FIBA’s decision not to offer Great Britain a wildcard for next summer’s world championships was hardly a surprise. One Eurobasket finals does not a credible contender make. For all the lobbying undertaken by British Basketball officials, for all the brash talk of what-ifs and maybe surrounding the potential availability of Luol Deng and Ben Gordon, the simple fact was that GB don’t deserve to be in Turkey. The dues are not yet fully paid.
So it is off to the qualifiers for 2011 Eurobasket for Britain’s men and women. That is a challenge in itself. But what of the following year? The Olympic Games, on home soil. A shop window for every domestic sport to bask in the spotlight.
Plus that legacy thing. “We want as many opportunities for big British moments. And we want as many opportunities for young people to be inspired to take up the sport.”
Not my words but those of Lord Coe. Yet here we are, 30 months out, and with no confirmation that GB will be invited to the hoop-la in East London. Basketball is the only sport that reserves the right to withhold an invite to the host nation at an Olympiad. For the past four years, FIBA have trotted out the mantra that GB must prove themselves “competitive” to merit a free pass. The string remains of undetermined length. No decision is expected any time soon.
The fate of the two GB sides remains in the hands of Patrick Baumann and his henchmen in Switzerland. The mathematics play their role. One host berth equals one less from Europe’s established order at the Games. FIBA are not yet sure that basketball in Britain is a serious business, not with the low profile of the domestic league, the paucity of media coverage and the relative disinterest in its own international competitions. Given the choice between, say, Greece, and GB, where would the political weight lie within the corridors of power?
So far, by necessity, it is business as usual within British Basketball. Last week, UK Sport pledged £8 million in the road to 2012. One of the largest funding packages, it suggests the government anticipates that likes of Deng, Archibald and Leedham will be marching at the opening ceremony. Yet, there is a still a nervousness. The uncertainty sits uneasily with the players, coaches and sponsors alike.
Speaking with Coe, he wants GB at his party. Why would he not? But there is a reluctance to issue edicts and make undue fuss. However, FIBA should remember this. These are the UK’s Olympics. The dues for this one have been paid out of the hosts’ collective pocket. It is a one-time opportunity to cement basketball in the nation’s consciousness. And without it, the sport may regress back into the shadows.
Patrick, the ball’s in your hands. Don’t drop it.
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Wednesday, 16 December 2009
Home moves see BBL downsize over decade
Guildford Heat’s re-location to the campus of the University of Surrey by the end of this season means that three British Basketball League teams will – presuming the line-up remains unchanged – start the next campaign at a different home than this one.
With Milton Keynes about to decamp Bletchley for a temporary venue at Middleton Hall, and Newcastle Eagles packing their bags for Northumbria University next summer, it’s interesting to draw the comparisons with ten years ago – a season that represented the high watermark in terms of available seats around the BBL (and also in the sheer number of freebie tickets that were given away to fill the vast empty expanses in Manchester, Sheffield and London’s Docklands).
Only one team – the Chester/Cheshire Jets - has stayed put (although Plymouth and Worthing were then in the EBL). Even more remarkably, only 5 of the 13 teams from the 1999-2000 campaign have hung around (the Rocks subsequently switched from Edinburgh to Glasgow).
Looking at the capacities from ten seasons ago, down 83 per cent, it’s a stark measure of the down-sizing in the BBL’s ambitions. A year later, Birmingham Bullets and London Leopards retrenched from arenas to leisure centres, Leicester were forced out of their long-time base at Granby Halls and things were never quite the same again.
2010-11
Cheshire (Northgate Arena): 1300 capacity
Essex (Southend Tennis Centre): 1100
Everton (Greenbank Academy): 600*
Glasgow (Kelvin Hall): 1200
Guildford (Surrey Sports Park): 800
Leicester (DMU): 800
London Capital (Willesden): 300
Milton Keynes (Middleton Hall): 1500
Newcastle (Northumbria University): 2600
Plymouth (Pavilions): 1480
Sheffield (EIS): 1200
Worcester (University): 800
Worthing (Worthing LC): 700
TOTAL: 14,380
1999-2000
Birmingham (NEC): 13000
Brighton (Brighton Centre): 5000**
Chester (Northgate): 1300
Derby (Thunderdome): 2500
Edinburgh (Meadowbank): 1900
Leicester (Granby Halls): 1500
Leopards (London Arena): 15000
London Towers (Crystal Palace): 3500
Manchester Giants (MEN Arena) 18000
Milton Keynes (Bletchley): 907
Newcastle (Metro Arena): 11000
Sheffield (Hallam Arena): 12500
Thames Valley (Bracknell SC): 1200
TOTAL: 87,307
*Some games at Echo Arena (7500)
** Some games at The Triangle (1500)
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With Milton Keynes about to decamp Bletchley for a temporary venue at Middleton Hall, and Newcastle Eagles packing their bags for Northumbria University next summer, it’s interesting to draw the comparisons with ten years ago – a season that represented the high watermark in terms of available seats around the BBL (and also in the sheer number of freebie tickets that were given away to fill the vast empty expanses in Manchester, Sheffield and London’s Docklands).
