Eurobasket Daily News Report: 2/28/2013 4:04:01 AM

EUROBASKET NEWS REPORT - 2/28/2013 4:04:01 AM

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Men News

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ABA

Standings

ABA Standings

Atlantic South
1. Jacksonville G.		26-1
2. Albany S.		10-2
3. Atlanta A.		8-3
4. Gainesville H.		7-5
5. Gulf Coast F.		6-3
6. Georgia G.		5-6
7. Atlanta W.		4-4
8. Birmingham B.		3-5
9. E.Point Jaguars		1-2
10. SW Fellowship		1-12
11. Georgia B.		0-0
12. Savannah G.		0-3
California Northwest
1. Bay Area M.		8-4
2. S.Francisco R.		8-4
3. Central Valley T.		3-7
4. Sacramento H.		2-5
5. Port City P.		0-3
Mid Atlantic
1. S.Carolina W.		25-1
2. Richmond E.		11-2
3. Greenville G.		6-3
4. Lynchburg L.		5-8
5. Seven Cities K.		3-5
6. Palmetto SR		3-6
7. Fayetteville F.		3-10
8. Tennessee Halos		1-1
9. Hampton Stallions		0-7
Mid Central
1. Chicago Steam		11-1
2. Lima Explosion		11-6
3. Detroit Hoops		8-2
4. Indiana SW		6-2
5. Pontiac F.		6-7
6. Michiana M.		1-4
7. Peoria P.		0-3
8. Oakland CC		0-7
Northeast
1. Jersey Expr.		8-2
2. Staten Island V.		2-2
3. Connecticut T.		0-1
Pacific Northwest
1. Seattle M.		13-1
2. Calgary C.		11-0
3. Alaska Q.		8-1
4. Olympia Rise		5-5
5. Salem Sabres		2-1
6. Alaska 49ers		2-2
7. Kitsap Adm.		2-13
8. Lakewood P.		1-10
9. Washington R.		0-3
Rocky Mountain
1. Colorado K.		12-3
2. Colorado C.		0-2
South Central
1. Conway C.		11-3
2. Jackson S.		7-2
3. Missouri R.		4-3
4. Bluff City R.		1-7
Southeast
1. Phenix City B.		4-4
2. Bahama PS		0-6
Southern California
1. Arizona S.		19-3
2. San Diego Surf		11-3
3. LA Slam		5-4
4. Fresno F.		5-5
5. Las Vegas Def.		2-5
6. Orange County N.		2-10
7. Z*Hollywood M.		0-0
Southwest Central
1. N.Dallas V.		17-2
2. West Texas W.		15-2
3. Texas Fuel		5-4
4. Dallas Impact		3-4
5. Houston X.		1-0
6. Oklahoma S.		1-4
7. Aberdeen Attack		0-0
8. Louisiana G.		0-1
Touring Team
1. Electric C.Lions		6-4
2. Cleveland Am-Pro		2-7
3. Ill City Beast		1-0
4. St.Louis S.		1-1
5. Shizuoka G.		1-12
6. Chicago F.		0-1
7. NYC Thunder		0-1
8. Little Rock L.		0-2

ABA All-Star Game set for Chicago in April - by Gianni Pascucci

The American Basketball Association (ABA) announced that it will hold the league's annual All Star Game in Chicago, IL on Saturday, April 20th.
The game will be hosted by the Chicago Steam, the venue to be announced. "We've had some great All Star games in the past," stated ABA CEO Joe Newman . "The talent in the ABA is extraordinary and our All Star Game is a great opportunity for fans to see the high caliber of basketball played in the ABA. And we know that Ron Hicks and the Chicago Steam organization will make it a very memorable event."
"We are very pleased to have been chosen as the site of this year's All Star game," added Ron Hicks , co-owner of the Chicago Steam. The talent level of our league is tremendous and we will have many NBA and international scouts at the game to evaluate the players and hopefully to help move them up on their careers."
"With over 1000 players in the ABA, including former NBA players, Division 1 and 2 stars, McDonalds All Americans and top international players, it is difficult to choose the talent," commented Donald Sanchez , Division Chairman of the Southern California Division. "Thankfully, the Division Chairmen around the country help to evaluate the players and put together teams that represent the best the ABA has to offer. We are in the process of making the selections and will post them shortly."
For more information, visit www.chicagosteambasketball.com or www.abalive.com For ticket information, contact Ron Hicks at hicksron9@aol.com Kross Precision, the makers of the Baller's Bag (www.ballersbag.com) is a co-sponsor of the event.

Whirlwinds take another win - by Gianni Pascucci

The MIdland, Tx. based West Texas Whirlwinds won their last game over the Lubbock Stars. Final score was 110-107, and it was anoother big game for Marlo Saunders (6'5''-F-84, college: Texas-PB), who ended game at 36 points, 8 rebs. But big story was on the Whirlwinds pack of Tre Nichols (5'11''-G-89, college: Boise St.) with 14 points, 11 assist. Berry Whitley (5'9''-G-81, college: SUNO) added 12 pts and 10 assists, Nedrie Simmons (5'9''-G, college: Texas-PB) 13 pts, 9 steals, Marcus Saunders (6'10''-C-84, college: Texas-PB) 16 pts, 7 blocks. Lubbock was lead by Pat Jones (6'6''-F, college: Henderson St.) with 29 points and Teddy Evans with 21

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ARGENTINA

Penarol announces Copa de Clubes 2013 - by Facundo Iatzky

Club Penarol of Mar del Plata will organize, as every year, Copa de Clubes. This is an event of 4 days where teams of Argentina and the rest of Latin America compete in the different courts of Mar del Plata. This year the tournament will be between May 4 and 7. There will be tournaments for U13, U15, U17 and U19 both male and female.
During the last years some of the teams that have participated were: Quilmes, Penarol, Obras Sanitarias, Sarmiento Resistencia, Aguada (Uruguay), Minas Tenis (Brazil),Gimnasia comodoro, Regatas Lima (peru).
Teams interested can send an email to info@capeventos.com.ar or visit the website http://capeventos.com.ar/index.php/torneos/9-copa-de-clubes-de-basket

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BRAZIL

Standings - BNL

NBB Standings

1. Flamengo		23-2
2. Brasilia		20-4
3. Uberlandia		17-8
4. Franca		17-8
5. Pinheiros/Sky		15-8
6. Bauru		15-9
7. Paulistano		14-10
8. S.Jose/Unimed		14-11
9. Minas		13-12
10. Basquete Cearense		11-13
11. Liga Sorocaba		11-13
12. Limeira		11-14
13. Mogi das Cruzes		9-15
14. Joinville		8-16
15. Vila Velha		8-17
16. Palmeiras		6-18
17. Tijuca TC		4-21
18. Suzano		3-20

Regular Season: Round 26

Feb. 23: Uberlandia - Joinville 99-73
Feb. 23: Brasilia - Tijuca TC 90-79
Feb. 23: Palmeiras - Mogi das Cruzes 86-77 OT
Feb. 23: Basquete Cearense - Flamengo 82-101
Feb. 23: Franca - Limeira 75-62
Feb. 23: Vila Velha - Paulistano 120-126
Feb. 23: Minas - Pinheiros/Sky 101-75

Round 20

Feb. 27: Limeira - Pinheiros/Sky 82-81

Round 21

Feb. 26: Basquete Cearense - Brasilia 100-104 OT

Regular Season: Round 27

Mar. 7: Tijuca TC - Bauru
Mar. 7: Pinheiros/Sky - S.Jose/Unimed
Mar. 7: Limeira - Brasilia
Mar. 7: Flamengo - Liga Sorocaba
Mar. 7: Minas - Vila Velha
Mar. 7: Paulistano - Mogi das Cruzes
Mar. 7: Suzano - Franca
Mar. 7: Palmeiras - Uberlandia
Mar. 7: Joinville - Basquete Cearense

Round 19

Mar. 4: Joinville - Pinheiros/Sky

Round 22

Mar. 4: Mogi das Cruzes - Flamengo

Round 26

Mar. 4: S.Jose/Unimed - Suzano

Stats Leaders - BNL

Points Per Game

Marquinhos VIEIRA
  Flamengo
  (207-SF-84)
  Avg: 21.8

1. Vieira, Flamengo	21.8
2. Holloway, Liga S.	20.4
3. Simmons, Vila Velha	20.2
4. Antonio, S.Jose/U.	18.9
5. Boracini, Pinheiro.	18.9
6. Day, Uberlandia	18.9
7. Smith, Pinheiro.	18.9
8. Dos Santos, Brasil.	18.8
9. Nardi Duarte, Min.	18.0
10. Giovannoni, Brasi.	17.5

Rebounds Per Game

Felipe RIBEIRO
  Basque.
  (201-F-79)
  Avg: 9.2

1. Ribeiro, Basque.	9.2
2. Araujo, Mogi d.	9.0
3. Rodriguez, Flame.	8.8
4. Agba, Bauru	7.7
5. Giovannoni, Brasil.	7.6
6. Antonio, S.Jose/U.	7.5
7. Castellar, Limeira	7.2
8. Silveira, Flamengo	7.0
9. Soares, Suzano	6.9
10. Toyloy, Paulistano	6.8

Assists Per Game

Fulvio DE ASSIS
  S.Jose/U.
  (186-PG-81)
  Avg: 8

1. de Assis, S.Jose/U.	8.0
2. Dos Santos, Brasil.	6.5
3. Pinheiro, Vila Vel.	5.2
4. Boracini, Pinheiro.	5.1
5. Taylor, Bauru	4.9
6. Smith, Pinheiro.	4.8
7. Garcia, Uberlandia	4.7
8. Dawkins, Liga S.	4.6
9. Campos, Suzano	4.4
10. Lima, Limeira	4.4

Steals Per Game

Shamell STALLWORTH
  Pinhei.
  (195-SG-80)
  Avg: 0.3

1. Stallworth, Pinhei.	0.3
2. Boracini, Pinheiro.	0.2
3. Giovannoni, Brasil.	0.1
4. Ribeiro, Brasilia	0.1
5. Teichmann, Franca	0.1
6. Castellar, Limeira	0.1
7. Carter, Limeira	0.1
8. Luz dos Sant., Fra.	0.1
9. Mensah, Flamengo	0.1
10. Alves, Brasilia	0.1

Blocks Per Game

Arlindo NETO
  Liga Sorocaba
  (187-G-86)
  Avg: 2

1. Neto, Liga Soroca.	2.0
2. Campos, Suzano	2.0
3. Figueroa, Franca	1.9
4. Nardi Duarte, Min.	1.9
5. Dawkins, Liga S.	1.8
6. Brown, Palmeiras	1.7
7. Pinheiro, Vila Vel.	1.6
8. Ribeiro, Brasilia	1.6
9. Parker, Vila Velha	1.6
10. Boracini, Pinheir.	1.6

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CHINA

Stats Leaders - CBA

Points Per Game

Quincy DOUBY
  Zhejiang CB
  (191-G-84)
  Avg: 32.3

1. Douby, Zhejiang CB	32.3
2. Randolph, Foshan	32.0
3. Gaines, Shanxi Zh.	31.5
4. Williams, Shanxi Z.	30.9
5. Akognon, Liaoning.	30.3
6. Forbes, Guangsha	29.2
7. Marbury, Beijing	28.8
8. Daniels, Qingdao E.	28.6
9. Spencer, Jilin N.	28.6
10. Hudson, DongGuan	28.3

Rebounds Per Game

Donnell HARVEY
  TianJin S.
  (203-F/C-80)
  Avg: 16.6

1. Harvey, TianJin S.	16.6
2. Gaines, Shanxi Zh.	15.2
3. Randolph, Foshan	14.6
4. Li, Liaoning H.	13.2
5. Wang, Fujian QB	12.9
6. Harris, Jiangsu D.	12.4
7. Singleton, Xinjian.	11.9
8. Abbas, Shandong FB	11.3
9. Daniels, Qingdao E.	11.3
10. Siler, Jiangsu D.	11.2

Assists Per Game

Osama DAGHLES
  TianJin S.
  (198-G-79)
  Avg: 9.1

1. Daghles, TianJin S.	9.1
2. Perkins, Foshan LL	6.8
3. Lu, Shanxi Zh.	6.0
4. Jeter, Shandong FB	5.5
5. Marbury, Beijing	5.4
6. Williams, Shanxi Z.	5.2
7. McGrady, Qingd.	5.1
8. Hudson, DongGuan	4.8
9. Forbes, Guangsha	4.8
10. Qahwash, Jiang.	4.7

Steals Per Game

Doron PERKINS
  Foshan LL
  (188-PG-83)
  Avg: 2.6

1. Perkins, Foshan LL	2.6
2. Douby, Zhejiang CB	2.5
3. Spencer, Jilin N.	2.5
4. Jeter, Shandong FB	2.5
5. Hu, Jiangsu D.	2.3
6. Hudson, DongGuan	2.2
7. Marbury, Beijing	2.2
8. Zhong, Jilin NE T.	2.2
9. Abbas, Shandong FB	2.2
10. Gaines, Shanxi Zh.	2.1

Blocks Per Game

Hamady N''DIAYE
  Ti.
  (213-C-87)
  Avg: 3.9

1. N''Diaye, Ti.	3.9
2. Zhang, Shanghai S.	2.9
3. Siler, Jiangsu D.	2.3
4. Jones, Liaoning H.	1.9
5. Morris, Beijing Du.	1.8
6. Yi, Guangdong ST	1.7
7. Daniels, Qingdao E.	1.7
8. Vroman, Shandong.	1.5
9. Han, Liaoning H.	1.5
10. Yan, Shanxi Zh.	1.4

CBA Playoffs Begin... a New Season - by Alex Yam

The CBA playoffs began tonight, ( Feb 27th China time) and most of the higher seeds won despite not having home court in game 1, the one exception was Liaoning who had game 1 at home, and squeaked by higher seeded Xinjiang.

The favorite is #1 seed Guangdong, who beat Zheijiang C. in a tough, gritty road matchup, league leader in scoring Quincy Douby tried to keep his team in it with a strong performance, but the local talent of Guangdong was too much to overcome. Ike Diogu had a game high 33 points and 10 rebs to pace all scorers.

The #2 seeded Shangdong club, had a bit more trouble on the road, but still cam away with a victory, Dongguan was limited , as CBA all star and one of the leagues brightest stars for the past 3 seasons, Marcus Haislip was limited in action. Lester Hudson in his return after months away due to an injury had a game high 34 points , and did not miss a beat, performance wise.

Defending CBA champion Beijing,had little trouble with Guangsha, as Randolph Morris returned to form with 35 points, and an all around effort by the defending champs.

Game 2 will really put pressure on those teams that are 0-1, lets see what happens on Friday

CBA Round 1 of Quarter-Finals - by Eurobasket News

Beijing Ducks - Guangsha L. 110-96

It looked good early as Zhejiang Guangsha Lions took an 2-point lead at the end of first quarter. But then Beijing Ducks had a 24-15 second period charge getting the lead and Zhejiang Guangsha Lions were not able to take back game control losing it eventually 96-110. American power forward Randolph Morris (211-86, college: Kentucky) stepped up with a double-double by scoring 35 points (!!!) and 15 rebounds for the winners and forward Li Gun (196-88) chipped in 16 points (on 7-of-9 shooting from the field). At the losing side American-Puerto Rican center Peter John Ramos (222-85) responded with 28 points and 9 rebounds and Panamanian-American swingman Gary Forbes (201-85, college: Virginia) scored 25 points and 8 rebounds. Five Zhejiang Guangsha Lions players scored in double figures. Zhejiang Guangsha Lions' coach rotated ten players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games.
Top scorers:
Beijing Ducks: M.Randolph 35+15reb+2ast, G.Li 16+1reb+2ast, Z.Xiaochuan 13+3reb, W.Xiaohui 13+2reb, L.Hsueh-Lin 10+4reb+1ast, J.Zhe 9+8reb+2ast
Guangsha L.: R.Peter John 28+9reb+3ast, F.Gary 25+8reb+3ast, L.Chih-Chieh 12+3reb, S.HoMan 11+2reb+1ast, Z.Wei 10+6reb+1ast, S.Ruoyu 4+6reb+1ast

Shandong FB - DongGuan L. 91-86

The hosts took control from the first minutes by winning first half. But DongGuan Leopards won fourth quarter 32-27. However it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. DongGuan Leopards were plagued by 27 personal fouls down the stretch. American point guard Pooh Jeter (180-83, college: Portland) stepped up and scored 29 points and 7 steals for the winners and Jordanian forward Zaid Abbas (203-83) chipped in 19 points and 6 rebounds. At the losing side American guard Lester Hudson (191-84, college: Tenn-Martin, agency: Priority Sports) responded with 34 points (!!!), 5 rebounds, 5 assists and 5 steals and the former international center Muhao Li (218-92) scored 11 points and 7 rebounds. Both coaches used bench players in such tough game.
Top scorers:
Shandong FB: J.Pooh 29+4reb+3ast, A.Zaid 19+6reb+2ast, L.JingYu 17+6reb+1ast, S.Ran 8+4reb+5ast, Y.Ding 7+3reb, V.Jackson 7+11reb
DongGuan L.: H.Lester 34+5reb+5ast, L.Muhao 11+7reb, Q.Biao 8+1ast, H.Chih-Shan 8+5reb, H.Marcus 7+4reb, H.ZhongMian 7+4reb+1ast

Xinjiang FT - Liaoning H. 98-100

The guests trailed by 9 points after three quarters before their 34-23 charge, which allowed them to win the game. Strangely Xinjiang Flying Tige outrebounded Liaoning Hunters 52-33 including a 37-22 advantage in defensive rebounds. Worth to mention a great performance of the former international center XiaoXu Li (206-90) who helped to win the game recording a double-double by scoring 19 points, 10 rebounds and 4 assists. Nigerian-American point guard Josh-Emmanuel Akognon (180-86, college: CS Fullerton) contributed with 30 points for the winners. Four Liaoning Hunters players scored in double figures. American guard Von Wafer (196-85, college: Florida St.) answered with 25 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists and the other American import forward James Singleton (203-81, college: Murray St.) added 9 points and 19 rebounds in the effort for Xinjiang Flying Tige.
Top scorers:
Liaoning H.: A.Josh-Emmanuel 30+1reb+1ast, L.XiaoXu 19+10reb+4ast, J.Solomon 14+8reb+2ast, L.Wei 10+2reb+2ast, Y.Ming 9+5reb+4ast, G.Ailun 9+1reb+4ast
Xinjiang FT: W.Von 25+5reb+5ast, T.ZhengDong 16+6reb, Z.QinPeng 14+5reb+4ast, M.Kan 10+4reb, S.James 9+19reb+2ast, Y.Changdong 9+5reb

Guangdong ST - Zhejiang CB 104-89

The game was mostly controlled by Guandong Tigers. Zhejiang Chouzhou Bank was better in third quarter 28-26. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. Guandong Tigers dominated down low during the game scoring 78 of its points in the paint compared to Zhejiang Chouzhou Bank's 58 and made 17-of-20 charity shots (85.0 percent) during the game. Guandong Tigers forced 19 Zhejiang Chouzhou Bank turnovers and outrebounded them 46-27 including a 17-6 advantage in offensive rebounds. Nigerian-American power forward Ike Diogu (204-83, college: Arizona St.) stepped up with a double-double by scoring 33 points (!!!) and 10 rebounds (on 14-of-17 shooting from the field) for the winners and international Jianlian Yi (212-87) chipped in 19 points and 10 rebounds. At the losing side American guard Quincy Douby (191-84, college: Rutgers) responded with 26 points and 4 assists and international JinHui Ding (204-89) scored 18 points and 9 rebounds. Both teams had four players each who scored in double figures. Zhejiang Chouzhou Bank's coach rotated twelve players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games.
Top scorers:
Guangdong ST: D.Ike 33+10reb, Y.Jianlian 19+10reb+3ast, S.Donald 15+5reb+3ast, Z.FangYu 13+6reb+1ast, H.Dong 9+2reb, W.ShiPeng 9+6reb
Zhejiang CB: D.Quincy 26+1reb+4ast, D.JinHui 18+9reb+2ast, G.SongLin 16+1ast, Z.Dayu 15+8reb, X.YoBo 9+1reb+2ast, C.Eddy 3

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COLOMBIA

Standings

DPB Standings

1. Academia		3-1
2. Aguilas		3-1
3. Bucaros		3-1
4. Piratas		3-1
5. Bambuqueros		2-2
6. Once Caldas		2-2
7. Caribbean Heat		0-4
8. Halcones		0-4

Regular Season: Round 4

Feb. 26: Piratas - Halcones 95-71
Feb. 26: Bucaros - Caribbean Heat 94-85
Feb. 26: Aguilas - Once Caldas 88-92
Feb. 26: Academia - Bambuqueros 78-61

Regular Season: Round 5

Mar. 1: Caribbean Heat - Academia
Mar. 1: Halcones - Aguilas
Mar. 1: Bambuqueros - Bucaros
Mar. 1: Once Caldas - Piratas

PROFESSIONAL BASKETBALL DIVISION DAY 4 RESULTS - by Victor Garcia

Aguilas de Tunja finally fall at home against the Manizales OC in another sharp shooters clash, and was Mike Dodd 28 points the best performance of the night, Dodd made 6o f 12 three point attempts and the Manizales OC shot 41% as team beyond the line, the Aguilas answer was a 43% , Justin Garris helped with 24 points for the winners
Brandon Rayson finished with 25 points hitting 3 of 4 three pointers, Jared Corpus scored 15 points, but was the Manizales defense forcing 21 turnovers the key of the game.
Aguilas de Tunja 88 B. Rayson 25 pts, J. Corpus 15 pts
Manizales OC 92 M. Dodd 28 pts (6/12 3ptrs), J. Garris 28 pts

Bambuqueros struggled again missing to many three pointers and too many free throws, helping Academia to keep ahead in the game to get the final victory,the green team played good defense limiting Stalin Ortiz to 13 points in the game and Darrin Dorsey just to 2 points.
Academias had again the great duo of Cesar Chaves with 22 points and Norbey Aragon with 19 leading the team while Desmond Blue took control of the boards with 18 rebounds, Enielsen Guevara was the Bambuqueros main scorer with 16 points.
Bambuqueros imports Dunn, Graham and Dorsey combined for a poor 12 points in the game, the Neivas team needs more support from their American players.
Academia de la Montana 78 C. Chaves 22 pts, N. Aragon 19 pts.
Bambuqueros 61 E. Guevara 16 pts, S. Ortiz 13.

Bukaros second game again the Caribbean Heat had a similar history than the first, the yellow squad had a good start and took again the lead in the first half, but their defense fall in the third allowing the Heat to score 34 points in the quarter and take a 7 points lead to enter the last quarter, Lawrence , Brooks and Lawrence tooks the offensive load again in the fourth quarter to bring their team back, while the collective defense of Bukaros limited the Caribbean Heat to 11 points in the quarter, Phillip Brooks 30 points lead the locals in the vitory, while Patrick Culver posted 26 points and 12 rebounds for the Cartagena team.
Bukaros 94- P. Brooks 30 pts + 6 assists, G. Lawrence 21 pts.
Caribbean Heat 85- P. Culver 26 pts + 12 rebs, C. Bradford 18 pts.

Piratas collected its third victory at home defeating the Halcones del Norte 95 71, Piratas was clearly stronger than their rivals, had 6 players scoring in double digits leaded by Jamal Johnson and Edgar Moreno, while Leonard Mendez had a good permance also.
The Cucuta team keeps falling without help from his two imports Burnett and Sanders, the team needs a group of solid imports to be competitive, Eleuterio Renterio fight lonely and finished with 18 points,
Piratas 95 - J. Johnson 18 pts, E. Moreno 17
Halcones 71- E. Renteria 18, B. Burnett 13
Michael Dodd (193-G/F-86, college: Hunter)

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CROATIA

Zadar signs Dwight Thorne, ex Peristeri GS - by Eurobasket News

KK Zadar (A1) signed 25-year old American point guard Dwight Thorne (190-88, college: Colorado). He started the season at Peristeri GS Athens in Greek A1 league. In 17 games he had 10.9ppg, 2.6rpg and 2.1apg this season. The last summer Thorne played at Kiev in U.S. semi-pro league Eurobasket S.League. He was also tested by Bighorns in D-League.
The previous (10-11) season Thorne played at BG Karlsruhe (ProA) in German league. In 29 games he recorded 10.5ppg, 2.6rpg and 2.2apg.
The list of the past achievements is quite long as he was named to HS All-District 7-5A team and Class 5A Region I All-Region in 2006.
Thorne graduated from University of Colorado in 2010 and it is his third season as a professional player.

By Eurobasket Data Center (via @wofbasketball)

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CZECH REPUBLIC

Standings - NBL

NBL Stage Two Standings

Group A1
1. CEZ Nymburk		25-1
2. NH Ostrava		18-8
3. BK Pardubice		17-8
4. BK Prostejov		16-10
5. BK Decin		15-11
6. BC Kolin		14-11
Group A2
1. Levice		14-13
2. USK Praha		12-15
3. Chomutov		10-17
4. Svitavy		9-18
5. J.Hradec		8-20
6. B&W Opava		7-20
7. Usti n/Labem		7-20

Stage One Standings

Second Stage: Round 2

Feb. 27: BK Prostejov - BK Pardubice 99-86
Feb. 27: BK Decin - BC Kolin 96-91
Feb. 27: NH Ostrava - CEZ Nymburk 71-90

Feb. 27: Chomutov - B&W Opava 91-84
Feb. 27: Usti n/Labem - J.Hradec 87-91
Feb. 27: USK Praha - Levice 67-74

Second Stage: Round 3

Mar. 2: BC Kolin - NH Ostrava
Mar. 2: BK Pardubice - BK Decin

Mar. 2: Levice - Usti n/Labem
Mar. 2: B&W Opava - USK Praha
Mar. 2: Svitavy - Chomutov

Stats Leaders - NBL

Points Per Game

Jan TOMANEC
  J.Hradec
  (205-C-85)
  Avg: 19.8

1. Tomanec, J.Hradec	19.8
2. Deloach, Svitavy	18.5
3. Blazek, B&W Opava	17.8
4. Bolds, BC Kolin	17.8
5. Meno, USK Praha	17.6
6. Fields, Chomutov	17.3
7. Reese, Usti n.	17.3
8. Zabas, BK Pardubi.	16.7
9. Dufault, BK Prost.	15.7
10. Bosak, Chomutov	15.4

Rebounds Per Game

John FIELDS
  Chomutov
  (205-F-88)
  Avg: 10.2

1. Fields, Chomutov	10.2
2. Meno, USK Praha	9.5
3. Tomanec, J.Hradec	9.1
4. Muirhead, BK Pardu.	8.3
5. Nuhanovic, Levice	7.6
6. Kohout, BK Prost.	7.1
7. Reese, Usti n.	7.0
8. Wilson, NH Ostrava	7.0
9. Deloach, Svitavy	7.0
10. Simmons, Levice	6.9

Assists Per Game

Jakub SIRINA
  B&W Opava
  (185-G-87)
  Avg: 5.6

1. Sirina, B&W Opava	5.6
2. Ames, NH Ostrava	5.6
3. Deloach, Svitavy	4.6
4. Kemp, Levice	4.2
5. Glover, Chomutov	4.1
6. Pope, BK Decin	4.0
7. Sotnar, USK Praha	4.0
8. Sanders, BK Decin	3.9
9. Pavkovic, CEZ N.	3.8
10. Ciz, NH Ostrava	3.7

Steals Per Game

Showron GLOVER
  Chomutov
  (180-PG-87)
  Avg: 2.9

1. Glover, Chomutov	2.9
2. Bolds, BC Kolin	2.2
3. Sirina, B&W Opava	2.1
4. Nolen, Usti n.	2.1
5. Deloach, Svitavy	2.0
6. Ames, NH Ostrava	2.0
7. Reese, Usti n.	1.9
8. Pope, BK Decin	1.6
9. Taylor, CEZ N.	1.6
10. Sanders, BK Decin	1.5

Blocks Per Game

Andrew NAYMICK
  CEZ N.
  (209-C-85)
  Avg: 1.7

1. Naymick, CEZ N.	1.7
2. Nuhanovic, Levice	1.5
3. Simmons, Levice	1.0
4. Miklosik, B&W O.	1.0
5. Fields, Chomutov	1.0
6. Meno, USK Praha	0.9
7. Slavik, USK Praha	0.9
8. Mroz, Svitavy	0.8
9. Kohout, BK Prost.	0.8
10. Nelson, BK Pardu.	0.8

Standings - D2

1Liga Standings

1. Sparta Praha		20-2
2. Sokol H.K.		17-5
3. Loko Plzen		13-9
4. JBC Brno		13-9
5. Sokol P.		11-11
6. Liberec		11-11
7. Proton Zlin		10-12
8. Ostrava		10-12
9. Litomerice		10-12
10. Kara Trutnov		9-13
11. Nymburk B		8-14
12. Sokol V.		4-18
13. U19		2-10

Regular Season: Round 21

Feb. 22: Ostrava - Sokol V. 85-66
Feb. 24: Litomerice - Sparta Praha 78-79
Feb. 24: Proton Zlin - Sokol P. 72-61
Feb. 18: U19 - Sokol V. 67-81
Feb. 18: U19 - Sokol P. 65-80
Feb. 24: Kara Trutnov - Loko Plzen 61-92
Feb. 19: U19 - Litomerice 61-76
Feb. 22: Nymburk B - JBC Brno 59-76
Feb. 22: Liberec - Sokol H.K. 100-75

Round 19

Feb. 26: Liberec - Sokol P. 72-75

Regular Season: Round 22

Mar. 1: Loko Plzen - Liberec
Mar. 3: Sokol H.K. - Litomerice
Mar. 1: Sparta Praha - Proton Zlin
Mar. 1: Sokol P. - Ostrava
Mar. 3: Sokol V. - Nymburk B
Mar. 3: JBC Brno - Kara Trutnov

NBL Round 2 (Second Stage): CEZ Nymburk improved to 25-1 record - by Eurobasket News

There were only 2 rounds played so far and it's still very beginning of the Second Stage in NBL. The fans could enjoy quite many interesting games in the last round. The round ended with loss of the undefeated team and favorites losing the games.

The most crucial game of the last round was a loss of USK Praha (12-15) at the home court on Wednesday night. Hosts were defeated by Levice (14-13) 74-67. It ended at the same time the two-game winning streak of USK Praha. Levice dominated down low during the game scoring 52 of its points in the paint compared to USK Praha's 24. They outrebounded USK Praha 41-28 including a 12-1 advantage in offensive rebounds. Point guard Richard Grznar (189-91) orchestrated the victory by scoring 17 points. American forward Jeremy Simmons (204-89, college: Charleston, agency: Interperformances) contributed with 16 points and 7 rebounds (on 7-of-9 shooting from the field) for the winners. The former international center Stanislav Votroubek (212-81) replied with 17 points and 8 rebounds for USK Praha. Both coaches used bench players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. Levice have a solid three-game winning streak. They keep a position of Group A2 leader. USK Praha at the other side dropped to the third place with 15 games lost. Levice are looking forward to face BK Usti nad Labem (#5) at home in the next round. USK Praha will play against B&W Opava and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Very important is a road loss of third ranked BC Kolin (14-11) against fifth ranked BK Decin (15-11) on Wednesday night. Visiting BC Kolin was defeated by BK Decin in a tough game in Decin 91-96. It ended at the same time the two-game winning streak of BC Kolin. American guard Patrick Pope (183-81, college: St.Augustine) scored 26 points and 6 assists to lead the charge for the winners and Miroslav Soukup chipped in 17 points and 7 rebounds (on 8-of-9 shooting from the field) during the contest. BK Decin's coach Pavel Budinsky allowed to play the deep bench players in such tough game. American guard Demarius Bolds (190-84, college: Missouri Western, agency: I.D.S. Law) responded with 29 points and 6 rebounds. BK Decin moved-up to fourth place in Group A1. BC Kolin at the other side dropped to the sixth position with 11 games lost. BK Decin will play against BK Pardubice (#5) on the road in the next round. BC Kolin will play against the league's second-placed NH Ostrava and hopes to get back on the winning track.
An interesting game for CEZ Nymburk (25-1) which played road game in Ostrava against second-ranked NH Ostrava (18-8). First ranked CEZ Nymburk had an easy win 90-71. It ended at the same time the two-game winning streak of NH Ostrava. Radoslav Rancik notched 17 points and 7 rebounds to lead the effort. Even 19 points by Jan Stehlik did not help to save the game for NH Ostrava. Both coaches tested many bench players and allowed the starting five to rest. CEZ Nymburk have an impressive eight-game winning streak. Defending champion maintains first position in Group A1 with 25-1 record. Loser NH Ostrava keeps the second place with eight games lost. CEZ Nymburk will have a break next round, and it should allow them to practice more before next game. NH Ostrava will play against BC Kolin and hope to secure a win.
An interesting game for Levharti Chomutov (10-17) which hosted in Chomutov 4th ranked B&W Opava (7-20). Third ranked Levharti Chomutov managed to get a 7-point victory 91-84. The best player for the winners was Curtis Allen who scored 15 points, 9 rebounds and 6 assists. B&W Opava's coach Petr Czudek rotated eleven players in this game, but that didn't help. Levharti Chomutov moved-up to second place in Group A2. B&W Opava at the other side keeps the fourth position with 20 games lost. Levharti Chomutov's next round opponent will be Basketbal Svitavy (#6) on the road. B&W Opava will play against USK Praha and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
The game in Prostejov was also quite interesting. 4th ranked BK Pardubice (17-8) played at the court of sixth ranked BK Prostejov (16-10). BK Prostejov defeated BK Pardubice 99-86 on Wednesday. It ended at the same time the three-game winning streak of BK Pardubice. Ondrej Kohout orchestrated the victory with a double-double by scoring 14 points and 15 rebounds. BK Pardubice's coach Jan Slowiak let to play ten players, but that didn't help to avoid defeat in this game. BK Prostejov moved-up to third place in Group A1. Loser BK Pardubice dropped to the fifth position with eight games lost. BK Prostejov will have a break next round. BK Pardubice will play at home against BK Decin (#4) and it may be a tough game between close rivals.

In the last game of round 2
In Group A2 J.Hradec beat Usti n/Labem on the road 91-87.
The most impressive performance of 2nd round was 26 points, 10 rebounds and 4 assists by Corey Muirhead of BK Pardubice.

Group A1

NH Ostrava - CEZ Nymburk 71-90

An interesting game for CEZ Nymburk (25-1) which played road game in Ostrava against second-ranked NH Ostrava (18-8). First ranked CEZ Nymburk had an easy win 90-71. It ended at the same time the two-game winning streak of NH Ostrava. The game was mostly controlled by CEZ Nymburk. NH Ostrava managed to win fourth quarter 21-18. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. They made 20-of-25 free shots (80.0 percent) during the game. CEZ Nymburk had a 29-17 advantage in offensive rebounds. It was a great shooting night for CEZ Nymburk especially from behind the arc, where they had solid 52.6 percentage. Slovakian power forward Radoslav Rancik (207-79, college: St.Cloud St., agency: Beo Basket) notched 17 points and 7 rebounds to lead the effort and American point guard Tweety Carter (180-86, college: Baylor) supported him with 18 points and 6 assists. Four CEZ Nymburk players scored in double figures. Even 19 points by guard Jan Stehlik (184-86) did not help to save the game for NH Ostrava. American forward Austin Dufault (205-90, college: Colorado) added 11 points and 5 rebounds for the hosts. Both coaches tested many bench players and allowed the starting five to rest. CEZ Nymburk have an impressive eight-game winning streak. Defending champion maintains first position in Group A1 with 25-1 record. Loser NH Ostrava keeps the second place with eight games lost. CEZ Nymburk will have a break next round, and it should allow them to practice more before next game. NH Ostrava will play against BC Kolin and hope to secure a win.
Top scorers:
NH Ostrava: J.Stehlik 19+4reb+2ast, A.Dufault 11+5reb+1ast, M.Gniadek 10+4reb, R.Pelikan 7+3reb, J.Wilson 6+3reb, A.Ciz 6+2ast
CEZ Nymburk: T.Carter 18+2reb+6ast, R.Rancik 17+7reb+2ast, A.Naymick 13+9reb, V.Hruban 12+2reb+1ast, J.Welsch 7+2reb+5ast, R.Necas 6+2reb

BK Decin - BC Kolin 96-91

Very important is a road loss of third ranked BC Kolin (14-11) against fifth ranked BK Decin (15-11) on Wednesday night. Visiting BC Kolin was defeated by BK Decin in a tough game in Decin 91-96. It ended at the same time the two-game winning streak of BC Kolin. The hosts took control from the first minutes by winning first half. But BC Kolin won third quarter 25-23. However it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. They outrebounded BC Kolin 39-27 including 24 on the defensive glass. BK Decin shot the lights out from three nailing 12 long-distance shots on high 54.5 percentage. Their players were unselfish on offense dishing 25 assists. BC Kolin was plagued by 24 personal fouls down the stretch. American guard Patrick Pope (183-81, college: St.Augustine) scored 26 points and 6 assists to lead the charge for the winners and the former international forward Miroslav Soukup (200-82) chipped in 17 points and 7 rebounds (on 8-of-9 shooting from the field) during the contest. BK Decin's coach Pavel Budinsky allowed to play the deep bench players in such tough game. American guard Demarius Bolds (190-84, college: Missouri Western, agency: I.D.S. Law) responded with 29 points and 6 rebounds and Puerto Rican-American guard Emanuel Ubilla (188-86, college: Fair Dickinson, agency: Court Side) scored 16 points, 6 rebounds and 8 assists. Five BK Decin and four BC Kolin players scored in double figures. BK Decin moved-up to fourth place in Group A1. BC Kolin at the other side dropped to the sixth position with 11 games lost. BK Decin will play against BK Pardubice (#5) on the road in the next round. BC Kolin will play against the league's second-placed NH Ostrava and hopes to get back on the winning track.
Top scorers:
BC Kolin: D.Bolds 29+6reb+3ast, E.Ubilla 16+6reb+8ast, D.Machac 12+2reb+1ast, R.Field 10+4reb+5ast, T.Vyoral 7+2reb+1ast, D.Radulovic 6+1reb+1ast
BK Decin: P.Pope 26+4reb+6ast, M.Soukup 17+7reb+3ast, R.Landa 15+7reb+2ast, A.Alic 12+4reb+3ast, L.Stria 12+7reb+4ast, L.Sanders 8+7ast

BK Prostejov - BK Pardubice 99-86

The game in Prostejov was also quite interesting. 4th ranked BK Pardubice (17-8) played at the court of sixth ranked BK Prostejov (16-10). BK Prostejov defeated BK Pardubice 99-86 on Wednesday. It ended at the same time the three-game winning streak of BK Pardubice. The game was mostly controlled by BK Prostejov. BK Pardubice was better in third quarter 23-19. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. Forward Ondrej Kohout (204-91) orchestrated the victory with a double-double by scoring 14 points and 15 rebounds. Slovakian Dusan Pandula (196-84) contributed with 20 points and 6 assists for the winners. Canadian-Jamaican forward Corey Muirhead (197-83, college: W.Carolina) replied with a double-double by scoring 26 points, 10 rebounds and 4 assists and American center Travis Nelson (208-87, college: Minnesota St.) added 17 points and 6 rebounds in the effort for BK Pardubice. Five BK Prostejov and four BK Pardubice players scored in double figures. BK Pardubice's coach Jan Slowiak let to play ten players, but that didn't help to avoid defeat in this game. BK Prostejov moved-up to third place in Group A1. Loser BK Pardubice dropped to the fifth position with eight games lost. BK Prostejov will have a break next round. BK Pardubice will play at home against BK Decin (#4) and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
BK Pardubice: C.Muirhead 26+10reb+4ast, T.Nelson 17+6reb+1ast, P.Bohacik 13+1reb, Z.Pospisil 11+3reb+2ast, L.Kotas 7+2reb, M.Carnecky 5+2reb+2ast
BK Prostejov: J.Prasil 22+3reb+1ast, D.Pandula 20+1reb+6ast, O.Kohout 14+15reb+3ast, K.Svrdlik 14+6reb+2ast, V.Bratcenkov 11+3reb+1ast, P.Slezak 10+4ast

Group A2

Usti n/Labem - J.Hradec 87-91

There was a small surprise when seventh ranked BK Lions Hradec (8-20) beat on the road 5th ranked BK Usti nad Labem (7-20) 91-87 on Wednesday. BK Lions Hradec made 25-of-32 free shots (78.1 percent) during the game. They also forced 19 BK Usti nad Labem turnovers. BK Usti nad Labem was plagued by 24 personal fouls down the stretch. Center Jan Tomanec (205-85) orchestrated the victory by scoring 27 points and 9 rebounds (was perfect 9-for-9 from the free throw line !!!). Slovenian point guard Matej Venta (188-84) contributed with 22 points, 5 rebounds, 7 assists and 4 steals for the winners. Four BK Lions Hradec players scored in double figures. American forward Brad Reese (199-88, college: Texas Tech) replied with a double-double by scoring 21 points and 12 rebounds and American-Polish forward Robert Lewandowski (208-89, college: Texas Tech) added 14 points and 7 rebounds in the effort for BK Usti nad Labem. BK Usti nad Labem's coach tried various players' combinations and tested in total eleven players, but that didn't help to avoid defeat in this game. BK Lions Hradec maintains seventh position in Group A2 with 8-20 record. Loser BK Usti nad Labem dropped to the fourth place with 20 games lost. BK Lions Hradec will have a break next round. BK Usti nad Labem will play on the road against the league's leader Levice (#1) and will have a slim chance for a victory.
Top scorers:
Usti n/Labem: B.Reese 21+12reb+1ast, T.McFadden 14+2reb+6ast, R.Lewandowski 14+7reb+2ast, S.Licartovsky 9+1reb, R.Ptacek 9+5reb+2ast, L.Horak 7+5reb+1ast
J.Hradec: J.Tomanec 27+9reb+2ast, M.Venta 22+5reb+7ast, O.Dygryn 12+4reb+3ast, L.Kraus 11+6reb+1ast, T.Voslajer 6+6reb+1ast, M.Frohde 5+2reb+1ast

USK Praha - Levice 67-74

The most crucial game of the last round was a loss of USK Praha (12-15) at the home court on Wednesday night. Hosts were defeated by Levice (14-13) 74-67. It ended at the same time the two-game winning streak of USK Praha. Levice dominated down low during the game scoring 52 of its points in the paint compared to USK Praha's 24. They outrebounded USK Praha 41-28 including a 12-1 advantage in offensive rebounds. Point guard Richard Grznar (189-91) orchestrated the victory by scoring 17 points. American forward Jeremy Simmons (204-89, college: Charleston, agency: Interperformances) contributed with 16 points and 7 rebounds (on 7-of-9 shooting from the field) for the winners. Four Levice players scored in double figures. The former international center Stanislav Votroubek (212-81) replied with 17 points and 8 rebounds and Congolese-French forward Boris Meno (203-83, college: Davidson, agency: Two Points) added 15 points and 8 rebounds in the effort for USK Praha. Both coaches used bench players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. Levice have a solid three-game winning streak. They keep a position of Group A2 leader. USK Praha at the other side dropped to the third place with 15 games lost. Levice are looking forward to face BK Usti nad Labem (#5) at home in the next round. USK Praha will play against B&W Opava and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
USK Praha: S.Votroubek 17+8reb+2ast, B.Meno 15+8reb, V.Cvek 12+2reb+1ast, M.Sotnar 9+3reb+5ast, M.Mares 5+3reb+1ast, M.Vocetka 5
Levice: R.Grznar 17+4reb+2ast, J.Simmons 16+7reb, S.Nuhanovic 13+7reb, W.Kemp 10+1reb+7ast, T.Mrvis 7+5reb+1ast, B.Addison 6+9reb

Chomutov - B&W Opava 91-84

An interesting game for Levharti Chomutov (10-17) which hosted in Chomutov 4th ranked B&W Opava (7-20). Third ranked Levharti Chomutov managed to get a 7-point victory 91-84. Levharti Chomutov outrebounded B&W Opava 43-26 including a 32-16 advantage in defensive rebounds. 32 personal fouls committed by B&W Opava helped opponents get some easy free throw opportunities. The best player for the winners was American guard Curtis Allen (193-86, college: ORU) who scored 15 points, 9 rebounds and 6 assists. The other American import forward John Fields (205-88, college: Tennessee) chipped in a double-double by scoring 16 points and 11 rebounds (perfect from the field making all six shots). Five Levharti Chomutov players scored in double figures. The former international guard Ladislav Sokolovsky (200-77) produced 18 points and forward Jakub Blazek (203-80) added 18 points respectively for the guests. B&W Opava's coach Petr Czudek rotated eleven players in this game, but that didn't help. Levharti Chomutov moved-up to second place in Group A2. B&W Opava at the other side keeps the fourth position with 20 games lost. Levharti Chomutov's next round opponent will be Basketbal Svitavy (#6) on the road. B&W Opava will play against USK Praha and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
B&W Opava: L.Sokolovsky 18+4reb+2ast, J.Blazek 18+2reb+1ast, J.Sirina 12+4reb+3ast, P.Dokoupil 9+2reb, L.Toth 9+3reb+1ast, R.Kramny 8+9reb+1ast
Chomutov: P.Bosak 18+3reb+1ast, J.Fields 16+11reb+2ast, S.Glover 15+5reb+4ast, C.Allen 15+9reb+6ast, L.Pecka 12+10reb, A.Zampach 10+2reb

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

D-LEAGUE

Standings

D-League Standings

East Conference
1. Santa Cruz W.		22-12
2. Sioux Falls S.		21-14
3. Canton C.		20-14
4. Erie Bay H.		20-15
5. Maine RC		19-18
6. Ft.Wayne MA		16-19
7. Springfield A.		13-21
8. Iowa E.		7-28
West Conference
1. Bakersfield J.		23-10
2. Rio Grande VV		20-13
3. Austin T.		20-14
4. Tulsa 66ers		19-15
5. Texas L.		16-19
6. Los Angeles D.		14-19
7. Reno B.		13-20
8. Idaho S.		10-22

Regular Season: Round 48

Feb. 26: Springfield A. - Bakersfield J. 98-89
Feb. 26: Santa Cruz W. - Reno B. 94-90
Feb. 24: Austin T. - Iowa E. 113-102
Feb. 25: Los Angeles D. - Idaho S. 107-94
Feb. 26: Ft.Wayne MA - Erie Bay H. 104-112
Feb. 26: Tulsa 66ers - Iowa E. 102-89
Feb. 24: Reno B. - Idaho S. 102-100 OT

Regular Season: Round 49

Feb. 27: Austin T. - Sioux Falls S.
Feb. 27: Santa Cruz W. - Reno B.
Feb. 28: Canton C. - Idaho S.
Feb. 28: Austin T. - Iowa E.

