EUROBASKET NEWS REPORT - 8/19/2012 1:00:00 AM

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Men News

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  ABA   



Dane Rawlins is a newcomer at Tampa Bay Rain - by Eurobasket Center (T)

Tampa Bay Rain added to their roster 25-year old Kittitian swingman Dane Rawlins (193-G/F-87, college: Tampa). Rawlins played most recently at Team Amsterdam (Eurobasket). While playing 4 games for Amsterdam last season he averaged 9.5ppg and 8.8rpg. He just graduated University of Tampa and it will be his first season in pro basketball.
The Conaree village basketball star last played in the SKABA League just 4 years ago for his community team the Conaree Fireballs. He was a SKABA Junior League superstar with the Bird Rock Uprisers back in 2005-2007 before gaining a scholarship to Missouri Baptist University where he spent two years before transferring to the University of Tampa.
The 6'-6' guard has been described by many local basketball pundits as easily the best player out of SKABA in recent years and his presence on the current roster of the ABA's Tampa Bay Rain is testament to the credence of that notion.
Rawlins will be coached by former NBA Center Tree Rollins and is expected to be an integral part of the Rain line-up.
'We are proud of the progress and success of our SKABA players on the US College and now Pro scene , said a SKABA Official
'In the last year we have heard of the success of a number of our players including Shamile Jeffers , Othniel Heyliger, Nashorn Maynard, Maliesha Ceasar and now Dane Rawlins who have all excelled at their various levels of basketball from the colleged division 1 and 2 levels to the semi-pro or pro level. We are extremely proud of their success' and we will continue to work hard to ensure that this exodus of players to US Colleges and Pro teams continues and thus enhance the development of SKABA Basketball and basketball in the federation,' the official continued
In 2011 there were a record 11 SKABA players at various US Colleges on basketball scholarships.

By Eurobasket Data Center


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  ARGENTINA   


Liga A rosters 2012/13: part 1 - by Facundo Iatzky

Atenas Cordoba:

Bruno Labaque (182-G-77), Matias Lescano (196-G/F-79) , Diego Guaita (204-C-83), Roman Gonzalez (209-C-78), Mariano Fierro (201-F/C-86), Javier Bulfoni (192-G-76), Julian Aprea (210-C-87), Alexis Elsener (195-G-88), Robert Hornsby (196-F/C-82, college: Troy), Bruno Colli (175-PG-92)
Franco Barroso (207-C-94), Tomas Ligorria, Nicolas Zurschmitten (180-G-95), Daniel Tabbia
youth team: Cristian Rossini (196-F-95), Mauricio Prieto (190-G-94), Gregorio Espindola (195-F-95).

Regatas corrientes:

Javier Martinez (189-G-78), Nicolas Ferreyra (185-PG-85), Miguel Gerlero (194-G-88), Nicolas Romano (197-F/C-87), Pedro I. Calderon (209-C-80), Paolo Quinteros (185-PG-79), Federico Guillermo Kammerichs (202-F-80), Tony Washam (200-F-82, college: St.Vincent), Djibril Kante (201-C-80, college: Indiana St.), Franco Vieta (189-G-92)
Luciano Tognon, Nicolas Brussino (201-G-93), Carlos Buendia (182-G-95), Juan Arengo, Alejandro Zurbriggen

Lanus:

Nicolas Laprovittola (188-PG-90), Adrian Boccia (195-G/F-82), Facundo Giorgi (205-F/C-85, college: FIU), Fernando Martina (202-F/C-81),Leonel Carlos Schattmann (194-G-87), Lucas Perez (184-PG-87), Robert Battle (204-C-81, college: Drexel), Cleotis Brown (198-G/F-77, college: Illinois), William McFarlan (201-F-76,college: St.Thomas Aquinas), Martin Cuello (195-G-93)
Guido Mariani, Shawn Anderson, Leonel Rodriguez (C-93), Erik Budzisch (206-C-94)
youth team: Tomas Malvestiti, Matias Nunez.

Olimpico La banda:

Jonatan Machuca (184-PG-89), Fabian Ramirez (197-F/G-90), Fernando Malara (194-F-80), Ariel Eslava (203-G/F-79), Ariel Pau (186-G-84), Hernando Salles (188-G-79), Cedric McGowan (198-F-85, agency: Court Side, college: Cincinnati), Deilvez Yearby (198-F-87, agency: Pro One Sports, college: IPFW), Sam Clancy (202-C/F-80, college: USC), Marco Diez (180-G-92)
Mauricio Manfredi, Hugo Lopez, Avaro Alvarez (195-F-94) , Jorge Banegas (192-G-93), Adrian Juarez


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  ASIAN CHAMPIONSHIPS U18   


Results and Stats from Day 2 in Ulaanbaatar - by Eurobasket News

Group A
India - China 54-119
China roll over India in Day 2 of the 22nd FIBA Asia U18 Championship The Chinese team did not have any difficulties reaching 119:54 win. China erupted with 17-2 surge in the first five minutes and never looked behind after. They led 27:4 at the end of the first period and increased to 44:9 midway through the second frame. The board showed 55:14 when the teams went to the lockers at the halftime. In the second half China continued their dominance and produced two victories in the periods. They led 88:33 with 10 minutes to go and reached three digit number early in the last quarter. Moreover they scored another 19 points for a comfortable win. Gao Shang (198-F/G-94) top-scored for the winners with 22 points and Wang Zhelin as well as BA I Bing had 15 each. Dai Huaibo (205-C/F-94) delivered 13, while Wu Qian and Li Qi scored 11 apiece. Rakesh Singh (198-PF-95) ended up with 19 points and 10 rebounds in defeat, while Narender Satyawan (176-PG-96) posted 10. BHA SIN Akash followed them with 9 points in the losing effort.

Hong Kong - Lebanon 70-113
Lebanon outscored Hong Kong in the start of Day 2 at the 22nd FIBA Asia U18 Championship. Lebanon reached the second straight win after 113:70 over the opponents. Lebanon grabbed 16:12 after the first five minutes of the game and increased to 25:18. They led 39:26 midway through the second frame and grabbed 59:29 halftime advantage. The board showed 78:47 after 5 minutes in the third period and then Lebanon finished the third period at 90:52. They reached three digit number with 5 minutes to go and closed the game with 113:70 on the board. Wael Arakji (192-G-94) top-scored for the winners with 21 points and Jimmy Salem nailed 17. Ali Mezher delivered 15, while Georges Choueiry (184-G-95) added 13. CHANG Yiu fai and Ng Chun Yan replied with 14 points each as the latter also grabbed 11 rebounds. Tsai Choi Kwan (186-SF-95) posted 11 and Ho Chun Kit notched 11.

Group B
Japan - Singapore 110-53
Japan celebrated the first win at the U18 Asia Championship. They fired past Singapore for 1-1 record in Group B. Ryogo Suntano (193-SF-96) stepped up with 24 points to lead the winners. Singapore fell at 0-2 record after the loss. Japan started the game confidently. They exploded with 30 points in the opening quarter to take an 18-point lead. Japan stayed in charge throughout the second frame. They unloaded 28 points to stretch the lead to 38-point mark at halftime. Japan delivered another 28-point quarter after the big break and opened a massive 43-point buffer heading into the fourth frame. They did not slow down rallying to a comfortable win at the end. Masahiro Narita accounted for 22 points, while Yudai Baba had 13 points for the winners. Loon Tay Ding (185-PF-94) answered with 15 points for Singapore. Low Remus (183-F-94) chipped in 12 points in the loss.

Syria - South Korea 62-79
South Korea posted the second consecutive win at the start of U18 Asia Championship. They defeated Syria for 2-0 record on top of B. Syria suffered the initial loss and slipped at 1-1 record. South Korea gained a 24:21 lead after ten minutes. They stayed in charge throughout the second quarter. The Korean team boosted the gap to 8-point mark at the interval 45:37. South Korea kept their opponents at bay throughout the third stanza. They extended the margin to as many as 14 points heading into the fourth quarter. Syria scored just 11 points in the fourth term and had to surrender at the end. Gibeom Cheon (187-G-94) scored 24 points to lead the winners. Jonghyun Lee (206-C-94) added 18 points, while Sangjae Kang had 17 points for South Korea. Mouhammad Shahin (192-F-94) and Mohamad Atle produced 11 points each in the loss.

Group C
Mongolia - Taiwan 42-107
Taiwan beat the hosts to close Day 2 at the 22nd FIBA Asia U18 Championship. Taiwan easily rolled over Mongolia 107:42 for 2-0 record. Taiwan started with 26-10 in the first period and never looked behind after. They added massive 31-11 in the second frame and enjoyed 57:21 lead at the halftime. Moreover the second half was also dominated by the guests. Taiwan won the third quarter 29-11 and finished the game with 21-10 in the last stanza. Huang Tsun-Han paced all the winners with 18 points and Lin Yu-Ping as well as Lee Chia-Jui had 12 each. Chen Po-Liang and Lin Kuan-Chun (184-G-95) followed them with 10 points each in a win. Munkhnasan Lkhamjav (180-G-94) answered with 15 points in defeat and Chinzorig Enkhtaivan delivered 11.

Indonesia - Bahrain 72-67
Indonesia earned the first win at the U18 Asian Championship. They overcame Bahrain to improve at 1-1 record in Group C. Jan Panagan scored 17 points to lead the winners. Bahrain slipped at 1-1 record after the loss. Indonesia opened the game aggressively as they jumped to a 19:12 lead after ten minutes. Bahrain however struck right back in the second frame. They fired 26 points in the period to take a 38:25 halftime lead. Indonesia slowed their opponents down in the third quarter. They limited Bahrain to 14 points in the quarter and trimmed the deficit at 4-point mark at the final intermission. Indonesia quickly erased the deficit in the final frame and soon surged in front. They left Bahrain behind and marched to the victory at the end. Juan Kokodiputra and Kristianto Halim posted 14 points each for Indonesia. Mohammed Buallay (185-F-95) answered with 24 points for Bahrain. Sadiq Shukralla had 12 points and 11 rebounds in defeat.

Group D
Saudi Arabia - Iran 54-86
Iran registered the second straight win at the start of U18 Asia Championship. They defeated Saudi Arabia in Group D. Behnam Yakhchali scored 31 points to pace the winners. Iran cleared off in the starting quarter. They grabbed a 23:11 lead ten minutes into the game. Iran maintained the lead throughout the second quarter. They ensured a 40:25 halftime advantage. Iran did not slow after the big break. They opened a 19-point lead at the final intermission. Iran limited Saudi Arabia to just 9 points in the fourth quarter and rolled to the victory at the end. Vahid Dalirzahan posted 15 points, while Hossein Rahmati (204-C-93) added 10 points and 10 boards for the winners. Waheed Faqihi (185-F-94) answered with 18 points for Saudi Arabia. Nassir Abo Jalas netted 17 points in the loss.

Kazakhstan - Philippines 69-83
Philippines beat Kazakhstan in Buyant-Ukhaa arena in Day 2 of the 22nd FIBA Asia U18 Championship. They grabbed 2-0 record after 83:69 victory. Kazakhstan grabbed 9:8 in the first five minutes of the game, while the games was tied at 18:18 at the end of the first period. Kazakhstan again took 27:26 midway through the second frame, but failed later in the half. Philippines erupted for 38:30 lead at the halftime, but then again Kazakhstan tied it all at 46:46. Philippines meanwhile managed to take 55:52 after three quarters played. They continued their dominance in the last quarter and reached the victory. Mario Bonleon top-scored for the winners with 20 points and Rodolfo Alejandro (180-G-95) nailed 18. SUAREZ Janus kyle posted 14, while CANI Janhubert angelo scored 10. Alexey Kurochka (185-G-94) and Alymzhan Maxutov replied with 22 points each. Maxim Marchuk (195-F/G-94) nailed 14, while ZHUMA BEK Birzhan scored 5.


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  AUSTRIA   


U18 European Championship: Holland destroy Austria in Classification Round - by Eurobasket News

Austria U18-Holland U18 48:72

Holland destroy Austria in Classification Round for the 9th to 12th Place at the U18 European Championship in Division B, The Dutch team needed 72:48 victory to play tomorrow for the 9th place. Austria meanwhile will play in the game for 11-12 places.
Holland did not waste time and started the game with 23-14. They added massive 22-12 in the second period and actually solved the problem about the winner. Mike Schilder (185-PG-94, agency: Court Side) sent the teams to the lockers for 45:26 and then Julius van Sauers (191-F-95) nailed three for 50:29. Holland also won the third period 20-11 and did not mind 7-11 in the lasts stanza.
Julius van Sauers top-scored for the winners with 13 points and Boy Van Vliet (182-SG-94) netted 12. Mike Schilder scored 11, while Jito Kok (205-C-94) added 10. Timur Bas (198-PF-94) finished the game with 16 points and Jakob Poeltl (208-PF-95) scored 13 in defeat.

Austria U18: Timur Bas 16, Jakob Poeltl 13
Holland U18: Julius van Sauers 13, Boy Van Vliet 12, Mike Schilder 11, Jito Kok 10


Ukraine escape with narrow win in Schwechat - by Eurobasket News

Austria-Ukraine 57:61

Ukraine escape with narrow win in Schwechat as they beat Austria for 2-0 record in Group C. Ukrainian kept the hosts scoreless in the last five minutes and grabbed 61:57 win.
Austria was not afraid of the Fratellos team and started with 19:16 in the first period. Ukraine meanwhile answered with 16-10 in the second period and grabbed 32:29 at the halftime. Austria again took the lead back after 22-16 in the third quarter. Rasid Mahalbasic (208-C-90) gave Austria 57:54 with 5 minutes to go, but those points were the last in the game for the hosts. Steven Burtt (185-G-84, college: Iona) tied the game from the perimeter and Pecherov scored for 59:57. The latter also made a free throw and Drozdov added one more for the final result in the game.
Pecherov paced all the winners with 11 points and Sergii Gladyr (196-SG-88) netted 9. Steven Burtt and Maxym Korniyenko (204-F/C-87) followed them with 8 points each. Davor Lamesic (205-PF-83, agency: Interperformances) ended up with 18 points in the losing effort and Rasid Mahalbasic netted 17. Jason Detrick (195-SF-80, agency: Court Side, college: Oklahoma) finished the game with 12 points for the hosts and Moritz Lanegger (190-PG-90, agency: Interperformances) brought 6.

Austria: Davor Lamesic 18, Rasid Mahalbasic 17, Jason Detrick 12, Moritz Lanegger 6
Ukraine: Pecherov 11, Sergii Gladyr 9, Steven Burtt 8, Maxym Korniyenko 8


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  AZERBAIJAN   


Azerbaijan surprise Bulgaria in Baku - by Eurobasket News

Azerbaijan- Bulgaria 88:71

Azerbaijan surprise Bulgaria in Baku in Day 2 of the EuroBasket qualifying campaign. With only 6 participating players the hosts side celebrated a 88:71 victory.
The hosts raced into an early 18-6 lead on two free throws from Davis, and led 26-14 at the end of the first quarter after Rasim Bashak nailed a late three-pointer. Moreover they won the second frame 27-17 and enjoyed 53:31 at the halftime. Azerbaijan also won the third period 23-21 and did not mind slowing down in the rest of the game. Bulgaria managed to win the last stanza 19-12 but could not come closer to the opponent.
Charles Davis (205-C-84, college: Alabama) stepped up with 30 points for the winners, while Orhan Haciyeva (200-PF-89) collected 16 points and 15 rebounds. Fuad Niftaliyev (185-PG-80) notched 15 and Rasim Bashak (200-F-80, agency: Court Side) added 13. Aleksandar Georgiev (203-F-90, agency: Interperformances) and Bozhidar Avramov (196-PG-90, agency: Interperformances) posted 14 points each in the losing effort as Bulgaria is with 1-1 record. Nikolay Varbanov (210-C-85, agency: Interperformances) followed them with 10 points in a loss.

Azerbaijan: Charles Davis 30, Orhan Haciyeva 16+15 rebs, Fuad Niftaliyev 15, Rasim Bashak 13
Bulgaria: Aleksandar Georgiev 14, Bozhidar Avramov 14, Nikolay Varbanov 10


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  BAHRAIN   


U18 Championship: Indonesia open win count beating Bahrain - by Eurobasket News

Indonesia U18 - Bahrain U18 72:67

Indonesia earned the first win at the U18 Asian Championship. They overcame Bahrain to improve at 1-1 record in Group C. Jan Panagan (179-G-94) scored 17 points to lead the winners. Bahrain slipped at 1-1 record after the loss.
Indonesia opened the game aggressively as they jumped to a 19:12 lead after ten minutes. Bahrain however struck right back in the second frame. They fired 26 points in the period to take a 38:25 halftime lead. Indonesia slowed their opponents down in the third quarter. They limited Bahrain to 14 points in the quarter and trimmed the deficit at 4-point mark at the final intermission. Indonesia quickly erased the deficit in the final frame and soon surged in front. They left Bahrain behind and marched to the victory at the end. Juan Kokodiputra (193-C/F-95) and Kristianto Halim (201-C-94) posted 14 points each for Indonesia. Mohammed Buallay (185-F-95) answered with 24 points for Bahrain. Sadiq Shukralla (181-F-97) had 12 points and 11 rebounds in defeat.

Indonesia U18: Jan Panagan 17, Juan Kokodiputra 14, Kristianto Halim 14
Bahrain U18: Mohammed Buallay 24, Sadiq Shukralla 12+11 boards


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  BALKAN LEAGUE   


Vladimir Popovic new name in OKK Beograd - by Zoran Popovic (T)

Vladimir Popovic (190-G-82) in new player of OKK Beograd and experienced player on witch can coach Jekovic count for next season. Former player of Vizura Smederevo Vladimir Popovic was born April 10, 1982 in Valjevo, started career in Partizan youth team. His profesional career Popovic build in Milicionar, Pivovarna Lako, Elektra otanj, KK Sloga Kraljevo, KK Spartak Subotica, Inter College Etha Egonomis, Strumica, Ergonom Best, KK Ferped Rabotnicki Skoplje, Swisslion Takovo i Vizura Smederevo. Last season on 18 games played in Serbian league for Vizura Smederevo Popovic average scored 10.5 points, 2.2 boards, 2.3 assists and 1,2 steals per game. Vladimir Popovic was member of Yugoslavian U18 National team.


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  BALTIC LEAGUE   


Kedainiai get bigger with Jonas Bergstedt - by Eurobasket News (T)

Kedainiai Triobet strengthened their frontcourt. They penned deal with Jonas Bergstedt (210-C-91). The Danish centre spent the last two seasons in Spain. Last season the centre played for Espacio Torrelodones. Jonas Bergstedt averaged 11.3 points, 9.8 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 1.6 assists and 1.1 blocks per game in EBA. Jonas Bergstedt participated at Adidas EuroCamp in Treviso this summer. He was the member of U18 and U20 Danish National Teams.


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  BELARUS   


Turkey barely survive Belarusian test - by Eurobasket News

Turkey - Belarus 77:74

Turkey earned a tough home win over Belarus at the start of 2013 EuroBasket Qualifying Round campaign. Semih Erden (211-F/C-86) scored 20 points and grabbed 6 rebounds as Turkey got away with a narrow win late in regulation. Emir Preldzic (205-SF-87, agency: Beo Basket) drained a late three-pointer as Turkey escaped with victory in opener.
It was a tough battle from start to finish. The teams traded baskets throughout the opening quarter. Turkey eked out a 19:18 lead after ten minutes. Belarus stayed within a striking distance throughout the second quarter. The visitors would level things up on several occasions and eventually drew things level at 36 heading into the second half. Turkey used a 14:1 run in the third quarter to take an 11-point lead. The hosts ensured a 60:48 advantage at the final intermission. But Belarus answered with a 14:3 rally to narrow the deficit to a single point 62:63. Semih Erden and Emir Preldzic kept Turkey in front but Pustahvar and Ulyanko knotted things up at 69. The teams were tied at 74 with 8 seconds remaining in regulation. However Emir Preldzic hit a three-pointer and then Semih Erden blocked Meshcharakou's attempt to seal the victory for the home team. Emir Preldzic accounted for 14 points, while Sinan Guler (192-SG-83, agency: 1x1 Sports, college: Carroll, MT) added 11 points for the winners. Aliaksandr Kudrautsau (190-SG-80) answered with 21 points for Belarus. Artsiom Parakhouski (210-C-87, college: Radford) netted 17 points in the loss.

Turkey: Semih Erden 20, Emir Preldzic 14, Sinan Guler 11
Belarus: Aliaksandr Kudrautsau 21, Artsiom Parakhouski 17


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  BELGIUM   


U18 European Championship: Estonia step closer to the 5th place - by Eurobasket News

Belgium U18-Estonia U18 59:78

Estonia step closer to the 5th place of the U18 European Championship in Division B. The team overcame Belgium 78:59 at the Classification Round for 5th to 8th Place in Sarajevo. Belgium will take on Israel tomorrow in the game for the 7-8 places.
Belgium looked better in the start of the game and reached 25-21 at the end of the first ten minutes. Moreover the Baltic State added 14-10 in the second quarter for 39:31 lead at the halftime. The third quarter however was decisive in the game and Estonia erupted with 29-11 for 60:50 advantage when Martin Jurtom (198-PF-94) closed the period. Estonia added another 18-9 burst in the last stanza to win the game.
Martin Jurtom top-scored for the winners with 21 points and 10 rebounds, while Kent Vene (192-SG-94) and Georg Tambre (194-PF-94) netted 12 each. Sander Saare (182-PG-94) collected 10 points and 10 assists in a win. Emmanuel Lecomte (180-G-95) replied with 15 points in the losing effort and Naim El Khounchar (193-G-94) added 14. Xavier Francois (200-C-94) posted 10 and Mathijs Gijbels (204-PF-95) delivered 8.

Belgium U18: Emmanuel Lecomte 15, Naim El Khounchar 14, Xavier Francois 10, Mathijs Gijbels 8
Estonia U18: Martin Jurtom 21+10 rebs, Kent Vene 12, Georg Tambre 12, Sander Saare 10+10 ast


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  BOSNIA   


U18 European Championship: Bosnia and Herzegovina clinched Division A promotion - by Eurobasket News

England U18- Bosnia and Herzegovina U18 63:64

Bosnia and Herzegovina clinched Division A promotion for 2012/2013 season. The home side grabbed valuable 64:63 win over England at the Semifinal of the U18 European Championship in Division B. England meanwhile will have another chance tomorrow in the game for the third place.
England opened the game better and reached 25-13 in the end of the first period. Later Bosnia responded with some good baskets and managed to win the second and the third periods. Bosnia responded with 18-10 in the second frame and added 17-11 in the third period. Bosnia led 7 points in the last minute and then Luke Nelson reduced to 63:60. His three-pointer with 1 second to go was enough only to cut it to 63:64 as the hosts celebrated the success in the court.
Nedim Buza (201-SF-95) top-scored for the winners with 19 points and Srdan Damjanovic (188-G-94) nailed 15. Adin Vrabac (202-G/F-94) delivered 11, while Jusuf Nurkic (212-C-94) collected 10 points and 13 rebounds. Luke Nelson (189-PG-95)s 33 points and 10 rebounds were not enough to win the game. Elliott Sentance posted 12, while Kingsley Okoroh (213-C-95) had 8.

England U18: Luke Nelson 33+10 rebs, Elliott Sentance (191-SG-94) 12, Kingsley Okoroh 8
Bosnia and Herzegovina U18: Nedim Buza 19, Srdan Damjanovic 15, Adin Vrabac 11, Jusuf Nurkic 10+13 rebs


Bosnia and Herzegovina thump Netherlands - by Eurobasket News

Netherlands - Bosnia and Herzegovina 89:107

Bosnia and Herzegovina celebrated the second straight win at the start of 2013 EuroBasket Qualifying Round. They shot down Netherlands for 2-0 record on top of Group D. Mirza Teletovic (205-F-85, agency: Beo Basket) came up with another sizzling performance scoring 33 points in the win.
Netherlands stayed competitive throughout the first half. The Dutch team trailed by just two points at the first break 24:26. Netherlands managed to get within a single point at halftime 50:51. Slagter opened the second half with a three-pointer to put the hosts in front. However Bosnia and Herzegovina responded with a 19:2 run to spur back in charge. The visitors silenced Netherlands posting a 90:64 lead at the final break. Bosnia and Herzegovina never looked back cruising to the victory at the end. Nihad Djedovic (198-F-90, agency: Beo Basket) accounted for 28 points, while Dalibor Persic (193-G-85) finished with 14 points for the winners. Henk Norel (214-C-87) answered with 17 points and 9 rebounds for Netherlands. Worthy de Jong (194-SG-88, agency: R.H.Consultancy) had 16 points in the loss.

Netherlands: Henk Norel 17, Worthy de Jong 16
Bosnia and Herzegovina: Mirza Teletovic 33, Nihad Djedovic 28, Dalibor Persic 14


Goran Ikonic inks with Politekhnika-Halychyna - by Eurobasket News (T)

Goran Ikonic (196-G-80, agency: Beo Basket) inks with Politekhnika-Halychyna for the next season. The Bosnia and Herzegovina International moves to Ukraine.
Last year he played for Pinar Karsiyaka SK Izmir. In 2011-2012 his stats read 2 games: 10.5ppg, 1.0rpg, 1.5apg, 1.5spg in EuroCup Qualifications and then in EuroChallenge he showed 9.6ppg, 2.1rpg, 1.3apg, 1.5spg, FGP: 48.6%, 3PT: 31.5%, FT: 66.7%. In Turkish League Goran averaged 12.1ppg, 2.5rpg, 2.0apg, 1.3spg, FGP: 54.3%, 3PT: 39.2%, FT: 82.1%.

Earlier he won the Eurochallege Cup 2011 with Krka Novo Mesto. He averahed 10.7ppg, 1.8rpg, 1.5apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 54.8%, 3PT: 31.3%, FT: 83.6% in Adriatic League and in EuroChallenge had 13.6ppg, 2.1rpg, 1.9apg, 1.2spg, FGP: 55.6%, 3PT: 37.3%, FT: 75.7%. In Slovenian League after 20 games hi stats read 10.0ppg, 1.7rpg, 1.8apg, 1.5spg, FGP: 56.5%, 3PT: 33.7%, FT: 78.1%.
In 2009-2010 he played for BC Donetsk (Ukraine-Superleague).


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  BULGARIA   


Azerbaijan surprise Bulgaria in Baku - by Eurobasket News

Azerbaijan- Bulgaria 88:71

Azerbaijan surprise Bulgaria in Baku in Day 2 of the EuroBasket qualifying campaign. With only 6 participating players the hosts side celebrated a 88:71 victory.
The hosts raced into an early 18-6 lead on two free throws from Davis, and led 26-14 at the end of the first quarter after Rasim Bashak nailed a late three-pointer. Moreover they won the second frame 27-17 and enjoyed 53:31 at the halftime. Azerbaijan also won the third period 23-21 and did not mind slowing down in the rest of the game. Bulgaria managed to win the last stanza 19-12 but could not come closer to the opponent.
Charles Davis (205-C-84, college: Alabama) stepped up with 30 points for the winners, while Orhan Haciyeva (200-PF-89) collected 16 points and 15 rebounds. Fuad Niftaliyev (185-PG-80) notched 15 and Rasim Bashak (200-F-80, agency: Court Side) added 13. Aleksandar Georgiev (203-F-90, agency: Interperformances) and Bozhidar Avramov (196-PG-90, agency: Interperformances) posted 14 points each in the losing effort as Bulgaria is with 1-1 record. Nikolay Varbanov (210-C-85, agency: Interperformances) followed them with 10 points in a loss.

Azerbaijan: Charles Davis 30, Orhan Haciyeva 16+15 rebs, Fuad Niftaliyev 15, Rasim Bashak 13
Bulgaria: Aleksandar Georgiev 14, Bozhidar Avramov 14, Nikolay Varbanov 10


U18 European Championship: Edgars Stelmahers leads Latvia past Bulgaria - by Eurobasket News

Latvia U18 - Bulgaria U18 81:64

Latvia celebrated a comfortable win over Bulgaria in the classification round of U18 European Championship. Edgars Stelmahers (185-G/F-94) posted 16 points to lead the winners. Latvia will now play for the fifth overall position at the tournament.
Latvia started the game strongly. They accounted for 24 points in the first ten minutes to take an 8-point lead. Bulgaria struck right back in the second term. The visitors held Latvia to 12 points in the quarter and gained a 37:36 halftime lead. But Latvia were back in the drivers seat in the third quarter. They knocked down 26 points in the third frame to ensure a 7-point lead into the fourth term. Latvia held Bulgarian counterparts to 9 points in the final stanza and celebrated victory at the end. Ilja Gromovs (207-C-94) posted 12 points, while Toms Leimanis (190-PG-94) and Roberts Krastins (196-SF-94) added 11 points each for the winners. Kris Minkov (198-SF-94) responded with 14 points for Bulgaria. Deyan Karamfilov (180-PG-94) netted 11 points in the loss.

Latvia U18: Edgars Stelmahers 16, Ilja Gromovs 12, Toms Leimanis 11, Roberts Krastins 11
Bulgaria U18: Kris Minkov 14, Deyan Karamfilov 11


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  CHINA   


China Blasts India 119-54 - by Arthur Volbert

China destroyed India 119-54 in the FIBA Asia U-18 Championship. India's star 7-footer, Satnam Singh Bharama is not on the team and so India has no one to give any resistance to China. Gao Shang (198-F/G-94) led China with 22 points and 3 assists. Wang Zhelin had 15 points and 7 rebounds. Bai Bing had 15 points and 9 rebounds. Dai Huaibo had 15 points and 7 rebunds. Wu Qian had 11 points and 6 assists. Li Qi had 11 points and 4 steals. Zhou Qi did not play.

Rakesh, a 198 cm power forward, led India with 19 points and 10 rebounds. But India is very far from being a world-class team and we still have no idea how good this Chinese team is. Korea and Iran appear to have competitive teams, good for Asian standards, so we may find something out when China plays these teams in later rounds.

Link to box score:

http://www.fibaasia.net/UserImages/BSF012012817225039.PDF


Other games:
Indonesia 72 Bahrain 67
Philippines 83 Kazakhstan 69
Japan 110 Singapore 53
Korea 79 Syria 62
IrAN 86 saudi Arabia 54
Chinese Taipei 107 Mongolia 42
Lebanon 113 Hong Kong 70

Standings:
GROUP A
Team W L Pts GA
China (CHN) 2 0 4 2.69
Lebanon (LIB) 2 0 4 1.36
India (IND) 0 2 2 0.63
Hong Kong (HKG) 0 2 2 0.42

GROUP B
Team W L Pts GA
Korea (KOR) 2 0 4 1.30
Japan (JPN) 1 1 3 1.24
Syria (SYR) 1 1 3 1.11
Singapore (SIN) 0 2 2 0.53

GROUP C
Team W L Pts GA
Chinese Taipei (TPE) 2 0 4 2.40
Bahrain (BRN) 1 1 3 1.11
Indonesia (INA) 1 1 3 0.70
Mongolia (MGL) 0 2 2 0.57

GROUP D
Team W L Pts GA
Iran, I.R. (IRI) 2 0 4 1.91
Philippines (PHI) 2 0 4 1.47
Kazakhstan (KAZ) 0 2 2 0.61
Saudi Arabia, K. (KSA) 0 2 2 0.59


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  CROATIA   


Cibona add Dustin Ware - by Eurobasket News (T)

Cibona strengthened their backcourt. They agreed on terms of contract with Dustin Ware (180-G-90). The deal is meant for three seasons. Dustin Ware will start his pro career in Croatia. The guard has just graduated from the University of Georgia. He notched 8.1 points, 2.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.0 steal per game in his senior season.


Croatia thrash Cyprus in Makarska - by Eurobasket News

Croatia - Cyprus 93:38

Croatia tipped off their 2013 EuroBasket Qualifying Round campaign in style. They overwhelm visiting Cyprus in Group C. Bojan Bogdanovic (203-SG-89) came up with 17 points to lead the winners.
Croatia held Cyprus to 10 points in the opening quarter to run away to a 7-point lead. The margin grew steadily throughout the second quarter. Croatia piled up a 40:23 halftime lead. They stayed in charge throughout the third term. Croatia built a massive 30-point buffer heading into the fourth term. Croatia stunned their opponents with a 28:3 surge in the final quarter and sealed a comfortable win at the end. Damjan Rudez (208-F-86) netted 14 points, while Krunoslav Simon (197-G/F-85, agency: Beo Basket) added 10 points for the winners. Anthony King (206-F/C-85, agency: Interperformances, college: Miami, FL) answered with 9 points for Cyprus. Panagiotis Trisokkas (206-PF-80) had 8 points in the loss.

Croatia: Bojan Bogdanovic 17, Damjan Rudez 14, Krunoslav Simon 10
Cyprus: Anthony King 9, Panagiotis Trisokkas 8


U18 European Championship: Croatia scrape past Russia into Final - by Eurobasket News

Croatia U18 - Russia U18 61:57

Russia gave Croatia all those could handle before losing the semifinal battle in Vilnius today. Croatia survived the exhausting thriller to enter the title game at U18 European Championship. The Croats will now take on hosting Lithuania for the title. Dario Saric (208-F-94) orchestrated the victory with 24 points and 13 rebounds.
Croatia held their opponents to 11 points and grabbed a 4-point lead after ten minutes of action. But Russia turned things around in the second quarter. They went on a 24:9 rally to establish a 35:24 halftime lead. Croatia had to show their best in the second half to avoid upset. Russia first stretched the gap at 19-point mark in the third quarter. Croatia finally woke up and answered with an 18:4 run to cut the deficit at 5-point mark. Croatia triggered an 11:3 run at the start of the final stanza to pull in front 53:50. Maric and Gabric gave Croatia a 57:52 lead with 18 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter. Mikhail Kulagin (188-G-94) drained a triple to narrow the gap but Dominik Mavra (195-SG-94) sank four free throws in the dying seconds to seal the victory at the end. Mislav Brzoja (196-F/G-94) accounted for 12 points, while Dominik Mavra added 6 points for the winners. Mikhail Kulagin answered with 15 points and 13 boards for Russia. Stanislav Ilnitskiy (200-PF-94) had 11 points in the loss.

Croatia U18: Dario Saric 24+13 boards, Mislav Brzoja 12, Dominik Mavra 6
Russia U18: Mikhail Kulagin 15+13 boards, Stanislav Ilnitskiy 11


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  CYPRUS   


Croatia thrash Cyprus in Makarska - by Eurobasket News

Croatia - Cyprus 93:38

Croatia tipped off their 2013 EuroBasket Qualifying Round campaign in style. They overwhelm visiting Cyprus in Group C. Bojan Bogdanovic (203-SG-89) came up with 17 points to lead the winners.
Croatia held Cyprus to 10 points in the opening quarter to run away to a 7-point lead. The margin grew steadily throughout the second quarter. Croatia piled up a 40:23 halftime lead. They stayed in charge throughout the third term. Croatia built a massive 30-point buffer heading into the fourth term. Croatia stunned their opponents with a 28:3 surge in the final quarter and sealed a comfortable win at the end. Damjan Rudez (208-F-86) netted 14 points, while Krunoslav Simon (197-G/F-85, agency: Beo Basket) added 10 points for the winners. Anthony King (206-F/C-85, agency: Interperformances, college: Miami, FL) answered with 9 points for Cyprus. Panagiotis Trisokkas (206-PF-80) had 8 points in the loss.

Croatia: Bojan Bogdanovic 17, Damjan Rudez 14, Krunoslav Simon 10
Cyprus: Anthony King 9, Panagiotis Trisokkas 8


Keravnos lands Julian Vaughn - by Chris Mammides (T)

Keravnos Strovolou agreed financial terms with the American center Julian Vaughn (205-F-88, college: Georgetown). The American power forward played last year with the Belgian Port of Antwerp Giants in his rookie season in the European courts. The Georgetown graduate is a powerfull center which expected to add some energy and reboudns in the team of Coach Giannaras.

Other transfer news
ENAD agreed financial terms with Lewis Sims (203-F/C-73, college: New Orleans) who is coming back in the Agios Dometios team after the season 1996-97 (when the veteran American who is now 39 was just 23) where he spent one of his roockie seasons in the team of ENAD. Other than Sims, Coach Stylianidis team agreed financial terms with four American players as follows:
Derrick Roland (193-G-88, college: Texas A&M), Steven Bennett (173-PG-88, college: Chaminade), Rob Wilson (193-G/F-88) and Avery Jukes (203-F-88, college: Butler)


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  CZECH REPUBLIC   


Italy edge Czech Republic in Chomutov - by Eurobasket News

Czech Republic - Italy 53:63

Italy recorded the second straight win at 2013 EuroBasket Qualifying Round. They took down Czech Republic in Chomutov to climb at 2-0 record on top of Group F. Danilo Gallinari (205-SF-88, agency: Players Group) posted 13 points and 7 rebounds to lead the Azzurri. Czech Republic fell at 1-1 record after the loss.
Czech Republic opened the game with six straight points and stayed in front throughout the opening quarter. The hosts posted a 19:17 lead after ten minutes. However Italy tipped off the second quarter on a 9:2 run to surge ahead. Datome soon opened a double-digit lead for Italy. The Azzurri secured a 35:29 halftime advantage. Italy kept the hosts at bay throughout low-scoring third term. The visitors entered the fourth stanza up by 7 points 44:37. Czech Republic never got closer than 6 points in the final term and had to surrender at the end. David Chiotti (206-C-84, agency: Court Side, college: N.Mexico) posted 10 points, while Daniel Hackett (200-PG-87, agency: Two Points, college: USC) added 9 points for the winners. Jakub Houska (206-PF-82) topscored with 14 points for Czech Republic. Petr Benda (204-C-82, agency: Court Side) netted 10 points and 7 rebounds for the home side.

Czech Republic: Jakub Houska 14, Petr Benda 10
Italy: Danilo Gallinari 13, David Chiotti 10, Daniel Hackett 9


U18 European Championship: Czech Republic advanced to Division A - by Eurobasket News

Finland U18-Czech Republic U18 63:85

Czech Republic advanced to Division A of the U18 European Championship. The team overcame Finland 85:63 in the Semifinal game and clinched the ticket to 2012/2013 top division. Finland will have another chance as they will play England for the third place.
Czech Republic proved their ambitions for the top division and the top place in Sarajevo. They started with 27-21 in the first period and added 22-18 in the second quarter. Moreover the second half also belonged to the favorites. They produced 17-16 in the third quarter and finished the game with 19-8 in the last stanza.
Radovan Kouril (180-PG-95) ended up with 18 points for the winners and Prokop Slanina (204-C-95) collected 15 points and 12 rebounds. Marian Hrabovsky (198-G/F-94) delivered 13, while Petr Herman (204-PF-94) posted 11. Joonas Lehtoranta (183-SG-94) answered with 16 points and Julius Rajala (205-PF-94) scored 13. Oskar Michelsen (203-PF-95) nailed 12 points and Iikka Maki (191-SF-94) chipped in with 9.

Finland U18: Joonas Lehtoranta 16, Julius Rajala 13, Oskar Michelsen 12, Iikka Maki 9
Czech Republic U18: Radovan Kouril 18, Prokop Slanina 15+12 rebs, Marian Hrabovsky 13, Petr Herman 11


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  DENMARK   


U18 European Championship: Poland overcome slow start, beat Denmark - by Eurobasket News

Poland U18 - Denmark U18 59:54

Poland celebrated the first win at the classification round of U18 European Championship. They defeated Denmark for 1-4 record in Group G. Kacper Radwanski (189-G/F-94) scored 10 points to lead well-balanced effort from the Polish team.
Denmark looked more determined in the opening quarter. The Scandinavian team gained a 16:8 lead ten minutes into the game. But Poland turned things around in the second quarter. They went on a 23:9 rally to ensure a 31:25 halftime lead. Denmark got within a two-point distance at the final break 38:40. Mortensen drew things level at the start of the final quarter. But Poland proved the difference late in regulation. Kacper Radwanski drained a triple, while Nowicki and Dzierzak added four points to seal the victory for Poland. Kacper Borowski (203-F/C-94) netted 9 points, while Mikolaj Witlinski (207-F/C-95) contributed 8 points for the winners. Rasmus Larsen (212-C-94) answered with 11 points and 11 rebounds for Denmark. David Knudsen (193-F-94) had 11 points in the loss.

Poland U18: Kacper Radwanski 10, Kacper Borowski 9, Mikolaj Witlinski 8
Denmark U18: Rasmus Larsen 11+11 boards, David Knudsen 11


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  DOMINICAN REPUBLIC   


Guaros de Lara adds Martinez to their roster - by Eurobasket Center (T)

Guaros de Lara agreed terms with 31-year old Dominican Rep. forward Jack Michael Martinez (201-F-107kg-81). Martinez played most recently at Cocodrilos de Caracas (LPB). While playing 3 games for Cocodrilos this season he averaged 17.0ppg, 11.3rpg, 2.7apg and 1.0spg. Martinez helped them to end the regular season as a second best team in the league.. They advanced also to the league semifinals. He is a very experienced player. Martinez played also pro basketball in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Dominican Rep., France, Italy, Mexico, Puerto Rico and Spain. He represented Dominican Rep. at the Olympic Games Additional Qualifying Round in Caracas (Venezuela) and then at Centrobasket, both this year. He was voted Latinbasket.com All-Centrobasket Best Player after leading his team to the gold averaging 14.2ppg, Reb-1 (11.0rpg), and 3.0apg.
In 5 games of Olympic Games Qualifying Round his state were 14.4ppg, Reb-1 (13.8rpg), 1.6apg, FGP: 44.1%, 3PT: 25.0%, FT: 50.0%.

By Eurobasket Data Center


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  ESTONIA   


U18 European Championship: Estonia step closer to the 5th place - by Eurobasket News

Belgium U18-Estonia U18 59:78

Estonia step closer to the 5th place of the U18 European Championship in Division B. The team overcame Belgium 78:59 at the Classification Round for 5th to 8th Place in Sarajevo. Belgium will take on Israel tomorrow in the game for the 7-8 places.
Belgium looked better in the start of the game and reached 25-21 at the end of the first ten minutes. Moreover the Baltic State added 14-10 in the second quarter for 39:31 lead at the halftime. The third quarter however was decisive in the game and Estonia erupted with 29-11 for 60:50 advantage when Martin Jurtom (198-PF-94) closed the period. Estonia added another 18-9 burst in the last stanza to win the game.
Martin Jurtom top-scored for the winners with 21 points and 10 rebounds, while Kent Vene (192-SG-94) and Georg Tambre (194-PF-94) netted 12 each. Sander Saare (182-PG-94) collected 10 points and 10 assists in a win. Emmanuel Lecomte (180-G-95) replied with 15 points in the losing effort and Naim El Khounchar (193-G-94) added 14. Xavier Francois (200-C-94) posted 10 and Mathijs Gijbels (204-PF-95) delivered 8.

Belgium U18: Emmanuel Lecomte 15, Naim El Khounchar 14, Xavier Francois 10, Mathijs Gijbels 8
Estonia U18: Martin Jurtom 21+10 rebs, Kent Vene 12, Georg Tambre 12, Sander Saare 10+10 ast


Estonia upset Israel in Rishon Le Zion - by Eurobasket News

Israel -Estonia 86:88 OT

Estonia upset Israel in Rishon Le Zion in Day 2 of the EuroBasket qualifying campaign. Estonia needed overtime to take 88:86 road win in Group A.
Israel easily started the game with 25-12 but the victory flew away from them in the second half. They managed to keep 13-point advantage after the first half as both teams scored 15 points each in the second frame. Estonia however replied with 25-18 in the third quarter and added 23-17 for 75:75 when Dorbek nailed three to tie the game. The teams exchanged the lead in overtime but Sten-Timmu Sokk (181-PG-89) and Tanel Sokk (188-G-85) made the last free throws for the final success.
Kristjan Kangur (201-SF-82) poured in 21 points to lead the charge and Siim-Sander Vene (203-SF-90, agency: Alti Sport) collected 17 points and 10 rebounds. Sten-Timmu Sokk delivered 16, while Tanel Sokk notched 9. Omri Casspi (204-SF-88) replied with 23 points in defeat and Lior Eliyahu (203-SF-85, agency: Z.A.G. - Law Offices) added 13. Raviv Limonad (191-SG-84) produced 12 and Yotam Halperin (193-SG-84) brought 11.