Only one team – the Chester/Cheshire Jets - has stayed put (although Plymouth and Worthing were then in the EBL). Even more remarkably, only 5 of the 13 teams from the 1999-2000 campaign have hung around (the Rocks subsequently switched from Edinburgh to Glasgow).
Looking at the capacities from ten seasons ago, down 83 per cent, it’s a stark measure of the down-sizing in the BBL’s ambitions. A year later, Birmingham Bullets and London Leopards retrenched from arenas to leisure centres, Leicester were forced out of their long-time base at Granby Halls and things were never quite the same again.
2010-11
Cheshire (Northgate Arena): 1300 capacity
Essex (Southend Tennis Centre): 1100
Everton (Greenbank Academy): 600*
Glasgow (Kelvin Hall): 1200
Guildford (Surrey Sports Park): 800
Leicester (DMU): 800
London Capital (Willesden): 300
Milton Keynes (Middleton Hall): 1500
Newcastle (Northumbria University): 2600
Plymouth (Pavilions): 1480
Sheffield (EIS): 1200
Worcester (University): 800
Worthing (Worthing LC): 700
TOTAL: 14,380
1999-2000
Birmingham (NEC): 13000
Brighton (Brighton Centre): 5000**
Chester (Northgate): 1300
Derby (Thunderdome): 2500
Edinburgh (Meadowbank): 1900
Leicester (Granby Halls): 1500
Leopards (London Arena): 15000
London Towers (Crystal Palace): 3500
Manchester Giants (MEN Arena) 18000
Milton Keynes (Bletchley): 907
Newcastle (Metro Arena): 11000
Sheffield (Hallam Arena): 12500
Thames Valley (Bracknell SC): 1200
TOTAL: 87,307
*Some games at Echo Arena (7500)
** Some games at The Triangle (1500)
.
Tuesday, 15 December 2009
Spain get lucky in world championship draw
The countdown to the 2010 FIBA World Championship in Turkey has begun with the draw for the first round taking place on Tuesday.
The 24 participating teams were drawn into four groups of 6 teams each.
Group A (Kayseri): Serbia, Argentina, Australia, Jordan, Germany, Angola
Group B (Istanbul): Croatia, Brazil, Tunisia, Slovenia, Iran, USA
Group C (Ankara): China, Turkey, Russia, Puerto Rico, Ivory Coast, Greece
Group D (Izmir): Lithuania, Lebanon, France, Spain, Canada, New Zealand
The four top placed teams from each group will advance to the Eighth Final Round, at which point the Championship continues in a standard knock-out format.
Defending championships Spain have a relatively easy passage into the last eight with France their toughest challengers. While the draw has also thrown up the intriguing tie of USA against Iran.
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The 24 participating teams were drawn into four groups of 6 teams each.
Group A (Kayseri): Serbia, Argentina, Australia, Jordan, Germany, Angola
Group B (Istanbul): Croatia, Brazil, Tunisia, Slovenia, Iran, USA
Group C (Ankara): China, Turkey, Russia, Puerto Rico, Ivory Coast, Greece
Group D (Izmir): Lithuania, Lebanon, France, Spain, Canada, New Zealand
The four top placed teams from each group will advance to the Eighth Final Round, at which point the Championship continues in a standard knock-out format.
Defending championships Spain have a relatively easy passage into the last eight with France their toughest challengers. While the draw has also thrown up the intriguing tie of USA against Iran.
.
Players reveal details of Wolves showdown meeting
Some interesting revelations in the Chuck Evans affair at Worcester Wolves in the team's local paper - confirming much of the speculation around the league over the American's departure amid allegations of making racist comments against his team.
Axed player Skoukson Harker claims that Evans crossed the line in multiple ways during a team meeting: “He compared our team to a couple of other top teams and felt that we had too many white players and that is what he said – it got worse from there.”
Evans defended himself, saying: “I thought professionals could handle a closed-door discussion on race but I was terribly wrong and the discussion got out of hand."
The full notes are here.
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Axed player Skoukson Harker claims that Evans crossed the line in multiple ways during a team meeting: “He compared our team to a couple of other top teams and felt that we had too many white players and that is what he said – it got worse from there.”
