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Showing posts with label Great Britain. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Great Britain. Show all posts
Thursday, 12 August 2010
Dan Clark fires GB to 3-0 start with win in Bosnia
23 points from Estudiantes forward Dan Clark led Great Britain to an 84-80 win over Bosnia in Sarajevo last night which sent the side top of their European Championship qualifying group.
Chris Finch’s men now head for Birmingham on Saturday to face Ukraine, who defeated Hungary 80-71, and although they were forced to battle right to the finish, a third victory from three ties puts them in pole position to reach next year’s finals in Lithuania.
“This was a tough game,” said Clark. “Bosnia were coming off of a loss on the road and they played well in the first half. We played tough down the stretch."
GB made life difficult for themselves when they fell 11 behind in the opening quarter. With in-form Clark converting his first eight shots, they fought back but Bosnia responded to grab a 48-41 lead at half-time.
A flurry from Nate Reinking and Clark drew the visitors level early in the third and after Chicago Bulls forward Luol Deng opened up a three-point lead, their rivals quickly responded to send the tie into the fourth period deadlocked at 64-64.
However in a tight finale, Clark sank two late free throws to put GB ahead for good with a minute left and Reinking, who had 21, hit the clinching scores in the dying seconds to give GB captain Drew Sullivan a victory to go with his record-breaking 50th cap.
“It’s a heck of an achievement,” said Finch. ”Drew and Nate have been here since day one. He’s been an inspirational captain and a great leader and if you’re going to build a team, it’s around guys like him.”
Deng and Pops Mensah-Bonsu each finished with 16 points, with the latter pulling down 13 rebounds.
Ratko Varda led the Bosnians with 20 points, while Kenan Bajramovic had 16 and Henry Domercant 14.
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Chris Finch’s men now head for Birmingham on Saturday to face Ukraine, who defeated Hungary 80-71, and although they were forced to battle right to the finish, a third victory from three ties puts them in pole position to reach next year’s finals in Lithuania.
“This was a tough game,” said Clark. “Bosnia were coming off of a loss on the road and they played well in the first half. We played tough down the stretch."
GB made life difficult for themselves when they fell 11 behind in the opening quarter. With in-form Clark converting his first eight shots, they fought back but Bosnia responded to grab a 48-41 lead at half-time.
A flurry from Nate Reinking and Clark drew the visitors level early in the third and after Chicago Bulls forward Luol Deng opened up a three-point lead, their rivals quickly responded to send the tie into the fourth period deadlocked at 64-64.
However in a tight finale, Clark sank two late free throws to put GB ahead for good with a minute left and Reinking, who had 21, hit the clinching scores in the dying seconds to give GB captain Drew Sullivan a victory to go with his record-breaking 50th cap.
“It’s a heck of an achievement,” said Finch. ”Drew and Nate have been here since day one. He’s been an inspirational captain and a great leader and if you’re going to build a team, it’s around guys like him.”
Deng and Pops Mensah-Bonsu each finished with 16 points, with the latter pulling down 13 rebounds.
Ratko Varda led the Bosnians with 20 points, while Kenan Bajramovic had 16 and Henry Domercant 14.
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Sunday, 8 August 2010
Pops goes off as Britain steer past Macedonia
Former NBA forward Pops Mensah-Bonsu delivered 27 points and 9 rebounds as Great Britain remained unbeaten in their European Championship qualifiers with a 104-96 win over Macedonia in Newcastle.
However Chris Finch’s men were forced to hold their nerve, rallying from seven points down in the fourth quarter to force overtime before they saw off their most dangerous rivals in front of around far from capacity crowd at the venue that will be home to the Eagles next term.
It should have been much simpler after GB opened up a 15-point cushion in the first period but the visitors eased back into contention to trim the gap to 47-43 at half-time.
As in Hungary, Finch saw his players suffer from the third quarter blues and it almost proved fatal. The Macedonians maintained their push to eventually go 83-76 in front with three minutes of regulation play left but the hosts rallied back from the brink. After Mensah-Bonsu intentionally missed a free-throw, Dan Clark tipped the rebound out to Chicago Bulls forward Luol Deng, who calmly stepped out and hit a three-pointer with 6 seconds left that forced an extra period at 87-87.
And after the lead changed hands four times, Mensah-Bonsu scored six points in quick succession to spark a decisive burst that killed off Macedonia for good with Finch again rewarded from another series of clutch performances from captain Andrew Sullivan and Nate Reinking.
"For most of the game, even when we were down, I felt we were controlling the game," said Finch. "We lost our discipline a bit on defence in the third quarter. There was some tiredness. We tried to change things. Our rhythm went down a bit. Sometimes, when you go 6 or 7 down, you feel you have no response but when we called time out, we felt we had a response. You have to make big plays and we were able to do that."
Deng added 23 points and 11 rebounds for GB, who visit Bosnia - who lost 74-70 in Hungary - on Wednesday but for once he was over-shadowed by his team-mate.
"I'm not here if Luol isn't the player he is," Mensah-Bonsu countered. "Most of my points came from the attention that he got and he is that good of a player to find me and make me look good. The coach's game plan was good coming in. Defensively we were told to just disrupt them and get them out of their offence. They got a lot of lay-ups but we were trying to run them off the three-point plays and force them to finish at the basket."
Hometown hero Sullivan continued his inspirational form in his new sixth man role with 17 points and some key defensive plays that included a stunning block in the closing seconds of regulation.
"He played his role to a tee," said Finch. "He's an energy guy, a high-level garbage guy. People think that's a derogatory term but you can't win without guys like him."
Naturalised American Ivica Dimcevski hit a game-high 30 points for the Macedonians.
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However Chris Finch’s men were forced to hold their nerve, rallying from seven points down in the fourth quarter to force overtime before they saw off their most dangerous rivals in front of around far from capacity crowd at the venue that will be home to the Eagles next term.
It should have been much simpler after GB opened up a 15-point cushion in the first period but the visitors eased back into contention to trim the gap to 47-43 at half-time.
