Pops to become a Rocket

Pops Mensah Bonsu will formally sign his one-year contract with the Houston Rockets on Tuesday, sources have told me.

For him to play for Great Britain, insurance clearance would still be required via the NBA. While British Basketball officials have already put the wheels in motion, it will remain a race against time if the Londoner is to link up with Chris Finch's squad ahead of their switch to Warsaw on Saturday.

Turkey feast leaves Finch with tough choices

Another dismal showing from Great Britain saw Chris Finch's side finish sixth and last at the Efes Pilsen tournament as Turkey heaped on the misery in Ankara on Saturday. With Andy Betts, Joel Freeland and Kieron Achara all absent, GB sustained a humiliating 87-53 reverse in what is their final tune-up tie before the Eurobasket finals begin.

Down 25-12 after the opening period, Finch's men had no answer to the powerful Turks and could not produce the same dogged display as in the teams previous meeting in London two weeks ago.

The hosts, recovering their form, pulled 45-22 ahead at half-time and extended the gap with an 8-0 run that secured a 66-31 cushion at the end of the third.

With GB's guards lacking any penetration, and the bigs growing in frustration, the deficit increased to as much as 41 points before Jarrett Hart - who hit a team-best 14 - sparked a late flurry as Turkey threw on their reserves.

GB now return to London to complete their preparations for Poland and are still awaiting news of whether the saga over Pops Mensah Bonsu's absence will be resolved. With one or two cuts remaining before the final 12-man squad is announced, Finch will have some tough calls to make.

Assuming the newest arrival at the Houston Rockets is ruled out, Dan Clark, despite his huge progress, may lose out to the versatile Achara for a frontcourt spot even after his 7 and 11 rebound showing against the Turks. While Nate Reinking or Germayne Forbes are the most likely casualties in the backcourt.

Finch's greatest concern, however, is two lacklustre displays and the lack of time to find a remedy with GB finishing their warm-up campaign with a miserable 1-8 record.

Tournament stats are here.

Finch blasts slipshod GB

Great Britain coach Chris Finch issued a wake-up call to his side after they were beaten 78-67 by Macedonia in their penultimate warm-up friendly ahead of next month’s Eurobasket finals.

Despite 14 points from Nick George, plus 9 from Robert Archibald, GB - who trailed 39-27 at half-time - produced an error-filled showing following a bright start that saw them lead 9-0. And although Finch was boosted by the return of Flinder Boyd after injury, he admits there is work to do before their opening group game, against Slovenia, in 9 days time.

Finch said: "It was really poor. For the first time I thought we played pretty uninspired. We played really stupid and I was embarrassed by our performance tonight.

“We have been playing hard and competing, but tonight we couldn't do any of that which was frustrating because the game was there for us to win.

“We have a lot of work to do before Poland. The first thing is to get everybody fitter and then after that we have to learn how to make each other better and play through the tough times."

GB face hosts Turkey in a fifth place play-off on Saturday in their last tune-up tie.

 

Suicidal GB killed off by Latvia

Robert Archibald returned from injury to score a team-best 17 points but saw Great Britain edged out 86-84 in a thrilling clash with Latvia in Ankara after a late, late lapse.

In the side’s penultimate warm-up before next month’s Eurobasket finals, Chris Finch’s side burst clear in the opening quarter on their way to a 52-40 half-time cushion.

However the Latvians stormed back with a 17-4 run in the third period and although guard Mike Lenzly converted two free throws  to push GB in front with 11 seconds left, Kristaps Valters hit a last-gasp three-pointer as victory was snatched from the jaws of defeat.

Britain, who were without injured Flinder Boyd and Kieron Achara, meet Macedonia on Friday. 

Sold out signs up

Spoke to the Eurobasket organisers this morning. Seems the lure of GB has been too much for the good folk of Warsaw too resist (OK, Spain and Serbia) so all the group games have sold out. Same for all but two of the group venues with no more tickets available for the second round phase and finals event in Katowice. 

Achara sidelined for Turkey

Great Britain forward Kieron Achara will sit out the entire Efes Pilsen tournament in Turkey after picking up a groin injury in training and is now a doubt for the finals in Poland.

The Biella star said: “I’ll get treatment then a MRI next week. I’m keeping a positive mind.”