Evans defended himself, saying: “I thought professionals could handle a closed-door discussion on race but I was terribly wrong and the discussion got out of hand."
The full notes are here.
.
Monday, 14 December 2009
Guildford Heat quit Spectrum for campus venue
Guildford Heat are to quit their Spectrum home – and move to a new arena in nearby Parkway.
The BBL outfit will switch to the £36 million facility, which is based at the University of Surrey’s Manor Park campus, in time for this season’s play-offs in April.
It ends a five-year stint at the Spectrum with Heat managing director Alan McClafferty citing the opportunity to train and play at a single venue as the primary reason for the change.
“Until now the Heat’s various teams have trained and played at a range of different venues throughout Surrey,” he said.
“We are delighted that the Surrey Sports Park, with its outstanding facilities and ideal location, will be able to accommodate all our needs under one roof. Whilst the Spectrum has been very supportive during its five years as host to the Heat’s BBL League games, unfortunately they could not accommodate all our current and future needs.”
.
The BBL outfit will switch to the £36 million facility, which is based at the University of Surrey’s Manor Park campus, in time for this season’s play-offs in April.
It ends a five-year stint at the Spectrum with Heat managing director Alan McClafferty citing the opportunity to train and play at a single venue as the primary reason for the change.
“Until now the Heat’s various teams have trained and played at a range of different venues throughout Surrey,” he said.
“We are delighted that the Surrey Sports Park, with its outstanding facilities and ideal location, will be able to accommodate all our needs under one roof. Whilst the Spectrum has been very supportive during its five years as host to the Heat’s BBL League games, unfortunately they could not accommodate all our current and future needs.”
.
Practice is Glasgow Rocks secret: Copeland
Glasgow Rocks forward Mike Copeland insists his team’s ultra-tough practice games have sparked the Scots back into title contention.
The Kelvin Hall outfit will bid for a fifth straight win against Plymouth on Wednesday. And the fast-improving North Carolina product claims that the fight for playing time within the Rocks reinforced nine-man squad has added an edge to their preparations.
“Practices have become very competitive," said Copeland. "Everyone wants to show they deserve to play. And I like that. We’re going hard every day to get a spot in the team.”
The additional depth has allowed Rocks player-coach Sterling Davis to cut back his minutes with the side rotating its cover in the middle with Copeland and Mike Crowell sharing duties as the Scots try to combat size with speed.
And that, in turn, says Copeland has given the players a clearer sense of direction.
"Sterling’s helping us a lot when he’s coaching from the sidelines," he added. "But he’s also telling us what to do a lot more when he’s out on the court. He’s seeing the whole floor and picking up what we’re doing wrong."
.
The Kelvin Hall outfit will bid for a fifth straight win against Plymouth on Wednesday. And the fast-improving North Carolina product claims that the fight for playing time within the Rocks reinforced nine-man squad has added an edge to their preparations.
“Practices have become very competitive," said Copeland. "Everyone wants to show they deserve to play. And I like that. We’re going hard every day to get a spot in the team.”
The additional depth has allowed Rocks player-coach Sterling Davis to cut back his minutes with the side rotating its cover in the middle with Copeland and Mike Crowell sharing duties as the Scots try to combat size with speed.
And that, in turn, says Copeland has given the players a clearer sense of direction.
"Sterling’s helping us a lot when he’s coaching from the sidelines," he added. "But he’s also telling us what to do a lot more when he’s out on the court. He’s seeing the whole floor and picking up what we’re doing wrong."
.
Stronach aims for Raiders remedy
Plymouth Raiders coach Gary Stronach ordered his players in for training on Monday on their day-off after a locker-room tirade following the side's record eighth consecutive loss.
The Devon outfit's 108-93 reverse at Milton Keynes left them bottom of the BBL with their 1-11 record equalling Raiders' worst-ever start to the season. And Stronach, whose team are now 4 points adrift at the foot of the standings, has demanded more effort against Glasgow on Wednesday
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“I am getting tired of hearing my own voice and I am sure the supporters and the media have heard enough excuses,” he told The Herald. "The simple fact is we have got to start winning matches sooner rather than later.”
.
The Devon outfit's 108-93 reverse at Milton Keynes left them bottom of the BBL with their 1-11 record equalling Raiders' worst-ever start to the season. And Stronach, whose team are now 4 points adrift at the foot of the standings, has demanded more effort against Glasgow on Wednesday
.
“I am getting tired of hearing my own voice and I am sure the supporters and the media have heard enough excuses,” he told The Herald. "The simple fact is we have got to start winning matches sooner rather than later.”
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