EUROBASKET NEWS REPORT - 4/2/2012 1:04:01 AM

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Men News

*****************************************************
  ASEAN LEAGUE   


Standings

O Standings
 1. Philip.Patriots 12-2 
 2. Petron Blaze 11-4 
 3. KL Dragons 7-7 
 4. Satria Muda 7-8 
 5. Singapore S. 6-9 
 6. Bangkok C. 5-8 
 7. Thailand S. 5-10 
 8. Saigon H. 4-9 

Regular Season: Round 14

Mar. 31: Philip.Patriots - Thailand S. 89-68
Apr. 1: Singapore S. - KL Dragons 81-70
Mar. 31: Satria Muda - Petron Blaze 69-71

Regular Season: Round 15

Apr. 4: Saigon H. - Satria Muda
Apr. 7: Thailand S. - Saigon H.
Apr. 7: Philip.Patriots - Bangkok C.
Apr. 8: KL Dragons - Petron Blaze


Round 14: Petron Blaze defeats Satria Muda in the closest game of the week - by Eurobasket News

The most exciting game of round 14 in the ASEAN League took place in Jakarta. This derby game ended with only two-point home defeat of 4th ranked Indonesian Satria Muda (7-8) to second ranked Filipino Petron Blaze (11-4) 71-69 on Saturday evening. It ended at the same time the three-game winning streak of Satria Muda. The guests trailed by 3 points after first quarter, but they rallied back to get the 6-point lead at the halftime and eventually won the game 71-69. Petron Blaze dominated on the defensive end, holding Satria Muda to just 5 points in second quarter. Strangely Satria Muda outrebounded Petron Blaze 50-37 including a 33-22 advantage in defensive rebounds. American power forward Jarrid Famous (210-88, college: S.Florida) scored 20 points and 7 rebounds to lead the charge for the winners and Santiago Cabatu chipped in 11 points, 11 rebounds and 4 assists during the contest. Petron Blaze's coach Ato Agustin used a ten-player rotation in such tough game. American power forward Steve Thomas (204-81, college: Middle Tenn.St.) responded with a double-double by scoring 19 points and 17 rebounds (on 7-of-9 shooting from the field). Petron Blaze maintains second position with 11-4 record behind leader Philip.Patriots. Satria Muda at the other side keeps the fourth place with eight games lost. Petron Blaze are looking forward to face KL Dragons (#3) in Kuala Lumpur in the next round, which may be the game of the day. Satria Muda will play on the road against Saigon Heat and is hoping to prove to their fans that this time they can win.
Very important is a road loss of third ranked Malaysian KL Dragons (7-7) against sixth ranked Singapore Singapore Slingers (6-9) on Sunday night. Visiting KL Dragons were defeated by Singapore Slingers in Singapore 81-70. American center Kyle Jeffers (207-85, college: Oregon St.) notched a double-double by scoring 17 points and 20 rebounds to lead the effort and Louis Graham supported him with 24 points and 9 rebounds. Even 16 points and 7 rebounds by American swingman Devon Sullivan (201-86, college: S.Connecticut) did not help to save the game for KL Dragons. KL Dragons' coach rotated eleven players in this game, but that didn't help. Singapore Slingers moved-up to fifth place. KL Dragons lost fifth consecutive game. They keep the third position with seven games lost. Singapore Slingers will have a break next round, and it should allow them to practice more before next game. KL Dragons will play at home against the league's second-placed Petron Blaze in Manila and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
ASEAN League top team - Filipino Philippine Patriots (12-2) had no problems winning another game on Saturday. This time they crushed seventh ranked Thailand Thailand Slammers (5-10) in Manila 89-68. Americans were the main players on the court. The best player for the winners was Anthony Johnson who scored 23 points, 5 rebounds and 6 assists (was perfect 10-for-10 from the free throw line !!!). Calvin Williams produced a double-double by scoring 27 points, 20 rebounds, 6 assists and 4 blocks 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. Philippine Patriots have an impressive five-game winning streak. They maintain first position with 12-2 record. Loser Thailand Slammers keep the seventh place with ten games lost. Philippine Patriots will meet at home Bangkok Cobras (#6) in the next round where they are favorite. Thailand Slammers will play against Saigon Heat and it may be a tough game between close rivals.


Satria Muda - Petron Blaze 69-71

The most exciting game of round 14 in the ASEAN League took place in Jakarta. This derby game ended with only two-point home defeat of 4th ranked Indonesian Satria Muda (7-8) to second ranked Filipino Petron Blaze (11-4) 71-69 on Saturday evening. It ended at the same time the three-game winning streak of Satria Muda. The guests trailed by 3 points after first quarter, but they rallied back to get the 6-point lead at the halftime and eventually won the game 71-69. Petron Blaze dominated on the defensive end, holding Satria Muda to just 5 points in second quarter. Strangely Satria Muda outrebounded Petron Blaze 50-37 including a 33-22 advantage in defensive rebounds. American power forward Jarrid Famous (210-88, college: S.Florida) scored 20 points and 7 rebounds to lead the charge for the winners and Santiago Cabatu chipped in 11 points, 11 rebounds and 4 assists during the contest. Petron Blaze's coach Ato Agustin used a ten-player rotation in such tough game. American power forward Steve Thomas (204-81, college: Middle Tenn.St.) responded with a double-double by scoring 19 points and 17 rebounds (on 7-of-9 shooting from the field) and his fellow American import forward Jonathan Smith (206-82, college: Bowie St.) produced a double-double by scoring 14 points and 17 rebounds. Petron Blaze maintains second position with 11-4 record behind leader Philip.Patriots. Satria Muda at the other side keeps the fourth place with eight games lost. Petron Blaze are looking forward to face KL Dragons (#3) in Kuala Lumpur in the next round, which may be the game of the day. Satria Muda will play on the road against Saigon Heat and is hoping to prove to their fans that this time they can win.
Top scorers:
Petron Blaze: J.Famous 20+7reb, L.Avenido 16+3reb+2ast, S.Cabatu 11+11reb+4ast, J.Mar Fajardo 7+6reb+1ast, R.Yap 6+2reb+2ast, A.Dimaunahan 6
Satria Muda: S.Thomas 19+17reb+1ast, J.Smith 14+17reb+1ast, M.Wuysang 13+1reb+4ast, R.Gunawan 9+4reb+1ast, J.Uy 9+6reb+4ast, A.Prihantono 5+3reb
gschID: 166957


Singapore S. - KL Dragons 81-70

Very important is a road loss of third ranked Malaysian KL Dragons (7-7) against sixth ranked Singapore Singapore Slingers (6-9) on Sunday night. Visiting KL Dragons were defeated by Singapore Slingers in Singapore 81-70. The game was mostly controlled by Singapore Slingers. KL Dragons was better in third quarter 20-19. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. They dominated on the defensive end, holding KL Dragons to just 4 points in first quarter. Singapore Slingers made 20-of-26 charity shots (76.9 percent) during the game. KL Dragons were plagued by 25 personal fouls down the stretch. American center Kyle Jeffers (207-85, college: Oregon St.) notched a double-double by scoring 17 points and 20 rebounds to lead the effort and the other American import power forward Louis Graham (205-84, agency: Z.A.G. - Law Offices) supported him with 24 points and 9 rebounds. Even 16 points and 7 rebounds by American swingman Devon Sullivan (201-86, college: S.Connecticut) did not help to save the game for KL Dragons. Forward Yeo Seng John Ng (190-81) added 12 points and 5 rebounds for the guests. Both teams had four players each who scored in double figures. KL Dragons' coach rotated eleven players in this game, but that didn't help. Singapore Slingers moved-up to fifth place. KL Dragons lost fifth consecutive game. They keep the third position with seven games lost. Singapore Slingers will have a break next round, and it should allow them to practice more before next game. KL Dragons will play at home against the league's second-placed Petron Blaze in Manila and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Singapore S.: L.Graham 24+9reb, K.Jeffers 17+20reb+2ast, W.Long Wong 13+1reb+2ast, D.Dulay 11+3reb+5ast, V.Canta 9+2reb, W.Jie Oh Desmond 5+2reb+2ast
KL Dragons: D.Sullivan 16+7reb+1ast, Y.Seng John Ng 12+5reb+1ast, S.Fai Loh 11+5reb, P.Cabahug 10+3reb, C.Pacana 7+5reb, C.Moore 7+7reb+1ast
gschID: 166958


Philip.Patriots - Thailand S. 89-68

ASEAN League top team - Filipino Philippine Patriots (12-2) had no problems winning another game on Saturday. This time they crushed seventh ranked Thailand Thailand Slammers (5-10) in Manila 89-68. The hosts trailed by 1 point at the halftime before their 57-35 charge in the second half, which allowed them to win the game. Philippine Patriots made 17-of-21 free shots (81.0 percent) during the game. They also forced 21 Thailand Slammers turnovers. Philippine Patriots looked well-organized offensively handing out 27 assists. Americans were the main players on the court. The best player for the winners was swingman Anthony Johnson (197-79, college: La-Lafayette, agency: Interperformances) who scored 23 points, 5 rebounds and 6 assists (was perfect 10-for-10 from the free throw line !!!). Center Nakiea Miller (204-79, college: Iona) chipped in a double-double by scoring 17 points and 15 rebounds. Forward Calvin Williams (206-87, college: SE Missouri St.) produced a double-double by scoring 27 points, 20 rebounds, 6 assists and 4 blocks and center Christopher Garnett (211-80, college: Indiana SE) added 15 points and 8 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. Philippine Patriots have an impressive five-game winning streak. They maintain first position with 12-2 record. Loser Thailand Slammers keep the seventh place with ten games lost. Philippine Patriots will meet at home Bangkok Cobras (#6) in the next round where they are favorite. Thailand Slammers will play against Saigon Heat and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Philip.Patriots: A.Johnson 23+5reb+6ast, N.Miller 17+15reb+2ast, F.Adriano 8+1reb, R.Wainwright 7+2reb, F.Rodriguez 7+3reb+2ast, E.Laure 6+2reb+4ast
Thailand S.: C.Williams 27+20reb+6ast, C.Garnett 15+8reb+2ast, A.Angeles 9+2reb+2ast, R.Leynes 6+3reb+1ast, W.Montien 3+1reb, M.Jantuma 3+3reb+1ast
gschID: 166956



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

Stats Leaders - NBL

Points Per Game
 Kevin LISCH
  Wildcats
  (188-G-86)
  Avg: 17.4
 1. Lisch, Wildcats17.4 
 2. Wilson, Taipans17.3 
 3. Deleon, Blaze16.5 
 4. Johnson, 36ers16.5 
 5. Wilkinson, Breakers16.5 
 6. Khazzouh, Kings16.4 
 7. Tragardh, Tigers16.3 
 8. Abercrombie, Break.15.6 
 9. Bose, Kings15.5 
 10. Crawford, Croco.14.7 
Rebounds Per Game
 Julian KHAZZOUH
  Kings
  (209-C-86)
  Avg: 10.8
 1. Khazzouh, Kings10.8 
 2. Holmes, Crocodiles9.0 
 3. Simpsons, 36ers8.6 
 4. Grant, Kings8.1 
 5. Johnson, 36ers7.7 
 6. Crosswhite, Taipa.7.7 
 7. Bose, Kings6.7 
 8. Vukona, Breakers6.2 
 9. Worthington, Blaze6.1 
 10. Hudson, Blaze6.1 
Assists Per Game
 Cedric JACKSON
  Breakers
  (191-G-86)
  Avg: 6.3
 1. Jackson, Breakers6.3 
 2. Gibson, Blaze4.6 
 3. Bruce, Kings4.4 
 4. Gill, Crocodiles3.7 
 5. Martin, Wildcats3.6 
 6. Martin, Hawks3.6 
 7. Dillon, Tigers3.4 
 8. Ubaka, Tigers3.3 
 9. Deleon, Blaze3.2 
 10. Warren, 36ers3.2 
Steals Per Game
 Cedric JACKSON
  Breakers
  (191-G-86)
  Avg: 2.5
 1. Jackson, Breakers2.5 
 2. Martin, Wildcats2.1 
 3. Robbins, Wildcats1.6 
 4. Deleon, Blaze1.5 
 5. Gill, Crocodiles1.4 
 6. Mims, Crocodiles1.3 
 7. Tovey, Wildcats1.3 
 8. Gibson, Blaze1.2 
 9. Crawford, Croco.1.1 
 10. Lisch, Wildcats1.1 
Blocks Per Game
 Julian KHAZZOUH
  Kings
  (209-C-86)
  Avg: 2.1
 1. Khazzouh, Kings2.1 
 2. Simpsons, 36ers1.5 
 3. Grant, Kings1.4 
 4. Nevill, Wildcats1.2 
 5. Johnson, 36ers1.0 
 6. Crosswhite, Taipa.0.9 
 7. Abercrombie, Break.0.9 
 8. Martin, Wildcats0.9 
 9. Forman, Hawks0.8 
 10. Worthington, Blaze0.8 


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. Sandringham S. 3-2 
 3. Frankston B. 2-1 
 4. Bendigo B. 2-1 
 5. Dandenong 2-2 
 6. Brisbane S. 1-2 
 7. Canberra G. 1-3 
SEABL-South
 1. Knox R. 3-0 
 2. Kilsyth C. 3-1 
 3. Nunawading S. 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 3

BIG V

Apr. 1: Hume City - Corio Bay 82-78
Apr. 1: Eltham W. - Sherbrooke S. 75-66
Mar. 31: Melbourne - Ringwood H. 68-74
Mar. 31: Sherbrooke S. - Waverley F. 60-75
Mar. 31: Diamond V.E. - Bulleen B. 104-76

Central ABL

Mar. 31: Woodville W. - S.Adelaide P. 73-72
Mar. 31: Norwood F. - C.District L. 71-64
Mar. 31: Sturt S. - W.Adelaide B. 70-73
Apr. 1: South.Tigers - N.Adelaide R. 67-86
Mar. 31: Eastern M. - Forestville E. 64-103

SEABL

Mar. 31: Bendigo B. - Canberra G. 83-65
Mar. 31: Knox R. - Kilsyth C. 81-78
Mar. 31: Geelong S. - Sandringham S. 81-75
Apr. 1: Kilsyth C. - Sandringham S. 80-69
Mar. 31: Albury W.B. - Frankston B. 79-80
Mar. 31: Ballarat M. - Nunawading S. 75-78
Mar. 30: Mt Gambier - Geelong S. 74-81
Mar. 31: NW Tasmania - Brisbane S. 73-82
Apr. 1: Dandenong - Canberra G. 120-82
Mar. 30: Hobart C. - Brisbane S. 107-75

WARATAH

Mar. 31: Hills H. - Sutherland S. 99-72
Mar. 31: Maitland M. - Colonial Hotel 95-93
Mar. 31: Parramatta W. - Norths Bears 81-97
Apr. 1: Illawarra H. - Cent.Coast C. 72-62
Mar. 31: Sydney C. - Bankstown B. 65-63
Mar. 31: Manly Warr. - Newcastle H. 63-73

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.
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


Standings - SBL

SBL Standings
 1. Lakeside L. 4-0 
 2. Wanneroo W. 4-1 
 3. Perth R. 4-1 
 4. Perry Lakes H. 3-1 
 5. Stirling S. 3-2 
 6. Mandurah M. 2-2 
 7. Cockburn C. 2-2 
 8. Willetton T. 2-2 
 9. Geraldton B. 2-2 
 10. Kalamunda E.S. 1-3 
 11. Goldfield G. 1-3 
 12. SW Slammers 0-3 
 13. East Perth E. 0-4 
 14. Rockingham F. 0-4 

Regular Season: Round 3

Mar. 30: Willetton T. - Perry Lakes H. 97-98
Mar. 31: Geraldton B. - Lakeside L. 92-99
Mar. 31: Goldfield G. - Kalamunda E.S. 86-90
Mar. 31: Wanneroo W. - Willetton T. 85-103
Mar. 31: Cockburn C. - Rockingham F. 84-70
Mar. 31: SW Slammers - Stirling S. 76-113
Mar. 31: Perth R. - Mandurah M. 114-103
Mar. 30: Stirling S. - East Perth E. 103-92

Regular Season: Round 4

Apr. 5: Mandurah M. - SW Slammers
Apr. 5: Stirling S. - Lakeside L.
Apr. 5: Willetton T. - Cockburn C.
Apr. 7: Geraldton B. - Goldfield G.
Apr. 7: SW Slammers - Perth R.
Apr. 7: Rockingham F. - Willetton T.
Apr. 7: Kalamunda E.S. - East Perth E.
Apr. 7: Perry Lakes H. - Wanneroo W.


Perth Wildcats douse Blaze in 85-70 playoff opener - by Eurobasket News

Perth is one win away from a grand final berth after a resounding 85-70 playoff victory over the Gold Coast Blaze.

A second-quarter shooting blitz helped the Wildcats douse the Blaze in Game 1 of the sides semi-final series in front of a sellout Challenge Stadium crowd.

Jesse Wagstaff (203-F-86, college: Metro St.) scored 16 points and was among five Perth players in double-digits as the Wildcats simply dominated after quarter-time.

Adris Deleon (180-G-84, college: E.Washington) top-scored for the Blaze with 23 and Anthony Petrie (203-F/C-83) added 20, but the visitors struggled to find other options as they fell behind in the best-of-three series.

Despite dishing out six assists, the Blaze missed the scoring output of point guard Adam Gibson (four points), who entered the contest carrying a calf complaint.

Suiting up for his first game since being named the leagues best defensive player, Damian Martin (188-PG-84, college: Loyola Mary) made a statement of intent in the opening seconds as he registered a trademark chase-down block on a Deleon attempted lay-up.

The Wildcats guard also provided the exclamation point at the end of the term, draining a floating jumper as time expired to give the home side a 26-21 lead.

The two sides traded blows in a physical second quarter, with Petrie pouring in 18 first-half points as he dominated inside for the Blaze.

But a three-point barrage from Wagstaff and Kevin Lisch (188-G-86, college: St.Louis) changed the game, sparking a 17-6 Wildcats run to close out the half and pushing the lead beyond double digits.

The typical sea of red in the sold-out crowd was also a sea of Lisch, with 4,500 masks bearing the shooting guard's face handed out to fans prior to the game.

And the newly-crowned MVP was everywhere out on the court as well, draining a tough corner jump-shot to open the scoring after half-time.

When Luke Nevill threw down a slam off a neat Shawn Redhage pass, the lead had ballooned out to 16 and the Wildcats were threatening to blow the game open.

Deleon paced Gold Coasts offence and helped restrict the scoreboard damage, but the Blaze simply could not make any headway in cutting the lead.

Brad Robbins scored nine points in his 200th NBL game, while Luke Nevill was a dominant force in the paint with 14 points and six rebounds as he proved a handful for Will Hudson down low.

Wildcats coach Rob Beveridge said he was proud of the way his team controlled the game at both ends of the floor, with Perth committing only eight turnovers for the game.

'We've learnt to respect the ball a lot, and for us to have eight turnovers I think was pretty special against a very good defensive team,' he said.

The two sides now travel to Queensland for Game 2 on Wednesday night, with the Blaze needing victory to force the series into a third game.

Perth will boast home-court advantage in the Grand Final series if it progresses and Townsville can capitalise on its 1-0 series lead over minor premier New Zealand.

Courtesy of www.perthnow.com.au


Central ABL: South Adelaide Resignation - by Eurobasket News

The South Adelaide Basketball Club is formally announcing the resignation of Tony Casella as Mens CABL coach.

Ex Championship winning player, coach and 36er coach Don Shipway will guide the team in the interim with the support of ex south players Scott Thur, Jason Bayliss.

With their first training session behind them under Shipway, the players are looking forward to what the season will bring.

The club is currently speaking to a number of people and will announce a new coach shortly.

Courtesy of: http://www.centralabl.com.au


SBL: Cougars put out Rockingham's flame - by Eurobasket News

The Cockburn Cougars have fought off a determined Rockingham Peel Finance Flames to win 84-70 in Round 3 of the 2012 men's SBL season.

In what was a very back and forth game which saw both teams go on various runs, the Cougars gained momentum when it mattered most and pulled away.

Both teams fought hard for every possession and at times the game had its heated and physical moments. The Cougars outscored the Flames 23-14 in the fourth quarter to set up the win.

With both teams shooting 24% and 12% from beyond the three-point line, the game was mainly won inside and this was further indicated by the fact that the two leading scorers were the starting centres of both teams.

This leaves the Flames winless after four starts this season.

Cougars import Brian Carlwell (210-C-87, college: San Diego St.) led all scorers with 29 points, 19 of which were scored in the first half alone. Sheldon McIntyre (196-G/F-87) also contributed with an impressive 13 points, 12 rebounds and 8 assists.

Flames centre James Booyer (203-F-86, college: IUPUI) had 23 points and 13 rebounds on the night.

Cockburn coach Stephen Charlton praised his players ability to execute when the game was on the line and the effort made by both teams.

Down the stretch and in a couple of crucial times we got the defensive stops we needed and for the majority of the game we stuck to our structures when we needed to and had the faith at the end of the day that theyd work for us, he said.

At the end of the day 14 points is pretty unfair for the margin, I thought it was a pretty good game and came down to a few little plays.

In the earlier WSBL game the Rockingham Flames defeated the Cockburn Cougars 78-65.

The Flames were in control from the start of the match, outscoring the Cougars 28-18 in the first quarter.

The Cougars did fight their way back, winning the next two quarters but Rockingham remained composed and outscored Cockburn in the fourth to stretch the winning margin to a comfortable 12 points.

Both teams shot less than 40% from the field but it was the Flames work on the defensive end which included 12 steals and 7 blocked shots that got them the win.

Emma Cannon and Kaye Tucker combined to score 55 points for the Flames.

Stephanie Jones top scored for the Cougars with 18 points.

Article by Aemero Yitbarek at Wally Hagan Stadium


SBL: Lightning sting Buccs to continue perfect start (Saturday night wrap) - by Eurobasket News

Lakeside Lightning overcame a massive scare to continue their unbeaten start to the men's State Basketball League season by beating Geraldton Buccaneers 99-92.

The Lightning trailed by seven points late in the third quarter but rallied to take their fourth consecutive victory and hand Geraldton its second loss from a tough opening stretch of four games.

Luke Payne (188-G-85, college: USC Upstate) continued his outstanding form to lead Lakeside to the win with 30 points, while Daniel Thomas (176-G-85, agency: Global Sports Plaza) had 28 points and eight assists for the Buccaneers.

Reigning premier Wanneroo Wolves' unbeaten start to the season came to a crashing halt as they fell 103-85 to Willetton Tigers, which left the Lightning as the only team with a perfect record.

Last year's victors, without coach Ben Ettridge and key big man Damian Matacz (205-C-79, college: N.Michigan), were no match for the 2010 victors with Ephrem Davis (24 points) sparking their second win of the campaign.

Goldfields Giants' poor run continued with a shock 90-86 loss to the previously winless Kalamunda Eastern Suns.

Goldfields has now lost its past three games, with its only win coming against bottom side Rockingham, after blowing a 15 point lead against the Suns.

Wildcats development player Michael Vigor was again outstanding as the big man led Perth Redbacks to a 114-103 triumph against the Mandurah Magic.

Vigor, one of Perth's best in its impressive start to the campaign, had 33 points and 19 rebounds to help end the Magic's two-game winning streak despite Taylor Mullenax's 27 points.

Cockburn overcame a gallant Rockingham side to win 84-70, leaving the Flames winless, while Stirling crushed South West 113-76.

In women's action, Wanneroo handed defending champion Willetton its first loss of the season and continued its own perfect start with a 73-57 triumph, led by Sue Williams' 17 points.

Perth also continued its impressive start with a 59-55 triumph against Mandurah, while South West made it two from two by beating Stirling 75-69 and Rockingham broke its duck with a 78-65 triumph against the Cougars.

Article by Jacob Kagi
Courtesy of: SBL


Central ABL: Men's Previews - Round 1 - by Eurobasket News

Eastern Mavericks v Forestville Eagles
Saturday March 31, 8:15pm at Adelaide Hills Recreation Centre

The Forestville Eagles have a great opportunity to begin their premiership defence with a victory, with a trip south to face the new look Eastern Mavericks.

The Mavericks were arguably the most disappointing side of 2011. After a promising star led by NBL contingent Brad Hill, Aaron Bruce and Ben Madgen, the Mavericks lost 11 of their last 13 games and dropped to ninth.

Hill, Bruce and Madgen are no longer with the club. Exciting prospect Jack Madgen is sitting out the season to retain his college eligibility and veteran Cameron Myles (185-G-88) has moved to South Adelaide.

The Mavericks solution has been a youth movement, with plenty of juniors coming in, as well as former Forestville athlete Aciek Mayen, who may line up against close friend Majok Deng.

Deng was the surprise packet of the Eagles premiership success, which was led by Rashad Tucker (202-F-75, college: S.Illinois), who is also back this season.

Super-sub Nic Blair has moved to NSW, while Neil Mottram has not been resigned. However, 2009 club MVP Brad Gerlach has returned, as has shooter Harri Harvey.

When the teams last met last season, the Eagles were surprisingly behind at half-time, but stormed home to win 99-56.

With a new team, the Mavs could be capable of anything. However, the Eagles are a strong, experienced and settled unit and should pick up a comfortable W here.

Norwood Flames v Central District Lions
Saturday March 31, 8:15pm at Mars Sporting Complex

Many teams have lost experienced players, but none to the degree of the Norwood Flames.

The Flames will line up with a whole new front court when they take on the Central District Lions on Saturday.

Centre David Cooper, Power Forward Nick Hambour and Small Forward Corey Ottey have all retired, as is the case with back-up Guard Robin Eley and reserve Forward Dan Thompson.

The Flames have added four juniors, along with Curtis Scipio (180-G, college: Okla.Wesleyan) from North Adelaide.

The Lions have added a couple of juniors, including Kailan Moore, the son of Tony Moore, who coached the Lions womens CABL side for the first six rounds of last season.

Tom Cioffi has returned.

Import Josh Kollasch is a big loss, as is club stalwart Matt Atkins, previously one of the best shooters going around. New import shooting guard Kyle Miller has been impressive in pre-season trial games, and the club is hoping he will fill the void.

The last meeting between these sides produced a 73-62 Flames victory.

The Flames loss of personnel puts huge pressure on Todd Matthews and Andrew Webber (180-G-85, college: Armstr.Atlantic), arguably the best backcourt in the league in recent seasons. Still, these two should have enough talent and poise to head the Flames in the right direction, and get the win this weekend.

Sturt Sabres v West Adelaide Bearcats,
Saturday March 31, 8:15pm at Pasadena

The last time the Sturt Sabres met the West Adelaide Bearcats, it was a dark night for the Sabres.

In the Match of the Round, Saturday night at Pasadena provides the perfect opportunity for the Sabres to exact revenge.

After being bundled out of the finals in straight sets last year, the Sabres will be hoping to return to the form that captured them the 2010 title.

Darren Ng and Tom Daly provide a formidable combination, however the remainder of the Sabres star quartet of the past two seasons will not be back. In addition, Ng will not suit in round 1.

Jacob Holmes is in the NBL Playoffs with the Townsville Crocodiles, while Jan Warbout is playing for the Mt Gambier Pioneers in the SEABL.

The Sabres have also lost one Josh Owen-Thomas (186-G-92) who is at a college in Canada, but have gained his younger brother Ben through the junior ranks.

The Bearcats have retained most of their key personnel, but they will have to do without Jeff Dowdell (Cairns), David Nurse (US) and Adam Pearce (retirement).

Howard Salters Jr. has been imported from the US, while Josh Knight (194-F-80) has been added from Woodville, and five juniors have been included in the squad.

Overall, the Bearcats have a more experienced squad, and this should be enough to see them to a third straight road win over the Sabres.

Woodville Warriors v South Adelaide Panthers,
Saturday March 31, 8:15pm at St Clair

Mark Egel and Mark Fuller will go up against their previous clubs on Saturday, with the South Adelaide Panthers taking on the Woodville Warriors at St Clair.

Both teams made finals pushes last year, but did not do each other any favours with a 1-1 split in both fixtures; the away team winning both times.

The Warriors, winners of the pre-season tournament, have added US import Puff Summers, along with a host of juniors, but have lost Josh Knight to West. Colin Matteson has also returned to the US.

For the Panthers, Daniel Johnson has moved to West Adelaide, and Mitch Creek is yet to sign with a Central ABL club. Lachlan Prest is at a US college and Shane Boal is not playing this season.

The Panthers have signed three players from rival clubs Cameron Myles (Eastern), Jordan Noble (Sturt) and Tom Snyder (West) and registered some youngsters as well.

With so many key players gone, the Panthers will need to step up to another level, while the Warriors have a host of options in Cameron Wilson, Zane Reeves and Gary Birmingham.

On paper, the Warriors look the better side, and their quality in the backcourt should catapult them to victory.

Southern Tigers v North Adelaide Rockets,
Saturday March 31, 3:45pm @ Morphett Vale

The Southern Tigers will be attempting to end a 14 game losing streak when they host the North Adelaide Rockets at Morphett Vale on Sunday.

The Tigers have not won since April 30 last year, when they defeated South Adelaide 74-68.

One of the Tigers major problems last season was perimeter shooting, however, new addition Craig Catford is one who can certainly fill it up from long range.

Tim Smyth is a versatile athlete, who should see more court time than he did as an Eagle.

Michael Florance was by far the Tigers best player last season, but the pressure should be taken off him a little with the addition of Tyler Tanis from the US.

Joel Goodenough (183-G-80) has retired, Scott OConnor has work commitments and Marcus Robinson has headed home to the US.

For the Rockets, Pero Vasilijevic has not only returned as a player, but has taken over the coaching reigns from Tracy York.

The Rockets were the surprise-packets last season, finishing fifth, despite a 0-4 start.

After a huge youth movement last season, the Rockets appear to be getting older again, with three other former club men returning.

Youngsters Rhys Elliott and Matthew Lycett are player at US colleges, though may play for North later in the season. American Curtis Scipio has joined Norwood.

Despite the addition of Tanis, the Tigers do not look as strong on paper as their visitors.

The Rockets have a variety of options in Vasilijevic, Josh Bond, Brandon Brine, Brett Collins, Ryan Franceschinis and Tom Rowe, and a result similar to last seasons 78-40 massacre cannot be ruled out.
Courtesy of: http://www.centralabl.com.au


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

Standings - A Bundesliga

A Standings
Group A
 1. Gmunden 23-7 
 2. Klosterneub. 21-9 
 3. Kapfenberg 21-9 
 4. Wels 20-10 
 5. Oberwart 17-13 
 6. Gussing 12-18 
Group B
 1. Furstenfeld 15-13 
 2. BC Vienna 12-16 
 3. Arkadia 9-19 
 4. UBSC Graz 8-20 
 5. St.Polten 2-26 
Stage One Standings

Second Stage: Round 10

Group A

Apr. 1: Kapfenberg - Oberwart 84-80
Apr. 1: Gmunden - Gussing 78-60
Apr. 1: Wels - Klosterneub. 69-79

Group B

Apr. 1: BC Vienna - UBSC Graz 88-69
Apr. 1: Arkadia - St.Polten 83-65

Quarter-Finals: Round 1

Apr. 8: Gmunden - BC Vienna
Apr. 8: Klosterneub. - Furstenfeld
Apr. 8: Kapfenberg - Gussing
Apr. 8: Wels - Oberwart


Stats Leaders

Points Per Game
 Stjepan STAZIC
  BC Vienna
  (199-G-78)
  Avg: 25.9
 1. Stazic, BC Vienna25.9 
 2. Drenovac, Arkadia23.0 
 3. Reed, Oberwart19.9 
 4. Shavies, Furstenf.18.9 
 5. Shaw, Oberwart18.3 
 6. Stegnjaic, UBSC G.17.1 
 7. Grum, UBSC G.17.1 
 8. Djuric, Gussing17.0 
 9. Fears, Kapfenberg16.8 
 10. Curry, Gmunden16.7 
Rebounds Per Game
 Joe WERNER
  Wels
  (201-C-84)
  Avg: 9.8
 1. Werner, Wels9.8 
 2. Gordon, Kapfenberg8.4 
 3. Reed, Oberwart7.8 
 4. Oppland, Gmunden7.6 
 5. Ware, Furstenfeld7.4 
 6. Skurdauskas, Arkad.7.2 
 7. Moric, UBSC G.7.1 
 8. Robinson, Furstenf.7.1 
 9. Nelson, Kapfenberg7.1 
 10. Lamesic, Wels6.8 
Assists Per Game
 Benedikt DANEK
  Arkadia
  (176-PG-86)
  Avg: 6.9
 1. Danek, Arkadia6.9 
 2. Fears, Kapfenberg6.0 
 3. Shavies, Furstenf.5.7 
 4. Schreiner, Kapfe.5.4 
 5. Klepeisz, Gussing4.9 
 6. Stazic, BC Vienna4.7 
 7. Schaal, UBSC G.4.4 
 8. Curry, Gmunden4.2 
 9. Grum, UBSC G.3.9 
 10. Lanegger, Kloster.3.9 
Steals Per Game
 Jeremy FEARS
  Kapfenberg
  (196-G-85)
  Avg: 2.6
 1. Fears, Kapfenberg2.6 
 2. Shavies, Furstenf.2.4 
 3. Pryor, Wels2.1 
 4. Schreiner, Kapfe.1.9 
 5. Brown, Wels1.8 
 6. Mayer, Gmunden1.5 
 7. Danek, Arkadia1.4 
 8. Milosevic, St.Polt.1.4 
 9. Bobb, Klosterneub.1.3 
 10. O''Neal, Furstenfe.1.3 
Blocks Per Game
 Gary WARE
  Furstenfeld
  (205-F/C-83)
  Avg: 1
 1. Ware, Furstenfeld1.0 
 2. Scott, Gussing1.0 
 3. Kohlmaier, Wels0.8 
 4. Koch, Gussing0.8 
 5. Skurdauskas, Arkad.0.8 
 6. Moric, UBSC G.0.6 
 7. Brown, Wels0.6 
 8. Arnold, Gmunden0.6 
 9. Mayer, Gmunden0.5 
 10. Bakovic, St.Polten0.5 


Austrian A Bundesliga round 10 (Second Stage) best performance: Matthias Mayer - by Eurobasket News

Former international Matthias Mayer (204-C/F-81) put on an extraordinary performance in the last round for top-ranked Gmunden, receiving a Eurobasket.com Player of the Week award for round 10 (Second Stage).
The 30-year old player was the main contributor (5 points, thirteen rebounds and eight assists) to his team's victory, helping them to crush Gussing (#6, 12-18) with 18-point margin 78-60. Gmunden enters to Playoff Quarterfinals as No.1 with 23-7 record. Mayer has many years of experience at Gmunden, through which he has constantly improved. Matthias Mayer averages this season 8.3ppg and 6.3rpg.

The second best player in last round's games was 29-year old American Bryant Matthews (201-G/F-82, agency: Court Side) of BC Vienna. Matthews had a very good evening with a double-double of 27 points and 11 rebounds. He led BC Vienna to comfortable win 88-69 over UBSC Graz (8-20) being unquestionably team leader. Matthews is one of the most experienced players at BC Vienna and has a reputation of one of team's most reliable players.

Third on the list of top players last round was Lithuanian center Pranas Skurdauskas (211-C-88, agency: Interperformances) of Arkadia. Skurdauskas scored 14 points and grabbed fifteen rebounds (!!!). He was a key player of Arkadia, leading his team to a 83-65 easy win against St.Polten. Skurdauskas has individually a great season in Austria. After 28 games, he made it on the list of the league's leaders in rebounds with 7.2rpg (6th best).

Other top performing players last week:
4. Jeremy Fears (196-G-85) of Kapfenberg - 18 points, 9 rebounds and 11 assists
5. Ramiz Suljanovic (206-F/C-79) of Klosterneub. - 17 points and 11 rebounds
6. Joe Dean Shaw (199-F-87) of Oberwart - 32 points and 7 rebounds
7. Thomas Schreiner (195-G-87) of Kapfenberg - 22 points, 4 rebounds and 6 assists
8. Marcus Heard (201-F-84) of Gussing - 17 points, 6 rebounds and 2 assists
9. Larry Gordon (196-F-87) of Kapfenberg - 18 points, 9 rebounds and 2 assists
10. Florian Trmal (193-G/F-89) of St.Polten - 15 points and 10 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)


A Bundesliga: Second stage is over, Gmunden is No.1 - by Eurobasket News

The The Second Stage in A Bundesliga just ended. Gmunden is No.1 with 23-7 record. Eight teams advanced to Playoff Quarterfinals, which start next Sunday. Pairs are Gmunden - Vienna, Klosterneubrg - Furstenfeld, Kapfenberg - Gussing and Wels - Oberwart. The format is best-of-five.

Group A
1. Gmunden 23-7
2. Klosterneub. 21-9
3. Kapfenberg 21-9
4. Wels 20-10
5. Oberwart 17-13
6. Gussing 12-18

Group B
1. Furstenfeld 15-13
2. BC Vienna 12-16
3. Arkadia 9-19
4. UBSC Graz 8-20
5. St.Polten 2-26
Group A
Kapfenberg - Oberwart 84-80
The hosts started the game with a very strong first quarter 25-9. But Oberwart Gunners won second period 26-18. However it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. Kapfenberg Bulls made 25-of-31 free shots (80.6 percent) during the game. They looked well-organized offensively handing out 23 assists. American guard Jeremy Fears (196-85, college: Bradley) fired a double-double by scoring 18 points, 9 rebounds, 11 assists and 4 steals for the winners. The former international guard Thomas Schreiner (195-87, agency: Dynamics Global Management) chipped in 22 points and 6 assists. Five Kapfenberg Bulls players scored in double figures. American forward Joe Dean Shaw (199-87, college: Nevada) produced 32 points and 7 rebounds and his fellow American import guard Vernard Hollins (190-80, college: Wright St.) added 17 points respectively for lost side.
Top scorers:
Kapfenberg: T.Schreiner 22+4reb+6ast, J.Fears 18+9reb+11ast, L.Gordon 18+9reb+2ast, D.Nelson 13+6reb+3ast, D.Mayes 10+3reb, S.Knabl 2+2reb+1ast
Oberwart: J.Dean Shaw 32+7reb+1ast, V.Hollins 17+3reb+3ast, E.Rizvic 10+2reb, H.Artner 7+1reb+5ast, J.Johnson 6+7reb+2ast, L.Linzer 5+1ast
gschID: 169221


Gmunden - Gussing 78-60
The hosts trailed by 1 point at the halftime before their 41-22 charge in the second half, which allowed them to win the game. Gmunden Swans dominated on the defensive end, holding Gussing Knights to just 7 points in fourth quarter. They outrebounded Gussing Knights 41-30 including 30 on the defensive glass. American guard Morris Curry (178-G-87, college: Providence) fired 23 points and 5 assists for the winners. The former international power forward Matthias Mayer (204-81) chipped in 5 points, 13 rebounds, 8 assists and 6 steals. Four Gmunden Swans players scored in double figures. American forward Marcus Heard (201-84, college: De Paul) produced 17 points and 6 rebounds and international guard Thomas Klepeisz (188-91) added 10 points and 7 assists respectively for lost side.
Top scorers:
Gmunden: M.Curry 23+2reb+5ast, D.Oppland 15+5reb+4ast, R.Arnold 13+6reb, M.Oppland 12+5reb, M.Mayer 5+13reb+8ast, F.Schoeninger 5+2reb+2ast
Gussing: M.Heard 17+6reb+2ast, S.Koch 12+3reb+2ast, T.Klepeisz 10+3reb+7ast, A.Djuric 7+7reb+1ast, C.Scott 4+2reb, C.Vancura 3
gschID: 169222


Wels - Klosterneub. 69-79
Raiffeisen Wels were trailing by 9 points at halftime but managed to get 1-point lead after three quarters before a 26-15 charge of Xion Dukes, which allowed them to win the game. They made 22-of-24 free shots (91.7 percent) during the game. Bosnian power forward Ramiz Suljanovic (206-79) had a double-double by scoring 17 points and 11 rebounds (on 7-of-9 shooting from the field) to lead the charge for the winners and American swingman Curtis Bobb (198-78, college: Utah St.) chipped in 14 points and 4 assists (made all of his eight free throws) during the contest. At the losing side American center Joe Werner (201-84, college: Wisc.-La Cros.) responded with a double-double by scoring 14 points and 13 rebounds and the former international forward Davor Lamesic (203-83, agency: Interperformances) scored 15 points and 8 rebounds.
Top scorers:
Klosterneub.: R.Suljanovic 17+11reb, C.Bobb 14+4reb+4ast, C.Nagler 14+3reb+1ast, M.Lanegger 12+4reb+5ast, J.Chappell 8+6reb+2ast, D.Zeleznik 6+1ast
Wels: A.Farokhmanesh 16+2reb+1ast, D.Lamesic 15+8reb+1ast, J.Werner 14+13reb+3ast, T.Brown 10+7reb+6ast, R.Vieider 8+1ast, L.Stutz 4+4reb
gschID: 169220


Group B
Arkadia - St.Polten 83-65
The game without a history. Arkadia Lions led from the first minutes and controlled entire game increasing their lead in each quarter. Arkadia Lions outrebounded St.Polten 40-23 including a 15-4 advantage in offensive rebounds. Lithuanian center Pranas Skurdauskas (211-88, agency: Interperformances) fired a double-double by scoring 14 points and 15 rebounds for the winners. Croatian guard Alex Percan (192-92) chipped in 21 points. Swingman Florian Trmal (193-89) produced a double-double by scoring 15 points and 10 rebounds and Serbian guard Nenad Milosevic (190-83) added 12 points respectively for lost side.
Top scorers:
Arkadia: A.Percan 21+4reb+3ast, R.Spasojevic 17+4reb+1ast, B.Danek 15+3reb+6ast, P.Skurdauskas 14+15reb+2ast, J.Blazevic 9+2reb, S.N'Diaye 5+11reb
St.Polten: F.Trmal 15+10reb+1ast, N.Milosevic 12+4reb, M.Speiser 11+2ast, D.Friedrich 10+2reb+3ast, T.Blazan 4+2reb, I.Bakovic 4
gschID: 169224


BC Vienna - UBSC Graz 88-69
It looked good early as UBSC Graz took an 11-point lead at the end of first quarter. But then BC Vienna took control and eventually winning the game that evening by 19 points. They made 22-of-29 charity shots (75.9 percent) during the game. American swingman Bryant Matthews (201-82, college: Virginia Tech, agency: Court Side) notched a double-double by scoring 27 points and 11 rebounds to lead the effort and the other American import forward Jean Francois (197-80, college: Georgia South, agency: I.D.S. Law) supported him with 23 points and 9 rebounds. Even a double-double of 17 points and 12 rebounds by Croatian power forward Milan Stegnjaic (204-81) did not help to save the game for UBSC Graz. Slovenian swingman Samo Grum (193-79) added 22 points and 4 assists for lost side.
Top scorers:
BC Vienna: B.Matthews 27+11reb+1ast, J.Francois 23+9reb+1ast, S.Stazic 20+5reb+6ast, T.Gaspar 9+6reb+4ast, D.Toroman 9+10reb+4ast, D.Hasenburger 0
UBSC Graz: S.Grum 22+4reb+4ast, R.Lanegger 18+9reb+2ast, M.Stegnjaic 17+12reb+3ast, A.Heuberger 7+2reb, C.Knor 4+3reb+2ast, S.Schaal 1+4reb+3ast


*****************************************************
  AZERBAIJAN   

D1 Standings

D1 Standings
 1. Araz-NDT 9-0 
 2. Gala BC 7-2 
 3. Chag Oiretim 5-4 
 4. NLT-Tudor 3-6 
 5. Aztop 3-6 
 6. BGU 0-9 

Semi-Finals: Round 1

Mar. 30: Araz-NDT - Chag Oiretim 89-50
Mar. 30: Gala BC - NLT-Tudor 88-69

Semi-Finals: Round 2

Apr. 5: Chag Oiretim - Araz-NDT
Apr. 5: NLT-Tudor - Gala BC


Araz and Gala take lead in semifinal series - by Eurobasket News

Araz and Gala celebrated victories in D1 semifinal series openers.
Araz took on Chag Oiretim. The regular season winners dominated the game from start to finish. Araz earned an 89:50 victory at the end.
Gala took on NTL-Tudor in another semifinal clash. The vice-champions proved strength. Gala posted an 88:69 win.
The series are best-of-three. The second games are scheduled for April 5.


