percent. ''You know, we missed some good shots. I can't complain,'' coach Scott Brooks said. ''There's going to be nights you miss your shots. Kevin's not going to miss that many shots. Russell's not going to miss that many shots.'' Los Angeles won for the ninth time in its last 11 games - all without top reserve Mo Williams, who is out with a sprained left big toe. That run followed a stretch when the Clippers lost 12 of 19. ''I'm proud of the way we've bounced back as a team through a lot of adversity and a lot of negative talk,'' Griffin said. ''Everybody's just kind of batted it to the side and won ballgames.'' *Courtesy of http://sports.yahoo.com

N.Orleans H. - Sacramento K. 105-96
Monty Williams decided it was time to loosen the reins on Jason Smith (7'0''-F-86, agency: Priority Sports, college: Colorado St.). By the looks of things, the Hornets coach won't be reeling the blossoming 7-footer back in any time soon. Smith scored 22 points, hitting 10 of 12 shots, to lead New Orleans to a 105-96 victory over the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday night. 'I've watched his development and I've watched him play himself out of restrictions,' Williams said. 'I had restrictions on him when he first got here and now we just say, 'Jason, you've got to go out there and make plays.'' It was the second time in three games that Smith had led the injury-riddled Hornets to a victory. The former Colorado State standout had 26 points and 10 rebounds in a victory last Saturday over Minnesota. I don't know why he's not getting any acclaim for most improved (player),' Williams said. 'Look at where he came from last year. This year, nobody expected Jason to be the kind of guys that comes in, hits big shots, plays good defense. ... He's 7 feet tall. He can shoot to 18 feet. He can dunk. He can go to the basket. He plays solid defense. He's not afraid of the moment.' Smith averaged 4.3 points in 14.3 minutes per game off the bench last season. Now in his fourth NBA season, Smith is averaging close to 10 points in about 24 minutes per game. 'I'm trying to be more aggressive,' Smith said. 'Over time you develop your stuff in practice. ... I think that's what coach has allowed me to do. He sees me work in practice and he knows how hard I work.' Smith wasn't the only Hornet shooting well against the Kings' porous defense,. Marco Belinelli added 21 points and Greivis Vasquez 15 for New Orleans, which shot 55.9 percent (38 of 68) and surged ahead for good with an 18-3 run in the third quarter. Hornets reserve guard Xavier Henry scored 14 points, while Chris Kaman grabbed 10 rebounds and blocked three shots. Marcus Thornton led all scorers with 25 points and Tyreke Evans added 19 points for the Kings, who have lost six straight. DeMarcus Cousins had early foul trouble and played only 20 minutes, missing nine of his 12 shots. But Kings head coach Keith Smart cited the play of the Hornets' Smith as the key to the game. 'That guy changed the game with his activity and his energy,' Smart said. 'He was a big question that if he played well, they would have a shot to win and that is what happened.' Sacramento led 59-53 after Jason Thompson's three-point play on a layup as he was fouled, but then managed only one basket during a span of more than five minutes while the Hornets made their decisive run. 'Since our team is so young, when things are going good, they are going great. When things aren't going well, we get exposed,' said Thompson, who scored 18 points. 'We just have to get where we finish games strong.' Kaman's 15-foot fade started New Orleans' spurt, during which he added a basket from inside. Vasquez hit a pair of jumpers, Henry converted a steal into a breakaway dunk and Belinelli hit one of his three 3s as the Hornets built a 71-62 lead. New Orleans' lead reached 11 when Vasquez's 3 made it 79-68 late in the period and got as large as 12 early in the fourth quarter, when Gustavo Ayon tipped in Carl Landry's missed free throw as he was fouled for a three-point play that made it 84-72 The Kings pulled back as close as 94-90 when Evans' jumper capped an 8-2 spurt, but Vasquez hit a jumper and Belinelli found Kaman cutting to the basket for a layup to give New Orleans enough of a cushion to hold on.Terrence Williams added 16 for the Kings, who shot 43.4 percent and were hurt by missing 15 of 22 shots they attempted from 3-point range. New Orleans outrebounded Sacramento 44-37. Thornton, a former LSU star and Hornets player, had 13 of his points in the first quarter, when Sacramento took its largest lead at 29-20. New Orleans erased its deficit early in the second period and Belinelli's 3 gave the Hornets a 50-49 lead at halftime. *Courtesy of www.chron.com

San Antonio S. - LA Lakers 84-98
Andrew Bynum (7'0''-C-87, agency: David Lee services) had 16 points and 30 rebounds, the most in an NBA game this season, and the Los Angeles Lakers didn't need Kobe Bryant to blow out the San Antonio Spurs 98-84 Wednesday night. Metta World Peace scored 26 points and the Lakers, playing their third straight game without the injured Bryant, manhandled the Spurs underneath to hand the West's second-place team one of their most embarrassing losses this season. Bryant is sitting out to heal his sore left shin. There remains no timetable on when the NBA's leading scorer might return. Bynum's dominating night surpassed the previous NBA season-high of 25 rebounds, set twice by Orlando's Dwight Howard and Milwaukee's Ersan Ilyasova. Danny Green led the Spurs with 22 points. Pau Gasol added 21 points and 11 rebounds for the Lakers, who are now 2-1 without Bryant. Two nights after barely squeaking past lowly New Orleans, the Lakers played far livelier this time without their superstar. World Peace scored a season-high while shooting 10 of 15 from the field, including 5 of 8 from behind the 3-point arc. Los Angeles has seven games left and are in third place in the West, 4 games behind the Spurs for second place. San Antonio remained just a game out of first despite the loss since Oklahoma City also lost Wednesday night. After winning 11 in a row, the Spurs have now lost consecutive games for the first time since January. Falling in Utah on Monday night was hardly shocking: Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili didn't even make the trip that night in coach Gregg Popovich's pursuit to keep his stars fresh as possible for the playoffs. But the Big Three were back for the Lakers, and few saw this coming - especially with Bryant sidelined in a suit. Parker and Ginobili might as well have taken another night off. Parker scored four on 2 of 12 shooting and Ginobili scored 9. Duncan had 14 points and just two rebounds. So unstoppable was Bynum under the basket that by the end of the third quarter, the 7-footer already had matched Howard and Ilyasova for the season's single-game mark. Bynum tapped missed shots to himself with ease over the undersized Spurs frontcourt, and nearly single-handedly outrebounded the entire Spurs lineup combined. San Antonio finished with 32 rebounds. It's the second time the Spurs have been beaten up on the boards: One of Howard's 25-rebound nights was also against San Antonio. *Courtesy of www.ktvn.com

Boston C. - Atlanta H. 88-86 OT
An early morning return after an emotional win in Miami, followed by an overtime victory against a well-rested Atlanta team. Nothing seems to stop the charging Boston Celtics lately. Paul Pierce overcame a miserable shooting game with a key jumper in overtime and Rajon Rondo (6'1''-PG-86, college: Kentucky) finished with a triple-double with 20 assists, 10 points and 10 rebounds to lift the surging Celtics to an 88-86 win over the Hawks on Wednesday night. Coming off an eight-point win over the Heat one night earlier and facing the Hawks, who hadn't played since winning Saturday night, the Celtics knew how tired they were. Turns out, they had a pull out a win after Kevin Garnett fouled out in OT. 'I gotta tell you guys: that was the worst game we've ever won,' Boston coach Doc Rivers said. 'I mean we didn't play well. We just kept hanging in there. You could see the fatigue.' Garnett had 22 points and grabbed 12 boards before fouling out with just under 3 minutes left in OT, and Brandon Bass, who also hit a jumper in OT, scored 21 points. It was Rondo's 19th straight game with double digits in assists. 'We kept fighting regardless of the other stuff out there. We stuck together, followed through and got the win,' said Rondo, who played 87 minutes of 101 total minutes the last two nights. With the victory, Boston moved into a three-way tie with Atlanta and Orlando for the Eastern Conference's fourth-best record. The Celtics remained three ahead of Philadelphia atop the Atlantic Division. Jeff Teague led the Hawks with 21 points and Josh Smith had 20 with 11 rebounds. The Hawks had won eight of 11 since losing to Boston at home on March 19. 'It's twice now we've played this Boston team and the game has come down to the final few seconds of the game and we didn't make the plays,' Atlanta coach Larry Drew said. 'We have to learn from it and, more importantly, we need to move on from it.' It was the Celtics' 11th win in 14 games. Pierce finished with 14 points. 'We had plenty of chances to win this game, but its neither here nor there,' Hawks forward Joe Johnson said, 'they pulled it out.' Bass and Pierce hit jumpers, giving Boston an 88-84 lead early in the OT, but the Hawks sliced it to a one possession game on Kirk Hinrich's open jumper. The teams traded turnovers over the next 2 minutes - with the Hawks' Smith getting picked cleanly by Pierce with 30 seconds to play, but the Celtics' captain was called for an offensive foul on the other end with 10.1 seconds to go. Smith front-rimmed a 3 and Boston gained possession after a battle for the rebound went out of bounds off a Hawks' player in front of Boston's bench with 1.3 seconds left. Boston inbounded the ball to Rondo, who fired it in the air as the horn sounded. Pierce, just 6 of 19 from the floor, raised his arms in triumph. 'It just shows we have great character. Tough-minded group,' Rivers said. In a back and forth fourth quarter during which the teams traded the lead five times, Boston went up 82-81 on Garnett's jumper from the top of the key with 1:26 to go, but Zaza Pachulia hit one of two free throws on the Hawks' next possession, tying it with 74 seconds left. Bass then hit a short jumper in the lane and the Hawks' tied it again on Johnson's jumper with 47 seconds to play. Pierce, who struggled from the floor all night, missed a 3 but Garnett grabbed the rebound. After Boston's time-out, Garnett was forced to take a long fadeaway that missed the rim badly and the 24-second shot expired during a scramble for the rebound. Teague front-rimmed a long jumper as the horn sounded, sending the game to OT. Boston opened an 80-76 lead on Garnett's 3-point play when he drove around Pachulia for a reverse layup and was fouled, hitting the free throw to cap a 7-0 spree with 4:04 to play. The Hawks then retied it on Teague's jumper from the left wing a minute later after Johnson hit two free throws. *Courtesy of www.chron.com

Milwaukee B. - New York K. 107-111
J.R. Smith (6'6''-G-85) hit a 3-pointer for the lead with 1:04 left, and the New York Knicks held on to beat the Milwaukee Bucks 111-107 in a game that could turn out to be critical to both teams' playoff hopes. Carmelo Anthony had 32 points and 10 rebounds while Tyson Chandler added 19 points for the Knicks, who took a two-game lead on Milwaukee for the No. 8 seed in the Eastern Conference. Smith had 14 points off the bench. Monta Ellis had 35 points and Brandon Jennings added 22 for the Bucks, who were coming off a 20-point loss to Oklahoma City at home on Monday. The Bucks had won two of three games with the Knicks before Wednesday, and a win would have given them a head-to-head tiebreaker edge. *Courtesy of www.cbsnews.com

Toronto R. - Philadelph.76 75-93
When last seen, the Philadelphia 76ers were in free fall. The Raptors held them to a seven-point fourth quarter a week ago in a win over the Sixers that had head coach Doug Collins talking about showing his charges Tony Robbins tapes (facetiously) in hopes of getting things turned around. Not sure if he ever got around to the Robbins' self-help tapes but it appears that a tweak to his starting lineup has done wonders. In the two games (including last night) since inserting Nikola Vucevic in the starting lineup at centre in place of Spencer Hawes (7'0''-C-88, college: Washington), the Sixers are operating much more efficiently. Hawes responded to his demotion with a team-high 19 points on Tuesday in a 107-88 win over New Jersey. Wednesday in Toronto, Collins got a starting-five high 12 points from Vucevic and another 10 from Hawes off the bench in a 93-75 win over Toronto. That's back-to-back wins following a four-game losing streak for Philly. The Sixers are trying to avoid a monumental second-half collapse. This is a team that was one of the NBA's best in the first two months but has since gone into a tailspin and are now fighting it out with the New York Knicks and the Milwaukee Bucks for the seventh and eighth playoff spots in the East. The Raps, who were without Andrea Bargnani for the second consecutive game (he'll have an MRI Thursday) were abused in the paint all night giving up 58 and scoring just 20 of their own. The only positive of the night from a Toronto perspective came from Ed Davis who had his second consecutive double-double with 13 points and 13 rebounds. *Courtesy of www.torontosun.com

Warriors reportedly targeting Lamar Odom as summer acquisition - by Eurobasket News

Give the Golden State Warriors credit for ambition. First they thought they had a chance at convincing Dwight Howard (6'11''-C-85) to make a long-term commitment to the team. Now, they're eyeing Lamar Odom (6'10''-F-79, college: Rhode Island), who recently parted ways with the Dallas Mavericks, as their potential new starting small forward, the Contra Costa Times reports.

But, the Times writes, acquiring Odom is a long shot (for the Warriors). He would probably have to take less money and turn down a chance to be on a contender.

The Mavericks have an $8.2 million team option on Odom next year. If Dallas cuts him, only $2.4 million of that is guaranteed. The Warriors have only the mid-level exception, about $5.6 million this season, available to sign him, the Times notes. But a contender also could offer him the mid-level exception, or a team with cap space could throw an $8-10 million deal at him. Its also possible, but unlikely, for Golden State to put together a trade package compelling enough for Dallas to trade Odom.

But if the Warriors are able to swing it, a starting five of point guard Stephen Curry, shooting guard Klay Thompson, power forward David Lee, center Andrew Bogut and Odom at small forward doesnt sound too bad.

