OFFICIAL MEDIA GUIDE
CONTENTS
Publisher: FIBA Europe/EP 2007 Organizing Co. Ltd. Production: BasketNews / Tomar Presse Conception & editors: Pierre-Olivier MATIGOT (BasketNews). and Kevin Anselmo, Andy Elrick and Sakis Kontos (FIBA Europe Properties). Creative director & designer: Thierry DESCHAMPS (BasketNews) Layout: Thierry DESCHAMPS, Émilie FUMAL and Cyril Fernando (BasketNews) Contributing Journalists: Martin FÜNKELE (FIVE Magazin: Germany), Nikita GOLOVANOV (Planet of Basketball: Russia), Guntis KEISELS (Diena: Latvia), Rok KOSIR (Ekipa: Slovenia), Linas KUNIGELIS (Lithuanian TV: Lithuania), Kaan KURAL (Vatan: Turkey), Pablo MALO DE MOLINA (ACB.com: Spain), Pierre-Olivier MATIGOT (BasketNews: France), Bogdan PETROVIC (BasketNews’ correspondent: Serbia), Olga PRZYBYLOWICZ (PAP: Poland), Yannis PSARAKIS (Eleftheros Typos: Greece), Vladimir RADICEVIC (Kosarka: Croatia), Luis ROCHA (Eurobasket. com: Portugal), Petr SCHIMON (Denik Sport: Czech Republic) and Stefano VALENTI (Superbasket: Italy).
MEDIA GUIDE
INTRODUCTION A word from FIBA EUROPE
4
A word from The Spanish Basketball Federation Schedule and Competition system The arenas
6 7 8
THE TEAMS
GROUP A
11 12 20 27 28 35 36 44 52 60 67 68 76 84 92
Greece
Copyright FIBA Europe 2007. the reproduction and photocopying, even of extracts, or the use of articles for commercial purposes without written prior approval by FIBA Europe is prohibited.
Serbia
This is an official FIBA Europe Publication FIBA Europe Widenmayerstr. 18 80538 Munich Germany
Croatia
Photos Agenzia Ciamillo Castoria/FIBA Europe, Pascal Allée/Hot-Sports, Hervé Bellenger/IS-FFBB, Catherine Steenkeste/BasketNewsFFBB, Euroleague Pictures, NBAE/Getty Images.
GROUP C
Qualifier Russia
GROUP B Latvia Portugal Spain
Czech Republic Germany Lithuania Turkey
3
GROUP D
Slovenia
99 100 108 116 124
HISTORY All medal winners since 1935
131
Head to head results between the 15 EuroBasket teams
132
France Italy Poland
EuroBasket 2003: results, standings, accumulated statistics and statistical leaders 136 EuroBasket 2003: results, standings, accumulated statistics and statistical leaders 138 EuroBasket 2001: results, standings, accumulated statistics and statistical leaders 140 Results, standings and and statistical leaders from EuroBasket 1993 to 1999 142 Results, standings and and statistical leaders from EuroBasket 1983 to 1991 143 Final Standings OF all European Championships since 1935
144
THE REFEREES Introducing the 28 referees
146
A WORD FROM FIBA EUROPE
Dear Basketball Friends, Welcome to Spain for EuroBasket 2007. History is everywhere in this beautiful country. From the Moorish palaces of Sevilla to the plazas and fountains of Madrid, Spain has a past as rich and diverse as any country in Europe. In recent years the sport of basketball has written its chapter in that history, making a trip to at least the semi-finals in the last four EuroBaskets and climbing to the top of the basketball world in 2006 when they captured gold at the World Championships in Japan. EuroBasket 2007 will be played in five different cities from Sevilla, Granada and Alicante in the south to the beautiful island of Palma de Mallorca in the Mediterranean. The final will bring us all to the capital Madrid and the beautiful Palacio de Deportes where the eyes of the basketball world will be on two teams competing for the right to call themselves the champions of Europe. This is the third time Spain will host Europe’s premier basketball event and the first time since 1997. Basketball has grown by leaps and bounds in Europe since then with players like Pau Gasol, Theo Papaloukas and Dirk Nowitzki making names for themselves not just in Europe but around the world. Europe has sprung ahead of the rest of the world in terms of competition level, as evidenced by the fact that six European countries advanced to last year’s FIBA World Championship quarter-finals and two of those nations, Spain and Greece, advanced to the gold medal game. With two Olympic berths on offer, I believe that this will be the most competitive EuroBasket ever. I would like to personally thank the Spanish Basketball Federation for the wonderful job they have done in organising this event and I would like wish all 16 participating countries and their fans the best of luck at EuroBasket 2007. Best regards, George Vassilakopoulos FIBA Europe President
On behalf of FIBA Europe I would like to welcome you all to EuroBasket 2007. This event is the highlight of the European basketball calendar and we are delighted to have it in here in Spain, the country which currently holds the World Championship title. With their passionate fans, rich basketball history and past organisational successes, I am confident that Spain will be an exceptional host of this prestigious event in which two countries will earn Olympic berths (Spain as World Champions have already qualified for the 2008 Beijing Olympics). We are expecting an all-time high in terms of media interest. Case in point is that we have received over 1000 media accreditation requests from all around the world. FIBA Europe has been working very hard with the organisers here to ensure that media working conditions are as comfortable as possible and that you have all the information you need at your fingertips. That is the reason why we decided to produce this media guide for a second consecutive EuroBasket. We hope that it will be a valuable tool for your work during the event. We hope you will all enjoy what will no doubt prove to be an intriguing EuroBasket 2007. Best regards,
Nar Zanolin FIBA Europe Secretary General
A WORD FROM FIBA EUROPE
Dear Basketball Friends,
A WORD FROM THE LOC
Dear Friends, It is a privilege for me to welcome you to EuroBasket 2007. Not only for me, but for all of us who make up the management team, who have worked hard these last few months to make this event possible. We are delighted to host the world basketball family here in Spain – a family that you have been a part of for some time now thanks to the importance of your mission and the prestige of your activity. You will be able to see very shortly the reason that led us to adopt the main message of this great championship: we’re all playing on the home court. Basketball has achieved the highest level of popularity in our country. Our national team’s victory in last year’s World Championship, held in Japan, has no doubt contributed to mobilize a fan base that has always been exemplary for its support and enthusiasm, and has served to create a basketball-friendly atmosphere that will reach apotheosis during EuroBasket 2007. In a country that is so blessed with great champions and so active in sporting organizations of any nature, the Spanish national team and EuroBasket 2007 have managed to be in the right place at the right time during this crucial season, with less than one year to go for the Beijing Olympic Games. Spanish sport has been living and breathing basketball all summer long. And Spanish basketball has prepared itself to meet the challenge and present the best possible team, and at the same time organize a model championship in all aspects that will serve as a benchmark for future experiences. I hope working conditions will suit all your needs, and that tools like the one you have in your hands will be useful to you as you carry out your responsibilities. At EuroBasket 2007 you will enjoy the best basketball and, at the same time, you will once again experience the hospitality and friendliness of the Spanish people, who will make you feel right at home. Our five venues – Alicante, Granada, Madrid, Palma de Mallorca and Seville – are ready to welcome you. EuroBasket 2007 will knock you off your feet! Mr. José Luis Sáez President of the Basketball Federation of Spain
COMPETITION SYStem
SCHEDULE PRELIMINARY ROUND GROUP A
20:30h Qualifier - Greece 18:00h Serbia - Russia
04.09.07
18:00h Russia - Qualifier 20:30h Greece - Serbia
05.09.07
18:00h Qualifier - Serbia 20:30h Russia - Greece
GROUP B (Sevilla) 03.09.07
21:30h Portugal - Spain 19:00h Latvia - Croatia
04.09.07
19:00h Croatia - Portugal 21:30h Spain - Latvia
05.09.07
19:00h Portugal - Latvia 21:30h Croatia - Spain
GROUP C
(Palma de Mallorca) 03.09.07
18:00h Czech Republic - Germany 20:30h Turkey - Lithuania
04.09.07
18:00h Lithuania - Czech Republic 20:30h Germany - Turkey
05.09.07
20:30h Czech Republic - Turkey 18:00h Lithuania - Germany
GROUP F
SEMI-FINALS
19:00h Poland - France 21:30h Italy - Slovenia
F/1 16:30h Team(D/3) - Team(C/1) F/2 19:00h Team(D/2) - Team(C/2) F/3 21:30h Team(C/3) - Team(D/1)
49/A 19:00h Winner of (43) - Winner of (45) 50/A 21:30h Winner of (44) - Winner of (46)
04.09.07
10.09.2007
GROUP D (Alicante) 03.09.07
(Madrid Arena ) 08.09.2007
05.09.07
F/4 16:30h Team(C/1) - Team(D/2) F/5 21:30h Team(D/3) - Team(C/3) F/6 19:00h Team(C/2) - Team(D/1)
QUALIFYING ROUND
F/7 16:30h Team(D/1) - Team(C/1) F/8 19:00h Team(C/2) - Team(D/3) F/9 21:30h Team(D/2) - Team(C/3)
GROUP E
QUARTER-FINAL ROUND
E/1 16:30h Team(B/3) - Team(A/1) E/2 21:30h Team(A/3) - Team(B/1) E/3 19:00h Team(B/2) - Team(A/2)
43/A 19:00h Team(E/1) - Team(F/4) 44/A 21:30h Team(E/2) - Team(F/3)
21:30h Slovenia - Poland 19:00h France - Italy 21:30h Poland - Italy 19:00h Slovenia - France
(Madrid Arena ) 07.09.2007
09.09.2007
E/4 16:30h Team(A/1) - Team(B/2) E/5 21:30h Team(B/3) - Team(A/3) E/6 19:00h Team(A/2) - Team(B/1)
11.09.2007
E/7 16:30h Team(B/1) - Team(A/1) E/8 19:00h Team(A/2) - Team(B/3) E/9 21:30h Team(B/2) - Team(A/3)
12.09.2007
Palacio de la Comunidad de Madrid 13.09.2007
14.09.2007
45/A 21:30h Team(E/3) - Team(F/2) 46/A 19:00h Team(E/4) - Team(F/1)
CLASSIFICATION ROUND 5-8 Palacio de la Comunidad de Madrid 15.09.2007
47/A 14:00h Loser of (43) - Loser of (45) 48/A 16:30h Loser of (44) - Loser of (46)
Palacio de la Comunidad de Madrid 15.09.2007
GAME FOR 7TH PLACE
Palacio de la Comunidad de Madrid 16.09.2007
51/A 14:00h Loser of (47) - Loser of (48)
GAME FOR 5TH PLACE
Palacio de la Comunidad de Madrid 16.09.2007
52/A 16:30h Winner of (47) - Winner of (48)
GAME FOR 3RD PLACE
Palacio de la Comunidad de Madrid 16.09.2007
53/A 19:00h Loser of (49) - Loser of (50)
FINAL
Palacio de la Comunidad de Madrid 16.09.2007
54/A 21:30h Winner of (49) - Winner of (50)
COMPETITION SYStem & SCHEDULE
(Granada) 03.09.07
Alicante
Centro de Tecnificación de Alicante
THE ARENAS
Construction year: 1992 Owned by: Generalitat Valenciana Capacity: 5,425 Address: C/ José Ramón Gilavert Davo s/n Tel: +34 965 255 863 Distances to City Centre: - 2 km Player Hotels: - 4 km Airport: - 10 km
Granada
Palacio Municipal de Deportes Construction Year: 1991 Owned by: Ayuntamiento de Granada Capacity: 7,500 Address: Avda. Salvador Allende s/n Tel: +34 958 131 117 Distances to City Centre: 2,5 km Player Hotels: 1 km Officials' Hotels: 14 km
Palma de Mallorca
Velódromo de Palma Construction Year: 2006 Owned by: Consorci Velòdrom de Palma Capacity: 6.000 spectators Address: Avda. Uruguay s/n Distances to City Centre: 1 km Player Hotels: 4 km Officials' hotels: 9 km
SevillA
Pabell贸n Municipal San Pablo
THE ARENAS
Construction Year: 1988 Owned by: Ayuntamiento de Sevilla Capacity: 10,000 spectators Address: C/ Efeso s/n Arena Tel: +34 954 674 000 / +34 954 250 622 Distances to City Centre: - 5 km / 10 min. Player Hotels: - 3 km / 7 min. Airport: -10 km / 20 min.
Madrid
Telef贸nica Arena Madrid
Construction Year: 2005 Capacity: 10,500 Owned by: Empresa Municipal Madrid Espacios y Congresos Address: Recinto Ferial Casa de Campo C/ De las Aves s/n Tel: 91 588 93 93 Distances to City Centre: 0,5 km Player Hotels: 2 km Airport: 10 km
Madrid
Palacio de Deportes Felipe II
Construction Year: 2004 Capacity: 15,500 Owned by: Comunidad de Madrid Address: Plaza de Felipe II s/n Tel: +34 91 258 60 16 Distances to City Centre: 1 km Player Hotels: 1 km Airport: 10 km
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03.09.07 18:00H 20:30H
04.09.07
Serbia - Russia Qualifier - Greece
18:00H 20:30H
GROUP A
Granada Palacio Municipal de Deportes 05.09.07
Russia - Qualifier Greece - Serbia
18:00H 20:30H
Qualifier - Serbia Russia - Greece
GREECE
(Hellas)
Russia (Rossiya)
SERBIA (Srbija)
QUALIFIER
(Additional Qualifying Tournament winner) 11
greece
GROUP a
Ready for a R game when a 21-year old Dirk Nowitzki had 21 points to lead his side to a 59-58 win. Worse was to come the following day when Greece succumbed to outsiders Czech Republic, 82-73. Facing a do-or-die final group game against Lithuania, Greece were no match for Arvydas Sabonis (18 points and eight rebounds) and Arturas Karnisovas (20 points, five rebounds and five steals) and went down 82-64.
“On the eve of the semi-finals of the World Championship it looked almost certain that Greece would add a world title to their EuroBasket gold from the previous year. Of course Spain surprised everybody by destroying Greece on the defensive end and winning a game that was effectively over at halftime. The Greeks will be looking for revenge against Spain and their second consecutive EuroBasket title.”
Best Individual Performance/Best Player of All-Time
Not only can Nick Galis claim to be the best Greek player of all time, but he also goes down as one of the best Europeans ever. Statistically, nobody has ever produced nearly as much as Galis did on the EuroBasket stage and the numbers speak for themselves. Galis averaged 30.5 points in 146 games with the Greek National Team, including a gaudy 37 ppg at EuroBasket 1987, 35.6 ppg in 1989 and 32.4 ppg in 1991. His 40-point haul led Greece to EuroBasket gold in 1987 and he will undoubtedly go down as his country’s all-time greatest performer.
Biggest EuroBasket Success
Scouting report
2005 was undoubtedly a milestone in Greek basketball history, but the biggest success has to be gold in 1987. Not only did that victory inspire a young generation of Greek kids to pick up a basketball, but it also produced the coach who led Greece back to glory 18 years later, Panagiotis Yannakis. 1987 was the first time that EuroBasket came to Greece and the home team fans responded with a joyous outburst of Greek pride. Passion and basketball have become synonymous with Greece in the past 20 years, but it was EuroBasket 1987 which first showed that fervour to the rest of the world. Led by the legendary Nick Galis, the team responded to the passionate support with a memorable tournament which culminated in the gold medal. Between 1951 and 1985 only one country not named Yugoslavia or the Soviet Union had won EuroBasket gold (Italy in 1983). But Greece beat both those teams, culminating in an overtime gold medal win over the Soviets in the final to claim the title.
Greece can beat you in a lot of ways and boasts one of the deepest rotations of any interNational Team. Coach Yannakis has an abundance of players who can play multiple positions and he uses all of them. It is not uncommon to see Greece attack a zone defense with four shooters and one big man or shooting guard Dimitris Diamintidis operate in the low post offensively. Theo Papaloukas is one of, if not the, best offensive leader in the international game while Diamintidis has been voted the Euroleague’s top defender for the past two seasons. Vassilis Spanoulis and Nikos Zisis are deadly shooters from the backcourt, while Sofoklis Schortianitis and Lazaros Papadopoulos make-up a formidable front line. The Greeks made their name at EuroBasket 2005 on defense, particularly in the halfcourt. In Japan, their versatility on the offensive end was also on display, most notably in their 101-95 defeat of the USA in the semi-finals. Individual statistics are not important to this Greek team and in Japan no one player dominated in any statistical category. The only stat that matters to this team is the ‘W’ column.
Prediction
On the eve of the semifinals of the World Championship it looked almost certain that Greece would add a world title to their EuroBasket gold from the previous year. They were coming off an awe-inspiring defeat of the USA and would face a Pau Gasol-less Spain in the final. Of course, Spain surprised everybody by destroying Greece on the defensive end and winning a game that was effectively over at halftime. At EuroBasket, hosts Spain will be Greece’s biggest rivals. Greece will be looking for revenge against Spain and a second consecutive EuroBasket title.
Biggest EuroBasket Disaster
EuroBasket 1999 sparked the beginning of a Greek decline which lasted until the gold medal in 2005. Between 1987 and 1997, Greece had not finished outside of the top five and medaled twice. That all changed in 1999 when the team led by Dimitrios Papanikolaou, Georgios Sigalas and Evangelos Koronios slumped to 16th place in France. Greece were shocked by Germany in their opening
Likely Squad
Greece were struck a huge blow in Japan when Anderson Varejao’s sharp elbows put an early end to Nikos Zisis’ tournament. Everybody seems to be healthy and with an average age of 27, this team is entering its prime. The only question mark hangs over Houston Rockets guard Vassilis Spanoulis and whether he will get a release from his NBA club to play at EuroBasket.
ROSTER Player
Height Position Birthdate Team 2006-07
Dimitris Diamantidis 1.96 1 06/05/80 Panathinaikos Theodoros Papaloukas 2.00 1 08/05/77 CSKA Moscow (RUS.) Vassilis Spanoulis 1.91 1/2 07/08/82 Houston Rockets (USA/NBA) Nikos Zisis 1.96 1/2 16/08/83 Benetton Treviso (ITA) Nikos Hatzivrettas 1.97 2 26/06/77 Panathinaikos Mihalis Kakiouzis 2.08 3/4 29/11/76 F.C. Barcelona (ESP) Antonis Fotsis 2.08 3/4 01/04/81 Dynamo Moscow (RUS) Dimos Dikoudis 2.06 4 24/06/77 Panathinaikos Kostas Tsartsaris 2.09 4/5 17/10/79 Panathinaikos Sofoklis Schortsianitis 2.06 4/5 11/06/85 Olympiakos Lazaros Papadopoulos 2.10 5 03/06/80 Dynamo Moscow (RUS) Panayotis Vassilopoulos 2.03 3/4 08/02/84 Olympiakos Yiannis Bourousis 2.14 5 13/06/83 Olympiakos Loukas Mavrokefalidis 2.10 3/4 25/07/85 Roma (ITA)/ Valencia (SPA) Stratos Perperoglou 2.02 2/3 07/08/84 Panionios Coach: Panagiotis Yannakis Assistant Coaches: Lefteris Kakiousis, Dimitris Papadopoulos
Last 10 FIBA events Year Event
2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997
12
World Championship Eurobasket Olympics Eurobasket World championship Eurobasket Olympics Eurobasket World Championship Eurobasket
Place
Saitama Belgrade Athens Stockholm Indianapolis Istanbul Sydney Paris Athens Barcelona
Achievement
Silver Medal Gold Medal 5th 5th Did not qualify 9-12th Did not qualify 16th 4th 4th
Nikos Zizis (Greece)
greece
Repeat
How did they qualify? ACCUMULATED STATISTICS IN EUROBASKET 2005
EuroBasket 2005 1st, (6 W – 1 L)
Results
Date Sept-16th 2005 Sept-17th 2005 Sept-18th 2005
Game Greece b. France Slovenia b. Greece Greece b. Bosnia & Herzegovina
Elimination game
Result 64-50 68-56 67-50
Sept-20th 2005 Greece b. Israel
67-61
Sept-22nd 2005 Greece b. Russia
66-61
Sept-24th 2005 Greece b. France
67-66
Sept-25th 2005 Greece b. Germany
78-62
Quarterfinal Semi-final
3rd place Final
Player G Min FG Vassilis Spanoulis 9 27 29-81 Dimitris Diamantidis 7 30 24-47 Antonis Fotsis 9 24 32-59 Mihalis Kakiouzis 9 20 32-63 Theodoros Papaloukas 9 27 32-60 Lazaros Papadopoulos 9 19 32-72 Dimos Dikoudis 8 10 20-37 Sofoklis Schortsianitis 9 8 19-22 Nikos Zisis 4 7 7-18 Nikos Hatzivrettas 9 16 10-30 Kostas Tsartsaris 9 12 8-18 Panayotis Vassilopoulos 5 3 3-6 TOTALS 9 - 248-513
13
% 3pts 35.8 11-42 51.1 11-25 54.2 12-25 50.8 9-24 53.3 2-16 44.4 0-2 54.1 1-3 86.4 - 38.9 2-9 33.3 4-14 44.4 2-7 50.0 2-3 48.3 56-170
FT Rb As St 36-41 1.8 1.3 1.2 17-24 5.0 3.7 4.3 18-24 4.2 0.7 0.3 11-13 4.0 0.2 1.4 18-28 3.0 4.0 1.9 15-24 2.9 1.4 0.4 13-20 2.6 - - 17-31 0.8 0.1 0.3 6-7 1.5 1.3 0.5 8-12 1.0 0.1 0.3 9-16 2.0 0.7 0.6 - 0.8 0.4 - 168-240 27.0 12.2 10.1
BS TO - 2.0 0.7 1.7 0.3 1.2 0.2 0.7 - 1.8 0.7 2.3 0.1 1.4 - 1.0 - 1.3 - 1.0 0.6 0.7 - 0.2 2.4 13.9
Pts 11.7 10.9 10.4 9.3 9.3 8.8 6.8 6.1 5.5 3.6 3.0 1.6 80.0
GROUP a
TEAM STAR THEODOROS
PAPALOUKAS Height: 2.00 Position: Point guard Date of birth: 08/05/1977 Place of birth: Athens Team 2006-07: CSKA MOSCOW (Russia-SuperLeague) Career: Ethnikos Ellinoroson (Athens Div., 1992-1995), Ampelokipi (GreeceESAKE, 1995-96), Ampelokini (Greece-A2, 1996-97), Dafni (Greece-A2, 199799), Panionios (Greece-ESAKE, 1999-2001), Olympiakos (Greece-ESAKE, 2001-02), CSKA Moscow (Russia-Superleague, 2002-07).
I
n Greek “Theodoros” means, “Gifted from God”, so his parents must have known something before the rest of us. Five years ago, his career was in limbo when Olympiakos (where he was transferred from Panionios for a record fee) showed him the door after a disastrous season. His agent offered him to CSKA Moscow where Dusan Ivkovic was the coach, and then a new era began for his career. Last season, after leading the Greek National Team to the 2005 EuroBasket Gold medal in Belgrade, he was selected to the tournament First Team and named the MVP of the final. A few months after, he led CSKA to the Euroleague title, earning the Euroleague 2005-06 season MVP award which he celebrated by waving the national flag of Greece. Just months later he was the key player for Greece in defeating the U.S. National Team and landing in the 2006 FIBA World Championship final. The 30-year-old was named the 2nd best athlete in Greece for 2006 by sports writers, a slight that bothered him more than a little. He was also honoured by FIBA Europe as the 2006 Player of the Year. So for 2007, his target is to become the best of the best in Greece, a spot that might already be reserved for a fellow National Team member Dimitirs Diamantidis, who helped beat CSKA in the 2007 Euroleague final. Papaloukas won the 2002-03, 2003-04, 2004-05 and 2005-06 Russian National Championship and the 2005, 2006 and 2007 Russian National Cup with CSKA Moscow. One of the biggest thrills of his amazing career was the way that Olympiakos fans welcomed him this season at Peace and Friendship Stadium during a final 16 Euroleague game as more than 15,000 fans gave him a standing ovation These were the same fans who four years earlier had thrown euros at him with his face printed on them, believing that he had left them for money. But the truth was completely different once everybody learned what exactly had happened and their ovation served as an apology.
National Team STATS YEAR
2001 2001 2003 2003 2004 2005 2006
COMPETITION
Semi-Final Round Final Round Semi-Final Round EuroBasket Olympic Games EuroBasket World Championship
GP Min
4 4 9 6 7 7 9
24 31 26 18 25 22 27
2pts
8-18 11-16 25-32 5-12 15-23 19-34 30-44
3pts
3-7 5-6 7-17 0-8 2-12 6-13 2-16
FT
5-6 12-19 16-21 6-6 5-10 11-19 18-28
Rb As Pts
3.8 3.0 3.7 2.0 3.3 2.4 3.0
3.0 5.0 4.4 2.0 3.1 2.1 4.0
7.5 12.3 9.7 2.7 5.9 9.6 9.3
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07
14
GP Min
Olympiakos Piraeus (Euroleague) 19 CSKA Moscow (Euroleague) 21 CSKA Moscow (Euroleague) 21 CSKA Moscow (Euroleague) 23 CSKA Moscow (Euroleague) 24 CSKA Moscow (Euroleague) 25
27 16 17 18 23 24
2pts
52-111 22-39 37-63 66-108 68-104 75-113
3pts
9-27 7-25 5-29 7-17 11-40 14-41
FT
47-70 34-54 43-55 36-53 53-72 53-74
Rb As Pts
2.9 2.0 1.7 2.3 3.1 3.2
4.0 3.4 2.7 3.8 4.0 5.4
8.4 4.7 6.3 7.6 9.3 9.8
LAZAROS
DIAMANTIDIS
PAPADOPOULOS
Height: 1.96 Position: Point guard / Shooting guard Date of birth: 06/05/1980 Place of birth: Kastoria Team 2006-07: PANATHINAIKOS ATHENS (Greece-ESAKE) Career: Iraklis (Greece-ESAKE, 1999-2004), Panathinaikos (Greece-ESAKE, 2004-07).
Height: 2.10 Position: Center Date of birth: 03/06/1980 Place of birth: Krasnodar (Russia) Team 2006-07: DYNAMO MOSCOW (RussiaSuperleague) Career: Iraklis (Greece-ESAKE, 1997-2001), Panathinaikos (Greece-ESAKE, 2001-03), Iraklis (Greece-ESAKE, 2003-04), Dynamo Moscow (Russia-Superleague, 2004-07).
E
A
verywhere Lazaros Papadopoulos goes he carries an electronical device, not to play any video games, or to watch movies but to play the game he loves the most after basketball: chess! An avid chess player, Papadopoulos is a thoughtful person who also likes to make jokes with his teammates. But on the court, he’s a monster. This season he was the main reason why Dynamo reached the quarterfinals in their first Euroleague appearance. In Moscow the last three years he drastically improved his game and now might be the best center in Europe. He has great skills, excellent moves in the paint and is a solid rebounder. Born in Krasnodar, Russia, the 27-year-old is the “Russian Monument” of the Greek team.
t the age of 26, the «Diamond» already has a basketball court named in his honour in his hometown of Kastoria, in the Northwest part of Greece, where he is a local hero. For Panathinaikos, which just won another Euroleague title in May 2007, Diamantidis is the team leader. For the National Team he is the man who does everything, though off of the court, he is amazingly humble, hates to talk about himself and rarely gives interviews. The 27-year-old has been voted “Defender of the Year” in the Euroleague three consecutive times and MVP of the ESAKE league in 2005-06. An Iron Man who hasn’t missed a game at the national or international level since 2004, he seems to never tire and gives 120% at all times. A few months ago there was a rumour that rivals Olympiakos were about to offer him a big contract for the next seasons. Just hours later, the owner of Panathinaikos offered him a “king size” contract that kept him at the club until 2010 at just over 1.5 million euros per year. Diamantidis was named MVP of the 2007 Euroleague Final and voted to the Euroleague First Team last season. Since the summer of 2005, Dimitris has won a EuroBasket (2005), a silver medal at the 2006 FIBA World Championship and a Euroleague. What could be next?
National Team STATS YEAR
2001 2001 2003 2004 2005 2006
2003 2003 2004 2005 2006
COMPETITION
Eurobasket Semi-Final Round Olympic Games Eurobasket World Championship
GP Min
6 4 6 7 9
16 17 19 31 30
2pts
3pts
1-4 3-5 6-11 7-19 13-22
2-10 1-2 2-10 3-14 11-25
2pts
3pts
FT
7-11 - 9-13 15-22 17-24
SEASON CLUB (Competition)
Rb As Pts
2.2 3.3 3.8 5.1 3.9
2.3 1.8 2.5 5.0 2.9
1996-97 1999-00 2001-02 2002-03 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07
2.5 2.3 4.5 5.4 8.4
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
1999-00 2000-01 2001-02 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07
GP Min
6 2 7 7 7 9
14 3 19 27 23 19
2pts
3pts
2pts
3pts
11-24 - 20-26 35-61 28-64 32-70
- - - - - 0-2
FT
1-3 6-6 13-15 17-23 12-28 15-24
Rb As Pts
4.3 0.5 4.4 5.9 3.6 2.9
0.2 - 0.3 1.3 0.7 1.4
3.8 3.0 7.6 12.4 9.7 8.8
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS
National Team STATS YEAR
COMPETITION
Semi-final Round EuroBasket Semi-final Round Olympic Games EuroBasket World Championship
GP Min
Iraklis Thessaloniki (Saporta) 5 Iraklis Thessaloniki (SuproLeague) 13 Iraklis Thessaloniki (Saporta) 12 Panathinaikos (Euroleague) 25 Panathinaikos (Euroleague) 23 Panathinaikos (Euroleague) 24
14 2-5 14 7-26 28 22-42 27 68-125 30 53-84 29 40-78
0-1 5-16 7-24 21-45 14-52 29-63
FT
5-6 2-10 20-25 56-79 51-65 46-59
Rb As Pts
1.2 1.8 5.2 3.7 4.5 3.9
0.4 1.2 2.8 3.1 2.9 3.9
GP Min
Iraklis Thessaloniki (EuroCup) 3 Iraklis Thessaloniki (Saporta) 15 Panathinaikos (Euroleague) 19 Panathinaikos (Euroleague) 19 Dynamo Moscow (ULEB Cup) 12 Dynamo Moscow (ULEB Cup) 16 Dynamo Moscow (Euroleague) 17
10 0-4 16 35-59 15 51-80 12 28-44 29 72-107 29 75-119 30 94-177
1.8 2.4 7.1 8.5 8.7 8.9
COACH: PANAGIOTIS YANNAKIS a personalities in sports, politics or culture in the country. Panagiotis is the person that every Greek mother would want their daughter to marry, or have their sons be like. The man with the world record in international appearances as a player (over 450), became a legend at the age of 48. A successful player, coach, father and husband, he is one of the most recognisable basketball figures in Europe.
Nationality: Greek Date of birth: 01/01/1959 Place of birth: Team 2006-07: Did not coach any club in 2006-07. Career: Panionios (Greece-ESAKE, 2001-02), Maroussi (Greece-ESAKE, 2002-06). International career: Greek National Team (1996-97, 2004-07).
P
anagiotis Yannakis is much more than a coach, not only for Greek basketball but for the Greek community. After last season’s second place finish at the 2006 FIBA World Championship, coach Yannakis became, once again, the most beloved person in Greece. He was voted “Man of the Year” for the second consecutive time by Men magazine, an award given to
15
- - - - - - -
FT
3-4 25-40 24-31 21-31 36-48 55-97 64-96
Rb As Pts
1.3 5.3 4.1 2.7 7.8 6.9 7.2
- 2.1 0.9 0.4 1.0 2.0 1.8
1.0 6.3 6.6 4.1 15.0 12.8 14.8
greece
DIMITRIS
GROUP a
VASSILIS
NIKOS
SPANOULIS
CHATZIVRETTAS
Height: 1.91 Position: Point guard / Shooting guard Date of birth: 07/08/1982 Place of birth: Larissa Team 2006-07: HOUSTON ROCKETS (NBAUSA) Career: G.C. Larissa (Greece-A2, 1994-98), Keravnos Larissa (Greece-4th Division, 1998-99), G.C. Larissa (Greece-A2, 1999-2001), Maroussi (Greece-ESAKE, 2001-05), Panathinaikos (GreeceESAKE, 2005-06), Houston Rockets (NBA-USA 2006-07). Selected in the second round of the 2004 NBA draft (#50), by the Dallas Mavericks and rights traded to the Houston Rockets.
Height: 1.97 Position: Shooting guard Date of birth: 26/06/1977 Place of birth: Thessaloniki Team 2006-07: PANATHINAIKOS ATHENS (Greece-ESAKE) Career: Aias Evosmou (Greece-3rd Division, 1994-97), Iraklis (Greece-ESAKE, 1997-2002), CSKA Moscow (RussiaSuperleague, 2002-03), Panathinaikos (Greece-ESAKE, 2004-07).
J
ournalists have always said that Nikos Hatzivrettas is the “quiet power” of the National Team, a shooter and a scorer but mostly a player who puts the team above his ego. The 30-year-old is a great defender who cares little for the limelight, working hard in practice and giving 110 % on the court. Hatzivrettas is a close friend of team mate Dimos Dikoudis and was the best man in his wedding some years ago. The Thessaloniki native has won four Greek championships (2003-04-2006-07) and three cup titles with Panathinaikos (2005-2007), one Russian Superleague with CSKA (in 2003), and was the top scorer for ESAKE (22.2 ppg in 2001-02) while playing in Iraklis.
“
Kill Bill” had imagined his first season in the NBA in a different way, but the league proved to be a tough lesson in his career. The 25-year-old spent most of his time on the bench in Houston, but never stopped working to improve his game. In European basketball, he has nothing more to prove as he was named the best sixth man of the Euroleague two seasons ago and was one of the key players in the Greece’s victory over Team USA in Japan last summer. His goal now is to prove that he can earn a place in the Rocket’s line-up on a daily basis. Spanoulis has a blog on a Greek website which focuses on his life and career in Houston and he can’t wait to meet up with his teammates in Spain.
National Team STATS YEAR
2001 2001 2003 2003 2004 2005 2006
National Team STATS YEAR
2004 2005 2006
COMPETITION
Olympic Games EuroBasket World Championship
GP Min
2pts
3pts
FT
Rb As Pts
6 0 7 10 9 27
4-10 4-12 18-39
4-8 1-10 11-42
3-4 6-10 36-41
- - 1.1 0.3 2.4 1.8 1.3 11.7
GP Min
2pts
3pts
FT
Rb As Pts
2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2004-05 2005-06
Maroussi (Korac Cup) Maroussi (FIBA Cup) Maroussi (FEL) Makedonikos (ULEB Cup) Maroussi (ULEB Cup) Panathinaikos (Euroleague)
4 8 21 10 12 23
12 5-7 31 19-43 25 29-73 11 12-20 26 35-65 28 84-136
1-5 9-21 17-46 3-11 24-60 25-68
3-4 21-29 24-31 12-14 40-49 92-118
- 2.8 2.4 1.8 1.8 2.0
1.8 6.4 4.3 0.7 3.8 3.1
SEASON CLUB (Competition)
1999-00 2000-01 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07
4.0 10.8 6.3 4.5 15.2 14.6
NBA STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
2006-07 Houston Rockets
GP Min
31
9
2pts
18-43
3pts
5-29
FT
34-42
Rb As Pts
Semi-final Round Olympic Games EuroBasket World Championship
0-1 9-17 20-35 5-9
GP Min
2pts
0-1 5-14 4-16 2-9
2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07
AEK Athens (Euroleague) 19 AEK Athens (Euroleague) 14 AEK Athens (Euroleague) 14 AEK Athens (Euroleague) 20 Benetton Treviso (Euroleague) 7 Benetton Treviso (Euroleague) 20
14 28-56 23 28-74 27 30-66 31 83-176 34 13-29 33 55-117
3pts
9-20 3-21 14-44 20-63 5-19 19-55
3pts
FT
0.8 0.3 1.0 1.5 0.3 0.3 0.1
2.5 1.7 7.6 10.7 9.4 5.6 3.6
GP Min
31 66-116 16-43 34-44 35 126-253 85-149 41-104 35 62-118 19-61 65-76 27 48-86 35-93 64-76 30 54-99 25-73 58-74 19 40-85 16-42 42-56 17 35-57 15-35 34-42 23 35-66 21-49 41-59
Rb As Pts
1.9 2.7 2.3 2.6 2.9 1.3 1.1 1.6
1.0 2.0 2.8 1.8 1.3 0.9 0.6 1.0
13.4 32.3 20.5 12.0 12.1 6.6 6.5 7.9
National Team STATS
FT
- 4-9 22-29 6-7
2005 2006
Rb As Pts
- - 1.6 1.1 5.3 1.7 2.1 10.6 1.5 1.3 5.5
FT
20-34 15-26 19-30 46-59 16-20 53-64
SEASON CLUB (Competition)
2001-02 2002-03 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07
Rb As Pts
0.9 3.0 2.6 3.2 2.7 2.5
1.1 1.1 2.1 4.4 4.9 4.3
COMPETITION
EuroBasket World Championship
GP Min
2 5
2 3
2pts
3pts
2pts
3pts
- 1-3
- 2-3
FT
- -
Rb As Pts
- - 0.8 0.4 1.6
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
2pts
Rb As Pts
1.0 - 1.9 2.0 1.3 1.4 1.0
B YEAR
2 7 7 19 7 25 4 7
0-2 5-6 17-19 15-20 11-12 9-12 8-12
orn in Greece’s south peninsula Peloponnesus, the basketball future of Vassilopoulos would lie many kilometres north in Thessaloniki. A member of the “fabulous-three” at PAOK along with Vasileiadis and Mavrokefalidis, Vassilopoulos built a name for himself with the U21 National Team. The 23-year-old followed the same path as his teammates leaving PAOK for Olympiakos last season, where he showed the depth of his talent. Although he is over two metres, he can guard smaller players on defense, rebounds well, blocks shots and, if needed, can score.
National Team STATS 2003 2004 2005 2006
FT
2-8 0-2 6-31 11-30 9-27 6-27 4-14
Height: 2.03 Position: Power forward Date of birth: 08/02/1984 Place of birth: Athens Team 2006-07: OLYMPIAKOS PIREUS (Greece-ESAKE) Career: Iraklis Pyrgou (Greece-4th Division, 1998-2001), PAOK (Greece-ESAKE, 2001-05), Olympiakos (Greece-ESAKE, 2005-07).
H
3pts
3pts
2-5 0-1 13-22 8-18 14-20 6-15 6-16
VASSILOPOULOS
e has a baby face and is loved as much as any player by the fans of the Greek National Team. Zisis gained fame after taking a vicious elbow from Brazilian Anderson Varejao at the 2006 World Championship in Japan. He missed the rest of the tournament and remained in the hospital to rehab his injured eye. During his stay, thousands of letters were sent to him by fans from all over the world. Benetton Treviso coach David Blatt paid his guard a great compliment two years ago by saying: “When my son grows up, I want him to be like Nikos». Zisis, following his exceptional performance at EuroBasket 2005, was named the 2005 FIBA Europe Young Men’s Player of the Year.
2pts
2pts
PANAGIOTIS
Height: 1.96 Position: Point guard / Shooting guard Date of birth: 16/08/1983 Place of birth: Thessaloniki Team 2006-07: BENETTON TREVISO (ItalyLega) Career: YMCA (Greece-3rd Division, 1996‑99), AEK (Greece-ESAKE, 1999-2005), Treviso (Italy-Lega, 2005-07).
GP Min
12 5 20 25 19 21 16
0.7 0.9 2.7
ZISIS
COMPETITION
4 3 8 6 7 7 9
Iraklis Thessaloniki (Saporta) 16 Iraklis Thessaloniki (SuproLeague) 21 Iraklis Thessaloniki (Saporta) 12 CSKA Moscow (Euroleague) 22 Panathinaikos (Euroleague) 20 Panathinaikos (Euroleague) 21 Panathinaikos (Euroleague) 23 Panathinaikos (Euroleague) 22
NIKOS
YEAR
GP Min
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
COMPETITION
Semi-final Round EuroBasket Semi-final Round EuroBasket Olympic Games EuroBasket World Championship
4.5 5.7 8.6 11.6 8.1 11.0
16
GP Min
P.A.O.K. (Korac Cup) 2 P.A.O.K. (FIBA Cup) 16 P.A.O.K. (ULEB Cup) 14 Olympiakos Piraeus (Euroleague) 21 Olympiakos Piraeus (Euroleague) 22
7 16 19 20 16
3-4 15-38 19-42 29-63 27-71
0-1 5-22 8-24 25-49 13-35
FT
1-1 22-30 12-17 19-26 25-32
Rb As Pts
1.0 2.8 4.6 4.8 3.3
- 0.4 0.8 1.0 1.0
3.5 4.2 5.3 7.2 5.5
DIMOS
KAKIOUZIS
DIKOUDIS
Height: 2.08 Position: Power forward Date of birth: 29/11/1976 Place of birth: Athens Team 2006-07: WINTERTHUR F.C. BARCELONA (Spain-ACB) Career: Ionikos (Greece-A2, 1990-95), AEK (Greece-ESAKE, 1995-2002), Siena (Italy-Lega, 2002-05), Barcelona (SpainACB, 2005-07).
Height: 2.06 Position: Power forward Date of birth: 24/06/1977 Place of birth: Larissa Team 2006-07: PANATHINAIKOS (GreeceESAKE) Career: Larissa (Greece-A2, 1994-98), AEK (Greece-ESAKE, 1998-2003), Valencia (Spain-ACB, 2003-04), CSKA Moscow (Russia-Superleague, 2004-05), Valencia (Spain-ACB, 2005-06), Panathinaikos (Greece-ESAKE, 2006-07)
A
fter winning the gold medal at EuroBasket 2005, “Prophet Mihail” promised to write a book about his basketball career if Greece came back from Japan with a medal. Just a few days after returning from the Far East with a silver medal last summer, he started writing! His book is about to be published and is sure to become a best-seller. The captain and soul of the National Team, Kakiouzis is the man from whom everybody expects to learn what will happen in Spain, as he predicted both with the European and World Championship results. The 30-year-old has won trophies in three different countries with AEK (one ESAKE, two Cups and a Saporta), Siena (1 Lega, in 2004) and Barcelona (the 2007 Copa del Rey). He also captured the 1995 U18 World Championship with Greece.
M
r.President, don’t worry, Dimos didn’t decide to stop playing and become the President of Greece but he has the leadership for such a job inside of him. This powerful personality has, for about a year now, been the President of the Greek Players Association, the guy who everybody trusts to protect players’ rights. Dikoudis’ career began in his hometown of Larissa like many other National Team players (Spanoulis, Kommatos etc) but he exploded upon arrival to AEK. In 2003, together with Chatzis, Zisis and Kakiouzis, he led AEK to a Greek Championship. He then left for two years to play in Russia and Italy but returned to Greece this season at Panathinaikos.
National Team STATS YEAR
National Team STATS YEAR
1997 1999 1999 2001 2001 2003 2003 2004 2005 2006
COMPETITION
Semi-final Round Semi-final Round EuroBasket Semi-final Round EuroBasket Semi-final Round EuroBasket Olympic Games EuroBasket World Championship
GP Min
6 2 1 3 4 7 5 7 7 9
11 11 14 9 14 15 4 21 22 20
2pts
6-11 9-12 2-4 3-4 6-10 19-27 - 16-29 15-25 23-39
3pts
4-8 1-3 0-2 0-3 1-5 1-4 0-1 10-16 5-23 9-24
FT
2-5 0-1 - 4-4 3-5 7-11 - 9-13 6-12 11-13
2001 2001 2003 2003 2004 2005 2006
Rb As Pts
1.3 2.5 5.0 2.3 2.5 2.0 0.2 4.7 4.7 4.0
0.3 - - - - 0.6 - 0.7 0.4 0.2
4.3 10.5 4.0 3.3 4.5 6.9 10.1 7.3 9.3
1995-96 1997-98 1998-99 1999-00 2000-01 2001-02 2002-03 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07
GP Min
AEK Athens (Korac Cup) 9 AEK Athens (Euroleague) 21 AEK Athens (Saporta) 12 AEK Athens (Saporta) 18 AEK Athens (Euroleague) 8 AEK Athens (Euroleague) 20 AEK Athens (Euroleague) 11 Montepaschi Siena (Euroleague) 7 Montepaschi Siena (Euroleague) 21 Montepaschi Siena (Euroleague) 20 F.C. Barcelona (Euroleague) 25 F.C. Barcelona (Euroleague) 22
25 16 20 26 22 31 35 25 21 21 24 18
2pts
56-86 35-71 40-60 68-109 17-42 97-195 57-94 15-30 52-88 60-133 82-137 50-92
3pts
7-21 4-13 3-10 13-28 3-13 13-47 9-33 9-21 25-58 12-49 26-71 7-31
FT
11-16 19-30 25-34 32-50 12-18 91-118 44-55 11-13 23-39 25-33 42-57 28-33
SEASON CLUB (Competition)
1998-99 1999-00 2000-01 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2006-07
Rb As Pts
5.6 2.5 3.0 4.9 4.0 8.3 5.3 4.3 4.0 4.6 5.2 4.1
0.8 0.9 0.8 1.9 0.9 0.9 1.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.8 0.4
16.0 4.8 9.5 11.5 6.9 14.9 16.8 9.7 9.6 7.9 11.4 6.8
3pts
10-20 2-7 26-40 14-24 10-18 12-27 13-20
Rb As Pts
3.2 2.8 5.4 3.8 5.2 2.9 2.6
0.6 0.3 1.7 1.8 0.5 0.1 -
9.3 2.5 14.3 11.5 9.0 6.3 6.8
GP Min
AEK Athens (Saporta) 3 AEK Athens (Saporta) 18 AEK Athens (Euroleague) 9 AEK Athens (Euroleague) 19 AEK Athens (Euroleague) 8 Pamesa Valencia (Euroleague) 17 CSKA Moscow (Euroleague) 22 Panathinaikos (Euroleague) 23
5 22 20 30 33 22 22 15
0-2 - 65-108 - 23-50 1-5 113-195 11-28 45-89 1-7 63-115 8-23 91-162 7-20 58-93 10-23
FT
1-2 26-44 19-33 73-114 27-35 43-75 30-44 36-59
Rb As Pts
1.7 5.4 5.4 7.1 7.3 5.0 5.2 3.7
- 0.7 0.6 0.7 0.9 0.8 1.0 0.4
0.3 8.7 7.6 16.3 15.0 11.4 10.0 7.9
National Team STATS YEAR
2001 2003 2004 2005 2006
National Team STATS
COMPETITION
Semi-final Round Semi-final Round Olympic Games EuroBasket World Championship
GP Min
1 10 7 7 9
23 19 13 12 12
2pts
1-2 25-37 11-18 10-17 6-11
3pts
1-2 0-6 0-2 2-3 2-7
FT
- 20-29 15-24 1-6 9-16
Rb As Pts
3.0 3.9 2.9 2.6 2.0
2.0 1.4 0.9 0.3 0.7
5.0 7.0 5.3 3.9 3.0
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS GP Min
2pts
3pts
2pts
3pts
FT
- Never played with the Senior National Team in official competition -
Rb As Pts
SEASON CLUB (Competition)
1999-00 2000-01 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS P.A.O.K. (FIBA Cup) P.A.O.K. (ULEB Cup) P.A.O.K. (EuroCup) Virtus Roma (Euroleague)
2pts
FT
3-3 0-2 2-5 5-7 2-6 0-3 1-3
I
B
2002-03 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07
3pts
f he didn’t choose basketball, Tsartsaris could have been the tallest handball player in the world! His athletic career started in a team well known in Greece for their handball tradition, Filippos Verias. But Tsartsaris was too tall for the sport. Still, his club refused to let him go to another team, so he decided to go as far away as he could which eventually led him to Iceland. He played there for two years before a small Athens club, Near East, brought him back.
orn in the Czech Republic, Loukas was just a bench player for PAOK until 2005 when, during the play-offs, he exploded and showed his skills. The Greek press welcomed him with big headlines, talking about his scoring abilities and his great outside shooting. Despite his size, he is a great three-point shooter and a natural born leader but he is still young. Last year he was the last player cut from the National Team before the World Championships and this season, he left PAOK for Roma and then transferred to Valencia where he played well for Fotis Katsikaris. He now is ready to ask for at least the 12th spot on the National Team.
SEASON CLUB (Competition)
2pts
37-60 4-7 34-53 20-39 19-41 16-30 19-34
Height: 2.09 Position: Center / Power forward Date of birth: 17/10/1979 Place of birth: Veria Team 2006-07: PANATHINAIKOS ATHENS (Greece-ESAKE) Career: Filippos Verias (Greece-3rd Division, 1995-97), Grindavik (Iceland-A League, 1997-98), Near East (GreeceESAKE, 1998-99), Peristeri (Greece-ESAKE, 1999-2002), Panathinaikos (Greece-ESAKE, 2002-07).
Height: 2.10 Position: Center Date of birth: 25/07/1985 Place of birth: Geseni (Czech Republic) Team 2006-07: LOTTOMATICA ROMA (ItalyLega) & PAMESA VALENCIA (Spain-ACB) Career: PAOK (Greece-ESAKE, 2001-06), Lottomatica Roma (Italy-Lega, 2006-07), Pamesa Valencia (Spain-ACB, 2006-07)
20 14 25 23 20 14 10
TSARTSARIS
MAVROKEFALIDIS
COMPETITION
10 4 7 6 6 7 8
KOSTAS
LOUKAS
YEAR
GP Min
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
COMPETITION
Semi-final Round EuroBasket Semi-final Round EuroBasket Olympic Games EuroBasket World Championship
GP Min
9 10 5 6 5 25 14 19
8-20 2-4 20-27 36-80
- - 0-1 2-10
FT
11-13 - 17-22 23-29
Rb As Pts
2.1 1.4 4.8 5.0
0.1 0.4 1.0 0.5
3.0 0.8 11.4 7.2
17
GP Min
Peristeri Athens (Korac Cup) 10 Peristeri Athens (Euroleague) 9 Peristeri Athens (Euroleague) 14 Panathinaikos (Euroleague) 19 Panathinaikos (Euroleague) 20 Panathinaikos (Euroleague) 25 Panathinaikos (Euroleague) 23 Panathinaikos (Euroleague) 23
2pts
29 28-51 31 28-49 30 50-111 12 33-48 22 65-107 19 69-130 18 33-68 19 44-78
3pts
7-17 9-20 3-21 2-6 6-21 12-33 19-41 10-41
FT
18-35 27-33 40-62 14-23 29-41 42-65 28-42 34-49
Rb As Pts
5.1 6.3 6.3 2.2 5.2 4.3 3.0 4.5
0.9 1.8 1.7 0.4 0.9 0.8 1.0 1.3
9.5 12.2 10.2 4.5 8.9 7.7 6.6 6.6
greece
MIHALIS
GROUP a
ANTONIS
SOFOKLIS
FOTSIS
SCHORTSIANITIS
Height: 2.08 Position: Power forward Date of birth: 01/04/1981 Place of birth: Athens Team 2006-07: DYNAMO MOSCOW (RussiaSuperleague) Career: Ilisiakos (Greece-A2, 1994-97), Panathinaikos (Greece-ESAKE, 1997-2001), Memphis Grizzlies (NBA, 200102), Panathinaikos (Greece-ESAKE, 2002-03), Real Madrid (Spain-ACB, 200305), Dynamo Moscow (Russia-Superleague, 2005-07). Selected in the second round of the 2001 NBA draft (#48) by the Memphis Grizzlies.
Height: 2.06 Position: Center / Power forward Date of birth: 11/06/1985 Place of birth: Kavala Team 2006-07: OLYMPIAKOS PIREUS Career: Iraklis (Greece-ESAKE, 2000-03), Cantù (Italy-Lega, 2003-04), Aris (GreeceESAKE, 2004-05), Olympiakos (Greece-ESAKE, 2005-07). Selected in the second round of the 2003 NBA draft (#34) by the Los Angeles Clippers.