Stats Leaders

Points Per Game

Justin DENTMON
  Texas L.
  (182-G-85)
  Avg: 25.8

1. Dentmon, Texas L.	25.8
2. Lamb, Tulsa 66ers	21.1
3. Mack, Maine RC	20.4
4. Harangody, Ft.Wayn.	20.1
5. Almond, Iowa E.	19.5
6. Joseph, Austin T.	19.4
7. Samuels, Reno B.	19.1
8. Howard, Ft.Wayne.	19.0
9. Kennedy, Erie B.	18.9
10. Goudelock, Rio G.	18.9

Rebounds Per Game

Luke HARANGODY
  Ft.Wayne.
  (201-F-88)
  Avg: 12.3

1. Harangody, Ft.Wayn.	12.3
2. Butch, Bakersfi.	11.0
3. Samuels, Reno B.	10.6
4. Mays, Springfield	10.6
5. Plumlee, Ft.Wayne.	10.2
6. Jackson, Austin T.	10.1
7. Onuaku, Canton C.	9.4
8. Jones, Rio G.	9.3
9. Evans, Idaho S.	9.3
10. Wright, Maine RC	9.2

Assists Per Game

Andre BARRETT
  Maine RC
  (175-PG-82)
  Avg: 7.7

1. Barrett, Maine RC	7.7
2. Russell, Reno B.	7.7
3. Mack, Maine RC	7.4
4. Wright, Iowa E.	7.0
5. Quinn, Tulsa 66ers	6.4
6. Singletary, Texas	6.2
7. Fortson, Los A.	6.2
8. Machado, Rio G.	6.1
9. Karl, Idaho S.	6.1
10. Uzoh, Springfield	5.6

Steals Per Game

Jamario MOON
  Los A.
  (203-F-80)
  Avg: 2.3

1. Moon, Los A.	2.3
2. Hannah, Santa C.	2.0
3. Holiday, Idaho S.	1.9
4. Joseph, Austin T.	1.9
5. Fortson, Los A.	1.9
6. Tyndale, Sioux F.	1.8
7. Dentmon, Texas L.	1.8
8. Greene, Los A.	1.8
9. Johnson, Rio G.	1.8
10. Downs, Maine RC	1.8

Blocks Per Game

Fabricio MELO
  Maine RC
  (212-C-90)
  Avg: 3.5

1. Melo, Maine RC	3.5
2. Jordan, Reno B.	2.5
3. Johnson, Ft.Wayne.	2.2
4. Gladness, Santa C.	2.2
5. Johnson, Santa C.	2.1
6. Orton, Tulsa 66ers	2.1
7. Eyenga, Texas L.	2.1
8. Moon, Los A.	2.1
9. Foster, Sioux F.	2.0
10. Williams, Texas L.	1.9

D-League round 48 best performance: Cameron Jones - by Eurobasket News

Guard Cameron Jones (193-G-89) put on an extraordinary performance in the last round for top-ranked Santa Cruz W., receiving a USBasket.com Player of the Week award for round 48.
The 23-year old player was the main contributor (30 points, five rebounds and two assists) to his team's victory, helping them to edge out Reno B. (#7, 13-19) 94-90. It allowed Santa Cruz W. to consolidate first place in the D-League. They would have been even better if they hadn't lost a few games earlier this season. Santa Cruz W. has a very solid 21-12 record, but they cannot be too comfortable about keeping top position. In the team's last game Jones had a remarkable 64.3% from 2-point range. He turned to be Santa Cruz W.'s top player in his first season with the team. Former Northern Arizona University star has very solid stats this year. Jones is in league's top in rebounds (8th best: 2.5rpg). Worth to mention Jones played also at Eurobasket Summer League, which helped him get the job in pro basketball.

The second best player in last round's games was 23-year old Justin Holiday (198-F-89) of Idaho S.. Holiday had a very good evening with a double-double of 31 points and 12 rebounds. Bad luck as Idaho S. lost that game 94-107 to slightly higher-ranked Los Angeles D. (#6, 14-19). Idaho S. managed to keep the same 8th spot in the standings. His team is not often considered as one of the league's best with a mere 10-22 record. Holiday is a newcomer at Idaho S., but is already one of team's top players.

Third on the list of top players last round was Jamaican forward Samardo Samuels (206-F/C-89) of Reno B. (#7). Samuels scored 26 points and grabbed nineteen rebounds (!!!). Despite Samuels' great performance Reno B. lost 90-94 to the higher-ranked Santa Cruz W. (#1, 21-12). But his team cannot count on just a single shooter as he also needs help of the other teammates. The chances of Reno B. ranking at the top of the league, however are very questionable as they have already lost 19 games, recording just thirteen victories. With bigger assistance of his teammates, Samuels could help Reno B. to bring them higher in the standings. Samuels has a great season in D-L. After 15 games, he made it on the list of the league's leaders in rebounds with 10.4rpg (4th best).

Other top performing players last week:
4. Courtney Fortson (180-PG-88) of Los Angeles D. - 22 points, 9 rebounds and 10 assists
5. Morris Almond (198-F/G-85) of Los Angeles D. - 33 points and 7 rebounds
6. Willie Reed (206-F-90) of Springfield A. - 17 points and 12 rebounds
7. Brian Butch (211-C/F-84) of Bakersfield J. - 19 points, 15 rebounds and 3 assists
8. Travis Leslie (193-G-90) of Santa Cruz W. - 17 points, 14 rebounds and 7 assists
9. Chris Quinn (188-PG-83) of Tulsa 66ers - 20 points, 3 rebounds and 6 assists

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

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EL SALVADOR

Aguilar joins Team El Salvador - by Jaime Arevalo

Former LA Laker Ronnie Aguilar (216-C-87, college: Colorado St.) agreed to participate to upcoming CentroAmerican Games, scheduled from March 3 to 17 in San Jose, Costa Rica, wearing a Team El Savador shirt. Yamil Bukele, current President of Federacion Salvadorena de Baloncesto (FESABAL) has just announced the agreement with the player, whose father is from El Salvador and mother from Honduras.
Team El Salvador has yet started training sessions under coach Ivan Barahona to prepare as best as possible CentroAmerican Games

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ESTONIA

Kristjan Kangur selected the top Estonian playing abroad in last week's games - by Eurobasket Center

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

Kristjan Kangur

#1. This week's number one is an international small forward Kristjan Kangur (201-82, currently plays in Italy). He led Montepaschi Siena to a victory over the league outsider Angelico Biella (4-16) crushing them 98-75 in the Italian SerieA in Sunday night's game. Kangur was MVP of the game. He scored 16 points and grabbed 4 rebounds in a mere 17 minutes on the court. Montepaschi Siena (14-6) is placed third in the SerieA. It's Kangur's first season with the team. This year Kangur averages: 8.6ppg, 2.8rpg, 2FGP: 56.8%(25-44), 3FGP: 44.9% in the 20 games he played so far. He is currently a member of the Estonian senior national team.

Siim-Sander Vene

#2. Second place goes to an international small forward Siim-Sander Vene (203-90, agency: Alti Sport, currently plays in Baltic League). Vene contributed to an easy victory against the third-ranked Jelgava (2-4) crushing them 109-76 in the Baltic League last Tuesday. He recorded 7 points, 9 rebounds and 3 assists. Rudupis Prienu (5-1) is placed first in group F. It was his team's third consecutive victory in a row. There are only two games left until the end of the Baltic League Top 16. So now every game will be critical. Vene's overall stats this season are: 9.1ppg, 5.7rpg, 2.1apg, 1.5spg, 2FGP: 52.4%, 3FGP: 25.6% and FT: 54.5%. He is in the roster of the Estonian senior national team.

Sten-Timmu Sokk

#3. The Estonian player who performed third best last week abroad was an international point guard Sten-Timmu Sokk (181-89, currently plays in Georgia). Sokk contributed to an easy victory against the seventh-ranked TSU (5-9) 91-72 in a derby game in the Georgian Superleague on Saturday night. He scored 8 points and added 6 assists in 24 minutes. Olimpi Tbilisi (11-2) is placed third in the Superleague. It was his team's third consecutive victory in a row. Sokk is currently third on the league's list of best passers with 5.9apg. This year his other stats are: 9.4ppg, 3.1rpg, 1.2spg, 2FGP: 44.3%, 3FGP: 35.1% and FT: 78.4% in the 13 games. Sokk has a dual citizenship: Greek and Estonian. Ex-Triobet/Dalkia player is also a member of the Estonian senior national team.

Janar Talts

#4. Power forward Janar Talts (207-83, currently plays in Italy), who plays in the Italian SerieA could not help Cimberio Varese (16-4) to beat Cantu (13-7). He scored only 4 points. The league leader Cimberio Varese was defeated 67-60 on the road by the lower-ranked Cantu (#4). Talts' overall stats this season are: 3.3ppg and 2.8rpg. He is also Estonian national team player.

Gregor Arbet

#5. International swingman Gregor Arbet (195-83, currently plays in Greece) was not able to help Kavala (5-13) in their game against PAOK (14-4) in the Greek A1. Arbet did not have that impressive stats last Sunday. He scored only 3 points and grabbed 5 rebounds in 26 minutes. Kavala lost 69-81 in Thessaloniki to the much higher-ranked (#4) PAOK. This year Arbet's overall stats are: 8.5ppg and 4.2rpg in the six games. He plays currently for the Estonian national team.

Reinar Hallik

#6. Center Reinar Hallik (208-84, currently plays in Romania) contributed to an easy victory against one of league's weakest teams Miercurea Ciuc (3-20) 92-76 in the Romanian Liga Nationala on Saturday night. Hallik scored 7 points. SCM CSU Craiova (18-5) is placed second in the Liga Nationala. It was his team's eighth consecutive victory in a row. Hallik's total stats this season are: 5.6ppg and 1.9rpg. He is an international player who is currently on the senior Estonian National Team roster.

Viljar Veski

#7. Former international center Viljar Veski (215-86, currently plays in Spain) contributed to Palma's victory against one of league's weakest teams Cafes Aitona (5-11) 76-70 in the Spanish LEB Silver (third division) in Saturday night's game. Veski scored 7 points and grabbed 7 rebounds in 15 minutes. Palma Air Europa (8-9) is placed seventh in the LEB Silver. It was his team's fourth consecutive victory in a row. There are only three games left until the end of the Regular Season. So now every game is very crucial. This year Veski's total stats are: 7.1ppg and 3.0rpg in the 16 games. He used to play for the Estonian national team three years ago.

Kent-Kaarel Vene

#8. Shooting guard Kent-Kaarel Vene (192-94, currently plays in Lithuania) contributed to an easy victory against the closely-ranked Olimpas (23-11) crushing them 94-71 in the Lithuanian NKL (second division) last Saturday. Vene recorded 11 points. Zalgiris-Sabonio krepsinio centras (21-13) is placed sixth in the NKL. The Regular Season already ended. This season Vene averages only 1.9ppg. He plays currently for the Estonian U18 national team.

Joonas Vaino

#9. U20 international power forward Joonas Vaino (204-92, currently plays in Finland) was not able to secure a victory for Namika Lahti (7-25) in their game against Loimaan Korikonkarit (25-7) in the Finnish Korisliiga. Vaino cannot count Wednesday's game as one of the best ones. He scored only 1 points in 5 minutes on the court. The bottom-ranked Namika Lahti was crushed 93-69 at home by the second-ranked Loimaan Korikonkarit. It was Namika Lahti's fourth consecutive loss in a row. Vaino has averaged so far 1.8ppg and 1.5rpg in the 32 games. He is also in the roster of the Estonian U20 national team.

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EUROBASKET SUMMER LEAGUE

Top former ESL players currently in pro basketball based on last week's performance - by Eurobasket Center

Here is the weekly review of the top performing Eurobasket Summer League players, who play currently pro basketball.

Kyndall Dykes

#1. Kyndall Dykes (190-SG-87, agency: Edge Sports, college: New Orleans, currently plays in Ukraine) led Hoverla to a victory over the closely-ranked Azovmash (21-10) 82-76 in the Ukrainian Superleague in Friday night's game. He was MVP of the game. Dykes had a double-double by scoring 17 points and getting 11 rebounds. He also added 4 blocks in 33 minutes. Hoverla Ivano-Frankivsk (18-14) is placed fifth in the Superleague. It was his team's third consecutive victory in a row. Dykes has individually a very good year with high stats. He averages: 17.4ppg, 5.1rpg, 2.4apg and 1.9spg in the 32 games he played so far. He attended previously one of camps at Eurobasket Summer League on his way to pro basketball. In 2009 Dykes went to the ESL camp in Malaga, Spain playing for Team Naples.

Kyle Lamonte

#2. Kyle Lamonte (191-G-84, college: William Carey, currently plays in Argentina), who plays in the Argentinian LigaA could not help Obras (14-24) in their last game on Wednesday. Despite his very good performance Obras was defeated 79-70 on the road by the higher-ranked Sionista (#11). Lamonte was the second best scorer with 19 points (went 8 for 8 at the free throw line). There are only four games left until the end of the Second Stage. So now every game will be critical. Lamonte has relatively good stats this season: 13.4ppg, 2.1rpg and 1.1apg. Lamonte attended previously one of camps at Eurobasket Summer League on his way to pro basketball.

Robert Holcomb Faye

#3. Robert Holcomb Faye (185-G-84, college: Radford, currently plays in Holland) led Leeuwarden to a victory over the eighth-ranked M.Magixx (12-15) 98-82 in the Dutch Eredivisie on Tuesday night. He was the best player in that game. Holcomb Faye had a double-double by scoring 20 points and making 11 passes in 39 minutes. Aris Leeuwarden (15-13) is placed fourth in the Eredivisie. It was his team's third consecutive victory in a row. Holcomb Faye is ranked first on the list of the best passers in the league with 7.8apg. This year his other stats are: 12.3ppg, 3.0rpg and 1.7spg in the 28 games he played so far. He is a former Eurobasket Summer League player, which is considered top summer league for players who want to play basketball overseas. Five years ago Holcomb Faye played at the ESL camp in Las Vegas playing for Team Brussels.

Matija Poscic

#4. Matija Poscic (204-C-85, college: De Paul, currently plays in Croatia), who plays in the Croatian A1 could not help KK Zagreb (11-4) in their last game on Saturday. Despite Poscic's very good performance the league leader KK Zagreb was defeated 84-75 on the road by the much lower-ranked Krizevci (#8). He was the second best scorer with 16 points. Poscic also added 4 rebounds and made 2 blocks. There are only three games left until the end of the Regular Season. So now every game will be critical. Poscic belongs to league's best rebounders and is ranked #6. His overall stats this season are: 8.4ppg and 6.1rpg. Poscic is a former Eurobasket Summer League player, which is considered top international summer league in the market. In 2012 he attended the ESL camp in Torino playing for Team Torino.

Jayson Granger

#5. Jayson Granger (186-G-89, currently plays in Spain), who plays in the Spanish ACB could not help Asefa Estudiantes (12-10) in their last game. Despite his good performance Asefa Estudiantes lost 78-86 on the road to the lower-ranked (#14) Cajasol. Granger recorded 12 points and added 4 passes in 24 minutes. It was Asefa Estudiantes' first loss after three consecutive victories. It's Granger's seventh season with the team. This year he has relatively solid stats: 10.2ppg, 3.0rpg and 3.3apg in the 22 games he played so far. Granger has a dual citizenship: Uruguayan and Italian. Granger played in 2010at the Eurobasket Summer League in New York for Team Budapest.

Jason Conley

#6. Jason Conley (196-G-81, agency: Warren Sports International, college: Missouri, currently plays in Finland) led LrNMKY to a victory over the closely-ranked Kouvot (16-17) 91-78 in the Finnish Korisliiga on Wednesday night. Conley was the top player that evening. He recorded a double-double by scoring 30 points and getting 12 rebounds. Lappeenranta NMKY (15-17) is placed seventh in the Korisliiga. Conley is the league's top scorer and also on the list of best rebounders (first place). He has individually a very good season with high stats. Conley averages: 23.1ppg, 9.8rpg, 2.8apg and 1.7spg. He attended last year the Eurobasket Summer League camp in Las Vegas.

Jermaine Barnes

#7. Jermaine Barnes (194-G/F-82, agency: Gamble Sports Management, college: Point, GA, currently plays in UBA) led GIE Maile Matrix to a 2-point victory over the Atlanta Titans (1-7) 103-101 in the UBA in Saturday night's game. Barnes was the top player that evening. He scored 33 points (!!!), grabbed 7 boards, handed out 7 passes and blocked 2 shots in 34 minutes. The GIE Maile Matrix has a solid 7-3 record this season. It's Barnes' first year with the team. Barnes belongs to league's top scorers (ranked #3) and also on the list of best passers (third place). He has individually a very good year with high stats. Barnes averages: 24.2ppg, 6.9rpg, 6.6apg and 2.0spg in the 10 games he played so far. Worth to mention he played also for Tokyo at the ESL in Houston in 2011.

Eric Dawson

#8. Eric Dawson (206-F-84, college: Midwestern St., currently plays in Philippines), who plays in the Filipino PBA could not help Meralco Bolts (2-3) in their last game on Wednesday. Despite Dawson's very good performance the sixth-placed Meralco Bolts were edged 88-86 in a derby game by the higher-ranked Petron Blaze (#3) in the Commissioner's Cup group. He recorded a double-double by scoring 24 points and getting 20 rebounds. Dawson also added 3 assists and 7 blocks. There are only four games left until the end of the Regular Season. So now every game will be critical. Dawson belongs to league's top scorers (ranked #3) and also on the list of best rebounders (sixth place). He has individually a very good season with high stats. Dawson averages: 23.6ppg, 15.2rpg, 1.8apg, 3.2bpg and 2.8spg. He played two years ago at the ESL in Las Vegas for Team Monaco.

Dominique Keller

#9. Dominique Keller (203-F-88, college: Illinois, currently plays in Japan), who plays in the Japanese BJ League could not help Gunma (9-27) in their last game. Despite Keller's very good performance Gunma (#10) lost 69-77 on the road to the higher-ranked (#8) Sendai 89ers in the Eastern group. He was the top scorer with 30 points. Keller also added 9 rebounds in 36 minutes; quite an impressive performance considering it's only his third season in pro basketball. It's Keller's first year with the team. Keller has individually a very good season with high stats. He averages: 16.8ppg, 7.7rpg, 1.6apg and 1.4spg in the 18 games he played so far. He attended in 2010 the ESL camp in Las Vegas.

Bilal Benn

#10. Bilal Benn (196-G/F-86, college: Niagara, currently plays in Israel) was the major contributor in an Ironi Nes-Ziona's victory against the fifth-ranked Elitzur Yavne (13-6) 113-104 in the Israeli National League (second division) in Tuesday night's game. He recorded a double-double by scoring 26 points and getting 13 rebounds. Benn also added 5 assists and 4 steals; not bad, considering it's only his third season in pro basketball. Ironi Nes-Ziona (16-3) is placed first in the National League. Benn is currently third on the list of most steals. He has individually a very good season with high stats. Benn averages: 19.1ppg, 9.3rpg, 4.3apg and 2.8spg. Worth to mention Benn played also for Team Zurich at the ESL in Las Vegas three years ago.

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FINLAND

Standings - Korisliiga

Korisliiga Standings

1. KTP		26-7
2. Nilan Bisons		25-7
3. Pyrinto		24-8
4. Kataja		23-6
5. Kauhajoki		21-12
6. Kouvot		16-17
7. LrNMKY		15-18
8. Korihait		11-22
9. Salon Vilpas		10-24
10. Lapua		9-24
11. FoKoPo		8-25
12. Namika Lahti		7-25

Regular Season: Round 34

Feb. 22: Pyrinto - LrNMKY 96-78
Feb. 22: KTP - Kataja 92-78
Feb. 23: Nilan Bisons - Korihait 89-79
Feb. 23: Kouvot - Lapua 85-83
Feb. 24: Kauhajoki - KTP 81-80
Feb. 27: Salon Vilpas - LrNMKY 80-73
Feb. 23: Salon Vilpas - FoKoPo 76-81

Regular Season: Round 35

Mar. 1: Kataja - Nilan Bisons
Mar. 1: Salon Vilpas - LrNMKY
Mar. 1: Pyrinto - Lapua
Mar. 2: Kauhajoki - Namika Lahti
Mar. 2: Kouvot - KTP
Mar. 2: FoKoPo - Korihait

Stats Leaders - Korisliiga

Points Per Game

Jason CONLEY
  LrNM.
  (196-G-81)
  Avg: 23

1. Conley, LrNM.	23.0
2. Zeno, Nilan Bisons	21.6
3. Gibson, LrNM.	21.1
4. Clavell, Kouvot	20.4
5. Haanpaa, Lapua	19.2
6. Ulmer, Pyrinto	17.8
7. Logins, LrNM.	17.8
8. Bullock, Kauhajoki	17.1
9. Burgess, FoKoPo	16.8
10. Flowers, Kataja	16.4

Rebounds Per Game

Jason CONLEY
  LrNM.
  (196-G-81)
  Avg: 10

1. Conley, LrNM.	10.0
2. McDade, Nilan B.	9.5
3. Robinson, Korihait	9.2
4. Ford, Kauhajoki	9.0
5. Thornton, FoKoPo	8.7
6. Williams, Pyrinto	8.5
7. Giles, KTP	8.5
8. Watt, Korihait	8.2
9. Johnson, Namika L.	8.0
10. Thorpe, FoKoPo	7.9

Assists Per Game

Damon WILLIAMS
  Pyrinto
  (201-F-73)
  Avg: 7.5

1. Williams, Pyrinto	7.5
2. Coleman, Lapua	5.1
3. Smith, Kataja	5.0
4. Ivey, Nilan Bisons	4.9
5. Nikkarinen, Kouvot	4.8
6. Gibson, LrNM.	4.6
7. Watson, Kauhajoki	4.4
8. Zeno, Nilan Bisons	4.4
9. Burgess, FoKoPo	4.0
10. Sarcevic, KTP	3.5

Steals Per Game

Jonte FLOWERS
  Kataja
  (196-F/G-85)
  Avg: 2.6

1. Flowers, Kataja	2.6
2. Coleman, Lapua	2.6
3. Smith, Kataja	2.5
4. Gibson, LrNM.	2.0
5. Holloway, Namika L.	1.9
6. Ulmer, Pyrinto	1.8
7. Williams, Pyrinto	1.7
8. Conley, LrNM.	1.7
9. Tolbert, Lapua	1.5
10. Barrett, KTP	1.5

Blocks Per Game

Sefton BARRETT
  KTP
  (196-SF-83)
  Avg: 1.4

1. Barrett, KTP	1.4
2. Ford, Kauhajoki	1.1
3. Ahvenniemi, Pyrinto	1.1
4. Jones, LrNM.	1.0
5. Zeno, Nilan Bisons	0.9
6. Giles, KTP	0.9
7. Dyer, Korihait	0.9
8. Ulmer, Pyrinto	0.8
9. Hampton, Lapua	0.8
10. Williams, Pyrinto	0.8

Sasu Salin selected the top Finn playing abroad in last week's games - by Eurobasket Center

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

Sasu Salin

#1. This week's number one is an international guard Sasu Salin (192-91, currently plays in Adriatic League). He led his Slovenian team Un.Olimpija to a surprising victory over the league leader Partizan (20-0) 73-71 in the Adriatic League in Saturday night's game. Salin was MVP of the game. He recorded 13 points and grabbed 4 rebounds in 38 minutes on the court. Union Olimpija Ljubljana (12-10) is placed seventh in the Adriatic League. There are only four games left until the end of the Adriatic League Regular Season. So now every game will be critical. Salin belongs to league's most steals and is ranked #4 with 1.8spg. He also averaged so far 7.2ppg, 3.4rpg, 2FGP: 41.5%, 3FGP: 33.7% and FT: 64.3% in the 21 games he played so far. Salin is currently a member of the Finnish senior national team.

Petteri Koponen

#2. Second place goes to an international point guard Petteri Koponen (194-88, currently plays in Euroleague). He contributed to an easy victory against the eighth-ranked Besiktas (0-8) crushing them 87-56 in the Euroleague last Friday. Koponen scored 8 points and added 4 passes. BC Khimky Moscow Region (5-3) is placed fourth in group F. It's Koponen's first season with the team. This year he averages: 6.3ppg, 1.8apg, 2FGP: 57.1%(20-35), 3FGP: 38.2%. Koponen is in the roster of the Finnish senior national team.

Teemu Rannikko

#3. The Finnish player who performed third best last week abroad was an experienced international point guard Teemu Rannikko (189-80, currently plays in Adriatic League) is a teammate of previously mentioned Sasu Salin and both played together in the last Adriatic League game. Rannikko was the major contributor in Un.Olimpija's shocking victory against the league leader Partizan (20-0) 73-71. He recorded 12 points in 30 minutes. This year Rannikko's overall stats are: 7.1ppg, 1.1rpg, 3.1apg, 2FGP: 63.6%(14-22), 3FGP: 34.3% and FT: 86.2% in the 21 games. He is also a member of the Finnish senior national team.

Gerald Lee

#4. Center Gerald Lee (208-87, college: ODU, currently plays in Eurocup) contributed to an easy victory against the closely-ranked Banvit BK (3-3) 66-50 in the Eurocup in Wednesday night's game. Lee scored 7 points. KK Buducnost Voli Podgorica (3-3) is placed second in group I. There are only two games left until the end of the Eurocup Top 16. So now every game is very crucial. Lee's total stats this season are: 9.3ppg and 3.5rpg. He is a naturalized American. Lee is also Finnish national team player. Strangely he has never played in Finland.

Shawn Huff

#5. International small forward Shawn Huff (198-84, college: Valparaiso, currently plays in Italy) contributed to a 2-point Vanoli Cremona's victory against the closely-ranked Sutor Montegranaro (6-14) 89-87 in the Italian SerieA last Sunday. Huff scored 8 points in 17 minutes. Vanoli Cremona (8-12) is placed 11th in the SerieA. This year Huff's total stats are: 4.1ppg and 3.4rpg in the 16 games. He plays currently for the Finnish national team.

Alex Murphy

#6. Forward Alex Murphy (203-93, currently plays college basketball in the States) contributed to an easy victory against the Virginia Tech (3-11) crushing them 88-56 in the NCAA on Thursday night. Murphy recorded 8 points. The Duke University has a very solid 11-3 conference record this season. There are only four games left until the end of the NCAA Regular Season. So now every game will be important. Murphy has averaged so far 4.1ppg and 3.4rpg. He is a naturalized American. Murphy is U20 international player who is currently on the Finnish National Team roster. Apparently he has never played in Finland.

Roope Ahonen

#7. International guard Roope Ahonen (186-90, agency: FCM, currently plays in Sweden) contributed to a Solna Vikings' victory against one of league's weakest teams White Eagles (5-25) 88-76 in the Swedish Basketligan in Tuesday night's game. Ahonen scored 9 points and added 3 assists in only 14 minutes. Solna Vikings (19-11) is placed sixth in the Basketligan. There are only three games left until the end of the Regular Season. So now every game will be extremely important. Ahonen has relatively good stats this year: 11.1ppg, 1.7rpg and 4.3apg in the 30 games. He is also Finnish national team player.

Joonas Caven

#8. Power forward Joonas Caven (211-93, currently plays in Spain) helped Prat Juventud win their game against the 13th-ranked La Palma (5-13) 68-56 in the Spanish LEB Silver (third division) last Saturday. Caven scored 10 points. CB Prat Juventud (11-6) is placed second in the LEB Silver. It was his team's fourth consecutive victory in a row. There are only three games left until the end of the Regular Season. Caven has averaged so far 7.8ppg and 2.4rpg. He plays currently for the Finnish U20 national team.

Tuukka Kotti

#9. International power forward Tuukka Kotti (205-81, college: Providence, currently plays in Italy) is a teammate of previously mentioned Shawn Huff and both played together in the last Italian SerieA game. Kotti managed to help Vanoli Cremona in a 2-point victoryagainst the closely-ranked Sutor Montegranaro (6-14) 89-87. He scored only 2 points and grabbed 4 rebounds in 6 minutes on the court. Kotti has averaged so far 5.4ppg and 5.8rpg in the 18 games. He is also in the roster of the Finnish national team.

Lauri Toivonen

#10. Forward Lauri Toivonen (201-91, currently studies in the States) helped UTPA win their game against the Chicago State University (2-4) 55-51 in the NCAA in Saturday night's game. Toivonen scored 7 points and grabbed 5 rebounds. The University of Texas-Pan American has 4-3 conference record this season. There are only two games left until the end of the NCAA Regular Season. Toivonen has averaged so far 5.4ppg and 5.8rpg. He is a former university international player as two years ago he still played for the Finnish national team.

KORISLIIGA: Marcus Relphorde scored 31 points - by Rauno Hurmalainen

Korisliiga, round 34: The last (4th) quarter of the regular season got started. Vilpas (Salo) defeated tonight YMCAS Lappeenranta 80-73 (45-38). Quarters: 24-16, 21-22, 13-14, 22-21. Marcus Relphorde (198-F-88, college: Colorado) led again Vilpas (10-24) in points. This time Relphorde scored 31 pts (1 - 4/7, 2 - 9/12, 3 - 3/6). He has played now 10 games on Vilpas roster averaging 22,8 ppg. Shawn Atupem (200-F-89, college: Mt.St.Mary's) added 15 pts. Matthew Gibson (196-G-84) led YMCA LPR (15-18) with 23 pts. Jason Conley (196-G-81, agency: Warren Sports International, college: Missouri) had a double-double 18pts/14rbs.
Vilpas - YMCA LPR 80-73 (45-38). (Marcus Relphorde 31, Shawn Atupem 15, Eero Lehtinen 14/8 - Matt Gibson 23, Jason Conley 18/14, Greg Logins 14. A: 820).

This 2012-13 season dead line to sign new players will be tomorrow, March 28. KTP (Kotka) was probably doing that in time to replace injured (ankle) F Sefton Barrett (196-SF-83, agency: Limelight Hoops, college: Cent.Michigan). The new name is 35-year-old Marcus Faison (196-G-78, college: Siena), who has seen a lot on basketball courts, but never played in Finland before. Faison has played in countries like Belgium, Germany, Spain, Ukraine, Turkey, Greece, Georgia and in Iran.
Also in Division 1 A there BC Nokia has signed with American F Nicholas Pederson (203-F-85), who started this season on Riento (Saynatsalo) roster playing 10 games and averaging 22,6 ppg - 9,3 rpg in 32,8 mpg.

Sefton Barrett claims Finnish Korisliiga weekly honour - by Eurobasket News

Canadian Sefton Barrett (196-SF-83, agency: Limelight Hoops) had a great game in the last round for league's leader KTP and that's him to receive a Eurobasket.com Player of the Week award for round 34.
The 29-year old had a double-double of 24 points and eleven rebounds, while his team beat Kataja (#4, 23-6) 92-78. The game was between two of the league's top four teams. It allowed KTP to consolidate first place in the Finnish Korisliiga. They would have been even better if they hadn't lost a few games earlier this season. KTP has a very solid 26-7 record, but they cannot be too comfortable about keeping top position. Barrett turned to be KTP's top player in his first season with the team. Sefton Barrett averages this season 16.2ppg and 5.8rpg.

The second most remarkable performance in last round's games was 23-year old Puerto Rican forward Gilberto Clavell (201-F-89, agency: KMG Sports Management) of Kouvot. Clavell impressed basketball fans with 26 points, 7 rebounds and 2 assists. It was enough for Kouvot to edge the lower-ranked Lapua (#10, 9-24) by 2 points 85-83. This victory allowed Kouvot to move up to 6th position in the standings. His team is not often considered as one of the league's best with a mere 16-17 record. Clavell is a newcomer at Kouvot and it seems he did not have too much trouble to become one of team's leaders. He belongs to the best scorers in the league with 20.4ppg (#4). He also registered 6.5 boards per game.

The third best performed player last round was American Marcus Relphorde (198-F-88) of Salon Vilpas (#9). Relphorde got into 30-points club by scoring 31 points in the last round. He went also for seven rebounds . He was a key player of Salon Vilpas, leading his team to a 80-73 win against slightly higher-ranked LrNMKY (#7, 15-18). Salon Vilpas can only dream about fighting for top spots in the league. They have rather bad season and 10-24 record places them close to the bottom of the standings. Too bad for Relphorde he does not play for a better team. But maybe if he did, his season stats would not be that high. Relphorde has a very solid season. In 9 games in Finland he scored 21.9ppg. He also has 7.6rpg and and 3PT: 43.9%.

Other top performing players last week:
4. Samuel Haanpaa (203-SG-86) of Lapua - 28 points and 12 rebounds
5. Antwine Williams (192-F-75) of KTP - 27 points, 8 rebounds and 2 assists
6. Jason Conley (196-G-81) of LrNMKY - 29 points and 8 rebounds
7. Charles Burgess (186-PG-84) of FoKoPo - 29 points, 6 rebounds and 3 assists
8. Jason Conley (196-G-81) of LrNMKY - 18 points, 14 rebounds and 3 assists
9. Lamonte Ulmer (198-SF-86) of Pyrinto - 15 points, 8 rebounds and 3 assists
10. Shawn Atupem (200-F-89) of Salon Vilpas - 15 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists

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

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FRANCE

Tony Parker's double-double lands him Player of the Week award among French playing currently abroad - by Eurobasket Center

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

Tony Parker

#1. This week's number one is an international point guard Tony Parker (188-82, currently plays in NBA). He led San Antonio Spurs to a victory over the Sacramento Kings (19-39) 108-102 in the NBA in Tuesday night's game. Parker was MVP of the game. He had a double-double by scoring 30 points and making 11 passes. Parker also added 4 rebounds and 3 steals in 35 minutes on the court. The San Antonio Spurs have a very good 45-13 record this season. It's Parker's 12th year with the team. He has individually a very good year with high stats. Parker averages: 21.1ppg, 3.1rpg, 7.6apg, 2FGP: 54.8%, 3FGP: 37.3% and FT: 83.1% in the 54 games he played so far. He is currently a member of the French senior national team.

Nicolas Batum

#2. Second place goes to an international small forward Nicolas Batum (203-88, currently plays in NBA), who plays in the NBA. Batum could not help the Portland Trail Blazers (26-30) in their last game on Friday. Despite his very good performance the Portland Trail Blazers were defeated 111-107 on the road by the Los Angeles Lakers. Batum was the top scorer with 22 points. He also added 8 boards, dished 4 assists and stole 3 balls. This season Batum has very high stats. He averages: 15.5ppg, 5.9rpg, 4.8apg, 1.1bpg, 1.3spg, 2FGP: 48.9%, 3FGP: 36.8% and FT: 85.2%. Batum is in the roster of the French senior national team.

Joakim Noah

#3. The French player who performed third best last week abroad was former international power forward Joakim Noah (211-85, college: Florida, currently plays in NBA). He contributed to a Chicago Bulls' victory against the New Orleans Hornets (20-38) 96-87 in the NBA on Tuesday night. Noah had a double-double by scoring 15 points and getting 17 rebounds. He also added 5 assists and 3 blocks in 38 minutes. The Chicago Bulls have 32-25 record this season. Noah is one of the most experienced players in a team as it's his sixth year in Bulls' roster. Noah is currently sixth on the league's list of best rebounders with 11.2rpg. This year his other stats are: 11.7ppg, 4.2apg, 2.1bpg, 1.3spg, 2FGP: 46.0% and FT: 74.4% in the 53 games. Noah is a naturalized American. He played for the French national team two years ago. Strangely Noah has never played in France.

Thomas Heurtel

#4. Guard Thomas Heurtel (188-89, currently plays in Euroleague), who plays in Spain was not able to help Caja Laboral (4-4) in their last game on Friday. Despite his very good performance the fifth-placed Caja Laboral was defeated 82-74 in Athens by the higher-ranked Olympiacos (#3) in the group F of Euroleague. Heurtel was the top scorer with 16 points. He also added 9 passes. Heurtel's overall stats this season are: 6.9ppg, 2.4rpg and 4.6apg. He used to play for the French U20 national team back in 2009.