Courtesy of http://aol.sportingnews.com

Dwyane Wade thinks NBA players should be paid for playing in Olympics - by Eurobasket News

Dwyane Wade (6'4''-G-82, college: Marquette), the Miami Heat star who made a reported $26.2 million in salary and endorsements last year, thinks NBA stars should be paid for playing in the Olympics.

He told ESPN.com's Michael Wallace:

'It's a lot of things you do for the Olympics -- a lot of jerseys you sell. We play the whole summer. I do think guys should be compensated. [...] Unfortunately, it's not there.

'The biggest thing is now you get no rest. So you go to the end of the season, (Team USA) training camp is two weeks later. You're giving up a lot to do it. It's something you want to do. But it's taxing on your body. You're not playing for the dollar. But it would be nice if you would get compensated.'

The comments will draw a firestorm, especially from the 'you play for the love of country' contingent. Some will point out that gold-medal winners from the US already get $25,000. Others will ask where the line would be drawn: If Wade got paid, what about Michael Phelps? Gymnasts? Weightlifters? He'll be asked about the comments all summer and will likely slightly retreat from his position in the face of international media scrutiny. There are issues on which to be firm and hold your ground. This won't be one of them.

To focus on those issues misses the bigger point: In essence, he is getting paid to play in the Olympics. Nike pays Wade a reported $12 million per year in endorsements. Nike also sponsors USA Basketball. Those jerseys Wade wants a cut from? They're made by Nike. You do the math.

Unlike American baseball and football players, basketball players are a global brand. The Olympics are their biggest platform. When Nike signs Wade to that contract, it's not just because he's an NBA star. It's because he'll be wearing that Nike swoosh while playing in a gold-medal game in front of hundreds of millions of viewers.

At least one of Wade's teammates disagrees. His Miami Heat and USA Basketball backcourt mate, LeBron James, a player nobody will ever accuse of public-relations prudence, said getting paid 'doesn't matter' and that he's happy to be playing for his country.

Neither of them are wrong. The money shouldn't matter to millionaire athletes, but nobody, no matter how rich, should have to work for free. Dwyane Wade need only look at the big picture to realize that he's not.

Courtesy of http://sports.yahoo.com

Kevin Love helped off floor, suffers mild concussion - by Eurobasket News

An unintentional elbow ended the night early for Kevin Love (6'10''-C-88, college: UCLA) and sent him to the hospital.

The Minnesota Timberwolves All-Star forward sustained a mild concussion and neck strain after a hit to the head against the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday. He was kept overnight at an area hospital for precautionary reasons.

Love was helped off the floor by medical personnel following an inadvertent blow from JaVale McGee when the Nuggets center went up for a jumper in the lane. Love had missed all five of his shots in the first quarter before being knocked out of the game.

'It was pretty bad, but hopefully he'll be all right,' said guard J.J. Barea, who had a career-high 15 assists in a 113-107 loss to the Nuggets. 'As soon as he got hit, I knew he was out. He was talking, but he wasn't all there, though.'

Love is the NBA's top scorer since the All-Star break, averaging nearly 29 points. Not only that, but he's among the league leaders in rebounding, free throws made and minutes.

Even more, Love's the leader of the team on the court and his injury shook the Timberwolves, who fell behind by as many as 24 points before storming back and nearly pulling off a remarkable comeback.

'Kevin is our go-to guy,' said Derrick Williams, who stepped up to score 27 points off the bench. 'He's the heart of our team.'

Earlier in the contest, Love gave Kenneth Faried a hard shoulder to the chest as the Nuggets rookie flew down the lane after a rebound. Faried tumbled to the floor and had to be helped off, only to quickly return.

The injury-riddled Timberwolves were already missing Luke Ridnour, who is sidelined with a sprained right ankle. In addition, coach Rick Adelman said before the contest that Wayne Ellington was dealing with back spasms. He didn't play against the Nuggets.

Courtesy of www.usatoday.com

Rajon Rondo: No Olympic interest - by Eurobasket News

A pair of stars who wear green had something to say Tuesday about the red, white and blue.

In interviews with FOX Sports Florida, Boston guard Rajon Rondo (6'1''-PG-86, college: Kentucky) said he has no interest ever in playing in the Olympics and Celtics guard Ray Allen believes Team USA players should draw some sort of salary for participation in the Games. Allen won a gold medal with the Americans in Sydney in 2000.

Rondo, who is one of the NBA's top point guards and is averaging a league-best 11.3 assists, wasn't one of the 20 players selected in January as finalists for Team USA's 2012 roster in London. And even if another player were to possibly be added, Rondo, 26, said there would be no need to call him.

'I'm not focusing at all on the Olympics. At all. At all,' Rondo said before handing out 15 assists in Boston's 115-107 win over Miami, his 18th straight game with 10 or more, the NBA's longest streak in 20 years.

Rondo, who still would be young enough to play in the Games in 2016 or 2020, then was asked if he ever would have an interest in playing in the Olympics.

'No, I don't,' he said. 'I just don't Wondering why? I love my summers. I'll leave it at that.'

Rondo didn't help his standing with USA Basketball when he went overseas as a finalist with the World Championship team in 2010 before soon returning to the U.S. Rondo believes he would have made the team that eventually won gold had he decided not to bolt when the Americans were in Greece before going to the event in Turkey.

'I decided to leave,' said Rondo, whose departure was described by USA Basketball as one for family reasons. 'I was homesick.'

Rondo said he never spoke to USA Basketball officials about possibly being a finalist for the 2012 Olympics. There were six point guards selected in Derrick Rose, Chris Paul, Deron Williams, Russell Westbrook, Eric Gordon and Chauncey Billups, although Billups has been ruled out of contention due to suffering a season-ending torn Achilles earlier this year.

'I don't even know who's on the list,' Rondo said.

Told about Rondo's position, Allen said 'everyone has their own stand' regarding playing in the Olympics. He said he was 'glad' to have won gold in 2000 but doesn't know how he would respond if ever asked to play in another Olympics.

It's highly unlikely Allen, who will be 37 when the 2012 Games get underway, ever would be asked again. But he offered a suggestion for the future about paying Team USA Players.

'You talk about the patriotism that guys should want to play for, but you (need to) find a way to entice the guys,' Allen said. 'It's not the easiest thing in the world if you play deep in the playoffs and then you get two, three weeks off and then you start training again to play more basketball where it requires you to be away from home and in another country. It's fun, but your body does need a break.

'Everybody says, 'Play for your country.' But (NBA players are) commodities, your businesses. You think about it, you do camps in the summer, you have various opportunities to make money. When you go overseas and play basketball, you lose those opportunties, what you may make If I'm an accountant and I get outsourced by my firm, I'm going to make some money somewhere else.'

The U.S. Olympic Committee does provide every American with $25,000 for winning a gold medal, $15,000 for a silver and $10,000 for a bronze. But Allen, while not specifying an amount, has a way he believes could result in Team USA players drawing a fair salary.

'If it's licensing,' Allen said. ' (The players) are wearing jerseys and (others, but not the players, are) making money off it. Something (should be done) just to say to the guys, 'Hey, you guys are spending this much time, 40 days, playing basketball, we're paying for some type service that you provide, that you're getting some kind of kickback' I know that you sell unlimited jerseys so I think the players should get some piece of that.'

Courtesy of www.foxsportsflorida.com

Dwyane Wade: No pay for Olympics - by Eurobasket News

Heat guard Dwyane Wade (6'4''-G-82, college: Marquette) says money is not his motivation for the London Games this summer.

In a statement Thursday, Wade said, 'I do not want to be paid to go to the Olympics.'

Wade was quoted Wednesday saying he thinks 'guys should be compensated' for playing over the summer and noted the schedule demands of being an Olympian.

'It's a lot of things you do for the Olympics -- a lot of jerseys you sell,' Wade said after the Heat's practice on Wednesday in advance of Thursday's game against Chicago. 'We play the whole summer. I do think guys should be compensated. Just like I think college players should be compensated as well. Unfortunately, it's not there. But I think it should be something, you know, there for it.'

The gold-medal game is scheduled for Aug. 12, about a month before many NBA players resume workouts to gear up for training camps that open in late September or early October.

'The biggest thing is now you get no rest,' Wade said. 'So you go to the end of the season, [Team USA] training camp is two weeks later. You're giving up a lot to do it. It's something you want to do. But it's taxing on your body. You're not playing for the dollar. But it would be nice if you would get compensated.'

Wade said Thursday that he was responding to a question about Olympians being paid, and never said he needed to be paid to play.

Wade later tweeted that pride for his country 'motivates me more than any $$$ amount.'

Wade played for the U.S. at Athens in 2004 and Beijing in 2008, and has said the London Games would be his last.

Courtesy of ESPN

Steve Kerr informs Trail Blazers he is not interested in GM opening - by Eurobasket News

After an informal phone interview last week, Steve Kerr (6'3''-G-65, college: Arizona) has told the Trail Blazers that he is not interested in filling their opening at general manager.

Kerr, the accomplished NBA guard and former general manager of the Phoenix Suns, said he is happy with his life as a broadcaster for TNT, which allows him to spend more time with his family. It is the same reason he gave the Trail Blazers last May when team president Larry Miller first approached him as a candidate to fill the vacancy left by the firing of Rich Cho.

One year later, Kerr was once again the first call for Miller.

He likes Larry, and certainly isnt closing any doors, but right now he loves his life at TNT, said Mark Bartelstein, Kerrs agent. He will come back to the NBA in the future, whether its as a coach or in the front office, but thats a few years down the road.

On Monday, Miller said he had conducted two interviews - one in person and one on the phone. The face-to-face interview is believed to be agent Noah Croom, according to Yahoo Sports. Croom has not returned messages. As of Monday, Miller still believed that Kerr was open to returning to the NBA.

But after talking with Bartelstein on Thursday, then again on Wednesday, Kerr decided he likes his current life too much.

Kerr, who spent one of his 15 years in the NBA in Portland, lives in San Diego and said that he wanted to spend more time with his family after he left the Suns in 2010 after a three-year run that included an appearance in the Western Conference Finals. Two of his kids are college athletes -- son Nick a basketball player at University of San Diego and daughter Maddy a volleyball player at Cal -- and another is still in high school.

He has the opportunity to watch his kids play in college, and thats important to him, Bartelstein said. Hes just in a really happy place. Life if pretty good.

Since Chos firing last May, the Blazers have been operating with Chad Buchanan as the acting general manager while Miller has conducted an off-and-on search. Last summer, Miller conducted what he said were five to six interviews, and said recently that none of those candidates would be revisited. Those candidates are believed to be Oklahoma City assistant general manager Troy Weaver, Los Angeles Clippers general manager Neil Olshey, San Antonio assistant GM Dennis Lindsey, former New Orleans GM Jeff Bower, former Phoenix assistant GM (now in Cleveland) David Griffin and longtime NBA general manager Ed Stefanski (now in Toronto).

Courtesy of www.oregonlive.com

Clippers' Blake Griffin isn't earning any A's for his 'D' - by Eurobasket News

The question posed to Blake Griffin (6'10''-F-89, college: Oklahoma) was direct.

How does he rate himself as a defender?

'I don't think I'm as bad of a defender as some people try to peg me as,' Griffin said.

But?

'But I know I have a lot of work to do,' Griffin acknowledged. 'The effort is there. I think our coaching staff knows the effort is there. I've got a lot of room to improve, like I've said.'

The Clippers' All-Star power forward paused.

'But at the same time, I don't think I'm as bad as people say,' Griffin said. 'People try to say I play zero defense, which I personally think is not true. For me, a lot times I'm the hardest critic on myself.'

No, not zero defense.

But the consensus among NBA scouts and assistant coaches who have scouted Griffin is that he is an OK defender whom they see having the potential to be very good because he is so athletic.

They believe Griffin hasn't made it a priority.

This was a Western Conference scout's report on Griffin:

Opponents shoot a high percentage against him. He likes to follow the flight of the basketball and struggles with boxing out. He looks to block shots. He uses his athleticism to overcome weakness as a defender. But because he's such a great athlete, you would think he could be a very good defender if he wanted to.

'Sometimes there are mental lapses,' Griffin said. 'We've talked about how there are so many people in your ear telling you so many different things when we're going through defense that sometimes I just need to trust my instincts and just play hard to make up for any mistakes.'

This was a report from an Eastern Conference scout:

When Griffin 'shows' on defense on the high pick and roll, he stands on the outside and watches the action unfold instead of getting back. He likes to 'leak out' on the fastbreak.

'We need him to show on the pick and rolls so he can get back quicker so he can help our wings out,' Clippers Coach Vinny Del Negro said. 'Transition defense, boxing out, just taking more ownership in that, which he is more than capable of doing. It'll just get us to the next level as a team as he improves in that area.'

This was a Western Conference assistant coach on his team's game plan against Griffin:

Put Griffin in pick and rolls and attack him early in the game. He's not going to foul much. He should be a really good defender because he's quick, explosive and can run when he wants to. So why doesn't he do it all the time?

'I know when I mess up,' Griffin said. 'I watch the film. I know my areas for improvement and that is a big area for improvement, on defense.'

An assistant coach for an East Coast team offered this assessment:

Obviously with all the raw, athletic ability that he has, the potential is there to be maybe even a great defender. Look at LeBron James, another great athlete. Early on, he wasn't a great defender, but over the past two or three years, that has changed and he takes defense a little bit more seriously. When Blake's mentality changes and he decides to play defense, then he is going to be a problem. He has to decide he's going to shut people down.