«
Baby Shaq» is not a baby any more. He is a mature man and an incredible force of nature. At the World Championship in Japan scouts from all over the world couldn’t believe their eyes as they watched Schortsianitis dunk in the face of Team USA stars. Schortsianitis is probably the most physically imposing center in Europe. If the 22-year-old gets the ball under the basket, nobody and nothing can stop him. This son of a Greek father and a Cameroonian mother, Sofo used to be a chess champion in his hometown of Kavala but he soon turned to more physical activities. This season he had weight problems but when he wears the National Team jersey, he becomes a 150 kilo monster, moving through the paint with the quickness of a guard.
A
fter coming back to Europe in 2003 following a season spent languishing on the Grizzlies’ bench, Fotsis’ career was in limbo. There was no special interest from any Greek team, so he went to Real Madrid and won the Liga ACB title in 2005. But he wasn’t satisfied. When an offer from Dynamo came in he made the move without hesitation finding there his «brother-friend», Papadopoulos. Together, they led Dynamo to a ULEB Cup and then to the Euroleague quarterfinals last season. Fotsis made history in a game against Aris by grabbing 23 rebounds. With the National Team, he is the key player on defense, thanks to his long arms and jumping ability. The Athens native has won five Greek championships with Panathinaikos.
National Team STATS YEAR
National Team STATS YEAR
2001 2001 2003 2003 2004 2005 2006
COMPETITION
Semi-final Round EuroBasket Semi-final Round EuroBasket Olympic Games EuroBasket World Championship
GP Min
3 4 5 6 6 7 9
11 13 25 22 18 18 24
2pts
3pts
FT
4-6 8-13 19-28 15-30 11-18 8-15 20-34
1-2 3-4 11-19 5-14 6-18 4-13 12-25
7-10 9-9 15-20 15-19 8-9 6-6 18-24
2pts
3pts
FT
2003 2006
Rb As Pts
1.0 4.0 5.2 5.3 2.7 2.9 4.2
0.7 0.5 2.4 0.7 0.5 0.9 0.7
6.0 8.5 17.2 10.0 8.0 4.9 10.4
COMPETITION
Semi-Final Round World Championship
GP Min
2 12 7 10
2pts
3-5 19-22
3pts
- -
3-4 17-31
FT
GP Min
2pts
3pts
FT
Rb As Pts
4.0 0.5 4.5 1.0 0.1 7.9
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
2001-02 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07
Iraklis Thessaloniki (Saporta) Aris Thessaloniki (ULEB Cup) Olympiakos Piraeus (Euroleague) Olympiakos Piraeus (Euroleague)
3 8 5-5 6 9 12-15 22 19 81-131 17 11 38-58
- - - -
- 10-20 74-117 37-67
Rb As Pts
3.0 2.7 4.9 1.8
0.7 0.2 0.5 0.7
3.3 5.7 10.7 6.6
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
1997-98 1998-99 1999-00 2000-01 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07
GP Min
Panathinaikos (EuroCup) 3 Panathinaikos (Euroleague) 5 Panathinaikos (Euroleague) 19 Panathinaikos (SuproLeague) 21 Panathinaikos (Euroleague) 20 Real Madrid (ULEB Cup) 16 Real Madrid (Euroleague) 16 Dynamo Moscow (ULEB Cup) 16 Dynamo Moscow (Euroleague) 22
11 4-10 13 7-18 18 44-72 20 77-137 28 65-121 26 47-82 19 40-87 26 36-64 31 63-124
1-2 1-5 14-25 44-65 35-75 22-43 12-33 21-55 35-79
- 4-7 24-39 33-72 54-61 22-32 24-37 21-28 72-85
3pts
FT
Rb As Pts
4.0 2.4 2.8 2.8 5.7 6.1 3.6 6.9 7.0
- 0.6 0.6 0.8 1.1 0.9 0.5 1.0 0.7
3.7 4.2 8.1 10.0 14.5 11.4 7.3 9.8 13.8
STRATOS
PERPEROGLOU Height: 2.02 Position: Guard/Forward Date of birth: 07/08/1984 Place of birth: Drama (Greece) Team 2006-07: PANIONIOS (Greece-ESAKE) Career: A.O. Kavalas (Greece-Division C, 1998-00), Iviskos Rodos (Greece-Division D, 2000-01), Ilisiakos (Greece-Division A2, 2001-04), Panionios Forthnet (GreeceESAKE, 2004-07)
NBA STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
2001-02 Memphis Grizzlies
GP Min
28 11
2pts
35-81
7-23
17-20
Rb As Pts
2.2 0.4 3.9
YANNIS
BOUROUSIS
A
lthough he is just 23, Perperoglou has already played for four different teams across Greece. He began by following in his father’s footsteps, playing soccer, but he quickly caught the basketball bug. Because his father was in the army, Perperoglou travelled in the north (Kavala), south (Rhodes’ Island) and center (Athens) of Greece where he played for Ilisiakos despite the protests of his mother who wanted to be together with her boy in Rhodes... Finally, his grandmother went to live with him in Athens where he showed all of his talent. This season was his best with Panionios as he was voted the Most Improved Player in ESAKE. His «fiancé» Erin Buescher plays in the WNBA and with Panionios.
Height: 2.14 Position: Center Date of birth: 13/06/1983 Place of birth: Karditsa Team 2006-07: OLYMPIAKOS (Greece-ESAKE) Career: Karditsa (Greece-3rd Division, 1998-2000), AEK (Greece-ESAKE, 2000-06), Barcelona (Spain-ACB, 2006), Olympiakos (Greece-ESAKE, 2006-07)
H
is teammates call him Kareem because of his size but after a win over Panathinaikos this season, in which he made three of four three-point shots, Bourousis claimed to be the tallest three-point specialist in the world! The truth is that Bourousis is a pretty useful tool, proving to be a capable scorer as well as rebounder and shot blocker. A funny guy who always likes to joke with his teammates, the Karditsa native saw limited action at EuroBasket 2005. He was cut before the World Championship in Japan and is now ready to get his spot back.
National Team STATS YEAR
2005
COMPETITION
EuroBasket
GP Min
4
2
2pts
3pts
2pts
3pts
3-4
-
FT
-
SEASON CLUB (Competition)
2005-06 Panionios (ULEB Cup) 2006-07 Panionios (EuroCup)
Rb As Pts
0.8
- 1.5
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07
AEK Athens (Euroleague) AEK Athens (Euroleague) AEK Athens (Euroleague) AEK Athens (Euroleague) Olympiakos Piraeus (Euroleague)
GP Min
3 6 12 8 18 11 11 23 19 16
3-6 9-18 26-51 28-61 52-68
0-1 - 1-6 4-12 9-22
FT
2-2 3-7 8-16 25-30 32-44
Rb As Pts
2.0 2.2 3.7 7.2 5.7
- 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.8
GP Min
2pts
3pts
FT
Rb As Pts
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS
National Team STATS YEAR
COMPETITION
- Never played with the Senior National Team in official competition -
2.7 1.8 3.4 8.5 8.6
18
GP Min
11 23 15 28
2pts
20-39 34-72
3pts
6-25 17-50
FT
16-21 26-30
Rb As Pts
2.5 0.7 6.7 3.2 2.3 9.7
serbia
GROUP a
MISSION IMP Nothing has seemed impossible for this team in the past decade. However, the once feared Serbia has been on the decline for three years and desperately needs a strong showing in Spain to remain on the world basketball map. With a dilapidated roster, this seems to be an unlikely goal.
Biggest EuroBasket Success
It’s hard to name it: there have been so many successes. The former Yugoslavs, now Serbians, have been European Champions eight times (1973, 1975, 1977, 1989, 1991, 1995, 1997, 2001), but have also grabbed four silver and four bronze medals respectively. If one has to pick the brightest gold, it would have to be the spectacular 1995 outing in Athens. After having been barred from competing in 1993 due to the war-related international embargo against the then Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Yugoslavia came back with vengeance. They out-powered the competition in dominating fashion in the preliminary round and eliminated the host team Greece in the semis. What ensued was arguably the most spectacular final game in the history of EuroBasket against Lithuania. In an amazing display of firepower from both sides (Divac, Danilovic, Bodiroga, Djordjevic vs Sabonis, Marciulionis, Kurtinaitis and Karnisovas) and quite a lot of controversy (the Lithuanians had left the court at one point in protest over allegedly biased refereeing), it took a gargantuan performance by Alexander Djordjevic (41 points and nine three pointers) to give the "FRY" a victory and the gold medal.
Biggest EuroBasket Disaster
On the eve of the 2005 EuroBasket, Serbia (competing at the time as Serbia and Montenegro) was in a similar situation as today. After a disappointing sixth place at EuroBasket in Sweden two years earlier and an even poorer outing at the Athens Olympics in 2004 (11th), the
ROSTER Name
Height. Pos.
Aleksandar Rasic 1.95 Marko Jaric 1.98 Vuk Radivojevic 1.95 Milenko Tepic 2.00 Stefan Markovic 1.95 Uros Tripkovic 1.97 Aleksandar Pavlovic 2.01 Branko Cvetkovic 2.00 Milan Gurovic 2.07 Nemanja Aleksandrov 2.10 Tadija Dragicevic 2.05 Novica Velickovic 2.07 Dragan Labovic 2.07 Darko Milicic 2.13 Nenad Misanovic 2.17 Coach: Jasmin Repesa Assistant: Drazen Anzulovic
1 1/2 1/2 1/2 1 2 2/3 2/3 3 3/4 4 4 4 4/5 5
Birthdate Team 2006-07
16/03/84 12/10/78 30/07/83 27/02/87 25/04/88 11/09/86 15/11/83 05/03/84 17/08/75 10/04/87 28/01/86 05/10/86 20/04/87 20/06/85 11/06/84
Efes Pilsen (TUR) Minnesota Timberwolves (NBA) Red Star Belgrade (SER) Partizan Belgrade (SER) Hemofarm Vrsac (SER) Partizan Belgrade SER Cleveland Cavaliers (NBA) FMP Zeleznik (SER) Red Star Belgrade (SER) Red Star Belgrade (SER) Partizan Belgrade (SER) Partizan Belgrade (SER) FMP Zeleznik (SER) Orlando Magic (NBA) Red Star Belgrade (SER)
Darko Milicic
Last 10 FIBA events Year Event
2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997
20
World Championship EuroBasket Olympics EuroBasket World Championship EuroBasket Olympics EuroBasket World Championship EuroBasket
Place
Saitama Belgrade Athens Stockholm Indianapolis Istanbul Sydney Paris Athens Barcelona
Achievement
11th 12th 11th 6th Gold Medal Gold Medal 6th Bronze Medal Gold Medal Gold Medal
shooting guard position. The biggest name, however, alongside Darko Milicic, will be Milan Gurovic, this year’s top forward in Europe, who will try to translate his shooting excellence and charisma into National Team effectiveness.
still to be feared Serbs badly needed a boost. Where better than in front of their own crowd in Belgrade, the capital of “Basketball Land”? Alas, it all went wrong from the start. The team’s superstar Stojakovic earned the nation’s wrath for not coming because of his “need to rest”, the aging leader Bodiroga was just a shadow of his usual self and the younger generation that was to replace them proved not to be up to the task. The Serbs were eliminated in the preliminary round by France and to make things worse coach Zeljko Obradovic, in an emotional press conference revealed all of his team’s dirty laundry. He cited a lack of chemistry, inflated egos, immature behaviour and fist fights in the locker room for making EuroBasket 2005 an event most Serbians would rather forget.
Likely Squad
Everything related to this year’s Serbian team is a question mark. As outlined above, the biggest NBA stars, Stojakovic and Krstic, will not be around. With them healthy and in the starting lineup, Serbia would likely be a top-five contender for this year’s EuroBasket. Krstic’s fellow New Jersey Nets collegue, the giant (215 cm) Mile Ilic, is also absent. The same for the Lakers’ Vladimir Radmanovic. For the first time in years, Serbs will lack centimeters: Partizan’s big man Kosta Perovic has signed for the Warriors and preferred to practice his game than to serve his country. The only true remaining center is Red Star’s Nenad Misanovic, a skinny rookie, whose main asset is size (217 cm, just like Perovic) and good hands at both ends of the floor. At power forward, the hole left by Milojevic’s absence will be filled by Red Star’s young guns Nemanja Aleksandrov and Tadija Dragicevic, as well as the versatile Zoran Erceg and Dragan Labovic from FMP. At small forward, Gurovic will be the man, to be seconded by FMP’s shooter and slasher Branko Cvetkovic, who can play both on the “three” and “two” positions, just like Pavlovic. The biggest changes are in the backcourt: no Igor Rakocevic, Milos Vujanic, Vule Avdalovic and Marko Marinovic. Who will play then, you ask? Uros Tripkovic will be the prime scoring option, although he is plagued by injuries. His Partizan colleague Milenko Tepic is yet another youngster eager to prove himself at the highest level. Minnesota’s veteran Marko Jaric is back after a two-year break. They will probably be assisted by the rising star of the Yugoslav league – 20-year old Milos Teodosic. The FMP point guard will play alongside his former teammate Aleksandar Rasic from Efes Pilsen. The Serbs have, as outline above, undergone a complete facelift.
Best Individual Performance/Best Player of All-Time
Aleksandar Djordjevic has etched his name in Serbia basketball history after several breathtaking buzzer-beaters and countless clutch performances both in the jersey of the National Team and with the European clubs he has played for during his illustrious career. Serbia has had many tremendous players and it is perhaps impossible to determine the very best one. With Partizan, Fortitudo Bologna, the Portland Trailblazers, Barcelona, Real Madrid, Scavolini Pesaro and Armani Jeans Milano, Djordjevic has stood out for his personal charisma and fantastic longevity. Ever since that fateful night in Istanbul in 1992 when he hit a running three-pointer at the buzzer to give Partizan its first and only European crown, Sasha Djordjevic has been a difference maker. Off the court, he has always been a gentleman and an active philanthropist, admired by teammates and opponents alike. Many in Serbia fear that they will never have a player like Djordjevic in their ranks again.
Scouting report
At the World Championship in Japan, Serbia’s only player playing in the national league was the still tender Uros Tripkovic. All their other performers came from the NBA or European powerhouses. Nothing unusual for a gifted nation one would say, which was, after all, always plagued by premature departures of their best talents. But did this situation bring any good? Judging by recent results, hardly. Since few of the “foreign legionaires” were stars in their respective teams, Serbia badly lacked clutch performers to takeover the reigns of the team from a constantly double-teamed Igor Rakocevic. Unfortunately, this year’s top scorer of the Euroleague will skip the EuroBasket due to a muscle injury. Who is going to step up in instead? Darko Milicic has been impressive in the paint last time we saw him at the World’s, but wouldn’t he be even more dangerous coupled with Nenad Krstic? Unfortunately, New Jersey’s young center missed most of the season due to a knee injury and will not travel to Spain. The same can be said about sharp-shooter Peja Stojakovic, who is out with a herniated disc and hasn’t seen much action with the New Orleans Hornets. Dejan Milojevic, who was to be one of the pillars of the team on both ends of the floor, has indicated that he would skip the competition in Spain due to an operation. On the other hand, a much needed offensive spark could come from Cleveland’s Aleksandar Pavlovic, the Montenegrin-born slasher/shooter who played an unexpectedly solid role for the Cavs alongside Lebron James and shall be competing for the starting job at the ACCUMULATED
How did they qualify?
Qualified for the 2006 FIBA World Championship in Japan as the 2002 World Champion. This gave them an automatic berth to EuroBasket 2005.
EuroBasket 2005
Tied at the 9th place (5 W – 1 L)
Results
Date Sept-16th 2005 Sept-17th 2005 Sept-18th 2005 Sept-20th 2005
Game Spain b. Serbia & Montenegro Serbia & Montenegro b. Israel Serbia & Montenegro b. Latvia France b. Serbia & Montenegro
Result 89-70 93-77 82-67 74-71
Player Igor Rakocevic Darko Milicic Ognjen Askrabic Vule Avdalovic Bojan Popovic Marko Marinovic Uros Tripkovic Miroslav Raicevic Goran Nikolic Branko Jorovic Mile Ilic Kosta Perovic TOTALS
serbia
POSSIBLE
Prediction
It’s been some time since Serbia was considered a favourite at an elite international competition. One can’t always count on past fame, so there will be no wild card for Beijing in 2008 for the Serbs. In Spain, they need a strong showing and a medal if possible, to return to the international basketball map. With its best players, it could be done. If injuries do take their toll and Serbia comes to EuroBasket devoid of its main assets, qualifying for the next round will be deemed a miracle.
STATISTICS IN QUALIFYING ROUND G Min FG 6 30 38-70 6 32 43-93 4 22 16-23 6 18 13-29 6 23 10-30 5 11 11-23 6 16 12-32 6 22 12-32 6 19 14-30 3 18 5-9 3 9 3-7 6 4 2-5 6 - 179-383
21
% 3pts 54.3 12-26 46.2 3-11 69.6 2-2 44.8 4-11 33.3 3-11 47.8 6-14 37.5 8-18 37.5 2-8 46.7 0-2 55.6 4-6 42.9 - 40.0 - 46.7 44-109
FT Rb As 22-27 3.5 1.7 8-12 9.3 1.8 4-8 4.8 2.0 10-13 1.3 1.7 17-20 3.0 2.0 4-5 0.4 1.0 2-4 1.0 0.5 7-9 4.0 0.8 3-3 3.7 1.3 - 1.7 - 1-2 3.3 1.0 4-6 1.2 0.3 82-109 33.0 12.8
St 0.7 0.7 0.8 0.8 1.7 0.8 0.2 0.7 0.5 1.7 0.3 - 7.3
BS TO - 3.0 2.8 2.3 - 1.8 - 1.0 0.2 1.3 - 1.6 - 0.5 0.2 1.3 1.0 0.5 - 0.0 1.3 0.7 0.2 0.5 5.0 13.3
Pts 18.3 16.2 9.5 6.7 6.7 6.4 5.7 5.5 5.2 4.7 2.3 1.3 80.7
GROUP a
TEAM STAR Milan
GUROVIC Height: 2.07 Position: Small forward Date of birth: 17/08/75 Place of birth: Novi Sad Team 2006-07: CRVENA ZVEZDA Belgrade (Serbia-Superleague). Career: Peristeri (Greece-ESAKE, 1994-98), F.C. Barcelona (Spain-Liga ACB, 1998-2000), AEK Athens (Greece-ESAKE, 2000-01), Unicaja Malaga (Spain-Liga ACB, 2001-02), Vojvodina Novi Sad (Serbia & Montenegro-YUBA League, 2003-04), Partizan Belgrade (Serbia & Montenegro-YUBA League, 2004-05), Joventut Badalona (Spain-Liga ACB, 2004-05), Crvena Zvezda Belgrade (Serbia-Superleague, 2005-07).
G
urovic is the top shooter in Europe, period. Red Star’s best player is coming off the best season of his career. At 207 cm, he is a match-up nightmare who can quickly kill the opponent with a barrage of “in your face” three pointers. It’s exactly what Milan did all year, earning the honor of ULEB Cup MVP honours during the regular season. With 270 points in 10 games, Gurovic posted records for the highest scoring total and average in any of his five regular seasons played so far. What’s more, no player in either the ULEB Cup or the Euroleague has finished a regular season with a higher scoring average this decade. With the absence of Peja Stojakovic, Gurovic will find himself as the principal go-to-guy of the National Team. That is not to say that every ball will go to him, but Milan will definitely get a lot of touches. Not that anyone would mind. Still vidid are memories of his fantastic shooting night at the World Championship five years ago, when his four consecutive three pointers sunk the American team in the quarter-finals. Gurovic was somewhat on the decline since – his shooting percentages plummeted and so did his confidence. However, the previous two seasons with Red Star were arguably the best in his career and he was rewarded this summer by a lucrative contract for the ambitious Polish Euroleague team from Sopot. At 32, Gurovic did not expect he would spend the summer practicing with talented kids seeking to make up for the gigantic gap left with the absence of the likes of Stojakovic, Nenad Krstic, Vladimir Radmanovic or Igor Rakocevic. Gurovic was actually ambiguous about joining the National Team until the very last minute. A popular figure in Belgrade – where he is idolized by Red Star fans for his shooting and trash talking antics and loathed by Partizan supporters who have composed particularly offensive chants to irritate him – Milan was talking about quitting Serbian basketball for good after the playoff finals in which his team – again – lost to Partizan. Gurovic was the centerpoint of the series, not only due to his incredible scoring, but also for his criticism of the referees and the Serbian Basketball Federation. However, it seems that equally flamboyant coach Slavnic managed to pursue Gurovic to “play for the greater good” of the nation. Gurovic finally decided he would participate at EuroBasket 2007.
NATIONAL TEAM STATS YEAR
1999 2001 2003 2005
COMPETITION
EuroBasket EuroBasket EuroBasket EuroBasket
GP Min
7 6 7 3
16 19 33 19
2pts
3pts
FT
12-19 10-18 6-20 5-10
0-5 10-23 20-47 4-10
4-5 13-16 22-31 5-5
2pts
3pts
FT
Rb As Pts
3.0 2.2 3.7 2.7
0.3 1.2 0.6 0.3
4.0 10.5 13.4 9.0
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
1996-97 1997-98 1998-99 1999-00 2000-01 2000-01 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07
22
GP Min
Peristeri Athens (Korac Cup) 11 Peristeri Athens (Korac Cup) 11 F.C. Barcelona (Korac Cup) 16 F.C. Barcelona (Euroleague) 24 AEK Athens (Euroleague) 4 Pallacanestro Trieste (Korac Cup) 5 Unicaja Malaga (Euroleague) 11 Unicaja Malaga (Euroleague) 16 Vojvodina Novi Sad (FEL) 14 Partizan Belgrade (Euroleague) 6 Crvena Zvezda (ULEB Cup) 14 Crvena Zvezda (ULEB Cup) 14
29 47-68 10-16 27-36 33 63-89 12-42 65-85 28 50-88 25-72 54-67 23 34-76 40-107 33-44 22 8-16 6-15 18-23 28 17-32 13-27 21-23 23 35-104 16-50 38-46 24 27-55 33-84 50-61 36 30-68 30-92 93-119 28 15-55 8-34 17-23 34 34-67 37-105 54-76 37 55-99 44-122 120-140
Rb As Pts
5.0 5.5 2.9 2.7 2.5 4.2 3.9 3.4 3.9 2.3 6.1 5.3
0.3 0.7 0.9 0.8 0.3 0.4 0.6 0.7 1.1 1.0 1.6 0.8
13.7 20.6 14.3 9.2 13.0 18.8 11.3 12.7 17.4 9.2 16.6 25.9
DARKO
JARIC
MILICIC
Height: 1.98 (6-6) Position: Point guard / Shooting guard Date of birth: 12/10/1978 Place of birth: Belgrade Club Team 2005-07: MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES (NBA) Career: Peristeri (Greece-ESAKE, 1996-98), Fortitudo Bologna (Italy-Lega, 1998-2000), Virtus Bologna (Italy-Lega, 2000-02), Los Angeles Clippers (NBA, 2002-05), Minnesota Timberwolves (NBA, 2005-07). Selected in the second round of the 2002 NBA draft (#30), by the Los Angeles Clippers.
Height: 2.12 Position: Center Date of birth: 20/06/85 Place of birth: Novi Sad Team 2006-07: ORLANDO MAGIC (USANBA). Career: Hemofarm Vrsac (Serbia & Montenegro-YUBA League, 2001-03, Detroit Pistons (USA-NBA, 2003-05), Orlando Magic (2005-07). Selected in the first round of the 2003 NBA Draft (#2), by the Detroit Pistons.
M
eet the starting center of the newly independent Serbia: Darko Milicic. If it hadn’t been for Igor Rakocevic, Darko Milicic would have been Serbia’s best player at last summer’s World Championship. Nevertheless, Milicic can today proudly ask if there is anyone better? The 22-year-old is coming off of a promising post-season in the NBA with Orlando Magic, during which he has shown flashes of brilliance. As in previous years, the Serbian giant was one of the top players on his team in terms of minutes played. Often accused of lacking fire, Darko demonstrated he could play with the necessary ferocity and proved a menace on both ends of the floor. His rookie performance in Japan was a success and now he is ready to take control and be a go-toguy.
M
arko has had a tough season with the Timberwolves, plagued by nagging injuries and a disappointing non-qualification for the playoffs. He will try to redeem himself with the National Team after consecutive setbacks the last three years. Marko is do-all point guard who, thanks to a unique combination of height and quickness, can be a match-up nightmare for opponents. If the National Team is to do better than last year in Japan – where he didn’t play - Marko has to get back in the saddle. His country badly needs his hustle and enthusiasm, as well as a solid veteran to lead the young team. When it comes to popularity, Marko Jaric is definitely the biggest star on the team, especially if you ask the ladies. He inherited talent and charm from his father Srecko, who was one of the best players in Yugoslavia during the 70’s. Along with many other teenagers at the beginning of the 90’s, Jaric left his country which was troubled with war and UN sanctions. Jaric found sanctuary in Greece and was given citizenship. Marko was a member of the 2001 EuroBasket and 2002 World Championship gold medal teams and the only player to ever win back-to-back Italian League Championships with two different teams (2001 with Kinder Bologna and 2000 with Fortitudo Bologna). Jaric is a modern playmaker whose height plus his quickness put him in front of the competition.
NATIONAL TEAM STATS YEAR
2005 2006
COMPETITION
EuroBasket World Championship
SEASON CLUB (Competition)
2001 2002 2003 2005
EuroBasket World Championship EuroBasket EuroBasket
GP Min
6 9 5 4
24 25 32 31
2pts
3pts
13-31 13-30 17-29 12-20
2-12 12-23 7-21 3-16
2pts
3pts
FT
5-6 20-28 13-19 12-22
3.8 2.9 4.0 4.3
3pts
5-8 40-82
- 3-11
GP Min
2pts
3pts
GP Min
2pts
3pts
FT
8-8 8-12
Rb As Pts
4.0 - 4.5 9.3 1.8 16.2
1-2 3-5
FT
16-26 51-71
Rb As Pts
4.7 0.4 7.9 6.8 1.7 13.4
NBA STATS 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2005-06 2006-07
Rb As Pts
2.3 3.1 6.0 1.8
2pts
4 10 6 32
2001-02 Hemofarm Vrsac (Korac Cup) 9 21 26-46 2002-03 Hemofarm Vrsac (FIBA Cup) 18 24 91-154 SEASON CLUB (Competition)
COMPETITION
GP Min
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS
NATIONAL TEAM STATS YEAR
serbia
MARKO
6.2 9.1 13.6 11.3
Detroit Pistons Detroit Pistons Detroit Pistons Orlando Magic Orlando Magic
34 5 17-64 37 7 25-76 25 6 17-31 30 21 102-201 73 24 230-518
0-1 - 0-2 - 0-1
FT
14-24 17-24 3-8 25-42 132-214
Rb As Pts
1.3 1.2 1.1 4.1 5.5
0.2 0.2 0.4 1.1 1.1
1.4 1.8 1.5 7.6 8.1
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
1996-97 1997-98 1998-99 1999-00 2000-01 2001-02
GP Min
Peristeri Athens (Korac Cup) 11 Peristeri Athens (Korac Cup) 12 Fortitudo Bologna (Euroleague) 22 Fortitudo Bologna (Euroleague) 20 Virtus Bologna (Euroleague) 10 Virtus Bologna (Euroleague) 21
13 8-16 1-2 27 21-46 0-5 19 39-82 11-36 25 46-84 17-51 26 24-48 2-17 28 105-219 19-71
FT
8-14 29-42 33-47 30-42 18-27 47-79
Rb As Pts
0.9 3.3 1.8 2.5 2.1 4.3
1.0 1.3 1.1 1.0 2.6 2.5
2.5 5.9 6.5 8.7 7.2 13.1
NBA STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07
L.A. Clippers L.A. Clippers L.A. Clippers Minnesota Tmberwolves Minnesota Tmberwolves
GP Min
66 58 50 75 70
21 30 33 28 22
2pts
126-280 134-327 133-306 186-433 104-240
3pts
FT
53-166 79-105 51-150 74-101 56-151 59-82 40-133 95-138 32-85 67-88
Rb As Pts
2.4 3.0 3.2 3.1 2.6
2.9 4.8 6.1 3.9 2.1
7.4 8.5 9.9 7.8 5.3
COACH: Zoran Slavnic Nationality: Serbian Date of birth: 26/10/1949 Place of birth: Belgrade Club Team 2005-06: Players’ career: Partizan (Yugoslavia-YUBA, 1972-1988), Red Star (Yugoslavia-YUBA, 1988-89), Sibenka (Yugoslavia-YUBA, 1989-90), Buducnost (Greece-ESAKE, 1990-91), Unicaja (Greece-ESAKE, 1992-93), Joventut (Greece-ESAKE, 1993-94), Dafni (Greece-ESAKE, 1994-95), Beobanka (Greece-ESAKE, 1995-97), Iraklis (Greece-ESAKE, 1998-2000), Bamberg (Greece-ESAKE, 2000-01), Atlas (Greece-ESAKE, 2001-03). Coaching career: -
O
ne of the top European playmakers in the seventies, Zoran Slavnic served as an inspiration for many kids of the Yugoslav “Golden Generation” that dominated basketball during most of the nineties. A great motivator and showman, but also the “enfant terrible” of Yugoslav basketball, Slavnic returns to the coaching ranks after a four-year hiatus. People in Serbia give him credit because he was the only person who actually volunteered to take the ungrateful job of national coach at a time when Serbia’s foremost players and coaching legends have parted with the side for various reasons. “Moka” is on a mission to secure a berth for the Beijing Olympics. Failing to do that but promoting a couple of young stars for a brighter future – which was his coaching trademark – would also be quite a feat.
23
GROUP a
STEFAN
UROS
Height: 1.95
Height: 1.97 Position: Shooting guard Date of birth: 11/09/86 Place of birth: Cacak Team 2006-07: PARTIZAN Belgrade (SerbiaSuperleague). Career: Partizan Belgrade (Serbia-
MARKOVIC
TRIPKOVIC
Position: Point Guard/Shooting Guard Date of birth: 25/04/88 Place of birth: Belgrade Team 2006-07: Hemofarm Vrsac (Serbia - Superleague). Career: Atlas Belgrade (Serbia Superleague 2004-06), Hemofarm Vrsac (Serbia - Superleague 2006-07).
Superleague, 2002-07).
S
S
erbia has waited a long time for a quality two-guard to replace famed shooters such as Peja Stojakovic, Vlado Scepanovic, Milan Gurovic or Miroslav Beric. When Uros Tripkovic emerged a couple of years ago as the leader of a new generation, he was the embodiment of the hope that the art of shooting is not lost in Serbia. For starters, Tripkovic is a native of Cacak, the birthplace of other long bombers such as Dragan Kicanovic and Zeljko Obradovic. After having been widely considered as the best shooting guard in the country at just 21 years of age, Tripkovic has been somewhat slow in advancing to another level. His latest season was lukewarm as the young gunner seemed uninterested in trying to post better than average numbers. EuroBasket will be an opportunity to prove he is more than just a talent.
tefan is the biggest question mark of the reshuffled Serbian team. Namely, few people in Serbia have heard of him, although he had a satisfactory season with Hemofarm. The 19-year old has even started in stretches of the season for Vrsac and managed to post very solid numbers in the ULEB Cup. Markovic has excellent size and athleticism for a point guard, as well as a good handle and shooting mechanics. He also looks comfortable as a starting point guard, taking good decisions and showing surprising maturity. He is by no means a defensive liability. Despite his young age, don’t expect him to back down from the fight for the Serbian roster, although he’s among the underdogs on the list.
NATIONAL TEAM STATS YEAR
-
COMPETITION
GP Min
2pts
3pts
FT
Never played with the Senior National Team in official competition -
NATIONAL TEAM STATS
Rb As Pts
YEAR
2006
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
GP Min
2006-07 Hemofarm Vrsac (ULEB Cup) 8 26
2pts
12-16
3pts
5-12
FT
6-14
COMPETITION
World Championship
SEASON CLUB (Competition)
2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07
2002-03 Vojvodina Novi Sad (FIBA Cup) 6 10 2006-07 Partizan Belgrade (Euroleague) 20 20
2pts
3pts
FT
Rb As Pts
2pts
3pts
FT
Rb As Pts
- 9-32
1-1 30-43
FT
- - 27-76 22-77 33-95
- - 31-32 13-20 27-34
Rb As Pts
0.3 - 2.0 - 1.3 1.4 10.7 1.3 1.9 10.3 2.1 1.2 10.0
NATIONAL TEAM STATS YEAR
1-9 20-54
3pts
B
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS GP Min
2pts
2 0-1 2 0-1 26 46-127 28 22-54 25 32-74
efore last summer, Branko Cvetkovic was far from a household name, even in Serbia. The young Zeleznik guard then made a name for himself after an excellent performance in the National Team’s preparation stage. Unfortunately, he was sidelined with a back injury, which meant he had to skip the World Championship in Japan. This year, after being the leading scorer for FMP Zeleznik, the gunner from the Belgrade suburbs is a serious candidate for backup shooting guard. Cvetkovic is tall, strong, can shoot the lights out on any given night, runs the break and plays defense. What more can a coach expect? On the downside, this would be Branko’s rookie showing with the National Team, so his ability to perform at the top level is somewhat in doubt.
NATIONAL TEAM STATS
SEASON CLUB (Competition)
GP Min
Rb As Pts
1.0 0.5 5.7
Height: 2.00 Position: Shooting guard Date of birth: 05/03/84 Place of birth: Gracanica Team 2006-07: FMP ZELEZNIK (SerbiaSuperleague). Career: Borac Cacak (Serbia-D2, 2001-05), FMP Zeleznik (Serbia-Superleague, 2005-07).
P
GP Min
2-4
CVETKOVIC
artizan’s guard was been one of the leaders of the U20 Serbian team that won the European crown in Turkey last summer. Tepic is an athletic combo guard with good size and skills. He is a decent shooter and passer and can be effective on both ends of the floor. In the Euroleague last season, he had pretty discrete statistics and very often seemed impressed by the magnitude of the competition. If he is to live up to his potential, Milenko must be more aggressive and assertive offensively. If he makes the National Team, he will probably be a reserve. In any case, the EuroBasket will definitely serve as a valuable experience for the young guard, who is set to become starter for his club team next season.
COMPETITION
FT
8-18
BRANKO
Height: 1.91 Position: Point guard/Shooting guard Date of birth: 27/02/87 Place of birth: Novi Sad Team 2006-07: Partizan Belgrade (Serbia - Superleague). Career: Vojvodina Novi Sad (Serbia Superleague, 2000-06), Partizan Belgrade (Serbia-Superleague 2006-2007).
Never played with the Senior National Team in official competition -
3pts
4-14
Partizan Belgrade (Euroleague) 3 Partizan Belgrade (Euroleague) 1 Partizan Belgrade (Euroleague) 14 Partizan Belgrade (Euroleague) 12 Partizan Belgrade (Euroleague) 19
TEPIC
-
2pts
6 16
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS
Rb As Pts
1.8 2.5 5.6
MILENKO
YEAR
GP Min
COMPETITION
GP Min
2pts
3pts
FT
- Never played with the Senior National Team in official competition -
1.8 - 0.5 2.2 1.4 4.9
Rb As Pts
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
2005-06 FMP Zeleznik (ULEB Cup) 2006-07 FMP Zeleznik (ULEB Cup)
24
GP Min
12 20 14 26
2pts
18-29 34-68
3pts
5-19 25-56
FT
19-27 53-64
Rb As Pts
2.2 0.4 5.8 2.4 0.8 14.0
TADIJA
PAVLOVIC
DRAGIĆEVIĆ
Height: 2.02 Position: Shooting guard / small forward Date of birth: 15/11/83 Place of birth: Bar Team 2006-07: CLEVELAND CAVALIERS (USA-NBA). Career: Buducnost Podgorica (Serbia & Montenegro-YUBA League, 2000-03), Utah Jazz (USA-NBA, 2003-04), Cleveland Cavaliers (USA-NBA, 2004-07). Selected in the first round of the 2003 NBA Draft (#19) by the Utah Jazz.
Height: 2.05 Position: Power forward Date of birth: 28/01/86 Place of birth: Cacak Team 2006-07: Red Star Belgrade (Serbia -Superleague). Career: KK Borac Cacak (SerbiaSuperleague, 2004-05), Mega Ishrana (Serbia-Superleague, 2005-06), Red Star Belgrade (Serbia –Superleague 2006-2007).
T
adija Dragicevic can’t come to his senses. His plan for the summer was to work hard polishing his skills to fill the void left by the departure of his Red Star teammate Milan Gurovic to Poland. Dragicevic will be practicing all right, but with the National Team of Serbia! Plagued with injuries and with his main assets giving up the European Championship, coach Slavnic must resort to young guns. Tadija is definitely one of them. Red Star’s power forward is a tough and versatile big man who can bang inside, score in multiple ways under the basket, but also step out and shoot the three. Dragicevic will be thrown into action with the best players in Europe, but that’s exactly what he needs to ascend to a higher level.
I
f anyone’s season could be described as a breakout one, it’s that of Sasha Pavlovic. His numbers are not spectacular (9.0 ppg, 1.6 apg and 1.5 spg) but Pavlovic has actually doubled his scoring average, stolen twice as many balls as last season and dished out three times more assists in an average of just seven more minutes on the court. Playing alongside LeBron James has given Pavlovic the opportunity to learn and grow as a player and has made him a valuable asset for the Serbian National Team. He can shoot the three, slash to the basket with confidence, play defense and energizes the team when he is on the court. Finally, he has earned the sympathy of the public by expressly stating he would play for the Serbia instead, of Montenegro (Pavlovic was born in Bar, Montenegro but still considers himself a Serb).
NATIONAL TEAM STATS YEAR
NATIONAL TEAM STATS YEAR
2004
COMPETITION
Olympic Games
GP Min
4 15
2pts
7-12
3pts
FT
-
1.8 0.8 3.5
GP Min
2pts
3pts
FT
Rb As Pts
0-2
SEASON CLUB (Competition)
2001-02 Buducnost Podgorica (Euroleague) 3 2 2002-03 Buducnost Podgorica (Euroleague) 13 20
0-3 40-74
0-1 10-34
- 16-25
3pts
FT
GP Min
2pts
3pts
FT
Rb As Pts
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
COMPETITION
- Never played with the Senior National Team in official competition -
Rb As Pts
2006-07 Crvena Zvezda (ULEB Cup)
GP Min
13 18
2pts
23-44
3pts
15-43
FT
22-32
Rb As Pts
3.6 0.6 8.7
- - 1.4 1.0 9.7
NBA STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07
Utah Jazz Cleveland Cavaliers Cleveland Cavaliers Cleveland Cavaliers
GP Min
79 65 53 60
14 13 15 22
2pts
130-306 90-198 52-116 136-297
19-70 65-84 30-78 44-64 35-96 32-49 52-130 82-106
Rb As Pts
2.0 1.1 1.5 2.2
0.8 0.8 0.5 1.5
4.8 4.8 4.5 8.5
NEMANJA
NOVICA
ALEKSANDROV
VELICKOVIC
Height: 2.10 Position: Small Forward/Power Forward Date of birth: 13/07/87 Place of birth: Belgrade Team 2006-07: RED STAR BELGRADE (Serbia-Superleague). Career: FMP Zeleznik (Serbia Superleague, 2004 -2006), Red Star Belgrade (Serbia-Superleague), 2006-07.
Superleague, 2004-07).
V
elickovic who? Petar is surely the lowest profile player for Serbia, including Markovic and Radivojevic. He’s a banger with a nice shooting stroke who likes to play defense and isn’t afraid to score when needed. However, he is merely average at the European level and is not considered among the most talented big men in Serbia. But the situation is alarming in the Serbian National Team as the stars have cancelled their participation for Spain and coach Slavnic hasn’t got much choice. Velickovic will be competing with his peers Aleksandrov and Dragicevic for the power forward spot, trying to fill at least a portion of the huge gap left with the absence of Radmanovic, Milojevic, Krstic and the like. Definitely not someone one should expect miracles of.
T
hree years ago, Nemanja Aleksandrov was hailed as the next big thing from Europe, aspiring to be picked in the NBA lottery. Today, he is merely a talented young swingman, fighting for time on the court. What happened in the meantime? Nemanja injured his knee and didn’t see any action for almost 15 months. He quickly disappeared from the radar of NBA scouts. Aleksandrov was given some legitimate playing time in the second part of the season with Red Star and showed glimpses of his God-given talent. However, doubts remain over his capacity to live up to his former reputation. Once considered the top Serbian talent in the last decade, Aleksandrov will most probably make the roster in Spain, which will be a excellent opportunity to get back on the basketball map.
NATIONAL TEAM STATS YEAR
COMPETITION
NATIONAL TEAM STATS GP Min
2pts
3pts
FT
Rb As Pts
2pts
3pts
FT
Rb As Pts
- Never played with the Senior National Team in official competition -
YEAR
2003-04 FMP Zeleznik (ULEB Cup) 2004-05 FMP Zeleznik (ULEB Cup) 2006-07 Crvena Zvezda (ULEB Cup)
GP Min
1 10 10 20 4 8
COMPETITION
GP Min
2pts
3pts
2pts
3pts
FT
- Never played with the Senior National Team in official competition -
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
Height: 2.07 Position: Power Forward Date of birth: 05/10/86 Place of birth: Belgrade Team 2006-07: PARTIZAN BELGRADE (Serbia-Superleague). Career: Partizan Belgrade (Serbia-
Rb As Pts
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS 0-1 17-53 3-5
0-1 6-16 2-6
- 10-16 2-2
SEASON CLUB (Competition)
1.0 - 3.6 0.4 5.0 0.8 - 3.5
GP Min
2005-06 Partizan Belgrade (Euroleague) 12 4 2006-07 Partizan Belgrade (Euroleague) 20 7
25
4-5 17-34
1-2 3-6
FT
1-3 13-25
Rb As Pts
0.5 - 1.0 1.8 0.3 2.8
serbia
aleksandar
GROUP a
DRAGAN
VUK
LABOVIC
RADIVOJEVIC
Height: 2.07 Position: Power forward/center Date of birth: 20/04/87 Place of birth: Prokuplje. Team 2006-07: FMP ZELEZNIK (Serbia Superleague). Career: Zdravlje Leskovac (SerbiaSuperleague 2001-02), Borac Cacak (Serbia-D2, 2002-05), FMP Zeleznik (Serbia-Superleague, 2006-07).
Height: 2.15 Position: Center Date of birth: 30/07/83 Place of birth: Belgrade Team 2006-07: RED STAR BELGRADE (Serbia-Superleague). Career: Sloga Kraljevo (SerbiaSuperleague, 2002-03), Red Star Belgrade (2004-07).
A
nother anonymous player from the European perspective who has been thrown in the fire to replace his much more famous peers, Vuk Radivojevic is not even considered to belong to better outside players in the Serbian league. He is technically solid, has a nice first step and slashing ability, but is an average shooter and passer. However, Radivojevic was unexpectedly the best player for Red Star in the playoff finals and their top scorer, demonstrating he can get on fire when inspired. His main quality is aggressiveness, competitiveness and mental toughness. He fears no one and can be decisive in the clutch. If he makes it to Spain for the EuroBasket, be sure he won’t be impressed by the magnitude of the event. He signed a contract with Fuenlabrada in the ACB League for next season.
D
ragan Labovic is another young star who is one of the building blocks of the 1987 Serbian generation that has conquered Europe and snatched the cadet, junior and U20 titles of the continent. Dragan has shined at these stages thanks to his excellent skill set, basketball IQ and maturity. Those are useful characteristics in his pro career, where Labovic looks like a rather steady player for FMP Zeleznik. He is a versatile power forward and a versatile guy who can face the basket or play in the low post. He is also a decent outside shooter, creating convenient mismatches for his team. On the downside, he has average athleticism and leaping ability. Dragan suffers against stronger and quicker forwards and that is the reason he is not considered a NBA prospect.
NATIONAL TEAM STATS YEAR
NATIONAL TEAM STATS YEAR
COMPETITION
GP Min
2pts
3pts
FT
Rb As Pts
2pts
3pts
FT
Rb As Pts
- Never played with the Senior National Team in official competition -
2003-04 FMP Zeleznik (ULEB Cup) 2004-05 FMP Zeleznik (ULEB Cup) 2006-07 FMP Zeleznik (ULEB Cup)
GP Min
1 1 1 4 16 22
1-2 - 38-80
- - 12-33
2-2 - 53-68
SEASON CLUB (Competition)
2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07
2.0 - 4.0 - - 3.9 1.1 10.3
Crvena Zvezda (ULEB Cup) Crvena Zvezda (ULEB Cup) Crvena Zvezda (ULEB Cup) Crvena Zvezda (ULEB Cup)
T
GP Min
10 10 14 14
22 27 19 28
2pts
17-33 33-91 14-38 21-45
3pts
6-21 12-49 14-34 15-38
FT
12-18 16-25 15-26 27-33
Rb As Pts
2.6 2.1 2.6 3.1
1.8 3.2 1.1 3.0
6.4 9.4 6.1 8.1
asic was perhaps the top player of Serbian powerhouse FMP Zeleznik last season. After standout games in the ULEB Cup and the Serbian league (he was named MVP of the Serbian Cup finals) Rasic was rewarded with a generous contract from Efes Pilsen. The native of Cacak simply exploded this year, showing excellent playmaking and scoring abilities, coupled with clutch moves in decisive moments. He plays point guard, but can shoot the lights out on a given night. Rasic is a decent leader and solid passer who stands on his own defensively. With the absence of the cream of the crop of Serbian guards, he legimately can aspire to make the roster for Spain.
NATIONAL TEAM STATS
NATIONAL TEAM STATS GP Min
2pts
3pts
FT
Rb As Pts
2pts
3pts
FT
Rb As Pts
- Never played with the Senior National Team in official competition -
YEAR
GP Min
2 3 1 5 14 13 12 10
2-6 1-2 30-40 16-22
- - - -
- 1-2 11-21 4-10
COMPETITION
GP Min
2pts
3pts
2pts
3pts
FT
- Never played with the Senior National Team in official competition -
Rb As Pts
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS Hemofarm Vrsac (FEL) Hemofarm Vrsac (ULEB Cup) Crvena Zvezda (ULEB Cup) Crvena Zvezda (ULEB Cup)
Rb As Pts
R
he tallest player of Serbia, period. True, it doesn’t tell us much about Misanovic, who is, nevertheless, the only center Serbia has available besides Darko Milicic. Nenad is a question mark on the European level. His height is obviously his biggest asset, but Misanovic is definitely not merely a big stiff. He has good hands and can finish in various ways on offense, when he is not pushed around by opponents. What’s more important, he has a nice shot-blocking feel that often changes the course of the attackers’ shots. On the downside, he is frail and skinny and has problem establishing his position. He can be a solid backup center, provided he bulks up during the preparations.
2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07
FT
Height: 1.95 Position: Center Date of birth: 16/03/84 Place of birth: Cacak. Team 2006-07: EFES PILSEN (Turkey). Career: Borac Cacak (Serbia – D2, 2003-04) FMP Zeleznik (Serbia-Superleague, 200407), moved to Efes Pilsen in Turkey late last season.
Height: 2.17 Position: Center Date of birth: 11/06/84 Place of birth: Bileca (BiH) Team 2006-07: Red Star Belgrade (SerbiaSuperleague). Career: Hemofarm Vrsac (Serbia Superleague, 2001-05), Red Star Belgrade (Serbia-Superleague, 2005-07).
SEASON CLUB (Competition)
3pts
RASIC
MISANOVIC
COMPETITION
2pts
ALEKSANDAR
NENAD
YEAR
GP Min
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
COMPETITION
- Never played with the Senior National Team in official competition -
SEASON CLUB (Competition)
2004-05 FMP Zeleznik (ULEB Cup) 2005-06 FMP Zeleznik (ULEB Cup) 2006-07 FMP Zeleznik (ULEB Cup)
2.5 - 2.0 - - 3.0 2.8 0.3 5.1 1.8 0.5 3.0
26
GP Min
7 7 11 19 16 3
3-11 7-15 24-52
2-5 7-25 20-58
FT
3-4 18-18 58-71
Rb As Pts
0.4 - 1.6 2.0 1.5 4.8 1.8 3.9 10.4
RUSSIA
GROUP A
Another com citizen and cat-quick combo guard JR Holden raised hopes of success for rookie coach Sergei Babkov and his team. Unfortunately, those high expectations were not to be realized. A quarter-final drama against Greece perfectly demonstrated the duality of the Russian team. Hard-nosed on the defensive end and limited on offense, the Russians didn’t shy away from the battle with the future European champions and even had a seven-point halftime lead. However, the lead was frittered away mainly due to the poor shot selection of Andrei Kirilenko, Viktor Khryapa and Holden. A loss to Lithuania would relegate the Russians to eighth place in the final standings.
David Blatt made a risky decision in agreeing to take over as coach of the Russian National Team. The drawn-out process of rebuilding the once great national side has already morphed Blatt’s new coaching position from desirable to repellent for local experts. But the American remembers the proverb nothing ventured, nothing gained.
Best Individual Performance/Best Player of All-Time
Sergei Belov was a member of the Soviet National Team for 14 years and led the USSR to gold at the 1972 Munich Olympics, four European and two World Championships. The final torchbearer at the 1980 Olympic Games in Moscow, Belov was the first European to be inducted to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. Known by some as “The Jerry West of Russia”, Belov was named the “Best European Player Ever” by FIBA and his impact on basketball history cannot be underestimated. The shooting guard of the future, Belov was way ahead of his time with his fabulous athletic abilities and “jack-of-all-trades” mentality. After finishing his playing career, Belov proved himself a successful coach bringing Russia two silver medals on the World Championship level (1994 and 1998) and EuroBasket bronze in 1997.
Biggest EuroBasket Success
The basketball world tends to see Russia as the heir to the great teams of the Soviet Union, but it would be unfair to the current team if all the pressure and expectations of 14 EuroBasket titles were placed on their shoulders. A fantastic silver debut of the newly independent country at EuroBasket 1993 in Germany was undoubtedly worth its weight in gold. On the eve of the tournament nobody was predicting much for coach Yuri Selikhov’s side. The mix of almost unknown youths like Mikhail Mikhailov, Andrei Fetisov, Vasily Karasev and Sergei Panov plus the battlehardened Sergei Bazarevich and Sergei Babkov didn’t look too attractive. The first few games seemed to prove the skeptics right – even managing a loss to a mediocre Sweden team. But after their lethargic start, the Russians strangely enough caught fire. Their momentum grew and soon they became almost unstoppable and unexpectedly made the final by beating the reigning Olympic silver medalists from Croatia in the semifinals. A last-second 71-70 loss at the hands of the hosts forced the Russians to end the tournament without a gold medal but with plenty of pride.
Scouting report
With a thin frontcourt and no pure point guards with experience, the backbone of the Russians is defensive intensity. Few teams feature such a depth of defensive specialists like Kirilenko, Holden, Khryapa and Samoylenko, so Blatt will try to maximize their talents. There is also a fair amount of speed and athleticism on the roster but that’s where the good news ends. A tendency to struggle on the boards can become a bigger issue on a cold shooting night which, by the way, can be expected from the Russians with their lack of shooters. However, Blatt’s decision to omit Fedor Likholitov illustrated his unwillingness to change course and a solid team rebounding effort is now vital for Russia. But what is most important is what Andre Kirilenko brings to the table after a down season in the NBA. In the past he has been criticized for falling in love with his less-then-reliable shooting stroke.