Adrien Moerman

#5. Former international power forward Adrien Moerman (203-88, currently plays in Eurocup) helped his Spanish team Gescrap BB win their game against the third-ranked VEF Riga (3-3) 76-65 in the Eurocup last Tuesday. Moerman scored 14 points and grabbed 9 rebounds in 30 minutes. Gescrap Bizkaia Bilbao Basket (4-2) is placed first in group J. It was his team's fourth consecutive victory in a row. There are only two games left until the end of the Eurocup Top 16. So now every game will be critical. It's Moerman's first season with the team. This year his overall stats are: 5.2ppg and 3.8rpg in the 10 games. Moerman used to play for the French national team three years ago.

Joffrey Lauvergne

#6. Forward Joffrey Lauvergne (210-91, agency: Beo Basket, currently plays in Adriatic League), who plays in Serbia was not able to secure a victory for Partizan (13-9) in their last game on Saturday. Despite his very good performance Partizan was edged 73-71 at home by the lower-ranked Un.Olimpija (#7). Lauvergne recorded a double-double by scoring 17 points and getting 10 rebounds. There are only four games left until the end of the Adriatic League Regular Season. So now every game is very crucial. Lauvergne's total stats this season are: 5.3ppg and 3.3rpg. He is a former U20 international player as he played for the French team two years ago.

Boris Diaw

#7. International power forward Boris Diaw (203-82, currently plays in NBA) is a teammate of previously mentioned Tony Parker. But that was another game of his team in NBA which we would like to mention. Diaw helped San Antonio Spurs win their game against the Phoenix Suns (19-39) 97-87. He recorded 12 points, 4 rebounds and 3 assists in 21 minutes. The San Antonio Spurs have a very solid 45-13 record this season. This year Diaw's total stats are: 6.0ppg, 3.7rpg and 2.5apg in the 58 games. He is also French national team player.

Fabien Causeur

#8. Shooting guard Fabien Causeur (193-87, currently plays in Euroleague) is a teammate of previously mentioned Thomas Heurtel and both played together in the last Euroleague game. Causeur, who plays in Spain couldn't help Caja Laboral (4-4) in their last game on Friday. Despite his very good performance Caja Laboral (#5) was defeated 82-74 in Athens by the higher-ranked Olympiacos (#3) in the group F of Euroleague. Causeur was the second best scorer with 15 points. Causeur has averaged so far 6.6ppg, 1.6rpg and 1.3apg. He plays currently for the French national team.

Ian Mahinmi

#9. Former international power forward Ian Mahinmi (206-86, currently plays in NBA) helped Indiana Pacers win their game against the Detroit Pistons (22-37) 90-72 in the NBA on Saturday night. Mahinmi scored 7 points, had 10 rebounds and made 2 blocks in 28 minutes. The Indiana Pacers have a solid 36-21 record this season. It was his team's fifth consecutive victory in a row. Mahinmi has averaged so far 5.4ppg and 4.0rpg in the 57 games. He used to play for the French national team two years ago.

Nando De Colo

   #10. Shooting guard Nando De Colo (196-87, currently plays in NBA) is a teammate of previously mentioned Tony Parker. However that was another game of his team in NBA which brought him to that list. De Colo helped San Antonio Spurs win their game against the Los Angeles Clippers (41-18) crushing them 116-90. He recorded 9 points. The San Antonio Spurs have a very solid 45-13 record this season. De Colo has averaged so far 3.4ppg, 1.7rpg and 1.8apg. He is an international player who is currently on the senior French National Team roster.

   #11. Former U20 international forward Aaron Cel (203-87, currently plays in Poland) helped PGE Turow win their game against the seventh-ranked AZS Koszalin 82-77 in the Polish TBL in Thursday night's game. Cel recorded 9 points and grabbed 8 rebounds in 25 minutes. Cel belongs to league's best rebounders and is ranked #6 with 7.4rpg. He also averaged so far 11.2ppg, 1.6apg and 1.1spg in the 20 games. Cel used to play for the French U20 national team six years ago.

   #12. Former U20 international forward Amath M'Baye (206-89, currently plays college basketball in the States) helped Oklahoma win their game against the Texas Tech University 86-71 in the NCAA last Wednesday. He recorded a double-double by scoring 15 points and getting 13 rebounds. M'Baye also added 5 assists. He has relatively good stats this season: 11.2ppg, 1.6apg and 1.1spg. M'Baye used to play for the French U20 national team back in 2009.

   #13. International center Ronny Turiaf (208-83, agency: Priority Sports, college: Gonzaga, currently plays in NBA) managed to help Los Angeles Clippers in a victory against the Charlotte Bobcats crushing them 106-84 in the NBA on Tuesday night. He scored only 3 points and grabbed 7 rebounds in 17 minutes. Turiaf has averaged so far 1.9ppg and 2.4rpg in the 55 games. He is also French national team player.

   #14. Former international forward Tariq Kirksay (199-79, college: Iona, currently plays in Spain) couldn't help Asefa Estudiantes in their game against Cajasol in the Spanish ACB. Kirksay recorded 9 points and had 3 steals. His team was defeated 86-78. Kirksay is currently second on the league's list of most steals. He has very reliable stats this season: 10.2ppg, 5.6rpg, 2.3apg and 1.8spg. Kirksay is a naturalized American. He used to play for the French national team back in 2008. Kirksay played also for Mulhouse in French league.

   #15. International forward Florent Pietrus (202-81, currently plays in Eurocup) helped his Spanish team Valencia Basket win their game against the fourth-ranked CEZ Nymburk crushing them 104-55 in the Eurocup on Tuesday night. Pietrus scored only 4 points and grabbed 6 rebounds. Pietrus has averaged so far 3.8ppg and 3.8rpg. He is also in the roster of the French national team.

The list of other players, who all have French passport but never been selected to any of French national teams:

   #1. Elishay Kadir (202-PF-87, agency: Avi Zilberman, currently plays in Israel) was the major contributor in a Hapoel Jerusalem's victory against the league outsider Ironi Ashkelon (5-13) 76-66 in the Israeli Winner League last Monday. Kadir scored 12 points and grabbed 9 rebounds in 29 minutes. Hapoel Migdal Jerusalem (11-7) is placed second in the Winner League. It was his team's third consecutive victory in a row. There are only four games left until the end of the Regular Season. So now every game will be critical. Kadir has relatively good stats this year: 10.2ppg, 4.9rpg and 1.2apg in the 14 games he played so far. He has a dual citizenship: French and Israeli.

   #2. Boris Meno (203-F-83, agency: Two Points, college: Davidson, currently plays in Czech Republic) led USK Praha to a victory over the fifth-ranked BK Usti nad Labem (7-20) 77-68 in the Czech Republic NBL on Wednesday night. Meno was the best player in that game. He recorded a double-double by scoring 27 points and getting 12 rebounds. USK Praha (22-1) is placed first in Group A2. Meno is currently fifth on the list of top scorers and also on the list of best rebounders (second place). He has individually a very good season with high stats. Meno averages: 17.6ppg, 9.5rpg and 1.2apg. He is another player who holds two passports: Congolese and French.

   #3. Afik Nissim (186-PG-81, currently plays in Israel) contributed to an easy victory against the ninth-ranked Hapoel Tel-Aviv (7-11) 76-59 in the Israeli Winner League last Sunday. He scored 11 points and added 3 passes in 28 minutes. Hapoel Eilat (11-7) is placed third in the Winner League. There are only four games left until the end of the Regular Season. So now every game is very crucial. This year Nissim has relatively solid stats: 10.9ppg, 2.0rpg, 3.3apg and 1.5spg in the 18 games. He has both French and Israeli nationalities.

   #4. Kim Tillie (210-PF-88, agency: Priority Sports, college: Utah, currently plays in Spain), who plays in the Spanish ACB could not help UCAM Murcia (24-6) in their last game. Despite Tillie's good performance his team was badly defeated 79-62 at home by the lower-ranked (#3) Regal FC Barcelona. He was the second best scorer with 10 points in 22 minutes. Tillie has averaged so far 7.6ppg and 3.6rpg in the 22 games. He also holds two passports: Dutch and French.

   #5. Robert Dozier (206-F-85, college: Memphis, currently plays in Philippines) was the main contributor in an Alaska Aces' victory against the bottom-ranked Barangay Ginebra (1-4) 84-69 in the Filipino PBA last Saturday. Dozier was the best player in that game. He recorded a double-double by scoring 21 points and getting 11 rebounds. Dozier also added 4 blocks. Alaska Aces (4-0) are placed first in Commissioner's Cup group. So far his team won all four games in the Regular Season. Dozier is ranked seventh on the list of the top scorers in the league and also on the list of best rebounders (fifth place). This season he has very high stats. Dozier averages: 22.0ppg, 15.3rpg, 1.3apg, 3.5bpg and 1.5spg.

   #6. Bandja Sy (203-F, currently plays college basketball in the States) contributed to a N.Mexico St.'s victory against the The Univ.of Texas at El Paso 55-51 in the NCAA on Saturday night. He scored 10 points and grabbed 5 rebounds. This season Sy has very high stats. He averages: 22.0ppg, 15.3rpg, 1.3apg, 3.5bpg and 1.5spg. Sy has Mali and French nationalities.

   #7. Mohamed Kone (211-C-81, college: Valparaiso, currently plays in Iran), who plays in the Iranian Superleague was not able to help Foolad Mahan (15-3) in their last game. Despite his good performance Foolad Mahan lost 89-96 on their home court in Esfahan to the lower-ranked (#3) Mahram. Kone recorded 10 points and grabbed 6 rebounds in 27 minutes. Kone is currently third on the league's list of best rebounders and also on the list of best passers (sixth place). He has averaged so far 7.7ppg, 6.8rpg and 1.3apg in the six games. Kone has dual citizenship: Ivorian and French.

   #8. Mamadou Lamizana (207-F/C-81, agency: Top Notch Sports, college: Rutgers, currently plays in Taiwan) helped Yulon Luxgen win their game against the closely-ranked Bank of Taiwan 94-83 in the Taiwanese SBL last Sunday. He was the best player in that game. Lamizana recorded a double-double by scoring 38 points and getting 10 rebounds. He also added 3 assists. This season Lamizana has very high stats. He averages: 22.9ppg, 12.3rpg, 3.3apg, 2.8bpg and 1.4spg. Lamizana holds both Ivorian and French passports.

   #9. John Wilkins (206-G-89, currently studies in the States) was not able to secure a victory for the Illinois St. in their game against the University of Evansville in the NCAA. He scored 9 points and grabbed 6 rebounds. His team was badly defeated by 17 points 79-62. This season Wilkins has very high stats. He averages: 22.9ppg, 12.3rpg, 3.3apg, 2.8bpg and 1.4spg. Wilkins is a naturalized American. Apparently he has never played in France.

   #10. Roy Samaha (205-F/C-84, currently plays in Lebanon) couldn't help Al Moutahed in their game against Al Riyadi in the Lebanese Division A. Samaha scored 7 points in 21 minutes. His team was crushed by 40 points 110-70. He has averaged so far 8.0ppg and 4.9rpg in the 16 games. Samaha holds both French and Lebanese passports.

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GEORGIA

Manuchar Markoishvili selected the top Georgian playing abroad in last week's games - by Eurobasket Center

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

Manuchar Markoishvili

#1. This week's number one is an international small forward Manuchar Markoishvili (196-86, currently plays in Turkey). He led Galatasaray to a victory over the league outsider Olin Edirne (4-15) 69-59 in the Turkish TBL last Saturday. Markoishvili was MVP of the game. He recorded 21 points. Galatasaray Medical Park Istanbul (17-3) is placed second in the TBL. It was his team's fourth consecutive victory in a row. This season Markoishvili averages: 8.3ppg. He is currently a member of the Georgian senior national team.

Viktor Sanikidze

#2. Second place goes to an international small forward Viktor Sanikidze (203-86, currently plays in Italy). Sanikidze was the major contributor in a Montepaschi Siena's victory against the league outsider Angelico Biella (4-16) crushing them 98-75 in the Italian SerieA on Sunday night. He scored 14 points and grabbed 4 rebounds in a mere 15 minutes. Montepaschi Siena (14-6) is placed third in the SerieA. It's Sanikidze's first season with the team. This year Sanikidze's overall stats are: 7.4ppg, 5.9rpg, 1.2apg, 2FGP: 59.4%(41-69), 3FGP: 45.8%(11-24) and FT: 67.3% in the 20 games he played so far. He is in the roster of the Georgian senior national team.

Georgi Tsintsadze

#3. The Georgian player who performed third best last week abroad was an international point guard Georgi Tsintsadze (192-86, currently plays in Eurocup). Tsintsadze contributed to Budivelnyk's victory against the fourth-ranked Triumph Lyubertsy (2-4) 88-77 in the Eurocup in Wednesday night's game. He scored 14 points and added 6 passes. Budivelnyk Kyiv (4-2) is placed first in group I. There are only two games left until the end of the Eurocup Top 16. So now every game will be critical. Tsintsadze has relatively good stats this season: 10.3ppg, 2.7rpg, 4.0apg, 1.2spg, 2FGP: 54.9%, 3FGP: 27.8% and FT: 90.2%(37-41). He is also a member of the Georgian senior national team.

Zaza Pachulia

#4. Center Zaza Pachulia (210-84, currently plays in NBA) managed to help Atlanta Hawks in a 1-point victoryagainst the Milwaukee Bucks (27-28) 103-102 in the NBA last Saturday. Pachulia scored only 3 points and grabbed 11 rebounds in 20 minutes. The Atlanta Hawks have 32-23 record this season. It was his team's third consecutive victory in a row. This year Pachulia's total stats are: 6.0ppg, 6.6rpg and 1.4apg in the 49 games. He is also Georgian national team player.

Nikoloz Tskitishvili

#5. Former international power forward Nikoloz Tskitishvili (212-83, agency: Regeneracom Sports, currently plays in Lebanon), who plays in the Lebanese Division A could not help Champville (11-5) in their last game. Despite his good performance Champville lost 69-75 at home to the leading Sagesse. Tskitishvili had a double-double by scoring 11 points and getting the same number of rebounds. He also added 5 assists and 2 blocks in 40 minutes. They ended the series of eight consecutive victories. Tskitishvili's team will play only one more game in the Regular Season. And now that game is very crucial. Tskitishvili is ranked sixth on the list of the best rebounders in the league and also on the list of best blockers (second place). He has individually a very good year with high stats. Tskitishvili averages: 18.6ppg, 11.2rpg, 2.2apg, 2.7bpg and 1.1spg in the 11 games. He used to play for the Georgian national team two years ago.

Giorgi Shermadini

#6. Center Giorgi Shermadini (216-89, currently plays in Euroleague) contributed to Olympiacos' victory against the fifth-ranked Caja Laboral (4-4) 82-74 in the Euroleague last Friday. Shermadini scored only 3 points. Olympiacos S.F.P. Pireus (5-3) is placed third in group F. It was his team's fourth consecutive victory in a row. Shermadini has averaged so far 6.5ppg, 4.0rpg and 1.2bpg. He is an international player who is currently on the senior Georgian National Team roster.

Jacob Pullen

#7. International point guard Jacob Pullen (185-89, college: Kansas St., currently plays in Israel) contributed to a Hapoel Jerusalem's victory against the league outsider Ironi Ashkelon (5-13) 76-66 in the Israeli Winner League on Monday night. Pullen scored 7 points and added 3 passes in 23 minutes. Hapoel Migdal Jerusalem (11-7) is placed second in the Winner League. It was his team's third consecutive victory in a row. There are only four games left until the end of the Regular Season. So now every game will be important. This year Pullen has relatively solid stats: 13.0ppg, 1.5rpg, 4.1apg and 1.1spg in the 18 games. He is a naturalized American. Pullen is also Georgian national team player. Strangely he has never played in Georgia.

Corey Fisher

#8. Point guard Corey Fisher (186-88, college: Villanova, currently plays in Spain) helped FIATC Joventut win their game against one of league's weakest teams Assignia Manresa (4-18) 92-88 in the Spanish ACB last Sunday. He recorded 5 points and added 3 passes in 17 minutes. FIATC Joventut Badalona (11-11) is placed ninth in the ACB. Fisher has reliable stats this year: 12.9ppg, 2.2rpg and 2.8apg in the 21 games. He is a naturalized American. Fisher plays currently for the Georgian national team. Apparently he has never played in Georgia.

Nika Metreveli

#9. International power forward Nika Metreveli (211-91, agency: Interperformances, currently plays in Italy) helped Omegna win their game against the 17th-ranked Mazzeo San Severo (8-16) crushing them 84-57 in the Italian Nazionale A (third division) on Saturday night. Metreveli scored 14 points and grabbed 5 rebounds. Paffoni Omegna (13-9) is placed fourth in the Nazionale A. Metreveli's stats this season are: 13.6ppg, 8.3rpg and 1.3spg. He is also in the roster of the Georgian national team.

Georges Mdivani

   #10. Center Georges Mdivani (204-85, agency: Promotex, currently plays in France) helped Rueil win their game against the 13th-ranked Saint Chamond (7-13) 90-79 in the French NM1 (third division) in Saturday night's game. Mdivani scored 7 points and grabbed 14 rebounds in 22 minutes. Rueil Athletic Club (11-10) is placed ninth in the NM1. Mdivani has averaged so far 7.6ppg, 6.0rpg and 1.1apg in the 11 games. He is a former international player as eight years ago he still played for the Georgian senior national team.

The list of other players, who all have Georgian passport but never been selected to any of Georgian national teams:

   #1. Will Thomas (203-PF-86, agency: Two Points, currently plays in Turkey) led Karsiyaka to a victory against the tenth-ranked Tofas (7-12) 87-77 in the Turkish TBL in Saturday night's game. He recorded 16 points, 7 rebounds and 3 assists in 29 minutes. Pinar Karsiyaka SK Izmir (16-3) is placed third in the TBL. It was his team's seventh consecutive victory in a row. Thomas has relatively good stats this year: 11.3ppg, 4.8rpg and 1.2apg in the 19 games he played so far. He is a naturalized American. Thomas used to play for Army Sport Klub Tbilisi in Georgian league.

   #2. Guillermo Diaz (188-G-85, college: Miami, FL, currently plays in Liga Americas), who plays in Puerto Rico could not help Capitanes (2-1) in their last game on Friday. Despite Diaz's very good performance the first-placed Capitanes was defeated 96-92 on the road by the second-ranked Pioneros in the group C of Liga Americas. He was the top scorer with 18 points. Diaz also added 3 assists. The Regular Season already ended in the Liga Americas. This season Diaz has relatively solid stats: 14.0ppg, 2.3rpg, 4.3apg and 1.3spg.

   #3. Quinton Hosley (201-F/G-84, college: Fresno St., currently plays in Eurocup) managed to help Stelmet Zielona Gora to win against the leader Lokomotiv (5-1) 94-88 in the Eurocup in Wednesday night's game. Hosley scored only 4 points. Stelmet Zielona Gora (3-3) is placed third in group K. The Top 16 already ended in the Eurocup. Hosley has reliable stats this season: 12.0ppg, 4.1rpg, 3.3apg and 1.5spg. He is a naturalized American. Apparently Hosley has never played in Georgia.

   #4. Melvin Sanders (196-F/G-81, college: Oklahoma St., currently plays in Italy) contributed to a Sigma Barcellona's victory against the 13th-ranked FCM Ferentino (7-12) 79-71 in the Italian Lega2 (second division) last Sunday. Sanders scored only 1 points and grabbed 4 rebounds. Sigma Barcellona (14-5) is placed first in the Lega2. It was his team's third consecutive victory in a row. Sanders has averaged so far 9.2ppg, 5.7rpg and 1.4apg. He is a naturalized American. Interesting that Sanders has never played in Georgia.

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GERMANY

Standings - 1. Bundesliga

BBL Standings

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

Regular Season: Round 24

Feb. 23: Walter Tigers - MBC 93-80
Feb. 23: Ratiopharm - Bayreuth 88-72
Feb. 25: Brose Bask. - Neckar L'burg 88-68
Feb. 23: NY Phantoms - Art.Dragons 81-68
Feb. 23: Phoenix Hagen - Fraport SKY 78-81
Feb. 24: EWE Baskets - s.Oliver Baskets 76-65
Feb. 23: Bremerhaven - B.Muenchen 74-72
Feb. 23: LTi 46ers - TBB Trier 72-77
Feb. 24: Telekom Baskets - ALBA 60-71

Regular Season: Round 25

Mar. 2: s.Oliver Baskets - Phoenix Hagen
Mar. 2: Bayreuth - TBB Trier
Mar. 2: MBC - NY Phantoms
Mar. 2: Neckar L'burg - Ratiopharm
Mar. 2: EWE Baskets - Art.Dragons
Mar. 3: Fraport SKY - Bremerhaven
Mar. 3: Telekom Baskets - LTi 46ers
Mar. 3: B.Muenchen - Brose Bask.

Round 18

Mar. 3: Fraport SKY - ALBA

Stats Leaders - 1.Bundesliga

Points Per Game

Davin WHITE
  Phoenix .
  (186-G-81)
  Avg: 18

1. White, Phoenix	18.0
2. Bryant, Ratiopharm	16.7
3. Brooks, LTi 46ers	15.9
4. Bell, Phoenix Hagen	15.8
5. Burrell, Bremerha.	15.6
6. Peacock, Fraport	15.1
7. Thompson, ALBA	14.7
8. Turek, Neckar L.	14.1
9. Vaden, Telekom	13.9
10. Duggins, Walter T.	13.9

Rebounds Per Game

John BRYANT
  Ratiopharm
  (208-C-87)
  Avg: 10.3

1. Bryant, Ratiopharm	10.3
2. Anderson, s.Oliv.	7.2
3. Chubb, EWE Baskets	7.1
4. Robertson, Fraport	6.9
5. Ovcina, LTi 46ers	6.8
6. Burtschi, Bremerha.	6.6
7. McGhee, Bayreuth	6.5
8. Gordon, Phoenix	6.3
9. King, Art.Dragons	6.3
10. Linhart, TBB Trier	6.2

Assists Per Game

Jared JORDAN
  Telekom .
  (188-PG-84)
  Avg: 8

1. Jordan, Telekom	8.0
2. Rice, B.Muenchen	5.0
3. Hamilton, Bayreuth	4.2
4. White, Phoenix	4.1
5. Joyce, EWE Baskets	4.0
6. Redding, Walter T.	4.0
7. Burrell, Bremerha.	3.9
8. Timberlake, MBC	3.7
9. Zazai, LTi 46ers	3.5
10. Gibson, Fraport S.	3.5

Steals Per Game

Quantez ROBERTSON
  Fraport .
  (189-G-84)
  Avg: 2

1. Robertson, Fraport	2.0
2. White, Phoenix	1.9
3. Bernard, Neckar L.	1.8
4. Kramer, EWE B.	1.7
5. Linhart, TBB Trier	1.6
6. Anderson, s.Oliv.	1.6
7. Hamilton, Bayreuth	1.5
8. Burtschi, Bremerha.	1.5
9. Wood, ALBA	1.4
10. Duggins, Walter T.	1.4

Blocks Per Game

Dino GREGORY
  Phoenix .
  (200-F-89)
  Avg: 2

1. Gregory, Phoenix	2.0
2. Bryant, Ratiopharm	1.6
3. Ford, Brose Bask.	1.4
4. Pantelic, MBC	1.2
5. Homan, B.Muenchen	1.1
6. Morrison, Bremerha.	1.1
7. Wohlfarth-B., Tele.	1.1
8. Frease, Walter T.	1.0
9. Turek, Neckar L.	1.0
10. King, Art.Dragons	0.9

Stats Leaders - 2.Bundesliga

Points Per Game

Logan STUTZ
  ETB Wohnbau
  (205-F-88)
  Avg: 20

1. Stutz, ETB Wohnbau	20.0
2. Thomas, Cuxhaven	19.8
3. Nixon, NBC	18.7
4. Williams, Vechta	17.6
5. Griffin, Gotha	17.4
6. Calvin, Ehingen	16.3
7. Barker, Jena	16.3
8. Kelly, Cuxhaven	16.2
9. White, Heidelberg	16.0
10. Roessler, Karlsru.	15.7

Rebounds Per Game

Chris GADLEY
  Leipzig
  (207-C-87)
  Avg: 10.5

1. Gadley, Leipzig	10.5
2. Lawson, Chemnitz	9.5
3. Stutz, ETB Wohnbau	8.1
4. Black, Karlsruhe	8.1
5. Baker, Gotha	8.0
6. Henley, ETB W.	8.0
7. Smallwood, Kirchhe.	7.6
8. Calvin, Ehingen	7.6
9. Adomaitis, Jena	6.8
10. Moore, Crailsheim	6.7

Assists Per Game

Richard WILLIAMS
  Vechta
  (178-PG-87)
  Avg: 7.3

1. Williams, Vechta	7.3
2. Aud, Finke Baskets	6.1
3. Coleman, Crailsheim	6.0
4. Kelly, Cuxhaven	5.1
5. Cook, ETB Wohnbau	5.0
6. Smith, Gotha	4.7
7. Matthews, Ehingen	4.6
8. Jeka, Jena	4.4
9. Barker, Jena	4.3
10. Barth, Heidelberg	4.1

Steals Per Game

Richard WILLIAMS
  Vechta
  (178-PG-87)
  Avg: 3

1. Williams, Vechta	3.0
2. White, Heidelberg	2.3
3. Matthews, Ehingen	2.2
4. Johnson, Duesseld.	1.7
5. Alexander, Kirchhe.	1.7
6. Brooks, Kirchheim	1.6
7. Bynum, Chemnitz	1.5
8. Stockton, Karlsruhe	1.5
9. Lawson, Chemnitz	1.5
10. Harris, Goettingen	1.5

Blocks Per Game

Chris GADLEY
  Leipzig
  (207-C-87)
  Avg: 2.3

1. Gadley, Leipzig	2.3
2. White, Heidelberg	1.8
3. Lawson, Chemnitz	1.4
4. Flomo, Duesseldorf	1.4
5. Thompson, NBC	1.2
6. Smallwood, Kirchhe.	1.1
7. Madrich, Vechta	1.0
8. Harris, Cuxhaven	1.0
9. Menck, Karlsruhe	0.7
10. Henley, ETB W.	0.7

Perseverance and Endurance - by T.J. Bannister

These are the key components I live by everyday and theyve gotten me through all of the rough times Ive faced in life. My parents taught me this at a young age and Im very thankful that their teachings didnt go in vain. Theres a lot that I could say to this season and the experience Ive had, however I will continue to be thankful for the opportunity and remind everyone out there to keep persevering and enduring through difficult times. Any time you feel as though you cant take the stress or frustration that youve been giving for the meantime just imagine that it wont last long and someone out there has it worse than you. So I continue to remain faithful to God and remember that as long as I persevere and endure through my difficult moments things will be just fine. So whatever it is thats bothering any of you out there whether it be stress, injuries, family problems, financial problems, job problems etc. just keep persevering and enduring because tough times dont last tough people do. With that being said everyone enjoy your day and have a cheerful spirit through everything you have to persevere and endure through God bless you all

Derrick Zimmerman (ex DniproAzot) agreed terms with Neckar L'burg - by Eurobasket News

Neckar RIESEN Ludwigsburg (BBL) strengthened their roster with addition of 32-year old American guard Derrick Zimmerman (191-88kg-81, college: Mississippi State, agency: Three Eye Sports). He played at DniproAzot in Ukrainian Superleague, but left the team Feb.'13. In 30 Superleague games he recorded 9.2ppg, 5.7rpg, 5.8apg and 1.8spg this season. The last season Zimmerman played at BC Kyiv (Superleague) in Ukraine. In 33 games he averaged 13.7ppg, 5.2rpg, 5.6apg (top 3) and 1.2spg. Great season indeed as he was voted to Ukrainian Superleague All-Star Game.
The previous (10-11) season he played at Hoverla (Superleague) in Ukraine. In 60 games he averaged 10.6ppg, 4.8rpg, 4.9apg (top 3) and 1.3spg that season. He helped them to make it to the semifinals. A very good season in his career as he was voted to Eurobasket.com All-Ukrainian Superleague Honorable Mention.
In 2003 Zimmerman was drafted by Golden State Warriors (NBA) in second round (40th overall). The former Mississippi State staris in his tenth season in pro basketball.
Among other achievements Zimmerman's team won Ukrainian Superleague Regular Season in 2010. He received also All D-League Defensive Player of the Year award back in 2006.
Zimmerman is a very experienced player. He has played also professionally in Bosnia (HKK Siroki WWin), Italy (Air Avellino), NBA (Brooklyn Nets), Germany (Brose Baskets Bamberg), UBA (Columbus Cl.) and D-League (Austin Toros).
The scouts decsribe him following way: Tremendous athletic backcourt talent. Could also see some action again at the off-guard spot with improved perimeter game. Tenacious defender with quick hands.

By Eurobasket Data Center

BBL Round 24: Eisbaeren Bremerhaven beats Bayern Muenchen by two after a very close game - by Eurobasket News

The fans could enjoy quite many interesting games in the last round. The round ended with favorites losing the games and games ending by tiny margin.

The most exciting game of round 24 in the BBL took place in Bremerhaven. This derby game ended with only two-point defeat on the road of second-best Bayern Muenchen (16-8) to thirteenth ranked Eisbaeren Bremerhaven (10-13) 74-72 on Saturday evening. It was quite big embarassment for the guest team. It ended at the same time the four-game winning streak of Bayern Muenchen. The hosts trailed by 4 points after three quarters before their 12-6 charge, which allowed them to win the game. Eisbaeren Bremerhaven dominated on the defensive end, holding Bayern Muenchen to just 6 points in fourth quarter. They looked well-organized offensively handing out 23 assists. It was a good game for American point guard Stanley Burrell (190-84) who led his team to a victory with 20 points and 5 assists. The other American import forward Jacob Burtschi (198-84, college: Air Force) contributed with 15 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists for the winners. American Chevon Troutman (202-81, college: Pittsburgh, agency: Beo Basket) replied with 20 points and 6 rebounds for Bayern Muenchen. Bayern Muenchen's coach rotated ten players in this game, but that didn't help. Eisbaeren Bremerhaven moved-up to twelfth place. Bayern Muenchen at the other side keeps the second position with eight games lost. Eisbaeren Bremerhaven are looking forward to face Deutsche Bank Skyliners (#17) in Frankfurt in the next round where they are favorite. Bayern Muenchen will play at home against the league's leader Brose Bask. (#1) where they are definitely not considered as a favorite in this game either.
Important game to mention about took place in Berlin. Fifth ranked ALBA Berlin (15-7) saved a 2-point victory at home edging 8th ranked Walter Tigers (12-13) 71-69 on Wednesday evening. Worth to mention a great performance of Bosnian forward Nihad Djedovic (198-90, agency: Beo Basket) who helped to win the game recording 15 points and 5 rebounds and DaShaun Wood who added 16 points during the contest. The best for the losing side was American forward Tyrone Nash (203-88, college: Notre Dame) with 14 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists. ALBA Berlin have a solid three-game winning streak. They moved-up to third place, which they share with EWE Baskets. Walter Tigers at the other side keep the eighth position with 13 games lost. ALBA Berlin will play against Deutsche Bank Skyliners (#17) in Frankfurt in the next round which should be an easy win for them. Walter Tigers will have a break next round.
BBL top team - Brose Bask. (21-2) had no problems winning another game on Monday. This time they crushed sixteenth ranked EnBW Ludwigsburg (8-16) in Bamberg 88-68. The winners were led by Bostjan Nachbar who scored that evening 15 points and 6 rebounds. Even 14 points and 6 rebounds by John Turek did not help to save the game for EnBW Ludwigsburg. Both coaches used bench players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. Brose Bask. have an impressive 11-game winning streak. Defending champion maintains first position with 21-2 record. Loser EnBW Ludwigsburg keeps the sixteenth place with 16 games lost. They share the position with Fraport SKY. Brose Bask. will meet league's second-placed Bayern Muenchen on the road in the next round and it will be for sure the game of the week. EnBW Ludwigsburg will play against ratiopharm Ulm (#5) and hope to secure a win.
The game in Bonn was also worth to mention about. Fifth ranked ALBA Berlin (15-7) played at the court of 7th ranked Telekom Baskets (12-11). ALBA Berlin defeated Telekom Baskets 71-60. It ended at the same time the five-game winning streak of Telekom Baskets. American players dominated the game. The best player for the winners was Deon Thompson who had a double-double by scoring 21 points and 13 rebounds. ALBA Berlin have a solid three-game winning streak. They moved-up to third place, which they share with EWE Baskets. Telekom Baskets at the other side keep the seventh position with 11 games lost. ALBA Berlin's next round opponent will be Deutsche Bank Skyliners (#17) in Frankfurt which should be an easy win for them. Telekom Baskets will play at home against LTi 46ers (#18) in Giessen.
Important game to mention about took place in Hagen. Seventeenth ranked Deutsche Bank Skyliners (8-16) saved a 3-point victory on the road edging higher ranked Phoenix Hagen (11-12) 81-78 on Saturday evening. It was a good game for Dawan Robinson who led his team to a victory with 25 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists. Deutsche Bank Skyliners moved-up to sixteenth place, which they share with Neckar L'burg. Loser Phoenix Hagen dropped to the ninth position with 12 games lost. Deutsche Bank Skyliners will face higher ranked ALBA Berlin (#4) at home in the next round and they do not belong to the favorites in that game.

There were no big surprises in other games of round 24: s.Oliver Baskets was beaten by EWE Baskets on the road 76-65. NY Phantoms won against Art.Dragons on its own court 81-68. TBB Trier managed to outperform LTi 46ers in a road game 77-72. Walter Tigers managed to beat MBC at home 93-80. Bayreuth was defeated by Ratiopharm on the opponent's court 88-72.
The most impressive performance of 24th round was 21 points and 12 rebounds by John Bryant of Ratiopharm.

ALBA - Walter Tigers 71-69

Important game to mention about took place in Berlin. Fifth ranked ALBA Berlin (15-7) saved a 2-point victory at home edging 8th ranked Walter Tigers (12-13) 71-69 on Wednesday evening. It looked good early as Walter Tigers took an 1-point lead at the end of first quarter. But then ALBA Berlin had a 21-19 second period charge getting the lead and Walter Tigers were not able to take back game control losing it eventually 69-71. Worth to mention a great performance of Bosnian forward Nihad Djedovic (198-90, agency: Beo Basket) who helped to win the game recording 15 points and 5 rebounds and American point guard DaShaun Wood (185-85, college: Wright St.) who added 16 points during the contest. The best for the losing side was American forward Tyrone Nash (203-88, college: Notre Dame) with 14 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists and his fellow American import guard Vaughn Duggins (190-87, college: Wright St., agency: Pro One Sports) scored 16 points and 4 assists. Four Walter Tigers players scored in double figures. ALBA Berlin have a solid three-game winning streak. They moved-up to third place, which they share with EWE Baskets. Walter Tigers at the other side keep the eighth position with 13 games lost. ALBA Berlin will play against Deutsche Bank Skyliners (#17) in Frankfurt in the next round which should be an easy win for them. Walter Tigers will have a break next round.
Top scorers:
Walter Tigers: V.Duggins 16+1reb+4ast, T.Nash 14+5reb+4ast, K.Frease 11+9reb+1ast, R.Redding 10+3reb+4ast, C.Wells 7+1ast, J.Lischka 7+6reb+2ast
ALBA: D.Wood 16+4reb+2ast, N.Djedovic 15+5reb+3ast, D.Thompson 11+6reb, D.Byars 8+3reb+1ast, Y.Idbihi 8+4reb+2ast, Z.Morley 6+7reb+3ast

Brose Bask. - Neckar L'burg 88-68

BBL top team - Brose Bask. (21-2) had no problems winning another game on Monday. This time they crushed sixteenth ranked EnBW Ludwigsburg (8-16) in Bamberg 88-68. The game was mostly controlled by Brose Bask.. EnBW Ludwigsburg managed to win third quarter 26-21. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. They dominated on the defensive end, holding EnBW Ludwigsburg to just 6 points in second quarter. Brose Bask. made 21-of-27 free shots (77.8 percent) during the game. The winners were led by Slovenian Bostjan Nachbar (207-80) who scored that evening 15 points and 6 rebounds and American-FYR Macedonian forward Jeremiah Massey (202-82, college: Kansas St.) supported him with 14 points and 6 rebounds. Even 14 points and 6 rebounds by American power forward John Turek (206-83, college: Nebraska) did not help to save the game for EnBW Ludwigsburg. His fellow American import guard Wayne Bernard (190-81, college: Davidson, agency: Interperformances) added 14 points. Five Brose Bask. and four EnBW Ludwigsburg players scored in double figures. Both coaches used bench players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. Brose Bask. have an impressive 11-game winning streak. Defending champion maintains first position with 21-2 record. Loser EnBW Ludwigsburg keeps the sixteenth place with 16 games lost. They share the position with Fraport SKY. Brose Bask. will meet league's second-placed Bayern Muenchen on the road in the next round and it will be for sure the game of the week. EnBW Ludwigsburg will play against ratiopharm Ulm (#5) and hope to secure a win.
Top scorers:
Neckar L'burg: J.Turek 14+6reb, D.Jackson 14+1ast, W.Bernard 14+2reb+1ast, E.Coleman 12+4reb+1ast, L.Staiger 5+2ast, M.Weber 4+1reb
Brose Bask.: S.Ford 15+1reb+2ast, B.Nachbar 15+6reb+2ast, A.Gavel 15+1reb+1ast, J.Massey 14+6reb+2ast, M.Walsh 10+5reb+5ast, C.Jacobsen 8+5reb+3ast

EWE Baskets - s.Oliver Baskets 76-65

No shocking result in a game when fourth ranked EWE Baskets (15-7) beat 11th ranked s Oliver Baskets (11-13) in Oldenburg 76-65 on Sunday. The hosts trailed by 4 points after first quarter, but they stormed back to get the 12-point lead at the halftime and eventually won the game 76-65. EWE Baskets made 18-of-21 free shots (85.7 percent) during the game. American players dominated also this game. It was a good game for forward Ronnie Burrell (204-83, college: NC-Greensboro, agency: Pro One Sports) who led his team to a victory with 15 points and 8 rebounds. Guard Chris Kramer (191-88, college: Purdue) contributed with 13 points and 4 assists for the winners. Dwayne Anderson (198-86, college: Villanova) replied with 15 points and guard Frank Robinson (193-84, college: CS Fullerton) added 11 points in the effort for s Oliver Baskets. Both coaches tested many bench players and allowed the starting five to rest. EWE Baskets moved-up to third place, which they share with ALBA. Loser s Oliver Baskets keep the eleventh position with 13 games lost. EWE Baskets will face Artland Dragons (#6) in Quakenbrueck in the next round. s Oliver Baskets will play at home against Phoenix Hagen (#10) and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
s.Oliver Baskets: D.Anderson 15+4reb, F.Robinson 11+4reb, J.Boone 11+3reb, O.Clay 7+6reb+2ast, C.McNaughton 6, L.McIntosh 5+1reb+3ast
EWE Baskets: R.Burrell 15+8reb+2ast, J.Jenkins 14+1reb+1ast, C.Kramer 13+4reb+4ast, R.Paulding 10+1reb, K.Wysocki 9+2ast, R.Smeulders 7+3reb+1ast

NY Phantoms - Art.Dragons 81-68

There was an upset when higher ranked Artland Dragons (13-11) lost to fifteenth ranked New Yorker Phantoms (10-14) in Braunschweig 68-81 on Saturday. The game was mostly controlled by New Yorker Phantoms. Artland Dragons was better in second period 18-15. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. It was a good game for Cameroonian forward Harding NaNa (203-81, college: Delaware) who led his team to a victory with 19 points. American guard Immanuel McElroy (193-80, college: Cincinnati) contributed with 15 points for the winners. Five New Yorker Phantoms players scored in double figures. New Yorker Phantoms' coach Kostas Flevarakis used an eleven-player rotation and allowed the starting five to rest. American forward Bradley Buckman (203-84, college: Texas) replied with 6 points and 14 rebounds and Serbian center Petar Popovic (211-79) added 18 points in the effort for Artland Dragons. New Yorker Phantoms have a solid four-game winning streak. They moved-up to thirteenth place, which they share with Bayreuth. Loser Artland Dragons keep the sixth position with 11 games lost. New Yorker Phantoms will face Mitteldeutscher BC (#15) in Weissenfels in the next round.
Top scorers:
Art.Dragons: P.Popovic 18+1reb+1ast, M.Haynes 15+3ast, S.Kerusch 10+2reb+1ast, D.Mallet 7+2reb+5ast, J.Strasser 7+1reb+2ast, B.Buckman 6+14reb
NY Phantoms: H.NaNa 19+3reb+1ast, I.McElroy 15+4reb+3ast, N.Mittmann 12+3reb+3ast, J.Anderson 11+2reb+2ast, D.Schroeder 10+3reb+4ast, N.Schneiders 7+3reb