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

Standings - Division II

D2 Standings
 1. Waregem 20-6 
 2. Gembo 19-6 
 3. Fleurus 19-7 
 4. Kangar.-Boom 19-7 
 5. Excelsior 16-10 
 6. St-Niklase 15-11 
 7. Sprimont 14-12 
 8. Sint-Jan Ant. 12-12 
 9. Essor Charleroi 12-13 
 10. M.Hainaut II 10-14 
 11. Liege II 10-15 
 12. Gistel 4-21 
 13. De Westhoek 4-22 
 14. Melsele 4-22 

Regular Season: Round 27

Mar. 31: Waregem - Liege II 99-60
Mar. 30: Fleurus - Excelsior 84-69
Mar. 31: Melsele - Kangor.-Boom 71-109
Mar. 30: M.Hainaut II - De Westhoek 62-57
Mar. 30: Sprimont - St-Niklase 100-78
Apr. 1: Gembo - Sint-Jan Ant.
Apr. 1: Gistel - Essor Charleroi



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

Standings - BNL

NBB Standings
 1. Pinheiros/Sky 21-5 
 2. S.Jose/Unimed 21-5 
 3. Flamengo 20-6 
 4. Uniceub/BRB 19-6 
 5. Unitri/Universo 17-10 
 6. Paulistano 16-11 
 7. Itabom/Bauru 15-10 
 8. Cia do Terno 14-13 
 9. Vivo/Franca 13-14 
 10. Winner/Limeira 12-15 
 11. Liga Sorocaba 10-17 
 12. Minas 9-17 
 13. Tijuca TC 9-18 
 14. Araraquara 2-25 
 15. Vila Velha 1-27 

Regular Season: Round 28

Mar. 31: Liga Sorocaba - Minas 91-79
Mar. 31: Cia do Terno - Pinheiros/Sky 85-86
Mar. 31: Flamengo - Araraquara 81-65
Mar. 31: Tijuca TC - Winner/Limeira 76-77
Mar. 31: S.Jose/Unimed - Paulistano 75-64
Mar. 31: Vila Velha - Vivo/Franca 66-85

Regular Season: Round 29

Apr. 5: Tijuca TC - Flamengo
Apr. 5: Pinheiros/Sky - Paulistano
Apr. 5: S.Jose/Unimed - Cia do Terno
Apr. 5: Unitri/Universo - Vivo/Franca
Apr. 5: Araraquara - Winner/Limeira
Apr. 6: Uniceub/BRB - Minas
Apr. 6: Liga Sorocaba - Itabom/Bauru
Apr. 7: S.Jose/Unimed - Pinheiros/Sky
Apr. 8: Itabom/Bauru - Minas
Apr. 10: Itabom/Bauru - Uniceub/BRB


Pinheiros/Sky and Sao Jose/Vinac maintain leading positions - by Eurobasket News

Pinheiros/Sky registered the 21st win in NBB season. They overcame Joinville 86:85 in a thrilling battle on the road. Pinheiros/Sky led by four points at halftime 42:38. But Joinville erased the deficit and forced the game into overtime. The visitors turned more successful in extra period snatching a narrow win at the end. Shamell Stallworth (196-SG-80, agency: Interperformances, college: USF) exploded with 30 points to lead the charge. Olivinha Rodriguez (202-F-83) added 15 points and 10 rebounds in the victory. Joinville answered with 23 points from Rashad Bishop (198-F-88, college: Cincinnati).
Sao Jose/Vinac kept up the winning pace. They also secured the 21st win beating visiting Paulistano 75:64. The visitors enjoyed a 19:14 lead after ten minutes but Sao Jose quickly took over and rallied to a confident win at the end. Dede Stefanelli (196-F/G-84) and Jefferson Antonio (207-F/C-83) produced 17 points each for the winners. Fulvio de Assis (187-G-81) contributed 14 points for the hosts. Alex Oliveira had 24 points for Paulistano.
Flamengo held off Araraquara 81:65 behind 36 points from David Jackson (196-G-82, college: Penn St.). Eduardo Machado (195-G-82) chipped in 12 points for the winners. Edu de Oliveira (195-G/F-83, college: E.Oklahoma St. JC) finished with 18 points as Araraquara suffered the 25th loss.


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

Standings A1

NBL Standings
 1. Lukoil Academik 22-2 
 2. Levski Sofia 19-5 
 3. Rilski Sportist 15-9 
 4. Tundja Yambol 14-10 
 5. Cherno More 10-14 
 6. Balkan 8-16 
 7. Spartak Pleven 5-19 
 8. Chernomorets 3-21 

Regular Season: Round 24

Apr. 1: Lukoil Academik - Rilski Sportist 84-60
Mar. 31: Tundja Yambol - Cherno More 83-71
Mar. 31: Chernomorets - Spartak Pleven 77-76
Mar. 31: Balkan - Levski Sofia 64-105

Regular Season: Round 25

Apr. 10: Tundja Yambol - Chernomorets
Apr. 10: Levski Sofia - Spartak Pleven
Apr. 10: Cherno More - Lukoil Academik
Apr. 10: Rilski Sportist - Balkan


Stats Leaders

Points Per Game
 Aaron HARPER
  Levski S.
  (199-G/F-81)
  Avg: 19.6
 1. Harper, Levski S.19.6 
 2. Stankov, Spartak17.7 
 3. Yanev, Cherno More17.7 
 4. Durchev, Tundja Y.17.5 
 5. Vukosavljevi., Ril.15.7 
 6. Pavlovski, Chernom.15.7 
 7. Ofoegbu, Tundja Y.15.5 
 8. Mirkovic, Rilski S.15.3 
 9. Dunovic, Chernomo.15.2 
 10. Govedarov, Tundja15.2 
Rebounds Per Game
 Vasil EVTIMOV
  Levski Sofia
  (207-C/F-77)
  Avg: 11.1
 1. Evtimov, Levski So.11.1 
 2. Pavlovski, Chernom.10.1 
 3. Yanev, Cherno More8.9 
 4. Ofoegbu, Tundja Y.8.7 
 5. Georgiev, Levski S.6.3 
 6. Marintchechk., Bal.6.2 
 7. Todorov, Spartak6.2 
 8. Zahariev, Rilski S.6.1 
 9. Petkov, Tundja Y.6.1 
 10. Tsenov, Spartak6.0 
Assists Per Game
 Brandon HEATH
  Lukoil A.
  (193-G-84)
  Avg: 5.7
 1. Heath, Lukoil A.5.7 
 2. Dyakovski, Sparta.5.2 
 3. Radionov, Tundja Y.4.9 
 4. Mirkovic, Rilski S.4.6 
 5. Aleksiev, Cherno M.4.3 
 6. Filipov, Balkan3.5 
 7. Govedarov, Tundja3.3 
 8. Avramov, Lukoil A.3.3 
 9. Durchev, Tundja Y.3.2 
 10. Zhelev, Cherno M.3.2 
Steals Per Game
 Brandon HEATH
  Lukoil A.
  (193-G-84)
  Avg: 2.2
 1. Heath, Lukoil A.2.2 
 2. Radionov, Tundja Y.2.1 
 3. Dunovic, Chernomo.2.1 
 4. Roshmanov, Cherno.2.0 
 5. Harper, Levski S.1.8 
 6. Zahariev, Rilski S.1.8 
 7. Zhelev, Cherno M.1.7 
 8. Marinov, Balkan1.7 
 9. Mirkovic, Rilski S.1.6 
 10. Petkov, Tundja Y.1.6 
Blocks Per Game
 Kiril PAVLOVSKI
  Chernomo.
  (210-C-85)
  Avg: 1.2
 1. Pavlovski, Chernom.1.2 
 2. Banev, Lukoil A.1.0 
 3. Ofoegbu, Tundja Y.1.0 
 4. Petkov, Tundja Y.0.8 
 5. Sundov, Lukoil A.0.6 
 6. Iliev, Cherno More0.6 
 7. Martin, Balkan0.6 
 8. Gocevski, Tundja Y.0.6 
 9. Marinov, Balkan0.5 
 10. Mijajlovic, Rilsk.0.5 


Bulgarian NBL round 24 best performance: Aaron Harper - by Eurobasket News

American swingman Aaron Harper (199-G/F-81, agency: Strategic Sports) put on an extraordinary performance in the last round for second-ranked Levski Sofia, receiving a Eurobasket.com Player of the Week award for round 24.
The 30-year old player was the main contributor (26 points, six rebounds) to his team's victory, helping them to outclass Balkan (#6, 8-16) with 41-point margin 105-64. Levski Sofia maintains the 2nd position in Bulgarian NBL. They would have been even better if they hadn't lost a few games earlier this season. Levski Sofia will need more victories to improve their 19-5 record. In the team's last game Harper had a remarkable 87.5% from 2-point range. He has many years of experience at Levski Sofia, through which he has constantly improved. Former The University of Mississippi star has very solid stats this year. Harper is league's best scorer averaging so far 19.6ppg. Harper is in league's top in and averages impressive 56.1% FGP.

The second best player in last round's games was 29-year old Slovenian Dejan Dunovic (193-G-82, agency: Global Sports Plaza) of Chernomorets. Dunovic had a very good evening with 20 points and 7 rebounds. It was enough for Chernomorets to edge slightly higher-ranked Spartak Pleven (#7, 5-19) 77-76. Despite this victory they still are dead at the bottom. 21 lost games are too many comparing to just three victories Chernomorets managed to get this year. Dunovic is a newcomer at Chernomorets, but is already one of team's top players. He belongs to the best scorers in the league with 15.2ppg (#9). He also registered 4.3 boards per game.

Third on the list of top players last round was American center John Ofoegbu (206-C-84) of Tundja Yambol (#4). Ofoegbu scored 16 points and grabbed seventeen rebounds (!!!). He was a key player of Tundja Yambol, leading his team to a 83-71 win against slightly lower-ranked Cherno More (#5, 10-14). Tundja Yambol needs these victories very badly if they think about getting closer to top teams. Their record at this point is 14 victories and 10 lost games. Ofoegbu has a great season in Bulgaria. After 23 games, he made it on the list of the league's leaders in points with 15.5ppg (7th best) and rebounds with 8.7rpg (4th best).

Other top performing players last week:
4. Marcus Hall (185-G-85) of Levski Sofia - 20 points, 3 rebounds and 7 assists
5. Kiril Pavlovski (210-C-85) of Chernomorets - 17 points, 10 rebounds and 2 assists
6. Dragomir Marojevic (207-C-81) of Balkan - 17 points, 7 rebounds and 2 assists
7. Andre Owens (193-G-80) of Lukoil Academik - 14 points, 2 rebounds and 6 assists
8. Sasa Mijajlovic (211-C-80) of Rilski Sportist - 8 points, 12 rebounds and 2 assists
9. Lamont Mack (201-F-87) of Lukoil Academik - 13 points and 9 rebounds
10. Ilia Stankov (198-F-76) of Spartak Pleven - 25 points, 3 rebounds and 2 assists

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


NBL Round 24: Chernomorets defeat Spartak Pleven in the closest game of the week - by Eurobasket News

The games are now more important than at the beginning of the Regular Season. We may still expect few shocking results in upcoming 4 rounds.

The most exciting game of round 24 in the NBL took place in Burgas. This derby game ended with only one-point defeat on the road of 7th ranked Spartak Pleven (5-19) to eighth ranked Chernomorets (3-21) 77-76 on Saturday evening. Spartak Pleven was trailing by 5 points at halftime but managed to get 2-point lead after three quarters before a 17-14 charge of Chernomorets, which allowed them to win the game. They dominated down low during the game scoring 56 of its points in the paint compared to Spartak Pleven's 32. Worth to mention a great performance of FYR Macedonian center Kiril Pavlovski (210-85, agency: Global Sports Plaza) who helped to win the game recording a double-double by scoring 17 points and 10 rebounds and Slovenian guard Dejan Dunovic (193-82, agency: Global Sports Plaza) who added 20 points and 7 rebounds (perfect from the field making all seven shots !!!) during the contest. The best for the losing side was the former international forward Ilia Stankov (198-76) with 25 points. Chernomorets maintains eighth position with 3-21 record. Spartak Pleven at the other side keeps the seventh place with 19 games lost. Chernomorets are looking forward to face higher ranked Tundja Yambol (#4) on the road in the next round and it may be quite challenging game. Spartak Pleven will play against the league's second-placed Levski Sofia where they are definitely not considered as a favorite in this game either.
The game between Top Four teams took place in Sofia. First ranked host Lukoil Academik (22-2) smashed 3rd ranked Rilski Sportist (15-9) 84-60. It ended at the same time the five-game winning streak of Rilski Sportist. The winners were led by American forward Lamont Mack (201-87, college: Charlotte) who scored that evening 13 points and 9 rebounds and Andre Owens supported him with 14 points, 6 assists and 6 steals. Even 8 points and 12 rebounds by Serbian center Sasa Mijajlovic (211-80, college: Hutchinson CC) did not help to save the game for Rilski Sportist. The winner was already known earlier in the game, so both coaches allowed to play the bench players saving starting five for next games. Lukoil Academik have an impressive five-game winning streak. Defending champion maintains first position with 22-2 record. Rilski Sportist at the other side keeps the third place with nine games lost. Lukoil Academik will play against Euroins Cherno More (#5) in Varna in the next round. Rilski Sportist will play at home against Balkan in Botevgrad and hopes to get back on the winning track.
The game in Botevgrad supposed to be also quite interesting. Second ranked Levski Sofia (19-5) played at the court of 6th ranked Balkan (8-16). Levski Sofia smashed Balkan 105-64 on Saturday. The best player for the winners was Aaron Harper who scored 26 points and 6 rebounds (on 9-of-11 shooting from the field). At the other side the best for losing team was Dragomir Marojevic who recorded 17 points and 7 rebounds. Since the result was very predictable, it gave the chance for the coaches to test many bench players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. Levski Sofia maintains second position with 19-5 record having just three points less than leader Lukoil Academik. Loser Balkan keeps the sixth place with 16 games lost. Levski Sofia will meet at home Spartak Pleven (#7) in the next round where they are favorite. Balkan will play against Rilski Sportist in Samokov and hope to secure a win.

In the last game of round 24 Cherno More lost to Tundja Yambol on the opponent's court 71-83.



Chernomorets - Spartak Pleven 77-76
The most exciting game of round 24 in the NBL took place in Burgas. This derby game ended with only one-point defeat on the road of 7th ranked Spartak Pleven (5-19) to eighth ranked Chernomorets (3-21) 77-76 on Saturday evening. Spartak Pleven was trailing by 5 points at halftime but managed to get 2-point lead after three quarters before a 17-14 charge of Chernomorets, which allowed them to win the game. They dominated down low during the game scoring 56 of its points in the paint compared to Spartak Pleven's 32. Worth to mention a great performance of FYR Macedonian center Kiril Pavlovski (210-85, agency: Global Sports Plaza) who helped to win the game recording a double-double by scoring 17 points and 10 rebounds and Slovenian guard Dejan Dunovic (193-82, agency: Global Sports Plaza) who added 20 points and 7 rebounds (perfect from the field making all seven shots !!!) during the contest. Four Chernomorets players scored in double figures. The best for the losing side was the former international forward Ilia Stankov (198-76) with 25 points and forward Todor Todorov (198-82) scored 6 points and 16 rebounds. Chernomorets maintains eighth position with 3-21 record. Spartak Pleven at the other side keeps the seventh place with 19 games lost. Chernomorets are looking forward to face higher ranked Tundja Yambol (#4) on the road in the next round and it may be quite challenging game. Spartak Pleven will play against the league's second-placed Levski Sofia where they are definitely not considered as a favorite in this game either.
Top scorers:
Spartak Pleven: I.Stankov 25+3reb+2ast, V.Georgiev 15+5reb+1ast, A.Dyakovski 14+1reb+7ast, T.Ostrev 8+8reb+4ast, R.Sofroniev 6+2reb+1ast, T.Todorov 6+16reb
Chernomorets: D.Dunovic 20+7reb+1ast, K.Pavlovski 17+10reb+2ast, K.Koev 11+2reb+3ast, D.Roshmanov 10+1reb+4ast, A.Penev 7+3reb+4ast, A.Saraliyski 6+3reb+1ast

gschID: 140023


Tundja Yambol - Cherno More 83-71
The game between closely ranked teams ended with 5th ranked Euroins Cherno More's (10-14) road loss to fourth ranked Tundja Yambol (14-10) 71-83 on Saturday. The game without a history. Tundja Yambol led from the first minutes and controlled entire game increasing their lead in each quarter. Tundja Yambol forced 19 Euroins Cherno More turnovers. The best player for the winners was American center John Ofoegbu (206-84, college: Idaho St.) who had a double-double by scoring 16 points and 17 rebounds. Guard Stanislav Govedarov (185-80) chipped in 15 points and 5 rebounds. Tundja Yambol's coach used a ten-player rotation which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. At the other side the best for losing team was forward Simeon Iliev (202-89, agency: Interperformances) who recorded 13 points and 7 rebounds and international guard Tihomir Zhelev (192-90) added 13 points and 6 assists respectively. Four Tundja Yambol and five Euroins Cherno More players scored in double figures. Tundja Yambol maintains fourth position with 14-10 record. Loser Euroins Cherno More keeps the fifth place with 14 games lost. Tundja Yambol will meet at home bottom-ranked Chernomorets (#8) in the next round. Euroins Cherno More will play against the league's leader Lukoil Academik in Sofia and hope to secure a win.
Top scorers:
Cherno More: V.Kyosev 13+6reb, T.Zhelev 13+3reb+6ast, S.Iliev 13+7reb+3ast, N.Kolev 12+5reb, P.Aleksiev 10+1reb+3ast, J.Hunt 5+2reb+1ast
Tundja Yambol: J.Ofoegbu 16+17reb, S.Govedarov 15+5reb+3ast, I.Marchev 13+1reb+2ast, M.Durchev 11+5reb+5ast, M.Jefferson 10+2reb+2ast, J.Radionov 9+3reb+3ast
gschID: 140024


Balkan - Levski Sofia 64-105
The game in Botevgrad supposed to be also quite interesting. Second ranked Levski Sofia (19-5) played at the court of 6th ranked Balkan (8-16). Levski Sofia smashed Balkan 105-64 on Saturday. The game without a history. Levski Sofia led from the first minutes and controlled entire game increasing their lead in each quarter. Levski Sofia outrebounded Balkan 45-29 including 17 on the offensive glass. It was a great shooting night for Levski Sofia especially from behind the arc, where they had solid 55.0 percentage. The best player for the winners was American swingman Aaron Harper (199-81, college: Mississippi, agency: Strategic Sports) who scored 26 points and 6 rebounds (on 9-of-11 shooting from the field). The other American import guard Marcus Hall (185-85, college: Colorado) chipped in 20 points and 7 assists. Four Levski Sofia players scored in double figures. At the other side the best for losing team was Montenegrin center Dragomir Marojevic (207-81, agency: Global Sports Plaza) who recorded 17 points and 7 rebounds and guard Dimitar Filipov (185-89) added 15 points respectively. Since the result was very predictable, it gave the chance for the coaches to test many bench players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. Levski Sofia maintains second position with 19-5 record having just three points less than leader Lukoil Academik. Loser Balkan keeps the sixth place with 16 games lost. Levski Sofia will meet at home Spartak Pleven (#7) in the next round where they are favorite. Balkan will play against Rilski Sportist in Samokov and hope to secure a win.
Top scorers:
Balkan: D.Marojevic 17+7reb+2ast, D.Filipov 15+2ast, S.Marinov 8+5reb+1ast, I.Martin 8+2reb, E.Binev 5+1ast, D.Morton 5+3reb+1ast
Levski Sofia: A.Harper 26+6reb+1ast, M.Hall 20+3reb+7ast, J.Bozov 11+5reb+1ast, D.Anguelov 10+3reb+2ast, J.Howell 10+1ast, S.Georgiev 8+5reb+2ast
gschID: 140025


Lukoil Academik - Rilski Sportist 84-60
The game between Top Four teams took place in Sofia. First ranked host Lukoil Academik (22-2) smashed 3rd ranked Rilski Sportist (15-9) 84-60. It ended at the same time the five-game winning streak of Rilski Sportist. The game was mostly controlled by Lukoil Academik. Rilski Sportist was better in fourth quarter 14-13. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. Lukoil Academik forced 19 Rilski Sportist turnovers. Their players were unselfish on offense dishing 22 assists. The winners were led by American forward Lamont Mack (201-87, college: Charlotte) who scored that evening 13 points and 9 rebounds and the former international guard Andre Owens (193-80, college: Houston) supported him with 14 points, 6 assists and 6 steals. Even 8 points and 12 rebounds by Serbian center Sasa Mijajlovic (211-80, college: Hutchinson CC) did not help to save the game for Rilski Sportist. Swingman Hristo Zahariev (200-90) added 11 points and 5 assists. Five Lukoil Academik and four Rilski Sportist players scored in double figures. The winner was already known earlier in the game, so both coaches allowed to play the bench players saving starting five for next games. Lukoil Academik have an impressive five-game winning streak. Defending champion maintains first position with 22-2 record. Rilski Sportist at the other side keeps the third place with nine games lost. Lukoil Academik will play against Euroins Cherno More (#5) in Varna in the next round. Rilski Sportist will play at home against Balkan in Botevgrad and hopes to get back on the winning track.
Top scorers:
Rilski Sportist: S.Vaklinov 13+4reb, H.Zahariev 11+4reb+5ast, B.Mirkovic 10+2reb+4ast, A.Velikov 10+3reb+2ast, S.Mijajlovic 8+12reb+2ast, M.Marinov 3+1reb+1ast
Lukoil Academik: A.Owens 14+2reb+6ast, L.Mack 13+9reb+1ast, T.Stoykov 12+5reb+1ast, D.Stojanovski 12+4reb+3ast, T.Banev 11+5reb+1ast, V.Veselinov 7+3reb+1ast


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


Marbury finally wins a title - by Christian Arrington

Marbury Stephon (188-G-77, college: Georgia Tech) scored 41 points in game 5 of the CBA finals to help lead the Shougang Beijing Ducks to their first CBA title. This also is the first title for Marbury as a professional.

Marbury has had an interesting career to date. His career was labeled as a failure in the NBA due to his inability to lead his teams to playoff success. In the NBA Marbury played for five teams (Minnesota Timberwolves, New York Knicks, New Jersey Nets, Phoenix Suns, and Boston Celtics.) In 2009, Marbury decided to move to China and play in the CBA. However, even though Marbury put up going statistical numbers in his first two seasons in China, his teams failed to make the playoffs.

This past season, his first with the Shougang Beijing Ducks, he helped lead to Ducks to a 21-11 record and the #2 seed in the CBA playoffs. Marbury in his first CBA playoffs helped lead the Shougang Beijing Ducks to their first title over a historically dominant Guandong Southern Tigers team. Congratulations to Marbury Stephon and the Shougang Beijing Ducks.



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


Finals: Game 2 - Etha Engomis is just a victory away from its 2nd consecutive title - by Chris Mammides

Intercollege Etha Engomis playing much better than Keravnos in the second decisive game of this series, and with an amazing 4th period where it out scored its opponent with 24-9, beat the team of Keravnos (71-67) and is ready for the back to back for the title.
More passionate (once more) the players of Coach Konstantinidis with an amazing Darryl Watkins (211-C-84, college: Syracuse) who found some great assistance from the peripheral by Thomas Massamba (185-PG-85), Jackson and King, dominated in the first period and 3.55 before the end of the period the score went to a double digit, 20-10 with Darryl Watkins and Massmba having 6 points per head followed by King and Jackson with 4 and 3 respectively. Keravnos was once more unsteady with Marcus Moore (198-G-80, college: Washington St.) being again the fatal player as in just six minutes of playing he was able to do 3 turnovers, a ac which showed the bad psychology of the player who used to be a dominant a month ago. Thomas Massamba in this first period was absolutely fantastic in all edges as he had scored 6 points, dashed down 2 rebounds and offer to his team-mates 3 assists. On the other hand, the trio of Americans of the Strovolos team, Moore, Wiliam Hatcher (188-PG-84, college: Miami, OH) and Frazier started very bad for the importance of the game and one could easily thought that in this most crucial game the trio wasnt so hot. Moore scored 0 points, 2 assists and 3 turnovers, Frazier had 2 points and 2 rebounds and Wiliam Hatcher had 6 points being the top performer of his team together with Ales Chan (216-C-80, college: Seton Hill) who was the only real thread for the home team. With a small comeback from Keravnos at the end of the quarter, the score went down to 22-19 as Strovolos team succeeded a 2-9 in the last 3 minutes with Ales Chan being the man of Keravnos as he ended the period with 9 points, 4 rebounds and 1 assist in his best period since he arrived in the Strovolos team.

The 2nd period was a total disaster for both teams, it was like an amateur game full of turnovers, bad calls from the referees for both sites, bad shots and in general in the first five minutes the fans couldnt enjoy the game as there was not any game. The first basket was scored by Dragicevic 3 minutes after the beginning of the game to balance the game for the first time since the start (22-22) and then and on the same player missed three shots, while Dzikanovic and Thomas Massamba did a 5-0 to take the score again to 27-22 with Keravnos Americans being catastrophic for the team as the number of turnovers they did was more than their points. Wiliam Hatcher had 3 turnovers, Moore 3 and Frazier 1, a total of 7 turnovers in less than 14 minutes playing time!! Thomas Massamba was the first player to reach a double digit as he reached 11 points with his two free throws to take the score to +7 before the first basket by Veselovs cut the deficit once more to 5. The basketball played was awful and definitely it was the lowest quality basketball the fans witnessed this season. Coach Konstantinidis took a time-out 3.18 before the end of the first half to calm his team a bit, as his players were following the Strovolos team in the turnovers while the score was 29-24. Anastasiadis who entered into the court a minute before due to a bad pass was replaced immediately by his Coach who added King in his place but in the next offence by Keravnos, King was not able to defend his team against Wiliam Hatcher and the American with his first three pointer in the game balanced the score to 29-29. Pilavas won the foul from Tutt but he only succeeded in the first free throw to give Keravnos for the first time the lead with 29-30, even though Trisokkas dashed down the rebound from the 2nd free throw missed by Pilavas, he lost the ball by Thomas Massamba and Vesselovs forced to do his 3rd foul very early to stop Darryl Watkins who scored both his free throw s to give the lead to his team 31-30 and his personal points to 9. Wiliam Hatcher missed the free throw received due to technical foul to the home teams bench, but he scored the jumper after a while to give a new lead to the visitors with 31 seconds to the end of the first part. (31-33). The final score in this first part of the game was 32-35 by Pilavas as Etha missed the last 7 consecutive field goals and gave the chance to Keravnos to increase his deficit to 3 points by the end of the first half. Etha received 21 points and 9 rebounds from the duet Thomas Massamba and Darryl Watkins who were unstoppable from Keravnos defenders. On the other hand, Keravnos and Coach Yiannaras saw Wiliam Hatcher scoring 12 points (most of them at the end of the second period) followed by Ales Chan's 9 from the first period, while a small phenomenon of the game were the bench points as Keravnos received 15 while Etha only one basket Djikanovic.

The 3rd period started with the home team being a bit more aggressive and balancing the game in no time with a 3pointer by Jackson while in the next few minutes we had the first points by Moore, Trisokkas and Cup and just after 2 minutes of playing time the score being 40-41, before the top scorer of the game Thomas Massamba added another 2 to reach the 13 in total while seconds after received a smart foul by Moore (his 3rd personal foul) which was a great hit against Keravnos. A fact of the game at the specific stage was the Fast break points difference as Intercollege ETHA had 2 while Keravnos had 12 but the difference in the score was just a point (43-44), 5 minutes to the end of the 3rd quarter, after Darryl Watkinss 12th point. The game was still very low quality and both the teams were in a lot of unproductive stress. Wiliam Hatchers new three pointers (15 points) brought the team of Strovolos for a first time in the night to +4, 43-47, the same player lost the chance to increase the deficit as the defense of Darryl Watkins and his 7th rebound stopped him clearly. Even though Keravnos increase the difference to +5 with Moores 8th point, Thomas Massamba once more earned another foul from Moore (his 4th) and he actually knock him off the match with 13 minutes to go, a crucial loss for Keravnos. Thomas Massamba reached the 16 points with his 2 free throws but Wiliam Hatcher was there to make his points 17 and the score to 46-51. Seconds after that, the 2nd American of Keravnos Frazier did his 3rd foul and Coach Yiannaras was facing a big dilemma to leave the palyer in the court or not? He left him in and with Wiliam Hatcher who was on fire did a short 5-0 to take the score to +8 for Keravnos (48-56), 2.03 to the end of the 3rd period forcing Coach Konstantinidis to get the timeout to calm his team and to give them directions in both edges, with probable target being Wiliam Hatcher who had up until the specific time a 5/6 in three pointers a percentage close to 84%! After the Ethas time out, an offensive foul by Cup and the 5th turnover by Thomas Massamba let the score exactly in the same levels before an offensive rebound by Darryl Watkins (9) and a free throw by Tutt in the last 26 seconds reshaped the score to 49-56, before a new basket by Wiliam Hatcher the MVP of the game up until then, end the 3rd period with 49-58, a serious +9 for Keravnos who lost Moore in his best period for the team due to his 4 personal fouls ,but had in tremendous night, Wiliam Hatcher who had 22 points in 27 minutes in the court.

The 4th period begun with an unsportsmanlike foul by Darryl Watkins over Pilavas, with the Cypriot international scoring the 1 of 2 to take the score for a first time to a double digit difference +10, 49-59, while Darryl Watkins dashed another one rebound his 11th in the missed three pointer by Kojadinovic who was pointless and had 0/4 in 3s. Darryl Watkins was also on fire and with an amazing dunk in the face of Veselovs, reached his 15 personal points while he cut the deficit to 7 (52-59) forcing Coach Yiannaras to get the time-out in order to keep his momentum as it was a crucial point in the game with 8 minutes to the end, the team who would have gain the momentum at the specific part of the game would have been the winner and both coaches knew that. Kojadinovic though repeat himself in another missed three pointer to give the chance to Thomas Massamba to score his 18th point, while seconds after Moore did his 5th turnover and Etha close the gap even more with the difference going to just 3 points and the game starts all over from the begging, with the home team having the total momentum and Keravnos showing once more some fear evidences. Thomas Massamba realized that and with a new 3 pointer brought the game in a total balance (59-59), reaching the 23 points (new career high for the Swedish point guard). Since the time out of Coach Yiannaras Keravnos remained pointless and Etha did a 10-0. Keravnos was in chaos and nobody was able to help him, Moore did his 6th turnover in the game and Tut simply scored after an offensive rebound as nothing was working in the Strovolos team, with Etha succeeding a heroic 12-0, Coach Yiannaras got his 2nd time out in only 3 minutes after his first one! Etha was in the leading position in all the aspects and Keravnos was watching slowly-slowly the season passes by him without being able to do anything, as his suicide tensions were more and more obvious. Jacksonw three pointers gave the final knock in Keravnos as the score went up to 66-61 with Etha having in this period the amazing 17-3! Keravnos had no chance to win the game as even Wiliam Hatcher who was the top man in the previous three periods missed both his free throws, 2.53 to the end. Nothing was working for Keravnos as there was not any passion left to the Strovolos players, while the home team with simple basketball and nothing really outstanding in its game beat the team of Keravnos and is now ready to sweep the series and succeeds the back to back over the team of Keravnos which seems to have the loss syndrome more obvious than ever. Final score 73-67
Top scorers:
ETHA: Thomas Massamba 23 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, Darryl Watkins 16 points, 12 rebounds, 2 steals and 3 block shots, Dejan Cup 10 points, 8 rebounds, Jackson 10 points
Keravnos: Wiliam Hatcher 22, Ales Chan 10, Marcus Moore 10


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

Standings

D-League Standings
East Conference
 1. Springfield A. 27-20 
 2. Dakota W. 26-20 
 3. Canton C. 26-21 
 4. Erie Bay H. 26-21 
 5. Iowa E. 25-22 
 6. Maine RC 19-29 
 7. Sioux Falls S. 14-33 
 8. Ft.Wayne MA 12-35 
West Conference
 1. Los Angeles D. 35-12 
 2. Austin T. 31-16 
 3. Bakersfield J. 27-19 
 4. Texas L. 24-23 
 5. Tulsa 66ers 23-25 
 6. Rio Grande VV 23-25 
 7. Reno B. 20-27 
 8. Idaho S. 19-29 

Regular Season: Round 71

Apr. 1: Reno B. - Idaho S. 99-108
Apr. 1: Texas L. - Iowa E. 98-103
Apr. 1: Maine RC - Springfield A. 110-101 OT

Regular Season: Round 72

Apr. 3: Erie Bay H. - Springfield A.
Apr. 3: Dakota W. - Sioux Falls S.
Apr. 3: Iowa E. - Bakersfield J.
Apr. 4: Canton C. - Ft.Wayne MA
Apr. 4: Austin T. - Texas L.
Apr. 4: Los Angeles D. - Reno B.
Apr. 2: Dakota W. - Bakersfield J.


Stats Leaders

Points Per Game
 Morris ALMOND
  Maine RC
  (198-F/G-85)
  Avg: 24
 1. Almond, Maine RC24.0 
 2. Ahearn, Reno B.23.8 
 3. Emmett, Reno B.23.1 
 4. Dentmon, Austin T.22.8 
 5. Costner, Los A.20.9 
 6. Ubiles, Dakota W.20.6 
 7. Mitchell, Sioux F.19.6 
 8. Efevberha, Iowa E.19.3 
 9. Green, Los A.19.1 
 10. Millsap, Los A.19.1 
Rebounds Per Game
 Marcus LEWIS
  Tulsa 66ers
  (203-F/C-86)
  Avg: 12.6
 1. Lewis, Tulsa 66ers12.6 
 2. Harangody, Canton12.3 
 3. Dawson, Austin T.10.4 
 4. Thomas, Los A.9.3 
 5. Criswell-L., Austi.8.9 
 6. Foote, Springfield8.8 
 7. Williams, Texas L.8.5 
 8. Horner, Springfi.8.5 
 9. Reid, Tulsa 66ers8.4 
 10. Goldcamp, Erie B.8.4 
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.8.8 
 4. Wise, Bakersfield6.4 
 5. Curry, Springfield6.3 
 6. Stinson, Iowa E.5.9 
 7. Fortson, Los A.5.9 
 8. Baker, Dakota W.5.9 
 9. Bailey, Idaho S.5.7 
 10. Brazelton, Erie B.5.6 
Steals Per Game
 Stefhon HANNAH
  Dakota W.
  (185-G-85)
  Avg: 2.2
 1. Hannah, Dakota W.2.2 
 2. Coleman, Sioux F.2.1 
 3. Fortson, Los A.2.1 
 4. Curry, Springfield2.0 
 5. Blakely, Sioux F.2.0 
 6. Smith, Springfield2.0 
 7. Owens, Tulsa 66ers1.9 
 8. Millsap, Los A.1.9 
 9. Saunders, Rio G.1.9 
 10. Bobbitt, Idaho S.1.8 
Blocks Per Game
 Will FOSTER
  Idaho S.
  (226-C-88)
  Avg: 2.9
 1. Foster, Idaho S.2.9 
 2. Williams, Texas L.2.5 
 3. Saunders, Rio G.2.3 
 4. Daniels, Erie B.2.1 
 5. Thomas, Los A.2.1 
 6. Hill, Maine RC1.8 
 7. Dawson, Austin T.1.7 
 8. Ojougboh, Tulsa1.6 
 9. Strong, Iowa E.1.5 
 10. Dove, Dakota W.1.5 


Sunday's games review (3): Bighorns fall to Stampede at final home game - by Eurobasket News

Texas L. - Iowa E. 98-103
The Texas Legends faced the Iowa Energy for the only time this season in a pivotal match up with playoff implications. Down by 15 with 11:22 left in the game, the Legends made a strong comeback attempt led by Antonio Daniels who had 10 points and eight assists this afternoon. Booker Woodfox also contributed to the come back in a big way hitting key shots down the stretch. Woodfox finished the game with 12 points and two assists. The Energy had five players in double digit points led by Michael Efevberha (6'7''-G-84, college: CS Northridge) with 22 points. Andrew Drevo (6'8''-F/C-81, college: Nebraska) had 16 points and 12 rebounds. The third quarter was the turning point for the Energy, who outscored the Legends 28-18. Moses Ehambe led the team with nine points in the 3rd quarter, finishing with 19 in the game. Texas' big men controlled the boards this afternoon pulling down 54 rebounds to Iowa's 38. Legends center Dan Gadzuric dominated the glass, pulling down a season high 18 rebounds. Gadzuric also had 16 points. Kelenna Azubuike had 14 points in the game in 14 minutes of action. The Legends had six players produce double digit points this afternoon, Dyer and Gadzuric both had a double-double. The Legends (24-23) look to even up the season series with the Toros this Wednesday at 7:30pm as they visit the Cedar Park Center in Austin. *Courtesy of www.oursportscentral.com

Maine RC - Springfield A. 110-101 OT
Lance Hurdle (6'2''-G-87, college: Miami, FL) didn't go for the tired-arms-and-legs excuse Sunday. After playing four games and three overtime periods in the last six days, the Springfield Armor guard instead gave praise to his opponents. 'They made some tough shots and you have to give them credit,' Hurdle said after watching the Maine Red Claws rally for a 110-101 overtime victory over the Armor in an NBA D-League game played in front of 2,902 at the Portland Expo. 'They always play to the end,' Hurdle said. 'They are very well coached and they have great players. They made tough shots and there's nothing you can do about that.' The loss, in the first of four road games to close the regular season, ended Springfield's five-game winning streak. The Armor remain in first place in the East Conference with a 27-20 record and clinched a playoff spot when the Texas Legends fell 103-98 to the Iowa Energy. Maine's comeback started in the final 90 seconds of regulation with the Armor leading 96-88. Cedric Bozeman started it with a basket, followed by back-to-back 3-pointers from Lawrence Hill and Kenny Hayes. Hayes' tying bucket came with just 8.6 seconds left. The Red Claws (19-29) continued their shooting success in overtime as they greeted the three-minute period with three consecutive 3-pointers to surge ahead 105-98. 'I thought it was a good game between two teams that have battled hard all year,' Armor coach Bob MacKinnon said. 'They've got some very good players and they made some big-time shots down the end.' The Armor built an 84-73 lead early in the fourth quarter on the strength of a 10-1 run to open the period. The spurt, featuring baskets by five players, gave Springfield what seemed to be a comfortable advantage. However, the pesky crustaceans, who have been eliminated from playoff contention, wouldn't go away. 'I thought when we got up, we came down and took too many jump shots instead of attacking the basket when we had an opportunity to,' MacKinnon said. The wild finish came after the two teams played close to the vest for most of the first three quarters. The Red Claws sprinted out of the gate and built a 10-point lead (19-9) just seven minutes into the contest. The lead was short-lived as the Armor answered with a 9-2 run, featuring four of Jerry Smith (6'2''-G-87, college: Louisville) 's 11 first-quarter points, that brought the visitors back within 21-18. Maine carried a 29-24 lead into the second. Springfield, which finished the season series against Maine with a 6-4 record, tied the game with the first five points of the second quarter and the two teams played back-and-forth basketball until the Armor surge to open the fourth. The Armor led 50-48 at the half and 74-72 after three. Smith and Hurdle paced a well-balanced Springfield attack with 19 points each. Five Armor players reached double figures. Hayes and Morris Almond led the Red Claws with 25 points each. *Courtesy of www.masslive.com

Reno B. - Idaho S. 99-108
The Reno Bighorns celebrated Fan Appreciation Day during their final home game at the Reno Events Center on Sunday, but fell to the Idaho Stampede 108-99. Antoine Wright (6'7''-F/G-84, college: Texas A&M) had 23 points and seven rebounds and Will Blalock (6'0''-PG-83, agency: Priority Sports, college: Iowa St.) had another solid game with 12 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists. Eric Devendorf continued his hot streak with a season-high 23 points in the loss. The Bighorns shot 46.5 percent from the field and shot 16 more shot attempts in the game, but the Stampede made 19 more free throws, which turned out to be the difference in the game. David Harrison scored 14 points on 7-of-11 shooting and Mo Charlo added 15 points and nine rebounds. Marcus Banks led the Stampede with 25 points. The Bighorns now travel to Los Angeles for a game against the first-place D-Fenders on Wednesday, April 4 at 7 p.m. *Courtesy of www.ktvn.com


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


Zdovc: It is hard to concentrate on PBL matches - by Uygar Karaca

Spartak St. Petersburg can't wait for the Eurocup Final Four. According to sovsport.ru, the head coach of the Russian club Zdovc declared that his players already started thinking about the final four in Khimki. There is an important match for PBL, which is against UNICS Kazan and the coach says that they have difficulty to make the players concentrated for the domestic championship. There are 4 matches left in the PBL and the match is still important for St. Petersburg in order to make the playoffs. Eurocup final four will be held on 14-15 April at Khimki, Moscow. The winner of Eurocup will get an automatic berth for Euroleague campaign next season.


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

Standings - Korisliiga

Korisliiga Standings
 1. Kataja 31-9 
 2. Nilan Bisons 27-12 
 3. Pyrinto 27-12 
 4. Kauhajoki 22-17 
 5. ToPo 21-18 
 6. KTP 18-21 
 7. LrNMKY 17-22 
 8. Salon Vilpas 16-23 
 9. Kouvot 14-25 
 10. Korihait 12-27 
 11. Namika Lahti 10-29 

Regular Season: Round 43

Apr. 1: Korihait - Nilan Bisons 83-90
Mar. 28: Salon Vilpas - ToPo 72-79
Apr. 1: LrNMKY - Kauhajoki 71-59
Apr. 1: Kouvot - Pyrinto 58-67
Apr. 1: Kataja - Namika Lahti 105-85

Regular Season: Round 44

Apr. 4: Namika Lahti - LrNMKY
Apr. 4: Kauhajoki - Kouvot
Apr. 4: Pyrinto - Salon Vilpas
Apr. 4: ToPo - Korihait
Apr. 4: Nilan Bisons - KTP


Stats Leaders - Korisliiga

Points Per Game
 Tim BLUE
  KTP
  (205-F-84)
  Avg: 23.2
 1. Blue, KTP23.2 
 2. Zeno, Nilan Bisons19.9 
 3. Crocker, KTP19.3 
 4. Beidler, Kauhajoki19.1 
 5. Hannah, Kauhajoki19.0 
 6. Holloway, Salon V.18.8 
 7. Newson, Kataja18.7 
 8. Brooks, Namika L.18.6 
 9. Durham, Salon Vilp.18.4 
 10. Ivey, Nilan Bisons18.3 
Rebounds Per Game
 John FIELDS
  Salon Vilpas
  (205-F-88)
  Avg: 12.5
 1. Fields, Salon Vilp.12.5 
 2. Durham, Salon Vilp.11.4 
 3. Blue, KTP10.6 
 4. Beidler, Kauhajoki9.9 
 5. Williams, Pyrinto9.4 
 6. Newson, Kataja8.8 
 7. Zeno, Nilan Bisons8.5 
 8. McDade, Nilan B.8.3 
 9. Brown, Kouvot8.2 
 10. Hamm, LrNM.7.7 
Assists Per Game
 Malik MOORE
  Namika L.
  (192-G-77)
  Avg: 5.2
 1. Moore, Namika L.5.2 
 2. Ivey, Nilan Bisons4.9 
 3. Haynes, LrNM.4.8 
 4. Hannah, Kauhajoki4.4 
 5. Williams, Pyrinto4.3 
 6. Sarcevic, KTP4.2 
 7. Virtanen, Kataja4.1 
 8. Walker, Kataja3.9 
 9. Nikkarinen, Kouvot3.4 
 10. Holloway, Salon V.3.3 
Steals Per Game
 Antwine WILLIAMS
  Pyrinto
  (192-F-75)
  Avg: 2.3
 1. Williams, Pyrinto2.3 
 2. Moore, Korihait2.1 
 3. Beidler, Kauhajoki2.1 
 4. Williams, Pyrinto1.9 
 5. Holloway, Salon V.1.8 
 6. Haynes, LrNM.1.8 
 7. Newson, Kataja1.6 
 8. Jordan, Kouvot1.6 
 9. Sarcevic, KTP1.6 
 10. Crocker, KTP1.5 
Blocks Per Game
 Kelly BEIDLER
  Kauhajoki
  (199-F-88)
  Avg: 1.9
 1. Beidler, Kauhajoki1.9 
 2. Fields, Salon Vilp.1.9 
 3. Blue, KTP1.4 
 4. Zeno, Nilan Bisons1.0 
 5. Lehtoranta, Kataja0.8 
 6. Williams, Pyrinto0.8 
 7. Newson, Kataja0.7 
 8. Hamm, LrNM.0.7 
 9. Jones, Nilan Bisons0.7 
 10. McDade, Nilan B.0.6 


Korisliiga Round 43: LrNMKY beats higher ranked Kauhajoen Karhu - by Eurobasket News

There will be only one (last) round of the Regular Season in Korisliiga.