'I'm still learning a lot, to be honest,' Griffin said. 'We were having a discussion [recently] about the development of players over the past three or four years. Russell Westbrook, his first two years and then in his third year he kind of exploded. And Derrick Rose had the huge season his third year.'

Del Negro has brought Griffin's defensive deficiencies to his attention during their frequent one-on-one film sessions.

It's just that when marginal power forwards like Indiana's Tyler Hansbrough (17 points on seven-for-10 shooting), New Orleans' Jason Smith (17 points on seven-for-10 shooting, eight rebounds) and Portland's J.J. Hickson (29 points on 13-for-19 shooting, 13 rebounds) have big games against Griffin, it's a sign of too little focus on defense.

'Blake obviously has a big responsibility,' Del Negro said. 'But for us to get to the next level, he's got to use his athleticism and his physical ability to control the defensive end for us because he has so much versatility. But he knows that. So he's got to balance it out a little bit better.'

This week, Griffin will face two of the NBA's better power forwards Memphis' Zach Randolph on Monday night and Minnesota's Kevin Love on Thursday during a three-game trip.

It'll be another test for Griffin, who Del Negro said has been under the spotlight even more because of his highlight dunks, his being an All-Star and the rise of the Clippers.

Del Negro does caution that Griffin is only two seasons into his NBA career, with a high learning curve to improve as a defender.

'It takes some time. And for me, that's been the hardest part, trying to understand that, because you want everything now,' Griffin said. 'You work on everything and you try to achieve it now. But it's a learning process for me.'

Courtesy of www.latimes.com

Milwaukee 107, New York 111 - by Milord Nikolic

Carmelo Anthony had 32 points and 10 rebounds and J.R. Smith made a 3-pointer for the go-ahead score as visiting New York gained a game on Milwaukee for the final Eastern Conference playoff spot. The Knicks (30-28) took a two-game edge on the Bucks (28-30) for eighth in the East and also evened their season series at two games apiece. Tyson Chandler had 19 points and 11 rebounds for the Knicks. Iman Shumpert scored 16 and Smith had 14. Monta Ellis led the Bucks with 35 points on 14-for-25 shooting and 10 assists. Brandon Jennings had 22 points and seven assists. Reserve Mike Dunleavy scored 19. The game went to the wire. Anthony put the Knicks up 103-100 with 2:42 left. Ekpe Udoh cut it to 103-102. Ellis 3-pointer with 1:45 remaining gave the Bucks a 105-103 lead. Anthony tied it at 105-105 and Luc Richard Mbah a Moute made it 107-105 before Smiths 3-pointer put the Knicks up 108-107. Steve Novaks free throws made it 110-107. Jennings missed a 3-pointer and Shumpert added the final free throw. The Knicks were 17 of 22 (77.3 percent) in the first quarter, including 13 on either layups or dunks.

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NCAA1

Mannheim 2012: Russia U18 easily roll over US selection - by Eurobasket News

Russia U18-USA U18 98:78

Russia U18 easily roll over US selection at the Albert Schweitzer Tournament 2012. Russia will play for fifth place of this years edition in Mannheim as they beat USA U18 98:78.
Russia started the game with 16:13 and pushed the tempo later in the half. The Russian side needed 27-20 in the second frame to take 43:33 at the halftime. Russia did not even think to slow down and continued their dominance in the game. They produced a 27-25 surge in the third quarter and added 28-20 in the last stanza. Russia was on the roll, making sure there would be no doubt about who would be playing for fifth place Saturday morning.
Igor Kanygin (204-F-94) led the way with 23 points, while Mikhail Kulagin (188-G-94) collected 21 points and 10 rebounds. Stanislav Ilnitskiy (200-F-94) nailed 17 and Bogdan Bogdanov (192-G-94) scored 14. Stevie Clark (180-G-94) erupted with 38 points in the losing effort and Darryl Hicks (190-G-94) followed him with 10.

Russia U18: Igor Kanygin 23, Mikhail Kulagin 21+10 rebs, Stanislav Ilnitskiy 17, Bogdan Bogdanov 14
USA U18: Stevie Clark 38, Darryl Hicks 10

Mitch Johnson leaving Slam for TCU - by Eurobasket News

The Bellingham Slam has announced that newly-signed guard Mitch Johnson (6'1''-G, college: Stanford) has left the team to accept a coaching position with Texas Christian University 's men's basketball program.

Johnson was previously announced as a new member of the Slam two weeks ago. His departure opens up a roster spot for an additional guard which the team expects to fill prior to the start of the regular season on April 20.

Mitch was selected to join TCU's men's basketball coaching staff by new head coach Trent Johnson, who coached Mitch at Stanford from 2005 to 2008.

At Stanford, under Trent Johnson's tutelage, Mitch helped guide the Cardinal to consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances, with his team advancing to the Sweet 16 in 2008.

Last season, Mitch assisted with Seattle University 's men's basketball program.

Mitch Johnson was a prep standout at Seattle 's O'Dea High School, where he played alongside current Slam forward Michael Duty. He helped lead O'Dea to back-to-back 3-A State Tournament titles as a junior and senior.

The Slam open their 2012 International Basketball League schedule on April 20 with a road game in Olympia, before hosting their home opener on Saturday, April 21 against the Salem Soldiers. Tip-off for the game is set for 7 p.m. at Whatcom Pavilion.

Courtesy of www.oursportscentral.com

Rick Majerus turns down SMU, stays at Saint Louis - by Eurobasket News

Rick Majerus is staying at Saint Louis.

SMU athletic director Steve Orsini received permission to talk the 64-year-old Majerus, who took Saint Louis to the third round of the NCAA tournament last month.

However, Majerus has opted to spurn interest from SMU -- which is headed to the Big East -- and remain with the Billikens, sources told CBSSports.

Majerus has won more than 500 career games in stops at Marquette, Ball State, Utah and Saint Louis. He returns everyone except for big man Brian Conklin off this year's Billikens squad, one that went 26-8 overall and 12-4 in the A-10.

Majerus becomes the latest to turn down SMU's advances. The Mustangs, according to sources, had previously gone after Marquette coach and Texas native Buzz Williams, Harvard's Tommy Amaker and Long Beach State's Dan Monson.

Courtesy of www.cbssports.com

Villanova G Cheek will not return for senior year - by Eurobasket News

Villanova junior guard Dominic Cheek (6'6''-G-91) will forgo his final season of eligibility and enter his name in the NBA draft

Cheek joins guard Maalik Wayns as the second Wildcat since the end of the season to skip his senior year.

Cheek was a 2009 McDonald's All-American and a standout at St. Anthony's High in Jersey City, N.J., before coming to Villanova. He averaged 12.5 points and 3.9 rebounds last season.

Cheek says the time is right to pursue his dream of playing in the NBA.

Villanova coach Jay Wright says he supports the decision.

Courtesy of http://sports.yahoo.com

Portsmouth Invitational Tournament - Day 1 - by Eurobasket News

On Wednesday night (April 11th), the 60th annual Portsmouth Invitational Tournament tipped off at Churchland High School. The PIT is an annual pre-draft basketball showcase that features 64 of the nation's top college basketball seniors. The double-header began with Portsmouth Sports Club defeating Norfolk Sports Club and finished off with Cherry, Bekaert & Holland collecting the victory over K&D Rounds Landscaping.

Portsmouth Sports Club 88, Norfolk Sports Club 76

Kevin Murphy (6'6''-G-90) led his Tennessee Tech team in scoring this year, averaging 21.1 points per game. On January 30, he became the first player in Division I to score 50 or more points in a game when he scored a school record 50 points in a victory over SIU-Edwardsville.

Murphy further showcased his scoring ability, finishing with 27 points to help lead the Portsmouth Sports Club to the victory. He made 11 of his 14 field goal attempts (78.6%), made both of his three-point attempts, and connected on three of his four free throw attempts. He also added six rebounds on the night. With NBA size at 67 and the ability to play the guard position, Murphy could be an intriguing NBA prospect.

Norfolk State forward, Kyle O'Quinn (6'10''-F-90) also had a solid game, leading the team with 12 rebounds, and 4 blocks, to go along with his 18 points. Henry Sims (Georgetown) also scored in double figures, finishing with 12 points and also 7 rebounds. Erving Walker (Florida) and Devoe Joseph (Oregon) led Portsmouth Sports Club with six assists each. One of the two Division III players in the event, Bryant Voiles (Augustana College), chipped in with four points.

For the Norfolk Sports Club, four players scored in double figures, led by Wendell McKines (6'6''-F-88) (New Mexico State) who finished with 16 points and 10 rebounds. Charlie Westbrook (6'4''-G) (South Dakota) finished with 15 points, Augustus Gilchrist (South Florida) finished with 12 points and 12 rebounds, and Mitchell Watt (Buffalo) finished with 11 points. Watt, a 610 forward and OVC Player of the Year, showed an intriguing ability to attack the offensive glass (5 offensive rebounds) and to block shots (7 blocks). He also showed an ability to hit the outside shot, making one of his three three-point attempts. Braydon Hobbs (Bellarmine) led the Norfolk Sports Club with five assists in the game. Hobbs was selected as the Division II Player of the Year and was third in Division II with a 3.05-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio.

The Portsmouth Sports Club dominated in practically every category, outrebounding their opponents, 53-45, outscoring their opponents in the paint, 50-44, and outscoring their opponents in fast break points, 21-14. The Portsmouth Sports Club also finished the game shooting 47.4% from the field, while holding their opponents to only 36.8% from the field.

Cherry, Bekaert & Holland 85, K&D Rounds Landscaping 73

The Cherry, Bekaert & Holland team turned in a solid all-around performance, with five players scoring in double figures. Every player who saw action for the team in the game scored at least nine points in helping the team earn the victory. Larry Anderson (6'5''-G) (Long Beach State) led the team with 14 points. He, along with Wisconsin guard, Jordan Taylor (6'1''-PG-89), led the team with seven assists. 610 center, Eli Holman (6'10''-F/C-89) (Detroit) also led the team with 10 rebounds. NCAA leading scorer, Reggie Hamilton (Oakland) finished the game with nine points, connecting on three of his five three-point attempts. Local product Keith Wright (Harvard) also finished the game with nine points and seven rebounds. UNLV guard, Chase Stanback, proved to be an interesting prospect, despite scoring only 11 points for the winning team. At 68, he has the size to guard NBA shooting guards and small forwards. He also shot 45% from three-point during the season and if he can show the same ability at the next level, he could find a spot on an NBA roster. He made only one of his five three-point attempts in last nights game.

K&D Rounds Landscaping was led in scoring by Laron Dendy (6'9''-C-88) (Middle Tennessee State), who finished with 15 points. The team also received solid performances from Rakim Sanders (14 points, 8 rebounds) and Charles Hinkle (11 points, 3-6 from three-point range). Jarrod Jones (Ball State) led the team in rebounds finishing the night with 11 (5 offensive). Penn point guard, Zack Rosen also played a solid floor game, leading the team with six assists. UAB forward, Cameron Moore, who averaged a double-double (16.1 points, 10.5 rebounds) this season, finished the game just shy of a double-double with 8 points and 9 rebounds. ODU product, Kent Bazemore, also added nine points for the losing team. Although, he struggled from the field (2-8 field goal shooting), the two-time CAA Defensive Player of the Year did finish the game with three steals.

In analyzing the game statistics, K&D Landscaping dominated almost every statistical category points off turnovers (19-15), points in the paint (40-34), second chance points (20-13), fast break points (15-11), and bench points (33-32). However, Cherry Bekaert & Holland outshot their opponents from the field (44.6% to 35.9%) and made seven three-point attempts, compared to only three made three-point attempts by their opponents.

Play continues today, with a consolation bracket game (Norfolk Sports Club vs. K&D Rounds Landscaping) beginning at 3:15 pm. Tonights games will feature Sales Systems Ltd vs. Roger Browns at 7:00 pm and then Mike Duman vs. Portsmouth Partnership at 9:00 pm.

Courtesy of www.examiner.com

Andre Drummond leaving UConn to enter NBA Draft - by Eurobasket News

After eight months of wild expectations and somewhat disappointing results, Andre Drummond's (6'11''-C-93) ride at UConn is coming to an end.

Drummond, the 6-foot-10 center from Middletown who just completed his freshman season, will announce his intention to enter the NBA draft, according to sources at UConn, in pro basketball and close to Drummond. Though he did not comment, Drummond did retweet several congratulatory messages from friends

UConn officials expect to make a formal announcement Friday.

He will be the first one-and-done player at UConn, but the third key player to leave the program since the season ended last month. Alex Oriakhi intends to transfer and on Tuesday Jeremy Lamb announced his intention to enter the June 28 NBA draft.

Though Drummond, 18, continually said 'I'm here right now' and hinted he was considering a second season at UConn, his departure seemed inevitable. On the plus side, he has exceptional speed and agility for a 270-pound player. But he is a raw basketball player, averaging 10 points and 7.6 rebounds, uninspiring numbers. He is a project who needs development.

NBA experts are projecting Drummond to go in the top six or seven picks, and players drafted that high are guaranteed $5 million or more over their first two years. Had Drummond returned to UConn, he risked injury or perhaps having a disappointing sophomore season and losing ground for the 2013 draft. The counter argument is that he should stay for more seasoning.

After several consultations with coach Jim Calhoun, Drummond and his family are ready for him to make the move.