Telekom Baskets - ALBA 60-71

The game in Bonn was also worth to mention about. Fifth ranked ALBA Berlin (15-7) played at the court of 7th ranked Telekom Baskets (12-11). ALBA Berlin defeated Telekom Baskets 71-60. It ended at the same time the five-game winning streak of Telekom Baskets. The game was mostly controlled by ALBA Berlin. Telekom Baskets was better in third quarter 14-10. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. American players dominated the game. The best player for the winners was forward Deon Thompson (203-88, college: N.Carolina) who had a double-double by scoring 21 points and 13 rebounds. point guard DaShaun Wood (185-85, college: Wright St.) chipped in 16 points. At the other side the best for losing team was swingman Robert Vaden (196-85, college: UAB) who recorded 18 points and point guard Jared Jordan (188-84, college: Marist) added 11 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists respectively. ALBA Berlin have a solid three-game winning streak. They moved-up to third place, which they share with EWE Baskets. Telekom Baskets at the other side keep the seventh position with 11 games lost. ALBA Berlin's next round opponent will be Deutsche Bank Skyliners (#17) in Frankfurt which should be an easy win for them. Telekom Baskets will play at home against LTi 46ers (#18) in Giessen.
Top scorers:
Telekom Baskets: R.Vaden 18+3reb+1ast, J.Jordan 11+5reb+4ast, C.Ensminger 9+5reb+1ast, J.McLean 7+6reb+2ast, K.Weems 6+1ast, D.McCray 5+3reb+1ast
ALBA: D.Thompson 21+13reb+2ast, D.Wood 16+2reb+2ast, D.Byars 7+1reb+1ast, Z.Morley 6+10reb+1ast, Y.Idbihi 6+2reb, J.Foster 6+2reb+2ast

Bremerhaven - B.Muenchen 74-72

The most exciting game of round 24 in the BBL took place in Bremerhaven. This derby game ended with only two-point defeat on the road of second-best Bayern Muenchen (16-8) to thirteenth ranked Eisbaeren Bremerhaven (10-13) 74-72 on Saturday evening. It was quite big embarassment for the guest team. It ended at the same time the four-game winning streak of Bayern Muenchen. The hosts trailed by 4 points after three quarters before their 12-6 charge, which allowed them to win the game. Eisbaeren Bremerhaven dominated on the defensive end, holding Bayern Muenchen to just 6 points in fourth quarter. They looked well-organized offensively handing out 23 assists. It was a good game for American point guard Stanley Burrell (190-84) who led his team to a victory with 20 points and 5 assists. The other American import forward Jacob Burtschi (198-84, college: Air Force) contributed with 15 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists for the winners. Four Eisbaeren Bremerhaven players scored in double figures. American Chevon Troutman (202-81, college: Pittsburgh, agency: Beo Basket) replied with 20 points and 6 rebounds and American-Bulgarian center Jared Homan (206-83, college: Iowa St.) added 10 points and 10 rebounds in the effort for Bayern Muenchen. Bayern Muenchen's coach rotated ten players in this game, but that didn't help. Eisbaeren Bremerhaven moved-up to twelfth place. Bayern Muenchen at the other side keeps the second position with eight games lost. Eisbaeren Bremerhaven are looking forward to face Deutsche Bank Skyliners (#17) in Frankfurt in the next round where they are favorite. Bayern Muenchen will play at home against the league's leader Brose Bask. (#1) where they are definitely not considered as a favorite in this game either.
Top scorers:
B.Muenchen: C.Troutman 20+6reb, R.Benzing 13+6reb+1ast, J.Homan 10+10reb, T.Rice 9+1reb+6ast, J.Jagla 5+5reb+1ast, D.Greene 5+1reb
Bremerhaven: S.Burrell 20+3reb+5ast, J.Burtschi 15+6reb+5ast, S.Jackson 11+2reb+4ast, K.Waleskowski 10+5reb+2ast, A.Harris 6+3reb+1ast, S.Morrison 6+5reb+1ast

LTi 46ers - TBB Trier 72-77

Very predictable result when eleventh ranked TBB Trier (11-12) won against bottom-ranked LTi 46ers (4-19) in Giessen 77-72 on Saturday. LTi 46ers were tied after three quarters but could not keep up in the last quarter eventually losing the game. TBB Trier made 19-of-23 free shots (82.6 percent) during the game. It was a good game for American forward Nate Linhart (201-86, college: Akron) who led his team to a victory with 17 points and 9 rebounds (went 7 for 7 at the free throw line). The other American import Barry Stewart (191-88, college: Mississippi St.) contributed with 20 points for the winners. Linhart is a former Eurobasket Summer League player, which is considered top international summer league in the market. TBB Trier's coach Henrik Roedl used a ten-player rotation in such tough game. Bosnian power forward Elvir Ovcina (212-76, college: Syracuse, agency: Interperformances) replied with a double-double by scoring 17 points, 12 rebounds and 5 assists and American guard Morris Curry (178-87, college: Providence) added 15 points in the effort for LTi 46ers. Both teams had four players each who scored in double figures. TBB Trier moved-up to ninth place, which they share with Phoenix Hagen. LTi 46ers lost ninth consecutive game. They stay at the bottom position with 19 games lost. TBB Trier will face BBC Bayreuth (#14) on the road in the next round where they are favorite. LTi 46ers will play against Telekom Baskets (#7) in Bonn.
Top scorers:
LTi 46ers: E.Ovcina 17+12reb+5ast, M.Curry 15+4reb+3ast, A.Buechert 14+3reb, O.Fassler 10+1reb+1ast, D.Spohr 10, A.Zazai 6+3reb+8ast
TBB Trier: B.Stewart 20+4reb+2ast, N.Linhart 17+9reb+1ast, B.Doreth 11+3ast, B.Harper 11+4reb+1ast, J.Bucknor 6+3reb, A.Seiferth 4+11reb

Walter Tigers - MBC 93-80

Not a big story in a game when 14th ranked Mitteldeutscher BC (9-15) lost to eighth ranked Walter Tigers (12-13) in Tuebingen 80-93 on Saturday. The game was mostly controlled by Walter Tigers. Mitteldeutscher BC was better in third quarter 25-23. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. Walter Tigers made 20-of-26 free shots (76.9 percent) during the game. Walter Tigers outrebounded Mitteldeutscher BC 36-23 including a 27-16 advantage in defensive rebounds. American players dominated also this game. It was a good game for guard Vaughn Duggins (190-87, college: Wright St., agency: Pro One Sports) who led his team to a victory with 20 points and 6 assists. Reggie Redding (196-88, college: Villanova) contributed with 19 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists for the winners. Five Walter Tigers players scored in double figures. Forward Devin Uskoski (201-85, college: Rocky Mountain) replied with 21 points and 6 rebounds and forward Kelly Beidler (199-88, college: Mt.St.Mary's) added 8 points and 7 rebounds in the effort for Mitteldeutscher BC. Mitteldeutscher BC's coach tested ten players, but that didn't help to avoid defeat in this game. Walter Tigers maintains eighth position with 12-13 record. Mitteldeutscher BC lost third consecutive game. Newly promoted team dropped to the fifteenth place with 15 games lost. Walter Tigers will have a break next round. Mitteldeutscher BC will play at home against New Yorker Phantoms (#13) in Braunschweig and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
MBC: D.Uskoski 21+6reb+3ast, H.Vilhjalmsson 15+1ast, C.Timberlake 10+2reb+2ast, K.Beidler 8+7reb+3ast, S.Wachalski 8+2reb, S.Leutloff 8+2reb+1ast
Walter Tigers: V.Duggins 20+3reb+6ast, R.Redding 19+5reb+4ast, J.Young 14+4reb+1ast, J.Lischka 13+8reb+2ast, K.Frease 12+5reb+1ast, T.Nash 11+7reb+1ast

Ratiopharm - Bayreuth 88-72

Everything went according to plan when fourth ranked ratiopharm Ulm (15-8) defeated at home 12th ranked BBC Bayreuth (10-14) 88-72 on Saturday. The game was mostly controlled by ratiopharm Ulm. BBC Bayreuth was better in fourth quarter 23-22. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. ratiopharm Ulm made 20-of-25 free shots (80.0 percent) during the game. They looked well-organized offensively handing out 21 assists. BBC Bayreuth was plagued by 24 personal fouls down the stretch. It was a good game for American center John Bryant (208-87, college: Santa Clara) who led his team to a victory with a double-double by scoring 21 points and 12 rebounds. The other American import guard Allan Ray (188-84, college: Villanova) contributed with 13 points for the winners. American-Jamaican Bryan Bailey (185-80, college: Bucknell) replied with 15 points and 5 rebounds and Italian-American forward Joe Trapani (203-88, college: Boston Coll.) added 9 points and 13 rebounds in the effort for BBC Bayreuth. Both coaches tested many bench players and allowed the starting five to rest. Despite that victory ratiopharm Ulm went down to fifth position due to points difference. Loser BBC Bayreuth dropped to the thirteenth place with 14 games lost. ratiopharm Ulm will face EnBW Ludwigsburg (#16) on the road in the next round which should be an easy win for them. BBC Bayreuth will play against TBB Trier.
Top scorers:
Bayreuth: B.Bailey 15+5reb+3ast, N.Simon 15+2reb+1ast, S.Schmitz 13+2reb+2ast, J.Trapani 9+13reb, G.McGhee 8+11reb, B.Wyrick 5+3reb+1ast
Ratiopharm: J.Bryant 21+12reb+3ast, S.Esterkamp 13+1ast, A.Ray 13+3reb+3ast, K.Nankivil 9+6reb+2ast, P.Schwethelm 9+1reb+1ast, D.Theis 7+5reb

Phoenix Hagen - Fraport SKY 78-81

Important game to mention about took place in Hagen. Seventeenth ranked Deutsche Bank Skyliners (8-16) saved a 3-point victory on the road edging higher ranked Phoenix Hagen (11-12) 81-78 on Saturday evening. The guests took control from the first minutes by winning the initial quarter 23-15. But Phoenix Hagen won second period 22-17. However it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. The game was decided in the last minutes when Deutsche Bank Skyliners won last quarter 19-17. It was a good game for American guard Dawan Robinson (189-82, college: Rhode Island) who led his team to a victory with 25 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists. Danilo Barthel (207-91) contributed with 11 points and 7 rebounds for the winners. American guard Davin White (186-81, college: CS Northridge) replied with 16 points, 5 assists and 5 steals and his fellow American import forward Larry Gordon (196-87, college: Cal Poly Pomona) added 14 points and 6 rebounds in the effort for Phoenix Hagen. Four Deutsche Bank Skyliners and five Phoenix Hagen players scored in double figures. Deutsche Bank Skyliners moved-up to sixteenth place, which they share with Neckar L'burg. Loser Phoenix Hagen dropped to the ninth position with 12 games lost. Deutsche Bank Skyliners will face higher ranked ALBA Berlin (#4) at home in the next round and they do not belong to the favorites in that game.
Top scorers:
Phoenix Hagen: D.White 16+3reb+5ast, A.Hess 16+3reb, L.Gordon 14+6reb+3ast, D.Bell 11+2reb+2ast, M.Dorris 10+2reb+1ast, A.Lodwick 5+3reb+2ast
Fraport SKY: D.Robinson 25+5reb+4ast, R.Brooks 14+2reb, L.Prowell 13+4reb+1ast, D.Barthel 11+7reb+1ast, Q.Robertson 10+4reb+2ast, Z.Peacock 8+7reb+1ast

Alex Renfroe To Join Bamberg - by Miles Schmidt-Scheuber

According to Chema de Lucas, Alex Renfroe (191-PG-86, college: Belmont) will join 5 time Beko BBL champion Brose Baskets Bamberg. Renfroe is a 26 yera old 191cm guard from Hermitage, Tennesse that is playing his fourth professional season. He played this season for Blancos de Rueda Valladolid (Spain-ACB) where he played 22 games averaging 10,3ppg, 4,1rpg, 4,5apg. He started his basketball career for Trevecca Nazarene (NAIA) in 2005. He then played for Belmont (NCAA) from 2006-2009 and in his senior year he played : 33 games: 16.2ppg, 7.2rpg, 5.1apg, 2.1spg, FGP: 54.8%, 3Pts: 37.2%, FT: 67.3%. In 2009-2010, he turned professional playing for VEF Riga (Latvia-LBL, starting five): Latvian League: 22 games: 14.0ppg, Reb-3 (6.1rpg), Assists-1 (5.7apg), Steals-2 (2.1spg), FGP: 57.7%, 3PT: 27.1%, FT: 63.4%; Baltic League: 21 games: 14.7ppg, Reb-5 (7.1rpg), Assists-1 (7.2apg), Steals-3 (2.1spg), FGP: 53.4%, 3PT: 32.8%, FT: 65.6%; EuroChallenge: 6 games: 20.2ppg, 6.3rpg, 9.8apg, 2.7spg, FGP: 54.4%, 3PT: 48.3%, FT: 81.0%; VTB United League: 6 games: Score-5 (15.2ppg), 4.2rpg, Assists-1 (4.7apg), 1.7spg, FGP: 57.4%, 3PT: 41.7%, FT: 87.5%. In 2010-2011, he played for KK Zagreb Croatia Osiguranje (Croatia-A1, starting five): EuroCup Qualifying Round: 2 games: 12.5ppg, 3.0rpg, 1.5apg, 2.0spg; Adriatic League: 25 games: 9.2ppg, 4.6rpg, 3.8apg, 1.8spg, FGP: 60.6%, 3PT: 40.8%, FT: 61.2%; EuroChallenge: 6 games: 11.0ppg, 4.3rpg, 3.5apg, 2.3spg, FGP: 76.5%, 3PT: 50.0%, FT: 50.0%; Croatian League: 14 games: 11.0ppg, 5.2rpg, 3.7apg, Steals-1 (2.4spg), FGP-2 (72.1%), 3PT: 45.5%, FT: 70.8%. Last season he played for Enel Brindisi (Italy-Lega2, starting five): 38 games: 12.5ppg, 5.8rpg, Assists-4 (3.6apg), 1.9spg, FGP: 56.7%, 3PT: 29.5%, FT: 72.3%.

Augie Johnston: Firepower, leadership and hard work - by Moritz Korff

Widely known for their defensive abilities throughout this current season, 2. Bundesliga Pro B team SC Rist Wedel put on a shooting clinic on Saturday, roaring to a 128-115 home win over Citybasket Recklinghausen. And Augie Johnston (185-G-86, college: CS Monterey) was the man who put it all in action. The 26-year-old guard from Atascadero, California, lit it up from deep, hitting 8-of-11 from the three-point land and tallied a new Pro B career high 40 points, which resulted not only in the 14th win of the season but also in Pro B Player of the Week honors. "It was a big win for us since we are fighting hard for second place. It was a fun game to be a part of. I don't think I've ever played in such a high scoring game before. As a team we had no plans to play that way before the game and we usually are a good half court team and focus on that, but it was just one of those nights where we were making everything, so we just ran with it and it worked out nice for us", Johnston told Eurobasket.com.

He had nailed five triples in a game on three occasions earlier this season. By sinking eight he tied the 2012-13 Pro B record of Dorsten's John Cadmus: "In the first half I was able to run off some screens and knock down some threes and get to the free throw line. In the second half they started pressing and my teammates found me open and I continued to make my shots." No other player in the league is as consistent when it comes to scoring from beyond the arc. Last season Johnston shot a solid 40.1% - which secured him a spot amongst the top shooters in the league. In his second year with SC Rist there is no way to deny it: Augie is above all other. He took a total of 134 shots from long range (6th most in the Pro B) so far and buried 69 of them, ergo 51.5%.
"I think the fact that I am playing the 2 is why my shooting percentage has gone up. I am good at using screens and this season I run off a lot more of them than I did last season." Converting half of his attempts from outside isn't a first by the way. In his senior-season at Cal State Monterey Bay (NCAA Division 2) Johnston, who is regularly being praised for his hard work and leadership skills by current and former coaches, hit 67-of-134 for the Otters.

Looking back at Rist's record breaking win over Recklinghausen, Johnston doubts that a lack of defensive pressure caused the total of 243 scored in a 40 minute game: "I don't know if that was the main reason for such a high scoring game in this case. Recklinghausen has pretty much all shooters expect for their 4 man Franklin. He would get the ball at the beginning of the possession and play 1 on 1 75% of the time which resulted in a quick shot. We just stayed home with the shooters and decided to limit them and make Franklin work for his points. It turns out he's a good 1 on 1 player and was able to score in these situations which ran the score up. Also, the first half was pretty fast paced and in the second half they pressed us the whole time which turned the tempo of the game up even higher."

By sinking the Recklinghausen team, SC Rist reeled in their second straight win, holding on to their second place in the Pro B North standings. While a three game losing streak in late January and early February seemed to have derailed them somehow, the Risters went back to winning ways leaving no margin of doubt: Last week they would knock off league leader Schwelm in a resounding overtime road win and continued to hit the headlines by putting in 128 points versus Citybasket. Reflecting on the losing streak Johnston said that no stone was left unturned to end the drought: "It created some stress on the team of course, but after every loss we would just look at the next game. We spent those few weeks trying to figure out what was wrong with us and to be honest we talked about so many things, but we realized that so many of those things are not easy to control. We looked at what we could control and instantly change and once we did that we beat Schwelm and I think we are on the right path now."

A path that hardly anyone had foreseen only some months ago, when Rist went through a shaky pre-season which forced the team to adapt to a new coach and which included late player movement and a series of injuries: "I think we have done a good job this season taking it one game at a time", Johnston, the Rist team captain, said and added: "Our coach [Sebastian Gleim ] does a great job preparing us every single week for our opponents and we always enter each game with a clear plan. Also, we have a complete team that plays team basketball. We have scoring point guards, passing point guards, shooters, athletic posts, shooting posts, defensive players, etc. Everyone plays together and there is no selfish players on this team at all."

Ismet Akpinar (190-PG-95, agency: Beo Basket) is one of those players. The 17-year-old guard is considered one of the finest hopefuls in German basketball and recently agreed on a four year deal with ALBA Berlin, starting in the summer. Johnston who has played alongside Akpinar since 2011 says: "It was a great decision that he made. ALBA will work hard to develop Ismet's game into a first league player and I already know that Ismet will work hard there and improve every year."

But prior to moving to Berlin, Akpinar and Johnston will have some more mutual minutes in the yellow jersey. The Rist team clinched a playoff berth already some weeks ago and has two games left to play in the regular season, taking on Herten and Hannover. "My main focus is winning the game [against Herten]", Johnston stresses. And though taking it one game at a time, he permits himself to take just a little glimpse on what might be crucial in the playoffs: "I think that defense is going to be very important. If we can play team defense and limit our opponents to one shot per possession then we have a good chance to go deep in the playoffs. When we play with passion and emotion I feel like we are the best team in the Pro B."

Last year SC Rist dropped out of the playoffs in the first round following a hard fought series against the Giants Noerdlingen. "I have some unfinished business in the Pro B", Johnston, who is averaging 20.0 points, 2.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.0 steal this season, stated in an interview with Eurobasket.com back then. Mission accomplished? "No way, not yet. But I do think about that quote often and I hope I can say that I accomplished my mission with a championship", he said. Looking at potential future missions he added: "Right now I'm just focusing on winning the next two games but I definitely am interested in moving up to the Pro A."

Dirk Nowitzki's double-double lands him Player of the Week award among Germans playing currently abroad - by Eurobasket Center

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

Dirk Nowitzki

#1. This week's number one is an experienced former international forward Dirk Nowitzki (213-78, currently plays in NBA), who plays in the NBA. He could not help the Dallas Mavericks (25-31) in their last game. Despite Nowitzki's very good performance the Dallas Mavericks lost 99-103 on the road to the Los Angeles Lakers. He had a double-double by scoring 30 points and getting 13 rebounds. Nowitzki also added and 3 steals in 39 minutes on the court. It's Nowitzki's 15th season with the team. He has individually a very good year with high stats. Nowitzki averages: 16.2ppg, 6.7rpg, 2.6apg, 2FGP: 44.1%, 3FGP: 42.9% and FT: 81.9% in the 27 games he played so far. He played for the German senior national team two years ago.

Elias Harris

#2. Second place goes to an international forward Elias Harris (203-89, currently plays college basketball in the States). He led Gonzaga to an easy victory against the Santa Clara University (8-6) crushing them 85-42 in the NCAA on Wednesday night. Harris scored 17 points and grabbed 9 rebounds in 23 minutes. The Gonzaga University has quite an impressive 14-0 conference record this season. So far his team won all fourteen games in the conference. There are only two games left until the end of the NCAA Regular Season. So now every game will be critical. Harris is one of the most experienced players in a team as it's his fourth year in Gonzaga's roster. He has relatively good stats this season: 13.9ppg, 5.6rpg, 2.7apg, 2FGP: 43.6%, 3FGP: 38.5% and FT: 67.5% in the 34 games. Harris is in the roster of the German senior national team.

Christian Standhardinger

#3. The German player who performed third best last week abroad was former U20 international forward Christian Standhardinger (203-89, currently studies in the States). He led Hawaii to an easy victory against the Northern Arizona University (7-9) crushing them 84-50 in the NCAA in Saturday night's game. Standhardinger scored 21 points and grabbed 9 rebounds. The University of Hawaii has 8-6 conference record this season. There are only three games left until the end of the NCAA Regular Season. So now every game is very crucial. This season Standhardinger has relatively solid stats: 13.9ppg, 5.6rpg, 2.7apg, 2FGP: 43.6%, 3FGP: 38.5% and FT: 67.5%. He has a dual citizenship: Filipino and German. Standhardinger played for the German U20 national team four years ago.

Chris Kaman

#4. Center Chris Kaman (213-82, college: Cent.Michigan, currently plays in NBA) is a teammate of previously mentioned Dirk Nowitzki and both played together in the last NBA game. Kaman was not able to help the Dallas Mavericks (25-31) in their game against the Los Angeles Lakers (28-30). He recorded only 4 points and grabbed 4 rebounds. The Dallas Mavericks were defeated 103-99 in Los Angeles by the Lakers. It's Kaman's first season with the team. This year Kaman has very high stats. He averages: 12.2ppg and 6.1rpg. Kaman is a naturalized American. He used to play for the German national team back in 2011. Strangely Kaman has never played in Germany.

Dennis Ogbe

#5. Former U20 international forward Dennis Ogbe (201-91, is currently at the American university) led Tenn Tech to an easy victory against the University of Tennessee at Martin (4-10) 83-68 in the NCAA in Thursday night's game. He recorded 23 points and grabbed 7 rebounds in 27 minutes. The Tennessee Tech University has 5-9 conference record this season. There are only two games left until the end of the NCAA Regular Season. So now every game will be important. Ogbe has reliable stats this year: 12.2ppg and 6.1rpg in the 43 games. He used to play for the German U20 national team two years ago.

Patrick Heckmann

#6. Shooting guard Patrick Heckmann (196-92, currently plays college basketball in the States), who plays in the NCAA was not able to secure a victory for the Boston Coll. (4-10) in their last game. Despite Heckmann's very good performance the Boston Coll. was crushed 89-68 in Durham, NC by the Duke University. He recorded 15 points and grabbed 4 rebounds in 23 minutes. There are only four games left until the end of the NCAA Regular Season. Heckmann's stats this year are: 12.0ppg, 3.2rpg, 1.9apg and 1.1spg in the 17 games. He is an international player who is currently on the senior German National Team roster.

Davis Martens

#7. Former U18 international forward Davis Martens (206-89, currently plays college basketball in the States) led Siena to an overtime victory against the Radford University (6-8) 65-57 in the NCAA on Sunday night. Martens recorded 18 points, 9 rebounds and 2 blocks. The Siena College has rather weak 2-10 conference record this season. There are only two games left until the end of the NCAA Regular Season. Martens has been at the team for four years. His stats this season are: 12.0ppg, 3.2rpg, 1.9apg and 1.1spg. Martens used to play for the German U18 national team six years ago.

Kevin Bright

#8. Swingman Kevin Bright (196-92, currently plays college basketball in the States) led Vanderbilt to an easy victory against the Mississippi State University (2-12) crushing them 72-31 in the NCAA in Saturday night's game. He scored 15 points, had 4 rebounds and made 2 blocks in 21 minutes. The Vanderbilt University has 5-8 conference record this season. There are only four games left until the end of the NCAA Regular Season. Bright averaged so far 12.0ppg, 3.2rpg, 1.9apg and 1.1spg in the 17 games. He plays currently for the German U20 national team.

Tibor Pleiss

#9. International center Tibor Pleiss (215-89, currently plays in Spain) managed to help Caja Laboral Vitoria to win against the sixth-ranked G.Canaria 2014 (13-9) 85-74 in the Spanish ACB last Sunday. Pleiss recorded only 2 points. Caja Laboral Vitoria (18-4) is placed second in the ACB. Pleiss' overall stats this season are: 5.6ppg and 4.7rpg. He is also in the roster of the German national team.

Sebastian Koch

   #10. Guard Sebastian Koch (203-91, currently plays college basketball in the States), who plays in the NCAA couldn't help the Elon (12-4) in their last game. Despite Koch's good performance the Elon (#24) lost 68-72 in Chattanooga, TN to the Univ.of Tennessee - Chattanooga. He scored 13 points in 36 minutes. They ended the series of four consecutive victories. There are only two games left until the end of the NCAA Regular Season. This year Koch's overall stats are: 5.6ppg and 4.7rpg in the 19 games. He is a former U18 international player as four years ago he still played for the German national team.

   #11. Former U20 international guard Maodo Lo (190-92, currently plays college basketball in the States), who plays in the NCAA couldn't help the Columbia (3-3) in their last game on Friday. Despite Lo's very good performance the Columbia was crushed 65-40 at home by the Princeton University. He scored 15 points and added 3 passes. Lo's total stats this season are: 5.6ppg and 4.7rpg. He used to play for the German U20 national team two years ago.

   #12. Former international guard Chad Toppert (201-85, college: N.Mexico, currently plays in Spain) contributed to a CAI Zaragoza's victory against the closely-ranked Valencia Basket 76-62 in the Spanish ACB last Sunday. Toppert recorded 5 points in 17 minutes. This year Toppert's total stats are: 4.0ppg and 2.1rpg in the 22 games. He is a naturalized American. Toppert used to play for the German national team back in 2010. Apparently he has never played in Germany.

   #13. Former U20 international point guard T.J. DiLeo (190-90, currently plays college basketball in the States) helped Temple win their game against the University of North Carolina - Charlotte crushing them 71-51 in the NCAA in Sunday night's game. DiLeo recorded 9 points and grabbed 4 rebounds in 28 minutes. DiLeo has averaged so far 5.4ppg and 1.6rpg in the 21 games. He is a naturalized American. DiLeo used to play for the German U20 national team three years ago. Interesting that he has never played in Germany.

   #14. Former U22 international power forward Tilo Klette (206-77, currently plays in Japan) was the major contributor in a Levanga Hokkaido Sapporo's victory against the closely-ranked Tochigi Brex 77-71 in the Japanese JBL in Saturday night's game. Klette scored 14 points and grabbed 4 rebounds. He averaged so far 12.5ppg and 6.2rpg. Klette used to play for the German U22 national team back in 1999.

   #15. Former U20 international forward Dennis Kramer (211-92, currently plays college basketball in the States) couldn't help the San Diego in their game against the University of Portland in the NCAA. Kramer recorded 6 points and grabbed 6 rebounds. His team was edged 70-67. He has averaged so far 9.9ppg, 3.6rpg and 1.7apg. Kramer is a naturalized American. He used to play for the German U20 national team two years ago. However Kramer has never played in Germany.

The list of other players, who all have German passport but never been selected to any of German national teams:

   #1. Julian Sensley (206-F-82, college: Hawaii, currently plays in South Korea) led Dongbu Promy to a victory over one of league's weakest teams LG Sakers (17-28) 88-73 in the South Korean KBL last Friday. Sensley was MVP of the game. He recorded 39 points (!!!), 6 rebounds, 6 assists and made 2 blocks. Dongbu Promy (18-28) is placed seventh in the KBL. It's Sensley's first season with the team. Sensley has relatively good stats this year: 13.9ppg, 5.6rpg and 2.7apg. He is a naturalized American. Strangely Sensley has never played in Germany.

   #2. Experienced Federico Kammerichs (202-F-80, currently plays in Argentina) contributed to a 1-point Regatas Corrientes' victory against the closely-ranked Boca Juniors (22-16) 85-84 in the Argentinian LigaA last Sunday. He recorded 6 points and grabbed 7 rebounds in 26 minutes. It was the game of the round between two top 4 ranked teams. Regatas Corrientes (28-11) is placed first in the LigaA. It was his team's third consecutive victory in a row. There are only four games left until the end of the Second Stage. So now every game will be critical. It's Kammerichs' first season with the team. Kammerichs is currently fourth on the list of best rebounders with 8.2rpg. This year he also averages: 9.9ppg and 1.6apg in the 38 games he played so far. Kammerichs has a dual citizenship: German and Argentinian.

   #3. Robert Sarovic (205-F-78, currently plays in Romania) contributed to an easy victory against one of league's weakest teams Miercurea Ciuc (3-21) 89-71 in the Romanian Liga Nationala last Wednesday. Sarovic scored 14 points, had 4 rebounds and dished 3 assists. BC Timisoara (16-8) is placed sixth in the Liga Nationala. Sarovic's stats this season are: 10.7ppg, 5.0rpg and 1.6apg. He is another player who holds two passports: Serbian and German.

   #4. Urule Igbavboa (203-C-87, college: Valparaiso, currently plays in Sweden) was the main contributor in a LF Basket's victory against the third-ranked Sodertalje Kings (21-8) 78-63 in the Swedish Basketligan on Tuesday night. Igbavboa was MVP of the game. He scored 22 points, had 5 rebounds and dished 3 assists in 25 minutes. LF Basket (14-16) is placed eighth in the Basketligan. It was his team's third consecutive victory in a row. There are only three games left until the end of the Regular Season. Igbavboa's stats this year are: 14.6ppg and 7.2rpg in the 29 games. He is a naturalized American. Igbavboa used to play for MEG Goettingen in German league.

   #5. Mario Stojic (198-G/F-80, agency: Interperformances, currently plays in Belgium) contributed to a Base Oostende's victory against one of league's weakest teams Leuven Bears (5-12) 80-72 in the Belgian Ethias League in Friday night's game. He scored 6 points, had 4 rebounds and dished 3 assists. Telenet Oostende (13-5) is placed first in the Ethias League. Stojic's stats this season are: 12.0ppg, 3.2rpg, 1.9apg and 1.1spg. He has both Croatian and German nationalities.

   #6. Ismar Seferagic (201-F, currently plays in Canada) helped University of Windsor win their game against the Badgers crushing them 85-61 in the Canadian university league CIS on Saturday night. Seferagic scored 15 points. Seferagic has averaged so far 5.4ppg and 1.6rpg. He also holds two passports: German and Canadian.

   #7. Joachim Thoss (201-C-81, currently plays in Philippines) was the major contributor in an Alaska Aces' victory against the bottom-ranked Barangay Ginebra 84-69 in the Filipino PBA last Saturday. Thoss scored 16 points and grabbed 5 rebounds. Thoss averaged so far 11.8ppg, 2.8rpg, 1.3apg and 1.8spg. He holds both German and Filipino passports.

   #8. Kiril Wachsmann (203-C/F-83, agency: Edge Sports, college: Iona, currently plays in Spain), who plays in the Spanish LEB Gold (second division) could not help Melilla Baloncesto to beat Lobe Huesca. Wachsmann recorded 7 points and grabbed 13 rebounds in 37 minutes. His team was edged 79-76. Wachsmann is ranked second on the list of the best rebounders in the league with 9.1rpg. This year his other stats are: 9.5ppg and 1.5apg in the 19 games.

   #9. Ben Rice (195-F-90, agency: Z.A.G. - Law Offices, currently plays in Israel) was not able to help one of league's weakest teams Bnei Hasharon in their game against Maccabi Rishon in the Israeli Winner League. He scored 5 points in 16 minutes. His team lost 82-88. Rice has averaged so far 9.9ppg, 3.6rpg and 1.7apg in the 18 games. He holds both Israeli and German passports.

   #10. Martin Seiferth (208-F-90, currently plays college basketball in the States) managed to help Eastern Washington University in a victory against the Sam Houston State University 81-76 in the NCAA in Saturday night's game. He scored 5 points, had 5 rebounds and made 8 blocks in 36 minutes. Seiferth has averaged so far 9.9ppg, 3.6rpg and 1.7apg in the 18 games.

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GREECE

Kostas Vasiliadis selected the top Greek playing abroad in last week's games - by Eurobasket Center

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

Kostas Vasiliadis

#1. This week's number one is an international swingman Kostas Vasiliadis (200-84, agency: FCM, currently plays in Spain). He was the major contributor in a Gescrap BB's victory against the league outsider Lagun Aro GBC (4-18) 91-72 in the Spanish ACB in Saturday night's game. Vasiliadis recorded 19 points, 7 rebounds and 3 assists (made all of his six free throws) in 28 minutes on the court. Gescrap Bizkaia Bilbao Basket (14-8) is placed fourth in the ACB. Vasiliadis belongs to league's top scorers and is ranked #7 with 14.2ppg. He also averaged so far 3.3rpg, 1.9apg, 2FGP: 51.4%, 3FGP: 35.5% and FT: 91.6%(87-95) in the 22 games he played so far. Vasiliadis is currently a member of the Greek senior national team.

Nikolaos Zisis

#2. Second place goes to an international guard Nikolaos Zisis (197-83, currently plays in Spain) is a teammate of previously mentioned Kostas Vasiliadis and both played together in the last Spanish ACB game. Zisis led Gescrap BB to a victory over the league outsider Lagun Aro GBC (4-18) 91-72. He was MVP of the game. Zisis recorded 21 points and added 5 passes. It's Zisis' first season with the team. This year he averages: 8.3ppg, 1.7rpg, 3.5apg, 2FGP: 49.5%, 3FGP: 30.3% and FT: 83.1%. Zisis is in the roster of the Greek senior national team.

Loukas Mavrokefalidis

#3. The Greek player who performed third best last week abroad was former international center Loukas Mavrokefalidis (207-84, currently plays in Eurocup), who plays in Russia. He could not help Spartak St.Petersburg (3-3) in their last game. Despite Mavrokefalidis' very good performance the second-placed Spartak St.Petersburg was edged 68-66 on the road by the lower-ranked (#4) Cajasol in the group K of Eurocup. He was the top scorer with 19 points. Mavrokefalidis also added 5 rebounds in 30 minutes. There are only two games left until the end of the Eurocup Top 16. So now every game will be critical. Mavrokefalidis has relatively good stats this year: 13.8ppg, 5.4rpg, 1.6apg, 2FGP: 53.0%, 3FGP: 44.4% and FT: 76.3% in the 12 games. He played for the Greek national team two years ago.

Dimitris Haritopoulos

#4. Power forward Dimitris Haritopoulos (205-83, agency: Interperformances, currently plays in Bulgaria) was the main contributor in a Lukoil Academik's victory against the league outsider U20 (0-18) crushing them 92-55 in a derby game in the Bulgarian NBL in Friday night's game. Haritopoulos was the best player in that game. He recorded a double-double by scoring 25 points and getting 11 rebounds. Lukoil Academik Sofia (16-2) is placed first in the NBL. It was his team's sixth consecutive victory in a row. Haritopoulos has individually a very good season with high stats. He averages: 18.0ppg and 9.5rpg. Haritopoulos used to play for the Greek national team back in 2005.

Nick Calathes

#5. International point guard Nick Calathes (198-89, college: Florida, currently plays in Eurocup), who plays in Russia was not able to help Lokomotiv (5-1) in their last game. Despite his good performance Lokomotiv lost 88-94 in Zielona Gora to the lower-ranked (#3) Stelmet ZG in the group K of Eurocup. Calathes had a double-double by scoring 13 points and making 11 passes. He also added 5 rebounds in 34 minutes. They ended the series of six consecutive victories. There are only two games left until the end of the Eurocup Top 16. So now every game is very crucial. Calathes is the league's best passer with 7.3apg. This year he also averages: 13.4ppg, 6.1rpg and 1.6spg in the 12 games. Calathes is a naturalized American. He plays currently for the Greek national team. Calathes used to play for 3-year contract with Panathinaikos Athens in Greek league.

Kostas Koufos

#6. Center Kostas Koufos (213-89, college: Ohio St., currently plays in NBA) contributed to a 2-point Denver Nuggets' victory against the Portland Trail Blazers (26-31) 111-109 in the NBA on Wednesday night. He recorded 11 points and grabbed 8 rebounds. The Denver Nuggets have a solid 37-22 record this season. It was his team's third consecutive victory in a row. This season Koufos has relatively solid stats: 8.0ppg, 6.5rpg and 1.4bpg. He is a naturalized American. Koufos is a former international player as he played for the Greek senior team two years ago. Strangely he has never played in Greece.

Ian Vougioukas

#7. International power forward Ian Vougioukas (212-85, college: St.Louis, currently plays in Eurocup) contributed to a 2-point Unics Kazan's victory against the closely-ranked ratiopharm Ulm (3-3) 79-77 in the Eurocup in Tuesday night's game. Vougioukas scored 12 points and grabbed 9 rebounds in a mere 19 minutes. It was the game of the round between two top 2 ranked teams in group L. Unics Kazan (4-2) is placed first. There are only two games left until the end of the Eurocup Top 16. So now every game will be important. Vougioukas has reliable stats this year: 14.0ppg, 6.2rpg and 1.5apg in the 11 games. He is also Greek national team player.

Stavros Toutziarakis

#8. Center Stavros Toutziarakis (210-87, also represented by FCM, currently plays in Sweden) was not able to secure a victory for Solna Vikings (19-11) in their game against Boras Basket (21-9) in the Swedish Basketligan. Despite his very good performance last Tuesday Toutziarakis recorded a double-double by scoring 24 points and getting 13 rebounds. He also added 3 assists. There are only three games left until the end of the Regular Season. So now every game will be extremely important. Toutziarakis' stats this season are: 13.0ppg, 7.7rpg and 1.2apg. He used to play for the Greek U20 national team back in 2007.

Theodoros Papaloukas

#9. An experienced former international point guard Theodoros Papaloukas (200-77, another player represented by FCM, currently plays in Russia) managed to help CSKA Moscow in a victory against one of league's weakest teams Spartak Primorie Vladivostok (3-7) crushing them 94-55 in the Russian PBL on Sunday night. Papaloukas scored only 1 points and added 10 assists in 19 minutes. It was his first game for CSKA Moscow this season. His team is placed first in the PBL. It was his team's fifth consecutive victory in a row. Papaloukas used to play for the Greek national team five years ago.

Fotios Lampropoulos

   #10. Forward Fotios Lampropoulos (206-83, currently plays in Spain) contributed to an CB Canarias' victory against the closely-ranked Blusens Monbus (10-12) 84-77 in the Spanish ACB last Sunday. Lampropoulos recorded 11 points and grabbed 4 rebounds in 26 minutes. Iberostar Canarias Tenerife (9-13) is placed 13th in the ACB. This year Lampropoulos' overall stats are: 6.5ppg and 3.4rpg in the 22 games. He is a former U18 international player as ten years ago he still played for the Greek national team.

   #11. Former international forward Nikos Barlos (203-79, currently plays in Italy) contributed to a C.de Latte BRE's victory against the 12th-ranked Prima Veroli 87-75 in the Italian Lega2 (second division) on Sunday night. Barlos scored 12 points, grabbed 8 rebounds and made 2 blocks. Barlos averaged so far 11.3ppg, 5.5rpg and 1.8spg. He used to play for the Greek national team eight years ago.

   #12. International forward Antonis Fotsis (209-81, currently plays in Italy) couldn't help Armani Milano in their game against Trenkwalder RE in the Italian SerieA. Fotsis scored 5 points in 23 minutes. His team was badly defeated by 18 points 79-61. This year Fotsis' total stats are: 7.9ppg and 4.2rpg in the 20 games. He is also in the roster of the Greek national team.

   #13. Former international forward Christos Tapoutos (203-82, currently plays in Turkey) couldn't help Olin Edirne in their game against Galatasaray in the Turkish TBL. Tapoutos recorded 7 points and grabbed 8 rebounds. His team was defeated 69-59. Tapoutos averaged so far 10.6ppg and 4.5rpg. He used to play for the Greek national team eight years ago.

   #14. Former international guard Emmanouil Papamakarios (192-80, currently plays in Spain) faced previously mentioned Kostas Vasiliadis in the Spanish ACB last game. Papamakarios couldn't help Lagun Aro GBC in their game against Gescrap BB, despite his good performance on Saturday night. He recorded 11 points in 25 minutes. But his team was badly defeated by 19 points 91-72. Papamakarios has averaged so far 4.3ppg, 1.7rpg and 1.2apg in the 22 games. He used to play for the Greek national team back in 2005.

   #15. Former University international center Giorgos Galiotos (213-86, another player represented by Interperformances, currently plays in Bulgaria) couldn't help Euroins Cherno More in their game against Tundja Yambol in the Bulgarian NBL, despite his good performance last Friday. Galiotos was the second best scorer with 12 points. He also added 7 rebounds in 24 minutes. But his team lost 71-84. Galiotos is currently third on the list of best rebounders with 9.2rpg. This year he also averages: 9.0ppg in the 15 games. Galiotos used to play for the Greek university national team four years ago.

The list of other players, who all have Greek passport but never been selected to any of Greek national teams:

   #1. Nick Paulos (201-G/F-91, currently plays college basketball in the States) led NC-Greensboro to an easy victory against the Univ.of Tennessee - Chattanooga (7-9) crushing them 94-68 in the NCAA in Thursday night's game. He recorded 30 points (!!!) and grabbed 4 rebounds. It was his first game for NC-Greensboro this season. His team has 6-9 conference record this season. There are only two games left until the end of the NCAA Regular Season. Paulos is a naturalized American. Apparently he has never played in Greece.

