EUROBASKET NEWS REPORT - 4/22/2012 1:04:01 AM

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Men News

*****************************************************
  ALGERIA   



Super Division Cup of Algeria: Hard outing for NAHD - by Eurobasket News

Day 24 of the Algeria super division Basketball championship has been updated with NAHD recording an unsuccessful trip in Bordj Bou Arreridj. They were defeated by IR Bordj Arrridj 75-85. With this win, IRBBA move two steps forward to meet NAHD at the 7th position with 35 points.

General standings

1st GS Ptroliers (44pts), 2nd CSM Constantine (44pts), 3rd TBB Blida (41pts), 4th WA Boufarik (41pts), 5th CRB Dar Beda (37pts), 6th AB Skikda (37pts), 7th IRBB Arrridj (35pts), 8th NAHD (35pts), 9th O Batna (34pts), 10th US Stif (34pts), 11th MS Cherchell (33pts), 12th USM Blida (33pts), 13th CRB Tmouchent (32pts), 14th NB Staouli (30pts), 15th OM Bel Abbs (29pts), 16th AU Annaba (26pts).
Courtesy of: starafrica.com


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


1 De Agosto May Win Angola Cup At Home - by Eurobasket News

Luanda 1 de Agosto may win this Friday the trophy of Angola senior males basketball cup, when they receive Interclube at Luanda's Rio Seco pavilion, in the second leg match of the competition.

In the first leg, 1 de Agosto beat Interclube by 94-56.

Should Interclube win this game, regardless the score difference, there will be a third play-off match so as to find the winner of the referred competition.

Playing at home 1 de Agosto will seize this opportunity to win the trophy before their public, having into account the potential of their players.

The match, set for 6 p.m, will be officiated by the referees Fernando Pacheco, David Manuel and Francisco Pacheco.
Courtesy of: Angola Press


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

Standings

O Standings
 1. Petron Blaze 13-4 
 2. Philip.Patriots 13-4 
 3. Satria Muda 9-9 
 4. KL Dragons 8-9 
 5. Singapore S. 6-9 
 6. Bangkok C. 6-9 
 7. Saigon H. 6-10 
 8. Thailand S. 5-12 

Regular Season: Round 17

Apr. 21: KL Dragons - Saigon H. 95-75
Apr. 21: Philip.Patriots - Satria Muda 79-104
Apr. 22: Thailand S. - Petron Blaze
Apr. 22: Singapore S. - Bangkok C.



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

Standings - ABA

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

Regular Season: Round 5

BIG V

Apr. 21: Melbourne - Sherbrooke S. 92-85
Apr. 21: Ringwood H. - Eltham W. 73-95
Apr. 21: Hume City - Bulleen B. 101-79
Apr. 22: Corio Bay - Waverley F.
Apr. 22: Diamond V.E. - Ringwood H.

Central ABL

Apr. 21: Eastern M. - N.Adelaide R.
Apr. 21: S.Adelaide P. - W.Adelaide B.
Apr. 21: Norwood F. - South.Tigers
Apr. 21: Sturt S. - C.District L.
Apr. 21: Woodville W. - Forestville E.

SEABL

Apr. 20: Hobart C. - Kilsyth C. 87-80
Apr. 21: Dandenong - Bendigo B. 85-73
Apr. 20: Albury W.B. - Dandenong 82-89
Apr. 21: Nunawading S. - Albury W.B. 80-83
Apr. 21: Ballarat M. - Canberra G. 79-59
Apr. 21: Brisbane S. - Knox R. 76-71
Apr. 21: NW Tasmania - Kilsyth C. 64-83
Apr. 20: Mt Gambier - Sandringham S. 63-67
Apr. 21: Frankston B. - Geelong S. 61-78
Apr. 22: Sandringham S. - Canberra G.

WARATAH

Apr. 20: Parramatta W. - Hills H.
Apr. 21: Colonial Hotel - Sutherland S.
Apr. 21: Hills H. - Bankstown B.
Apr. 21: Manly Warr. - Sydney C.
Apr. 21: Illawarra H. - Maitland M.
Apr. 21: Newcastle H. - Parramatta W.
Apr. 21: Norths Bears - Cent.Coast C.
Apr. 22: Illawarra H. - Sutherland S.
Apr. 22: Cent.Coast C. - Newcastle H.


Standings - SBL

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

Regular Season: Round 6

Apr. 22: East Perth E. - Goldfield G. 93-90
Apr. 21: Willetton T. - East Perth E. 85-74
Apr. 21: Stirling S. - Perth R. 84-104
Apr. 20: Cockburn C. - Lakeside L. 82-92
Apr. 21: Lakeside L. - Goldfield G. 114-79
Apr. 21: Rockingham F. - SW Slammers 113-89
Apr. 21: Mandurah M. - Kalamunda E.S. 104-85
Apr. 21: Geraldton B. - Perry Lakes H. 104-106
Apr. 20: Wanneroo W. - Mandurah M. 100-104


Central ABL: Men's Previews - Round 3 - by Eurobasket News

Eastern Mavericks (0-2, 10th) v North Adelaide Rockets (2-0, 1st)
Saturday April 21, 8:15pm at Adelaide Hills

The North Adelaide Rockets road win over the Eastern Mavericks in Round 6 last year was a season-changing result for both teams.

At the time, the Rockets were just 1-4 and struggling, while the Mavs were 3-2 and playing some of the best basketball in the competition. However, on the back of 40 points from Josh Bond, the Rockets produced a 111-96 upset, and went on to finish fifth, while the Mavs only won two games the remainder of the season.

This week, the Mavericks will host the Rockets again, but with much different stakes for each side. The Mavs are yet to win a game in 2012, while the Rockets are unbeaten.

In Round 2, the Mavs lost at the Lions den 61-80. They only managed 12 points in the second quarter and 13 in the fourth, while attempting only four free throws on the night, both of which came in the third quarter.

Stuart Breheny (192-F/C-86) (16 points, 7 rebounds), Mark Hautop (193-F-91) (12 points, 5 rebounds) and Nick Heim (10 points, 6 rebounds) were the Mavs best.

Meanwhile, the Rockets despatched last seasons runner-up Norwood in spectacular fashion, winning 105-60. The Rockets attempted 27 less field goals, but their field goal percentage was twice as high, while also getting to the foul-line 50 times compared to just 26 from the Flames.

Bond was the high point man with 31, adding 8 rebounds. Brandon Brine (18 points, 7 rebounds), Pero Vasilijevic (15 points, 12 rebounds), Luke Mapunda (14 points, 7 rebounds) and Tom Rowe (9 points, 6 assists) were the other major contributors.

Dont expect another Freaky Saturday here. Another mammoth win is not beyond the Rockets, especially given they are likely to suit new import Ed Millard.

South Adelaide Panthers (0-2, 9th) v West Adelaide Bearcats (2-0, 3rd)
Saturday April 21, 8:15pm at Marion Stadium

In another battle between a winless and an unbeaten team, the South Adelaide Panthers host the West Adelaide Bearcats on Saturday.

The Panthers lost at home to the Bearcats last season 67-75, in a match that effectively ended their finals push. Their home court was of no advantage to them in Round 2 either, going down to the Tigers 91-108.

The Panthers have now lost two of their last three against Southern, during a span when the Tigers have beaten none of the other eight CABL clubs. Damian Scanlon was the shining light with 37 points (12/16 FG, 4/5 3FG, 9/10 FT), while Jordan Robertson (11 points) was his only teammate in double figures.

For the second consecutive week, the Bearcats needed all 40 minutes to shake free of a feisty opponent. The Bearcats defeated the Warriors 73-66, despite only improving 2.2 per cent on their dismal 47.8 per cent foul shooting of Round 1. Blake Truslove was the Bearcats best with 12 points and 15 rebounds, while Anthony Spadavecchia and Howard Salters Jr each scored 14 points.

This should be a much more comfortable win for the Bearcats.

Norwood Flames (1-1, 7th) v Southern Tigers (1-1, 5th)
Saturday April 21, 8:15pm at Mars

The Norwood Flames copped a belting in Round 2. The Southern Tigers have been on the end of plenty in recent times. On Saturday, the Norwood Flames and Southern Tigers go head-to-head at Mars.

What a difference a week makes! In Round 1, the Flames pulled off a tough win over Centrals, the perfect start after last years Grand Final heartbreak. Yet now, the Flames have their backs against the wall after their 60-105 loss to North.

The historical statistics on the Central ABL website do not account for the last time the Flames lost by such a margin. Keith Krause (205-F-78, college: Montana St. - Billin) (14 points, 8 rebounds) and Ben Howell (11 points, 7 rebounds) were their leading scorers and rebounders.

Ironically, the previous Central ABL side to lose by 45 points was indeed the Tigers, against the Flames back in Round 12 last year. The Tigers also lost by 32 to the Flames 10 rounds earlier.

Round 1 suggested tough times may be still to come for the Tigers, however, their result in Round 2 puts them in a different light. They defeated South by 17 points, with Tyler Tanis scoring 47 points, a record for the club since it was formed out of the merger of Noarlunga and Adelaide Southern. Tanis was well-supported by Codey Ellison (12 points, 5 rebounds), Michael Florance (194-G/F-89) (11 points) and Daniel Peacock (10 points, 4 rebounds).

A week ago, it is doubtful any neutralist would have looked ahead to this game and thought the Tigers would win. After all, the Tigers have not defeated the Flames since April 6, 2008, losing their last six games by an average of 21 points.

However, with Tanis in superlative form and the Flames in shock, the Tigers are suddenly a great chance to equal their win tally of yester-year.

Sturt Sabres (0-2, 8th) v Central District Lions (1-1, 4th)
Saturday April 21, 8:15pm at Pasadena

The Sturt Sabres and Central District Lions are used to being in opposing positions.

Ahead of their clash at Pasadena on Saturday, the Sabres are in eighth spot and the Lions fourth. The Sabres have produced some good periods of basketball this season, however, they have also gone through patches where they have struggled to score and/or defend.

Last week, they went down 84-97 to Forestville, with an 18-29 third quarter proving pivotal. The Sabres have scored 154 points this season, 54 of which have come off the hands of Tom Daly, while new import Kyle Miller has scored 59 of the Lions 144 points.

Miller had 35 points, 13 rebounds and 6 assists as the Lions comfortably accounted for Eastern. Kyle Williams was also prominent with 16 points on 8/10 shooting.

The Sabres will be hoping Darren Ng is back to his best this round, after scoring only 9 points off the bench on 4/10 shooting.

Otherwise, the home side could be in for another tough night.

Woodville Warriors (1-1, 6th) v Forestville Eagles (2-0, 2nd)
Saturday April 21, 8:15pm at St Clair

In the Match of the Round, The Woodville Warriors will be hoping to bounce back from their tough Round 2 loss to West when they return home to face the Forestville Eagles.

The Warriors were within three points with 1.58 to go in the fourth, but failed to score the rest of the way. Zane Reeves was the Warriors top scorer with 17 points, also adding 8 rebounds. Mark Fuller scored 14 points without a miss, while Adam Blight added 10 points.

Majok Deng and Rashad Tucker both registered double-doubles in the Eagles 97-84 victory over Sturt last week. Adam Doyle, Trent Fildes, Brad Sullivan and Brad Gerlach (191-G-84) also scored in double figures.

The Eagles have enjoyed playing away games against the Warriors. The Warriors have not beaten the Eagles in their home building since 2006, back when they were based at the now-named Adelaide Arena. Last season, the Eagles beat the Warriors 77-63 at St Clair, before following it up with a 95-80 home victory.

Expect a competitive performance from the Warriors, but ultimately the Eagles should be too strong.

By James Woite
Courtesy of: http://www.centralabl.com.au/


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


Injury update - by Stefan Heinrich

During the Quarterfinals of the Austrian Snicker Play-Offs a couple of key players for different teams got injured and they will be sidelined for some time.

Robert Arnold (198-F-88, college: Boise St.) got injured during the third quater final game against BC Vienna. Arnold ripped his sideband in his knee and he also has a cartilage damage in his knee. He underwent surgery already and he will miss the rest of the game. Also Richard Poiger (202-F-87) had an arthroscopy in his knee and he will also be out for the rest of the season.

Christoph Greimeister (209-C-90) fractured his scaphoid and he wearing a cast right now.

Jeremy Fears (196-G-85, college: Bradley) did also get injured during the third Quarterfinal game against Gussing. He suffered an injury at the abductor muscle and he will be sidelinded for an unknown amount of time.


*****************************************************
  BALKAN LEAGUE   


Galil Gilboa and Levski to fight for the title - by Eurobasket News

Galil Gilboa - Hapoel T-A 88-72
Galil Gilboa will play against Levski in the final of the 2012 EUROHOLD Balkan League, as in the second semifinal, which was the 'Israeli' one, they defeated Hapoel Tel Aviv72:88 . After the win Galil will play in the final game win their debut season, where they will face the 2010 BIBL champions Levski Sofia. Demontez Stitt scored the first basket of the night, as Hapoel remained ahead in the opening minutes of the first quarter. The visitors led by four points - 5:9 with 6.49 left in the first quarter. Galil Gilboa started playing better and went on a 5-0 run, and were ahead by one point - 10:9. The visitors from Tel Aviv once again managed to get the lead once again, after Matan Naor made two free-throws for 10:13. Galils response were six straight points, which gave Lior Lubins side a 16:13 lead with less than three minutes to go in the first period. The home side remained ahead for the rest of the opening quarter and after 10 minutes of play they held a 20:18 lead. The home team got off to a strong start in the second period, extending their lead first to four (22:18) and after that to five (26:21). Hapoel managed to cut the deficit down to two points twice, but they couldnt tie the score or break ahead of the opposition. Gilboa extended it back to six points with 5.40 left - 34:28. Courtney Fells (198-SF-86, agency: Strategic Sports, college: N.Carolina St.) gave Galil their first double-digit lead of the night with 3.25 remaining in the second quarter - 38:28. The lead continued to grow, as 2.31 before the end Dagan Yivzori scored for 42:28. Halfway through the game Galil Gilboa held a well-earned 16-point lead - 50:34. Right after the start of the second half Hapoel Tel Aviv started to slowly erase the deficit between them and their opposition. For a little more than five minutes into the second half, Hapoel managed to decrease the difference down to six points, as Galils lead was 55:49 with 4.53 left to play in the third quarter. However the home team scored - Nimrod Tishman made it 57:49, and soon they led by double digits once again - 64:53 with 2.09 to go after a succesful jumpshot by Joseph Jones (204-C/F-86, college: Texas A&M), which forced Erez Edelshtein to take a time-out. By the end of the third quarter Galil Gilboa remained in the 'drivers seat' leading by 13 - 68:55. Nothing really changed in the fourth quarter, as Galil continued with their domination, leading the game by 15 points - 74:59 with 6.19 remaining to play. Galil were in complete control of what was happening on the field, as they enjoyed the rest of the game, along with their fans who were supporting them during the whole time. The final score was settled at 72:88. Romeo Travis (200-PF-84, college: Akron) and Joseph Jones led Galil Gilboa, scoring 17 points each. Courtney Fells had 14, while Dagan Yivzori and Nimrod Tishman scored 12 and 11. Bar Timor (191-PG-92) had 15 for Hapoel, Curtis Kelly added 14 and Jonathan Skjoldebrand finished with 13. *Courtesy of www.balkanleague.net

Levski Sofia - Feni Indistrija 86-76
Levski Sofia took down the defending EUROHOLD Balkan League champion Feni Industries, after winning the semifinal game between the two clubs by 10 points of difference - 86:76. In Gan Ner in Israel in the opening game Levski led during almost the entire time and deservedly won in the end. After neither side could break ahead of their opposition in the opening minutes of the first quarter, it was the defending champions Feni who managed to go on a 7-0 run, which gave them the first bigger lead of the contest - 8:14. Marcus Hall (185-G-85, college: Colorado) scored for 10:14, but Feni continued to play good and after the first quarter they were ahead by five points - 15:20. Early in the second period Feni extended their lead to 7 points - 15:22, before Pavel Ivanov made it 17:22. It was Aaron Harper (199-G/F-81, agency: Strategic Sports, college: Mississippi)'s time in the following moments, as the American guard scored 11 straight points for his side, against just two for Feni, as Levski were ahead 28:24 with six minutes left in the first half. Darko Sokolov made two three-pointer s and Stefan Georgiev scored two for Levski, which tied the score at 30:30. Both sides were having a good day shooting from long range, as until the halftime buzzer the lead changed a few more times, but after 20 minutes of play Levski was ahead by one - 40:39, after 17 points by Aaron Harper in the second quarter. Feni regained the lead early in the third quarter, scoring four straight points for 39:43. Levski answered with five straight for 44:43, but halfway through the quarter it was Feni who had the lead - 47:51. Titi Papazov's side scored seven points against three for Feni in the next two minutes, and led 55:54 with around three minutes left. Until the end of the period Levski scored 8 points against just one for Feni, and after 30 minutes of play the score was 63:55 in favor of Levski. Levski opened up the fourth quarter with five points against just two for Feni, as the Bulgarian team had their first double-digit lead of the game 68:57 with 8.25 remaining. However Feni didn't give up as Jarrid Frye (194-G/F-85, college: Sacred Heart) made a three-point shot (68:60), starting an 9-0 Feni run, as the difference was only two points - 68:66 with 6.55 to go, as Goran Samardziev scored a three-pointer. Levski scored nine points in a row, as they didn't allow Feni to make a single basket, and once again held a double-digit advantage - 77:66 with 2.56 left. Feni weren't able to cut the deficit until the end, as Levski remained ahead by double digits, as in the very last moments of the game the score was settled at 86:76. Aaron Harper was the key to Levskis victory tonight - he scored 30 points along with 8 rebounds and 6 assists. Marcus Hall added 18 points, 5 rebounds and 3 assists. Dimitar Angelov had a strong game as well - 13 points and 7 rebounds, while Stefan Georgiev finished with 11 points and 6 boards. Ivan Lilov (196-F/G-88) led Feni in scoring with 20 points, as he added 6 rebounds and 3 assists, while Jarrid Frye also had a solid performance with 19 points. The MVP from last year - Darko Sokolov scored 17 points in his teams loss. After the game tonight and Levskis win, the team advances to the final on Monday, where they will meet the winner from the game between Galil Gilboa and Hapoel Tel Aviv, in which the new BIBL champion will be determined, while the 2011 champs Feni are going home. *Courtesy of www.balkanleague.net


*****************************************************
  BELARUS   

Standings - Premier League

Premier Standings
Championship
 1. Minsk-2006 28-1 
 2. Grodno-93 25-4 
 3. Rubon 13-16 
 4. Minsk-2006 II 10-19 
Play-Out
 1. BGUIR-RTI 13-17 
 2. SBK Osipovichi 12-16 
 3. Sozh Gomel 0-28 
Stage One Standings

Second Stage: Round 5

Championship

Apr. 20: Minsk-2006 - Minsk-2006 II 96-53
Apr. 20: Grodno-93 - Rubon 82-69

Play-Out

Apr. 21: BGUIR-RTI - SBK Osipovichi 84-80
Apr. 20: BGUIR-RTI - SBK Osipovichi 67-82

Second Stage: Round 6

Championship

Apr. 27: Rubon - Minsk-2006 II
Apr. 27: Minsk-2006 - Grodno-93

Play-Out

Apr. 27: SBK Osipovichi - Sozh Gomel
Apr. 28: SBK Osipovichi - Sozh Gomel


Stats Leaders - Premier League

Points Per Game
 Ronaldas RUTKAUSKAS
  Minsk-.
  (203-F-92)
  Avg: 19.7
 1. Rutkauskas, Minsk.19.7 
 2. Sitnik, SBK O.16.3 
 3. Matyukevych, Grod.15.5 
 4. Ignatchik, Minsk-.14.4 
 5. Maze, Minsk-200614.4 
 6. Mishukov, SBK O.14.3 
 7. Sugoniako, BG.14.1 
 8. Patupchyk, Sozh G.14.0 
 9. Knox, Minsk-200613.6 
 10. Charykau, SBK O.13.1 
Rebounds Per Game
 Pavel BLIZNETS
  Sozh Gomel
  (205-C-94)
  Avg: 11.8
 1. Bliznets, Sozh Gom.11.8 
 2. Rutkauskas, Minsk.9.3 
 3. Zakhar, BG.8.8 
 4. Krisevich, Minsk-.7.8 
 5. Mishukov, SBK O.7.6 
 6. Drobyshevski., Soz.6.7 
 7. Ovsepian, Rubon6.6 
 8. Kojenets, Minsk.6.4 
 9. Matyukevych, Grod.6.3 
 10. Knox, Minsk-20066.0 
Assists Per Game
 Siarhei CHARYKAU
  SBK O.
  (184-PG-82)
  Avg: 6.2
 1. Charykau, SBK O.6.2 
 2. Kuzmin, Grodno-935.3 
 3. Shustau, Minsk-20.5.0 
 4. Akulich, Rubon4.9 
 5. Maze, Minsk-20064.0 
 6. Kudrautsau, Minsk.4.0 
 7. Papruha, BG.2.9 
 8. Ignatchik, Minsk-.2.9 
 9. Korzh, Grodno-932.7 
 10. Sitnik, SBK O.2.2 
Steals Per Game
 Siarhei CHARYKAU
  SBK O.
  (184-PG-82)
  Avg: 2.9
 1. Charykau, SBK O.2.9 
 2. Zakhar, BG.2.4 
 3. Akulich, Rubon2.2 
 4. Ovsepian, Rubon2.1 
 5. Papruha, BG.2.0 
 6. Sitnik, SBK O.1.8 
 7. Patupchyk, Sozh G.1.8 
 8. Sapegin, Rubon1.8 
 9. Malkov, Rubon1.6 
 10. Yafremov, Grodn.1.5 
Blocks Per Game
 Vadim MATYUKEVYCH
  Grodn.
  (208-C-80)
  Avg: 0
 1. Matyukevych, Grod.0.0 
 2. Akulich, Rubon0.0 
 3. Mastou, Grodno-930.0 
 4. Trastsinetsk., Min.0.0 
 5. Malyavko, Minsk-20.0.0 
 6. Svirydov, SBK O.0.0 
 7. Malkov, Rubon0.0 
 8. Strukov, BG.0.0 
 9. Malakhau, Minsk-20.0.0 
 10. Solianikov, Sozh0.0 


Premier League Round 5 (Second Stage) - by Eurobasket News

There will be only one (last) round of the Second Stage in Premier League.

The biggest surprise took place in Minsk where host BGUIR-RTI (13-17) beat league's leader SBK Osipovichi (12-16) 84-80 on Saturday evening. It was a key game for the top position in League. The hosts were tied at the half but managed to speed up in last two quarters eventually winning the game. BGUIR-RTI had a 16-5 advantage in offensive rebounds. 27 personal fouls committed by SBK Osipovichi helped opponents get some easy free throw opportunities. The best player for the winners was forward Yuriy Ignatiev (198-91) who scored 17 points and 8 rebounds. Forward Evgeniy Sugoniako (198-92) chipped in 20 points and 5 rebounds. BGUIR-RTI's coach Siarhei Varyvodau used a ten-player rotation in such tough game. Guard Sergej Vabischevich (190-88) produced 18 points and 8 rebounds for the guests. BGUIR-RTI keeps a position of League leader. SBK Osipovichi at the other side dropped to the second place with 16 games lost. They were replaced at the leadership position by Minsk-2006. SBK Osipovichi will play next round against strong Sozh Gomel trying to make it back to the top of the standings. BGUIR-RTI will have a break next round, and it should allow them to practice more before next game.
The game had a very big importance for first-ranked SBK Osipovichi as it allowed them to take a leadership position in League. SBK Osipovichi defeated second-ranked BGUIR-RTI in Minsk 82-67. It may be a crucial game in the contest for the top position in League. Guard Ilya Sharipov (197-91) orchestrated the victory with a double-double by scoring 16 points, 14 rebounds and 4 assists. Siarhei Charykau contributed with 13 points, 15 assists and 6 steals for the winners. Forward Evgeniy Sugoniako (198-92) answered with a double-double by scoring 19 points and 10 rebounds for BGUIR-RTI. As mentioned above they took over a top position. BGUIR-RTI at the other side still keeps top place with 17 games lost. BGUIR-RTI will have a break next week, which should allow them to rest in order to get back on the winning path. SBK Osipovichi will try to continue on its current victory against third ranked Sozh Gomel at home.
Another exciting game was a derby match between two local teams from Minsk: Minsk-2006 (#1) and Minsk-2006 II (#4). Minsk-2006 (28-1) crushed visiting Minsk-2006 II (10-19) by 43 points 96-53. Aliaksei Lashkevich stepped up and scored 22 points and 7 rebounds (on 10-of-12 shooting from the field) for the winners. Aliaksandr Semianiuk responded with 14 points and 6 rebounds. The winner was already known earlier in the game, so both coaches allowed to play the bench players saving starting five for next games. Defending champion maintains first place in League with 28-1 record. Newly promoted Minsk-2006 II keeps the fourth position with 19 games lost. They will meet at home league's second-placed Grodno-93 in the next round and it will be for sure the game of the week. Minsk-2006 II will play against Rubon in Vitebsk and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
An exciting game was played in Grodno. Second ranked Grodno-93 faced 3rd placed Rubon. Host Grodno-93 (25-4) defeated guests from Vitebsk (13-16) 82-69. Stanislav Ovdeenko nailed 24 points and 5 rebounds for the winning side. Grodno-93's coach Andrei Vasileuka allowed to play the deep bench players saving starting five for next games. Grodno-93 maintains second place in League with 25-4 record having just three points less than leader Minsk-2006. Rubon at the other side keeps the third position with 16 games lost. Grodno-93's next round opponent will be league's leader Minsk-2006 on the road and it will be for sure the game of the week. Rubon will play against Minsk-2006 II and it may be a tough game between close rivals.

The best stats of 5th round was 30 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists and 4 steals by Pavel Shuleyko of Grodno-93.

Championship
Grodno-93 - Rubon 82-69

An exciting game was played in Grodno. Second ranked Grodno-93 faced 3rd placed Rubon. Host Grodno-93 (25-4) defeated guests from Vitebsk (13-16) 82-69. Rubon was ahead by 5 points at the halftime before a 47-29 second half run of Grodno-93. They also forced 21 Rubon turnovers. Their players were unselfish on offense dishing 21 assists. Ukrainian guard Stanislav Ovdeenko (192-84) nailed 24 points and 5 rebounds for the winning side and the former international forward Kanstantin Yafremov (202-86, agency: Promotex) accounted for 20 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists. Grodno-93's coach Andrei Vasileuka allowed to play the deep bench players saving starting five for next games. The former international guard Dmitri Akulich (192-86) came up with 13 points, 6 rebounds and 6 assists and point guard Artem Malkov (185-88) added 15 points (on 6-of-7 shooting from the field) respectively for Rubon in the defeat. Grodno-93 maintains second place in League with 25-4 record having just three points less than leader Minsk-2006. Rubon at the other side keeps the third position with 16 games lost. Grodno-93's next round opponent will be league's leader Minsk-2006 on the road and it will be for sure the game of the week. Rubon will play against Minsk-2006 II and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Grodno-93: S.Ovdeenko 24+5reb+2ast, K.Yafremov 20+5reb+5ast, V.Matyukevych 11+5reb, E.Ivanov 8+10reb+2ast, I.Konuyshenko 8+2reb+1ast, D.Kuzmin 6+4reb+9ast
Rubon: A.Malkov 15+3reb+3ast, S.Sapegin 13+2reb+1ast, D.Akulich 13+6reb+6ast, D.Shilovich 8+6reb, D.Sivalko 7+6reb, A.Kachan 7+1reb
gschID: 173760


Minsk-2006 - Minsk-2006 II 96-53

Another exciting game was a derby match between two local teams from Minsk: Minsk-2006 (#1) and Minsk-2006 II (#4). Minsk-2006 (28-1) crushed visiting Minsk-2006 II (10-19) by 43 points 96-53. The game without a history. Minsk-2006 led from the first minutes and controlled entire game increasing their lead in each quarter. They dominated on the defensive end, holding Minsk-2006 II to just 6 points in second quarter. They dominated down low during the game scoring 68 of its points in the paint compared to Minsk-2006 II's 32. They looked well-organized offensively handing out 21 assists. The former international forward Aliaksei Lashkevich (204-78) stepped up and scored 22 points and 7 rebounds (on 10-of-12 shooting from the field) for the winners and American guard Bobby Maze (191-86, college: Tennessee) chipped in 15 points, 6 rebounds and 6 assists. Five Minsk-2006 players scored in double figures. Forward Aliaksandr Semianiuk (210-93) responded with 14 points and 6 rebounds and guard Valentin Ignatchik (192) scored 8 points. The winner was already known earlier in the game, so both coaches allowed to play the bench players saving starting five for next games. Defending champion maintains first place in League with 28-1 record. Newly promoted Minsk-2006 II keeps the fourth position with 19 games lost. They will meet at home league's second-placed Grodno-93 in the next round and it will be for sure the game of the week. Minsk-2006 II will play against Rubon in Vitebsk and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Minsk-2006: A.Lashkevich 22+7reb+2ast, A.Kojenets 18+8reb, B.Maze 15+6reb+6ast, J.Sinica 13+2reb+3ast, J.Knox 12+9reb, A.Trastsinetski 10+1reb+2ast
Minsk-2006 II: A.Semianiuk 14+6reb, A.Korneenkov 9+2reb, V.Ignatchik 8+3reb+3ast, V.Nakic 5+1reb+1ast, V.Krisevich 4+8reb, M.Shustau 4+4reb+2ast
gschID: 173761


Play-Out
BGUIR-RTI - SBK Osipovichi 84-80

Round 5 in Premier League means a new league leader. The biggest surprise took place in Minsk where host BGUIR-RTI (13-17) beat league's leader SBK Osipovichi (12-16) 84-80 on Saturday evening. It was a key game for the top position in League. The hosts were tied at the half but managed to speed up in last two quarters eventually winning the game. BGUIR-RTI had a 16-5 advantage in offensive rebounds. 27 personal fouls committed by SBK Osipovichi helped opponents get some easy free throw opportunities. The best player for the winners was forward Yuriy Ignatiev (198-91) who scored 17 points and 8 rebounds. Forward Evgeniy Sugoniako (198-92) chipped in 20 points and 5 rebounds. BGUIR-RTI's coach Siarhei Varyvodau used a ten-player rotation in such tough game. Guard Sergej Vabischevich (190-88) produced 18 points and 8 rebounds and the former international point guard Siarhei Charykau (184-82, college: Yakima Valley CC) added 8 points and 11 assists respectively for the guests. Both teams had four players each who scored in double figures. BGUIR-RTI keeps a position of League leader. SBK Osipovichi at the other side dropped to the second place with 16 games lost. They were replaced at the leadership position by Minsk-2006. SBK Osipovichi will play next round against strong Sozh Gomel trying to make it back to the top of the standings. BGUIR-RTI will have a break next round, and it should allow them to practice more before next game.
Top scorers:
BGUIR-RTI: E.Sugoniako 20+5reb, Y.Ignatiev 17+8reb+1ast, A.Kuzmitski 12+1reb, G.Zakhar 11+8reb+1ast, A.Papruha 8+5reb+7ast, N.Strukov 7+3reb+1ast
SBK Osipovichi: S.Vabischevich 18+8reb+2ast, I.Sharipov 13+5reb, A.Svirydov 12+4reb+2ast, Y.Mishukov 12+7reb+2ast, S.Charykau 8+3reb+11ast, K.Sitnik 7+2ast
gschID: 173762


BGUIR-RTI - SBK Osipovichi 67-82

The game had a very big importance for first-ranked SBK Osipovichi as it allowed them to take a leadership position in League. SBK Osipovichi defeated second-ranked BGUIR-RTI in Minsk 82-67. It may be a crucial game in the contest for the top position in League. The game without a history. SBK Osipovichi led from the first minutes and controlled entire game increasing their lead in each quarter. They dominated down low during the game scoring 58 of its points in the paint compared to BGUIR-RTI's 38. SBK Osipovichi players were unselfish on offense dishing 25 assists comparing to just 8 passes made by BGUIR-RTI's players. Guard Ilya Sharipov (197-91) orchestrated the victory with a double-double by scoring 16 points, 14 rebounds and 4 assists. The former international point guard Siarhei Charykau (184-82, college: Yakima Valley CC) contributed with a double-double by scoring 13 points, 15 assists and 6 steals for the winners. Four SBK Osipovichi players scored in double figures. Forward Evgeniy Sugoniako (198-92) answered with a double-double by scoring 19 points and 10 rebounds and swingman Genniadiy Zakhar (198-92) added 14 points and 8 rebounds in the effort for BGUIR-RTI. As mentioned above they took over a top position. BGUIR-RTI at the other side still keeps top place with 17 games lost. BGUIR-RTI will have a break next week, which should allow them to rest in order to get back on the winning path. SBK Osipovichi will try to continue on its current victory against third ranked Sozh Gomel at home.
Top scorers:
SBK Osipovichi: K.Sitnik 16+4reb+2ast, I.Sharipov 16+14reb+4ast, Y.Mishukov 15+6reb, S.Charykau 13+2reb+15ast, A.Svirydov 8+5reb+2ast, S.Vabischevich 8+2reb+1ast
BGUIR-RTI: E.Sugoniako 19+10reb, G.Zakhar 14+8reb+3ast, A.Papruha 9+5reb+1ast, Y.Ignatiev 6+5reb, D.Azaare 6+3reb+3ast, N.Strukov 5+1reb
gschID: 173759



Aliaksei Lashkevich claims Belarusian Premier League weekly honour - by Eurobasket News

Experienced former international forward Aliaksei Lashkevich (204-F-78) had an amazing evening in the last round for league's leader Minsk-2006 and that's him to receive a Eurobasket.com Player of the Week award for round 5 (Second Stage).
The 33-year old forward had the game-high 22 points adding seven rebounds and two assists for Minsk-2006 in his team's victory, helping them to outclass Minsk-2006 II (#4, 10-19) with 43-point margin 96-53. It allowed Minsk-2006 to consolidate first place in the Belarusian Premier League. Minsk-2006 has a very good season and are considered to have a run for the championship title. They improved their record to 28-1. It's Lashkevich's second year at Minsk-2006 and it's hard to imagine this team without him. Aliaksei Lashkevich averages this season 12.2ppg and 5.7rpg.

The second most remarkable performance in last round's games was 29-year old former international point guard Siarhei Charykau (184-PG-82) of SBK Osipovichi. Charykau impressed basketball fans with a double-double of 13 points and 15 assists. Of course he lead SBK Osipovichi to another comfortable win 82-67 over slightly higher-ranked BGUIR-RTI (#-3, 13-17) being unquestionably team leader. This victory allowed SBK Osipovichi to move up to -2th position in Play-Out. His team is not often considered as one of the league's best with a mere 12-16 record. Charykau is one of the most experienced players at SBK Osipovichi and has a reputation of one of team's most reliable players.

The third best performed player last round was former international forward Kanstantin Yafremov (202-F-86, agency: Promotex) of second-ranked Grodno-93. Yafremov showcased his all-around game by recording 20 points, five rebounds and five assists in the last round. He was a key player of Grodno-93, leading his team to a 82-69 easy win against #3 ranked Rubon in a game of the week. Grodno-93 is closer and closer to the top of the standings in Championship. They will still need more victories. But 25-4 record is not that bad... Yafremov has a very solid season. In 27 games in Belarus he scored 12.5ppg. He also has 5.4rpg and FGP: 60.9%.

Other top performing players last week:
4. Ilya Sharipov (197-G-91) of SBK Osipovichi - 16 points, 14 rebounds and 4 assists
5. Stanislav Ovdeenko (192-G-84) of Grodno-93 - 24 points, 5 rebounds and 2 assists
6. Aleh Kojenets (208-C-77) of Minsk-2006 - 18 points and 8 rebounds
7. Bobby Maze (191-G-86) of Minsk-2006 - 15 points, 6 rebounds and 6 assists
8. Artem Malkov (185-PG-88) of Rubon - 15 points, 3 rebounds and 3 assists
9. Genniadiy Zakhar (198-F/G-92) of BGUIR-RTI - 14 points, 8 rebounds and 3 assists
10. Yuriy Ignatiev (198-F-91) of BGUIR-RTI - 17 points and 8 rebounds

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


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

Standings - Division I

D1 Standings
 1. Spirou 19-8 
 2. Antwerp 18-8 
 3. Oostende 18-9 
 4. Aalstar 15-12 
 5. Leuven 14-12 
 6. M.Hainaut 13-14 
 7. Gent 10-17 
 8. Liege 8-18 
 9. Verviers-Pep. 5-22 

Regular Season: Round 30

Apr. 21: Verviers-Pep. - Leuven 88-95
Apr. 21: Aalstar - Liege 86-67
Apr. 21: Oostende - Spirou 85-81
Apr. 21: M.Hainaut - Antwerp 44-74

Regular Season: Round 31

Apr. 25: M.Hainaut - Spirou
Apr. 25: Aalstar - Oostende
Apr. 25: Antwerp - Gent
Apr. 25: Leuven - Liege


Stats Leaders - Division I

Points Per Game
 Christopher COPELAND
  Aalstar
  (203-F-84)
  Avg: 20.4
 1. Copeland, Aalstar20.4 
 2. Bostic, Liege16.6 
 3. Lojeski, Oostende15.3 
 4. Broyles, Spirou14.8 
 5. Black, Antwerp14.2 
 6. Taylor, M.Hainaut14.0 
 7. Freeman, Leuven13.8 
 8. Haynes, Gent13.7 
 9. Love, Verviers-Pep.13.7 
 10. Green, Spirou12.9 
Rebounds Per Game
 Graham BROWN
  Gent
  (205-C-84)
  Avg: 8
 1. Brown, Gent8.0 
 2. Love, Verviers-Pep.7.7 
 3. Mejri, Antwerp7.4 
 4. Young, Aalstar7.3 
 5. McLean, Leuven6.9 
 6. Merriex, Verviers.6.8 
 7. Mukubu, Verviers.6.6 
 8. Booker, Oostende5.8 
 9. Jackson, Aalstar5.8 
 10. Bostic, Liege5.8 
Assists Per Game
 Dominic WATERS
  Liege
  (185-PG-86)
  Avg: 4.2
 1. Waters, Liege4.2 
 2. Djordjevic, Ooste.3.6 
 3. Marnegrave, Leuven3.5 
 4. Black, Antwerp3.0 
 5. Bosco, Gent3.0 
 6. Slaughter, M.Hai.2.9 
 7. Steinbach, Aalstar2.8 
 8. Bostic, Liege2.7 
 9. Taylor, M.Hainaut2.7 
 10. Thompson, Vervier.2.7 
Steals Per Game
 Adeola DAGUNDURO
  Leuven
  (196-G-86)
  Avg: 2.6
 1. Dagunduro, Leuven2.6 
 2. Mukubu, Verviers.2.2 
 3. Black, Antwerp2.1 
 4. Bosco, Gent1.9 
 5. Hopkins, Antwerp1.9 
 6. Wilson, Antwerp1.9 
 7. Muya, Liege1.8 
 8. Bostic, Liege1.7 
 9. Slaughter, M.Hai.1.5 
 10. Cage, M.Hainaut1.5 
Blocks Per Game
 Salah MEJRI
  Antwerp
  (216-C-86)
  Avg: 2.6
 1. Mejri, Antwerp2.6 
 2. Riddick, Spirou1.7 
 3. Jennings, Liege1.5 
 4. Love, Verviers-Pep.0.9 
 5. Young, Aalstar0.9 
 6. Booker, Oostende0.7 
 7. Vaughn, Antwerp0.6 
 8. Nivins, M.Hainaut0.6 
 9. Mukubu, Verviers.0.5 
 10. Copeland, Aalstar0.5 


D1 Round 30: #1 Spirou Charleroi is defeated by Base Oostende - by Eurobasket News

The games are now more important than at the beginning of the Regular Season. We may still expect few shocking results in upcoming 6 rounds.

The most crucial game of the last round was a loss of top-ranked Spirou Charleroi (19-8) on the court of third ranked Base Oostende on Saturday night. Visitors were defeated by Base Oostende 85-81. It ended at the same time the three-game winning streak of Spirou Charleroi. Spirou Charleroi trailed by 12 points at halftime and as many as 26 after three quarters before a 35-13 last quarter charge cut the deficit to 81-85 at the end of the game. Base Oostende made 27-of-33 free shots (81.8 percent) during the game. Base Oostende outrebounded Spirou Charleroi 38-25 including a 33-22 advantage in defensive rebounds. 26 personal fouls committed by Spirou Charleroi helped opponents get some easy free throw opportunities. American guard Matt Lojeski (198-85, college: Hawaii) scored 20 points and 7 rebounds to lead the charge for the winners and the other American import power forward Brent Wright (203-78, college: Florida) chipped in 16 points and 6 rebounds during the contest. The best for the losing side was Georgian forward Tornike Shengelia (207-91) with 19 points and 9 rebounds. Both coaches used bench players in such tough game. Base Oostende maintains third position with 18-9 record behind leader Spirou. Defending champion Spirou Charleroi still keeps top place with eight games lost. Base Oostende are looking forward to face Okapi Aalstar (#4) on the road in the next round. Spirou Charleroi will play against Belfius Mons-Hainaut in Quaregnon and is hoping to win this game.
The game in Quaregnon supposed to be also worth to mention about. Second ranked Antwerp Giants (18-8) played at the court of 6th ranked Belfius Mons-Hainaut (13-14). Antwerp Giants smashed Belfius Mons-Hainaut 74-44. American point guard Timothy Black (178-81, college: Barton, NC, agency: Limelight Hoops) notched 21 points to lead the effort and Bryan Hopkins supported him with 18 points and 4 steals. Antwerp Giants' coach Eddy Casteels felt very confident that he used 10 players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. Even 10 points by American swingman Shan Foster (198-86, college: Vanderbilt) did not help to save the game for Belfius Mons-Hainaut. Antwerp Giants maintains second position with 18-8 record behind leader Spirou. Belfius Mons-Hainaut at the other side keeps the sixth place with 14 games lost. Antwerp Giants will play against Optima Gent (#7) at home in the next round where they are favorite. Belfius Mons-Hainaut will play against the league's leader Spirou Charleroi and hopes to get back on the winning track.

In the last two games of round 30 Liege was destroyed by Aalstar on the opponent's court 86-67. Bottom-ranked Verviers-Pep. unfortunately lost to Leuven in a home game 88-95.

