Eurobasket Daily News Report: 2/9/2013 4:04:01 AM

EUROBASKET NEWS REPORT - 2/9/2013 4:04:01 AM

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ASEAN LEAGUE

Standings

O Standings

1. Satria Muda			4-2
2. Saigon H.			3-2
3. Petron Blaze			2-2
4. Singapore S.			2-2
5. Thailand S.			2-3
6. KL Dragons			2-4

Regular Season: Round 4

Feb. 8: Petron Blaze - Satria Muda 96-98 OT
Feb. 5: Singapore S. - KL Dragons 68-67
Feb. 2: KL Dragons - Thailand S. 65-77
Feb. 1: Petron Blaze - Saigon H. 100-74

Regular Season: Round 5

Feb. 13: Satria Muda - Singapore S.
Feb. 13: Thailand S. - Petron Blaze
Feb. 15: Thailand S. - Satria Muda
Feb. 16: Petron Blaze - KL Dragons
Feb. 17: Singapore S. - Saigon H.

Round 4: Indonesia Warriors climb on top - by Eurobasket News

The fans could enjoy quite many interesting games in the last round. The round ended with change at the leadership position, extra overtimes and games ending by tiny margin.

ASEAN League round 4 caused change at the leadership position. Second defeat of league's leader Vietnamese Saigon Heat (3-2) against third ranked Filipino Petron Blaze (2-2) 100-74 was the most important game of the last round. It ended at the same time the three-game winning streak of Saigon Heat. The game was mostly controlled by Petron Blaze. Saigon Heat managed to win fourth quarter 21-20. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. Petron Blaze dominated down low during the game scoring 70 of its points in the paint compared to Saigon Heat's 34. They outrebounded Saigon Heat 40-27 including a 27-14 advantage in defensive rebounds. Petron Blaze looked well-organized offensively handing out 26 assists. American players dominated the game. Worth to mention a great performance of forward Gabe Freeman (198-85, college: Costa Mesa JC) who helped to win the game recording 21 points and 9 rebounds. Center Brian Williams (208-87, college: Tennessee) contributed with 18 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists for the winners. Forward Dior Lowhorn (201-87, college: USF) replied with 29 points and 5 rebounds for Saigon Heat. The winner was already known earlier in the game, so both coaches allowed to play the bench players saving starting five for next games. Petron Blaze maintains third position with 2-2 record having 2 victories less than leader Satria Muda, which they share with Singapore S. Saigon Heat at the other side dropped to the second place with two games lost. They were replaced at the leadership position by Satria Muda. Saigon Heat will play next round against strong Singapore Slingers trying to make it back to the top of the standings. Petron Blaze will try to continue on its current victory against sixth ranked KL Dragons in Kuala Lumpur.

The most impressive performance of 4th round was 29 points, 27 rebounds and 4 blocks by Christien Charles of Thailand S..

Petron Blaze - Satria Muda 96-98 OT

Satria Muda clinched the fourth straight win in the season. They upset Petron Blaze on the road. M.Wuysang came up with 20 points to lead the visitors. J.Canada and C.Daniels added 18 points each for the Indonesian outfit. Gabe Freeman accounted for 33 points and 15 rebounds for Petron Blaze. Brian Williams delivered 22 points, 6 assists and 5 boards in the loss.
Top scorers:
Petron Blaze: G.Freeman 33+15reb+2ast, B.Williams 22+5reb+6ast, E.Menk 10+4reb, C.Banchero 9, L.Avenido 9+4reb+1ast, P.Taulava 7+4reb+3ast
Satria Muda: M.Wuysang 20+2reb+4ast, J.Canada 18+4reb+7ast, C.Daniels 18+12reb+2ast, S.Thomas 17+7reb+2ast, J.Smith 16+1reb+1ast, R.Smith 5+4reb+1ast

Singapore S. - KL Dragons 68-67

We could consider it a predictable result in the game between close teams when sixth ranked Singapore Singapore Slingers (2-2) edged at home bottom-ranked Malaysian KL Dragons (2-4) 68-67 on Tuesday. The hosts trailed by 2 points after first quarter, but they rallied back to get the 8-point lead at the halftime and eventually won the game 68-67. Singapore Slingers outrebounded KL Dragons 45-33 including a 25-12 advantage in offensive rebounds. American players dominated also this game. It was a very good performance for center Kyle Jeffers (207-85, college: Oregon St.) who helped to win the game recording a double-double by scoring 24 points, 13 rebounds and 6 assists. Power forward Rashad Jones-Jennings (203-84, college: UALR) contributed with 4 points and 18 rebounds for the winners. Guard Cedric Bozeman (198-83, college: UCLA) replied with 16 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists and power forward Gavin Edwards (206-88, college: Connecticut) added 8 points and 13 rebounds in the effort for KL Dragons. KL Dragons' coach rotated ten players in this game, but that didn't help. Singapore Slingers moved-up to third place, which they share with Petron Blaze. KL Dragons lost fourth consecutive game. They dropped to the bottom position with four games lost. Singapore Slingers will face league's second-placed Saigon Heat at home in the next round and it will be for sure the game of the week. KL Dragons will play against Petron Blaze (#3) in Manila.
Top scorers:
KL Dragons: C.Bozeman 16+6reb+5ast, S.Fai Loh 14+1reb, M.Tautuaa 12+4reb+1ast, G.Edwards 8+13reb+2ast, P.Cabahug 6+1reb, B.Guganeswaran 5+6reb+4ast
Singapore S.: K.Jeffers 24+13reb+6ast, W.Long Wong 13+2reb+1ast, D.Dulay 10+3reb+2ast, M.Folkoff 9+5reb+6ast, S.Cabatu 6+1reb, R.Jones-Jennings 4+18reb+2ast

KL Dragons - Thailand S. 65-77

We cannot really consider it an upset in the game between close teams when 5th ranked Malaysian KL Dragons (2-4) lost to sixth ranked Thailand Thailand Slammers (2-3) in Kuala Lumpur 65-77 on Saturday. The guests trailed by 10 points after first quarter, but they stormed back to get the 7-point lead at the halftime and eventually won the game 77-65. Thailand Slammers outrebounded KL Dragons 54-35 including a 34-21 advantage in defensive rebounds. It was a very good performance for American power forward Christien Charles (216-81, college: Villanova) who helped to win the game recording a double-double by scoring 29 points, 27 rebounds and 4 blocks. Filipino guard Froilan Baguion (170-80) contributed with 23 points, 8 rebounds and 7 assists for the winners. American guard Cedric Bozeman (198-83, college: UCLA) replied with a double-double by scoring 11 points, 11 rebounds and 4 assists and his fellow American import power forward Gavin Edwards (206-88, college: Connecticut) added 13 points and 6 rebounds in the effort for KL Dragons. Four KL Dragons players scored in double figures. Both coaches used bench players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. Thailand Slammers moved-up to fifth place. KL Dragons lost fourth consecutive game. They dropped to the bottom position with four games lost. Thailand Slammers will face league's leader Satria Muda in Jakarta in the next round and it may be quite challenging game. KL Dragons will play on the road against Petron Blaze (#3) in Manila.
Top scorers:
KL Dragons: P.Cabahug 14+3reb+2ast, G.Edwards 13+6reb, C.Bozeman 11+11reb+4ast, M.Tautuaa 10+8reb, B.Guganeswaran 6+2reb+2ast, M.Jeffries 5+1reb
Thailand S.: C.Charles 29+27reb, F.Baguion 23+8reb+7ast, C.Klahan 6+2reb+2ast, W.Dawsom 6+2reb+1ast, S.Ghogar 4+9reb+1ast, M.Earl 4+4reb

Petron Blaze - Saigon H. 100-74

ASEAN League round 4 caused change at the leadership position. Second defeat of league's leader Vietnamese Saigon Heat (3-2) against third ranked Filipino Petron Blaze (2-2) 100-74 was the most important game of the last round. It ended at the same time the three-game winning streak of Saigon Heat. The game was mostly controlled by Petron Blaze. Saigon Heat managed to win fourth quarter 21-20. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. Petron Blaze dominated down low during the game scoring 70 of its points in the paint compared to Saigon Heat's 34. They outrebounded Saigon Heat 40-27 including a 27-14 advantage in defensive rebounds. Petron Blaze looked well-organized offensively handing out 26 assists. American players dominated the game. Worth to mention a great performance of forward Gabe Freeman (198-85, college: Costa Mesa JC) who helped to win the game recording 21 points and 9 rebounds. Center Brian Williams (208-87, college: Tennessee) contributed with 18 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists for the winners. Freeman is a former Eurobasket Summer League player, which is considered top international summer league in the market. Five Petron Blaze players scored in double figures. Forward Dior Lowhorn (201-87, college: USF) replied with 29 points and 5 rebounds and power forward David Palmer (206-86, college: N.Kentucky) added 18 points and 12 rebounds in the effort for Saigon Heat. The winner was already known earlier in the game, so both coaches allowed to play the bench players saving starting five for next games. Petron Blaze maintains third position with 2-2 record having 2 victories less than leader Satria Muda, which they share with Singapore S. Saigon Heat at the other side dropped to the second place with two games lost. They were replaced at the leadership position by Satria Muda. Saigon Heat will play next round against strong Singapore Slingers trying to make it back to the top of the standings. Petron Blaze will try to continue on its current victory against sixth ranked KL Dragons in Kuala Lumpur.
Top scorers:
Saigon H.: D.Lowhorn 29+5reb, D.Palmer 18+12reb+2ast, L.Tieu 9+4reb, P.Aaron Morrison 6+3reb+3ast, K.Dehesa 6+1reb+3ast, J.Reyes 4+6ast
Petron Blaze: G.Freeman 21+9reb+2ast, B.Williams 18+6reb+4ast, P.Taulava 14+9reb+1ast, C.Banchero 14+2reb+7ast, R.Rizada 10+3reb, L.Avenido 10+5reb+7ast

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AUSTRALIA

Standings - NBL

NBL Standings

1. Breakers		18-3
2. Wildcats		15-5
3. Kings		10-11
4. Tigers		9-10
5. Hawks		9-12
6. Crocodiles		7-12
7. Taipans		6-12
8. 36ers		6-15

Regular Season: Round 18

Feb. 8: Wildcats - 36ers 73-67
Feb. 8: Hawks - Tigers 70-77
Feb. 9: Crocodiles - Taipans
Feb. 9: Kings - Breakers
Feb. 10: 36ers - Tigers

Stats Leaders - NBL

Points Per Game

Gary ERVIN
  Crocodiles
  (183-PG-83)
  Avg: 18

1. Ervin, Crocodiles	18.0
2. Madgen, Kings	17.9
3. Flynn, Tigers	17.7
4. Wilson, Taipans	16.0
5. Jackson, Breakers	16.0
6. Johnson, 36ers	15.7
7. Lisch, Wildcats	15.7
8. Deleon, Hawks	14.9
9. Redhage, Wildcats	14.5
10. Knight, Wildcats	14.3

Rebounds Per Game

Jacob HOLMES
  Crocodiles
  (201-F-83)
  Avg: 8.3

1. Holmes, Crocodiles	8.3
2. Johnson, 36ers	8.1
3. Crosswhite, Kings	7.5
4. Lazare, Kings	7.5
5. Knight, Wildcats	7.2
6. Pledger, Breakers	6.8
7. Scott, Tigers	6.8
8. Vukona, Breakers	6.5
9. Forman, Hawks	6.4
10. Schenscher, 36ers	6.3

Assists Per Game

Cedric JACKSON
  Breakers
  (191-G-86)
  Avg: 7.4

1. Jackson, Breakers	7.4
2. Flynn, Tigers	6.4
3. Ervin, Crocodiles	4.7
4. Gibson, 36ers	4.7
5. Wilson, Taipans	3.6
6. Martin, Hawks	3.3
7. Martin, Wildcats	3.2
8. Deleon, Hawks	3.0
9. Bruce, Kings	2.9
10. Henry, Kings	2.9

Steals Per Game

Cedric JACKSON
  Breakers
  (191-G-86)
  Avg: 2.8

1. Jackson, Breakers	2.8
2. Martin, Wildcats	2.1
3. Deleon, Hawks	1.5
4. Henry, Kings	1.2
5. Ervin, Crocodiles	1.2
6. Tovey, Wildcats	1.1
7. Wagstaff, Wildcats	1.1
8. Martin, Hawks	1.1
9. Gliddon, Taipans	1.1
10. Williams, Taipans	1.1

Blocks Per Game

Alex PLEDGER
  Breakers
  (213-C-87)
  Avg: 1.6

1. Pledger, Breakers	1.6
2. Scott, Tigers	0.9
3. Redhage, Wildcats	0.9
4. Forman, Hawks	0.9
5. Schenscher, 36ers	0.9
6. Garlepp, Kings	0.7
7. Lazare, Kings	0.7
8. Blanchfield, Croco.	0.7
9. Hinder, Crocodiles	0.7
10. Knight, Wildcats	0.7

Wildcats def. 36ers - by Hugh McAuliffe

The Perth Wildcats will be glad to see the back of the Adelaide 36ers for the 2012/13 NBL season recording a hard fought 73-67 win on Friday night at the Perth Arena.

Adelaide continued to fight right to the end and after trailing by 10 points midway through the last quarter got to within two with 32 seconds remaining after two Daniel Johnson free-throws on the back of a bad pass from Wildcat Matthew Knight (203-F/C-85, college: Loyola Mary) down the other end.

However, Jesse Wagstaff scored on a lay-up out of the time out, Adelaide turned the ball over on the next possession and the Wildcats held on to win by six.

The 36ers have been dominant over the Wildcats in recent seasons including two wins in five days back in November this season, and try as they might to cause another upset to try and breathe life into their devastated campaign, the 'Cats held on.

Despite having won just once in 11 games since winning in Perth on November 16 for the opening of the Perth Arena, Adelaide still returned on Friday confident of taking home a win from the second-placed Wildcats.

The 36ers feel they have an advantage inside with Luke Schenscher and Johnson, and with former Wildcat Stephen Weigh and tough man Anthony Petrie over the Wildcats' front court.

That helped ensure they stayed in the game on Friday night right throughout the four quarters again, but the Wildcats want to lock in second spot and keep hopes of first alive, with that motivation proving greater than Adelaide's desire at this point just to avoid the wooden spoon.

Big man Knight finished with 21 points for the Wildcats with Kevin Lisch adding 15, eight of which came in the final period. Wagstaff added 14 points with six rebounds and four assists.

Johnson loves playing this Wildcats team and top-scored for the Sixers again with 22 points. Weigh added 11 points, Jason Cadee 10 and Petrie 10.

Even though the Wildcats were able to open up a seven-point advantage by quarter-time, Adelaide had gained the lead back through Weigh, Petrie and Tom Daly to be up 32-29 late in the second period.

Perth did enough to be a point up at half-time and two by three quarter-time before dominating the early parts of the last to be up 55-48 with seven minutes remaining.

The Wildcats did get up by 10 after a free-throw from Knight and even though Adelaide didn't stop coming and closed to within three in last two minutes, it wasn't quite enough.

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AUSTRIA

Standings - A Bundesliga

A Bundesliga Standings

1. BC Vienna		15-4
2. Kapfenberg		15-4
3. Gmunden		15-5
4. Klosterneub.		13-6
5. Wels		11-9
6. Oberwart		10-9
7. Gussing		10-9
8. UBSC Graz		7-12
9. Furstenfeld		6-13
10. St.Polten		3-17
11. Arkadia		1-18

Regular Season: Round 21

Feb. 8: UBSC Graz - Furstenfeld 88-77
Feb. 8: Arkadia - Gmunden 86-90
Feb. 8: Wels - BC Vienna 78-65
Feb. 8: Gussing - Oberwart 74-95
Feb. 8: St.Polten - Kapfenberg 65-73

Regular Season: Round 22

Feb. 10: BC Vienna - Arkadia
Feb. 10: Oberwart - UBSC Graz
Feb. 10: Furstenfeld - Klosterneub.
Feb. 10: Kapfenberg - Gussing

Stats Leaders

Points Per Game

Maurice PEARSON
  Furstenf.
  (206-F/C-89)
  Avg: 19.8

1. Pearson, Furstenf.	19.8
2. Spasojevic, Arkadia	19.7
3. Tiedeman, Wels	19.5
4. Grum, Furstenfeld	19.4
5. Ray, BC Vienna	18.2
6. Gilchrese, UBSC G.	18.2
7. Shaw, Kapfenberg	18.1
8. Dale, UBSC G.	17.8
9. Suljanovic, Kloste.	17.5
10. Kovacevic, St.Po.	16.9

Rebounds Per Game

Maurice PEARSON
  Furstenf.
  (206-F/C-89)
  Avg: 12.5

1. Pearson, Furstenf.	12.5
2. Heard, Gussing	8.1
3. Sanchez, Kapfenbe.	7.9
4. Washington, Wels	7.2
5. Johnson, Oberwart	6.9
6. Lamesic, Wels	6.8
7. Ray, BC Vienna	6.7
8. Suljanovic, Kloste.	6.6
9. Stegnjaic, UBSC G.	6.4
10. Speiser, St.Polten	6.4

Assists Per Game

Giovonne WOODS
  Kapfenberg
  (191-G-86)
  Avg: 6.1

1. Woods, Kapfenberg	6.1
2. Boylan, BC Vienna	6.0
3. Klepeisz, Gussing	5.0
4. Tiedeman, Wels	4.5
5. Lanegger, Klostern.	4.4
6. Danek, BC Vienna	4.1
7. O''Neal, Furstenfeld	3.7
8. Farokhmanesh, Wels	3.7
9. Schaal, UBSC G.	3.6
10. Pryor, Kapfenberg	3.5

Steals Per Game

Eric GILCHRESE
  UBSC G.
  (183-PG-87)
  Avg: 2.6

1. Gilchrese, UBSC G.	2.6
2. Boylan, BC Vienna	1.8
3. Ray, BC Vienna	1.7
4. Arnold, Gmunden	1.7
5. Markovic, UBSC G.	1.5
6. Farokhmanesh, Wels	1.4
7. Pryor, Kapfenberg	1.4
8. O''Neal, Furstenfeld	1.3
9. Dale, UBSC G.	1.3
10. Oppland, Gmunden	1.3

Blocks Per Game

Matias BORTOLIN
  Arkadia
  (205-C-93)
  Avg: 1.2

1. Bortolin, Arkadia	1.2
2. Cresnar, Furstenf.	1.1
3. Rakocevic, BC Vi.	1.1
4. Washington, Wels	0.9
5. Arnold, Gmunden	0.9
6. Shaw, Kapfenberg	0.8
7. Mayer, Gmunden	0.7
8. Greimeister, Klost.	0.6
9. Chappell, Klostern.	0.6
10. Koch, Gussing	0.6

A Bundesliga Round 21: Leader BC Vienna loses to Raiffeisen Wels - by Eurobasket News

Top ranked BC Vienna (15-4) recorded its fourth loss on the court of sixth ranked Raiffeisen Wels on Friday night. Visitors were defeated by Raiffeisen Wels 78-65. It ended at the same time the two-game winning streak of BC Vienna. The game was mostly controlled by Raiffeisen Wels. BC Vienna managed to win third quarter 23-19. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. They dominated on the defensive end, holding BC Vienna to just 7 points in second quarter. 25 personal fouls committed by BC Vienna helped opponents get some easy free throw opportunities. The game was dominated by American players. The best player for the winners was forward DeVaughn Washington (202-89, college: Ohio, agency: Pro Partner Sports Management) who had a double-double by scoring 25 points and 13 rebounds. Forward Tyler Tiedeman (201-85, college: Boise St., agency: Interperformances) chipped in 20 points and 5 assists (on 8-of-10 shooting from the field). At the other side the best for losing team was swingman Shawn Ray (194-80, college: N.C.Central) who recorded 24 points. Raiffeisen Wels (11-9) moved-up to fifth place. BC Vienna at the other side still keeps top position with four games lost. They share it with Kapfenberg. Raiffeisen Wels will have a break next round, and it should allow them to practice more before next game. BC Vienna will play at home against Arkadia Lions in Traiskirchen and is hoping to win this game.
The game with biggest result difference took place in Gussing. Local Gussing Knights (10-9) were outscored by seventh ranked Redwell Gunners Oberwart (10-9) 95-74. It was a good game for American forward Seamus Boxley (201-82, college: Portland St.) who led his team to a victory with 27 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists. Richard Chaney contributed with 21 points and 8 rebounds for the winners. International point guard Thomas Klepeisz (185-91, agency: TSS Management) answered with 20 points and 9 rebounds for Gussing Knights. Gussing Knights' coach gave up on the game allowing to play ten players seeing no chance for a win. Redwell Gunners Oberwart have a solid series of four victories in a row. They moved-up to sixth place, which they share with Gussing. Redwell Gunners Oberwart will play against UBSC Graz (#8) at home in the next round. Gussing Knights will play against the league's second-placed Kapfenberg Bulls and hope to get back on the winning track.

Other games of round 21 were quite predictable and ended without any surprises. Here they are:
Gmunden defeated Arkadia in Gmunden 90-86. St.Polten was beaten by Kapfenberg at home 65-73. Furstenfeld lost to UBSC Graz on the opponent's court 77-88.

Arkadia - Gmunden 86-90

There was no surprise in Traiskirchen where 11th ranked Arkadia Lions (1-18) were defeated by third ranked Gmunden Swans (15-5) 90-86. It looked good early as Arkadia Lions took an 12-point lead at the end of first quarter. But then Gmunden Swans took control and eventually winning the game that evening by 4 points. Arkadia Lions were plagued by 24 personal fouls down the stretch. It was a good game for American forward Mike Oppland (204-84, college: Valparaiso) who led his team to a victory with 22 points and 5 rebounds (perfect from the field making all ten shots !!!). His fellow American import forward Robert Arnold (198-88, college: Boise St.) contributed with 14 points and 7 rebounds (on 7-of-8 shooting from the field) for the winners. Montenegrin power forward Radosav Spasojevic (204-92, agency: Interperformances) answered with 22 points, 8 assists and 4 steals and Argentinian-Italian forward Pablo Gamaleri (194-93, agency: Interperformances) added 25 points and 5 rebounds in the effort for Arkadia Lions. Five Gmunden Swans and four Arkadia Lions players scored in double figures. Arkadia Lions' coach rotated ten players in this game, but that didn't help. Gmunden Swans maintains third place with 15-5 record having just -1 point less than leader BC Vienna. Arkadia Lions lost eighth consecutive game. They stay dead last with 18 lost games. Gmunden Swans will have a break next round, and it should allow them to practice more before next game. Arkadia Lions will play on the road against the league's leader BC Vienna (#1) in Wien to get more than just one victory in their record.
Top scorers:
Gmunden: M.Oppland 22+5reb, R.Arnold 14+7reb+3ast, J.Brown 13+2reb+3ast, M.Mayer 12+3reb+2ast, D.Oppland 10+6reb+2ast, C.Novas 9+1reb
Arkadia: P.Gamaleri 25+5reb+2ast, R.Spasojevic 22+3reb+8ast, M.Bortolin 16+5reb+3ast, T.Stadelmann 10+1reb+1ast, M.Pajovic 5+1reb+1ast, M.Diesner 2+1reb

Wels - BC Vienna 78-65

Top ranked BC Vienna (15-4) recorded its fourth loss on the court of sixth ranked Raiffeisen Wels on Friday night. Visitors were defeated by Raiffeisen Wels 78-65. It ended at the same time the two-game winning streak of BC Vienna. The game was mostly controlled by Raiffeisen Wels. BC Vienna managed to win third quarter 23-19. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. They dominated on the defensive end, holding BC Vienna to just 7 points in second quarter. 25 personal fouls committed by BC Vienna helped opponents get some easy free throw opportunities. The game was dominated by American players. The best player for the winners was forward DeVaughn Washington (202-89, college: Ohio, agency: Pro Partner Sports Management) who had a double-double by scoring 25 points and 13 rebounds. Forward Tyler Tiedeman (201-85, college: Boise St., agency: Interperformances) chipped in 20 points and 5 assists (on 8-of-10 shooting from the field). Four Raiffeisen Wels players scored in double figures. At the other side the best for losing team was swingman Shawn Ray (194-80, college: N.C.Central) who recorded 24 points and power forward Maurice Pearson (206-89, college: Georgetown, KY) added 16 points and 7 rebounds respectively. Raiffeisen Wels (11-9) moved-up to fifth place. BC Vienna at the other side still keeps top position with four games lost. They share it with Kapfenberg. Raiffeisen Wels will have a break next round, and it should allow them to practice more before next game. BC Vienna will play at home against Arkadia Lions in Traiskirchen and is hoping to win this game.
Top scorers:
Wels: D.Washington 25+13reb+1ast, T.Tiedeman 20+2reb+5ast, A.Farokhmanesh 13+2reb+2ast, D.Gonzalvez 10+1reb+2ast, D.Lamesic 8+9reb+3ast, E.Zulic 2+1reb+1ast
BC Vienna: S.Ray 24+2reb+1ast, M.Pearson 16+7reb+1ast, I.Boylan 12+3reb+5ast, J.Francois 5+6reb+1ast, S.Stazic 5+2reb+4ast, F.Trmal 3+3reb

Gussing - Oberwart 74-95

The game with biggest result difference took place in Gussing. Local Gussing Knights (10-9) were outscored by seventh ranked Redwell Gunners Oberwart (10-9) 95-74. The game was mostly controlled by Redwell Gunners Oberwart. Gussing Knights was better in fourth quarter 22-19. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. Redwell Gunners Oberwart forced 23 Gussing Knights turnovers. It was a good game for American forward Seamus Boxley (201-82, college: Portland St.) who led his team to a victory with 27 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists. American-Puerto Rican guard Richard Chaney (196-84, college: Troy) contributed with 21 points and 8 rebounds for the winners. Four Redwell Gunners Oberwart players scored in double figures. International point guard Thomas Klepeisz (185-91, agency: TSS Management) answered with 20 points and 9 rebounds and American forward Marcus Heard (201-84, college: De Paul) added 17 points and 8 rebounds in the effort for Gussing Knights. Gussing Knights' coach gave up on the game allowing to play ten players seeing no chance for a win. Redwell Gunners Oberwart have a solid series of four victories in a row. They moved-up to sixth place, which they share with Gussing. Redwell Gunners Oberwart will play against UBSC Graz (#8) at home in the next round. Gussing Knights will play against the league's second-placed Kapfenberg Bulls and hope to get back on the winning track.
Top scorers:
Oberwart: S.Boxley 27+5reb+4ast, R.Chaney 21+8reb+2ast, D.Hinson 14+4reb+5ast, D.Gant 12+2reb, D.Jandl 6+2reb, H.Artner 5+2ast
Gussing: T.Klepeisz 20+9reb+3ast, M.Heard 17+8reb, E.Kadic 16+2reb, P.Horvath 8+2reb, S.Koch 5+5reb+2ast, H.Rahman 3+7reb

St.Polten - Kapfenberg 65-73

No shocking result in a game when second ranked Kapfenberg Bulls (15-4) defeated on the road 10th ranked St.Polten (3-17) 73-65. It looked good early as St.Polten took an 4-point lead at the end of first quarter. But then Kapfenberg Bulls had a 17-12 second period charge getting the lead and St.Polten was not able to take back game control losing it eventually 65-73. Kapfenberg Bulls made 18-of-19 charity shots (94.7 percent) during the game. It was a great shooting night for Kapfenberg Bulls especially from behind the arc, where they had solid 52.9 percentage. It was a good game for American-Mexican forward Mark Sanchez (201-87, college: Boise St., agency: Court Side) who led his team to a victory with a double-double by scoring 16 points and 11 rebounds. American swingman Quentin Pryor (193-83, college: Morehead St., agency: Court Side) contributed with 17 points for the winners. Five Kapfenberg Bulls players scored in double figures. Serbian swingman Maksim Kovacevic (199-87) answered with 20 points and 7 rebounds and the former international forward Martin Speiser (202-83) added 16 points and 5 assists in the effort for St.Polten. St.Polten's coach Uros Vukadinovic rotated ten players in this game, but that didn't help. Kapfenberg Bulls used an opportunity after BC Vienna lost their game and moved up joining them at the top position. St.Polten lost third consecutive game. They keep the tenth place with 17 games lost. Kapfenberg Bulls will play against Gussing Knights (#7) at home in the next round which should be theoretically an easy game. St.Polten will have a break next round.
Top scorers:
Kapfenberg: Q.Pryor 17+4reb+2ast, M.Sanchez 16+11reb, D.Mayes 16+2reb+1ast, F.Kramer 11+3reb, D.Nelson 10+3reb+1ast, H.Opoku 2+4reb
St.Polten: M.Kovacevic 20+7reb+2ast, M.Speiser 16+2reb+5ast, M.Kohlmaier 10+4reb+2ast, T.Csebits 5+4reb, T.Blazan 5+2reb, L.Gvozden 4+2reb

UBSC Graz - Furstenfeld 88-77

Everything could happen at the game between two tied teams. Both ninth ranked UBSC Graz and 8th ranked Furstenfeld Panthers had identical 6-12 record. This time UBSC Graz used a home court advantage and won against the opponent from Furstenfeld 88-77. It looked good early as Furstenfeld Panthers took an 2-point lead at the end of first quarter. But then UBSC Graz had a 26-12 second period charge getting the lead and Furstenfeld Panthers were not able to take back game control losing it eventually 77-88. UBSC Graz made 28-of-32 charity shots (87.5 percent) during the game, while Furstenfeld Panthers only scored twelve points from the stripe. Furstenfeld Panthers were plagued by 25 personal fouls down the stretch. It was a good game for Croatian power forward Milan Stegnjaic (204-81) who led his team to a victory with 25 points and 8 rebounds. American center Charles Bronson (206-83, college: Pikeville) contributed with 18 points and 9 rebounds for the winners. Slovenian center Blaz Cresnar (214-86) answered with a double-double by scoring 11 points and 11 rebounds and American forward Tyrone Sally (201-82, college: W.Virginia) added 14 points and 7 rebounds in the effort for Furstenfeld Panthers. Five Furstenfeld Panthers players scored in double figures. Both coaches used bench players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. UBSC Graz (7-12) moved-up to eighth place. Furstenfeld Panthers lost third consecutive game. They dropped to the ninth position with 13 games lost. UBSC Graz will play against higher ranked Redwell Gunners Oberwart (#6) on the road in the next round and it will be quite challenging to get another victory. Furstenfeld Panthers will play against Xion Dukes in Klosterneuburg and hope to get back on the winning track.
Top scorers:
UBSC Graz: M.Stegnjaic 25+8reb+3ast, C.Bronson 18+9reb+1ast, M.Anthony Dale 16+6reb+4ast, S.Schaal 9+1reb+2ast, R.Lanegger 8+6reb+1ast, E.Gilchrese 7+5ast
Furstenfeld: S.Grum 19+3ast, T.Sally 14+7reb+1ast, L.O'Neal 14+5reb+3ast, B.Cresnar 11+11reb+1ast, C.Cox 10+8reb+1ast, D.Hasenburger 9+2reb

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

BAHRAIN

Standings

Premier League Standings

1. Al Manama		9-2
2. Al Ahli		9-2
3. Al Hala		9-2
4. Sitra		8-3
5. Muharraq		8-3
6. Issa Town		5-6
7. Hidd		5-6
8. Nuwaidrat		5-6
9. Bahrain Club		4-7
10. Al Najma		2-9
11. Al Ittihad		2-9
12. Samaheej		0-11

Regular Season: Round 11

Feb. 6: Sitra - Samaheej 80-60
Feb. 4: Al Ahli - Muharraq 78-66
Feb. 5: Al Hala - Al Najma 75-74
Feb. 5: Issa Town - Bahrain Club 67-76
Feb. 4: Hidd - Al Manama 67-71
Feb. 6: Al Ittihad - Nuwaidrat 49-61

Premier League Round 11: Muharraq loses to Al Ahli in the game between Top 4 teams - by Eurobasket News

The game between Top Four teams took place in Manama. Third ranked host Al Ahli (9-2) defeated second-ranked Muharraq (8-3) 78-66. It was a key game for the top position in the league. Al Ahli keeps a position of league leader, which they share with Al Hala and Al Manama. Muharraq lost third consecutive game. They dropped to the fourth place with three games lost. They share the position with Sitra.
Premier League top team - Al Manama (9-2) added another victory to their record. This time they beat seventh ranked Hidd (5-6) 71-67. Al Manama have an impressive series of seven victories in a row. They maintain first place with 9-2 record, which they share with Al Ahli and Al Hala. Hidd lost third consecutive game. Newly promoted team dropped to the sixth position with six games lost. They share it with Issa Town and Nuwaidrat.
Bottom-ranked Samaheej (0-11) is still winless. This time they lost on the road their 11th consecutive match to fifth ranked Sitra (8-3) 80-60 on Wednesday evening. The victory was the fourth consecutive win for Sitra. They moved-up to fourth place, which they share with Muharraq. Samaheej lost their eleventh game in a row. Newly promoted team still closes the standings with 11 games lost.
Tenth-ranked Al Najma (2-9) gave a tough game to third ranked Al Hala (9-2) in Muharraq. Al Hala managed to secure only one-point victory 75-74. However their fans expected much easier game. Defending champion keeps a position of league leader, which they share with Al Ahli and Al Manama. Al Najma at the other side keeps the tenth place with nine games lost.
An interesting game took place in Issa Town where 6th ranked Issa Town (5-6) was upset on its own court by ninth ranked Bahrain Club (4-7) 76-67 on Tuesday. Bahrain Club maintains ninth place with 4-7 record. Loser Issa Town keeps the sixth position with six games lost.

In the last game of round 11 Nuwaidrat won against Al Ittihad on the opponent's court 61-49.

Sitra - Samaheej 80-60

Bottom-ranked Samaheej (0-11) is still winless. This time they lost on the road their 11th consecutive match to fifth ranked Sitra (8-3) 80-60 on Wednesday evening. The victory was the fourth consecutive win for Sitra. They moved-up to fourth place, which they share with Muharraq. Samaheej lost their eleventh game in a row. Newly promoted team still closes the standings with 11 games lost.

Al Ittihad - Nuwaidrat 49-61

Rather expected game in Manama where 10th ranked Al Ittihad (2-9) was defeated by eighth ranked Nuwaidrat (5-6) 61-49 on Wednesday. The victory was the third consecutive win for Nuwaidrat. They moved-up to sixth place, which they share with Issa Town and Hidd. Loser Al Ittihad keeps the tenth position with nine games lost.

Issa Town - Bahrain Club 67-76

An interesting game took place in Issa Town where 6th ranked Issa Town (5-6) was upset on its own court by ninth ranked Bahrain Club (4-7) 76-67 on Tuesday. Bahrain Club maintains ninth place with 4-7 record. Loser Issa Town keeps the sixth position with six games lost.

Al Hala - Al Najma 75-74

Tenth-ranked Al Najma (2-9) gave a tough game to third ranked Al Hala (9-2) in Muharraq. Al Hala managed to secure only one-point victory 75-74. However their fans expected much easier game. Defending champion keeps a position of league leader, which they share with Al Ahli and Al Manama. Al Najma at the other side keeps the tenth place with nine games lost.

Al Ahli - Muharraq 78-66

The game between Top Four teams took place in Manama. Third ranked host Al Ahli (9-2) defeated second-ranked Muharraq (8-3) 78-66. It was a key game for the top position in the league. Al Ahli keeps a position of league leader, which they share with Al Hala and Al Manama. Muharraq lost third consecutive game. They dropped to the fourth place with three games lost. They share the position with Sitra.

Hidd - Al Manama 67-71

Premier League top team - Al Manama (9-2) added another victory to their record. This time they beat seventh ranked Hidd (5-6) 71-67. Al Manama have an impressive series of seven victories in a row. They maintain first place with 9-2 record, which they share with Al Ahli and Al Hala. Hidd lost third consecutive game. Newly promoted team dropped to the sixth position with six games lost. They share it with Issa Town and Nuwaidrat.

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

BALTIC LEAGUE

Standings - Men

Baltic League Standings

Group E
1. Ventspils			4-1
2. Barons kvartals			3-0
3. Lietkabelis			1-3
4. Parnu			0-4
Group F
1. Kalev/Cramo			3-0
2. Rudupis			2-1
3. Jelgava			2-2
4. Naglis Palangos			0-4
Group G
1. Juventus			4-0
2. Tarvas			3-1
3. Pieno Zvaigzdes			2-2
4. Barsy Atyrau			0-6
Group H
1. TU/Rock			4-0
2. Valmiera			2-2
3. Siauliai			2-2
4. Sakalai			0-4

Stage One Standings

Top 16: Round 5

Feb. 8: Juventus - Tarvas 88-79
Feb. 8: Ventspils - Lietkabelis 88-64
Feb. 5: Pieno Zvaigzdes - Juventus 85-86
Feb. 8: Siauliai - Valmiera 82-81
Feb. 8: Sakalai - TU/Rock 55-81
Feb. 5: Jelgava - Naglis Palangos 114-93
Feb. 5: Ventspils - Parnu 103-76

Top 16: Round 6

Feb. 9: Naglis Palangos - Rudupis
Feb. 9: Pieno Zvaigzdes - Tarvas
Feb. 9: Barons kvartals - Rudupis
Feb. 10: Siauliai - TU/Rock
Feb. 12: Jelgava - Kalev/Cramo

Stats Leaders

Points Per Game

Maris GULBIS
  Barons k.
  (202-F-85)
  Avg: 18.8

1. Gulbis, Barons k.	18.8
2. Raadik, Parnu	18.2
3. Tamm, Tarvas	17.6
4. Okoye, Tln Kalev	17.4
5. Orelikas, Rudupis	17.2
6. Akenparg, TTU	15.9
7. Berzins, Valmiera	15.4
8. Lengvinas, Naglis	15.1
9. Wilkinson, Kalev/C.	14.7
10. Leonard, Juventus	14.6

Rebounds Per Game

Rain RAADIK
  Parnu
  (208-C-89)
  Avg: 10.9

1. Raadik, Parnu	10.9
2. Okoye, Tln Kalev	9.9
3. Chamberlain, Jelga.	7.9
4. Berzins, Valmiera	7.8
5. Cipruss, Lietkabel.	7.2
6. Zelionis, Barsy A.	7.2
7. Keedus, TTU	7.1
8. Bishop, Nevezis	6.9
9. Varnelis, Juventus	6.8
10. Matyukevych, Bar.	6.7

Assists Per Game

Zygimantas JANAVICIUS
  Rudupis
  (192-G-89)
  Avg: 5.7

1. Janavicius, Rudupis	5.7
2. Peciukeviciu., Par.	5.5
3. Campbell, Tln Kalev	5.0
4. Gintvainis, Sakalai	4.6
5. Maceina, Pieno Z.	4.3
6. Cunda, Valga	4.2
7. Tamm, Tarvas	4.1
8. Viskontas, Juvent.	3.9
9. Dambrauskas, Sakal.	3.8
10. Laane, Rapla	3.6

Steals Per Game

TreVon HUGHES
  Pieno Z.
  (183-PG-87)
  Avg: 2.8

1. Hughes, Pieno Z.	2.8
2. Brown, Naglis P.	2.2
3. Laane, Rapla	2.1
4. Janavicius, Rudupis	2.1
5. Berzins, Valmiera	2.0
6. Tamm, Tarvas	1.9
7. Matulionis, Parnu	1.8
8. Kanbergs, Jelgava	1.8
9. McLeod, Kalev/Cr.	1.7
10. Mizis, Jelgava	1.7

Blocks Per Game

Bamba FALL
  Kalev/Cramo
  (217-C-86)
  Avg: 2.4

1. Fall, Kalev/Cramo	2.4
2. Rozitis, Barons k.	1.7
3. Petrukonis, Juven.	1.7
4. Kupsas, Lietkabelis	1.6
5. Silinskis, Nevezis	1.6
6. Gates, Pieno Z.	1.1
7. Chamberlain, Jelga.	1.0
8. Zyle, Nevezis	0.9
9. Meiers, Ventspils	0.9
10. Dia, Siauliai	0.8

Round 5 of Top 16 - by Eurobasket News

Ventspils - Lietkabelis 88-64

The game was mostly controlled by Ventspils. Lietkabelis managed to win second period 29-21. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. They outrebounded Lietkabelis 41-22 including a 35-16 advantage in defensive rebounds. It was a great shooting night for Ventspils especially from behind the arc, where they had solid 52.9 percentage. They looked well-organized offensively handing out 22 assists. Center Martins Meiers (208-91) stepped up with a double-double by scoring 15 points and 14 rebounds for the winners and Martins Laksa (200-90, agency: FCM) chipped in 16 points and 9 rebounds (perfect from the field making all six shots). Four Ventspils players scored in double figures. Ventspils' coach Roberts Stelmahers felt very confident that he used entire bench which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. Forward Tauras Jogela (203-93) responded with 18 points and 5 rebounds and Arnas Butkevicius (196-92) scored 12 points.
Top scorers:
Ventspils: M.Laksa 16+9reb+1ast, M.Meiers 15+14reb, J.Timma 15+3reb+1ast, D.Sims 12+4reb+5ast, S.Valters 7+1reb+2ast, A.Berzins 7+1reb+1ast
Lietkabelis: T.Jogela 18+5reb+3ast, A.Butkevicius 12+1reb+2ast, M.Kupsas 9+3reb+3ast, E.Jezukevicius 6+2reb, K.Vecvagars 5+2reb, D.Griskenas 5+3reb+1ast

Juventus - Tarvas 88-79

BC Rakvere was ahead by 5 points after three quarters before a 24-10 charge of Juventus, which allowed them to win the game. They outrebounded BC Rakvere 54-32 including a 18-4 advantage in offensive rebounds. Forward Nerijus Varnelis (201-78) nailed a double-double by scoring 16 points and 10 rebounds for the winning side and Lithuanian point guard Aidas Viskontas (183-86) accounted for 13 points and 8 rebounds. American forward A.J. Stewart (205-88, college: Texas St.) came up with a double-double by scoring 26 points, 13 rebounds and 6 blocks (on 11-of-14 shooting from the field) and the other American import guard Brandis Raley-Ross (188-87, college: S.Carolina) added 24 points, 9 rebounds and 6 assists respectively for BC Rakvere in the defeat. Five Juventus and four BC Rakvere players scored in double figures.
Top scorers:
Juventus: N.Varnelis 16+10reb+1ast, A.Viskontas 13+8reb+3ast, D.Leonard 12+3reb+1ast, A.Cepulis 12+3reb+1ast, P.Morkeliunas 11+9reb+1ast, G.Matulis 11+4reb+2ast
Tarvas: A.Stewart 26+13reb+1ast, B.Raley-Ross 24+9reb+6ast, R.Tamm 14+2reb+1ast, M.Laksa 10+1reb+2ast, J.Umbrasko 3+5reb+2ast, K.Saks 2+1reb

Sakalai - TU/Rock 55-81

The game without a history. TU/Rock led from the first minutes and controlled entire game increasing their lead in each quarter. They dominated down low during the game scoring 58 of its points in the paint compared to Sakalai's 32. TU/Rock forced 19 Sakalai turnovers. Center Joosep Toome (208-85) stepped up and scored 18 points and 6 rebounds for the winners and Lithuanian center Egidijus Dimsa (205-85) chipped in 12 points and 6 rebounds. Coach Gert Kullamae's team controlled all game and the coach could let to play all 12 players and allowed the starting five to rest. D Krestininas responded with a double-double by scoring 11 points and 10 rebounds and center Rolandas Matulis (199-73) scored 11 points and 6 rebounds. Both teams had four players each who scored in double figures.
Top scorers:
TU/Rock: J.Toome 18+6reb, R.Veideman 15+2reb+2ast, E.Dimsa 12+6reb+3ast, I.Nelyubov 10+8reb+2ast, J.Ingram 8+5reb+4ast, V.Kriisa 6+4reb+2ast
Sakalai: J.Gintvainis 14+2reb+2ast, D. Krestininas 11+10reb+1ast, R.Matulis 11+6reb+2ast, Z.Sestokas 10+2reb+1ast, A.Kiausas 7+4reb+1ast, I.Ramasauskas 2+5reb

Siauliai - Valmiera 82-81

Jelgava - Naglis Palangos 114-93

The game was mostly controlled by Jelgava. Naglis Palangos was better in fourth quarter 28-25. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. Jelgava well out of reach of Naglis Palangos shooting 70.3 percent from the field. They outrebounded Naglis Palangos 34-21 including a 29-14 advantage in defensive rebounds. Jelgava shot the lights out from three sinking 12 long-distance shots on high 57.1 percentage. Forward Arturs Duselis (201-89) stepped up and scored 26 points and 5 rebounds (on 11-of-12 shooting from the field) for the winners and Latvian guard Sandis Silavs (195-88) chipped in 22 points and 5 assists (on 8-of-10 shooting from the field). Five Jelgava players scored in double figures. Jelgava had such big advantage that coach felt comfortable to give the chance to play for 10 players saving starting five for next games. Guard Evaldas Lengvinas (190-89) responded with 32 points and American guard Parrish Brown (185-84, college: Maryland) scored 25 points, 6 assists and 6 steals.
Top scorers:
Jelgava: A.Duselis 26+5reb, S.Silavs 22+1reb+5ast, S.Haynes 19+1reb, E.Krumins 17+7reb+1ast, L.Mizis 14+10reb+3ast, K.Kanbergs 10+2reb+3ast
Naglis Palangos: E.Lengvinas 32+2reb+3ast, P.Brown 25+2reb+6ast, M.Mockevicius 15+3reb, M.Kumpys 9+7reb+4ast, M.Budrys 6+1reb, E.Kubilius 4+1reb+1ast

Ventspils - Parnu 103-76

The game was mostly controlled by Ventspils. KK Parnu was better in third quarter 21-14. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. Ventspils dominated down low during the game scoring 56 of its points in the paint compared to KK Parnu's 32. They outrebounded KK Parnu 36-19 including 26 on the defensive glass. American point guard Donald Sims (185-87, college: Appalachian St.) stepped up and scored 15 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists for the winners and guard Sandis Valters (193-78) chipped in 13 points. Coach Roberts Stelmahers's team had such big advantage that he gave the chance to play for all 12 players saving starting five for next games. Lithuanian guard Augustas Peciukevicius (192-91) responded with 15 points and 5 assists and Lithuanian forward Osvaldas Matulionis (200-91) scored 18 points. Both teams had four players each who scored in double figures.
Top scorers:
Ventspils: D.Sims 15+5reb+5ast, A.Berzins 15+2reb, S.Valters 13+3reb+3ast, M.Meiers 11+5reb, A.Vairogs 10+1reb+2ast, J.Timma 8+4reb+2ast
Parnu: O.Matulionis 18+1reb+2ast, R.Raadik 16+3reb+2ast, A.Peciukevicius 15+2reb+5ast, K.Kitsing 11+4reb+2ast, R.Raap 8+4reb+3ast, T.Hamarsalu 5+1reb

Pieno Zvaigzdes - Juventus 85-86

The guests trailed by 10 points after first quarter, but they rallied back to get the 9-point lead at the halftime and eventually won the game 86-85. Juventus made 22-of-28 free shots (78.6 percent) during the game. The best player for the winners was American guard Darrick Leonard (190-84, college: Aurora) who scored 26 points and 6 rebounds. Center Karolis Petrukonis (212-87, college: Clemson) chipped in 15 points and 5 rebounds. American-Puerto Rican point guard TreVon Hughes (183-87, college: Wisconsin, agency: Edge Sports) produced 28 points and 4 steals and point guard Gediminas Maceina (188-84) added 18 points and 6 rebounds respectively for the hosts. Four Pieno Zvaigzdes players scored in double figures.
Top scorers:
Juventus: D.Leonard 26+6reb+2ast, K.Petrukonis 15+5reb+3ast, D.Gvezdauskas 13+3reb+2ast, G.Matulis 9+4reb+2ast, P.Morkeliunas 7+4reb, A.Cepulis 6+1ast
Pieno Zvaigzdes: T.Hughes 28+3reb+2ast, G.Maceina 18+6reb+3ast, G.Sirutavicius 15+1reb+2ast, Y.Gates 12+8reb, J.Sinica 9+1reb+2ast, V.Cepukaitis 3

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

BELARUS

Standings - Premier League

Premier Standings

1. Grodno-93		18-0
2. Sozh Gomel		14-5
3. Rubon		9-10
4. Tsmoki-Minsk II		8-11
5. Impuls BGUIR		8-11
6. Svisloch		6-13
7. Borisfen		3-16
Play in international cups:
1. Tsmoki-Minsk		-

Regular Season: Round 22

Feb. 8: Impuls BGUIR - Borisfen 79-65
Feb. 8: Svisloch - Tsmoki-Minsk II 74-69
Feb. 8: Rubon - Sozh Gomel 69-77

Regular Season: Round 23

Feb. 12: Borisfen - Grodno-93
Feb. 12: Sozh Gomel - Svisloch
Feb. 12: Tsmoki-Minsk II - Rubon

Stats Leaders - Premier League

Points Per Game

Kiril SITNIK
  Sozh Gomel
  (190-G-89)
  Avg: 22.7

1. Sitnik, Sozh Gomel	22.7
2. Rutkauskas, Tsmok.	21.5
3. Miakinin, Sozh Gom.	16.3
4. Zakhar, Impuls B.	15.1
5. Shustau, Svisloch	15.0
6. Semianiuk, Tsmoki.	15.0
7. Indrikov, Rubon	13.6
8. Sivalko, Rubon	13.3
9. Sugonyako, Tsmoki.	13.2
10. Mishukov, Grodn.	12.6

Rebounds Per Game

Ronaldas RUTKAUSKAS
  Tsmoki.
  (203-F-92)
  Avg: 10.2

1. Rutkauskas, Tsmok.	10.2
2. Dadukin, Sozh G.	10.1
3. Semianiuk, Tsmoki.	9.4
4. Zakhar, Impuls B.	8.7
5. Sharamet, Borisfen	6.4
6. Krisevich, Tsmoki.	6.2
7. Ilyukevich, Rubon	6.1
8. Kuzmin, Grodno-93	6.0
9. Kurapau, Tsmoki.	6.0
10. Mishukov, Grodn.	5.8

Assists Per Game

Siarhei CHARYKAU
  Sozh G.
  (185-PG-82)
  Avg: 6.8

1. Charykau, Sozh G.	6.8
2. Shustau, Svisloch	5.3
3. Kuzmin, Grodno-93	4.9
4. Akulich, Rubon	4.9
5. Ignatchik, Tsmoki.	4.8
6. Kamarunas, Svisl.	4.2
7. Kryukov, Borisfen	3.4
8. Sitnik, Sozh Gomel	3.3
9. Dadukin, Sozh G.	2.7
10. Sapegin, Rubon	2.5

Steals Per Game

Dmitri AKULICH
  Rubon
  (190-G-86)
  Avg: 3.3

1. Akulich, Rubon	3.3
2. Charykau, Sozh G.	2.5
3. Zakhar, Impuls B.	2.4
4. Malkov, Grodno-93	2.3
5. Sitnik, Sozh Gomel	2.2
6. Shustau, Svisloch	2.2
7. Tatur, Borisfen	2.1
8. Dadukin, Sozh G.	2.0
9. Volodkin, Impuls B.	2.0
10. Kamarunas, Svisl.	1.9

Blocks Per Game

Dzmitry KUZMIN
  Grodno-93
  (196-G-75)
  Avg: 0

1. Kuzmin, Grodno-93	0.0
2. Aheyenka, Borisfen	0.0
3. Kurapau, Tsmoki.	0.0
4. Yafremov, Grodn.	0.0
5. Kryukov, Borisfen	0.0
6. Viaroukin, Sozh Go.	0.0
7. Krisevich, Tsmoki.	0.0
8. Vashkevich, Tsmoki.	0.0
9. Korzh, Grodno-93	0.0
10. Tatur, Borisfen	0.0

Premier League Round 22: Rubon loses to Sozh Gomel in the game between Top 4 teams - by Eurobasket News

Very significant was Sozh Gomel's (#2, 14-5) victory against one of their biggest challengers Rubon (9-10) 77-69. Rubon was trailing by 1 point at halftime but managed to get 1-point lead after three quarters before a 26-17 charge of Sozh Gomel, which allowed them to win the game. They also forced 24 Rubon turnovers. Guard Kiril Sitnik (190-89) scored 24 points to lead the charge for the winners and Ukrainian forward Dmytro Khodov (203-87) chipped in 20 points during the contest. At the losing side Latvian center Zintis Plivda (206-88) responded with a double-double by scoring 10 points and 12 rebounds. Sozh Gomel maintains second position with 14-5 record having three points less than leader Grodno-93. Rubon at the other side keeps the third place with ten games lost. Sozh Gomel are looking forward to face Svisloch (#6) in Osipovichi in the next round. Rubon will play on the road against Tsmoki-Minsk II and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
The game in Osipovichi was also worth to mention about. 4th ranked Tsmoki-Minsk II (8-11) played at the court of sixth ranked Svisloch (6-13). Svisloch managed to secure a 5-point victory 74-69. Ukrainian forward Maks Adam Konate (200-91) notched a double-double by scoring 11 points and 15 rebounds to lead the effort and Nikola Polyulyak supported him with 13 points, 5 rebounds and 8 assists. Svisloch's coach Andrei Olbrecht allowed to play the deep bench players in such tough game. Even 21 points and 5 assists by Lithuanian point guard Vytautas Kamarunas (179-89) did not help to save the game for Tsmoki-Minsk II. Svisloch maintains sixth position with 6-13 record. Tsmoki-Minsk II at the other side keeps the fourth place with 11 games lost. They share the position with Impuls BGUIR. Svisloch will play against league's second-placed Sozh Gomel on the road in the next round and it may be quite challenging game. Tsmoki-Minsk II will play against Rubon in Vitebsk and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Fifth ranked Impuls BGUIR (8-11) beat at home 7th ranked Borisfen (3-16) by 14 points 79-65, which is the biggest margin this round on Friday night. Kiril Volodkin fired 27 points and 6 rebounds for the winners. Impuls BGUIR's coach Fedor Rodenko used a ten-player rotation which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. Fedor Kryukov produced 24 points for lost side. Impuls BGUIR moved-up to fourth place, which they share with Tsmoki-Minsk II. Newly promoted Borisfen stay at the bottom position with 16 games lost. Impuls BGUIR will have a break next round, and it should allow them to practice more before next game. Borisfen will play against the league's leader Grodno-93 (#1) and hope to secure a win.