Israel: Omri Casspi 23, Lior Eliyahu 13, Raviv Limonad 12, Yotam Halperin 11
Estonia: Kristjan Kangur 21, Siim-Sander Vene 17+10 rebs, Sten-Timmu Sokk 16, Tanel Sokk 9


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  EUROCUP   


GALATASARAY inks star swingman Hawkins - by Diamadis Farmakis

Galatasaray Medical Park made an impact signing by reuniting swingman David Hawkins (194-G-82, college: Temple) with his coach from last season, Ergin Ataman. Hawkins (1.93 meters, 29 years old) played under Ataman and alongside new Galatasaray center Erwin Dudley lasts season at Besiktas Milangaz, which they led to a masterful season resulting in the Turkish League, Turkish Cup and EuroChallenge titles.

Hawkins tallied 11,1 points, 3 rebounds and 3,6 assists in the Turkish League and upped those numbers to 18,3 points, 5 rebounds and 3,3 assists in the playoffs to lead his team to glory

He is also a veteran of the highest levels with five Euroleague seasons under his belt with three teams in the Euroleague. And Hawkins averaged double figures in scoring in each of them. Hawkins is known for his all-around skills, including on the defensive end, where his Euroleague career average of 1.91 steals per game ranks eighth all-time.

Hawkins played college basketball at Temple University, where he was named to the All Atlantic Ten First Team as a senior following the 2003-04 season. He began his professional career the following season in the Italian second division with Rieti.


Budivelnyk will test Leo Lyons - by Eurobasket News (T)

Budivelnyk invited another player for a try-out period. His name is Leo Lyons (206-F-87, college: Missouri). The forward spent the last season in D-League. He started the season with the Austin Toros. The forward notched 16.2 points, 8.9 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game. Later Leo Lyons moved to the Dakota Wizards. His stats read 9.3 points, 5.4 rebounds and 1.1 assists per appearance. Leo Lyons participated at D-League All-Star Game. Previously the forward had stints in D-League and Israel. He was the member of the USA National Team in 2011. Leo Lyons participated at Panamerican Games in Mexico. He averaged 6.6 points, 4.0 rebounds, 1.2 assists per game in Guadalajara.


Cibona add Dustin Ware - by Eurobasket News (T)

Cibona strengthened their backcourt. They agreed on terms of contract with Dustin Ware (180-G-90). The deal is meant for three seasons. Dustin Ware will start his pro career in Croatia. The guard has just graduated from the University of Georgia. He notched 8.1 points, 2.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.0 steal per game in his senior season.


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  EUROLEAGUE   


Montepaschi Siena confirm Mario Kasun - by Eurobasket News (T)

Montepaschi Siena have announced the signing of Mario Kasun (213-C-80). The centre has agreed on terms of 1+1 contract. Last season Mario Kasun spent in Croatia. He played for KK Zagreb. He tallied 12.2 points and 6.6 boards per game in Euroleague. In Adriatic League his stats read 17.9 points, 8.3 rebounds and 1.1 assists per appearance. Mario Kasun was named into All-Adriatic League 2nd Team. He participated at Croatia League All-Star Game. Previously Mario Kasun had stints in Croatia, Turkey, Spain, NBA, Germany. Eurobasket.com named the centre All-German Bundesliga Most Improved Player of the Year back in 2004. He then made it into Turkish League All-Bosmans Team in 2010. Mario Kasun was the member of Croatia National Team in 2002/09 seasons.


Zisis Sarikopoulos between Aris and Panathinaikos - by Dimitris Katsionis

According to Greek media Vasileios Kavvadas (205-F/C-91) will play for Panionios this year as the teams president Ilias Lianos didnt reach to an agreement with Panathinaikos. However, the case is not closed yet but affects his teammate, Zisis Sarikopoulos (213-C-90, college: Ohio St.). Sarikopoulos has reached a verbal agreement with Aris BC for the next 2 years but waits an offer from Panathinaikos now. Sarikopoulos declared that he wants to play for Aris. Vangelis Alexandris (teams coach) plans to give him a lot of playing time and maybe the starting center spot as his team is in a rebuilding process with a new administration. If Panathinaikos does not make any offer until tomorrow night, Aris will probably announce the player.


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  EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS   


EuroBasket 2013 Qualifying Round. Day 2 - by Eurobasket News

Group A
Serbia - Montenegro 71-73
Montenegro celebrated the second consecutive win at 2013 EuroBasket Qualifying Round. They upset Serbia in Belgrade tonight. Nikola Ivanovic (190-PG-94, agency: Beo Basket) dropped a deadly three-pointer with three seconds left in regulation to win the game for the visitors. Serbia greeted Montenegro with a strong start to the game. Serbia ensured a 23:15 lead ten minutes into the game. However Montenegro used a 7:0 run midway through the second quarter to pull in front 33:31. Serbia tied things up at 35 at halftime. The lead changed hands throughout the third term. Serbia eked out a 55:52 advantage heading into the fourth term. Milos Teodosic (195-PG-87) and Milan Macvan ensured a 67:54 lead for the hosts midway through the fourth period. However Montenegro went on a 19:3 rally capped by a three-pointer from Nikola Ivanovic to seal the victory. Suad Sehovic (196-G/F-87) finished with 17 points to pace the winners. Aleksa Popovic and Bojan Dubljevic provided 11 points each for Montenegro. Milos Teodosic answered with 21 points for Serbia. Milan Macvan had 17 points in the loss.

Israel - Estonia 86-88 OT
Estonia upset Israel in Rishon Le Zion in Day 2 of the EuroBasket qualifying campaign. Estonia needed overtime to take 88:86 road win in Group A. Israel easily started the game with 25-12 but the victory flew away from them in the second half. They managed to keep 13-point advantage after the first half as both teams scored 15 points each in the second frame. Estonia however replied with 25-18 in the third quarter and added 23-17 for 75:75 when Dorbek nailed three to tie the game. The teams exchanged the lead in overtime but Sten-Timmu Sokk and Tanel Sokk made the last free throws for the final success. Kristjan Kangur (201-SF-82) poured in 21 points to lead the charge and Siim-Sander Vene (203-SF-90, agency: Alti Sport) collected 17 points and 10 rebounds. Sten-Timmu Sokk delivered 16, while Tanel Sokk notched 9. Omri Casspi (204-SF-88) replied with 23 points in defeat and Lior Eliyahu added 13. Raviv Limonad produced 12 and Yotam Halperin brought 11.

Slovakia - Iceland 75-81
Stefansson Jon leads Iceland over Slovak Republic in Levice in Day 2 of the EuroBasket qualifying campaign. The player scored 28 points as Iceland won 81:75. Iceland grabbed 21-17 after the first period and increased the lead to 8 points at the halftime. Slovakia meanwhile had a great third period and won it 23-10. Anton Gavel (188-PG-84, agency: Pro One Sports) nailed three to give his side 59:52, but the hosts could not win the game. Baeringsson Hlynur closed the period at 59:53 and then Jakob Sigurdarson (192-PG-82, college: Birm.Southern) closed the run at 62:59. Iceland pushed the tempo at the end of the game and reached the necessary win. Haukur Palsson (197-SF-92, college: Maryland) nailed 16 points for the winners and Jakob Sigurdarson posted 15. Baeringsson Hlynur collected 13 points and 11 rebounds in a win. Anton Gavel responded with high 31 points and Marko Roman netted 14.

Group B
Azerbaijan - Bulgaria 88-71
Azerbaijan surprise Bulgaria in Baku in Day 2 of the EuroBasket qualifying campaign. With only 6 participating players the hosts side celebrated a 88:71 victory. The hosts raced into an early 18-6 lead on two free throws from Davis, and led 26-14 at the end of the first quarter after Rasim Bashak nailed a late three-pointer. Moreover they won the second frame 27-17 and enjoyed 53:31 at the halftime. Azerbaijan also won the third period 23-21 and did not mind slowing down in the rest of the game. Bulgaria managed to win the last stanza 19-12 but could not come closer to the opponent. Charles Davis (205-C-84, college: Alabama) stepped up with 30 points for the winners, while Orhan Haciyeva (200-PF-89) collected 16 points and 15 rebounds. Fuad Niftaliyev notched 15 and Rasim Bashak added 13. Aleksandar Georgiev (203-F-90, agency: Interperformances) and Bozhidar Avramov (196-PG-90, agency: Interperformances) posted 14 points each in the losing effort as Bulgaria is with 1-1 record. Nikolay Varbanov followed them with 10 points in a loss.

Germany - Luxembourg 101-53
Germany successfully starts EuroBasket qualifying campaign as they rolled over Luxembourg in their opener. The German machine needed a strong last quarter for 101:53 win. Luxembourg meanwhile lost their second straight game. Germany started with 25:10 lead in the first period but hardly increase the lead until the end of the third quarter. They added 20-17 in the second frame and 25-22 in the third quarter. The last period was a nightmare for Luxembourg that scored only 4 points. Germany erupted with 31 and reached three digit number on the board. Tim Ohlbrecht (210-F/C-88) nailed three with the buzzer for 101:53 win. Robin Benzing (209-SF-89) stepped up with 17 points for the initial success of the team. Tim Ohlbrecht, Zirbes Maik and Staiger Lucca each scored 12 points. Christopher Jones (186-G-90) replied with 19 points in defeat and Schumacher Tom notched 12.

Group C
Austria - Ukraine 57-61
Ukraine escape with narrow win in Schwechat as they beat Austria for 2-0 record in Group C. Ukrainian kept the hosts scoreless in the last five minutes and grabbed 61:57 win. Austria was not afraid of the Fratellos team and started with 19:16 in the first period. Ukraine meanwhile answered with 16-10 in the second period and grabbed 32:29 at the halftime. Austria again took the lead back after 22-16 in the third quarter. Rasid Mahalbasic gave Austria 57:54 with 5 minutes to go, but those points were the last in the game for the hosts. Steven Burtt tied the game from the perimeter and Pecherov scored for 59:57. The latter also made a free throw and Drozdov added one more for the final result in the game. Pecherov paced all the winners with 11 points and Sergii Gladyr (196-SG-88) netted 9. Steven Burtt and Maxym Korniyenko followed them with 8 points each. Davor Lamesic (205-PF-83, agency: Interperformances) ended up with 18 points in the losing effort and Rasid Mahalbasic netted 17. Jason Detrick finished the game with 12 points for the hosts and Moritz Lanegger brought 6.



Croatia - Cyprus 93:38

Group D
Georgia - Romania 80-64
Georgia played their first game at the 2013 EuroBasket Qualifying Round. They hosts Romania in Tbilisi. The hosts celebrated a comfortable victory to improve at 1-0 record in Group D. Romania fell at 1-1 record after the loss. Jacob Pullen (183-PG-89, college: Kansas St.) led the hosts with 19 points. Georgia and Romania stayed close throughout the opening quarter. The hosts managed to clear off to a 6-point lead at the first break 24:18. Romania cut the deficit at 2-point mark midway through the second term. But Georgia were able to take a 5-point halftime lead 44:39. Georgia capped the third term with eight points in a row to finally get away at 11-point distance 60:49. Manuchar Markoishvili (196-SF-86) and Shengelia dropped back-to-back three-pointers as Georgia secured a 66:50 lead early in the fourth quarter. Georgia maintained the advantage and rolled to the victory at the end. Manuchar Markoishvili accounted for 14 points, while Giorgi Shermadini added 13 points for the winners. Catalin Baciu (214-C-88, college: Clemson) answered with 19 points and 10 rebounds for Romania. Vlad Moldoveanu had 17 points and 11 rebounds in the loss.

Holland - Bosnia 89-107
Bosnia and Herzegovina celebrated the second straight win at the start of 2013 EuroBasket Qualifying Round. They shot down Netherlands for 2-0 record on top of Group D. Mirza Teletovic (205-F-85, agency: Beo Basket) came up with another sizzling performance scoring 33 points in the win. Netherlands stayed competitive throughout the first half. The Dutch team trailed by just two points at the first break 24:26. Netherlands managed to get within a single point at halftime 50:51. Slagter opened the second half with a three-pointer to put the hosts in front. However Bosnia and Herzegovina responded with a 19:2 run to spur back in charge. The visitors silenced Netherlands posting a 90:64 lead at the final break. Bosnia and Herzegovina never looked back cruising to the victory at the end. Nihad Djedovic (198-F-90, agency: Beo Basket) accounted for 28 points, while Dalibor Persic finished with 14 points for the winners. Henk Norel (214-C-87) answered with 17 points and 9 rebounds for Netherlands. Worthy de Jong had 16 points in the loss.

Group E
Finland - Albania 112-77
Finland celebrated the first win at 2013 EuroBasket Qualifying Round. They marched past Albania in Helsinki. Petteri Koponen (194-PG-88) scored 29 points to lead the hosts. Albania fell at 0-2 record after the loss. Finland set the tone in the opening quarter. The hosts unloaded 37 points to take 19-point lead at the first break. Finland stayed dominant in the second quarter. The home team extended their lead to 31-point mark at the interval. Albania erupted for 30 points in the third term but cut the deficit by just one point at the final intermission. Finland adjusted defence in the fourth term limiting Albania to 17 points and claiming an easy victory at the end. Shawn Huff (198-SF-84, college: Valparaiso) posted 19 points, while Mikko Koivisto added 11 points for the winners. Gerti Shima (202-PF-86) answered with 23 points and 10 rebounds for Albania. Klaudio Ndoja had 18 points in the loss.

Switzerland - Poland 66-80
Poland earned the initial win at the 2013 EuroBasket Qualifying Round. They bounced back after the starting loss to Belgium to defeat Switzerland in Fribourg. Marcin Gortat (213-C-84) tallied 17 points and 11 rebounds to lead the winners. Poland aggressively entered the game. The visitors piled up a 23:19 lead after ten minutes. Poland stayed in charge throughout the second quarter. They piled up a 40:32 halftime lead. Poland stretched the margin in the third term. The visitors established a comfortable 61:44 lead at the final break. Switzerland managed to narrow the deficit but could not threaten their opponents in the final period. Lukasz Koszarek (187-PG-84) accounted for 13 points, while Michal Ignerski added 12 points for the winners. Dusan Mladjan (198-SG-86, agency: Interperformances) answered with 14 points for Switzerland. David Ramseier had 12 points and 9 rebounds in defeat.

Group F
Turkey - Belarus 77-74
Turkey earned a tough home win over Belarus at the start of 2013 EuroBasket Qualifying Round campaign. Semih Erden (211-F/C-86) scored 20 points and grabbed 6 rebounds as Turkey got away with a narrow win late in regulation. Emir Preldzic (205-SF-87, agency: Beo Basket) drained a late three-pointer as Turkey escaped with victory in opener. It was a tough battle from start to finish. The teams traded baskets throughout the opening quarter. Turkey eked out a 19:18 lead after ten minutes. Belarus stayed within a striking distance throughout the second quarter. The visitors would level things up on several occasions and eventually drew things level at 36 heading into the second half. Turkey used a 14:1 run in the third quarter to take an 11-point lead. The hosts ensured a 60:48 advantage at the final intermission. But Belarus answered with a 14:3 rally to narrow the deficit to a single point 62:63. Semih Erden and Emir Preldzic kept Turkey in front but Pustahvar and Ulyanko knotted things up at 69. The teams were tied at 74 with 8 seconds remaining in regulation. However Emir Preldzic hit a three-pointer and then Semih Erden blocked Meshcharakou's attempt to seal the victory for the home team. Emir Preldzic accounted for 14 points, while Sinan Guler added 11 points for the winners. Aliaksandr Kudrautsau (190-SG-80) answered with 21 points for Belarus. Artsiom Parakhouski netted 17 points in the loss.

Czech Republic - Italy 53-63
Italy recorded the second straight win at 2013 EuroBasket Qualifying Round. They took down Czech Republic in Chomutov to climb at 2-0 record on top of Group F. Danilo Gallinari (205-SF-88, agency: Players Group) posted 13 points and 7 rebounds to lead the Azzurri. Czech Republic fell at 1-1 record after the loss. Czech Republic opened the game with six straight points and stayed in front throughout the opening quarter. The hosts posted a 19:17 lead after ten minutes. However Italy tipped off the second quarter on a 9:2 run to surge ahead. Datome soon opened a double-digit lead for Italy. The Azzurri secured a 35:29 halftime advantage. Italy kept the hosts at bay throughout low-scoring third term. The visitors entered the fourth stanza up by 7 points 44:37. Czech Republic never got closer than 6 points in the final term and had to surrender at the end. David Chiotti (206-C-84, agency: Court Side, college: N.Mexico) posted 10 points, while Daniel Hackett added 9 points for the winners. Jakub Houska (206-PF-82) topscored with 14 points for Czech Republic. Petr Benda netted 10 points and 7 rebounds for the home side.


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  EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS U18   


Bosnia and Herzegovina and Czech Republic advanced to 2012/2013 Division A - by Eurobasket News

SEMIFINALS
Finland - Czech Republic 63-85
Czech Republic advanced to Division A of the U18 European Championship. The team overcame Finland 85:63 in the Semifinal game and clinched the ticket to 2012/2013 top division. Finland will have another chance as they will play England for the third place. Czech Republic proved their ambitions for the top division and the top place in Sarajevo. They started with 27-21 in the first period and added 22-18 in the second quarter. Moreover the second half also belonged to the favorites. They produced 17-16 in the third quarter and finished the game with 19-8 in the last stanza. Kouril ended up with 18 points for the winners and Prokop Slanina (204-C-95) collected 15 points and 12 rebounds. Marian Hrabovsky (198-G/F-94) delivered 13, while Herman posted 11. Joonas Lehtoranta (183-SG-94) answered with 16 points and Rajala scored 13. Oskar Michelsen (203-PF-95) nailed 12 points and Maki chipped in with 9.

United Kingdom - Bosnia 63-64
Bosnia and Herzegovina clinched Division A promotion for 2012/2013 season. The home side grabbed valuable 64:63 win over England at the Semifinal of the U18 European Championship in Division B. England meanwhile will have another chance tomorrow in the game for the third place. England opened the game better and reached 25-13 in the end of the first period. Later Bosnia responded with some good baskets and managed to win the second and the third periods. Bosnia responded with 18-10 in the second frame and added 17-11 in the third period. Bosnia led 7 points in the last minute and then Luke Nelson (189-PG-95) reduced to 63:60. His three-pointer with 1 second to go was enough only to cut it to 63:64 as the hosts celebrated the success in the court. Nedim Buza (201-SF-95) top-scored for the winners with 19 points and Damjanovic nailed 15. Vrabac delivered 11, while Jusuf Nurkic (212-C-94) collected 10 points and 13 rebounds. Nelson Luke's 33 points and 10 rebounds were not enough to win the game. Sentence posted 12, while Kingsley Okoroh (213-C-95) had 8.



Classification Round

Austria - Holland 48-72
Holland destroy Austria in Classification Round for the 9th to 12th Place at the U18 European Championship in Division B, The Dutch team needed 72:48 victory to play tomorrow for the 9th place. Austria meanwhile will play in the game for 11-12 places. Holland did not waste time and started the game with 23-14. They added massive 22-12 in the second period and actually solved the problem about the winner. Mike Schilder (185-PG-94, agency: Court Side) sent the teams to the lockers for 45:26 and then Julius van Sauers (191-F-95) nailed three for 50:29. Holland also won the third period 20-11 and did not mind 7-11 in the lasts stanza. Julius van Sauers top-scored for the winners with 13 points and Boy Van Vliet (182-SG-94) netted 12. Mike Schilder scored 11, while Kok Jito added 10. Bas Timur finished the game with 16 points and Poeltl Jakob scored 13 in defeat.

Portugal - Hungary 88-83
Portugal beat Hungary at the Classification Round for 9th to 12th Place of the U18 European Championship in Division B. Portugal won 88:83 and will play for the 9th place. Hungary meanwhile will take on Austria for 11-12th places. It was a hard start for both teams as they stayed close to each other in the first period. Portugal grabbed 22-21 and then added 25-19 in the second quarter. Both teams nailed 16 points each in the third quarter as Portugal kept 7 points advantage after 30 minutes. Hungary managed to win the last stanza 27-25 but reduce to 5 points. Zoltan Perl (194-G-95) and Ventura exchanged the last points from the free throw line for the final result. Andre Miguens (184-SF-94) stepped up with 25 points for the winners and Bastos added 18. Ventura scored 12, while Marques delivered 9. Zoltan Perl erupted with 31 points in the losing effort. Bognar notched 15, while Velkey netted 13.

Sweden - Romania 78-71
Sweden edge Romania in Sarajevo at the Classification Round for 13th to 16th Place at the U18 European Championship in Division B. The Scandinavian team will play tomorrow for the 13th place after 78:71 win. Romania meanwhile will play for 15-16 places. Sweden won the opening period 14-11, but the opponents replied with 17-15 in the second frame and reduced to 1 point at the halftime. Vlad Popovici (200-PF-94) first gave Romania 29:28 lead, while Alexander Gorski (193-SG-94) kept Sweden in frot at the end of the first half. The third quarter was decisive in the game as Sweden erupted with 29-14 in it for a comfortable lead. Romania meanwhile won the last stanza 29-20 and managed to cut it to 7 points. Alexander Gorski stepped up with 21 points for the winners and Larsson Niklas netted 17. Lofberg Johan delivered 12, while Jacob Magnusson (184-PG-94) notched 10. Cobzaru Vlad collected 16 points and 14 rebounds in defeat and Dragoste Mirel had 15 points and 10 rebounds. Vlad Popovici followed them with 12 and Ciordas Andrei had 11.

Slovakia - Iceland 59-74
Slovak Republic and Iceland open Day 8 in Division B of the U18 European Championship. Iceland won 74:59 and will play tomorrow for the 13th place. Slovakia meanwhile will play for the 15-16th places. Iceland took 18-12 at the end of the first period and continued their dominance in the rest of the half. They added 18-15 in the second frame for 36:27 lead. Both teams scored 19 points each in the third period and then Iceland added another 19-13 in the last stanza. Elvar Fridriksson (180-PG-94) made the last free throws in the game for the final result. Thorgrimur Emilsson (206-C-94) chipped in with 14 points to pace the winners, while Valsson nailed 13. Hermannsson scored 10, while Sigurdarson added 9. Brodziansky top-scored for the Slovak team with 14 points and Rozim netted 13. Martin Matejcik (185-G-94) delivered 11, while Michalek posted 9.

5-8 places
Israel - Montenegro 65-67
Montenegro will play for the 5th place at the U18 European Championship of Division B. The team overcame Israel 67:65 at the U18 European Championship. The latter will play for the 7-8 places in Sarajevo. It was Israel that started the game better and reached 27-15 after the first 10 minutes. Montenegro meanwhile replied with 14-9 in the second period and reduced to 7 points at the halftime. The third quarter was decisive in the game as Montenegro needed 22-10 to take the lead in the game. Vaso Popovic (184-G-94) later scored for 65:59, but Segev tied the game at 65:65 with 7 seconds to go. Masan Vrbica (190-G-94) made two free throws at the end of the game for the final success. Pajovic top-scored for the winners with 13 points and 15 rebounds, while Mikovic collected 10 points and 10 boards. Vaso Popovic also scored 10, while Vusovic and Masan Vrbica had 8 apiece. Koulechov ended up with 18 points in the losing effort and Menco posted 12.

Belgium - Estonia 59-78
Estonia step closer to the 5th place of the U18 European Championship in Division B. The team overcame Belgium 78:59 at the Classification Round for 5th to 8th Place in Sarajevo. Belgium will take on Israel tomorrow in the game for the 7-8 places. Belgium looked better in the start of the game and reached 25-21 at the end of the first ten minutes. Moreover the Baltic State added 14-10 in the second quarter for 39:31 lead at the halftime. The third quarter however was decisive in the game and Estonia erupted with 29-11 for 60:50 advantage when Jurtom Martin closed the period. Estonia added another 18-9 burst in the last stanza to win the game. Jurtom Martin top-scored for the winners with 21 points and 10 rebounds, while Vene Kent and Georg Tambre (194-PF-94) netted 12 each. Saare Sander collected 10 points and 10 assists in a win. Emmanuel Lecomte (180-G-95) replied with 15 points in the losing effort and Naim El Khounchar added 14. Xavier Francois (200-C-94) posted 10 and Gijbels Mathijs delivered 8.

M-Standings - Group B

Standings Div.B
Group E
1. Czech Rep.3-1
2. U.Kingdom2-2
3. Israel2-2
4. Estonia1-3
Group F
1. Bosnia3-1
2. Finland2-2
3. Montenegro.2-2
4. Belgium1-3
Group G (places 9-16)
1. Austria3-1
2. Hungary2-2
3. Slovakia1-3
4. Romania0-4
Group H (places 9-16)
1. Portugal4-0
2. Holland3-1
3. Sweden2-2
4. Iceland1-3
Group I (places 17-22)
1. Belarus2-0
2. Luxembourg.1-1
3. Scotland0-2
Group J (places 17-22)
1. Georgia2-0
2. Norway1-1
3. Switzerlan.0-2

Finals: Round 9

5-6 place

Aug. 19: MNT - EST 85-77

19-20 place

Aug. 19: LUX - NOR 85-59

13-14 place

Aug. 19: ISL - SWE 84-81

FINAL

Aug. 19: BIH - CZE 76-64

7-8 place

Aug. 19: ISR - BEL 74-63

9-10 place

Aug. 19: NED - POR 74-61

3rd place

Aug. 19: ENG - FIN 73-59

17-18 place

Aug. 19: BLR - GEO 62-72

11-12 place

Aug. 19: AUT - HUN 52-67

21-22 place

Aug. 19: SCO - SUI 51-55

15-16 place

Aug. 19: SVK - ROM 47-65


Lithuania and Croatia will play in championship game - by Eurobasket News

Semifinals
Russia - Croatia 57-61
Russia gave Croatia all those could handle before losing the semifinal battle in Vilnius today. Croatia survived the exhausting thriller to enter the title game at U18 European Championship. The Croats will now take on hosting Lithuania for the title. Dario Saric (208-F-94) orchestrated the victory with 24 points and 13 rebounds. Croatia held their opponents to 11 points and grabbed a 4-point lead after ten minutes of action. But Russia turned things around in the second quarter. They went on a 24:9 rally to establish a 35:24 halftime lead. Croatia had to show their best in the second half to avoid upset. Russia first stretched the gap at 19-point mark in the third quarter. Croatia finally woke up and answered with an 18:4 run to cut the deficit at 5-point mark. Croatia triggered an 11:3 run at the start of the final stanza to pull in front 53:50. Maric and Gabric gave Croatia a 57:52 lead with 18 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter. Mikhail Kulagin (188-G-94) drained a triple to narrow the gap but Dominik Mavra (195-SG-94) sank four free throws in the dying seconds to seal the victory at the end. Mislav Brzoja (196-F/G-94) accounted for 12 points, while Dominik Mavra added 6 points for the winners. Mikhail Kulagin answered with 15 points and 13 boards for Russia. Stanislav Ilnitskiy had 11 points in the loss.

Lithuania - Serbia 69-67
Lithuania became the first U18 European Championship finalists. The hosts narrowly defeat Serbia in the first semifinal of the day. Augustinas Jankaitis (202-C-94) and Marius Grigonis (198-F-94) scored four points in a row in the final minute of regulation as Lithuania came from behind to celebrate victory. Simas Raupys finished with 18 points for the hosts. Lithuania jumped ahead early in the encounter. The hosts secured a 21:15 lead after ten minutes. Simas Raupys made it 31:23 for Lithuania midway through the second term. Serbia however managed to narrow the deficit at just three-point mark at halftime 35:38. Serbia opened the second half with six points in a row to surge ahead. Lithuania returned the lead but the teams stayed close throughout the reminder of the period. The Baltic team gained a 52:51 lead at the final break. The visitors ignited an 11:2 rally to post a 62:54 lead midway through the final frame. Lithuania struck right back and pulled in front 65:64. Andric drained a triple for a 67:65 Serbian advantage with just over a minute remaining. But first Augustinas Jankaitis drew things level and then Marius Grigonis sealed the victory for Lithuania. Augustinas Jankaitis accounted for 14 points and 8 rebounds, while Marius Grigonis provided 10 points for the winners. Luka Andusic (191-G-94) and Nikola Jankovic (205-PF-94) answered with 18 points each for Serbia.
5-8 Place
Italy - Spain 63-70
Spain overcame Italy in the classification round of U18 European Championship. The former champions will now take on Latvia for the fifth overall position at the tournament. Oriol Pauli (201-G-94) scored 19 points to lead the winners. Italy got to a flying start. They exploded with 25 points in the first quarter to take a 9-point lead. But Spain silenced their opponents in the second quarter. They limited the Azzurri to just 5 points to ensure a 37:30 halftime lead. Spain maintained the advantage throughout the third quarter. They secured an 8-point buffer heading into the fourth frame. Italy cut the margin at 3-point mark with under three minutes remaining. But Alberto Diaz came up with four points in the final 42 seconds to seal the victory for Spain. Guillermo Hernangomez (209-C-94) had 16 points, while Alberto Diaz added 12 points for the winners. Amedeo Tessitori (204-PF-94) answered with 20 points for Italy. Simone Fontecchio had 16 points in the loss.

Latvia - Bulgaria 81-64
Latvia celebrated a comfortable win over Bulgaria in the classification round of U18 European Championship. Edgars Stelmahers (185-G/F-94) posted 16 points to lead the winners. Latvia will now play for the fifth overall position at the tournament. Latvia started the game strongly. They accounted for 24 points in the first ten minutes to take an 8-point lead. Bulgaria struck right back in the second term. The visitors held Latvia to 12 points in the quarter and gained a 37:36 halftime lead. But Latvia were back in the drivers seat in the third quarter. They knocked down 26 points in the third frame to ensure a 7-point lead into the fourth term. Latvia held Bulgarian counterparts to 9 points in the final stanza and celebrated victory at the end. Ilja Gromovs (207-C-94) posted 12 points, while Toms Leimanis and Roberts Krastins added 11 points each for the winners. Kris Minkov (198-SF-94) responded with 14 points for Bulgaria. Deyan Karamfilov netted 11 points in the loss.

9-10 Place
Slovenia - Turkey 61-81
Turkey occupied the 9th overall position at U18 European Championship. They knocked down Slovenia tonight. Kenan Sipahi (198-PG-95) led the effort with 18 points, 11 assists and 6 rebounds for the winners. Turkey gained a 19:17 lead ten minutes into the game. They maintained the advantage throughout the second quarter. Turkey posted a 38:35 halftime lead. They unleashed 29 points in the third quarter to clear off. Turkey piled up a 23-point lead into the final stanza 67:54. Slovenia cut the deficit in the fourth quarter but just sweetened the pill at the end. Talat Altunbey (204-PF-94) provided 16 points, while Tayfun Erulku netted 10 points for the winners. Matic Rebec (180-PG-95) answered with 16 points for Slovenia. Tomaz Bolcina had 14 points and 10 rebounds in the loss.
11-12 Place
Ukraine - Greece 69-83
Greece clinched the 11th overall position at U18 European Championship. The capped their campaign with victory over Ukraine. Dimitrios Agravanis (208-F-94, agency: FCM) and Diamantis Slaftsakis (200-SF-94) scored 17 points each to lead the winners. Ukraine stayed in front throughout the opening quarter. They recorded a 20:18 lead after ten minutes. Greece denied the deficit in the second term. The Hellenes drew things level at 40 heading into the second half. Greece started to get away in the third quarter. The Hellenes ensured a 9-point lead before the final quarter. Greece limited their opponents to 14 points in the final stanza and rolled to the victory at the end. Filippos Kalogiannidis had 16 points, while Eleftherios Bochoridis finished with 15 points, 6 boards and 5 assists in the win. Yevgen Sakhniuk (201-PF-95) replied with 13 points for Ukraine. Vladyslav Koreniuk netted 10 points in the loss.

Group G
Germany - France 60-57
Germany stayed hopeful in the fight for Division A survival at U18 European Championship. They defeated France to jump at 4-1 record in Group G. Paul Zipser (201-PG-94) came up with 18 points to pace the winners. France slipped at 4-1 record after the loss. Germany entered the game firing from all guns. They jumped in front and ensured a 23:10 lead after ten minutes. France tuned in defensively in the second quarter. They trimmed the deficit at 4-point mark 24:28. France denied the deficit in the third quarter. They pulled ahead for a 39:36 lead at the final intermission. However Germany quickly surged ahead in the final period. They kept France behind throughout intense final period and managed to secure a narrow win at the end. David Taylor (188-PG-95) finished with 10 points, while Johannes Thiemann added 9 points for the winners. Benjamin Sene (186-PG-94) answered with 18 points for France. Mouhammadou Jaiteh had 16 points and 8 rebounds in the loss.

Denmark - Poland 54-59
Poland celebrated the first win at the classification round of U18 European Championship. They defeated Denmark for 1-4 record in Group G. Kacper Radwanski (189-G/F-94) scored 10 points to lead well-balanced effort from the Polish team. Denmark looked more determined in the opening quarter. The Scandinavian team gained a 16:8 lead ten minutes into the game. But Poland turned things around in the second quarter. They went on a 23:9 rally to ensure a 31:25 halftime lead. Denmark got within a two-point distance at the final break 38:40. Mortensen drew things level at the start of the final quarter. But Poland proved the difference late in regulation. Kacper Radwanski drained a triple, while Nowicki and Dzierzak added four points to seal the victory for Poland. Kacper Borowski (203-F/C-94) netted 9 points, while Mikolaj Witlinski contributed 8 points for the winners. Rasmus Larsen (212-C-94) answered with 11 points and 11 rebounds for Denmark. David Knudsen had 11 points in the loss.

Standings Division A

Standings
Group E
1. Lithuania5-0
2. Spain4-1
3. Serbia3-2
4. Italy2-3
5. Greece1-4
6. Ukraine0-5
Group F
1. Croatia4-1
2. Bulgaria3-2
3. Russia3-2
4. Latvia3-2
5. Turkey1-4
6. Slovenia1-4
Group G
1. France4-1
2. Germany4-1
3. Poland1-4
4. Denmark1-4

Finals: Round 9

FINAL

Aug. 19: CRO - LTU 88-76

G

Aug. 19: FRA - POL 76-52
Aug. 19: DEN - GER 65-97

7-8 Place

Aug. 19: BUL - ITA 65-84

3-4 Place

Aug. 19: RUS - SRB 56-66

5-6 Place

Aug. 19: LAT - ESP 51-80



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  FINLAND   


U18 European Championship: Czech Republic advanced to Division A - by Eurobasket News

Finland U18-Czech Republic U18 63:85

Czech Republic advanced to Division A of the U18 European Championship. The team overcame Finland 85:63 in the Semifinal game and clinched the ticket to 2012/2013 top division. Finland will have another chance as they will play England for the third place.
Czech Republic proved their ambitions for the top division and the top place in Sarajevo. They started with 27-21 in the first period and added 22-18 in the second quarter. Moreover the second half also belonged to the favorites. They produced 17-16 in the third quarter and finished the game with 19-8 in the last stanza.
Radovan Kouril (180-PG-95) ended up with 18 points for the winners and Prokop Slanina (204-C-95) collected 15 points and 12 rebounds. Marian Hrabovsky (198-G/F-94) delivered 13, while Petr Herman (204-PF-94) posted 11. Joonas Lehtoranta (183-SG-94) answered with 16 points and Julius Rajala (205-PF-94) scored 13. Oskar Michelsen (203-PF-95) nailed 12 points and Iikka Maki (191-SF-94) chipped in with 9.

Finland U18: Joonas Lehtoranta 16, Julius Rajala 13, Oskar Michelsen 12, Iikka Maki 9
Czech Republic U18: Radovan Kouril 18, Prokop Slanina 15+12 rebs, Marian Hrabovsky 13, Petr Herman 11


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  FRANCE   


U18 European Championship: Germany defeat France - by Eurobasket News

Germany U18 - France U18 60:57

Germany stayed hopeful in the fight for Division A survival at U18 European Championship. They defeated France to jump at 4-1 record in Group G. Paul Zipser (201-PG-94) came up with 18 points to pace the winners. France slipped at 4-1 record after the loss.
Germany entered the game firing from all guns. They jumped in front and ensured a 23:10 lead after ten minutes. France tuned in defensively in the second quarter. They trimmed the deficit at 4-point mark 24:28. France denied the deficit in the third quarter. They pulled ahead for a 39:36 lead at the final intermission. However Germany quickly surged ahead in the final period. They kept France behind throughout intense final period and managed to secure a narrow win at the end. David Taylor (188-PG-95) finished with 10 points, while Johannes Thiemann (203-F-94) added 9 points for the winners. Benjamin Sene (186-PG-94) answered with 18 points for France. Mouhammadou Jaiteh (206-C-94) had 16 points and 8 rebounds in the loss.

Germany U18: Paul Zipser 18, David Taylor 10, Johannes Thiemann 9
France U18: Benjamin Sene 18, Mouhammadou Jaiteh 16


Palencia Baloncesto lands Ott - by Eurobasket Center (T)

Palencia Baloncesto (LEB Gold) strengthened their roster with addition of 29-year old French-French guard Alfredo Ott (193-G-83, college: Dillard). Ott played most recently at Iraurgi Saski Baloia Lan Mobel (LEB Silver). While playing 27 games for Lan Mobel ISB last season he averaged 17.9ppg ( best in the league), 3.7rpg, 2.4apg and 2.9spg ( best in the league). He helped them to win the LEB Silver championship title and the cup. A very spectacular season in his career as he received an award of Eurobasket.com All-Spanish LEB Silver Player of the Year. Ott is a very experienced player. He graduated Dillard University in 2005 and it will be his eighth season in pro basketball.

By Eurobasket Data Center


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  GABON   


Afrobasket U18: Analysis of 2 losses in Gabon - by Rodrigue Olivier Kassa



Since August 16, 2012 in Mozambique stands the African basketball u18. Gabon is participating in this continental tournament and after two defeats so far out it is time for these young basketball Gabon react ...
Game 1: SEN - GAB: 73- 69 (Diff: - 4)
1 QT: 20-18 = +2 for Senegal
2 QT : 23-12 = +11 for Senegal
Half-time: 43-30 (Gabon is conducted)
3QT: 16 -19 = +3 for Gabon
4 QT: 14 -20 = + 6 for Gabon

Game 2: GAB - CIV: 45 - 57 (Diff: - 12)
1 QT:14-11 = +3 for Gabon
2 QT:09-18= +2 for Cote d'Ivoire
Half-time: 23-29 (Gabon is conducted)
3 QT: 12 -13 = +1 for Cte d'Ivoire
4 QT: 10 -15 = +5 for Cte d'Ivoire

Analysis:
Given the growth of the brand during the two outputs: one notices that the break Gabon is always led. Young people are struggling to establish itself during the first 2 QT and / or finish the match. A burst of pride often occurs after the break before losing ...
The defense seems to be the highlight of this group and not the attack despite having the top scorer of the competition in the person's best player of our national junior championship: SIMA Loyd ...
Players to excel in attack while working for those who distinguished himself in every game and by sticking together as a defense because it is only as we have our first win ...


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  GEORGIA   


Georgia beat Romania to enter 2013 EuroBasket Qualifying Round campaign - by Eurobasket News

Georgia - Romania 80:64

Georgia played their first game at the 2013 EuroBasket Qualifying Round. They hosts Romania in Tbilisi. The hosts celebrated a comfortable victory to improve at 1-0 record in Group D. Romania fell at 1-1 record after the loss. Jacob Pullen (183-PG-89, college: Kansas St.) led the hosts with 19 points.
Georgia and Romania stayed close throughout the opening quarter. The hosts managed to clear off to a 6-point lead at the first break 24:18. Romania cut the deficit at 2-point mark midway through the second term. But Georgia were able to take a 5-point halftime lead 44:39. Georgia capped the third term with eight points in a row to finally get away at 11-point distance 60:49. Manuchar Markoishvili (196-SF-86) and Shengelia dropped back-to-back three-pointers as Georgia secured a 66:50 lead early in the fourth quarter. Georgia maintained the advantage and rolled to the victory at the end. Manuchar Markoishvili accounted for 14 points, while Giorgi Shermadini (216-C-89) added 13 points for the winners. Catalin Baciu (214-C-88, college: Clemson) answered with 19 points and 10 rebounds for Romania. Vlad Moldoveanu (209-F-88, college: American) had 17 points and 11 rebounds in the loss.

Georgia: Jacob Pullen 19, Manuchar Markoishvili 14, Giorgi Shermadini 13
Romania: Catalin Baciu 19+10 boards, Vlad Moldoveanu 17+11 boards


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  GERMANY   


Germany successfully starts EuroBasket qualifying campaign - by Eurobasket News

Germany-Luxembourg 101:53

Germany successfully starts EuroBasket qualifying campaign as they rolled over Luxembourg in their opener. The German machine needed a strong last quarter for 101:53 win. Luxembourg meanwhile lost their second straight game.
Germany started with 25:10 lead in the first period but hardly increase the lead until the end of the third quarter. They added 20-17 in the second frame and 25-22 in the third quarter. The last period was a nightmare for Luxembourg that scored only 4 points. Germany erupted with 31 and reached three digit number on the board. Tim Ohlbrecht (210-F/C-88) nailed three with the buzzer for 101:53 win.
Robin Benzing (209-SF-89) stepped up with 17 points for the initial success of the team. Tim Ohlbrecht, Maik Zirbes (208-C-90) and Lucca Staiger (195-SG-88, college: Iowa St.) each scored 12 points. Christopher Jones (186-G-90) replied with 19 points in defeat and Tom Schumacher (189-PG-87, college: Cal.Baptist) notched 12.

Germany: Robin Benzing 17, Tim Ohlbrecht 12, Maik Zirbes 12, Lucca Staiger 12
Luxembourg: Christopher Jones 19, Tom Schumacher 12


Philip Mickey Perry ( My Drive And Dedication To Get Better Is My Finest Basketball Quality) - by Miles Schmidt-Scheuber

Philip Mickey Perry (188-G, college: Dayton) is a 188cm guard from Maywood, Illinois. He played at Wisconsin (NCAA) from 2005-2007 and then finished his college basketball career at Dayton from 2007-2010. He played a total of 95 NCAA games at Dayton. In his senior year, he played a total of 37 games: 5.4ppg, 1.2rpg, 1.7apg, FGP: 39.8%, 3PT: 38.0%, FT: 61.7%. In 2010-2011, he played for the North West Indiana Magic Stars (ABA). Last season, he played for the Dayton Air Strikers (PBL): 29 games: 15.1ppg, 3.1rpg, 2.4apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 46.4%, 3PT: 38.0%, FT: 76.6%. The American spoke to eurobasket about basketball.

Your buddy London Warren was signed recently by a Hungarian team. How happy are you for him and does his fight for not giving up to find a team motivate you?

Yes I saw the article and talked to him shortly after and I was most definitely happy for him going through some tough and great times during our college days at University of Dayton and it most certainly did that you never know when your opportunity may come and hoping Iget the chance to prove myself just like he's gotten that's all i want.

Where are you at the moment and how has your basketball summer been like?

Well my summer has just been all work and no play early May went to china for my 3x with the Seattle Mountaineers ABA team for a tour playing a CBA team in the a tough best of 7 series all around China winning the series in a tough game 7 finishing with 17ppg, 5ast and 5rebs and 2sts and being from Basketball Heaven Maywood IL been able to get some very good open gyms runs at my Highschool Proviso East with some A1 talent guys like Dee Brown Illinois Jacob Pullen Kansas State both products of Proviso East my former Wisconsin Badger teammate and all time leading scorer in that schools history Alando Tucker just to name a few that come through but its most def kept my game sharp

You havent played for a team since 2011. How tough is it searching searching and searching for a team? What keeps you motivated and how is the search going?

Yea my Love for the game of basketball has been tested that's for sure in regards to getting to the higher levels of pro basketball but I love the game and think in every opportunity that I have been blessed enough to get so far I've taken advantage of and i know I'm ready to make that jump given the opportunity.

Since your days at Dayton, you have played in the ABA and PBL leagues. Are you ready to make the jump to Europe?

Playing for the Dayton Airstrikers was again a beautiful struggle lol being cut first at training camp then brought back and showing that I could play was all I wanted to prove. It was cool to be playing semi pro ball where I went to college and knew my way around and have the Flyer community as they always do come out and support me and the team there support is what sold me on going to the University of Dayton transferring from the University of Wisconsin #1 in the country at the time


If you had to compare the PBL to the NCAA how would you in terms of skill and level?