M.Hainaut - Antwerp 44-74

The game in Quaregnon supposed to be also worth to mention about. Second ranked Antwerp Giants (18-8) played at the court of 6th ranked Belfius Mons-Hainaut (13-14). Antwerp Giants smashed Belfius Mons-Hainaut 74-44. The game was mostly controlled by Antwerp Giants. Belfius Mons-Hainaut was better in second period 15-11. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. Antwerp Giants dominated on the defensive end, holding Belfius Mons-Hainaut to just 6 points in first quarter. They made 17-of-19 charity shots (89.5 percent) during the game. They outrebounded Belfius Mons-Hainaut 33-19 including a 29-11 advantage in defensive rebounds. It was a great shooting night for Antwerp Giants especially from behind the arc, where they had solid 52.9 percentage. American point guard Timothy Black (178-81, college: Barton, NC, agency: Limelight Hoops) notched 21 points to lead the effort and the other American import guard Bryan Hopkins (183-83, college: SMU) supported him with 18 points and 4 steals. Four Antwerp Giants players scored in double figures. Antwerp Giants' coach Eddy Casteels felt very confident that he used 10 players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. Even 10 points by American swingman Shan Foster (198-86, college: Vanderbilt) did not help to save the game for Belfius Mons-Hainaut. Montenegrin power forward Ivan Maras (208-86, agency: Beo Basket) added 4 points and 6 rebounds. Antwerp Giants maintains second position with 18-8 record behind leader Spirou. Belfius Mons-Hainaut at the other side keeps the sixth place with 14 games lost. Antwerp Giants will play against Optima Gent (#7) at home in the next round where they are favorite. Belfius Mons-Hainaut will play against the league's leader Spirou Charleroi and hopes to get back on the winning track.
Top scorers:
M.Hainaut: S.Foster 10+2reb, A.Nivins 7+5reb, J.Cage 6+2ast, S.Bellin 5+2reb, A.Slaughter 5, I.Maras 4+6reb+2ast
Antwerp: T.Black 21+3reb+2ast, B.Hopkins 18+4reb+2ast, D.Wilson 15+7reb+1ast, R.Moors 11+6reb+3ast, S.Mejri 7+4reb+1ast, J.Vaughn 2+4reb+2ast
gschID: 132449


Aalstar - Liege 86-67

Very expected game when 8th ranked Belgacom Liege (8-18) was crushed on the road by fourth ranked Okapi Aalstar (15-12) 86-67. The game was mostly controlled by Okapi Aalstar. Belgacom Liege was better in third quarter 24-20. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. Okapi Aalstar players were unselfish on offense dishing 22 assists. American forward Christopher Copeland (203-84, college: Colorado) notched 26 points to lead the effort and international point guard Jorn Steinbach (181-89, agency: Court Side) supported him with 20 points and 7 assists (on 7-of-9 shooting from the field). Okapi Aalstar's coach Brad Dean allowed to play the deep bench players saving starting five for next games. Even 18 points by American forward Josh Bostic (196-87, college: Findlay, OH) did not help to save the game for Belgacom Liege. His fellow American import forward Terrence Jennings (205-88, college: Louisville) added 9 points and 7 rebounds. Okapi Aalstar maintains fourth position with 15-12 record. Belgacom Liege lost third consecutive game. They keep the eighth place with 18 games lost. Okapi Aalstar will play against higher ranked Base Oostende (#3) at home in the next round and it may be the game of the week. Belgacom Liege will play against Leuven Bears (#5) and hopes to get back on the winning track.
Top scorers:
Liege: J.Bostic 18+3reb+1ast, D.Waters 10+3reb+4ast, T.Jennings 9+7reb+2ast, P.Gillet 8+8reb, G.Muya 8+4reb+5ast, G.Hockins 8+3reb+1ast
Aalstar: C.Copeland 26+2reb+2ast, J.Steinbach 20+2reb+7ast, J.Holiday 13+3reb+3ast, K.Kruger 8+4reb+5ast, C.Young 7+11reb+1ast, S.Jackson 6+5reb+3ast
gschID: 132450


Verviers-Pep. - Leuven 88-95

Rather predictable result when fifth ranked Leuven Bears (14-12) defeated on the road bottom-ranked VOO Verviers-Pepinster (5-22) 95-88. The guests were already 12 points ahead after 3 quarters before a 27-22 VOO Verviers-Pepinster's run in the last quarter cut the lead to 95-88 at the end of the game. Nigerian guard Adeola Dagunduro (196-86, college: Nebraska) notched 18 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists to lead the effort and American forward Jamel McLean (203-88, college: Xavier) supported him with 16 points and 7 rebounds. Leuven Bears' coach Jurgen Van Meerbeeck allowed to play the deep bench players saving starting five for next games. Even a double-double of 19 points and 10 rebounds by American power forward Jason Love (206-87, college: Xavier) did not help to save the game for VOO Verviers-Pepinster. Naturalized DR Congolese swingman Wen Boss Mukubu (198-83, college: UAB, agency: SportsTalent) added 15 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists. Both teams had four players each who scored in double figures. Leuven Bears maintains fifth position with 14-12 record. VOO Verviers-Pepinster at the other side stay dead last with 22 lost games. Leuven Bears will play against Belgacom Liege (#8) at home in the next round. VOO Verviers-Pepinster will have a break next round.
Top scorers:
Verviers-Pep.: J.Love 19+10reb, J.Beal 17+1reb, W.Boss Mukubu 15+7reb+4ast, B.Merriex 14+8reb+2ast, T.Thompson 10+1reb+4ast, M.De Zeeuw 9+4reb+4ast
Leuven: A.Dagunduro 18+5reb+4ast, B.Freeman 17, J.McLean 16+7reb, N.Marnegrave 11+6reb+4ast, I.Hanavan 10+3reb, J.Tofi 9+1reb+1ast
gschID: 132451


Oostende - Spirou 85-81

The most crucial game of the last round was a loss of top-ranked Spirou Charleroi (19-8) on the court of third ranked Base Oostende on Saturday night. Visitors were defeated by Base Oostende 85-81. It ended at the same time the three-game winning streak of Spirou Charleroi. Spirou Charleroi trailed by 12 points at halftime and as many as 26 after three quarters before a 35-13 last quarter charge cut the deficit to 81-85 at the end of the game. Base Oostende made 27-of-33 free shots (81.8 percent) during the game. Base Oostende outrebounded Spirou Charleroi 38-25 including a 33-22 advantage in defensive rebounds. 26 personal fouls committed by Spirou Charleroi helped opponents get some easy free throw opportunities. American guard Matt Lojeski (198-85, college: Hawaii) scored 20 points and 7 rebounds to lead the charge for the winners and the other American import power forward Brent Wright (203-78, college: Florida) chipped in 16 points and 6 rebounds during the contest. The best for the losing side was Georgian forward Tornike Shengelia (207-91) with 19 points and 9 rebounds and American swingman Dwayne Broyles (196-82, college: JMU) scored 16 points. Both teams had four players each who scored in double figures. Both coaches used bench players in such tough game. Base Oostende maintains third position with 18-9 record behind leader Spirou. Defending champion Spirou Charleroi still keeps top place with eight games lost. Base Oostende are looking forward to face Okapi Aalstar (#4) on the road in the next round. Spirou Charleroi will play against Belfius Mons-Hainaut in Quaregnon and is hoping to win this game.
Top scorers:
Spirou: T.Shengelia 19+9reb+1ast, D.Broyles 16+3reb+1ast, C.Beghin 12+3reb, T.Huffman 10+1ast, D.Mallet 9+1ast, C.Green 7+3reb+1ast
Oostende: M.Lojeski 20+7reb+1ast, D.Buycks 16+1reb+2ast, B.Wright 16+6reb, K.Winston 15+4reb+1ast, T.Van Den Spiegel 6+5reb+1ast, C.Booker 5+6reb+2ast
gschID: 132452



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

Standings - BIH League

D1 Standings
League 6
 1. Siroki WWin 9-0 
 2. Igokea 8-1 
 3. Mladost 3-6 
 4. Capljina 3-6 
 5. Varda HE 3-6 
 6. Bosna 1-8 
Places 7-14
 1. Leotar 14-10 
 2. Servitium 10-14 
 3. Hercegovac 10-14 
 4. Borac Nektar 8-16 
 5. Zrinjski HT 8-16 
 6. Vogosca 8-16 
 7. Brotnjo 7-17 
 8. Celik 5-19 
Stage One Standings

Second Stage: Round 9

Apr. 21: Siroki WWin - Varda HE 93-67
Apr. 21: Bosna - Mladost 85-91
Apr. 21: Capljina - Igokea 76-78

Second Stage: Round 10

Apr. 24: Igokea - Siroki WWin
Apr. 24: Varda HE - Bosna
Apr. 24: Mladost - Capljina



*****************************************************
  BOTSWANA   

Standings

D1 Standings
 1. Spartans 7-0 
 2. Police 4-0 
 3. Troopers 3-2 
 4. Dolphins 2-0 
 5. Cadets 2-1 
 6. Flames 1-1 
 7. Bullets 1-3 
 8. BDF V 1-5 
 9. Saints 0-4 
 10. Splinters 0-5 

Regular Season: Round 7

Apr. 21: Bullets - Splinters 72-58
Apr. 21: Cadets - Troopers 60-55
Apr. 21: Cadets - Splinters 58-51
Apr. 21: Bullets - Troopers 49-60

Regular Season: Round 8

Apr. 25: Police - Spartans
Apr. 27: BDF V - Cadets
Apr. 28: Splinters - Saints
Apr. 28: Flames - Saints
Apr. 28: Police - Spartans



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


Paulo Giacomelli sign with Montana Tech of the University of Montana - by Paulo Freire

Montana Tech head basketball coach Aaron Woliczko announced two commitments today. Paulo Giacomelli of Florianopolis, Brazil and Danny Hebert of Coronado, California have signed letters of intent to play for the Orediggers next year.

I have gotten to know Paulo over the past few years and I have been very impressed with his skill level, said coach Woliczko.

Paulo Giacomelli, a 64 guard from Florianolpolis, Brazil, played at Power High School in northern Montana the past two years.

Growing up in Brazil, Paulo brings international experience to our program and I believe a hunger to play since he has only seen limited involvement at the high school level here in the states (due to foreign exchange eligibility).

During his high school career in Brazil, Giacomelli was an all-state selection twice and nominated for the U17 national team. His helped lead his high school team to a state championship as well.
At Power High, Giacomelli only played the second half of his junior and senior seasons due to eligibility issues with being an exchange student and transfer rules.

Paulo is one of the best high school players at getting to the hoop and having a nose for rebounding the ball that I have ever seen, said Coach Zach Vick of Power High. He has a keen basketball sense for every aspect of the game that truly separates him from his competition. When combined with his speed, athleticism, size, competitiveness and character, it makes him a player that I am sure will make a very positive impact at Montana Tech and the Frontier Conference.

While playing at Power, Giacomelli averaged 14.2 points per game, 13.2 rebounds, seven assists and 3.6 steals. He had three consecutive games with a triple-double and only three games when he did not achieve a double-double. In his limited playing time, he helped lead Power to two district and divisional championships. This past season, he was selected to the Northwest Cougars Las Vegas Nike Tournament All Star Team and the HIT and Crown Plaza Senior Classic.


Itabom/Bauru advance into Quarterfinals - by Eurobasket News

Itabom/Bauru reached the NBB quarterfinals. They handed the third straight loss to Liga Sorocaba to sweep the eighth-final series. The third victory came at home 84:74. Liga Sorocaba started the game aggressively having their backs against the wall. They established a 48:40 halftime advantage. But Itabom/Bauru turned things around in the third term. The hosts went on a 30:9 run to take a 14-point lead heading into the fourth frame. Liga Sorocaba cut the deficit in the fourth frame but never threatened the home team. Jefferson Agba (209-F/C-80, college: Embry Riddle) accounted for 22 points and 9 rebounds for Itabom/Bauru. Larry Taylor (185-G-80, college: Missouri Western) added 20 points in the victory. Kenny Dawkins (175-G-87, college: Lamar) responded with 24 points for Liga Sorocaba.
Uberlandia grabbed 2-1 lead against Tijuca following a 93:77 home win. Uberlandia dominated from start to finish. They piled up a 34:22 lead after ten minutes. Tijuca cut the deficit in the second term but the hosts were back in the drivers seat after the big break and rallied to the victory at the end. Robert Day (197-F-82, college: W.Oregon) stepped up with 26 points for Uberlandia. Robby Collum (185-G-81, college: W.Michigan) added 20 points in the victory. Andre Luiz Brugger (192-G-81) replied with 23 points for Tijuca.


Brasilian signs with US College Montana Tech - by Mel Devonne

Montana Tech mens basketball team announced that they signed Brasilian, Paulo Giacomelli.
Paulo Giacomelli is a 6-4 promising young guard from Florianolpolis, who played high school
basketball for the last two years at Power High School in northern Montana.
In Brazil, Giacomelli was an all-state selection twice and nominated for the Brasilian U17 national team.
Paulo is expected to be an impact player for Montana Tech, a Div -2 team in the Frontier conference.
Paulo also is a great student with 3.5 grade point average.



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

A1 Standings

A1 Standings
Championship Group
 1. Cibona 10-0 
 2. Cedevita 7-3 
 3. KK Split 6-3 
 4. Zadar 6-4 
 5. KK Zagreb CO 5-4 
 6. Jolly 2-8 
 7. Svjetlost 2-8 
 8. Zabok 1-9 
Play-Out
 1. Krizevci 11-6 
 2. Kvarner 2010 10-7 
 3. Alkar Sinj 10-7 
 4. Darda 8-9 
 5. Borik 6-11 
 6. Dubrovnik 6-11 
Stage One Standings

Second Stage: Round 10

Championship

Apr. 20: Cibona - Cedevita 79-76
Apr. 21: Zabok - Jolly 78-89
Apr. 21: Svjetlost - Zadar 64-63

Play-Out

Apr. 21: Krizevci - Alkar Sinj 89-80
Apr. 21: Darda - Dubrovnik 88-84
Apr. 21: Kvarner 2010 - Borik 76-75

Second Stage: Round 11

Championship

Apr. 24: Zabok - Cibona
Apr. 24: Jolly - KK Split
Apr. 24: KK Zagreb CO - Svjetlost
Apr. 24: Zadar - Cedevita
Apr. 29: Cibona - KK Zagreb CO

Play-Out

Apr. 28: Dubrovnik - Krizevci
Apr. 28: Alkar Sinj - Kvarner 2010
Apr. 28: Borik - Darda


Stats Leaders - A1

Points Per Game
 Ivan MIMICA
  KK Split
  (193-G-80)
  Avg: 19.5
 1. Mimica, KK Split19.5 
 2. Ross, Jolly18.0 
 3. Ceskovic, Kvarner17.9 
 4. Simovic, Kvarner15.6 
 5. Sobin, KK Split14.8 
 6. Stimac, Svjetlost14.7 
 7. Vrbanc, Zadar14.5 
 8. Kruslin, Zabok14.3 
 9. Grgat, Krizevci14.2 
 10. Budimir, Darda13.8 
Rebounds Per Game
 Ive IVANOV
  Zadar
  (201-C-85)
  Avg: 7.3
 1. Ivanov, Zadar7.3 
 2. Simovic, Kvarner7.2 
 3. Cinac, Kvarner 20107.0 
 4. Stimac, Svjetlost6.8 
 5. Peraica, Darda6.7 
 6. Zupic, Alkar Sinj6.7 
 7. Sobin, KK Split6.6 
 8. Vujcic, KK Split5.9 
 9. Grgat, Krizevci5.8 
 10. Kastropil, Zadar5.7 
Assists Per Game
 Josip GLAVINIC
  Krizevci
  (192-G-82)
  Avg: 5.1
 1. Glavinic, Krizevci5.1 
 2. Vujcic, KK Split4.9 
 3. Ross, Jolly4.5 
 4. Blajic, Kvarner4.3 
 5. Subotic, KK Split4.1 
 6. Kostomaj, Svjet.3.7 
 7. Ceskovic, Kvarner3.1 
 8. Tomas, Zabok3.1 
 9. Bubalo, Alkar Sinj2.7 
 10. Kruslin, Zabok2.7 
Steals Per Game
 Ronald ROSS
  Jolly
  (188-G-83)
  Avg: 2.9
 1. Ross, Jolly2.9 
 2. Kostomaj, Svjet.1.9 
 3. Blajic, Kvarner1.9 
 4. Bicvic, Darda1.9 
 5. Mimica, KK Split1.5 
 6. Puljko, Jolly1.5 
 7. Ivanov, Zadar1.5 
 8. Stimac, Svjetlost1.5 
 9. Kruslin, Zabok1.4 
 10. Zadnik, Zadar1.4 
Blocks Per Game
 Filip KRALJEVIC
  Zabok
  (214-F-89)
  Avg: 1.9
 1. Kraljevic, Zabok1.9 
 2. Sarlija, Borik1.3 
 3. Zupic, Alkar Sinj1.2 
 4. Bubalo, Zabok1.1 
 5. Vujcic, KK Split1.0 
 6. Vukovic, KK Split0.8 
 7. Buva, Krizevci0.7 
 8. Sobin, KK Split0.6 
 9. Kastropil, Zadar0.6 
 10. Vrsaljko, Jolly0.5 


A1 Round 10: Cibona beats Cedevita 79-76 - by Eurobasket News

Group Championship
Cibona - Cedevita 79-76
A very close game took place in Zagreb between Cibona and Cedevita. Top-ranked Cibona (10-0) got a very close home victory over their biggest opponent Cedevita (7-3). Cibona managed to escape with a 3-point win 79-76 in the fight for the first place. Cedevita was trailing by 10 points at halftime but managed to get 2-point lead after three quarters before a 17-12 charge of Cibona, which allowed them to win the game. Cibona outrebounded Cedevita 39-26 including 26 on the defensive glass. The former international center Goran Suton (209-C-85, college: Michigan St.) had a double-double by scoring 15 points and 14 rebounds to lead the charge for the winners and international forward Damjan Rudez (206-86) chipped in 13 points and 5 rebounds during the contest. At the losing side international point guard Dontaye Draper (180-84, college: Charleston) responded with 14 points and 4 assists and American-Panamanian forward Levour Warren (196-81, college: S.Carolina, agency: SportsTalent) scored 11 points and 9 rebounds. Both coaches tested many bench players in such tough game. Cibona have an impressive ten-game winning streak. They maintain first position in Championship Group with 10-0 record. Loser Cedevita keeps the second place with three games lost. Cibona's supporters look forward to an exciting derby game next round, where their team will face at home their local rival from Zagreb KK Zagreb CO.
Top scorers:
Cibona: G.Suton 15+14reb+1ast, D.Rudez 13+5reb+2ast, M.Rozic 13+4reb, A.Zizic 9+2reb, Z.Wright 7+3reb+3ast, D.Kus 7+2ast
Cedevita: D.Draper 14+4reb+4ast, M.Bilan 12+5reb, L.Warren 11+9reb+1ast, V.Vukusic 9+1ast, M.Car 8+1ast, I.Opacak 8+1reb
gschID: 171826


Svjetlost - Zadar 64-63
A very interesting game took place in Slavonski Brod. This derby game ended with only one-point defeat on the road of higher ranked Zadar (6-4) to eighth ranked Svjetlost (2-8) 64-63 on Saturday evening. It was quite big embarassment for the guest team. It ended at the same time the four-game winning streak of Zadar. Zadar was ahead by 14 points at the halftime before a 32-17 second half run of Svjetlost. They dominated on the defensive end, holding Zadar to just 4 points in third quarter. Svjetlost shot 21 for 28 from the free-throw line, while Zadar only scored five points from the stripe. Svjetlost forced 19 Zadar turnovers. 26 personal fouls committed by Zadar helped opponents get some easy free throw opportunities. The former international power forward Ljubo Samadan (208-83) notched 19 points to lead the effort and power forward Andrej Stimac (204-79) supported him with 13 points and 4 steals. Four Svjetlost players scored in double figures. Even 14 points by forward Ante Krapic (202-85) did not help to save the game for Zadar. Center Ive Ivanov (201-85) added 12 points for lost side. Zadar's coach Ales Pipan tried various players' combinations and tested in total twelve players in this game, but that didn't help. Svjetlost moved-up to sixth place in Championship Group, which they share with Jolly. Zadar at the other side dropped to the fourth position with four games lost. Svjetlost's next round opponent will be higher ranked KK Zagreb CO (#5) on the road and it may be quite challenging game. Zadar will play against the league's second-placed Cedevita in Zagreb and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Svjetlost: L.Samadan 19+3reb, A.Stimac 13+3reb+2ast, T.Kostomaj 11+1reb+1ast, P.Barac 11+4reb+1ast, M.Batina 7+3reb+1ast, M.Matasovic 2+3reb+1ast
Zadar: A.Krapic 14+3reb, I.Ivanov 12+2reb, K.Vragovic 8+3reb+1ast, U.Zadnik 7+3reb+2ast, D.Reed 6+1reb+4ast, G.Vrbanc 5+1reb+2ast
gschID: 171827


Zabok - Jolly 78-89
Another exciting game was between seventh ranked Jolly and 6th ranked Zabok where Jolly (2-8) beat Zabok (1-9) on the road 89-78. The guests were ahead by 3 points but lost the second period ending it with a 4-point deficit before their 26-11 run, which allowed them to win the game. Jolly made 16-of-21 charity shots (76.2 percent) during the game. Jolly outrebounded Zabok 36-20 including a 27-16 advantage in defensive rebounds. Worth to mention a great performance of American guard Ronald Ross (188-83, college: Texas Tech) who helped to win the game recording a double-double by scoring 23 points, 15 rebounds and 4 assists. Forward Mate Mrva (195-83) contributed with 17 points for the winners. Five Jolly players scored in double figures. The former international guard Ivan Tomas (193-81) replied with 22 points and 6 assists and guard Robert Lez (192-79) added 21 points in the effort for Zabok. Jolly moved-up to sixth place in Championship Group, which they share with Svjetlost. Zabok lost seventh consecutive game. They dropped to the eighth position with nine games lost. Jolly will play against higher ranked KK Split (#3) at home in the next round and it may be quite challenging game. Zabok will play against the league's leader Cibona (#1) in Zagreb to get more than just one victory in their record.
Top scorers:
Jolly: R.Ross 23+15reb+4ast, M.Mrva 17+3reb+2ast, H.Puljko 12+6reb+3ast, S.Rezic 11+3reb, P.Vrlika 10+3reb, D.Vrsaljko 8+1reb
Zabok: I.Tomas 22+2reb+6ast, R.Lez 21+2reb+2ast, F.Kraljevic 15+6reb, I.Perincic 6+4reb, S.Zadravec 5+1reb+1ast, S.Jankovic 4+2reb
gschID: 171828


Play-Out
Darda - Dubrovnik 88-84
There was no surprise in Darda where 6th ranked Dubrovnik (6-11) was defeated by fourth ranked Vrijednosnice OS (8-9) 88-84 on Saturday. The hosts took control from the first minutes by winning first half. But Dubrovnik won third quarter 24-21. However it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. Vrijednosnice OS dominated down low during the game scoring 56 of its points in the paint compared to Dubrovnik's 36. Dubrovnik was plagued by 26 personal fouls down the stretch. Forward Antonio Bicvic (199-82) fired 23 points for the winners. Swingman Veljko Budimir (199-85, agency: Court Side) chipped in 20 points and 5 rebounds. Four Vrijednosnice OS players scored in double figures. Bosnian forward Toni Bizaca (202-82) produced 25 points and Ivan Begic added 15 points respectively for lost side. Dubrovnik's coach let to play ten players, but that didn't help to avoid defeat in this game. Vrijednosnice OS maintains fourth position in Play-Out with 8-9 record. Loser Dubrovnik dropped to the fifth place with 11 games lost. Vrijednosnice OS will face Borik Puntamika (#5) in Zadar in the next round. Dubrovnik will play at home against the league's leader Krizevci.
Top scorers:
Darda: A.Bicvic 23+2reb+3ast, V.Budimir 20+5reb, L.Panduric 16+1reb+2ast, M.Mandic 15+1reb+2ast, I.Milenkovic 6+1reb+3ast, M.Peraica 4+11reb+1ast
Dubrovnik: T.Bizaca 25+4reb+1ast, I.Begic 15+2reb, N.Dosen 10+3reb, M.Diminic 9+1reb+1ast, M.Peric 8+2reb+1ast, F.Karac 7+3reb
gschID: 171864


Kvarner 2010 - Borik 76-75
Fifth-ranked Borik Puntamika (6-11) made lots of trouble for third ranked Kvarner 2010 (10-7) in Rijeka on Saturday. Kvarner 2010 managed to secure only one-point victory 76-75. However their fans expected easier game. Borik Puntamika trailed by 16 points after 3 quarters before a 29-14 run in the last quarter cut the deficit to 75-76 at the end of the game. They outrebounded Borik Puntamika 29-17 including a 23-11 advantage in defensive rebounds. Guard Josip Blajic (192-87, agency: Court Side) fired 15 points and 6 assists for the winners. point guard Matteo Juricic (192-91, agency: Kotnik Sports Agency) chipped in 18 points. Four Kvarner 2010 players scored in double figures. Serbian forward Petar Maric (206-87, college: Lincoln Trail CC) produced 20 points and guard Mario Pesut (-90) added 14 points respectively for lost side. Kvarner 2010 moved-up to second place in Play-Out, which they share with Alkar Sinj. Loser Borik Puntamika keeps the fifth position with 11 games lost. Kvarner 2010 will face Alkar Sinj (#3) on the road in the next round, which may be the game of the day. Borik Puntamika will play against Vrijednosnice OS in Darda and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Kvarner 2010: M.Juricic 18+1reb+2ast, J.Blajic 15+3reb+6ast, M.Ceskovic 13+2reb, T.Simovic 13+5reb+1ast, A.Boban 8, Z.Pehar 5+1reb+1ast
Borik: P.Maric 20+2reb+3ast, M.Pesut 14+2reb+3ast, M.Cakarun 11+5reb+2ast, M.Jurjevic 9+1reb+1ast, L.Drezga 7+2reb+1ast, M.Sarlija 6+4reb+1ast
gschID: 171865


Krizevci - Alkar Sinj 89-80
Round 10 in A1 means a new league leader. The biggest surprise took place in Krizevci where host Krizevci (11-6) beat league's leader Alkar Sinj (10-7) 89-80 on Saturday evening. It was a key game for the top position in Play-Out. Alkar Sinj trailed by 16 points after 3 quarters before a 33-26 run in the last quarter cut the deficit to 80-89 at the end of the game. Krizevci dominated down low during the game scoring 64 of its points in the paint compared to Alkar Sinj's 38 and made 16-of-20 free shots (80.0 percent) during the game. They outrebounded Alkar Sinj 29-18 including 20 on the defensive glass. 24 personal fouls committed by Alkar Sinj helped opponents get some easy free throw opportunities. Forward Luka Zitko (201-81) fired 23 points (on 8-of-9 shooting from the field) for the winners. Center Ivan Buva (208-91) chipped in 18 points and 6 rebounds. Guard Andro Anzulovic (193-91) produced 15 points (on 6-of-7 shooting from the field) and forward Stjepan Tesija (206-89, agency: PEPI SPORT) added 17 points (on 6-of-7 shooting from the field) respectively for lost side. Four Alkar Sinj players scored in double figures. Both coaches used bench players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. Krizevci have an impressive five-game winning streak. They keep a position of Play-Out leader. Alkar Sinj at the other side dropped to the third place with seven games lost. They share the position with Kvarner 2010. They were replaced at the leadership position by Cibona. Alkar Sinj will play next round against strong Kvarner 2010 trying to make it back to the top of the standings. Krizevci will try to continue on its current victory against sixth ranked Dubrovnik on the road.
Top scorers:
Krizevci: L.Zitko 23+2reb+1ast, I.Buva 18+6reb, I.Grgat 17+4reb+2ast, I.Mikulic 7+3reb+3ast, M.Zrnic 7+3reb, J.Glavinic 4+5reb+9ast
Alkar Sinj: S.Tesija 17+2reb, A.Anzulovic 15+3reb+1ast, N.Gaurina 12+2reb+1ast, R.Rogic 10+1reb+3ast, F.Bubalo 8+2reb+1ast, J.Lozancic 5+3reb+2ast


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

Stats Leaders - NBL

Points Per Game
 Peter SEDMAK
  USK Praha
  (207-C-85)
  Avg: 19.7
 1. Sedmak, USK Praha19.7 
 2. Pope, Chomutov19.6 
 3. McFadden, Usti n.18.2 
 4. Grant, Levice17.9 
 5. Lowery, Chomutov17.6 
 6. Hruban, USK Praha16.7 
 7. Houska, BK Decin15.4 
 8. Arnold, BK Pardu.15.0 
 9. Meno, Svitavy14.8 
 10. Stanek, Chomutov14.7 
Rebounds Per Game
 Stanislav VOTROUBEK
  USK P.
  (212-C-81)
  Avg: 8.8
 1. Votroubek, USK P.8.8 
 2. Pesic, Inter B.8.6 
 3. Meno, Svitavy8.4 
 4. Gottselig, Usti n.8.0 
 5. Arnold, BK Pardu.7.7 
 6. Naymick, CEZ N.7.6 
 7. Gadri-N., BK Prost.7.5 
 8. Peterson, BK Prost.7.4 
 9. Modric, Levice7.2 
 10. Houska, BK Decin6.8 
Assists Per Game
 Emanuel UBILLA
  Inter B.
  (188-G-86)
  Avg: 5.3
 1. Ubilla, Inter B.5.3 
 2. Deloach, Svitavy5.1 
 3. Sotnar, USK Praha4.7 
 4. Wright, NH Ostrava4.6 
 5. Wright, Chomutov4.6 
 6. Vrubl, Plzen4.4 
 7. Lawrence, CEZ N.4.1 
 8. Sirina, B&W Opava4.1 
 9. McFadden, Usti n.4.1 
 10. Barnes, BC Kolin3.9 
Steals Per Game
 Rashaan AMES
  BC Kolin
  (184-PG-78)
  Avg: 2.7
 1. Ames, BC Kolin2.7 
 2. Ubilla, Inter B.2.5 
 3. Wright, Chomutov2.4 
 4. McFadden, Usti n.2.3 
 5. Wright, NH Ostrava2.1 
 6. Lowery, Chomutov1.9 
 7. Klecka, B&W Opava1.9 
 8. Sirina, B&W Opava1.8 
 9. Pumprla, CEZ N.1.8 
 10. Deloach, Svitavy1.6 
Blocks Per Game
 Andrew NAYMICK
  CEZ N.
  (211-C-85)
  Avg: 1.7
 1. Naymick, CEZ N.1.7 
 2. Hughes, NH Ostrava1.3 
 3. Miklosik, B&W O.1.3 
 4. Gadri-N., BK Prost.1.2 
 5. Williams, BK Decin1.0 
 6. Reese, Usti n.0.9 
 7. Grant, Levice0.9 
 8. Pumprla, CEZ N.0.9 
 9. Houska, BK Decin0.8 
 10. Meno, Svitavy0.8 



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


Cleveland Cavaliers sign guard D.J. Kennedy - by Interperformances

The Cleveland Cavaliers have signed guard/forward D.J. Kennedy (6'6''-G/F-89, agency: Interperformances, college: St.John's) from the Erie BayHawks of the NBA Development League for the remainder of the 2011-12 season, Cavaliers General Manager Chris Grant announced today. The signing of Kennedy marks the 58th Call-Up from the D-League of the 2011-12 season. He will wear no. 12.

In 44 regular season games (all starts) with the BayHawks, Kennedy averaged 15.7 points on .447 shooting, 7.3 rebounds and 4.4 assists in 37.4 minutes per game. He shot .378 (51-135) from three-point range and .816 from the free throw line (168-206). The 6-foot-6, 215-pounder also played in all three of Eries postseason games, averaging 14.3 points, 9.7 rebounds and 5.3 assists in 42.0 minutes per game.

The 22-year-old played all four seasons at St. Johns, topping the 1,000-point plateau and posting averages of 11.7 points on .436 shooting, 6.1 rebounds and 2.4 assists in 30.4 minutes in 129 career games (125 starts).
(courtesy of www.insidehoops.com)


Justin Dentmon named 2012 D-League MVP - by Eurobasket News

Austin Toros guard Justin Dentmon (6'0''-G-85, college: Washington) was today named the 2012 NBA Development Leagues Most Valuable Player, as voted on by the NBA D-Leagues 16 head coaches.

Dentmon, a 6-0, 185-pound guard out of Washington, started in all 40 regular season games he played for the Toros, averaging 22.8 points, 5.5 assists, 3.7 rebounds, 1.6 steals and 37.2 minutes. A 2012 NBA D-League All-Star, Dentmon ranked fourth in the League in scoring, finishing with double-digit points in 39 games. He led the Toros in scoring in 24 games and was the assist leader 26 times.

Twice honored for his play during the season, Dentmon was named the NBA D-League Player of the Month in January and the Performer of the Week on Jan. 17. He led the Toros to an NBA D-League 33-17 regular season record and the third seed in the NBA D-League Playoffs presented by BBVA. In two postseason game for the Toros since returning from the Raptors, he is averaging 18.0 points, 3.5 assists, 1.5 rebounds and 29.0 minutes.

A two-time Call-Up to the San Antonio Spurs and the Toronto Raptors, Dentmon appeared in six NBA games this season, averaging 4.3 points, 1.7 assists, 1.3 rebounds and 15.2 minutes.

The impressive season that Justin had for the Toros is a testament to his talent and work ethic, said Chris Alpert, Vice President of Basketball Operations and Player Personnel for the NBA D-League. His leadership helped Austin to its best season yet, while individually he earned an NBA D-League All-Star selection and two trips to the NBA. He has emerged as one of the Leagues top prospects, and I congratulate him on a fantastic season.

Dentmon will be presented with the 2012 NBA D-League Most Valuable Player trophy prior to tonights semifinal game between the Toros and the Canton Charge, which tips off at 8:30 p.m. ET in Austin.

Dentmon joins Curtis Stinson (Iowa, 2011) Mike Harris (Rio Grande Valley, 2010), Courtney Sims (Iowa, 2009), Kasib Powell (Sioux Falls, 2008), Randy Livingston (Idaho, 2007) Marcus Fizer (Austin, 2006), Charlotte Bobcats guard Matt Carroll (Roanoke, 2005), Tierre Brown (Charleston, 2004), Devin Brown (Fayetteville, 2003) and Ansu Sesay (Greenville, 2002) as winners of the annual NBA D-League MVP award.

Courtesy of www.insidehoops.com


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

Stats Leaders - Korisliiga

Points Per Game
 Tim BLUE
  KTP
  (205-F-84)
  Avg: 23.2
 1. Blue, KTP23.2 
 2. Zeno, Nilan Bisons20.0 
 3. Crocker, KTP19.3 
 4. Beidler, Kauhajoki19.2 
 5. Durham, Salon Vilp.18.9 
 6. Brooks, Namika L.18.6 
 7. Hawkins, ToPo18.5 
 8. Newson, Kataja18.3 
 9. Holloway, Salon V.18.3 
 10. Hannah, Kauhajoki18.3 
Rebounds Per Game
 John FIELDS
  Salon Vilpas
  (205-F-88)
  Avg: 12.2
 1. Fields, Salon Vilp.12.2 
 2. Durham, Salon Vilp.11.2 
 3. Blue, KTP10.4 
 4. Williams, Pyrinto10.2 
 5. Beidler, Kauhajoki9.8 
 6. Zeno, Nilan Bisons8.7 
 7. Newson, Kataja8.7 
 8. McDade, Nilan B.8.5 
 9. Brown, Kouvot8.1 
 10. Hamm, LrNM.7.8 
Assists Per Game
 Malik MOORE
  Namika L.
  (192-G-77)
  Avg: 5.2
 1. Moore, Namika L.5.2 
 2. Ivey, Nilan Bisons4.8 
 3. Haynes, LrNM.4.8 
 4. Hannah, Kauhajoki4.5 
 5. Sarcevic, KTP4.3 
 6. Williams, Pyrinto4.3 
 7. Virtanen, Kataja3.9 
 8. Walker, Kataja3.8 
 9. Zeno, Nilan Bisons3.4 
 10. Nikkarinen, Kouvot3.4 
Steals Per Game
 Kelly BEIDLER
  Kauhajoki
  (199-F-88)
  Avg: 2.3
 1. Beidler, Kauhajoki2.3 
 2. Moore, Korihait2.2 
 3. Williams, Pyrinto2.2 
 4. Williams, Pyrinto2.0 
 5. Holloway, Salon V.1.8 
 6. Sarcevic, KTP1.7 
 7. Haynes, LrNM.1.7 
 8. Jordan, Kouvot1.6 
 9. Newson, Kataja1.6 
 10. Hawkins, ToPo1.5 
Blocks Per Game
 Kelly BEIDLER
  Kauhajoki
  (199-F-88)
  Avg: 1.9
 1. Beidler, Kauhajoki1.9 
 2. Fields, Salon Vilp.1.8 
 3. Blue, KTP1.4 
 4. Williams, Pyrinto1.0 
 5. Zeno, Nilan Bisons1.0 
 6. Lehtoranta, Kataja0.8 
 7. Hamm, LrNM.0.8 
 8. Mottola, ToPo0.8 
 9. Jones, Nilan Bisons0.7 
 10. McDade, Nilan B.0.6 


KORISLIIGA: Two thrillers tonight - by Rauno Hurmalainen

Korisliiga, semi-finals, Game # 1: The semi-finals got started. Basketball fans cannot hardly see more exiting and interesting games they saw tonight. Both at Joensuu and at Loimaa the winner could have been any team. Anyway; regular season winner Kataja (Joensuu) defeated Torpan Pojat (Helsinki) by one 77-76 (43-42). Quarters: 21-23, 22-19, 16-11, 18-23. At Loimaa even OT was needed before hosting Bisons had to admit visitors Pyrinto (Tampere) to win 87-93 (83) (42-45). Quarters: 25-20, 17-25, 25-25, 16-13, 4-10.
ToPo was leading by one (75-76) with 23 seconds to go, when Kataja's Jared Newson (195-G/F-84, agency: Pro One Sports, college: Tenn-Martin) fouled Justin Hawkins (201-F-85, college: N.Mexico St.). Hawkins missed both FTs and Kataja got a new chance. ToPo's Kimmo Muurinen (202-F-81, college: UALR) fouled Sami Lehtoranta (205-C/F-79) with three seconds to go. Lehtoranta made both FTs and Kataja had won 77-76. Kataja - ToPo 1-0. Game # 2 in Helsinki on Monday, April 23.
At Loimaa the king of the court was 38-year-old Damon Williams (201-F-73, agency: Two Points, college: Colorado St.-Pueblo). Williams played the whole game, 40+5 minutes, a long time with four fouls, and scored 39 points + grabbed 20 rebounds! Kenneth Lowe (192-G-80, college: Purdue) saved Pyrinto into over time by making two FTs with 29 seconds to go. During the OT Antero Lehto (184-G-84) scored six pts, Lowe and Antwine Williams (192-F-75, agency: Prossin Sports Management, college: N.Colorado) made both 2/2 FTs. In both of these games there were 12 lead changes and 13 ties. Pyrinto - Bisons 1-0. Game # 2 in Tampere on Monday, April 23. Three wins needed to make the Finals.
Kataja - ToPo 77-76 (43-42). (Jared Newson 18/8, Jeremy Price 15, Sami Lehtoranta 14, BA Walker 11 - Hanno Mottola 23/7, Justin Hawkins 22/7, Carl Lindbom 13. A: 1741).
Bisons - Pyrinto OT 87-93 (83) (42-45). (Eero Aaltonen 18, Jeb Ivey 17, Martin Zeno 13/13, Ryan McDade 12/9 - Damon Williams 39/20, Kenneth Lowe 18, Antwine Williams 13, Antero Lehto 11. A: 1007).


Pyrinto and Kataja won Semi-Finals openers - by Eurobasket News

Nilan Bisons - Pyrinto 87-93 (0-1)

Tampereen Pyrinto made 28-of-36 charity shots (77.8 percent) during the game, while Loimaan Korikonkarit only scored seven points from the stripe. It was a great shooting night for Tampereen Pyrinto especially from behind the arc, where they had solid 52.9 percentage. Loimaan Korikonkarit was plagued by 28 personal fouls down the stretch. Americans were the main players on the court. Forward Damon Williams (201-73, college: Colorado St.-Pueblo, agency: Two Points) nailed a double-double by scoring 39 points (!!!) and 20 rebounds for the winning side and guard Kenneth Lowe (192-80, college: Purdue) accounted for 18 points (made all of his eight free throws). Guard Martin Zeno (196-85, college: Texas Tech) came up with a double-double by scoring 13 points, 13 rebounds and 8 assists and guard Jeb Ivey (190-80, college: Portland St.) added 17 points and 5 assists respectively for Loimaan Korikonkarit in the defeat. Four Tampereen Pyrinto and five Loimaan Korikonkarit players scored in double figures.
Top scorers:
Nilan Bisons: E.Aaltonen 18+6reb, J.Ivey 17+3reb+5ast, M.Zeno 13+13reb+8ast, M.Nuutinen 13+4reb, R.McDade 12+9reb+1ast, V.Makalainen 7+2reb+1ast
Pyrinto: D.Williams 39+20reb+3ast, K.Lowe 18+3reb+2ast, A.Williams 13+4reb+1ast, A.Lehto 11+5reb, O.Ahvenniemi 5+8reb+2ast, A.Nikkila 4+5reb
gschID: 175040


Kataja - ToPo 77-76 (1-0)

The hosts trailed by 2 points after first quarter, but they rallied back to get the 1-point lead at the halftime and eventually won the game 77-76. Joensuun Kataja made 17-of-21 free shots (81.0 percent) during the game. Joensuun Kataja outrebounded Torpan Pojat 38-27 including a 29-18 advantage in defensive rebounds. 25 personal fouls committed by Torpan Pojat helped opponents get some easy free throw opportunities. American swingman Jared Newson (195-84, college: Tenn-Martin, agency: Pro One Sports) stepped up and scored 18 points and 8 rebounds for the winners and the former international power forward Sami Lehtoranta (205-79) chipped in 14 points and 7 rebounds. Four Joensuun Kataja players scored in double figures. At the losing side American forward Justin Hawkins (201-85, college: N.Mexico St.) responded with 22 points and 7 rebounds and the former international power forward Hanno Mottola (209-76, college: Utah) scored 23 points and 7 rebounds.
Top scorers:
ToPo: H.Mottola 23+7reb+1ast, J.Hawkins 22+7reb+2ast, C.Lindbom 13+3reb+1ast, C.Griffin 8+2reb+2ast, T.Iisalo 6+1reb+1ast, R.Clark 3+1reb+1ast
Kataja: J.Newson 18+8reb+1ast, J.Price 15+7reb, S.Lehtoranta 14+7reb+3ast, B.Walker 11+2reb+4ast, A.Kanervo 9+3reb, S.Haanpaa 4+4reb
gschID: 175039



On the road, again! - by Pekka Salminen

Made the semifinals by beating Karhu 3-1 after a strange series.: We beat them twice by +20 pts, they absolutely demolished us once and at the end we took the decisive game by 10. So there was no close games like U would expect in playoffs, but who cares we beat a good team (especially Clevin Hannah and Kelly Beidler were extremely hard to handle) and we have to be proud of that.

Anyway that is history, back to present: I am writing this sitting in a team bus,. We are on our way to Joensuu where the home team Kataja waits for us.
It is time to start the semifinals. So first game today (Saturday), then Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Sunday. Best of five, like all play-offs series in Finland.