As in Hungary, Finch saw his players suffer from the third quarter blues and it almost proved fatal. The Macedonians maintained their push to eventually go 83-76 in front with three minutes of regulation play left but the hosts rallied back from the brink. After Mensah-Bonsu intentionally missed a free-throw, Dan Clark tipped the rebound out to Chicago Bulls forward Luol Deng, who calmly stepped out and hit a three-pointer with 6 seconds left that forced an extra period at 87-87.
And after the lead changed hands four times, Mensah-Bonsu scored six points in quick succession to spark a decisive burst that killed off Macedonia for good with Finch again rewarded from another series of clutch performances from captain Andrew Sullivan and Nate Reinking.
"For most of the game, even when we were down, I felt we were controlling the game," said Finch. "We lost our discipline a bit on defence in the third quarter. There was some tiredness. We tried to change things. Our rhythm went down a bit. Sometimes, when you go 6 or 7 down, you feel you have no response but when we called time out, we felt we had a response. You have to make big plays and we were able to do that."
Deng added 23 points and 11 rebounds for GB, who visit Bosnia - who lost 74-70 in Hungary - on Wednesday but for once he was over-shadowed by his team-mate.
"I'm not here if Luol isn't the player he is," Mensah-Bonsu countered. "Most of my points came from the attention that he got and he is that good of a player to find me and make me look good. The coach's game plan was good coming in. Defensively we were told to just disrupt them and get them out of their offence. They got a lot of lay-ups but we were trying to run them off the three-point plays and force them to finish at the basket."
Hometown hero Sullivan continued his inspirational form in his new sixth man role with 17 points and some key defensive plays that included a stunning block in the closing seconds of regulation.
"He played his role to a tee," said Finch. "He's an energy guy, a high-level garbage guy. People think that's a derogatory term but you can't win without guys like him."
Naturalised American Ivica Dimcevski hit a game-high 30 points for the Macedonians.
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Saturday, 7 August 2010
GB rivals pushed me forward, says Ogo Adegboye
Ogo Adegboye has thanked his fellow guards for steering him to a surprise place in Great Britain’s line-up, even though it has left his rivals out in the cold.
The rookie point guard, who is about to begin his senior season at St. Bonaventure University in New York, is expected to keep his starting role when GB meet Macedonia in Newcastle on Sunday in the second tie of their Eurobasket qualifying campaign.
The 22-year-old overcame early foul trouble that limited him to 18 minutes in last Monday’s 91-82 win over Hungary, holding his nerve to make four critical free throws in the closing minutes and earning praise from head coach Chris Finch for his performance in his first competitive international. And he admits that the support from within the GB backcourt ranks has smoothed his path.
“They’ve been giving me advice on how to keep pushing myself and keep on working hard,” said the Londoner. “We all bust a gut at practice but off the court, they’re like brothers. In games they advise you and keep you calm and that’s been really helpful.
“Basketball is a mental game. It translates to the physical. I’ve become tougher and got much more knowledge about the game, more than I had before. I’ve had to adjust from the American game to the European game. And the process has really pushed up my basketball IQ.”
The newcomer is part of Britain’s Brixton enclave, which also includes Chicago Bulls forward Luol Deng and Adegboye’s fellow first-timer Matthew Bryan-Amaning. And the bond between the trio has provided the playmaker with a huge lift.
“It’s so great,” he declared. “They’re like my brothers. They are my brothers. It’s fun to be with them and it’s encouraged me. It’s made it easier because they have my back on and off the court.”
Meanwhile skipper Drew Sullivan, who could equal Bill McInnes’ long-standing GB caps record if he makes his 49th appearance for the national side, is hoping for a full house in the first major fixture at Northumbria University’s new 3000-seater venue.
“I’ve been telling them to come and play in Newcastle for years so it would be great if we pack it out,” he said.
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The rookie point guard, who is about to begin his senior season at St. Bonaventure University in New York, is expected to keep his starting role when GB meet Macedonia in Newcastle on Sunday in the second tie of their Eurobasket qualifying campaign.
The 22-year-old overcame early foul trouble that limited him to 18 minutes in last Monday’s 91-82 win over Hungary, holding his nerve to make four critical free throws in the closing minutes and earning praise from head coach Chris Finch for his performance in his first competitive international. And he admits that the support from within the GB backcourt ranks has smoothed his path.
“They’ve been giving me advice on how to keep pushing myself and keep on working hard,” said the Londoner. “We all bust a gut at practice but off the court, they’re like brothers. In games they advise you and keep you calm and that’s been really helpful.
“Basketball is a mental game. It translates to the physical. I’ve become tougher and got much more knowledge about the game, more than I had before. I’ve had to adjust from the American game to the European game. And the process has really pushed up my basketball IQ.”
The newcomer is part of Britain’s Brixton enclave, which also includes Chicago Bulls forward Luol Deng and Adegboye’s fellow first-timer Matthew Bryan-Amaning. And the bond between the trio has provided the playmaker with a huge lift.
“It’s so great,” he declared. “They’re like my brothers. They are my brothers. It’s fun to be with them and it’s encouraged me. It’s made it easier because they have my back on and off the court.”
Meanwhile skipper Drew Sullivan, who could equal Bill McInnes’ long-standing GB caps record if he makes his 49th appearance for the national side, is hoping for a full house in the first major fixture at Northumbria University’s new 3000-seater venue.
“I’ve been telling them to come and play in Newcastle for years so it would be great if we pack it out,” he said.
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Chris Finch demands more from Achara ahead of Macedonian test
Kieron Achara could be dropped from Great Britain’s line-up if he can’t bounce back to top form, according to head coach Chris Finch. GB host Macedonia in Newcastle on Sunday in their second European Championship qualifier with both sides looking to maintain their 100% start to the campaign.
However, the Stirling-born forward finds himself in the doghouse after exchanging words with Finch when he was yanked from last Monday’s 91-82 win in Hungary after just three minutes on the court. And he’s been put on notice that his place is no longer automatic.
“Kieron’s been an absolute warrior for us over the past two years," said Finch. "He’s one of our X-Factors. He’s been able to go in and make an impact on games with his hustle. He makes a shot here and there. He plays great defence. But at the moment, he’s just not doing that.
“He’s down on himself. But we need him. We need his experience. We need what he can do for us. It’s a long month of basketball but right now, he’s a little off the pace.”