Drummond was one of the most highly sought high school players in the nation when he played at St. Thomas More last season. During the summer, Drummond considered returning to St. Thomas More as a post-grad, and then said he was going to Wilbraham & Monson in Massachusetts. There was speculation he would then enter the NBA right out of prep school.

But all the while he was considering Storrs, and UConn, which was out of scholarships, was looking for a way to add him. On Aug. 26, after a meeting when his family urged him to go to college, Drummond announced via Twitter he was going to UConn, startling even UConn's coaches. Eventually, Drummond was added to the roster as a walk-on, paying his own way for the academic year. And as a walk-on, Drummond's academic standing and eligibility does not affect UConn's Academics Progress Rate (APR) score, so his leaving after one year can do no damage as the basketball program tries to repair its academic issues.

His arrival brought tremendous expectations to UConn, still glowing after the national championship in 2011. The Huskies were ranked fourth in the major preseason polls and picked as co-favorites with Syracuse to win the Big East. Drummond was the Big East's preseason rookie of the year. But during the season, Drummond rarely dominated games despite his size and athletic ability. He scored only two points in UConn's season-ending loss to Iowa State in the NCAA Tournament and the early exit left the Huskies at 20-14. They finished ninth in the Big East and unranked.

Without Drummond, Lamb and Oriakhi players who scored more than half the Huskies' points Calhoun and his staff must rebuild. UConn's frontcourt now includes 7-1 Enosch Wolf, who has rarely played, and 6-9 Michael Bradley, who has never played. Roscoe Smith, 6-8, and Tyler Olander, 6-9, have played regularly for two years. Olander averaged 3.9 rebounds, Smith 3.4.

The only recruit on board is Omar Calhoun, a 6-4 combo guard from Christ The King High and New York's Gatorade player of the year. He could pick up some of the scoring void left by Lamb. UConn could have at least three scholarships available and needs to add a big man. Although there likely will be no NCAA or Big East tournaments next season, one thing the Huskies can offer to a player who is not a one-and-done type is immediate playing time as a freshman and the chance to develop over two or more years.

Courtesy of www.courant.com

Memphis assistant Murphy hired as NAU coach - by Eurobasket News

Jack Murphy, an assistant on Josh Pastner's staff at Memphis for the past three years, is the new men's basketball coach at Northern Arizona.

Murphy's climb up the coaching ladder began as a student manager for Lute Olson at Arizona in 1998. In eight years at Arizona (he graduated in 2002), he worked his way up to recruiting coordinator, administrative assistant, video coordinator and director of operations.

He left Arizona to join the Denver Nuggets organization in the scouting department. In addition to breaking down film on opponents, Murphy gained a reputation as one of the league's top 'workout' trainers. He was with the Nuggets for three seasons before joining Pastner at Memphis in 2009.

Murphy takes over for Dave Brown, who took over as interim coach when Mike Adras resigned in December. NAU ended the season with a 16-game losing streak, finishing with a 5-24 record. Its five wins included a one-point victory at Arizona State in December.

'It's an honor to be given this position, especially at this critical recruiting time,' Murphy said. 'This is a program that has a rich tradition, has had past success, and I look to build on that success. I hope to be there along the way as we grow together as a university and as a basketball program.'

Murphy, 32, was instrumental in Memphis securing a Top-5 recruiting class in 2010 featuring four players ranked among the nation's Top 100 and two McDonald's All-Americans. The class was ranked No. 2 nationally by Scout.com, No. 2 by Rivals.com and No. 4 by ESPN. The Tigers have signed three more Top 100 players since, including two more McDonald's All-Americans.

The hiring of Murphy comes less than two weeks after the hiring of Lisa Campos as vice president of athletics.

Jack Murphy is a high-character and high-integrity guy and has a high moral compass,' Pastner said. 'He knows what it takes to win and has been around winning at the highest level. He has a very good basketball mind and an excellent recruiter and a peoples person. He is an energy giver. Northern Arizona University, the athletics department and the Flagstaff community found themselves two gems in the same week in Dr. Lisa Campos and now Jack Murphy as the mens basketball coach.

Olson and Nuggets coach George Karl praised the hire, as did several players who have worked with Murphy, including Richard Jefferson, Channing Frye and Chauncey Billups.

Karl likened Murphy to a younger version of himself: 'He's an engaging guy, and he loves to teach basketball. We love him here in Denver and we've tried to get him back ever since he left because we think he's that valuable to an organization. He's just a positive energy guy, a positive influence guy and at the end a good basketball coach.'

Frye credited Murphy for pushing him to a higher level at Arizona and said his career arc bodes well for his success.

'The respect he's got from earning his way from being a manager at UA to working his way up to a coach, he doesn't cut corners, he puts in the work,' Frye said. 'Without a doubt he knows the game of basketball. Right now, you've got a guy I'd love to play for if I was coming out of high school.'

Courtesy of www.foxsportsarizona.com

No. 2 prospect Shabazz Muhammad picks UCLA - by Eurobasket News

Throughout Shabazz Muhammad's (6'6''-G/F-93) recruitment, UCLA was constantly mentioned as the leader for his services. Other schools seemed to jump to the forefront, but the Bruins never really strayed from pole position.

On Wednesday, Muhammad made it official: he's headed to Westwood.

'I chose to be a Bruin,' Muhammad said on ESPNU Wednesday night.

Muhammad, a 6-foot-6 wing from Bishop Gorman (Nev.), chose the Bruins over finalists Kentucky and Duke. The Blue Devils gained steam in the past couple of weeks, while some in recent weeks saw the Wildcats as the leader. Kansas, Arizona, UNLV, USC, Texas A&M and Memphis were also involved with Muhammad at one time or another.

'It's a challenge, knowing how bad they were these last two years,' he said. 'There's a lot of bits and pieces to make it a really great team in the future.'

He is the No. 2-ranked player in the class of 2012, sitting just behind Nerlens Noel. Muhammad held the top spot for most of the past year, only moving back a notch when Noel reclassified to 2013. Muhammad is one of the hardest-working players in the country, standing out to onlookers in all-star practices in the last month.

Muhammad is a left-handed scoring machine, overpowering most defenders with his strength when he drives to the rim. He finishes extremely well, and is nearly unstoppable with his mid-range game. Moreover, he has improved his outside shooting, making him even more difficult to guard on the wing. Muhammad is constantly looking to attack the basket, and comes up big in important moments. He can also utilize back-to-the-basket moves against smaller or weaker defenders.

At UCLA, Muhammad joins top-100 prospects Kyle Anderson (No. 3) and Jordan Adams (No. 71) in Ben Howland's 2012 recruiting class. The combination of Muhammad and Anderson could be one of the most dangerous in the country next season.

Courtesy of www.cbssports.com

FIU players say requests for scholarship releases after Thomas' firing have been denied - by Eurobasket News

Some of Isiah Thomas former players at Florida International say they want to play elsewhere because of his firing, and that the school is refusing to release them from their scholarships.

The team sent a letter Wednesday to FIU president Mark Rosenberg and other administrators, asking for help in getting those releases and for an explanation why the Basketball Hall of Fame player was fired.

FIU fired Thomas last week after he went 26-65 in three seasons, saying it wanted to go in a different direction. Thomas had two years remaining on his contract.

'We ask that under such circumstances with our mentor being fired you to give us the freedom of choice to move in another direction', said the letter, which carried the signature FIU men's basketball team and was e-mailed to Rosenberg and others by Dejuan Wright (6'3''-G-88), who led the Panthers in scoring this past season. 'Please help us receive our athletic releases so that we can find a coach and program which will be a good fit in our growth.'

The letter continues that while the players still believe FIU is a fine university, they chose the school so they could play for Thomas.

FIU did not immediately respond to a request for comment regarding the letter, a copy of which was also addressed to Pete Garcia, the schools director of sports and entertainment.

The letter is the second way in which Thomas former players have voiced their displeasure with the firing in recent days. Members of the team silently walked out of an athletic department banquet on Monday night immediately before the seasons basketball award winners were to be announced.

Players have drawn a parallel between how Thomas situation was handled at FIU and how the school where he played his college basketball, Indiana, handled its recent rebuilding under Tom Crean. In his first three seasons with the Hoosiers, Crean was 28-66 and then, bolstered by some strong recruiting classes, went 27-9 this season.

Thomas had verbal commitments from four of Floridas top 50 players, and said he expected next season to be a breakthrough for FIU.

When Thomas was fired last week, police escorted him out of the building not long afterward, something else that resonated with his team.

We also ask someone to look into why Coach Thomas and his staff had to be humiliated by being told they were fired and to pack their belongings immediately and with no explanation of what was going on in front of our team and other FIU staff members, the letter said. It was quite embarrassing for us to witness and hurtful, they deserved a better way to leave, it is already embarrassing being fired.

Courtesy of www.washingtonpost.com

Portsmouth Invitational Tournament - Day Two: Semifinals are set - by Eurobasket News

Roger Brown's and Portsmouth Partnership outplayed Sales Systems Ltd and Mike Duman in Day Two of the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament, so they booked a spot for the Semifinals. The Semis are scheduled for today at 7 and 9 pm. Pairs are Portsmouth Sports Club - Cherry, Bekaert & Holland and Roger Brown's - Portsmouth Partnership. Box-scores from Day Two can be checked below.

Day Two
Sales Systems Ltd 71 - Roger Brown's 74
Mike Duman 79 - Portsmouth Partnership 85

Semifinals - Fri, 04/13/2012, 7:00 PM and 9:00 PM
Portsmouth Sports Club - Cherry, Bekaert & Holland
Roger Brown's - Portsmouth Partnership

Colorado St. introduces Eustachy as new coach - by Eurobasket News

Larry Eustachy made it clear about his future at Colorado State - and about his determination to keep his troubles behind him.

'This is my last stop,' Eustachy said. 'This is my final chapter in coaching.'

Colorado State introduced Eustachy as its basketball coach Thursday. Athletic director Jack Graham said the school and coach agreed to a five-year incentive-laced pact that begins with a $500,000 base and possibility of making as much as $1.1 million if he meets all the incentives.

'He can earn an additional $250,000 if he meets the graduation rate and we have no major NCAA violations,' Graham said. 'If he meets them, he's eligible to earn up to $350,000 based upon winning. If we win 20 or more basketball games, he can earn an additional $100,00 and, if we win the conference championship or we go to the NCAA tournament, he can win an additional $250,000.'

And there are incentives to keep Eustacy.

'I'd have to give 3 1/2 pints of blood,' Eustachy said if there were thoughts of leaving. 'I like it here, like being in the mountains. So, this is my last stop.'

Graham gave newly hired football coach Jim McElwain a five-year, $1.35 million a year contract.

It's been a long road for Eustachy, who rebuilt and restored his career at Southern Miss. He resigned at Iowa State in 2003 shortly after photos of him partying with students surfaced.

He went through rehabilitation to treat alcoholism and is determined to keep his life and character clean.

'It will be nine years since I had my last drink,' Eustachy said. 'When I'm done coaching I want to establish a foundation and a sobriety living home for people after their rehab.'

'He took on that disease with the same passion and intensity as he coaches players on the court,' Graham said. 'I have an incredible amount of respect for this man and am absolutely convinced that he will represent our university in the best kind of character.'

'I am absolutely convinced that he can deliver results and that we are going to win when we play basketball under him,' Graham said.

The 56-year-old Eustachy comes to the Rams from Southern Mississippi, where directed the Golden Eagles to a 25-9 record - 11-5 in Conference USA - and the school's first NCAA tournament appearance since 1991.

Southern Mississippi was 142-113 in eight seasons under Eustachy. During 19 seasons, he is 402-258 at Idaho, Utah State, Iowa State and Southern Mississippi.

Eustachy, the 19th coach at Colorado State, replaces Tim Miles, who left the Rams on March 24 to take the job at Nebraska. Miles led the Rams this season to the NCAA Tournament.

The Rams were 14-1 at home, the only loss coming to Eustachy's Golden Eagles. The new coach will have nearly the whole team back intact.

'I've always said that you never see the jockey carrying the horse across the finish,' Eustachy said. 'You have to have horses to be successful. I love the team coming back. They like me right now, but they may not like me tomorrow when begin workouts.'

Courtesy of http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com

NCAA puts Baylor basketball on 3 years' probation - by Eurobasket News

The NCAA put Baylor on three years of probation Wednesday after an investigation turned up hundreds of impermissible telephone calls and text messages sent to prep recruits by coaches and assistants on the basketball teams.

The violations were considered to be major infractions, and they were announced less than a week after the Lady Bears won the national championship with the first 40-0 season in NCAA history.

Still, it could have been much worse for Baylor. All of the penalties were proposed by the school and accepted by the NCAA after a review of nearly 900,000 phone and text message records found that 738 texts and 528 calls were against the rules.

The NCAA said men's coach Scott Drew failed to monitor his program and will be suspended for two Big 12 games next season, in addition to recruiting restrictions. Women's coach Kim Mulkey-Robertson also received recruiting restrictions.

'I believe strongly in following NCAA rules and will always try to do so in the future,' Mulkey said in a statement released by the school. 'I do nothing without permission from our compliance office and will continue to ask questions to assure that things are done right. Any compliance-related mistakes, even those that are secondary, are disappointing. The majority of mistakes in this matter were errors in sending text messages and failure to accurately document our phone calls.'

The report put a bit of a damper on what has been an extraordinary run of success for Baylor athletics.

Besides Baylor's win over Notre Dame for the women's title, Drew's team won a school-record 30 games and reached the NCAA regional finals, where the Bears lost to eventual national champion Kentucky. And all that came after star quarterback Robert Griffin III became the school's first Heisman Trophy winner following a football season that included 10 wins for the first time since 1980.

