Eurobasket Daily News Report: 4/9/2012 1:04:01 AM

EUROBASKET NEWS REPORT - 4/9/2012 1:04:01 AM

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Men News

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ALGERIA

Standings

D1 Standings

1. GS Petroliers		21-2
2. CSMC		20-4
3. WA Boufarik		18-5
4. Trefle BB Blida		16-8
5. Skikda		15-10
6. CRB Dar El-B.		14-9
7. NAH Dey		11-12
8. O Batna		11-13
9. Arreridj		10-13
10. US Setif		10-14
11. MS Cherchell		9-14
12. USM Blida		8-15
13. Sidi-bel-Abbes		8-15
14. CRB Temouch.		8-16
15. Staoueli		6-15
16. Annaba		2-22

Regular Season: Round 24

Apr. 7: GS Petroliers - Skikda 87-59
Apr. 7: MS Cherchell - US Setif 81-74
Apr. 7: USM Blida - Annaba 77-59
Apr. 7: CSMC - Trefle BB Blida 68-66
Apr. 7: CRB Temouch. - WA Boufarik 64-82
Apr. 7: Staoueli - Sidi-bel-Abbes
Apr. 7: CRB Dar El-B. - O Batna
Apr. 7: NAH Dey - Arreridj

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ARGENTINA

Stats Leaders - LigaA

Points Per Game

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

1. Smith, La Union	17.3
2. Gutierrez, Obras	17.0
3. Villegas, Sionista	16.6
4. McHopson, Quilm.	16.3
5. Matthews, Quilm.	16.0
6. DeGroat, Olimpico.	15.8
7. OBannon, Boca Jrs	15.8
8. Martinez, San M.	15.6
9. Pittman, Libertad.	15.4
10. Quinteros, Regat.	15.1

Rebounds Per Game

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

1. Martinez, San M.	12.4
2. Battle, Libertad S.	9.9
3. Garces, Atenas	9.4
4. Davis, GECR I.	9.3
5. Sandes, Sionista	9.1
6. Lloreda, Olimpico.	8.8
7. Gutierrez, Obras	8.5
8. Williams, Quimsa	7.6
9. DeGroat, Olimpico.	7.5
10. Truscott, Quilm.	7.3

Assists Per Game

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

1. Campazzo, Penarol	6.3
2. Stanic, Boca Jrs	5.5
3. Sanchez, Wuber-.	5.4
4. Cequeira, Sionista	4.8
5. Martinez, Regat.	4.8
6. Laprovittola, Lanus	3.8
7. Sucatzky, Atenas	3.7
8. Victoriano, San M.	3.7
9. Osimani, Obras	3.5
10. Labaque, Atenas	3.4

Steals Per Game

Facundo CAMPAZZO
  Penarol
  (180-G-91)
  Avg: 2.3

1. Campazzo, Penarol	2.3
2. Lescano, Atenas	2.3
3. Moldu, Olimpico LB	1.7
4. Quinteros, Regat.	1.7
5. McHopson, Quilm.	1.6
6. Sanchez, Wuber-.	1.5
7. Treise, Libertad S.	1.4
8. DeGroat, Olimpico.	1.4
9. Torre, Club 9	1.4
10. Beitzel, San M.	1.4

Blocks Per Game

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

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

ASEAN LEAGUE

Standings

O Standings

1. Philip.Patriots			13-2
2. Petron Blaze			12-4
3. KL Dragons			7-8
4. Satria Muda			7-9
5. Saigon H.			6-9
6. Singapore S.			6-9
7. Bangkok C.			5-9
8. Thailand S.			5-11

Regular Season: Round 15

Apr. 4: Saigon H. - Satria Muda 88-86
Apr. 4: Bangkok C. - Philip.Patriots 78-84
Apr. 8: KL Dragons - Petron Blaze 76-92
Apr. 7: Thailand S. - Saigon H. 56-58

Regular Season: Round 16

Apr. 14: Satria Muda - KL Dragons
Apr. 14: Petron Blaze - Philip.Patriots
Apr. 15: Bangkok C. - Thailand S.

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AUSTRALIA

Mannheim 2012: Emus achieved the first victory - by Eurobasket News

Australia - China 80:71

Emus achieved the first victory at the Albert Schweitzer Tournament 2012. Australian U18 team beat China U18 in Mannheim 2012 for 1-1 record. The Asian team fell at 0-2 record.
China surprised the opponents with 12-4 in the opening tip and continued their surge in the period. They reached 21-12 at the end of the frame and had 35:23 midway through the second quarter. Moreover China led 47:31 at the halftime, but lost the game. Australia dominated the second half and grabbed the important win. They needed 25-13 and 24-11 in the third and the last frames respectively to seal the victory.
Anthony Fisher top-scored for the winners with 23 points and Jack Lopez netted 14. Dane Pineau delivered 9 points in a win. Zhou Qi (215-C-96) ended up with 13 points in the losing case and Zhao Jiwei (185-G-95) had 11. Yu Dehao (188-G-95), Lai Junhao (204-C-95) and Liu Bo (204-F-96) posted 10 points apiece.

Australia: Anthony Fisher 23, Jack Lopez 14 Dane Pineau 9
China: Zhou Qi 13, Zhao Jiwei 11, Yu Dehao 10, Lai Junhao 10, Liu Bo 10

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AUSTRIA

Stats Leaders

Points Per Game

Stjepan STAZIC
  BC Vienna
  (199-G-78)
  Avg: 25.9

1. Stazic, BC Vienna	25.9
2. Drenovac, Arkadia	23.0
3. Reed, Oberwart	19.9
4. Shavies, Furstenf.	18.4
5. Shaw, Oberwart	18.0
6. Stegnjaic, UBSC G.	17.1
7. Grum, UBSC G.	17.1
8. Djuric, Gussing	17.1
9. Fears, Kapfenberg	16.9
10. Curry, Gmunden	16.7

Rebounds Per Game

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

1. Werner, Wels	9.9
2. Gordon, Kapfenberg	8.3
3. Reed, Oberwart	7.8
4. Oppland, Gmunden	7.6
5. Ware, Furstenfeld	7.3
6. Skurdauskas, Arkad.	7.2
7. Moric, UBSC G.	7.1
8. Robinson, Furstenf.	7.1
9. Nelson, Kapfenberg	7.0
10. Lamesic, Wels	6.8

Assists Per Game

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

1. Danek, Arkadia	6.9
2. Fears, Kapfenberg	6.4
3. Shavies, Furstenf.	5.9
4. Schreiner, Kapfe.	5.4
5. Klepeisz, Gussing	5.0
6. Stazic, BC Vienna	4.7
7. Schaal, UBSC G.	4.4
8. Curry, Gmunden	4.2
9. Grum, UBSC G.	3.9
10. Lanegger, Kloster.	3.9

Steals Per Game

Jeremy FEARS
  Kapfenberg
  (196-G-85)
  Avg: 2.6

1. Fears, Kapfenberg	2.6
2. Shavies, Furstenf.	2.4
3. Pryor, Wels	2.1
4. Schreiner, Kapfe.	2.0
5. Brown, Wels	1.8
6. Mayer, Gmunden	1.5
7. Danek, Arkadia	1.4
8. Milosevic, St.Polt.	1.4
9. O''Neal, Furstenfeld	1.4
10. Scott, Gussing	1.3

Blocks Per Game

Gary WARE
  Furstenfeld
  (205-F/C-83)
  Avg: 1

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

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BELARUS

Justinas Sinica claims Belarusian Premier League weekly honour - by Eurobasket News

Lithuanian Justinas Sinica (203-F-85) 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 1 (Second Stage).
The 26-year old forward had the game-high 22 points adding eight rebounds for Minsk-2006 in his team's victory, helping them to outclass Minsk-2006 II (#4, 9-16) with 37-point margin 120-83. 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 24-1. In the team's last game Sinica had a remarkable four three-pointers out of 6 attempts. He just recently signed at Minsk-2006, being already a very valuable addition to the team.

The second most remarkable performance in last round's games was young center Pavel Bliznets (205-C-94) of Sozh Gomel. Bliznets impressed basketball fans with a double-double of 18 points and 13 rebounds. Bad luck as Sozh Gomel lost that game 52-101 to BGUIR-RTI (11-15). The Second Stage is still at the very beginning and this lost game may not be such crucial, of course if they start win the games. Let's wait for the next round. Bliznets is well-known by Sozh Gomel fans and he already established his position as one of team's most reliable players.

The third best performed player last round was Yuriy Ignatiev (198-F-91) of BGUIR-RTI (#-3). Ignatiev scored 25 points and grabbed six rebounds. He was a key player of BGUIR-RTI, leading his team to a 101-52 easy win against #-1 ranked Sozh Gomel in a game of the week. The chances of BGUIR-RTI ranking at the top of Play-Out, however are very questionable as they have already lost 15 games, recording just eleven victories. With bigger assistance of his teammates, Ignatiev could help BGUIR-RTI to bring them higher in the standings. Ignatiev has a very solid season. In 25 games in Belarus he scored 6.4ppg. He also has 5.1rpg and FGP: 52.7%.

Other top performing players last week:
4. Aliaksei Trastsinetski (200-F-86) of Minsk-2006 - 17 points, 5 rebounds and 2 assists
5. Vadim Matyukevych (208-C-80) of Grodno-93 - 18 points and 9 rebounds
6. Aliaksandr Hrumiantsau (205-F-91) of BGUIR-RTI - 15 points and 5 rebounds
7. Maksim Shustau (184-G-86) of Minsk-2006 II - 20 points, 3 rebounds and 6 assists
8. Aliaksei Lashkevich (204-F-78) of Minsk-2006 - 16 points, 6 rebounds and 2 assists
9. Ronaldas Rutkauskas (203-F-92) of Minsk-2006 II - 21 points
10. Artem Malkov (185-PG-88) of Rubon - 22 points, 3 rebounds and 3 assists

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

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BULGARIA

Turkish Airlines beat Toyota in HDI All-Star Games - by Eurobasket News

Toyota- Turkish Airlines 107:110

Turkish Airlines beat Toyota in HDI All-Star Games that was played on Sofia last night. Aaron Harper (199-G/F-81, agency: Strategic Sports, college: Mississippi) was named MVP of the game. Just a reminder that Dennis Rodman (204-F-61, college: SE Oklahoma) was present in the game as a special guest of the event.
Toyota made 68.97% from the field, while Turkish Airlines had 63.93%. The latter had a better percentage from the three-point line as they had 34.48% against 30%. Turkish Airlines made 43 Total Rebounds in comparison with 34 of Toyota.
Martin Durchev (200-G-87) top-scored for the winners with 18 points and Bozhidar Avramov (196-G-90, agency: Interperformances) netted 15. Dimitar Anguelov (203-SF-79, agency: Interperformances) notched 13, while Marcus Hall (185-G-85, college: Colorado) added 12. Andre Owens (193-G-80, college: Houston) ended up with 27 points in the losing effort and Aaron Harper posted 25. Brandon Heath (193-G-84, college: San Diego St.) and Pavel Marinov (197-G-88, agency: Interperformances) followed them with 9 points apiece.

Toyota: Andre Owens 27, Aaron Harper 25, Brandon Heath 9, Pavel Marinov 9
Turkish Airlines: Martin Durchev 18, Bozhidar Avramov 15, Dimitar Anguelov 13, Marcus Hall 12

Aaron Harper: I was surprised to be voted All Star MVP, but it feels good - by Maria Mitzova

Levski Sofia star shooter Aaron Harper (199-G/F-81, agency: Strategic Sports, college: Mississippi) got his second All Star MVP trophy in a row, and admitted to be surprised by it. Harper was topscorer in 2012 All Star game, and also won the 3-point shootout. Here's what Harper had so say after the show was done:

On being chosen for MVP: It feels great, that shows that hard work pays off. Coming into the game, I didn't think I'm going to get this award, because I got it last year, so I'm thankful for the guys who voted for me to be MVP. It feels good to be MVP, everybody wants to be on top. I am definitely proud of myself and I am thankful.

On Dennis Rodman attending the All Star: It's good to have a basketball legend like Dennis Rodman to come to All Star game. It's good for the fans, and it's good for Bulgaria.

On the 3-point shootout win: It was time for me to win. I have been participating in this competition, and finally I won it, and I am excited about it.

VIDEO - dubbed in Bulgarian

Dennis Rodman: I want to come back to Bulgaria next year - by Maria Mitzova

Ex-NBA superstar entertainer Dennis Rodman was the special guest of Bulgarian All Star Game 2012. He brought more than 6000 people in the Sofia newest Arena to watch the All Star Game and meet him. Here is what Rodman had to say about his stay in Bulgaria:

I am surprised to see so many people out here. I never knew how popular is basketball in Bulgaria. It was a good day for everyone. I see Chicago Bulls is pretty famous out here as well. I was surprised really that so many people support the game of basketball in Bulgaria. Thanks to them, I want to come back here next year. Not many popular athletes come out here for such events, and that surprised me too.

Maybe my kids will come with me here next year. They play basketball too, so they can join me and play with Bulgarian kids. They have to come and see a different lifestyle. It was a good time.

VIDEO INTERVIEW WITH DENNIS RODMAN (in English)

HIGHLIGHTS OF RODMAN AT THE 2012 ALL STAR GAME

PHOTO GALLERY

Andre Owens is 2012 Dunk Champion, MVP Harper nailed the shootout - by Maria Mitzova

Lukoil Academik Sofia guard Andre Owens (193-G-80, college: Houston) got the Dunk Champion title of the 2012 All Star game in Bulgaria. Contesting his team mate Pavel Marinov in the final, Owens jumped over two other Lukoil Academik Sofia players - Brandon Heath and Lamont Mack - to get the 10ths of the jury.
Panel, led by Dennis Rodman himself, couldn't pass the Chicago Bulls #91 shirt, that Owens wore during his final gig. Marinov's dunk was quite attractive, but without the so loved lately props, it didn't stood out.
All Star game MVP Aaron Harper (199-G/F-81, agency: Strategic Sports, college: Mississippi) nailed the 3-point shootout, winning for first time that contest. He was shooting with Heath, Jimmie Hunt and Branko Mirkovic in the final, but left no chance for the competition.
In the first edition of the Skills Challenge, it was a Bulgarian victory, with Stanislav Govedarov (185-G-80) beating Jarrett Howell for the win.
Stanimir Marinov (191-G-91) was announced Best Young Player of the All Star game, and Hristo Gospodinov (202-F-92) got a prize for MVP of the Junior All Star, held the day before.

VIDEO OF THE DUNK CONTEST

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CHILE

U. de Concepcion wins game 5 - by Cristian Quiroga

Universidad de Concepcion playing at home, defeated dramatically to Liceo Mixto 77-76, saving the first match point in the Dimayor final series, in which now Liceo Mixto is above 3-2 with the chance to get the fourth league title next week in Los Andes.
UdeConce started a comfortable game during the first half against a opponnet that had injured and with few minutes to starter players like Patrick Saez and Franco Morales. Anyway they did an intelligent second half, shortening the differences step by step led by forward Anthony Dandrige (26 points), Claudio Gallardo (14) and Howard Wilkerson with 11. However, Concepcion had on of the best hand of the game in Alain Laroche (198-F-83, college: N.Florida) who led the offensive of team with 24 points, followed by Evandro Arteaga with 21 and Jason Keep with 18.
This way, series now goes to Los Andes. Liceo Mixto needs only one more victory to get the championship on next Thurday 12th, meanwhile UdeConce is forced to win, tie the series, and return to Casa del Deporte to play a seventh game the next week.

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CHINA

Q & A with Marcus Williams - by Alex Yam

The CBA's most surprising team, and finish was undoubtedly from the Shanxi ZhongYu Brave Dragons, led by super talented swingman, Marcus Williams. I caught up with Marcus when he returned from his MVP season with Shanxi and asked him a few questions. Here is our interview.

Q. Now that the 2011-12 CBA season is officially over, what are you taking away from this season?

Marcus: The CBA is really a growing league and the talent local and foreign gets better and better every year. This season was really exciting with some parody and some big upsets it really made this season one to remember and it was really a pleasure being apart of it.

Q. With the NBA lockout this summer, were you ever worried about your job security?

Marcus: This past summer i felt like i had played well enough the past season to have an opportunity to play in the CBA for another season. Not knowing what team i would be playing for or if i would even be in china was tough. Also there was a lot of things up in the air with the NBA lockout so i could never get too comfortable. I just wanted to land in a good situation if the basketball is good I'm good.

Q. In most of the fans and CBA eyes, you were the clear cut MVP of the Foreigners, what do you think about that?

Marcus: Its definitely a honor and there were so many great players this season in the CBA. This season i wanted to challenge myself for sure. This season was about the city of Taiyuan, The fans , the Shanxi basketball club and us have a historical season. it was great to be apart of it and my teammates and coaches made it easy for me to be comfortable, play my game and be successful.

Q. The success your team, Shanxi had this season was unparalleled, what contributed to the teams success?

Marcus: We really just got better. The season started of tough for us but we had some great leadership from our chinese players and me and charles and we brought things together. Our big men got a lot better and played a lot more physical. We built team chemistry and really made each other better.

Q. Your old team, Zhejiang C. signed arguably one of the biggest names in CBA history, in JR Smith instead of bringing you back, were you surprised?

Marcus: I was a little surprised since i had been there for the past two seasons and we had a good years that past season. But CBA is like the NBA its a business teams and players make decisions and thats just a part of it.

Q. Finally, what do you think about the Shanxi fans and CBA fans in general compared to the ones in the states?

Marcus: I have got to say Shanxi has the best fans i have ever seen or heard in my basketball career. It was standing room only at every home game and the support and love they showed us through out the season was unbelievable. The fans in China really love basketball its a big reason why i love playing in china it really reminds of me the atmosphere in college basketball games.

Thank you for your time Marcus, and congratulations on your success this season!!!

Wang Zhelin Dominates at Nike Hoop Summit - by Arthur Volbert

Wang Zhelin (213-C-94) is for real, the best Chinese prospect since Yao Ming.

Wang had 19 points, hitting 8 of 11 shots, and 8 rebounds in 22 minutes as the World Select team defeated the USA Select team 84-75 in the Nike Hoop Classic in Portland Oregon. He completely outplayed top USA center prospects Nerlens Noel and Caleb Tarczewski. Noel finished with 5 points and 4 rebounds and Tarczewski was scoreless with no rebounds.

Andrew Wiggins of Canada led the world team with 20 points on 7 of 18 shooting and had 7 rebounds. Dario Saric had 13 points and 14 rebounds. Anthony Bennett had 7 points and 11 rebounds. Shabazz Muhammad had 35 points and 9 rebounds for the USA. Kyle Anderson had 12 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 steals. Gary Harris had 8 points, 4 rebounds and 3 assists.

The World Select team led 21-14 after one quarter, 52-34 at the half and 64-55 after three quarters.

Link to box score:
http://www.usabasketball.com/photos/12_hsum_box_score.pdf

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COLOMBIA

National Federation releases an updated schedulle of tournaments. - by Victor Garcia

The Colombian National Federation has released an updated schedule of National Tournaments for 2012, including some changes and the host for all the tournaments and categories.

National Women U-20, Bogot April 13 to 21.
National U-20 Men, Cartago April 20 to 28.
National Interleague Women, Armenia May 11-19.
National Interleague Men, Medellin June 15 23.
National Men U-16, Santa Marta July 6 14.
National Men U-23, Medellin , August 10 18.
National Women U-16, Moniquir, September 7 15.
Pasarella U-13 Men / Women, Cartagena October 5 -13.
National Games, U-16 Men / Women, Cucuta , November.
National Men U-14, Sincelejo , December 7 16.
National Women U-14, Popayan, December 14 22.

The category U-16 will have two tournaments this year, the first one in Santa Marta (Men) and Moniquir{a (Women), will be the preliminary round of the National Games to be played in Cucuta in the month of November.

Tony Trocha to St Thomas High School in USA. - by Victor Garcia

The young Colombian center, Tony Trocha Morelos (69-C 1.994) born in Cartagena - Colombia, has accepted the invitation to joint the Varsity Basketball team of the St Thomas High School in Houston Texas.
Trocha has been member of several National Teams , and is a skilled center who can rebound, block shots and score, Trocha in the younger brother of the Colombian center Sergio Trocha who is already playing at the Rocky Mountain College of NAIA.

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CYPRUS

Etha wins the championship! Important notes for the year - by Dr. Nasios Orinos

At game 3 i wrote that even though Etha was behind by 18 was still in the game and that in no case could be underestimated. This is exactly what i meant. Games like these are not over until they are finally over.

This takes us to the finaly game (game 4). At game 4 while commenting the game on TV, with 3.25 minutes remaining and Keravnos being ahead by 10 (Keravnos was also 40-56 with 7 minutes remaining), I was asked whether the game could turn around and I said that even though there was time, this could only happen if Keravnos suicided. Nobody really believed this could happen.

Well, Etha was amazing in those last 3 minutes and with Tutt stepping up and practically executing Keravnos with consecutive shots (finished the game with 17), it succeeded something unusual. Keravnos had control of the game, but it let it slip through its fingers.'Where Amazing happens', might be the correct thing to say.

Congratulations to Etha

Firstly, i need to note that, including playoffs, Keravnos and Etha have exactly the same losses. Keravnos has lost only once in the regular season, indeed an amazing record, but a total of 5 games at the playoffs. Etha has lost 4 times at the regular season and only 2 at the playoffs. Both have a total of 6 losses.

Just before the playoffs I personally stressed that playoff games are completely different than regular season games. Teams advance to the next round in a best of 3 or best of 5 games. I highlighted that the previous 3 years teams with a home court disadvantage have reversed the series and won championships.

Three years ago, Apoel reversed the series twice. It beat Dragan Raca's Ael at the semi-final in Limassol and immediately after it reversed the series at the final, in Strovolos, against Frangiass Keravnos and won the championship.

Last year Etha reversed the series at the semi-final when it beat Apoel away (in Lefkotheo indoor arena) and advanced at the final where it met Ael which also reversed two series in a row, against Apollon at the quarter final and against Keravnos at the semi-final.

This year Etha has reversed the series twice, beating Apollon away at the semi-final and Keravnos away at the final. Even thought Etha had not beaten Keravnos for two years, it seems it has chosen the right time to do it.

Masamba, Cup, King, Tutt, Jackson, Anastasiades, Djikanovic, were all great during playoffs. My personal opinion though is that the champ was won by Darryl Watkins.

Personally, I have seen a different Darryl Watkins at the playoffs. I have mentioned quite a few times since October, and insisted that, had Tonis Constantinides changed the way Watkins was playing it should make him a very dangerous player. And indeed this is exactly what happened. Darryl Watkins can not shoot from outside, but he is unbeatable inside. He can rebound well and he is unstoppable when dunking the ball. Should you use him like this, you have yourself a winner.

Let's not forget George Anastasiadis whose experience and leadership qualities have injected the team with passion and determination. After all George has more titles than any other player on the island.

'this guy is amazing' Masamba stated about George just after the game, probably meaning that indeed George has pushed the team with his experience and winning personality.

The above becomes even more important considering that Keravnos's president stated after the game that his team lacks the winning personalities, in other words players who can step up in games like these and win the title.

Congratulations to Etha and Tonis Consantinides.

George Anastasiades - It never ends

Among the best Cypriot players ever played the game and one of Cyprus most charismatic players, in the twilight of a brilliant career, and after winning two unforgettable championships with APOEL, George Anastasiadis has moved to Etha two yeas ago.

Last year George has added 2 more titles to his brilliant career. He added a cup and a championship while at the same time winning the 'Domestic Player' of the year award.

This year he added one more 1 super cup and another championship.

So far he has won 5 cups, 7 championships and 3 super-cups.

A lot was written and said as to whether titles follow him around. Truth be told - none of iit s coincidental. History will always remember that George has won 5 championships in a row, with 3 different teams.

Last year in my article the night the championship ended, I wondered as to whether he could win another one.

Well, I dare to say it again, 'who Knows, maybe he will win another one'!

Panayiotis Giannaras

I would like to congratulate Panagiotis Giannaras. Panagiotis Giannaras has succeeded something that none of the last 3 coaches who sad on Keravnos's bench have succeeded. He built his roster methodically and carefully having two players in all positions. Cojadinovic, Chan, Dragicevic are some of the players who brought in the team. The most important is that he signed 3 very good American players who made the difference. All three of them gave Keravnos an average of around 40 pts per game.
Even though a bitter taste remains for not been able to win the champ, bottom line is that his effort is well respected.

Most important statistic of the season

I have been statistically examining all teams throughout the year. If was going to note one important statistic this would be the fact that, with only one exception, Keravnos has lost only when the 3 Americans together scored below their total average (39 pts). This shows that Keravnos's main strength was indeed these 3 very good players.

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DENMARK

Mannheim 2012: Clarks triple-double bring USA U18 second win - by Eurobasket News

USA U18-Denmark U18 77:67

Clarks triple-double bring USA U18 second win at the Albert Schweitzer Tournament in Mannheim. The American Point Guard collected 17 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists as USA beat Denmark U18 77:67.
Right from the get-go the USA dominated the boards, leaving Denmark no other options but to strike from long range. USA took 14:9 and then 25:15 at the end of the first period. They continued to dominate the court and increased to 14-point lead at the halftime. USA led 51:36 midway through the third period and had 63:50 after three quarters. The last stanza however belonged to the European team that at first cut it to 7 points trailing 67:60 with 5 minutes to go. Denmark tried hard at the end, but lost by 10, 67:77.
Darryl Hicks scored 17 points, while Austin Nichols netted 13. Collin Hartmann followed them with 11 points for 2-0 record. RasmusG Larsen (7'0''-C-94) ended up with 24 points and 11 rebounds, while Peter Moller (6'1''-G-94) added 20 for Denmark.

USA U18: Stevie Clark 17+10- rebs+10 ast, Darryl Hicks 17, Austin Nichols 13, Collin Hartmann 11
Denmark U18: RasmusG Larsen 24+11 rebs, Peter Moller 20

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D-LEAGUE

Stats Leaders

Points Per Game

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

1. Ahearn, Reno B.	23.8
2. Almond, Maine RC	23.4
3. Emmett, Reno B.	23.1
4. Dentmon, Austin T.	22.8
5. Costner, Los A.	20.3
6. Efevberha, Iowa E.	19.7
7. Ubiles, Dakota W.	19.6
8. Mitchell, Sioux F.	19.6
9. Millsap, Los A.	19.4
10. Gilder, Sioux F.	19.2

Rebounds Per Game

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

1. Lewis, Tulsa 66ers	12.7
2. Harangody, Canton	12.6
3. Dawson, Austin T.	10.6
4. Butch, Bakersfi.	9.7
5. Thomas, Los A.	9.3
6. Williams, Texas L.	8.9
7. Criswell-L., Austi.	8.9
8. Foote, Springfield	8.9
9. Reid, Tulsa 66ers	8.6
10. Horner, Springfi.	8.5

Assists Per Game

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

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

Steals Per Game

Marqus BLAKELY
  Sioux F.
  (196-F-89)
  Avg: 2.2

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

Blocks Per Game

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

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

Last day of the regular season - by Eurobasket News

Texas L. - Springfield A. 98-105
What could have been a lost road trip for the Springfield Armor turned into a NBA D-League Eastern Conference Championship. The Armor (29-21) lost an 18-point first-half lead and fell behind by as many as five points before digging out a 105-98 victory over the Texas Legends (24-26) in the regular-season finale for both teams on Saturday night. Earlier in the evening, the Dakota Wizards - which were a game ahead of the Armor in the Eastern Conference - fell to the Fort Wayne Mad Ants, 99-98. That allowed the Armor to move into the top spot and claim its first conference title. The victory polished off a tremendous turnaround for the Armor, who went a combined 20-80 in its first two D-League seasons. Springfield will start postseason action next week. 'This is a tremendous accomplishment for our players and our organization,' Armor coach Robert MacKinnon said. 'It's a reward for their hard work this season.' Springfield's players found out immediately after the game that they had won the conference title and celebrated as they walked down the tunnel to the locker room. L.D. Williams (6'4''-G-88, college: Wake Forest), who finished with 19 points, had reason to lead that celebration. Williams' near three-point play helped start the comeback for the Armor. His basket with 4:37 left cut the lead to 91-89. He missed his free throw, but teammate Jeff Foote (7'0''-C-88, college: Cornell) - who scored 16 points and grabbed 14 rebounds - grabbed the loose ball and was fouled. He made one free throw to cut the lead to one. Jerry Smith - who led the Armor with 20 points - followed up on the next possession with a three-point play off a made dunk and foul that gave Springfield a 93-91 lead. Sean Williams, who was one of two Legends with 20 points, tied the game at 93-93 with 3:57 left on a jumper. But L.D. Williams put the Armor up for good with a long 3-pointer, the 10th triple of the night for Springfield. On the next possession, Lance Hurdle gave the Armor a 98-93 lead with 2:24 left. The Armor maintained the lead from there, helped by another 3-pointer, this time by Hurdle, who ended up with 14 points. While Springfield's 3-point shooting made a difference to its victory, the Legends' night at the line helped keep them in the game. Texas shot an impressive 39-of-45 from the free throw line off of 28 Springfield fouls. That included a 9-of-10 night for Dominique Johnson, who scored 20 points. *Courtesy of www.masslive.com

Idaho S. - Bakersfield J. 97-96
Idaho won its third game in a row as it defeated the playoff-bound Bakersfield Jam 97-96 on Saturday night at Century-Link Arena. Paul Carter (6'9''-F-87, agency: Edge Sports, college: Ill.-Chicago) and David Bailey (5'8''-PG-81, college: Loyola, IL) each scored 18 points to lead Idaho. A year ago, the Stampede weren't eliminated from playoff contention until the final game of the season. But there wasn't any late-season drama Saturday as Idaho finished with a 21-29 record in its second season under coach Randy Livingston. The game drew a season-high crowd of 4,052. *Courtesy of www.idahostatesman.com

Sioux Falls S. - Austin T. 98-103
The Austin Toros defeated the Sioux Falls Skyforce 103-98 Saturday night at the Sioux Falls Arena. Austin took control early and was able to withstand a fourth quarter rally by Sioux Falls in the regular season finale. Leading 9-8 early in the first quarter, Austin took control and went on an 11-2 run over the next four minutes to build a 21-10 lead. Cory Joseph (6'3''-PG-91, college: Texas) fueled the run for Austin with a driving layup and 3-pointer. After one quarter Austin was dominating Sioux Falls on the boards (17-7) and led 32-19. Austin continued to build a comfortable lead in the second quarter and led by as many as 18 (46-28) after Brad Wanamaker's driving layup. Sioux Falls captured some momentum in their favor, going on an 11-0 run to trim Austin's lead to 46-39. Austin stabilized the momentum and took a 54-45 lead at halftime. Curtis Withers had 12 of his 17 points in the second quarter. In the third quarter, Austin was able to take their biggest lead of the game (72-52) and appeared ready to run away with the victory. However, Sioux Falls was able to finish the third on a 16-7 run and trailed 79-68 entering the final quarter. Sioux Falls slowly chipped away at Austin's lead in the fourth quarter and eventually cut the deficit to one (95-94) after Marqus Blakely knocked in a pair of bonus free throws with two minutes left in the game. Austin was able to finish off Sioux Falls by knocking in three of their final four shots of the game and enters the postseason having won 11 of 13. Flip Murray nearly had a perfect night from the field as he finished with 25 points on 9-of-10 shooting and seven rebounds. Julian Wright also had 25 points to go along with nine rebounds. Withers had a solid all-around game with 17 points, 11 rebounds and five assists. Anthony Mason (6'7''-F-87, college: St.John's), Jr. led Sioux Falls in scoring with 24 points. Sioux Falls finishes the regular season with a record of 15-35. Austin finishes 33-17 and will select their first-round opponent for the 2012 NBA D-League Playoffs presented by BBVA tomorrow. *Courtesy of www.ksfy.com

Rio Grande VV - Reno B. 144-140
The Rio Grande Valley Vipers topped the Reno Bighorns 144-140 in their last game of the 2011-12 season. Tyren Johnson (6'8''-F-88, college: La-Lafayette) led the Vipers with 30 points and 14 rebounds. Kelvin Lewis (6'4''-G-88, college: Houston) added 28 points, followed by Courtney Fortson (5'11''-PG-88, college: Arkansas) with 21 points. Scott VanderMeer also tallied a double-double with 18 points, 13 rebounds. Josh Selby led the Bighorns with 38 points and 9 assists, and Eric Devendorf contributed 21 points. Antoine Wright recorded 17 points, followed by Mo Charlo with 16 points. Charlo knocked down the first basket of the game for the Bighorns, but Fortson responded with a shot from behind the arc to take the 3-2 lead for the Vipers. Baskets from Selby and Wright, along with a 3-pointer from Charlo helped Reno take11-5 lead at the 8:38 mark. A few minutes later, a tip shot from Smith tied the game at 21 points. Fortson followed with a 3-point shot to take the 24-21 lead with 4:16 on the clock. Wright responded for Reno with a 3-pointer to tie the game at 24 points, but Lewis recorded a layup to set Rio Grande Valley up 26-24. The Vipers were able to hold on to their lead and headed into the second quarter ahead 39-34. Rio Grande Valley built their lead up to 45-36 on a layup, plus one at the line from Lewis. However, the Bighorns went on a run that took the 46-45 lead on a shot from beyond the arc by Selby with 8:27 remaining in the half. Reno's lead did not last long. VanderMeer tied the game at 54 points with a layup, and a Marshall Brown tallied a basket took the 56-54 lead. The Vipers maintained momentum and held a 71-59 advantage heading into halftime. Two shots from the line by Brown helped Rio Grande Valley secure the 83-63 lead early in the third quarter. Reno fought back and closed their deficit to 86-81 at the 4:42 mark. Lewis responded with three consecutive 3-pointers to help the Vipers move ahead to a 95-83 advantage. Reno fought back with shots from Selby and Devendorf, but could not take the lead. At the end of the third quarter, the Vipers were on top, 106-98. Reno fought throughout the fourth quarter, but never caught up to the Vipers. In the last minute of the game, Selby and Devendorf stepped up for the Bighorns, but could not steal the lead. The Vipers closed the season with a 144-140 win. *Courtesy of www.oursportscentral.com

Iowa E. - Los Angeles D. 79-95
The Los Angeles D-Fenders broke the Iowa Energy's record of excellence for an NBA Development League season. But did they also break their spirit? That question might be answered soon enough. The D-Fenders bullied the Energy throughout a 95-79 victory Saturday at Wells Fargo Arena, and get the chance to pick their playoff opponent today by virtue of a league-best 38-12 record. One enticing postseason possibility: the 25-25 Energy, who earned the eighth seed despite losing their final three games. 'There's other teams that they've fared better against than us,' Energy coach Kevin Young said after his team dropped its lone meeting of the season with the D-Fenders. 'I don't know what they're going to base it on. Are they going to base it on, we've struggled in the second half of the season? Are they going to base it on tonight? Are they going to base it on matchups?' The D-Fenders could base their decision on all of the above, and still land on the Energy. On Saturday, they handled Iowa despite using only eight players, including just 9 minutes for leading scorer Brandon Costner (6'9''-F-87, college: N.Carolina St.). They shot 51 percent to the Energy's 37, outrebounded them 51-39 and held them to 13 points in the fourth quarter. And they seemed to do it all with a wink and a swagger that the home fans had grown accustomed to seeing. Iowa set the D-League standard with back-to-back 37-13 seasons, including a championship last April. But this year's team, which started out 18-7, faded to a 7-18 mark in the second half of the season. 'In the first half of the season, we were moving the ball a lot better, playing more fluid,' Iowa center Ben Strong said. 'And we did that in spurts in the second half of the season. We're fully capable of doing that. 'The biggest thing we have to do is play good defense and rebound. If you do that, you're going to be in any game regardless of how you do on offense. Whoever picks us, we're going to be completely confident in ourselves. We know who we have on our team, and we know we can play with anyone in this league.' Michael Efevberha (6'7''-G-84, college: CS Northridge), as usual, led Iowa with 20 points Saturday. But it was the late re-emergence of 3-point ace Moses Ehambe that may provide the biggest jolt of optimism for the Energy, who will host Game 1 of a best-of-three series at 7 p.m. Wednesday. Ehambe made 5-of-11 3-pointers and finished with 19 points. Point guard Brandon Ewing added 10 points and 10 assists. 'I'm a no-excuse guy, we're a no-excuse team, but it was our chemistry,' Ewing said of the second-half swoon. 'We had a lot of transactions, guys coming in and out. At this level, it's easy to play with great players, it's hard to win with different pieces. 'Everyone's going to say this, it's cliche. But everyone knows we're the scariest team because Game 1 is going to be in Wells Fargo. So if we steal Game 1, the pressure's on them. Everyone knows what we're capable of doing.' Iowa went 16-8 in its building this season, and Young agreed that hosting the playoff opener could provide a significant boost. 'The tradition here, the fans, the support, the passion of the fans is something that really carries our guys,' he said. 'Sometimes the regular season can be long and it drags on the guys. But we'll have a new sense of spirit come playoff time and fed by the fans here in the arena.' *Courtesy of www.desmoinesregister.com

Maine RC - Tulsa 66ers 84-82
For whatever reason, the Maine Red Claws seem to have the 66ers' number. For the third time in as many games against Maine, Tulsa dropped a last-second decision, this time 84-82 to close out the 2011-12 season. The night before, the 66ers lost a 100-99 battle against the Red Claws, and the previous time the two teams met before that, Maine squeaked out an 86-84 victory. Delroy James (6'8''-F-87, agency: Z.A.G. - Law Offices, college: Rhode Island) had 18 points and 11 rebounds to lead the 66ers, and Marcus Lewis (6'8''-F/C-86, college: ORU) added 12 points and 16 rebounds for his 34th double-double of the season, which is tops in the league. Larry Owens had 13 off the bench while Ryan Reid and Robert Vaden also scored in double figures. Tulsa outrebounded Maine by a margin of 53-46 and also held the Red Claws to just 39 percent shooting despite the loss. The two teams were back and forth all night, with 11 ties and 17 lead changes in the contest. But in the end, Kenny Hayes was the man of the hour for Maine, coming through to make a layup with 0.9 seconds remaining to put the game on ice. The 66ers finished out the season at 23-27 overall while Maine's final mark was 21-29. *Courtesy of www.newson6.com

Canton C. - Erie Bay H. 90-105
Seven different players finished with at least 10 points for the Erie BayHawks as they defeated the Canton Charge 105-90 Saturday night in their regular-season finale. Joey Graham (6'7''-G/F-82, college: Oklahoma St.) and Kyle Goldcamp (6'10''-F-86, college: Gannon) led the way for the BayHawks, as they each finished with 20 points. Goldcamp also added 11 rebounds. D.J. Kennedy helped to pace the BayHawks offensively as he totalled 16 points and 11 rebounds while Mychel Thompson and Kyle Spain added 11 points each. Keith McLeod and Tyrone Brazelton each scored 10 points. In the first half, the two teams traded baskets and opportunities before the BayHawks managed to grab a 58-54 lead before halftime. In the second half, the BayHawks held the Charge to just 36 points over the final 24 minutes. The BayHawks finished the regular season 28-22. They open the playoffs next week. *Courtesy of www.goerie.com

Ft.Wayne MA - Dakota W. 99-98
In a game that ended in a scramble until the final buzzer sounded, the Mad Ants defeated the Dakota Wizards 99-98 in the final game of the regular season. The first period saw 8 ties in a back and forth battle that ended tied up at 28 apiece. The lead changed 6 times in the second period as well, but the Mad Ants held a slight 2 points lead, 52-50, going into the locker rooms at the half. Stefhon Stefhon Hannah (6'1''-G-85, college: Missouri) had 15 first half points for the Wizards. The Mad Ants maintained the lead throughout the third period and held on to a 6 point lead going into the final period of the game. The Wizards started the fourth period with 9-2 run to steal the lead and would eventually go up by 5 points with 5:00 left in the game. The final five minutes of the game was an all out battle and was tied up at 96 with just :30 left. Charles Garcia (6'9''-F-88, college: Seattle) and Darnell Lazare hit some clutch free throws in the final seconds to seal the win for the Mad Ants. Stefhon Hannah led all scorers with 22 points for the Wizards. Marcus Dove finished with 20 points and Leo Lyons added 15 off of the bench. The Mad Ants were led by Ron Howard who finished with 21 points. Garcia and Cameron Jones contributed off the bench with 18 and 15 respectively. *Courtesy of www.wane.com

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

EL SALVADOR

Last First Division results - by Jaime Arevalo

DENVER - EXSAL 91-73 (Mauricio Lahud (176-PG-84) 30, Jose Mara Rivas 18; Martin Ramos 23, Miguel torres 16)

LEONES AUTOMOTO - ROLL ROYCE 78-58 (Hugo Salazar 20, Arturo Escamilla 15; Leonardo Hernandez (G-94) 17)

SAN MARCOS - CHALECO 107-73 (Salvador Bandek (181-G-78) 27pts)

DELGADENSE - UTEC 69-92 (Marlon Bonilla 16; Jorge Loucel 24)

SAN MARCOS - ExSAL 82-80 (Edwin Lopez (183-G/F-85) 32; Ignacio Ramos 19)

DENVER - LEONES AUTOMOTO 76-91 (Nelson Montalvo 22; Mauricio Lahud 16)

UTEC - CHALECO 77-46 (Manuel Artiga 22; Rene Palma 16)

DELGADENSE - ROLL ROYCE 79-74 (Kevin Hernandez 27; Leonardo Hernandez 26)

DELGADENSE - LEONES AUTOMOTO 72-90 (Hugo Salazar 24; Marlon Bonilla 15)

DENVER - SAN MARCOS 80-85 (Edwin Lopez 27; Bob Hunter 27)

ROLL ROYCE - CHALECO 79-73 (Leonardo Hernandez 16; Carlos Sandoval 16)

UTEC - ExSAL 93-63 (Jorge Loucel 18; Mario Flores 17)

CHALECO - LEONES 48-65 (Ricardo Caisphal 13, Emilio Abullarade 12; Eduardo Garcia 20, Artiro Escamilla 11)

UTEC - SAN MARCOS 87-72 (Jorge Loucel 19, Carlos Martinez 15; Oscar Rivera 22, Fabio Molina 6)

ROLL ROYCE - ExSAL 76-80 (Leonardo Hernandez 33, Marcos Baltrons 14; Miguel Torres 26, Mario Flores 15)

After these games, UTEC and Leones Automoto lead the table undefeated with a 4-0 record

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ESTONIA

Stats Leaders

Points Per Game

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

1. Strupovics, Valga	20.9
2. Raadik, Parnu	18.1
3. Raley-Ross, Tln K.	17.2
4. Cipruss, Tarvas	16.9
5. Soo, Rapla	16.9
6. Raap, Parnu	16.2
7. Pilk, TTU	15.6
8. Veideman, Tartu U.	15.6
9. Akenparg, TTU	14.6
10. Hallik, Tarvas	14.5

Rebounds Per Game

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

1. Cipruss, Tarvas	10.3
2. Cricelli, Valga	8.4
3. Fedortchuk, Tln K.	8.3
4. Arnold, TTU	8.0
5. Raadik, Parnu	7.8
6. Shaw, Tln Kalev	7.4
7. Ringmets, Rapla	7.3
8. Pilk, TTU	6.6
9. Fall, Kalev/Cramo	6.4
10. Allingu, Tartu U.	6.4

Assists Per Game

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

1. Cunda, Valga	4.5
2. Laane, Rapla	4.3
3. Sokk, Tartu Ulikool	3.9
4. Kriisa, Tarvas	3.6
5. Pilk, TTU	3.6
6. Dorbek, Tarvas	3.4
7. Raap, Parnu	3.3
8. Keedus, TTU	3.1
9. Veideman, Tartu U.	2.8
10. Skele, Kalev/Cramo	2.8

Steals Per Game

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

1. Cunda, Valga	2.5
2. Laane, Rapla	2.3
3. Raley-Ross, Tln K.	2.2
4. Veideman, Tartu U.	2.1
5. Kaldre, Rapla	2.1
6. Leppik, Tartu Ulik.	2.0
7. Dorbek, Tarvas	2.0
8. Skele, Kalev/Cramo	1.9
9. Raap, Parnu	1.8
10. Cricelli, Valga	1.7

Blocks Per Game

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

1. Fall, Kalev/Cramo	1.7
2. Raadik, Parnu	1.4
3. Amis, Tartu Ulikool	1.2
4. Fedortchuk, Tln K.	1.1
5. Toome, Kalev/Cramo	0.7
6. Veski, Tarvas	0.5
7. Hallik, Tarvas	0.5
8. Makke, TTU	0.5
9. Ulyanko, Kalev/Cr.	0.5
10. Arnold, TTU	0.4

KML Round 1 of Quarter-Finals - by Eurobasket News

Rapla - TTU 92-65

Rapla overcame TTU at home court to celebrate the first win in the quarterfinal series. The game without a history. Rapla led from the first minutes and controlled entire game increasing their lead in each quarter. They also forced 28 TTU turnovers. Point guard Rait-Riivo Laane (179-PG-93) fired 24 points and 8 assists for the winners. Swingman Janar Soo (199-91) chipped in 15 points. Four Rapla players scored in double figures. Forward Kiur Akenparg (190-88) produced 19 points and the former international forward Mooses Kaja (195-88) added 13 points and 7 rebounds 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.
Top scorers:
Rapla: R.Laane 24+4reb+8ast, J.Soo 15+4reb+2ast, S.Kaldre 14+4reb+3ast, A.Parn 12+2reb+5ast, R.Ringmets 11+1reb+1ast, I.Kajupank 8+7reb
TTU: K.Akenparg 19+1reb+2ast, A.Arnold 14+4reb+4ast, M.Kaja 13+7reb+2ast, I.Pilk 9+4reb+3ast, K.Makke 4+1reb, K.Keres 3+2reb

Tarvas - Tln Kalev 94-76

Tarvas gave no chance for visiting Tin Kalev in the opener. The hosts trailed by 3 points after first quarter, but they stormed back to get the 7-point lead at the halftime and eventually won the game 94-76. Latvian center Kaspars Cipruss (210-82, agency: Interperformances) fired a double-double by scoring 20 points and 14 rebounds for the winners. Latvian point guard Rinalds Sirsnins (186-85) chipped in 20 points and 9 assists. Five BC Rakvere players scored in double figures. American guard Brandis Raley-Ross (188-87, college: S.Carolina) produced 17 points and guard Mihkel Kurg (191-87) added 17 points respectively for lost side. Both coaches used bench players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games.
Top scorers:
Tarvas: K.Cipruss 20+14reb+1ast, R.Sirsnins 20+3reb+9ast, J.Umbrasko 17+4reb+3ast, M.Dorbek 14+4reb+4ast, J.Vahter 11+5reb, R.Hallik 8+5reb+1ast
Tln Kalev: M.Kurg 17+2reb+2ast, B.Raley-Ross 17+4reb+1ast, R.Suija 8+1reb, M.Shaw 8+4reb+1ast, I.Tulit 7+2reb+1ast, R.Roos 6

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

FRANCE

Mannheim 2012: Italy beat France for the top position - by Eurobasket News

France U18-Italy U18 65:83

Italy U18 beat France U18 for the top position in Group A at the Albert Schweitzer Tournament 2012. Italians celebrated 83:65 win for 2-0 record. France meanwhile suffered their first loss and dropped at 1-1.
Italy easily opened the game with 13-1 and never looked behind. They had 22:15 at the end of the period and only 27:24 after 15 minutes in the court. Italy needed a strong finish of the half for 10-point advantage at the halftime. They increased to 55:38 and then 64:50 at the end of third quarter. The winners won the last stanza 19-15 and sealed the victory.
Mirco Turel (192-G-94) paced all the winners with 20 points, while Matteo Imbro (190-PG-94) was unstoppable with 14 points, 10 rebounds and 9 assists. Simone Fontecchio (197-F-95) netted 14 and Amedeo Tessitori (205-C-94) delivered 11. Mouhamadou Jaiteh produced 15 points, whilst Kevin Harley (198-G-94) and Alexandre Chassang (199-C-94) had 9 apiece.