Svisloch - Tsmoki-Minsk II 74-69

The game in Osipovichi was also worth to mention about. 4th ranked Tsmoki-Minsk II (8-11) played at the court of sixth ranked Svisloch (6-13). Svisloch managed to secure a 5-point victory 74-69. The hosts were tied after three quarters but managed to speed up in last quarter eventually winning the game. Svisloch forced 21 Tsmoki-Minsk II turnovers. Ukrainian forward Maks Adam Konate (200-91) notched a double-double by scoring 11 points and 15 rebounds to lead the effort and Ukrainian guard Nikola Polyulyak (192-90) supported him with 13 points, 5 rebounds and 8 assists. Four Svisloch players scored in double figures. Svisloch's coach Andrei Olbrecht allowed to play the deep bench players in such tough game. Even 21 points and 5 assists by Lithuanian point guard Vytautas Kamarunas (179-89) did not help to save the game for Tsmoki-Minsk II. Forward Evgeni Sugonyako (198-92) added 16 points and 7 rebounds for lost side. Svisloch maintains sixth position with 6-13 record. Tsmoki-Minsk II at the other side keeps the fourth place with 11 games lost. They share the position with Impuls BGUIR. Svisloch will play against league's second-placed Sozh Gomel on the road in the next round and it may be quite challenging game. Tsmoki-Minsk II will play against Rubon in Vitebsk and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Svisloch: P.Shuleyko 15+2reb+1ast, O.Dolenko 14+3reb+7ast, N.Polyulyak 13+5reb+8ast, M.Adam Konate 11+15reb+2ast, I.Sharipov 8+6reb, A.Hrumiantsau 8+3reb+1ast
Tsmoki-Minsk II: V.Kamarunas 21+3reb+5ast, E.Sugonyako 16+7reb, V.Ignatchik 13+1reb, A.Vashkevich 8+8reb, Y.Kurapau 7+8reb+1ast, V.Krisevich 4+7reb+1ast

Rubon - Sozh Gomel 69-77

Very significant was Sozh Gomel's (#2, 14-5) victory against one of their biggest challengers Rubon (9-10) 77-69. Rubon was trailing by 1 point at halftime but managed to get 1-point lead after three quarters before a 26-17 charge of Sozh Gomel, which allowed them to win the game. They also forced 24 Rubon turnovers. Guard Kiril Sitnik (190-89) scored 24 points to lead the charge for the winners and Ukrainian forward Dmytro Khodov (203-87) chipped in 20 points during the contest. At the losing side Latvian center Zintis Plivda (206-88) responded with a double-double by scoring 10 points and 12 rebounds and Yahor Patupchyk (191-94) scored 17 points. Five Rubon players scored in double figures. Sozh Gomel maintains second position with 14-5 record having three points less than leader Grodno-93. Rubon at the other side keeps the third place with ten games lost. Sozh Gomel are looking forward to face Svisloch (#6) in Osipovichi in the next round. Rubon will play on the road against Tsmoki-Minsk II and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Sozh Gomel: K.Sitnik 24+3reb+2ast, D.Khodov 20+4reb+1ast, I.Kaliayev 10+6reb+1ast, S.Dadukin 8+8reb+2ast, S.Charykau 5+2reb+10ast, T.Viaroukin 4+1reb
Rubon: Y.Patupchyk 17+1reb, A.Indrikov 12+3reb+2ast, S.Sapegin 11+5reb+1ast, E.Ivanov 10+8reb, Z.Plivda 10+12reb, V.Ilyukevich 7+5reb

Impuls BGUIR - Borisfen 79-65

Fifth ranked Impuls BGUIR (8-11) beat at home 7th ranked Borisfen (3-16) by 14 points 79-65, which is the biggest margin this round on Friday night. The game without a history. Impuls BGUIR led from the first minutes and controlled entire game increasing their lead in each quarter. They made 21-of-27 free shots (77.8 percent) during the game. Impuls BGUIR forced 25 Borisfen turnovers. Guard Kiril Volodkin (190-91) fired 27 points and 6 rebounds for the winners. Swingman Denis Azaare (196-92) chipped in 12 points and 5 rebounds. Impuls BGUIR's coach Fedor Rodenko used a ten-player rotation which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. point guard Fedor Kryukov (181-88) produced 24 points and forward Evgeniy Kopylov (199-91) added 9 points and 11 rebounds respectively for lost side. Impuls BGUIR moved-up to fourth place, which they share with Tsmoki-Minsk II. Newly promoted Borisfen stay at the bottom position with 16 games lost. Impuls BGUIR will have a break next round, and it should allow them to practice more before next game. Borisfen will play against the league's leader Grodno-93 (#1) and hope to secure a win.
Top scorers:
Impuls BGUIR: K.Volodkin 27+6reb+3ast, Y.Ignatiev 13+3reb+1ast, D.Azaare 12+5reb+2ast, A.Matveyeu 11+2reb+1ast, A.Papruha 6+9reb+3ast, H.Zakhar 5+10reb+2ast
Borisfen: F.Kryukov 24+4reb+3ast, A.Poljakov 11+7reb+1ast, E.Batvenkov 10+2reb+1ast, E.Kopylov 9+11reb+3ast, A.Ogunlege 4+4reb, A.Dashkevich 3+1reb

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BELGIUM

Standings - Division I

Ethias League Standings

1. Oostende		12-4
2. M.Hainaut		9-6
3. Aalstar		9-6
4. Spirou		8-6
5. Antwerp		8-7
6. Liege		6-10
7. Leuven		5-9
8. Verviers-Pep.		3-12

Regular Season: Round 16

Feb. 8: Liege - Oostende 77-84 OT
Feb. 8: Verviers-Pep. - Spirou 67-79
Feb. 9: M.Hainaut - Leuven
Feb. 9: Aalstar - Antwerp

Stats Leaders - Division I

Points Per Game

Matt WALSH
  Spirou
  (197-F/G-82)
  Avg: 19

1. Walsh, Spirou	19.0
2. Thompson, Aalstar	17.6
3. Mukubu, Liege	17.1
4. Lojeski, Oostende	16.2
5. Taylor, M.Hainaut	16.2
6. Green, Verviers.	16.0
7. Robinson, Leuven	16.0
8. Aleksandrov, Vervi.	15.5
9. Clark, Aalstar	15.1
10. Raivio, Aalstar	14.6

Rebounds Per Game

Matt WALSH
  Spirou
  (197-F/G-82)
  Avg: 9.9

1. Walsh, Spirou	9.9
2. Qvale, M.Hainaut	7.3
3. Wilkinson, Oostende	7.2
4. Thondique, Antwerp	6.7
5. Aska, Leuven	6.4
6. Tofi, Aalstar	6.3
7. Gillet, Liege	6.3
8. Young, Aalstar	6.2
9. Mukubu, Liege	6.1
10. Aleksandrov, Verv.	6.0

Assists Per Game

Jerime ANDERSON
  Verviers.
  (187-PG-89)
  Avg: 5.5

1. Anderson, Verviers.	5.5
2. Marnegrave, Leuven	5.2
3. Bosco, Liege	4.9
4. Djordjevic, Ooste.	4.6
5. Walsh, Spirou	3.6
6. Black, Antwerp	3.4
7. Thompson, Aalstar	3.4
8. Raivio, Aalstar	3.3
9. Moors, Antwerp	3.2
10. Lojeski, Oostende	3.2

Steals Per Game

Niels MARNEGRAVE
  Leuven
  (191-PG-87)
  Avg: 2.5

1. Marnegrave, Leuven	2.5
2. Black, Antwerp	2.2
3. Taylor, M.Hainaut	2.2
4. Mukubu, Liege	2.2
5. Iarochevitch, Liege	1.8
6. Hanavan, Leuven	1.7
7. Bostic, M.Hainaut	1.6
8. Anderson, Aalstar	1.6
9. Hopkins, Antwerp	1.6
10. Green, Verviers.	1.5

Blocks Per Game

Wesley WILKINSON
  Oostende
  (207-PF-84)
  Avg: 1.5

1. Wilkinson, Oostende	1.5
2. Qvale, M.Hainaut	1.3
3. Riddick, Spirou	1.2
4. Ferguson, Verviers.	1.1
5. Dukes, Leuven	0.8
6. Love, Antwerp	0.7
7. Young, Aalstar	0.7
8. Thondique, Antwerp	0.7
9. Aska, Leuven	0.6
10. Iarochevitch, Lie.	0.5

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BOSNIA

BC IGOKEA ALEKSANDROVAC GETTING THE RESULTS BUT DOING THINGS THE WRONG WAY IN BOSNIA! - by Chris Mathieu

BC IGOKEA ALEKSANDROVAC GETTING THE RESULTS BUT DOING THINGS THE WRONG WAY IN BOSNIA!
Igokea in the miracle of the Adriatic League still hold onto first place over bigger clubs with a record of 15-5 with 6 games to go. It has been an impressive run for a team that no one expected such great results. The team turned over huge portions of its roster last season and left off many of the young players who they considered top prospects Marko Miletic and Dejan Kelecevic.
They reinforced the squad almost exclusively with Americans and Serbian castoffs. In fact the team currently only has one player with Bosnian roots on its team PG Filip Adamovic. This wouldnt seem like such a big deal but it goes against everything they are trying to do in KSBiH were they have changed the rules so a player designated as young has to be on the court at all times during domestic league games.
This may not seem like a big deal but for a team that will find large budgets and giant salaries, it it will be hard to sustain in the long run. If you look at what the most successful team in Bosnia the last few years has done Siroki Wwin they mixed young player development, transfers and buying some veterans coming off of injuries or off years. When you have to pay a high premium for every player on your roster, eventually when you miss on a couple of players and need to replace them the price gets very costly, ask the most famous team from Bosnia, KK BOSNA.
They too built a team around veterans and lacked young player development, they went year after year in the mid 2000s with veterans, Americans and rehashed retreads that were overpaid and overplayed. Eventually the team collapsed like a deck of cards and has been sanctioned by FIBA to the point they cant sign any international players until they settle all of their debts.
Now no one is saying the same thing will happen in Aleksandrovac, but the potential is there for eventual collapse. Especially when you cant rely on a backup plan of reliable, cheap young players to fill in roster spots and eventually move on to become the teams stars.
Teams like KK Spars and Siroki Wwin have become the model teams in BiH and Aleksandrovac has been the shooting star. Teams like Sloboda Tuzla and KK Zenica paid a heavy price for overpaying veterans and missing on young player development. Lets not forget that Zenica once was the starting point for internationals Ognjen Kuzmic, Nedzad Sinanovic and Kenan Bajramovic among others.
Even though Igokea leading the Adriatic League looks like a step to the future, it may be a step back into the not so glorious past.

BiH basketball news and notes! - by Chris Mathieu

BiH basketball news and notes!

Nenad Markovic is the new coach of KAO Dramas! Bosnian legend Nenad Markovic has been names the new coach of D1 Greek team KAO Dramas where he will reunite with Bosnian National Team member Edin Bavcic.

Edin Atic signed a contract with BC Cedevita! After parting with Bosnian Basketball phenom Jusuf Nurkic Cedevita signed another Bosnian prospect Edin Atic who briefly played with Real Madrid last season. It appears he will be with the team when they play in the next leg of the NIJT tournament later this month in Serbia.

Adin Vrabac loaned to BC Travnik! In an unusual move Adin Vrabac has been loaned to team BC Travnik, this maybe short lived however, as he is rumored to be signing with Brose basket Bamberg.

Bosnian Serb Milos Glisic leads Serbia to finals of Sakarya U16 Tournament in Turkey! - by Chris Mathieu

Bosnian Serb Milos Glisic (200-PF-98) leads Serbia to finals of Sakarya U16 Tournament in Turkey!
Bosnian Serb and Banja Luka native Milos Glisic has led the talented Serbian team to the finals against Greece in the Sakarya U16 Tournament in Turkey! Serbia went an impressive 7-0 and a large part due to the performance of the Bosnian Serb kid Milos Glisic.
Milos was one of the youngest players on Serbias U16 team last year in Europe. After his strong performance last summer, this tournament has proven to be a breakout series for young Milos. He has averaged 19ppg shooting almost 75% from two, over 50% from three and over 80% from the free throw line! He also has chipped in with 6rbpg 1aspg 2stlpg! Milos has shown an impressive mature all-around game for a player of his young age. He appears to have a bright future ahead of him if he continues to work hard and show development. He has proven once again that Bosnia is the soil that produces many young basketball talents, no matter where they end up playing their games in the future.

Borisa Simanic is a second Bosnian Serb player on the team but has yet to get into a game so far in the tournament.

Adin Vrabac close to Euroleague team Brose Baskets Bamberg! - by Chris Mathieu

Adin Vrabac (202-G/F-94) close to Euroleague team Brose Baskets Bamberg!

It has been reported that Adin Vrabac is close to signing with Euroleague team Brose Baskets Bamberg! Bamberg moved onto the second leg of Euroleague but has struggled quite a bit and needs some reinforcements. It would be interesting if Adin did join Bamberg as their player Bostjan Nachbar is very similar to Adin Vrabac both physically and skill set wise. It would appear to be a good move for both clubs as Adin is a long, highly skilled player who needs more challenges to move his game to the next level.
Adin responded positively to being a part of the Senior Bosnian National Team, he played well and aggressively in limited minutes last summer.

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BRAZIL

Standings - BNL

NBB Standings

1. Flamengo		21-0
2. Brasilia		15-4
3. Uberlandia		15-6
4. Bauru		14-7
5. Franca		13-8
6. Pinheiros/Sky		12-6
7. Paulistano		12-9
8. Minas		11-10
9. S.Jose/Unimed		11-11
10. Liga Sorocaba		10-11
11. Basquete Cearense		9-10
12. Limeira		9-11
13. Joinville		8-12
14. Vila Velha		7-14
15. Mogi das Cruzes		6-14
16. Tijuca TC		4-17
17. Suzano		3-16
18. Palmeiras		3-17

Regular Season: Round 22

Feb. 7: Pinheiros/Sky - Palmeiras 87-82
Feb. 7: Suzano - Paulistano 85-87
Feb. 7: Uberlandia - Liga Sorocaba 84-81
Feb. 7: S.Jose/Unimed - Tijuca TC 81-65
Feb. 7: Minas - Limeira 81-61
Feb. 7: Franca - Bauru 80-82
Feb. 7: Vila Velha - Joinville 67-59

Regular Season: Round 23

Feb. 14: Tijuca TC - Franca
Feb. 14: Pinheiros/Sky - Paulistano
Feb. 14: Flamengo - Uberlandia
Feb. 14: Bauru - Brasilia
Feb. 14: Liga Sorocaba - Basquete Cearense
Feb. 14: Suzano - Minas
Feb. 14: Palmeiras - Vila Velha
Feb. 14: Joinville - Mogi das Cruzes
Feb. 14: Liga Sorocaba - S.Jose/Unimed

Stats Leaders - BNL

Points Per Game

Marquinhos VIEIRA
  Flamengo
  (207-SF-84)
  Avg: 22.5

1. Vieira, Flamengo	22.5
2. Boracini, Pinheiro.	20.2
3. Simmons, Vila Velha	19.7
4. Holloway, Liga S.	19.7
5. Antonio, S.Jose/U.	18.9
6. Giovannoni, Brasil.	18.1
7. Day, Uberlandia	18.1
8. Smith, Pinheiro.	17.5
9. Dos Santos, Brasil.	17.3
10. Nardi Duarte, Min.	17.3

Rebounds Per Game

Olivinha RODRIGUEZ
  Flame.
  (202-PF-83)
  Avg: 9.4

1. Rodriguez, Flame.	9.4
2. Araujo, Mogi d.	9.1
3. Ribeiro, Basque.	8.9
4. Giovannoni, Brasil.	8.0
5. Castellar, Limeira	7.8
6. Agba, Bauru	7.6
7. Antonio, S.Jose/U.	7.5
8. Silveira, Flamengo	7.2
9. Teichmann, Franca	6.8
10. Rodrigues, Minas	6.7

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.	6.6
3. Smith, Pinheiro.	5.5
4. Boracini, Pinheiro.	5.3
5. Garcia, Uberlandia	5.0
6. Dawkins, Liga S.	4.9
7. Pinheiro, Vila Vel.	4.9
8. Collum, Uberlandia	4.7
9. Taylor, Bauru	4.7
10. Campos, Suzano	4.6

Steals Per Game

Shamell STALLWORTH
  Pinhei.
  (195-SG-80)
  Avg: 0.2

1. Stallworth, Pinhei.	0.2
2. Benite, Flamengo	0.2
3. Froehlich, Franca	0.2
4. Boracini, Pinheiro.	0.2
5. Luz dos Sant., Fra.	0.2
6. Alvim, Limeira	0.1
7. Lima, Limeira	0.1
8. Araujo, Pinheiro.	0.1
9. Machado, Flamengo	0.1
10. Giovannoni, Brasi.	0.1

Blocks Per Game

Jefferson CAMPOS
  Suzano
  (190-G-91)
  Avg: 2.2

1. Campos, Suzano	2.2
2. Neto, Liga Soroca.	2.1
3. Figueroa, Franca	2.0
4. Nardi Duarte, Min.	2.0
5. Simmons, Vila Velha	1.9
6. Dawkins, Liga S.	1.9
7. Boracini, Pinheiro.	1.8
8. Teichmann, Franca	1.7
9. Dos Santos, Brasil.	1.7
10. de Assis, S.Jose/.	1.7

XV de Piracicaba adds Dhonnys Santana - by Paulo Freire

The director board of XV de Piracicaba announced the signing of guard Dhonnys Santana (91), which strengthens the team for the Brazil Cup Southeastern Region and other competitions of the 2013 season.
Dhonnys was born on June 12, 1991, he is a native of Eunapolis (BA) and was playing at Pindamonhangaba team in the last seasons.

Dhonnys has already begun training with the team and he looks forward to the opportunity to debut by XV de Piracicaba basketball. He hopes to collaborate to the development of the team for the 2013 season. "I will work to use my style of play to be useful for the team. I will do my best to be champion here. " emphasizes Dhonnys.

For the head coach Carlos Alberto Felipe Soares, Dhonnys has the potential to grow, is very strong and it certainly arrives to complete the roster.

Ginastico is back with a pro team - by Paulo Freire

The tradition club from Minas Gerais State, the Ginastico B.Horizont is looking forward to be back on the basketball scene in Brazil.
The managers of Ginastico B.Horizont have decided to put together a new professional team, and their first competition will be the Brazil Cup where can take the team to the NBB on next season.
The first move was sign a new head coach, the choose was Jefferrson Teixeira, a former basketball player that had his first experience as a coach on the Paraiso club also from Minas Gerais State.
Ginastico B.Horizont roster has already their first players, the managers have sign point guard Otavio Troyano (188-G-80) and Carioca Vieira (185-G-93), guards Feliz Baeta (195-G/F-84), and Julio Toledo (194-F-85)

Tiago SplitterTrade rumors in the air - by Mel Devonne

Brasilian Tiago Splitter (211-C/F-85, agency: Interperformances) of the San Antonio Spurs is having his best season as
an NBA player and is now rumored to be a part of a blockbuster trade.
Splitter is now a very solid, big guy in the league and has great value
as an NBA power forward.
The proposed trade will send Tiago to the Utah jazz with Patty Mills
and Stephen Jackson for Al Jefferson of the Jazz..
The trade would be good for Tiago, as he would probally
be a starter and would get plenty of minutes for the Utah Jazz.
Tiago is averaging 10.6 ppg and 6 rebounds for the Spurs.
The trade deadline is next week.

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BULGARIA

Standings A1

NBL Standings

1. Lukoil Academik		14-2
2. Levski Sofia		12-3
3. Rilski Sportist		11-4
4. Balkan		10-5
5. Tundja Yambol		8-7
6. Cherno More		6-8
7. Beroe		6-10
8. Chernomorets		4-10
9. Spartak Pleven		4-11
10. U20		0-15

Regular Season: Round 16

Feb. 8: Beroe - Lukoil Academik 78-88
Feb. 9: Cherno More - Levski Sofia
Feb. 9: Chernomorets - Spartak Pleven
Feb. 9: Tundja Yambol - Rilski Sportist
Feb. 9: U20 - Balkan

Stats Leaders

Points Per Game

Reginald HOLMES
  Beroe
  (193-G-87)
  Avg: 20.2

1. Holmes, Beroe	20.2
2. Tyler, Chernomo.	18.6
3. Durchev, Tundja Y.	18.6
4. Smith, Rilski S.	18.3
5. Zahariev, Rilski S.	18.2
6. Lilov, Balkan	17.7
7. Mirkovic, Rilski S.	17.3
8. Marinovic, Levski	17.0
9. Milosevic, Tundja	15.9
10. Petrovic, Balkan	15.6

Rebounds Per Game

James TYLER
  Chernomo.
  (218-C-88)
  Avg: 13.5

1. Tyler, Chernomo.	13.5
2. Santos, Balkan	10.3
3. Milosevic, Tundja	9.7
4. Galiotos, Cherno M.	8.8
5. Ormon, Tundja Y.	7.5
6. Agre, Spartak	7.3
7. Dupree, Rilski S.	6.9
8. Watkins, Lukoil A.	6.8
9. Simeonov, U20	6.7
10. Gugino, Rilski S.	6.6

Assists Per Game

Will WALKER
  Beroe
  (183-G-)
  Avg: 6.8

1. Walker, Beroe	6.8
2. Heath, Lukoil A.	6.1
3. Mirkovic, Rilski S.	5.6
4. Marinovic, Levski	5.2
5. Rakovic, Chernomo.	4.4
6. Radionov, Tundja Y.	4.3
7. Velikov, Cherno M.	4.3
8. Durchev, Tundja Y.	4.1
9. Karamfilov, U20	3.9
10. Massamba, Lukoil	3.8

Steals Per Game

Bozhidar AVRAMOV
  Lukoil A.
  (196-PG-90)
  Avg: 2.8

1. Avramov, Lukoil A.	2.8
2. Radionov, Tundja Y.	2.8
3. Heath, Lukoil A.	2.6
4. Gugino, Rilski S.	2.2
5. Velikov, Cherno M.	2.1
6. Walker, Beroe	2.1
7. Green, Lukoil A.	2.1
8. Zahariev, Rilski S.	2.0
9. Holmes, Beroe	2.0
10. Kostov, Levski S.	1.9

Blocks Per Game

James TYLER
  Chernomo.
  (218-C-88)
  Avg: 3.2

1. Tyler, Chernomo.	3.2
2. Hart, Beroe	1.8
3. Dupree, Rilski S.	1.5
4. Santos, Balkan	1.3
5. Watkins, Lukoil A.	1.3
6. Gugino, Rilski S.	1.1
7. Zahariev, Rilski S.	1.0
8. Banev, Lukoil A.	0.9
9. Sjekloca, Tundja Y.	0.8
10. Varbanov, Levski	0.7

COLOMBIA

PIRATAS INKS LEONARD MENDEZ - by Victor Garcia

Piratas de Bogot keeps moving towards the Professional Basketbal Division Tournament and signed the american guard / forward Leonard Mendez (196-G-87, college: Georgia St.), (1,96 G/F, Georgia St), Mendez played all 4 years at Georgia St and then moved to Germanys first division, also had an experience in Chile with Leones de Quilpe.
Mendez is an athletic wing, 26 years old that loves to run the court and penetrate to the basket.

BUKAROS ADDS GILBERT LAWRENCE AND JORGE DIAZ - by Victor Garcia

Bukaros is completing thir roster adding the american forward Lawrence Gilbert (200-F-86, agency: Promotex, college: La-Monroe) (2,00 F - La-Monroe), Lawrence has been playing in the Dominican Republic leagues as fills the small forward spot.
The team also added the colombian-venezulan forward Jorge Diaz (1,95 F), Diaz 35 years old has played in several colombian and venezuelan teams and plays the small forward and shooting guard position, and is well known for his versatility.

BAMBUQUEROS GETS DUNN , GRAHAM AND MANUEL - by Victor Garcia

Bambuqueros starts the preseason and adds two american players to their backcourt, Ray Graham (1,95 F, Embry Riddle NAIA) and Jonathan Dunn (193-G) (1,93 G - Northewood) are already working with the team.
Both players are playing his first pro-season and his first overseas job, Graham was teammate of the colombian center Cesar Pastrana )2,04 C- Embry Riddle) and Dunn was a recognized scorer at the NAIA.
The team also added the islands star Joe Manuel (1,96 F).

EAGLES FROM TUNJA GETS CORPUS AND LEON - by Victor Garcia

Assembling their roster for the debut in the upcoming Professional Basketball Division, the Eagles Club inked two players from the islands:
Jared Corpus (1,92 F) arrives to the city of Tunja after been member of the Islanders in the previous season.
Cliff Leon (1,97 F) from the island of Providencia also is coming to join the eagles, both are very athletic players, the eagles will be completing thier roster in the upcoming days and will start the preseason nexr week.

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

CYPRUS

Standings - Division A

Division A Standings

1. Keravnos		15-3
2. AEK		13-5
3. Etha		13-5
4. Apoel		10-8
5. Apollon		8-10
6. AEL		6-12
7. ENAD		3-14
8. Omonia		3-14

Regular Season: Round 18

Feb. 5: Apoel - AEL 99-66
Feb. 6: Etha - Apollon 96-83
Feb. 5: Keravnos - AEK 69-54
Feb. 6: ENAD - Omonia

Div.A stats leaders

Points Per Game

Jeremy ALLEN
  Omonia
  (193-G-88)
  Avg: 19.6

1. Allen, Omonia	19.6
2. Brown, Apollon	18.6
3. Aleksic, AEL	17.3
4. Pesic, AEL	16.9
5. Fisher, AEK	16.2
6. Outerbridge, AEL	16.2
7. Crocker, Keravnos	15.0
8. Diggs, Omonia	14.8
9. Williams, Etha	14.6
10. Maze, Keravnos	13.3

Rebounds Per Game

Orion OUTERBRIDGE
  AEL
  (205-F-88)
  Avg: 9

1. Outerbridge, AEL	9.0
2. Pesic, AEL	8.7
3. Aleksic, AEL	7.7
4. Brown, Apollon	7.2
5. Diggs, Omonia	7.1
6. Vaughn, Keravnos	6.7
7. Bolden, ENAD	6.5
8. Fisher, AEK	6.4
9. Jefferson, Apollon	6.1
10. Kaskiris, ENAD	5.9

Assists Per Game

Bobby MAZE
  Keravnos
  (191-PG-86)
  Avg: 5.2

1. Maze, Keravnos	5.2
2. Diggs, Omonia	4.9
3. Aleksic, AEL	4.7
4. Dorsey, Apollon	4.0
5. Palalas, AEL	3.8
6. Demertzis, Kerav.	3.8
7. Stiggers, Apoel	3.5
8. Panteli, AEK	3.1
9. Adegboye, Etha	3.0
10. Guillandeaux, AEL	2.8

Steals Per Game

Georgios PALALAS
  AEL
  (185-PG-81)
  Avg: 2.6

1. Palalas, AEL	2.6
2. Hamilton, ENAD	2.3
3. Stiggers, Apoel	2.2
4. Diggs, Omonia	1.9
5. Dorsey, Apollon	1.8
6. Kremen, Apoel	1.8
7. Panteli, AEK	1.7
8. Brown, Apollon	1.7
9. Poole, Etha	1.7
10. Allen, AEL	1.5

Blocks Per Game

Orion OUTERBRIDGE
  AEL
  (205-F-88)
  Avg: 1.8

1. Outerbridge, AEL	1.8
2. Jefferson, Apollon	1.7
3. Harrison, AEK	1.5
4. Vaughn, Keravnos	1.4
5. Baker, Omonia	1.3
6. Brown, Apollon	1.1
7. Morrison, Apoel	0.9
8. Chan, Apoel	0.8
9. Sims, ENAD	0.5
10. Pesic, AEL	0.5

Apollon Hammers Crosstown Rival AEL 93-76 - by Nima Siar

Limassol - CY,

Unphased by playing without leading scorer Brandon Brown, Apollon Limassol hammered AEL 93-76 on their home court. Led by Marvin Jefferson's 16 pts, 17 boards and DIego Kapelan 19 pts, 5 reb, 5/10 3's Apollon finally ended a brutal 3 games skid. The first quarter finished with AEL leading 24-23 however they were unable to keep in the game and found themselves down 15 at halftime after 14-0 run by Apollon. AEL's bench was outscored 18-2 while also getting dominated on fast break points 29-7.

Game Notes:

Apollon:
Andrew Warren: 22 pts, 6/7 FT, 3 stl
Largest Lead: 19 pts
32/68 FG, 13/34 3's, 16/21 FT

AEL:
Mihaljo Pesic: 27 pts, 10/14 FG, 9 reb, 3 ast
3/13 3's, 17/24 FT, 16 TO

*stats provided by Cyprus Basketball Federation *

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

CZECH REPUBLIC

Nymburk edge Pardubice to clinch Cup title - by Eurobasket News

Nymburk - Pardubice 87:83

Nymburk earned the Czech Cup title tonight. They held off Pardubice in a tight battle in Liberec. Radoslav Rancik (207-F/C-79, agency: Beo Basket, college: St.Cloud St.) came up with 23 points and 6 rebounds to lead the winners.
Nymburk fired 30 points in the opening quarter to clear off. They grabbed a 30:17 lead after ten minutes. Pardubice however lived up to the challenge. They increased the tempo in the second quarter and trimmed the deficit at 9-point mark at halftime 54:45. Pardubice stayed aggressive in the third term. They got within five points at the final intermission. Zabas dragged Pardubice within one midway through the fourth term 76:77. Radoslav Rancik stepped up with timely four points to keep Nymburk ahead. However Zabas finally tied things up at 83 with just over a minute remaining. Tweety Carter (180-PG-86, college: Baylor) sank two free throws and then Zabas missed two as Nymburk got away with a tough win at the end. Tweety Carter and Tomas Pomikalek (200-F-89) provided 16 points each for the winners. Corey Muirhead (197-F-83, college: W.Carolina) answered with 17 points for Pardubice. Samuel Faifr (203-F-93) chipped in 16 points in defeat.

Nymburk: Radoslav Rancik 23, Tweety Carter 16, Tomas Pomikalek 16
Pardubice: Corey Muirhead 17, Samuel Faifr 16

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

D-LEAGUE

Standings

D-League Standings

East Conference
1. Canton C.		19-12
2. Santa Cruz W.		18-9
3. Maine RC		18-13
4. Sioux Falls S.		17-12
5. Erie Bay H.		17-12
6. Ft.Wayne MA		14-17
7. Springfield A.		9-20
8. Iowa E.		7-20
West Conference
1. Bakersfield J.		20-9
2. Rio Grande VV		18-10
3. Tulsa 66ers		15-13
4. Austin T.		15-13
5. Texas L.		12-17
6. Los Angeles D.		11-16
7. Reno B.		9-16
8. Idaho S.		8-18

Regular Season: Round 40

Feb. 7: Springfield A. - Maine RC 94-108
Feb. 8: Maine RC - Bakersfield J. 94-104
Feb. 8: Reno B. - Los Angeles D. 90-95
Feb. 8: Austin T. - Canton C. 88-93
Feb. 8: Erie Bay H. - Sioux Falls S. 115-107
Feb. 7: Iowa E. - Texas L. 106-108
Feb. 7: Reno B. - Santa Cruz W. 105-114
Feb. 8: Ft.Wayne MA - Rio Grande VV 103-125

Regular Season: Round 41

Feb. 9: Erie Bay H. - Sioux Falls S.
Feb. 9: Springfield A. - Bakersfield J.
Feb. 9: Iowa E. - Ft.Wayne MA
Feb. 9: Texas L. - Canton C.
Feb. 9: Austin T. - Tulsa 66ers
Feb. 9: Idaho S. - Santa Cruz W.

Stats Leaders

Points Per Game

Jeremy LAMB
  Tulsa 66ers
  (195-G/F-92)
  Avg: 21.1

1. Lamb, Tulsa 66ers	21.1
2. Johnson-Odom, Los	21.0
3. Goudelock, Sioux F.	20.3
4. Harangody, Ft.Wayn.	20.1
5. Mack, Maine RC	19.7
6. Summers, Maine RC	19.5
7. Almond, Iowa E.	19.5
8. Joseph, Austin T.	19.3
9. Goudelock, Rio G.	19.0
10. Kennedy, Erie B.	18.9

Rebounds Per Game

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

1. Harangody, Ft.Wayn.	12.3
2. Butch, Bakersfi.	10.6
3. Mays, Springfield	10.6
4. Jackson, Austin T.	10.3
5. Plumlee, Ft.Wayne.	10.2
6. Onuaku, Canton C.	9.8
7. Evans, Idaho S.	9.5
8. Harris, Iowa E.	9.5
9. Jones, Rio G.	9.4
10. Wright, Maine RC	9.2

Assists Per Game

Walker RUSSELL
  Reno B.
  (183-G-82)
  Avg: 7.9

1. Russell, Reno B.	7.9
2. Mack, Maine RC	7.6
3. Wright, Iowa E.	7.3
4. Singletary, Texas	6.6
5. Fortson, Los A.	6.3
6. Machado, Rio G.	6.1
7. Uzoh, Springfield	5.9
8. Karl, Idaho S.	5.8
9. Kennedy, Erie B.	5.6
10. Goudelock, Rio G.	5.3

Steals Per Game

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

1. Moon, Los A.	2.3
2. Downs, Maine RC	2.0
3. Greene, Los A.	1.9
4. Wright, Maine RC	1.9
5. McNeal, Bakersfi.	1.9
6. Joseph, Austin T.	1.9
7. Fortson, Los A.	1.8
8. Tyndale, Sioux F.	1.8
9. Sutton, Tulsa 66e.	1.8
10. Hannah, Santa C.	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.	2.8
3. Eyenga, Texas L.	2.5
4. Gladness, Santa C.	2.3
5. Johnson, Ft.Wayne.	2.2
6. Johnson, Santa C.	2.1
7. Moon, Los A.	2.1
8. Orton, Tulsa 66ers	2.1
9. Foster, Sioux F.	2.1
10. Plumlee, Ft.Wayne.	1.9

Recap of latest action in the League - by Eurobasket News

Reno B. - Santa Cruz W. 105-114
The Santa Cruz Warriors continued their hot streak away from home as they pulled out a tough win against the Reno Bighorns, 114-105. They were guided by the length and athleticism of their back-court lead by 6'5" Travis Leslie (6'4''-G-90, college: Georgia) and 6'7" Darington Hobson (6'7''-G/F-87, college: N.Mexico). Leslie made his return to the starting line-up after a scoring 31 points and 15 points in his last two games. He scored 22 points on the night and shot an efficient 9 of 13 from the field. Darington Hobson helped the cause and flirted with a triple-double tallying 20 points, 14 rebounds and 8 assists. Like Leslie, Hobson broke through and made his way into the starting line-up. Since being inserted into the lineup he's made a difference in both the scoring and rebounding departments, averaging 12 points and 8 rebounds. Stefhon Hannah also added 21 points. The game was only in question in the final minutes as the Warriors took the lead to start the game off with a 7-0 run. They would stretch their lead to as big as 16 points during the third quarter; however the Bighorns would make a run in the final minute of the game to cut the lead down to three points. The Warriors weren't fazed by the run though, as they finished the game with a 7-1 run. The Reno Bighorns had all seven active players in double-figures on the night as they attacked the Warriors defense all game. Dar Tucker (6'4''-SF-88, college: De Paul) lead the team with 21 points he also added 7 rebounds. The Warriors (18-9) now set their sights on another struggling D-League West Division team, the Idaho Stampede (8-18). Former Warriors guard Carlon Brown has flourished with the Stampede since the trade at the end of last year. He's averaged 11.8 points and has had a game high 21 points on two separate occasions. The Warriors will start the two game series with the Stampede this Saturday. With the win the Warriors also inched to just a half a game back of first place in the D-League trailing the Bakersfield Jam (19-9). Courtesy of: santacruz.patch.com

Iowa E. - Texas L. 106-108
Trailing by one point with time running out, an eight foot jump shot by Energy forward Paul Harris (6'4''-F/G-86, college: Syracuse) rimmed out, sending Iowa to a 108-106 defeat in front of 7,249 local school kids. The Energy jumped out to a 30-27 lead behind two three-pointers from guard Justin Hurtt. Texas responded in the second quarter as they scored 31 points to take a 58-52 lead into the break. In a game that saw 18 lead changes and 13 ties, Iowa battled back and led by one at 106-105 with just over 30 seconds remaining. After Texas inbounded the ball, Jeffers nearly had a steal, but the Legends found Sean Williams open under the hoop for a dunk that put the visitors up 107-106. After a timeout, Iowa isolated Jeffers who drove down the lane and was cut off by the Legends defense. The ball popped loose, and Harris missed an open shot from just outside of the lane with 4.8 seconds remaining. On the ensuing possession, Texas' Justin Dentmon (6'0''-G-85, college: Washington) threw the ball off of Harris' back and raced down the court, winding down all but 0.1 second. Dentmon made one of two free throws to ice the game, sending the Energy to their ninth loss in ten games. Harris led the Energy with 22 points and 11 rebounds while Hurtt finished with 17 points. Dentmon scored a game high 36 for Texas, which improved to 12-17 on the season. Courtesy of: oursportscentral.com

Reno B. - Los Angeles D. 90-95
The Los Angeles D-Fenders clinched the 11th victory of the season as they knocked down the Reno Bighorns away from home. Courtney Fortson (5'11''-PG-88, college: Arkansas) and Lazar Hayward (6'6''-F-86, college: Marquette) accounted for 19 points each to pace the visitors. Gary Flowers was responsible for 15 points and 10 rebounds in the winning effort. Dar Tucker resplied with 22 points for the Bighorns. Marcus Landry delivered 21 points and 12 boards as Reno fell at 9-16 record.