Mulkey was named the AP's national coach of the year and junior Brittney Griner was its player of the year. How Baylor recruited Griner, one of the most dominant women's players in college basketball history, was reportedly part of the NCAA probe.

A school report obtained by ESPN.com said Mulkey and her staff committed minor NCAA violations for having impermissible contact with Griner and her family. During a 2007 camp, coaches spoke with the Griners about the basketball program, academic requirements and the school in general both before and after the camp.

Mulkey also reportedly broke NCA rules when she sat next to Griner's father and discussed what the Baylor experience would be like. Brittney Griner, who is from the Houston area, played on the same AAU team as Mulkey's daughter, Makenzie Robertson.

The NCAA report did not mention Griner or her family by name, though Mulkey addressed it in her statement.

'The other matters were related to my daughter's participation in summer basketball,' she said. 'While I am and will always be a mother first, I do recognize that there has to be a balance between my role as a mother of a prospect and my role as a head coach. I have always tried to strike that balance and appreciate the opportunity to demonstrate to the NCAA staff such balancing efforts dating back to when Makenzie was in the seventh grade. I am pleased that my efforts to find the appropriate balance between a mother and a coach were recognized.'

Griner said she had 'made it clear to the NCAA staff and everyone else' that she had chosen Baylor early in the recruiting process.

Besides keeping Mulkey off the recruiting trail in July, Baylor said one of her assistants has been barred from making recruiting calls from January through April. The school also reduced its women's basketball scholarships from 15 to 13 in 2011-12.

On the men's side, Drew will miss the first two Big 12 games of the season, recruiting visits were trimmed and he lost a scholarship this past season and in 2012-13. In addition, a former coach faces a one-year 'show cause' order that effectively prevents him from coaching at an NCAA school.

The assistant wasn't identified, but FOXSports.com reported in October 2010 that the NCAA was investigating the recruitment of Hanner Perea. The report said assistant Mark Morefield sent dozens of texts to Perea's AAU and high school coaches and urged two of them to provide false and misleading information to the NCAA about a series of text messages. Morefield resigned in July 2011.

'I sincerely apologize to Baylor University and Baylor Nation,' Morefield said in statement released by his lawyer. 'I learned a very valuable lesson in this case. In my 13 years of coaching at NCAA institutions, I have not intentionally violated NCAA rules. I will grow from this experience with a better understanding of NCAA rules.'

The NCAA violations come nine years after Baylor basketball player Patrick Dennehy was found shot to death after he had been missing for six weeks. Teammate Carlton Dotson pleaded guilty to murder. The ensuing investigation uncovered NCAA violations, illegal tuition payments and unreported failed drug tests that led to the resignation of coach Dave Bliss, who was secretly recorded by an assistant coach of trying to persuade others to cover up misdeeds by portraying Dennehy as a drug dealer.

Athletic director Ian McCaw said the school has made 'significant investments in compliance staffing and infrastructure' since the investigation began.

Drew said he took full responsibility for the violations, saying many were simply the result of improperly logging or failing to log calls to recruits. He noted that the school has a new software tracking system to assist coaches with the logistics.

'I came to Baylor in 2003 to do a job: rebuild a program decimated by very serious NCAA rules violations and tragedy,' he said. 'I promised to rebuild the program in a way Baylor could be proud-morally, academically and, finally, athletically, and we continue on that journey today.'

Courtesy of http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com

No. 1 recruit Nerlens Noel chooses to play for Kentucky Wildcats - by Eurobasket News

Nerlens Noel (6'11''-C-94), the No. 1 recruit in the ESPNU 100, committed to Kentucky over Georgetown and Syracuse on ESPNU's 'Signing Day Special' on Wednesday night.

'It was the toughest decision of my entire life,' the 6-foot-10 center from Everett, Mass., said. 'Georgetown and Syracuse are great programs.'

However, in the end it was John Calipari, Kentucky's winning ways and the rabid fan base that swayed Noel to Big Blue Nation.

'Coach Cal recruited me real hard. He is a good person who cares about his players, he helps them reach their goals and the team's goals,' Noel said. 'They play as a unit and are very unselfish. Also the fans were incredible on my visit. They are behind the program 100 percent.'

In three years, Calipari has taken Kentucky to two Final Fours and is fresh off a national championship, the eighth in school history, which certainly didn't hurt the school's chances of landing the nation's top high school prospect.

'It opened my eyes to what a good job they do developing young talent and winning it all,' Noel said.

Noel joins fellow ESPNU 100 prospects Alex Poythress (Clarksville, Tenn./Northeast), Archie Goodwin (Little Rock, Ark./Sylvan Hills) and Willie Cauley (Spearville, Kan./Olathe Northwest), giving Kentucky its fourth consecutive No. 1 recruiting class.

'It's a big family down there and I am excited to be a part of it,' Noel said.

Noel wants to make his own mark and help Kentucky win another national championship.

'That's the plan.'

Courtesy of ESPN

Miller staying at Baylor to play as sophomore - by Eurobasket News

Quincy Miller-Scott (6'9''-F-92) has decided to stay at Baylor to play his sophomore season.

Miller, one of the Big 12's top freshmen last season, announced his decision Tuesday.

His announcement came a day after Perry Jones III said he was bypassing his final two seasons of eligibility with the Bears for early entry into the NBA draft after his sophomore season.

Jones last year skipped the chance to be Baylor's first one-and-done player. Miller had considered doing that this time.

Miller averaged 10.6 points and 4.9 rebounds while starting 35 of 37 games as Baylor advanced to the NCAA round of 16 for the second time in three seasons.

Courtesy of http://ca.sports.yahoo.com

Watford, Zeller will return to Indiana next season - by Rick Ross

Curtesy Of sportsillustrated.cnn.com

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) -- Christian Watford and Cody Zeller (6'11''-F-92) helped Indiana's basketball program turn things around this past season.

They have even bigger plans for next season.

The two players said Tuesday they would return to school next season, putting off the NBA and making the Hoosiers one of the Big Ten favorites.

Cody is a player who, along with his unique skill set, makes everyone around him better,' coach Tom Crean said in a statement issued by the athletic department. 'He is going to have great opportunities ahead of him. ... He will have the opportunity to be as good as any player in college basketball.

Indiana could be as good as any team in the country, too.

With Zeller and Watford both in the lineup, the Hoosiers will return all five starters including their top two scorers -- from a team that reached the regional semifinals before losing 102-90 to eventual national champion Kentucky.

It was a remarkable comeback for Indiana, which hadn't even posted a winning record in Crean's first three seasons in Bloomington.

Watford's buzzer-beating shot to beat top-ranked Kentucky in December suddenly put the Hoosiers back on the national map. Before the season ended, Indiana had also upset No. 2 Ohio State and No. 5 Michigan State marking the first time in school history that the Hoosiers knocked off three top five teams during the regular season.

At 27-9, Indiana produced its highest victory total in two decades and the Hoosiers won two NCAA tournament games for the first time since losing in the national championship game to Maryland in 2002. It completed an undefeated non-conference season for the first time since 1989-90e and won a school record 18 games at Assembly Hall.

I'm looking forward to earning my degree and to continue restoring the winning tradition at IU, Watford said. I believe in coach Crean and our staff, and I am eager to lead my new teammates and build on what we started.'

The Alabama native chose Indiana after Crean decided to make him a cornerstone of a major rebuilding project that began after Kelvin Sampson's phone-call scandal gutted the program. They were the first major NCAA infractions leveled against the school since 1960.

Watford has lived up to the hype. In three seasons, the 6-foot-9 forward has averaged 13.4 points and 5.8 rebounds. As a senior, he will be the Big Ten's top returning scorer next season with 1,287 career points and is shooting 43.7 percent from 3-point range.

Keeping Zeller will be even more important for the Hoosiers, though.

After being selected the Big Ten freshman of the year by the league's coaches, some thought Indiana's 2011 Mr. Basketball winner might head for the riches of the NBA.

Instead, the 6-foot-11 center, whose brother, Tyler, will be in this year's draft, decided to stay in school. Zeller led Indiana with 15.6 points and 6.6 rebounds per game and shot 62.3 percent from the field, fourth in the nation and second-best all-time at Indiana.

Zeller's impact exceeded his gaudy numbers. The ability to pass out of the post, block shots and be a go-to player when things got tough helped open things up on the outside -- a combination that was difficult to defend.

Indiana will now add one of the nation's top recruiting classes to a team that returns its top five scorers, which is a big reason the two NBA hopefuls decided to come back for one more season of college ball.

I grew up hoping that one day I would get the opportunity to play in the NBA, but at this point, I'm not ready for my college experience to be over,' Zeller said. 'My college experience at IU has exceeded my expectations on and off the court. I look forward to playing at Assembly Hall next year in front of the greatest fans in the country.'

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

NEW ZEALAND

Game One: Breakers down Wildcats in OT! - by Eurobasket News

New Zealand Breakers moved a step closer to defending their NBL title with an overtime victory against Perth Wildcats in game one of the grand final series in Auckland.

The Breakers and Wildcats were deadlocked at 84-84 at full-time, before the home side edged ahead in the extra period to triumph 104-98.

It was a thrilling game in which the Wildcats came back from a 15-point deficit at half-time to lead well into the last quarter before the Breakers, who were without swingman Thomas Abercrombie (198-F/G-87, agency: Priority Sports, college: Washington St.), came back to earn overtime in the first of the best-of-three game series.

'It's really hard to take because we set very high standards with the Wildcats, with work ethic and intensity,' Wildcats coach Rob Beveridge told Grandstand.

'We want to outwork teams and we didn't do that consistently enough.'

Breakers coach Andrej Lemanis felt the game proved to be the ideal endorsement for the NBL.

'That's what grand finals should be about, two teams going at it giving it everything they've got,' he said.

'Players making plays, massive swings of momentum throughout and everyone staying focussed on the task.

'So, I think that's good for the league.'

The Wildcats started brilliantly, scoring the first 11 points and getting Abercrombie's replacement Leon Henry into early foul trouble.

But the Breakers offence, orchestrated brilliantly by Cedric Jackson (191-G-86, college: Cleveland St.), came quickly back with a barrage of three-pointers and a 14-0 run helped the Breakers take a 28-24 lead at the end of the first quarter.

The Breakers continued their momentum in the second quarter, keeping the Wildcats to just 11 points in the term with some stellar defence, while scoring 22 themselves to lead 50-35 at half-time.

Any thoughts the game would be one-sided were blown away when the Wildcats, led by Kevin Lisch (188-G-86, college: St.Louis) and Matthew Knight (204-F/C-85, college: Loyola Mary), dominated the early stages after the break to take a 54-53 lead four minutes into the third quarter.

The Breakers managed to regain their composure and led at three-quarter time, but the Wildcats were the better team early in the last quarter. They had a six-point lead well inside the final period, but some late Jackson points earned a shot at overtime.

The Wildcats led for much of the overtime period but some crucial intercepts and two key plays from CJ Bruton helped the home team secure the points they needed.

Jackson top scored for the Breakers with 25 points, while Lisch posted a game-high 27 points for the Wildcats.

The Breakers will attempt to secure the series in Perth next weekend.

Courtesy of www.abc.net.au

Mannheim 2012: Argentina edge New Zealand for the initial win - by Eurobasket News

Argentina U18-New Zealand U18 62:46

Argentina edge New Zealand for the initial win at the Albert Schweitzer Tournament 2012. The Latin American team celebrated a 62:46 defensive victory for 1-2 record in Group G. New Zealand finished it with 0-3 record and remained winless at the tournament.
Both teams entered the game without victories and tried their best to achieve the first one. Argentina grabbed 18:16 after the first 10 minutes and added 18-11 in the second frame. The winners felt more comfortable after 20-14 in the third quarter, while the tempo had slowed down in the last stanza. Both teams managed to post only 11 points as a result Argentine won the frame 6-5. Gonzalo Torres (201-C-94) was the last to score for the winners to bring the intial win.
Martin Massone (187-F-94) and Gonzalo Torres top-scored for the winners with 10 points each. Pedro Barral (181-G-94) followed them with 9 points in the start of Day 5 campaign. Jarrod Sorenson ended up with 9 points in defeat and Tai Jack Webster (183-G-95) nailed 7.

Argentina U18: Martin Massone 10, Gonzalo Torres 10, Pedro Barral 9
New Zealand U18: Jarrod Sorenson 9, Tai Jack Webster 7

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PANAMA

San German returns Jose Lloreda - by Eurobasket News

Jose Lloreda (201-F/C-80, agency: Paris Global Sports, college: LSU) is back to San German. The Panamanian star penned a deal for rest of the season. Lloreda heads to San German from Atenas Cordoba, where he had 11.5 ppg and 5.3 rpg for 22 games in Argentinean Liga A. He also added 8 ppg and 4.5 rpg in four Liga Sudamericana games. Jose Lloreda started this season with Ciclista Olimpico de La Banda. There he had 13.8 ppg and 8.8 rpg for 19 appearances. Lloreda played for San German in 2011 BSN season. He averaged 14.9 points and 10 rebounds for 32 games. Lloreda also has experience from Mexico, Venezuela, Spain, Italy, Bosnia, Russia and Turkey. He is active member of the Panamanian NT since 2000. At the latest FIBA Americas in Mar del Plata, Lloreda averaged 15.9 points and 6.1 rebounds for 7 games. He was named Latinbasket.com All-Liga Americas 1st Team -11.