France U18: Mouhamadou Jaiteh 15, Kevin Harley 9, Alexandre Chassang 9
Italy U18: Mirco Turel 20, Matteo Imbro 14+10 rebs+9 ast, Simone Fontecchio 14, Amedeo Tessitori 11

Florent Tortosa extends contract with St. Vallier - by Eurobasket News

Florent Tortosa (196-SF-89) will stay St. Vallier for another season. The forward has agreed on terms of contract extension with his current team. Florent Tortosa will enter the third straight season with St. Vallier. The forward is having solid season with ProB side. He tallies 10.1 points, 2.7 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game for St. Vallier. Previously Florent Tortosa played for Hyeres-Toulon. He was the member of French U20 National Team.

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

FYR MACEDONIA

Feni Industrija is the first finalist, Torus beats MZT in Game Two - by Eurobasket News

Torus Skopje - MZT Skopje 78-77 (1-2)
Torus is alive in the Semifinals series against MZT Skopje. The home squad grabbed 78-77 home victory last night coming to 1-2. MZT started with 1-0 due to better score in regular season and they also won in Game One 65-60. Teams will meet again on Wednesday at MZT's home court. MZT still needs one more win for the Finals. The hosts trailed by 9 points after three quarters before their 26-16 charge, which allowed them to win the game. The best player for the winners was American power forward Justin Reynolds (204-88, college: Texas A&M-CC) who scored 15 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists and 4 blocks. The other American import guard Jeremiah Boswell (194-82) chipped in 16 points. International center Todor Gecevski (209-77, agency: Interperformances) produced 20 points and 9 rebounds and the former international power forward Gjorgi Cekovski (203-79, agency: New Trend Agency) added 19 points and 6 rebounds respectively for the guests. Five MZT Skopje players scored in double figures.
Top scorers:
MZT Skopje: T.Gecevski 20+9reb+1ast, G.Cekovski 19+6reb, O.Stojanovski 13+4reb+4ast, C.Davis 11+6reb+2ast, N.Dahlman 10+6reb+1ast, I.Mijajlovic 4+4reb+5ast
Torus Skopje: J.Boswell 16+2reb+3ast, J.Reynolds 15+8reb+4ast, I.Dimcevski 10+5reb, D.Karadzovski 9+4reb+7ast, B.Krstevski 9+2reb, P.Blazevski 8+5reb+1ast

Lirija - Feni Indistrija 75-84 (0-3)
Feni Industrija handed 75-84 home loss to Lirija in Game Two winning the series with perfect 0-3. Feni celebrated 84-80 victory in the first meeting. The defending champion started the series with 1-0 due to records in regular season. Feni now waits for the winner of Torus - MZT series.

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

GERMANY

Standings - 1. Bundesliga

BBL Standings

1. Brose Baskets		27-3
2. ALBA		24-6
3. Ratiopharm		24-6
4. Art.Dragons		20-10
5. s.Oliver Baskets		19-11
6. B.Muenchen		18-12
7. NY Phantoms		16-13
8. Telekom Baskets		15-14
9. Fraport SKY		15-15
10. EWE Baskets		14-16
11. Bremerhaven		14-16
12. Walter Tigers		13-17
13. Bayreuth		11-19
14. TBB Trier		10-20
15. EnBW L'burg		9-21
16. LTi 46ers		8-22
17. Phoenix Hagen		8-22
18. Goettingen		4-26

Regular Season: Round 30

Apr. 8: Bremerhaven - Bayreuth 98-74
Apr. 7: Ratiopharm - Walter Tigers 93-87
Apr. 7: NY Phantoms - Goettingen 92-65
Apr. 7: Phoenix Hagen - EnBW L'burg 90-96
Apr. 7: B.Muenchen - Telekom Baskets 87-69
Apr. 8: ALBA - LTi 46ers 80-67
Apr. 7: Art.Dragons - Brose Baskets 68-83
Apr. 7: EWE Baskets - Fraport SKY 67-75
Apr. 7: TBB Trier - s.Oliver Baskets 61-75

Regular Season: Round 31

Apr. 11: Brose Baskets - s.Oliver Baskets
Apr. 11: Fraport SKY - Phoenix Hagen
Apr. 11: Telekom Baskets - Walter Tigers
Apr. 11: NY Phantoms - B.Muenchen
Apr. 11: LTi 46ers - TBB Trier
Apr. 11: EnBW L'burg - Art.Dragons
Apr. 11: Ratiopharm - ALBA
Apr. 11: Goettingen - Bremerhaven
Apr. 11: Bayreuth - EWE Baskets

Stats Leaders - 1.Bundesliga

Points Per Game

Bobby BROWN
  EWE Baskets
  (188-G-84)
  Avg: 17.1

1. Brown, EWE Baskets	17.1
2. Swann, Ratiopharm	15.7
3. Carter, Phoenix	15.6
4. Wood, ALBA	15.4
5. Ensminger, Teleko.	15.2
6. Holston, Art.Drag.	15.0
7. Tucker, Brose B.	14.9
8. Jonusas, Phoenix	14.8
9. Bryant, Ratiopharm	14.5
10. Peavy, Art.Dragons	14.2

Rebounds Per Game

John BRYANT
  Ratiopharm
  (208-C-87)
  Avg: 9.7

1. Bryant, Ratiopharm	9.7
2. Chubb, EWE Baskets	8.4
3. Ensminger, Teleko.	7.9
4. Homan, B.Muenchen	7.6
5. Zirbes, TBB Trier	7.2
6. Evans, Goettingen	6.9
7. Troutman, B.Mue.	6.7
8. Ovcina, LTi 46ers	6.7
9. Tucker, Brose B.	6.7
10. Sykes, Goettingen	6.6

Assists Per Game

Jared JORDAN
  Telekom .
  (188-PG-84)
  Avg: 8.4

1. Jordan, Telekom	8.4
2. Holston, Art.Drag.	5.9
3. Brewer, Bremerha.	5.1
4. Wood, ALBA	4.9
5. Everett, Bremerha.	4.8
6. Joyce, TBB Trier	4.5
7. Brown, EWE Baskets	4.5
8. Hamann, B.Muenchen	4.4
9. Campbell, Walter T.	4.1
10. Bauscher, Goett.	4.0

Steals Per Game

Chris KRAMER
  s.Oliv.
  (191-G-88)
  Avg: 1.7

1. Kramer, s.Oliv.	1.7
2. Linhart, TBB Trier	1.7
3. Holston, Art.Drag.	1.5
4. Dorris, EnBW L.	1.4
5. Redding, Walter T.	1.4
6. Gibson, Fraport SKY	1.4
7. Bernard, LTi 46ers	1.4
8. Carter, Phoenix	1.3
9. Trice, Ratiopharm	1.3
10. Hasbrouck, EWE B.	1.2

Blocks Per Game

Tony GAFFNEY
  Teleko.
  (204-F-84)
  Avg: 2

1. Gaffney, Teleko.	2.0
2. Davidson, Fraport	1.7
3. Ibekwe, Bayreuth	1.7
4. Looby, EnBW L.	1.6
5. Pleiss, Brose B.	1.3
6. Homan, B.Muenchen	1.3
7. King, Art.Dragons	1.2
8. Bryant, Ratiopharm	1.2
9. Slaughter, Brose B.	1.2
10. Constantine, Phoe.	1.1

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

26-year old forward Anthony Leon Tucker (198-F-85) put on an amazing game in the last round for league's best team Brose Baskets and receives a Eurobasket.com Player of the Week award for round 30.
He had a double-double of 32 points and 13 rebounds, while his team beat Art.Dragons (#4, 20-10) 83-68. The game was between two of the league's top four teams. It allowed Brose Baskets to consolidate first place in the German league. Brose Baskets has a very good season and are considered to have a run for the championship title. They improved their record to 27-3. In the team's last game Tucker had a remarkable 69.2% from 2-point range. He turned to be Brose Baskets' top player in his first season with the team. The University of Texas graduate has very impressive stats this year. Tucker is in league's top in points (7th best: 14.9ppg), rebounds (9th best: 6.7rpg) and averages solid 61.1% FGP.

Second best performed player last round was John Bryant (208-C-87) of Ratiopharm. He is American center in his second season at Ratiopharm. In the last game Bryant recorded impressive double-double of 21 points and 11 rebounds. It was enough for Ratiopharm to edge the lower-ranked Walter Tigers (#12, 13-17) by 6 points 93-87. Ratiopharm's 3rd position in the standings has not changed. His team lost just six games this season, while they won 24 matches. Bryant is well-known at Ratiopharm and he already established his position as one of the team's leaders. He belongs to the best scorers in the league with 14.5ppg (#9). He also registered 9.7 boards per game.

Third place about best performers goes to forward Matt Howard (203-F-89) of EnBW L'burg (#15). Howard showcased his all-around game by recording 23 points, nine rebounds and six assists in the last round. He was a key player of EnBW L'burg, leading his team to a 96-90 win against slightly lower-ranked Phoenix Hagen (#17, 8-22). The chances of EnBW L'burg not to end season at such low position in the league, however are less than slim as they have already lost 21 games, recording just nine victories. With bigger assistance of his teammates, Howard could try to bring EnBW L'burg's a little bit higher in the standings. Howard has a very solid season. In 9 games in Germany he scored 11.6ppg. He also has 5.0rpg and FGP: 66.7%.

Other top performing players last week:
4. Davin White (186-G-81) of Phoenix Hagen - 25 points, 5 rebounds and 9 assists
5. Christopher McNaughton (211-C-82) of Bremerhaven - 22 points, 4 rebounds and 5 assists
6. Jermareo Davidson (208-F-84) of Fraport SKY - 25 points and 7 rebounds
7. Ben Jacobson (188-G-83) of s.Oliver Baskets - 11 points, 6 rebounds and 10 assists
8. Chevon Troutman (202-F-81) of B.Muenchen - 21 points and 8 rebounds
9. Danny Gibson (180-G-84) of Bayreuth - 22 points, 4 rebounds and 2 assists
10. Ekenechukwu Ibekwe (206-F-85) of Bayreuth - 20 points and 9 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)

BBL Round 30: Brose Baskets defeat Artland Dragons in the game between Top 4 teams - 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.

An interesting game for Brose Baskets (27-3) which played road game in Quakenbrueck against 4th ranked Artland Dragons (20-10). First ranked Brose Baskets had an easy win 83-68. It ended at the same time the three-game winning streak of Artland Dragons. The game without a history. Brose Baskets led from the first minutes and controlled entire game increasing their lead in each quarter. American players dominated the game. It was a good game for forward Anthony Leon Tucker (198-85, college: Texas) who led his team to a victory with a double-double by scoring 32 points and 13 rebounds. Guard Brian Roberts (188-85, agency: Interperformances) contributed with 12 points and 5 assists for the winners. Guard David Holston (170-86, college: Chicago St.) replied with 20 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists for Artland Dragons. Artland Dragons' coach rotated twelve players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. Brose Baskets have a solid four-game winning streak. Defending champion maintains first position with 27-3 record. Artland Dragons at the other side keep the fourth place with ten games lost. Brose Baskets are looking forward to face s Oliver Baskets (#5) in Wuerzburg in the next round. Artland Dragons will play on the road against EnBW Ludwigsburg and are hoping to prove to their fans that the loss was just an accident.
The game between seventh ranked New Yorker Phantoms (16-13) and 18th ranked BG Goettingen (4-26) in Braunschweig ended with biggest points difference. New Yorker Phantoms outscored guests from Goettingen 92-65. Serbian forward Branko Jorovic (205-81, agency: Beo Basket) scored 13 points to lead the charge for the winners and Kyle Visser chipped in 13 points and 7 rebounds during the contest. The best for the losing side was Zimbabwean power forward Vitalis Chikoko (207-91) with 17 points and 6 rebounds. The winner was already known earlier in the game, so both coaches allowed to play the bench players saving starting five for next games. New Yorker Phantoms maintains seventh position with 16-13 record. BG Goettingen at the other side stay dead last with 26 lost games. New Yorker Phantoms will play against higher ranked Bayern Muenchen (#6) at home in the next round and it may be quite challenging game. BG Goettingen will play against Eisbaeren Bremerhaven (#11) and hopes to get back on the winning track.

There were no big surprises in other games of round 30: Telekom Baskets were beaten by B.Muenchen on the road 87-69. Bremerhaven destroyed Bayreuth on its own court 98-74. Fraport SKY managed to outperform EWE Baskets in Frankfurt 75-67. TBB Trier recorded a loss to s.Oliver Baskets at home 61-75. EnBW L'burg defeated Phoenix Hagen on the opponent's court 96-90. Ratiopharm beat Walter Tigers in a home game 93-87. LTi 46ers lost to ALBA on the road 67-80.

B.Muenchen - Telekom Baskets 87-69

No shocking result in a game when sixth ranked Bayern Muenchen (18-12) beat at home 8th ranked Telekom Baskets (15-14) 87-69. The game without a history. Bayern Muenchen led from the first minutes and controlled entire game increasing their lead in each quarter. American forward Chevon Troutman (202-81, college: Pittsburgh, agency: ACMT) scored 21 points and 8 rebounds to lead the charge for the winners and international forward Jan-Hendrik Jagla (213-81, college: Penn St.) chipped in 13 points and 9 rebounds during the contest. The best for the losing side was American center Chris Ensminger (209-73, college: Valparaiso, agency: Limelight Hoops) with 13 points and 5 rebounds (went 7 for 7 at the free throw line) and his fellow American import point guard Jared Jordan (188-84, college: Marist) scored 9 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists. Both coaches used bench players and allowed the starting five to rest. Newly promoted Bayern Muenchen maintains sixth position with 18-12 record. Telekom Baskets at the other side keep the eighth place with 14 games lost. Bayern Muenchen will play against New Yorker Phantoms (#7) in Braunschweig in the next round. Telekom Baskets will play at home against Walter Tigers in Tuebingen and hope to get back on the winning track.
Top scorers:
B.Muenchen: C.Troutman 21+8reb, J.Jagla 13+9reb+2ast, J.Foster 12+2reb+4ast, R.Benzing 9+7reb, D.Greene 8+1reb+1ast, J.Wallace 8+2reb+5ast
Telekom Baskets: C.Ensminger 13+5reb+3ast, S.Serapinas 11+3reb, J.Jordan 9+6reb+4ast, B.Veikalas 9+1ast, T.Gaffney 7+6reb+2ast, Z.Buljan 6+5reb

Bremerhaven - Bayreuth 98-74

Rather expected game when 13th ranked BBC Bayreuth (11-19) was smashed on the road by eleventh ranked Eisbaeren Bremerhaven (14-16) 98-74. The game without a history. Eisbaeren Bremerhaven led from the first minutes and controlled entire game increasing their lead in each quarter. They dominated down low during the game scoring 54 of its points in the paint compared to BBC Bayreuth's 32. Eisbaeren Bremerhaven players were unselfish on offense dishing 22 assists. The former international center Christopher McNaughton (211-82, college: Bucknell, agency: Pro One Sports) scored 22 points and 5 assists (on 10-of-13 shooting from the field) to lead the charge for the winners and American guard Anthony Smith (196-86, college: Liberty, agency: Pro One Sports) chipped in 23 points during the contest. Five Eisbaeren Bremerhaven players scored in double figures. The best for the losing side was Nigerian-American forward Ekenechukwu Ibekwe (206-85, college: Maryland) with 20 points and 9 rebounds and American guard Danny Gibson (180-84, college: S.Indiana, agency: Limelight Hoops) scored 22 points. Eisbaeren Bremerhaven moved-up to tenth place, which they share with EWE Baskets. BBC Bayreuth lost fourth consecutive game. They keep the thirteenth position with 19 games lost. Eisbaeren Bremerhaven will play against bottom-ranked BG Goettingen (#18) on the road in the next round and are hoping to win another game. BBC Bayreuth will play against EWE Baskets (#10) in Oldenburg and hopes to get back on the winning track.
Top scorers:
Bremerhaven: A.Smith 23+4reb+2ast, C.McNaughton 22+4reb+5ast, J.Cain 15+8reb, T.Everett 14+7reb+7ast, M.Smith 13+3reb+3ast, J.Raffington 6+3reb
Bayreuth: D.Gibson 22+4reb+2ast, E.Ibekwe 20+9reb, O.Jeanty 9+5reb+1ast, B.Wyrick 8+5reb+1ast, R.Veideman 6+3reb+1ast, T.Smith 4+7reb+9ast

Art.Dragons - Brose Baskets 68-83

An interesting game for Brose Baskets (27-3) which played road game in Quakenbrueck against 4th ranked Artland Dragons (20-10). First ranked Brose Baskets had an easy win 83-68. It ended at the same time the three-game winning streak of Artland Dragons. The game without a history. Brose Baskets led from the first minutes and controlled entire game increasing their lead in each quarter. American players dominated the game. It was a good game for forward Anthony Leon Tucker (198-85, college: Texas) who led his team to a victory with a double-double by scoring 32 points and 13 rebounds. Guard Brian Roberts (188-85, agency: Interperformances) contributed with 12 points and 5 assists for the winners. Guard David Holston (170-86, college: Chicago St.) replied with 20 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists and center Darren Fenn (208-80, college: Canisius, agency: Limelight Hoops) added 14 points and 7 rebounds in the effort for Artland Dragons. Artland Dragons' coach rotated twelve players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. Brose Baskets have a solid four-game winning streak. Defending champion maintains first position with 27-3 record. Artland Dragons at the other side keep the fourth place with ten games lost. Brose Baskets are looking forward to face s Oliver Baskets (#5) in Wuerzburg in the next round. Artland Dragons will play on the road against EnBW Ludwigsburg and are hoping to prove to their fans that the loss was just an accident.
Top scorers:
Brose Baskets: A.Leon Tucker 32+13reb+1ast, C.Jacobsen 14+2reb+3ast, B.Roberts 12+4reb+5ast, A.Gavel 9+2reb+5ast, J.Jenkins 7+1reb+1ast, M.Slaughter 6+4reb+1ast
Art.Dragons: D.Holston 20+6reb+5ast, B.Thomas 15+1reb+5ast, D.Fenn 14+7reb+3ast, B.Bailey 7+1reb, N.Peavy 4+5reb, F.Hartenstein 2

EWE Baskets - Fraport SKY 67-75

Everything could happen in Oldenburg at the game between two tied teams. Both tenth ranked Deutsche Bank Skyliners and 9th ranked EWE Baskets had identical 14-15 record. But EWE Baskets were not able to use a home court advantage and were defeated by the opponent from Frankfurt 75-67. It looked good early as EWE Baskets took an 1-point lead at the end of first quarter. Then Deutsche Bank Skyliners had a 17-9 second period charge getting the lead and EWE Baskets were not able to take back game control losing it eventually 67-75. Deutsche Bank Skyliners made 16-of-20 charity shots (80.0 percent) during the game. American players dominated also this game. Forward Jermareo Davidson (208-84, college: Alabama) scored 25 points and 7 rebounds to lead the charge for the winners and guard Jimmy McKinney (192-83, college: Missouri, agency: Strategic Sports) chipped in 16 points during the contest. The best for the losing side was power forward Adam Chubb (208-81, college: Pennsylvania, agency: Pro One Sports) with a double-double by scoring 12 points and 10 rebounds and guard Bobby Brown (188-84, college: CS Fullerton, agency: Priority Sports) scored 22 points. Four EWE Baskets players scored in double figures. EWE Baskets' coach Ralph Held tested ten players in this game, but that didn't help. Deutsche Bank Skyliners have a solid three-game winning streak. They moved-up to ninth place. EWE Baskets at the other side dropped to the tenth position with 16 games lost. They share it with Bremerhaven. Deutsche Bank Skyliners will play against Phoenix Hagen (#17) at home in the next round and are hoping to win another game. EWE Baskets will play against BBC Bayreuth (#13) and hope to get back on the winning track.
Top scorers:
Fraport SKY: J.Davidson 25+7reb+1ast, J.McKinney 16+3reb+2ast, Q.Robertson 10+5reb+1ast, D.Gibson 7+4reb+3ast, J.Burtschi 7+5reb+2ast, T.Ohlbrecht 6+4reb
EWE Baskets: B.Brown 22+1reb+2ast, R.Paulding 15+5reb, A.Chubb 12+10reb+3ast, R.Burrell 11+5reb+1ast, K.Hasbrouck 4+1reb+1ast, D.Bahiense de Mello 3+2reb

TBB Trier - s.Oliver Baskets 61-75

Not a big story in a game when 14th ranked TBB Trier (10-20) lost at home to fifth ranked s Oliver Baskets (19-11) 75-61. TBB Trier was ahead by 3 points at the halftime before a 47-30 second half run of s Oliver Baskets. American players dominated also this game. Guard Ben Jacobson (188-83, college: N.Iowa) had a double-double by scoring 11 points, 6 rebounds and 10 assists to lead the charge for the winners and power forward Jason Boone (198-85, college: New York U.) chipped in 12 points and 6 rebounds during the contest. The best for the losing side was forward Nate Linhart (201-86, college: Akron) with 17 points and 8 rebounds and point guard Dru Joyce (183-85, college: Akron) scored 14 points and 5 rebounds. Both coaches used bench players and allowed the starting five to rest. Newly promoted s Oliver Baskets maintains fifth position with 19-11 record. TBB Trier lost third consecutive game. They keep the fourteenth place with 20 games lost. s Oliver Baskets will play against league's leader Brose Baskets in Bamberg in the next round and it may be quite challenging game. TBB Trier will play on the road against LTi 46ers (#16) in Giessen and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
s.Oliver Baskets: C.Kramer 13+4reb+1ast, J.Boone 12+6reb+1ast, B.Jacobson 11+6reb+10ast, A.King 9+3reb+3ast, J.Little 9+4reb, J.Bucknor 8+4reb
TBB Trier: N.Linhart 17+8reb, D.Joyce 14+5reb, P.Zwiener 9+3reb+1ast, A.Seiferth 6+5reb, J.Bynum 4+1ast, M.Zirbes 3+6reb+1ast

NY Phantoms - Goettingen 92-65

The game between seventh ranked New Yorker Phantoms (16-13) and 18th ranked BG Goettingen (4-26) in Braunschweig ended with biggest points difference. New Yorker Phantoms outscored guests from Goettingen 92-65. The game without a history. New Yorker Phantoms led from the first minutes and controlled entire game increasing their lead in each quarter. They dominated down low during the game scoring 54 of its points in the paint compared to BG Goettingen's 34. They outrebounded BG Goettingen 42-26 including a 32-18 advantage in defensive rebounds. New Yorker Phantoms players were unselfish on offense dishing 22 assists. Serbian forward Branko Jorovic (205-81, agency: Beo Basket) scored 13 points to lead the charge for the winners and American center Kyle Visser (211-85, college: Wake Forest) chipped in 13 points and 7 rebounds during the contest. Four New Yorker Phantoms players scored in double figures. The best for the losing side was Zimbabwean power forward Vitalis Chikoko (207-91) with 17 points and 6 rebounds and American forward Sean Evans (203-88, college: St.John's) scored 13 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. New Yorker Phantoms maintains seventh position with 16-13 record. BG Goettingen at the other side stay dead last with 26 lost games. New Yorker Phantoms will play against higher ranked Bayern Muenchen (#6) at home in the next round and it may be quite challenging game. BG Goettingen will play against Eisbaeren Bremerhaven (#11) and hopes to get back on the winning track.
Top scorers:
NY Phantoms: B.Jorovic 13+4reb+3ast, K.Visser 13+7reb, N.Schneiders 12+2reb, N.Mittmann 11+5reb, R.Melzer 10+2reb+1ast, M.Umeh 8+3reb+1ast
Goettingen: V.Chikoko 17+6reb, S.Evans 13+4reb+1ast, J.Allen 9+4reb+1ast, P.Horne 8+5reb+1ast, M.Weber 8+2reb+2ast, D.Tucker 5+3reb+1ast

Phoenix Hagen - EnBW L'burg 90-96

Everything could happen at the game between two tied teams. Both fifteenth ranked EnBW Ludwigsburg and 16th ranked Phoenix Hagen had identical 8-21 record. But Phoenix Hagen was not able to use a home court advantage and was defeated by the opponent from Ludwigsburg 96-90. The guests were ahead by 7 points but lost the second period ending it with a 3-point deficit before their 28-19 run, which allowed them to win the game. EnBW Ludwigsburg dominated down low during the game scoring 52 of its points in the paint compared to Phoenix Hagen's 30. It was a great shooting night for EnBW Ludwigsburg especially from behind the arc, where they had solid 52.9 percentage. American forward Matt Howard (203-89, college: Butler) scored 23 points, 9 rebounds and 6 assists to lead the charge for the winners and Antiguan-American power forward Kurt Looby (208-84, college: Iowa) chipped in 18 points and 5 rebounds (on 6-of-7 shooting from the field) during the contest. EnBW Ludwigsburg's coach Steven Key allowed to play the deep bench players saving starting five for next games. The best for the losing side was American guard Davin White (186-81, college: CS Northridge) with 25 points, 5 rebounds and 9 assists and his fellow American import forward Adam Constantine (206-88, college: Elon, agency: Strategic Sports) scored 14 points and 8 rebounds. Five EnBW Ludwigsburg and four Phoenix Hagen players scored in double figures. EnBW Ludwigsburg maintains fifteenth position with 9-21 record. Phoenix Hagen lost third consecutive game. They keep the sixteenth place with 22 games lost. They share the position with LTi 46ers. EnBW Ludwigsburg will play against higher ranked Artland Dragons (#4) in Quakenbrueck in the next round and they do not belong to the favorites in that game. Phoenix Hagen will play on the road against Deutsche Bank Skyliners (#9) in Frankfurt and hopes to get back on the winning track.
Top scorers:
EnBW L'burg: M.Howard 23+9reb+6ast, K.Looby 18+5reb, M.Dorris 13+6reb+2ast, E.Jazvin 12+2reb+1ast, A.Fisher 10+1reb+2ast, A.Harris 7+1reb+1ast
Phoenix Hagen: D.White 25+5reb+9ast, M.Antonio Carter 18+2ast, A.Constantine 14+8reb+2ast, Z.Jonusas 12+5reb+4ast, J.Hasquet 6+4reb+1ast, B.Kruel 5+2reb+1ast

Ratiopharm - Walter Tigers 93-87

There was no surprise when 11th ranked Walter Tigers (13-17) lost on the road to third ranked ratiopharm Ulm (24-6) 93-87. However just six-point win is not that big difference and the fans of host team counted on more convincing victory. Walter Tigers were tied at the half but could not keep up in last two quarters eventually losing the game. ratiopharm Ulm made 27-of-32 charity shots (84.4 percent) during the game. Walter Tigers were plagued by 25 personal fouls down the stretch. American center John Bryant (208-87, college: Santa Clara) had a double-double by scoring 21 points and 11 rebounds (on 8-of-10 shooting from the field) to lead the charge for the winners and international guard Per Guenther (185-88) chipped in 15 points and 5 rebounds (went 11 for 11 at the free throw line !!!) during the contest. The best for the losing side was American guard Reggie Redding (196-88, college: Villanova) with 19 points and 7 rebounds and his fellow American import guard Louis Campbell (190-79, college: Buffalo, agency: Pro One Sports) scored 11 points and 6 assists. Both teams had five players each who scored in double figures. ratiopharm Ulm moved-up to second place, which they share with ALBA. Walter Tigers at the other side dropped to the twelfth position with 17 games lost. ratiopharm Ulm will play against league's second-placed ALBA Berlin at home in the next round and it will be for sure the game of the week. Walter Tigers will play against Telekom Baskets (#8) in Bonn and hope to get back on the winning track.
Top scorers:
Ratiopharm: J.Bryant 21+11reb+1ast, I.Swann 17+5ast, S.Esterkamp 16+4reb+3ast, P.Guenther 15+5reb+3ast, D.Watts 10+7reb+1ast, R.Trice 8+3reb
Walter Tigers: R.Redding 19+7reb, A.Hodzic 16+4reb, V.Duggins 16+1reb+2ast, N.Simon 15+3reb+2ast, L.Campbell 11+4reb+6ast, P.Cukinas 4+5reb

ALBA - LTi 46ers 80-67

No shocking result in a game when third ranked ALBA Berlin (24-6) beat at home 16th ranked LTi 46ers (8-22) 80-67. LTi 46ers were tied at the half but could not keep up in last two quarters eventually losing the game. ALBA Berlin have an impressive 13-game winning streak. They moved-up to second place, which they share with Ratiopharm. LTi 46ers lost fifth consecutive game. They keep the sixteenth position with 22 games lost. They share it with Phoenix Hagen. ALBA Berlin will play against ratiopharm Ulm (#3) on the road in the next round, which may be the game of the day. LTi 46ers will play against TBB Trier (#14) and it may be a tough game between close rivals.

Mannheim 2012: The hosts continue their winning streak - by Eurobasket News

Germany U18-Sweden U18 66:63

The hosts continue their winning streak at the Albert Schweitzer Tournament in Mannheim. They improved to 2-0 record beating Sweden 66:63 in Day 2.
It was an easy start for the German side, but later they hardly won the game. The hosts led 13:4 in the opening tip and won the first period 27:14. Sweden started to play better and reduced to 29:22 midway through the second frame. They finished the half with 8-point difference at 35:27. Immediately in the third quarter the guests cut it to 39:38 and trailed 48:47 after three quarters. Sweden took 55:54 lead with 5 minutes remaining but could not win the game. The Swedish big guys could not handle Zipser and Schilling under the basket: two fouled out. But the threes kept falling for the Scandinavians. The game was tied with 90 seconds on the clock when Akpinat hit a big three for the 64:61 lead. In the end, Germany prevailed with 66:63.
Paul Zipser (195-G-94) too-scored for the winners with 17 points and Gavin Schilling added 12. Malik Muller and Mauricio Marin (188-PG-94) followed them with 9 points each. Niklas Larsson (196-G-94) and Ludvig Hakanson (187-PG-96) replied with 12 points each in defeat, whilst Alexander Gorski (193-G-94) scored 10.

Germany U18: Paul Zipser 17, Gavin Schilling 12, Malik Muller 9, Mauricio Marin 9
Sweden U18: Niklas Larsson 12, Ludvig Hakanson 12, Alexander Gorski 10

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GREECE

Standings - A1

A1 Standings

1. Olympiakos		22-1
2. Panathinaikos		21-2
3. Kolossos		16-7
4. AGOR		14-9
5. Panionios		14-9
6. Kavala		12-11
7. Aris		11-12
8. PAOK		10-14
9. KAOD		9-14
10. Ilysiakos		7-16
11. Ikaros		7-17
12. Peristeri GS		6-17
13. Marousi		1-23

Regular Season: Round 25

Mar. 24: KAOD - Marousi 96-58
Apr. 5: Olympiakos - Kavala 85-60
Mar. 24: Kolossos - Peristeri GS 83-53
Mar. 24: Ikaros - PAOK 82-64
Apr. 8: Panionios - Panathinaikos 81-82
Mar. 24: Aris - AGOR 78-60

Regular Season: Round 26

Apr. 10: Panathinaikos - Kolossos
Apr. 11: Kavala - Panionios
Apr. 11: Peristeri GS - Aris
Apr. 11: AGOR - KAOD
Apr. 11: Marousi - Ikaros
Apr. 11: Ilysiakos - Olympiakos

Stats Leaders - A1

Points Per Game

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

1. Kommatos, Marousi	20.4
2. Christmas, AGOR	18.0
3. Charalampidi., KAO.	16.1
4. Gagaloudis, Marousi	15.6
5. Beck, Ikaros	15.5
6. Dikoudis, PAOK	15.0
7. Tapoutos, Aris	14.6
8. James, Aris	14.5
9. Taylor, Kavala	13.9
10. Baynes, Ikaros	13.8

Rebounds Per Game

Aron BAYNES
  Ikaros
  (208-C-86)
  Avg: 8.9

1. Baynes, Ikaros	8.9
2. Haritopoulos, Maro.	7.6
3. NaNa, Ilysiakos	7.5
4. Stepheson, Panio.	6.9
5. Kommatos, Marousi	6.6
6. Tapoutos, Aris	6.3
7. Symtsak, Kavala	6.0
8. O''Bryant, Kavala	5.9
9. Boykin, Kolossos	5.8
10. Scott, Peristeri	5.7

Assists Per Game

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

1. Gagaloudis, Marousi	6.0
2. Spanoulis, Olympia.	4.9
3. Diamantidis, Panat.	4.6
4. Charalampidi., KAO.	4.4
5. James, Aris	4.1
6. Xanthopoulos, Pani.	4.1
7. Wright, AGOR	4.1
8. Thompson, Ilysi.	3.5
9. Tsamis, Kolossos	3.2
10. Mocnik, Perister.	3.1

Steals Per Game

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

1. Wright, AGOR	2.5
2. James, Aris	1.9
3. Calathes, Panathin.	1.8
4. Thompson, Ilysi.	1.7
5. Logan, Panathin.	1.7
6. Christmas, AGOR	1.6
7. Gagaloudis, Marousi	1.5
8. Hatten, Kolossos	1.5
9. Kommatos, Marousi	1.4
10. Demertzis, Marousi	1.3

Blocks Per Game

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

1. O''Bryant, Kavala	1.5
2. Muldrow, Aris	1.4
3. Petway, AGOR	1.2
4. Elegar, Marousi	1.1
5. Hines, Olympiakos	1.0
6. Michel, KAOD	0.9
7. Stepheson, Panio.	0.9
8. Vougioukas, Panat.	0.9
9. Tsontzos, Marousi	0.7
10. Giddens, PAOK	0.7

Div.B Standing

B Standings

1. Aiolos Trikallon		23-2
2. Filathlitikos		22-3
3. Niki Volou		17-8
4. Irakleio		17-8
5. Agia Paraskevis		16-9
6. Koroivos		14-11
7. Diagoras		13-13
8. Egaleo		12-13
9. Doukas		11-14
10. Near East		11-14
11. MENT		11-14
12. Stratoni		11-15
13. Iraklis		8-17
14. Aias Evosmou		7-18
15. Anagennisi		7-18
16. Halkidona		1-24

Regular Season: Round 27

Apr. 22: Doukas - Aias Evosmou
Apr. 22: Near East - Diagoras
Apr. 22: Egaleo - Stratoni
Apr. 22: Halkidona - Iraklis
Apr. 22: MENT - Aiolos Trikallon
Apr. 22: Anagennisi - Agia Paraskevis
Apr. 22: Irakleio - Filathlitikos
Apr. 22: Niki Volou - Koroivos

Kostas Papanikolaou claims Greek A1 weekly honour - by Eurobasket News

Talented international forward Kostas Papanikolaou (204-F-90) had an amazing evening in the last round for league's leader Olympiakos and that's him to receive a Eurobasket.com Player of the Week award for round 25.
The 21-year old forward had a double-double of 22 points and ten rebounds, while his team crushed Kavala (#6, 12-11) with 25-point margin 85-60. It allowed Olympiakos to consolidate first place in the Greek A1. Olympiakos has a very good season and are considered to have a run for the championship title. They improved their record to 22-1. Papanikolaou has many years of experience at Olympiakos, through which he has constantly improved. Kostas Papanikolaou averages this season 7.6ppg.

The second most remarkable performance in last round's games was 35-year old Serbian center Dragan Ceranic (212-C-76, agency: Beo Basket) of KAOD. Ceranic impressed basketball fans with a double-double of 13 points and 10 rebounds. Of course he lead KAOD to another comfortable win outscoring the lower-ranked Marousi (#13, 1-23) 96-58. The game was between two teams which are definitely not main contenders for the title. KAOD keeps 9th position. His team is not often considered as one of the league's best with a mere 9-14 record. Ceranic is a newcomer at KAOD and despite he is not a team leader yet, every game he becomes more reliable player. Hopefully performances like the last one will happen more often.

The third best performed player last round was American Brent Petway (204-F-85) of AGOR (#4). Petway scored 18 points and grabbed ten rebounds. Despite Petway's great performance AGOR lost 60-78 to the lower-ranked Aris (#7, 11-12). But his team cannot count on just a single player as he also needs help of the other teammates. The last thing AGOR needs is to lose another game like this one. They lose more and more distance to the top teams. Their record is 14 victories and 9 lost games. Petway has a very solid season. In 23 games in Greece he scored 11.8ppg. He also has 4.4rpg, 1.2bpg and FGP: 64.5%.

Other top performing players last week:
4. Marko Ljubicic (195-G-87) of Ikaros - 11 points, 8 rebounds and 4 assists
5. Konstantinos Sloukas (197-G-90) of Olympiakos - 16 points and 6 assists
6. Vagel Sakellariou (195-F/G-89) of Marousi - 15 points, 10 rebounds and 4 assists
7. Scotty Hopson (200-G-89) of Kolossos - 20 points and 3 rebounds
8. Stratos Perperoglou (203-F-84) of Panathinaikos - 15 points, 3 rebounds and 3 assists
9. Christos Tapoutos (208-F-82) of Aris - 12 points and 12 rebounds
10. Edin Bavcic (210-F/C-84) of KAOD - 17 points, 7 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)

Mannheim 2012: Serbia prevail against Greece - by Eurobasket News

Serbia U18 - Greece U18 74:55

Serbia ensured the second win in a row at the start of Albert Schweitzer Tournament. They rallied past Greece for 2-0 record in Group D. Marko Guduric (193-G-95) and Nikola Milutinovic (206-C-94) posted 16 points apiece to pace the winning side. Greece on the other hand suffered the second straight defeat.
The teams stayed close throughout the opening frame. Greece managed to eke out an 18:17 lead after ten minutes. But Serbia stunned their opponents in the second period. They outgunned Greece 25:8 to build a 16-point halftime lead 42:26. Serbia aggravated the damage in the third term. They held the Hellenes to just 10 points to boost the margin to 22 points. Serbia never looked back afterwards marching to the victory. Nikola Radicevic (196-G-94) accounted for 12 points and 5 assists for the winners. Giorgos Aggelou (188-G-94) and Dimitrios Agravanis (208-F-94) provided 13 points apiece in the loss.

Serbia U18: Marko Guduric 16, Nikola Milutinovic 16, Nikola Radicevic 12
Greece U18: Giorgos Aggelou 13, Dimitrios Agravanis 13

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HUNGARY

Cup Final Four: Szolnok will meet ASE in the final - by Tamas Deri

It was a tied game between Szolnok and Kormend for 30 minutes in the first semifinal, but the guests got tired after 3 querters and lost the game. The player of the game was american all-around guard Julien Mills (193-G/F-85, college: Ball St.) helping the winners with 22 points (5/8 2pts, 2/3 3pts, 6/7 FT's), 8 rebounds, 2 assists and 1 steal in 28 minutes. Hungarian big man Marton Bader had almost a double-double of 19 points and 9 rebounds. Four player of the guests scored in double figures. American big man Darian Townes finished with a double-double of 13 points and 12 rebounds, Mike English added 12 points, 5 assists, 5 rebouns and 1 steal. Rashad Bell chipped in 12 points and 5 rebounds, hungarian guard Istvan Nemeth helped his team with 12 points and 2 rebounds.

Szolnoki Olaj - Fortress Lami-Ved Kormend 88-76
(24-25, 23-25, 18-14, 23-12)
Szolnok, Att.: 2.000, Referees: Foldhazi T., Adam J., Balog Gy.
Szolnoki Olaj: Obie Trotter (186-PG-84, agency: Court Side, college: Alabama A&M) 12/6, Julien Mills 22/6, Horvath A. 9/3, Nikolov 9/3, Marton Bader (212-C-80, agency: Laszlo Vinko Group) 19, Fodor 5/3, Gay 6/6, Trepak 4, Soos 2, Grebenar -
Fortress Lami-Ved Kormend: Mike English (194-F/G-82, college: UMKC) 12/3, Istvan Nemeth 12/6, Gergely Fodor (193-G-77) 9/3, Bell 12/6, Darian Townes (208-F/C-84) 13/3, Ferencz 8, Rujak 3/3, Eilingsfeld 7, Mladenovic -, Cseh -

It was even a closer game between ASE and Albacomp. Muhammad El Amin scored a three pointer only 7 seconds before the end, but Lorenzo Williams got fouled in the last second and made 2 of his 3 free throws. The best player of the second semifinal was hungarian guard David Vojvoda helping the winners with 18 points including 4 three pointers.

Albacomp Fehervar - Atomeromu SE 81-82
(17-27, 19-19, 20-16, 25-20)
Szolnok, Att.: 1.800, Referees: dr. Valovics I., Kapitany G., Farkas G.
Albacomp: Balazs Simon (188-PG-80, agency: Court Side) 16, Muhammad El Amin (196-G/F-87, college: Stony Brook) 26/12, Damian Hollis (203-F-88, agency: Two Points, college: G.Washington) 18, Keller 3, Chism 8/3, Supola 2, Hendlein 4, Bodi 4, Juhos -
ASE: Lorenzo Williams (191-G-84, agency: Court Side, college: Rice) 15/3, N. Williams 9/3, David Vojvoda (191-G/F-90, agency: Laszlo Vinko Group) 18/12, Morgen 7/3, Toth A. 3, Tamas Kaman (200-G/F-79, agency: Laszlo Vinko Group) 11/9, Kortelyesi 5, Frost 10, Kovacs 4

Hanga scored 21 points, Manresa won in Malaga - by Tamas Deri

Our National Team guard Adam Hanga (201-G-89, agency: TSS Management) showed his amazing basketball skills yesterday in the 28th round of the regular season of the strongest competition in Europe. Assignia Manresa had a big win in Malaga against Unicaja and is on the 11th place with a 13-15 record. In the 96:81 victory the hungarian guard was the best player of his team leading the winners with 21 points (6/13 2pts, 2/2 3pts, 3/4 FT's), 6 rebounds, 4 fouls against and 3 steals in only 20 minutes on the court.

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

IBA

Standings

IBA Standings

1. Gary Splash		5-0
2. Lake County S.		3-1
3. Albany L.		2-0
4. Kankakee S.		2-1
5. Lansing C.		2-2
6. Kenosha B.		1-3
7. L.Angeles L.		0-0
8. Chicago R.		0-1
9. Battle Creek K.		0-3
10. Springfield E.		0-3

First IBA spring season games recaps - by Gianni Pascucci

On Saturday, March 17th, the Kenosha Ballers defeated the Lansing Capitals, 127-124 in the IBA Spring Season game opener - Devron Bostick (6'5''-G-88, agency: Stanley International, college: Minnesota) led the Kenosha Ballers to their first IBA win, scoring 42 points and grabbing 10 boards to lead the Ballers past the Lansing Capitals. The Ballers are in their debut season with the IBA. Quante Moore (6'3''-G-80, college: West Plains JC) added 32 points for the Ballers (1-3) while Thomas Cobbs scored 22 points and had 9 rebounds. Derick Nelson (6'5''-F-86, agency: ACMT, college: Oakland) had 29 points and 10 rebounds for the Capitals as they were handed their first loss of the season, dropping to a 1-1 record.