Austin T. - Canton C. 88-93
Kyle Gibson (6'5''-G-87, college: Louisiana Tech) hit 10 of 10 free throws and finished with 18 points to lead the Canton Charge to a 93-88 win over the Austin Toros on Friday in NBA Development League action. Gibson's key offensive rebound set up a tie breaking 3 from Ryan Rossiter (6'9''-F/C-89, college: Siena) with 1:59 left that gave the Charge an 87-84 lead. Gibson also finished with five rebounds and a steal in 34 minutes. Rossiter finished with 15 points for the Charge (19-12). Michael Eric added eight ponts and 11 rebounds. Patrick Sullivan (6'9''-C-88, college: SE Louisiana) had a game-high 20 points for Austin. Cory Joseph finished with 10 points and 12 assists. The win was Canton's first ever in Austin. The Charge will face the Texas Legends tonight on the road. Courtesy of: cantonrep.com

Maine RC - Bakersfield J. 94-104
The Maine Red Claws were nearly at full strength Friday night at the Portland Expo -- but it was not enough to beat a very strong Bakersfield Jam team. Bakersfield, which sports the best record in the NBA D-League (20-9), had Maine playing catch-up most of the night, beating the Red Claws 104-94. Maine (18-13) was led by Chris Wright (6'8''-F-88, college: Dayton), who recorded 27 points and 13 rebounds. Kris Joseph (6'7''-F-88, college: Syracuse) scored 23. The Red Claws have been bolstered recently by the return by some of thier best players. Joseph signed back with Maine a month after being released by the Boston Celtics. Point guard Shelvin Mack is back after playing on successive 10-day contracts for the Philadelphia 76ers. And, on Friday, the Celtics returned 7-foot center Fab Melo to the Red Claws. The only regular now missing is forward DaJuan Summers, out with a hamstring injury. Maine had defeated Bakersfield last month in the D-League showcase in Reno, 131-124. This time, the Red Claws could not keep up. Bakersfield likes to play an up-tempo game and the Jam quickly raced to a 25-8 lead. The Red Claws rallied and briefly took the lead in the second quarter, before Bakersfield walked off at halftime with a 51-47 lead. Bakersfield took off again to start the second half and led 81-63 after three quarters. Courtesy of: pressherald.com

Springfield A. - Maine RC 94-108
When a team is struggling, it seems everything goes against it. The Springfield Armor are that team right now, falling 108-94 to the Maine Red Claws despite a season-high 22 offensive rebounds Thursday night before 1,780 at the MassMutual Center. It was the fifth loss in six games for Springfield (9-20), and the sixth time in seven games it has fallen to Maine (18-12). 'They're a good team, and when you can bring two NBA guys off the bench you must be pretty good,' Armor coach Bob MacKinnon said. 'We've got to execute better in the fourth quarter. We talked about that and I think we took too many jump shots, which leads to low percentages.' The Armor, already the worst shooting team in the league with a field goal percentage of 42.1, shot just 38.4 percent from the floor despite a gaudy 99 attempts thanks to the offensive rebounds. 'You've got to get the ball inside and go to the rim, and I thought we ran some stuff to do that and were successful, but then we went away from it,' MacKinnon said. 'We need to make better decisions.' This was a game in which it seemed every loose ball went to the Red Claws, every break went against the Armor. The turnovers were similar, 15 for Springfield and 13 for Maine, but the visitors managed to make something out of most of the Armor turnovers. Poor shooting, a recurring problem this season, hurt the Armor in the first half as they made just 39 percent of their shots from the field and trailed 53-49 at the break thanks to a 16-4 Maine run to end the second quarter. Springfield, which led by as many as 10 points in the first quarter and by as many as eight points with a few minutes left in the half, made just 9 of 28 field goals in the second quarter. There's no faulting the effort of the Armor. They got after it on the offensive glass as MacKinnon used both Willie Reed (6'9''-F-90, college: St.Louis) (14 points) and Kenny Adeleke (6'9''-C-83, college: Hartford) (10 points, 15 rebounds) on the floor at the same time to counter a Red Claws team that boasts three 7-footers. 'It was something I wanted to look at, especially with Dennis (Horner) being out,' MacKinnon said. 'I thought that might give us some good inside play, and it did.' Springfield had nine of its 13 offensive rebounds in the second quarter, but most of those boards resulted in missed shots. The Armor took a 45-40 lead when Micah Downs dropped in a 3-pointer. Maine then stole the inbound pass and Shelvin Mack, just signed Thursday, hit a 3-pointer and the Red Claws had the lead just like that. As Springfield's shooting percentage dropped in the second half, the lead for the Red Claws grew. The Armor did tie it at 61-61 and got within one point at 71-70, but when Downs (17 points) caught an inbound pass with 0.6 seconds left and threw in a 3-pointer to end the third quarter it gave Maine 79-73 lead. It was a three-point game when Chris Wright (game-high 27 points, 14 rebounds) threw down a one-handed slam that started a 10-2 run and put an end to Springfield's chances of a comeback. Courtesy of: masslive.com

Erie Bay H. - Sioux Falls S. 115-107
Demonte Harper (6'4''-G-89, college: Morehead St.) scored 21 points off the bench and D.J. Kennedy (6'6''-G/F-89, agency: Interperformances, college: St.John's) added 19 points as the Erie BayHawks stayed hot by beating the Sioux Falls Skyforce 115-107 tonight before a crowd of 2,644 at Erie Insurance Arena. Harper and Kennedy were two of seven BayHawks in double figures. Henry Sims added 18 points, Nick Covington and Kyle Goldcamp had 16 each, Erik Daniels added 11 and Mike Singletary finished with 10. Former BayHawks guard Donald Sloan (6'3''-G-88, college: Texas A&M) led Sioux Falls with 34 points. The BayHawks' bench outscored Sioux Falls' bench 48-5 and the BayHawks broke a franchise record with 28 offensive rebounds. The BayHawks (17-12) won their third straight and fourth in five games. Sioux Falls (17-12) saw its three-game winning streak end. Courtesy of: goerie.com

Ft.Wayne MA - Rio Grande VV 103-125
The Mad Ants suffered their second consecutive loss at home Friday in a 125-103 loss to Rio Grande Valley at Memorial Coliseum. The Ants (14-17) fell behind 9-0, led briefly at 32-31 early in the second quarter, then were outscored 70-56 in the second half. The Mad Ants, led by Tony Mitchell's 27 points, visit Iowa on Saturday night. Ron Howard (6'5''-G/F-82, college: Valparaiso) added 20 for the Ants. Doron Lamb (6'4''-G-91, college: Kentucky) scored 18. Courtesy of: journalgazette.net

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EUROCHALLENGE

Kyle Weems Takes Telekom Baskets To 2-2 - by Diamadis Farmakis

Kyle Weems (198-F-89) has knocked down a season-high 34 points, leading hosts Telekom Baskets to an 85-72 victory over EuroChallenge Group L rivals Okapi Aalstar. Going at 14-for-17 from the floor, Weems turned a sticky situation at the half, into one-way traffic in the third quarter, scoring 17 points in the frame to earn himself a break for the end of the game.

With both teams coming into the confrontation carrying 1-2 records, the winner was guaranteed to go second in Group L behind undefeated EWE Baskets Oldenburg

Playing without multiple key players, a number of Aalst players were stepping out of the shadows to keep the visitors in the game in the first half, none more so than former Belgian age-grade player Arne Steinbach who had already amassed a season-best 13 points and six assists by halftime.

However the up-and-coming playmaker was isolated in the second half and could not add further to his tally.
With Ioana Tofi providing the supporting role for Steinbach, the understrength Belgians took a surprise 41-40 lead into the halftime break.
Tofi went on to top scoring for Aalst with 18 points.

However, the dynamics of the game changed in the second half, as Telekom Baskets, led by Weems, played with renewed vigour in the third stanza, developing a healthy nine-point lead by the start of the final frame.

Okapi's wings had been clipped and they showed no signs of coming back in the last 10 minutes as Telekom Baskets cruised to a comfortable victory.

Providing the key support for Weems was fellow American Robert Vaden, who ended the night with 15 points and six assists.

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

FINLAND

Standings - Korisliiga

Korisliiga Standings

1. KTP		22-6
2. Kataja		21-5
3. Nilan Bisons		21-6
4. Pyrinto		20-7
5. Kauhajoki		17-11
6. LrNMKY		13-15
7. Kouvot		12-16
8. Korihait		10-18
9. Lapua		9-20
10. Salon Vilpas		8-20
11. FoKoPo		7-21
12. Namika Lahti		7-22

Regular Season: Round 30

Feb. 8: Namika Lahti - Lapua 72-100
Feb. 9: Kouvot - Pyrinto
Feb. 9: Kauhajoki - Salon Vilpas
Feb. 9: Nilan Bisons - LrNMKY
Feb. 9: Korihait - KTP
Feb. 10: Kataja - FoKoPo

Stats Leaders - Korisliiga

Points Per Game

Martin ZENO
  Nilan Bisons
  (196-G-85)
  Avg: 22.3

1. Zeno, Nilan Bisons	22.3
2. Conley, LrNM.	22.3
3. Gibson, LrNM.	21.7
4. Clavell, Kouvot	19.6
5. Haanpaa, Lapua	18.2
6. Logins, LrNM.	17.9
7. Ulmer, Pyrinto	17.3
8. Holloway, Namika L.	16.9
9. Bullock, Kauhajoki	16.7
10. Flowers, Kataja	16.4

Rebounds Per Game

Jason CONLEY
  LrNM.
  (196-G-81)
  Avg: 9.9

1. Conley, LrNM.	9.9
2. McDade, Nilan B.	9.7
3. Ford, Kauhajoki	9.0
4. Giles, KTP	8.8
5. Williams, Pyrinto	8.4
6. Johnson, Namika L.	8.3
7. Thornton, FoKoPo	8.2
8. Thorpe, FoKoPo	8.1
9. Logins, LrNM.	8.1
10. Dyer, Korihait	7.8

Assists Per Game

Damon WILLIAMS
  Pyrinto
  (201-F-73)
  Avg: 7.8

1. Williams, Pyrinto	7.8
2. Smith, Kataja	5.2
3. Coleman, Lapua	5.1
4. Ivey, Nilan Bisons	4.9
5. Gibson, LrNM.	4.5
6. Zeno, Nilan Bisons	4.5
7. Nikkarinen, Kouvot	4.4
8. Watson, Kauhajoki	4.3
9. Burgess, FoKoPo	4.1
10. Sarcevic, KTP	3.4

Steals Per Game

Jonte FLOWERS
  Kataja
  (196-F/G-85)
  Avg: 2.7

1. Flowers, Kataja	2.7
2. Coleman, Lapua	2.7
3. Smith, Kataja	2.6
4. Gibson, LrNM.	2.0
5. Holloway, Namika L.	1.9
6. Conley, LrNM.	1.8
7. Williams, Pyrinto	1.7
8. Ulmer, Pyrinto	1.7
9. Barrett, KTP	1.6
10. Tolbert, Lapua	1.6

Blocks Per Game

Sefton BARRETT
  KTP
  (196-SF-83)
  Avg: 1.5

1. Barrett, KTP	1.5
2. Ford, Kauhajoki	1.1
3. Ahvenniemi, Pyrinto	1.0
4. McDade, Nilan B.	1.0
5. Zeno, Nilan Bisons	1.0
6. Jones, LrNM.	1.0
7. Ulmer, Pyrinto	0.9
8. Giles, KTP	0.9
9. Dyer, Korihait	0.9
10. Williams, Pyrinto	0.9

Standings - Division I

1st Division Standings

Division A
1. Porvoon Tarmo		15-4
2. ToPo		13-5
3. BC Nokia		11-6
4. Oulun NMKY		10-7
5. Tapiolan Honka		10-8
6. Huima		6-11
7. Ura Basket		6-12
8. Pyrinto II		5-13
9. SayRi		4-14
Division B
1. Kerava ET		16-5
2. KaU Koris		15-7
3. TuNMKY		14-7
4. Jarvenpaa		13-8
5. BC Jyvaskyla		9-13
6. HBA-Marsky		8-13
7. Espoo Basket		5-16
8. JyWe		5-16

Regular Season: Round 21

Feb. 8: Porvoon Tarmo - SayRi 80-79
Feb. 10: Huima - Oulun NMKY
Feb. 10: Ura Basket - Pyrinto II
Feb. 10: Tapiolan Honka - BC Nokia

Feb. 8: HBA-Marsky - BC Jyvaskyla 74-82
Feb. 10: HBA-Marsky - JyWe
Feb. 10: Kerava ET - Jarvenpaa
Feb. 10: BC Jyvaskyla - TuNMKY
Feb. 10: Espoo Basket - KaU Koris

Stats Leaders - Division I

Points Per Game

Nolan RICHARDSON
  Ura B.
  (188-G-84)
  Avg: 27.4

1. Richardson, Ura B.	27.4
2. Moultrie, BC Nokia	25.2
3. Ricks, BC Jyvasky.	23.8
4. Jallow, Jarvenpaa	23.6
5. Taylor, Porvoon	22.7
6. Mays, Huima	22.0
7. Mua, Kerava ET	20.8
8. Clark, Tapiolan Ho.	20.7
9. Tate, Porvoon	19.5
10. Harjula, Pyrinto	19.5

Rebounds Per Game

Pierre JALLOW
  Jarvenpaa
  (203-F/C-79)
  Avg: 14.9

1. Jallow, Jarvenpaa	14.9
2. Corpening, BC Jyva.	14.8
3. Moultrie, BC Nokia	14.4
4. Towa, Kerava ET	12.8
5. Stephens, Huima	12.3
6. Syrjala, KaU Koris	11.8
7. Keskitalo, JyWe	11.5
8. Young, Porvoon	10.9
9. Capers, ToPo	10.8
10. Coleman, ToPo	10.7

Assists Per Game

Lauri JARVINEN
  KaU Koris
  (185-C-85)
  Avg: 5.6

1. Jarvinen, KaU Koris	5.6
2. Ricks, BC Jyvasky.	4.8
3. Ginty, ToPo	4.6
4. Herrala, HBA-M.	4.5
5. Kyllonen, Porvoon	4.1
6. Hanninen, Jarvenp.	4.0
7. Russell, Oulun N.	3.9
8. Mays, Huima	3.8
9. Harjula, Pyrinto II	3.8
10. Viita, Jarvenpaa	3.7

Steals Per Game

La Trice LITTLE
  Kerava ET
  (187-G-79)
  Avg: 3.2

1. Little, Kerava ET	3.2
2. Ricks, BC Jyvasky.	2.7
3. Taylor, Porvoon	2.3
4. Herrala, HBA-M.	2.3
5. Corpening, BC Jyva.	2.2
6. Thomas, SayRi	2.1
7. Richardson, Ura B.	1.9
8. Michelsen, HBA-M.	1.9
9. Andersen, Espoo B.	1.8
10. Towa, Kerava ET	1.8

Blocks Per Game

Harri KESKITALO
  JyWe
  (210-C-90)
  Avg: 2.6

1. Keskitalo, JyWe	2.6
2. Pulkkinen, Pyrin.	2.0
3. Mua, Kerava ET	2.0
4. Woods, BC Nokia	1.8
5. Corpening, BC Jyva.	1.7
6. Jallow, Jarvenpaa	1.5
7. Capers, ToPo	1.4
8. Moultrie, BC Nokia	1.3
9. Young, Porvoon	1.3
10. Nuolivirta, HBA-M.	1.2

KORISLIIGA: Kouvot upset Pyrinto - by Rauno Hurmalainen

Korisliiga, round 29: Two contests tonight. Kouvot (Kouvola) upset Finnish Cup-winner Pyrinto (Tampere) 91-79. During the half time Kouvot was ahead by 22 points (51-29)! Gilberto Clavell (201-F-89, agency: KMG Sports Management, college: Sam Houston St.) from Puerto Rico was the MVP of the game. Clavell scored 33 pts and grabbed 12 rbs for Kouvot. LaMarr Greer (196-G-76, college: Florida St.) added 17 and Samuli Vanttaja (210-F/C-91) 15 pts. Lamonte Ulmer (198-SF-86, college: Rhode Island) had a double-double 22pts/14rbs. Olli Ahvenniemi (207-C-83, college: Maine) scored his season high 16 pts and Damon Williams (201-F-73, agency: Two Points, college: Colorado St.-Pueblo) netted 15 pts for Pyrinto, which was 4/24 (17%) from behind the arc..
In Lahti local YMCA lost by 28 points vs Korikobrat (Lapua): 72-100 (37-45). Lapua made 16 treys (16/33 - 48%) in this game and the hosts were 5/17 (29%) from behind the bonus line. Samuel Haanpaa (203-SG-86) led Lapua with 26 pts. Dominique Coleman (190-G-84, college: Colorado) had a double-double 19pts/13rbs.
Kouvot - Pyrinto 91-79 (51-29). (Gilberto Clavell 33/12, Lamarr Greer 17, Samuli Vanttaja 15 - Lamonte Ulmer 22/14, Olli Ahvenniemi 16, Damon Williams 15. A: 857).
YMCA Lahti - Lapua 72-100 (37-45). (Louis Johnson 17/7, Jordan Hasquet 15, Emmanuel Holloway 15 - Samuel Haanpaa 26, Dominique Coleman 19/13, Dwight Tolbert 16. A: 832).

1.DIVISION: The magic shot by Jerrah Young - by Rauno Hurmalainen

Division 1 A, round 19: The difference between top team Tarmo, Porvoo (15-4) and # 9 Riento, Saynatsalo (4-14) is right now one (1) point. Tarmo defeated SayRi tonight after OT 80-79 (72) (36-39). Quarters: 15-18, 21-21, 18-20, 18-13 and 8-7. Actually Riento was leading the contest almost all the time, but Tarmo was very lucky at the end. Tarmo was down by four (66-70) with 23 seconds to go. Then Jarno Nissinen (195-F-77) made his 3-pointer and the difference was one point (69-70) with seven seconds left on the clock. Tarmo had to foul at time 39:54 and Eryk Thomas (200-C/F-85, college: E.Tenn.St.) made one out of two FTs. Riento was leading by two (69-71) and they grabbed even the offensive rebound. Tarmo was fouling again and Shaquille Johnson (190-G-90, college: Marshall) was given two FTs. Johnson made the first one (69-72) and missed the second one at time 39:57. Tarmo's center Jerrah Young (203-F-85, college: Toledo) took the rebound and shot a "3-pointer" from at least 16 meters. That magic shot was good (72-72) at the buzzer and OT was needed. OT was close, but Tarmo's Eemil Oikari (197-F-92) tipped in a bucket (80-79) at time 44:16. That was the winning 2-pointer and Oikari's only points in the game. Well, the old truth in basketball is: The games last at least 40 minutes, sometimes longer.
Tarmo - SayRi OT 80-79 (72) (36-39). (Isaiah Tate 24, Jerrah Young 19/10, Vernon Taylor 19 - Shaquille Johnson 23, Eryk Thomas 19/10/5a, Kosti Naukkarinen 9).

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

FRANCE

Standings - ProB

ProB Standings

1. Pau-Lacq-Orthez		18-4
2. Evreux		17-5
3. Antibes		14-8
4. Chalons-Reims		14-8
5. Le Portel		14-8
6. Boulogne		13-8
7. Bourg		13-9
8. Fos Ouest		13-9
9. Maurienne		11-11
10. Rouen		11-11
11. St Quentin		10-12
12. Lille		10-12
13. Nantes		9-13
14. St Vallier		7-14
15. Hyeres-Toulon		7-15
16. Denain		7-15
17. Charleville		5-17
18. Bordeaux		4-18

Regular Season: Round 22

Feb. 8: Lille - Antibes 84-83 OT
Feb. 8: Denain - Charleville 82-76
Feb. 8: Bourg - Maurienne 80-67
Feb. 8: Nantes - Hyeres-Toulon 73-72
Feb. 8: Chalons-Reims - Bordeaux 68-76
Feb. 8: Le Portel - Pau-Lacq-Orthez 67-76
Feb. 8: St Quentin - Fos Ouest 64-71
Feb. 8: Evreux - Rouen 102-86
Feb. 9: St Vallier - Boulogne

Stats Leaders - ProB

Points Per Game

Wilbert BROWN
  Maurienne
  (200-PF-84)
  Avg: 23.9

1. Brown, Maurienne	23.9
2. Flowers, Denain	20.7
3. Blue, Antibes	20.2
4. Booker, St Vallier	19.1
5. Siggers, Lille	18.8
6. Wood, Evreux	18.8
7. McKines, Rouen	17.4
8. Hilliard, Antibes	17.4
9. Hannah, Evreux	17.4
10. Sanders, Charlevi.	17.2

Rebounds Per Game

Jeremiah WOOD
  Evreux
  (200-C/F-85)
  Avg: 10.1

1. Wood, Evreux	10.1
2. Jaiteh, Boulogne	9.9
3. Kitts, Denain	9.8
4. Bing, Maurienne	9.6
5. Lesieu, St Quentin	9.2
6. Jackson, Pau-La.	8.7
7. McKines, Rouen	8.7
8. Rouse, St Vallier	8.1
9. Blue, Antibes	7.8
10. Mathis, Nantes	7.6

Assists Per Game

Errick CRAVEN
  St Vallier
  (188-G-83)
  Avg: 7

1. Craven, St Vallier	7.0
2. Rowland, Boulogne	6.7
3. Taylor, Le Portel	6.1
4. Dumas, Bourg	5.6
5. McIntosh, Hyeres-.	5.4
6. Huffman, Antibes	5.3
7. Hannah, Evreux	5.2
8. Calvez, Charleville	5.2
9. Julien, Hyeres-Tou.	4.9
10. Da Silva, Rouen	4.9

Steals Per Game

Fabien CALVEZ
  Charleville
  (187-G-84)
  Avg: 2.5

1. Calvez, Charleville	2.5
2. Craven, St Vallier	2.5
3. Flowers, Denain	2.2
4. Siggers, Lille	2.0
5. Brown, Maurienne	1.9
6. Hannah, Evreux	1.9
7. Mullins, Chalons-.	1.9
8. Sonko, Bourg	1.9
9. Mendy, Pau-Lacq.	1.8
10. Rowland, Boulogne	1.8

Blocks Per Game

Moussa BADIANE
  Antibes
  (205-C-81)
  Avg: 2.2

1. Badiane, Antibes	2.2
2. Gay, Le Portel	1.7
3. Coleman, Bordeaux	1.2
4. Johnson, Chalons-.	1.2
5. Taccoen, Lille	1.1
6. Chism, Maurienne	1.0
7. Burrell, Chalons-.	0.9
8. Jaiteh, Boulogne	0.9
9. Ho You Fat, Evreux	0.9
10. Wesley, Rouen	0.8

Sakarya U16 Tournament: Greece advanced to the Final Game - by Eurobasket News

Greece U16-France U16 68:47

Greece advanced to the Final Game of the Sakarya U16 Tournament. The team won over France 68:47 in the Semifinal clash and will play against Serbia in the Final.
Greece opened the game with 17-11 and never looked behind after. They posted a 16-7 rally in the second frame and led 15 points at the halftime. Both teams nailed 19 points in the third period, while Greece managed to win the last stanza 16-10.
Vasileios Charalampopoulos (203-F-97) top-scored for the winners with 17 points and Antonis Koniaris (183-PG-97) netted 11. George Papagiannis delivered 10, while Dionisis Skoulidas scored 9. Luc Loubaki (189-G-97) ended up with 13 points in the losing effort, whilst Stephane Gombauld (201-PF-97) collected 11 points and 13 rebounds. Ona Embo Renathan notched 7 and Gauthier Denis (197-F/G-97) brought 5.
The Final game to be played tomorrow in Turkey.

Greece U16: Vasileios Charalampopoulos 17, Antonis Koniaris 11, George Papagiannis 10, Dionisis Skoulidas 9
France U16: Luc Loubaki 13, Stephane Gombauld 11+13 rebs, Ona Embo Renathan 7, Gauthier Denis 5

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

FYR MACEDONIA

Bo McCalebb selected the top FYR Macedonian playing abroad in last week's games - by Eurobasket Center

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

Bo McCalebb

#1. This week's number one is an international point guard Bo McCalebb (178-85, college: New Orleans, currently plays in Euroleague), who plays in Turkey. He could not help Fenerbahce Ulker (1-5) in their last game. Despite McCalebb's very good performance the seventh-placed Fenerbahce Ulker lost 71-82 on the road to the higher-ranked (#5) Olympiacos in the group F of Euroleague. He was the second best scorer with 20 points. McCalebb also added 6 rebounds and dished 3 assists in 40 minutes on the court. It's McCalebb's first season with the team. He has relatively good stats this year: 13.1ppg, 2.5rpg, 2.3apg, 1.5spg, 2FGP: 56.6%(64-113), 3FGP: 26.3% and FT: 77.6% in the 15 games he played so far. McCalebb is a naturalized American. He is currently a member of the FYR Macedonian senior national team. Strangely McCalebb has never played in FYR Macedonia.

Jeremiah Massey

#2. Second place goes to former international forward Jeremiah Massey (202-82, college: Kansas St., currently plays in Germany). He led Brose Baskets Bamberg to a victory over one of league's weakest teams New Yorker Phantoms (6-14) 93-74 in the German BBL last Monday. Massey was MVP of the game. He scored 17 points and grabbed 7 rebounds. Brose Baskets Bamberg (18-2) is placed first in the BBL. It was his team's eighth consecutive victory in a row. This season Massey has relatively solid stats: 10.5ppg, 3.8rpg, 1.5apg, 1.5spg, 2FGP: 55.0%, 3FGP: 27.3% and FT: 73.3%. He is a naturalized American. Massey played for the FYR Macedonian national team in 2009. Apparently he has never played in FYR Macedonia.

Predrag Samardziski

#3. The FYR Macedonian player who performed third best last week abroad was an international center Predrag Samardziski (215-86, agency: Beo Basket, currently plays in Adriatic League). He contributed to Zvezda's victory against the league outsider Szolnok (5-15) 96-83 in the Adriatic League in Saturday night's game. Samardziski scored 9 points and grabbed 5 rebounds. It was his first game for Zvezda this season. His team is placed second in the Adriatic League. Samardziski is also a member of the FYR Macedonian senior national team.

Pero Antic

#4. Forward Pero Antic (210-82, also represented by Beo Basket, currently plays in Euroleague) faced previously mentioned Bo McCalebb in the Euroleague last game. Antic managed to help Olympiacos S.F.P. Pireus in a victory against the seventh-ranked Fenerbahce Ulker (1-5) 82-71. He scored only 4 points and grabbed 4 rebounds in 15 minutes. This year Antic averages: 5.5ppg and 3.6rpg in the 16 games. He has a dual citizenship: FYR Macedonian and Bulgarian. Antic is also FYR Macedonian national team player.

Marques Green

#5. Former international point guard Marques Green (167-82, college: St.Bonaventure, currently plays in Italy) contributed to an easy victory against the league outsider Air Avellino (4-14) crushing them 108-57 in the Italian SerieA on Sunday night. He scored 7 points and added 4 passes. EA7 Emporio Armani Milano (11-7) is placed sixth in the SerieA. It was his team's fourth consecutive victory in a row. Green's overall stats this season are: 8.6ppg, 2.2rpg and 5.2apg. He is a naturalized American. Green used to play for the FYR Macedonian national team three years ago. Interesting that he has never played in FYR Macedonia.

Vojdan Stojanovski

#6. Guard Vojdan Stojanovski (194-87, currently plays in Ukraine), who plays in the Ukrainian Superleague was not able to help BC Donetsk (13-14) in their last game. Despite Stojanovski's good performance BC Donetsk was edged 88-85 in Mariupol by the second-ranked Azovmash. He was the second best scorer with 12 points. Stojanovski also added 6 rebounds and 4 assists in 25 minutes. It was BC Donetsk's third consecutive loss in a row. Stojanovski has reliable stats this year: 10.8ppg, 3.0rpg and 1.9apg in the 21 games. He is an international player who is currently on the senior FYR Macedonian National Team roster.

Uros Vasiljevic

   #7. Former U18 international forward Uros Vasiljevic (201-88, college: Kenyon, currently plays in Croatia) was not able to secure a victory for KK Dubrovnik (1-12) in their game against KK Zabok (6-7) in the Croatian A1. Vasiljevic recorded 6 points. KK Dubrovnik was crushed 86-61 on the opponent's court by the higher-ranked KK_Zabok (#6). It was KK Dubrovnik's ninth consecutive loss in a row. This season Vasiljevic averages only 3.0ppg. He used to play for the FYR Macedonian U18 national team eight years ago.

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

   #1. Kennedy Winston (198-F/G-84, college: Alabama, currently plays in France) led Gravelines-Dunkerque to a victory against the sixth-ranked Paris-Levallois (10-8) 81-70 in the French ProA on Saturday night. Winston scored 11 points and grabbed 9 rebounds in 27 minutes. BCM Gravelines Dunkerque Grand Littoral (13-5) is placed first in the ProA. It was his team's fifth consecutive victory in a row. This year Winston averages: 10.0ppg, 4.0rpg and 1.5apg in the four games he played so far. He is a naturalized American. Interesting that Winston has never played in FYR Macedonia.

   #2. Experienced Jovan Zdravevski (197-F-80, currently plays in Iceland), who plays in the Icelandic Dominos League could not help Stjarnan (5-1) in their last game on Thursday. Despite Zdravevski's good performance Stjarnan was edged 89-88 at home by the second-ranked Snaefell. He scored 12 points, grabbed 4 rebounds and made 2 blocks. Zdravevski is one of the most experienced players in a team as it's his fifth year in Stjarnan's roster. Zdravevski averaged so far 11.4ppg, 3.6rpg, 2.2apg and 1.3spg. He has a dual citizenship: FYR Macedonian and Icelandic.

   #3. Cedi Osman (195-SG-95, currently plays in Turkey), who plays in the Turkish TB2L (second division) was not able to help Pertevniyal (7-12) in their last game. Despite Osman's good performance Pertevniyal lost 67-76 on the road to the lower-ranked (#16) Pi Koleji. He recorded 10 points and grabbed 4 rebounds in 33 minutes. Osman's stats this year are: 13.0ppg, 3.4rpg, 1.1apg and 1.4spg in the 19 games. He is another player who holds two passports: FYR Macedonian and Turkish. Despite Osman's FYR Macedonian nationality, he currently plays for the Turkish U18 national team and is not eligible to play for the FYR Macedonian team.

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

GERMANY

Sakarya U16 Tournament: Germany lost the thriller and will play for the 3rd place - by Eurobasket News

Serbia U16-Germany U16 46:44

Germany lost the thriller and will play for the 3rd place at the Sakarya U16 Tournament. The German side lost to Serbia 44:46 and allowed them to enter the Final game against Greece.
Serbia started the game with 11-9 and added massive 17-10 rally in the second frame. Germany replied with a 15-6 surge and tied the game after 30 minutes. Serbia however needed a 12-10 burst in the last stanza and won the game.
Milos Glisic (200-PF-98) led the way with 14 points and Stefan Peno (193-SG-97) notched 7. Slobodan Jovanovic (192-SG-97, college: Regis Univ.) and David Miladinovic (205-C-97) followed them with 6 points apiece. David Miladinovic ended up with 11 points in the losing effort, while Niklas Kiel (202-SF-97) and Luis Figge (188-PG-97) scored 6 each. Leon Kratzer (205-C-97), Georg Beyschlag (179-G-97) and Moritz Sanders (204-PF-98) delivered 5 points apiece in a loss.

Serbia U16: Milos Glisic 14, Stefan Peno 7, Slobodan Jovanovic 6, David Miladinovic 6
Germany U16: David Miladinovic 11, Niklas Kiel 6, Luis Figge 6, Leon Kratzer 5, Georg Beyschlag 5, Moritz Sanders 5

Josh Young (Walter Tigers Tuebingen) We Have To Zake Phoenix Hagen Out Of Their Element - by Miles Schmidt-Scheuber

Joshua Young (185-PG-88, agency: Pro One Sports, college: Drake) is a 24 year old 185cm guard from Lawton, Oklahoma that is playing hiss econd season for the Walter Tigers Tuebingen. He played at Drake from 2006-2010. In his senior year, he played 32 games: 14.4ppg, 3.9rpg, 2.7apg, 1.0spg, FGP: 44.0%, 3PT: 35.8%, FT: 73.0%. Last season he came to Germany and played for Bayer Giants Leverkusen (Germany-ProB, starting five): 11 games: 26.7ppg, 6.4rpg, 3.0apg, 2.3spg, FGP: 45.2%, 3PT: 45.3%, FT: 79.0%. Last season for Tuebingen he played 34 games: 10.3ppg, 2.9rpg, 2.6apg, FGP: 52.5%, 3PT: 33.3%, FT: 76.0% He spoke to Eurobasket before the game against Phoenix Hagen

A tough 71-69 loss in Berlin. Despite the loss what did the Tigers do positive on the floor that could carry over into the next game?

I think we have to take our defense from the first half of the Alba game into this game tomorrow.

The Tigers had a chance to win the game on the last play by a three pointer form Reggie Redding. Explain the last play and was that the shot that coach wanted?

We had to inbound the ball the full length of the court. We got the ball to Reggie in an isolation situation. He got a good look but the shot just didn't fall.

How much fun was it watching old NCAA friends Dashaun Wood and Vaughn Duggins duel on the court? It seems like the younger Duggins is keeping better and better pace with Wood.

That is a great matchup. Vaughn is showing he can keep pace with great players like Dashaun.

The next game is against Phoenix Hagen. What do you remember from the 76-66 loss in Hagen earlier this season?

I remember them scoring in bunches in short periods of time. They ran in transition well and got to the basket well. We have to limit that tomorrow.

Phoenix Hagen has been averaging 100 points in the last five games. There are really only four players that make damage with White, Bell, Gordon and Hess. Why is it so difficult to keep these guys in check when one knows that they score consistently?

I think they play with a freedom and confidence that is difficult to contain. They all have the ability to score and with great confidence, that makes it even more difficult to guard them.

Will not letting Phoenix Hagen play run and gun be key to getting the win?

Yea we have to take them out of their element if we want a chance at this win.

There have been rumours of Kevin Garnett going to the L.A Clippers. Is this something you could really see the Boston Celtics doing?

I don't think Boston would let KG go. He's pretty much the heart and soul of that team.

What was the last DVD movie that you saw?

I just watched Gladiator. It's an old one but one of my favorites.

Thanks Josh for the chat.

Kevin Hamilton Fit To Lead BBC Bayreuth In The Stretch Run - by Miles Schmidt-Scheuber

One of the worst things that can happen to a professional athlete is not playing the game they love on account of an injury which is similar as if star chef Jamie Oliver getting a taste bud infection not being able to taste his own luscious tasty food creations, or well known pilot Chesley Sullenberger who safely landed US Airways Flight 1549 in the Hudson River getting a sudden peculiar attack of flying sickness and not being able to fly or German Sebastian Vettel getting a nasty car sickness not allowing him to drive anymore Formula one at high speeds. One basketball player that went through basketball hell in the last two seasons has been American Kevin Hamilton (193-G-84, college: Holy Cross) of BBC Bayreuth. Hamilton who is a New York native and was the 9th most efficient player in the 2009/10 German BBL season and led his Phantoms to the play-off semifinals and also finished his 1st BBL season 3rd in assist (5,5 apg.) and 2nd in steals (2,0) started his career at Holy Cross and as a professional never had any serious injuries until last season. Hamilton played every summer in Puerto Rico doing double duty and in his two seasons in Braunschweig played 78 Beko BBL games was limited to four games last season first coming back in April and this season missed the first 11 games after getting injured again. Hamilton started his comeback slowly with one point and one assist in a loss to ratiopharm Ulm in December and five turnovers in a loss in his second game to TBB Trier. However he has slowly finding his groove again and in the last five games is averaging six assists a game and has scored in double figures twice with 13 points against the Brose Baskets Bamberg and 12 points against Phoenix Hagen. BBC Bayreuth also has won five of the last six games with Hamilton back as the playmaker. One guy that never doubted that Hamilton would come back is ex teammate Keith Simmons who played with him at Holy Cross. Anytime I see any player come back from an injury I'm happy but being that Kevin is a fond friend and former team mate I was very happy to see him healthy again. It has to be pretty tough to come back after such a long time. You have to work extremely hard to get back to the level you were playing at and improve. Kevin was very good at Holy Cross, he could fill up the stat sheet with points, assists rebounds and steals. I've been checking up on some of his latest games and it seems like he's getting back to doing the same things in Bayreuth. He was always a competitor, I know because we would always go at it in practice. We pushed each other hard for three years so I knew, even though he had some tough injuries, he would come back and play well again, stressed Keith Simmons. It was very hard for him to be at every practice and game and sit and not be able to help the team. I am really happy that he is back again, because I can learn so much from him concerning the game view. I know also when I am on the court that when I have enough room to shoot that I will always get the ball at the right moment. I am profiting form his play also. He has been averaging six assists in the last six games and I have been averaging 10 points a game, stressed BBC Bayreith guard Simon Schmitz.

BBC Bayreuth finished in 13th place with a record of 12-22 last season. Despite Marco Van Den Berg bringing early success, not every player was able to fully identify with his philosophy of hard defense and a structured offense and thus it wasnt hard cleaning out the roster removing seven players. The team kept a small core of players with Germans Stefan Schmidt and Simon Schmitz guys that the club have believed in and want to continue to develop as best as possible. Germans Tom Spoler and Peter Zeis also were held. The team also held point guard Kevin Hamilton who has those strong leadership qualities, but had a lot of misfortune last year with injuries being only able to play four games. He started this season injured, but since has returned. The story of the year is the return of fan favorite in the making Beckham Wyrick. He recently was signed, but then through special campaigns where money was raised was held until the end of the season. A week later it was announced thanks to a new sponsor coming on board that the American from Cincinnati will remain in Bayreuth until 2014. BBC Bayreuth added seven new players to help build a strong roster that could compete for the Beko BBL playoffs. Van den Berg had a good idea what players he wanted and got the team built already in June. The team added experienced guard Bryan Bailey that adds spark to the guard rotation and will be a tough combo with Hamilton. Nate Rhonert is an American that will give added strength to the guard position and is a talented shooter. The team also hauled in German Nicolai Simon who is a developing combo guard that has had very good games already this season. Arvydas Siksnius also was brought in to help at the guard/forward position. Under the boards the team brought in Gary Mcghee that had a strong rookie season in Turkey and Beko BBL veteran Jason Cain that can step out and fire away, dominate in the post and compete as best dunker against Gary Mcghee. Joe Trapani also was acquired as he is a player that also has a fine inside out game and adds stability to the rotation. The strength of BBC Bayreuth is there deepness at each position. Also an advantage Is that the club was put together early which got the team chemistry going early and to the good start. The only negative in the team could be how well the team plays together over time and if injuries plays a role.

The Fraport Skyliners have split the season series the last two seasons. In 2010-2011, they won at home 83-75 getting 26 points from Dashaun Wood, but losing on the road 86-79 despite 29 points form Wood. Last season, they lost at home 79-71 despite 27 points form Tim Ohlbrecht, but won in Bayreuth 90-57 getting 22 points from Jimmy Mckinney. In their first meeting this season, the Fraport Skyliners won 76-59 as they were led by Ted Scott and Danilo Barthel with 15 points a piece. The Fraport Skyliners are currently in 17th place and riding a three game losing streak and are desperately looking for a win in Bayreuth. With two new players and a very solid performance for 30 minutes in Munich, the team is riding into Bayreuth with a lot of self confidence. If we can play like the way we did in Munich, then we will have very good chances to win, stressed Fraport Skyliner guard Konstantin Klein. BBC Bayreuth is currently in 13th place with a record of 9-12. After a six game losing streak in December the team has been very up and down in the last six games positing a 3-3 record. They are reeling off a very bitter 70-69 loss in Ludwigsburg. No matter how the club is playing, one thing is always for sure, they will be supported until the end from their sixth man the fans as the Bayreuth arena is always very uncomfortable to play in for opponents. Frankfurt cant get down on themselves and need to be hardnosed. They have to be physical on offense and defense and limit Bryan Bailey, stressed Walter Tigers Tuebingen guard Vaughn Duggins.

BBC Bayreuth is led by Bryan Bailey who a 32 year old 185cm guard who comes from New York and played in Quackenbruck from 2004-2007 and from 2010-2012. He is a team leader both on and off the court. He Possesses a diverse game, with an ability to stroke the long-range jumper, penetrate to the rim or distribute the ball and is solid on the defensive end of the floor as well. He is a fierce competitive drive rubs off on his teammates. Bailey played at Bucknell and has gained experience having played in Holland and Poland. He reached the playoffs three times with Artland form 2004-2007 and the cup final in 2007. In 2010-2011, the American played 41 games for Artland averaging 11.5ppg, 2.4rpg, 3.2apg, 1.4spg, FGP: 52.2%, 3PT: 34.9%, FT: 77.2%. Last season for BBC Bayreuth he played EuroChallenge: 7 games: 4.7ppg, 1.1rpg, 1.3apg; German League: 27 games: 6.8ppg, 1.2rpg, 2.3apg, FGP: 48.3%, 3PT: 18.9%, FT: 77.0%. Joe Trapani is a 24 year old 203cm forward from Madison, Connecticut that is playing his first season for Beko BBL team BBC Bayreuth. He started his NCAA career at Vermont (NCAA) in 2006 an dplayed 26 games: 11.4ppg, 4.4rpg, FGP: 44.0%, 3Pts: 40.0%, FT: 68.4%. He then completed his NCAA career at Boston College playing there form 2008-2011. In his senior year he played 34 games: 14.8ppg, 7.0rpg, 1.8apg, FGP: 42.5%, 3PT: 35.7%, FT: 70.7%. In 2011, he turned professional playing at the e Portsmouth Invitational Tournament (Pre-NBA Draft): 3 games: 14.3ppg, 5.0rpg, 2.7apg, 1.0spg. He then came to Europe to play for Novipiu Casale Monferrato (Italy-SerieA, starting five): 3 games: 5.3ppg, 1.7rpg, left in Oct.'11, in Nov.'11 try-out at Scavolini Siviglia Pesaro (Italy-SerieA, starting five), then moved to MarcoPoloShop.it Forli (Italy-Lega2): 12 games: 9.4ppg, 5.1rpg, FGP: 44.0%, 3PT: 21.7%, FT: 78.0%; in Mar.'12 signed at Maine Red Claws (D-League): 6 games: 3.2ppg, 3.7rpg.

Jason Cain is a 27 year old 208cm power forward from Philadelphia who is playing for his third Beko BBL team with BBC Bayreuth. He played for the New Yorker Phantoms Braunschweig from 2007-2011 reaching the playoffs twice. He played 142 games for Braunschweig and averaged 10.0ppg, 4.1rpg, 1.6apg, FGP: 57.2%, 3PT: 37.6%, FT: 78.2. Last season he played for Eisbaeren Bremerhaven (Germany-1.Bundesliga): 32 games: 9.3ppg, 4.1rpg, 1.0apg, FGP: 56.0%, 3PT: 18.8%, FT: 72.9%. Before coming to Germany, he played at Virginia. Gray Mcghee is a 24 year old 208cm center from Anderson, Indiana that is playing his first season in the Beko BBL for BBC Bayreuth. He played at Pittsburgh from 2007-2011 and played with future NBA players like Dejuan Blair and Sam Young. In his senior year, he played 34 games: 6.9ppg, 7.7rpg, 1.3bpg, FGP: 56.7%, FT: 48.5%. He played a total of 120 NCAA games. In the summer of 2011, he played at the well known : Portsmouth Invitational Tournament (Pre-NBA Draft): 2 games: 9.0ppg, Reb-5 (8.5rpg), 1.0bpg. Last season as a rookie he played KK Zagreb Croatia Osiguranje (Croatia-A1), only pre-season, then moved to Bandirma Kirmizi (Turkey-TBL: 30 games: 10.5ppg, Reb-4 (7.8rpg), FGP: 56.3%, FT: 45.6%. This past summer he played AirTran Orlando Summer League (Oklahoma City Thunder): 2 games: 2.5ppg, 2.0rpg and NBA Pro Summer League in Las Vegas (Los Angeles Clippers): 5 games: 4.8ppg, 5.0rpg. Nicolai Simon is a 24 year old 191 cm guard that is playing his first season in Bayreuth. He started his basketball career in 2002 with 2002-2003: TuS Urspring (Regionalliga). He then played withErdgas Ehingen until 2006. IN 2006-2007, he was able to play 33 games for Alba Berlin despite being on a team with a deep roster. In 2007-2008, he injured himself playing only five games. In 2008-2009 he went back to Erdgas Ehingen/Urspringschule (ProB): 28 games: 8.9ppg, 2.4rpg, 5.2apg, FGP: 49.0%, 3PT: 23.8%, FT: 85.7%. In 2009, he played at the World University games in Belgrad averaging 4,1ppg, 3,6rpg and 1,4apg. He also played for the Paderborn Baskets (1.Bundesliga): 31 games: 5.5ppg, 1.1rpg, 1.0apg, FGP: 40.8%, 3PT: 35.7%, FT: 79.4%. He played for the Walter Tigers Tuebingen form 2010-2012. Last season he played Last season for Tuebingen, he played 29 games: 5.4ppg, 1.2rpg, FGP: 47.9%, 3PT-1 (52.0%), FT: 74.4%.

Beckham Wyrick is a 28 year old 198cm forward from Cincinnati, Ohio that has played in Germany since he was a rookie in 2006. Heis playing his second season for BBC Bayreuth. He played for NC-Wilmington (NCAA) from 2002-2006 together with Bamberg floor general John Goldsberry. Wyrick played for Bayer Giants Leverkusen from 2006-2008. He then had a successful stay with the Brose Baskets Bamberg from 2008-2010 winning a Beko BBL title and cup. In 2010-2011, he played for FC Bayern Muenchen (Germany-ProA) helping the team move to the Beko BBL and played 25 games: 8.8ppg, 4.7rpg, FGP: 52.8%, 3PT: 30.4%, FT: 68.4%. Last season for BBC Bayreuth he played 31 games: 6.3ppg, 3.8rpg, FGP: 38.4%, 3PT: 32.3%, FT: 62.2%. Peter Zeis is a 23 year old 196cm swingman that is playing his second season for BBC Bayreuth. Last season he got into four Beko BBL games.He started his career in 2005 with TSV Troester II Breitengussbach and played there until 2011. Nate Rohnert is a 25 year old 197cm guard from Colorado that is embarking on his third professional basketball season and first in Germany. He played at Denver (NCAA) from 2006-2010 playing a total of 100 NCAA games and in his senior year played 32 games: 14.5ppg, 5.7rpg, 3.8apg, 1.2spg, FGP: 49.5%, 3PT: 32.5%, FT: 74.4%. He turned professional in 2010 and played for Tartu Ulikool/Rock (Estonia-KML): only pre-season, in Feb.'11 moved to Landstede Basketbal Zwolle (Holland-DBL, starting five): 11 games: 15.8ppg, 8.3rpg, 5.5apg, 1.3spg, FGP: 52.8%, 3PT: 44.4%, FT: 70.0%. Last season, he played for Denain ASC Voltaire (France-ProB, starting five): 34 games: 12.1ppg, 4.6rpg, 2.6apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 52.0%, 3PT: 41.9%, FT: 76.8%.

Simon Schmitz is a 22 year old 188cm point guard that is playing his third season with BBC Bayreuth and began his basketball career in 2005 with SG Bad Duerkheim/Speyer junior team. In 2008-2009, he played for BIS Baskets Speyer (ProB, starting five) where he played together with German national player Elias Harris. He played German League: 20 games: 14.1ppg, 4.0rpg, 3.7apg, FGP: 51.5%, 3PT: 33.6%, FT: 79.1%; also TV Bad Bergzabern (2.Regionalliga): 8 games: 14.5ppg. In 2009-2010, he played for Science City Jena (ProA): 29 games: 10.9ppg, 3.0rpg, 2.9apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 44.7%, 3PT: 36.4%, FT: 80.2%, in Mar.'10 also played at Mitteldeutscher BC Weissenfels (1.Bundesliga). He played at the European Championships U20 in Croatia -10: 9 games: 10.3ppg, 3.0rpg, 1.6apg, FGP: 56.5%, 3PT: 38.6%, FT: 80.0%. Last season, the German played 29 games: 3.3ppg, 1.3rpg, 1.1apg. 23 year old 206cm center Stefan Schmidt was born in Schwandorf and is playing his fourth season with BBC Bayreuth. He started his basketball career with Franken Hexer (2.Regionalliga) in 2006. In 2007-2008, he played for SELLBYTEL Baskets Nuernberg (ProA, starting five): 20 games: 3.2ppg, 2.7rpg, FGP: 39.5%, 3PT: 25.0%, FT: 66.7%. In 2008-2009, he played for Franken Hexer (ProB, starting five): 29 games: 9.4ppg, 7.8rpg, 1.3apg, FGP: 51.3%, 3PT: 25.3%, FT: 75.0%. Last season he had to fight injuries and played 17 games: 3.6ppg, 1.8rpg. Kevin Hamilton from New York is a 28 year old 193cm guard that is playing his second season in Bayreuth. He played at Holy Cross with ex Skyliner Keith Simmons from 2002-2006. He played in Poland the last few years and in the summers in Puerto Rico. He played under coach Sebastian Machowski in Poland and was made into a point guard even though he had been a shooting guard most of his career. He scored 17,9ppg in his last season at Holy Cross and in 2008-2009 he led the Polish league in assists. What makes him so dangerous is his scoring and his potential and ability to score are limitless. In college, I averaged almost 18 points per game. I have been a shooting guard for most of my career. Three seasons ago, I had to play point guard in Poland. I always thought that I was a good passer. I think passing has come naturally to me. I have enjoyed playing point guard, stressed Kevin Hamilton. The best thing that teams can do is to keep the ball out of Hamiltons hands, but that is about as impossible as doing the same to Lebron James. We tried to keep the ball out of his hands. We didnt want him to make plays. He is a true point guard. He is a great passer and makes things happen for them. When he gets going, it is hard to stop the team, warned ex Braunschweig guard Steven Wright. In 2009-2010 Hamilton played 39 games: 10.1ppg, 3.8rpg, Assists-3 (5.4apg), Steals-2 (1.9spg), FGP: 63.7%, 3PT: 33.9%, FT: 77.6%. He is one of those rare players that has triple double potential. In his last season for Braunschweig, he played 39 games: 9.0ppg, 4.1rpg, 4.3apg, Steals-1 (1.9spg), FGP: 53.9%, 3PT: 33.3%, FT: 67.0%. Last season for BBC Bayreuth he played only 4 games: 8.8ppg, 3.3rpg, 4.0apg, 1.3spg. Last summer, he played for Indios de Mayaguez (Puerto Rico-BSN) playing 23 games: 7.6ppg, 3.8rpg, 2.6apg, Steals-4 (1.6spg), FGP: 40.2%, 3PT: 38.7%, FT: 61.5%. . Arvydas Siksnius is a 25 year old 196cm forward from Lithuania that is playing his first season in the Beko BBL for BBC Bayreuth. He mostly played in his home country, but had a year of experience in the States playing for Weatherford JC (JUCO). Last season he played for Lietuvos Rytas Vilnius (LKL): DNP, moved to BC Siauliai (LKL): Lithuanian League: 31 games: 7.4ppg, 2.7rpg, 1.1apg, FGP: 58.2%, 3PT: 25.6%, FT: 75.9%; Baltic League: 22 games: 9.2ppg, 2.8rpg, 1.0apg, FGP: 65.2%, 3PT: 38.0%, FT: 77.8%; VTB League: 2 games: 8.5ppg, 2.0rpg, 2FGP: 50.0%, 3PT: 30.8%, FT: 75.0%.