The Macedonians come into the tie at Northumbrian University buoyant after humiliating the Hungarians 78-44 in mid-week and Finch is aware of their challenge.
"We scout all our opponents live as well as on DVD," he said. "We feel we have a very good handle on them and what they are trying to do. The challenge, as ever, is stopping them. We must take away the strengths of their key players both inside and out."
The GB coach was pleased with his side's display against Hungary, but knows there is still room for improvement: "We executed our stuff well, we guard very well at times and we rebounded consistently. We didn't start the game or the 3rd quarter very well and we didn't take the best shots. We need to improve on all aspects of our game and keep growing as a team to be successful on Sunday as well as in the group.
"We are fully fit and we do not expect any significant changes to our core line-up. We will however need a bit more bench production from a few more guys than we had in Hungary".
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However, the Stirling-born forward finds himself in the doghouse after exchanging words with Finch when he was yanked from last Monday’s 91-82 win in Hungary after just three minutes on the court. And he’s been put on notice that his place is no longer automatic.
“Kieron’s been an absolute warrior for us over the past two years," said Finch. "He’s one of our X-Factors. He’s been able to go in and make an impact on games with his hustle. He makes a shot here and there. He plays great defence. But at the moment, he’s just not doing that.
“He’s down on himself. But we need him. We need his experience. We need what he can do for us. It’s a long month of basketball but right now, he’s a little off the pace.”
The Macedonians come into the tie at Northumbrian University buoyant after humiliating the Hungarians 78-44 in mid-week and Finch is aware of their challenge.
"We scout all our opponents live as well as on DVD," he said. "We feel we have a very good handle on them and what they are trying to do. The challenge, as ever, is stopping them. We must take away the strengths of their key players both inside and out."
The GB coach was pleased with his side's display against Hungary, but knows there is still room for improvement: "We executed our stuff well, we guard very well at times and we rebounded consistently. We didn't start the game or the 3rd quarter very well and we didn't take the best shots. We need to improve on all aspects of our game and keep growing as a team to be successful on Sunday as well as in the group.
"We are fully fit and we do not expect any significant changes to our core line-up. We will however need a bit more bench production from a few more guys than we had in Hungary".
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Thursday, 5 August 2010
Butler does it as GB women clinch series over Israel
Great Britain’s women scooped a morale boosting 71-59 win over Israel in Tel Aviv on Thursday night in their final warm-up game before the European Championship qualifiers.
GB - paced by 22 points from Kim Butler - built a 35-28 lead at half-time. And Tom Maher’s side kept the hosts at bay to clinch the series 2-1.
“It’s great to win a series against Israel,” said Maher. “But in truth, it was winning ugly. Nevertheless, it was rewarding for the fact that we could seek out solutions to grind out a win.”
Julie Page added 13 points and 14 rebounds for GB who begin their European campaign against Slovakia in Birmingham in nine days time.
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GB - paced by 22 points from Kim Butler - built a 35-28 lead at half-time. And Tom Maher’s side kept the hosts at bay to clinch the series 2-1.
“It’s great to win a series against Israel,” said Maher. “But in truth, it was winning ugly. Nevertheless, it was rewarding for the fact that we could seek out solutions to grind out a win.”
Julie Page added 13 points and 14 rebounds for GB who begin their European campaign against Slovakia in Birmingham in nine days time.
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Wednesday, 4 August 2010
Jo Leedham hits 18 as GB upset Israel in OT
Great Britain's women produced their best outing of the summer to date by stunning Israel 85-75 in overtime in a friendly in Tel Aviv, just 24 hours after losing to the same team.
WNBA Draft pick Jo Leedham had 18 points in her first extended outing since an injury kept her out of a run of five consecutive defeats as Tom Maher's side continue their build-up to this month's Eurobasket qualifiers. But, with Julie Page adding 17, the visitors had to battle to prevail after blowing a 16-point cushion in regulation.
After the disappointment of fading in the final period on Tuesday, GB rushed into the 28-14 first quarter lead and were still 38-30 ahead going into the locker room at halftime.
A 19-11 third period looked to have put Tom Maher's team comfortably in control as they led 57-41 going into the fourth period, but they were outscored 30-14 to send the teams into overtime with a game tied at 71.
From there on, though, it was all GB as they outscored the hosts 14-4 to take the win and leave coach Maher delighted with the performance:
"It was a really pleasing victory in overtime especially considering we had such a good lead at three quarter time which we blew to go to overtime.
"The players composed themselves magnificently in the extra period and they found all the answers."
GB wrap up the series on Thursday in what will be their final game before EuroBasket qualifying starts at the NIA on Saturday August 14 when they face Slovak Republic.
The third, and final, game of the series is in Tel Aviv on Thursday.
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WNBA Draft pick Jo Leedham had 18 points in her first extended outing since an injury kept her out of a run of five consecutive defeats as Tom Maher's side continue their build-up to this month's Eurobasket qualifiers. But, with Julie Page adding 17, the visitors had to battle to prevail after blowing a 16-point cushion in regulation.
After the disappointment of fading in the final period on Tuesday, GB rushed into the 28-14 first quarter lead and were still 38-30 ahead going into the locker room at halftime.
A 19-11 third period looked to have put Tom Maher's team comfortably in control as they led 57-41 going into the fourth period, but they were outscored 30-14 to send the teams into overtime with a game tied at 71.
From there on, though, it was all GB as they outscored the hosts 14-4 to take the win and leave coach Maher delighted with the performance:
"It was a really pleasing victory in overtime especially considering we had such a good lead at three quarter time which we blew to go to overtime.
"The players composed themselves magnificently in the extra period and they found all the answers."
GB wrap up the series on Thursday in what will be their final game before EuroBasket qualifying starts at the NIA on Saturday August 14 when they face Slovak Republic.
The third, and final, game of the series is in Tel Aviv on Thursday.
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Tuesday, 3 August 2010
GB go down in Israel
25 points and 9 rebounds from Julie Page couldn't prevent an 80-69 defeat for Great Britain's women against Israel in a friendly in Tel Aviv.