Well honestly the PBL was a tougher league than some people or organizations in Europe might think guys from Big time D1 programs to Juco players guys played extremely hard and with pride so in my opinion the skill level was pretty high to be have an opportunity to do what we love and that's play basketball a couple of the tougher teams left that league and formed their own league Canada given the reason why I decided to leave that following season.

Your a 188cm guard. If you had to compare your game to an NBA player who would you compare it too?

If I had to compare my game to an NBA player it would have to be Jason Terry. I can score the basketball catch and shoot off the dribble but I can also can put the ball on the floor and help get my teammates a good shot and I most certainly know I can defend on the ball or picking up a certain teams defensive scheme being fortunate enough to be a winner at every level i've played on Defense is what separate players cause everyone can score these days.

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


A strength of my game that I think that doesn't always get noticed is just making the simple play at times and what ever that may be an extra pass, help the helper on D, getting a lose ball just what ever it takes a player can impact the game in so many ways and I just Go Hard when I'm on the court in what ever the team needs at the time.

What is your finest quality in your game that any coach in the professional ranks would love to have in a player?

The finest quality in my game that any coach in the professional ranks would love to have in a player? My Drive and dedication to just get better. I love the game of basketball and know that you get out what you put in and when I step on the court in my workouts, a practice I go like its game real to be the very best i can be.

How does a normal workout day look like for you? What things do you work on on your game to improve?

A normal workout day for me would be weights/conditioning early in the morning to start my day off right trying to be done with both of those by 11am and the workouts varies day to day and then hitting the court at least twice the rest of the day first workout being ball handling cause you can always improve your handle being a basketball player and shots of the move i feel my catch and shot abilities are pretty good and going hard for no more than hr and half and if not some pick up then the 2nd workout always starting with ball handling and getting some catch and shoot shots up keeping that sharp always counting makes never misses and finishing with shots off the move jumpers, floaters just trying to be a complete offensive player and that start with being in shape

You played together with Brian Roberts. What is the most amazing thing that you ever saw him do on the court besides scoring in bunches?


Yea playing with one of the flyer greats Brian Robers was something else and yea he could really score but like any great player his work ethic and basketball IQ always showed even the games he wasn't dominating the game with his scoring.

What is your nicest memory of London Warren at Dayton? What will you never forget from him?

My Nicest memory of London would have to be just his never ending motor always high energy all time and as basketball goes I had just transferred to Dayton and had to sit out and was in the rex plex getting some run in with some of the guys on my floor and London dunking I think one of the top 100 dunks of All time if I'm not mistaken was pretty impressive a guy his size

Who would win in their prime, the Dream Team or Team USA 2012?

Without question in their prime the 92 Dream would dominate inside with Ewing, David Robinson, Karl Malone and sir Charles the 2012 to me just wouldn't have answer

What was the last DVD that you watched?

The Last Dvd I watched was the game of thrones just finished the last season and it was something else would most definitely recommend checking it out

Thanks Mickey for the chat.



U18 European Championship: Germany defeat France - by Eurobasket News

Germany U18 - France U18 60:57

Germany stayed hopeful in the fight for Division A survival at U18 European Championship. They defeated France to jump at 4-1 record in Group G. Paul Zipser (201-PG-94) came up with 18 points to pace the winners. France slipped at 4-1 record after the loss.
Germany entered the game firing from all guns. They jumped in front and ensured a 23:10 lead after ten minutes. France tuned in defensively in the second quarter. They trimmed the deficit at 4-point mark 24:28. France denied the deficit in the third quarter. They pulled ahead for a 39:36 lead at the final intermission. However Germany quickly surged ahead in the final period. They kept France behind throughout intense final period and managed to secure a narrow win at the end. David Taylor (188-PG-95) finished with 10 points, while Johannes Thiemann (203-F-94) added 9 points for the winners. Benjamin Sene (186-PG-94) answered with 18 points for France. Mouhammadou Jaiteh (206-C-94) had 16 points and 8 rebounds in the loss.

Germany U18: Paul Zipser 18, David Taylor 10, Johannes Thiemann 9
France U18: Benjamin Sene 18, Mouhammadou Jaiteh 16


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


New FIBA ranking for men's National Teams - Greece on top - by Diamadis Farmakis

FIBA announced the new world ranking for men's National Teams, after the 2012 Olympic games in London. The top teams remained their positions, as the teams that succeded in London, secured their spots. Greek NT stayed high.

The Greek men's National Team, despite it's absence from the Olympics, stayed in the fourth place, with 418 points, as all the top five teams, didn't change their places

First is Olympic Gold winner USA with 952 points, second is Silver medalist Spain with 870, third is Argentina with 498 and after Greece, is Lithuania in fifth place, with 406 points.

Russia, after the bronze Olympic medal, jumped five spots and is now sixth, with 363 points.


U18 European Championship: Slaftsakis and Agravenis guide Greece past Ukraine - by Eurobasket News

Greece U18 - Ukraine U18 83:69

Greece clinched the 11th overall position at U18 European Championship. The capped their campaign with victory over Ukraine. Dimitrios Agravanis (208-F-94, agency: FCM) and Diamantis Slaftsakis (200-SF-94) scored 17 points each to lead the winners.
Ukraine stayed in front throughout the opening quarter. They recorded a 20:18 lead after ten minutes. Greece denied the deficit in the second term. The Hellenes drew things level at 40 heading into the second half. Greece started to get away in the third quarter. The Hellenes ensured a 9-point lead before the final quarter. Greece limited their opponents to 14 points in the final stanza and rolled to the victory at the end. Filippos Kalogiannidis (192-PG-94) had 16 points, while Eleftherios Bochoridis (196-SG-94) finished with 15 points, 6 boards and 5 assists in the win. Yevgen Sakhniuk (201-PF-95) replied with 13 points for Ukraine. Vladyslav Koreniuk (206-C-94) netted 10 points in the loss.

Greece U18: Dimitrios Agravanis 17, Diamantis Slaftsakis 17, Filippos Kalogiannidis 16
Ukraine U18: Yevgen Sakhniuk 13, Vladyslav Koreniuk 10


Zisis Sarikopoulos between Aris and Panathinaikos - by Dimitris Katsionis

According to Greek media Vasileios Kavvadas (205-F/C-91) will play for Panionios this year as the teams president Ilias Lianos didnt reach to an agreement with Panathinaikos. However, the case is not closed yet but affects his teammate, Zisis Sarikopoulos (213-C-90, college: Ohio St.). Sarikopoulos has reached a verbal agreement with Aris BC for the next 2 years but waits an offer from Panathinaikos now. Sarikopoulos declared that he wants to play for Aris. Vangelis Alexandris (teams coach) plans to give him a lot of playing time and maybe the starting center spot as his team is in a rebuilding process with a new administration. If Panathinaikos does not make any offer until tomorrow night, Aris will probably announce the player.


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


U18 European Championship: Holland destroy Austria in Classification Round - by Eurobasket News

Austria U18-Holland U18 48:72

Holland destroy Austria in Classification Round for the 9th to 12th Place at the U18 European Championship in Division B, The Dutch team needed 72:48 victory to play tomorrow for the 9th place. Austria meanwhile will play in the game for 11-12 places.
Holland did not waste time and started the game with 23-14. They added massive 22-12 in the second period and actually solved the problem about the winner. Mike Schilder (185-PG-94, agency: Court Side) sent the teams to the lockers for 45:26 and then Julius van Sauers (191-F-95) nailed three for 50:29. Holland also won the third period 20-11 and did not mind 7-11 in the lasts stanza.
Julius van Sauers top-scored for the winners with 13 points and Boy Van Vliet (182-SG-94) netted 12. Mike Schilder scored 11, while Jito Kok (205-C-94) added 10. Timur Bas (198-PF-94) finished the game with 16 points and Jakob Poeltl (208-PF-95) scored 13 in defeat.

Austria U18: Timur Bas 16, Jakob Poeltl 13
Holland U18: Julius van Sauers 13, Boy Van Vliet 12, Mike Schilder 11, Jito Kok 10


Bosnia and Herzegovina thump Netherlands - by Eurobasket News

Netherlands - Bosnia and Herzegovina 89:107

Bosnia and Herzegovina celebrated the second straight win at the start of 2013 EuroBasket Qualifying Round. They shot down Netherlands for 2-0 record on top of Group D. Mirza Teletovic (205-F-85, agency: Beo Basket) came up with another sizzling performance scoring 33 points in the win.
Netherlands stayed competitive throughout the first half. The Dutch team trailed by just two points at the first break 24:26. Netherlands managed to get within a single point at halftime 50:51. Slagter opened the second half with a three-pointer to put the hosts in front. However Bosnia and Herzegovina responded with a 19:2 run to spur back in charge. The visitors silenced Netherlands posting a 90:64 lead at the final break. Bosnia and Herzegovina never looked back cruising to the victory at the end. Nihad Djedovic (198-F-90, agency: Beo Basket) accounted for 28 points, while Dalibor Persic (193-G-85) finished with 14 points for the winners. Henk Norel (214-C-87) answered with 17 points and 9 rebounds for Netherlands. Worthy de Jong (194-SG-88, agency: R.H.Consultancy) had 16 points in the loss.

Netherlands: Henk Norel 17, Worthy de Jong 16
Bosnia and Herzegovina: Mirza Teletovic 33, Nihad Djedovic 28, Dalibor Persic 14


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


U18 European Championship: Portugal beat Hungary at the Classification Round - by Eurobasket News

Portugal U18-Hungary U18 88:83

Portugal beat Hungary at the Classification Round for 9th to 12th Place of the U18 European Championship in Division B. Portugal won 88:83 and will play for the 9th place. Hungary meanwhile will take on Austria for 11-12th places.
It was a hard start for both teams as they stayed close to each other in the first period. Portugal grabbed 22-21 and then added 25-19 in the second quarter. Both teams nailed 16 points each in the third quarter as Portugal kept 7 points advantage after 30 minutes. Hungary managed to win the last stanza 27-25 but reduce to 5 points. Zoltan Perl (194-G-95) and Diogo Ventura (189-PG-94) exchanged the last points from the free throw line for the final result.
Andre Miguens (184-SF-94) stepped up with 25 points for the winners and Pedro Bastos (186-PG-94) added 18. Diogo Ventura scored 12, while Pedro Marques (173-PG-95) delivered 9. Zoltan Perl erupted with 31 points in the losing effort. Kristof Bognar (206-C/F-94) notched 15, while Janos Velkey (193-G-95) netted 13.

Portugal U18: Andre Miguens 25, Pedro Bastos 18, Diogo Ventura 12, Pedro Marques 9
Hungary U18: Zoltan Perl 31, Kristof Bognar 15, Janos Velkey 13


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  ICELAND   


Stefansson Jon leads Iceland over Slovak Republic - by Eurobasket News

Slovak Republic-Iceland 75:81

Jon Stefansson (196-G-82) leads Iceland over Slovak Republic in Levice in Day 2 of the EuroBasket qualifying campaign. The player scored 28 points as Iceland won 81:75.
Iceland grabbed 21-17 after the first period and increased the lead to 8 points at the halftime. Slovakia meanwhile had a great third period and won it 23-10. Anton Gavel (188-PG-84, agency: Pro One Sports) nailed three to give his side 59:52, but the hosts could not win the game. Hlynur Baeringsson (197-F-82) closed the period at 59:53 and then Jakob Sigurdarson (192-PG-82, college: Birm.Southern) closed the run at 62:59. Iceland pushed the tempo at the end of the game and reached the necessary win.
Haukur Palsson (197-SF-92, college: Maryland) nailed 16 points for the winners and Jakob Sigurdarson posted 15. Hlynur Baeringsson collected 13 points and 11 rebounds in a win. Anton Gavel responded with high 31 points and Roman Marko (195-SG-86) netted 14.

Slovak Republic:Anton Gavel 31, Roman Marko 14
Iceland: Jon Stefansson 28, Haukur Palsson 16, Jakob Sigurdarson 15, Hlynur Baeringsson 13+11 rebs


Pavel Ermolinski suffers minor injury - by Snorri Arnaldsson

Icelandic National Team player Pavel Ermolinskij (202-G-87, agency: I.D.S. Law) (202-G-87, agency: I.D.S. Law) suffered a minor injury in the warmups against Slovakian National Team and will sit the game out. Pavel is a key figure in the Icelandic team, but he had a very good game agains Serbia and was expected to play a big role in the away game against Slovakian National Team. Pavel is the starting point guard for the squad, but young Aegir Steinarsson (185-PG-91, college: Newberry) took his place in the starting lineup in todays game.

Even though he is injured, he is hopeful for Tuesdays game at home against Israel.


U18 European Championship: Slovak Republic and Iceland open Day 8 - by Eurobasket News

Slovak Republic U18-Iceland U18 59:74

Slovak Republic and Iceland open Day 8 in Division B of the U18 European Championship. Iceland won 74:59 and will play tomorrow for the 13th place. Slovakia meanwhile will play for the 15-16th places.
Iceland took 18-12 at the end of the first period and continued their dominance in the rest of the half. They added 18-15 in the second frame for 36:27 lead. Both teams scored 19 points each in the third period and then Iceland added another 19-13 in the last stanza. Fridriksson made the last free throws in the game for the final result.
Thorgrimur Emilsson (206-C-94) chipped in with 14 points to pace the winners, while Valur Valsson (182-PG-94) nailed 13. Martin Hermannsson (190-SG-94) scored 10, while Matthias Sigurdarson (185-PG-94) added 9. Vladimir Brodziansky (206-PF-94) top-scored for the Slovak team with 14 points and Robert Rozim (199-F-94) netted 13. Martin Matejcik (185-G-94) delivered 11, while Vladimir Michalek (183-SG-94) posted 9.

Slovak Republic U18: Vladimir Brodziansky 14, Robert Rozim 13, Martin Matejcik 11, Vladimir Michalek 9
Iceland U18: Thorgrimur Emilsson 14, Valur Valsson 13, Martin Hermannsson 10, Matthias Sigurdarson 9


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


U18 Championship: Indonesia open win count beating Bahrain - by Eurobasket News

Indonesia U18 - Bahrain U18 72:67

Indonesia earned the first win at the U18 Asian Championship. They overcame Bahrain to improve at 1-1 record in Group C. Jan Panagan (179-G-94) scored 17 points to lead the winners. Bahrain slipped at 1-1 record after the loss.
Indonesia opened the game aggressively as they jumped to a 19:12 lead after ten minutes. Bahrain however struck right back in the second frame. They fired 26 points in the period to take a 38:25 halftime lead. Indonesia slowed their opponents down in the third quarter. They limited Bahrain to 14 points in the quarter and trimmed the deficit at 4-point mark at the final intermission. Indonesia quickly erased the deficit in the final frame and soon surged in front. They left Bahrain behind and marched to the victory at the end. Juan Kokodiputra (193-C/F-95) and Kristianto Halim (201-C-94) posted 14 points each for Indonesia. Mohammed Buallay (185-F-95) answered with 24 points for Bahrain. Sadiq Shukralla (181-F-97) had 12 points and 11 rebounds in defeat.

Indonesia U18: Jan Panagan 17, Juan Kokodiputra 14, Kristianto Halim 14
Bahrain U18: Mohammed Buallay 24, Sadiq Shukralla 12+11 boards


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  IRAN   


2012 William Jones Cup: Iran beat Lebanon at the start - by Eurobasket News

Iran - Lebanon 89:74

Iran celebrated the first win at the William Jones Cup invitational tournament. They defeated Lebanon in Taiwan. Samad Nik Khahbahrami (198-F-83) came up with 24 points to lead the winners.
Iran held Lebanon to just 10 points in the first quarter to take a 4-point lead. The teams traded baskets throughout the second quarter. Iran secured a 4-point lead at halftime 33:29. They fired 28 points in the third quarter to enlarge the margin to as many as 7 points 61:54. Iran unloaded 28 points in the fourth frame to seal the victory in the opener. Hamed Afagh (190-SG-83) posted 23 points, while Mousa Nabipour (212-C-83) netted 15 points for the winners. Jarrid Famous (209-C/F-88, college: S.Florida) notched 18 points and 11 rebounds for Lebanon. Elie Estephane (193-G-86, college: Alabama So. CC) provided 18 points in the loss.

Iran: Samad Nik Khahbahrami 24, Hamed Afagh 23, Mousa Nabipour 15
Lebanon: Jarrid Famous 18+11 boards, Elie Estephane 18


U18 Championship: Iran thump Saudi Arabia - by Eurobasket News

Iran U18 - Saudi Arabia U18 86:54

Iran registered the second straight win at the start of U18 Asia Championship. They defeated Saudi Arabia in Group D. Behnam Yakhchali (191-G-95) scored 31 points to pace the winners.
Iran cleared off in the starting quarter. They grabbed a 23:11 lead ten minutes into the game. Iran maintained the lead throughout the second quarter. They ensured a 40:25 halftime advantage. Iran did not slow after the big break. They opened a 19-point lead at the final intermission. Iran limited Saudi Arabia to just 9 points in the fourth quarter and rolled to the victory at the end. Vahid Dalirzahan (199-SF-95) posted 15 points, while Hossein Rahmati (204-C-93) added 10 points and 10 boards for the winners. Waheed Faqihi (185-F-94) answered with 18 points for Saudi Arabia. Nassir Abo Jalas (192-F-94) netted 17 points in the loss.

Iran U18: Behnam Yakhchali 31, Vahid Dalirzahan 15, Hossein Rahmati 10+10 boards
Saudi Arabia U18: Waheed Faqihi 18, Nassir Abo Jalas 17


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  ISRAEL   


U18 European Championship: Montenegro will play for the 5th place - by Eurobasket News

Israel U18-Montenegro U18 65:67

Montenegro will play for the 5th place at the U18 European Championship of Division B. The team overcame Israel 67:65 at the U18 European Championship. The latter will play for the 7-8 places in Sarajevo.
It was Israel that started the game better and reached 27-15 after the first 10 minutes. Montenegro meanwhile replied with 14-9 in the second period and reduced to 7 points at the halftime. The third quarter was decisive in the game as Montenegro needed 22-10 to take the lead in the game. Vaso Popovic (184-G-94) later scored for 65:59, but Segev tied the game at 65:65 with 7 seconds to go. Masan Vrbica (190-G-94) made two free throws at the end of the game for the final success.
Milos Pajovic (205-C-94) top-scored for the winners with 13 points and 15 rebounds, while Milija Mikovic (205-C-94) collected 10 points and 10 boards. Vaso Popovic also scored 10, while Vasilije Vusovic (191-G-94) and Masan Vrbica had 8 apiece. Egor Koulechov (194-SF-94) ended up with 18 points in the losing effort and Rafael Menco (201-SF-94, agency: Avi Zilberman) posted 12.

Israel U18: Egor Koulechov 18, Rafael Menco 12
Montenegro U18: Milos Pajovic 13+15 rebs, Milija Mikovic 10+10 rebs, Vaso Popovic 10, Vasilije Vusovic 8, Masan Vrbica 8


Estonia upset Israel in Rishon Le Zion - by Eurobasket News

Israel -Estonia 86:88 OT

Estonia upset Israel in Rishon Le Zion in Day 2 of the EuroBasket qualifying campaign. Estonia needed overtime to take 88:86 road win in Group A.
Israel easily started the game with 25-12 but the victory flew away from them in the second half. They managed to keep 13-point advantage after the first half as both teams scored 15 points each in the second frame. Estonia however replied with 25-18 in the third quarter and added 23-17 for 75:75 when Dorbek nailed three to tie the game. The teams exchanged the lead in overtime but Sten-Timmu Sokk (181-PG-89) and Tanel Sokk (188-G-85) made the last free throws for the final success.
Kristjan Kangur (201-SF-82) poured in 21 points to lead the charge and Siim-Sander Vene (203-SF-90, agency: Alti Sport) collected 17 points and 10 rebounds. Sten-Timmu Sokk delivered 16, while Tanel Sokk notched 9. Omri Casspi (204-SF-88) replied with 23 points in defeat and Lior Eliyahu (203-SF-85, agency: Z.A.G. - Law Offices) added 13. Raviv Limonad (191-SG-84) produced 12 and Yotam Halperin (193-SG-84) brought 11.

Israel: Omri Casspi 23, Lior Eliyahu 13, Raviv Limonad 12, Yotam Halperin 11
Estonia: Kristjan Kangur 21, Siim-Sander Vene 17+10 rebs, Sten-Timmu Sokk 16, Tanel Sokk 9


*****************************************************
  ITALY   


Marko Milic and Trieste did not reach an agreement - by Eurobasket News (T)

Marko Milic and Trieste did not reach an agreement as it was announced earlier. The player will not play for the newcomers of LegaDue next season.
Early in August Eurobasket announced that Trieste started building the roster for the upcoming season. The newcomer in Legadue was close to Jobey Thomas and Marko Milic.
Marko Milic played for Vanoli Cremona. The veteran forward appeared 32 times in SerieA this season averaging 12.8 points and 6.3 rebounds. Cremona finished as tenth ranked team of the regular season with 14-18 record. Marko Milic joined Cremona in February of 2010. He had 14 ppg and 7.3 rpg for the club in their first season together. In 2010/11, Milic registered almost the same numbers. Before Cremona, the former Slovenian NT member played for Orleans, Union Olimpija, Real Madrid, Virtus Bologna, Scavolini Pesaro and Roseto.


Gani Lawal signs with Virtus Roma - by Eurobasket News (T)

Gani Lawal (205-C/F-88, college: Georgia Tech) signs with Virtus Roma for the next season. The player moves from France where he finished the last season.
Gani Lawal played the last seaosn with Roanne. In 4 games he averaged 6.3ppg, 3.5rpg. The forward started the season in Poland. He played for Zastal Zielona Gora. Gani Lawal posted 14.7 points, 10.2 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game in PLK. The forward also had a stint in China. Gani Lawal played for Xinjang Gyang Hui Flying Tigers. His stats read 18.4 points, 12.3 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per appearance in CBA. Last season Gani Lawal spent in D-League. The forward tallied 11.2 points and 6.0 boards for the Iowa Energy.


U18 European Championship: Spain hold off Italy - by Eurobasket News

Spain U18 - Italy U18 70:63

Spain overcame Italy in the classification round of U18 European Championship. The former champions will now take on Latvia for the fifth overall position at the tournament. Oriol Pauli (201-G-94) scored 19 points to lead the winners.
Italy got to a flying start. They exploded with 25 points in the first quarter to take a 9-point lead. But Spain silenced their opponents in the second quarter. They limited the Azzurri to just 5 points to ensure a 37:30 halftime lead. Spain maintained the advantage throughout the third quarter. They secured an 8-point buffer heading into the fourth frame. Italy cut the margin at 3-point mark with under three minutes remaining. But Alberto Diaz (190-PG-94) came up with four points in the final 42 seconds to seal the victory for Spain. Guillermo Hernangomez (209-C-94) had 16 points, while Alberto Diaz added 12 points for the winners. Amedeo Tessitori (204-PF-94) answered with 20 points for Italy. Simone Fontecchio (197-SF-95) had 16 points in the loss.

Spain U18: Oriol Pauli 19, Guillermo Hernangomez 16, Alberto Diaz 12
Italy U18: Amedeo Tessitori 20, Simone Fontecchio 16


Montepaschi Siena confirm Mario Kasun - by Eurobasket News (T)

Montepaschi Siena have announced the signing of Mario Kasun (213-C-80). The centre has agreed on terms of 1+1 contract. Last season Mario Kasun spent in Croatia. He played for KK Zagreb. He tallied 12.2 points and 6.6 boards per game in Euroleague. In Adriatic League his stats read 17.9 points, 8.3 rebounds and 1.1 assists per appearance. Mario Kasun was named into All-Adriatic League 2nd Team. He participated at Croatia League All-Star Game. Previously Mario Kasun had stints in Croatia, Turkey, Spain, NBA, Germany. Eurobasket.com named the centre All-German Bundesliga Most Improved Player of the Year back in 2004. He then made it into Turkish League All-Bosmans Team in 2010. Mario Kasun was the member of Croatia National Team in 2002/09 seasons.


Italy edge Czech Republic in Chomutov - by Eurobasket News

Czech Republic - Italy 53:63

Italy recorded the second straight win at 2013 EuroBasket Qualifying Round. They took down Czech Republic in Chomutov to climb at 2-0 record on top of Group F. Danilo Gallinari (205-SF-88, agency: Players Group) posted 13 points and 7 rebounds to lead the Azzurri. Czech Republic fell at 1-1 record after the loss.
Czech Republic opened the game with six straight points and stayed in front throughout the opening quarter. The hosts posted a 19:17 lead after ten minutes. However Italy tipped off the second quarter on a 9:2 run to surge ahead. Datome soon opened a double-digit lead for Italy. The Azzurri secured a 35:29 halftime advantage. Italy kept the hosts at bay throughout low-scoring third term. The visitors entered the fourth stanza up by 7 points 44:37. Czech Republic never got closer than 6 points in the final term and had to surrender at the end. David Chiotti (206-C-84, agency: Court Side, college: N.Mexico) posted 10 points, while Daniel Hackett (200-PG-87, agency: Two Points, college: USC) added 9 points for the winners. Jakub Houska (206-PF-82) topscored with 14 points for Czech Republic. Petr Benda (204-C-82, agency: Court Side) netted 10 points and 7 rebounds for the home side.

Czech Republic: Jakub Houska 14, Petr Benda 10
Italy: Danilo Gallinari 13, David Chiotti 10, Daniel Hackett 9


SAIE3 Bologna lands Hasbrouck - by Eurobasket Center (T)

SAIE3 Bologna strengthened their roster with addition of 26-year old American guard Kenny Hasbrouck (191-G-86, college: Siena). Hasbrouck played most recently at EWE Baskets Oldenburg (Germany). While playing 33 games in German League for EWE Baskets last season he averaged 10.7ppg, 2.9rpg, 1.5apg and 1.2spg. He also played 11 games in EuroChallenge recording 11.5ppg, 2.4rpg, 1.6apg and 2.1spg best in the league). A very spectacular season in his career as he was voted to Eurobasket.com German Bundesliga All-Imports Team. Hasbrouck played also pro basketball in Germany and Spain. He graduated Siena College in 2009 and it will be his fourth season in pro basketball.

By Eurobasket Data Center


Pianigiani: I hope to go to right bench when we'll play against Siena - by Pervin Elgin

Pianigiani signed with Fenerbahce during the summer

Simone Pianigiani released a long interview reported by Il Corriere di Siena about his future with Fenerbahce Ulker Istanbul and the exhibition game the Turkish team will play against 'his' Mens Sana Siena on September 12.

"I really hope I will go to the right bench when we'll play against Siena. It won't be easy for me to enter in the other locker room. I still have to deal with the thought that I won't return to Siena. During the last two years, considering I was working with the National Team, I used to call everyday to Mens Sana asking for updates to the team and the roster. Over the last week, a couple of times I was close to call Siena instead of Fenerbahce. I think I will fully realize that I am the coach of Fenerbahce when we'll play against Mens Sana on September. I have been working a lot by phone with Fenerbahce beacuse I am with the National Team. I have been in Istanbul just few days, but enough to realize how big is the enthusiasm around Fenerbahce. How big is the sense of belonging of the supporters. I am in a club with 22 millions of fans. Fenerbahce's games are always broadacasted on TV because supporters are all around Turkey. There is a strong feeling and I like it. At the same tame the passion is in the DNA of people from Siena. About Fenerbahce's roster: there is a strong core of Turkish players. And this is very important because in TBL we have to play with at least two Turkish guys on the court at the same moment. I need to get used to that and I hope I won't make mistakes. We had to renew the foreigners. Fenerbahce's management liked the way Siena played in Europe and having in roster players you know it is very important to shorten their integration in the new club. My ties with Ferdinando Minucci have been always very strong. We knew that we were going to part ways at the end of the season. David Andersen and I left Siena without any buyout. Different was the case of McCalebb. Siena and Fenerbahce reached an agreement and the deal was made".

Courtesy of sportando.net


Juve Caserta set to waive Kyle Visser - by Pervin Elgin

The big man had a shoulder injury

Juve Caserta is back on the market and will soon waive Kyle Visser. The big man, a newcomer in the Italian team, injured his shoulder during a private workout and needs few months to recover.
His agent informed Caserta on the injury and the club is evaluating the situation but it is already seeking the market for a new big man to add to the starting five.

Courtesy of sportando.net


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  JAPAN   


2012 William Jones Cup: Taiwan won over Japan - by Eurobasket News

Taiwan-Japan 82:57

Taiwan won over Japan at the start of the 2012 William Jones Cup. The team overcame the opponents 82:57 in Day 1.
Taiwan opened the game with 19-11 in the first period and controlled the entire game. They added 16-12 in the second period and enjoyed 35:23 at the halftime. Moreover Taiwan won the third period 26-17 in the third period for a bigger lead after three quarters. They produced 21-17 in the last period to seal the victory in the opener.
Robert Chang stepped up with 16 points and Gross Gahan nailed 13. Tien Lei (202-F-83) and Lawrence Lam followed them with 11 points each. Kosuke Takeuchi (206-C/F-85) answered with 19 points and 11 rebounds, whilst Takatoshi Furukawa (190-G/F-87) added 8.

Taiwan: Robert Chang 16, Gross Gahan 13, Tien Lei 11, Lawrence Lam 11
Japan: Kosuke Takeuchi 19+11 rebs, Takatoshi Furukawa 8


U18 Championship: Japan trounce Singapore - by Eurobasket News

Japan U18 - Singapore U18 110:53

Japan celebrated the first win at the U18 Asia Championship. They fired past Singapore for 1-1 record in Group B. Ryogo Suntano (193-SF-96) stepped up with 24 points to lead the winners. Singapore fell at 0-2 record after the loss.
Japan started the game confidently. They exploded with 30 points in the opening quarter to take an 18-point lead. Japan stayed in charge throughout the second frame. They unloaded 28 points to stretch the lead to 38-point mark at halftime. Japan delivered another 28-point quarter after the big break and opened a massive 43-point buffer heading into the fourth frame. They did not slow down rallying to a comfortable win at the end. Masahiro Narita (185-SF-94) accounted for 22 points, while Yudai Baba (193-SF-95) had 13 points for the winners. Loon Tay Ding (185-PF-94) answered with 15 points for Singapore. Low Remus (183-F-94) chipped in 12 points in the loss.

Japan U18: Ryogo Suntano 24, Masahiro Narita 22, Yudai Baba 13
Singapore U18: Loon Tay Ding 15, Low Remus 12


Japanese National Team 2012 - by Eurobasket

Japanese National Team 2012
#s#
Takatoshi Furukawa
Furukawa
Sean Hinkley
Hinkley
Makoto Hiejima
Hiejima
Kosuke Takeuchi
Takeuchi
Ryota Sakurai
Sakurai
#e#5
4 Takatoshi Furukawa 190-G/F-87 Aishin SH Japan
5 Sean Hinkley 199-F-91 Toyota Alvark Japan
6 Makoto Hiejima 190-G-90 Aoyama Univ. Japan
8 Atsuya Ota 206-C-84
9 Takahiro Kurihara 192-G/F-87 Toshiba BT Japan
10 Kosuke Takeuchi 206-C/F-85 Toyota Alvark Japan
11 Ryota Sakurai 194-G-83 Hokkaido L. Japan
12 Yuya Nagayoshi 199-C-91 Aoyama Univ. Japan
13 Hironori Watanabe 180-G-88 Panasonic T. Japan
14 Kosuke Kanamaru 193-F/G-89 Panasonic T. Japan
15 Joji Takeuchi 207-F/C-85 Hitachi SR Japan
16 Daiki Tanaka 191-F-91 Tokai Univ. Japan
17 Tenketsu Harimoto 198-C/F-92 Aoyama Univ. Japan
18 Kosuke Hashimoto 202-F-93

Kimikazu Suzuki Head Coach Aishin SH Japan
Koji Naya Assistant



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  JORDAN   


2012 William Jones Cup: Philippines edge Jordan - by Eurobasket News

Philippines-Jordan 88:78

Philippines edge Jordan in Day 1 of the 2012 William Jones Cup. Philippines won over the opponents 88:78 in the third game of the tournament.
Philippines won the first period 25-16, but Jordan looked outstanding in the second frame. The latter erupted with 23-11 and grabbed 39:37 at the halftime. Philippines meanwhile responded with 30-15 in the third period and never looked behind after. They did not mind 22-24 in the last period to seal the victory in the opener.
Marcus Douthit (210-C/F-80, agency: Edge Sports, college: Providence) top-scored for the winners with 17 points and 14 rebounds, while Gary David (188-G/F-78) posted 14. Jeffrei Chan (192-F-83) notched 11 and Larry Fonacier (190-F/G-82) had 10. Rasheim Wright (192-G-81, college: District of Col.) replied with 24 points in the losing effort and Hussein Mohammad had 17 points and 11 rebounds. Mahmoud Abdeen (189-PG-87) poured in 14, while Khaldoon ABU RUQAYAH had 10.

Philippines: Marcus Douthit 17+14 rebs, Gary David 14, Jeffrei Chan 11, Larry Fonacier 10
Jordan: Rasheim Wright 24, Hussein Mohammad 17+11 rebs, Mahmoud Abdeen 14, Khaldoon ABU RUQAYAH 10


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  KAZAKHSTAN   


U18 Championship: Philippines beat Kazakhstan in Buyant-Ukhaa arena - by Eurobasket News

Kazakhstan U18-Philippines U18 69:83

Philippines beat Kazakhstan in Buyant-Ukhaa arena in Day 2 of the 22nd FIBA Asia U18 Championship. They grabbed 2-0 record after 83:69 victory.
Kazakhstan grabbed 9:8 in the first five minutes of the game, while the games was tied at 18:18 at the end of the first period. Kazakhstan again took 27:26 midway through the second frame, but failed later in the half. Philippines erupted for 38:30 lead at the halftime, but then again Kazakhstan tied it all at 46:46. Philippines meanwhile managed to take 55:52 after three quarters played. They continued their dominance in the last quarter and reached the victory.
Mario Bonleon top-scored for the winners with 20 points and Rodolfo Alejandro (175-G-95) nailed 18. SUAREZ Janus kyle posted 14, while CANI Janhubert angelo scored 10. Alexey Kurochka (185-G-94) and Alymzhan Maxutov (183-G-94) replied with 22 points each. Maxim Marchuk (195-F/G-94) nailed 14, while ZHUMA BEK Birzhan scored 5.

Kazakhstan U18: Alexey Kurochka 22, Alymzhan Maxutov 22, Maxim Marchuk 14, ZHUMA BEK Birzhan 5
Philippines U18: Mario Bonleon 20, Rodolfo Alejandro 18, SUAREZ kyle 14, CANI Janhubert angelo 10


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  KOSOVO   


Bashkimi can't pay Trepca - by Dren Shporta

After a week of speculations about Kosovos Player of the Year, Drilon Hajrizi (208-C-91), link with Bashkimi, the orange club from Prizren has refused to pay the transfer fee.

Hajrizi has signed new yearly contract with his native club, Trepca. And Trepca wanted 10k as a release cause, which was too high for Bashkimi. Its board member Bujar Gurgjeali has told in a press conference that Bashkimi is not interested anymore for Hajrizi.

While Hajrizi, in other hand, is in talks with a Hungarian elite team, but its name has not been public.


Peja signs Veseli - by Dren Shporta

Peja wants to enter in high-speed to the new season in BKT Superliga. After they captured Samir Shaptahovic and Artin Gashi from Bashkimi, they now have signed a yearly contract with Sigal Prishtinas forward Alban Veseli (200-F-90).

22 year old Veseli, has been playing for the former six times in a row champions and has been grown in Sigal Prishtina, were he had a good impact. He admitted exclusively for www.borozani.com that Peja has made a great offer for him and he could not refuse that.

Veseli is third important signing for Peja after two Bashkimi players. Peja is looking forward to take new coach for the incoming season.


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  LATVIA   


U18 European Championship: Edgars Stelmahers leads Latvia past Bulgaria - by Eurobasket News

Latvia U18 - Bulgaria U18 81:64

Latvia celebrated a comfortable win over Bulgaria in the classification round of U18 European Championship. Edgars Stelmahers (185-G/F-94) posted 16 points to lead the winners. Latvia will now play for the fifth overall position at the tournament.
Latvia started the game strongly. They accounted for 24 points in the first ten minutes to take an 8-point lead. Bulgaria struck right back in the second term. The visitors held Latvia to 12 points in the quarter and gained a 37:36 halftime lead. But Latvia were back in the drivers seat in the third quarter. They knocked down 26 points in the third frame to ensure a 7-point lead into the fourth term. Latvia held Bulgarian counterparts to 9 points in the final stanza and celebrated victory at the end. Ilja Gromovs (207-C-94) posted 12 points, while Toms Leimanis (190-PG-94) and Roberts Krastins (196-SF-94) added 11 points each for the winners. Kris Minkov (198-SF-94) responded with 14 points for Bulgaria. Deyan Karamfilov (180-PG-94) netted 11 points in the loss.

Latvia U18: Edgars Stelmahers 16, Ilja Gromovs 12, Toms Leimanis 11, Roberts Krastins 11
Bulgaria U18: Kris Minkov 14, Deyan Karamfilov 11


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  LEBANON   


2012 William Jones Cup: Iran beat Lebanon at the start - by Eurobasket News

Iran - Lebanon 89:74

Iran celebrated the first win at the William Jones Cup invitational tournament. They defeated Lebanon in Taiwan. Samad Nik Khahbahrami (198-F-83) came up with 24 points to lead the winners.
Iran held Lebanon to just 10 points in the first quarter to take a 4-point lead. The teams traded baskets throughout the second quarter. Iran secured a 4-point lead at halftime 33:29. They fired 28 points in the third quarter to enlarge the margin to as many as 7 points 61:54. Iran unloaded 28 points in the fourth frame to seal the victory in the opener. Hamed Afagh (190-SG-83) posted 23 points, while Mousa Nabipour (212-C-83) netted 15 points for the winners. Jarrid Famous (209-C/F-88, college: S.Florida) notched 18 points and 11 rebounds for Lebanon. Elie Estephane (193-G-86, college: Alabama So. CC) provided 18 points in the loss.

Iran: Samad Nik Khahbahrami 24, Hamed Afagh 23, Mousa Nabipour 15
Lebanon: Jarrid Famous 18+11 boards, Elie Estephane 18


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  LITHUANIA   


Kedainiai get bigger with Jonas Bergstedt - by Eurobasket News (T)

Kedainiai Triobet strengthened their frontcourt. They penned deal with Jonas Bergstedt (210-C-91). The Danish centre spent the last two seasons in Spain. Last season the centre played for Espacio Torrelodones. Jonas Bergstedt averaged 11.3 points, 9.8 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 1.6 assists and 1.1 blocks per game in EBA. Jonas Bergstedt participated at Adidas EuroCamp in Treviso this summer. He was the member of U18 and U20 Danish National Teams.


U18 European Championship: Lithuania hold off Serbia to reach Final - by Eurobasket News

Lithuania U18 - Serbia U18 69:67

Lithuania became the first U18 European Championship finalists. The hosts narrowly defeat Serbia in the first semifinal of the day. Augustinas Jankaitis (202-C-94) and Marius Grigonis (198-F-94) scored four points in a row in the final minute of regulation as Lithuania came from behind to celebrate victory. Simas Raupys (195-SF-94) finished with 18 points for the hosts.
Lithuania jumped ahead early in the encounter. The hosts secured a 21:15 lead after ten minutes. Simas Raupys made it 31:23 for Lithuania midway through the second term. Serbia however managed to narrow the deficit at just three-point mark at halftime 35:38. Serbia opened the second half with six points in a row to surge ahead. Lithuania returned the lead but the teams stayed close throughout the reminder of the period. The Baltic team gained a 52:51 lead at the final break. The visitors ignited an 11:2 rally to post a 62:54 lead midway through the final frame. Lithuania struck right back and pulled in front 65:64. Andric drained a triple for a 67:65 Serbian advantage with just over a minute remaining. But first Augustinas Jankaitis drew things level and then Marius Grigonis sealed the victory for Lithuania. Augustinas Jankaitis accounted for 14 points and 8 rebounds, while Marius Grigonis provided 10 points for the winners. Luka Andusic (191-G-94) and Nikola Jankovic (205-PF-94) answered with 18 points each for Serbia.

Lithuania U18: Simas Raupys 18, Augustinas Jankaitis 14, Marius Grigonis 10
Serbia U18: Luka Andusic 18, Nikola Jankovic 18


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  LUXEMBOURG   


Leon Powell joins AB Contern - by Eurobasket News (T)

AB Contern changed import player. They agreed on terms of contract with Leon Powell (200-F-88, agency: Strategic Sports, college: SE Missouri St.). He will replace Howard Crawford (203-F-88, college: UAB). Crawford did not pass the tryout period and AB Contern decided to substitute him.
Leon Powell will start his pro career with Contern. He graduated from the Southeast Missouri State University. The forward tallied 10.6 points, 7.1 rebounds, 1.4 blocks per game in his senior season. Leon Powell was named into NABC Division I All-District 19 2nd Team. The forward also made it into All-OVC 2nd Team in 2011. He was named into OVC All-Newcomers Team the same season.


Germany successfully starts EuroBasket qualifying campaign - by Eurobasket News

Germany-Luxembourg 101:53

Germany successfully starts EuroBasket qualifying campaign as they rolled over Luxembourg in their opener. The German machine needed a strong last quarter for 101:53 win. Luxembourg meanwhile lost their second straight game.
Germany started with 25:10 lead in the first period but hardly increase the lead until the end of the third quarter. They added 20-17 in the second frame and 25-22 in the third quarter. The last period was a nightmare for Luxembourg that scored only 4 points. Germany erupted with 31 and reached three digit number on the board. Tim Ohlbrecht (210-F/C-88) nailed three with the buzzer for 101:53 win.
Robin Benzing (209-SF-89) stepped up with 17 points for the initial success of the team. Tim Ohlbrecht, Maik Zirbes (208-C-90) and Lucca Staiger (195-SG-88, college: Iowa St.) each scored 12 points. Christopher Jones (186-G-90) replied with 19 points in defeat and Tom Schumacher (189-PG-87, college: Cal.Baptist) notched 12.

Germany: Robin Benzing 17, Tim Ohlbrecht 12, Maik Zirbes 12, Lucca Staiger 12
Luxembourg: Christopher Jones 19, Tom Schumacher 12


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  MONGOLIA   


U18 Championship: Taiwan beat the hosts to close Day 2 - by Eurobasket News

Mongolia U18-Taiwan U18 42:107

Taiwan beat the hosts to close Day 2 at the 22nd FIBA Asia U18 Championship. Taiwan easily rolled over Mongolia 107:42 for 2-0 record.
Taiwan started with 26-10 in the first period and never looked behind after. They added massive 31-11 in the second frame and enjoyed 57:21 lead at the halftime. Moreover the second half was also dominated by the guests. Taiwan won the third quarter 29-11 and finished the game with 21-10 in the last stanza.
Huang Tsun-Han (193-F-94) paced all the winners with 18 points and Lin Yu-Ping as well as Lee Chia-Jui (200-C-94) had 12 each. Chen Po-Liang (193-F-96) and Lin Kuan-Chun (184-G-95) followed them with 10 points each in a win. Munkhnasan Lkhamjav (180-G-94) answered with 15 points in defeat and Enkhtaivan Chinzorig (188-C-95) delivered 11.