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PHILIPPINES

PBA Stats Leaders

Points Per Game

Earl BARRON
  Meralco .
  (212-C-81)
  Avg: 29.5

1. Barron, Meralco	29.5
2. David, Powerade T.	27.1
3. Crews, Rain o.	27.0
4. Bowles, B-Meg L.	25.8
5. Douthit, Air21 E.	20.3
6. Harvey, Talk N Te.	19.3
7. Parada, Alaska Ac.	19.3
8. Vroman, Ginebra	18.9
9. Baguio, Alaska Ac.	18.2
10. Cardona, Meralco	17.8

Rebounds Per Game

Marcus DOUTHIT
  Air21 E.
  (210-C/F-80)
  Avg: 20.3

1. Douthit, Air21 E.	20.3
2. Harvey, Talk N Te.	18.1
3. Jones, Powerade T.	17.9
4. Barron, Meralco	15.6
5. Crews, Rain o.	15.4
6. Parada, Alaska Ac.	14.1
7. Vroman, Ginebra	13.0
8. Bowles, B-Meg L.	11.6
9. Santos, Petron B.	11.1
10. Thoss, Alaska Ac.	8.2

Assists Per Game

Chris ROSS
  Meralco .
  (185-G-85)
  Avg: 7.8

1. Ross, Meralco	7.8
2. Casio, Powerade T.	7.2
3. Cabagnot, Petron	6.4
4. Alapag, Talk N Te.	6.1
5. Helterbrand, Gineb.	5.6
6. Tenorio, Alaska A.	5.6
7. Hubalde, Air21 E.	4.8
8. Cortez, Ginebra	4.6
9. Vroman, Ginebra	4.4
10. Yeo, Petron Blaze	3.9

Steals Per Game

Chris ROSS
  Meralco .
  (185-G-85)
  Avg: 1.8

1. Ross, Meralco	1.8
2. Vroman, Ginebra	1.4
3. Lassiter, Powerade.	1.3
4. Helterbrand, Gineb.	1.3
5. Custodio, Alaska A.	1.3
6. Castro, Talk N Te.	1.2
7. Douthit, Air21 E.	1.2
8. Reyes, Talk N Text	1.2
9. Cabagnot, Petron	1.2
10. Urbiztondo, B-Meg	1.1

Blocks Per Game

Dwayne JONES
  Powerade T.
  (211-C-83)
  Avg: 2.8

1. Jones, Powerade T.	2.8
2. Vroman, Ginebra	2.5
3. Douthit, Air21 E.	2.2
4. Parada, Alaska Ac.	2.0
5. Santos, Petron B.	1.8
6. Bowles, B-Meg L.	1.7
7. Crews, Rain o.	1.6
8. Harvey, Talk N Te.	1.3
9. Eman, Alaska Aces	1.3
10. Barron, Meralco	1.1

B-Meg takes series opener - by Eurobasket News

B-Meg coach Tim Cone insisted, somehow, they have Meralco to thank for in drawing first blood in their semifinal duel with Barangay Ginebra.

Toughened up by their highly physical semis battle with the Bolts, the Llamados showed up the Kings, 82-67, in the opener of their PBA Commissioners Cup Final Four showdown at the Ynares Sports Center here Wednesday night.

I really feel our physical game against Meralco prepared us tonight. Were mentally prepared to play that kind of game, said Cone.

The Llamados showed physical and mental toughness, overcoming a poor start and winning in runaway fashion.

Cone stressed, though, its just one game that doesnt decide the series.

Ive been here many times before. Game One doesnt mean much. Second game is really the key in my mind. Its either you get out of a hole or get a big lead, said Cone.

In this series opener, the Llamados climbed out of an early 15-point hole and showed tremendous sustaining power, dominating the Kings in the final half.

Its an interesting first half. Theyre No. 1 in the league on defense and were No. 2. At halftime, I told the guys if we have to bleed for our points, dont be afraid. Thats the way to
win it, said Cone.

We got going in the second half, we started knocking shots then we built a lead. It was a surprising lead and to me thats the story of the game, Cone added.

The Kings got off to a strong start but tapered off in the second quarter and failed to recover, terribly missing the services of injured star Mark Caguioa.

Jackson Vorman sizzled with seven points, five rebounds and three assists in the opening period but he himself cooled down in the next three quarters.

Probably due to frustration, Jackson Vroman (208-C/F-81, college: Iowa St.) lost his cool in his rugged battle with Yancy de Ocampo in the second half. He incurred a flagrant foul penalty 1 for shoving De Ocampos face.

Marc Pingris also drew an F1 earlier in a collision with Enrico Villanueva. Pingris infraction seemed to fire up his teammates, though.

The Llamados made a big turnaround from a 15-point deficit early on, building 20-point spreads in the fourth quarter and breezing through in what was expected to be a slam bang setto.

Getting the wake up call from their second group, the Llamados went roaring in the second quarter and took the half at 33-29.

Pingris, De Ocampo and PJ Peter Simon (186-G-82) ignited their charge from 8-23 down, pulling even at 26-all on a short jumper by James Yap and pulling ahead, 29-26, on a three-pointer by Joe Devance.

The Kings lost their rhythm in the second period, converting only two of 20 attempts for the second worse shooting in a quarter by Ginebra ever. (SB)

The scores:

B-MEG 82 - Denzel Bowles (208-F/C-89, college: JMU) 21, Peter Simon 13, Devance 9, Yap 9, De Ocampo 9, Urbiztondo 6, Reavis 5, Intal 4, Pingris 4, Villanueva 2, Barroca 0.

GINEBRA 67 - Jackson Vroman 10, Robert Labagala (175-PG) 10, Villanueva 8, Hatfield 8, Cortez 7, Canaleta 6, Helterbrand 6, Ababou 5, W. Wilson 4, J. Wilson 2, Raymundo 1, Mamaril 0.

Quarters: 8-21, 33-29, 60-42, 82-67

Courtesy of www.pba.ph

PBA Roundup: April 11-12, 2012 - by Enzo Flojo

B-MEG LLAMADOS over BGY. GINEBRA KINGS, 82-67
B-Meg coach Tim Cone insisted, somehow, they have Meralco to thank for in drawing first blood in their semifinal duel with Barangay Ginebra.

Toughened up by their highly physical semis battle with the Bolts, the Llamados showed up the Kings in the opener of their PBA Commissioners Cup Final Four.

The Llamados showed physical and mental toughness, overcoming a poor start and winning in runaway fashion. In this series opener, the Llamados climbed out of an early 15-point hole and showed tremendous sustaining power, dominating the Kings in the final half.

The Kings got off to a strong start, but tapered off in the second quarter and failed to recover, terribly missing the services of injured star Mark Caguioa. Jackson Vorman sizzled with seven points, five rebounds and three assists in the opening period, but he himself cooled down in the next three quarters. Probably due to frustration, Vroman lost his cool in his rugged battle with Yancy de Ocampo in the second half. He incurred a flagrant foul penalty 1 for shoving De Ocampos face.

Marc Pingris also drew an F1 earlier in a collision with Enrico Villanueva. Pingris infraction, however, seemed to fire up his teammates even more. The Llamados made a big turnaround from a 15-point deficit early on, building 20-point spreads in
the fourth quarter and breezing through in what was expected to be a slam bang match.

BML 82 - Bowles 21, Simon 13, Devance 9, Yap 9, De Ocampo 9, Urbiztondo 6, Reavis 5, Intal 4, Pingris 4, Villanueva 2, Barroca 0.
BGK 67 - Vroman 10, Labagala 10, Villanueva 8, Hatfield 8, Cortez 7, Canaleta 6, Helterbrand 6, Ababou 5, W. Wilson 4, J. Wilson 2, Raymundo 1, Mamaril 0.
QS: 8-21, 33-29, 60-42, 82-67

TALK N TEXT TROPANG TEXTERS over BARAKO BULL ENERGY, 123-98
Riding the courageous acts of Kelly Williams and Donnell Harvey, Talk n Text sprang
back strong from its Game One defeat, clobbering Barako Bull in the second game of their PBA Commissioners Cup best-of-five semifinal showdown.

Williams and Harvey both played through pain, providing the Texters a big push as they got back at the Energy, avenging their 77-84 loss in the series opener. Talk n Text coach Chot Reyes said the key was that they held their ground in Game Two.

Williams and Harvey showed their teammates the way, enduring their injuries as they fought through. The two bucked their injuries, combining for 36 points, 18 rebounds, six assists and six blocks. They were right there as the Tropang Texters went on a rip-roaring run in the fourth quarter to win the game with plenty to spare.

Ranidel de Ocampo proved to be a big matchup problem for Barako early on with the agile forward connecting practically from all over as the Texters took the half at 55-45. The former St. Francis Assisi stalwart knocked in three triples, four twinners and a charity for 18 points that went with three rebounds and one assist in the first 24 minutes of play.

TNT 123 - Harvey 24, De Ocampo 18, Fonacier 14, Reyes 13, Williams 12, Alapag 12, Castro 10, Dillinger 9, Carey 6, Raymundo 3, Gamalinda 2, Aguilar 0, Alvarez 0, Lao 0.
BBE 98 - Freeman 20, Allado 20, Seigle 16, Tubid 10, Miller 10, Aquino 6, Najorda 5, Salvador 5, Pena 4, Arboleda 2, Cervantes 0, Pennisi 0.
QS: 24-25, 55-45, 88-76, 123-98

Source: Unless otherwise specified, game recaps were compressed and compiled from PBA.ph

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POLAND

Adam Hrycaniuk gets MVP of the Week award for Polish PLK (Second Stage) - by Eurobasket News

International center Adam Hrycaniuk (206-C-84, agency: Alti Sport) had an amazing evening in the last round for league's leader Asseco Prokom and that's him to receive a Eurobasket.com Player of the Week award for round 9 (Second Stage).
The 27-year old center had a double-double of 14 points and eleven rebounds, while his team crushed PGE Turow (#6, 2-7) with 20-point margin 85-65. It allowed Asseco Prokom to consolidate first place in the Polish PLK. They would have been even better if they did not have these two lost games earlier in Second Stage. Asseco Prokom has a very solid 7-2 record, but they cannot be too comfortable about keeping top position. Hrycaniuk has many years of experience at Asseco Prokom, through which he has constantly improved. Adam Hrycaniuk averages this season 9.4ppg and 8.7rpg.

The second most remarkable performance in last round's games was 24-year old American forward Nicchaeus Doaks (202-F-87, agency: Hart Sports Mngm) of Siarka Jezioro. Doaks impressed basketball fans with a double-double of 24 points and 10 rebounds. Bad luck as Siarka Jezioro lost that game 80-90 to the higher-ranked Slask Wroclaw (#-5, 24-13). Despite lost game Siarka Jezioro moved up to -2th position in Group B. His team is not often considered as one of the league's best with a mere 16-21 record. Doaks is a newcomer at Siarka Jezioro and it seems he did not have too much trouble to become one of team's leaders.

The third best performed player last round was Jakub Dluski (200-F-87) of second-ranked LKS Lodz. Dluski showcased his all-around game by recording 16 points, twelve rebounds (!!!) and five assists in the last round. He was a key player of LKS Lodz, leading his team to a 94-88 win against #1 ranked PBG Basket in a game of the week. LKS Lodz can only dream about fighting for top spots in Group B. They have rather bad season and 7-30 record places them close to the bottom of the standings. Too bad for Dluski he does not play for a better team. But maybe if he did, his season stats would not be that high. Dluski has individually a great season in Poland. After 33 games, he made it on the list of the league's leaders in rebounds with 8.1rpg (3rd best).

Other top performing players last week:
4. Aleksandar Mladenovic (207-F/C-84) of Slask Wroclaw - 23 points and 12 rebounds
5. Paul Graham (196-G-85) of Slask Wroclaw - 27 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists
6. Dardan Berisha (192-G-88) of Anwil - 25 points and 5 rebounds
7. Michal Michalak (194-G-93) of LKS Lodz - 27 points, 6 rebounds and 3 assists
8. Pawel Buczak (206-C-88) of Slask Wroclaw - 14 points, 10 rebounds and 6 assists
9. John Turek (205-F/C-83) of Trefl Sopot - 17 points, 10 rebounds and 2 assists
10. Djordje Micic (195-G-83) of PBG Basket - 33 points, 2 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)

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

PORTUGAL

Porto Ferpinta bring in Ricky Cadell - by Eurobasket News

Porto Ferpinta bolstered their roster prior to start of LPB playoffs. They agreed on terms of contract with Ricky Cadell (187-PG-88, agency: FCM). The deal is meant till the end of the season. Ricky Cadell will start his pro career in Portugal. The guard graduated from St. Francis University in 2011. Ricky Cadell averaged 16.2 points, 3.7 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.1 steals per game in his senior season. Ricky Cadell was named into All-NEC 2nd Team in 2009 and 2011. Porto Ferpinta will start their playoffs on April 14th. They will host Vitoria Guimaraes. Ricky Cadell is expected to debut for the Dragons then.

