GB under-20 men's coach Tim Lewis was despondent as his team missed out on the chance to play for promotion in European Championship Division B.
Lewis' team chalked up their fourth straight victory on Wednesday evening when they comfortably defeated Slovakia 82-66, but Austria's 82-78 loss against Poland meant there was a three-way tie at the top of Group F that left GB in third place on points differential.
Britain will now play for 5th -8th places despite only losing one game.
Lewis was pleased with how his team played in their win against the Slovaks.
"It was a scrappy game against a scrappy team, but we overcame our tiredness and we again played with real toughness. I'm incredibly disappointed not to be in the semi-finals as we consistently showed we deserved to be there, the guys played their hearts out.
"It's is unfortunate that there's a team with two [Austria] losses in the semi-finals, and we'll be sitting watching it with five wins from six games. I know why the competition has the system it does, but one bad day has cost us dearly."
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Showing posts with label tim lewis. Show all posts
Showing posts with label tim lewis. Show all posts
Thursday, 22 July 2010
Wednesday, 21 July 2010
TimLewis targets semi spot as GB Under20 prove Pole apart
Great Britain U20 coach Tim Lewis believes his team have shown they have what it will take to reach the semi-finals of the European Championship Division B.
The Brits swept into the second group stage with a 73-52 demolition, and now face Norway, Poland and Slovak Republic for a chance to go further.
"We've watched Poland and Slovakia, and have played Finland in the warm-ups, so we know what to expect," Lewis said.
"Poland are a really tough team, while both Slovakia and Norway can beat anyone on a good night.
There's no easy games at this stage by an means, but we produced a great performance on Sunday, so we'll look to repeat that.
"They're all fit, tiredness is creeping in a bit, but everyone is ready to go, and looking forward to it."
Ovie Soko has been the star man for GB so far, averaging 17.7 points per game, while Andrew Lawrence has added 13.7 ppg and Will Neighbour has 13 ppg and 7.7 rebounds per game.
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The Brits swept into the second group stage with a 73-52 demolition, and now face Norway, Poland and Slovak Republic for a chance to go further.
"We've watched Poland and Slovakia, and have played Finland in the warm-ups, so we know what to expect," Lewis said.
"Poland are a really tough team, while both Slovakia and Norway can beat anyone on a good night.
There's no easy games at this stage by an means, but we produced a great performance on Sunday, so we'll look to repeat that.
"They're all fit, tiredness is creeping in a bit, but everyone is ready to go, and looking forward to it."
Ovie Soko has been the star man for GB so far, averaging 17.7 points per game, while Andrew Lawrence has added 13.7 ppg and Will Neighbour has 13 ppg and 7.7 rebounds per game.
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Tuesday, 13 July 2010
Tim Lewis demands progress from Great Britain in European Under-20 Championship
Great Britain Under-20 men's coach Tim Lewis believes his side can reach the latter stages of the European Championship B Division, and edge towards a place in the top-flight.
Lewis’ young team start their campaign in Oberwart, Austria on Wednesday, having won three of their five international warm-up games.
With his roster in a state of flux, the Essex Pirates coach admits there are deficiencies which he has had to address. But he is setting high standards and targeting an improvement on last year’s disappointing 13th place finish.
"I expect us to compete in the top 12 of the competition and to come through the first group stage,” he said. “I think we're in the tougher of the draw, and it will bring challenges on the way. We need to come together really quickly, but the whole Great Britain programme has come a long way in a short period of time.
"Everyone's learning, and there's still a lot of things to iron out. But we're in only our fifth year, and it relation to other countries we're a young programme.”
Britain open up against Denmark before taking on hosts Austria and newly relegated Belgium on Friday and Sunday respectively in the group stages. And Lewis is ready for some tough games.
"Denmark were late getting together, and although we've beaten them already, they're not to be taken lightly,” he said. “They're a hard working, skilled European team who can cause us problems. It's their first time in the under-20 programme, and they played well against us in the first three quarters, but they ran out of steam.
"Belgium are a pretty decent side across the board. They're an experienced team who are just down from Division A, with a number of players who have played in the A Division. Their players are all at pro clubs in Belgium who are playing and being coached seven days a week. I expect a tough challenge against a team who play an up-tempo game."