Mongolia U18: Munkhnasan Lkhamjav 15, Enkhtaivan Chinzorig 11
Taiwan U18: Huang Tsun-Han 18, Lin Yu-Ping 12, Lee Chia-Jui 12+10 rebs, Chen Po-Liang 10, Lin Kuan-Chun 10


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  MONTENEGRO   


Nikola Ivanovic lifts Montenegro past Serbia - by Eurobasket News

Serbia - Montenegro 71:73

Montenegro celebrated the second consecutive win at 2013 EuroBasket Qualifying Round. They upset Serbia in Belgrade tonight. Nikola Ivanovic (190-PG-94, agency: Beo Basket) dropped a deadly three-pointer with three seconds left in regulation to win the game for the visitors.
Serbia greeted Montenegro with a strong start to the game. Serbia ensured a 23:15 lead ten minutes into the game. However Montenegro used a 7:0 run midway through the second quarter to pull in front 33:31. Serbia tied things up at 35 at halftime. The lead changed hands throughout the third term. Serbia eked out a 55:52 advantage heading into the fourth term. Milos Teodosic (195-PG-87) and Milan Macvan (205-PF-89, agency: INVICTUS Sports Group) ensured a 67:54 lead for the hosts midway through the fourth period. However Montenegro went on a 19:3 rally capped by a three-pointer from Nikola Ivanovic to seal the victory. Suad Sehovic (196-G/F-87) finished with 17 points to pace the winners. Aleksa Popovic (200-SF-87) and Bojan Dubljevic (205-PF-91, agency: Beo Basket) provided 11 points each for Montenegro. Milos Teodosic answered with 21 points for Serbia. Milan Macvan had 17 points in the loss.

Serbia: Milos Teodosic 21, Milan Macvan 17
Montenegro: Suad Sehovic 17, Aleksa Popovic 11, Bojan Dubljevic 11


U18 European Championship: Montenegro will play for the 5th place - by Eurobasket News

Israel U18-Montenegro U18 65:67

Montenegro will play for the 5th place at the U18 European Championship of Division B. The team overcame Israel 67:65 at the U18 European Championship. The latter will play for the 7-8 places in Sarajevo.
It was Israel that started the game better and reached 27-15 after the first 10 minutes. Montenegro meanwhile replied with 14-9 in the second period and reduced to 7 points at the halftime. The third quarter was decisive in the game as Montenegro needed 22-10 to take the lead in the game. Vaso Popovic (184-G-94) later scored for 65:59, but Segev tied the game at 65:65 with 7 seconds to go. Masan Vrbica (190-G-94) made two free throws at the end of the game for the final success.
Milos Pajovic (205-C-94) top-scored for the winners with 13 points and 15 rebounds, while Milija Mikovic (205-C-94) collected 10 points and 10 boards. Vaso Popovic also scored 10, while Vasilije Vusovic (191-G-94) and Masan Vrbica had 8 apiece. Egor Koulechov (194-SF-94) ended up with 18 points in the losing effort and Rafael Menco (201-SF-94, agency: Avi Zilberman) posted 12.

Israel U18: Egor Koulechov 18, Rafael Menco 12
Montenegro U18: Milos Pajovic 13+15 rebs, Milija Mikovic 10+10 rebs, Vaso Popovic 10, Vasilije Vusovic 8, Masan Vrbica 8


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  NBA   


Wade says best is yet to come for LeBron - by Eurobasket News

All LeBron James (6'8''-SF-84) has done so far this year is win the NBAs MVP award for the third time, an NBA Finals MVP trophy to go along with that one, his elusive first championship and a second Olympic gold medal.

Dwyane Wade (6'4''-G-82, college: Marquette) thinks his Miami Heat teammate is just getting started.

With the start of Heat training camp now just six weeks away, Wade said on Friday that he expects James to be even better this coming season now that the will-he-ever-win-a-championship question has been forever put to rest.

That monkey is off his back and now hes just playing basketball, Wade said while taking a break from his annual fantasy camp, where fans pay up to $12,500 to get a four-day luxury taste of NBA life. I think well see a better LeBron James - scary to say, three-time MVP - than weve seen. And its because all he has to do is play basketball now. He doesnt have to worry about what he hasnt done. Itll always be something, but hes got the biggest one off his back.

Courtesy of The Associated Press (via www.insidehoops.com)


New Nugget Iguodala open to ending career in Denver - by Eurobasket News

Here's a line that hasn't been in this newspaper for a while: The Nuggets' all-star wants to stay in Denver long-term. Now, this guy isn't Carmelo. Andre Iguodala (6'6''-SF-84, college: Arizona) is a versatile player, but not a guy who will flirt with 30 points each night. But, also, this guy isn't Carmelo - Andre Iguodala said Thursday, "This is definitely a place I could see myself for more than a year or two."

The team held an introductory news conference Thursday for the former 76er acquired by Denver this month. The 28-year-old Iguodala is under contract for 2012-13 (around $14.7 million) and has a player option for 2013-14. But both he and Denver executive Masai Ujiri said they want to negotiate a long-term contract in the coming season, in efforts to lock down the shooting guard like he locks down helpless ball-handlers.

"We are definitely looking ahead, looking to see how we can go forward so this isn't a quick stop for me," said the 6-foot-6 Iguodala, who averages 15.3 points per game, 5.8 rebounds and 4.9 assists for his career. "Knowing that this is a great organization, I've gotten a lot of feedback from a lot of different guys, former players, current players, even other trainers about the organization, (telling me) this would be a great place for me to have some great years and possibly ending my career here."

Ujiri already has said he wants to sign point guard Ty Lawson to a long-term deal, and Lawson told The Denver Post last May that he was excited about that possibility. If Ujiri and team president Josh Kroenke can re-sign their backcourt, that will give Denver a thrilling nucleus going forward, knowing small forwards Danilo Gallinari and Wilson Chandler and center JaVale McGee are already signed for years to come. Meanwhile, power forward Kenneth Faried is entering the second season of his rookie contract.

"My focus," Iguodala said, "is to help our team, not only to go out there and to play at the best of our abilities, but to believe that we're going to make ourselves in contention to be at the top of the West. No matter what anybody else says, we are going to go out there and play for one thing and that is a championship."

The Western Conference, of course, has two superpowers. The Thunder went to the NBA Finals this past season and three of its players, including scoring champion Kevin Durant, were Iguodala's teammates in London during the Olympics. And the Lakers have one of the most mouth-watering lineups in history, one could argue. Pass-first point guard Steve Nash and Kobe Bryant make up the backcourt, and along with defensive-stopper Metta World Peace at small forward, the Lakers' low-post features Pau Gasol and Dwight Howard.

Last season, the Nuggets finished sixth in the conference even though they battled numerous injuries. With the growth of their nucleus and the addition of Iguodala, one might argue that Denver could compete for a top-four seed in the West and homecourt advantage in the first round of the playoffs.

Sure enough, it was Carmelo Anthony himself who excited Iguodala about the very team Melo left in 2011.

While in London, Melo told Iguodala: "You'd be a perfect fit for Coach Karl."

It's understood that Iguodala should excel in George Karl's system because of his dedication to darting down the floor in transition.

"Just run fast, it's pretty simple, especially with a great point guard," Iguodala said. "The pass ahead is really what gets it going. And I'll do the same thing getting the rebound and pushing it on the break."

And he could possibly do so in Denver for years to come.

Courtesy of www.denverpost.com


Trail Blazers hire Jay Triano, David Vanterpool, Kim Hughes as assistant coaches - by Eurobasket News (T)

Portland Trail Blazers Head Coach Terry Stotts has added Jay Triano , David Vanterpool and Kim Hughes to his coaching staff, the team announced today.

Jay, David and Kim bring a wealth of experience as coaches, players and front office personnel, said Stotts. I have always had a lot of respect for their basketball knowledge and they will be very valuable additions to our staff.

Triano, 53, joins the Trail Blazers from the Toronto Raptors, where he most recently held the position of Vice President of Pro Scouting after serving as the teams head coach from 2008-11 (87-142, .380). The first Canadian born head coach in the NBA, Triano was previously an assistant in Toronto from 2002-08.

A native of Niagara Falls, Ontario, Triano served as the head coach for the Canadian mens national team from 1998-2004 (52-42, .553) and later as an assistant for USA Basketball. A former captain of Team Canada who played collegiately at Simon Fraser University, Triano competed in three Olympics for his home country.

Vanterpool, 39, joins the Trail Blazers bench after spending the past two seasons as a pro scout with the Oklahoma City Thunder. He played for European power CSKA Moscow from 2005-07, winning a Euroleague title there before becoming an assistant coach with the club upon retirement. Vanterpool was also a member of the Trail Blazers 2010 NBA Summer League coaching staff.

Appearing in 22 games for the Washington Wizards in 2000-01, Vanterpool played collegiately at St. Bonaventure.

An assistant coach with the Los Angeles Clippers for seven seasons (2003-10), Hughes, 60, finished the final 33 games of the 2009-10 season as interim head coach. He spent the previous five seasons with the Denver Nuggets, where he served as director of scouting, director of player personnel and assistant coach. The Freeport, Ill., native and Wisconsin alum was also a scout for the Milwaukee Bucks.

Hughes is a six-year veteran of the ABA and NBA, playing for the New York/New Jersey Nets, Nuggets and Cleveland Cavaliers before finishing his career in Italy.

Triano, Vanterpool and Hughes join Kaleb Canales as assistants on Stotts staff.

Courtesy of www.insidehoops.com


Bynum's knee treatment gains acceptance in U.S. - by Eurobasket News

While 76ers center Andrew Bynum (7'0''-C-87, agency: David Lee services) has chosen to have the creator of the noninvasive, nonsurgical procedure administer the injections to his knees that he hopes will extend his career next month in Dusseldorf, Germany, the procedure - known as regenokine treatment - has been administered in the United States for almost a decade.

"Regenokine is the most effective treatment for joint problems caused by osteoarthritis," said Chris Renna, a specialist in preventative medicine. "It is corroborated by independent studies published in 2003 in the Journal of Osteoarthritis and Orthopedics."

The treatment was first cleared for widespread use in Germany in 2003. More recently, medical boards in the United States have cleared the procedure in states such as California, Texas, and New York, among others.

Renna founded Lifespan Medicine in 1992, with offices in Santa Monica, Calif., and Dallas. Renna has authored a book called The End of Pain with Peter Wehling, who discovered the procedure at the University of Pittsburgh - along with Harvard molecular orthopedist Chris Evans. The book describes the procedure and details its medical efficacy. Wehling will perform the procedure on Bynum.

"It's all there in the reports," said Renna, who first began referring American patients to Wehling in 2003. "Those studies demonstrated significant improvement in the knee, spine, and later it was used in multiple joints. They were placebo, double-blind studies, and the procedure demonstrates significant success."

Worldwide, about 60,000 patients have received the treatment. Renna refers to it as a "game-changing treatment for back pain, joint pain, osteoarthritis, and other inflammatory joint conditions." There is evidence that horses, too, benefit from the treatment that Bynum's former teammate, Kobe Bryant, will get for a second time before the season begins.

It is more commonly referred to in the veterinary world as orkothine therapy. Dean Richardson, chief of large-animal surgery at Penn, said that the procedure, though not a cure-all, has produced significant benefits to horses suffering from inflammatory joint pain.

"There is reasonable science behind it," Richardson said. "It is certainly not magic, but it has been widely used in tens of thousands of injections. If you need a joint replacement, it's not going to make you not need a joint replacement. But it is probably best used for athletes and athletic horses."

The nonsurgical procedure is really a form of therapy. Bynum will arrive in Germany and have his blood drawn. Later in the day, the blood will be spun in a test tube. A serum will be separated from the blood and injected back into Bynum's knees.

In total, Bynum should receive about five injections over a period of five days. No recovery time is required, so Bynum should be ready to go when the Sixers gather in the first week of October for training camp.

The treatment is not covered by insurance and will cost Bynum about $12,000 out of pocket. Renna would like to see the day when it is covered by insurance companies and available to all who struggle with osteoarthritis and other inflammatory conditions.

"It's groundbreaking," Renna said. "The unfortunate truth is that because of its expense and status, the treatment is for the 1 and 2 percent of our society. The hope is that in a few years it becomes a treatment for the 100 percent."

Courtesy of http://articles.philly.com


Eddie Jordan, Bernie Bickerstaff, Steve Clifford set to join Mike Browns Lakers coaching staff - by Eurobasket News (T)

It hasn't exactly been a secret around the NBA that Lakers head coach Michael Brown has been courting Eddie Jordan to join his staff as an assistant coach. The official hiring of Eddie Jordan, who played for the Lakers in 1980-83 and 84, is expected to occur in the coming days - and Brown will be hiring longtime NBA sage Bernie Bickerstaff , too.

The Lakers are also adding Steve Clifford to their staff. Clifford has been an Orlando Magic assistant - with Dwight Howard (6'11''-C-85) - since 2007. Before that, Clifford was with the Rockets and Knicks.

Bickerstaff, 68, gave Brown his first NBA job as a Denver Nuggets intern when Bickerstaff was the general manager of the team. He was most recently an assistant coach with the Portland Trail Blazers the past two seasons but has been a head coach in

Seattle, Denver, Washington and Charlotte.

Bickerstaffs resume begins with a job as a Washington assistant coach in 1973, when he was the leagues youngest assistant.

Jordan, 57, will bring unique offensive expertise with comprehensive knowledge of the Princeton offense. The revamped Lakers with Steve Nash and Dwight Howard will be naturally potent via pick-and-roll action, but Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol would be natural fits for the Princeton sets that are somewhat similar to Phil Jacksons read-and-react triangle offense.

Jordan was previously head coach of the Sacramento Kings (1996-98), Washington Wizards (2004-08) and Philadelphia 76ers (2009-10).

Assistant coach Quin Snyder and coaching consultant Ettore Messina both left Browns staff this offseason to work with CSKA Moscow. Browns staff last season also included John Kuester, Chuck Person and Darvin Ham.

Clifford was a candidate to be head coach in Orlando and Portland, according to Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com, but didnt get either post. His knowledge of what works and doesnt work best for Howard should be particularly valuable to Brown.

Courtesy of http://lakers.ocregister.com


Orlando Magic hire former NBA guard Anthony Parker as a scout - by Eurobasket News

The Magic continue to replenish their scouting department, hiring former NBA guard Anthony Parker (6'5''-G/F-75, college: Bradley) as a scout.

Rob Hennigan fired the entire scouting arm of the franchise when he took over as GM.

Parker, 37, retired after last season, when he averaged 7.2 points and 2.4 assists for the Cleveland Cavaliers. He played nine seasons with four teams, including a brief 16-game stint with the Magic in 1999-2000.

Parker also has international experience, having played six seasons in Israel before returning to the NBA.

He is the older brother of WNBA star Candace Parker.

Courtesy of http://articles.orlandosentinel.com


Report: Cavaliers near 3 year, $10 million agreement with Alonzo Gee - by Eurobasket News

The Cavaliers seem to finally be close to agreeing to terms with restricted free agent Alonzo Gee (6'6''-G-87, college: Alabama). Due to his restricted nature, the Cavs and Gee took an awfully long time to get this done (and it's still not technically done) and bring the young wing back to Cleveland. Nevertheless, the Cavs and Gee are reportedly closing in on a deal that would ink Alonzo to a three year, $10 million deal.

According to Kurt Helin from NBC Sports in the article, the Cavs have placed this offer on the table for much of the offseason. Naturally, Gee was then just waiting it out to see if someone would make a play for him and force the Cavs to pony up more dough. That never happened.

At 3 years, $10 million, Gee is a bargain. He was one of the Cavs' best perimeter defenders last season, showed *some* improvement on his jump shot, and showed plenty of improvement in driving and getting to the foul line. In 2010-2011, Gee shot 3 free throws per 36 minutes. In 2011-12, he shot 4.2 free throws per 36 minutes. In addition, Gee increased his production in assists, rebounds, and steals. We saw his true shooting % go down, but that was expected with an increased workload. Hopefully he can become more efficient throughout the next three seasons.

The Cavaliers also signed C.J. Miles this offseason, someone who has vaguely similar physical attributes as Gee. While Miles hasn't shown the defensive prowess that Gee has, both players are quite young and have the ability to play both the 2 and the 3. With Omri Casspi and Kelenna Azubuike hoping for bounceback seasons,, the Cavs have built up some nice depth on the wing.

Ultimately, the Cavaliers are paying for the potential that Alonzo Gee possesses. At 6'6" he has good size on the perimeter and is able to defend both shooting guards and small forwards. He has freaky athleticism, an asset on the fastbreak with Kyrie Irving and Dion Waiters. If he can really develop a better handle and a consistent jumper, he'll be a really nice piece. He's by no means a star, but at just over $3 million, he's a solid get as a role player.

Courtesy of www.fearthesword.com


Serg Ibaka signs contract extension with Thunder - by Eurobasket News (T)

Serge Ibaka (6'10''-C/F-89) has reached an agreement on terms of contract extension with the Oklahoma City Thunder. The new deal is meant for four seasons. Serge Ibaka will receive $ 40-million plus bonuses. Serge Ibaka could have turned a restricted free agent next summer. The centre started the previous season in Spain. He played for Real Madrid during the NBA lockout. He notched 6.7 points, 4.0 boards and 2.0 blocks per game in ACB. In Euroleague Serge Ibaka notched 5.5 points, 4.7 rebounds and 2.0 blocks. Later the centre moved back to the Thunder. His stats read 9.3 points, 7.1 rebounds, 3.5 blocks per appearance in the NBA. He made it into NBA All-Defensive Team. This summer Serge Ibaka participated at 2012 Olympic Games. He notched 8.0 points, 4.4 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game for Spain earning Silver medals with La Furia Roja.


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  PHILIPPINES   


U18 Championship: Philippines beat Kazakhstan in Buyant-Ukhaa arena - by Eurobasket News

Kazakhstan U18-Philippines U18 69:83

Philippines beat Kazakhstan in Buyant-Ukhaa arena in Day 2 of the 22nd FIBA Asia U18 Championship. They grabbed 2-0 record after 83:69 victory.
Kazakhstan grabbed 9:8 in the first five minutes of the game, while the games was tied at 18:18 at the end of the first period. Kazakhstan again took 27:26 midway through the second frame, but failed later in the half. Philippines erupted for 38:30 lead at the halftime, but then again Kazakhstan tied it all at 46:46. Philippines meanwhile managed to take 55:52 after three quarters played. They continued their dominance in the last quarter and reached the victory.
Mario Bonleon top-scored for the winners with 20 points and Rodolfo Alejandro (175-G-95) nailed 18. SUAREZ Janus kyle posted 14, while CANI Janhubert angelo scored 10. Alexey Kurochka (185-G-94) and Alymzhan Maxutov (183-G-94) replied with 22 points each. Maxim Marchuk (195-F/G-94) nailed 14, while ZHUMA BEK Birzhan scored 5.

Kazakhstan U18: Alexey Kurochka 22, Alymzhan Maxutov 22, Maxim Marchuk 14, ZHUMA BEK Birzhan 5
Philippines U18: Mario Bonleon 20, Rodolfo Alejandro 18, SUAREZ kyle 14, CANI Janhubert angelo 10


2012 William Jones Cup: Philippines edge Jordan - by Eurobasket News

Philippines-Jordan 88:78

Philippines edge Jordan in Day 1 of the 2012 William Jones Cup. Philippines won over the opponents 88:78 in the third game of the tournament.
Philippines won the first period 25-16, but Jordan looked outstanding in the second frame. The latter erupted with 23-11 and grabbed 39:37 at the halftime. Philippines meanwhile responded with 30-15 in the third period and never looked behind after. They did not mind 22-24 in the last period to seal the victory in the opener.
Marcus Douthit (210-C/F-80, agency: Edge Sports, college: Providence) top-scored for the winners with 17 points and 14 rebounds, while Gary David (188-G/F-78) posted 14. Jeffrei Chan (192-F-83) notched 11 and Larry Fonacier (190-F/G-82) had 10. Rasheim Wright (192-G-81, college: District of Col.) replied with 24 points in the losing effort and Hussein Mohammad had 17 points and 11 rebounds. Mahmoud Abdeen (189-PG-87) poured in 14, while Khaldoon ABU RUQAYAH had 10.

Philippines: Marcus Douthit 17+14 rebs, Gary David 14, Jeffrei Chan 11, Larry Fonacier 10
Jordan: Rasheim Wright 24, Hussein Mohammad 17+11 rebs, Mahmoud Abdeen 14, Khaldoon ABU RUQAYAH 10


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


Poland overpower Switzerland in Fribourg - by Eurobasket News

Switzerland - Poland 66:80

Poland earned the initial win at the 2013 EuroBasket Qualifying Round. They bounced back after the starting loss to Belgium to defeat Switzerland in Fribourg. Marcin Gortat (213-C-84) tallied 17 points and 11 rebounds to lead the winners.
Poland aggressively entered the game. The visitors piled up a 23:19 lead after ten minutes. Poland stayed in charge throughout the second quarter. They piled up a 40:32 halftime lead. Poland stretched the margin in the third term. The visitors established a comfortable 61:44 lead at the final break. Switzerland managed to narrow the deficit but could not threaten their opponents in the final period. Lukasz Koszarek (187-PG-84) accounted for 13 points, while Michal Ignerski (207-F-80, agency: Stanley International, college: Mississippi St.) added 12 points for the winners. Dusan Mladjan (198-SG-86, agency: Interperformances) answered with 14 points for Switzerland. David Ramseier (203-F/C-87) had 12 points and 9 rebounds in defeat.

Switzerland: Dusan Mladjan 14, David Ramseier 12
Poland: Marcin Gortat 17+11 boards, Lukasz Koszarek 13, Michal Ignerski 12


U18 European Championship: Poland overcome slow start, beat Denmark - by Eurobasket News

Poland U18 - Denmark U18 59:54

Poland celebrated the first win at the classification round of U18 European Championship. They defeated Denmark for 1-4 record in Group G. Kacper Radwanski (189-G/F-94) scored 10 points to lead well-balanced effort from the Polish team.
Denmark looked more determined in the opening quarter. The Scandinavian team gained a 16:8 lead ten minutes into the game. But Poland turned things around in the second quarter. They went on a 23:9 rally to ensure a 31:25 halftime lead. Denmark got within a two-point distance at the final break 38:40. Mortensen drew things level at the start of the final quarter. But Poland proved the difference late in regulation. Kacper Radwanski drained a triple, while Nowicki and Dzierzak added four points to seal the victory for Poland. Kacper Borowski (203-F/C-94) netted 9 points, while Mikolaj Witlinski (207-F/C-95) contributed 8 points for the winners. Rasmus Larsen (212-C-94) answered with 11 points and 11 rebounds for Denmark. David Knudsen (193-F-94) had 11 points in the loss.

Poland U18: Kacper Radwanski 10, Kacper Borowski 9, Mikolaj Witlinski 8
Denmark U18: Rasmus Larsen 11+11 boards, David Knudsen 11


*****************************************************
  PORTUGAL   


U18 European Championship: Portugal beat Hungary at the Classification Round - by Eurobasket News

Portugal U18-Hungary U18 88:83

Portugal beat Hungary at the Classification Round for 9th to 12th Place of the U18 European Championship in Division B. Portugal won 88:83 and will play for the 9th place. Hungary meanwhile will take on Austria for 11-12th places.
It was a hard start for both teams as they stayed close to each other in the first period. Portugal grabbed 22-21 and then added 25-19 in the second quarter. Both teams nailed 16 points each in the third quarter as Portugal kept 7 points advantage after 30 minutes. Hungary managed to win the last stanza 27-25 but reduce to 5 points. Zoltan Perl (194-G-95) and Diogo Ventura (189-PG-94) exchanged the last points from the free throw line for the final result.
Andre Miguens (184-SF-94) stepped up with 25 points for the winners and Pedro Bastos (186-PG-94) added 18. Diogo Ventura scored 12, while Pedro Marques (173-PG-95) delivered 9. Zoltan Perl erupted with 31 points in the losing effort. Kristof Bognar (206-C/F-94) notched 15, while Janos Velkey (193-G-95) netted 13.

Portugal U18: Andre Miguens 25, Pedro Bastos 18, Diogo Ventura 12, Pedro Marques 9
Hungary U18: Zoltan Perl 31, Kristof Bognar 15, Janos Velkey 13


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  PUERTO RICO   


Ramos signs in China and Orta goes back to Venezuela: - by Luis Modestti (T)

Peter John Ramos (222-C-85) signed a deal with Zhejiang in the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA). He returns with the same team for the third season in a row.

Last season in China he averaged 21.9 points and 13.3 rebounds; he then played with Piratas de Quebradillas. If everything goes to plan he plays in China and then again in Puerto Rico.

Raul Orta (196-G-85) was another Puerto Rican who signed another deal abroad with Marinos in Venezuela. Orta plays as a native in Venezuela since his mother was born there.

Orta played for Marinos in 2010 and last season was with Atleticos de San German.


Ayuso leaves Huracanes: - by Luis Modestti (T)

Larry Ayuso (190-G-77, agency: Paris Global Sports, college: USC) left Huracanes del Atlantico in the Dominican League because the team owes him some of his salary.

Ayuso was the top Puerto Rican performer in the league averaging 20.5 points in twelve games. Huracanes had a 6-6 record with him on the court.

This was the first time Ayuso played overseas since the 2008-2009 D-League season where he played with Iowa and Albuquerque. Since then he has played in BSN with Santurce and Arecibo.


*****************************************************
  ROMANIA   


Georgia beat Romania to enter 2013 EuroBasket Qualifying Round campaign - by Eurobasket News

Georgia - Romania 80:64

Georgia played their first game at the 2013 EuroBasket Qualifying Round. They hosts Romania in Tbilisi. The hosts celebrated a comfortable victory to improve at 1-0 record in Group D. Romania fell at 1-1 record after the loss. Jacob Pullen (183-PG-89, college: Kansas St.) led the hosts with 19 points.
Georgia and Romania stayed close throughout the opening quarter. The hosts managed to clear off to a 6-point lead at the first break 24:18. Romania cut the deficit at 2-point mark midway through the second term. But Georgia were able to take a 5-point halftime lead 44:39. Georgia capped the third term with eight points in a row to finally get away at 11-point distance 60:49. Manuchar Markoishvili (196-SF-86) and Shengelia dropped back-to-back three-pointers as Georgia secured a 66:50 lead early in the fourth quarter. Georgia maintained the advantage and rolled to the victory at the end. Manuchar Markoishvili accounted for 14 points, while Giorgi Shermadini (216-C-89) added 13 points for the winners. Catalin Baciu (214-C-88, college: Clemson) answered with 19 points and 10 rebounds for Romania. Vlad Moldoveanu (209-F-88, college: American) had 17 points and 11 rebounds in the loss.

Georgia: Jacob Pullen 19, Manuchar Markoishvili 14, Giorgi Shermadini 13
Romania: Catalin Baciu 19+10 boards, Vlad Moldoveanu 17+11 boards


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  RUSSIA   


Chuck Eidson joins Unics Kazan - by Eurobasket Center (T)

Unics Kazan agreed terms with 32-year old American swingman Chuck Eidson (202-F/G-80, college: S.Carolina, agency: Court Side). Eidson played most recently at Regal FC Barcelona (Spain). While playing 18 games in Euroleague for FCB Regal last season his stats were: 7.7ppg, 3.4rpg, 2.3apg and 1.2spg. He also played 40 games in Spanish League averaging 7.9ppg, 3.0rpg, 2.2apg and 1.2spg. He helped them to win the championship title in Spain as well as make it to Euroleague Final Four. A very impressive season as he was selected to Eurobasket.com All-Spanish ACB Honorable Mention. Eidson is a very experienced player. He played also pro basketball in France, Germany, Israel, Lithuania and Spain. Eidson graduated University of South Carolina in 2003 and it will be his tenth season in pro basketball.

By Eurobasket Data Center


U18 European Championship: Croatia scrape past Russia into Final - by Eurobasket News

Croatia U18 - Russia U18 61:57

Russia gave Croatia all those could handle before losing the semifinal battle in Vilnius today. Croatia survived the exhausting thriller to enter the title game at U18 European Championship. The Croats will now take on hosting Lithuania for the title. Dario Saric (208-F-94) orchestrated the victory with 24 points and 13 rebounds.
Croatia held their opponents to 11 points and grabbed a 4-point lead after ten minutes of action. But Russia turned things around in the second quarter. They went on a 24:9 rally to establish a 35:24 halftime lead. Croatia had to show their best in the second half to avoid upset. Russia first stretched the gap at 19-point mark in the third quarter. Croatia finally woke up and answered with an 18:4 run to cut the deficit at 5-point mark. Croatia triggered an 11:3 run at the start of the final stanza to pull in front 53:50. Maric and Gabric gave Croatia a 57:52 lead with 18 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter. Mikhail Kulagin (188-G-94) drained a triple to narrow the gap but Dominik Mavra (195-SG-94) sank four free throws in the dying seconds to seal the victory at the end. Mislav Brzoja (196-F/G-94) accounted for 12 points, while Dominik Mavra added 6 points for the winners. Mikhail Kulagin answered with 15 points and 13 boards for Russia. Stanislav Ilnitskiy (200-PF-94) had 11 points in the loss.

Croatia U18: Dario Saric 24+13 boards, Mislav Brzoja 12, Dominik Mavra 6
Russia U18: Mikhail Kulagin 15+13 boards, Stanislav Ilnitskiy 11


Konstantin Nesterov stays in Vladivostok - by Eurobasket News (T)

Spartak-Primorie secured the services of Konstantin Nesterov (205-F/C-81, college: VCU) for another season. The centre will enter the second straight season with the Vladivostok team. Last season Konstantin Nesterov tallied 7.0 points and 2.0 rebounds per game in EuroChallenge Qualifying Round. In PBL he notched 8.3 points and 2.3 rebounds per appearance. Previously Konstantin Nesterov had stints with Krasnie Krilya, Triumph, Spartak SP, Chalons, Unics Kazan, Lokomotiv Rostov na Donu. He was the member of Russian University National Team in 2003.


Vlado Ilievski leaves Kuban - by Eurobasket News (T)

Vlado Ilievski (187-PG-80, agency: Beo Basket) leaves Kuban before the start of the new season. Earlier however the team secured the services of Vlado Ilievski for the next season but due to the personal reasons, the player will not continue with the team. Ilievski moved to Kuban in the middle of the season 2011-12.

The Macedonian player joined Lokomotiv Kuban in February. He averaged 6.6 points, 2.4 assists and 1.1 boards per game in PBL. In VTB League Vlado Ilievski notched 6.4 points, 2.1 assists and 1.1 steals per appearance. In EuroCup the guard posted 4.4 points, 2.2 assists and 1.2 rebounds. Previously Vlado Ilievski had stints in Slovenia, Spain, Italy and Serbia. Eurobasket.com named the guard All-Slovenian League Player of the Year in 2010. Vlado Ilievski has been the member of FYR Macedonian National Team since 1998. He participated at 2011 EuroBasket in Lithuania.


Troy Gillenwater joins the forces of Spartak Primorye - by Eurobasket News (T)

Troy Gillenwater (205-F-88, college: N.Mexico St.) joins the forces of Spartak Primorye for the next season. The American Forward moves from Israel to Russia.
In 2008-2009 he appeared for N.Mexico St. (NCAA, starting five) and averaged 12.1ppg, 4.3rpg, 1.3bpg, FGP: 51.0%, 3Pts: 27.6%, FT: 77.0%. In 2009-2010 for N.Mexico St. (NCAA) his stats read 14.6ppg, 6.8rpg, 1.3bpg, FGP: 52.7%, 3PT: 40.6%, FT: 70.7%. In 2010-2011 he erupted with 18.9ppg, 6.3rpg, 1.0bpg, FGP: 45.9%, 3PT: 36.3%, FT: 74.9%. In 2011-2012 moved to Pizza Express Apollon (Cyprus-Division A, starting five) and had 17.4ppg. In Mar.'12 moved to B.C. Habikaa (Israel-Premier League, starting five) and after 8 games showed 14.6ppg, 4.1rpg, FGP: 54.5%, 3PT: 23.8%, FT: 75.0%.
In Cyprus he was named Eurobasket.com All-Cyprus League Power Forward of the Year -12, Eurobasket.com All-Cyprus League 1st Team -12, Eurobasket.com Cyprus League All-Imports Team -12 and Eurobasket.com Cyprus League All-Defensive Team -12. Earlier he was named All-WAC 1st Team -11 and NABC Division I All-District 6 1st Team -11.


*****************************************************
  SAINT KITTS   


Dane Rawlins is a newcomer at Tampa Bay Rain - by Eurobasket Center (T)

Tampa Bay Rain added to their roster 25-year old Kittitian swingman Dane Rawlins (193-G/F-87, college: Tampa). Rawlins played most recently at Team Amsterdam (Eurobasket). While playing 4 games for Amsterdam last season he averaged 9.5ppg and 8.8rpg. He just graduated University of Tampa and it will be his first season in pro basketball.
The Conaree village basketball star last played in the SKABA League just 4 years ago for his community team the Conaree Fireballs. He was a SKABA Junior League superstar with the Bird Rock Uprisers back in 2005-2007 before gaining a scholarship to Missouri Baptist University where he spent two years before transferring to the University of Tampa.
The 6'-6' guard has been described by many local basketball pundits as easily the best player out of SKABA in recent years and his presence on the current roster of the ABA's Tampa Bay Rain is testament to the credence of that notion.
Rawlins will be coached by former NBA Center Tree Rollins and is expected to be an integral part of the Rain line-up.
'We are proud of the progress and success of our SKABA players on the US College and now Pro scene , said a SKABA Official
'In the last year we have heard of the success of a number of our players including Shamile Jeffers , Othniel Heyliger, Nashorn Maynard, Maliesha Ceasar and now Dane Rawlins who have all excelled at their various levels of basketball from the colleged division 1 and 2 levels to the semi-pro or pro level. We are extremely proud of their success' and we will continue to work hard to ensure that this exodus of players to US Colleges and Pro teams continues and thus enhance the development of SKABA Basketball and basketball in the federation,' the official continued
In 2011 there were a record 11 SKABA players at various US Colleges on basketball scholarships.

By Eurobasket Data Center


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  SAUDI ARABIA   


U18 Championship: Iran thump Saudi Arabia - by Eurobasket News

Iran U18 - Saudi Arabia U18 86:54

Iran registered the second straight win at the start of U18 Asia Championship. They defeated Saudi Arabia in Group D. Behnam Yakhchali (191-G-95) scored 31 points to pace the winners.
Iran cleared off in the starting quarter. They grabbed a 23:11 lead ten minutes into the game. Iran maintained the lead throughout the second quarter. They ensured a 40:25 halftime advantage. Iran did not slow after the big break. They opened a 19-point lead at the final intermission. Iran limited Saudi Arabia to just 9 points in the fourth quarter and rolled to the victory at the end. Vahid Dalirzahan (199-SF-95) posted 15 points, while Hossein Rahmati (204-C-93) added 10 points and 10 boards for the winners. Waheed Faqihi (185-F-94) answered with 18 points for Saudi Arabia. Nassir Abo Jalas (192-F-94) netted 17 points in the loss.

Iran U18: Behnam Yakhchali 31, Vahid Dalirzahan 15, Hossein Rahmati 10+10 boards
Saudi Arabia U18: Waheed Faqihi 18, Nassir Abo Jalas 17


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  SERBIA   


U18 European Championship: Lithuania hold off Serbia to reach Final - by Eurobasket News

Lithuania U18 - Serbia U18 69:67

Lithuania became the first U18 European Championship finalists. The hosts narrowly defeat Serbia in the first semifinal of the day. Augustinas Jankaitis (202-C-94) and Marius Grigonis (198-F-94) scored four points in a row in the final minute of regulation as Lithuania came from behind to celebrate victory. Simas Raupys (195-SF-94) finished with 18 points for the hosts.
Lithuania jumped ahead early in the encounter. The hosts secured a 21:15 lead after ten minutes. Simas Raupys made it 31:23 for Lithuania midway through the second term. Serbia however managed to narrow the deficit at just three-point mark at halftime 35:38. Serbia opened the second half with six points in a row to surge ahead. Lithuania returned the lead but the teams stayed close throughout the reminder of the period. The Baltic team gained a 52:51 lead at the final break. The visitors ignited an 11:2 rally to post a 62:54 lead midway through the final frame. Lithuania struck right back and pulled in front 65:64. Andric drained a triple for a 67:65 Serbian advantage with just over a minute remaining. But first Augustinas Jankaitis drew things level and then Marius Grigonis sealed the victory for Lithuania. Augustinas Jankaitis accounted for 14 points and 8 rebounds, while Marius Grigonis provided 10 points for the winners. Luka Andusic (191-G-94) and Nikola Jankovic (205-PF-94) answered with 18 points each for Serbia.

Lithuania U18: Simas Raupys 18, Augustinas Jankaitis 14, Marius Grigonis 10
Serbia U18: Luka Andusic 18, Nikola Jankovic 18


Vladimir Popovic new name in OKK Beograd - by Zoran Popovic (T)

Vladimir Popovic (190-G-82) in new player of OKK Beograd and experienced player on witch can coach Jekovic count for next season. Former player of Vizura Smederevo Vladimir Popovic was born April 10, 1982 in Valjevo, started career in Partizan youth team. His profesional career Popovic build in Milicionar, Pivovarna Lako, Elektra otanj, KK Sloga Kraljevo, KK Spartak Subotica, Inter College Etha Egonomis, Strumica, Ergonom Best, KK Ferped Rabotnicki Skoplje, Swisslion Takovo i Vizura Smederevo. Last season on 18 games played in Serbian league for Vizura Smederevo Popovic average scored 10.5 points, 2.2 boards, 2.3 assists and 1,2 steals per game. Vladimir Popovic was member of Yugoslavian U18 National team.


Nikola Ivanovic lifts Montenegro past Serbia - by Eurobasket News

Serbia - Montenegro 71:73

Montenegro celebrated the second consecutive win at 2013 EuroBasket Qualifying Round. They upset Serbia in Belgrade tonight. Nikola Ivanovic (190-PG-94, agency: Beo Basket) dropped a deadly three-pointer with three seconds left in regulation to win the game for the visitors.
Serbia greeted Montenegro with a strong start to the game. Serbia ensured a 23:15 lead ten minutes into the game. However Montenegro used a 7:0 run midway through the second quarter to pull in front 33:31. Serbia tied things up at 35 at halftime. The lead changed hands throughout the third term. Serbia eked out a 55:52 advantage heading into the fourth term. Milos Teodosic (195-PG-87) and Milan Macvan (205-PF-89, agency: INVICTUS Sports Group) ensured a 67:54 lead for the hosts midway through the fourth period. However Montenegro went on a 19:3 rally capped by a three-pointer from Nikola Ivanovic to seal the victory. Suad Sehovic (196-G/F-87) finished with 17 points to pace the winners. Aleksa Popovic (200-SF-87) and Bojan Dubljevic (205-PF-91, agency: Beo Basket) provided 11 points each for Montenegro. Milos Teodosic answered with 21 points for Serbia. Milan Macvan had 17 points in the loss.

Serbia: Milos Teodosic 21, Milan Macvan 17
Montenegro: Suad Sehovic 17, Aleksa Popovic 11, Bojan Dubljevic 11


Young Nikola Ivanovic becomes hero in Belgrade Arena - by Ivan Milenkovic

Serbia led 67-54 with 4 minutes and 55 seconds to go, but managed to lose to Montenegro in Round 2 of Eurobasket qualifications in Group A.
It was 70-70 when Milos Teodosic (195-PG-87) was fouled with 3.8 seconds remaining. Serbian best player missed first and scored second free throw and later didn't bother to defend supertalented Nikola Ivanovic (190-PG-94) who took the ball and scored fantastic buzzer beater three-pointer for 71-73 win of Montenegro.
Hosts had 8-point lead after first quarter, but scored only 12 points in second period and it was 35-35 at halftime. Third quarter didn't have big scoring runs, but Serbia opened final 10 minutes with 12-2 run. However, Montenegrins were slowly coming back and equalized with 11 seconds to go. In the end, Nikola Ivanovic (190-PG-94) became hero as previously described. Serbia once again had poor free throws percentage - 45% (9/20). Milos Teodosic scored 21 points, but shot 1/8 for 3 points and missed 3 important free throws. Only other player who scored more than 8 points was Milan Macvan - 17. For Montenegro, Suad Sehovic scored 17 (5/9 for 3) and added 10 rebounds. Aleksa Popovic and Bojan Dubljevic had 11 points each while Nikola Ivanovic (190-PG-94) scored 10 points.
Great win for Montenegro, while Duda Ivkovic will have many things to say to his players again.

Serbia - Montenegro 71-73 (23-15, 12-20, 20-17, 16-21)


Crvena zvezda Beograd close to sign Vlado Ilievski! - by Ivan Milenkovic

Vlado Ilievski (187-PG-80, agency: Beo Basket) left Lokomotiv Kuban and is close to sign with Crvena zvezda Beograd! Macedonian guard wants to live near his home because of personal family reasons and suddenly rich Crvena zvezda Beograd is one of rare Adriatic league teams who have money for him. Red and whites need point guard to complete completely new starting five after already signing Igor Rakocevic, Marko Simonovic, Boris Savovic and Elton Brown!


*****************************************************
  SINGAPORE   


U18 Championship: Japan trounce Singapore - by Eurobasket News

Japan U18 - Singapore U18 110:53

Japan celebrated the first win at the U18 Asia Championship. They fired past Singapore for 1-1 record in Group B. Ryogo Suntano (193-SF-96) stepped up with 24 points to lead the winners. Singapore fell at 0-2 record after the loss.
Japan started the game confidently. They exploded with 30 points in the opening quarter to take an 18-point lead. Japan stayed in charge throughout the second frame. They unloaded 28 points to stretch the lead to 38-point mark at halftime. Japan delivered another 28-point quarter after the big break and opened a massive 43-point buffer heading into the fourth frame. They did not slow down rallying to a comfortable win at the end. Masahiro Narita (185-SF-94) accounted for 22 points, while Yudai Baba (193-SF-95) had 13 points for the winners. Loon Tay Ding (185-PF-94) answered with 15 points for Singapore. Low Remus (183-F-94) chipped in 12 points in the loss.

Japan U18: Ryogo Suntano 24, Masahiro Narita 22, Yudai Baba 13
Singapore U18: Loon Tay Ding 15, Low Remus 12


*****************************************************
  SLOVAKIA   


U18 European Championship: Slovak Republic and Iceland open Day 8 - by Eurobasket News

Slovak Republic U18-Iceland U18 59:74

Slovak Republic and Iceland open Day 8 in Division B of the U18 European Championship. Iceland won 74:59 and will play tomorrow for the 13th place. Slovakia meanwhile will play for the 15-16th places.
Iceland took 18-12 at the end of the first period and continued their dominance in the rest of the half. They added 18-15 in the second frame for 36:27 lead. Both teams scored 19 points each in the third period and then Iceland added another 19-13 in the last stanza. Fridriksson made the last free throws in the game for the final result.
Thorgrimur Emilsson (206-C-94) chipped in with 14 points to pace the winners, while Valur Valsson (182-PG-94) nailed 13. Martin Hermannsson (190-SG-94) scored 10, while Matthias Sigurdarson (185-PG-94) added 9. Vladimir Brodziansky (206-PF-94) top-scored for the Slovak team with 14 points and Robert Rozim (199-F-94) netted 13. Martin Matejcik (185-G-94) delivered 11, while Vladimir Michalek (183-SG-94) posted 9.

Slovak Republic U18: Vladimir Brodziansky 14, Robert Rozim 13, Martin Matejcik 11, Vladimir Michalek 9
Iceland U18: Thorgrimur Emilsson 14, Valur Valsson 13, Martin Hermannsson 10, Matthias Sigurdarson 9


Stefansson Jon leads Iceland over Slovak Republic - by Eurobasket News

Slovak Republic-Iceland 75:81

Jon Stefansson (196-G-82) leads Iceland over Slovak Republic in Levice in Day 2 of the EuroBasket qualifying campaign. The player scored 28 points as Iceland won 81:75.
Iceland grabbed 21-17 after the first period and increased the lead to 8 points at the halftime. Slovakia meanwhile had a great third period and won it 23-10. Anton Gavel (188-PG-84, agency: Pro One Sports) nailed three to give his side 59:52, but the hosts could not win the game. Hlynur Baeringsson (197-F-82) closed the period at 59:53 and then Jakob Sigurdarson (192-PG-82, college: Birm.Southern) closed the run at 62:59. Iceland pushed the tempo at the end of the game and reached the necessary win.
Haukur Palsson (197-SF-92, college: Maryland) nailed 16 points for the winners and Jakob Sigurdarson posted 15. Hlynur Baeringsson collected 13 points and 11 rebounds in a win. Anton Gavel responded with high 31 points and Roman Marko (195-SG-86) netted 14.