GB's Euro opponents Slovenia have cut LA Lakers guard Sasha Vujacic after poor results in their warm-ups.

Finch trims trio from squad ahead of Turkey games

Great Britain coach Chris Finch has cut Randall Hanke, Steve Leven and Tafari Toney from his Eurobasket squad, prior to the team's departure from London to Turkey on Tuesday morning.

"They were able to come in and compete. In two of the cases it was their first time in the programme so it's important to work with the guys now and build that relationship," said Finch.

"There is an opportunity for them to help in the future just unfortunately right now we have a lot of depth and experience in certain positions."

It now stands at 13 players, including the absent Pops Mensah Bonsu, as talks continue with the Houston Rockets over finalising the Londoner's contract.

Finch added: "We are currently working with the Rockets and the NBA to sort out the details that will allow Pops to play. He is keen to join his teammates. Hopefully, he will be able to join the team in Turkey."

GB face Latvia on Wednesday. 

Achara inspires Slovene upset

Kieron Achara justified his first Great Britain start by firing a game-high 13 points to inspire a stunning 63-56 upset of Slovenia in a friendly in Seville.
It was the first win in six attempts for Chris Finch’s men in their preparations for next month’s Eurobasket finals and landed a huge psychological blow ahead of GB’s first-round clash with the Slovenes in Warsaw in 17 days time.
And Achara, who added six rebounds, admitted: “It came down to defence. We’d not been in the same league as Spain and Lithuania the past two days but we turned defence into offense and it paid off.”
With Rob Archibald and Joel Freeland sitting out with injuries, Slovenia – who fielded four NBA players – edged 9 points in front in the first half before Finch’s side cut the gap to 27-22 at half-time.
A three-pointer from Nate Reinking - who also had 13 - gave GB a narrow 44-43 cushion with one period left and eventually, Achara and skipper Drew Sullivan killed off Slovenia’s challenge with decisive late scores.
Britain, who finished third overall in the tournament, now have a week’s break before their final warm-up games in Turkey.

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Freeland and Archibald to sit out tonight v Slovenia, according to team sources

Lithuania dismantle GB

In the words of one observer within the Great Britain camp, it was "awful". GB suffered a crushing 97-62 defeat to Olympic semi-finallists Lithuania on Thursday night in Seville as Chris Finch’s side continue to search for an elusive first win in their build-up to next month’s Eurobasket finals.

The experienced Lithuanians race into a commanding 28-10 lead in the first quarter and although GB trimmed the gap to 46-34 at half-time, the Baltic giants showed their superior class and pulled decisively in front after a 10-1 run in the third period.

It left Finch to give his reserves a run-out as he looks to determine his final 12-man squad but his best option, based on this, is to hope Ben Gordon has a late change of heart. It could have been even worse in what was the heaviest loss GB have suffered since their return to the international fray.

"(The) game was obviously a difficult one, they were a hard team to pressure," said Finch. "We conceded too many turnovers and you can't turnover so often against a team like that; they did a good job making plays from them. 

"Having said that the second quarter was one of the best quarters we've played yet, but in the third we didn't respond with another strong one."

Britain, who were led by 12 from Andy Betts, face Slovenia on Friday in a dress rehearsal for their first-round meeting at Eurobasket in just over 2 weeks time. 

Finch added: "It will be an interesting game as neither team wants to do too much or show too much before Poland. We will use it as an opportunity to look at different combinations of guys, to see who can do what."

The probable aim is not for a GB win but to start making steps forward. But with reports suggesting Pops Mensah Bonsu has reached a verbal agreement on a deal with the Houston Rockets, help may be on the way - and not before time with spirits slowly sagging.

Spain too good for GB

GB lost 84-63 to reigning world champions Spain in their opening game of the Marca Trophy in Seville.

The main plus was that Britain welcomed back Flinder Boyd, Robert Archibald and Drew Sullivan from injury as well as Andy Betts. Three of Britain's starting five ended the game in double figures - Nate Reinking (11), Nick George (11) and Mike Lenzly (10) - with Joel Freeland adding 11 rebounds but Chris Finch's men, ominously, were comfortably out-played by a side who will be among their first-round opponents at Eurobasket.