There are a lot of interesting facts around this series:
-Kataja is loaded with good players, quality Americans and Finnish national team players, ToPo is loaded as well, with qualityyes, we are even deeper.
-Joensuu won the regular season easily and have played real well all season long. we had a lot of problems, but got our stuff together at the right time.
-Kataja has never won it, so there must be a lot of pressure in the beautiful city of Joensuu
-Jared Newson is a multitalented player one could say he is almost as good as our Justin Hawkins :-) . Seriously; this will be a great match-up, as will be the battle inside (Price-Mttl), and the fight for the right to party in position 4 (Kimmo Muurinen--Sami Lehtoranta). The back-court will belong to we may not have as many guards as Kataja, but Misters Griffin and Kyllnen are ready to challenge the trio: Petri Virtanen, BA Walker, Antti Kanervo.
-our dear opponents do have great shooters; Samuel Haanp, Juho Nenonen etc, but we do not have one single guys that cannot hit the outside shot when needed
-they have a great coach and their spacing is beautiful, have to admit that much, but lets see what do we have to match that

It will be a lot of fun despite five hour bus ride and a lot of bad stories told in the front of the bus (starring Mikko 'Daddy' Vilke, our director of basketball operations)

The players are taking a nap, will do the same.

Moikka!


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

Standings - ProA

ProA Standings
 1. Gravelines 24-3 
 2. Chalon 22-5 
 3. Orleans 18-9 
 4. Le Mans 17-10 
 5. Nancy 16-11 
 6. Paris-Levallois 16-11 
 7. Roanne 15-12 
 8. Cholet 14-13 
 9. Nanterre 13-14 
 10. Dijon 13-14 
 11. Strasbourg 12-15 
 12. ASVEL 11-16 
 13. Poitiers 9-18 
 14. Le Havre 8-19 
 15. Pau-Lacq-Orthez 6-21 
 16. Hyeres-Toulon 2-25 

Regular Season: Round 27

Apr. 21: Chalon - Le Havre 89-78
Apr. 21: Roanne - Nancy 83-75 OT
Apr. 21: Strasbourg - Dijon 79-83
Apr. 21: Poitiers - ASVEL 73-62
Apr. 21: Pau-Lacq-Orthez - Gravelines 71-88
Apr. 20: Paris-Levallois - Cholet 70-85
Apr. 21: Orleans - Nanterre 61-64
Apr. 21: Le Mans - Hyeres-Toulon 112-66

Regular Season: Round 28

Apr. 27: Gravelines - Poitiers
Apr. 27: Hyeres-Toulon - Strasbourg
Apr. 28: Le Havre - Roanne
Apr. 27: Dijon - Le Mans
Apr. 28: Nancy - Orleans
Apr. 27: ASVEL - Pau-Lacq-Orthez
Apr. 28: Cholet - Chalon
Apr. 28: Nanterre - Paris-Levallois


Stats Leaders - ProA

Points Per Game
 Eric CHATFIELD
  Paris-.
  (191-G-79)
  Avg: 20.1
 1. Chatfield, Paris-.20.1 
 2. Rochestie, Le Mans17.9 
 3. Hughes, Hyeres-T.17.1 
 4. Gipson, Pau-Lacq.17.1 
 5. Williams, Paris-.17.1 
 6. Schilb, Chalon16.6 
 7. Hamilton, Paris-.16.5 
 8. Causeur, Cholet16.2 
 9. Cox, Le Havre15.9 
 10. Delaney, Chalon15.3 
Rebounds Per Game
 Chinemelu ELONU
  Pau-Lacq.
  (206-F/C-87)
  Avg: 8.2
 1. Elonu, Pau-Lacq.8.2 
 2. Hamilton, Paris-.8.0 
 3. Akingbala, Nancy7.8 
 4. Greer, Strasbourg7.3 
 5. Nsonwu-Amadi, Roa.7.0 
 6. Vebobe, Cholet7.0 
 7. Armstrong, AS.7.0 
 8. Aminu, Chalon6.8 
 9. Falker, Cholet6.7 
 10. Camara, Le Havre6.4 
Assists Per Game
 Kareem REID
  Hyeres-Toulon
  (178-PG-75)
  Avg: 7.5
 1. Reid, Hyeres-Toulon7.5 
 2. Rochestie, Le Mans6.5 
 3. Wise, Le Havre5.6 
 4. Pellin, Orleans5.3 
 5. Dixon, Dijon5.1 
 6. Linehan, Nancy5.0 
 7. Schilb, Chalon4.9 
 8. Barrett, Roanne4.9 
 9. Gipson, Pau-Lacq.4.6 
 10. Cox, Le Havre4.3 
Steals Per Game
 Andrew ALBICY
  Gravelines
  (178-PG-90)
  Avg: 2.5
 1. Albicy, Gravelines2.5 
 2. Wise, Le Havre2.0 
 3. Riley, Nanterre2.0 
 4. Linehan, Nancy1.9 
 5. Pellin, Orleans1.8 
 6. Melody, Dijon1.7 
 7. Dixon, Dijon1.6 
 8. Shuler, Nancy1.6 
 9. Nelson, Cholet1.6 
 10. Morlende, Hyeres-.1.6 
Blocks Per Game
 Alexis AJINCA
  Strasbourg
  (215-C-88)
  Avg: 2.1
 1. Ajinca, Strasbourg2.1 
 2. Gobert, Cholet1.4 
 3. Falker, Cholet1.4 
 4. Akingbala, Nancy1.2 
 5. Hamilton, Paris-.1.2 
 6. Elonu, Pau-Lacq.1.1 
 7. Akpomedah, Grave.1.0 
 8. Issa, Gravelines1.0 
 9. Williams, Paris-.0.9 
 10. Armstrong, AS.0.8 


Standings - ProB

ProB Standings
 1. Limoges 25-6 
 2. Boulazac 22-9 
 3. Chalons-Reims 21-10 
 4. Maurienne 20-11 
 5. Fos Ouest 20-11 
 6. Bordeaux 18-13 
 7. Boulogne 17-14 
 8. Lille 16-15 
 9. St Vallier 15-16 
 10. Bourg 15-16 
 11. Evreux 15-16 
 12. Antibes 14-17 
 13. Nantes 13-18 
 14. Le Portel 11-20 
 15. Rouen 11-20 
 16. Denain 10-21 
 17. Quimper 9-22 
 18. Vichy 7-24 
 19. St Etienne 0-0 

Regular Season: Round 31

Apr. 21: Limoges - Antibes 92-82
Apr. 21: St Vallier - Vichy 91-71
Apr. 21: Quimper - Denain 89-84
Apr. 21: Rouen - Le Portel 85-82
Apr. 20: Lille - Bourg 83-85
Apr. 21: Boulogne - Maurienne 80-95
Apr. 20: Chalons-Reims - Evreux 75-76
Apr. 20: Fos Ouest - Nantes 74-70
Apr. 20: Boulazac - Bordeaux 72-78

Regular Season: Round 32

Apr. 27: Antibes - Rouen
Apr. 27: Bordeaux - Quimper
Apr. 28: Bourg - Limoges
Apr. 27: Evreux - St Vallier
Apr. 27: Maurienne - Lille
Apr. 27: Le Portel - Fos Ouest
Apr. 27: Nantes - Chalons-Reims
Apr. 28: Vichy - Boulazac
Apr. 27: Denain - Boulogne


Stats Leaders - ProB

Points Per Game
 Jason SIGGERS
  Rouen
  (189-SG-85)
  Avg: 18.5
 1. Siggers, Rouen18.5 
 2. Davis, Le Portel17.3 
 3. Brown, Maurienne17.0 
 4. Wood, Evreux16.2 
 5. McCray, Boulogne15.8 
 6. Paelay, Quimper15.7 
 7. Osby, Maurienne15.5 
 8. Prowell, St Vallier15.5 
 9. Monroe, Boulazac15.5 
 10. Denave, St Vallier15.5 
Rebounds Per Game
 Christophe MASSIE
  Limoges
  (206-C/F-77)
  Avg: 11.6
 1. Massie, Limoges11.6 
 2. Wood, Evreux11.1 
 3. Rossiter, Denain9.9 
 4. Monroe, Boulazac9.4 
 5. Osby, Maurienne9.4 
 6. Daniels, Chalons-.8.6 
 7. Barro, Bourg8.6 
 8. Allen, Antibes8.2 
 9. Badiane, Nantes8.1 
 10. Brown, Maurienne7.7 
Assists Per Game
 Ronnie TAYLOR
  Le Portel
  (188-PG-81)
  Avg: 6.8
 1. Taylor, Le Portel6.8 
 2. Mullins, Chalons-.5.6 
 3. Rowland, Evreux5.5 
 4. Copeland, Bourg5.3 
 5. Darnauzan, Mauri.5.2 
 6. Denave, St Vallier4.9 
 7. Darrigand, Bordeaux4.9 
 8. Patiejunas, Rouen4.8 
 9. Mouillard, Quimper4.5 
 10. Sauret, Lille4.4 
Steals Per Game
 Armand CHARLES
  Nantes
  (193-SF-83)
  Avg: 2.4
 1. Charles, Nantes2.4 
 2. McCray, Boulogne2.4 
 3. Shiloh, St Vallier2.0 
 4. Allen, Antibes1.9 
 5. Mullins, Chalons-.1.9 
 6. Eito, Vichy1.8 
 7. Driss, Bordeaux1.8 
 8. Paelay, Quimper1.8 
 9. Rowland, Evreux1.8 
 10. Choquet, Fos Oue.1.7 
Blocks Per Game
 Sherman GAY
  Fos Ouest
  (201-PF-82)
  Avg: 1.8
 1. Gay, Fos Ouest1.8 
 2. Jefferson, Vichy1.7 
 3. Badiane, Antibes1.7 
 4. Osby, Maurienne1.4 
 5. Ford, Bordeaux1.0 
 6. Massie, Limoges1.0 
 7. Fields, Nantes0.9 
 8. Daniels, Chalons-.0.9 
 9. McKenzie, Boulazac0.9 
 10. Rossiter, Denain0.8 


Standings - N1

NM1 Standings
 1. St Quentin 25-7
 2. Orchy 24-8
 3. Souffel 23-8
 4. Charleville 23-9
 5. Roche 22-9
 6. Blois 22-10
 7. Cognac 20-12
 8. Sorgues 18-14
 9. Brest 17-15
 10. Lievin 15-17
 11. Challans 15-17
 12. Angers BC 49 14-18
 13. Rueil 14-18
 14. Chartres 13-18
 15. Clermont 8-24
 16. Montbrison 6-26
 17. Le Puy 5-27
 18. CFBB 2-29

Regular Season: Round 32

Apr. 21: Chartres - Clermont 95-61
Apr. 20: Brest - CFBB 88-71
Apr. 21: Sorgues - St Quentin 80-95
Apr. 21: Charleville - Blois 77-85
Apr. 21: Montbrison - Orchy 71-94
Apr. 21: Lievin - Rueil 68-65
Apr. 21: Angers BC 49 - Cognac 62-68
Apr. 21: Le Puy - Challans 57-68
Apr. 22: Souffel - Roche


Stats Leaders - N1

Points Per Game
 Ville KAUNISTO
  Blois
  (204-F-82)
  Avg: 18
 1. Kaunisto, Blois18.0 
 2. Bigote, Cognac17.3 
 3. Petrovic, Orchy16.8 
 4. Pridotkas, Brest16.8 
 5. Bluntt, Orchy16.3 
 6. Herard, Challans16.2 
 7. Thomas, Roche16.1 
 8. Pearson, Angers B.16.1 
 9. Almanson, Challans16.0 
 10. Belser, Charlevil.15.5 
Rebounds Per Game
 Ville KAUNISTO
  Blois
  (204-F-82)
  Avg: 11.5
 1. Kaunisto, Blois11.5 
 2. Jaiteh, CFBB10.1 
 3. Caskill, Cognac9.7 
 4. Pearson, Angers B.8.6 
 5. Sanborn, Lievin8.1 
 6. Aubry, Montbrison8.0 
 7. Lesieu, St Quentin7.9 
 8. Avramovic, Chart.7.8 
 9. Pridotkas, Brest7.7 
 10. McClark, Clermont7.7 
Assists Per Game
 Johan RATHIEUVILLE
  Brest
  (177-G-85)
  Avg: 6.5
 1. Rathieuville, Brest6.5 
 2. Calvez, Charleville5.3 
 3. Daube, Le Puy5.1 
 4. Godin, Cognac5.1 
 5. Tillon, Montbrison5.1 
 6. Brochard, Blois4.8 
 7. Ball, St Quentin4.5 
 8. Barbry, Orchy4.4 
 9. Cortey, Clermont4.2 
 10. Dessart, Lievin4.2 
Steals Per Game
 Aurelien TOTO N''KOTE
  Roche
  (194-F-79)
  Avg: 2.3
 1. Toto N''Kote, Roche2.3 
 2. Pistre, Charleville2.1 
 3. Calvez, Charleville2.1 
 4. Bichard, St Quentin1.8 
 5. Ball, St Quentin1.7 
 6. Davis, Blois1.7 
 7. Daube, Le Puy1.7 
 8. Godin, Cognac1.6 
 9. Dessart, Lievin1.6 
 10. Bigote, Cognac1.5 
Blocks Per Game
 Jacques ALINGUE
  Souffel
  (201-F-88)
  Avg: 1.7
 1. Alingue, Souffel1.7 
 2. N''Diaye, Souffel1.6 
 3. Caskill, Cognac1.4 
 4. Davis, Blois1.4 
 5. Sanborn, Lievin1.4 
 6. Diame, Rueil1.2 
 7. Morin, CFBB1.2 
 8. Traore, Angers B.1.1 
 9. Ipouck, Chartres1.0 
 10. Tornato, Blois1.0 


ProA Round 27 of Regular Season - by Eurobasket News

Chorale de Roanne (15-12) survived in overtime against Sluc Nancy (16-11) by eight points 83-75 on Saturday night. The best player for the winners was Dylan Page (204-F-82, college: Wisc.-Milwaukee) who scored 24 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists. Chorale de Roanne have a solid series of three victories in a row. They maintain seventh place with 15-12 record. Sluc Nancy lost third consecutive game. Defending champion dropped to the fifth position with 11 games lost. Chorale de Roanne will face STB Le Havre (#14) on the road in the next round and are hoping to win another game. Sluc Nancy will play against Entente Orleans 45 (#3) and it may be a tough game between close rivals.

Other games of round 27 were quite predictable and ended without any surprises. Here they are:
Gravelines defeated Pau-Lacq-Orthez in a road game 88-71. Orleans was beaten by Nanterre at home 61-64. Cholet won against Paris-Levallois on the opponent's court 85-70. Poitiers managed to outperform ASVEL in a home game 73-62. Dijon managed to beat Strasbourg on the road 83-79. Chalon defeated Le Havre on its own court 89-78. Bottom-ranked Hyeres-Toulon was smashed by Le Mans in a road game 112-66.
The best stats of 27th round was 28 points and 7 assists by Bobby Dixon of Dijon.



Pau-Lacq-Orthez - Gravelines 71-88

There was no surprise when 15th ranked Pau-Lacq-Orthez (6-21) was defeated at home by first ranked Gravelines-Dunkerque (24-3) 88-71 on Saturday. The game was mostly controlled by Gravelines-Dunkerque. Pau-Lacq-Orthez was better in second period 17-9. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. Gravelines-Dunkerque made 26-of-34 free shots (76.5 percent) during the game. They also forced 19 Pau-Lacq-Orthez turnovers. Pau-Lacq-Orthez was plagued by 25 personal fouls down the stretch. The best player for the winners was swingman Rudy Jomby (197-88) who scored 21 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists. American guard J.R. Reynolds (188-84, college: Virginia, agency: SportsTalent) chipped in 21 points and 4 assists. Four Gravelines-Dunkerque players scored in double figures. At the other side the best for losing team was American guard Allan Ray (188-84, college: Villanova) who recorded 19 points and 4 assists and Nigerian power forward Chinemelu Elonu (206-87, college: Texas A&M) added 15 points and 9 rebounds respectively. Pau-Lacq-Orthez's coach Jean-Francois Laulhe rotated ten players seeing no chance for a win. Gravelines-Dunkerque have an impressive series of nine victories in a row. They maintain first place with 24-3 record. Pau-Lacq-Orthez lost seventh consecutive game. They keep the fifteenth position with 21 games lost. Gravelines-Dunkerque will face Poitiers (#13) at home in the next round which should be an easy win for them. Pau-Lacq-Orthez will play against ASVEL in Villeurbanne.
Top scorers:
Gravelines: R.Jomby 21+5reb+4ast, J.Reynolds 21+2reb+4ast, P.Sy 16+5reb, L.Vaty 10+3reb, J.Johnson 8+2reb+1ast, C.Akpomedah 6+2ast
Pau-Lacq-Orthez: A.Ray 19+2reb+4ast, C.Elonu 15+9reb, T.Gipson 13+5reb+3ast, J.Morency 7+10reb+1ast, R.Lesca 7+1reb+1ast, M.Maravic 6+3reb+3ast

gschID: 133705


Orleans - Nanterre 61-64

There was a surprise result when eleventh ranked JSF Nanterre (13-14) edged on the road 3rd placed Entente Orleans 45 (18-9) 64-61 on Saturday. The guests trailed by 8 points after three quarters before their 23-12 charge, which allowed them to win the game. JSF Nanterre forced 20 Entente Orleans 45 turnovers. The best player for the winners was American forward William Daniels (203-86, college: Rhode Island) who scored 12 points and 8 rebounds. His fellow American import forward Mykal Riley (198-85, college: Alabama) chipped in 15 points. At the other side the best for losing team was naturalized Mali forward Amara Sy (202-81) who recorded 15 points and 5 rebounds and American guard Cedrick Banks (190-81, college: Ill.-Chicago) added 12 points (went 8 for 8 at the free throw line) respectively. JSF Nanterre have an impressive series of five victories in a row. They moved-up to ninth place, which they share with Dijon. Entente Orleans 45 at the other side keeps the third position with nine games lost. JSF Nanterre will face higher ranked Paris-Levallois (#6) at home in the next round and it will be quite challenging to get another victory. Entente Orleans 45 will play against Sluc Nancy and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Nanterre: M.Riley 15+3reb+3ast, M.Diarra 12+2reb, W.Daniels 12+8reb+1ast, X.Corosine 8+1reb+2ast, D.Garrett 5+3reb+3ast, R.Covile 4+5reb
Orleans: A.Sy 15+5reb+2ast, C.Banks 12+4reb+1ast, M.N'Doye 9+5reb+1ast, G.Joseph 8+7reb, D.Monds 6+6reb+3ast, Y.Sangare 6+4reb+3ast
gschID: 133700


Paris-Levallois - Cholet 70-85

There was a minor upset when 6th ranked Paris-Levallois (16-11) was defeated at home by eighth ranked Cholet (14-13) 85-70 on Friday. Cholet dominated on the defensive end, holding Paris-Levallois to just 6 points in third quarter. They made 19-of-23 free shots (82.6 percent) during the game. They outrebounded Paris-Levallois 45-21 including a 16-3 advantage in offensive rebounds. The best player for the winners was international guard Fabien Causeur (193-87) who scored 15 points and 5 assists. American forward Robert Dozier (206-85, college: Memphis) chipped in 9 points and 8 rebounds. At the other side the best for losing team was American power forward Lamont Hamilton (208-84, college: St.John's) who recorded 16 points, 6 rebounds and 6 assists and the other American import forward Jawad Williams (204-83, college: N.Carolina) added 13 points and 5 rebounds respectively. Five Paris-Levallois players scored in double figures. Paris-Levallois' coach Christophe Denis rotated ten players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. Cholet have a solid series of three victories in a row. They maintain eighth place with 14-13 record. Paris-Levallois at the other side dropped to the fifth position with 11 games lost. Cholet will face league's second-placed Chalon/Saor at home in the next round and it will be quite challenging to get another victory. Paris-Levallois will play against JSF Nanterre.
Top scorers:
Cholet: P.Christopher 16+1reb, F.Causeur 15+4reb+5ast, W.Gradit 11+2reb+2ast, D.Nelson 10+4reb, R.Dozier 9+8reb+1ast, L.Vebobe 8+6reb+2ast
Paris-Levallois: L.Hamilton 16+6reb+6ast, J.Williams 13+5reb+1ast, T.Meacham 12+1reb+2ast, J.Aka 11+3reb, M.Morandais 11+3ast, G.Oniangue 4+1reb
gschID: 133701


Poitiers - ASVEL 73-62

We could consider it a predictable result in the game between close teams when thirteenth ranked Poitiers (9-18) beat at home 12th ranked ASVEL (11-16) 73-62 on Saturday. The game was mostly controlled by Poitiers. ASVEL was better in second period 17-15. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. The best player for the winners was American-Italian guard Anthony Dobbins (194-81, college: Richmond) who scored 8 points, 11 rebounds, 5 assists and 4 steals. The former international power forward Pape Badiane (207-80, college: Cleveland St.) chipped in 16 points and 5 rebounds. Four Poitiers players scored in double figures. At the other side the best for losing team was American power forward Hilton Armstrong (208-84, college: Connecticut) who recorded 13 points and 7 rebounds and the other American import swingman Dijon Thompson (201-83, college: UCLA) added 12 points respectively. Poitiers maintains thirteenth place with 9-18 record. ASVEL at the other side keeps the twelfth position with 16 games lost. Poitiers will face league's leader Gravelines-Dunkerque on the road in the next round and it will be quite challenging to get another victory.
Top scorers:
Poitiers: P.Badiane 16+5reb+1ast, A.Grant 13+5reb+1ast, P.Guillard 12+2reb+3ast, E.Fournier 11+1reb+3ast, A.Dobbins 8+11reb+5ast, K.Younger 4+4reb
ASVEL: H.Armstrong 13+7reb, D.Thompson 12+4reb+3ast, D.Haritopoulos 11+1reb+1ast, K.Tillie 9+4reb, E.Jackson 9+2reb+2ast, L.Westermann 8+2reb+3ast
gschID: 133702


Strasbourg - Dijon 79-83

Everything could happen at the game between two tied teams. Both tenth ranked JDA Dijon and 9th ranked Strasbourg IG had identical 12-14 record. But Strasbourg IG was not able to use a home court advantage and was defeated by the opponent from JDA Dijon 83-79 on Saturday night. The guests were tied at the half but managed to speed up in last two quarters eventually winning the game. JDA Dijon shot 63.6 percent from the field. They shot the lights out from three sinking 12 long-distance shots on high 70.6 percentage. Strasbourg IG was plagued by 24 personal fouls down the stretch. The best player for the winners was American point guard Bobby Dixon (178-83, college: Troy, agency: Beo Basket) who scored 28 points and 7 assists. Guard David Melody (184-77) chipped in 12 points and 5 assists. Four JDA Dijon players scored in double figures. At the other side the best for losing team was the former international center Alexis Ajinca (215-88, agency: Priority Sports) who recorded 17 points and 6 rebounds and American point guard Kevin Anderson (182-88, college: Richmond) added 18 points and 4 assists respectively. JDA Dijon (13-14) moved-up to ninth place, which they share with Nanterre. Strasbourg IG at the other side dropped to the eleventh position with 15 games lost. JDA Dijon will face higher ranked Le Mans (#4) at home in the next round and it will be quite challenging to get another victory. Strasbourg IG will play against Hyeres-Toulon (#16).
Top scorers:
Dijon: B.Dixon 28+4reb+7ast, S.Marshall 14+1reb+1ast, D.Melody 12+2reb+5ast, T.Rupert 10, A.Harris 7+2reb+1ast, R.Lewin 4+2reb
Strasbourg: K.Anderson 18+1reb+4ast, A.Ajinca 17+6reb+1ast, A.M'Baye 11+1ast, R.Greer 8+4reb+6ast, N.de Jong 7+1reb, A.Jeanneau 6+2reb+2ast
gschID: 133703


Roanne - Nancy 83-75 OT

Chorale de Roanne (15-12) survived in overtime against Sluc Nancy (16-11) by eight points 83-75 on Saturday night. Sluc Nancy was tied after three quarters and then recorded another tie at the end of regular time. They were eventually defeated in overtime 9-17s. Chorale de Roanne made 16-of-21 free shots (76.2 percent) during the game. Sluc Nancy was plagued by 24 personal fouls down the stretch. The best player for the winners was American forward Dylan Page (204-82, college: Wisc.-Milwaukee) who scored 24 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists. His fellow American import swingman John Holland (195-88, college: Boston U.) chipped in 22 points. Four Chorale de Roanne players scored in double figures. At the other side the best for losing team was American guard Jamal Shuler (191-86) who recorded 24 points and 8 rebounds and Nigerian center Akinlolu Akingbala (208-83, college: Clemson) added 13 points and 7 rebounds respectively. Chorale de Roanne have a solid series of three victories in a row. They maintain seventh place with 15-12 record. Sluc Nancy lost third consecutive game. Defending champion dropped to the fifth position with 11 games lost. Chorale de Roanne will face STB Le Havre (#14) on the road in the next round and are hoping to win another game. Sluc Nancy will play against Entente Orleans 45 (#3) and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Roanne: D.Page 24+7reb+4ast, J.Holland 22+3reb+1ast, R.Wright 13+7reb+5ast, U.Nsonwu-Amadi 11+11reb+1ast, P.Braud 6+1reb+1ast, M.Diabate 3+2reb+5ast
Nancy: J.Shuler 24+8reb+2ast, A.Akingbala 13+7reb, P.Amagou 10+1reb+2ast, A.Moerman 9+6reb+3ast, A.Kader Sylla 9+4reb, R.Kurz 4+2reb
gschID: 133704


Chalon - Le Havre 89-78

Everything went according to plan when second ranked Chalon/Saor (22-5) won against at home 14th ranked STB Le Havre (8-19) 89-78 on Saturday. The hosts trailed by 1 point at the halftime before their 51-39 charge in the second half, which allowed them to win the game. The best player for the winners was American swingman Blake Schilb (200-83, college: Loyola, IL) who scored 32 points and 5 assists (went 7 for 7 at the free throw line). International forward Ilian Evtimov (201-83, college: N.Carolina St., agency: Interperformances) chipped in 18 points. Four Chalon/Saor players scored in double figures. Chalon/Saor's coach Gregor Beugnot 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 American-Venezuelan guard John Cox (195-81, college: USF) who recorded 23 points and 9 assists and center Ousmane Camara (202-89) added 7 points and 9 rebounds respectively. Chalon/Saor maintains second place with 22-5 record having just two points less than leader Gravelines. STB Le Havre lost third consecutive game. They keep the fourteenth position with 19 games lost. Chalon/Saor will face Cholet (#8) on the road in the next round which should be theoretically an easy game. STB Le Havre will play against Chorale de Roanne (#7).
Top scorers:
Chalon: B.Schilb 32+4reb+5ast, I.Evtimov 18+2reb+2ast, A.Michel Jean-Baptiste 13+6reb, S.Tchicamboud 10+3reb+7ast, J.Lauvergne 7+3reb, A.Aminu 4+5reb
Le Havre: J.Cox 23+4reb+9ast, B.Boddicker 12+3reb, G.Jenkins 12+3reb+1ast, K.Houston 10+2ast, A.Wiggins 9+4reb+1ast, O.Camara 7+9reb+1ast
gschID: 133698


Le Mans - Hyeres-Toulon 112-66

There was no surprise when 16th ranked Hyeres-Toulon (2-25) was crushed on the road by fifth ranked Le Mans (17-10) 112-66 on Saturday. The game without a history. Le Mans led from the first minutes and controlled entire game increasing their lead in each quarter. Le Mans outrebounded Hyeres-Toulon 42-22 including a 29-18 advantage in defensive rebounds. They looked well-organized offensively handing out 23 assists comparing to just 9 passes made by Hyeres-Toulon's players. The best player for the winners was American forward Marcellus Sommerville (200-82, college: Bradley) who scored 23 points and 9 rebounds. His fellow American import point guard Taylor Rochestie (185-85, college: Washington St.) chipped in 19 points and 7 assists (on 7-of-8 shooting from the field). Le Mans' coach J.D. Jackson felt very confident that he used 10 players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. At the other side the best for losing team was naturalized Mali swingman Souarata Cisse (197-86) who recorded 21 points and American power forward Rick Hughes (204-73, college: Thomas More, agency: Interperformances) added 14 points and 6 rebounds respectively. Both teams had four players each who scored in double figures. Le Mans moved-up to fourth place. Hyeres-Toulon lost nineteenth consecutive game. They stay dead last with 25 lost games. Le Mans will face JDA Dijon (#10) on the road in the next round which should be theoretically another easy game. Hyeres-Toulon will play against Strasbourg IG (#11).
Top scorers:
Le Mans: M.Sommerville 23+9reb+3ast, T.Rochestie 19+2reb+7ast, A.Acker 18+2reb+2ast, J.Paulo Batista 14+8reb+1ast, M.Kouguere 12+1reb, C.Kahudi 8+1reb+4ast
Hyeres-Toulon: S.Cisse 21+1ast, R.Hughes 14+6reb, S.Fein 11+2reb, L.Labeyrie 11+5reb, T.Terrell 4+3reb+2ast, K.Reid 3+1reb+5ast
gschID: 133699



ProB Round 31: Chalons-Reims lose to ALM Evreux - 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 favorites losing the games and games ending by tiny margin.

The game between third ranked Chalons-Reims (21-10) and twelfth ranked ALM Evreux (15-16) was the most important one in the last round on Friday night. Chalons-Reims was edged by ALM Evreux in a tough game in Reims 75-76. It ended at the same time the four-game winning streak of Chalons-Reims. The guests trailed by 8 points after first quarter, but they rallied back to get the 7-point lead at the halftime and eventually won the game 76-75. Worth to mention a great performance of power forward Mory Correa (204-C/F-79, college: Wyoming) who helped to win the game recording 22 points and 8 rebounds. Guillaume Costentin (196-82) contributed with 17 points (on 6-of-7 shooting from the field) for the winners. American Chris Daniels (200-82, college: Georgia, agency: Limelight Hoops) answered with 20 points and 6 rebounds (made all of his eight free throws) for Chalons-Reims. ALM Evreux moved-up to ninth place, which they share with Bourg and St Vallier. Chalons-Reims at the other side keeps the third position with ten games lost. ALM Evreux is looking forward to face Saint Vallier (#9) at home in the next round. Chalons-Reims will play against Nantes (#13) and is hoping to win this game.
Very important is a home loss of second ranked Boulazac Basket (22-9) against seventh ranked Bordeaux (18-13) on Friday night. Host Boulazac Basket was defeated by Bordeaux in a tough game in Boulazac 72-78. American players dominated the game. It was a great evening for power forward John Ford (207-78, college: Colorado St.) who led his team to a victory scoring 15 points and 7 rebounds. Kurt Cunningham helped adding 12 points and 9 rebounds. At the losing side Amadi McKenzie (201-86) responded with a double-double by scoring 17 points and 11 rebounds. Boulazac Basket's coach rotated ten players in this game, but that didn't help. Bordeaux have a solid series of three victories in a row. They moved-up to sixth place. Boulazac Basket at the other side keeps the second position with nine games lost. Bordeaux will play against Quimper UJAP (#17) at home in the next round which should be an easy win for them. Boulazac Basket will play against JA Vichy (#18) and hopes to get back on the winning track.
ProB top team - Limoges CSP Elite (25-6) managed to deliver another win on Saturday. This time they beat twelfth ranked Olympique Antibes (14-17) 92-82. It was a quality performance for Christophe Massie who led the winners with a double-double by scoring 13 points and 14 rebounds. Limoges CSP Elite's coach Frederic Sarre used a ten-player rotation which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. Moussa Badiane came up with 13 points and 8 rebounds for Olympique Antibes in the defeat. Limoges CSP Elite have a solid series of three victories in a row. They maintain first place with 25-6 record. Loser Olympique Antibes keeps the twelfth position with 17 games lost. Limoges CSP Elite will meet JL Bourg (#10) on the road in the next round and are hoping to win another game. Olympique Antibes will play against SPO Rouen and hope to secure a win.
The game in Boulogne was also worth to mention about. Fifth ranked Aix-Maurienne (20-11) played at the court of 7th ranked SO Maritime Boulogne (17-14). Aix-Maurienne defeated SO Maritime Boulogne 95-80. It ended at the same time the four-game winning streak of SO Maritime Boulogne. American players dominated also this game. Wilbert Brown fired 23 points and 6 rebounds for the winners. Both coaches used bench players and allowed the starting five to rest. Aix-Maurienne moved-up to fourth place, which they share with Fos Ouest. SO Maritime Boulogne at the other side keeps the seventh position with 14 games lost. Aix-Maurienne's next round opponent will be Lille Metropole (#8) at home. SO Maritime Boulogne will play against Denain Voltaire.
Important game to mention about took place in Lille. Ninth ranked JL Bourg (15-16) saved a 2-point victory on the road edging 8th ranked Lille Metropole (16-15) 85-83 on Friday evening. It was a very good performance for Jimmy Baxter who helped to win the game recording 27 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists. JL Bourg maintains ninth place with 15-16 record, which they share with Evreux and St Vallier. Loser Lille Metropole keeps the eighth position with 15 games lost. JL Bourg will face league's leader Limoges CSP Elite at home in the next round and it will be quite challenging to get another victory.

Other games in round 31 were not that significant. Le Portel was beaten by Rouen on the road 85-82. St Vallier destroyed Vichy on its own court 91-71. Denain unfortunately lost to Quimper in a road game 84-89. Fos Ouest managed to beat Nantes at home 74-70.



Chalons-Reims - Evreux 75-76

The game between third ranked Chalons-Reims (21-10) and twelfth ranked ALM Evreux (15-16) was the most important one in the last round on Friday night. Chalons-Reims was edged by ALM Evreux in a tough game in Reims 75-76. It ended at the same time the four-game winning streak of Chalons-Reims. The guests trailed by 8 points after first quarter, but they rallied back to get the 7-point lead at the halftime and eventually won the game 76-75. Worth to mention a great performance of power forward Mory Correa (204-79, college: Wyoming) who helped to win the game recording 22 points and 8 rebounds. Guillaume Costentin (196-82) contributed with 17 points (on 6-of-7 shooting from the field) for the winners. Four ALM Evreux players scored in double figures. American Chris Daniels (200-82, college: Georgia, agency: Limelight Hoops) answered with 20 points and 6 rebounds (made all of his eight free throws) and the other American import Nate Carter (198-83, college: Oklahoma) added 19 points in the effort for Chalons-Reims. ALM Evreux moved-up to ninth place, which they share with Bourg and St Vallier. Chalons-Reims at the other side keeps the third position with ten games lost. ALM Evreux is looking forward to face Saint Vallier (#9) at home in the next round. Chalons-Reims will play against Nantes (#13) and is hoping to win this game.
Top scorers:
Chalons-Reims: C.Daniels 20+6reb+2ast, N.Carter 19+4reb+1ast, B.Mullins 10+2reb+5ast, R.Mels 9+1reb, K.Corre 7+4reb+2ast, G.Chathuant 7+3reb
Evreux: M.Correa 22+8reb, G.Costentin 17+1reb+1ast, L.Konate 13+3reb+1ast, A.Rowland 12+1reb+4ast, J.Wood 8+5reb, D.Reed 3+4reb

gschID: 140230


Rouen - Le Portel 85-82

There was a small surprise when sixteenth ranked SPO Rouen (11-20) edged at home 14th ranked Le Portel (11-20) 85-82 on Saturday. The hosts trailed by 5 points at the halftime before their 47-39 charge in the second half, which allowed them to win the game. SPO Rouen made 19-of-21 free shots (90.5 percent) during the game. SPO Rouen outrebounded Le Portel 36-23 including 26 on the defensive glass. They looked well-organized offensively handing out 21 assists. It was a very good performance for American Jason Siggers (189-85, college: Albany) who helped to win the game recording 24 points and 5 assists. His fellow American import power forward Alex Dunn (210-82, college: Wyoming) contributed with a double-double by scoring 16 points and 11 rebounds for the winners. American point guard Ronnie Taylor (188-81, college: NC-Greensboro, agency: Court Side) answered with 17 points and 7 assists and guard Benoit Mangin (196-88) added 13 points and 7 assists in the effort for Le Portel. Four SPO Rouen and five Le Portel players scored in double figures. SPO Rouen moved-up to fourteenth place, which they share with defeated Le Portel. SPO Rouen will face higher ranked Olympique Antibes (#12) on the road in the next round and it will be quite challenging to get another victory.
Top scorers:
Le Portel: M.Labeyrie 17+1reb, R.Taylor 17+2reb+7ast, C.Davis 16+4reb+1ast, M.N'Diaye 13+5reb, B.Mangin 13+1reb+7ast, N.Wyatte 4+6reb+4ast
Rouen: J.Siggers 24+2reb+5ast, C.Bronchard 16+5reb, A.Dunn 16+11reb, S.Dia 14+6reb+3ast, K.Patiejunas 8+5reb+4ast, P.Poupet 5+3reb+8ast
gschID: 140231


St Vallier - Vichy 91-71

Very expected game when 18th ranked JA Vichy (7-24) was smashed on the road by eleventh ranked Saint Vallier (15-16) 91-71 on Saturday. The game was mostly controlled by Saint Vallier. JA Vichy was better in third quarter 22-15. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. Saint Vallier dominated down low during the game scoring 58 of its points in the paint compared to JA Vichy's 32. Saint Vallier forced 23 JA Vichy turnovers and outrebounded them 38-27 including 18 on the offensive glass. They looked well-organized offensively handing out 28 assists comparing to just 15 passes made by JA Vichy's players. It was a very good performance for Canadian Sefton Barrett (196-83, college: Cent.Michigan, agency: Limelight Hoops) who helped to win the game recording 18 points and 5 rebounds. American LaQuan Prowell (203-84, college: Auburn) contributed with 16 points and 8 rebounds for the winners. Four Saint Vallier players scored in double figures. American center Marvin Jefferson (206-86, college: Idaho) answered with 14 points and 7 rebounds (perfect from the field making all six shots) and guard Mathieu Guichard (188-88) added 14 points in the effort for JA Vichy. Both coaches tested many bench players saving starting five for next games. Saint Vallier have an impressive series of five victories in a row. They moved-up to ninth place, which they share with Evreux and Bourg. JA Vichy lost fifth consecutive game. They keep the eighteenth position with 24 games lost. Saint Vallier will face ALM Evreux (#11) on the road in the next round. JA Vichy will play against the league's second-placed Boulazac Basket (#2) having rather not much hope for a victory.
Top scorers:
Vichy: M.Guichard 14+2reb+3ast, M.Jefferson 14+7reb, S.Dondon 10+4reb+1ast, D.Coleman 9+2reb+1ast, A.Eito 9+3reb+6ast, O.Ikuesan 6+3reb
St Vallier: S.Barrett 18+5reb+3ast, L.Prowell 16+8reb+1ast, M.Toti 14+3reb+4ast, H.Disy 12+3reb+1ast, F.Tortosa 11+1reb+1ast, D.Denave 7+1reb+7ast
gschID: 140232


Quimper - Denain 89-84

There was a small surprise when seventeenth ranked Quimper UJAP (9-22) won against at home 15th ranked Denain Voltaire (10-21) 89-84 on Saturday. The hosts trailed by 3 points after three quarters before their 22-14 charge, which allowed them to win the game. Quimper UJAP made 19-of-24 free shots (79.2 percent) during the game. It was a very good performance for point guard Vincent Mouillard (187-87) who helped to win the game recording 22 points. Liberian-American Pele Paelay (193-84, college: Co.Carolina, agency: Two Points) contributed with 16 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists for the winners. Paelay is a former Eurobasket Summer League player, which is considered top international summer league in the market. American guard Nate Rohnert (197-87, college: Denver) answered with 29 points and 5 rebounds and Lamine Kante (200-87) added 22 points and 7 rebounds in the effort for Denain Voltaire. Four Quimper UJAP and five Denain Voltaire players scored in double figures. Quimper UJAP maintains seventeenth place with 9-22 record. Denain Voltaire lost seventh consecutive game. Newly promoted team dropped to the sixteenth position with 21 games lost. Quimper UJAP will face higher ranked Bordeaux (#6) on the road in the next round and it will be quite challenging to get another victory.
Top scorers:
Denain: N.Rohnert 29+5reb+1ast, L.Kante 22+7reb+3ast, J.James 12+7reb+2ast, X.Gaillou 11+2reb+9ast, R.Rossiter 10+13reb+1ast, G.Toto 0
Quimper: V.Mouillard 22+1reb+3ast, P.Paelay 16+5reb+4ast, A.McCoy 16+4reb+2ast, A.Salmon 12+4reb+1ast, G.Lessort 8+1reb, N.Roche 6+6reb
gschID: 151911


Boulazac - Bordeaux 72-78

Very important is a home loss of second ranked Boulazac Basket (22-9) against seventh ranked Bordeaux (18-13) on Friday night. Host Boulazac Basket was defeated by Bordeaux in a tough game in Boulazac 72-78. Boulazac Basket was tied at the half but could not keep up in last two quarters eventually losing the game. Bordeaux made 18-of-20 charity shots (90.0 percent) during the game. American players dominated the game. It was a great evening for power forward John Ford (207-78, college: Colorado St.) who led his team to a victory scoring 15 points and 7 rebounds (made all of his seven free throws). Power forward Kurt Cunningham (204-87, college: Boise St.) helped adding 12 points and 9 rebounds. Five Bordeaux players scored in double figures. At the losing side Amadi McKenzie (201-86) responded with a double-double by scoring 17 points and 11 rebounds and power forward Darryl Monroe (202-86, college: George Mason, agency: Two Points) scored 14 points. Boulazac Basket's coach rotated ten players in this game, but that didn't help. Bordeaux have a solid series of three victories in a row. They moved-up to sixth place. Boulazac Basket at the other side keeps the second position with nine games lost. Bordeaux will play against Quimper UJAP (#17) at home in the next round which should be an easy win for them. Boulazac Basket will play against JA Vichy (#18) and hopes to get back on the winning track.
Top scorers:
Boulazac: A.McKenzie 17+11reb+2ast, D.Monroe 14+4reb+2ast, T.Dubiez 12+1reb+1ast, A.Kerckhof 9+3reb+2ast, F.Adjiwanou 6+4reb+1ast, R.Ayers 6+2ast
Bordeaux: J.Ford 15+7reb+1ast, M.Doubal 12+1reb, K.Cunningham 12+9reb+2ast, S.Driss 11+5reb+3ast, O.Bassett 10+3reb+2ast, G.Darrigand 10+2reb+2ast
gschID: 140225