Allan ray (ratiopharm Ulm) To Miss One Game - by Miles Schmidt-Scheuber

The Beko BBL announced today that ratiopharm Ulm guard Allan Ray (188-G-84, college: Villanova) will miss one game and have to pay a fine of 2,300 Euro. Ray will not play this weekend against Telekom Baskets Bonn. The fine was issued on account of an action in a game against TBB Trier in cup play. In the game against Trier, the ex NBA player Ray brushed off Trier guard Jarrett Howell with his hand on his cheek. Ray will be able to play against Phoenix Hagen again the following weekend.

Source: Beko BBL

Pigram transfers from Wuerzburg to Braunschweig - by Moritz Korff

As Jeremiah Davis (183-PG-81, college: Pacific) is suffering from a foot injury and is currently unable to play, BBL team Braunschweig landed Courtney Pigram (185-G-85, college: E.Tenn.St.) and handed him a try out-contract until February 24 including an option to extend the deal for the remainder of the season.
Pigram played seven BBL games for Wuerzburg this season, averaging 9.6 points and 3.9 assists per contest. The 27-year-old guard from Memphis, TN left Wuerzburg recently and will is cleared to turn out for the Phantoms immediately. He will make his debut in Saturday's game against Trier.

Recklinghausen: Bill Paterno gives his side of the story after being fired - by Moritz Korff

When 2. Bundesliga Pro B team Citybasket Recklinghausen announced the firing of coach Bill Paterno in late January, a strained relationship between the coach and his player had been named the main cause for parting company, according to an article published on the club's website. "If you win - and that's what we have been doing on several occassions this season - you can overlook some of the bad for some of the good", Citybasket sport director Georg Kleine, Paterno's predecessor and successor as Recklinghausen coach, told derwesten.de following the decision to dismiss the coach. Paterno, however, has a different opinion. He told Eurobasket.com: "Just the fact that Kleine said this is unprofessional, when he was responsible for the first splits with the players by not supporting me when players do not follow my rules", Paterno said who continued: "He was coach for a long time and wanted to sit on the bench as my assistant which after two games I saw was not right. He was NEVER in any of my practices and did not support me on the bench, but he just babysitted when I pushed players to do the right thing."

Kleine led Citybasket to the 2012 1. Regionalliga West championship and was promoted to sport director after stepping down from coaching duties. "The sport director sitting on the bench and not supporting my tactics was the reason for the tear in my relationship with the team. Normally an assistant coach should back the coach not take the opposite side", Paterno said. As far as winning basketball games is concerned, Paterno did a solid job. Under his guidance, Citybasket won seven and lost nine this season, the Recklinghausen team is currently fifth in the Pro B North standings (Citybasket and Paterno had parted ways before last weekend's win over Braunschweig) and would be in the play offs if the regular season ended today. The loss to Wulfen (79-83) on January 26th marked the end of Paterno's ten month stint in Recklinghausen. Citybasket's leading rebounder and second leading scorer Robert Franklin (195-F-81, college: N.Mexico Highlands) played just under ten minutes in the derby while he had seen more than 30 minutes of action in all but two of his previous games this season. "But the fact that Robert Franklin played so little minutes in the game against Wulfen was unacceptable. That was the last straw. There were just too many things adding up", Kleine told derwesten.de after the game. "Franklin was sick all week and he said friday he was only a little better and his first minute in the game he turned the ball over twice and was clearly not well. He played more than 35 minutes all season, why would I change", Paterno gave his side of the story.

"His [Coach Paterno's] professional expertise and work have never been put into question by the club", Citybasket Recklinghausen stressed on the club's website, while Paterno said, the organization lacked professionalism: "When a club wants to change a coach they should meet with the coach, explain the decision and then decide what to tell the media to not embarrass club or coach. Citybasket explained their side in the newspaper without giving me space to tell my side. Hobby mentality. This is my job and they did not care. Kleine did not know how to handle this situation."So what's the result of this episode? A club that had to handle a coaching switch in the middle of the stretch run of the regular season and a coach without a job: "Now I have to find work with this terrible information out there from Kleine which is mostly false", Paterno concluded.

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GREECE

Lukoil Academik tabs Dimitris Haritopoulos, ex PAOK - by Eurobasket News

Lukoil Academik Sofia (NBL) inked 30-year old Greek ex-international power forward Dimitris Haritopoulos (205-83, agency: Interperformances). He started the season at PAOK Thessaloniki in Greek A1 league. In 15 games this season he averaged 8.8ppg and 6.0rpg. The last season Haritopoulos played at ASVEL Lyon-Villeurbanne Basket (ProA) in French league. In 14 games last year he had 7.4ppg, 3.0rpg and 1.1apg. He also played 3 games in Eurocup where he had 5.3ppg and 4.7rpg. Haritopoulos also played at Marousi BC (A1, starting five) in Greek league earlier that season. In 14 A1, starting five games he had 12.1ppg, 7.6rpg (#2 in the league), 1.1apg and 1.0spg.
Among other achievements his team made it to the ULEB Cup final in 2006. Haritopoulos was selected to Greek U23 All-Star Game back in 2005.
He was also a member of Greek international program for some years. Haritopoulos played for Greek Senior National Team back in 2005 and previously for U20 National Team in 2002. He represented Greece at the Mediterranean Games eight years ago.
Haritopoulos has played also professionally for other Greek teams like Aris, Panionios and Trikalla.
His game is described as: A true fighter with experience at Europe highest level. Thanks to a strong body and excellent 3pt shooting percentage, he can easily play the 4 and the 5 positions as well. Great moves with his back to the basket. Really efficient defensively, ha understands basketball well this makes him really coachable. Plus, has great leadership and effectiveness in tough moments of any game.

By Eurobasket Data Center

Sakarya U16 Tournament: Greece advanced to the Final Game - by Eurobasket News

Greece U16-France U16 68:47

Greece advanced to the Final Game of the Sakarya U16 Tournament. The team won over France 68:47 in the Semifinal clash and will play against Serbia in the Final.
Greece opened the game with 17-11 and never looked behind after. They posted a 16-7 rally in the second frame and led 15 points at the halftime. Both teams nailed 19 points in the third period, while Greece managed to win the last stanza 16-10.
Vasileios Charalampopoulos (203-F-97) top-scored for the winners with 17 points and Antonis Koniaris (183-PG-97) netted 11. George Papagiannis delivered 10, while Dionisis Skoulidas scored 9. Luc Loubaki (189-G-97) ended up with 13 points in the losing effort, whilst Stephane Gombauld (201-PF-97) collected 11 points and 13 rebounds. Ona Embo Renathan notched 7 and Gauthier Denis (197-F/G-97) brought 5.
The Final game to be played tomorrow in Turkey.

Greece U16: Vasileios Charalampopoulos 17, Antonis Koniaris 11, George Papagiannis 10, Dionisis Skoulidas 9
France U16: Luc Loubaki 13, Stephane Gombauld 11+13 rebs, Ona Embo Renathan 7, Gauthier Denis 5

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HOLLAND

Standings - Eredivisie

Eredivisie Standings

1. Den Bosch		19-4
2. Leiden		19-5
3. Groningen		16-8
4. Zwolle		14-11
5. M.Magixx		12-12
6. Leeuwarden		12-12
7. Den Helder K.		12-13
8. Weert		10-14
9. Amsterdam		4-20
10. Rotterdam		2-21

Regular Season: Round 22

Feb. 7: Zwolle - Den Helder K. 83-76
Feb. 5: Weert - Leeuwarden 82-79
Feb. 7: Rotterdam - Amsterdam 71-85
Feb. 6: Leiden - M.Magixx 70-54

Regular Season: Round 23

Feb. 9: M.Magixx - Weert
Feb. 10: Amsterdam - Leeuwarden
Feb. 13: Leiden - Rotterdam
Feb. 14: Groningen - Den Bosch

Eredivisie Round 22: Weert defeats Leeuwarden in the closest game of the week - by Eurobasket News

The most exciting game of round 22 in the Eredivisie took place in Weert. This derby game ended with only three-point defeat on the road of 6th ranked Leeuwarden (12-12) to eighth ranked Weert (10-14) 82-79 on Tuesday evening. The hosts trailed by 1 point at the halftime before their 42-38 charge in the second half, which allowed them to win the game. Weert made 22-of-28 free shots (78.6 percent) during the game. Strangely Leeuwarden outrebounded Weert 44-27 including a 31-19 advantage in defensive rebounds. American point guard Rahmon Fletcher (177-88, college: Green Bay, agency: Court Side) scored 29 points and 4 assists to lead the charge for the winners and the former international center Kenneth van Kempen (208-87, college: Ohio, agency: Court Side) chipped in 9 points and 16 rebounds during the contest. At the losing side American forward Jerrell Williams (203-88, college: La Salle) responded with 23 points and 5 rebounds. Leeuwarden's coach Erik Braal rotated ten players in this game, but that didn't help. Weert maintains eighth position with 10-14 record. Leeuwarden at the other side dropped to the fifth place with 12 games lost. They share the position with M.Magixx. Weert are looking forward to face higher ranked M.Magixx (#5) in Nijmegen in the next round and it may be quite challenging game. Leeuwarden will play on the road against Amsterdam and is hoping to win this game.
Second ranked Leiden (19-5) crushed at home 5th ranked M.Magixx (12-12) by 16 points 70-54, which is the biggest margin this round. International Worthy de Jong (194-88, agency: R.H.Consultancy) notched 20 points and 9 rebounds to lead the effort and Ross Bekkering supported him with 10 points and 12 rebounds. Even a double-double of 17 points and 13 rebounds by Indian-Canadian forward Robbie Sihota (198-87) did not help to save the game for M.Magixx. Leiden maintains second position with 19-5 record having just -1 point less than leader Den Bosch. M.Magixx lost fifth consecutive game. They keep the fifth place with 12 games lost. They share the position with Leeuwarden. Leiden will play against bottom-ranked Rotterdam (#10) at home in the next round and are hoping to win another game. M.Magixx will play against Weert (#8) and hopes to get back on the winning track.

In the last two games of round 22 Den Helder K. lost to Zwolle on the opponent's court 76-83. Bottom-ranked Rotterdam unfortunately lost to Amsterdam in a home game 71-85.
The most impressive stats of the last round was 41 points (!!!) and 7 rebounds by Zack Novak of Zwolle.

Zwolle - Den Helder K. 83-76

Rather expected game when 7th ranked Den Helder K. (12-13) was defeated on the road by fourth ranked Zwolle (14-11) 83-76. The hosts were tied after three quarters but managed to speed up in last quarter eventually winning the game. Zwolle made 20-of-25 charity shots (80.0 percent) during the game. Americans were the main players on the court. Guard Zack Novak (193-90, college: Michigan, agency: Priority Sports) notched 41 points (!!!) and 7 rebounds (made all of his seven free throws) to lead the effort and guard Josh Magette (185-90, college: Al.-Huntsville, agency: Pro One Sports) supported him with 19 points and 4 assists. Even 22 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists (made all of his seven free throws) by guard Mark Hill (180-87, college: CS Northridge, agency: Three Eye Sports) did not help to save the game for Den Helder K.. Forward Storm Warren (200-88, college: LSU) added 18 points and 9 rebounds for lost side. Four Den Helder K. players scored in double figures. Zwolle have a solid four-game winning streak. They maintain fourth position with 14-11 record. Den Helder K. at the other side keeps the seventh place with 13 games lost. Both teams do not play next round, which will be an opportunity for some rest.
Top scorers:
Zwolle: Z.Novak 41+7reb+2ast, J.Magette 19+4reb+4ast, T.Smith 10+5reb+4ast, D.Webb 7+5reb+1ast, K.Zondervan 6+6reb+1ast, A.Bunnig 0+1reb
Den Helder K.: M.Hill 22+7reb+4ast, S.Warren 18+9reb+2ast, S.Mladenovic 13+3reb+1ast, J.van der List 13+6reb+2ast, Q.Treffers 4+1reb, P.Bach 4+2reb+1ast

Rotterdam - Amsterdam 71-85

The game between closely ranked teams ended with ninth ranked Amsterdam's (4-20) road victory over bottom-ranked Rotterdam (2-21) 85-71. Rotterdam was ahead by 2 points at the halftime before a 41-25 second half run of Amsterdam. Their players were unselfish on offense dishing 22 assists. Center Berend Weijs (208, college: Maryland) notched a double-double by scoring 16 points, 13 rebounds and 4 assists to lead the effort and the former international guard Aaron Roye (185-88) supported him with 15 points and 9 assists. Four Amsterdam players scored in double figures. Amsterdam's coach Tyronne Marioneaux allowed to play the deep bench players saving starting five for next games. Even a double-double of 18 points and 20 rebounds by American power forward Cameron Echols (203-81, college: Ball St., agency: R.H.Consultancy) did not help to save the game for Rotterdam. Guard Don Rigters (193-92, college: Pensacola JC, agency: R.H.Consultancy) added 13 points and 6 rebounds for lost side. Amsterdam maintains ninth position with 4-20 record. Rotterdam at the other side stay dead last with 21 lost games. Amsterdam will play against higher ranked Leeuwarden (#6) at home in the next round and it may be quite challenging game. Rotterdam will play against the league's second-placed Leiden (#2) having rather not much hope for a victory.
Top scorers:
Amsterdam: B.Weijs 16+13reb+4ast, A.Roye 15+2reb+9ast, P.Balm 13+5reb+2ast, J.Ormskerk 13+5reb+2ast, J.Van Der Laan 8+1ast, J.Roodheuvel 6+3reb+2ast
Rotterdam: C.Echols 18+20reb+1ast, A.Miles 14+4reb+3ast, D.Rigters 13+6reb+2ast, D.Jones 9+5reb+1ast, I.Filipan 9+4reb+1ast, M.Otten 4+2ast

Leiden - M.Magixx 70-54

Second ranked Leiden (19-5) crushed at home 5th ranked M.Magixx (12-12) by 16 points 70-54, which is the biggest margin this round. The game was mostly controlled by Leiden. M.Magixx was better in fourth quarter 22-16. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. They dominated on the defensive end, holding M.Magixx to just 6 points in second quarter. International Worthy de Jong (194-88, agency: R.H.Consultancy) notched 20 points and 9 rebounds to lead the effort and Canadian forward Ross Bekkering (203-87) supported him with 10 points and 12 rebounds. Four Leiden players scored in double figures. Even a double-double of 17 points and 13 rebounds by Indian-Canadian forward Robbie Sihota (198-87) did not help to save the game for M.Magixx. The former international forward Thijs Vermeulen (194-85) added 11 points for lost side. Leiden maintains second position with 19-5 record having just -1 point less than leader Den Bosch. M.Magixx lost fifth consecutive game. They keep the fifth place with 12 games lost. They share the position with Leeuwarden. Leiden will play against bottom-ranked Rotterdam (#10) at home in the next round and are hoping to win another game. M.Magixx will play against Weert (#8) and hopes to get back on the winning track.
Top scorers:
Leiden: W.de Jong 20+9reb+1ast, T.Gallo 12+1reb+1ast, M.Kherrazi 11+6reb+2ast, R.Bekkering 10+12reb, S.Cunningham 7+6reb+1ast, M.Schachtner 4+1reb+3ast
M.Magixx: R.Sihota 17+13reb+2ast, T.Vermeulen 11+2reb+2ast, H.Bekkering 10+1reb+2ast, C.Kan 6+3reb, N.Oudendag 5+8reb+1ast, A.Dawson 3+2reb+4ast

Weert - Leeuwarden 82-79

The most exciting game of round 22 in the Eredivisie took place in Weert. This derby game ended with only three-point defeat on the road of 6th ranked Leeuwarden (12-12) to eighth ranked Weert (10-14) 82-79 on Tuesday evening. The hosts trailed by 1 point at the halftime before their 42-38 charge in the second half, which allowed them to win the game. Weert made 22-of-28 free shots (78.6 percent) during the game. Strangely Leeuwarden outrebounded Weert 44-27 including a 31-19 advantage in defensive rebounds. American point guard Rahmon Fletcher (177-88, college: Green Bay, agency: Court Side) scored 29 points and 4 assists to lead the charge for the winners and the former international center Kenneth van Kempen (208-87, college: Ohio, agency: Court Side) chipped in 9 points and 16 rebounds during the contest. At the losing side American forward Jerrell Williams (203-88, college: La Salle) responded with 23 points and 5 rebounds and his fellow American import forward Samme Givens (195, college: Drexel) produced a double-double by scoring 12 points and 11 rebounds. Both teams had four players each who scored in double figures. Leeuwarden's coach Erik Braal rotated ten players in this game, but that didn't help. Weert maintains eighth position with 10-14 record. Leeuwarden at the other side dropped to the fifth place with 12 games lost. They share the position with M.Magixx. Weert are looking forward to face higher ranked M.Magixx (#5) in Nijmegen in the next round and it may be quite challenging game. Leeuwarden will play on the road against Amsterdam and is hoping to win this game.
Top scorers:
Weert: R.Fletcher 29+1reb+4ast, S.Besseling 16+3reb+1ast, B.Perine 14+1reb+5ast, A.Carter 11+3reb, K.van Kempen 9+16reb+3ast, A.Eduardo 2+3reb
Leeuwarden: J.Williams 23+5reb+1ast, S.Givens 12+11reb+3ast, R.Holcomb Faye 12+3reb+9ast, S.Poels 11+10reb+1ast, T.de Paula 7+1reb+3ast, D.Michaels 6+8reb

Henk Norel's double-double lands him Player of the Week award among Dutchs playing currently abroad - by Eurobasket Center

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

Henk Norel

#1. This week's number one is an international center Henk Norel (214-87, currently plays in Spain), who plays in the Spanish ACB. He could not help CAI Zaragoza (11-9) in their last game. Despite Norel's good performance CAI Zaragoza lost 77-82 at home to the lower-ranked (#8) Asefa Estudiantes. He had a double-double by scoring 12 points and getting 11 rebounds. Norel also added 2 blocks in 29 minutes on the court. It's Norel's first season with the team. Norel is currently fifth on the list of best rebounders with 6.4rpg. He also averaged so far 12.1ppg, 2FGP: 58.6%(106-181) and FT: 54.7% in the 20 games he played so far. Norel is currently a member of the Dutch senior national team.

Robin Smeulders

#2. Second place goes to an international forward Robin Smeulders (207-87, agency: Court Side, college: Portland, currently plays in Germany). He contributed to an easy victory against the closely-ranked ALBA Berlin (12-6) 82-67 in the German BBL on Sunday night. Smeulders scored 10 points in 20 minutes. EWE Baskets Oldenburg (13-6) is placed fourth in the BBL. This year Smeulders averages: 7.2ppg, 3.5rpg, 2FGP: 59.2%(45-76), 3FGP: 25.0% and FT: 72.7% in the 19 games. He has a dual citizenship: Dutch and German. Smeulders is in the roster of the Dutch senior national team.

Thomas van der Mars

#3. The Dutch player who performed third best last week abroad was former U20 international center Thomas van der Mars (208-90, currently plays college basketball in the States). van der Mars led Portland to a victory against the Loyola Marymount University (1-9) 69-60 in the NCAA last Thursday. He scored 14 points and grabbed 7 rebounds in 33 minutes. The University of Portland has not so impressive 2-8 conference record this season. They ended the series of six consecutive loses. This year van der Mars' overall stats are: 7.4ppg, 3.8rpg, 2FGP: 48.2% and FT: 75.0% in the 20 games. He played for the Dutch U20 national team three years ago.

Robert Krabbendam

#4. Center Robert Krabbendam (213-86, also represented by Court Side, college: Virginia Tech, currently plays in Cyprus), who plays in the Cypriot Division A was not able to help Apollon (8-10) in their last game. Despite Krabbendam's good performance Apollon lost 83-96 on the road to the higher-ranked (#3) Etha. He scored 12 points and grabbed 6 rebounds in 26 minutes. It was Apollon's fourth consecutive loss in a row. There are only three games left until the end of the Regular Season. So now every game will be critical. This year Krabbendam's total stats are: 5.1ppg and 2.9rpg in the nine games. He used to play for the Dutch national team back in 2010.

Kadeem Pantophlet

#5. Former U20 international forward Kadeem Pantophlet (201-90, currently studies in the States), who plays in the NCAA was not able to secure a victory for the Duquesne (0-8) in their last game on Saturday. Despite Pantophlet's good performance the Duquesne was defeated 68-60 in St.Bonaventure, NY by the St.Bonaventure University. He scored 11 points and grabbed 4 rebounds. Pantophlet has averaged so far 5.1ppg and 2.9rpg. He used to play for the Dutch U20 national team four years ago.

Kevin van Wijk

#6. Forward Kevin van Wijk (203-89, is currently at the American university) managed to help Valparaiso University in a victory against the University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee (1-7) crushing them 71-40 in the NCAA on Friday night. van Wijk scored 5 points and grabbed 4 rebounds in 13 minutes. The Valparaiso University has a very good 7-2 conference record this season. van Wijk has averaged so far 5.1ppg and 2.9rpg in the nine games. He is a former U16 international player as he played for the Dutch team eight years ago.

Charlon Kloof

#7. Former U20 international point guard Charlon Kloof (190-90, currently plays college basketball in the States) faced previously mentioned Kadeem Pantophlet in the NCAA last game. Kloof contributed to St.Bonaventure's victory against the University of Duquesne (0-8) 68-60. He scored 5 points, had 4 rebounds and dished 4 assists. Kloof has averaged so far 5.1ppg and 2.9rpg. He used to play for the Dutch U20 national team three years ago.

Jito Kok

#8. Center Jito Kok (206-94, currently plays college basketball in the States) couldn't help the San Diego (6-4) in their game against the Gonzaga University (9-0) in the NCAA. Kok scored only 4 points, had 5 rebounds and made 4 blocks in 17 minutes. The San Diego was edged 65-63 on their home court in San Diego, CA by the Gonzaga University. Kok has averaged so far 5.1ppg and 2.9rpg in the nine games. He plays currently for the Dutch U18 national team.

Olaf Schaftenaar

#9. Former U18 international center Olaf Schaftenaar (206-93, currently plays college basketball in the States) contributed to an easy victory against the University of Utah (2-8) 82-64 in the NCAA on Wednesday night. Schaftenaar recorded 7 points and blocked 3 shots. The Oregon State University has rather weak 2-7 conference record this season. Schaftenaar has averaged so far 5.1ppg and 2.9rpg. He used to play for the Dutch U18 national team two years ago.

Shane Hammink

   #10. Forward Shane Hammink (201-94, currently plays college basketball in the States) contributed to a 1-point LSU's victory against the Mississippi State University (2-7) 69-68 in the NCAA on Saturday night. Hammink scored only 2 points in 8 minutes on the court. The Louisiana State University has 4-5 conference record this season. It was his team's third consecutive victory in a row. Hammink has averaged so far 7.4ppg, 4.9rpg and 1.1apg in the 16 games. He is a naturalized American. Hammink is U18 international player who is currently on the Dutch National Team roster. Strangely he has never played in Holland.

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

   #1. Experienced Stanley Ocitti (203-F/C-80, college: Binghamton, currently plays in United Kingdom) was the major contributor in a Worcester Wolves' victory against the closely-ranked Manchester Giants (8-15) 88-75 in the British BBL last Friday. He recorded a double-double by scoring 20 points and getting 10 rebounds. Ocitti also added 3 assists. Worcester Wolves (11-9) is placed sixth in the BBL. Ocitti is ranked fourth on the list of the best rebounders in the league and also on the list of best blockers (fifth place). He has very reliable stats this season: 13.6ppg, 9.3rpg and 1.5apg. Ocitti is a naturalized American.

   #2. Kim Tillie (210-PF-88, agency: Priority Sports, college: Utah, currently plays in Spain) contributed to an UCAM Murcia's victory against the 11th-ranked Blusens Monbus (9-11) 83-77 in the Spanish ACB in Sunday night's game. He scored 9 points and grabbed 4 rebounds. UCAM Murcia (24-6) is placed in the ACB. Tillie's overall stats this season are: 7.4ppg and 3.8rpg. He has a dual citizenship: Dutch and French.

   #3. Devon Van Oostrum (190-G-93, currently plays in Spain), who plays in the Spanish LEB Gold (second division) could not help Caceres Basket (7-10) in their last game on Friday. Despite Van Oostrum's very good performance Caceres Basket was defeated 71-67 on the road by the higher-ranked Planasa NV (#6). He was the top scorer with 15 points. Van Oostrum's total stats this season are: 8.8ppg, 2.4rpg and 2.2apg. He is another player who holds two passports: Dutch and British.

   #4. Joey van Zegeren McAdam (208-F-90, currently plays college basketball in the States) was not able to help the Virginia Tech (2-7) in their game against the University of North Carolina (6-3) in the NCAA. van Zegeren McAdam cannot count Saturday's game as one of the best ones. He scored only 3 points and grabbed 4 rebounds in 13 minutes. The Virginia Tech lost in an overtime 60-72 in Chapel Hill, NC to the University of North Carolina. It was Virginia Tech's fifth consecutive loss in a row. van Zegeren McAdam has averaged so far 5.1ppg and 2.9rpg in the nine games he played so far.

   #5. Josh Duinker (210-F/C-89, college: Richmond, currently plays in Spain) is a teammate of previously mentioned Devon Van Oostrum and both played together in the last Spanish LEB Gold game. Duinker was not able to secure a victory for Caceres Basket (7-10) in their game against Planasa NV (8-9). He cannot count Friday's game as one of the best ones. Duinker scored only 3 points. Caceres Basket was defeated 71-67 in Pamplona by the higher-ranked Planasa NV (#6). Duinker has averaged so far 7.4ppg, 4.9rpg and 1.1apg. He has both Australian and Dutch nationalities.

   #6. Jonah Callenbach (194-F/G-93, currently plays in Spain) couldn't help Fontedoso Carrefour in their game against La Palma in the Spanish LEB Silver (third division). Callenbach cannot count Friday's game as one of the best ones. He recorded only 3 points. His team was badly defeated by 17 points 62-45. Callenbach has averaged so far 3.5ppg and 1.1rpg. He also holds two passports: Portuguese and Dutch.

   #7. Daniel Kickert (208-C/F-83, college: St.Mary's, CA, currently plays in Ukraine) led Dnipro to a surprising victory over the third-ranked Mykolaiv 82-63 in the Ukrainian Superleague last Sunday. Kickert was MVP of the game. He recorded 19 points and grabbed 6 rebounds in 34 minutes. Kickert has individually a very good year with high stats. He averages: 17.3ppg, 5.4rpg and 1.4apg in the 25 games. Kickert holds both Australian and Dutch passports.

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

ICELAND

Standings - Iceland Express League

Express L. Standings

1. Grindavik		12-3
2. Thor Thorl		11-4
3. Snaefell		11-4
4. Keflavik		10-5
5. Stjarnan		9-6
6. KR		8-7
7. Njardvik		6-9
8. Skallagrimur		6-9
9. KFI		5-10
10. Fjolnir		4-11
11. IR		4-11
12. Tindastoll		4-11

Regular Season: Round 15

Feb. 7: IR - Skallagrimur 96-70
Feb. 8: Tindastoll - Fjolnir 86-84
Feb. 7: Njardvik - Grindavik 84-96
Feb. 7: Keflavik - KFI 111-102
Feb. 7: Snaefell - KR 110-104
Feb. 8: Thor Thorl - Stjarnan 105-100

Regular Season: Round 16

Feb. 10: Fjolnir - Keflavik
Feb. 10: KFI - Snaefell
Feb. 10: KR - Thor Thorl
Feb. 10: Stjarnan - Njardvik
Feb. 10: Grindavik - IR
Feb. 10: Skallagrimur - Tindastoll

Stats Leaders (Men)

Points Per Game

Damier PITTS
  KFI
  (177-PG-89)
  Avg: 32.3

1. Pitts, KFI	32.3
2. Palm, IR	27.0
3. Smith, Thor Thorl	26.6
4. Medlock, Skallagri.	25.7
5. Broussard, Grind.	23.3
6. Craion, Keflavik	22.6
7. Shouse, Stjarnan	22.5
8. Zeglinski, Grindav.	22.4
9. Jackson, Thor Thorl	22.3
10. Quaintance, Skall.	20.0

Rebounds Per Game

Marcus VAN
  Njardvik
  (201-F/C-85)
  Avg: 14.7

1. Van, Njardvik	14.7
2. Craion, Keflavik	13.5
3. Quaintance, Skalla.	12.9
4. Spicer, Fjolnir	10.1
5. Valentine, Tindast.	9.9
6. McQueen, Snaefell	9.7
7. Mills, Stjarnan	9.7
8. Virijevic, KFI	9.7
9. Jackson, Thor Thorl	9.0
10. Broussard, Grind.	8.7

Assists Per Game

Jay THREATT
  Snaefell
  (180-G-89)
  Avg: 9.7

1. Threatt, Snaefell	9.7
2. Shouse, Stjarnan	8.8
3. Pitts, KFI	7.1
4. Zeglinski, Grindav.	6.9
5. Williams, IR	6.6
6. Gibson, Tindastoll	6.5
7. Smith, Thor Thorl	5.7
8. Valsson, Keflavik	4.9
9. Fridriksson, Njard.	4.9
10. Bjornsson, KR	4.4

Steals Per Game

Haminn QUAINTANCE
  Skalla.
  (201-F-85)
  Avg: 2.8

1. Quaintance, Skalla.	2.8
2. Moore, Njardvik	2.7
3. Broussard, Grind.	2.5
4. Medlock, Skallagri.	2.4
5. Pitts, KFI	2.2
6. Threatt, Snaefell	2.2
7. Williams, IR	2.1
8. Jonsson, Thor Thorl	2.1
9. Viggosson, Tindast.	2.1
10. Hilmarsson, Thor	2.1

Blocks Per Game

Michael CRAION
  Keflavik
  (195-F-89)
  Avg: 2.4

1. Craion, Keflavik	2.4
2. Mills, Stjarnan	2.0
3. Bradshaw, KFI	1.7
4. Quaintance, Skalla.	1.7
5. Magnusson, KR	1.4
6. Valentine, Tindast.	1.2
7. Van, Njardvik	1.2
8. Acox, KR	1.1
9. Thorsteinsso., Gri.	1.1
10. Valdimarsson, Stj.	0.9

Standings - 1 Division

D1 Standings

1. Valur		10-0
2. Hamar		8-3
3. Haukar		8-3
4. Hottur		8-4
5. Breidablik		6-6
6. Thor AK		5-5
7. FSU		5-6
8. Reynir S.		2-9
9. IA		2-9
10. Augnablik		2-11

Regular Season: Round 13

Feb. 7: Hottur - Augnablik 95-74
Feb. 8: Thor AK - Hamar
Feb. 8: Breidablik - Reynir S.
Feb. 8: FSU - Valur
Feb. 8: Haukar - IA

Dominos League Round 15: Bottom-ranked Tindastoll wins against Fjolnir - by Eurobasket News

Bottom-ranked Tindastoll managed to get a fourth victory on Friday night. This time they edged tenth-ranked Fjolnir in Sauoarkrokur 86-84. Tindastoll well out of reach of Fjolnir shooting 71.4 percent from the field. Strangely Fjolnir outrebounded Tindastoll 16-4. They shot the lights out from three sinking 20 long-distance shots on high 74.1 percentage. It was a good game for forward Hreinn Birgisson (193-89) who led his team to a victory with 21 points (perfect from the field making all seven shots !!!). American forward George Valentine (203, college: Winthrop) contributed with 20 points (on 8-of-9 shooting from the field) for the winners. Tindastoll's coach Bardur Eythorsson used a ten-player rotation in such tough game. Forward Tomas Tomasson (193-91, college: Newberry) answered with 32 points (on 12-of-14 shooting from the field) for Fjolnir. Tindastoll (4-11) moved-up to tenth place, which they share with IR and Fjolnir. Fjolnir lost fourth consecutive game. Tindastoll is looking forward to face higher ranked Skallagrimur (#8) in Borgarnes in the next round and it will be quite challenging to get another victory. Fjolnir will play at home against Keflavik and is hoping to win this game.
Express L. top team - Grindavik (12-3) managed to deliver another win. This time they beat seventh ranked Njardvik (6-9) 96-84. It ended at the same time the two-game winning streak of Njardvik. It was a great evening for American point guard Sammy Zeglinski (182-88, college: Virginia) who led his team to a victory scoring 30 points, 6 rebounds, 7 assists and 5 steals. Aaron Broussard helped adding 17 points and 10 rebounds (went 8 for 8 at the free throw line). The best for the losing side was American swingman Nigel Moore (195-81, college: Alabama A&M) with a double-double by scoring 21 points, 7 rebounds, 10 assists and 7 steals. Both coaches used bench players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. Grindavik have a solid series of three victories in a row. Defending champion maintains first place with 12-3 record. Njardvik at the other side keeps the seventh position with nine games lost. They share it with Skallagrimur. Grindavik will play against IR (#11) in Reykjavik in the next round and are hoping to win another game. Njardvik will play on the road against Stjarnan (#5) and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Worth to mention about the upset in a game between Skallagrimur (6-9) and IR (4-11), which took place in Reykjavik. 8th ranked Skallagrimur was outleveled in a road game by eleventh ranked IR 96-70 on Thursday. It was an exceptional evening for Eric Palm who led the winners and scored 26 points and 9 rebounds. IR's coach Jon Arnar Ingvarsson felt very confident that he used 11 players and allowed the starting five to rest. Carlos Medlock came up with 32 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists for Skallagrimur in the defeat. IR moved-up to tenth place, which they share with Tindastoll and Fjolnir. Newly promoted Skallagrimur dropped to the seventh position with nine games lost. They share it with Njardvik. IR will meet league's leader Grindavik on the road in the next round and it will be quite challenging to get another victory. Skallagrimur will play against Tindastoll (#12) in Sauoarkrokur and hope to secure a win.

There were no big surprises in other games of round 15: Stjarnan was beaten by Thor Thorl on the road 105-100. Keflavik won against KFI on its own court 111-102. KR unfortunately lost to Snaefell in Stykkisholmur 104-110.
The most impressive performance of 15th round was 43 points (!!!), 6 rebounds and 7 assists by Benjamin Smith of Thor Thorl.

Thor Thorl - Stjarnan 105-100

No shocking result in a game when third ranked Thor Thorl (11-4) beat 5th ranked Stjarnan (9-6) in Thorlakshofn 105-100 on Friday. The hosts were tied at the half but managed to speed up in last two quarters eventually winning the game. Thor Thorl made 29-of-34 free shots (85.3 percent) during the game. They also forced 22 Stjarnan turnovers. It was an exceptional evening for American guard Benjamin Smith (178-87, college: Jacksonville) who led the winners and scored 43 points (!!!), 6 rebounds and 7 assists. His fellow American import forward David Jackson (201-88, college: Penn St.) accounted for 29 points and 6 rebounds for the winning side. American swingman Jarrid Frye (194-85, college: Sacred Heart) came up with 35 points (!!!), 7 rebounds and 4 assists and naturalized American guard Justin Shouse (180-81, college: Mercyhurst) added 32 points and 6 assists respectively for Stjarnan in the defeat. Four Stjarnan players scored in double figures. Stjarnan's coach Teitur Orlygsson rotated ten players in this game, but that didn't help. Thor Thorl moved-up to second place, which they share with Snaefell. Stjarnan lost third consecutive game. They keep the fifth position with six games lost. Thor Thorl will meet KR (#6) in the next round. Stjarnan will play against Njardvik in Njardvik and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Thor Thorl: B.Smith 43+6reb+7ast, D.Jackson 29+6reb+1ast, G.Jonsson 12+1reb+2ast, D.Flake 8+10reb+3ast, T.Ragnarsson 7+3reb+2ast, B.Ragnarsson 3+2reb
Stjarnan: J.Frye 35+7reb+4ast, J.Shouse 32+3reb+6ast, B.Mills 12+8reb, K.Kjartansson 10+4reb+1ast, F.Helgason 4+4reb, M.Valdimarsson 3+6reb

Tindastoll - Fjolnir 86-84

Bottom-ranked Tindastoll managed to get a fourth victory on Friday night. This time they edged tenth-ranked Fjolnir in Sauoarkrokur 86-84. Tindastoll well out of reach of Fjolnir shooting 71.4 percent from the field. Strangely Fjolnir outrebounded Tindastoll 16-4. They shot the lights out from three sinking 20 long-distance shots on high 74.1 percentage. It was a good game for forward Hreinn Birgisson (193-89) who led his team to a victory with 21 points (perfect from the field making all seven shots !!!). American forward George Valentine (203, college: Winthrop) contributed with 20 points (on 8-of-9 shooting from the field) for the winners. Five Tindastoll players scored in double figures. Tindastoll's coach Bardur Eythorsson used a ten-player rotation in such tough game. Forward Tomas Tomasson (193-91, college: Newberry) answered with 32 points (on 12-of-14 shooting from the field) and guard Arnthor Gudmundsson (187-91) added 25 points (on 8-of-9 shooting from the field) in the effort for Fjolnir. Tindastoll (4-11) moved-up to tenth place, which they share with IR and Fjolnir. Fjolnir lost fourth consecutive game. Tindastoll is looking forward to face higher ranked Skallagrimur (#8) in Borgarnes in the next round and it will be quite challenging to get another victory. Fjolnir will play at home against Keflavik and is hoping to win this game.
Top scorers:
Tindastoll: H.Birgisson 21+1reb+1ast, G.Valentine 20+1ast, D.Gibson 14+1reb+2ast, P.Runar Birgisson 11+1ast, H.Viggosson 11+1reb+1ast, T.Johnson 3
Fjolnir: T.Tomasson 32+2reb+2ast, A.Gudmundsson 25+1reb, C.Smith 10+3reb+2ast, I.Miles 8+7reb, I.Hafsteinsson 7+1reb+2ast, T.Bessason 2+2reb

IR - Skallagrimur 96-70

Worth to mention about the upset in a game between Skallagrimur (6-9) and IR (4-11), which took place in Reykjavik. 8th ranked Skallagrimur was outleveled in a road game by eleventh ranked IR 96-70 on Thursday. The game without a history. IR led from the first minutes and controlled entire game increasing their lead in each quarter. They dominated down low during the game scoring 56 of its points in the paint compared to Skallagrimur's 36 and made 16-of-18 free shots (88.9 percent) during the game. IR looked well-organized offensively handing out 22 assists. It was an exceptional evening for American guard Eric Palm (188-87, college: McKendree) who led the winners and scored 26 points and 9 rebounds. The former international guard Sveinbjorn Claessen (191-86) accounted for 18 points, 9 rebounds and 5 assists for the winning side. Four IR players scored in double figures. IR's coach Jon Arnar Ingvarsson felt very confident that he used 11 players and allowed the starting five to rest. American guard Carlos Medlock (183-87, college: E.Michigan) came up with 32 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists and center Hordur Hreidarsson (203-88) added 14 points and 8 rebounds respectively for Skallagrimur in the defeat. IR moved-up to tenth place, which they share with Tindastoll and Fjolnir. Newly promoted Skallagrimur dropped to the seventh position with nine games lost. They share it with Njardvik. IR will meet league's leader Grindavik on the road in the next round and it will be quite challenging to get another victory. Skallagrimur will play against Tindastoll (#12) in Sauoarkrokur and hope to secure a win.
Top scorers:
IR: E.Palm 26+9reb+3ast, N.Sovic 22+5reb+2ast, S.Claessen 18+9reb+5ast, D.Williams 12+3reb+8ast, E.Arnarson 7+1reb, H.Fridriksson 6+6reb+2ast
Skallagrimur: C.Medlock 32+7reb+4ast, H.Hreidarsson 14+8reb+2ast, P.Axel Vilbergsson 9+4reb+1ast, O.Jonsson 6+3reb+3ast, S.Egilsson 5+1reb+1ast, T.Eiriksson 2+5reb+1ast

Keflavik - KFI 111-102

Very expected game when 9th ranked KFI (5-10) lost on the road to fifth ranked Keflavik (10-5) 111-102 on Thursday. The hosts trailed by 5 points after first quarter, but they rallied back to get the 12-point lead at the halftime and eventually won the game 111-102. Keflavik looked well-organized offensively handing out 22 assists. Great defensive blocking was one of the keys in this match when Keflavik made 16 blocks. It was an exceptional evening for American forward Michael Craion (195-89, college: ORU) who led the winners with a double-double by scoring 32 points, 15 rebounds and 6 blocks. point guard Valur Valsson (182-94) accounted for 26 points, 8 rebounds and 8 assists for the winning side. Keflavik's coach Sigurour Ingimundarson allowed to play the deep bench players saving starting five for next games. American point guard Damier Pitts (177-89, college: Marshall) came up with 37 points (!!!), 6 rebounds, 8 assists and 5 steals and guard Kristjan Andresson (188-91) added 15 points and 15 rebounds respectively for KFI in the defeat. Both teams had four players each who scored in double figures. Keflavik have an impressive series of five victories in a row. They moved-up to fourth place. Newly promoted KFI keeps the ninth position with ten games lost. Keflavik will meet Fjolnir (#10) in the next round which should be theoretically an easy game. KFI will play against Snaefell in Stykkisholmur and hope to secure a win.
Top scorers:
Keflavik: M.Craion 32+15reb, V.Valsson 26+8reb+8ast, B.Baptist 20+9reb+4ast, D.Lewis 13+8reb+6ast, S.Hrafnkelsson 9+4reb, M.Gunnarsson 8+3reb+4ast
KFI: D.Pitts 37+6reb+8ast, T.Bradshaw 22+6reb, K.Andresson 15+15reb+2ast, M.Virijevic 11+9reb+1ast, H.Hreinsson 8, J.H. Baldvinsson 7+8reb+4ast

Snaefell - KR 110-104

Rather predictable result when third ranked Snaefell (11-4) won against 6th ranked KR (8-7) in Stykkisholmur 110-104 on Thursday. The hosts trailed by 1 point after first quarter, but they rallied back to get the 5-point lead at the halftime and eventually won the game 110-104. Snaefell made 23-of-28 free shots (82.1 percent) during the game. It was an exceptional evening for American guard Jay Threatt (180-89, college: Delaware St., agency: Pro One Sports) who led the winners with a double-double by scoring 24 points and 11 assists (went 10 for 10 at the free throw line !!!). American-Italian forward Ryan Amoroso (203-85, college: San Diego St.) accounted for 17 points and 12 rebounds for the winning side. American guard Brandon Richardson (182-88, college: Nebraska) came up with 20 points and 5 rebounds and the former international Helgi Magnusson (195-82, college: Catawba) added 17 points and 7 rebounds respectively for KR in the defeat. Both teams had five players each who scored in double figures. Snaefell moved-up to second place, which they share with Thor Thorl. KR lost fourth consecutive game. They keep the sixth position with seven games lost. Snaefell will meet KFI (#9) in the next round and are hoping to win another game. KR will play against the league's second-placed Thor Thorl in Thorlakshofn and hope to secure a win.
Top scorers:
Snaefell: J.Threatt 24+4reb+11ast, S.Thorvaldsson 24+6reb, J.Olafur Jonsson 19+5reb+3ast, R.Amoroso 17+12reb+1ast, S.Davidsson 10+7reb+1ast, H.Gunnarsson 10+2reb+1ast
KR: B.Richardson 20+5reb+2ast, H.Magnusson 17+7reb+2ast, B.Bjornsson 16+3reb+3ast, M.Hermannsson 16+3reb, D.McClellan 12+8reb+4ast, F.Magnusson 12+8reb

Njardvik - Grindavik 84-96

Express L. top team - Grindavik (12-3) managed to deliver another win. This time they beat seventh ranked Njardvik (6-9) 96-84. It ended at the same time the two-game winning streak of Njardvik. The game without a history. Grindavik led from the first minutes and controlled entire game increasing their lead in each quarter. They made 25-of-28 charity shots (89.3 percent) during the game. Njardvik was plagued by 24 personal fouls down the stretch. It was a great evening for American point guard Sammy Zeglinski (182-88, college: Virginia) who led his team to a victory scoring 30 points, 6 rebounds, 7 assists and 5 steals. His fellow American import forward Aaron Broussard (195-90, college: Seattle) helped adding 17 points and 10 rebounds (went 8 for 8 at the free throw line). Five Grindavik players scored in double figures. The best for the losing side was American swingman Nigel Moore (195-81, college: Alabama A&M) with a double-double by scoring 21 points, 7 rebounds, 10 assists and 7 steals and point guard Elvar Fridriksson (180-94) scored 18 points, 6 rebounds and 6 assists. Both coaches used bench players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. Grindavik have a solid series of three victories in a row. Defending champion maintains first place with 12-3 record. Njardvik at the other side keeps the seventh position with nine games lost. They share it with Skallagrimur. Grindavik will play against IR (#11) in Reykjavik in the next round and are hoping to win another game. Njardvik will play on the road against Stjarnan (#5) and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Grindavik: S.Zeglinski 30+6reb+7ast, S.Thorsteinsson 17+7reb+1ast, A.Broussard 17+10reb+2ast, T.Olafsson 16+8reb+2ast, J.Olafsson 15+6reb+1ast, R.Pettinella 1+1reb+1ast
Njardvik: N.Moore 21+7reb+10ast, E.Fridriksson 18+6reb+6ast, H.Einarsson 10+3reb, O.Jonsson 9+5reb+1ast, M.Baginski 8+5reb, M.Van 7+13reb+1ast

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IRAN

WABA Championship: Iran storm past Jordan in opener - by Eurobasket News

Iran - Jordan 93:55

Iran opened the home edition of the WABA Championship in style. They rolled past Jordan for the first victory. Asghar Kardoust (212-C-86) stepped up with 6 points and 8 rebounds to lead the winners.
Iran shocked Jordan with a 16:0 run to start the game. They rallied on to ensure a 26:10 lead after ten minutes. Iran maintained the lead throughout the second quarter. They established a 46:30 halftime advantage. The home team dominated in every facet of the battle to pile up a 71:39 lead at the final intermission. Iran did not look back in the fourth frame and coasted to the victory at the end. Aren Davoudichegani (185-PG-86) posted 14 points, while Mohammad Samad Nikkhah Bahrami (199-F-83) and Mahdi Kamrani (186-PG-82) added 13 points each for the hosts. Mohammad Shaher (210-C-90) answered with 13 points and 8 rebounds for Jordan. Mohammad Hadrab (202-PF-84) and Ayman Idais (205-C-78, agency: Court Side) netted 7 points each in the loss.

Iran: Asghar Kardoust 16, Aren Davoudichegani 14, Mohammad Samad Nikkhah Bahrami 13, Mahdi Kamrani 13
Jordan: Mohammad Shaher 13, Mohammad Hadrab 7, Ayman Idais 7

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IRAQ

IRELAND

BASKETBALL IRELAND WEEKEND PREVIEW - by Patrick Maher

BASKETBALL IRELAND WEEKEND PREVIEW

With the SuperLeague back in full swing, this weekend offers fans up and down the country more thrilling games to watch as the race to be crowned League Champions heats up.