Slovak Republic:Anton Gavel 31, Roman Marko 14
Iceland: Jon Stefansson 28, Haukur Palsson 16, Jakob Sigurdarson 15, Hlynur Baeringsson 13+11 rebs


*****************************************************
  SLOVENIA   


U18 European Championship: Turkey secure 9th place, hold off Slovenia - by Eurobasket News

Turkey U18 - Slovenia U18 81:61

Turkey occupied the 9th overall position at U18 European Championship. They knocked down Slovenia tonight. Kenan Sipahi (198-PG-95) led the effort with 18 points, 11 assists and 6 rebounds for the winners.
Turkey gained a 19:17 lead ten minutes into the game. They maintained the advantage throughout the second quarter. Turkey posted a 38:35 halftime lead. They unleashed 29 points in the third quarter to clear off. Turkey piled up a 23-point lead into the final stanza 67:54. Slovenia cut the deficit in the fourth quarter but just sweetened the pill at the end. Talat Altunbey (204-PF-94) provided 16 points, while Tayfun Erulku (193-SG-94) netted 10 points for the winners. Matic Rebec (180-PG-95) answered with 16 points for Slovenia. Tomaz Bolcina (206-F/C-94) had 14 points and 10 rebounds in the loss.

Turkey U18: Kenan Sipahi 18+11 assists, Talat Altunbey 16, Tayfun Erulku 10
Slovenia U18: Matic Rebec 16, Tomaz Bolcina 14+10 boards


*****************************************************
  SOUTH KOREA   


U18 Championship: South Korea rally past Syria for second straight win - by Eurobasket News

South Korea U18 - Syria U18 79:62

South Korea posted the second consecutive win at the start of U18 Asia Championship. They defeated Syria for 2-0 record on top of B. Syria suffered the initial loss and slipped at 1-1 record.
South Korea gained a 24:21 lead after ten minutes. They stayed in charge throughout the second quarter. The Korean team boosted the gap to 8-point mark at the interval 45:37. South Korea kept their opponents at bay throughout the third stanza. They extended the margin to as many as 14 points heading into the fourth quarter. Syria scored just 11 points in the fourth term and had to surrender at the end. Gibeom Cheon (187-G-94) scored 24 points to lead the winners. Jonghyun Lee (206-C-94) added 18 points, while Sangjae Kang (202-F-94) had 17 points for South Korea. Mouhammad Shahin (192-F-94) and Mohamad Atle (199-C-95) produced 11 points each in the loss.

South Korea U18: Gibeom Cheon 24, Jonghyun Lee 18, Sangjae Kang 17
Syria U18: Mouhammad Shahin 11, Mohamad Atle 11


2012 William Jones Cup: Anyang KGC drub Taiwan B - by Eurobasket News

Anyang KGC - Taiwan B 109:83

Anyang KGC opened win count at 2012 William Jones Cup. They overcame Taiwanese B National Team. Six players scored in double figures for the Korean team. Stutz Garrett (212-C-90, college: Wichita St.) nailed 19 points to lead the winners.
Anyang KGC fired 27 points in the first quarter to surge ahead. They posted a 7-point lead after ten minutes. The Korean side maintained the lead throughout the second frame. They accounted for a 46:38 halftime lead. Anyang KGC boosted the margin in the third term. They exploded with 31 points to secure a 20-point buffer heading into the final frame. Anyang KGC nailed 32 points in the fourth term and sealed the victory at the end. Yang Hee-Jong (194-F-84) and Park Sang-Ryul (177-PG-81) produced 14 points each for the winners. Yi-Hsiang Chou (193-F-91) responded with game-high 24 points for Taiwan. Sung Yu-Hsuan (183-G-89) netted 17 points in the loss.

Anyang KGC: Stutz Garrett 19, Yang Hee-Jong 14, Park Sang-Ryul 14
Taiwan B: Yi-Hsiang Chou 24, Sung Yu-Hsuan 17


*****************************************************
  SPAIN   


Palencia Baloncesto lands Ott - by Eurobasket Center (T)

Palencia Baloncesto (LEB Gold) strengthened their roster with addition of 29-year old French-French guard Alfredo Ott (193-G-83, college: Dillard). Ott played most recently at Iraurgi Saski Baloia Lan Mobel (LEB Silver). While playing 27 games for Lan Mobel ISB last season he averaged 17.9ppg ( best in the league), 3.7rpg, 2.4apg and 2.9spg ( best in the league). He helped them to win the LEB Silver championship title and the cup. A very spectacular season in his career as he received an award of Eurobasket.com All-Spanish LEB Silver Player of the Year. Ott is a very experienced player. He graduated Dillard University in 2005 and it will be his eighth season in pro basketball.

By Eurobasket Data Center


Lucentum Alicante tab Darryl Middleton - by Eurobasket News (T)

Lucentum Alicante added experience to their frontcourt. They agreed on terms of contract with Darryl Middleton (203-F/C-66, college: Baylor). The centre joins the team at 46 years of age. Darryl Middleton played for Girona since 2006. Last season the veteran centre posted 11.5 points and 5.3 rebounds per game in LEB Gold. Previously Darryl Middleton had stints in Russia, Greece, Spain, Italy and Turkey. He was Greek League champion in 2001, 2003, 2004 and 2005. Darryl Middleton was named Spanish ACB MVP in 2000. He made it into Spanish ACB All-Imports Team in 1999 and 2000. Darryl Middleton also became Fiba EuroCup winner in 2007.


U18 European Championship: Spain hold off Italy - by Eurobasket News

Spain U18 - Italy U18 70:63

Spain overcame Italy in the classification round of U18 European Championship. The former champions will now take on Latvia for the fifth overall position at the tournament. Oriol Pauli (201-G-94) scored 19 points to lead the winners.
Italy got to a flying start. They exploded with 25 points in the first quarter to take a 9-point lead. But Spain silenced their opponents in the second quarter. They limited the Azzurri to just 5 points to ensure a 37:30 halftime lead. Spain maintained the advantage throughout the third quarter. They secured an 8-point buffer heading into the fourth frame. Italy cut the margin at 3-point mark with under three minutes remaining. But Alberto Diaz (190-PG-94) came up with four points in the final 42 seconds to seal the victory for Spain. Guillermo Hernangomez (209-C-94) had 16 points, while Alberto Diaz added 12 points for the winners. Amedeo Tessitori (204-PF-94) answered with 20 points for Italy. Simone Fontecchio (197-SF-95) had 16 points in the loss.

Spain U18: Oriol Pauli 19, Guillermo Hernangomez 16, Alberto Diaz 12
Italy U18: Amedeo Tessitori 20, Simone Fontecchio 16


Obradoiro bring in Miguel Angel Garcia - by Eurobasket News (T)

Obradoiro strengthened their frontcourt. They landed Miguel Angel Garcia (205-C-85, agency: Interperformances). The centre spent the last season with Mallorca. He tallied 8.2 points and 3.9 rebounds per game in LEB Gold. Previously Miguel Angel Garcia had stints with Coinga Jovent, Valis-Felix Hotel, Palma Playa Park El Arenal and Regio 7 Igualda.


Serg Ibaka signs contract extension with Thunder - by Eurobasket News (T)

Serge Ibaka (6'10''-C/F-89) has reached an agreement on terms of contract extension with the Oklahoma City Thunder. The new deal is meant for four seasons. Serge Ibaka will receive $ 40-million plus bonuses. Serge Ibaka could have turned a restricted free agent next summer. The centre started the previous season in Spain. He played for Real Madrid during the NBA lockout. He notched 6.7 points, 4.0 boards and 2.0 blocks per game in ACB. In Euroleague Serge Ibaka notched 5.5 points, 4.7 rebounds and 2.0 blocks. Later the centre moved back to the Thunder. His stats read 9.3 points, 7.1 rebounds, 3.5 blocks per appearance in the NBA. He made it into NBA All-Defensive Team. This summer Serge Ibaka participated at 2012 Olympic Games. He notched 8.0 points, 4.4 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game for Spain earning Silver medals with La Furia Roja.


CB Clavijo tab Joan Tomas - by Eurobasket News (T)

CB Clavijo deepened their roster. They agreed on terms of contract with Joan Tomas (201-F-92). The forward comes from Prat Juventud. He averaged 9.0 points and 4.0 rebounds per game in LEB Silver. Joan Tomas was the member of U16, U18 and U20 Spanish National Teams. He played for Spain at U20 European Championship this summer. Joan Tomas notched 3.3 points, 3.0 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game in Slovenia.


*****************************************************
  SWITZERLAND   


Poland overpower Switzerland in Fribourg - by Eurobasket News

Switzerland - Poland 66:80

Poland earned the initial win at the 2013 EuroBasket Qualifying Round. They bounced back after the starting loss to Belgium to defeat Switzerland in Fribourg. Marcin Gortat (213-C-84) tallied 17 points and 11 rebounds to lead the winners.
Poland aggressively entered the game. The visitors piled up a 23:19 lead after ten minutes. Poland stayed in charge throughout the second quarter. They piled up a 40:32 halftime lead. Poland stretched the margin in the third term. The visitors established a comfortable 61:44 lead at the final break. Switzerland managed to narrow the deficit but could not threaten their opponents in the final period. Lukasz Koszarek (187-PG-84) accounted for 13 points, while Michal Ignerski (207-F-80, agency: Stanley International, college: Mississippi St.) added 12 points for the winners. Dusan Mladjan (198-SG-86, agency: Interperformances) answered with 14 points for Switzerland. David Ramseier (203-F/C-87) had 12 points and 9 rebounds in defeat.

Switzerland: Dusan Mladjan 14, David Ramseier 12
Poland: Marcin Gortat 17+11 boards, Lukasz Koszarek 13, Michal Ignerski 12


*****************************************************
  SYRIA   


U18 Championship: South Korea rally past Syria for second straight win - by Eurobasket News

South Korea U18 - Syria U18 79:62

South Korea posted the second consecutive win at the start of U18 Asia Championship. They defeated Syria for 2-0 record on top of B. Syria suffered the initial loss and slipped at 1-1 record.
South Korea gained a 24:21 lead after ten minutes. They stayed in charge throughout the second quarter. The Korean team boosted the gap to 8-point mark at the interval 45:37. South Korea kept their opponents at bay throughout the third stanza. They extended the margin to as many as 14 points heading into the fourth quarter. Syria scored just 11 points in the fourth term and had to surrender at the end. Gibeom Cheon (187-G-94) scored 24 points to lead the winners. Jonghyun Lee (206-C-94) added 18 points, while Sangjae Kang (202-F-94) had 17 points for South Korea. Mouhammad Shahin (192-F-94) and Mohamad Atle (199-C-95) produced 11 points each in the loss.

South Korea U18: Gibeom Cheon 24, Jonghyun Lee 18, Sangjae Kang 17
Syria U18: Mouhammad Shahin 11, Mohamad Atle 11


*****************************************************
  TAIWAN   


2012 William Jones Cup: Anyang KGC drub Taiwan B - by Eurobasket News

Anyang KGC - Taiwan B 109:83

Anyang KGC opened win count at 2012 William Jones Cup. They overcame Taiwanese B National Team. Six players scored in double figures for the Korean team. Stutz Garrett (212-C-90, college: Wichita St.) nailed 19 points to lead the winners.
Anyang KGC fired 27 points in the first quarter to surge ahead. They posted a 7-point lead after ten minutes. The Korean side maintained the lead throughout the second frame. They accounted for a 46:38 halftime lead. Anyang KGC boosted the margin in the third term. They exploded with 31 points to secure a 20-point buffer heading into the final frame. Anyang KGC nailed 32 points in the fourth term and sealed the victory at the end. Yang Hee-Jong (194-F-84) and Park Sang-Ryul (177-PG-81) produced 14 points each for the winners. Yi-Hsiang Chou (193-F-91) responded with game-high 24 points for Taiwan. Sung Yu-Hsuan (183-G-89) netted 17 points in the loss.

Anyang KGC: Stutz Garrett 19, Yang Hee-Jong 14, Park Sang-Ryul 14
Taiwan B: Yi-Hsiang Chou 24, Sung Yu-Hsuan 17


2012 Jones Cup Men Day 1 results - by Chris Wang

Iran 89-74 Lebanon
http://2012wjc.basketball-tpe.org/files/902-1008-3073-10000.php
Korea KGC 109-83 Taiwan B
http://2012wjc.basketball-tpe.org/files/902-1008-3062-10000.php
Philippines 98-88 Jordan
http://2012wjc.basketball-tpe.org/files/902-1008-3063-10000.php
Taiwan 82-57 Japan
http://2012wjc.basketball-tpe.org/files/902-1008-3042-10000.php

Standings:
Iran 1-0
Korea 1-0
Taiwan 1-0
Philippines 1-0
Taiwan B 0-1
Japan 0-1
Jordan 0-1
Lebanon 0-1
US Select 0-0


2012 William Jones Cup Game Schedule - by Chris Wang

August 18 Saturday
1300 IRI - LIB
1500 KOR - Taiwan-B
1700 PHI - JOR
1900 Opening Ceremony
1930 Taiwan - JPN

August 19 Sunday
1300 LIB - KOR
1500 Taiwan-B - PHI
1700 JPN - IRI
1900 USA - Taiwan

August 20 Monday
1300 Taiwan-B - JPN
1500 JOR - LIB
1700 KOR - USA
1900 Taiwan - IRI

August 21 Tuesday
1300 USA - Taiwan-B
1500 PHI - KOR
1700 JPN - JOR
1900 LIB - Taiwan

August 22 Wednesday
1300 IRI - USA
1500 Taiwan-B - LIB
1700 PHI - JPN
1900 JOR - Taiwan

August 23 Thursday
1300 JPN - USA
1500 LIB - PHI
1700 JOR - KOR
1900 Taiwan-B - IRI

August 24 Friday
1300 USA - JOR
1500 PHI - IRI
1700 KOR - JPN
1900 Taiwan - Taiwan-B

August 25 Saturday
1300 LIB - USA
1500 Taiwan-B - JOR
1700 IRI - KOR
1900 PHI - Taiwan

August 26 Sunday
1300 JOR - IRI
1500 JPN - LIB
1700 USA - PHI
1900 Taiwan - KOR
Award Ceremony


About the 2012 Jones Cup men's competition - by Chris Wang

I'm afraid that I won't have much time covering the event game-by-game and day-by-day due to my day job. I post these links below for fans and writers who are interested in the tourney. Please check them out. In the boxscores, you may have to identify who is who from their jersey numbers since the CTBA does not put players' English names in the boxscores.

Game schedules http://2012wjc.basketball-tpe.org/files/13-1008-2624.php?Lang=zh-tw
Team Rosters http://2012wjc.basketball-tpe.org/files/11-1008-187-1.php
Boxscores http://2012wjc.basketball-tpe.org/files/601-1008-20120818,c1-10.php


2012 Jones Cup men's rosters - by Chris Wang


R.O.C - A Mens Basketball Team

NO.
NameD.O.B Height Weight
1 TIEN Lei 1983-06-01202104
4 SU I-Chieh 1987-01-2818070
6 LEE Hsueh-Lin 1984-01-3117675
8 CHEN Shih-Chieh 1985-09-2417678
10 LIU Cheng 1990-11-2419280
11 CHEN Hsin-An 1980-07-0119590
12 LIN Chih-Chieh 1982-06-1119295
14 LIN Yi-Huei 1986-03-24193100
17 CHIEN Chia-Hung 1987-03-06197108
21 Creighton Douglas 1985-03-0719790
22 LU Cheng-Ju 1986-04-1319488
23 CHANG Tsung-Hsien 1988-12-2719286
31 MAO Chia-En 1982-11-1619593
52 LEE Te-Wei 1991-10-1520098
63 HSU hih-Chiang 1982-10-3019696
66 WU Tai-Hao 1985-02-07203100
76 TSENG Wen-Ting 1984-07-0620290
Average
Head of Delegation
Head Coach
Assistant Coach (Ben Metcalf)

I.R. IRAN National Mens Basketball Team
NO.
Name
D.O.B Height Weight
4 Mehrad ATASHI1986.02.2519184
5 Saeid DAVARPANA1987.09.0719086
6 Farid ASLANI1988.07.0418378
7 Mehdi KAMRANI1982.06.0118678
8 Amir SEDIGHI1993.07.16203100
9 Oshin SAHAKIAN1986.03.2120091
10 Hamed AFAGH1983.02.0119078
11 Hamed SOHRABNEJAD1983.05.0720189
12 Asghar KARDOUST1986.03.21211122
13 Moosa NABIPOUR1983.08.14210117
14 Samad BAHRAMI1983.05.1119885
15 Ruzbeh ARGHAVAN1988.05.18214110
16 Arman ZANGENEH1993.06.1520492
Average198.593

Team Manager Hamidreza SAMADZADEH
Head Coach Mostafa HASHEMI
Coach Akbar ASBAGHI
Coach Mehran ATASHI

R.O.C - B Kwang-Hwa Mens Basketball Team

NO.
NameD.O.B Height Weight
3 CHEN Che-Yu 1991/05/1218476
6 CHUNG Hsiu-Nai 1990/02/1219290
7 Chou Yi-Hsiang 1991/02/0419590
8 LO Yu-Chun 1988/05/0718585
9 LIN Chieh-Min 1988/11/1318283
10 WU Hung-Hsing 1989/10/2120285
11 CHEN Hsiao-Jung 1990/05/3019788
12 PENG Chun-Yen 1989/12/0518585
13 HUNG Kang-Chiao 1992/04/2219188
14 LIN Chih-Wei 1992-07-1019890
16 CHEN Yu-An 1989/01/0219082
21 LIN Yao-Tsung 1990/09/0719590
22 HU Long-Mao 1992-12-2219590
23 LUNG Hung-Yuan 1988/10/24192105
32 CHEN Kuan-Chuan 1993/12/3019696
52 SUNG Yu-Hsuan 1989/12/0518578
73 LIU Yuan-Kai 1991/07/0920596
Average
Head of Delegation
Head CoachCHOU, Chun-San
Assistant Coach

JAPAN National Mens Basketball Team

NO.
NameD.O.B Height Weight
4 FURUKAWA, Takatoshi1987.10.2019090
5 Sean HINKLEY1991.04.0320095
6 HIEJIMA, Makoto1990.08.1119087
8 OTA, Atsuya1984.06.04206110
9 KURIHARA, Takahiro1987.11.0619282
10 TAKEUCHI, Kosuke1985.01.2920698
11 SAKURAI, Ryota1983.03.1319475
12 NAGAYOSHI, Yuya1991.07.14199100
13 WATANABE, Hironori1988.03.2218074
14 KANAMARU, Kosuke1989.03.0819378
15 TAKEUCHI, Joji1985.01.2920798
16 TANAKA, Daiki1991.09.0319188
17 HARIMOTO, Tenketsu1992.01.0819888
18 HASHIMOTO, Kosuke1993.05.0620376
Average196.388.5
Team Leader SAKO, Kenichi
Head Coach SUZUKI, Kimikazu
Assistant Coach NAYA, Koji
S & C Coach KOYAMA, Takeshi

USA Mens Basketball Team

NO.
NameD.O.B Height Weight
0 Desmond BLUE1988.08.19211120
1 Wayne ARNOLD1984.05.1619393
2 Brad REESE1988.03.0920191
3 Mychal KEARSE1983.11.2819393
5 Gerard ANDERSON1987.06.1619893
7 Jermaine DEARMAN1980.12.17202100
8 Jermaine BARNES1982.10.0719495
9 Freddie WILLIAMS1987.02.2818886
10 Scott VANDERMEER1986.05.16213113
11 James JUSTICE1989.01.1217777
12 Curtis MARSHALL1983.02.19198210
15 Marcus MELVIN1982.05.27203110
Average198.3107.3

CEO Jerone DODD
Head Coach Travis MCAVENE
Coach Kevin FRANKLIN
Coach Jeff JOSEPH

SMART Gilas
PHILIPPINES SMART Gilas Mens Basketball Team

NO.
NameD.O.B Height Weight
4 Jay-R REYES1984.07.16197
5 L. A TENORIO1984.07.09176
6 Ranidel DE OCAMPO1981.12.08196
7 Sonny THOSS1981.12.07198
8 Gabe NORWOOD1985.02.09196
9 Sol MERCADO1984.05.06178
10 Mac BARACAEL1985.04.14193
11 Marcus DOUTHIT1980.04.15210
12 Larry FONACIER1982.05.13193
13 Garvo LANETE1989.02.13188
14 Enrico VILLANUEVA1980.06.23196
15 Matt GANUELAS1990.06.13195
16 Jeff CHAN1983.02.11193
20 Gary DAVID1978.07.13188
Average192.6

Head Coach.Vincent REYES
Assistant Coach Joseph UICHICO
Assistant Coach Ryan GREGORIO
Assistant Coach Joshua REYES

KGC
KOREA ANYANG KGC Pro Basketball Club

NO.
Name
D.O.B Height Weight
1 KIM, Tae-Sul1984.08.1318080
3 LEE, Jung-Hyun1987.03.0319189
6 PARK, Sang-Ryul1981.03.0417775
8 CHOI, Hyun-Min1990.01.1919695
9 JUNG, Hwi-Ryang1984.02.2019893
11 YANG, Hee-Jong1984.05.1119492
12 Juan PATTILLO 1988.03.12196101
13 KIM, Sung-Chul1975.05.1419486
14 Garrett STUTZ 1990.02.10211114
15 KIM, Kwang-Won1982.07.05205100
41 OH, Se-Keun1987.05.20200105
29 CHA, Min-Seok1988.06.0719493
32 KIM, Il-Du1982.04.23196100
Average194.794
General Manager KANG, Ju-Won
Head Coach LEE, Sang-Beom
Assistant Coach LEE, Dong-Nam
Assistant Coach Dean MURRAY
Team Manager YOON, Ho-Jin

LEBANON National Mens Basketball Team

NO.
NameD.O.B Height Weight
4 Jean ABDEL NOUR1983.11.2918998
5 Miguel MARTINEZ 1988.01.3018880
6.Paul ISKANDAR1993.09.0120492
7 Hussein EL KHATIB 1986.09.2018686
8 Karl SARKIS1986.07.2618378
9 Elie STEPHAN1986.07.2019290
12 Ali KANAAN1985.12.0120799
10 Ahmad IBRAHIM1992.02.1819895
11 Rodrigue AKL1988.09.3018682
13 Nadim SOUAID1986.08.2019189
14.Rabih ISKANDAR1991.10.17210120
15 Jarrid FAMOUS1988.07.162080
Average195.191.7

Head of Delegation Georges KELZI
Team Manager Georges KELZI
Head Coach Ghassan SARKIS
Assistant Coach Krikor KRIKORIAN
Physiotherapist Khalil NASSAR

JORDAN National Mens Basketball Team

NO.
NameD.O.B Height Weight
4 Fadel AL NAJJAR1985.04.0219287
5 Rasheim WRIGHT1981.07.2119085
6 Fares Saqf AL HAIT1987.05.0419587
7 Ahmed AL HAMARSHEH1986.10.1019793
8 Ahmad AL DWAIRI 1993.03.04200100
9 Khaldoon ABU RUQAYAH1983.04.0120298
10 Sinan EID1991.10,2318388
11 Wesam AL SOUS1983.02.2418983
12 Mahmoud ABDEEN1987.12.2319086
13 Mohammad HUSSEIN1990.03.03206102
14 Ali ZAGHAB1988.06.0320595
15 Majdi AL GHZAWI1993.05.0818580
Average195.589.5

Head of Delegation Majdi DAGHMASH
Coach Murad BARAKAT
Assistant Coach Samir MORCOS
Manager. Yosef KAYYAL


2012 William Jones Cup: Taiwan won over Japan - by Eurobasket News

Taiwan-Japan 82:57

Taiwan won over Japan at the start of the 2012 William Jones Cup. The team overcame the opponents 82:57 in Day 1.
Taiwan opened the game with 19-11 in the first period and controlled the entire game. They added 16-12 in the second period and enjoyed 35:23 at the halftime. Moreover Taiwan won the third period 26-17 in the third period for a bigger lead after three quarters. They produced 21-17 in the last period to seal the victory in the opener.
Robert Chang stepped up with 16 points and Gross Gahan nailed 13. Tien Lei (202-F-83) and Lawrence Lam followed them with 11 points each. Kosuke Takeuchi (206-C/F-85) answered with 19 points and 11 rebounds, whilst Takatoshi Furukawa (190-G/F-87) added 8.

Taiwan: Robert Chang 16, Gross Gahan 13, Tien Lei 11, Lawrence Lam 11
Japan: Kosuke Takeuchi 19+11 rebs, Takatoshi Furukawa 8


U18 Championship: Taiwan beat the hosts to close Day 2 - by Eurobasket News

Mongolia U18-Taiwan U18 42:107

Taiwan beat the hosts to close Day 2 at the 22nd FIBA Asia U18 Championship. Taiwan easily rolled over Mongolia 107:42 for 2-0 record.
Taiwan started with 26-10 in the first period and never looked behind after. They added massive 31-11 in the second frame and enjoyed 57:21 lead at the halftime. Moreover the second half was also dominated by the guests. Taiwan won the third quarter 29-11 and finished the game with 21-10 in the last stanza.
Huang Tsun-Han (193-F-94) paced all the winners with 18 points and Lin Yu-Ping as well as Lee Chia-Jui (200-C-94) had 12 each. Chen Po-Liang (193-F-96) and Lin Kuan-Chun (184-G-95) followed them with 10 points each in a win. Munkhnasan Lkhamjav (180-G-94) answered with 15 points in defeat and Enkhtaivan Chinzorig (188-C-95) delivered 11.

Mongolia U18: Munkhnasan Lkhamjav 15, Enkhtaivan Chinzorig 11
Taiwan U18: Huang Tsun-Han 18, Lin Yu-Ping 12, Lee Chia-Jui 12+10 rebs, Chen Po-Liang 10, Lin Kuan-Chun 10


*****************************************************
  TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO   


MBA wins 3rd spot!!! - by Albert-Lee Young

Millennium Basketball Academy (MBA) secured 3rd place at the Global Cup with a 40-31 revenge win over Team Legacy today at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex.

In the battle for the 3rd spot, Team MBA played with more confidence than in previous games. From the jump ball, MBA controlled the tempo scoring the first two shots for a 4-0 lead. Led by their hard working team captain Joel Hinds, MBA for the first time in the tournament ended the 1st half in front, 22-21.

During the second period MBA played with more intensity with 6-9 center Chike Augustine finally showing up with three critical block shots. With the game still open Hinds started the 2nd session by weaving his way through the opponent defense for a layup to increase the lead, 24-21.

With the scores still close in the 1.51 mark, forward Justin Medina came up with a big steal with resulted in an uncontested layup for Patrick Scipio as MBA pulled away 35-31. As the battle continued Team Legacy offense was shut down with some aggressive half court man to man defense by MBA.

In the closing 10 seconds Augustine scored a dunk off a missed shot to increase the lead 37-31. Next possession MBA forced a turnover and Medina scored a three point play, a layup & free shot, to end the contest.

With the win Team MBA won the 3rd place and at the same time scored a revenged victory. Team Legacy won the earlier group match 37-30.

For MBA Patrick Scipio top scored with 10pts, Hinds & Medina got 7 a piece, while Augustine added 6pts & 3 blocks.

Overall Team MBA was the only team in the group to limited all their opponents to under 40 pts per game. Despite the challenges, MBA performed creditably. It was a great experience for the players and also the opportunity to play at a world class location.

The team returns to Trinidad on Tuesday.


*****************************************************
  TURKEY   


Pianigiani: I hope to go to right bench when we'll play against Siena - by Pervin Elgin

Pianigiani signed with Fenerbahce during the summer

Simone Pianigiani released a long interview reported by Il Corriere di Siena about his future with Fenerbahce Ulker Istanbul and the exhibition game the Turkish team will play against 'his' Mens Sana Siena on September 12.

"I really hope I will go to the right bench when we'll play against Siena. It won't be easy for me to enter in the other locker room. I still have to deal with the thought that I won't return to Siena. During the last two years, considering I was working with the National Team, I used to call everyday to Mens Sana asking for updates to the team and the roster. Over the last week, a couple of times I was close to call Siena instead of Fenerbahce. I think I will fully realize that I am the coach of Fenerbahce when we'll play against Mens Sana on September. I have been working a lot by phone with Fenerbahce beacuse I am with the National Team. I have been in Istanbul just few days, but enough to realize how big is the enthusiasm around Fenerbahce. How big is the sense of belonging of the supporters. I am in a club with 22 millions of fans. Fenerbahce's games are always broadacasted on TV because supporters are all around Turkey. There is a strong feeling and I like it. At the same tame the passion is in the DNA of people from Siena. About Fenerbahce's roster: there is a strong core of Turkish players. And this is very important because in TBL we have to play with at least two Turkish guys on the court at the same moment. I need to get used to that and I hope I won't make mistakes. We had to renew the foreigners. Fenerbahce's management liked the way Siena played in Europe and having in roster players you know it is very important to shorten their integration in the new club. My ties with Ferdinando Minucci have been always very strong. We knew that we were going to part ways at the end of the season. David Andersen and I left Siena without any buyout. Different was the case of McCalebb. Siena and Fenerbahce reached an agreement and the deal was made".

Courtesy of sportando.net


Fenerbahce Ulker adds Ilkan Karaman - by Pervin Elgin

Turkish powerhouse Fenerbahce Ulker increased its roster another notch with the addition of forward and young Turkish talent Ilkan Karaman, as the club announced Friday. Karaman (2.05 meters, 22 years old) has signed a two-plus-one years deal with the club and arrives from Pinar Karsiyaka of Turkey, where last season he averaged 10.7 points, 6.4 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 32 games. Karaman started his pro career in 2006 at a young age with ITU Istanbul, and the following season he joined Tofas Bursa, where he spent four seasons, increasing his protagonism year after year. This season he will make his Turkish Airlines Euroleague debut with Fenerbahce.

Courtesy of euroleague.net


Mersin tab J.P. Prince - by Eurobasket News (T)

J.P. Prince (201-G-87, college: Tennessee) is returning to Turkey. The guard has reportedly agreed on terms of contract with Mersin. J.P. Prince start his pro career in Turkey in 2010/11 season. He played for Antalya Belediye. The guard notched 15.8 points, 5.4 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.9 steals per game in TBL. J.P. Prince spent 2011/12 pre-season with the Cleveland Cavaliers. The guard did not make it to the roster and moved to Venezuela. He signed with Guaiqueries de Margarita in LPB. J.P. Prince notched 2.5 points and 2.0 rebounds per appearance but left after two games. J.P. Prince is the product of the University of Tennessee basketball school. He was named All-SEC Sixth Man of the Year in 2006.


Turkey barely survive Belarusian test - by Eurobasket News

Turkey - Belarus 77:74

Turkey earned a tough home win over Belarus at the start of 2013 EuroBasket Qualifying Round campaign. Semih Erden (211-F/C-86) scored 20 points and grabbed 6 rebounds as Turkey got away with a narrow win late in regulation. Emir Preldzic (205-SF-87, agency: Beo Basket) drained a late three-pointer as Turkey escaped with victory in opener.
It was a tough battle from start to finish. The teams traded baskets throughout the opening quarter. Turkey eked out a 19:18 lead after ten minutes. Belarus stayed within a striking distance throughout the second quarter. The visitors would level things up on several occasions and eventually drew things level at 36 heading into the second half. Turkey used a 14:1 run in the third quarter to take an 11-point lead. The hosts ensured a 60:48 advantage at the final intermission. But Belarus answered with a 14:3 rally to narrow the deficit to a single point 62:63. Semih Erden and Emir Preldzic kept Turkey in front but Pustahvar and Ulyanko knotted things up at 69. The teams were tied at 74 with 8 seconds remaining in regulation. However Emir Preldzic hit a three-pointer and then Semih Erden blocked Meshcharakou's attempt to seal the victory for the home team. Emir Preldzic accounted for 14 points, while Sinan Guler (192-SG-83, agency: 1x1 Sports, college: Carroll, MT) added 11 points for the winners. Aliaksandr Kudrautsau (190-SG-80) answered with 21 points for Belarus. Artsiom Parakhouski (210-C-87, college: Radford) netted 17 points in the loss.

Turkey: Semih Erden 20, Emir Preldzic 14, Sinan Guler 11
Belarus: Aliaksandr Kudrautsau 21, Artsiom Parakhouski 17


U18 European Championship: Turkey secure 9th place, hold off Slovenia - by Eurobasket News

Turkey U18 - Slovenia U18 81:61

Turkey occupied the 9th overall position at U18 European Championship. They knocked down Slovenia tonight. Kenan Sipahi (198-PG-95) led the effort with 18 points, 11 assists and 6 rebounds for the winners.
Turkey gained a 19:17 lead ten minutes into the game. They maintained the advantage throughout the second quarter. Turkey posted a 38:35 halftime lead. They unleashed 29 points in the third quarter to clear off. Turkey piled up a 23-point lead into the final stanza 67:54. Slovenia cut the deficit in the fourth quarter but just sweetened the pill at the end. Talat Altunbey (204-PF-94) provided 16 points, while Tayfun Erulku (193-SG-94) netted 10 points for the winners. Matic Rebec (180-PG-95) answered with 16 points for Slovenia. Tomaz Bolcina (206-F/C-94) had 14 points and 10 rebounds in the loss.

Turkey U18: Kenan Sipahi 18+11 assists, Talat Altunbey 16, Tayfun Erulku 10
Slovenia U18: Matic Rebec 16, Tomaz Bolcina 14+10 boards


*****************************************************
  U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS   


DV becomes a coach in Portland - by David Edole

PORTLAND, Ore. Portland Trail Blazers Head Coach Terry Stotts has added Jay Triano, David Vanterpool (195-G/F-73, college: St.Bonaventure) and Kim Hughes to his coaching staff, the team announced today.

Jay, David and Kim bring a wealth of experience as coaches, players and front office personnel, said Stotts. I have always had a lot of respect for their basketball knowledge and they will be very valuable additions to our staff.

Vanterpool, 39, joins the Trail Blazers bench after spending the past two seasons as a pro scout with the Oklahoma City Thunder. He played for European power CSKA Moscow from 2005-07, winning a Euroleague title there before becoming an assistant coach with the club upon retirement. Vanterpool was also a member of the Trail Blazers 2010 NBA Summer League coaching staff.

Appearing in 22 games for the Washington Wizards in 2000-01, Vanterpool played collegiately at St. Bonaventure.

Triano, Vanterpool and Hughes join Kaleb Canales as assistants on Stotts staff.


*****************************************************
  UKRAINE   


Budivelnyk will test Leo Lyons - by Eurobasket News (T)

Budivelnyk invited another player for a try-out period. His name is Leo Lyons (206-F-87, college: Missouri). The forward spent the last season in D-League. He started the season with the Austin Toros. The forward notched 16.2 points, 8.9 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game. Later Leo Lyons moved to the Dakota Wizards. His stats read 9.3 points, 5.4 rebounds and 1.1 assists per appearance. Leo Lyons participated at D-League All-Star Game. Previously the forward had stints in D-League and Israel. He was the member of the USA National Team in 2011. Leo Lyons participated at Panamerican Games in Mexico. He averaged 6.6 points, 4.0 rebounds, 1.2 assists per game in Guadalajara.


Ukraine escape with narrow win in Schwechat - by Eurobasket News

Austria-Ukraine 57:61

Ukraine escape with narrow win in Schwechat as they beat Austria for 2-0 record in Group C. Ukrainian kept the hosts scoreless in the last five minutes and grabbed 61:57 win.
Austria was not afraid of the Fratellos team and started with 19:16 in the first period. Ukraine meanwhile answered with 16-10 in the second period and grabbed 32:29 at the halftime. Austria again took the lead back after 22-16 in the third quarter. Rasid Mahalbasic (208-C-90) gave Austria 57:54 with 5 minutes to go, but those points were the last in the game for the hosts. Steven Burtt (185-G-84, college: Iona) tied the game from the perimeter and Pecherov scored for 59:57. The latter also made a free throw and Drozdov added one more for the final result in the game.
Pecherov paced all the winners with 11 points and Sergii Gladyr (196-SG-88) netted 9. Steven Burtt and Maxym Korniyenko (204-F/C-87) followed them with 8 points each. Davor Lamesic (205-PF-83, agency: Interperformances) ended up with 18 points in the losing effort and Rasid Mahalbasic netted 17. Jason Detrick (195-SF-80, agency: Court Side, college: Oklahoma) finished the game with 12 points for the hosts and Moritz Lanegger (190-PG-90, agency: Interperformances) brought 6.

Austria: Davor Lamesic 18, Rasid Mahalbasic 17, Jason Detrick 12, Moritz Lanegger 6
Ukraine: Pecherov 11, Sergii Gladyr 9, Steven Burtt 8, Maxym Korniyenko 8


Goran Ikonic inks with Politekhnika-Halychyna - by Eurobasket News (T)

Goran Ikonic (196-G-80, agency: Beo Basket) inks with Politekhnika-Halychyna for the next season. The Bosnia and Herzegovina International moves to Ukraine.
Last year he played for Pinar Karsiyaka SK Izmir. In 2011-2012 his stats read 2 games: 10.5ppg, 1.0rpg, 1.5apg, 1.5spg in EuroCup Qualifications and then in EuroChallenge he showed 9.6ppg, 2.1rpg, 1.3apg, 1.5spg, FGP: 48.6%, 3PT: 31.5%, FT: 66.7%. In Turkish League Goran averaged 12.1ppg, 2.5rpg, 2.0apg, 1.3spg, FGP: 54.3%, 3PT: 39.2%, FT: 82.1%.

Earlier he won the Eurochallege Cup 2011 with Krka Novo Mesto. He averahed 10.7ppg, 1.8rpg, 1.5apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 54.8%, 3PT: 31.3%, FT: 83.6% in Adriatic League and in EuroChallenge had 13.6ppg, 2.1rpg, 1.9apg, 1.2spg, FGP: 55.6%, 3PT: 37.3%, FT: 75.7%. In Slovenian League after 20 games hi stats read 10.0ppg, 1.7rpg, 1.8apg, 1.5spg, FGP: 56.5%, 3PT: 33.7%, FT: 78.1%.
In 2009-2010 he played for BC Donetsk (Ukraine-Superleague).


U18 European Championship: Slaftsakis and Agravenis guide Greece past Ukraine - by Eurobasket News

Greece U18 - Ukraine U18 83:69

Greece clinched the 11th overall position at U18 European Championship. The capped their campaign with victory over Ukraine. Dimitrios Agravanis (208-F-94, agency: FCM) and Diamantis Slaftsakis (200-SF-94) scored 17 points each to lead the winners.
Ukraine stayed in front throughout the opening quarter. They recorded a 20:18 lead after ten minutes. Greece denied the deficit in the second term. The Hellenes drew things level at 40 heading into the second half. Greece started to get away in the third quarter. The Hellenes ensured a 9-point lead before the final quarter. Greece limited their opponents to 14 points in the final stanza and rolled to the victory at the end. Filippos Kalogiannidis (192-PG-94) had 16 points, while Eleftherios Bochoridis (196-SG-94) finished with 15 points, 6 boards and 5 assists in the win. Yevgen Sakhniuk (201-PF-95) replied with 13 points for Ukraine. Vladyslav Koreniuk (206-C-94) netted 10 points in the loss.

Greece U18: Dimitrios Agravanis 17, Diamantis Slaftsakis 17, Filippos Kalogiannidis 16
Ukraine U18: Yevgen Sakhniuk 13, Vladyslav Koreniuk 10


*****************************************************
  UNITED KINGDOM   


U18 European Championship: Bosnia and Herzegovina clinched Division A promotion - by Eurobasket News

England U18- Bosnia and Herzegovina U18 63:64

Bosnia and Herzegovina clinched Division A promotion for 2012/2013 season. The home side grabbed valuable 64:63 win over England at the Semifinal of the U18 European Championship in Division B. England meanwhile will have another chance tomorrow in the game for the third place.
England opened the game better and reached 25-13 in the end of the first period. Later Bosnia responded with some good baskets and managed to win the second and the third periods. Bosnia responded with 18-10 in the second frame and added 17-11 in the third period. Bosnia led 7 points in the last minute and then Luke Nelson reduced to 63:60. His three-pointer with 1 second to go was enough only to cut it to 63:64 as the hosts celebrated the success in the court.
Nedim Buza (201-SF-95) top-scored for the winners with 19 points and Srdan Damjanovic (188-G-94) nailed 15. Adin Vrabac (202-G/F-94) delivered 11, while Jusuf Nurkic (212-C-94) collected 10 points and 13 rebounds. Luke Nelson (189-PG-95)s 33 points and 10 rebounds were not enough to win the game. Elliott Sentance posted 12, while Kingsley Okoroh (213-C-95) had 8.

England U18: Luke Nelson 33+10 rebs, Elliott Sentance (191-SG-94) 12, Kingsley Okoroh 8
Bosnia and Herzegovina U18: Nedim Buza 19, Srdan Damjanovic 15, Adin Vrabac 11, Jusuf Nurkic 10+13 rebs


*****************************************************
  VENEZUELA   


Guaros de Lara adds Martinez to their roster - by Eurobasket Center (T)

Guaros de Lara agreed terms with 31-year old Dominican Rep. forward Jack Michael Martinez (201-F-107kg-81). Martinez played most recently at Cocodrilos de Caracas (LPB). While playing 3 games for Cocodrilos this season he averaged 17.0ppg, 11.3rpg, 2.7apg and 1.0spg. Martinez helped them to end the regular season as a second best team in the league.. They advanced also to the league semifinals. He is a very experienced player. Martinez played also pro basketball in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Dominican Rep., France, Italy, Mexico, Puerto Rico and Spain. He represented Dominican Rep. at the Olympic Games Additional Qualifying Round in Caracas (Venezuela) and then at Centrobasket, both this year. He was voted Latinbasket.com All-Centrobasket Best Player after leading his team to the gold averaging 14.2ppg, Reb-1 (11.0rpg), and 3.0apg.
In 5 games of Olympic Games Qualifying Round his state were 14.4ppg, Reb-1 (13.8rpg), 1.6apg, FGP: 44.1%, 3PT: 25.0%, FT: 50.0%.