   #2. Corey Petros (208-F/C-93, currently studies in the States), who plays in the NCAA could not help the Oakland (10-5) in their last game on Wednesday. Despite Petros' very good performance the Oakland was defeated 77-71 on the road by the Indiana Univ-Purdue Univ.-Ft.Wayne. He scored 15 points and grabbed 5 rebounds. Petros' team will play only one more game in the NCAA Regular Season. Petros has averaged so far 7.9ppg and 4.2rpg. He is a naturalized American. Apparently Petros has never played in Greece.

   #3. Sten-Timmu Sokk (181-PG-89, currently plays in Georgia) contributed to an easy victory against the seventh-ranked TSU (5-9) 91-72 in a derby game in the Georgian Superleague on Saturday night. He scored 8 points and added 6 assists in 24 minutes. Olimpi Tbilisi (11-2) is placed third in the Superleague. It was his team's third consecutive victory in a row. Sokk is currently third on the league's list of best passers with 5.9apg. This year his other stats are: 9.4ppg, 3.1rpg and 1.2spg in the 13 games he played so far. Sokk has a dual citizenship: Greek and Estonian.

   #4. Pat Calathes (208-G/F-85, college: St.Joseph's, currently plays in Israel) contributed to a Maccabi Haifa's victory against the league leader Maccabi Ashdod (18-0) 95-85 in the Israeli Winner League in Monday night's game. He scored 7 points and grabbed 4 rebounds. It was the game of the round between two top 4 ranked teams. Maccabi Bazan Haifa (11-7) is placed fourth in the Winner League. There are only four games left until the end of the Regular Season. Calathes is currently seventh on the league's list of best rebounders. He has very reliable stats this season: 14.2ppg, 9.3rpg and 2.2apg. Calathes is a naturalized American. He used to play for Costa Cafe Marousi in Greek league.

   #5. Nicholas Livas (198-G-87, college: Ill.-Springfield, currently plays in Germany) led BG Goettingen to a victory against the closely-ranked MLP Academics Heidelberg 85-79 in the German ProA (second division) last Saturday. Livas scored 14 points and added 5 assists in 29 minutes. It was the game of the round between two top 4 ranked teams. BG Goettingen (17-6) is placed second in the ProA. Livas has averaged so far 9.7ppg, 6.6rpg and 2.5apg in the 19 games. He is a naturalized American. Apparently Livas has never played in Greece.

   #6. Mannos Nakos (179-PG-88, currently plays in Sweden) helped Uppsala Basket win their game against one of league's weakest teams White Eagles 89-77 in the Swedish Basketligan on Sunday night. He scored 11 points and added 3 passes. Nakos has averaged so far 6.6ppg and 1.6apg. He is another player who holds two passports: Greek and Swedish.

   #7. Triantafillos Tzakopoulos (187-G-85, currently plays in Germany) helped Duesseldorf Baskets win their game against the closely-ranked BG Karlsruhe 80-67 in the German ProA (second division) in Saturday night's game. Tzakopoulos scored 11 points, grabbed 4 rebounds and dished 7 assists in 31 minutes. Tzakopoulos has averaged so far 7.9ppg, 2.0rpg and 3.5apg in the 23 games. He has both Greek and Australian nationalities.

   #8. Experienced Alexey Savrasenko (215-C-79, currently plays in Eurocup) was not able to help Lokomotiv in their game against Stelmet ZG in the Eurocup. Savrasenko cannot count Wednesday's game as one of the best ones. He scored only 2 points. His team was defeated 94-88. Savrasenko has averaged so far 1.6ppg and 2.0rpg. He also holds two passports: Greek and Russian.

   #9. Angelo Tsagarakis (190-G-84, currently plays in France) helped Chalons-Reims win their game against the seventh-ranked SO Maritime Boulogne 96-88 in the French ProB (second division) on Saturday night. He scored 12 points and had 3 steals. Tsagarakis averaged so far 13.4ppg, 2.0rpg, 1.6apg and 1.1spg. He has Greek and French nationalities. Despite Tsagarakis' Greek passport, he previously played for the French U20 national team and is probably not eligible to play for the Greek team.

   #10. Peter Pappageorge (183-G, is currently at the American university) helped Long Beach St. win their game against the University of California - Davis 71-65 in the NCAA last Wednesday. Pappageorge scored 6 points. He averaged so far 13.4ppg, 2.0rpg, 1.6apg and 1.1spg. Pappageorge is a naturalized American. Apparently he has never played in Greece.

HOLLAND

Standings - Eredivisie

Eredivisie Standings

1. Den Bosch		22-4
2. Leiden		22-6
3. Groningen		19-9
4. Leeuwarden		15-13
5. Zwolle		14-12
6. Den Helder K.		13-15
7. M.Magixx		13-15
8. Weert		12-14
9. Amsterdam		4-24
10. Rotterdam		2-24

Regular Season: Round 26

Feb. 26: Groningen - Leeuwarden 90-87
Feb. 27: M.Magixx - Amsterdam 86-79
Feb. 27: Den Helder K. - Leiden 70-75
Feb. 28: Zwolle - Rotterdam
Feb. 28: Den Bosch - Weert

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

HUNGARY

Standings - A Division

A Division Standings

1. Albacomp		16-5
2. Atomeromu		16-5
3. Kaposvari		15-6
4. Jaszberenyi		13-8
5. Falco-Szova		11-10
6. Soproni		11-10
7. Kormend		10-11
8. PVSK Pannon		9-12
9. Szedeak		8-13
10. ZTE KK		8-13
11. Marso NYKK		7-14
12. FS Debrecen		2-19
13. Szolnok		0-0

Regular Season: Round 21

Feb. 23: Jaszberenyi - ZTE KK 90-62
Feb. 23: Szedeak - Kormend 85-87
Feb. 23: Kaposvari - Soproni 80-65
Feb. 23: PVSK Pannon - Atomeromu 64-80
Feb. 23: Marso NYKK - Albacomp 63-94
Feb. 27: Falco-Szova - FS Debrecen 130-42

Regular Season: Round 22

Mar. 2: Soproni - ZTE KK
Mar. 2: Kaposvari - Jaszberenyi
Mar. 2: Szedeak - PVSK Pannon
Mar. 2: Falco-Szova - Albacomp
Mar. 2: Kormend - Atomeromu
Mar. 2: FS Debrecen - Marso NYKK

A Division Round 21: Leader Albacomp gets another victory - by Eurobasket News

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

Leader Albacomp delivered the sixteenth win on Saturday night. This time they crushed 11th ranked Marso NYKK (7-14) 94-63 in Nyiregyhazi. The game without a history. Albacomp led from the first minutes and controlled entire game increasing their lead in each quarter. They dominated down low during the game scoring 66 of its points in the paint compared to Marso NYKK's 32 and made 16-of-20 free shots (80.0 percent) during the game. Albacomp forced 19 Marso NYKK turnovers and outrebounded them 41-24 including a 33-16 advantage in defensive rebounds. The best player for the winners was American guard Brandon Wood (187-89, college: Michigan St., agency: N.E.T.) who scored 22 points. International power forward Akos Keller (208-89, agency: Laszlo Vinko Group) chipped in 15 points and 11 rebounds (perfect from the field making all six shots). Albacomp's coach Branislav Dzunic felt very confident that he used 10 players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. At the other side the best for losing team was American guard Anthony Nelson (185-89, college: Niagara) who recorded 22 points, 6 rebounds and 7 assists. Albacomp maintains first place with 16-5 record, which they share with Atomeromu. Marso NYKK lost fourth consecutive game. They keep the eleventh position with 14 games lost. Albacomp is looking forward to face Falco-Szova (#5) in Szombathely in the next round. Marso NYKK will play on the road against FS Debrecen (#12) and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
The game in Pecs was also worth to mention about. Second ranked Atomeromu (16-5) played at the court of 7th ranked PVSK Pannon (9-12). Atomeromu defeated PVSK Pannon 80-64. It was a good game for international swingman David Vojvoda (196-90, agency: Laszlo Vinko Group) who led his team to a victory with 29 points and 5 rebounds. Jonathan Levy contributed with 14 points and 9 rebounds for the winners. American guard Brad Loesing (182-89, college: Wofford) answered with 15 points and 4 assists for PVSK Pannon. Both coaches used bench players and allowed the starting five to rest. Atomeromu have an impressive series of six victories in a row. They keep a position of league leader, which they share with Albacomp. PVSK Pannon at the other side dropped to the eighth place with 12 games lost. Atomeromu will play against Kormend (#7) on the road in the next round which should be theoretically an easy game. PVSK Pannon will play against Szedeak in Szeged and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
A very close game took place in Szeged between Kormend and Szedeak. Eighth ranked Kormend (10-11) got a very close victory on the road over 9th ranked Szedeak (8-13). Kormend managed to escape with a 2-point win 87-85 on Saturday evening. Kyle Austin stepped up with a double-double by scoring 21 points and 12 rebounds for the winners. The best for the losing side was Anthony Jones with 28 points and 4 assists. The victory was the third consecutive win for Kormend. They moved-up to seventh place. Loser Szedeak keeps the ninth position with 13 games lost. They share it with ZTE KK. Kormend will meet at home league's second-placed Atomeromu in the next round and it will be quite challenging to get another victory. Szedeak will play against PVSK Pannon (#8) in Pecs and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
The game with biggest result difference took place in Szombathely. Local Falco-Szova (11-10) outscored 12th ranked FS Debrecen (2-19) 130-42. The victory was the third consecutive win for Falco-Szova. They moved-up to fifth place, which they share with Soproni. FS Debrecen at the other side keeps the twelfth position with 19 games lost. Falco-Szova's next round opponent will be league's leader Albacomp in Szekesfehervar and it will be quite challenging to get another victory. FS Debrecen will play at home against Marso NYKK (#11) in Nyiregyhazi and it may be a tough game between close rivals.

In the last two games of round 21 Soproni was defeated by Kaposvari in a road game 80-65. Jaszberenyi smashed ZTE KK at home 90-62.
The best stats of 21th round was 21 points, 8 rebounds and 4 assists by Gabor Drahos of Kaposvari.

Falco-Szova - FS Debrecen 130-42

The game with biggest result difference took place in Szombathely. Local Falco-Szova (11-10) outscored 12th ranked FS Debrecen (2-19) 130-42. The victory was the third consecutive win for Falco-Szova. They moved-up to fifth place, which they share with Soproni. FS Debrecen at the other side keeps the twelfth position with 19 games lost. Falco-Szova's next round opponent will be league's leader Albacomp in Szekesfehervar and it will be quite challenging to get another victory. FS Debrecen will play at home against Marso NYKK (#11) in Nyiregyhazi and it may be a tough game between close rivals.

Marso NYKK - Albacomp 63-94

Leader Albacomp delivered the sixteenth win on Saturday night. This time they crushed 11th ranked Marso NYKK (7-14) 94-63 in Nyiregyhazi. The game without a history. Albacomp led from the first minutes and controlled entire game increasing their lead in each quarter. They dominated down low during the game scoring 66 of its points in the paint compared to Marso NYKK's 32 and made 16-of-20 free shots (80.0 percent) during the game. Albacomp forced 19 Marso NYKK turnovers and outrebounded them 41-24 including a 33-16 advantage in defensive rebounds. The best player for the winners was American guard Brandon Wood (187-89, college: Michigan St., agency: N.E.T.) who scored 22 points. International power forward Akos Keller (208-89, agency: Laszlo Vinko Group) chipped in a double-double by scoring 15 points and 11 rebounds (perfect from the field making all six shots). Four Albacomp players scored in double figures. Albacomp's coach Branislav Dzunic felt very confident that he used 10 players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. At the other side the best for losing team was American guard Anthony Nelson (185-89, college: Niagara) who recorded 22 points, 6 rebounds and 7 assists and Bahamas forward Bennet Davis (206-84, college: Northeastern, agency: KMG Sports Management) added 18 points and 4 steals respectively. Albacomp maintains first place with 16-5 record, which they share with Atomeromu. Marso NYKK lost fourth consecutive game. They keep the eleventh position with 14 games lost. Albacomp is looking forward to face Falco-Szova (#5) in Szombathely in the next round. Marso NYKK will play on the road against FS Debrecen (#12) and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Albacomp: B.Wood 22+4reb+3ast, A.Keller 15+11reb+1ast, D.Hollis 15+5reb+1ast, K.Smith 15+3reb+2ast, Z.Szabo 8+7reb+2ast, Z.Supola 8
Marso NYKK: A.Nelson 22+6reb+7ast, B.Davis 18+4reb+3ast, M.Berkis 13+6reb+3ast, M.Varga 6+4reb+1ast, M. Mondzinger 2+2reb, L.Polyak 2+1reb+1ast

PVSK Pannon - Atomeromu 64-80

The game in Pecs was also worth to mention about. Second ranked Atomeromu (16-5) played at the court of 7th ranked PVSK Pannon (9-12). Atomeromu defeated PVSK Pannon 80-64. PVSK Pannon was ahead by 6 points after three quarters before a 34-12 charge of Atomeromu, which allowed them to win the game. It was a good game for international swingman David Vojvoda (196-90, agency: Laszlo Vinko Group) who led his team to a victory with 29 points and 5 rebounds. American guard Jonathan Levy (193-82, college: CS San Bernar.) contributed with 14 points and 9 rebounds for the winners. American guard Brad Loesing (182-89, college: Wofford) answered with 15 points and 4 assists and the other American import forward Todd Hendley (206-84, college: NC-Wilmington) added 14 points and 7 rebounds in the effort for PVSK Pannon. Both coaches used bench players and allowed the starting five to rest. Atomeromu have an impressive series of six victories in a row. They keep a position of league leader, which they share with Albacomp. PVSK Pannon at the other side dropped to the eighth place with 12 games lost. Atomeromu will play against Kormend (#7) on the road in the next round which should be theoretically an easy game. PVSK Pannon will play against Szedeak in Szeged and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Atomeromu: D.Vojvoda 29+5reb+3ast, L.Williams 16+4reb+5ast, J.Levy 14+9reb+2ast, G. Kortelyesi 7+4reb, A.Kovacs 6+2reb, T.Kaman 6+10reb+1ast
PVSK Pannon: P.Kovacs 16+3reb, B.Loesing 15+4reb+4ast, T.Hendley 14+7reb, N.Toth 5+7reb, K.Nagy 5+5reb, O.Biro 5+8reb

Szedeak - Kormend 85-87

A very close game took place in Szeged between Kormend and Szedeak. Eighth ranked Kormend (10-11) got a very close victory on the road over 9th ranked Szedeak (8-13). Kormend managed to escape with a 2-point win 87-85 on Saturday evening. The guests took control from the first minutes by winning first half. But Szedeak won fourth quarter 28-24. However it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. American forward Kyle Austin (203-88, college: Cal-Riverside) stepped up with a double-double by scoring 21 points and 12 rebounds for the winners and his fellow American import forward Matt Shaw (203-88, college: UNLV, agency: Two Points) chipped in 18 points and 9 rebounds. Four Kormend players scored in double figures. The best for the losing side was American guard Anthony Jones (191-84, college: Indiana Tech) with 28 points and 4 assists and Serbian power forward Nebojsa Dukic (206-85) scored 17 points and 9 rebounds. The victory was the third consecutive win for Kormend. They moved-up to seventh place. Loser Szedeak keeps the ninth position with 13 games lost. They share it with ZTE KK. Kormend will meet at home league's second-placed Atomeromu in the next round and it will be quite challenging to get another victory. Szedeak will play against PVSK Pannon (#8) in Pecs and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Kormend: K.Austin 21+12reb+2ast, M.Shaw 18+9reb+2ast, C.Ferencz 17+6reb+2ast, A.Rujak 15+2reb+8ast, P.Grebenar 6+1reb, G.Fodor 4+2reb
Szedeak: A.Jones 28+2reb+4ast, N.Dukic 17+9reb+2ast, S.Fekete 16+6reb+5ast, A.Gurley 7+3reb+1ast, M.Vida 6+1reb+3ast, M.Csorvasi 5+4reb

Kaposvari - Soproni 80-65

There was no surprise when 5th ranked Soproni (11-10) was defeated on the road by third ranked Kaposvari (15-6) 80-65. Kaposvari outrebounded Soproni 40-24 including a 29-18 advantage in defensive rebounds. Point guard Gabor Drahos (185-79) nailed 21 points, 8 rebounds and 4 assists (on 7-of-9 shooting from the field) for the winning side and American point guard Christopher Dunn (189-83, college: W.Virginia St., agency: Court Side) accounted for 18 points, 6 assists and 4 steals. Kaposvari's coach allowed to play the deep bench players saving starting five for next games. Montenegrin power forward Filip Barovic (208-90) came up with 16 points and 7 rebounds and the former international Gergely Toth (208-89, agency: Laszlo Vinko Group) added 13 points and 6 rebounds respectively for Soproni in the defeat. Five Kaposvari and four Soproni players scored in double figures. Kaposvari maintains third place with 15-6 record behind leader Albacomp. Soproni lost their third game in a row. They keep the fifth position with ten games lost. Kaposvari's next round opponent will be Jaszberenyi (#4) at home. Soproni will play against ZTE KK in Zalaegerszeg.
Top scorers:
Kaposvari: G.Drahos 21+8reb+4ast, C.Dunn 18+2reb+6ast, G.David 11+10reb+2ast, K.Swanston 11+5reb+1ast, R.Hendlein 10+11reb+1ast, S.Kovacs 5+3reb
Soproni: N.Takacs 17+1ast, F.Barovic 16+7reb+2ast, G.Toth 13+6reb, C.Hinkle 10+5reb, A.Molnar 5+3reb+2ast, I.Bus 2+2ast

Jaszberenyi - ZTE KK 90-62

No shocking result in a game when fourth ranked Jaszberenyi (13-8) smashed at home 10th ranked ZTE KK (8-13) 90-62. The game was mostly controlled by Jaszberenyi. ZTE KK was better in fourth quarter 23-19. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. They made 33-of-37 charity shots (89.2 percent) during the game, while ZTE KK only scored ten points from the stripe. Jaszberenyi forced 20 ZTE KK turnovers. 29 personal fouls committed by ZTE KK helped opponents get some easy free throw opportunities. Serbian swingman Milos Markovic (201-84) nailed 20 points and 5 rebounds for the winning side and Serbian guard Miljan Rakic (195-86, agency: BeoExcell) accounted for 14 points and 6 assists. Four Jaszberenyi players scored in double figures. American-Puerto Rican point guard Donald Copeland (177-84, college: Seton Hall) came up with 19 points and 8 rebounds and Bosnian center Teo Simovic (205-84) added 7 points and 8 rebounds respectively for ZTE KK in the defeat. The winner was already known earlier in the game, so both coaches allowed to play the bench players saving starting five for next games. The victory was the eighth consecutive win for Jaszberenyi. They maintain fourth place with 13-8 record. ZTE KK lost their fifth game in a row. They dropped to the ninth position with 13 games lost. Jaszberenyi's next round opponent will be higher ranked Kaposvari (#3) on the road and it will be quite challenging to get another victory. ZTE KK will play against Soproni (#6).
Top scorers:
Jaszberenyi: M.Markovic 20+5reb+2ast, M.Rakic 14+2reb+6ast, R.Dramicanin 14+4reb+2ast, G.Soos 13+1reb+2ast, R.Torok 8+4reb+1ast, D.Mladenovic 6+1reb+1ast
ZTE KK: D.Copeland 19+8reb+1ast, A.Kovacs 10+2reb, D.Koma 10+2reb, T.Simovic 7+8reb+2ast, G.Baki 6+1reb+1ast, D.Gaspar 4+1ast

Adam Hanga selected the top Hungarian playing abroad in last week's games - by Eurobasket Center

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

Adam Hanga

#1. This week's number one is an international shooting guard Adam Hanga (200-89, agency: TSS Management, currently plays in Spain), who plays in the Spanish ACB. He could not help Assignia Manresa (4-18) in their last game. Despite Hanga's very good performance Assignia Manresa lost 88-92 on the road to the much higher-ranked (#9) FIATC Joventut. He was the second best scorer with 15 points. Hanga also added 5 rebounds, 5 assists and made 2 blocks in 29 minutes on the court. It was Assignia Manresa's third consecutive loss in a row. Hanga has relatively good stats this year: 10.4ppg, 3.9rpg, 2.0apg, 1.2spg, 2FGP: 45.5%, 3FGP: 32.4% and FT: 69.1% in the 21 games he played so far. He is currently a member of the Hungarian senior national team.

Obie Trotter

#2. Second place goes to an international point guard Obie Trotter (188-84, agency: Court Side, college: Alabama A&M, currently plays in Russia), who plays in the Russian PBL. Trotter was not able to help BC Nizhny Novgorod (4-9) in their last game on Sunday. Despite his good performance BC Nizhny Novgorod was badly defeated 86-68 in St.Petersburg by the higher-ranked Spartak (#6). Trotter scored 10 points. This season Trotter has relatively solid stats: 10.6ppg, 2.6rpg, 3.2apg, 2FGP: 46.8%, 3FGP: 42.1% and FT: 87.5%. He is a naturalized American. Trotter is in the roster of the Hungarian senior national team. He used to play for Szolnoki Olajbanyasz in Hungarian league.

Peter Lorant

#3. The Hungarian player who performed third best last week abroad was an international power forward Peter Lorant (206-85, agency: Laszlo Vinko Group, currently plays in Italy). Lorant managed to help Acea Virtus Roma in a 2-point victoryagainst the tenth-ranked Juvecaserta (8-12) 66-64 in the Italian SerieA on Sunday night. He scored only 3 points and grabbed 4 rebounds in 13 minutes. Acea Virtus Roma (13-7) is placed fifth in the SerieA. It's Lorant's first season with the team. This year Lorant averages: 3.8ppg, 3.0rpg, 3FGP: 35.3% and FT: 85.7% in the 20 games. He is also a member of the Hungarian senior national team.

Gyorgy Kinter

   #4. Center Gyorgy Kinter (213-88, currently plays in Czech Republic) was not able to secure a victory for BK Decin (15-11) in their game against CEZ Nymburk (25-1) in the Czech Republic NBL. Despite his good performance in Friday night's game Kinter recorded 10 points. Kinter's overall stats this season are: 7.0ppg and 3.0rpg. He used to play for the Hungarian university national team back in 2011.

The list of other players, who all have Hungarian passport but never been selected to any of Hungarian national teams:

   #1. Attila Kovacs (203-F-85, currently plays in Denmark), who plays in the Danish Ligaen could not help Horsholm (10-11) in their last game. Despite Kovacs' very good performance Horsholm was edged 84-83 on the road by the league outsider (#10) Aalborg. He was the top scorer with 20 points in a mere 16 minutes. Kovacs' team will play only one more game in the Regular Season. And that game will be critical. Kovacs has reliable stats this year: 14.4ppg, 4.6rpg and 1.1apg in the 24 games he played so far.

   #2. Rosco Allen (206-F, currently plays college basketball in the States) was not able to help the Stanford (6-9) in their game against the University of Oregon (11-4) in the NCAA. He scored only 4 points and had 4 steals. The Stanford was defeated 77-66 in Eugene, OR by the University of Oregon. There are only two games left until the end of the NCAA Regular Season. So now every game is very crucial. Allen has reliable stats this season: 14.4ppg, 4.6rpg and 1.1apg.

Other top Hungarian players, who play abroad:

Laszlo Dobos (220-C-93) plays for CAI Zaragoza in Spanish ACB
Gergely Somogyi (216-C-89) plays for Leyma Basquet in Spanish LEB Gold
Daniel Deri (91) plays for Gussing Knights in Austrian A Bundesliga
Tamas Markus (180-G-89) plays for Bodfeld Baskets in German Regionalliga
Gyorgy Polya (195-G-88) plays for Goeppingen in German Oberliga
David Balaton (188-G-90) plays for Stevnsgade in Danish 1st Division
Mate Kovacs (190-G/F-96) plays for GC Zurich in Swiss LNB
Tamas Halmai (202-F/C-87) plays for Oberelchingen in German 2.Regionalliga
Bojan Sormaz (187-G-86) plays for TSG Schwaebisch Hall in German 2.Regionalliga
Bence Supola (84) plays for Muenchen DJK in German 2.Regionalliga

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

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

IRELAND

Standings - EBS Superleague

Superleague Standings

1. UL Eagles		14-4
2. UCC Demons		13-6
3. B.Gais Neptune		11-8
4. DCU Saints		8-10
5. Ballon Inter		7-10
6. Killester		7-12
7. Moycullen		7-12
8. UCD Marian		7-12

Regular Season: Round 19

Mar. 1: Ballon Inter - UCD Marian
Mar. 2: Killester - Moycullen
Mar. 2: UL Eagles - B.Gais Neptune
Mar. 3: UCC Demons - DCU Saints

Stats Leaders - Men

Points Per Game

Patrick SULLIVAN
  Moycullen
  (201-F-)
  Avg: 22.4

1. Sullivan, Moycullen	22.4
2. Taylor, UL Eagles	21.9
3. Galvin, UCD Marian	21.8
4. Townes, B.Gais N.	21.4
5. Walker, UCC Demons	19.6
6. Killeen, UL Eagles	16.0
7. Glover, DCU Saints	14.8
8. Cuffe, UCC Demons	14.0
9. O''Sullivan, UCC D.	13.6
10. Provizors, DCU S.	13.5

Rebounds Per Game

John GALVIN
  UCD Marian
  (203-F-88)
  Avg: 17.4

1. Galvin, UCD Marian	17.4
2. Walker, UCC Demons	12.6
3. Townes, B.Gais N.	11.8
4. Provizors, DCU S.	11.7
5. Killeen, UL Eagles	11.4
6. Sullivan, Moycullen	11.3
7. Noonan, B.Gais N.	8.3
8. Quill, DCU Saints	7.9
9. Foley, UCD Marian	7.9
10. Tummon, Moycullen	6.9

Assists Per Game

Gerard NOONAN
  B.Gais N.
  (180-G-82)
  Avg: 7.9

1. Noonan, B.Gais N.	7.9
2. Camps, Moycullen	7.2
3. Coughlan, UCC D.	4.6
4. Taylor, UL Eagles	4.6
5. Kinevane, UL Eagl.	3.9
6. Walsh, B.Gais N.	3.7
7. O''Reilly, UCC D.	3.3
8. Donnelly, DCU S.	3.2
9. Anderson, DCU S.	3.0
10. Meany, UCD Marian	2.9

Steals Per Game

Robert TAYLOR
  UL Eagles
  (188-G-83)
  Avg: 2.8

1. Taylor, UL Eagles	2.8
2. Camps, Moycullen	2.6
3. Townes, B.Gais N.	2.2
4. McGinn, B.Gais N.	2.2
5. Summers, Killester	2.1
6. Anderson, DCU S.	2.1
7. Noonan, B.Gais N.	1.7
8. Drumm, UCD Marian	1.7
9. Kinevane, UL Eagl.	1.6
10. McLoughlin, B.Gai.	1.6

Blocks Per Game

John GALVIN
  UCD Marian
  (203-F-88)
  Avg: 2.9

1. Galvin, UCD Marian	2.9
2. Walker, UCC Demons	2.2
3. Stapleton, B.Gais	2.1
4. Trimmer, DCU S.	1.9
5. Rudak, B.Gais N.	1.8
6. Provizors, DCU S.	1.8
7. Townes, B.Gais N.	1.7
8. Killeen, UL Eagles	1.5
9. O''Brien, Killester	0.9
10. Taylor, UL Eagles	0.8

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

ISRAEL

Loto League Stats Leaders

Points Per Game

Romel BECK
  Bnei Hasharon
  (201-G/F-82)
  Avg: 20

1. Beck, Bnei Hashar.	20.0
2. Dyson, Hapoel Hol.	19.4
3. Hopson, Hapoel Eil.	19.1
4. Simpson, Maccabi	18.1
5. Collins, Maccabi	18.0
6. Hassell, Hapoel Ho.	17.8
7. Killingswort., Net.	17.7
8. Smith, Maccabi Hai.	16.8
9. Wright, Maccabi	16.8
10. Warren, Maccabi	16.3

Rebounds Per Game

Frank HASSELL
  Hapoel Holon
  (203-F-88)
  Avg: 13

1. Hassell, Hapoel Ho.	13.0
2. Jones, Bnei H.	10.7
3. Thomas, Maccabi	10.1
4. Wright, Maccabi	9.8
5. Holman, Hapoel Eil.	9.7
6. Uter, Maccabi	9.6
7. Calathes, Maccabi	9.3
8. Dove, Elizur Ashke.	9.1
9. Washington, Netan.	8.8
10. Simpson, Maccabi	8.5

Assists Per Game

Gal MEKEL
  Maccabi Haifa
  (190-PG-88)
  Avg: 5.8

1. Mekel, Maccabi Hai.	5.8
2. Smith, Maccabi Hai.	5.2
3. Ohayon, Maccabi	5.1
4. Stoll, Maccabi Hai.	4.8
5. Perry, Elizur A.	4.4
6. Collins, Maccabi	4.4
7. Bradley, Netanya	4.3
8. Berkowitz, Bnei H.	4.2
9. Pullen, Hapoel J-M	4.1
10. Israeli, Maccabi	4.0

Steals Per Game

Deron WASHINGTON
  Netan.
  (201-G/F-85)
  Avg: 2.6

1. Washington, Netan.	2.6
2. Ohayon, Maccabi	2.5
3. Berkowitz, Bnei H.	2.2
4. Naor, Hapoel T-A	2.2
5. Dyson, Hapoel Hol.	2.2
6. Stoll, Maccabi Hai.	2.0
7. Wright, Maccabi	2.0
8. Moore, Elizur A.	1.8
9. Yavzuri, Galil Gil.	1.8
10. Fells, Hapoel J-M	1.8

Blocks Per Game

Shawn JAMES
  Maccabi T-A
  (207-C-83)
  Avg: 2.7

1. James, Maccabi T-A	2.7
2. Hassell, Hapoel Ho.	1.9
3. Uter, Maccabi	1.7
4. Caracter, Bnei H.	1.5
5. Wright, Maccabi	1.4
6. Kelly, Hapoel T-A	1.3
7. Watt, Galil Gilboa	1.3
8. Hill, Hapoel Holon	1.3
9. Dove, Elizur Ashke.	1.2
10. Thomas, Maccabi	1.2

Standings - National League

National League Standings

1. Ironi Nes-Ziona		16-3
2. Ironi Nahariya		15-4
3. Hod Hasharon		15-4
4. Hapoel Afula		13-6
5. Elitzur Yavne		13-6
6. Ironi Ramat Gan		11-8
7. Hapoel Kazrin		10-9
8. Ironi K-A		10-9
9. Elitzur Ramla		8-11
10. Hapoel K/S		6-13
11. Macc.B.Yaakov		6-13
12. Kiryat Tivon		4-15
13. Maccabi K/B		3-16
14. Maccabi K/G		3-16

Regular Season: Round 19

Feb. 26: Elitzur Ramla - Hapoel K/S 93-65
Feb. 26: Maccabi K/B - Ironi Nahariya 86-88
Feb. 26: Hapoel Kazrin - Ironi K-A 84-77
Feb. 26: Hapoel Afula - Maccabi K/G 82-77
Feb. 26: Kiryat Tivon - Hod Hasharon 69-88
Feb. 26: Macc.B.Yaakov - Ironi Ramat Gan 67-82
Feb. 26: Elitzur Yavne - Ironi Nes-Ziona 104-113

Regular Season: Round 20

Mar. 5: Ironi Nahariya - Kiryat Tivon
Mar. 5: Hapoel K/S - Macc.B.Yaakov
Mar. 5: Ironi Ramat Gan - Hapoel Afula
Mar. 5: Maccabi K/G - Maccabi K/B
Mar. 5: Hod Hasharon - Elitzur Yavne
Mar. 5: Ironi Nes-Ziona - Hapoel Kazrin
Mar. 5: Ironi K-A - Elitzur Ramla

Stats Leaders - National League

Points Per Game

Vernon TEEL
  Elitzur Ramla
  (193-G-87)
  Avg: 23.6

1. Teel, Elitzur Ramla	23.6
2. Daniel, Maccabi	23.5
3. Durham, Hapoel A.	21.4
4. Westbrook, Hapoel	20.9
5. Laing, Macc.B.Y.	20.5
6. Odiakosa, Hod H.	20.0
7. Johnson, Hapoel K.	19.8
8. Zelkovits, Ironi N.	19.7
9. Murray, Kiryat T.	19.4
10. Walker, Hod H.	19.2

Rebounds Per Game

Johndre JEFFERSON
  Elitzu.
  (207-C/F-88)
  Avg: 14.1

1. Jefferson, Elitzu.	14.1
2. Odiakosa, Hod H.	13.4
3. Durham, Hapoel A.	12.4
4. McGhee, Elitzur	10.1
5. Daniel, Maccabi	10.0
6. Ramsey, Ironi R.	10.0
7. Teel, Elitzur Ramla	9.8
8. Joyner, Maccabi	9.7
9. Constantine, Hapoe.	9.5
10. Johnson, Hapoel	9.4

Assists Per Game

Ilan NANIKASHVILI
  Ironi K.
  (187-G-79)
  Avg: 6.4

1. Nanikashvili, Iron.	6.4
2. Teel, Elitzur Ramla	6.2
3. Farchi, Elitzur Ya.	5.9
4. Fisher, Hapoel Afu.	5.9
5. Golan, Ironi Nahar.	4.7
6. Ber-Aven, Kiryat T.	4.4
7. Gordon, Hapoel K.	4.3
8. Eliyahu, Macc.B.Y.	4.3
9. Benn, Ironi N.	4.3
10. Dunne, Ironi N.	4.2

Steals Per Game

Vernon TEEL
  Elitzur Ramla
  (193-G-87)
  Avg: 3.5

1. Teel, Elitzur Ramla	3.5
2. Alexander, Maccabi	3.0
3. Benn, Ironi N.	2.8
4. Ber-Aven, Kiryat T.	2.5
5. Ramsey, Ironi R.	2.4
6. Hofman, Elitzur	2.3
7. Laing, Macc.B.Y.	2.0
8. Gordon, Hapoel K.	2.0
9. McGhee, Elitzur	1.9
10. Paelay, Elitzur Y.	1.9

Blocks Per Game

Johndre JEFFERSON
  Elitzu.
  (207-C/F-88)
  Avg: 3.7

1. Jefferson, Elitzu.	3.7
2. Clark, Ironi K-A	1.9
3. Daniel, Maccabi	1.7
4. Constantine, Hapoe.	1.4
5. Blair, Ironi N.	1.4
6. Buchman, Kiryat T.	1.4
7. Ramsey, Ironi R.	1.4
8. Labanowski, Macca.	1.3
9. Durham, Hapoel A.	1.2
10. Odiakosa, Hod H.	1.0

Former Israeli national team captain trying to make a comeback - by Shai Levi

Former Israeli national team captain Yoav Saffar (207-F-75, agency: Avi Zilberman) is trying to come out of retirement. The 37 years old veteran small forward, who officially retired 9 years ago, is planning a comeback and since yesterday is practicing with Hapoel Holon, which is fighting against relegation to the minor league and seeking for help after that team captain, Sean Daniel, was banned by Fiba for six month for use of unauthorized substances. With 9 games left on their schedule, Holon ranked 11th at the top Israeli league and has only 6 players on its roster that can play at this level after Daniel's ban.
Saffar is considered one of the greatest players in Israel basketball history. He grew up in Hapoel Holon Youth team and also started his proffesional career at Holon. At his prime he led Galil Elion to the playoffs finals and was playing for Israeli powerhouse, Maccabi Tel aviv, between the years 2001 and 2004. Saffar was part of the team that won Eurolegue title at 2003-2004 but he had to retire from the game at the end of that season because He had several back injuries that hurt his game and finish his career at the age of 29.
As mentioned earlier, Saffar was a big part of Israeli National team and participated in three European champinships (1999,2001,2003).

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

ITALY

Stats Leaders - Lega2

Points Per Game

Rodney GREEN
  Novipiu Casale
  (195-F/G-88)
  Avg: 23

1. Green, Novipiu Cas.	23.0
2. Ware, Novipiu Casa.	21.8
3. Maggioli, Fileni B.	21.0
4. Marigney, Aget S.	19.8
5. Mays, Givova S.	18.8
6. Hicks, Giorgo T.	18.1
7. Jenkins, C.de L.	17.8
8. Walker, Prima Vero.	17.5
9. James, FCM F.	17.5
10. Griffin, Fileni B.	17.4

Rebounds Per Game

Olaseni LAWAL
  Tezenis VE
  (208-F/C-86)
  Avg: 13.2

1. Lawal, Tezenis VE	13.2
2. Todic, LeGamber.	9.9
3. Ekperigin, FCM F.	9.6
4. Maggioli, Fileni B.	9.4
5. Butkevicius, Novip.	9.2
6. George, Upea CdO	9.2
7. Slay, Givova Scafa.	9.1
8. Mosley, Biancobl.	8.6
9. Giddens, C.de L.	8.4
10. Toppo, Giorgo T.	8.2

Assists Per Game

Taurean GREEN
  Sigma B.
  (184-PG-85)
  Avg: 5.4

1. Green, Sigma B.	5.4
2. Ware, Novipiu Casa.	5.2
3. Pecile, Biancobl.	4.8
4. Fernandez, C.de L.	4.7
5. Roderick, LeGamber.	4.2
6. Battle, Upea CdO	4.2
7. Gay, Aget S.	3.9
8. Marigney, Aget S.	3.5
9. Walker, Prima Vero.	3.5
10. Mays, Givova S.	3.2

Steals Per Game

Donato CUTOLO
  Biancobl.
  (198-F-87)
  Avg: 3

1. Cutolo, Biancobl.	3.0
2. Mays, Givova S.	2.7
3. James, FCM F.	2.4
4. George, Upea CdO	2.4
5. Ware, Novipiu Casa.	2.3
6. Fernandez, C.de L.	2.2
7. Lawal, Tezenis VE	2.2
8. Guarino, FCM F.	2.2
9. Hicks, Giorgo T.	2.1
10. Battle, Upea CdO	2.1

Blocks Per Game

Olaseni LAWAL
  Tezenis VE
  (208-F/C-86)
  Avg: 1.8

1. Lawal, Tezenis VE	1.8
2. Mosley, Biancobl.	1.8
3. Griffin, Fileni B.	1.6
4. Maggioli, Fileni B.	1.3
5. James, FCM F.	1.3
6. Pascolo, Pall.Tren.	1.3
7. Giddens, C.de L.	1.0
8. Butkevicius, Novip.	0.9
9. Brkic, C.de L.	0.9
10. Roderick, LeGambe.	0.8

Agrigento lands Roberto Chiacig - by Eurobasket News

Moncada Solar Agrigento (Nazionale A) tabbed 39-year old former international center Roberto Chiacig (210-116kg-74). He played recently at Siena Costone in Nazionale B. He also played at Angelico Biella (SerieA) earlier this season. But in 5 games he averaged just 1.6ppg and 1.2rpg. The last season Chiacig played at Trenkwalder RE (Lega2). In 27 games he had 6.8ppg and 5.8rpg. He contributed to his team winning the league title.
The previous (10-11) season Chiacig played at Givova Scafati (Lega2). In 16 games he had 11.5ppg, 6.8rpg and 1.6spg. He can count that season as a very successful as was selected to Eurobasket.com All-Italian Lega2 Honorable Mention. He also represented Italy at the European Championships in Belgrade eight years ago. His stats at that event were 4 games: 6.0ppg, 4.5rpg, FGP: 56.3%, FT: 46.2%.
Chiacig has played also professionally in Greece, Spain (Valencia Basket) and Italy (Montepaschi Siena and SAIE3 Bologna).
It may be one of last seasons in his extensive career, which he may end at Agrigento.
Let's have closer look into Chiacig's outlook: A powerful, experinced inside player who has strong hands and good moves in the paint. Makes a great body work inside thaks to his size, sees well the court and reads the game, he can make some good steals and effective passes.