In the Nivea for Mens SuperLeague, all eyes are on Limerick this Saturday evening when the Eagles face off with National Cup Champions, Bord Gais Neptune, marking the biggest fixture of the weekend.

However, DCU Saints kick off the games tonight when they meet Dublin rivals, UCD Marian in DCU Complex. Saints will continue their double weekend as they take on Dublin Inter at home on Saturday. Meanwhile, southsiders, UCD Marian, are also in for a double weekend as they face the challenge of UCC Demons in the National Basketball Arena on Saturday.

Elsewhere in Dublin, Moycullen will make the journey to the capital to take on Killester.

Entering February off the back of an extremely successful month, National Cup Champions, Bord Gais Neptune will travel to Limerick to take on last seasons double champions, UL Eagles.

The last time both teams meet was in the National Cup final in front of a sold-out National Basketball Arena and it was the Cork side who left Dublin with the cup held high. This time around, both teams understand the importance of the game and how it will affect their league status.

Mark Scannell, head coach of Bord Gais Neptune said, This is a must win game for us, if we lost this I cant really see a way back.

Scannell continued, I watched UL play last week and they have bounced back well from their loss in the Cup. Keenan is a clever coach and will learn a lot from the last time we meet so they will be prepared.

We are over the glory of the cup, we have come back down to earth and to basics. With our energy high, we are ready and prepared for the game this weekend.

Echoing Scannells sentiments, head coach of UL Eagles, Mark Keenan, highlighted the importance of the game, This is a huge one for us. We were disappointed with our result in the cup but we need to get a win over Neptune to secure a top of the table position down the stretch.

Before the weekend fixtures begin, tonight will see DCU Saints take on UCD Marian.

As both teams enter the game off the back of a string of losses it will be DCU Saints that will be quietly confident as they already secured two wins over the southsiders earlier this season.

However, head coach of DCU Saints, David Donnelly, is aware of the change in dynamics, The last time we played Marian they didnt have Thomas Viglianco and he is big for them inside. We will have Provizors with us this evening so it will make for an interesting match-up.

On the back of that Dublin derby, DCU Saints will also take on Dublin Inter this Saturday. During their last clash, the game was forced into over-time as Saints stole the win. This time however, Inter enter the game all guns blazing as they have recently secure three win on the bounce.

Speaking about Inter, head coach, Irmantas Griksas said, This is our most important game so far. We set our goal at achieving fourth place this season and we need to win this game over DCU Saints to stay in the running for that spot.

We have worked very hard to get to this position and are ready to take on Saints. Provizors and Emmet Donnelly will provide trouble for us so we know we need to be weary of them and their positive influence over their own team.

Donnelly also said, Inter are on a good run at the moment and we know the pressure they like to bring. We must step up our own defence and be ready to challenge every shot they put up.

Meanwhile, UCD Marian will play their second game this weekend against Corks UCC Demons in the National Basketball Arena.

Demons must secure a win over the Dublin side this weekend in order for them to keep their League Champions dreams alive come March. Coming off the back of a tough loss to UL Eagles last week, Demons will be rearing for the opportunity to set the record straight that they deserve a spot at the top of the table.

Finally for the men Killester will take on Moycullen in the IWA in Clontarf.

Both sides have had patches of good and bad spells this season with their last encountered ending with an impressive victory for the young Galway side.

Nonetheless, Killester will be rejuvenated entering the game as the last time the two teams meet the Dubliners were under different management and without their power-house inside man, Michael Bonaparte.

Basketball Ireland Upcoming Fixtures

Saturday February 9th

Nivea For Men's SuperLeague

DCU Saints v Dublin Inter, DCU Complex, 19:00 ; UCD Marian v UCC Demons, National Basketball Arena, 19:00 ; UL Eagles v Bord Gais Neptune, UL Arena, 19:30 ; Killester v Moycullen, I.W.A Clontarf, 20:00

Basketball Ireland Men's Division One

Maree v Blue Demons, Calasanctius College, 17:00 ; Team Left Bank Kilkenny v Matt OFlaherty Chemists Titans, O Loughlin Gaels Gym, 19:30

Sunday February 10th

Basketball Ireland Men's Division One

Ballon BC v Fr Mathews, Palmerstown, 14:30 ; Ulster Elks v Donegal Town, UUJ, 14:45 ; Blue Demons v Team Garveys St Marys, Mardyke, 15:15

Courtesy ....Elaine Caffrey ...www.basketballireland.ie
Robert Taylor (188-G-83, college: Rider)

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ISRAEL

Galil/Elion adds Mike James - by Netanel Dahan

Hapoel Kazrin-Galil/Elion, has reached an agreement with Mike James (185-G-90, college: Lamar).

James, signed with Galil after Lawrance Westbrrok decided to move on to a better level, as he signed in Ludwigsburg from the 1st league in Germany.

Mike is a rookie,graduated from Lamar college. He signed at the begining of the season with K.K Zagreb and left the team on December.

He averaged this season with Zagreb: 19.1 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 2.7 apg, and 2.3 spg.

Maccabi Tel Aviv undeterred by Gal Mekel's scoring frenzy - by David Pick

Maccabi Haifa 6-foot-4 point guard Gal Mekel failed to sleep last night following Haifa's hard fought 76-68 cup finals loss to Maccabi Tel Aviv, who won its 40th trophy in 53 years.

The former Wichita State playmaker was a few plays away from becoming the only hooper in history to win both the domestic championship and cup titles with teams other than the Israeli power from Tel Aviv.

In the locker room, Mekel was dumbfounded. He sat shirtless with a towel over his head reading a optimistic text message from one of his former coaches. Mekel was heartbroken. He was lost for words and couldn't even make eye contact when I tapped him on the shoulder saying, "Great effort, Gal. Keep your head up."

Unlike his Haifa teammates, beating Tel Aviv was personal to Mekel, who signed his pro-rookie contract with Maccabi but went inactive for the majority of his 2008 and 2009 yellow-and-blue episodes. To Mekel, winning the cup meant vengeance.

On the hardwood, however, Mekel was electrifying. The 24-year-old guard erupted for 28 points scoring 14 of Haifa's 18 in the first period. Mekel shot an overall 8-12 field goals including 3-3 shooting from beyond the arc, and 9-10 from the charity stripe against Yogev Ohayon and Ricky Hickman, two of the top defenders in Israel. Mekel added 3 rebounds and 4 dimes en route to capitalizing the greatest scoring performance in Israel's cup finals since former UConn guard and Maccabi legend Doron Sheffer netted 32 in 1998.

Mekel's jaw-dropping performance also earned him a phone call from Israel's national-team coach Arik Shivek.

After his post game press conference, Mekel didn't ride the Haifa bus back up north. Instead, he drove home to northern Tel Aviv with his parents and younger brother, mulling over how Haifa crawled back from a 14-point deficit only to allow a late 61-57 fourth-quarter advantage slip away.

Overnight, Mekel had nightmares, replaying in his mind each one of Haifa's errors down the stretch, knowing that opportunities to sting Maccabi at Nokia Arena are unique in Israel's hoops scene.

Disappointed by the loss but encouraged by Haifa firmly gripping onto a top seeded playoff spot, Mekel looks with anticipation towards June, hoping to get another swing at his ex, before taking his talents across the Atlantic to the Las Vegas for the 2013 NBA Summer League.

Since joining Haifa on November 2012, Mekel averages 13.7 points, 2.7 rebounds and is ranked first in the league is assists with 6 per game.

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ITALY

Beko Final Eight, quarterfinals: Sassari 98 Brindisi 96 (OT) - by Armando Caporaso

In the first match of the day, the third quarterfinal, face off between two big surprises of this first part of season, Sassari and Brindisi. In a really fought game (without the two captains Vanuzzo and Ndoja) at the end is the second force of the league to win thanks an amazing Drake Diener (196-G-81, agency: Priority Sports, college: De Paul), MVP, that closes with 36 points and 8/14 by 3. The Dinamo reaches the semifinal waiting for his opponent. However great game also for the team of Piero Bucchi, that can't will try to win his third Italian F8 (after that with Treviso and Napoli). The match it's been very balanced and is ended only after an overtime.

Robinson open the game with 2 points (8 in total in the first quarter, like his teammate Gibson) and, despite a great Drake Diener that starts with 11 points (2 consecutive triples in the first seconds and 3/5 total), there is great balance. After only 3 minutes Reynolds commits already his second foul but coach Bucchi decides to leave him on the court for some other minute. The Dinamo, excluding Drake Diener, has a bad percentage by 3 (0/6) but remains in contact thanks the points under the board of Easley (6 with 4 rebounds). False start for the best playmaker of the league: Travis Diener after 10 minutes has just one point (0/3 at shoot even if already 4 assist) and 2 fouls committed in the 24-22 final for Brindisi.
The second quarter starts with the alley-oop Viggiano-Grant (next the dunk a tecnical foul for the American center) and a Drake Diener always on fire. The game remains very balanced also because the not exciting percentage. With little more than 3 minutes remaining shots begin to enter and the Enel reaches the +5 thanks a partial of 6-0 with 2 triples of the couple Formenti-Fultz. Brindisi maintains the advantage (up to a maximum of 6 points) thanks to other 2 triples (always Formenti-Fultz) despite a rumbustious Drake Diener. In the last action of the first half the buzzerbeater of Sacchetti set the result on 45-44 for the team of Brindisi. For the leaders only Robinson in double digit with 10 points, 9 for Gibson while Drake Diener leads the Dinamo with 19 points in 18 minutes and an amazing 6/8 total (5/7 by 3).
The game restarts with a bad news for Bucchi: the third foul of Gibson after just 2 minutes. Thornton and Viggiano score by 3 and, after a tecnical foul for the bench of Sassari and a great dunk of Simmons (also 4 blocks in the quarter for the center with Bulgarian passport), Brindisi moves 7 points ahead. Finally Travis Diener finds his first triple but across the axis Reynolds-Viggiano don't miss a beat (7 assist for the playmaker and 15 points for the forward). Drake Diener (with 5 consecutive points) and Thornton try to mend the breach but thanks also to the help of Gibson Brindisi is again on +7 at 27'. In the last minutes starts the personal challenge between Gibson and Thornton and, thanks 3 amazing consecutive triples of the ex Siena (17 points in the quarter), Sassari took strongly the lead before the 2 free throws of Viggiano (caused by the fourth foul of the same Thornton) for the 73-72.
In the last quarter seems to have finally arrived the time of Travis Diener that starts with 2 points and an assist for Sacchetti (+4 Dinamo). Shortly after arrives the fourth foul of the son of the coach but this don't stop Sassari that with 5 consecutive points of the usual Drake Diener leads despite 2 dunks of Simmons. With another dunk of his center Brindisi impacts on 82-82 and, after a pair of errors of Ignerski, the Enel back forward thanks the triple of Zerini and another dunk of the usual Simmons. Thanks 4 points of the cousins Diener Sassari back in contact and Easley draw with a free throw (87-87 at 39'). In the last minute 4 consecutive errors (Thornton, Reynolds, Sacchetti and Reynolds again) send the game to the overtime!
In the first OT the first basket is for Gibson, Thornton and Drake Diener takes Sassari on +3 but after few seconds with the triple Gibson draw again. Sassari don't exploit 3 consecutive offensive rebounds and, after the timeout, Simmons signs the 94-93 for Brindisi. In the last 2 minutes Easley is decisive with 2 points and a perfect defense that provides the breakthrough of Viggiano and his fifth foul. With another 3 points shoot Drake Diener writes a partial of 5-0 and the +4 for the Dinamo. After some errors and free throws (fifth foul of Thornton) Gibson has the chance to draw again with the last shoot but, despite 5 seconds remaining, his conclusion is short and Sassari wins an exciting game for 98-96! The top scorer of the game is Drake Diener with 36 points, 25 for Thornton (17 only in the third quarter) and usual double-double for Easley (15 + 10 rebounds) and Travis Diener (13 + 12 assist). For the defeated 26 points of Gibson, 18 of Simmons (with 10 rebounds) and 15 for Viggiano.

Banco Sardegna Sassari: Drake Diener 36 pts (8/14 by 3, 13/25 total), Thornton 25 pts + 8 reb, Easley 15 pts + 10 reb, Travis Diener 13 pts + 12 ass.

Enel Brindisi: Gibson 26 pts, Simmons 18 pts + 10 reb + 6 blk, Viggiano 15 pts, Reynolds 9 ass, Robinson 12 pts + 10 reb.

Beko Final Eight, quarterfinals: Siena 82 Reggio Emilia 73 - by Armando Caporaso

In the last quarterfinal, theoretically the game less balanced, the current champions (four consecutive times in this Final 8) face off another big surprise of this 2012/13 season, the other newly promoted Reggio Emilia... and, in front of many Trenkwalder supporters (4083 total), unfortunately the miracle does not happen. Siena wins for 82-73, despite the important absence of Carraretto and the few minutes of Ress, and reaches Sassari in semifinal. Reggio fights for all the match falling only in the last 2 minutes... really important the different at rebound (35-23 for Siena) and, in negative for the defeated, the bad night of Taylor with just 10 points and 5/15 total. Instead for the winners great game of the couple David Moss (196-F-83, agency: SportsTalent, college: Indiana St.)-Brown, 42 points, to which are added the 14 points of Janning (66 total, the 80% of the entire team). This could be a bad signal for the next game?

In the first 10 minutes Siena starts with a partial of 5-0 next closed by a against-partial all of Antonutti with 4 consecutive points. Slanina commits soon the second foul and the Montepashi tries to escape with Moss (already 7 points and good work at rebound) and Brown but, after the max advantage (+7) Reggio Emilia approaches with Brunner and, thanks 4 consecutive points of Jeremic go ahead for the first time. The triples of Moss and Brown (both 10 points) stop the streak of the Trenkwalder but, with another partial of 6-0 led by Cinciarini, the men of Menetti close the quarter in balance 23-23 thanks also the energy of the new entered Cervi. For Siena just 3 players with points scored.
Jeremic open the second quarter with the triple, Janning answers with 2 points and, thanks the great defense Reggio continues to lead until the return on the court of Moss (immediately 2 points) and the first points of Sanikidze at 15'. Siena starts a bit of pressing and after the third foul of Slanina (with relative 2/2 of Moss in free throw) the triple of Antonutti writes the new overtaking with less than 3 minutes left. In the last possessions many errors with Siena that has several times (thanks 2 offensive rebounds) the possibility to back forward. In the last minute 4 free throws of Brunner and Jeremic allow Reggio to close the first half for 39-37 (+5 max advantage) after the buzzerbeater, by 3, of Kangur. For Siena double digit of Brown (10, without points in the second quarter) and Moss, 14 with 100% at shoot while for the opponents the top scorer is Brunner with 10 points, 9 points for Jeremic and 7 points for the Italian couple Antonutti-Cinciarini (also 5 assist for the playmaker).
In the third quarter, usually the preferred of Siena, the game starts again with a 5-0 for the Montepaschi like in the first minutes. After the third foul of Antonutti and Taylor Brown scores the second triple in few seconds but Reggio draw with Brunner (two times, also after the dunk of Eze). Janning back for Hackett (3 fouls), Antonutti and Brunner (17 points) lead the team with 5 points but Moss (that commits shortly after his third foul) and Brown respond immediately. With another triple (and a breakthrough suffered) Antonutti pick up the game but the men of Banchi don't give up and close ahead 62-57 after 30 minutes. Good news for Banchi: after some games, out for injury, back on the field Ress for Siena.
Like in the second quarter the triple of Jeremic reopens the game but Janning reaches the double digit and writes +4. After the fourth foul of Moss (34') Brunner back to score while Slanina is out for the fifth foul and Hackett and Brown score the points for the +6. The fourth foul of Jeremic, after the 2 points of Taylor (game unproductive until now for the top scorer of the league), brings again Hackett in lunette (4/6 total) so the Italian guard takes confidence and scores another 2 points in penetration after an offensive rebound. With 3 minutes remaining Siena tries to kill the game with the triple of Janning (+9) and Menetti decides to stop the partial with the timeout. Taylor missed another 3 point shoot (0/6) and the hopes of Reggio end after the umpteenth offensive rebound of Siena and the next triple of Janning to open the last minute of game. Nothing happens in the last 58 seconds and Siena respects the prediction winning 82-73 even if the Trenkwalder supporters can be satisfied for having stood up to the Montepaschi until the end!

Montepaschi Siena: Brown 22 pts, Moss 20 pts (6/6), Janning 14 pts, Hackett 6 reb + 6 ass.

Trenkwalder Reggio Emilia: Brunner 20 pts + 5 reb, Antonutti 13 pts, Cinciarini 12 pts + 8 ass, Jeremic 12 pts.

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JAPAN

Standings - JBL

JBL Standings

1. Aishin SH		23-5
2. Toyota Alvark		22-7
3. Panasonic T.		18-11
4. Toshiba BT		17-12
5. Hitachi SR		15-14
6. Tochigi Brex		9-20
7. Mitsubishi DD		8-21
8. Hokkaido L.		3-25

Regular Season: Round 15

Feb. 8: Toshiba BT - Mitsubishi DD 86-84
Feb. 8: Toyota Alvark - Tochigi Brex 79-81
Feb. 8: Panasonic T. - Hitachi SR 65-51
Feb. 9: Toyota Alvark - Tochigi Brex
Feb. 9: Toshiba BT - Mitsubishi DD
Feb. 9: Aishin SH - Hokkaido L.
Feb. 9: Panasonic T. - Hitachi SR
Feb. 10: Aishin SH - Hokkaido L.

Stats Leaders - JBL Superleague

Points Per Game

Nick FAZEKAS
  Toshiba BT
  (211-F-85)
  Avg: 22.3

1. Fazekas, Toshiba	22.3
2. Kawamura, Tochigi	18.0
3. Watkins, Panasoni.	17.3
4. Kanamaru, Panasoni.	16.7
5. Sakuragi, Aishin SH	16.5
6. Smith, Hitachi SR	16.4
7. Orimo, Hokkaido L.	14.0
8. Hale, Mitsubis.	13.6
9. Rolle, Mitsubis.	13.5
10. Gibbs, Toyota A.	13.3

Rebounds Per Game

Nick FAZEKAS
  Toshiba BT
  (211-F-85)
  Avg: 12.6

1. Fazekas, Toshiba	12.6
2. Sakuragi, Aishin SH	12.5
3. Watkins, Panasoni.	12.1
4. Takeuchi, Hitac.	9.4
5. Gibbs, Toyota A.	8.7
6. Smith, Hitachi SR	8.3
7. Takeuchi, Toyota	7.5
8. Hale, Mitsubis.	7.0
9. Young, Aishin SH	6.9
10. Klette, Hokkaido	6.4

Assists Per Game

J.R. SAKURAGI
  Aishin SH
  (206-F/C-76)
  Avg: 4.2

1. Sakuragi, Aishin SH	4.2
2. Kawamura, Tochigi	4.0
3. Shinoyama, Toshi.	3.4
4. Tsuji, Toshiba BT	3.3
5. Abe, Hokkaido L.	3.1
6. Kashiwagi, Aishin	3.1
7. Sakurai, Hokkaido.	3.1
8. Shonaka, Toyota A.	2.8
9. Takeuchi, Hitac.	2.7
10. Igarashi, Mitsubi.	2.7

Steals Per Game

Tomokazu ABE
  Hokkaido L.
  (180-G-85)
  Avg: 2.1

1. Abe, Hokkaido L.	2.1
2. Kashiwagi, Aishin	1.8
3. Hirose, Panasoni.	1.5
4. Gibbs, Toyota A.	1.4
5. Kawamura, Tochigi	1.3
6. Tanaka, Toyota A.	1.2
7. Tashiro, Mitsubis.	1.2
8. Takeuchi, Hitac.	1.1
9. Smith, Hitachi SR	1.1
10. Fazekas, Toshiba	1.1

Blocks Per Game

Jameel WATKINS
  Panasoni.
  (211-C/F-77)
  Avg: 2.1

1. Watkins, Panasoni.	2.1
2. Covile, Aishin SH	1.2
3. Rolle, Mitsubis.	1.1
4. Takeuchi, Toyota	1.0
5. Takeuchi, Hitac.	1.0
6. Fazekas, Toshiba	1.0
7. Young, Aishin SH	0.8
8. Hale, Mitsubis.	0.7
9. Smith, Hitachi SR	0.7
10. Moss, Toshiba BT	0.5

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

JORDAN

KAZAKHSTAN

Standings -D1

D1 Standings

1. BC Astana		16-0
2. Barsy Atyrau		8-4
3. Tobol		5-11
4. Kaspiy Aktau		4-6
5. BK Almaty		4-12
6. BK Kapshagay		2-6

Regular Season: Round 14

Feb. 4: Barsy Atyrau - BK Almaty 79-63
Feb. 7: BC Astana - Tobol 71-70
Feb. 6: BC Astana - Tobol 114-80
Feb. 5: Barsy Atyrau - BK Almaty 108-60
Feb. 9: Kaspiy Aktau - BK Kapshagay
Feb. 10: Kaspiy Aktau - BK Kapshagay

Astana defeat Tobol twice - by Eurobasket News

BC Astana added two more victories to their D1 record. They handed two straight defeats to Tobol.
BC Astana overcame their opponents 114:80 in the first game. Anton Ponomaryov (210-C/F-88, agency: Beo Basket) stepped up with impressive 31 points to lead the defending champions. Astana unloaded 63 points in the first half to take a 28-point lead. BC Astana extended the margin to 34-point mark in the third term and never looked back en route to the win. Dmitriy Klimov (202-F-88) and Jerry Johnson (182-PG-82, agency: Beo Basket, college: Rider) nailed 15 points each for the winners. Konstantin Bulanov (201-F-90) responded with 16 points for Tobol.
The next game turned into a thriller. Tobol surged ahead in the second frame to take a 46:40 halftime lead. BC Astana fired 26 points in the next period but just erased the deficit. The teams went neck and neck throughout the final period but BC Astana managed to eke out a 71:70 win at the end. Rawle Marshall (201-SF-82, agency: Beo Basket, college: Oakland) posted 26 points, while Jerry Johnson added 14 points for the winners. Konstantin Dvirniy (192-G-88) topscored with 18 points for Tobol.

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

LEBANON

WABA Championship: Lebanon cruise past Iraq in opener - by Eurobasket News

Lebanon - Iraq 106:72

Lebanon victoriously opened their WABA Championship campaign. They knocked down Iraq in the opening encounter. Fadi Khatib (199-F-79) provided 20 points to lead the winners.
Lebanon started the game strong posting a 23:12 lead after ten minutes. They dominated in the second quarter. The gap grew at 27-point mark at halftime 27:54. Lebanon stretched the margin in the third quarter. They kept Iraq at bay accumulating an 84:40 advantage with ten minutes remaining. Lebanon did not slow down in the fourth frame. They easily broke 100-point mark and cruised to the victory at the end. Cheikh Hussein El Khatib (186-PG-86) knocked down 16 points, while Mazen Mneimneh (192-G-86) added 15 points for the winners. Michael Shamon (192-F-84) responded with 19 points for Iraq. Jenero Raad chipped in 15 points in the losing effort.

Lebanon: Fadi Khatib 20, Cheikh Hussein El Khatib 16, Mazen Mneimneh 15
Iraq: Michael Shamon 19, Jenero Raad 15

Lebanon to face Iran for the WABA Title - by Asia-Basket Lebanon

Lebanon will face Iran for the title of the WABA Championship after beating Jordan in its 2nd game of the championship on the score of 98-89.
The game was a very close one , saw Jordan causing lot of problems for Lebanon in the paint due to their tall centers but the Lebanese knew how to answer and to stay in the game through an organized defense from Jean Abed El Nour on Rashem Wright who was held for two points in the game, Fadi Khatib led Lebanon offensively , the 2nd quarter saw Jordan increasing their lead 32-25 but Mazen Mneimneh scored 5 consecutive points to keep Lebanon within two points 35-37. The third quarter saw Jordan one more time taking the imitative this time through Wisssam El Souss who gave his team a lead of 7 points 50-43. But Lebanon through Abed El Nour made a big run and led the game at the end of the 3rd quarter 64-61.
The Last quarter saw Fadi Khatib taking over and scored 16 points in this quarter alone and led Lebanon to comfortable lead reached to 10 points but the Jordanians knew how to reduce the score in the end but couldnt manage to continue till the end which gave Lebanon its 2nd win on the score of 98-89.

Fadi Khatib led all scorers with 30pts, Jean Abed El Nour with 20 and Mazen Mneimneh with 16 , as for Jordan Wissam El Souss led his team with 23 and Mohamad Chaher with 22.

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

LIGA AMERICAS

Standings

Liga Americas Standings

Group A
1. Lanus			2-1
2. Osos			2-1
3. Pinheiros/Sky			2-1
4. Estrellas Or.			0-3
Group B
1. Brasilia			1-0
2. Fuerza Regia			1-0
3. Estrellas			0-1
4. Flamengo			0-1
Group C
1. Arecibo			0-0
2. Mavort			0-0
3. Pioneros			0-0
4. S.Jose/Unimed			0-0

Regular Season: Round 4

Feb. 8: Estrellas - Fuerza Regia 85-101
Feb. 8: Flamengo - Brasilia 79-91

Regular Season: Round 5

Feb. 9: Fuerza Regia - Flamengo
Feb. 9: Brasilia - Estrellas

Stats Leaders

Points Per Game

Shamell STALLWORTH
  Pinhei.
  (195-SG-80)
  Avg: 23

1. Stallworth, Pinhei.	23.0
2. Smith, Pinheiro.	22.7
3. Pedroza, Osos	17.7
4. Allen, Osos	17.3
5. Gainous, Osos	16.7
6. Turley, Osos	15.3
7. Battle, Lanus	14.7
8. Dornelles, Pinhei.	13.0
9. Rogers, Estrella.	12.5
10. Ferreira, Pinheir.	12.3

Rebounds Per Game

Mineiro FERREIRA
  Pinheiro.
  (208-C/F-88)
  Avg: 9

1. Ferreira, Pinheiro.	9.0
2. Battle, Lanus	7.7
3. Colmenares, Estrel.	7.5
4. Rogers, Estrella.	7.5
5. Turley, Osos	7.3
6. Araujo, Pinheiro.	7.0
7. Gainous, Osos	6.7
8. Allen, Osos	5.3
9. McFarlan, Lanus	4.7
10. Pedroza, Osos	4.7

Assists Per Game

Myron ALLEN
  Osos
  (182-PG-79)
  Avg: 8.7

1. Allen, Osos	8.7
2. Smith, Pinheiro.	6.3
3. Laprovittola, Lanus	5.7
4. Stallworth, Pinhei.	4.0
5. Penna, Pinheiro.	2.7
6. Turley, Osos	2.7
7. Schattmann, Lanus	2.7
8. Boccia, Lanus	2.7
9. Prato, Lanus	2.3
10. Vargas, Estrella.	2.3

Steals Per Game

Myron ALLEN
  Osos
  (182-PG-79)
  Avg: 2.3

1. Allen, Osos	2.3
2. Stallworth, Pinhei.	2.0
3. Smith, Pinheiro.	2.0
4. Pedroza, Osos	1.3
5. Moore, Estrella.	1.3
6. Vargas, Estrella.	1.0
7. Levy, Lanus	1.0
8. Flores, Estrellas	0.7
9. Turley, Osos	0.7
10. Cuen, Osos	0.7

Blocks Per Game

Mineiro FERREIRA
  Pinheiro.
  (208-C/F-88)
  Avg: 2

1. Ferreira, Pinheiro.	2.0
2. Rogers, Estrella.	1.5
3. Dias, Pinheiros/Sky	1.0
4. McFarlan, Lanus	1.0
5. Cuen, Osos	0.7
6. Umbria, Estrellas	0.7
7. Bambu, Pinheiro.	0.7
8. Perez, Osos	0.7
9. Araujo, Pinheiro.	0.7
10. Battle, Lanus	0.3

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

LITHUANIA

Standings - NKL

NKL Standings

1. Mazeikiai		23-6
2. Dzukija		20-8
3. Olimpas		20-8
4. Suduva-Mantinga		19-10
5. Triobet		18-11
6. Zanavykas		18-11
7. Statyba		18-11
8. Zalgiris-Sabonio		17-12
9. S.Marciulionio		16-14
10. Meresta		15-14
11. Perlas-MRU		13-16
12. Delikatesas		12-17
13. Birstono		12-17
14. Radviliskis		11-17
15. Ezerunas-Karys		9-20
16. Silute		9-20
17. Gargzdai		6-24
18. Nafta Universitetas		5-24

Regular Season: Round 29

Feb. 8: Perlas-MRU - Zalgiris-Sabonio 95-65
Feb. 8: Triobet - Radviliskis 89-93
Feb. 8: Meresta - Nafta Universitetas 89-68
Feb. 8: Mazeikiai - Suduva-Mantinga 87-73
Feb. 8: Ezerunas-Karys - S.Marciulionio 87-72
Feb. 1: Gargzdai - S.Marciulionio 85-75
Feb. 8: Silute - Statyba 82-97
Jan. 31: Zanavykas - Triobet 82-94
Feb. 8: Gargzdai - Zanavykas 81-93
Feb. 1: Suduva-Mantinga - Birstono 80-65
Feb. 2: Birstono - Gargzdai 71-62
Feb. 8: Delikatesas - Birstono 71-59
Feb. 1: Ezerunas-Karys - Zanavykas 70-77

Regular Season: Round 30

Feb. 9: Suduva-Mantinga - Delikatesas
Feb. 9: Radviliskis - Mazeikiai
Feb. 9: S.Marciulionio - Triobet
Feb. 9: Nafta Universitetas - Ezerunas-Karys
Feb. 9: Zalgiris-Sabonio - Meresta
Feb. 9: Statyba - Perlas-MRU
Feb. 9: Zanavykas - Silute
Feb. 9: Dzukija - Gargzdai
Feb. 9: Birstono - Olimpas

Stats Leaders - NKL

Points Per Game

Edgaras STANIONIS
  Zanav.
  (193-G-88)
  Avg: 24.1

1. Stanionis, Zanav.	24.1
2. Maneikis, Olimpas	20.1
3. Kleiza, Birstono	19.4
4. Giedraitis, Mazeik.	16.9
5. Linkevicius, Triob.	16.5
6. Gaidamaviciu., Mer.	16.4
7. Tarvydas, Statyba	16.3
8. Macernis, Mazeikiai	16.2
9. Gudaitis, Zalgir.	15.9
10. Kuklierius, Suduv.	15.8

Rebounds Per Game

Cezary TRYBANSKI
  Dzukija
  (218-C-79)
  Avg: 10.9

1. Trybanski, Dzukija	10.9
2. Linkevicius, Triob.	10.4
3. Virbalas, Perla.	8.8
4. Udras, Perlas-MRU	8.7
5. Gudaitis, Zalgir.	8.2
6. Montrimavici., Rad.	7.7
7. Jurgo, Radviliskis	7.5
8. Tarolis, Gargzdai	7.4
9. Kazakauskas, Olimp.	7.0
10. Norkus, Nafta U.	6.8

Assists Per Game

Bryan HARRISON
  Dzukija
  (188-G-84)
  Avg: 7.7

1. Harrison, Dzukija	7.7
2. Gaidamaviciu., Mer.	7.5
3. Razutis, Olimpas	4.7
4. Kuklierius, Suduva.	4.7
5. Kelys, Perlas-MRU	4.6
6. Mazutis, Mazeikiai	4.4
7. Anuzis, Nafta U.	4.3
8. Varanauskas, Stat.	4.3
9. Kutra, Radviliskis	4.3
10. Rakauskas, S.Marc.	4.0

Steals Per Game

Zydrunas KELYS
  Perlas-MRU
  (188-PG-87)
  Avg: 2.8

1. Kelys, Perlas-MRU	2.8
2. Macernis, Mazeikiai	2.8
3. Razutis, Olimpas	2.7
4. Stanionis, Zanav.	2.6
5. Sabeckis, Birstono	2.3
6. Paliukenas, Staty.	2.2
7. Mazutis, Mazeikiai	2.1
8. Harrison, Dzukija	2.1
9. Pelss, Zanavykas	2.0
10. Giedraitis, Mazei.	1.9

Blocks Per Game

Cezary TRYBANSKI
  Dzukija
  (218-C-79)
  Avg: 3.4

1. Trybanski, Dzukija	3.4
2. Krestinin, S.Marc.	1.9
3. Gudaitis, Zalgir.	1.6
4. Virbalas, Perla.	1.4
5. Kaubrys, Silute	1.2
6. Tarolis, Gargzdai	1.2
7. Macernis, Mazeikiai	1.2
8. Zvinklys, Nafta U.	1.1
9. Lucinskas, Gargzdai	0.8
10. Giedraitis, Mazei.	0.8

NKL Round 29: Mazeikiai beats Suduva-Mantinga in the most crucial game of the week - by Eurobasket News

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

An exciting game between Top Four teams was played in Mazeikiai. First ranked Mazeikiai faced 4th placed Suduva-Mantinga. Host Mazeikiai (23-6) defeated guests from Marijampole (19-10) 87-73. The game was mostly controlled by Mazeikiai. Suduva-Mantinga managed to win fourth quarter 19-15. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. Mazeikiai forced 19 Suduva-Mantinga turnovers. They looked well-organized offensively handing out 21 assists. The best player for the winners was Rokas Giedraitis (198-92) who scored 35 points (!!!). Guard Modestas Sidlauskas (193-85) chipped in 10 points and 11 rebounds. Forward Marius Valukonis (198-88) produced 18 points and 7 rebounds for the guests. Suduva-Mantinga's coach Gintautas Zibuda rotated twelve players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. Mazeikiai maintains first place with 23-6 record. Suduva-Mantinga at the other side keeps the fourth position with ten games lost. Mazeikiai are looking forward to face Radviliskis (#14) on the road in the next round which should be an easy win for them. Suduva-Mantinga will play against Delikatesas (#12) in Joniskis and is hoping to prove to their supporters that the loss was just an accident.
We should mention about the upset which took place in Vilnius, where higher ranked Zalgiris-Sabonio (17-12) was outleveled in a road game by eleventh ranked Perlas-MRU (13-16) 95-65. It ended at the same time the three-game winning streak of Zalgiris-Sabonio. Power forward Mantas Virbalas (203-88) orchestrated the victory by scoring 15 points, 5 rebounds and 6 assists. Antanas Udras contributed with 16 points and 9 rebounds (perfect from the field making all seven shots !!!) for the winners. Forward Marius Grigonis (198-94) answered with 11 points and 5 rebounds for Zalgiris-Sabonio. The winner was already known earlier in the game, so both coaches allowed to play the bench players saving starting five for next games. Perlas-MRU maintains eleventh place with 13-16 record. Zalgiris-Sabonio at the other side dropped to the eighth position with 12 games lost. Perlas-MRU's supporters look forward to an exciting derby game next round, where their team will travel locally in Vilnius to the arena Statyba.
An interesting game took place in Moletai, where higher ranked S.Marciulionio (16-14) lost to fifteenth ranked Ezerunas-Karys (9-20) in a road game 72-87 on Friday. Marius Kugauda stepped up and scored 15 points and 4 assists for the winners. Marius Pociukonis responded with 18 points and 5 assists. S.Marciulionio's coach Gintaras Kruckauskas tested ten players and allowed the starting five to rest. Ezerunas-Karys maintains fifteenth place with 9-20 record, which they share with Silute. Loser S.Marciulionio keeps the ninth position with 14 games lost. Ezerunas-Karys will meet bottom-ranked Nafta Universitetas (#18) in the next round. S.Marciulionio will play against Triobet (#5) in Jonava and hope to secure a win.
An interesting game took place in Gargzdai, where higher ranked S.Marciulionio (16-14) lost to seventeenth ranked Gargzdai-Bremena (6-24) in a road game 75-85. Dominikas Matutis nailed 22 points and 5 assists for the winning side. Gargzdai-Bremena maintains seventeenth place with 6-24 record. S.Marciulionio at the other side keeps the ninth position with 14 games lost. Gargzdai-Bremena's next round opponent will be league's second-placed Dzukija in Alytus and it will be quite challenging to get another victory.
An interesting game took place in Jonava, where higher ranked Triobet (18-11) lost at home to fourteenth ranked Radviliskis (11-17) 89-93 on Friday. The best player for the winners was Antanas Montrimavicius who scored 14 points and 8 rebounds. Triobet's coach Kestutis Narusevicius tried various players' combinations and tested in total eleven players in this game, but that didn't help. Radviliskis maintains fourteenth place with 11-17 record. Loser Triobet dropped to the fifth position with 11 games lost. Radviliskis will face league's leader Mazeikiai at home in the next round and it will be quite challenging to get another victory. Triobet will play against S.Marciulionio (#9) in Vilnius.

Other games of round 29 were very predictable and ended without any surprises. Here they are:
bottom-ranked Nafta Universitetas was crushed by Meresta in Pakruojis 89-68. Silute was beaten by Statyba at home 82-97. Gargzdai lost to Birstono on the opponent's court 62-71. Suduva-Mantinga managed to outperform Birstono in a home game 80-65. Zanavykas managed to beat Ezerunas-Karys on the road 77-70. Zanavykas was defeated by Triobet on its own court 82-94. Birstono was beaten by Delikatesas in Joniskis 71-59. Gargzdai lost to Zanavykas at home 81-93.
The best stats of 29th round was 30 points and 5 rebounds by Evaldas Saulys of Silute.

Meresta - Nafta Universitetas 89-68

There was no surprise in Pakruojis where 18th ranked Nafta Universitetas (5-24) was crushed by tenth ranked Meresta (15-14) 89-68 on Friday. The game was mostly controlled by Meresta. Nafta Universitetas was better in fourth quarter 21-20. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. Meresta dominated down low during the game scoring 56 of its points in the paint compared to Nafta Universitetas' 34. They outrebounded Nafta Universitetas 38-16 including a 29-13 advantage in defensive rebounds. The best player for the winners was guard Tomas Gaidamavicius (191-82) who had a double-double by scoring 12 points, 7 rebounds and 11 assists. Guard Ignas Vaitkus (189-93) chipped in 18 points and 5 rebounds. Four Meresta players scored in double figures. Meresta's coach Dainius Bertulis felt very confident that he used 10 players and allowed the starting five to get some rest. Forward Viktoras Chodosovskis (200-89) produced 23 points and forward Donatas Norkus (196-90) added 15 points respectively for the guests. Meresta maintains tenth place with 15-14 record. Nafta Universitetas lost tenth consecutive game. They stay dead last with 24 lost games. Meresta will face higher ranked Zalgiris-Sabonio (#8) in Kaunas in the next round and it will be quite challenging to get another victory. Nafta Universitetas will play at home against Ezerunas-Karys (#15) in Moletai.
Top scorers:
Nafta Universitetas: V.Chodosovskis 23+1reb+1ast, D.Norkus 15+2reb, T.Mazelis 11+2reb+3ast, D.Anuzis 7+4reb+2ast, D.Jokubaitis 5+3reb, V.Tarolis 5+1reb
Meresta: I.Vaitkus 18+5reb, M.Kadzevicius 15+3reb+1ast, T.Gaidamavicius 12+7reb+11ast, A.Povilaitis 11+7reb+2ast, J.Jucikas 8+5reb+1ast, D.Simaitis 8

Silute - Statyba 82-97

No shocking result in a game when sixth ranked Statyba (18-11) defeated on the road 15th ranked Silute (9-20) 97-82 on Friday. The guests trailed by 16 points after first quarter, but they stormed back and won the game by 15 points. Statyba dominated down low during the game scoring 60 of its points in the paint compared to Silute's 28. They outrebounded Silute 35-23 including 26 on the defensive glass. The best player for the winners was point guard Ovidijus Varanauskas (187-91) who scored 25 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists and 4 steals. Forward Darius Tarvydas (200-91) chipped in 16 points and 6 rebounds. Five Statyba players scored in double figures. Guard Evaldas Saulys (193-93) produced 30 points and 5 rebounds (perfect behind the arc making all six shots !!!) and swingman Marius Kasiulevicius (198-82, college: Trinity Valley JC) added 18 points respectively for the hosts. Statyba have a solid series of three victories in a row. They moved-up to fifth place, which they share with Triobet and Zanavykas. Loser Silute keeps the fifteenth position with 20 games lost. Statyba's supporters look forward to an exciting derby game next round, where their team will face at home their local rival from Vilnius Perlas-MRU.
Top scorers:
Silute: E.Saulys 30+5reb+3ast, M.Kasiulevicius 18+1reb+1ast, E.Molosciakas 10+1reb+1ast, N.Anglickis 10+4reb+3ast, G.Pakalniskis 7+6reb+3ast, D.Heiman 5+4reb+7ast
Statyba: O.Varanauskas 25+7reb+4ast, T.Rinkunas 18+1reb+1ast, D.Tarvydas 16+6reb+1ast, A.Zarskus 12+5reb, K.Brusokas 10+6reb+1ast, V.Luksa 8+5reb+1ast

Birstono - Gargzdai 71-62

Very expected game in Kaunas where 17th ranked Gargzdai-Bremena (6-24) was defeated by thirteenth ranked Birstono (12-17) 71-62 on Saturday. The hosts trailed by 2 points after first quarter, but they rallied back to get the 3-point lead at the halftime and eventually won the game 71-62. The best player for the winners was forward Paulius Petrilevicius (201-91) who had a double-double by scoring 17 points and 11 rebounds. Forward Mantas Lukminas (194-90) chipped in 17 points and 4 assists. Four Birstono players scored in double figures. Forward Marius Grigaitis (196-91) produced 19 points and point guard Dominikas Matutis (180-91) added 9 points and 5 assists respectively for the guests. Birstono moved-up to twelfth place, which they share with Delikatesas. Gargzdai-Bremena lost fourth consecutive game. They keep the seventeenth position with 24 games lost. Birstono will face higher ranked Olimpas (#3) in Plunge in the next round and it will be quite challenging to get another victory. Gargzdai-Bremena will play on the road against the league's second-placed Dzukija (#2) and will have a slim chance for a victory.
Top scorers:
Gargzdai: M.Grigaitis 19+4reb+3ast, R.Jonelis 12+4reb+1ast, D.Matutis 9+4reb+5ast, L.Lucinskas 7+3reb+3ast, M.Martinkus 6+5reb+2ast, G.Sakalas 5+5reb+1ast
Birstono: P.Petrilevicius 17+11reb+1ast, M.Lukminas 17+4reb+4ast, D.Sabeckis 16+4reb+5ast, E.Tviraga 10+4reb, Z.Krupskis 9+5reb+1ast, A.Oladimeji 2+7reb

Suduva-Mantinga - Birstono 80-65

Very predictable result in Marijampole where fourth ranked Suduva-Mantinga (19-10) beat 13th ranked Birstono (12-17) 80-65 on Friday. The hosts trailed by 3 points after first quarter, but they stormed back to get the 9-point lead at the halftime and eventually won the game 80-65. Suduva-Mantinga made 16-of-19 free shots (84.2 percent) during the game. Suduva-Mantinga outrebounded Birstono 43-26 including a 31-16 advantage in defensive rebounds. They looked well-organized offensively handing out 23 assists. The best player for the winners was forward Audrius Mineikis (201-77) who had a double-double by scoring 21 points, 14 rebounds and 5 assists. Forward Marius Valukonis (198-88) chipped in 26 points and 8 rebounds. Suduva-Mantinga's coach Gintautas Zibuda used a ten-player rotation and allowed the starting five to get some rest. Forward Mantas Lukminas (194-90) produced 26 points and forward Paulius Petrilevicius (201-91) added 12 points and 5 rebounds respectively for the guests. Suduva-Mantinga maintains fourth place with 19-10 record. Loser Birstono dropped to the twelfth position with 17 games lost. Suduva-Mantinga will face Delikatesas (#12) in Joniskis in the next round and are hoping to win another game. Birstono will play at home against Olimpas in Plunge.
Top scorers:
Birstono: M.Lukminas 26+2reb, P.Petrilevicius 12+5reb+3ast, Z.Krupskis 12+1reb+2ast, A.Oladimeji 8+5reb, D.Sabeckis 7+6reb+5ast, E.Tviraga 0+2reb
Suduva-Mantinga: M.Valukonis 26+8reb+1ast, A.Mineikis 21+14reb+5ast, Z.Kuklierius 9+1reb+5ast, T.Kliucinykas 9+4reb+2ast, A.Krivonis 5+5reb, K.Pupinis 4+5reb+2ast

Ezerunas-Karys - Zanavykas 70-77

Not a big story in a game in Moletai where 15th ranked Ezerunas-Karys (9-20) was defeated by sixth ranked Zanavykas (18-11) 77-70 on Friday. Ezerunas-Karys trailed by 12 points after 3 quarters before a 22-17 run in the last quarter cut the deficit to 70-77 at the end of the game. Ezerunas-Karys was plagued by 28 personal fouls down the stretch. The best player for the winners was guard Edgaras Stanionis (193-88) who scored 25 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists. Center Vilius Sumskis (213-84, agency: Interperformances) chipped in a double-double by scoring 13 points and 10 rebounds. Zanavykas' coach Giedrius Zibenas used a ten-player rotation and allowed the starting five to get some rest. Forward Lukas Bankieta (198-92) produced 11 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists and center Marius Janisius (203-77) added 8 points, 8 rebounds and 4 assists respectively for the hosts. Four Ezerunas-Karys players scored in double figures. Zanavykas have a solid series of three victories in a row. They moved-up to fifth place, which they share with Triobet and Statyba. Loser Ezerunas-Karys keeps the fifteenth position with 20 games lost. Zanavykas will face Silute (#16) at home in the next round which should be an easy win for them. Ezerunas-Karys will play against Nafta Universitetas in Klaipeda.
Top scorers:
Ezerunas-Karys: J.Narusis 17+2reb, G.Kulbis 14+4reb+1ast, L.Bankieta 11+6reb+4ast, M.Kugauda 10+3reb+2ast, M.Janisius 8+8reb+4ast, R.Ambrulaitis 4+3reb
Zanavykas: E.Stanionis 25+5reb+5ast, V.Sumskis 13+10reb, R.Ostreika 10+5reb+1ast, R.Simanavicius 8+6reb+2ast, A.Pelss 6+2reb+1ast, V.Vaiksnis 6+3reb+1ast

Zanavykas - Triobet 82-94

We could consider it a predictable result in the game between close teams in Sakiai where seventh ranked Triobet (18-11) won against 6th ranked Zanavykas (18-11) 94-82 on Thursday. The guests trailed by 2 points at the halftime before their 50-36 charge in the second half, which allowed them to win the game. Triobet shot the lights out from three sinking 17 long-distance shots on high 54.8 percentage. The best player for the winners was forward Martynas Linkevicius (197-85) who had a double-double by scoring 28 points, 15 rebounds and 4 assists. Guard Tadas Sebeziovas (183-85) chipped in 20 points and 5 assists. Guard Edgaras Stanionis (193-88) produced 25 points and 9 rebounds and center Vilius Sumskis (213-84, agency: Interperformances) added 14 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists respectively for the hosts. Triobet moved-up to fifth place, which they share with Zanavykas and Statyba. Triobet will face S.Marciulionio (#9) in Vilnius in the next round. Zanavykas will play at home against Silute (#16).
Top scorers:
Zanavykas: E.Stanionis 25+9reb+1ast, V.Sumskis 14+6reb+4ast, R.Simanavicius 12+2reb+2ast, A.Pelss 8+3reb+2ast, V.Vaiksnis 7+4reb, R.Ostreika 7+2reb
Triobet: M.Linkevicius 28+15reb+4ast, T.Sebeziovas 20+3reb+5ast, V.Kruzikas 16+8reb+1ast, A.Lencevicius 11+2reb, A.Urbonas 9+5ast, T.Milinskas 9+6reb