Biggest EuroBasket Disaster
Likely Squad
EuroBasket 2005 in Belgrade looked like it could be a coming out party for the Russian team. Three players from the NBA, a quartet of unselfish veterans plus newly-minted
You wouldn’t like to be in David Blatt’s shoes. It’s hard to have much confidence when two of your three stars are coming off their worst seasons ever. Andrei Kirilenko spent most of the regular season arguing with Utah coach Jerry Sloan because of his limited offensive role and finished with the lowest numbers of his NBA career. Viktor Khryapa has been buried on the end of the Chicago Bulls bench and moreover it seems that only the more stable CSKA duo of JR Holden and Alexei Savrasenko can cheer Blatt up a little. This year was awful for the likes of Sergei Monya, Yaroslav Korolev
ROSTER Player
Height Position Birthdate Team 2006-07
J.R. Holden 1.85 1 10/08/76 CSKA Moscow Petr Samoylenko 1.85 1 07/02/77 Unics Kazan Anton Ponkrashov 2.00 1/2 23/04/86 CSKA Moscow Nikolai Padius 1.97 2 01/09/80 Dynamo Moscow Region Vitali Fridzon 1.95 2 14/10/85 BC Khimki Moscow Region Sergei Bykov 1.90 2 26/02/83 Dynamo Moscow Zakhar Pashutin 1.96 2 03/05/74 CSKA Moscow Sergei Monya 2.02 3 15/04/83 Dynamo Moscow Andrei Kirilenko 2.05 3/4 18/02/81 Utah Jazz (USA) Viktor Khryapa 2.04 3/4 03/08/82 Chicago Bulls (USA) Vladimir Dyachok 2.04 3/4 22/09/80 BC Khimki Moscow Region Nikita Shabalkin 2.06 4 09/10/86 CSK VVS-Samara Fedor Dmitriev 2.05 4 19/11/84 Spartak St. Petersburg Nikita Morgunov 2.11 4/5 29/06/75 Dynamo Moscow Region Alexei Savrasenko 2.15 5 28/02/79 CSKA Moscow Coach: David Blatt Assistant Coaches: Evgeni Pashutin, Evgeni Burin and Francesco Cuzzolin
Last 10 events Year Event
2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997
28
World Championship EuroBasket Olympics EuroBasket World championship EuroBasket Olympics EuroBasket World Championship EuroBasket
Place
Saitama Belgrade Athens Stockholm Indianapolis Istanbul Sydney Paris Athens Barcelona
Achievement
Did not qualify 8th Did not qualify 8th 10th 5th 8th 6th Silver medal Bronze medal
ambition, vitality and talent in Greece, Serbia or Croatia. It’s a tough task for Mr. Blatt, who is still getting his feet wet with the Russian National Team. With the big names coming off of horrible seasons and little progress for the younger players, Russia’s status on paper is much closer to “outsider” than “favourite”. Still, logic usually plays little part in the fortunes of Russia. The country will make it back eventually, so why not now?
and Pavel Podkolzin while only decent for Petr Samoylenko, Sergei Bykov and Fedor Dmitriev. The latter trio certainly don’t have guaranteed tickets. The lone bright spots have been Nikita Shabalkin and Vitaly Fridzon, both of whom have yet to show the worth of their talent to Blatt.
Prediction
Reaching the semifinals would be too good to be true for Russia. Everybody knows there is little room for outsiders on the EuroBasket podium. Even to make the qualifying round, Russia must leave behind one of four teams of great ACCUMULATED
How did they qualify? Qualifying round
First place in Group C (5 W – 1 L)
Results
Date Aug-31st 2006 Sept-3rd 2006 Sept-6th 2006 Sept-9th 2006 Sept-13th 2006 Sept-16th 2006
Game Russia b. Hungary Belgium b. Russia Russia b. Czech Republic Hungary b. Russia Russia b. Belgium Czech Republic b. Russia
Result 82-62 91-80 104-81 70-76 96-63 55-69
Player J.R. Holden Sergei Monya Alexei Savrasenko Viktor Khryapa Nikolai Padius Sergei Bykov Nikita Morgunov Fedor Dmitriev Petr Samoylenko Anton Ponkrashov Fedor Likholitov Yaroslav Korolev Nikita Shabalkin
J.R. Holden (Russia)
RUSSIA
meback try
STATISTICS IN EUROBASKET 2007 QUALIFYING ROUND GP Min 5 35 6 24 6 26 4 27 6 20 5 20 6 19 5 11 6 20 6 12 2 6 2 3 3 11
29
FG % 3pts 38-62 61.3 18-30 26-52 50.0 10-21 30-47 63.8 - 16-34 47.1 5-15 17-41 41.5 8-18 10-23 43.5 2-5 16-29 55.2 1-5 8-15 53.3 1-4 9-23 39.1 1-8 5-20 25.0 1-10 2-2 100.0 - 1-3 33.3 0-1 2-4 50.0 0-1
%FT 80.8 90.9 62.5 100.0 68.2 83.3 71.4 62.5 71.4 80.0 - 50.0 -
Rb 2.8 5.3 5.7 7.3 1.3 1.6 3.2 2.2 1.3 1.0 0.5 1.0 1.7
As 1.4 1.0 1.2 2.0 0.8 2.2 0.2 0.4 1.8 1.0 - - 0.3
St 1.8 1.2 1.0 1.8 0.8 0.8 0.3 0.4 0.8 0.5 - - -
Bl - 0.5 - 0.3 - - 0.2 - - - 0.5 - -
TO 1.4 1.0 1.5 3.0 0.7 1.2 0.3 - 1.5 0.3 0.5 0.0 0.7
Pts 23.0 12.0 11.7 10.3 9.5 7.4 7.2 4.4 4.0 2.5 2.0 1.5 1.3
GROUP A
TEAM STAR Andrei
KIRILENKO Height: 2.05 Position: Small forward / Power forward Date of Birth: 18/02/81 Place of birth: Izhevsk Team 2006-07: UTAH JAZZ (USA-NBA) Career: Spartak St. Petersburg (Russia-Superleague, 1996-98), CSKA Moscow (Russia-Superleague, 1998-2001), Utah Jazz (USA-NBA, 2001-07). Selected in the first round of the 1999 NBA draft (#24) by the Utah Jazz.
L
ast summer Andrei Kirilenko, arguably one of the best European players today, asked newly appointed head coach David Blatt for permission to stay in the USA to be 100% ready for the new NBA season. Instead of helping his countrymen qualify for EuroBasket 2007, Andrei came to Los Angeles where a special training program was designed to help him gain weight and practice his mid-range shot. Unfortunately, it didn’t help him much. The 2006-07 season is already history for the Utah Jazz’s “do-it-all” small forward. It was a year to remember for the Jazz, who made it to the Western Conference Finals for the first time in nine years, but one to forget for Kirilenko, who finished the campaign with career-low numbers. However, “AK” remains a tremendous athlete who can do everything on the court with the exception of shoot. In 2006 the Jazz were happy to offer Kirilenko an 80 million dollar contract extension just six years after drafting the skinny and inexperienced Russian boy, making him the youngest European ever selected at the time. Well, his success wasn’t a surprise for fans in Europe who had watched Kirilenko start his professional career at 15 at Spartak St. Petersburg. Not only in his early pro debut, but also through performances in international youth competitions, Kirilenko provided proof of his talents by snagging MVP honours at both cadet and junior level. After his stint with Spartak, Kirilenko moved to European powerhouse CSKA. While there, he won two Russian league titles and carried the Army club to the FIBA SuproLeague Final Four in 2001. After his dominant performance in 2001, he was named European Player of the Year in a vote published by French weekly magazine “Basketnews”. Soon after Kirilenko went west, but he has been returning home nearly every summer to play for the National Team. What will Kirilenko bring to the table after such a disappointing season? We don’t know yet. But one thing is clear – if we are still talking about a ticket to the 2008 Olympics, David Blatt will need his AK to be fully loaded. When Kirinlenko is happy, healthy and playing his stat-stuffing, team-oriented style, Russia is a completely different team.
NATIONAL TEAM STATS YEAR
2000 2001 2002 2003 2005 2005
COMPETITION
Olympic Games EuroBasket World Championship EuroBasket Qualifying Round / Div. A EuroBasket
GP Min
7 6 3 6 2 4
23 33 25 35 28 34
2pts
3pts
22-36 35-58 3-17 31-57 7-16 19-39
0-3 5-15 5-11 10-33 3-8 3-12
2pts
3pts
FT
Rb As Pts
22-29 5.0 30-35 8.7 24-28 7.0 47-71 6.8 15-19 8.0 23-35 11.8
1.0 3.0 4.0 1.5 4.0 2.0
9.4 19.2 15.0 23.2 19.0 17.5
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
GP Min
1998-99 CSKA Moscow (Euroleague) 7 9 10-15 1999-00 CSKA Moscow (Euroleague) 19 27 77-120 2000-01 CSKA Moscow (SuproLeague) 22 34 94-147
0-1 4-20 9-32
FT
17-22 53-82 90-139
Rb As Pts
1.4 0.1 5.3 6.2 1.8 11.5 9.2 2.6 13.9
NBA STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07
30
Utah Jazz Utah Jazz Utah Jazz Utah Jazz Utah Jazz Utah Jazz
GP Min
82 80 78 41 69 70
26 28 37 33 38 29
2pts
260-533 278-528 344-730 184-343 300-613 181-343
3pts
25-100 37-114 68-201 23-77 36-117 16-75
FT
285-371 296-370 392-496 203-259 346-495 174-239
Rb As Pts
4.9 5.3 8.1 6.2 8.0 4.7
1.1 1.7 3.1 3.2 4.3 2.9
10.7 12.0 16.5 15.6 15.3 8.3
KHRYAPA
PASHUTIN
Height: 2.04 Position: Small forward / Power Forward Date of Birth: 03/08/82 Place of birth: Kiev (Ukraine) Team 2006-07: Chicago Bulls (USA-NBA) Career: Khimik Engels (RussiaSuperleague B, 1999), Avtodor Saratov (Russia-Superleague, 1999-02), CSKA Moscow (Russia-Superleague, 200204), Portland Trailblazers (USA-NBA, 2004-06), Chicago Bulls (USA-NBA, 2006-07). Selected in the first round of the 2004 NBA draft (#22) by the New Jersey Nets and rights traded to the Portland Trailblazers.
Height: 1.96 Position: Shooting guard Date of Birth: 03/05/74 Place of birth: Sochi Team 2006-07: CSKA MOSCOW (RussiaSuperleague) Career: Spartak St. Petersburg (RussiaSuperleague, 1990-93), Avtodor Saratov (Russia-Superleague, 1993-99), Pinar Karsiyaka (Turkey-D1, 1999-2000), ASVEL Villeurbanne (2000-01), CSKA Moscow (Russia-Superleague, 2001-03), Ural Great Perm (RussiaSuperleague, 2003-04), CSKA Moscow (Russia-Superleague, 2004-07).
Y
ou may call Victor Khryapa, as well as his closest friend Sergei Monya, Andrei Kirilenko’s clones but you can never get too much of a good thing. Moscow citizens arrived at this conclusion early on in the 2002-03 season after being impressed with the high-flying duo from Saratov. The unity of the two seemed to be so strong that even their surnames were often written as one, hardly pronounceable, word: “Khryapomon”. The players shared the same athleticism, dunking and shot-blocking abilities – in other words, basketball “ingredients” which are common to the typical “American” in Europe. The NBA teams were just around the corner and nobody was surprised when the Trailblazers drafted both players in the 2004 NBA draft. However, Khryapa’s club career has fallen on hard times. He is still not a big offensive threat and in his three NBA seasons, Khryapa has struggled to find his niche.
A
classical slowed down European scorer, Zakhar Pashutin is now the longest-serving member of the National Team and still the best shooting guard in Russia. Unfortunately, he rarely has a chance to prove it. It’s a sad fact for Russian fans that Zakhar prefers captains status and 11th place in the rotation at powerhouse CSKA Moscow to being in the starting lineup anywhere else. It was a twist of fate in the late 90’s that Pashutin used to be the main offensive weapon of the Army Club’s principle competitor Avtodor. He played there side-by-side with his brother Evgeni, who is now an assistant coach of both CSKA and the Russian National Team. NATIONAL TEAM STATS YEAR
COMPETITION
1997 1997 1998 1999 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2003 2005 2005
Semi-final Round EuroBasket World Championship Semi-final Round EuroBasket Olympic Games EuroBasket World Championship Semi-final Round EuroBasket Qualifying Round EuroBasket
GP Min
5 9 9 8 8 7 6 8 10 7 4 6
13 14 8 28 20 29 25 25 26 20 26 20
2pts
3pts
FT
7-19 14-22 10-19 37-61 20-47 24-45 16-34 28-50 21-55 16-24 9-26 8-13
0-3 2-6 1-2 5-19 4-10 4-12 8-22 18-42 17-39 7-18 1-10 8-16
0-0 2-5 7-12 18-29 17-25 6-11 9-13 18-24 11-20 12-16 8-10 9-14
2pts
3pts
FT
Rb As Pts
2.2 1.1 1.6 2.8 2.1 4.0 3.3 4.3 2.6 1.3 3.5 3.2
1.0 1.1 0.4 3.5 1.3 1.9 1.5 3.1 3.1 1.3 1.8 1.5
2.8 4.0 3.3 13.4 8.6 9.4 10.8 16.0 10.4 9.3 7.3 8.2
NATIONAL TEAM STATS YEAR
2002 2003 2003 2005 2007
1994-95 1994-95 1995-96 1996-97 1997-98 1998-99 1999-00 2000-01 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07
GP Min
Avtodor Saratov (Korac Cup) 1 Avtodor Saratov (EuroCup) 2 Avtodor Saratov (Korac Cup) 6 Avtodor Saratov (EuroCup) 14 Avtodor Saratov (EuroCup) 17 Avtodor Saratov (Euroleague) 16 Karsiyaka Izmir (Korac Cup) 8 ASVEL Lyon (SuproLeague) 23 CSKA Moscow (Euroleague) 20 CSKA Moscow (Euroleague) 17 Ural Great Perm (FEL) 20 CSKA Moscow (Euroleague) 17 CSKA Moscow (Euroleague) 14 CSKA Moscow (Euroleague) 16
27 34 31 33 32 34 36 26 29 12 30 8 9 5
4-11 13-25 21-41 71-134 71-141 72-145 38-67 59-112 63-120 12-28 50-95 8-15 10-20 2-5
1-3 0-7 9-20 16-45 19-45 24-79 7-21 23-62 19-56 5-15 20-50 6-15 2-13 5-14
2-2 2-2 11-14 42-55 53-81 43-54 19-23 36-58 31-57 7-10 39-61 3-8 4-6 3-4
SEASON CLUB (Competition)
1999-00 2000-01 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04
Rb As Pts
3.0 5.0 3.8 3.9 4.2 3.6 4.0 3.0 4.3 1.3 4.0 1.1 1.6 0.5
1.0 1.5 3.7 3.2 3.0 2.6 2.5 2.5 2.1 0.8 4.2 0.5 0.9 0.5
GP Min
8 7 7 6 4
11 13 27 30 27
2pts
3pts
FT
8-17 7-12 16-29 15-29 11-19
0-4 2-7 10-29 8-21 5-15
4-4 10-10 10-16 8-12 4-4
2pts
3pts
FT
Rb As Pts
1.8 2.6 6.0 8.7 7.3
1.0 1.1 1.9 1.2 2.0
2.5 4.3 10.3 10.3 10.3
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
COMPETITION
World Championship Semi-final Round EuroBasket EuroBasket Semi-final Round
13.0 14.0 13.3 16.6 14.8 16.2 14.5 9.7 10.7 2.7 10.0 2.2 2.1 1.4
Avtodor Saratov (Saporta) Avtodor Saratov (Korac Cup) Avtodor Saratov (Korac Cup) CSKA Moscow (Euroleague) CSKA Moscow (Euroleague)
GP Min
3 9 9 22 20
7 22 30 19 18
4-7 32-47 56-79 25-45 24-35
0-1 5-10 1-13 12-29 11-41
2pts
3pts
- 29-48 26-38 18-24 26-35
Rb As Pts
1.3 6.3 6.9 5.1 3.4
0.3 1.8 4.9 1.1 1.2
2.7 12.0 15.7 4.7 5.3
NBA STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
2004-05 Portland Trailblazers 2005-06 Portland Trailblazers 2006-07 Chicago Bulls
coach: David BLATT
GP Min
32 16 50-113 4-11 69 22 148-312 10-30 33 7 27-64 0-6
FT
23-42 77-111 19-26
Rb As Pts
3.4 0.8 4.2 4.4 1.3 5.8 1.7 0.6 2.2
something about your coaching qualifications. In the last years, success has seemed to follow Blatt wherever he’s been. He guided Dynamo St. Petersburg to the EuroCup title and Benetton to the Italian Championship in his debut seasons at the clubs. This year he added an Italian Cup to his trophy cabinet, which has always been growing since his early days as an assistant with Maccabi Tel Aviv under guru Pini Gershon. Not to forget, intelligent and open-hearted Blatt is instituting a run-and-gun, non-stop defensive pressure type of system. And looking at his new team skills, this is what Russia needs to get back to
Nationality: American-Israeli Date of Birth: 22/05/1959 Place of birth: Artigat Club Team 2006-07: Benetton Treviso (Italy-Lega) Career: Hapoel Galil Elyon(Israel-Premier League, 1995-99), Maccabi Tel-Aviv (Israel-Premier League, 2001-03), Dynamo St. Petersburg (RussiaSuperleague, 2004-05), Benetton Treviso (Italy-Lega, 2005-07) International career: EuroBasket 2007 Qualifying Round, EuroBasket Final Round 2007
H
ats off to the Russian Federation for bringing in David Blatt. The picture is clear and Blatt is the lottery ticket for a young Russian team. When you earn monikers like “Magician” and “Alchemist” in Italy, it says
31
RUSSIA
Viktor
Zakhar
GROUP A
Petr
J.R.
SAMOYLENKO
HOLDEN
Height: 1.85 Position: Point guard Date of Birth: 07/02/77 Place of birth: Uchquduq (Uzbekhistan) Team 2006-07: UNICS KAZAN (RussiaSuperleague) Career: BC Samara (Russia-Superleague, 1996-98), Unics Kazan (Russia-Superleague, 1998-2007).
Height: 1.85 Position: Point guard Date of Birth: 10/08/76 Place of birth: Pittsburgh (USA) Team 2006-07: CSKA MOSCOW (RussiaSuperleague) Career: Bucknell (NCAA, 1994-98), Broceni Riga (Latvia-LBL, 1998-99), Telindus Oostende (Belgium-D1, 1999-2001), AEK Athens (Greece-ESAKE, 2001-02), CSKA Moscow (Russia-Superleague, 2002-07).
V
eteran point guard Petr Samoylenko, the captain of UNICS and the Russian National Team, is not necessarily a friend of the press. A man who is obligated to be talkative due to his on-and-off the court status, Samoylenko’s been keeping his mouth shut and refusing to give interviews for years. Though quiet off the court, his defensive intensity speaks volumes. As an average shooter and passer, Samoylenko has forced himself to become a relentless defender. What’s more, Samoylenko’s quickness makes him able to anticipate and steal balls. He finished first in the SuperLeague in 2006-2007 with 2.2 per game. The native of Uzbekistan tends to be a bit lost in the half-court but can excel in transition. This is good news considering David Blatt’s interest in the transition game.
O
nce relatively unknown, it’s hard to fathom that two years after landing in Russia American-born J.R. Holden would be granted Russian citizenship by none other than President Vladimir Putin. “An orthodox American basketball product for export – an undersized shooting-guard with streetball style of play.” These were the first and - as everybody soon realized – the wrong assessment by Russian experts of Holden. In five years at CSKA he proved himself to be an elite Euroleague point guard and a defensive nightmare for any opponent. Quiet and calm off the court, Holden is a thunderous storm while on it thanks to his blinding quickness and uncanny ability to score. However, after his average performance at EuroBasket 2005, skeptics were there again when Holden agreed to put on the national team jersey for the 2007 EuroBasket qualifying round. With no Andrei Kirilenko, the critics assumed Holden would struggle. Instead he lit up opponents to the tune of 23.0 pointer per game.
NATIONAL TEAM STATS YEAR
2001 2003 2003 2005 2007
COMPETITION
EuroBasket Semi-final Round EuroBasket EuroBasket Semi-final Round
GP Min
4 2 7 6 6
4 16 17 17 20
2pts
2-4 1-1 7-16 7-13 8-15
3pts
- 2-4 1-6 2-7 1-8
FT
- 1-2 9-17 6-10 5-7
Rb As Pts
0.5 1.0 1.3 1.2 1.3
0.8 2.5 1.3 2.3 1.8
1.0 4.5 3.7 4.3 4.0
NATIONAL TEAM STATS YEAR
2005 2007
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
1996-97 1998-99 1999-00 2000-01 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07
BC Samara (Korac Cup) Unics Kazan (Saporta) Unics Kazan (Korac Cup) Unics Kazan (Saporta) Unics Kazan (Saporta) Unics Kazan (FIBA Cup) Unics Kazan (FEL) Unics Kazan (FEL) Unics Kazan (ULEB Cup) Unics Kazan (ULEB Cup)
GP Min
6 12 8 14 14 20 19 16 12 16
8 28 19 14 19 25 26 23 23 18
2pts
2-3 22-34 15-30 17-30 18-39 45-73 45-80 26-44 25-35 9-19
3pts
0-2 9-22 2-11 9-38 3-13 13-40 6-28 10-31 4-21 6-13
FT
10-16 23-30 18-25 15-18 13-18 32-46 16-27 25-37 8-20 8-18
Rb As Pts
0.3 1.9 1.9 2.0 1.6 2.7 3.1 3.1 2.2 1.6
1.0 3.6 2.4 1.3 2.8 4.0 5.1 2.6 3.2 2.4
COMPETITION
EuroBasket Qualifying Round / Div. A
SEASON CLUB (Competition)
1998-99 1999-00 2000-01 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07
Broceni Riga (Saporta) Oostende (Korac Cup) Oostende (SuproLeague) AEK Athens (Euroleague) CSKA Moscow (Euroleague) CSKA Moscow (Euroleague) CSKA Moscow (Euroleague) CSKA Moscow (Euroleague) CSKA Moscow (Euroleague)
1-2 4-10
3pts
0-3 1-10
FT
1-1 4-5
YEAR
GP Min
2006-07 CSKA Moscow (Euroleague) 22 13
2pts
19-38
3pts
7-21
FT
18-26
38 37 38 36 33 33 31 31 30
2pts
53-117 28-61 86-188 70-169 59-134 72-154 53-123 58-116 53-105
FT
30-82 41-50 15-46 20-27 48-124 74-95 45-149 69-112 57-160 51-80 44-141 36-64 38-128 50-59 41-122 34-53 41-112 22-33
Rb As Pts
2.3 1.9 2.3 2.4 2.2 2.3 2.2 1.6 2.3
4.7 3.6 3.8 2.8 4.4 3.8 2.8 2.0 2.3
19.8 12.1 19.5 17.2 15.5 14.2 11.3 11.4 10.0
COMPETITION
EuroBasket
GP Min
4 16
2pts
6-14
3pts
4-10
FT
-
Rb As Pts
2.0 0.5 6.0
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS
Rb As Pts
SEASON CLUB (Competition)
1.5 4.5 1.5 1.0 1.0 2.5
2005-06 Khimki (EuroCup) 2006-07 Khimki (ULEB Cup)
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
12 10 20 20 22 22 24 24 25
NATIONAL TEAM STATS
NATIONAL TEAM STATS 2pts
GP Min
T
2005 2 12 6 12
3pts
Rb As Pts
1.5 2.3 12.5 2.8 1.4 23.0
he rise to fame of this late bloomer began in May 2005 when, in the Superleague playoffs first round, Vitaly Fridzon played only his second game for the senior team. Since then, he has never looked back. In June, along with Nikita Shabalkin and Anton Ponkrashov, Fridzon was among the leaders of the triumphant U20 team that celebrated the long-awaited win of the European crown. Moreover, two months later, Vitaly made a perfect EuroBasket debut and established himself as, probably, the most intriguing Russian shooting guard prospect. A true warrior with a tireless drive and energy which can sometimes cause silly turnovers and fouls, Fridzon leaves it all out on the floor. He is a rare example of a player who loves the game with all his heart.
P
GP Min
FT
15-20 21-26
Height: 1.95 Position: Shooting guard Date of Birth: 14/10/85 Place of birth: Klintsy Team 2006-07: BC KHIMKI MOSCOW REGION (Russia-Superleague) Career: Tolyatti (Russia-Higherleague, 200304), BC Khimki Moscow Region (Russia-Superleague, 2004-07).
robably, the most talented Russian play-maker in years, Anton Ponkrashov is already known as “the Russian Papaloukas” thanks to his exceptional combination of size and court vision. Though impressive, it’s not his only complimentary nickname. Anton was nicknamed “Baryshnikov” by CSKA’s coach Ettore Messina for his “ballet” style of perimeter defense against Benetton’s Marco Mordente when the Italian sank two threes in row in Ponkrashov’s face. Because of his inconsistency and aloofness, you never know what type of performance Ponkrashov will come up with from game to game. In his first year at CSKA, Ponkrashov didn’t fully live up to the high expectations as he settled in as the fourth option at the point guard spot and spent much of his time as an off-guard. Nevertheless, the St. Petersburg born Ponkrashov remains an extremely clever creator and has a great future ahead of him.
COMPETITION
3pts
10-40 18-30
FRIDZON
Height: 2.00 Position: Point guard / Shooting guard Date of Birth: 23/04/86 Place of birth: St. Petersburg Team 2006-07: CSKA MOSCOW (RussiaSuperleague) Career: Pulkovo St. Petersburg (Russia-4th division, 2001-2002), Conti St. Petersburg (Russia-Superleague B, 200204), Spartak St. Petersburg (Russia-Superleague, 2004-06), CSKA Moscow (Russia-Superleague, 2006-07).
EuroBasket Semi-final Round
2pts
15-43 20-32
Vitaly
PONKRASHOV
2005 2007
6 29 5 35
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS
2.3 7.8 6.8 5.4 4.1 8.1 6.5 6.7 5.8 2.8
Anton
YEAR
GP Min
Rb As Pts
1.4 1.3 3.5
32
GP Min
17 15 12 18
2pts
23-35 18-31
3pts
12-36 12-29
FT
26-34 9-11
Rb As Pts
2.3 0.7 6.4 2.3 1.1 6.8
Sergey
PADIUS
MONYA
Height: 1.97 Position: Shooting guard Date of Birth: 01/09/80 Place of birth: St. Petersburg Team 2006-07: DYNAMO MOSCOW REGION (Russia-Superleague) Career: Spartak St. Petersburg (RussiaSuperleague, 1998-2000), CSKA Moscow (Russia-Superleague, 2000-03), Dynamo Moscow (Russia-Superleague, 2003-04), Aris Thessaloniki (GreeceESAKE, 2004-06), Dynamo Moscow Region (Russia-Superleague, 2006-07).
Height: 2.02 Position: Small forward Date of Birth: 15/04/83 Place of birth: Saratov Team 2006-07: DYNAMO MOSCOW (RussiaSuperleague) Career: Avtodor Saratov (RussiaSuperleague, 2000-02), CSKA Moscow (Russia-Superleague, 2002-05), Portland Trailblazers (USA-NBA, 2005-06), Fort Worth Flyers (USA-D-League, 2006), Sacramento Kings (USA-NBA, 2006), Dynamo Moscow (RussiaSuperleague, 2006-07). Selected in the first round of the 2004 NBA draft (#23) by the Portland Trailblazers.
H
is wonderfully built body and NBA-level athleticism once found Nikolai Padius as another great hope from St. Petersburg, which is the cradle for many Russian basketball stars. However, his transferring to CSKA and then another move to Dynamo nearly transformed him into major disappointment. The shooting guard failed to have much impact at the Moscow clubs mainly because of his questionable decisionmaking and unreliable jump shot. Luckily for him, Padius was fairly successful in a two-year stint at Aris, even making it onto the cover of the famous Greek magazine Triponto. Nevertheless, the 27-year-old’s return to Russia was far from triumphant. Despite being Dynamo Moscow Region’s top-scorer, he struggled in games against the Russian “Big Four” teams – CSKA, Dynamo Moscow, UNICS and Khimki.
I
n 2005 an explosive, athletic wing with great leaping ability and nice spot-up shooting left his mother country for the NBA. Sergey Monya had the reputation of being a bit of an underachiever, but undoubtedly the most promising Russian player in the Superleague. A few days before signing with the Portland Trailblazers, Monya gave a scandalous interview to Sport-Express newspaper entitled “I can’t understand why Ivkovic kept me on the bench”. In the interview, he criticized his mentor’s coaching methods. Failing to make it in the NBA, Monya came back to Russia. His passiveness and tendency to disappear on the floor has nothing in common with coaches and EuroBasket 2007 will be the time for Monya to wake up.
NATIONAL TEAM STATS YEAR
2003 2007
COMPETITION
Semi-final Round Semi-final Round
GP Min
4 10 6 20
2pts
3pts
7-14 9-23
1-3 8-18
2pts
3pts
FT
1-2 15-22
NATIONAL TEAM STATS
Rb As Pts
1.3 0.3 4.5 1.3 0.8 9.5
YEAR
2003 2003 2005 2007
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
1998-99 2000-01 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07
GP Min
Spartak St. Petersburg (Korac Cup) 6 CSKA Moscow (SuproLeague) 8 CSKA Moscow (Euroleague) 3 CSKA Moscow (Euroleague) 5 Dynamo Moscow (FEL) 8 Aris Thessaloniki (ULEB Cup) 11 Aris Thessaloniki (ULEB Cup) 15 Dynamo Mos. Reg. (EuroCup) 14
11 9 9 4 7 13 27 24
12-19 11-19 3-5 3-7 4-11 11-23 36-83 34-68
0-6 2-5 - - 2-11 5-18 21-71 15-49
FT
11-14 1-6 2-4 - 6-9 14-18 51-70 46-59
Rb As Pts
0.8 0.6 0.3 0.2 0.6 1.3 4.4 3.0
0.3 0.6 1.0 - 0.3 0.7 1.9 1.6
5.8 3.6 2.7 1.2 2.5 4.6 12.4 11.4
SEASON CLUB (Competition)
2000-01 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2006-07
2005-06 Portland Trailblazers 2005-06 Sacramento Kings
2pts
3pts
2pts
3pts
8-18
2-5
GP Min
2003-04 Dynamo Moscow (FEL) 6 12 2005-06 Dynamo Moscow (ULEB Cup) 15 10 2006-07 Dynamo Moscow (Euroleague) 20 10
8-15 5-13 17-33
1-4 6-19 3-17
3pts
Rb As Pts
4.4 4.7 4.0 5.3
1.6 1.3 1.3 1.0
7.6 11.6 6.3 12.0
6 20 15 17 14 13
0-6 30-55 17-40 28-49 23-42 9-33
0-1 4-20 18-42 16-54 17-44 15-34
FT
2-4 16-24 19-23 20-27 10-15 11-12
Rb As Pts
1.5 4.4 2.3 3.0 3.3 2.5
- 2.6 0.5 0.6 0.5 0.2
1.0 8.8 4.9 5.9 5.3 3.5
FT
15-22 FT
4-7 6-11 10-23
GP Min
23 15 3 2
2pts
20-52 0-1
3pts
9-33 0-1
FT
8-12 2-2
Rb As Pts
2.2 0.8 3.3 0.3 - 0.7
T
wo years ago, Dyachok had plenty of reasons to thank his lucky stars. An improbable climb from the minor divisions to Superleague with his alma mater Universitet, a first call-up to the Russian National Team and, as a contract with mighty CSKA Moscow – what could be better? However, the fairy tale story came to an end when Dyachok became the last player to be cut by Sergei Babkov on the eve of EuroBasket 2005. Soon Dyachok suffered a back injury which ruled him out until mid-January. After spending the end of the season on the bench, he was loaned to Khimki, which proved to be a good move as he improved his three-point shooting and proved ready to bang inside and do the dirty work. As a result, he earned a call-up from Blatt.
Rb As Pts
1.6 2.2 7.4
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
2pts
FT
3-3 5-12 11-16 10-11
Height: 2.04 Position: Small forward / Power forward Date of Birth: 22/09/80 Place of birth: Tolyatti Team 2006-07: BC KHIMKI MOSCOW REGION (Russia-Superleague) Career: Universitet Surgut (RussiaHigherleague, 1998-2000), Universitet Surgut (Russia-Superleague B, 2001-04), Universitet Surgut (Russia-Superleague, 2004-05), CSKA Moscow (Russia-Superleague, 2005-06), BC Khimki Moscow Region (RussiaSuperleague, 2006-07).
NATIONAL TEAM STATS 5 20
3pts
5-12 12-32 3-19 10-21
DYACHOK
N
GP Min
2pts
10-22 20-39 9-23 16-31
Vladimir
ecessity is the mother of invention and when, during the 2005-06 season, Dynamo Moscow’s head coach Dusan Ivkovic faced the problem of a very thin backcourt, he found no other solution but to give his returnee from Universitet Surgut Sergei Bykov an opportunity to run the point. A few months later, finding himself in nearly the same situation, newly promoted Russian head coach David Blatt followed the Serbian maestro’s example. Bykov has not let his coaches down as this energetic, brave, but offensively limited off-guard suddenly emerged as a top-class distributor of the ball and finished as the Russian’s best assists man at 2.2 per game. Sergei turned out to be surprisingly adept at leading the fast break and can even finish it himself at times.
COMPETITION
21 29 26 24
GP Min
Avtodor Saratov (Korac Cup) 2 Avtodor Saratov (Korac Cup) 10 CSKA Moscow (Euroleague) 22 CSKA Moscow (Euroleague) 21 CSKA Moscow (Euroleague) 20 Dynamo Moscow (Euroleague) 21
SEASON CLUB (Competition)
Height: 1.90 Position: Shooting guard Date of Birth: 26/02/83 Place of birth: Novodvinsk Team 2006-07: DYNAMO MOSCOW (RussiaSuperleague) Career: Spartak Moscow (RussiaSuperleague B, 2000-01), Dynamo Moscow (Russia-Superleague B, 2001-02), Dynamo Moscow (Russia-Superleague, 2002-04), Universitet Surgut (RussiaSuperleague, 2004-05), Dynamo Moscow (Russia-Superleague, 2005-07).
Semi-final Round
5 7 6 6
NBA STATS
BYKOV
2007
GP Min
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS
Sergei
YEAR
COMPETITION
Semi-final Round EuroBasket EuroBasket Semi-final Round
Rb As Pts
1.2 1.3 3.8 0.8 0.8 2.3 0.7 0.9 2.6
NATIONAL TEAM STATS YEAR
2005
COMPETITION
Semi-final Round
GP Min
4 22
10-17
2pts
3pts
GP Min
2pts
3pts
0-3
FT
6-9
Rb As Pts
4.0 0.5 6.5
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
2005-06 CSKA Moscow (Euroleague) 4 6 2006-07 Khimki Mos. Reg. (ULEB Cup) 2 10
33
1-4 3-3
0-2 0-1
FT
3-4 2-2
Rb As Pts
0.5 0.3 1.3 1.0 1.0 4.0
RUSSIA
Nikolai
GROUP A
Nikita
Fedor
SHABALKIN
DMITRIEV
Height: 2.06 Position: Power forward Date of Birth: 09/10/86 Place of birth: Vladikavkaz Team 2006-07: CSK VVS-SAMARA (RussiaSuperleague) Career: CSK VVS-Samara (RussiaSuperleague, 2004-05), CSKA Moscow (Russia-Superleague, 2005), CSK VVSSamara (Russia-Superleague, 2005-07).
Height: 2.05 Position: Power forward Date of Birth: 19/11/84 Place of birth: St. Petersburg Team 2006-07: SPARTAK ST. PETERSBURG (Russia-Superleague) Career: Pulkovo St. Petersburg (Russia-4th division, 1998-2002), Spartak St. Petersburg (Russia-Superleague, 2002-03), Ural Great Perm (Russia-Superleague, 2003-04), Spartak St. Petersburg (Russia-Superleague, 2004-07).
N
ikita Shabalkin’s 2006-2007 season was full of memorable moments. The 20year-old was part of the first trade in Superleague history as CSKA Moscow sent the right of Shabalkin and Vladimir Dyachok to Khimki in exchange for Oscar Torres. On the European stage, Shabalkin ended his individual MVP-type EuroCup Challenge performance by leading his side, CSK VVS-Samara, to the title. Not bad at all for a 20-year old who only started to play organised basketball at the age of 12. Despite his recent good fortune, some still question Nikita’s mental toughness and ability to learn. A year and a half ago, he failed to succeed in Ettore Messina’s CSKA after graduating from the Army club juniors to the main team.
A
fter finishing an unproductive two-year stay on Ural Great’s bench, Fedor Dmitriev has already enjoyed his second consecutive successful season at Spartak, averaging 13.2 points in 26 Superleague games this year and drawing the attention of more than half of the local clubs. Offensively, Fedor’s skills are quite advanced as he possesses a solid touch around the hoop and a nice array of post moves. He isn’t afraid to use his massive frame with his back to the basket. However, his defensive abilities - especially positioning and timing – are still in desperate need of refinement.
NATIONAL TEAM STATS YEAR
2007
COMPETITION
Semi-final Round
GP Min
3 11
2pts
2-3
3pts
0-1
FT
-
NATIONAL TEAM STATS
Rb As Pts
YEAR
1.7 0.3 1.3
2007
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
GP Min
2pts
2005-06 CSKA Moscow (Euroleague) 2 8 2-4 2006-07 CSK VVS-Samara (EC Challenge) 12 31 92-127
3pts
0-1 12-18
FT
2-2 50-66
COMPETITION
Semi-final Round
SEASON CLUB (Competition)
2003-04 Ural Great Perm (FEL) 2004-05 Ural Great Perm (FEL)
14 9 18 23 23 19 13 21 19
2pts
3pts
7-12 6-9 26-34 13-36 11-27 11-36 8-16 14-27 15-24
- 0-3 1-2 7-20 5-17 9-13 0-1 3-5 1-5
2pts
3pts
FT
1-3 6-8 21-31 14-20 9-16 10-10 1-3 9-20 10-14
0.7 1.0 0.1 1.0 0.7 1.4 0.2 - 0.2
YEAR
2001 2002 2003 2003 2005 2005 2007
5.0 3.6 10.9 8.7 7.7 8.4 3.4 7.7 7.2
1994-95 1995-96 1996-97 1997-98 1999-99 2000-01 2001-02 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07
GP Min
CSKA Moscow (Euroleague) 3 CSKA Moscow (Euroleague) 8 CSKA Moscow (Euroleague) 11 CSKA Moscow (Euroleague) 3 Atletas Kaunas (Saporta) 9 CSKA Moscow (SuproLeague) 16 CSKA Moscow (Euroleague) 8 Makedonikos (ULEB Cup) 12 Dynamo Mos.Reg.(EC Challenge) 14 Dynamo Mos. Reg. (EuroCup) 12 Dynamo Mos. Reg. (EuroCup) 14
5 2-2 11 19-26 10 8-21 13 4-8 32 31-59 19 50-97 26 19-38 20 35-75 29 66-117 31 60-96 19 34-67
- - 0-1 - 6-16 5-20 4-17 3-14 4-8 11-30 6-18
FT
3-4 10-14 18-25 - 21-32 22-37 9-15 28-46 56-73 53-69 23-35
- 0.6 0.2 1.7 0.8 0.9 0.9 1.1 1.2 1.3 0.5
COMPETITION
EuroBasket World Championship Semi-final Round EuroBasket Qualifying Round / Div. A EuroBasket Semi-final Round
SEASON CLUB (Competition)
1996-97 1997-98 1999-00 2000-01 2001-02 2002-03 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07
Rb As Pts
1.0 1.4 2.2 0.7 5.7 3.6 4.6 4.7 9.1 6.5 3.3
5 8 2 11
6-11 2-3
- 0-1
FT
5-6 -
Rb As Pts
0.8 0.4 3.4 2.5 - 2.0
GP Min
3 8 10 5 4 6 6
6 23 21 10 17 15 26
2pts
3pts
- - - - - 0-1 -
1-2 7-11 19-34 1-1 4-5 0-5 10-16
2pts
3pts
FT
2-3 32-47 33-58 5-10 13-20 13-24 30-47
FT
Rb As Pts
2.3 7.3 7.5 1.8 5.5 5.5 5.7
- 0.9 0.7 0.6 0.5 - 1.2
1.7 8.9 8.5 2.2 7.5 4.3 11.7
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
GP Min
NATIONAL TEAM STATS
Rb As Pts
4.3 1.6 4.4 4.1 5.0 3.1 2.0 3.3 3.2
Rb As Pts
2.2 0.4 4.4
H
NATIONAL TEAM STATS 3 5 7 7 6 7 5 6 6
3pts
FT
5-8
e may be a little bit mechanical and not so quick, but Alexei Savrasenko has been steadily progressing into one of the best defensive centers in Europe. At Piraeus he was known as Amanatidis – the name he received after becoming a Greek citizen at a very young age. “When Greek meets Greek then comes the tug of war“. This proverb took on a whole new meaning after a series of classic duels between two Godzillas in the paint - Savrasenko and Lazaros Papadopoulos of Dynamo Moscow.
N
GP Min
2pts
1-4
Height: 2.15 Position: Center Date of Birth: 28/02/79 Place of birth: Krasnodar Team 2006-07: CSKA MOSCOW (RussiaSuperleague) Career: Olympiakos Piraeus (GreeceESAKE, 1996-2000), Peristeri Athens (Greece-ESAKE, 2000-01), Olympiakos Piraeus (Greece-ESAKE, 2001-2002), CSKA Moscow (Russia-Superleague, 2002-07).
ikita Morgunov arrived in Portland in January of 1999 with the ambition of becoming the second Russian player after Sergei Bazarevich to make it in the NBA. A year and a half later he returned with two wasted years spent on the Trailblazers’ injury list. Morgunov never actually played a single game managing only to add another 20 kilos to his frame. Upon his return to Europe, he showed everyone what his true worth was averaging 15.5 points and 11.5 rebounds per game in the 2001 FIBA Suproleague Final Four. Morgunov is an aging center with relatively slow feet but he is still a big factor whose courage and love for the game are ageless.
COMPETITION
3pts
SAVRASENKO
Height: 2.11 Position: Power forward / Center Date of Birth: 29/06/75 Place of birth: Novokuznetsk Team 2006-07: DYNAMO MOSCOW REGION (Russia-Superleague) Career: CSKA Moscow (RussiaSuperleague, 1995-97), Atletas Kaunas (Lithuania-LKL, 1997-99), Portland Trailblazers (NBA, 1999-2000), CSKA Moscow (Russia-Superleague, 2000-02), Avtodor Saratov (Russia-Superleague, 2002), Dynamo Moscow (RussiaSuperleague, 2002-03), Makedonikos Kozani (Greece-ESAKE, 2003-04), Dynamo Moscow Region (Russia-Superleague, 2004-07).
Semi-final Round World Championship Semi-final Round Olympic Games EuroBasket World Championship Semi-final Round EuroBasket Semi-final Round
2pts
7-11
Alexei
MORGUNOV
1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2005 2007
5 11
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS
Rb As Pts
1.5 - 3.0 7.3 1.1 22.5
Nikita
YEAR
GP Min
2.3 6.0 3.1 2.7 11.2 8.6 7.4 8.9 14.3 17.2 7.8
34
GP Min
Olympiakos Piraeus (Euroleague) 2 Olympiakos Piraeus (Euroleague) 10 Olympiakos Piraeus (Euroleague) 1 Peristeri Athens (Euroleague) 12 Olympiakos Piraeus (Euroleague) 20 Olympiakos Piraeus (Euroleague) 4 CSKA Moscow (Euroleague) 5 CSKA Moscow (Euroleague) 17 CSKA Moscow (Euroleague) 23 CSKA Moscow (Euroleague) 24 CSKA Moscow (Euroleague) 25
3 0-1 12 14-20 7 0-1 27 45-69 21 45-82 21 10-16 10 10-13 12 28-43 14 48-84 18 55-98 20 77-120
- 0-1 - - - - - - 0-1 - -
- 7-21 - 23-42 25-61 3-7 - 16-40 9-24 14-29 22-46
Rb As Pts
0.5 2.8 - 6.5 6.3 4.0 2.2 3.2 4.0 4.0 4.0
- 0.1 - 0.6 0.5 0.3 0.4 0.2 0.4 0.8 0.5
3.5 9.4 5.8 5.8 4.0 4.2 4.6 5.2 7.0
03.09.07
04.09.07
05.09.07
19:00h Latvia - Croatia 21:30h Portugal - Spain
19:00h Croatia - Portugal 21:30h Spain - Latvia
19:00h Portugal - Latvia 21:30h Croatia - Spain
GROUP B
SEVILLA Pabell贸n Municipal San Pablo
Croatia (Hrvatska)
LATVIA
Latvija
PORTUGAL (Portugal)
SPAIN 35
(Espa帽a)
croatia
GROUP B
Aiming For Be Championship. The last ticket available was given to the team finishing in sixth place – which they somehow managed to lose out on in the semifinal game (for 5th to 8th place) against Slovenia. Before that, in the quarterfinal against Spain, two of Croatia’s key players (Mario Kasun and Zoran Planinic) were injured which spelled the beginning of the end. To be honest, it can be said that between 1993 (the year the late Drazen Petrovic was killed in car accident) and 2005, the Croatian team has never been 100 % ready and healthy. The best Croatian players who played in the NBA and Europe in those years like Kukoc, Vrankovic, Radja and Komazec skipped European tournaments and Croatia was forced to rely on the younger generations. Kukoc tried to help and make it easier for the youngsters by coming back for EuroBasket 1999, but it just didn’t work out. They did win a great game against eventual title winner, Italy, but that was about all Croatia had to offer.
“With Gordan Giricek and Nikola Vujcic on the roster, Croatia could have a good chance to fight for a medal. But as both players chose to skip EuroBasket, the hope will be to rely on coach Jasmine Repesa and his warrior style of play. Though the Croatians look like they will almost certainly be working shorthanded, anything less then Olympic qualification will be considered a disaster.”
Best Individual Performance/Best Player of All-Time
There is no doubt the best in history is Drazen Petrovic. But Petrovic would never play for Croatia at a EuroBasket. After helping his team qualify for EuroBasket 1993 with a performance that included 46 points against Estonia, Petrovic was travelling through Germany when his car hit a truck which had crashed through the highway median. Just a few months shy of his 29th birthday, Drazen Petrovic died and left the entire basketball world in mourning. In the absence of Petrovic it’s fair to say that the best Croatian player at EuroBasket was Dino Radja, who always played 100% when wearing a Croatian uniform and was one of the key players when Croatia won those two bronze medals. You may be asking, well how about Toni Kukoc? Kukoc played a limited role for Croatia over the years, tending to decline playing at EuroBasket.
Biggest EuroBasket Success
The glorious days of Croatian basketball came right after the country’s independence with two EuroBasket bronze medals: one in 1993 and another two years later. But all that success appeared to be a false indication about the future for Croatian basketball. Those glorious times were marked by the leadership of stars like three-time NBA champ Toni Kukoc, Dino Radja, Velimir Perasovic, Stojko Vrankovic and Arijan Komazec. At the time, medals were something everyone expected from them in every tournament they took part in. Today this sounds almost unbelievable, but those two bronze medals in 1993 and 1995 were considered by everyone in Croatia as failures. This paradox is illustrated by the fact that both times the head coach that led Croatia to the podium did not keep his job! Well, things have changed a bit as today a bronze medal would be worth its weight in gold for Croatian fans.
Scouting report
With Jasmin Repesa on the bench, one thing is for sure: you can expect aggressive defense for 40 minutes and battling on the court for every loose ball. This team doesn’t have a superstar like the late Petrovic or Kukoc. Players that can almost single-handedly lead the team to victory, so it’s pretty sure that all 12 players selected will have a role and a chance to be on the floor. Repesa is known as a coach who scouts every detail of his opponent so expect him to always have some tricks up his sleeve. In the qualifying round Croatia played a controlled game with long offensive sets, lots of passing, and a real team-oriented mentality. Latvia managed just 56 points, Denmark 67, and Estonia only 47 against the Croatians. In the last game against Estonia, Croatia lost 78-77 but only because they played without some key players.
Biggest EuroBasket Disaster
Sticking strictly to standings and results, then EuroBasket 1997 was the low point for Croatian basketball. Playing for the first time without their stars they finished a surprising 11th. But the biggest disappointment emotionally came in 2005, when Croatia appeared ready to get back into the medal hunt, possibly even for gold. But in the end, the National Team came back home depressed and humiliated. The minimum goal set for them was to gain a berth for the 2006 World
Prediction
With Gordan Giricek and Nikola Vujcic on the roster, Croatia could have a good chance to fight for a medal. But both players chose to skip EuroBasket, the hope will have to be to rely on Repesa and his warrior style of play. Will that be enough to reach the quarter-finals? However, they do have a goal and that is a spot in the 2008 Olympics. Though the Croatians look like they will almost certainly be working short handed anything less then Olympic qualification will be considered a disaster. Despite the great potential of the players in the roster, fans have been used to dark scenarios like this one.
ROSTER Name
Height. Pos.
Roko-Leni Ukic 1.95 Marko Popovic 1.85 Zoran Planinic 1.98 Davor Kus 1.91 Branimir Longin 1.96 Marino Bazdaric 1.95 Marko Tomas 2.01 Mario Stojic 1.98 Marin Rozic 2.01 Damir Markota 2.09 Marko Banic 2.04 Nikola Prkacin 2.08 Luksa Andric 2.11 Mario Kasun 2.15 Stanko Barac 2.17 Coach: Jasmin Repesa Assistant: Drazen Anzulovic
1 1 1-2 1-2 2 2 2-3 3 3 3-4 4 4-5 4-5 5 5
Birthdate Team 2006-07
12/05/84 12/06/82 12/09/82 21/07/78 07/02/78 25/11/78 03/01/85 06/05/80 14/02/83 26/12/85 31/08/84 15/11/75 29/01/85 05/04/80 13/08/86
F.C. Barcelona (ESP) Zalgiris Kaunas (LTU) Tau Vitoria (ESP) Cibona Zagreb CSF Sevilla (ESP) Vive Menorca (ESP) Real Madrid (ESP) Vive Menorca (ESP) Cibona Zagreb Milwaukee Bucks (NBA-USA) Lagun Aro Bilbao (ESP) Efes Pilsen (TUR) Cibona Zagreb F.C. Barcelona (ESP) Cibona Zagreb
Last 10 FIBA events Year Event
2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997
36
World Championship EuroBasket Olympics Eurobasket World championship Eurobasket Olympics Eurobasket World Championship Eurobasket
Place
Saitama Belgrade Athens Stockholm Indianapolis Istanbul Sydney Paris Athens Barcelona
Achievement
Did not qualify 7th Did not qualify Tied for 9th Did not qualify 7th Did not qualify 9th Did not qualify 11th
Zoran Planinic (Croatia)
few seasons. The biggest problem remains at the shooting guard position where there is no high level replacement for Gordan Giricek, who also chose not to show up... That could be Marko Tomas, Branimir Longin or Marino Bazdaric, but will that be enough to compete with the best?
Maybe it’s time for some more optimistic expectations and to have faith in Repesa and his squad.