By Eurobasket Data Center


*****************************************************
  WILLIAM JONES CUP   


2012 Jones Cup men's rosters - by Chris Wang


R.O.C - A Mens Basketball Team

NO.
NameD.O.B Height Weight
1 TIEN Lei 1983-06-01202104
4 SU I-Chieh 1987-01-2818070
6 LEE Hsueh-Lin 1984-01-3117675
8 CHEN Shih-Chieh 1985-09-2417678
10 LIU Cheng 1990-11-2419280
11 CHEN Hsin-An 1980-07-0119590
12 LIN Chih-Chieh 1982-06-1119295
14 LIN Yi-Huei 1986-03-24193100
17 CHIEN Chia-Hung 1987-03-06197108
21 Creighton Douglas 1985-03-0719790
22 LU Cheng-Ju 1986-04-1319488
23 CHANG Tsung-Hsien 1988-12-2719286
31 MAO Chia-En 1982-11-1619593
52 LEE Te-Wei 1991-10-1520098
63 HSU hih-Chiang 1982-10-3019696
66 WU Tai-Hao 1985-02-07203100
76 TSENG Wen-Ting 1984-07-0620290
Average
Head of Delegation
Head Coach
Assistant Coach (Ben Metcalf)

I.R. IRAN National Mens Basketball Team
NO.
Name
D.O.B Height Weight
4 Mehrad ATASHI1986.02.2519184
5 Saeid DAVARPANA1987.09.0719086
6 Farid ASLANI1988.07.0418378
7 Mehdi KAMRANI1982.06.0118678
8 Amir SEDIGHI1993.07.16203100
9 Oshin SAHAKIAN1986.03.2120091
10 Hamed AFAGH1983.02.0119078
11 Hamed SOHRABNEJAD1983.05.0720189
12 Asghar KARDOUST1986.03.21211122
13 Moosa NABIPOUR1983.08.14210117
14 Samad BAHRAMI1983.05.1119885
15 Ruzbeh ARGHAVAN1988.05.18214110
16 Arman ZANGENEH1993.06.1520492
Average198.593

Team Manager Hamidreza SAMADZADEH
Head Coach Mostafa HASHEMI
Coach Akbar ASBAGHI
Coach Mehran ATASHI

R.O.C - B Kwang-Hwa Mens Basketball Team

NO.
NameD.O.B Height Weight
3 CHEN Che-Yu 1991/05/1218476
6 CHUNG Hsiu-Nai 1990/02/1219290
7 Chou Yi-Hsiang 1991/02/0419590
8 LO Yu-Chun 1988/05/0718585
9 LIN Chieh-Min 1988/11/1318283
10 WU Hung-Hsing 1989/10/2120285
11 CHEN Hsiao-Jung 1990/05/3019788
12 PENG Chun-Yen 1989/12/0518585
13 HUNG Kang-Chiao 1992/04/2219188
14 LIN Chih-Wei 1992-07-1019890
16 CHEN Yu-An 1989/01/0219082
21 LIN Yao-Tsung 1990/09/0719590
22 HU Long-Mao 1992-12-2219590
23 LUNG Hung-Yuan 1988/10/24192105
32 CHEN Kuan-Chuan 1993/12/3019696
52 SUNG Yu-Hsuan 1989/12/0518578
73 LIU Yuan-Kai 1991/07/0920596
Average
Head of Delegation
Head CoachCHOU, Chun-San
Assistant Coach

JAPAN National Mens Basketball Team

NO.
NameD.O.B Height Weight
4 FURUKAWA, Takatoshi1987.10.2019090
5 Sean HINKLEY1991.04.0320095
6 HIEJIMA, Makoto1990.08.1119087
8 OTA, Atsuya1984.06.04206110
9 KURIHARA, Takahiro1987.11.0619282
10 TAKEUCHI, Kosuke1985.01.2920698
11 SAKURAI, Ryota1983.03.1319475
12 NAGAYOSHI, Yuya1991.07.14199100
13 WATANABE, Hironori1988.03.2218074
14 KANAMARU, Kosuke1989.03.0819378
15 TAKEUCHI, Joji1985.01.2920798
16 TANAKA, Daiki1991.09.0319188
17 HARIMOTO, Tenketsu1992.01.0819888
18 HASHIMOTO, Kosuke1993.05.0620376
Average196.388.5
Team Leader SAKO, Kenichi
Head Coach SUZUKI, Kimikazu
Assistant Coach NAYA, Koji
S & C Coach KOYAMA, Takeshi

USA Mens Basketball Team

NO.
NameD.O.B Height Weight
0 Desmond BLUE1988.08.19211120
1 Wayne ARNOLD1984.05.1619393
2 Brad REESE1988.03.0920191
3 Mychal KEARSE1983.11.2819393
5 Gerard ANDERSON1987.06.1619893
7 Jermaine DEARMAN1980.12.17202100
8 Jermaine BARNES1982.10.0719495
9 Freddie WILLIAMS1987.02.2818886
10 Scott VANDERMEER1986.05.16213113
11 James JUSTICE1989.01.1217777
12 Curtis MARSHALL1983.02.19198210
15 Marcus MELVIN1982.05.27203110
Average198.3107.3

CEO Jerone DODD
Head Coach Travis MCAVENE
Coach Kevin FRANKLIN
Coach Jeff JOSEPH

SMART Gilas
PHILIPPINES SMART Gilas Mens Basketball Team

NO.
NameD.O.B Height Weight
4 Jay-R REYES1984.07.16197
5 L. A TENORIO1984.07.09176
6 Ranidel DE OCAMPO1981.12.08196
7 Sonny THOSS1981.12.07198
8 Gabe NORWOOD1985.02.09196
9 Sol MERCADO1984.05.06178
10 Mac BARACAEL1985.04.14193
11 Marcus DOUTHIT1980.04.15210
12 Larry FONACIER1982.05.13193
13 Garvo LANETE1989.02.13188
14 Enrico VILLANUEVA1980.06.23196
15 Matt GANUELAS1990.06.13195
16 Jeff CHAN1983.02.11193
20 Gary DAVID1978.07.13188
Average192.6

Head Coach.Vincent REYES
Assistant Coach Joseph UICHICO
Assistant Coach Ryan GREGORIO
Assistant Coach Joshua REYES

KGC
KOREA ANYANG KGC Pro Basketball Club

NO.
Name
D.O.B Height Weight
1 KIM, Tae-Sul1984.08.1318080
3 LEE, Jung-Hyun1987.03.0319189
6 PARK, Sang-Ryul1981.03.0417775
8 CHOI, Hyun-Min1990.01.1919695
9 JUNG, Hwi-Ryang1984.02.2019893
11 YANG, Hee-Jong1984.05.1119492
12 Juan PATTILLO 1988.03.12196101
13 KIM, Sung-Chul1975.05.1419486
14 Garrett STUTZ 1990.02.10211114
15 KIM, Kwang-Won1982.07.05205100
41 OH, Se-Keun1987.05.20200105
29 CHA, Min-Seok1988.06.0719493
32 KIM, Il-Du1982.04.23196100
Average194.794
General Manager KANG, Ju-Won
Head Coach LEE, Sang-Beom
Assistant Coach LEE, Dong-Nam
Assistant Coach Dean MURRAY
Team Manager YOON, Ho-Jin

LEBANON National Mens Basketball Team

NO.
NameD.O.B Height Weight
4 Jean ABDEL NOUR1983.11.2918998
5 Miguel MARTINEZ 1988.01.3018880
6.Paul ISKANDAR1993.09.0120492
7 Hussein EL KHATIB 1986.09.2018686
8 Karl SARKIS1986.07.2618378
9 Elie STEPHAN1986.07.2019290
12 Ali KANAAN1985.12.0120799
10 Ahmad IBRAHIM1992.02.1819895
11 Rodrigue AKL1988.09.3018682
13 Nadim SOUAID1986.08.2019189
14.Rabih ISKANDAR1991.10.17210120
15 Jarrid FAMOUS1988.07.162080
Average195.191.7

Head of Delegation Georges KELZI
Team Manager Georges KELZI
Head Coach Ghassan SARKIS
Assistant Coach Krikor KRIKORIAN
Physiotherapist Khalil NASSAR

JORDAN National Mens Basketball Team

NO.
NameD.O.B Height Weight
4 Fadel AL NAJJAR1985.04.0219287
5 Rasheim WRIGHT1981.07.2119085
6 Fares Saqf AL HAIT1987.05.0419587
7 Ahmed AL HAMARSHEH1986.10.1019793
8 Ahmad AL DWAIRI 1993.03.04200100
9 Khaldoon ABU RUQAYAH1983.04.0120298
10 Sinan EID1991.10,2318388
11 Wesam AL SOUS1983.02.2418983
12 Mahmoud ABDEEN1987.12.2319086
13 Mohammad HUSSEIN1990.03.03206102
14 Ali ZAGHAB1988.06.0320595
15 Majdi AL GHZAWI1993.05.0818580
Average195.589.5

Head of Delegation Majdi DAGHMASH
Coach Murad BARAKAT
Assistant Coach Samir MORCOS
Manager. Yosef KAYYAL


2012 William Jones Cup Game Schedule - by Chris Wang

August 18 Saturday
1300 IRI - LIB
1500 KOR - Taiwan-B
1700 PHI - JOR
1900 Opening Ceremony
1930 Taiwan - JPN

August 19 Sunday
1300 LIB - KOR
1500 Taiwan-B - PHI
1700 JPN - IRI
1900 USA - Taiwan

August 20 Monday
1300 Taiwan-B - JPN
1500 JOR - LIB
1700 KOR - USA
1900 Taiwan - IRI

August 21 Tuesday
1300 USA - Taiwan-B
1500 PHI - KOR
1700 JPN - JOR
1900 LIB - Taiwan

August 22 Wednesday
1300 IRI - USA
1500 Taiwan-B - LIB
1700 PHI - JPN
1900 JOR - Taiwan

August 23 Thursday
1300 JPN - USA
1500 LIB - PHI
1700 JOR - KOR
1900 Taiwan-B - IRI

August 24 Friday
1300 USA - JOR
1500 PHI - IRI
1700 KOR - JPN
1900 Taiwan - Taiwan-B

August 25 Saturday
1300 LIB - USA
1500 Taiwan-B - JOR
1700 IRI - KOR
1900 PHI - Taiwan

August 26 Sunday
1300 JOR - IRI
1500 JPN - LIB
1700 USA - PHI
1900 Taiwan - KOR
Award Ceremony


2012 Jones Cup Men Day 1 results - by Chris Wang

Iran 89-74 Lebanon
http://2012wjc.basketball-tpe.org/files/902-1008-3073-10000.php
Korea KGC 109-83 Taiwan B
http://2012wjc.basketball-tpe.org/files/902-1008-3062-10000.php
Philippines 98-88 Jordan
http://2012wjc.basketball-tpe.org/files/902-1008-3063-10000.php
Taiwan 82-57 Japan
http://2012wjc.basketball-tpe.org/files/902-1008-3042-10000.php

Standings:
Iran 1-0
Korea 1-0
Taiwan 1-0
Philippines 1-0
Taiwan B 0-1
Japan 0-1
Jordan 0-1
Lebanon 0-1
US Select 0-0


About the 2012 Jones Cup men's competition - by Chris Wang

I'm afraid that I won't have much time covering the event game-by-game and day-by-day due to my day job. I post these links below for fans and writers who are interested in the tourney. Please check them out. In the boxscores, you may have to identify who is who from their jersey numbers since the CTBA does not put players' English names in the boxscores.

Game schedules http://2012wjc.basketball-tpe.org/files/13-1008-2624.php?Lang=zh-tw
Team Rosters http://2012wjc.basketball-tpe.org/files/11-1008-187-1.php
Boxscores http://2012wjc.basketball-tpe.org/files/601-1008-20120818,c1-10.php



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Women News


U18 FIBA Americas: Brazil eliminates Argentina in the Semis, 67-54 - by Eurobasket News

U18 BRAZIL - U18 ARGENTINA 67-54

Brazil advanced to the Big Final of U18 FIBA Americas in Gurabo. They eliminated Argentina with 67-54 in the Semis. Brazil's rival will be defending champion USA. At the other side, Argentina will play against Canada for the bronze medal. Vanessa Goncalves (185-F-94) led Brazil with 17 points and 13 rebounds. Isabela Ramona (178-F-94) followed her with 11 points and 8 rebs, while, Estela Gregorio (177-G-94) netted 7 pts. In defeat, Micaela Sancisi (168-PG-94) had 17 points and Julieta Armesto (179-F-94) had 16 pts, plus 9 rebs. Their third scorer was Victoria Llorente (184-F/C-96) with 9 pts (7 rebs). Quarters: 9-13, 15-19, 20-7, 23-15. Sunday is the last day of the championship in Gurabo.

Brazil: Vanessa Goncalves 17+13 boards, Isabela Ramona 11+8 boards, Estela Gregorio 7
Argentina: Micaela Sancisi 17, Julieta Armesto 16+9 boards, Victoria Llorente 9+7 boards


U18 Argentina heads to Semifinals in Gurabo - by Eurobasket News

U18 DOMINICAN REPUBLIC - U18 ARGENTINA 26-51

Argentina advanced to the Semifinals of U18 FIBA Americas championship in Gurabo. They smashed Dominican Republic 51-26 on Friday ending the Preliminary stage with 2-1 record. That was enough for the second place in this pool. It is very important to mention that Argentina already booked a ticket for the 2013 FIBA U19 World Championship. At the other side, Dominican Republic ended this stage winless (0-3) and will continue in classification games from 5th-8th place. Argentina took control on its rival from the beginning and never looked back. Quarters: 19-5, 9-9, 10-4, 13-8. Victoria Llorente (184-F/C-96) stepped up for Argentina with 13 points and 12 rebounds, while Julieta Armesto (179-F-94) helped with 12 pts. Agustina Jourthevil (175-F-94) followed them with 10 points. In the loosing squad, Yamel Abreu (95) scored 11 points and Cheisy Hernandez (94) stopped to 7. Argentina will meet Brazil today in the Semis. Dominican Republic will play against Puerto Rico.

Dominican Republic: Yamel Abreu 11, Cheisy Hernandez 7
Argentina: Victoria Llorente 13+12 boards, Julieta Armesto 12, Agustina Jourthevil 10


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  AUSTRALIA   


U17 Australia celebrates first win in Amsterdam - by Eurobasket News

U17 BRAZIL - U17 AUSTRALIA 46-56

Both teams failed in Day One of FIBA U17 World Championship in Amsterdam. Today, Australia was better than Brazil 56-46 for the first win at this event. Australia now has 1-1 record in Group B, while Brazil fell to 0-2. Third period was the crucial on in this meeting. Teams were tied at 24-24 at the half time, after what Australia limited its rival to 9 points for 10 minutes, while they drained 19 at the other side. Brazil was not able to reply and Australia kept its lead for rest of the way. Tiana Mangakahia (165-PG-95) led the winners with double-double of 16 points and 12 rebounds. Alicia Froling (187-PF-96) scored 9 points and Stephanie Collins (195-C-95) added 9 points, plus 6 rebounds. Kananda Ribeiro (183-F/C-96) responded with 13 points and 5 rebounds in defeat, and Carla Silva Lucchini (95) followed with 11 pts, plus 9 rebounds. Monique Soares (97) had 7 pts and 9 rebs. Australia will meet Holland tomorrow, while Brazil will take on Spain.

Brazil: Kananda Ribeiro 13+5 boards, Carla Silva Lucchini 11+9 boards, Monique Soares 7+9 boards
Australia: Tiana Mangakahia 16+12 boards, Alicia Froling 9, Stephanie Collins 9+6 boards


Fire sign Nigerian/Australian to complete roster - by Eurobasket News (T)

The Townsville Fire have completed their playing roster for the 2012/2013 season with the signing of Nigerian/ Australian forward Olayinka Olorunnife (182-C-90, college: Idaho).

The former All-American baller set the record for the most rebounds while playing for the University of Idaho in the American NCAA college system.

She averaged 14.7 points, 10.6 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.6 steals as a senior for the Idaho Vandals.

While currently based in Canada, where she attended high school, Olayinka Olorunnife lived in Australia as a young girl with her family and has two siblings based down under.

Townsville Fire coach Chris Lucas said the player became available after the Spanish club she was signed to, Zamarat Caja Rural, folded and she fit well into the playing system the club was looking for.

"She is an undersized post player that plays with physicality, has a very good outside shot, and runs the floor well,'' Lucas said.

''She is smart and enjoyable to be around. So I feel she will fit into our program extremely well.''

The 182cm forward said she picked the Fire for their professionalism in recruitment and because she wanted to be on a competitive team.

"The team roster has several players that I have competed against at one time or another throughout my basketball career, so together I know we can bring home results,'' she said.

The Fire players begin their pre-season training on September 5.

Townsville Fire Roster: Rachael Flanagan (captain), Nicole Romeo, Casey Lockwood, Shanavia Dowdell, Kayla Standish, Yinka Olayinka Olorunnife, Michaela Cocks, Mia Newley, Jess Foley, Olivia Thompson.

Courtesy of www.townsvillebulletin.com.au


Waves sign international and local recruits - by Eurobasket News (T)

The Alcohol.Think Again West Coast Waves have added to their 2012/13 WNBL squad with New Zealand representative and WNBL player Antonia Edmondson (181-F-87) and young WA talent, Darcee Garbin.

Edmondson comes to the west coast after spending last season with the Adelaide Lightning alongside Olympic Bronze Medal winners Suzy Batkovic, Abby Bishop and Jenni Screen.
The 25-year-old has also played with Bendigo Spirit and Dandenong Rangers.

The Alcohol.Think Again West Coast Waves head coach, Kennedy Kereama, said Edmondsons talent and experience will be beneficial for the team.

"Toni adds a really versatile, athletic scorer and defender to our waves program this season," he said.

"Toni is fresh from international competition and as a starting guard for the New Zealand National Team and she will bring that experience with her.

"She has really made leaps and bounds in her game over the past few years within the WNBL and her National team and I am looking forward to having her in a Waves uniform this season," Kereama said.

Edmondson said she is looking forward to making the move west and playing with the squad.

I thought it would be a good opportunity to play there.
Its a nice city, Ive only been there a few times but it looks like a really good place to live, she said.

While home grown talent, Garbin, returns to Perth shores after completing her scholarship with the Australian Institute of Sport basketball program. The 18-year-old said at the AIS she learnt it takes a lot of strength to play at WNBL level and shes looking forward to be in a team with older players.

Its pretty exciting to move back home. Ive been a junior for WA, its good to come back and play there as a senior now,

Garbin said she is most excited about learning from the experienced players in the team such as Melissa Marsh and Deanna Smith

Ill be playing with women who have been in the league for 10 years, so I think I can learn a lot from them, she said.

From Min [Marsh] I can learn a leadership role and youve got Doccy [Smith] whos been in the Opals squad; so [I could learn] how to play like an Opal and how to have an impact in the league.

The youngster recently returned from a competition in China where she competed against the Chinese Olympic team and the Tall Ferns as part of the Australian Under 19s squad, which is a big step towards the 185cm forwards goal.

I most definitely [want to be an Opal]. Im in the squad for the Under19s now so the next step after that is the emerging Opals and then hopefully one day I will be an Opal, Garbin said.

Edmondson joins fellow New Zealander Lisa Wallbutton, former Bulleen Boomer point guard Amelia Todhunter, as well as experienced players Smith and Marsh and WA locals Garbin, Zoe Harper and Bendigo Banks Shani Amos.

Courtesy of WNBL Australia


Auburn narrowly defeat Flames - by Eurobasket News

The Southern Design Sydney Uni Flames have been narrowly defeated 67-58 by US NCAA Division 1 college team the Auburn University Tigers in a pre-season game played at a packed Hornsby Brickpit Basketball Stadium on Sunday.

After exchanging pleasantries, the teams lined up for the tip off. Regular Flames Alicia Poto (166-G-78), Katie Rae-Ebzery and Ellyce Ironmonger were joined in the starting line up by new recruits Michelle Joy and Sarah Graham (163-G-89). It was like they had been playing together for years and the Flames dominated the early play. Up until the final two minutes of the first half, the Flames out-hussled, out-rebounded and out-shot the Tigers. A run of six unanswered points in the final two minutes, however, saw the Tigers take a narrow 32-28 point half time lead.

The pace of the game was Usain Bolt-like and the intensity of the Tigers defence clearly lifted as the second quarter came to a close. Many of the Flames had turned out for their respective club teams on Saturday night and the speed and intensity began to take its toll on them in the third quarter. The Tigers consequently forced a number of turnovers and their star player, Hasina Muhammed, converted a number of these into points. The Tigers jumped out to a solid third quarter lead and despite a late fight back by the Flames in the final quarter, held on for a 9 point victory.

The Flames, in their first pre-season hit out, were solid and put on a good show for the Hornsby crowd. For the Flames, Sarah Graham scored 17 points, Katie Rae-Ebzery had 15 points, Alicia Poto had 13 points, and Michelle Joy shot 100% in scoring 10 points. Defensively, Ellyce Ironmonger was a demon on the boards pulling down a game-high 15 rebounds.

The Tigers, in the third game of their Australian tour, had many contributors. Their highlights were Hasina Muhammed, who scored a game-high 29 points, Blanche Alverson (190-G/F-91), who had 12 points, and Nicole Tannner, who had 9 points. The Tigers play one final local team today before heading home to start their NCAA season in November. Good luck Tigers!

The Flames have one further pre-season game against US college opposition. They take on the Oklahoma University Sooners at 6pm this Friday, 17 August 2012 at the Sydney Uni Sports & Aquatic Centre.

Courtesy of WNBL Australia


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  BELARUS   


U20 Belarus beats U20 Lithuania 72-66 to reach the second stage - by Eurobasket News

U20 LITHUANIA - U20 BELARUS 66-72

Belarus celebrated its first victory at U20 EuroBasket in Debrecen and actually that is enough for the second place in Group A. Belarus outplayed Lithuania 72-66 joining them and Latvia with 1-2 record in this pool. Belarus has the best score in this three-way tie, while Lithuania is behind them, so these two teams booked a spot for the second stage. They will be transferred to Group E. Belarus got 26 points and 13 rebounds from Maryia Filonchyk (187-PF-92). She was the MVP of this game with valuation 28. Maryia Papova (186-PF-94) had 11 points and 7 rebounds, while Ksenija Voishal (182-F-94) helped with 8 points and 6 rebs. In the loosing squad, Santa Okockyte (176-PG-92) top-scored with 19 points and Laura Svaryte (190-C/F-92) had 16 points, plus 10 rebounds. Monika Grigalauskyte (190-PF-92) shined with 13 points and 16 rebounds. Belarus had 57-70 lead with 4:43 remaining in the game, but Lithuania made 9-0 run after that. Lipinskaya answered with jump shot and both teams were scoreless for rest of the way. All teams will take a rest on Sunday.

Lithuania: Santa Okockyte 19, Laura Svaryte 16+10 boards, Monika Grigalauskyte 13+16 boards
Belarus: Maryia Filonchyk 26+13 boards, Maryia Papova 11+7 boards, Ksenija Voishal 8+6 boards


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  BELGIUM   


U20 Romania grabs 76-68 OT win against U20 Belgium in Klatovy - by Eurobasket News

U20 BELGIUM - U20 ROMANIA 68-76 OT

Romania grabbed 76-68 overtime win against Belgium in Day Three of U20 EuroBasket Division B in Klatovy. Thanks to this victory Romania joined Belgium and Israel with 1-2 record. Doppee made a jump shot for Belgium setting the score to 63-63 with 37 seconds remaining in regular time. Romania had the possession, but Ardelean committed a turnover (3 seconds in the paint) and suddenly Belgium got a chance with 21 seconds to go, but they were not able to score. Romania made 5-0 run at the beginning of extra five minutes and later managed to keep the lead for rest of the way. Quarters: 15-15, 20-22, 18-8, 10-18, 13-5. Dora Ardelean (186-PF-94) had 21 points and 12 rebounds in victory, while Sonia Ursu (175-SG-93) added 15 points and 8 rebounds. Gabriela Cursaru (169-PG-92) (7 rebs) and Cristina Bigica (182-G/F-92) also scored 15 points each. In Belgium, Emmanuella Mayombo (170-SG-92, agency: LBM Management) was better than the others with 25 points. Caroline Bourlioux (182-C-92) and Marieke Versavel (168-PG-92) posted 13 and 11 pts respectively. Romania will meet Israel on Sunday. Belgium will play against Switzerland.

Belgium: Emmanuella Mayombo 25, Caroline Bourlioux 13, Marieke Versavel 11
Romania: Dora Ardelean 21+12 boards, Sonia Ursu 15+8 boards, Gabriela Cursaru 15+7 boards, Cristina Bigica 15


U17 Belgium has no mercy for U17 South Korea in Amsterdam, 84-53 - by Eurobasket News

U17 BELGIUM - U17 SOUTH KOREA 84-53

Belgium celebrated second straight win at FIBA U17 World Championship in Amsterdam. This time Belgium cruised past South Korea 84-53 for 2-0 record in Group A. Hind Ben Abdelkader (173-SG-95) had another great game for her team collecting 29 points and 5 rebounds. She reached valuation 25 and was the MVP of this meeting. Celine Lemmens (182-PF-95) had 9 points and 6 rebounds, and Kyara Linskens (191-C-96) added 7 pts, plus 5 rebs. In defeat, Yang Inyoung (95) (5 rebs) and Shin Jihyun (95) netted 11 points each. Lee Min Ji (95) delivered two less. Belgium made 11-point lead until the halftime and destroyed its rival in Q3 with huge 28-6. All after that was just the formality. South Korea dropped to 0-2 in this pool and will meet Mali tomorrow. It could be a nice chance for the first victory in Amsterdam. Belgium will play against Canada.

Belgium: Hind Ben Abdelkader 29+5 boards, Celine Lemmens 9+6 boards, Kyara Linskens 7+5 boards
South Korea: Yang Inyoung 11+5 boards, Shin Jihyun 11, Lee Min Ji 9


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  BRAZIL   


U18 Brazil extends winning streak in Gurabo, advances to Semifinals - by Eurobasket News

U18 PUERTO RICO - U18 BRAZIL 53-66

Brazil finished Preliminary Round at U18 FIBA Americas in Gurabo with perfect 3-0 record. This time they outplayed Puerto Rico 66-53 to win Group B. Brazil advanced to the Semifinals and at the same time booked a ticket for 2013 FIBA U19 World Championship. Isabela Ramona (178-F-94) came up with 24 points and 8 rebounds in this victory (valuation 26, MVP). Maria Fonseca (179-F-94) followed her with 11 points and 8 boards. In Puerto Rico, Aleana Leon (96) was better than the others with 14 points and 6 rebounds, and Claudia Ortiz (96) stopped to 12 points and 5 rebs. Quarters: 15-16, 18-13, 18-15, 15-9. The host of this event ended as No.3 in Group B with 1-2 record and failed to reach the next stage. Puerto Rico will try to win fifth place at this event and its first rival will be Dominican Republic. In the Semis, Brazil will meet Argentina. Championship continues today.

Puerto Rico: Aleana Leon 14+6 boards, Claudia Ortiz 12+5 boards
Brazil: Isabela Ramona 24+8 boards, Maria Fonseca 11+8 boards


U17 Australia celebrates first win in Amsterdam - by Eurobasket News

U17 BRAZIL - U17 AUSTRALIA 46-56

Both teams failed in Day One of FIBA U17 World Championship in Amsterdam. Today, Australia was better than Brazil 56-46 for the first win at this event. Australia now has 1-1 record in Group B, while Brazil fell to 0-2. Third period was the crucial on in this meeting. Teams were tied at 24-24 at the half time, after what Australia limited its rival to 9 points for 10 minutes, while they drained 19 at the other side. Brazil was not able to reply and Australia kept its lead for rest of the way. Tiana Mangakahia (165-PG-95) led the winners with double-double of 16 points and 12 rebounds. Alicia Froling (187-PF-96) scored 9 points and Stephanie Collins (195-C-95) added 9 points, plus 6 rebounds. Kananda Ribeiro (183-F/C-96) responded with 13 points and 5 rebounds in defeat, and Carla Silva Lucchini (95) followed with 11 pts, plus 9 rebounds. Monique Soares (97) had 7 pts and 9 rebs. Australia will meet Holland tomorrow, while Brazil will take on Spain.

Brazil: Kananda Ribeiro 13+5 boards, Carla Silva Lucchini 11+9 boards, Monique Soares 7+9 boards
Australia: Tiana Mangakahia 16+12 boards, Alicia Froling 9, Stephanie Collins 9+6 boards


U18 FIBA Americas: Brazil eliminates Argentina in the Semis, 67-54 - by Eurobasket News

U18 BRAZIL - U18 ARGENTINA 67-54

Brazil advanced to the Big Final of U18 FIBA Americas in Gurabo. They eliminated Argentina with 67-54 in the Semis. Brazil's rival will be defending champion USA. At the other side, Argentina will play against Canada for the bronze medal. Vanessa Goncalves (185-F-94) led Brazil with 17 points and 13 rebounds. Isabela Ramona (178-F-94) followed her with 11 points and 8 rebs, while, Estela Gregorio (177-G-94) netted 7 pts. In defeat, Micaela Sancisi (168-PG-94) had 17 points and Julieta Armesto (179-F-94) had 16 pts, plus 9 rebs. Their third scorer was Victoria Llorente (184-F/C-96) with 9 pts (7 rebs). Quarters: 9-13, 15-19, 20-7, 23-15. Sunday is the last day of the championship in Gurabo.

Brazil: Vanessa Goncalves 17+13 boards, Isabela Ramona 11+8 boards, Estela Gregorio 7
Argentina: Micaela Sancisi 17, Julieta Armesto 16+9 boards, Victoria Llorente 9+7 boards


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  BULGARIA   


First joy for U20 Israel in Klatovy - by Eurobasket News

U20 ISRAEL - U20 BULGARIA 73-64

Both teams were winless before this meeting. Israel managed to beat Bulgaria today 73-64 improving to 1-2 record at U20 EuroBasket Division B in Klatovy. At the other side, Bulgaria faced with third straight loss. Bulgaria made 6-point lead in the first half, but Israel responded with 20-15 after the breather and made 61-53 turn at the beginning of the last quarter. With 3:19 remaining in the game Israel was up by ten and question about the winner was resolved. Thea Lemberger (175-G-92) was a key player in victory with 26 points and 7 rebounds (valuation 24, MVP). May Dayan (170-PG-94) scored 11 points and Bar Gilinski (185-PF-92) helped with 9 points, plus 14 rebounds. Bulgaria got 18 points and 7 rebounds from Viktoriya Stoycheva (171-PG-92), while Iva Kostova (178-SG-94) had 17 points and 8 rebs. Kristina Peychinova (176-SG-94) netted 12 pts in this defeat. Israel will play against Romania on Sunday. Bulgaria will take on Hungary.

Israel: Thea Lemberger 26+7 boards, May Dayan 11, Bar Gilinski 9+14 boards
Bulgaria: Viktoriya Stoycheva 18+7 boards, Iva Kostova 17+8 boards, Kristina Peychinova 12


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  CANADA   


U17 USA blasts U17 Canada 86-47 in North American derby - by Eurobasket News

U17 USA - U17 CANADA 86-47

Another easy win for USA in Amsterdam. The defending champion blasted Canada today 86-47 for perfect 2-0 record at FIBA U17 World Championship. At the same time, it was the second straight loss for Canadian NT at this event. USA won every single quarter of this game and dominated in all segments. They created 17-point lead until the halftime and increased it to plus 20 for the next ten minutes. USA totally took control on Canada in Q4 (28-9) to celebrate huge 39-point win at the end. Diamond Deshields (6'1''-G/F-95) stepped up for her team with 29 points and 6 rebounds (MVP, valuation 28). Kaela Davis (6'1''-G/F-95) had 14 points and 9 rebs, while Taya Reimer (6'3''-F-95) helped USA with 10 pts. In Canada, Kia Nurse (5'11''-PG-96) was the best scorer with only 8 points (6 rebs). Hannah Jardine, Kolbie Orum (6'2''-F-95) and Emily Potter (6'5''-C/F-95) stopped to 7 pts each. USA's next rival will be Italy. Canada will take on Belgium tomorrow.

USA: Diamond Deshields 29+6 boards, Kaela Davis 14+9 boards, Taya Reimer 10
Canada: Kia Nurse 14+9 boards, Taya Reimer 7, Kolbie Orum 7, Emily Potter 7


Canada advances to Semifinals of U18 FIBA Americas - by Eurobasket News

U18 MEXICO - U18 CANADA 40-61

Canada celebrated second win at U18 FIBA Americas championship in Gurabo. They downed Mexico 61-40 ending the Preliminary Round as No.2 of Group B with almost perfect 2-1 record. It means that Canada advanced to the Semifinals, where they will meet defending champion USA. Mexico failed to reach the next stage as they finished with 1-2 score in this pool (1-2). They will fight for the fifth place in Gurabo. Paige Crozon (186-F-94) stepped up for her team with 13 points and 7 rebounds, and Kaylee Halvorson (170-G-94) helped with 12 pts. Cheyanne Roger (188-C-95) collected 11 points and 7 boards. In the loosing squad, Maria Faz (95) answered with 11 points and 10 rebounds. Daniela Soto (96) also scored 11 pts and Myriam Lara added 9 points, plus 6 boards. Quarters: 10-2, 13-13, 21-10, 17-15). Championship continues today. Mexico's next rival will be Colombia. It is very important to mention that Canada booked a ticket for the 2013 FIBA U19 World Championship.

Mexico: Maria Faz 11+10 boards, Daniela Soto 11, Myriam Lara 9+6 boards
Canada: Paige Crozon 13+7 boards, Kaylee Halvorson 12, Cheyanne Roger 11+7 boards


U18 USA advances to gold medal game in Gurabo - by Eurobasket News

U18 USA - U18 CANADA 95-46

As expected, USA will play in the final of U18 FIBA Americas Championship in Gurabo. They were too strong for Canada 95-46 in the Semis. In the gold medal game USA will play against Brazil. At the other side, Canada will play against Argentina for the bronze medal. All Semifinalists already booked a ticker for 2013 FIBA U19 World Championship. Morgan Tuck (6'2''-F-94) led USA with 22 points and Breanna Stewart (6'3''-F/C-94) had 20 points, plus 8 rebounds. Michaela Mabrey (5'9''-G-94) followed them with 13 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists. In Canada, Paige Crozon (6'1''-F-94) was better than the others with 9 points. Samantha Cooper (6'1''-G/F), Renee Byrne (5'10''-G) and Ruth Hamblin (6'5''-C) netted 8 pts each. Quarters: 24-8, 29-12, 22-11, 20-15. Sunday is the last day of the championship.

USA: Morgan Tuck 22, Breanna Stewart 20+8 boards, Michaela Mabrey 13+6 boards+5 as
Canada: Paige Crozon 9, Samantha Cooper 8, Renee Byrne 8, Ruth Hamblin 8


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  COLOMBIA   


U18 Colombia beats U18 Mexico 70-45 - by Eurobasket News

U18 COLOMBIA - U18 MEXICO 70-45

Colombia made a first step toward fifth place at U18 FIBA Americas Chamionship in Gurabo. They handed 70-45 loss to Mexico on Saturday. In order to take position No.5, Colombia will have to beat Puerto Rico. At the other side, Mexico will meet Dominican Republic trying to avoid last place at this event. Colombia took control on its rival from the beginning and never looked back. Quarters: 18-11, 22-7, 15-15, 15-12. Laura Ramirez (94) and Elizabeth Gutierrez (94) led the winners with 13 and 11 points respectively. Marlyn Vente (96) added 11 points and 7 rebs. In defeat, Maria Faz (95) answered with 10 points and Maria Morales (95) added 8 pts, plus 12 boards. Competition in Gurabo will end today (Sunday).

Colombia: Laura Ramirez 13, Elizabeth Gutierrez 11, Marlyn Vente 11+7 boards
Mexico: Maria Faz 10, Maria Morales 8+12 boards


U18 USA wins Group A in Gurabo with perfect 3-0 record - by Eurobasket News

U18 COLOMBIA - U18 USA 36-87

USA is the winner of Group A in Gurabo with perfect 3-0 record. They handed 87-36 loss to Colombia in the last day of the Preliminary Round. It means that USA advanced to the Semifinals of U18 FIBA Americas championship, where they will meet Canada. USA is the defending champion. Their best player in this meeting was Alexis Prince (188-G/F-94) with 19 points and 6 rebounds. Morgan Tuck (188-F-94) (6 rebs) and Michaela Mabrey (175-G-94) netted 17 and 15 points respectively. It is very important to mention that USA booked a ticket for the 2013 FIBA U19 World Championship. Colombia finished as third ranked team of Group A (1-2) and failed to reach the next stage. They will continue in classification games from 5th-8th place. Maria Tapias (95) and Laura Ramirez (94) scored 15 pts each for Colombia in this game. Championship continues today.

Colombia: Maria Tapias 15, Laura Ramirez 15
USA: Alexis Prince 19+6 boards, Morgan Tuck 17+6 boards, Michaela Mabrey 15


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  CZECH REPUBLIC   


Hungary hands first loss to Czech Republic at U20 EuroBasket Division B - by Eurobasket News

U20 HUNGARY - U20 CZECH REPUBLIC 56-55

Hungary jumped to 2-0 record at U20 EuroBasket Division B in Klatovy. They grabbed 56-55 thriller win against the host of this event, thanks to well played last six minutes of the game. Czech Republic had 40-43 lead, after what Hungary made impressive 11-0 run. Czech Republic came to 56-53 in the finish and Licskai missed two free throws after that, so Czech Republic got a chance with 10 seconds remaining, but Kozumplikova missed a triple and Michaela Vojtkova (181-F-93) scored, but only for 2, what was not enough for overtime. Quarters: 11-7, 9-13, 18-12, 18-23. This is the first loss for Czech Republic, who has 2-1 record now. Anna Mansare (188-F/C-92) had 16 points and 5 rebounds in victory, and Krisztina Velkey (180-G/F-92) added 12 points. Lilla Adamecz (181-F-92) helped with 9 points and 7 rebs. In defeat, Barbora Kasparkova (181-F/C-92) collected 14 points and 9 rebounds, while Vojtkova scored 13 points. Hungary will meet Bulgaria on Sunday. Czech Republic will have a day-off.

Hungary: Anna Mansare 16+5 boards, Krisztina Velkey 12, Lilla Adamecz 9+7 boards
Czech Republic: Barbora Kasparkova 14+9 boards, Michaela Vojtkova 13


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  DENMARK   


SISU add Pauline Schulz and Nathalie Reshard - by Eurobasket News (T)

SISU continued to bolster their roster prior to the start in Dameligaen and EuroCup campaigns. They brought in two import players. SISU signed deals with Pauline Schulz and Nathalie Reshard (183-C-86).
Pauline Schulz played for Leimen in 2.Bundesliga back in 2007. Later the forward moved to Berlin. She studied there and played for the local team in Regionalliga.
Nathalie Reshard will start her pro career overseas. The centre played for the University of Alabama in 2008. She tallied 1.7 points and 1.3 rebounds per game in her senior season. Nathalie Reshard had a stint as basketball coach in St. Francis University over the last two years.


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  DOMINICAN REPUBLIC   


U18 Argentina heads to Semifinals in Gurabo - by Eurobasket News

U18 DOMINICAN REPUBLIC - U18 ARGENTINA 26-51

Argentina advanced to the Semifinals of U18 FIBA Americas championship in Gurabo. They smashed Dominican Republic 51-26 on Friday ending the Preliminary stage with 2-1 record. That was enough for the second place in this pool. It is very important to mention that Argentina already booked a ticket for the 2013 FIBA U19 World Championship. At the other side, Dominican Republic ended this stage winless (0-3) and will continue in classification games from 5th-8th place. Argentina took control on its rival from the beginning and never looked back. Quarters: 19-5, 9-9, 10-4, 13-8. Victoria Llorente (184-F/C-96) stepped up for Argentina with 13 points and 12 rebounds, while Julieta Armesto (179-F-94) helped with 12 pts. Agustina Jourthevil (175-F-94) followed them with 10 points. In the loosing squad, Yamel Abreu (95) scored 11 points and Cheisy Hernandez (94) stopped to 7. Argentina will meet Brazil today in the Semis. Dominican Republic will play against Puerto Rico.

Dominican Republic: Yamel Abreu 11, Cheisy Hernandez 7
Argentina: Victoria Llorente 13+12 boards, Julieta Armesto 12, Agustina Jourthevil 10


U18 Puerto Rico too strong for U18 Dominican Republic, 68-35 - by Eurobasket News

U18 PUERTO RICO - U18 DOMINICAN REPUBLIC 68-35

Puerto Rico outplayed Dominican Republic 68-35 on Saturday. It means that the host of U18 FIBA Americas made a first step toward fifth place in Gurabo. They will have to beat Colombia on Sunday to take this spot. Dominican Republic will fight for seventh place against Mexico. All of the above mentioned teams failed to book a ticket for the 2013 FIBA U19 World Championship. Puerto Rico made 17-point lead until the halftime and had no troubles to keep it for rest of the game. Quarters: 14-8, 16-5, 19-6, 19-16. Aleana Leon (96) and Roxairaly Armesto scored 13 points each for the winners. Diamalises Rivera (93) followed them with 12 points and 9 rebs. In loss, Cheisy Hernandez (94) had 15 points and 5 rebs, and Yamel Abreu (95) added 10 points. Championship ends today.

Puerto Rico: Aleana Leon 13, Roxairaly Armesto 13, Diamalises Rivera 12+9 boards
Dominican Republic: Cheisy Hernandez 15+5 boards, Yamel Abreu 10


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  EUROCUP   


SISU add Pauline Schulz and Nathalie Reshard - by Eurobasket News (T)

SISU continued to bolster their roster prior to the start in Dameligaen and EuroCup campaigns. They brought in two import players. SISU signed deals with Pauline Schulz and Nathalie Reshard (183-C-86).
Pauline Schulz played for Leimen in 2.Bundesliga back in 2007. Later the forward moved to Berlin. She studied there and played for the local team in Regionalliga.
Nathalie Reshard will start her pro career overseas. The centre played for the University of Alabama in 2008. She tallied 1.7 points and 1.3 rebounds per game in her senior season. Nathalie Reshard had a stint as basketball coach in St. Francis University over the last two years.


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  EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS U18   

Div.B Stats Leaders - by Greg

Points Per Game
 Iva KOSTOVA
  (178-SG-94)
  Avg: 20.8
 1. Kostova, BUL20.8 
 2. Austgulen, NOR19.3 
 3. Kedem, ISR15.7 
 4. Jespersen, DEN15.5 
 5. Joseph, ENG15.3 
 6. Papova, BLR14.6 
 7. Stojanovska2, MKD14.0 
 8. Hristova, BUL13.9 
 9. Kraujunaite, LTU13.8 
 10. Kalenta, BLR13.6 
Rebounds Per Game
 Amadea SZAMOSI
  (190-C/F-94)
  Avg: 11
 1. Szamosi, HUN11.0 
 2. Green, ENG10.4 
 3. Papova, BLR9.7 
 4. Jespersen, DEN9.6 
 5. Rakovic, MNT8.9 
 6. Perrenoud, SUI8.4 
 7. Kalenta, BLR8.3 
 8. Austgulen, NOR7.4 
 9. Kostourkova, POR7.3 
 10. Stojanovska2, MKD7.0 
Assists Per Game
 Justina KRAUJUNAITE
  (174-F-95)
  Avg: 3.9
 1. Kraujunaite, LTU3.9 
 2. Viana, POR3.6 
 3. Bridina, LAT3.1 
 4. Sirsinaityte, LTU3.0 
 5. Wood, SCO3.0 
 6. Papova, BLR2.9 
 7. Csutoras, HUN2.7 
 8. Kmetovska, MKD2.7 
 9. Bravo-H., ENG2.7 
 10. Jamsa, FIN2.6 
Steals Per Game
 Iva KOSTOVA
  (178-SG-94)
  Avg: 4
 1. Kostova, BUL4.0 
 2. Ferreira, POR2.6 
 3. Bridina, LAT2.4 
 4. Nikpaljevic, MNT2.4 
 5. Dzirma, GER2.3 
 6. Dayan, ISR2.1 
 7. Dimitrova, BUL2.1 
 8. Myshapud, BLR2.0 
 9. Runsas, FIN2.0 
 10. Abboud, ISR2.0 
Blocks Per Game
 Laura PERRENOUD
  (189-C-94)
  Avg: 3.1
 1. Perrenoud, SUI3.1 
 2. Papova, BLR2.6 
 3. Kalenta, BLR2.1 
 4. Kostova, BUL1.8 
 5. Kostova, BUL1.6 
 6. Kostourkova, POR1.4 
 7. Szamosi, HUN1.4 
 8. Zelnyte, LTU1.1 
 9. Gulich, GER1.1 
 10. Tveito, NOR1.1 



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  EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS U20   


Division A: Preliminary Round is over in Debrecen - by Eurobasket News

Group A
Lithuania - Belarus 66-72
Belarus celebrated its first victory at U20 EuroBasket in Debrecen and actually that is enough for the second place in Group A. Belarus outplayed Lithuania 72-66 joining them and Latvia with 1-2 record in this pool. Belarus has the best score in this three-way tie, while Lithuania is behind them, so these two teams booked a spot for the second stage. They will be transferred to Group E. Belarus got 26 points and 13 rebounds from Maryia Filonchyk (187-PF-92). She was the MVP of this game with valuation 28. Maryia Papova (186-PF-94) had 11 points and 7 rebounds, while Ksenija Voishal (182-F-94) helped with 8 points and 6 rebs. In the loosing squad, Santa Okockyte (176-PG-92) top-scored with 19 points and Laura Svaryte (190-C/F-92) had 16 points, plus 10 rebounds. Monika Grigalauskyte (190-PF-92) shined with 13 points and 16 rebounds. Belarus had 57-70 lead with 4:43 remaining in the game, but Lithuania made 9-0 run after that. Lipinskaya answered with jump shot and both teams were scoreless for rest of the way. All teams will take a rest on Sunday.

Spain - Latvia 57-43
Spain is the winner of Group A at U20 EuroBasket in Debrecen. They handed 57-43 loss to Latvia for perfect 3-0 at this phase. Of course, Spain will be transferred to Group E of the second stage. At the other side, Latvia dropped to 1-2 and finished as the last ranked team of the group. Latvia will be moved to Group G, where they will fight for the survival in Division A. Spain had plus 15 at the halftime and managed to keep the lead for rest of the way. Quarters: 15-12, 25-13, 10-10, 7-8. Mariona Ortiz (183-F/G-92) (13 rebs) and Marina Delgado (174-PG-92) (7 rebs) scored 11 points each for the winners. Queralt Casas (180-G-92) followed them with 10 points and 5 boards. In the loosing squad, Guna Lagzdina (187-C-93) was better than the others with 13 points and 9 rebounds. Krista Bridina (174-PG-94) had 10 points and 5 rebs, and Renate Reine (176-G-94) stopped to 9 pts. Championship continues on Monday.