After the sides were level at 39-39 at half-time, the visitors took a slender lead into the final quarter but Israel went on a 25-13 tear to wrap up the win. "We put a few things on the floor and there were a lot of good things to take from the game," said GB coach Tom Maher.
The teams meet again on Wednesday evening before wrapping up the three-game series on Thursday.
Meanwhile, Australian-born guard Natalie Stafford has received her UK passport and can play in Eurobasket qualifiers, British Basketball confirmed.
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After the sides were level at 39-39 at half-time, the visitors took a slender lead into the final quarter but Israel went on a 25-13 tear to wrap up the win. "We put a few things on the floor and there were a lot of good things to take from the game," said GB coach Tom Maher.
The teams meet again on Wednesday evening before wrapping up the three-game series on Thursday.
Meanwhile, Australian-born guard Natalie Stafford has received her UK passport and can play in Eurobasket qualifiers, British Basketball confirmed.
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Monday, 2 August 2010
Great Britain survive Hungarian onslaught
Chicago Bulls star Luol Deng scored 32 points as Great Britain began their European Championship qualifying campaign with a battling 91-82 victory over Hungary in Szolnok.
And Chris Finch's men were forced to scrap to emerge on top from their opening tie after the hosts rebounded from 14 down to lead in the fourth quarter before GB produced a decisive late flurry.
The visitors had looked set for a comfortable win, Deng hitting 20 by half-time to spark his side into a 54-42 advantage. However the unfancied Hungarians - led by 20 from Adam Hanga - punished a series of lapses to eventually surge 71-67 in front.
And it was American-born guard Nate Reinking who calmed Britain's nerves when it mattered most, hitting consecutive baskets to push Finch's inconsistent line-up ahead for good with seven minutes left.
In the closing stages, the hosts were forced to foul desperately. But rookie guard Ogo Adegboye hit four clutch free throws that pulled GB clear in front of a noisy 3,000 capacity crowd.
“Every win is important especially on the road,” said Deng. “Two years ago we lost our first qualifying game and we had to climb up the hill then. But I think the experience of some of the guys from that situation brought us through here.”
Pops Mensah-Bonsu chipped in 14 points and a mammoth 18 rebounds for GB while Reinking added 16 after sitting out much of the third quarter in foul trouble.
"Getting Nate back in the game was a big advantage for us - he made some big plays," said Finch, who was in his 50th game at the helm of the national team.
"Luol's such a smart player. He's a team player and we've seen it before. It takes some time to settle down and it'll get better."
GB host Macedonia, who beat Ukraine 71-58, in Newcastle on Sunday with the coaching staff set to use the time to install more of their offensive schemes.
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And Chris Finch's men were forced to scrap to emerge on top from their opening tie after the hosts rebounded from 14 down to lead in the fourth quarter before GB produced a decisive late flurry.
The visitors had looked set for a comfortable win, Deng hitting 20 by half-time to spark his side into a 54-42 advantage. However the unfancied Hungarians - led by 20 from Adam Hanga - punished a series of lapses to eventually surge 71-67 in front.
And it was American-born guard Nate Reinking who calmed Britain's nerves when it mattered most, hitting consecutive baskets to push Finch's inconsistent line-up ahead for good with seven minutes left.
In the closing stages, the hosts were forced to foul desperately. But rookie guard Ogo Adegboye hit four clutch free throws that pulled GB clear in front of a noisy 3,000 capacity crowd.
“Every win is important especially on the road,” said Deng. “Two years ago we lost our first qualifying game and we had to climb up the hill then. But I think the experience of some of the guys from that situation brought us through here.”
Pops Mensah-Bonsu chipped in 14 points and a mammoth 18 rebounds for GB while Reinking added 16 after sitting out much of the third quarter in foul trouble.
"Getting Nate back in the game was a big advantage for us - he made some big plays," said Finch, who was in his 50th game at the helm of the national team.
"Luol's such a smart player. He's a team player and we've seen it before. It takes some time to settle down and it'll get better."
GB host Macedonia, who beat Ukraine 71-58, in Newcastle on Sunday with the coaching staff set to use the time to install more of their offensive schemes.
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Pre-Game Notes from Szolnok
- Great Britain's players emerged from their final team lunch at their hotel clutching the points of emphasis to remember during tonight's opening European qualifier against Hungary.
In the sleepy provincial outpost, there has been little alternative but to study the scouting reports and sleep since they arrived 24 hours ago. But they have already had the chance to practice twice at an arena described by one staff member as “a complete hothouse”. Their advice to the handful of GB fans? “Leave your jacket and jumpers at home or you'll fry!” Intriguingly, entrance is free.
- It is also the first competitive outing for the new-look coaching staff of Chris Finch, Nick Nurse and fresh recruit, Paul Mokeski, the one-time Philadelphia 76ers centre who is now doubling as Finch's aide de corps for the national team as well as at D-League champions, Rio Grande.
“Paul is awesome,” declared Nurse. “He is a great experienced basketball mind. Defence is his thing. When he speaks, people listen because he can say 'hey, I played in the NBA for 10-12 years'. He pushes the little things. Plus he's a great guy. How he's not on a NBA bench is beyond me. He's got a knowledge and experience that is valuable. He coaches big guys. He understands scouting. It's been excellent.”
The switches on the bench have been that Tony Garbelotto and Tim Lewis are now on scouting duties, with the lack of a British presence roundly criticised by many in the UK coaching fraternity. However Nurse, who remains the head coach the D-League's Iowa Energy, thinks the dynamic is working with the addition of extra backroom staff.
“We've really improved,” he said. “I think our preparation is better. Tony did a great job with the scouting and he's now focusing on that. Same with Tim. Our new video guy is out of this world. He comes from the Philadephia 76ers and he gives us stuff as soon as we need it. If I go to him and say 'I need to see Pops' last ten post touches', I have it in a minute and I'm done watching it in ten minutes. It's crazy. It's so smooth.”
- With several players on the GB squad unsigned, the Euro campaign will, inevitably, be a showcase for those who are hoping for a solid deal for next season. Pops Mensah-Bonsu's agent is holding talks with Maccabi Tel Aviv, a move which the Londoner confirmed would be “an attractive option.” His representatives are also understood to have received an approach from ACB play-off champions Caja Laboral Baskonia.