The game with biggest difference of round 43 was host LrNMKY's (#7) victory at home over 4th placed Kauhajoen Karhu (22-17) 71-59 on Sunday evening. The game was mostly controlled by LrNMKY. Kauhajoen Karhu managed to win third quarter 15-14. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. They outrebounded Kauhajoen Karhu 48-30 including 16 on the offensive glass. The game was dominated by American players. Forward Lawrence Hamm (198-84, college: Towson, agency: Court Side) fired a double-double by scoring 19 points and 11 rebounds for the winners. Forward Tyler Tiedeman (201-85, college: Boise St., agency: Interperformances) chipped in 15 points and 7 rebounds. LrNMKY's coach Lassi Tuovi used a ten-player rotation which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. Forward Todd Hendley (206-84, college: NC-Wilmington) produced 17 points and 8 rebounds for lost side. LrNMKY maintains seventh place with 17-22 record. Kauhajoen Karhu at the other side keeps the fourth position with 17 games lost. LrNMKY are looking forward to face bottom-ranked Namika Lahti (#11) on the road in the next round. Kauhajoen Karhu will play against Kouvot (#9) in Kouvola and is hoping to win this game.
Leader Joensuun Kataja delivered the 31th victory. This time they crushed 11th ranked Namika Lahti (10-29) 105-85. The game was also dominated by American players. Worth to mention a great performance of swingman Jared Newson (195-84, college: Tenn-Martin, agency: Pro One Sports) who helped to win the game recording a double-double by scoring 29 points and 14 rebounds. Jeremy Price contributed with 12 points, 8 rebounds and 4 assists for the winners. Joensuun Kataja's coach Jukka Toijala allowed to play the deep bench players saving starting five for next games. Forward Brant Bailey (202-77, college: Wisc.-Stevens Point) answered with 27 points and 5 rebounds for Namika Lahti. Joensuun Kataja maintains first place with 31-9 record. Namika Lahti at the other side stay dead last with 29 lost games. Joensuun Kataja will have a break next round, and it should allow them to practice more before next game. Namika Lahti will play at home against LrNMKY (#7) in Lappeenranta and hopes to get back on the winning track.
The game in Salon was also quite interesting. Fifth ranked Torpan Pojat (21-18) played at the court of 8th ranked Salon Vilpas (16-23). Torpan Pojat managed to secure a 7-point victory 79-72 on Wednesday. It was a great evening for Justin Hawkins who led his team to a victory scoring 33 points (!!!) and 8 rebounds. At the losing side Allen Durham responded with a double-double by scoring 25 points and 14 rebounds. Torpan Pojat maintains fifth place with 21-18 record. Salon Vilpas lost third consecutive game. They keep the eighth position with 23 games lost. Torpan Pojat will meet at home UU-Korihait (#10) in the next round which should be theoretically an easy game. Salon Vilpas will play against Tampereen Pyrinto and hope to secure a win.

In the last two games of round 43 Nilan Bisons defeated Korihait in Loimaa 90-83. Kouvot lost to defending champion Pyrinto at home 58-67.

Korihait - Nilan Bisons 83-90

There was no surprise in Uusikaupunki where 10th ranked UU-Korihait (12-27) was defeated by second ranked Loimaan Korikonkarit (27-12) 90-83 on Sunday. The guests trailed by 4 points after first quarter, but they rallied back to get the 2-point lead at the halftime and eventually won the game 90-83. American players dominated the game. It was a great evening for guard Jeb Ivey (190-80, college: Portland St.) who led his team to a victory scoring 22 points and 7 assists. Guard Martin Zeno (196-85, college: Texas Tech) helped adding 18 points, 8 rebounds and 4 assists. Loimaan Korikonkarit's coach Greg Gibson used a ten-player rotation and allowed the starting five to rest. At the losing side swingman Jonathan Heard (198-86) responded with a double-double by scoring 25 points and 12 rebounds and swingman Nigel Moore (195-81, college: Alabama A&M) scored 19 points and 6 rebounds. Both teams had four players each who scored in double figures. Loimaan Korikonkarit have a solid series of three victories in a row. They maintain second place with 27-12 record having five points less than leader Kataja, which they share with Pyrinto. UU-Korihait lost seventh consecutive game. They keep the tenth position with 27 games lost. Loimaan Korikonkarit will meet at home KTP-Basket (#6) in the next round. UU-Korihait will play against Torpan Pojat (#5) in Helsinki and hope to secure a win.
Top scorers:
Korihait: J.Heard 25+12reb+3ast, N.Moore 19+6reb+1ast, P.Heinonen 18+3reb+2ast, C.Latimer 11+5reb+2ast, N.Malinen 4+2reb+2ast, M.Jalonen 3+1reb+2ast
Nilan Bisons: J.Ivey 22+3reb+7ast, M.Nuutinen 20+6reb+3ast, M.Zeno 18+8reb+4ast, M.Koivisto 15+4reb+3ast, V.Makalainen 6+8reb, C.Jones 6+3reb
gschID: 141839


Salon Vilpas - ToPo 72-79

The game in Salon was also quite interesting. Fifth ranked Torpan Pojat (21-18) played at the court of 8th ranked Salon Vilpas (16-23). Torpan Pojat managed to secure a 7-point victory 79-72 on Wednesday. The guests trailed by 5 points after first quarter, but they rallied back to get the 3-point lead at the halftime and eventually won the game 79-72. It was a great evening for American forward Justin Hawkins (201-85, college: N.Mexico St.) who led his team to a victory scoring 33 points (!!!) and 8 rebounds. His fellow American import point guard Josh Wilson (188-87, college: N.Arizona, agency: Hightower Law Firm) helped adding 10 points and 4 assists. Wilson is a former Eurobasket Summer League player, which is considered top summer league for players who want to play basketball overseas. At the losing side American forward Allen Durham (198-88, college: Grace Bible) responded with a double-double by scoring 25 points and 14 rebounds and point guard Roope Ahonen (187-90, agency: FCM) scored 15 points and 7 rebounds. Torpan Pojat maintains fifth place with 21-18 record. Salon Vilpas lost third consecutive game. They keep the eighth position with 23 games lost. Torpan Pojat will meet at home UU-Korihait (#10) in the next round which should be theoretically an easy game. Salon Vilpas will play against Tampereen Pyrinto and hope to secure a win.
Top scorers:
Salon Vilpas: A.Durham 25+14reb, R.Ahonen 15+7reb+3ast, J.Fields 10+7reb, K.Brace 7+2reb+5ast, M.Ahokas 6+1reb, J.Kataja 5+6reb+7ast
ToPo: J.Hawkins 33+8reb+2ast, J.Wilson 10+4reb+4ast, K.Muurinen 10+5reb+2ast, C.Lindbom 8+3reb, T.Iisalo 7+2reb+4ast, E.Lehtinen 4+1reb
gschID: 173494


Kataja - Namika Lahti 105-85

Leader Joensuun Kataja delivered the 31th victory. This time they crushed 11th ranked Namika Lahti (10-29) 105-85. The game without a history. Joensuun Kataja led from the first minutes and controlled entire game increasing their lead in each quarter. Joensuun Kataja dominated down low during the game scoring 56 of its points in the paint compared to Namika Lahti's 32 and made 28-of-32 charity shots (87.5 percent) during the game, while Namika Lahti only scored eleven points from the stripe. They outrebounded Namika Lahti 45-24 including a 18-5 advantage in offensive rebounds. Namika Lahti was plagued by 24 personal fouls down the stretch. The game was also dominated by American players. Worth to mention a great performance of swingman Jared Newson (195-84, college: Tenn-Martin, agency: Pro One Sports) who helped to win the game recording a double-double by scoring 29 points and 14 rebounds. Forward Jeremy Price (203-88, college: Georgia, agency: Strategic Sports) contributed with 12 points, 8 rebounds and 4 assists for the winners. Joensuun Kataja's coach Jukka Toijala allowed to play the deep bench players saving starting five for next games. Forward Brant Bailey (202-77, college: Wisc.-Stevens Point) answered with 27 points and 5 rebounds and guard Malik Moore (192-77, college: Amer.Internat., agency: Prossin Sports Management) added 25 points and 5 assists in the effort for Namika Lahti. Five Joensuun Kataja and four Namika Lahti players scored in double figures. Joensuun Kataja maintains first place with 31-9 record. Namika Lahti at the other side stay dead last with 29 lost games. Joensuun Kataja will have a break next round, and it should allow them to practice more before next game. Namika Lahti will play at home against LrNMKY (#7) in Lappeenranta and hopes to get back on the winning track.
Top scorers:
Namika Lahti: B.Bailey 27+5reb+1ast, M.Moore 25+2reb+5ast, R.Suonio 17+1reb+7ast, R.Brooks 11+5reb+1ast, J.Vanttaja 3+2reb, O.Aalto 2+1reb
Kataja: J.Newson 29+14reb, S.Haanpaa 19+3reb+1ast, B.Walker 13+2reb+1ast, J.Nenonen 12+7reb+2ast, J.Price 12+8reb+4ast, A.Kanervo 12+3reb+6ast
gschID: 141835


LrNMKY - Kauhajoki 71-59

The game with biggest difference of round 43 was host LrNMKY's (#7) victory at home over 4th placed Kauhajoen Karhu (22-17) 71-59 on Sunday evening. The game was mostly controlled by LrNMKY. Kauhajoen Karhu managed to win third quarter 15-14. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. They outrebounded Kauhajoen Karhu 48-30 including 16 on the offensive glass. The game was dominated by American players. Forward Lawrence Hamm (198-84, college: Towson, agency: Court Side) fired a double-double by scoring 19 points and 11 rebounds for the winners. Forward Tyler Tiedeman (201-85, college: Boise St., agency: Interperformances) chipped in 15 points and 7 rebounds. LrNMKY's coach Lassi Tuovi used a ten-player rotation which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. Forward Todd Hendley (206-84, college: NC-Wilmington) produced 17 points and 8 rebounds and forward Kelly Beidler (199-88, college: Mt.St.Mary's, agency: R.H.Consultancy) added 15 points and 10 rebounds respectively for lost side. LrNMKY maintains seventh place with 17-22 record. Kauhajoen Karhu at the other side keeps the fourth position with 17 games lost. LrNMKY are looking forward to face bottom-ranked Namika Lahti (#11) on the road in the next round. Kauhajoen Karhu will play against Kouvot (#9) in Kouvola and is hoping to win this game.
Top scorers:
Kauhajoki: T.Hendley 17+8reb, K.Beidler 15+10reb, C.Hannah 13+3reb+1ast, J.Eskola 5+1reb+2ast, A.Huuskonen 5+1reb+1ast, I.Vuori 2+3reb+6ast
LrNMKY: L.Hamm 19+11reb+1ast, T.Tiedeman 15+7reb+3ast, M.Ojala 11+5reb+1ast, V.Vanjoki 9+5reb+1ast, J.Jarvinen 6+5reb+2ast, D.Haynes 5+8reb+2ast
gschID: 141836


Kouvot - Pyrinto 58-67

No shocking result in a game in Kouvola where third ranked Tampereen Pyrinto (27-12) defeated 9th ranked Kouvot (14-25) 67-58 on Sunday. The guests trailed by 8 points at the halftime before their 38-21 charge in the second half, which allowed them to win the game. Tampereen Pyrinto dominated on the defensive end, holding Kouvot to just 6 points in fourth quarter. It was a great evening for American forward Damon Williams (201-73, college: Colorado St.-Pueblo, agency: Two Points) who led his team to a victory with a double-double by scoring 10 points, 15 rebounds and 7 assists. His fellow American import forward Antwine Williams (192-75, college: N.Colorado, agency: Prossin Sports Management) helped adding 22 points and 8 rebounds. Tampereen Pyrinto's coach Pieti Poikola used a ten-player rotation and allowed the starting five to rest. At the losing side guard Ilari Seppala (190-93) responded with 16 points and 5 rebounds and American forward Anthony Brown (203-86, college: Oklahoma St., agency: KMG Sports Management) produced a double-double by scoring 12 points and 12 rebounds. Defending champion moved-up to second place, which they share with Nilan Bisons. Loser Kouvot keeps the ninth position with 25 games lost. Tampereen Pyrinto will meet at home Salon Vilpas (#8) in the next round which should be theoretically an easy game. Kouvot will play against Kauhajoen Karhu in Kauhajoki and hope to secure a win.
Top scorers:
Kouvot: I.Seppala 16+5reb+3ast, A.Brown 12+12reb, A.Perttu 9+3reb+1ast, A.Jordan 8+7reb+1ast, J.Gonner 7+2reb+3ast, T.Rintala 4+3reb
Pyrinto: A.Williams 22+8reb+1ast, K.Lowe 20+4reb+1ast, D.Williams 10+15reb+7ast, A.Nikkila 4+5reb, A.Lehto 4+1reb, O.Ahvenniemi 4+7reb
gschID: 141837



KORISLIIGA: Kataja winning with 31-9 record - by Rauno Hurmalainen

Korisliiga, round 39-40/40: Kataja (Joensuu) has played all 40 regular season games. All other 10 Top League teams have one game left. Kataja has won with 31-9 record, with 19-1 record at home court and 12-8 record on the road. The only home loss was against # 11 Team YMCA Lahti after Christmas time. Tonight YMCA Lahti visited the second time in Joensuu and lost 105-85 (53-38). Jared Newson (195-G/F-84, agency: Pro One Sports, college: Tenn-Martin) led Kataja with a double-double 29pts/14rbs.
YMCA Lappeenranta defeated Karhu (Kauhajoki) 71-59 (43-27) and when Kouvot (Kouvola) lost at the same time at home vs Pyrinto (Tampere), that means Kouvot, Korihait and YMCA Lahti season is over. Top-8 teams will continue in the play-off-games.
Kataja - YMCA Lahti 105-85 (53-38). (Jared Newson 29/14, Samuel Haanpaa 19, BA Walker 13 - Brant Bailey 27, Malik Moore 25, Roope Suonio 17. A: 1370).
YMCA LPR - Karhu 71-59 (43-27). (Lawrence Hamm 19/11, Tyler Tiedeman 15, Matias Ojala 11 - Todd Hendley 17, Kelly Beidler 15/10, Clevin Hannah 13. A: 542).
Kouvot - Pyrinto 58-67 (37-29). (Ilari Seppala 16, Anthony Brown 12/12, Atte Perttu 9 - Antwine Williams 22, Kenneth Lowe 20, Damon Williams 10/15/7a. A: 1058).
UU-Korihait - Bisons 83-90 (45-47). (Jonathan Heard 25/12, Nigel Moore 19, Petri Heinonen 18 - Jeb Ivey 22/7a, Matti Nuutinen 20, Martin Zeno 18).


Jared Newson claims Finnish Korisliiga weekly honour - by Eurobasket News

American Jared Newson (195-G/F-84, agency: Pro One Sports) had an amazing evening in the last round for league's leader Kataja and that's him to receive a Eurobasket.com Player of the Week award for round 43.
The 27-year old swingman had a double-double of 29 points and fourteen rebounds, while his team crushed Namika Lahti (#11, 10-29) with 20-point margin 105-85. It allowed Kataja to consolidate first place in the Finnish Korisliiga. They would have been even better if they hadn't lost a few games earlier this season. Kataja has a very solid 31-9 record, but they cannot be too comfortable about keeping top position. In the team's last game Newson had a remarkable 66.7% from 2-point range. It's his second year at Kataja and it's hard to imagine this team without him. University of Tennessee at Martin graduate has very impressive stats this year. Newson is in league's top in points (7th best: 18.7ppg), rebounds (6th best: 8.8rpg) and averages solid 53.1% FGP and 43.8% from behind 3-point line.

The second most remarkable performance in last round's games was 26-year old American forward Justin Hawkins (201-F-85) of ToPo. Hawkins impressed basketball fans with 33 points, 8 rebounds and 2 assists. Of course ToPo cruised to a 79-72 relatively comfortable win over the lower-ranked Salon Vilpas (#8, 16-23). ToPo's 5th position in the standings has not changed. His team lost some distance to top teams. But 21-18 record is not bad and everything may still change. Hawkins is one of the most experienced players at ToPo and has a reputation of one of team's most reliable players.

The third best performed player last round was American Allen Durham (198-F-88) of Salon Vilpas (#8). Durham scored 25 points and grabbed fourteen rebounds (!!!). Despite Durham's great performance Salon Vilpas lost 72-79 to the higher-ranked ToPo (#5, 21-18). But his team cannot count on just a single player as he also needs help of the other teammates. The chances of Salon Vilpas ranking at the top of the league, however are very questionable as they have already lost 23 games, recording just sixteen victories. With bigger assistance of his teammates, Durham could help Salon Vilpas to bring them higher in the standings. Durham has a great season in Finland. After 21 games, he made it on the list of the league's leaders in points with 18.4ppg (9th best) and rebounds with 11.4rpg (2nd best). Durham attended one of camps at Eurobasket Summer League on his way to pro basketball.

Other top performing players last week:
4. Lawrence Hamm (198-F-84) of LrNMKY - 19 points and 11 rebounds
5. Damon Williams (201-F-73) of Pyrinto - 10 points, 15 rebounds and 7 assists
6. Brant Bailey (202-F-77) of Namika Lahti - 27 points and 5 rebounds
7. Jonathan Heard (198-G/F-86) of Korihait - 25 points, 12 rebounds and 3 assists
8. Antwine Williams (192-F-75) of Pyrinto - 22 points and 8 rebounds
9. Malik Moore (192-G-77) of Namika Lahti - 25 points, 2 rebounds and 5 assists
10. Kenneth Lowe (192-G-80) of Pyrinto - 20 points and 4 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)


*****************************************************
  GEORGIA   


Georgian Superleague round 20 best performance: Ben Woodside - by Eurobasket News

American point guard Ben Woodside (180-PG-85, agency: Priority Sports) put on an extraordinary performance in the last round for top-ranked Armia, receiving a Eurobasket.com Player of the Week award for round 20.
The 26-year old player got a double-double of 19 points and 10 assists, while his team crushed Batumi (#10, 2-16) with 23-point margin 110-87. It allowed Armia to consolidate first place in the Georgian Superleague. They maintain perfect record without any lost game in the league. It's already very far into the season and Armia keeps perfect 18 -0 record. Woodside turned to be Armia's top player in his first season with the team. Ben Woodside averages this season 17.9ppg and 7.7apg.

The second best player in last round's games was another Armia's star - 25-year old American Will Thomas (203-PF-86, agency: Two Points). Thomas had a very good evening with 26 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists. Of course together with Woodside he helped Armia with another comfortable win outscoring the lower-ranked Batumi (#10, 2-16) 110-87. Of course Armia still keep the league's top spot. He plays for the best team in the league and Armia managed to win all 18 games keeping perfect record. Thomas is a newcomer at Armia, but is already one of team's top players. He belongs to the best scorers in the league with 17.2ppg (#9). He also registered 7.1 boards per game.

Third on the list of top players last round was former international forward Lasha Keshelava (200-F-81) of Batumi (#10). Keshelava got into 30-points club by scoring 33 points in the last round. He went also for six rebounds . Despite Keshelava's great performance Batumi lost 87-110 to the league's current leader Armia (#1, 18-0). But his team cannot count on just a single shooter as he also needs help of the other teammates. Batumi can only dream about fighting for top spots in the league. They have rather bad season and 2-16 record places them close to the bottom of the standings. Too bad for Keshelava he does not play for a better team. But maybe if he did, his season stats would not be that high. Keshelava has individually a great season in Georgia. After 17 games, he made it on the list of the league's leaders in points with 17.6ppg (7th best) and rebounds with 8.8rpg (8th best).

Other top performing players last week:
4. Talba Toudjani (201-F-80) of Rustavi - 19 points, 16 rebounds and 6 assists
5. Joakim Kjellbom (213-C/F-79) of Armia - 14 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists
6. Mikheil Berishvili (205-F-87) of Olimpi - 17 points, 7 rebounds and 3 assists
7. Mikheil Chitashvili (193-G-84) of TSU Tbilisi - 18 points, 6 rebounds and 12 assists
8. Giorgi Gamqrelidze (183-G-86) of Olimpi - 24 points, 6 rebounds and 3 assists
9. Jeremy Richardson (200-G/F-84) of Armia - 22 points and 4 rebounds
10. Zurabi Machavariani (192-F-90) of Rustavi - 17 points, 5 rebounds and 7 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)


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

Standings - 1. Bundesliga

BBL Standings
 1. Brose Baskets 25-3 
 2. ALBA 23-6 
 3. Ratiopharm 23-6 
 4. Art.Dragons 20-9 
 5. s.Oliver Baskets 18-11 
 6. B.Muenchen 17-12 
 7. NY Phantoms 15-13 
 8. Telekom Baskets 15-13 
 9. EWE Baskets 14-15 
 10. Fraport SKY 14-15 
 11. Walter Tigers 13-16 
 12. Bremerhaven 13-16 
 13. Bayreuth 11-18 
 14. TBB Trier 10-19 
 15. EnBW L'burg 8-21 
 16. Phoenix Hagen 8-21 
 17. LTi 46ers 8-21 
 18. Goettingen 4-25 

Regular Season: Round 29

Apr. 1: Brose Baskets - Phoenix Hagen 97-69
Mar. 31: NY Phantoms - EnBW L'burg 87-73
Mar. 31: Walter Tigers - Goettingen 83-67
Apr. 1: Telekom Baskets - TBB Trier 79-65
Apr. 1: Fraport SKY - Ratiopharm 77-64
Mar. 31: ALBA - B.Muenchen 73-52
Mar. 31: s.Oliver Baskets - Bremerhaven 71-69 OT
Mar. 31: LTi 46ers - EWE Baskets 67-84
Apr. 1: Bayreuth - Art.Dragons 63-82

Round 22

Mar. 28: ALBA - Phoenix Hagen 114-86

Round 27

Mar. 24: TBB Trier - Art.Dragons 51-73

Regular Season: Round 30

Apr. 8: ALBA - LTi 46ers
Apr. 8: Bremerhaven - Bayreuth
Apr. 7: Art.Dragons - Brose Baskets
Apr. 7: EWE Baskets - Fraport SKY
Apr. 7: TBB Trier - s.Oliver Baskets
Apr. 7: NY Phantoms - Goettingen
Apr. 7: Phoenix Hagen - EnBW L'burg
Apr. 7: Ratiopharm - Walter Tigers
Apr. 7: B.Muenchen - Telekom Baskets


Stats Leaders - 1.Bundesliga

Points Per Game
 Bobby BROWN
  EWE Baskets
  (188-G-84)
  Avg: 16.9
 1. Brown, EWE Baskets16.9 
 2. Carter, Phoenix15.6 
 3. Swann, Ratiopharm15.6 
 4. Wood, ALBA15.3 
 5. Ensminger, Teleko.15.3 
 6. Holston, Art.Drag.14.9 
 7. Jonusas, Phoenix14.9 
 8. Peavy, Art.Dragons14.6 
 9. Tucker, Brose B.14.3 
 10. Bryant, Ratiopharm14.3 
Rebounds Per Game
 John BRYANT
  Ratiopharm
  (208-C-87)
  Avg: 9.7
 1. Bryant, Ratiopharm9.7 
 2. Chubb, EWE Baskets8.3 
 3. Ensminger, Teleko.8.0 
 4. Homan, B.Muenchen7.8 
 5. Zirbes, TBB Trier7.2 
 6. Evans, Goettingen7.0 
 7. Sykes, Goettingen6.9 
 8. Ovcina, LTi 46ers6.7 
 9. Troutman, B.Mue.6.7 
 10. Tucker, Brose B.6.5 
Assists Per Game
 Jared JORDAN
  Telekom .
  (188-PG-84)
  Avg: 8.5
 1. Jordan, Telekom8.5 
 2. Holston, Art.Drag.5.9 
 3. Brewer, Bremerha.5.1 
 4. Everett, Bremerha.4.8 
 5. Wood, ALBA4.8 
 6. Joyce, TBB Trier4.7 
 7. Brown, EWE Baskets4.6 
 8. Hamann, B.Muenchen4.5 
 9. Campbell, Walter T.4.0 
 10. Bauscher, Goett.3.9 
Steals Per Game
 Nate LINHART
  TBB Trier
  (201-F-86)
  Avg: 1.8
 1. Linhart, TBB Trier1.8 
 2. Kramer, s.Oliv.1.6 
 3. Holston, Art.Drag.1.4 
 4. Dorris, EnBW L.1.4 
 5. Redding, Walter T.1.4 
 6. Carter, Phoenix1.3 
 7. Gibson, Fraport SKY1.3 
 8. Bernard, LTi 46ers1.3 
 9. Frazier, s.Oliv.1.3 
 10. Trice, Ratiopharm1.3 
Blocks Per Game
 Tony GAFFNEY
  Teleko.
  (204-F-84)
  Avg: 2
 1. Gaffney, Teleko.2.0 
 2. Davidson, Fraport1.7 
 3. Looby, EnBW L.1.7 
 4. Ibekwe, Bayreuth1.7 
 5. Bryant, Ratiopharm1.3 
 6. Slaughter, Brose B.1.3 
 7. Pleiss, Brose B.1.2 
 8. Homan, B.Muenchen1.2 
 9. King, Art.Dragons1.2 
 10. Constantine, Phoe.1.1 


BBL Round 29: ratiopharm Ulm is upset by Deutsche Bank Skyliners - by Eurobasket News

The Regular Season in BBL is slowly approaching the end. But there may be still some important changes in the final standings in the last 5 rounds.

The game between second ranked ratiopharm Ulm (23-6) and tenth ranked Deutsche Bank Skyliners (14-15) was the most important one in the last round on Sunday night. ratiopharm Ulm was defeated by Deutsche Bank Skyliners in Frankfurt 77-64. It ended at the same time the four-game winning streak of ratiopharm Ulm. The game was mostly controlled by Deutsche Bank Skyliners. ratiopharm Ulm managed to win second period 20-19. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. The game was dominated by American players. The best player for the winners was forward Jacob Burtschi (198-84, college: Air Force) who scored 15 points and 7 rebounds. point guard Michael Thompson (177-89, college: Northwestern) chipped in 16 points. Center John Bryant (208-87, college: Santa Clara) produced a double-double by scoring 13 points and 12 rebounds for the guests. Deutsche Bank Skyliners moved-up to ninth place, which they share with EWE Baskets. ratiopharm Ulm at the other side keeps the second position with six games lost. They share it with ALBA. Deutsche Bank Skyliners is looking forward to face EWE Baskets (#9) in Oldenburg in the next round. ratiopharm Ulm will play at home against Walter Tigers (#11) in Tuebingen and is hoping to win this game.
Leader Brose Baskets delivered the twentieth fifth victory. This time they crushed 15th ranked Phoenix Hagen (8-21) 97-69 in Bamberg. Brose Baskets have a solid series of four victories in a row. Defending champion maintains first place with 25-3 record. Phoenix Hagen at the other side keeps the fifteenth position with 21 games lost. They share it with EnBW L'burg and LTi 46ers. Brose Baskets will play against Artland Dragons (#4) in Quakenbrueck in the next round. Phoenix Hagen will play at home against EnBW Ludwigsburg (#15) and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Tenth-ranked Eisbaeren Bremerhaven (13-16) made lots of trouble for sixth ranked s Oliver Baskets (18-11) in Wuerzburg on Saturday. s Oliver Baskets managed to secure only two-point victory 71-69. However their fans expected much easier game. Chris Kramer stepped up and scored 12 points and 8 rebounds for the winners. s Oliver Baskets' coach John Patrick used an eleven-player rotation in such tough game. Christopher McNaughton responded with 22 points and 7 rebounds. s Oliver Baskets moved-up to fifth place. Eisbaeren Bremerhaven lost sixth consecutive game. They dropped to the eleventh position with 16 games lost. They share it with Walter Tigers. s Oliver Baskets will meet TBB Trier (#14) on the road in the next round and are hoping to win another game. Eisbaeren Bremerhaven will play against BBC Bayreuth and it may be a tough game between close rivals.

Other games of round 29 were quite predictable and ended without any surprises. Here they are:
EnBW L'burg was defeated by NY Phantoms in Braunschweig 87-73. LTi 46ers was beaten by EWE Baskets at home 67-84. Bottom-ranked Goettingen lost to Walter Tigers on the opponent's court 67-83. Bayreuth was outscored by Art.Dragons in a home game 63-82. B.Muenchen was rolled over ALBA on the road 73-52. Telekom Baskets defeated TBB Trier on its own court 79-65. Phoenix Hagen was smashed by ALBA in Berlin 114-86. TBB Trier was destroyed by Art.Dragons at home 51-73.
The best stats of 29th round was 27 points, 5 assists and 4 steals by DaShaun Wood of ALBA.

NY Phantoms - EnBW L'burg 87-73

There was no surprise in Braunschweig where 15th ranked EnBW Ludwigsburg (8-21) was defeated by seventh ranked New Yorker Phantoms (15-13) 87-73 on Saturday. The game was mostly controlled by New Yorker Phantoms. EnBW Ludwigsburg managed to win second period 21-18. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. New Yorker Phantoms had a 27-16 advantage in offensive rebounds. They looked well-organized offensively handing out 22 assists comparing to just 9 passes made by EnBW Ludwigsburg's players. Nigerian-American point guard Michael Umeh (188-84, college: UNLV, agency: Pro One Sports) stepped up and scored 16 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists for the winners and American center Kyle Visser (211-85, college: Wake Forest) chipped in 18 points and 5 rebounds (perfect from the field making all seven shots !!!). Four New Yorker Phantoms players scored in double figures. Antiguan-American power forward Kurt Looby (208-84, college: Iowa) responded with a double-double by scoring 19 points and 11 rebounds (on 7-of-8 shooting from the field) and American guard Alex Harris (196-86, agency: Interperformances) scored 13 points and 4 assists. Both coaches used bench players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. New Yorker Phantoms maintains seventh place with 15-13 record, which they share with Telekom Baskets. Loser EnBW Ludwigsburg keeps the fifteenth position with 21 games lost. They share it with LTi 46ers and Phoenix Hagen. New Yorker Phantoms will meet at home bottom-ranked BG Goettingen (#18) in the next round which should be an easy win for them. EnBW Ludwigsburg will play against Phoenix Hagen and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
EnBW L'burg: K.Looby 19+11reb+1ast, M.Dorris 16+2reb+1ast, A.Harris 13+2reb+4ast, A.Fisher 8+2reb+1ast, J.Greer 7+3reb, M.Howard 5+5reb
NY Phantoms: K.Visser 18+5reb+2ast, M.Umeh 16+7reb+4ast, I.Milosevic 16+2reb+1ast, B.Jorovic 11+2reb+6ast, D.Theis 6+2reb+3ast, R.Kulawick 6+3reb+1ast
gschID: 133349


LTi 46ers - EWE Baskets 67-84

No shocking result in a game in Giessen where ninth ranked EWE Baskets (14-15) defeated 17th ranked LTi 46ers (8-21) 84-67 on Saturday. The guests trailed by 1 point after first quarter, but they stormed back to get the 14-point lead at the halftime and eventually won the game 84-67. EWE Baskets outrebounded LTi 46ers 32-19 including 23 on the defensive glass. American guard Bobby Brown (188-84, college: CS Fullerton, agency: Priority Sports) stepped up and scored 27 points and 4 assists for the winners and his fellow American import power forward Adam Chubb (208-81, college: Pennsylvania, agency: Pro One Sports) chipped in 18 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists (on 8-of-9 shooting from the field). Bosnian power forward Elvir Ovcina (210-76, college: Syracuse, agency: Interperformances) responded with 15 points, 8 rebounds and 5 assists and American guard Barry Stewart (191-88, college: Mississippi St.) scored 11 points and 5 rebounds. Both coaches used bench players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. EWE Baskets maintains ninth place with 14-15 record, which they share with Fraport SKY. LTi 46ers lost fourth consecutive game. They dropped to the fifteenth position with 21 games lost. They share it with EnBW L'burg and Phoenix Hagen. EWE Baskets will meet at home Deutsche Bank Skyliners (#10) in the next round. LTi 46ers will play against the league's second-placed ALBA Berlin (#2) and will have a slim chance for a victory.
Top scorers:
LTi 46ers: E.Ovcina 15+8reb+5ast, K.Archibong 13+1reb+3ast, B.Stewart 11+5reb+2ast, W.Bernard 9+1reb+2ast, C.Prewitt 9+1reb+2ast, A.Zazai 7+1ast
EWE Baskets: B.Brown 27+4ast, A.Chubb 18+6reb+4ast, D.Bahiense de Mello 10+1reb+3ast, R.Paulding 9+5reb+4ast, J.Freese 6+5reb, M.Majstorovic 6+4reb+1ast
gschID: 133350


Walter Tigers - Goettingen 83-67

Very expected game in Tuebingen where 18th ranked BG Goettingen (4-25) was defeated by twelfth ranked Walter Tigers (13-16) 83-67 on Saturday. The game was mostly controlled by Walter Tigers. BG Goettingen managed to win third quarter 16-15. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. Walter Tigers looked well-organized offensively handing out 22 assists. Bosnian forward Adnan Hodzic (203-88, college: Lipscomb, agency: Pro One Sports) stepped up and scored 13 points and 9 rebounds (on 6-of-7 shooting from the field) for the winners and American guard Reggie Redding (196-88, college: Villanova) chipped in 11 points, 5 rebounds and 8 assists. American guard Matt Bauscher (188-85, college: Boise St., agency: Scorers 1st Sportmanagement) responded with 15 points and 4 assists and the other American import guard Paris Horne (191-87, college: St.John's) scored 10 points and 6 rebounds. Five Walter Tigers and four BG Goettingen players scored in double figures. Both coaches used bench players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. Walter Tigers moved-up to eleventh place, which they share with Bremerhaven. Loser BG Goettingen stay dead last with 25 lost games. Walter Tigers will meet higher ranked ratiopharm Ulm (#3) on the road in the next round and it will be quite challenging to get another victory. BG Goettingen will play against New Yorker Phantoms (#7) in Braunschweig and hope to secure a win.
Top scorers:
Goettingen: M.Bauscher 15+3reb+4ast, J.Allen 11+5reb+1ast, P.Horne 10+6reb+2ast, M.Weber 10+2reb+2ast, V.Chikoko 9+5reb+1ast, R.Sykes 7+4reb
Walter Tigers: L.Campbell 15+3reb+3ast, V.Duggins 14+3reb+3ast, A.Hodzic 13+9reb+3ast, R.Redding 11+5reb+8ast, T.Nash 10+3reb, N.Simon 8+2reb
gschID: 133351


s.Oliver Baskets - Bremerhaven 71-69 OT

Tenth-ranked Eisbaeren Bremerhaven (13-16) made lots of trouble for sixth ranked s Oliver Baskets (18-11) in Wuerzburg on Saturday. s Oliver Baskets managed to secure only two-point victory 71-69. However their fans expected much easier game. The hosts trailed by 8 points after three quarters before their 16-8 charge, which allowed them to tie the game at the end of regular time and get a 2-point victory in overtime. s Oliver Baskets forced 23 Eisbaeren Bremerhaven turnovers. American guard Chris Kramer (191-88, college: Purdue) stepped up and scored 12 points and 8 rebounds for the winners and his fellow American import guard Chester Frazier (188-86, college: Illinois) chipped in 12 points and 7 rebounds. s Oliver Baskets' coach John Patrick used an eleven-player rotation in such tough game. The former international center Christopher McNaughton (211-82, college: Bucknell, agency: Pro One Sports) responded with 22 points and 7 rebounds and American guard Mike Smith (198-87, college: E.Tenn.St.) scored 13 points and 9 rebounds. s Oliver Baskets moved-up to fifth place. Eisbaeren Bremerhaven lost sixth consecutive game. They dropped to the eleventh position with 16 games lost. They share it with Walter Tigers. s Oliver Baskets will meet TBB Trier (#14) on the road in the next round and are hoping to win another game. Eisbaeren Bremerhaven will play against BBC Bayreuth and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Bremerhaven: C.McNaughton 22+7reb, M.Smith 13+9reb+1ast, J.Cain 10+5reb, A.Smith 9+7reb+1ast, Z.Peacock 5+8reb+2ast, A.Gordon 5+3reb+1ast
s.Oliver Baskets: C.Frazier 12+7reb+1ast, C.Kramer 12+8reb+1ast, J.Boone 11+6reb, J.Bucknor 9, A.King 7+7reb+1ast, R.Harris 7
gschID: 133352


Bayreuth - Art.Dragons 63-82

Very predictable result when fourth ranked Artland Dragons (20-9) outscored on the road 13th ranked BBC Bayreuth (11-18) 82-63 on Sunday. The game was mostly controlled by Artland Dragons. BBC Bayreuth managed to win fourth quarter 18-15. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. Artland Dragons dominated down low during the game scoring 50 of its points in the paint compared to BBC Bayreuth's 30. American-Puerto Rican forward Nathan Peavy (203-85, college: Miami, OH) stepped up with a double-double by scoring 15 points and 11 rebounds for the winners and American center Darren Fenn (208-80, college: Canisius, agency: Limelight Hoops) chipped in 18 points and 9 rebounds (on 7-of-9 shooting from the field). Five Artland Dragons players scored in double figures. American forward Brandon Hunter (201-80, college: Ohio) responded with 15 points and 5 rebounds and the other American import guard Danny Gibson (180-84, college: S.Indiana, agency: Limelight Hoops) scored 12 points. Both coaches used bench players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. Artland Dragons maintains fourth place with 20-9 record. BBC Bayreuth lost third consecutive game. They keep the thirteenth position with 18 games lost. Artland Dragons will meet at home league's leader Brose Baskets in the next round and it will be quite challenging to get another victory. BBC Bayreuth will play against Eisbaeren Bremerhaven (#12) and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Bayreuth: B.Hunter 15+5reb, D.Gibson 12+1reb+3ast, O.Jeanty 8+3reb, S.Schmitz 8+2reb, E.Ibekwe 6+5reb+2ast, T.Spoeler 4+5reb+3ast
Art.Dragons: D.Fenn 18+9reb, N.Peavy 15+11reb+2ast, B.Thomas 14+3reb+1ast, A.Hilliard 11+5reb+1ast, D.Holston 10+2reb+4ast, B.Bailey 6
gschID: 133353


Brose Baskets - Phoenix Hagen 97-69

Leader Brose Baskets delivered the twentieth fifth victory. This time they crushed 15th ranked Phoenix Hagen (8-21) 97-69 in Bamberg. The game without a history. Brose Baskets led from the first minutes and controlled entire game increasing their lead in each quarter. Brose Baskets have a solid series of four victories in a row. Defending champion maintains first place with 25-3 record. Phoenix Hagen at the other side keeps the fifteenth position with 21 games lost. They share it with EnBW L'burg and LTi 46ers. Brose Baskets will play against Artland Dragons (#4) in Quakenbrueck in the next round. Phoenix Hagen will play at home against EnBW Ludwigsburg (#15) and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
gschID: 133345


ALBA - B.Muenchen 73-52

Not a big story in a game when 6th ranked Bayern Muenchen (17-12) was outplayed on the road by third ranked ALBA Berlin (23-6) 73-52 on Saturday. The hosts trailed by 4 points after first quarter, but they stormed back to get the 1-point lead at the halftime and eventually won the game 73-52. ALBA Berlin made 16-of-19 free shots (84.2 percent) during the game. The former international forward Yassin Idbihi (208-83, college: Buffalo) stepped up and scored 17 points for the winners and Serbian forward Marko Simonovic (202-86, agency: Beo Basket) chipped in 13 points and 7 rebounds. Four ALBA Berlin players scored in double figures. American-Bulgarian center Jared Homan (206-83, college: Iowa St.) responded with a double-double by scoring 18 points and 11 rebounds and American forward Chevon Troutman (202-81, college: Pittsburgh, agency: ACMT) scored 9 points and 5 rebounds. The winner was already known earlier in the game, so both coaches allowed to play the bench players saving starting five for next games. ALBA Berlin have an impressive series of twelve victories in a row. They moved-up to second place, which they share with Ratiopharm. Newly promoted Bayern Muenchen keeps the sixth position with 12 games lost. ALBA Berlin will meet at home LTi 46ers (#17) in the next round which should be another easy win for them. Bayern Muenchen will play against Telekom Baskets (#8) in Bonn and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
B.Muenchen: J.Homan 18+11reb+2ast, C.Troutman 9+5reb+1ast, S.Hamann 5+1reb+2ast, J.Foster 4+3reb+5ast, R.Benzing 4+3reb, B.Doreth 4+1reb+1ast
ALBA: Y.Idbihi 17+4reb+1ast, M.Simonovic 13+7reb+1ast, B.Taylor 12+3reb+2ast, H.Schaffartzik 10+3reb+3ast, T.Francis 5+10reb+1ast, D.Wood 4+4reb+1ast
gschID: 133346


Fraport SKY - Ratiopharm 77-64

The game between second ranked ratiopharm Ulm (23-6) and tenth ranked Deutsche Bank Skyliners (14-15) was the most important one in the last round on Sunday night. ratiopharm Ulm was defeated by Deutsche Bank Skyliners in Frankfurt 77-64. It ended at the same time the four-game winning streak of ratiopharm Ulm. The game was mostly controlled by Deutsche Bank Skyliners. ratiopharm Ulm managed to win second period 20-19. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. The game was dominated by American players. The best player for the winners was forward Jacob Burtschi (198-84, college: Air Force) who scored 15 points and 7 rebounds. point guard Michael Thompson (177-89, college: Northwestern) chipped in 16 points. Center John Bryant (208-87, college: Santa Clara) produced a double-double by scoring 13 points and 12 rebounds and guard Isaiah Swann (188-85, college: Florida St.) added 17 points respectively for the guests. Both teams had four players each who scored in double figures. Deutsche Bank Skyliners moved-up to ninth place, which they share with EWE Baskets. ratiopharm Ulm at the other side keeps the second position with six games lost. They share it with ALBA. Deutsche Bank Skyliners is looking forward to face EWE Baskets (#9) in Oldenburg in the next round. ratiopharm Ulm will play at home against Walter Tigers (#11) in Tuebingen and is hoping to win this game.
Top scorers:
Ratiopharm: I.Swann 17+3reb+1ast, J.Bryant 13+12reb+1ast, D.Watts 12+6reb+1ast, P.Guenther 10+4ast, R.Trice 8+4reb+1ast, S.Esterkamp 4+1reb
Fraport SKY: M.Thompson 16+3reb+2ast, J.Burtschi 15+7reb+3ast, J.McKinney 13+4ast, Q.Robertson 11+3reb+3ast, J.Herber 8+1reb+2ast, T.Ohlbrecht 7+5reb
gschID: 133347


