The Los Angeles Lakers will meet the Minnesota Timberwolves in a pre-season game at London's O2 Arena on October 4, sources have confirmed to Britball.com.
The Lakers, the reigning NBA champions, last played overseas in Paris in 1991 when a line-up featuring Magic Johnson narrowly beat Spanish side Badalona. Their European mini-tour will also see the Lakers travel to Catalunya to take on FC Barcelona, three days later, in a game that will see Pau Gasol meet his former club.
Minnesota, who have one of the worst records in the NBA this season, lost 92-81 to the Boston Celtics in London in 2007 as part of the league's annual Europe Live event. Ironically, they face the Lakers at the Target Center on Friday night.
An official announcement, from NBA Commissioner David Stern, is scheduled for Tuesday.
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Friday, 9 April 2010
GB's Needham drafted into WNBA
Great Britain international Johannah Leedham is set to become only the second player from the UK to ever play in the WNBA after she was drafted 27th by the Connecticut Sun in the third round of the 2010 Draft.
Cheshire-born Needham, who shone at Franklin Pierce University where she garnered three Division II National Player of the Year awards, could face a conflict with her scheduled international duty this summer if she signs on.
The WNBA's regular season finishes on August 22, 8 days after GB's women open their Eurobasket campaign against Slovakia in Birmingham.
However Needham's college coach, Steve Hancock, has revealed that Sun head coach Mike Thibault is scheduled to hold talks with British Basketball to resolve the dilemma.
"Before drafting Johannah, I'm sure the Sun knew she was competing with her national team and felt they could come up with a solution to satisfy both teams," Hancock told the Union-Leader.
"There have been other players who were in the same situation as Johannah and things worked out. The bottom line is, whatever Johannah decides to do, it will be a good decision for her."
The Sun also had the top pick in the Draft, choosing UConn centre Tina Charles.
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Cheshire-born Needham, who shone at Franklin Pierce University where she garnered three Division II National Player of the Year awards, could face a conflict with her scheduled international duty this summer if she signs on.
The WNBA's regular season finishes on August 22, 8 days after GB's women open their Eurobasket campaign against Slovakia in Birmingham.
However Needham's college coach, Steve Hancock, has revealed that Sun head coach Mike Thibault is scheduled to hold talks with British Basketball to resolve the dilemma.
"Before drafting Johannah, I'm sure the Sun knew she was competing with her national team and felt they could come up with a solution to satisfy both teams," Hancock told the Union-Leader.
"There have been other players who were in the same situation as Johannah and things worked out. The bottom line is, whatever Johannah decides to do, it will be a good decision for her."
The Sun also had the top pick in the Draft, choosing UConn centre Tina Charles.
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Thursday, 8 April 2010
GB announce summer schedule, venues
For the first time the GB Standard Life men's and women's teams will share venues after British Basketball confirmed that they will be staging two double headers this summer as both sides embark on important campaigns as they look to take the next steps towards London 2012.
The first of the two double headers will take place on August 14 at the NIA in Birmingham, when the men take on Ukraine and the women take on Slovakia. The second double header will be staged at Liverpool's Echo Arena on August 26, when Bosnia & Herzegovina and Germany are the respective opposition.
The remaining home games of the 2010 Eurobasket qualifying campaign, will see the men's team play at the new sports facility at Northumbria University in Newcastle as well as a further game at the NIA, whilst the women will play at Surrey University.
Chris Spice, British Basketball Performance Director, believes the double headers are a great opportunity for the sport.
"It is fantastic that we have been able to incorporate two double headers into the men's and women's schedule, this is something we have been considering for a number of years," he said. "We fully believe that the double headers will attract huge public interest in Birmingham and Liverpool to make it a very positive experience for our teams.
"Both programmes will have a challenging Eurobasket qualifying campaign, but through the selection of these venues, we are providing a great platform for the teams to go out and perform on the court.
"In recent years we have enjoyed competing at the NIA and the Echo Arena, so I am sure this year will be no different. We are especially looking forward to be heading to the new venues at Surrey University and Newcastle, the latter of which is such a strong basketball area and of course boasts current BBL champions the Newcastle Eagles."
GB Men's Head Coach, Chris Finch, who is currently having a very successful season in the NBA D-League with Rio Grande Valley, has already started to plan for the summer campaign.
"Having the venues confirmed is the next step in our preparation towards what will be a very tough but exciting campaign. I am really looking forward to being at the NIA and the Echo Arena, which proved to be very positive experiences in the 2008 campaign, when we won both games.