Kieron Achara is thought to be on the radar of both San Sebastian and Menorca as a Spanish switch for the Scot looms large. While captain Drew Sullivan has had no further contact from Newcastle Eagles, despite being linked strongly with joining Everton.
- Let's play Fantasy Coach. Given the performances, I'd expect young point guard Ogo Adegboye to start against the Hungarians in the backcourt beside Nate Reinking. Luol Deng is an obvious lock at small forward, Dan Clark will likely be utilised as a pop-out four-man, leaving Mensah-Bonsu to man the middle on defence while continuing to post up offensively. That unit would see Drew Sullivan as a sixth man off the bench with Flinder Boyd as the main back-up guard and either Matthew Bryan-Amaning, Kieron Achara or Eric Boateng spelling the frontcourt after none of the trio made a sufficiently compelling case in the build-up. As always, let's see what Finch comes up with, come gametime.
.
In the sleepy provincial outpost, there has been little alternative but to study the scouting reports and sleep since they arrived 24 hours ago. But they have already had the chance to practice twice at an arena described by one staff member as “a complete hothouse”. Their advice to the handful of GB fans? “Leave your jacket and jumpers at home or you'll fry!” Intriguingly, entrance is free.
- It is also the first competitive outing for the new-look coaching staff of Chris Finch, Nick Nurse and fresh recruit, Paul Mokeski, the one-time Philadelphia 76ers centre who is now doubling as Finch's aide de corps for the national team as well as at D-League champions, Rio Grande.
“Paul is awesome,” declared Nurse. “He is a great experienced basketball mind. Defence is his thing. When he speaks, people listen because he can say 'hey, I played in the NBA for 10-12 years'. He pushes the little things. Plus he's a great guy. How he's not on a NBA bench is beyond me. He's got a knowledge and experience that is valuable. He coaches big guys. He understands scouting. It's been excellent.”
The switches on the bench have been that Tony Garbelotto and Tim Lewis are now on scouting duties, with the lack of a British presence roundly criticised by many in the UK coaching fraternity. However Nurse, who remains the head coach the D-League's Iowa Energy, thinks the dynamic is working with the addition of extra backroom staff.
“We've really improved,” he said. “I think our preparation is better. Tony did a great job with the scouting and he's now focusing on that. Same with Tim. Our new video guy is out of this world. He comes from the Philadephia 76ers and he gives us stuff as soon as we need it. If I go to him and say 'I need to see Pops' last ten post touches', I have it in a minute and I'm done watching it in ten minutes. It's crazy. It's so smooth.”
- With several players on the GB squad unsigned, the Euro campaign will, inevitably, be a showcase for those who are hoping for a solid deal for next season. Pops Mensah-Bonsu's agent is holding talks with Maccabi Tel Aviv, a move which the Londoner confirmed would be “an attractive option.” His representatives are also understood to have received an approach from ACB play-off champions Caja Laboral Baskonia.
Kieron Achara is thought to be on the radar of both San Sebastian and Menorca as a Spanish switch for the Scot looms large. While captain Drew Sullivan has had no further contact from Newcastle Eagles, despite being linked strongly with joining Everton.
- Let's play Fantasy Coach. Given the performances, I'd expect young point guard Ogo Adegboye to start against the Hungarians in the backcourt beside Nate Reinking. Luol Deng is an obvious lock at small forward, Dan Clark will likely be utilised as a pop-out four-man, leaving Mensah-Bonsu to man the middle on defence while continuing to post up offensively. That unit would see Drew Sullivan as a sixth man off the bench with Flinder Boyd as the main back-up guard and either Matthew Bryan-Amaning, Kieron Achara or Eric Boateng spelling the frontcourt after none of the trio made a sufficiently compelling case in the build-up. As always, let's see what Finch comes up with, come gametime.
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Luol Deng ready to make up for lost time as GB start Euro campaign
Chicago Bulls forward Luol Deng is ready to put two years of frustration behind him and help Great Britain qualify for next summer's European Championships, according to the national team's captain Drew Sullivan.
Chris Finch's side begin their campaign tonight against Hungary in Szolnok with their most formidable asset back in the ranks after missing last summer through injury. With a number of seasoned performers suffering a similar fate this time, his return provides a massive boost to Britain's chances of featuring in the 2011 finals in Lithuania – and, in turn, persuading the sport's governing body FIBA to confirm their place in the London Olympics.
“I'm glad Luol's back,” said Sullivan. “Last summer he was around the team as much as he could and you could see how upset he was that he couldn't play at the Eurobasket finals, which is something we'd spent two years working towards. He was devastated that he'd helped us qualify and then, unfortunately, got hurt with the Bulls and didn't recover in time. From our perspective, we need him. We're a much better team with him.”
With Deng barred from featuring in any of GB's warm-up games due to an issue with his NBA-sponsored insurance, Finch has been forced to take an extended look at a number of younger faces with the Spanish-based centre Dan Clark and American collegiate prospect Matthew Bryan-Amaning seizing their opportunity to stake a claim.
“Potentially, if they do well, it will benefit us because it shows that we have depth,” Sullivan stated. “If someone decides to pull out through injury, we now have guys who can step up and take their place at short notice. And it also puts pressure on the older guys, or players who might pull out for less than legitimate reasons. They'll now know that they won't necessarily get back in.”
Regular updates on Twitter on http://twitter.com/markbritball
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Chris Finch's side begin their campaign tonight against Hungary in Szolnok with their most formidable asset back in the ranks after missing last summer through injury. With a number of seasoned performers suffering a similar fate this time, his return provides a massive boost to Britain's chances of featuring in the 2011 finals in Lithuania – and, in turn, persuading the sport's governing body FIBA to confirm their place in the London Olympics.
“I'm glad Luol's back,” said Sullivan. “Last summer he was around the team as much as he could and you could see how upset he was that he couldn't play at the Eurobasket finals, which is something we'd spent two years working towards. He was devastated that he'd helped us qualify and then, unfortunately, got hurt with the Bulls and didn't recover in time. From our perspective, we need him. We're a much better team with him.”