Boulogne - Maurienne 80-95

The game in Boulogne was also worth to mention about. Fifth ranked Aix-Maurienne (20-11) played at the court of 7th ranked SO Maritime Boulogne (17-14). Aix-Maurienne defeated SO Maritime Boulogne 95-80. It ended at the same time the four-game winning streak of SO Maritime Boulogne. The game was mostly controlled by Aix-Maurienne. SO Maritime Boulogne was better in second period 22-18. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. American players dominated also this game. Wilbert Brown (199-84, college: Niagara, agency: Z.A.G. - Law Offices) fired 23 points and 6 rebounds for the winners. Dar Tucker (193-88, college: De Paul) chipped in 18 points and 4 assists. Power forward James Mathis (200-84, college: Niagara, agency: Court Side) produced 12 points and 8 rebounds and Corey Rouse (204-84, college: E.Carolina, agency: Court Side) added 15 points and 5 rebounds respectively for lost side. Five SO Maritime Boulogne players scored in double figures. Both coaches used bench players and allowed the starting five to rest. Aix-Maurienne moved-up to fourth place, which they share with Fos Ouest. SO Maritime Boulogne at the other side keeps the seventh position with 14 games lost. Aix-Maurienne's next round opponent will be Lille Metropole (#8) at home. SO Maritime Boulogne will play against Denain Voltaire.
Top scorers:
Boulogne: C.Rouse 15+5reb, F.Raposo Laurencio 15+3reb+1ast, T.Stanley 13+2reb+2ast, C.McCray 12+4reb+3ast, J.Mathis 12+8reb+2ast, J.Leria 6+1reb+1ast
Maurienne: W.Brown 23+6reb+2ast, D.Tucker 18+2reb+4ast, J.Ekanga-Ehawa 11+2reb+2ast, T.Yvrande 8+1ast, G.Clerc 8+1reb+3ast, B.Osby 8+5reb+1ast
gschID: 140226


Fos Ouest - Nantes 74-70

Not a big story in a game when 13th ranked Nantes (13-18) lost on the road to fifth ranked Fos Ouest (20-11) 74-70 on Friday. However just four-point win is not that big difference and the fans of host team counted on more convincing victory. Nantes was tied after three quarters but could not keep up in the last quarter eventually losing the game. They outrebounded Nantes 39-25 including 25 on the defensive glass. It was a very good performance for Jamaican-American Sherman Gay (201-82, college: Loyola Mary) who helped to win the game recording 21 points and 7 rebounds (on 7-of-9 shooting from the field). American Bill Clark (195-88, college: Duquesne) contributed with 15 points and 7 rebounds for the winners. Naturalized American guard David Fergerson (185-78, college: St.Louis) answered with 14 points and Senegalese power forward Malick Badiane (211-84) added 13 points and 5 rebounds in the effort for Nantes. Five Nantes players scored in double figures. Nantes' coach Guillaume Quintard tested ten players, but that didn't help to avoid defeat in this game. Fos Ouest moved-up to fourth place, which they share with Maurienne. Loser Nantes keeps the thirteenth position with 18 games lost. Fos Ouest will face Le Portel (#14) on the road in the next round and are hoping to win another game. Nantes will play against Chalons-Reims.
Top scorers:
Nantes: D.Fergerson 14+4reb+1ast, M.Badiane 13+5reb, A.Charles 11+2reb+1ast, M.Drame 10+3reb+2ast, J.Fields 10+5reb+1ast, O.Bardet 6+2reb
Fos Ouest: S.Gay 21+7reb, B.Clark 15+7reb+3ast, K.Atamna 13+4reb+4ast, M.Dia 9+7reb+2ast, E.Choquet 8+6reb+4ast, C.Cavallo 5+3reb
gschID: 140227


Lille - Bourg 83-85

Important game to mention about took place in Lille. Ninth ranked JL Bourg (15-16) saved a 2-point victory on the road edging 8th ranked Lille Metropole (16-15) 85-83 on Friday evening. The guests trailed by 8 points after three quarters before their 26-16 charge, which allowed them to win the game. JL Bourg made 22-of-24 free shots (91.7 percent) during the game. It was a very good performance for American guard Jimmy Baxter (198-80, college: S.Florida, agency: Court Side) who helped to win the game recording 27 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists. Guard Jesse Delhomme (191-85) contributed with 16 points and 5 assists for the winners. American Steve Smith (200-81, college: Iona, agency: Top Notch Sports) answered with a double-double by scoring 16 points and 11 rebounds and the other American import power forward Steffon Bradford (199-78, college: Nebraska, agency: Pro Partner Sports Management) added 13 points in the effort for Lille Metropole. Both teams had four players each who scored in double figures. JL Bourg maintains ninth place with 15-16 record, which they share with Evreux and St Vallier. Loser Lille Metropole keeps the eighth position with 15 games lost. JL Bourg will face league's leader Limoges CSP Elite at home in the next round and it will be quite challenging to get another victory.
Top scorers:
Lille: S.Smith 16+11reb+1ast, S.Bradford 13+4reb+3ast, B.Gillet 11+1reb+1ast, J.Sauret 11+2reb+5ast, C.Marshall 9+5reb, M.Tensorer 9+3reb
Bourg: J.Baxter 27+6reb+4ast, J.Delhomme 16+3reb+5ast, R.Chery 12+3reb+2ast, J.Sanchez 12+6reb+2ast, J.Volcy 8+4reb+2ast, O.Barro 8+10reb+3ast
gschID: 140228


Limoges - Antibes 92-82

ProB top team - Limoges CSP Elite (25-6) managed to deliver another win on Saturday. This time they beat twelfth ranked Olympique Antibes (14-17) 92-82. The game was mostly controlled by Limoges CSP Elite. Olympique Antibes managed to win fourth quarter 23-17. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. Limoges CSP Elite forced 20 Olympique Antibes turnovers. It was a quality performance for American power forward Christophe Massie (206-77, college: Memphis, agency: Court Side) who led the winners with a double-double by scoring 13 points and 14 rebounds. The former international guard Joseph Gomis (180-78) accounted for 12 points and 7 assists for the winning side. Limoges CSP Elite's coach Frederic Sarre used a ten-player rotation which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. Naturalized Senegalese center Moussa Badiane (205-81, college: E.Carolina) came up with 13 points and 8 rebounds (made all of his seven free throws) and swingman Lesly Bengaber (197-79) added 12 points and 6 assists respectively for Olympique Antibes in the defeat. Both teams had five players each who scored in double figures. Limoges CSP Elite have a solid series of three victories in a row. They maintain first place with 25-6 record. Loser Olympique Antibes keeps the twelfth position with 17 games lost. Limoges CSP Elite will meet JL Bourg (#10) on the road in the next round and are hoping to win another game. Olympique Antibes will play against SPO Rouen and hope to secure a win.
Top scorers:
Antibes: M.Badiane 13+8reb+2ast, B.Monclar 12+4reb+1ast, J.Allen 12+7reb, S.Essart 12+3ast, L.Bengaber 12+4reb+6ast, F.Prenom 10+1reb+1ast
Limoges: R.Desroses 15+3reb+2ast, C.Massie 13+14reb+3ast, S.Traore 13+4reb+2ast, J.Gomis 12+1reb+7ast, K.McAlarney 11+3ast, L.Milbourne 10+2reb
gschID: 140229



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

Highest League Standing

Superleague Standings
 1. Armia 20-0 
 2. Kutaisi 16-4 
 3. Olimpi 16-4 
 4. MIA Academy 12-8 
 5. Sokhumi 11-9 
 6. Dinamo Tbilisi 10-10 
 7. TSU Tbilisi 8-12 
 8. Samedicino 7-13 
 9. STU Tbilisi 5-15 
 10. Rustavi 3-17 
 11. Batumi 2-18 

Regular Season: Round 22

Apr. 21: TSU Tbilisi - Dinamo Tbilisi 98-95 OT
Apr. 21: Sokhumi - STU Tbilisi 93-54
Apr. 10: Kutaisi - Batumi 86-67
Apr. 21: Armia - Olimpi 78-66
Apr. 21: MIA Academy - Rustavi 109-66

Quarter-Finals: Round 1

May. 3: Armia - Samedicino
May. 3: MIA Academy - Sokhumi
May. 3: Olimpi - Dinamo Tbilisi
May. 3: Kutaisi - TSU Tbilisi


Geogian Stats Leaders

Points Per Game
 Larry BLAIR
  MIA Academy
  (183-G-84)
  Avg: 25.9
 1. Blair, MIA Academy25.9 
 2. Carter, Dinamo T.23.2 
 3. Parghalava, Sokhu.21.9 
 4. Patsatsia, Sokhumi20.4 
 5. Smith, MIA Academy18.1 
 6. Woodside, Armia17.5 
 7. Keshelava, Batumi17.3 
 8. Thomas, Armia16.8 
 9. Khmelidze, Rustavi16.7 
 10. Niniashvili, TSU16.4 
Rebounds Per Game
 Keyon CARTER
  Dinamo T.
  (203-F-88)
  Avg: 13.5
 1. Carter, Dinamo T.13.5 
 2. Patsatsia, Sokhumi10.3 
 3. Smith, MIA Academy9.4 
 4. Matiashvili, Kutai.9.1 
 5. Milutinovic, Olimpi9.1 
 6. Hoger, Olimpi8.7 
 7. Keshelava, Batumi8.6 
 8. Machaladze, STU T.8.3 
 9. Niniashvili, TSU T.8.1 
 10. Atuashvili, Sokhu.8.0 
Assists Per Game
 Giorgi GAMQRELIDZE
  Olimpi
  (183-G-86)
  Avg: 8.7
 1. Gamqrelidze, Olimpi8.7 
 2. Woodside, Armia7.6 
 3. Blair, MIA Academy6.8 
 4. Chitashvili, TSU T.6.7 
 5. Mikeladze, Batumi5.5 
 6. Parghalava, Sokhu.5.3 
 7. Tsekvava, Kutaisi4.8 
 8. Artsividze, Rustavi4.8 
 9. Pashayev, Kutaisi4.2 
 10. Patsatsia, Sokhu.4.2 
Steals Per Game
 Larry BLAIR
  MIA Academy
  (183-G-84)
  Avg: 3.6
 1. Blair, MIA Academy3.6 
 2. Woodside, Armia2.8 
 3. Ramishvili, Batumi2.5 
 4. Kokhreidze, TSU T.2.4 
 5. Diaz, Armia2.0 
 6. Machaladze, STU T.2.0 
 7. Patsatsia, Sokhumi2.0 
 8. Chitashvili, TSU T.1.9 
 9. Antadze, STU T.1.9 
 10. Mikeladze, Batumi1.8 
Blocks Per Game
 Joakim KJELLBOM
  Armia
  (213-C/F-79)
  Avg: 1.8
 1. Kjellbom, Armia1.8 
 2. Atuashvili, Sokhumi1.3 
 3. Matiashvili, Kutai.1.2 
 4. Milutinovic, Olimpi1.2 
 5. Shermadini, TSU T.1.0 
 6. Hoger, Olimpi1.0 
 7. Machaladze, STU T.1.0 
 8. Ilic, Samedicino0.8 
 9. Eliashvili, Batumi0.8 
 10. Antadze, STU T.0.8 


Barbakadze's double-double lands him Player of the Week award - by Eurobasket News

29-year old forward Davit Barbakadze (203-F-82) put on an amazing game in the last round for second-ranked Kutaisi and receives a Eurobasket.com Player of the Week award for round 22.
He had a double-double of 23 points and 16 rebounds, while his team crushed Batumi (#11, 2-18) with 19-point margin 86-67. Kutaisi is placed at 2nd position in Georgian league. They are still close to the very top. Kutaisi would have been even better if they kept winning the games like in the last round. They have a solid 16-4 record. In the team's last game Barbakadze had a remarkable 83.3% from 2-point range. He turned to be Kutaisi's top player in his first season with the team. Davit Barbakadze averages this season 12.3ppg and 6.1rpg.

Second best performed player last round was Larry Blair (183-G-84, agency: Pro One Sports) of MIA Tbilisi. He is American guard in his first season at MIA Academy. In the last game Blair recorded impressive double-double of 23 points and 11 assists. Of course he lead MIA Academy to another comfortable win outscoring the lower-ranked Rustavi (#10, 3-17) 109-66. MIA Academy's 4th position in the standings has not changed. His team's 12-8 record is not bad at all. Blair is a newcomer at MIA Academy and quickly became one of team's most reliable players. He belongs to the best scorers in the league with 25.9ppg (#1). His other stats are also decent: 5.3rpg and 6.8apg.

Third place about best performers goes to forward Keyon Carter (203-F-88) of Dinamo Tbilisi (#6). Carter got into 30-points club by scoring 32 points in the last round. He went also for fifteen rebounds . Despite Carter's great performance Dinamo Tbilisi lost 95-98in overtime to slightly lower-ranked TSU Tbilisi (#7, 8-12). But his team cannot count on just a single shooter as he also needs help of the other teammates. The last thing Dinamo Tbilisi needs is to lose another game like this one. They lose more and more distance to the top teams. Their record is 10 victories and 10 lost games. Carter has a great season in Georgia. After 17 games, he made it on the list of the league's leaders in points with 23.2ppg (2nd best) and rebounds with 13.5rpg (#1 in league).

Other top performing players last week:
4. Levan Patsatsia (198-G-88) of Sokhumi - 10 points, 17 rebounds and 13 assists
5. Beqa Chikviladze (195-G-91) of TSU Tbilisi - 43 points, 4 rebounds and 3 assists
6. Milan Oluic (210-C-84) of Dinamo Tbilisi - 18 points, 13 rebounds and 5 assists
7. Lasha Parghalava (191-G-87) of Sokhumi - 28 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists
8. Sergo Atuashvili (223-C-85) of Sokhumi - 17 points and 17 rebounds
9. Justin Tubbs (190-G-87) of MIA Academy - 23 points and 6 rebounds
10. Ivane Maisuradze (194-G-85) of Batumi - 22 points, 5 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)


Armia wins the Regular Season with perfect 20-0 record - by Eurobasket News

5th ranked Dinamo Tbilisi (10-10) fell to seventh ranked TSU (8-12) in overtime by three points 95-98 on Saturday night. Worth to mention a great performance of Beqa Chikviladze who helped to win the game recording 43 points (!!!) and 7 steals. TSU maintains seventh position with 8-12 record. Dinamo Tbilisi at the other side dropped to the sixth place with ten games lost.

The most impressive performance of 22th round was 23 points and 16 rebounds by Davit Barbakadze of Kutaisi.

Sokhumi - STU Tbilisi 93-54

No shocking result in a game when sixth ranked Sokhumi (11-9) crushed 9th ranked STU (5-15) in Tbilisi 93-54 on Saturday. The game was mostly controlled by Sokhumi. STU was better in fourth quarter 21-20. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. They dominated on the defensive end, holding STU to just 5 points in third quarter. Sokhumi dominated down low during the game scoring 52 of its points in the paint compared to STU's 30. Sokhumi forced 19 STU turnovers and outrebounded them 62-35 including a 48-28 advantage in defensive rebounds. They looked well-organized offensively handing out 27 assists. Worth to mention a great performance of international guard Levan Patsatsia (198-88, college: Troy) who helped to win the game recording a triple-double by scoring 10 points, 17 rebounds and 13 assists. International guard Lasha Parghalava (191-87, college: Montana St. - Billin, agency: Alti Sport) contributed with 28 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists for the winners. Four Sokhumi players scored in double figures. Forward Zviad Antadze (198-88, college: Monroe Coll.) replied with 17 points and guard George Khaniashvili (194-89) added 9 points and 7 rebounds in the effort for STU. The winner was already known earlier in the game, so both coaches allowed to play the bench players saving starting five for next games. Sokhumi moved-up to fifth place. STU lost tenth consecutive game. Newly promoted team keeps the ninth position with 15 games lost.
Top scorers:
Sokhumi: L.Parghalava 28+6reb+4ast, S.Atuashvili 17+17reb+1ast, G.Jgerenaia 12+4reb, L.Patsatsia 10+17reb+13ast, T.Chachibaia 9+6reb, V.Kadaria 5+6reb
STU Tbilisi: Z.Antadze 17+1reb+1ast, D.Dekanoidze 10+2reb+3ast, G.Khaniashvili 9+7reb+2ast, G.Tetelashvili 6+5reb+5ast, G.Kopaliani 5+1reb, I.Kobidze 4+8reb
gschID: 166637


MIA Academy - Rustavi 109-66

Very expected game when 10th ranked Energy Invest (3-17) was smashed by fourth ranked MIA (12-8) in Tbilisi 109-66 on Saturday. The game was mostly controlled by MIA. Energy Invest was better in third quarter 24-23. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. They dominated on the defensive end, holding Energy Invest to just 6 points in second quarter. MIA dominated down low during the game scoring 78 of its points in the paint compared to Energy Invest's 30. MIA forced 21 Energy Invest turnovers and outrebounded them 43-20 including a 33-13 advantage in defensive rebounds. They looked well-organized offensively handing out 31 assists comparing to just 17 passes made by Energy Invest's players. Worth to mention a great performance of American guard Larry Blair (183-84, college: Liberty, agency: Pro One Sports) who helped to win the game recording a double-double by scoring 23 points, 7 rebounds, 11 assists and 5 steals. The other American import guard Justin Tubbs (190-87, college: E.Tenn.St., agency: SDJ Sports) contributed with 23 points and 6 rebounds for the winners. Four MIA players scored in double figures. MIA's coach Giorgos Ketselidis felt very confident that he used 11 players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. Guard Revaz Chachanidze (183-90) replied with 19 points and 5 rebounds and guard Luka Khmelidze (195-92) added 19 points in the effort for Energy Invest. MIA maintains fourth position with 12-8 record. Energy Invest at the other side keeps the tenth place with 17 games lost.
Top scorers:
MIA Academy: L.Blair 23+7reb+11ast, J.Tubbs 23+6reb+1ast, A.Moody 15+2reb+9ast, A.Trepalovac 12+2reb, T.Smith 12+8reb, I.Londaridze 9+4reb+1ast
Rustavi: L.Khmelidze 19+2reb+2ast, R.Chachanidze 19+5reb+2ast, D.Artsividze 7+1reb+2ast, T.Toudjani 7+7reb+4ast, R.Baakashvili 6+1reb+2ast, H.Lortkipanidze 6
gschID: 166634


Armia - Olimpi 78-66

The game between closely ranked teams ended with top-ranked Armia's (20-0) home victory over their biggest opponent Olimpi (16-4) in Tbilisi 78-66 on Saturday. Olimpi was tied after three quarters but could not keep up in the last quarter eventually losing the game. Armia dominated on the defensive end, holding Olimpi to just 7 points in fourth quarter. They dominated down low during the game scoring 48 of its points in the paint compared to Olimpi's 26. They outrebounded Olimpi 42-30 including 16 on the offensive glass. Worth to mention a great performance of international swingman Anatoliy Boisa (195-83, college: Lincoln Memorial, agency: World Sport Agency) who helped to win the game recording 15 points and 8 rebounds. American swingman Jeremy Richardson (200-84, college: Delta St.) contributed with 12 points, 8 rebounds and 4 assists for the winners. The former international forward Mikheil Berishvili (205-87, agency: Regeneracom Sports) replied with 17 points and 8 rebounds and the former international guard Giorgi Gamqrelidze (183-86, agency: Interperformances) added 13 points and 6 assists in the effort for Olimpi. Five Armia and four Olimpi players scored in double figures. Armia have an impressive 20-game winning streak. Defending champion maintains first position with 20-0 record. Newly promoted Olimpi keeps the second place with four games lost.
Top scorers:
Armia: A.Boisa 15+8reb+2ast, G.Diaz 14+2reb+5ast, B.Woodside 13+4reb+5ast, J.Richardson 12+8reb+4ast, W.Thomas 11+10reb+1ast, Z.Babiashvili 9+5reb+1ast
Olimpi: M.Berishvili 17+8reb, G.Gamqrelidze 13+2reb+6ast, I.Todorovic 11+3reb, G.Tsintsadze 10+6reb+4ast, N.Tutus 8+4reb+1ast, I.Hoger 4+3reb
gschID: 166635


TSU Tbilisi - Dinamo Tbilisi 98-95 OT

5th ranked Dinamo Tbilisi (10-10) fell to seventh ranked TSU (8-12) in overtime by three points 95-98 on Saturday night. Dinamo Tbilisi was trailing by 12 points at halftime but managed to get 4-point lead after three quarters before a 28-24 charge of TSU, which allowed them to tie the game at the end of regular time. They were better in overtime eventually winning that period 12-9. TSU forced 24 Dinamo Tbilisi turnovers. They looked well-organized offensively handing out 21 assists. Dinamo Tbilisi was plagued by 25 personal fouls down the stretch. Worth to mention a great performance of guard Beqa Chikviladze (195-91) who helped to win the game recording 43 points (!!!) and 7 steals. Guard Mikheil Chitashvili (193-84, agency: Regeneracom Sports) contributed with 24 points, 8 rebounds and 8 assists for the winners. Four TSU players scored in double figures. American forward Keyon Carter (203-88, college: ODU) replied with a double-double by scoring 32 points and 15 rebounds and Serbian center Milan Oluic (210-84) added 18 points, 13 rebounds, 5 assists and 5 blocks in the effort for Dinamo Tbilisi. TSU maintains seventh position with 8-12 record. Dinamo Tbilisi at the other side dropped to the sixth place with ten games lost.
Top scorers:
TSU Tbilisi: B.Chikviladze 43+4reb+3ast, M.Chitashvili 24+8reb+8ast, S.Shermadini 12+7reb, D.Khizanishvili 12+1reb+1ast, V.Chkareuli 3+1reb+1ast, V.Beruashvili 2+3reb
Dinamo Tbilisi: K.Carter 32+15reb+1ast, M.Oluic 18+13reb+5ast, A.Zecevic 18+3reb+3ast, %PlayerNameByLink% 7+3ast, I.Keidia 7+5reb+3ast, I.Lezhava 6+2reb+8ast
gschID: 166636


Kutaisi - Batumi 86-67

Not a big story in a game when 11th ranked Batumi (2-18) was outscored on the road by third ranked Kutaisi (16-4) 86-67 on Tuesday. The game was mostly controlled by Kutaisi. Batumi was better in fourth quarter 19-18. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. They outrebounded Batumi 48-31 including 33 on the defensive glass. Kutaisi looked well-organized offensively handing out 29 assists. It was a very good performance for naturalized Azerbaijani forward Davit Barbakadze (203-82) who helped to win the game recording a double-double by scoring 23 points and 16 rebounds (on 11-of-13 shooting from the field). Forward Rezo Didia (203-87) contributed with a double-double by scoring 16 points and 10 rebounds for the winners. Kutaisi's coach Davit Ustiashvili used an eleven-player rotation which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. Guard Ivane Maisuradze (194-85) replied with 22 points and 5 rebounds and guard Nika Ramishvili (181-94) added 8 points, 7 rebounds and 8 assists in the effort for Batumi. Kutaisi have an impressive seven-game winning streak. They moved-up to second place, which they share with Olimpi. Batumi lost sixth consecutive game. They stay dead last with 18 lost games.
Top scorers:
Kutaisi: D.Barbakadze 23+16reb+2ast, R.Didia 16+10reb+2ast, G.Barbakadze 12+3reb+2ast, G.Koguashvili 11+1reb, L.Tsekvava 7+5reb+6ast, T.Babunashvili 6+4reb+5ast
Batumi: I.Maisuradze 22+5reb+2ast, G.Revazashvili 12+10reb+1ast, A.Eliashvili 12+3reb+3ast, N.Ramishvili 8+7reb+8ast, I.Mikeladze 7+2reb+5ast, L.Keshelava 6+3reb+1ast
gschID: 166633



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

Standings - 1. Bundesliga

BBL Standings
 1. Brose Baskets 28-4 
 2. Ratiopharm 26-7 
 3. ALBA 25-7 
 4. Art.Dragons 23-10 
 5. B.Muenchen 21-12 
 6. s.Oliver Baskets 20-13 
 7. Telekom Baskets 17-15 
 8. Fraport SKY 17-15 
 9. NY Phantoms 16-15 
 10. Bremerhaven 16-17 
 11. EWE Baskets 15-17 
 12. Walter Tigers 14-18 
 13. Bayreuth 12-21 
 14. TBB Trier 10-23 
 15. EnBW L'burg 10-23 
 16. Phoenix Hagen 10-23 
 17. LTi 46ers 9-24 
 18. Goettingen 4-29 

Regular Season: Round 33

Apr. 21: EnBW L'burg - s.Oliver Baskets 91-80 OT
Apr. 21: Ratiopharm - TBB Trier 78-77
Apr. 21: Bremerhaven - Art.Dragons 76-91
Apr. 21: Goettingen - Phoenix Hagen 74-85
Apr. 21: Bayreuth - B.Muenchen 59-68
Apr. 21: LTi 46ers - Telekom Baskets 56-76
Apr. 22: Brose Baskets - ALBA
Apr. 22: Fraport SKY - Walter Tigers
Apr. 22: NY Phantoms - EWE Baskets


Stats Leaders - 1.Bundesliga

Points Per Game
 Bobby BROWN
  EWE Baskets
  (188-G-84)
  Avg: 17.1
 1. Brown, EWE Baskets17.1 
 2. Holston, Art.Drag.15.6 
 3. Wood, ALBA15.5 
 4. Swann, Ratiopharm15.2 
 5. Tucker, Brose B.15.0 
 6. Carter, Phoenix14.8 
 7. Ensminger, Teleko.14.8 
 8. Peavy, Art.Dragons14.7 
 9. Jonusas, Phoenix14.6 
 10. Bryant, Ratiopharm14.5 
Rebounds Per Game
 John BRYANT
  Ratiopharm
  (208-C-87)
  Avg: 9.5
 1. Bryant, Ratiopharm9.5 
 2. Chubb, EWE Baskets8.5 
 3. Ensminger, Teleko.7.8 
 4. Homan, B.Muenchen7.6 
 5. Zirbes, TBB Trier7.1 
 6. Troutman, B.Mue.7.0 
 7. Tucker, Brose B.6.9 
 8. Evans, Goettingen6.7 
 9. Watts, Ratiopharm6.6 
 10. Ovcina, LTi 46ers6.5 
Assists Per Game
 Jared JORDAN
  Telekom .
  (188-PG-84)
  Avg: 8.3
 1. Jordan, Telekom8.3 
 2. Holston, Art.Drag.6.0 
 3. Brewer, Bremerha.5.1 
 4. Wood, ALBA5.0 
 5. Everett, Bremerha.4.9 
 6. Brown, EWE Baskets4.7 
 7. Joyce, TBB Trier4.5 
 8. Hamann, B.Muenchen4.4 
 9. Bauscher, Goett.4.0 
 10. Campbell, Walter4.0 
Steals Per Game
 Nate LINHART
  TBB Trier
  (201-F-86)
  Avg: 1.7
 1. Linhart, TBB Trier1.7 
 2. Kramer, s.Oliv.1.6 
 3. Dorris, EnBW L.1.5 
 4. Redding, Walter T.1.4 
 5. Bernard, LTi 46ers1.4 
 6. Holston, Art.Drag.1.4 
 7. Trice, Ratiopharm1.4 
 8. Gibson, Fraport SKY1.4 
 9. Gaffney, Teleko.1.3 
 10. Tucker, Brose B.1.3 
Blocks Per Game
 Tony GAFFNEY
  Teleko.
  (204-F-84)
  Avg: 1.8
 1. Gaffney, Teleko.1.8 
 2. Davidson, Fraport1.7 
 3. Ibekwe, Bayreuth1.6 
 4. Looby, EnBW L.1.5 
 5. Homan, B.Muenchen1.3 
 6. Slaughter, Brose B.1.3 
 7. Pleiss, Brose B.1.3 
 8. King, Art.Dragons1.2 
 9. Bryant, Ratiopharm1.2 
 10. Theis, NY Phanto.0.9 


Devin Uskoski: "I haven't signed with any team yet" - by Moritz Korff

Devin Uskoski (198-F-85, college: Rocky Mountain) has not made a decision yet, where he is going to play in the 2012-13 season. 'I haven't signed with any team yet', he stresses, responding to an article, which Eurobasket.com had published earlier today, saying that Uskoski 'comes back to VfL Kirchheim Knights'.
The 26-year-old forward is currently in the midst of the Pro A semifinal series against the Duesseldorf Giants. In yesterday's 98-79 win he added 20 points and five rebounds. Uskoski is averaging 15.4 points and 8.2 boards per contest for the season.


Interview with Oberliga leading scorer Christian Lawyer - by Moritz Korff

Christian Lawyer (188-G-87, college: Dallas Christian) is a 24-year-old guard from Dallas, Texas, who has been playing for Oberliga team CVJM Loerrach over these past two years. During the 2011-12 season Lawyer led the league in scoring, averaging 29.1 points per contest for CVJM. Eurobasket.com had the chance for an interview with the former NCCAA All-American.

Can you talk a little bit about your basketball upbringing and some of the highlights of your career so far?
Christian Lawyer: I played many sports in my youth such as soccer, baseball, and American football. Yet, none of them could live up to the excitement of basketball. I wasnt the best basketball player in High School. In fact, even though I improved very much every year, I was a bench warmer all throughout my High School career. Grant it, we were really good. Three of our starting-five played at NCAA Division-I Universities. I received the opportunity, after a tryout, to play for Dallas Christian College (dual affiliated with the NCCAA and ACCA). I went on to become an All-American, and could have left for a bigger school but found no reason to do so. I was in my hometown, and being developed into a better player by a great skills-developing coaching staff; a staff that included Doyle Moncrief, the brother of NBA All-Star, Sydney Moncrief.
Its hard to say what some of my most memorable highlights so far would be, but Ill tell you three in no particular order. The first highlight would be blowing out West Coast Baptist College for the 2010 ACCA National Championship and being named 2010 ACCA National Tournament MVP. The second highlight would be when my team was the practice players for Charles Williams (my college coach) EYG Coaches Clinic in the fall of 2009. Bill Self, John Calipari, and Del Harris were the Coaches conducting the clinic, and it was great to be coached by them if only for a night. The third would have to be the time I sat down and had a chat with former NBA Coach of the Year and current NBADL coach, Del Harris. Weve known each other for quite some time, because I coached his son, Nick, while in High School. I wanted to ask his advice on furthering my career, and I was so blessed to have him share his basketball story with me. He went from being a small town boy to a known and respected figure in the NBA. He told me that story to inspire me, and let me know that anything is possible.

How did you end up playing in Loerrach?
Bennie Miller, a friend of mine, had told me about News Release Basketball (www.nrbasketball.org) in 2009. He told me NRB was a Christian organization that brought college-aged athletes over to serve and minister about Christ to children through the sport of basketball. They put on basketball camps for kids during the day, and play games against pro and club teams at night. This was how Bennie ended up playing in the Regionalliga, and other past NRB tour participants had received contracts. I applied to go on tour in the summer of 2009, and while serving in Loerrach, Germany, the team there (CVJM Loerrach) asked me if I wanted to be a part of their organization. I was engaged to be married, and asked if my wife could come along as well. They welcomed that idea with joy. They asked my wife, Janis, and I to run a youth Bible study for the athletes in the club. We happily obliged. We do many things with the youth in our club, and it has been a rewarding experience coaching them as well.

How do you feel about what you achieved with Loerrach during the 2011-12 season?
To answer that question, Ill have to give you a little history. In the 2009-2010 season, Loerrach competed in the 2. Regionalliga. However, the budget to run that kind of team was too much, and the team voluntarily moved down the following season. Plus, there was not enough help from the players on that team with the regular club duties. Only a few players remained for the 2010-2011 season, because of the clubs choice to move down. So, with mostly youth players (under 20), we set out to play a season in the Oberliga. I was told that we may not win a game, and it was a tough season as the player/coach. We avoided relegation with a 6-14 record. This year, however, we had a goal to finish in the middle of the pack. Armed with a new coach, Dirk Schade, and a few more reliable players, we finished the season 10-12 and took sixth place. I am a competitor that wants to win every game, but Im also a realist. I knew we couldnt expect to win the league, but our goal was realistic. With all of that being said, I was happy with how we finished out the season (6th out of 12 teams). I have also enjoyed watching my teammates mature as basketball players, especially knowing that I helped them grow in their game.

What are some of the characteristics of your game?
Im a coach at heart and on the floor. I would say that I have a high basketball IQ when it comes to the game, and I will do whatever it takes to win. If Im called on to score, then I score. If my team needs me to play defense against the best player on the other team, then I will. If Im called on to sit on the bench, then I will cheer my teammates on loudly. The three best attributes that you can see on the stat sheet would be; shooting, passing, and effiency.

You averaged almost 30 points per game in the Oberliga: Do you think you can play at a higher level as well?
I averaged 31 points per game last season, and this year averaged almost 30 points per game. My team relied on me to bring the scoring punch, and I did what I could. Teams started doubling me, crowding the paint, and using box and 1 defenses against me. With those kinds of defenses, my teammates had to step up and knock down shots (which they did). So, even though my scoring went down, my assists went up from 5.5 a game last season to almost 7 a game this season. I believe with all of my heart that I can play in the second division of most countries, and the first division in others. All I need is someone to take a chance on me, and Im sure they wont be disappointed.

What are your plans for the summer and for the 2012-13 season?
Our Oberliga season is over, but we still have the CVJM (YMCA) German Championships tournament in June. Plus, because I am a member of the CVJM, I have a chance to represent CVJM Germany during Julys 2012 YMCA European Championships held in Siderno, Italy. I plan on staying in shape, and working on my game while preparing for those tournaments. I am currently looking for a place to play next year. Hopefully, my prayers will be answered and I will have a contract by summer to play somewhere in Europe next year. All of my information (game film, resume, and stats) can be found at www.ChristianJanisLawyer.com


The LTI Giessen 46ers Lose Al Nolen For the Rest Of the Season - by Miles Schmidt-Scheuber

With 2 games left in the 2011-2012 Beko BBL season, the LTi Giessen 46ers got some bad news losing rookie Al Nolen (185-G-89, college: Minnesota) for the rest of the season. Nolen is a 185cm guard from Minneapolis, Minnesota that played for Kyoto Hannaryz (Japan-BJ League) in Dec.'11 moved to Los Angeles D-Fenders (D-League) before moving to Giessen and suffered a rupture of the muscle fiber. With only a week to go in the season, both sides agreed with terminating the contract of the American. 'This is very bitter. We need every player in the deciding games, but there is nothing that we can do about it', stressed LTi Giessen 46er head coach Bjoern Harmsen. Nolen played played eight games averaging 3,4ppg, 2,0rpg and 1,5apg averaging 13 minutes.

Source: LTi Giessen 46ers


Dane Watts (ratiopharm Ulm) There Is Always A Time In The Season When It Is A Grind - 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 TBB Trier April 21st.

A tough 84-80 loss in Oldenburg. Did ratiopharm Ulm run out of gas at the end?

Oldenburg made the plays to win down the stretch, Chubb had a big second half and gave them a big lift.

It has been a long season and at the moment ratiopharm Ulm has a 2-2 record. Is the team feeling that it has been a long season despite the success?

No, I dont think so. There is always a time in the season when it is a grind but I feel like our team has played consistently throughout the year, we just lost two road games to quality opponents.

Thorsten Leibenath and John Bryant won coach of the year and MVP. Would any other result in this great season have been an injustice to both?

I am happy for both my coach and teammate, both well deserved and the rest of league aggress.

How disappointed are you that a Isaiah Swann left empty handed with the hardware?

He was in the running for offensive POY but 1st team all league is a big accomplishment.

What is your memory of the 80-74 win against TBB Trier at the start of the season?

Seems so long ago but I remember it was a battle.

This will be a big game for TBB Trier. With a win they will be saved for the season. What will be key in getting win?

Playing focused and bringing the right intensity to win.

The playoffs are around the corner, will the Miami Heat win it all this season?

I think they will be more motivated after losing in the finals, never know who will get hot in a playoff series though.

New York Knick Tyson Chandler has said it is a secret dream of his to get defensive player of the year. Is he worthy of it this season?

I think he should be in the running, he is a good defender and shot blocker that boards well.

What was the last DVD movie that you saw?

The hunger games.

I want to say a special happy birthday to my big sister Ashlie, the big three O!

Thanks Dane for the chat.


John Bynum (TBB Trier) We Are A Lot Better Than our Record Shows - by Miles Schmidt-Scheuber


John Bynum (191-G-78, agency: Scorers 1st Sportmanagement, college: Metro St.) is a 34 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

A tough 72-52 loss last weekend against the Fraport Skyliners. What has been the most importnat thing that they have improved on the defensive end?

They play as a unit on the defensive end and make you earn every point and most of all they rebound and are away second chance points.


You werent able to play in that game. What is your status report for playing in Ulm?

As far as this weekend goes we see how it feels and we will go from there.

How discouraging has the last months been. How surprised are you that TBB trier is only one game away from the last places?

words can't express how dissapointed I am. I feel like we are a lot better than are record shows but it has just been one of those seasons where it seems like nothing goes right and we can't turn it around no matter what we tried.

What is your memory of the 80-74 loss to Ulm at start of season? One of many close games that were lost?

I thought we lost that game. I don't think they beat us but we lost it. We were in control for 35 minutes but like good teams do, they found a win to win on the road.

How excied are you about playing in the new arena and what will be key in getting the win?

I am excited to see a new arena and I think the key to us having a chance t win the game is containing John Bryant and isiah swann. We have to find a way to limit there baskets and make other people beat us.

The playoffs are around the corner, will the Miami Heat win it all this season?

I like the heat but I think it is going through okc if the thunder can find a way to not get matched up against the Clippers.

New York Knick Tyson Chandler has said it is a secret dream of his to get defensive player of the year. Is he worthy of it this season?

Well I hope he gets wish wish and hopefully his dream comes true..lol

What was the last DVD movie that you saw?

The Wood.

Thanks for the chat John.


Bryan Bailey (Artland Dragons) Pregame Thoughts To Eisbaeren Bremerhaven Game April 21st - 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 against the Eisbaeren Bremerhaven April 21st.

The 2012 Beko BBL awards were given recently. How unhappy and surprised are you that David Holston came out empty handed?

I was a little surprised, because Dave has been playing great the entire season.

What was the best thing the team got out of the 102-80 win against the New Yorker Phantoms Braunschweig last weekend?

We played together on offense and defense. We made the extra pass to find the open player and we had good rotations on defense. We need to continue to do this going into the playoffs.

The next game is against the Eisbaeren Bremerhaven. What is your memory of the close 86-83 loss at home?

I just remember that it was a close game and Bremerhaven came back at the end to get the victory.

What kind of game can we await in Bremerhaven and what will be key in getting the win?

I think it will be a good game. We have to keep pressure on their guards for 40 minutes and continue to move the ball on offense.

The playoffs are around the corner, will the Miami Heat win it all this season?

Miami is the favorite to win and I think they will get it done this season.

New York Knick Tyson Chandler has said it is a secret dream of his to get defensive player of the year. Is he worthy of it this season?

He's played well this season and has helped the Knicks a lot. But I think Dwight Howard will get the award.

If the Artland Dragons had an Easter egg hunt, which player would find the most eggs?

Adam Hess

What was the last DVD movie that you saw?

Splice

Thanks Bryan for the chat.


Gotha wins ProB Finals - by Eurobasket News

Vechta - Gotha 61-76

Gotha wins ProB Finals over Vechta. The game without a history. Oettinger Rockets Gotha led from the first minutes and controlled entire game increasing their lead in each quarter. 25 personal fouls committed by SC Rasta Vechta helped opponents get some easy free throw opportunities. Forward Leo Niebuhr (208-86) scored 24 points and 5 rebounds to lead the charge for the winners and point guard Konstantin Klein (185-91) chipped in 16 points during the contest. American forward A.J. Rudowitz (198-88, college: Stonehill) responded with 11 points and 8 rebounds and his fellow American import forward Marcus Smallwood (198-82, college: N.Illinois, agency: Court Side) scored 5 points and 10 rebounds. Both coaches used bench players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games.
Top scorers:
Vechta: A.Rudowitz 11+8reb, M.Reid 11+2reb+1ast, M.Boadu 10+3reb+1ast, F.Stuckemann 9+3reb+1ast, D.Madrich 6+6reb, B.Fumey 6+5reb
Gotha: L.Niebuhr 24+5reb, K.Klein 16+3reb+1ast, A.Kuppe 9+5reb+1ast, T.Baker 9+7reb+1ast, M.Monk 9+7reb+1ast, D.Roberts 7+5reb
gschID: 174723



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

Stats Leaders - A1

Points Per Game
 Nestoras KOMMATOS
  Marousi
  (203-F-77)
  Avg: 20.4
 1. Kommatos, Marousi20.4 
 2. Christmas, AGOR18.6 
 3. Gagaloudis, Marousi15.6 
 4. Charalampidi., KAO.15.6 
 5. Beck, Ikaros14.8 
 6. Dikoudis, PAOK14.7 
 7. James, Aris14.5 
 8. Taylor, Kavala13.9 
 9. Baynes, Ikaros13.6 
 10. Wright, AGOR13.5 
Rebounds Per Game
 Aron BAYNES
  Ikaros
  (208-C-86)
  Avg: 8.7
 1. Baynes, Ikaros8.7 
 2. Haritopoulos, Maro.7.6 
 3. NaNa, Ilysiakos7.5 
 4. Stepheson, Panio.7.3 
 5. Kommatos, Marousi6.6 
 6. Symtsak, Kavala6.4 
 7. O''Bryant, Kavala5.9 
 8. Tapoutos, Aris5.8 
 9. Scott, Peristeri GS5.7 
 10. Ceranic, KAOD5.7 
Assists Per Game
 Yannis GAGALOUDIS
  Marousi
  (192-G-78)
  Avg: 6
 1. Gagaloudis, Marousi6.0 
 2. Spanoulis, Olympia.4.8 
 3. Diamantidis, Panat.4.5 
 4. Charalampidi., KAO.4.3 
 5. Xanthopoulos, Pani.4.3 
 6. James, Aris4.1 
 7. Wright, AGOR4.1 
 8. Thompson, Ilysi.3.5 
 9. Mocnik, Perister.3.1 
 10. Jasikevicius, Pan.3.1 
Steals Per Game
 Zack WRIGHT
  AGOR
  (188-G-85)
  Avg: 2.5
 1. Wright, AGOR2.5 
 2. James, Aris1.9 
 3. Thompson, Ilysi.1.7 
 4. Calathes, Panathin.1.7 
 5. Logan, Panathin.1.6 
 6. Christmas, AGOR1.6 
 7. Hatten, Kolossos1.5 
 8. Gagaloudis, Marousi1.5 
 9. Dorsey, Olympiacos1.5 
 10. Davis, Aris1.4 
Blocks Per Game
 Patrick O''BRYANT
  Kavala
  (213-C-86)
  Avg: 1.5
 1. O''Bryant, Kavala1.5 
 2. Muldrow, Aris1.3 
 3. Petway, AGOR1.3 
 4. Elegar, Marousi1.1 
 5. Hines, Olympiacos1.0 
 6. Michel, KAOD0.9 
 7. Stepheson, Panio.0.9 
 8. Vougioukas, Panat.0.8 
 9. Baynes, Ikaros0.7 
 10. Tsontzos, Marousi0.7 


Standings - A2

A2 Standings
 1. Panelefsiniakos 21-6 
 2. Apollon Patras 19-8 
 3. AEK 17-10 
 4. Ikaroi Serron 17-10 
 5. Nea Kifisia 16-11 
 6. Arkadikos 15-12 
 7. OFI 14-13 
 8. Doxa Lefkadas 14-13 
 9. Lavrio 14-13 
 10. Ermis Lagkada 13-14 
 11. Amyntas Dafnis 13-14 
 12. Pagrati 11-16 
 13. Periko/Arhelaos 11-16 
 14. Perama Ermis 11-16 
 15. Panerythraikos 10-17 
 16. AEK/Argous 0-27 

Regular Season: Round 27

Apr. 21: Amyntas Dafnis - OFI 91-79
Apr. 21: Apollon Patras - Perama Ermis 79-72
Apr. 21: Panelefsiniakos - Ikaroi Serron 76-89
Apr. 21: Nea Kifisia - Pagrati 72-74 OT
Apr. 21: Lavrio - AEK 70-77
Apr. 21: Arkadikos - Panerythraikos 67-46
Apr. 21: Doxa Lefkadas - Periko/Arhelaos 60-58
Apr. 21: Ermis Lagkada - AEK/Argous 103-76

Regular Season: Round 28

Apr. 28: AEK - Doxa Lefkadas
Apr. 28: AEK/Argous - Lavrio
Apr. 28: Ikaroi Serron - Ermis Lagkada
Apr. 28: Periko/Arhelaos - Amyntas Dafnis
Apr. 28: OFI - Nea Kifisia
Apr. 28: Pagrati - Arkadikos
Apr. 28: Panerythraikos - Apollon Patras
Apr. 28: Perama Ermis - Panelefsiniakos


Stats Leaders - A2

Points Per Game
 Nikos ARGYROPOYLOS
  Apollo.
  (188-G-78)
  Avg: 19.3
 1. Argyropoylos, Apol.19.3 
 2. Stevovic, AE.19.1 
 3. Iliadis, Ermis L.18.3 
 4. Totsios, Ikaroi S.18.2 
 5. Pettas, Doxa L.17.2 
 6. Gizogiannis, Arkad.17.1 
 7. Psileas, Lavrio16.9 
 8. Nikitakis, Nea K.16.2 
 9. Vasilopoulos, AEK16.2 
 10. Kyriakopoulo., Pa.16.0 
Rebounds Per Game
 Vladimir PETROVIC-STERGIOU
  Apollo.
  (198-F/G-77)
  Avg: 8.6
 1. Petrovic-S., Apoll.8.6 
 2. Gizogiannis, Arkad.8.5 
 3. Sklavos, AEK7.9 
 4. Krolo, Apollon Pat.7.8 
 5. Toutziarakis, OFI7.6 
 6. Lolas, Amyntas7.5 
 7. Nisiotis, Ermis L.7.4 
 8. Simeonidis, Ikaroi7.0 
 9. Macheras, Panery.7.0 
 10. Despos, AEK6.8 
Assists Per Game
 Leonidas ZOUPAS
  Amyntas .
  (182-G-82)
  Avg: 6
 1. Zoupas, Amyntas6.0 
 2. Papadakis, Arkad.5.8 
 3. Koronidis, Perama5.2 
 4. Vasilopoulos, AEK5.2 
 5. Nikou, Panelefs.5.2 
 6. Argyropoylos, Apol.4.6 
 7. Makris, Pagrati4.6 
 8. Kaberidis, Ikaroi4.5 
 9. Kekelis, Ermis L.4.2 
 10. Panagakis, OFI3.9 
Steals Per Game
 Darrel LEWIS
  OFI
  (192-G-76)
  Avg: 1.8
 1. Lewis, OFI1.8 
 2. Vavatsikos, AEK/A.1.8 
 3. Pettas, Doxa L.1.8 
 4. Tsiotras, Arkadikos1.7 
 5. Nikitakis, Nea K.1.7 
 6. Margaritis, Ikaroi1.6 
 7. Magounis, Panele.1.6 
 8. Argyropoylos, Apol.1.5 
 9. Vasilopoulos, AEK1.5 
 10. Sinnis, Lavrio1.4 
Blocks Per Game
 Dimitris KARADOLAMIS
  OFI
  (204-F-87)
  Avg: 1.2
 1. Karadolamis, OFI1.2 
 2. Katoufas, Panery.1.2 
 3. Libaris-P., Doxa L.1.1 
 4. Toutziarakis, OFI1.0 
 5. Koutroulias, Pagra.0.9 
 6. Margaritis, Ikaroi0.8 
 7. Krolo, Apollon Pat.0.8 
 8. Koukounias, Nea K.0.6 
 9. Vagenas, Doxa L.0.6 
 10. Foutsitzis, Perik.0.6 


Alex Stepheson out for about five months. - by Giorgos Diploidis

Panionios ON Telecoms Athens yesterday won 74-67 Kolossos Rodou and by 2-0 wins in total passed to the Greek Play offs semi finals where they will face Panathinaikos who allso made the 2-0 in series against Aris. Unfortunately for the team of Giorgos Bartzokas in the rest of the season will not have his starting center Alex Stepheson (205-F-87, college: USC) who hurted his knee during the game and he couldn't continue in the match.