"As I told the guys after the game it's part of a process, it's not going to come together quickly," Finch said. "I'm pretty confident that in a couple of weeks this team will be a different team."

GB to face Spain first in Seville

Change of schedule for El Torneo Marca Ciudad de Sevilla. 

GB v Spain tonight (Seville, 7.30BST), Lithuania (5.15pm) tomorrow, and Slovenia on Friday (5.15).

Chances of Pops getting there receding with the Raptors now very unlikely to offer him a guaranteed contract after trading for Amir Johnson. Good analysis here.

Early days yet

Someone asked me on Friday night, following the loss to Poland, what I thought Great Britain's chances were at Eurobasket. "Not great," I said. "But let's not judge them just yet."

Someone asked me on Saturday night, following the spirited but ultimately losing effort against Turkey, what I thought Great Britain's chances were at Eurobasket. "Not great," I said. "But let's not judge them just yet."

Someone asked me on Sunday, after a comfortable reverse to Israel left Chris Finch's side at 0-3 for the weekend, what I thought Great Britain's chances were at Eurobasket. "Not great," I said. "But let's not judge them just yet."

And so it should remain for the time being. It was hardly a surprise that GB failed to break their duck in their opening three preparatory games for Poland, given the long list of injuries and absentees in London. 

Afterwards, Finch was asked if a trio of home friendlies had been the right move at this time in the calendar. It is what it is, he said, after a weekend in which the average crowd at the 02 Arena was, disappointingly, only around 3,000 per night (with a rush of late giveaways). But the American, creditably, refused to contemplate that the choice of opponents had been too tough, like a boxer opting to go for the champ rather than a makeweight to pad his statistics. 

"If we wanted easy games we could have stayed in Division B," Finch bristled. "This is what we wanted, this is what we earned. I expected us to come here, compete and play hard and get better and I think we did that."

It won't get any easier in Seville where - even if one or all of the trio of Archibald (likely), Mensah Bonsu (possible) and Betts (unknown) - it's quite likely that GB will again go 0-3.

But let's not lower the flag and give up just yet. There were positives to take from the 02 excursion.

1. Joel Freeland looks like a legitimate NBA-level player, rather than just a prospect. The former first-round pick confirmed to me that his contract with Unicaja Malaga is for five years with opt-outs to go to the NBA after three seasons. Freeland did receive a two-season offer from Portland but, like a bunch of opponents' shot attempts, swatted it away. "I looked at the situation there," he said. "But I felt I would end up at the end of the bench and I didn't want that."

On his evidence in London, his prediction may have been off. He's now skilled enough to compete at the highest level.

2. Dan Clark hasn't had much playing time at Estudiantes Madrid and on Friday it showed. He struggled to get into the offensive flow, there were lapses at the other end and he looked lost at times. Fast forward to Saturday and Sunday and we got a glimpse of why the young Englishman was lured to the ACB at an early age. "I'm hoping to get more of a chance next season," he admitted. If Estudiantes see the tape of his performance against Turkey, they'd be nuts not to.

3. The three-spotters. Nick George, Kieron Achara and Drew Sullivan may all be fighting for time when Pops Mensah Bonsu (hopefully) pitches up. But they can all stretch opponents, hustle for boards and play solid defence.

On the negative side, only when Flinder Boyd shook off injury against Turkey did GB look like they have a capable playmaker. Losing Luol Deng will be felt harder on ball-carrying duty, despite the hard work put in by Boyd and Jarrett Hart. Nate Reinking looked out of sorts (we'll give him a pass just yet) and while Justin Robinson gave us flourishes of being the PG of the future, he was honest enough to concede this was a tough introduction at this level. Which leaves Mike Lenzly, who hit a team-high 16 against Israel, as the main offensive threat.

"Mike's back in the mix and he's much sharper right now," said Finch. "I told him I wanted him to be more aggressive. Having him back is big. It gives us another guard with experience who can make shots."

Add in Steve Leven - who is discussing a move to relegated ACB side Mallorca - fighting back from injury, to a crowded mix and it's obvious that there will be cuts here prior to Poland. There's more analysis here from my good chum Rob Dugdale but Finch's greatest challenge looks to be to mask his backcourt's weaknesses as best he can.