With Deng barred from featuring in any of GB's warm-up games due to an issue with his NBA-sponsored insurance, Finch has been forced to take an extended look at a number of younger faces with the Spanish-based centre Dan Clark and American collegiate prospect Matthew Bryan-Amaning seizing their opportunity to stake a claim.
“Potentially, if they do well, it will benefit us because it shows that we have depth,” Sullivan stated. “If someone decides to pull out through injury, we now have guys who can step up and take their place at short notice. And it also puts pressure on the older guys, or players who might pull out for less than legitimate reasons. They'll now know that they won't necessarily get back in.”
Regular updates on Twitter on http://twitter.com/markbritball
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Sunday, 1 August 2010
Chris Finch names final 12 for GB opener against Hungary
Ashley Hamilton has been confirmed as the final cut from Great Britain's European Championship team as head coach Chris Finch named a 12-strong line-up for Monday's opening qualifier against Hungary.
The GB squad arrived in Szolnok on Sunday afternoon, fresh a brief break following three friendlies in Tel Aviv last week.
"It definitely helped us to play three pretty tough teams" Finch said. "They all had different styles, which was good for us, and we managed to use a lot of the younger players. We played pretty well, and although we had mixed results, we found out a lot about ourselves and it was a really worthwhile trip."
Finch confirmed that Nate Reinking and Pops Mensah-Bonsu have recovered from minor niggles and are fit to meet the Hungarians.
Great Britain (from): Achara, Adegboye, Bailey, Boateng, Boyd, Clark, Deng, Bryan-Amaning, Mensah-Bonsu, Reinking, Robinson, Sullivan (capt.)
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The GB squad arrived in Szolnok on Sunday afternoon, fresh a brief break following three friendlies in Tel Aviv last week.
"It definitely helped us to play three pretty tough teams" Finch said. "They all had different styles, which was good for us, and we managed to use a lot of the younger players. We played pretty well, and although we had mixed results, we found out a lot about ourselves and it was a really worthwhile trip."
Finch confirmed that Nate Reinking and Pops Mensah-Bonsu have recovered from minor niggles and are fit to meet the Hungarians.
Great Britain (from): Achara, Adegboye, Bailey, Boateng, Boyd, Clark, Deng, Bryan-Amaning, Mensah-Bonsu, Reinking, Robinson, Sullivan (capt.)
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Friday, 30 July 2010
Rob Yanders out of Great Britain squad
Glasgow Rocks captain Rob Yanders has been released from the Great Britain squad as coach Chris Finch prepares to finalise his roster for Monday's opening European Championship qualifier against Hungary.
The Milwaukee-born guard always faced a battle with team-mate Nate Reinking to secure the lone berth permitted for a naturalised player. However he revealed that he rejected an offer from GB coach Chris Finch to remain with the side in case injuries struck.
“It’s been a good experience and a really different one for me. I was pleased that I scored 15 points in my last game so I could go out on a high. But Chris told me that his decision wasn’t to do with my talent, just that he could only keep one naturalised player in his team and otherwise, I’d have been in. But he’s said I’m in his plans for the future. I knew it would be difficult for me because Nate’s been by Chris’ side for the last seven years. I’m up against a giant there. But he’ll be 39 by the time the London Olympics come around around so I’ll have another shot.
Finch, who joined his team on a tour of London's Olympic Park on Friday, is likely to take 12 players to face the Hungarians with Luol Deng now available to feature on the court. Yanders must wait another 12 months for his next chance and has returned to the USA while finalising his club destination for next season, which looks increasingly likely to be in Spain's LEB Oro League rather than in Glasgow.
"I need to do things to get ready for the new season and I wouldn’t have been able to do that effectively without being on court," said Yanders. "But Chris was really straight up with me. He's a stand up guy who I really respect. And I hope I can come back next year and make the squad. I just want to focus on being at the start of camp for whatever club I join and learning their system. "
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The Milwaukee-born guard always faced a battle with team-mate Nate Reinking to secure the lone berth permitted for a naturalised player. However he revealed that he rejected an offer from GB coach Chris Finch to remain with the side in case injuries struck.
“It’s been a good experience and a really different one for me. I was pleased that I scored 15 points in my last game so I could go out on a high. But Chris told me that his decision wasn’t to do with my talent, just that he could only keep one naturalised player in his team and otherwise, I’d have been in. But he’s said I’m in his plans for the future. I knew it would be difficult for me because Nate’s been by Chris’ side for the last seven years. I’m up against a giant there. But he’ll be 39 by the time the London Olympics come around around so I’ll have another shot.
Finch, who joined his team on a tour of London's Olympic Park on Friday, is likely to take 12 players to face the Hungarians with Luol Deng now available to feature on the court. Yanders must wait another 12 months for his next chance and has returned to the USA while finalising his club destination for next season, which looks increasingly likely to be in Spain's LEB Oro League rather than in Glasgow.
"I need to do things to get ready for the new season and I wouldn’t have been able to do that effectively without being on court," said Yanders. "But Chris was really straight up with me. He's a stand up guy who I really respect. And I hope I can come back next year and make the squad. I just want to focus on being at the start of camp for whatever club I join and learning their system. "
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Wednesday, 28 July 2010
Dutch inflict GB reverse in final Euro tune-up
Great Britain were never able to recover from a poor first half as they went down 94-83 against the Netherlands in their final games of the Tel Aviv tournament.
Without Pops Mensah-Bonsu or Nate Reinking, who were both resting minor niggles ahead of EuroBasket qualifier against Hungary, the GB side gave up 57 first half period points and a good second half saw them only able to knock five off the 16 point half-time deficit.
GB started slowly as the Dutch big men caused them problems, and they trailed 27-20 at the first break before being outscored 30-21 in the second period to go into the locker room 57-41 down.
A better second half performance saw GB step up their defence at the post, and a 20-16 third period saw them cut the lead to 73-61 going into the final stanza.
That deficit to cut to as few in the final period, but the Dutch held on to take their first win of the tournament.
Matthew Bryan-Amaning led the GB scoring with 16 points, with Rob Yanders adding 15 and Flinder Boyd 12.