The results of the tests made show that he hurted his knee ligaments and he will back in courts in about five months.


A2 Round 27: #1 Panelefsiniakos are defeated by Ikaroi Serron - 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. There was no lack of interesting games this round. The round ended with defeat of the leader, extra overtimes, derby games, favorites losing the games and games ending by tiny margin.

The most surprising game was a loss of top-ranked Panelefsiniakos (21-6) in Eleusina on Saturday night. Hosts were defeated by fifth ranked Ikaroi Serron (17-10) 89-76. It ended at the same time the three-game winning streak of Panelefsiniakos. The game was mostly controlled by Ikaroi Serron. Panelefsiniakos managed to win fourth quarter 21-18. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. Ikaroi Serron made 30-of-34 free shots (88.2 percent) during the game, while Panelefsiniakos only scored fourteen points from the stripe. 27 personal fouls committed by Panelefsiniakos helped opponents get some easy free throw opportunities. It was a great evening for forward Filipp Simeonidis (204-F-80, agency: Court Side) who led his team to a victory with a double-double by scoring 21 points and 11 rebounds. Power forward Evaggelis Margaritis (202-82) helped adding 14 points, 10 rebounds and 4 assists. The best for the losing side was forward Nikos Mantzioris (197-83) with a double-double by scoring 10 points and 14 rebounds. Panelefsiniakos' coach rotated eleven players in this game, but that didn't help. Ikaroi Serron have a solid series of three victories in a row. They moved-up to third place, which they share with AEK. Panelefsiniakos at the other side still keeps top position with six games lost. Ikaroi Serron is looking forward to face Ermis Lagkada (#10) in Lagadas in the next round and are hoping to win another game. Panelefsiniakos will play on the road against Perama Ermis (#14) and is hoping to win this game.
Very important is a home loss of third ranked Nea Kifisia (16-11) against fourteenth ranked Pagrati (11-16) on Saturday night. Host Nea Kifisia was edged by Pagrati in a tough game in Athens in overtime72-74. It ended at the same time the four-game winning streak of Nea Kifisia. It was an exceptional evening for guard Giannis Dimakos (194-94) who led the winners with a double-double by scoring 21 points, 10 rebounds and 4 assists. Alexandros Raptis accounted for 12 points and 15 rebounds. Guard Savas Nikitakis (184-76) came up with a double-double by scoring 26 points and 10 rebounds for Nea Kifisia in the defeat. Pagrati moved-up to twelfth place, which they share with Periko/Arhelaos and Perama Ermis. Newly promoted Nea Kifisia dropped to the fifth position with 11 games lost. Pagrati will play against higher ranked Arkadikos (#6) in Arkadia in the next round and it will be quite challenging to get another victory. Nea Kifisia will play on the road against OFI in Heraklion and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Bottom-ranked AEK/Argous (0-27) is still winless. This time they lost on the road their 27th consecutive match to tenth ranked Ermis Lagkada (13-14) 103-76 on Saturday evening. The best player for the winners was Giorgos Anagnostopoulos who had a double-double by scoring 20 points and 11 rebounds (on 9-of-11 shooting from the field). Ermis Lagkada's coach Antonis Baxevanis felt very confident that he used 11 players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. At the other side the best for losing team was Alex Stevovic who recorded a double-double by scoring 28 points, 17 rebounds, 5 assists and 5 steals. Ermis Lagkada maintains tenth place with 13-14 record, which they share with Amyntas Dafnis. Loser AEK/Argous still closes the standings. Ermis Lagkada will meet higher ranked Ikaroi Serron (#4) in the next round and it will be quite challenging to get another victory. AEK/Argous will play against Lavrio (#9) and hopes to get finally their first victory.
The game in Lavrio was also worth to mention about. Fourth ranked AEK (17-10) played at the court of 8th ranked Lavrio (14-13). AEK managed to secure a 7-point victory 77-70. It was a good game for Antonis Mantzaris who led his team to a victory with 27 points (on 11-of-13 shooting from the field). Lavrio's coach Christos Serellis tested ten players, but that didn't help to avoid defeat in this game. AEK have a solid series of three victories in a row. They moved-up to third place, which they share with Ikaroi Serron. Lavrio at the other side dropped to the seventh position with 13 games lost. AEK's next round opponent will be Doxa Lefkadas (#8) at home which should be theoretically an easy game. Lavrio will play against AEK/Argous.
Important game to mention about took place in Lefkadas. Ninth ranked Doxa Lefkadas (14-13) saved a 2-point victory at home edging 12th ranked Periko/Arhelaos (11-16) 60-58 on Saturday evening. It ended at the same time the three-game winning streak of Periko/Arhelaos. It was a great evening for Nikos Libaris-Psomas who led his team to a victory scoring 19 points, 8 rebounds and 4 blocks. Periko/Arhelaos' coach let to play ten players, but that didn't help to avoid defeat in this game. Doxa Lefkadas moved-up to seventh place, which they share with OFI and Lavrio. Loser Periko/Arhelaos keeps the twelfth position with 16 games lost. Doxa Lefkadas will face higher ranked AEK (#3) in Athens in the next round and it will be quite challenging to get another victory. Periko/Arhelaos will play at home against Amyntas Dafnis (#11) in Athens and it may be a tough game between close rivals.

There were no shocking results in the rest of the games of round 27: OFI lost to Amyntas Dafnis on the opponent's court 79-91. Arkadikos outscored Panerythraikos in a home game 67-46. Perama Ermis recorded a loss to Apollon Patras on the road 79-72.


Amyntas Dafnis - OFI 91-79

There was an upset in Athens where higher ranked OFI (14-13) was defeated by eleventh ranked Amyntas Dafnis (13-14) 91-79 on Saturday. The game was mostly controlled by Amyntas Dafnis. OFI was better in second period 20-18. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. They made 17-of-20 free shots (85.0 percent) during the game. Amyntas Dafnis outrebounded OFI 33-19 including 28 on the defensive glass. It was a great evening for guard Leonidas Zoupas (182-82) who led his team to a victory with a double-double by scoring 11 points and 11 assists. Guard Kostas Vardavas (193-81) helped adding 19 points and 6 rebounds. Four Amyntas Dafnis players scored in double figures. The best for the losing side was power forward Dimitris Katiakos (205-87) with 20 points and guard Christos Papanikolaou (195-85, agency: Interperformances) scored 14 points. Amyntas Dafnis moved-up to tenth place, which they share with Ermis Lagkada. Newly promoted OFI dropped to the seventh position with 13 games lost. Amyntas Dafnis will face Periko/Arhelaos (#13) in Perikos in the next round.
Top scorers:
Amyntas Dafnis: T.Vardianos 20+3reb+1ast, K.Vardavas 19+6reb+1ast, L.Zoupas 11+4reb+11ast, S.Tsougarakis 10+4reb, G.Sourlis 10+3reb, D.Chilaris 10+9reb+1ast
OFI: D.Katiakos 20+3reb+2ast, C.Papanikolaou 14+2reb+1ast, G.Kerasovitis 12+2reb+2ast, A.Sizopoulos 8+3reb+1ast, N.Orfanos 8+1reb, D.Karadolamis 6+4reb

gschID: 138531


Nea Kifisia - Pagrati 72-74 OT

Very important is a home loss of third ranked Nea Kifisia (16-11) against fourteenth ranked Pagrati (11-16) on Saturday night. Host Nea Kifisia was edged by Pagrati in a tough game in Athens in overtime72-74. It ended at the same time the four-game winning streak of Nea Kifisia. Nea Kifisia was ahead by 1 point after three quarters before a 13-12 charge of Pagrati, which allowed them to tie the game at the end of regular time. They were better in overtime eventually winning that period 10-8. Nea Kifisia was plagued by 28 personal fouls down the stretch. It was an exceptional evening for guard Giannis Dimakos (194-94) who led the winners with a double-double by scoring 21 points, 10 rebounds and 4 assists. Forward Alexandros Raptis (200-81) accounted for 12 points and 15 rebounds for the winning side. Four Pagrati players scored in double figures. Guard Savas Nikitakis (184-76) came up with a double-double by scoring 26 points and 10 rebounds and forward Panag Koukounias (199-88) added 11 points and 11 rebounds respectively for Nea Kifisia in the defeat. Pagrati moved-up to twelfth place, which they share with Periko/Arhelaos and Perama Ermis. Newly promoted Nea Kifisia dropped to the fifth position with 11 games lost. Pagrati will play against higher ranked Arkadikos (#6) in Arkadia in the next round and it will be quite challenging to get another victory. Nea Kifisia will play on the road against OFI in Heraklion and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Pagrati: G.Dimakos 21+10reb+4ast, A.Koutroulias 12+7reb+2ast, A.Raptis 12+15reb+3ast, S.Veskoukis 10+8reb+3ast, T.Vasilopoulos 9, A.Antonakis 7+14reb+1ast
Nea Kifisia: S.Nikitakis 26+10reb+3ast, F.Moschovitis 12+1reb+7ast, P.Koukounias 11+11reb+1ast, C.Petrodimopoulos 8+5reb, T.Sioutis 7+5reb+2ast, N.Kokkalis 6+4reb+4ast
gschID: 138532


Arkadikos - Panerythraikos 67-46

Very predictable result in Arkadia where seventh ranked Arkadikos (15-12) smashed 15th ranked Panerythraikos (10-17) 67-46 on Saturday. The game was mostly controlled by Arkadikos. Panerythraikos was better in third quarter 14-12. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. They dominated on the defensive end, holding Panerythraikos to just 4 points in second quarter. Arkadikos dominated down low during the game scoring 40 of its points in the paint compared to Panerythraikos' 18. Arkadikos forced 20 Panerythraikos turnovers. It was a great evening for forward Panagiotis Ifantis (203-80, agency: FCM) who led his team to a victory scoring 16 points and 6 rebounds. Power forward Sokrates Gizogiannis (202-82) helped adding 14 points. Four Arkadikos players scored in double figures. Coach 's team controlled all game and the coach could let to play 10 players and allowed the starting five to rest. The best for the losing side was center Kostas Macheras (205-85, agency: FCM) with 11 points and 5 rebounds and forward Antonios Michaloglou (202-88) scored 5 points and 10 rebounds. Arkadikos moved-up to sixth place. Panerythraikos lost fifth consecutive game. They keep the fifteenth position with 17 games lost. Arkadikos will face Pagrati (#12) in Athens in the next round which should be theoretically another easy game. Panerythraikos will play at home against the league's second-placed Apollon Patras.
Top scorers:
Arkadikos: P.Ifantis 16+6reb+1ast, S.Gizogiannis 14+3reb+3ast, A.Gizogiannis 10+5reb+3ast, G.Kopsaftis 10+4reb+3ast, M.Papadakis 8+6reb+3ast, P.Kosanovic 7+7reb
Panerythraikos: K.Macheras 11+5reb, C.Lakkas 9+1ast, S.Kontoudis 8+5reb+2ast, T.Kallianotis 6+4reb+2ast, A.Michaloglou 5+10reb, G.Rodostoglou 3+2reb+2ast
gschID: 138533


Apollon Patras - Perama Ermis 79-72

Not a big story in a game when 13th ranked Perama Ermis (11-16) was defeated on the road by second ranked Apollon Patras (19-8) 79-72 on Saturday. Perama Ermis trailed by 11 points after 3 quarters before a 24-20 run in the last quarter cut the deficit to 72-79 at the end of the game. Apollon Patras forced 22 Perama Ermis turnovers. It was a great evening for guard Nikos Argyropoylos (188-78) who led his team to a victory scoring 23 points and 9 assists. Naturalized Serbian swingman Vladimir Petrovic-Stergiou (198-77, agency: BeoExcell) helped adding 16 points and 5 rebounds. Apollon Patras' coach used a ten-player rotation and allowed the starting five to rest. The best for the losing side was Serbian-Slovenian forward Marko Milicevic (204-82) with 14 points and 6 rebounds and guard Dimitris Tsarouchas (197-86) scored 13 points. Apollon Patras maintains second place with 19-8 record having just two points less than leader Panelefsiniakos. Newly promoted Perama Ermis dropped to the twelfth position with 16 games lost. Apollon Patras will face Panerythraikos (#15) in New Eritrea in the next round which should be an easy win for them. Perama Ermis will play at home against the league's leader Panelefsiniakos in Eleusina.
Top scorers:
Apollon Patras: N.Argyropoylos 23+4reb+9ast, V.Petrovic-Stergiou 16+5reb+1ast, I.Lianos 12+3reb+1ast, G.Petropoulos 8+1reb, D.Lyberis 7+5reb, I.Krolo 6+12reb+1ast
Perama Ermis: M.Milicevic 14+6reb+1ast, D.Tsarouchas 13+2reb+1ast, D.Kapiniaris 9+5reb+1ast, A.Koronidis 9+2reb+2ast, L.Skoutaris 8+4reb+1ast, K.Paschalis 7+2reb+1ast
gschID: 138534


Panelefsiniakos - Ikaroi Serron 76-89

The most surprising game was a loss of top-ranked Panelefsiniakos (21-6) in Eleusina on Saturday night. Hosts were defeated by fifth ranked Ikaroi Serron (17-10) 89-76. It ended at the same time the three-game winning streak of Panelefsiniakos. The game was mostly controlled by Ikaroi Serron. Panelefsiniakos managed to win fourth quarter 21-18. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. Ikaroi Serron made 30-of-34 free shots (88.2 percent) during the game, while Panelefsiniakos only scored fourteen points from the stripe. 27 personal fouls committed by Panelefsiniakos helped opponents get some easy free throw opportunities. It was a great evening for forward Filipp Simeonidis (204-80, agency: Court Side) who led his team to a victory with a double-double by scoring 21 points and 11 rebounds. Power forward Evaggelis Margaritis (202-82) helped adding 14 points, 10 rebounds and 4 assists. Four Ikaroi Serron players scored in double figures. The best for the losing side was forward Nikos Mantzioris (197-83) with a double-double by scoring 10 points and 14 rebounds and guard Giannis Kyriakopoulos (185-83) scored 17 points and 6 assists. Panelefsiniakos' coach rotated eleven players in this game, but that didn't help. Ikaroi Serron have a solid series of three victories in a row. They moved-up to third place, which they share with AEK. Panelefsiniakos at the other side still keeps top position with six games lost. Ikaroi Serron is looking forward to face Ermis Lagkada (#10) in Lagadas in the next round and are hoping to win another game. Panelefsiniakos will play on the road against Perama Ermis (#14) and is hoping to win this game.
Top scorers:
Ikaroi Serron: K.Totsios 21+4reb+1ast, F.Simeonidis 21+11reb+1ast, G.Theodorakos 18+7reb, E.Margaritis 14+10reb+4ast, S.Kaberidis 6+3reb+5ast, S.Mourtos 5
Panelefsiniakos: C.Deligiannis 18+4reb+1ast, G.Kyriakopoulos 17+1reb+6ast, N.Mantzioris 10+14reb+1ast, S.Magounis 9+7reb, V.Koukouravas 9+1reb+2ast, N.Voulgaris 3+2reb
gschID: 138535


Doxa Lefkadas - Periko/Arhelaos 60-58

Important game to mention about took place in Lefkadas. Ninth ranked Doxa Lefkadas (14-13) saved a 2-point victory at home edging 12th ranked Periko/Arhelaos (11-16) 60-58 on Saturday evening. It ended at the same time the three-game winning streak of Periko/Arhelaos. Periko/Arhelaos was trailing by 3 points at halftime but managed to get 5-point lead after three quarters before a 14-7 charge of Doxa Lefkadas, which allowed them to win the game. They dominated on the defensive end, holding Periko/Arhelaos to just 7 points in fourth quarter. It was a great evening for center Nikos Libaris-Psomas (210-84) who led his team to a victory scoring 19 points, 8 rebounds and 4 blocks. Forward Vasilis Vagenas (202-80) helped adding 15 points and 7 rebounds. The best for the losing side was forward Thodoris Panaras (195-77) with 23 points and guard Kostas Bechlivanis (180-74) scored 18 points and 5 rebounds. Periko/Arhelaos' coach let to play ten players, but that didn't help to avoid defeat in this game. Doxa Lefkadas moved-up to seventh place, which they share with OFI and Lavrio. Loser Periko/Arhelaos keeps the twelfth position with 16 games lost. Doxa Lefkadas will face higher ranked AEK (#3) in Athens in the next round and it will be quite challenging to get another victory. Periko/Arhelaos will play at home against Amyntas Dafnis (#11) in Athens and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Doxa Lefkadas: N.Libaris-Psomas 19+8reb, V.Vagenas 15+7reb, N.Marousits 8+5reb+1ast, K.Tsotsos 6+2reb+3ast, A.Vournas 4+3reb+1ast, A.Tzanidakis 3+1reb
Periko/Arhelaos: T.Panaras 23+1reb+2ast, K.Bechlivanis 18+5reb+2ast, G.Maltesios 8+3reb+1ast, G.Foutsitzis 3+3reb+2ast, P.Martzos 2+6reb+1ast, D.Marmarinos 2+1reb+1ast
gschID: 138528


Lavrio - AEK 70-77

The game in Lavrio was also worth to mention about. Fourth ranked AEK (17-10) played at the court of 8th ranked Lavrio (14-13). AEK managed to secure a 7-point victory 77-70. It looked good early as Lavrio took an 1-point lead at the end of first quarter. But then AEK had a 19-15 second period charge getting the lead and Lavrio was not able to take back game control losing it eventually 70-77. AEK made 17-of-21 charity shots (81.0 percent) during the game. 25 personal fouls committed by Lavrio helped opponents get some easy free throw opportunities. It was a good game for guard Antonis Mantzaris (196-86) who led his team to a victory with 27 points (on 11-of-13 shooting from the field). Forward Vaggelis Sklavos (202-77) contributed with 14 points and 6 rebounds for the winners. Forward Giannis Kakiouzis (205-78) answered with 23 points and 7 rebounds (went 7 for 7 at the free throw line) and forward Nikos Psileas (200-80) added 15 points and 8 rebounds in the effort for Lavrio. Lavrio's coach Christos Serellis tested ten players, but that didn't help to avoid defeat in this game. AEK have a solid series of three victories in a row. They moved-up to third place, which they share with Ikaroi Serron. Lavrio at the other side dropped to the seventh position with 13 games lost. AEK's next round opponent will be Doxa Lefkadas (#8) at home which should be theoretically an easy game. Lavrio will play against AEK/Argous.
Top scorers:
AEK: A.Mantzaris 27+3reb+2ast, V.Sklavos 14+6reb+2ast, A.Falekas 12+2reb+3ast, N.Kourtis 10+3reb, F.Vasilopoulos 8+3reb+8ast, D.Despos 4+12reb+2ast
Lavrio: G.Kakiouzis 23+7reb+1ast, N.Psileas 15+8reb+1ast, V.Kounas 10+2reb+5ast, G.Tirlas 8+2reb+1ast, D.Giannakopoulos 7+7reb, K.Sinnis 4+5reb+1ast
gschID: 138529


Ermis Lagkada - AEK/Argous 103-76

Bottom-ranked AEK/Argous (0-27) is still winless. This time they lost on the road their 27th consecutive match to tenth ranked Ermis Lagkada (13-14) 103-76 on Saturday evening. The game was mostly controlled by Ermis Lagkada. AEK/Argous managed to win second period 26-19. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. Ermis Lagkada dominated down low during the game scoring 78 of its points in the paint compared to AEK/Argous' 50. They looked well-organized offensively handing out 29 assists comparing to just 8 passes made by AEK/Argous' players. The best player for the winners was center Giorgos Anagnostopoulos (207-80) who had a double-double by scoring 20 points and 11 rebounds (on 9-of-11 shooting from the field). Forward Nikos Gamouras (202-86) chipped in 20 points and 8 rebounds (on 10-of-12 shooting from the field). Ermis Lagkada's coach Antonis Baxevanis felt very confident that he used 11 players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. At the other side the best for losing team was naturalized Serbian guard Alex Stevovic (191-90) who recorded a double-double by scoring 28 points, 17 rebounds, 5 assists and 5 steals and forward Gianni Vavatsikos (201-90) added 12 points and 7 rebounds respectively. Both teams had four players each who scored in double figures. Ermis Lagkada maintains tenth place with 13-14 record, which they share with Amyntas Dafnis. Loser AEK/Argous still closes the standings. Ermis Lagkada will meet higher ranked Ikaroi Serron (#4) in the next round and it will be quite challenging to get another victory. AEK/Argous will play against Lavrio (#9) and hopes to get finally their first victory.
Top scorers:
Ermis Lagkada: N.Gamouras 20+8reb+1ast, G.Anagnostopoulos 20+11reb+3ast, H.Plioukas 17+2reb+7ast, S.Lefkaditis 13+3reb+2ast, S.Kekelis 9+6reb+9ast, T.Kamariotis 8+2reb+1ast
AEK/Argous: A.Stevovic 28+17reb+5ast, G.Flevaris 15+5reb, V.Stateras 14+1reb+1ast, G.Vavatsikos 12+7reb+1ast, G.Vourdoulas 7+6reb+1ast, S.Tsabis 0
gschID: 138530



A1 playoffs: No problem for Panathinaikos - by Diamadis Farmakis

The Greek champion Panathinaikos, found no problems against Aris Thessaloniki, in their quarterfinals series. The 'greens' swept Aris with 2-0 wins and qualified to the semifinals, where they will face Kolossos Rodou.

Coach Zeliko Obradovic, had the chance in this two quarterfinal games, to use all the players he has in the roster and to test many things and plays, in order to keep the team ready, for the big upcoming matches.

Panathinaikos, after winning the first match against Aris in Athens, 83-68, won again this time on the road, 88-65. Top scorer for the champions was David Logan (184-G-82, college: Indianapolis) with 13 points. Romain Sato (194-G/F-81, college: Xavier) added 11 points and Sarunas Jasikevicius (192-G-76, college: Maryland) 10.

For Aris, Giorgos Bogris had 16 points.

The semifinal series with Kolossos, are sceduled to start, next week.



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

Standings - Eredivisie

Eredivisie Standings
Group A
 1. Leiden 1-0 
 2. Den Bosch 1-1 
 3. Leeuwarden 0-1 
Group B
 1. Groningen 1-0 
 2. Zwolle 1-0 
 3. Nijmegen 0-2 
Places 7-8
 1. Weert 5-23 
 2. Rotterdam 4-24 
Stage One Standings

Second Stage: Round 2

A

Apr. 21: Leiden - Den Bosch 78-77

B

Apr. 21: Groningen - Nijmegen 85-63

Second Stage: Round 3

A

Apr. 24: Leeuwarden - Leiden

B

Apr. 24: Zwolle - Groningen


Standings - Promotie Divisie

Prom.Divisie Standings
 1. Binnenland 24-2 
 2. Amsterdam 20-5 
 3. De Hoppers 19-7 
 4. Cangeroes 19-7 
 5. Leiden 2 16-9 
 6. Red Giants 15-10 
 7. De Groene 11-14 
 8. Goba 10-14 
 9. Punch 10-16 
 10. Almonte 10-16 
 11. Akrides 9-17 
 12. Rotterdam 2 6-19 
 13. Hoofddorp 6-20 
 14. Jugglers 3-22 

Regular Season: Round 26

Apr. 21: De Groene - Binnenland 76-59
Apr. 21: Akrides - De Hoppers 67-90
Apr. 21: Cangeroes - Hoofddorp 67-58
Apr. 21: Punch - Almonte 67-57
Apr. 21: Jugglers - Red Giants 59-92
Apr. 22: Amsterdam - Rotterdam 2
Apr. 22: Leiden 2 - Goba


Eredivisie: Round 2 of the second stage - by Eurobasket News

Group A
Leiden - Den Bosch 78-77
Den Bosch was tied after three quarters but could not keep up in the last quarter eventually losing the game. Leiden made 17-of-22 free shots (77.3 percent) during the game. Leiden outrebounded Den Bosch 40-25 including a 16-5 advantage in offensive rebounds. Americans were the main players on the court. Forward Seamus Boxley (201-82, college: Portland St., agency: Prossin Sports Management) had a double-double by scoring 15 points and 13 rebounds to lead the charge for the winners and point guard Thomas Jackson (175-80, college: Butler) chipped in 10 points during the contest. Leiden's coach Toon Van Helfteren used a ten-player rotation in such tough game. Forward Tai Wesley (200-86, college: Utah St.) responded with 18 points and point guard Frank Turner (178-88, college: Canisius, agency: Court Side) scored 10 points and 7 assists. Four Den Bosch players scored in double figures. Den Bosch will have a break next week, which should allow them to rest and make it back to the top of the standings. Leiden will try to continue on its current victory against third ranked Leeuwarden on the road.
Top scorers:
Leiden: S.Boxley 15+13reb+1ast, T.Sas 12+2reb, T.Jackson 10+4reb+1ast, M.Kherrazi 9+3reb+2ast, P.Hilliman 8+5reb, J.Shepherd 7+5reb
Den Bosch: T.Wesley 18+4reb+1ast, D.Gonzalvez 10+5reb+1ast, S.Wessels 10+3reb+1ast, F.Turner 10+2reb+7ast, R.Jansen 8+3reb+4ast, P.Van Paassen 8+4reb+1ast
gschID: 174852


Group B
Groningen - Nijmegen 85-63
The game without a history. Groningen led from the first minutes and controlled entire game increasing their lead in each quarter. Groningen had a 35-20 advantage in offensive rebounds. Americans were the main players on the court also this time. Guard Jason Dourisseau (196-83, college: Nebraska) notched a double-double by scoring 24 points and 10 rebounds to lead the effort and guard David Bell (186-81) supported him with 16 points and 4 assists. Groningen's coach Hakim Salem felt very confident that he used 11 players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. Even 16 points and 7 rebounds by forward Lucas Hargrove (198-88, college: Auburn) did not help to save the game for Nijmegen. Forward Markel Humphrey (198-87, college: Marshall) added 8 points and 7 rebounds for the guests. Nijmegen will have a break next week, which should allow them to rest in order to get back on the winning path. Groningen will try to continue on its current victory against second ranked Zwolle on the road.
Top scorers:
Groningen: J.Dourisseau 24+10reb+3ast, A.Wesby 18+4reb+1ast, D.Bell 16+4reb+4ast, J.Voorn 12+1reb, A.Wyatt 6+7reb+2ast, S.de Randamie 5+8reb+4ast
Nijmegen: L.Hargrove 16+7reb+2ast, M.Aarts 9+7reb, T.Vermeulen 9+4reb+2ast, H.Bekkering 9+6reb, M.Humphrey 8+7reb+2ast, D.Van Der Horst 6


*****************************************************
  IBA   

Standings

IBA Standings
 1. Gary Splash 8-3
 2. Albany L. 7-0
 3. Chicago R. 5-1
 4. Kankakee S. 5-1
 5. Lake County S. 4-5
 6. Lansing C. 3-5
 7. Kenosha B. 2-6
 8. Battle Creek K. 1-6
 9. L.Angeles L. 0-0
 10. Rockford RD 0-0
 11. St.Louis T. 0-0
 12. Springfield E. 0-6

Regular Season: Round 12

Apr. 20: Kankakee S. - Springfield E. 157-135
Apr. 20: Albany L. - Gary Splash 127-114

Regular Season: Round 14

Apr. 22: Chicago R. - Springfield E.
Apr. 22: Lansing C. - Kenosha B.
Apr. 22: Lake County S. - St.Louis T.


Two wins for the Legends over the Splash - by Gianni Pascucci

The Albany Legends took two wins over the high rated Gary Splash in the last two nights of IBA action. The first meeting, played on friday night, ended 127-114 and was the sixth consecutive win in the season for the Legends. The game top performer was Lloyd Johnson (5'11''-G-85) with a 37 point effort to go along with 8 steals and 6 assists. Tadre Sheppard (6'6''-F, college: Cent.Arkansas) would contribute 33 points to go along with 12 rebounds for the double double, and Kyle Downey (6'2''-G-89, college: Siena) put in 16 points to go with 4 assists and 4 rebounds for the victors. The Splash were led by Andre Muse (6'5''-G-86, college: Quincy)'s 34 points. Christopher Wesby (6'8''-F-83, college: Indiana-S.Bend) would add 20 points and 5 rebounds while Scott Buschman (6'7''-F, college: Viterbo) led the Splash in rebounding with 10.
Yesterday night, Albany won again, this time 118-108, remaining undefeated in the IBA spring. The Legends were led by Ernest-Joseph Gallup (6'4''-G-81, college: Co.Carolina) who erupted in the second half to finish with a game and career high 45 points on the strength of 12-17 (71%) shooting from three point range. Ernest-Joseph Gallup would be key in the Legends comeback knocking down five threes in third quarter and four threes in the fourth. He would score 31 of his 45 points in the second half. For Albany Lloyd Johnson added 22 points, 6 assists, and 5 rebounds while Emanuel Mayben (6'2''-G-87, college: Binghamton) performed for 21 points, 7 rebounds, and 7 assists.
Leading Gary was Marcus Jackson (6'5''-G/F-81, college: Benedictine, KS) who put in 33 points to go along with 15 rebounds in 46 minutes of action. Andre Muse would add 30 points of his own to go along with 3 blocked shots. The Splash also held the rebounding advantage this evening 50-42, but it wasn' t enough


*****************************************************
  IBL   

Standings

IBL Standings
Branding
 1. Jersey G-F 0-0 
 2. Orlando V. 0-0 
 3. Yamhill H. 0-0 
Continental
 1. Bellingham S. 1-0 
 2. Vancouver V. 0-0 
 3. Olympia R. 0-1 
International
 1. Edmonton E. 0-0 
 2. Nippon T. 0-0 
 3. Portland C. 0-0 
Travel Team
 1. Los Angeles 0-0 
 2. S. Soldiers 0-0 
 3. W.Coast H. 0-0 

Regular Season: Round 1

Apr. 20: Olympia R. - Bellingham S. 104-133
Apr. 21: Bellingham S. - S. Soldiers


Anderson's career high leads Slam in season opener - by Eurobasket News

The Bellingham Slam received a career-best 28 points from guard Morris Anderson (6'3''-G, college: W.Washington) as they defeated the Olympia Reign, 133-104, in the International Basketball League season opener for both teams at the Little Creek Casino Events Center on Friday.

Rookie forward Jeremy Green (6'6''-F, college: St.Martin's) was active early in his first professional game, netting the Slam's first two buckets and helping Bellingham to a 29-17 first quarter lead.

After an evenly played second quarter, the Slam led 61-53 at halftime.

After Bellingham built a 22-point lead in the middle stages of the third quarter, Olympia used a 14-4 run late in the frame to trim the deficit to 87-75.

But an offensive flurry early in the fourth quarter pushed the Slam's lead to 28 halfway through the fourth quarter to put the game out of reach for the Reign.

Anderson's game-high 28 points were followed closely by 27 from guard Ira Graham (6'2''-PG-87, agency: World Sport Agency, college: W.Washington). Green finished with a respectable 15 points while center Blake Poole finished with a double-double of 13 points and 12 rebounds.

Guard Michael Ward (6'2''-G-86, college: Evergreen St.) led six Reign players in double figures with 21 points.

The victory was the fifth straight for the Slam over the Reign after sweeping last season's four-game series.

The Slam will return to Bellingham on Saturday as they host the Salem Soldiers in their home opener. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. at Whatcom Pavilion.

Courtesy of www.oursportscentral.com


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

Stats Leaders

Points Per Game
 Yanuar DWI PRIASMORO
  Bima S.
  (178-SG-89)
  Avg: 16.3
 1. Dwi Priasmor., Bim.16.3 
 2. Ferdiansyah, Stadi.15.2 
 3. Wisnu, Satria Muda14.1 
 4. Nagata, Pacific13.7 
 5. Rizky Ardian., Bim.13.4 
 6. Sapto, Muba H.12.6 
 7. Regowo, Aspac11.9 
 8. Chandra, Pelita J.11.8 
 9. Ahmad, Satria Muda11.6 
 10. Pamungkas, Satya11.4 
Rebounds Per Game
 Galank GUNAWAN
  Satria M.
  (194-PF-87)
  Avg: 10.6
 1. Gunawan, Satria M.10.6 
 2. Regowo, Aspac8.9 
 3. Thoyib, Aspac8.1 
 4. Heryadi, Muba H.7.7 
 5. Sitepu, Satria M.7.2 
 6. Yanto, NSH G.7.1 
 7. Rizky Ardian., Bim.7.0 
 8. Wuwungan, Satya W.6.6 
 9. Nasution, Satya W.6.6 
 10. Wisnu, Satria Muda6.5 
Assists Per Game
 Denny SARTIKA
  Bima Sakti
  (175-PG-80)
  Avg: 4.5
 1. Sartika, Bima Sakti4.5 
 2. Gerungan, Aspac3.9 
 3. Purwanto, Pelita J.3.5 
 4. Muharri, CLS K.3.5 
 5. Widyanto, Pacifi.3.3 
 6. Husnuzan, NSH G.2.8 
 7. Yusran, Stadium2.8 
 8. Ahmad, Satria Muda2.5 
 9. Uniputty, Comfor.2.4 
 10. Wijaya, Garuda2.4 
Steals Per Game
 Kelly PURWANTO
  Pelita J.
  (177-PG-83)
  Avg: 2.9
 1. Purwanto, Pelita J.2.9 
 2. Muharri, CLS K.2.8 
 3. Poedjakesuma, Peli.2.5 
 4. Sartika, Bima Sakti2.4 
 5. Wijaya, Garuda2.2 
 6. Ferdiansyah, Stadi.2.2 
 7. Uniputty, Comfor.2.0 
 8. Sunarya, Muba H.2.0 
 9. Ahmad, Satria Muda2.0 
 10. Sapto, Muba H.1.9 
Blocks Per Game
 R RUSLAN
  Stadium .
  (197-C-89)
  Avg: 2.6
 1. Ruslan, Stadium2.6 
 2. Thoyib, Aspac2.1 
 3. Sitepu, Satria M.1.9 
 4. Gunawan, Satya W.1.6 
 5. Arizki, Aspac1.6 
 6. Indrawan, Pelita J.1.2 
 7. Damanik, NSH G.1.2 
 8. Teguh, Muba H.1.2 
 9. Listiyono, Pacifi.1.1 
 10. Wuwungan, Satya1.0 


NBL Playoffs get underway - by Eurobasket News

Garuda - CLS Knights 45-54

CLS Knights surprised Garuda at the start of the playoffs. CLS Knights forced 27 Garuda turnovers. Worth to mention a great performance of the former international Andrie Ekayana (182-82) who helped to win the game recording 15 points and 5 rebounds. point guard Dimaz Muharri (181-85) contributed with 11 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists and 4 steals for the winners. The former international point guard Wendha Wijaya (181-82) answered with 9 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists and guard Hendru Ramli (188-88) added 11 points in the effort for Garuda. Both coaches used bench players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games.
Top scorers:
CLS Knights: A.Ekayana 15+5reb+3ast, D.Muharri 11+7reb+4ast, R.Utomo 8+4reb, T.Agus 6+6reb+1ast, A.Indrajaya 4+4reb+1ast, J.Jeffry 3+1reb+1ast
Garuda: H.Ramli 11+4reb, W.Wijaya 9+6reb+4ast, F.Minallah 8+4reb, I.Budianto 6+3reb, C.Gideon 5+3reb, N.Fritzgerald 2+1reb+1ast
gschID: 174101


Pelita Jaya - Muba Hangtuah 75-67

Pelita Jaya overcame Muba Hangtuah to advance into the next round. The hosts took control from the first minutes by winning first half. But Muba Hangtuah won third quarter 18-15. However it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. Center Fidyan Dini (195-83) stepped up and scored 18 points, 9 rebounds and 4 assists for the winners and the former international point guard Kelly Purwanto (177-83) chipped in 12 points, 11 rebounds and 4 assists. At the losing side the former international power forward Dian Heryadi (194-80) responded with 12 points and 9 rebounds and guard Mei Joni (188-89) scored 13 points and 9 rebounds. Five Pelita Jaya and four Muba Hangtuah players scored in double figures. Both coaches tested many bench players and allowed the starting five to rest.
Top scorers:
Pelita Jaya: F.Dini 18+9reb+4ast, K.Purwanto 12+11reb+4ast, D.Aryo Dewanto 11+4reb+1ast, P.Indrawan 10+6reb+3ast, A.Poedjakesuma 10+4reb, E.Sebayang 6+2reb+1ast
Muba Hangtuah: M.Joni 13+9reb+1ast, D.Heryadi 12+9reb+2ast, A.Sapto 11+3reb+3ast, T.Wilopo 10+1reb+2ast, A.Prasetyo 7+6reb+1ast, H.Hardianus 5+3reb+2ast
gschID: 174098


Aspac - Stadium Jak. 76-55

Aspac held off Staduim Jakarta in the playoffs opener. The game was mostly controlled by Aspac. Stadium Jakarta was better in second period 21-17. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. Aspac forced 26 Stadium Jakarta turnovers. Forward Pringgo Regowo (190-87) stepped up with a double-double by scoring 19 points and 11 rebounds for the winners and international swingman Xaverius Prawiro (184-86) chipped in 10 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists. At the losing side guard Anton Sujarwo (186-84) responded with 16 points and Mohammad Wicaksono (189-89) scored 5 points and 7 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.
Top scorers:
Aspac: P.Regowo 19+11reb+1ast, O.Wira Sanjaya 12+3reb, X.Prawiro 10+6reb+5ast, D.Gerungan 8+7ast, F.Andika Ramadhani 7+2reb, S.Harun Nurman 6
Stadium Jak.: A.Sujarwo 16+2reb+1ast, E.Hadi 6+1reb, D.Iskandar 6+5reb, F.Budianto 6+3reb+2ast, M.Wicaksono 5+7reb, D.Leonardo 5+5reb+1ast
gschID: 174099


Satria Muda - Bima Sakti 78-56

Satria Muda proved too good for Bima Sakti. The game was mostly controlled by Satria Muda. Bima Sakti was better in fourth quarter 16-14. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. They outrebounded Bima Sakti 58-31 including a 26-3 advantage in offensive rebounds. Satria Muda brought some defensive toughness making 10 blocks. Guard Arki Wisnu (187-88) stepped up and scored 25 points, 5 rebounds and 6 assists for the winners and Galank Gunawan (194-87) chipped in 7 points and 15 rebounds. At the losing side Bima Rizky Ardiansyah (182-90) responded with 13 points and Yanuar Dwi Priasmoro (178-89) 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.
Top scorers:
Satria Muda: A.Wisnu 25+5reb+6ast, B.Siregar 10+5reb+2ast, C.Ronaldo Sitepu 9+7reb+1ast, G.Gunawan 7+15reb+2ast, W.Situmorang 6+6reb+2ast, V.Michel 5+2reb
Bima Sakti: B.Rizky Ardiansyah 13+4reb, Y.Dwi Priasmoro 9+5reb, U.Gendro Maryono 7+1reb+2ast, B.Sugianto 6+2reb, G.Virgian 5+3reb+1ast, B.Setiawan 4+3reb
gschID: 174100



ASEAN League: Indonesia Warriors storm past Patriots - by Eurobasket News

Philippine Patriots - Indonesia Warriors 79:104

Indonesia Warriors stunned the league leading Philippine Patriots in ASEAN League Round 17. Evan Brock (204-F-84, college: Alabama) came up with 23 points and 12 rebounds to pace the visitors as they improved at 9-9 record. The Patriots suffered the 4th defeat in the season.
Indonesia Warriors took over right from the start. They cleared off to a 5-point distance after ten minutes of action. The visitors maintained the led throughout the second frame. They established a 49:36 halftime lead. The Patriots shifted the gear in the third quarter. The hosts erupted for 28 points in the third period to cut the deficit to 5 points. But Indonesia Warriors unleashed a 35:15 run in the final frame to seal the victory at the end. Stanley Pringle (184-PG-87, college: Penn St.) accounted for 22 points, while Steve Thomas (204-C/F-81, college: Middle Tenn.St.) added 18 points and 13 rebounds for the winners. Anthony Johnson (197-G/F-79, agency: Interperformances, college: La-Lafayette) answered with 32 points for Philippine Patriots. Aldrech Ramos (198-C/F-88) finished with 14 points in the loss.