Game onward to Seville

So it's goodbye London, and onward to Seville for Great Britain for this week's three friendlies against Eurobasket opponents Slovenia and Spain, plus Olympic semi-finallists Lithuania. Chris Finch will take only 14 players to Andalucia, with team sources suggesting Tafari Toney - a last-minute arrival prior to the Game On tournament - likely to be the odd-man out.

Toney, who made just one fleeting appearance to earn his first GB cap, has received offers from Everton as well as a Finnish team for next season but confirmed he will not return to Newcastle.

No timetable has yet been put on the arrival of Andy Betts and Pops Mensah Bonsu but Rob Archibald is likely to get limited minutes this week as he battles back to fitness following hernia surgery. 

However Finch has warned that no-one will earn automatic playing time.

"There seems to be an assumption that all these guys are going to walk back into the programme - and the likes of Joel, Dan and Nick are going to lose their spot," the GB head coach underlined. 

"We will have some guys who get healthy, but some of these other lads have really stepped up. We have a good team with good chemistry and guys are going to have to earn everything they get. No matter who comes back these players have earned the opportunity to play and they will get that."

Finch, Freeland take positives from 02 outing

Great Britain ended the Game On tournament winless at London’s 02 Arena as Israel inflicted a 79-69 defeat on Chris Finch’s short-handed side.

With three weeks until the start of the European Championships, the hosts were boosted by promising performances from Spanish-based duo Joel Freeland and Dan Clark but could not overturn a 49-39 half-time deficit.

After a battling 70-63 loss to eventual victors Turkey on Saturday, Finch gave his fringe players an opportunity but will hope to have Rob Archibald, Pops Mensah Bonsu and Andy Betts back for this week’s friendlies with Spain and Lithuania in Seville.

He said: "I thought we made a big step up from Friday night. We get the chance to assess the ability of work now by the team and individuals.

"I thought the front court was very good all tournament, they did a good job of executing stuff. I liked our guard combination but we have to find a way to find them some shots.

"What encouraged me most was the way we came back against Turkey and corrected a lot of correctable things. Kieron (Achara) did well in his two games and I also thought Randall (Hanke) did well. We are going to get experience and composure back, plus some on-court leadership and some invaluable stuff.

"Results at this stage aren't the key thing. We want them [results] to build confidence but confidence isn't an issue for us."

But Finch has warned that his absent trio will not just walk back into his line-up, with Freeland, who hit a double-double of 14 points and 16 rebounds against Israel, savouring his opportunity.

“Coach has given me a good role to play in the team and I'm trying to take it in my stride,” said Freeland, who recently agreed a five-year with Unicaja Malaga after rebuffing a two-year stint with Portland.

“It's been hard for me, I've not been playing this many minutes in games and I'm trying to take them and use them the best way I can.

"I've really enjoyed myself in this tournament but feel like, especially in this game today, that we could have got a much better result.

"It's not easy coming in and losing three games at home but it's a learning curve and we have to look at the mistakes we made. We have a few more weeks till Poland to get ready."

Pops confident of GB duty

Pops Mensah Bonsu has handed Great Britain a massive boost by playing down fears he could miss Eurobasket due to delays in sorting out his NBA future.

The Londoner, who remains in Washington DC, is close to finalising a deal after receiving a qualifying offer last month from the Toronto Raptors.

British Basketball officials have confirmed that they have all but ruled out paying the cost of insuring Mensah Bonsu to play in Poland next month if he remains without a contract, a sum understood to be around £100,000.

However the GB star, speaking on Saturday, declared: "There's one thing that everyone doesn't have to worry about. I will be playing with GB this summer for sure, I just dont know when."

The ex-Hackney junior could arrive as soon as Wednesday for this week's friendlies with Spain and Lithuania in Seville.

Turks out-last brave GB

Great Britain produced a gritty showing at London’s 02 Arena against European giants Turkey but slipped to a 70-63 defeat in their second warm-up ahead of next month’s Eurobasket finals.

With Scottish forward Kieron Achara returning after missing Friday’s lame 70-56 loss to Poland, the hosts went 6 points ahead in the first quarter and coped with the Turks pressure to trail by just 33-30 at half-time.

In a bad-tempered third period, GB edged in front with an 8-0 run again but Turkey broke open a 48-48 deadlock at the start of the fourth with a 9-2 burst. And although a three-pointer from Achara helped cut the gap to 1 in the closing stages, they came up short.