Lewis knows that Austria will provide tough opposition: "They've chosen to be hosts, and they're looking to get into the A Division. They have two very good players in Moritz Lanegger and Rasid Mahalbasic, and they've had a good preparation against some strong teams having lost by 20 against Sweden before beating a weakened Swedish side by 13."
Alex Marcotullio
Levi Noel
Andrew Lawrence
Nigel Van Oostrum
Jamell Anderson
Will Hall
Myles Hesson
Ovie Soko
Ryan Martin
Will Neighbour
Raheem May Thompson
Ali Mackay
Lee Goldsbrough
Head Coach: Tim Lewis
Asst. Coach: Jimmie Guymon
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Lewis’ young team start their campaign in Oberwart, Austria on Wednesday, having won three of their five international warm-up games.
With his roster in a state of flux, the Essex Pirates coach admits there are deficiencies which he has had to address. But he is setting high standards and targeting an improvement on last year’s disappointing 13th place finish.
"I expect us to compete in the top 12 of the competition and to come through the first group stage,” he said. “I think we're in the tougher of the draw, and it will bring challenges on the way. We need to come together really quickly, but the whole Great Britain programme has come a long way in a short period of time.
"Everyone's learning, and there's still a lot of things to iron out. But we're in only our fifth year, and it relation to other countries we're a young programme.”
Britain open up against Denmark before taking on hosts Austria and newly relegated Belgium on Friday and Sunday respectively in the group stages. And Lewis is ready for some tough games.
"Denmark were late getting together, and although we've beaten them already, they're not to be taken lightly,” he said. “They're a hard working, skilled European team who can cause us problems. It's their first time in the under-20 programme, and they played well against us in the first three quarters, but they ran out of steam.
"Belgium are a pretty decent side across the board. They're an experienced team who are just down from Division A, with a number of players who have played in the A Division. Their players are all at pro clubs in Belgium who are playing and being coached seven days a week. I expect a tough challenge against a team who play an up-tempo game."
Lewis knows that Austria will provide tough opposition: "They've chosen to be hosts, and they're looking to get into the A Division. They have two very good players in Moritz Lanegger and Rasid Mahalbasic, and they've had a good preparation against some strong teams having lost by 20 against Sweden before beating a weakened Swedish side by 13."
Alex Marcotullio
Levi Noel
Andrew Lawrence
Nigel Van Oostrum
Jamell Anderson
Will Hall
Myles Hesson
Ovie Soko
Ryan Martin
Will Neighbour
Raheem May Thompson
Ali Mackay
Lee Goldsbrough
Head Coach: Tim Lewis
Asst. Coach: Jimmie Guymon
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Thursday, 17 June 2010
GB coach Chris Finch looks to Futures as senior shake-up begins
Great Britain Chris Finch will set his young guns the target of winning a spot in his senior squad when he takes charge of his new Futures squad for the first time on Friday in a friendly against France in Lille.
With injury concerns hanging over several first-choice players for this summer’s Eurobasket qualifiers, the American admits that there are some places up for grabs.
And he will look to the Under-23 ranks for fill any gaps that arise when he puts the group through its paces over three games this weekend.
“There are three things I’m looking for,” he said. “This is a chance to work with some guys I haven’t worked with before so I want to see if I can improve them. I also want to see if there are people we can bring into the senior camp.
“And I’d like us to start getting some success at an age-group level which we haven’t really had with either Scotland, England or GB.”
Finch will hand the reigns to point guard Justin Robinson, the only Futures squad member with a full cap to his name. “We want to keep pushing him to grow into a point guard with the confidence and assurance we need at the highest level,” he added.
The reigning NBA D-League Coach of the Year has already begun the process of trimming his senior squad to 16 with BJA British Player of the Year, Tafari Toney of Sheffield Sharks, suffering the axe.
“We have a lot of depth and experience at his position,” he confirmed. “Tafari just isn’t projected to get into the final 12.”
Finch also confirmed that he will have a shorter bench staff this summer with Nick Nurse and Paul Mokesky as his only two assistants. Everton’s Tony Garbelotto and Essex’s Tim Lewis, who were previously assistants, have been assigned scouting roles to spy on GB’s qualifying opponents.
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With injury concerns hanging over several first-choice players for this summer’s Eurobasket qualifiers, the American admits that there are some places up for grabs.
And he will look to the Under-23 ranks for fill any gaps that arise when he puts the group through its paces over three games this weekend.