Perlas-MRU - Zalgiris-Sabonio 95-65

We should mention about the upset which took place in Vilnius, where higher ranked Zalgiris-Sabonio (17-12) was outleveled in a road game by eleventh ranked Perlas-MRU (13-16) 95-65. It ended at the same time the three-game winning streak of Zalgiris-Sabonio. The game without a history. Perlas-MRU led from the first minutes and controlled entire game increasing their lead in each quarter. They dominated down low during the game scoring 52 of its points in the paint compared to Zalgiris-Sabonio's 30. Perlas-MRU had a 32-19 advantage in offensive rebounds. Their players were unselfish on offense dishing 21 assists. Power forward Mantas Virbalas (203-88) orchestrated the victory by scoring 15 points, 5 rebounds and 6 assists. Forward Antanas Udras (202-92) contributed with 16 points and 9 rebounds (perfect from the field making all seven shots !!!) for the winners. Five Perlas-MRU players scored in double figures. Forward Marius Grigonis (198-94) answered with 11 points and 5 rebounds and guard Lukas Lekavicius (180-94) added 9 points and 6 rebounds in the effort for Zalgiris-Sabonio. The winner was already known earlier in the game, so both coaches allowed to play the bench players saving starting five for next games. Perlas-MRU maintains eleventh place with 13-16 record. Zalgiris-Sabonio at the other side dropped to the eighth position with 12 games lost. Perlas-MRU's supporters look forward to an exciting derby game next round, where their team will travel locally in Vilnius to the arena Statyba.
Top scorers:
Zalgiris-Sabonio: M.Grigonis 11+5reb+1ast, J.Tamulis 11+3reb+1ast, L.Lekavicius 9+6reb+2ast, V.Kariniauskas 7+3reb+3ast, T.Dimsa 6+3reb, S.Kymantas 6+4reb+1ast
Perlas-MRU: K.Sheard 18+2reb+1ast, J.Elvikis 17+4reb+4ast, A.Udras 16+9reb+1ast, Z.Stankus 16, M.Virbalas 15+5reb+6ast, D.Domarkas 7+1reb+4ast

Delikatesas - Birstono 71-59

There was a minor upset in Joniskis where 13th ranked Birstono (12-17) was defeated by thirteenth ranked Delikatesas (12-17) 71-59 on Friday. The hosts trailed by 7 points after three quarters before their 23-4 charge, which allowed them to win the game. Delikatesas dominated on the defensive end, holding Birstono to just 4 points in fourth quarter. They made 23-of-27 free shots (85.2 percent) during the game, while Birstono only scored seven points from the stripe. Delikatesas forced 19 Birstono turnovers. Birstono was plagued by 24 personal fouls down the stretch. The best player for the winners was swingman Mantas Pukinskas (198-89) who scored 19 points and 6 rebounds. Guard Aivaras Kvedaravicius (184-88) chipped in 13 points, 6 assists and 4 steals. Forward Mantas Lukminas (194-90) produced 15 points and 6 rebounds and forward Paulius Petrilevicius (201-91) added 12 points respectively for the guests. Delikatesas moved-up to twelfth place, which they share with defeated Birstono. Delikatesas will face higher ranked Suduva-Mantinga (#4) in Marijampole in the next round and it will be quite challenging to get another victory.
Top scorers:
Birstono: M.Lukminas 15+6reb, Z.Krupskis 12+3reb, P.Petrilevicius 12+4reb+3ast, D.Sabeckis 9+4reb+6ast, A.Oladimeji 7+7reb+1ast, K.Kokoska 2+3reb+2ast
Delikatesas: M.Pukinskas 19+6reb+3ast, A.Kvedaravicius 13+3reb+6ast, P.Klemas 11, I.Lianzbergas 9+1reb+2ast, M.Keras 7+9reb+1ast, Z.Petraitis 5+4reb

Mazeikiai - Suduva-Mantinga 87-73

An exciting game between Top Four teams was played in Mazeikiai. First ranked Mazeikiai faced 4th placed Suduva-Mantinga. Host Mazeikiai (23-6) defeated guests from Marijampole (19-10) 87-73. The game was mostly controlled by Mazeikiai. Suduva-Mantinga managed to win fourth quarter 19-15. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. Mazeikiai forced 19 Suduva-Mantinga turnovers. They looked well-organized offensively handing out 21 assists. The best player for the winners was Rokas Giedraitis (198-92) who scored 35 points (!!!). Guard Modestas Sidlauskas (193-85) chipped in a double-double by scoring 10 points and 11 rebounds. Forward Marius Valukonis (198-88) produced 18 points and 7 rebounds and forward Audrius Mineikis (201-77) added 8 points and 10 rebounds respectively for the guests. Four Suduva-Mantinga players scored in double figures. Suduva-Mantinga's coach Gintautas Zibuda rotated twelve players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. Mazeikiai maintains first place with 23-6 record. Suduva-Mantinga at the other side keeps the fourth position with ten games lost. Mazeikiai are looking forward to face Radviliskis (#14) on the road in the next round which should be an easy win for them. Suduva-Mantinga will play against Delikatesas (#12) in Joniskis and is hoping to prove to their supporters that the loss was just an accident.
Top scorers:
Suduva-Mantinga: M.Valukonis 18+7reb+1ast, T.Kliucinykas 16+1ast, Z.Kuklierius 15+5reb+1ast, K.Pupinis 12+5reb, A.Mineikis 8+10reb+3ast, P.Knyza 2
Mazeikiai: R.Giedraitis 35+4reb+2ast, A.Gydra 10+4reb, M.Sidlauskas 10+11reb+2ast, O.Macernis 9+2reb+4ast, A.Kojenets 8+2reb, E.Zukauskas 7+3reb+5ast

Ezerunas-Karys - S.Marciulionio 87-72

An interesting game took place in Moletai, where higher ranked S.Marciulionio (16-14) lost to fifteenth ranked Ezerunas-Karys (9-20) in a road game 72-87 on Friday. It was a very close game until the last quarter, when Ezerunas-Karys's pressure prevailed and they won that period 22-11 extending their advantage to 15 points. Ezerunas-Karys forced 25 S.Marciulionio turnovers. Strangely S.Marciulionio outrebounded Ezerunas-Karys 40-21 including 25 on the defensive glass. Guard Marius Kugauda (191-76) stepped up and scored 15 points and 4 assists for the winners and center Marius Janisius (203-77) chipped in 16 points. Four Ezerunas-Karys players scored in double figures. Guard Marius Pociukonis (190-82) responded with 18 points and 5 assists and forward Janas Jurgo (200-83) scored 18 points and 6 rebounds. S.Marciulionio's coach Gintaras Kruckauskas tested ten players and allowed the starting five to rest. Ezerunas-Karys maintains fifteenth place with 9-20 record, which they share with Silute. Loser S.Marciulionio keeps the ninth position with 14 games lost. Ezerunas-Karys will meet bottom-ranked Nafta Universitetas (#18) in the next round. S.Marciulionio will play against Triobet (#5) in Jonava and hope to secure a win.
Top scorers:
S.Marciulionio: M.Pociukonis 18+4reb+5ast, J.Jurgo 18+6reb, E.Baniulis 15+5reb+3ast, O.Olisevicius 7+3reb+2ast, R.Bitinas 5+5reb+3ast, E.Zinevicius 4+1reb
Ezerunas-Karys: M.Janisius 16+3reb+1ast, M.Kugauda 15+2reb+4ast, D.Navickas 13+2reb+2ast, L.Bankieta 10+2reb+3ast, K.Alekna 9+1reb+3ast, J.Narusis 8+2reb

Gargzdai - Zanavykas 81-93

No shocking result in a game when sixth ranked Zanavykas (18-11) defeated on the road 17th ranked Gargzdai-Bremena (6-24) 93-81 on Friday. The game was mostly controlled by Zanavykas. Gargzdai-Bremena was better in fourth quarter 35-22. But it was not enough to take a lead and get a victory that evening. Zanavykas forced 21 Gargzdai-Bremena turnovers and outrebounded them 40-28 including 28 on the defensive glass. Gargzdai-Bremena was plagued by 28 personal fouls down the stretch. The best player for the winners was guard Edgaras Stanionis (193-88) who scored 22 points and 5 assists. Forward Regimantas Ostreika (201-81) chipped in 12 points and 9 rebounds. Zanavykas' coach Giedrius Zibenas used a ten-player rotation and allowed the starting five to get some rest. Forward Giedrius Sakalas (200-93) produced 21 points and 7 rebounds and forward Donatas Tarolis (201-94) added 17 points and 5 rebounds respectively for the hosts. Both teams had five players each who scored in double figures. Zanavykas have a solid series of three victories in a row. They moved-up to fifth place, which they share with Triobet and Statyba. Gargzdai-Bremena lost fourth consecutive game. They keep the seventeenth position with 24 games lost. Zanavykas will face Silute (#16) at home in the next round which should be an easy win for them. Gargzdai-Bremena will play against the league's second-placed Dzukija in Alytus.
Top scorers:
Gargzdai: G.Sakalas 21+7reb+3ast, D.Tarolis 17+5reb+1ast, L.Lucinskas 13+4reb, M.Grigaitis 12+2reb+6ast, L.Jonuska 10+2reb+1ast, D.Matutis 5+1reb+5ast
Zanavykas: E.Stanionis 22+4reb+5ast, L.Valantinas 14+2reb, M.Uzupis 14+4reb, R.Ostreika 12+9reb, P.Parachomikas 10+8reb+1ast, R.Simanavicius 8+2reb

Gargzdai - S.Marciulionio 85-75

An interesting game took place in Gargzdai, where higher ranked S.Marciulionio (16-14) lost to seventeenth ranked Gargzdai-Bremena (6-24) in a road game 75-85. Gargzdai-Bremena forced 19 S.Marciulionio turnovers. 25 personal fouls committed by S.Marciulionio helped opponents get some easy free throw opportunities. Point guard Dominikas Matutis (180-91) nailed 22 points and 5 assists for the winning side and forward Laurynas Lucinskas (201-93) accounted for 12 points and 7 rebounds. Forward Evaldas Baniulis (201-87, college: S.Carolina) came up with a double-double by scoring 21 points, 10 rebounds and 4 assists and power forward Giedrius Staniulis (205-91) added 18 points and 8 rebounds respectively for S.Marciulionio in the defeat. Five Gargzdai-Bremena and four S.Marciulionio players scored in double figures. Gargzdai-Bremena maintains seventeenth place with 6-24 record. S.Marciulionio at the other side keeps the ninth position with 14 games lost. Gargzdai-Bremena's next round opponent will be league's second-placed Dzukija in Alytus and it will be quite challenging to get another victory.
Top scorers:
S.Marciulionio: E.Baniulis 21+10reb+4ast, G.Staniulis 18+8reb+2ast, M.Pociukonis 17+5reb+4ast, J.Jurgo 11+8reb+2ast, R.Sugintas 6+1reb+3ast, R.Bitinas 2
Gargzdai: D.Matutis 22+4reb+5ast, R.Jonelis 12+6reb, M.Grigaitis 12+2reb+2ast, L.Lucinskas 12+7reb, M.Martinkus 12+2reb+1ast, G.Sakalas 10+2reb+2ast

Triobet - Radviliskis 89-93

An interesting game took place in Jonava, where higher ranked Triobet (18-11) lost at home to fourteenth ranked Radviliskis (11-17) 89-93 on Friday. Radviliskis made 27-of-32 free shots (84.4 percent) during the game. Triobet was plagued by 29 personal fouls down the stretch. The best player for the winners was forward Antanas Montrimavicius (199-87) who scored 14 points and 8 rebounds. Guard Vitalis Pancerevas (185-87, college: Weatherford JC) chipped in 10 points, 5 rebounds and 6 assists. Four Radviliskis players scored in double figures. Forward Martynas Linkevicius (197-85) produced a double-double by scoring 23 points and 14 rebounds (was perfect 9-for-9 from the free throw line !!!) and guard Tadas Sebeziovas (183-85) added 27 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists respectively for the hosts. Triobet's coach Kestutis Narusevicius tried various players' combinations and tested in total eleven players in this game, but that didn't help. Radviliskis maintains fourteenth place with 11-17 record. Loser Triobet dropped to the fifth position with 11 games lost. Radviliskis will face league's leader Mazeikiai at home in the next round and it will be quite challenging to get another victory. Triobet will play against S.Marciulionio (#9) in Vilnius.
Top scorers:
Triobet: T.Sebeziovas 27+5reb+4ast, M.Linkevicius 23+14reb+2ast, V.Kruzikas 18+3reb+2ast, D.Gulbinas 7+2reb, A.Urbonas 5+2reb+2ast, H.Vorotnikovas 4+9reb+4ast
Radviliskis: L.Pipiras 14+5reb, A.Montrimavicius 14+8reb+1ast, D.Gricius 14+3reb+3ast, V.Trepocka 14+6reb, L.Kutra 12+2reb+1ast, V.Pancerevas 10+5reb+6ast

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MALI

Amara Sy selected the top Malian playing abroad in last week's games - by Eurobasket Center

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

Amara Sy

#1. This week's number one is former international forward Amara Sy (202-81, currently plays in France), who plays in the French ProA. He could not help ASVEL Lyon-Villeurbanne Basket (10-8) in their last game on Saturday. Despite Sy's good performance ASVEL Lyon-Villeurbanne Basket was edged 63-60 on the road by the lower-ranked JDA Dijon (#8). He scored 11 points and grabbed 8 rebounds. It's Sy's first season with the team. Sy has relatively good stats this year: 12.0ppg, 5.5rpg, 2.9apg, 1.4bpg, 2FGP: 49.3%, 3FGP: 40.9% and FT: 70.3%. He has a dual citizenship: Mali and French. Sy played for the Mali senior national team two years ago.

Dramane Diarra

#2. Second place goes to an experienced former international power forward Dramane Diarra (203-80, college: Kansas St., currently plays in France), who plays in the French ProB (second division). Diarra was not able to help Saint Vallier (7-14) in their last game on Friday. Despite his good performance Saint Vallier was defeated 74-69 in Fos by the higher-ranked Ouest (#8). Diarra scored 10 points. This season Diarra averages: 4.7ppg, 2.4rpg, 2FGP: 44.1%, 3FGP: 47.6%(10-21). He is another player who holds two passports: Mali and French. Diarra played for the Mali national team in 2011.

Mahmoud Diakite

#3. The Mali player who performed third best last week abroad was former international swingman Mahmoud Diakite (197-86, college: Wyoming, currently plays in United Kingdom). He contributed to a London Lions' victory against the league outsider Liverpool Mersey Tigers (0-21) 88-79 in the British BBL last Friday. Diakite recorded 8 points in 16 minutes. London Lions (8-14) is placed eighth in the BBL. This year Diakite averages only 6.0ppg, 2FGP: 36.4% in the two games he played so far. Similarly like Diarra and Sy above he has both Mali and French nationalities. Diakite played for the Mali national team two years ago.

Oumar Sylla

#4. Forward Oumar Sylla (201-84, college: Richmond, currently plays in Germany) was not able to secure a victory for ifm Baskets Konstanz (4-13) in their game against Licher Baeren (9-8) in the German ProB (third division). He scored 6 points and grabbed 5 rebounds. The 11th-placed ifm Baskets Konstanz was defeated 86-73 in Lich by the higher-ranked er Baeren (#7) in the Group South. It was ifm Baskets Konstanz's third consecutive loss in a row. This season Sylla has relatively solid stats: 12.0ppg, 4.3rpg, 2.5apg and 1.3spg. He used to play for the Mali national team back in 2009.

Ibrahim Saounera

   #5. Former international point guard Ibrahim Saounera (178-87, currently plays in France) couldn't help Rueil (9-9) in their game against JA Vichy (14-4) in the French NM1 (third division). Saounera scored 5 points in 26 minutes. Rueil lost 69-79 at home to the leading JA Vichy. Saounera belongs to league's most steals and is ranked #4 with 1.9spg. He also averaged so far 10.8ppg, 2.2rpg and 4.1apg in the 18 games. Saounera also holds two passports: Mali and French. He used to play for the Mali national team two years ago.

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

   #1. Bandja Sy (203-F, currently plays college basketball in the States) led N.Mexico St. to a victory against the Texas State University at San Marcos (3-9) 86-72 in the NCAA in Thursday night's game. He had a double-double by scoring 24 points and getting 13 rebounds in 39 minutes. The New Mexico State University has a very solid 10-2 conference record this season. It was N.Mexico St.'s tenth consecutive victory in a row. It's Sy's fourth year with the team. Sy has a dual citizenship: Mali and French.

   #2. Yohann Sangare (193-G-83, currently plays in France), who plays in the French ProA could not help Chorale de Roanne (8-10) to beat Le Mans (12-6). It was not his best game last Monday. Sangare scored only 2 points and added 6 passes in 34 minutes. Chorale de Roanne was edged in an overtime 89-87 on the road by the much higher-ranked (#3) Le Mans. This year Sangare averages: 6.2ppg, 2.8rpg and 3.7apg in the 18 games he played so far. He is another player who holds two passports: Mali and French.

   #3. Mamoudou Sy (196-F-83, college: Cowley County CC, currently plays in France) was not able to help Blois (9-8) in their game against Angers BC 49 (6-12) in the French NM1 (third division). Sy recorded only 4 points. Blois was edged 61-60 in Angers by the lower-ranked BC 49 (#13). Sy's overall stats this season are: 3.4ppg and 2.0rpg. Similarly like Sangare and Sy above he has both Mali and French nationalities.

Other top Mali players, who play abroad:

Ibrahima Sidibe (180-PG-95) plays for Entente Orleans 45 in French ProA
Issa Coulibaly (198-F-95) plays for JDA Dijon in French ProA
Drissa Ballo (198-F-95) plays for JDA Dijon in French ProA
Mohamed Tangara (208-F/C-84) plays for Libolo in Angolan Division I
Mamoutou Diarra (200-F-80) plays for JSF Nanterre in French ProA
Sambou Traore (199-PF-79) plays for Limoges CSP Elite in French ProA
Nianta Diarra (200-F/C-93) plays for STB Le Havre in French ProA
Mamadou Sy (200-F-85) plays for SO Maritime Boulogne in French ProB
Bakary Konate (208-C/F-93) plays for La Palma in Spanish LEB Silver

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

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MONTENEGRO

Cup of Montenegro: Buducnost and Sutjeska are the finalists - by Darko Pekic

The Montenegrin Cup started tonight in Tivat and brought us two very interesting games. The most important news of the night is that Buducnost will face Sutjeska tomorrow in the finals for the second time in two years and the game will be broadcasted on the National TV. But lets analyze the games played tonight. In the first game Ulcinj and Sutjeska played a tied game which was decided in the final quarter (76-70 for Sutjeska). Nikola Zizic (195-G-94) scored 23 points for Sutjeska and Nikola Pavlicevic (192-SG-88, agency: BBEH Cokrlija) added 17 points. In Ulcinj Dusan Milosevic (198-G-90, agency: BeoExcell) scored the team high 18 points.

In the second game of the night Teodo lost at home against Buducnost (77-68 for Buducnost) but did not disappoint the fans.Actually the game was tied at 65-65, just two minutes before the end but then Buducnost started defending hard and Teodo lost its big chance to make the finals. In Buducnost Marko Popovic (200-SG-85) scored 18 points shooting 4/6 from the 3 point line and Dee Bost (187-G-89, college: Mississippi St.) added 14 points. Teodo was led once again by Savo Djikanovic (211-C-75, agency: Beo Basket) who showed once again experience can be very important on the court. He scored 28 points and added 10 rebounds.

The finals will be played at Zupa hall tomorrow (6 pm, RTCG coverage)

Nikola Vucevic's double-double lands him Player of the Week award among Montenegrins playing currently abroad - by Eurobasket Center

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

Nikola Vucevic

#1. This week's number one is an international center Nikola Vucevic (210-90, college: USC, currently plays in NBA), who plays in the NBA. Vucevic could not help the Orlando Magic (14-35) in their last game on Saturday. Despite his very good performance the Orlando Magic was defeated 107-98 on the road by the Milwaukee Bucks. Vucevic recorded a double-double by scoring 20 points and getting 12 rebounds. He also added 6 assists and 2 blocks. It's Vucevic's first season with the team. Vucevic is ranked fifth on the list of the best rebounders in the league. He has individually a very good season with high stats. Vucevic averages: 12.1ppg, 11.4rpg, 1.6apg, 1.2bpg, 2FGP: 51.8% and FT: 68.0%. He is currently a member of the Montenegrin senior national team.

Nikola Pekovic

#2. Second place goes to an international center Nikola Pekovic (209-86, agency: Beo Basket, currently plays in NBA), who plays in the NBA. Pekovic was not able to help the Minnesota Timberwolves (18-28) in their last game. Despite his very good performance the Minnesota Timberwolves lost 94-104 in San Antonio to the Spurs. Pekovic had a double-double by scoring 21 points and getting 10 rebounds in 35 minutes. Pekovic has very impressive stats this year: 16.0ppg, 8.7rpg, 2FGP: 50.9% and FT: 75.0% in the 39 games he played so far. He is in the roster of the Montenegrin senior national team.

Milko Bjelica

#3. The Montenegrin player who performed third best last week abroad was an international power forward Milko Bjelica (205-84, also represented by Beo Basket, currently plays in Spain). Bjelica contributed to a Caja Laboral's victory against the closely-ranked Valencia Basket (12-8) 79-75 in the Spanish ACB in Sunday night's game. He scored 8 points and added 5 passes. It was the game of the round between two top 4 ranked teams. Caja Laboral Vitoria (17-3) is placed second in the ACB. It was his team's tenth consecutive victory in a row. Bjelica's overall stats this season are: 5.3ppg, 2.6rpg, 2FGP: 63.2%(36-57), 3FGP: 26.7%. He has a dual citizenship: Serbian and Montenegrin. Bjelica is also a member of the Montenegrin senior national team.

Nemanja Radovic

#4. Power forward Nemanja Radovic (206-91, another player represented by Beo Basket, currently plays in Serbia) led Vrsac to a victory over the 14th-ranked KK Jagodina (4-15) 101-87 in the Serbian A League last Sunday. He was MVP of the game. Radovic recorded 22 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists and made 2 blocks in 32 minutes. KK Vrsac (10-9) is placed sixth in the A League. Radovic is ranked fourth on the list of the top scorers in the league and also on the list of best rebounders (second place). He has very impressive stats this year: 16.0ppg, 8.9rpg, 1.2apg and 1.1bpg in the 19 games. Radovic used to play for the Montenegrin U20 national team back in 2011.

Bojan Dubljevic

#5. International power forward Bojan Dubljevic (205-91, another player represented by Beo Basket, currently plays in Spain) faced previously mentioned Milko Bjelica in the Spanish ACB last game. Dubljevic, who plays in the Spanish ACB was not able to secure a victory for Valencia Basket (12-8) in their last game on Sunday. Despite his good performance Valencia Basket was defeated 79-75 in Vitoria by the second-ranked Caja Laboral. Dubljevic was the second best scorer with 13 points. Dubljevic has relatively good stats this season: 12.6ppg and 3.3rpg. He plays currently for the Montenegrin national team.

Nemanja Milosevic

#6. Power forward Nemanja Milosevic (204-87, agency: Interperformances, college: W.Kentucky, currently plays in Bulgaria) was the major contributor in a Tundja Yambol's victory against one of league's weakest teams Spartak Pleven (4-11) 73-69 in the Bulgarian NBL last Saturday. He recorded a double-double by scoring 21 points and getting 14 rebounds. Milosevic also added 4 assists; quite an impressive performance considering it's only his third season in pro basketball. Tundja Yambol (8-7) is placed fifth in the NBL. There are only three games left until the end of the Regular Season. So now every game will be critical. Milosevic belongs to league's top scorers (ranked #9) and also on the list of best rebounders (third place). This season he has very high stats. Milosevic averages: 15.9ppg and 9.7rpg. He is a former U20 international player as he played for the Montenegrin team five years ago.

Blagota Sekulic

#7. International center Blagota Sekulic (209-82, agency: FCM, currently plays in Spain) helped CB Canarias win their game against the closely-ranked Cajasol (7-13) 77-68 in the Spanish ACB on Sunday night. Sekulic scored 19 points and grabbed 7 rebounds in 29 minutes. Iberostar Canarias Tenerife (8-12) is placed 13th in the ACB. This year Sekulic's overall stats are: 8.9ppg and 5.1rpg in the 20 games. He is also Montenegrin national team player.

Bojan Bakic

#8. Shooting guard Bojan Bakic (195-83, another player represented by Interperformances, currently plays in Serbia) helped Metalac win their game against the eighth-ranked Radnicki Basket (9-10) 79-71 in the Serbian A League in Saturday night's game. Bakic recorded 15 points and grabbed 8 rebounds. Vujic Metalac Valjevo (13-6) is placed third in the A League. It was his team's fourth consecutive victory in a row. Bakic is currently sixth on the list of top scorers. He has very reliable stats this season: 14.9ppg, 3.6rpg and 2.0apg. Bakic plays currently for the Montenegrin national team.

Omar-Sharif Cook

#9. International point guard Omar-Sharif Cook (188-82, another player represented by Beo Basket, college: St.John's, currently plays in Euroleague) is a teammate of previously mentioned Milko Bjelica. But that was another game of his team in Euroleague which we would like to mention. Cook couldn't help Caja Laboral (4-2) in their game against Khimky (4-2). He scored 5 points and added 4 passes. The fourth-placed Caja Laboral was defeated 83-71 at home by the higher-ranked Khimky (#3) in the group F of Euroleague. Cook's total stats this season are: 3.5ppg, 1.3rpg and 2.8apg. He is a naturalized American. Cook is also in the roster of the Montenegrin national team. Strangely he has never played in Montenegro.

Goran Martinic

   #10. Point guard Goran Martinic (183-87, agency: BeoExcell, currently plays in Romania) helped CSM Bucuresti win their game against the 13th-ranked Timba Timosoara (5-15) crushing them 77-56 in the Romanian Liga Nationala last Saturday. He scored 20 points and added 6 passes. CS Municipal Bucuresti (13-7) is placed seventh in the Liga Nationala. Martinic is one of the most experienced players in a team as it's his sixth year in CSM Bucuresti's roster. Martinic is currently first on the league's list of top scorers and also on the list of best passers (sixth place). This season he has very high stats. Martinic averages: 21.7ppg, 2.3rpg, 4.9apg and 1.9spg. He is a former U21 international player as six years ago he still played for the Montenegrin national team.

   #11. Former U20 international power forward Filip Barovic (208-90, currently plays in Hungary) couldn't help Soproni in their game against Szedeak in the Hungarian A Division, despite his very good performance on Friday night. Barovic was the top scorer with 20 points. He also added 5 rebounds in 39 minutes. But his team was crushed by 23 points 79-56. Barovic is currently fifth on the league's list of best rebounders and also on the list of best blockers (first place). He has very impressive stats this year: 17.2ppg, 8.1rpg, 1.5apg, 1.1bpg and 1.3spg in the 19 games. Barovic used to play for the Montenegrin U20 national team three years ago.

   #12. Former U21 international center Milovan Savic (205-87, currently plays in Serbia) couldn't help Konstantin in their game against Smederevo Vizura in the Serbian A League. Despite his good performance in Saturday night's game He recorded 12 points and grabbed 9 rebounds. Savic's total stats this season are: 9.9ppg and 4.4rpg. He used to play for the Montenegrin U21 national team back in 2007.

   #13. Former international forward Ivan Ivanovic (205-80, currently plays in Romania) helped Gaz Metan win their game against the closely-ranked Rovinari 75-71 in the Romanian Liga Nationala last Saturday. Ivanovic had a double-double by scoring 12 points and getting 11 rebounds in 20 minutes. This year he has relatively solid stats: 13.3ppg, 6.0rpg and 2.0apg in the 20 games. Ivanovic used to play for the Montenegrin national team five years ago.

   #14. Former U17 international guard Nikola Vujicic (185-89, currently plays in Serbia) faced previously mentioned Nemanja Radovic in the Serbian A League last game. Vujicic couldn't help KK Jagodina in their game against Vrsac. Despite his very good performance on Sunday night He was the top scorer with 24 points. Vujicic also added 3 assists. His total stats this season are: 7.5ppg and 3.0rpg. Vujicic used to play for the Montenegrin U17 national team back in 2006.

   #15. Former U20 international forward Marko Loncovic (200-91, currently plays in Portugal) was the main contributor in Barcelos' victory against the league outsider Galitos-Tley 90-75 in the Portuguese LPB in Saturday night's game. He was the best player in that game. Loncovic had a double-double by scoring 27 points and getting 15 rebounds in 40 minutes. He is currently first on the list of top scorers and also on the list of best rebounders (sixth place). Loncovic has very impressive stats this year: 20.5ppg, 9.5rpg, 1.2apg and 2.3spg in the 13 games. He used to play for the Montenegrin U20 national team two years ago.

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

   #1. Nikola Mirotic (207-F/C-91, currently plays in Spain) was the major contributor in a Real Madrid's victory against the sixth-ranked Gescrap BB (12-8) crushing them 94-74 in the Spanish ACB in Sunday night's game. He scored 17 points and grabbed 7 rebounds in 24 minutes. Real Madrid (19-1) is placed first in the ACB. It was his team's fifth consecutive victory in a row. Mirotic has relatively good stats this year: 13.2ppg and 5.3rpg in the 20 games he played so far. He has a dual citizenship: Montenegrin and Spanish. Despite Mirotic's Montenegrin passport, he previously played for the Spanish U20 national team and is probably not eligible to play for the Montenegrin team.

   #2. Dusan Djordjevic (195-G-83, agency: Beo Basket, currently plays in Belgium) led Base Oostende to an easy victory against the league outsider VOO Verviers-Pepinster (3-11) crushing them 99-71 in the Belgian Ethias League in Saturday night's game. Djordjevic scored 18 points and grabbed 4 rebounds in 20 minutes. Telenet Oostende (11-4) is placed first in the Ethias League. It was his team's seventh consecutive victory in a row. Djordjevic is currently fourth on the league's list of best passers with 4.6apg. He also averaged so far 9.1ppg and 3.4rpg in the 14 games. Djordjevic is another player who holds two passports: Serbian and Montenegrin.

   #3. Zoran Kascelan (188-PG-86, currently plays in Bulgaria) led Tundja Yambol to a victory over one of league's weakest teams Spartak Pleven (4-11) 73-69 in the Bulgarian NBL last Saturday. He was the best player in that game. Kascelan scored 24 points and grabbed 4 rebounds in 35 minutes. Tundja Yambol (8-7) is placed fifth in the NBL. There are only three games left until the end of the Regular Season. So now every game will be critical. This year Kascelan's total stats are: 7.8ppg, 2.0rpg and 1.3apg in the four games.

   #4. Radomir Marojevic (207-C-81, currently plays in Serbia) contributed to a 2-point Vojvodina's victory against the 13th-ranked Sloga (6-13) 74-72 in the Serbian A League in Saturday night's game. Marojevic recorded 10 points and grabbed 7 rebounds in 27 minutes. KK Vojvodina Novi Sad (15-4) is placed second in the A League. It was his team's fourth consecutive victory in a row. This year Marojevic's total stats are: 9.1ppg and 3.4rpg in the 18 games.

   #5. Milos Komatina (205-F/C-84, currently plays in Adriatic League), who plays in Bosnia could not help Igokea (15-5) in their last game on Sunday. Despite Komatina's very good performance the league leader Igokea was defeated 64-56 at home by the lower-ranked Cedevita (#4). He was the second best scorer with 15 points. Komatina's total stats this season are: 8.2ppg, 3.3rpg and 1.1spg.

   #6. Bojan Subotic (203-F-90, currently plays in Adriatic League) managed to help Crvena Zvezda DIVA Beograd in a victory against the league outsider Szolnok 96-83 in the Adriatic League on Saturday night. He scored only 4 points in 12 minutes. This year Subotic's total stats are: 4.3ppg and 2.2rpg in the 18 games.

   #7. Mensud Julevic (200-PF-85, currently plays in Slovenia) contributed to an easy victory against the second-ranked Helios 65-48 in the Slovenian Telemach League on Saturday night. He scored 10 points. Julevic has reliable stats this season: 13.2ppg, 5.4rpg and 2.0apg. He has both Montenegrin and Slovenian nationalities. Despite Julevic's Montenegrin passport, he previously played for the Slovenian U21 national team and probably cannot be called to the Montenegrin team.

   #8. Miljan Pavkovic (178-G-81, also represented by Beo Basket, currently plays in Czech Republic) contributed to an easy victory against the third-ranked BK Lions Hradec crushing them 82-60 in the Czech Republic NBL last Monday. Pavkovic recorded only 3 points and added 4 assists. Pavkovic is currently sixth on the list of best passers. His total stats this season are: 5.1ppg, 2.2rpg, 4.0apg and 1.1spg.

   #9. Petar Despotovic (194-G-88, agency: Alti Sport, currently plays in Serbia) was not able to help Konstantin in their game against Smederevo Vizura in the Serbian A League. Despotovic recorded 5 points and added 6 assists. His team was edged 62-59. He has reliable stats this season: 10.3ppg, 3.5rpg, 3.1apg and 1.4spg. Despotovic also holds two passports: Montenegrin and Serbian.

   #10. Stevan Milosevic (211-C-85, agency: Interperformances, currently plays in Georgia) contributed to Olimpi's victory against the ninth-ranked Sokhumi 82-69 in a derby game in the Georgian Superleague last Wednesday. He scored 6 points, had 6 rebounds and made 2 blocks in 24 minutes. Milosevic belongs to league's best rebounders (ranked #3) and also on the list of best blockers (fourth place). This year he has very good stats: 14.1ppg, 11.9rpg, 1.3apg and 1.2bpg in the 11 games.

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

NBA

Standings

NBA Standings

Eastern Conference
Atlantic Div.
1. New York K.		32-16
2. Brooklyn N.		29-21
3. Boston C.		26-23
4. Philadelph.76		21-27
5. Toronto R.		18-32
Central Div.
1. Indiana P.		31-20
2. Chicago B.		30-20
3. Milwaukee B.		25-23
4. Detroit P.		19-32
5. Cleveland C.		16-34
Southeast Div.
1. Miami Heat		33-14
2. Atlanta H.		27-22
3. Washington W.		14-35
4. Orlando M.		14-36
5. Charlotte B.		11-38
Western Conference
Northwest Div.
1. Oklah.City T.		38-12
2. Denver N.		32-18
3. Utah Jazz		28-23
4. Portland TB		25-25
5. Minnesota T.		18-29
Pacific Div.
1. LA Clippers		35-17
2. Golden St.W.		30-20
3. LA Lakers		24-27
4. Sacramento K.		17-33
5. Phoenix Suns		17-34
Southwest Div.
1. San Antonio S.		39-12
2. Memphis G.		31-18
3. Houston R.		28-24
4. Dallas M.		21-28
5. N.Orleans H.		17-33

Regular Season: Round 100

Feb. 8: Memphis G. - Golden St.W. 99-93
Feb. 8: Indiana P. - Toronto R. 98-100 OT
Feb. 8: Minnesota T. - New York K. 94-100
Feb. 8: Charlotte B. - LA Lakers 93-100
Feb. 8: Utah Jazz - Chicago B. 89-93
Feb. 8: Washington W. - Brooklyn N. 89-74
Feb. 8: Oklah.City T. - Phoenix Suns 127-96
Feb. 8: Detroit P. - San Antonio S. 119-109
Feb. 8: Cleveland C. - Orlando M. 119-108
Feb. 8: Houston R. - Portland TB 118-103
Feb. 8: Miami Heat - LA Clippers 111-89
Feb. 8: Atlanta H. - N.Orleans H. 100-111

Regular Season: Round 101

Feb. 9: Cleveland C. - Denver N.
Feb. 9: Philadelph.76 - Charlotte B.
Feb. 9: Milwaukee B. - Detroit P.
Feb. 9: Dallas M. - Golden St.W.
Feb. 9: Sacramento K. - Utah Jazz

Stats Leaders

Points Per Game

Kevin DURANT
  Oklah.Ci.
  (206-SF-88)
  Avg: 29.1

1. Durant, Oklah.Ci.	29.1
2. Anthony, New Y.	28.7
3. Bryant, LA Lakers	27.4
4. James, Miami Heat	26.9
5. Harden, Houston R.	26.0
6. Irving, Cleveland	23.9
7. Westbrook, Oklah..	22.5
8. Wade, Miami Heat	20.9
9. Curry, Golden S.	20.9
10. Aldridge, Portlan.	20.9

Rebounds Per Game

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

1. Varejao, Clevelan.	14.4
2. Howard, LA Lakers	11.8
3. Randolph, Memph.	11.7
4. Asik, Houston R.	11.5
5. Vucevic, Orlan.	11.4
6. Chandler, New Y.	11.2
7. Noah, Chicago B.	11.2
8. Lee, Golden St.W.	10.9
9. Hickson, Portland.	10.6
10. Cousins, Sacramen.	10.0

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.	9.5
4. Holiday, Philadel.	8.9
5. Westbrook, Oklah..	8.1
6. Williams, Brooklyn	7.7
7. Parker, San A.	7.6
8. Nash, LA Lakers	7.6
9. Calderon, Toron.	7.4
10. Nelson, Orlando M.	7.3

Steals Per Game

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

1. Paul, LA Clippers	2.5
2. Conley, Memphis G.	2.3
3. Westbrook, Oklah..	2.0
4. Harden, Houston R.	1.9
5. Jennings, Milwauke.	1.9
6. Walker, Charlott.	1.9
7. Lin, Houston R.	1.9
8. Ellis, Milwaukee B.	1.8
9. Rondo, Boston C.	1.8
10. George, Indiana P.	1.8

Blocks Per Game

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

1. Sanders, Milwauke.	3.1
2. Ibaka, Oklah.Ci.	2.9
3. Duncan, San A.	2.7
4. Hibbert, Indiana P.	2.7
5. Howard, LA Lakers	2.4
6. Lopez, Brooklyn N.	2.2
7. Smith, Atlanta H.	2.2
8. Noah, Chicago B.	2.0
9. McGee, Denver N.	2.0
10. Davis, N.Orleans	1.8

NBA 3-Point Shootout 2013 participants: Stephen Curry, Kyrie Irving highlight field - by Eurobasket News

The 2013 3-Point Shootout field has been announced, and many of the league's top long-range marksman will be traveling to Houston. This year's field features plenty of star power on its own:
Stephen Curry (6'3''-PG-88, college: Davidson), Golden State Warriors -- Many thought Curry, the leading scorer on a surprise Warriors team, would be playing on Sunday. The son of legendary shooter Dell Curry, Steph has made a name for himself in recent years. This season, he's averaging a higher field goal percentage from beyond the 3-point line (45 percent) than he is from the field (43 percent). He's probably the early favorite.
Steve Novak (6'10''-F-84, agency: Priority Sports, college: Marquette), New York Knicks -- Maybe the sentimental favorite in this year's class. At 6'10, Novak's stroke is almost effortless and he has become a fan favorite at Madison Square Garden for his near automatic range from beyond the arc. He's the definition of a 3-point specialist: of his 253 field goal attempts this season, 205 of them have come from 3-point range, where he's knocking down 44 percent this season.
Ryan Anderson (6'10''-F-88, college: California), New Orleans Hornets -- One of the most prolific 3-point taker and 3-point maker in the league, Anderson knocks down 40 percent of his shots from deep. While that percentage isn't enough to even crack the top 25 in percentage, Anderson is the definition of a big-man gunner who could be streaky enough to do well in the 3-point contest.
Matt Bonner (6'9''-F-80, college: Florida), San Antonio Spurs -- Taking a hit in floor time this season hasn't stopped Bonner from keeping hope alive that he'd be selected to the shootout. After all, he's still knocking down a solid 42 percent for the Spurs. Bonner has initiated his own #LetBonnerShoot campaign, writing in SLAM Magazine that he's yet to make it, likely because of the red hair and New Balance kicks.
Kyrie Irving (6'3''-G-92, college: Duke), Cleveland Cavaliers -- The second-year point guard is averaging 24 points per game this season, and a quarter of those points are coming from 3-point range. Irving is taking taking nearly five threes per game and knocking down 2.1 per game, good enough for a 43-percent clip as one of the NBA's 10 best 3-point shooters by accuracy.
Paul George (6'9''-G/F-90, college: Fresno St.), Indiana Pacers -- Justifiably, George is taking two more 3-pointers a game than he has for his career. It's justifiable because George is hitting 39 percent of his 5.7 attempts per game, and that's even more impressive when considering he's probably getting most of those shots in the halfcourt for the defensive-minded Pacers.
While the dunk contest gets most of the publicity, the 3-Point Shootout has arguably been the backbone of All-Star Saturday Night. Crowning the NBA's best dunker is more of an all or nothing affair, either as compelling as Vince Carter's one-man show in Oakland or as mundane as Nate Robinson's 13 botched attempts in 2006. The shootout, in contrast, is a consistently entertaining event featuring some of the league's most prolific shooters squaring off. NBA stars are also far more likely to sign up for a shooting exhibition than risk a lackluster showing at the dunk contest. Last season, Kevin Love won the event, while Paul Pierce, Dirk Nowitzki, Ray Allen and Stojakovic have all won the shootout since the turn of the century.
Courtesy of: sbnation.com

2013 NBA Dunk contest participants - by Eurobasket News

The 2013 NBA Slam Dunk contest will feature six dunkers competing in a two-round competition as part of All-Star Saturday Night. The new format will pit the Eastern Conference against the Western Conference in an exciting night of competition that will also raise money for charity.
The Western Conference will be represented by the 2012 NBA Slam Dunk champion Jeremy Evans (6'9''-F-87, agency: Priority Sports, college: W.Kentucky) of the Utah Jazz along with the Los Angeles Clippers Eric Bledsoe (6'1''-PG-89, college: Kentucky) and Denver Nuggets Kenneth Faried (6'8''-F-89, college: Morehead St.). The Eastern Conference lineup will include the Indiana Pacers Gerald Green (6'8''-G/F-86), Toronto Raptors Terrence Ross (6'6''-G-91, college: Washington) and New York Knicks James White (6'7''-G-84, agency: Three Eye Sports, college: Cincinnati). The 2013 NBA Slam Dunk contest will consist of the three Eastern Conference players competing against the three from the Western Conference in a two-round competition. The highest scoring East competitor and the highest scoring West competitor from the Team Round will compete head-to-head to determine the champion. Fan voting will open at the beginning of the Championship Round and the player with the highest percentage of combined votes from all platforms will be champion. Evans won the 2012 Slam Dunk contest, defeating Houstons Chase Budinger and Indianas Paul George in a tight race that included over 4 million fan votes to decide the champion.
Courtesy of: insidehoops.com

Twelve games around the League on Friday - by Eurobasket News

Washington W. - Brooklyn N. 89-74
When the Wizards' John Wall (6'4''-PG-90, college: Kentucky) stepped in front of C. J. Watson near midcourt early in the second quarter to swipe a loose ball and take it the other way, the play seemed harmless enough. Turnovers happen in basketball games, and Watson watched as Wall raced in for a two-handed dunk. What made this mistake so disastrous for the Nets was that it was merely one of many, all of them in succession, each missed shot and errant pass compounding the damage like the interest on a credit-card balance. The Wizards routed the Nets, 89-74, at the Verizon Center on Friday night as Billy King, the Nets' general manager, watched from a courtside tunnel. It was a lackluster performance that did little to assuage concerns that the Nets, as currently constructed, are flawed in some fundamental ways. 'I'm very concerned,' said Coach P. J. Carlesimo, whose team has lost five of its last eight games. Carlesimo was sharply critical of his reserves, who combined to shoot 4 of 21 from the field and provided little resistance in the pivotal second quarter. 'Maybe we have to substitute differently, or maybe we can't put guys in the game together, or maybe we can't continue to give people chances of hurting us defensively or by not putting the ball in the basketball,' said Carlesimo, who did not cite any players by name. 'We just have to look at it. It seems it's been a recurring problem. We can't dig that big of a hole.' The Nets (29-21) shot 32.9 percent from the field, committed 15 turnovers and did little to contain Wall, a turbocharged point guard who collected 15 points, 9 assists and 4 steals. It was the third straight win for the Wizards (14-35), a much-improved team since Wall's return from injury last month. 'I feel like we could be in a playoff spot right now,' Wall said. 'You don't give up on a season this early.' The Nets, meantime, appear to be confronting another identity crisis in a season that has been full of them. Deron Williams (6'3''-PG-84, college: Illinois) scored 20 points to lead the team, but he shot just 7 of 20 over all. Joe Johnson (6'7''-G-81, college: Arkansas) had 14 points, and Brook Lopez finished with 13 points and 8 rebounds. 'There's no reason why we should be talking about how the effort wasn't there, the energy wasn't there,' Williams said. 'Especially in some of these big games. Maybe this wasn't a big game' for us. But it should have been.' The second quarter was a mess for the Nets, who missed their first 12 field-goal attempts. The stretch of ineptitude lasted more than eight minute. At times, it looked as if the Nets were heaving a bowling ball, or shooting into gale-force winds, or simply blindfolded. For the quarter, the Nets shot 4 of 22 over all, including 0 of 7 from 3-point range, and were outscored, 30-11. The Wizards built a 51-31 lead by halftime, and the game was effectively over. 'During that second quarter, I don't know what happened,' Johnson said. Late in the third, the Nets mounted a 14-0 run that was keyed by Williams. They still trailed by 12. 'When you can't make free throws, when you can't make 3-point shots and when you can't make shots in the paint, it's very hard to win,' Carlesimo said. The Nets were in no position take the Wizards lightly, not after losing at home to the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday and barely squeezing past the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday. On Jan. 4, the Nets needed two overtimes to take a 115-113 victory over the Wizards - and it should have been marked with an asterisk, since the Wizards were still a week away from getting Wall back. Wall missed the first 33 games of the season with a left knee injury, and the Wizards labored to a 5-28 record without him. Since making his season debut Jan. 12, Wall has been nothing short of a transformative presence. The Wizards entered Friday's game riding the good feelings generated by back-to-back wins over the Los Angeles Clippers and the Knicks, and they kept their momentum going against the Nets. 'It's not working right now,' Carlesimo said of his rotation. 'We have to look at everything.' Courtesy of: nytimes.com

Utah Jazz - Chicago B. 89-93
Carlos Boozer (6'10''-F/C-80, college: Duke) scored 19 points, including 11 straight late in the fourth quarter, and Nate Robinson (5'9''-PG-84, college: Washington) added 18 points and nine assists as the Bulls held off the Jazz 93-89 Friday night. The Bulls, coming off the worst loss in the Tom Thibodeau era in Denver, blew a 13-point lead and trailed in the fourth quarter before rallying. They handed the Jazz just their second home defeat in the last 13 games at Energy Solutions Arena. After missing one game with the sore right ankle he rolled during Monday's loss at the Pacers, Marco Belinelli scored nine points in 29 minutes off the bench. Joakim Noah had a triple double of 12 points and 11 rebounds. The game marked just the second time that Boozer returned to the city he played in for six seasons, polarizing a fan base despite two All-Star appearances and a Western Conference finals run in 2007. His former backup, Paul Millsap (6'7''-F-85, college: Louisiana Tech), guarded Boozer. "He's got the same moves, but they're so effective it's kind of hard to stop him," Millsap said. "You just try to make it tough on him." Boozer endured early foul trouble and a fourth-quarter technical to star at the end. Al Jefferson (6'10''-F/C-85) led all scorers with a season-high 32 points. The Bulls finished their season-high, six-game trip at 3-3. Courtesy of: chicagotribune.com