By Eurobasket Data Center

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

JAPAN

Standings - BJ League

BJ Standings

Eastern
1. Niigata Albirex		26-10
2. Yokohama BC		25-9
3. Iwate Big Bulls		24-12
4. Toyama Grouses		23-13
5. Akita NH		19-15
6. Chiba Jets		18-16
7. Shinshu BW		16-20
8. Sendai 89ers		14-22
9. Tokyo Cinq R.		13-22
10. Gunma		9-27
11. Saitama Bron.		7-27
Western
1. Okinawa GK		26-8
2. Shimane SM		25-11
3. Fukuoka Rizing		24-12
4. Hamamatsu P.		23-15
5. Shiga L-Stars		22-14
6. Kyoto Hannar.		19-17
7. Takamatsu FA		13-22
8. Oita H.Devils		11-25
9. Osaka Evessa		10-24
10. Miyazaki SS		5-31

Regular Season: Round 38

Feb. 24: Takamatsu FA - Shiga L-Stars 93-80
Feb. 24: Tokyo Cinq R. - Shinshu BW 78-69
Feb. 24: Chiba Jets - Akita NH 77-79
Feb. 25: Sendai 89ers - Gunma 77-69
Feb. 24: Fukuoka Rizing - Miyazaki SS 77-63
Feb. 24: Niigata Albirex - Toyama Grouses 75-81
Feb. 26: Sendai 89ers - Gunma 75-78
Feb. 24: Hamamatsu P. - Okinawa GK 69-78
Feb. 24: Iwate Big Bulls - Yokohama BC 62-75
Feb. 24: Oita H.Devils - Shimane SM 61-75
Feb. 24: Kyoto Hannar. - Osaka Evessa 53-69

Regular Season: Round 39

Mar. 2: Akita NH - Shimane SM
Mar. 2: Shinshu BW - Shiga L-Stars
Mar. 2: Gunma - Fukuoka Rizing
Mar. 2: Tokyo Cinq R. - Chiba Jets
Mar. 2: Osaka Evessa - Saitama Bron.
Mar. 2: Takamatsu FA - Iwate Big Bulls
Mar. 2: Oita H.Devils - Niigata Albirex
Mar. 2: Miyazaki SS - Toyama Grouses
Mar. 2: Okinawa GK - Yokohama BC

BJ League Stats Leaders

Points Per Game

John HUMPHREY
  Saitama .
  (188-G/F-80)
  Avg: 24.5

1. Humphrey, Saitama	24.5
2. Cummings, Sendai	23.3
3. Brown, Akita NH	22.1
4. Chandler, Chiba J.	22.0
5. Keller, Miyazaki.	21.3
6. Burns, Yokohama BC	20.6
7. Werner, Chiba Jets	20.2
8. Jones, Tokyo C.	19.7
9. Parker, Shimane SM	19.6
10. Woods, Miyazaki	19.1

Rebounds Per Game

Chris HOLM
  Niigata Albirex
  (212-C-84)
  Avg: 14.1

1. Holm, Niigata Albi.	14.1
2. White, Oita H.	13.2
3. Willard, Sendai 89.	13.2
4. Warren, Fukuoka	12.5
5. Bell, Osaka Evessa	11.6
6. Kuso, Miyazaki SS	11.3
7. Rickert, Osaka E.	11.2
8. Werner, Chiba Jets	10.7
9. Sato, Tokyo Cinq	10.1
10. Jones, Tokyo C.	10.0

Assists Per Game

Takehiko SHIMURA
  Sendai
  (160-G-83)
  Avg: 6.3

1. Shimura, Sendai	6.3
2. Galloway, Hamamats.	5.8
3. Namizato, Okina.	5.8
4. Kensuke, Chiba Je.	5.7
5. Burns, Yokohama BC	4.9
6. Tomori, Gunma	4.1
7. Humphrey, Saitama	4.0
8. Dixon, Gunma	3.8
9. Harris, Akita NH	3.7
10. Shimizu, Oita H.	3.6

Steals Per Game

Draelon BURNS
  Yokohama BC
  (194-G-85)
  Avg: 2.2

1. Burns, Yokohama BC	2.2
2. Masato, Iwate B.	2.1
3. Brown, Toyama G.	2.1
4. McHenry, Okina.	2.0
5. Lyons, Takamats.	2.0
6. Galloway, Hamamats.	1.9
7. Bell, Chiba Jets	1.9
8. Parker, Shimane SM	1.9
9. Woods, Miyazaki SS	1.8
10. Dixon, Gunma	1.8

Blocks Per Game

Jeral DAVIS
  Shimane SM
  (216-C-84)
  Avg: 3.7

1. Davis, Shimane SM	3.7
2. Blackledge, Iwate	2.7
3. Marshall, Shins.	2.0
4. Carter, Tokyo C.	1.9
5. Fairley, Miyazaki.	1.8
6. Parker, Shimane SM	1.6
7. Kent, Akita NH	1.5
8. Williams, Takamats.	1.5
9. Brown, Toyama G.	1.4
10. Newton, Okinawa	1.3

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

KAZAKHSTAN

BC Astana claim Kazakh Cup title - by Eurobasket News

BC Astana proved once again their dominance at the Kazakh basketball scene. They clinched the Kazakh Cup title at the weekend. BC Astana claimed four victories in as many games played to bag the trophy.
Astana opened the proceedings with an 84:50 victory over Kaspiy. David Simon (208-C-82, college: IPFW) posted 23 points and 6 boards to lead the winners. Klimov contributed 11 points for BC Astana. Kazancev answered with 7 points for Kaspiy.
Next BC Astana cruised past Tobol 93:66 behind 19 points from Kolesnikov. David Simon added 14 points for the winners. Karimulin responded with 9 points for Tobol.
Kapshagay gave a tough battle to BC Astana before losing 71:79. Maxim Voyeykov (198-F-88) delivered 15 points, while David Simon contributed 14 points for the winning side. Shepil responded with 14 points for Kapshagay.
Finally BC Astana faced their archrivals Barsy Atyrau. BC Astana led by a single point after the first half 48:47. However they held their opponents to 30 points in the second half and eked out an 84:77 victory at the end. David Simon topscored for BC Astana with 22 points. Branko Cvetkovic (200-F/G-84, agency: Beo Basket) added 18 points as the winners clinched the Cup title. Zambalist responded with 23 points for Barsy.

NBF named the best players of the Cup:
Point Guard - Reinis Strupovics (192-G-87)
Shooting Guard - Branko Cvetkovic
Small Forward - Dmitri Dyatlovsky (196-G-85, agency: Promotex)
Power Forward - Anton Ponomaryov (210-C/F-88, agency: Beo Basket)
Centre - David Simon.

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

KOSOVO

Edis Kuraja is back after long injury - by Dren Shporta

Former Kolegji Univers player, Edis Kuraja (201-F-82), is back to basketball. After nearly seven months of absence, he is finally back to the courts.

Kuraja 201 centimeters high forward has played 10 minutes for his new team, Sigal Prishtina, in a victory against Kosova Vushtrri.

30 year old Kuraja, scored 2 points and has registered 2 assists and 2 rebounds in this game, notifies kosovan sports portal, Borozani.com. He is working hard to get to his 100%, said Kuraja. Sigal Prishtina with a win over Kosova Vushtrri is for the first time this season at a first place of BKT Superleague, on point average.

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

KUWAIT

Standings

D1 Standings

1. Al Kuwait		23-2
2. Al Sahel		22-4
3. Al Qadsia		21-3
4. Kazma		19-5
5. Al Jahraa		16-9
6. Al Arabi		13-12
7. Al Yarmook		12-14
8. Al Sulaibikhat		10-16
9. Al Nasar		6-20
10. Al Salmiyah		4-22
11. Al Tadhamon		3-21
12. Al Shabab		2-23

Regular Season: Round 39

Feb. 27: Kazma - Al Yarmook 96-70
Feb. 27: Al Kuwait - Al Shabab 91-73
Feb. 27: Al Jahraa - Al Salmiyah 72-59
Feb. 27: Al Sahel - Al Nasar 65-51

Regular Season: Round 40

Mar. 1: Al Tadhamon - Kazma
Mar. 1: Al Jahraa - Al Qadsia

D1 Round 39: Leader Al Kuwait gets another victory - by Eurobasket News

Leader Al Kuwait delivered the twentieth third win on Wednesday night. This time they beat 12th ranked Al Shabab (2-23) 91-73 in Kuwait City. Al Kuwait (23-2) have an impressive series of eight victories in a row. They maintain first place. Al Shabab lost eleventh consecutive game. They stay dead last with 23 lost games.
The game with biggest result difference took place in Kuwait City. Local Kazma (19-5) outscored 7th ranked Al Yarmook (12-14) 96-70. It ended at the same time the two-game winning streak of Al Yarmook. The victory was the third consecutive win for Kazma. They maintain fourth place with 19-5 record. Al Yarmook at the other side keeps the seventh position with 14 games lost.

In the last two games of round 39 Al Salmiyah was defeated by Al Jahraa in a road game 72-59. Al Sahel beat Al Nasar at home 65-51.

Al Jahraa - Al Salmiyah 72-59

There was no surprise when 10th ranked Al Salmiyah (4-22) was defeated on the road by fifth ranked Al Jahraa (16-9) 72-59. The victory was the fifth consecutive win for Al Jahraa. They maintain fifth place with 16-9 record. Al Salmiyah at the other side keeps the tenth position with 22 games lost.

Kazma - Al Yarmook 96-70

The game with biggest result difference took place in Kuwait City. Local Kazma (19-5) outscored 7th ranked Al Yarmook (12-14) 96-70. It ended at the same time the two-game winning streak of Al Yarmook. The victory was the third consecutive win for Kazma. They maintain fourth place with 19-5 record. Al Yarmook at the other side keeps the seventh position with 14 games lost.

Al Sahel - Al Nasar 65-51

No shocking result in a game in Abu Halifa where third ranked Al Sahel (22-4) defeated 9th ranked Al Nasar (6-20) 65-51. The victory was the third consecutive win for Al Sahel. They moved-up to second place. Al Nasar at the other side keeps the ninth position with 20 games lost.

Al Kuwait - Al Shabab 91-73

Leader Al Kuwait delivered the twentieth third win on Wednesday night. This time they beat 12th ranked Al Shabab (2-23) 91-73 in Kuwait City. Al Kuwait (23-2) have an impressive series of eight victories in a row. They maintain first place. Al Shabab lost eleventh consecutive game. They stay dead last with 23 lost games.

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

LEBANON

Standings - Division A

Division A Standings

1. Sagesse		14-2
2. Al Riyadi		14-2
3. Champville		11-5
4. Amchit		10-6
5. Byblos		9-7
6. Moutahed		9-7
7. Hoops		5-12
8. Bejjeh		5-12
9. Anibal		2-14
10. Antranik		2-14

Regular Season: Round 18

Feb. 27: Hoops - Bejjeh 87-70
Feb. 26: Byblos - Al Riyadi 65-72
Feb. 28: Moutahed - Antranik
Mar. 1: Amchit - Byblos
Mar. 1: Anibal - Sagesse
Mar. 2: Al Riyadi - Champville

Stats Leaders - Men

Points Per Game

Andre EMMETT
  Amchit
  (196-G/F-82)
  Avg: 37.4

1. Emmett, Amchit	37.4
2. Harper, Sagesse	28.6
3. Gray, Anibal	26.3
4. Blair, Hoops	25.5
5. Khatib, Champville	25.1
6. Ampim, Antranik	22.8
7. Youngblood, Byblos	22.6
8. Williams, Bejjeh	22.4
9. Sims, Sagesse	21.3
10. Terry, Champville	20.9

Rebounds Per Game

Michael FRASER
  Byblos
  (203-C/F-84)
  Avg: 17.5

1. Fraser, Byblos	17.5
2. Ampim, Antranik	12.1
3. Johnson, Anibal	11.7
4. Woods, Al Riyadi	11.5
5. Bagaric, Amchit	11.2
6. Tskitishvili, Cham.	11.2
7. Sims, Sagesse	10.5
8. Ismail, Al Riyadi	9.4
9. Jamison, Bejjeh	9.2
10. Emmett, Amchit	8.8

Assists Per Game

Eric CHATFIELD
  Mouta.
  (191-G-79)
  Avg: 6.2

1. Chatfield, Mouta.	6.2
2. Blair, Hoops	6.1
3. Akl, Sagesse	5.8
4. Youngblood, Byblos	5.7
5. Zaloum, Antranik	5.5
6. Williams, Bejjeh	5.5
7. Ismail, Al Riyadi	5.4
8. Mahmoud, Al Riyadi	5.4
9. Fahed, Moutahed	5.4
10. Khatib, Champville	4.9

Steals Per Game

Larry BLAIR
  Hoops
  (183-G-84)
  Avg: 3.2

1. Blair, Hoops	3.2
2. Youngblood, Byblos	2.8
3. Williams, Bejjeh	2.6
4. Harper, Sagesse	2.1
5. Emmett, Amchit	2.1
6. Zaloum, Antranik	1.9
7. Gray, Anibal	1.7
8. Mahmoud, Al Riyadi	1.6
9. Mneimneh, Byblos	1.4
10. Ismail, Al Riyadi	1.4

Blocks Per Game

Dane JOHNSON
  Anibal
  (208-C-86)
  Avg: 3.1

1. Johnson, Anibal	3.1
2. Tskitishvili, Cham.	2.7
3. Bagaric, Amchit	2.4
4. Woods, Al Riyadi	2.4
5. Fraser, Byblos	2.1
6. Khazzouh, Sagesse	1.7
7. Fakhreddine, Hoops	1.4
8. Ampim, Antranik	1.1
9. Ismail, Al Riyadi	0.9
10. Freije, Amchit	0.8

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

LITHUANIA

Martynas Andriuskevicius (ex Neptunas) agreed terms with Polpharma - by Eurobasket News

SKS Polpharma-Pakmet Starogard Gd. (TBL) strengthened their roster with addition of 27-year old Lithuanian ex-international power forward Martynas Andriuskevicius (218-113kg-86). He supposed to play at Neptunas in Lithuanian LKL league, but was released by the team in Dec.'12. In four LKL games he recorded 5.8ppg, 4.3rpg, 1.0apg and 1.3bpg this season. Andriuskevicius also played 7 games in VTB United League where he averaged 3.9ppg and 4.0rpg. The last season he played at PAOK Thessaloniki (A1) in Greek league. The team played in three different competitions (!!!) that year, and Andriuskevicius was exposed to basketball on different levels. But in 5 A1 games he averaged just 1.6ppg and 1.4rpg. He also played 1 game in Euroleague but he did not score anything. Andriuskevicius also played 2 games in Eurocup where he averaged 3.5ppg, 3.5rpg and 1.0apg.
The previous (10-11) season he played at Meridiano Alicante (ACB) in Spanish league. In 34 games he averaged 7.8ppg, 5.6rpg and 1.0bpg.
In 2005 Andriuskevicius was drafted by Orlando Magic (NBA) in second round (44th overall).
Among other achievements his team was regular season runner-up in Spanish LEB Gold for two years in a row (2008 and 2009).
Andriuskevicius was also a member of Lithuanian international program for some years. He played for Lithuanian Senior National Team in 2010 and previously for U20 National Team back in 2005. Andriuskevicius represented Lithuania at the World Championships in Turkey three years ago. His team won Bronze and his stats at that event were 2 games: 3.5ppg, 4.5rpg.
Andriuskevicius is a very experienced player. He has played also professionally in Italy, NBA (Chicago Bulls and Cleveland Cavaliers) and D-League (Santa Cruz Warriors and Arkansas RR).

By Eurobasket Data Center

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

MEXICO

Congrats To The Toros! - by Majic Dorsey

Congrats to all my Homies on the Toros. My X Roommate Quentin "Que" Gonzalez. Rene, Willy and Coach Pepe. Also the rest of the players, organization and Fans. Looks like y'all done it again Fellas. Good job out there. Way to put on for y'all City YaaaaDigggg! Enjoy the next few weeks off with the win, but I'm sure most of y'all will be back to the money rapido jejejejeje. Toros Fans Stand Up! Salute!

Congrats To The Toros! - by Majic Dorsey

Congrats to all my Homies on the Toros. My X Roommate Quentin "Que" Gonzalez. Rene, Willy and Coach Pepe. Also the rest of the players, organization and Fans. Looks like y'all done it again Fellas. Good job out there. Way to put on for y'all City YaaaaDigggg! Enjoy the next few weeks off with the win, but I'm sure most of y'all will be back to the money rapido jejejejeje. Toros Fans Stand Up! Salute!

Steffphon Pettigrew (ex Abejas) joins Marinos - by Eurobasket News

Marinos de Anzoategui (LPB) agreed terms with 24-year old American forward Steffphon Pettigrew (195-100kg-89, college: W.Kentucky). He just played at Abejas in Mexican LNBP. In 44 games he had very impressive stats: 20.9ppg, 6.3rpg, 2.2apg and 1.0spg this season. The last season Pettigrew played at Atletico Aguada (LUB) in Uruguayan league. In 44 games he recorded also remarkable stats: 19.2ppg, 7.6rpg and 1.8apg. He helped them to make it to the semifinals. Quite impressive season as he was named to Latinbasket.com Uruguay LUB All-Imports Team.
The list of the past achievements is quite long as Pettigrew's college team won Sun Belt Tournament for two years in a row (2008 and 2009).
He graduated from Western Kentucky University in 2011 and it is his second season as a professional player.

By Eurobasket Data Center

Toros are LNBP champions! - by Eurobasket News

Halcones Xalapa - Toros 83:96

Toros became the new LNBP champions. They retained the title after winning it in 2011. Toros overcame Halcones Xalapa on the road to seal 4-2 success in the title series. Ike Ofoegbu (205-F-85, college: SMU) fired 30 points to pace the winners.
Xalapa led by four points after the opening quarter 26:22. But Toros narrowed the gap in the second frame. The visitors got within one 46:47 at the interval. Toros stepped on the gas in the third quarter. They surged ahead and rallied to a 69:64 advantage at the final intermission. Quentin Gonzalez opened a double-digit lead for the visitors early in the fourth frame. Halcones Xalapa never got closer than 7 points in the reminder of the contest and Toros cruised to the victory at the end. Adrian Henning (203-F-82, college: Austin Peay St.) chipped in 16 points, while Brody Angley (180-PG-86, college: Santa Clara) added 14 for the winners. LeRoy Hickerson (196-G-82, college: Cumberlands) answered with 25 points and 7 assists for Halcones Xalapa. Kevin Sowell (190-G-81, agency: Interperformances) and Devon Pearson (198-F-84, college: SMU) had 16 points each in the loss.

Halcones Xalapa: LeRoy Hickerson 25, Kevin Sowell 16, Devon Pearson 16
Toros: Ike Ofoegbu 30, Adrian Henning 16, Brody Angley 14

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

MONTENEGRO

Teamwork make the dream work! - by Kristin Joyner

So this weekend we matched against another zeta team who isn't doing so well record wise. Going to any game we always favored as the underdogs. I've learned that being the underdog is not always a bad thing; pressure isn't on us really it's much more on the other team. Who wants to lose to the team with zero wins. Nobody!

On paper this team wasn't that much better then us as well. But we always start up slow in every game. But we manage to keep it close. Anchored by my defensive prowl. We got stops and extra offensive possessions. Honestly this was the best game we played as a whole team. We stayed together the entire game. Although the game was stopped to due to the weather conditions outside thunder and lighting messed with the power we had a 20 min wait during halftime. But that didn't stop us as at all. We continue our rolled and the intermission seemed like it never happened. The game was tight, I just kept telling my teammates that "if we don't open this game up. The refs are going to take it from us" and that they did. Refs usually favor the other team for some reason. There calls were very bad and unfair to us because, it wasn't even. Alen my Point guard came down and hit a 3 that put us up 2 or 1 I believe. But the team came right back and got fouled as soon as they attacked the basket. So in the closing seconds coach called a play for Milo's (shooting guard) me pick and roll; if he didn't get a way to get the ball to me off the screen it was for me to post.

So balls in play we run the screen and roll. Milo's came off the screen and he had a clear path to the basket which tied the game. Next play down, refs called another foul in there favor now Zeta is up two with 30 something seconds left. We manage to inbound the ball and get fouled. Milo's at the line for 2, he takes a deep breath shoots and misses the 1st one as soon as he missed the lights went out in the gym again. When he missed the free throw our whole team spirits just declined dramatically. We had 30 minute intermission due to the light situation with only 12.5 seconds left. Even if we had a chance to win our bodies were no longer warm and muscles weren't loose any more. Odds were truly against us.

Although this was my toughest loss of the season because it was in our hands. It was snatched at the last few moments of the game.
I'm truly happy in my teams play for the first time since being here in Montenegro everyone showed heart, passion and a strong love for the game. That's why I named this post Teamwork make the dream work. If we play out the season with that kind of heart and teamwork we can pull off some major wins for this ball club before this season is over.

Shoutout to my team "STRSLJEN"

Kristin Joyner (208-F/C-89, college: Texas Coll.)
Gusinje Strslnjen

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NBA

Standings

NBA Standings

Eastern Conference
Atlantic Div.
1. New York K.		34-20
2. Brooklyn N.		34-24
3. Boston C.		30-27
4. Toronto R.		23-35
5. Philadelph.76		22-33
Central Div.
1. Indiana P.		36-21
2. Chicago B.		32-25
3. Milwaukee B.		28-28
4. Detroit P.		23-37
5. Cleveland C.		20-38
Southeast Div.
1. Miami Heat		41-14
2. Atlanta H.		33-23
3. Washington W.		18-38
4. Orlando M.		16-42
5. Charlotte B.		13-44
Western Conference
Northwest Div.
1. Oklah.City T.		42-15
2. Denver N.		37-22
3. Utah Jazz		31-27
4. Portland TB		26-31
5. Minnesota T.		20-34
Pacific Div.
1. LA Clippers		41-18
2. Golden St.W.		33-25
3. LA Lakers		28-30
4. Phoenix Suns		20-39
5. Sacramento K.		20-39
Southwest Div.
1. San Antonio S.		45-14
2. Memphis G.		38-18
3. Houston R.		31-28
4. Dallas M.		25-32
5. N.Orleans H.		20-39

Regular Season: Round 115

Feb. 27: Washington W. - Detroit P. 95-96
Feb. 27: Utah Jazz - Atlanta H. 91-102
Feb. 27: Memphis G. - Dallas M. 90-84
Feb. 27: Oklah.City T. - N.Orleans H. 119-74
Feb. 27: Portland TB - Denver N. 109-111
Feb. 27: New York K. - Golden St.W. 109-105
Feb. 27: Houston R. - Milwaukee B. 107-110
Feb. 27: Cleveland C. - Toronto R. 103-92
Feb. 27: Orlando M. - Sacramento K. 101-125
Feb. 27: San Antonio S. - Phoenix Suns 101-105 OT

Regular Season: Round 116

Feb. 28: Indiana P. - LA Clippers
Feb. 28: Chicago B. - Philadelph.76
Feb. 28: LA Lakers - Minnesota T.

Stats Leaders

Points Per Game

Kevin DURANT
  Oklah.Ci.
  (206-SF-88)
  Avg: 28.6

1. Durant, Oklah.Ci.	28.6
2. Anthony, New Y.	28.5
3. James, Miami Heat	27.3
4. Bryant, LA Lakers	27.1
5. Harden, Houston R.	26.4
6. Irving, Cleveland	23.3
7. Westbrook, Oklah..	23.1
8. Curry, Golden S.	21.9
9. Wade, Miami Heat	21.5
10. Parker, San A.	21.1

Rebounds Per Game

Anderson VAREJAO
  Clevelan.
  (205-C-82)
  Avg: 14.4

1. Varejao, Clevelan.	14.4
2. Howard, LA Lakers	11.9
3. Randolph, Memph.	11.7
4. Asik, Houston R.	11.6
5. Chandler, New Y.	11.4
6. Vucevic, Orlan.	11.4
7. Noah, Chicago B.	11.2
8. Lee, Golden St.W.	11.0
9. Hickson, Portland.	10.4
10. Horford, Atlanta	10.1

Assists Per Game

Rajon RONDO
  Boston C.
  (185-PG-86)
  Avg: 11

1. Rondo, Boston C.	11.0
2. Paul, LA Clippers	9.5
3. Vasquez, N.Orlean.	9.4
4. Holiday, Philadel.	8.7
5. Westbrook, Oklah..	7.9
6. Williams, Brooklyn	7.7
7. Parker, San A.	7.6
8. Calderon, Toron.	7.4
9. Nelson, Orlando M.	7.4
10. Wall, Washington	7.4

Steals Per Game

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

1. Paul, LA Clippers	2.5
2. Conley, Memphis G.	2.2
3. Rubio, Minnesot.	2.2
4. Ellis, Milwaukee B.	2.0
5. Harden, Houston R.	1.9
6. Westbrook, Oklah..	1.9
7. Walker, Charlott.	1.9
8. Lin, Houston R.	1.9
9. Jennings, Milwauke.	1.8
10. Rondo, Boston C.	1.8

Blocks Per Game

Larry SANDERS
  Milwauke.
  (211-F-88)
  Avg: 3.1

1. Sanders, Milwauke.	3.1
2. Ibaka, Oklah.Ci.	3.0
3. Hibbert, Indiana P.	2.7
4. Duncan, San A.	2.6
5. Howard, LA Lakers	2.3
6. Lopez, Brooklyn N.	2.2
7. Noah, Chicago B.	2.1
8. Smith, Atlanta H.	2.0
9. McGee, Denver N.	2.0
10. Biyombo, Charlott.	1.8

Ten games review from Wednesday - by Eurobasket News

Portland TB - Denver N. 109-111
Andre Miller (6'2''-PG-76, college: Utah) scored the go-ahead layup with 24.9 seconds left against his former team and the Denver Nuggets held off the Portland Trail Blazers 111-109 on Wednesday night for their third straight victory. Denver, which led by as many as 12 points in the first half, lost the lead to the Blazers late in the third quarter but reclaimed it when Ty Lawson (5'11''-PG-87, college: N.Carolina)'s layup made it 96-95 with 4:54 left. After rookie Damian Lillard (6'2''-PG-90, college: Weber St.) put the Blazers back up 101-100 with a layup, Andre Iguodala and Lawson gave Denver a 106-101 lead. Wesley Matthews answered with a 3-pointer and LaMarcus Aldridge added a turnaround jumper that tied it at 106 with 33.8 seconds left. But Miller's scoop under the basket gave the Nuggets back the lead, and Aldridge missed a jumper on the other end with 14 seconds left. Lillard hit on a 3-pointer with 3.9 seconds left, but the Blazers fell short and Miller, who played for the Blazers from 2009-11, made free throws for the final margin. Lawson finished with 30 points and Iguodala matched his season high with 29 for the Nuggets, who snapped a six-game losing streak at the Rose Garden. Lillard led Portland with 26 points and J.J. Hickson had his 31st double-double of the season with 18 points and 14 rebounds. The Nuggets were without starter Danilo Gallinari, the team's leading scorer with an average of 16.9 points per game, for the second straight game because of a left thigh bruise. Wilson Chandler started again in his place. Even without Gallinari, the Nuggets defeated the Lakers 119-108 on Monday, their seventh straight win at home. Denver is currently sitting in fifth place in the Western Conference standings. The Blazers were coming off a 92-86 victory over Boston on Sunday night that snapped a season-high seven-game losing streak. The Blazers went on an 8-0 run capped by Lillard's bank shot to pull within 43-37 midway through the second quarter, but the Nuggets led 58-50 at halftime, paced by Lawson's 16 points. The Blazers kept threatening in the third quarter, but Denver kept holding them off. After Lillard's 3-pointer got Portland as close a 62-61, Kenneth Faried dunked and made a layup to stem the threat. Nicolas Batum's dunk got the Blazers to 72-70, but Iguodala answered with a 3-pointer. Rookie Meyers Leonard finally gave Portland lead with a dunk that made it 80-79 with 53 seconds left in the third quarter. For good measure, he dunked again over Miller to extend it. Leonard, who turned 21 on Wednesday, celebrated by flexing his muscles Incredible Hulk-style. He finished with a career-high 13 points. Faried tied it at 92 with a dunk, and Lawson's layup gave Denver back the lead at 94-92 with just over six minutes left in the game. Wesley Matthews gave the Blazers back the lead with a 3-pointer, but turnovers hurt Portland. Courtesy of: statesmanjournal.com

Utah Jazz - Atlanta H. 91-102
With an array of jumpers and layups, Alfred Horford (6'10''-F/C-86, college: Florida) put on a scoring clinic. He saved his best for the fourth quarter. Horford scored 16 of career-high 34 points in the final period and grabbed 15 rebounds, while Josh Smith (6'9''-F-85) added 24 points 14 rebounds and seven assists to help the Atlanta Hawks hold off a fourth-quarter rally by the Utah Jazz in a 102-91 victory Wednesday night. "We worked too hard to give it up," Horford said. "It was one of those things where you don't want to lose, so you kind of do whatever you have to do. "We just kept fighting and I kept fighting." Jeff Teague had 19 points and seven assists for Atlanta, helping the Hawks win their fourth straight game over Utah and move to 3-0 on their current road trip. Horford made it possible with his big fourth quarter that snuffed out several Jazz rallies late in the game. "He was good," Hawks coach Larry Drew said. "We were running plays through him. When the shot wasn't there, he was passing the ball. He got everything within our offense. Guys were doing a good job of finding him. He's really playing at a high level now - an extremely high level." Al Jefferson (6'10''-F/C-85) led Utah with 26 points and 11 rebounds, while Derrick Favors had 17 points and 15 rebounds. It wasn't enough to prevent the Jazz from losing their second straight home game and third straight contest overall. Atlanta took control when the Jazz opened the second half by missing their first eight shots. The Hawks went on a 10-2 run and took a 66-50 lead on a pair of free throws by Horford. The Hawks appeared to be on the verge of securing a blowout road victory when they extended their lead to 80-60 on a pair of free throws from Zaza Pachulia with 1:24 remaining in the quarter. But the Jazz finally came to life on offense toward the end of the third quarter, going on an 11-2 run that culminated in a three-point play by Favors to cut the Hawks' lead to 82-71. Still, Utah was left with far too much ground to make up in a short amount of time. "We've got to be able to pick it up in the third," Jazz guard Gordon Hayward said. "We can't be flat like we were. Hopefully, we can change that in the next game." DeMarre Carroll kept the Jazz within striking distance late into the fourth quarter. Carroll twice helped Utah cut the lead to eight - first on a 3-pointer and then on a steal that he fed to Favors for a dunk that trimmed Atlanta's lead to 92-84. The Hawks held the Jazz in check down the stretch, however. Horford made a pair of baskets to put Atlanta back up by 12. Then, Smith hammered home a dunk after Favors hit a pair of free throws to cut it to 96-89 in the final minute. "We just kept digging and kept playing hard," Smith said. "Anytime they went on a run, we tried to silence them with a layup or a big shot." The first quarter played out with Smith and Jefferson trading baskets. Smith made a hook shot to spark a 10-3 run and capped it with a dunk that gave Atlanta an early 18-11 lead. Jefferson helped rally the Jazz by making four straight baskets. The final one, a double-pump short jumper, left the Hawks clinging to a 27-25 lead with 20.5 seconds left in the opening quarter. Jefferson tallied 11 points in the quarter, while Smith finished with 10. Atlanta built the lead back up early in the second quarter, extended the advantage to 39-30 as Horford made three baskets over a 3-minute span. Utah answered with a 9-0 run - capped by a driving layup from Alec Burks - to tie it at 39. Horford and Teague combined to score 11 points in the final 2:30 of the first half to help Atlanta take a 56-48 lead going into the locker room. "We had good shots," Favors said. "They were just going in and out. Overall, we needed to get our energy up." Courtesy of: knoxnews.com

San Antonio S. - Phoenix Suns 101-105 OT
After a 25-day, nine-game road trip, the San Antonio Spurs were glad to be back in their own building, relaxed and ready to add to their 18-game home winning streak. Maybe too relaxed. Jermaine O'Neal (6'11''-F/C-78) had 22 points and 13 rebounds, Wesley Johnson (6'7''-F/G-87, college: Syracuse) hit a 3-pointer at the end of regulation to force overtime and the Phoenix Suns rallied to upend San Antonio 105-101, stunning a raucous crowd that had begun celebrating midway through the third quarter only to exit in silence. Tony Parker (6'2''-PG-82) had 22 points to lead San Antonio, which had not lost at home since Nov. 19 against the Los Angeles Clippers. Tim Duncan (6'11''-F/C-76, college: Wake Forest) had 19 points and 11 rebounds, and DeJuan Blair and Kawhi Leonard added 15 points apiece. Luis Scola added 15 points and Goran Dragic had 13 points and 13 assists for Phoenix, which snapped a six-game losing streak against the Spurs. "We are all very upset, especially after the performance we had on the road," San Antonio guard Manu Ginobili said. "Coming back home and losing the first one is hard, but it happens. We got relaxed after such a long road trip, but this is what happens in the NBA when you do not play your best." After going 7-2 on the road trip due to the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo, the league-leading Spurs (45-14) appeared to have the game well in hand following a strong third quarter by Parker. Amid cries of "MVP," Parker had 10 points in the period as San Antonio extended its lead to double digits. His assist to Duncan with 10 minutes left in the third gave the Spurs a 56-45 lead and his 10-foot jumper put them up 69-58. Leonard's 3 with 1.1 seconds gave San Antonio a 77-67 lead entering the fourth. Trailing by 11 points with 11:29 left in the game, the Suns rallied behind O'Neal. The veteran center had 13 points and five rebounds as Phoenix (20-39) outscored San Antonio 33-23 in the fourth. "For us, we're obviously not in the playoff run, but it's about trying to be a better team," O'Neal said. "Games like these are what build character and put us in the right direction. That's what we're trying to do." The Suns pulled within 97-95 with less than a minute remaining on Marcus Morris' 3. Parker attempted to keep the Spurs ahead, tossing in a floater, a jump shot and feeding Duncan for a jumper that gave San Antonio a 99-97 lead with 11 seconds left. Ginobili made one of two free throws with 3.7 seconds left to make it 100-97. O'Neal rebounded Ginobili's second free throw attempt, firing a pass down court to Johnson, whose 3 at the buzzer tied the game at 100 and sent it to overtime. "Overall we made a lot of mental errors," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. "Especially on that last play on the free throw line when Johnson went all the way down the court and he wasn't picked up. That cost us the game." Johnson's 3 seemed to stun the Spurs even more so than the fans. "I think we were kind of surprised that Manu missed that last free throw, but they made a great play," Parker said. "Wesley made a big 3." San Antonio went 0 for 10 in overtime, its only points in the extra period coming when Parker made 1 of 2 free throws. "I think they missed some shots they normally make, so defensively we did some things great that worked great for us," Phoenix coach Lindsey Hunter said. The teams combined to go 0 for 14 to open overtime. Marcin Gortat's tip follow was the first basket of overtime, giving Phoenix a 102-101 lead with 1:07 left. Courtesy of: wralsportsfan.com

Oklah.City T. - N.Orleans H. 119-74
Russell Westbrook (6'3''-PG-88, college: UCLA) scored 29 points ,Kevin Durant (6'9''-SF-88, college: Texas) recorded his third career triple-double and the Oklahoma City Thunder finished a perfect three-game home stand by routing the short-handed New Orleans Hornets 119-74 on Wednesday night. Durant had 18 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists as Oklahoma City finished a dominant four-game sweep of the season series against New Orleans, which was without starters Anthony Davis (shoulder) and Eric Gordon (knee). The Thunder led by at least 29 in three of the four meetings this season, With the Thunder firmly in control, Durant made a clear bid for the triple-double. He got the assist on five straight Thunder baskets in the third quarter, grinning widely at the bench after his ninth assist. He and the rest of the starters exited soon after. Ryan Anderson (6'10''-F-88, college: California) started in place of Davis and led New Orleans with 14 points. The margin of victory matched the largest of the season for Oklahoma City and was the biggest blowout the Hornets have suffered this season. It also marked the first back-to-back blowouts by at least 30 points by the Thunder franchise since 1994, when it was located in Seattle. With Oklahoma City already up by 23, Durant went into assist mode to get his second triple-double since the All-Star break. He assisted on Westbrook's two-handed dunk and a jumper by Serge Ibaka, then threw an off-target alley-oop that Westbrook was able to lay in. He followed that with a pass to Ibaka for a layup, turning to his teammates on the bench with a big smile afterward. After a timeout, he knew he needed just one more assist and passed up a shot near the elbow to instead set up a 3-pointer by Westbrook from the left corner. On the next possession, Durant made a 10-foot jumper to make it 87-52 and then came out with the rest of the starters with 4:01 left in the third quarter. The huge lead gave coach Scott Brooks the whole fourth quarter to rest his starters and give playing time to new acquisitions Derek Fisher and Ronnie Brewer. Fisher, who signed as a free agent after Oklahoma City traded third-string point guard Eric Maynor last week, gained a spot in the rotation and missed a pair of 3-pointers in the first half. Brewer, acquired in a trade with New York last week, played the entire fourth quarter along with Fisher and the lead grew to as much as 43. The Thunder never trailed and pulled away after a cranking up their defense late in the first half. New Orleans started out 18 for 36 from the field and was within 48-43, then made just nine of 41 shots after that. Oklahoma City recorded five blocks in the first 3 1/2 minutes of the second half and never looked back. Oklahoma City had allowed four straight opponents to shoot 46 percent or better before holding Chicago to an NBA season-low 29.1 percent in a 102-72 blowout Sunday night. Westbrook scored 16 points in the first 10 minutes, also drawing a pair of fouls against Vasquez, as the Thunder took charge early. He and Ibaka combined for all but two of Oklahoma City's first 26 points, teaming up for all the scoring during an 8-0 run, and Oklahoma City built its lead to 36-22 after Martin's 16-footer about 2 minutes into the second quarter. The Hornets rallied back with nine straight points, following Roger Mason Jr.'s 3-pointer by getting to the rim for three easy buckets, to get within 45-41 on Al-Farouq Aminu's tip-in of a Vasquez miss. Durant responded with a 3-pointer on Oklahoma City's next possession, sparking a 17-4 flurry to finish the half by the Thunder. Durant had another 3-pointer, a pair of free throws and a slick pass to set up Ibaka's two-handed slam during the run that extended the lead to 62-45 at the break. Courtesy of: philstar.com

Houston R. - Milwaukee B. 107-110
Monta Ellis (6'4''-G-85) never doubted it for a second. And the Milwaukee Bucks guard had less than a second remaining when he tossed up an off-balance 27-foot shot that twirled around and nearly bounced out before settling back in the net, beating the buzzer and the Houston Rockets on Wednesday night. Ellis' walk-off winner was just that, although he actually ran off the floor and into the locker room after giving the Bucks a 110-107 victory at the Toyota Center. "I didn't want to go into overtime," Ellis said. "I was kind of winded "The buzzer went off when it was rolling around the rim. There was no need for me to come back out." The referees reviewed the shot through video replay and quickly ruled that it counted. Ellis' dramatic shot capped a productive two days for the Bucks (28-28), who swept Dallas and Houston on their short Texas trip. Milwaukee was able to regroup after losing its previous three games by a total of six points. The Bucks grabbed two offensive rebounds before holding the ball for the final shot, but Brandon Jennings was trapped with time running out and had to get rid of it. Ellis went off one leg for the game-winner. "He threw it up there," Bucks center Larry Sanders said. "He makes those shots in practice and stuff, so it's funny." Ellis, who scored the go-ahead basket in Dallas on Tuesday, finished with 27 points, a season-high 13 assists, six steals and six rebounds while playing 45 minutes on the second night of a back-to-back set. "He's all over the floor," Bucks coach Jim Boylan said. "He's playing defense. Offensively he's getting after it. He's doing everything for us right now. "I don't know if anybody in the league is playing as hard as he is right now, with his intensity and focus. It's an inspiration to his teammates." Ersan Ilyasova added 20 points and 10 rebounds and converted a three-point play after the Bucks trailed, 105-99. Mike Dunleavy drilled a three-pointer to tie the score with 1 minute, 34 seconds left, and Sanders contributed a late block on James Harden and a tip-in to give the Bucks a two-point lead. Harden's drive for a basket tied the score for the final time at 107 with 34.7 seconds remaining. "Over the course of the season it all evens out," Dunleavy said. "It wasn't so long ago, a week or 10 days in fact, that we were on the other end of it. "When you lose some games in close situations, maybe you become more resilient. You stick with it more. That's what we did tonight, and we did that last night." Dunleavy said he knew Ellis' shot beat the buzzer. "Some are real close and you do need to see the replay," Dunleavy said. "But that one you could tell with the naked eye." Dunleavy finished with 16 points while playing 31 minutes, and J.J. Redick (6'4''-G-84, college: Duke) again made a strong contribution with 14 points in 21 minutes. "A road win on a back-to-back is tough," Redick said. "The basketball gods were smiling on us tonight." Harden led the Rockets (31-28), who hold the eighth playoff spot in the Western Conference, with 25 points and seven assists but also committed seven turnovers. Chandler Parsons added 20 points and center Omer Asik (7'0''-C-86) had 16 points and a career-high 22 rebounds. The Bucks trailed by 17 points in the first quarter but fought back to trail, 36-33, after one period, and the game was tied, 55-55, at halftime. Ellis had 12 steals in the two-game trip and now has a league-leading eight games with five or more steals. "We've got to do something," Ellis said of his energy level. "I just want to do whatever I can to help my team win and hold our eighth spot so we can make the playoffs. "It's not just me; it's my teammates catching the ball, blocking shots, rebounding. And also setting good screens for me and they're rolling to the basket and I'm finding them." Ellis was aware of the clock and knew he had no time to waste when Jennings gave him the ball. "I just threw it up and thank God it went in," Ellis said. Courtesy of: jsonline.com