“There are three things I’m looking for,” he said. “This is a chance to work with some guys I haven’t worked with before so I want to see if I can improve them. I also want to see if there are people we can bring into the senior camp.
“And I’d like us to start getting some success at an age-group level which we haven’t really had with either Scotland, England or GB.”
Finch will hand the reigns to point guard Justin Robinson, the only Futures squad member with a full cap to his name. “We want to keep pushing him to grow into a point guard with the confidence and assurance we need at the highest level,” he added.
The reigning NBA D-League Coach of the Year has already begun the process of trimming his senior squad to 16 with BJA British Player of the Year, Tafari Toney of Sheffield Sharks, suffering the axe.
“We have a lot of depth and experience at his position,” he confirmed. “Tafari just isn’t projected to get into the final 12.”
Finch also confirmed that he will have a shorter bench staff this summer with Nick Nurse and Paul Mokesky as his only two assistants. Everton’s Tony Garbelotto and Essex’s Tim Lewis, who were previously assistants, have been assigned scouting roles to spy on GB’s qualifying opponents.
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Wednesday, 9 June 2010
Great Britain Under-20 coaches make first cuts
Great Britain’s Under-20 coaches have made their initial roster cuts in the build-up to their summer EuroBasket Division B Championship campaigns.
Following four days of assessment at a joint camp in Manchester, the squads have been cut leaving 16 players in the men’s side and 15 in the women’s, who will continue to fight for places for the upcoming friendlies.
Aside to the mainstream tactical and performance objectives of training camps, the combined workout was designed build a culture for future GB senior teams, goals integral to success going forward.
For the duration of the camp both genders are training side-by-side and receive off court medical screening and education about the performance pathways to senior representation.
Men’s under-20 Head Coach Tim Lewis said: “The standard of players is higher than it was last year, maybe a little bit smaller, therefore we are looking at different ways of playing and what suits us. If the team buys into what we are doing it will be a really exciting summer ahead of us.
“We have four weeks and five test-games scheduled to get ourselves ahead of the game and if we can do that we put ourselves in a decent position for the EuroBasket Championships. Exciting stuff! “
Women’s counterpart Damian Jennings is happy with progress so far.
“One aspect I have been really pleased with is the player chemistry,” he said. “It can sometimes take three to four days to get chemistry but from day one this large squad of 20 players have been talking and creating a buzz which is fantastic and really refreshing to see.”
As part of their preparation the under-20 men’s team played two practice games against the Scotland under-23 team. Game 1 was closely contested with GB claiming a 83-72 victory, but it was Game 2 where GB came into their own with a comprehensive 81-52 win.
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GB U20 men’s squad:
Lawrence, Andrew – University of Charlotte
Noel, Levi – Notre Dame Prep School
Van Oustrum, Nigel – Franklin Pierce University
Marcotullio, Alex – Northwestern University
Stannard, Jack – Bridtol Flyers
Thompson, Jack – Milton Keynes Lions
Hesson Myles – Bormingham A’s
Gilchrist, Robert – Worcester Academy
Martin, Ryan – Westminster Warriors
Anderson, Jamel – Essex Pirates
Thompson, May Raheem – Quinnipiac University
Neighbor, Will – Daytona Junior College
Soko, Ovie – UAB
Hall, Will – Deerfield Academy
Rolls Tyson, Josh – Birmingham University
McKay, Ali – Essex Pirates
GB U20 women’s squad:
Avery, Nicky - UWIC Archers
Barroilhet, Tamzin - Bourges
Buchan, Mairi - Old Dominion University
Durojaye, Mary - Robert Morris University
Joseph, Kashmere - Seton Hall University
Shaw, Hannah - University of Miami
Stoddart, Charlotte - Manchester Mystics
Shiels, Kristie – Leeds Carnegie
Chiemeka, Katrin – Davidson
Clark, Ella – Barking Abbey
Busch, Renee - Sevenoaks Suns
Brough, Rebecca – UWIC Archers
Taylor Kathryn – Kent Prep School
Allison, Rebecca – Old Dominion
Jones, Georgia – Oral Roberts
Following four days of assessment at a joint camp in Manchester, the squads have been cut leaving 16 players in the men’s side and 15 in the women’s, who will continue to fight for places for the upcoming friendlies.