Minnesota T. - New York K. 94-100
Carmelo Anthony (6'8''-SF-84, college: Syracuse) had 36 points and nine rebounds, scoring 12 points down the stretch to rally the New York Knicks to a 100-94 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday night. Anthony topped 30 points for the 17th time this season for the Knicks, who trailed by 11 with seven minutes to play. But Anthony did all of his fourth-quarter damage in those final minutes, hitting a 19-footer with 1:10 to play that put New York up for good. Derrick Williams (6'8''-F-91, college: Arizona) had 19 points and Ricky Rubio had 18 points and 11 assists for the Timberwolves, who lost for the 14th time in 16 games. Nikola Pekovic added 16 points and 11 rebounds, but Minnesota had no answer for Anthony down the stretch. The Knicks will have to savor this victory in Minnesota a little longer than they initially expected. J.R. Smith (6'6''-G-85) scored 15 points and grabbed eight rebounds for the Knicks, who found out earlier in the day that they would be staying in Minnesota at least one extra day thanks to a massive snow storm that was blanketing the East Coast. They planned to get up on Saturday morning and do some scouting on their next opponent, the Los Angeles Clippers, who are scheduled to play at Madison Square Garden on Sunday. The Knicks hoped to leave at some point on Saturday once the weather cleared. Luke Ridnour (6'2''-PG-81, college: Oregon) scored 20 points for the Minnesota, which had a chance to take the lead in the final 30 seconds when it trailed 95-94. But Ridnour didn't get the call he wanted on a drive to the basket, and Smith converted a three-point play on the other end to hold off the feisty Wolves, who again were playing without Kevin Love (broken hand), Chase Budinger (knee) and Andrei Kirilenko (quad). The team with the second-best record in the Eastern Conference had a sense of urgency after a loss to the improving Washington Wizards earlier in the week. With three games to go before the All-Star break, coach Mike Woodson said, "We have to win all three." This one was in doubt for quite a while. The Knicks came into the game second in the league in 3-point shooting, giving them a huge advantage against the Timberwolves, who are dead last. The Wolves missed their first six 3s and were just 1 for 13 for the game. But the Knicks weren't able to parlay that dreadful performance into any substantial edge, going 8 for 26 themselves. Anthony, who leads the NBA in first-quarter scoring, came out hard with 11 points in the opening period. Williams wasn't strong enough to handle the league's second-leading scorer and Dante Cunningham couldn't hang with him on the perimeter, presenting a matchup problem that certainly isn't unique to the Timberwolves. Williams gave it his all though, making Anthony work for his shots. Anthony missed 11 of his first 20 shots from the field and was 2 for 9 on 3-pointers. His confidence growing as the fourth quarter progressed, Williams had a steal and a dunk, threw down an alley-oop on a rainmaker of a pass from Rubio and scored underneath for an 83-74 lead with 8:30 to play. But Anthony kept coming. Left on an island to deal with him, Anthony backed Williams down in the post relentlessly over the final seven minutes. He scored on an up-and-under, a pull-up jumper and got to the foul line to get the Knicks back in the game. His two free throws cut the deficit to 90-89 with 3:24 to go and also gave Williams his fifth foul. His runner over Cunningham iced the game in the final 20 seconds. Courtesy of: maysville-online.com

Oklah.City T. - Phoenix Suns 127-96
The Phoenix Suns had already seen a two-man scoring show starring Kevin Durant (6'9''-SF-88, college: Texas) and Russell Westbrook (6'3''-PG-88, college: UCLA). The rematch was a showcase for the Oklahoma City Thunder's ensemble cast. Durant scored 21 points, Thabo Sefolosha and Kendrick Perkins both had their biggest-scoring outbursts of the season and the Thunder rode a gigantic third-quarter run to a 127-96 victory over the Suns on Friday night. All five Thunder starters scored during a 21-0 run that put Oklahoma City in position to complete a perfect homestand with a third straight blowout. The margin of victory in the three games was a combined 73 points and coach Scott Brooks didn't even play three starters - Durant, Westbrook and Perkins - a single minute in the fourth quarter during the homestand. "I think we've done a great job of taking care of business. Scotty emphasizes and tells us that we need to play a better fourth quarter, but we haven't played one yet," Westbrook said. "So maybe he'll change his mind on that one." The game had a completely different feel from the last meeting in Phoenix last month, when Durant and Westbrook combined for 47 of Oklahoma City's 51 points in the second half. This time, everyone chipped in for a dominant second-half performance. Westbrook had a right-handed slam during the run before finishing it off with a banked-in runner to stretch the lead to 81-55 with 3:25 to go in the third quarter. Serge Ibaka and Sefolosha each hit 3-pointers, Perkins had a jumper and a dunk, and Durant's only contributions were three free throws. Phoenix even came out of a timeout with six players on the floor at one point during the stretch, but all that did was result in another point after Durant made the resulting technical foul. "It's a matter of pick your poison with them. They have a lot of guys that aren't in the headlines but they do a lot for their team," interim Suns coach Lindsey Hunter said. "Sefolosha is one of them. He's a guy that doesn't get the press but he knocks down shots, defends really well and they've got a bunch of guys that are co-stars that do a great job." Michael Beasley (6'10''-F-89, college: Kansas St.) led the Suns with 25 points and Goran Dragic had 16 of his 19 points in the first quarter. Sefolosha scored 18 points and Perkins had 17 for his highest total since being traded to Oklahoma City by Boston in February 2011. Westbrook scored 17 and Kevin Martin chipped in 16 points. "It's great guys have confidence," Westbrook said. "That's what we need: everybody to be confident." The Northwest Division leaders had gone 4-4 in the stretch leading up to the homestand and head back on the road for two straight feeling better - but only after a halftime speech from Brooks. Perkins said Brooks had a rare halftime film session that led to the third-quarter defensive intensity, with the Suns going more than 6 minutes without scoring. "We came in here and he got on us about our effort on the defensive end and told us it's not a pickup game, that we've got to go out here and defend, and that's what we went out there and did," Perkins said. Perkins made eight of his nine shots and collected his most points since scoring 20 against Miami on Jan. 6, 2010. He also neutralized Phoenix center Marcin Gortat, who didn't attempt a shot until the fourth quarter. "That's the Perk that we need," Sefolosha said. "Defensively, he's doing a great job and offensively, he's playing with a lot of confidence right now." Oklahoma City has won nine straight games in the series and can complete a four-game season sweep Sunday night when the Suns get a rematch on their home court. "Any competitor would want to have a chance at them again, and I'm sure we do," Hunter said. The Thunder connected on their first six shots and withstood the loss of both starting guards, Westbrook and Sefolosha, to two fouls within the first 6 minutes as Durant hit all four of his 3-point attempts in the first quarter. Two of them came during an 8-0 burst soon after Westbrook and Sefolosha came out, stretching Oklahoma City's lead to 25-15. Phoenix rallied with a string of eight straight points early in the second quarter, tying it at 35 when Kendall Marshall banked in a runner. The Suns led only twice, both times after baskets by Beasley in the final 3 minutes of the first half. "There's no reason to hang our heads. They've played in the finals. They know what it's like and a lot of our guys don't," Hunter said. "This will be a positive teaching tool for us. Something to learn from, something never to forget." Courtesy of: azfamily.com

Houston R. - Portland TB 118-103
James Harden (6'5''-SG-89, college: Arizona St.) had 35 points and 11 assists, Chandler Parsons (6'9''-F-88, agency: Priority Sports, college: Florida) scored 20 and the Houston Rockets beat the Portland Trail Blazers 118-103 on Friday night. Harden went 13 for 16 from the field and 4 of 5 from 3-point range, putting on an individual show in the last game at the Toyota Center before the NBA's All-Star weekend comes to town. Harden was chosen as a reserve for the West squad, making his first All-Star team. LaMarcus Aldridge, another All-Star reserve for the West, scored 31 points for Portland. The Blazers had won the previous two meetings this season in overtime, rallying from double-digit deficits in both. Not this time. Houston preserved a comfortable lead for most of the second half, and Harden finished off Portland with a fadeaway jumper from the wing. Nicolas Batum (6'8''-SF-88) scored 24 points and Damian Lillard (6'2''-PG-90, college: Weber St.) had 18 for the Blazers. Early on, Houston repeatedly found openings inside and hit 12 of its first 15 shots. When Portland crowded the lane, the Rockets passed outside for open 3s, and they hit five of their first seven attempts. Aldridge and J.J. Hickson, meanwhile, got easy baskets inside and made nine of their first 14 shots to keep Portland close. The Blazers played better defense at the start of the second quarter to pull within one. Houston got rolling again, and Parsons finished a quick 10-0 burst to put the Rockets up 47-36 with 6:31 left in the first half. Aldridge continued to carry Portland, dominating whichever Houston big man tried to front him. He scored 19 in the first half, but the Rockets shot 65 percent (24 of 37), a season best for a half, and led 62-52 at the break. The Rockets continued to find open paths to the basket in the third quarter and stretched the lead to 15 - matching their largest lead when the teams played in Portland in November. Houston didn't let up in this one. Patrick Patterson slammed home a rebound and Harden sank another 3 to keep the Rockets comfortably ahead as the third quarter wound down. Harden was 11 for 12 from the field - with three 3-pointers and 11 rebounds through three quarters. Parsons started the fourth quarter by swishing a 3 from the corner, and backup point guard Patrick Beverley was fouled on a breakaway layup after a steal and converted both free throws for a 100-80 Houston lead. Harden capped his night with a fadeaway jumper over Lillard with 3:55 left to put the Rockets up 112-93. Houston coach Kevin McHale took out his starters with just under 3 minutes left. Courtesy of: kansascity.com

Memphis G. - Golden St.W. 99-93
The Memphis Grizzlies brought back the inside play and tight defence that made them successful earlier this season. And the performance with the team's new players removed the bad thoughts of the previous week's play. Marc Gasol (7'1''-C-85, agency: Interperformances) scored six of his 20 points down the stretch to help the Grizzlies end their two-game slide by defeating the Golden State Warriors 99-93 on Friday night. The Grizzlies said it was the most comfortable the team had been since adding Tayshaun Prince, Austin Daye and Ed Davis in a three-team deal that sent Rudy Gay (6'9''-F/G-86, college: Connecticut) to Toronto on Jan. 30. "We let our defence dictate our offence," said Gasol, who also grabbed 11 rebounds and was 9 of 14 from the field. "We were unselfish defensively. We were helping each other. We knew their schemes, and were real aggressive in trying to get them away from what they were trying to do. " ... Offensively, we moved it, and we were fortunate that we hit a lot of shots from the outside." Tony Allen (6'4''-G-82, college: Oklahoma St.) had a season-high 17 points on 7 of 8 shooting, Zach Randolph had 16 points and 12 rebounds, while Jerryd Bayless finished with 14 points. Daye had 12 points for Memphis, providing a spark in the first half. The adjustment to new players and dealing with trade rumours contributed to two tough losses earlier in the week - first at home to Phoenix, then in Atlanta. All the talk about the team's mindset after the shakeup led Memphis coach Lionel Hollins to address the issue in a 20-plus-minute pregame discussion. Among the topics was for the team to forget the changes and play their style of game. "We finally kind of calmed down and let the game come to us," said point guard Mike Conley, who had 10 of Memphis' 26 assists on 36 field goals. "We played inside-out down the stretch. Got it to Marc and (Randolph) and played off of them. That's what we've been known for the last few years, and finally got back to the inside-out style of basketball." Stephen Curry matched his season high with 32 points and eight assists for the Warriors, who lost their third straight. David Lee (6'9''-F-83, agency: Priority Sports, college: Florida) was the only other Golden State player in double figures with 26 points, connecting on 10 of 16 shots. While allowing 63 points in the first half, the Warriors limited Memphis to 36 after the break, a turnaround that presented some optimism for Golden State. "We fell a little bit short," Curry said. "It's a frustrating feeling for us losing three in a row. But it is a positive that we can take from this game knowing that we got back to our brand of basketball the last 24 minutes." Warriors coach Mark Jackson said the second half was a much better performance on both ends of the floor for his team. "I was pleased with the defensive effort in the second half," Jackson said. "We gave up too many points in the first half. ... We played our brand of basketball (in the second half). I was pleased with that. It was a tough loss for us." Memphis took over in the fourth quarter with nine unanswered points after consecutive 3-pointers from Curry gave the Warriors their last lead of the game with about 8 minutes left. The victory moved the Grizzlies 1 1/2 games ahead of Golden State for the fifth playoff spot in the Western Conference. "We look at those standings every day as we walk out," Allen said. "We knew those guys were right on our heels, and we needed to get this win." The first half had both teams hitting above 50 per cent from the field as the Grizzlies carried a 63-56 lead. Allen, who hit all five of his shots in the half, had 13 points. Daye hit 4 of 5 shots, including 3 of 4 outside the arc, for 12 points. "I hadn't made a shot in here yet," Daye said, "so it felt good to hit that first shot. Once I hit that first shot, I knew had a couple more in my chamber." Memphis was 8 of 20 on 3-pointers, compared to 6 of 17 for the Warriors. It didn't take long for Golden State to erase Memphis' halftime advantage, scoring six unanswered points to open the third as part of an 11-2 run that put the Warriors up 67-65 near the midway point of the period. The game was close through the rest of the third with five ties and four lead changes in the period. The final lead change of the period came on an inside basket by Tayshaun Prince as Memphis led 77-76 entering the fourth. Courtesy of: timescolonist.com

Miami Heat - LA Clippers 111-89
The set up was all wrong. The finish, though, was more than all right. Moments after Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra announced pregame that Chris Bosh and Ray Allen would be sidelined by the flu, Los Angeles Clippers coach Vinny Del Negro said his roster was back to full strength, Chris Paul, Blake Griffin (6'10''-F-89, college: Oklahoma), Chauncey Billups and Jamal Crawford again available. The Heat, of course, had LeBron James (6'8''-SF-84) on their side, the NBA's ultimate neutralizer. Shorthanded but still equipped with the dynamic, nearly flawless presence of James, the Heat extend their home winning streak to six and improved to 21-3 at AmericanAirlines Arena with a 111-89 victory Friday night. "We didn't want them coming here and getting their rhythm back against us," Heat guard Dwyane Wade (6'4''-G-82, college: Marquette) said. James made sure that didn't happen. While Paul and Griffin were less than their All-Star selves, James again was coolly efficient, making his first six shots and closing 9 of 11 from the field for 30 points. "He's the best player in the game and he continues to reinvent himself," Spoelstra said. He also was cold-blooded. Almost literally. After taking a blow to the face from Clippers center DeAndre Jordan during the third quarter in what was ruled his only miss on an 8-for-9 start, James didn't even contest the ensuing jump ball with Jordan. Instead, on the next Heat possession he completed a four-point play. And on the possession after that, he drained a 3-pointer, as the Heat blew it open. Even with the entire fourth quarter off, it was James' fourth consecutive 30-point game, tying Wade's franchise record. The Clippers remain the only team James has yet to score at least 35 points against, with career highs of 32 against them. "He's on a streak right now that's awesome," Wade said. "It's kind of like, 'Where's the bar for this guy?' Does he have a bar? " Asked about James standing as the hottest player on the plant at the moment, Wade said, "He's off the planet. He's not even the best basketball player on the planet. He's surpassed the planet. He's in the galaxy." When it wasn't James, it was Mario Chalmers draining 3-pointers, Wade making circus shots, even as he dealt with flu symptoms of his own, and Shane Battier using his outside shooting to neutralize his matchup against Griffin. Along the way, Heat forward Udonis Haslem, shifted to center amid Bosh's absence, recorded his 5,000th career rebound. "Our guys came in, no question, with an aggressive, confident, disposition," Spoelstra said. Wade closed with 20 points, seven assists and six rebounds. "I got some rest today and got some fluids in me and I will do the same tonight and [Saturday]," he said. "I am fine." Chalmers scored 18 points, shooting 5 of 8 from beyond the arc, second on this night to James' 4-of-5 3-point shooting, with the Heat closing 15 of 27 from beyond the arc. Chalmers went out late in the opening period with a lower-back strain, but returned in the second quarter, locked and loaded with his 3-point stroke. Yet it all was secondary to James. "I'm just in that comfortable place right now where I can go out and play free," he said. It was the first time he scored 30 points on 11 or fewer shots. "It's in the flow of things," he said. "I'm not even thinking about it." To a degree, James has never been better, never hotter. "You look at the numbers, it says that I haven't," he said. "You go by the numbers, I guess. Have I been a grove where I felt like I can do so many things? Yeah, I've felt that way. But as far as the shooting percentages, the numbers don't lie. So I guess I haven't." As for the Clippers? "We deserved what we got tonight," coach Vinny Del Negro said. It reached the point that both Paul and Griffin were called for technical fouls on the same third-quarter possession when James was fouled, frustrations boiling over. Other than Jordan feasting on the Heat's undersized rotation, the Clippers had precious little, the Heat's regulars given plenty of time at the finish to rest up for Sunday's visit by the Los Angeles Lakers, the fourth game on this five-game homestand. "When the lights are bright, and the popcorn is popping, our guys come to life," Spoelstra said. Already the stage is set for Sunday. Before the teams' first meeting, Lakers guard Kobe Bryant (6'6''-SG-78) asked if James wanted a cookie for contending the Heat's Big Three start in 2010 was tougher than what the Lakers are enduring this season. "Last time I commented, Kobe asked me if I wanted a cookie," James said in declining to discuss the Lakers' current struggles. "I like cookies, by the way." James entered averaging 30.3 points over the previous four games on .442 shooting, his highest shooting percentage over a four-game span. As for the Clippers, Paul, back after missing nine games with a bruised right kneecap, closed with three points on 1-of-5 shooting and two assists in 19 minutes. Griffin, who had missed the previous two games with a strained left hamstring, finished with 13 points and five rebounds in 24 minutes. Billups was appearing in just his fourth game of the season, most recently having been bothered by tendinitis in his left foot. Crawford had been sidelined by a sore right shoulder. With James 6 for 6 from the field in the first half, the Heat pushed to a 17-pont lead in the second period and led 62-50 at the intermission. Courtesy of: sun-sentinel.com

Cleveland C. - Orlando M. 119-108
The surest sign that the Cavaliers have turned a corner in the rebuilding process is not that they are winning games, as they did again Friday night in triumphing 119-108 over the Orlando Magic at The Q. No, the greatest clue is that the win is no longer enough. Not even when the Cavaliers sent Orlando to its 12th consecutive loss, not even when they stuck to what is becoming a fairly standard victory formula of keeping the game close, allowing what is now a strong second unit to build a cushion, then leaving the fourth quarter to Kyrie Irving (6'3''-G-92, college: Duke). No longer content with mere victories, the Cavaliers shrugged off their third win a row, their sixth win in the past eight games as they improved to 16-34. "My bad," Cavaliers coach Byron Scott said. "I'm probably supposed to be real thrilled. But my expectations of us as a team are a little bit higher than 11-11 in the last 22 games. Don't get me wrong, we're headed in the right direction." Against the Magic it took a bit of a sputtering start to find the correct path. Not until a third quarter in which Irving led the way with eight points, three rebounds and one assist, with Tristan Thompson chipping in with six, did the Cavaliers begin to close the gap on the Magic. Until then, Orlando dominated inside, led by Nikola Vucevic (6'11''-C-90, college: USC)'s career-high 25 points and 13 rebounds. In the first half, Orlando outrebounded Cleveland, 23-13, as Vucevic and rookie Andrew Nicholson took control of the interior. "Their bigs were killing us tonight," Scott said. Despite the high-scoring affair, it was actually a defensive play that sparked the Cavaliers most. After Cleveland finally had taken an 81-80 lead with 1:50 left, small forward Alonzo Gee swiped a pass from E'Twaun Moore, sprinted down the court and slammed down a monstrous dunk. It was part of a 13-0 run that gave the Cavaliers just enough cushion. The veteran second unit held the lead in the early fourth quarter, with Wayne Ellington knocking in nine points, Marreese Speights adding eight, and Irving hitting two key jumpers when Orlando was making one last push to control the game. "We're not doing anything too special," Ellington said of the second unit. "We're not doing anything out of the ordinary. We're just playing our game and helping each other on the defensive end. We're giving 100-percent effort." There still was plenty to nitpick afterward, chief among them the high score and the Magic's 52 percent shooting. In seven games before Friday night, the Cavaliers had allowed opponents to average 103.7 points per game, while managing 105.4 points per game of their own. "It's a good win, but I'd still like to get that defensive percentage lower than it was tonight," Scott said. But there are signs that the win still was a good one, a solid one in this rebuilding. There was a slick driving layup from Irving early in the third quarter in which his up-and-under move faked out all of Orlando. There was Dion Waiters (6'4''-G-91, college: Syracuse) with another sharp shooting night, hitting 6 of 10 shots for 15 points. And there was the fact that the Cavaliers players, at least, seemed upbeat and happy -- even if the coach wasn't. "Coming to work every day is fun," Irving admitted. The most fun he's had since coming to the Cavaliers? "I don't really think about the dark days," Irving said, grinning. "I don't remember them." Courtesy of: cleveland.com

Detroit P. - San Antonio S. 119-109
Greg Monroe (6'11''-C-90, college: Georgetown) had 26 points and 16 rebounds, and the Detroit Pistons snapped San Antonio's 11-game winning streak with a 119-109 victory over the short-handed Spurs on Friday night. San Antonio played without Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili, and the Pistons led by as many as 21 points in the second quarter. It was 65-52 at halftime, and although the Spurs cut the deficit to seven in the fourth, they fell short against a Detroit team that equaled its highest score of the season. Tony Parker (6'2''-PG-82) scored 31 points for San Antonio and Kawhi Leonard added 16. Brandon Knight (6'3''-G-91, college: Kentucky) had 24 for the Pistons, and Charlie Villanueva scored 21. Detroit was without rookie big man Andre Drummond, who is expected to miss four to six weeks because of a stress fracture in his back. Monroe, the Pistons' starting center, needed little help inside against the Spurs - and Detroit built a sizeable lead in the first half thanks to terrific outside shooting. San Antonio trailed by 17 after three quarters. The Spurs cut it to 108-101 on a 3-pointer by Leonard, but Knight answered with a 3 of his own. Later, the Spurs were down by eight with the ball, but Leonard missed and Villanueva made a 3-pointer to make it 116-105. The Pistons led 27-16 late in the first quarter after Jose Calderon sank a 3-pointer. It was 31-23 after one, and Detroit went 6 of 9 from beyond the arc in the second. Kyle Singler's 18-footer made it 65-44, but San Antonio scored the last eight points of the half to give itself a reasonable chance at a comeback. It was 81-72 midway with 3:55 left in the third, and the Spurs looked like they would enter the final quarter very much within striking distance. But this time it was Detroit that finished the period strong, going on a 10-3 run to lead 95-78. Monroe scored six points during that stretch. Duncan was shooting around on the court a couple hours before the opening tip, but he missed his second straight game with a sore left knee. Ginobili has missed three in a row with left hamstring tightness. Duncan has played only twice in San Antonio's last nine games, but the Spurs were able keep winning anyway before falling into too big a hole Friday. Courtesy of: sanluisobispo.com

Atlanta H. - N.Orleans H. 100-111
Greivis Vasquez (6'6''-PG-87, agency: Interperformances, college: Maryland) had his first career triple-double and Eric Gordon (6'4''-G-88, college: Indiana) scored 27 points, leading New Orleans to a 111-100 victory over the Atlanta Hawks on Friday night and a rare winning streak for the last-place Hornets. Vasquez scored 21 points, dished out 12 assists and grabbed 11 rebounds for New Orleans, which rallied from a 14-point deficit in the first half and withstood a late charge by the stumbling Hawks. Al Horford drove for a slam that cut the Hornets' lead to 98-94 with 3 1/2 minutes remaining. But Ryan Anderson sank a 3-pointer that caught the front of the rim, bounced high off the backboard and fell through. Anderson pumped his right fist; the Hawks never got closer than five the rest of the way. Josh Smith (6'9''-F-85) led Atlanta with 23 points and Jeff Teague added 21. Coming off a home victory over Phoenix, the young Hornets have just their fourth winning streak of the season. They put together a season-high four wins in a row last month, and only three other times have they won back-to-back games. At the start, it looked as though the Hawks would win this one in a breeze. They led 45-31 after John Jenkins' free throw midway through the second quarter. Atlanta lit it up from long range, shooting 9 of 16 from outside the arc in the first half. But New Orleans got hot near the end of the period, closing the gap to 55-50 by halftime. The Hornets kept it up in the second half, leading by as many as 14 themselves. Vasquez knocked down three shots from 3-point range and Anderson went 4 of 7 beyond the line. New Orleans finished 45 of 86 from the field, including 9 of 16 from deep - even after coach Monty Williams complained before the game about his youthful players being too focused on shooting 3-pointers. The new-look Hawks started the season as one of the NBA's most surprising teams, but they have struggled in the new year. Since Jan. 1, Atlanta has lost 12 of 19. Kyle Korver went 3 of 6 from 3-point range, setting a franchise record with his 43rd consecutive game making at least one shot beyond the stripe. He broke the mark set by Mookie Blaylock, who had 42 in a row during the 1996-97 season. Courtesy of: charlotteobserver.com

Indiana P. - Toronto R. 98-100 OT
Rudy Gay scored 17 of his 23 points in the fourth quarter and overtime Friday night, leading the Toronto Raptors to a 100-98 victory over the Indiana Pacers. The game went into overtime after Amir Johnson (6'9''-F/C-87)'s buzzer-beating tip-in stood following a replay review. The Raptors won it when Gay hit a 17-foot jumper with 1.7 seconds left and Paul George's 15-footer rimmed out as the horn sounded. David West (6'8''-F-80, college: Xavier) scored 30 points and George had 26 as the Pacers' 15-game home winning streak came to an end. DeMar DeRozan scored 22 to make Toronto (18-32) the first team to win twice at Indiana (31-20) this season. Indiana appeared to have the game won when West grabbed a rebound in the closing seconds of regulation with the Pacers clinging to a 90-88 lead, but he threw the ball away and Johnson's tip sent it to overtime. Courtesy of: orovillemr.com

Charlotte B. - LA Lakers 93-100
Even though Kobe Bryant and the Lakers were able to escape with a 100-93 win Friday night over the Charlotte Bobcats, the Los Angeles star was left feeling "irritated" after the game. Irritated at his team's shot selection. Irritated at his team's selfishness. And especially irritated that the Lakers needed to overcome a 20-point deficit to beat the NBA's worst team. "We have to play the right way," Bryant said. "When we have shots available, we take them. If we don't, move the ball on. It can't be about individual touches. It can't be about that." Still, the Lakers won. Bryant shrugged off a scoreless first half - he attempted only two shots - to finish with 20 points, eight assists and seven rebounds and the Lakers improved to 4-2 on their road trip heading into Sunday's game in Miami against the Heat. Bryant didn't come out for warm-ups to start the second half. But he was there to provide the spark the lackluster Lakers needed in the third quarter. He scored 14 of his points in the final period, including a driving layup with 40 seconds left to push the lead to five and help seal the win. "In the second half I got in position where I could catch it and turn and shoot it a little bit," Bryant said. "They were reluctant to double team because we started knocking down some shots. I think that makes the game a lot easier." Steve Nash (6'3''-PG-74, college: Santa Clara) and Earl Clark (6'10''-F-88, college: Louisville) each had 17 points and Dwight Howard had 12 points, all in the first half, and 11 rebounds for the Lakers (24-27). Howard played his second straight game despite nursing an injured right shoulder. "Continuity," Howard said when asked of the Lakers offensive woes. "We have to do a better job of spreading everything out and moving and getting everybody involved. When we do that, we are pretty good." Byron Mullens and Gerald Henderson each had 20 points for the Bobcats, who have lost six straight. Charlotte led 71-51 in the third quarter, but the Lakers stormed back behind a 9-0 run. They cut the lead to one on a driving layup by Bryant with 6:06 left in the game and Antawn Jamison gave the Lakers their first lead with 4:46 remaining on a left-handed finger roll in the lane. The Lakers took the lead for good at 92-91 when Jodie Meeks made a 3-pointer with 3:02 left in the game. Lakers coach Mike D'Antoni wasn't pleased with the overall effort, but liked that his team bounced back after a 116-95 loss to the Boston Celtics the night before. "We just got to be able to put our earplugs in, or mufflers on, or blinders on," D'Antoni said. "It's like the Kentucky Derby with horses, just get those blinders on and just get out there and run. "We have so much stuff going on out here that every little thing is blown to bits and whether it is right or wrong or blown out of proportion it is. But, it affects us. It is a distraction. It saps energy. We got to be able to just close that out somehow." The Lakers have been unpredictable this season, particularly on the road where they were 8-17 coming into this game. Before Friday night's game against Charlotte, D'Antoni was asked if the Bobcats were a dangerous opponent for his team. "We're playing, aren't we? (Then) there's a danger," D'Antoni said with a laugh. "If they play the national anthem, we're in danger." He was right. The Lakers started slow, looking out of sync just as they have for a good portion of the season as pick and rolls turned into turnovers and layups on the other end. Nash had four early turnovers and Howard threw a pass across court that hit the side of the backboard. The Lakers turned the ball over five times in the game's first eight minutes and fell behind 20-9. Bryant missed his only two shots in the first half, his slowest start since March 31, 2012, when he went three quarters without scoring a point before beating the New Orleans Hornets on a game-winning shot. The game was similar to earlier this season when the Bobcats led by 18 in Los Angeles only to squander the lead. "We had them down pretty much the whole game," Bobcats guard Kemba Walker said. "You know, they made a really good run. Kobe made a lot of good plays, made the right passes and guys just made shots." Courtesy of: huffingtonpost.com

Miami Heat sign Chris Andersen for reminder of season - by Eurobasket News

Miami Heat decided to keep Chris Andersen (6'10''-C/F-78, college: Blinn JC) for the reminder of the season. The Heat previously inked a 10-day contract with the forward. He notched 3.7 points and 4.0 rebounds per game in 6 appearances. Previously Chris Andersen played for the Denver Nuggets and Oklahoma City Thunder. He participated at the NBA Slam Dunk Contest back in 2005.

Alicia Keys headlines All-Star Game halftime show - by Diamadis Farmakis

Fourteen-time Grammy Award-winning artist Alicia Keys will headline the 62nd NBA All-Star Game as the sole performer of the halftime show on Sunday, Feb. 17. Keys will perform a selection of her chart-topping hits as part of the All-Star Game "Entertainment Series presented by Sean John at Macy's." The game will air live at 8 p.m. ET on TNT, ESPN Radio, and in 215 countries and territories and in 47 languages

Prior to the start of the All-Star Game, global superstar NE-YO will welcome the players to the court with an exciting performance of some of his greatest hits as part of "Entertainment Series presented by Sean John at Macy's," followed by nine-time Grammy Award-winning recording artist John Legend, who will sing the U.S. National Anthem. Actress/singer Gloria Reuben, who currently stars in the multi-Academy Award-nominated film "Lincoln," will perform the Canadian National Anthem.

On Saturday, Feb.16, Nick Cannon will host State Farm All-Star Saturday Night, airing live at 7 p.m. on TNT, featuring performances by British pop sensation Ellie Goulding, American Idol Season 11 winner Phillip Phillips, and recently reunited pop punk band Fall Out Boy. Goulding will tip off the evening by singing her No. 1 hit single, "Lights," followed by Phillip Phillips, who will perform his hit "Home" between the Taco Bell Skills Challenge and Foot Locker Three-Point Contest.

Fall Out Boy will rock the house with their brand new No. 1 hit single "My Songs Know What You Did In The Day (Light Em Up)," prior to the start of the Sprite Slam Dunk Contest. In addition, RaVaughn will perform the U.S. National Anthem and Michelle Peavy will sing the Canadian National Anthem.

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NBLCANADA

NBLC Standings

NBL Canada Standings

1. London L.		25-4
2. Summerside S.		18-11
3. Oshawa P.		17-12
4. Halifax R.		16-15
5. St.John M.R.		15-16
6. Moncton M.		15-20
7. Windsor Exp.		12-16
8. Montreal J.		2-26

Regular Season: Round 27

Feb. 8: St.John M.R. - London L. 97-100
Feb. 2: Montreal J. - Summerside S. 95-116
Feb. 7: Moncton M. - London L. 92-102
Feb. 6: Windsor Exp. - Oshawa P. 127-93
Feb. 8: Montreal J. - Halifax R. 113-122

Regular Season: Round 28

Feb. 10: Montreal J. - Windsor Exp.
Feb. 10: London L. - Summerside S.
Feb. 10: Moncton M. - Halifax R.

Results and Stats from latest round of action - by Eurobasket News

Moncton M. - London L. 92-102
The Moncton Miracles, presented by Rogers, lost to the London Lightning with a final score of 92-102. The Miracles now sit with a 15-20 record. Miracles fans would start the game standing as the team's 6th man until Devin Sweetney (6'6''-G/F-87, agency: Pro One Sports, college: St.Francis, PA) started the scoring for his team. Moncton would get off to an early 7-0 lead before Lightning's DeAnthony Bowden would answer back for his team with a 3. London's Elvin Mims (6'5''-F-79, college: S.Mississippi) would hit a 3 with 7:01 left in the first to tie the game up at 11-11. The Lightning would hit 2 more 3's down the road to put them up 11-17. Oliver McNally would hit a 3 for the Miracles to bring his team within 1 point late in the quarter, 16-17. With 29.6 seconds remaining Devin Sweetney would tie the game up at 22-22 but London's Marvin Phillips (6'7''-F-83, college: Claflin) would answer back with the dunk giving his team the advantage 22-24. The Lightning would start the second quarter on a early 9-2 to give them the biggest lead of the game, 33-24. London's Jermaine Blackburn would hit a 3 with less than 3 minutes to play securing his team with a 15-point lead, 32-47. The Lightning bench would receive a technical foul with 1:41 to play in the half. The first half would end with the Miracles trailing 40-50 to the Lightning. The first points of the second half would come from Lightning's Marvin Phillips when he went 2 for 2 from line two minutes in, 40-52. Moncton would come out with their usual third quarter push and shorten the lead to 7-points with 6 minutes on the clock. Sylvania Watkins would hit a baseline jumper to make it a 2-point game, 63-65. The third quarter would end with Moncton shortening London's lead to 4-points, 68-72. With 7:35 on the clock Lightning's Jermaine Blackburn would make 2 foul shots giving his team another 10-point lead, 79-89. With 1-minute left to play Blackburn would dunk breaking the 100-point mark for the Lightning, 89-100. Isaac Butts led the way for the Miracles with 24 points and 13 rebounds. Devin Sweetney followed with 23 points and Darrell Wonge dropped 17 points and pulled down 10 rebounds. Marvin Phillips was the force for the Lightning with 29 points. Jermaine Blackburn was next with 21 points and Elvin Mims with 16 points. Miracles Darrell Wonge received a technical foul as well as Boubacar Coly and Herman Favors. The Lightning bench and Rodney Buford would also receive technical fouls while Jeremy Williams was fouled out of the game in the third quarter. Courtesy of: oursportscentral.com

St.John M.R. - London L. 97-100
The Saint John Mill Rats, presented by Rogers, ended their 4 game winning streak by losing a tight battle to the London Lightning at Harbour Station on Friday evening in front of 2, 404 fans with a final score of 100-97. After an And 1 play from Kenny Jones (6'6''-PF-84, agency: Dream Team Management, college: Kentucky St.), the Mill Rats gained an early lead over the Lightning with 8:31 on the clock, 5-12. But with just under 5 minutes left in the quarter, the Lightning caught up, tying the game 14-14. Although Mill Rats Kenny Jones played a huge first quarter netting 13 points alone, London held on and closed the first ahead, 29-26. The second quarter, the Mill Rats battled hard, outscoring the lightning, 25-29. With 4:40 left before half, Julius Hodge, making his debut this game for Saint John, tied the game at the line, 42-42. Ending the half, the Mill Rats were able to pull ahead, leading 54-55. The third quarter, the Lightning were able to pull ahead and hold a 5 point lead for most of the quarter, closing 74-69. The fourth quarter, the Lightning pulled ahead and were leading by as many as 12 points with just under 4 minutes left in play. The Mill Rats held on and battled. They were able to narrow the gap, after a great basket from Jones underneath off of Jerice Crouch's rebound, making it a 5 point game. A dunk from Jones made it a 4 point game, 99-95, with 21.1 seconds left. Cavell Johnson (6'8''-F-85, college: UMBC) was able to sink another 2 points, but the Mill Rats were forced to foul, putting former Mill Rats player Jermaine Blackburn on the line, shooting 1 for 2 for London. Final score was 100-97 for the London Lightning. This is their second consecutive road win, as the team came up victorious against the Moncton Miracles last night, 102-92. Leading scorer of the game was Kenny Jones who dropped 26 points. Behind him, was Cavell Johnson with 15. Leading for the Lightning was Jermaine Blackburn with 15, while Elvin Mims and Adrian Moss each added 14 each. The Mill Rats fall to 15-16 on the season while the Lightning rise to 26-4. The Mill Rats are on the road Feb. 17th and 18th as they take on the Halifax Rainmen and the Summerside Storm. Courtesy of: oursportscentral.com

Montreal J. - Halifax R. 113-122
On Friday night the Halifax Rainmen beat the Montreal Jazz 122-113 in Montreal. The Rainmen have now won 3 straight games during the most crucial stretch of their season and improved to 16-15 on the season, 2nd in the Atlantic Conference and 4th in the NBL Canada. The Rainmen got off to a hot start leading 32-12 after the first quarter and took a 63-46 lead into halftime. The Rainmen shot 54% in the first half, led by Joey Haywood (6'1''-PG-84) with 13 points and their newest addition Akeem Wright (6'7''-F/G-84, college: Kansas St.) with 11 points in his first appearance off the Rainmen bench. The Jazz were led by 13 points by former Rainmen point guard Chris Hagan (5'9''-PG-89, college: Midwestern St.). The Jazz outscored the Rainmen 38-27 in the third quarter and the Rainmen led by just 6 points at the end of the third quarter, 90-84. In the fourth quarter the Rainmen outscored the Jazz 32-29 and Tyrone Levett's late fastbreak dunk helped the Rainmen hold on for a 122-113 victory. The Rainmen shot 55% from the field and outrebounded the Jazz 69-44 on their way to the win. The Rainmen were led by new addition Akeem Wright, who stuffed the stat sheet in his first game with the team, coming off the bench to score 23 points and adding 7 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 blocks and 2 steals in just over 26 minutes. Three Rainmen starters finished in double figures as Joey Haywood had 20 points, Melvin Goins had 15 and 9 rebounds and Quinnel Brown added 13 points. The Jazz were led by a pair of former Rainmen, point guard Chris Hagan who scored 23 of his game high 36 points in the second half, and forward Eric Frederick (6'8''-F-88, college: Texas Wesleyan) who had 28 points and 9 rebounds. Also chipping in for the Jazz were forward JR Harrison who had a 16 point, 10 rebound double-double, guard Courtland Bluford with 12 and centre Jonas Pierre who had 11 points and 5 blocked shots. The Rainmen will now travel to Moncton to take on the 15-20 Miracles before returning to Halifax for a Sunday afternoon showdown with Atlantic division rivals the Saint John Mill Rats, who at 15-16 sit two games back of the Rainmen in the playoff picture with 9 games to play. Courtesy of: oursportscentral.com

Montreal J. - Summerside S. 95-116
The Summerside Storm registered a 116-95 road win over the Montreal Jazz on Friday night. Brandon Robinson (6'6''-F-89, college: Clayton St.) scored 21 points to lead the balanced Storm attack, which also featured a 19-point performance from Antonio Ballard (6'4''-G/F, college: Miami, OH) and a season-high 17-point effort from Nick Evans. Omari Johnson and Greg Plummer each contributed 16 points for the Storm, who improved their Atlantic Division-leading record to 18-11 (won-lost). Eric Frederick sank a game-high 34 points, and Chris Hagan poured in 24 to lead the Jazz (2-26). The Storm's next game is in London, Ont., against the league-leading Lightning on Sunday, Feb. 10. The Storm's next home game is against the Moncton Miracles on Thursday, Feb. 14, at 7 p.m. Courtesy of: journalpioneer.com

Windsor Exp. - Oshawa P. 127-93
It looks as though rust settled in more thickly on the Oshawa Power than the Windsor Express during a lull in the NBL Canada schedule. Coming off a 12-day layoff Wednesday at the WFCU Centre in Windsor, the Power were thrashed 127-93 by the Express, who hadn't played for 10 days. The Power started off the game slowly, losing the first quarter 29-17, and were never able to grab the momentum as the Express took a 19-point lead into halftime. Five Oshawa players hit the double-figure plateau, led by Mark Gomillia (6'5''-F-87, college: SF Austin)'s 20 points and seven rebounds. Pickering's Papa Oppong (6'4''-G-87, college: E.Kentucky) continued his strong play with 19 points, five rebounds and assists. Nick Okorie (14), Chad Gillaspy (13) and Bo Harris (12) also contributed to a balanced Power scoring attack. Chris Commons (6'9''-F-84, college: USC Aiken) led the way for the Express with 31 points, while Darren Duncan added six points and a game-high 16 assists. The Power dropped to 17-12 with 11 games remaining and still sit comfortably in second place in the Central standings, between the 24-4 London Lightning and 12-16 Express. Courtesy of: durhamregion.com

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

NCAA1

Top 25 - Men

TOP25 Standings

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

Regular Season: Round 90

Feb. 8: VMI - NC-Asheville 79-90
Feb. 8: Lipscomb - N.Kentucky 76-58
Feb. 8: Cornell - Harvard 65-67
Feb. 8: Loyola, MD - Siena 63-51
Feb. 8: Princeton - Brown 63-46
Feb. 8: Pennsylvania - Yale 59-68
Feb. 8: Columbia - Dartmouth 57-60
Feb. 8: San Jose St. - Utah St. 36-63

Regular Season: Round 91

Feb. 9: Dayton - Temple
Feb. 9: Cleveland St. - Valparaiso
Feb. 9: Notre Dame - Louisville
Feb. 9: Wake Forest - Florida St.
Feb. 9: Cincinnati - Pittsburgh
Feb. 9: Wisconsin - Michigan
Feb. 9: Rutgers - Georgetown
Feb. 9: Jackson St. - Texas Southern
Feb. 9: New Orleans - Houston Baptist
Feb. 9: Ark.-Pine Bluff - Southern
Feb. 9: Missouri - Mississippi
Feb. 9: Virginia Tech - Georgia Tech
Feb. 9: Buffalo - N.Illinois
Feb. 9: Indiana St. - S.Illinois
Feb. 9: Vanderbilt - Arkansas
Feb. 9: Fairfield - Manhattan
Feb. 9: Texas - Oklahoma St.
Feb. 9: La Salle - Fordham
Feb. 9: Massachusetts - St.Joseph's
Feb. 9: BYU - USF
Feb. 9: Marquette - De Paul
Feb. 9: Miami, FL - N.Carolina
Feb. 9: George Mason - Delaware
Feb. 9: Houston - Tulane
Feb. 9: NC-Wilmington - Hofstra
Feb. 9: G.Washington - Butler
Feb. 9: Rhode Island - St.Bonaventure
Feb. 9: Ohio - Bowling Green
Feb. 9: Ball St. - W.Michigan
Feb. 9: Georgia St. - Towson
Feb. 9: Radford - Presbyterian
Feb. 9: Kennesaw St. - Jacksonville
Feb. 9: Miami, OH - Akron
Feb. 9: American - Colgate
Feb. 9: UAB - Marshall
Feb. 9: Maine - Albany
Feb. 9: IUPUI - Nebraska-Omaha
Feb. 9: Portland - Pepperdine
Feb. 9: Gonzaga - Loyola Mary
Feb. 9: Nicholls St. - SE Louisiana
Feb. 9: Villanova - S.Florida
Feb. 9: N.Arizona - E.Washington
Feb. 9: Stetson - E.Tenn.St.
Feb. 9: Cent.Conn.St. - Quinnipiac
Feb. 9: UMBC - Vermont
Feb. 9: N.C.Central - Florida A&M
Feb. 9: Furman - Elon
Feb. 9: Cent.Florida - E.Carolina
Feb. 9: Howard - Md-E Shore
Feb. 9: Winthrop - Longwood
Feb. 9: Kentucky - Auburn
Feb. 9: TCU - W.Virginia
Feb. 9: ODU - Northeastern
Feb. 9: Bryant - Sacred Heart
Feb. 9: Coppin St. - Morgan St.
Feb. 9: N.Carolina A&T - Beth.-Cookman
Feb. 9: S.Mississippi - Memphis
Feb. 9: Northwestern St. - Cent.Arkansas
Feb. 9: Oklahoma - Kansas
Feb. 9: Baylor - Texas Tech
Feb. 9: Holy Cross - Lehigh
Feb. 9: Davidson - Appalachian St.
Feb. 9: Army - Bucknell
Feb. 9: Iowa - Northwestern
Feb. 9: Mercer - N.Florida
Feb. 9: Sam Houston St. - Lamar
Feb. 9: Oakland - S.Dakota St.
Feb. 9: Georgia - Texas A&M
Feb. 9: Florida - Mississippi St.
Feb. 9: Florida Gulf Coast - USC Upstate
Feb. 9: Charleston So. - Campbell
Feb. 9: Norfolk St. - Delaware St.
Feb. 9: Richmond - St.Louis
Feb. 9: San Diego St. - Fresno St.
Feb. 9: Denver - Idaho
Feb. 9: Princeton - Yale
Feb. 9: Grambling St. - Prairie View A&M
Feb. 9: Nevada - Air Force
Feb. 9: Alabama A&M - Alabama St.
Feb. 9: Miss.Valley St. - Alcorn St.
Feb. 9: Chicago St. - NJIT
Feb. 9: Kansas St. - Iowa St.
Feb. 9: Savannah St. - S.Carolina St.
Feb. 9: Middle Tenn.St. - Troy
Feb. 9: UMKC - S.Dakota
Feb. 9: SE Missouri St. - E.Illinois
Feb. 9: Duquesne - Xavier
Feb. 9: St.Francis, PA - Mt.St.Mary's
Feb. 9: Arizona St. - Stanford
Feb. 9: Tenn-Martin - SIU Edwardsville
Feb. 9: High Point - Co.Carolina
Feb. 9: Purdue - Michigan St.
Feb. 9: Hartford - Stony Brook
Feb. 9: Cornell - Dartmouth
Feb. 9: Wofford - NC-Greensboro
Feb. 9: Gardner-Webb - Liberty
Feb. 9: Binghamton - Boston U.
Feb. 9: Kent St. - Cent.Michigan
Feb. 9: Toledo - E.Michigan
Feb. 9: Charlotte - VCU
Feb. 9: Iona - Rider
Feb. 9: IPFW - N.Dakota St.
Feb. 9: Fair Dickinson - Monmouth
Feb. 9: SF Austin - ORU
Feb. 9: Pennsylvania - Brown
Feb. 9: Navy - Lafayette
Feb. 9: Robert Morris - Wagner
Feb. 9: Columbia - Harvard
Feb. 9: Morehead St. - E.Kentucky
Feb. 9: Wichita St. - Missouri St.
Feb. 9: Georgia South - W.Carolina
Feb. 9: Chattanooga - Charleston
Feb. 9: Green Bay - Detroit Mercy
Feb. 9: Oregon - Utah
Feb. 9: Texas Arlington - UTSA
Feb. 9: Murray St. - Tennessee St.
Feb. 9: N.Texas - FIU
Feb. 9: Boise St. - Wyoming
Feb. 9: Rice - SMU
Feb. 9: Alabama - LSU
Feb. 9: Samford - Citadel
Feb. 9: Wisc.-Milwaukee - Wright St.
Feb. 9: Louisiana Tech - Texas St.
Feb. 9: Texas A&M-CC - McNeese St.
Feb. 9: W.Kentucky - Arkansas St.
Feb. 9: S.Alabama - Florida Atlantic
Feb. 9: Austin Peay St. - Belmont
Feb. 9: Tenn Tech - Jacksonville St.
Feb. 9: Weber St. - S.Utah
Feb. 9: Nebraska - Penn St.
Feb. 9: N.Mexico St. - Seattle
Feb. 9: UTEP - Tulsa
Feb. 9: Montana - N.Dakota
Feb. 9: UNLV - N.Mexico
Feb. 9: Montana St. - N.Colorado
Feb. 9: Utah Valley - UTPA
Feb. 9: Creighton - Illinois St.
Feb. 9: UCSB - Pacific
Feb. 9: CSU Bakersfield - CSU San Marcos
Feb. 9: UCLA - Washington St.
Feb. 9: Cal-Riverside - CS Fullerton
Feb. 9: Cal Poly - SLO - Cal-Davis
Feb. 9: CS Northridge - Long Beach St.
Feb. 9: Sacramento St. - Portland St.
Feb. 9: San Diego - St.Mary's, CA
Feb. 9: Hawaii - Cal-Irvine

Stats Leaders - NCAA1

Points Per Game

Wesley SAUNDERS
  Harvard
  (196-G-)
  Avg: 16.1

1. Saunders, Harvard	16.1
2. Hummer, Princeton	15.8
3. McGonagill, Brown	14.4
4. Sullivan, Brown	13.9
5. Cartwright, Pennsy.	13.4
6. Barbour, Columbia	13.3
7. Chambers, Harvard	13.1
8. Morgan, Yale	11.6
9. Maia, Brown	11.2
10. Rivard, Harvard	11.1

Rebounds Per Game

Rafael MAIA
  Brown
  (206-C-91)
  Avg: 7.6

1. Maia, Brown	7.6
2. Kuakumensah, Brown	7.3
3. Miller, Cornell	6.8
4. Hummer, Princeton	6.6
5. Sears, Yale	6.4
6. Maldunas, Dartm.	5.9
7. Cisco, Columbia	5.8
8. Brooks, Dartmouth	5.7
9. Boehm, Dartmouth	5.5
10. Cotton, Yale	5.1

Assists Per Game

Siyani CHAMBERS
  Harvard
  (183-PG-)
  Avg: 6.2

1. Chambers, Harvard	6.2
2. Barbour, Columbia	4.6
3. McGonagill, Brown	4.6
4. Hummer, Princeton	4.4
5. Saunders, Harvard	3.9
6. Bray, Princeton	3.4
7. Cartwright, Pennsy.	3.4
8. Asafo-Adjei, Corne.	2.9
9. Crocker, Pennsylv.	2.8
10. Grace, Yale	2.6

Steals Per Game

Malik GILL
  Dartmouth
  (175-PG-)
  Avg: 1.9

1. Gill, Dartmouth	1.9
2. Saunders, Harvard	1.9
3. Miller, Cornell	1.8
4. Bray, Princeton	1.8
5. Barbour, Columbia	1.7
6. Lewis, Pennsylvania	1.5
7. Sullivan, Brown	1.5
8. Chambers, Harvard	1.4
9. Halpern, Brown	1.4
10. McGonagill, Brown	1.4

Blocks Per Game

Cedric KUAKUMENSAH
  Brown
  (203-F-)
  Avg: 1.9

1. Kuakumensah, Brown	1.9
2. Miller, Cornell	1.6
3. Smith, Harvard	1.4
4. Nelson-Henry, Penn.	1.0
5. Cisco, Columbia	0.9
6. Moundou-M., Harva.	0.9
7. Sherrod, Yale	0.9
8. Barrett, Princeton	0.8
9. Maldunas, Dartm.	0.8
10. Osetkowski, Colum.	0.8

Brooks: Roberson, Buffs Stay With It, Edge Ducks - by Eurobasket News

EUGENE, Ore. - Colorado basketball coach Tad Boyle had wanted his Buffaloes to play a 40-minute game, and it took them nearly that long to take their first lead on Thursday night against No. 19 Oregon.