Coach Finch wasn't too downhearted with the result: "With Pops and Nate not playing today it provided an opportunity for some of the young guys to step up. It was good to get them some quality minutes - they played well" he said.
"Defensively, we really struggled in the first half, giving up a lot of easy looks inside. We were better in the second half, but we've still got some work to do
"This was a good tournament for us. Three quality opponents, and now the team is looking forward to kicking things off next week."
GB now have five days to prepare for their opening EuroBasket qualifying game of the summer in Hungary.
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Without Pops Mensah-Bonsu or Nate Reinking, who were both resting minor niggles ahead of EuroBasket qualifier against Hungary, the GB side gave up 57 first half period points and a good second half saw them only able to knock five off the 16 point half-time deficit.
GB started slowly as the Dutch big men caused them problems, and they trailed 27-20 at the first break before being outscored 30-21 in the second period to go into the locker room 57-41 down.
A better second half performance saw GB step up their defence at the post, and a 20-16 third period saw them cut the lead to 73-61 going into the final stanza.
That deficit to cut to as few in the final period, but the Dutch held on to take their first win of the tournament.
Matthew Bryan-Amaning led the GB scoring with 16 points, with Rob Yanders adding 15 and Flinder Boyd 12.
Coach Finch wasn't too downhearted with the result: "With Pops and Nate not playing today it provided an opportunity for some of the young guys to step up. It was good to get them some quality minutes - they played well" he said.
"Defensively, we really struggled in the first half, giving up a lot of easy looks inside. We were better in the second half, but we've still got some work to do
"This was a good tournament for us. Three quality opponents, and now the team is looking forward to kicking things off next week."
GB now have five days to prepare for their opening EuroBasket qualifying game of the summer in Hungary.
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Tuesday, 27 July 2010
Great Britain go down to Israel despite Pops haul
Great Britain lost 86-82 to Israel on Tuesday night in Tel Aviv despite a huge performance from Pops Mensah Bonsu.
The ex-NBA forward led GB with 25 points and 15 rebounds but could not halt the hosts from pulling away after the sides were level at 63-63 midway through the second half.
Despite the loss, Britain's third four-point defeat of the summer, head coach Chris Finch remained positive:
"It was an encouraging performance, and we gave ourselves a chance to win the game. It was good for us to play in front of a high-energy crowd, because we'll have to face that kind of pressure when we're on the road in the European qualifiers. Their three-point shooting really hurt us, especially in the second half. But when we played physically we were pretty effective."
Finch's men face the Netherlands on Wednesday in their final warm-up ahead of next month's European Championship qualifiers
"They've lost both games pretty heavily, but they're a decent team and those results aren't indicative of how good they are," he said.
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The ex-NBA forward led GB with 25 points and 15 rebounds but could not halt the hosts from pulling away after the sides were level at 63-63 midway through the second half.
Despite the loss, Britain's third four-point defeat of the summer, head coach Chris Finch remained positive:
"It was an encouraging performance, and we gave ourselves a chance to win the game. It was good for us to play in front of a high-energy crowd, because we'll have to face that kind of pressure when we're on the road in the European qualifiers. Their three-point shooting really hurt us, especially in the second half. But when we played physically we were pretty effective."
Finch's men face the Netherlands on Wednesday in their final warm-up ahead of next month's European Championship qualifiers
"They've lost both games pretty heavily, but they're a decent team and those results aren't indicative of how good they are," he said.
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Monday, 26 July 2010
Pops sparkles as GB edge past Belgium in Tel Aviv
Great Britain beat Belgium 84-80 in their opening game at the Tel Aviv tournament after a dominant performance from Pops Mensah Bonsu.
The former CSKA Moscow forward had 26 points and 9 boards as Chris Finch's men overturned a 45-36 half-time deficit.
Ogo Adegboye enhanced his claim on the point guard role by adding 20 points and six assists.
"It's a decent start to the tournament, Belgium are a good team and have had some good results in their previous games," said Finch.
"I was disappointed by how we played in the first half because we let them push us around, but the guys came out in the second half and turned things around by being the more assertive team.
"We had some good performances from the younger players such as Dan Clark, Ogo Adegboye and Eric Boateng and I'm looking for us to continue that against Israel tomorrow. They will give us a really good challenge, and that's what we need at this stage of the summer."
GB face hosts Israel on Tuesday.
Box score
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The former CSKA Moscow forward had 26 points and 9 boards as Chris Finch's men overturned a 45-36 half-time deficit.
Ogo Adegboye enhanced his claim on the point guard role by adding 20 points and six assists.
"It's a decent start to the tournament, Belgium are a good team and have had some good results in their previous games," said Finch.
"I was disappointed by how we played in the first half because we let them push us around, but the guys came out in the second half and turned things around by being the more assertive team.
"We had some good performances from the younger players such as Dan Clark, Ogo Adegboye and Eric Boateng and I'm looking for us to continue that against Israel tomorrow. They will give us a really good challenge, and that's what we need at this stage of the summer."
GB face hosts Israel on Tuesday.
Box score
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Reinking and Yanders must scrap for one place, admits Finch
Glasgow Rocks captain Rob Yanders has been handed three games to prove that he deserves a place in Great Britain’s European Championship plans by coach Chris Finch.
With just one naturalised player allowed per team, the American-born guard will have to compete with Nate Reinking for a spot in the final 12-man squad over a trio of warm-up friendlies in Tel Aviv, starting today against Belgium.
And Finch has signalled that Yanders needs to show he can make the step up from the BBL to the international stage.
“I coached Rob in Sheffield in his first year in Britain and he’s my type of guy,” said Finch. “He’s tough, he’s smart and he makes big plays. He’s a good team-mate. Unfortunately, he and Nate are battling it for the only naturalised spot.
“For Rob, his opportunities will come if he proves himself as a point guard which we need. It will be interesting because they’re both good players but we can’t play them both at the same time.”
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With just one naturalised player allowed per team, the American-born guard will have to compete with Nate Reinking for a spot in the final 12-man squad over a trio of warm-up friendlies in Tel Aviv, starting today against Belgium.
And Finch has signalled that Yanders needs to show he can make the step up from the BBL to the international stage.