Telekom Baskets - TBB Trier 79-65

Everything went according to plan in Bonn where eighth ranked Telekom Baskets (15-13) won against 14th ranked TBB Trier (10-19) 79-65 on Sunday. The game was mostly controlled by Telekom Baskets. TBB Trier managed to win fourth quarter 18-16. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. American center Chris Ensminger (209-73, college: Valparaiso, agency: Limelight Hoops) stepped up with a double-double by scoring 12 points and 10 rebounds for the winners and Lithuanian guard Benas Veikalas (192-83, college: Metro St.) chipped in 14 points. American guard John Bynum (191-78, college: Metro St., agency: Scorers 1st Sportmanagement) responded with 13 points and 9 rebounds and the other American import forward Nate Linhart (201-86, college: Akron) scored 14 points and 5 rebounds. Both coaches used bench players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. Telekom Baskets moved-up to seventh place, which they share with NY Phantoms. Loser TBB Trier keeps the fourteenth position with 19 games lost. Telekom Baskets will meet higher ranked Bayern Muenchen (#6) on the road in the next round and it will be quite challenging to get another victory. TBB Trier will play against s Oliver Baskets (#5) in Wuerzburg and hope to secure a win.
Top scorers:
TBB Trier: N.Linhart 14+5reb+1ast, J.Bynum 13+9reb+3ast, D.Joyce 11+2reb+3ast, M.Zirbes 8+10reb+2ast, P.Zwiener 8+3reb+1ast, J.Washington 5
Telekom Baskets: B.Veikalas 14+3reb+2ast, T.Gaffney 12+5reb, C.Ensminger 12+10reb, S.Serapinas 9+1reb, J.Wohlfarth-Bottermann 7+6reb, T.Battle 7+1reb+3ast
gschID: 133348


Round 22
ALBA - Phoenix Hagen 114-86

There was no surprise when 15th ranked Phoenix Hagen (8-21) was crushed on the road by third ranked ALBA Berlin (23-6) 114-86 on Wednesday. The game was mostly controlled by ALBA Berlin. Phoenix Hagen managed to win third quarter 26-20. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. ALBA Berlin shot 66.1 percent from the field and made 29-of-36 free shots (80.6 percent) during the game, while Phoenix Hagen only scored nine points from the stripe. ALBA Berlin had a 24-13 advantage in offensive rebounds. It was a great shooting night for ALBA Berlin especially from behind the arc, where they had solid 61.1 percentage. They looked well-organized offensively handing out 32 assists. The game was also dominated by American players. Guard DaShaun Wood (185-85, college: Wright St.) stepped up and scored 27 points, 5 assists and 4 steals for the winners and forward Derrick Allen (203-80, college: Mississippi, agency: Pro One Sports) chipped in 17 points and 7 rebounds. Five ALBA Berlin players scored in double figures. ALBA Berlin's coach Gordon Herbert felt very confident that he used 11 players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. Guard Davin White (186-81, college: CS Northridge) responded with 25 points and 6 assists and guard Brandon Brooks (188-87, college: Alabama St., agency: Pro One Sports) scored 9 points and 8 assists. ALBA Berlin have an impressive series of twelve victories in a row. They moved-up to second place, which they share with Ratiopharm. Loser Phoenix Hagen keeps the fifteenth position with 21 games lost. They share it with EnBW L'burg and LTi 46ers. ALBA Berlin will meet at home LTi 46ers (#17) in the next round which should be another easy win for them. Phoenix Hagen will play against EnBW Ludwigsburg and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Phoenix Hagen: D.White 25+2reb+6ast, J.Hasquet 14+5reb+1ast, Z.Jonusas 12+2reb+3ast, B.Brooks 9+3reb+8ast, A.Constantine 8+5reb+1ast, E.Seward 6+3reb
ALBA: D.Wood 27+2reb+5ast, D.Allen 17+7reb+2ast, Y.Idbihi 15+5reb+1ast, S.Schultze 13+2reb+3ast, B.Taylor 11+3reb+4ast, K.Weaver 8+2reb+5ast
gschID: 169124


Round 27
TBB Trier - Art.Dragons 51-73

No shocking result in a game when fourth ranked Artland Dragons (20-9) smashed on the road 14th ranked TBB Trier (10-19) 73-51 on Saturday. The game without a history. Artland Dragons led from the first minutes and controlled entire game increasing their lead in each quarter. American-Puerto Rican forward Nathan Peavy (203-85, college: Miami, OH) stepped up and scored 17 points and 5 rebounds (on 6-of-7 shooting from the field) for the winners and American guard David Holston (170-86, college: Chicago St.) chipped in 7 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists. The former international center Maik Zirbes (205-90) responded with 16 points and 8 rebounds and the former international forward Philip Zwiener (198-85) scored 15 points. The winner was already known earlier in the game, so both coaches allowed to play the bench players saving starting five for next games. Artland Dragons maintains fourth place with 20-9 record. Loser TBB Trier keeps the fourteenth position with 19 games lost. Artland Dragons will meet at home league's leader Brose Baskets in the next round and it will be quite challenging to get another victory. TBB Trier will play against s Oliver Baskets (#5) in Wuerzburg and hope to secure a win.
Top scorers:
TBB Trier: M.Zirbes 16+8reb, P.Zwiener 15+3reb+1ast, D.Joyce 7+1reb+1ast, A.Seiferth 4+5reb+1ast, O.Fassler 3+2reb, J.Bynum 2+1reb
Art.Dragons: N.Peavy 17+5reb+1ast, B.Thomas 13, J.Strasser 9+1ast, A.Hess 8+5reb+1ast, A.Hilliard 7+1reb+3ast, D.Holston 7+6reb+4ast
gschID: 171349



DaShaun Wood claims German BBL weekly honour - by Eurobasket News

American DaShaun Wood (185-G-85) had an amazing evening in the last round for league's second-best ALBA and that's him to receive a Eurobasket.com Player of the Week award for round 29.
The 26-year old guard had the game-high 27 points adding two rebounds and five assists for ALBA in his team's victory, helping them to outclass Phoenix Hagen (#16, 8-21) with 28-point margin 114-86. ALBA is placed at 2nd position in German BBL. They would have been even better if they hadn't lost a few games earlier this season. ALBA will need more victories to improve their 23-6 record. Wood turned to be ALBA's top player in his first season with the team. Wright State University graduate has very impressive stats this year. Wood is in league's top in points (5th best: 15.3ppg) and assists (5th best: 4.8apg).

The second most remarkable performance in last round's games was 27-year old Antiguan power forward Kurt Looby (208-F/C-84) of EnBW L'burg. Looby impressed basketball fans with a double-double of 19 points and 11 rebounds. Bad luck as EnBW L'burg lost that game 73-87 to the higher-ranked NY Phantoms (#7, 15-13). EnBW L'burg is still in a red zone at 15th spot in . 21 lost games are too many comparing to just eight victories EnBW L'burg managed to get this year. Looby is a newcomer at EnBW L'burg and despite he is not a team leader yet, every game he becomes more reliable player. Hopefully performances like the last one will happen more often.

The third best performed player last round was international forward Tibor Pleiss (214-F/C-89) of top-ranked Brose Baskets. Pleiss scored 18 points and grabbed eight rebounds. He was a key player of Brose Baskets, leading his team to a 97-69 easy win against the lower-ranked Phoenix Hagen (#16, 8-21). Brose Baskets confirms their top position in Pleiss has a very solid season. In 28 games in Germany he scored 9.7ppg. He also has 6.1rpg, 1.2bpg and FGP: 62.9%.

Other top performing players last week:
4. Anthony Leon Tucker (198-F-85) of Brose Baskets - 21 points, 6 rebounds and 3 assists
5. Kyle Visser (211-C-85) of NY Phantoms - 18 points, 5 rebounds and 2 assists
6. Nathan Peavy (203-F-85) of Art.Dragons - 15 points, 11 rebounds and 2 assists
7. Derrick Allen (203-F-80) of ALBA - 17 points, 7 rebounds and 2 assists
8. Adam Chubb (208-F/C-81) of EWE Baskets - 18 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists
9. Nathan Peavy (203-F-85) of Art.Dragons - 17 points and 5 rebounds
10. John Bryant (208-C-87) of Ratiopharm - 13 points and 12 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)


Coach Pastushenko to stay at RSV Eintracht - by Moritz Korff

Vladimir Pastushenko will continue as head coach of RSV Eintracht Kleinmachnow/Teltow/Stahnsdorf for the 2012-13 season, the Pro B team announced today. Hence, the 40-year-old will enter his tenth year as the Eintracht coach. 'We as a club appreciate continuity and we are convinced, that Vladi will continue to bring us forward', chairman Michael Grunwaldt said.
Meanwhile, neither Keoni Watson (178-G-84, agency: Dynamics Global Management, college: Idaho), Eintracht's leading scorer during the 2011-12 campaign, nor his countryman Akeem Bennett (190-G/F-87, college: St.Francis, NY) will receive contract extension, the club told. 'We want to exercise other options regarding the import player spots', manager Daniel Fritzsche stated. At least three key players will remain on the RSV squad: Tim Modersitzki (197-F-85), Yannick Evans (202-F/C-86) and Michael Haucke (210-C-85) still have time left on their contracts.


Coach Rueber and SSV Lok Bernau part company - by Moritz Korff

SSV Lok Bernau opted not to renew the contract of head coach Axel Rueber, the club told recently. Rueber was hired in Janurary 2011, managed to keep Lok in the Pro B in the 2010-11 season, but was not able to gain the same result this year, as the Bernau team lost to Lich in the playdowns and is now facing relegation.
'We are planing for the Regionalliga only', manager Thomas Schoenhoff stated and refused the option to apply for a Pro B license for the 2012-13 season to possibly stay in the league in case of other teams withdrawing. 'We want to rebuild the team, look up and compete for the top spots [in the Regionalliga]', he explained.


Kevin Hamilton (BBC Bayreuth) We Have To Keep Artland From Getting Comfortable Offensively - by Miles Schmidt-Scheuber

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

How did you spend the break. Did you have some free time or was the team practicing the whole time?


We practiced a good amount. We did have some time at the end of last week but for the most part we have been grinding.

The team is riding on a 2 game losing streak. What has been the focus in practice this week and what has to get better on the court?

The focus has been getting back to playing tough defense and rebounding the basketball.

BBC Bayreth have a tough schedule with 5 playoff teams in the last six games. What is the most important thing the team has to do in the last month to be successful on the court?

Just stay together on the court and keep ourselves in games with these good teams. We know we will have to play well to finish out the season strong but I believe we are up to the challenge.


The next game is against the Artland Dragons. What do you remember from the 94-74 loss at Artland?

I remember them basically controlling the game from the tip. They were very well prepared and just outplayed us.

The Artland Dragons are one of the top teams in the league. The Fraport Skyliners beat them recently shutting down David Holston. Besides keying in on Holston, what will be key in getting the win?


I think they are a dangerous team all over. They have one of the best frontcourts and backcourts in the league. They key I feel is to keep them from getting comfortable offensively and limit their shots at the basket.


Former NBA star Dennis Rodmann says he is broke. This probably doesnt surprise you, but what can he do now to make some money quickly?lol


No idea, If i knew how to make some legal quick money outside of basketball I would be doing it myself.

What is your take on Austin Rivers going to the NBA after one year of NCAA ball?


I think his game is suited for the NBA. I am sure he will be fine.

Who will reach the NCAA final and win it and why?


I already lost in the Bayreuth bracket pool but it is hard to bet against Kentucky right now.


Thanks Kev for the chat.


Bryan Bailey (Artland Dragons) We Have To Be Sharp At Both End Of The Court In The Last Month - by Miles Schmidt-Scheuber

Bryan Bailey (185-PG-80, college: Bucknell) is a 31 year old 185cm combo guard that is playing his 10th professional basketball season and fifth playing with The Artland Dragons. He is a true team leader both on and off the court. He possesses a diverse game, with an ability to stroke the long-range jumper, penetrate to the rim or distribute the ball. He is solid on the defensive end of the floor as well. His fierce competitive drive rubs off on his teammates. He started his professional basketball career at Bucknell and player there from 1998-2002 and in his senior year played 17games averaging 18.1ppg,5.3rpg,2.4apg. He made All-Patriot League 1st Team in 2001 and 2002. In 2002-2003, he started his professional basketball season in Germany with DJK S. Oliver Wurzburg (Germany-1Bundesliga, starting five): 26 games, 15.4ppg, 3.8rpg, 1.4spg. In 2003-2004, he played in Holland for Landstede Zwolle (Holland-Eredivisie, starting five): 35 games: 17.5ppg, 4.0rpg, 3.1apg, 2.4spg, 0.2bpg. He then played with The Artland Dragons from 2004-2007 reaching the league and cup final in 2007. His best statistical season was 2005-2006 playing 33 games and averaging 11.4ppg, 2.8rpg, 2.7apg, 1.7spg, 2FGP: 46.9%, 3PT: 25.3%. In 2007-2008, he played with Bosna ASA BH Telecom Sarajevo (Bosnia-D1, starting five): ULEB Cup: 12 games: 10.3ppg, 2.3rpg, 4.5apg, 1.8spg, FGP: 54.1%, 3PT: 20.8%, FT: 84.3%. In 2008-2009, he played in Poland for PGE Turow Zgorzelec (Poland-DBE): Eurocup: 6 games: 7.3ppg, 2.7rpg, 1.7apg, 1.7spg; Polish League: 32 games: 8.0ppg, 1.8rpg, 2.8apg, FGP: 51.9%, 3PT: 32.4%, FT: 77.0%. In 2009-2010, he played with the EWE Baskets Oldenburg playing Euroleague: 4 games: 8.3ppg, 1.5rpg, 1.8apg; German League: 6 games: 9.3ppg, 1.3apg, 1.3spg, FGP: 50.0%, 3PT: 36.4%, FT: 89.7%. Last season with the Dragons, he played EuroChallenge Qualifying Round: 1 game: 7pts, 5reb, 3ast, 3steals; German League: 41 games: 11.5ppg, 2.4rpg, 3.2apg, 1.4spg, FGP: 52.2%, 3PT: 34.9%, FT: 77.2% He sat down and spoke with Eurobasket before the game with BBC Bayreuth April ist.

The Artland Dragons are in 4th place. What is the main focus of the team now? To secure 4th place?

We want to secure the 4th place and play at a high level going into the playoffs.

You guys have 4 games remaining on the road and two at home. What will be vital to do in the last month so the Dragons can get a good start in the Beko BBL playoffs?

We have to be sharp on both ends of the floor. I think we have to execute our offense precisely, and play smart on the defensive end.

The next game is against BBC Bayreuth. What is your memory of the 94-74 win earlier in the season?

In the first game, we got off to a hot start in the first quarter and made our shots. They were able to cut the lead down in the 2nd half, but we finished the game strong and got a good win.

BBC Bayreuth are always tough to play on the road. They can beat any team on any given day. What will be key in getting the win?

I think we have to limit Bayreuth second chance points. We have to win the rebounding battle and force them to take tough shots.

Is keeping Osvaldo Jeanty and Danny Gibson in check 80% of the way to the win?

I think they're both of big part of Bayreuth's offense and we have to keep them out of the lane and keep pressure on them at all times.

Former NBA star Dennis Rodmann says he is broke. This probably doesnt surprise you, but what can he do now to make some money quickly?lol

It's not really that surprising that he's broke. Maybe he can do a reality tv show to make some quick money.


What is your take on Austin Rivers going to the NBA after one year of NCAA ball?

I think his game is more suited for the NBA, than on the collegiate level.

Who will reach the NCAA final and win it and why?

My pick is Kentucky, because I think they have the most talented team.

Thanks Bryan for the chat.


Dane Watts (ratiopharm Ulm) We Need To Take Care Of The Ball Against The Fraport Skyliners - by Miles Schmidt-Scheuber

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

How has ratiopharm Ulm been able to come down form the 2012 Beko BBL cup weekend and focus again on the Beko BBL schedule?

It was a fun weekend but it is back to the regular season, it has not been a hard adjustment. These are important games to focus on down the stretch that will set the playoff table.

What was the most important thing that ratiopharm Ulm was able to gain from the cup weekend on the court?

Seeing the mistakes we made in the Bamberg game, how to close better against top teams.

The next game is against the Fraport Skyliners. What do you remember most from the 81-65 win besides your 2 clutch shots at the end and Jon Leuer?

It was a tough game in the Kuhberghalle, seems like it was so long ago.

You have played in Frankfurt a few times in your career. I remember a blow out loss to Frankfurt with Tuebingen. Do you still remember how EnBW Ludwigsburg did your rookie year in Frankfurt?

We did not play well when I was in Lubu, we took them to the wire last year when Wood had 20+ FTA.

The Fraport Skyliners belong to the top defensive teams in the Beko BBL. They are a very much different and better team than the time you saw them in the Kuhberg halle. What will be key in getting the win?

It has been a long time since we have played and both teams have developed over the course of a season, we will need to be focused and take care of the ball against the Skyliners.

Former NBA star Dennis Rodmann says he is broke. This probably doesnt surprise you, but what can he do now to make some money quickly?lol

It is sad to see players in that situation with the millions that have passed through their hands. He needs to ask Mike for a job as rebounding coach or something.

What is your take on Austin Rivers going to the NBA after one year of NCAA ball?

He probably would have gone straight out of HS if he could, Im sure his dad is giving him good advice.

Who will reach the NCAA final and win it and why?

Kentucky vs Ohio St. because I dont like KU and Kentucky has been playing well.

Thanks Dane for the chat.


John Bynum (TBB Trier) We Always Have To Bring Our A Game - by Miles Schmidt-Scheuber

John Bynum (191-G-78, agency: Scorers 1st Sportmanagement, college: Metro St.) is a 33 year old 191 cm guard from Visalia California that will commence his second season with TBB Trier. He is a good fighter, fast and good in offensive playing. He is great athlete who shoot the ball with consistency from 3 and finish with authority on the break. He is a tremendous defender on the ball. He played college basketball at College of the Sequoias Junior College:from 1996-1998 and then transferred to Metropolitan St. (NCAA2): and played there from 1998-2000. He started his professional basketball career in 2001 in the Uk for the Solent Stars (United Kingdom-NBLConf): 31 points, 8 rebounds and 7 assist. In 2002-2003, came his first tour of duty in Germany for BSG Grevenbroich (Germany-Regionalliga): 24.7ppg, 9.2rpg, 6.7apg, 3.5spg. In 2003-2004, he played for the Ulriken Eagles (Norway-BNLO): Regular Season: 14 games: 20,1ppg, 8,1rpg, 2,5apg, 2,9spg, 0,4bpg.In 2004-2005, he was back in Germany playing for BSG Grevenbroich (Germany-2. can Bundesliga): 30 games: Score-5 (26.0ppg), 7.7rpg, Ast-4 (5.4apg), 1.7spg, 2FGP: 55.5%, 3FGP: 33.3%, FT: 63.6%. In 2005-2006, he played for InterCollege Etha Engomis (Cyprus-A1): only pre-season, then joined COOCOON Baskets Weiden (Germany-2.Bundesliga, starting five): 8 games: 15.6ppg, 5.9rpg, 2.0apg, 1.6spg, 2FGP: 51%, left in Jan.'06 and later that month signed at Eisbaeren Bremerhaven (Germany-1.Bundesliga): 21 games: 7.8ppg, 2.6rpg, 1.8apg, 2FGP: 56.5%. In 2006-2007, he played for the Eisbaeren Bremerhaven (Germany-1.Bundesliga): 31 games: 5.7ppg, 2.0rpg, 2.2apg, 2FGP: 43.1%, 3FGP: 25.0%, FT: 55.9%. In 2007-2008, he played for USC Heidelberg (Germany-ProA, starting five): 14 games: 14.4ppg, 4.4rpg, Assists-5 (4.6apg), 2.3spg, 2FGP: 54%, 3FGP: 27.3%, FT: 58.5%, left in Jan.'08 due to shoulder injury, in Feb.'08 moved to Digibu Baskets Paderborn (Germany-1.Bundesliga, starting five): 13 games: 6.3ppg, 3.0rpg, 2.4apg, 2FGP: 51.8%, 3PT: 14.3%, FT: 70.0%. In 2009-2010, he played in the PRO A for Proveo Merlins Crailsheim (Germany-ProA, starting five): 27 games: 16.9ppg, 7.1rpg, Assists-3 (5.4apg), 1.1spg, FGP: 51.8%, 3PT: 25.0%, FT: 62.8%. Last season with TBB Trier, he played 35 games: 6.9ppg, 3.7rpg, 1.5apg, FGP: 47.9%, 3PT: 24.0%, FT: 64.3%. He sat down with eurobasket before the game against the Telekom Baskets Bonn in Bonn.

How did you spend the break. Did you have some free time or was the team practicing the whole time?

We didn't get a break because we played at home over the weekend against Artland.

TBB Trier suffered a tough 73-51 loss last weekend. What was the most important thing that the team learned from this bitter loss?

Well I think we just learned that we have to bring our a game because if we don't things like this have a possibility of happening when you play in this league. You never want to lose like that on your home court.


The next game is against the Telekom Baskets Bonn. What do you remember form the exciting 71-70 win at home earlier in the season?

To be honest I don't remember that much. I remember Jordan having a good look at the end of the game to win it and we were fortunate to come up with a win at home.

Will you watch extra film on Jared Jordan or just follow your instincts during the game and not let him out of your sight?

I think we just have to find a way to contain him and just make other players make plays at the end of the shot clock or make people do what they are not comfortable doing. We respect his game but at the same time basketball is a team game and they have four other players on the court besides him.

Bonn is coming off a cup weekend and anxious to reach the playoffs. Besides keying on Jared Jordan will the boards be key to getting the win?

They have some great players at each position, I think it will be a team effort at both ends of the floor and we just have to find a way to get it done. We have to keep Gaffney and Chris off the boards and limit there shooters to contested shots.

Former NBA star Dennis Rodmann says he is broke. This probably doesnt surprise you, but what can he do now to make some money quickly?lol

Well I would never say that it can't happen, but at the same time it doesn't suprise me that he went broke. He lived that type of lifestyle. I just think he needs to get with some right people who have a plan for him and he'll be alright by making appearances and things like that

What is your take on Austin Rivers going to the NBA after one year of NCAA ball?

.Good for Rivers. I wouldn't want to be at Duke and play there for another year either. Lol. I won't have to watch him play in those ugly blue uniforms anymore.


Who will reach the NCAA final and win it and why?

I think the final four will consist of Louisville, Kentucky, Kansas and Ohio State.... Lol

Thanks John for the chat.




Falko Thelig (Fraport Skyliners) My Body Still Needs To Get More Stable So I Can Hold My Own Against Bigger Players - by Miles Schmidt-Scheuber

Falko Theilig (180-PG-92) is a 20 year old 192cm guard from Giessen. He is playing his second season for the Fraport Skyliners. He played for the Lti Giessen 46ers from 2008-2010. Last season for the Deutsche Bank Skyliners Frankfurt II (ProB), he played 25 games: 8.4ppg, 2.8rpg, Assists-5 (5.6apg), FGP: 48.2%, 3PT: 24.7%, FT: 66.3%. He has played for the German national U-16 and U-18 teams. He played at the European Championships U20 in Bilbao (Spain) -11: 4 games: 0.5ppg He spoke to Eurobasket about basketball.

Congrats on the 95-75 win against Alba Berlin 2 and keeping the Fraport Skyliners in the PRO B. With what kind of feelings did the team go into game 3?


We were all pretty nervous and excited at the same time. It was a do or die game. For the guys that returned from last year, we wanted to win this game badly and not lose again like we did against Wolfenbuttel last season. We knew that we had to stay strong. We got a great team effort in the second half.

Was this the biggest game of your career?


It wasnt my most important games, but it was an important one. It was a big game because we wanted to stay in PRO B. It is a great situation having a Beko BBL and PRO B team in one place.

At half time the score was 40-40. What did head coach Klaus Mewes tell the team to do better in the second half?


We had had a nice run in the second quarter, but lost it again due to bad turnovers. He told us to stay calm and not get crazy. He told us to play better defense.

In the third quarter, the Fraport Skyliners exploded for 29 points. What was key for this?


We played better defense and got better offensive chances due to our defense and got easy baskets. We were able to crack their zone and we were all on the same page.

Did you ever think that German national player Lucca Staiger could shoot so bad in the first two games at 6/34?


That can happen. The balls in the Beko BBL and PRO B are different. If you are used to practicing all week with BBL balls then it can be tough in a PRO B game with those balls. When you have an experienced shooter like Staiger, you can see that even when he isnt hitting he just continues to shoot. He shot better in game three. He took many tough shots and was defended well from Benedikt Nicolay.

Would the Fraport Skyliners have won the series without German national player Tim Ohlbrecht?


I think that we still would have won without him. The teams have a lot of motivation playing against Ohlbrecht. It is never easy finding that team rhythm when new players come on board, but we did a good job.

The Fraport Skyliners juniors closed out the season with a 6-16 record. Despite injuries, youth and not always having all players that the season was ok?


Anytime that you have to fight to stay in the league, you cant be happy with the overall season. We only had 2 guys that were always at each practice with Larry Wright and Demetrius Jemison. We never ever had a full team in practice since guys were injured or in school. Despite never really having a full squad to practice, we played good games against top level teams like Gotha and lost close games to top teams. Despite all that, I think that we did a good job as a team.

How happy were you with your PRO B season? You increased your points and were a bit down on assists?


I had problems at the start getting a rhythm. I had private problems and had to stop my studies. I think I was able to improve my shot. I worked hard with Klaus Perwas. I have to score at times at the point guard position and I think that I was able to improve there too, but I expected a better season for myself.

What is a strength in your game that doesnt always get noticed right away?


I have the ability to set and control the tempo. I also think that I have a good eye for the better positioned shooter. I can penetrate, create the open shot and my size helps with my quickness get inside.

What was the most incredible thing that you saw Larry Wright do?

He is a great ball handler that can create open shots. His cross over and ability to shoot is amazing. He often made the opponent look really old. He is a player that can score when he wants to.

What could you learn from Larry Wright?


Dribbling and shooting from the dribble.


How difficult is it combining Beko BBL and PRO B?

We didnt really practice so much with the PRO B. usually the practices were right after the other. Sometimes I would practice twice which I felt in my bones.

What do you still have to do better in order to get healthy minutes in the Beko BBL?


My body needs to get more stable so I can hold my own against bigger players at my position. I also need to be more calm. Sometimes I get nervous and I need to be more calm.

The team is in Mallorca in a 5 day training camp. How big is the we believe attitude for reaching the playoffs?


We believe and have a chance for the playoffs. We arent talking about the playoffs, but look more game to game. The Goettingen loss was bitter, but we came back and played well at Artland. Our problem is sometimes we play well and then we dont. We wont give up.

What do you want to take with you from Mallorca?


It isnt really my city, but I want to take something from the culture an don the court improve and get ready for Ulm.


Michael Thompson and Devin Gibson are rookies and young like you. What can you learn from young players like that?


Juice has really improved since Justin Gray got injured. At the start, he had some problems, but now he is a consistent player. He has calmness and can shoot very well in crunch time. Gibosn plays that American style that you dont see in Europe. His biggest strength is that he is athletic and quick and always aggressive on offense and defense.

How did you get involved with basketball?


I had started playing soccer and wasnt very good. A friend wanted to try a new sport which was basketball and got me to come along. We started to play on the street as a group of 10. We played so much that at night people would ask us to stop because they wanted to sleep. We would get up early and play again in the morning.

Who were your NBA idols as a kid?


Dirk Nowitzki. I never have met him, but I like how he presents himself and how professional he always is. I also liked players at my position like Steve Nash and Chris Paul. I also liked Juan Carlos Navarro. I liked how he could score despite his size especially with his floater. I also liked Lebron James.

You played two seasons for the Lti Giessen 46ers. Why did you leave there to go to Frankfurt?


I was always a stay home kind of guy and wanted to stay in Giessen, but the situation didnt fit anymore. I was young and the BBL team wasnt the problem. I got my first game as an 18 year old, but moreover it was the PRO B team. I didnt get much playing time in the PRO B. The coach didnt want to try something new, but elected to play me at shooting guard against bigger players. I wanted to go and then came the chance with Frankfurt and I took it.

What is still missing for Johannes Lischka to make the jump to the German national team?

He really has everything that he needs to be a national player, but he cant seem to put it all together. He can shoot, rebound and penetrate, but sometimes he seems to put too much pressure on himself. He definitely can play for the German national team.

What was the most amazing thing that you saw David Teague do?


His 35 point game against Alba Berlin. It felt like he scored 40-50 points. He was unstoppable. He was hitting everything.


What were the most free throws that you made in a row in practice?


52

What was your most crazy shot in your career?


We were down 2 points and I hit a three pointer out of the pick and roll.

Who will reach the NCAA final and win it?


I think that Kentucky will win it.

What was the last DVD movie that you saw?


Clash of the titans.

Thanks Falko for the chat.




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


ZZ Leiden Wins Dutch Cup Final 88-74 - by Fred Roggen

ZZ Leiden captured the Dutch Cup with a 88-74 win against Magixx for KidRights at the Topsportcentrum Almere.
The game opened at the end of the first period with an impressive run by ZZ Leiden (28-17) , which continued the hallmarks of ZZ Leiden success: aggressive defensive pressure and improved offensive ball movement.
However, ZZ Leiden grew over-confident and played sloppily in the last minutes of the second period (42-31), allowing Magixxs resilient squad to demonstrate the tenacity which
had gotten it to the final.
Coming out of the locker rooms, both squads increased their defensive effort, but ZZ Leiden held a double-digit lead during the second half. During the last minutes of the game, the ZZ Leiden fans, already celebrating the Dutch Cup victory under Head Coach Toon Van Helfteren (agency: R.H.Consultancy ).
Scorers ZZ Leiden: Seamus Boxley (201-F-82, college: Portland St.) 25, Jevohn Shepherd (196-F-86, college: Michigan) 21, Thomas Jackson (175-PG-80, college: Butler) 9 - Magixx for KidsRights: Markel Humphrey (198-F-87, college: Marshall) 24, Maurice Acker (173-PG-87, agency: Edge Sports, college: Marquette) 15, Lucas Hargrove (198-F-88, college: Auburn) 13.




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


Tamas Markus: All in! - by Tamas Deri

Hungarian guard, Tamas Markus (180-G/F-89) agreed during the last summer with Bodfeld Baskets in the 2. Regionalliga in Germany and finished the season with winning the competition and also the Cup of Sachsen-Anhalt-Region. In the final of the Cup Bodfeld Baskets beat Halle 86:62, Markus helped the winners with 5 points, 9 assists, 4 fouls against, 3 rebounds and assists. As he informed the medias, the management of Bodfeld Baskets started the negotiations with him for the coming season already.


Lorant's Lagun Aro won against Hanga's Manresa - by Tamas Deri

Today in the 27th round of the ACB the two hungarian players met on the court again and as in the middle of November, even today Peter Lorant (207-F/C-85, agency: Laszlo Vinko Group) could celebrate the victory of his team. Lagun Aro could win the derby 79:74 and got with this win on the 4th place of the ACB with a 16-11 record.
Both national team players came from the bench and could help their teams. Adam Hanga (201-G-89, agency: TSS Management) scored 7 points and grabbed 1 rebound in 13 minutes, while Lorant helped the winners with 4 points, 2 rebounds and 1 assist in 14 minutes on the court.


*****************************************************
  INDONESIA   

Standings - IBL

NBL Standings
 1. Aspac 25-5 
 2. Satria Muda 24-4 
 3. Pelita Jaya 22-7 
 4. Garuda 22-7 
 5. CLS Knights 19-10 
 6. Muba Hangtuah 16-13 
 7. Stadium Jak. 16-13 
 8. Bima Sakti 9-18 
 9. Pacific Caesar 9-21 
 10. Comfort Mobile 6-23 
 11. Satya Wacana 4-25 
 12. NSH GMC Riau 1-27 

Regular Season: Round 47

Apr. 1: NSH GMC Riau - Stadium Jak. 64-91
Apr. 1: CLS Knights - Muba Hangtuah 56-53
Apr. 1: Pelita Jaya - Garuda 53-47
Apr. 1: Pacific Caesar - Aspac 42-55

Regular Season: Round 48

Apr. 2: Bima Sakti - Comfort Mobile
Apr. 2: Satria Muda - NSH GMC Riau
Apr. 2: Garuda - Satya Wacana


Stats Leaders

Points Per Game
 Yanuar DWI PRIASMORO
  Bima S.
  (178-SG-89)
  Avg: 16.2
 1. Dwi Priasmor., Bim.16.2 
 2. Ferdiansyah, Stadi.15.2 
 3. Nagata, Pacific14.1 
 4. Wisnu, Satria Muda13.9 
 5. Rizky Ardian., Bim.13.5 
 6. Sapto, Muba H.12.6 
 7. Ahmad, Satria Muda12.4 
 8. Prawiro, Aspac12.2 
 9. Chandra, Pelita J.12.2 
 10. Regowo, Aspac11.9 
Rebounds Per Game
 Galank GUNAWAN
  Satria M.
  (194-PF-87)
  Avg: 10.6
 1. Gunawan, Satria M.10.6 
 2. Regowo, Aspac8.7 
 3. Thoyib, Aspac8.2 
 4. Yanto, NSH G.7.8 
 5. Heryadi, Muba H.7.7 
 6. Sitepu, Satria M.7.6 
 7. Rizky Ardian., Bim.7.3 
 8. Nasution, Satya W.6.9 
 9. Wuwungan, Satya W.6.6 
 10. Wisnu, Satria Muda6.5 
Assists Per Game
 Denny SARTIKA
  Bima Sakti
  (175-PG-80)
  Avg: 4.2
 1. Sartika, Bima Sakti4.2 
 2. Gerungan, Aspac4.0 
 3. Muharri, CLS K.3.5 
 4. Purwanto, Pelita J.3.5 
 5. Widyanto, Pacifi.3.3 
 6. Yusran, Stadium2.5 
 7. Ahmad, Satria Muda2.5 
 8. Wilopo, Muba H.2.4 
 9. Uniputty, Comfor.2.4 
 10. Wijaya, Garuda2.4 
Steals Per Game
 Kelly PURWANTO
  Pelita J.
  (177-PG-83)
  Avg: 3
 1. Purwanto, Pelita J.3.0 
 2. Poedjakesuma, Peli.2.8 
 3. Muharri, CLS K.2.7 
 4. Ferdiansyah, Stadi.2.3 
 5. Sartika, Bima Sakti2.3 
 6. Uniputty, Comfor.2.1 
 7. Wijaya, Garuda2.1 
 8. Sapto, Muba H.2.0 
 9. Sunarya, Muba H.2.0 
 10. Rizky Ardian., Bi.1.9 
Blocks Per Game
 R RUSLAN
  Stadium .
  (197-C-89)
  Avg: 2.5
 1. Ruslan, Stadium2.5 
 2. Thoyib, Aspac2.3 
 3. Sitepu, Satria M.2.1 
 4. Arizki, Aspac1.7 
 5. Gunawan, Satya W.1.6 
 6. Teguh, Muba H.1.3 
 7. Damanik, NSH G.1.3 
 8. Indrawan, Pelita J.1.2 
 9. Listiyono, Pacifi.1.1 
 10. Sasmito, Pacific1.1 


NBL Round 47: CLS Knights defeat Muba Hangtuah in the closest game of the week - by Eurobasket News

The teams have now bigger motivation at this stage of Regular Season. Every game can be crucial and decide about teams' position at the end of Regular Season.

The most exciting game of round 47 in the NBL took place in Surabaya. This derby game ended with only three-point defeat on the road of 6th ranked Muba Hangtuah (16-13) to fifth ranked CLS Knights (19-10) 56-53 in the game for the fifth place. The hosts started the game with a very strong first quarter 17-8. But Muba Hangtuah won second period 17-15. However it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. CLS Knights forced 20 Muba Hangtuah turnovers. It was a great evening for the former international center Agustinus Indrajaya (191-83) who led his team to a victory with a double-double by scoring 15 points and 10 rebounds. The former international Andrie Ekayana (182-82) helped adding 14 points. CLS Knights' coach Risdianto Roeslan used an eleven-player rotation in such tough game. The former international power forward Dian Heryadi (194-80) responded with a double-double by scoring 20 points and 13 rebounds. CLS Knights maintains fifth place with 19-10 record. Muba Hangtuah at the other side keeps the sixth position with 13 games lost. They share it with Stadium Jak.. Both teams do not play next round, which will be an opportunity for some rest.
Very important is a road loss of third ranked Garuda (22-7) against fourth ranked Pelita Jaya (22-7) on Sunday night. Visiting Garuda was defeated by Pelita Jaya in a tough game in Jakarta 47-53. It ended at the same time the five-game winning streak of Garuda. It was an exceptional evening for the former international forward Andi Poedjakesuma (187-80) who led the winners with a double-double by scoring 12 points and 10 rebounds. Ary Chandra accounted for 10 points and 5 rebounds. The former international center Hendrik Agustinus (203-82) came up with 18 points for Garuda in the defeat. Both coaches used bench players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. Pelita Jaya have a solid series of four victories in a row. Defending champion moved-up to third place, which they share with defeated Garuda. Pelita Jaya will have a break next round, and it should allow them to practice more before next game. Garuda will play at home against Satya Wacana in Salatiga and hopes to get back on the winning track.
12th ranked NSH GMC Riau (1-27) was outscored at home by seventh ranked Stadium Jakarta (16-13) with the biggest margin this round 91-64 on Sunday night. The best player for the winners was Merio Ferdiansyah who scored 27 points and 5 steals. Ryan Febriyan produced 16 points and 8 rebounds for the hosts. The winner was already known earlier in the game, so both coaches allowed to play the bench players saving starting five for next games. Stadium Jakarta have a solid series of four victories in a row. They moved-up to sixth place, which they share with Muba Hangtuah. NSH GMC Riau lost twentieth fourth consecutive game. They stay dead last with 27 lost games. Stadium Jakarta will have a break next round, and it should allow them to practice more before next game. NSH GMC Riau will play against the league's second-placed Satria Muda (#2) in Jakarta.

In the last game of round 47 Aspac won against Pacific Caesar on the opponent's court 55-42.

Pacific Caesar - Aspac 42-55

Very expected game in Surabaya where 9th ranked Pacific Caesar (9-21) was defeated by second ranked Aspac (25-5) 55-42 on Sunday. The game was mostly controlled by Aspac. Pacific Caesar managed to win fourth quarter 12-7. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. They dominated on the defensive end, holding Pacific Caesar to just 3 points in second quarter. Aspac held Pacific Caesar to an opponent 24.1 percent shooting from the field compared to 30.8 percent accuracy of the winners. They outrebounded Pacific Caesar 51-29 including a 17-4 advantage in offensive rebounds. The best player for the winners was forward Pringgo Regowo (190-87) who scored 10 points and 6 rebounds. Guard Oki Wira Sanjaya (190-89) chipped in 8 points. Aspac's coach Tjetjep Firmansyah allowed to play the deep bench players saving starting five for next games. Forward Gege Nagata (185-88) produced 17 points and 5 rebounds and center Hery Listiyono (191-86) added 11 points and 10 rebounds respectively for the hosts. Aspac keeps a position of league leader. Pacific Caesar lost third consecutive game. They keep the ninth place with 21 games lost. Both teams do not play next round, which will be an opportunity for some rest.
Top scorers:
Pacific Caesar: G.Nagata 17+5reb, H.Listiyono 11+10reb, E.Sasmito 7+1reb, D.Galih 3+3reb+1ast, R.Anggakara 2+1reb, I.Pranoto 2+1reb
Aspac: P.Regowo 10+6reb, R.Shariputra 8+2reb+1ast, O.Wira Sanjaya 8+3reb+2ast, H.Santosa 6+5reb, S.Harun Nurman 5+3reb+2ast, O.Abraham Trisakti 5+6reb+1ast
gschID: 166183


CLS Knights - Muba Hangtuah 56-53

The most exciting game of round 47 in the NBL took place in Surabaya. This derby game ended with only three-point defeat on the road of 6th ranked Muba Hangtuah (16-13) to fifth ranked CLS Knights (19-10) 56-53 in the game for the fifth place. The hosts started the game with a very strong first quarter 17-8. But Muba Hangtuah won second period 17-15. However it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. CLS Knights forced 20 Muba Hangtuah turnovers. It was a great evening for the former international center Agustinus Indrajaya (191-83) who led his team to a victory with a double-double by scoring 15 points and 10 rebounds. The former international Andrie Ekayana (182-82) helped adding 14 points. CLS Knights' coach Risdianto Roeslan used an eleven-player rotation in such tough game. The former international power forward Dian Heryadi (194-80) responded with a double-double by scoring 20 points and 13 rebounds and forward Ahmad Junaidi (188-90) scored 9 points. CLS Knights maintains fifth place with 19-10 record. Muba Hangtuah at the other side keeps the sixth position with 13 games lost. They share it with Stadium Jak.. Both teams do not play next round, which will be an opportunity for some rest.
Top scorers:
Muba Hangtuah: D.Heryadi 20+13reb+2ast, A.Junaidi 9+3reb+1ast, R.Santo Yunarto 7+1ast, A.Sigar 7+3reb, A.Sapto 6+5reb+1ast, T.Wilopo 2+1ast
CLS Knights: A.Indrajaya 15+10reb+2ast, A.Ekayana 14+4reb+2ast, T.Agus 10+2reb, S.Febiansyakh 8+4reb, W.Saputra 4+3reb+1ast, D.Muharri 3+3reb+3ast
gschID: 166181


Pelita Jaya - Garuda 53-47

Very important is a road loss of third ranked Garuda (22-7) against fourth ranked Pelita Jaya (22-7) on Sunday night. Visiting Garuda was defeated by Pelita Jaya in a tough game in Jakarta 47-53. It ended at the same time the five-game winning streak of Garuda. Garuda was ahead by 1 point at the halftime before a 33-26 second half run of Pelita Jaya. It was an exceptional evening for the former international forward Andi Poedjakesuma (187-80) who led the winners with a double-double by scoring 12 points and 10 rebounds. International forward Ary Chandra (182-84) accounted for 10 points and 5 rebounds for the winning side. The former international center Hendrik Agustinus (203-82) came up with 18 points and the former international point guard Wendha Wijaya (181-82) added 12 points and 5 steals respectively for Garuda in the defeat. Both coaches used bench players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. Pelita Jaya have a solid series of four victories in a row. Defending champion moved-up to third place, which they share with defeated Garuda. Pelita Jaya will have a break next round, and it should allow them to practice more before next game. Garuda will play at home against Satya Wacana in Salatiga and hopes to get back on the winning track.
Top scorers:
Garuda: H.Agustinus 18+4reb, W.Wijaya 12+4reb+3ast, C.Gideon 8+7reb, V.Nolland 3+3reb, N.Fritzgerald 2+1ast, F.Minallah 2+1reb
Pelita Jaya: A.Poedjakesuma 12+10reb+3ast, A.Chandra 10+5reb+1ast, K.Purwanto 10+2reb+3ast, R.Christanto Chandra 5+1reb, F.Dini 5+1reb+1ast, P.Indrawan 4+7reb+2ast
gschID: 166182


NSH GMC Riau - Stadium Jak. 64-91

12th ranked NSH GMC Riau (1-27) was outscored at home by seventh ranked Stadium Jakarta (16-13) with the biggest margin this round 91-64 on Sunday night. The game without a history. Stadium Jakarta led from the first minutes and controlled entire game increasing their lead in each quarter. Stadium Jakarta forced 31 NSH GMC Riau turnovers and had a 23-8 advantage in offensive rebounds. They looked well-organized offensively handing out 27 assists comparing to just 11 passes made by NSH GMC Riau's players. The best player for the winners was Merio Ferdiansyah (176-85) who scored 27 points and 5 steals. Randolph Ariestedes (197-87) chipped in 14 points and 6 rebounds. Ryan Febriyan (194-87) produced 16 points and 8 rebounds and center Max Yanto (215-83) added 11 points and 7 rebounds respectively for the hosts. Five Stadium Jakarta and four NSH GMC Riau players scored in double figures. The winner was already known earlier in the game, so both coaches allowed to play the bench players saving starting five for next games. Stadium Jakarta have a solid series of four victories in a row. They moved-up to sixth place, which they share with Muba Hangtuah. NSH GMC Riau lost twentieth fourth consecutive game. They stay dead last with 27 lost games. Stadium Jakarta will have a break next round, and it should allow them to practice more before next game. NSH GMC Riau will play against the league's second-placed Satria Muda (#2) in Jakarta.
Top scorers:
NSH GMC Riau: R.Febriyan 16+8reb+2ast, M.Yesyurun 12+3reb, M.Yanto 11+7reb, N.Fadhilah 10+2reb+1ast, R.Israelli 7+4reb, I.Husnuzan 4+2reb+2ast
Stadium Jak.: M.Ferdiansyah 27+3reb+1ast, R.Ariestedes 14+6reb+2ast, A.Sujarwo 11+2reb+3ast, R.Ruslan 10+5reb+2ast, D.Leonardo 10+4reb+3ast, M.Wicaksono 6+2reb+2ast
gschID: 166180



Sebayang's 19 points and 6 rebounds give him Player of the Week award - by Eurobasket News

28-year old guard Erick Sebayang (180-G-83) put on an amazing game in the last round for Pelita Jaya and receives a Eurobasket.com Player of the Week award for round 46.
He had the game-high 19 points adding six rebounds and two assists for Pelita Jaya in his team's victory, helping them to outclass Satya Wacana (#11, 4-25) with 39-point margin 72-33. Pelita Jaya maintains the 4th position in Indonesian league. They would have been even better if they hadn't lost a few games earlier this season. Pelita Jaya will need more victories to improve their 21-7 record. It's Sebayang's second year at Pelita Jaya and it's hard to imagine this team without him. Erick Sebayang averages this season 10.8ppg.