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PUERTO RICO

Standings - BSN

BSN Standings

1. Mayaguez		15-4
2. Quebradillas		11-9
3. Guaynabo		10-9
4. Arecibo		10-9
5. Bayamon		10-9
6. San German		10-10
7. Guayama		6-13
8. Humacao		5-14

Regular Season: Round 19

Apr. 12: Arecibo - Humacao 90-98
Apr. 12: Guayama - Quebradillas 84-91
Apr. 13: Humacao - Mayaguez
Apr. 13: Quebradillas - Guaynabo
Apr. 13: Bayamon - Guayama

Stats Leaders - BSN

Points Per Game

Al THORNTON
  Guayama
  (203-F-83)
  Avg: 24.7

1. Thornton, Guayama	24.7
2. Sensley, Humacao	22.0
3. Harris, San German	20.9
4. Ayuso, Arecibo	19.9
5. Dalmau, Bayamon	19.1
6. Ramos, Quebradillas	19.0
7. Maye, Guaynabo	17.3
8. Galindo, Guayama	17.0
9. Smith, Mayaguez	16.5
10. Vassallo, Guayna.	15.9

Rebounds Per Game

Mike HARRIS
  San German
  (198-F-83)
  Avg: 10

1. Harris, San German	10.0
2. Thornton, Guayama	9.4
3. Ramos, Quebradillas	9.3
4. Sensley, Humacao	9.1
5. Burgess, Guaynabo	8.8
6. Narvaez, Guaynabo	8.3
7. O''Bryant, Mayaguez	8.2
8. Shannon, Quebradil.	8.1
9. Sweetney, Bayamon	7.9
10. Pinkney, San G.	7.2

Assists Per Game

Filiberto RIVERA
  San German
  (190-PG-82)
  Avg: 6

1. Rivera, San German	6.0
2. Smith, Mayaguez	5.8
3. Guzman, Guaynabo	5.4
4. Pagan, Guayama	5.1
5. Pinnock, Arecibo	4.6
6. Cruz, Quebradillas	4.3
7. Dalmau, Bayamon	4.1
8. Williams, Quebradi.	4.1
9. Garcia, Humacao	3.8
10. Rodriguez, San G.	3.8

Steals Per Game

Donta SMITH
  Mayaguez
  (201-G-83)
  Avg: 2.4

1. Smith, Mayaguez	2.4
2. Pinnock, Arecibo	1.7
3. Mojica, Bayamon	1.5
4. Ramirez, Mayaguez	1.4
5. Thornton, Guayama	1.4
6. Rivera, Mayaguez	1.3
7. Figueroa, Guaynabo	1.3
8. Cotto, Mayaguez	1.3
9. Williams, Quebradi.	1.3
10. Sensley, Humacao	1.3

Blocks Per Game

Mamadou LAMIZANA
  Bayamon
  (207-F/C-81)
  Avg: 2.3

1. Lamizana, Bayamon	2.3
2. Thornton, Guayama	1.8
3. O''Bryant, Mayaguez	1.7
4. Burgess, Guaynabo	1.6
5. Shannon, Quebradil.	1.6
6. Harris, San German	1.2
7. Ramos, Quebradillas	1.1
8. Smith, Mayaguez	0.9
9. Santiago, Arecibo	0.9
10. Sensley, Humacao	0.9

Capitanes to play in semifinals of the FIBA-Americas League: - by Luis Modestti

Capitanes de Arecibo is expected to arrive in Caracas on Friday and face La Union de Formosa of Argentina in the first game of Group F in the FIBA-Americas League.

Group F is part of the semifinals and the two best teams will reach the Final Four. Group E was already played and Pioneros (MEX) and Obras Sanitarias (ARG) qualified for the Final Four.

Arecibo comes from a loss on Thursday against Caciques de Humacao but will have more help inside as former NBA player Ike Diogu (204-F/C-83, college: Arizona St.) is expected to make his debut with the team in this international tournament.

So far Arecibo has a 3-0 record in this tournament as they hosted the first stage in their home court.

Larry Ayuso is the best scorer for the team in this tournament with an average of 21.3 points per game while Danilo Pinnock is the second best with 14 points.

Capitanes expect to qualify for their second straight Final Four and finally bring the tournament title to Puerto Rico.

Vaqueros stop losing skid, Caciques and Piratas get wins: - by Luis Modestti

Vaqueros de Bayamon stopped their losing skid at four games by beating Atleticos de San German 74-71 on Wednesday.

Mamadou Lamizana scored 23 points, Michael Sweetney 11 and Ryan Abraham 10 for Vaqueros who now own a 10-9 record.

San German had Jose Lloreda as their best performer with 16 points and 7 rebounds.

On Thursday Caciques de Humacao surprised Capitanes de Arecibo 98-90. Caciques made 61 points in the last 23 minutes to roll over the defending champions.

Gilbert Brown scored 21 points and Kleon Penn 20 for Humacao who is still in last place with a 5-14 mark.

Arecibo was led by Danilo Pinnock who netted 23 points.

Piratas de Quebradillas dominated Brujos de Guayama 91-84. Peter John Ramos (222-C-85) scored 30 and Shavlik Randolph 20 for the winners.

Piratas activate Randolph, release Shannon: - by Luis Modestti

Piratas de Quebradillas activated Shavlik Randolph for Thursdays game against Brujos de Guayama and released forward Terrence Shannon (203-F-79, agency: Paris Global Sports, college: Elgin CC).

Shannon averaged 12.16 points and 8.6 rebounds in 19 games for Quebradillas. If he wishes to continue to play for the rest of the BSN season with another team he must sign by April 15. If not he wont be able to play with another team besides Quebradillas.

Randolph was activated after BSN approved the new contract submitted by the team. He was voted the best import in the 2011 season after averaging 17.96 points and 12.3 rebounds for Isabela.

Quebradillas is expected to make another import announcement soon.

San German returns Jose Lloreda - by Eurobasket News

Jose Lloreda (201-F/C-80, agency: Paris Global Sports, college: LSU) is back to San German. The Panamanian star penned a deal for rest of the season. Lloreda heads to San German from Atenas Cordoba, where he had 11.5 ppg and 5.3 rpg for 22 games in Argentinean Liga A. He also added 8 ppg and 4.5 rpg in four Liga Sudamericana games. Jose Lloreda started this season with Ciclista Olimpico de La Banda. There he had 13.8 ppg and 8.8 rpg for 19 appearances. Lloreda played for San German in 2011 BSN season. He averaged 14.9 points and 10 rebounds for 32 games. Lloreda also has experience from Mexico, Venezuela, Spain, Italy, Bosnia, Russia and Turkey. He is active member of the Panamanian NT since 2000. At the latest FIBA Americas in Mar del Plata, Lloreda averaged 15.9 points and 6.1 rebounds for 7 games. He was named Latinbasket.com All-Liga Americas 1st Team -11.

Donta Smith gets MVP of the Week award for Puerto Rican BSN - by Eurobasket News

American Donta Smith (201-G-83) had an amazing evening in the last week for league's leader Mayaguez and that's him to receive a Latinbasket.com Player of the Week award for week 18.
The 28-year old guard had the game-high 25 points adding eight rebounds and six assists for Mayaguez in his team's victory, helping them to edge out Guaynabo (#5, 10-9) 79-77. It allowed Mayaguez to consolidate first place in the Puerto Rican BSN. They would have been even better if they hadn't lost a few games earlier this season. Mayaguez has a very solid 15-4 record, but they cannot be too comfortable about keeping top position. In the team's last game Smith had a remarkable 63.6% from 2-point range. He just recently signed at Mayaguez, being already a very valuable addition to the team. Southeastern Illinois JC graduate has very impressive stats this year. Smith is in league's top in points (9th best: 16.5ppg), assists (2nd best: 5.8apg) and averages solid 2.4spg and 52.9% FGP.

The second most remarkable performance in last week's games was 28-year old American forward Al Thornton (203-F-83) of Guayama. Thornton impressed basketball fans with a double-double of 26 points and 12 rebounds. Of course Guayama cruised to a 84-72 relatively comfortable win over slightly lower-ranked Humacao (#8, 4-14). Guayama's 7th position in the standings has not changed. His team is not often considered as one of the league's best with a mere 6-12 record. Thornton is one of the most experienced players at Guayama and has a reputation of one of team's most reliable players. He belongs to the best scorers in the league with 24.6ppg (#1). He also registered 9.2 boards per game.

The third best performed player last week was American Mike Harris (198-F-83) of San German (#6). Harris scored 27 points and grabbed nine rebounds. Despite Harris' great performance San German lost 88-91 to slightly higher-ranked Quebradillas (#4, 10-9). But his team cannot count on just a single shooter as he also needs help of the other teammates. The last thing San German needs is to lose another game like this one. They lose more and more distance to the top teams. Their record is 10 victories and 10 lost games. Harris has a great season in Puerto Rico. After 11 games, he made it on the list of the league's leaders in points with 22.2ppg (3rd best) and rebounds with 10.1rpg (#1 in league). He also has 1.2bpg and FGP: 58.6%.

Other top performing players last week:
4. Gabriel Colon (200-G/F-84) of Guaynabo - 22 points, 10 rebounds and 2 assists
5. Patrick O'Bryant (213-C-86) of Mayaguez - 9 points, 19 rebounds and 4 assists
6. Peter John Ramos (222-C-85) of Quebradillas - 20 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists
7. Joel Jones (196-G/F-81) of Quebradillas - 19 points and 6 rebounds
8. Alexander Galindo (200-F-85) of Guayama - 28 points and 6 rebounds
9. Ansel Guzman (174-PG-84) of Guaynabo - 9 points, 6 rebounds and 10 assists
10. Mamadou Lamizana (207-F/C-81) of Bayamon - 23 points and 6 rebounds

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

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QATAR

Sadd take 2-0 lead against Arabi - by Eurobasket News

Arabi - Sadd 86:99

Sadd celebrated the second straight win over Arabi in Emir Cup semifinals. Sadd are now one step away from the Finals. Jason Fontenet (178-PG-82, college: Oregon St.) scored 30 points to pace the winners.
Sadd took off late in the opening quarter. They cleared off to a 10-point lead at the first break 26:16. Sadd maintained the lead throughout the second frame. They established a 54:42 halftime advantage. The margin grew at 20-point mark midway through the third period. Arabi got within 15 points at the final intermission 61:76. Arabi worked hard and narrowed the deficit to 9 points midway through the fourth frame. But Sadd hung on to escape with a tough win at the end. Khalid Suliman (198-G/F-87) posted 17 points and 7 rebounds, while Daoud Mousa (193-G-82) contributed 14 points and 8 assists for the winners. Abdulai Jalloh (188-G-86, college: JMU) answered with 26 points for Arabi. Shelton Colwell (202-C/F-80, agency: Pro Management Agency, college: Missouri St.) provided 17 points and 11 boards in the loss.

Arabi: Abdulai Jalloh 26, Shelton Colwell 17+11 boards
Sadd: Jason Fontenet 30, Khalid Suliman 17, Daoud Mousa 14

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ROMANIA

Stats Leaders - Men

Points Per Game

Jaytonah WISSEH
  CSU Sibiu
  (185-G-88)
  Avg: 23.5

1. Wisseh, CSU Sibiu	23.5
2. Durham, Dinamo B.	23.3
3. Martinic, CSM B.	23.1
4. Krstanovic, U.Mobi.	21.1
5. Dykes, U.Mobite.	20.4
6. Mitchell, Gaz Metan	19.0
7. Gallimore, CSM B.	18.4
8. Sims, Giurgiu	18.3
9. Ross, Craiova	18.0
10. Haymon, Dinamo B.	17.8

Rebounds Per Game

Allen DURHAM
  Dinamo B.
  (198-F-88)
  Avg: 13.7

1. Durham, Dinamo B.	13.7
2. Carutasu, CSM B.	9.3
3. Kinloch, Pitesti	9.3
4. Krstanovic, U.Mobi.	8.9
5. McKenzie, CSM B.	8.9
6. Nicoara, Gaz Metan	8.5
7. Dies, Perla Harghi.	8.3
8. Steffel, Rovinari	8.2
9. Riley, CSU Sibiu	8.1
10. Vlaicu, Giurgiu	7.7

Assists Per Game

Jaytonah WISSEH
  CSU Sibiu
  (185-G-88)
  Avg: 7.3

1. Wisseh, CSU Sibiu	7.3
2. Cooley, Targu M.	6.2
3. Maric, Oradea	6.2
4. Vlahovic, Ploiesti	5.6
5. Sims, Giurgiu	5.5
6. Nikolic, Rovinari	5.4
7. Howell, Gaz Metan	5.3
8. Martinic, CSM B.	5.2
9. Jovanovic, Timisoa.	5.2
10. Tomeljak, Gaz M.	5.0

Steals Per Game

Jaytonah WISSEH
  CSU Sibiu
  (185-G-88)
  Avg: 2.9

1. Wisseh, CSU Sibiu	2.9
2. Cooley, Targu M.	2.6
3. Howell, Gaz Metan	2.1
4. Tucker, Perla H.	2.1
5. Mitchell, Gaz Metan	2.0
6. Dykes, U.Mobite.	2.0
7. Hurjui, Politehnica	1.9
8. Hargrove, Ploiesti	1.9
9. Nicolae, Politehni.	1.8
10. Seals, Craiova	1.7

Blocks Per Game

Bryson MCKENZIE
  CSM B.
  (211-C-83)
  Avg: 1.8

1. McKenzie, CSM B.	1.8
2. Riley, CSU Sibiu	1.8
3. Tibirna, Otopeni	1.7
4. Kinloch, Pitesti	1.4
5. Dies, Perla Harghi.	1.4
6. Mijovic, U.Mobite.	1.1
7. Durham, Dinamo B.	1.1
8. Dragusin, Gaz M.	0.9
9. McCulloch, Dinamo	0.9
10. Archie, Timisoara	0.9