GB, led by 11 points from Nick George, face Israel in their final game.

Gortat injured, out of 02

Injury news from the 02... not good for Orlando or the Eurobasket hosts. Marcin Gortat was a DNP against Israel as Poland slipped to an 86-72 defeat.
Gortat underwent further tests after his Friday night collision with Joel Freeland as both pursued a loose ball, and will have an MRI on his back in the next day. He is flying back to Poland on Saturday, according to Polish team management, and will miss the rest of the weekend's Game On tournament. 
"Before we think about Eurobasket, I'm worried first of all about his health," said Poland coach Muli Katzurin. "After that from our point of view, he's not a player we can easily replace. We're waiting to see the outcome of the examination"
On the GB front, Drew Sullivan resting ankle as a precaution.
SUNDAY UPDATE - Gortat had scans today. Polish team management said "Marcin has a back muscle injury and will be out for 5-7 days and miss exhibitions against Germany and Croatia in Hamburg. But he will be OK for Eurobasket and will probably play in our 2 games against Spain next week in Zaragoza."
      

Yanders returns to the Rocks

As broken first on my Twitter feed (twitter.com/markbritball), Rob Yanders has rejected a switch to Newcastle and signed a new one-year deal with the Glasgow Rocks. 

The club have however broken off talks with Mike Martin.

Brits are Pole-axed

Short-handed Great Britain crashed to a heavy 70-56 defeat to Poland in their opening tie of the Game On tournament at London’s 02 Arena.

Chris Finch’s injury-struck side battled into an early 24-18 lead before the visitors took advantage of GB’s under-strength front line to size a 30-27 half-time cushion. NBA Draftee Joel Freeland fired a game-high 16 points to try and spark the home resistance but Poland reeled off a 16-0 run in the third period to tighten their grip.

And despite an injury to NBA ace Marcin Gortat, they turned the screw as the makeshift GB line-up fell as much as 19 behind.

"There is no question that having such a big chunk of the team does have an effect but that's not to say there are not players here who are are talented enough to get it done," said Finch.

"Maybe one or two of those who came in were inexperienced and some combinations were not properly tried but that's what these pre-season games are for. And let's get one thing straight. All those players missing are missing for legitimate reasons - they are all still very much behind the team.

"Some of the executions were not great and we missed ten free throws but that's to be expected in the first game - that's basketball. "And we still have plenty of postives to take. Joel played very well. Every game that we play is huge for us in terms of development and today was no different. "But to get good at something like basketball you need to grow organically and that takes time."

Kieron Achara and Flinder Boyd should return for Britain on Saturday when they meet favourites Turkey, who routed Israel 85-69.

Midgley retires

Richard Midgley, the Everton and Great Britain guard, has retired from basketball, according to BBL sources. The Sussex-born playmaker, who has just turned 26, was left out of GB's Eurobasket squad due to injury. However, he has remained in the USA and will not return to Everton for this campaign, leaving his final game as a terrific, if ultimately fruitless, performance in May's play-off final.

Andre Smith and Josh Gross will also not be returning to the Tigers.

Finch faces loss of more faces for 02

Great Britain’s preparations for Eurobasket have been hit by a growing absentee list as Andrew Betts and Flinder Boyd became the latest duo to be ruled out of this weekend’s Game On tournament at London’s 02 Arena.

Boyd has picked up an injury and will be rested as a precaution. However Betts’ departure from the GB camp has been cited by one team insider as for personal reasons. “We were told he has gone to Spain to deal with something personal,” said the source. “But no-one knows whether he’ll be back or even whether he is out of the Euros.”

Uncapped centre Jamie Vanderbeken has been released by head coach Chris Finch, having being ruled out indefinitely due to an injury picked up on the opening day of training camp.

Despite the return to practice of Steve Leven on Wednesday, it has left Finch having to alter his strategy from a largely inside game to a perimeter approach until he regains his intended first-choice line-up.

Newcastle centre Tafari Toney and Spanish-based forward Dzaflo Larkai are both due to fly in from the USA to beef up the depleted ranks ahead of Friday’s encounter with Poland. Due to prior commitments Stateside, Larkai will not arrive until next week.