Philippine Patriots: Anthony Johnson 32, Aldrech Ramos 14
Indonesia Warriors: Evan Brock 23+12 boards, Stanley Pringle 22, Steve Thomas 18+13 boards


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


Petrochimi complete the Semifinal picture - by Eurobasket News

Petrochimi complete the Semifinal picture in Iran as four teams are ready for the Final Four. Petrochimi Imam Bandar overcame Sanaye Petrochimi 74-59 in Game 3 to win the series 2-1.
Petrochimi started well defensively and reached 9-1 lead after the first five minutes. They however had difficulties to remain tough as the opponents grabbed 18:15 lead after the first period. Sanaye Petrochimi also looked better in the second frame, but trailed 1 point at the halftime.
Only in the third quarter Petrochimi proved their ambitions for the higher place. They led 50:40 midway through the period and increased to 11 points after 30 minutes in the court. They had 62:49 with 5 minutes to go and finished the game with the comfortable win.
Jeleel Akindele (216-C-83, college: Chicago St.) top-scored for the winners with 16 points and 9 rebounds, while Joseph Forte (193-G-81, college: N.Carolina) nailed 14. Mehrad Atashi (190-G-86) netted 13 and Aydin Kabir (194-F/G-79) delivered 8. Iman Zandi (188-G-81) replied with 18 points in the losing effort and Ontario Lett (198-F-79, college: Pittsburgh) notched 15.


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

Stats Leaders - JBL Superleague

Points Per Game
 Takuya KAWAMURA
  Tochigi .
  (193-G-86)
  Avg: 20.4
 1. Kawamura, Tochigi20.4 
 2. Sakuragi, Aishin SH17.6 
 3. Hale, Mitsubis.17.3 
 4. Orimo, Hokkaido L.16.3 
 5. Kanamaru, Panasoni.15.7 
 6. McFarlin, Tochigi15.6 
 7. Lewis, Hokkaido L.14.2 
 8. Igarashi, Mitsubis.13.9 
 9. Gibbs, Toyota A.12.8 
 10. Moss, Toshiba BT12.7 
Rebounds Per Game
 J.R. SAKURAGI
  Aishin SH
  (206-F/C-76)
  Avg: 11.9
 1. Sakuragi, Aishin SH11.9 
 2. McFarlin, Tochigi9.7 
 3. Takeuchi, Hitac.9.5 
 4. Moss, Toshiba BT8.5 
 5. Diouf, Hokkaido L.8.4 
 6. Gibbs, Toyota A.8.3 
 7. Allen, Mitsubis.7.4 
 8. Hale, Mitsubis.7.2 
 9. Lewis, Hokkaido L.7.0 
 10. Takeuchi, Toyota6.8 
Assists Per Game
 Takuya KAWAMURA
  Tochigi .
  (193-G-86)
  Avg: 4.5
 1. Kawamura, Tochigi4.5 
 2. Igarashi, Mitsubis.4.0 
 3. Sakurai, Hokkaido.3.8 
 4. Sakuragi, Aishin SH3.7 
 5. Kashiwagi, Aishin2.9 
 6. Takeuchi, Hitac.2.8 
 7. Kashiwakura, Hitac.2.7 
 8. Watanabe, Panason.2.7 
 9. Hirose, Panasoni.2.5 
 10. Tabuse, Tochigi2.5 
Steals Per Game
 Takuya KAWAMURA
  Tochigi .
  (193-G-86)
  Avg: 1.8
 1. Kawamura, Tochigi1.8 
 2. Sato, Hitachi SR1.7 
 3. Gibbs, Toyota A.1.6 
 4. Hirose, Panasoni.1.6 
 5. Hale, Mitsubis.1.5 
 6. Diouf, Hokkaido L.1.5 
 7. Kashiwagi, Aishin1.4 
 8. Sakurai, Hokkaido.1.4 
 9. Igarashi, Mitsubis.1.3 
 10. Tabuse, Tochigi1.2 
Blocks Per Game
 Joji TAKEUCHI
  Hitac.
  (206-F/C-85)
  Avg: 1.6
 1. Takeuchi, Hitac.1.6 
 2. Richardson, Aishin1.3 
 3. Takeuchi, Toyota1.1 
 4. Ricci, Toyota Alva.1.1 
 5. Diouf, Hokkaido L.0.9 
 6. Merritt, Toshi.0.8 
 7. Aono, Panasonic T.0.8 
 8. Moss, Toshiba BT0.8 
 9. Hale, Mitsubis.0.8 
 10. O''Bannon, Panaso.0.8 


Standings - BJ League

BJ Standings
Eastern
 1. Hamamatsu P. 34-15 
 2. Yokohama BC 29-21 
 3. Akita NH 28-23 
 4. Niigata Albirex 26-23 
 5. Sendai 89ers 25-25 
 6. Toyama Grouses 24-25 
 7. Shinshu BW 18-31 
 8. Chiba Jets 18-31 
 9. Iwate Big Bulls 16-33 
 10. Saitama Bron. 15-34 
Western
 1. Okinawa GK 36-13 
 2. Osaka Evessa 33-16 
 3. Shiga L-Stars 33-16 
 4. Kyoto Hannar. 32-17 
 5. Fukuoka Rizing 31-18 
 6. Shimane SM 26-24 
 7. Miyazaki SS 22-27 
 8. Oita H.Devils 20-29 
 9. Takamatsu FA 2-47 

Regular Season: Round 55

Apr. 21: Iwate Big Bulls - Akita NH 84-79
Apr. 21: Oita H.Devils - Saitama Bron. 81-89
Apr. 20: Yokohama BC - Sendai 89ers 76-59
Apr. 21: Niigata Albirex - Shiga L-Stars 74-81
Apr. 21: Shinshu BW - Fukuoka Rizing 68-90
Apr. 21: Toyama Grouses - Miyazaki SS 64-71
Apr. 21: Yokohama BC - Sendai 89ers 63-54
Apr. 21: Osaka Evessa - Kyoto Hannar. 61-63
Apr. 21: Hamamatsu P. - Takamatsu FA 120-64
Apr. 21: Okinawa GK - Chiba Jets 114-75

Regular Season: Round 56

Apr. 22: Iwate Big Bulls - Akita NH
Apr. 22: Niigata Albirex - Shiga L-Stars
Apr. 22: Toyama Grouses - Miyazaki SS
Apr. 22: Shinshu BW - Fukuoka Rizing
Apr. 22: Hamamatsu P. - Takamatsu FA
Apr. 22: Osaka Evessa - Kyoto Hannar.
Apr. 22: Oita H.Devils - Saitama Bron.
Apr. 22: Okinawa GK - Chiba Jets


BJ League Stats Leaders

Points Per Game
 Michael PARKER
  Shimane SM
  (202-F-81)
  Avg: 23.1
 1. Parker, Shimane SM23.1 
 2. Hargrow, Chiba J.21.6 
 3. Palmer, Fukuoka21.5 
 4. Staten, Chiba Jets21.0 
 5. Cummings, Oita H.20.6 
 6. Woods, Akita NH20.2 
 7. Flowers, Saitama19.7 
 8. Burrell, Yokohama.18.9 
 9. Fitzgerald, Sendai18.8 
 10. White, Oita H.18.6 
Rebounds Per Game
 Chris HOLM
  Niigata Albirex
  (212-C/F-84)
  Avg: 14.6
 1. Holm, Niigata Albi.14.6 
 2. Hamilton, Fukuok.11.4 
 3. Rickert, Kyoto H.11.0 
 4. Staten, Chiba Jets10.8 
 5. Searcy, Toyama G.10.5 
 6. Malloy, Iwate B.10.4 
 7. Mims, Sendai 89ers10.4 
 8. Roberts, Shins.10.1 
 9. Parker, Shimane SM10.0 
 10. Blackledge, Osaka10.0 
Assists Per Game
 Kenny SATTERFIELD
  Saitam.
  (188-PG-81)
  Avg: 6.7
 1. Satterfield, Saita.6.7 
 2. Takushi, Oita H.5.7 
 3. Gardener, Akita NH5.6 
 4. Shimura, Sendai5.4 
 5. Dixon, Hamamats.5.2 
 6. Yamamoto, Shima.4.9 
 7. Dukes, Sendai 89e.4.7 
 8. Yamamoto, Iwate B.4.4 
 9. Namizato, Okina.4.2 
 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, Fukuoka2.7 
 3. Parker, Shimane SM2.4 
 4. Smith, Takamats.2.1 
 5. Humphrey, Saitama2.0 
 6. Lyons, Miyazaki SS2.0 
 7. Klaiber, Iwate B.1.9 
 8. Dixon, Hamamats.1.8 
 9. Joho, Toyama G.1.8 
 10. Arnold, Hamamats.1.8 
Blocks Per Game
 Jeral DAVIS
  Shimane SM
  (216-C-84)
  Avg: 3.7
 1. Davis, Shimane SM3.7 
 2. Blackledge, Osaka3.0 
 3. Singleton, Sendai3.0 
 4. Broxsie, Chiba Jets2.6 
 5. Blackledge, Hamama.2.4 
 6. Marshall, Osaka E.1.6 
 7. Mims, Sendai 89ers1.6 
 8. Hughes, Shinshu BW1.5 
 9. Dukes, Sendai 89e.1.4 
 10. McFarland, Yokoha.1.2 


Toyota Alvark shock Aishin for 2-1 Final lead - by Eurobasket News

Aishin SH - Toyota Alvark 61-69

Toyota Alvark shock Aishin for 2-1 Final lead. Toyota Alvark led from the first minutes and controlled entire game increasing their lead in each quarter. Great defensive blocking was one of the keys in this match when Toyota Alvark made 7 blocks. The best player for the winners was American forward Jeff Gibbs (188-80, college: Otterbein) who scored 8 points, 11 rebounds and 4 assists. His fellow American import forward Philip Ricci (202-80, college: Oregon St.) chipped in 11 points and 7 rebounds. Toyota Alvark'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 the former international power forward J.R. Sakuragi (206-76, college: UCLA) who recorded a double-double by scoring 24 points and 17 rebounds and international swingman Takatoshi Furukawa (190-87) added 19 points and 5 rebounds respectively.
Top scorers:
Aishin SH: J.Sakuragi 24+17reb+3ast, T.Furukawa 19+5reb+1ast, K.Young 8+10reb+1ast, A.Richardson 4+3reb+2ast, S.Kashiwagi 4+8reb+2ast, H.Ryoma 2+1reb
Toyota Alvark: K.Takeuchi 13+3reb+1ast, P.Ricci 11+7reb+1ast, T.Shonaka 10+3reb+3ast, K.Tanaka 9+8reb, J.Gibbs 8+11reb+4ast, K.Matsui 7+1reb
gschID: 175112



BJ League Round 55: Kyoto Hannar. edges Osaka Evessa by two points - by Eurobasket News

The Regular Season in BJ League is almost over. Almost everything is clear. There are only 3 rounds left.

The most exciting game of round 55 in the BJ League took place in Osaka. This derby game ended with only two-point home defeat of much higher ranked Osaka Evessa (33-16) to fourth ranked Kyoto Hannar. (32-17) 63-61 on Saturday evening. It ended at the same time the three-game winning streak of Osaka Evessa. The guests took control from the first minutes by winning the initial quarter 17-11. But Osaka Evessa won second period 13-12. However it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. The game was decided in the last minutes when Kyoto Hannar. won last quarter 20-19. American guard Jermaine Boyette (188-78, college: Weber St., agency: SportsTalent) fired 19 points for the winners. His fellow American import forward Rick Rickert (211-83, college: Minnesota, agency: SportsTalent) chipped in 4 points and 17 rebounds. Kyoto Hannar.'s coach Honoo Hamaguchi used an eleven-player rotation in such tough game. Haitian-American swingman Bobby St.Preux (196-80, college: N.Kentucky, agency: KMG Sports Management) produced a double-double by scoring 15 points and 10 rebounds for lost side. Kyoto Hannar. maintains fourth place with 32-17 record. Osaka Evessa at the other side keeps the second position with 16 games lost. They share it with Shiga L-Stars. Kyoto Hannar. will have a break next round, and it should allow them to practice more before next game. Osaka Evessa will play again at home against Kyoto Hannar. and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Very important is a road loss of third ranked Akita Happinets (28-23) against ninth ranked Iwate Big Bulls (16-33) on Saturday night. Visiting Akita Happinets were defeated by Iwate Big Bulls in a tough game in Iwate 79-84. Worth to mention a great performance of Guyanese-American forward Gordon Klaiber (206-83, college: Fair Dickinson) who helped to win the game recording a double-double by scoring 25 points and 15 rebounds. Makoto Sawaguchi contributed with 24 points for the winners. American swingman Ricky Woods (194-84, college: SE Louisiana) answered with a double-double by scoring 34 points (!!!), 12 rebounds and 5 assists for Akita Happinets. Iwate Big Bulls maintains ninth place with 16-33 record. Akita Happinets at the other side keep the third position with 23 games lost. Iwate Big Bulls will again play against higher ranked Akita Happinets (#3) at home in the next round and it will be quite challenging to get another victory. Akita Happinets will have a break next round.
An exciting game between Top Four teams was played in Niigata. Third ranked Shiga L-Stars faced 4th placed Niigata Albirex. Guests from Shiga (33-16) defeated host Niigata Albirex (26-23) 81-74. It was a great evening for Dionisio Gomez Camargo who led his team to a victory scoring 17 points and 7 rebounds. At the losing side Nile Murry responded with 15 points. Niigata Albirex's coach Matt Garrison rotated ten players in this game, but that didn't help. Shiga L-Stars have an impressive series of nine victories in a row. They moved-up to second place, which they share with Osaka Evessa. Loser Niigata Albirex keeps the fourth position with 23 games lost. Shiga L-Stars will have a break next round, and it should allow them to practice more before next game. Niigata Albirex will play again against Shiga L-Stars (#3) and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Leader Hamamatsu Phoenix delivered the 34th victory. This time they crushed 9th ranked Takamatsu FA (2-47) 120-64 in Mikawa. It was a quality performance for Wayne Arnold who led the winners and scored 15 points, 8 rebounds and 7 assists. Hamamatsu Phoenix's coach Ryuji Kawai felt very confident that he used 10 players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. Defending champion maintains first place with 34-15 record. Takamatsu FA lost their sixteenth game in a row. They keep the ninth position with 47 games lost. Hamamatsu Phoenix's next round opponent will be again Takamatsu FA (#9) at home and are hoping to win another game.
Leader Okinawa GK recorded the 36th victory on Saturday night. This time they crushed 8th ranked Chiba Jets (18-31) 114-75. Dillion Sneed fired a double-double by scoring 19 points and 10 rebounds for the winners. The winner was already known earlier in the game, so both coaches allowed to play the bench players saving starting five for next games. Okinawa GK maintains first place with 36-13 record. Loser Chiba Jets dropped to the seventh position with 31 games lost. Okinawa GK will face again Chiba Jets (#8) at home in the next round and are hoping to win another game.

Other games of round 55 were quite predictable and ended without any surprises. Here they are:
Saitama Bron. defeated Oita H.Devils in a road game 89-81. Toyama Grouses were beaten by Miyazaki SS at home 64-71. Fukuoka Rizing destroyed Shinshu BW on the opponent's court 90-68. Yokohama BC managed to outperform Sendai 89ers in a home game 63-54. Sendai 89ers recorded a loss to Yokohama BC on the road 76-59.

Hamamatsu P. - Takamatsu FA 120-64

Leader Hamamatsu Phoenix delivered the 34th victory. This time they crushed 9th ranked Takamatsu FA (2-47) 120-64 in Mikawa. The game without a history. Hamamatsu Phoenix led from the first minutes and controlled entire game increasing their lead in each quarter. They dominated down low during the game scoring 62 of its points in the paint compared to Takamatsu FA's 32. They outrebounded Takamatsu FA 55-25 including a 21-5 advantage in offensive rebounds. Hamamatsu Phoenix shot the lights out from three nailing 17 long-distance shots on high 54.8 percentage. Their players were unselfish on offense dishing 29 assists comparing to just 12 passes made by Takamatsu FA's players. It was a quality performance for American guard Wayne Arnold (193-84, college: Tennessee St., agency: ACMT) who led the winners and scored 15 points, 8 rebounds and 7 assists. American-Panamanian forward Leonardo Pomare (203-86, college: San Diego, agency: Top Notch Sports) accounted for 18 points and 12 rebounds (on 9-of-11 shooting from the field) for the winning side. Five Hamamatsu Phoenix players scored in double figures. Hamamatsu Phoenix's coach Ryuji Kawai felt very confident that he used 10 players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. American power forward Paul Butorac (208-83, college: E.Washington) came up with 21 points and 6 rebounds and point guard Masaaki Suzuki (176-87) added 10 points respectively for Takamatsu FA in the defeat. Defending champion maintains first place with 34-15 record. Takamatsu FA lost their sixteenth game in a row. They keep the ninth position with 47 games lost. Hamamatsu Phoenix's next round opponent will be again Takamatsu FA (#9) at home and are hoping to win another game.
Top scorers:
Hamamatsu P.: S.Nakanishi 20, L.Pomare 18+12reb, W.Arnold 15+8reb+7ast, A.Ohta 14+10reb, J.Parmer 13+2reb+1ast, Y.Yamaguchi 11+5reb+4ast
Takamatsu FA: P.Butorac 21+6reb, S.Takada 12+2reb+1ast, M.Suzuki 10+4reb+3ast, K.Tsutsumi 8+4reb+3ast, H.Kikuchi 7+8reb+1ast, M.Kita 5+1reb+4ast
gschID: 142307


Osaka Evessa - Kyoto Hannar. 61-63

The most exciting game of round 55 in the BJ League took place in Osaka. This derby game ended with only two-point home defeat of much higher ranked Osaka Evessa (33-16) to fourth ranked Kyoto Hannar. (32-17) 63-61 on Saturday evening. It ended at the same time the three-game winning streak of Osaka Evessa. The guests took control from the first minutes by winning the initial quarter 17-11. But Osaka Evessa won second period 13-12. However it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. The game was decided in the last minutes when Kyoto Hannar. won last quarter 20-19. American guard Jermaine Boyette (188-78, college: Weber St., agency: SportsTalent) fired 19 points for the winners. His fellow American import forward Rick Rickert (211-83, college: Minnesota, agency: SportsTalent) chipped in 4 points and 17 rebounds. Kyoto Hannar.'s coach Honoo Hamaguchi used an eleven-player rotation in such tough game. Haitian-American swingman Bobby St.Preux (196-80, college: N.Kentucky, agency: KMG Sports Management) produced a double-double by scoring 15 points and 10 rebounds and American forward Michael Bell (206-82, college: Florida Atlantic) added 12 points and 5 rebounds respectively for lost side. Kyoto Hannar. maintains fourth place with 32-17 record. Osaka Evessa at the other side keeps the second position with 16 games lost. They share it with Shiga L-Stars. Kyoto Hannar. will have a break next round, and it should allow them to practice more before next game. Osaka Evessa will play again at home against Kyoto Hannar. and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Kyoto Hannar.: J.Boyette 19+2reb+2ast, N.Nakamura 10+1reb+1ast, B.Camara 8+7reb+1ast, L.Cummard 8+5reb+3ast, L.Allred 6, T.Kawabe 5+1reb+1ast
Osaka Evessa: B.St.Preux 15+10reb+1ast, M.Bell 12+5reb+2ast, W.Marshall 11+5reb+1ast, C.Aoki 7+2reb+1ast, M.Obuchi 6+5reb+3ast, S.Konno 4
gschID: 142308


Oita H.Devils - Saitama Bron. 81-89

There was a minor upset when 8th ranked Oita Heat Devils (20-29) were defeated at home by tenth ranked Saitama Broncos (15-34) 89-81 on Saturday. The game without a history. Saitama Broncos led from the first minutes and controlled entire game increasing their lead in each quarter. The game was dominated by American players. Power forward James Porter (208-87, college: N.Carolina A&T, agency: SDJ Sports) fired a double-double by scoring 18 points and 13 rebounds for the winners. Swingman John Humphrey (188-80, college: Middle Tenn.St., agency: Court Side) chipped in 19 points and 7 rebounds. Porter is a former Eurobasket Summer League player, which is considered top international summer league in the market. Four Saitama Broncos players scored in double figures. Guard Wendell White (198-84, college: UNLV) produced a double-double by scoring 20 points and 14 rebounds and forward T.J. Cummings (205-81, college: UCLA, agency: Top Notch Sports) added 20 points and 10 rebounds respectively for lost side. Saitama Broncos maintains tenth place with 15-34 record. Loser Oita Heat Devils keep the eighth position with 29 games lost. Saitama Broncos will have a break next round.
Top scorers:
Saitama Bron.: J.Humphrey 19+7reb+3ast, J.Porter 18+13reb+1ast, J.Miller 12+7reb+3ast, Y.Kitamuki 12+7reb+3ast, D.Terashita 8+3ast, M.Haraguchi 8+3reb+1ast
Oita H.Devils: T.Cummings 20+10reb+1ast, W.White 20+14reb+2ast, T.Finger 11+6reb, N.Takushi 9+3reb+8ast, M.Lottich 8+2reb+5ast, K.Mitomo 7+2reb+5ast
gschID: 142309


Okinawa GK - Chiba Jets 114-75

Leader Okinawa GK recorded the 36th victory on Saturday night. This time they crushed 8th ranked Chiba Jets (18-31) 114-75. The game without a history. Okinawa GK led from the first minutes and controlled entire game increasing their lead in each quarter. They dominated down low during the game scoring 68 of its points in the paint compared to Chiba Jets' 44. Okinawa GK forced 19 Chiba Jets turnovers and outrebounded them 55-29 including a 19-5 advantage in offensive rebounds. They looked well-organized offensively handing out 26 assists comparing to just 9 passes made by Chiba Jets' players. American center Dillion Sneed (203-84, college: E.Tenn.St., agency: Top Notch Sports) fired a double-double by scoring 19 points and 10 rebounds for the winners. British power forward Dzaflo Larkai (203-81, college: Bellarmine, agency: Top Notch Sports) chipped in a double-double by scoring 15 points and 11 rebounds. Four Okinawa GK players scored in double figures. American guard Jamel Staten (198-83, college: Minnesota St., agency: SDJ Sports) produced 23 points and 8 rebounds and the other American import guard Maurice Hargrow (193-83, college: Minnesota, agency: SDJ Sports) added 13 points respectively for lost side. The winner was already known earlier in the game, so both coaches allowed to play the bench players saving starting five for next games. Okinawa GK maintains first place with 36-13 record. Loser Chiba Jets dropped to the seventh position with 31 games lost. Okinawa GK will face again Chiba Jets (#8) at home in the next round and are hoping to win another game.
Top scorers:
Okinawa GK: N.Kosuge 19+3reb, D.Sneed 19+10reb+1ast, D.Palmer 17+2reb+1ast, D.Larkai 15+11reb+1ast, A.McHenry 14+7reb+3ast, M.Yamauchi 10+2reb+1ast
Chiba Jets: J.Staten 23+8reb+3ast, M.Hargrow 13+3reb, G.Moliva 8+3reb, T.Ishida 8+1reb+1ast, H.Sato 6+1ast, T.Kensuke 6+1reb+2ast
gschID: 142310


Niigata Albirex - Shiga L-Stars 74-81

An exciting game between Top Four teams was played in Niigata. Third ranked Shiga L-Stars faced 4th placed Niigata Albirex. Guests from Shiga (33-16) defeated host Niigata Albirex (26-23) 81-74. The guests trailed by 4 points after three quarters before their 30-19 charge, which allowed them to win the game. Shiga L-Stars outrebounded Niigata Albirex 42-28 including 31 on the defensive glass. It was a great evening for Panamanian forward Dionisio Gomez Camargo (203-80, college: Arkansas) who led his team to a victory scoring 17 points and 7 rebounds. Trinidad and Tobago power forward Julius Ashby (205-82, college: Colorado) helped adding 13 points and 9 rebounds. At the losing side American guard Nile Murry (193-83, college: TCU) responded with 15 points and the other American import power forward Chris Holm (212-84, college: Vermont) scored 10 points and 9 rebounds. Five Shiga L-Stars and four Niigata Albirex players scored in double figures. Niigata Albirex's coach Matt Garrison rotated ten players in this game, but that didn't help. Shiga L-Stars have an impressive series of nine victories in a row. They moved-up to second place, which they share with Osaka Evessa. Loser Niigata Albirex keeps the fourth position with 23 games lost. Shiga L-Stars will have a break next round, and it should allow them to practice more before next game. Niigata Albirex will play again against Shiga L-Stars (#3) and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Shiga L-Stars: D.Gomez Camargo 17+7reb+1ast, J.Peppers 13+1reb+3ast, J.Ashby 13+9reb+1ast, S.Ogawa 11+2reb+3ast, B.Markson 10+3reb+2ast, R.Nixon 10+8reb+2ast
Niigata Albirex: N.Murry 15+4reb+1ast, Y.Ikeda 13+3reb, S.Komatsu 13+2reb+1ast, C.Holm 10+9reb, E.Maxey 7+2reb, K.Sato 5+2reb+3ast
gschID: 142303


Toyama Grouses - Miyazaki SS 64-71

We could consider it a predictable result in the game between close teams when seventh ranked Miyazaki Shining Suns (22-27) defeated on the road 6th ranked Toyama Grouses (24-25) 71-64 on Saturday. The guests trailed by 2 points at the halftime before their 29-16 charge in the third quarter, which allowed them to win the game. Miyazaki Shining Suns made 21-of-27 free shots (77.8 percent) during the game. They also forced 22 Toyama Grouses turnovers. American swingman Dexter Lyons (198-81, college: Cent.Florida, agency: I.D.S. Law) fired a double-double by scoring 21 points and 15 rebounds for the winners. His fellow American import power forward Lewis Witcher (206-87, college: Virginia Tech) chipped in 21 points and 8 rebounds. Guard Takeshi Mito (184-85) produced 17 points and 9 rebounds and American power forward Devin Searcy (208-89, college: Dayton, agency: Pro One Sports) added 11 points and 11 rebounds respectively for lost side. Both teams had four players each who scored in double figures. Miyazaki Shining Suns maintains seventh place with 22-27 record. Toyama Grouses lost their third game in a row. They keep the sixth position with 25 games lost. Miyazaki Shining Suns will have a break next round.
Top scorers:
Miyazaki SS: D.Lyons 21+15reb+3ast, L.Witcher 21+8reb, T.Shimizu 13+5reb+3ast, T.Ito 10, Y.Tsubasa 3+1reb+2ast, Y.Kojima 3+9reb+3ast
Toyama Grouses: T.Mito 17+9reb+3ast, I.Brown 11+8reb, B.Harper 11+7reb, D.Searcy 11+11reb+1ast, L.Turner 6+5reb, B.Gillespie 5+1reb+2ast
gschID: 142304


Shinshu BW - Fukuoka Rizing 68-90

Rather expected game in Nagano where 7th ranked Shinshu BW (18-31) was rolled over by fifth ranked Fukuoka Rizing (31-18) 90-68 on Saturday. The game was mostly controlled by Fukuoka Rizing. Shinshu BW was better in fourth quarter 19-18. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. The game was dominated by American players. Swingman Kevin Palmer (198-87, college: Texas A&M-CC, agency: VVG Sports) fired 23 points, 9 rebounds and 7 assists for the winners. Swingman Carlos Dixon (201-81, college: Virginia Tech, agency: Top Notch Sports) chipped in 20 points and 6 rebounds. Power forward Edward Morris (205-84, college: Pittsburg St.) produced 21 points and 6 rebounds and forward Tyler Hughes (213-84, college: Kansas St.) added 11 points and 12 rebounds respectively for lost side. Four Shinshu BW players scored in double figures. Shinshu BW's coach Motofumi Aoki gave up on the game allowing to play eleven players seeing no chance for a win. The victory was the third consecutive win for Fukuoka Rizing. They maintain fifth place with 31-18 record. Shinshu BW lost their fourth game in a row. They keep the seventh position with 31 games lost. Fukuoka Rizing will have a break next round. Shinshu BW will play again at home against Fukuoka Rizing (#5) and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Fukuoka Rizing: K.Palmer 23+9reb+7ast, C.Dixon 20+6reb+3ast, J.Dearman 17+6reb+1ast, G.Hamilton 8+7reb+3ast, S.Ishitani 6+1reb, T.Rintaro 6+2reb
Shinshu BW: E.Morris 21+6reb+1ast, D.Raivio 16+4reb+5ast, T.Goya 12+1reb+5ast, T.Hughes 11+12reb+3ast, L.Roberts 6+9reb+2ast, Y.Suzuki 2+1reb
gschID: 142305


Yokohama BC - Sendai 89ers 63-54

Rather predictable result when second ranked Yokohama BC (29-21) beat at home 5th ranked Sendai 89ers (25-25) 63-54 on Saturday. The hosts took control from the first minutes by winning first half. But Sendai 89ers won third quarter 14-11. However it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. The game was dominated by American players. Forward Justin Burrell (206-88, college: St.John's) fired a double-double by scoring 21 points and 14 rebounds for the winners. Guard Draelon Burns (194-85, college: De Paul, agency: Top Notch Sports) chipped in 13 points. Yokohama BC's coach Reggie Geary allowed to play the deep bench players saving starting five for next games. Forward Johnny Dukes (203-84, college: San Bernardino CC) produced a double-double by scoring 15 points, 12 rebounds and 7 assists and forward Daniel Fitzgerald (206-84, college: Marquette) added 13 points and 5 rebounds respectively for lost side. The victory was the eighth consecutive win for Yokohama BC. They maintain second place with 29-21 record having four points less than leader Okinawa GK. Loser Sendai 89ers keep the fifth position with 25 games lost. Both teams do not play next round, which will be an opportunity for some rest.
Top scorers:
Yokohama BC: J.Burrell 21+14reb+1ast, D.Burns 13+2reb, T.Aoki 8, M.Simmons 5+1reb+2ast, P.Faye 5+4reb, M.Kabaya 4+3reb+1ast
Sendai 89ers: J.Dukes 15+12reb+7ast, D.Fitzgerald 13+5reb+1ast, T.Komoda 8+4reb, R.Singleton 7+6reb+4ast, F.Toncinic 4+1reb, H.Kusaka 3+4reb+2ast
gschID: 142306


Yokohama BC - Sendai 89ers 76-59

Not a big story in a game when 5th ranked Sendai 89ers (25-25) were defeated on the road by second ranked Yokohama BC (29-21) 76-59 on Friday. The hosts trailed by 1 point after first quarter, but they stormed back to get the 4-point lead at the halftime and eventually won the game 76-59. The game was dominated by American players. Forward Justin Burrell (206-88, college: St.John's) fired a double-double by scoring 24 points and 12 rebounds for the winners. Center Chas McFarland (213-86, college: Wake Forest) chipped in 13 points and 9 rebounds. Forward Daniel Fitzgerald (206-84, college: Marquette) produced 16 points and 7 rebounds and forward Johnny Dukes (203-84, college: San Bernardino CC) added 10 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists respectively for lost side. Sendai 89ers' coach Robert Pierce tested ten players seeing no chance for a win. The victory was the eighth consecutive win for Yokohama BC. They maintain second place with 29-21 record having four points less than leader Okinawa GK. Loser Sendai 89ers keep the fifth position with 25 games lost. Both teams do not play next round, which will be an opportunity for some rest.
Top scorers:
Yokohama BC: J.Burrell 24+12reb+2ast, C.McFarland 13+9reb, M.Kabaya 11+5reb+4ast, D.Burns 8+3reb+2ast, S.Hisayama 6+1reb, K.Yamada 6+1reb+5ast
Sendai 89ers: D.Fitzgerald 16+7reb+2ast, J.Dukes 10+7reb+6ast, F.Toncinic 9+4reb+1ast, D.Takaoka 8+4reb, R.Singleton 6+6reb, T.Shimura 6+1reb
gschID: 142301


Iwate Big Bulls - Akita NH 84-79

Very important is a road loss of third ranked Akita Happinets (28-23) against ninth ranked Iwate Big Bulls (16-33) on Saturday night. Visiting Akita Happinets were defeated by Iwate Big Bulls in a tough game in Iwate 79-84. Akita Happinets were ahead by 6 points at the halftime before a 50-39 second half run of Iwate Big Bulls. Worth to mention a great performance of Guyanese-American forward Gordon Klaiber (206-83, college: Fair Dickinson) who helped to win the game recording a double-double by scoring 25 points and 15 rebounds. Guard Makoto Sawaguchi (184-91) contributed with 24 points for the winners. American swingman Ricky Woods (194-84, college: SE Louisiana) answered with a double-double by scoring 34 points (!!!), 12 rebounds and 5 assists and the former international forward Kazuhiro Shoji (191-74) added 14 points and 7 rebounds in the effort for Akita Happinets. Iwate Big Bulls maintains ninth place with 16-33 record. Akita Happinets at the other side keep the third position with 23 games lost. Iwate Big Bulls will again play against higher ranked Akita Happinets (#3) at home in the next round and it will be quite challenging to get another victory. Akita Happinets will have a break next round.
Top scorers:
Iwate Big Bulls: G.Klaiber 25+15reb, M.Sawaguchi 24+4reb+2ast, J.Boykin 14+4reb+2ast, L.Malloy 8+11reb+1ast, T.Kennedy 8+10reb+1ast, Y.Yamamoto 3+1reb+6ast
Akita NH: R.Woods 34+12reb+5ast, K.Shoji 14+7reb+2ast, S.Taguchi 13+2reb+1ast, M.Kearse 8+8reb+1ast, E.Drayton 8+4reb, K.Swanston 2+3reb+1ast
gschID: 142302



*****************************************************
  KENYA   


Battle for Final - by Eurobasket News

DEFENDING Brookside national secondary schools boys' basketball champions Laiser Hill today face Friends School Kamusinga today in the semi finals of the Term One games at Maseno School.

Laiser qualified to the last four after winning all their matches. In yesterday's game, they thrashed Shimba Hills 92-22. Laiser also had an easy 116-20 win over Garissa. Kamusinga punished Tala 65-35 to qualify.

In another semi-final match-up, four-time champions and hosts Maseno School will face Nairobi's Upper Hill School. Maseno sailed to the semi-final after thrashing Garissa 124-14 while Upper Hill won all their preliminary matches beating Alliance 72-51 in the last game.

Yesterday, Maseno coach Paul Otula said his team has been improving with each game after they lost their first match against Laiser. Maseno captain Brian Mandela said the team was taking one game at a time and predicted they would reach the finals. 'We made a slow start but we are playing well now,' he said echoing sentiments of his coach. Laiser's Smarts Olumbo said his team is poised to retain the title. 'The boys are set and our target is winning the title,' said Olumbo.
Courtesy of: The Star (Nairobi)


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

Stats Leaders - LKL

Points Per Game
 Laurynas MIKALAUSKAS
  Neptu.
  (205-F-85)
  Avg: 18
 1. Mikalauskas, Neptu.18.0 
 2. Mazeika, Neptunas15.2 
 3. Hughes, Pieno Z.15.0 
 4. Valanciunas, Lietu.14.7 
 5. Johnson, Naglis P.14.6 
 6. Cepukaitis, Lietka.13.9 
 7. Seibutis, Lietuv.13.5 
 8. Vasylius, Siauliai13.4 
 9. Urbonas, Juventus13.3 
 10. Long, Siauliai13.3 
Rebounds Per Game
 Dane JOHNSON
  Naglis P.
  (208-C-86)
  Avg: 10.3
 1. Johnson, Naglis P.10.3 
 2. Valanciunas, Lietu.7.7 
 3. Mikalauskas, Neptu.7.1 
 4. McClure, Kedainiai7.0 
 5. Cepukaitis, Lietka.6.5 
 6. Petrukonis, Juven.6.4 
 7. Butkevicius, Rudup.6.4 
 8. Valeika, Neptunas6.0 
 9. Adomaitis, Kedaini.5.8 
 10. Katelynas, Lietuv.5.7 
Assists Per Game
 Evaldas DAINYS
  Neptunas
  (180-PG-82)
  Avg: 5.3
 1. Dainys, Neptunas5.3 
 2. Kalnietis, Zalgiris4.8 
 3. Rice, Lietuvos.4.5 
 4. Peciukeviciu., Sak.4.0 
 5. Kadziulis, Rudupis4.0 
 6. Broadus, Siauliai3.9 
 7. Popovic, Zalgiris3.8 
 8. Maceina, Juventus3.6 
 9. Ezerskis, Lietkabe.3.5 
 10. Samenas, Sakalai3.4 
Steals Per Game
 TreVon HUGHES
  Pieno Z.
  (183-PG-87)
  Avg: 2.1
 1. Hughes, Pieno Z.2.1 
 2. Long, Siauliai2.0 
 3. Broadus, Siauliai1.7 
 4. Ginevicius, Kedain.1.6 
 5. Roberts, Lietuvos.1.6 
 6. Vasiliauskas, Liet.1.6 
 7. Seibutis, Lietuv.1.6 
 8. Dainys, Neptunas1.5 
 9. Salenga, Zalgiris1.5 
 10. Juskevicius, Rudu.1.4 
Blocks Per Game
 Jonas VALANCIUNAS
  Lietuv.
  (210-C-92)
  Avg: 2
 1. Valanciunas, Lietu.2.0 
 2. Johnson, Naglis P.1.8 
 3. Petrukonis, Juven.1.2 
 4. Staniulis, Lietkab.1.0 
 5. Samardziski, Lietu.0.9 
 6. McClure, Kedainiai0.9 
 7. Zelionis, Rudupis0.9 
 8. Morgan, Pieno Z.0.9 
 9. Cepukaitis, Lietka.0.9 
 10. Javtokas, Zalgiris0.8 


LKL Round 3 of Quarter-Finals. Siauliai and Rudupis advance - by Eurobasket News

Rudupis - Pieno Zvaigzdes 89-72

Rudupis coasted past Pieno Zvaigzdes at home court to seal the semifinal appearance. The hosts trailed by 2 points at the halftime before their 52-33 charge in the second half, which allowed them to win the game. Worth to mention a quality performance of swingman Gediminas Orelikas (198-90) who helped to win the game recording 18 points and 5 rebounds. Forward Arnas Labuckas (205-87, agency: Interperformances) helped adding 14 points and 8 rebounds. Four Rudupis players scored in double figures. The best for the losing side was American-Puerto Rican point guard TreVon Hughes (183-87, college: Wisconsin, agency: Edge Sports) with 35 points (!!!) and Brazilian center Paulo Prestes (210-88) scored 7 points and 5 rebounds. Pieno Zvaigzdes' coach Roberts Stelmahers rotated eleven players seeing no chance for a win.
Top scorers:
Rudupis: G.Orelikas 18+5reb+2ast, A.Labuckas 14+8reb+1ast, G.Kadziulis 13+3reb+3ast, A.Juskevicius 11+1reb+6ast, V.Dabkus 10+3reb+1ast, P.Butkevicius 9+4reb+2ast
Pieno Zvaigzdes: T.Hughes 35+2reb+2ast, E.Bendzius 8+3reb+1ast, P.Prestes 7+5reb, G.Sirutavicius 6+2reb+1ast, S.Morgan 5+1reb, D.Leonard 3+1ast
gschID: 175119


Siauliai - Neptunas 102-92

Siauliai fired past Neptunas to enter the semifinal stage of the tournament. The game was mostly controlled by Siauliai. Neptunas managed to win third quarter 25-20. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. They made 36-of-41 free shots (87.8 percent) during the game, while Neptunas only scored nineteen points from the stripe. Siauliai forced 21 Neptunas turnovers. 34 personal fouls committed by Neptunas helped opponents get some easy free throw opportunities. It was a great evening for American guard Cam Long (193-G-88, agency: KMG Sports Management, college: George Mason) who led his team to a victory scoring 21 points and 4 steals (went 10 for 10 at the free throw line !!!). point guard Darius Gvezdauskas (191-88) helped adding 18 points. Five Siauliai players scored in double figures. The best for the losing side was guard Martynas Mazeika (193-85, agency: Limelight Hoops) with 25 points and 5 rebounds and swingman Mantas Ruikis (197-85) scored 15 points. Both coaches used bench players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games.
Top scorers:
Siauliai: C.Long 21+2reb+2ast, A.Siksnius 19+2reb, D.Gvezdauskas 18+3reb, R.Broadus 17+2ast, V.Vasylius 10+4reb, V.Sarakauskas 5+4reb
Neptunas: M.Mazeika 25+5reb+1ast, M.Ruikis 15+4reb+1ast, L.Mikalauskas 14+2reb, A.Brunins 9+2reb, A.Viskontas 7+8ast, S.Galdikas 7+3reb
gschID: 175120



Lietuvos Rytas thrashed Khimky on the road and advanced to Final Four - by Eurobasket News

VTB League
Khimky - Lietuvos rytas 78:103

Lietuvos Rytas thrashed Khimky on the road to complete the semifinal picture in VTB League. The Lithuanian team joined three Russian squads in the Semifinals.
The game was mostly controlled by Lietuvos Rytas. Khimky managed to win third quarter 29-28. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. Lietuvos rytas shot 62.0 percent from the field and made 31-of-36 free shots during the game. Lietuvos rytas had a 24-13 advantage in offensive rebounds. It was a great shooting night for Lietuvos rytas especially from behind the arc, where they had solid 62.5 percentage. They looked well-organized offensively handing out 21 assists. 30 personal fouls committed by Khimky helped opponents get some easy free throw opportunities. It was a good game for Jonas Valanciunas (210-C-92) who led his team to a victory with 20 points and 9 rebounds. Lithuanian guard Renaldas Seibutis (195-G-85) contributed with 24 points, 5 assists and 4 steals for the winners. Five Lietuvos rytas players scored in double figures. Chris Quinn (188-G-83, agency: Priority Sports, college: Notre Dame) answered with 8 points and 4 assists and Kresimir Loncar (210-F-83, agency: Alti Sport) added 10 points in the effort for Khimky.
In the Semifinals Lietuvos Rytas will take on Unics.