Memphis G. - Dallas M. 90-84
The Memphis Grizzlies took a horrendous start and turned it into one of the best comebacks in franchise history. The Grizzlies began rebounding from a 25-point deficit in the second quarter, scored 20 unanswered points to start the third and defeated the Dallas Mavericks 90-84 on Wednesday night. The reversal matched the largest comeback in franchise history. The Grizzlies also came from 25 down to win at Portland on March 25, 2002. "It was unbelievable," Memphis point guard Mike Conley said. "I felt like we were floating above at another level. I've never seen us play so hard and do the things we were doing. "It seemed like it was a blur, it happened so quick." Zach Randolph (6'9''-C-81, college: Michigan St.) scored 22 points and Marc Gasol (7'1''-C-85, agency: Interperformances) added 21 as the Grizzlies stormed back to win their eighth straight, also matching a franchise-best. Quincy Pondexter finished with 12 and Austin Daye added 10, all in the first half, for Memphis. Gasol had 12 rebounds and Randolph 10 as Memphis outrebounded Dallas 46-34. After giving up 38 points with poor defense in the first quarter, and seeing the Mavericks build the lead to 25 before halftime, Memphis outscored Dallas 71-46 in the final three quarters. "It's a tough loss and a disappointing loss," Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle said. "We all own it, and that's the truth." Shawn Marion (6'7''-F-78, college: UNLV) led the Mavericks with 16 points, Elton Brand finished with 12 off the bench, and O.J. Mayo added 11, despite going 5 of 13 from the field. Dirk Nowitzki had 10 for Dallas, which dropped its third straight. Trailing 51-26 with 5:25 to go in the second quarter halftime, the Grizzlies went on a 36-4 run spanning intermission, including the 20-0 rally to open the third quarter. The Mavericks went more than 8 minutes to start the second half before Mayo split a pair of free throws for Dallas' first point in the quarter. "They turned up their defensive pressure, and we didn't respond to it," Carlisle said of the rally. "We had four turnovers at the end of the first half that cut into our lead and gave them momentum. We did a poor job at the start of the third quarter, obviously." Memphis would outscore Dallas 24-5 in the third as the Mavericks hit only two shots. The five points were a franchise low for a Memphis opponent in a quarter. The third-quarter tally meant Memphis had crafted a 40-9 run since the 25-point deficit in the second quarter. "I just think the guys had more of a sense of urgency," Memphis guard Tony Allen said. "We put a collective effort into getting those stops and understanding what those guys were running. "I thought (the Mavericks') legs got tired coming off a back-to-back. We were able to get the wind up under us, weather the storm and play Grizzlies basketball." Memphis would stretch the advantage to nine near the 8-minute mark of the fourth. Dallas pushed back, and when Brand hit a 10-footer with 2:50 left, the Mavericks were within two at 80-78. But Brand was called for a foul on Gasol, then a technical. Memphis hit all three of the ensuing free throws, and Dallas got no closer than five points the rest of the way. "They started picking us up and really got into us," Nowitzki said of Memphis' turnaround. "We didn't really have much going from that point on. They got going and were all over us. That really sums it up. They put the pressure on us, and that was the game." The Mavericks, who defeated Memphis 104-83 in Dallas on Jan. 12, sprinted to an early lead on accurate shooting. Dallas connected on nine of its first 11 shots, while Memphis missed its first eight and managed to connect on only three of its first 14. A lot of the Grizzlies' misses came from an early aggressive defense from the Mavericks. The Mavericks hardly looked as though they were the ones playing the second night of a back-to-back. They had much more energy, and Memphis' lack of defense allowed the Mavericks to have open shots. That meant Dallas still shooting 65 percent near the midway point of the second quarter. Memphis coach Lionel Hollins said he noticed the team lagging at practice Tuesday after taking Monday off, then again at shootaround earlier Wednesday. That spilled over to the poor start, he said. "We aren't that talented," Hollins said of the thought that his team can turn it up at any point. "We have to be prepared. We have to be mentally and physically ready to play." Dallas continued to extend the advantage until Memphis started its comeback and trailed 55-42 at the break. Nowitzki led the Mavericks with 14 points. Gasol led Memphis with 13, while Daye came off the bench with 10. "At halftime, (Hollins) didn't have too many words," Randolph said when asked the difference between the halves. "He said we know what we are doing and knew what we had to do and left it to us. We came together and kept fighting. It was one of probably the best games of the season." Conley tried to recall a similar comeback in his career, but struggled for a specific one. "This one was by far one of the most memorable because it was so out of hand so early," Conley said, adding: "It was just unbelievable." Courtesy of: mercurynews.com

Washington W. - Detroit P. 95-96
Washington Wizards Coach Randy Wittman had plenty of reason to be disappointed with his team after a 96-95 loss to the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday night. Trevor Ariza (6'8''-F-85, agency: David Lee services, college: UCLA)'s rushed, air-balled three-pointer from the left corner as time expired was somewhere at the bottom of the list. At the top was a collection of players who resisted Wittman's efforts to give them guidance and direction, pouted over playing time and shots, got wrapped up in the emotion of poor play and weren't committed on the defensive end. Wittman's point guard was busy throwing passes to the wrong team. His starting front court was ineffective. And his team trailed by 16 points late in the third quarter against a team that arrived at Verizon Center on three-game losing streak. Still, despite those shortcomings, Ariza went on an improbable, one-man run and scored eight points in 49 seconds to put his team in position to win. But his final shot attempt came up short and the Wizards walked off the court, dejected and despondent. 'It didn't boil down to that,' Wittman said of Ariza's shot. 'We got what we deserved. We didn't deserve to win that game. We were more caught up in ourselves as individuals than the team. That's the bottom line. We got guys that haven't been in the rotation, complaining. The older guys trying to help them, they won't listen. And that just tells me: I'm worried about myself. I'm not worried about winning this game.'' The Wizards (18-38) had their three-game winning streak snapped and lost for the fourth time this season - and sixth consecutive game overall - to the Pistons. They knew before tip-off that they wouldn't have Nene on their side, but as the game unfolded, they realized that they would also have to find a way to do it without John Wall playing at his best. Mired in a recent shooting slump, Wall made several careless passes and the offense was stagnant with him running the show. He finished with just six points on 3-for-9 shooting, committed seven turnovers and was outplayed by his backup, A.J. Price, who led the team with eight assists and scored nine points. Wall has struggled from the floor in his past six games, shooting just 30.8 percent (20 for 65) from the floor. In three of the five games, since the all-star break, Wall has committed at least six turnovers. After the loss to Detroit, Wall said he didn't have any problems with his left knee or any other health concerns. 'No health at all, just trying to play basketball and do my best to help my team win,' Wall said. Assistant coach Don Newman spent considerable time speaking to Wall as he tied up his shorts and adjusted his knee pads in preparation for the start of the second half. Wall nodded and assistant Jerry Sichting patted him on the back. But the pep talk didn't go very far, because 30 seconds into the third period, Wall drove into the lane and had the ball poked away by Pistons forward Jason Maxiell. His final turnover came later in the period, when he drove inside and threw a pass that was too fast for Emeka Okafor, leading to a layup by Pistons point guard Brandon Knight (6'3''-G-91, college: Kentucky) on the end. 'They were great passes. It was just, some teammates couldn't catch them and some got tipped away,' Wall said. 'Just got to deal with it.' Nene was forced to sit after a sore right shoulder injury that he suffered last week suddenly became too unbearable. He watched the game from the end of the bench. The Wizards' vaunted defense, which ranks eighth in the NBA in efficiency, suffered without Nene as the team allowed the Pistons to shoot 54.2 percent. Brandon Knight led all scorers with 32 points and former Georgetown star Greg Monroe (6'11''-C-90, college: Georgetown) had 26 points and 11 rebounds. 'We wasn't ready to play as a team,' Ariza said after scoring a team-high 22 points. 'We didn't play like we've been playing and in the NBA, you can't do that. To lose any game, period, is tough. To get swept is even tougher. Tonight wasn't a good night for our team.' Wall gave the Wizards a 62-57 lead when lowered his head and drove to the basket, but Brandon Knight scored 10 points during a 21-2 run for the Pistons. After Wall's botched pass to Okafor (15 points, five rebounds), Wittman called another timeout and replaced Wall with Price, but Brandon Knight added a three-pointer to give the Pistons a 78-64 lead. Okafor finally silenced the run with a dunk, but Calderon fed Maxiell for an alley-oop dunk and the home fans started to boo. 'It's bizarre to me,' Wittman said. 'They didn't want to be coached. It was more about playing time and shots, rather than: What are we doing as a team? And how am I playing when I'm out there?' It's my job to decide who is deserving of playing out there and that's what I'll continue to do and that's the only way I believe. And if you can't handle that, you don't agree with it, that's what you get - a game like tonight. It wasn't about the team. That's what's disappointing.' Calderon ran the Pistons' offense with precision, handing out 18 assists and scoring just six points. He had a layup that gave the Pistons a 96-87 lead with 69 seconds remaining. Ariza made two three-pointers, then stole a pass from Calderon. Pistons reserve Will Bynum was called for a clear-path foul, giving the Wizards two free throws and the ball with 12.3 seconds left. Ariza made both free throws and Wittman drew up a play for Bradley Beal (16 points), who drove, then dished out to Martell Webster. Webster batted the ball to Ariza and he rushed a three-pointer than barely touched the net. 'We didn't do a good job against them at all this year,' Price said of the Pistons. 'As a fan of the game, student of the game, they outplayed us. And [Wittman is] right, they outplayed us. He's right, we didn't deserve to win, but it would've been something if we did win.' Courtesy of: washingtonpost.com

New York K. - Golden St.W. 109-105
Carmelo Anthony (6'8''-SF-84, college: Syracuse) scored 35 points, J.R. Smith (6'6''-G-85) hit the tiebreaking shot with 1:10 left, and the New York Knicks overcame Stephen Curry (6'3''-PG-88, college: Davidson)'s NBA season-high 54 points to beat the Golden State Warriors 109-105 on Wednesday night. Curry was 18 of 28 from the field, finishing one shy of the NBA record with 11 3-pointers, in a performance that had the crowd hanging on his every shot. But the Knicks finally stopped him with 1:28 to play when Raymond Felton blocked his shot with the score tied at 105. That led to a jumper by Smith, who finished with 26 points. Anthony followed with another basket and the Knicks hung on to spoil former Knicks star and Warriors coach Mark Jackson's homecoming. Curry finished with seven assists and six rebounds while passing his previous career best of 42 points, and Kevin Durant's 52-point performance that had been the best in the NBA this season. But he had little help without All-Star forward David Lee, who was suspended one game for his role in an altercation Tuesday night in Indiana. Tyson Chandler had 16 points and a career-best 28 rebounds for the Knicks, who won their second straight after a season-high, four-game losing streak. Amare Stoudemire had 14 points and Anthony added eight assists on the day the Knicks learned they could be without reserve forward Rasheed Wallace for the rest of the season because he needs surgery to repair a broken bone in his left foot. Strutting all over the court whenever one of his 3s swished easily through the nets, Curry easily blew past the 38 points he scored Tuesday in Indiana, which had been his best of the season. That was spoiled when he was fined $35,000 for his role in the skirmish, which was essentially getting thrown to the ground by Roy Hibbert when he tried to intervene. This performance _ the most points by an NBA player in a loss since Kobe Bryant had 58 in a loss to Charlotte on Dec. 29, 2006 _ was spoiled along with Jackson's trip back to his old home because of a few mistakes down the stretch. Curry threw away a pass on the break with about three minutes left, and Jarrett Jack was called for a travel following Smith's go-ahead basket. Plus, Klay Thompson finished 3 of 13 from the field, missing two straight from deep in the final minute. Courtesy of: newser.com

Cleveland C. - Toronto R. 103-92
Rookie Dion Waiters (6'4''-G-91, college: Syracuse) scored 23 points, Shaun Livingston (6'7''-G-85) added 15 and the Cleveland Cavaliers overcame a horrendous start and playing without injured all-star Kyrie Irving for the second straight game, beating the Toronto Raptors 103-92 on Wednesday night. The Cavs made only one of their first 15 shots, but recovered and finished February at 7-5, their first winning month since March 2010, when LeBron James was still around. Tristan Thompson scored 14, Wayne Ellington added 13 and Luke Walton had seven rebounds and seven assists for the Cavs, who closed with a 10-2 run. Demar DeRozan (6'7''-F/G-89, college: USC) scored 34 and Rudy Gay had 24 for the Raptors. Toronto was within three at 93-90 when Waiters hit a 15-foot jumper with 1:43 left. Irving sat out with a hyperextended right knee, an injury he sustained in practice. It was Cleveland's second win in a row without Irving, whose knee is still sore and the Cavs are being extra cautious with their dazzling 20-year-old. But he isn't the only rising star in Cleveland. Waiters, forced to be more aggressive with Irving on the bench, scored 25 in Tuesday's win at Chicago and has 71 points in his past three games. Thompson, another of the young-and-improving Cavs, added eight rebounds and made all six free throws. After trailing by 11, the Raptors got within 73-71 on DeRozan's jumper. But Thompson scored six straight points inside and the Cavs reeled off seven consecutive to end the third. Cleveland made its first 20 free throws before Waiters split a pair with 1.7 seconds left, giving Cleveland an 80-71 lead entering the fourth. A 6-0 burst pushed Cleveland's lead to 86-71, but the Raptors, fighting to stay in the playoff race, weren't finished. Gay's dunk made it 93-90, but Waiters showed no fear in stepping up and dropping his big jumper. On Cleveland's next possession, Livingston fired a no-look pass to Alonzo Gee for a dunk, and after DeRozan scored, the Cavs put the game away by making six straight free throws in the final two minutes. The win was another sign of growth in the Cavs, who went 3-12 in November and 3-13 in December. The Raptors lost for the first time in four road games since acquiring Gay in a trade from Memphis. The Cavs were beyond awful in the opening minutes, shooting (6.7 per cent) from the field and allowing the Raptors to run out to an early 21-7 lead. Gay dropped a three-pointer during a 16-2 run for Toronto, and in the initial moments of a timeout, Cleveland coach Byron Scott looked at his players as if to say: ' Hey, guys, put the ball in the hoop.' ' Cleveland's players finally began finding their range and used an 11-4 spurt to pull within 25-20 heading into the second quarter. Considering their atrocious start, it was incredible the Cavs weren't further down. They really heated up in the second quarter, shooting 71.4 per cent (15 of 21) and outscoring the Raptors 37-23 to take a 57-48 lead. Courtesy of: thespec.com

Orlando M. - Sacramento K. 101-125
If the Sacramento Kings were at all tired after their marathon loss to Miami on Tuesday night, it didn't show. John Salmons (6'7''-F-79, college: Miami, FL) had 21 points to lead six players in double-figures, helping the hot-shooting Sacramento Kings cruise to a 125-101 victory over the Orlando Magic on Wednesday night. The Kings were coming off a double-overtime loss to the Heat, but showed few signs of a hangover, knocking down 10 3-pointers and shooting 54 percent (46 of 84) for the night. They also shared the ball, finishing with 31 assists. Reserve Marcus Thornton added 20 points, leading a bench that produced 64 points. "When we play the type of basketball that we played tonight, we're a tough team to beat, and the night before as well," Kings' center DeMarcus Cousins (6'11''-C/F-90, agency: SportsTalent, college: Kentucky) said. "These past two nights are probably the best basketball we played all season." The win ends a six-game losing streak and snaps a string of nine consecutive road losses. It also marks the Kings' first season sweep of the Magic in nine years. It's just a speck on what has been a dismal year, but was still a night Sacramento coach Keith Smart hopes his team files away for future reference. "The problem with our team is that when they give up on who succeeds and allow the team to function first, they've been able to play and compete against everyone," he said. "It all comes down to if our guys can be selfless and give themselves up." Tobias Harris (6'8''-F-92, college: Tennessee) led the Magic with a career-high 23 points, followed by Arron Afflalo with 15. Orlando has lost 29 of its last 33 games and still hasn't won back-to-back games since mid-December. The Kings led by as many as 33 in the second half and didn't let up until late, as their field goal percentage hovered near 60 percent. They also took care of the ball, committing no turnovers in the third quarter. Orlando was a step behind throughout with 18 turnovers that led to 20 Sacramento points. "At the end of the day the games' about wins and losses," Magic forward Al Harrington said. "We wanted to win. Unfortunately we ran into a hot team. They make a lot of jump shots, when we tried to get adjusted to that they made a layup. Just one of those nights when we couldn't get a stop." The Kings started a little sluggish before ending the first quarter on a 29-9 run to take a 14-point lead into the second. The momentum carried over as Sacramento led by as many 25 points and was up a comfortable 67-44 at halftime. Sacramento had five players in double-figures by the break and hit shots from everywhere, shooting 62 percent in the half (28 for 45). The Kings also got several runouts that led to easy fast-break points. The Magic came in at just 35 percent (15 of 42). "We've had stretches like this earlier in the season, where we're moving the ball ... then we kind of take a step back," Salmons said. "Just have to stay consistent on moving the ball like we have been doing. We need to focus on our defense and give ourselves a chance." Orlando has little time to stew over its latest poor effort, though, hosting Houston on Friday. Magic coach Jacque Vaughn refused to give his team a pass for its shortcomings, despite playing six games in just nine nights. "That's part of the NBA," he said. "There's a bunch of guys in that locker room where they haven't played six games in nine nights before. So this is new and the thing is to learn from is so when it happens the next time we're better." Courtesy of: orovillemr.com

Anthony Davis out with shoulder sprain - by Eurobasket News

The New Orleans Hornets say rookie forward Anthony Davis (6'10''-C-93, college: Kentucky) has a left shoulder sprain and will not play on Thursday night in Oklahoma City. Davis hurt his shoulder in a collision with Brooklyns Brook Lopez under the basket late in the third quarter of New Orleans 101-97 loss to the Nets. Team officials said during the game that he was available to return, but coach Monty Williams elected not to put him back in, and team officials say Davis did not travel to Oklahoma City.
Courtesy of: insidehoops.com

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

NBLCANADA

NBLC Standings

NBL Canada Standings

1. London L.		29-4
2. Summerside S.		19-14
3. Moncton M.		19-20
4. Oshawa P.		18-15
5. St.John M.R.		17-16
6. Halifax R.		17-17
7. Windsor Exp.		16-18
8. Montreal J.		2-33

Regular Season: Round 30

Feb. 25: Moncton M. - Halifax R. 99-84
Feb. 27: Windsor Exp. - Montreal J. 115-73
Feb. 27: Oshawa P. - London L. 103-115
Feb. 28: Oshawa P. - Summerside S.
Feb. 28: London L. - St.John M.R.

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

NCAA1

Top 25 - Men

TOP25 Standings

1. Indiana		11-2 (23-3)
2. Louisville		10-4 (22-5)
3. Kentucky		10-4 (19-8)
4. Ohio St.		10-5 (20-6)
5. Michigan		10-5 (22-5)
6. N.Carolina St.		8-6 (18-8)
7. Kansas		12-3 (24-4)
8. Duke		11-3 (23-3)
9. Syracuse		10-5 (22-6)
10. Florida		12-3 (22-5)
11. Arizona		11-5 (22-5)
12. N.Carolina		9-5 (19-8)
13. UCLA		10-4 (20-7)
14. Michigan St.		11-4 (22-5)
15. Creighton		10-5 (21-7)
16. Memphis		13-0 (24-4)
17. Missouri		8-6 (19-8)
18. Baylor		8-7 (17-11)
19. UNLV		8-5 (21-7)
20. San Diego St.		8-6 (19-7)
21. Wisconsin		9-4 (18-7)
22. Gonzaga		14-0 (27-2)
23. Notre Dame		10-4 (22-5)
24. Florida St.		7-8 (15-13)
25. Texas		4-10 (12-15)

Regular Season: Round 109

Feb. 27: Ball St. - Cent.Michigan 95-90
Feb. 27: Texas - Oklahoma 92-86 OT
Feb. 27: Morgan St. - Coppin St. 86-68
Feb. 27: Illinois St. - Missouri St. 86-50
Feb. 27: Kentucky - Mississippi St. 85-55
Feb. 27: Penn St. - Michigan 84-78
Feb. 27: Kent St. - Buffalo 83-81 OT
Feb. 27: Mississippi - Texas A&M 82-73
Feb. 27: N.Carolina St. - Boston Coll. 82-64
Feb. 27: Ohio - Akron 81-88 OT
Feb. 27: Connecticut - Georgetown 78-79 OT
Feb. 27: Georgia Tech - Maryland 78-68
Feb. 27: Miami, FL - Virginia Tech 76-58
Feb. 27: NC-Asheville - Presbyterian 74-62
Feb. 27: Richmond - G.Washington 73-64
Feb. 27: Co.Carolina - Winthrop 73-54
Feb. 27: Belmont - SIU Edwardsville 73-43
Feb. 27: Lehigh - Navy 72-43
Feb. 27: Tulane - UAB 71-76
Feb. 27: St.Louis - St.Joseph''s 70-53
Feb. 27: Army - Holy Cross 69-62
Feb. 27: Charlotte - Dayton 67-88
Feb. 27: Colgate - Lafayette 67-80
Feb. 27: Gardner-Webb - Charleston So. 67-62 OT
Feb. 27: SMU - Rice 67-55
Feb. 27: Campbell - Longwood 66-79
Feb. 27: Bucknell - American 66-47
Feb. 27: LSU - Arkansas 65-60
Feb. 27: Pittsburgh - S.Florida 64-44
Feb. 27: Elon - Davidson 63-69
Feb. 27: Vanderbilt - Georgia 63-62
Feb. 27: S.Illinois - N.Iowa 63-57
Feb. 27: UTEP - Houston 63-53
Feb. 27: Bradley - Creighton 62-80
Feb. 27: Toledo - W.Michigan 62-65
Feb. 27: W.Virginia - Baylor 62-65
Feb. 27: NC-Greensboro - Georgia South 60-66
Feb. 27: De Paul - Louisville 58-79
Feb. 27: High Point - Radford 58-63
Feb. 27: Iowa - Purdue 58-48
Feb. 27: Indiana St. - Drake 56-67
Feb. 27: Wichita St. - Evansville 56-59
Feb. 27: Bowling Green - Miami, OH 52-44
Feb. 27: Pepperdine - St.Mary''s, CA 48-87
Feb. 27: TCU - Oklahoma St. 47-64
Feb. 27: N.Illinois - E.Michigan 41-53
Feb. 27: USC - Arizona 89-78
Feb. 27: Georgia St. - Northeastern 84-90 OT
Feb. 27: UCLA - Arizona St. 79-74 OT
Feb. 27: Colorado St. - Fresno St. 74-67
Feb. 27: Boise St. - Nevada 73-47
Feb. 27: NC-Wilmington - William & Mary 72-73
Feb. 27: N.Mexico - San Diego St. 70-60
Feb. 27: Stanford - Colorado 63-65
Feb. 27: Hofstra - Delaware 56-57

Regular Season: Round 110

Feb. 28: LIU Brooklyn - Sacred Heart
Feb. 28: Santa Clara - Loyola Mary
Feb. 28: San Diego - USF
Feb. 28: Grambling St. - Alabama A&M
Feb. 28: Jackson St. - Alabama St.
Feb. 28: Niagara - Rider
Feb. 28: Quinnipiac - St.Francis, NY
Feb. 28: Boston U. - Stony Brook
Feb. 28: Northwestern - Ohio St.
Feb. 28: Cent.Conn.St. - St.Francis, PA
Feb. 28: Hartford - UMBC
Feb. 28: Tennessee St. - Morehead St.
Feb. 28: Monmouth - Mt.St.Mary's
Feb. 28: Canisius - St.Peter's
Feb. 28: NC-Greensboro - Georgia South
Feb. 28: Clemson - N.Carolina
Feb. 28: W.Carolina - Chattanooga
Feb. 28: Appalachian St. - Samford
Feb. 28: Albany - New Hampshire
Feb. 28: ODU - Drexel
Feb. 28: Binghamton - Vermont
Feb. 28: Bryant - Robert Morris
Feb. 28: Fair Dickinson - Wagner
Feb. 28: Citadel - Furman
Feb. 28: Stetson - Kennesaw St.
Feb. 28: N.Kentucky - N.Florida
Feb. 28: IUPUI - S.Dakota
Feb. 28: Florida Gulf Coast - Mercer
Feb. 28: Charleston - Wofford
Feb. 28: W.Kentucky - S.Alabama
Feb. 28: Austin Peay St. - SE Missouri St.
Feb. 28: Texas St. - Seattle
Feb. 28: Texas Arlington - San Jose St.
Feb. 28: W.Illinois - UMKC
Feb. 28: Nebraska-Omaha - S.Dakota St.
Feb. 28: UTSA - Idaho
Feb. 28: N.Texas - Arkansas St.
Feb. 28: Louisiana Tech - Utah St.
Feb. 28: Murray St. - Tenn-Martin
Feb. 28: Lipscomb - Jacksonville
Feb. 28: La-Monroe - FIU
Feb. 28: Prairie View A&M - Alcorn St.
Feb. 28: Lamar - Cent.Arkansas
Feb. 28: Miss.Valley St. - Ark.-Pine Bluff
Feb. 28: UALR - La-Lafayette
Feb. 28: Texas A&M-CC - SE Louisiana
Feb. 28: McNeese St. - ORU
Feb. 28: Tenn Tech - E.Kentucky
Feb. 28: Troy - Middle Tenn.St.
Feb. 28: N.Arizona - Idaho St.
Feb. 28: Sam Houston St. - Nicholls St.
Feb. 28: Texas Southern - Southern
Feb. 28: California - Utah
Feb. 28: Virginia - Duke
Feb. 28: S.Carolina - Missouri
Feb. 28: E.Washington - N.Colorado
Feb. 28: S.Utah - Montana St.
Feb. 28: Sacramento St. - Weber St.
Feb. 28: CS Northridge - Cal Poly - SLO
Feb. 28: Portland St. - N.Dakota
Feb. 28: Cal-Riverside - Cal-Davis
Feb. 28: Oregon - Oregon St.
Feb. 28: BYU - Gonzaga
Feb. 28: CS Fullerton - Pacific
Feb. 28: Hawaii - UCSB

Stats Leaders - NCAA1

Points Per Game

Allen CRABBE
  California
  (198-G-92)
  Avg: 19

1. Crabbe, California	19.0
2. Muhammad, UCLA	18.3
3. Motum, Washingt.	17.9
4. Carson, Arizona St.	17.7
5. Nelson, Oregon St.	17.3
6. Wilcox, Washington	17.1
7. Adams, UCLA	15.4
8. Dinwiddie, Colorado	15.4
9. Powell, Stanford	15.3
10. Lyons, Arizona	15.2

Rebounds Per Game

Andre ROBERSON
  Colorado
  (201-F-91)
  Avg: 11.7

1. Roberson, Colorado	11.7
2. Moreland, Oregon S.	10.6
3. Kazemi, Oregon	9.8
4. Huestis, Stanford	9.6
5. N''Diaye, Washi.	9.5
6. Anderson, UCLA	9.1
7. Felix, Arizona St.	8.3
8. Powell, Stanford	8.2
9. Dedmon, USC	7.0
10. Kravish, Californ.	6.9

Assists Per Game

Ii Larry DREW
  UCLA
  (187-PG-90)
  Avg: 7.8

1. Drew, UCLA	7.8
2. Fontan, USC	5.3
3. Carson, Arizona St.	4.9
4. Cobbs, California	4.6
5. Gaddy, Washington	4.2
6. Artis, Oregon	3.8
7. Anderson, UCLA	3.7
8. Burton, Oregon St.	3.5
9. Bright, Stanford	3.4
10. Johnson, Arizona	3.2

Steals Per Game

Arsalan KAZEMI
  Oregon
  (200-F-90)
  Avg: 2.3

1. Kazemi, Oregon	2.3
2. Roberson, Colorado	2.2
3. Johnson, Arizona	2.0
4. Adams, UCLA	1.9
5. Anderson, UCLA	1.7
6. Artis, Oregon	1.7
7. Felix, Arizona St.	1.6
8. Drew, UCLA	1.5
9. Gordon, Arizona St.	1.4
10. Crabbe, California	1.3

Blocks Per Game

Jordan BACHYNSKI
  Arizona .
  (218-C-89)
  Avg: 3.7

1. Bachynski, Arizona	3.7
2. Moreland, Oregon S.	2.4
3. Dedmon, USC	2.1
4. Huestis, Stanford	1.9
5. Kravish, California	1.6
6. Washburn, Utah	1.5
7. Oraby, USC	1.4
8. Roberson, Colorado	1.4
9. Wear, UCLA	1.2
10. Solomon, Californ.	1.2

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

PHILIPPINES

Standings - PBA Fiesta Conference

PBA Standings

1. Alaska Aces		4-0
2. Petron Blaze		3-1
3. Rain or Shine		3-1
4. Barako Bull		3-2
5. Talk N Text		2-2
6. Meralco Bolts		2-3
7. Global Port		2-3
8. Air21 Express		1-3
9. San Mig Coffee		1-3
10. Barangay Ginebra		1-4

Regular Season: Round 10

Feb. 27: Air21 Express - Rain or Shine 97-99
Feb. 27: Barako Bull - Barangay Ginebra 72-93

Regular Season: Round 11

Mar. 1: Petron Blaze - Air21 Express
Mar. 1: Alaska Aces - Talk N Text
Mar. 2: Global Port - San Mig Coffee

Global Port's Romero not satisfied with team's performance - by Aris Ignacio

Global Port Batang Pier owner Mikee Romero is not satisfied on the current situation of the team even hinted an import change.

The Port Masters, currently has a 2-3 win-loss record in the current Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Commissioner's Cup tournament. Global Port Batang Pier came from a heart-breaking 90-89 loss against the Meralco Bolts in a last second 3-point heave by forward Sunday Salvacion (191-SF-78).

Romero, reportedly not impressed with import Justin Williams (206-F/C-84, college: Wyoming) and even express his displeasure over the recent player's struggles. Williams, after a monster 23 points, 23 rebounds, and eight blocked shots in the Port Master's 89-80 win over Barangay Ginebra San Miguel, has seen a dipped in numbers since most notably against the Bolts where he only tallied five points, 13 rebounds, eight blocks and one assist. According to some reports, Williams is under the weather during the game against Meralco.

The management, according to sources are contemplating an import change but still have to study the situation until next week. Global Port Batang Pier will meet the San Mig Coffee Mixers, who found new lease of life with returning import Denzel Bowles (208-F/C-89, college: JMU), during the weekend in a out-of-town game in Naga City.

Menk out as SMB continues ABL campaign - by Aris Ignacio

San Miguel Beer may have hit another obstacle in their ongoing campaign in the 2013 ASEAN Basketball League (ABL).

Eric Menk (199-F-74, college: L.Superior), a stalwart in the Beermen's lineup, will be out at least a month due to a fractured nose suffered during the 66-55 win over the Jobstreet.com Singapore Slingers last weekend. The injury came in after original import Brian Williams (208-C-87, college: Tennessee) injured his knee during an encounter with the Westsports KL Dragons. Williams is replaced by former San Mig Coffee Mixers' Matthew Rogers (211-C-87, college: SW Baptist) from the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA).

With this, the Beermen will have to go with its current lineup as it will meet the Dragons in a rematch to improve its current 4-3 win-loss record.

Freeman out due to ban against Dragons - by Aris Ignacio

The Beermen's ABL campaign continues to have a roller-coaster ride.

Gabe Freeman (198-F-85, college: Costa Mesa JC), San Miguel Beer's leading scorer, was banned by one game in donning the Beermen's lineup due to a scuffle during a 66-55 win over the Jobstreet.com Singapore Slingers last weekend.

The ASEAN Basketball League (ABL) slapped the suspension due to Freeman's "unsportsmanlike conduct and unnecessary and excessive physical contact" reactions against the Slinger's Desmond Wei Jie Oh (176-F-86), whom the former elbowed that led into a scuffle between the two teams during the third quarter of the game. Also suspended for the Slinger's next game will be import Kyle Jeffers (207-C-85, college: Oregon St.) for his involvement in the incident.

Freeman's suspension will take effect when the Beermen meets the Westsports KL Dragons in the former's next game.

In other related news, the Beermen's Mike Burtscher (198-F-85), was fined by league for criticizing officials in his Twitter account that was posted last week.

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

POLAND

PUERTO RICO

Vaqueros get Shannon: - by Luis Modestti

Vaqueros de Bayamon signed Terrence Shannon (203-F-79, agency: Paris Global Sports, college: Elgin CC) to complete their import trio for this season.

Shannon was signed since they don't know when Gary Wilkinson joins the team. He fits better in Bayamon by bringing a complete offensive game and is known for being a great defensive player.

He played for Quebradillas in 2012 and this year he has been playing for La Union de Formosa in Argentina. He averages 14,8 points and 7,2 rebounds in the Argentinean League.

Bayamon expects Shannon in the preseason along with Michael Sweetney and James Maye.

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

ROMANIA

Standings

Division A Standings

1. Oradea		20-4
2. Craiova		19-5
3. Targu Mures		17-7
4. U.Mobitel.CN		17-7
5. Ploiesti		17-7
6. Timisoara		16-8
7. Gaz Metan		16-8
8. CSM Bucuresti		15-9
9. CSU Sibiu		12-12
10. Pitesti		11-13
11. Rovinari		11-13
12. Giurgiu		8-16
13. Timba Timis.		5-19
14. Farul Const.		4-20
15. Miercurea Ciuc		3-21
16. Dinamo B.		1-23

Regular Season: Round 24

Feb. 27: Targu Mures - Rovinari 92-84
Feb. 27: Timisoara - Miercurea Ciuc 89-71
Feb. 27: Gaz Metan - Dinamo B. 84-48
Feb. 27: Ploiesti - CSU Sibiu 79-66
Feb. 27: Giurgiu - Oradea 78-80
Feb. 27: Craiova - CSM Bucuresti 78-71
Feb. 27: Timba Timis. - Pitesti 68-81
Feb. 26: Farul Const. - U.Mobitel.CN 65-77

Regular Season: Round 25

Mar. 3: Timisoara - Craiova
Mar. 3: Miercurea Ciuc - Ploiesti
Mar. 3: CSU Sibiu - Gaz Metan
Mar. 3: Dinamo B. - Timba Timis.
Mar. 3: Pitesti - Giurgiu
Mar. 3: Oradea - Farul Const.
Mar. 3: Miercurea Ciuc - Targu Mures
Mar. 3: Rovinari - CSM Bucuresti

Stats Leaders - Men

Points Per Game

Louis DARBY
  Rovinari
  (196-G-84)
  Avg: 20.6

1. Darby, Rovinari	20.6
2. Martinic, CSM B.	20.3
3. Shepherd, CSM B.	19.2
4. Barac, Pitesti	17.3
5. Pesic, Oradea	16.9
6. Jovanovic, Timisoa.	16.9
7. Petty, Giurgiu	16.8
8. Dzambic, Craiova	16.1
9. Seals, Craiova	15.7
10. Jones, Pitesti	15.5

Rebounds Per Game

Christopher LEE
  CSU Sibiu
  (206-C-84)
  Avg: 10

1. Lee, CSU Sibiu	10.0
2. Glynn, Timba Timis.	8.7
3. Steffel, Rovinari	8.2
4. Dragusin, Craiova	8.2
5. Johnson, Timisoara	7.3
6. Kinloch, Pitesti	7.1
7. Darby, Rovinari	6.7
8. Harvey, Giurgiu	6.7
9. Cuic, Targu Mures	6.5
10. Filip, Dinamo B.	6.5

Assists Per Game

Derek WRIGHT
  U.Mobite.
  (180-G-86)
  Avg: 7.5

1. Wright, U.Mobite.	7.5
2. Dzambic, Craiova	6.9
3. Jovanovic, Timisoa.	6.5
4. Cuic, Targu Mures	5.6
5. Vlahovic, Ploiesti	5.5
6. Martinic, CSM B.	5.2
7. Nikolic, Rovinari	4.6
8. Gruev, CSU Sibiu	4.6
9. Dundjerski, Gaz M.	4.3
10. Maric, Oradea	4.0

Steals Per Game

Derek WRIGHT
  U.Mobite.
  (180-G-86)
  Avg: 3.1

1. Wright, U.Mobite.	3.1
2. Jones, Pitesti	2.0
3. Petty, Giurgiu	2.0
4. Mandache, Gaz M.	2.0
5. Henifin, Miercure.	1.9
6. Shepherd, CSM B.	1.8
7. Burrell, Giurgiu	1.8
8. Barac, Pitesti	1.7
9. Gennie, Pitesti	1.7
10. Nikolov, U.Mobite.	1.7

Blocks Per Game

Ionut DRAGUSIN
  Craiova
  (221-C-85)
  Avg: 2.1

1. Dragusin, Craiova	2.1
2. Lee, CSU Sibiu	1.8
3. Kickingstall., Tim.	1.6
4. Adebayo, Targu M.	1.4
5. Sipos, Dinamo B.	1.4
6. Archie, Timisoara	1.1
7. Harvey, Giurgiu	1.1
8. Baciu, U.Mobite.	1.0
9. Tibirna, Oradea	1.0
10. Kinloch, Pitesti	0.9

Liga Nationala Round 24: Oradea edges Giurgiu by two points - by Eurobasket News

Twelfth-ranked Giurgiu (8-16) made lots of trouble for first ranked Oradea (20-4) on Wednesday. The visitors from Oradea managed to secure only two-point victory 80-78. However their fans expected much easier game. Oradea forced 19 Giurgiu turnovers. The best player for the winners was Serbian forward Milos Pesic (205-84) who scored 31 points and 9 rebounds. American point guard William Franklin (183-85, college: Bradley) chipped in 16 points and 6 rebounds. At the other side the best for losing team was American guard Perry Petty (185-88, college: UTPA) who recorded 21 points and 6 assists. Oradea maintains first position with 20-4 record. Giurgiu at the other side keeps the twelfth place with 16 games lost. Oradea are looking forward to face Farul Const. (#14) in Constanca in the next round which should be an easy win for them. Giurgiu will play on the road against Pitesti and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
The game with biggest result difference took place in Medias. Local Gaz Metan (16-8) outscored 16th ranked CS Dinamo Bucuresti (1-23) 84-48. It was a good game for Serbian power forward Aleksandar Mladenovic (207-84, agency: BeoExcell) who led his team to a victory with a double-double by scoring 24 points and 10 rebounds. Adrian Gutoaia contributed with 16 points and 4 steals for the winners. Forward Leonard Filip (200-93) replied with 12 points and 7 rebounds for CS Dinamo Bucuresti. The winner was already known earlier in the game, so both coaches allowed to play the bench players saving starting five for next games. Gaz Metan have an impressive seven-game winning streak. They maintain sixth position with 16-8 record, which they share with Timisoara. CS Dinamo Bucuresti lost third consecutive game. They stay dead last with 23 lost games. Gaz Metan will play against CSU Sibiu (#9) on the road in the next round. CS Dinamo Bucuresti will play against Timba Timosoara (#13) in Timisoara to get more than just one victory in their record.

Rest of the games of round 24 were quite predictable and ended without any surprises. Here they are:
Miercurea Ciuc was defeated by Timisoara in a road game 89-71. Ploiesti beat CSU Sibiu at home 79-66. Pitesti won against Timba Timis. on the opponent's court 81-68. Targu Mures managed to outperform Rovinari in a home game 92-84. CSM Bucuresti recorded a loss to Craiova on the road 78-71. Farul Const. was defeated by U.Mobitel.CN on its own court 65-77.
The best stats of 24th round was 27 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists by Louis Darby of Rovinari.