Second best performed player last round was Adhi Prasetyo (194-C-93) of Muba Hangtuah. He is a center in his first season at Muba Hangtuah. In the last game Prasetyo recorded impressive 18 points and 9 rebounds. Of course he lead Muba Hangtuah to another comfortable win outscoring the lower-ranked Comfort Mobile (#10, 6-23) 89-46. Muba Hangtuah's 6th position in the standings has not changed. His team lost some distance to top teams. But 16-12 record is not bad and everything may still change. Prasetyo is a newcomer at Muba Hangtuah and despite he is not a team leader yet, every game he becomes more reliable player. Hopefully performances like the last one will happen more often.

Third place about best performers goes to forward Gege Nagata (185-F-88) of Pacific Caesar (#9). Nagata got into 30-points club by scoring 34 points in the last round. He went also for ten rebounds . Despite Nagata's great performance Pacific Caesar lost 70-91 to slightly higher-ranked Stadium Jak. (#7, 15-13). But his team cannot count on just a single shooter as he also needs help of the other teammates. The chances of Pacific Caesar not to end season at such low position in the league, however are less than slim as they have already lost 20 games, recording just nine victories. With bigger assistance of his teammates, Nagata could try to bring Pacific Caesar's a little bit higher in the standings. Nagata has individually a great season in Indonesia. After 34 games, he made it on the list of the league's leaders in points with 14.0ppg (3rd best).

Other top performing players last week:
4. Anton Sujarwo (186-G-84) of Stadium Jak. - 14 points and 5 rebounds
5. Dian Heryadi (194-F/C-80) of Muba Hangtuah - 6 points, 10 rebounds and 3 assists
6. Agustinus Sigar (180-G-79) of Muba Hangtuah - 17 points
7. Kelly Purwanto (177-PG-83) of Pelita Jaya - 8 points, 4 rebounds and 4 assists
8. Daniel Iskandar (190-F-71) of Stadium Jak. - 13 points, 8 rebounds and 2 assists
9. Isman Thoyib (202-C-84) of Aspac - 5 points and 15 rebounds
10. Ary Chandra (182-F-84) of Pelita Jaya - 8 points, 3 rebounds and 2 assists

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


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


Mahram - Al Riyadi,The First Step of WABA league - by Kazem Ghayem


The First Game of WABA league Finals will held tomorrow in Lebanon where Al Riyadi Beirut should face Mahram Iran.
WABA league finals will held in 4 games and the host of the first 2 game will be Lebanon,but 1 week ago it was Mahram to be the host of the first 2 game but after the problems occurred at their last game against Zob Ahan for live TV Broadcasting WABA league directors changed the host country. Al Riyadi Beirut signed Andre Emmett (196-G/F-82, college: Texas Tech) recently but as far as we know he is not in Lebanon yet,but we should wait to see if he arrive to the first game or not. in the other hand we heard from rumors that Al Riyadi Beirut signed another big name too for the Asian club championships but we will not mention the name for now just to know he is coming from China CBA league.

'Mahram Tehran reached the final just to be champion' Mahram Tehran's coach said. 'we start the trainings just after we defeat Zob Ahan and we are just go to Lebanon to take 2 win and finish the job in Tehran.' Mostafa Hashemi added. he continued ' Al Riyadi Beirut is a great team that all of their players play well as a team and we should be focused on the defense so much.'


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  ISRAEL   


Israeli Premier League round 22 best performance: Joe Crawford - by Eurobasket News

American swingman Joe Crawford (196-G/F-86, agency: CAA Sports) put on an extraordinary performance in the last round for Maccabi Rishon, receiving a Eurobasket.com Player of the Week award for round 22.
The 25-year old player was the main contributor (35 points, six rebounds and five assists) to his team's victory, helping them to edge out Maccabi Haifa (#11, 3-17) 105-102. Maccabi Rishon is placed at 3rd position in Israeli Premier League. They would have been even better if they hadn't lost a few games earlier this season. Maccabi Rishon will need more victories to improve their 12-8 record. In the team's last game Crawford had a remarkable 68.8% from 2-point range. He turned to be Maccabi Rishon's top player in his first season with the team. Former University of Kentucky star has very solid stats this year. Crawford is in league's top in points (4th best: 20.2ppg).

The second best player in last round's games was 23-year old American Tyler Wilkerson (202-F-88) of Maccabi Haifa. Wilkerson had a very good evening with 30 points, 9 rebounds and 2 assists. Bad luck as Maccabi Haifa was edged by the higher-ranked Maccabi Rishon (#3, 12-8) 105-102. Maccabi Haifa are still at the very bottom of . 17 lost games are too many comparing to just three victories Maccabi Haifa managed to get this year. Wilkerson is a newcomer at Maccabi Haifa, but is already one of team's top players.

Third on the list of top players last round was international forward Lior Eliyahu (206-F/C-85, agency: Z.A.G. - Law Offices) of league's top team Maccabi T-A. Eliyahu showcased his all-around game by recording 18 points, seven rebounds and four assists in the last round. He was a key player of Maccabi T-A, leading his team to a 88-76 win against the lower-ranked B.C. Habikaa (#9, 7-13). Many experts and fans count Maccabi T-A as a contender for championship title. Another victory and another confirmation that they may be right. Just look at their record: 18 victories and only two lost games. They are currently at the very top of the standings in Round 21. Eliyahu has a very solid season. In 15 games in Israel he scored 13.3ppg. He also has 4.9rpg, 3.3apg and FGP: 61.9%.

Other top performing players last week:
4. Brian Asbury (200-F-86) of Elitzur Netanya - 25 points, 7 rebounds and 2 assists
5. Lior Eliyahu (206-F/C-85) of Maccabi T-A - 19 points, 5 rebounds and 3 assists
6. Paul Delaney (188-G-86) of B.C. Habikaa - 22 points, 2 rebounds and 6 assists
7. Josh Duncan (203-C/F-86) of Maccabi Ashdod - 15 points and 14 rebounds
8. Jeremis Smith (203-F-86) of Maccabi Haifa - 15 points, 7 rebounds and 2 assists
9. Carlos Powell (199-F-83) of Maccabi Haifa - 22 points, 4 rebounds and 6 assists
10. Adrian Banks (191-G-86) of Elitzur Netanya - 22 points, 2 rebounds and 4 assists

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


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  ITALY   

Standings - SerieA

SerieA Standings
 1. Montepaschi 18-6 
 2. Bennet Cantu 16-9 
 3. Armani Mit 15-10 
 4. Umana Venezia 15-10 
 5. Banco di Sard. 15-10 
 6. Scavolini PS 15-10 
 7. CS Bologna 15-10 
 8. Cimberio VA 13-12 
 9. Sidigas AV 13-12 
 10. Acea Roma 12-14 
 11. Fabi Shoes 11-14 
 12. Benetton TV 11-14 
 13. Angelico BI 11-15 
 14. Otto Caserta 10-15 
 15. Vanoli CR 10-16 
 16. Banca Tercas 8-18 
 17. Novipiu CM 6-19 

Regular Season: Round 27

Apr. 1: Cimberio VA - Banco di Sard. 85-79
Apr. 1: Fabi Shoes - Scavolini PS 79-77 OT
Apr. 1: Armani Mit - Umana Venezia 79-70
Apr. 1: Otto Caserta - Vanoli CR 74-77
Apr. 1: Banca Tercas - Bennet Cantu 69-74
Apr. 1: CS Bologna - Angelico BI 62-53
Apr. 1: Acea Roma - Benetton TV 102-99 OT

Regular Season: Round 28

Apr. 9: Fabi Shoes - Armani Mit
Apr. 9: Banco di Sard. - Benetton TV
Apr. 9: Angelico BI - Cimberio VA
Apr. 9: Umana Venezia - CS Bologna
Apr. 9: Sidigas AV - Acea Roma
Apr. 9: Banca Tercas - Otto Caserta
Apr. 9: Scavolini PS - Vanoli CR
Apr. 9: Benetton TV - Novipiu CM


Standings - Lega 2

Lega2 Standings
 1. Trenkwalder 17-7 
 2. Giorgio Tesi PT 16-9 
 3. Enel Brindisi 16-9 
 4. Givova Scafati 16-9 
 5. Sigma Barcel. 15-10 
 6. Centrale Latte 13-11 
 7. Fileni BPA 13-11 
 8. Morpho Basket 11-13 
 9. Prima Veroli 11-13 
 10. Tezenis Verona 11-13 
 11. Assi Ostuni 10-14 
 12. Biancoblu BO 9-15 
 13. Aget Imola 9-15 
 14. S.Antimo 8-16 
 15. MarcoPoloShop 7-17 

Regular Season: Round 26

Apr. 1: Sigma Barcel. - Giorgio Tesi PT 95-76
Apr. 1: Trenkwalder - Assi Ostuni 91-74
Apr. 1: Fileni BPA - S.Antimo 89-77
Apr. 1: MarcoPoloShop - Centrale Latte 84-93
Apr. 1: Aget Imola - Morpho Basket 77-81 OT
Apr. 1: Enel Brindisi - Tezenis Verona 77-60
Apr. 1: Biancoblu BO - Givova Scafati 76-65

Regular Season: Round 27

Apr. 15: S.Antimo - Sigma Barcel.
Apr. 15: Trenkwalder - Fileni BPA
Apr. 15: Enel Brindisi - MarcoPoloShop
Apr. 15: Tezenis Verona - Assi Ostuni
Apr. 15: Giorgio Tesi PT - Prima Veroli
Apr. 15: Centrale Latte - Aget Imola
Apr. 15: Morpho Basket - Biancoblu BO


Standings - B1

Nazionale Standings
Div.North-East
 1. Trieste 23-10 
 2. Trento 23-10 
 3. Perugia 16-16 
 4. Santarcangelo 13-20 
 5. Firenze 11-22 
 6. Comsum.it SI 11-22 
Div.North-West
 1. Omegna 29-4 
 2. Torino 20-13 
 3. Treviglio 19-14 
 4. Casalpusterlengo 18-15 
 5. Pavia 17-16 
 6. Castelletto 12-21 
Div.South-East
 1. Chieti 17-16 
 2. Recanati 17-16 
 3. Bari 15-18 
 4. San Severo 14-19 
 5. Fabriano 8-25 
 6. Ruvo 3-30 
Div.South-West
 1. Napoli 26-7 
 2. Orlandina 20-13 
 3. Ferentino 19-13 
 4. Latina Basket 16-17 
 5. Matera 15-18 
 6. Anagni 14-19 

Regular Season: Round 33

Apr. 1: Anagni - Santarcangelo 88-85
Apr. 1: Matera - Torino 82-66
Apr. 1: Ruvo - Pavia 75-78
Apr. 1: Napoli - Casalpusterlengo 74-79
Apr. 1: San Severo - Trento 69-74
Apr. 1: Orlandina - Treviglio 67-51
Apr. 1: Recanati - Omegna 64-72
Apr. 1: Fabriano - Castelletto 63-89
Apr. 1: Latina Basket - Firenze 61-73
Apr. 1: Bari - Comsum.it SI 55-71
Apr. 1: Chieti - Trieste 53-64
Apr. 2: Ferentino - Perugia

Round 22

Mar. 29: Anagni - Trento 58-72

Round 23

Mar. 29: Recanati - Matera 103-98
Mar. 29: Orlandina - Fabriano 100-65


stats leader

Points Per Game
 Bernardo MUSSO
  Napoli
  (192-G-86)
  Avg: 19.8
 1. Musso, Napoli19.8 
 2. Evangelisti, Recan.17.7 
 3. Portannese, Torino16.3 
 4. Poltroneri, Perugia15.5 
 5. Prandin, Casalp.15.0 
 6. Ferrarese, Castell.14.9 
 7. Rugolo, San Severo14.6 
 8. Mei, Comsum.it SI14.4 
 9. Benevelli, Orlandi.14.1 
 10. Vico, Matera14.0 
Rebounds Per Game
 Emanuele ROSSI
  Chieti
  (208-C-82)
  Avg: 12.7
 1. Rossi, Chieti12.7 
 2. Iannilli, Napoli9.7 
 3. Tagliabue, Ruvo8.3 
 4. Borra, Treviglio8.3 
 5. Baldi Rossi, Perug.8.1 
 6. Benevelli, Orlandi.8.0 
 7. Gandini, Trieste8.0 
 8. Simeoli, Comsum.i.7.9 
 9. Iannuzzi, Ferentino7.5 
 10. Ferraro, Trieste7.4 
Assists Per Game
 Matteo BERTOLAZZI
  Omegna
  (181-G-79)
  Avg: 4.2
 1. Bertolazzi, Omegna4.2 
 2. Musso, Napoli4.2 
 3. Stanic, Fabriano3.6 
 4. Circosta, Anagni3.5 
 5. Guarino, Ferentino3.2 
 6. Santolamazza, Ana.3.2 
 7. Ferrarese, Castell.3.1 
 8. Vico, Matera3.0 
 9. Parente, Torino2.8 
 10. Zanelli, Orlandina2.8 
Steals Per Game
 Matteo BERTOLAZZI
  Omegna
  (181-G-79)
  Avg: 3
 1. Bertolazzi, Omegna3.0 
 2. Maggio, Pavia3.0 
 3. Malamov, Anagni2.9 
 4. Rivali, Santarcang.2.9 
 5. Iardella, Fabriano2.8 
 6. Rossi, Chieti2.8 
 7. Mei, Comsum.it SI2.8 
 8. Musso, Napoli2.7 
 9. Maiocco, Pavia2.7 
 10. Portannese, Torino2.7 
Blocks Per Game
 Andrea CAPITANELLI
  Firenze
  (203-C-86)
  Avg: 2
 1. Capitanelli, Firen.2.0 
 2. Ancellotti, Santar.1.8 
 3. Borra, Treviglio1.5 
 4. Pascolo, Trento1.1 
 5. Raminelli, Castell.1.0 
 6. Cotani, Castelletto1.0 
 7. Candido, San Seve.1.0 
 8. Gandini, Trieste1.0 
 9. Cazzaniga, Pavia1.0 
 10. Benevelli, Orland.0.9 


Lega2 Round 26: Tuscany Pistoia is upset by Sigma Barcellona - by Eurobasket News

The Regular Season in Lega2 is slowly approaching the end. But there may be still some important changes in the final standings in the last 4 rounds.

The most important game in the last round took place in Barcellona between second ranked Tuscany Pistoia (16-9) and fifth ranked Sigma Barcellona (15-10) on Sunday night. Tuscany Pistoia was crushed by Sigma Barcellona on the road 95-76. The game was mostly controlled by Sigma Barcellona. Tuscany Pistoia managed to win fourth quarter 21-18. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. Sigma Barcellona looked well-organized offensively handing out 25 assists comparing to just 10 passes made by Tuscany Pistoia's players. The best player for the winners was American point guard Mike Green (185-85, college: Butler) who scored 22 points, 8 rebounds and 6 assists. Forward Matteo Da Ros (204-89) chipped in 20 points and 5 rebounds. Sigma Barcellona's coach Stefano Vanoncini used a ten-player rotation which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. American forward Bobby Jones (201-84, college: Washington) produced 11 points and 9 rebounds for the guests. Sigma Barcellona have a solid three-game winning streak. They maintain fifth position with 15-10 record. Tuscany Pistoia at the other side keeps the second place with nine games lost. They share the position with Enel Brindisi and Givova Scafati. Sigma Barcellona are looking forward to face S.Antimo (#14) in Sant'Antimo in the next round and are hoping to win another game. Tuscany Pistoia will play at home against Prima Veroli (#9) and is hoping to win this game.
Very important is a road loss of second ranked Givova Scafati (16-9) against thirteenth ranked Biancoblu BO (9-15) on Sunday night. Visiting Givova Scafati was defeated by Biancoblu BO in Bologna 76-65. American point guard Tre Kelley (183-85, college: S.Carolina) orchestrated the victory by scoring 15 points and 4 assists. Patrick Baldassarre contributed with 15 points for the winners. Biancoblu BO's coach Zare Markovski allowed to play the deep bench players saving starting five for next games. American power forward James Thomas (203-80, college: Texas) replied with a double-double by scoring 17 points and 13 rebounds for Givova Scafati. Biancoblu BO moved-up to twelfth place, which they share with Aget Imola. Givova Scafati at the other side keeps the second position with nine games lost. They share it with Giorgio Tesi PT and Enel Brindisi. Biancoblu BO will play against higher ranked Morpho Basket (#8) in Piacenza in the next round and it may be quite challenging game. Givova Scafati will have a break next round.
Leader Trenkwalder RE delivered the seventeenth victory on Sunday night. This time they beat 11th ranked Assi Ostuni (10-14) 91-74 in Reggio Emilia. Donell Taylor scored 24 points and 7 steals to lead the charge for the winners. Jaka Klobucar responded with 19 points and 4 steals. Trenkwalder RE maintains first position with 17-7 record. Newly promoted Assi Ostuni keeps the eleventh place with 14 games lost. Trenkwalder RE will meet at home Fileni BPA (#7) in the next round where they are favorite. Assi Ostuni will play against Tezenis Verona (#10) and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Aget Imola (#12) forced the game against Morpho Basket (#10) into an overtime, but lost by four points 77-81. The game took place in Imola. But the guests from Piacenza were better at the end. Alan Voskuil notched 26 points and 4 assists to lead the effort. Morpho Basket (11-13) moved-up to eighth place, which they share with Tezenis Verona and Prima Veroli. Aget Imola at the other side keeps the twelfth position with 15 games lost. Morpho Basket's next round opponent will be Biancoblu BO (#12) in Bologna. Aget Imola will play on the road against Centrale Latte in Brescia.

Rest of the games of round 26 were quite predictable and ended without any surprises. Here they are:
S.Antimo was defeated by Fileni BPA in Jesi 89-77. Enel Brindisi beat Tezenis Verona at home 77-60. Centrale Latte won against MarcoPoloShop on the opponent's court 93-84.
The best stats of 26th round was 26 points, 5 rebounds and 6 assists by Leemire Goldwire of Centrale Latte.

Aget Imola - Morpho Basket 77-81 OT

Aget Imola (#12) forced the game against Morpho Basket (#10) into an overtime, but lost by four points 77-81. The game took place in Imola. But the guests from Piacenza were better at the end. Aget Imola was ahead by 6 points after three quarters before a 19-13 charge of Morpho Basket, which allowed them to tie the game at the end of regular time. They were better in overtime eventually winning that period 15-11. Morpho Basket made 20-of-24 charity shots (83.3 percent) during the game. They also forced 22 Aget Imola turnovers. 27 personal fouls committed by Aget Imola helped opponents get some easy free throw opportunities. American-Danish guard Alan Voskuil (191-86, college: Texas Tech) notched 26 points and 4 assists to lead the effort and American guard Clint Cotis Harrison (194-76, college: N.Carolina St., agency: Court Side) supported him with 10 points and 8 rebounds. Even 13 points, 9 rebounds and 5 assists by American point guard Trent Whiting (185-76, college: BYU) did not help to save the game for Aget Imola. Finnish power forward Tuukka Kotti (205-81, college: Providence) added 10 points and 12 rebounds for the hosts. Both teams had five players each who scored in double figures. Morpho Basket (11-13) moved-up to eighth place, which they share with Tezenis Verona and Prima Veroli. Aget Imola at the other side keeps the twelfth position with 15 games lost. Morpho Basket's next round opponent will be Biancoblu BO (#12) in Bologna. Aget Imola will play on the road against Centrale Latte in Brescia.
Top scorers:
Aget Imola: P.Prato 14+2reb+3ast, T.Whiting 13+9reb+5ast, D.Bruttini 13+4reb, R.DuPree 12+6reb+2ast, T.Kotti 10+12reb, F.Foiera 5+2reb
Morpho Basket: A.Voskuil 26+3reb+4ast, D.Anderson 15+3reb+2ast, L.Infante 11+3reb, M.Passera 11+5reb+3ast, C.Cotis Harrison 10+8reb+2ast, R.Amoroso 4+3reb
gschID: 167416


Fileni BPA - S.Antimo 89-77

There was no surprise in Jesi where 13th ranked S.Antimo (8-16) was defeated by seventh ranked Fileni BPA (13-11) 89-77. The game was mostly controlled by Fileni BPA. S.Antimo was better in fourth quarter 23-13. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. Fileni BPA had a 32-20 advantage in offensive rebounds. The former international center Michele Maggioli (212-77) notched a double-double by scoring 20 points, 11 rebounds and 6 assists to lead the effort and American forward Jeff Brooks (203-89, college: Penn St.) supported him with 18 points and 12 rebounds. Fileni BPA's coach Stefano Cioppi used entire bench and allowed the starting five to rest. Even 19 points and 7 rebounds by American point guard Troy Bell (186-80, college: Boston Coll.) did not help to save the game for S.Antimo. The former international power forward Alessandro Cittadini (207-79) added 13 points and 7 rebounds for the guests. Both teams had four players each who scored in double figures. Fileni BPA moved-up to sixth place, which they share with Centrale Latte. Newly promoted S.Antimo dropped to the fourteenth position with 16 games lost. Fileni BPA's next round opponent will be league's leader Trenkwalder RE in Reggio Emilia and they do not belong to the favorites in that game. S.Antimo will play at home against Sigma Barcellona (#5).
Top scorers:
S.Antimo: T.Bell 19+7reb+1ast, N.Kommatos 16+3reb, F.Campbell 15+4reb, A.Cittadini 13+7reb, C.Cantone 6+3reb, R.Moraschini 4+7reb
Fileni BPA: M.Maggioli 20+11reb+6ast, R.Hoover 20+1reb+2ast, J.Brooks 18+12reb, R.McConnell 14+4reb+5ast, F.Migliori 6+5reb+1ast, J.Valentini 5+4reb
gschID: 167413


Sigma Barcel. - Giorgio Tesi PT 95-76

The most important game in the last round took place in Barcellona between second ranked Tuscany Pistoia (16-9) and fifth ranked Sigma Barcellona (15-10) on Sunday night. Tuscany Pistoia was crushed by Sigma Barcellona on the road 95-76. The game was mostly controlled by Sigma Barcellona. Tuscany Pistoia managed to win fourth quarter 21-18. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. Sigma Barcellona looked well-organized offensively handing out 25 assists comparing to just 10 passes made by Tuscany Pistoia's players. The best player for the winners was American point guard Mike Green (185-85, college: Butler) who scored 22 points, 8 rebounds and 6 assists. Forward Matteo Da Ros (204-89) chipped in 20 points and 5 rebounds. Sigma Barcellona's coach Stefano Vanoncini used a ten-player rotation which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. American forward Bobby Jones (201-84, college: Washington) produced 11 points and 9 rebounds and his fellow American import point guard Dwight Hardy (188-87, college: St.John's) added 19 points respectively for the guests. Four Sigma Barcellona and five Tuscany Pistoia players scored in double figures. Sigma Barcellona have a solid three-game winning streak. They maintain fifth position with 15-10 record. Tuscany Pistoia at the other side keeps the second place with nine games lost. They share the position with Enel Brindisi and Givova Scafati. Sigma Barcellona are looking forward to face S.Antimo (#14) in Sant'Antimo in the next round and are hoping to win another game. Tuscany Pistoia will play at home against Prima Veroli (#9) and is hoping to win this game.
Top scorers:
Giorgio Tesi PT: D.Hardy 19+1reb+2ast, F.Toppo 14+6reb+1ast, G.Galanda 13+5reb+4ast, B.Jones 11+9reb+2ast, J.Tavernari 10+2reb, L.Saccaggi 9+1reb+1ast
Sigma Barcel.: M.Green 22+8reb+6ast, M.Da Ros 20+5reb+2ast, P.Martin 19+5reb+1ast, M.Lukauskis 11+3reb+4ast, A.Piazza 9+2reb+7ast, R.Bucci 5+3reb+2ast
gschID: 167414


Enel Brindisi - Tezenis Verona 77-60

No shocking result in a game when fourth ranked Enel Brindisi (16-9) defeated at home 8th ranked Tezenis Verona (11-13) 77-60. The game was mostly controlled by Enel Brindisi. Tezenis Verona was better in second period 14-7. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. American guard Jimmy Hunter (197-77, college: Life) notched 23 points and 6 rebounds to lead the effort and the other American import point guard Alex Renfroe (191-86, college: Belmont) supported him with 9 points and 10 rebounds. Four Enel Brindisi players scored in double figures. Even 16 points and 5 assists by naturalized Argentinian guard Antonio Porta (187-83, agency: Players Group) did not help to save the game for Tezenis Verona. American-German power forward Keith Waleskowski (204-80, college: Dayton) added 6 points and 8 rebounds for the guests. Tezenis Verona's coach Alberto Martelossi rotated ten players seeing no chance for a win. Enel Brindisi moved-up to second place, which they share with Giorgio Tesi PT and Givova Scafati. Tezenis Verona at the other side keeps the eighth position with 13 games lost. Enel Brindisi's next round opponent will be bottom-ranked MarcoPoloShop.it (#15) in Forli which should be an easy win for them. Tezenis Verona will play at home against Assi Ostuni (#11).
Top scorers:
Tezenis Verona: A.Porta 16+2reb+5ast, A.Renzi 10+2reb, G.Boscagin 10+2reb, K.Waleskowski 6+8reb+1ast, M.West 5+10reb, C.DiGiuliomaria 5+1reb
Enel Brindisi: J.Hunter 23+6reb+1ast, C.Callahan 11+6reb, D.Borovnjak 10+7reb+1ast, M.Giuri 10+3reb, A.Renfroe 9+10reb+2ast, M.Formenti 6+4reb+1ast
gschID: 167415


Biancoblu BO - Givova Scafati 76-65

Very important is a road loss of second ranked Givova Scafati (16-9) against thirteenth ranked Biancoblu BO (9-15) on Sunday night. Visiting Givova Scafati was defeated by Biancoblu BO in Bologna 76-65. The game was mostly controlled by Biancoblu BO. Givova Scafati was better in second period 21-17. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. The game was decided in the last minutes when Biancoblu BO won last quarter 24-15. They also forced 25 Givova Scafati turnovers. Givova Scafati was plagued by 30 personal fouls down the stretch. American point guard Tre Kelley (183-85, college: S.Carolina) orchestrated the victory by scoring 15 points and 4 assists. Power forward Patrick Baldassarre (200-86, agency: Players Group) contributed with 15 points for the winners. Five Biancoblu BO players scored in double figures. Biancoblu BO's coach Zare Markovski allowed to play the deep bench players saving starting five for next games. American power forward James Thomas (203-80, college: Texas) replied with a double-double by scoring 17 points and 13 rebounds and the former international forward Nikola Radulovic (207-73) added 17 points and 6 rebounds in the effort for Givova Scafati. Biancoblu BO moved-up to twelfth place, which they share with Aget Imola. Givova Scafati at the other side keeps the second position with nine games lost. They share it with Giorgio Tesi PT and Enel Brindisi. Biancoblu BO will play against higher ranked Morpho Basket (#8) in Piacenza in the next round and it may be quite challenging game. Givova Scafati will have a break next round.
Top scorers:
Givova Scafati: N.Radulovic 17+6reb, J.Thomas 17+13reb+2ast, P.Marigney 13+4reb, M.Levin 7+5reb+2ast, A.Ghiacci 6+1reb+1ast, D.Rosignoli 3+2reb
Biancoblu BO: T.Kelley 15+3reb+4ast, P.Baldassarre 15+3reb, G.Ferrero 12+1reb+2ast, M.Canavesi 10+7reb, B.Blizzard 10+1reb+4ast, G.Yango 7+4reb
gschID: 167410


MarcoPoloShop - Centrale Latte 84-93

Very expected game in Forli where 15th ranked MarcoPoloShop.it (7-17) was defeated by sixth ranked Centrale Latte (13-11) 93-84. The guests took control from the first minutes by winning first half. But MarcoPoloShop.it won third quarter 21-20. However it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. Centrale Latte made 22-of-23 charity shots (95.7 percent) during the game. American point guard Leemire Goldwire (182-85, college: Charlotte, agency: Interperformances) notched 26 points, 5 rebounds and 6 assists (on 7-of-9 shooting from the field) to lead the effort and the other American import guard Ryan Thompson (198-89, college: Rider) supported him with 22 points and 6 rebounds (was perfect 9-for-9 from the free throw line !!!). Even 31 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists by American swingman Terrence Roderick (196-88, college: UAB, agency: Interperformances) did not help to save the game for MarcoPoloShop.it. Guard Stefano Borsato (192-86, agency: Two Points) added 14 points and 4 assists for the hosts. Four Centrale Latte and five MarcoPoloShop.it players scored in double figures. Centrale Latte maintains sixth position with 13-11 record, which they share with Fileni BPA. MarcoPoloShop.it at the other side stay at the bottom place with 17 games lost. Centrale Latte's next round opponent will be Aget Imola (#13) at home and are hoping to win another game. MarcoPoloShop.it will play against Enel Brindisi.
Top scorers:
MarcoPoloShop: T.Roderick 31+6reb+4ast, S.Borsato 14+4reb+4ast, L.Campani 12+7reb, S.Huff 11+4reb, N.Natali 10+7reb+1ast, R.Casoli 3+1reb+1ast
Centrale Latte: L.Goldwire 26+5reb+6ast, R.Thompson 22+6reb+3ast, M.Jose Ghersetti 13+7reb+2ast, R.Rombaldoni 12+1reb+1ast, F.Bushati 7+2reb+1ast, M.Rezzano 5+1reb
gschID: 167411


Trenkwalder - Assi Ostuni 91-74

Leader Trenkwalder RE delivered the seventeenth victory on Sunday night. This time they beat 11th ranked Assi Ostuni (10-14) 91-74 in Reggio Emilia. The game was mostly controlled by Trenkwalder RE. Assi Ostuni managed to win third quarter 23-22. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. Trenkwalder RE made 19-of-22 free shots (86.4 percent) during the game. It was a great shooting night for Trenkwalder RE especially from behind the arc, where they had solid 52.6 percentage. American guard Donell Taylor (198-82, college: UAB) scored 24 points and 7 steals to lead the charge for the winners and the other American import guard Dawan Robinson (189-82, college: Rhode Island) chipped in 19 points and 6 rebounds during the contest. Slovenian guard Jaka Klobucar (198-87) responded with 19 points and 4 steals and Latvian swingman Mareks Jurevicus (197-85) scored 18 points. Trenkwalder RE maintains first position with 17-7 record. Newly promoted Assi Ostuni keeps the eleventh place with 14 games lost. Trenkwalder RE will meet at home Fileni BPA (#7) in the next round where they are favorite. Assi Ostuni will play against Tezenis Verona (#10) and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Assi Ostuni: J.Klobucar 19+4reb, M.Jurevicus 18+3reb+1ast, A.Johnson 16+2reb, G.Carenza 5+1reb, M.Rossetti 4+2reb, T.Rinaldi 4+4reb
Trenkwalder: D.Taylor 24+3ast, D.Robinson 19+6reb+1ast, D.Slanina 15+3reb, M.Frassineti 10, D.Filloy 9+5reb, M.Antonutti 7+5reb+1ast
gschID: 167412



SerieA Round 27: Umana Venezia is upset by Armani Milano - by Eurobasket News

The round was rather attractive and full of interesting results. The round ended with few extra overtimes, favorites losing the games and games ending by tiny margin.

The game between second ranked Umana Venezia (15-10) and sixth ranked Armani Milano (15-10) was the most important one in the last round on Sunday night. Umana Venezia was defeated by Armani Milano in a tough game in Milano 70-79. It ended at the same time the two-game winning streak of Umana Venezia. Umana Venezia trailed by 11 points after 3 quarters before a 21-19 run in the last quarter cut the deficit to 70-79 at the end of the game. They outrebounded Umana Venezia 43-19 including a 31-13 advantage in defensive rebounds. The best player for the winners was Greek center Ioannis Bourousis (212-83, agency: FCM) who had a double-double by scoring 27 points and 12 rebounds. International forward Stefano Mancinelli (203-83) chipped in 12 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists. Armani Milano's coach Sergio Scariolo used an eleven-player rotation which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. At the other side the best for losing team was Polish center Szymon Szewczyk (209-82) who recorded 17 points and 5 rebounds. Armani Milano moved-up to third place, which they share with 4 other teams including defeated Umana Venezia. Armani Milano is looking forward to face Fabi Shoes Montegranaro (#11) on the road in the next round and are hoping to win another game. Umana Venezia will play against CS Bologna (#7) and is hoping to win this game.
Fabi Shoes Montegranaro (11-14) survived in overtime against Scavolini Pesaro (15-10) by two points 79-77. It ended at the same time the four-game winning streak of Scavolini Pesaro. It was a good game for American forward Sean May (206-84, college: N.Carolina) who led his team to a victory with a double-double by scoring 17 points and 12 rebounds. Dejan Ivanov contributed with 14 points and 12 rebounds for the winners. American forward Jumaine Jones (203-79, college: Georgia) answered with a double-double by scoring 20 points and 15 rebounds for Scavolini Pesaro. Fabi Shoes Montegranaro moved-up to eleventh place, which they share with Benetton TV. Scavolini Pesaro at the other side dropped to the third position with ten games lost. They share it with 4 other teams. Fabi Shoes Montegranaro will play against higher ranked Armani Milano (#3) at home in the next round and it will be quite challenging to get another victory. Scavolini Pesaro will play against Vanoli-Braga in Cremona and hopes to get back on the winning track.
Lottomatica Roma (12-14) escaped against Benetton Treviso (11-14) in overtime by three points 102-99 on Sunday night. It ended at the same time the two-game winning streak of Benetton Treviso. It was a great evening for Luigi Datome who led his team to a victory scoring 23 points and 8 rebounds (went 8 for 8 at the free throw line). The best for the losing side was Marcus Goree with 25 points and 5 rebounds. Benetton Treviso's coach rotated ten players in this game, but that didn't help. Lottomatica Roma moved-up to tenth place. Loser Benetton Treviso dropped to the eleventh position with 14 games lost. They share it with Fabi Shoes. Lottomatica Roma will meet higher ranked Air Avellino (#9) on the road in the next round and it will be quite challenging to get another victory. Benetton Treviso will play against Novipiu CM in Casale and hope to secure a win.
A very interesting game took place in Caserta. It ended with only three-point home defeat of 14th ranked Otto Caserta (10-15) to fifteenth ranked Vanoli-Braga (10-16) 77-74 on Sunday evening. It was an exceptional evening for Jason Rich who led the winners and scored 24 points. Vanoli-Braga maintains fifteenth place with 10-16 record. Otto Caserta lost fourth consecutive game. They keep the fourteenth position with 15 games lost. Vanoli-Braga's next round opponent will be higher ranked Scavolini Pesaro (#6) on the road and it will be quite challenging to get another victory.
We should mention about the upset which took place in Varese, where 4th placed Banco di Sard. (15-10) lost to ninth ranked Cimberio Varese (13-12) in a road game 79-85 on Sunday. The best player for the winners was Rok Stipcevic who scored 19 points and 6 assists. Cimberio Varese moved-up to eighth place, which they share with Sidigas AV. Loser Banco di Sard. dropped to the third position with ten games lost. Cimberio Varese will face Angelico Biella (#13) on the road in the next round which should be theoretically an easy game. Banco di Sard. will play against Benetton Treviso (#12).

In the last two games of round 27 Angelico BI were defeated by CS Bologna in a road game 62-53. Banca Tercas was beaten by Bennet Cantu at home 69-74.