On Sunday, March 18th, the Lake County Stars defeated the Kenosha Ballers, 124-122 - After going winless in the 2011 Winter IBA season, the Lake County Stars opened their spring season with a win over the Kenosha Ballers. The Stars (1-0) won, causing the Ballers to fall to 1-3 in their first IBA season. Six Stars scored in double-figures, led by Carl Fine (5'11''-G/F-83, college: Newman) who finished with 44 points. The Ballers were led by an outstanding performance by Devron Bostick, who had a double-double with 53 points and 16 rebounds. However, the Stars were able to overcome Bostick's play and a loss in the rebounding battle as the Ballers held a 50-34 advantage on the boards.

On Wednesday, March 21st, the Gary Splash prevailed over the Springfield Xpress, 109-92 - The Gary Splash improved to a 2-0 record. The Splash owned the Xpress statistically in both rebounds and assists, grabbing 74 boards and dishing out 33 assists compared to the Xpresss 32 and 12, respectively. Andrew Zimmer (6'6''-F/C-85, college: Wabash) led the Splash with 22 points and 11 rebounds. Christopher Wesby (6'8''-F-83, college: Indiana-S.Bend) and Marcus Jackson (6'5''-G/F-81, college: Benedictine, KS) also had double-doubles for the Splash with Wesby scoring 15 points and getting 15 rebounds whileJacksonhad 18 points and 12 boards. In their IBA debut, the Xpress were led by Matt Neaville who had a game-high 29 points.

On Saturday, March 24th, the Gary Splash defeated the St. Louis Trotters, 96-84 - The game was the Trotters debut IBA game. The Splash (3-0) held a 51-22 rebounding advantage as well as dishing out 24 to the Trotters eight assists. Rob Eldridge (6'2''-G-87, college: Florida Southern) led the Splash with 18 points, while Scott Buschman (6'7''-F, college: Viterbo) and Andrew Zimmer had double-doubles. Buschman scored 17 points and grabbed 14 rebounds, while Zimmer had 14 points and 10 boards. For the Trotters, Jeremy Jackson had a game-high 25 points.

On Sunday, March 25th, the Lansing Capitals prevailed over the Battle Creek Knights, 131-121 - The Lansing Capitals improved to a 2-1 record. The Capitals were led by Ty Motley (6'0''-G), who scored 31 points. Derick Nelson had a double-double on the night, scoring 17 points and grabbing 10 rebounds. For the Knights in their first 2012 IBA spring game, Danta Williams scored 34 points to lead all scorers while Manny Richardson (6'7''-F-88, college: Central Mo.) had 17 points and 14 rebounds

The same nioght, the Gary Splash clearly defeat the Lake County Stars, 119-78 - Three players had double-doubles to lead the Gary Splash past the Lake County Stars. Their efforts helped contribute to the Splashs 71-39 rebounding advantage. Andrew Zimmer led the attack scoring 19 points and grabbing 10 boards for the Splash (4-0). Scott Buschman added 18 points and 15 rebounds while Marcus Jackson had 15 points and 10 boards. For the Stars (2-1), Fred Durr (6'7''-F-85, college: Oklah. Panhandle St.) scored a game-high 26 points.

For more information, log onto ibaprohoops.com

Last March games reults and recaps - by Gianni Pascucci

On Monday, March 26th, the Lake County Stars defeated the Springfield Xpress, 117-113

On Wednesday, March 28th, the Gary Splash defeated the Chicago Redline 102-89 - The Gary Splash continued their winning streak, defeating the Chicago Redline and improving to 5-0 to lead the IBA. Christopher Wesby (6'8''-F-83, college: Indiana-S.Bend) led with a double-double, scoring 17 points and grabbing 10 rebounds. Five other players scored in double digits for the Splash. Tony Bennett (6'1''-G-84, college: Bradley) led the Chicago Redline in their opening IBA game, scoring 21 points.

On Friday, March 30th, the Kankakee County Soldiers prevailed ove the Springfield Xpress, 129-117 - The Soldiers overcame a fourth-quarter comeback from the Springfield Xpress to take the win. Ryan Edwards (6'5''-F-83, college: Missouri Baptist) led with 35 points and Billy Rush (6'7''-G/F-88, agency: VVG Sports, college: Robert Morris) chipped in with 30 points as the Soldiers improved to 2-1. Fredrick Gardner (6'5''-F-77, college: Florida A&M) had 10 rebounds to help the Soldiers outrebound the Xpress 53-30. The Xpress (0-3) were led by Matt Neaville (6'0''-PG, college: Union, TN), who scored 28 points, and a double-double from Robbie Davis, who had 25 points and grabbed 10 rebounds.

The same night, the New York Albany Legends defeated the Battle Creek Knights 129-102 - In their opening game with the IBA, the New York Albany Legends defeated the Battle Creek Knights. Tadre Sheppard (6'6''-F, college: Cent.Arkansas) led with a double-double, scoring 23 points and grabbing 10 rebounds. Emanuel Mayben (6'2''-G-87, college: Binghamton) chipped in with 22 points as five other Legends players scored in double digits. For the Knights (0-2), Josh Young scored 19 points while Manny Richardson (6'7''-F-88, college: Central Mo.) recorded a double-double with 17 points and 12 rebounds

On Saturday, March 31st, the NY Albany Legends took another win over the Battle Creek Knights, 113- 98 - The NY Albany Legends again overcame the Battle Creek Knights in their second match-up in two days. The Legends defeated the Knights 113-98 as Tadre Sheppard and Emanuel Mayben again led the Legends (2-0) with 25 points and 22 points, respectively. Kenny Tribbett (6'8''-F, agency: Prossin Sports Management, college: Drexel) and Zach Bye (6'4''-G/F, college: St.Rose, NY) also recorded double-doubles for the Legends as Tribbett had 16 points and 10 rebounds and Bye had 11 points and 12 rebounds. The Knights (0-3) were led by double-doubles from Courtney Smith (F/C) and Marcus Lancaster (5'10''-G-86, college: Montevallo). Smith scored 15 points and had 17 rebounds while Lancaster had 13 points and 13 rebounds.

For more information, log onto ibaprohoops.com

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INDONESIA

Standings - IBL

NBL Standings

1. Satria Muda		28-5
2. Aspac		27-6
3. Pelita Jaya		26-7
4. Garuda		26-7
5. CLS Knights		23-10
6. Muba Hangtuah		19-14
7. Stadium Jak.		18-15
8. Bima Sakti		11-21
9. Pacific Caesar		9-24
10. Comfort Mobile		6-28
11. Satya Wacana		4-29
12. NSH GMC Riau		1-32

Regular Season: Round 54

Apr. 8: Muba Hangtuah - NSH GMC Riau 87-50
Apr. 8: Pelita Jaya - Stadium Jak. 74-55
Apr. 8: CLS Knights - Comfort Mobile 67-32
Apr. 8: Bima Sakti - Satria Muda 49-68

Stats Leaders

Points Per Game

Yanuar DWI PRIASMORO
  Bima S.
  (178-SG-89)
  Avg: 16.5

1. Dwi Priasmor., Bim.	16.5
2. Ferdiansyah, Stadi.	15.6
3. Wisnu, Satria Muda	13.8
4. Nagata, Pacific	13.7
5. Rizky Ardian., Bim.	13.4
6. Sapto, Muba H.	12.7
7. Chandra, Pelita J.	12.0
8. Ahmad, Satria Muda	11.8
9. Regowo, Aspac	11.7
10. Pamungkas, Satya	11.4

Rebounds Per Game

Galank GUNAWAN
  Satria M.
  (194-PF-87)
  Avg: 10.5

1. Gunawan, Satria M.	10.5
2. Regowo, Aspac	8.8
3. Thoyib, Aspac	8.1
4. Heryadi, Muba H.	7.7
5. Sitepu, Satria M.	7.2
6. Rizky Ardian., Bim.	7.1
7. Yanto, NSH G.	7.1
8. Nasution, Satya W.	6.6
9. Wisnu, Satria Muda	6.6
10. Wuwungan, Satya	6.6

Assists Per Game

Denny SARTIKA
  Bima Sakti
  (175-PG-80)
  Avg: 4.5

1. Sartika, Bima Sakti	4.5
2. Gerungan, Aspac	3.8
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, Stadium	2.8
8. Ahmad, Satria Muda	2.5
9. Wijaya, Garuda	2.4
10. Uniputty, Comfor.	2.4

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.	2.6
4. Sartika, Bima Sakti	2.4
5. Ferdiansyah, Stadi.	2.3
6. Wijaya, Garuda	2.2
7. Ahmad, Satria Muda	2.0
8. Sunarya, Muba H.	2.0
9. Uniputty, Comfor.	2.0
10. Ramli, Garuda	1.9

Blocks Per Game

R RUSLAN
  Stadium .
  (197-C-89)
  Avg: 2.6

1. Ruslan, Stadium	2.6
2. Thoyib, Aspac	2.2
3. Sitepu, Satria M.	2.0
4. Arizki, Aspac	1.7
5. Gunawan, Satya W.	1.6
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, Satya	1.0

NBL Round 54: Pelita Jaya beats Stadium Jakarta in a derby game - by Eurobasket News

The Regular Season in NBL just ended.

The most interesting game was a derby match between two local teams from Jakarta: Pelita Jaya (#4) and Stadium Jakarta (#7). Pelita Jaya (26-7) smashed visiting Stadium Jakarta (18-15) by 19 points 74-55. It ended at the same time the two-game winning streak of Stadium Jakarta. The game was mostly controlled by Pelita Jaya. Stadium Jakarta managed to win fourth quarter 12-10. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. They outrebounded Stadium Jakarta 47-32 including a 27-16 advantage in defensive rebounds. The best player for the winners was the former international forward Andi Poedjakesuma (187-80) who scored 17 points and 9 rebounds. Center Fidyan Dini (195-83) chipped in 19 points and 6 rebounds. At the other side the best for losing team was guard Anton Sujarwo (186-84) who recorded 12 points. Both coaches used bench players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. Pelita Jaya have an impressive eight-game winning streak. Defending champion moved-up to third place, which they share with Garuda. Stadium Jakarta at the other side keeps the seventh position with 15 games lost.
Leader Satria Muda delivered the twentieth eighth victory. This time they crushed 8th ranked Bima Sakti (11-21) 68-49. It was a good game for Galank Gunawan (194-87) who led his team to a victory with a double-double by scoring 14 points and 15 rebounds. Christian Ronaldo Sitepu contributed with 12 points for the winners. Bima Rizky Ardiansyah (182-90) replied with 12 points for Bima Sakti. Both coaches tested many bench players and allowed the starting five to rest. Satria Muda maintains first position with 28-5 record. Bima Sakti at the other side keeps the eighth place with 21 games lost.
The game with biggest result difference took place in Pandang. Local Muba Hangtuah (19-14) outscored 12th ranked NSH GMC Riau (1-32) 87-50 on Sunday night. Agustinus Sigar scored 18 points to lead the charge for the winners. The best for the losing side was Boy Damanik with 13 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. Muba Hangtuah maintains sixth position with 19-14 record. NSH GMC Riau lost twentieth ninth consecutive game. They stay dead last with 32 lost games.

In the last game of round 54 Comfort Mobile was crushed by CLS Knights in Surabaya 67-32.

Bima Sakti - Satria Muda 49-68

Leader Satria Muda delivered the twentieth eighth victory. This time they crushed 8th ranked Bima Sakti (11-21) 68-49. The game without a history. Satria Muda 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 Bima Sakti's 32. They outrebounded Bima Sakti 46-23 including a 33-11 advantage in defensive rebounds. It was a good game for Galank Gunawan (194-87) who led his team to a victory with a double-double by scoring 14 points and 15 rebounds. International power forward Christian Ronaldo Sitepu (200-86) contributed with 12 points for the winners. Bima Rizky Ardiansyah (182-90) replied with 12 points and Restu Dwi Purnomo (193-93) added 4 points and 5 rebounds in the effort for Bima Sakti. Both coaches tested many bench players and allowed the starting five to rest. Satria Muda maintains first position with 28-5 record. Bima Sakti at the other side keeps the eighth place with 21 games lost.
Top scorers:
Satria Muda: G.Gunawan 14+15reb+2ast, C.Ronaldo Sitepu 12+4reb+2ast, F.Susanto 11+4reb, A.Wisnu 8+6reb+2ast, W.Situmorang 6+1ast, R.Putra 4+2reb+1ast
Bima Sakti: B.Rizky Ardiansyah 12+4reb+1ast, H.Gunawan 7+2reb, M.Indra 7+1reb+1ast, G.Sudrajat 6, Y.Dwi Priasmoro 6+2ast, U.Gendro Maryono 5+2reb

Pelita Jaya - Stadium Jak. 74-55

The most interesting game was a derby match between two local teams from Jakarta: Pelita Jaya (#4) and Stadium Jakarta (#7). Pelita Jaya (26-7) smashed visiting Stadium Jakarta (18-15) by 19 points 74-55. It ended at the same time the two-game winning streak of Stadium Jakarta. The game was mostly controlled by Pelita Jaya. Stadium Jakarta managed to win fourth quarter 12-10. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. They outrebounded Stadium Jakarta 47-32 including a 27-16 advantage in defensive rebounds. The best player for the winners was the former international forward Andi Poedjakesuma (187-80) who scored 17 points and 9 rebounds. Center Fidyan Dini (195-83) chipped in 19 points and 6 rebounds. At the other side the best for losing team was guard Anton Sujarwo (186-84) who recorded 12 points and Mohammad Wicaksono (189-89) added 11 points respectively. Both coaches used bench players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. Pelita Jaya have an impressive eight-game winning streak. Defending champion moved-up to third place, which they share with Garuda. Stadium Jakarta at the other side keeps the seventh position with 15 games lost.
Top scorers:
Pelita Jaya: F.Dini 19+6reb, A.Poedjakesuma 17+9reb, P.Indrawan 8+6reb+3ast, A.Chandra 6+3reb+2ast, K.Purwanto 6+7reb+4ast, D.Aryo Dewanto 6+5reb+2ast
Stadium Jak.: A.Sujarwo 12+3reb+3ast, M.Wicaksono 11+4reb+1ast, D.Iskandar 8+1reb, R.Ariestedes 8+4reb+1ast, F.Budianto 7+6reb+3ast, D.Leonardo 4+5reb+2ast

CLS Knights - Comfort Mobile 67-32

There was no surprise in Surabaya where 10th ranked Comfort Mobile (6-28) was crushed by fifth ranked CLS Knights (23-10) 67-32 on Sunday. The game was mostly controlled by CLS Knights. Comfort Mobile managed to win third quarter 13-8. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. They dominated on the defensive end, holding Comfort Mobile to just 4 points in first quarter and to 11 points in first half. CLS Knights forced 22 Comfort Mobile turnovers and outrebounded them 41-26 including 29 on the defensive glass. The former international center Agustinus Indrajaya (191-83) scored 13 points and 8 rebounds to lead the charge for the winners and Wijaya Saputra (184-85) chipped in 11 points during the contest. The best for the losing side was Rendra Rudini (192-89) with 10 points and 8 rebounds and point guard Andy Prasetyo (170-85) scored 4 points and 4 assists. The winner was already known earlier in the game, so both coaches allowed to play the bench players saving starting five for next games. CLS Knights have an impressive five-game winning streak. They maintain fifth position with 23-10 record. Comfort Mobile lost sixth consecutive game. They keep the tenth place with 28 games lost.
Top scorers:
CLS Knights: A.Indrajaya 13+8reb+3ast, W.Saputra 11+4reb+1ast, E.Bukit 9+6reb, T.Agus 7+6reb, J.Jeffry 6+3reb+1ast, S.Febiansyakh 6+3reb
Comfort Mobile: R.Rudini 10+8reb, R.Ongkowijoyo 4+2reb, A.Prasetyo 4+2reb+4ast, H.Kurniawan 4, G.Sitaniapesy 3+5reb, R.Orlando Uniputty 3+1reb

Muba Hangtuah - NSH GMC Riau 87-50

The game with biggest result difference took place in Pandang. Local Muba Hangtuah (19-14) outscored 12th ranked NSH GMC Riau (1-32) 87-50 on Sunday night. The game without a history. Muba Hangtuah led from the first minutes and controlled entire game increasing their lead in each quarter. They made 17-of-21 free shots (81.0 percent) during the game. It was a great shooting night for Muba Hangtuah especially from behind the arc, where they had solid 53.3 percentage. They looked well-organized offensively handing out 21 assists. Guard Agustinus Sigar (180-79) scored 18 points to lead the charge for the winners and guard I G Ngurah Teguh (189-88) chipped in 9 points and 8 rebounds during the contest. Four Muba Hangtuah players scored in double figures. The best for the losing side was power forward Boy Damanik (192-76) with 13 points and 7 rebounds and Ryan Febriyan (194-87) scored 14 points. The winner was already known earlier in the game, so both coaches allowed to play the bench players saving starting five for next games. Muba Hangtuah maintains sixth position with 19-14 record. NSH GMC Riau lost twentieth ninth consecutive game. They stay dead last with 32 lost games.
Top scorers:
Muba Hangtuah: A.Sigar 18+1reb+3ast, A.Junaidi 12+3reb+3ast, A.Sapto 11+2reb+2ast, A.Prasetyo 11+3reb, I.G Ngurah Teguh 9+8reb+3ast, R.Santo Yunarto 7+3reb+3ast
NSH GMC Riau: R.Febriyan 14+3reb+2ast, B.Damanik 13+7reb, M.Yanto 9+3reb, A.Pamungkas 4+2reb+2ast, M.Yesyurun 2, H.Nurdiansyah 2+1reb+1ast

Indonesian NBL round 53 best performance: Octoviano Sura - by Eurobasket News

Power forward Octoviano Sura (190-PF-84) put on an extraordinary performance in the last round for Garuda, receiving a Eurobasket.com Player of the Week award for round 53.
The 27-year old player was the main contributor (14 points, eight rebounds and three assists) to his team's victory, helping them to outclass Comfort Mobile (#10, 6-27) with 38-point margin 75-37. Garuda maintains the 3rd position in Indonesian NBL. They would have been even better if they hadn't lost a few games earlier this season. Garuda will need more victories to improve their 26-7 record. It was one of impressive evenings for Sura as usually he does not deliver so high stats. Octoviano Sura averages this season 5.7ppg.

The second best player in last round's games was 22-year old R Ruslan (197-C-89) of Stadium Jak.. Ruslan had a very good evening with 17 points and 7 rebounds. Of course he lead Stadium Jak. to another comfortable win outscoring the lower-ranked Satya Wacana (#11, 4-29) 71-50. Stadium Jak.'s 7th position in the standings has not changed. His team lost some distance to top teams. But 18-14 record is not bad and everything may still change. Ruslan is a newcomer at Stadium Jak. and despite he is not a team leader yet, every game he becomes more reliable player. Hopefully performances like the last one will happen more often.

Third on the list of top players last round was center Firman Nugroho (201-C-90) of Satya Wacana (#11). Nugroho scored 11 points and grabbed eight rebounds. Despite Nugroho's great performance Satya Wacana lost 50-71 to the higher-ranked Stadium Jak. (#7, 18-14). But his team cannot count on just a single player as he also needs help of the other teammates. Satya Wacana can only dream about fighting for top spots in the league. They have rather bad season and 4-29 record places them close to the bottom of the standings. Too bad for Nugroho he does not play for a better team. But maybe if he did, his season stats would not be that high. Nugroho has a very solid season. In 24 games in Indonesia he scored 3.4ppg.

Other top performing players last week:
4. Fadlan Minallah (185-F-82) of Garuda - 18 points, 2 rebounds and 2 assists
5. Oki Wira Sanjaya (190-G-89) of Aspac - 19 points and 7 rebounds
6. Arki Wisnu (187-G-88) of Satria Muda - 18 points, 7 rebounds and 2 assists
7. Andi Poedjakesuma (187-F-80) of Pelita Jaya - 14 points and 7 rebounds
8. Christ Gideon (188-F-84) of Garuda - 10 points and 11 rebounds
9. Merio Ferdiansyah (176-SG-85) of Stadium Jak. - 22 points and 7 rebounds
10. Ryan Febriyan (194-PF-87) of NSH GMC Riau - 10 points and 7 rebounds

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

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IRAN

U18 WABA Championship: Iran stun Yemen - by Eurobasket News

Iran U18 - Yemen U18 94:68

Iran recorded the third straight win at the U18 WABA Championship in Lebanon. They overcame Yemen to set up the decisive clash versus hosting Lebanon for the crown. Vahid Dalirzahan (198-F-95) stepped up with 22 points and 8 rebounds to pace the winners.
Iran accounted for 27 points in the opening quarter taking a 7-point lead. The maintained it well throughout the second quarter. Iran arrived at halftime up by 8 points 48:40. Iran stretched the gap in the third term. They built a 12-point cushion at the final intermission 71:59. Iran opened the fourth term with a 13:2 run and never looked back en route to the win. Hosein Rahmati and Saleh Foroutannik (203-C-94) accounted for 14 points each in the victory. Aiman Sadakah (186-F-94) responded with 19 points for Yemen. Salman Naif had 15 points and 10 rebounds in the loss.

Iran U18: Vahid Dalirzahan 22, Hosein Rahmati 14, Saleh Foroutannik 14
Yemen U18: Aiman Sadakah 19, Salman Naif 15+10 boards

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ISRAEL

Standings - BSL

Premier League Standings

1. Maccabi T-A		19-2
2. Galil Gilboa		14-8
3. Maccabi Rishon		14-8
4. Hapoel Holon		13-9
5. Hapoel J-M		12-10
6. Maccabi Ashdod		11-10
7. Ironi Ashkelon		10-11
8. Elitzur Netanya		8-14
9. B.C. Habikaa		7-14
10. Bnei Hasharon		7-15
11. Maccabi Haifa		4-18

Regular Season: Round 24

Apr. 8: Maccabi T-A - Galil Gilboa 91-77
Apr. 8: Hapoel J-M - Maccabi Rishon 76-82
Apr. 5: B.C. Habikaa - Bnei Hasharon 75-85
Apr. 8: Ironi Ashkelon - Hapoel Holon 75-85
Apr. 8: Elitzur Netanya - Maccabi Haifa 72-75

Regular Season: Round 25

Apr. 11: Maccabi Ashdod - Elitzur Netanya
Apr. 11: Maccabi Rishon - Maccabi T-A
Apr. 11: Galil Gilboa - Ironi Ashkelon
Apr. 11: Hapoel Holon - Hapoel J-M
Apr. 11: Maccabi Haifa - B.C. Habikaa

Loto League Stats Leaders

Points Per Game

Adrian BANKS
  Elitzur .
  (191-G-86)
  Avg: 21.6

1. Banks, Elitzur	21.6
2. Landesberg, Macca.	20.5
3. Carter, Bnei H.	20.5
4. Crawford, Maccab.	20.5
5. Lewis, Hapoel Holon	19.7
6. Asbury, Elitzur	18.1
7. Travis, Galil Gilb.	17.8
8. Delaney, B.C. H.	17.7
9. Bradley, Maccabi	17.4
10. Duncan, Maccabi	17.4

Rebounds Per Game

Bryant DUNSTON
  Hapoel H.
  (202-F/C-86)
  Avg: 9.8

1. Dunston, Hapoel H.	9.8
2. Rosefelt, Bnei H.	8.6
3. Duncan, Maccabi	8.3
4. Bowman, Maccabi	8.2
5. Tyus, Maccabi	8.0
6. Asbury, Elitzur	7.8
7. Killingswort., Iro.	7.5
8. Kitchen, Maccabi	7.2
9. Hendrix, Maccabi	7.1
10. Uter, Maccabi	7.1

Assists Per Game

Moran ROTH
  Hapoel Holon
  (183-PG-82)
  Avg: 8.1

1. Roth, Hapoel Holon	8.1
2. Tapiro, Maccabi	7.3
3. Carter, Bnei H.	6.9
4. Jackson, Maccabi	5.5
5. Thomas, Galil Gilb.	5.0
6. Ohayon, Maccabi	4.8
7. Mitchell, Ironi A.	4.7
8. Delaney, B.C. H.	4.3
9. Limonad, Ironi A.	4.3
10. Lifshitz, Elitzu.	4.3

Steals Per Game

Raviv LIMONAD
  Ironi A.
  (192-G-84)
  Avg: 2.1

1. Limonad, Ironi A.	2.1
2. Kitchen, Maccabi	2.0
3. Campbell, Elitzu.	2.0
4. Berkowitz, Ironi A.	1.9
5. Ben-Chimol, Maccab.	1.9
6. Yavzuri, Galil Gil.	1.8
7. Mitchell, Ironi A.	1.8
8. Ohayon, Maccabi	1.8
9. Skinn, Ironi Ashke.	1.7
10. Delaney, B.C. H.	1.7

Blocks Per Game

Jarvis VARNADO
  Hapoel J.
  (206-F-88)
  Avg: 2

1. Varnado, Hapoel J.	2.0
2. Dunston, Hapoel H.	1.8
3. Uter, Maccabi	1.7
4. James, Maccabi T-A	1.6
5. Hendrix, Maccabi	1.3
6. Tyus, Maccabi	1.2
7. Randle, Hapoel J-M	1.1
8. Powell, Maccabi Ha.	1.0
9. Sullivan, Hapoel H.	1.0
10. Rosefelt, Bnei H.	0.9

Mannheim 2012: Israel post first win, edge Argentina - by Eurobasket News

Israel U18 - Argentina U18 67:61

Israel gained the first win at the Albert Schweitzer Tournament. They defeated Argentina to improve at 1-1 record in Group A. Daniel Sealine (183-G-94) scored 21 points to pace the effort. Argentina fell at 0-2 record after the loss.
Argentina managed to take a 14:13 lead at the first break. But Israel opened the second quarter on a 7:0 run to surge ahead. They maintained the advantage posting a 29:26 halftime advantage. The margin grew at 7-point mark midway through the third quarter. Israel entered the fourth period up by six points 52:46. Martin Massone (187-F-94), Berdardini and Gonzalo Torres (201-C-94) put the Latin American team in charge 56:55 midway through the fourth term. But Rafael Menco (198-F-94) scored timely four points in a row to return the lead to Israel. They never surrendered it in the reminder of the contest claiming a well-deserved victory at the end. Rafael Menco had 13 points, while Eliav Ohanon added 9 in the win. Gonzalo Torres answered with 18 points and 10 rebounds for Argentina. Martin Massone chipped in 14 points in the losing effort.

Israel U18: Daniel Sealine 21, Rafael Menco 13, Eliav Ohanon 9
Argentina U18: Gonzalo Torres 18+10 boards, Martin Massone 14

Premier League Round 24: Maccabi Rishon defeats Hapoel J-M in the game between Top 4 teams - 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.

An interesting game for Maccabi Rishon (14-8) which played road game in Jerusalem against 4th ranked Hapoel J-M (12-10). Third ranked Maccabi Rishon managed to get a 6-point victory 82-76. It ended at the same time the two-game winning streak of Hapoel J-M. Hapoel J-M trailed by 15 points after 3 quarters before a 21-12 run in the last quarter cut the deficit to 76-82 at the end of the game. Maccabi Rishon forced 19 Hapoel J-M turnovers. 26 personal fouls committed by Hapoel J-M helped opponents get some easy free throw opportunities. It was a good game for Jamaican-American power forward Adrian Uter (201-84, college: Hofstra, agency: Gross Zeev ISA) who led his team to a victory with 24 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists. American guard Derwin Kitchen (193-86, college: Florida St., agency: VVG Sports) contributed with 13 points, 8 rebounds and 4 assists for the winners. American guard Ramel Bradley (188-85) replied with 14 points and 7 rebounds for Hapoel J-M. Hapoel J-M's coach rotated ten players in this game, but that didn't help. Maccabi Rishon have a solid four-game winning streak. They moved-up to second place, which they share with Galil Gilboa. Hapoel J-M at the other side dropped to the fifth position with ten games lost. Maccabi Rishon is looking forward to face league's leader Maccabi T-A in Tel-Aviv in the next round and it will be for sure the game of the week. Hapoel J-M will play on the road against Hapoel Holon (#4) and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
An interesting game for Maccabi T-A (19-2) which hosted in Tel-Aviv second-best Galil Gilboa (14-8). First ranked Maccabi T-A managed to get a 14-point victory 91-77. Worth to mention a great performance of international guard Yogev Ohayon (189-87) who helped to win the game recording 18 points, 7 rebounds and 8 assists and Richard Hendrix who added 17 points and 12 rebounds during the contest. The best for the losing side was the former international guard Dagan Yavzuri (193-85) with 12 points. Galil Gilboa's coach Lior Lubin tested ten players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. Maccabi T-A have an impressive seven-game winning streak. Defending champion maintains first position with 19-2 record. Galil Gilboa at the other side keeps the second place with eight games lost. They share the position with Maccabi Rishon. Maccabi T-A will play against Maccabi Rishon (#3) in Rishon Le-Zion in the next round, which may be the game of the day. Galil Gilboa will play at home against Ironi Ashkelon and hopes to get back on the winning track.
Bottom-ranked Maccabi Haifa managed to get a fourth victory, breaking the fifteen-game losing streak on Sunday night. This time they edged eighth-ranked Elitzur Netanya 75-72. The winners were led by Sylven Landesberg who scored that evening 18 points. Even 20 points and 5 rebounds by Yehu Orland did not help to save the game for Elitzur Netanya. Maccabi Haifa maintains eleventh position with 4-18 record. Loser Elitzur Netanya keeps the eighth place with 14 games lost. Maccabi Haifa will meet at home higher ranked B.C. Habikaa (#9) in the next round and it may be quite challenging game. Elitzur Netanya will play against Maccabi Ashdod and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
The game in Ashkelon was also worth to mention about. Fifth ranked Hapoel Holon (13-9) played at the court of 7th ranked Ironi Ashkelon (10-11). Hapoel Holon defeated Ironi Ashkelon 85-75. American players dominated the game. The best player for the winners was Ron Lewis who scored 23 points and 8 rebounds. Hapoel Holon moved-up to fourth place. Ironi Ashkelon lost fourth consecutive game. They keep the seventh position with 11 games lost. Hapoel Holon's next round opponent will be Hapoel J-M (#5) in Jerusalem. Ironi Ashkelon will play on the road against the league's second-placed Galil Gilboa.

In the last game of round 24 Bnei Hasharon beat B.C. Habikaa on the road 85-75.
The most impressive performance of 24th round was 23 points and 10 rebounds by Marco Killingsworth of Ironi Ashkelon.

Ironi Ashkelon - Hapoel Holon 75-85

The game in Ashkelon was also worth to mention about. Fifth ranked Hapoel Holon (13-9) played at the court of 7th ranked Ironi Ashkelon (10-11). Hapoel Holon defeated Ironi Ashkelon 85-75. The game was mostly controlled by Hapoel Holon. Ironi Ashkelon was better in third quarter 21-20. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. Hapoel Holon made 18-of-21 charity shots (85.7 percent) during the game. Hapoel Holon outrebounded Ironi Ashkelon 37-25 including 24 on the defensive glass. American players dominated the game. The best player for the winners was guard Ron Lewis (193-84, college: Ohio St.) who scored 23 points and 8 rebounds. Forward Tasmin Mitchell (201-86, college: LSU) chipped in a double-double by scoring 18 points and 11 rebounds. Five Hapoel Holon players scored in double figures. At the other side the best for losing team was power forward Marco Killingsworth (202-82, college: Indiana, agency: Interperformances) who recorded a double-double by scoring 23 points and 10 rebounds (on 9-of-10 shooting from the field) and swingman Dwayne Mitchell (196-82, college: La-Lafayette, agency: Interperformances) added 18 points and 5 assists respectively. Hapoel Holon moved-up to fourth place. Ironi Ashkelon lost fourth consecutive game. They keep the seventh position with 11 games lost. Hapoel Holon's next round opponent will be Hapoel J-M (#5) in Jerusalem. Ironi Ashkelon will play on the road against the league's second-placed Galil Gilboa.
Top scorers:
Ironi Ashkelon: M.Killingsworth 23+10reb+3ast, T.Skinn 19+3reb+4ast, D.Mitchell 18+3reb+5ast, N.Berkowitz 8+1reb+1ast, J.Skeen 6+3reb, J.Nir 1+3reb
Hapoel Holon: R.Lewis 23+8reb+1ast, B.Dunston 18+8reb+1ast, T.Mitchell 18+11reb+2ast, S.Daniel 12+2reb+1ast, O.Shaashoua 12+5reb+9ast, S.Harush 2+2reb+2ast

Hapoel J-M - Maccabi Rishon 76-82

An interesting game for Maccabi Rishon (14-8) which played road game in Jerusalem against 4th ranked Hapoel J-M (12-10). Third ranked Maccabi Rishon managed to get a 6-point victory 82-76. It ended at the same time the two-game winning streak of Hapoel J-M. Hapoel J-M trailed by 15 points after 3 quarters before a 21-12 run in the last quarter cut the deficit to 76-82 at the end of the game. Maccabi Rishon forced 19 Hapoel J-M turnovers. 26 personal fouls committed by Hapoel J-M helped opponents get some easy free throw opportunities. It was a good game for Jamaican-American power forward Adrian Uter (201-84, college: Hofstra, agency: Gross Zeev ISA) who led his team to a victory with 24 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists. American guard Derwin Kitchen (193-86, college: Florida St., agency: VVG Sports) contributed with 13 points, 8 rebounds and 4 assists for the winners. American guard Ramel Bradley (188-85) replied with 14 points and 7 rebounds and his fellow American import guard D.J. Strawberry (196-85, college: Maryland) added 15 points in the effort for Hapoel J-M. Both teams had four players each who scored in double figures. Hapoel J-M's coach rotated ten players in this game, but that didn't help. Maccabi Rishon have a solid four-game winning streak. They moved-up to second place, which they share with Galil Gilboa. Hapoel J-M at the other side dropped to the fifth position with ten games lost. Maccabi Rishon is looking forward to face league's leader Maccabi T-A in Tel-Aviv in the next round and it will be for sure the game of the week. Hapoel J-M will play on the road against Hapoel Holon (#4) and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Hapoel J-M: D.Strawberry 15+3reb+3ast, B.Randle 14+4reb+1ast, R.Bradley 14+7reb+1ast, Y.Naimy 11+2reb+2ast, D.Grunfeld 7+1reb, G.Israeli 5+1reb+3ast
Maccabi Rishon: A.Uter 24+6reb+5ast, E.Shulman 22+1reb+1ast, D.Kitchen 13+8reb+4ast, B.Bowman 12+9reb, N.Hanochi 8+1reb+3ast, A.Ben David 3+1reb

Maccabi T-A - Galil Gilboa 91-77

An interesting game for Maccabi T-A (19-2) which hosted in Tel-Aviv second-best Galil Gilboa (14-8). First ranked Maccabi T-A managed to get a 14-point victory 91-77. The game was mostly controlled by Maccabi T-A. Galil Gilboa was better in second period 22-18. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. They made 16-of-20 charity shots (80.0 percent) during the game. Maccabi T-A outrebounded Galil Gilboa 37-22 including a 28-13 advantage in defensive rebounds. It was a great shooting night for Maccabi T-A especially from behind the arc, where they had solid 52.9 percentage. Worth to mention a great performance of international guard Yogev Ohayon (189-87) who helped to win the game recording 18 points, 7 rebounds and 8 assists and American power forward Richard Hendrix (203-86, college: Alabama) who added 17 points and 12 rebounds during the contest. The best for the losing side was the former international guard Dagan Yavzuri (193-85) with 12 points and American power forward Joseph Jones (204-86, college: Texas A&M) scored 14 points and 4 steals. Both teams had five players each who scored in double figures. Galil Gilboa's coach Lior Lubin tested ten players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. Maccabi T-A have an impressive seven-game winning streak. Defending champion maintains first position with 19-2 record. Galil Gilboa at the other side keeps the second place with eight games lost. They share the position with Maccabi Rishon. Maccabi T-A will play against Maccabi Rishon (#3) in Rishon Le-Zion in the next round, which may be the game of the day. Galil Gilboa will play at home against Ironi Ashkelon and hopes to get back on the winning track.
Top scorers:
Galil Gilboa: J.Jones 14+2reb+2ast, R.Travis 13+3reb+1ast, D.Yavzuri 12+3reb+3ast, I.Kozikaro 11+3reb+3ast, C.Fells 10+3reb+1ast, C.Thomas 9+2reb+3ast
Maccabi T-A: Y.Ohayon 18+7reb+8ast, D.Smith 17+1reb, R.Hendrix 17+12reb+1ast, L.Eliyahu 13+6reb+4ast, D.Blu 13+1reb, S.James 5+4reb+1ast

B.C. Habikaa - Bnei Hasharon 75-85

We could consider it a predictable result in the game between close teams when tenth ranked Bnei Hasharon (7-15) beat on the road 9th ranked B.C. Habikaa (7-14) 85-75. It looked good early as B.C. Habikaa took an 2-point lead at the end of first quarter. But then Bnei Hasharon had a 24-19 second period charge getting the lead and B.C. Habikaa was not able to take back game control losing it eventually 75-85. Bnei Hasharon made 17-of-20 charity shots (85.0 percent) during the game. American players dominated also this game. The best player for the winners was point guard Tweety Carter (180-86, college: Baylor) who scored 26 points and 7 assists. Center Kenny Lawson (206-88, college: Creighton) chipped in 19 points and 7 rebounds. At the other side the best for losing team was guard Frank Robinson (193-84, college: CS Fullerton) who recorded a double-double by scoring 21 points and 10 rebounds and swingman Dion Dowell (200-85, college: Houston) added 14 points and 9 rebounds respectively. Five Bnei Hasharon and four B.C. Habikaa players scored in double figures. B.C. Habikaa's coach Avi Ashkenazi let to play eleven players, but that didn't help to avoid defeat in this game. Bnei Hasharon maintains tenth position with 7-15 record. B.C. Habikaa lost fourth consecutive game. They keep the ninth place with 14 games lost. Bnei Hasharon will have a break next round.
Top scorers:
B.C. Habikaa: F.Robinson 21+10reb+2ast, T.Gillenwater 17+6reb, D.Dowell 14+9reb+2ast, P.Delaney 12+3reb+4ast, E.Skverer 7+3reb+5ast, S.Brener 2+1reb
Bnei Hasharon: T.Carter 26+4reb+7ast, K.Lawson 19+7reb+1ast, L.Dunn 15+6reb+1ast, J.Williams 11+11reb+4ast, I.Rosefelt 10+7reb, R.Buchbinder 4+1reb

Elitzur Netanya - Maccabi Haifa 72-75

Bottom-ranked Maccabi Haifa managed to get a fourth victory, breaking the fifteen-game losing streak on Sunday night. This time they edged eighth-ranked Elitzur Netanya 75-72. The guests trailed by 5 points after three quarters before their 22-14 charge, which allowed them to win the game. Maccabi Haifa looked well-organized offensively handing out 23 assists. The winners were led by naturalized American swingman Sylven Landesberg (198-90, college: Virginia) who scored that evening 18 points and American forward Jeremis Smith (203-86, college: Georgia Tech) supported him with 12 points and 9 rebounds. Four Maccabi Haifa players scored in double figures. Even 20 points and 5 rebounds by guard Yehu Orland (193-81, agency: Ronsport) did not help to save the game for Elitzur Netanya. American guard Adrian Banks (191-86, college: NW Mississippi CC) added 15 points and 7 assists. Maccabi Haifa maintains eleventh position with 4-18 record. Loser Elitzur Netanya keeps the eighth place with 14 games lost. Maccabi Haifa will meet at home higher ranked B.C. Habikaa (#9) in the next round and it may be quite challenging game. Elitzur Netanya will play against Maccabi Ashdod and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Elitzur Netanya: Y.Orland 20+5reb+3ast, A.Banks 15+4reb+7ast, W.Carter 13+8reb+2ast, L.Lifshitz 9+5reb+7ast, E.Campbell 8+1reb, B.Asbury 5+8reb+2ast
Maccabi Haifa: S.Landesberg 18+4reb+3ast, T.Wilkerson 17+3reb+1ast, C.Powell 14+4reb+5ast, J.Smith 12+9reb+3ast, A.Ben-Chimol 5+4reb+8ast, S.Farine 3+3reb+1ast

Uter's 24 points and 6 rebounds give him Player of the Week award - by Eurobasket News

27-year old power forward Adrian Uter (201-F/C-84, agency: Gross Zeev ISA) put on an amazing game in the last round for Maccabi Rishon and receives a Eurobasket.com Player of the Week award for round 24.
He had the game-high 24 points adding six rebounds and five assists for Maccabi Rishon in his team's victory, helping them to beat Hapoel J-M (#5, 12-10) 82-76. Maccabi Rishon maintains the 3rd position in Israeli league. They would have been even better if they hadn't lost a few games earlier this season. Maccabi Rishon will need more victories to improve their 14-8 record. Uter turned to be Maccabi Rishon's top player in his first season with the team. Adrian Uter averages this season 14.0ppg and 7.1rpg.

Second best performed player last round was Marco Killingsworth (202-F/C-82, agency: Interperformances) of Ironi Ashkelon. He is American forward in his first season at Ironi Ashkelon. In the last game Killingsworth recorded impressive double-double of 23 points and 10 rebounds. Bad luck as Ironi Ashkelon lost that game 75-85 to the higher-ranked Hapoel Holon (#4, 13-9). Ironi Ashkelon is still in a red zone at 7th spot in the standings. His team is not often considered as one of the league's best with a mere 10-11 record. Killingsworth is a newcomer at Ironi Ashkelon and quickly became one of team's most reliable players.

Third place about best performers goes to guard Tweety Carter (180-PG-86) of Bnei Hasharon (#10). Carter scored 26 points and passed seven assists. He was a key player of Bnei Hasharon, leading his team to a 85-75 win against slightly higher-ranked B.C. Habikaa (#9, 7-14). The chances of Bnei Hasharon not to end season at such low position in the league, however are less than slim as they have already lost 15 games, recording just seven victories. With bigger assistance of his teammates, Carter could try to bring Bnei Hasharon's a little bit higher in the standings. Carter has individually a great season in Israel. After 22 games, he made it on the list of the league's leaders in points with 20.5ppg (3rd best) and assists with 6.9apg (3rd best).

Other top performing players last week:
4. Frank Robinson (193-G-84) of B.C. Habikaa - 21 points, 10 rebounds and 2 assists
5. Yogev Ohayon (189-G-87) of Maccabi T-A - 18 points, 7 rebounds and 8 assists
6. Bryant Dunston (202-F/C-86) of Hapoel Holon - 18 points and 8 rebounds
7. Richard Hendrix (203-F/C-86) of Maccabi T-A - 17 points and 12 rebounds
8. Carlos Powell (199-F-83) of Maccabi Haifa - 14 points, 4 rebounds and 5 assists
9. Tasmin Mitchell (201-F-86) of Hapoel Holon - 18 points, 11 rebounds and 2 assists
10. Ron Lewis (193-G-84) of Hapoel Holon - 23 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)

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ITALY

Standings - SerieA

SerieA Standings

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

Regular Season: Round 28

Apr. 8: Banco di Sard. - Benetton TV 89-77
Apr. 8: Banca Tercas - Otto Caserta 86-78
Apr. 8: Sidigas AV - Acea Roma 82-88
Apr. 8: Bennet Cantu - Novipiu CM 70-55
Apr. 9: Fabi Shoes - Armani Mit
Apr. 9: Angelico BI - Cimberio VA
Apr. 9: Umana Venezia - CS Bologna
Apr. 9: Scavolini PS - Vanoli CR

Mannheim 2012: Italy beat France for the top position - by Eurobasket News

France U18-Italy U18 65:83

Italy U18 beat France U18 for the top position in Group A at the Albert Schweitzer Tournament 2012. Italians celebrated 83:65 win for 2-0 record. France meanwhile suffered their first loss and dropped at 1-1.
Italy easily opened the game with 13-1 and never looked behind. They had 22:15 at the end of the period and only 27:24 after 15 minutes in the court. Italy needed a strong finish of the half for 10-point advantage at the halftime. They increased to 55:38 and then 64:50 at the end of third quarter. The winners won the last stanza 19-15 and sealed the victory.
Mirco Turel (192-G-94) paced all the winners with 20 points, while Matteo Imbro (190-PG-94) was unstoppable with 14 points, 10 rebounds and 9 assists. Simone Fontecchio (197-F-95) netted 14 and Amedeo Tessitori (205-C-94) delivered 11. Mouhamadou Jaiteh produced 15 points, whilst Kevin Harley (198-G-94) and Alexandre Chassang (199-C-94) had 9 apiece.