"Myself and the extended coaching team are currently working hard to identify the correct players for the roster which will put us in a position whereby we are capable of qualifying for the 2011 Eurobasket Finals."
Tom Maher, GB Women's Head Coach, who will be taking charge of his first competitive Eurobasket qualifying campaign, said: "I think the opportunity for the women to compete at the big venues is invaluable experience, and I am excited about the prospect of sharing the court with the men's team. Since joining up with British Basketball, I have been pleased with the quality of players available for selection, so I think we should look forward to the upcoming campaign with optimism."
Away venues for both teams have to be confirmed, the men's team will travel to Hungary (2 Aug), Bosnia & Herzegovina (11 Aug), Macedonia (23 Aug) and Ukraine (29 Aug) to finish the campaign. The Women take on Germany (17 Aug), Slovak Republic (23 Aug) and Ukraine (29 Aug).
Schedule - Home
8 August 2010 - GB Standard Life Men v Macedonia, Northumbria University
14 August 2010 - GB Standard Life Women v Slovakia / GB Standard Life Men v Ukraine, NIA Birmingham
17 August 2010 - GB Standard Life Men v Hungary, NIA Birmingham
20 August 2010 - GB Standard Life Women v Ukraine, Surrey University
26 August 2010 - GB Standard Life Women v Germany / GB Standard Life Men v Bosnia & Herzegovina, Echo Arena, Liverpool
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The first of the two double headers will take place on August 14 at the NIA in Birmingham, when the men take on Ukraine and the women take on Slovakia. The second double header will be staged at Liverpool's Echo Arena on August 26, when Bosnia & Herzegovina and Germany are the respective opposition.
The remaining home games of the 2010 Eurobasket qualifying campaign, will see the men's team play at the new sports facility at Northumbria University in Newcastle as well as a further game at the NIA, whilst the women will play at Surrey University.
Chris Spice, British Basketball Performance Director, believes the double headers are a great opportunity for the sport.
"It is fantastic that we have been able to incorporate two double headers into the men's and women's schedule, this is something we have been considering for a number of years," he said. "We fully believe that the double headers will attract huge public interest in Birmingham and Liverpool to make it a very positive experience for our teams.
"Both programmes will have a challenging Eurobasket qualifying campaign, but through the selection of these venues, we are providing a great platform for the teams to go out and perform on the court.
"In recent years we have enjoyed competing at the NIA and the Echo Arena, so I am sure this year will be no different. We are especially looking forward to be heading to the new venues at Surrey University and Newcastle, the latter of which is such a strong basketball area and of course boasts current BBL champions the Newcastle Eagles."
GB Men's Head Coach, Chris Finch, who is currently having a very successful season in the NBA D-League with Rio Grande Valley, has already started to plan for the summer campaign.
"Having the venues confirmed is the next step in our preparation towards what will be a very tough but exciting campaign. I am really looking forward to being at the NIA and the Echo Arena, which proved to be very positive experiences in the 2008 campaign, when we won both games.
"Myself and the extended coaching team are currently working hard to identify the correct players for the roster which will put us in a position whereby we are capable of qualifying for the 2011 Eurobasket Finals."
Tom Maher, GB Women's Head Coach, who will be taking charge of his first competitive Eurobasket qualifying campaign, said: "I think the opportunity for the women to compete at the big venues is invaluable experience, and I am excited about the prospect of sharing the court with the men's team. Since joining up with British Basketball, I have been pleased with the quality of players available for selection, so I think we should look forward to the upcoming campaign with optimism."
Away venues for both teams have to be confirmed, the men's team will travel to Hungary (2 Aug), Bosnia & Herzegovina (11 Aug), Macedonia (23 Aug) and Ukraine (29 Aug) to finish the campaign. The Women take on Germany (17 Aug), Slovak Republic (23 Aug) and Ukraine (29 Aug).
Schedule - Home
8 August 2010 - GB Standard Life Men v Macedonia, Northumbria University
14 August 2010 - GB Standard Life Women v Slovakia / GB Standard Life Men v Ukraine, NIA Birmingham
17 August 2010 - GB Standard Life Men v Hungary, NIA Birmingham
20 August 2010 - GB Standard Life Women v Ukraine, Surrey University
26 August 2010 - GB Standard Life Women v Germany / GB Standard Life Men v Bosnia & Herzegovina, Echo Arena, Liverpool
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British Basketball aims Tall
This weekend will see thirty-five highly talented individuals travel to the English Institute of Sport in Sheffield to be put through their paces by top British Basketball coaches and EIS Talent ID Scientists, in the second phase of Talent 2016: Tall & Talented.