Group B
Italy - Poland 47-54
Poland did a great job against Italy in the last day of the Preliminary Round at U20 EuroBasket in Debrecin. Poland celebrated 54-47 victory improving its score to 2-1 in Group B. Sweden and Holland have the same numbers in this pool, but Poland has the best score in this three-way tie and won the group. All three teams advanced to the next stage and they will be moved to Group E. At the other side, Italy is still winless and they will fight for the survival in Division A. Big disappointment for them. Magdalena Zietara (170-G/F-92) shined in victory with 17 points, 6 assists and 5 rebounds. Ramona Casimiro (170-G-92) had 12 points and 6 rebounds, while Dorota Mistygacz (183-F/C-92) added 9 points and 11 rebs. In Italy, Caterina Dotto (167-PG-93) and Francesca Dotto (170-PG-93) scored 13 and 12 points respectively. Each of them grabbed 6 rebounds in this meeting. Poland had 12-point lead at the beginning of Q4, but Italy closed the gap to 47-51 with one minute to go. Zietara immediately replied with triple securing the victory for her team. Quarters: 24-14, 12-11, 10-9, 8-13. All teams will take a rest on Sunday.

Sweden - Holland 52-54
Very valuable win for Holland in the last day of the Preliminary Round in Debrecin (U20 EuroBasket). Holland grabbed 54-52 victory against Sweden to join them and Poland with 2-1 record in Group B. Poland ended as No.1, Sweden as No.2 and Holland as No.3 in this pool, while all three teams advanced to the next stage. Holland will transfer this win to Group E. Their best player today was Zera Butter (179-G-92) with 14 points. Marlou De Kleijn (182-F-92, agency: Regeneracom Sports) had 9 points and 8 rebounds, while Sharon Lammerink (189-C-93) added 14 pts. It was a very exciting finish and Holland celebrated thanks to Adams and Marlou De Klejin, who made lay-up and scored one free throw respectively. Sweden was scoreless in the last minute. Quarters: 13-11, 19-9, 9-12, 13-20. Binta Drammeh (180-F-92) had 14 points for Sweden, while Ellen Nystrom (180-G-93) (7 rebs) and Amanda Zahui (190-C-93) (6 rebs) netted 8 points each. Championship continues on Monday. As mentioned above, both teams will be moved to Group E.
Group C
France - Turkey 56-61
Turkey advanced to the second stage of U20 EuroBasket with perfect 3-0 record. In the last day of the Preliminary Round Turkey handed 61-56 loss to France, who ended as No.3 in this pool. France also heads to the next stage and both teams will be placed to Group F. Teams were tied to 51-51 at the halfway of the last period, but Turkey made crucial 7-2 run after that and managed to keep the lead for rest of the way. Quarters: 12-13, 15-15, 16-16, 18-12. Olcay Cakir (180-PG-93) led the winners with 15 points and 5 rebounds. Ayse Cora (175-G/F-93) (5 rebs) and Ecem Guler (189-PF-92) (5 rebs) netted 12 and 11 points respectively. France got 13 points and 5 rebs from Christelle Diallo (193-C-93), while Alice Nayo (186-C-93) and Marie Mbuyamba (185-F/C-93) collected 10 points and 5 rebounds each. Championship continues on Monday and all teams will take a rest tomorrow. Four of six teams from the newly formed Group F will advance to the Quarterfinals.

Ukraine - Portugal 54-47
Box-score will be available soon. Ukraine (2-1) advanced to the next stage. Portugal (0-3) will fight for the survival in Division A.
Group D
Russia - Serbia 64-57
Both teams advanced to the second stage of U20 EuroBasket in Debrecen. Russia handed 64-57 loss to Serbia on Saturday to join them and Slovakia with 2-1 record in Group D. In this three-way tie Russia is No.1, Slovakia is No.2 and Serbia is No.3. Russia shined in the last ten minutes of the game to take this victory. Quarters: 13-12, 18-11, 11-21, 22-13. It very important to mention that Serbia played with six players in this game as all other were poised by food and some of them were even hospitalized for a while. Darya Namok (179-G-93) scored 14 points for the winners and Ekaterina Fedorenkova (178-SG-93) added one points less. Ksenia Tikhonenko (190-F/C-93, agency: Ryzhov Stanislav) collected 12 points and 9 rebounds. In the loosing squad, Snezana Colic (178-G-92) shined with 25 points and 5 rebounds. Ivana Brajkovic (195-C-93) collected 16 points and 13 rebs. All teams will take a rest on Sunday.

Slovakia - United Kingdom 74-61
Slovakia made it in do-or-die game against United Kingdom. Slovakia celebrated 74-61 win finishing this stage as the second ranked team of Group D with 2-1 record. At the other side, UK closes the standings in this pool with 0-3. They will fight for the survival in U20 EuroBasket Division A. Zofia Hruscakova (190-C-95) led the winners with 17 points and 8 rebounds. Marta Palenikova (184-G/F-92) and Martina Letkova (189-F-92) netted 11 points each. In defeat, Olufemi Hamilton (170-G-93) was the leading scorer with 17 points. Jessica Hurd (185-C-92) had 10 pts and Cheridene Green (187-C-95) added 9 pts, plus 11 rebounds. Quarters: 19-13, 20-15, 19-20, 16-13. Slovakia will be moved to Group F now. UK will continue in Group G. Championship continues on Monday and all teams will have a chance to rest tomorrow.


Division B: Day 3 in Klatovy - by Eurobasket News

Belgium - Romania 68-76 OT
Romania grabbed 76-68 overtime win against Belgium in Day Three of U20 EuroBasket Division B in Klatovy. Thanks to this victory Romania joined Belgium and Israel with 1-2 record. Doppee made a jump shot for Belgium setting the score to 63-63 with 37 seconds remaining in regular time. Romania had the possession, but Ardelean committed a turnover (3 seconds in the paint) and suddenly Belgium got a chance with 21 seconds to go, but they were not able to score. Romania made 5-0 run at the beginning of extra five minutes and later managed to keep the lead for rest of the way. Quarters: 15-15, 20-22, 18-8, 10-18, 13-5. Dora Ardelean (186-PF-94) had 21 points and 12 rebounds in victory, while Sonia Ursu (175-SG-93) added 15 points and 8 rebounds. Gabriela Cursaru (169-PG-92) (7 rebs) and Cristina Bigica (182-G/F-92) also scored 15 points each. In Belgium, Emmanuella Mayombo (170-SG-92, agency: LBM Management) was better than the others with 25 points. Caroline Bourlioux (182-C-92) and Marieke Versavel (168-PG-92) posted 13 and 11 pts respectively. Romania will meet Israel on Sunday. Belgium will play against Switzerland.

Hungary - Czech Republic 56-55
Hungary jumped to 2-0 record at U20 EuroBasket Division B in Klatovy. They grabbed 56-55 thriller win against the host of this event, thanks to well played last six minutes of the game. Czech Republic had 40-43 lead, after what Hungary made impressive 11-0 run. Czech Republic came to 56-53 in the finish and Licskai missed two free throws after that, so Czech Republic got a chance with 10 seconds remaining, but Kozumplikova missed a triple and Michaela Vojtkova (181-F-93) scored, but only for 2, what was not enough for overtime. Quarters: 11-7, 9-13, 18-12, 18-23. This is the first loss for Czech Republic, who has 2-1 record now. Anna Mansare (188-F/C-92) had 16 points and 5 rebounds in victory, and Krisztina Velkey (180-G/F-92) added 12 points. Lilla Adamecz (181-F-92) helped with 9 points and 7 rebs. In defeat, Barbora Kasparkova (181-F/C-92) collected 14 points and 9 rebounds, while Vojtkova scored 13 points. Hungary will meet Bulgaria on Sunday. Czech Republic will have a day-off.

Israel - Bulgaria 73-64
Both teams were winless before this meeting. Israel managed to beat Bulgaria today 73-64 improving to 1-2 record at U20 EuroBasket Division B in Klatovy. At the other side, Bulgaria faced with third straight loss. Bulgaria made 6-point lead in the first half, but Israel responded with 20-15 after the breather and made 61-53 turn at the beginning of the last quarter. With 3:19 remaining in the game Israel was up by ten and question about the winner was resolved. Thea Lemberger (175-G-92) was a key player in victory with 26 points and 7 rebounds (valuation 24, MVP). May Dayan (170-PG-94) scored 11 points and Bar Gilinski (185-PF-92) helped with 9 points, plus 14 rebounds. Bulgaria got 18 points and 7 rebounds from Viktoriya Stoycheva (171-PG-92), while Iva Kostova (178-SG-94) had 17 points and 8 rebs. Kristina Peychinova (176-SG-94) netted 12 pts in this defeat. Israel will play against Romania on Sunday. Bulgaria will take on Hungary.

Greece - Switzerland 81-39
Greece extended its winning streak to three at U20 EuroBasket Division B in Klatovy. This time Greece smashed Switzerland 81-39 for 3-0 record at this event. It was the second appearance for Switzerland and they faced with second straight loss. Greece made 22-point lead at the halftime and increased it to plus 33 for the next ten minutes. Switzerland had no chance for rest of the game. Anthoula Chatzigiakoumi (187-F-92) led Greece in scoring with 15 points, but their best player was Artemis Spanou (184-F-93) with 14 points, 8 rebounds and 5 assists. Styliani Fouraki (186-C-94) netted 12 pts. In defeat, Rosalie Grobet (185-F/C-92) delivered 9 points and Dorothee Studer (169-G-92) had 6. Greece will play against Germany tomorrow. Switzerland will meet Belgium.


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  FIBA AMERICAS U18   


Day 3: Semifinals are set in Gurabo - by Eurobasket News

Group A
Dominican Republic - Argentina 26-51
Argentina advanced to the Semifinals of U18 FIBA Americas championship in Gurabo. They smashed Dominican Republic 51-26 on Friday ending the Preliminary stage with 2-1 record. That was enough for the second place in this pool. It is very important to mention that Argentina already booked a ticket for the 2013 FIBA U19 World Championship. At the other side, Dominican Republic ended this stage winless (0-3) and will continue in classification games from 5th-8th place. Argentina took control on its rival from the beginning and never looked back. Quarters: 19-5, 9-9, 10-4, 13-8. Victoria Llorente (184-F/C-96) stepped up for Argentina with 13 points and 12 rebounds, while Julieta Armesto (179-F-94) helped with 12 pts. Agustina Jourthevil (175-F-94) followed them with 10 points. In the loosing squad, Yamel Abreu (95) scored 11 points and Cheisy Hernandez (94) stopped to 7. Argentina will meet Brazil today in the Semis. Dominican Republic will play against Puerto Rico.

Colombia - USA 36-87
USA is the winner of Group A in Gurabo with perfect 3-0 record. They handed 87-36 loss to Colombia in the last day of the Preliminary Round. It means that USA advanced to the Semifinals of U18 FIBA Americas championship, where they will meet Canada. USA is the defending champion. Their best player in this meeting was Alexis Prince (188-G/F-94) with 19 points and 6 rebounds. Morgan Tuck (188-F-94) (6 rebs) and Michaela Mabrey (175-G-94) netted 17 and 15 points respectively. It is very important to mention that USA booked a ticket for the 2013 FIBA U19 World Championship. Colombia finished as third ranked team of Group A (1-2) and failed to reach the next stage. They will continue in classification games from 5th-8th place. Maria Tapias (95) and Laura Ramirez (94) scored 15 pts each for Colombia in this game. Championship continues today.

Group B
Puerto Rico - Brazil 53-66
Brazil finished Preliminary Round at U18 FIBA Americas in Gurabo with perfect 3-0 record. This time they outplayed Puerto Rico 66-53 to win Group B. Brazil advanced to the Semifinals and at the same time booked a ticket for 2013 FIBA U19 World Championship. Isabela Ramona (178-F-94) came up with 24 points and 8 rebounds in this victory (valuation 26, MVP). Maria Fonseca (179-F-94) followed her with 11 points and 8 boards. In Puerto Rico, Aleana Leon (96) was better than the others with 14 points and 6 rebounds, and Claudia Ortiz (96) stopped to 12 points and 5 rebs. Quarters: 15-16, 18-13, 18-15, 15-9. The host of this event ended as No.3 in Group B with 1-2 record and failed to reach the next stage. Puerto Rico will try to win fifth place at this event and its first rival will be Dominican Republic. In the Semis, Brazil will meet Argentina. Championship continues today.

Mexico - Canada 40-61
Canada celebrated second win at U18 FIBA Americas championship in Gurabo. They downed Mexico 61-40 ending the Preliminary Round as No.2 of Group B with almost perfect 2-1 record. It means that Canada advanced to the Semifinals, where they will meet defending champion USA. Mexico failed to reach the next stage as they finished with 1-2 score in this pool (1-2). They will fight for the fifth place in Gurabo. Paige Crozon (186-F-94) stepped up for her team with 13 points and 7 rebounds, and Kaylee Halvorson (170-G-94) helped with 12 pts. Cheyanne Roger (188-C-95) collected 11 points and 7 boards. In the loosing squad, Maria Faz (95) answered with 11 points and 10 rebounds. Daniela Soto (96) also scored 11 pts and Myriam Lara added 9 points, plus 6 boards. Quarters: 10-2, 13-13, 21-10, 17-15). Championship continues today. Mexico's next rival will be Colombia. It is very important to mention that Canada booked a ticket for the 2013 FIBA U19 World Championship.


USA and Brazil to fight for the Gold in Gurabo - by Eurobasket News

Semis
Brazil - Argentina 67-54
Brazil advanced to the Big Final of U18 FIBA Americas in Gurabo. They eliminated Argentina with 67-54 in the Semis. Brazil's rival will be defending champion USA. At the other side, Argentina will play against Canada for the bronze medal. Vanessa Goncalves (185-F-94) led Brazil with 17 points and 13 rebounds. Isabela Ramona (178-F-94) followed her with 11 points and 8 rebs, while, Estela Gregorio (177-G-94) netted 7 pts. In defeat, Micaela Sancisi (168-PG-94) had 17 points and Julieta Armesto (179-F-94) had 16 pts, plus 9 rebs. Their third scorer was Victoria Llorente (184-F/C-96) with 9 pts (7 rebs). Quarters: 9-13, 15-19, 20-7, 23-15. Sunday is the last day of the championship in Gurabo.

USA - Canada 95-46
As expected, USA will play in the final of U18 FIBA Americas Championship in Gurabo. They were too strong for Canada 95-46 in the Semis. In the gold medal game USA will play against Brazil. At the other side, Canada will play against Argentina for the bronze medal. All Semifinalists already booked a ticker for 2013 FIBA U19 World Championship. Morgan Tuck (188-F-94) led USA with 22 points and Breanna Stewart (6'3''-F/C-94) had 20 points, plus 8 rebounds. Michaela Mabrey (5'9''-G-94) followed them with 13 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists. In Canada, Paige Crozon (6'1''-F-94) was better than the others with 9 points. Samantha Cooper (6'1''-G/F), Renee Byrne (5'10''-G) and Ruth Hamblin (6'5''-C) netted 8 pts each. Quarters: 24-8, 29-12, 22-11, 20-15. Sunday is the last day of the championship.

Places 5-8
Colombia - Mexico 70-45
Colombia made a first step toward fifth place at U18 FIBA Americas Chamionship in Gurabo. They handed 70-45 loss to Mexico on Saturday. In order to take position No.5, Colombia will have to beat Puerto Rico. At the other side, Mexico will meet Dominican Republic trying to avoid last place at this event. Colombia took control on its rival from the beginning and never looked back. Quarters: 18-11, 22-7, 15-15, 15-12. Laura Ramirez (94) and Elizabeth Gutierrez (94) led the winners with 13 and 11 points respectively. Marlyn Vente (96) added 11 points and 7 rebs. In defeat, Maria Faz (95) answered with 10 points and Maria Morales (95) added 8 pts, plus 12 boards. Competition in Gurabo will end today (Sunday).

Puerto Rico - Dominican Republic 68-35
Puerto Rico outplayed Dominican Republic 68-35 on Saturday. It means that the host of U18 FIBA Americas made a first step toward fifth place in Gurabo. They will have to beat Colombia on Sunday to take this spot. Dominican Republic will fight for seventh place against Mexico. All of the above mentioned teams failed to book a ticket for the 2013 FIBA U19 World Championship. Puerto Rico made 17-point lead until the halftime and had no troubles to keep it for rest of the game. Quarters: 14-8, 16-5, 19-6, 19-16. Aleana Leon (96) and Roxairaly Armesto scored 13 points each for the winners. Diamalises Rivera (93) followed them with 12 points and 9 rebs. In loss, Cheisy Hernandez (94) had 15 points and 5 rebs, and Yamel Abreu (95) added 10 points. Championship ends today.

Standings (Women)

Standings
Group A
1. USA3-0
2. Argentina2-1
3. Colombia1-2
4. Dominican R.0-3
Group B
1. Brazil3-0
2. Canada2-1
3. P.Rico1-2
4. Mexico0-3

Finals: Round 5

Places 7-8

Aug. 19: MEX - DOM 64-33

Bronze

Aug. 19: ARG - CAN 53-49

Final

Aug. 19: BRA - USA 47-71

Places 5-6

Aug. 19: COL - PUR 46-56



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  FRANCE   

LFB Stats Leaders

Points Per Game
 Mistie MIMS
  Challes
  (191-C-83)
  Avg: 19
 1. Mims, Challes19.0 
 2. Carter, Union H.18.3 
 3. Akonga Nsimb., Arr.16.9 
 4. Gomis, Villeneuve16.6 
 5. Sanni, Villeneuve16.0 
 6. Hurst, Aix-en-P.15.5 
 7. Williams, Nantes15.1 
 8. Stampalija, Union13.6 
 9. Joens, Bourges13.3 
 10. Lawson-Wade, Lat.13.2 
Rebounds Per Game
 Jennifer HUMPHREY
  Landes
  (191-C-84)
  Avg: 10.8
 1. Humphrey, Landes10.8 
 2. Carter, Union H.9.8 
 3. Diawara, Charlevil.9.3 
 4. Sanni, Villeneuve9.0 
 5. Bonnan, Nantes8.9 
 6. Thomas, Lyon7.5 
 7. Stampalija, Union7.5 
 8. Coulibaly, Mondevi.7.5 
 9. Aziz, Lyon7.4 
 10. Mims, Challes7.3 
Assists Per Game
 Kathy WAMBE
  Villeneuve
  (173-G-81)
  Avg: 5.1
 1. Wambe, Villeneuve5.1 
 2. Aubert, Nantes5.0 
 3. Dumerc, Bourges4.7 
 4. Lawson-Wade, Latt.4.7 
 5. Bouderra, Charlevi.4.6 
 6. Sauret Gille., Lyon4.5 
 7. Manic, Landes4.4 
 8. Bonnan, Nantes3.9 
 9. Konate, Nice3.9 
 10. Sharp, Mondeville3.6 
Steals Per Game
 Romy BAR
  Challes
  (189-F-87)
  Avg: 2
 1. Bar, Challes2.0 
 2. Kamba, Mondeville1.9 
 3. Houts, Union H.1.9 
 4. Bouderra, Charlevi.1.8 
 5. Carter, Union H.1.8 
 6. Skrela, Lattes M.1.7 
 7. Konate, Nice1.6 
 8. Dimitrova, Charlev.1.6 
 9. Lawson-Wade, Latt.1.6 
 10. Lima, Aix-en-P.1.6 
Blocks Per Game
 Emmeline NDONGUE
  Bourges
  (191-C-83)
  Avg: 1
 1. Ndongue, Bourges1.0 
 2. Paugaite, Mondevil.1.0 
 3. Sy-Diop, Lyon0.9 
 4. Bonnan, Nantes0.9 
 5. Thomas, Lyon0.9 
 6. Cata-Chitiga, Tar.0.8 
 7. Miyem, Bourges0.7 
 8. Grishaeva, Arras0.7 
 9. Page, Challes0.7 
 10. Humphrey, Landes0.6 


U20 Turkey shines again in Debrecin, wins Group C - by Eurobasket News

U20 FRANCE - U20 TURKEY 56-61

Turkey advanced to the second stage of U20 EuroBasket with perfect 3-0 record. In the last day of the Preliminary Round Turkey handed 61-56 loss to France, who ended as No.3 in this pool. France also heads to the next stage and both teams will be placed to Group F. Teams were tied to 51-51 at the halfway of the last period, but Turkey made crucial 7-2 run after that and managed to keep the lead for rest of the way. Quarters: 12-13, 15-15, 16-16, 18-12. Olcay Cakir (180-PG-93) led the winners with 15 points and 5 rebounds. Ayse Cora (175-G/F-93) (5 rebs) and Ecem Guler (189-PF-92) (5 rebs) netted 12 and 11 points respectively. France got 13 points and 5 rebs from Christelle Diallo (193-C-93), while Alice Nayo (186-C-93) and Marie Mbuyamba (185-F/C-93) collected 10 points and 5 rebounds each. Championship continues on Monday and all teams will take a rest tomorrow. Four of six teams from the newly formed Group F will advance to the Quarterfinals.

France: Christelle Diallo 12+5 boards, Alice Nayo 10+5 boards, Marie Mbuyamba 10+5 boards
Turkey: Olcay Cakir 15+5 boards, Ayse Cora 15+5 boards, Ecem Guler 11+5 boards


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


U20 Greece extends winning streak to three - by Eurobasket News

U20 GREECE - U20 SWITZERLAND 81-39

Greece extended its winning streak to three at U20 EuroBasket Division B in Klatovy. This time Greece smashed Switzerland 81-39 for 3-0 record at this event. It was the second appearance for Switzerland and they faced with second straight loss. Greece made 22-point lead at the halftime and increased it to plus 33 for the next ten minutes. Switzerland had no chance for rest of the game. Anthoula Chatzigiakoumi (187-F-92) led Greece in scoring with 15 points, but their best player was Artemis Spanou (184-F-93) with 14 points, 8 rebounds and 5 assists. Styliani Fouraki (186-C-94) netted 12 pts. In defeat, Rosalie Grobet (185-F/C-92) delivered 9 points and Dorothee Studer (169-G-92) had 6. Greece will play against Germany tomorrow. Switzerland will meet Belgium.

Greece: Anthoula Chatzigiakoumi 15, Artemis Spanou 14+8 boards+5 as, Styliani Fouraki 12
Switzerland: Rosalie Grobet 9, Dorothee Studer 6


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


U20 Holland grabs 54-52 win over U20 Sweden, both teams advance - by Eurobasket News

U20 SWEDEN - U20 HOLLAND 52-54

Very valuable win for Holland in the last day of the Preliminary Round in Debrecin (U20 EuroBasket). Holland grabbed 54-52 victory against Sweden to join them and Poland with 2-1 record in Group B. Poland ended as No.1, Sweden as No.2 and Holland as No.3 in this pool, while all three teams advanced to the next stage. Holland will transfer this win to Group E. Their best player today was Zera Butter (179-G-92) with 14 points. Marlou De Kleijn (182-F-92, agency: Regeneracom Sports) had 9 points and 8 rebounds, while Sharon Lammerink (189-C-93) added 14 pts. It was a very exciting finish and Holland celebrated thanks to Adams and Marlou De Klejin, who made lay-up and scored one free throw respectively. Sweden was scoreless in the last minute. Quarters: 13-11, 19-9, 9-12, 13-20. Binta Drammeh (180-F-92) had 14 points for Sweden, while Ellen Nystrom (180-G-93) (7 rebs) and Amanda Zahui (190-C-93) (6 rebs) netted 8 points each. Championship continues on Monday. As mentioned above, both teams will be moved to Group E.

Sweden: Binta Drammeh 14, Ellen Nystrom 8+7 boards, Amanda Zahui 8+6 boards
Holland: Zera Butter 14, Marlou De Kleijn 9+8 boards, Sharon Lammerink 14


U17 Japan shines against U17 Holland, improves to 2-0 in Amsterdam - by Eurobasket News

U17 HOLLAND - U17 JAPAN 53-73

Japan demonstrated wonderful performance in Amsterdam today. They handed 73-53 loss to hosts of FIBA U17 World Championship improving to 2-0 record in Preliminary Group B. At the other side, it was the first loss for Holland who has 1-1 now. Japan was up by 11 with ten minutes remaining in the game and it was expected that Holland will make an effort to close the gap, but they simply were not able to do it. Japanese players exploded in Q4 closing this game with 23-14 for the final 20-point win. Yunika Nakamura (95) top-scored in Japan with 22 points and she pulled down 6 rebounds beside that. Ai Yamada (95) scored 17 points and Haruka Hatakenaka (95) added 14 pts, plus 7 rebs. The hosts got 12 points from Deborah Vos (178-PF-96) and she was their only player with double digits in scoring. Lisanne de Jonge (181-F-95) stopped to 9 pts and Isabella Slim (181-F-95) had 7. Japan will meet last ranked Turkey on Sunday and it will be a nice chance for third straight win. Holland will take on Australia.

Holland: Deborah Vos 12, Lisanne de Jonge 9, Isabella Slim 7
Japan: Yunika Nakamura 22+6 boards, Ai Yamada 17, Haruka Hatakenaka 14+7 boards


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


Hungary hands first loss to Czech Republic at U20 EuroBasket Division B - by Eurobasket News

U20 HUNGARY - U20 CZECH REPUBLIC 56-55

Hungary jumped to 2-0 record at U20 EuroBasket Division B in Klatovy. They grabbed 56-55 thriller win against the host of this event, thanks to well played last six minutes of the game. Czech Republic had 40-43 lead, after what Hungary made impressive 11-0 run. Czech Republic came to 56-53 in the finish and Licskai missed two free throws after that, so Czech Republic got a chance with 10 seconds remaining, but Kozumplikova missed a triple and Michaela Vojtkova (181-F-93) scored, but only for 2, what was not enough for overtime. Quarters: 11-7, 9-13, 18-12, 18-23. This is the first loss for Czech Republic, who has 2-1 record now. Anna Mansare (188-F/C-92) had 16 points and 5 rebounds in victory, and Krisztina Velkey (180-G/F-92) added 12 points. Lilla Adamecz (181-F-92) helped with 9 points and 7 rebs. In defeat, Barbora Kasparkova (181-F/C-92) collected 14 points and 9 rebounds, while Vojtkova scored 13 points. Hungary will meet Bulgaria on Sunday. Czech Republic will have a day-off.

Hungary: Anna Mansare 16+5 boards, Krisztina Velkey 12, Lilla Adamecz 9+7 boards
Czech Republic: Barbora Kasparkova 14+9 boards, Michaela Vojtkova 13


*****************************************************
  ISRAEL   


First joy for U20 Israel in Klatovy - by Eurobasket News

U20 ISRAEL - U20 BULGARIA 73-64

Both teams were winless before this meeting. Israel managed to beat Bulgaria today 73-64 improving to 1-2 record at U20 EuroBasket Division B in Klatovy. At the other side, Bulgaria faced with third straight loss. Bulgaria made 6-point lead in the first half, but Israel responded with 20-15 after the breather and made 61-53 turn at the beginning of the last quarter. With 3:19 remaining in the game Israel was up by ten and question about the winner was resolved. Thea Lemberger (175-G-92) was a key player in victory with 26 points and 7 rebounds (valuation 24, MVP). May Dayan (170-PG-94) scored 11 points and Bar Gilinski (185-PF-92) helped with 9 points, plus 14 rebounds. Bulgaria got 18 points and 7 rebounds from Viktoriya Stoycheva (171-PG-92), while Iva Kostova (178-SG-94) had 17 points and 8 rebs. Kristina Peychinova (176-SG-94) netted 12 pts in this defeat. Israel will play against Romania on Sunday. Bulgaria will take on Hungary.

Israel: Thea Lemberger 26+7 boards, May Dayan 11, Bar Gilinski 9+14 boards
Bulgaria: Viktoriya Stoycheva 18+7 boards, Iva Kostova 17+8 boards, Kristina Peychinova 12


*****************************************************
  ITALY   


U17 Italy celebrates second straight win in Amsterdam, U17 Mali drops to 0-2 - by Eurobasket News

U17 ITALY - U17 MALI 71-31

Another great performance by Italy in Amsterdam. This time Italy destroyed Mali 71-31 for perfect 2-0 record in Preliminary Group A of FIBA U17 World Championship. Italy took control on its rival from the very beginning and never looked back. Quarters: 18-5, 13-7, 14-6, 26-13. Antonia Peresson (177-PG-95) led the winners with 14 points and 7 assists, while Francesca Pan (180-SG-97) followed her with 11 points. Elisa Ercoli (190-C-95) netted 9 points and grabbed impressive 20 rebounds. Mali got 9 points from Mariam Maiga (169-G-96) and 8 points, plus 6 rebounds from Awa Keita (182-C-96). They dropped to 0-2 in the group. On Sunday, Italy will meet the defending champion USA. Mali will play against South Korea hoping to win the first game in Amsterdam.

Italy: Antonia Peresson 14+7 as, Francesca Pan 11, Elisa Ercoli 9+20 boards
Mali: Mariam Maiga 9, Awa Keita 8+6 boards


U20 Poland wins Group B in Debrecin, U20 Italy will fight for the survival in Division A - by Eurobasket News

U20 ITALY - U20 POLAND 47-54

Poland did a great job against Italy in the last day of the Preliminary Round at U20 EuroBasket in Debrecin. Poland celebrated 54-47 victory improving its score to 2-1 in Group B. Sweden and Holland have the same numbers in this pool, but Poland has the best score in this three-way tie and won the group. All three teams advanced to the next stage and they will be moved to Group E. At the other side, Italy is still winless and they will fight for the survival in Division A. Big disappointment for them. Magdalena Zietara (170-G/F-92) shined in victory with 17 points, 6 assists and 5 rebounds. Ramona Casimiro (170-G-92) had 12 points and 6 rebounds, while Dorota Mistygacz (183-F/C-92) added 9 points and 11 rebs. In Italy, Caterina Dotto (167-PG-93) and Francesca Dotto (170-PG-93) scored 13 and 12 points respectively. Each of them grabbed 6 rebounds in this meeting. Poland had 12-point lead at the beginning of Q4, but Italy closed the gap to 47-51 with one minute to go. Zietara immediately replied with triple securing the victory for her team. Quarters: 24-14, 12-11, 10-9, 8-13. All teams will take a rest on Sunday.

Italy: Caterina Dotto 13+6 boards, Francesca Dotto 12+6 boards
Poland: Magdalena Zietara 17+6 as+5 boards, Ramona Casimiro 12+6 boards, Dorota Mistygacz 9+11 boards


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


U17 Japan shines against U17 Holland, improves to 2-0 in Amsterdam - by Eurobasket News

U17 HOLLAND - U17 JAPAN 53-73

Japan demonstrated wonderful performance in Amsterdam today. They handed 73-53 loss to hosts of FIBA U17 World Championship improving to 2-0 record in Preliminary Group B. At the other side, it was the first loss for Holland who has 1-1 now. Japan was up by 11 with ten minutes remaining in the game and it was expected that Holland will make an effort to close the gap, but they simply were not able to do it. Japanese players exploded in Q4 closing this game with 23-14 for the final 20-point win. Yunika Nakamura (95) top-scored in Japan with 22 points and she pulled down 6 rebounds beside that. Ai Yamada (95) scored 17 points and Haruka Hatakenaka (95) added 14 pts, plus 7 rebs. The hosts got 12 points from Deborah Vos (178-PF-96) and she was their only player with double digits in scoring. Lisanne de Jonge (181-F-95) stopped to 9 pts and Isabella Slim (181-F-95) had 7. Japan will meet last ranked Turkey on Sunday and it will be a nice chance for third straight win. Holland will take on Australia.

Holland: Deborah Vos 12, Lisanne de Jonge 9, Isabella Slim 7
Japan: Yunika Nakamura 22+6 boards, Ai Yamada 17, Haruka Hatakenaka 14+7 boards


*****************************************************
  LATVIA   


U20 Spain ends Preliminary Round in Debrecin with perfect 3-0 record - by Eurobasket News

U20 SPAIN - U20 LATVIA 57-43

Spain is the winner of Group A at U20 EuroBasket in Debrecen. They handed 57-43 loss to Latvia for perfect 3-0 at this phase. Of course, Spain will be transferred to Group E of the second stage. At the other side, Latvia dropped to 1-2 and finished as the last ranked team of the group. Latvia will be moved to Group G, where they will fight for the survival in Division A. Spain had plus 15 at the halftime and managed to keep the lead for rest of the way. Quarters: 15-12, 25-13, 10-10, 7-8. Mariona Ortiz (183-F/G-92) (13 rebs) and Marina Delgado (174-PG-92) (7 rebs) scored 11 points each for the winners. Queralt Casas (180-G-92) followed them with 10 points and 5 boards. In the loosing squad, Guna Lagzdina (187-C-93) was better than the others with 13 points and 9 rebounds. Krista Bridina (174-PG-94) had 10 points and 5 rebs, and Renate Reine (176-G-94) stopped to 9 pts. Championship continues on Monday.

Spain: Mariona Ortiz 11+13 boards, Marina Delgado 11+7 boards, Queralt Casas 10+5 boards
Latvia: Guna Lagzdina 13+9 boards, Krista Bridina 10+5 boards, Renate Reine 9


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


U20 Belarus beats U20 Lithuania 72-66 to reach the second stage - by Eurobasket News

U20 LITHUANIA - U20 BELARUS 66-72

Belarus celebrated its first victory at U20 EuroBasket in Debrecen and actually that is enough for the second place in Group A. Belarus outplayed Lithuania 72-66 joining them and Latvia with 1-2 record in this pool. Belarus has the best score in this three-way tie, while Lithuania is behind them, so these two teams booked a spot for the second stage. They will be transferred to Group E. Belarus got 26 points and 13 rebounds from Maryia Filonchyk (187-PF-92). She was the MVP of this game with valuation 28. Maryia Papova (186-PF-94) had 11 points and 7 rebounds, while Ksenija Voishal (182-F-94) helped with 8 points and 6 rebs. In the loosing squad, Santa Okockyte (176-PG-92) top-scored with 19 points and Laura Svaryte (190-C/F-92) had 16 points, plus 10 rebounds. Monika Grigalauskyte (190-PF-92) shined with 13 points and 16 rebounds. Belarus had 57-70 lead with 4:43 remaining in the game, but Lithuania made 9-0 run after that. Lipinskaya answered with jump shot and both teams were scoreless for rest of the way. All teams will take a rest on Sunday.

Lithuania: Santa Okockyte 19, Laura Svaryte 16+10 boards, Monika Grigalauskyte 13+16 boards
Belarus: Maryia Filonchyk 26+13 boards, Maryia Papova 11+7 boards, Ksenija Voishal 8+6 boards


*****************************************************
  MALI   


U17 Italy celebrates second straight win in Amsterdam, U17 Mali drops to 0-2 - by Eurobasket News

U17 ITALY - U17 MALI 71-31

Another great performance by Italy in Amsterdam. This time Italy destroyed Mali 71-31 for perfect 2-0 record in Preliminary Group A of FIBA U17 World Championship. Italy took control on its rival from the very beginning and never looked back. Quarters: 18-5, 13-7, 14-6, 26-13. Antonia Peresson (177-PG-95) led the winners with 14 points and 7 assists, while Francesca Pan (180-SG-97) followed her with 11 points. Elisa Ercoli (190-C-95) netted 9 points and grabbed impressive 20 rebounds. Mali got 9 points from Mariam Maiga (169-G-96) and 8 points, plus 6 rebounds from Awa Keita (182-C-96). They dropped to 0-2 in the group. On Sunday, Italy will meet the defending champion USA. Mali will play against South Korea hoping to win the first game in Amsterdam.

Italy: Antonia Peresson 14+7 as, Francesca Pan 11, Elisa Ercoli 9+20 boards
Mali: Mariam Maiga 9, Awa Keita 8+6 boards


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


Canada advances to Semifinals of U18 FIBA Americas - by Eurobasket News

U18 MEXICO - U18 CANADA 40-61

Canada celebrated second win at U18 FIBA Americas championship in Gurabo. They downed Mexico 61-40 ending the Preliminary Round as No.2 of Group B with almost perfect 2-1 record. It means that Canada advanced to the Semifinals, where they will meet defending champion USA. Mexico failed to reach the next stage as they finished with 1-2 score in this pool (1-2). They will fight for the fifth place in Gurabo. Paige Crozon (186-F-94) stepped up for her team with 13 points and 7 rebounds, and Kaylee Halvorson (170-G-94) helped with 12 pts. Cheyanne Roger (188-C-95) collected 11 points and 7 boards. In the loosing squad, Maria Faz (95) answered with 11 points and 10 rebounds. Daniela Soto (96) also scored 11 pts and Myriam Lara added 9 points, plus 6 boards. Quarters: 10-2, 13-13, 21-10, 17-15). Championship continues today. Mexico's next rival will be Colombia. It is very important to mention that Canada booked a ticket for the 2013 FIBA U19 World Championship.

Mexico: Maria Faz 11+10 boards, Daniela Soto 11, Myriam Lara 9+6 boards
Canada: Paige Crozon 13+7 boards, Kaylee Halvorson 12, Cheyanne Roger 11+7 boards


U18 Colombia beats U18 Mexico 70-45 - by Eurobasket News

U18 COLOMBIA - U18 MEXICO 70-45

Colombia made a first step toward fifth place at U18 FIBA Americas Chamionship in Gurabo. They handed 70-45 loss to Mexico on Saturday. In order to take position No.5, Colombia will have to beat Puerto Rico. At the other side, Mexico will meet Dominican Republic trying to avoid last place at this event. Colombia took control on its rival from the beginning and never looked back. Quarters: 18-11, 22-7, 15-15, 15-12. Laura Ramirez (94) and Elizabeth Gutierrez (94) led the winners with 13 and 11 points respectively. Marlyn Vente (96) added 11 points and 7 rebs. In defeat, Maria Faz (95) answered with 10 points and Maria Morales (95) added 8 pts, plus 12 boards. Competition in Gurabo will end today (Sunday).

Colombia: Laura Ramirez 13, Elizabeth Gutierrez 11, Marlyn Vente 11+7 boards
Mexico: Maria Faz 10, Maria Morales 8+12 boards


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


U18 USA wins Group A in Gurabo with perfect 3-0 record - by Eurobasket News

U18 COLOMBIA - U18 USA 36-87

USA is the winner of Group A in Gurabo with perfect 3-0 record. They handed 87-36 loss to Colombia in the last day of the Preliminary Round. It means that USA advanced to the Semifinals of U18 FIBA Americas championship, where they will meet Canada. USA is the defending champion. Their best player in this meeting was Alexis Prince (188-G/F-94) with 19 points and 6 rebounds. Morgan Tuck (188-F-94) (6 rebs) and Michaela Mabrey (175-G-94) netted 17 and 15 points respectively. It is very important to mention that USA booked a ticket for the 2013 FIBA U19 World Championship. Colombia finished as third ranked team of Group A (1-2) and failed to reach the next stage. They will continue in classification games from 5th-8th place. Maria Tapias (95) and Laura Ramirez (94) scored 15 pts each for Colombia in this game. Championship continues today.

Colombia: Maria Tapias 15, Laura Ramirez 15
USA: Alexis Prince 19+6 boards, Morgan Tuck 17+6 boards, Michaela Mabrey 15


U17 USA blasts U17 Canada 86-47 in North American derby - by Eurobasket News

U17 USA - U17 CANADA 86-47

Another easy win for USA in Amsterdam. The defending champion blasted Canada today 86-47 for perfect 2-0 record at FIBA U17 World Championship. At the same time, it was the second straight loss for Canadian NT at this event. USA won every single quarter of this game and dominated in all segments. They created 17-point lead until the halftime and increased it to plus 20 for the next ten minutes. USA totally took control on Canada in Q4 (28-9) to celebrate huge 39-point win at the end. Diamond Deshields (6'1''-G/F-95) stepped up for her team with 29 points and 6 rebounds (MVP, valuation 28). Kaela Davis (6'1''-G/F-95) had 14 points and 9 rebs, while Taya Reimer (6'3''-F-95) helped USA with 10 pts. In Canada, Kia Nurse (5'11''-PG-96) was the best scorer with only 8 points (6 rebs). Hannah Jardine, Kolbie Orum (6'2''-F-95) and Emily Potter (6'5''-C/F-95) stopped to 7 pts each. USA's next rival will be Italy. Canada will take on Belgium tomorrow.

USA: Diamond Deshields 29+6 boards, Kaela Davis 14+9 boards, Taya Reimer 10
Canada: Kia Nurse 14+9 boards, Taya Reimer 7, Kolbie Orum 7, Emily Potter 7


Auburn narrowly defeat Flames - by Eurobasket News

The Southern Design Sydney Uni Flames have been narrowly defeated 67-58 by US NCAA Division 1 college team the Auburn University Tigers in a pre-season game played at a packed Hornsby Brickpit Basketball Stadium on Sunday.

After exchanging pleasantries, the teams lined up for the tip off. Regular Flames Alicia Poto (166-G-78), Katie Rae-Ebzery and Ellyce Ironmonger were joined in the starting line up by new recruits Michelle Joy and Sarah Graham (163-G-89). It was like they had been playing together for years and the Flames dominated the early play. Up until the final two minutes of the first half, the Flames out-hussled, out-rebounded and out-shot the Tigers. A run of six unanswered points in the final two minutes, however, saw the Tigers take a narrow 32-28 point half time lead.

The pace of the game was Usain Bolt-like and the intensity of the Tigers defence clearly lifted as the second quarter came to a close. Many of the Flames had turned out for their respective club teams on Saturday night and the speed and intensity began to take its toll on them in the third quarter. The Tigers consequently forced a number of turnovers and their star player, Hasina Muhammed, converted a number of these into points. The Tigers jumped out to a solid third quarter lead and despite a late fight back by the Flames in the final quarter, held on for a 9 point victory.

The Flames, in their first pre-season hit out, were solid and put on a good show for the Hornsby crowd. For the Flames, Sarah Graham scored 17 points, Katie Rae-Ebzery had 15 points, Alicia Poto had 13 points, and Michelle Joy shot 100% in scoring 10 points. Defensively, Ellyce Ironmonger was a demon on the boards pulling down a game-high 15 rebounds.

The Tigers, in the third game of their Australian tour, had many contributors. Their highlights were Hasina Muhammed, who scored a game-high 29 points, Blanche Alverson (190-G/F-91), who had 12 points, and Nicole Tannner, who had 9 points. The Tigers play one final local team today before heading home to start their NCAA season in November. Good luck Tigers!

The Flames have one further pre-season game against US college opposition. They take on the Oklahoma University Sooners at 6pm this Friday, 17 August 2012 at the Sydney Uni Sports & Aquatic Centre.

Courtesy of WNBL Australia


U18 USA advances to gold medal game in Gurabo - by Eurobasket News

U18 USA - U18 CANADA 95-46

As expected, USA will play in the final of U18 FIBA Americas Championship in Gurabo. They were too strong for Canada 95-46 in the Semis. In the gold medal game USA will play against Brazil. At the other side, Canada will play against Argentina for the bronze medal. All Semifinalists already booked a ticker for 2013 FIBA U19 World Championship. Morgan Tuck (6'2''-F-94) led USA with 22 points and Breanna Stewart (6'3''-F/C-94) had 20 points, plus 8 rebounds. Michaela Mabrey (5'9''-G-94) followed them with 13 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists. In Canada, Paige Crozon (6'1''-F-94) was better than the others with 9 points. Samantha Cooper (6'1''-G/F), Renee Byrne (5'10''-G) and Ruth Hamblin (6'5''-C) netted 8 pts each. Quarters: 24-8, 29-12, 22-11, 20-15. Sunday is the last day of the championship.

USA: Morgan Tuck 22, Breanna Stewart 20+8 boards, Michaela Mabrey 13+6 boards+5 as
Canada: Paige Crozon 9, Samantha Cooper 8, Renee Byrne 8, Ruth Hamblin 8


*****************************************************
  NIGERIA   


Fire sign Nigerian/Australian to complete roster - by Eurobasket News (T)

The Townsville Fire have completed their playing roster for the 2012/2013 season with the signing of Nigerian/ Australian forward Olayinka Olorunnife (182-C-90, college: Idaho).