France U18: Mouhamadou Jaiteh 15, Kevin Harley 9, Alexandre Chassang 9
Italy U18: Mirco Turel 20, Matteo Imbro 14+10 rebs+9 ast, Simone Fontecchio 14, Amedeo Tessitori 11

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JAPAN

Stats Leaders - JBL Superleague

Points Per Game

Takuya KAWAMURA
  Tochigi .
  (193-G-86)
  Avg: 20.4

1. Kawamura, Tochigi	20.4
2. Sakuragi, Aishin SH	17.5
3. Hale, Mitsubis.	17.3
4. Orimo, Hokkaido L.	16.3
5. Kanamaru, Panasoni.	15.7
6. McFarlin, Tochigi	15.6
7. Lewis, Hokkaido L.	14.2
8. Igarashi, Mitsubis.	13.9
9. Gibbs, Toyota A.	12.9
10. Moss, Toshiba BT	12.7

Rebounds Per Game

J.R. SAKURAGI
  Aishin SH
  (206-F/C-76)
  Avg: 11.8

1. Sakuragi, Aishin SH	11.8
2. McFarlin, Tochigi	9.7
3. Takeuchi, Hitac.	9.5
4. Moss, Toshiba BT	8.5
5. Diouf, Hokkaido L.	8.4
6. Gibbs, Toyota A.	8.2
7. Allen, Mitsubis.	7.4
8. Hale, Mitsubis.	7.2
9. Lewis, Hokkaido L.	7.0
10. Takeuchi, Toyota	6.9

Assists Per Game

Takuya KAWAMURA
  Tochigi .
  (193-G-86)
  Avg: 4.5

1. Kawamura, Tochigi	4.5
2. Igarashi, Mitsubis.	4.0
3. Sakurai, Hokkaido.	3.8
4. Sakuragi, Aishin SH	3.6
5. Kashiwagi, Aishin	3.1
6. Takeuchi, Hitac.	2.8
7. Watanabe, Panason.	2.8
8. Kashiwakura, Hitac.	2.7
9. Tabuse, Tochigi	2.5
10. Hirose, Panasoni.	2.5

Steals Per Game

Takuya KAWAMURA
  Tochigi .
  (193-G-86)
  Avg: 1.8

1. Kawamura, Tochigi	1.8
2. Sato, Hitachi SR	1.7
3. Gibbs, Toyota A.	1.7
4. Hirose, Panasoni.	1.6
5. Kashiwagi, Aishin	1.5
6. Hale, Mitsubis.	1.5
7. Diouf, Hokkaido L.	1.5
8. Sakurai, Hokkaido.	1.4
9. Igarashi, Mitsubis.	1.3
10. Sakuragi, Aishin	1.3

Blocks Per Game

Joji TAKEUCHI
  Hitac.
  (206-F/C-85)
  Avg: 1.6

1. Takeuchi, Hitac.	1.6
2. Richardson, Aishin	1.3
3. Takeuchi, Toyota	1.2
4. Ricci, Toyota Alva.	1.1
5. Diouf, Hokkaido L.	0.9
6. Hale, Mitsubis.	0.8
7. O''Bannon, Panason.	0.8
8. Moss, Toshiba BT	0.8
9. McFarlin, Tochigi	0.8
10. Merritt, Toshi.	0.8

Standings - BJ League

BJ Standings

Eastern
1. Hamamatsu P.		31-14
2. Akita NH		27-21
3. Niigata Albirex		25-21
4. Yokohama BC		24-21
5. Toyama Grouses		24-22
6. Sendai 89ers		24-22
7. Shinshu BW		18-28
8. Chiba Jets		17-29
9. Saitama Bron.		14-31
10. Iwate Big Bulls		14-32
Western
1. Okinawa GK		35-13
2. Osaka Evessa		31-15
3. Shiga L-Stars		30-16
4. Kyoto Hannar.		30-16
5. Fukuoka Rizing		28-18
6. Shimane SM		25-22
7. Miyazaki SS		20-26
8. Oita H.Devils		19-26
9. Takamatsu FA		2-45

Regular Season: Round 52

Apr. 8: Akita NH - Yokohama BC 89-92
Apr. 8: Shimane SM - Chiba Jets 79-60
Apr. 8: Takamatsu FA - Saitama Bron. 78-94
Apr. 8: Shinshu BW - Oita H.Devils 74-86
Apr. 8: Kyoto Hannar. - Miyazaki SS 73-48
Apr. 8: Sendai 89ers - Hamamatsu P. 70-78
Apr. 8: Okinawa GK - Toyama Grouses 64-80
Apr. 8: Osaka Evessa - Niigata Albirex 103-92
Apr. 8: Shiga L-Stars - Fukuoka Rizing 103-79

Regular Season: Round 53

Apr. 13: Yokohama BC - Takamatsu FA
Apr. 14: Sendai 89ers - Kyoto Hannar.
Apr. 14: Toyama Grouses - Osaka Evessa
Apr. 14: Saitama Bron. - Fukuoka Rizing
Apr. 14: Chiba Jets - Miyazaki SS
Apr. 14: Yokohama BC - Takamatsu FA
Apr. 14: Shiga L-Stars - Shinshu BW
Apr. 14: Shimane SM - Akita NH
Apr. 14: Oita H.Devils - Hamamatsu P.

BJ League Stats Leaders

Points Per Game

Michael PARKER
  Shimane SM
  (202-F-81)
  Avg: 23.1

1. Parker, Shimane SM	23.1
2. Hargrow, Chiba J.	21.7
3. Palmer, Fukuoka	21.3
4. Staten, Chiba Jets	21.0
5. Cummings, Oita H.	20.7
6. Flowers, Saitama	20.2
7. Woods, Akita NH	19.2
8. Fitzgerald, Sendai	19.0
9. Raivio, Shinshu BW	18.8
10. Burrell, Yokohama.	18.6

Rebounds Per Game

Chris HOLM
  Niigata Albirex
  (212-C/F-84)
  Avg: 14.8

1. Holm, Niigata Albi.	14.8
2. Hamilton, Fukuok.	11.4
3. Rickert, Kyoto H.	10.9
4. Staten, Chiba Jets	10.8
5. Malloy, Iwate B.	10.5
6. Searcy, Toyama G.	10.5
7. Mims, Sendai 89ers	10.4
8. Roberts, Shins.	10.2
9. Blackledge, Osaka	10.0
10. Burrell, Yokohama.	9.9

Assists Per Game

Kenny SATTERFIELD
  Saitam.
  (188-PG-81)
  Avg: 6.7

1. Satterfield, Saita.	6.7
2. Gardener, Akita NH	5.6
3. Takushi, Oita H.	5.5
4. Shimura, Sendai	5.5
5. Dixon, Hamamats.	5.3
6. Yamamoto, Shima.	5.0
7. Dukes, Sendai 89e.	4.6
8. Yamamoto, Iwate B.	4.4
9. Staten, Chiba Jets	4.2
10. Namizato, Okina.	4.2

Steals Per Game

Jamel STATEN
  Chiba Jets
  (198-G-83)
  Avg: 2.9

1. Staten, Chiba Jets	2.9
2. Palmer, Fukuoka	2.5
3. Parker, Shimane SM	2.5
4. Smith, Takamats.	2.1
5. Humphrey, Saitama	2.0
6. Lyons, Miyazaki SS	2.0
7. Klaiber, Iwate B.	2.0
8. Dixon, Hamamats.	1.8
9. Joho, Toyama G.	1.8
10. Mito, Toyama G.	1.7

Blocks Per Game

Jeral DAVIS
  Shimane SM
  (216-C-84)
  Avg: 3.8

1. Davis, Shimane SM	3.8
2. Singleton, Sendai	3.0
3. Blackledge, Osaka	3.0
4. Broxsie, Chiba Jets	2.7
5. Blackledge, Hamama.	2.3
6. Mims, Sendai 89ers	1.6
7. Hughes, Shinshu BW	1.5
8. Marshall, Osaka E.	1.5
9. Dukes, Sendai 89e.	1.4
10. Moliva, Chiba Jets	1.3

Toyota Alvark swept the Semifinal series - by Eurobasket News

Toyota Alvark swept the Semifinal series, while Panasonic tied it with Aishin at 1-1.

Toyota Alvark - Hitachi SR 74-71 (2-0)

The hosts were ahead by 2 points but lost the second period ending it with a 4-point deficit before their 29-22 run, which allowed them to win the game. American forward Jeff Gibbs (188-80, college: Otterbein) orchestrated the victory by scoring 17 points and 5 rebounds. The former international guard Yusuke Okada (185-84) contributed with 19 points for the winners. International power forward Joji Takeuchi (206-85, agency: N.E.T.) replied with a double-double by scoring 17 points and 10 rebounds and American power forward Jamar Smith (206-80, college: Maryland) added 14 points and 7 rebounds in the effort for Hitachi Sunrockers. Both coaches tested many bench players in such tough game.
Top scorers:
Toyota Alvark: Y.Okada 19+1reb+2ast, J.Gibbs 17+5reb+2ast, K.Tanaka 11+5reb+2ast, K.Takeuchi 9+7reb+1ast, P.Ricci 6+3reb+2ast, T.Ito 4+2reb+4ast
Hitachi SR: J.Takeuchi 17+10reb, D.Kobayashi 16+4reb, J.Smith 14+7reb+2ast, F.Nishimura 8+3reb+2ast, C.Maraker 6+6reb+2ast, T.Sato 6+2reb

Aishin SH - Panasonic T. 78-86 (1-1)

Aishin Sea Horses trailed by 11 points after 3 quarters before a 23-20 run in the last quarter cut the deficit to 78-86 at the end of the game. They outrebounded Aishin Sea Horses 39-27 including 27 on the defensive glass. It was a great shooting night for Panasonic Trians especially from behind the arc, where they had solid 58.8 percentage. The best player for the winners was international guard Kenta Hirose (193-85) who had a double-double by scoring 17 points and 11 rebounds. International swingman Kosuke Kanamaru (193-89) chipped in 21 points. American forward Anthony Richardson (201-83, college: Florida St., agency: TSS Management) produced 25 points and 5 rebounds and the former international power forward J.R. Sakuragi (206-76, college: UCLA) added 14 points, 8 rebounds and 8 assists respectively for the hosts. Both coaches used bench players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games.
Top scorers:
Panasonic T.: K.Kanamaru 21+4reb+2ast, K.Hirose 17+11reb+2ast, A.Custis 17+7reb+2ast, F.Aono 9+11reb+1ast, H.Watanabe 7+1reb+3ast, C.O'Bannon 7+3reb
Aishin SH: A.Richardson 25+5reb+1ast, S.Kashiwagi 21+5reb+2ast, J.Sakuragi 14+8reb+8ast, T.Furukawa 5+1ast, S.Asayama 5+2reb+1ast, K.Young 4+3reb+1ast

Best players of Japanese BJ League round 51 - by Eurobasket News

American Jamel Staten (198-G-83, agency: SDJ Sports) had an amazing evening in the last round for Chiba Jets and that's him to receive a Asia-basket.com BJ League Player of the Week award for round 51.
The 28-year old guard had a double-double of 38 points and fourteen rebounds, while his team edged out Shimane SM (#6, 24-22) 91-87. Chiba Jets maintains the 8th position in Japanese BJ League. Chiba Jets is rather a weak team placed in lower part in the standings. They need more victories to improve their 17-28 record. In the team's last game Staten had a remarkable 53.3% from 2-point range. He turned to be Chiba Jets' top player in his first season with the team. Minnesota State University Mankato graduate has very impressive stats this year. Staten is in league's top in points (4th best: 21.2ppg), rebounds (4th best: 10.9rpg) and averages solid 2.8spg.

The second most remarkable performance in last round's games was 27-year old American guard Wendell White (198-G-84, agency: Top Notch Sports) of Oita H.Devils. White impressed basketball fans with a double-double of 26 points and 18 rebounds. Bad luck as Oita H.Devils lost that game 89-100 to slightly higher-ranked Shinshu BW (#7, 18-27). Oita H.Devils managed to keep the same 8th spot in the standings. His team is not often considered as one of the league's best with a mere 18-26 record. White is a newcomer at Oita H.Devils and it seems he did not have too much trouble to become one of team's leaders.

The third best performed player last round was American Rashaad Singleton (213-C-87) of Sendai 89ers (#4). Singleton scored 25 points and grabbed twelve rebounds (!!!). He was a key player of Sendai 89ers, leading his team to a 66-64 win against #1 ranked Hamamatsu P. in a game of the week. Sendai 89ers needs these victories very badly if they think about getting closer to top teams. Their record at this point is 24 victories and 21 lost games. Singleton has a very solid season. In 44 games in Japan he scored 7.3ppg. He also has 7.0rpg and 3.0bpg.

Other top performing players last week:
4. Paul Butorac (208-C/F-83) of Takamatsu FA - 30 points, 14 rebounds and 2 assists
5. Rick Rickert (211-F-83) of Kyoto Hannar. - 19 points, 12 rebounds and 6 assists
6. Jeral Davis (216-C-84) of Shimane SM - 28 points, 7 rebounds and 2 assists
7. Devin Searcy (208-F/C-89) of Toyama Grouses - 15 points, 17 rebounds and 2 assists
8. Lee Roberts (201-F/C-87) of Shinshu BW - 26 points and 14 rebounds
9. Michael Parker (202-F-81) of Shimane SM - 26 points, 10 rebounds and 2 assists
10. James Porter (208-F/C-87) of Saitama Bron. - 21 points and 11 rebounds

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

BJ League Round 52: Toyama Grouses defeat leader Okinawa GK - by Eurobasket News

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

The most surprising game was a loss of top-ranked Okinawa GK (35-13) at the home court on Sunday night. Hosts were defeated by sixth ranked Toyama Grouses (24-22) 80-64. The game without a history. Toyama Grouses led from the first minutes and controlled entire game increasing their lead in each quarter. Toyama Grouses outrebounded Okinawa GK 46-35 including 33 on the defensive glass. Worth to mention a great performance of American power forward Devin Searcy (208-89, college: Dayton, agency: Pro One Sports) who helped to win the game recording a double-double by scoring 18 points and 18 rebounds. Guard Takeshi Mito (184-85) contributed with 19 points and 4 assists for the winners. American center Jeff Newton (205-81, college: Indiana) replied with a double-double by scoring 12 points and 11 rebounds for Okinawa GK. Okinawa GK's coach rotated eleven players seeing no chance for a win. Toyama Grouses moved-up to fifth place, which they share with Sendai 89ers. Okinawa GK at the other side still keeps top position with 13 games lost. Toyama Grouses is looking forward to face league's second-placed Osaka Evessa at home in the next round and it may be quite challenging game. Okinawa GK will have a break next round.
Important game to mention about took place in Akita. Fifth ranked Yokohama BC (24-21) saved a 3-point victory on the road edging much higher ranked Akita Happinets (27-21) 92-89 on Sunday evening. American players dominated the game. Worth to mention a great performance of guard Draelon Burns (194-85, college: De Paul, agency: Top Notch Sports) who helped to win the game recording 28 points and 8 rebounds and Chas McFarland who added 17 points, 17 rebounds and 4 blocks during the contest. Yokohama BC's coach Reggie Geary allowed to play the deep bench players in such tough game. At the losing side swingman Ricky Woods (194-84, college: SE Louisiana) responded with a double-double by scoring 29 points, 11 rebounds and 6 assists. Yokohama BC have a solid three-game winning streak. They moved-up to fourth place. Akita Happinets lost fourth consecutive game. They keep the second position with 21 games lost. Yokohama BC will play against Takamatsu FA (#9) at home in the next round where they are favorite. Akita Happinets will play against Shimane Magic (#6) and hope to get back on the winning track.
An interesting game for Osaka Evessa (31-15) which hosted in Osaka one of their biggest challengers Niigata Albirex (25-21). Second ranked Osaka Evessa managed to get a 11-point victory 103-92. The winners were led by Michael Bell who had that evening a double-double by scoring 33 points (!!!), 12 rebounds and 4 blocks. Even a double-double of 18 points, 17 rebounds and 7 assists by Chris Holm did not help to save the game for Niigata Albirex. Niigata Albirex's coach Matt Garrison tested ten players in this game, but that didn't help. Osaka Evessa maintains second position with 31-15 record having just -1 point less than leader Okinawa GK. Loser Niigata Albirex keeps the third place with 21 games lost. Osaka Evessa will meet Toyama Grouses (#5) on the road in the next round. Niigata Albirex will have a break next round.
An interesting game for Hamamatsu Phoenix (31-14) which played road game in Sendai against 4th ranked Sendai 89ers (24-22). First ranked Hamamatsu Phoenix managed to get a 8-point victory 78-70. Wayne Arnold fired 20 points and 9 assists for the winners. Hamamatsu Phoenix's coach Ryuji Kawai used a ten-player rotation which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. Defending champion maintains first position with 31-14 record. Sendai 89ers at the other side dropped to the fifth place with 22 games lost. Hamamatsu Phoenix's next round opponent will be Oita Heat Devils (#8) on the road and are hoping to win another game. Sendai 89ers will play against Kyoto Hannar. and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
The game between fourth ranked Kyoto Hannar. (30-16) and 7th ranked Miyazaki Shining Suns (20-26) in Kyoto on Sunday ended with biggest points difference. Kyoto Hannar. outscored guests from Miyazaki 73-48. It was a very good performance for Jermaine Boyette who helped to win the game recording 20 points and 5 rebounds. Kyoto Hannar.'s coach Honoo Hamaguchi felt very confident that he used 10 players and allowed the starting five to rest. Kyoto Hannar. have a solid four-game winning streak. They moved-up to third place, which they share with Shiga L-Stars. Miyazaki Shining Suns lost third consecutive game. They keep the seventh position with 26 games lost. Kyoto Hannar. will face Sendai 89ers (#6) on the road in the next round. Miyazaki Shining Suns will play against Chiba Jets and it may be a tough game between close rivals.

Other games in round 52 were not that significant. Chiba Jets were smashed by Shimane SM on the road 79-60. Takamatsu FA lost to Saitama Bron. on its own court 78-94. Oita H.Devils managed to outperform Shinshu BW in a road game 86-74. Shiga L-Stars rolled over Fukuoka Rizing at home 103-79.

Osaka Evessa - Niigata Albirex 103-92

An interesting game for Osaka Evessa (31-15) which hosted in Osaka one of their biggest challengers Niigata Albirex (25-21). Second ranked Osaka Evessa managed to get a 11-point victory 103-92. The hosts trailed by 2 points after first quarter, but they stormed back to get the 14-point lead at the halftime and eventually won the game 103-92. Osaka Evessa shot the lights out from three sinking 13 long-distance shots on high 52.0 percentage. They looked well-organized offensively handing out 26 assists. The winners were led by American forward Michael Bell (206-82, college: Florida Atlantic) who had that evening a double-double by scoring 33 points (!!!), 12 rebounds and 4 blocks and Haitian-American swingman Bobby St.Preux (196-80, college: N.Kentucky, agency: KMG Sports Management) supported him with 20 points and 10 rebounds. Even a double-double of 18 points, 17 rebounds and 7 assists by American power forward Chris Holm (212-84, college: Vermont) did not help to save the game for Niigata Albirex. His fellow American import guard Nile Murry (193-83, college: TCU) added 26 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists for lost side. Five Osaka Evessa and four Niigata Albirex players scored in double figures. Niigata Albirex's coach Matt Garrison tested ten players in this game, but that didn't help. Osaka Evessa maintains second position with 31-15 record having just -1 point less than leader Okinawa GK. Loser Niigata Albirex keeps the third place with 21 games lost. Osaka Evessa will meet Toyama Grouses (#5) on the road in the next round. Niigata Albirex will have a break next round.
Top scorers:
Osaka Evessa: M.Bell 33+12reb+2ast, B.St.Preux 20+10reb+3ast, K.Tyner 16+1reb+6ast, C.Aoki 15+2reb+3ast, S.Takeda 10+2reb+2ast, S.Konno 8+1ast
Niigata Albirex: N.Murry 26+5reb+5ast, C.Holm 18+17reb+7ast, Y.Ikeda 14+3reb+4ast, K.Sato 11+3reb+1ast, E.Maxey 10+8reb, B.Davis 9+4reb+2ast

Shimane SM - Chiba Jets 79-60

No shocking result in a game when sixth ranked Shimane Magic (25-22) crushed at home 8th ranked Chiba Jets (17-29) 79-60 on Sunday. The game was mostly controlled by Shimane Magic. Chiba Jets was better in third quarter 21-10. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. The game was decided in the last minutes when Shimane Magic won last quarter 24-7. They dominated on the defensive end, holding Chiba Jets to just 7 points in fourth quarter. They outrebounded Chiba Jets 50-29 including a 38-20 advantage in defensive rebounds. American players dominated also this game. It was a very good performance for forward Michael Parker (202-81, college: Evergreen St.) who helped to win the game recording a double-double by scoring 24 points and 16 rebounds. Forward Benjamin Puckett (205-83, college: Clayton St., agency: I.D.S. Law) contributed with a double-double by scoring 24 points and 13 rebounds for the winners. Guard Maurice Hargrow (193-83, college: Minnesota, agency: SDJ Sports) replied with 18 points and 8 rebounds and guard Jamel Staten (198-83, college: Minnesota St., agency: SDJ Sports) added 14 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists and 5 steals in the effort for Chiba Jets. Shimane Magic maintains sixth position with 25-22 record. Loser Chiba Jets keep the eighth place with 29 games lost. Shimane Magic will face league's second-placed Akita Happinets at home in the next round and it may be quite challenging game. Chiba Jets will play against Miyazaki Shining Suns (#7) and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Shimane SM: B.Puckett 24+13reb+3ast, M.Parker 24+16reb+2ast, J.Davis 10+7reb+1ast, E.Yamamoto 9+6reb+4ast, J.Nakama 6+6reb+1ast, T.Yokoo 3
Chiba Jets: M.Hargrow 18+8reb+1ast, J.Staten 14+6reb+4ast, T.Kensuke 10+4reb+1ast, T.Ishida 7+3reb+1ast, Shouta 5+1reb, A.Broxsie 4+4reb

Takamatsu FA - Saitama Bron. 78-94

We cannot really consider it an upset in the game between close teams when 9th ranked Takamatsu FA (2-45) lost at home to tenth ranked Saitama Broncos (14-31) 94-78 on Sunday. The game was mostly controlled by Saitama Broncos. Takamatsu FA was better in third quarter 23-22. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. It was a very good performance for guard Yuki Kitamuki (184-85) who helped to win the game recording 17 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists. American forward Jayme Miller (203-85) contributed with 15 points and 7 rebounds for the winners. American power forward Paul Butorac (208-83, college: E.Washington) replied with a double-double by scoring 22 points and 10 rebounds and STVn center Nyika Williams (203-87, college: Pacific) added 21 points and 6 rebounds in the effort for Takamatsu FA. Five Saitama Broncos and four Takamatsu FA players scored in double figures. Saitama Broncos have a solid three-game winning streak. They moved-up to ninth place which they share with defeated Takamatsu FA. Takamatsu FA lost thirteenth consecutive game. They keep the ninth position with 45 games lost. Saitama Broncos will face higher ranked Fukuoka Rizing (#5) at home in the next round and it may be quite challenging game.
Top scorers:
Saitama Bron.: J.Flowers 18+3reb+2ast, Y.Kitamuki 17+5reb+4ast, J.Porter 17+4reb, J.Miller 15+7reb+2ast, J.Humphrey 13+4reb+6ast, D.Terashita 10+2reb+2ast
Takamatsu FA: P.Butorac 22+10reb+1ast, N.Williams 21+6reb+2ast, M.Suzuki 12+4reb+4ast, H.Kikuchi 12+4reb+1ast, K.Tsutsumi 8+3reb+2ast, S.Takada 3+4reb+4ast

Okinawa GK - Toyama Grouses 64-80

The most surprising game was a loss of top-ranked Okinawa GK (35-13) at the home court on Sunday night. Hosts were defeated by sixth ranked Toyama Grouses (24-22) 80-64. The game without a history. Toyama Grouses led from the first minutes and controlled entire game increasing their lead in each quarter. Toyama Grouses outrebounded Okinawa GK 46-35 including 33 on the defensive glass. Worth to mention a great performance of American power forward Devin Searcy (208-89, college: Dayton, agency: Pro One Sports) who helped to win the game recording a double-double by scoring 18 points and 18 rebounds. Guard Takeshi Mito (184-85) contributed with 19 points and 4 assists for the winners. Four Toyama Grouses players scored in double figures. American center Jeff Newton (205-81, college: Indiana) replied with a double-double by scoring 12 points and 11 rebounds and his fellow American import Anthony McHenry (202-83, college: Georgia Tech) added 11 points and 7 rebounds in the effort for Okinawa GK. Okinawa GK's coach rotated eleven players seeing no chance for a win. Toyama Grouses moved-up to fifth place, which they share with Sendai 89ers. Okinawa GK at the other side still keeps top position with 13 games lost. Toyama Grouses is looking forward to face league's second-placed Osaka Evessa at home in the next round and it may be quite challenging game. Okinawa GK will have a break next round.
Top scorers:
Toyama Grouses: T.Mito 19+1reb+4ast, D.Searcy 18+18reb+1ast, L.Turner 18+5reb, B.Harper 13+6reb, I.Brown 5+10reb+2ast, M.Joho 3+4reb+5ast
Okinawa GK: J.Newton 12+11reb+3ast, A.McHenry 11+7reb+1ast, D.Larkai 9+2reb, D.Palmer 9+7reb, N.Kosuge 7+2reb, N.Namizato 5+1reb+1ast

Sendai 89ers - Hamamatsu P. 70-78

An interesting game for Hamamatsu Phoenix (31-14) which played road game in Sendai against 4th ranked Sendai 89ers (24-22). First ranked Hamamatsu Phoenix managed to get a 8-point victory 78-70. Hamamatsu Phoenix brought some defensive toughness making 11 blocks. American guard Wayne Arnold (193-84, college: Tennessee St., agency: ACMT) fired 20 points and 9 assists for the winners. American-Panamanian forward Leonardo Pomare (203-86, college: San Diego, agency: Top Notch Sports) chipped in a double-double by scoring 17 points, 10 rebounds and 4 blocks. Hamamatsu Phoenix's coach Ryuji Kawai used a ten-player rotation which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. American forward Johnny Dukes (203-84, college: San Bernardino CC) produced a double-double by scoring 24 points, 13 rebounds and 4 assists and Croatian forward Filip Toncinic (212-84, college: Texas A&M-CC) added 9 points and 10 rebounds respectively for lost side. Defending champion maintains first position with 31-14 record. Sendai 89ers at the other side dropped to the fifth place with 22 games lost. Hamamatsu Phoenix's next round opponent will be Oita Heat Devils (#8) on the road and are hoping to win another game. Sendai 89ers will play against Kyoto Hannar. and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Hamamatsu P.: W.Arnold 20+4reb+9ast, S.Nakanishi 17+3reb+2ast, L.Pomare 17+10reb, L.Blackledge 9+7reb+2ast, M.Ohguchi 7+5reb+2ast, A.Ohta 4+1reb
Sendai 89ers: J.Dukes 24+13reb+4ast, T.Komoda 17+1reb+1ast, R.Singleton 12+7reb+2ast, F.Toncinic 9+10reb+2ast, T.Shimura 8+5reb+6ast, T.Yasuda 0

Shinshu BW - Oita H.Devils 74-86

We could consider it a predictable result in the game between close teams when eighth ranked Oita Heat Devils (19-26) won against 7th ranked Shinshu BW (18-28) in Nagano 86-74 on Sunday. The game was mostly controlled by Oita Heat Devils. Shinshu BW was better in fourth quarter 24-19. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. American players dominated also this game. It was a very good performance for guard Wendell White (198-84, college: UNLV, agency: Top Notch Sports) who helped to win the game recording a double-double by scoring 26 points, 12 rebounds and 4 assists. Forward T.J. Cummings (205-81, college: UCLA, agency: Top Notch Sports) contributed with 14 points and 7 rebounds for the winners. Four Oita Heat Devils players scored in double figures. Power forward Lee Roberts (201-87, college: Findlay, OH) replied with a double-double by scoring 25 points, 24 rebounds and 5 assists and guard Derek Raivio (190-84, college: Gonzaga) added 14 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists in the effort for Shinshu BW. Oita Heat Devils maintains eighth position with 19-26 record. Loser Shinshu BW keeps the seventh place with 28 games lost. Oita Heat Devils will face league's leader Hamamatsu Phoenix in Mikawa in the next round and they do not belong to the favorites in that game.
Top scorers:
Oita H.Devils: W.White 26+12reb+4ast, T.Cummings 14+7reb+1ast, T.Finger 13+3reb, N.Takushi 11+1reb+4ast, M.Lottich 10+5reb+3ast, K.Mitomo 8+5reb+4ast
Shinshu BW: L.Roberts 25+24reb+5ast, D.Raivio 14+6reb+4ast, T.Goya 12+4reb, T.Saito 9+4reb+2ast, E.Morris 9+7reb+1ast, S.Yosuke 3+1ast

Shiga L-Stars - Fukuoka Rizing 103-79

Not a big story in a game when 5th ranked Fukuoka Rizing (28-18) was outscored on the road by third ranked Shiga L-Stars (30-16) 103-79 on Sunday. The game was mostly controlled by Shiga L-Stars. Fukuoka Rizing was better in fourth quarter 29-17. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. Shiga L-Stars looked well-organized offensively handing out 22 assists. It was a very good performance for Trinidad and Tobago power forward Julius Ashby (205-82, college: Colorado) who helped to win the game recording a double-double by scoring 18 points and 12 rebounds. Guard Yu Okada (184-83) contributed with 21 points for the winners. Shiga L-Stars' coach Al Westover felt very confident that he used entire bench and allowed the starting five to rest. American power forward Gary Hamilton (208-84, college: Miami, FL, agency: Top Notch Sports) replied with a double-double by scoring 11 points, 13 rebounds and 4 assists and his fellow American import swingman Kevin Palmer (198-87, college: Texas A&M-CC, agency: VVG Sports) added 19 points in the effort for Fukuoka Rizing. Both teams had five players each who scored in double figures. Shiga L-Stars have an impressive six-game winning streak. They maintain third position with 30-16 record behind leader Okinawa GK, which they share with Kyoto Hannar. Loser Fukuoka Rizing keeps the fifth place with 18 games lost. Shiga L-Stars will face Shinshu BW (#7) in Nagano in the next round. Fukuoka Rizing will play on the road against Saitama Broncos.
Top scorers:
Shiga L-Stars: Y.Okada 21+2reb+3ast, J.Ashby 18+12reb+1ast, T.Fujiwara 17+2reb+2ast, J.Peppers 13+5reb+4ast, R.Nixon 11+3reb+3ast, D.Gomez Camargo 10+9reb+3ast
Fukuoka Rizing: K.Palmer 19+2reb+1ast, J.Dearman 14+7reb+1ast, G.Hamilton 11+13reb+4ast, J.Nakanishi 11+4reb+1ast, C.Dixon 11+2reb+3ast, S.Ishitani 7

Kyoto Hannar. - Miyazaki SS 73-48

The game between fourth ranked Kyoto Hannar. (30-16) and 7th ranked Miyazaki Shining Suns (20-26) in Kyoto on Sunday ended with biggest points difference. Kyoto Hannar. outscored guests from Miyazaki 73-48. The hosts trailed by 1 point after first quarter, but they stormed back to get the 1-point lead at the halftime and eventually won the game 73-48. Kyoto Hannar. dominated down low during the game scoring 44 of its points in the paint compared to Miyazaki Shining Suns' 24. They outrebounded Miyazaki Shining Suns 44-22 including a 34-18 advantage in defensive rebounds. It was a very good performance for American guard Jermaine Boyette (188-78, college: Weber St., agency: SportsTalent) who helped to win the game recording 20 points and 5 rebounds. Senegalese center Babacar Camara (211-81, college: CS Fullerton) contributed with 9 points, 10 rebounds and 4 assists for the winners. Kyoto Hannar.'s coach Honoo Hamaguchi felt very confident that he used 10 players and allowed the starting five to rest. Guard Takuro Ito (183-83) replied with 22 points and 5 rebounds and guard Yonezawa Tsubasa (183-85) added 10 points in the effort for Miyazaki Shining Suns. Kyoto Hannar. have a solid four-game winning streak. They moved-up to third place, which they share with Shiga L-Stars. Miyazaki Shining Suns lost third consecutive game. They keep the seventh position with 26 games lost. Kyoto Hannar. will face Sendai 89ers (#6) on the road in the next round. Miyazaki Shining Suns will play against Chiba Jets and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Kyoto Hannar.: J.Boyette 20+5reb+1ast, L.Cummard 16+3reb+3ast, T.Kawabe 9+4reb+1ast, B.Camara 9+10reb+4ast, K.Setoyama 7+4reb+6ast, R.Rickert 6+11reb+1ast
Miyazaki SS: T.Ito 22+5reb, Y.Tsubasa 10+2reb+1ast, L.Witcher 6+6reb+1ast, T.Shimizu 5+4reb+1ast, T.Masato 3+1reb, Y.Kojima 2+4reb+2ast

Akita NH - Yokohama BC 89-92

Important game to mention about took place in Akita. Fifth ranked Yokohama BC (24-21) saved a 3-point victory on the road edging much higher ranked Akita Happinets (27-21) 92-89 on Sunday evening. Yokohama BC dominated down low during the game scoring 60 of its points in the paint compared to Akita Happinets' 40. They outrebounded Akita Happinets 48-32 including 18 on the offensive glass. Yokohama BC brought some defensive toughness making 8 blocks. Akita Happinets were plagued by 24 personal fouls down the stretch. American players dominated the game. Worth to mention a great performance of guard Draelon Burns (194-85, college: De Paul, agency: Top Notch Sports) who helped to win the game recording 28 points and 8 rebounds and center Chas McFarland (213-86, college: Wake Forest) who added 17 points, 17 rebounds and 4 blocks during the contest. Yokohama BC's coach Reggie Geary allowed to play the deep bench players in such tough game. At the losing side swingman Ricky Woods (194-84, college: SE Louisiana) responded with a double-double by scoring 29 points, 11 rebounds and 6 assists and forward E.J. Drayton (204-82, college: Charlotte, agency: Strategic Sports) scored 10 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists. Both teams had five players each who scored in double figures. Yokohama BC have a solid three-game winning streak. They moved-up to fourth place. Akita Happinets lost fourth consecutive game. They keep the second position with 21 games lost. Yokohama BC will play against Takamatsu FA (#9) at home in the next round where they are favorite. Akita Happinets will play against Shimane Magic (#6) and hope to get back on the winning track.
Top scorers:
Yokohama BC: D.Burns 28+8reb+2ast, C.McFarland 17+17reb, M.Simmons 16+6reb+3ast, M.Kabaya 14+2reb, J.Burrell 11+5reb, T.Aoki 4
Akita NH: R.Woods 29+11reb+6ast, K.Shoji 14+2reb+2ast, S.Taguchi 14+3reb+1ast, K.Swanston 12+2reb+2ast, E.Drayton 10+7reb+4ast, R.Mizumachi 3+3reb+3ast

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KOSOVO

Standings - Superleague

SuperLeague Standings

1. Sigal Prishtina		22-3
2. Trepca		22-3
3. Peja		17-8
4. Bashkimi		14-11
5. Kolegji Univer.		9-16
6. Kosova		7-18
7. Futura		5-20
8. Drita		4-21

Regular Season: Round 25

Apr. 8: Kosova - Kolegji Univer. 92-66
Apr. 8: Sigal Prishtina - Trepca 83-61
Apr. 8: Peja - Futura 82-69
Apr. 8: Drita - Bashkimi 79-88

Regular Season: Round 26

Apr. 15: Bashkimi - Kosova
Apr. 15: Kolegji Univer. - Sigal Prishtina
Apr. 15: Trepca - Peja
Apr. 15: Futura - Drita

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LEBANON

U18 WABA Championship: Lebanon defeat Syria to stay perfect - by Eurobasket News

Lebanon U18 - Syria U18 62:48

Lebanon remained unbeaten at U18 WABA Championship. The hosts accounted for Syria to improve at 3-0 record on top of the standings. They will face Iran in the final game at the tournament to decide on the winner of the 13th edition of the tournament. Wael Arakji posted 24 points to lead the effort. Syria fell at 1-2 record after the loss.
Syria enjoyed a 12:10 lead after ten minutes of action. The visitors did not allow Lebanon to erase the deficit in the second quarter. Syria stayed on top posting a 31:27 halftime lead. Lebanon stayed close throughout the third term but still faced a 41:42 deficit heading into the fourth stanza. But the hosts finally broke through. They tipped off the fourth quarter on a 13:0 run and rallied to the victory from then on. Jimmy Salem (190-G-95) accounted for 14 points, while Jhonny Nemer added 13 points in the victory. Ockba Baghajati (182-G-94) responded with 19 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists for Syria. Mhd Ali Obaysi (94) netted 10 points in the loss.

Lebanon U18: Wael Arakji 24, Jimmy Salem 14, Jhonny Nemer 13
Syria U18: Ockba Baghajati 19, Mhd Ali Obaysi 10

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LITHUANIA

Lithuanian and Russian teams start Quarterfinal campaign - by Eurobasket News

Lithuanian and Russian teams start Quarterfinal campaign in VTB League for two Semifinal tickets. Russian Lokomotiv and Lithuanian Lietuvos rytas won the openers over their opponents.
Lokomotiv earned the first win in the eighth-final series versus Zalgiris. The hosts trailed by 3 points after first quarter, but they stormed back to get the 9-point lead at the halftime and eventually won the game 72-44. Worth to mention a great performance of K.C. Rivers who helped to win the game recording 21 points and 9 rebounds. Ali Traore (207-C-85, agency: Beo Basket, college: S.Idaho JC) contributed with 13 points and 6 rebounds for the winners. Paulius Jankunas (205-F-84, agency: Interperformances) answered with 4 points and 10 rebounds and Mantas Kalnietis (196-G-86, agency: Interperformances) added 6 points and 5 rebounds in the effort for Zalgiris.
Lietyvos Rytas eked out a tough road win over Nizhny Novgorod to surge ahead 1-0 in the best-of-three series. The guests took control from the first minutes by winning first half. But BC Nizhny Novgorod won third quarter 18-15. However it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. Jonas Valanciunas (210-C-92) stepped up and scored 6 points, 11 rebounds and 4 blocks for the winners and Renaldas Seibutis chipped in 14 points. At the losing side Semen Antonov (202-PF-89, agency: RU-Basket Management) responded with a double-double by scoring 18 points and 11 rebounds and Primoz Brezec (216-F/C-79) scored 15 points and 9 rebounds.

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MALAYSIA

ASEAN League: Blaze register the 12th win - by Eurobasket News

Westports Dragons - Petron Blaze 76:92

Petron Blaze celebrated the 12th win in ASEAN League season. They eased past Westports KL Dragons away from home to improve at 12-4 record. The Dragons fell at 7-8 record after the loss.
The hosts secured a narrow 21:20 lead ten minutes into the game. But the Blaze took over in the second quarter. The visitors surged ahead to ensure a 42:35 halftime advantage. The Philippines team unloaded 28 points in the third period to boost the margin to as many as 16 points 70:54. The Blaze stayed in control in the fourth period cruising to the victory at the end. Duke Crews (203-F-88, college: Bowie St.) produced 29 points and 8 rebounds to lead the Blaze. Nick Fazekas (211-F-85, college: Nevada) contributed 26 points and 14 rebounds for the winners. Tiras Wade (200-F-81, agency: Interperformances, college: La-Lafayette) responded with 28 points and 11 rebounds for Westports Dragons. Jonathan Smith (206-F-82, college: Bowie St.) netted 14 points and 12 boards in defeat.

Westports KL Dragons: Tiras Wade 28+11 boards, Jonathan Smith 14+12 boards
Petron Blaze: Duke Crews 29, Nick Fazekas 26+14 boards, Leo Avenido (186-G-78) 15

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MEXICO

Najera has surgery, expected to miss season - by Eurobasket News

Charlotte Bobcats forward Eduardo Najera (6'8''-F-76, college: Oklahoma) had successful surgery Saturday afternoon to repair the fractured frontal bone in his forehead and is expected to miss the rest of the season.

Najera was injured late in the second quarter of Friday's game at Milwaukee by an inadvertent elbow from Bucks forward Jon Brockman.

He was taken to the hospital, where a CT scan ruled out brain trauma but confirmed the fracture. Najera was later released and flew back to Charlotte with the team, having surgery Saturday at Presbyterian Hospital.

The veteran forward averaged 2.6 points in 22 games this season.

Courtesy of www.canada.com

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MONTENEGRO

Standings - 1A

1A Standings

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

Erste Basketball League Standings

Second Stage: Round 5

Play-Out

Apr. 7: Danilovgrad - Jedinstvo 69-63
Apr. 7: Centar BP - KK Podgorica 61-54
Apr. 7: ABS Primorje - Mogren 20-1

S-League

Apr. 8: Sutjeska - Buducnost 92-87
Apr. 9: Lovcen - Ulcinj
Apr. 9: Teodo Tivat - Mornar Bar

The Superleague Round 6 Opening Match: Remember the day when Buducnost lost in domestic Championship- 7/3/2012 - by Darko Pekic

Here is a million dollar question. Do you remember the day when Buducnost lost last time in the domestic Championship? Actually,for the first and last time...until today. Well, it happened on 25.10.2006 when Lovcen defeated for the first time the powerhouse from Podgorica in the history of newlyformed, independent state of Montenegro. It took almost six years to see that miracle again, until the day when Dusan Dubljevic 's team, the newcomer in the League, did it again. For the sake of basketball in Montenegro we all hope thta it will not take another six years to see Buducnost defeated and that smaller clubs such as Mornar, Sutjeska and Lovcen will be competitive in the years to come.

Anyway, let's return to the game... Sutjeska started it in a great way and thanks to 2000 noisy fans they got the first important lead few minutes before the halftime. Zarko Dragicevic (188-G-81) was in super shape during that part of the game as he scored 3 very important thriples. After the halftime, Buducnost tied the score and when everybody expected that the game would turn to its normal, Buducnost oriented, Goran Gajovic (199-SF-88, agency: Kotnik Sports Agency) and Nemanja Vranjes (188-G-88) took the control of the game and increased the lead. But in the last quarter some strange thing started happening on the floor and Buducnost returned to the game although Sutjeska had +12 only 3 minutes before the game end. Buducnost even tied the score thanks to Vladimir Mihailovic (193-G-90) and both teams entered in a surprising overtime where, obviously, Buducnost was a big favorite. However, the miracle happened twice. Sutjeska with no big men available ( Andrija Pejovic (205-C-83) fouled out, Vladan Jocovic (211-C-82) with 4 fouls) made the final sacrifice and won the game in an incredible finish thanks to its gifted players.

Zarko Dragicevic probably played the game of his life with 24 points. He was the floor general and absolute leader who was able to score when needed. Nemanja Vranjes followed him with 16 points. For the guests from Podgorica another Niksic born player shined- Bojan Dubljevic (205-C-91, agency: Beo Basket) was the top scorer with 28 points. Cedomir Vitkovac (201-F-82, agency: Beo Basket) added 24.

Sutjeska- Buducnost 92:87 (18:20, 21:15, 22:15, 16:27, 15:10)

Niksic Sports hall. Spect: 2 000. Refs: Sutulovic (Podgorica), Lepetic (Herceg Novi), Jokic (Podgorica).

Sutjeska: Kovac 6, Zarubica, Vranjes 16, Jovanovic, Grabovica 7, Popovic 8, Dragicevic 24, Jocovic 11, Gajovic 13, Kuveljic, Pejovic 7, Krivokapic.

Buducnost: Mihailovic 13, M. Popovic, Milosevic 2, Radovic 2, Vitkovac 24, Dubljevic 28, A. Popovic 8, Ivanovic 5, Anderson 5, Nikolic, Mugosa, Bouldin.

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NBA

Standings

NBA Standings

Eastern Conference
Atlantic Div.
1. Boston C.		32-24
2. Philadelph.76		29-26
3. New York K.		29-27
4. New Jersey N.		21-37
5. Toronto R.		20-37
Central Div.
1. Chicago B.		43-14
2. Indiana P.		34-22
3. Milwaukee B.		27-28
4. Detroit P.		21-35
5. Cleveland C.		18-36
Southeast Div.
1. Miami Heat		40-15
2. Atlanta H.		33-23
3. Orlando M.		32-23
4. Washington W.		12-44
5. Charlotte B.		7-46
Western Conference
Northwest Div.
1. Oklah.City T.		41-15
2. Denver N.		30-25
3. Utah Jazz		29-28
4. Portland TB		26-30
5. Minnesota T.		26-31
Pacific Div.
1. LA Lakers		35-22
2. LA Clippers		34-22
3. Phoenix Suns		29-27
4. Golde State W.		21-33
5. Sacramento K.		19-38
Southwest Div.
1. San Antonio S.		40-14
2. Memphis G.		32-23
3. Houston R.		31-25
4. Dallas M.		31-26
5. N.Orleans H.		15-41

Regular Season: Round 102

Apr. 8: Miami Heat - Detroit P. 98-75
Apr. 8: Oklah.City T. - Toronto R. 91-75
Apr. 8: Sacramento K. - Houston R. 87-104
Apr. 8: New Jersey N. - Cleveland C. 122-117 OT
Apr. 8: San Antonio S. - Utah Jazz 114-104
Apr. 8: Boston C. - Philadelph.76 103-79
Apr. 8: New York K. - Chicago B. 100-99 OT

Regular Season: Round 103

Apr. 9: Charlotte B. - Washington W.
Apr. 9: Indiana P. - Toronto R.
Apr. 9: Memphis G. - LA Clippers
Apr. 9: Minnesota T. - Phoenix Suns
Apr. 9: Utah Jazz - San Antonio S.
Apr. 9: Orlando M. - Detroit P.
Apr. 9: Milwaukee B. - Oklah.City T.
Apr. 9: N.Orleans H. - LA Lakers
Apr. 9: Denver N. - Golde State W.
Apr. 9: Portland TB - Houston R.