Likely Squad
Marko Popovic and Zoran Planinic are both 25 years old, while Mario Kasun is just two years older. So the three most potent Croatian players are all in their prime. Planinic and Kasun are really hungry for playing time because they didn’t see ACCUMULATED much of it in NBA or Liga ACB during the past
How did they qualify? Qualifying round
1st in Group D (5 W – 1 L)
Results
Date Aug-31st 2006 Sept-3rd 2006 Sept-6th 2006 Sept-9th 2006 Sept-13th 2006 Sept-16th 2006
Game *Croatia b. Latvia Croatia b. *Denmark *Croatia b. Estonia Croatia b. *Latvia *Croatia b. Denmark *Estonia b. Croatia
Result 84-56 92-67 76-47 78-70 91-79 78-77
croatia
eijing
Player Marko Popovic Mario Kasun Marko Banic Zoran Planinic Branimir Longin Roko-Leni Ukic Davor Kus Hrvoje Peric Damir Markota Marko Tomas Luksa Andric Nikola Prkácin Damir Miljkovic Drago Pasalic TOTALS
STATISTICS IN QUALIFYING ROUND G Min FG 5 30 34-60 4 20 20-33 6 26 30-42 5 23 16-33 5 14 14-25 4 24 10-24 6 22 9-19 4 11 10-19 6 17 11-30 6 20 11-25 4 14 7-15 3 9 2-7 4 11 4-10 3 3 2-9 6 - 180-351
37
% 3pts 56.7 13-30 60.6 0-1 71.4 0-1 48.5 2-5 56.0 7-15 41.7 3-8 47.4 9-15 52.6 0-2 36.7 2-14 44.0 6-15 46.7 0-1 28.6 - 40.0 1-6 22.2 - 51.3 43-113
FT Rb As 8-11 3.4 3.0 14-15 6.0 0.8 12-15 5.3 1.2 17-30 3.6 3.4 - 3.6 1.2 2-3 3.0 3.3 10-13 2.3 1.2 3-4 1.5 0.8 10-14 4.5 0.8 6-9 1.7 1.2 6-9 2.3 0.3 4-4 1.7 1.3 1-2 0.5 0.8 2-3 3.0 0.3 95-132 33.8 19.4
St 1.2 0.8 0.3 1.4 0.2 0.8 0.5 0.3 0.8 0.3 1.0 0.7 1.3 - 9.5
BS TO Pts - 1.4 17.8 0.3 2.0 13.5 0.2 1.5 12.0 - 1.4 10.2 - 0.6 7.0 0.5 1.0 6.3 - 1.0 6.2 0.3 1.0 5.8 - 1.2 5.7 - - 5.7 0.5 1.3 5.0 - 0.7 2.7 - 0.8 2.5 0.3 - 2.0 2.0 13.7 102.2
GROUP B
TEAM STAR MARIO
KASUN Height: 2.15 Position: Center Date of birth: 05/04/80 Place of birth: Vinkovci (Croatia) Team 2006-07: WINTERHUR F.C. BARCELONA (Spain-Liga ACB) Career: Media Velika Gorica (Croatia-A-2, 1996-97), Zrinjevac (Croatia, A-1, 1997-2000), Gonzaga University (USA-NCAA, 2000-02), Cologne (Germany-1. Bundesliga, 2002), Frankfurt Skyliners (Germany-1. Bundesliga, 2002-04), Orlando Magic (NBA, 2004-2006), F.C. Barcelona (Spain-Liga ACB, 2006-07). Selected in the second round (#41) in the 2002 NBA draft by the Los Angeles Clippers. Rights traded to the Orlando Magic.
T
he famous Croatian Hall of Fame Coach Mirko Novosel once said of Kasun: “Mario Kasun is the European Shaquille O’Neal!” During the 2005 EuroBasket, Mario was one of the best centers, but he got injured in the first quarter of the quarter-final against Spain. He spent one more season in the NBA with the Orlando Magic, but in the summer of 2006, acknowledging his playing time wasn’t increasing, Mario decided to sign for Barcelona where he could play a bigger role. Mario started off well in Catalonia but after being injured in January, he never made it back into the rotation. This is a bit of a mystery considering Mario’s stats (11.9 ppg and 4.3 rpg in 16 minutes per game) were solid. It’s hard to find many 2.15 m centers with power forward skills like Mario Kasun. He has such an impressive array of offensive abilities to go with solid fundamentals. Mario is strong and, even more importantly for the National Team these days, he wants to play! Kasun said recently: “I’m so happy to play for my country. I can’t wait for the first EuroBasket game. I’m hungry for it!” Mario’s career has been anything but easy. Despite being blessed with a phenomenal body, he sat out two full years at Gonzaga University due to an eligibility problem. Because he had previously signed a contract with Zrinjevac he didn’t play organised basketball for the two and half years he spent at Gonzaga University, where he was only practicing and studying. This explains why when Kasun was drafted by the Clippers in 2002 and soon traded to Orlando, his selection was a big surprise for everybody. Up to that time he had shown just a glimmer of his talent, averaging 10.7 points per game in six Korac Cup games with Zrinjevac in 1999-2000. The 2.15 meter center did not go straight to the NBA , signing first with Frankfurt where he played two excellent seasons with the SkyLiners and won the 2003-04 Bundesliga title. He did play two seasons for Orlando to fulfil his NBA dreams, but never really got a chance to show what he could do. Kasun has an impressive vertical leap, a strong body, very good skills and an excellent shooting touch from five meters and in, making him effective in both pick-and-roll and pick-and-pop situations. He is also a very good shot-blocker.
National Team STATS YEAR
2003 2005 2007
COMPETITION
Semi-final Round EuroBasket Qualifying Round / Div. A
GP Min
2 15 5 21 4 20
2pts
4-9 23-42 20-32
3pts
GP Min
2pts
3pts
2pts
3pts
- - 0-1
FT
4-5 11-14 14-15
Rb As Pts
3.0 - 6.0 6.0 0.4 11.4 6.0 0.8 13.5
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
1998-99 1999-00 2002-03 2003-04 2006-07
Zrinjevac Zagreb (Korac Cup) 4 Zrinjevac Zagreb (Korac Cup) 6 Frankfurt Skyliners (ULEB Cup) 10 Frankfurt Skyliners (ULEB Cup) 10 F.C. Barcelona (Euroleague) 8
8 21 22 24 16
6-7 29-41 51-92 56-98 37-65
- - - - -
FT
2-2 6-9 33-56 24-46 21-24
Rb As Pts
0.8 - 3.5 2.8 - 10.7 6.3 0.6 13.5 8.8 1.0 13.6 4.3 0.5 11.9
NBA STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
2004-05 Orlando Magic 2005-06 Orlando Magic
38
GP Min
45 28
8 8
47-97 31-69
0-1 -
FT
24-43 18-23
Rb As Pts
2.8 0.2 2.6 2.1 0.1 2.9
MARINO
PLANINIC
BAZDARIC
Height: 1.98 Position: Point guard Date of birth: 12/09/82 Place of birth: Mostar (BosniaHerzegovina) Team 2006-07: TAU VITORIA (Spain-Liga ACB) Career: Brotnjo Citluk (BosniaHerzegovina, 1-Div), Cibona Zagreb (youth team), Benston (Croatia-A1, 199900), Cibona Zagreb (Croatia-A1, 2000-03), New Jersey Nets (NBA, 2003-06), Tau Ceramica (Spain-Liga ACB, 2006-07). Selected in the fisrt round (#22) of the 2003 NBA draft.
Height: 1.95 Position: Shooting Guard Date of Birth: 25/11/1978 Place of birth: Rijeka Team 2006-07: VIVE MENORCA (Spain-Liga ACB) Career: Croatia Line Rijeka (CroatiaA1, 1995-2000), Triglav Osiguranje Rijeka (Croatia-A1, 2000-02), Olimpija Ljubljana (Slovenia-D1, 2002-05), Cibona Zagreb (Croatia-D1, 2005-06), Olimpija Ljubljana (Slovenia-D1, 2006), Vive Menorca (Spain-Liga ACB, 200607).
M
arino Bazdaric is a solid European-level shooting guard. He is currently the prime offensive force for the Slovenian powerhouse, Olimpija Ljubljana. With good height, a great body and speed, he can penetrate and pass, and shoot at will. He averaged more than 15 points per game in the Euroleague during the 2004-05 season. Marino was also the top scorer of the regional Goodyear League and the Croatian Championship in 2002. Before EuroBasket 2005, he injured his ankle and as a result had a very bad season for Cibona and after that for Olimpija (again). Last season he was one of the best players for Vive Menorca (11.4 ppg) in the Liga ACB. Bazdaric will have a tough time to make the National Team due to the strong competition at his position.
W
hen he was at Cibona Zagreb, Planinic was thought to be one of the most talented players in Europe. During the U18 European Championship in 2000, he was considered by many to be a bigger prospect than future NBA star Tony Parker. Planinic became the starting point guard for Cibona Zagreb at 20, helping his team win the Croatian championship in 2001 and 2002. The 1.98 meter point guard dazzled everyone with his skills in his “rookie” year and was branded MVP of the inaugural Euroleague in 2001. Drafted by the New Jersey Nets in 2003, the Bosnia-Herzegovina native struggled through three frustrating seasons, playing behind Jason Kidd. He headed back to Europe in search of playing time. At TAU Vitoria, he was the best player of the first half of the Euroleague season, before injuring his left hand. Still, he showed something in his first European season, playing strong defense and becoming a much better passer and an improved shooter from three-point range. Planinic has great size for a point guard, excellent ball-handling, passing and shooting skills and Croatia will need him to be 100% healthy if they want to qualify for the 2008 Olympic Games.
National Team STATS YEAR
2003 2003 2005
2003 2003 2005 2007
COMPETITION
Semi-final Round EuroBasket EuroBasket Qualifying Round / Div. A
GP Min
4 3 5 5
23 16 23 23
2pts
3pts
12-20 5-9 15-29 14-28
5-13 1-3 3-7 2-5
2pts
3pts
FT
11-16 5-6 13-16 17-30
SEASON CLUB (Competition)
2000-01 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06
Rb As Pts
3.3 3.3 2.8 3.6
1.8 0.7 2.6 3.4
GP Min
2pts
3pts
4 30 3 8 4 7
12-17 0-1 1-2
10-22 0-3 1-10
GP Min
2pts
3pts
FT
3-6 4-4 3-4
Rb As Pts
2.8 1.0 14.3 0.3 0.7 1.3 0.5 0.3 2.0
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS
National Team STATS YEAR
COMPETITION
Semi-final Round EuroBasket Qualifying Round
12.5 6.0 10.4 10.2
T.O. Rijeka (Korac Cup) 4 T.O. Rijeka (Korac Cup) 2 Olimpija Ljubljana (Euroleague) 18 Olimpija Ljubljana (Euroleague) 20 Olimpija Ljubljana (Euroleague) 14 Cibona Zagreb (Euroleague) 6
35 17-26 13-21 34 7-21 4-11 24 32-62 26-72 31 46-97 40-116 28 72-159 34-87 19 5-11 6-15
FT
17-23 11-14 36-40 51-58 37-48 5-10
Rb As Pts
3.5 3.0 1.9 4.5 4.5 2.2
3.0 1.5 1.3 1.8 1.6 0.7
22.5 18.5 9.9 13.2 15.4 5.5
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
1999-00 2000-01 2001-02 2002-03 2006-07
Dubrava Zagreb (Korac Cup) Cibona Zagreb (Euroleague) Cibona Zagreb (Euroleague) Cibona Zagreb (Euroleague) Tau Vitoria (Euroleague)
GP Min
2 3 8 18 16
32 13 25 22 25
8-14 1-5 31-61 41-80 42-84
2-6 0-5 7-14 8-34 7-27
FT
14-19 - 28-41 35-59 40-58
Rb As Pts
3.0 1.3 2.3 2.8 2.8
2.0 1.0 2.4 2.8 4.1
18.0 0.7 12.1 7.8 9.1
NBA STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
2003-04 New Jersey Nets 2004-05 New Jersey Nets 2005-06 New Jersey Nets
GP Min
2pts
49 10 44-97 43 12 63-134 56 11 53-127
3pts
9-32 15-40 13-56
FT
38-60 46-66 46-66
Rb As Pts
1.1 1.4 3.1 1.6 1.0 5.0 1.3 0.9 3.4
Coach: JASMIN REPESA Nationality: Croatian Date of birth: 01/06/61 Place of birth: Capljina (Bosnia-Herzegovina) Team 2006-07: LOTTOMATICA ROMA (Italy-Lega) Career: Dona Zagreb (Croatia-A1, 1994-95), Cibona Zagreb (Croatia-A1, 1995-97), Tofas Bursa (Turkey-TBL, 1997-2000), Split Croatia osiguranje (Croatia-A-1, 2000-01), Slask Wroclaw (Poland-DBL, 2001-02), Cibona Zagreb (Croatia-A1, 2001-02), Fortitudo Bologna (Italy-Lega, 2002-06), Lottomatica Roma (Italy-Lega, 2006-07) International career: EuroBasket 2007 Qualifying round
R
epesa has been in charge of the Croatian National Team since March 2006, replacing Neven Spahija. For the last four or five years, he has been considered the best Croatian coach, but the Croatian Basketball Federation gave a chance to Spahija after EuroBasket 2001. Repesa is originally from Bosnia and Herzegovina, where he played basketball for about 15 years. He began his coaching career as an assistant for KK Zagreb. In
1994, he took over the head coaching job of Dona Zagreb, the “development team” of Cibona. The following year, he became the head coach of Cibona and, two years later he left to Tofas Bursa. There, in his very first season, he won the Turkish National Cup and the Championship. In 2000, he came back to Croatia and led a very young Split team all the way to the quarter-finals of the FIBA SuproLeague. But his biggest success came with Fortitudo Bologna, where he managed to win the Lega in 2005. In the qualifying round for EuroBasket 2007, the National Team, with Repesa on the bench, showed their potential in every aspect of the game. Repesa is a good motivator who prefers tough players. He will do anything to get the team to the 2008 Olympic Games. Even if he has to persuade the best players like Vujcic and Giricek to play for their country.
39
croatia
ZORAN
GROUP B
ROKO-LENI
DAVOR
UKIC
KUS
Height: 1.95 Position: Point guard Date of birth: 12/05/1984 Place of birth: Split Team 2006-07: WINTERHUR F.C. BARCELONA (Spain-Liga ACB) Career: Split (Croatia-A1, 1999-2005), Tau Ceramica (Spain-Liga ACB, 2005-06), F.C. Barcelona (Spain-Liga ACB, 2006-07). Selected in the second round (#41) of the 2005 NBA draft by the Toronto Raptors.
Height: 1.91 Position: Point guard / Shooting guard Date of birth: 21/07/78 Place of birth: Rijeka Team 2006-07: CIBONA ZAGREB (Croatia-A1) Career: Sava osiguranje Rijeka (Croatia-A1, 1996-2000), Cibona Zagreb (Croatia-A1, 200004), AEK (Greece-ESAKE, 2004-05), Cibona Zagreb (Croatia-A1, 2005-07).
C
A
onsidered the best Croatian player in the national league for the past two seasons with Cibona, Kus has learned and improved a lot recently. He is now stronger, better on defense and very dangerous on offense. He is an experienced playmaker who can also be effective as a shooting guard. The 29 year-old is very quick, a good passer and has also become an effective three-point shooter over the years. In 2005-06 he was a backup for Scoonie Penn in Cibona, but this past season his club handed him the starting job and Kus answered by becoming the leader averaging 13.6 points and 3.1 assists per game in the Euroleague. Kus spent only a year abroad, at AEK in 200405, before returning to his beloved club of Cibona.
future NBA player, Roko-Leni was drafted by the Raptors but chose to sign with Vitoria instead. After an average season with TAU, Velimir Perasovic let him go to Barcelona. At EuroBasket 2005, he started to show his talent despite some tough competition at his position in the form of Planinic and Popovic. After just one more season in the ACB, he is a totally new player: stronger, faster and more clever. He has the size of a shooting guard, but handles the point guard responsibilities with more and more skill. Ukic is a great ball handler. He drives and finishes with both hands, dishes to the open man with ease and is a very good shooter from three-point range. The biggest problem for him remains the competition on his own team, especially as his weakness is that he needs to have the ball in his hands to be effective.
National Team STATS YEAR
National Team STATS YEAR
2003 2005 2005 2007
COMPETITION
Semi-final Round Qualifying Round / Div. A EuroBasket Qualifying Round / Div. A
GP Min
4 4 6 4
11 26 16 24
2pts
3pts
FT
2-4 9-22 10-27 7-16
3-9 7-25 5-15 3-8
- 5-8 8-9 2-3
2pts
3pts
FT
2001 2007
Rb As Pts
- 5.3 1.0 3.0
0.8 2.5 1.7 3.3
3.3 11.0 7.2 6.3
2000-01 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2005-06 2006-07
GP Min
BC Split (SuproLeague) 1 3 BC Split (Saporta) 11 21 BC Split (FIBA Cup) 7 31 BC Split (ULEB Cup) 7 32 Tau Vitoria (Euroleague) 17 15 F.C. Barcelona (Euroleague) 23 17
0-4 23-51 29-61 26-47 21-50 29-71
0-4 5-19 10-40 8-28 7-37 14-40
- 13-18 4-8 17-29 12-17 17-27
SEASON CLUB (Competition)
2000-01 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07
Rb As Pts
1.0 1.3 2.7 3.4 1.3 1.3
2.0 1.5 3.9 4.9 1.9 2.0
6.7 13.1 13.3 4.4 5.1
Cibona Zagreb (Euroleague) Cibona Zagreb (Euroleague) Cibona Zagreb (Euroleague) Cibona Zagreb (Euroleague) AEK Athens (Euroleague) Cibona Zagreb (Euroleague) Cibona Zagreb (Euroleague)
3pts
Rb As Pts
- 3.0 11.0 2.3 1.2 6.2
GP Min
7 14 20 20 20 20 14
5 14 22 20 16 25 34
0-2 17-43 33-70 21-47 26-57 22-54 25-57
0-2 6-24 13-34 10-29 7-19 29-64 22-56
FT
8-8 9-14 42-56 37-49 39-46 48-59 75-82
Rb As Pts
0.6 0.6 1.6 1.3 0.7 2.3 2.0
0.3 1.7 1.6 2.0 1.4 1.5 3.1
1.1 3.5 7.4 5.5 4.9 9.0 13.6
National Team STATS
National Team STATS GP Min
6 4 4 6 5
14 21 23 24 30
2pts
3pts
1-3 5-9 4-6 7-13 21-30
2-13 8-21 9-23 10-27 13-30
2pts
3pts
FT
5-6 8-13 18-23 15-20 8-11
YEAR
Rb As Pts
0.8 3.3 2.0 1.5 3.4
1.0 2.5 3.3 3.5 3.0
2007
2.2 10.5 13.3 9.8 17.8
GP Min
KK Zadar (Saporta) 1 KK Zadar (Euroleague) 11 KK Zadar (ULEB Cup) 13 Pamesa Valencia (Euroleague) 12 Cibona Zagreb (Euroleague) 5 Cibona Zagreb (Euroleague) 17 Efes Pilsen (Euroleague) 16 Zalgiris Kaunas (Euroleague) 7
9 0-1 - 30 47-117 20-67 33 42-80 36-91 16 7-21 14-35 30 11-25 5-21 32 80-178 39-101 24 30-52 36-86 34 20-37 12-44
FT
3-4 39-48 56-70 11-14 12-16 63-86 38-49 30-33
SEASON CLUB (Competition)
1996-97 1997-98 1999-00 2000-01 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05
Rb As Pts
1.0 1.8 2.8 1.6 3.6 2.2 1.4 0.9
2.0 4.0 2.9 1.5 2.6 4.0 3.1 4.9
COMPETITION
Qualifying Round / Div. A
GP Min
2pts
3pts
5 14
7-10
7-15
GP Min
2pts
3pts
FT
-
Rb As Pts
3.6 1.2 7.0
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS 1999-00 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07
2pts
FT
3-3 10-13
A
M
SEASON CLUB (Competition)
2-2 9-15
fter two seasons in Europe’s top league, Liga ACB, Longin has become mentally stronger and a much better player than he was before he left Croatia. A very good shooter from three-point range and an excellent free-throw shooter, he is also solid on defense, which will be important in earning the confidence of coach Repesa. Right now, Branimir is considered the best option to replace NBA star Gordan Giricek at shooting guard. After two good seasons in Sevilla (7.8 ppg in 2006-07), Longin deserves a chance with a Euroleague team. The 29-year-old won the U18 European Championship in 1996 with teammate Nikola Vujcic. On that team, Longin was a backup for Josip Sesar, averaging 5.0 points per game in 17 minutes of action.
arko is a combo guard in a small package but is capable of playing both positions with equal effectiveness. He is able to score at will and has excellent playmaking abilities. The 25-year-old is very good passer and proved it last season at Zalgiris where he finished third in the EuroLeague with 4.9 assists per game. Popovic has good range from seven, eight and nine meters which isn’t surprising considering that shooting runs in his veins. Marko’s father, Petar Popovic (Zadar), was one of the best shooters in the former Yugoslavia. His soft touch, great ball handling and tough mentality have earned him the starting playmaking spot in Zadar, Cibona, Efes Pilsen and Zalgiris. Expect him to do everything he can to get his country to China in 2008.
Semi-final Round EuroBasket Qualifying Round / Div. A EuroBasket Qualifying Round / Div. A
3pts
1-1 0-4
Height: 1.96 Position: Shooting guard Date of birth: 07/02/78 Place of birth: Zadar Team 2006-07: CAJA SAN FERNANDO SEVILLA (Spain-Liga ACB) Career: Zadar (Croatia-A1, 1996-98), Karlovac (Croatia-A2, 1998-99), Benston Zagreb (Croatia-A1, 1999-2000), Cibona Zagreb (Croatia-A1, 2000-02), Zadar (Croatia-A1, 2002-04), Cibona Zagreb (Croatia-A1, 2004-05), Caja San Fernando (Spain-Liga ACB, 2005-07).
Height: 1.85 Position: Point guard Date of birth: 12/06/82 Place of birth: Zadar Team 2006-07: ZALGIRIS KAUNAS (Lithuania-LKL & Baltic) Career: Zadar (Croatia-A1, 1998-2000), Junior College Southern Idaho (NCAA-2nd Div, 2000-01), Zadar (Croatia-A1, 2001-03), Pamesa Valencia (Spain-Liga ACB, 2003), Cibona Zagreb (CroatiaA1, 2004-05, Efes Pilsen (Turkey-TBL, 2005-06), Zalgiris Kaunas (Lithuania-LKL & Baltic, 2006-07).
2003 2003 2005 2005 2007
2pts
LONGIN
POPOVIC
COMPETITION
1 20 6 22
BRANIMIR
MARKO
YEAR
GP Min
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
COMPETITION
Semi-final Round Qualifying Round / Div. A
3.0 13.9 19.1 5.6 9.8 15.4 12.9 15.1
40
KK Zadar (EuroCup) KK Zadar (Korac Cup) Dubrava Zagreb (Korac Cup) Cibona Zagreb (Euroleague) Cibona Zagreb (Euroleague) KK Zadar (ULEB Cup) KK Zadar (ULEB Cup) Cibona Zagreb (Euroleague)
6 3 2 4 13 14 9 16
10 9-14 11 4-5 29 6-8 12 5-8 10 13-34 25 25-57 28 23-54 27 53-116
0-1 0-1 2-2 0-3 6-18 15-46 17-39 19-42
FT
1-3 2-4 6-7 0-2 5-13 26-38 19-28 38-51
Rb As Pts
1.0 0.7 3.0 1.0 1.5 3.9 3.9 3.6
0.7 0.3 - 0.3 0.4 1.3 1.0 1.3
3.2 3.3 12.0 2.5 2.8 8.6 12.9 10.2
MARKO
TOMAS
BANIC
Height: 2.01 Position: Shooting Guard / Small forward Date of birth: 03/01/85 Place of birth: Koprivnica Team 2006-07: REAL MADRID (Spain-Liga ACB) Career: KK Zagreb (Croatia-A-1, 2000-05), Real Madrid (Spain-ACB, 2005-07).
Height: 2.04 Position: Power Forward Date of birth: 31/08/84 Place of birth: Zadar Team 2006-07: LAGUN ARO BILBAO Basket (Spain-Liga ACB) Career: Zadar (Croatia, 2001-05), Lagun Aro Bilbao Basket (Spain-ACB, 2005-07).
B
M
anic is a typical modern power forward with a strong body and a soft touch from the perimeter. He is a very efficient inside player who loves to bang in the paint. In qualifying he was one of Croatia’s best players. Coach Repesa prefers players like Banic who are very effective on offense and tough and aggressive defensively. He is just 2.04 m tall, and because of that, he is little bit undersized at his position. But after two very good seasons in Spain - 6.8 ppg and 3.9 rpg while shooting 59% from the floor in 20 minutes of action per game for Bilbao - he showed how good he can be. When he played for Zadar, he was the best scorer and rebounder on the team. The biggest problem for him (though not for his coach) in this EuroBasket could be the abundance of excellent power forwards on the roster.
arko Tomas’s name is familiar to every NBA scout for over the last five years. In a KK Zagreb uniform, as soon as he turned 17, he was their best player and and one of the teams top scorers, passers and defenders. At only 20, Tomas was recruited by Boja Maljkovic at Real Madrid but he has failed to become the key player that everybody expected him to be. Tomas is tall, strong, an excellent shooter and a tough defender. He can play both shooting guard and small forward but in his last two seasons with Real, Tomas seems to have lost confidence, especially in his shooting touch. Though he has become a more reliable player on defense, Repesa will probably use him to guard the opponents’ toughest player.
National Team STATS YEAR
2005 2005 2007
COMPETITION
Qualifying Round / Div. A EuroBasket Qualifying Round / Div. A
GP Min
2pts
3pts
FT
National Team STATS
Rb As Pts
4 25 6 17 6 20
12-16 4-7 5-10
4-11 6-10 6-15
3-4 13-15 6-9
4.3 1.0 9.8 2.5 1.0 6.5 1.7 1.2 5.7
GP Min
2pts
3pts
FT
Rb As Pts
YEAR
2005 2007
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
2002-03 2003-04 2003-04 2005-06 2006-07
KK Zagreb (FIBA Cup) KK Zagreb (ULEB Cup) KK Zagreb (ULEB Cup) Real Madrid (Euroleague) Real Madrid (ULEB Cup)
7 9 6 15 17
23 36 27 23 17
21-34 18-33 9-20 15-36 21-43
4-10 18-41 15-27 16-39 12-31
7-8 19-28 10-12 20-24 26-32
1.7 3.2 4.8 2.1 3.3
0.6 4.8 0.8 1.8 1.1
COMPETITION
Qualifying Round / Div. A Qualifying Round / Div. A
SEASON CLUB (Competition)
8.7 12.1 12.2 6.5 6.1
2002-03 KK Zadar (ULEB Cup) 2003-04 KK Zadar (ULEB Cup) 2004-05 KK Zadar (ULEB Cup)
Zagreb (Croatia-A1, 2005-07).
3pts
YEAR
2007
FT
6 17
9-16
2-14
10-14
GP Min
2pts
3pts
FT
2003-04 Cibona Zagreb (Euroleague) 1 2 2004-05 Cibona Zagreb (Euroleague) 11 14 2005-06 Cibona Zagreb (Euroleague) 19 20
1-1 15-44 36-59
0-1 - 20-62
- 4-8 16-26
2006-07 Milwaukee Bucks
GP Min
30
6
2pts
13-36
3pts
6-16
FT
7-11
COMPETITION
Qualifying Round / Div. A
SEASON CLUB (Competition)
8 9 7-11 9 22 28-39 10 29 73-111
1-3 - 0-8
FT
7-7 18-22 25-41
Rb As Pts
1.5 - 3.0 5.0 1.0 8.2 5.3 0.5 17.1
Height: 2.11 Position: Power forward / Center Date of Birth: 29/01/85 Place of birth: Dubrovnik Team 2006-07: Cibona Zagreb Career: Dubrovnik (Croatia-A2, 1999-2002), Dubrava (Croatia-A1, 2003-05), Cibona
GP Min
4 14
GP Min
2005-06 Cibona Zagreb (Euroleague) 14 10 2006-07 Cibona Zagreb (Euroleague) 12 11
Rb As Pts
4.5 0.8 5.7 Rb As Pts
1.0 - 2.0 2.0 0.4 3.5 5.1 0.6 7.8
NBA STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
3pts
Rb As Pts
0.8 0.3 2.3 5.3 1.2 12.0
2pts
3pts
2pts
3pts
7-14
0-1
FT
6-9
Rb As Pts
2.3 0.3 5.0
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
2pts
FT
1-2 12-15
National Team STATS
National Team STATS 2pts
GP Min
0-1 0-1
A
F
GP Min
3pts
ndric caught the basketball bug in fourth grade from his older brother, Djivo, who was already playing for the Dubrovnik basketball club. When the Dubrovnik native was 17 he came to Cibona where he played for the club’s youth team. He then spent two years in Dubrava on loan where, during his second season, he averaged 12.1 points and 6.2 rebounds per game. Cibona brought him back before the 2005-06 season and last year, at only 21, he was one of the most important players in the team. Andric has a strong body, is very quick for his size and has good range for an inside player. The 22-year-old is still improving and needs to polish his game, but he has NBA potential, even if he needs to add some weight to play at the highest level.
or some basketball fans, the name Markota came out of nowhere a year or so ago, but that’s only because the Sarajevo native was struggling with some serious family issues which led him to change his last name from Omerhodzic to his mothers surname Markota. Markota could be a big part of the future of Croatian basketball but after a solid 2005-06 season in Cibona, he went to Milwaukee probably a bit too soon and didn’t get a chance to show his skills. He wanted to play so much that the Bucks sent him to the NBDL where he played in just 10 games and averaged 10.6 points and 4.8 rebounds in 30 minutes per game. After his first NBA/NBDL season he is physically stronger at 118 kg but has lost confidence. Despite his height, Markota is an excellent long range shooter. He has good footwork, a terrific first step and a huge vertical leap (about 90 cm!). He is also a very good rebounder. His weakest point tends to be his mental toughness and attitude. Markota was born in Sarajevo but quickly moved to Sweden because of the war and only returned to Croatia when he was 14. He was the top-scorer (18.3 ppg) and rebounder (10.8 rpg) at the 2005 U20 European Championship in Russia.
COMPETITION
4-5 30-41
ANDRIC
Height: 2.09 Position: Small forward / Power forward Date of birth: 26/12/85 Place of birth: Sarajevo (BosniaHerzegovina) Team 2006-07: MILWAUKEE BUCKS (USANBA) Career: Cibona Zagreb (youth team), Zabok (Croatia-A-2, 2001-02), Sanac Karlovac (Croatia-A-2, 2002-03), Cibona Zagreb (Croatia, 2003-06), Milwaukee Bucks (USA-NBA, 2006-07). Selected in the second round of the 2006 NBA draft (#59), by the San Antonio Spurs. Rights traded to Milwaukee.
Qualifying Round / Div. A
2pts
LUKSA
MARKOTA
2007
4 6 6 26
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS
DAMIR
YEAR
GP Min
Rb As Pts
1.0 0.2 1.7
41
15-31 18-31
- 2-4
FT
11-21 10-11
Rb As Pts
2.0 0.1 2.9 2.6 0.1 4.3
croatia
MARKO
GROUP B
NIKOLA
MARIN
PRKACIN (Turkey-TBL, 2003-07).
ROZIC
Height: 2.08 Position: Power forward / Center Date of birth: 15/11/1975 Place of birth: Dubrovnik Team 2006-07: EFES PILSEN (Turkey-TBL) Career: Split (Croatia-A-1, 1993-98), Cibona Zagreb (Croatia-A-1, 1998-03), Efes Pilsen
Height: 2.01 Position: Small forward Date of birth: 14/02/1983 Place of birth: Mostar (Bosnia & Herzegovina) Team 2006-07: CIBONA ZAGREB (CroatiaD1) Career: Zrinjevac Zagreb (Croatia-A1, 1998-2003), Mabo Livorno (Italy-Lega, 2003-04), Cibona Zagreb (Croatia-A1, 2004-07)..
N
iksa Prkacin is a veteran of the National Team and the most experienced Croatian player. The 32-year-old has had lots of problems with back injuries in the last few years but when 100% healthy, he is one of the best power forwards in Europe. He is a left-hander with a massive body which helps to make him an excellent rebounder. Prkacin is from Dubrovnik where he began his sports career playing water polo. At the age of 14 he started to play basketball in Zadar, then in Split and, in 1998, he came to the Croatian modern powerhouse of Cibona where he was one of the most important players on the team. For the last four years, he has played for Turkish giant, Efes Pilsen. Niksa has played in each of the last five EuroBaskets so this trip to Spain will be his sixth top level European National Team competition and, according to him, the last. “After, I’m thinking about retiring. I’m too tired and my body really needs some rest in the summer”, said Prkacin.
National Team STATS YEAR
1997 1999 1999 2001 2001 2003 2003 2005 2007
COMPETITION
EuroBasket Semi-final Round EuroBasket Semi-final Round EuroBasket Semi-final Round EuroBasket EuroBasket Qualifying Round / Div. A
National Team STATS GP Min
8 5 6 4 7 7 4 5 3
23 13 14 20 21 16 22 9 9
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
1993-94 1994-95 1995-96 1996-97 1997-98 1998-99 1999-00 2000-01 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07
BC Split (EuroCup) BC Split (EuroCup) BC Split (Korac Cup) BC Split (Euroleague) BC Split (Euroleague) Cibona Zagreb (Euroleague) Cibona Zagreb (Euroleague) Cibona Zagreb (Euroleague) Cibona Zagreb (Euroleague) Cibona Zagreb (Euroleague) Efes Pilsen (Euroleague) Efes Pilsen (Euroleague) Efes Pilsen (Euroleague) Efes Pilsen (Euroleague)
R
ozic’s team spirit, good defense, big heart and athleticism make him a player to consider for the National Team, especially after his solid performance last year for Cibona Zagreb in both the Euroleague and Croatian League. Rozic is a defensive stopper, always intense and effective guarding the top outside players from the opposing team. He’s also a strong rebounder for his position. Besides that, he is an excellent athlete and a force on the fast break. In the 2002-03 season, he was the best player for Zrinjevac (18.4 ppg, 6.1 rpg). The next season he played in Italy (5.2 ppg) and then in 2004-05 he signed with Cibona. Rozic has demonstrated his skills in the Euroleague for the last three seasons, but he has never played for the Croatian National Team. But now he is ready to be on his first EuroBasket side. His goal is to represent Croatia at the 2008 Olympics.
GP Min
3 7 2 13 17 19 21 10 14 20 16 22 22 20
4 8 12 19 23 28 28 21 25 26 21 23 30 18
2pts
28-48 9-17 14-18 18-27 19-36 21-33 10-24 7-14 2-7 2pts
- 6-14 2-5 40-72 67-151 46-113 96-176 36-71 51-103 77-139 47-90 70-122 103-182 52-88
3pts
FT
0-1 - - - 0-1 0-1 - - -
3pts
0-1 0-5 - - 1-1 - - 0-1 0-2 1-8 0-1 0-1 0-1 -
23-34 4-6 7-10 4-4 10-12 9-12 17-28 4-4 4-4 FT
2-2 4-8 - 22-38 39-53 36-55 40-58 20-30 38-57 67-101 31-46 78-106 61-86 28-46
YEAR
Rb As Pts
4.8 2.4 2.0 4.0 3.6 4.3 6.8 1.2 1.7
0.6 0.2 0.5 0.5 1.6 1.0 1.0 0.8 1.3
SEASON CLUB (Competition)
2001-02 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07
- 0.4 0.5 0.2 0.6 0.8 1.0 1.0 2.3 2.4 1.5 1.8 1.9 1.3
1-8 19-36 16-44 18-35
1-6 5-10 5-16 2-10
FT
6-10 7-11 20-25 16-21
Rb As Pts
2.5 1.8 2.3 3.0
1.0 0.2 0.4 0.6
5.5 3.8 3.4 4.1
National Team STATS YEAR
2001 2003 2003 2005 2005
2pts
3pts
FT
Rb As Pts
2pts
3pts
FT
Rb As Pts
COMPETITION
Semi-final Round Semi-final Round EuroBasket Qualifying Round / Div. A EuroBasket
GP Min
4 6 4 4 6
15 13 17 26 16
2pts
3pts
2pts
3pts
9-19 18-31 9-16 18-34 9-21
- - - - -
FT
9-12 7-12 2-2 12-17 8-10
Rb As Pts
3.5 3.3 2.5 7.0 3.0
0.5 0.5 0.5 - 0.8
6.8 7.2 5.0 12.0 4.3
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
1998-99 1999-00 2000-01 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS GP Min
28 11 14 16
Z
National Team STATS
- Never played in European Club Competition -
3pts
Rb As Pts
izic has a big, strong body, loves contact and is a solid rebounder. He is not a pretty player but after two excellent seasons at Olympiakos Piraeus, Zizic could be a wild card for Repesa’s team. Prior to Olympiakos, the Split native spent a few months at Barcelona where he didn’t perform very well but showed his talent and potential in Cibona where he was the best player on the team. With each passing season, Zizic gained more confidence and experience and today is a capable scorer, a solid rebounder, a hard nosed defender and will surely bring his toughness and offensive finesse in the paint. Zizic is a lot alike Nikola Vujcic, a player from the famous Split basketball school. Zizic can hit the perimeter shot or jump hook and he is also an excellent free-throw shooter. Last season at Olympiakos was the best in his career so it will be interesting to see how he plays at EuroBasket 2007.
S
SEASON CLUB (Competition)
2pts
FT
Height: 2.07 Position: Power forward / Center Date of birth: 14/01/80 Place of birth: Split Team 2006-07: OLYMPIAKOS PIRAEUS (Greece-ESAKE) Career: Plastik Solin (Croatia-A-2, 19971998), Split (Croatia-A-1, 1998-2003), Cibona Zagreb (Croatia-A-1, 2003-05), F.C. Barcelona (Spain-ACB, 2004-05), Olympiakos Piraeus (Greece-ESAKE, 2005-07)
tanko Barac is a perimeter-oriented center with an excellent outside shot. Last season in the Adriatic League (NLB) for Siroki Prima pivo he was on of the biggest surprises. He avaraged 13 points, 7.1 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per game. In 26 NLB games, he shot 14-of-39 (36%) from three-point range. The season before he avaraged 4.0 points and 3.3 rebounds per game. In the 2007 NBA Draft, he was the 39th pick in the second round (Miami sent him to Indiana). Right now Barac is not really an offensive threat, but a solid defender. He is a good shot blocker and rebounder and a true presence in the paint. His 217 cm frame should scare plenty of opponents. Last summer he was one of the best players in Croatia’s U20 European Championship team.
GP Min
3pts
ZIZIC
Height: 2.17 Position: Center Date of birth: 13/08/1986 Place of birth: Mostar (Bosnia & Herzegovina) Team 2006-07: SIROKI BRIJEG (Bosnia-D1) Career: Siroki Brijeg (Bosnia-A1, 20022007).
COMPETITION
2pts
ANDRIJA
0.7 2.3 2.0 7.8 10.4 6.7 11.0 9.2 10.0 11.2 7.8 9.9 12.1 6.6
BARAC
- Never played with the Senior National Team in official competition -
GP Min
Zrinjevac Zagreb (Korac Cup) 2 Cibona Zagreb (Euroleague) 13 Cibona Zagreb (Euroleague) 20 Cibona Zagreb (Euroleague) 14
Rb As Pts
1.7 1.0 5.0 3.5 5.0 7.8 7.7 4.5 5.9 5.3 4.2 4.6 5.2 3.9
GP Min
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS
STANKO
YEAR
COMPETITION
- Never played with the Senior National Team in official competition -
9.9 4.4 5.8 10.0 6.9 7.3 9.3 3.6 2.7
42
GP Min
BC Split (Saporta) 8 BC Split (Saporta) 12 BC Split (SuproLeague) 22 BC Split (Saporta) 12 BC Split (FIBA Cup) 5 Cibona Zagreb (Euroleague) 19 F.C. Barcelona (Euroleague) 5 Cibona Zagreb (Euroleague) 10 Olympiakos Piraeus (Euroleague) 23 Olympiakos Piraeus (Euroleague) 22
15 26 17 29 23 22 18 31 21 25
17-28 1-1 44-77 2-3 66-130 66-128 68-135 0-6 27-54 - 83-160 1-1 13-29 - 58-109 0-1 62-112 1-1 99-171 1-4
FT
7-13 17-28 0-2 73-95 18-24 41-61 - 29-47 64-81 67-84
Rb As Pts
3.6 5.2 3.7 6.6 5.6 5.3 4.8 7.8 4.4 5.2
- 0.7 0.3 0.8 - 0.1 0.6 1.4 0.3 1.0
5.5 9.3 5.8 17.4 14.4 11.1 8.6 14.5 8.3 12.2
LATVIA
GROUP B
Dreaming of “After two straight EuroBaskets that ended without a win, the Latvian National Team seem to have a good chance to qualify for the second round. On the one hand the Latvians must face two very strong opponents in current World Champions and hosts Spain and Croatia. On the other hand, they only have to get by Portugal to reach the second round.”
Biggest EuroBasket Success
In the over 70 years since the first EuroBasket, only 10 nations have won a European Championship title and Latvia is proud to be part of that list. In 1935, in Geneva, the Latvians won battles against Hungary (4612), Switzerland (28-19) and Spain (24-18) to bring back the trophy to Riga. Four years later, in Kaunas, the Latvian National Team won a silver medal after losing to Lithuania (36-37) in the decisive game. À few months later, World War II began and the Soviet Army occupied Latvia, an occupation that lasted for more than 50 years. So it was just in 1993 that the Latvian National Team once again had the chance to participate in EuroBasket under its own flag and though much had changed in 50 years, their return was not without highlights as they managed a 10th place finish that included wins over Italy and Israel. They did even better in 2001, when Latvia upset their powerful neighbour Lithuania, 94-76, in the Eighth-final. Even three loses in the quarterfinals and classification games could not quell the happiness of Latvian basketball fans over their teams 8th place finish.
Biggest EuroBasket Disaster
The biggest disaster for Latvia was the failure the National Team encountered in the summer of 1937. The preparations for this 2nd European Championship were
ROSTER Player
Height Position Birthdate Team 2006-07
Kristaps Valters 1.88 1 18/09/81 Janis Blums 1.90 1 20/04/82 Sandis Buskevics 1.90 1 28/01/77 Sandis Valters 1.90 2 31/08/78 Armands Skele 1.93 2 04/09/83 Kristaps Janicenoks 1.96 2/3 14/03/83 Aigars Vitols 1.95 2/3 15/02/76 Akselis Vairogs 1.94 2/3 08/11/85 Ivars Timermanis 2.02 3/4 04/02/82 Gatis Jahovics 2.00 3/4 11/08/84 Uvis Helmanis 2.04 4 10/06/72 Kaspars Berzins 2.11 4/5 25/08/85 Kaspars Cipruss 2.10 5 18/02/82 Raitis Grafs 2.10 5 12/06/81 Andris Biedrins 2.11 5 01/04/86 Coach: Karlis Muiznieks Assistants: Guntis Endzels, Vitalijs Umbrasko
Snaidero (Ita) Lietuvos rytas (Lit) ASK Riga ASK Rīga Barons/LMT Siviglia Wear Teramo (Ita) BK Ventspils BK Ventspils BK Ventspils Anwil (Pol) BK Ventspils Barons/LMT BK Ventspils ASK Riga Golden State Warriors (NBA)
Kristaps Valters
Last 10 events Year Event
2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997
44
World Championship EuroBasket Olympics EuroBasket World Championship EuroBasket Olympics EuroBasket World Championship EuroBasket
Place
Saitama Belgrad Athens Stockholm Indianapolis Istanbul Sydney Paris Athens Barcelona
Achievement
Did not qualify 13th-16th Did not qualify 13th-16th Did not qualify 8th Did not qualify Did not qualify Did not qualify 16th
very serious with an old factory in Riga transformed into a modern sport hall able to host 3,000 fans. After their success in 1953, every Latvian was expecting their team to bring home a second straight title. Unfortunately, after a surprising loss against rival Poland, the home team didn’t manage to qualify for the semi-finals and finished in sixth place. Since independence in the early nineties, Latvia’s achievements have been modest. The country qualified for EuroBasket five times, but in 1997, 2003 and 2005 the Red-White-Red team returned home without a victory. The bitterest failure came in 2005. Some weeks before the EuroBasket, the Latvian National Team won games against Italy, Croatia and future champions Greece in preparation games. Even more interesting, in the opening game of the tournament, Latvia pushed Spain into overtime before being beaten 114-109. But in a crucial game against Israel, the Latvians couldn’t manage to produce the same quality basketball they’d shown during the previous weeks and fell 74-65. In the end, they managed only a 14 th place finish.
Prediction
After two straight EuroBaskets that ended without a win, the Latvian National Team seem to have a good chance to qualify for the second round. After the draw the Latvian press took two different angles on their group. On the one hand, Latvia must face two very strong opponents in current World Champions and host Spain and Croatia, a team that has beaten the Latvians six times in six official games since 1993. On the other hand, the National Team only has to get by Portugal to reach the second round, a country that Latvia has beaten all six times they have played. However, historical statistics won’t matter that much in Sevilla. Good preparation and management to come with all their best players fit and ready to go will be the most important thing. If Andris Biedrins does in fact participate, point guard Kristaps Valters and other perimeter players are healthy and in good shape and the coach can implement his “fast-and-smart” basketball, then Latvia may be able to make-up for its deficiency of bright stars. If that happens, then Latvia can be a dangerous opponent, not only for Portugal, but for the top teams as well.
Best Individual Performance/Best Player of All-Time
44 points in an entire tournament and 11 points the final game are not the kind of numbers that raise eyebrows in modern basketball. But in 1935 this performances resulted in most observers considering Rudolfs Jurcins as the best player of the first European Championship. Jurcins was a center just a bit under 1.90 m, but he was the bright leader of the Latvian team. Eight Latvians, including impressive center Janis Krumins (2.18 m, known at the time as Vladimir Kruminch), and brilliant point guard Maigonis Valdmanis won the European Championship with the Soviet Union numerous times between 1953 and 1985. The best individual performance came from point guard Valdis Valters, who was the best player of the 1981 EuroBasket. He was also elected to the All-Tournament first team in 1985. Scoring has never been a problem for the Latvians. In 1993 shooting guard Karlis Muiznieks was one of the top scorers in the tournament at 24.0 points per game and in 1997 small forward Ainars Bagatskis was the second leading scorer of the tournament at 24.1 points per contest. In 2001 it was powerful center Kaspars Kambala who led the way finishing fifth in scoring with 19.0 points per game and fourth in rebounding at 9.0 boards per game.
Likely Squad
Latvia is not very rich with international basketball stars. Therefore, the roster for the final tournament will not be very different from the team who finished in second place in the Qualifying tournament. If Latvia can avoid injuries, the outside players should be brothers Kristaps and Sandis Valters, Kristaps Janicenoks, Armands Shkele, Janis Blums and Aigars Vitols. Inside, Uvis Helmanis, centers Kaspars Cipruss and Raitis Grafs will go to Sevilla. As for the new generation, a special place in the squad will be offered to Andris Biedrins, who has had a good season in the NBA. Some free spots in the roster will go to the other young players who will try to show their best during more than ten preparations games before the EuroBasket.
Scouting report
The Latvian National Team’s traditional weapons are quality fast breaks and outstan-
Accumulated statistics in Qualifying round
How did they qualify? Qualifying round
2nd in Group D (4 W – 2 L)
Results
Aug-31st 2006 Sept-3rd 2006 Sept-6th 2006 Sept-9th 2006 Sept-13th 2006 Sept-16th 2006
* Home team
*Croatia b. Latvia *Latvia b. Estonia Latvia b. *Denmark Croatia b. *Latvia Latvia b. *Estonia *Latvia b. Denmark
84-56 87-57 90-74 78-70 73-64 78-66
latvia
Madrid
ding perimeter shooting. Usually, at least four of the players on the court can hit from three-point range and this style of play causes opponents a lot of problems. Unfortunately, without enough power and size inside, Latvia’s offense has a tendency to be one-dimensional and therefore unpredictable. During the qualification games, Kaspars Cipruss showed some good form (14.3 ppg), while Raitis Grafs was dangerous at times as well. But a lot will depend upon a good contribution from young center Andris Biedrins (2.11 m, 21 years of age) who plays for the NBA’s Golden State Warriors. Biedrins must become the cornerstone of the team on both sides of the court if they are to be successful. His size may help in offsetting their disadvantage at the forward positions where the Latvians are traditionally undersized and so Latvia must be faster and tactically smarter than their opponents.
Player GP Min FG Kaspars Cipruss 6 24 30-46 Kristaps Janicenoks 6 27 23-51 Kristaps Valters 6 29 18-51 Uvis Helmanis 6 34 20-42 Armands Skele 6 16 15-35 Raitis Grafs 6 15 13-21 Aigars Vitols 6 23 11-40 Janis Blums 5 9 7-15 Sandis Valters 6 13 8-27 Gatis Jahovics 6 7 5-11 Sandis Buskevics 3 11 0-3 Total 6 - 150-342
45
% 3pts 65.2 0-1 45.1 7-22 35.3 10-31 47.6 13-29 42.8 2-10 61.9 0-0 27.5 5-21 46.6 4-10 29.6 1-14 45.5 0-1 - 0-1 43.9 42-140
FT Rb As 26-33 6.2 0.2 20-26 4.0 2.2 24-31 5.0 5.5 7-8 5.0 1.2 7-12 2.8 1.5 9-16 2.8 0.3 4-4 1.2 0.5 5-7 1.6 0.8 4-5 1.3 1.0 6-8 1.0 0.2 - 1.7 0.3 112-150 33.7 13.3
St 1.0 1.3 1.3 0.8 0.3 - 0.7 0.4 0.7 0.2 0.3 6.8
Bl 0.2 - 0.3 - - 0.3 0.2 0.4 - - - 1.3
To 1.7 1.2 1.8 0.8 0.8 0.8 0.8 0.8 0.3 0.3 - 9.3
Pts 14.3 12.2 11.7 10.0 6.5 5.8 5.2 5.2 3.5 2.7 75.8
GROUP B
TEAM STAR Andris
BIEDRINS Height: 2.11 Position: Center Date of birth: 01/04/86 Place of birth: Riga Team 2006-07: GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS (USA-NBA) Career: Skonto Riga (Latvia-LBL, 2002-2004), Golden State Warriors (USANBA, 2004-2007). Selected in the 1st round of the 2004 NBA draft (#11), by the Golden State Warriors.
A
t EuroBasket 2007, Latvia’s 21-years-old big man will likely be the youngest and most important member of the team. The 2.11 m center has the quickness of a perimeter player which blends in well with the traditional Latvian style of play. Biedrins brings a lot to the game including high-flying dunks, gravity defying blocked shots and dominating presence under the boards. With Biedrins on the roster the entire team looks more respectable and competitive. Tall since childhood, Biedrins started playing basketball early, studying at Valters Basketball School where coach Raivo Otersons took him under his wing and helped foster his budding talents. Biedrins spent a lot of time playing with older team-mates and rivals and at age 15 he was a key play for the Latvian U16 team. At 16, he was the main center for the U18 team and made his debut in a FIBA club tournament with Skonto Riga. His next step was a huge one as, just a day after his 18th birthday, Biedrins travelled to the U.S. where he began preparations for entry into the NBA draft. The dream came true as Biedrins became the first Latvian ever drafted in the first round when the Golden State Warriors took him with the 11th overall pick and in the fall of 2004 he became the youngest player in the NBA and the youngest millionaire in Latvia. “I know the first years will be very difficult,” Biedrins said some minutes after being drafted. That turned out to be true as he practised hard but played few minutes. He had to get stronger, faster and tactically smarter to make an impact in the NBA and on the international scene. During his first two seasons, Biedrins showed flashes of brilliance but often spent time on the bench. However, his diligence would eventually bear fruit. Before Biedrins’ third season, Don Nelson was named the new coach of the Warriors and he immediately mentioned Biedrins as one of most gifted player he had ever trained. The coach trusted him and Biedrins began to live up to expectations, playing in every game for the Warriors and starting his fair share as well. In one game he dropped in 31 points and grabbed 18 rebounds, not bad for a young center. By the end of regular season Biedrins had finished fifth in voting for the most improved player award and had made his first play-off experience. He helped the Warriors pull off one of the most remarkable upsets in NBA history when the eighth-seeded club took down the Dallas Mavericks, the team with the best record in the NBA with 67 wins. “Now I am ready to help the National Team,” Biedrins said, confirming that he wants to participate at EuroBasket in Spain. There he will play together with former teammates from Skonto Riga and hopes to prove that he is the best Latvian center ever.