Timisoara - Miercurea Ciuc 89-71

There was no surprise when 15th ranked Miercurea Ciuc (3-21) was defeated on the road by seventh ranked Timisoara (16-8) 89-71. It was a very close game until the last quarter, when Timisoara's pressure prevailed and they won that period 29-15 extending their advantage to 18 points. Their players were unselfish on offense dishing 22 assists comparing to just 8 passes made by Miercurea Ciuc's players. It was a good game for Bosnian point guard Zlatko Jovanovic (181-84, agency: Beo Basket) who led his team to a victory with a double-double by scoring 26 points, 10 assists and 4 steals. The former international forward Bogdan Popescu (200-78, college: Alaska-Fairb.) contributed with 16 points and 6 rebounds for the winners. Croatian power forward Marijo Hajdic (206-89) replied with a double-double by scoring 15 points and 11 rebounds and Croatian guard Franjo Bubalo (194-88) added 17 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists in the effort for Miercurea Ciuc. Both teams had four players each who scored in double figures. Timisoara moved-up to sixth place, which they share with Gaz Metan. Miercurea Ciuc lost tenth consecutive game. They keep the fifteenth position with 21 games lost. Timisoara will play against league's second-placed Craiova at home in the next round and it may be quite challenging game. Miercurea Ciuc will play against Targu Mures (#3) and hopes to get back on the winning track.
Top scorers:
Miercurea Ciuc: F.Bubalo 17+6reb+4ast, I.Harris 15+5reb, M.Hajdic 15+11reb+1ast, V.Corpodean 10+2reb, F.Filipovic 8+6reb+2ast, V.Dogaru 4
Timisoara: Z.Jovanovic 26+1reb+10ast, D.Archie 16+3reb+3ast, B.Popescu 16+6reb+2ast, R.Sarovic 14+4reb+3ast, G.Gallimore 9+3reb+2ast, D.Johnson 6+9reb

Ploiesti - CSU Sibiu 79-66

No shocking result in a game when fifth ranked Ploiesti (17-7) defeated at home 9th ranked CSU Sibiu (12-12) 79-66. The game without a history. Ploiesti led from the first minutes and controlled entire game increasing their lead in each quarter. It was a good game for the former international center Catalin Burlacu (210-77, agency: Court Side) who led his team to a victory with a double-double by scoring 16 points and 10 rebounds. Serbian Predrag Miletic (193-84) contributed with 11 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists for the winners. Four Ploiesti players scored in double figures. American center Christopher Lee (206-84, college: S.Carolina St., agency: Duran International) replied with 7 points and 9 rebounds and his fellow American import guard Ivan Jenkins (180-83, college: Lambuth) added 16 points in the effort for CSU Sibiu. Ploiesti have a solid four-game winning streak. Defending champion moved-up to third place, which they share with Targu Mures and U.Mobitel.CN. CSU Sibiu at the other side keeps the ninth position with 12 games lost. Ploiesti will play against Miercurea Ciuc (#15) on the road in the next round which should be an easy win for them. CSU Sibiu will play against Gaz Metan (#7) in Medias and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
CSU Sibiu: I.Jenkins 16+2ast, A.Gruev 13+3reb+1ast, D.Austin 9+5reb, C.Craciun 9+2reb+1ast, M.Ambres 7+7reb+1ast, C.Lee 7+9reb+3ast
Ploiesti: C.Burlacu 16+10reb+2ast, A.Vlahovic 14+6ast, V.Tica 12+4reb+1ast, P.Miletic 11+6reb+4ast, V.Stanescu 9+4reb, A.Mohammed 8+3reb+2ast

Gaz Metan - Dinamo B. 84-48

The game with biggest result difference took place in Medias. Local Gaz Metan (16-8) outscored 16th ranked CS Dinamo Bucuresti (1-23) 84-48. The game without a history. Gaz Metan led from the first minutes and controlled entire game increasing their lead in each quarter. They dominated down low during the game scoring 60 of its points in the paint compared to CS Dinamo Bucuresti's 24. Gaz Metan forced 28 CS Dinamo Bucuresti turnovers and outrebounded them 43-30 including 29 on the defensive glass. It was a good game for Serbian power forward Aleksandar Mladenovic (207-84, agency: BeoExcell) who led his team to a victory with a double-double by scoring 24 points and 10 rebounds. The former international center Adrian Gutoaia (198-90, agency: Court Side) contributed with 16 points and 4 steals for the winners. Forward Leonard Filip (200-93) replied with 12 points and 7 rebounds and American guard Brian Fisher (191-88, college: Winston Salem) added 9 points and 5 rebounds in the effort for CS Dinamo Bucuresti. The winner was already known earlier in the game, so both coaches allowed to play the bench players saving starting five for next games. Gaz Metan have an impressive seven-game winning streak. They maintain sixth position with 16-8 record, which they share with Timisoara. CS Dinamo Bucuresti lost third consecutive game. They stay dead last with 23 lost games. Gaz Metan will play against CSU Sibiu (#9) on the road in the next round. CS Dinamo Bucuresti will play against Timba Timosoara (#13) in Timisoara to get more than just one victory in their record.
Top scorers:
Dinamo B.: L.Filip 12+7reb+1ast, S.Dixon 9+3reb, B.Fisher 9+5reb, C.Telinoiu 5+1reb, A.Badila 4+2reb, C.Mihai 4+5reb+2ast
Gaz Metan: A.Mladenovic 24+10reb+1ast, A.Gutoaia 16+4reb+3ast, I.Ivanovic 11+8reb+3ast, T.Dumitrescu 9+1reb+2ast, S.Dundjerski 8+2reb+3ast, Z.Krstanovic 6+6reb

Timba Timis. - Pitesti 68-81

Rather expected game in Timisoara where 13th ranked Timba Timosoara (5-19) was defeated by eleventh ranked Pitesti (11-13) 81-68. It looked good early as Timba Timosoara took an 5-point lead at the end of first quarter. But then Pitesti had a 24-17 second period charge getting the lead and Timba Timosoara was not able to take back game control losing it eventually 68-81. It was a good game for Serbian swingman Sasa Bratic (202-81, agency: BeoExcell) who led his team to a victory with 12 points and 9 rebounds. International point guard Octavian Calota (186-84) contributed with 15 points for the winners. Five Pitesti players scored in double figures. Canadian forward Denham Brown (198-83, college: Connecticut) replied with 24 points and 6 rebounds (went 9 for 9 at the free throw line !!!) and American guard Jermont Horton (198-84, college: Rutgers-Newark) added 16 points and 6 rebounds in the effort for Timba Timosoara. Timba Timosoara's coach rotated ten players in this game, but that didn't help. Pitesti moved-up to tenth place, which they share with Rovinari. Timba Timosoara lost sixth consecutive game. Newly promoted team keeps the thirteenth position with 19 games lost. Pitesti will play against Giurgiu (#12) at home in the next round. Timba Timosoara will play against CS Dinamo Bucuresti and hopes to get back on the winning track.
Top scorers:
Timba Timis.: D.Brown 24+6reb+2ast, J.Horton 16+6reb, R.Huckaby 10+3reb+3ast, J.Glynn 5+13reb, A.Mihuti 4+2reb+1ast, A.Johnson 4+1reb
Pitesti: O.Calota 15+4reb+3ast, M.Jones 14+6reb+1ast, D.Gennie 13+2reb+2ast, S.Bratic 12+9reb+2ast, D.Kinloch 10+4reb+1ast, D.Albijanic 9+4reb+1ast

Targu Mures - Rovinari 92-84

Very predictable result when fourth ranked Targu Mures (17-7) beat at home 10th ranked Rovinari (11-13) 92-84. Rovinari was ahead by 1 point at the halftime before a 46-37 second half run of Targu Mures. They made 24-of-29 charity shots (82.8 percent) during the game. Targu Mures outrebounded Rovinari 40-26 including a 20-9 advantage in offensive rebounds. Rovinari was plagued by 26 personal fouls down the stretch. It was a good game for Montenegrin guard Branko Cuic (197-78) who led his team to a victory with 18 points and 8 rebounds. Serbian guard Andrija Ciric (199-80, agency: BeoExcell) contributed with 19 points for the winners. American guard Louis Darby (196-84, college: Long Beach St.) replied with 27 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists and Serbian forward Milan Janjusevic (196-83) added 18 points in the effort for Rovinari. Five Targu Mures and four Rovinari players scored in double figures. Targu Mures moved-up to third place, which they share with Ploiesti and U.Mobitel.CN. Rovinari lost third consecutive game. They keep the tenth position with 13 games lost. They share it with Pitesti. Targu Mures will play against Miercurea Ciuc (#15) on the road in the next round which should be an easy win for them. Rovinari will play against CSM Bucuresti (#8) and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Rovinari: L.Darby 27+6reb+4ast, M.Janjusevic 18+2reb+1ast, S.Nikolic 12+1reb+4ast, D.Steffel 12+7reb, J.Wisseh 8+5reb+3ast, F.Lapuste 5+5reb
Targu Mures: A.Ciric 19+4reb+2ast, B.Cuic 18+8reb+3ast, O.Barro 13+7reb+1ast, G.Navickas 12+3reb+3ast, L.Dumitru 11+3reb, D.Paltinisanu 10+4reb

Craiova - CSM Bucuresti 78-71

Not a big story in a game when 8th ranked CSM Bucuresti (15-9) was defeated on the road by second ranked Craiova (19-5) 78-71. The hosts took control from the first minutes by winning first half. But CSM Bucuresti won fourth quarter 29-26. However it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. Craiova forced 21 CSM Bucuresti turnovers. They brought some defensive toughness making 7 blocks. CSM Bucuresti was plagued by 24 personal fouls down the stretch. It was a good game for Serbian guard Rade Dzambic (188-80, college: NYIT, agency: TSS Management) who led his team to a victory with 14 points and 6 assists. The former international center Ionut Dragusin (221-85) contributed with 14 points, 9 rebounds and 6 blocks for the winners. Montenegrin point guard Goran Martinic (183-87, agency: BeoExcell) replied with 11 points, 6 rebounds and 8 assists and Canadian-Jamaican forward Jevohn Shepherd (196-86, college: Michigan) added 16 points and 5 rebounds in the effort for CSM Bucuresti. Five Craiova and four CSM Bucuresti players scored in double figures. Craiova have an impressive nine-game winning streak. They maintain second position with 19-5 record behind leader Oradea. CSM Bucuresti at the other side keeps the eighth place with nine games lost. Craiova will play against Timisoara (#6) on the road in the next round. CSM Bucuresti will play against Rovinari and hopes to get back on the winning track.
Top scorers:
CSM Bucuresti: J.Shepherd 16+5reb+1ast, B.Morris 16+4reb, G.Martinic 11+6reb+8ast, I.Bosnjak 11+8reb+1ast, C.Patterson 10+2reb, V.Carutasu 7+7reb+2ast
Craiova: L.Seals 16+3reb+3ast, T.Bureau 15+7reb, R.Dzambic 14+4reb+6ast, I.Dragusin 14+9reb, D.Habus 14+5reb+1ast, N.Djurasovic 5+3reb

Giurgiu - Oradea 78-80

Twelfth-ranked Giurgiu (8-16) made lots of trouble for first ranked Oradea (20-4) on Wednesday. The visitors from Oradea managed to secure only two-point victory 80-78. However their fans expected much easier game. Oradea forced 19 Giurgiu turnovers. The best player for the winners was Serbian forward Milos Pesic (205-84) who scored 31 points and 9 rebounds. American point guard William Franklin (183-85, college: Bradley) chipped in 16 points and 6 rebounds. At the other side the best for losing team was American guard Perry Petty (185-88, college: UTPA) who recorded 21 points and 6 assists and his fellow American import forward Marcus Melvin (203-82, college: N.Carolina St.) added 21 points and 7 rebounds respectively. Both teams had four players each who scored in double figures. Oradea maintains first position with 20-4 record. Giurgiu at the other side keeps the twelfth place with 16 games lost. Oradea are looking forward to face Farul Const. (#14) in Constanca in the next round which should be an easy win for them. Giurgiu will play on the road against Pitesti and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Giurgiu: M.Melvin 21+7reb, P.Petty 21+4reb+6ast, C.Vlaicu 13+11reb+1ast, B.Burrell 12+9reb+3ast, C.Ware 5+3reb, I.Corneanu 4+4reb+1ast
Oradea: M.Pesic 31+9reb+1ast, W.Franklin 16+6reb+2ast, Z.Comagic 11+5reb+2ast, D.Dillon 11+3reb+1ast, I.Stefanovic 4+5reb+2ast, B.Tibirna 4+4reb+1ast

Farul Const. - U.Mobitel.CN 65-77

Everything went according to plan in Constanca where fourth ranked U-Mobitelco (17-7) won against 14th ranked Farul Const. (4-20) 77-65. U-Mobitelco made 21-of-27 charity shots (77.8 percent) during the game. It was a good game for Serbian power forward Dalibor Djapa (205-84, agency: Alti Sport) who led his team to a victory with a double-double by scoring 18 points and 11 rebounds (went 9 for 9 at the free throw line !!!). American forward Sean Barnette (198-86, college: Wingate) contributed with 14 points and 7 rebounds for the winners. American point guard Tyrone Mitchell (185-81, college: Northwestern St., agency: SDJ Sports) replied with 10 points and 4 assists and Serbian forward Nenad Markovic (199-80) added 9 points and 5 rebounds in the effort for Farul Const.U-Mobitelco have a solid three-game winning streak. They moved-up to third place, which they share with Targu Mures and Ploiesti. Newly promoted Farul Const. keeps the fourteenth position with 20 games lost. U-Mobitelco will have a break next round, and it should allow them to practice more before next game. Farul Const. will play on the road against the league's leader Oradea (#1) and hopes to get back on the winning track.
Top scorers:
Farul Const.: N.Tomasevic 13+2reb+1ast, J.Booth 12+1reb+1ast, T.Mitchell 10+4reb+4ast, D.Petronic 9+3reb+2ast, N.Markovic 9+5reb+2ast, B.Grubisic 6+6reb
U.Mobitel.CN: D.Djapa 18+11reb+1ast, H.Nikolov 17+2reb+2ast, S.Barnette 14+7reb+2ast, M.Paul 9+2reb+5ast, S.Ross 8+3reb, D.Wright 6+1reb+7ast

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SERBIA

CSM Oradea strengthen their roster with Zarko Comagic - by Tamara Ruzic

After an impressive and very successful maiden season, CSM Oradea is aiming even higher in 2013 with a stronger and more diverse line-up to win the Romanian Championship. Serbian forward Zarko Comagic (201-F-85, college: N.Arizona) has signed a contract for the rest of the season with #1 Romanian Club CSM Oradea. In Septemeber 2012, Comagic has joined Vojvodina Srbija Gas, but he got got to play only 2 games: 9.2ppg, 5.6rpg, and 2.4 apg. Vojvodina Srbijagas and FIBA Tribunal have unresolved issues from 2007, so Comagic had to stop playing immediately and wait for FIBA. According to FIBA Rules, all players which came abroad can't play in Serbia League.While still in FIBA proces, in January, Comagic and Vojvodina Srbija Gas decided to mutually part ways. Previous season, Comagic has played in Poland for PBG Basket Poznan. He played 38 games: 11.7ppg, 5.2rpg, 1.6apg, 1.3spg.

Cvetkovic Branko and Jaramaz Nemanja win the Cup abroad - by Eurobasket News

Branko Cvetkovic (200-F/G-84, agency: Beo Basket) and Nemanja Jaramaz (201-SG-91, agency: Beo Basket) win the Cup abroad as their BC Astana proved once again their dominance at the Kazakh basketball scene. They clinched the Kazakh Cup title at the weekend. BC Astana claimed four victories in as many games played to bag the trophy.
Astana opened the proceedings with an 84:50 victory over Kaspiy. David Simon posted 23 points and 6 boards to lead the winners. Klimov contributed 11 points for BC Astana. Kazancev answered with 7 points for Kaspiy.
Next BC Astana cruised past Tobol 93:66 behind 19 points from Kolesnikov. David Simon added 14 points for the winners. Karimulin responded with 9 points for Tobol.
Kapshagay gave a tough battle to BC Astana before losing 71:79. Voyeykov delivered 15 points, while David Simon contributed 14 points for the winning side. Shepil responded with 14 points for Kapshagay.
Finally BC Astana faced their archrivals Barsy Atyrau. BC Astana led by a single point after the first half 48:47. However they held their opponents to 30 points in the second half and eked out an 84:77 victory at the end. David Simon topscored for BC Astana with 22 points. Branko Cvetkovic added 18 points as the winners clinched the Cup title. Zambalist responded with 23 points for Barsy.

Marjanovic number one in Serbia for round 22 - by Eurobasket News

Former international center Boban Marjanovic (222-C-88, agency: Beo Basket) put on an amazing game in the last round for top-ranked Mega Vizura, receiving a Eurobasket.com Player of the Week award for round 22.
The 24-year old player had a double-double of 23 points and 20 rebounds, while his team crushed Metalac (#3, 14-8) with 16-point margin 95-79. The game was between two of the league's top four teams. It allowed Mega Vizura to consolidate first place in the Serbian A League. Mega Vizura have a solid 18-4 record. Marjanovic turned to be Mega Vizura's top player in his first season with the team. Boban Marjanovic has solid league stats. He is in league's top in points (3rd best: 17.8ppg) and averages impressive 1.4bpg and 75.2% FGP.

The second best player in last round's games was 23-year old Stanoje Knezevic (202-PF-89) of OKK Beograd. Knezevic had a very good evening with 22 points and 8 rebounds. Bad luck as OKK Beograd lost that game 79-86 to the higher-ranked Vojvodina (#2, 17-5). OKK Beograd managed to keep the same 8th spot in the standings. His team is not often considered as one of the league's best with a mere 10-12 record. Knezevic is one of the most experienced players at OKK Beograd and has a reputation of one of team's most reliable players.

Third on the list of top players last round was Montenegrin center Maksim Sturanovic (209-C-88, agency: Beo Basket) of Radnicki Basket (#6). Sturanovic scored 20 points and grabbed seven rebounds. He was a key player of Radnicki Basket, leading his team to a 68-55 easy win against the lower-ranked Tamis (#9, 10-12). Radnicki Basket needs these victories very badly if they think about getting closer to top teams. Their record at this point is 12 victories and 10 lost games. Sturanovic has a very solid season. In 22 games in Serbia he scored 9.3ppg. He also has 4.8rpg, 1.6bpg and FGP: 68.7%.

Other top performing players last week:
4. Milivoje Bozovic (210-F/C-85) of Borac - 19 points and 14 rebounds
5. Dragan Zekovic (210-F/C-87) of Vojvodina - 23 points, 5 rebounds and 2 assists
6. Vasilije Micic (191-PG-94) of Mega Vizura - 15 points, 4 rebounds and 8 assists
7. Nemanja Protic (182-G-86) of Borac - 12 points, 5 rebounds and 9 assists
8. Aleksandar Mitrovic (202-F-90) of Vrsac - 16 points, 6 rebounds and 3 assists
9. Branko Jereminov (187-G-87) of Tamis - 19 points, 4 rebounds and 5 assists
10. Stefan Zivanovic (196-G-89) of Metalac - 20 points, 7 rebounds and 3 assists

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

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SLOVAKIA

Standings - D1

Extraliga Standings

1. Levice		20-6
2. Komarno		20-7
3. Nitra		17-11
4. Nova Ves		15-13
5. Inter Bratislava		15-14
6. Prievidza		11-15
7. B.Bystrica		11-16
8. Svit		8-20
9. Handlova		6-21

Regular Season: Round 31

Feb. 27: Komarno - B.Bystrica 98-76
Feb. 27: Nova Ves - Nitra 94-84
Feb. 27: Handlova - Inter Bratislava 79-97
Feb. 28: Levice - Prievidza

Timothy Frost is the last addition to the roster of Spisska Nova Ves - by Michal Duchovic

Today he played his first match for BK 04 AC LB Spisska Nova Ves, Timothy Frost (208-C-80, college: Utah) has arrived to fill up the season goals in BK 04 AC LB Spisska Nova Ves. Frost is a well experienced center, he played in Germany, Croatia, Spain and in other countries. Last season he played in five clubs, but he also experienced VTB league. In 2012/2013 season he played in Spain LEB Gold league for Melilla Baloncesto. There he started only in 6 games, but he had pretty good stats - 8.8ppg and 4.8rpg. In december he left and now he is in Slovakia. He helped to overtain Nitra 94:84 by scoring 4 points and 6 rebounds.

Dunston and Payton done in Handlova - by Michal Duchovic

MBK Banik Handlova is struggling with financial problems last weeks, so they made a logical decision - they released Wade Dunston (193-G-84, college: St.Bonaventure) and Corye Payton (193-PG, college: Wilmington) from their squad. Both players did not fullfill the expectations of club management. Dunston played 26 games with an average of 8.5 points, 2.2 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game. Payton had a slightly higher stats from 18 games - 9.7 ppg, 2.6 rpg and 1.0 apg. They did not participated in home loss against Inter and also the club has decided that they would not find for them replacements, because they did not have money for that, so they will end the season with current roster.

Inter has taken last steps to be champions this season - by Michal Duchovic

Following the 97:79 win over Handlova, BK Inter Bratislava has made the last steps to close their roster before play-off games. First the finally found a coach, Aramis Naglic has won in his premiere match. Naglic is a legend, he participated in 1992 Olympic Games, he is a Eurocup Winner and also he was named as the Eurobasket.com Slovakian League MVP in 2002, he played for Pezinok for 4 seasons. His list of accomplishments is very long, but one is important, he continued his basketball career as a coach. In 2011/2012 season he was the head coach of KK Kvarner 2010 Rijeka and now he is back in Slovakia to bring Inter the championship cup. The second addition is to the roster, another player who experienced NBA will play for Inter. Marlon Garnett (188-G-75, college: Santa Clara) played in 1998/1999 season 24 games for Boston Celtics. Garnett also played in finest European clubs such as Madrid or Treviso. Last time he played in Puerto Rico, where he played 16 games for Atleticos de San German. He averaged 10.1ppg, 3.1rpg and 1.6apg. Marlon has started pretty well in Slovakian league - he recorded 13 points, 3 rebounds and 2 assists.

Jackson continues in Svit - by Michal Duchovic

BK Iskra Svit has fired John Boyer (185-G-88, agency: Dynamics Global Management, college: Buffalo), but they found a suitable replacement. They added Clarence Jackson (193-G-89, college: Siena) to their squad. Jackson was fired from Inter just after two months, he played in 6 games, but his stats were pretty interesting - 10.8 ppg, 3.3 rpg. 2.0 apg and 1.0 apg. BK Iskra Svit has made some dramatic changes in their squad last weeks, but that changes were the key to winning the matches. With Jackson will BK Iskra Svit play the next game against Komarno and it will be a pretty interesting game.

Sinisa Bilic expand the Slovenian legion in Nitra - by Michal Duchovic

BK Edymax SPU Nitra is also streghtening before the play-off, Sinisa Bilic (201-F-89) was added to their squad. Bilic is a well known player for slovakian basketball fans, because his playing here for the second season. He started in Komarno and this season was signed in Levice, but he had a serious injury and they have decided to terminate his contract. But he was not a long without a club, Bilic has already started for BK Edymax SPU Nitra against Spisska Nova Ves. He did not helped to win with his 2 points and 3 rebounds.

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SOUTH KOREA

Standings

KBL Standings

1. SK Knights		38-8
2. Mobis Phoebus		32-13
3. ET Land		27-19
4. Anyang KGC		24-22
5. Goyang Orions		22-24
6. Sonic Boom KT		19-27
7. Dongbu Promy		18-28
8. Samsung Th.		18-28
9. LG Sakers		17-28
10. KCC Egis		12-34

Regular Season: Round 36

Feb. 27: Samsung Th. - ET Land 75-83
Feb. 27: KCC Egis - Goyang Orions 65-84
Feb. 26: SK Knights - Anyang KGC 58-66
Feb. 28: Dongbu Promy - LG Sakers
Feb. 28: Sonic Boom KT - Anyang KGC

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SPAIN

Stats Leaders - ACB

Points Per Game

Carl ENGLISH
  Asefa E.
  (192-G-81)
  Avg: 19.4

1. English, Asefa E.	19.4
2. Feldeine, Mad-Croc	16.4
3. DeVries, Assignia.	15.5
4. Doellman, Valencia	15.2
5. Gabriel, Asefa E.	14.5
6. Corbacho, Bluse.	14.3
7. Vasiliadis, Gescr.	14.2
8. Toolson, G.Canari.	14.0
9. Martin, Blancos	13.9
10. Mirotic, Real Mad.	13.7

Rebounds Per Game

Jakim DONALDSON
  CB Canar.
  (204-C/F-83)
  Avg: 7

1. Donaldson, CB Cana.	7.0
2. Hunter, Blancos	6.8
3. Tomic, FCB Regal	6.8
4. Martin, Blancos	6.6
5. Norel, CAI Zaragoza	6.5
6. Nelson, G.Canari.	6.5
7. Lewis, UCAM M.	6.2
8. Kuzmic, FIATC J.	6.2
9. Sene, Mad-Croc	6.0
10. Gaffney, FIATC J.	5.9

Assists Per Game

Andres RODRIGUEZ
  Bluse.
  (184-PG-81)
  Avg: 6.4

1. Rodriguez, Bluse.	6.4
2. Rodriguez, Assigni.	5.3
3. Renfroe, Blancos	4.5
4. Satoransky, Cajasol	4.1
5. Rodriguez, Real M.	4.1
6. Uriz, CB Canarias	3.9
7. Huertas, FCB Regal	3.7
8. Zisis, Gescrap BB	3.5
9. Llull, Real Madrid	3.5
10. Williams, Unicaja	3.5

Steals Per Game

Justin DOELLMAN
  Valencia
  (206-F-85)
  Avg: 1.9

1. Doellman, Valencia	1.9
2. Kirksay, Asefa E.	1.8
3. Fernandez, Real M.	1.7
4. Rost, CB Canarias	1.7
5. Aguilar, CAI Z.	1.6
6. Rodriguez, UCAM M.	1.5
7. Gaffney, FIATC J.	1.5
8. Barnes, Asefa E.	1.5
9. Markovic, Valencia	1.4
10. Neto, Lagun A.	1.3

Blocks Per Game

Ekenechukwu IBEKWE
  Lagun A.
  (210-F-85)
  Avg: 1.6

1. Ibekwe, Lagun A.	1.6
2. Vazquez, Unicaja	1.5
3. Mejri, Blusens M.	1.4
4. Gaffney, FIATC J.	1.2
5. Sene, Mad-Croc	1.1
6. Hunter, Blancos	1.1
7. Begic, Real Madrid	1.0
8. Barnes, Asefa E.	1.0
9. Nogueira, Asefa E.	1.0
10. Arteaga, Assignia.	1.0

Alex Renfroe left Blancos de Rueda - by Eurobasket News

27-year old American point guard Alex Renfroe (191-80kg-86, college: Belmont) left Blancos de Rueda Valladolid (ACB). In 22 games he had 10.3ppg, 4.1rpg, 4.5apg (top 3) and 1.1spg this season.
The last season Renfroe played at Enel Brindisi (Lega2) in Italian league. In 38 games he recorded 12.5ppg, 5.8rpg, 3.6apg and 1.9spg. He helped them to win the league title and the cup. Quite impressive season as he was named to Eurobasket.com All-Italian Lega2 2nd Team.
The previous (10-11) season Renfroe played at KK Zagreb (A1) in Croatian league. The team played in four different competitions (!!!) that year, and he was exposed to basketball on different levels. In 14 A1 games he recorded 11.0ppg, 5.2rpg, 3.7apg and 2.4spg. He contributed to his team winning the league title. Quite impressive season as he was named to Eurobasket.com Croatian A1 League All-Imports Team, Honorable Mention and All-Defensive Team. Renfroe also played 6 games in EuroChallenge where he recorded 11.0ppg, 4.3rpg, 3.5apg and 2.3spg. He also played 2 games in Eurocup where he recorded 12.5ppg, 3.0rpg, 1.5apg and 2.0spg. And finally Renfroe played 25 games in Adriatic League where he recorded 9.2ppg, 4.6rpg, 3.8apg and 1.8spg (leader !!!).
The list of the past achievements is quite long as he was voted Eurobasket.com All-EuroChallenge Defensive Player of the Year back in 2010.
Renfroe has played also professionally in Latvia (VEF Riga).
He attended Belmont University until 2009 and it is his fourth season as a professional player.

By Eurobasket Data Center

Marc Gasol's double-double lands him Player of the Week award among Spaniards playing currently abroad - by Eurobasket Center

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

Marc Gasol

#1. This week's number one is an international center Marc Gasol (216-85, agency: Interperformances, currently plays in NBA). He led Memphis Grizzlies to a victory over the Orlando Magic (16-41) 88-82 in the NBA in Friday night's game. Gasol was MVP of the game. He had a double-double by scoring 19 points and getting 13 rebounds. Gasol also added 4 assists in 37 minutes on the court. The Memphis Grizzlies have a solid 37-18 record this season. It was his team's seventh consecutive victory in a row. It's Gasol's fifth year with the team. He has individually a very good season with high stats. Gasol averages: 13.6ppg, 7.8rpg, 3.7apg, 1.7bpg, 2FGP: 48.4%, 3FGP: 9.1% and FT: 87.2% in the 55 games he played so far. He is currently a member of the Spanish senior national team.

Serge Ibaka

#2. Second place goes to an international power forward Serge Ibaka (208-89, currently plays in NBA). Ibaka contributed to an easy victory against the Chicago Bulls (32-25) crushing them 102-72 in the NBA last Sunday. He recorded a double-double by scoring 17 points and getting 10 rebounds. Ibaka also added 3 blocks. The Oklahoma City Thunder has a solid 41-15 record this season. This year Ibaka has very high stats. He averages: 13.4ppg, 7.9rpg, 3.0bpg, 2FGP: 56.9%(293-515), 3FGP: 36.4% and FT: 77.9%. Ibaka has a dual citizenship: Congolese and Spanish. Ex-C.B. L'Hospitalet player is in the roster of the Spanish senior national team.

Ricky Rubio

#3. The Spanish player who performed third best last week abroad was former international guard Ricky Rubio (192-90, currently plays in NBA), who plays in the NBA. He could not help the Minnesota Timberwolves (20-34) in their last game. Despite Rubio's very good performance the Minnesota Timberwolves were edged 100-99 on the road by the Golden State Warriors. He had a double-double by scoring 16 points and making 11 passes. Rubio also added 8 rebounds and 6 steals in 38 minutes. It was Timberwolves' third consecutive loss in a row. Rubio has relatively good stats this year: 8.2ppg, 3.0rpg, 6.8apg, 2.2spg, 2FGP: 36.3%, 3FGP: 12.0% and FT: 77.5% in the 29 games. He played for the Spanish national team two years ago.

Jose Manuel Calderon

#4. Point guard Jose Manuel Calderon (192-81, currently plays in NBA) contributed to a Detroit Pistons' victory against the Charlotte Bobcats (13-44) 105-99 in the NBA on Wednesday night. He scored 17 points. The Detroit Pistons have 22-37 record this season. This year Calderon has very high stats. He averages: 12.9ppg, 2.9rpg, 6.2apg and 1.4spg. Calderon is also Spanish national team player.

Victor Claver

#5. International power forward Victor Claver (207-88, currently plays in NBA) managed to help Portland Trail Blazers in a victory against the Boston Celtics (30-27) 92-86 in the NBA on Sunday night. Claver recorded only 4 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in 20 minutes. The Portland Trail Blazers have 26-30 record this season. They ended the series of seven consecutive loses. It's Claver's first year with the team. This season his overall stats are: 2.6ppg and 2.3rpg in the 32 games. Claver plays currently for the Spanish national team.

Albert Miralles

#6. Center Albert Miralles (208-82, also represented by Interperformances, currently plays in Euroleague) was not able to help ALBA Berlin (1-7) in their game against Real Madrid (7-1) in the Euroleague. He scored 9 points and grabbed 4 rebounds in 17 minutes. But the seventh-placed ALBA Berlin lost 72-77 in Madrid to the second-ranked Real in the group E of Euroleague. It was ALBA Berlin's third consecutive loss in a row. It's Miralles' first season with the team. This year Miralles' total stats are: 5.8ppg and 3.9rpg in the 18 games. He is a former international player as he played for the Spanish senior team eight years ago.

Daniel Munoz

#7. Former U17 international point guard Daniel Munoz (183-87, currently plays college basketball in the States), who plays in the NCAA was not able to secure a victory for the American (5-7) in their last game. Despite his very good performance the American lost 44-50 in Annapolis, MD to the U.S. Naval Academy. Munoz scored 15 points, had 5 rebounds and dished 3 assists in 39 minutes. There are only two games left until the end of the NCAA Regular Season. So now every game will be critical. Munoz is one of the most experienced players in a team as it's his fourth year in American's roster. He has averaged so far 7.9ppg, 5.7rpg and 1.5apg in the 23 games. Munoz used to play for the Spanish U17 national team ten years ago.

Miguel Ortega

   #8. Point guard Miguel Ortega (188-91, currently plays in Denmark) was the major contributor in Randers' victory against one of league's weakest teams Aarhus BC (6-20) 98-87 in the Danish Ligaen on Saturday night. He recorded a double-double by scoring 15 points and making 10 passes. Ortega also added and 4 steals. Randers Cimbria Basketball (12-14) is placed sixth in the Ligaen. His team will play only one more game in the Regular Season. And now that game is very crucial. Ortega is the league's best passer. He has very reliable stats this season: 13.0ppg, 3.5rpg, 7.4apg and 2.0spg. Ortega used to play for the Spanish U18 national team back in 2009.

The list of other players, who all have Spanish passport but never been selected to any of Spanish national teams:

   #1. Tiago Splitter (211-C/F-85, agency: Interperformances, currently plays in NBA) led San Antonio Spurs to a victory against the Phoenix Suns (19-39) 97-87 in the NBA in Sunday night's game. Splitter recorded 14 points and grabbed 5 rebounds. The San Antonio Spurs have a very solid 45-13 record this season. This year Splitter has relatively solid stats: 10.5ppg, 5.8rpg and 1.3apg. He has a dual citizenship: Brazilian and Spanish.

   #2. Experienced Luis Scola (206-F/C-80, currently plays in NBA) led Phoenix Suns to a victory over the Portland Trail Blazers (26-30) 102-98 in the NBA last Tuesday. Scola was the best player in that game. He scored 18 points and added 3 assists in 30 minutes. The Phoenix Suns have not so impressive 19-39 record this season. It was his team's first victory after three consecutive loses. Scola has individually a very good year with high stats. He averages: 12.8ppg, 6.2rpg and 2.3apg in the 58 games he played so far. Scola is another player who holds two passports: Argentinian and Spanish.

   #3. Alvaro Calvo (202-F-83, agency: Dynamics Global Management, currently plays in Liga Americas) was the main contributor in an Sao Jose/Vinac's victory against the closely-ranked Mavort (0-3) crushing them 102-68 in the Liga Americas in Friday night's game. He was the best player in that game. Calvo recorded 22 points and had 3 steals in 25 minutes. A.E. Sao Jose/Unimed/Vinac (2-1) is placed third in group C. The Regular Season already ended in the Liga Americas. This year Calvo has relatively solid stats: 11.0ppg and 3.3rpg in the three games.

   #4. Caio Silveira (211-C-87, also represented by Interperformances, currently plays in Brazil), who plays in the Brazilian NBB could not help Flamengo (6-0) in their last game on Thursday. Despite his good performance the league leader Flamengo was defeated 82-70 on the road by the second-ranked Brasilia. Silveira recorded a double-double by scoring 14 points and getting 11 rebounds. This season Silveira has relatively solid stats: 12.8ppg and 7.0rpg. He has both Spanish and Brazilian nationalities.

   #5. Gustavo Barrera (194-G-85, currently plays in Uruguay) contributed to Hebraica's victory against the third-ranked Sayago (5-5) 92-78 in the Uruguayan LUB in Friday night's game. He scored 12 points and added 8 assists. Hebraica Macabi (2-5) is placed eighth in Serie 1. Barrera is currently first on the list of best passers and also on the list of most steals (third place). He has very reliable stats this season: 13.8ppg, 4.0rpg, 7.6apg and 2.1spg. Barrera also holds two passports: Spanish and Uruguayan.

   #6. Carlos Fernandez (197-F-87, college: IlIinois Tech, currently plays in United Kingdom) contributed to a Worcester Wolves' victory against the closely-ranked Durham Wildcats 83-79 in the British BBL last Sunday. He had a double-double by scoring 14 points and getting 10 rebounds. Fernandez also added 7 assists in 40 minutes. This year his total stats are: 6.3ppg, 5.0rpg and 2.7apg in the 23 games.

   #7. Juan Ignacio Sanchez (192-G-77, college: Temple, currently plays in Argentina) helped Wuber-Est.Bahia win their n overtime game against the closely-ranked Atenas 92-80 in the Argentinian LigaA on Sunday night. Sanchez recorded 15 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists and 4 steals. His total stats this season are: 7.6ppg, 2.8rpg and 2.6apg. Sanchez has Spanish and Argentinian nationalities.

   #8. Devin Davis (202-F-74, college: Miami, OH, currently plays in Argentina) is a teammate of previously mentioned Juan Ignacio Sanchez and both played together in the last Argentinian LigaA game. Davis helped Wuber-Est.Bahia win their n overtime game against the closely-ranked Atenas 92-80. He recorded 12 points and grabbed 6 rebounds. Davis has averaged so far 8.2ppg, 6.2rpg and 1.5apg. He is a naturalized American. Davis used to play for 13.6ppg, Reb-1(9.8), 2apg, in April '98 signed with Huelva in Spanish league.

   #9. Ignacio Ordin (183-PG-78, currently plays in France) helped Pau-Lacq-Orthez win their game against the eighth-ranked JL Bourg 96-85 in the French ProB (second division) on Friday night. He was the best player in that game. Ordin scored 17 points and added 3 passes (went 5 for 5 at the free throw line) in 21 minutes. He has averaged so far 8.9ppg, 1.8rpg and 2.7apg in the 23 games.

   #10. Rafael Lopez (204-C-86, currently plays in France) was not able to help Denain Voltaire in their game against Bordeaux in the French ProB (second division). Despite his very good performance in Friday night's game Lopez was the second best scorer with 18 points. He also added 8 rebounds. Lopez has averaged so far 7.9ppg, 5.7rpg and 1.5apg.

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

SWEDEN

Standings - BasketEttan

Basketettan Standings

North
1. Taby		14-4
2. Akropol		14-4
3. LF Future		13-4
4. Umea		13-7
5. Blackeberg		12-5
6. Solna Branten		9-9
7. Alvik Basket		8-9
8. Uppsala KFUM		8-11
9. Orongo		8-11
10. Fryshuset		7-12
11. BG Lulea		2-15
12. Jarva Devils		1-18
South
1. Brahe Basket		14-4
2. Eos		14-5
3. Malbas		12-7
4. Jarfalla		12-7
5. Boras II		11-5
6. Haga Haninge		10-10
7. Eskilstuna		9-10
8. Hoganas		8-10
9. Talje		7-9
10. Hogsbo		7-11
11. Helsingborg		5-12
12. Sanda		0-19

Regular Season: Round 19

North

Feb. 24: Alvik Basket - Uppsala KFUM 94-80
Feb. 24: LF Future - Solna Branten 93-83
Feb. 23: BG Lulea - Solna Branten 79-89
Feb. 23: Taby - Umea 77-86
Feb. 24: Blackeberg - Umea 73-66
Feb. 24: Jarva Devils - Orongo 63-105

Round 5

Feb. 24: Eskilstuna - Eos 84-76

Round 6

Feb. 24: Haga Haninge - Malbas 62-76

South

Feb. 23: Haga Haninge - Eos 95-67
Feb. 23: Boras II - Talje 87-62
Feb. 23: Jarfalla - Brahe Basket 73-74
Feb. 23: Sanda - Hogsbo 69-87
Feb. 27: Helsingborg - Hoganas 60-68
Feb. 23: Eskilstuna - Malbas 56-80

Regular Season: Round 20

North

Mar. 2: Orongo - Umea
Mar. 2: Taby - Jarva Devils
Mar. 2: Akropol - Uppsala KFUM
Mar. 3: Solna Branten - Fryshuset
Mar. 7: LF Future - BG Lulea

Round 12

Mar. 2: Alvik Basket - BG Lulea
Mar. 3: Blackeberg - BG Lulea

Round 13

Mar. 2: Blackeberg - LF Future
Mar. 3: Alvik Basket - LF Future

Round 17

Mar. 10: Boras II - Hoganas

Round 21

Mar. 10: Solna Branten - Taby

Round 8

Mar. 3: Talje - Boras II

South

Mar. 2: Hoganas - Eos
Mar. 2: Eskilstuna - Boras II
Mar. 2: Talje - Jarfalla
Mar. 3: Brahe Basket - Haga Haninge
Mar. 3: Hogsbo - Helsingborg
Mar. 6: Malbas - Sanda

Stats Leaders - BasketEttan

Points Per Game

Markus LENNGREN
  Hogsbo
  (196-F-83)
  Avg: 23.6

1. Lenngren, Hogsbo	23.6
2. Dawit, Fryshuset	22.4
3. Alix, Jarfalla	22.2
4. Ronnqvist, LF Fu.	21.1
5. Nagwere, Fryshuset	19.7
6. Hartmann, Akropol	19.3
7. Sellin, Helsingborg	18.9
8. Cavalieri, Brahe B.	18.9
9. Gafor, Malbas	18.9
10. Andersson, Taby	18.6

Rebounds Per Game

Jesper ELIASSON
  Solna B.
  (204-F-94)
  Avg: 11.7

1. Eliasson, Solna B.	11.7
2. Hult, Eos	10.0
3. Lenngren, Hogsbo	9.9
4. Alix, Jarfalla	9.6
5. Saleman, Umea	9.5
6. Sinani, Helsingborg	9.3
7. Hartmann, Akropol	9.3
8. Sellin, Helsingborg	9.1
9. Nagwere, Fryshuset	9.0
10. Halling, Jarfalla	8.9

Assists Per Game

Christian KOUTRAS
  Akropol
  (189-G-88)
  Avg: 10.5

1. Koutras, Akropol	10.5
2. Lundin, Taby	5.7
3. Blazevic, Talje	5.6
4. Nystrom, Eos	5.2
5. Pierre, Umea	4.9
6. Kebedom, Brahe B.	4.8
7. Nagwere, Fryshuset	4.8
8. Bankhead, Malbas	4.7
9. Panghulan, Black.	4.4
10. Catrinin, Jarfalla	4.3

Steals Per Game

Daniel URBAN
  Eskilstuna
  (198-F-88)
  Avg: 3

1. Urban, Eskilstuna	3.0
2. Dawit, Fryshuset	2.9
3. Bankhead, Malbas	2.8
4. Nystrom, Eos	2.6
5. Strazdauskas, Hog.	2.6
6. Maraker, Boras II	2.6
7. Baltrokonis, Hogan.	2.6
8. Alix, Jarfalla	2.5
9. Hansson, Alvik B.	2.5
10. Hultman-Boye, Ha.	2.4

Blocks Per Game

Hugh ROBINSON
  Brahe B.
  (202-C-83)
  Avg: 2.2

1. Robinson, Brahe B.	2.2
2. Kuksta, Hoganas	1.7
3. Urban, Eskilstuna	1.5
4. Saleman, Umea	1.3
5. Sinani, Helsingborg	1.2
6. Bergstrom, Black.	1.2
7. Soderman, Haga H.	1.2
8. Ismaili, Boras II	1.1
9. Hult, Eos	1.1
10. Andersson, Helsin.	1.0

Basketettan Round 19: Change at the top of the standings - by Eurobasket News

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

Basketettan round 19 caused change at the leadership position. Fifth defeat of league's leader IK Eos (14-5) against seventh ranked Eskilstuna (9-10) 84-76 was the most important game of the last round. The hosts took control from the first minutes by winning the initial quarter 25-19. But IK Eos won second period 25-22. However it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. The game was decided in the last minutes when Eskilstuna won last quarter 21-14. They also forced 21 IK Eos turnovers and outrebounded them 40-29 including 27 on the defensive glass. Great defensive blocking was one of the keys in this match when Eskilstuna made 7 blocks