But when CU finally got its advantage, it held. Andre Roberson (6'7''-F-91) 's lay-in with 29.5 seconds to play, coupled with intense defense on the Ducks over the final 41/2 minutes earned the Buffs a dramatic 48-47 win at Matt Knight Arena.

It was CU's first win in Eugene in 58 years, and it was accomplished in the manner Boyle expected. "Playing Oregon is like a street fight; they're tough," he said. "And we tried to prepare our guys for that . . . we gutted it out, we didn't play our best. We won with our defense and our rebounding at the end."

CU's offense was hard to find; the Buffs' winning total was their lowest in the modern shot clock era. The last time CU won while scoring fewer than 50 points was on Feb. 2, 1967 in a 49-42 victory over Oklahoma State.

On Thursday night, the Buffs shot only 36.5 percent from the field, but they held the Ducks to 36.2 percent. CU's defense was particularly unforgiving in the final 4:26, holding the Ducks scoreless after they had taken a 47-40 lead.

"You shoot 36 percent on the road . . . you find a way," Boyle said. "Hopefully our guys can learn from that and take some confidence from it. We're going to start playing better offensively and making some shots and become more efficient. We're in a little bit of a funk offensively right now, but we'll break out of it."

CU had only one player in double figures - Roberson, who collected his 35th career double-double with 10 points and 13 rebounds. It was his Pac-12 Conference leading 10th double-double this season.

Roberson scored four of his points and grabbed three of his rebounds in the final 2:15. "There was a look in his eye, a determination, an energy that I hadn't seen before," Boyle said. "It was reminiscent of what I saw out of Carlon (Brown) and Nate (Tomlinson) and Austin (Dufault) towards the end of last year. Those seniors said we're going to get this done and find a way. Andre was the same way."

Said Roberson: "I didn't want us to lose, and it starts with me . . . I just took it on myself to go out and play defense and continue to fight. We were still right there; we just weren't getting over that hump to get the lead. I tip my hat to each and every one of our guys."

The first tip of his hat might go to Spencer Dinwiddie, whose late defense was as critical as Roberson's, according to Boyle. Dinwiddie pressured E.J. Singler on Oregon's final full possession into a difficult shot, appearing to get a piece of the ball.

Said Boyle: "Spencer was terrific . . . those two guys (Dinwiddie, Roberson) were the difference in the game for us defensively. He played great defense (on Singler). Whether he got a touch, I don't know. We had two fouls to give. We talked about maybe giving one on the drive or on the dribble. We didn't want to foul a shooter, obviously, (Oregon) being down one. We showed very good judgment there."

Dinwiddie, who finished with eight points and four assists, gave more credit to Roberson's 'D' than his own. He also said 'Dre' "pulled down every single big board we needed. One time he even let out a primal scream after he got one of those boards. He's big for us because he's our best rebounder and that means so much for us. As you saw, with his nose for the ball, he got the last shot blocked, got it right back, scored it and it didn't even faze him. He won the game for us."

After falling short last weekend in a disheartening loss at Utah, CU (15-7, 5-5) needed a healing night on the court. So did Oregon (18-5, 7-3) after dropping a pair of games in the Bay Area. But it was the Buffs who finished strong this time, closing out the game with an 8-0 run and improving to 2-2 against ranked opponents this season.

CU also has beaten then-No. 16 Baylor in the Charleston Classic before losing at then-No. 3 Arizona and then-No. 9 Kansas. The Buffs' last road win against a ranked opponent was on Jan. 12, 2011, when they defeated No. 21 Kansas State 74-66.

Oregon freshman point guard Dominic Artis missed his fourth straight game with a foot injury. But until the final minutes, the Ducks weren't as turnover prone Thursday as they had been in their previous three games, when they totaled 65. By halftime, forging a five-point lead, Oregon had committed just four turnovers to CU's eight.

But the Buffs committed only four second-half turnovers and seldom succumbed to the Ducks' pressure. Oregon also finished with a dozen turnovers, and Artis' absence showed in the final minutes. The Ducks outrebounded the Buffs 37-32, including 16-14 on the offensive boards. But CU converted 17 second-chance points to Oregon's eight.

The Buffs never led in the opening half and trailed by as many as eight points (15-7) with 11 minutes before the break. During the stretch when they fell behind by that margin, they strayed from what Boyle wanted from them - specifically, to attack the rim in transition and run after getting stops. Problem was, the stops weren't plentiful enough to allow CU to speed up its transition game. The Buffs stayed out of sorts offensively for nearly 6 minutes.

"I'm really proud of our players, to win when you don't play your best," said Boyle. "You have to do it at some point of the year, you just do, and multiple times sometimes because it's not always going to be pretty."

After the Ducks took their eight-point first-half lead, the Buffs got strong minutes off the bench from Jeremy Adams, who hit a pair of free throws and three-pointer during a 10-2 run that pulled CU into a 17-17 tie.

But Oregon, responding with a 9-2 surge, went back on top by seven points (26-19) and CU needed a turnaround jumper by Josh Scott at the halftime buzzer to trail 28-23 at intermission.

Oregon got 12 first-half points from Singler and eight off the bench from Emory. Singler and Emery finished with 14 each for the Ducks, who had won 20 consecutive home games stretching back to the 2011-12 season (14-0 this season).

The Buffs opened the second half with a traditional three-point play from Dinwiddie - his first points of the game. That cut the Ducks' lead to 28-26 with 17:57 to play, and another Dinwiddie layup brought CU to within 30-28 less than a minute later.

An Xavier Johnson trey - his second of the game - pulled the Buffs to within 32-31 with just over 15 minutes remaining. But the Ducks outscored their visitors 7-2 over the next 4 minutes and increased their advantage to 39-33 with 11:02 left.

CU crept to within 47-43 at the 3:01 mark on one of two free throws by Askia Booker, to 47-44 on one of two foul shots by Scott, then to 47-46 on a putback by Roberson with 2:07 to play.

After each team squandered a possession apiece, the Buffs got the ball after an offensive foul by Singler with 50.1 seconds remaining. Boyle called timeout with 46.2 seconds showing, and after a defensive stop, Roberson's lay-in gave CU its one-point lead at the 29.5 mark.

When he rebounded Singler's miss in the final 2 seconds, Roberson was fouled and went to the line to shoot one-and-one. He missed the first attempt and Oregon's Arsalan Kazemi rebounded. But with less than a second to play, Kazemi's only choice was turn and heave the ball. The Ducks were done.

"Our guys got stops when they had to," Boyle said. "As painful and as disappointing as that Utah loss was for us, it might have done this team some good. We learned a couple of things: We know we have to play from the get-go, which I think we did . . . we competed. And secondly, knowing we can come back at the end. We came back and we won."

The Buffs play next at Oregon State on Sunday (7 p.m. MST, Pac-12 Network).
Courtesy of: http://www.cubuffs.com

Plumlee, Curry Lift No. 4 Duke Over N.C. State 98-85 - by Eurobasket News

DURHAM, N.C. -- Big leads haven't been entirely safe when Duke and North Carolina State get together at Cameron Indoor Stadium. So even as the Blue Devils went up by 21 points, Mason Plumlee knew the Wolfpack would rally somehow.

"They're too good not to," Plumlee said.

And No. 4 Duke was too good to let its lead slip away.

Plumlee scored 30 points in the Blue Devils' 98-85 victory Thursday night.

Seth Curry (6'2''-G-90) added 26 points and Quinn Cook (6'1''-PG-93) had 21 for Duke (20-2, 7-2 Atlantic Coast Conference), which never trailed, shot 53.8 percent from the field and had to fend off the Wolfpack's late surge for its fourth straight win.

Richard Howell had 15 of his 23 points in the second half for the Wolfpack (16-7, 5-5). Playing their first game this season as an unranked team, they clawed back in it by making 12 of their first 14 shots of the second half.

But N.C. State - the preseason favorite in the ACC - lost its third straight and was denied its first win in Cameron Indoor Stadium since 1995.

"We (were) getting it handed to us, but I love the way my team fought back," Howell said.

Howell's layup with 5:16 remaining got the Wolfpack within single digits for the first time since the opening minutes at 84-73.

Cook countered with a jumper and Howell picked up his fifth foul on the offensive end with 3:41 left. Plumlee followed with two free throws to make it 88-75.

N.C. State then cut it to eight on Scott Wood's 3 with 1:08 left but Curry hit two free throws with 52 seconds left to make it 95-85 and Plumlee added a dunk to make it a 12-point game.

C.J. Leslie finished with 16 points and Wood had 14 for the Wolfpack, whose previous four conference losses came by a total of seven points.

Freshman Rasheed Sulaimon, who missed all 10 of his shots in the previous meeting - an 84-76 loss on Jan. 12 that knocked Duke from No. 1 - had 11 points in this one.

Plumlee was 9 of 11 from the field and 12 of 16 from the free throw line while finishing two points shy of the career high he set last week at Wake Forest.

Curry finished with his third straight 20-point game this season and second consecutive huge performance at home against the Wolfpack.

In their last visit to Cameron, they led by 20 points with 11 1/2 minutes left before Curry took over, scoring 21 of his 26 points in the second half to key the Blue Devils' 78-73 win.

N.C. State tried to turn the tables on Duke with a hot second half of its own, but the Wolfpack simply let the Blue Devils get too far ahead in the opening 20 minutes.

"At halftime, that's what I was telling my team - we had them down like this last year, and they came back and beat us," Howell said. "I just wanted to tell my team that to try to keep their heads up and keep them playing in the game, because we were definitely getting ... whupped."

Duke shot 61 percent during a 58-point first half - its highest-scoring half of the season about which coach Mike Krzyzewski said "I don't know if we can play any harder or better."

The ACC's top 3-point-shooting team hit all 10 in the first half - four each by Cook and Curry - and nearly matched its previous season high for a full game, 12, set two months ago against Temple.

"We got good looks, and we had a lot of energy defensively, and that translates to the offensive end," Curry said. "We came out motivated and with a lot of energy, and that showed."

At the other end, N.C. State - which shoots an ACC-best 50 percent - couldn't get anything to fall early and fell way behind. Lewis started 2 of 4, but the rest of his teammates combined to miss their first 11 shots.

"I thought we got some good shots early. We just couldn't make them," coach Mark Gottfried said. "And at the same time we seemed to be struggling, they were on fire."

Cook gave Duke its first 20-point lead when his 3 at the 7-minute mark made it 41-21. Curry's jumper with about 30 seconds left gave the Blue Devils their largest lead, 58-37 at halftime.

Tyler Lewis scored 13 points in place of injured point guard Lorenzo Brown and fellow freshman T.J. Warren had 12 for N.C. State.

A run of injuries left the teams with only a combined 15 available scholarship players.

Brown sat out his second straight game with a sprained left ankle. Duke played without both power forward Ryan Kelly and one of his replacements. Josh Hairston joined him on the bench, out with an infected arm.

"For two teams that have key players out, what a performance by both teams," Krzyzewski said. "That was ACC basketball tonight."
Courtesy of: http://www.goduke.com

Bulldogs Ride Waves For 24th Straight Time To Go 9-0 In WCC - by Eurobasket News

SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) - Kevin Pangos (6'2''-G-93) saw that unranked Illinois had beaten No. 1 Indiana on Thursday night, and wasn't about to let the same fate befall No. 6 Gonzaga.

Pangos scored 14 points as Gonzaga pounded Pepperdine 82-56 on Thursday night for its 24th consecutive victory over the Waves.

''We don't relax for any game,'' Pangos said. ''I saw today that Illinois beat Indiana. It happens. We can't let that happen to us.''

Kelly Olynyk (7'0''-F-91) added 13 points for Gonzaga (22-2, 9-0 West Coast), which has won five straight since losing at Butler.

Stacy Davis (6'6''-F) scored 16 points to lead Pepperdine (10-13, 2-8), which has lost four straight games. Nikolas Skouen added 12 points.

In their first meeting, Pepperdine led by a point with 14 minutes left before losing 78-62. But this one was over early, as Gonzaga made 12 3-pointers and the Waves committed 21 turnovers.

Gonzaga won despite a sluggish offensive performance. The Bulldogs shot 44.8 percent in the game and held Pepperdine to 36.2 percent.

''Offense can be up and down,'' Pangos said. ''Defensively, if we can get that performance every single game, we are tough to beat.''

Gonzaga made 12 of 27 3-point attempts and 18 of 24 free throws.

''We probably didn't have the same offensive rhythm as some of our games,'' coach Mark Few said.

Gonzaga scored the first 10 points of the game and Pepperdine was scoreless for the first 5 minutes. The Waves committed nine turnovers in the first 8 minutes to fall behind 14-2.

''It got out of hand with all our turnovers in the first half,'' Pepperdine coach Marty Wilson said. ''That was the key and that's been our Achilles heel all season.''

Skouen hit two 3-pointers as Pepperdine broke the ice and cut Gonzaga's lead to 17-10. But Drew Barham and Gary Bell Jr. replied with 3-pointers and Gonzaga was soon leading by 15 points.

Gonzaga led 35-20 at halftime despite shooting only 37 percent from the field. Pepperdine shot just 27 percent (6 of 22) in the first half, and committed 15 turnovers to five for Gonzaga.

''That was one thing we talked about at halftime, despite the 15 turnovers, holding them to 10 baskets and 37 percent on their home court,'' Wilson said.

Pepperdine picked up the tempo early in the second half, matching baskets with Gonzaga, but couldn't make up any ground as the Bulldogs led 44-29 with 15:35 left.

Consecutive 3-pointers by Barham and Pangos launched an 11-0 run that put Gonzaga up 58-32.

Kyle Dranginis' 3-pointer, the 11th of the game for Gonzaga, put the Bulldogs up 66-36 and the Waves did not threaten again.

Dranginis finished with 11 points and Przemek Karnowski had 10 for Gonzaga.

Pepperdine's last win over Gonzaga was in 2002 in Malibu. The Waves have not won in Spokane since 1998.

This is Gonzaga's best start since the 2003-04 team started 28-2.

Gonzaga is 116-8 in the McCarthey Athletic Center since it opened in 2004.

NOTES and QUOTES

Notes: Gonzaga's 24 straight wins over Pepperdine is its longest active winning streak against a WCC team ... Pepperdine is 0-11 when allowing 67 points or more ... Gonzaga's record at the McCarthey Athletic Center is now 59-2 in conference games ... Pepperdine finished the game with more turnovers (21) than field goals (17) ... the Zags, who boast the stingiest defense in the WCC, held the Waves nearly six-points below their season average ... GU junior Drew Barham made his first start of the season ... walk-on Brian Bhaskar, a junior from California, saw his first action of the season.

Gonzaga coach Mark Few

On his team's performance against Pepperdine ... "I loved our defensive intensity ... we did a great job of buying in and playing with effort and passion on the defensive end."

On the play of guard Kyle Dranginis ... "I really thought Kyle had a great game. I think that is a great sign for us to get another perimeter player stepping up and being aggressive like that and making plays. He got in there and dug things out on the glass and got his hands on a lot of balls defensively. That is exactly what we need out of that third perimeter spot."

On Saturday's game against Loyola Marymount, a team GU beat 45 points earlier in the season ... "There is some real talent on that team and we have to approach that game like we do any other. You know, what happened down there in Loyola kind of snowballed a little bit. We have to make sure we come out and approach it like we did the first one."

Gonzaga redshirt freshman Kyle Dranginis

On his progression throughout the season ... "As the season has progressed I have felt a little more comfortable. It's been good - and we're winning. As long as that keeps happening, I'm happy."

On the importance of not overlooking Loyola Marymount on Saturday ... "I'm sure that they are hearing it from their coaches because we kind of handled them. But they are definitely going to give us a game. We've got to prepare like it's any other game."

Gonzaga sophomore Kevin Pangos

On the key to Gonzaga's success against Pepperdine ... "Not relaxing. Everyone came out aggressive ... when everyone brings energy like that on the defensive end, we're hard to beat."

On Saturday's game against Loyola Marymount ... "Every game is important for where we want to get to."
Courtesy of: Associated Press

Illinois Takes Down No. 1 Indiana, 74-72 - by Eurobasket News

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) - Tyler Griffey (6'9''-F-90) made the biggest shot of his career.

The senior forward took an inbounds pass and made a wide-open layup with 0.9 seconds to play to give Illinois a 74-72 victory over No. 1 Indiana on Thursday night, the fifth straight week the nation's top-ranked team lost.

Hoosiers coach Tom Crean , whose team has been No. 1 for a total of seven weeks this season, doesn't have a reason for the recent weekly changes on top of the poll.

"I can't answer that. I'm not sure," Crean said. "I just know that these games are 40-minute games. We played at a high level for most of the game."

The Hoosiers were in charge until the final 3 1-2 minutes when the Illini (16-8, 3-7 Big Ten) finally put together a run to take and then retake the lead.

"I know this, when we turn the ball over we're not very good," Crean said. "And the biggest difference tonight was 28 points off turnovers to our 16."

And nothing could have been worse for the Hoosiers (20-3, 8-2) than the way the game ended.

With 0.9 seconds, Griffey left defenders Cody Zeller (7'0''-F-92) and Christian Watford behind on an inbounds play from the baseline, took the pass from Brandon Paul and delivered the uncontested buzzer-beater for the Illini.

The shot sent hundreds of students onto the court - holding their collective breath as officials checked the replay to make sure the clock hadn't beaten Griffey - and Paul and fellow guard D.J. Richardson hugged and teared up with relief.

Illinois had lost eight of 11 since starting the season 12-0. The Illini had been ranked as high as No. 10 and were now falling to the bottom of the Big Ten.

Griffey, accustomed to struggling in recent weeks, seemed surprised with the ease he was able to make the game-winner.

"I just made a simple curl cut and left two guys behind me, and Brandon got off a heck of a pass," he said. "Zeller and Watford were both right in front of me and just kind of stayed there."

Crean, whose team just moved into the No. 1 spot after knocking off then-No. 1 Michigan on Saturday, said the play was a lot like the other breakdowns in the Hoosiers' game that let Illinois climb back from a 12-point halftime deficit.

"We didn't communicate," Crean said.

"They're very deserving of the win, they never gave in," he added, but he qualified that with, "We didn't put them away when we had the opportunities."

Indiana's loss drops them into a three-way tie for first in the Big Ten with Michigan and Michigan State. For the Illini, the win means a move out of 10th in the 12-team conference up into a ninth-place tie with Iowa.

More importantly, it's a potential lifeline for an Illini team that still has to face No. 18 Minnesota on the road Sunday and had been watching its season slip away.

"It was good to get back to having that toughness and togetherness and trust that we needed," Illinois coach John Groce said.

Illinois hadn't beaten a No. 1 team since a 2004 win over Wake Forest. But the Illini had won nine of the last 10 against the Hoosiers in Champaign. And this season, whatever else has gone wrong, Illinois has delivered against the big boys. Coming into Thursday night the Illini had already beaten three teams now in the top 15: No. 6 Gonzaga, No. 10 Ohio State and No. 14 Butler.

Richardson had 23 points for Illinois, Paul had 21 and Griffey finished with 14 points and eight rebounds.

Zeller led Indiana with 14 points, while Will Sheehey had 13, Watford 12 and Jordan Hulls 11.

Indiana shot 50 percent from the field (25 of 50), 52.9 percent from 3-point range (9 of 17) and 93 percent from the free throw line (13 of 14). The Hoosiers led by an 8- to 10-point margin for most of the second half.

And when 6-foot-11 Nnanna Egwu fouled out with just under 5 minutes to play, Indiana looked in control. Egwu is the only Illini player with the size to realistically match up with the 7-0 Zeller.

Watford made two free throws after Egwu's fifth foul and, at 69-59, the Illini looked done.

But with the clock under 3 minutes, Richardson went on a run of his own, first burying consecutive 3-pointers and then hitting a midrange jumper on the run to tie the game at 70 with 1:17 to play.

Oladipo's layup put the Hoosiers back on top with 50 seconds left, but Paul answered with two free throws, the first banked in, to tie the score again at 72.

With the clock under 30 seconds, Indiana had the ball for what would have been a last shot but Oladipo fumbled the ball. Richardson picked it up and sprinted down court. Oladipo slapped Richardson's layup out of bounds to set up the final play.

Groce credited Richardson for sparking the comeback.

"I thought he was absolutely terrific on both ends of the floor," Groce said. "He battled, he fought."

Griffey was benched several weeks ago after a blowout loss at Wisconsin. On a team that had lost its shooting touch, the senior forward had grown especially cold. And, though one of Illinois' bigger players at 6-9, he wasn't adding much to the inside presence the Illini desperately needed.

The play that brought him to life Thursday, though, had nothing to do with Illinois' late surge. Griffey hit a 3-pointer less than 4 minutes into the second half. He had missed 20 straight 3-point attempts, dating to the start of the Big Ten season.

"I said to myself, 'Finally,"' said Griffey, who said he has been doing so much extra shooting that he's had to have regular ice treatments on his wrist.

Groce said that, even after he benched Griffey, he never gave up on him.

"I just have told him numerous times here I believe in him," the first-year Illinois coach said. "I do."
Courtesy of: http://www.fightingillini.com

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NEW ZEALAND

Robert Loe selected the top New Zealander playing abroad in last week's games - by Eurobasket Center

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

Robert Loe

#1. This week's number one is an international forward Robert Loe (211-91, currently plays college basketball in the States). He led St.Louis to an easy victory against the University of Dayton (3-5) crushing them 81-52 in the NCAA in Saturday night's game. Loe scored 17 points and grabbed 6 rebounds in 23 minutes on the court. The Saint Louis University has a solid 6-2 conference record this season. It was his team's fifth consecutive victory in a row. Loe is currently a member of the New Zealand senior national team.

Kirk Penney

#2. Second place goes to an experienced former international guard Kirk Penney (196-80, agency: Duran International, college: Wisconsin, currently plays in Turkey), who plays in the Turkish TBL. He could not help TED Kolejliler (9-8) to beat Fenerbahce Ulker (15-2). Penney scored 8 points. TED Kolejliler was badly defeated 92-74 at home by the leading Fenerbahce Ulker. Penney belongs to league's top scorers and is ranked #5. He has individually a very good season with high stats. Penney averages: 17.5ppg, 3.3rpg, 2.8apg, 2FGP: 57.3%(51-89), 3FGP: 43.3% and FT: 82.7%. He played for the New Zealand national team in 2011.

Everard Bartlett

#3. The New Zealand player who performed third best last week abroad was an international guard Everard Bartlett (193-86, currently plays in Australia). Bartlett led Perth Wildcats to an easy victory against the closely-ranked Wollongong Hawks (9-12) crushing them 80-52 in the Australian NBL on Sunday night. He scored 11 points and added 3 assists in 21 minutes. Perth Wildcats (15-5) are placed second in the NBL. This year Bartlett's overall stats are: 6.2ppg, 1.8rpg, 2FGP: 35.3%, 3FGP: 32.9% and FT: 87.5% in the 18 games he played so far. He is also a member of the New Zealand senior national team.

Isaac Fotu

#4. Forward Isaac Fotu (203-93, currently studies in the States) led Hawaii to a 2-point victory against the California State University, Fullerton (4-6) 77-75 in the NCAA last Saturday. He scored 13 points and grabbed 5 rebounds in 21 minutes. The University of Hawaii has a solid 7-4 conference record this season. It was his team's fourth consecutive victory in a row. It's Fotu's first year with the team. Fotu has very impressive stats this season: 15.9ppg, 5.6rpg, 1.4apg and 1.9spg in the 18 games. He has a dual citizenship: Tongan and New Zealand. Fotu is also New Zealand national team player.

Steven Adams

#5. Former international power forward Steven Adams (213-93, is currently at the American university) contributed to Pittsburgh's victory against the Seton Hall University (2-8) 56-46 in the NCAA on Monday night. He scored 8 points, grabbed 15 rebounds and made 2 blocks. The University of Pittsburgh has a solid 7-4 conference record this season. It's Adams' first year with the team. This year Adams has very high stats. He averages: 15.9ppg, 5.6rpg, 1.4apg and 1.9spg. Adams used to play for the New Zealand national team two years ago.

One more player who has never been selected to any of national teams, but has New Zealand passport:

#1. Marcel Jones (203-F-85, college: Oregon St., currently plays in Romania) was the major contributor in Pitesti's victory against one of league's weakest teams Miercurea Ciuc (3-17) 93-81 in the Romanian Liga Nationala in Saturday night's game. Jones scored 16 points and grabbed 4 rebounds. BCM U Pitesti (10-11) is placed 11th in the Liga Nationala. It's Jones' first season with the team. Jones is ranked ninth on the list of the top scorers in the league and also on the list of most steals (fifth place). He has individually a very good season with high stats. Jones averages: 15.9ppg, 5.6rpg, 1.4apg and 1.9spg. He is a naturalized American. Jones used to play for McDonalds Manawatu Jets in New Zealand league.

Other top New Zealand players, who play abroad:

Aron Baynes (208-C-86) plays for San Antonio Spurs in the NBA
Reuben Te Rangi (201-F-94) plays for New Zealand Breakers in Australian NBL
Mika Vukona (198-F-82) plays for New Zealand Breakers in Australian NBL
Thomas Abercrombie (198-F/G-87) plays for New Zealand Breakers in Australian NBL
Tai Jack Webster (186-G-95) plays for New Zealand Breakers in Australian NBL
Joshua Bloxham (186-G-90) plays for New Zealand Breakers in Australian NBL
Leon Henry (200-F/G-85) plays for New Zealand Breakers in Australian NBL
Alex Pledger (213-C-87) plays for New Zealand Breakers in Australian NBL
Dillon Boucher (196-F-75) plays for New Zealand Breakers in Australian NBL
Corey Webster (188-G-88) plays for New Zealand Breakers in Australian NBL
Jeremiah Trueman (204-F/C-87) plays for Perth Wildcats in Australian NBL
Simon Bennett (188-G-85) plays for Grevenbroich in German Regionalliga

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

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NIGERIA

Alade Aminu selected the top Nigerian playing abroad in last week's games - by Eurobasket Center

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

Alade Aminu

#1. This week's number one is an international center Alade Aminu (210-87, college: Georgia Tech, currently plays in Turkey). He led Karsiyaka to a victory against the 13th-ranked Besiktas (3-13) 70-59 in the Turkish TBL last Sunday. Aminu scored 13 points. Pinar Karsiyaka SK Izmir (14-3) is placed fourth in the TBL. It was his team's fifth consecutive victory in a row. Aminu has relatively good stats this season: 12.8ppg, 5.6rpg, 1.1spg, 2FGP: 70.5%(93-132) and FT: 62.7%. He is currently a member of the Nigerian senior national team.

Jeleel Akindele

#2. Second place goes to former international center Jeleel Akindele (216-83, college: Chicago St., currently plays in Italy), who plays in the Italian SerieA. He could not help Juvecaserta (8-10) in their last game on Sunday. Despite Akindele's very good performance Juvecaserta was edged in an overtime 81-80 on the road by the lower-ranked Angelico Biella (#14). He recorded a double-double by scoring 23 points and getting 14 rebounds. It's Akindele's first season with the team. Akindele is currently fourth on the league's list of best rebounders. He has very reliable stats this season: 12.7ppg, 7.8rpg, 1.1spg, 2FGP: 63.4%(85-134) and FT: 72.0%. Akindele played for the Nigerian national team in 2009.

Ebi Ere

#3. The Nigerian player who performed third best last week abroad was former international swingman Ebi Ere (195-81, college: Oklahoma, currently plays in Italy), who plays in the Italian SerieA. He was not able to help Cimberio Varese (15-3) in their last game. Despite Ere's good performance the league leader Cimberio Varese lost 75-89 in Siena to the lower-ranked (#3) Montepaschi. He was the second best scorer with 14 points. Ere also added 6 rebounds in 26 minutes. Ere belongs to league's top scorers and is ranked #9 with 15.7ppg. This year he also averages: 6.7rpg, 1.2apg, 1.3spg, 2FGP: 50.5%, 3FGP: 45.6%(36-79) and FT: 76.6% in the 15 games he played so far. Ere has a dual citizenship: Nigerian and American. He played for the Nigerian national team four years ago.

Josh-Emmanuel Akognon

#4. Point guard Josh-Emmanuel Akognon (180-86, college: CS Fullerton, currently plays in China), who plays in the Chinese CBA was not able to secure a victory for Liaoning Hunters (18-12) in their last game on Friday. Despite Akognon's very good performance Liaoning Hunters were crushed 112-90 in Dongguan by the leading Guandong Tigers. He was the top scorer with 31 points. Akognon also added 4 rebounds. There are only two games left until the end of the Regular Season. So now every game will be critical. Akognon is ranked fifth on the list of the top scorers in the league. He has individually a very good season with high stats. Akognon averages: 30.4ppg, 3.2rpg, 2.3apg and 1.8spg. He is another player who holds two passports: Nigerian and American. Akognon used to play for the Nigerian national team back in 2009.

Benjamin Eze

#5. Former international power forward Benjamin Eze (207-81, college: S.Idaho JC, currently plays in Euroleague), who plays in Italy couldn't help Montepaschi Siena (5-1) in their last game. Despite his good performance the second-placed Montepaschi Siena was badly defeated 85-66 in Barcelona by the leading Regal FC in the group F of Euroleague. Eze scored 12 points in 21 minutes. They ended the series of five consecutive victories. This year Eze's overall stats are: 5.2ppg and 3.8rpg in the nine games. He has both Nigerian and Italian nationalities. Eze used to play for the Nigerian national team four years ago.

Ike Diogu

#6. Power forward Ike Diogu (204-83, college: Arizona St., currently plays in China) faced previously mentioned Josh-Emmanuel Akognon in the Chinese CBA last game. Diogu led Guandong Tigers to a victory over the fifth-ranked Liaoning Hunters (18-12) crushing them 112-90. He was MVP of the game. Diogu recorded a double-double by scoring 21 points and getting 14 rebounds. There are only two games left until the end of the Regular Season. So now every game is very crucial. This season Diogu has very high stats. He averages: 15.9ppg and 10.1rpg. Diogu also holds two passports: Nigerian and American. He is an international player who is currently on the senior Nigerian National Team roster.

Ike Ofoegbu

#7. Former international forward Ike Ofoegbu (205-85, college: SMU, currently plays in Mexico) couldn't help Toros (31-9) in their game against Halcones Rojos (32-8) in the Mexican LNBP (second division), despite his very good performance last Tuesday. Ofoegbu was the top scorer with 27 points. He also added 8 rebounds and 2 blocks in 40 minutes. But Toros lost 62-68 in Veracruz to the second-ranked Halcones Rojos. Ofoegbu has very impressive stats this year: 16.9ppg, 5.3rpg and 1.7apg in the 43 games. He holds both American and Nigerian passports. Ofoegbu used to play for the Nigerian national team two years ago.

Aloysius Anagonye

#8. Forward Aloysius Anagonye (203-81, college: Michigan St., currently plays in Greece) couldn't help Ilysiakos (5-10) in their game against Kolossos (5-10) in the Greek A1. Despite his good performance on Saturday night He was the second best scorer with 12 points. Anagonye also added 5 rebounds and made 2 blocks. This season Anagonye has relatively solid stats: 11.8ppg and 8.6rpg. He holds both American and Nigerian passports. Anagonye used to play for the Nigerian national team back in 2009.

Ayodeji Egbeyemi

#9. Former U19 international guard Ayodeji Egbeyemi (193-90, currently plays college basketball in the States) couldn't help the Loyola Mary (1-9) in their game against the University of San Diego (6-4) in the NCAA. Despite his very good performance last Monday He recorded a double-double by scoring 17 points and getting 11 rebounds. Egbeyemi also added 3 assists. Egbeyemi has reliable stats this season: 11.8ppg and 8.6rpg. He used to play for the Nigerian U19 national team six years ago.

Olumide Oyedeji

   #10. Center Olumide Oyedeji (210-81, currently plays in Japan) couldn't help Tochigi Brex (9-20) in their game against Panasonic Trians (18-11) in the Japanese JBL, despite his very good performance last Saturday. Oyedeji had a double-double by scoring 16 points and getting 11 rebounds in 22 minutes. But Tochigi Brex lost 74-81 in Osaka to the higher-ranked (#3) Panasonic Trians. This year Oyedeji's total stats are: 9.5ppg and 7.0rpg in the two games. He is an international player who is currently on the senior Nigerian National Team roster.

   #11. Former U22 international power forward Chukwudinma Odiakosa (203-85, agency: N.E.T., college: Illinois St., currently plays in Israel) was the main contributor in a Hod Hasharon's victory against the 11th-ranked Beer Yaakov 89-76 in the Israeli National League (second division) on Wednesday night. Odiakosa was the best player in that game. He recorded 19 points and grabbed 9 rebounds. Odiakosa is currently fourth on the league's list of top scorers and also on the list of best rebounders (first place). This season he has very high stats. Odiakosa averages: 20.3ppg, 14.0rpg, 1.3apg and 1.1bpg. He used to play for the Nigerian U22 national team nine years ago.

   #12. Former international forward Abdullahi Kuso (206-84, college: Tallahassee CC, currently plays in Japan) couldn't help Miyazaki Shining Suns in their game against Chiba Jets in the Japanese BJ League, despite his very good performance in Sunday night's game. Kuso was the top scorer with 16 points. He also added 9 rebounds and made 3 blocks in 27 minutes. But his team lost 83-87. Kuso has very impressive stats this year: 15.1ppg, 11.1rpg, 1.1apg and 1.9bpg in the nine games. He used to play for the Nigerian national team back in 2007.

   #13. International forward Derrick Obasohan (198-81, agency: Beo Basket, college: Texas Arlington, currently plays in France) couldn't help Cholet in their game against JSF Nanterre in the French ProA. Obasohan scored 6 points. His team was defeated 84-77. He has averaged so far 7.5ppg, 2.0rpg and 1.3apg. Obasohan holds both American and Nigerian passports. He is also Nigerian national team player.

   #14. International forward Ekenechukwu Ibekwe (210-85, college: Maryland, currently plays in Spain) couldn't help Lagun Aro GBC in their game against Unicaja Malaga in the Spanish ACB. Ibekwe scored 5 points and blocked 2 shots in 15 minutes. His team lost 70-74. Ibekwe is the league's best blocker with 1.8bpg. This year his other stats are: 7.1ppg and 5.1rpg in the 20 games. Ibekwe holds both American and Nigerian passports. He plays currently for the Nigerian national team.

   #15. Former U16 international center Christopher Obekpa (206-93, currently studies in the States) couldn't help the St.John's in their game against the University of Connecticut in the NCAA. Obekpa recorded 6 points, 4 rebounds and 2 blocks in only 13 minutes. His team lost 65-71. He has averaged so far 7.1ppg and 5.1rpg in the 20 games. Obekpa used to play for the Nigerian U16 national team five years ago.

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

   #1. Gani Lawal (205-C/F-88, college: Georgia Tech, currently plays in Italy), who plays in the Italian SerieA could not help Lottomatica Roma (12-6) in their last game. Despite his very good performance Lottomatica Roma was edged 96-93 on the road by the lower-ranked (#9) Trenkwalder RE. Lawal had a double-double by scoring 25 points and getting 12 rebounds in 33 minutes; quite an impressive performance considering it's only his third season in pro basketball. It was Lottomatica Roma's first loss after five consecutive victories. It's Lawal's first year with the team. Lawal is the league's best rebounder and also on the list of best blockers (fifth place). He has very reliable stats this year: 13.8ppg, 8.6rpg and 1.3bpg in the 18 games he played so far. Lawal has a dual citizenship: Nigerian and American.

   #2. Emeka Okafor (206-F/C-82, college: Connecticut, currently plays in NBA) contributed to a Washington Wizards' victory against the Los Angeles Clippers (35-16) 98-90 in the NBA on Monday night. Okafor scored 9 points and grabbed 14 rebounds in 26 minutes. The Washington Wizards have rather weak 13-35 record this season. It's Okafor's first year with the team. This year he has relatively solid stats: 8.8ppg, 8.6rpg, 1.2apg and 1.2bpg in the 48 games. Okafor is another player who holds two passports: Nigerian and American.

   #3. Chinemelu Elonu (206-F/C-87, college: Texas A&M, currently plays in Turkey) led Tofas to a 3-point victory against the fifth-ranked Mersin (11-5) 88-85 in the Turkish TBL on Sunday night. Elonu had a double-double by scoring 14 points and getting 15 rebounds in 32 minutes. Tofas Bursa (7-10) is placed ninth in the TBL. Elonu is currently fourth on the league's list of best rebounders and also on the list of best blockers (fifth place). This year he has very good stats: 10.1ppg, 8.7rpg and 1.1bpg in the 17 games.

   #4. Stan Okoye (198-F-91, currently plays college basketball in the States) led VMI to an easy victory against the Longwood College (0-10) crushing them 93-60 in the NCAA in Wednesday night's game. Okoye recorded 27 points (!!!), 7 rebounds and 3 assists. The Virginia Military Institute has a solid 6-3 conference record this season. Okoye is one of the most experienced players in a team as it's his fourth year in VMI's roster. This season he has relatively solid stats: 10.1ppg, 8.7rpg and 1.1bpg.

   #5. Experienced Jefferson Agba (209-F/C-80, college: Embry Riddle, currently plays in Brazil), who plays in the Brazilian NBB was not able to help Paschoalotto/Bauru (13-2) in their last game on Tuesday. Despite his very good performance the league leader Paschoalotto/Bauru was defeated 94-83 on the opponent's court by the lower-ranked Uberlandia (#3). Agba was the top scorer with 22 points. He also added 6 rebounds and made 2 blocks. Agba is one of the most experienced players in a team as it's his fourth year in Paschoalotto/Bauru's roster. Agba is currently sixth on the list of best rebounders. This season he has very good stats: 12.9ppg and 7.6rpg. Agba has both American and Nigerian nationalities.

   #6. Reggie Okosa (208-F/C-80, agency: Top Notch Sports, college: La Salle, currently plays in Japan), who plays in the Japanese BJ League was not able to secure a victory for Iwate Big Bulls (21-9) in their last game. Despite his very good performance Iwate Big Bulls (#3) lost 69-75 at home to the lower-ranked (#9) Sendai 89ers in the Eastern group. Okosa had a double-double by scoring 23 points and getting 19 rebounds (made all of his six free throws) in 34 minutes. He has individually a very good year with high stats. Okosa averages: 15.3ppg, 9.0rpg and 2.8apg in the 30 games. He also holds two passports: Nigerian and American.

   #7. Uche Nsonwu-Amadi (208-F/C-78, agency: Beo Basket, college: Wyoming, currently plays in France), who plays in the French ProA couldn't help ASVEL Lyon-Villeurbanne Basket (10-8) in their last game on Saturday. Despite Nsonwu-Amadi's good performance ASVEL Lyon-Villeurbanne Basket was edged 63-60 in JDA Dijon by the lower-ranked JDA Dijon (#8). He was the second best scorer with 13 points. Nsonwu-Amadi also added 6 rebounds. This season he has relatively solid stats: 10.9ppg, 6.9rpg and 1.8apg.

   #8. Amos Olatayo (193-G-91, currently studies in the States), who plays in the NCAA couldn't help the La-Monroe (2-11) in their last game. Despite Olatayo's very good performance the La-Monroe (#5) was edged 76-73 in Miami, FL by the Florida International University. He scored 30 points (!!!) and grabbed 8 rebounds in 40 minutes. This year Olatayo has relatively solid stats: 10.9ppg, 6.9rpg and 1.8apg in the 18 games.

   #9. Oluoma Nnamaka (201-F/C-78, college: Marquette, currently plays in Sweden), who plays in the Swedish Basketligan couldn't help Uppsala Basket (18-7) in their last game on Thursday. Despite his very good performance Uppsala Basket was edged 91-88 in Boras by the lower-ranked Basket (#3). Nnamaka was the top scorer with 18 points. He also added 5 rebounds. Nnamaka's total stats this season are: 6.0ppg, 3.5rpg and 1.4apg. He has dual citizenship: Nigerian and Swedish.

   #10. Alex Owumi (196-G-84, college: Alcorn St., currently plays in United Kingdom) led Worcester Wolves to a victory over the closely-ranked Manchester Giants 88-75 in the British BBL last Friday. Owumi was the best player in that game. He recorded 20 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists in 39 minutes. Owumi belongs to league's top scorers (ranked #6) and also on the list of best passers (sixth place). He has very impressive stats this year: 17.6ppg, 5.4rpg, 4.2apg and 1.1spg in the 19 games. Owumi holds both American and Nigerian passports.

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PANAMA

Gary Forbes' double-double lands him Player of the Week award among Panamanians playing currently abroad - by Eurobasket Center

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

Gary Forbes

#1. This week's number one is former international swingman Gary Forbes (201-85, college: Virginia, currently plays in China), who plays in the Chinese CBA. He could not help Zhejiang Guangsha Lions (16-15) in their last game. Despite Forbes' very good performance Zhejiang Guangsha Lions were badly defeated 119-101 on the road by the higher-ranked (#4) Xinjiang Flying Tige. He had a double-double by scoring 46 points and getting 11 rebounds. Forbes also added 4 assists in 37 minutes on the court. His team will play only one more game in the Regular Season. And that game will be critical. Forbes is ranked sixth on the list of the top scorers in the league with 29.6ppg. He also averaged so far 7.7rpg, 4.7apg, 1.3spg, 2FGP: 49.1%, 3FGP: 32.9% and FT: 76.2% in the 23 games he played so far. Forbes is a naturalized American. He played for the Panamanian senior national team two years ago. Strangely Forbes has never played in Panama.

Jose Lloreda

#2. Second place goes to an experienced former international power forward Jose Lloreda (203-80, agency: Paris Global Sports, college: LSU, currently plays in Argentina), who plays in the Argentinian LigaA. He was not able to help Sionista (17-17) in their last game on Friday. Despite Lloreda's very good performance Sionista was defeated 80-71 in Bahia Blanca by the lower-ranked Wuber-Est.Bahia (#12). He was the second best scorer with 19 points. Lloreda also added 8 rebounds. Lloreda has relatively good stats this season: 10.4ppg, 5.8rpg, 1.1apg, 2FGP: 61.1%(88-144) and FT: 56.1%. Former Magnates de Calidonia starter played for the Panamanian national team in 2011.

Dionisio Gomez Camargo

#3. The Panamanian player who performed third best last week abroad was former international forward Dionisio Gomez Camargo (203-80, college: Arkansas, currently plays in Japan). He led Shiga L-Stars to a victory over the eighth-ranked Oita Heat Devils (11-19) crushing them 83-57 in the Japanese BJ League last Saturday. Gomez Camargo was MVP of the game. He recorded 25 points and grabbed 8 rebounds in 24 minutes. Shiga Lakestars (18-12) are placed fifth in Western group. It was his team's fourth consecutive victory in a row. This year Gomez Camargo has relatively solid stats: 14.4ppg, 8.6rpg, 1.6apg, 2FGP: 52.0%, 3FGP: 25.0% and FT: 66.2% in the 30 games. He played for the Panamanian national team two years ago.

Danilo Pinnock

#4. Guard Danilo Pinnock (196-83, college: G.Washington, currently plays in Mexico) was the major contributor in a Halcones Rojos' victory against the seventh-ranked Fuerza Regia (25-15) crushing them 85-64 in the Mexican LNBP (second division) on Friday night. Pinnock scored 20 points. Halcones Rojos de Veracruz (32-8) is placed second in the LNBP. It was his team's ninth consecutive victory in a row. It's Pinnock's first season with the team. He has reliable stats this year: 13.7ppg, 4.7rpg, 2.3apg and 1.1spg. Pinnock is a naturalized American. He is also Panamanian national team player. Pinnock used to play for Toros de Chorrillo in Panamanian league.

Antonio Garcia

#5. Former international power forward Antonio Garcia (203-76, college: Ky Wesleyan, currently plays in Mexico) was not able to secure a victory for Panteras (28-12) in their game against Soles (31-9) in the Mexican LNBP (second division). He scored 9 points, had 14 rebounds and dished 6 assists in 39 minutes. But Panteras lost 83-91 in Mex