Acea Roma - Benetton TV 102-99 OT

Lottomatica Roma (12-14) escaped against Benetton Treviso (11-14) in overtime by three points 102-99 on Sunday night. It ended at the same time the two-game winning streak of Benetton Treviso. The hosts took control from the first minutes by winning the initial quarter 21-15. But Benetton Treviso won second period 15-13. However it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening, at least not yet. The game turned upside-down in the last quarter, where Benetton Treviso used huge pressure winning it 25-16 getting a tie at the end of regular time. They lost eventually overtime period 16-19. Lottomatica Roma made 33-of-36 free shots (91.7 percent) during the game, while Benetton Treviso only scored sixteen points from the stripe. It was a great evening for international swingman Luigi Datome (202-87) who led his team to a victory scoring 23 points and 8 rebounds (went 8 for 8 at the free throw line). American forward Jarvis Varnado (206-88, college: Mississippi St.) helped adding 20 points and 9 rebounds. The best for the losing side was American forward Marcus Goree (201-77, college: W.Virginia) with 25 points and 5 rebounds and Austrian power forward Benjamin Ortner (206-83, college: Metro St.) scored 14 points and 8 rebounds (on 7-of-9 shooting from the field). Five Lottomatica Roma and four Benetton Treviso players scored in double figures. Benetton Treviso's coach rotated ten players in this game, but that didn't help. Lottomatica Roma moved-up to tenth place. Loser Benetton Treviso dropped to the eleventh position with 14 games lost. They share it with Fabi Shoes. Lottomatica Roma will meet higher ranked Air Avellino (#9) on the road in the next round and it will be quite challenging to get another victory. Benetton Treviso will play against Novipiu CM in Casale and hope to secure a win.
Top scorers:
Benetton TV: M.Goree 25+5reb+2ast, S.Becirovic 16+4reb+3ast, B.Ortner 14+8reb+1ast, J.Thomas 12+5reb+3ast, J.Viggiano 8+2reb+1ast, G.Mekel 7+4ast
Acea Roma: L.Datome 23+8reb, J.Varnado 20+9reb+1ast, N.Gordic 17+3reb, U.Slokar 15+8reb+1ast, C.Tucker 11+5reb+2ast, A.Maestranzi 9+1reb+3ast
gschID: 173490


Otto Caserta - Vanoli CR 74-77

A very interesting game took place in Caserta. It ended with only three-point home defeat of 14th ranked Otto Caserta (10-15) to fifteenth ranked Vanoli-Braga (10-16) 77-74 on Sunday evening. The guests took control from the first minutes by winning first half. But Otto Caserta won third quarter 19-18. However it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. The game was decided in the last minutes when Vanoli-Braga won last quarter 17-16. It was an exceptional evening for American guard Jason Rich (191-86) who led the winners and scored 24 points. Slovenian forward Marko Milic (201-77) accounted for 9 points and 9 rebounds for the winning side. American forward Andre Smith (203-85, college: N.Dakota St.) came up with a double-double by scoring 15 points and 10 rebounds and Croatian center Andrija Stipanovic (209-86) added 12 points and 12 rebounds respectively for Otto Caserta in the defeat. Five Otto Caserta players scored in double figures. Vanoli-Braga maintains fifteenth place with 10-16 record. Otto Caserta lost fourth consecutive game. They keep the fourteenth position with 15 games lost. Vanoli-Braga's next round opponent will be higher ranked Scavolini Pesaro (#6) on the road and it will be quite challenging to get another victory.
Top scorers:
Otto Caserta: A.Smith 15+10reb, A.Righetti 13+3reb+1ast, A.Stipanovic 12+12reb, C.Bell 10+2ast, J.Kudlacek 10+3reb+2ast, A.Collins 7+2reb+2ast
Vanoli CR: J.Rich 24+1reb+2ast, B.Tabu-Eboma 12+3reb+1ast, D.Cinciarini 12+3reb, M.Milic 9+9reb+1ast, M.Tusek 7+7reb+1ast, J.Perkovic 5+6reb
gschID: 173487


CS Bologna - Angelico BI 62-53

There was no surprise when 12th ranked Angelico Biella (11-15) was defeated on the road by seventh ranked CS Bologna (15-10) 62-53 on Sunday. The hosts started the game with a very strong first quarter 20-9. But Angelico Biella won third quarter 23-14. However it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. The game was decided in the last minutes when CS Bologna won last quarter 13-6. They dominated on the defensive end, holding Angelico Biella to just 6 points in fourth quarter. They outrebounded Angelico Biella 37-26 including 27 on the defensive glass. The best player for the winners was international guard Giuseppe Poeta (190-85) who scored 15 points and 7 assists. Georgian forward Viktor Sanikidze (203-86, agency: World Sport Agency) chipped in a double-double by scoring 12 points and 11 rebounds. Four CS Bologna players scored in double figures. At the other side the best for losing team was American guard Aubrey Coleman (193-87, college: Houston, agency: Two Points) who recorded 25 points and 7 steals and Spanish center Albert Miralles (208-82, agency: Interperformances) added 10 points and 9 rebounds respectively. CS Bologna moved-up to third place, which they share with 4 other teams. Angelico Biella lost third consecutive game. They dropped to the thirteenth position with 15 games lost. CS Bologna will face Umana Venezia (#4) on the road in the next round. Angelico Biella will play against Cimberio Varese (#8).
Top scorers:
Angelico BI: A.Coleman 25+3reb, A.Miralles 10+9reb, J.Pullen 7+2reb+5ast, M.Soragna 5+4reb+2ast, T.Dragicevic 3+4reb+2ast, M.Chessa 3+2reb
CS Bologna: G.Poeta 15+3reb+7ast, P.Koponen 13+1reb+2ast, V.Sanikidze 12+11reb, C.Douglas-Roberts 10+3reb+1ast, A.Gigli 6+12reb, D.Gailius 2+2reb
gschID: 173488


Armani Mit - Umana Venezia 79-70

The game between second ranked Umana Venezia (15-10) and sixth ranked Armani Milano (15-10) was the most important one in the last round on Sunday night. Umana Venezia was defeated by Armani Milano in a tough game in Milano 70-79. It ended at the same time the two-game winning streak of Umana Venezia. Umana Venezia trailed by 11 points after 3 quarters before a 21-19 run in the last quarter cut the deficit to 70-79 at the end of the game. They outrebounded Umana Venezia 43-19 including a 31-13 advantage in defensive rebounds. The best player for the winners was Greek center Ioannis Bourousis (212-83, agency: FCM) who had a double-double by scoring 27 points and 12 rebounds. International forward Stefano Mancinelli (203-83) chipped in 12 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists. Armani Milano's coach Sergio Scariolo used an eleven-player rotation which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. At the other side the best for losing team was Polish center Szymon Szewczyk (209-82) who recorded 17 points and 5 rebounds and American forward Tamar Slay (204-80, college: Marshall) added 14 points and 4 assists respectively. Armani Milano moved-up to third place, which they share with 4 other teams including defeated Umana Venezia. Armani Milano is looking forward to face Fabi Shoes Montegranaro (#11) on the road in the next round and are hoping to win another game. Umana Venezia will play against CS Bologna (#7) and is hoping to win this game.
Top scorers:
Umana Venezia: S.Szewczyk 17+5reb, T.Slay 14+2reb+4ast, A.Young 14+2reb+2ast, K.Kee Clark 8+1reb+1ast, S.Bryan 6+4reb+1ast, T.Bowers 5+3reb+4ast
Armani Mit: I.Bourousis 27+12reb, S.Mancinelli 12+5reb+5ast, O.Cook 10+4reb+4ast, M.Hairston 7+4reb+3ast, A.Fotsis 6+6reb, E.Bremer 6+4reb+3ast
gschID: 173489


Cimberio VA - Banco di Sard. 85-79

We should mention about the upset which took place in Varese, where 4th placed Banco di Sard. (15-10) lost to ninth ranked Cimberio Varese (13-12) in a road game 79-85 on Sunday. The hosts trailed by 4 points after first quarter, but they rallied back to get the 16-point lead at the halftime and eventually won the game 85-79. Cimberio Varese made 17-of-22 free shots (77.3 percent) during the game. The best player for the winners was Croatian point guard Rok Stipcevic (185-86) who scored 19 points and 6 assists. Estonian center Janar Talts (206-83) chipped in 13 points, 8 rebounds and 4 assists (on 6-of-7 shooting from the field). Five Cimberio Varese players scored in double figures. At the other side the best for losing team was American guard Drake Diener (196-81, college: De Paul, agency: Priority Sports) who recorded 21 points and 7 rebounds and the other American import point guard Travis Diener (184-82, college: Marquette) added 20 points respectively. Cimberio Varese moved-up to eighth place, which they share with Sidigas AV. Loser Banco di Sard. dropped to the third position with ten games lost. Cimberio Varese will face Angelico Biella (#13) on the road in the next round which should be theoretically an easy game. Banco di Sard. will play against Benetton Treviso (#12).
Top scorers:
Banco di Sard.: D.Diener 21+7reb+3ast, T.Diener 20+4reb+3ast, B.Sacchetti 12+2reb, V.Plisnic 9+6reb+2ast, Q.Hosley 9+4reb, T.Easley 8+10reb+1ast
Cimberio VA: R.Stipcevic 19+2reb+6ast, Y.Diawara 19+3reb+2ast, J.Talts 13+8reb+4ast, P.Goss 12+2reb+3ast, K.Kangur 10+8reb, T.Rannikko 6+2reb+3ast
gschID: 173485


Fabi Shoes - Scavolini PS 79-77 OT

Fabi Shoes Montegranaro (11-14) survived in overtime against Scavolini Pesaro (15-10) by two points 79-77. It ended at the same time the four-game winning streak of Scavolini Pesaro. The hosts took control from the first minutes by winning the initial quarter 20-16. But Scavolini Pesaro won second period 18-15. However it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening, at least not yet. The game turned upside-down in the last quarter, where Scavolini Pesaro used huge pressure winning it 21-14 getting a tie at the end of regular time. They lost eventually overtime period 8-10. Fabi Shoes Montegranaro made 21-of-26 charity shots (80.8 percent) during the game. They also forced 19 Scavolini Pesaro turnovers. Scavolini Pesaro was plagued by 25 personal fouls down the stretch. It was a good game for American forward Sean May (206-84, college: N.Carolina) who led his team to a victory with a double-double by scoring 17 points and 12 rebounds. Bulgarian power forward Dejan Ivanov (205-86, agency: Beo Basket) contributed with a double-double by scoring 14 points and 12 rebounds for the winners. American forward Jumaine Jones (203-79, college: Georgia) answered with a double-double by scoring 20 points and 15 rebounds and the other American import point guard Ricky Hickman (189-85, college: NC-Greensboro) added 18 points and 4 assists in the effort for Scavolini Pesaro. Both teams had four players each who scored in double figures. Fabi Shoes Montegranaro moved-up to eleventh place, which they share with Benetton TV. Scavolini Pesaro at the other side dropped to the third position with ten games lost. They share it with 4 other teams. Fabi Shoes Montegranaro will play against higher ranked Armani Milano (#3) at home in the next round and it will be quite challenging to get another victory. Scavolini Pesaro will play against Vanoli-Braga in Cremona and hopes to get back on the winning track.
Top scorers:
Scavolini PS: J.Jones 20+15reb+2ast, R.Hickman 18+4reb+4ast, D.Hackett 11+2reb+3ast, J.White 10+3reb+4ast, M.Cusin 8+8reb, S.Flamini 6+3reb
Fabi Shoes: S.May 17+12reb+3ast, C.Karl 15+8reb+2ast, I.Zoroski 14+2reb+2ast, D.Ivanov 14+12reb+1ast, J.McNeal 9+2reb+3ast, S.Nicevic 4+4reb
gschID: 173486


Banca Tercas - Bennet Cantu 69-74

No shocking result in a game in Teramo where third ranked Bennet Cantu (16-9) defeated 16th ranked Banca Tercas (8-18) 74-69 on Sunday. The guests trailed by 2 points at the halftime before their 41-34 charge in the second half, which allowed them to win the game. The best player for the winners was naturalized Uruguayan point guard Nicolas Mazzarino (181-75, agency: Players Group) who scored 17 points and 5 rebounds. American point guard Doron Perkins (188-83, college: Santa Clara) chipped in 11 points and 7 assists. Four Bennet Cantu players scored in double figures. At the other side the best for losing team was the former international point guard Robert Fultz (189-82, agency: Interperformances) who recorded 22 points and 4 assists and American power forward Brandon Brown (202-81, college: Tulane) added 12 points and 8 rebounds respectively. Bennet Cantu moved-up to second place. Loser Banca Tercas keep the sixteenth position with 18 games lost. Bennet Cantu will have a break next round. Banca Tercas will play at home against Otto Caserta (#14) and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Banca Tercas: R.Fultz 22+2reb+4ast, B.Brown 12+8reb+1ast, V.Amoroso 11+7reb+2ast, D.Brown 7+3reb+4ast, B.Cerella 7+6reb+1ast, M.Borisov 6+3reb
Bennet Cantu: N.Mazzarino 17+5reb+1ast, M.Markoishvili 13+4reb+1ast, V.Micov 11+5reb, D.Perkins 11+3reb+7ast, G.Shermadini 9+4reb, G.Brunner 7+7reb
gschID: 173484



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

Standings - BJ League

BJ Standings
Eastern
 1. Hamamatsu P. 29-13 
 2. Akita NH 27-18 
 3. Niigata Albirex 24-19 
 4. Toyama Grouses 23-20 
 5. Sendai 89ers 23-20 
 6. Yokohama BC 22-21 
 7. Shinshu BW 16-27 
 8. Chiba Jets 16-28 
 9. Iwate Big Bulls 14-32 
 10. Saitama Bron. 11-31 
Western
 1. Okinawa GK 34-11 
 2. Osaka Evessa 29-14 
 3. Shiga L-Stars 27-16 
 4. Kyoto Hannar. 27-16 
 5. Fukuoka Rizing 27-16 
 6. Shimane SM 23-21 
 7. Miyazaki SS 20-23 
 8. Oita H.Devils 18-24 
 9. Takamatsu FA 2-42 

Regular Season: Round 49

Mar. 31: Fukuoka Rizing - Niigata Albirex 97-94
Mar. 30: Shinshu BW - Takamatsu FA 94-86
Mar. 31: Hamamatsu P. - Akita NH 92-81
Mar. 30: Chiba Jets - Iwate Big Bulls 83-82
Mar. 31: Kyoto Hannar. - Okinawa GK 83-76
Mar. 31: Miyazaki SS - Osaka Evessa 83-61
Mar. 31: Oita H.Devils - Shiga L-Stars 80-82
Mar. 31: Chiba Jets - Iwate Big Bulls 78-85
Mar. 31: Toyama Grouses - Shimane SM 72-61
Mar. 31: Saitama Bron. - Sendai 89ers 61-101

Regular Season: Round 50

Apr. 2: Toyama Grouses - Shimane SM
Apr. 2: Shinshu BW - Takamatsu FA
Apr. 2: Saitama Bron. - Sendai 89ers
Apr. 2: Hamamatsu P. - Akita NH
Apr. 2: Kyoto Hannar. - Okinawa GK
Apr. 2: Fukuoka Rizing - Niigata Albirex
Apr. 2: Oita H.Devils - Shiga L-Stars
Apr. 2: Miyazaki SS - Osaka Evessa


BJ League Stats Leaders

Points Per Game
 Michael PARKER
  Shimane SM
  (202-F-81)
  Avg: 22.8
 1. Parker, Shimane SM22.8 
 2. Hargrow, Chiba J.21.5 
 3. Cummings, Oita H.21.2 
 4. Palmer, Fukuoka21.1 
 5. Flowers, Saitama21.0 
 6. Staten, Chiba Jets20.8 
 7. Mims, Sendai 89ers19.3 
 8. Fitzgerald, Sendai19.0 
 9. Raivio, Shinshu BW18.9 
 10. Burrell, Yokohama.18.8 
Rebounds Per Game
 Chris HOLM
  Niigata Albirex
  (212-C/F-84)
  Avg: 14.8
 1. Holm, Niigata Albi.14.8 
 2. Rickert, Kyoto H.11.0 
 3. Hamilton, Fukuok.11.0 
 4. Staten, Chiba Jets10.8 
 5. Malloy, Iwate B.10.5 
 6. Mims, Sendai 89ers10.4 
 7. Burrell, Yokohama.10.0 
 8. Blackledge, Osaka10.0 
 9. Newton, Okinawa GK10.0 
 10. Cummings, Oita H.9.9 
Assists Per Game
 Kenny SATTERFIELD
  Saitam.
  (188-PG-81)
  Avg: 6.7
 1. Satterfield, Saita.6.7 
 2. Gardener, Akita NH5.6 
 3. Takushi, Oita H.5.4 
 4. Shimura, Sendai5.4 
 5. Dixon, Hamamats.5.3 
 6. Yamamoto, Shima.5.0 
 7. Dukes, Sendai 89e.4.7 
 8. Yamamoto, Iwate B.4.4 
 9. Namizato, Okina.4.3 
 10. Staten, Chiba Je.4.2 
Steals Per Game
 Jamel STATEN
  Chiba Jets
  (198-G-83)
  Avg: 2.8
 1. Staten, Chiba Jets2.8 
 2. Palmer, Fukuoka2.6 
 3. Parker, Shimane SM2.6 
 4. Smith, Takamats.2.1 
 5. Humphrey, Saitama2.1 
 6. Lyons, Miyazaki SS2.0 
 7. Klaiber, Iwate B.2.0 
 8. Dixon, Hamamats.1.9 
 9. Joho, Toyama G.1.8 
 10. Hamilton, Fukuok.1.8 
Blocks Per Game
 Jeral DAVIS
  Shimane SM
  (216-C-84)
  Avg: 3.8
 1. Davis, Shimane SM3.8 
 2. Blackledge, Osaka3.0 
 3. Singleton, Sendai3.0 
 4. Blackledge, Hamama.2.5 
 5. Broxsie, Chiba Jets2.5 
 6. Mims, Sendai 89ers1.6 
 7. Marshall, Osaka E.1.5 
 8. Dukes, Sendai 89e.1.4 
 9. Moliva, Chiba Jets1.4 
 10. Hughes, Shinshu1.4 


BJ League Round 49: Kyoto Hannar. defeats leader Okinawa GK - by Eurobasket News

The games at this stage are more interesting as they can be crucial for the final standings in Regular Season. Despite we already know who is stronger and who is weaker, there may be still last minute susprises and upsets. The fans could enjoy quite many interesting games in the last round. The round ended with defeat of the leader, favorites losing the games and games ending by tiny margin.

The most crucial game of the last round was another loss of top-ranked Okinawa GK (34-11) on the court of fourth ranked Kyoto Hannar. on Saturday night. Visitors were defeated by Kyoto Hannar. 83-76. The hosts trailed by 1 point after three quarters before their 32-24 charge, which allowed them to win the game. Kyoto Hannar. made 18-of-19 free shots (94.7 percent) during the game. Worth to mention a great performance of American forward Rick Rickert (211-83, college: Minnesota, agency: SportsTalent) who helped to win the game recording a double-double by scoring 18 points, 14 rebounds and 4 assists. His fellow American import Lee Cummard (201-85, college: BYU, agency: Priority Sports) contributed with 18 points and 5 rebounds (made all of his eight free throws) for the winners. American Anthony McHenry (202-83, college: Georgia Tech) answered with 13 points and 4 assists for Okinawa GK. Both coaches used bench players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. Kyoto Hannar. (27-16) moved-up to third place, which they share with Fukuoka Rizing and Shiga L-Stars. Okinawa GK at the other side still keeps top position with 11 games lost. Kyoto Hannar. is again looking forward to face league's leader Okinawa GK at home in the next round and it will be for sure the game of the week. Okinawa GK will have a break next round.
Eighth-ranked Oita Heat Devils (18-24) used its home court advantage to challenge third ranked Shiga L-Stars (27-16). The visitors from Shiga managed to secure only two-point victory 82-80. However their fans expected much easier game. It ended at the same time the seven-game winning streak of Oita Heat Devils. Trinidad and Tobago power forward Julius Ashby (205-82, college: Colorado) stepped up and scored 18 points and 8 rebounds for the winners and Ray Nixon chipped in 13 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists. Shiga L-Stars' coach Al Westover allowed to play the deep bench players in such tough game. At the losing side American forward T.J. Cummings (205-81, college: UCLA, agency: Top Notch Sports) responded with 24 points. Shiga L-Stars have a solid series of three victories in a row. They maintain third place with 27-16 record having just one points less than leader Okinawa GK, which they share with Kyoto Hannar. and Fukuoka Rizing. Oita Heat Devils at the other side keep the eighth position with 24 games lost. Shiga L-Stars will have a break next round, and it should allow them to practice more before next game. Oita Heat Devils will play again at home against Shiga L-Stars (#3) and hope to get back on the winning track.
A very close game took place in Fukuoka between Fukuoka Rizing and Niigata Albirex. Fifth ranked Fukuoka Rizing (27-16) got a very close home victory over 3rd placed Niigata Albirex (24-19). Fukuoka Rizing managed to escape with a 3-point win 97-94 in the fight for the third place. It ended at the same time the two-game winning streak of Niigata Albirex. Kevin Palmer nailed 30 points and 7 rebounds for the winning side. Chris Holm came up with a double-double by scoring 16 points and 17 rebounds (on 6-of-7 shooting from the field) for Niigata Albirex in the defeat. Niigata Albirex's coach Matt Garrison rotated ten players in this game, but that didn't help. Fukuoka Rizing moved-up to third place, which they share with Kyoto Hannar. and Shiga L-Stars. Loser Niigata Albirex keeps the third position with 19 games lost. Fukuoka Rizing will again meet at home Niigata Albirex (#3) in the next round, which may be the game of the day. Niigata Albirex will have a break next round.
Very important is a road loss of second ranked Osaka Evessa (29-14) against seventh ranked Miyazaki Shining Suns (20-23) on Saturday night. Visiting Osaka Evessa was crushed by Miyazaki Shining Suns in Miyazaki 83-61. Darryl Dora fired a double-double by scoring 22 points, 16 rebounds and 4 assists for the winners. Miyazaki Shining Suns' coach felt very confident that he used 10 players and allowed the starting five to rest. Miyazaki Shining Suns maintains seventh place with 20-23 record. Osaka Evessa at the other side keeps the second position with 14 games lost. Miyazaki Shining Suns' next round opponent will be again league's second-placed Osaka Evessa at home and it will be quite challenging to get another victory.
An interesting game for Hamamatsu Phoenix (29-13) which hosted in Mikawa their biggest opponent Akita Happinets (27-18). First ranked Hamamatsu Phoenix managed to get a 11-point victory 92-81. It ended at the same time the four-game winning streak of Akita Happinets. It was a very good performance for Jermaine Dixon who helped to win the game recording 13 points, 6 rebounds and 7 assists. Both coaches tested many bench players saving starting five for next games. Hamamatsu Phoenix have an impressive series of five victories in a row. Defending champion maintains first place with 29-13 record. Loser Akita Happinets keep the second position with 18 games lost. Hamamatsu Phoenix will face again league's second-placed Akita Happinets at home in the next round and it will be for sure the game of the week.

Other games in round 49 were not that significant. Takamatsu FA were beaten by Shinshu BW on the road 94-86. Chiba Jets won against Iwate Big Bulls on its own court 83-82. Shimane SM unfortunately lost to Toyama Grouses in a road game 61-72. Saitama Bron. was rolled over Sendai 89ers at home 61-101. Iwate Big Bulls defeated Chiba Jets on the opponent's court 85-78.
The most impressive performance of 49th round was 32 points and 15 rebounds by Nyika Williams of Takamatsu FA.

Miyazaki SS - Osaka Evessa 83-61

Very important is a road loss of second ranked Osaka Evessa (29-14) against seventh ranked Miyazaki Shining Suns (20-23) on Saturday night. Visiting Osaka Evessa was crushed by Miyazaki Shining Suns in Miyazaki 83-61. The game without a history. Miyazaki Shining Suns led from the first minutes and controlled entire game increasing their lead in each quarter. They dominated down low during the game scoring 48 of its points in the paint compared to Osaka Evessa's 28. They outrebounded Osaka Evessa 55-35 including a 41-22 advantage in defensive rebounds. American center Darryl Dora (206-85, college: Texas Tech) fired a double-double by scoring 22 points, 16 rebounds and 4 assists for the winners. His fellow American import swingman Dexter Lyons (198-81, college: Cent.Florida, agency: I.D.S. Law) chipped in a double-double by scoring 10 points, 13 rebounds and 4 assists. Four Miyazaki Shining Suns players scored in double figures. Miyazaki Shining Suns' coach felt very confident that he used 10 players and allowed the starting five to rest. American forward Michael Bell (206-82, college: Florida Atlantic) produced a double-double by scoring 15 points and 15 rebounds (made all of his twelve free throws !!!) and Haitian-American swingman Bobby St.Preux (196-80, college: N.Kentucky, agency: KMG Sports Management) added 11 points and 9 rebounds respectively for lost side. Miyazaki Shining Suns maintains seventh place with 20-23 record. Osaka Evessa at the other side keeps the second position with 14 games lost. Miyazaki Shining Suns' next round opponent will be again league's second-placed Osaka Evessa at home and it will be quite challenging to get another victory.
Top scorers:
Osaka Evessa: M.Bell 15+15reb+1ast, B.St.Preux 11+9reb, M.Obuchi 9+2reb, S.Konno 7, S.Takeda 6+1reb+1ast, K.Tyner 5+6reb+7ast
Miyazaki SS: D.Dora 22+16reb+4ast, O.Mims 14+9reb+2ast, Y.Tsubasa 10+2reb, D.Lyons 10+13reb+4ast, T.Ito 10+6reb, L.Witcher 9+5reb+1ast
gschID: 142257


Shinshu BW - Takamatsu FA 94-86

The game between closely ranked teams ended with eighth ranked Shinshu BW's (16-27) home victory over 9th ranked Takamatsu FA (2-42) in Nagano 94-86 on Friday. The hosts trailed by 1 point after three quarters before their 33-24 charge, which allowed them to win the game. Shinshu BW made 18-of-23 free shots (78.3 percent) during the game. Shinshu BW outrebounded Takamatsu FA 47-31 including 18 on the offensive glass. It was a very good performance for American power forward Lee Roberts (201-87, college: Findlay, OH) who helped to win the game recording a double-double by scoring 24 points and 17 rebounds. His fellow American import power forward Edward Morris (205-84, college: Pittsburg St.) contributed with 22 points and 8 rebounds for the winners. STVn center Nyika Williams (203-87, college: Pacific) answered with a double-double by scoring 32 points and 15 rebounds and American power forward Paul Butorac (208-83, college: E.Washington) added 20 points and 6 rebounds in the effort for Takamatsu FA. Both teams had four players each who scored in double figures. Shinshu BW moved-up to seventh place. Takamatsu FA lost tenth consecutive game. They keep the ninth position with 42 games lost. Shinshu BW will face again Takamatsu FA (#9) at home in the next round.
Top scorers:
Takamatsu FA: N.Williams 32+15reb+1ast, P.Butorac 20+6reb+2ast, H.Kikuchi 13+3reb+1ast, M.Suzuki 12+5reb+6ast, K.Tsutsumi 7+2reb+4ast, S.Takada 2+1ast
Shinshu BW: L.Roberts 24+17reb+1ast, E.Morris 22+8reb, D.Raivio 21+3reb+5ast, T.Goya 18+5reb+1ast, T.Hughes 4+9reb+1ast, T.Saito 3+3reb+8ast
gschID: 173460


Hamamatsu P. - Akita NH 92-81

An interesting game for Hamamatsu Phoenix (29-13) which hosted in Mikawa their biggest opponent Akita Happinets (27-18). First ranked Hamamatsu Phoenix managed to get a 11-point victory 92-81. It ended at the same time the four-game winning streak of Akita Happinets. The game was mostly controlled by Hamamatsu Phoenix. Akita Happinets was better in fourth quarter 22-21. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. Hamamatsu Phoenix forced 20 Akita Happinets turnovers and outrebounded them 45-33 including 30 on the defensive glass. They looked well-organized offensively handing out 22 assists. Akita Happinets were plagued by 28 personal fouls down the stretch. It was a very good performance for American guard Jermaine Dixon (191-87, college: Pittsburgh, agency: VVG Sports) who helped to win the game recording 13 points, 6 rebounds and 7 assists. His fellow American import forward Jeffrey Parmer (203-85, college: Florida Atlantic, agency: Dynamics Global Management) contributed with 12 points and 9 rebounds for the winners. Four Hamamatsu Phoenix players scored in double figures. American swingman Ricky Woods (194-84, college: SE Louisiana) answered with 19 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists and the former international forward Kazuhiro Shoji (191-74) added 16 points in the effort for Akita Happinets. Both coaches tested many bench players saving starting five for next games. Hamamatsu Phoenix have an impressive series of five victories in a row. Defending champion maintains first place with 29-13 record. Loser Akita Happinets keep the second position with 18 games lost. Hamamatsu Phoenix will face again league's second-placed Akita Happinets at home in the next round and it will be for sure the game of the week.
Top scorers:
Akita NH: R.Woods 19+7reb+4ast, K.Shoji 16+2reb, Y.Kikuchi 11+1reb+3ast, K.Swanston 10+3reb+1ast, E.Drayton 8+7reb+1ast, M.Kearse 6+5reb+5ast
Hamamatsu P.: S.Nakanishi 16+1reb, W.Arnold 15+3reb+4ast, J.Dixon 13+6reb+7ast, J.Parmer 12+9reb+3ast, L.Blackledge 8+5reb+2ast, L.Pomare 8+9reb
gschID: 142253


Kyoto Hannar. - Okinawa GK 83-76

The most crucial game of the last round was another loss of top-ranked Okinawa GK (34-11) on the court of fourth ranked Kyoto Hannar. on Saturday night. Visitors were defeated by Kyoto Hannar. 83-76. The hosts trailed by 1 point after three quarters before their 32-24 charge, which allowed them to win the game. Kyoto Hannar. made 18-of-19 free shots (94.7 percent) during the game. Worth to mention a great performance of American forward Rick Rickert (211-83, college: Minnesota, agency: SportsTalent) who helped to win the game recording a double-double by scoring 18 points, 14 rebounds and 4 assists. His fellow American import Lee Cummard (201-85, college: BYU, agency: Priority Sports) contributed with 18 points and 5 rebounds (made all of his eight free throws) for the winners. American Anthony McHenry (202-83, college: Georgia Tech) answered with 13 points and 4 assists and British power forward Dzaflo Larkai (203-81, college: Bellarmine, agency: Top Notch Sports) added 13 points and 7 rebounds in the effort for Okinawa GK. Four Okinawa GK players scored in double figures. Both coaches used bench players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. Kyoto Hannar. (27-16) moved-up to third place, which they share with Fukuoka Rizing and Shiga L-Stars. Okinawa GK at the other side still keeps top position with 11 games lost. Kyoto Hannar. is again looking forward to face league's leader Okinawa GK at home in the next round and it will be for sure the game of the week. Okinawa GK will have a break next round.
Top scorers:
Okinawa GK: N.Namizato 13+3reb+1ast, D.Larkai 13+7reb, A.McHenry 13+4reb+4ast, J.Newton 10+6reb+2ast, N.Kosuge 8+2reb+1ast, D.Palmer 7+1reb+1ast
Kyoto Hannar.: R.Rickert 18+14reb+4ast, L.Cummard 18+5reb+3ast, K.Setoyama 13+2reb+4ast, T.Kawabe 10+1reb+1ast, J.Boyette 9+6reb+4ast, B.Camara 8+10reb+1ast
gschID: 142254


Fukuoka Rizing - Niigata Albirex 97-94

A very close game took place in Fukuoka between Fukuoka Rizing and Niigata Albirex. Fifth ranked Fukuoka Rizing (27-16) got a very close home victory over 3rd placed Niigata Albirex (24-19). Fukuoka Rizing managed to escape with a 3-point win 97-94 in the fight for the third place. It ended at the same time the two-game winning streak of Niigata Albirex. Niigata Albirex was trailing by 9 points at halftime but managed to get 4-point lead after three quarters before a 32-25 charge of Fukuoka Rizing, which allowed them to win the game. American swingman Kevin Palmer (198-87, college: Texas A&M-CC, agency: VVG Sports) nailed 30 points and 7 rebounds (made all of his twelve free throws !!!) for the winning side and his fellow American import power forward Jermaine Dearman (202-80, college: S.Illinois, agency: Top Notch Sports) accounted for 19 points and 5 rebounds. American power forward Chris Holm (212-84, college: Vermont) came up with a double-double by scoring 16 points and 17 rebounds (on 6-of-7 shooting from the field) and swingman Yuichi Ikeda (191-83) added 14 points respectively for Niigata Albirex in the defeat. Four Fukuoka Rizing and five Niigata Albirex players scored in double figures. Niigata Albirex's coach Matt Garrison rotated ten players in this game, but that didn't help. Fukuoka Rizing moved-up to third place, which they share with Kyoto Hannar. and Shiga L-Stars. Loser Niigata Albirex keeps the third position with 19 games lost. Fukuoka Rizing will again meet at home Niigata Albirex (#3) in the next round, which may be the game of the day. Niigata Albirex will have a break next round.
Top scorers:
Niigata Albirex: C.Holm 16+17reb+1ast, D.Gordon 14+5ast, Y.Ikeda 14+2reb+3ast, E.Maxey 13+2reb, B.Davis 10+2reb+3ast, K.Sato 10+3reb+3ast
Fukuoka Rizing: K.Palmer 30+7reb+3ast, J.Dearman 19+5reb+2ast, C.Dixon 18+4reb+2ast, J.Nakanishi 14, A.Takeno 8+4ast, G.Hamilton 4+6reb+3ast
gschID: 142255


Oita H.Devils - Shiga L-Stars 80-82

Eighth-ranked Oita Heat Devils (18-24) used its home court advantage to challenge third ranked Shiga L-Stars (27-16). The visitors from Shiga managed to secure only two-point victory 82-80. However their fans expected much easier game. It ended at the same time the seven-game winning streak of Oita Heat Devils. Oita Heat Devils were ahead by 3 points after three quarters before a 21-16 charge of Shiga L-Stars, which allowed them to win the game. They outrebounded Oita Heat Devils 40-29 including 25 on the defensive glass. Trinidad and Tobago power forward Julius Ashby (205-82, college: Colorado) stepped up and scored 18 points and 8 rebounds for the winners and American forward Ray Nixon (203-84, college: Wisconsin, agency: Top Notch Sports) chipped in 13 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists. Shiga L-Stars' coach Al Westover allowed to play the deep bench players in such tough game. At the losing side American forward T.J. Cummings (205-81, college: UCLA, agency: Top Notch Sports) responded with 24 points and the other American import guard Wendell White (198-84, college: UNLV, agency: Top Notch Sports) produced a double-double by scoring 13 points and 13 rebounds. Four Oita Heat Devils players scored in double figures. Shiga L-Stars have a solid series of three victories in a row. They maintain third place with 27-16 record having just one points less than leader Okinawa GK, which they share with Kyoto Hannar. and Fukuoka Rizing. Oita Heat Devils at the other side keep the eighth position with 24 games lost. Shiga L-Stars will have a break next round, and it should allow them to practice more before next game. Oita Heat Devils will play again at home against Shiga L-Stars (#3) and hope to get back on the winning track.
Top scorers:
Oita H.Devils: T.Cummings 24+4reb+2ast, N.Takushi 13+2reb+9ast, K.Mitomo 13+3reb+2ast, W.White 13+13reb+1ast, M.Lottich 7+3reb+2ast, M.Ohara 6+1reb
Shiga L-Stars: J.Ashby 18+8reb+2ast, R.Nixon 13+6reb+4ast, Y.Okada 12+2reb+1ast, S.Ogawa 11+3reb+4ast, J.Peppers 9+6reb+2ast, D.Gomez Camargo 8+7reb+2ast
gschID: 142256


Chiba Jets - Iwate Big Bulls 83-82

Rather expected game when 9th ranked Iwate Big Bulls (14-32) were edged on the road by seventh ranked Chiba Jets (16-28) 83-82 on Friday. The hosts took control from the first minutes by winning first half. But Iwate Big Bulls won third quarter 22-19. However it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. Strangely Iwate Big Bulls outrebounded Chiba Jets 52-40 including a 21-10 advantage in offensive rebounds. They looked well-organized offensively handing out 22 assists. Great defensive blocking was one of the keys in this match when Chiba Jets made 10 blocks. American players dominated the game. Quite impressive performance for guard Jamel Staten (198-83, college: Minnesota St.) who helped to win the game recording a double-double by scoring 26 points, 11 rebounds and 7 assists. Guard Maurice Hargrow (193-83, college: Minnesota) contributed with 20 points and 4 assists for the winners. Power forward LaShawn Malloy (209-84, college: New Orleans, agency: Pro Management Agency) answered with a double-double by scoring 20 points and 13 rebounds and forward Thomas Kennedy (201-87, college: Detroit Mercy, agency: SDJ Sports) added 13 points and 11 rebounds in the effort for Iwate Big Bulls. Both teams had four players each who scored in double figures. Despite that victory Chiba Jets went down to eighth position due to points difference. Loser Iwate Big Bulls keep the ninth place with 32 games lost. Both teams do not play next round, which will be an opportunity for some rest.
Top scorers:
Iwate Big Bulls: L.Malloy 20+13reb+1ast, G.Klaiber 19+7reb, M.Sawaguchi 15+6reb, T.Kennedy 13+11reb+3ast, J.Boykin 10+7reb, H.Kantake 3
Chiba Jets: J.Staten 26+11reb+7ast, M.Hargrow 20+4reb+4ast, T.Kensuke 13+1reb+3ast, Shouta 11+2reb+2ast, T.Ishida 5+1reb+4ast, G.Moliva 4+5reb
gschID: 142249


Toyama Grouses - Shimane SM 72-61

Rather predictable result when fourth ranked Toyama Grouses (23-20) won against at home 6th ranked Shimane Magic (23-21) 72-61 on Saturday. The game without a history. Toyama Grouses led from the first minutes and controlled entire game increasing their lead in each quarter. Toyama Grouses forced 20 Shimane Magic turnovers. Quite impressive performance for Masashi Joho (183-82) who helped to win the game recording 26 points. American power forward Devin Searcy (208-89, college: Dayton, agency: Pro One Sports) contributed with a double-double by scoring 18 points and 12 rebounds for the winners. American center Jeral Davis (216-84) answered with 16 points and 8 rebounds and the other American import forward Michael Parker (202-81, college: Evergreen St.) added 10 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists in the effort for Shimane Magic. Toyama Grouses maintains fourth place with 23-20 record, which they share with Sendai 89ers. Loser Shimane Magic keeps the sixth position with 21 games lost. Toyama Grouses will face again Shimane Magic (#6) at home in the next round.
Top scorers:
Shimane SM: J.Davis 16+8reb, R.Golson 10+5reb+2ast, M.Parker 10+5reb+5ast, B.Puckett 9+4reb+1ast, J.Nakama 8+1reb+2ast, E.Yamamoto 4+4reb+1ast
Toyama Grouses: M.Joho 26+2reb+3ast, I.Brown 18+6reb+3ast, D.Searcy 18+12reb+1ast, T.Mito 4+3reb+4ast, L.Turner 4+11reb, K.Takano 2+1reb+1ast
gschID: 142250


Saitama Bron. - Sendai 89ers 61-101

Not a big story in a game when 10th ranked Saitama Broncos (11-31) were outscored at home by fifth ranked Sendai 89ers (23-20) 101-61 on Saturday. The game without a history. Sendai 89ers led from the first minutes and controlled entire game increasing their lead in each quarter. They dominated down low during the game scoring 82 of its points in the paint compared to Saitama Broncos' 22. They outrebounded Saitama Broncos 53-29 including a 43-23 advantage in defensive rebounds. Sendai 89ers looked well-organized offensively handing out 28 assists comparing to just 11 passes made by Saitama Broncos' players. Great defensive blocking was one of the keys in this match when Sendai 89ers made 7 blocks. American players dominated the game. Quite impressive performance for forward Daniel Fitzgerald (206-84, college: Marquette) who helped to win the game recording 27 points and 7 rebounds. Forward Johnny Dukes (203-84, college: San Bernardino CC) contributed with 16 points, 6 rebounds and 6 assists (on 7-of-9 shooting from the field) for the winners. Fitzgerald is a former Eurobasket Summer League player, which is considered top international summer league in the market. Five Sendai 89ers players scored in double figures. Forward John Flowers (200-89, college: W.Virginia, agency: KMG Sports Management) answered with 24 points and 4 assists and forward Jayme Miller (203-85) added 16 points and 8 rebounds in the effort for Saitama Broncos. The victory was the fourth consecutive win for Sendai 89ers. They moved-up to fourth place, which they share with Toyama Grouses. Saitama Broncos lost their sixth game in a row. They keep the tenth position with 31 games lost. Sendai 89ers will have a break next round. Saitama Broncos will play again at home against Sendai 89ers (#5).
Top scorers:
Saitama Bron.: J.Flowers 24+4reb+4ast, J.Miller 16+8reb+3ast, Y.Arai 11+3reb+1ast, D.Terashita 4+1reb, Y.Kitamuki 4+3reb+2ast, S.Kent 2
Sendai 89ers: D.Fitzgerald 27+7reb+3ast, R.Singleton 20+7reb+1ast, J.Dukes 16+6reb+6ast, T.Komoda 14+8reb+2ast, F.Toncinic 10+6reb+3ast, D.Takaoka 8+5reb+1ast
gschID: 142251


Chiba Jets - Iwate Big Bulls 78-85

There was a small surprise when ninth ranked Iwate Big Bulls (14-32) defeated on the road 7th ranked Chiba Jets (16-28) 85-78 on Saturday. Chiba Jets were trailing by 5 points at halftime but managed to get 2-point lead after three quarters before a 28-19 charge of Iwate Big Bulls, which allowed them to win the game. They made 24-of-28 free shots (85.7 percent) during the game. Chiba Jets were plagued by 24 personal fouls down the stretch. Quite impressive performance for American forward Thomas Kennedy (201-87, college: Detroit Mercy, agency: SDJ Sports) who helped to win the game recording a double-double by scoring 26 points and 11 rebounds (made all of his nine free throws !!!). Guard Makoto Sawaguchi (184-91) contributed with 17 points and 7 rebounds for the winners. Five Iwate Big Bulls players scored in double figures. American guard Jamel Staten (198-83, college: Minnesota St.) answered with a double-double by scoring 22 points, 13 rebounds and 9 assists and the other American import guard Maurice Hargrow (193-83, college: Minnesota) added 29 points and 6 rebounds in the effort for Chiba Jets. Iwate Big Bulls maintains ninth place with 14-32 record. Loser Chiba Jets dropped to the eighth position with 28 games lost. Both teams do not play next round, which will be an opportunity for some rest.
Top scorers:
Chiba Jets: M.Hargrow 29+6reb+2ast, J.Staten 22+13reb+9ast, T.Ishida 10+3reb+3ast, A.Broxsie 6+7reb+1ast, G.Moliva 3+6reb, T.Nakamura 3
Iwate Big Bulls: T.Kennedy 26+11reb+2ast, M.Sawaguchi 17+7reb+3ast, Y.Yamamoto 11+1reb+2ast, L.Malloy 11+9reb, H.Kantake 10+2reb+3ast, G.Klaiber 8+5reb+1ast
gschID: 142252



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  KAZAKHSTAN   


CSKA comes back from the International Tournament - by Eurobasket News

CSKA comes back from the International Tournament as the team from Kazakhstan participated at the annual Novruz Cup tournament in Bishkek. CSKA finished third with 2 victories and 3 losses.
Azerbaijan celebrated the victory in the annual Novruz Cup tournament in Bishkek. The victory marked the third success for Azerbaijan National Team at the tournament. The Elhan Aliyev team claimed five wins in as many games to celebrate the title.
CSKA from Kazakhstan lost to the winners in the second game. Elhan Aliyev team proved strength 86:69. Amil Hamzayev fired 30 points to lead the charge.
The Head Coach of CSKA Ivan Nechaev said that it was a pleasure to represent the country in such a tournament. He wished to have such an event in Kazakhstan.
Anton Bykov (198-F-89) was the third top-scorer of the tournament with 105 points.


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  KOSOVO   

Standings - Superleague

SuperLeague Standings
 1. Trepca 21-2
 2. Sigal Prishtina 20-3
 3. Peja 15-8
 4. Bashkimi 12-11
 5. Kolegji Univer. 9-14
 6. Kosova 6-17
 7. Futura 5-18
 8. Drita 4-19

Regular Season: Round 23

Mar. 31: Peja - Bashkimi 86-77
Mar. 31: Kolegji Univer. - Trepca 68-94
Mar. 31: Kosova - Futura 64-54
Mar. 31: Sigal Prishtina - Drita 122-59

Regular Season: Round 24

Apr. 5: Bashkimi - Kolegji Univer.
Apr. 5: Trepca - Kosova
Apr. 5: Futura - Sigal Prishtina
Apr. 5: Drita - Peja


All the matches to be played today - by Dren Shporta


Regarding the 23nd round, all the matches will be played today, because of All Stars match tommorow. This w as decided from Basketball Federation yesterday. Peja against Bashkimi will be the match of the night. With great on form Blerim Mazreku, Peja is hoping to secure the third place in classification by winning against desperated oranges from Prizren. Trepca will play against Kolegji Univers, while Sigal Prishtina hosts Drita, Futura will wait for Kosova Vushtrri.


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  KYRGYZSTAN   


Azerbaijani basketball team beats Uzbekistan in Cup of Novruz in Bishkek - by Eurobasket News

The basketball tournament Cup of Novruz 2012 involving the national team of Azerbaijan continues in Kyrgyz Bishkek.

The matches of the third round are played today. The national team of Azerbaijan which beat the US Athletes in action (84:72) and Kazakh CSKA (86:69) was playing the national team of Uzbekistan today and won 81:67.

The national team of Azerbaijan demonstrates the 100% result-6 points in three matches. The tournament which is held by the round system is to complete on 21 March when the matches of the fifth round will be played.
Courtesy of: news.az


Bishkek farewell to Novruz Cup 2012 - by Eurobasket News

Bishkek farewell to Novruz Cup 2012. Azerbaijan celebrated the victory in the annual Novruz Cup tournament in Bishkek. The victory marked the third success for Azerbaijan National Team at the tournament. The Elhan Aliyev team claimed five wins in as many games to celebrate the title.
Azerbaijan wrapped up their campaign on a high note defeating Kyrgyzstan 76:73 to keep a perfect record. Kyrgyzstan started with 28-21 lead but lost the second frame 18-21. Moreover the favorites won the third and the last stanzas in the game. Tahir Bakhshiyev paced all the winners with 24 points and Amil Hamzayev netted 19. Kuranbaev responded with 36 points in the losing case.
The home side finished with 1 victory and 4 losses. Kuranbaev and Kanat Ibrayev (G/F) however became the top-scorers of the tournament. They notched 154 and 108 points respectively.