NATIONAL TEAM STATS Year
Competition
GP Min
2pts
3pts
GP Min
2pts
3pts
GP Min
2pts
3pts
- Never played with the Senior NT in official competition -
FT
Rb As Pts
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
2002-03 Skonto (EC Challenge) 2003-04 Skonto (FEL)
11 12 12-22 11 32 81-149
- 1-1
FT
5-13 40-64
Rb As Pts
4.2 0.6 2.6 8.2 0.7 18.6
NBA STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
2004-05 Golden State Warriors 2005-06 Golden State Warriors 2006-07 Golden State Warriors
46
30 13 45-77 68 15 118-185 82 29 348-581
0-1 - -
FT
19-40 22-72 87-167
Rb As Pts
3.9 0.4 3.6 4.2 0.4 3.8 9.3 1.1 9.5
Uvis
VALTERS
HELMANIS
Height: 1.88 Position: Point guard Date of birth: 18/09/81 Place of birth: Riga Team 2006-07: SNAIDERO UDINE (ItaliaLega) Career: Broceni Riga (Latvia-LBL, 19982000), Muratpasa Antalya (Turkey-TBL, 2000-2001), Skonto Riga (Latvia-LBL, 2001-03), Panionios Athens (Greece-ESAKE, 2003), Skonto Riga (Latvia-LBL, 2004), EWE Oldenburg (Germany-1.Bundesliga, 2004-06), Snaidero Udine (Italia-Lega, 2006-07).
Height: 2.04 Position: Power forward Date of birth: 10/06/72 Place of birth: Talsi Team 2006-07: BK VENTSPILS (Latvia-Baltic league & LBL) Career: Bonus Riga (Latvia-LBL, 1992-94), Metropole (Latvia-LBL, 1995-98), Broceni Riga (Latvia-LBL, 1998-99), Bobry Bytom (Poland-PLK, 1999-2000), BK LMT Riga (Latvia-LBL, 2001), Slask Wroclaw (Poland-PLK, 2001), Bayer Leverkusen (Germany-1.Bundesliga, 2001-02), GHP Bamberg (Germany-1.Bundesliga, 2002-06), BK Ventspils (Latvia-Baltic league & LBL, 2006-07).
T
he youngest son of former USSR basketball star Valdis Valters, Kristaps was regarded as one of the biggest basketball prospects in Latvia as a teenager. Kristaps won numerous titles in Latvian youth basketball leagues and had an outstanding performance at the U18 European Championship (1998) where Latvia reached the semi-finals and qualified for the World Championship. However, his debut with the “big boys” did not go as smoothly. He is very quick and a good shooter but can be impatient and was not tactically smart enough to excel in Turkey or Greece. His dreams of joining Biedrins in the NBA didn’t come true either. Kristaps has put forth his best showings while playing for teams coached by his father because Valters Sr. knows how to utilize his son’s talent to the maximum. Valters is now older and smarter and his third international experience was much more successful then his first two. After two good seasons with Bundesliga side Oldenburg, Valters went to Udine where he was one of their key players, even leading the team in assists. After being a back-up at the point guard position for most of his National Team career, Valters handled the starting job during the qualifying round which enabled him to show off his playmaking skills. His 5.5 assists per game led the team.
E
xperienced and powerful, Helmanis has been a key player for the National Team since the nineties. Some coaches were trying to put this 2.04 m player under the basket but his style tends to draw him away from the hoop. Helmanis can use his big body in the paint, especially on defense, but his most effective weapon is his ability to knock down the three-point shot. He doesn’t look very quick, but he is adept at getting himself open from behind the three-point line. Helmanis has been a National Champion in three different countries in his career: Latvia, Poland and Germany. After four good years at Bamberg, Helmanis came back to Latvia and celebrated his homecoming with “eternal” national champs BK Ventspils and showed all his best assets in the Baltic league and in ULEB Cup games. He is not a vocal leader, but an irreplaceable member of the team. This summer Helmanis will become the first Latvian to play in five EuroBaskets. NATIONAL TEAM STATS Year
1995 1997 1997 1999 2001 2001 2001 2003 2003 2005 2005 2007
NATIONAL TEAM STATS Year
2001 2001 2003 2003 2005 2007
Competition
Semi-final round EuroBasket Semi-final round EuroBasket EuroBasket Qualifying round
GP Min
4 6 4 3 3 6
14 15 21 14 19 29
2pts
3pts
7-10 9-17 6-15 1-7 2-6 8-20
3-8 5-17 3-12 2-8 6-20 10-31
2pts
3pts
FT
4-4 8-10 6-8 2-2 11-12 24-31
Rb As Pts
1.5 1.8 2.0 2.6 2.6 5.0
0.5 1.8 3.2 2.0 2.6 5.5
6.8 6.8 6.8 3.3 11.0 11.7
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
1998-99 Broceni Riga (Saporta) 2002-03 Skonto (EC Challenge) 2006-07 Snaidero (ULEB Cup)
GP Min
3 10 12 26 12 26
3-8 42-84 26-45
2-3 25-51 28-61
FT
2-2 34-40 15-22
Rb As Pts
Competition
Semi-final round Semi-final round EuroBasket Semi-final round Qualifying round Semi-final round EuroBasket Semi-final round Euro Basket Qualifying round Euro Basket Qualifying round
GP Min
3 9 5 7 3 10 7 10 3 6 3 6
20 22 17 25 20 26 21 25 18 23 26 34
2pts
7-13 23-42 3-10 14-32 10-14 21-36 6-15 21-34 6-13 11-14 3-7 7-13
3pts
3-8 16-35 5-15 10-19 4-7 22-40 18-37 14-32 6-13 9-27 3-16 13-30
FT
10-18 16-24 7-10 26-33 2-2 19-25 4-6 29-35 6-9 15-15 3-3 7-8
Rb As Pts
4.3 6.4 1.6 4.4 0.7 3.9 3.3 3.2 3.3 5.3 5.7 5.0
- 0.1 0.4 0.7 1.0 0.3 0.4 1.1 1.3 0.8 1.0 1.1
11.0 12.2 5.6 12.0 11.3 12.7 10.6 11.3 12.0 10.7 6.0 10.0
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS
- - 4.7 3.2 7.3 16.1 3.7 5.0 12.6
SEASON CLUB (Competition)
1994-95 1996-97 1998-99 2001-02 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07
Metropole (Korac Cup) Metropole (Korac Cup) Broceni Riga (Saporta) Bayer (Korac Cup) Bamberg (FEL) Bamberg (ULEB Cup) Bamberg (Euroleague) BK Ventspils (ULEB Cup)
GP Min
2 2 11 10 16 5 20 12
32 28 31 22 28 22 16 24
2pts
5-11 8-15 33-57 23-46 29-48 6-14 7-16 12-25
3pts
5-14 3-6 25-56 9-36 38-76 12-24 20-43 25-53
FT
4-6 3-6 32-42 16-21 22-30 13-13 19-25 15-21
Rb As Pts
5.5 6.0 6.2 5.7 4.1 3.4 0.4 3.9
1.0 - 2.1 0.9 0.8 1.2 0.6 1.0
14.5 14.0 15.7 8.9 12.1 12.2 4.7 9.0
COACH: Karlis MUIZNIEKS the international level. At Venspils, he finished in 3rd place at the 2003 FIBA Europe Champions Cup and finished with the best won-loss record in the ULEB Cup preliminary round in 2005. His style is to play very fast on offense and tough on defense with frequent changes of styles. Muiznieks’ first step at the National Team level was very difficult, because many of the more experienced team leaders had retired from international competition. However, under Muiznieks’ guidance, young prospects showed the traditional Latvian playing style and performed well enough to qualify for EuroBasket’s final round. Team discipline for him is more important than stars. He proved that two years ago by “cutting” Latvian star Kaspars Kambala, just a few days before EuroBasket 2005, due to tactical and psychological reasons.
Nationality: Latvian Date of Birth: 25/03/1964 Place of birth: Riga Team 2006-07: BK Ventspils. Career: BK Ventspils (Latvia-LBL, 2002-2007). International career: Latvia National Team head coach (2004-07).
K
arlis Muiznieks is the nephew of Valdis Muiznieks who won three European Championships with the USSR and was a leader of the Latvian National Team at the 1993 EuroBasket. The coaching career of Muiznieks began in 1999 at BK Ventspils as the assistant of one of the most experienced Latvian coaches Armands Kraulins. Just four years later, Muiznieks replaced Kraulins as the National Team coach after a disappointing start in EuroBasket 2003. Muiznieks’ reputation grew after BK Ventspils successes, not only in the Latvian league (five championships) but also at
47
LATVIA
Kristaps
GROUP B
Janis
Sandis
BLUMS
VALTERS
Height: 1.90 Position: Point guard Date of birth: 20/04/82 Place of birth: Saldus Team 2006-07: LIETUVOS RYTAS VILNIUS (Lithuania-Baltic league & LKL) Career: Broceni Riga (Latvia-LBL, 19982000), BK LMT Riga (Latvia-LBL, 2000-01), Skonto Riga (Latvia-LBL, 2001-03), Anwil Wloclavek (Poland-PLK, 2003-04), BK Ventspils (Latvia-LBL, 2004-06), Lietuvos rytas Vilnius (Lithuania-Baltic & LKL).
Height: 1.88 Position: Shooting guard Date of birth: 31/08/78 Place of birth: Riga Team 2006-07: ASK RIGA (Latvia-Baltic league & LBL) Career: Broceni Riga (Latvia-LBL, 19952000), BK LMT Riga (Latvia-LBL, 2000-01), Skonto Riga (Latvia-LBL, 2001-03), TBB Trier (Germany-1.Bundesliga, 2003-04), TSK Würzbürg (Germany1.Bundesliga, 2004-05), Azovmash Mariupol (Ukraine-Superleague, 2005), BK Riga (Latvia-LBL, 2005-06) , ASK Riga (Latvia-Baltic & LBL, 2006-07).
A
s a junior, Blums was a substitute for Kristaps Valters but has showed since then that he deserves more than a back-up role. After a year at Wloclawek under famous coach Andrej Urlep, Blums showed an improved ability in the half-court offense. He surprised everybody with his good performance and statistics during the ULEB Cup 2005 playoffs against BK Ventspils. His quickness and athleticism are great weapons as he can get into the lane and finish the play or dish the ball out to open teammates. Last season, Blums made a step forward in his club career and became a member of ULEB Cup finalist team Lietuvos Rytas.
T
he eldest son of former Soviet Union star, Valdis Valters and the brother of likely starting point guard Kristaps, Sandis was never regarded as a big basketball prospect. As a junior, his strong points were good defense and a fighting spirit but years of regular practices with his father and one-on-one games against Kristalps have made Sandis a better player and one the best shooters in Latvian basketball. Valters has spent most of his career in Riga, except for a short escapade in Ukraine (2004-05). During the last two seasons, he has been the captain and leader of ASK Riga. In the 2007 EuroCup, he averaged 16.8 points (fifth best in the competition) and was selected to the All-Star Game. He plays his best basketball when on court with his brother Kristaps since this duo understands each other without words.
NATIONAL TEAM STATS Year
2005 2007
Competition
EuroBasket Qualifying round
GP Min
2 5
8 9
2pts
3pts
FT
Rb As Pts
0-1 3-5
0-1 4-10
0-0 5-7
0.5 - 1.6 0.8 4.6
2pts
3pts
FT
Rb As Pts
NATIONAL TEAM STATS
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07
Skonto (EC Challenge) Anwil Wloclawek (FEL) BK Ventspils (ULEB Cup) BK Ventspils (ULEB Cup) Lietuvos rytas (ULEB Cup)
Year
GP Min
15 14 13 12 13*
* without final game (April 10)
26 21 22 24 18
30-47 17-36 24-52 18-47 10-21
20-52 21-56 22-59 23-53 11-31
30-43 19-24 25-38 31-41 13-21
1.7 2.0 2.0 1.7 1.8
3.4 2.2 3.3 2.7 2.2
1999 2001 2005 2005 2007
10.0 8.3 10.7 11.3 5.1
SEASON CLUB (Competition)
1997-98 1998-99 2002-03 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07
BUSKEVICS
1 3 4 6 3
15 13 17 17 11
2pts
1-1 4-5 4-10 9-19 0-2
3pts
0-1 2-5 6-14 5-17 0-1
FT
1-4 7-7 3-6 20-23 0-0
1.0 4.6 3.5 4.0 0.3
3.0 7.0 7.3 8.8 -
1997-98 1998-99 1999-00 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07
GP Min
BK Ventspils (Korac Cup) 8 BK Ventspils (Saporta) 11 BK Ventspils (Saporta) 12 BK Ventspils (EC Challenge) 20 Ural Great (FEL) 12 Moscow Region (EC Challenge) 12 Lietuvos rytas (Euroleague) 13 ASK Riga (EuroCup) 12
8 14 16 28 29 25 11 27
2pts
2-11 18-29 21-29 46-97 18-34 11-34 7-18 14-30
3pts
3-8 7-15 6-27 43-112 10-32 22-59 6-20 19-50
FT
5-6 15-20 7-10 14-22 17-23 12-22 7-8 13-16
Year
2005 2005
Rb As Pts
1.4 1.6 1.0 3.1 3.8 2.6 1.6 2.9
0.8 2.0 1.6 5.5 3.5 2.8 0.9 3.0
2pts
3pts
FT
3-6 5-6 2-4 2-2 4-5
Rb As Pts
2.0 - 7.5 - - 15.0 1.5 0.9 4.7 3.7 1.3 11.7 1.3 1.0 3.5
Broceni Riga (Saporta) Broceni Riga (Saporta) Skonto (EC Challenge) Azovmash (EuroCup) BK Riga (EC Challenge) ASK Riga (EuroCup)
GP Min
3 10 13 8 4 10
6 16 23 22 34 30
1-2 11-26 34-68 6-17 15-21 30-50
0-2 3-7 16-39 15-34 9-34 25-58
FT
1-2 11-16 14-18 6-11 28-31 33-41
Rb As Pts
0.7 1.2 1.9 2.0 3.3 2.7
0.3 1.2 1.3 2.4 2.5 1.5
1.0 4.2 10.0 7.9 21.3 16.8
NATIONAL TEAM STATS
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
0-3 2-2 4-11 7-16 1-16
B
Rb As Pts
6.0 2.3 4.0 1.8 2.7
3pts
6-8 2-3 7-19 6-10 7-13
orn in the small town of Lecava, this forward has never played for any Latvian National Team at any level. He started to make a name for himself with good seasons at Buki Gulbene (13.9 ppg and 7.4 rpg in 2001-02) and then transferred to BK Ventspils when he turned 21. With Buki Gulbene, he spent most of his time on the bench. So when he joined the National Team in 2004 for the EuroBasket 2005 qualifying round, it was a big surprise for Latvian basketball fans. However, Timermanis gets the job done with an accurate three-point shot on offense and solid defense in the paint, which played an important part in Latvia’s qualifying campaign. Unfortunately, he had trouble maintaining this promising start. During the past three seasons, Timermanis showed some flashes of good play in the Baltic league and ULEB Cup games but he often makes technical and tactical mistakes. For that reason, he will have some work to do to recover his spot with the National Team.
NATIONAL TEAM STATS GP Min
2pts
Height: 2.02 Position: Small Forward Date of birth: 04/02/82 Place of birth: Bauska Team 2006-07: BK VENTSPILS (Latvia-Baltic league & LBL) Career: Buki Gulbene (Latvia-LBL, 19992002), Barons Riga (Latvia-LBL, 2002-03), BK Ventspils (Latvia-LBL, 2003-07) , BK Ventspils (Latvia-Baltic league & LBL, 2006-07).
T
Competition
16 15 13 20 13
TIMERMANIS
his year’s qualifying round was the fifth in which Sandis Buskevics has participated but sadly he has never played in EuroBasket. A good substitute, he has always been a step too slow for the transition game and a little bit too scrappy for half-court basketball. He has played for more than 10 years for his home team of BK Ventspils where he became one of the stars of the Latvian league. Playing abroad these past three years was a new challenge. After going to the FIBA Europe League Final Four with Ural-Great in 2004 and finishing third in the EuroCup Challenge in 2005 with Moscow Region, Buskevics got some experience in the Euroleague in 2005-06 with Lietuvos Rytas as a back-up point guard. During the qualifying round, he did not have a staring role but was a key player in some crucial games.
Semi-final round Qualifying round Semi-final round Qualifying round Qualifying round
2 1 6 3 6
Ivars
Height: 1.90 Position: Point guard Date of birth: 28/01/77 Place of birth: Ventspils Team 2006-07: ASK RIGA (Latvia — Baltic league & LBL) Career: BK Ventspils (Latvia-LBL, 1994-2003), Galatasaray (Turkey-D1, 2003-2004), Ural Great Perm (RussiaSuperleague, 2004), Dynamo Moscow Region (Russia-Superleague, 2004-05), Lietuvos rytas Vilnius (Lithuania-Baltic & LKL, 2005-06), ASK Riga (LatviaBaltic & LBL, 2006-07).
1999 2001 2003 2005 2007
GP Min
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS
Sandis
Year
Competition
Semi-final round Semi-final round Qualifying round EuroBasket Qualifying round
2.3 6.5 5.6 11.8 6.9 8.3 3.0 8.2
Competition
Qualifying round EuroBasket
GP Min
6 13 3 15
2pts
6-13 3-7
3pts
5-10 3-13
FT
2-4 2-5
Rb As Pts
2.3 0.7 4.8 2.7 - 5.7
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07
48
BK Ventspils (ULEB Cup) BK Ventspils (ULEB Cup) BK Ventspils (ULEB Cup) BK Ventspils (ULEB Cup)
GP Min
10 9 14 16 12 17 9 11
2pts
3-13 17-35 14-32 3-8
3pts
5-10 11-25 15-32 6-13
FT
6-9 11-17 15-20 -
Rb As Pts
1.3 2.6 4.0 2.0
0.2 0.6 0.6 0.1
2.7 5.6 7.3 2.7
VITOLS
JANICENOKS
Height: 1.95 Position: Shooting guard / Small forward Date of birth: 15/02/76 Place of birth: Riga Team 2006-07: BK VENTSPILS (Latvia-Baltic League & LBL) Career: Metropole Talsi (Latvia-LBL, 199498), BK Ventspils (Latvia-LBL, 1998-02), Slovan Ljubljana (Slovenia-1A, 2002-03), Skonto Riga (Latvia-LBL, 2003), BK Ventspils (Latvia-LBL, 2003-05), Fuenlabrada (Spain-Liga ACB, 2005-06), BK Ventspils (Latvia-Baltic League & LBL, 2006-07).
Height: 1.96 Position: Shooting guard / Small Forward Date of birth: 14/03/83 Place of birth: Riga Team 2006-07: FORTITUDO BOLOGNA & SIVIGLIA WEAR TERAMO (Italia-Lega) Career: Broceni Riga (Latvia-LBL, 19992000), BK LMT Riga (Latvia-LBL, 2000-01), Skonto Riga (Latvia-LBL, 2001-03), Euphony Liège (Belgium-D1, 2003-04), Telekom Bonn (Germany-1.Bundesliga, 2004-05), Upea Capo d’Orlando (Italia-Lega, 2005-06), Fortitudo Bologna (Italia-Lega, 2006), Siviglia Wear Teramo (Italia-Lega, 2006-07)
V
itols is a very tough defensive player who uses his strong frame to disrupt the opposing shooting guards or small forwards. He can also be a great shooter from threepoint range and gets lots of easy points off of fast-breaks. This versatility makes him a great asset for BK Ventspils, with whom he won five Latvian championships. In 2005-06, he showed he could play abroad by becoming the best three-point shooter in the ACB while playing for Fuenlabrada but surprisingly, Vitols chose to go back to Ventspils. With the National Team he has been a good sixth man during the previous three EuroBaskets and his experience and leadership will be very important for this team.
A
t just 15, this young talent was a member of the Latvian U18 team and at 16 he became the second leading scorer in the U16 European Championship, averaging 23.5 points per game while also managing to steal some playing time at club side Broceni Riga. He can shoot from anywhere, especially when playing with confident partners like the Valters brothers. After a few years spent playing for Latvia’s leading clubs, Janicenoks graduated to a higher level in the European basketball market making his way to Belgium (11.3 ppg) and then Germany (14.3 ppg in ULEB Cup) before moving to Italian side Capo d’Orlando and finally Fortitudo last season. The Riga native was one of the leaders of the Latvian side during the qualifying round but unfortunately, coaching changes in Bologna hurt Janicenoks’ playing time and he had to transfer to Teramo, where he averaged 12.1 ppg.
NATIONAL TEAM STATS Year
1999 2001 2001 2001 2003 2003 2005 2005 2007
NATIONAL TEAM STATS Year
2005 2005 2007
Competition
Qualifying round EuroBasket Qualifying round
GP Min
4 11 3 22 6 27
2pts
1-8 9-12 16-29
3pts
3-8 5-14 7-22
FT
2-2 7-8 20-26
Rb As Pts
2.5 0.5 3.3 1.7 0.3 13.3 4.0 2.2 12.2
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
GP Min
2002-03 Skonto Riga(EC Challenge) 15 17 2004-05 TelekomBaskets Bonn (ULEB Cup) 10 26 2006-07 Fortitudo Bologna (Euroleague) 2 11
2pts
27-53 24-48 1-3
3pts
6-21 20-51 2-3
FT
28-34 35-39 2-2
Rb As Pts
2.1 0.9 6.7 2.4 0.6 14.3 0.5 1.0 5.0
SEASON CLUB (Competition)
1994-95 1996-97 1998-99 1999-00 2002-03 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2006-07
SKELE
Height: 1.93 Position: Shooting guard Date of birth: 04/09/83 Place of birth: Riga Team 2006-07: BARONS/LMT RIGA (LatviaBaltic league & LBL) Career: Broceni Riga (Latvia-LBL, 19992000), BK LMT Riga (Latvia-LBL, 2000-01), Anwil Wloclavek (Poland-PLK, 2001-04), BC Liège (Belgium-D1, 2004-05), Spirou Charleroi (Belgium-D1, 2005-06), Barons/LMT Riga (Latvia-Baltic league & LBL), 2006-07.
GP Min
1 3 6 3 6
3 11 20 12 16
2pts
0-0 3-8 25-47 9-15 13-25
3pts
0-0 1-3 1-5 1-6 2-10
FT
0-2 2-6 14-20 0-4 7-12
1.0 2.0 2.0 0.7 1.5
2001-01 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07
GP Min
Anwil Wloclawek (Saporta) 11 Anwil Wloclawek (EC Challenge) 8 Anwil Wloclawek (FEL) 12 BC Liege (ULEB Cup) 10 Spirou Charleroi (ULEB Cup) 11 Barons/LMT (EuroCup) 3
2pts
14 22-34 23 29-53 32 57-112 29 35-61 26 42-81 33 17-31
3pts
1-14 9-21 10-37 4-15 3-17 2-7
FT
2-14 21-25 43-60 30-39 12-17 8-14
3.7 11.1 7.0 6.5
1.0 3.6 4.0 3.1 2.6 0.7
2pts
3pts
FT
17-25 5-6 11-13 2-2 5-8 7-8 6-8 0-2 4-4
Rb As Pts
3.3 0.7 1.4 2.4 1.7 2.3 2.0 2.3 1.1
1.0 2.0 0.8 0.4 0.4 0.7 1.7 0.7 0.5
6.6 8.0 6.1 3.6 2.3 5.3 10.3 2.3 5.1
Metropole (Korac Cup) Metropole (Korac Cup) BK Ventspils (Saporta) BK Ventspils (Saporta) Slovan (EC Challenge) Skonto (EC Challenge) BK Ventspils (ULEB Cup) BK Ventspils (ULEB Cup) BK Ventspils (ULEB Cup)
GP Min
1 2 14 12 5 5 12 14 11
26 31 24 29 29 30 25 24 27
4-6 2-9 43-78 40-75 12-25 9-16 19-38 34-60 17-36
0-0 0-0 4-13 8-20 5-21 6-13 12-36 17-54 20-50
FT
0-1 0-0 34-48 21-33 4-4 1-2 19-23 9-12 11-12
Rb As Pts
2.0 2.5 4.5 3.3 1.4 3.0 1.8 2.6 2.5
- 2.0 1.8 1.7 2.2 3.2 2.1 1.3 0.8
8.0 2.0 9.4 10.4 8.6 7.4 7.8 9.1 9.5
NATIONAL TEAM STATS
Rb As Pts
1.6 4.9 5.2 2.4 3.8 5.7
1-7 3-5 4-9 3-4 2-4 1-2 10-18 1-7 5-21
A
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
3pts
kselis is the son of former Latvian women volleyball star, Aija Gulbe-Vairoga, surprising his mother by choosing basketball over the sport which made her famous though it has clearly turned out to be the right choice. As a youth player this small forward with good shooting skills was usually among the candidates to represent Latvia at the U16, U18 and U20 level but some recurrent injuries prevented him from taking an important role with those teams. At 18, he transferred from Riga to Ventspils but he didn’t play for the Latvian champions’ first team and, before 2005-06, he was lent to Valmiera/Lacplesaalus. There, his game exploded as the 20-year-old unknown turned himself into the top-scorer of the Baltic League (20.9 ppg). After this splendid season, he came back to Ventspils last year to make his debut in the ULEB Cup (15 min, 6.4 ppg). He brings energy and motivation to the floor but lacks some tactical smartness and stability. Still, his role with the National Team will increase as he gains more experience.
Rb As Pts
- 2.3 2.8 2.7 2.8
2pts
20-46 5-8 19-31 7-23 6-12 3-7 13-21 2-5 6-19
Height: 1.94 Position: Shooting guard /Small forward Date of birth: 08/11/85 Place of birth: Riga Team 2006-07: BK VENTSPILS (Latvia-Baltic league & LBL) Career: Ventspils augstskola (Latvia-LBL, 2003-2005), Valmiera/Lacplesa alus (Latvia-LBL, 2005-06), BK Ventspils (Latvia-Baltic league & LBL, 2006-07).
NATIONAL TEAM STATS Competition
23 16 17 16 12 16 25 15 23
VAIROGS
A
Semi-final round EuroBasket Qualifying round EuroBasket Qualifying round
9 3 10 7 10 3 6 3 6
Akselis
rmands is probably the most spectacular player in Latvian basketball with some amazing skills but a streaky shooting touch. Some years ago, he was considered an NBA prospect but some bad seasons broke all hopes and, at 23, Skele must rebuild his reputation. In 1999, he was the sixth leading scorer at the U16 European Championship (17.0 ppg), then the number two scorer at the U18 the following summer (16.6 ppg). Skele moved to Polish leading club Wloclavek, where he steadily improved the next three years. In 2004, he was selected to the FIBA Europe League All-Star Game and won the Polish league. Unfortunately, his next two seasons in Belgium were not as successful. The Riga native never clicked with his new coaches and showed very little improvement and quickly came back to Riga Barons/LMT in the hope of revitalizing his career. In 2007 he averaged 16.0 ppg in the EuroCup and hopes that his third EuroBasket will further boost his career.
2003 2003 2005 2005 2007
GP Min
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS
Armands
Year
Competition
Semi-final round Qualifying round Semi-final round EuroBasket Semi-final round EuroBasket Qualifying round EuroBasket Qualifying round
Year
5.4 13.3 15.6 11.2 9.5 16.0
Competition
GP Min
2pts
3pts
- Never played with the Senior NT in official competition -
FT
Rb As Pts
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
2006-07 BK Ventspils (ULEB Cup)
49
GP Min
7 16
2pts
13-28
3pts
4-13
FT
7-9
Rb As Pts
2.1 0.6 6.4
LATVIA
Aigars
Kristaps
GROUP B
Gatis
Kaspars
JAHOVICS
BERZINS
Height: 2.00 Position: Small forward/ Power forward Date of birth: 11/08/84 Place of birth: Riga Team 2006-07: ANWIL WLOCLAVEK (Poland .PLK) Career: Skonto Riga (Latvia-LBL, 2001-04), Anwil Wloclavek (Poland-PLK, 2004-07).
Height: 2.11 Position: Power forward / center Date of birth: 25/08/85 Place of birth: Ogre Team 2006-07: BARONS/LMT RIGA (LatviaBaltic & LBL) Career: Skonto Riga (Latvia-LBL, 2003-04), Unicaja Malaga (Spain-Liga ACB, 2004-05), BK Riga (Latvia-LBL, 2005-06), Barons/LMT Riga (Latvia-Baltic & LBL, 2006-07).
J
ahovics showed some scoring prowess at the U18 European Championships (16.9 ppg in 2002) and the U20 Championships as well (15.6 ppg in 2004), but since then has made a name for himself in Latvia as a very good team player. Jahovics is frequently given the job of locking down the opponents’ best player and he is an excellent rebounder. As the Latvian National Team traditionally has had problems at the forward positions, Jahovics made his debut with the senior team as soon as he turned 20. He played well as a back-up power forward but a serious achilles tendon injury prevented him from playing at EuroBasket 2005. After a long recovery process, Jahovics came back strong this season. EuroBasket will give him a good opportunity to take another step forward.
B
erzins is a player with a lot of potential that has struggled to reach the high expectations placed on him. The 2.11 m big man was a key player for Latvia’s youth teams, looking at times like a better prospect than Andris Biedrins. As tall as Biedrins, Berzins is even more mobile and is blessed with a good shot from middle and long range. Unfortunately, after producing some big games, Berzins seems to have cooled off and needs time to rest. In 2004, he had a hopeful season with Skonto Riga and was signed by Malaga. With the famous Spanish club, Berzins practiced for several months without playing, eventually returning to ASK Riga. Last summer, he changed clubs again, signing with Barons/LMT Riga where he averaged 10.0 points and 4.6 rebounds per game in the Baltic league. Nothing to be ashamed of, but far from the NBA future everyone predicted of him. However, Latvia still hopes this great talent will blossom sooner rather then later.
NATIONAL TEAM STATS Year
2005 2007
Competition
Qualifying round Qualifying round
GP Min
3 11 6 7
2pts
3-4 5-10
3pts
0-2 0-1
7-8 6-8
FT
1.3 - 4.3 1.0 0.3 2.7
Rb As Pts
GP Min
2pts
3pts
FT
Rb As Pts
NATIONAL TEAM STATS
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2006-07
Skonto (EC Challenge) Skonto (FEL) Anwil Wloclavek (EuroCup) Anwil Wloclavek (ULEB Cup)
7 12 9 10
16 32 26 24
13-19 16-40 19-38 24-51
1-8 10-34 3-19 5-13
2-4 15-22 16-19 28-42
2.9 4.3 4.0 3.3
1.1 1.7 1.0 1.7
Year
Competition
SEASON CLUB (Competition)
2003-04 Skonto (FEL) 2005-06 BK Riga (EC Challenge) 2006-07 Barons/LMT (EuroCup)
M
3 8 6 9 2 7 6 15 3 13 6 15
2pts
3-6 6-17 2-3 14-24 1-4 13-21
3pts
0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0
1998-99 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07
Broceni Riga (Saporta) Telindus (FEL) Slask Wroclaw (ULEB Cup) BK Ventspils (ULEB Cup) ASK Riga (EuroCup)
GP Min
7 13 12 11 11
11 13 21 18 25
2pts
5-14 22-54 30-54 31-65 41-83
3pts
0-0 0-2 2-3 0-1 0-0
4 17 4 30 6 25
8-13 21-31 10-26
3-8 2-6 4-10
FT
4-6 11-24 13-19
Rb As Pts
3.0 0.3 7.3 8.3 1.3 14.8 4.8 0.5 7.5
“
FT
1-3 2-5 2-6 15-23 7-8 9-16
Rb As Pts
2.0 2.7 1.5 4.0 2.7 2.8
- 0.3 1.0 0.2 0.3 0.3
2.7 2.3 3.0 7.2 3.0 5.8
NATIONAL TEAM STATS Year
2001 2001 2003 2005 2007
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
GP Min
For every loose ball, Cipruss fights as if his life was on the line”. This sentence was written about Cipruss in 2000 when he was clearly the best center playing in the U18 European Championship, averaging 15.6 points and 9.5 rebounds per game. The Rezekne native started playing basketball regularly late in life, which explains his lack of offensive moves and basketball IQ which he compensates for with his quickness and aggressiveness. Many coaches at different clubs took a chance on him, but it does not appear to have had much of an effect on his skill set. He had some solid games with the National Team, but was unable to secure a spot or a role in the roster. For this reason his impressive qualifying round for EuroBasket 2007 was a bit of a surprise but he has failed to follow up on that success on the club level, performing below expectations with Ventspils.
NATIONAL TEAM STATS GP Min
3pts
Rb As Pts
Height: 2.10 Position: Center Date of birth: 18/02/82 Place of birth: Rezekne Team 2006-07: LUGO (Spain-LEB) and BK VENTSPILS (Latvia-Baltic & LBL) Career: Broceni Riga (Latvia-LBL, 1997-99), Buki Gulbene (Latvia-LBL, 1999-2000), Telit Trieste (Italia-Lega, 2000-01), Olimpija Ljubljana (Slovenia-1A, 2001-02), Skonto Riga (Latvia-LBL, 2002-03), Azoty Tarnow (Poland-PLK, 2003), Huelva (Spain- Liga LEB, 2003-04), Caja San Fernado Sevilla (Spain- Liga ACB, 2004-06), Leche Rio Lugo (Spain-Liga LEB, 2006), BK Ventspils (Latvia-Baltic league & LBL, 2006-07).
ore than 20 years ago now in kindergarten, a tall boy named Raitis met a smaller one named Kristaps and they became fast friends. Since then, the two (Raitis Grafs and Kristaps Valters) have grown to be best friends and teammates on the Latvian National Team. As a teenager, Grafs was regarded as one of the best prospects in Europe averaging 13.8 points and 10.5 rebounds at the 1998 U18 European Championship. He posted similar numbers (11.9 ppg and11.0 rpg) at the 1999 World Junior Championship during which he was voted a First Team All-Star. At 16 years 5 months, Grafs became the youngest Latvian National Team member. Unfortunately, during four years at Valparaiso University (NCAA), Grafs didn’t improve his skills much and so far his first three seasons after returning to Europe have been less than impressive. This year, as he returned to his hometown club ASK Riga, he performed well (10.1 ppg and 5.6 rpg in Baltic league). Grafs is not athletic enough to become a star but he can be a solid back-up center and give his team a good 10-15 minutes per game.
Competition
2pts
FT
CIPRUSS
Height: 2.10 Position: Center Date of birth: 12/06/81 Place of birth: Riga Team 2006-07: ASK RIGA (Latvia-Baltic & LBL) Career: Broceni Riga (Latvia-LBL, 1997-99), Valparaiso (USA-NCAA, 1999-2003), Telindus Oostende (Belgium-D1, 2003-04), Slask Wroclav (Poland-PLK, 2004-05), BK Ventspils (Latvia-LBL, 2005-07).
Semi-final round EuroBasket Euro Basket Qualifying round EuroBasket Qualifying round
3pts
Kaspars
GRAFS
1999 2001 2003 2005 2005 2007
2pts
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS
Raitis
Year
GP Min
- Never played with the Senior NT in official competition -
4.4 6.4 7.0 9.1
FT
3-5 23-31 26-33 18-24 20-35
Rb As Pts
1.4 4.2 4.5 5.4 4.4
- 0.4 0.7 0.5 0.8
Competition
Semi-final round EuroBasket Semi-final round EuroBasket Qualifying round
GP Min
2 8 5 6 1 2 3 14 6 24
2pts
3-7 7-8 0-0 3-7 30-45
3pts
GP Min
2pts
3pts
0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0
FT
0-0 1-5 0-0 2-5 26-33
Rb As Pts
2.5 2.2 - 3.0 6.2
1.0 0.2 - 0.7 0.2
3.0 3.0 2.7 14.3
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS
1.9 5.2 7.7 7.3 9.3
SEASON CLUB (Competition)
1998-99 Broceni Riga (Saporta) 2002-03 Skonto (EC Challenge) 2006-07 BK Ventspils (ULEB Cup)
50
1 4 5 14 4 21
0-0 12-18 12-19
0-0 0-0 0-0
FT
0-0 13-19 11-13
Rb As Pts
1.0 - 4.6 0.6 7.4 4.3 0.5 8.8
portugal
GROUP B
A Battle for Before 1951, Portugal only played in friendly games. It took 56 years to make it to another final round, an eternity for Portuguese hoops fans.
As this is only its second trip to a Eurobasket Final round, and its first since 1951, Portugal's expectations won't be so high. But the Portuguese survived in a tough qualifying group and eliminated usual EuroBasket contenders like Bosnia & Herzegovina and Israel.
Biggest EuroBasket Disaster
Since Portugal never had great success, it can also be said that the country never had great disasters… But if the 1951 European Championship stands out as the biggest success, the Qualification Round for the 1983 European Championship in France was undoubtedly the worst performance for Portugal. As so many times before, Portugal did not qualify. Worse, the qualifying round was played in Lisboa (Portugal). Expectations were raised, but in the end, Portugal lost all of the five games they played. Such a bad result was unexpected after the first two games (versus Sweden and Germany) which were very close. But after those early disappointments, Portugal just lost track and collapsed.
Best Individual Performance/Best Player of All Time
Basketball is not football, a sport in which Christiano Ronaldo and his national teammates are accustomed to frightening their European opponents. With the big orange ball, it is only the second time Portugal gets to a Final Round of a EuroBasket. So the main goal will be to show all basketball fans that the qualification did not happen by chance, but that it was a well deserved prize for a tough qualifying campaign. In Group B, Portugal had to face teams like Israel, Bosnia & Herzegovina and F.Y.R. of Macedonia. Those nations, which have a long and rich past in European basketball, were beaten fair and square in the Qualifying Round by Portugal, as evidenced by their 20plus point win over Israel in the final game. Now, at last in the same “playground” with the top European basketball countries, the Portuguese National Team does not have anything to lose. The team coached by Valentyn Melnychuk will need to go on the court and concentrate, play hard and stay focused even if the learning process gets a bit harsh. But, above all, Portugal should take advantage of the quality of the opposition to learn and improve. Apart from that, they also need to enjoy the moment. That will be the solution to make Portugal a regular EuroBasket final round participant.
Carlos Lisboa is considered by most to be the best Portuguese player ever. He was a terrific outside shooter, very quick and he did not need much space to shoot. Born in 1958, Lisboa had almost perfect mechanics. He won many championship titles in Portugal playing for Sporting Lisboa and Queluz, but it was when he was with Benfica Lisboa that his performances went sky high. He was the National MVP and Best Scorer on many previous occassions, but the performance of this 1.90 m shooting guard in the European Club competitions made him feared by opponents. With the national squad, he was the go to guy and as a result, defenses revolved their schemes on stopping Lisboa. For many games he carried the team on his shoulders, but unfortunately for Portugal, the rest of the players did not perform at the same level. If he still played today, Portugal would be among the 10 best teams in Europe.
Scouting report
Portugal plays fast. In EuroBasket 2007, that will also have to be their way of playing. It’s going to be hard, because Portuguese players will face bigger and stronger opponents as well as more experienced players. Their opposition is certainly more accustomed to playing in leagues much more competitive than the Portuguese championship. To run, Portugal needs to win the battle under the boards, and the Portuguese centers aren’t as big and strong as their opposition. The team will have to defend as far from their basket as possible. They will need to box out properly to be able to run and score some easy points. In the half court game, Portugal has guys who can shoot well from outside, but not many who can slash to the basket, apart from Paulo Cunha. The inside-outside game functioned well in the qualifying round. There was always plenty of space to take open shots from the outside. The ability of guys like Francisco Jordão and Miguel Miranda to shoot from three creates some problems for opponents. The big body of Elvis Évora enables him to get inside position to either score or dish the ball out. Any of the Portuguese guards who’ll be present can shoot well from behind the arc and the same applies to the guys from the 2 and 3 positions. No problem there. The difficulty will be (besides height and weight) the ability to maintain defensive pressure throughout the game. Portuguese players usually lack consistency on defense. In this EuroBasket, they could quickly be punished for doing that.
Biggest EuroBasket Success
It was in 1951. More than half a century ago… Portugal went to Paris (France) and played the Final Round of the European Championship. After seven games, the Portuguese came away with two triumphs. Eighteen teams took part in this Championship and Portugal finished in 15th place.
ROSTER Player
Height Position Birthdate Team 2006-07
António Pires 1.83 1 21/02/86 Barreirense Miguel Minhava 1.97 1-2 05/11/83 Benfica Lisboa José Costa 1.90 1-2 08/12/73 Ginásio Filipe Da Silva 1.93 1-2 30/11/79 CAB Madeira Paulo Simão 1.98 2 27/04/76 Belenenses Carlos Andrade 1.97 2-3 27/04/78 Benfica Lisboa João Santos 2.05 3 15/06/79 Forum Valladolid (ESP-ACB) Paulo Cunha 1.99 3 01/08/80 Porto Sérgio Ramos 2.00 3 11/12/75 Palma Aqua (ESP-LEB) Nuno Marçal 2.05 3-4 14/11/75 Porto Miguel Miranda 2.05 4 09/10/78 Ovarense Jorge Coelho 2.00 4 18/10/78 Porto Francisco Jordão 2.03 4-5 30/12/79 Petro Luanda (AGO) Élvis Évora 2.05 5 04/02/78 Ovarense Cláudio Fonseca 2.06 5 22/01/89 Valencia UPV (ESP-LEB) Coach: Valentyn Melnychuk Assistant Coaches: Orlando Simões and Rui Alves.
Last 10 events Year Event
2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997
52
World Championship EuroBasket Olympics EuroBasket World championship EuroBasket Olympics EuroBasket World Championship EuroBasket
Place
Saitama Belgrade Athens Stockholm Indianapolis Istanbul Sydney Paris Athens Barcelona
Achievement
Did not qualify Did not qualify Did not qualify Did not qualify Did not qualify Did not qualify Did not qualify Did not qualify Did not qualify Did not qualify
Likely Squad
The squad for Spain will not be much different than the one that achieved qualification in the summer of 2006. Filipe Da Silva and Miguel Minhava will divide minutes at the point guard position. Èlvis Èvora will take most of the minutes at center because the other options at that position are a bit weak. Francisco Jordão is the perfect option to play at power forward. The spots which will give more options to coach Melnychuk, are the 2 and 3. There, Portugal has a bunch of players who can perform. The ones in the best shape will get more minutes. Paulo Cunha, Sergio Ramos, Nuno Marçal and João Santos all know what to do and how to do it. Portugal will hope they can bring as much intensity on the floor as possible. The spot available for the naturalized player is now being well thought. Carlos Andrade is the first in line, as he played great during the qualifying round. But João Gomes or Ian Stanback could also be considered . Another question to be answered is the possibility of adding one or two young players like Antonio Pires or Claudio Fonseca to give them experience.
portugal
r Pride
Prediction
EuroBasket 2007 will no doubt be a difficult task for Portugal. But at the same time, EuroBasket is a competition that should keep everybody on the team focused. One of the biggest problems in Portuguese basketball is precisely that: mental strength and concentration. But, in this competition, that shouldn’t be a problem because all the players are eager to prove they can compete against the best of Europe. Things can work very well when players are highly motivated. Nevertheless it would be utopist to expect better than a 12th – 16th place finish Élvis Évora
ACCUMULATED STATISTICS IN 2006 FIBA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
How did they qualify? Qualifying round
1st in Group B (4 W – 2 L)
Results
Date Aug-31st 2006 Sept-3rd 2006 Sept-6th 2006 Sept-9th 2006 Sept-13th 2006 Sept-16th 2006 * Home team
Result Score *Portugal b. F.Y.R.O.M. 108-90 Portugal b. *Bosnia & Herzegovina 80-78 Portugal b. *Israel 67-61 *F.Y.R.O.M. b. Portugal 83-63 Bosnia & Herzegovina b. *Portugal 86-75 *Portugal b. Israel 69-49
Player Paulo Cunha Francisco Jordão Élvis Évora João Santos Carlos Andrade Miguel Minhava Paulo Simão Miguel Miranda Filipe Da Silva Jorge Coelho Rui Mota José Costa TOTAL
GP Min FG 6 27 27-65 6 25 25-55 6 25 27-44 6 27 21-44 6 22 21-46 6 21 19-34 4 12 7-21 6 25 11-30 6 18 6-29 3 5 1-5 1 1 - 3 3 - 6 - 165-377
53
% 3pts 41.5 3-10 45.5 6-18 61.4 1-1 47.7 15-33 45.7 8-23 55.9 9-13 33.3 6-20 36.7 4-17 20.7 1-9 20.0 - 0.0 0-1 0.0 0-3 43.8 53-148
%FT Rb As 18-26 8.0 0.7 16-23 3.3 1.0 8-17 6.5 1.2 5-7 2.8 1.0 7-9 3.7 1.8 10-12 2.7 3.2 2-2 1.0 0.8 4-6 3.3 1.5 6-6 2.7 3.2 3-4 1.0 - - - - - 0.3 - 79-112 35.3 14.0
St 1.2 0.7 1.0 1.0 0.2 1.5 - 0.8 1.3 - - - 7.7
Bl TO 0.5 1.7 0.3 1.8 0.8 2.0 0.7 1.5 0.2 2.7 0.2 2.3 - 0.3 - 2.2 - 1.8 0.3 0.7 - - - - 2.8 16.7
Pts 12.5 12.0 10.5 10.3 9.5 9.5 5.5 5.0 3.2 1.7 77.0
GROUP B
TEAM STAR Francisco
Jordão Height: 2.03 Position: Power forward / Center Date of Birth: 30/12/79 Place of birth: Lisboa Team 2006-07: PETRO LUANDA (Angola-Div. 1) Career: Algés (Portugal-Div. 2, 1996-97), Benfica Lisboa (Portugal-Liga TMN, 1997-2003), Oliveirense (Portugal-Liga TMN, 2003-05), Petro Luanda (AngolaDiv. 1, 2005-07).
L
ike several of his Portuguese teammates, Jordao came to basketball late in life. He started to play when he was 17. At the time he was the same height as he is now (2.03 m) and Benfica were quick to snap up the raw talent. The Lisbon native spent most of the early part of his career stuck behind more experienced and developed players that Benefica had signed from outside of Portugal. There, he began another stage in his development. But the road was not an easy one, since Benfica usually signs foreign players to play inside. His long, thin frame made it difficult for coaches to decide if his future was as a power forward or center. As a result of their hesitation, Jordao developed all parts of his game and to this day he loves to step out of the box and nail some three pointers. He has been working harder in the gym to build up his frame, gain weight and become a stronger power forward, still capable of shooting from distance (40% from three-point range in 2004-05). Many now consider him a poor man’s Matjaz Smodis (CSKA and Slovenia). As his minutes have grown so has his confidence and a move from Benfica to Oliveirense in search of playing time has seen him improve even more. In the summer of 2005, he decided to sign with Petro Luanda, a club from Angola (his wife’s home), where he thought the level of the game was higher than in Portugal. While there, his game improved even more. Now, he is more tenacious, stronger mentally and has finally learned to pace himself in games. The move to Angola has also seen him become a champion, something that eluded him in Portugal. With Petro Luanda, he won the Angolan League, the Super Cup and the African Club Championship, all in one year (2006). For the National Team, his improvement has been impressive. “Xivo” had a good qualifying round campaign in 2003, and an even better one in 2005 (17.4 ppg). Last year he divided the job with his teammates to achieve qualification for EuroBasket 2007. Capable of being productive on both the offensive and defensive ends of the court, Francisco Jordão is Portugal’s most potent weapon. He still has one weakness to solve, his lateral movement on defense. His late start did not help, but his desire to win and his tenacity moved many obstacles out of his way. This EuroBasket will be a window of opportunity for “Xico” to show all the things he can do. Early in his career, he had an opportunity to play in Spain, even signing a two-year contract with Ricoh Manresa in the summer of 2005. Eventually he got tired of waiting for his opportunity and chose to play in Luanda. EuroBasket 2007 is another opportunity for Jordao to show what he’s made of and the success of his team may rest squarely on his shoulders.
NATIONAL TEAM STATS YEAR
2001 2003 2005 2007
COMPETITION
Semi-final Round Semi-final Round Qualifying Round / Div. A Semi-final Round
GP Min
2 8 5 26 10 35 6 25
2pts
3pts
FT
1-4 10-26 43-80 19-37
- 7-17 20-43 6-18
- 27-30 28-54 16-23
2pts
3pts
FT
Rb As Pts
0.5 6.6 6.5 3.3
0.5 1.2 1.0 1.0
1.0 13.6 17.4 12.0
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
1997-98 Benfica Lisboa (Korac Cup) 2003-04 Oliveirense (EuroCup)
54
GP Min
2 3 7 33
0-3 26-50
1-3 7-20
- 10-12
Rb As Pts
- - 1.5 6.6 1.3 11.9
Ramos
Cunha
Height: 2.00 Position: Small forward Date of Birth: 11/12/75 Place of birth: Lisboa Team 2006-07: PALMA AQUA ALCUDIA (Spain-Liga LEB) Career: Benfica Lisboa (Portugal-Liga TMN, 1995-99), Adecco Milano (Italia-Lega, 1999-2000), Scandone Avellino (ItaliaLega, 2000-01), Lleida (Spain-Liga ACB, 2001-05), Fuenlabrada (Spain-Liga ACB, 2005-06), Palma Aqua Alcudia (Spain-Liga LEB, 2006-07).
Height: 1.99 Position: Small forward Date of Birth: 01/08/80 Place of birth: Vila Nova de Gaia Team 2006-07: PORTO (Portugal-Liga UZO) Career: Salesianos (Portugal-Div. 2, 199799), Porto (Portugal-Liga TMN, 1999-2007).
A
n explosive player with tremendous potential, Cunha is capable of dunking from around the free throw line. Good on defense and superb in the transition game, Cunha can drive into traffic and score. He can also play with his back to the basket. He has made an impressive improvement over the past three years as he was forced to take more responsibilities with Porto. He became as important as any foreign player in the league averaging 11.0 points and 5.7 rebounds per contest in 2006-2007. Cunha has also become mentally stronger though this part of his game remains a weakness. At age 18, Paulo won the Adidas 3 on 3 Street Basketball tournament and the dunk contest played in Germany. At 19, he played in the U20 World Championship in Portugal, where he saw Spain’s Juniores de Oro (Gasol, Navarro, Calderon) become World Champions. That was a key moment for him, as he decided to work harder to become a true professional player. He has become one of the key players on the National Team and his performances in the qualifying round were decisive on both ends of the court. He is sure to be one of the key players for Portugal at EuroBasket 2007.
S
érgio Ramos is without a doubt one of the most talented Portuguese players ever. But for the past three years, injuries have hampered his performance. He was playing well in Spain with Caprabo Lleida (12.8 points and 4.8 rebounds per game in Liga ACB in 2003-04) when his knee collapsed for the first time. Since then, he has been on and off the injured list. This season the injury seems to have worked out and if things stay that way the 2.00 m small forward should be part of the Portuguese roster for EuroBasket 2007 and a tremendous addition to the squad. Ramos is a great three-point shooter, but can also get into the lane and score playing with his back to the basket. The 31-year-old is consistent, has tremendous international experience and is a leader whose enthusiasm is contagious. Ramos is a player who makes a huge difference for a team like Portugal just by being on the court. But will he be healthy?