Aside to the mainstream tactical and performance objectives of training camps, the combined workout was designed build a culture for future GB senior teams, goals integral to success going forward.
For the duration of the camp both genders are training side-by-side and receive off court medical screening and education about the performance pathways to senior representation.
Men’s under-20 Head Coach Tim Lewis said: “The standard of players is higher than it was last year, maybe a little bit smaller, therefore we are looking at different ways of playing and what suits us. If the team buys into what we are doing it will be a really exciting summer ahead of us.
“We have four weeks and five test-games scheduled to get ourselves ahead of the game and if we can do that we put ourselves in a decent position for the EuroBasket Championships. Exciting stuff! “
Women’s counterpart Damian Jennings is happy with progress so far.
“One aspect I have been really pleased with is the player chemistry,” he said. “It can sometimes take three to four days to get chemistry but from day one this large squad of 20 players have been talking and creating a buzz which is fantastic and really refreshing to see.”
As part of their preparation the under-20 men’s team played two practice games against the Scotland under-23 team. Game 1 was closely contested with GB claiming a 83-72 victory, but it was Game 2 where GB came into their own with a comprehensive 81-52 win.
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GB U20 men’s squad:
Lawrence, Andrew – University of Charlotte
Noel, Levi – Notre Dame Prep School
Van Oustrum, Nigel – Franklin Pierce University
Marcotullio, Alex – Northwestern University
Stannard, Jack – Bridtol Flyers
Thompson, Jack – Milton Keynes Lions
Hesson Myles – Bormingham A’s
Gilchrist, Robert – Worcester Academy
Martin, Ryan – Westminster Warriors
Anderson, Jamel – Essex Pirates
Thompson, May Raheem – Quinnipiac University
Neighbor, Will – Daytona Junior College
Soko, Ovie – UAB
Hall, Will – Deerfield Academy
Rolls Tyson, Josh – Birmingham University
McKay, Ali – Essex Pirates
GB U20 women’s squad:
Avery, Nicky - UWIC Archers
Barroilhet, Tamzin - Bourges
Buchan, Mairi - Old Dominion University
Durojaye, Mary - Robert Morris University
Joseph, Kashmere - Seton Hall University
Shaw, Hannah - University of Miami
Stoddart, Charlotte - Manchester Mystics
Shiels, Kristie – Leeds Carnegie
Chiemeka, Katrin – Davidson
Clark, Ella – Barking Abbey
Busch, Renee - Sevenoaks Suns
Brough, Rebecca – UWIC Archers
Taylor Kathryn – Kent Prep School
Allison, Rebecca – Old Dominion
Jones, Georgia – Oral Roberts
Wednesday, 30 September 2009
Lewis - Pirates plan to plunder BBL
Tim Lewis doesn’t want to limit the aspirations of the BBL’s newest franchise, Essex Pirates, when they tip off their inaugural campaign in the league this Saturday evening.
“We want to win it all,” he declares. He’s kidding surely? A little. But, unlike many (self included), he believes the Southend-based club are not destined to challenge London – their inaugural opponents - for the wooden spoon despite an almost exclusively domestic cast.
“I’ll be happy if we’re competitive every night,” he adds. “And if we make the top eight. We’re going to play a different style of basketball to the rest of the BBL and that might surprise a few teams. But I want to make the play-offs.”
Essex will be different, certainly. The average age of their squad is just 22, the eldest just 26.
Only two recruits, Dean Williams and Alan Metcalfe, have prior form in the BBL. Only one player, Spanish guard Pablo Rodrigo, hails from outside these shores. It has been a while since a team adopted a homegrown policy. Eventually, Chester – marooned at the foot of the table – had to import extra help to avoid embarrassment.
“I’m not sure experience is the most important thing,” Lewis counters. “If you look at a team like Milton Keynes, with a lot of veterans, they’re not fast-paced and there may be an advantage for us there in the right system.
“We have a good bunch of guys. There are players who have been in the GB Under 20s who can still improve and some young players who I’m excited about working with.
“I’ve said all along that we want to do this with a mainly British team and I think that can be a positive for the league.”
- Lewis will interview this week for the post of GB Under 20 coaching post which was re-advertised following a disappointing summer campaign.
“It was always a two-year deal,” he confirmed, “so I had to re-apply whatever.”
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