The former All-American baller set the record for the most rebounds while playing for the University of Idaho in the American NCAA college system.

She averaged 14.7 points, 10.6 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.6 steals as a senior for the Idaho Vandals.

While currently based in Canada, where she attended high school, Olayinka Olorunnife lived in Australia as a young girl with her family and has two siblings based down under.

Townsville Fire coach Chris Lucas said the player became available after the Spanish club she was signed to, Zamarat Caja Rural, folded and she fit well into the playing system the club was looking for.

"She is an undersized post player that plays with physicality, has a very good outside shot, and runs the floor well,'' Lucas said.

''She is smart and enjoyable to be around. So I feel she will fit into our program extremely well.''

The 182cm forward said she picked the Fire for their professionalism in recruitment and because she wanted to be on a competitive team.

"The team roster has several players that I have competed against at one time or another throughout my basketball career, so together I know we can bring home results,'' she said.

The Fire players begin their pre-season training on September 5.

Townsville Fire Roster: Rachael Flanagan (captain), Nicole Romeo, Casey Lockwood, Shanavia Dowdell, Kayla Standish, Yinka Olayinka Olorunnife, Michaela Cocks, Mia Newley, Jess Foley, Olivia Thompson.

Courtesy of www.townsvillebulletin.com.au


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


U20 Poland wins Group B in Debrecin, U20 Italy will fight for the survival in Division A - by Eurobasket News

U20 ITALY - U20 POLAND 47-54

Poland did a great job against Italy in the last day of the Preliminary Round at U20 EuroBasket in Debrecin. Poland celebrated 54-47 victory improving its score to 2-1 in Group B. Sweden and Holland have the same numbers in this pool, but Poland has the best score in this three-way tie and won the group. All three teams advanced to the next stage and they will be moved to Group E. At the other side, Italy is still winless and they will fight for the survival in Division A. Big disappointment for them. Magdalena Zietara (170-G/F-92) shined in victory with 17 points, 6 assists and 5 rebounds. Ramona Casimiro (170-G-92) had 12 points and 6 rebounds, while Dorota Mistygacz (183-F/C-92) added 9 points and 11 rebs. In Italy, Caterina Dotto (167-PG-93) and Francesca Dotto (170-PG-93) scored 13 and 12 points respectively. Each of them grabbed 6 rebounds in this meeting. Poland had 12-point lead at the beginning of Q4, but Italy closed the gap to 47-51 with one minute to go. Zietara immediately replied with triple securing the victory for her team. Quarters: 24-14, 12-11, 10-9, 8-13. All teams will take a rest on Sunday.

Italy: Caterina Dotto 13+6 boards, Francesca Dotto 12+6 boards
Poland: Magdalena Zietara 17+6 as+5 boards, Ramona Casimiro 12+6 boards, Dorota Mistygacz 9+11 boards


*****************************************************
  PUERTO RICO   


Puerto Rico fails to qualify for the U19 World Championship for Women: - by Luis Modestti


Puerto Rico lost to Brazil 66-53 yesterday in the FIBA Americas U18 Championship for Women played in Gurabo. With the loss Puerto Rico failed to qualify for the 2013 U19 World Championship.

Aleana Leon scored 14 points for Puerto Rico who finished the first round with a 1-2 record.

Then today they dominated the Dominican Republic 68-35 and play for fifth place tomorrow against Colombia.

Argentina, Brazil, Canada and USA are the four qualified teams in America for the World Championship.


Gigantes crush Leonas to open 2012 season: - by Luis Modestti

Gigantes de Carolina crushed Leonas de Ponce 102-54 to open the 2012 BSNF season.

Five players scored in double-figures for Carolina led by former national team shooter Cynthia Valentin (174-SG-84, agency: LBM Management, college: Indiana) who netted 16 points, Yolanda Jones added 12 and Carla Cortijo 11.

Carolina started the game with a 13-0 run and never looked back.

Kristina Rosario led Ponce with 12 points.

The only game on Saturday is Tigresas de Aguas Buenas at Piratas de Quebradillas.


U18 Brazil extends winning streak in Gurabo, advances to Semifinals - by Eurobasket News

U18 PUERTO RICO - U18 BRAZIL 53-66

Brazil finished Preliminary Round at U18 FIBA Americas in Gurabo with perfect 3-0 record. This time they outplayed Puerto Rico 66-53 to win Group B. Brazil advanced to the Semifinals and at the same time booked a ticket for 2013 FIBA U19 World Championship. Isabela Ramona (178-F-94) came up with 24 points and 8 rebounds in this victory (valuation 26, MVP). Maria Fonseca (179-F-94) followed her with 11 points and 8 boards. In Puerto Rico, Aleana Leon (96) was better than the others with 14 points and 6 rebounds, and Claudia Ortiz (96) stopped to 12 points and 5 rebs. Quarters: 15-16, 18-13, 18-15, 15-9. The host of this event ended as No.3 in Group B with 1-2 record and failed to reach the next stage. Puerto Rico will try to win fifth place at this event and its first rival will be Dominican Republic. In the Semis, Brazil will meet Argentina. Championship continues today.

Puerto Rico: Aleana Leon 14+6 boards, Claudia Ortiz 12+5 boards
Brazil: Isabela Ramona 24+8 boards, Maria Fonseca 11+8 boards


U18 Puerto Rico too strong for U18 Dominican Republic, 68-35 - by Eurobasket News

U18 PUERTO RICO - U18 DOMINICAN REPUBLIC 68-35

Puerto Rico outplayed Dominican Republic 68-35 on Saturday. It means that the host of U18 FIBA Americas made a first step toward fifth place in Gurabo. They will have to beat Colombia on Sunday to take this spot. Dominican Republic will fight for seventh place against Mexico. All of the above mentioned teams failed to book a ticket for the 2013 FIBA U19 World Championship. Puerto Rico made 17-point lead until the halftime and had no troubles to keep it for rest of the game. Quarters: 14-8, 16-5, 19-6, 19-16. Aleana Leon (96) and Roxairaly Armesto scored 13 points each for the winners. Diamalises Rivera (93) followed them with 12 points and 9 rebs. In loss, Cheisy Hernandez (94) had 15 points and 5 rebs, and Yamel Abreu (95) added 10 points. Championship ends today.

Puerto Rico: Aleana Leon 13, Roxairaly Armesto 13, Diamalises Rivera 12+9 boards
Dominican Republic: Cheisy Hernandez 15+5 boards, Yamel Abreu 10


*****************************************************
  ROMANIA   


U20 Romania grabs 76-68 OT win against U20 Belgium in Klatovy - by Eurobasket News

U20 BELGIUM - U20 ROMANIA 68-76 OT

Romania grabbed 76-68 overtime win against Belgium in Day Three of U20 EuroBasket Division B in Klatovy. Thanks to this victory Romania joined Belgium and Israel with 1-2 record. Doppee made a jump shot for Belgium setting the score to 63-63 with 37 seconds remaining in regular time. Romania had the possession, but Ardelean committed a turnover (3 seconds in the paint) and suddenly Belgium got a chance with 21 seconds to go, but they were not able to score. Romania made 5-0 run at the beginning of extra five minutes and later managed to keep the lead for rest of the way. Quarters: 15-15, 20-22, 18-8, 10-18, 13-5. Dora Ardelean (186-PF-94) had 21 points and 12 rebounds in victory, while Sonia Ursu (175-SG-93) added 15 points and 8 rebounds. Gabriela Cursaru (169-PG-92) (7 rebs) and Cristina Bigica (182-G/F-92) also scored 15 points each. In Belgium, Emmanuella Mayombo (170-SG-92, agency: LBM Management) was better than the others with 25 points. Caroline Bourlioux (182-C-92) and Marieke Versavel (168-PG-92) posted 13 and 11 pts respectively. Romania will meet Israel on Sunday. Belgium will play against Switzerland.

Belgium: Emmanuella Mayombo 25, Caroline Bourlioux 13, Marieke Versavel 11
Romania: Dora Ardelean 21+12 boards, Sonia Ursu 15+8 boards, Gabriela Cursaru 15+7 boards, Cristina Bigica 15


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  RUSSIA   


U20 Russia hands first loss to U20 Serbia, wins Group D - by Eurobasket News

U20 RUSSIA - U20 SERBIA 64-57

Both teams advanced to the second stage of U20 EuroBasket in Debrecen. Russia handed 64-57 loss to Serbia on Saturday to join them and Slovakia with 2-1 record in Group D. In this three-way tie Russia is No.1, Slovakia is No.2 and Serbia is No.3. Russia shined in the last ten minutes of the game to take this victory. Quarters: 13-12, 18-11, 11-21, 22-13. It very important to mention that Serbia played with six players in this game as all other were poised by food and some of them were even hospitalized for a while. Darya Namok (179-G-93) scored 14 points for the winners and Ekaterina Fedorenkova (178-SG-93) added one points less. Ksenia Tikhonenko (190-F/C-93, agency: Ryzhov Stanislav) collected 12 points and 9 rebounds. In the loosing squad, Snezana Colic (178-G-92) shined with 25 points and 5 rebounds. Ivana Brajkovic (195-C-93) collected 16 points and 13 rebs. All teams will take a rest on Sunday.

Russia: Darya Namok 14, Ekaterina Fedorenkova 13, Ksenia Tikhonenko 12+9 boards
Serbia: Snezana Colic 25+5 boards, Ivana Brajkovic 16+13 boards


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  SERBIA   


U20 Russia hands first loss to U20 Serbia, wins Group D - by Eurobasket News

U20 RUSSIA - U20 SERBIA 64-57

Both teams advanced to the second stage of U20 EuroBasket in Debrecen. Russia handed 64-57 loss to Serbia on Saturday to join them and Slovakia with 2-1 record in Group D. In this three-way tie Russia is No.1, Slovakia is No.2 and Serbia is No.3. Russia shined in the last ten minutes of the game to take this victory. Quarters: 13-12, 18-11, 11-21, 22-13. It very important to mention that Serbia played with six players in this game as all other were poised by food and some of them were even hospitalized for a while. Darya Namok (179-G-93) scored 14 points for the winners and Ekaterina Fedorenkova (178-SG-93) added one points less. Ksenia Tikhonenko (190-F/C-93, agency: Ryzhov Stanislav) collected 12 points and 9 rebounds. In the loosing squad, Snezana Colic (178-G-92) shined with 25 points and 5 rebounds. Ivana Brajkovic (195-C-93) collected 16 points and 13 rebs. All teams will take a rest on Sunday.

Russia: Darya Namok 14, Ekaterina Fedorenkova 13, Ksenia Tikhonenko 12+9 boards
Serbia: Snezana Colic 25+5 boards, Ivana Brajkovic 16+13 boards


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  SLOVAKIA   


U20 Slovakia heads to Stage Two in Debrecen - by Eurobasket News

U20 SLOVAKIA - U20 UNITED KINGDOM 74-61

Slovakia made it in do-or-die game against United Kingdom. Slovakia celebrated 74-61 win finishing this stage as the second ranked team of Group D with 2-1 record. At the other side, UK closes the standings in this pool with 0-3. They will fight for the survival in U20 EuroBasket Division A. Zofia Hruscakova (190-C-95) led the winners with 17 points and 8 rebounds. Marta Palenikova (184-G/F-92) and Martina Letkova (189-F-92) netted 11 points each. In defeat, Olufemi Hamilton (170-G-93) was the leading scorer with 17 points. Jessica Hurd (185-C-92) had 10 pts and Cheridene Green (187-C-95) added 9 pts, plus 11 rebounds. Quarters: 19-13, 20-15, 19-20, 16-13. Slovakia will be moved to Group F now. UK will continue in Group G. Championship continues on Monday and all teams will have a chance to rest tomorrow.

Slovakia: Zofia Hruscakova 17+8 boards, Marta Palenikova 11, Martina Letkova 11
UK: Olufemi Hamilton 17, Jessica Hurd 10, Cheridene Green 9+11 boards


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  SOUTH KOREA   


U17 Belgium has no mercy for U17 South Korea in Amsterdam, 84-53 - by Eurobasket News

U17 BELGIUM - U17 SOUTH KOREA 84-53

Belgium celebrated second straight win at FIBA U17 World Championship in Amsterdam. This time Belgium cruised past South Korea 84-53 for 2-0 record in Group A. Hind Ben Abdelkader (173-SG-95) had another great game for her team collecting 29 points and 5 rebounds. She reached valuation 25 and was the MVP of this meeting. Celine Lemmens (182-PF-95) had 9 points and 6 rebounds, and Kyara Linskens (191-C-96) added 7 pts, plus 5 rebs. In defeat, Yang Inyoung (95) (5 rebs) and Shin Jihyun (95) netted 11 points each. Lee Min Ji (95) delivered two less. Belgium made 11-point lead until the halftime and destroyed its rival in Q3 with huge 28-6. All after that was just the formality. South Korea dropped to 0-2 in this pool and will meet Mali tomorrow. It could be a nice chance for the first victory in Amsterdam. Belgium will play against Canada.

Belgium: Hind Ben Abdelkader 29+5 boards, Celine Lemmens 9+6 boards, Kyara Linskens 7+5 boards
South Korea: Yang Inyoung 11+5 boards, Shin Jihyun 11, Lee Min Ji 9


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  SPAIN   


U20 Spain ends Preliminary Round in Debrecin with perfect 3-0 record - by Eurobasket News

U20 SPAIN - U20 LATVIA 57-43

Spain is the winner of Group A at U20 EuroBasket in Debrecen. They handed 57-43 loss to Latvia for perfect 3-0 at this phase. Of course, Spain will be transferred to Group E of the second stage. At the other side, Latvia dropped to 1-2 and finished as the last ranked team of the group. Latvia will be moved to Group G, where they will fight for the survival in Division A. Spain had plus 15 at the halftime and managed to keep the lead for rest of the way. Quarters: 15-12, 25-13, 10-10, 7-8. Mariona Ortiz (183-F/G-92) (13 rebs) and Marina Delgado (174-PG-92) (7 rebs) scored 11 points each for the winners. Queralt Casas (180-G-92) followed them with 10 points and 5 boards. In the loosing squad, Guna Lagzdina (187-C-93) was better than the others with 13 points and 9 rebounds. Krista Bridina (174-PG-94) had 10 points and 5 rebs, and Renate Reine (176-G-94) stopped to 9 pts. Championship continues on Monday.

Spain: Mariona Ortiz 11+13 boards, Marina Delgado 11+7 boards, Queralt Casas 10+5 boards
Latvia: Guna Lagzdina 13+9 boards, Krista Bridina 10+5 boards, Renate Reine 9


Spain outguns Turkey 77-49 at FIBA U17 World Championship - by Eurobasket News

U17 SPAIN - U17 TURKEY 77-49

Spain was too strong for Turkey 77-49 in Day Two of FIBA U17 World Championship in Amsterdam. Spain celebrated on Friday as well, so they jumped to 2-0 record in Preliminary Group B. Leticia Romero (177-G-95) top-scored for the winners with 15 points, while Carolina Esparcia (178-G-95) (6 rebs) and Yaiza Rodriguez (163-PG-95) netted 12 points each. Busra Akbas (171-PG-95) collected 13 points and 6 rebounds in defeat. Their second scorer was Hulya Coklar (188-C-95) with 9 points. Turkey stays winless (0-2), but still has a chance to reach the Quarterfinals in Amsterdam. Spain created 9-point lead in the first quarter and jumped to plus 22 until the HT. Turkey was not able to reply for rest of the way. Spain will meet Brazil on Sunday, while Turkey will play against Japan. There are three more days left in the Preliminary Round.

Spain: Leticia Romero 15, Carolina Esparcia 12+6 boards, Yaiza Rodriguez 12
Turkey: Busra Akbas 13+6 boards, Hulya Coklar 9


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  SWEDEN   


U20 Holland grabs 54-52 win over U20 Sweden, both teams advance - by Eurobasket News

U20 SWEDEN - U20 HOLLAND 52-54

Very valuable win for Holland in the last day of the Preliminary Round in Debrecin (U20 EuroBasket). Holland grabbed 54-52 victory against Sweden to join them and Poland with 2-1 record in Group B. Poland ended as No.1, Sweden as No.2 and Holland as No.3 in this pool, while all three teams advanced to the next stage. Holland will transfer this win to Group E. Their best player today was Zera Butter (179-G-92) with 14 points. Marlou De Kleijn (182-F-92, agency: Regeneracom Sports) had 9 points and 8 rebounds, while Sharon Lammerink (189-C-93) added 14 pts. It was a very exciting finish and Holland celebrated thanks to Adams and Marlou De Klejin, who made lay-up and scored one free throw respectively. Sweden was scoreless in the last minute. Quarters: 13-11, 19-9, 9-12, 13-20. Binta Drammeh (180-F-92) had 14 points for Sweden, while Ellen Nystrom (180-G-93) (7 rebs) and Amanda Zahui (190-C-93) (6 rebs) netted 8 points each. Championship continues on Monday. As mentioned above, both teams will be moved to Group E.

Sweden: Binta Drammeh 14, Ellen Nystrom 8+7 boards, Amanda Zahui 8+6 boards
Holland: Zera Butter 14, Marlou De Kleijn 9+8 boards, Sharon Lammerink 14


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  SWITZERLAND   


U20 Greece extends winning streak to three - by Eurobasket News

U20 GREECE - U20 SWITZERLAND 81-39

Greece extended its winning streak to three at U20 EuroBasket Division B in Klatovy. This time Greece smashed Switzerland 81-39 for 3-0 record at this event. It was the second appearance for Switzerland and they faced with second straight loss. Greece made 22-point lead at the halftime and increased it to plus 33 for the next ten minutes. Switzerland had no chance for rest of the game. Anthoula Chatzigiakoumi (187-F-92) led Greece in scoring with 15 points, but their best player was Artemis Spanou (184-F-93) with 14 points, 8 rebounds and 5 assists. Styliani Fouraki (186-C-94) netted 12 pts. In defeat, Rosalie Grobet (185-F/C-92) delivered 9 points and Dorothee Studer (169-G-92) had 6. Greece will play against Germany tomorrow. Switzerland will meet Belgium.

Greece: Anthoula Chatzigiakoumi 15, Artemis Spanou 14+8 boards+5 as, Styliani Fouraki 12
Switzerland: Rosalie Grobet 9, Dorothee Studer 6


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  TURKEY   


U20 Turkey shines again in Debrecin, wins Group C - by Eurobasket News

U20 FRANCE - U20 TURKEY 56-61

Turkey advanced to the second stage of U20 EuroBasket with perfect 3-0 record. In the last day of the Preliminary Round Turkey handed 61-56 loss to France, who ended as No.3 in this pool. France also heads to the next stage and both teams will be placed to Group F. Teams were tied to 51-51 at the halfway of the last period, but Turkey made crucial 7-2 run after that and managed to keep the lead for rest of the way. Quarters: 12-13, 15-15, 16-16, 18-12. Olcay Cakir (180-PG-93) led the winners with 15 points and 5 rebounds. Ayse Cora (175-G/F-93) (5 rebs) and Ecem Guler (189-PF-92) (5 rebs) netted 12 and 11 points respectively. France got 13 points and 5 rebs from Christelle Diallo (193-C-93), while Alice Nayo (186-C-93) and Marie Mbuyamba (185-F/C-93) collected 10 points and 5 rebounds each. Championship continues on Monday and all teams will take a rest tomorrow. Four of six teams from the newly formed Group F will advance to the Quarterfinals.

France: Christelle Diallo 12+5 boards, Alice Nayo 10+5 boards, Marie Mbuyamba 10+5 boards
Turkey: Olcay Cakir 15+5 boards, Ayse Cora 15+5 boards, Ecem Guler 11+5 boards


Spain outguns Turkey 77-49 at FIBA U17 World Championship - by Eurobasket News

U17 SPAIN - U17 TURKEY 77-49

Spain was too strong for Turkey 77-49 in Day Two of FIBA U17 World Championship in Amsterdam. Spain celebrated on Friday as well, so they jumped to 2-0 record in Preliminary Group B. Leticia Romero (177-G-95) top-scored for the winners with 15 points, while Carolina Esparcia (178-G-95) (6 rebs) and Yaiza Rodriguez (163-PG-95) netted 12 points each. Busra Akbas (171-PG-95) collected 13 points and 6 rebounds in defeat. Their second scorer was Hulya Coklar (188-C-95) with 9 points. Turkey stays winless (0-2), but still has a chance to reach the Quarterfinals in Amsterdam. Spain created 9-point lead in the first quarter and jumped to plus 22 until the HT. Turkey was not able to reply for rest of the way. Spain will meet Brazil on Sunday, while Turkey will play against Japan. There are three more days left in the Preliminary Round.

Spain: Leticia Romero 15, Carolina Esparcia 12+6 boards, Yaiza Rodriguez 12
Turkey: Busra Akbas 13+6 boards, Hulya Coklar 9


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  UNITED KINGDOM   


U20 Slovakia heads to Stage Two in Debrecen - by Eurobasket News

U20 SLOVAKIA - U20 UNITED KINGDOM 74-61

Slovakia made it in do-or-die game against United Kingdom. Slovakia celebrated 74-61 win finishing this stage as the second ranked team of Group D with 2-1 record. At the other side, UK closes the standings in this pool with 0-3. They will fight for the survival in U20 EuroBasket Division A. Zofia Hruscakova (190-C-95) led the winners with 17 points and 8 rebounds. Marta Palenikova (184-G/F-92) and Martina Letkova (189-F-92) netted 11 points each. In defeat, Olufemi Hamilton (170-G-93) was the leading scorer with 17 points. Jessica Hurd (185-C-92) had 10 pts and Cheridene Green (187-C-95) added 9 pts, plus 11 rebounds. Quarters: 19-13, 20-15, 19-20, 16-13. Slovakia will be moved to Group F now. UK will continue in Group G. Championship continues on Monday and all teams will have a chance to rest tomorrow.

Slovakia: Zofia Hruscakova 17+8 boards, Marta Palenikova 11, Martina Letkova 11
UK: Olufemi Hamilton 17, Jessica Hurd 10, Cheridene Green 9+11 boards


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  WNBA   


Minnesota Lynx waive Julie Wojta - by Eurobasket News (T)

The Minnesota Lynx today the team has waived guard/forward Julie Wojta (6'0''-G/F-89, agency: LBM Management, college: Wisc.-Green Bay). Wojta, originally selected by the Lynx in the second round of the 2012 WNBA Draft, had signed a seven-day contract on July 9. She appeared in one game with the Lynx, grabbing two rebounds in four minutes of play. Minnesota's roster now stands at 11 players. The Lynx continue their regular season tonight against the Washington Mystics at 7 p.m.

Courtesy of www.oursportscentral.com


Latest games (6): Sophia Young, Silver Stars top Shock for 10th straight win - by Eurobasket News

Chicago S. - Atlanta D. 76-82
Angel McCoughtry (6'1''-SF-86, college: Louisville) scored 25 points to lead the Atlanta Dream to an 86-76 win over the Chicago Sky on Friday night in the teams' return from the Olympic break. Erika De Souza (6'6''-C-82, agency: Josep and Nicolas) had 19 points for Atlanta (10-10) in her season debut after sitting out to play for Brazil's national team. Lindsey Harding added 15 points and Sancho Lyttle 14. The Dream outscored the Sky 52-30 in scoring in the paint, and coach Marynell Meadors and Harding credited DeSouza's presence for the disparity. "It was more than just her points tonight," Harding said. "It was her defense. I think she did a great job on Sylvia, which is a really hard thing to do. We need that big, center presence and I feel like we were missing that in the first half of the season." Epiphanny Prince scored 16 points in her return to Chicago's lineup after being sidelined since mid-June with a foot injury. Sylvia Fowles had 13 points while Le'Coe Willingham added 11 for the Sky (8-10). Chicago was 7-1 at the time of Prince's injury and struggled in her absence. Even in her first game back, the Sky lost their fifth straight. "She means a lot to this team," Fowles said. "Just to have her back is a blessing and hopefully she gets back to the full recovery and what she had. For the most part though, she looked good and I'm happy to have her back." Prince shot 5 for 11 from the field, including 4 for 8 on 3-pointers, in a little more than 28 minutes. "My foot feels OK. It doesn't hurt anymore so that's a good thing," Prince said. "I feel like I blended in too much. In the fourth quarter, seven or so minutes went by and I didn't demand the ball until three minutes left. While they were executing, we were forcing things and turned the ball over too many times." Chicago led 61-59 entering the final quarter and 72-71 with 4 1/2 minutes to play. However, McCoughtry's putback gave Atlanta the lead for good at 73-72 with 3:13 remaining. "We had the lead a lot during the first three quarters but I really thought we played really good down the stretch," Meadors said. "The last four to five minutes, we played some really good basketball and had some really good stops while being able to score." Swin Cash had seven points as the Sky opened a 19-16 lead. The Dream surged back with a late 10-0 run that included a three-point play by McCoughtry and two baskets by Harding on the way to a 26-21 advantage by quarter's end. McCoughtry scored nine points in the second quarter to help Atlanta maintain a slim lead late in the half. The Sky pulled to 42-40 on Cash's rebound shot, but McCoughtry closed the period with a pair of free throws for a 44-40 halftime edge. "It was a really good game," McCoughtry said. "We have a good team. We know that it's the end of the season and that every game counts and everything is important so we knew we had to come out and play the way we did." The Sky reclaimed the lead at 55-53 on Sonja Petrovic's jumper and maintained a two-point lead after the third quarter, but were outscored 23-15 in the fourth. *Courtesy of ESPN

Seattle S. - Phoenix M. 72-58
Camille Little (6'2''-F/G-85, college: N.Carolina) scored 17 points to help the Seattle Storm beat the Phoenix Mercury 72-58 Thursday night. Tanisha Wright (5'11''-SF-83, agency: LBM Management, college: Penn St.) added 10 points for the Storm, which got to .500 (10-10) for the first time this season and has won nine of their last 12 after a 1-7 start. We always felt confident in our team, Little said after Seattle and the rest of the WNBA returned to action following the month-long break for the Olympics. When we lost those games, we were upset - we didnt expect to lose that many games. But we didnt focus on what anyone else was thinking. We were more worried about how we felt and how we could play. Seattle went in front for good on Thursday with a 10-0 run in the second quarter and led by 18 late in the game. We just werent playing our basketball, and we knew we could play better, Little said. We just had to get some energy and get some rebounds, and we were off to the races then. Samantha Prahalis (5'7''-PG-90, college: Ohio St.) led the Mercury (4-16) with 15 points, and Alexis Hornbuckle chipped in 12. Phoenix has lost seven a row, three to Seattle. DeWanna Bonner (6'4''-G-87, agency: Josep and Nicolas, college: Auburn), the Mercurys leading scorer at 20.7 points per game, scored seven points Thursday night. We just couldnt score in the second half, Mercury coach Corey Gaines said. DB (Bonner) was 3 for 18, and we just couldnt score. We missed open shots. Weve been trying to find our rhythm all year, and the injuries dont help. Sue Bird, fresh off of helping the United States win the gold medal last Saturday in London, had two points and three assists in 10 minutes of play. She sat out the second half with the stomach flu. While Bird was back in action following the Olympics, Storm teammate Lauren Jackson and USA teammate Diana Taurasi were not in Seattle. Jackson, who missed the entire first half of the season to prepare with the Australia team that won bronze, is expected back Monday. Taurasi did not make the trip because of a late return from London. She has missed 18 of the Mercurys 20 games this season with a strained left hip flexor. Courtesy of www.washingtonpost.com

Tulsa S. - S.Antonio SS 79-89
Sophia Young (6'1''-F-83, college: Baylor) scored 20 points and the San Antonio Silver Stars beat the Tulsa Shock 89-79 Friday night for their 10th straight win. Jia Perkins (5'8''-G-82, agency: Merit Sports, college: Texas Tech) had 17 points and Becky Hammon and Danielle Robinson each added 15 to help San Antonio (14-5) recover after giving up a 14-point lead in the first half. ''Jia was phenomenal,'' Silver Stars coach Dan Hughes said. ''We were able to rest a lot of our starters and were strong in the fourth quarter. That was the difference.'' Riquna Williams scored 17 points to lead the league-worst Shock (3-16). Roneeka Hodges added 16 points on 6-for-9 shooting from the field and Glory Johnson had 15. San Antonio raced out to a 29-15 lead at the end of the first quarter. Tulsa turned up the pressure on defense and had a 15-6 run to pull to 35-30 with 6:51 to play in the second quarter. The Shock, who scored 31 points in the period, ended the quarter on a 16-11 run to tie the score at 46 at halftime. Tulsa then led 63-62 heading to the fourth. ''They are a good backcourt,'' Tulsa coach Gary Kloppenburg said of the Silver Stars. ''You've got Hammon who can shoot from anywhere and Robinson who can make the mid-range shot. And with Perkins off the bench, they are probably the best backcourt in the league. ''But we were able to get our running game going and we got some easy baskets. We struggled against their zone. I'm proud of our team. San Antonio is a veteran team and we're still a young, growing team.'' Hughes said he didn't want to get into a foot race with the Shock. ''Tulsa plays so well off the bounce,'' Hughes said. ''It was hard for us to keep the ball in front of us. They are good basketball team. They will beat people. Until the fourth quarter, we had a tough time. Defensively, (Tulsa) forces you to play faster than you want to. They are really aggressive on defense which is why they lead the league in forced turnovers.'' Even after his team took a 14-point first half lead, Hughes warned the Silver Stars of Tulsa's ability to rally. ''I told our team this would be a game of streaks,'' he said. ''I told them we would make a run and they would make a run. We just had to be ready and we had to make the last one.'' They did, closing out the final period with a 27-16 decisive spurt. ''We don't get rattled too much,'' said Robinson, who led Oklahoma to two Final Four appearances. ''As a point guard, you have to keep the team under control. You can't afford to get rattled. We've been down games before this year, so when we got down tonight, we knew we had the chemistry to come back.'' *Courtesy of http://msn.foxsports.com

Minnesota L. - Washington M. 98-69
Seimone Augustus (6'0''-SF-84, college: LSU) escaped a serious injury, which was the only scare for the Minnesota Lynx on Friday night. The defending champion Lynx raced ahead by 33 points before coasting to a 98-69 victory over the Washington Mystics, getting 20 points in 21 minutes from Augustus. The two-time Olympic gold medalist left the game midway through the third quarter after spraining her right ankle when she came down on a defender's foot. ''The initial shock was scary,'' Augustus said. ''But after (the trainer) re-taped it and gave me some meds I was fine.'' Maya Moore (6'0''-SG-89, college: Connecticut) and Monica Wright scored 17 points each, Rebekkah Brunson added 11 and Lindsay Whalen chipped in 10 points and nine assists to help Minnesota (16-4) win its third straight following a three-game losing streak last month. Monique Currie, Lindsay Wisdom-Hylton and Crystal Langhorne each scored 12 points for the Eastern Conference-worst Mystics (4-16), who followed up an 18-point loss at Indiana on Thursday with their second-biggest defeat of the season. ''It's tough to start the second half of the season on a back-to-back,'' Washington coach Trudi Lacey said. ''Two very good teams, and obviously Minnesota is very good and very deep.'' Minnesota led by just two midway through the first quarter, but from there looked nothing like a team that hadn't played together in more than a month due to the Olympic break. Wright scored five points during the ensuing 18-2 run and the Lynx led by double figures the rest of the way. Using suffocating defense, Minnesota held the Mystics to 37 percent shooting and scored a season-high 32 points off 19 Washington turnovers. ''I told our players it was really fun to watch,'' Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve said. '' It was everything I hoped it could be in that game coming back.'' The Lynx, paced by returning Olympians Augustus, Moore and Whalen, piled up 54 points in the paint and shot 51 percent from the floor. ''I think it really helped that Seimone, Lindsay and I were able to play together, be together, continue to build chemistry and just be on the court with each other,'' Moore said. ''I felt some USA moments there a little bit in transition. Then again, we were doing that before Team USA.'' Minnesota was in the midst of a 16-3 third-quarter run to make the game a blowout when Augustus came down awkwardly at the 4:59 mark. She had the ankle re-taped and could've returned, but wasn't needed with the Lynx ahead by at least 24 points throughout the fourth quarter. Frustration boiled over for Mystics center Michelle Snow, who received a pair of technical fouls with 4:58 left and was ejected. Minnesota had a season-high 29 assists. Augustus, Moore and Whalen, who helped the United States win Olympic gold for the fifth straight time at the London Games, showed off their medals before the game. *Courtesy of http://msn.foxsports.com

New York L. - Connecticut S. 79-66
The New York Liberty's goal for the second half of the season is to win 11 of their remaining games. They got off to a good start in their return from the WNBA's Olympic break. Cappie Pondexter (5'9''-G-83, college: Rutgers) scored 24 points to lead the Liberty to a 79-66 victory over the first-place Connecticut Sun on Thursday night. Plenette Pierson (6'2''-PF-81, college: Texas Tech), returning after missing the New York's last eight games before the hiatus due to a left knee strain, had 16 points to help the Liberty (7-12) snap a three-game skid. "If we win 11 games we give ourselves a chance to make a playoff push," Pondexter said. "It's attainable. Right now we got 10 to go. I really feel we have a chance to win some games on the road." The Liberty, who have 15 games remaining, play their next five on the road starting with a rematch against Connecticut on Saturday night. They then close with seven of their last 10 at home. Renee Montgomery (5'7''-PG-86, agency: LBM Management, college: Connecticut) scored 16 points, and Allison Hightower (5'10''-G-88, agency: Josep and Nicolas, college: LSU) and Mistie Mims added 12 each for the Sun (15-5), who snapped a five-game winning streak. "We struggled tonight," Connecticut coach Mike Thibault said. "We shot terrible in the second half and we turned it over." Tina Charles, who helped lead the United States to a gold medal at the London Games, had just four points and 12 rebounds, while fellow Olympian Asjha Jones sat out due to a strained left Achilles' tendon an injury she was dealing with before the break. Connecticut dropped to 8-2 on the road and had its lead over second-place Indiana in the Eastern Conference cut to three games. While the Olympic break helped teams like the Liberty get healthy and refreshed, Thibault believes it disrupted the Sun's momentum. "It helped some players individually get some work in," he said, "but it didn't help our team in the sense of having a rhythm because you're practicing every day without your two starting post players." New York scored the first six points of the third quarter to stretch a four-point halftime lead to double digits. Pierson had a layup and Pondexter made two baskets to make it 45-35 with about 7 minutes left in the period. The Sun pulled within six points twice, but Leilani Mitchell countered with 3s both times to extend the Liberty's lead back out again. Mitchell finished 3 for 3 from beyond the arc. "Everybody knows Leilani, when she shoots she has a pretty good chance to make it," Pondexter said. "It's just a matter of her being aggressive. She's been putting up shots during the break. I really believe in her and I know her shots will take us a long way." Essence Carson had a layup and Pondexter followed with a steal and fast-break basket to extend the advantage to 59-46 with 1:41 remaining in the third. New York's 8-2 run to open the fourth quarter stretched the lead to 67-50 with 6:54 remaining, and Connecticut got no closer than 11 the rest of the way. Pondexter's 3 with 4:14 remaining put the Liberty up 73-54 for their largest lead of the game. New York moved two games behind Chicago and Atlanta for third place in the East, and 7 1/2 behind the Sun. "I don't think anybody's given up," Liberty coach John Whisenant said. "We're still in it, you look at Chicago and Atlanta and Indiana that are just two or three games ahead of us. We just got to win ... We figure we got to get to .500, win 11 of our (remaining) games, and we've won one of them." Connecticut finished with a 39-30 rebounding edge, but committed 17 turnovers which led to 19 points for New York. Whisenant was also pleased his team held Charles nearly 15 points below her season average. "Tina Charles is the best rebounder in the league in the last 3 or four years," he said. "She's a monster in there, she gets double digits and we're not going to match that. We don't have anyone who can do that. ... We did a good job keeping her out of (the scoring), and to do that we had to do relays because that's a physically wearing effort." Trailing by eight late in the first quarter, the Liberty used a 13-2 run to take a 25-22 lead with 5:22 to go before halftime. The Sun tied the score twice, the last time on Kara Lawson's jumper with 4:16 left in the first half that evened it at 27-all. Kara Braxton followed with a layup and Pondexter hit a 3 to put the Liberty ahead by five a little more than a minute later. Hightower and Mims made consecutive baskets in the final minute to pull Connecticut within one, but Pondexter's 3 from 25 feet out at the buzzer gave the Liberty a 39-35 lead at the break. Courtesy of http://online.wsj.com

Indiana F. - Washington M. 84-66
Erlana Larkins (6'1''-F-86, college: N.Carolina) scored a career-high 16 points to help the Indiana Fever defeat the Washington Mystics 84-66 on Thursday night. Larkins also matched career highs with seven rebounds and three steals. Tamika Catchings (6'1''-SF-79, college: Tennessee), fresh off winning her third gold medal for Team USA, had 14 points and 14 rebounds. The double-double was the 76th of her career, tied her with Lauren Jackson (6'5''-F/C-81) for third in WNBA history. Katie Douglas (6'1''-G/F-79, college: Purdue) added 11 points for the Fever (11-7), who returned from the Olympic break trailing Connecticut by four games in the Eastern Conference standings. Monique Currie scored 12 points, Michelle Snow scored 11 and Jasmine Thomas added 10 for the Mystics (4-15), who remained in last place in the East. Indiana outrebounded Washington 41-35 and had 20 assists on 29 field goals. Indiana led 40-38 at halftime despite shooting just 34 percent from the field before the break. The Fever allowed Washington to shoot 47 percent in the first 20 minutes, but came out ahead by outscoring the Mystics 9-4 from the free-throw line. Catchings scored just two points on 2-for-7 shooting in the first half. Currie's basket in close tied the score at 45 before Catchings hit a mid-range jumper to spark an 8-0 run that gave Indiana control. Jeanette Pohlen's 3-pointer in the closing seconds of the third quarter gave the Fever a 62-47 lead at the end of the period. In the third quarter, the Fever held the Mystics to 2-for-13 shooting and outrebounded them 16-6. Catchings, who had done little on the offensive end in the first half, had six points and seven rebounds, including four offensive boards, in the third quarter. The Fever had eight offensive rebounds and 10 second-chance points in the period. Washington tried to chip away, but the Fever maintained control. With Indiana leading by 10 points, Catchings hit Sasha Goodlett with a perfect pass near the free throw line, and Goodlett drained the jumper. On the next possession, Pohlen zipped a perfect pass to Shavonte Zellous for a fast-break layup that gave Indiana a 72-58 lead with just over six minutes to play. Courtesy of www.wishtv.com


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  WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS U17   


Day Two in Amsterdam - by Eurobasket News

Group A
USA - Canada 86-47
Another easy win for USA in Amsterdam. The defending champion blasted Canada today 86-47 for perfect 2-0 record at FIBA U17 World Championship. At the same time, it was the second straight loss for Canadian NT at this event. USA won every single quarter of this game and dominated in all segments. They created 17-point lead until the halftime and increased it to plus 20 for the next ten minutes. USA totally took control on Canada in Q4 (28-9) to celebrate huge 39-point win at the end. Diamond Deshields (186-G/F-95) (6'1''-G/F-95) stepped up for her team with 29 points and 6 rebounds (MVP, valuation 28). Kaela Davis (6'1''-G/F-95) had 14 points and 9 rebs, while Taya Reimer (6'3''-F-95) helped USA with 10 pts. In Canada, Kia Nurse (5'11''-PG-96) was the best scorer with only 8 points (6 rebs). Hannah Jardine, Kolbie Orum (6'2''-F-95) and Emily Potter (6'5''-C/F-95) stopped to 7 pts each. USA's next rival will be Italy. Canada will take on Belgium tomorrow.

Italy - Mali 71-31
Another great performance by Italy in Amsterdam. This time Italy destroyed Mali 71-31 for perfect 2-0 record in Preliminary Group A of FIBA U17 World Championship. Italy took control on its rival from the very beginning and never looked back. Quarters: 18-5, 13-7, 14-6, 26-13. Antonia Peresson (177-PG-95) led the winners with 14 points and 7 assists, while Francesca Pan (180-SG-97) followed her with 11 points. Elisa Ercoli (190-C-95) netted 9 points and grabbed impressive 20 rebounds. Mali got 9 points from Mariam Maiga (169-G-96) and 8 points, plus 6 rebounds from Awa Keita (182-C-96). They dropped to 0-2 in the group. On Sunday, Italy will meet the defending champion USA. Mali will play against South Korea hoping to win the first game in Amsterdam.

Belgium - South Korea 84-53
Belgium celebrated second straight win at FIBA U17 World Championship in Amsterdam. This time Belgium cruised past South Korea 84-53 for 2-0 record in Group A. Hind Ben Abdelkader (173-SG-95) had another great game for her team collecting 29 points and 5 rebounds. She reached valuation 25 and was the MVP of this meeting. Celine Lemmens (182-PF-95) had 9 points and 6 rebounds, and Kyara Linskens (191-C-96) added 7 pts, plus 5 rebs. In defeat, Yang Inyoung (95) (5 rebs) and Shin Jihyun (95) netted 11 points each. Lee Min Ji (95) delivered two less. Belgium made 11-point lead until the halftime and destroyed its rival in Q3 with huge 28-6. All after that was just the formality. South Korea dropped to 0-2 in this pool and will meet Mali tomorrow. It could be a nice chance for the first victory in Amsterdam. Belgium will play against Canada.

Group B
Holland - Japan 53-73
Japan demonstrated wonderful performance in Amsterdam today. They handed 73-53 loss to hosts of FIBA U17 World Championship improving to 2-0 record in Preliminary Group B. At the other side, it was the first loss for Holland who has 1-1 now. Japan was up by 11 with ten minutes remaining in the game and it was expected that Holland will make an effort to close the gap, but they simply were not able to do it. Japanese players exploded in Q4 closing this game with 23-14 for the final 20-point win. Yunika Nakamura (95) top-scored in Japan with 22 points and she pulled down 6 rebounds beside that. Ai Yamada (95) scored 17 points and Haruka Hatakenaka (95) added 14 pts, plus 7 rebs. The hosts got 12 points from Deborah Vos (178-PF-96) and she was their only player with double digits in scoring. Lisanne de Jonge (181-F-95) stopped to 9 pts and Isabella Slim (181-F-95) had 7. Japan will meet last ranked Turkey on Sunday and it will be a nice chance for third straight win. Holland will take on Australia.

Spain - Turkey 77-49
Spain was too strong for Turkey 77-49 in Day Two of FIBA U17 World Championship in Amsterdam. Spain celebrated on Friday as well, so they jumped to 2-0 record in Preliminary Group B. Leticia Romero (177-G-95) top-scored for the winners with 15 points, while Carolina Esparcia (178-G-95) (6 rebs) and Yaiza Rodriguez (163-PG-95) netted 12 points each. Busra Akbas (171-PG-95) collected 13 points and 6 rebounds in defeat. Their second scorer was Hulya Coklar (188-C-95) with 9 points. Turkey stays winless (0-2), but still has a chance to reach the Quarterfinals in Amsterdam. Spain created 9-point lead in the first quarter and jumped to plus 22 until the HT. Turkey was not able to reply for rest of the way. Spain will meet Brazil on Sunday, while Turkey will play against Japan. There are three more days left in the Preliminary Round.

Brazil - Australia 46-56
Both teams failed in Day One of FIBA U17 World Championship in Amsterdam. Today, Australia was better than Brazil 56-46 for the first win at this event. Australia now has 1-1 record in Group B, while Brazil fell to 0-2. Third period was the crucial on in this meeting. Teams were tied at 24-24 at the half time, after what Australia limited its rival to 9 points for 10 minutes, while they drained 19 at the other side. Brazil was not able to reply and Australia kept its lead for rest of the way. Tiana Mangakahia (165-PG-95) led the winners with double-double of 16 points and 12 rebounds. Alicia Froling (187-PF-96) scored 9 points and Stephanie Collins (195-C-95) added 9 points, plus 6 rebounds. Kananda Ribeiro (183-F/C-96) responded with 13 points and 5 rebounds in defeat, and Carla Silva Lucchini (95) followed with 11 pts, plus 9 rebounds. Monique Soares (97) had 7 pts and 9 rebs. Australia will meet Holland tomorrow, while Brazil will take on Spain.