NATIONAL TEAM STATS YEAR
NATIONAL TEAM STATS YEAR
2005 2007
COMPETITION
Qualifying Round / Div. A Qualifying Round / Div. A
GP Min
10 18 6 27
2pts
3pts
18-40 24-55
6-16 3-10
2pts
3pts
FT
23-32 18-26
1997 1997 1999 1999 2001 2001 2003
Rb As Pts
3.4 0.4 7.7 8.0 0.7 12.5
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
1999-00 2000-01 2001-02 2002-03
F.C. Porto (Saporta) F.C. Porto (Saporta) F.C. Porto (Korac Cup) F.C. Porto (FIBA Cup)
GP Min
2 3 5 18 8 12 12 18
2-5 8-21 14-30 23-53
0-1 0-4 2-6 3-16
FT
1-2 10-14 6-10 12-22
Rb As Pts
1.0 - 2.5 2.4 0.8 5.2 2.0 0.5 5.0 3.0 0.9 5.6
COMPETITION
Qualifying Round Semi-final Round Qualifying Round Semi-final Round Qualifying Round Semi-final Round Semi-final Round
GP Min
6 2 3 10 5 10 6
21 18 19 23 32 32 37
2pts
17-25 3-8 10-12 30-52 20-41 41-69 32-57
3pts
7-20 3-3 2-5 3-21 4-17 15-35 13-24
FT
6-9 3-4 12-19 21-27 24-29 49-67 46-58
Rb As Pts
2.0 1.0 4.7 1.4 3.6 4.8 5.7
0.3 1.5 0.3 0.7 0.8 0.5 2.7
10.2 9.0 12.7 9.0 15.2 17.6 24.8
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
1995-96 1996-97 1997-98 1998-99 1999-00 2003-04 2002-03
Benfica Lisboa (Euroleague) Benfica Lisboa (EuroCup) Benfica Lisboa (Korac Cup) Benfica Lisboa (Korac Cup) Olimpia Milano (Saporta) Lleida (ULEB Cup) Lleida (ULEB Cup)
GP Min
15 11 8 8 11 12 14
19 13 27 22 28 23 24
2pts
20-38 11-21 30-50 26-44 23-38 35-60 35-65
3pts
11-34 8-19 9-27 6-14 10-36 8-25 10-37
FT
8-10 6-15 35-44 16-24 16-23 45-60 38-57
Rb As Pts
1.3 1.5 3.5 1.9 3.3 3.8 4.4
0.1 0.5 1.0 0.9 0.4 0.8 0.9
5.4 4.7 15.3 10.8 8.4 11.6 9.9
coach: Valentyn Melnychuk Date of Birth: 16/04/40 Nationality: Career: CAB Madeira (Portugal-Div. 2, 1993-94), Queluz (Portugal-Div. 2, 1994-95), CAB Madeira (Portugal-Div. 2, 1995-96), Seixal (Portugal-Liga TMN, 1998-2000). International career: Portugal National Team (2000-07).
V
alentyn Melnychuk is a traditional coach from the former USSR: hard working and a proponent of “team basketball”. Melnychuk built his reputation in Portugal by taking control of clubs in the lower divisions and building them into something. As an example, he was undaunted in taking control of clubs in Division 2, as long as they had a project. Now,
some of those “projects”, like CAB Madeira or Queluz, are among the best teams in the Portuguese League. As coach of the National Team he had a similar task and a similar result. His ability to make players believe that they are able to perform at their highest level, while helping them get stronger mentally and develop their work ethic has turned the Portuguese side around. It was a long and tough road which came to culmination with their qualification to EuroBasket 2007.
55
POrtugal
Sérgio
Paulo
GROUP B
Miguel
António
Minhava
Pires
Height: 1.97 Position: Point guard / Shooting guard Date of Birth: 05/11/83 Place of birth: Lisboa Team 2006-07: BENFICA LISBOA (PortugalLiga UZO) Career: Barreirense (Portugal-Liga TMN, 1999-2004) , Belenenses (Portugal-Liga TMN, 2004-06), Benfica Lisboa (Portugal-Liga UZO, 2006-07).
Height: 1.83 Position: Point guard Date of Birth: 21/02/86 Place of birth: Barreiro Team 2006-07: BARREIRENSE (Portugal-Liga UZO) Career: Barreirense (Portugal-Liga TMN, 2004-07)
O
ne of the best prospects in Portuguese basketball, Pires was the starting point guard and leader of the U20 Portuguese team which competed in the Division B Championship in Lisbon last summer. The 1.83 m point guard had a good season for his domestic league club Barreirense, averaging 9.1 points and 5.4 assists per contest. Pires is a good defender who is not afraid to take charges and is a great passer, finishing second to Miguel Minhava in assists per game last season in the Portuguese league. With the U20 National Team last summer, Pires was the best passer in the European Championship Division B averaging 6.1 assists per game in helping his side to a 10th place finish. He still has much to learn about shooting and consistency and he has never played as a senior for Portugal. But Pires has plenty of talent and looks to have a bright future ahead.
M
inhava is relatively new to the national side. He became a critical part of the team only in the 2007 qualifying round. Tall for a point guard, the 1.97 m Lisbon native has good hands and is a nice shooter, averaging 10.5 ppg and shooting 38% from three-point range in the Portuguese league last season. He’s an excellent passer, leading the league in assists with 5.5 per contest, but he still needs to improve a bit on the defensive end of the floor. Minhava is a basketball junky as he combines studying at University with a professional basketball career and even managed to find time to coach a team of junior girls last season. Playing in this EuroBasket will be the peak of his young career, but if he plays up to his potential it’s nothing he can’t handle.
NATIONAL TEAM STATS YEAR
YEAR
2007
COMPETITION
Qualifying Round / Div. A
GP Min
6 21
2pts
10-21
3pts
9-13
FT
10-12
Rb As Pts
GP Min
2004-05 Belenenses (EC Challenge) 6 17
SEASON CLUB (Competition)
2pts
10-17
3pts
3-9
FT
6-8
2pts
3pts
FT
Rb As Pts
Costa
B
efore coach Melnychuk’s arrival, José Costa was one of the most important and consistent players at the point guard position for Portugal. He can create his own shot by driving inside and is equally lethal if given space from behind the three-point line (32% in Liga UZO last season). Like his younger counterpart Mihava, Costa’s weakness is on the defensive end of the floor and despite his advancing age he is still very important to the squad because of his experience, determination and leadership. Costa had a solid 2007 season with Casino Figueira Ginásio in the Portuguese league (9.1 pts and 4.5 assists in 26 minutes per game). He will certainly enjoy the EuroBasket as a reward for his long and successful career.
NATIONAL TEAM STATS YEAR
1997 1999 2001 2001 2003 2005 2007
NATIONAL TEAM STATS GP Min
2pts
3 9 7 17 6 18
1-2 8-19 5-20
GP Min
2pts
3pts
- 0-7 1-9
FT
- 15-18 6-6
Rb As Pts
0.7 1.0 0.7 2.6 2.6 4.4 2.7 3.2 3.2
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS 2001-02 CAB Madeira (Korac Cup) 2 37 2002-03 CAB Madeira (EuroCup) 10 30 2005-06 CAB Madeira (EuroCup Challenge) 8 25
GP Min
Height: 1.90 Position: Point guard / Shooting guard Date of Birth: 08/12/73 Place of birth: Figueira da Foz Team 2006-07: GINÁSIO (Portugal-Liga UZO) Career: Esgueira (Portugal-Liga LCB, 199698), Ginásio (Portugal-Liga TMN, 1998-2004), Porto (Portugal-Liga TMN, 2004-05), Aveiro Basket (Portugal-Liga TMN, 2005-06), Ginásio (Portugal-Liga UZO, 2006-07).
F
SEASON CLUB (Competition)
Rb As Pts
José
ilipe Da Silva started every single game of the qualifying round for Portugal. He’s a great ball handler, good shooter (inside and outside) and a nifty passer. He had a fantastic season domestically for CAB Madeira where he averaged 13.7 ppg and 5.0 apg and as a result was named National MVP. Da Silva, who grew up in France and has a French passport, will have plenty of European experience to draw on. He started his professional career in Paris at Maurienne and Poissy. After moving back to Portugal with CAB Madeira, he played in competitions such as the EuroCup and EuroCup Challenge. Unfazed by pressure, Da Silva will certainly be one of the most important players for coach Melnychuk. With his loads of experience, he surely will not wilt under the bright lights of EuroBasket.
COMPETITION
FT
Rb As Pts
Height: 1.93 Position: Point guard / Shooting guard Date of Birth: 30/11/7 Place of birth: Guimarães Team 2006-07: CAB MADEIRA (PortugalLiga UZO) Career: Paris SG (France-Pro A, 1997-98), Maurienne (France-Pro B, 1998-99), Poissy (France-Pro B, 1999-2001), CAB Madeira (Liga TMN, Potugal 2001-03), Oliveirense (Portugal-Liga TMN, 200305), CAB Madeira (Portugal-Liga TMN, 2005-07)
Semi-final Round Qualifying Round / Div. A Qualifying Round / Div. A
3pts
1.7 2.8 5.8
Da Silva
2003 2005 2007
2pts
- Never played in European club competition -
Filipe
YEAR
GP Min
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS
2.7 3.2 9.5
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
COMPETITION
- Never played with the Senior NT in official competition -
NATIONAL TEAM STATS
5-9 23-41 17-31
3pts
6-13 15-30 5-14
FT
7-13 19-23 25-33
Rb As Pts
COMPETITION
Semi-final Round Semi-final Round Qualifying Round Semi-final Round Semi-final Round Qualifying Round / Div. A Qualifying Round / Div. A
GP Min
3 8 5 1 9 9 3
9 17 14 16 14 18 3
2pts
2-3 6-13 0-2 0-1 7-13 5-19 -
3pts
3-10 9-29 3-14 0-2 17-30 12-46 0-3
FT
1-1 11-12 8-12 - 11-15 13-17 -
Rb As Pts
- 1.9 0.4 - 0.4 1.6 0.3
0.7 1.4 1.2 1.0 1.6 3.9 -
4.7 6.3 3.4 8.4 6.6 -
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS
6.0 1.0 17.5 3.3 2.3 11.0 4.4 3.5 9.3
SEASON CLUB (Competition)
1996-97 Aveiro (Korac Cup) 1997-98 Aveiro (Korac Cup)
56
GP Min
8 19 8 25
2pts
8-18 12-20
3pts
17-43 18-45
FT
13-18 11-14
Rb As Pts
0.6 2.8 10.0 1.5 4.0 11.1
João
Simão
Santos
Height: 1.98 Position: Shooting guard Date of Birth: 27/04/76 Place of birth: Barreiro Team 2006-07: BELENENSES (Portugal-Liga UZO) Career: Sporting (Portugal-Div. 1, 1994-95), Estrelas da Avenida (Portugal-Liga TMN, 1995-99), CAB Madeira (Portugal-Liga TMN, 1999-2000), Telecom Lisboa (Portugal-Liga TMN, 2001-03), Benfica Lisboa (Portugal-Liga TMN, 2003-04), Belenenses (Portugal-Liga TMN, 2004-07)
Height: 2.05 Position: Small forward Date of Birth: 15/06/79 Place of birth: Lisboa Team 2006-07: GRUPO CAPITOL VALLADOLID (Liga ACB, ESP) Career: Telecom Lisboa (Portugal-Liga TMN, 1996-98), Nevada-Reno (USA-NCAA, 1998- 2001), Panionios (GreeceESAKE, 2001-02), Queluz (Portugal-Liga TMN, 2002-04), Grupo Capitol Valladolid (Spain-Liga ACB, 2004-07).
O
n a good day, João Santos can be deadly. He’s a great three-point shooter, defends well and is very quick for a player his size. Santos decided to leave Portugal in search of better knowledge of the game. He now has great international experience after having played in the NCAA, Greece and Spain. The Lisbon native averaged 5.8 points and 2.4 rebounds per game for Valladolid last season while playing 17 minutes per contest. He needs to become a more consistent rebounder to reach a higher level but this EuroBasket could be an opportunity to show the European basketball community what he can do. Coach Melnychuk has to find a way to make better use of him than in 2005. He is eager to play in EuroBasket, especially since it is taking place in Spain, João’s home for the past three seasons.
P
aulo Simao is a simple and effective player who over the years has become a three-point specialist. A natural shooting guard, he has been a part of the starting five for Portugal his entire career. Simao won the Portuguese League four times and the Portugal Cup three times. In the Portuguese League this season, the 1.98 m shooting guard made 44.3% of his three-pointers, while scoring 9.7 points and dishing out 3.9 assists. A veteran of seven European Cup competitions, Simao has great international experience that helps him to perform under any kind of pressure. In addition to his on-the-court qualities, Simao is also a great locker room presence.
NATIONAL TEAM STATS YEAR
1997 1999 2001 2003 2005
COMPETITION
Semi-final Round Semi-final Round Semi-final Round Semi-final Round Qualifying Round / Div. A
GP Min
2 2 6 7 9
6 12 18 24 25
2pts
3pts
FT
0-2 1-2 6-10 6-13 13-21
- 3-5 7-17 16-27 20-47
- - - 3-6 12-13
2pts
3pts
FT
Rb As Pts
1.0 1.0 0.8 0.4 1.2
0.5 1.0 1.0 2.0 2.0
NATIONAL TEAM STATS
5.5 5.5 9.0 10.9
YEAR
1997 2003 2005 2007
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
1996-97 1998-99 1999-00 2000-01 2001-02 2002-03 2004-05
GP Min
Estrelas Lisboa (Korac Cup) 1 Estrelas Lisboa (Saporta) 10 CAB Madeira (Korac Cup) 8 Telecom Lisboa (Korac Cup) 10 Telecom Lisboa (Saporta Cup) 10 Telecom Lisboa (FIBA Cup) 10 Belenenses (EC Challenge) 6
7 11 22 23 20 19 29
0-1 5-10 5-11 12-28 6-18 8-25 11-19
- 8-26 9-31 17-46 17-44 16-58 15-40
- 6-6 5-6 11-16 2-4 6-8 11-11
- 0.6 1.4 2.2 2.1 2.0 3.2
SEASON CLUB (Competition)
4.0 5.3 8.6 6.5 7.0 13.0
Carlos
Andrade
Height: 1.97 Position: Shooting guard / Small forward Date of Birth: 27/04/78 Place of birth: N.S. de Graca (CPV) Team 2006-07: BENFICA LISBOA(PortugalLiga UZO) Career: Telecom Lisboa (Portugal-Liga TMN, 1996-2000), Queens (USA-NCAA Div. II, 2000-03), Porto (Portugal-Liga TMN, 2003-04), Queluz (Portugal-Liga TMN, 2004-05), Frankfurt Skyliners (GermanyBundesliga, 2005-06), Benfica Lisboa (Portugal-Liga UZO, 2006-07).
1997-98 Telecom Lisboa (EuroCup) 2001-02 Panionios (Saporta Cup)
NATIONAL TEAM STATS YEAR
2005 2007
COMPETITION
Qualifying Round / Div. A Qualifying Round / Div. A
GP Min
2pts
3pts
FT
Rb As Pts
4 33 6 22
10-16 13-23
8-15 8-23
13-20 7-9
4.5 2.0 14.3 3.7 1.8 9.5
GP Min
2pts
3pts
FT
Rb As Pts
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
2004-05 Queluz (ULEB Cup) 10 32 2005-06 Frankfurt Skyliners (ULEB Cup) 6 24
47-99 11-21
14-47 4-19
23-29 9-10
6.5 2.0 13.1 4.5 0.8 7.2
2pts
3pts
FT
Rb As Pts
1 7 4 6 8 22 6 27
2-2 0-4 13-26 6-11
0-1 1-1 10-22 15-33
- - 6-9 5-7
- - 4.0 0.3 0.3 0.8 3.4 1.1 7.8 2.8 1.0 10.3
GP Min
2pts
3pts
FT
Rb As Pts
2 3 11 11
- 9-15
- 7-13
- 4-5
- - 1.5 0.3 3.9
Nuno
Marçal Height: 2.05 Position: Small forward / Power forward Date of Birth: 14/11/75 Place of birth: Campanhã Team 2006-07: PORTO (Portugal-Liga UZO) Career: Porto (Portugal-Liga TMN, 1994-99), Fuenlabrada (Spain-Liga ACB, 1999-2000), Porto (Portugal-Liga TMN, 2000-03), Oliveirense (Portugal-Liga TMN, 200304), Múrcia (Spain Liga LEB, 2004-05), Huelva (Spain Liga LEB, 2005-06), Porto (Liga UZO, 2006-07).
N
uno Marçal would be a key player for any team but especially so for the Portuguese. The Campamha native is tall, can shoot the three and uses his quickness in attacking the basket from the baseline. If he can remain focused and avoid his trademark inconsistency, he could be nearly unstoppable. This season, he returned to Portugal after playing in Spain’s Liga LEB for two years. Things have been going very well as he has averaged 17.5 points per game (56% shooting from inside the arc and 40% from outside) while also grabbing 5.0 rebounds per game this season. His captaincy of F.C. Porto, the only Portuguese club he has ever played for, has made him more of a leader. If he manages to maintain this consistent level of play and focuses a bit more on defense, Marcal could have a great EuroBasket. His experience in international competition is a plus for the National Team.
C
arlos Andrade is a pure warrior who battles hard all game long. The Benefica star has only been able to play for Portugal’s National Team since 2005 as he was still a citizen of Cape Verde prior to that. Basketball is in his blood as his sister Mery Andrade spent several seasons in the WNBA and played last season at Phard Napoli in the Italian League. Carlos is a good defensive and team player, as well as a good shooter from outside the three-point arch. He is a solid rebounder for a player his size and can guard bigger opponents on defense. Andrade was an important part of Portugal’s qualifying success and he has quite a bit of European experience, playing for Queluz and Frankfurt in the ULEB CUP. He posted 10.4 points and 4.5 rebounds for Benfica Lisboa in 2006-07 and helped the club to a second-place finish.
GP Min
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS
Rb As Pts
- 1.1 1.0 2.8 1.5 1.2 1.8
COMPETITION
Semi-final Round Semi-final Round Qualifying Round / Div. A Qualifying Round / Div. A
NATIONAL TEAM STATS YEAR
1997 1999 1999 2001 2003
COMPETITION
Semi-final Round Qualifying Round Semi-final Round Semi-final Round Semi-final Round
GP Min
5 3 10 9 2
26 5 25 24 24
2pts
3pts
14-32 5-9 29-66 35-62 8-17
14-30 0-8 21-56 10-31 3-4
2pts
3pts
FT
8-12 5-11 21-27 25-34 2-6
Rb As Pts
3,2 5,3 3,6 2,9 4,5
1,2 0,7 1,0 0,4 0,5
15,6 5,0 14,2 13,9 13,5
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
1995-96 1996-97 1997-98 1998-99 1999-00 2000-01 2001-02 2002-03
57
F.C. Porto (EuroCup) F.C. Porto (EuroCup) F.C. Porto (Euroleague) F.C. Porto (Korac Cup) Fuenlabrada (Korac Cup) F.C. Porto (Saporta) F.C. Porto (Korac Cup) F.C. Porto (FIBA Cup)
GP Min
2 14 16 10 4 10 9 10
23 2-6 2-10 23 41-80 27-80 32 49-106 41-116 29 44-74 11-45 7 2-4 3-5 27 47-92 13-42 28 50-89 19-43 27 39-72 15-55
FT
6-7 32-37 39-56 17-28 - 36-44 28-41 24-33
Rb As Pts
1.5 2.9 4.4 2.4 1.0 4.8 3.9 2.3
1.0 0.7 1.1 1.0 0.3 1.0 1.1 0.4
8.0 13.9 16.3 13.8 3.3 16.9 20.6 14.7
POrtugal
Paulo
GROUP B
Jorge
Élvis
Coelho
Évora
Height: 2.00 Position: Power forward Date of Birth: 18/10/78 Place of birth: Alvalade Team 2006-07: PORTO (Portugal-Liga UZO) Career: Seixal (Portugal-Liga TMN, 199799), Telecom Lisboa (Portugal-Liga TMN, 1999-2003), Belenenses (Portugal-Liga TMN, 2003-06), Porto (Portugal-Liga UZO, 2006-07).
Height: 2.05 Position: Center Date of Birth: 04/02/78 Place of birth: Cabo Verde Team 2006-07: OVARENSE (Portugal-Liga UZO) Career: Porto (Portugal-Liga TMN, 19982005), Tenerife (SPAIN-LIGA LEB, 2005-06), Ovarense (Portugal-Liga UZO, 2006-07).
T
C
he most physically strong player on the Portuguese National Team, Èlvis Evora has proven himself to be a key for the side. The Cabo Verde native did not start playing organised basketball until he was 19 years old but in the intervening years Evora has worked incredibly hard to improve his once rough game. A great rebounder and good passer, the 2.05 m big man has the strength to easily get position on the offensive end but still has to improve his lateral moves on defense and his shooting touch. His years with Porto have allowed him to gain invaluable experience at the European level and he has taken an important role with the National Team since 2001. Evora played in Spain’s Liga LEB for a year where he performed well, averaging 4.8 points and 4.6 rebounds per game and shooting 54% from the floor. In the Qualifying Round of the 2007 Eurobasket, Evora played admirably against centers like Todor Gecevski and Ryan Stack of F.Y.R of Macedonia and Jamie Arnold of Israel. Evora will surely be extremely motivated to play at the EuroBasket and show all of Europe his skills.
oelho uses his strength and work ethic to get the better of his opponents, utilizing good positioning to block shots and grab rebounds. À bit undersized, the 2.00 m power forward is not afraid to mix it up with bigger and stronger opponents. Offensive skill is not one of Coehlo’s strengths and he needs to continue to work to improve his shooting. Still, his career has been one of steady improvement. For the National Team, he does his best work coming off the bench as part of a rotation that includes Élvis Èvora and Francisco Jordão. It’s a role Coelho is used to averaging 3.7 points and 1.8 rebounds per game in an average of just 10 minutes of action for his domestic side.
NATIONAL TEAM STATS YEAR
2005 2007
COMPETITION
Qualifying Round / Div. A Qualifying Round / Div. A
GP Min
6 15 3 5
8-22 1-5
2pts
3pts
- -
9-18 3-4
FT
GP Min
2pts
3pts
FT
Rb As Pts
1.5 1.0
- 4.2 - 1.7
NATIONAL TEAM STATS
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
2000-01 2001-02 2002-03 2004-05
Telecom Lisboa (Korac Cup) Telecom Lisboa (Saporta Cup) Telecom Lisboa (FIBA Cup) Belenenses (EC Challenge)
4 2 4 14 5 4 6 18
3-4 9-13 2-3 26-40
- - - 2-2
2-9 5-8 0-2 14-19
YEAR
Rb As Pts
2001 2003 2005 2007
1.3 - 2.0 2.8 0.8 5.8 0.6 0.2 0.8 2.8 1.0 12.0
COMPETITION
Semi-final Round Semi-final Round Qualifying Round / Div. A Semi-final Round
GP Min
4 8 10 6
21 27 19 25
2pts
3pts
2pts
3pts
9-17 29-53 28-54 26-43
0-1 1-1 - 1-1
FT
4-10 6-14 8-13 8-17
Rb As Pts
2.8 7.0 4.4 6.5
0.3 0.8 0.7 1.2
5.5 8.4 6.4 10.5
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
2000-01 F.C. Porto (Saporta) 2001-02 F.C. Porto (Korac Cup) 2002-03 F.C. Porto (FIBA Cup)
Miguel
Miranda
GP Min
2pts
3pts
FT
5-8 2-6 7-13
0-4 1-1 4-17
5-5 4-4 4-6
2.8 1.3 3.8 0.3 0.3 3.7 3.3 1.5 5.0
GP Min
2pts
3pts
FT
Rb As Pts
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
1996-97 1999-00 2004-05 2005-06
F.C. Porto (EuroCup) F.C. Porto (Saporta) Queluz (ULEB Cup) Queluz (ULEB Cup)
2 20 4 5 10 22 10 30
2-4 3-4 16-40 21-40
3-15 2-2 6-20 10-33
3-4 2-2 14-18 16-36
Rb As Pts
4.8 0.4 7.1 5.7 0.1 5.8 3.9 0.4 4.8
1
Rb As Pts
4 16 3 10 6 25
FT
6-8 5-6 11-14
8-year-old Claudio Fonseca is the biggest prospect in Portuguese basketball, playing in Spain for the last two seasons for a Pamesa Valencia “farm team”. The Spanish side saw enough of him at the U18 European Championship Division B played in Sibiu, Romania last summer to know they wanted him. In the competition, he averaged 12.4 points and 8.1 rebounds per game while shooting 52.6% from two-point range and 40% from beyond the arc. In the summer of 2006 the Lisbon native also represented his country in the U20 Division B Championship, averaging 4.1 points and 2.1 rebounds per game in 10 minutes of action against opponents two and three years older than him. A year later he is still improving after having a tough first season abroad (4.2 ppg and 2.5 rpg in the EBA). Still, there have been thoughts about bringing him to EuroBasket 2007 so he can get some experience by watching his elders.
NATIONAL TEAM STATS COMPETITION
0-1 1-1 0-1
Height: 2.06 Position: center Date of Birth: 22/01/89 Place of birth: Lisboa Team 2006-07: VALENCIA UPV (Spain-EBA). Career: Telecom Lisboa (U18 Team, Portugal 2003-05), Valencia UPV (Spain-EBA, 2005-07).
W
Semi-final Round Qualifying Round / Div. A Qualifying Round / Div. A
29-49 25-37 28-52
Fonseca
hat Miguel Miranda brings to the Portuguese side is a player who can come off of the bench at anytime and perform like one of the starters. Miranda has built an entire career out of working hard which makes up for his relative lack of skill, size and speed. The Massarelos native works very hard on defense to compensate for his lack of physical power. He is capable of stepping out of the box to knock down a three-pointer as well as being a decent passer. Miranda benefited a lot by moving from Porto to Queluz, where he got more playing time and more responsibilities on offense. A move to Ovarense followed where he averaged 6.1 points and 3.2 rebounds in 21 minutes per game last season.
2001 2005 2007
9 17 10 15 14 14
Cláudio
Height: 2.05 Position: Power forward Date of Birth: 09/10/78 Place of birth: Massarelos Team 2006-07: OVARENSE (Portugal-Liga UZO) Career: Porto (Portugal-Liga TMN, 19962000), Queluz (Portugal-Liga TMN, 2000-06), Ovarense (Portugal-Liga UZO, 2006-07).
YEAR
GP Min
NATIONAL TEAM STATS YEAR
1.0 - 8.0 0.8 - 3.5 3.7 2.0 5.2 5.9 2.6 8.8
COMPETITION
GP Min
2pts
3pts
FT
Rb As Pts
2pts
3pts
FT
Rb As Pts
- Never played with the Senior NT in official competition -
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
GP Min
- Never played in European club competition -
58
SPAIN
GROUP B
Nothing but G Best Individual Performance/Best Player of All-Time
When the World Champion is playing at home who else could appear as a clear favourite? After last summer’s astonishing performance in Japan, Spain, despite the probable absence of Jorge Garbajosa, will be very tough to beat…
Pau Gasol, no matter what, is the best player for Spain. He will play his third EuroBasket after making his debut in 2001 and leading Spain to the bronze medal. Two years later, he led Spain to silver success. Now he is looking to take Spain to the only result he deems acceptable, a gold medal. Since he joined the Spanish National Team in 2001, he has lead Spain to a 31-6 record in official games, averaging 20.9 points, 8.4 rebounds and 63.1% on two-point shots along the way. The NBA star combines his 2.15 m with unexpected quickness and skills to become an unstoppable player in the low post as well as a threat running the floor. Unlike other NBA stars, Gasol’s playing style fits perfectly in the European game, joining Nowitzki as the most dominating player of the last few years.
Biggest EuroBasket Success
Scouting Report
Spain has experienced great moments in past continental competitions, but they have never managed to come back from a EuroBasket with a gold medal. After lifting the World Championship trophy last summer in Japan, Spain hopes EuroBasket 2007 will make that dream come true. Until then, it’s always good to remember how Spain astonished Europe with an unexpected Silver medal in EuroBasket 1973, played in Barcelona, beating a legendary Soviet Union and challenging the Yugoslavian aces before getting beaten in the final (78-67). Three more silver medals followed: EuroBasket 1983 and EuroBasket 1999 (both losses to Italy) and more recently in EuroBasket 2003, when Jasikevicius, Stombergas, Macijauskas & a great Lithuanian side stepped between Spain and the trophy.
Spain is a fun team to watch. When you switch the TV on or reach the arena to see Pau and Co. you will likely enjoy several dunks and a couple of alley-oops, some deadly assists, at least eight to ten long range bombs and even more electric fast breaks. Creativeness, team effort and talent have been the recipe for the Spanish National Team’s success under the coaching of Pepu Hernández. With him on the bench, all players are involved in the game, feel important and take offensive responsibilities. Pau Gasol is the leader but the Spanish game is not only about feeding him in the low post. Calderón and Sergio Rodríguez are masters of the pick and roll, Navarro is a basketball magician, Rudy Fernández jumps over everybody, Jiménez is the glue that holds the team together from the forward position and Felipe Reyes and Marc Gasol can battle anyone in the low post. So there you have it: a great combination of outside and inside players that one year ago rallied over the best teams in the world to earn the World Championship. However, there is something that concerns Hernández and Spanish basketball and that is the absence of power forward Jorge Garbajosa, a key man on the team who will probably miss the tournament due to injury. Garbajosa’s unique skills among Spanish players will lead Pepu Hernández to change his style of play. Felipe Reyes and Pau Gasol, a great duo, might play together a lot more, which results in losing some outside dimension.
Biggest EuroBasket Disaster
Only one year before climbing to the top of the World Championship podium, Spain was shocked in Belgrade. It was not about good or bad final results (ranking 4th without Pau Gasol is nothing catastrophic), but the ending was horrible. First Nowitzki destroyed Spain’s gold medal hopes with a winning shot with two seconds left in the semi-finals. Then France destroyed Spain in the bronze medal game with a 98-68 drubbing. But Spain has not lost since, firing coach Pesquera and starting a new era with Pepu Hernández which would eventually lead to a World Championship.
ROSTER Player
Likely Squad
On March 26th, Jorge Garbajosa twisted his ankle in a very serious injury that will keep him sidelined until next October. Unless there is an unexpected miracle, the starting power forward for the 2006 World Championship won’t be able to help Spain in its new quest for a EuroBasket title. That is the biggest concern for Pepu Hernández. There is nobody like him -not even close - in Spanish basketball. So what now? Hernández will probably choose between Jordi Trias, a power forward who can do a bit of everything and was recently named King’s Cup MVP, Fran Vázquez, a very athletic 4-5 who missed the 2006 World Championship due to injury but played a big role in EuroBasket 2005, and Iker Iturbe, an undersized “4” who excels shooting the basketball.
Height Position Birthdate Team 2006-07
José Manuel Calderón 1.90 1 28/09/81 Carlos Cabezas 1.86 1 14/11/80 Sergio Rodríguez 1.89 1 13/06/86 Raül López 1.82 1 15/04/80 Juan Carlos Navarro 1.91 2 13/06/80 Rudy Fernández 1.95 2 04/04/85 Berni Rodríguez 1.97 2 07/06/80 Álex Mumbrú 2.02 3 12/06/79 Carlos Jiménez 2.05 3-4 10/02/76 Jordi Trias 2.06 4 05/11/80 Jorge Garbajosa 2.06 4 19/12/77 Fran Vázquez 2.11 4-5 01/05/83 Felipe Reyes 2.03 4-5 16/03/80 Pau Gasol 2.15 5 06/07/80 Marc Gasol 2.13 5 29/01/85 Coach: José Vicente “Pepu” Hernández
Toronto Raptors (NBA) Unicaja Málaga Portland Trail Blazers (NBA) Real Madrid Winterthur F.C. Barcelona DKV Joventut Badalona Unicaja Málaga Real Madrid Unicaja Málaga Winterthur F.C. Barcelona Toronto Raptors (NBA) Winterthur F.C. Barcelona Real Madrid Memphis Grizzlies (NBA) Akasvayu Girona
Last 10 FIBA events Year Event
2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997
60
World Championship EuroBasket Olympics EuroBasket World Championship EuroBasket Olympics EuroBasket World Championship EuroBasket
Place
Saitama Belgrade Athens Stockholm Indianapolis Istanbul Sydney Paris Athens Barcelona
Achievement
Gold Medal 4th 7th Silver Medal 5th Bronze Medal 9th Silver Medal 5th 5th
If you were a National Team head coach and 12 players lead you to the World Championship title and continued to play well for their club sides, what would you do? You would call them back, wouldn’t you? That is what Pepu Hernandez will probably do. Point guards José Manuel Calderón, Sergio Rodríguez and Carlos Cabezas, shooting guards Juan Carlos Navarro, Rudy Fernández and Berni Rodríguez, small forwards Carlos Jiménez and Alex Mumbrú and centers Pau Gasol, Felipe Reyes and Marc Gasol will probably be back to the team along with a to-be-decided replacement for Garbajosa. However, Hernández’s decision will not be easy. Real Madrid’s playmaker and former NBA player Raül López, who has not played with the National Team since 2002 because of injuries, had a huge season in
SPAIN
Gold!
helping his team to the ULEB Cup title and leading the ACB in assists. Also young prodigy Ricky Rubio, who will be just 16 by the time the EuroBasket is played, is knocking at Pepu’s door. The MVP of the U16 European Championship 2006 has led the Euroleague and ACB League in steals and plays a main role for a high level team at DKV Joventut Badalona. They will battle with Sergio Rodríguez and Carlos Cabezas for two spots. Fernando San Emeterio, Carlos Suárez and Sergi Vidal are other candidates for a shooting guard/small forward spot, although it’s not likely they will make the team unless there is an injury.
Prediction
Despite Garbajosa’s absence, Spain is still considered the favourite to win gold at EuroBasket 2007. Their success as 2006 World Champions, playing at home and the value of a solid group of players that continue to improve are the main reasons to believe in a Spanish win. However, Spain will have to deal with huge pressure and big opposition from other high-level squads.
Juan Manuel Calderon (Spain)
How did they qualify?
ACCUMULATED STATISTICS IN 2006 FIBA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
EuroBasket 2005 4th, (3 W – 3 L)
Also qualified for EuroBasket 2007 as the host team
Results
Date Sept-16th 2005 Sept-17th 2005 Sept-18th 2005
Quarterfinal
Game Spain b. Serbia & Montenegro Spain b. Latvia Israel b. Spain
Sept-23th 2005 Spain b. Croatia
Semi-final
Result 89-70 114-109 85-77 101-85
Sept-24th 2005 Germany b. Spain
74-73
Sept-25th 2005 France b. Spain
98-68
3rd place Final
Player Pau Gasol Juan Carlos Navarro Jorge Garbajosa Rudy Fernández José Manuel Calderón Álex Mumbrú Marc Gasol Felipe Reyes Carlos Jiménez Berni Rodríguez Sergio Rodríguez Carlos Cabezas TOTALS
61
G Min FG % 3pts 8 0 65-103 63.1 0-3 9 24 42-92 45.7 19-46 9 23 33-89 37.1 23-59 9 30 27-53 50.9 11-27 9 18 22-40 55.0 4-14 9 20 20-44 45.5 9-22 8 14 17-22 77.3 - 4 10 7-13 53.8 - 9 11 12-28 42.9 3-6 9 23 12-21 57.1 2-8 9 12 11-23 47.8 3-6 9 4 4-18 22.2 0-7 9 - 272-546 49.8 74-198
FT Rb As 40-60 9.4 1.4 23-28 2.7 2.1 25-34 5.3 1.2 17-21 2.3 0.9 17-21 2.0 3.2 9-18 1.8 0.4 10-17 3.3 0.9 7-9 2.8 0.3 14-19 5.4 0.6 7-11 1.6 1.0 5-6 1.0 2.3 5-8 0.6 0.4 179-252 35.1 14.3
St 0.6 1.3 1.7 1.4 1.9 0.6 0.1 1.0 0.7 0.3 0.7 0.1 9.8
BS TO 2.4 1.1 - 2.4 0.2 1.6 0.1 1.0 - 0.8 - 1.2 0.4 0.9 0.3 1.3 - 1.6 - 0.3 - 1.9 - 1.0 2.9 14.1
Pts 21.3 14.0 12.7 9.1 7.2 6.4 5.5 5.3 4.6 3.7 3.3 1.4 88.6
GROUP B
TEAM STAR PAU
GASOL Height: 2.15 Position: Center / Power forward Date of birth: 06/07/1980 Place of birth: Barcelona Team 2006-07: MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES (NBA) Career: F.C. Barcelona (Spain-ACB, 1997-2001), Memphis Grizzlies (NBA, 2001-07). Selected in the first round of the 2001 NBA draft (#3), by the Atlanta Hawks. Rights traded to Memphis immediately.
D
espite the fact that he was on crutches and would spend the next four months rehabbing, Pau Gasol was a happy man on 3 September 2006. He had the 2006 World Championship trophy in one hand and the MVP award of the tournament in the other while a gold medal hung around his neck. Though he did not play in the final game due to an injury, he was instrumental in his team’s semi-final win and was the leader and the key player to Spanish success in Japan, averaging 21.3 points and 9.4 rebounds per game in an astonishing performance. One year later, Gasol is healthy and ready to join the National Team and enjoy a few victories after a frustrating season with his NBA team, the Memphis Grizzlies, who finished with the worst record in the league at 2260. Gasol, in spite of averaging 20.8 points and 9.8 rebounds per game and becoming the franchise’s all-time leading scorer, was eventually booed after requesting a mid-season trade. “After such a frustrating season, playing with the National Team is a good therapy,” stated Gasol, who underlined the great time he had spending his summers playing for Spain. “It’s a great human group with a winning spirit all around and all the players feel like they were at home.” Pau Gasol will face a major challenge in the EuroBasket 2007. Playing at home after the 2006 World Championship success will mean a huge amount of media and fan attention, especially when it comes to the Grizzlies’ center. “Distraction is the only thing that worries me. While playing in Japan we were kind of isolated but now it will be harder,” he explained. Pau Gasol’s vitae with the National Team is absolutely amazing. He was the top rebounder in his EuroBasket premiere in Turkey 2001, top scorer at the 2003 EuroBasket (25.8ppg), top scorer of the 2004 Olympic Games and MVP of the 2006 World Championship after averaging 20.9 points (63.1% FG) and 8.4 rebounds per contest. As a player, Gasol is incredible in the low post, where he combines his athleticism and height with awesome moves, including an array of reverses and hooks. He is also a very dangerous one-on-one player due to his great ball-handling and quick first step. At the international level, Gasol is almost unstoppable. If you double team him, he will show his unselfishness and pass the ball out to the open man. Gasol is an excellent shot blocker though he’s not that tough on defense. But his size and body make him a presence in the middle who has no problem grabbing rebounds. Even outside of his playing ability, Gasol is widely appreciated among his teammates and coaches. He is smart, coachable and ambitious and is able to play with pain and do things that many top stars would reject. He is always eager to talk with the media, to sign autographs and be pictured with the fans who have come to love him. Pau Gasol is not only the top star of the National Team but also the basketball idol of Spain.
NATIONAL TEAM STATS YEAR
2001 2002 2003 2004 2006
COMPETITION
EuroBasket World Championship EuroBasket Olympic Games World Championship
GP Min
7 9 6 7 8
2pts
31 31-58 30 51-79 31 50-77 32 48-74 27 65-100
3pts
7-25 6-18 5-8 3-9 0-3
FT
38-51 52-76 40-59 52-71 40-60
Rb As Pts
9.7 7.8 7.5 7.3 9.4
0.9 2.4 0.8 1.1 1.4
17.3 19.1 25.8 22.4 21.3
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
GP Min
2000-01 F.C. Barcelona (Euroleague) 6 26 1999-00 F.C. Barcelona (Euroleague) 21 13
2pts
3pts
34-49 31-51
4-8 5-15
2pts
3pts
FT
31-42 14-23
Rb As Pts
6.0 0.7 18.5 2.1 0.3 4.3
NBA STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07
62
Memphis Grizzlies Memphis Grizzlies Memphis Grizzlies Memphis Grizzlies Memphis Grizzlies Memphis Grizzlies
GP Min
82 82 78 56 80 55
37 36 32 32 39 36
550-1059 568-1106 502-1034 356-689 597-1182 432-796
1-5 1-10 4-15 1-6 3-12 2-10
FT
338-477 416-565 365-511 282-367 425-617 274-366
Rb As Pts
8.9 8.8 7.7 7.3 8.9 9.7
2.7 2.8 2.5 2.4 4.6 3.3
17.6 19.0 17.7 17.8 20.4 20.8
JUAN CARLOS
CALDERÓN
NAVARRO
Height: 1.90 Position: Point guard Date of birth: 28/09/1981 Place of birth: Villanueva de la Serena Team 2006-07: TORONTO RAPTORS (NBA) Career: Lucentum Alicante (Spain-LEB, 1999-2000), Lucentum Alicante (Spain-ACB, 2000-01), Baloncesto Fuenlabrada (Spain-ACB, 2001-02), Tau Vitoria (SpainACB, 2002-05), Toronto Raptors (NBA, 2005-07).
Height: 1.91 Position: Shooting guard Date of birth: 13/06/1980 Place of birth: Sant Feliú de Llobregat Team 2006-07: WINTERTHUR F.C. BARCELONA (Spain-ACB) Career: F.C. Barcelona (Spain-ACB, 19972007). Selected in the second round of the 2002 NBA draft (#40), by the Washington Wizards.
C
N
alderón is not only the top Spanish playmaker right now, but one of the best in Europe. He will reach the National Team training camp coming off a very good sophomore season with the Toronto Raptors in the NBA, where he averaged 13.0 points and 5.3 assists per game in the playoffs, even scoring a career-high 25 points in game five in the opening round against the New Jersey Nets. Calderon is a heck of a player, a fantastic athlete who is always there on defense and who can out-play any opponent on the other end with his outstanding 1-on-1 ability. He likes to play an up-tempo game and can score when needed, but doesn’t like to take too many shots. Running half court offense is not a weak point anymore for him, as he excels in decision-making and has become a master of the pick and roll. Calderon will certainly be the starting point guard for Spain and one of the guys to follow in EuroBasket 2007.
avarro has become the top star of European powerhouse Winterthur F.C. Barcelona, where he has played as a pro since 1997. As a player, Navarro is a super scorer, his weak and innocent first look hiding a killer instinct and loads of talent - all oriented to scoring. The 27-year-old is a superb long range shooter, nailing threes from anywhere and in any situation. He is also lightening quick, with great ball handling abilities which allows him to put the ball on the floor to drive and score one of his “Bombas”, a very particular floating lay-up that has given him the nickname of “La Bomba” (the bomb). He is also a leader and a go-to-guy for Spain in the clutch.
NATIONAL TEAM STATS YEAR
2000 2001 2002 2003 2003 2004 2005 2006
NATIONAL TEAM STATS YEAR
2002 2003 2003 2004 2005 2006
COMPETITION
World Championship Semi-final Round EuroBasket Olympic Games EuroBasket World Championship
GP Min
6 2 6 7 6 9
7 17 21 31 32 18
2pts
3pts
FT
3-4 2-7 5-10 15-24 14-28 18-26
3-7 1-4 3-13 8-25 7-22 4-14
2-2 1-2 8-8 15-19 14-20 17-21
GP Min
2pts
3pts
FT
GP Min
2pts
Rb As Pts
0.7 3.0 2.3 2.7 2.0 2.0
0.7 2.0 1.8 2.6 2.3 3.2
2.8 4.0 4.5 9.9 10.5 7.2
2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05
Fuenlabrada (Korac Cup) Tau Vitoria (Euroleague) Tau Vitoria (Euroleague) Tau Vitoria (Euroleague)
10 17 19 22
21 16-29 21 30-58 22 24-46 27 83-168
11-25 13-32 15-37 32-76
22-23 28-32 44-53 58-69
SEASON CLUB (Competition)
3pts
FT
1997-98 1998-99 1999-00 2000-01 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07
Rb As Pts
2.4 2.4 1.4 3.4
2.6 1.4 2.0 2.6
8.7 7.5 7.2 11.6
NBA STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
2005-06 Toronto Raptors 2006-07 Toronto Raptors
GP Min
5 7 9 8 6 7 6 9
2pts
18 25 28 26 27 24 34 24
Rb As Pts
64 23 125-269 7-43 78-92 2.2 4.5 5.5 72 21 222-400 21-65 112-135 1.8 5.1 8.6
F.C. Barcelona (Euroleague) F.C. Barcelona (Korac Cup) F.C. Barcelona (Euroleague) F.C. Barcelona (Euroleague) F.C. Barcelona (Euroleague) F.C. Barcelona (Euroleague) F.C. Barcelona (Euroleague) F.C. Barcelona (Euroleague) F.C. Barcelona (Euroleague) F.C. Barcelona (Euroleague)
GP Min
3 3 22 10 17 22 20 20 22 19
3 6 19 27 19 26 25 27 28 29
FT
4-11 12-30 18-55 20-46 11-31 7-32 14-32 19-46
10-13 21-29 29-40 27-38 26-32 23-26 69-79 23-28
2pts
3pts
FT
0-1 - 2-4 2-3 36-82 19-42 31-56 17-43 58-134 20-60 41-96 33-90 50-89 37-87 80-183 32-81 59-141 55-119 68-116 44-19
COACH: JOSÉ VICENTE HERNÁNDEZ Nationality: Spanish Date of birth: 11/02/1958 Place of birth: Madrid Team 2006-07: Did not coach any club team in 2006-07. Career: Assistant Coach – Estudiantes Madrid (Spain-ACB, 1989-1994), Head Coach – Estudiantes Madrid (Spain-ACB, 1994-2005). International career: Head Coach – Spanish National Team (2006-Present).
“
3pts
12-22 24-52 24-55 21-36 19-43 14-35 20-40 23-46
Rb As Pts
0.6 1.3 1.9 2.3 2.5 1.3 1.8 2.7
0.8 3.3 2.1 2.0 1.3 1.3 2.2 2.1
9.2 15.0 14.6 16.1 16.2 10.3 25.2 14.0
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
COMPETITION
Olympic Games EuroBasket World Championship Semi-final Round EuroBasket Olympic Games EuroBasket World Championship
Pepu” Hernández is the coach who made the golden dream come true. He was appointed in 2006 and made his first ever National Team appearance at the World Championship, taking the Spanish game to the highest level and leading the team to a gold medal. He is one of those rare coaches who
- 1-3 40-50 14-20 40-49 73-83 63-78 74-83 50-62 52-60
Rb As Pts
- - 1.3 2.7 1.5 1.6 1.5 2.0 2.3 2.1
0.3 0.7 1.3 2.5 1.9 1.4 1.5 1.9 2.5 2.9
3.7 7.7 12.7 10.4 11.5 13.7 13.3 15.1 16.8
let talent rule and allows players to make their own decisions instead of forcing them to adhere to set plays. Defense and compromise are a must for all his players. He quickly connected with the players, making them feel comfortable and each one is important for the team’s success. A humble guy who often avoids the spotlight, he reached fans’ hearts after coaching the World Championship final after his father had just passed away the night before. Neither the players, nor the media knew about it until Pepu started crying with the trophy in his hands.
63
SPAIN
JOSÉ MANUEL
GROUP B
CARLOS
RAÜL
CABEZAS
LÓPEZ
Height: 1.86 Position: Point guard Date of birth: 14/11/1980 Place of birth: Marbella Team 2006-07: UNICAJA MÁLAGA (SpainACB) Career: Unicaja Málaga (Spain-ACB, 19982000), Badajoz (Spain-LEB, 2000), Unicaja Málaga (Spain-ACB, 2000-07).
Height: 1.82 Position: Point guard Date of birth: 15/04/1980 Place of birth: Vic Team 2006-07: REAL MADRID (Spain-ACB) Career: Joventut Badalona (Spain-ACB, 1997-2000), Real Madrid (Spain-ACB, 200002), Utah Jazz (NBA, 2002-05), Akasvayu Girona (Spain-ACB, 2005-06), Real Madrid (Spain-ACB, 2006-07). Selected in the first round of the 2001 NBA draft (#24), by the Utah Jazz.
C
arlos Cabezas was the last cut before EuroBasket 2003 and the 2004 Olympic Games, but made it to the World Championships in 2006. Coming off his best season so far, leading Unicaja Málaga to the Euroleague Final Four and becoming his team’s scoring leader in domestic league action (10.8 ppg), Cabezas is ready to be a major contributor. All heart, Cabezas might not be a classy playmaker, but he can change any game. Strong, intelligent, fast and intense, he is a great defensive player who can be a threat also on offense due to his ability to penetrate and his prowess leading the fast break. Plus he has improved his outside shooting and is no longer afraid to pull up from deep. Don’t expect him to make Sergio Rodríguez-like passes, but Spain can count on Cabezas if they need to change the pace of a game or if they are looking for some heart off the bench.
E
uropean and World Junior Champion, Raül López has quickly become a star at the professional level. But two ACL and several other injuries have put a damper on his astonishing career and forced him to come back from the NBA to play in Europe. Known as a solid and intelligent playmaker who excels in the passing game and decision-making while looking less for his own shot, López was the “x” factor for ULEB Cup winners Real Madrid. The 27-year-old has not played for the National Team since he suffered his second ACL injury during a friendly game in August 2002. That injury ended his World Championship dreams and later on injuries and NBA duties kept him away. Now, five years on, he is ready to join the team again and make up for lost time.
NATIONAL TEAM STATS YEAR
2003 2005 2006
COMPETITION
Semi-final Round EuroBasket World Championship
GP Min
2pts
6 15 6 10 9 4
10-22 4-8 4-11
GP Min
2pts
3pts
FT
NATIONAL TEAM STATS
Rb As Pts
3-8 0-1 0-7
4-4 5-7 5-8
1.5 1.5 5.5 0.8 0.2 2.2 0.6 0.4 1.4
3pts
FT
Rb As Pts
YEAR
2000 2001
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
1999-00 2000-01 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07
Unicaja Malaga (Korac Cup) Unicaja Malaga (Korac Cup) Unicaja Malaga (Euroleague) Unicaja Malaga (Euroleague) Unicaja Malaga (Euroleague) Unicaja Malaga (Euroleague) Unicaja Malaga (Euroleague) Unicaja Malaga (Euroleague)
COMPETITION
Olympic Games EuroBasket
1 14 14 19 14 14 19 19
15 16 19 19 24 22 22 27
- 35-50 27-68 24-51 29-46 29-69 28-49 35-69
0-1 7-22 9-26 5-32 10-38 8-33 14-37 19-52
4-6 8-13 21-29 25-31 24-35 25-31 31-44 40-52
2.0 1.9 1.4 1.9 1.8 2.3 2.2 2.1
1.0 1.5 1.4 1.1 1.4 1.9 2.4 2.2
SEASON CLUB (Competition)
4.0 7.1 6.0 4.6 8.0 6.5 6.8 8.8
2000-01 Real Madrid (Euroleague) 2001-02 Real Madrid (Euroleague) 2006-07 Real Madrid (ULEB Cup) SEASON CLUB (Competition)
2003-04 Utah jazz 2004-05 Utah jazz
YEAR
1 3 9 12
- 8-17
- 3-6
1-2 5-6
- - 1.0 1.0 2.3 3.3
GP Min
2pts
3pts
FT
Rb As Pts
SEASON CLUB (Competition)
Rb As Pts
31-74 12-32
7-22 4-25
21-33 15-22
2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07
2.0 2.7 6.4 2.6 3.7 5.1
NBA STATS GP Min
2pts
61 12 66-134
3pts
20-74
FT
16-18
FT
Rb As Pts
18-36 4-13 22-38
18-23 10-12 30-37
2.3 3.6 9.8 1.6 2.6 8.4 1.9 2.3 6.9
GP Min
2pts
3pts
FT
Rb As Pts
82 20 198-432 25-85 101-117 1.9 3.7 7.0 31 17 37-90 20-45 27-33 1.3 4.0 5.2
EuroBasket Olympic Games World Championship
GP Min
2pts
3pts
6 16 7 11 9 30
4-11 8-15 16-26
2-8 4-11 11-27
GP Min
2pts
3pts
FT
2-2 8-10 17-21
Rb As Pts
1.8 0.5 2.7 1.1 0.4 5.1 2.3 0.9 9.1
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS
2006-07 Portland Trailblazers
COMPETITION
2005 2004 2006
2004-05 Estudiantes Madrid (Euroleague) 14 17 2005-06 Estudiantes Madrid (ULEB Cup) 10 20
3pts
13-30 14-31 7-19
NATIONAL TEAM STATS
3pts
FT
2pts
10 24 5 18 16 20
S
2pts
GP Min
GP Min
panish flying man, he astonished the basketball world with powerful dunks and alley-oops during the 2006 World Championship in Japan, where he was a solid contributor off of the bench. Named the FIBA Europe Young Player of the Year in 2006, Fernández has continued improving, earning the Euroleague Rising Star trophy and Best Five nomination in the ACB. He keyed Joventut’s run to the 2006 EuroCup title. Fernández combines great scoring abilities with a spirit that leads him to great defensive efforts. The 22-year-old is a great rebounder for his size and possesses wonderful court vision. When it comes to scoring, Fernández is a reliable long range shooter, while virtually unstoppable on fast breaks.