Unlike the first phase, this stage of the initiative, which is being jointly run by the UK Talent Team (UK Sport and the EIS) and British Basketball, will be focused entirely on testing the athletes on the skills and techniques needed in basketball. The candidates, of which twenty are male and fifteen are female, will be tested on, amongst other things, their ball handling skills, technique, shooting and ability to defend.
Participants who impress in Sheffield will then be placed at an appropriate point in the British Basketball talent pathway, which dependent on their age and basic skill level, could be anywhere from an Area Performance Centre to a Regional Institute of Basketball. Those chosen to progress will then start on the years of hard work and determination needed to become an elite athlete, with the hope of progressing towards the GB team and a possible Olympic medal in Rio 2016.
British Basketball, who are responsible for the development of talented youngsters in the home nations with a view to them eventually performing at their peak for Great Britain on the world stage, are extremely excited about the potential of some of the candidates.
Warwick Cann, Performance Pathways Coordinator at British Basketball, said: "This is an important phase for basketball in Britain, helping to identify talent that has the potential to help GB perform on the international stage for a long time to come. The initial assessment days highlighted some talented individuals and I am keen to get them onto a court this weekend to see what they can do."
.
Unlike the first phase, this stage of the initiative, which is being jointly run by the UK Talent Team (UK Sport and the EIS) and British Basketball, will be focused entirely on testing the athletes on the skills and techniques needed in basketball. The candidates, of which twenty are male and fifteen are female, will be tested on, amongst other things, their ball handling skills, technique, shooting and ability to defend.
Participants who impress in Sheffield will then be placed at an appropriate point in the British Basketball talent pathway, which dependent on their age and basic skill level, could be anywhere from an Area Performance Centre to a Regional Institute of Basketball. Those chosen to progress will then start on the years of hard work and determination needed to become an elite athlete, with the hope of progressing towards the GB team and a possible Olympic medal in Rio 2016.
British Basketball, who are responsible for the development of talented youngsters in the home nations with a view to them eventually performing at their peak for Great Britain on the world stage, are extremely excited about the potential of some of the candidates.
Warwick Cann, Performance Pathways Coordinator at British Basketball, said: "This is an important phase for basketball in Britain, helping to identify talent that has the potential to help GB perform on the international stage for a long time to come. The initial assessment days highlighted some talented individuals and I am keen to get them onto a court this weekend to see what they can do."
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BBL play-off race
Heading into this weekend, what's on the table...
Milton Keynes will qualify for the play-offs with a win over Worthing on Saturday. Or if Worcester lose to Essex OR Guildford, OR if Worthing lose to Milton Keynes.
Everton Tigers will qualify with wins over Cheshire OR London. Or if Worthing lose to Milton Keynes.
Worthing Thunder will qualify for the play-offs if they lose to Milton Keynes AND Worcester lose to Essex and Guildford.
Glasgow Rocks will clinch a top four place if they beat Leicester.
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Milton Keynes will qualify for the play-offs with a win over Worthing on Saturday. Or if Worcester lose to Essex OR Guildford, OR if Worthing lose to Milton Keynes.
Everton Tigers will qualify with wins over Cheshire OR London. Or if Worthing lose to Milton Keynes.
Worthing Thunder will qualify for the play-offs if they lose to Milton Keynes AND Worcester lose to Essex and Guildford.
Glasgow Rocks will clinch a top four place if they beat Leicester.
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Leven signs up for Scotland
Great Britain guard Steve Leven has 'defected' to Scotland after signing up to feature on national duty in July’s European Championships in Malta.
Under FIBA rules, players cannot represent both GB and one of the home nations in the same year.
However after talks with Britain’s coach Chris Finch, Australian-born Leven has ruled himself out of this summer’s Eurobasket qualifiers in favour of making his debut for the land of his mother’s birth.
He confirmed: “Tom Campbell, the Scotland coach, contacted me a while ago. So I will be coming up to train and also play in the friendlies and play with them in all the tournaments and games coming up this summer. And I’d like to return to the BBL next season.”
The 27-year-old, who has played in the Netherlands and Spain as well as for Newcastle Eagles, made his GB debut in 2008 but has missed most of this season through injury.
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Under FIBA rules, players cannot represent both GB and one of the home nations in the same year.
However after talks with Britain’s coach Chris Finch, Australian-born Leven has ruled himself out of this summer’s Eurobasket qualifiers in favour of making his debut for the land of his mother’s birth.
He confirmed: “Tom Campbell, the Scotland coach, contacted me a while ago. So I will be coming up to train and also play in the friendlies and play with them in all the tournaments and games coming up this summer. And I’d like to return to the BBL next season.”