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


ASEAN League: Dragons cruise past Heat - by Eurobasket News

Westports Dragons - Saigon Heat 95:75

Westports Dragons eased to the 8th win in the ASEAN League season. They coasted past Saigon Heat at home court to improve at 8-9 record. Tiras Wade (200-F-81, agency: Interperformances, college: La-Lafayette) stepped up with 25 points and 11 boards to pace the hosts.
The Dragons got to a confident start posting a 25:14 lead after ten minutes. They unloaded 34 points in the second term to boost the gap to as many as 19 points 59:40. The hosts kept the Heat at distance throughout the third term. They secured a 20-point buffer heading into the fourth quarter. The teams exchanged baskets throughout the final period with the Dragons marching to the victory. Brian Williams (208-C-87, agency: VVG Sports, college: Tennessee) accounted for 18 points and 16 boards, while Patrick Cabahug (186-G) added 17 points in the win. Jonathan Jones (211-C-79, agency: TSS Management) replied with 31 points and 17 rebounds for the Heat. Jahmar Thorpe (198-F-84, college: Houston) provided 20 points and 9 boards in the loss.

Westports Dragons: Tiras Wade 25+11 boards, Brian Williams 18+16 boards, Patrick Cabahug 17
Saigon Heat: Jonathan Jones 31+17 boards, Jahmar Thorpe 20


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

Standings - CIBACOPA

CIBACOPA Standings
 1. Hermosillo 19-4 
 2. Tijuana 18-5 
 3. Guaymas 17-6 
 4. Nogales 12-11 
 5. Los Mochis 11-12 
 6. Guasave 11-12 
 7. Cananea 10-13 
 8. Culiacan 9-14 
 9. Navolato 7-16 
 10. Tepic 1-22 

Regular Season: Round 23

Apr. 20: Culiacan - Guaymas 96-77
Apr. 20: Nogales - Tijuana 90-92
Apr. 20: Tepic - Guasave 89-91
Apr. 20: Hermosillo - Los Mochis 105-85
Apr. 20: Navolato - Cananea 103-105 OT

Regular Season: Round 25

Apr. 27: Guaymas - Tijuana
Apr. 27: Cananea - Los Mochis
Apr. 27: Hermosillo - Guasave
Apr. 27: Tepic - Culiacan
Apr. 27: Navolato - Nogales


CIBACOPA Stats Leaders

Points Per Game
 Rob ROBINSON
  Culiacan
  (203-F-87)
  Avg: 22.8
 1. Robinson, Culiacan22.8 
 2. McCullough, Nogales21.6 
 3. Thomas, Cananea21.0 
 4. Selleaze, Navolato20.4 
 5. Carter, Guasave20.2 
 6. Wiley, Los Mochis19.8 
 7. Habel, Guaymas18.6 
 8. Gibson, Navolato18.2 
 9. Johnson, Guaymas17.6 
 10. Harris, Cananea17.5 
Rebounds Per Game
 Deangelo RILEY
  Tepic
  (205-C-)
  Avg: 11.6
 1. Riley, Tepic11.6 
 2. Selleaze, Navolato9.1 
 3. Sanders-F., Nogales8.9 
 4. Robinson, Culiacan8.6 
 5. Zamora, Culiacan7.7 
 6. Lopez, Hermosillo7.6 
 7. Strobbe, Nogales7.3 
 8. Wiley, Los Mochis7.1 
 9. Moore, Guasave7.0 
 10. McCullough, Nogal.6.9 
Assists Per Game
 Tayloe TAYLOR
  Los Mochis
  (191-G-86)
  Avg: 6.1
 1. Taylor, Los Mochis6.1 
 2. Nungaray, Guaymas5.4 
 3. Monreal, Hermosillo5.3 
 4. Harris, Cananea3.8 
 5. Riley, Tepic3.6 
 6. Pulido, Culiacan3.5 
 7. McSwine, Navolato3.5 
 8. Quintero, Tijuana3.2 
 9. Heredia, Nogales3.1 
 10. Buelna, Guasave3.1 
Steals Per Game
 Derek THOMAS
  Cananea
  (193-F-84)
  Avg: 1.8
 1. Thomas, Cananea1.8 
 2. Gibson, Navolato1.8 
 3. Buelna, Guasave1.6 
 4. Riley, Tepic1.5 
 5. Pulido, Culiacan1.5 
 6. Heredia, Nogales1.4 
 7. Carter, Guasave1.3 
 8. Giron, Guasave1.3 
 9. Reatiga, Navolato1.2 
 10. Monreal, Hermosil.1.2 
Blocks Per Game
 Deangelo RILEY
  Tepic
  (205-C-)
  Avg: 3.6
 1. Riley, Tepic3.6 
 2. Zamora, Culiacan1.3 
 3. Habel, Guaymas1.1 
 4. Robinson, Culiacan1.1 
 5. Wiley, Los Mochis1.0 
 6. McCullough, Nogales0.8 
 7. Johnson, Guaymas0.7 
 8. Verdugo, Navolato0.7 
 9. Cuen, Los Mochis0.7 
 10. Giron, Guasave0.6 


Michael Gale joins Fuerza Guinda de Nogales - by Eurobasket Center

Fuerza Guinda de Nogales agreed terms with 30-year old American guard Michael Gale (193-G-82, college: Centenary). In his first game he scored 18 points and grabbed 6 rebounds. Despite his good performance his new team lost to Tijuana 90-92. Gale played most recently at Trotamundos de Carabobo (Venezuela). While playing 8 games for Trotamundos this season he averaged 6.1ppg, 2.5rpg, 2.8apg and 2.0spg. Gale is a very experienced player. He played also pro basketball in Argentina, Colombia, Puerto Rico, Uruguay and Venezuela. Gale graduated Centenary College in 2004 and it will be his eighth season in pro basketball.

By Eurobasket Data Center


Paul Carter is a newcomer at Fuerza Guinda de Nogales - by Eurobasket Center

Fuerza Guinda de Nogales strengthened their roster with addition of 25-year old American forward Paul Carter (204-F-86kg-87, college: Ill.-Chicago). In his first game he scored 11 points and grabbed 4 rebounds. Despite his good performance his new team lost to Tijuana 90-92. Carter played most recently at Idaho Stampede (D-League) in the U.S. He just graduated University of Illinois-Chicago and it will be his first season in pro basketball.

By Eurobasket Data Center


CIBACOPA Round 23: Tijuana Zonkeys edge Fuerza Guinda Nogales by two points - by Eurobasket News

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

Fourth-ranked Fuerza Guinda Nogales (12-11) made lots of trouble for second ranked Tijuana Zonkeys (18-5) on Friday. The visitors from Tijuana managed to secure only two-point victory 92-90. However their fans expected easier game. Fuerza Guinda Nogales trailed by 11 points after 3 quarters before a 31-22 run in the last quarter cut the deficit to 90-92 at the end of the game. The game was dominated by American players. The best player for the winners was swingman Marcus Morrison (198-84, college: Middle Tenn.St.) who scored 22 points and 7 rebounds. Power forward Cyrus Tate (203-85, college: Iowa, agency: Edge Sports) chipped in 21 points. Swingman O'Louis McCullough (198-82, college: Francis Marion) produced 22 points and 7 rebounds for the hosts. Tijuana Zonkeys have an impressive series of seven victories in a row. They maintain second place with 18-5 record behind leader Hermosillo. Fuerza Guinda Nogales lost fifth consecutive game. They keep the fourth position with 11 games lost. Tijuana Zonkeys will have a break next round, and it should allow them to practice more before next game. Fuerza Guinda Nogales will play again at home against the league's second-placed Tijuana Zonkeys (#2) and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Very important is a road loss of third ranked Ostioneros de Guaymas (17-6) against eighth ranked Caballeros de Culiacan (9-14) on Friday night. Visiting Ostioneros de Guaymas were crushed by Caballeros de Culiacan in Culiacan 96-77. It ended at the same time the three-game winning streak of Ostioneros de Guaymas. The former international center Rodrigo Zamora (206-86, college: Montana St.) orchestrated the victory with a double-double by scoring 32 points and 11 rebounds (on 12-of-13 shooting from the field). Rob Robinson contributed with 26 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists and 4 blocks for the winners. American point guard Myron Allen (182-79, college: Lee JC) answered with 21 points and 4 assists for Ostioneros de Guaymas. Both coaches used bench players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. Caballeros de Culiacan maintains eighth place with 9-14 record. Ostioneros de Guaymas at the other side keep the third position with six games lost. Caballeros de Culiacan will again play against higher ranked Ostioneros de Guaymas (#3) at home in the next round and it will be quite challenging to get another victory. Ostioneros de Guaymas will have a break next round.
Leader Rayos de Hermosillo delivered the nineteenth victory on Friday night. This time they crushed 5th ranked Pioneros Los Mochis (11-12) 105-85. It ended at the same time the three-game winning streak of Pioneros Los Mochis. It was a great evening for Jorge Camacho who led his team to a victory scoring 20 points and 5 rebounds (was perfect 7-for-7 from the free throw line). Rayos de Hermosillo's coach Dan Tacheny used an eleven-player rotation and allowed the starting five to rest. Devon Pearson responded with a double-double by scoring 23 points and 10 rebounds. The victory was the seventh consecutive win for Rayos de Hermosillo. They maintain first place with 19-4 record. Loser Pioneros Los Mochis keep the fifth position with 12 games lost. They share it with Guasave. Rayos de Hermosillo will again meet at home Pioneros Los Mochis (#5) in the next round. Pioneros Los Mochis will have a break next round.
Garra Canera de Navolato (#9) forced the game against Mineros de Cananea (#7) into an overtime, but lost by two points 103-105. The game took place in Navolato. But the guests from Cananea were better at the end. It was an exceptional evening for Derek Thomas who led the winners and scored 26 points and 5 rebounds. Garra Canera de Navolato's coach rotated ten players in this game, but that didn't help. Defending champion maintains seventh place with 10-13 record. Garra Canera de Navolato lost their third game in a row. They keep the ninth position with 16 games lost. Mineros de Cananea will have a break next round. Garra Canera de Navolato will play again at home against Mineros de Cananea (#7) and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Tenth-ranked Coras de Tepic (1-22) made lots of trouble for sixth ranked Frayles de Guasave (11-12) on Friday. The visitors from Guasave managed to secure only two-point victory 91-89. However their fans expected much easier game. The game was also dominated by American players. The best player for the winners was Russell Carter who scored 30 points (was perfect 8-for-8 from the free throw line). The victory was the third consecutive win for Frayles de Guasave. They moved-up to fifth place, which they share with Los Mochis. Coras de Tepic lost their fifth game in a row. They stay dead last with 22 lost games. Frayles de Guasave will have a break next round. Coras de Tepic will play again at home against Frayles de Guasave (#6).

The best stats of 23th round was 25 points, 10 rebounds, 8 assists and 6 blocks by Deangelo Riley of Tepic.

Hermosillo - Los Mochis 105-85

Leader Rayos de Hermosillo delivered the nineteenth victory on Friday night. This time they crushed 5th ranked Pioneros Los Mochis (11-12) 105-85. It ended at the same time the three-game winning streak of Pioneros Los Mochis. The game was mostly controlled by Rayos de Hermosillo. Pioneros Los Mochis managed to win second period 28-24. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. Rayos de Hermosillo made 16-of-19 free shots (84.2 percent) during the game. They looked well-organized offensively handing out 24 assists. It was a great evening for forward Jorge Camacho (200-89, college: E.Kentucky) who led his team to a victory scoring 20 points and 5 rebounds (was perfect 7-for-7 from the free throw line). American forward Patrick Sanders (198-85, college: Cal-Irvine) helped adding 14 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists. Five Rayos de Hermosillo players scored in double figures. Rayos de Hermosillo's coach Dan Tacheny used an eleven-player rotation and allowed the starting five to rest. American forward Devon Pearson (198-84, college: SMU) responded with a double-double by scoring 23 points and 10 rebounds and the other American import forward Seth Scott (208-81, college: Portland St.) scored 25 points and 6 rebounds. The victory was the seventh consecutive win for Rayos de Hermosillo. They maintain first place with 19-4 record. Loser Pioneros Los Mochis keep the fifth position with 12 games lost. They share it with Guasave. Rayos de Hermosillo will again meet at home Pioneros Los Mochis (#5) in the next round. Pioneros Los Mochis will have a break next round.
Top scorers:
Los Mochis: S.Scott 25+6reb+2ast, D.Pearson 23+10reb+2ast, E.Cuen 13+5reb, T.Taylor 9+3reb+7ast, J.Favela 8+2reb+3ast, C.M. Toussaint 5+2reb+2ast
Hermosillo: J.Camacho 20+5reb+2ast, J.Coronado 17+1reb+1ast, P.Sanders 14+6reb+5ast, E.Little 14+4reb+4ast, S.Monreal 14+3reb+7ast, J.Lopez 12+5reb+3ast
gschID: 171188


Navolato - Cananea 103-105 OT

Garra Canera de Navolato (#9) forced the game against Mineros de Cananea (#7) into an overtime, but lost by two points 103-105. The game took place in Navolato. But the guests from Cananea were better at the end. The guests were tied after three quarters and then recorded another tie at the end of regular time. They eventually won an overtime period 12-10. Mineros de Cananea made 38-of-47 charity shots (80.9 percent) during the game, while Garra Canera de Navolato only scored twenty two points from the stripe. 32 personal fouls committed by Garra Canera de Navolato helped opponents get some easy free throw opportunities. It was an exceptional evening for American forward Derek Thomas (193-84, college: Appalachian St.) who led the winners and scored 26 points and 5 rebounds. Naturalized American guard Franco Harris (183-83, college: Boise St.) accounted for 21 points and 7 assists for the winning side. Four Mineros de Cananea players scored in double figures. American forward Ronald Selleaze (197-76, college: CSU Bakersfield, agency: Dream Team Management) came up with a double-double by scoring 23 points, 15 rebounds and 4 assists and Dominican-American guard Damien McSwine (193-78, college: Loyola, IL) added 33 points (!!!) and 4 assists respectively for Garra Canera de Navolato in the defeat. Garra Canera de Navolato's coach rotated ten players in this game, but that didn't help. Defending champion maintains seventh place with 10-13 record. Garra Canera de Navolato lost their third game in a row. They keep the ninth position with 16 games lost. Mineros de Cananea will have a break next round. Garra Canera de Navolato will play again at home against Mineros de Cananea (#7) and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Navolato: D.McSwine 33+4reb+4ast, M.Gibson 30+1reb+4ast, R.Selleaze 23+15reb+4ast, F.Verdugo 9+9reb+4ast, J.Angel Reatiga 6+1reb+8ast, A.Chan 2+2ast
Cananea: D.Thomas 26+5reb+1ast, F.Harris 21+2reb+7ast, R.Sallie 14+5reb+4ast, A.Vasquez 13+2reb+1ast, J.Arturo Farrera Chantiri 12+4reb, J.Casillas 9+6reb+4ast
gschID: 171186


Culiacan - Guaymas 96-77

Very important is a road loss of third ranked Ostioneros de Guaymas (17-6) against eighth ranked Caballeros de Culiacan (9-14) on Friday night. Visiting Ostioneros de Guaymas were crushed by Caballeros de Culiacan in Culiacan 96-77. It ended at the same time the three-game winning streak of Ostioneros de Guaymas. The game was mostly controlled by Caballeros de Culiacan. Ostioneros de Guaymas was better in second period 23-22. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. Caballeros de Culiacan dominated down low during the game scoring 66 of its points in the paint compared to Ostioneros de Guaymas' 46. Caballeros de Culiacan brought some defensive toughness making 7 blocks. The former international center Rodrigo Zamora (206-86, college: Montana St.) orchestrated the victory with a double-double by scoring 32 points and 11 rebounds (on 12-of-13 shooting from the field). American forward Rob Robinson (203-87, college: Robert Morris, agency: SDJ Sports) contributed with a double-double by scoring 26 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists and 4 blocks for the winners. Four Caballeros de Culiacan players scored in double figures. American point guard Myron Allen (182-79, college: Lee JC) answered with 21 points and 4 assists and the other American import forward Jerome Habel (208-85, college: San Diego St.) added 20 points and 7 rebounds (on 9-of-11 shooting from the field) in the effort for Ostioneros de Guaymas. Both coaches used bench players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. Caballeros de Culiacan maintains eighth place with 9-14 record. Ostioneros de Guaymas at the other side keep the third position with six games lost. Caballeros de Culiacan will again play against higher ranked Ostioneros de Guaymas (#3) at home in the next round and it will be quite challenging to get another victory. Ostioneros de Guaymas will have a break next round.
Top scorers:
Guaymas: M.Allen 21+4reb+4ast, J.Habel 20+7reb, H.Johnson 14+1reb+2ast, H.Nungaray 8+3reb+1ast, H.Carrillo 7+4reb, R.Benitez 3+3reb
Culiacan: R.Zamora 32+11reb, R.Robinson 26+10reb+4ast, M.Henderson 14+2reb, R.Navarro 12+3reb+2ast, R.Lopez 7+1reb+4ast, L.Pulido 3+2reb+3ast
gschID: 171187


Tepic - Guasave 89-91

Tenth-ranked Coras de Tepic (1-22) made lots of trouble for sixth ranked Frayles de Guasave (11-12) on Friday. The visitors from Guasave managed to secure only two-point victory 91-89. However their fans expected much easier game. Coras de Tepic trailed by 14 points after 3 quarters before a 29-17 run in the last quarter cut the deficit to 89-91 at the end of the game. Frayles de Guasave made 20-of-25 free shots (80.0 percent) during the game. The game was also dominated by American players. The best player for the winners was guard Russell Carter (196-85, college: Notre Dame) who scored 30 points (was perfect 8-for-8 from the free throw line). Forward Charles Moore (201-86, college: S.Arkansas) chipped in 18 points and 9 rebounds. Moore is a former Eurobasket Summer League player, which is considered top international summer league in the market. Center Deangelo Riley (205, college: Azusa Pacific) produced a double-double by scoring 25 points, 10 rebounds, 8 assists and 6 blocks and forward Ray Reese (196-87, college: Tulsa, agency: David Lee services) added 14 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists respectively for the hosts. Both teams had four players each who scored in double figures. The victory was the third consecutive win for Frayles de Guasave. They moved-up to fifth place, which they share with Los Mochis. Coras de Tepic lost their fifth game in a row. They stay dead last with 22 lost games. Frayles de Guasave will have a break next round. Coras de Tepic will play again at home against Frayles de Guasave (#6).
Top scorers:
Tepic: D.Riley 25+10reb+8ast, E.Swanson 18+2reb+4ast, K.Young 17+4reb+2ast, R.Reese 14+6reb+5ast, S.Lugo 9+5reb+2ast, C.Ledon 3+1ast
Guasave: R.Carter 30+4reb+3ast, C.Moore 18+9reb+1ast, G.Giron 17+5reb+5ast, A.Izaguirre 16+3reb+4ast, V.Buelna 8+4reb+3ast, S.Spicer 2
gschID: 171184


Nogales - Tijuana 90-92

Fourth-ranked Fuerza Guinda Nogales (12-11) made lots of trouble for second ranked Tijuana Zonkeys (18-5) on Friday. The visitors from Tijuana managed to secure only two-point victory 92-90. However their fans expected easier game. Fuerza Guinda Nogales trailed by 11 points after 3 quarters before a 31-22 run in the last quarter cut the deficit to 90-92 at the end of the game. The game was dominated by American players. The best player for the winners was swingman Marcus Morrison (198-84, college: Middle Tenn.St.) who scored 22 points and 7 rebounds. Power forward Cyrus Tate (203-85, college: Iowa, agency: Edge Sports) chipped in 21 points. Swingman O'Louis McCullough (198-82, college: Francis Marion) produced 22 points and 7 rebounds and guard Michael Gale (193-82, college: Centenary) added 18 points and 6 rebounds respectively for the hosts. Five Tijuana Zonkeys and four Fuerza Guinda Nogales players scored in double figures. Tijuana Zonkeys have an impressive series of seven victories in a row. They maintain second place with 18-5 record behind leader Hermosillo. Fuerza Guinda Nogales lost fifth consecutive game. They keep the fourth position with 11 games lost. Tijuana Zonkeys will have a break next round, and it should allow them to practice more before next game. Fuerza Guinda Nogales will play again at home against the league's second-placed Tijuana Zonkeys (#2) and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Nogales: O.McCullough 22+7reb+2ast, M.Gale 18+6reb+2ast, B.Heredia 17+2reb+3ast, P.Carter 11+4reb+1ast, M.Strobbe 9+8reb+2ast, J.Mercado 6+5reb
Tijuana: M.Morrison 22+7reb+2ast, C.Tate 21+4reb+2ast, D.Hugee 15+4reb+4ast, A.Solares 15+6reb+1ast, E.Medina 11+5reb+2ast, L.Ramirez 5
gschID: 171185



Best players of Mexican CIBACOPA round 23 - by Eurobasket News

Naturalized American center Rodrigo Zamora (206-C-86) had an amazing evening in the last round for Culiacan and that's him to receive a Latinbasket.com Player of the Week award for round 23.
The 25-year old center had a double-double of 32 points and eleven rebounds, while his team crushed Guaymas (#3, 17-6) with 19-point margin 96-77. Culiacan maintains the 8th position in American CIBACOPA. Culiacan is rather a weak team placed in lower part in the standings. They need more victories to improve their 9-14 record. Zamora just recently signed at Culiacan, being already a very valuable addition to the team. Montana State University graduate has very impressive stats this year. Zamora is in league's top in rebounds (6th best: 7.5rpg) and averages solid 1.3bpg and 55.0% FGP.

The second most remarkable performance in last round's games was -year old American center Deangelo Riley (205-C) of Tepic. Riley impressed basketball fans with a double-double of 25 points and 10 rebounds. Bad luck as Tepic was edged by the higher-ranked Guasave (#6, 11-12) 91-89. Tepic are still at the very bottom. 22 lost games are too many comparing to just one victory Tepic managed to get this year. Riley is one of the most experienced players at Tepic and has a reputation of one of team's most reliable players.

The third best performed player last round was another Culiacan's star - American Rob Robinson (203-F-87, agency: SDJ Sports). Robinson showcased his all-around game by recording 26 points, ten rebounds and four assists in the last round. He was another key player of Culiacan, helping his team with a 96-77 easy win against the higher-ranked Guaymas (#3, 17-6). The chances of Culiacan not to end season at such low position in the league, however are less than slim as they have already lost 14 games, recording just nine victories. With bigger assistance of his teammates, Robinson could try to bring Culiacan's a little bit higher in the standings. Robinson has individually a great season in Mexico. After 22 games, he made it on the list of the league's leaders in points with 22.6ppg (best scorer) and rebounds with 8.5rpg (4th best).

Other top performing players last week:
4. Damien McSwine (193-G-78) of Navolato - 33 points, 4 rebounds and 4 assists
5. Ronald Selleaze (197-F-76) of Navolato - 23 points, 15 rebounds and 4 assists
6. Matthew Gibson (196-G-84) of Navolato - 30 points and 4 assists
7. Devon Pearson (198-F-84) of Los Mochis - 23 points, 10 rebounds and 2 assists
8. Russell Carter (196-G-85) of Guasave - 30 points, 4 rebounds and 3 assists
9. Jerome Habel (208-F-85) of Guaymas - 20 points and 7 rebounds
10. Gabriel Giron (192-F-88) of Guasave - 17 points, 5 rebounds and 5 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)


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

Standings - 1A

1A Standings
S-League
 1. Buducnost 8-1 
 2. Mornar Bar 6-2 
 3. Sutjeska 5-3 
 4. Lovcen 3-5 
 5. Teodo Tivat 2-7 
 6. Ulcinj 1-7 
Play-Out
 1. ABS Primorje 6-2 
 2. KK Podgorica 5-3 
 3. Jedinstvo 5-3 
 4. Danilovgrad 4-4 
 5. Centar BP 4-4 
 6. Mogren 0-8 
Erste Basketball League Standings

Second Stage: Round 9

Play-Out

Apr. 21: ABS Primorje - Jedinstvo 89-83
Apr. 21: Danilovgrad - KK Podgorica 78-61
Apr. 21: Centar BP - Mogren 20-1

S-League

Apr. 21: Teodo Tivat - Buducnost 59-83
Apr. 22: Sutjeska - Ulcinj
Apr. 23: Lovcen - Mornar Bar


The Life Story of Mihailo Pajo Pavicevic, KK Mornar's head coach - by Darko Pekic

Eurobasket.com reporter had a pleasant conversation with Mr. Pavicevic few hours before the game against Buducnost in Bar . Mihajlo Pavicevic Pajo is one of the most experienced basketball coaches in Montenegro and probably the coach with biggest reputation who currently works in Montenegrin basketball. He shared with us a lot of interesting information and anectodes from his life and basketball career. Take a look!

I started playing basketball in the Gymnasium Hall in Bar and my first coach was professor Branka Korac. It has all started when one day two friends- Branislav Prentovic and Rade Radovic approached me during the break between classes and told me: We are going to tell you one thing but you will have to keep the secret, okey? This afternoon at 4 PM takes place first practice of Gimnazijalac basketball club. You are also invited. Take the ball with you. I could not not believe it, it was like a dream come true to me and I had never been previously in the new hall. At 4 PM our professor Branka Korac lined us up and said loudly: Everybody arrived? Is there anybody who did not get the invite? Branislav said: Yes, there is one? Who? Pajo Pavicevic! We called him because nobody else had the ball! At that point I had two options-to take the ball and go back home or to stay and prove to them that I deserve to stay. I opted for the latter option, and said: I think that I will be better than all of you. And it happened.. I became a basketball player.

Actually, basketball was not my first option. I like to play football and I was an excellent goalkeeper. I also loved athletics. When I was in high school I got an invitation to join the junior national team in track and field. Perhaps at that moment I chose the sport that I was less familiar with, especially because there was no basketball coach in Bar. I had to procure from abroad basketball litaterature and thats how I learned the basics of basketball. Today's generation will have hard time to believe that our geneation, for example, paved the ground in front of the Gymnasium in Bar. I had ruined a pair of shoes and jeans, but we did it with love. In this generation were brothers Borislav Vucevic (201-F-58) and Savo Vucevic , Brano Radovic, Nikica Kovacevic, then Dusko Pavlovic, my brother Djordje Pavicevic , Bobo Ljutica, Nebojsa Milosevic etc ... Basketball as a sport has grown in Bar and really we should be proud on ourself when we look back at the past. In the meantime, Bar made two NBA players and one player who was drafted (Mladen Sekularac (203-G/F-81)). This is probably the smallest town in the world with so many NBA players which is especially important if one consider that some American states failed to produce a single NBA players .. We must be proud on that.

During the 70s our games were the most important event in the town. When we entered the B league schools in Bar did not work, everybody came to see the game. When I realize now how much money the players earn all I can is to remember that we were getting peanuts although we were not worse or less talented than new generations. Our team could have played an important role in todays EBL for sure. Just to give you a little ovierview of the situation back then. I was the three time top scorer of former Yugoslavian B league. There were some very strong teams competing. I remember that I had season average of 30.4 points per game and a whopping 6.4 triples per game which is nowadays unthinkable. One more interesting thing is that I spent five New Year evenings in the high school gym, I trained in the dark.. It was an enthusiasm that is now rarely seen. Milka, the cleaning lady, told me when I graduated from high school: I am happy to see you leave for two reasons-the first one is your degree, of course, and the other one is obvious also-I will now finally be able to clean the whole gym in the morning and you will not be around to disturb me! I used to wake up at 6 AM and shoot the ball around before the classes. While she cleaned one part of the court I used the other one and we rotated when the other part got dry. I asked my players once: Is there anyone here who has his own ball?, Everyone watched around and no one had the ball. And its interesting to know that most of them live in hotel Sidro, next to the open courts. Then I asked: Do you use the open courts sometimes to shoot around'? Again there was no reply.

I must admit that I had to steal my first ball. It was not possible to get a ball at that time. A team from Kragujevac used to spend their summer vacations in Bar and we played basketball with them, but when they left we had no ball. So me and my friends agreed to steal the ball and we made a perfect plan. One of my friend accidentely kicked the ball in the meadows and I found it but of course I told them that the ball had been lost! However, we consumed a lot of balls and shoes because we played all day. Todays generations use to spend too much time chatting on facebook and playing video games while me and my friends used every single free minute to go to the playgrounds and play.

After the end of my playing days I decided to start coaching and I took coaching very seriously.. The offer that arrived in 1996 from Red Star Belgarde for me was not a surprise, although I somehow felt that it would be the wrong choice but at that time it was hard to refuse an offer from such a famous club. Before that I proved myself as a coach of the Junior National Team of Yugoslavia, and a team led by Igor Rakocevic (193-G-78) and Ratko Varda (216-C/F-79) and Vladimir Vidacic (207-C/F-78) won bronze medal at the 1996 European Championship in France. However, I accepted the offer and the first season was very problematic. Red Star brought 5 new players. There were young players such as Jovo Stanojevic (208-C-77, agency: Beo Basket), Dejan Miskovic (209-C-77), Zlatko Bolic (195-G-74, agency: Beo Basket) and on the other side experienced players in the twilight of their career- Nebojsa Ilic and Aleksandar Trifunovic (agency: Alti Sport ). There was a large gap between younger and older players and we failed to achieve good results as a team.

But next year the president listened to me, he brought me good players and we made a strong team. Before the season has asked me to tell him who would be a good addition to the team and help us to win the title. He said: Here's a paper and pen for you, you have two hours to make a championship team. First on the list was Milenko Topic (204-F-69), which was then in BFC Beocin. Probably not everybody know that Milenko had signed then a pre-contract with Partizan. The President asked for an explanation and I told him that after 1995, when Partizan took Dejan Tomasevic (208-F/C-73, agency: Beo Basket), Red Star was no longer a competitive team. Red Star needed somebody like Topic to recover and start a serious fight for the title. But Topic has been particularly effective in tandem with Zeljko Topalovic (209-C-72). The two of them were the best tandem in the YUBA League and I needed him also. The President listened to me and we brought both of them. We got also Vladimir Kuzmanovic (195-G-71, agency: Beo Basket) from Beocin, Oliver Popovic (200-G/F-70) and Vojkan Bencic (196-G-67) from Beobanka. Red Star had a big budget in that season so we made a very good team. But the overall situation in the club was very problematic because the two fractions were fighting for supremacy, and president and director of the club had poor communication. My biggest problem was the relationship with club management, how to make a balance between them. Basketball issues were the slightest problem at that time. I could not stand it and I left the club. In the play-offs they called me back at 1 AM to return to the bench. The players supported me and I accepted to return. It was a hard decision. In the meantime the club changed three coaches: Ranko Zeravica , Tom Ludwig , Vladislav Lucic . In the finals I was able to shake the team, and to get the maximum from each player. And we won the title.

But the president had too many advisors and we did not make a step up after the championship season. I asked him to keep the major players and try to bring only two players-Nikola Jestratijevic (212-C-76), center, and Sasa Obradovic (agency: Beo Basket ), or Vlado Scepanovic (198-G-75, agency: FCM) to fill in the guard position. Instead of them he brought me Rastko Cvetkovic (210-C-70) (who had a long break and was not in shape), Dragoljub Vidacic (189-G-70) and Stevan Pekovic (201-G-70, agency: Beo Basket). I told my late wife that it was time to change the club and I shared my thoughts with the president two months before the Euroleague game against Cibona. I told him: If I loose against Cibona I will leave the team. We played that game in front of empty stands, lost it and I left, just like I promised. I must admit that I am not very proud on this period in my career although it was pretty successfull. But I have never had a real chance in Red Star to apply my system.

Shortly thereafter I moved to Cyprus in Apoel and there I met a little funny situation. The first three weeks of training I had only seven players. If training starts at 7 AM they start gathering up 30 minutes later, depending on their jobs schedule etc. They promised me reinforcements, but I did not resist there more than one month and we decided to split ways. Simply, it was not the right situation for me at that moment. That season, in essence, was a one year break for me, although I had some offers but I am not someone who would easily take a team in middle of the season. I am used to choose players for the season and go through summer workouts with them .

In April of 2000 came an offer from Finland. I've never before heard of Finnish basketball but I was positively surprised by the quality of basketball and the beauty of that country. I have stayed there for 9 years and must say that this is one of the most beautiful periods in my life. Enough said. I won five titles and one cup, and an award for coach of the year. In that season I was the most successful coach of the year in all sports with the highest percentage of wins. The first three titles we won in a row and third one was my favorite because we won it with young Finnish players. I was very disappointed when I found out that a big club like Honka went bankrupt last year but thats how the thing work in Finland- If you have debts you go bankrupt, even though you have great tradition.

In addition to good team result, I think my greatest success is the creation of the Finnish Top player Petteri Koponen (194-G-88). This guy got a chance in the first team and I recognized his talent. But I had a lot of trouble to convince the authorities in Finland to give me a special permission to work with him individually. No one even mentioned leaving school! I had to wake up every morning very early, and go to his school where I did individual 2 hour work outs with him while the other kids did physical education classes. This was the only permit they gave me and I had to fight for it. However, I insisted and this guy got a chance in the first team as a starting guard because I said to the president that I would not need Americans to fill in that position. We opened the season with 0-3 record but I believed in him and he has justified the expectations and helped me and his young teammates to win the title. Petteri became the league MVP. After that, he was chosen in the first round of NBA draft and it is very rare to see a European point guard among first round picks ( The latest example is Ricky Rubio (192-G-90)). He will play probably next season in the NBA. When David Stern pulled out his name people started wondering who the hell is the coach of this boy because Americans have only heard of famous hockey players from Finland. It was a very emotional moment for me. The first Finnish player in the NBA was Hanno Mottola (209-F/C-76, college: Utah). However, he is an American pupil and he spent four years at University of Utah. Besides him, I also worked with about 80% players of Finnish NT players from the last European Championships in Lithuania. That's why I got an invitation to spend 2 years in the coaching staff of Portland Trailblazers for the summer league. It was a great experience, I met a lot of coaches and players. One the biggest honors in my career is that in those years an action named Pajo was written in Portlands playbook because I gave some ideas to the head coach Nate McMillan , and he accepted, and thus proved that in general he is not a vain man. In addition, I have to mention another anecdote that happened to me during my stay in Helsinki. We played against CSKA in the Baltic league and lost by half point and had the final shot to win the game. The game was played in Moskow and after the game my team manager approached me in the locker room and said: An older man is waiting you in the hall. He wants to meet you. I thought it must had been one of our compatriots who lived there and I told him that I would meet him in a minute or so. However, I continued talking to the players and about ten minutes passed before I left the locker room ... and I could not believe my eyes! The legendary Aleksander Gomelsky approached me and said: Congratulation Coach! Let me shake your hand. I have not seen a team play so fine for a long time! I was amazed but also ashamed because I left him to wait outside the door. This was perhaps the greatest compliment of my career.

I brought Akeem Scott (186-PG-83, agency: Interperformances, college: High Point) from Finnish 2nd league and together we have won a title with Honka. This year he is with me in Bar and it is easy to notice how much winning means to him. I will tell you a story about him. We went to play an away game, it was just cold but I told to my players that we would not take the bus. We walked together from the hotel to the gym. Akeem was the only one without a jacket. I asked him why he had not taken a jacket with him and he answered: Coach, you do not need to worry about that. Its nothing... It intrigued me and when we came to the gym I approched him: Hey Scott, what did you mean by that? How come there is no need to take a jacket'?! He answered: Well Coach.. when I was a child my father left me and my mom. Do you know how many nights me and my mom have spent outside on the cold like this? My mom had no money so we had to sleep under a bridge. I almost cried, and since then I respect him greatly as a player and as a man. He is a player who plays with heart. And I sometimes shout at him when he makes a mistake but I know that he is always going to give 100%. Thats Akeem. On the other side, a lot of our players lack the will and fighting spirit. Actually. they just do not care about winning. As soon as a team like Mornar express interested in a player, agents and counselors surround that player, parents start seeking big money, etc.. For example at Connecticut there are no therapist at the team practices. If you are hurt no one pays attention to you, the coach does not stop the game. I have to tell another anecdote, I watched one practice where Richard Hamilton (199-G-78, college: Connecticut) ended up the game on one leg. But he finished the practice anyway. I was wondering and I asked coach Jim Calhoun why he had not pulled him earlier. He is your leader- I added. Calhoun replied: Thats the reason why I kept him on the floor.. Do I have to build the team around a player who would leave a practice because of a non serious injury?. Thats the fighting spirit they have.. Our players in most cases do not have that kind of spirit and love for the game. Just because they do not feel that basketball is a struggle for existence, but think that God-given talent is just enough, most of them fail to make a career. American players fight more because they do not just play basketball, they earn money for the whole family. Great players are born in this way .. One more thing- four of my players are coaches in NCAA leagues. This is a proof that I always choose good men, not only good players.

They say that with my arrival the perception of basketball in Finland has changed. Before me there were mainly Americans coaches and run&gun basketball style. I also love to see fast, organized basketball but fast, not wild. There is a very thin line between these two philosophies. In addition, they are very cultured people, so there is no need to yell. Only after 2 or 3 seasons there I started yelling at them and they somehow liked it because they knew me well. I am sure that 90% of coaches with our approach would get fired there after a couple of games.

After Koponen left us I lost motivation. I had a valid contract with Honka but I did not want to work at 50% of my ability and take money for nothing. I told the president that I was going to return to my home country. Mornar was a perfect opportunity because I missed my daughters very much and they missed me. I was also attracted by the KK Mornar project, led by my brother and Aco Mijailovic from BEMAX. The aim was to promote young players regardless of good or bad results. I finished my first year at Mornar without any compensation because all I wanted to do was to help my brother in working with young players. Among them was Nikola Ivanovic (187-G-94, agency: Beo Basket) who is really a great talent and I want to point out that my brother is objectively most responsible for his development. He gave him a chance in the cadet national team and later in Mornar where he was the starting point guard at the age of 16. He shined many times this season in Buducnost and I have no doubt that a great career is ahead of him. Montenegro has gotten a point guard for the next 10-15 years. Last summer, after the end of U16 National Teams Championship, I felt that my brother had been very consumed by too many duties he had and I decided to replace him on Mornar's bench. But be sure that my brother will return next season and will continue where he left off last season.



This season we have been dominant in the regular season. We had two defeats which are the consequence of my experimentations and I admit that. Our goal was to make it to the Final Four tournament of Balkan league but we failed and that still hurts. But I must stress that this is also the result of wrong decisions made by the League comissioner who imposed inhumane schedule to us. I wonder who in the world must play 4 games in 6 days?! Even the NBA players do not have that type of schedule.. Fatigue distroyed us and the defeat against Feni Industries is just a logical consequence.

However, I must point out for the end the biggest problem of Montenegrin basketball. The problem is called Educational Neglect. I can not understand parents who, because of a possible basketball career fail to explain to their children the importance of school and education. In the last ten years only Nikola Vucevic (208-F-90, college: USC) and Nikola Mirotic (207-F/C-91) became world class players. My question is- where are the others? All have become average players or do not play basketball any more. This must be taken into account




*****************************************************
  MOROCCO   


Difficult play-off for SP - by Eurobasket News

Day-2 play-offs of the Morocco national basketball championship were played within the week with MAS defeating SP 65-57. This marked the second defeat by SP after that recorded recently against ASS. They are now left with slim chances to qualify for the next stage of the championship as they will have to win all home encounters and record good results outside. In the other match, WAC ensured a second win after beating CRA 77-71. This weekend, various teams will be involved in away leg matches counting for the semi-finals of the cup of the throne.


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

Standings

NBA Standings
Eastern Conference
Atlantic Div.
 1. Boston C. 37-27 
 2. New York K. 33-30 
 3. Philadelph.76 32-30 
 4. New Jersey N. 22-41 
 5. Toronto R. 22-41 
Central Div.
 1. Chicago B. 47-16 
 2. Indiana P. 41-22 
 3. Milwaukee B. 29-33 
 4. Detroit P. 23-40 
 5. Cleveland C. 21-41 
Southeast Div.
 1. Miami Heat 45-17 
 2. Atlanta H. 38-25 
 3. Orlando M. 36-26 
 4. Washington W. 16-46 
 5. Charlotte B. 7-55 
Western Conference
Northwest Div.
 1. Oklah.City T. 46-17 
 2. Denver N. 34-28 
 3. Utah Jazz 33-30 
 4. Portland TB 28-35 
 5. Minnesota T. 26-38 
Pacific Div.
 1. LA Lakers 40-24 
 2. LA Clippers 39-24 
 3. Phoenix Suns 33-30 
 4. Golde State W. 22-40 
 5. Sacramento K. 20-43 
Southwest Div.
 1. San Antonio S. 46-16 
 2. Memphis G. 38-25 
 3. Dallas M. 36-28 
 4. Houston R. 32-31 
 5. N.Orleans H. 20-43 

Regular Season: Round 114

Apr. 20: Cleveland C. - New York K. 98-90
Apr. 20: Atlanta H. - Boston C. 97-92
Apr. 20: Sacramento K. - Oklah.City T. 92-103
Apr. 20: Charlotte B. - Memphis G. 80-85
Apr. 20: San Antonio S. - LA Lakers 121-97
Apr. 20: Dallas M. - Golde State W. 104-94

Regular Season: Round 116

Apr. 22: Atlanta H. - New York K.
Apr. 22: Detroit P. - Toronto R.
Apr. 22: Charlotte B. - Sacramento K.
Apr. 22: San Antonio S. - Cleveland C.
Apr. 22: LA Clippers - N.Orleans H.
Apr. 22: LA Lakers - Oklah.City T.
Apr. 22: Miami Heat - Houston R.
Apr. 22: Minnesota T. - Golde State W.
Apr. 22: Denver N. - Orlando M.