Stats Leaders

Points Per Game

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

1. Bryant, LA Lakers	28.1
2. Durant, Oklah.Ci.	27.8
3. James, Miami Heat	26.8
4. Love, Minnesota T.	26.5
5. Westbrook, Oklah..	24.2
6. Rose, Chicago B.	23.0
7. Wade, Miami Heat	22.6
8. Ellis, Golde S.	21.9
9. Aldridge, Portland.	21.7
10. Anthony, New Y.	21.5

Rebounds Per Game

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

1. Howard, Orlando M.	14.5
2. Love, Minnesota T.	13.6
3. Bynum, LA Lakers	11.9
4. Varejao, Clevelan.	11.5
5. Cousins, Sacramen.	11.1
6. Humphries, New J.	11.0
7. Griffin, LA Clipp.	11.0
8. Gasol, LA Lakers	10.5
9. Gortat, Phoenix	9.9
10. Chandler, New Y.	9.9

Assists Per Game

Steve NASH
  Phoenix Suns
  (190-PG-74)
  Avg: 11.2

1. Nash, Phoenix Suns	11.2
2. Rondo, Boston C.	11.2
3. Paul, LA Clippers	9.1
4. Calderon, Toron.	8.8
5. Williams, New J.	8.7
6. Rubio, Minnesot.	8.2
7. Rose, Chicago B.	7.9
8. Wall, Washington W.	7.7
9. Parker, San A.	7.6
10. Lowry, Houston R.	7.2

Steals Per Game

Chris PAUL
  LA Clippers
  (183-PG-85)
  Avg: 2.5

1. Paul, LA Clippers	2.5
2. Conley, Memphis G.	2.4
3. Rubio, Minnesot.	2.2
4. James, Miami Heat	1.9
5. Shumpert, New Y.	1.8
6. Lowry, Houston R.	1.8
7. Iguodala, Philadel.	1.8
8. Rondo, Boston C.	1.8
9. Ariza, N.Orleans H.	1.7
10. Millsap, Utah Jazz	1.7

Blocks Per Game

Serge IBAKA
  Oklah.Ci.
  (208-C/F-89)
  Avg: 3.5

1. Ibaka, Oklah.Ci.	3.5
2. McGee, Washingt.	2.5
3. Howard, Orlando M.	2.1
4. Jordan, LA Clippers	2.1
5. Bynum, LA Lakers	2.0
6. Hibbert, Indiana P.	2.0
7. Gasol, Memphis G.	1.9
8. Dalembert, Houst.	1.8
9. Smith, Atlanta H.	1.8
10. Udoh, Golde S.	1.7

Saturday's gamers review (9): Lakers lose to Suns, 125-105, as Kobe Bryant sits on sidelines - by Eurobasket News

Milwaukee B. - Portland TB 116-94
Beno Udrih (6'5''-PG-82) scored a season-high 21 points, Brandon Jennings (6'0''-PG-89) also added 21, and the Milwaukee Bucks beat the Portland Trail Blazers 116-94 on Saturday night to tighten the race for the final playoff berth in the Eastern Conference. Ersan Ilyasova chipped in 20 points for Milwaukee, which moved within a half-game of idle New York with its fourth straight victory. The Bucks are .500 (28-28) for the first time since they were 2-2 on Jan. 2. LaMarcus Aldridge finished with 21 points for Portland, which lost 116-87 to Milwaukee on March 20 - its worst home loss of the season. Wesley Matthews added 14 points for the Trail Blazers, who were hoping to win consecutive road games for the first time this season. The Bucks shot 50 percent (47 of 94) from the field and were 12 of 25 (48 percent) from 3-point range. Milwaukee outscored Portland 30-11 in the final quarter, and scored 19 of the first 24 points of the period. Jennings dribbled the ball between his legs and swished a 3-pointer in front of Raymond Felton for a 99-88 lead with 6:34 to play. Jennings then delivered two assists that led to dunks by Larry Sanders for a 103-88 lead with 4:06 remaining. Sanders finished with a season-high 14 points. The lead was 105-88 after Jennings sank two free throws with 3:40 left. He had 12 points in the period. A victory for the Trail Blazers would have given them their first three-game winning streak since starting the season 3-0. But they missed 11 of their first 13 shots of the final quarter and never recovered. Portland led 63-54 at halftime, but Milwaukee held an 86-83 advantage after the third quarter. A 3-pointer by Mike Dunleavy gave the Bucks an 84-83 edge, their first since early in the second quarter, with 1:02 left. Dunleavy then delivered a pass to Sanders for a dunk and three-point lead with 36 seconds to play. *Courtesy of http://seattletimes.nwsource.com

Golde State W. - Denver N. 112-97
Denver's hopes of moving up in the Western Conference standings took another serious hit, and guard Ty Lawson (5'11''-PG-87, college: N.Carolina) is concerned the Nuggets are losing sight of the goal at hand. Lawson had some harsh words for his teammates following Denver's 112-97 loss to Golden State on Saturday - and for good reason. It marked the third time in the last two weeks that the Nuggets fell to a sub-.500 team and dropped them into the No. 8 seed in the West with Phoenix and Utah only a game behind. Instead of enhancing its playoff position, Denver is now on the fringe of the playoffs as the regular season winds down. 'It's getting ridiculous at this point,' said Lawson, who had 21 points and six assists. 'We're losing to teams we should never ... that we shouldn't lose to, especially with the magnitude of what's going on in the season with the playoff run and where we're at. We can't be losing these games.' A day after a 105-99 victory over Phoenix, Denver came out fast but finished flat against a Warriors team that had lost 12 of its previous 15 games and is playing without Stephen Curry (6'3''-PG-88, college: Davidson). This one is bound to stick with the Nuggets for a bit. They jumped out to an early lead behind Aaron Afflalo and had the Warriors on their heels before Golden State rallied to win at home for just the third time since March 1. 'Whatever flow we had going in the first, we didn't have for the last two or three quarters,' said Afflalo, who finished with 16 points. 'We need to string some games together simply for our playoff positioning and hopes. It's almost a must. We kind of have to.' David Lee had 17 points and nine rebounds, and the Warriors got a big lift from their reserves to put the dent in Denver's playoff hopes. Brandon Rush added 20 points, Nate Robinson had 14 points and seven assists, and Richard Jefferson scored 10 points to help Golden State, which also outrebounded the Nuggets and scored 58 points in the paint. *Courtesy of www.utsandiego.com

Charlotte B. - Atlanta H. 96-116
Joe Johnson (6'7''-G-81, college: Arkansas) scored 18 points on 8-of-10 shooting, and eight Atlanta players scored in double digits in the Hawks' 116-96 victory over the Charlotte Bobcats on Saturday night. The Hawks broke open the game in the third quarter by shooting 17 of 23 from the field while scoring a season-high 38 points. They won their third straight and remained in second place in the Southeast Division, ahead of the struggling Orlando Magic. Zaza Pachulia (7'0''-C-84) had 12 points and 16 rebounds, while Jannero Pargo had 15 points and nine assists for the Hawks. Ivan Johnson added 17 points. Corey Higgins, the son of Charlotte president of basketball operations Rod Higgins, scored a career-high 22 points for the Bobcats, who've lost 11 straight. The Bobcats need to win three of their remaining 12 games to reach the 10-win plateau. Atlanta (34-23) currently owns the fourth-best record in the Eastern Conference. The Hawks scored 56 points in the paint and outrebounded the Bobcats 42-31. The Bobcats jumped out to a 23-19 lead in the first quarter behind nine early points from Byron Mullens, who carried over the momentum early on from his career-high, 31-point effort Friday night against the Milwaukee Bucks. But the Hawks began to take over in the second quarter, outscoring the Bobcats 29-13 to take a 12-point lead at halftime behind solid play off the bench from Pargo, Marvin Williams, Ivan Johnson and Willie Green. The reserves played so well that coach Larry Drew stuck with them for most of the second quarter. The third quarter has been a trouble spot for the Bobcats all season and it stung them again. The Hawks went on a 12-2 run to open the second half to quickly build a 22-point lead. They hit 11 of their first 12 shots from the field in the period, many of those on uncontested layups. The Bobcats fought back to trim the lead to 12 in the fourth quarter, but couldn't close the gap any further. *Courtesy of www.cbsnews.com

Philadelph.76 - Orlando M. 82-88
Dwight Howard (6'11''-C-85) 's reputation took a beating this week and so did his team. It was time for his rebuttal. Howard had 20 points and 22 rebounds, and Glen Davis (6'9''-F-86, college: LSU) had 23 points and 12 rebounds to lead the Orlando Magic to an 88-82 win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday night. After his ninth 20-20 performance of the season, Howard then defended his character by stating, 'I'm not a bad guy.' J.J. Redick scored 11 of his 19 points in the fourth quarter to help the Magic snap a five-game losing streak. The Magic pushed aside the lingering rift between Howard and coach Stan Van Gundy to win for the first time since March 26. The win was a needed break for a team that wants to turn the spotlight back on basketball. Howard bills himself as Orlando's Superman, but he was more a super distraction this week. The Magic stamped their claim as Team Turmoil once Van Gundy disclosed this week that Howard wanted him fired. The two have since agreed it was time to move forward and focus on the team's play on the court. Van Gundy started a circus on Thursday morning when he revealed he was told by high-ranking team officials of Howard's request. Howard walked up and hugged Van Gundy during that media scrum, unaware what Van Gundy had just said. After the coach walked away, Howard was blindsided that reporters knew the truth about his firing request. After a strong 44 minutes against the Sixers, Howard said he just wanted to have fun and lead the Magic. 'I'm not a bad guy,' Howard said. 'Regardless of whatever's being said or how people want to portray me, I'm still going to be who I am. I'm the same person. I've never been a bad guy my whole life. But it happens. Everybody goes through trials and tribulations or whatever. This is what makes you. I'm not going to let it break me.' Asked before Saturday's game what he's learned from this season, Van Gundy said, 'too much to talk about.' Led by Howard, the Magic outrebounded the Sixers 53-41. Howard had 13 defensive boards. 'This is the best I've felt about this team the entire year,' Van Gundy said. Thaddeus Young scored 20 points, Jodie Meeks had 16 and Lou Williams 15 for Philadelphia. The Sixers have lost nine of their last 13 games and are in serious danger of missing a playoff spot after leading the Atlantic Division for most of the season. Young, Meeks and Williams all come off the bench. None of the Sixers starters reached double-digits and coach Doug Collins said that unit has one more chance to get its act together before he starts making changes. 'We can't keep digging ourselves a hold like that, just can't do it,' Collins said. The Magic took control of the game late in the fourth quarter to put away a Sixers team collapsing down the stretch. Elton Brand's soft jumper let Philadelphia take a 73-72 lead and give it hope they could complete the comeback after trailing by 10 points. Redick and the Magic took it from there. His 3-pointer with 3:21 left put Orlando ahead 82-76 and fans started heading for the exits. Howard, who sat out a recent stretch with back spasms, went 7 of 12 from the free-throw line in the fourth to seal the win. 'Like I've said before, regardless of how many points I've got, I would never quit on my team, I would never quit on my coach, I never quit on anything,' Howard said. 'I'm not a quitter. That's just in me to play hard and fight every night.' Davis was sensational during a recent stint in the starting lineup subbing for an injured Howard (sore back). He averaged 17 points over a four-start span that included 31 points against Detroit. Davis was back among the starting five with Ryan Anderson (ankle) out against the Sixers. Van Gundy said scoring chances weren't going to come easy for Davis with Howard back in the lineup. Davis wouldn't have plays called for him and he'd have to embrace the approach of fighting for baskets. He embraced it with fervor in the third quarter. Davis scored 15 points on 6 of 10 shooting, abusing a Sixers frontcourt that doesn't have the size to ward off Davis and Howard. Philadelphia's bench bailed out a starting five suffering from a serious off night in the first half. Brand and Jrue Holiday were scoreless, and Andre Iguodala and Evan Turner had four points apiece. No problem. Williams and Meeks both went 4 for 5 from the floor for 11 points and Thaddeus Young scored eight points to help the Sixers lead 45-37 at the break. Milwaukee's 116-94 win over Portland moved the Bucks within 1 1/2 games of the Sixers for seventh in the East. The Bucks are a 1-2 game behind New York for the eighth and final spot. 'If we keep playing defense like we did tonight, we'll be fine,' Meeks said. *Courtesy of www.chron.com

LA Clippers - Sacramento K. 109-94
Blake Griffin (6'10''-F-89, college: Oklahoma) had 27 points and 14 rebounds, Randy Foye (6'3''-G-83, college: Villanova) scored 25 points while hitting seven 3-pointers, and the surging Los Angeles Clippers moved within a half-game of the Pacific Division lead with a 109-94 victory over the Sacramento Kings on Saturday night. Chris Paul had 19 points and 15 assists in the Clippers' eighth win in nine games overall and their second in three days over the Kings, sweeping the season series with their California rivals. The Clippers (34-22) are right behind the Lakers (35-22), who lost at Phoenix, for the division lead and the No. 3 playoff seed. DeMarcus Cousins had 15 points and 20 rebounds after stoking a feud with pointedly critical comments about Griffin this week. Tyreke Evans and Travis Outlaw scored 14 points apiece and Francisco Garcia added 13 before leaving with an apparent head injury for the Kings, who have lost eight of 10. Caron Butler scored 12 points for the Clippers, who never trailed after the opening minutes. While Paul and Griffin had their usual productive games, Foye had another spectacular perimeter performance after tying the franchise record with eight 3-pointers at Dallas last Monday. After allowing their 14-point lead to dwindle to one late in the third quarter, the Clippers took control with a 20-7 run capped by back-to-back spectacular dunks. After Griffin reached well behind his head to grab an alley-oop pass from Eric Bledsoe for a one-handed slam, the 6-foot-1 Bledsoe added his own dunk on a pass off the backboard from Paul. Bledsoe had eight points and nine assists for the Clippers, who scored 34 points in less than eight minutes in the fourth quarter. Marcus Thornton, the Kings' leading scorer, missed his third straight game with a bruised left leg. Griffin and Cousins exchanged a perfunctory pregame fist-bump and nothing else after their burgeoning rivalry commanded national headlines in recent days. Cousins was fined $25,000 by the NBA on Friday for criticizing officials - specifically for the way they call games featuring Griffin, the former No. 1 draft pick and electrifying dunker. After struggling with foul trouble throughout Sacramento's home loss to the Clippers on Thursday night, Cousins said Griffin was an 'actor' who should be at home in Hollywood, claiming referees treat the two-time All-Star differently. Griffin, the NBA's 11th-leading scorer and sixth-leading rebounder, and Cousins declined to talk about the criticism before the game, while their coaches saw nothing unhealthy about a little rivalry between power forwards. 'It's just two big guys playing an aggressive style of play, and I'm glad that the officials allowed them to play,' Sacramento coach Keith Smart said. 'I saw young, big guys who are going to be going at it for years, and they didn't lose their composure. They stayed in the confines of the game, and hopefully that doesn't move to anything else.' Griffin made one of the most spectacular shots of his highlight-strewn career late in the third quarter when Donte Greene flagrantly fouled him to stop a breakaway chance. Griffin threw the ball backward over his opposite shoulder while spinning facedown to the floor and facing away from the hoop - and the shot went in, but didn't count when the officials huddled and ruled against continuation. Garcia went to the locker room early in the fourth after staying down on the court for several minutes when Bobby Simmons accidentally clipped him in the head while fighting for a loose ball. *Courtesy of www.ktvn.com

Memphis G. - Dallas M. 94-89
Rudy Gay (6'9''-F/G-86, college: Connecticut) scored 25 points, Zach Randolph (6'9''-C-81, college: Michigan St.) added 15 points and 11 rebounds, and the Memphis Grizzlies built a big early lead and held on to beat the Dallas Mavericks 94-89 on Saturday night. Gilbert Arenas added 14 points and made three 3-pointers, while Mike Conley finished with 12 points for Memphis, which won its second straight and seventh in the last nine games. Dirk Nowitzki led the Mavericks with 17 points and eight rebounds, and Brandan Wright added 16 points. Vince Carter had 14 points, while Shawn Marion finished with 12 points and 11 rebounds in the Mavericks' second straight loss. Memphis led 29-10 after one quarter and moved two games ahead of Dallas for fifth place in the Western Conference, also claiming the head-to-head tiebreaker by winning the season series 2-1. The Mavericks weathered an early 20-point Memphis advantage and pulled close midway through the third period. But the Grizzlies never let Dallas take the lead, although four free throws by Nowitzki down the stretch cut the Memphis lead to 92-89 with 21.5 seconds left. Randolph hit a pair of free throws 6 seconds later, and Marc Gasol stole an inbounds pass in the closing seconds to preserve the Memphis victory. Dallas missed 13 of its 14 shots, finishing 2 of 15 in the first quarter. Randolph's 3-pointer as the horn sounded at the end of the first frame gave Memphis a 29-10 lead, the 10 points matching Dallas' season-low for points in a quarter. Nowitzki missed all five of his shots and was 1 of 7 in the half. The Mavericks got untracked in the second, scoring the first eight points as Memphis began struggling from the field. Jason Terry connected on a couple of 3-pointers, and Dallas got the advantage under double digits, when Carter's drive with 1:36 left in the half made it 43-34. Memphis carried a 50-39 lead into halftime as Gay had 14 points. The Mavericks continued to chip into the lead in the third, starting the quarter outscoring Memphis 23-13, a rally capped by a 3-pointer from Carter. That pulled Dallas within 63-62, but Memphis pushed it back to 72-67 entering the final period. Memphis got the lead to 10 once in the fourth, and maintained a five- to seven-point advantage through much of the quarter. *Courtesy of www.ktvn.com

Phoenix Suns - LA Lakers 125-105
The Los Angeles Lakers played their first game without Kobe Bryant (6'6''-G-78) in two seasons, and it wasn't pretty. Unless you're a Phoenix Suns, or maybe a Los Angeles Clippers fan. Shannon Brown scored 20 of his 24 points in the third quarter Saturday night, leading the Suns to a 125-105 victory, their fourth in five games. An injured left shin ended Bryant's string of 138 consecutive regular-season games played. The NBA's leading scorer watched the Suns reserves dominate the second quarter, then Brown go off against his former team in the third. Michael Redd scored 17 of his 20 points in the second quarter for the Suns in their highest-scoring game of the season. Pau Gasol had 30 points and 13 rebounds, and Andrew Bynum added 23 points and 18 boards for the Lakers, who surrendered the most points they have allowed this season. Phoenix set a franchise low with three turnovers. The Clippers, with a victory over Sacramento, pulled within a half-game of the first-place Lakers in the Pacific Division. The Suns are one game behind Denver for the eighth and final playoff berth in the Western Conference. Bryant was kicked in the shin against New Orleans a week ago and had tried to play through the pain. He was limping noticeably late in the Lakers' home loss to Houston on Saturday night. He had played in all 82 regular-season games last season and all 56 this year. Trainer Gary Vitti said the only way the injury will subside is with rest and there is no timetable for his return. 'When Kobe wasn't going to play it was going to be natural that Andrew and I took a few more shots than usual,' Gasol said. 'Most of them were good shots. It is not like I am going to take 25 shots and Andrew is going to 27 shots a game. It should have been a little more balanced throughout our roster.' Seven players reached double figures for Phoenix. Marcin Gortat (7'0''-C-84) scored 14, Sebastian Telfair had all of his 13 points in the second quarter, Markieff Morris scored 13 and Steve Nash had 13 points and 11 assists. Metta World Peace added 19 points for the Lakers. The Suns reserves outscored their Los Angeles counterparts 58-10. Courtesy of www.ktvn.com

Indiana P. - Boston C. 72-86
The Indiana Pacers beat Oklahoma City on Friday night, proving that they indeed are one of the league's up-and-coming teams. A day later, the Boston Celtics showed the Pacers what the next level looks like. Paul Pierce (6'7''-F/G-77, college: Kansas) scored 24 points to help the Celtics beat Indiana 86-72 on Saturday night. The veteran-laden Celtics did what winning playoff teams do. They controlled the tempo, played stifling defense and made timely shots all night. Indiana matched its lowest point total of the season. 'I thought defensively, we were sensational tonight,' Boston coach Doc Rivers said. 'In a game where shots are not going in and you can still win the game, that means you can trust your defense on nights that it (the offense) doesn't work.' Ray Allen (6'5''-G-75, college: Connecticut) added 19 points, Kevin Garnett scored 15 and Rajon Rondo had 12 assists for the Celtics. Allen came off the bench for just the second time this season. He made 5 of 11 3-pointers, including 3 of 5 in the second half. He had missed six games with an ankle injury and has been back for just three games. 'We got him good shots and I told him, it's still going to take a couple of games,' Rivers said. 'He's still trying to get his legs back. I thought in the second half, you could see he had a breakthrough.' Boston also got a key contribution from Greg Stiemsma, a rookie from Wisconsin who has received increased minutes because Jermaine O'Neal has been out after left wrist surgery. Stiemsma had 10 points, a season-high nine rebounds and five blocks. Much of his damage came against All-Star center Roy Hibbert. 'Greg came in and did a terrific job,' Rivers said. 'Guarding Hibbert is no fun. He's just a big man and he's physical and I thought he did a sensational job.' Boston snapped a two-game skid and remained ahead of the Philadelphia 76ers at the top of the Atlantic Division. 'They're playing at a very, very high level,' Indiana coach Frank Vogel said. 'They have a championship coach and a championship core. They know how to get it done.' Danny Granger scored 20 points, David West had 16 and Hibbert added nine points and 17 rebounds for Indiana. The Pacers had won four in a row and had scored more than 100 points in five consecutive games. Indiana shot 35 percent from the field, made just 5 of 22 3-pointers and committed 19 turnovers. 'This is just a bump in the road for us, and we must put it behind us and get ready for the next game,' Granger said. 'We had several shots that could have dropped, but they didn't.' Indiana had the young legs and the depth, but looked tired against the older Celtics. It was the Pacers' fourth game in five nights, and it finally caught up with them. 'We knew coming into the season the lockout would have an impact on games,' Vogel said. 'You can't overreact or underreact in any situation.' Boston took a 22-19 lead, then held the Pacers scoreless for the next 7:23 to take a 36-19 lead. Boston led 43-33 at halftime. The Pacers shot just 3 for 19 in the second quarter, but hung tough because they only allowed Boston to shoot 30 percent. The Pacers just missed their low half of the season, which was 29 points in the second half against Chicago on March 5. Stiemsma had 10 points, five rebounds and five blocks in the first half. 'Here in Indiana, they have played us pretty well,' Rondo said. 'They have beaten us pretty badly. We wanted to come out and establish the pace from the jump defensively, and the offense is going to come.' In the third quarter, Pierce hit a 3-pointer, then a pull-up jumper to extend Boston's lead to 15 points. Granger made a 3-pointer and Leandro Barbosa made a layup to cut Boston's lead to 55-48, but the Celtics held on and led 59-51 at the end of the quarter. Pierce scored 13 points in the third period. Boston led by double digits for most of the fourth quarter. Indiana tried to make a late surge, and a 3-pointer by Granger cut Boston's lead to 74-65. Allen hit a 3-pointer at the other end a few seconds later to stop Indiana's momentum. 'Every time we made a run, it was a Ray Allen 3 or a Paul Pierce bucket,' Vogel said. *Courtesy of http://ca.sports.yahoo.com

N.Orleans H. - Minnesota T. 99-90
Jason Smith (7'0''-F-86, agency: Priority Sports, college: Colorado St.) and Chris Kaman (7'0''-C-82, college: Cent.Michigan) didn't come into Saturday night's game as the marquee frontline players. No, that fell to Minnesota's Kevin Love. Name players aren't everything, however, and Smith and Kaman combined to put the Hornets on their backs, carrying them to a 99-90 win over Minnesota. Smith and Kaman were a combined 21 of 26 for 47 points with 20 rebounds, four steals and four blocks. Smith set a career-high with 26 points and grabbed 10 boards. Minnesota's Love finished with 29 points on 11 of 23 shooting and grabbed 12 rebounds. But the Hornets shot 48.8 percent and outrebounded the Timberwolves by 15 boards. More importantly, they turned the ball over only six times in the second half after eight in the first half. The Timberwolves made the Hornets (15-41) work for the win, however. Minnesota answered a 14-0 Hornets run in the third with a 10-0 sequence of its own in the fourth quarter. But New Orleans didn't blink, finding ways to maintain the lead late. Kaman's five-point run gave New Orleans a 90-83 lead with 4:03 to play. But Michael Beasley's deep 3-pointer answered. The Hornets did what got them the lead, however, and that was go inside when they needed. And Greivis Vasquez answered with a sweet spinning layup past the Timberwolves' Wayne Ellington. A Minnesota turnover led to a short-range jumper by Vasquez and the Hornets' lead increased to 94-86. Kevin Love's 6-footer for Minnesota with two-and-a-half minutes to play briefly stopped the Hornets' momentum. Smith hit two free throws to give New Orleans a 96-88 lead and Minnesota never got any closer. The Hornets now face the Lakers at home on Monday night. *Courtesy of www.wwltv.com

Sunday's games review (7): Knicks beat Bulls 100-99 behind Anthony to spoil Rose's return - by Eurobasket News

Oklah.City T. - Toronto R. 91-75
Oklahoma City coach Scott Brooks has preached to his players all season about successfully closing out quarters. The Thunder did that in the third quarter Sunday night and went on to snap a season-high three-game losing streak. Kevin Durant (6'9''-G/F-88, college: Texas) scored 23 points and Oklahoma City had a 24-0 run bridging the third and fourth quarters en route to a 91-75 victory over the Toronto Raptors. 'We talked about that yesterday . to finish strong in all quarters,' Brooks said. 'I didn't think we had a great finish in the second quarter but we did a good job in the second half. We look for that and we wanted to see some progress in that area and I thought the guys really locked in and focused on closing out the quarters.' James Harden (6'5''-G-89, college: Arizona St.) scored 17 points and Russell Westbrook had 15 points, six assists and six rebounds for Oklahoma City, which remained percentage points behind San Antonio for first place in the Western Conference. 'I have a great group of guys that play hard and play together,' Brooks said. 'They care for each other. None of us like the fact that we lost three in a row but they never pointed a finger at each other. We were frustrated that we lost but we weren't frustrated at each other.' The Thunder never trailed but the game was close for three quarters. Toronto was down 58-55 with 6:05 left in the third quarter, but the Raptors didn't score again in the period. Oklahoma City then scored the last 12 points of the third quarter - with Daequan Cook's 3-pointer stretching the advantage to 70-55 in the final seconds of the period - and the first 12 of the fourth to take 27-point lead. 'Guys got into the lane, got to the free-throw line and made great passes and our defense was really good,' Durant said. 'Our defense always ignites our offense. We got stops and we turned them into points.' Jose Calderon led Toronto with 19 points on 8-of-12 shooting and DeMar DeRozan added 16, going 6 for 22 from the field. The Raptors finished shooting 37 percent. *Courtesy of www.washingtonpost.com

Sacramento K. - Houston R. 87-104
Despite missing leading scorer Kevin Martin and point guard Kyle Lowry for more than a month, the Houston Rockets are playing some of their best basketball of the season. Courtney Lee (6'5''-G/F-85, college: W.Kentucky) scored 19 of his 25 points in the first half, leading the Rockets to a 104-87 victory over the Sacramento Kings on Sunday night. Houston has won three straight and four of the last five, including a pair of road games, where they have struggled for much of the season. The Rockets, sixth in the Western Conference, moved one-half game ahead of defending champion Dallas. Houston is getting consistent play from Goran Dragic (6'5''-PG-86) at point guard and Lee has filled in admirably for Martin. Solid contributions from the other starters and many of the reserves has helped the Rockets win seven of their last 10. 'We're a deep team, everyone on this team can play,' Lee said. 'We're moving the ball, we're executing on offense. Once we get all our guys back we'll be a pretty dangerous team.' Martin watched the game in street clothes, but Lowry played for the first time after missing 15 games with a bacterial infection that required hospitalization. Lowry came off the bench in the first quarter and finished with one point and seven assists in 18 minutes. 'I was glad to be back. I wanted to play last game (Friday against the Lakers) but coach said no,' Lowry said. 'It wasn't a break I wanted to take, but I definitely feel good.' Dragic was a steady influence on offense, continually penetrating the Kings defense and finishing with 15 points and nine assists. Chase Budinger was a big factor in the fourth quarter, scoring 10 of his 15 points. Luis Scola added 13 points and eight rebounds, and Patrick Patterson had 10 points and 10 rebounds. Houston entered the game well rested, playing just twice over the previous seven days. Both were significant wins as the Rockets beat East-leading Chicago on the road and the visiting Lakers on Friday. *Courtesy of www.sports.yahoo.com

Boston C. - Philadelph.76 103-79
Kevin Garnett (6'11''-F-76) scored 20 points and Rajon Rondo (6'1''-PG-86, college: Kentucky) dished out double-digit assists for his 17th consecutive game, finishing with 15 to help lead the Boston Celtics to a 103-79 win over the struggling Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday night. Brandon Bass and Avery Bradley each added 18 points, and Paul Pierce had 17 as the Celtics won for the seventh time in nine games, improving their Atlantic Division lead to three games over both the 76ers and New York Knicks. Nikola Vucevic led Philadelphia with 14 points and Andre Iguodala had 13. The 76ers have dropped 10 of 14, falling out of first in the Atlantic and forced to compete for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. They are tied with the Knicks for seventh place, one game ahead of Milwaukee. Coming off a double-digit win at Indiana on Saturday night, the Celtics broke this one open early in the second quarter. Boston led 25-22 after one and outscored the 76ers 20-4 to start the second, pulling to a 45-26 lead on Bradley's runner in the lane. Ray Allen, coming off the bench for the third straight game, ignited the spree with eight points. His 3-pointer from the right wing gave Boston its first double-digit advantage (34-24) 3:04 into the quarter. The Celtics held Philadelphia to 27.3 percent shooting in the second quarter (6 of 22). The 76ers missed 12 of their first 13 shots. Philadelphia entered the game with the league's best scoring defense, but the Celtics had things pretty easy in the opening half, getting open looks and numerous drives into the lane. Boston led 50-36 at halftime, shooting 57.6 percent (19 of 33) in the opening 24 minutes. The Celtics then turned it into a rout with an 18-4 run coming out of the break, pushing the lead to 68-40 on Bradley's 3 from the right wing. Garnett scored eight of Boston's first 13 points, driving for a few easy buckets off Rondo's feeds. The Celtics led 84-63 after three quarters. Philadelphia made a run early in the final quarter, closing to 86-70 on Lou Williams' breakaway layup, but Sasha Pavlovic hit a 3-pointer to give the Celtics a 91-72 lead and they were never tested the rest of the way. *Courtesy of www.ktvn.com

New Jersey N. - Cleveland C. 122-117 OT
Gerald Green (6'8''-G/F-86) knows he's going to get his chances to score when he's on the floor with veterans like Deron Williams and Anthony Morrow. Green scored a season-high 32 points, including a clutch 3-pointer with 36.7 seconds left in regulation and a high-flying dunk in overtime, leading the New Jersey Nets to a 122-117 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Sunday night. 'When I'm on the floor, everyone's attention has to be on them,' Green said. 'It makes my life a whole lot easier. I tend to get a lot of open shots.' Green, signed as a free agent out of the NDBL in late February, shot 11 for 18 from the field, including 5 of 7 from 3-point range to help the Nets win their season-high third straight at home. New Jersey has also won six of nine overall. 'If I have an open shot and I don't take it, my teammates get down on me,' said Green, whose previous best this season was 26 points on two occasions. 'They all tell me to be aggressive and take those shots.' Anthony Morrow scored 24 points, Deron Williams had 18 points and 10 assists and Kris Humphries added 16 points and 11 rebounds as New Jersey finished with its highest scoring total of the season - topping the 115 in a loss to Denver on Jan. 11. Antawn Jamison (6'9''-F-76, college: N.Carolina) scored a season high-tying 34 points, Lester Hudson had 26 and Alonzo Gee added 22 points and 11 rebounds for Cleveland, which lost for the 10th time in 11 games and the 13th in their last 15. Tristan Thompson had 15 points and 15 rebounds. The teams traded the lead seven times in the final 5 minutes of regulation before Green gave the Nets a 109-106 lead with his 3-pointer. However, Hudson sent the game to overtime with a fall-away 3 with just 0.3 seconds left. *Courtesy of www.washingtonpost.com

Miami Heat - Detroit P. 98-75
LeBron James (6'8''-F-84) scored 26 points, Chris Bosh (6'11''-F-84, college: Georgia Tech) finished with 22 points and nine rebounds, and the Miami Heat steadily pulled away to beat the Detroit Pistons 98-75 on Sunday night. James Jones scored 18 on 6-for-8 shooting from 3-point range for Miami, which played without Dwyane Wade for the 11th time this season. Wade sat out with right ankle soreness, which the team said was caused by an awkward landing on a missed dunk attempt against Memphis on Friday night. The Heat are now 10-1 when Wade is sidelined this season, and are 18-1 in their last 19 home games. Detroit rookie Brandon Knight, playing as a pro in the city where he was born for the first time, scored 16 for the Pistons. Greg Monroe and Rodney Stuckey added 11 apiece for Detroit. *Courtesy of www.cbsnews.com

San Antonio S. - Utah Jazz 114-104
Tony Parker (6'0''-PG-82) scored 28 points and the San Antonio Spurs won their 11th straight game, beating the Utah Jazz 114-104 on Sunday night to maintain their slim lead atop the Western Conference. Emanuel Ginobili (6'6''-G-77, agency: Interperformances) added 23 points for the Spurs, who are now on their second 11-game win streak - a season best in the NBA. But unlike that first 11-game tear that started in January, the Spurs are now fighting off the Oklahoma City Thunder for first place instead of trying to catch them. Al Jefferson led the Jazz with 19 points and 10 rebounds. Utah dropped 1 games behind Denver for the eighth and final playoff spot with nine games to go. The Spurs (40-14), who face the Jazz again in Salt Lake City on Monday night, have played two more games than the Thunder (41-15). San Antonio overtook Oklahoma City in the standings for the first time all season Friday and owns the tiebreaker with 12 games remaining. Expect to see the Spurs cashing in on their new stockpile of depth between now and then. Coach Gregg Popovich sat starting center DeJuan Blair for the first time this season, and newcomer Stephen Jackson didn't play, either. Resting them may portend a night off for one of the Big Three on Monday night. Tim Duncan had 13 points and 16 rebounds, and Danny Green had 14 points. Ginobili was 14 of 15 from the foul line, saying he made the conscious decision to attack the basket, in part, because he's essentially trying to get used to absorbing physical contact after missing 30 games this year because of injury. 'I'm trying to start to be more aggressive going to the rim. I haven't been fouled much,' Ginobili said. Devin Harris had 18 points and reserve DeMare Carroll had 16 for the Jazz. Guard C.J. Miles left in the second quarter with a strained left calf and did not return. Six of Utah's remaining games are against winning teams. The Jazz (29-28) are trying to return to the playoffs for the first time in three years and are poised to decide their own fate if they get there. Utah still has meetings left against Dallas, Phoenix and Houston, all of whom entered Sunday within 1 games of each other. The Jazz trailed by as many as 19 but made a game of it in the fourth. Utah cut the lead to 108-100 with around 2 minutes left, but after Duncan pulled down his 15th rebound on a missed Gordon Hayward jumper, Parker scored the final six points to finish off the pesky Jazz. Parker went 9 of 14 from the floor and hit all 10 of his foul shots. Popovich has insisted that health will trump seeding down the stretch, but the Spurs keep winning in spite of him trying to limit the mileage on his stars before the playoffs. San Antonio is one of just four teams with at least 10 players averaging 19 minutes - New York's the only other winning one - and a rare Spurs midseason shopping spree has given them the luxury of even more depth. Boris Diaw scored 9 points in his first start since signing with the Spurs on March 23. Along with Jackson and point guard Patty Mills, the Spurs are 11-1 since giving their bench a facelift around the trade deadline. In all, the Spurs have won 28 of 33 since beginning their first 11-game winning streak Jan. 30. *Courtesy of www.ktxs.com

New York K. - Chicago B. 100-99 OT
The New York Knicks beat the Chicago Bulls 100-99 in overtime as Carmelo Anthony (6'8''-F-84, college: Syracuse) scored a season-high 43 points and hit the game-winning 3-pointer with 8.2 seconds left to spoil the return of Derrick Rose (6'3''-G-88, college: Memphis). The Knicks blew a 21-point first-quarter lead and then rallied from a 10-point deficit in the last four minutes of regulation to force overtime against the Bulls, who lead the National Basketball Association with a 43-14 record. The Knicks improved to 29-27 and maintained their hold on the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, one game ahead of the Milwaukee Bucks (28-28). If the standings remain the same, the Knicks would face the Bulls in the opening round of the NBA playoffs. 'It was a great atmosphere,' Anthony said in a televised interview at New York's Madison Square Garden. 'We might play these guys in the playoffs if we keep doing what we're doing and get that seed. So this is a big statement game for us and we willed this win.' Rose, the NBA's reigning Most Valuable Player, had 29 points for the Bulls yesterday after missing the previous 12 games with a groin injury. New York again plays the Bulls, who have already clinched a playoff berth, tomorrow in Chicago before visiting the Bucks on April 11. Milwaukee has won two of three games between the teams this season. The Bucks today host the Oklahoma City Thunder (41- 15), who are second in the Western Conference behind the San Antonio Spurs (40-14). The Thunder won the Northwest Division title to advance to the postseason, while the Spurs have also gained a playoff spot. *Courtesy of www.bloomberg.com

Q & A with Marcus Williams - by Alex Yam

The CBA's most surprising team, and finish was undoubtedly from the Shanxi ZhongYu Brave Dragons, led by super talented swingman, Marcus Williams. I caught up with Marcus when he returned from his MVP season with Shanxi and asked him a few questions. Here is our interview.

Q. Now that the 2011-12 CBA season is officially over, what are you taking away from this season?

Marcus: The CBA is really a growing league and the talent local and foreign gets better and better every year. This season was really exciting with some parody and some big upsets it really made this season one to remember and it was really a pleasure being apart of it.

Q. With the NBA lockout this summer, were you ever worried about your job security?

Marcus: This past summer i felt like i had played well enough the past season to have an opportunity to play in the CBA for another season. Not knowing what team i would be playing for or if i would even be in china was tough. Also there was a lot of things up in the air with the NBA lockout so i could never get too comfortable. I just wanted to land in a good situation if the basketball is good I'm good.

Q. In most of the fans and CBA eyes, you were the clear cut MVP of the Foreigners, what do you think about that?

Marcus: Its definitely a honor and there were so many great players this season in the CBA. This season i wanted to challenge myself for sure. This season was about the city of Taiyuan, The fans , the Shanxi basketball club and us have a historical season. it was great to be apart of it and my teammates and coaches made it easy for me to be comfortable, play my game and be successful.

Q. The success your team, Shanxi had this season was unparalleled, what contributed to the teams success?

Marcus: We really just got better. The season started of tough for us but we had some great leadership from our chinese players and me and charles and we brought things together. Our big men got a lot better and played a lot more physical. We built team chemistry and really made each other better.

Q. Your old team, Zhejiang C. signed arguably one of the biggest names in CBA history, in JR Smith instead of bringing you back, were you surprised?

Marcus: I was a little surprised since i had been there for the past two seasons and we had a good years that past season. But CBA is like the NBA its a business teams and players make decisions and thats just a part of it.

Q. Finally, what do you think about the Shanxi fans and CBA fans in general compared to the ones in the states?

Marcus: I have got to say Shanxi has the best fans i have ever seen or heard in my basketball career. It was standing room only at every home game and the support and love they showed us through out the season was unbelievable. The fans in China really love basketball its a big reason why i love playing in china it really reminds of me the atmosphere in college basketball games.

Thank you for your time Marcus, and congratulations on your success this season!!!

Najera has surgery, expected to miss season - by Eurobasket News

Charlotte Bobcats forward Eduardo Najera (6'8''-F-76, college: Oklahoma) had successful surgery Saturday afternoon to repair the fractured frontal bone in his forehead and is expected to miss the rest of the season.

Najera was injured late in the second quarter of Friday's game at Milwaukee by an inadvertent elbow from Bucks forward Jon Brockman.

He was taken to the hospital, where a CT scan ruled out brain trauma but confirmed the fracture. Najera was later released and flew back to Charlotte with the team, having surgery Saturday at Presbyterian Hospital.

The veteran forward averaged 2.6 points in 22 games this season.

Courtesy of www.canada.com

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NCAA1

NEW ZEALAND

Best players of New Zealand NBL round 6 - by Eurobasket News

American Ismail Muhammad (198-F-83) had an amazing evening in the last round for league's leader Auckland P. and that's him to receive a Eurobasket.com Player of the Week award for round 6.
The 28-year old forward had a double-double of 24 points and twelve rebounds, while his team beat Nelson G. (#7, 2-4) 101-93. It allowed Auckland P. to jump to the first place in the New Zealand NBL. They would have been even better if they did not have these two lost games earlier in Regular Season. Auckland P. has a very solid 6-2 record, but they cannot be too comfortable about keeping top position. Muhammad just recently signed at Auckland P., being already a very valuable addition to the team. Georgia Tech graduate has very impressive stats this year. Muhammad is in league's top in rebounds (5th best: 9.3rpg) and averages solid 2.1spg and 51.8% FGP.

The second most remarkable performance in last round's games was 28-year old American power forward Antoine Tisby (203-F/C-83) of OceanaGold N.. Tisby impressed basketball fans with a double-double of 23 points and 15 rebounds. Of course OceanaGold N. cruised to a 85-74 relatively comfortable win over the lower-ranked Southland S. (#9, 2-6). This victory allowed OceanaGold N. to move up to 5th position in the standings. His team lost some distance to top teams. But 3-3 record is not bad and everything may still change. Tisby is one of the most experienced players at OceanaGold N. and has a reputation of one of team's most reliable players. He belongs to the best scorers in the league with 20.8ppg (#6). He also registered 12.3 boards per game.

The third best performed player last round was British guard Phill Jones (196-G-74) of Nelson G. (#7). Jones got into 30-points club by scoring exactly 30 points in the last round. He went also for five assists. Despite Jones' great performance Nelson G. lost 93-101 to the higher-ranked Auckland P. (#1, 6-2). But his team cannot count on just a single shooter as he also needs help of the other teammates. The chances of Nelson G. not to end season at such low position in the league, however are less than slim as they have already lost 4 games, recording just two victories. With bigger assistance of his teammates, Jones could try to bring Nelson G.'s a little bit higher in the standings. Jones has individually a great season in New Zealand. After only 6 games, he made it on the list of the league's leaders in points with 25.7ppg (best scorer) and assists with 5.2apg (4th best). Phill Jones has also New Zealand passport and can play in the league with a status of domestic player.

Other top performing players last week:
4. Akeem Wright (200-F/G-84) of OceanaGold N. - 29 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists
5. Lawrence Abney (203-F-77) of Southland S. - 21 points and 12 rebounds
6. Michael Harrison (206-F/C-84) of Nelson G. - 27 points, 3 rebounds and 4 assists
7. Jack Leasure (191-G-86) of Taranaki MA - 29 points, 4 rebounds and 4 assists
8. Casey Frank (203-F-77) of Wellington S. - 12 points, 11 rebounds and 2 assists
9. Link Abrams (195-F-73) of Taranaki MA - 11 points and 11 rebounds
10. Michael Harrison (206-F/C-84) of Nelson G. - 14 points, 13 rebounds and 2 assists

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

Mannheim 2012: Turkey cruise past New Zealand - by Eurobasket News

Turkey U18 - New Zealand U18 96:70

Turkish Junior National Team recorded the second win at the Albert Schweitzer Tournament in Germany. They coasted past New Zealand to improve at 2-0 record in Group B. New Zealand in the meantime fell at 0-2 record. Tayfun Erulku (188-G/F-94) stepped up with 26 points, 6 assists and 4 rebounds to pace the winners.
Turkey gained control early in the game and registered a 23:18 lead ten minutes into the game. They maintained it throughout the second quarter. Moreover Turkey established a 50:34 halftime advantage. The complexion of the encounter did not change after the main break. Turkey stayed in charge piling up a 20-point advantage with ten minutes remaining. They unloaded 29 points in the fourth period and eased to the win at the end. Ismail Gulmez (189-G-94) and Talat Altunbey (202-F-94) posted 13 points each for the winners. Tom Vodanovich (198-F-94) responded with 23 points for the Kiwis. Alexander Talma had 15 points in defeat.

Turkey U18: Tayfun Erulku 26, Ismail Gulmez 13, Talat Altunbey 13
New Zealand U18: Tom Vodanovich 23, Alexander Talma 15

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PBL

Stats Leaders

Points Per Game

Keith RADCLIFF
  Indiana D.
  (186-G-86)
  Avg: 23.8

1. Radcliff, Indiana	23.8
2. Favors, Sauk V.	20.8
3. Simpson, Scranton.	19.6
4. Commons, Scranton.	19.3
5. Inabnit, Indiana D.	19.3
6. Love, Chicago M.	19.2
7. Robinson, Scranton.	18.8
8. Hill, St. Louis P.	18.3
9. Harris, Dayton A.S.	17.5
10. Fay, Sauk Valley	17.0

Rebounds Per Game

Billy PETTIFORD
  India.
  (201-F-)
  Avg: 12.5

1. Pettiford, India.	12.5
2. Robinson, Scranton.	11.4
3. Hill, Chicago M.	10.8
4. Fay, Sauk Valley P.	8.4
5. Davis, Rochester R.	7.9
6. Slack, Cent.Ill.	7.5
7. Harris, Sauk V.	7.2
8. Hill, St. Louis P.	6.9
9. Harris, Dayton A.S.	6.8
10. Russ, Dayton A.S.	6.6

Assists Per Game

Herman FAVORS
  Sauk V.
  (174-G-84)
  Avg: 8.3

1. Favors, Sauk V.	8.3
2. Simpson, Scranton.	6.6
3. Snow, Lake M.	5.4
4. Ruffin, Cent.I.	5.1
5. Crouch, Rocheste.	4.9
6. Petty, Cent.Ill.	4.8
7. Council, Rocheste.	4.2
8. Smith, Dayton A.S.	4.1
9. Carr, Rochester R.	4.1
10. Anderson, Chica.	4.0

Steals Per Game

Marcel ANDERSON
  Chica.
  (175-PG-86)
  Avg: 1.9

1. Anderson, Chica.	1.9
2. Rose, Sauk V.	1.7
3. Pettiford, India.	1.5
4. Polk, St. Louis P.	1.5
5. Crouch, Rocheste.	1.4
6. Favors, Sauk V.	1.4
7. Ruffin, Cent.I.	1.3
8. Robinson, Scranton.	1.3
9. Snow, Lake M.	1.3
10. Bobo, Lake M.	1.2

Blocks Per Game

Shagari ALLEYNE
  Lake M.
  (221-C-84)
  Avg: 2.5

1. Alleyne, Lake M.	2.5
2. Slack, Cent.Ill.	1.9
3. Commons, Scranton.	1.9
4. Webster, Rocheste.	1.3
5. Robinson, Scranton.	1.1
6. Pettiford, India.	1.1
7. Hill, Chicago M.	0.9
8. Davis, Rochester R.	0.8
9. Hipp, Sauk V.	0.8
10. Giddings, Rochest.	0.7

Razorsharks back in PBL Finals - by Eurobasket News

Jerice Crouch (6'0''-G-84, college: Chattanooga) finished with 29 points, eight rebounds, six assists and hit seven 3-point shots to lead the Rochester RazorSharks to a 116-92 victory over the Sauk Valley Predators to win the Premier Basketball League semi-finals 2-0.The 5,472 fans in attendance for the Saturday night showdown at the Blue Cross Arena at the Rochester Community War Memorial witnessed the RazorSharks go 17/33 from 3-point territory and open up a lead that got to as many as 33 points on Sauk Valley.