Div.A Round 2 of Quarter-Finals - by Eurobasket News

Ploiesti - Oradea 64-62

The hosts trailed by 7 points after three quarters before their 18-9 charge, which allowed them to win the game. Serbian power forward Vladimir Tica (208-81, agency: BeoExcell) orchestrated the victory by scoring 14 points and 9 rebounds. American guard Darius Hargrove (193-82, college: Virginia Union, agency: Strategic Sports) contributed with 15 points and 5 rebounds for the winners. Four Ploiesti players scored in double figures. Serbian guard Nemanja Maric (196-83) replied with 11 points, 7 rebounds and 9 assists and Serbian forward Milos Pesic (205-84) added 10 points and 8 rebounds in the effort for Oradea.
Top scorers:
Ploiesti: D.Hargrove 15+5reb+1ast, V.Tica 14+9reb+1ast, C.Burlacu 12+6reb+2ast, A.Vlahovic 10+3reb+2ast, A.Cepulis 9+2reb+1ast, D.Albijanic 2+2reb
Oradea: S.Topchov 14+4reb+1ast, N.Maric 11+7reb+9ast, M.Pesic 10+8reb+2ast, L.Lazar 8+5reb, G.Navickas 8+4reb+1ast, M.Markovic 6+3reb+1ast

U.Mobitel.CN - Targu Mures 76-58

The game without a history. U-Mobitelco led from the first minutes and controlled entire game increasing their lead in each quarter. Their players were unselfish on offense dishing 25 assists. American forward David Lawrence (200-85, college: Charleston) scored 15 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists and 4 steals to lead the charge for the winners and Serbian center Zoran Krstanovic (204-82) chipped in 19 points and 5 rebounds during the contest. The former international power forward Virgil Stanescu (208-77, college: S.Alabama, agency: Interperformances) responded with a double-double by scoring 14 points and 10 rebounds and American forward Jason Forte (196-84, college: S.Mississippi) scored 11 points. Both teams had four players each who scored in double figures.
Top scorers:
U.Mobitel.CN: Z.Krstanovic 19+5reb+1ast, M.Silvasan 16+2reb+3ast, D.Lawrence 15+8reb+4ast, K.Dykes 14+3reb+6ast, M.Paul 7+8reb+8ast, J.LaGrange 3+1reb+1ast
Targu Mures: V.Stanescu 14+10reb+2ast, M.Pekovic 12+1reb+1ast, J.Forte 11+4reb+1ast, L.Dumitru 10+1reb+1ast, C.Watson 5+4reb+6ast, M.Aliakseyeu 4+1reb

Gaz Metan - Rovinari 86-71

It was a very close game until the last quarter, when Gaz Metan's pressure prevailed and they won that period 25-14 extending their advantage to 15 points. They dominated down low during the game scoring 64 of its points in the paint compared to Rovinari's 34 and made 16-of-21 charity shots (76.2 percent) during the game. American forward Deven Mitchell (197-84, agency: Interperformances) scored 27 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists and 4 steals to lead the charge for the winners and the former international forward Titus Nicoara (203-88, agency: Interperformances) chipped in 16 points and 8 rebounds during the contest. Four Gaz Metan players scored in double figures. American guard Porter Troupe (196-83, college: Portland, agency: Strategic Sports) responded with 25 points (was perfect 8-for-8 from the free throw line) and Serbian guard Stefan Nikolic (192-87) scored 10 points and 5 assists.
Top scorers:
Gaz Metan: D.Mitchell 27+9reb+4ast, T.Nicoara 16+8reb+3ast, I.Ivanovic 12+6reb+3ast, I.Zigeranovic 10+10reb, I.Tomeljak 9+1ast, C.Moore 4+1reb+1ast
Rovinari: P.Troupe 25+4reb+1ast, L.Darby 12+6reb, S.Nikolic 10+4reb+5ast, D.Steffel 9+9reb+1ast, B.Kabengele-Kalala 8+4reb, A.Gutoaia 5+1ast

Timisoara - CSM Bucuresti 75-56

CSM Bucuresti was ahead by 3 points at the halftime before a 44-22 second half run of Timisoara. They outrebounded CSM Bucuresti 41-28 including 19 on the offensive glass. Serbian-German forward Robert Sarovic (205-78) had a double-double by scoring 18 points and 12 rebounds to lead the charge for the winners and Bosnian point guard Zlatko Jovanovic (181-84, agency: Beo Basket) chipped in 16 points, 8 rebounds and 5 assists during the contest. Montenegrin point guard Goran Martinic (184-87, agency: BeoExcell) responded with 24 points and 4 assists and Jamaican-Canadian guard Garry Gallimore (192-84) produced a double-double by scoring 14 points and 11 rebounds.
Top scorers:
Timisoara: R.Sarovic 18+12reb, Z.Jovanovic 16+8reb+5ast, B.Popescu 13+6reb, D.Archie 9+3reb+1ast, I.Siriscevic 9+3reb, D.Paltinisanu 8+5reb
CSM Bucuresti: G.Martinic 24+1reb+4ast, G.Gallimore 14+11reb+1ast, B.McKenzie 8+7reb, A.Urucatu 4+3reb, C.Fometescu 3+1reb+2ast, E.Rhinehart 3+5reb+2ast

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RUSSIA

SAUDI ARABIA

D1 Standings

Premier League Standings

1. Uhud		18-1
2. Al Fath		15-4
3. Al Ittihad		15-5
4. Al Ahli		15-5
5. Al Wehda		10-10
6. Al Ansar		9-7
7. Al Qadisiya		9-9
8. Al Hilal		7-10
9. Al Nahdha		5-12
10. Al Jubail		5-15
11. Al Kweldeeh		3-14
12. Al Safa		0-19

Regular Season: Round 21

Apr. 12: Al Fath - Al Qadisiya 90-84
Apr. 12: Al Hilal - Al Jubail 84-76
Apr. 12: Al Ahli - Al Ansar 71-66
Apr. 12: Al Safa - Al Nahdha 58-92
Apr. 12: Al Kweldeeh - Al Wehda
Apr. 12: Al Ittihad - Uhud

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SENEGAL

Standings

D1 Standings

Playoffs
1. DUC Dakar		10-3
2. SLBC		10-4
3. UGB		10-4
4. Rail		9-5
5. Douanes		8-6
6. Mermoz		8-6
7. Louga		7-7
8. USO		7-7
Stage One
1. Goree		6-5
2. BOPP		5-7
3. ASFA		4-8
4. Sibac Dakar		4-8
5. JA Dakar		1-11
6. Mbour		1-11

Stage One Standings

Playoffs: Latest games - by Eurobasket News

Playoffs in Senegalese top division for men started on March 10. The latest results are below:

Playoffs, Day Two (March 17, 18)
DUC -Louga BC 65-61
UGB -USO 75-56
Mermoz-Douane 68-74
SLBC-Rail 62-54

Standings after Day Two
1. DUC (25 pts +89)
2. UGB (24 pts +49)
3. SLBC (24 pts +14)
4. Rail (23 pts +32)
5. Douane (22 pts +24)
6. Mermoz (22 pts -39)
7. USO (21 pts -25)
8. Louga BC (21 pts -22)

Playoffs, Day One (March 10, 11)
Louga BC-UGB 56-63
USO-SLBC 69-79
Douane-DUC 76-61
Rail-Mermoz 90-76

Standings after Day One
1. DUC (23 pts +85)
2. Rail (22 pts +40)
3. UGB (22 pts +30)
4. SLBC (22 pts +6)
5. Mermoz (21 pts -33)
6. USO (20 pts -6)
7. Douane (20 pts +18)
8. Louga BC (20 pts -18)

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SERBIA

Standings - A Liga

A Standings

SuperLiga
1. Crvena Zvezda		4-2
2. Radnicki K.		4-2
3. Partizan		4-2
4. Vojvodina		4-2
5. BKK Radnicki		3-3
6. Radnicki Basket		3-3
7. Hemofarm		1-5
8. Mega Vizura		1-5
Places 9-18
1. OKK Beograd		15-11
2. Tamis		15-11
3. Sloga		13-13
4. Borac		12-14
5. Smederevo		12-212
6. Sloboda Uzice		11-15
7. Metalac		10-16
8. Napredak		8-18
9. Zeleznicar		6-20
10. Proleter Naftagas		2-24

Stage One Standings

Second Stage: Round 6

Apr. 11: Vojvodina - Partizan 95-85
Apr. 12: Crvena Zvezda - Radnicki Basket 89-65
Apr. 11: BKK Radnicki - Mega Vizura 83-90
Apr. 11: Hemofarm - Radnicki K. 80-91

Second Stage: Round 7

Apr. 18: Mega Vizura - Hemofarm
Apr. 18: Partizan - BKK Radnicki
Apr. 18: Radnicki Basket - Vojvodina
Apr. 18: Radnicki K. - Crvena Zvezda

Stats Leaders - 1A

Points Per Game

Milos BOJOVIC
  Zeleznicar
  (198-G-81)
  Avg: 23.5

1. Bojovic, Zeleznicar	23.5
2. Milisavljevi., Meg.	20.8
3. Zigeranovic, Borac	20.5
4. Balaban, Smederevo	20.0
5. Bozovic, Sloga	17.1
6. Cupkovic, Napredak	16.5
7. Miljenovic, Mega V.	16.5
8. Dimic, Radnicki.	16.2
9. Svilar, Smederevo	15.5
10. Drca, OKK Beograd	14.8

Rebounds Per Game

Darko BALABAN
  Smederevo
  (211-C-89)
  Avg: 8.8

1. Balaban, Smederevo	8.8
2. Zigeranovic, Borac	8.2
3. Cantekin, Mega V.	8.0
4. Cupkovic, Napredak	7.6
5. Majkic, Prolet.	7.2
6. Petrovic, BKK R.	7.0
7. Misanovic, OKK B.	6.6
8. Kuburovic, Slobod.	6.0
9. Canak, Zeleznicar	6.0
10. Dramicanin, Borac	5.9

Assists Per Game

Marko BOLTIC
  BKK R.
  (193-G-87)
  Avg: 5.8

1. Boltic, BKK R.	5.8
2. Dundjerski, Vojvo.	4.9
3. Osmokrovic, BKK R.	4.9
4. Jovic, Sloga	4.3
5. Milisavljevi., Meg.	4.2
6. Stefanovic, Smede.	4.1
7. Miljenovic, Mega V.	4.0
8. Mitrovic, OKK B.	3.8
9. Rakic, Sloboda Uzi.	3.8
10. Drca, OKK Beograd	3.8

Steals Per Game

Negoslav GACIC
  BKK Radnicki
  (193-G-)
  Avg: 3.2

1. Gacic, BKK Radnicki	3.2
2. Jovic, Sloga	2.6
3. Boltic, BKK R.	2.4
4. Dundjerski, Vojvo.	2.2
5. Miljenovic, Mega V.	2.1
6. Bojovic, Zeleznicar	2.0
7. Kuzeta, Vojvodina	2.0
8. Vulin, Prolet.	1.9
9. Majstorovic, Tamis	1.8
10. Drca, OKK Beograd	1.7

Blocks Per Game

Nenad MISANOVIC
  OKK B.
  (217-C-84)
  Avg: 1.5

1. Misanovic, OKK B.	1.5
2. Zigeranovic, Borac	1.2
3. Balaban, Smederevo	1.2
4. Cantekin, Mega V.	1.0
5. Bojic, Mega Vizura	0.9
6. Todorovic, Borac	0.8
7. Petronic, BKK R.	0.8
8. Majkic, Prolet.	0.8
9. Milovanovic, Radni.	0.7
10. Draskovic, Metalac	0.7

Standings - B Liga

B League Standings

1. Jagodina		17-8
2. Konstantin		16-9
3. Mladost Zemun		15-10
4. Mladost Cacak		15-10
5. Spartak		14-11
6. Crnokosa		13-12
7. Radnicki OB		13-12
8. Napredak A.		13-12
9. Beovuk 72		12-13
10. Sabac		12-13
11. Viva Basket		12-13
12. Vojvodina		10-15
13. Radnicki Stud.		7-18
14. Jedinstvo NB		6-19

Regular Season: Round 26

Apr. 14: Beovuk 72 - Vojvodina
Apr. 14: Konstantin - Mladost Cacak
Apr. 14: Jedinstvo NB - Spartak
Apr. 14: Viva Basket - Sabac
Apr. 14: Crnokosa - Radnicki OB
Apr. 14: Mladost Zemun - Radnicki Stud.
Apr. 14: Napredak A. - Jagodina

Stats Leaders - 1B

Points Per Game

Dragan BJELICA
  Viva Basket
  (198-G-81)
  Avg: 24.6

1. Bjelica, Viva Bask.	24.6
2. Djurovic, Crnokosa	18.8
3. Dukanac, Mladost	17.6
4. Riboskic, Beovuk	17.4
5. Samailovic, Radnic.	16.7
6. Glisovic, Radnic.	15.9
7. Skoko, Vojvodina	15.8
8. Boljkovac, Sabac	15.3
9. Dondur, Beovuk 72	15.0
10. Rasic, Mladost	14.9

Rebounds Per Game

Aleksandar VULETIC
  Viva Basket
  (202-F-86)
  Avg: 12.2

1. Vuletic, Viva Bask.	12.2
2. Sikman, Napredak.	8.5
3. Vukovic, Mladost	8.4
4. Glisovic, Radnic.	8.2
5. Dondur, Beovuk 72	7.9
6. Grubor, Vojvodina	7.6
7. Banjanin, Mladost	7.4
8. Huskic, Radnicki OB	7.2
9. Djurovic, Crnokosa	7.2