Stats Leaders

Points Per Game
 Kobe BRYANT
  LA Lakers
  (198-G-78)
  Avg: 27.9
 1. Bryant, LA Lakers27.9 
 2. Durant, Oklah.Ci.27.8 
 3. James, Miami Heat27.1 
 4. Love, Minnesota T.26.0 
 5. Westbrook, Oklah..23.8 
 6. Wade, Miami Heat22.5 
 7. Rose, Chicago B.22.5 
 8. Anthony, New Y.22.4 
 9. Ellis, Golde S.21.9 
 10. Nowitzki, Dallas21.7 
Rebounds Per Game
 Dwight HOWARD
  Orlando M.
  (211-C-85)
  Avg: 14.5
 1. Howard, Orlando M.14.5 
 2. Love, Minnesota T.13.4 
 3. Bynum, LA Lakers11.9 
 4. Humphries, New J.11.0 
 5. Cousins, Sacramen.10.9 
 6. Griffin, LA Clipp.10.9 
 7. Gasol, LA Lakers10.4 
 8. Chandler, New Y.10.0 
 9. Gortat, Phoenix9.9 
 10. Smith, Atlanta H.9.7 
Assists Per Game
 Rajon RONDO
  Boston C.
  (185-PG-86)
  Avg: 11.6
 1. Rondo, Boston C.11.6 
 2. Nash, Phoenix Suns10.7 
 3. Paul, LA Clippers9.0 
 4. Calderon, Toron.8.8 
 5. Williams, New J.8.7 
 6. Rubio, Minnesot.8.2 
 7. Rose, Chicago B.7.9 
 8. Parker, San A.7.7 
 9. Wall, Washington W.7.7 
 10. Conley, Memphis G.6.8 
Steals Per Game
 Chris PAUL
  LA Clippers
  (183-PG-85)
  Avg: 2.4
 1. Paul, LA Clippers2.4 
 2. Conley, Memphis G.2.3 
 3. Rubio, Minnesot.2.2 
 4. James, Miami Heat1.9 
 5. Iguodala, Philadel.1.8 
 6. Millsap, Utah Jazz1.8 
 7. Shumpert, New Y.1.8 
 8. Rondo, Boston C.1.8 
 9. Allen, Memphis G.1.7 
 10. Westbrook, Oklah..1.7 
Blocks Per Game
 Serge IBAKA
  Oklah.Ci.
  (208-C/F-89)
  Avg: 3.6
 1. Ibaka, Oklah.Ci.3.6 
 2. McGee, Washingt.2.5 
 3. Howard, Orlando M.2.1 
 4. Jordan, LA Clippers2.0 
 5. Hibbert, Indiana P.2.0 
 6. Bynum, LA Lakers1.9 
 7. Gasol, Memphis G.1.8 
 8. Smith, Atlanta H.1.8 
 9. Dalembert, Houst.1.7 
 10. O''Neal, Boston C.1.7 


Cleveland Cavaliers sign guard D.J. Kennedy - by Interperformances

The Cleveland Cavaliers have signed guard/forward D.J. Kennedy (6'6''-G/F-89, agency: Interperformances, college: St.John's) from the Erie BayHawks of the NBA Development League for the remainder of the 2011-12 season, Cavaliers General Manager Chris Grant announced today. The signing of Kennedy marks the 58th Call-Up from the D-League of the 2011-12 season. He will wear no. 12.

In 44 regular season games (all starts) with the BayHawks, Kennedy averaged 15.7 points on .447 shooting, 7.3 rebounds and 4.4 assists in 37.4 minutes per game. He shot .378 (51-135) from three-point range and .816 from the free throw line (168-206). The 6-foot-6, 215-pounder also played in all three of Eries postseason games, averaging 14.3 points, 9.7 rebounds and 5.3 assists in 42.0 minutes per game.

The 22-year-old played all four seasons at St. Johns, topping the 1,000-point plateau and posting averages of 11.7 points on .436 shooting, 6.1 rebounds and 2.4 assists in 30.4 minutes in 129 career games (125 starts).
(courtesy of www.insidehoops.com)


Utah 117, Orlando 107 - by Milord Nikolic

Al Jefferson had 21 points and 10 rebounds and Devin Harris scored 21 as Utah held tough in overtime against visiting Orlando to increase its edge over Phoenix for the final Western playoff spot. Utah (34-30) moved a full game ahead of Phoenix (33-31) for eighth place. Phoenix plays at Utah on Tuesday and holds the tiebreaker over the Jazz. Orlando (36-27) was playing its first game since learning superstar Dwight Howard is done for the season. Jefferson tied the score at 101-101 with 21.4 seconds to go in regulation, forcing overtime. The Jazz, who had made only two 3-pointers in regulation, got two in the extra period plus made all four free throws to pull away from the Magic. Paul Millsap had 18 points and nine rebounds and Derrick Favors had 16 points and 11 rebounds for the Jazz. Gordon Hayward scored 12. Jameer Nelson had 23 points and 11 assists for the Magic. Jason Richardson and Ryan Anderson each scored 21. Glen Davis had 17 points and 13 rebounds. Orlando made 15 of 38 3-pointers to just 4 of 8 for the Jazz. Orlando seemed to put the game out of reach with a 19-2 run for an 81-69 lead. The Jazz then went on a 12-2 run and trailed 83-81 after three quarters.


Friday's games review (6) - by Eurobasket News

Sacramento K. - Oklah.City T. 92-103
Kevin Durant (6'9''-G/F-88, college: Texas) had 29 points, 14 rebounds and seven assists to lead the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 103-92 victory over the struggling Sacramento Kings on Friday night. The Thunder took the lead for good midway through the first quarter and went on to their second consecutive victory and fourth in five games. Oklahoma City (46-17) remained in contention for the best record in the Western Conference. The Thunder are one-half game behind San Antonio and have three games remaining, including Tuesday against the visiting Kings. The Spurs defeated the Lakers at home on Friday. James Harden (6'5''-G-89, college: Arizona St.) had 20 points and Russell Westbrook scored 18 for the Thunder, who have a 7-5 record in April. Serge Ibaka had 12 points and eight of the Thunder's 11 blocks and Kendrick Perkins had 10 points. DeMarcus Cousins had 18 points and nine rebounds for the Kings, who have lost nine of 10. Tyreke Evans scored 16 points, Jason Thompson added 13, Isaiah Thomas 12 and Jimmer Fredette 11 for the Kings (20-43), who are tied with New Orleans for the worst record in the Western Conference. The Kings trimmed the Thunder's 15-point lead to eight with 4:30 left in the fourth quarter aided by Fredette's six points. But the Thunder kept their composure down the stretch to maintain the lead and preserve the victory. At halftime, Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson talked about opening the line of communications with the Kings owners regarding plans for a tentative new downtown arena that fell apart last week. Johnson, who has been very critical of the owners' decision, met with the Maloofs in Las Vegas on Friday and will talk sometime again next week. 'I understand a little bit of where George's (Maloof) perspective was,' Johnson said. 'Not that I fully agree with it, but I fully understand his perspective. It (today) was a solid step forward.' It's been another difficult season for the Kings both on and off the court. Besides the arena plan seemingly derailed, Sacramento has experienced its sixth straight losing season. Durant made all three shots in the third quarter, including two 3s, and had eight points to help the Thunder lead 81-70 after three. After Thomas' 3-pointer pulled the Kings within three points, the Thunder ran off eight straight points. Westbrook banked in a jumper and then knifed through the defense for a layup. Two free throws by Harden put the Thunder up 75-64 at the 4:39 mark. Sacramento played the game without leading scorer Marcus Thornton, who suffered a left quad contusion in Wednesday's game against San Antonio. *Courtesy of www.huffingtonpost.com

San Antonio S. - LA Lakers 121-97
Tim Duncan (6'11''-F/C-76, college: Wake Forest), Tony Parker (6'0''-PG-82) and Manu Ginobili all scored at least 20 points to help the San Antonio Spurs beat the Los Angeles Lakers 121-97 on Friday night and spoil Kobe Bryant's return. Bryant had missed the previous seven games with a bruised left shin, and the Lakers went 5-2 without the NBA's scoring leader. But with only two games left in the regular season for Los Angeles (40-24), Bryant returned as he aims to get into a rhythm before the playoffs begin. Bryant wore a black sock over his lower left leg, with what appeared to be a shin guard protecting the injured area. He scored 18 points on 7-of-12 shooting. The Spurs (46-16) stayed atop the Western Conference with their sixth straight victory while the Lakers missed a chance to clinch home court in the first round of the playoffs. These teams could meet in the opening round, and judging by their latest meeting, it would be a mismatch. San Antonio has given Los Angeles its two worst losses of the season the worst Friday night and 112-91 on Tuesday. Duncan had 21 points and eight rebounds, Parker had 20 points and 10 assists, and Ginobili added 20 points and seven assists. San Antonio hit 47 of 77 shots from the field and broke the game open in the third quarter, when Bryant played his best. The Lakers' star hit 5 of 6 shots in the quarter, directing his teammates on offense and yelling at them to 'D-up' on defense. It hardly mattered, though, as he was repeatedly on his heels on defense as the Spurs pushed the ball. San Antonio scored 18 points in the paint in the quarter to only two for Los Angeles. While Bryant was sidelined, several Lakers increased their scoring, none more than Metta World Peace. World Peace more than doubled his scoring average with Bryant out of the lineup, but he had only 10 points on 3-of-9 shooting against the Spurs. 'We counted on all our guys (when Bryant was out),' Lakers coach Mike Brown said before the game. 'I thought Metta stepped up . all our guys stepped up. Hopefully they just stay aggressive. I think we'll be fine, but we'll see how we blend or gel.' Andrew Bynum scored 17 points for the Lakers, while Matt Barnes had 14 and Pau Gasol 11. 'I think Kobe knew that if he came back too early from this injury, it would set him back,' Brown said. 'We didn't want to have any setbacks this time of year. He's been great the whole time.' He certainly got off to a strong start, going down low on Kawhi Leonard for a short jumper and a foul on the Lakers' first possession. Bryant hit the ensuing free throw, but he didn't score again until he hit a 15-foot jumper with 34 seconds left in the quarter. *Courtesy of www.huffingtonpost.com

Dallas M. - Golde State W. 104-94
Vince Carter (6'6''-G/F-77, college: N.Carolina) and Brandan Wright (6'9''-F-87, college: N.Carolina) are showing how much they can help Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Terry. And that can be significant for the defending NBA champion Dallas Mavericks heading into the playoffs. Wright had 17 points in 17 minutes and Carter's 19 points included eight straight for Dallas early in the fourth quarter, when the Mavs finally pulled away from the young Golden State Warriors for a 104-94 victory Friday night. 'When it's my turn, I'm going to come in aggressive and ready to play,' said Carter, the 13-year veteran who joined the Mavericks just before the season. 'I just want to help these guys, Dirk and Jet [Terry], really take pressure off them so they don't have to take double-teams all the time.' Carter, who didn't score before halftime, hit a long jumper to start the fourth quarter. When he ended his personal scoring streak with an assist on Terry's breakaway 3-pointer, Dallas had stretched its lead to 87-75 with 9 minutes left. 'We were looking to get him involved,' coach Rick Carlisle said. 'He made good decisions, made shots and made a couple of good passes. It gives us another attacker out of the small forward position. That's a plus.' It was the last regular season home game for the Mavericks, who clinched a playoff spot Thursday night without even playing. They were guaranteed their 12th straight playoff appearance after Houston's sixth consecutive loss, in New Orleans a night after the Rockets lost in Dallas. The Mavericks finished 23-10 at home. Nowitzki and Delonte West each had 16 points, and Shawn Marion 14 in the finale. 'We're playing as a cohesive unit out there,' said West, who had some big plays in the third quarter. Dallas, sixth in the Western Conference standings, plays at Chicago on Saturday night. The regular season finale is Thursday at Atlanta. Klay Thompson, one of four rookie starters for Golden State, had 26 points. Brandon Rush had 20 points on 9-of-12 shooting for the Warriors. 'I thought it was an outstanding effort when you look at the team we put on the floor,' coach Mark Jackson said. 'We found a way to hang in until the fourth quarter when they got some separation.' The Warriors, playing the first of three straight road days, were without five injured players. Dallas didn't go ahead for good until late in the third quarter. Two free throws by Carter tied the game at 58 before West had a three-point play, driving and reaching around a defender for a bank shot high off the glass while being fouled and then making the free throw. The third quarter ended with a scrambling possession by the Mavs. West made a 3-pointer from the right corner at the buzzer for a 76-70 lead. 'Our main goal is to finish strong and compete,' said Dorrell Wright, the only veteran starter for the Warriors. 'It's a learning process with four rookies starting. ... They finished. That's why they're the defending champs.' Wright had 19 points. Jeremy Tyler had 15 points and Charles Jenkins had 10 points and 10 rebounds. Center Andris Biedrins didn't even make the trip, missing his third straight game because of a mild concussion, and guard Nate Robinson missed his second game in a row with a strained right hamstring. Also out were center Andrew Bogut (broken left ankle), guard Stephen Curry (sprained right ankle) and post player David Lee (strained groin). Dallas led 40-29 midway through the second quarter after Wright scored 11 points in a 4-minute span. Nowitzki had the only other Mavs basket in that stretch. Wright, the 6-foot-10 forward, is getting some of the minutes that were going to Lamar Odom before he played his last game with the Mavericks two weeks ago. When Terry missed a 3-pointer, Wright grabbed the rebound among three defenders and went right back up for the first basket of the second quarter. Terry then had a steal and passed ahead to Wright for a powerful two-handed dunk. Wright had another putback of a missed 3-pointer before Terry made a nifty behind-the-back bounce pass to Nowitzki for a long jumper. Less than 2 minutes after that, Nowitzki penetrated and passed off to Wright for a slam instead of taking a shot himself. 'I'm pretty much keeping the same way. I'm a pretty low key, calm guy and not get rattled,' Wright said. 'I'll keep the same routine, but obviously the games mean a lot more.' *Courtesy of www.cbssports.com

Atlanta H. - Boston C. 97-92
Joe Johnson (6'7''-G-81, college: Arkansas) scored 30 points, and the Atlanta Hawks edged the short-handed Boston Celtics 97-92 on Friday night to take a step toward landing homecourt advantage in the first round of the playoffs. The Hawks (38-25) are in line to be the No. 4 seed in the Eastern Conference, and Celtics (37-27) are on track to be No. 5. This, however, looked nothing like a playoff game early. Both teams shot over 50 percent and Atlanta took a 58-49 halftime lead while Boston guard Avery Bradley (6'2''-G-90, college: Texas) scored 17 of his career-high 28 points. Boston left Rajon Rondo, Ray Allen and Mickael Pietrus at home with injuries, and perennial All-Stars Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce made the trip to Atlanta but Celtics coach Doc Rivers rested both stars after playing 11 games in 15 days. Even without five players who either start or play big minutes, the Celtics pulled within one point five times in the fourth quarter. Johnson's three-point play with 1:56 left gave Atlanta a 90-86 lead, and the Hawks held on for their first win in three games against Boston. Josh Smith had 19 points and 12 rebounds for Atlanta, and Keyon Dooling scored 17 points for the Celtics. The Hawks lost a home game earlier this season when Miami Heat stars Dwyane Wade and LeBron James did not play, and there was danger of a repeat Friday, especially when Dooling scored on a layup with 2:33 left to close the deficit to 87-86. Johnson's three-point play came moments later. If the teams finish with the same record, Boston would be considered the fourth seed by virtue of being a division champion. Plus, the Celtics beat the Hawks in two of three regular-season meetings. Should Atlanta finish with a better record that would supersede Boston's division title in determining home court in a head-to-head playoff matchup. *Courtesy of www.ktvn.com

Cleveland C. - New York K. 98-90
Kyrie Irving (6'3''-G-92, college: Duke) had 21 points for the Cleveland Cavaliers, who defeated the playoff-bound New York Knicks 98-90 as the National Basketball Association's regular season nears its end. The Knicks (33-30), seventh in the Eastern Conference standings, have clinched a playoff spot while the Cavaliers (21- 41) are in 13th place outside the eight-team playoff list. Manny Harris (6'5''-G-89, college: Michigan) had 19 points and 12 rebounds and Samardo Samuels added 15 points for the Cavaliers, who had a 45-34 halftime lead at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland. Amar'e Stoudemire, who had been out since March 26 with a bulging disk in his back, and Steve Novak each scored 15 points for the Knicks, while Carmelo Anthony and Mike Bibby added 12 apiece. The regular season ends April 26 with the playoffs beginning two days later. Before the game, the Knicks signed free-agent center Dan Gadzuric and waived guard/forward Bill Walker, the team said in a news release. Terms of Gadzuric's deal were not released by the team. The 6-foot-11 Gadzuric has averaged 4.7 points and 4.4 rebounds per game in nine NBA seasons with the Milwaukee Bucks, Golden State Warriors and New Jersey Nets. Walker, who is 6-foot-6, averaged 5.9 points in 32 games -- including eight starts -- for the Knicks this season. He moved to New York from Boston in a trade in February 2010. *Courtesy of www.bloomberg.com


Magic C Howard has successful back surgery - by Eurobasket News

Magic All-Star center Dwight Howard (6'11''-C-85) underwent surgery on the herniated disc in his back and is expected to fully recover in four months, according to a report in the Orlando Sentinel.

Dr. Craig Mintzer, the team doctor, told the newspaper that Howard shouldn't have any restrictions upon a full recovery. The surgery was performed by spine surgeons Dr. Robert Watkins Sr. and Jr. in Los Angeles.

In a statement to the newspaper, Howard's manager, Kevin Samples, said the All-Star had the procedure at Marina del Rey Hospital. Samples said Howard 'had a lumbar disk herniation with extruded fragments that were removed with a microscopic lumbar discectomy.'

The 26-year-old center averaged 20.6 points and a league-best 14.5 rebounds over 54 contests this season. He is also expected to miss the Summer Olympics.

Orlando, which has clinched a playoff berth, sits in sixth place in the Eastern Conference.

Courtesy of www.foxnews.com


Curry, Bogut to undergo arthroscopic surgeries - by Eurobasket News

Stephen Curry (6'3''-PG-88, college: Davidson) and Andrew Bogut (7'0''-C-84, college: Utah) will both undergo arthroscopic surgery on their respective ankles next week in Van Nuys, CA.

Warriors general manager Larry Riley said Saturday morning that Curry will undergo the surgery on his troublesome right ankle to further explore and gather more information on the injury. The surgery will take place on Wednesday.

The MRIs are conclusive to some degree but not totally conclusive, Riley said of previous tests. The advice of the doctors is we will know best if we do a scope and take a look at it and see if theres anything that needs to be done from there.

Steph did everything he possibly could to try to get ready to play. Its just recently all of us decided that this would give us the appropriate amount of time thats needed to take care of that surgery and do everything we can not to compromise next season.

Riley said he did not consider the surgery a setback, and maintained that Curry will be better suited to approach the procedure now that his ankle has had plenty of time to heal. Curry hasnt played since early March.

Riley didnt put a timetable on when Curry would be able to play basketball again but was hopeful he could stick to the plan of practicing some with the Warriors summer league team in Las Vegas in July.

Riley said Curry should be ready to go come training camp in October. In fact, he maintained that one reason both surgeries are taking place now is to ensure as much as possible both are ready for next year.

As for Bogut, he will have some loose particles and scar tissue removed from his left ankle, which he injured earlier this year. Bogut will have his surgery on Friday.

Riley called Boguts surgery as a routine cleanup procedure thats more of a preventative measure.

There are appear to be some small, loose particles and even possibly some scar tissue that can be cleaned out with as a scope, Riley said. And therefore give him the best chance to have a great summer and be fully recovered probably within six weeks.

As a result, Bogut will not be able to participate in the Summer Olympics for his home country of Australia. Bogut had been holding out hope to possibly play in those.

Courtesy of www.csnbayarea.com


Utah Jazz officially sign Blake Ahearn for the season - by Eurobasket News

The Utah Jazz will sign former Reno Bighorn Blake Ahearn (6'2''-PG-84, college: Missouri St.) for the rest of the NBA season. Ahearn was originally signed to a 10-day contract on April 9. Ahearn's GATORADE Call-Up was the third for a Bighorn player this season and the 50th for the NBA D-League during the 2011-12 season.

Ahearn has played in three games for the Jazz, averaging 5.0 minutes per game and 1.0 points per game. The Jazz have three games remaining in the regular season and are currently tied with the Phoenix Suns for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference.

Ahearn played in 37 games with the Bighorns this season averaging 23.8 points, 2.6 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.0 steals per game. He was ranked fifth in the D-League in points. During the season, he shot a remarkable 96.2% from the free-throw line, which included a stretch of 110 consecutive made free throws. Ahearn's free-throw streak set the D-League record, and surpassed the NBA record of 97 straight. For his efforts, he was named NBA D-League Co-Performer of the Week on Jan. 3, along with Bighorn teammate Andre Emmett. Ahearn also became the NBA D-League's all-time leading scorer, with 3,804 total points.

Courtesy of wwwoursportscentral.com


NBPA requests that Derek Fisher quit - by Eurobasket News

On April 18th, the NBPA executive committee cast an 8-to-0 vote that it lost confidence in Derek Fisher's (6'1''-PG-74, agency: Priority Sports, college: UALR) ability to act as Union President, and requested Dereks resignation.

The Executive Committee based its decision on numerous instances over the past six months, where Fisher engaged in conduct detrimental to the union, including acting in contravention of the players best interests during collective bargaining, declining to follow the NBPA Constitution, and failing to uphold the duties of the Union President. To avoid further damage to the NBPA and its 450 members, the Executive Board again calls for Dereks resignation.

The NBPA performs annual financial audits and shares the results of those audits with the Executive Committee and Player Representatives at its annual meetings. The NBPA completed a financial audit in February and will share the results of the audit with the Executive Committee and Player Representatives at the unions summer meeting.

Additionally, the NBPA conducted two business reviews following the negotiation of the 1999 and 2005 Collective Bargaining Agreements. And with the support of the entire Executive Committee, the union will conduct another business review in a timely manner.

We hope for a swift and complete resolution to these issues.

Courtesy of www.insidehoops.com


Andrew Bynum says he'll skip Olympics - by Eurobasket News

Lakers center Andrew Bynum (7'0''-C-87, agency: David Lee services) is not interested in playing in the Olympics because he wants extra rest and also plans to undergo the same innovative knee procedure that Kobe Bryant had in Germany last summer.

'I've got to take care of my legs in the off-season,' Bynum said Friday. 'I've got some things planned for my knees.... I've got to do some therapy that I'm going overseas to do.'

Bynum has undergone surgical procedures on each of his knees in recent years.

The procedure in Germany is much less invasive and marketed as Regenokine or Orthokine.

It targets proteins or molecules called interleukin that cause inflammatory responses. Blood is removed from the affected area of a patient and spun in a centrifuge. The antagonists of interleukin are removed to create a serum that is injected back into the targeted area.

The recovery period is remarkably short. Bryant has often complimented the results of the procedure, which he had on his ailing right knee and troublesome left ankle during two separate visits to molecular orthopedist Peter Wehling.

'I feel a lot stronger and a lot quicker and able to get to the basket and free-throw line,' Bryant said earlier this season.

Team USA is short on centers because Orlando's Dwight Howard will undergo back surgery and miss the Olympics, which begin July 29 for basketball.

Portland power forward LaMarcus Aldridge, who also might have played center, will skip the Olympics because of hip surgery.

Bynum, 24, was an All-Star this season for the first time in his seven-year career. He was averaging 18.9 points and 12.1 rebounds before Friday's game against San Antonio.

Bynum was contacted before the 2008 Olympics about playing for the U.S. but had to pass because he was coming off knee surgery. He has not been contacted this week by USA Basketball, which will decide in the next two weeks which players to add to its shrinking roster.

Miami's Chris Bosh and Minnesota's Kevin Love are power forwards who could also play center in the international game, which sometimes puts more emphasis on shorter post players with speed and shooting touch rather than brute strength.

Lamar Odom, keep in mind, played center while the U.S. won a gold medal in the FIBA 2010 World Championships.

Meanwhile, Bryant will not merely be 'a closer' despite his repeated insistence he will let younger Team USA players do all the scoring and swoop in at the end if needed.

'He's not changing,' USA Basketball Chairman Jerry Colangelo told The Times on Friday at an event sponsored by Jeep in Santa Monica. 'He's one of the top two or three guys we've ever seen who loves to compete. If he's capable, he's going to be there. He's not going to change his game.'

This will probably be the last Olympic run for Bryant, who will be almost 38 for the 2016 Olympics.

Pau Gasol will play again for Spain, which lost to the U.S. in the 2008 gold-medal game, 118-107.

One player who won't appear in this year's Olympics is Odom, Colangelo said. Odom was recently deactivated by the Dallas Mavericks.

'Lamar Odom had a year that is a forgettable year for him,' Colangelo said. 'I don't think he possibly, physically or emotionally, could be ready to participate and contribute.'

Courtesy of www.latimes.com


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


Wildcats' Perry arrested on assault charge - by Milord Nikolic

Former University of Arizona basketball player Jesse Perry was arrested Friday by Tucson police and charged with felony domestic violence after a woman was briefly hospitalized with injuries she said were caused by Perry. According to the police report, a woman on Friday was treated for injuries that were not considered life-threatening and released from the hospital the same day. Police investigating the injuries said they 'learned that the suspect of the assault had previously had a romantic relationship with the victim, making the assault domestic violence in nature.' According to the report, the woman had been at Perry's apartment early Thursday morning when they began arguing. Perry then assaulted and injured the woman before she was able to leave with friends, according to the police. No additional details about the incident have been released.


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

Standings Men

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

Regular Season: Round 8

Apr. 21: Nelson G. - OceanaGold N. 89-77
Apr. 21: Southland S. - Wellington S. 86-85
Apr. 18: Auckland P. - Taranaki MA 114-88
Apr. 20: Hub Jets - OceanaGold N. 103-79
Apr. 20: Bay Hawks - Harbour H. 102-83

Regular Season: Round 9

Apr. 25: Bay Hawks - Wellington S.
Apr. 25: Nelson G. - Taranaki MA
Apr. 25: Auckland P. - Harbour H.
Apr. 27: Southland S. - Taranaki MA
Apr. 27: Wellington S. - Hub Jets
Apr. 28: OceanaGold N. - Taranaki MA
Apr. 28: Southland S. - Nelson G.
Apr. 28: Bay Hawks - Hub Jets
Apr. 29: OceanaGold N. - Nelson G.


Stats Leaders

Points Per Game
 Phill JONES
  Nelson G.
  (196-G-74)
  Avg: 24.9
 1. Jones, Nelson G.24.9 
 2. Horvath, Hub Jets24.1 
 3. Gurley, Wellington24.0 
 4. Wright, OceanaGo.23.1 
 5. Braswell, Southlan.22.2 
 6. Leasure, Taranaki.22.0 
 7. Tisby, OceanaGo.21.7 
 8. Pace, Hub Jets21.6 
 9. Hudson, Taranaki.20.9 
 10. Tait, Auckland P.20.4 
Rebounds Per Game
 Nick HORVATH
  Hub Jets
  (208-F/C-81)
  Avg: 16.4
 1. Horvath, Hub Jets16.4 
 2. Tisby, OceanaGo.11.7 
 3. Atkinson, Harbo.9.6 
 4. Abney, Southland9.6 
 5. Johnson, Bay Hawks9.4 
 6. Muhammad, Aucklan.8.9 
 7. Frank, Wellington8.8 
 8. Wright, OceanaGo.8.6 
 9. Young, Bay Hawks7.8 
 10. Harrison, Nelson7.7 
Assists Per Game
 Jason CROWE
  Wellington S.
  (193-G-76)
  Avg: 9.7
 1. Crowe, Wellington9.7 
 2. Tait, Auckland P.8.0 
 3. Dickel, OceanaGo.6.4 
 4. Jones, Nelson G.5.3 
 5. Bailey, Harbour H.4.3 
 6. Wright, OceanaGo.4.2 
 7. Pace, Hub Jets4.1 
 8. Kenny, Bay Hawks4.0 
 9. Braswell, Southlan.3.9 
 10. Young, Bay Hawks3.9 
Steals Per Game
 Kevin BRASWELL
  Southlan.
  (188-G-79)
  Avg: 2.6
 1. Braswell, Southlan.2.6 
 2. Crowe, Wellington2.6 
 3. Wright, OceanaGo.2.2 
 4. Leasure, Taranaki.2.2 
 5. Pace, Hub Jets2.0 
 6. Gurley, Wellington2.0 
 7. Dickel, OceanaGo.1.9 
 8. Bailey, Harbour H.1.9 
 9. Muhammad, Aucklan.1.8 
 10. Tait, Auckland P.1.7 
Blocks Per Game
 Michael HARRISON
  Nelson G.
  (206-F/C-84)
  Avg: 2.8
 1. Harrison, Nelson G.2.8 
 2. Tisby, OceanaGo.1.7 
 3. Trousdell, Wellin.1.2 
 4. Wright, OceanaGo.1.1 
 5. Atkinson, Harbo.1.0 
 6. Abney, Southland1.0 
 7. Muhammad, Aucklan.1.0 
 8. Frank, Wellington0.9 
 9. Cartwright, Auckla.0.7 
 10. Newbold, Auckland.0.7 


NBL Round 8: Bay Hawks keep a leadership position - by Eurobasket News

Coincidentally all hosts won their games.

The game had a very big importance for second-ranked Bay Hawks as it allowed them to take a leadership position. Bay Hawks smashed 9th ranked Harbour H. in Tamatea 102-83. The game without a history. Bay Hawks led from the first minutes and controlled entire game increasing their lead in each quarter. They looked well-organized offensively handing out 25 assists comparing to just 9 passes made by Harbour H.'s players. Worth to mention a great performance of the former international guard Paora Winitana (196-76) who helped to win the game recording 19 points and 6 rebounds and Canadian-American forward Galen Young (198-75, college: Charlotte) who added 13 points, 6 rebounds and 6 assists during the contest. American guard Justin Bailey (188-77, college: Hartford) responded with 23 points. Both coaches used bench players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. As mentioned above they are alone now at the top position. Harbour H. at the other side stay at the bottom place with seven games lost. Harbour H. will play next round against strong Auckland P. trying to get back on the winning streak. It will be a derby game for which supporters look forward to, where their team will travel locally in Auckland to the arena of Auckland P.. Bay Hawks will try to continue on its current victory against third ranked Wellington S. at home.
Important game to mention about took place in Southland. Eighth ranked Southland S. (4-6) saved a 1-point victory at home edging higher ranked Wellington S. (5-4) 86-85 on Saturday evening. It ended at the same time the two-game winning streak of Wellington S.. The winners were led by American forward Lawrence Abney (203-77, college: Fresno St., agency: Dream Team Management) who had that evening a double-double by scoring 26 points and 13 rebounds and Kevin Braswell supported him with 17 points and 6 assists. Even 16 points and 8 assists by American guard Jason Crowe (193-76, college: CS Northridge) did not help to save the game for Wellington S.. Wellington S.'s coach rotated ten players in this game, but that didn't help. Southland S. moved-up to sixth place. Defending champion Wellington S. keeps the third position with four games lost. Southland S. will play against Taranaki MA (#7) in New Plymouth in the next round. Wellington S. will play on the road against the league's leader Bay Hawks (#1) in Tamatea and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
The game between Top Four teams took place in Auckland. Second ranked host Auckland P. (8-2) smashed 4th ranked Taranaki MA (4-7) 114-88. The best player for the winners was Lindsay Tait who had a double-double by scoring 35 points (!!!), 5 rebounds and 11 assists. Jack Leasure produced 27 points for the guests. The winner was already known earlier in the game, so both coaches allowed to play the bench players saving starting five for next games. Auckland P. have a solid four-game winning streak. They maintain second position with 8-2 record having just -1 point less than leader Bay Hawks. Loser Taranaki MA dropped to the seventh place with seven games lost. Auckland P.'s supporters look forward to an exciting derby game next round, where their team will face at home their local rival from Auckland Harbour H..

In the last two games of round 8 OceanaGold N. was destroyed by Hub Jets on the opponent's court 103-79. Nelson G. managed to outperform OceanaGold N. in a home game 89-77.

Southland S. - Wellington S. 86-85

Important game to mention about took place in Southland. Eighth ranked Southland S. (4-6) saved a 1-point victory at home edging higher ranked Wellington S. (5-4) 86-85 on Saturday evening. It ended at the same time the two-game winning streak of Wellington S.. Wellington S. was ahead by 4 points after three quarters before a 21-16 charge of Southland S., which allowed them to win the game. They made 16-of-20 charity shots (80.0 percent) during the game. It was a great shooting night for Southland S. especially from behind the arc, where they had solid 55.6 percentage. The winners were led by American forward Lawrence Abney (203-77, college: Fresno St., agency: Dream Team Management) who had that evening a double-double by scoring 26 points and 13 rebounds and the other American import guard Kevin Braswell (188-79, college: Georgetown, agency: Priority Sports) supported him with 17 points and 6 assists. Even 16 points and 8 assists by American guard Jason Crowe (193-76, college: CS Northridge) did not help to save the game for Wellington S.. The former international forward Casey Frank (203-77, college: N.Arizona) added 16 points and 6 rebounds for the guests. Four Southland S. and five Wellington S. players scored in double figures. Wellington S.'s coach rotated ten players in this game, but that didn't help. Southland S. moved-up to sixth place. Defending champion Wellington S. keeps the third position with four games lost. Southland S. will play against Taranaki MA (#7) in New Plymouth in the next round. Wellington S. will play on the road against the league's leader Bay Hawks (#1) in Tamatea and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Southland S.: L.Abney 26+13reb, K.Braswell 17+1reb+6ast, C.Bradshaw 15+5reb+3ast, D.Prewster 12+8reb, D.Peck 8+1reb, S.Tilby 6+3reb+2ast
Wellington S.: J.Crowe 16+2reb+8ast, C.Frank 16+6reb, T.McLean 14+2reb+1ast, A.Trousdell 12+6reb+2ast, E.Scott 11+4reb+3ast, J.Kench 10+3reb+2ast
gschID: 168120


Bay Hawks - Harbour H. 102-83

The game had a very big importance for second-ranked Bay Hawks as it allowed them to take a leadership position. Bay Hawks smashed 9th ranked Harbour H. in Tamatea 102-83. The game without a history. Bay Hawks led from the first minutes and controlled entire game increasing their lead in each quarter. They looked well-organized offensively handing out 25 assists comparing to just 9 passes made by Harbour H.'s players. Worth to mention a great performance of the former international guard Paora Winitana (196-76) who helped to win the game recording 19 points and 6 rebounds and Canadian-American forward Galen Young (198-75, college: Charlotte) who added 13 points, 6 rebounds and 6 assists during the contest. American guard Justin Bailey (188-77, college: Hartford) responded with 23 points and his fellow American import power forward Zack Atkinson (206-86, college: Cal-Irvine, agency: Top Notch Sports) scored 19 points and 6 rebounds. Five Bay Hawks and four Harbour H. players scored in double figures. Both coaches used bench players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. As mentioned above they are alone now at the top position. Harbour H. at the other side stay at the bottom place with seven games lost. Harbour H. will play next round against strong Auckland P. trying to get back on the winning streak. It will be a derby game for which supporters look forward to, where their team will travel locally in Auckland to the arena of Auckland P.. Bay Hawks will try to continue on its current victory against third ranked Wellington S. at home.
Top scorers:
Bay Hawks: P.Winitana 19+6reb+2ast, E.Bartlett 16+1reb+3ast, K.Johnson 14+8reb+1ast, G.Young 13+6reb+6ast, B.Hill 12+3reb+2ast, J.Kenny 10+5reb+6ast
Harbour H.: J.Bailey 23+2reb+2ast, Z.Atkinson 19+6reb+1ast, R.Te Rangi 19+3reb+1ast, K.Smith 14+4reb+2ast, M.Alexander 7+3reb+1ast, M.Davidson 1+3reb+2ast
gschID: 168117


Hub Jets - OceanaGold N. 103-79

Rather expected game in Palmerston North where 7th ranked OceanaGold N. (3-7) was crushed by fifth ranked Hub Jets (4-3) 103-79 on Friday. The game without a history. Hub Jets led from the first minutes and controlled entire game increasing their lead in each quarter. Hub Jets outrebounded OceanaGold N. 50-30 including a 17-6 advantage in offensive rebounds. The best player for the winners was the former international power forward Nick Horvath (208-81, college: Duke) who had a double-double by scoring 29 points and 15 rebounds. American forward Marcel Jones (203-85, college: Oregon St., agency: David Lee services) chipped in a double-double by scoring 22 points, 12 rebounds and 7 assists. Four Hub Jets players scored in double figures. American power forward Antoine Tisby (203-83, college: S.Carolina) produced a double-double by scoring 22 points and 10 rebounds and his fellow American import swingman Akeem Wright (200-84, college: Kansas St.) added 17 points, 7 rebounds and 7 assists 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. Hub Jets moved-up to fourth place. OceanaGold N. lost fourth consecutive game. They dropped to the eighth position with seven games lost. Hub Jets will meet league's leader Bay Hawks in the next round and it may be the game of the week. OceanaGold N. will play against Nelson G. (#5) in Stoke and hope to secure a win.
Top scorers:
Hub Jets: N.Horvath 29+15reb, M.Jones 22+12reb+7ast, J.Pace 21+8reb+6ast, M.Te Huna 13+3reb+3ast, Z.Meehl 7+1reb, M.Pearce 4+6reb
OceanaGold N.: A.Tisby 22+10reb, A.Wright 17+7reb+7ast, M.Fitchett 11+3reb+2ast, J.Ross 9, S.King 9+5reb+4ast, R.Buckrell 4+2reb+2ast
gschID: 168118


Nelson G. - OceanaGold N. 89-77

The game between closely ranked teams ended with sixth ranked Nelson G.'s (4-5) home victory over 7th ranked OceanaGold N. (3-7) 89-77 on Saturday. The game was mostly controlled by Nelson G.. OceanaGold N. managed to win third quarter 22-15. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. The best player for the winners was American power forward Michael Harrison (206-84, agency: Interperformances) who scored 28 points and 8 rebounds. Swingman Sam Dempster (192-90) chipped in a double-double by scoring 15 points and 14 rebounds. American swingman Akeem Wright (200-84, college: Kansas St.) produced 23 points and 7 rebounds and his fellow American import power forward Antoine Tisby (203-83, college: S.Carolina) added 21 points and 9 rebounds respectively for the guests. Nelson G. moved-up to fifth place. OceanaGold N. lost fourth consecutive game. They dropped to the eighth position with seven games lost. Nelson G. will meet at home Taranaki MA (#7) in the next round. OceanaGold N. will play against Taranaki MA in New Plymouth and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Nelson G.: M.Harrison 28+8reb+1ast, P.Jones 21+4reb+2ast, S.Dempster 15+14reb, P.Campbell 9+12reb+2ast, D.Jones 7+3reb, G.Dawson 6+2reb
OceanaGold N.: A.Wright 23+7reb+3ast, A.Tisby 21+9reb+1ast, J.Ross 15+3reb+1ast, M.Trueman 8+8reb+1ast, M.Fitchett 8+3reb+1ast, S.King 2+4reb
gschID: 168119


Auckland P. - Taranaki MA 114-88

The game between Top Four teams took place in Auckland. Second ranked host Auckland P. (8-2) smashed 4th ranked Taranaki MA (4-7) 114-88. The hosts were tied at the half but managed to speed up in last two quarters eventually winning the game. Auckland P. had a 34-23 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 Auckland P. made 7 blocks. The best player for the winners was international guard Lindsay Tait (192-82) who had a double-double by scoring 35 points (!!!), 5 rebounds and 11 assists. American swingman Ronald Dorsey (197-83, college: McNeese St.) chipped in 18 points. American guard Jack Leasure (191-86, college: Co.Carolina) produced 27 points and his fellow American import guard Darryl Hudson (196-85, college: Howard, agency: Strategic Sports) added 17 points and 4 assists respectively for the guests. Both teams had four players each who scored in double figures. The winner was already known earlier in the game, so both coaches allowed to play the bench players saving starting five for next games. Auckland P. have a solid four-game winning streak. They maintain second position with 8-2 record having just -1 point less than leader Bay Hawks. Loser Taranaki MA dropped to the seventh place with seven games lost. Auckland P.'s supporters look forward to an exciting derby game next round, where their team will face at home their local rival from Auckland Harbour H..
Top scorers:
Auckland P.: L.Tait 35+5reb+11ast, R.Dorsey 18+4reb+3ast, B.Ruscoe 13+5reb+2ast, I.Muhammad 10+7reb, D.Bailey 8+6reb, H.Allen 7+4reb+4ast
Taranaki MA: J.Leasure 27+4reb+2ast, D.Hudson 17+3reb+4ast, A.Bailey-Nowell 15+4reb, L.Abrams 15+5reb+1ast, M.Abdelhamid 5+7reb+1ast, C.Daniel 5+6reb+2ast
gschID: 168116



Perth Wildcats force a third and deciding game 3 - by Mike Lacey

Game 2 of the iiNet ANBL Grand Final held in The Jungle last Friday night was another heart stopper, the game being decided on the last play of the game as Shawn Redhage (12 points) swatted away a CJ Bruton (188-G-75, college: Indian Hills CC) (20 points) shot to seal a 87-86 victory for the Perth Wildcats over the New Zealand Breakers. The freak final basket of the game, the ball ending up in the hoop from the grasping fingers of Gary Wilkinson (game high 28 points and 7 rebounds) and Matt Knight as they contested a rebound, summed up the series unpredictable.
The third and deciding game of this enthralling series sold out in just an hour as thousands of fans rushed for tickets for Tuesday nights encounter at Vector Arena in Auckland.
Both teams are battered and bruised, its painful watching Abercrombie and Martin hobbling around the court. Both teams are desperate to win, will the younger legs in the Perth line up prevail or will the more experienced Breakers outfit see off their rivals and retain their ANBL crown?

In game one Gary Wilkinson with 12 points became the 12th player to score 1000 points for the club. Wilkinson, with 28 points in game 2 also notched up 500 points for the second consecutive season.
The injury which forced Tom Abercrombie to miss the first final brought to an end a run of 68 consecutive appearances in a Breakers singlet dating back to Feb 10th, 2010
Cedric Jackson with 9 assists in Game 2 took his tally of assists for the season to 200, further extending his record for most assists in a single season by a Breakers player.



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  PHILIPPINES   


ASEAN League: Indonesia Warriors storm past Patriots - by Eurobasket News

Philippine Patriots - Indonesia Warriors 79:104

Indonesia Warriors stunned the league leading Philippine Patriots in ASEAN League Round 17. Evan Brock (204-F-84, college: Alabama) came up with 23 points and 12 rebounds to pace the visitors as they improved at 9-9 record. The Patriots suffered the 4th defeat in the season.
Indonesia Warriors took over right from the start. They cleared off to a 5-point distance after ten minutes of action. The visitors maintained the led throughout the second frame. They established a 49:36 halftime lead. The Patriots shifted the gear in the third quarter. The hosts erupted for 28 points in the third period to cut the deficit to 5 points. But Indonesia Warriors unleashed a 35:15 run in the final frame to seal the victory at the end. Stanley Pringle (184-PG-87, college: Penn St.) accounted for 22 points, while Steve Thomas (204-C/F-81, college: Middle Tenn.St.) added 18 points and 13 rebounds for the winners. Anthony Johnson (197-G/F-79, agency: Interperformances, college: La-Lafayette) answered with 32 points for Philippine Patriots. Aldrech Ramos (198-C/F-88) finished with 14 points in the loss.

Philippine Patriots: Anthony Johnson 32, Aldrech Ramos 14
Indonesia Warriors: Evan Brock 23+12 boards, Stanley Pringle 22, Steve Thomas 18+13 boards


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  POLAND   

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.18.2 
 3. Niesobski, Sudety16.7 
 4. Kostrzewski, Start16.4 
 5. Jarecki, P.Cuk.15.3 
 6. Mazur, Polonia14.8 
 7. Lewandowski, P.Cuk.14.0 
 8. Donigiewicz, Rosa13.8 
 9. Zytko, P..13.6 
 10. Pluta, MOSiR K.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.9.4 
 4. Mikolajko, Polonia7.9 
 5. Wilusz, Sudety7.1 
 6. Grudzinski, Spojnia7.1 
 7. Malewski, Znicz B.7.0 
 8. Radke, Rosa Radom6.9 
 9.