The game plan going in was to feed the post, said Aaron Williams (6'8''-C/F-83, agency: Dream Team Management, college: W.Chester), who finished with nine points and 12 rebounds. They would sink into the post and it opened up the 3s, so as long as we kept playing hard in the paint and we kept making 3s, we were all set.

Keith Friel (6'4''-G-77, college: Virginia) saw his first action at home in over a month and showed he is starting to feel healthy, as he hit four 3-point shots on his way to 15 points.

I was itching to get back into the game, this is the longest I have been out since I became a RazorShark, said Friel. I got some good looks, I felt good, and we got the win.

After the RazorSharks opened up the lead in the second half, they continued to keep up their defensive intensity and kept their foot on the pedal to secure the win.

Yesterday we blew a 15 point second quarter lead, so it was important to stay focused and come out strong, said Crouch. Championship is in sight, as long as we stay focused.

Other leaders for the RazorSharks include Todd McCoy's (6'4''-F-84, agency: 22ft, college: Indiana St.) 15 points, Jamaal Davis 13 points and six rebounds. Johnny Mayhane finished with 12 points, eight rebounds, and six assists and Tasheed Carr had 10 points.

Sauk Valley finished with six players in double figures, including Herman Favors (5'9''-G-84, college: Georgia St.) and Antwon Harris 14 points. Quinn Humphrey, Miguel Morton, and Mike Rose each had 11 points and Jeremiah Box finished with 10 points.

The game plan does not change, we did nothing today we do not normally do, said Head Coach Rod Baker. The game was won defensively, with unselfish defense.

Courtesy of www.13wham.com

Drive into PBL title series - by Eurobasket News

The Central Illinois Drive will play for the Premier Basketball League championship.

The Central Division champions finished off a sweep of the Scranton Wilkes-Barre Steamers, 125-108, Saturday at U.S. Cellular Coliseum.

Seven Drive players scored in double digits, led by 21 each from Jemal Farmer (6'5''-G/F-89, college: Arkansas) and Woodruff graduate Rodney Edgerson (6'5''-F, college: Ky Wesleyan). Farmer added 11 rebounds.

The Drive advance to the three-game title series against Rochester RazorSharks, who swept the Sauk Valley Predators in other semifinal.

The championship series is tentatively scheduled for Thursday at Rochester, Saturday in Bloomington and April 15, if necessary.

Courtesy of www.pjstar.com

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PHILIPPINES

PBA Stats Leaders

Points Per Game

Nick FAZEKAS
  Petron B.
  (211-F-85)
  Avg: 30.6

1. Fazekas, Petron B.	30.6
2. Barron, Meralco	29.5
3. David, Powerade T.	27.1
4. Crews, Rain o.	27.0
5. Bowles, B-Meg L.	26.2
6. Douthit, Air21 E.	20.3
7. Vroman, Ginebra	20.1
8. Parada, Alaska Ac.	19.3
9. Baguio, Alaska Ac.	18.2
10. Cardona, Meralco	17.8

Rebounds Per Game

Marcus DOUTHIT
  Air21 E.
  (210-C/F-80)
  Avg: 20.3

1. Douthit, Air21 E.	20.3
2. Fazekas, Petron B.	18.4
3. Jones, Powerade T.	17.9
4. Barron, Meralco	15.6
5. Crews, Rain o.	15.4
6. Parada, Alaska Ac.	14.1
7. Vroman, Ginebra	13.4
8. Bowles, B-Meg L.	11.8
9. Santos, Petron B.	11.1
10. Thoss, Alaska Ac.	8.2

Assists Per Game

Chris ROSS
  Meralco .
  (185-G-85)
  Avg: 7.8

1. Ross, Meralco	7.8
2. Casio, Powerade T.	7.2
3. Alapag, Talk N Te.	6.6
4. Cabagnot, Petron	6.4
5. Tenorio, Alaska A.	5.6
6. Helterbrand, Gineb.	5.4
7. Hubalde, Air21 E.	4.8
8. Cortez, Ginebra	4.6
9. Vroman, Ginebra	4.6
10. Castro, Talk N T.	3.9

Steals Per Game

Chris ROSS
  Meralco .
  (185-G-85)
  Avg: 1.8

1. Ross, Meralco	1.8
2. Castro, Talk N Te.	1.3
3. Reyes, Talk N Text	1.3
4. Custodio, Alaska A.	1.3
5. Lassiter, Powerade.	1.3
6. Vroman, Ginebra	1.3
7. Douthit, Air21 E.	1.2
8. Cabagnot, Petron	1.2
9. Urbiztondo, B-Meg	1.2
10. Dillinger, Talk N.	1.2

Blocks Per Game

Dwayne JONES
  Powerade T.
  (211-C-83)
  Avg: 2.8

1. Jones, Powerade T.	2.8
2. Vroman, Ginebra	2.4
3. Fazekas, Petron B.	2.3
4. Douthit, Air21 E.	2.2
5. Parada, Alaska Ac.	2.0
6. Santos, Petron B.	1.8
7. Bowles, B-Meg L.	1.8
8. Crews, Rain o.	1.6
9. Eman, Alaska Aces	1.3
10. Thoss, Alaska Ac.	1.1

Gabe Freeman leads Barako Bull to Semifinals - by Eurobasket News

Barako Bull's hard work through the most sacred days of the Holy Week paid off.

Gabe Freeman (198-F-85, college: Costa Mesa JC) scattered 34 points and also had 19 rebounds, powering the Energy to a 106-85 victory over the Alaska Aces Easter Sunday and into the PBA Commissioner's Cup semifinals at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Ronald Tubid (186-G-81) and Willie Miller (180-PG-77) each came up with a 20-point game as Barako's efforts from Maundy Thursday to Black Saturday in practices enabled it to put an emphatic finish to the best-of-three quarterfinals series that went the distance.

As a result, the Energy lined themlseves up for a best-of-five semis duel with defending champion Talk N Text starting Tuesday at the Ynares Center in Antipolo City.

'Una sa lahat, gusto kong pasalamatan ang Panginoon, pero I also have to give credit to my players,' said Energy head coach Junel Baculi, in his first semis stint. 'I told them before the game that there's only one stumbling block for us to the semifinals and you deserve to be there. They responded very well.'

Baculi specifically singled out Freeman, who arrived Tuesday last week and promptly delivered 22 points and 17 rebounds in a 92-99 loss in Game 2.

The two-time Best Import awardee came in in lieu of the ineffective Reggie Okosa (208-F/C-80, agency: Top Notch Sports, college: La Salle), who was in turn a replacement for Rodney White, who had to go home to attend to his ailing father but not after averaging a conference-best 29.8 points and 13.2 rebounds in the five games he played.

'You cannot ask anything more of him,' said Baculi of Freeman. 'He flew in straight from Canada, has recovered from jetlag and now gives you 34 points and 19 rebounds.'

The blowout loss was hardly expected of Alaska, which seemed to have gained momentum following the way it bounced back from a 90-103 loss in the series opener.

Yet the Aces were basically outplayed since the early parts of the second quarter, an aftermath of what Baculi claimed was the excellent way his charges defended the likes of Cyrus Baguio, LA Tenorio (178-G-84) and Mark Baracael.

'Those three combined for almost 60 points in Game 2 and really hurt us,' noted Baculi. 'Tonight we limited them to about 30 and that's a big difference.'

Adam Parada led the Aces with 18 points and five assists. But he was limited to a personal conference-low seven rebounds and was already sitting out along with Baguio and Tenorio inside the last five minutes of the game, when the Energy had raced to leads of 23 points, the last at 99-76.

Also a victim of Barako's tenacious gang-rebounding and vicious boxing out tactics was Sonny Thoss, who was held to just six points, his second lowest output in the tourney, as well as a personal season-low two rebounds.

Freeman was the anchor of it all.

Freeman scored seven points in each of the last two quarters but the rout was already being paved while he was taking a four-minute rest between the third and fourth.

In that span, Barako was limiting Alaska to just one try at the basket and was quicker at getting to loose balls. The Energy were also playing more cohesive and that showed in the way they managed to unleash one run after another.

Miller had five straight points and Freeman's substitute, Leo Najorda, scored on a follow up to make it a 78-63 count.

Najorda would go on to score eight more points in the final canto and joined hands with Freeman in stretching their lead to 97-74. (NC)

The scores:

BARAKO 106 - Freeman 34, Tubid 20, Miller 20, Seigle 12, Najorda 10, Pennisi 3, Arboleda 3, Allado
2, Pena 2, Salvador 0.

ALASKA 85 - Parada 18, Baguio 14, Reyes 13, Baracael 12, Custodio 9, Tenorio 9, Thoss 6, Eman 2,
Gonzales 2, Salamat 0, Gelig 0.

Quarterscores: 25-24, 55-42, 78-63, 106-85

Courtesy of www.pba.ph

B-Meg heads to Semifinals - by Eurobasket News

Jonas Villanueva had his Easter resurrection, dishing out a giant scoreless fourth quarter to help B-Meg top Meralco, 86-76, in their knockout duel for the last slot in the PBA Commissioners Cup Final Four.

Villanueva, the heady guard whos just back from a yearlong layoff, rose up with clutch hustle plays igniting a fiery B-Meg finish that set up a best-of-five semifinal confrontation between the Llamados and the Barangay Ginebra Kings beginning Wednesday at the Ynares Sports Center in Antipolo.

Earlier, Barako Bull bundled out Alaska Milk, 106-85, to advance to the semis versus defending champion Talk n Text.

I think the only thing I did good tonight was putting in Jonas in the fourth quarter. Thats the deciding factor, turning the game around for us, said B-Meg coach Tim Cone.

Peter Simon (186-G-82) played well down the stretch; Denzel Bowles (208-F/C-89, college: JMU) was also there; Joe (Devance) played well for a while; Marc Pingris was huge down the stretch; James Yap was a consistent threat. But it came down to Jonas, Cone insisted.

The B-Meg bench chieftain lauded Villanueva for facilitating their offense and playing good defense on Solomon Mercado (183-G-84, college: Biola, CA) as the Llamados outhustled and outmaneuvered the Bolts in the payoff period.

The Llamados wiped out a six-point deficit and prevailed with a double-digit margin as they held the Bolts without a single field-goal basket in the last 11 minutes.

Villanueva logged two rebounds and two assists with one of his feeds setting up Denzel Bowles for a two-handed jam off Earl Barron (212-C-81, college: Memphis) that sparked their decisive run from 72-73 count.

Drawing second wind, Denzel Bowles poured in 11 points in the last quarter as against Barron's three.

Curiously, Barron faded away at the finish, going 0-of-7 from the field in final period. The whole Meralco team missed all its last 16 field goals.

Mark Cardona failed to recover from his early disqualification in Game Two and was a non-factor in this do-or-die game. A shin injury didn't help the former La Salle star.

Peter Simon and Devance fired 16 and 15, respectively, helping the Llamados arrange a first playoff series with the Kings in 15 years.

The two popular ball clubs met in the Philippine Cup finals in 1988 and 1997 with Purefoods (now B-Meg) prevailing in their first matchup and Ginebra getting even in the next.

Its just so nice to advance, said Cone, beating Ryan Gregorio for the first time in four playoff duels. (SB)

The scores:

B-MEG 86 - Denzel Bowles 28, Peter Simon 16, Devance 15, Yap 9, Barroca 6, Pingris 6, Intal 2, Reavis 2, De
Ocampo 2, Urbiztondo 0, Villanueva 0.

MERALCO 76 - Solomon Mercado 27, Earl Barron 23, Hugnatan 10, Ross 9, Macapagal 3, Cardona 2, Taulava 2, Borboran
0, Artadi 0.

Quarters: 21-23, 42-40, 61-67, 86-76

Courtesy of www.pba.ph

ASEAN League: Blaze register the 12th win - by Eurobasket News

Westports Dragons - Petron Blaze 76:92

Petron Blaze celebrated the 12th win in ASEAN League season. They eased past Westports KL Dragons away from home to improve at 12-4 record. The Dragons fell at 7-8 record after the loss.
The hosts secured a narrow 21:20 lead ten minutes into the game. But the Blaze took over in the second quarter. The visitors surged ahead to ensure a 42:35 halftime advantage. The Philippines team unloaded 28 points in the third period to boost the margin to as many as 16 points 70:54. The Blaze stayed in control in the fourth period cruising to the victory at the end. Duke Crews (203-F-88, college: Bowie St.) produced 29 points and 8 rebounds to lead the Blaze. Nick Fazekas (211-F-85, college: Nevada) contributed 26 points and 14 rebounds for the winners. Tiras Wade (200-F-81, agency: Interperformances, college: La-Lafayette) responded with 28 points and 11 rebounds for Westports Dragons. Jonathan Smith (206-F-82, college: Bowie St.) netted 14 points and 12 boards in defeat.

Westports KL Dragons: Tiras Wade 28+11 boards, Jonathan Smith 14+12 boards
Petron Blaze: Duke Crews 29, Nick Fazekas 26+14 boards, Leo Avenido (186-G-78) 15

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POLAND

Dylewicz number one in Poland for Round 8 (Second Stage) - by Eurobasket News

Former international forward Filip Dylewicz (202-F-80) put on an extraordinary performance in the last round for second-ranked Trefl Sopot, receiving a Eurobasket.com Player of the Week award for round 8 (Second Stage).
The 31-year old player was the main contributor (25 points, five rebounds and six assists) to his team's victory, helping them to beat PGE Turow (#6, 2-6) 89-74. Trefl Sopot maintains the 2nd position in Polish PLK. They would have been even better if they did not have these two lost games earlier in Second Stage. Trefl Sopot will need more victories to improve their 6-2 record. In the team's last game Dylewicz had a remarkable 58.3% from 2-point range. It's his second year at Trefl Sopot and it's hard to imagine this team without him. Filip Dylewicz averages this season 15.0ppg and 5.6rpg.

The second best player in last round's games was 28-year old American Demetrius Brown (201-F-83) of Kotwica. Brown had a very good evening with 26 points and 4 rebounds. It was enough for Kotwica to edge the lower-ranked AZS PW (#1, 10-25) 87-85. This victory allowed Kotwica to move up to -3th position in Group B. His team lost some distance to top teams. But 18-18 record is not bad and everything may still change. Brown is one of the most experienced players at Kotwica and has a reputation of one of team's most reliable players.

Third on the list of top players last round was American guard Paul Graham (196-G-85, agency: Beo Basket) of Slask Wroclaw (#-5). Graham showcased his all-around game by recording 24 points, five rebounds and four assists in the last round. He was a key player of Slask Wroclaw, leading his team to a 95-87 win against #-1 ranked Polpharma in a game of the week. Slask Wroclaw needs these victories very badly if they think about getting closer to top teams in Group B. Their record at this point is 23 victories and 13 lost games. Graham has a very solid season. In 35 games in Poland he scored 13.7ppg. He also has FGP: 51.7% and 3PT: 42.0%.

Other top performing players last week:
4. Aleksandar Mladenovic (207-F/C-84) of Slask Wroclaw - 21 points, 4 rebounds and 2 assists
5. Krzysztof Sulima (202-C-90) of LKS Lodz - 18 points, 10 rebounds and 3 assists
6. Jakub Dluski (200-F-87) of LKS Lodz - 20 points and 11 rebounds
7. Uros Mirkovic (205-F/C-82) of Zastal ZG - 16 points, 12 rebounds and 2 assists
8. Michael Hicks (193-G-83) of Polpharma - 28 points and 2 rebounds
9. Aleksander Lichodzijewski (202-C-84) of PBG Basket - 23 points and 6 rebounds
10. Walter Hodge (183-PG-86) of Zastal ZG - 19 points, 3 rebounds and 6 assists

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

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PORTUGAL

Brian Morris gets MVP of the Week award for Portuguese LPB - by Eurobasket News

American Brian Morris (205-F-87) had an amazing evening in the last round for Vitoria SC and that's him to receive a Eurobasket.com Player of the Week award for round 22.
The 24-year old forward had a double-double of 30 points and thirteen rebounds, while his team crushed Terceira Basket (#11, 4-18) with 23-point margin 95-72. Vitoria SC maintains the 8th position in Portuguese LPB. Vitoria SC is a typical solid league team placed somewhere in the middle or a little bit lower in the standings. They need more victories to improve their 9-13 record. In the team's last game Morris had a remarkable 90.0% from 2-point range. He turned to be Vitoria SC's top player in his first season with the team. Humboldt State University graduate has very impressive stats this year. Morris. Morris is in league's top in points (4th best: 17.8ppg) and averages solid 59.6% FGP.

The second most remarkable performance in last round's games was 24-year old forward Joao Balseiro (192-F-87) of Sampaense. Balseiro impressed basketball fans with 21 points, 4 rebounds and 2 assists. Bad luck as Sampaense lost that game 98-106 to slightly higher-ranked Barcelos (8-14). The game was between two teams which are definitely not main contenders for the title. Sampaense dropped in the standings to 10th position. His team is not often considered as one of the league's best with a mere 8-14 record. Balseiro is a newcomer at Sampaense and it seems he did not have too much trouble to become one of team's leaders.

The third best performed player last round was Frederico Tavares (194-F-88) of Terceira Basket (#11). Tavares scored 22 points and grabbed nine rebounds. Despite Tavares' great performance Terceira Basket lost 72-95 to the higher-ranked Vitoria SC (#8, 9-13). But his team cannot count on just a single player as he also needs help of the other teammates. Terceira Basket can only dream about fighting for top spots in the league. They have rather bad season and 4-18 record places them close to the bottom of the standings. Too bad for Tavares he does not play for a better team. But maybe if he did, his season stats would not be that high. Tavares has a very solid season. In 17 games in Portugal he scored 6.4ppg.

Other top performing players last week:
4. Pedro Silva (198-F-79) of Barcelos - 19 points, 11 rebounds and 2 assists
5. Marco Goncalves (208-C-84) of Academica - 14 points and 8 rebounds
6. Elvis Evora (205-C-78) of Benfica - 14 points and 9 rebounds
7. Brian Mills (203-F-88) of Lusitania - 25 points, 4 rebounds and 3 assists
8. Jorge Sing (192-G/F-77) of Sampaense - 18 points, 6 rebounds and 8 assists
9. Julian Blanks (188-G-80) of Vitoria SC - 13 points, 6 rebounds and 11 assists
10. Marcel Momplasir (205-C-81) of Lusitania - 12 points, 9 rebounds and 2 assists

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

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PUERTO RICO

Guaynabo land Johwen Villegas - by Eurobasket News

Mets de Guaynabo bolstered their backcourt. They agreed on terms of contract with Johwen Villegas (193-G-85, college: FIU). The guard started the season with Juventud Sionista de Parana. He tallied 16.6 points, 4.4 rebounds per game in LigaA. Last season Johwen Villegas played in Uruguay for Atletico Olimpia. His stats read 27.0 points, 7.7 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 1.7 steals per game in LUB. Latinbasket.com named Johwen Villegas All-Uruguay LUB Guard of the Year. Johwen Villegas also had numerous stints in Puerto Rico. He played for San German, Coamo, Arecibo. The guard also had a spell with Mexican Panteras de Aguascalientes. Johwen Villegas is expected to debut for Guaynabo tonight against Bayamon.

Julius Hodge joins Bayamon - by Eurobasket News

Vaqueros de Bayamon reinforced their backcourt. They agreed on terms of contract with Julius Hodge (201-G-83, agency: Scenic Sports Group, LLC., college: N.Carolina St.). The guard is expected to debut for the team as soon as tonight against Guaynabo. Julius Hodge started the season in Belarus. He played for Minsk-2006. His stats read 15.5 points, 8.5 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game in EuroChallenge. In VTB League the guard posted 13.5 points, 7.8 rebounds and 5.5 assists per appearance. Later Juluis Hodge moved to Vietnam to sign with the Saigon Heat. His stats read 22.1 points, 9.1 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game in ASEAN League. Later Julius Hodge moved Puerto Rico to join Humacao. The guard posted 19.0 points per game in BSN. Soon Julius Hodge moved to Venezuela to ink a deal with Marinos de Anzoategui. The Antiguan player posted 3.3 points and 1.3 assists per game in LPB and left after three games.

San German stopped Indios winning streak: - by Luis Modestti

Atleticos de San German defeated Indios de Mayaguez 87-79 to stop their seven-game winning streak.

Mike Harris (198-F-83, college: Rice) led Atleticos with 18 points and Joey Rodriguez 16 for San German who now owns a 10-8 record.

Indios were led by Wieyinmi Efejuku who had 20 points. Mayaguez is still on top with a 13-4 mark.

Piratas de Quebradillas crushed Caciques de Humacao 99-77 led by Joel Jones who scored 26 points while Peter John Ramos added 19.

Julian Sensley led Humacao with 30 points and Lewis Clinch netted 13.

New Latin-American imports for Bayamon and Guayama: - by Luis Modestti

Vaqueros de Bayamon and Brujos de Guayama announced new Latin-American imports for the second half of the season.

Vaqueros signed Julius Hodge (201-G-83, agency: Scenic Sports Group, LLC., college: N.Carolina St.) who started the season with Caciques de Humacao and averaged 18 points in nine games.

Hodge replaces Alejandro Flores who left because of family emergency. He is expected to cover many positions in the team during the rest of the season.

Brujos added center Kitwana Rhymer (208-C-78, college: Massachusetts) to bolster the paint. The center from USVI played in Lebanon and the Dominican Republic this year.

Randolph arrives on Monday: - by Luis Modestti

Randolph Shavlik (208-F-83, college: Duke) is expected to arrive on Monday and report to Piratas de Quebradillas. His debut is expected to be this Thursday against Brujos de Guayama.

Randolph comes from a great season in China and he was selected as the 2011 BSN Import of the Year.

Last season Randolph made his debut with Gallitos de Isabela and averaged 17.96 points and 12.3 rebounds.

Quebradillas has a 9-9 record and expect to have a positive reaction as soon as Randolph arrives.

Indios go back to winning ways, Mets win second straight: - by Luis Modestti

On Sunday night Indios de Mayaguez recovered from a loss to defeat Brujos while Mets won their second straight game by beating Vaqueros.

Indios defeated Brujos 84-78 thanks to a 25-point final quarter. The game was tightly contested from start to finish but Mayaguez reacted with a great offensive final quarter and kept their defensive intensity to secure the win at home.

Carlos Rivera (187-PG-83, agency: Paris Global Sports, college: Hofstra) netted 19, Donta Smith (201-G-83, college: SE Illinois JC) 17 Oritseweyinmi Efejuku (196-G-86, college: Providence) 14 for Indios who continue to sit on top with a 14-4 record.

Alexander Galindo (200-F-85, college: FIU) had 26 and Josh Powell (206-F-83, agency: Strategic Sports, college: N.Carolina St.) 21 points with 13 rebounds for Brujos.

Mets de Guaynabo beat Vaqueros de Bayamon 84-76 led by Angel Daniel Vassallo (198-G/F-86, college: Virginia Tech) who had 23 points and James Maye (201-G/F-81, college: NC-Greensboro) who added 21.

Mets started the game with a 29-8 lead after a great start from Maye who was hot from the field.

After that start Bayamon started to make some moves and Julius Hodge (201-G-83, agency: Scenic Sports Group, LLC., college: N.Carolina St.) was key in the Vaqueros comeback taking a leading role and at half the lead was 41-32.

Guaynabo stayed on top but Bayamon stayed close by and tied it at 68 with five minutes left thanks to two free throws by Javier Mojica and later on a three-pointer by the same player gave them a 71-68 lead.

A three-point play by Vassallo, a good defensive effort and clutch shooting gave Mets the win at home.

In his debut Hodge had 22 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 steals and two blocks for Bayamon who lost their fourth game in a row.

The only game on Monday will be Piratas de Quebradillas at Atleticos de San German.

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ROMANIA

Earl Brown: 11 years on the basketball court - by Ana Dutu

Earl Brown (186-G-78, college: Loyola, IL):11 seasons, 6 leagues, 1 love : basketball

1.Experience and longevity are the words that best describe your career. Tell me about these 11 years that you have spent in Europe. How did your European adventure start?
My adventure in Europe began after I graduated from Loyola University in 2000. I think Loyola was the starting point of my career. It was the place where i started working with professionals who trusted me as a player and who put me on the court from my very first year. At the end of my sophomore year i was already leading the league in steals and assists, but soon enough Loyola made me face another challenge. If two years i played the point guard position during my third year there i got moved to the shooting guard positin. So by the time i graduated from Loyold University in 2000, i got the experience of playing both positions which worked out just perfectly for the next step in my basketball career. Loyola was the a great period in my life, the university that helped me become a real player.
After i graduated i started my professional basketball career in Croatia with a team called Osijek. I got to Croatia in december and i stayed there for four months. I was brought there to help the team stay in the top division. It was my first time ever out of the United States but i adapted well and quickly to the european lifesyle thanks to the help of my teammates and the fans there, some wonderful people. In conclusion, we ended up staying in the top league. I was rewarded the player of the month award a couple of times and finished the season averaging 18.3 points, 4 assists ,4 rebounds and a couple of steals. I was the third leading scorer of the league.
My next stop was Belgium where i played for Vervier Pepinster. I consider Vervier my first real professional team because of how organised things were. I worked there with a good croatian coach who was very serious and did a good job coaching us. He taught me a lot of things but the main one is give your best as soon as yous step on the court and dont try to calculate the effort you give to your team. I didnt understand that at first but now i thank him for the advice. Unfortunately i tore a muscle in my hamstring and could never get back to the rhythm that i needed to be in, and i got released in january but during my time there i averaged 11 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists.
After this i landed in Poland. Poland was very different from Belgium. When i first got there i didnt like it so much because i felt alone. I was the only amercian in the team but they had one african guy named Brahima Konare, one of the nicest guys i have ever met, who had been livng in Poland for years, so he showed me around and made my transition easier. The team was a young one based on polish players. It was their first year in the top league and I will never forget that i got there on a wednesday and my first game was on saturday at home and the other teams guards were Kiwane Garris and Shaun Raspert, both ex NBA players.I immediately knew that I had to get my stuff together and prove myself. I have to say that it wasnt easy for me to adapt. Everybody expected a lot from me and i felt a lot of pressure coming from both the fans and the club but i promised myself that i wouldnt fail and get sent home. As the season went on i gained more experience, more confidence and i grew as a player and as a leader.
I played there the following season as well but that season i started out as the leader of the team and I played with great confidence and energy. I started getting recognition and appreciation all over the country. I made the top five players of league, twice, and we grew a lot as a team. During these two seasons i played in Poland, i went up against a lot of very good point guards which helped my game improve.
My next stop was Switzerland where i played for a team called BBC Nyon. The country was beautiful and the people were nice. I was really happy i got a chance to play there. We had a very good season that year, probably one of the best ones in Nyons history in the league. For Nyons first year in the top league we were competitive. We finished on the fourth place and we also made it to the Swiss Cup finals. It was a wonderful experience. I also made the All Switzerland second team.
In 2005 i signed a contract in Portugal and i played for a team called Queluz for two seasons. The fans had great expectations of us because the team had won the championship the previous year.I joined this respectable team 6 games into the season, like around the end of october. Not only was it one of the top teams in Portugal but we also represented the country by playing in the ULEB CUP. This was a competition where we played against teams from other countries, like Alicante (Spanish top league), Kazan ( Russian top league) FMP ( Serbia), Besitkas (Turkish top league), and a top team from Belgium called Charleroi. This competition meant great experience and exposure. I have to say that we did alot of travelling which sometimes got hard but it was a wonderful experience because i played against a lot of great players. That season my team got to the semifinals but lost to a team called Ovarense who ended up winning the championship that season..
In 2007 i signed again with my old team from Switzerland , BBC Nyon, and in 2008 i went to Romania. This was the last stop of my career. I spent three wonderful seasons in Romania playing for CSU Sibiu. Sibiu is the perfect place for basketball and we had the greatest fans in the country. The support they had for us was undescribable. At the end of my first year there we were close to winning the championship. We went to the semifinals and played against a team called CSU Ploiesti, one of the strongest teams in Romania that had won the championship for seven straight years in a row. I will never forget game 4 that we played against Ploiesti because i have never seen so many people in a basketball gym before. There were people even outside watching the game on a big screen tv. It was like the whole city came to support us. Unfortunately we lost against Poliesti during the last seconds of the game.
Despite this i kept on playing hard and during my next season there i made the Romanian All Star Game and i was the second shooting guard in the league. Out of my whole career CSU Sibiu was my favorite place to play at, it was great experience.
This is practically the story of my career and when i look back i like to say that i have played 11 years in 6 different leagues and everything for one big love: basketball.

2. Despite your experience you didnt sign another contract this season. Could you tell me the reason why ?
This is a very good question and everybody who knows me and my basketball history is asking the same thing. I guess the timing was bad. The agent i was working with during my last three seasons, had important family issues that he needed to attend and he had to step away from representing me. I totally understand that and i hope things are better for him now, but all this just happened at a very crucial time for me. It was already the end of July. So because of that, it was hard to find somebody so fast, to represent me and i ended up missing the season. I am surprise to be home like anyone else is. It is the first year in my whole career when i didnt sign a contract and i had to stay away from the court, but in spite of this situation i want to make one thing very clear. I have never had problems with a team, a coach or with my teammates. I got respected everywhere i played and this is the reason why i played more than one season in Romania, Poland, Portugal or Switzerland. So the only explanation for the fact that im not playing is the problem my agent had. If i knew earlier i would have probabily had the time to sign with another agent before the period of transfers ended.

3.Like any experienced player you know that staying in shape is vital for you right now. How does your daily workout schedule look like ? Is shape an issue for you now ?
Although i have been home this season my focus is still the same: to be in a good shape and ready for the game. I workout twice a day, which means in the morning i do physical training and in the evenings i play in some leagues that we have here in Chicago.I do all this just to make sure i m staying in shape. Being out of shape would never be a problem for me because of the passion and love i have for basketball. I wanna be ready when i get my next oppotunity to continue my career and prove to that coach who will give me the opportunity to play again, that i deserve to be on the court.

4.You have already played 11 years in Europe and missed just one season. Do you feel that this is the end of your career or do you consider that you still have something to offer in basketball?
I definitely dont feel that this is the end of my career because i still can play. I will always be in shape becasue i love basketball too much and this passion keeps me going and helps me not to give up my dream. I need to be on the court which is why i havent lost any of my skills. My gamae hasnt changed a bit, im still fast and organized on the court. These 11 years i spent in Europe made me smarter as a player and wiser as a person and now im just looking forward to the chance to sign a contract and pick up my career where it left off.I have been preparing myself for this all year and i wanna prove that one year away from the basketball court wont make me fail as a player. I still have something to offer on the court.

5.I know that this year you have been working as a coach. Tell me more about this experience.
Since i have been home i got a chance to do something else with my knowledge regarding basketball. I got a chance to coach. I coached 13 and 14 year old kids and i was very excited about this opportunity. I really liked coaching these kids becasue they are at the age when they are so enthusiastic about basketball. They are like sponges, they try to suck up all the information you give them. I actually coached in two different places. One place was an elementary school and the other place was at a basketball league for children . These childern were the same age but they had different situations. The kids i coached at school came mostly from a poor neighborhood filled with crime and drugs. Most of the kids didnt have one of their parents, most likely the father, and they were poor. So for them i was not only a coach but also a father figure in a way and i tried to focuse on their education first. They couldn't even play on the team if they were acting up in class or getting bad grades. Basketball gave them a motivation to do good in school because they wanted to play so bad.To be honest with them basketball wasn't the number one priority. I tried to focuse on their education and life.I checked on their homeworks and talked to their teachers. I really enjoyed coaching and being around them because they really appreciated it and needed it.This coaching position was actually a great experience for me cause i got the chance to make a difference for this children.

6. You played the last three seasons in Romania. In what terms would you talk about the romanian championship? What would you tell the young players who might sign here next season?
Romania was probabily the best experience i had in my whole career and i m sure this had a lot to do with the team i was playing for and the city i was in. Everything was nice about Sibiu and the fans and the basketball atmosphere were amazing. The fans there breath basketball, they live for their team and i m happy i could be a part of that phenomenon called CSU Sibiu. About the league i can only say that it's a good league to play in, it's very competitive. Romania can be a great opportunity for young players, a place where they can start their professional basketball careers.

Earl Brown

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RUSSIA

Standings - Superleague A

PBL Standings

1. CSKA		14-1
2. Khimky		14-2
3. Triumph		9-5
4. Lokomotiv		9-7
5. Spartak SP		8-8
6. Spartak-Prim.		7-8
7. Krasnie Krilya		7-9
8. Unics		5-9
9. Enisey		2-14
10. N.Novgorod		2-14

Regular Season: Round 19

Apr. 5: Spartak-Prim. - N.Novgorod 91-80
Apr. 5: Spartak SP - Krasnie Krilya 86-63
Apr. 8: Spartak SP - CSKA 78-88
Apr. 6: Enisey - Triumph 73-91
Apr. 5: Unics - Khimky 65-73
Apr. 11: Triumph - Spartak SP
Apr. 17: Spartak-Prim. - CSKA
Apr. 19: N.Novgorod - Triumph

Stats Leaders - Superleague A

Points Per Game

Davon JEFFERSON
  Triumph
  (204-F-86)
  Avg: 20.2

1. Jefferson, Triumph	20.2
2. Rush, Krasnie Kril.	17.2
3. Beverley, Spart.	16.6
4. Thomas, Spartak-.	16.3
5. Massey, Lokomotiv	14.8
6. Victor, Spartak-.	14.5
7. McKee, Triumph	14.4
8. Karasev, Triumph	14.1
9. Fridzon, Khimky	14.0
10. Planinic, Khimky	13.2

Rebounds Per Game

Cuthbert VICTOR
  Spartak-.
  (197-F-83)
  Avg: 8.6

1. Victor, Spartak-.	8.6
2. Massey, Lokomotiv	8.3
3. Jefferson, Triumph	7.7
4. Landry, Triumph	6.7
5. Khryapa, CSKA	6.3
6. Kirilenko, CSKA	6.2
7. Savenkov, Spartak.	6.1
8. Baxter, Enisey	6.0
9. Monya, Khimky	5.9
10. Beverley, Spart.	5.8

Assists Per Game

Aaron MILES
  Krasnie Krilya
  (186-G-83)
  Avg: 6

1. Miles, Krasnie Kri.	6.0
2. Thomas, Spartak-.	5.0
3. Beverley, Spart.	5.0
4. Teodosic, CSKA	4.8
5. Halperin, Spart.	4.6
6. Planinic, Khimky	4.5
7. McKee, Triumph	4.5
8. Samoylenko, Unics	4.1
9. Rush, Krasnie Kril.	3.6
10. Khryapa, CSKA	3.5

Steals Per Game

Patrick BEVERLEY
  Spart.
  (185-PG-88)
  Avg: 2.5

1. Beverley, Spart.	2.5
2. Massey, Lokomotiv	2.3
3. Baburin, Spartak-.	2.1
4. Thomas, Spartak-.	2.0
5. Jefferson, Triumph	1.9
6. Halperin, Spart.	1.8
7. Planinic, Khimky	1.6
8. Victor, Spartak-.	1.5
9. Rush, Krasnie Kril.	1.5
10. Chalmers, Lokom.	1.4

Blocks Per Game

Davon JEFFERSON
  Triumph
  (204-F-86)
  Avg: 1.4

1. Jefferson, Triumph	1.4
2. Kirilenko, CSKA	1.3
3. Likhodey, Spart.	1.1
4. Savenkov, Spartak.	0.9
5. Vasiliev, Krasni.	0.9
6. Traore, Lokomotiv	0.8
7. Lavrinovic, CSKA	0.7
8. Balashov, Krasni.	0.7
9. Baxter, Enisey	0.7
10. Khryapa, CSKA	0.6

Mannheim 2012: Spain topple Russia for second straight win - by Eurobasket News

Spain U18 - Russia U18 78:66

Spain celebrated the second straight win at the Albert Schweitzer Tournament in Germany. They overcame Russia to improve at 2-0 record in Group C. Guillermo Hernangomez (203-C-94) tallied 24 points and 13 rebounds to pace the winners. Russia fell at 1-1 record after the loss.
Spain led by three points after ten minutes 24:21. But Russia erased the deficit in the second term. They levelled things up at 39 going into the dressing room. Spain turned on aggressive defensively in the third term. They limited Russian team to just 10 points in the frame taking a 6-point lead. Spain unloaded 23 points in the final stanza and sealed the victory at the end. Ilimane Diop (210-C-95) knocked down 13 points, while Josep Perez (183-PG-94) added 9 points in the victory. Stanislav Ilnitskiy (200-F-94) responded with 17 points, 6 boards and 4 assists for Russia. Mikhail Kulagin (188-G-94) had 13 points in the loss.

Spain U18: Guillermo Hernangomez 24+13 boards, Ilimane Diop 13, Josep Perez 9
Russia U18: Stanislav Ilnitskiy 17, Mikhail Kulagin 13

Kirilenko paces CSKA over Spartak St Petersburg - by Eurobasket News

Spartak Sb-CSKA 78:88

Andrei Kirilenko (205-F-81) paces CSKA over Spartak St Petersburg in the only game played on April 8th. The favorites overcame the hosts 88:78 for 14-1 record on top.
CSKA won the opening tip 24:16 and never looked behind. CSKA lost however the second frame 21-22 but had 45:38 at the halftime. Moreover they won the third period 18-17 and enjoyed 63:55 after thirty minutes. CSKA added 25-23 in the last stanza to seal the victory.
Andrei Kirilenko top-scored for the winners with 27 points and 11 rebounds, while Nenad Krstic (213-C-83) netted 15. Milos Teodosic (195-G-87) scored 14 and Shved notched 10. Patrick Beverley (185-PG-88, college: Arkansas) replied with 18 points in the losing effort and Victor Keyru (198-G-84) added 16. Yotam Halperin (196-G-84) brought 12, whilst Valery Likhodey (205-F-86) scored 11.

Spartak Sb: Patrick Beverley 18, Victor Keyru 16, Yotam Halperin 12, Valery Likhodey 11
CSKA: Andrei Kirilenko 27+11 rebs, Nenad Krstic 15, Milos Teodosic 14, Shved 10

Lithuanian and Russian teams start Quarterfinal campaign - by Eurobasket News

Lithuanian and Russian teams start Quarterfinal campaign in VTB League for two Semifinal tickets. Russian Lokomotiv and Lithuanian Lietuvos rytas won the openers over their opponents.
Lokomotiv earned the first win in the eighth-final series versus Zalgiris. The hosts trailed by 3 points after first quarter, but they stormed back to get the 9-point lead at the halftime and eventually won the game 72-44. Worth to mention a great performance of K.C. Rivers who helped to win the game recording 21 points and 9 rebounds. Ali Traore (207-C-85, agency: Beo Basket, college: S.Idaho JC) contributed with 13 points and 6 rebounds for the winners. Paulius Jankunas (205-F-84, agency: Interperformances) answered with 4 points and 10 rebounds and Mantas Kalnietis (196-G-86, agency: Interperformances) added 6 points and 5 rebounds in the effort for Zalgiris.
Lietyvos Rytas eked out a tough road win over Nizhny Novgorod to surge ahead 1-0 in the best-of-three series. The guests took control from the first minutes by winning first half. But BC Nizhny Novgorod won third quarter 18-15. However it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. Jonas Valanciunas (210-C-92) stepped up and scored 6 points, 11 rebounds and 4 blocks for the winners and Renaldas Seibutis chipped in 14 points. At the losing side Semen Antonov (202-PF-89, agency: RU-Basket Management) responded with a double-double by scoring 18 points and 11 rebounds and Primoz Brezec (216-F/C-79) scored 15 points and 9 rebounds.

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

RWANDA

Kigali Returns to Inter-Cities Basketball Championship - by Eurobasket News

After nine years of absence at the annual East and Central Africa inter-cities basketball championships, Kigali city hopes to make a sturdy return at this year's edition in Kampala due April 24-28.

At a meet that has attracted over 30 teams from across the region, the Kigali men's side is expected to be among the underdogs but from the camp which has been preparing for the past two weeks, confidence is in the air.

Kigali's head coach Cliff Owuor agrees that this tournament will be tough and very challenging but considering his attendance of last year's edition in Nairobi, he believes that he is preparing his team to overcome this hurdle.

'I watched last year's semi-finals and finals where I was a guest and am no man to be nave at tournaments away from home so together with the boys we are working hard,' revealed Owuor.

Owuor disclosed that after winning last December's EAC games hosted in Kigali, the Kicukiro side which he coached was promised more support after it defeated teams from Nairobi and Juba.

On his provincial team list are the usual suspects from APR Deo Nkurikiyimana, Igor Mugisha, Kami Kabange, Bienvenue Ngandu, Presta Malemba, Abidanny Bisanukuri, Theotime Mulihira as well as Espoir's Aristide Mugabe and Jean Luc Habineza.

Kigali Basketball Club (KBC's) Cedric 'Gadaffi' Sinarinzi together with CSKA's Aboubakar Barame and Lionel Hakizimana are also part of the 16-man squad that trains intensively thrice a week at the Petit stadium, Amahoro under the close supervision of Owuor.

According to Owuor, the final team will be named after the mourning period basing on fitness, skill level, ability to work as a team and consistency as some of the attributes that describe a winning team.

Owuor admits that his side is the underdog at this event but that does not throw them completely out of contention for the top prize.

Basing on the fact that the players on his team right now are national team players and have played for their clubs at the annual Zone V club championships several times, will be a point to fall back to.

'This will not be the first time that these players are featuring in a regional tournament so I believe that with that experience that they have acquired over the years, they can go on and perform extremely well in Kampala,' added a confident Owuor.

This year's tournament has attracted teams from Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, South Sudan and hosts Uganda. The competition will feature both men and women's teams. Last year's edition was clinched by teams from Nairobi in both categories.

According to the Kampala City Council Authority (KCCA) team manager also among the event organizers, Joy Olinga everything is set for the tournament.
Courtesy of: The New Times

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

SENEGAL

Boniface Ndong selected the top Senegalese players playing abroad in last week's games - by Eurobasket Center

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

Boniface Ndong

#1. This week's number one is an experienced former international center Boniface Ndong (213-77). He led Regal FC Barcelona to a victory over the tenth-ranked CAI Zaragoza (14-14) 68-49 in the Spanish ACB in Sunday night's game. Ndong was MVP of the game. He recorded 17 points and grabbed 9 rebounds in 22 minutes on the court. Regal FC Barcelona (23-5) is placed first in the ACB. It was his team's fourth consecutive victory in a row. This year Ndong averages: 9.3ppg, 6.4rpg, 2FGP: 60.8%(93-153) and FT: 65.9% in the 23 games he played so far. He played for the Senegalese senior national team three years ago.

Pape Sow

#2. Second place goes to former international forward Pape Sow (207-81, college: CS Fullerton), who plays in Iran. Sow could not help Mahram (4-0) in their last game on Monday. Despite his very good performance Mahram was defeated 91-87 on the road by the lower-ranked Al Riyadi (#10). Sow recorded a double-double by scoring 22 points and getting 10 rebounds. Sow's overall stats this season are: 9.3ppg, 6.4rpg, 2FGP: 60.8%(93-153) and FT: 65.9%. He played for the Senegalese national team in 2009.

Sitapha Savane

#3. The Senegalese player who performed third best last week abroad was former international forward Sitapha Savane (202-78, college: Navy), who plays in the Spanish ACB. Savane was not able to help Gran Canaria 2014 (11-17) in their last game. Despite his good performance Gran Canaria 2014 lost 66-74 in Sevilla to the higher-ranked (#8) Cajasol. Savane recorded 11 points and grabbed 6 rebounds in a mere 18 minutes. It's Savane's eighth season with the team. This year his overall stats are: 4.7ppg, 2.5rpg, 2FGP: 50.9% and FT: 62.1% in the 27 games. Savane has a dual citizenship: Senegalese and Spanish. Despite he played previously for the Spanish national team, Savane played also for the Senegalese national team in 2009.