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  LATVIA   

LBL Standing

LBL Standings
 1. Liepaja 16-8 
 2. Ventspils 14-1 
 3. VEF Riga 13-1 
 4. Valmiera 12-12 
 5. LU 12-12 
 6. Jelgava 11-14 
 7. Turiba 9-17 
 8. Jurmala 8-16 
 9. U18 1-15 

Regular Season: Round 26

Apr. 1: LU - Liepaja 91-96
Mar. 30: Ventspils - Turiba 91-53
Apr. 1: VEF Riga - U18 90-58
Mar. 28: Ventspils - VEF Riga 66-77
Apr. 2: Jurmala - Valmiera


Stats Leaders

Points Per Game
 Ernests KALVE
  Valmiera
  (200-F-87)
  Avg: 18.8
 1. Kalve, Valmiera18.8 
 2. Peiners, LU18.8 
 3. Mayo, Liepaja18.1 
 4. Lucas, Valmiera17.4 
 5. Krumins, Jelgava16.5 
 6. Ozols, Jurmala16.2 
 7. Mediss, Turiba15.5 
 8. Young, Ventspils14.5 
 9. Kravcenko, Liepaja14.1 
 10. Dargais, LU13.4 
Rebounds Per Game
 Ervins JONATS
  Jurmala
  (199-F-91)
  Avg: 9.6
 1. Jonats, Jurmala9.6 
 2. Willard, Ventspils8.5 
 3. Dargais, LU8.0 
 4. Rozitis, Valmiera8.0 
 5. Berzins, VEF Riga7.8 
 6. Mednis, Turiba6.7 
 7. Kalve, Valmiera6.3 
 8. Nelson, Jelgava6.1 
 9. Butjankovs, Valmi.6.0 
 10. Timma, Liepaja5.7 
Assists Per Game
 Josh MAYO
  Liepaja
  (182-G-87)
  Avg: 5
 1. Mayo, Liepaja5.0 
 2. Lucas, Valmiera4.4 
 3. Kravcenko, Liepaja4.0 
 4. Coders, Jurmala3.6 
 5. Krumins, Jelgava3.2 
 6. Peiners, LU3.1 
 7. Silavs, Jelgava3.1 
 8. Gray, Ventspils3.0 
 9. Antrops, Turiba2.4 
 10. Vitols, LU2.4 
Steals Per Game
 Zanis PEINERS
  LU
  (203-G-90)
  Avg: 2
 1. Peiners, LU2.0 
 2. Kanbergs, Jelgava1.8 
 3. Osins, LU1.8 
 4. Gray, Ventspils1.8 
 5. Mayo, Liepaja1.7 
 6. Timma, Liepaja1.5 
 7. Young, Ventspils1.5 
 8. Krumins, Jelgava1.4 
 9. Ozols, Jurmala1.4 
 10. Kosuskins, Jurmala1.4 
Blocks Per Game
 Jekabs ROZITIS
  Valmiera
  (206-F/C-86)
  Avg: 1.7
 1. Rozitis, Valmiera1.7 
 2. Berzins, VEF Riga1.2 
 3. Ozols, Jurmala1.0 
 4. Leiteris, Liepaja0.8 
 5. Jonats, Jurmala0.8 
 6. Plivda, LU0.7 
 7. Duselis, Jelgava0.6 
 8. Meiers, Ventspils0.6 
 9. Berzins, Ventspils0.5 
 10. Peiners, LU0.5 



*****************************************************
  LEBANON   

Standings - Division A

Div.A Standings
 1. Champville 22-2 
 2. Al Riyadi 22-3 
 3. Anibal 16-8 
 4. Sagesse 12-13 
 5. Byblos 10-14 
 6. Moutahed 9-15 
 7. Bejjeh 8-16 
 8. Hoops 5-19 


Stats Leaders - Men

Points Per Game
 Desmond PENIGAR
  Byblos
  (201-F-81)
  Avg: 28.5
 1. Penigar, Byblos28.5 
 2. Khatib, Champville27.3 
 3. Spencer, Al Riyadi26.3 
 4. Gray, Byblos23.9 
 5. Johnson, Sagesse21.9 
 6. Youngblood, Anibal21.5 
 7. Johnson, Moutahed20.8 
 8. Hoskin, Champville19.7 
 9. Souaid, Bejjeh18.8 
 10. Thompson, Champvi.17.9 
Rebounds Per Game
 Desmond PENIGAR
  Byblos
  (201-F-81)
  Avg: 12.1
 1. Penigar, Byblos12.1 
 2. Crump, Sagesse11.5 
 3. Ismail, Al Riyadi11.4 
 4. Thompson, Champvil.11.1 
 5. Hoskin, Champville9.9 
 6. Trim, Moutahed9.2 
 7. Hamdar, Hoops9.0 
 8. Bawji, Moutahed8.5 
 9. Fakhreddine, Hoops7.3 
 10. Bou Abboud, Bejj.7.3 
Assists Per Game
 Ali MAHMOUD
  Al Riyadi
  (185-G-83)
  Avg: 6.5
 1. Mahmoud, Al Riyadi6.5 
 2. Akl, Anibal6.4 
 3. Ismail, Al Riyadi5.6 
 4. Khatib, Champville5.5 
 5. Johnson, Moutahed5.5 
 6. Gray, Byblos5.5 
 7. Johnson, Sagesse4.9 
 8. Spencer, Al Riyadi4.1 
 9. Barada, Byblos4.0 
 10. Youngblood, Anibal3.5 
Steals Per Game
 Jasmon YOUNGBLOOD
  Anibal
  (195-G-84)
  Avg: 3
 1. Youngblood, Anibal3.0 
 2. Mahmoud, Al Riyadi2.7 
 3. Johnson, Moutahed2.5 
 4. Estephane, Champvi.2.3 
 5. Spencer, Al Riyadi2.1 
 6. Akl, Anibal1.7 
 7. Souaid, Bejjeh1.7 
 8. Thompson, Champvil.1.6 
 9. Johnson, Sagesse1.6 
 10. Ismail, Al Riyadi1.6 
Blocks Per Game
 Ahmad ISMAIL
  Al Riyadi
  (205-F-76)
  Avg: 1.8
 1. Ismail, Al Riyadi1.8 
 2. Hamdar, Hoops1.7 
 3. Thompson, Champvil.1.5 
 4. Crump, Sagesse1.4 
 5. Sabra, Byblos1.4 
 6. Youngblood, Anibal1.2 
 7. Hoskin, Champville1.1 
 8. Fakhreddine, Hoops1.0 
 9. Bou Abboud, Bejjeh1.0 
 10. Penigar, Byblos0.9 



*****************************************************
  LIGA AMERICAS   

Standings

Liga Americas Standings
Group E
 1. Obras 3-0 
 2. Pioneros 2-1 
 3. Itabom/Bauru 1-2 
 4. Bucaneros 0-3 
Group F
 1. Arecibo 0-0 
 2. Cocodrilos 0-0 
 3. La Union 0-0 
 4. Uniceub/BRB 0-0 
Stage One Standings

Second Stage: Round 1

Mar. 30: Pioneros - Bucaneros 89-81
Apr. 1: Bucaneros - Itabom/Bauru 80-83
Apr. 1: Pioneros - Obras 76-84
Mar. 31: Itabom/Bauru - Pioneros 68-73
Mar. 30: Itabom/Bauru - Obras 38-74
Mar. 31: Obras - Bucaneros 101-78

Second Stage: Round 2

Apr. 13: La Union - Arecibo
Apr. 13: Cocodrilos - Uniceub/BRB
Apr. 14: La Union - Uniceub/BRB
Apr. 14: Arecibo - Cocodrilos
Apr. 15: Arecibo - Uniceub/BRB
Apr. 15: Cocodrilos - La Union



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


Lithuanian LKL round 21 best performance: Sarunas Vasiliauskas - by Eurobasket News

Guard Sarunas Vasiliauskas (188-G-89, agency: Alti Sport) put on an extraordinary performance in the last round for Techasas, receiving a Eurobasket.com Player of the Week award for round 21.
The 22-year old player was the main contributor (30 points, four rebounds and four assists) to as his team The game rather meaningless between the teams, which do not have any influence on the top of the standings. Lietkabelis moved-up to the 12th position in the Lithuanian LKL. Too late to salvage the team, which is currently ranked at the very bottom. They already lost 16 games and recorded just four victories. It was one of impressive evenings for Vasiliauskas as usually he does not deliver so high stats. Sarunas Vasiliauskas averages this season 11.5ppg.

The second best player in last round's games was 26-year old Laurynas Mikalauskas (205-F-85) of Neptunas. Mikalauskas had a very good evening with 27 points, 6 rebounds and 2 assists. Of course he lead Neptunas to another comfortable win outscoring slightly higher-ranked Baltai Kaunas (#6, 9-11) 85-59. Neptunas' 7th position in the standings has not changed. His team is not often considered as one of the league's best with a mere 9-12 record. Mikalauskas is a newcomer at Neptunas, but is already one of team's top players. He belongs to the best scorers in the league with 16.4ppg (#1). He also registered 6.9 boards per game.

Third on the list of top players last round was American forward David McClure (200-F-86) of Kedainiai (#8). McClure scored 23 points and grabbed eight rebounds. He was a key player of Kedainiai, leading his team to a 86-84 win against the higher-ranked Lietuvos rytas (#2, 18-3). The chances of Kedainiai not to end season at such low position in the league, however are less than slim as they have already lost 13 games, recording just eight victories. With bigger assistance of his teammates, McClure could try to bring Kedainiai's a little bit higher in the standings. McClure has individually a great season in Lithuania. After 20 games, he made it on the list of the league's leaders in rebounds with 7.2rpg (4th best).

Other top performing players last week:
4. Renaldas Seibutis (195-G-85) of Lietuvos rytas - 20 points, 3 rebounds and 2 assists
5. Vaidas Cepukaitis (207-C-89) of Lietkabelis - 9 points, 10 rebounds and 3 assists
6. Arnas Butkevicius (199-F-92) of Sakalai - 18 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists
7. Evaldas Dainys (180-PG-82) of Neptunas - 10 points, 5 rebounds and 7 assists
8. Jonas Maciulis (198-G/F-85) of Baltai Kaunas - 20 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists
9. Arturas Valeika (206-F-85) of Neptunas - 12 points, 11 rebounds and 2 assists
10. Laurynas Samenas (192-G-88) of Sakalai - 14 points, 3 rebounds and 7 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)


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

Standings - Nationale 2

N2 Standings
 1. Contern 16-2
 2. Black Star 15-3
 3. Bascharage 11-7
 4. BC Mess 11-7
 5. Grengewald 11-7
 6. Racing 10-8
 7. Mondorf 7-11
 8. Red Miners 7-11
 9. Pall Aren 2-16
 10. Kordall Steelers 0-18


Best players of Luxembourg Diekirch League round 7 (Second Stage) - by Eurobasket News

Experienced American forward Larrie Smith (198-F-75) had an amazing evening in the last round for league's second-best Sparta and that's him to receive a Eurobasket.com Player of the Week award for round 7 (Second Stage).
The 36-year old forward had a double-double of 34 points and twenty rebounds, while his team beat Residence (#4, 12-13) 94-82. Sparta maintains the 2nd position in Luxembourg Diekirch League. They are still close to the very top. Sparta would have been even better if they kept winning the games like in the last round. They have a solid 20-5 record. In the team's last game Smith had a remarkable 77.8% from 2-point range. He has many years of experience at Sparta, through which he has constantly improved. Tennessee Tech University graduate has very impressive stats this year. Smith is in league's top in points (9th best: 20.0ppg), rebounds (5th best: 10.0rpg) and averages solid 55.0% FGP.

The second most remarkable performance in last round's games was 26-year old Canadian forward Billy McNutt (203-F-85) of Heffingen. McNutt impressed basketball fans with 29 points and 6 rebounds. Bad luck as Heffingen lost that game 87-94 to slightly higher-ranked Soleuvre (#-4, 12-11). Despite lost game Heffingen moved up to -3th position in 7-10 places. 20 lost games are too many comparing to just three victories Heffingen managed to get this Second Stage. McNutt is a newcomer at Heffingen and it seems he did not have too much trouble to become one of team's leaders.

The third best performed player last round was American Lamonte Ulmer (198-SF-86) of Soleuvre (#-4). Ulmer scored 24 points and grabbed fourteen rebounds (!!!). He was a key player of Soleuvre, leading his team to a 94-87 win against #-3 ranked Heffingen in a game of the week. Soleuvre needs these victories very badly if they think about getting closer to top teams in 7-10 places. Their record at this point is 12 victories and 11 lost games. Ulmer has a great season in Luxembourg. After 22 games, he made it on the list of the league's leaders in points with 26.2ppg (best scorer) and rebounds with 12.5rpg (#1 in league). He also has 1.3bpg and FGP: 53.9%.

Other top performing players last week:
4. Denell Stephens (193-F/G-86) of T71 - 14 points and 16 rebounds
5. Frank Muller (194-F/C-88) of T71 - 23 points and 10 rebounds
6. Janis Poznaks (202-F/C-83) of BBC Nitia - 23 points and 12 rebounds
7. Philip Perre (198-F-79) of Musel Pikes - 26 points, 6 rebounds and 2 assists
8. Brandon Gary (202-F/C-83) of Musel Pikes - 14 points, 12 rebounds and 3 assists
9. Kasey Ulin (184-PG-82) of Sparta - 24 points, 2 rebounds and 7 assists
10. Michel Weyland (180-G-81) of Soleuvre - 22 points, 2 rebounds and 8 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)


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


ASEAN League: Singapore Slingers edge Westports Dragons - by Eurobasket News

Singapore Slingers - Westports Dragons 81:70

Singapore Slingers recorded the sixth win in ASEAN League season. They toppled visiting Westports Dragons tonight. Graham Louis (205-F/C-84, agency: Z.A.G. - Law Offices) scored 24 points and grabbed 9 rebounds to lead the hosts.
The Slingers shocked the Dragons in the opening quarter. They limited the visitors to just 4 points to build a 12-point lead. The teams traded baskets throughout the second quarter. The Slingers maintained the lead as they established a 38:26 halftime advantage. The Dragons speeded up in the third term and narrowed the distance to 11 points with one quarter to go. But the Malaysian team never got closer than 8 points in the fourth period as the Slingers marched to the win at the end. Jeffers Kyle (207-C-85, college: Oregon St.) posted 17 points and 20 rebounds, while Wong Wei Long (172-G-88) added 13 points in the winning case. Devon Sullivan (201-G/F-86, college: S.Connecticut) responded with 16 points for Westports Dragons. Yeo Seng John Ng (190-F-81) finished with 12 points in the loss.

Singapore Slingers: Graham Louis 24, Jeffers Kyle 17+20 boards, Wong Wei Long 13
Westports Dragons: Devon Sullivan 16, Yeo Seng John Ng 12


*****************************************************
  MONTENEGRO   

Standings - 1A

1A Standings
S-League
 1. Buducnost 3-0 
 2. Mornar Bar 2-1 
 3. Sutjeska 2-1 
 4. Ulcinj 1-2 
 5. Lovcen 1-2 
 6. Teodo Tivat 0-3 
Play-Out
 1. KK Podgorica 3-0 
 2. Jedinstvo 2-1 
 3. ABS Primorje 2-1 
 4. Danilovgrad 2-1 
 5. Centar BP 0-3 
 6. Mogren 0-3 
Erste Basketball League Standings

Second Stage: Round 3

Play-Out

Apr. 1: ABS Primorje - KK Podgorica 83-93
Apr. 1: Danilovgrad - Centar BP 83-62
Apr. 1: Jedinstvo - Mogren 20-0

S-League

Apr. 1: Teodo Tivat - Sutjeska 80-88
Apr. 1: Mornar Bar - Ulcinj 76-62
Apr. 1: Lovcen - Buducnost 54-70

Second Stage: Round 4

Play-Out

Apr. 3: Mogren - Centar BP
Apr. 3: KK Podgorica - Danilovgrad
Apr. 3: Jedinstvo - ABS Primorje

S-League

Apr. 3: Ulcinj - Sutjeska
Apr. 3: Buducnost - Teodo Tivat
Apr. 3: Mornar Bar - Lovcen



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

Standings

NBA Standings
Eastern Conference
Atlantic Div.
 1. Boston C. 30-22 
 2. Philadelph.76 29-23 
 3. New York K. 27-26 
 4. New Jersey N. 19-35 
 5. Toronto R. 18-35 
Central Div.
 1. Chicago B. 42-12 
 2. Indiana P. 31-21 
 3. Milwaukee B. 24-28 
 4. Detroit P. 19-33 
 5. Cleveland C. 17-33 
Southeast Div.
 1. Miami Heat 37-14 
 2. Orlando M. 32-21 
 3. Atlanta H. 31-23 
 4. Washington W. 12-40 
 5. Charlotte B. 7-43 
Western Conference
Northwest Div.
 1. Oklah.City T. 40-12 
 2. Denver N. 29-24 
 3. Utah Jazz 27-26 
 4. Minnesota T. 26-28 
 5. Portland TB 24-29 
Pacific Div.
 1. LA Lakers 33-20 
 2. LA Clippers 31-21 
 3. Phoenix Suns 26-26 
 4. Golde State W. 20-31 
 5. Sacramento K. 18-34 
Southwest Div.
 1. San Antonio S. 36-14 
 2. Dallas M. 30-23 
 3. Memphis G. 28-22 
 4. Houston R. 28-25 
 5. N.Orleans H. 13-40 

Regular Season: Round 95

Apr. 1: Toronto R. - Washington W. 99-92
Apr. 1: Oklah.City T. - Chicago B. 92-78
Apr. 1: Phoenix Suns - N.Orleans H. 92-75
Apr. 1: Boston C. - Miami Heat 91-72
Apr. 1: LA Lakers - Golde State W. 120-112
Apr. 1: Portland TB - Minnesota T. 119-106
Apr. 1: Houston R. - Indiana P. 102-104 OT
Apr. 1: Orlando M. - Denver N. 101-104

Regular Season: Round 96

Apr. 2: Washington W. - Milwaukee B.
Apr. 2: Oklah.City T. - Memphis G.
Apr. 2: Portland TB - Utah Jazz
Apr. 2: Chicago B. - Houston R.
Apr. 2: Dallas M. - LA Clippers
Apr. 2: Sacramento K. - Minnesota T.


Stats Leaders

Points Per Game
 Kobe BRYANT
  LA Lakers
  (198-G-78)
  Avg: 28.1
 1. Bryant, LA Lakers28.1 
 2. Durant, Oklah.Ci.27.7 
 3. James, Miami Heat26.5 
 4. Love, Minnesota T.26.5 
 5. Westbrook, Oklah..24.5 
 6. Rose, Chicago B.22.8 
 7. Wade, Miami Heat22.8 
 8. Ellis, Golde S.21.9 
 9. Williams, New J.21.6 
 10. Aldridge, Portlan.21.5 
Rebounds Per Game
 Dwight HOWARD
  Orlando M.
  (211-C-85)
  Avg: 14.5
 1. Howard, Orlando M.14.5 
 2. Love, Minnesota T.13.8 
 3. Bynum, LA Lakers11.9 
 4. Varejao, Clevelan.11.5 
 5. Cousins, Sacramen.11.1 
 6. Humphries, New J.10.9 
 7. Griffin, LA Clipp.10.8 
 8. Gasol, LA Lakers10.5 
 9. Gortat, Phoenix9.9 
 10. Monroe, Detroit P.9.8 
Assists Per Game
 Steve NASH
  Phoenix Suns
  (190-PG-74)
  Avg: 11.3
 1. Nash, Phoenix Suns11.3 
 2. Rondo, Boston C.11.0 
 3. Paul, LA Clippers8.8 
 4. Calderon, Toron.8.8 
 5. Williams, New J.8.6 
 6. Rubio, Minnesot.8.2 
 7. Parker, San A.8.0 
 8. Rose, Chicago B.8.0 
 9. Wall, Washington W.7.8 
 10. Conley, Memphis G.7.3 
Steals Per Game
 Mike CONLEY
  Memphis G.
  (186-PG-87)
  Avg: 2.4
 1. Conley, Memphis G.2.4 
 2. Paul, LA Clippers2.4 
 3. Rubio, Minnesot.2.2 
 4. James, Miami Heat1.9 
 5. Iguodala, Philadel.1.8 
 6. Lowry, Houston R.1.8 
 7. Shumpert, New Y.1.8 
 8. Millsap, Utah Jazz1.8 
 9. Ariza, N.Orleans H.1.7 
 10. Rondo, Boston C.1.7 
Blocks Per Game
 Serge IBAKA
  Oklah.Ci.
  (208-C/F-89)
  Avg: 3.4
 1. Ibaka, Oklah.Ci.3.4 
 2. McGee, Washingt.2.5 
 3. Howard, Orlando M.2.1 
 4. Jordan, LA Clippers2.1 
 5. Bynum, LA Lakers2.0 
 6. Hibbert, Indiana P.1.9 
 7. Smith, Atlanta H.1.9 
 8. Dalembert, Houst.1.8 
 9. Gasol, Memphis G.1.8 
 10. Biyombo, Charlott.1.8 


Recap of Thunder-Bulls Game - by Miguel Rivera

The top teams of both conferences matched up Sunday afternoon for a possible NBA Finals preview. The Oklahoma City Thunder played host to the Chicago Bulls, who own the league's best record. The headlines before the game revolved around the injuries to the Chicago backcourt with Derrick Rose and Rip Hamilton each sitting out this game, listed as day-to-day with their respective injuries. Coach Thibs also made a change in his starting lineup, going with Kyle Korver over Ronnie Brewer. The move is very smart for CHicago for a couple of reasons. One, it allows Brewer to match up with James Harden of the Thunder coming off the bench. It also allows Brewer to prepare for his role coming off the bench for when Hamilton returns.

The Thunder came out firing in the first half, with Durant and Westbrook combining for 32 of the team's 49 first half points. The Bulls struggled offensively without a go-to scorer, missing 9 of their first 12 3-point attempts. The point guard duo of CJ Watson and John Lucas III, who have been outstanding in Rose's absence, shot just 4-14 combined in the first half, 1-7 from 3-point range.

The second half started off with the Thunder picking up right where they left off before halftime, with more of the 1-2 punch of Durant and Westbrook. Early in the 3rd quarter, the Bulls had a 3 on 2 fast break, and Watson kicked it out to Deng on the wing, who threw a cross-court pass to Korver that was intercepted by Westbrook, who sprinted down the court and displayed his best Ed Reed impression. The Thunder quickly turned a 10-point halftime lead to a 20-point advantage in the first 5 minutes of the 3rd. With the Thunder up 67-44, Durant played great on-ball defense against Deng, forcing Deng into an ill-advised 19-footer from the corner that didn't hit anything. Westbrook grabbed the rebound and took three dribbles before throwing an alley-oop to a hustling Durant from past half-court, which prompted the Bulls to take an immediate timeout. To cap off the 3rd quarter, the Bulls switched to a zone defense, and on a missed defensive assignment, Westbrook cut through the middle of the lane for a monster one-handed dunk on Omer Asik, extending the lead to 80-51.

The NBA is known as the league in which 'everyone makes a run.' For the Bulls in the 4th quarter, it just didn't happen. Both teams went deep into their benches early on in the 4th quarter. The Thunder put in seldom-used Royal Ivey and Lazar Haywood while the Bulls checked in rookie Jimmy Butler and fan-favorite Brian Scalabrine. With the players on the floor in the 4th quarter, it looked more like a summer league game than a marquee matchup. The teams traded baskets most of the way, until Lucas III hit some uncontested jumpers in the final minute, and the Thunder rolled along to a 92-78 victory.

TIP-INS: This was the 20th game that Derrick Rose has missed this season. He missed 6 total in his first 3 years...In only 3 quarters of play, Westbrook and Durant shot a combined 21-34 for 54 points. The Bulls had only 51 points through 3 quarters...The rebounding edge typically is in favor of the winning team. Sunday, the Bulls out-rebounded the Thunder 48-40.



Boston 91, Miami 72 - by Milord Nikolic

Paul Pierce scored 23 points and Rajon Rondo had his league-leading fifth triple-double as Boston mauled visiting Miami to extend its winning streak to five games. Rajon had 16 points, 14 assists and 11 rebounds - his 13th consecutive game with double-double assists - as the Celtics won their eighth straight home game and beat the Heat for the eighth time in a row at TD Garden. Brandon Bass had a double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds as Boston had all five starters score in double figures and moved one game ahead of Philadelphia atop the Atlantic Division. LeBron James scored 23 points to pace Miami, which was limited to its lowest point total of the season and lost for the seventh time in the last 11 away from home. Boston blew the game open in the third quarter, going on a 20-2 tear in a span of under 5 1/2 minutes to build a commanding 72-52 lead. The Celtics outscored the Heat 31-12 in the quarter. Rondo got off to a fast start with 10 points, four rebounds and four assists in staking Boston to a 29-19 lead after the opening quarter. The Heat battled back to tie it briefly before the Celtics took a 49-44 lead into the half, setting up the third-period eruption.


Pacers Hold-Off the Rockets, 104-102 - by Daniel Gibson

INDIANA, Ind.---Coming into tonight's game against the Houston Rockets, the Pacers were down to the final 15 games of the regular and gearing up to make a move.

Danny Granger said he felt the team needed to go #13-2 or 12-3' to really solidify there playoff positioning and enter the postseason with momentum.

This close win, by two points at 104-102, was a little closer than they would like but a great win none the less.

'The Captain,' Danny Granger, set the tone and carried the team by scoring 32 points, shooting 11-for-20 from the floor and 6-for-8 from three-point range. He also was 4-for-4 from the free-throw line. Roy Hibbert had 15 points and nine rebounds in a supporting role.

The Pacers started off fast finishing he first period off leading by four points at 27-23. The next two periods the Rockets turned up the intensity and seemed to turn the table on the Pacers. The Rockets outscored the Pacers 50-36 throughout the second and third period but the Pacers had one last run in them during the fourth.

In winning time, the fourth quarter, the Pacers answered the challenge and outscored the Rockets by 10 points, at 30-20. This was a great win after losing a tough game against the San Antonio Spurs last night.

The Pacers have to be prepared to play every time out as the season winds down and they have a number of games coming up in a short period of time. The team has their goals set and with this win they took the first step towards reaching them.


Report: Spurs' Ferry candidate to join Wizards' front office - by Eurobasket News

If you look at most NBA teams, you might find a connection to the San Antonio Spurs.

New Orleans has Monty Williams who played and served as a coach for the Spurs, Oklahoma has Sam Presti as GM, who also served time with the Spurs' front office, and Avery Johnson, who played for San Antonio, is now leading the ship for New Jersey.

The list seems to go on-and-on and according to the NY Daily News, Danny Ferry could be in line to take the lessons learned with the Spurs to the Wizards next season.

Former Cavs GM Danny Ferry is being touted as a candidate to run the Wizards when owner Ted Leonsis cleans out his front office, starting with team prez Ernie Grunfeld, after the season. Ferry has been assisting Gregg Popovich in San Antonio.

Ferry, who is currently serving as Vice President of Basketball Operations for San Antonio, would be more than qualified to run the Wizards. Not only does he have experience with the Spurs (worked in the front office from 2003-2005 as well), he also served as the Cavs' GM starting in 2005 and ending in 2010.

In Cleveland, he brought on former Spurs assistant coach Mike Brown, and added talent to a team with LeBron James (Mo Williams, Anthony Parker, Leon Powe) which played in the 2007 NBA Finals against the Spurs.

If this does happen, once again it will prove how other teams view the Spurs and their top-notch front office talent. Teams want a piece of San Antonio's winning blue print and hope to duplicate it with their own team.

Courtesy of http://projectspurs.com


Sunday's games review (8): Lakers beat Warriors 120-112 behind Bryant's 40 - by Eurobasket News

Phoenix Suns - N.Orleans H. 92-75
Jared Dudley (6'7''-F-85, agency: Priority Sports, college: Boston Coll.) recorded a game-high 21 points to go along with seven rebounds as the Phoenix Suns handled the New Orleans Hornets, 92-75, at US Airways Center. Channing Frye (6'11''-C/F-83, college: Arizona) added 14 points and 11 rebounds while Shannon Brown contributed 16 points and Steve Nash dished out 14 assists as the Suns snapped a two-game slide. They are 1 1/2 games behind Houston for the eighth seed in the Western Conference playoff chase. Jason Smith and Marco Belinelli scored 14 points apiece to pace New Orleans, which dropped its third straight game to end a five-game road trip with a 1-4 record. After a Chris Kaman jumper brought the Hornets within 12-10 near the midpoint of the first quarter, the Suns reeled off a 12-5 run to jump out to a 24-15 advantage with less than two minutes remaining in the opening frame. New Orleans, though, closed out the first with a 6-2 spurt to close the gap to 26-21 entering the second quarter and then opened the second with back-to-back layups by Smith and Kaman to make it a one-point game. Robin Lopez answered with a personal 6-2 swing to stretch the Suns' lead back up to 32-27 before consecutive three-pointers by Greivis Vasquez and Al-Farouq Aminu gave the Hornets their first lead of the game, 33-32. But that would be the last time New Orleans would be on top as Sebastian Telfair quickly responded with a driving layup on the other end to spark an 18-8 run over the final seven-plus minutes of the half to give Phoenix a 50-41 advantage at the break. Phoenix's lead ballooned up to as much as 21 in the third quarter when Brown's pull-up jumper made it a 70-49 game with less than four minutes remaining in the frame. New Orleans later chipped away at its deficit with a 7-0 spurt to get within 72-58 before Josh Childress' buzzer-beating trey put the Suns ahead, 75-58, entering the fourth quarter. Phoenix then maintained its double-digit advantage for the remainder of the game, holding at least a 12-point lead as the Suns cruised to the finish. *Courtesy of www.foxnews.com

LA Lakers - Golde State W. 120-112
Kobe Bryant (6'6''-G-78) needed 11 seconds to make his first basket, then he hit his second and a few minutes later another. No way was the Los Angeles Lakers' superstar going to struggle for a second straight game. Bryant finished with 40 points - his fifth such game this season - one night after missing his first 15 shots in a win over New Orleans, and Pau Gasol (7'0''-F/C-80) added 26 as the Lakers rallied for the second consecutive game against one of the West's worst teams, coming away with a 120-112 win over Golden State on Sunday night. 'It's always interesting to me to hear people talk after a game like that,' Bryant said, referring to the critics who pounced on his offensive struggles Saturday. 'The amount of idiots that live out here after 16 years baffle me. I guess people just get dumber over the years.' Bryant scored 13 points in the opening quarter and 4 in the second when he sat for six minutes. 'Once we started the game and he knocked down his first three or four shots, I knew it was going to be another aggressive night for him,' Gasol said. Ramon Sessions added 23 points and nine assists in his best game since being traded to the Lakers two weeks ago. Gasol and reserve Troy Murphy had 11 rebounds each after All-Star center Andrew Bynum sprained his left ankle in the first quarter of the Lakers' eighth consecutive home win against the Warriors. 'He was able to walk out fine,' coach Mike Brown said about Bynum, who left before speaking with reporters. Bynum landed awkwardly going for a rebound and the team said he had a moderate sprain. He had no points and three rebounds when he left for good with 1:49 to play. The team said X-rays were negative and he would be re-evaluated on Monday. Bynum was coming off a productive month of March, when he averaged 22.2 points and 10.9 rebounds in 17 games. 'He's gotten better,' Bryant said. 'You see him working on his footwork a lot, he has a lot of moves in his arsenal that he didn't have before. He's much more comfortable doing it and he's gained a great deal of confidence.' If Bynum has to miss a few days, Bryant said the Lakers can adjust. 'I don't think it's a championship formula, but we can for the time being,' he said. 'Sessions is one of those players who can carry a game offensively, he's a great scorer. And Pau can obviously do what he does.' David Lee led six Warriors in double figures with 27 points. Klay Thompson added 18, Nate Robinson 17, and Richard Jefferson 16 for Golden State, which lost its fifth in a row and 10th in the last 12. 'They had us on the ropes, but we battled back,' Warriors coach Mark Jackson said. 'We put ourselves in position to win the game. They made tough shots, especially Kobe. But that's why he's paid the big bucks.' The Warriors were down 13 points to start the fourth quarter, but outscored the Lakers 19-8 to close within one with Bryant on the bench for part of the run. Jefferson, Robinson and Thompson all had 3-pointers in the spurt with 7 minutes to play. The Lakers gained some breathing room on a 12-3 run, as Sessions, Bryant and Gasol combined for all the scoring, capped by Bryant's 3 that made it 109-99. The Warriors weren't done yet. Robinson, who at 5-foot-9 was the shortest player in the game, hit his fifth 3-pointer to get the Warriors within five. Lee's three-point play cut the deficit to three points before Bryant hit a long 3 from in front of the Warriors' bench, making it 115-109 with 1:40 left. 'You definitely know after the game he had yesterday, he was going to come out here, try to be very aggressive and make his first few shots,' Dorell Wright said about Bryant. 'Guys did a good job on him. He just made real tough shots.' Jefferson answered with a 3 and Golden State was down three. Metta World Peace hit a 3 - the 10th of the quarter between the teams - on the Lakers' next possession for a 118-112 lead. After a timeout, Thompson missed a 3 with 1:03 to go, cooling off the long-range shootout. 'I don't think the game was lost in the fourth quarter,' Lee said. 'The game was lost in the third quarter when they made a nice little run. By the time we fought back, we had to play perfect basketball. They made some tough shots down the stretch.' The Lakers' biggest lead in the first half was nine points, with 12 lead changes and eight ties. *Courtesy of http://news.yahoo.com

Boston C. - Miami Heat 91-72
Rajon Rondo (6'1''-PG-86, college: Kentucky) got his pregame orders from Doc Rivers. The Celtics coach wanted his point guard to concentrate on scoring. Rondo did that - and so much more. He finished with 16 points, 14 assists and 11 rebounds, and Boston handed Miami its biggest loss of the season, pulling away with a dominant third quarter for a 91-72 win over the Heat on Sunday. Rondo had eight assists in that period when the Celtics outscored the Heat 31-12, turning a 49-44 halftime lead into an 80-56 advantage. They stayed ahead by at least 19 the rest of the way for their fifth straight win. He also had 10 points in the first quarter. Not bad for a sometimes shaky shooter who hadn't scored more than seven points in any of his previous five games. 'We told Rondo that we needed him to be a scorer. Not a playmaker, a scorer,' Rivers said. 'He set the tone at the beginning of the game by doing that and I thought that loosened it up for everybody.' He reached the triple-double mark for the fifth time this season with 8 minutes to play. It was his 13th consecutive game with at least 10 assists and another outstanding performance in a marquee game on national television, a scenario in which he seems to thrive. 'Four or five guys came up to me today and told me to be aggressive and show them what a great point guard [I am],' Rondo said. 'So I just try to go out there and be great.' The Heat were far from that, making just 34.8 percent of their shots. And LeBron James failed to get an assist for just the second time in his career. 'We didn't make any shots,' Miami coach Erik Spoelstra said. 'You don't get assists off of missed field goals.' The loss continued a couple of disturbing trends for the Heat -- seven losses in their last 10 road games and three consecutive setbacks of at least 15 points. Their previous worst defeat of the season came just one week earlier, 103-87 at Oklahoma City, and their last loss of more than 19 points came on March 4, 2011 at San Antonio, 125-95. Miami has the fewest home losses in the league at 21-2 but is only 16-12 on the road. 'It's definitely a string of issues on the road,' James said. 'We've got to be more mentally tough.' The Heat, playing their third game in four days, were led by James with 23 points and Dwyane Wade with 15. Chris Bosh, the other member of Miami's 'Big 3', scored the Heat's first four points but didn't score again. The Celtics, combining tenacious defense with outstanding play in transition, increased their Atlantic Division lead to one game over idle Philadelphia. Paul Pierce scored 23 points, and Brandon Bass added 16 points and 10 rebounds for Boston. 'We know we can play with the best,' Pierce said. 'It feels great. The crowd is behind you. You're executing. You're not turning the ball over. You're rebounding. That's the type of game we have to play.' Does such a dominant performance against one of the NBA's best teams boost the Celtics' confidence? 'I don't know if it does anything for our confidence,' Rivers said. 'Our guys are a pretty confident group. They feel they can play with anyone.' Miami scored two of the first three baskets of the third quarter, cutting the lead to 51-48. Then the Celtics outscored the Heat 29-8 the rest of the period, hitting 14 of 23 shots while Miami made only 5 of 19. 'The lead went from five to almost like 20 in the snap of a finger,' Wade said. 'We got shots. We didn't put them in and they capitalized on it.' It was 55-50 when Rondo's layup began a 17-2 run in which the Heat's only points were two free throws by Wade. James finally hit a field goal, making it 72-54, but the Celtics scored eight of the remaining 10 points in the quarter. And they kept up the defensive pressure in the fourth quarter. 'The game is a game of runs,' Rondo said, 'and we know they're a big team that can make a lot of runs, make like a 14-0 run. So we want to continue to get stops defensively and push the ball offensively up the court.' The Celtics led 29-19 after one, led by Rondo's 10 points, four rebounds and four assists. They stretched that to 34-23, then went cold offensively while the Heat scored the next 10 points, closing the gap to 34-33. Bass stopped the drought with a shot from the top of the key with 4:57 left in the first half, Boston's first points in 4:08. With the score tied at 40, the Celtics got the next five points on a jumper by Kevin Garnett and a three-point play from Pierce to take a five-point lead. *Courtesy of www.cbssports.com

Toronto R. - Washington W. 99-92
This is not really a time about measuring themselves against the night's competition for the Raptors, it's a time to take stock of where they are as a team, how far they've come and how much further they have to go, regardless of who they play. So there wasn't a lot of joy, nor any real sense of satisfaction after they beat the woeful Washington Wizards 99-92 at the Air Canada Centre on Sunday because as many troubling signs are being shown as there are good ones. 'Another below average defensive game for us,' said coach Dwane Casey, who will take the win but not the manner in which it was achieved. 'That's going to be our challenge as a staff, to keep in tune defensively the rest of the way and not lose the foundation we have,' he said after a late flurry from Demar DeRozan (6'7''-F/G-89, college: USC) and Andrea Bargnani and a couple of sneaky big plays from Amir Johnson put away the game. 'We got it back the second half but we can't mess with the game like that. We've got to make sure we stay with our focus and have that type of pride every time we walk on the floor, no matter who it is.' As a whole, the Raptors were brutal defensively in the first half and Bargnani was among the most egregious offenders. He was slow to rotate, if he rotated at all, and didn't play with nearly the intensity Casey wants, or he needs to have. But it wasn't as if the rest of the team was in some lockdown mode; all the rotations were slow, ball pressure was non-existent, perimeter shooters got too much room and only the ineptitude of the Wizards kept Toronto in the game. 'The trust has eroded a little bit, we have to get that back,' said Casey. 'Just the timing and recognitions of situations is just totally off. ' (It's) totally different from two weeks ago; we have to get those things back, continue to harp on them, get on them because we can't lose our foundation.' Luckily, although the 12-40 Wizards played worse than Toronto over the course of the game, the Raptors woke up enough in the second half to survive a 31-point Washington fourth quarter. DeRozan shot all nine of his free throws and had 13 of his 15 points in the second half while Bargnani led the Raptors with 18 points and Jose Calderon had 15. Johnson had 10 points but also two of the game's most pivotal plays. With Toronto clinging to a three-point lead with just over a minute to go, he had a thunderous putback dunk of a DeRozan miss. About 30 seconds later, he set one of the greatest screens by a Toronto player this season to clear out the lane and allow DeRozan free passage to the rim for an easy layup. 'That was a great screen by Amir, the old San Antonio move (called) going down the highway,' said Casey. 'He cleared the highway for him; a legal screen.' While victory is the preferred result of the two outcomes possible each game, Casey knows he's going to coax better defensive efforts out of his team in the final 13 games of the regular season. The thing he'll have to fight most of all is the mental aspect, making sure the Raptors stay focused the rest of the way. It's not easy for a non-playoff team to play hard every night through the end of the season. It will be up to Casey to make sure they do. 'I think if you look across the board in the entire NBA every coach is saying the same thing. It's not really the playoffs for some of the teams, it's not really time to really lock in so it's kind of going through the malaise of this time of year for us,' he said. 'It usually hits this time of year. They can't see the end of the road, it's just the timing of it.' *Courtesy of www.thestar.com

Orlando M. - Denver N. 101-104
Ty Lawson (5'11''-PG-87, college: N.Carolina) scored 12 of his 25 points in the second half and Arron Afflalo added 22 points as the Denver Nuggets beat the short-handed Orlando Magic 104-101 Sunday night. The Nuggets won back-to-back games for the first time since a four-game win streak the first week of March. Al Harrington added 18 points. Jameer Nelson led Orlando with 27 points, followed by Ryan Anderson with 20 and Glen Davis with 18. The Magic played without center Dwight Howard, who missed his first game of the season with back spasms. The loss was Orlando's third straight and only the second to the Nuggets in 19 meetings at home. Howard's absence was noticeable throughout, with the Nuggets scoring 44 points in the paint and shooting a 56 percent for the night. Howard was a game-time decision, but wound up missing just the eighth game of his eight-year career Sunday. Magic coach Stan Van Gundy continued to contend Sunday that the injury is result of Howard being jabbed in the back in the post by Dallas' Brendan Haywood during a loss to the Mavericks on Friday. Haywood has denied the accusation, but Magic officials have sent what they say is video proof of the plays in question to the NBA office for review. Only four of Howard's missed games have been because of injury, with the rest due to either illness or suspension. Not surprisingly, his absence was felt on both ends of the floor against the Nuggets with Glen Davis getting his first start at center in place of the Magic's six-time All-Star. The Nuggets didn't do much to exploit the void in the middle, though, with Nuggets 7-footer JaVale McGee managing just two points. They also kept the Magic in the game with 17 turnovers, compared to just 12 for Orlando. Orlando trailed throughout the second half before cutting a six-point halftime deficit to 93-90 on a free-throw by Davis. The Nuggets responded with six straight points, including a dunk off a fast break by Kenneth Faried. The Magic had one more rally in them, though, using a three-point play by J.J. Redick to cut it to 99-97 with 45 seconds to play. After both sides exchanged baskets, the Magic to foul and sent Andre Miller to free-throw line with 10 seconds left. He hit both, but got only 1 of 2 following a layup by Nelson. Jason Richardson got off a desperation heave at the buzzer, but it bounced harmlessly off the backboard. The Nuggets scored 22 points in the paint in building a 48-42 halftime lead. Denver led by 12 at one point, keyed by Lawson's 13 points. Harrington was also active off the bench with nine points. The Nuggets shot a robust 57 percent (20 for 35) from the floor in the half to keep them in front. David paced the Magic with 11 points in the opening 24 minutes as they still managed 24 points underneath without Howard's usual contribution. *Courtesy of www.ktvn.com

Houston R. - Indiana P. 102-104 OT
Danny Granger (6'8''-F-83, agency: Priority Sports, college: N.Mexico) scored 32 points, including two free throws with 15.7 seconds left in overtime, and the Indiana Pacers beat the Houston Rockets 104-102 on Sunday night. The Pacers led by one when Paul George turned the ball over. Courtney Lee grabbed it and looked to have tied the ball up for Houston, but he stumbled trying to wrestle it away from the Pacers and was called for traveling. Granger's free throws came next, before Chandler Parsons made a layup on the other end to again cut the lead to 1. Darren Collison made the first of two free throws with 10.5 seconds left and Granger blocked a shot by Parsons at the buzzer to give Indiana the victory. Goran Dragic led the Rockets with 22 points and Lee added 20. *Courtesy of www.cbsnews.com

Portland TB - Minnesota T. 119-106
LaMarcus Aldridge (6'11''-F/C-85, college: Texas) scored 26 points in his return after missing one game with a sore left elbow, leading the Portland Trail Blazers to a 119-106 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday night. Nicolas Batum added 24 points for Portland, which is 5-5 since interim coach Kaleb Canales replaced the fired Nate McMillan. Oregon native Kevin Love had 26 points and nine rebounds for the Timberwolves, who have lost eight of their last 10 games. Minnesota used just nine players. Both teams have been struggling to remain in the playoff picture. The Timberwolves have had injuries, including the loss of rookie Ricky Rubio for the season, while the Blazers have been adjusting to the dismissal of McMillan and the trade of starters Marcus Camby and Gerald Wallace at the deadline. *Courtesy of www.washingtonpost.com

Oklah.City T. - Chicago B. 92-78
In a little more than a week, the Oklahoma City Thunder has made its case to be best team in the NBA. Russell Westbrook (6'3''-PG-88, college: UCLA) scored 27 points, Kevin Durant had 26 points and 10 rebounds, and the Thunder used an electrifying third quarter to beat visiting Chicago, 92-78, on Sunday and move to within a game of the Bulls for the NBA's best record. One week earlier, the Thunder handed Miami its most lopsided defeat yet this season. On Thursday, it blitzed the Lakers. Then it was even more dominating against the league-leading Bulls. 'Their numbers say what they are. There's not much they don't have,' Chicago Coach Tom Thibodeau said. 'They play hard, they play unselfishly, they play smart, they're tough. Their defense is excellent.' The Bulls played without All-Star point guard Derrick Rose for the 10th straight game. Chicago is now 14-6 this season without the reigning most valuable player and 7-3 during his current absence because of a groin injury. *Courtesy of www.latimes.com


The end of Linsanity: Jeremy Lin out for season with knee injury - by Eurobasket News

Jeremy Lin (6'3''-PG-88, college: Harvard), whose playmaking finesse mesmerized New York Knicks fans after he sat on the bench for most of his National Basketball Association career, will miss the rest of the regular season after knee surgery.

Lin, 23, will have arthroscopic surgery to fix a small chronic meniscal tear in his left knee that flared up during the Knicks 101-79 victory over the Detroit Pistons on March 24. He will miss about six weeks, the team said.