NATIONAL TEAM STATS
SEASON CLUB (Competition)
Rb As Pts
0.5 2.7 4.7 1.1 2.0 6.7
Height: 1.95 Position: Shooting guard Date of birth: 04/04/1985 Place of birth: Palma de Mallorca Team 2006-07: DKV JOVENTUT BADALONA (Spain-ACB) Career: Joventut Badalona (Spain-ACB, 2001-07).
“
SEASON CLUB (Competition)
FT
5-6 12-13
FERNÁNDEZ
Spanish Chocolate”, as he is called in Portland where he had an up-and-down NBA rookie season (3.7 ppg and 3.3 apg in 12.9 mpg), is one of the most creative players in the world, as he proved during the 2006 World Championship. Rodriguez made some unbelievable assists and scored 14 points in the semi-finals against Argentina. The 21-year-old was U18 European Championship MVP in 2004 and is a spectacular player, with incredible quickness, ball handling and 1-on-1 skills. He excels in passing and can change games just by stepping on the court. When he does find his way on to the floor, don’t even dare to close your eyes for a second or you may miss one of his no-look passes or alley-oop assists.
EuroBasket World Championship
3pts
3-13 5-19
RUDY
Height: 1.89 Position: Point guard Date of birth: 13/06/1986 Place of birth: Santa Cruz de Tenerife Team 2006-07: PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS (NBA) Career: Siglo XXI (Spain-School, 2000-03), Estudiantes Madrid (Spain-ACB, 2003-06), Portland Trail Blazers (NBA, 200607). Selected in the first round of the 2006 NBA draft (#27), by the Phoenix Suns. Rights traded to Portland immediately.
2005 2006
2pts
7-15 10-22
NBA STATS
RODRÍGUEZ
COMPETITION
6 20 7 22
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS
SERGIO
YEAR
GP Min
Rb As Pts
1.4 3.3 3.4
64
Joventut Badalona (ULEB Cup) 2 4 Joventut Badalona (ULEB Cup) 14 28 Joventut Badalona (ULEB Cup) 9 27 Joventut Badalona (EuroCup) 16 25 Joventut Badalona (Euroleague) 19 26
0-1 26-52 31-82 53-81 45-82
0-1 21-50 8-31 20-59 51-119
FT
1-2 24-30 23-27 51-59 57-70
Rb As Pts
1.5 4.1 2.6 3.1 3.8
- 1.7 2.6 2.9 1.7
0.5 9.9 10.3 13.6 15.8
CARLOS
RODRÍGUEZ
JIMÉNEZ
Height: 1.97 Position: Shooting guard Date of birth: 07/06/1980 Place of birth: Málaga Team 2006-07: UNICAJA MÁLAGA (SpainACB) Career: Unicaja Málaga (Spain-ACB, 19972007).
Height: 2.05 Position: Small forward / Power forward Date of birth: 10/02/1976 Place of birth: Madrid Team 2006-07: UNICAJA MÁLAGA (SpainACB) Career: Estudiantes Madrid (Spain-ACB, 1994-2006), Unicaja Málaga (Spain-ACB, 2006-07)
T
he “glue” of the Spanish National Team, Jimenez is one of those guys you might not notice but whose performance is absolutely key to his team’s success. The 31-year-old has been the starting small forward on the team for many years despite the fact that he does not rack up a lot of points and barely takes any shots. It is his adeptness at rebounding, his passing ability and his stellar defense that have made him such an important player through the years. After 12 years playing for Estudiantes, Jiménez moved last summer to Unicaja, where he has played all season at power forward. What position he will play most at EuroBasket is one of the biggest question marks heading into the tournament.
B
erni Rodríguez helped his childhood team, Unicaja Málaga, achieve their first ever ACB title in June 2006 and only three months later he was a key player in Spain’s gold medal conquest at the 2006 World Championship. This season, Rodriguez has taken his game to a new level, becoming the offensive leader of Unicaja Málaga, a Euroleague Final Four team. Rodríguez, a shooting guard, possesses a playmaker’s mindset and an innate understanding of the game. The 27-year-old is a great passer, reads the game wonderfully and is always more then ready to become a living nightmare for the opposing team’s offensive star, as Theodoros Papaloukas will always remember after the 2006 World Championship final.
NATIONAL TEAM STATS
YEAR
NATIONAL TEAM STATS YEAR
2003 2006
COMPETITION
Semi-final Round World Championship
GP Min
4 19 9 12
2pts
2-5 10-13
3pts
FT
2-9 2-8
6-11 7-11
GP Min
2pts
3pts
FT
1998 1999 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2003 2004 2005 2006
Rb As Pts
1.3 1.5 4.0 1.6 1.0 3.7
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
1999-00 2000-01 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07
Unicaja Malaga (Korac Cup) Unicaja Malaga (Korac Cup) Unicaja Malaga (Euroleague) Unicaja Malaga (Euroleague) Unicaja Malaga (Euroleague) Unicaja Malaga (Euroleague) Unicaja Malaga (Euroleague) Unicaja Malaga (Euroleague)
3 16 14 16 13 12 19 20
10 24 23 19 22 21 19 29
0-4 32-59 33-82 16-37 14-27 29-63 32-53 44-87
0-2 18-44 12-40 16-43 24-53 14-36 15-42 28-67
- 13-15 21-30 14-20 17-20 17-19 36-45 56-70
Rb As Pts
0.3 2.6 1.8 2.4 1.8 1.2 1.9 2.6
1.3 2.6 2.2 1.8 1.6 1.1 1.7 2.8
8.2 7.1 5.9 9.0 7.4 7.6 11.4
SEASON CLUB (Competition)
1994-95 1995-96 1996-97 1997-98 1998-99 1999-00 2000-01 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07
MUMBRÚ Height: 2.02 Position: Small forward Date of birth: 12/06/1979 Place of birth: Barcelona Team 2006-07: REAL MADRID (Spain-ACB) Career: Joventut Badalona (Spain-ACB, 19972002), Real Madrid (Spain-ACB, 2002-04), Joventut Badalona (Spain-ACB, 2004-06), Real Madrid (Spain-ACB, 2006-07)
GP Min
2pts
3pts
3 20 9 20
4-9 11-22
2-11 9-22
GP Min
2pts
3pts
FT
10-10 9-18
1997-98 1998-99 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07
Joventut Badalona (EuroCup) 5 Joventut Badalona (Saporta) 5 Real Madrid (Euroleague) 11 Real Madrid (ULEB Cup) 16 Joventut Badalona (ULEB Cup) 10 Joventut Badalona (EuroCup) 16 Real Madrid (ULEB Cup) 11
8 11 23 18 21 24 18
2-4 4-7 21-40 17-36 25-60 41-75 13-18
0-3 4-5 22-55 24-54 9-25 23-55 9-35
FT
0-1 4-4 29-42 10-16 13-16 29-42 16-22
Rb As Pts
Rb As Pts
1.0 0.6 1.7 0.5 0.8 1.2 0.5
FT
1-7 2-6 4-9 4-8 2-8 6-11 0-3 1-5 0-6 1-4 3-6
10-16 4-6 3-6 3-8 5-5 21-31 1-3 1-2 6-9 9-14 14-19
2pts
3pts
FT
Rb As Pts
4.4 2.8 3.1 3.8 2.3 5.4 2.3 5.8 4.1 4.8 5.4
1.0 1.6 0.3 1.4 0.1 1.3 1.3 1.2 0.6 1.2 0.6
3.6 3.6 2.7 6.6 3.0 6.6 1.0 4.0 3.1 4.7 4.6
GP Min
Estudiantes Madrid (Korac Cup) 1 Estudiantes Madrid (Korac Cup) 7 Estudiantes Madrid (Euroleague) 19 Estudiantes Madrid (Euroleague) 18 Estudiantes Madrid (Korac Cup) 13 Estudiantes Madrid (Korac Cup) 14 Estudiantes Madrid (Euroleague) 10 Estudiantes Madrid (Saporta) 11 Estudiantes Madrid (ULEB Cup) 13 Estudiantes Madrid (ULEB Cup) 16 Estudiantes Madrid (Euroleague) 13 Estudiantes Madrid (ULEB Cup) 9 Unicaja Malaga (Euroleague) 20
3 13 21 30 27 25 25 31 22 25 25 24 21
- 7-18 44-81 35-93 15-38 25-64 16-32 27-55 18-34 34-74 27-60 24-36 28-50
- 3-5 3-17 13-46 8-22 18-44 11-23 6-25 12-28 8-23 5-12 2-14 11-38
- 5-8 40-58 40-58 17-26 24-28 29-34 36-46 26-37 27-38 32-44 30-34 35-50
Rb As Pts
- 3.6 4.6 5.3 5.8 6.1 6.2 7.2 3.6 5.4 5.5 5.1 4.9
- 1.1 1.7 2.1 1.8 1.9 1.4 2.5 1.3 1.9 2.8 2.4 1.5
4.0 7.2 8.3 5.5 9.1 9.4 9.8 7.5 7.4 7.0 9.3 6.2
I
2.0 1.7 8.0 1.8 0.4 6.4
1.2 2.4 3.8 3.3 3.2 3.6 2.2
3pts
n spite of being surrounded by top level players such as Mario Kasun, Fran Vázquez, Michail Kakiouzis or Denis Marconato, Trias has become the most reliable frontcourt player for powerhouse Winterthur F.C. Barcelona, earning MVP honours of the prestigious Copa del Rey (King’s Cup) tournament. The Girona native is a very tough and aggressive power forward who defends well, rebounds and uses his quickness and athletic ability to block shots. He runs the floor well but does not do a great job of creating his own shot in the half court and so tends to shoot only when he’s open. He is the perfect team player whose passing ability makes him an intriguing addition to the roster.
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
2pts
6-15 4-8 2-8 9-17 5-9 10-21 1-7 10-14 8-15 8-18 9-22
Height: 2.06 Position: Power forward Date of birth: 05/11/1980 Place of birth: Girona Team 2006-07: WINTERTHUR F.C. BARCELONA (Spain-ACB) Career: Casademont Girona (Spain-ACB, 1999-2001), C.B. Murcia (Spain-LEB, 2001-02), Casademont Girona (SpainACB, 2002-04), F.C. Barcelona (Spain-ACB, 2004-05), Akasvayu Girona (SpainACB, 2005), F.C. Barcelona (Spain-ACB, 2005-07).
NATIONAL TEAM STATS COMPETITION
17 15 14 21 11 23 16 22 18 23 11
TRIAS
A
Semi-final Round World Championship
7 5 7 5 7 9 3 6 7 6 9
JORDI
lex Mumbrú’s trip to Japan was the highlight of his international basketball career. He is ready to comeback at EuroBasket 2007 with an even more important role. Mumbrú, who played this season for Real Madrid with a good late season performance, could be a factor at either the shooting guard, small forward or power forward positions. He is an accurate long range shooter but has developed some very interesting low post moves as well, which, combined with his unusual dribbling and ball handling abilities make him a very rare player. However, although he has improved, he is not a great rebounder for a player his size and is not quick or strong enough to defend players at the shooting guard or small forward position. Still, Mumbrú has enough skills to become an offensive force off the bench on any given day.
2003 2006
GP Min
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS
ALEX
YEAR
COMPETITION
World Championship Semi-final Round EuroBasket Olympic Games EuroBasket World Championship Semi-final Round EuroBasket Olympic Games EuroBasket World Championship
0.8 4.8 12.5 7.3 7.2 11.3 6.3
NATIONAL TEAM STATS YEAR
COMPETITION
GP Min
2pts
3pts
2pts
3pts
FT
- Never played with the Senior National Team in official competition -
Rb As Pts
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
GP Min
2004-05 F.C. Barcelona (Euroleague) 10 12 2005-06 F.C. Barcelona (Euroleague) 21 13 2006-07 F.C. Barcelona (Euroleague) 20 22
65
16-33 40-74 59-86
2-6 1-5 1-3
FT
9-17 15-26 20-33
Rb As Pts
2.8 0.2 4.3 3.4 0.7 4.7 5.0 2.5 7.1
SPAIN
BERNI
GROUP B
JORGE
FELIPE
GARBAJOSA
REYES
Height: 2.06 Position: Power forward Date of birth: 19/12/1977 Place of birth: Torrejón de Ardoz Team 2006-07: TORONTO RAPTORS (NBA) Career: Tau Vitoria (Spain-ACB, 1995-2000), Benetton Treviso (Italy-Lega, 2000-04), Unicaja Málaga (Spain-ACB, 2004-06), Toronto Raptors (NBA, 2006-07)
Height: 2.03 Position: Power forward / Center Date of birth: 16/03/1980 Place of birth: Córdoba Team 2006-07: REAL MADRID (Spain-ACB) Career: Estudiantes Madrid (Spain-ACB, 19982004), Real Madrid (Spain-ACB, 2004-07).
F
2
elipe Reyes only played four games at the 2006 World Championship because of injury, but he had a key performance in the gold medal game. The success helped him to gain confidence and he played his best pro season so far, leading Real Madrid to a ULEB Cup title and to notable success in domestic competition. Reyes is now ready to take a more important role with the National Team and may even make the starting line-up due to Garbajosa’s injury. Reyes, the younger brother of the legendary Alfonso, grew up as a rebounding ace and is very aggressive and intense but has typically been offensively limited. Over the years, though, he has improved and now features a variety of offensive moves.
0 points, 10 rebounds and four assists in a World Championship final is not an stat line to achieve, but Jorge Garbajosa did it in Japan to lead Spain to the gold. However, he might not be able to help the team this summer at EuroBasket 2007 due to a painful and untimely injury. After a great rookie year in the NBA with the Toronto Raptors, earning All-Rookie 1st team honours, Garbajosa fell over Al Jefferson and dislocated his left ankle. He quickly underwent surgery and doctors reported he would be out for six months meaning he would most likely miss EuroBasket. Though Garbajosa underlined that he would do as much as possible to join the National Team on time, it is very unlikely Spanish fans will be able to enjoy his long range accuracy, aggressiveness and leadership at EuroBasket 2007.
NATIONAL TEAM STATS
NATIONAL TEAM STATS YEAR
2000 2001 2002 2003 2003 2004 2005 2006
COMPETITION
Olympic Games EuroBasket World Championship Semi-final Round EuroBasket Olympic Games EuroBasket World Championship
GP Min
5 7 9 9 6 7 6 9
13 11 29 27 30 27 35 23
2pts
3pts
FT
8-18 3-7 6-24 21-37 12-16 21-31 7-22 10-30
0-3 4-7 14-39 20-33 6-22 10-23 13-42 23-59
6-11 11-16 18-22 25-29 16-18 21-28 34-38 25-34
2pts
3pts
FT
2pts
3pts
FT
YEAR
Rb As Pts
2.6 1.7 5.0 6.4 4.3 4.7 6.2 5.3
0.6 0.3 2.0 1.2 0.8 1.1 1.7 1.2
2001 2002 2003 2003 2004 2005 2006
4.4 4.1 8.0 14.1 9.7 13.3 14.5 12.7
1994-95 1995-96 1996-97 1997-98 1998-99 1999-00 2000-01 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06
GP Min
Tau Vitoria (EuroCup) 1 Tau Vitoria (EuroCup) 12 Tau Vitoria (Korac Cup) 8 Tau Vitoria (Korac Cup) 8 Tau Vitoria (Euroleague) 8 Tau Vitoria (Saporta) 13 Benetton Treviso (Euroleague) 10 Benetton Treviso (Euroleague) 20 Benetton Treviso (Euroleague) 22 Benetton Treviso (Euroleague) 18 Unicaja Malaga (Euroleague) 13 Unicaja Malaga (Euroleague) 18
3 12 14 16 30 19 23 26 28 28 33 35
1-2 - - 11-23 0-1 5-6 26-42 - 16-24 26-38 - 23-32 21-45 - 28-48 29-57 - 49-60 37-56 6-10 30-41 76-163 27-77 51-62 48-106 25-64 99-131 69-120 25-61 35-49 57-138 16-46 52-65 41-96 44-111 54-70
SEASON CLUB (Competition)
1998-99 1999-00 2000-01 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07
Rb As Pts
- 1.7 4.4 4.1 6.4 3.3 4.0 5.9 6.7 5.8 7.8 6.9
- - 0.1 0.5 0.8 0.7 0.8 1.1 1.2 1.1 1.7 2.3
2006-07 Toronto Raptors
GP Min
67 28 156-336 66-193
57-78
2.0 2.3 8.5 9.4 8.8 8.2 12.2 11.5 12.3 13.8 14.0 14.9
YEAR
NATIONAL TEAM STATS 2pts
17-22
3pts
-
FT
10-17
2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07
GP Min
F.C. Barcelona (Euroleague) 9 4 F.C. Barcelona (Euroleague) 6 17 F.C. Barcelona (Euroleague) 13 7 C.B. Girona (EuroCup) 14 18
2pts
4-10 10-19 14-19 48-74
3pts
- 0-2 1-1 0-1
FT
5-8 10-14 9-17 29-43
0.0 0.6 0.6 0.2 0.6 0.3 0.3
4.0 8.6 10.4 4.5 7.1 10.8 5.3
GP Min
12 19 15 22 25 24 23 27 22
2-5 32-58 23-43 42-78 68-111 71-140 37-93 76-150 53-111
- - - - 0-2 1-2 - - -
FT
3-6 30-44 32-52 49-63 75-115 42-73 42-75 63-104 45-73
Rb As Pts
3.0 4.9 4.3 6.0 8.3 7.3 7.7 7.5 7.5
- 0.1 0.5 1.3 0.7 1.8 1.2 1.4 0.8
2.3 8.5 7.8 11.1 14.1 11.7 6.8 9.8 10.1
COMPETITION
EuroBasket
GP Min
6 14
20-30
2pts
3pts
GP Min
2pts
3pts
2-5
FT
10-16
Rb As Pts
2.5 0.3 9.3
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS
Rb As Pts
SEASON CLUB (Competition)
3.3 0.9 5.5
2003-04 Gran Canaria (ULEB Cup) 12 20 47-80 2006-07 F.C. Barcelona (Euroleague) 20 18 59-114
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
Rb As Pts
3.7 6.0 7.0 4.7 5.3 7.7 2.8
NATIONAL TEAM STATS 2005
8 14
3pts
FT
8-10 9-14 13-24 7-10 8-18 27-44 7-9
V
T
GP Min
2pts
- - - - - - -
azquez was a hero at EuroBasket 2005 after scoring a buzzer-beating lay-up to take a quarterfinal thriller versus Croatia to overtime, but missed the 2006 World Championship because of an injury. A year later he is ready to again join the National Team and show all the talent that led the Orlando Magic to take him with the #11 pick in the 2005 NBA Draft. Vázquez is a 2.09 m power forward/center with great quickness, athleticism and a long wingspan. The 24-year-old led the ACB in blocks per game this season with two per contest and though he is still inconsistent on any given day, Vázquez can do incredible things on the court, showing NBA All-Star potential.
he younger brother of team superstar Pau Gasol, Marc earned a surprising spot in the Spanish National Team for the 2006 World Championship. Nobody saw it coming as Gasol had only played seven minutes per game for F.C. Barcelona in Euroleague action before Pepu’s call. But the 22-year-old played hard and performed well during the World Championship. This year, he has earned significant playing time with EuroCup winners Akasvayu Girona. Gasol is a very skilled player who can score in the low post and with mid-range shots. Besides that, he is a great passer for his size, plays solid defense and rebounds well. COMPETITION
3pts
2-8 17-29 30-59 10-16 21-40 19-46 7-13
Height: 2.09 Position: Center Date of birth: 01/05/1983 Place of birth: Chantada Team 2006-07: WINTERTHUR F.C. BARCELONA (Spain-ACB) Career: Siglo XXI (Spain-School, 1997-2001), Unicaja Málaga (Spain-ACB, 2001-03), Bilbao Basket (Spain-LEB, 2003), Auna Gran Canaria (Spain-ACB, 2003-04), Unicaja Málaga (Spain-ACB, 2004-05), Akasvayu Girona (Spain-ACB, 2005-06), F.C. Barcelona (Spain-ACB, 2006-07). Selected in the first round of the 2005 NBA draft (#11), by the Orlando Magic.
Height: 2.13 Position: Center Date of Birth: 29/01/1985 Place of birth: Barcelona Team 2006-07: AKASVAYU GIRONA (SpainACB) Career: F.C. Barcelona (Spain-Youth Teams, 1998-2001), Lausanne High School in Memphis (USA-High School, 2001-03), F.C. Barcelona (Spain-ACB, 2003-06), Akasvayu Girona (2006-07)
World Championship
2pts
VÁZQUEZ
4.9 1.9 8.5
GASOL
2006
5 15 20 12 14 23 10
FRAN
Rb As Pts
MARC
YEAR
3 5 7 6 7 6 4
Estudiantes Madrid (Korac Cup) 3 Estudiantes Madrid (Korac Cup) 11 Estudiantes Madrid (Euroleague) 10 Estudiantes Madrid (Saporta) 12 Estudiantes Madrid (ULEB Cup) 15 Estudiantes Madrid (ULEB Cup) 16 Real Madrid (Euroleague) 17 Real Madrid (Euroleague) 22 Real Madrid (ULEB Cup) 15
NBA STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
GP Min
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
COMPETITION
EuroBasket World Championship Semi-final Round EuroBasket Olympic Games EuroBasket World Championship
Rb As Pts
0.6 - 1.4 4.0 0.3 5.0 1.3 0.3 3.1 4.4 1.2 8.9
66
- -
FT
14-17 16-24
Rb As Pts
5.3 0.2 9.0 3.5 0.9 6.7
03.09.07
04.09.07
GROUP C
Palma de Mallorca Velódromo de Palma 05.09.07
18:00h Czech RepuBLIC - Germany 18:00h Lithuania - Czech RepuBLIC 18:00h Lithuania - Germany 20:30h Turkey - Lithuania 20:30h Germany - Turkey 20:30h Czech RepuBLIC - Turkey
CZECH REPUBLIC (Česká republika)
GERMANY (Deutschland)
LITHUANIA
(Lietuva)
TURKEY 67
(Türkiye)
CZECH REPUBLIC
GROUP C
Fight for hop After eight long years in the European basketball basement, there is nothing to lose for the Czech National Team as they return to EuroBasket for the first time since 1999. This tournament should become the first step to regular qualification for EuroBasket.
Biggest EuroBasket Success
The Czech National Team has qualified for EuroBasket only once in it’s independent history, eight years ago in France. At the time, just making the field was a major success, so wins over Greece and a Sabonis-led Lithuanian team in the first round were considered a bit of a miracle. In the end, an 11th place finish was welcomed by Czech fans and experts alike. That team offered “teenagers” Jiri Welsch and Lubos Barton (both 19 at the time) a chance to show their promising talent. Eight years later, it’s the same dynamic duo that leads this underdog Czech team again. The biggest success of the modern era for the Czechoslovakian national basketball was at EuroBasket 1985 in Stuttgart. That team was built around Kamil Brabenec and Stanislav Kropilak. With the oldest starting five of any team in the tournament at an average age of 29.8 years, they shocked Yugoslavia in the Quarterfinals (102-91) and Spain in semifinals (98-95), before being beaten by the Soviet Union (120-89). But there is a history of success that extends back even farther than that. In 1946, the Czechoslovakians became European champions in the first EuroBasket played after World War II.
ROSTER Player
Pavel Benes Stepan Vrubl Jan Pavlik Jiri Welsch Jaroslav Prasil Pavel Milos David Hajek Ladislav Sokolovsky Lubos Barton Zbynek Pospisil Radek Necas Petr Benda Jakub Houska Ondrej Starosta Daniel Dousa
Height Position Birthdate Team 2006-07
1.90 1.86 1.86 2.01 2.00 2.00 2.01 2.00 2.02 2.03 2.06 2.03 2.07 2.16 2.19
1 1 1 2 2 2 2 2-3 3 3 3-4 4 4-5 5 5
17/03/75 08/06/76 27/04/78 27/01/80 13/04/80 26/07/79 25/10/77 28/07/77 07/04/80 19/11/81 18/07/80 25/03/82 30/07/82 28/05/79 24/10/81
Nymburk A Plus Brno Prostejov Unicaja Malaga (ESP) Ostrava Decin Kunin Nymburk Joventut Badalona (ESP) Ostrava Prostejov A Plus Brno Decin Zaragoza (ESP) Joventut Badalona(ESP)
Ladislav Sokolovsky
Last 10 FIBA events Year Event
2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997
RESERVES Player
Height Position Birthdate Team 2006-07
Maurice Whitfield 1.85 Michal Kremen 1.98 Stanislav Votroubek 2.10 David Steffel 2.10 Ales Chan 2.12 Coach: Zdenek Hummel Assistant: Pavel Budinsky
1 2 4-5 4-5 5
29/03/73 29/07/81 18/05/81 07/04/85 01/09/80
Ural Great Perm (RUS) Nymburk Nymburk Montegranaro (ITA) A Plus Brno
68
World Championship EuroBasket Olympics EuroBasket World championship EuroBasket Olympics EuroBasket World Championship EuroBasket
Place
Saitama Belgrade Athens Stockholm Indianapolis Istanbul Sydney Paris Athens Barcelona
Achievement
Did not qualify Did not qualify Did not qualify Did not qualify Did not qualify Did not qualify Did not qualify 11th Did not qualify Did not qualify
Biggest EuroBasket Disaster
As you would expect of a team with a short history as an independent nation you don’t have to go very far back to find a disaster. The Czech’s were agonizingly close to qualification for EuroBasket 2005 in Serbia & Montenegro, but a late collapse would seal their fate. After losing out to France and Slovenia in the Qualifying Round - far from an embarrassment - the Czech’s managed to edge out Poland and Estonia to advance to the Additional Qualifying Tournament where they lost a pair of close contests to Hungary (84-79) and Israel (83-78) in the final battle for the last free spot in EuroBasket 2005. Jiri Welsch, the Czech leader and former NBA player, seemed to be fighting a lonely battle and with the team sent home in disappointment, Coach Michal Jezdik was fired.
Likely Squad
This Czech team won’t have the same worries as other teams in EuroBasket as the coaches don’t have to concern themselves with who will or will not come back from the NBA. Five players seem to have secured starting spots: Pavel Benes, Jiri Welsch, Ladislav Sokolovsky, Lubos Barton and Petr Benda. The biggest weakness for coach Hummel is the point guard position, where the experienced Benes has no clear back-up. 30-year-old Stepan Vrubl is almost a rookie at this level and Jan Pavlik has suffered various injuries through the last couple of months. Despite this, the coach has ruled out a berth for US-born Maurice Whitfield who postponed his arrival at last year’s training camp so long that he has landed in the coach’s dog house. “I am not counting on Maurice despite the fact, we don’t have enough quality playmakers. It’s not important for me to have him in my team, we will use our players,” Hummel said. Another Czech weakness is under the basket where the longtime leader at this position, Ondrej Starosta, didn’t play well in Zaragoza and other candidates for the spot, like Dousa, Houska, Steffel, Chan, are too young or too inexperienced. The strength of the team lies at the forward position where coach Hummel will have a wide and talented group of players. He also has the advantage of a group of players eager to make an impression. After years on the outside looking in at EuroBasket and player’s frequent excuses not to represent their country, there is big interest from the entire team to show Europe what they can do.
Best Individual Performance/ Best Player of All-Time
The best Czechoslovakian player of the 20th century was Jiri Zidek Sr., who was one of the dominant players of the 60s and one of the best centers in Europe. Only the iron curtain separated him from an NBA contract. The 2.06 m big-man started his career at the age of 16, but for the first six months he played barefoot because there were no shoes large enough to fit him (size 50). Two years after he first touched a basketball, he played in the European Junior Championship where he scored the game winning basket and was named MVP of the tournament. He was well-known as a “pioneer” for his highly-effective sky hook shot, later made famous by NBA Hall-of-Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Playing for VS Prague, Zidek won the Czechoslovakian league title seven times. In 1966, his club lost in the final of the European Club Championship to Simenthal Milano, in Bologna, by a margin of just five points. After the final game, he met scouts from the legendary Boston Celtics, who had already booked a flight for him. He went to the airport with them but finally changed his mind because he didn’t want the communist regime to pursue his family. He never made it to the NBA but his son, Jiri Zidek Jr., became the first Czech player to break the barrier in 1995 when he suited up for the Charlotte Hornets. The senior Zidek played 420 games for Czechoslovakia and was the top scorer at the 1970 World Championship (18.6 ppg). He won a silver medal at EuroBasket 1967 and a bronze in 1969.
Prediction
This Czech team needs a little magic to get out of a very tough group that features teams that placed sixth (Turkey), seventh (Lithuania) and eighth (Germany) in the last World championship in Japan. The task of the Czech team appears difficult. An extraordinary performance would have to be put forth not only from the stars Jiri Welsch and Lubos Barton, but from the rest of the team to qualify for the qualifying round.
Scouting report
Jiri Welsch wants to show what he can do at the top level. After four seasons in the NBA, he returned to Europe where he played a central role in helping Unicaja Malaga reach their first Euroleague Final Four. EUROBASKET 2007 QUALIFYING ROUND Jiri wants to follow with a good perforPlayer G Min FG % 3pts
How did they qualify? Qualifying round
1st in Group A (4 W – 2 L)
Results
Date Aug-31th 2006 Sept-3rd 2006 Sept-6th 2006 Sept-9th 2006 Sept-13th 2006 Sept-16th 2006
* Home team
Game *Czech Republic b. Belgium Czech Republic b. *Hungary *Russia b. Czech Republic Czech Republic b. *Belgium *Czech Republic b. Hungary Russia b. *Czech Republic
Results 85-67 80-76 104-81 74-61 83-64 68-55
CZECH REPUBLIC
pe
mance in EuroBasket: “I think we had quite a good draw, since we won’t play against the top teams like Spain or Greece,” he said. “It would be nice to surprise everyone like eight years ago in France.” The second star of the team, Lubos Barton, also plays in Liga ACB and in the Euroleague with Joventut Badalona. He should become part of a dynamic duo with Welsch. The other brave Czech “soldiers”, such as giant Ondrej Starosta of Zaragoza, should wake up under the command of these two generals. The playing style of the Czech team should be based on aggressive defense, controlled pace and patience. “We will face three elite teams but our goal is to confirm our improvement to Czech men’s basketball,” said Coach Zdenek Hummel.
Jiri Welsch Lubos Barton Pavel Benes Petr Benda Ladislav Sokolovsky Jaroslav Prasil Ondrej Starosta Jakub Houska Pavel Milos Stepan Vrubl David Hajek Pavel Houska Zbynek Pospisil TOTALS
5 38 26-66 5 34 30-69 6 29 17-40 6 26 23-54 6 21 15-37 4 12 9-18 6 18 17-32 6 15 10-20 3 7 2-6 6 10 4-10 5 6 1-4 1 3 1 12 0-1 6 200 154/357
69
39.3 43.5 42.5 42.6 40.5 50.0 53.1 50.0 33.3 40.0 25.0 43.1
7-16 11-28 11-29 1-7 4-13 5-10 0-4 2-3 1-3 0-1 42/114
STATISTICS FT 79.1 62.5 81.8 63.2 73.9 100.0 75.0 85.7 100.0 74.5
Rb As 4.2 3.8 7.2 3.0 1.3 3.0 6.7 1.2 3.3 1.6 2.8 1.0 4.7 0.5 3.2 0.5 1.0 0.8 1.6 0.8 0.8 3.0 34.5 15.5
St 3.0 1.8 0.7 0.8 1.2 0.7 0.7 0.4 8.5
BS TO 0.2 3.2 1.0 2.2 - 1.0 0.7 1.5 0.2 1.5 1.3 0.8 0.2 0.8 0.3 1.2 - 1.0 - 0.3 - 0.6 - 1.0 3.1 12.5
Pts 18.6 17.2 10.5 9.8 8.5 6.3 6.2 4.3 2.0 1.7 0.4 76.3
GROUP C
TEAM STAR JIRI
WELSCH Height: 2.01 Position: Shooting guard Date of birth: 27/01/1980 Place of birth: Pardubice Team 2006-07: UNICAJA MALAGA (Spain-Lega ACB) Career: Pardubice (Czech Republic-NBL, 1996-98), Sparta Prague (Czech Republic-NBL, 1998-2000), Olimpija Ljubljana (Slovenia-1A League, 2000-02), Golden State Warriors (NBA, 2002-03), Dallas Mavericks (NBA, 2003), Boston Celtics (NBA, 2003-04), Cleveland Cavaliers (NBA 2004-05), Milwaukee Bucks (NBA, 2005-06), Unicaja Málaga (Spain-Lega ACB, 2006-07). Selected in the first round of the 2002 NBA draft (#16) by the Philadelphia 76ers. Rights traded to Golden State immediately.
J
iri Welsch was just a schoolboy when he won his first medal, leading Pardubice to a third place finish in the national tournament and gaining All-Star recognition in the process. Since that time he has been a regular member of the Czech National Team, often playing with much older teammates. Welsch began his professional career as a 16 year-old teenager with Pardubice, where he stayed until 1998, at which time he signed with Sparta Prague and played in his first European club games in the Korac Cup and was named Czech League MVP following the 2001-02 campaign. He left Sparta for the Slovenian Euroleague club Olimpija Ljubljana in the summer of 2000 and signed a three-year contract with a one year option but when the NBA came calling Welsch opted out of his third year and headed for the States. Welsch was drafted by the Philadelphia 76ers with the 16th pick in the 2002 NBA Draft, but was immediately traded to the Golden State Warriors. He spent one season in with Golden State (1.6 ppg, 0.8 rpg, 0.7 apg in 37 games), before being traded to the Dallas Mavericks in August 2003. Without ever playing a game for the Mavs, Welsch was traded by Dallas to the Boston Celtics in October 2003, in exchange for Antoine Walker and Tony Delk. In Boston, under the tutelage of Coach Jim O´Brien, Welsch experienced his most successful season in the NBA. He jumped into the starting five and stayed there for a year and a half, averaging 8.5 ppg, 3.2 rpg and 2.0 apg and earning 100 starts. Despite this improvement, the arrival of new coach Doc Rivers meant a turning point for the Czech, and Welsch was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers in February 2005, where he spent most of the remainder of that season on the bench. New management started a rebuilding process and Welsch was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks for a 2006 second round draft pick. After just a few years in the NBA, Welsch started to feel bad about being bounced around and made the decision to return to Europe. Last summer, he signed a three-year contract with Unicaja Malaga, a team that had just won their first ever championship title in the Spanish Liga ACB. Welsch is a combo guard who likes to take the ball to the basket or to shoot off the dribble. He’s got a sweet outside jumper, and is a solid decision-maker and floor leader. He likes to play the game at a fast pace and will push the ball up the floor whenever he gets the opportunity. He’s extremely tough, but can be inconsistent from beyond the 3-point arch. Welsch has been voted the Best Czech basketball player each of the last six years. As a member of the National Team he is indispensable, averaging 38 minutes per game and 18.6 points in EuroBasket 2007 qualifying games. He put forth a heroic effort in a key game against Hungary (83-64), where he played the entire 40 minutes and scored a game-high 23 points. More amazing, he had arrived just three hours before the game after traveling all day from Malaga. Jiri Welsch is the unquestioned leader of the Czech side and will no doubt show devotion and a brave heart in Spain.
NATIONAL TEAM STATS YEAR
1999 1999 2001 2003 2003 2005 2007
COMPETITION
Semi-final Round EuroBasket Semi-final Round Qualification Round Semi-final Round Semi-final Round Semi-final Round
GP Min
2 6 10 6 5 6 5
10 19 27 28 36 34 38
2pts
2-3 14-26 38-70 20-47 28-62 24-58 19-50
3pts
0-1 1-6 9-29 6-18 5-15 5-23 7-16
FT
1-2 9-14 28-35 27-35 41-46 34-43 34-43
Rb
0.5 2.2 3.2 4.0 3.6 4.0 4.2
As
Pts
- 2.3 2.0 2.3 2.6 2.3 3.8
2.5 6.7 13.1 14.2 22.4 16.2 18.6
As
Pts
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
1998-99 1999-00 2000-01 2001-02 2006-07
Sparta Prague (Korac Cup) Sparta Prague (Korac Cup)
GP Min
2pts
GP Min
2pts
8 8 Olimpija Ljubljana (Euroleague) 15 Olimpija Ljubljana (Euroleague) 20 Unicaja Malaga (Euroleague) 22
22 21-41 35 29-67 16 24-52 31 81-161 24 53-102
3pts
FT
Rb
2-10 9-22 5-20 24-74 17-40
18-27 15-21 14-15 84-99 48-77
1.9 4.0 1.1 3.2 3.1
1.3 3.6 0.5 2.3 1.3
8.3 12.5 5.1 15.9 9.3
3pts
FT
Rb
As
Pts
NBA STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06
70
Golden State Warriors Boston Celtics Boston Celtics Cleveland Cavaliers Milwaukee Bucks
37 81 55 16 58
6 19-75 1-4 22-29 0.8 0.7 1.6 26 262-612 69-181 153-206 3.7 2.3 9.2 20 137-320 32-99 109-141 2.5 1.5 7.5 12 12-51 2-11 20-28 1.8 1.2 2.9 15 86-222 14-49 65-87 1.9 1.1 4.3
SOKOLOVSKY Height: 2.00 Position: Small forward Date of birth: 28/07/1977 Place of birth: Prerov Team 2006-07: CEZ BASKETBALL NYMBURK (Czech Republic-NBL) Career: BVV Brno (Czech Republic-NBL, 1996-98), BK Opava (Czech Republic-NBL, 1998-2004), CEZ Basketball Nymburk (Czech Republic-NBL, 2004-07).
Height: 2.02 Position: Small forward Date of birth: 07/04/1980 Place of birth: Ceska Lipa Team 2006-07: DKV JOVENTUT BADALONA (Spain-Lega ACB) Career: Decin (Czech Republic-NBL, 199698), University of Valparaiso (NCAA, 1998-2002), Skipper Bologna (Italy-Lega, 2002-03), Lottomatica Roma (Italy-Lega, 2003-05), DKV Joventut Badalona (Spain-Lega ACB, 2005-07)
L
adislav Sokolovsky has the game of a cagey wildcat, lulling opponents with his soft moves before pouncing. The captain of Nymburk and of the National Team behaves on the court much as you would suspect of someone with his ominous nickname, “Falcon” (the meaning of his surname in English). In the Czech League, he has won five titles and four Czech Cups. Sokolovsky is one of the more experienced players on the team having joined the national side first in 1998. He has always been one of the leaders on any team he has played for. The 200-cm forward is very athletic and knows the game of basketball very well. His deadly accuracy from three-point range (48% last season in the Czech League) makes him tough to stop off the dribble as defenders have to respect his ability to hit the open shot. When he misleads defenders with fakes, he gets quickly to the basket where he scores or dishes it off. For his opponents he is most dangerous as a defender because he is cat quick, strong and is very smart. His importance to his team is best described by listing his achievements: Six consecutive trips to the Czech All-Star Game, slam dunk contest finalist and three time Czech NBL Defensive Player of the Year (2002, 2003 and 2004).
F
or the Czech Republic’s deadliest shooter Lubos Barton, shining brightly on the EuroBasket stage is old hat. At the start of new millennium experts predicted he would become the second Czech player to go to the NBA after Jiri Zidek Jr., but that never happened, even after a successful four-year stint at Valparaiso University and a fantastic appearance in EuroBasket 1999. That time, as a 19 year-old newcomer in a little-fancied Czech team, he was the best shooter in the preliminary round, averaging 22.3 points per game. Against Lithuania, he made all six of his three-point attempts and shot a red hot 61% from three-point range overall! After not being drafted by any NBA team, the self-confident forward came back to Europe. With Fortitudo Bologna, he was a runnerup in the Italian League and played two Euroleague seasons for Fortitudo and then Lottomatica Roma. After transferring to Spanish club Joventut Badalona, he earned his first significant trophy last year: the EuroCup. In the final game, against Khimki Moscow, he led the winning side with 18 points. He was again a key player for DKV in the 2006-2007 season, but in the opening game of Euroleague eight-finals he dislocated his shoulder. The Czech National Team will once again rely on his outside shooting.
NATIONAL TEAM STATS YEAR
NATIONAL TEAM STATS YEAR
1999 1999 2003 2005 2007
COMPETITION
Semi-final Round EuroBasket Semi-final Round Semi-final Round Semi-final Round
GP Min
5 6 4 6 5
9 30 24 30 34
2pts
3pts
FT
3-4 15-40 11-26 19-37 19-41
0-3 19-31 7-16 13-36 11-28
- 25-29 10-12 18-22 15-24
2pts
3pts
FT
1999 2001 2003 2003 2005 2007
Rb As Pts
1.0 5.7 3.0 4.7 7.2
0.2 2.0 2.0 1.2 3.0
1.2 18.7 13.3 15.8 17.2
3-03
GP Min
Skipper Bologna (Euroleague) 19 22
2003-04 Lottomatica Roma (Euroleague) 13 25 2005-06 Joventut Badalona (EuroCup) 16 22 2006-07 Joventut Badalona (Euroleague) 13 24
48-82 27-46 34-59 31-70
19-53 19-59 34-65 21-61
33-37 15-21 10-14 21-28
SEASON CLUB (Competition)
Rb As Pts
4.5 4.8 4.6 4.8
0.8 0.7 1.2 1.5
GP Min
1 4 6 5 11 6
12 12 26 25 20 21
2pts
3pts
FT
2-3 8-15 20-28 19-24 20-40 11-24
- 0-1 10-17 3-6 8-21 4-13
- 3-8 13-15 11-15 14-17 17-23
2pts
3pts
FT
Rb As Pts
1.0 3.3 3.5 3.8 2.7 3.3
- 0.5 1.2 0.8 1.0 1.6
4.0 4.8 13.8 11.6 7.1 8.5
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
COMPETITION
Semi-final Round Semi-final Round Qualification Round Semi-final Round Semi-final Round Semi-final Round
97-97 1-01 2-02 2002-03 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07
9.8 9.7 11.3 11.2
BVV Brno (Saporta) Opava (Korac Cup) Opava (Korac Cup) Opava (FibaCup) Nymburk (EuroCup) Nymburk (EuroCup) Nymburk (EuroCup)
GP Min
9 5 4 10 13 12 6
12 8 18 26 29 15 29
11-19 1-4 1-5 37-64 20-53 8-17 14-36
0-2 - 5-7 7-19 11-36 7-22 12-27
- 8-8 2-2 23-33 17-25 3-4 12-15
Rb As Pts
2.0 1.4 3.3 2.5 3.8 1.4 2.8
0.7 - - 1.9 1.5 0.8 1.2
2.4 2.0 4.8 11.8 6.9 3.3 12.7
COACH: ZDENEK HUMMEL In EuroBasket 1999 in France, he coached the team to sensational wins over Greece and Lithuania and led the team to an 11th place finish. Last spring, he came back to the team after six years and did a great job again. Three unsuccessful qualification campaigns are over and now, there is another big challenge for these outsiders. A charismatic, outspoken and communicative coach, Zdenek is a former teacher. He can speak harshly to the players but makes them laugh too. As a player he donned a Czechoslovakian jersey 120 times and played in the 1974 World Championship in Puerto Rico (10th place). Hummel has been coaching for 26 seasons in the Czech league. He has won one title (in 1998) with Opava and has finished as runner-up eight times.
Nationality: Czech Date of birth: 12/01/1947 Place of birth: Prague Team 2006-07: MLEKARNA KUNIN (Czech Republic-NBL) Career: Head coach – NH Ostrava (Czech Republic-NBL, 1978-92), Mlekarna Kunin (Czech Republic-NBL, 1993-97), BK Opava (Czech Republic-NBL, 1997-2000), NH Ostrava (Czech Republic-NBL, 2000-02), BK Decin (Czech Republic-NBL, 2002-04), Mlekarna Kunin (Czech Republic-NBL, 2004-07) International career: Head coach EuroBasket 1999 and 2007, Semi-final Round 1999, 2001 and 2007
Z
denek Hummel is the most successful coach in Czech National Team history since the dissolution of former Czechoslovakia. He is the only coach who has advanced the team to EuroBasket and moreover he has done it twice.
71
CZECH REPUBLIC
LADISLAV
LUBOS BARTON
GROUP C
PAVEL
JAN
BENES
PAVLIK
Height: 1.90 Position: Point guard Date of birth: 17/03/1975 Place of birth: Brno Team 2006-07: CEZ BASKETBALL NYMBURK (Czech Republic-NBL) Career: BVV Brno (Czech Republic-NBL, 1992-2000), BK Opava (Czech Republic-NBL, 2000-04), �EZ Basketball Nymburk (2004-07)
Height: 1.86 Position: Point guard Date of birth: 27/04/1978 Place of birth: Zlin Team 2006-07: ATOMEROMU SE PAKS (Hungary-A Division), BK PROSTEJOV (Czech Republic-NBL) Career: BVV Brno (Czech Republic-NBL, 1998-2003), A Plus Brno (Czech Republic-NBL, 2003-04), Atomeromu SE Paks (Hungary-A Division, 2004-07), BK Prostejov (Czech Republic-NBL, 2007)
A
t the age of 32, Benes is the oldest member on the Czech team and this tournament will be the pinnacle of his international career. The experienced point guard will be a rookie at this level of competition, though it seemed that his international career was over a few years ago after playing in all the Qualifying campaigns but never in EuroBasket. Benes, called “Beny”, was only a substitute in his last seasons – in Opava he backed-up long-time National Team captain Czudek and in Nymburk he was the number two behind American Maurice Whitfield. Whatever you want to say about him, Benes is a magnet for good results, winning seven Czech League titles. A big fan of U2 Benes got his second wind last season when he surpassed US playmaker Walker Russell in Nymburk and became the starting point guard for the three-time champions. And as a little big man, he will be one of the leaders of the Czech team at this EuroBasket.
A
perennial fan favourite, Jan Pavlik is quick with the ball and has a tremendous pull-up jump shot. He is the kind of point guard capable of controlling tempo. A streaky shooter, he is capable of scoring 20 points by halftime. But he’s just as likely to miss the target and when things start to go wrong he runs away and solves the situation at the expense of his team. In 2004, he scored 15 points per game for A Plus Brno in the EuroCup. He then decided he needed a change and signed a thee-year contract in Hungary with Paks where he won two titles. Last January, Pavlik injured ligaments in his knee prompting him to return to the Czech Republic. He chose to sign in Prostejov. Heading into EuroBasket, his health is a big question mark.
NATIONAL TEAM STATS YEAR
NATIONAL TEAM STATS YEAR
1999 2001 2003 2005 2007
COMPETITION
Semi-final Round Semi-final Round Qualification Round Semi-final Round Semi-final Round
GP Min
5 7 1 6 6
10 20 17 11 29
2pts
3-10 6-10 - 5-19 6-11
3pts
0-4 3-12 - 0-5 11-29
FT
6-10 5-7 - 3-7 18-22
Rb
1.0 1.0 2.0 1.0 1.3
As
0.2 1.6 - 1.7 3.0
2003 2005
Pts
2.4 3.7 2.2 10.5
97-97 1-01 2-02 2002-03 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07
BVV Brno (Saporta) Opava (Korac Cup) Opava (Korac Cup) Opava (FibaCup) Nymburk (EuroCup) Nymburk (FibaCup) Nymburk (FibaCup)
GP Min
12 8 9 10 12 9 6
39 18 17 20 14 9 14
2pts
33-74 14-24 5-13 15-36 6-12 1-7 1-3
3pts
9-28 5-13 5-10 14-35 7-16 4-10 1-7
FT
29-30 17-21 11-14 23-26 12-12 6-10 3-4
Rb
3.3 0.8 1.2 2.0 0.8 0.7 1.5
As
3.0 1.1 1.8 1.5 1.6 0.9 0.7
SEASON CLUB (Competition)
2001-02 BVV Brno (Korac Cup) 2003-04 A Plus Brno (EC) 2006-07 Paks (EC)
Semi-final Round
3-7
1-3
YEAR
2007
2006-07 A Plus Brno (FEC)
GP Min
6 33
2pts
10-14
3pts
8-24
GP Min
2 30 9 28 4 19
2pts
6-14 19-46 3-4
3pts
3-10 26-69 10-20
FT
5-7 19-24 -
Rb
As
Pts
3.0 4.5 13.0 2.9 4.0 15.0 1.0 1.0 9.0
COMPETITION
Semi-final Round
FT
1-1
Rb
As
Pts
FT
7-9
Rb
As
Pts
GP Min
4 12
2pts
4-8
5-10
3pts
2-2
FT
2.8 1.0 6.3
Rb
As
Pts
2pts
3pts
FT
Rb
As
Pts
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS -
0.8 1.6 1.6
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
Pts
NATIONAL TEAM STATS
SEASON CLUB (Competition)
6 10
As
P
NATIONAL TEAM STATS 2007
Rb
1.4 1.6 7.1 1.4 1.6 7.4
rasil is the prototypical modern forward. He is the complete package with his power, technical skills and marvellous leaping ability. He can use his skills both inside and outside and is one of the best shooters in the Czech league, often playing as well as the league’s best US forwards. Prasil and his teammate, Zbynek Pospisil, led Ostrava to the finals of the Czech Cup. He can shoot from all positions and is very confident on defense. He is very valuable for the National Team because of his ability to come in and spell star players like Welsch and Barton. He doesn’t need many minutes to warm-up and can produce almost immediately. Unfortunately, Prasil has always been bothered by chronic back problems that have kept him from reaching his full potential.
L
3pts
FT
2-2 9-13
Height: 2.00 Position: Small forward Date of birth: 13/04/1980 Place of birth: ? Team 2006-07: NH OSTRAVA (Czech Republic-NBL) Career: BC Slavia Kromeriz (Czech Republic-NBL, 2000-2001), NH Ostrava (Czech Republic-NBL, 2001-2007)
ast summer changed the basketball life of Stepan Vrubl. Firstly he decided to leave Houseri Brno and moved just a couple of blocks away in the same city, to sign with the more ambitious A Plus Brno and soon afterwards he received an unexpected call from the Czech National Team. He owes the opportunity to the absence of Maurice Whitfield, who is based in American but has a Czech passport and has been left out of Hummel’s final squad after delaying his arrival date with the team. “We made a decision not to use Whitfield in our team in this Qualifying tournament. Our patience is over“, said coach Zdenek Hummel. And so the 30-year-old Vrubl will back-up Pavel Benes. He is the smallest player on the team (1.86 m).