Bamba Fall

#4. Center Bamba Fall (216-86, college: SMU) was not able to secure a victory for Kalev/Cramo (12-7) in their game against VEF Riga (0-0) in the Baltic League. Despite his very good performance in Saturday night's game He recorded a double-double by scoring 13 points and getting 10 rebounds. It's Fall's first season with the team. Fall is currently first on the league's list of best blockers. His total stats this season are: 8.6ppg, 6.1rpg and 2.4bpg. Despite Fall played previously for the Spanish national team, he is currently in the Senegalese national team roster.

Maleye N'Doye

#5. International forward Maleye N'Doye (203-80, college: Furman) contributed to an easy victory against the 12th-ranked JDA Dijon (11-14) crushing them 82-55 in the French ProA last Tuesday. N'Doye recorded 13 points in 24 minutes. Entente Orleans 45 (17-8) is placed third in the ProA. This year N'Doye's total stats are: 8.0ppg, 2.3rpg and 1.2apg in the 25 games. Despite he played previously for the Spanish national team, N'Doye is currently in the Senegalese national team roster.

Antoine Mendy

#6. Forward Antoine Mendy (198-83) couldn't help Pau-Lacq-Orthez (6-19) in their game against JSF Nanterre (11-14) in the French ProA. Despite his very good performance on Saturday night He was the second best scorer with 13 points. Mendy also added 5 rebounds. Mendy is one of the most experienced players in a team as it's his fifth year in Pau-Lacq-Orthez's roster. He has relatively good stats this season: 12.7ppg, 4.4rpg, 1.1apg and 1.6spg. Despite Mendy played previously for the French national team, he is also a former international player as he played for the Senegalese senior team three years ago.

Jules Aw

#7. Former international forward Jules Aw (200-86) was the major contributor in a 3-point Geneve Lions' victory against the closely-ranked Starwings (9-15) 70-67 in the Swiss LNA in Wednesday night's game. Aw had a double-double by scoring 14 points and getting the same number of rebounds in 36 minutes. Lions de Geneve (18-6) is placed third in the LNA. It was his team's third consecutive victory in a row. Aw has averaged so far 9.9ppg, 6.5rpg and 1.5apg in the 22 games. Despite he played previously for the Swiss national team, Aw is currently in the Senegalese national team roster.

Babacar Camara

#8. Center Babacar Camara (211-81, college: CS Fullerton) contributed to a Kyoto Hannaryz's victory against the seventh-ranked Miyazaki Shining Suns (20-25) 98-91 in the Japanese BJ League last Saturday. He scored 16 points and grabbed 7 rebounds. Kyoto Hannaryz (29-16) is placed fourth in Western group. It was his team's third consecutive victory in a row. Camara has averaged so far 8.3ppg and 4.7rpg. Despite he played previously for the Swiss national team, Camara is currently in the Senegalese national team roster.

Mamadou Dia

#9. Former international power forward Mamadou Dia (202-78) helped Fos Ouest win their game against the 16th-ranked Denain Voltaire (10-19) crushing them 88-64 in the French ProB (second division) on Friday night. He scored 14 points and blocked 2 blocks in a mere 19 minutes. Fos Ouest Provence Basket (19-10) is placed fourth in the ProB. Dia has been at the team for six years. Dia has averaged so far 7.9ppg and 3.6rpg in the 29 games. Despite he played previously for the French national team, Dia is currently in the Senegalese national team roster.

Ousmane Barro

   #10. Power forward Ousmane Barro (207-84, college: Marquette) helped JL Bourg win their game against the closely-ranked Nantes (13-12) 72-60 in the French ProB (second division) in Friday night's game. He recorded a double-double by scoring 12 points and getting the same number of rebounds. Barro also added 2 blocks. JL Bourg Basket (14-15) is placed tenth in the ProB. Barro belongs to league's best rebounders and is ranked #6. He has very reliable stats this season: 15.0ppg, 8.5rpg, 1.1apg and 1.5spg. Despite Barro played previously for the French national team, he is also a former U18 international player as ten years ago he still played for the Senegalese national team.

   #11. Former international center Moussa Badiane (205-81, college: E.Carolina) couldn't help Olympique Antibes in their game against Saint Vallier in the French ProB (second division), despite his very good performance last Saturday. Badiane scored 13 points, grabbed 6 rebounds and made 3 blocks in 32 minutes. But his team lost 88-93. Badiane is ranked first on the list of the best blockers in the league with 1.8bpg. This year he also averages: 10.8ppg, 5.8rpg, 1.2apg and 1.6spg in the 13 games. Despite Badiane played previously for the French national team, he is currently in the Senegalese national team roster.

   #12. Former international power forward Abdoulaye N'Diaye (210-84, college: USC) helped Souffelweyersheim win their game against one of league's weakest teams Le Puy ASMB crushing them 92-57 in the French NM1 (third division) on Tuesday night. N'Diaye scored 17 points, grabbed 9 rebounds and dished 3 assists. N'Diaye is currently second on the list of best blockers. He has averaged so far 9.6ppg, 6.9rpg, 1.4apg and 1.6bpg. Despite N'Diaye played previously for the French national team, he is currently in the Senegalese national team roster.

   #13. International forward Papa Dia (212-87, college: SMU) helped Leche Rio Breogan win their game against the closely-ranked Girona FC 69-64 in the Spanish LEB Gold (second division) in Saturday night's game. Dia scored 11 points and grabbed 6 rebounds in 21 minutes. He has averaged so far 9.6ppg and 5.2rpg in the 11 games. Despite Dia played previously for the French national team, he is currently in the Senegalese national team roster.

   #14. International swingman Mouhamadou M'Bodji (193-81) is a teammate of previously mentioned Abdoulaye N'Diaye and both played together in the last French NM1 game. M'Bodji helped Souffelweyersheim win their game against one of league's weakest teams Le Puy ASMB crushing them 92-57. He scored 15 points, made 3 passes and 3 steals. M'Bodji has averaged so far 4.1ppg, 1.6rpg and 1.5apg. Despite he played previously for the French national team, M'Bodji is currently in the Senegalese national team roster.

   #15. International forward Mouhammad Faye (208-85, college: SMU) couldn't help Hyeres-Toulon in their game against Chalon/Saor in the French ProA. He scored 9 points and added 3 passes in 24 minutes. His team was crushed by 29 points 98-69. This year Faye has relatively solid stats: 12.0ppg, 4.9rpg and 1.5apg in the 23 games. Despite he played previously for the French national team, Faye is currently in the Senegalese national team roster.

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SERBIA

Standings - A Liga

A Standings

SuperLiga
1. Partizan		4-1
2. Vojvodina		3-2
3. Crvena Zvezda		3-2
4. Radnicki K.		3-2
5. Radnicki Basket		3-2
6. BKK Radnicki		3-2
7. Hemofarm		1-4
8. Mega Vizura		0-5
Places 9-18
1. OKK Beograd		15-11
2. Tamis		15-11
3. Sloga		13-13
4. Borac		12-14
5. Smederevo		12-212
6. Sloboda Uzice		11-15
7. Metalac		10-16
8. Napredak		8-18
9. Zeleznicar		6-20
10. Proleter Naftagas		2-24

Stage One Standings

Second Stage: Round 5

Apr. 8: BKK Radnicki - Hemofarm 91-64
Apr. 8: Radnicki Basket - Radnicki K. 89-82
Apr. 8: Partizan - Crvena Zvezda 76-69
Apr. 7: Mega Vizura - Vojvodina 75-80

Second Stage: Round 6

Apr. 11: Hemofarm - Radnicki K.
Apr. 11: Crvena Zvezda - Radnicki Basket
Apr. 11: Vojvodina - Partizan
Apr. 11: BKK Radnicki - Mega Vizura

Standings - B Liga

B League Standings

1. Jagodina		17-8
2. Konstantin		16-9
3. Mladost Zemun		15-10
4. Mladost Cacak		15-10
5. Spartak		14-11
6. Radnicki OB		13-12
7. Crnokosa		13-12
8. Napredak A.		12-12
9. Beovuk 72		12-13
10. Sabac		12-13
11. Viva Basket		12-13
12. Vojvodina		10-15
13. Radnicki Stud.		7-17
14. Jedinstvo NB		6-19

Regular Season: Round 25

Apr. 7: Spartak - Viva Basket 97-102
Apr. 7: Jagodina - Beovuk 72 95-67
Apr. 7: Vojvodina - Konstantin 76-79
Apr. 7: Radnicki OB - Mladost Zemun 68-73
Apr. 8: Sabac - Crnokosa 67-65
Apr. 8: Mladost Cacak - Jedinstvo NB 20-0
Apr. 9: Radnicki Stud. - Napredak A.

Stats Leaders - 1B

Points Per Game

Dragan BJELICA
  Viva Basket
  (198-G-81)
  Avg: 24.6

1. Bjelica, Viva Bask.	24.6
2. Djurovic, Crnokosa	18.8
3. Dukanac, Mladost	17.6
4. Riboskic, Beovuk	17.4
5. Samailovic, Radnic.	16.7
6. Glisovic, Radnic.	15.9
7. Skoko, Vojvodina	15.8
8. Boljkovac, Sabac	15.3
9. Blagojevic, Radnic.	15.1
10. Dondur, Beovuk 72	15.0

Rebounds Per Game

Aleksandar VULETIC
  Viva Basket
  (202-F-86)
  Avg: 12.2

1. Vuletic, Viva Bask.	12.2
2. Sikman, Napredak.	8.6
3. Vukovic, Mladost	8.4
4. Glisovic, Radnic.	8.2
5. Dondur, Beovuk 72	7.9
6. Grubor, Vojvodina	7.6
7. Banjanin, Mladost	7.4
8. Huskic, Radnicki OB	7.2
9. Tmusic, Jagodina	7.2
10. Djurovic, Crnokosa	7.2

Assists Per Game

Dragan BJELICA
  Viva Basket
  (198-G-81)
  Avg: 7.6

1. Bjelica, Viva Bask.	7.6
2. Velickovic, Konst.	5.1
3. Mukanovic, Crnok.	4.9
4. Simic, Radnicki OB	4.4
5. Dumic, Mladost	4.2
6. Tanasijevic, Radni.	4.1
7. Boricic, Radnicki.	4.0
8. Skoko, Vojvodina	3.7
9. Mitic, Crnokosa	3.7
10. Dujovic, Mladost	3.6

Steals Per Game

Aleksandar VULETIC
  Viva Basket
  (202-F-86)
  Avg: 2.9

1. Vuletic, Viva Bask.	2.9
2. Tanasijevic, Radni.	2.6
3. Djurovic, Spartak	2.3
4. Kuntic, Spartak	2.3
5. Rasic, Mladost	2.0
6. Mukanovic, Crnok.	1.9
7. Grubor, Vojvodina	1.9
8. Dinic, Spartak	1.9
9. Boljkovac, Sabac	1.9
10. Stajic, Viva Bask.	1.8

Blocks Per Game

Goran HUSKIC
  Radnicki OB
  (--)
  Avg: 2.3

1. Huskic, Radnicki OB	2.3
2. Karahodzic, Spartak	2.1
3. Karalic, Radnicki.	1.2
4. Radenkovic, Jedins.	1.1
5. Mirkovic, Jagodina	0.9
6. Koprivica, Sabac	0.9
7. Banjanin, Mladost	0.8
8. Savic, Radnicki St.	0.8
9. Jankovic, Mladost	0.8
10. Djurovic, Crnokosa	0.8

Mannheim 2012: Serbia prevail against Greece - by Eurobasket News

Serbia U18 - Greece U18 74:55

Serbia ensured the second win in a row at the start of Albert Schweitzer Tournament. They rallied past Greece for 2-0 record in Group D. Marko Guduric (193-G-95) and Nikola Milutinovic (206-C-94) posted 16 points apiece to pace the winning side. Greece on the other hand suffered the second straight defeat.
The teams stayed close throughout the opening frame. Greece managed to eke out an 18:17 lead after ten minutes. But Serbia stunned their opponents in the second period. They outgunned Greece 25:8 to build a 16-point halftime lead 42:26. Serbia aggravated the damage in the third term. They held the Hellenes to just 10 points to boost the margin to 22 points. Serbia never looked back afterwards marching to the victory. Nikola Radicevic (196-G-94) accounted for 12 points and 5 assists for the winners. Giorgos Aggelou (188-G-94) and Dimitrios Agravanis (208-F-94) provided 13 points apiece in the loss.

Serbia U18: Marko Guduric 16, Nikola Milutinovic 16, Nikola Radicevic 12
Greece U18: Giorgos Aggelou 13, Dimitrios Agravanis 13

Milos Teodosic selected the top Serbian playing abroad in last week's games - by Eurobasket Center

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

Milos Teodosic

#1. This week's number one is an international guard Milos Teodosic (195-87). He led CSKA Moscow to a victory against the fifth-ranked Spartak St.Petersburg (8-8) 88-78 in the Russian PBL in Sunday night's game. Teodosic recorded 14 points, 5 rebounds and 9 assists (made all of his five free throws) in 32 minutes on the court. CSKA Moscow (14-1) is placed first in the PBL. It was his team's tenth consecutive victory in a row. There are only four games left until the end of the Regular Season. So now every game will be critical. Teodosic is ranked fourth on the list of the best passers in the league with 4.8apg. He also averaged so far 8.3ppg, 2.0rpg, 2FGP: 47.6%, 3FGP: 36.8% and FT: 96.3%(26-27) in the 13 games he played so far. Teodosic is currently a member of the Serbian senior national team.

Dusko Savanovic

#2. Second place goes to an international power forward Dusko Savanovic (204-83, agency: Beo Basket). He led Anadolu Efes to a victory over the league outsider Bandirma Kirmizi (3-23) 77-71 in the Turkish TBL last Sunday. Savanovic was MVP of the game. He scored 21 points and grabbed 6 rebounds (was perfect 6-for-6 from the free throw line). Anadolu Efes Istanbul (22-4) is placed second in the TBL. It was his team's seventh consecutive victory in a row. There are only four games left until the end of the Regular Season. So now every game is very crucial. It's Savanovic's first season with the team. Savanovic has relatively good stats this year: 13.1ppg, 5.8rpg, 1.3apg, 2FGP: 56.5%(78-138), 3FGP: 38.5% and FT: 83.1%. He is in the roster of the Serbian senior national team.

Nenad Krstic

#3. The Serbian player who performed third best last week abroad was an international center Nenad Krstic (213-83) is a teammate of previously mentioned Milos Teodosic and both played together in the last Russian PBL game. Krstic was the major contributor in a CSKA Moscow's victory against the fifth-ranked Spartak St.Petersburg (8-8) 88-78. He recorded 15 points in 22 minutes. This year Krstic has relatively solid stats: 10.2ppg, 3.5rpg, 2FGP: 58.3%(42-72) and FT: 66.7% in the 11 games. He is also a member of the Serbian senior national team.

Vule Avdalovic

#4. Point guard Vule Avdalovic (189-81, also represented by Beo Basket) was the main contributor in a BC Donetsk's victory against the 12th-ranked Mykolaiv (11-27) 86-75 in the Ukrainian Superleague in Saturday night's game. Avdalovic was the best player in that game. He scored 21 points, made 4 passes and 5 steals. BC Donetsk (30-8) is placed second in the Superleague. It was his team's 12th consecutive victory in a row. They will play only one more game in the Regular Season. And now that game is quite important. Avdalovic has reliable stats this season: 12.5ppg, 3.5rpg, 4.3apg and 1.2spg. He is also Serbian national team player.

Aleksandar Rasic

#5. International guard Aleksandar Rasic (194-84, another player represented by Beo Basket), who plays in the Lithuanian LKL could not help Lietuvos rytas (18-4) in their last game. Despite Rasic's very good performance Lietuvos rytas was edged 86-84 at home by the lower-ranked (#8) Kedainiai. He was the second best scorer with 15 points. Rasic also added 5 rebounds in 27 minutes. His team will play only one more game in the Regular Season. And now that game is extremely important. This year Rasic's overall stats are: 6.8ppg, 2.2rpg, 2.8apg and 1.1spg in the 20 games. He plays currently for the Serbian national team.

Nemanja Bjelica

#6. Power forward Nemanja Bjelica (209-88, agency: Interperformances), who plays in the Spanish ACB was not able to help Caja Laboral (19-8) in their last game on Sunday. Despite Bjelica's very good performance Caja Laboral was edged 72-71 on the road by the lower-ranked Meridiano Alicante (#7). He was the top scorer with 16 points. This season Bjelica averages: 4.8ppg and 3.3rpg. He is an international player who is currently on the senior Serbian National Team roster.

Milovan Rakovic

#7. International center Milovan Rakovic (208-85) contributed to an easy victory against the ninth-ranked Juventus (6-15) crushing them 81-60 in the Lithuanian LKL in Saturday night's game. Rakovic was the top player that evening. He scored 15 points and grabbed 6 rebounds in a mere 19 minutes. B.C. Zalgiris Kaunas (20-1) is placed first in the LKL. It was his team's 20th consecutive victory in a row. They will play only one more game in the Regular Season. Rakovic's stats this year are: 11.5ppg and 2.9rpg in the 17 games. He is also Serbian national team player.

Jovo Stanojevic

#8. An experienced center Jovo Stanojevic (208-77, another player represented by Beo Basket) contributed to Karsiyaka's victory against one of league's weakest teams Trabzonspor (5-21) 99-91 in the Turkish TBL last Saturday. Stanojevic was the top player that evening. He scored 20 points and grabbed 5 rebounds. Pinar Karsiyaka SK Izmir (16-10) is placed sixth in the TBL. It was his team's fourth consecutive victory in a row. There are only four games left until the end of the Regular Season. Stanojevic has individually a very good season with high stats. He averages: 15.1ppg, 6.2rpg and 2.2apg. Stanojevic used to play for the Serbian national team back in 2001.

Novica Velickovic

#9. Former international forward Novica Velickovic (205-86) contributed to a Real Madrid's victory against the ninth-ranked Unicaja Malaga (14-14) 64-51 in the Spanish ACB on Sunday night. He scored 7 points, had 7 rebounds and dished 3 assists in 19 minutes. Real Madrid (21-6) is placed second in the ACB. This year Velickovic's total stats are: 4.7ppg and 2.9rpg in the 14 games. He used to play for the Serbian national team two years ago.

Ivan Radenovic

   #10. Forward Ivan Radenovic (208-84, college: Arizona) is a teammate of previously mentioned Vule Avdalovic. But that was another game of his team in Ukrainian Superleague which we would like to mention. Radenovic helped BC Donetsk win their game against the closely-ranked Ferro-ZNTU (22-16) 82-78. He was the top player that evening. Radenovic scored 14 points, had 7 rebounds and dished 3 assists. BC Donetsk (30-8) is placed second in the Superleague. It was his team's 12th consecutive victory in a row. Radenovic's stats this season are: 12.9ppg, 6.4rpg, 2.1apg and 1.1spg. He is a former international player as two years ago he still played for the Serbian senior national team.

   #11. Former international power forward Zoran Erceg (210-85) helped Besiktas win their game against the 11th-ranked Hacettepe University crushing them 90-62 in the Turkish TBL last Saturday. Erceg scored 10 points, grabbed 6 rebounds and dished 4 assists in 26 minutes. Erceg averaged so far 14.5ppg, 4.8rpg and 1.5apg in the 25 games. He used to play for the Serbian national team three years ago.

   #12. Former international power forward Aleksandar Mladenovic (207-84, agency: BeoExcell) helped Slask Wroclaw win their game against the fifth-ranked Polpharma 95-87 in the Polish PLK on Saturday night. Mladenovic scored 21 points, grabbed 4 rebounds and made 2 blocks. Mladenovic averaged so far 13.4ppg, 5.8rpg and 1.1bpg. He used to play for the Serbian national team back in 2009.

   #13. Former international forward Ivan Ivanovic (206-80) helped Gaz Metan win their game against the 12th-ranked Giurgiu 101-86 in the Romanian Division A in Saturday night's game. Ivanovic scored 31 points (!!!) and grabbed 5 rebounds in 27 minutes. Ivanovic averaged so far 14.5ppg, 5.9rpg and 2.5apg in the 26 games. Despite he played previously for the Montenegrin national team, Ivanovic is currently in the Serbian national team roster.

   #14. Former international forward Vladimir Micov (203-85, another player represented by Beo Basket) helped Bennet Cantu win their game against one of league's weakest teams Banca Tercas 74-69 in the Italian SerieA last Sunday. He scored 11 points and grabbed 5 rebounds. Micov averaged so far 11.0ppg, 4.0rpg and 2.7apg. Despite he played previously for the Montenegrin national team, Micov is currently in the Serbian national team roster.

   #15. Former University international forward Marko Simonovic (202-86) helped ALBA Berlin win their game against the sixth-ranked Bayern Muenchen crushing them 73-52 in the German BBL on Saturday night. He scored 13 points and grabbed 7 rebounds in 24 minutes. Simonovic has averaged so far 7.3ppg, 2.7rpg and 1.2apg in the 29 games. Despite he played previously for the Montenegrin national team, Simonovic is currently in the Serbian university national team roster.

Aleksandar Petrovic gets MVP of the Round award in Superleague - by Eurobasket News

Aleksandar Petrovic had an amazing evening in the last round for BKK Radnicki and that's him to receive a Eurobasket.com Player of the Week award for round 5 (Superleague). The power forward had the game-high 28 points adding six rebounds and two assists for BKK Radnicki in his team's victory, helping them to outclass Hemofarm (#7, 1-4) with 27-point margin 91-64. Thanks to this victory BKK Radnicki improved to 3-2 record. Petrovic had a remarkable 75.0% from 2-point range and got four three-pointers out of 6 attempts.

The second most remarkable performance in last round's games was another BKK Radnicki's member - 24-year old guard Marko Boltic (193-G-87). Boltic impressed basketball fans with 8 points, 3 rebounds and 15 assists. Of course together with Petrovic he helped BKK Radnicki with another comfortable win outscoring slightly lower-ranked Hemofarm (#7, 1-4) 91-64. Boltic is well-known by BKK Radnicki fans and together with Aleksandar Petrovic they both established positions among team's most reliable players.

The third best performed player last round was American David Simon (207-C-82) of Radnicki K. (#4, 3-2). Simon scored 27 points and grabbed eight rebounds. Despite Simon's great performance Radnicki K. lost 82-89 to Radnicki Basket (3-2). Simon has a very solid season. In 5 games in Serbia he scored 16.0ppg.

Other top performing players last week:
4. Milan Macvan (206-C-89) of Partizan - 14 points, 10 rebounds and 3 assists
5. Bojan Bakic (197-G-83) of Hemofarm - 21 points, 2 rebounds and 3 assists
6. Ivan Smiljanic (198-F-89) of Radnicki Basket - 23 points, 5 rebounds and 3 assists
7. Milos Dimic (195-G-89) of Radnicki Basket - 22 points, 3 rebounds and 2 assists
8. Dusan Cantekin (222-C-90) of Mega Vizura - 12 points, 11 rebounds and 2 assists
9. Darko Balaban (211-C-89) of BKK Radnicki - 16 points and 7 rebounds
10. Mike Scott (203-F-86) of Radnicki K. - 22 points, 7 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)

Superleague: Exciting Round Five - by Eurobasket News

Radnicki Basket - Radnicki K. 89-82
The biggest surprise took place in Beograd where host Radnicki Basket (3-2) beat league's leader Radnicki K. (3-2) 89-82 on Sunday evening. It ended at the same time the two-game winning streak of Radnicki K.. It was a key game for the second position in the league. Radnicki K. was trailing by 6 points at halftime but managed to get 3-point lead after three quarters before a 21-11 charge of Radnicki Basket, which allowed them to win the game. They also forced 22 Radnicki K. turnovers. The best player for the winners was forward Ivan Smiljanic (198-F-89) who scored 23 points and 5 rebounds. Guard Milos Dimic (195-89) chipped in 22 points. American center David Simon (207-82, college: IPFW) produced 27 points and 8 rebounds and the other American import forward Mike Scott (203-86, college: Kent St.) added 22 points and 7 rebounds respectively for the guests. Both coaches used bench players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. Radnicki Basket moved-up to second place, which they share with 4 other teams including defeated Radnicki K. Radnicki K. will play next round against Hemofarm trying to make it back to the top of the standings. Radnicki Basket will try to continue on its current victory against third ranked Zvezda. It will be extra interesting game as Zvezda is their local rival from Beograd.
Top scorers:
Radnicki Basket: I.Smiljanic 23+5reb+3ast, M.Dimic 22+3reb+2ast, D.Djokic 14+2ast, M.Milovanovic 9+5reb, P.Stamenkovic 6+4reb+3ast, D.Tubak 5+3reb
Radnicki K.: D.Simon 27+8reb+1ast, M.Scott 22+7reb+2ast, B.Bakic 9+2reb+1ast, M.Pavkovic 6+3reb+8ast, A.Nesovic 6+4reb+2ast, D.Mijatovic 4+1reb

BKK Radnicki - Hemofarm 91-64
The game with biggest result difference took place in Beograd. Local BKK Radnicki (3-2) outscored 7th ranked Hemofarm (1-4) 91-64. The game without a history. BKK Radnicki led from the first minutes and controlled entire game increasing their lead in each quarter. They dominated down low during the game scoring 56 of its points in the paint compared to Hemofarm's 32. BKK Radnicki forced 22 Hemofarm turnovers. Their players were unselfish on offense dishing 29 assists comparing to just 14 passes made by Hemofarm's players. Center Aleksandar Petrovic (206-72) nailed 28 points and 6 rebounds for the winning side and guard Marko Boltic (193-87) accounted for 8 points, 15 assists and 7 steals. BKK Radnicki's coach felt very confident that he used 11 players saving starting five for next games. Montenegrin guard Bojan Bakic (197-83, agency: Alti Sport) came up with 21 points and Montenegrin center Boris Lalovic (206-81) added 15 points respectively for Hemofarm in the defeat. BKK Radnicki moved-up to second place, which they share with 4 other teams. Hemofarm at the other side keeps the seventh position with four games lost. BKK Radnicki's next round opponent will be Mega Vizura (#8) at home which should be theoretically another easy game. Hemofarm will play against Radnicki K. in Kragujevac.
Top scorers:
BKK Radnicki: A.Petrovic 28+6reb+2ast, D.Kitanovic 16+5reb, D.Balaban 16+7reb+1ast, S.Lalic 10+4reb+2ast, Z.Osmokrovic 8+2reb+6ast, M.Boltic 8+3reb+15ast
Hemofarm: B.Bakic 21+2reb+3ast, B.Lalovic 15+3reb+1ast, M.Sutalo 8+5reb+2ast, N.Dangubic 6+1reb+1ast, M.Jeremic 5+4reb, D.Gagic 4+4reb+2ast

Mega Vizura - Vojvodina 75-80
Bottom-ranked Mega Vizura (0-5) tried to put together a comeback for its first victory of the season, but they fell short in the 80-75 loss to fourth ranked Vojvodina (3-2) in Vizura on Saturday evening. But it was rather predictable considering how strong their opponent was. Mega Vizura was trailing by 1 point at halftime but managed to get 5-point lead after three quarters before a 24-14 charge of Vojvodina, which allowed them to win the game. Guard Slobodan Dundjerski (190-88, agency: Alti Sport) stepped up and scored 15 points and 7 assists for the winners and center Dusko Bunic (207-89) chipped in 13 points and 7 rebounds. Turkish center Dusan Cantekin (222-90, agency: Beo Basket) responded with a double-double by scoring 12 points and 11 rebounds and guard Nenad Miljenovic (194-93, agency: Beo Basket) scored 17 points. Four Vojvodina and five Mega Vizura players scored in double figures. Both coaches allowed to play bench players in such tough game. Vojvodina have a solid series of three victories in a row. They moved-up to second place, which they share with 4 other teams. Loser Mega Vizura still closes the standings with five games lost. Vojvodina will meet at home league's leader Partizan in the next round and it will be for sure the game of the week. Mega Vizura will play against BKK Radnicki (#6) in Beograd and hopes to get finally their first victory.
Top scorers:
Vojvodina: R.Markovic 16+1reb+2ast, S.Dundjerski 15+4reb+7ast, D.Bunic 13+7reb+1ast, S.Stojacic 11+5reb+1ast, S.Milosevic 8+6reb+1ast, D.Zekovic 6+2reb
Mega Vizura: N.Miljenovic 17+2ast, N.Jaramaz 13+3ast, D.Cantekin 12+11reb+2ast, M.Lukovic 11+3reb+2ast, B.Milisavljevic 10+6reb+1ast, D.Musli 6+1reb

Partizan - Crvena Zvezda 76-69
The game had a very big importance for second-ranked Partizan as it allowed them to take a leadership position. Partizan defeated leader Zvezda in Beograd 76-69. It was a key game for the top position in the league. The hosts were ahead by 4 points but lost the second period ending it with a 1-point deficit before their 21-13 run, which allowed them to win the game. Zvezda was plagued by 31 personal fouls down the stretch. International center Milan Macvan (206-89, agency: INVICTUS Sports Group) orchestrated the victory with a double-double by scoring 14 points and 10 rebounds. The former international center Miroslav Raduljica (213-88) contributed with 10 points and 7 rebounds for the winners. Four Partizan players scored in double figures. Center Petar Popovic (211-79) answered with 18 points and guard Andreja Milutinovic (199-90) added 14 points in the effort for Zvezda. Both coaches tested many bench players and allowed the starting five to rest. As mentioned above they took over a top position. Zvezda at the other side dropped to the second place with two games lost. They share the position with 4 other teams. Zvezda will play next round against Radnicki Basket trying to get back on the winning streak. It will be a derby game for which supporters look forward to, where their team will face at home their local rival from Beograd - Radnicki Basket. Partizan will try to continue on its current victory against second ranked Vojvodina at Novi Sad.
Top scorers:
Partizan: D.Milosavljevic 15+2reb+1ast, M.Macvan 14+10reb+3ast, D.Andjusic 11+3reb+2ast, M.Raduljica 10+7reb+2ast, V.Lucic 9+3reb+1ast, D.Bertans 8+1reb
Crvena Zvezda: P.Popovic 18+3reb+1ast, A.Milutinovic 14+4reb+1ast, N.Nedovic 13+2reb, B.Popovic 8+1reb+5ast, N.Markovic 6+4reb, B.Lazic 3+2reb+1ast

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SLOVAKIA

Radoslav Rancik selected the top Slovakian playing abroad in last week's games - by Eurobasket Center

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

Radoslav Rancik

#1. This week's number one is an experienced former international power forward Radoslav Rancik (207-79, agency: Beo Basket, college: St.Cloud St.). He led Azovmash to an easy victory against the tenth-ranked Kryvbasbasket (14-24) crushing them 98-75 in the Ukrainian Superleague in Sunday night's game. Rancik scored 16 points and grabbed 8 rebounds in 22 minutes on the court. Azovmash Mariupol (25-13) is placed third in the Superleague. His team will play only one more game in the Regular Season. And that game will be critical. This year Rancik averages: 9.0ppg, 4.5rpg, 2FGP: 43.4%, 3FGP: 32.8% and FT: 81.6% in the 30 games he played so far. He played for the Slovakian senior national team two years ago.

Anton Gavel

#2. Second place goes to an international guard Anton Gavel (189-84, agency: Pro One Sports). Gavel contributed to an easy victory against the closely-ranked Artland Dragons (20-10) 83-68 in the German BBL last Saturday. He scored 9 points and added 5 passes. It was the game of the round between two top 4 ranked teams. Brose Baskets Bamberg (27-3) is placed first in the BBL. It was his team's fourth consecutive victory in a row. There are only four games left until the end of the Regular Season. So now every game is very crucial. Gavel's overall stats this season are: 9.9ppg, 1.8rpg, 3.8apg, 1.1spg, 2FGP: 51.5%, 3FGP: 42.9%. He is in the roster of the Slovakian senior national team.

Dusan Pandula

#3. The Slovakian player who performed third best last week abroad was an international forward Dusan Pandula (196-84), who plays in the Czech Republic NBL. Pandula could not help BK Prostejov (25-11) in their last game. Despite his good performance the second-placed BK Prostejov lost 71-77 on the road to the lower-ranked (#3) BK Decin in the A1 group. Pandula scored 11 points in 25 minutes. The Second Stage already ended. This year Pandula's overall stats are: 7.1ppg, 3.4rpg, 2FGP: 52.1%, 3FGP: 34.2% and FT: 68.2% in the 35 games. He is also a member of the Slovakian senior national team.

Roman Marko

#4. Guard Roman Marko (195-86) was not able to help BC Kolin (22-24) in their game against CEZ Nymburk (33-2) in the Czech Republic NBL. Despite his very good performance in Tuesday night's game Marko was the second best scorer with 14 points. He also added 7 rebounds and dished 4 assists. The Second Stage already ended. Marko's total stats this season are: 9.4ppg, 2.5rpg and 2.7apg. He is also Slovakian national team player.

Peter Sedmak

#5. International center Peter Sedmak (207-85) was the major contributor in a 1-point USK Praha's victory against the second-ranked BK Prostejov (25-11) 83-82 in the Czech Republic NBL last Saturday. Sedmak scored 16 points in 29 minutes. It was the game of the round between two top 3 ranked teams in group A1. USK Praha (32-0) is placed first. So far his team won all games in the Second Stage. They will play only one more game in the Second Stage. And now that game is quite important. It's Sedmak's first season with the team. Sedmak is currently second on the list of top scorers with 19.6ppg. This year he also averages: 4.9rpg and 1.2apg in the 32 games. Sedmak plays currently for the Slovakian national team.

Jozef Vojtek

#6. Power forward Jozef Vojtek (203-85) was not able to secure a victory for Levice (18-22) in their game against BK Usti nad Labem (15-25) in the Czech Republic NBL. Despite his good performance on Saturday night He scored 10 points. The Second Stage already ended. Vojtek's total stats this season are: 7.6ppg and 3.1rpg. He is an international player who is currently on the senior Slovakian National Team roster.

Marek Kozlik

#7. Former international forward Marek Kozlik (187-86) couldn't help BK Loko Plzen (10-30) in their game against Basketbal Svitavy (18-22) in the Czech Republic NBL. Kozlik scored 7 points and grabbed 8 rebounds in 21 minutes. BK Loko Plzen (#7) was badly defeated 78-58 in Svitavy by the higher-ranked (#3) Basketbal in the A2 group. The Second Stage already ended. This year Kozlik's total stats are: 8.1ppg, 2.8rpg and 1.6apg in the 40 games. He used to play for the Slovakian national team two years ago.

Miroslav Zilik

#8. Swingman Miroslav Zilik (197-89) couldn't help Inter Bratislava (10-30) in their game against B&W Opava (9-31) in the Czech Republic NBL. Zilik scored 8 points. Inter Bratislava (#6) was badly defeated 85-68 at home by the lower-ranked B&W Opava (#8) in the A2 group. It was Inter Bratislava's fourth consecutive loss in a row. The Second Stage already ended. Zilik has averaged so far 3.8ppg, 2.7rpg and 1.1spg. He used to play for the Slovakian U20 national team back in 2009.

Richard Klein

#9. Former international forward Richard Klein (198-77) is a teammate of previously mentioned Jozef Vojtek and both played together in the last Czech Republic NBL game. Klein couldn't help Levice (18-22) in their game against BK Usti nad Labem (15-25). He scored 5 points and grabbed 5 rebounds in 10 minutes. Levice (#2) lost 73-87 in Usti nad Labem to the lower-ranked (#5) BK Usti nad Labem in the A2 group. Klein has averaged so far 2.9ppg and 1.4rpg in the 22 games. He used to play for the Slovakian national team three years ago.

Stefan Svitek

   #10. Power forward Stefan Svitek (203-77) led Basket Esch to a victory against the fourth-ranked BBC Nitia (2-21) 67-59 in the Luxembourg Diekirch League in Saturday night's game. Svitek recorded 12 points and grabbed 8 rebounds. Basket Esch (14-9) is placed first in 7-10 places group. It was his team's sixth consecutive victory in a row. They will play only one more game in the Second Stage. And now that game is extremely important. Svitek is currently fourth on the list of best rebounders. He has individually a very good season with high stats. Svitek averages: 18.1ppg, 10.8rpg and 1.6apg. He is a former international player as three years ago he still played for the Slovakian senior national team.

   #11. Former international power forward Justin Sedlak (205-87, college: Florida Tech) managed to help Caceres 2016 C.B. in a victory against the eighth-ranked Leche Rio Breogan 78-64 in the Spanish LEB Gold (second division) last Sunday. Sedlak recorded only 4 points and grabbed 4 rebounds in 14 minutes. He has averaged so far 4.7ppg and 2.6rpg in the 29 games. Sedlak used to play for the Slovakian national team two years ago.

   #12. U20 international forward Maurizio Galata (202-92) faced previously mentioned Miroslav Zilik in the Czech Republic NBL last game. Galata contributed to an easy victory against the sixth-ranked Inter Bratislava 85-68. He scored 7 points. Galata has averaged so far 2.5ppg and 1.6rpg. He is also in the roster of the Slovakian U20 national team.

   #13. Former international forward Andrej Kuffa (203-90) is a teammate of previously mentioned Miroslav Zilik and both played together in the last Czech Republic NBL game. Kuffa couldn't help Inter Bratislava in their game against B&W Opava. He scored 5 points in 25 minutes. His team was badly defeated by 17 points 85-68. Kuffa has averaged so far 8.5ppg and 3.5rpg in the 39 games. He used to play for the Slovakian national team two years ago.

   #14. Former U16 international guard Oliver Tot (199-94) is a teammate of previously mentioned Miroslav Zilik. He played also in the last Czech Republic NBL game facing Andrej Kuffa (above) in the other team. Tot couldn't help Inter Bratislava in their game against B&W Opava. He scored only 4 points and had 4 steals. His team was badly defeated by 17 points 85-68. Tot has averaged so far 2.0ppg and 1.2rpg. He used to play for the Slovakian U16 national team back in 2010.

   #15. U20 international swingman Jakub Kozubik (193-91) couldn't help Levharti Chomutov in their game against NH Ostrava in the Czech Republic NBL. Kozubik scored only 4 points and grabbed 4 rebounds in 19 minutes. His team was crushed by 27 points 84-57. This year he averages just 1.6ppg in the 19 games. Kozubik is also in the roster of the Slovakian U20 national team.

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SLOVENIA

Standings - 1A

Telemach Standings

Championship Group
1. Union Olimpija		4-1
2. Helios		4-1
3. Krka		3-2
4. Zlatorog		2-3
5. Elektra		2-3
6. Sentjur		0-5
Play-out
1. Polzela		15-9
2. Maribor Messer		14-10
3. Rogaska		12-12
4. Geoplin Slovan		9-15
5. LTHcast Mercator		4-20
6. Parklji		1-23

Stage One Standings

Second Stage: Round 5

Championship

Apr. 7: Sentjur - Elektra 83-85
Apr. 7: Zlatorog - Helios 67-73
Apr. 8: Krka - Union Olimpija 58-47

Play-out

Apr. 7: Geoplin Slovan - Polzela 80-81
Apr. 7: Maribor Messer - LTHcast Mercator 70-64
Apr. 7: Parklji - Rogaska 67-81

Second Stage: Round 6

Championship

Apr. 11: Union Olimpija - Elektra
Apr. 11: Sentjur - Helios
Apr. 11: Zlatorog - Krka

Play-out

Apr. 11: Geoplin Slovan - Maribor Messer
Apr. 11: Polzela - Parklji
Apr. 11: Rogaska - LTHcast Mercator

Stats Leaders - 1A

Points Per Game

Travis NELSON
  Sentjur
  (211-C-87)
  Avg: 18

1. Nelson, Sentjur	18.0
2. Prepelic, Helios	15.7
3. Tomic, Rogaska	15.0
4. Mahkovic, LTHcas.	14.8
5. Pajic, Geoplin Slo.	14.0
6. Maric, Sentjur	13.8
7. Hohler, Polzela	13.7
8. Rembert, Sentjur	13.3
9. Rupnik, Geoplin	13.2
10. Pasalic, Helios	13.0

Rebounds Per Game

Milos MILJKOVIC
  Rogaska
  (204-F/C-84)
  Avg: 8.5

1. Miljkovic, Rogaska	8.5
2. Djugum, Geoplin	7.8
3. Pajic, Geoplin Slo.	7.4
4. Nelson, Sentjur	7.0
5. Nuhanovic, Elektra	7.0
6. Mucic, Maribor	6.8
7. Soldo, LTHcast	6.7
8. Sviridov, Polzela	6.6
9. Omic, Zlatorog	6.5
10. Zolotic, Maribor	6.2

Assists Per Game

Luka RUPNIK
  Geoplin .
  (184-PG-93)
  Avg: 5.3

1. Rupnik, Geoplin	5.3
2. Rembert, Sentjur	5.2
3. Hohler, Polzela	4.3
4. Vujasinovic, Zlato.	4.0
5. Tomic, Rogaska	3.9
6. Prepelic, Helios	3.7
7. Jovanovic, Maribo.	3.6
8. Fon, Geoplin Slovan	3.3
9. Zagorc, Elektra	3.3
10. Gay, Helios	3.1

Steals Per Game

D.J. GAY
  Helios
  (183-G-89)
  Avg: 1.8

1. Gay, Helios	1.8
2. Tomic, Rogaska	1.8
3. Fon, Geoplin Slovan	1.7
4. Vasl, Polzela	1.7
5. Vujasinovic, Zlato.	1.6
6. Mahkovic, LTHcas.	1.6
7. Rupnik, Geoplin	1.5
8. Maric, Sentjur	1.5
9. Lelic, Elektra	1.4
10. Urbas, Parklji	1.4

Blocks Per Game

Travis NELSON
  Sentjur
  (211-C-87)
  Avg: 1.2

1. Nelson, Sentjur	1.2
2. Nuhanovic, Elektra	1.2
3. Omic, Zlatorog	1.1
4. Sviridov, Polzela	1.1
5. Cresnar, Helios	0.9
6. Djugum, Geoplin	0.8
7. Hannibal, Polzela	0.7
8. Sebic, Sentjur	0.7
9. Bajramlic, Elektra	0.6
10. Primorac, Sentjur	0.6

Ziga Zagorc gets MVP of the Week award for Slovenian Telemach League (Second Stage) - by Eurobasket News

Ziga Zagorc (188-PG-84) had an amazing evening in the last round for Elektra and that's him to receive a Eurobasket.com Player of the Week award for round 5 (Second Stage).
The 27-year old playmaker had the game-high 17 points adding four rebounds and seven assists for Elektra in his team's victory, helping them to edge out Sentjur (#6, 0-5), Second Stage botton-ranked team 85-83. Elektra maintains the 5th position in Slovenian Telemach League. Elektra is rather a weak team placed in lower part in the standings. But it was their 3rd lost game this season out of 5 games. In the team's last game Zagorc had a remarkable 71.4% from 2-point range. It was one of impressive evenings for him as usually he does not deliver so high stats. Zagorc has impressive league stats. He is in league's top in assists (9th best: 3.3apg) and averages solid 50.9% FGP.

The second most remarkable performance in last round's games was 27-year old Serbian power forward Milos Miljkovic (204-F/C-84) of Rogaska. Miljkovic impressed basketball fans with a double-double of 25 points and 11 rebounds. Of course he lead Rogaska to another comfortable win 81-67 over the lower-ranked Parklji (#0, 1-23) being unquestionably team leader. This victory allowed Rogaska to move up to -3th position in Play-out. His team lost some distance to top teams. But 12-12 record is not bad and everything may still change. Miljkovic is a newcomer at Rogaska and it seems he did not have too much trouble to become one of team's leaders.

The third best performed player last round was Alen Omic (213-C-92) of Zlatorog (#4). Omic scored 21 points and grabbed fifteen rebounds (!!!). Despite Omic's great performance Zlatorog lost 67-73 to #2 ranked Helios. But his team cannot count on just a single player as he also needs help of the other teammates especially in such crucial game. The chances of Zlatorog ranking at the top of Championship, however are very questionable as they have already lost 3 games, recording just two victories. With bigger assistance of his teammates, Omic could help Zlatorog to bring them higher in the standings. Omic has a great season in Slovenia. After 23 games, he made it on the list of the league's leaders in rebounds with 6.5rpg (9th best). He also has 1.1bpg and FGP: 60.0%.

Other top performing players last week:
4. Blaz Mahkovic (194-F-90) of LTHcast Mercator - 25 points, 9 rebounds and 3 assists
5. Zoran Dragic (196-F/G-89) of Krka - 21 points and 6 rebounds
6. Marko Pajic (204-F-92) of Geoplin Slovan - 17 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists
7. Dejan Hohler (188-G-86) of Polzela - 19 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists
8. D.J. Gay (183-G-89) of Helios - 18 points and 4 assists
9. Sanel Bajramlic (198-F-85) of Elektra - 17 points, 3 rebounds and 2 assists
10. Miha Vasl (190-G-92) of Polzela - 19 points, 3 rebounds and 2 assists

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

Goran Dragic's double-double lands him Player of the Week award among Slovenians playing currently abroad - by Eurobasket Center

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

Goran Dragic

#1. This week's number one is an international point guard Goran Dragic (194-86). He led Houston Rockets to a victory over the Los Angeles Lakers (35-22) 112-107 in the NBA in Friday night's game. Dragic was MVP of the game. He had a double-double by scoring 26 points and making 11 passes. Dragic also added 4 rebounds and 3 steals in 38 minutes on the court. The Houston Rockets have 30-25 record this season. It's Dragic's first year with the team. He has relatively good stats this year: 10.5ppg, 2.4rpg, 4.8apg, 1.2spg, 2FGP: 52.1%, 3FGP: 35.4% and FT: 78.2% in the 55 games he played so far. Dragic is currently a member of the Slovenian senior national team.