However Robert Archibald, another of those who will watch from the sidelines at The 02, insists GB can still proceed ahead.

"We have enough players with talent so there are definitely going to be guys who can step up, but it's important to always remember we are a team,” he said. "Already from two years ago it's evident we are continuing to take steps forward by the way things are done.”

British must make own move to the basket

Shaquille O'Neal and I had something in common lately. We were both in China. There the similarities ended with the Diesel causing a royal rumpus in Sichuan. He gave out four autographed basketballs to kids at a local high school which were, subsequently, confiscated for the greater good. He sent some more in a gesture of goodwill. Even the official agencies called it like it was. NBA 1, Bureaucracy 0. 

In the shopping mall in which I read the story, there was a line of girls promoting a new phone/MP3 player. It carried the brand of a well-known technology giant, whose name was also adorning a brand of beer. Score 3, that, to the NBA, and that's before we even start talking about Yao Ming's myriad endorsements of everything from electronics to sportswear, and the peculiar (but excellent tasting) Yi Jianlian range of ice creams.  

Yao has been busy, however, as he continues his recovery (or not) from injury. He purchased the Shanghai Sharks, the club from which he moved to Houston, for around £1.25m. A snip, given his vast earnings around the world. But wandering through the entire floor of sports shops at this gargantuan retail hub, there was no sign of any replica shirts from the CBA or even the national team. The visibility of Chinese basketball is virtually zero.

Even the ambitious Li-Ning brand, which is set to challenge the global supremacy of Adidas and Nike, is using the trio of Baron Davis, Jose Calderon, and Shaq as its pitchmen. 

So, it begs the question, what will the basketball-scape look like in the UK in 2013, one year after the stage of the Olympics has given the game its biggest fillip in decades? There is no question that the NBA is the most visible sporting-entity, bar none, in China. Now it is the UK's turn for the treatment by Association.

David Stern's reasoned input is always worth a listen. There are good folk at NBA Europe who have been putting in the hours under, and above, the radar. Their strategy isn't perfect. It has its detractors. Yet at least, there is something being done. With last month's formation of the All-Parliamentary Basketball Group, an initiative supported by Stern's emissaries, the politicians have now been courted as never before.

Yet, with just three years now until 2012, this has to be the time when British basketball, in all its forms and entities, learns to run its own show to the highest manner possible. In a country that dominates, on a commercial level, world soccer, there is clearly the ability and the imagination to push things forward. However, the NBA took over the marketing of The Game On tournament at The 02 because not enough tickets were being sold.

With the arena set to be barely filled to one-tenth of its capacity (despite a flurry of late free ticket giveaways), where does this leave BB and its agents, Fast Track? Questions must be asked about whether the estimated £750,000 investment in the event was worthwhile. 

You hope it will be a blip, rather than the norm. There is more dialogue between the various parties who have a stake in the future of UK hoops than ever before. That can only be a good thing. But it is only a start and the bar, now raised high above the rim, will take some reaching.  

The NBA has put a lot of resources in China. It is reaping dividends. Yet, you ask, where are the profits ultimately destined for? If, in four years time, the UK is awash with NBA-branded phones and beers, and you can get a Celtics top in every mall, it will say much for the success of American know-how. And much too about the lack of advances by our homegrown product and the people involved in developing it beyond its current exotic ghetto.

02 absenteeism

Great Britain are set to be without key pair Robert Archibald and Pops Mensah Bonsu for this weekend’s friendlies with Poland, Turkey and Israel at London’s 02 Arena.

Mensah Bonsu, who spent last season with the Toronto Raptors, has remained in the USA to complete contract talks with an un-named NBA team. While Archibald, who recently underwent hernia surgery, was ordered to take a medical in Malaga on Tuesday by his club, Unicaja, before being allowed to join up with GB at their HQ in London.

The Scot admitted: “I’m not sure when I’ll be ready to go.”

With Steve Leven and Jamie Vanderbeken both carrying injuries, it potentially leaves coach Chris Finch with just 12 healthy players for the 4-Nations tournament, which is his side’s first warm-up ahead of next month’s Eurobasket finals in Poland.

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This is my new basketball blog, carrying on from the traditions of Britball.com and my other work covering the sport. You'll get news, gossip and other tales from the BBL, NBA and international hoops. Stay tuned.