“I coached Rob in Sheffield in his first year in Britain and he’s my type of guy,” said Finch. “He’s tough, he’s smart and he makes big plays. He’s a good team-mate. Unfortunately, he and Nate are battling it for the only naturalised spot.
“For Rob, his opportunities will come if he proves himself as a point guard which we need. It will be interesting because they’re both good players but we can’t play them both at the same time.”
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Sunday, 25 July 2010
Damian Jennings full of praise as GB U-20 women claim Euro crown
Great Britain's under-20 women sealed the European Championship Division B title with a thrilling 47-46 victory against Slovak Republic on Sunday evening.
Damian Jennings' side had already clinched promotion to the top flight, but their success in the final in Macedonia saw them become the first GB age group team to clinch a FIBA Europe title.
Led by 13 points and eight rebounds from Mairi Buchan plus 12 points and six boards from Mary Durojaye, the GB side led for most of the game after a strong second period put them in the driving seat.
GB didn't shoot the ball well inside the arc, managing only 28 percent of their two-point efforts, but hit half of their three point attempts and out-rebounded the Slovaks 48-35.
Kristie Sheils added nine points and five boards, with Rebecca Allison finishing with nine rebounds and three assists for a GB team that gave at least seven minutes of action to all 12 of their roster.
Slovakia were led by 16 points from Klaudia Lukacovicová and 14 from Veronika Cernáková, and will be consoled by the fact that they will join GB in Division A next season.
"I am really proud of all the players and their commitment to this result - all 12 played with class and determination," Jennings said.
"You are never going to get a one sided affair when the stakes are so high, and Portugal certainly reminded us frequently what we were all fighting for.
"The manner in which the players and staff have operated since the beginning is testimony to how seriously we take representing our country and it was incredibly pleasing to see everyone from GB staff back home, my staff team and the players rewarded for their efforts with this history-changing promotion."
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Damian Jennings' side had already clinched promotion to the top flight, but their success in the final in Macedonia saw them become the first GB age group team to clinch a FIBA Europe title.
Led by 13 points and eight rebounds from Mairi Buchan plus 12 points and six boards from Mary Durojaye, the GB side led for most of the game after a strong second period put them in the driving seat.
GB didn't shoot the ball well inside the arc, managing only 28 percent of their two-point efforts, but hit half of their three point attempts and out-rebounded the Slovaks 48-35.
Kristie Sheils added nine points and five boards, with Rebecca Allison finishing with nine rebounds and three assists for a GB team that gave at least seven minutes of action to all 12 of their roster.
Slovakia were led by 16 points from Klaudia Lukacovicová and 14 from Veronika Cernáková, and will be consoled by the fact that they will join GB in Division A next season.
"I am really proud of all the players and their commitment to this result - all 12 played with class and determination," Jennings said.
"You are never going to get a one sided affair when the stakes are so high, and Portugal certainly reminded us frequently what we were all fighting for.
"The manner in which the players and staff have operated since the beginning is testimony to how seriously we take representing our country and it was incredibly pleasing to see everyone from GB staff back home, my staff team and the players rewarded for their efforts with this history-changing promotion."
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GB women are double Dutched
Great Britain's women suffered a double Dutch defeat in Utrecht with a 78-76 reverse against the Netherlands in their latest pre-European qualifiers friendly.
Julie Page's 27 points and eight rebounds failed to make a sufficient impact with the side now returning to the UK for a brief break ahead of their next set of warm-up games, in Israel, on August 3-5.
Meanwhile, Tafari Toney has been released from the GB men's side ahead of their series of friendlies in Tel Aviv that begin on Monday.
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Julie Page's 27 points and eight rebounds failed to make a sufficient impact with the side now returning to the UK for a brief break ahead of their next set of warm-up games, in Israel, on August 3-5.
Meanwhile, Tafari Toney has been released from the GB men's side ahead of their series of friendlies in Tel Aviv that begin on Monday.
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GB U20 Women earn promotion; Men finish sixth
GB under-20 women became the first GB age-group team to win promotion to the top tier of European basketball following their 59-40 success against Portugal on Saturday evening. They will now play Slovakia in the European Championship Division B final on Sunday evening - but the hard work is done and they will compete in the A Division next season.
Damian Jennings' team never looked back after a 17-4 first period, and a good all-round team performance saw them take the win and a place in the top flight. Mairi Buchan led the scoring with ten points, and added eight rebounds, while Katrin Chiemeka hit three of her five three-point attempts to finish with nine points, and also added eight boards and three steals.
After that blistering start, GB remained in control and were 28-15 ahead at half-time having shared 22 second period points.
The Portugese - who were led by 11 points and as many rebounds from Sofia Da Silva but had no one else in double figures - shaded the third period12-11 to cut GB's lead to 38-27 at the final break. But they had no answer to the GB team in the final stanza as they outscored them 20-13 to take the victory. A 52-37 success rate on the boards made up for a poor night shooting, as Jennings and his team were left to celebrate.
In the European U20 Championship for Men, Great Britain ended up in sixth place following a play-off for fifth with Israel. Tim Lewis' side were beaten 103-92 in Oberwart, despite a game-high 31 points from Ovie Soko.
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Damian Jennings' team never looked back after a 17-4 first period, and a good all-round team performance saw them take the win and a place in the top flight. Mairi Buchan led the scoring with ten points, and added eight rebounds, while Katrin Chiemeka hit three of her five three-point attempts to finish with nine points, and also added eight boards and three steals.
After that blistering start, GB remained in control and were 28-15 ahead at half-time having shared 22 second period points.
The Portugese - who were led by 11 points and as many rebounds from Sofia Da Silva but had no one else in double figures - shaded the third period12-11 to cut GB's lead to 38-27 at the final break. But they had no answer to the GB team in the final stanza as they outscored them 20-13 to take the victory. A 52-37 success rate on the boards made up for a poor night shooting, as Jennings and his team were left to celebrate.
In the European U20 Championship for Men, Great Britain ended up in sixth place following a play-off for fifth with Israel. Tim Lewis' side were beaten 103-92 in Oberwart, despite a game-high 31 points from Ovie Soko.
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