It is a big blow, interim coach Mike Woodson told reporters before last nights 91-75 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers at New Yorks Madison Square Garden. He was starting to come as a player.

Lin and the Knicks tried to put off the surgery until the end of season. The injury, diagnosed by an MRI last week, didnt respond to treatment.

I cant really do much, cant really cut or jump, Lin said at a news conference. So its pretty clear that I wont be able to help the team unless I get this fixed right now.

Lins surgery has been scheduled although the date hasnt been released by the Knicks, team spokesman Jonathan Supranowitz said in an e-mail.

Lin, an undrafted player who was cut by his first two NBA teams before signing with New York on Dec. 27, invigorated the Knicks on Feb. 4 when he came off the bench and scored 25 points in the victory over the New Jersey Nets.


Linsanity
Then-coach Mike DAntoni gave him the nod as the Knicks struggled to overcome the absence of two of the teams top scorers, Carmelo Anthony and Amare Stoudemire. Lins prowess on the court helped save the Knicks season with a seven-game winning streak.

Ticket prices to home games at Madison Square Garden tripled as fans got caught up in Linsanity, a term coined to encompass the excitement surrounding the first Chinese- or Taiwanese-American to play in the league.

His worn jerseys sold for as much as $42,388 at auction, while his rookie NBA card went for $21,580.

Sports retail outlets couldnt keep his jerseys on the shelves. Even Madison Square Garden stock rose 16 percent from the day before Lin left the Knicks bench to reach a high of $34.33 on March 26.


Record Ratings
The Harvard University graduate spurred record ratings on MSG Corp.s MSG network. Two weeks after he started for the Knicks, the cable outlet ended a seven-week stalemate with Time Warner Cable Inc. that kept the providers 2.8 million New York- area subscribers from seeing the Knicks.

Since Lins game Feb. 4, the team has gone 16-10 through the Detroit game on March 24 when his injury put him out of action. The Knicks (27-26) own the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

Besides Lin, the Knicks (27-26) are also without forward Amare Stoudemire who will miss two to four weeks with a bulging disk in his lower back. Stoudemire is averaging 17.6 points and eight rebounds a game.

Baron Davis will move into Lins spot on the active roster. The 33-year-old point guard is recovering from a herniated disk and a strained hamstring.

Courtesy of www.bloomberg.com


Derrick Rose unsure of return date - by Eurobasket News

Chicago Bulls point guard Derrick Rose (6'3''-G-88, college: Memphis) missed his 10th consecutive game Sunday afternoon because of a groin injury. He remains unsure of when he'll return to the floor, but he doesn't expect to miss the remainder of the regular season.

Rose, the NBA's reigning MVP, injured his groin in a March 12 game against the New York Knicks and admitted there was some bleeding in the area after the contest.

'It's the same thing every day, just trying to improve,' Rose said after the Bulls' 92-78 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. 'Where (I'm running) a little bit more and lifting weights so if anything I should be stronger than ever.'

Rose hasn't taken any contact in practice since the injury and admitted that he is still having a hard time running while the scar tissue continues to break up. Even still, he doesn't think the injury will keep him out until the playoffs commence in late April.

'I think so,' he said when asked if he'll return before the playoffs begin. 'I think so, if it's up to me. So yeah, I think I am.'

Rose has now missed 20 games on the year because of various injuries. Upon his yet-to-be-known return date, Rose isn't sure how long it will take him to get back in rhythm.

'I really don't know,' he said. 'If I knew that answer, it would make a lot of things easy. I don't know. It's going to take me a minute to get my rhythm back, but hopefully it takes a game, that would be great, but we will have to see.'

Rose also said the injury was worse than he initially thought.

'Yeah, it definitely is,' he said. 'Missing this amount of games. It definitely hurts, but if anything I'm hoping that it's a blessing in disguise where the only positive thing I can look at is (that) I'm getting my rest a little bit.'

The other hobbled half of the Bulls' backcourt -- guard Rip Hamilton -- appears closer to returning. Hamilton missed his 14th consecutive game because of an injured shoulder on Sunday, but both he and coach Tom Thibodeau have spoken optimistically about his prognosis in recent days.

'I know it's one of them things that we don't really know, from the (aspect) of getting hits and stuff like that,' Hamilton said of his shoulder. 'We did some three on three ... but I told him I'm comfortable with whatever he wants to do. If we need to get out there and shoot more or take a couple more hits, it's whatever.'

Hamilton is hopeful he will be able to play Monday night against the Houston Rockets. But the final decision is Thibodeau's.

'We'll see (Monday),' Thibodeau said. 'He's feeling pretty good, but I just want to make sure. I think we have to play this smart.'

'He's doing fine. I'm the one that's (being cautious). He's raring to go. He's chomping at the bit, so we'll see.'

Considered the Bulls' marquee free-agent acquisition this past offseason, Hamilton has missed all but 16 games. He is hoping he gets the chance to help out his teammates after sitting out for so long.

'It's very different,' he said of his injury situation. 'My mindset is if I can shoot, I can play. That's always been my mindset; if I can run up the court, I'm cool to play. I was a little stubborn the first time (I tried to come back) so I'll leave it up to Coach and them to put me out there when it's time.'

Courtesy of ESPN


Knicks likely won't sign another PG - by Eurobasket News

Jeremy Lin (6'3''-PG-88, college: Harvard) will have left knee surgery and will miss six weeks, likely ending his amazing breakthrough season.

The New York Knicks said Saturday their point guard had an MRI exam this week that revealed a small, chronic meniscus tear.

With the regular season ending April 26, the biggest story in basketball this season is probably done regardless of whether the Knicks make the playoffs.

He was barely holding on to a place in the NBA back in February. Now, after the back-to-back Sports Illustrated covers and popularity around the world, he has to go back to the bench when he wants to play most.

'If this was done very early in the year, obviously ... I don't know where my career would be. I could be, would be definitely without a job and probably fighting for a summer league spot,' Lin said. 'But having said that, this happening now hurts just as much, because all the players, we really put our heart and souls into the team and into season, and to not be there when it really matters most is hard.'

The Knicks will continue to turn to Baron Davis in place of Lin, the undrafted Harvard alum who became the starter in February and turned in a series of brilliant performances, kicking off a phenomenon that was called Linsanity.

Lin is averaging 14.1 points and 6.1 assists, but the numbers only tell a small part of the story.

New York coach Mike Woodson , addressing reporters before the Cavaliers game, said it will be unlikely the team signs any point guards. In addition to Davis and Mike Bibby off the bench, Woodson said Toney Douglas can expect to see an increased role.

'I haven't had a chance to sit down with [general manager] Glen [Grunwald] and [owner] Mr. [James] Dolan and see. My thinking is that we'll probably go with what we have,' Woodson said. 'I don't think there's a whole lot out there right now who will make a big difference for our ball club.'

Courtesy of ESPN


Warriors sign center Mickell Gladness for rest of season - by Eurobasket News

The Golden State Warriors have signed center Mickell Gladness (6'11''-F/C-86) for the remainder of the season, the team announced today.

Gladness, 25, has appeared in six games with Golden State since signing a 10-day contract on March 22, averaging 2.0 points, 1.3 rebounds and 1.0 block in 7.3 minutes per contest. He has scored a career-high six points on two occasions during his six games with the Warriors, including Saturday night vs. New Jersey when he finished with six points and three rebounds in a career-high 12 minutes. He has also blocked a career-high two shots on three different occasions while with Golden State.

The 611 center made his NBA debut earlier this season as a member of the Miami Heat, appearing in eight games over two different stints with the club. Prior to joining the Heat for their 2011-12 training camp, Gladness appeared in four games for the Dakota Wizards, the Warriors NBA Development League team, averaging 7.8 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.75 blocks in 20.8 minutes per contest. Overall, he has appeared in 81 D-League games over three seasons, averaging 4.6 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.41 blocks combined with Dakota and Rio Grande Valley. A product of Alabama A&M, Gladness went undrafted in the 2008 NBA Draft and played one season professionally overseas before joining the D-League for the 2009-10 campaign.

Courtesy of www.insidehoops.com


Michael Jordan denies report that he will sell Charlotte Bobcats if things dont improve - by Eurobasket News

Charlotte Bobcats majority owner Michael Jordan put out a strongly worded statement Sunday, denying he is of a mind to sell the NBA team he bought from Bob Johnson two years ago.

New York Daily News NBA columnist Mitch Lawrence wrote that Jordan has contemplated selling if the team doesnt turn around, both in performance and profitability. Citing an unnamed associate of Jordans, Lawrence quoted Jordan as saying if he cant make a profit in the next three to four years, then Im selling.

Jordan issued the following statement through the Bobcats:

I was disturbed to hear the false report that I intend to sell my majority interest in the Charlotte Bobcats. I am 100% committed to building the Bobcats into a contender and have no plans to sell the team.

Bobcats spokesman B.J. Evans said, to his knowledge, Lawrence never contacted the team for comment before publishing Sundays column.

Jordan bought control from Johnson in March 2010. Though that purchase involved relatively little money up front, Jordan took responsibility for a huge loan Johnson took out to finance the $300million-plus expansion team in 2004.

The teams financial situation has improved since Jordan took over, in terms of ticket and sponsorship sales, but Forbes magazine still estimates the Bobcats lose $10million or more annually.

The Bobcats have the worst record in the NBA this season at 7-43.

The Daily News column said Jordan is counting on general manager Rich Cho to rebuild the team in the model of the Oklahoma City Thunder, which has the best record in the Western Conference at 40-12.

Cho, who joined the Bobcats in June, was No.2 in the Thunders front office when it drafted Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and James Harden.

Cho said, in an email to the Observer, that to his knowledge theres no validity to Jordan looking to sell the team.

The Bobcats will likely have a top-four draft pick this spring, and would potentially be in position to draft Kentuckys Anthony Davis, Associated Press national player of the year.

Courtesy of www.charlotteobserver.com


Andrew Bynum suffers left ankle sprain - by Eurobasket News

All-Star center Andrew Bynum (7'0''-C-87, agency: David Lee services) suffered a moderate sprain of his left ankle when he landed on the left foot of teammate Josh McRoberts after going after a rebound late in the first quarter of the Lakers' game Sunday night against the Golden State Warriors.

UPDATE: McRoberts told me after the game Bynum didn't land on his foot.

Bynum never fell to the court, but grabbed at his ankle immediately. He limped slowly and motioned to the bench to have someone ready to come into the game to replace him, which Pau Gasol did with 1 minute, 49 seconds left in the quarter.

The 24-year-old Bynum bypassed the bench and headed straight for the locker room. X-rays taken showed there was no break, but he couldn't return to the game. He'll be re-evaluated Monday. The Lakers' next game is Tuesday against the New Jersey Nets.

UPDATE: Bynum left the arena without speaking to reporters, but Lakers coach Mike Brown didn't think the injury was too serious, saying, 'I don't think it's going to be long-term, but I'm going to wait and see.'

Bynum's previous injuries have been to his knees, and he has often joked that his knees might give him trouble but his ankles are strong. He has played in all 49 games for which he has been eligible to play this season. He served a four-game suspension to start the season for decking J.J. Barea in the playoffs last spring.

He tore the medial collateral ligament in his right knee when Kobe Bryant crashed into after a fall on a drive to the basket in a Jan. 31, 2009 game against the Memphis Grizlies. He suffered a partial dislocation of his left kneecap when he stepped

Courtesy of www.insidesocal.com


*****************************************************
  NEW ZEALAND   

Standings Men

NBL Standings
 1. Bay Hawks 5-0 
 2. Auckland P. 5-2 
 3. Hub Jets 3-1 
 4. Wellington S. 3-3 
 5. Nelson G. 2-2 
 6. OceanaGold N. 2-3 
 7. Taranaki MA 2-5 
 8. Harbour H. 2-5 
 9. Southland S. 2-5 

Regular Season: Round 5

Mar. 28: Harbour H. - Southland S. 99-108
Mar. 31: Bay Hawks - Nelson G. 94-88 OT
Apr. 1: Taranaki MA - Auckland P. 86-94
Mar. 29: Wellington S. - Harbour H. 121-84

Regular Season: Round 6

Apr. 4: Auckland P. - Nelson G.
Apr. 4: Southland S. - OceanaGold N.
Apr. 5: Taranaki MA - Nelson G.
Apr. 6: Wellington S. - Taranaki MA


Stats Leaders

Points Per Game
 Phill JONES
  Nelson G.
  (196-G-74)
  Avg: 24.8
 1. Jones, Nelson G.24.8 
 2. Pace, Hub Jets24.3 
 3. Hudson, Taranaki.24.2 
 4. Gurley, Wellington24.0 
 5. Horvath, Hub Jets23.8 
 6. Wright, OceanaGo.23.8 
 7. Braswell, Southlan.22.3 
 8. Campbell, Nelson G.22.0 
 9. Tait, Auckland P.21.0 
 10. Tisby, OceanaGo.20.4 
Rebounds Per Game
 Nick HORVATH
  Hub Jets
  (208-F/C-81)
  Avg: 16
 1. Horvath, Hub Jets16.0 
 2. Tisby, OceanaGo.11.8 
 3. Atkinson, Harbo.10.6 
 4. Wright, OceanaGo.10.0 
 5. Johnson, Bay Hawks9.8 
 6. Abney, Southland9.3 
 7. Muhammad, Aucklan.8.8 
 8. Frank, Wellington8.5 
 9. Young, Bay Hawks7.6 
 10. Abdelhamid, Taran.7.5 
Assists Per Game
 Jason CROWE
  Wellington S.
  (193-G-76)
  Avg: 9.2
 1. Crowe, Wellington9.2 
 2. Tait, Auckland P.7.2 
 3. Dickel, OceanaGo.6.8 
 4. Jones, Nelson G.5.5 
 5. Bailey, Harbour H.4.9 
 6. Wright, OceanaGo.4.6 
 7. Kenny, Bay Hawks4.6 
 8. Young, Bay Hawks4.4 
 9. Hudson, Taranaki.4.3 
 10. Pace, Hub Jets3.5 
Steals Per Game
 Jason CROWE
  Wellington S.
  (193-G-76)
  Avg: 3.3
 1. Crowe, Wellington3.3 
 2. Braswell, Southlan.2.6 
 3. Wright, OceanaGo.2.4 
 4. Tait, Auckland P.2.3 
 5. Muhammad, Aucklan.2.2 
 6. Bailey, Harbour H.2.1 
 7. Gurley, Wellington2.0 
 8. Dickel, OceanaGo.1.8 
 9. Pace, Hub Jets1.8 
 10. Kenny, Bay Hawks1.6 
Blocks Per Game
 Antoine TISBY
  OceanaGo.
  (203-F/C-83)
  Avg: 2.8
 1. Tisby, OceanaGo.2.8 
 2. Wright, OceanaGo.1.6 
 3. Frank, Wellington1.2 
 4. Abney, Southland0.9 
 5. Atkinson, Harbo.0.9 
 6. Smith-Milner, Auck.0.8 
 7. Dempster, Nelson G.0.8 
 8. Cartwright, Auckla.0.8 
 9. Trousdell, Wellin.0.8 
 10. Prewster, Southla.0.8 


Auckland Pirates adds Dorsey to their roster - by Eurobasket Center

Auckland Pirates added to their roster 29-year old American swingman Ronald Dorsey (197-F/G-83, college: McNeese St.). In his first game he scored 10 points and grabbed 7 rebounds helping his new team beat Taranaki MA 94-86. Dorsey played most recently at Melbourne Tigers (Australia). While playing 28 games for Tigers this season he averaged 11.0ppg, 3.4rpg and 1.3apg. Dorsey helped them to make it to the final. He is a very experienced player. Dorsey played also pro basketball in Australia, Finland, France and Lithuania. He graduated Mc Neese State University in 2005 and it will be his seventh season in pro basketball.

By Eurobasket Data Center


Michael Harrison is a newcomer at Fico Finance Nelson Giants - by Eurobasket Center

Fico Finance Nelson Giants added to their roster 28-year old American power forward Michael Harrison (206-F/C-84). In his first game he scored 9 points, grabbed 6 rebounds and 3 assists. However his new team lost to Bay Hawks 88-94. Harrison played most recently at Petrolina AEK Larnaca (Cyprus). He is a very experienced player. Harrison played also pro basketball in Cyprus, Israel and Romania.

By Eurobasket Data Center


NBL Round 5: Bay Hawks win overtime game against Nelson G. - by Eurobasket News

Bay Hawks (5-0) outlasted Nelson G. (2-2) in overtime by six points 94-88 on Saturday night. The hosts trailed by 8 points at the halftime before their 21-12 charge in the third quarter, which allowed them to tie the game at the end of regular time. They were better in overtime eventually winning that period 19-13. Bay Hawks looked well-organized offensively handing out 21 assists. International guard Everard Bartlett (198-86) stepped up and scored 21 points and 5 assists for the winners and the former international guard Paora Winitana (196-76) chipped in 14 points and 8 rebounds. The former international guard Phill Jones (196-74) responded with 39 points (!!!) and 4 assists (was perfect 8-for-8 from the free throw line). Despite that victory Bay Hawks went down to first position due to points difference. Nelson G. at the other side dropped to the fifth place with two games lost. Bay Hawks will have a break next round, and it should allow them to practice more before next game. Nelson G. will play on the road against Taranaki MA (#7) in New Plymouth and it may be a tough game between close rivals.

The most impressive stats of the last round was 33 points (!!!) and 6 rebounds by Anthony Gurley of Wellington S..

Bay Hawks - Nelson G. 94-88 OT

Bay Hawks (5-0) outlasted Nelson G. (2-2) in overtime by six points 94-88 on Saturday night. The hosts trailed by 8 points at the halftime before their 21-12 charge in the third quarter, which allowed them to tie the game at the end of regular time. They were better in overtime eventually winning that period 19-13. Bay Hawks looked well-organized offensively handing out 21 assists. International guard Everard Bartlett (198-86) stepped up and scored 21 points and 5 assists for the winners and the former international guard Paora Winitana (196-76) chipped in 14 points and 8 rebounds. Five Bay Hawks players scored in double figures. The former international guard Phill Jones (196-74) responded with 39 points (!!!) and 4 assists (was perfect 8-for-8 from the free throw line) and American forward Pete Campbell (201-84, college: Butler) scored 14 points and 7 rebounds. Despite that victory Bay Hawks went down to first position due to points difference. Nelson G. at the other side dropped to the fifth place with two games lost. Bay Hawks will have a break next round, and it should allow them to practice more before next game. Nelson G. will play on the road against Taranaki MA (#7) in New Plymouth and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Bay Hawks: E.Bartlett 21+4reb+5ast, G.Young 14+7reb+2ast, P.Winitana 14+8reb+2ast, J.Kenny 13+2reb+5ast, K.Johnson 11+5reb+1ast, D.Davies 9+3reb
Nelson G.: P.Jones 39+4reb+4ast, P.Campbell 14+7reb+1ast, M.Harrison 9+6reb+3ast, J.Bloxham 7+3reb+3ast, D.Jones 6+5reb, G.Dawson 6+1reb
gschID: 168104


Taranaki MA - Auckland P. 86-94

Very expected game in New Plymouth where 7th ranked Taranaki MA (2-5) was defeated by second ranked Auckland P. (5-2) 94-86 on Sunday. The guests trailed by 11 points after three quarters before their 34-15 charge, which allowed them to win the game. Auckland P. forced 24 Taranaki MA turnovers. Guard Hayden Allen (190-79) stepped up and scored 19 points and 7 rebounds for the winners and American forward Ismail Muhammad (198-83, college: Georgia Tech) chipped in 17 points and 8 rebounds. American guard Darryl Hudson (196-85, college: Howard) responded with 22 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists and naturalized American forward Link Abrams (195-73) scored 20 points and 6 rebounds (perfect from the field making all nine shots !!!). Five Auckland P. and four Taranaki MA players scored in double figures. Both coaches used bench players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. Auckland P. maintains second place with 5-2 record having just -2 point less than leader Bay Hawks. Loser Taranaki MA keeps the seventh position with five games lost. Auckland P. will face Nelson G. (#5) in Stoke in the next round. Taranaki MA will play on the road against Wellington S..
Top scorers:
Auckland P.: H.Allen 19+7reb+2ast, I.Muhammad 17+8reb+3ast, B.Ruscoe 16+4reb, L.Tait 16+2reb+6ast, D.Cartwright 13+2reb, R.Dorsey 10+7reb+1ast
Taranaki MA: D.Hudson 22+6reb+4ast, L.Abrams 20+6reb+2ast, J.Leasure 19+6reb+3ast, C.Daniel 13+5reb, M.Abdelhamid 9+7reb, A.Bailey-Nowell 3+4reb+1ast
gschID: 168105


Harbour H. - Southland S. 99-108

There was a small surprise in Auckland where Southland S. (2-5) defeated Harbour H. (2-5) 108-99 on Wednesday. Harbour H. trailed by 17 points after 3 quarters before a 32-24 run in the last quarter cut the deficit to 99-108 at the end of the game. Great defensive blocking was one of the keys in this match when Southland S. made 8 blocks. Harbour H. was plagued by 27 personal fouls down the stretch. American guard Kevin Braswell (188-79, college: Georgetown, agency: Priority Sports) stepped up and scored 25 points, 7 rebounds, 7 assists and 4 steals for the winners and the former international power forward Craig Bradshaw (208-83, college: Winthrop) chipped in 24 points and 11 rebounds. American power forward Zack Atkinson (206-86, college: Cal-Irvine, agency: Top Notch Sports) responded with a double-double by scoring 19 points and 18 rebounds and the other American import guard Justin Bailey (188-77, college: Hartford) scored 13 points, 6 rebounds and 8 assists. Both teams had five players each who scored in double figures. Harbour H.'s coach rotated ten players in this game, but that didn't help. Despite that victory Southland S. went down to seventh position due to points difference, which they share with Taranaki MA and Harbour H. Southland S. will face higher ranked OceanaGold N. (#6) in Dunedin in the next round and it will be quite challenging to get another victory.
Top scorers:
Southland S.: K.Braswell 25+7reb+7ast, C.Bradshaw 24+11reb+2ast, L.Abney 19+9reb+2ast, D.Prewster 13+9reb+3ast, D.Peck 12, S.Tilby 10+3reb+2ast
Harbour H.: Z.Atkinson 19+18reb, R.Te Rangi 18+1reb+2ast, K.Smith 14+7reb+2ast, M.Alexander 14, B.Anderson 13+4ast, J.Bailey 13+6reb+8ast
gschID: 168102


Wellington S. - Harbour H. 121-84

There was a minor upset when Harbour H. (2-5) was rolled over on the road by Wellington S. (3-3) 121-84 on Thursday. The hosts trailed by 3 points at the halftime before their 74-34 charge in the second half, which allowed them to win the game. Wellington S. made 24-of-31 free shots (77.4 percent) during the game. They also forced 23 Harbour H. turnovers and outrebounded them 41-28 including 30 on the defensive glass. Wellington S. looked well-organized offensively handing out 26 assists comparing to just 11 passes made by Harbour H.'s players. Americans were the main players on the court. Guard Anthony Gurley (190-88, college: Massachusetts, agency: Pro Partner Sports Management) stepped up and scored 33 points (!!!) and 6 rebounds for the winners and guard Jason Crowe (193-76, college: CS Northridge) chipped in 17 points, 7 rebounds and 12 assists (was perfect 7-for-7 from the free throw line). Four Wellington S. players scored in double figures. Power forward Zack Atkinson (206-86, college: Cal-Irvine, agency: Top Notch Sports) responded with a double-double by scoring 15 points and 14 rebounds and guard Justin Bailey (188-77, college: Hartford) scored 24 points. The winner was already known earlier in the game, so both coaches allowed to play the bench players saving starting five for next games. Despite that victory Wellington S. went down to fourth position due to points difference. Loser Harbour H. dropped to the seventh place with five games lost. Wellington S. will face Taranaki MA (#7) in New Plymouth in the next round.
Top scorers:
Wellington S.: A.Gurley 33+6reb+2ast, J.Crowe 17+7reb+12ast, A.Trousdell 15+2reb+1ast, T.McLean 13+3reb, C.Frank 11+7reb+2ast, R.Taurima 8+1reb+1ast
Harbour H.: J.Bailey 24+1ast, Z.Atkinson 15+14reb+2ast, C.Piho 12+3reb+1ast, K.Smith 9+2reb+1ast, B.Anderson 9, R.Te Rangi 5+4reb+2ast
gschID: 168103



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

PBA Stats Leaders

Points Per Game
 Nick FAZEKAS
  Petron B.
  (211-F-85)
  Avg: 30.6
 1. Fazekas, Petron B.30.6 
 2. Barron, Meralco29.1 
 3. David, Powerade T.27.1 
 4. Crews, Rain o.27.0 
 5. Bowles, B-Meg L.26.5 
 6. Cardona, Meralco20.7 
 7. Douthit, Air21 E.20.3 
 8. Harvey, Talk N Te.20.2 
 9. Parada, Alaska Ac.20.1 
 10. Vroman, Ginebra20.1 
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.18.8 
 3. Fazekas, Petron B.18.4 
 4. Jones, Powerade T.17.9 
 5. Barron, Meralco15.9 
 6. Crews, Rain o.15.4 
 7. Parada, Alaska Ac.15.2 
 8. Vroman, Ginebra13.4 
 9. Bowles, B-Meg L.11.9 
 10. Santos, Petron B.11.1 
Assists Per Game
 Chris ROSS
  Meralco .
  (185-G-85)
  Avg: 7.8
 1. Ross, Meralco7.8 
 2. Casio, Powerade T.7.2 
 3. Alapag, Talk N Te.6.6 
 4. Cabagnot, Petron6.4 
 5. Tenorio, Alaska A.5.8 
 6. Helterbrand, Gineb.5.4 
 7. Hubalde, Air21 E.4.8 
 8. Cortez, Ginebra4.6 
 9. Vroman, Ginebra4.6 
 10. Castro, Talk N T.3.9 
Steals Per Game
 Chris ROSS
  Meralco .
  (185-G-85)
  Avg: 2
 1. Ross, Meralco2.0 
 2. Vroman, Ginebra1.3 
 3. Castro, Talk N Te.1.3 
 4. Custodio, Alaska A.1.3 
 5. Reyes, Talk N Text1.3 
 6. Lassiter, Powerade.1.3 
 7. Douthit, Air21 E.1.2 
 8. Barroca, B-Meg L.1.2 
 9. Dillinger, Talk N.1.2 
 10. Urbiztondo, B-Meg1.2 
Blocks Per Game
 Dwayne JONES
  Powerade T.
  (211-C-83)
  Avg: 2.8
 1. Jones, Powerade T.2.8 
 2. Vroman, Ginebra2.4 
 3. Fazekas, Petron B.2.3 
 4. Douthit, Air21 E.2.2 
 5. Parada, Alaska Ac.2.1 
 6. Santos, Petron B.1.8 
 7. Bowles, B-Meg L.1.8 
 8. Crews, Rain o.1.6 
 9. Eman, Alaska Aces1.3 
 10. Thoss, Alaska Ac.1.2 



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

Standings - DBE

PLK Standings
Group A
 1. Asseco Prokom 4-2 
 2. Trefl Sopot 4-2 
 3. Zastal ZG 4-2 
 4. Anwil 3-3 
 5. Energa Czarni 2-4 
 6. PGE Turow 1-5 
Group B
 1. Slask Wroclaw 21-13 
 2. AZS Koszalin 18-16 
 3. Kotwica 17-17 
 4. Siarka Jezioro 15-19 
 5. Polpharma 13-20 
 6. AZS PW 10-23 
 7. PBG Basket 10-24 
 8. LKS Lodz 6-28 
Stage One Standings

Second Stage: Round 6

Group A

Mar. 31: Zastal ZG - PGE Turow 87-83
Mar. 31: Trefl Sopot - Energa Czarni 79-76
Mar. 31: Anwil - Asseco Prokom 66-55

Group B

Mar. 31: Kotwica - Siarka Jezioro 89-81
Mar. 31: AZS Koszalin - AZS PW 88-79
Mar. 28: Polpharma - Kotwica 85-65
Apr. 1: LKS Lodz - Polpharma 83-96
Mar. 28: Siarka Jezioro - PBG Basket 81-70
Mar. 28: Slask Wroclaw - AZS Koszalin 77-82
Mar. 31: PBG Basket - Slask Wroclaw 73-78
Mar. 28: AZS PW - LKS Lodz 66-81

Second Stage: Round 7

Group A

Apr. 4: PGE Turow - Energa Czarni
Apr. 4: Asseco Prokom - Zastal ZG
Apr. 4: Anwil - Trefl Sopot

Group B

Apr. 4: Siarka Jezioro - Polpharma
Apr. 4: Slask Wroclaw - Kotwica
Apr. 4: AZS PW - PBG Basket
Apr. 4: AZS Koszalin - LKS Lodz


DBE Stats Leaders

Points Per Game
 Walter HODGE
  Zastal ZG
  (183-PG-86)
  Avg: 18.7
 1. Hodge, Zastal ZG18.7 
 2. Koszarek, Trefl S.16.2 
 3. Corbett, Siarka J.16.1 
 4. Kulig, PBG Basket15.7 
 5. Edwards, Anwil15.5 
 6. Miller, Siarka J.15.4 
 7. Weeden, Polpharma15.4 
 8. Micic, PBG Basket15.2 
 9. Kickert, PGE Turow15.2 
 10. Dylewicz, Trefl S.14.9 
Rebounds Per Game
 Darrell HARRIS
  Kotwica
  (208-F/C-84)
  Avg: 11.6
 1. Harris, Kotwica11.6 
 2. Lawal, Zastal ZG10.2 
 3. Burgess, Trefl S.8.0 
 4. Dluski, LKS Lodz7.9 
 5. Eziukwu, AZS K.7.7 
 6. Archibeque, Zastal7.1 
 7. Simmons, Polpharma7.1 
 8. Doaks, Siarka J.7.0 
 9. Turek, Trefl Sopot7.0 
 10. Bogavac, Slask W.6.8 
Assists Per Game
 Robert SKIBNIEWSKI
  Slask W.
  (182-G-83)
  Avg: 7.4
 1. Skibniewski, Slask7.4 
 2. Hodge, Zastal ZG6.1 
 3. Moore, PGE Turow5.0 
 4. Koszarek, Trefl S.5.0 
 5. Milicic, AZS K.5.0 
 6. Wilczek, AZS P.5.0 
 7. Miller, Siarka J.4.8 
 8. Burrell, Energa C.4.6 
 9. Micic, PBG Basket4.5 
 10. Szubarga, Anwil4.4 
Steals Per Game
 Krzysztof SZUBARGA
  Anwil
  (182-G-84)
  Avg: 1.9
 1. Szubarga, Anwil1.9 
 2. Skibniewski, Slask1.7 
 3. Sapp, Kotwica1.5 
 4. Kinnard, Anwil1.4 
 5. Miller, Siarka J.1.4 
 6. Koszarek, Trefl S.1.4 
 7. Ponitka, AZS P.1.4 
 8. Cesnauskis, Energa1.3 
 9. Nikolic, PBG Basket1.3 
 10. Comagic, PBG B.1.3 
Blocks Per Game
 Callistus EZIUKWU
  AZS K.
  (208-F/C-85)
  Avg: 1.7
 1. Eziukwu, AZS K.1.7 
 2. Burgess, Trefl S.1.6 
 3. Harris, Kotwica1.5 
 4. Kesicki, Kotwica1.4 
 5. Morrison, Energa C.1.3 
 6. Lauderdale, PGE T.1.2 
 7. Karnowski, Siarka1.1 
 8. Mladenovic, Slask1.1 
 9. Lawal, Zastal ZG1.1 
 10. Doaks, Siarka J.1.0 


Standings - 1 Liga

1Liga Standings
 1. Start Gdynia 21-7
 2. Rosa Radom 18-10
 3. SKK Siedlce 18-10
 4. Sokol Lancut 17-11
 5. Spojnia 17-11
 6. Znicz Basket 17-11
 7. MKS DG 16-12
 8. AZS Kutno 15-13
 9. Polonia 14-14
 10. P.Cukier SIDEn 14-14
 11. AZS Szczecin 14-14
 12. Start Lublin 11-17
 13. MOSiR Krosno 9-19
 14. Sportino 6-22
 15. Sudety 3-25

Regular Season: Round 30

Mar. 31: Znicz Basket - MKS DG 90-83 OT
Mar. 31: MOSiR Krosno - Sportino 85-70
Apr. 1: P.Cukier SIDEn - Start Lublin 76-71
Mar. 31: AZS Szczecin - Start Gdynia 76-70
Apr. 1: AZS Kutno - Sokol Lancut 73-59
Mar. 31: Rosa Radom - SKK Siedlce 66-76
Apr. 1: Polonia - Spojnia 63-70

Quarter-Finals: Round 1

Apr. 14: Start Gdynia - AZS Kutno
Apr. 14: SKK Siedlce - MKS DG
Apr. 14: Rosa Radom - Sokol Lancut
Apr. 14: Znicz Basket - Spojnia


Stats Leaders - 1Liga

Points Per Game
 Lukasz PACOCHA
  AZS S.
  (182-G-82)
  Avg: 18.5
 1. Pacocha, AZS S.18.5 
 2. Woloszyn, MKS D.18.1 
 3. Niesobski, Sudety16.7 
 4. Kostrzewski, Start16.3 
 5. Jarecki, P.Cuk.15.3 
 6. Mazur, Polonia14.8 
 7. Lewandowski, P.Cuk.14.0 
 8. Pluta, MOSiR K.13.6 
 9. Kukielka, Sportino13.6 
 10. Zytko, P..13.6 
Rebounds Per Game
 Krzysztof MIELCZAREK
  AZS S.
  (198-G/F-81)
  Avg: 11.8
 1. Mielczarek, AZS S.11.8 
 2. Luszczewski, Start9.8 
 3. Wilczek, Sokol Lan.9.3 
 4. Mikolajko, Polonia7.9 
 5. Radke, Rosa Radom7.4 
 6. Grudzinski, Spojnia7.3 
 7. Wilusz, Sudety7.1 
 8. Perka, AZS Kutno7.0 
 9. Malewski, Znicz B.7.0 
 10. Klima, Sokol Lanc.6.8 
Assists Per Game
 Michal MUSIJOWSKI
  Polonia
  (180-G-89)
  Avg: 5.5
 1. Musijowski, Polonia5.5 
 2. Grochowski, MKS D.5.0 
 3. Basinski, SKK S.4.9 
 4. Zytko, P..4.6 
 5. Michalski, Start L.4.1 
 6. Kardas, Rosa Radom4.0 
 7. Ochonko, Spojnia4.0 
 8. Brek, AZS Kutno3.8 
 9. Wojcicki, SKK S.3.6 
 10. Szumelda-K., Znic.3.3 
Steals Per Game
 Lukasz ZYTKO
  P..
  (181-G-81)
  Avg: 3.5
 1. Zytko, P..3.5 
 2. Mielczarek, AZS S.3.1 
 3. Sulinski, Znicz B.3.0 
 4. Niesobski, Sudety2.9 
 5. Szumelda-K., Znicz2.8 
 6. Lewandowski, P.Cuk.2.8 
 7. Szpyrka, Start G.2.6 
 8. Czubek, Znicz B.2.5 
 9. Basinski, SKK S.2.5 
 10. Pisarczyk, Sokol2.5 
Blocks Per Game
 Artur DONIGIEWICZ
  Rosa R.
  (185-G-84)
  Avg: 2
 1. Donigiewicz, Rosa2.0 
 2. Niesobski, Sudety1.8 
 3. Klima, Sokol Lancut1.8 
 4. Zytko, P..1.8 
 5. Oczkowicz, MOSiR K.1.7 
 6. Malecki, AZS Kutno1.6 
 7. Aleksandrowi., Sta.1.6 
 8. Wojcicki, SKK S.1.6 
 9. Wojdyla, Start G.1.6 
 10. Grochowski, MKS D.1.6 


Standings - 2 Liga

2Liga Standings
Group A
 1. Open Florentyna 24-0
 2. Astoria Bydg. 19-5
 3. Ksiezak Lowicz 18-6
 4. AZS PP Poznan 16-8
 5. Korsarz Gdansk 13-11
 6. AZS UWM Olsz. 12-12
 7. Zuraw Gniewno 12-12
 8. KK Swiecie 11-13
 9. Trefl II Sopot 9-15
 10. Wilki Morskie 8-16
 11. GKK Gorzow 6-18
 12. Zyrardowianka 5-19
 13. SMS PZKosz 3-21
Group B
 1. Slask II W. 23-3
 2. BM Wegiel Stal 19-7
 3. AZS AWF K-ce 19-7
 4. Pogon Prudnik 17-9
 5. WKK Obiekty 16-10
 6. Alba Chorzow 14-12
 7. AZS AGH Alstom 14-12
 8. GTK Gliwice 13-13
 9. MKS Skierniew. 12-14
 10. HK Zory 10-16
 11. Nysa Klodzko 8-18
 12. MCKiS Jaworz. 8-18
 13. Mickiewicz 6-20
 14. UMKS Piotrc. 3-23
Group C
 1. PWiK Piaseczno 22-2
 2. UMKS Kielce 19-5
 3. Tur Bielsk Pdl. 15-9
 4. Handlopex AZS 14-10
 5. MKS Limbach 14-10
 6. Novum Lublin 12-12
 7. Wisla AWF Kr. 11-13
 8. Rosa II Radom 11-13
 9. Staco MNLK 11-13
 10. Unia Tarnow 10-14
 11. UKS Siemaszka 8-16
 12. Pulaski Warka 6-18
 13. AZS II Polit.W-wa 3-21

Regular Season: Round 26

Group A

Apr. 1: Korsarz Gdansk - AZS PP Poznan 98-90
Mar. 31: Astoria Bydg. - AZS UWM Olsz. 92-62
Mar. 31: Ksiezak Lowicz - Zuraw Gniewno 89-84
Apr. 1: Wilki Morskie - Trefl II Sopot 71-61
Mar. 31: SMS PZKosz - Zyrardowianka 68-80
Mar. 31: Open Florentyna - KK Swiecie 109-47

Group B

Mar. 31: AZS AWF K-ce - MCKiS Jaworz. 99-70
Mar. 31: Slask II W. - GTK Gliwice 95-61
Mar. 31: Alba Chorzow - Mickiewicz 94-90
Mar. 31: MKS Skierniew. - UMKS Piotrc. 88-61
Apr. 1: AZS AGH Alstom - BM Wegiel Stal 87-80
Mar. 31: Nysa Klodzko - Pogon Prudnik 72-81
Apr. 1: HK Zory - WKK Obiekty 70-77

Group C

Apr. 1: Pulaski Warka - Staco MNLK 98-65
Apr. 1: Unia Tarnow - MKS Limbach 83-85
Apr. 1: UMKS Kielce - Wisla AWF Kr. 78-66
Mar. 31: Tur Bielsk Pdl. - Rosa II Radom 75-77
Apr. 1: Handlopex AZS - PWiK Piaseczno 70-84
Mar. 31: AZS II Polit.W-wa - Novum Lublin 0-20


2Liga Stats Leaders

Points Per Game
 Jakub KAROLAK
  Novum Lublin
  (196-G/F-93)
  Avg: 21.4
 1. Karolak, Novum Lub.21.4 
 2. Kowalewski, AZS U.20.5 
 3. Kuczynski, Tur B.20.2 
 4. Peciak, MKS L.20.1 
 5. Lapinski, Zyrardow.19.8 
 6. Sobilo, Pulaski Wa.19.7 
 7. Swiech, MKS S.19.4 
 8. Ejsmont, GKK G.18.6 
 9. Majewski, PWiK P.18.4 
 10. Zurawski, Open F.18.3 
Rebounds Per Game
 Mateusz SZWED
  Zyrardow.
  (197-C-91)
  Avg: 12.8
 1. Szwed, Zyrardow.12.8 
 2. Zabielski, Tur B.12.3 
 3. Cygan, Unia Tarnow10.8 
 4. Niedzwiedzki, WKK10.4 
 5. Mis, Handlopex AZS10.4 
 6. Kwandrans, MKS L.10.2 
 7. Fras, Trefl I.9.8 
 8. Kuczynski, Tur B.9.3 
 9. Zurawski, Open F.9.2 
 10. Kowalewski, AZS U.9.0 
Assists Per Game
 Marcin STOKLOSA
  Open F.
  (188-G-77)
  Avg: 11
 1. Stoklosa, Open F.11.0 
 2. Wluczynski, Ksieza.6.8 
 3. Hybiak, AZS P.6.5 
 4. Paszkiewicz, PWiK6.4 
 5. Jarosz, MKS S.5.8 
 6. Gospodarek, Novum5.6 
 7. Grzelinski, WKK O.5.4 
 8. Kindlik, MKS L.5.3 
 9. Rapucha, Tur B.5.3 
 10. Lipinski, Nysa K.5.1 
Steals Per Game
 Marcin STOKLOSA
  Open F.
  (188-G-77)
  Avg: 5.2
 1. Stoklosa, Open F.5.2 
 2. Rapucha, Tur B.4.4 
 3. Bojko, Wilki Morsk.4.3 
 4. Jarosz, MKS S.4.2 
 5. Misztela, UMKS P.4.0 
 6. Adamczyk, Pulaski3.8 
 7. Zych, Unia Tarnow3.8 
 8. Chojecki, Zyrardow.3.8 
 9. Hybiak, AZS P.3.5 
 10. Wrobel, GTK G.3.4 
Blocks Per Game
 Tomasz ZYCH
  Unia Tarnow
  (188-G-87)
  Avg: 3
 1. Zych, Unia Tarnow3.0 
 2. Lewandowski, Astor.2.8 
 3. Labedz, Rosa I.2.3 
 4. Szewczyk, Unia T.2.3 
 5. Kunc, Staco M.2.2 
 6. Fediuk, UKS S.2.2 
 7. Misztela, UMKS P.2.2 
 8. Szwed, Zyrardow.2.1 
 9. Rostalski, AZS P.2.1 
 10. Hybiak, AZS P.2.1 


2Liga Round 26: BM Wegiel Stal is defeated by AZS AGH Alstom - by Eurobasket News

The Regular Season in 2Liga just ended. There was no lack of excitement in the last round games. The round ended with favorites losing the games and games ending by tiny margin.

The most important game in the last round took place in Krakow between second ranked BM Wegiel Stal (19-7) and seventh ranked AZS AGH Alstom (14-12) on Sunday night. BM Wegiel Stal was defeated by AZS AGH Alstom in a tough game on the road 80-87. It ended at the same time the four-game winning streak of BM Wegiel Stal. BM Wegiel Stal trailed by 21 points at halftime and as many as 22 after three quarters before a 35-20 last quarter charge cut the deficit to 80-87 at the end of the game. AZS AGH Alstom forced 25 BM Wegiel Stal turnovers. Great defensive blocking was one of the keys in this match when AZS AGH Alstom made 13 blocks. Guard Michal Szewczyk (184-85) scored 25 points, 8 assists and 4 steals to lead the charge for the winners and forward Przemyslaw Gworek (195-90) chipped in 17 points and 7 rebounds during the contest. The former international forward Wojciech Szawarski (195-76) responded with 16 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists and 6 blocks. AZS AGH Alstom moved-up to sixth place in Group B, which they share with Alba Chorzow. BM Wegiel Stal at the other side keeps the second position with seven games lost. They share it with AZS AWF K-ce.
Very important is a home loss of third ranked Tur Bielsk Pdl. (15-9) against tenth ranked Rosa II Radom (11-13) on Saturday night. Host Tur Bielsk Pdl. was edged by Rosa II Radom in a tough game in Bielsk Podlaski 75-77. The former international forward Pawel Wiekiera (206-78) notched a double-double by scoring 24 points and 11 rebounds to lead the effort and Jakub Stanios supported him