Beno Udrih

#2. Second place goes to former international point guard Beno Udrih (194-82). He was the major contributor in a Milwaukee Bucks' victory against the Portland Trail Blazers (26-30) crushing them 116-94 in the NBA last Saturday. Udrih scored 21 points and added 6 assists. The Milwaukee Bucks have 27-28 record this season. It was his team's third consecutive victory in a row. This season Udrih averages: 6.5ppg, 1.6rpg, 4.0apg, 2FGP: 49.0%, 3FGP: 30.4% and FT: 72.5%. He played for the Slovenian national team in 2010.

Mirza Begic

#3. The Slovenian player who performed third best last week abroad was an international center Mirza Begic (217-85). Begic was the main contributor in a Real Madrid's victory against the ninth-ranked Unicaja Malaga (14-14) 64-51 in the Spanish ACB on Sunday night. He was the best player in that game. Begic scored 14 points, had 7 rebounds and made 4 blocks in 27 minutes. Real Madrid (21-6) is placed second in the ACB. Begic is currently fourth on the league's list of best blockers with 1.6bpg. This year his other stats are: 5.8ppg, 4.3rpg, 2FGP: 64.3%(63-98) and FT: 68.6% in the 26 games. Begic has a dual citizenship: Bosnia and Herzegovina and Slovenian. Despite he played previously for the Bosnia and Herzegovina national team, Begic is currently a member of the Slovenian senior national team.

Emir Preldzic

#4. Forward Emir Preldzic (205-87, agency: Beo Basket) contributed to an easy victory against the 14th-ranked Olin Edirne (7-19) crushing them 81-48 in the Turkish TBL in Saturday night's game. He recorded 14 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists. Fenerbahce Ulker Istanbul (19-7) is placed fifth in the TBL. It was his team's seventh consecutive victory in a row. There are only four games left until the end of the Regular Season. So now every game will be critical. Preldzic is one of the most experienced players in a team as it's his fifth year in Fenerbahce Ulker's roster. This season Preldzic has relatively solid stats: 10.5ppg, 4.6rpg and 4.0apg. He is another player who holds two passports: Slovenian and Turkish. Despite Preldzic played previously for the Turkish national team, he is currently in the Slovenian national team roster.

Erazem Lorbek

#5. International power forward Erazem Lorbek (209-84, college: Michigan St.) contributed to an easy victory against the tenth-ranked CAI Zaragoza (14-14) 68-49 in the Spanish ACB last Sunday. Lorbek recorded 9 points and blocked 2 shots in 24 minutes. Regal FC Barcelona (23-5) is placed first in the ACB. It was his team's fourth consecutive victory in a row. Lorbek has reliable stats this year: 11.9ppg, 4.2rpg and 1.8apg in the 28 games. Despite he played previously for the Turkish national team, Lorbek is currently in the Slovenian national team roster.

Sasha Vujacic

#6. Guard Sasha Vujacic (200-84) contributed to an Anadolu Efes' victory against the league outsider Bandirma Kirmizi (3-23) 77-71 in the Turkish TBL on Sunday night. He scored 16 points. Anadolu Efes Istanbul (22-4) is placed second in the TBL. It was his team's seventh consecutive victory in a row. There are only four games left until the end of the Regular Season. So now every game is very crucial. It's Vujacic's first season with the team. Vujacic's stats this year are: 12.9ppg, 2.9rpg, 2.4apg and 1.2spg. Despite he played previously for the Turkish national team, Vujacic is also a former international player as he played for the Slovenian senior team three years ago.

Jaka Lakovic

#7. International guard Jaka Lakovic (186-78) contributed to Galatasaray's victory against the closely-ranked Besiktas (19-7) 92-81 in a derby game in the Turkish TBL in Monday night's game. He recorded 13 points and added 3 assists in 20 minutes. It was the game of the round between two top 4 ranked teams. Galatasaray Medical Park Istanbul (22-4) is placed first in the TBL. It was his team's third consecutive victory in a row. There are only four games left until the end of the Regular Season. So now every game will be important. Lakovic averaged so far 10.5ppg, 1.6rpg and 3.1apg in the 25 games. Despite he played previously for the Turkish national team, Lakovic is currently in the Slovenian national team roster.

Jurica Golemac

#8. Forward Jurica Golemac (209-77, also represented by Beo Basket), who plays in the Italian SerieA could not help Air Avellino (13-13) in their last game on Sunday. Despite his very good performance Air Avellino was defeated 88-82 on the road by the lower-ranked Lottomatica Roma (#10). Golemac was the top scorer with 19 points. He also added 4 steals. Golemac's stats this season are: 11.9ppg, 4.8rpg, 2.4apg and 1.6spg. Despite he played previously for the Croatian national team, Golemac is currently in the Slovenian national team roster.

Sani Becirovic

#9. Former international guard Sani Becirovic (196-81), who plays in the Italian SerieA was not able to help Benetton Treviso (11-15) in their last game. Despite his very good performance Benetton Treviso was edged in an overtime 102-99 in Roma by the higher-ranked (#10) Lottomatica. Becirovic was the second best scorer with 16 points. He also added 4 rebounds and dished 3 assists in a mere 17 minutes. Becirovic averaged so far 12.6ppg, 2.3rpg, 2.9apg and 1.1spg in the 23 games. Despite he played previously for the Italian national team, Becirovic is currently in the Slovenian national team roster.

Dragisa Drobnjak

   #10. Forward Dragisa Drobnjak (200-77, another player represented by Beo Basket), who plays in the Belgian D1 was not able to secure a victory for Base Oostende (16-8) in their last game on Wednesday. Despite his very good performance Base Oostende was defeated 77-70 in Antwerp by the leading Giants. Drobnjak was the top scorer with 15 points. Drobnjak's overall stats this season are: 7.5ppg and 3.2rpg. Despite he played previously for the Italian national team, Drobnjak is also a former international player as four years ago he still played for the Slovenian senior national team.

   #11. Former U20 international guard Tadej Kostomaj (186-87) contributed to a 1-point Svjetlost's victory against the sixth-ranked Zabok 74-73 in the Croatian A1 last Friday. He was the top player that evening. Kostomaj scored 22 points and added 6 passes (went 7 for 7 at the free throw line) in 37 minutes. Kostomaj is currently fifth on the list of best passers and also on the list of most steals (third place). He has very reliable stats this year: 13.5ppg, 4.5rpg, 3.7apg and 2.1spg in the 15 games. Despite Kostomaj played previously for the Italian national team, he is currently in the Slovenian U20 national team roster.

   #12. Former international power forward Primoz Brezec (216-79), who plays in Russia couldn't help BC Nizhny Novgorod (8-8) in their last game on Sunday. Despite Brezec's very good performance the fourth-placed BC Nizhny Novgorod was defeated 64-60 in Vilnius by the higher-ranked Lietuvos rytas (#3) in the group A of VTB United League. He was the second best scorer with 15 points. Brezec also added 9 rebounds and 3 blocks. It was his first game for BC Nizhny Novgorod this season. Despite he played previously for the Italian national team, Brezec is currently in the Slovenian national team roster.

   #13. Former international power forward Gasper Vidmar (211-87) is a teammate of previously mentioned Emir Preldzic. But that was another game of his team in Turkish TBL which we would like to mention. Vidmar couldn't help Fenerbahce Ulker in their game against Banvit BK. He scored 8 points in 17 minutes. His team lost 75-79. This year Vidmar's overall stats are: 3.9ppg and 2.5rpg in the 22 games. Despite he played previously for the Italian national team, Vidmar is currently in the Slovenian national team roster.

   #14. Former international point guard Vlado Ilievski (189-80, agency: World Sport Agency) couldn't help Lokomotiv in their game against Enisey Krasnoyarsk in the Russian PBL. He scored 8 points and added 4 passes. His team was defeated 96-87. Ilievski's total stats this season are: 6.6ppg, 1.2rpg and 2.4apg. Despite he played previously for the FYR Macedonian national team, Ilievski is currently in the Slovenian national team roster.

   #15. Former U21 international point guard Matej Venta (187-84), who plays in the Czech Republic NBL couldn't help BK Prostejov (25-11) in their last game. Despite his good performance BK Prostejov (#2) was edged 83-82 in Praha by the leading USK Praha in the A1 group. Venta scored 13 points, grabbed 7 rebounds and dished 4 assists in 23 minutes. This year his total stats are: 7.4ppg, 3.4rpg and 2.1apg in the 31 games. Despite Venta played previously for the FYR Macedonian national team, he is currently in the Slovenian U21 national team roster.

Telemach League Round 5: Krka hands first defeat to Union Olimpija - by Eurobasket News

Telemach League is at the halfway of the Second Stage and there are still another 5 rounds left. The round was rather attractive and full of interesting results. The round ended with defeat of the leader.

Group Championship

Sentjur - Elektra 83-85
A very close game took place in Sentjur between Elektra and Sentjur. Fifth ranked Elektra (2-3) got a very close victory on the road over bottom-ranked Sentjur (0-5). Elektra managed to escape with a 2-point win 85-83 in the game for the fifth place. The guests took control from the first minutes by winning first half. But Sentjur won third quarter 25-18. However it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. The game was decided in the last minutes when Elektra won last quarter 20-20. Point guard Ziga Zagorc (188-84) stepped up and scored 17 points and 7 assists for the winners and Serbian forward Dorde Lelic (197-89) chipped in 19 points. American guard Patrick Rembert (182-89, college: Cal-Irvine, agency: PEPI SPORT) responded with 15 points and 8 assists and the other American import center Travis Nelson (211-87, college: Minnesota St.) scored 17 points and 5 rebounds. Five Elektra and four Sentjur players scored in double figures. Elektra maintains fifth place in League with 2-3 record. Loser Sentjur still closes the standings with five games lost. Elektra will meet league's leader Union Olimpija in the next round and it will be quite challenging to get another victory. Sentjur will play against the league's second-placed Helios (#2) in Domzale and hopes to get finally their first victory.
Top scorers:
Sentjur: T.Nelson 17+5reb+1ast, I.Maric 16+3reb+2ast, P.Rembert 15+1reb+8ast, M.Sebic 11+5reb+1ast, T.Ferme 8+1reb+7ast, A.Pelc 8
Elektra: D.Lelic 19+1reb+3ast, Z.Zagorc 17+4reb+7ast, S.Bajramlic 17+3reb+2ast, M.Julevic 11+3reb+3ast, T.Horvat 10+4reb+1ast, S.Nuhanovic 6+7reb+1ast

Krka - Union Olimpija 58-47
Undefeated Union Olimpija (4-1) recorded its first loss in Novo Mesto on Sunday night. Visitors were defeated by third ranked Krka (3-2) 58-47. The game was mostly controlled by Krka. Union Olimpija managed to win fourth quarter 15-12. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. The best player for the winners was international swingman Zoran Dragic (196-F/G-89) who scored 21 points and 6 rebounds. Israeli-French point guard Afik Nissim (180-81, agency: Beo Basket) chipped in 11 points. Krka's coach Aleksandar Sekulic used a ten-player rotation which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. American forward Deon Thompson (203-88, college: N.Carolina) produced 16 points and 8 rebounds and Finnish point guard Sasu Salin (190-91) added 9 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists respectively for the guests. Defending champion maintains third place in League with 3-2 record behind leader Union Olimpija. Union Olimpija at the other side still keeps top position with one game lost. Krka are looking forward to face Zlatorog (#4) in Lasko in the next round. Union Olimpija will play at home against Elektra in Sostanj and is hoping to win this game.
Top scorers:
Union Olimpija: D.Thompson 16+8reb+1ast, J.Blazic 10+5reb+1ast, S.Salin 9+5reb+4ast, J.Mocnik 6+2reb+1ast, G.Jeretin 3+3reb+1ast, V.Dasic 3+4reb+1ast
Krka: Z.Dragic 21+6reb, A.Nissim 11+2reb+3ast, J.Balazic 9+4reb, U.Lucic 6+3reb, J.Lalic 4+8reb, E.Muric 3+3reb

Zlatorog - Helios 67-73
An exciting game between Top Four teams was played in Lasko. Second ranked Helios faced 4th placed Zlatorog. Guests from Domzale (4-1) defeated host Zlatorog (2-3) 73-67. The guests took control from the first minutes by winning first half. But Zlatorog won third quarter 21-16. However it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. Strangely Zlatorog outrebounded Helios 36-23 including 23 on the defensive glass. 26 personal fouls committed by Zlatorog helped opponents get some easy free throw opportunities. American guard D.J. Gay (183-89, college: San Diego St.) nailed 18 points and 4 assists for the winning side and guard Klemen Prepelic (191-92) accounted for 13 points. Four Helios players scored in double figures. Center Alen Omic (213-92) came up with a double-double by scoring 21 points and 15 rebounds and Serbian forward Vladimir Panic (194-82) added 7 points and 8 rebounds respectively for Zlatorog in the defeat. Both coaches used bench players and allowed the starting five to rest. Helios maintains second place in League with 4-1 record having just 0 victories less than leader Union Olimpija. Zlatorog at the other side keeps the fourth position with three games lost. Helios' next round opponent will be Sentjur (#6) on the road. Zlatorog will play against Krka in Novo Mesto and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Zlatorog: A.Omic 21+15reb, M.Lapornik 11+1reb+1ast, N.Strnad 9, V.Panic 7+8reb+3ast, L.Lapornik 7+3reb+1ast, J.Skific 5+5reb+1ast
Helios: D.Gay 18+1reb+4ast, K.Prepelic 13+2reb+1ast, B.Cresnar 10+4reb+1ast, S.Cebular 10+2reb, J.Besedic 8+1reb, V.Petrovic 6+7reb+1ast

Group Play-out

Geoplin Slovan - Polzela 80-81
Fourth-ranked Geoplin Slovan (9-15) made lots of trouble for first ranked Polzela (15-9) in Ljubljana. The visitors from Polzela managed to secure only one-point victory 81-80. However their fans expected easier game. Geoplin Slovan was ahead by 5 points after three quarters before a 25-19 charge of Polzela, which allowed them to win the game. They made 20-of-26 charity shots (76.9 percent) during the game. Geoplin Slovan was plagued by 26 personal fouls down the stretch. Guard Dejan Hohler (188-86, agency: TSS Management) saved the victory by scoring 19 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists. Guard Miha Vasl (190-92) contributed with 19 points and 4 steals for the winners. Forward Marko Pajic (204-92) answered with 17 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists and Croatian center Ante Djugum (211-88, agency: Court Side) added 10 points and 9 rebounds in the effort for Geoplin Slovan. Both teams had four players each who scored in double figures. Polzela maintains first place in League with 15-9 record. Geoplin Slovan at the other side keeps the fourth position with 15 games lost. Polzela will play against Parklji (#6) in Bezigrad in the next round which should be theoretically an easy game. Geoplin Slovan will play at home against the league's second-placed Maribor Messer and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Geoplin Slovan: M.Pajic 17+7reb+4ast, M.Kovacevic 15+3reb+1ast, N.Buda 11+4reb, L.Rupnik 10+8ast, A.Djugum 10+9reb+1ast, D.Cigoja 9+4reb+2ast
Polzela: D.Hohler 19+7reb+6ast, M.Vasl 19+3reb+2ast, D.Sviridov 15+3reb+1ast, J.Hannibal 12+2reb, P.Kobale 8+1reb+1ast, S.Sebic 8+6reb+2ast

Maribor Messer - LTHcast Mercator 70-64
There was no surprise when 5th ranked LTHcast Mercator (4-20) was defeated on the road by second ranked Maribor Messer (14-10) 70-64 on Saturday. The hosts were tied at the half but managed to speed up in last two quarters eventually winning the game. Maribor Messer dominated on the defensive end, holding LTHcast Mercator to just 3 points in fourth quarter. LTHcast Mercator was plagued by 24 personal fouls down the stretch. The best player for the winners was guard Jure Pelko (190-90) who scored 16 points and 9 rebounds. Forward Ilija Gavric (200-88) chipped in 17 points. Four Maribor Messer players scored in double figures. Forward Blaz Mahkovic (194-90) produced 25 points and 9 rebounds and Croatian power forward Vjeran Soldo (208-84) added 8 points and 6 rebounds respectively for the guests. Maribor Messer maintains second place in League with 14-10 record having just -29 point less than leader Union Olimpija. Loser LTHcast Mercator keeps the fifth position with 20 games lost. Maribor Messer will face Geoplin Slovan (#4) in Ljubljana in the next round. LTHcast Mercator will play on the road against Rogaska in Rogaska Slatina and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
LTHcast Mercator: B.Mahkovic 25+9reb+3ast, V.Soldo 8+6reb, T.Cajic 7+4reb, A.Korosec 6+6reb, B.Bosnjak 5+1reb, E.Kastrati 5+3reb
Maribor Messer: I.Gavric 17+4reb, J.Pelko 16+9reb+3ast, B.Jovanovic 12+4reb+1ast, I.Zolotic 10+9reb+1ast, J.Span 7+2reb+2ast, M.Cej 5+2reb

Parklji - Rogaska 67-81
The game in Bezigrad was also quite interesting. Third ranked Rogaska (12-12) played at the court of 6th ranked Parklji (1-23). Rogaska defeated Parklji 81-67 on Saturday. The game without a history. Rogaska 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 Parklji's 34. They outrebounded Parklji 48-23 including a 24-9 advantage in offensive rebounds. The best player for the winners was Serbian power forward Milos Miljkovic (204-84) who had a double-double by scoring 25 points, 11 rebounds and 4 assists. Serbian forward Miroslav Petrovic (199-84) chipped in a double-double by scoring 13 points and 10 rebounds. Four Rogaska players scored in double figures. Guard Klemen Lorbek (198-88) produced 13 points and 6 assists and Andraz Rogelja added 16 points respectively for the hosts. Newly promoted Rogaska maintains third place in League with 12-12 record having just -27 point less than leader Union Olimpija. Loser Parklji keeps the sixth position with 23 games lost. Rogaska will face LTHcast Mercator (#5) in Skofja Loka in the next round. Parklji will play on the road against the league's leader Polzela.
Top scorers:
Parklji: A.Rogelja 16+1reb+2ast, K.Lorbek 13+3reb+6ast, M.Filipovic 7+3reb, J.Doljak 7+4reb, M.Bizjak 6+2reb, H.Kovacevic 6+3reb
Rogaska: M.Miljkovic 25+11reb+4ast, D.Milasinovic 15+6reb+5ast, M.Petrovic 13+10reb+3ast, B.Tomic 10+4reb+4ast, M.Soskic 9+3reb+2ast, S.Smajlovic 7+5reb+1ast

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

SPAIN

Standings - ACB

ACB Standings

1. FCB Regal		23-5
2. Real Madrid		21-6
3. Caja Laboral		19-8
4. Gescrap BB		16-12
5. Valencia		16-12
6. Lagun Aro GBC		16-12
7. Lucentum		15-12
8. Cajasol		15-13
9. Unicaja		14-14
10. CAI Zaragoza		14-14
11. Assignia M.		13-15
12. FIATC Joventut		12-16
13. GC 2014		11-17
14. Fuenlabrada		11-17
15. Blusens M.		10-18
16. UCAM Murcia		10-18
17. Asefa Estudian.		7-20
18. B.de Rueda V.		7-21

Regular Season: Round 28

Apr. 7: Valencia - FIATC Joventut 90-67
Apr. 8: Unicaja - Assignia M. 81-96
Apr. 8: Gescrap BB - Blusens M. 79-71
Apr. 7: B.de Rueda V. - Fuenlabrada 69-66
Apr. 8: Lagun Aro GBC - UCAM Murcia 67-71
Apr. 8: GC 2014 - Cajasol 66-74
Apr. 8: CAI Zaragoza - FCB Regal 49-68
Apr. 19: Lucentum - Asefa Estudian.
Apr. 9: Caja Laboral - Real Madrid

Stats Leaders - ACB

Points Per Game

Andy PANKO
  Lagun A.
  (204-F-77)
  Avg: 19

1. Panko, Lagun A.	19.0
2. Teletovic, Caja L.	17.3
3. Doellman, Assignia	16.8
4. Davis, Cajasol	15.3
5. Wright, CAI Z.	14.4
6. Penney, Fuenlabra.	14.3
7. Hettsheimer, CAI Z.	14.3
8. Caner-Medley, Vale.	14.0
9. De Colo, Valencia	13.6
10. Navarro, FCB Regal	13.0

Rebounds Per Game

James AUGUSTINE
  UCAM M.
  (208-F-84)
  Avg: 8.2

1. Augustine, UCAM M.	8.2
2. Ivanov, Lucentum	7.7
3. Davis, Cajasol	7.6
4. Teletovic, Caja L.	7.6
5. Williams, FIATC J.	7.4
6. Borchardt, B.de R.	7.3
7. Freeland, Unicaja	7.3
8. Caner-Medley, Vale.	6.9
9. Hettsheimer, CAI Z.	6.8
10. Gabriel, Asefa E.	6.5

Assists Per Game

Javier RODRIGUEZ
  Assignia.
  (189-G-79)
  Avg: 6.2

1. Rodriguez, Assigni.	6.2
2. Salgado, Lagun A.	4.4
3. Llull, Real Madrid	4.3
4. Rodriguez, Real M.	4.0
5. Rodriguez, Bluse.	3.7
6. Dumas, B.de R.	3.7
7. Granger, Asefa E.	3.7
8. Markovic, Valencia	3.6
9. Llompart, Lucentum	3.6
10. Prigioni, Caja L.	3.6

Steals Per Game

Pablo PRIGIONI
  Caja L.
  (191-G-77)
  Avg: 2

1. Prigioni, Caja L.	2.0
2. Udoka, UCAM M.	1.7
3. Doellman, Assignia	1.6
4. Vidal, Lagun A.	1.5
5. De Colo, Valencia	1.5
6. Uriz, B.de Rueda V.	1.5
7. Hanga, Assignia M.	1.4
8. Granger, Asefa E.	1.4
9. Garbajosa, Unicaja	1.3
10. Fischer, Gescrap	1.3

Blocks Per Game

D''or FISCHER
  Gescrap BB
  (211-C-81)
  Avg: 2

1. Fischer, Gescrap BB	2.0
2. Lasme, Blusens M.	1.9
3. Sene, Fuenlabrada	1.7
4. Begic, Real Madrid	1.6
5. Toure, B.de R.	1.4
6. Vazquez, FCB Regal	1.1
7. Barnes, Lucentum	1.0
8. Asselin, Assignia	1.0
9. Achara, Assignia.	1.0
10. Ndong, FCB Regal	0.9

Standings - LEB Gold

LEB Gold Standings

1. Canarias		24-7
2. Burgos		20-11
3. Menorca		20-11
4. La Palma		19-12
5. Lleida		19-12
6. Navarra		19-12
7. Melilla		18-13
8. Breogan		17-14
9. Knet Clavijo		16-15
10. Caceres		15-16
11. Palencia		15-16
12. Girona		15-16
13. Mallorca		14-17
14. Leon		14-17
15. CB Tarragona		11-20
16. Huesca		11-20
17. Granada		7-24
18. Clinicas Rincon		5-26

Regular Season: Round 31

Apr. 8: Burgos - Huesca 93-90
Apr. 8: Canarias - Lleida 91-77
Apr. 8: Leon - Navarra 89-94 2OT
Apr. 7: Menorca - Palencia 83-74
Apr. 8: Granada - CB Tarragona 79-69
Apr. 8: Caceres - Breogan 78-64
Apr. 8: Knet Clavijo - Mallorca 76-80
Apr. 8: Girona - Clinicas Rincon 75-59
Apr. 8: Melilla - La Palma 72-70

Stats Leaders - LEB Gold

Points Per Game

Troy DEVRIES
  Melilla
  (193-G-82)
  Avg: 19.1

1. DeVries, Melilla	19.1
2. Witt, Knet Clavijo	18.1
3. Feldeine, Breogan	17.1
4. Franklin, Huesca	16.6
5. Quezada, Leon	16.5
6. Bivia, Mallorca	16.2
7. Antelo, Caceres	15.6
8. Moss, Palencia	15.4
9. Detrick, Lleida	15.3
10. Fernandez, Grana.	15.3

Rebounds Per Game

Olaseni LAWAL
  Knet Clavijo
  (208-F/C-86)
  Avg: 10.7

1. Lawal, Knet Clavijo	10.7
2. Diouf, Palencia	8.8
3. Donaldson, Canarias	8.5
4. Starosta, Navarra	8.1
5. Sikma, La Palma	8.1
6. Fernandez, Granada	7.9
7. Kuzmin, Clinicas.	7.7
8. Mortellaro, Leon	7.5
9. Antelo, Caceres	7.5
10. Williams, Caceres	7.5

Assists Per Game

Oscar ALVARADO
  La Palma
  (184-PG-91)
  Avg: 6.1

1. Alvarado, La Palma	6.1
2. Bivia, Mallorca	5.1
3. Witt, Knet Clavijo	4.5
4. Norris, Lleida	4.3
5. Lopez, Burgos	4.1
6. Bernabe, Leon	3.8
7. Perez, Menorca	3.7
8. Sabat, Canarias	3.7
9. DeVries, Melilla	3.4
10. Quezada, Leon	3.4

Steals Per Game

Marcus Vinicius TOLEDO
  Burgos
  (203-F-86)
  Avg: 2.4

1. Toledo, Burgos	2.4
2. Franklin, Huesca	2.3
3. Bernabe, Leon	2.1
4. Xavier, Palencia	2.1
5. Norris, Lleida	1.9
6. Abrines, Clinic.	1.9
7. Alonso, Mallorca	1.8
8. Rost, Canarias	1.7
9. Green, Mallorca	1.7
10. Guerra, Granada	1.6

Blocks Per Game

Ognen KUZMIN
  Clinicas.
  (215-C-90)
  Avg: 2

1. Kuzmin, Clinicas.	2.0
2. Lawal, Knet Clavijo	1.7
3. Diouf, Palencia	1.6
4. Green, Mallorca	1.3
5. Odiakosa, Melilla	1.2
6. Coleman, Girona	1.1
7. Samb, Granada	1.1
8. Antelo, Caceres	1.0
9. Donaldson, Canarias	0.9
10. El Hadji Mal., Cl.	0.8

LEB Gold, Round 31: Canarias secure first place and promotion to Liga Endesa - by Eurobasket News

Tenth-ranked Baloncesto Leon (14-17) made lots of trouble for sixth ranked Grupo Iruna Navarra (19-12) on Sunday. The visitors from Pamplona managed to secure only five-point victory 94-89. However their fans expected much easier game. Ondrej Starosta fired a double-double by scoring 31 points and 15 rebounds for the winners. Grupo Iruna Navarra have a solid series of three victories in a row. They moved-up to fourth place, which they share with La Palma and Lleida. Baloncesto Leon at the other side dropped to the twelfth position with 17 games lost. Grupo Iruna Navarra will face CB Granada (#17) at home in the next round which should be an easy win for them. Baloncesto Leon will play against Leche Rio Breogan (#8) in Lugo.

Other games of round 31 were quite predictable and ended without any surprises. Here they are:
Breogan was defeated by Caceres in a road game 78-64. Girona beat Clinicas Rincon at home 75-59. Mallorca won against Knet Clavijo on the opponent's court 80-76. Canarias managed to outperform Lleida in a home game 91-77. La Palma recorded a loss to Melilla on the road 72-70. Menorca defeated Palencia on its own court 83-74. Huesca was beaten by Burgos in a road game 93-90. Granada won against CB Tarragona at home 79-69.
The best stats of 31th round was 23 points and 8 rebounds by Jose Manuel Coego of Granada.

Leon - Navarra 89-94 2OT
Tenth-ranked Baloncesto Leon (14-17) made lots of trouble for sixth ranked Grupo Iruna Navarra (19-12) on Sunday. The visitors from Pamplona managed to secure only five-point victory 94-89. However their fans expected much easier game. Baloncesto Leon was trailing by 12 points at halftime but managed to get 2-point lead after three quarters before a 18-16 charge of Grupo Iruna Navarra, which allowed them to tie the game at the end of regular time. They were better in double-overtime eventually winning that period 13-13. Grupo Iruna Navarra dominated down low during the game scoring 60 of its points in the paint compared to Baloncesto Leon's 32. Grupo Iruna Navarra forced 23 Baloncesto Leon turnovers. Baloncesto Leon was plagued by 25 personal fouls down the stretch. Czech center Ondrej Starosta (215-79) fired a double-double by scoring 31 points and 15 rebounds for the winners. Power forward Jorge Garcia (203-77) chipped in 12 points and 9 rebounds. American-Dominican point guard Emmanuel Quezada (188-85, college: USF) produced 21 points and American power forward Jonathan Durley (203-88, college: Wichita St.) added 15 points and 7 rebounds respectively for lost side. Five Baloncesto Leon players scored in double figures. Grupo Iruna Navarra have a solid series of three victories in a row. They moved-up to fourth place, which they share with La Palma and Lleida. Baloncesto Leon at the other side dropped to the twelfth position with 17 games lost. Grupo Iruna Navarra will face CB Granada (#17) at home in the next round which should be an easy win for them. Baloncesto Leon will play against Leche Rio Breogan (#8) in Lugo.
Top scorers:
Navarra: O.Starosta 31+15reb+2ast, I.Narros 15+2reb+1ast, J.Garcia 12+9reb, A.Savitski 9+3reb, I.Sanz 7+3reb+7ast, K.Langford 7+3reb+1ast
Leon: E.Quezada 21+2reb+3ast, J.Fernandez 16+4reb+1ast, J.Durley 15+7reb+3ast, J.Jose Bernabe 11+2reb+5ast, J.Alberto Gonzalez 11+9reb+1ast, J.Mugica 8

Caceres - Breogan 78-64
There was a minor upset when 8th ranked Leche Rio Breogan (17-14) was defeated on the road by eleventh ranked Caceres 2016 (15-16) 78-64 on Sunday. The game was mostly controlled by Caceres 2016. Leche Rio Breogan was better in third quarter 15-14. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. Belizean-American power forward Leon Williams (203-86, college: Ohio) fired 20 points and 5 rebounds for the winners. point guard Carlos Cherry (184-79) chipped in 16 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists. American power forward Brooks Sales (208-80, college: Villanova) produced 7 points, 11 rebounds and 4 assists and Dominican-American guard James Feldeine (193-88, college: Quinnipiac) added 18 points respectively for lost side. Both coaches used bench players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. Caceres 2016 moved-up to tenth place, which they share with Girona and Palencia. Loser Leche Rio Breogan keeps the eighth position with 14 games lost. Caceres 2016 will face bottom-ranked Clinicas Rincon (#18) in Malaga in the next round and are hoping to win another game.
Top scorers:
Caceres: L.Williams 20+5reb, C.Cherry 16+5reb+4ast, F.Sanchez 12+4reb+1ast, P.Robles 8+1reb+2ast, D.Rodriguez 7+1reb+4ast, S.Olmos 6+4reb
Breogan: J.Feldeine 18+2reb+2ast, P.Dia 10+3reb, B.Sales 7+11reb+4ast, M.Gomez 6+4reb, P.Yanez 5+2reb, S.Ogirri 5+1reb+3ast

Girona - Clinicas Rincon 75-59
No shocking result in a game when thirteenth ranked Girona FC (15-16) defeated at home bottom-ranked Clinicas Rincon (5-26) 75-59 on Sunday. The game without a history. Girona FC led from the first minutes and controlled entire game increasing their lead in each quarter. Naturalized American power forward Darryl Middleton (203-66, college: Baylor) fired 21 points for the winners. Latvian power forward Rolands Freimanis (207-88, agency: Players Group) chipped in 14 points and 9 rebounds. Four Girona FC players scored in double figures. Bosnian center Ognen Kuzmin (215-90) produced a double-double by scoring 15 points and 10 rebounds and guard Ernesto Diaz (191-90) added 10 points respectively for lost side. Both coaches used bench players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. Girona FC moved-up to tenth place, which they share with Caceres and Palencia. Clinicas Rincon lost third consecutive game. They stay dead last with 26 lost games. Girona FC will face Basquet Mallorca (#12) on the road in the next round. Clinicas Rincon will play against Caceres 2016 (#10).
Top scorers:
Girona: D.Middleton 21+3reb+3ast, R.Freimanis 14+9reb+1ast, I.Ordin 11+2reb+4ast, S.Pino 10+4reb, X.Guirao 7+3reb+2ast, P.Camprodon 3+4reb+1ast
Clinicas Rincon: O.Kuzmin 15+10reb+1ast, E.Diaz 10+2reb+1ast, D.Todorovic 9+3reb+1ast, M.Lorenzo 7+4reb, L.Conde 7+3reb+2ast, M.Soluade 4+2ast

Knet Clavijo - Mallorca 76-80
There was an upset in Logrono where higher ranked CB Clavijo (16-15) was defeated by fourteenth ranked Basquet Mallorca (14-17) 80-76 on Sunday. The guests took control from the first minutes by winning first half. But CB Clavijo won third quarter 19-18. However it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. The game was decided in the last minutes when Basquet Mallorca won last quarter 25-22. Strangely CB Clavijo outrebounded Basquet Mallorca 42-30 including a 15-4 advantage in offensive rebounds. Point guard Joan Carles Bivia (185-85) fired 12 points, 7 rebounds and 7 assists for the winners. Fijian guard Marques Whippy (196-86, college: BYU-Hawaii) chipped in 14 points and 8 rebounds. Five Basquet Mallorca players scored in double figures. Nigerian power forward Olaseni Lawal (208-86, college: Wayne St., MI) produced 11 points and 9 rebounds and guard Alberto Ruiz de Galarreta (198-83) added 12 points and 5 rebounds respectively for lost side. CB Clavijo's coach tried various players' combinations and tested in total eleven players in this game, but that didn't help. Basquet Mallorca moved-up to twelfth place, which they share with Leon. CB Clavijo at the other side, also newcomer in the league, keeps the ninth position with 15 games lost. Basquet Mallorca will face higher ranked Girona FC (#11) at home in the next round and it will be quite challenging to get another victory.
Top scorers:
Mallorca: M.Angel Garcia 18+2reb+3ast, M.Whippy 14+8reb+3ast, J.Amador 14+4reb+1ast, G.Justo 12, J.Carles Bivia 12+7reb+7ast, S.Green 6+3reb+2ast
Knet Clavijo: A.Ruiz de Galarreta 12+5reb+2ast, O.Lawal 11+9reb, E.Suarez 11+2reb+1ast, S.Zagorac 10+1reb+2ast, M.Witt 9+7reb+1ast, B.Arevalo 7+3reb

Canarias - Lleida 91-77
Rather predictable result in Tenerife where first ranked Canarias (24-7) beat 5th ranked Lleida Basquet (19-12) 91-77 on Sunday. It was a very close game until the last quarter, when Canarias's pressure prevailed and they won that period 25-13 extending their advantage to 14 points. They made 26-of-30 free shots (86.7 percent) during the game. Lleida Basquet was plagued by 24 personal fouls down the stretch. Greek forward Fotios Lampropoulos (206-F-83) fired 15 points and 8 rebounds for the winners. American forward Levi Rost (201-83, college: W.Michigan) chipped in 12 points. Four Canarias players scored in double figures. The former international power forward Alfonso Alzamora (206-79) produced 7 points and 14 rebounds and forward Miguel Feliu (200-85) added 15 points and 5 rebounds respectively for lost side. Both coaches used bench players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. Canarias maintains first place with 24-7 record. Loser Lleida Basquet dropped to the fourth position with 12 games lost. Canarias will face Palencia Baloncesto (#13) on the road in the next round which should be an easy win for them. Lleida Basquet will play against UB La Palma (#5) and it may be a tough game between close rivals. Canarias secure first place and promotion to Liga Endesa.
Top scorers:
Canarias: F.Lampropoulos 15+8reb+1ast, I.Yanez 14, A.Sabat 13+2reb+1ast, L.Rost 12+3reb+1ast, N.Richotti 8+3reb+3ast, J.Heras 8+1reb+4ast
Lleida: M.Feliu 15+5reb, F.Vazquez 12+2reb+2ast, J.Detrick 11+3ast, J.Simeon 10+5reb+2ast, J.Kale 9+5reb+1ast, C.Ramsdell 8+8reb

Melilla - La Palma 72-70
There was an upset when 3rd placed UB La Palma (19-12) was edged on the road by seventh ranked Melilla Baloncesto (18-13) 72-70 on Sunday. The hosts trailed by 3 points after first quarter, but they rallied back to get the 3-point lead at the halftime and eventually won the game 72-70. Guard Jose Salvador Arco (194-85) fired 14 points for the winners. German power forward Kiril Wachsmann (203-83, college: Iona, agency: Edge Sports) chipped in 8 points and 9 rebounds. Dutch power forward Roeland Schaftenaar (211-88, college: Oregon St.) produced 13 points and 9 rebounds and American forward Antonio Pena (203-86, college: Villanova) added 13 points and 7 rebounds respectively for lost side. Four UB La Palma players scored in double figures. Both coaches used bench players in such tough game. Melilla Baloncesto have a solid series of three victories in a row. Melilla Baloncesto maintains seventh place with 18-13 record. UB La Palma lost third consecutive game. They dropped to the fourth position with 12 games lost. Melilla Baloncesto will face CB Clavijo (#9) in Logrono in the next round. UB La Palma will play on the road against Lleida Basquet (#4) and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Melilla: H.Manzano 15+1reb, J.Salvador Arco 14+2reb+3ast, C.Odiakosa 10+5reb+1ast, M.Suka-Umu 9+2reb+2ast, K.Wachsmann 8+9reb+2ast, J.Riera 5+3ast
La Palma: R.Martinez 17+3reb+1ast, A.Pena 13+7reb+1ast, R.Schaftenaar 13+9reb, J.Bonhome 11+1ast, C.Diaz 7+2reb+1ast, L.Sikma 3+7reb+2ast

Menorca - Palencia 83-74
Everything went according to plan in Mahon where second ranked Menorca Basquet (20-11) won against 10th ranked Palencia Baloncesto (15-16) 83-74 on Saturday. The hosts started the game with a very strong first quarter 22-10. But Palencia Baloncesto won third quarter 17-14. However it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. Power forward Roberto Morentin (206-81, college: Cent.Florida) fired a double-double by scoring 12 points and 10 rebounds for the winners. American forward Taylor Coppenrath (205-81, college: Vermont) chipped in 13 points and 7 rebounds. Swingman Carles Bravo (192-79) produced 18 points and 6 rebounds and American forward Geoff McDermott (203-87, college: Providence, agency: Interperformances) added 18 points and 7 rebounds respectively for lost side. Four Palencia Baloncesto players scored in double figures. Both coaches used bench players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. Menorca Basquet maintains second place with 20-11 record having four points less than leader Canarias, which they share with Burgos. Loser Palencia Baloncesto keeps the tenth position with 16 games lost. Menorca Basquet will face Lobe Huesca (#16) on the road in the next round which should be an easy win for them. Palencia Baloncesto will play against the league's leader Canarias (#1) in Tenerife.
Top scorers:
Menorca: T.Coppenrath 13+7reb+1ast, D.Navarro 13+2reb+1ast, R.Morentin 12+10reb+1ast, R.Bas 10+1reb+1ast, D.Perez 7+3reb+7ast, M.Blanch 7+3reb
Palencia: G.McDermott 18+7reb+1ast, C.Bravo 18+6reb+2ast, A.Moss 14+2reb, I.O'Leary 10+7reb+1ast, E.Garrido 8+4reb+1ast, R.Guerra 4+2reb+2ast

Burgos - Huesca 93-90
There was no surprise when 16th ranked Lobe Huesca (11-20) was edged on the road by fourth ranked Ford Burgos (20-11) 93-90 on Sunday. However just three-point win is not that big difference and the fans of host team counted on more convincing victory. Lobe Huesca trailed by 11 points after 3 quarters before a 28-20 run in the last quarter cut the deficit to 90-93 at the end of the game. Ford Burgos shot 62.1 percent from the field. Guard Rafael Huertas (189-84, agency: Court Side) fired 19 points and 4 steals for the winners. Power forward Josep Ortega (200-84) chipped in 14 points and 6 rebounds. Four Ford Burgos players scored in double figures. Ford Burgos' coach Andreu Casadevall used a ten-player rotation in such tough game. American guard Levi Knutson (193-88, college: Colorado, agency: FCM) produced 25 points and the other American import Alexander Franklin (196-88, college: Siena) added 21 points and 5 rebounds respectively for lost side. Ford Burgos have a solid series of three victories in a row. Ford Burgos moved-up to second place, which they share with Menorca. Loser Lobe Huesca dropped to the fifteenth position with 20 games lost. Ford Burgos will face CB Tarragona 2017 (#15) on the road in the next round which should be an easy win for them. Lobe Huesca will play against Menorca Basquet in Mahon.
Top scorers:
Burgos: R.Huertas 19+1reb+3ast, J.Tillman 15+4reb+1ast, J.Ortega 14+6reb+2ast, R.Schraeder 12+1reb, D.Phillip 12+5reb, D.Lopez 9+2reb+3ast
Huesca: L.Knutson 25+3reb+2ast, A.Franklin 21+5reb+3ast, M.Servera 11+1reb+1ast, A.Garcia 10+4reb+4ast, J.Orfila 9+5reb, J.Nasarre 8+3reb

Granada - CB Tarragona 79-69
There was a small surprise when seventeenth ranked CB Granada (7-24) defeated at home 15th ranked CB Tarragona 2017 (11-20) 79-69 on Sunday. The game was mostly controlled by CB Granada. CB Tarragona 2017 was better in third quarter 18-16. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. They outrebounded CB Tarragona 2017 41-25 including a 32-15 advantage in defensive rebounds. CB Tarragona 2017 was plagued by 24 personal fouls down the stretch. Power forward Jose Manuel Coego (204-78) fired 23 points and 8 rebounds for the winners. The former international center Jesus Fernandez (204-75) chipped in a double-double by scoring 12 points, 11 rebounds and 4 assists. Five CB Granada players scored in double figures. Dutch-British guard Devon Van Oostrum (190-93) produced 19 points and power forward Roger Fornas (202-82) added 12 points and 5 rebounds respectively for lost side. CB Tarragona 2017's coach rotated ten players in this game, but that didn't help. CB Granada maintains seventeenth place with 7-24 record. CB Tarragona 2017 lost third consecutive game. Loser CB Tarragona 2017 keeps the fifteenth position with 20 games lost. CB Granada will face higher ranked Grupo Iruna Navarra (#6) in Pamplona in the next round and it will be quite challenging to get another victory.
Top scorers:
Granada: J.Manuel Coego 23+8reb+1ast, R.Lopez 15+1reb+3ast, G.Sanchez 12+3reb+1ast, J.Fernandez 12+11reb+4ast, A.Hernandez 10+4reb, M.Rodriguez 5+3reb+1ast
CB Tarragona: D.Van Oostrum 19+1reb, R.Fornas 12+5reb+1ast, I.Martinez 9+2reb+2ast, A.Llorca 7+5reb+2ast, J.Santana 6+3reb+5ast, A.Schreiber 6+2reb+2ast

Mannheim 2012: Spain topple Russia for second straight win - by Eurobasket News

Spain U18 - Russia U18 78:66

Spain celebrated the second straight win at the Albert Schweitzer Tournament in Germany. They overcame Russia to improve at 2-0 record in Group C. Guillermo Hernangomez (203-C-94) tallied 24 points and 13 rebounds to pace the winners. Russia fell at 1-1 record after the loss.
Spain led by three points after ten minutes 24:21. But Russia erased the deficit in the second term. They levelled things up at 39 going into the dressing room. Spain turned on aggressive defensively in the third term. They limited Russian team to just 10 points in the frame taking a 6-point lead. Spain unloaded 23 points in the final stanza and sealed the victory at the end. Ilimane Diop (210-C-95) knocked down 13 points, while Josep Perez (183-PG-94) added 9 points in the victory. Stanislav Ilnitskiy (200-F-94) responded with 17 points, 6 boards and 4 assists for Russia. Mikhail Kulagin (188-G-94) had 13 points in the loss.

Spain U18: Guillermo Hernangomez 24+13 boards, Ilimane Diop 13, Josep Perez 9
Russia U18: Stanislav Ilnitskiy 17, Mikhail Kulagin 13

Estudiantes bring in Louis Bullock - by Eurobasket News

Asefa Estudiantes strengthened their backcourt. They announced the signing of Louis Bullock (185-G-76, college: Michigan). The guard spent the last season also in Spain. He played for Cajasol Sevilla. Louis Bullock tallied 11.8 points, 1.8 assists, 1.3 rebounds and 1.3 steals per game in EuroCup. In ACB his stats read 12.1 points, 2.3 assists, 1.4 rebounds and 1.0 steal per appearance. He helped Cajasol Sevilla reach EuroCup Final in 2011. Previously Louis Bullock had stints with Real Madrid, Pennsylvania Valley Dawgs, Unicaja Malaga, Milano and Verona. Eurobasket.com named Louis Bullock into ULEB Cup All-Imports Team in 2007. Year before the guard made it into Euroleague All-Imports Team. Louis Bullock used to be the member of USA U22 National Team.

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

SWEDEN

Stats Leaders - BasketEttan

Points Per Game

Binyam FEGHADU
  Jarva D.
  (195-G-89)
  Avg: 28.4

1. Feghadu, Jarva D.	28.4
2. Fitzgerald, Malbas	26.1
3. Bergstrom, Black.	22.3
4. Vukovic, Helsingbo.	20.1
5. Banks, Taby	19.6
6. Ganstrand, Sanda	18.9
7. Karovic, Eos	18.6
8. Cedermarker, Srb.	18.4
9. Robinson, Brahe B.	17.7
10. Norstrom, Eskil.	17.7

Rebounds Per Game

Todorce PETKOVSKI
  Srbija
  (200-F-80)
  Avg: 11.3