The 27-year-old, who has played in the Netherlands and Spain as well as for Newcastle Eagles, made his GB debut in 2008 but has missed most of this season through injury.
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Saturday, 3 April 2010
Copeland still basking in Final Four experience
Exactly 52 weekends ago, Mike Copeland looked up, inhaled and took in the din from 72,456 fans inside Detroit’s Ford Field watching him throw a basketball into the air in an act of pure ecstasy. Another 16 million Americans were tuned in on TV to see his North Carolina team win the NCAA college championship, the culmination of a month-long frenzy that captivates a nation, its President included.
Forget the images of university sport, British-style, ignored and unappreciated. ‘The Tourney’, an end-of-season scrap among the best 65 teams, builds its drama with every round until only the toughest quartet remain. The Final Four, which begins tonight in Indianapolis, is the second only to the Super Bowl in Uncle Sam’s sporting stakes. And to be at its epicentre is an experience that Copeland will not forget.
“It’s like a football game here,” explains the Glasgow Rocks forward. “Everywhere you went, at the hotel, outside, there were people waiting for you. It was crazy. It was hard to stay focused because there is so much hype around North Carolina. They have fans everywhere. But it was a lot, a lot, of fun.”
As the local boy made good, in his final game before turning professional, victory was the ultimate. “It was the best way to go out after working so hard for four years, all the blood, sweat and tears on the court every day. You’re hurt. You’re banged up. It was all worth it.”
This time around, the Tar Heels were left out of March Madness. Their young, struggling team was sent into the wilderness of the NIT, where they were beaten in the final by Dayton on Thursday. “Tough year,” says Copeland who regularly talks to his former coaches.
From his current staging post, he will be rooting for ABD: Anyone But Duke, NC’s traditional rivals. West Virginia may have a shot, he says. So too Baylor. But “… I think Michigan State will do it,” he predicts. Yet the contrast between then and now could not be wider. On Saturday night, the Rocks visit the BBL’s basement side London Capital, who often struggle to draw a three-figure crowd.
It must, you wonder, be hard to find the same motivation? “It was hard at first,” he admits. “It’s like being in high school where sometimes we played in front of 200. But you have to pump yourself up.
“You see, I could pick out a player from every team in our (college) conference who would like to be in my position. They just want to play basketball but they didn’t get jobs. I know I have a team and I’m a big part. The season’s had its ups and downs. But I’m getting to play.”
Having fulfilled one dream, there are others still to chase. Someone in Indy will stand where Copeland stood and end up having a ball.
ESPN America, 11pm
Forget the images of university sport, British-style, ignored and unappreciated. ‘The Tourney’, an end-of-season scrap among the best 65 teams, builds its drama with every round until only the toughest quartet remain. The Final Four, which begins tonight in Indianapolis, is the second only to the Super Bowl in Uncle Sam’s sporting stakes. And to be at its epicentre is an experience that Copeland will not forget.
“It’s like a football game here,” explains the Glasgow Rocks forward. “Everywhere you went, at the hotel, outside, there were people waiting for you. It was crazy. It was hard to stay focused because there is so much hype around North Carolina. They have fans everywhere. But it was a lot, a lot, of fun.”
As the local boy made good, in his final game before turning professional, victory was the ultimate. “It was the best way to go out after working so hard for four years, all the blood, sweat and tears on the court every day. You’re hurt. You’re banged up. It was all worth it.”
This time around, the Tar Heels were left out of March Madness. Their young, struggling team was sent into the wilderness of the NIT, where they were beaten in the final by Dayton on Thursday. “Tough year,” says Copeland who regularly talks to his former coaches.
From his current staging post, he will be rooting for ABD: Anyone But Duke, NC’s traditional rivals. West Virginia may have a shot, he says. So too Baylor. But “… I think Michigan State will do it,” he predicts. Yet the contrast between then and now could not be wider. On Saturday night, the Rocks visit the BBL’s basement side London Capital, who often struggle to draw a three-figure crowd.
It must, you wonder, be hard to find the same motivation? “It was hard at first,” he admits. “It’s like being in high school where sometimes we played in front of 200. But you have to pump yourself up.
“You see, I could pick out a player from every team in our (college) conference who would like to be in my position. They just want to play basketball but they didn’t get jobs. I know I have a team and I’m a big part. The season’s had its ups and downs. But I’m getting to play.”
Having fulfilled one dream, there are others still to chase. Someone in Indy will stand where Copeland stood and end up having a ball.
ESPN America, 11pm
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