Euro Basket 2011
Europe Blog would like to congratulate Spain for winning Euro Basket 2011. Good job guys !
France and Macedonia, better luck next time. Also, let us not forget Lithuania. Lithuanians were wonderful host and favorites of many. Thank you for the tournament.
This post was written by admin on September 26, 2011
Euroleague And Eurobasket
Following basketball in Europe can be complicated for an outsider with so many different titles, leagues and championships such as EuroCup, EuroLeague and EuroBasket. Many people confuse Euroleague and EuroBasket, but they are two different events. While Euroleague is the top league in Europe where the top teams from national leagues participating (and EuroCup providing a second tier), EuroBasket provides the European National Team championships. Here we will look at the distinction in more detail….
EuroBasket
EuroBasket is the primary basketball competition which is held bienially between the men’s national teams governed by FIBA Europe. This also serves as a qualifying for the Olympic Games and FIBA world championship.
24 teams take part in the final EuroBasket competition (previously 16). Throughout its lifespan (starting in 1939) the EuroBasket competition has used several different formats including round robin and knockout rounds. Today the 24 teams are first put in four groups of six for a preliminary round, before
EuroLeague
EuroLeage is the highest tier and most important basketball competition in Europe with teams from 18 different countries (all members of the FIBA Europe) able to compete and seen in 191 countries by a viewership of up to 245 million households (800 million counting satellite viewers). Currently the EuroLeauge is using the name ‘Turkish Airlines EuroLeague’ following a sponsorship deal with the titular company.
The competition is run by ULEB which is a Europe wide consortium of professional basketball leagues. The teams will generally by the domestic champions from the leading countries. Placement in the competition is awarded on the basis of performance in the domestic league previously, performance over two or three of those seasons, contracts with the ULEB or winning the previous season’s EuroCup – though there is some variation. As of 2009 onwards placements have been awards as ‘A’, ‘B’ and ‘C’ licenses respectively.
The competition begins with first the qualifying rounds in which eight clubs compete in a knockout tournament of two-legged matches, and then a second qualifying round for the winners. Following this the second phase – ‘Top 16′ – commences with 16 survivors from the regular season drawn into groups of four teams. The third phase is the quarterfinal followed by the EuroLeague Final Four.
Eurobasket And Euroleague
This post was written by admin on September 4, 2011
The 2008 Germany Olympic basketball team came out this year with a lot of talent. Every single Olympic basketball year, Germany always has the most skilled players. The problem is why can’t they finish? Germany always starts out great in the Olympics. Every single exhibition game or tournament ranked game they come out, play hard and show everyone what they are made of. It seems like they always run out of gas at the end or when the games matter the most. Tim Ohlbrecht is one of Germany’s best performers, whom the NBA was looking at before he was 18. Tim Ohlbrecht’s first advantage is his height of 6 foot ten inches. The German Olympic team succeeded in dishing the ball to Tim, and the give and go which really was attached to them. Another great player is Jan Jagla. He is about seven foot tall, he can shoot threes, mid range jumpers and shots off the back board.
German Basketball Fans
If Germany loses any point guards, or shooting guards due to injuries or fatigue, they can put Jan at the point or the two men. Germany is well rounded with talent. They even have NBA star Dirk Nowitzki on their side. In the next 3 years, Germany could indeed win a gold medal in the Olympic basketball tournament. Germany has an awesome recruiting staff, whom really attracts and signs players to Europe. Germany’s Robert Garrett and Steffen Hamann are big time impact players that have a bright future with Germany. Germany can keep up with teams like USA and Argentina or Lithuania. Especially after the new recruits who are headed towards the German Olympic team in the next couple years. Just keep your eyes open!
Posted under Sport
This post was written by admin on September 13, 2008
Arvydas Sabonis in the NBA
Arvydas Sabonis is named as one of the NBA’s best European centers to ever play basketball. The former Portland Trailblazer was spectacular, no doubt about it. He muscled his opponents down in the paint. Either Sabonis was throwing some elbows and not getting caught, or taking the ball and using his hook shot move. Sabonis is seven foot three from the beautiful country Lithuania. He was signed by the Portland Trailblazers, and retired as a Portland Trailblazer. Arvydas played from 1995 to 2003. The 8 years became limited to him because he had some knee problems causing him to wear knee braces every game and practice. A solid player, everyone loved him, coaches, players, fans, boosters, everyone enjoyed all the time and commitment he put in at Portland. Sabonis had a total amount of 5,629 career points scored. The Lithuanian center averaged about 12 points a game which is pretty dang good for the Lithuanian center. He also had a total number of 378 rebounds, including offensive and defensive rebounds. Sabonis played for the Lithuania Olympic team when he was able to. Either Sabonis would throw it down with some authority, or he would just easily dish the ball right back out to the point guards and they would just knock down the 3 point shot all day, giving Arvydas Sabonis the assists. Sabonis’s rookie season with the Trailblazers, he averaged 14 points a game, and by year 1998, he was up to 16 points a game but as his knees began to worsen, he steadily declined to 12 points per game, which is still decent. I wouldn’t be surprised if Arvydas goes into coaching in Lithuania. He had a very successful career and would do well. Best wishes to Arvydas Sabonis.
Posted under Sport
This post was written by admin on September 11, 2008
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