2pts
3pts
8-22 6-14
PRASIL
Height: 1.86 Position: Point guard Date of birth: 08/06/1976 Place of birth: Ostrava Team 2006-07: A PLUS BRNO (Czech Republic-NBL) Career: BK Opava (Czech Republic-NBL, 1998-2000), Pardubice (Czech Republic-NBL, 2000-01), House�i Brno (Czech Republic-NBL, 2001-06), A Plus Brno (Czech Republic-NBL, 2006-07)
GP Min
2pts
12-22 5-12
JAROSLAV
VRUBL
COMPETITION
7 13 5 14
Pts
10.2 7.5 4.0 9.5 3.8 2.2 1.3
STEPAN
YEAR
GP Min
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
COMPETITION
Semi-final Round Semi-final Round
4.0 4.2 8.5
72
-
GP Min
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
ZBYNEK
MILOS
POSPISIL
Height: 2.00 Position: Shooting guard Date of birth: 26/07/1979 Place of birth: Slany Team 2006-07: BK PROSTEJOV, BK DECIN (Czech Republic-NBL) Career: Sparta Prague (Czech RepublicNBL, 1996-2005), BK Prostejov (Czech Republic-NBL, 2005-07), BK Decin (Czech Republic-NBL, 2007)
1999-2007)
Z
bynek made the National Team despite playing for a fairly “average” Czech team NH Ostrava, which typically finds themselves battling for a the final playoff spot towards the end of the season. Zbynek Pospisil is a mobile small forward with excellent instincts under the basket. He has some good moves with his back to the basket but he must improve his outside shooting to really become a threat. For his club team he is indispensable as both an offensive and defensive rebounder. He gives 100 percent in practice and was rewarded by being named to the Czech All Star Game three times. Since he has been playing for a club that has failed to qualify for the European Cup the past eight years, his only international basketball experience comes from representing his country.
M
ilos is an excellent three-point shooter, who has been destroying Czech league records for the past decade. Four years ago, he made sixteen 3-point shots in one game! His personal-high is 49 points (in 2004) but Milos is not just a scorer. He can read the defense well and unlike many shooters, he is unselfish. His name came up before the 2001 NBA Draft but in the end he was not selected. He was named the Czech NBL MVP and the Most Improved Player in 2003 and was voted to the Czech All Star Game every year between 2000 and 2005. In 2005 he played for the Detroit Pistons’ summer league team and at the time it seemed that he would secure a job somewhere in Greece or Italy. But his form dropped and he has spent the last two years struggling at Prostejov and Decin. Could this scoring volcano erupt again at EuroBasket 2007?
NATIONAL TEAM STATS YEAR
2005 2007
NATIONAL TEAM STATS YEAR
2003 2003 2005 2007
COMPETITION
Qualification Round Semi-final Round Semi-final Round Semi-final Round
GP Min
3 7 5 22 12 19 3 7
2pts
2-3 3-9 14-28 0-3
3pts
4-5 20-37 18-53 2-3
FT
1-1 4-6 16-23 -
Height: 2.03 Position: Small forward Date of birth: 19/11/1981 Place of birth: Team 2006-07: NH OSTRAVA (Czech Republic-NBL) Career: NH Ostrava (Czech Republic-NBL,
Rb As Pts
COMPETITION
Semi-final Round Semi-final Round
GP Min
2 6 1 12
2pts
3pts
- 0-1
0-2 -
1.5 3.0
2pts
3pts
FT
Rb As Pts
1-1 -
FT
Rb As Pts
- 1.0 - -
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS
0.7 - 5.7 2.0 1.6 14.0 2.2 0.6 8.2 1.0 - 2.0
SEASON CLUB (Competition)
-
-
GP Min
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
98-98 1998-99 1999-0 2000-01 2005-06 2006-07
Sparta Prague (Korac Cup) Sparta Prague (Korac Cup) Sparta Prague (Korac Cup) Sparta Prague (Korac Cup) Prostejov (EC) Prostejov (EC)
GP Min
8 8 7 2 3 6
26 26 32 26 27 13
2pts
6-24 12-28 8-19 0-3 6-14 5-9
3pts
22-39 21-51 22-48 5-10 3-13 4-17
FT
17-21 19-22 16-17 - 6-10 1-2
Rb As Pts
2.1 1.9 4.0 3.5 1.7 2.3
0.6 0.3 1.7 2.0 2.0 0.7
RADEK
11.9 13.3 14.0 7.5 9.0 3.8
NECAS Height: 2.06 Position: Power forward Date of birth: 18/07/1980 Place of birth: Brno Team 2006-07: BK PROSTEJOV (Czech Republic-NBL) Career: BVV Brno (Czech Republic-NBL, 1998-2000), Mlekarna Kunin (Czech Republic-NBL, 2000-02), Lasko KK (Slovenia-1A League, 2002-03), CEZ Basketball Nymburk (Czech Republic-NBL, 2003-05), BK Prostejov (Czech Republic-NBL, 2005-07)
DAVID
HAJEK Height: 2.01 Position: Small forward Date of birth: 25/10/1977 Place of birth: Olomouc Team 2006-07: MLEKARNA KUNIN (Czech Republic-NBL) Career: BVV Brno (Czech Republic-NBL, 1996-2003), Mlekarna Kunin (Czech Republic-NBL, 2003-07)
T
he strongest part of Necas’ game is rebounding. His father, Josef, was an outstanding forward known for his unerring accuracy from long distance for Zbrojovka Brno and the Czech National Team during the early 1990s, and Radek started playing the game at the age of eight in his home town of Brno. After playing for BVV Brno and Mlekarna Kunin, he moved to Pivovarna Lasko in Slovenia, where he reached the quarterfinals of the ULEB Cup. Then he returned to his native Czech Republic and gained two championships in a row with Nymburk. After that he surprised fans and experts by leaving the champions for big rivals in Prostejov. His performances and numbers went down, and last year he lost his place on the National Team. This season, he will be fighting for the rehabilitation of his name.
D
avid Hajek is a workman like player whose main contribution to the team typically comes on the defensive end of the floor. This 2.01 m power forward has spent most of his career at Brno, but in 2003 he decided to move to the North of the Czech Republic, signing with Mlekarna Kunin Novy Jicin. The move was a good one as he played in three consecutive finals against Czech Republic “monster”, Nymburk. Playing for Mlekarna Kunin also resulted in an invitation to join the National Team for the successful Qualifying campaign on their way to EuroBasket 2007. Hajek loves having the ball in his hands. He became the Czech Republic Streetball Champion and is also an excellent beach volleyball player. Hajek’s weakness is his shooting touch, in nine seasons in NBL, Hajek only once averaged more then 10 ppg.
NATIONAL TEAM STATS YEAR
2001 2003 2003 2005
COMPETITION
Semi-final Round Qualification Round Semi-final Round Semi-final Round
GP Min
4 3 8 6
10 22 16 23
2pts
3pts
2pts
3pts
3-7 5-9 9-35 18-40
1-1 2-5 1-9 3-7
FT
3-8 10-15 11-19 10-17
Rb As Pts
0.8 - 3.0 3.0 1.3 8.7 3.8 0.6 4.0 4.2 1.5 9.2
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
NATIONAL TEAM STATS YEAR
2005 2007
COMPETITION
Semi-final Round Semi-final Round
GP Min
6 12 5 6
2pts
3pts
2pts
3pts
4-13 1-4
3-7 -
FT
13-14 -
1-01 2-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2006-07
Rb As Pts
1.5 0.8 5.0 0.8 0.8 0.4
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
97-97 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07
BVV Brno (Saporta) Kunin (EC) Kunin (EC) Kunin (EC) Kunin (EC)
GP Min
8 6 11 5 8
11 25 19 31 21
6-11 15-22 20-43 15-22 15-29
2-5 1-5 9-17 8-19 5-12
FT
2-4 9-12 2-5 6-8 9-12
Rb As Pts
1.5 3.3 2.3 5.8 3.6
0.9 2.2 2.0 2.2 1.8
2.5 7.0 6.3 12.0 6.8
73
Kunin (Korac Cup) Kunin (Korac Cup) Lasko (ULEB Cup) Nymburk (EC) Nymburk (EC) Prostejov (EC)
GP Min
2 8 9 11 14 8
33 10-14 30 40-75 21 15-36 25 21-45 27 59-104 28 28-59
1-8 8-25 0-3 8-23 5-25 5-15
FT
1-2 26-36 23-30 19-26 43-61 13-19
Rb As Pts
4.0 5.0 1.9 5.5 6.0 7.0
4.0 3.5 0.3 1.6 2.4 1.3
12.0 16.3 5.9 7.7 12.6 10.5
CZECH REPUBLIC
PAVEL
GROUP C
PETR
ONDREJ
BENDA
STAROSTA
Height: 2.03 Position: Power forward Date of birth: 25/03/1982 Place of birth: Jihlava Team 2006-07: A PLUS BRNO (Czech Republic-NBL) Career: BVV Brno (Czech Republic-NBL, 2001-03), A Plus Brno (Czech Republic-NBL, 2003-07)
Height: 2.16 Position: Center Date of birth: 28/05/1979 Place of birth: Prague Team 2006-07: CAI ZARAGOZA (Spain-LEB) Career: Slavia Prague (Czech Republic-D2, 1997-98), Sparta Prague (Czech RepublicNBL, 1998-2000), Real Madrid (Spain-EBA, 2000-01), Pepinster Wegnez (Belgium-D1, 2001-02), Le Mans (France-Pro A, 2002-03), St. Quentin (FrancePro A, 2003-04), Chalons (France-Pro A, 2004-05), Strasbourg (France-Pro A, 2005-06), Zaragoza (Spain-LEB, 2006-07)
B
enda is an inconspicuous but very effective player whose consistency is one of his best assets. In the Czech League he has been the king of rebounding for many years though he is not particularly big or strong. At 2.03 m, Benda is a natural type of player who relies on his instincts and an amazing knack for choosing the right place to be. Currently playing for the famous Brno basketball club, he doesn’t seem to have any evident weakness. He is an all-around player, useful on both the offensive and defensive end, and a solid shooter. At A Plus Brno, Benda plays more minutes than anyone on the team. He has finished first or second in rebounding and field goal percentage in the Czech League each of the last three seasons, but has never earned the MVP Trophy. Since 2004, he has averaged over 15 ppg and 11 rpg and twice has pulled down 23 rebounds in a single game!
A
ll his life Ondrej Starosta has been bigger then his peers, reaching 216 cm before he was done growing. Despite clearly having the physical characteristics of a basketball player, Starosta began his athletic career as a handball player and it is not until he was 16 that he found basketball. In 2000, he jumped from Sparta Prague to the bright lights of Real Madrid and after a season with the youth team, he moved to Belgium and then to France. At Strasbourg he got his first chance to play in a cup competition, averaging 5.9 points and 3.9 rebounds per game as his team competed in the Euroleague, but the big man was frustrated with his role on the team and his personal performance as well. He attended the NBA Summer League in 2005 in Salt Lake City, playing for the San Antonio Spurs and averaging 6.0 points in 16 minutes per game. Last year, he tried out for the Cavaliers but the Cleveland franchise waived him during the summer camp. After returning from the US last fall, he agreed to terms with Zaragoza (Spain-LEB) in late November.
NATIONAL TEAM STATS YEAR
2005 2007
COMPETITION
Semi-final Round Semi-final Round
GP Min
12 15 6 26
2pts
3pts
2pts
3pts
35-58 22-47
0-1 1-7
FT
17-19 12-19
Rb
As
Pts
Rb
As
Pts
3.6 0.7 7.3 6.6 1.1 9.8
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07
A Plus Brno (EC) A Plus Brno (EC) A Plus Brno (EC) A Plus Brno (EC)
GP Min
8 6 4 6
34 32 37 29
44-76 27-46 24-38 34-65
0-5 2-5 0-2 3-5
FT
NATIONAL TEAM STATS YEAR
21-36 10.8 1.4 13.6 13-17 9.0 2.0 12.2 8-15 11.3 1.0 14.0 6-8 9.0 1.8 13.8
2003 2003 2005 2007
COMPETITION
Qualification Round Semi-final Round Semi-final Round Semi-final Round
GP Min
4 9 12 6
17 16 22 18
2pts
3pts
- - 0-1 -
9-16 14-25 31-44 3-4
2pts
3pts
FT
15-25 33-63 56-83 17-32
FT
Rb
As
Pts
9.8 6.6 7.8 4.7
0.3 0.1 0.3 0.5
9.8 8.9 11.9 6.2
Rb
As
Pts
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
99-99 Sparta Prague (Korac Cup) 1999-0 Sparta Prague (Korac Cup) 2005-06 Strasbourg (Euroleague)
JAKUB
HOUSKA
GP Min
6 15
2pts
3pts
2pts
3pts
10-16
0-4
FT
6-7
Rb
As
Pts
2004-05 Decin (FEC)
GP Min
8 17
12-26
0-2
FT
5-16
Rb
As
Pts
1.0 - 3.8 0.5 7.5 3.9 0.4 5.9
D
3.1 0.5 4.3
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
- 7-15 27-47
ousa comes from a famous Czech basketball family. His father Zdenek played in three Olympic Games and World Championships while his mother, Hana (born with the surname Jarosova) was a star of the National Team and a top European class player as well. Dousa’s older brother David is a player for the Czech club BK Sadska at present. Spanish giant, Joventut Badalona, acquired the 2.19 m tall center from Sparta Prague last year. He spent most of the time in the youth team and waited for his chance to get into ACB action. Dousa is very strong physically, a superb athlete, has a huge wingspan and he runs the floor well. This rare talent has worked very hard this season although it doesn’t appear in his stats (5.6 ppg and 3.4 rpg in LEB2), but the potential is there. With more game action Dousa could become a force but this summer he may be relegated to the bench.
NATIONAL TEAM STATS COMPETITION
- - -
Height: 2.19 Position: Center Date of birth: 24/10/1981 Place of birth: Prague Team 2006-07: DKV JOVENTUT BADALONA (Spain-Lega) Career: Sparta Prague (Czech RepublicNBL, 1999-2006), Joventut Badalona (Spain-Lega, 2006-07)
J
Semi-final Round
- 19-33 28-56
DOUSA
akub Houska is a talented center on the rise. Four years ago, he was playing for Chomutov, in the second division but in 2004 he proved too good to remain at his beloved club and decided to move to Decin, a team from the elite league. It didn’t take long for him to become one of the leaders of a team full of young guns. His play and hard work in practice, in front of the National Team’s assistant coach Pavel Budinsky, earned him an invitation to play for his country. He played in six games when the Czech Republic battled for a bid to EuroBasket 2007. Houska, whose hobbies include working on his personal web sites, was awarded the Fair Play Prize by the Czech Olympic Committee for catching thieves who robbed a 90-year-old woman.
2007
1 25 6 19 14 15
DANIEL
Height: 2.07 Position: Power forward/Center Date of birth: 30/07/1982 Place of birth: Most Team 2006-07: BK DECIN (Czech RepublicNBL) Career: Chomutov (Czech Republic-NBL, 2003-04), Decin (Czech Republic-NBL, 2004-07)
YEAR
GP Min
5.1 0.9 3.6
NATIONAL TEAM STATS YEAR
-
COMPETITION
-
GP Min
-
-
2pts
3pts
FT
Rb
As
Pts
2pts
3pts
FT
Rb
As
Pts
-
-
-
-
-
-
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
2000-01 Sparta Prague (Korac Cup)
74
GP Min
1 18
2-7
0-1
-
- 1.0 4.0
GERMANY
GROUP C
Dirk or Die
in Sweden will always be remembered as the biggest failure in contemporary German basketball history. Coming off a bronze medal at the FIBA World Championship in Indianapolis the year before and a sensational fourth place at the 2001 EuroBasket in Istanbul, the young German squad entered the tournament for the first time as a title contender. But they finished it by losing to Italy 86-84 and went home disappointed pretenders. Part of the reason was an injured Dirk Nowitzki, though the exorbitant expectations and the fading powers of former head coach Henrik Dettmann also had something to do with it. Three years later, Nowitzki still called EuroBasket 2003 his “biggest disappointment”. Something that changed, obviously, after his Dallas Mavericks lost in the 2006 NBA Finals to the Miami Heat.
The 2006 World Championship in Japan was a major disappointment for Germany, who finished in 8th place, especially following a brilliant silver medal at EuroBasket 2005 in Belgrade. This golden generation of German basketball led by Dirk Nowitzki is approaching its end and this group would like nothing more than to notch a berth in the Beijing Olympic Games.
Best Individual Performance/Best Player of All-Time
Without a doubt Dirk Nowitzki is the best player ever born between Munich and Hamburg, but it is extremely difficult to define which of his countless big-time performances would be considered as his ultimate show. From the numbers alone, it would be the 47-point outburst he had in Germany’s 108-103 first round victory against Angola at the 2006 World Championship in Japan. Just four points shy of his total record – but even more important – was his 43-point game in Germany’s 99-90 semi-final loss to Spain at EuroBasket 2001. But Nowitzki’s most important basket came in Belgrade, when he helped Germany reach the EuroBasket 2005 final. With 14 seconds to go, he hit a baseline jumper, over the out-stretched arm of Jorge Garbajosa to secure the victory.
Biggest EuroBasket Success
Although a gold medal is obviously more valuable than silver, German basketball experts are split on whether winning EuroBasket 1993 or finishing runner-up at Belgrade in 2005 ranks as the federation’s biggest success. Both accomplishments were typical Cinderella stories. In 1993, it was the current assistant coach, Christian Welp, who hit two free throws with just seconds left in the final to help Germany knock off favoured Russia 71-70. The Germans managed to win their last three games of the tournament with an average winning margin of just two points. The Belgrade story is almost as captivating. Team Germany entered the second half of a must-win game against Russia in the preliminary round trailing 26-16 and the team needed a three-pointer by Nowitzki with 27 seconds remaining to seal the 51-50 thriller. Even though Nowitzki – who eventually was honoured with the MVP trophy – carried the German unit, it was a team effort which earned the silver medal. Without the help of defensive maniac Demond Greene or sharp-shooting point guard Pascal Roller, the superstar would not have brought Germany as far as he did.
Scouting report
“As far as Dirk will carry them.” That was the headline of EuroBasket’s 2005 media guide and even though the German squad showed in Belgrade that they are more than just their superstar, the outcome of last year’s World Championship in Japan proved this theory. Without Nowitzki’s supernatural powers, the team is easy to scout. Basically coach Dirk Bauermann wants his troops to play hard-nosed defense, look for the fast break and penetrate and kick it to shooters in the half court. If Demond Greene, Pascal Roller or Sven Schultze hit their open shots, Nowitzki will have enough space to display his magic. If not, the German offense will collapse as it did in Japan. A big question mark will be how Nowitzki recovers from another very demanding NBA season. Last year, he paid the price for reaching the Finals with the Mavericks by running out of gas at the World Championships. Another question mark is how the squad will cope with age. With long-time cornerstones like Ademola Okulaja (32) and Patrick Femerling (32) facing their last summer with the National Team, this EuroBasket will be one of their last chances to make a mark, a fact that adds pressure as well as extra motivation for Germany.
Biggest EuroBasket Disaster
Even though Germany had registered worse results in previous continental championships (17th in 1955 or 12th in 1997) the ninth-place finish at EuroBasket 2003
ROSTER Name
Height. Pos.
Pascal Roller 1.80 Mithat Demirel 1.80 Steffen Hamann 1.95 Misan Nikagbatse 1.97 Demond Greene 1.85 Robert Garrett 1.93 Johannes Herber 1.95 Stefano Garris 2.00 Sven Schultze 2.06 Ademola Okulaja 2.02 Dirk Nowitzki 2.13 Guido Grünheid 2.06 Jan Hendrik Jagla 2.13 Dirk Maedrich 2.12 Patrick Femerling 2.15 Coach: Dirk Bauermann
1 1 1 1-2 2 2 2-3 3 3-4 4 4 4 4-5 5 5
Prediction
Birthdate Team 2006-07
20/11/76 10/05/78 14/06/81 07/07/82 15/06/79 18/03/77 17/01/83 21/04/79 11/07/78 10/06/75 19/06/78 25/10/82 25/06/81 16/07/83 04/03/75
EuroBasket 2007 will be the last continental run of a golden generation for Germany. If the team does not qualify for the 2008 Beijing Olympics,
Angelicio Biella (ITA) Galatasary Istanbul (TUR) Climamio Bologna (ITA) / Bamberg Premiata Montegranaro (ITA) Alba Berlin Bamberg Alba Berlin Frankfurt Skyliners Armani Jeans Milano (ITA) Khimki Moscow RUS) Dallas Mavericks (USA-NBA) Rheinenergie Köln Turk Telekom Ankara (TUR) Strasbourg (FRA) San Fernado Sevillia (ESP)
Last 10 FIBA events Year Event
2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997
76
World Championship EuroBasket Olympics EuroBasket World Championship EuroBasket Olympics EuroBasket World Championship EuroBasket
Place
Saitama Belgrade Athens Stockholm Indianapolis Istanbul Sydney Paris Athens Barcelona
Achievement
8th Silver Medal Did not qualify Tied at 9th Bronze Medal 4th Did not qualify 7th Did not qualify 12th
GERMANY
Mithat Demirel (Germany)
Likely Squad
Nowitzki is likely to step down from the National Team. Surviving the preliminary round should be possible, reaching the semi-final would be a dream and anything else is almost beyond imagination.
Besides Demond Greene, who broke his foot in December 2006, the team is healthy. Both Sven Schultze and Jan Jagla, who blossomed tremendously at Türk Telekom Ankara, should provide some additional offensive power.
How did they qualify? EuroBasket 2005
ACCUMULATED STATISTICS IN FIBA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 2006
2nd, (5 W – 2 L)
Results
Date Sept-16th 2005 Sept-17th 2005 Sept-18th 2005
Game Italy b. Germany Germany b. Ukraine Germany b. Russia
Elimination game
Result 84-82 84-58 51-50
Sept-20th 2005 Germany b. Turkey
66-57
Sept-23rd 2005 Germany b. Slovenia
76-62
Sept-24th 2005 Germany b. Spain
74-73
Sept-25th 2005 Greece b. Germany
78-62
Quarterfinal Semi-final
3rd place Final
Player Dirk Nowitzki Ademola Okulaja Demond Greene Patrick Femerling Sven Schultze Steffen Hamann Robert Garret Pascal Roller Johannes Herber Mithat Demirel Jan-Hendrik Jagla Guido Grünheid Total-
G Min FG % 3pts 9 34 66-152 43.4 12-42 9 26 35-71 49.3 10-26 9 27 29-73 39.7 16-42 9 20 22-34 64.7 - 9 14 19-44 43.2 10-25 9 24 17-39 43.6 2-8 9 16 14-36 38.9 6-21 6 15 9-27 33.3 6-13 9 14 14-28 50.0 8-19 8 15 5-26 19.2 3-12 6 6 5-13 38.5 1-5 6 9 4-10 40.0 0-2 9 - 239-553 43.2 74-215
77
FT Rb As 65-79 9.2 2.8 14-17 6.6 1.1 9-9 2.0 1.3 10-18 3.1 1.4 3-4 2.6 0.6 10-17 2.2 1.6 10-11 2.3 0.6 4-4 1.5 1.7 0-2 1.1 0.4 16-16 1.6 1.9 2-3 1.7 - 4-6 2.2 0.2 147-186 34.1 12.7
St 1.0 1.0 0.3 0.3 0.2 0.7 0.4 0.3 - 0.5 - 0.5 5.0
BS TO 0.6 3.2 0.1 2.3 0.1 1.9 0.9 1.8 - 1.1 0.1 2.3 - 0.8 - 1.0 - 0.7 - 0.5 0.3 0.8 - 1.2 2.0 16.6
23.2 10.4 9.2 6.0 5.7 5.1 4.9 4.7 4.0 3.6 2.2 2.0 77.7
GROUP C
TEAM STAR DIRK
NOWITZKI Height: 2.13 Position: Power forward Date of birth: 19/06/1978 Place of birth: Würzburg Team 2006-07: DALLAS MAVERICKS (USA-NBA) Career: Würzburg (Germany-2.Bundesliga, 1996-98), Dallas Mavericks (NBA, 1998-2007). Selected in the first round of the 1998 NBA draft (#9), by the Dallas Mavericks.
D
o we have to rewrite his story? Is Dirk Nowitzki maybe not half as great as we thought he was? After losing to the Golden State Warriors in their first-round playoff series the great German had to face even harsher criticism, but the plain truth is that Nowitzki’s helplessness against Golden State was shocking. But now, after months of recovering from his biggest personal failure, the interesting questions aren’t about the reasons for his breakdown, but his reaction to it. EuroBasket 2007 is the biggest tournament Nowitzki has faced so far as it is the ultimate battle for his life long dream of playing in the Olympics. With the ultimate prize comes a lot of attention. All eyes will be on the superstar, waiting for him to either crack under pressure or return to his supernatural powers which allowed him to win the 2006-2007 NBA Most Valuable Player award. In doing so, Nowitzki placed himself in the history books by becoming the first European to ever win NBA MVP. The German National Team obviously hopes to see the strong Nowitzki again and there are reasons to believe. First is that there has always been a difference between his approach to European and NBA basketball. Playing for Germany, Notwitzki is even more involved in the game than in Dallas. Meaning, an emotionless Dirk waiting in the low post for his teammates to feed him the ball is hard to imagine. Rather will he pick up the rock at the base line and look for his shot from a point guard’s position. Second is that Nowitzki is his own toughest critic and he is a perfectionist. Add it up, and you know how he spent his summer working on his game! EuroBasket 2007 will proudly present the result of Nowitzki’s anger management. Besides that, the fans in Spain may be witnessing Nowitzki’s final appearance on the German National Team. If the squad fails to qualify for the Olympics or the Pre-Olympic tournament, Nowitzki has already announced his desire for a break in between his exhausting NBA seasons. What is certain is that Nowitzki is the best player ever to come out of Germany and maybe even out of Europe. The 29-year old is still a nightmare to guard because he moves his 2.13m body like a small forward and shoots like a guard. After the playoff disaster he admitted that his low-post game is still his biggest weakness and he promised to work even harder to close that gap. So the big question is not only how he recovers mentally but also what kind of new tools he added to his game during the off-season. EuroBasket 2007 will be the world premiere for Nowitzki reloaded.
NATIONAL TEAM STATS YEAR
1995 1997 1999 1999 2001 2002 2003 2005 2005 2006
COMPETITION
Semi-final Round Semi-final Round Semi-final Round EuroBasket EuroBasket World Championship EuroBasket Semi-final Round EuroBasket World Championship
GP Min
1 1 3 9 7 9 4 5 7 9
2pts
3 - 3 - 17 6-12 31 28-45 34 43-75 31 49-108 35 19-42 32 28-50 37 30-67 34 54-110
3pts
- - 6-8 18-34 20-47 12-42 5-11 8-22 23-62 12-42
FT
Rb As Pts
FT
Rb As Pts
- - - - - - 11-11 4.0 0.3 13.7 27-35 3.4 1.8 15.2 55-77 9.1 1.9 28.7 82-89 8.2 2.7 24.0 37-44 6.3 1.0 22.5 38-47 11.6 2.2 23.6 54-61 10.6 1.7 26.1 65-79 9.2 2.8 23.2
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
GP Min
2pts
- Never played in European club competition -
3pts
NBA STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
1998-99 1999-00 2000-01 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07
78
Dallas Mavericks Dallas Mavericks Dallas Mavericks Dallas Mavericks Dallas Mavericks Dallas Mavericks Dallas Mavericks Dallas Mavericks Dallas Mavericks
GP Min
47 82 82 76 80 77 78 81 78
20 36 38 38 39 38 39 38 36
2pts
122-268 399-812 440-857 461-908 542-1099 506-1020 572-1217 641-1293 673-1341
3pts
14-68 116-306 151-390 139-350 148-390 99-290 91-228 110-271 72-173
FT
99-128 289-348 451-538 440-516 483-548 371-423 615-708 539-598 498-551
Rb As Pts
3.4 6.5 9.2 9.9 9.9 8.7 9.7 9.0 8.9
1.0 2.5 2.1 2.4 3.0 2.7 3.1 2.8 3.4
8.2 17.5 21.8 23.4 25.1 21.8 26.1 26.6 24.6
PATRICK
OKULAJA
FEMERLING
Height: 2.02 Position: Power forward Date of birth: 10/06/1975 Place of birth: Lagos (Nigeria) Club Team 2006-0: BC KHIMKY MOSCOW (Russia-Superleague) Career: Berlin (Germany-Bundesliga, 1993-95), North Carolina (USA-NCAA Div. 1, 1995-99), Berlin (Germany-Bundesliga, 1999-2000), Girona (Spain-ACB, 200001), Barcelona (Spain-ACB, 2001-02), Málaga (Spain-ACB, 2002-03), Badalona (Spain-ACB, 2003), Girona (Spain-Liga ACB, 2003-04), Treviso (Italy-Lega, 2004), Valencia (Spain-ACB, 2004-05), Köln (Germany-Bundesliga, 2006), Khimky Moscow (Russia-Superleague, 2006-07).
Height: 2.15 Position: Center Date of birth: 04/03/1975 Place of birth: Hamburg Club Team 2005-06: San Fernado Sevillia (Spain-ACB) Career: Washington (USA-NCAA Div. 1, 1995-98), Berlin (Germany-Bundesliga, 1998-2000), Olympiakos (GreeceESAKE, 2000-02), Barcelona (Spain-ACB, 2002-04), Panathinaikos (GreeceESAK, 2004-06), Sevillia (Spain-ACB, 2006-07).
W
hat will happen to Germany’s center position when Patrick Femerling steps down? The answer is there will be a big hole. One of the most experienced big men in Europe, Fermerling has played for basketball powerhouses like F.C. Barcelona, Olympiakos Pireus and Panathinaikos Athens. At age 32 he is facing the end of a successful career, but “Pat” is still capable of playing decent minutes. He tallied 25 minutes per game for San Fernando Sevillia in the Spanish ACB. His knee-high socks are still his signature as is his high percentage mid-range game. Even if he doesn’t produce superstar numbers, the team’s captain helps everybody around just with his presence and vocal leadership.
A
demola Okulaja is one of those German veterans (Femerling and Nowitzki are the others) who is likely to play his last summer for Germany if the team fails to qualify for the Olympics. The Warrior, as he is called, was a cornerstone for the teams surprising success in Istanbul (4th) and Indianapolis (3rd). But after suffering a major injury in 2004, Okulaja had a tough time recovering. At age 32, he is no longer the athletic inside outside threat he was at North Carolina alongside NBA superstar Vince Carter. But this son of a Nigerian mother is still hard to guard and the reliable mid-range shooter likes to post up when he is guarded by smaller opponents. Look for him to be 100 percent motivated in what could be his last campaign for Germany.
NATIONAL TEAM STATS YEAR
1997 1999 1999 2001 2002 2003 2003 2005 2005 2006
NATIONAL TEAM STATS YEAR
1995 1997 1999 2001 2002 2003 2003 2005 2006
COMPETITION
EuroBasket EuroBasket EuroBasket EuroBasket World Championship Semi-final Round EuroBasket Semi-final Round World Championship
GP Min
5 8 9 7 9 9 4 5 9
9 22 27 34 28 31 30 31 26
2pts
3pts
4-8 22-40 26-58 33-64 34-60 48-88 17-31 24-37 25-45
- 6-24 8-17 2-14 12-22 12-30 2-4 8-18 10-26
2pts
3pts
FT
1-2 6-15 13-21 21-32 24-33 37-53 14-22 15-22 14-17
Rb As Pts
0.6 3.3 5.0 8.1 6.0 5.2 8.3 8.2 6.6
0.4 1.0 2.0 2.0 2.9 2.1 0.8 1.4 1.1
1.8 8.5 9.9 13.3 14.2 18.8 13.5 17.4 10.4
1994-95 1999-00 2001-02 2002-03 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07
Alba Berlin (Korac Cup) Alba Berlin (Euroleague) F.C. Barcelona (Euroleague) Unicaja Malaga (Euroleague) Pamesa Valencia (ULEB Cup) Khimki Moscow (EuroCup) Khimki Moscow (ULEB Cup)
GP Min
10 18 20 19 4 5 12
14 15-25 0-3 26 41-89 8-28 27 100-191 17-49 26 57-121 13-43 16 13-18 - 16 6-10 2-7 19 22-40 11-21
FT
8-14 27-43 47-83 32-50 6-8 3-8 14-21
SEASON CLUB (Competition)
1998-99 1999-00 2000-01 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06
Rb As Pts
2.6 4.8 6.3 7.5 3.5 3.4 4.8
0.4 1.3 1.5 1.4 1.0 0.2 0.9
3.8 7.4 13.2 9.7 8.0 4.2 7.6
Alba Berlin (Euroleague) Alba Berlin (Euroleague) Olympiakos Piraeus (Euroleague) Olympiakos Piraeus (Euroleague) F.C. Barcelona (Euroleague) F.C. Barcelona (Euroleague) Panathinaikos (Euroleague) Panathinaikos (Euroleague)
COACH: DIRK BAUERMANN Nationality: German Date of birth: 10/12/1957 Place of birth: Oberhausen Team 2006-07: BROSE BASKET BAMBERG (Germany-Bundesliga) Career: Assistant coach – Fresno State (USA-NCAA Div. 1, 1986-88), Assistant coach – Leverkusen (Germany-Bundesliga, 1988-89), Head coach – Leverkusen (Germany-Bundesliga, 1989-98), Oostende (Belgium-BLB), Patras (Greece-A2, 1999-2000), Hagen (Germany-Bundesliga, 2000-01), Dafni (Greece-ESAKE, 2001), Bamberg (Germany-Bundesliga, 2001-07). International career: World Championship 1994, EuroBasket 2005, World Championship 2006
GP Min
8 8 9 7 9 10 4 6 7 9
26 18 25 25 23 27 29 24 22 20
2pts
3pts
2pts
3pts
32-49 25-39 28-48 29-50 19-49 43-72 12-26 19-31 22-34 22-34
- - - - 0-1 0-1 1-1 - - -
FT
15-18 9-13 33-52 19-25 24-32 36-53 20-26 13-18 14-21 10-18
Rb As Pts
5.4 4.3 3.8 5.6 4.8 6.0 5.8 4.0 4.6 3.1
1.0 0.1 0.9 0.9 1.6 1.2 2.3 1.5 1.0 1.4
9.9 7.4 9.9 11.0 6.9 12.2 11.8 8.5 8.3 6.0
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
COMPETITION
EuroBasket Semi-final Round EuroBasket EuroBasket World Championship Semi-final Round EuroBasket Semi-final Round EuroBasket World Championship
B
GP Min
16 18 10 15 22 20 23 6
20 27-62 25 70-120 9 12-17 17 27-57 17 46-77 22 48-82 13 25-49 8 7-11
- 0-1 0-2 1-1 - - - -
FT
45-67 42-60 4-6 28-31 28-50 54-69 57-76 4-11
Rb As Pts
5.0 4.8 2.7 4.3 3.9 4.5 3.3 0.8
1.0 1.6 0.2 0.4 0.3 0.8 0.3 0.2
6.2 10.1 2.8 5.5 5.5 7.5 4.7 3.0
auermann is the winningest coach in German history after first helping Bayer 04 Leverkusen capture seven straight Championships in the 90s and then becoming the first German coach to win a national championship with two different club teams in 2005 when he led Bamberg to the crown. Bauermann is known for his professionalism and a belief in hard nosed defense. Under his regime Germany won the silver medal at EuroBasket 2005 due in large part to an outstanding performance from Dirk Nowitzki and stingy defense, allowing opponents to score just 66 points per contest. This father of a 15 year-old daughter is a disciplined role model, provoking technical fouls when needed. He never loses control. Even after games he just has one soft spot: an addiction to diet coke.
79
GERMANY
ADEMOLA
GROUP C
PASCAL
STEFFEN
ROLLER
HAMANN
Height: 1.80 Position: Point Guard Date of birth: 20/11/1976 Place of birth: Heidelberg Team 2006-07: ANGELICIO BIELLA (ItalyLega) Career: Freiburg (Germany-2.Bundesliga, 1996-97), Freiburg (Germany-Bundesliga, 1997-99), Frankfurt Skyliners (Germany-Bundesliga, 1999-2006), Biella (Italy-Lega, 2006-07)
Height: 1.95 Position: Point guard Date of birth: 14/06/1981 Place of birth: Bamberg Team 2006-07: CLIMAMIO BOLOGNA (ItalySerie) and BROSE BASKET BAMBERG (Germany-Bundesliga) Career: Bamberg (Germany-Bundesliga, 1997-2005). Climamio Bologna (ItalyLega, left in Dec. 2006), Bamberg (2006-07)
A
fter missing two EuroBaskets (2001, 2003) due to injuries and playing a limited role at the World Championships in Indianapolis (2002), Pascal Roller was close to finishing his National Team career before it even started. Then he finally got healthy in 2005 and showed his potential in Belgrade. Despite being one of the smallest players on the team, Roller dominates with his speed and accurate shooting. His three-point shot is even purer than Nowitzki`s. At age 29, Roller decided to leave Frankfurt where he was the key player for seven consecutive years and moved to Italy (Biella) where he sees limited minutes but has added new experiences to his repertoire, a fact that should pay off in the summer. A matured Roller with fresh legs is just what coach Bauermann needs.
S
teffen Hamann is the emotional engine of the German squad. His high energy level helps the 26 year-old to play his up tempo style on offense and be one of the best one-on-one stoppers at the defensive end. Even though he has struggled from time to time with his shooting he became Dirk Bauermann’s number one option at the point guard position. After starting the season with Fortitudo Bologna, Hamann returned to his hometown Bamberg where he helped to turn around a losing season. Playing for coach Bauermann`s club team since he arrived in Bamberg in 2001, Hamann has become one of the coaches favourites as the 1.95 m guard is the type of defensive minded player the coach loves. Hamann is physically strong, mentally tough and a great competitor.
NATIONAL TEAM STATS YEAR
2002 2003 2005 2006
COMPETITION
World Championship Semi-final Round EuroBasket World Championship
GP Min
2pts
6 7 6 27 7 26 6 10
2-7 8-19 8-21 3-14
GP Min
2pts
3pts
4-10 11-23 12-25 6-13
FT
4-6 12-15 3-4 4-4
Rb As Pts
0.7 1.8 3.7 1.5
0.5 1.3 1.9 1.7
3.3 10.2 7.9 4.7
NATIONAL TEAM STATS YEAR
2003 2003 2005 2006
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
1999-00 2000-01 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06
Frankfurt Skyliners (Saporta) 14 Frankfurt Skyliners (Euroleague) 5 Frankfurt Skyliners (Euroleague) 14 Frankfurt Skyliners (ULEB Cup) 10 Frankfurt Skyliners (ULEB Cup) 8 Frankfurt Skyliners (Euroleague) 14 Frankfurt Skyliners (ULEB Cup) 3
26 27-44 28 10-20 33 55-136 31 17-34 31 5-17 37 51-151 29 10-17
3pts
16-39 3-17 32-82 15-29 17-29 29-84 7-17
FT
17-23 - 24-33 21-24 16-18 24-27 5-5
Rb As Pts
2.0 1.6 2.7 1.4 3.1 2.1 1.3
2.0 1.6 2.9 1.8 2.4 3.6 1.3
8.5 5.8 11.9 10.0 9.6 11.1 15.3
COMPETITION
Semi-final Round EuroBasket Semi-final Round World Championship
SEASON CLUB (Competition)
2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2006-07
FT
1-1 0-2 11-16 10-17
Rb As Pts
0.5 - 3.5 0.7 0.3 1.3 2.4 2.0 7.2 2.2 1.6 5.1
28 26 18 3 30
2pts
37-73 13-34 16-31 8-16 11-14
3pts
4-17 5-13 2-8 3-9 1-2
FT
32-51 19-26 20-28 8-9 5-8
Rb As Pts
1.7 2.3 2.5 1.6 2.0
3.6 4.0 1.3 2.6 4.0
7.4 6.3 5.8 4.7 15.0
D
NATIONAL TEAM STATS GP Min
7 9 5 4 7 8
23 18 23 27 15 14
2pts
9-20 10-20 11-19 6-14 6-10 2-14
3pts
4-13 12-24 3-14 8-18 5-10 3-12
FT
8-11 11-16 10-10 18-22 10-13 16-16
YEAR
Rb As Pts
0.6 1.4 2.2 2.3 0.7 1.6
1.6 3.2 2.8 3.0 1.9 1.9
2005 2005 2006
5.4 7.4 8.2 13.5 5.3 3.6
GP Min
4 10 14 7 10 10
27 8 22 12 19 17
2pts
5-14 3-14 16-39 8-14 22-64 3-18
3pts
4-17 2-8 14-45 6-13 10-24 9-21
FT
6-7 7-10 21-30 7-12 41-52 3-4
SEASON CLUB (Competition)
2000-01 Würzburg (Korac Cup) 2005-06 Alba Berlin (ULEB Cup) 2006-07 Alba Berlin (ULEB Cup)
Rb As Pts
0.8 0.3 1.5 1.0 0.9 1.2
3.0 0.8 2.2 0.9 2.9 1.8
COMPETITION
Semi-final Round EuroBasket World Championship
GP Min
6 23 7 24 9 27
2pts
9-32 8-20 13-31
3pts
5-14 5-15 16-42
FT
14-18 4-6 9-9
Rb As Pts
1.5 0.7 7.8 2.7 0.7 5.0 2.0 1.3 9.2
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS Mitteldeutscher (Korac Cup) Alba Berlin (Euroleague) Alba Berlin (Euroleague) Alba Berlin (Euroleague) Alba Berlin (ULEB Cup) Besiktas (ULEB Cup)
- - 1-6 2-8
emond “Desmond” Greene was the only German player who came back from the disappointing World Championships in Japan with some positive memories. Not only did he have a sensational block against reigning NBA champion Dwayne Wade, but the shooting guard also developed into Germany`s second offensive option. Known for his athletic ability and his defensive qualities Greene established himself as a reliable three-point threat. Greene’s development is rather curious considering he started his career as a track and field athlete. After suffering a major foot injury in December 2006, he hit four of five three balls in his comeback game in May 2007 for his club team Alba Berlin.
NATIONAL TEAM STATS
2000-01 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06
3pts
Height: 1.85 Position: Shooting guard Date of birth: 15/06/1979 Place of birth: Ford Hood (USA) Team 2006-07: ALBA BERLIN (GermanyBundesliga) Career: Würzburg (Germany-2.Bundesliga, 1997-98), Würzburg (Germany-Bundesliga, 1998-2002), Leverkusen (GermanyBundesliga, 2002-05), Berlin (Germany-Bundesliga, 2005-07).
W
SEASON CLUB (Competition)
3-4 2-4 11-18 15-31
GREENE
hen healthy, Mithat Demirel is the most creative player on the German roster. Listed at just 1.80m and 75kg, Demirel can create with his speed and tremendous court vision. At EuroBasket 2003 – his best tournament with the National Team – he suffered a back injury which later caused him to have knee problems. This season Demirel suffered from food poisoning. As a result of that his second straight year in his parent’s home country (Turkey) ended up like the one before with him seeing limited playing time. A fan favourite and Germany`s player of the year in 2003, Demirel is also highly regarded among teammates because of his sense of humour. When on the road with the National Team he shares a room with superstar Dirk Nowitzki.
EuroBasket World Championship Semi-final Round EuroBasket EuroBasket World Championship
2pts
DEMOND
Height: 1.80 Position: Point Guard Date of birth: 10/05/1978 Place of birth: Berlin Team 2006-07: GALATASARY ISTANBUL (Turkey-TBL) Career: Lichterfelde (Germany2.Bundesliga, 1996-99), Oyak Renault (Turkey-TBL, 1999-2000), Weissenfels (Germany-Bundesliga, 1999-2000), Mitteldeutscher (Germany-Bundesliga, 2000-01), Berlin (Germany-Bundesliga, 2000-05), Beşiktaş (Turkey-TBL, 200506). Galatasaray (Turkey-TBL, 2006-07)
2001 2002 2003 2003 2005 2006
GP Min
TTL Bamberg (FEL) 16 TTL Bamberg (ULEB Cup) 8 TTL Bamberg (Euroleague) 10 Fortitudo Bologna (Euroleague) 7 TTL Bamberg (ULEB Cup) 2
DEMIREL
COMPETITION
2 13 3 6 5 21 9 24
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS
MITHAT
YEAR
GP Min
7.0 1.5 6.8 5.9 9.5 3.6
80
GP Min
4 25 10 27 6 3
2pts
9-17 17-35 4-7
3pts
5-19 14-39 5-19
FT
3-3 28-33 4-4
Rb As Pts
3.3 1.3 9.0 2.3 1.5 10.4 1.2 1.7 4.5
MISAN
GARRETT
NIKAGBATSE
Height: 1.93 Position: Shooting guard Date of birth: 18/03/1977 Place of birth: Ochsenfurt Team 2006-07: Brose Basket BAMBERG (Germany-Bundesliga) Career: Rattelsdorf (Germany-2.Bundesliga, 1998-99), Würzburg (Germany-Bundesliga, 1999-2002), Frankfurt Skyliners (Germany-Bundesliga, 2002-04), Napoli (Italy-Lega, 2004), Teramo (Italy-Lega, 2005), Bamberg (Germany-Bundesliga, 2005-07).
Height: 1.97 Position: Point Guard /Shooting Guard Date of birth: 07/07/1982 Place of birth: Berlin Team 2006-07: Premiata Montegranaro (Italy-Lega) Career: Lichterfelde (Germany-2.Bundesliga, 1998-2000), Olympiakos Pireus (Greece-ESAKE, 2001-02), Saidero Udine (Italy-Lega, 2002-03), Mitteldeutscher BC (Germany-Bundesliga, 2003-04), Euro Roseto (ItalyLega, 2004-05), Vertical Vision Cantù (Italy-Lega, 2005-06, moved in January 2006 to Montegranaro, Italy-Lega2), Premiata Montegranaro (Italy-Lega, 2006-07).
K
nown as a pure offensive player, this former top scorer of the German Bundesliga (23 ppg in 2000) added some defensive skills to his game. Garrett will never be a first class defender but the 30 year-old veteran realised what it takes to play under coach Dirk Bauermann. At 1.93 m, Garrett is tough to guard because he can manoeuvre his 96 kg body pretty quickly for a player his size. A streaky shooter, Garrett can cause trouble whenever he gets hot. Garrett is the closest friend to superstar Dirk Nowitzki as both grew up in the same area and know each other since childhood. Garrett also works out with Nowitzki’s personal trainer Holger Geschwindner. He wears the name of his late brother on his sneakers.
A
t 25 years of age, Misan Nikagbatse enters the second stage of his career. After being called the “next one” and finishing as the top-scorer at the highly regarded Albert Schweitzer Tournament (27.8 ppg), this son of a Nigerian father and Finnish mother felt he would be drafted by an NBA club. It didn’t happen but now in his second year for Premiata Montegranaro (Italy) it seems that the freaky combo guard finally found his destination. Nikagbatse didn’t play at the World Championships but is eager to represent his country again. As a more than solid defender, he used to turn over the ball too often but since making the move to the shooting guard, his turnover ratio (1.5 per game for Montegranaro) has improved.
NATIONAL TEAM STATS YEAR
2001 2003 2005 2005 2006
COMPETITION
EuroBasket Semi-final Round Semi-final Round EuroBasket World Championship
GP Min
7 1 6 6 9
11 19 17 15 16
2pts
4-12 0-1 8-15 3-7 8-15
3pts
2-8 0-2 0-10 3-8 6-21
FT
5-7 1-2 5-7 3-4 10-11
NATIONAL TEAM STATS
Rb As Pts
0.9 - 1.8 1.2 2.3
0.7 2.0 1.5 0.3 0.6
YEAR
2.7 1.0 3.5 3.0 4.9
2002 2003 2003 2005 2005
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07
GP Min
Frankfurt Skyliners (ULEB Cup) 10 Frankfurt Skyliners (ULEB Cup) 9 S.S. Basket Napoli (ULEB Cup) 8 TTL Bamberg (Euroleague) 20 TTL Bamberg (ULEB Cup) 9
29 34 22 22 3
2pts
24-57 17-47 16-36 32-62 12-32
3pts
14-38 15-45 7-16 25-65 7-30
FT
29-38 29-42 11-11 38-52 13-18
0.9 2.7 0.5 1.4 1.0
GP Min
9 7 3 4 6
16 16 10 10 10
2pts
3pts
17-26 9-18 1-4 4-5 5-10
6-13 4-7 1-3 0-1 0-3
2pts
3pts
FT
15-16 8-10 5-5 1-1 2-2
Rb As Pts
1.8 2.1 0.7 0.8 1.0
1.2 1.0 - 1.5 0.5
7.4 5.4 3.3 2.3 2.0
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS
Rb As Pts
2.3 3.3 1.8 2.7 2.8
COMPETITION
World Championship Semi-final Round EuroBasket Semi-final Round EuroBasket
SEASON CLUB (Competition)
11.9 12.0 6.3 8.9 6.4
2001-02 2002-03 2002-03 2003-04
GP Min
Olympiakos Piraeus (Euroleague) 14 3 Olympiakos Piraeus (Euroleague) 7 11 Snaidero Udine (ULEB Cup) 5 29 Mitteldeutscher (FEC) 10 22
3-6 4-25 19-32 24-43
2-3 2-7 6-13 10-23
FT
11-12 15-20 4-11 20-29
Rb As Pts
0.3 2.0 3.4 3.9
0.4 0.4 1.6 2.7
1.4 4.1 12.0 9.8
STEFANO
JOHANNES
GARRIS
HERBER
Height. 2.00 Position: Small Forward Date of birth: 21/04/1979 Place of birth: Paderborn Club Team 2000-07: FRANKFURT SKYLINERS (Germany-Bundesliga) Career: Paderborn (Germany-2.Bundesliga, 1996-98), Lichterfelde (Germany-2.Bundesliga, 1998-2000), Alba Berlin (Germany-Bundesliga, 2000-05 Frankfurt Skyliners (Germany-Bundesliga, 2005-07).
Height: 1.95 Position: Shooting guard / Small forward Date of birth: 17/01/1983 Place of birth: Darmstadt Team 2006-07: ALBA BERLIN (GermanyBundesliga) Career: Langen (Germany-2.Bundesliga, 1999-2002), West Virginia (NCAA, Div. 1, 2001-2006), Berlin (GermanyBundesliga, 2006-07).
O
ne of Germany’s most promising talents has turned out to be one of the big question marks for the upcoming summer. Stefano “Nino” Garris used to be Germany’s best all-around defender but since he left his former club team Alba Berlin in 2005 his career has been shattered by injuries. Now playing in Frankfurt for his second consecutive season, Garris never fulfilled management’s high expectations. When healthy, the gangling small forward can shut down an opponent’s best offensive threat and be productive on the offensive end at the same time. Equipped with a streaky outside shot, Garris can also beat defenders with his quick first step. After missing the World Championships, his comeback to the National Team is one of the German team’s most interesting stories.
T
he smartest player wearing a German jersey is just 24 years old. In 2006 the two time All-American student-athlete at the University of West Virginia also received All-American honours for his academic achievements from Playboy magazine. In his first season as a pro player with Alba Berlin, Herber shared his knowledge about the game in his monthly column in Germany’s finest basketball magazine “Five”. He is also a blogger for fibaeurope.com. But Herber is more then just a student of the game. He also plays very cleverly. His biggest strengths are his solid long distance shooting, his defense and his paucity of mistakes. At the World Championships in Japan, Herber took minutes from what veteran players like Garret or Okulaja left over for him. But in Spain, look to see him more involved in Bauermann’s rotation.
NATIONAL TEAM STATS YEAR
NATIONAL TEAM STATS YEAR
2005 2006
COMPETITION
Semi-final Round World Championship
GP Min
4 8 9 14
2pts
1-5 6-9
3pts
2-5 8-19
FT
3-4 0-2
2006-07 Alba Berlin (ULEB Cup)
GP Min
10 15
2pts
10-19
3pts
5-19
FT
4-7
Rb As Pts
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS
2.5 0.6 3.9
EuroBasket World Championship Semi-final Round EuroBasket Semi-final Round
GP Min
0.8 1.5 2.8 1.1 0.4 4.0
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
COMPETITION
2001 2002 2003 2003 2005
Rb As Pts
SEASON CLUB (Competition)
1999-00 2000-01 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06
81
Alba Berlin (Euroleague) Alba Berlin (SuproLeague) Alba Berlin (Euroleague) Alba Berlin (Euroleague) Alba Berlin (Euroleague) Alba Berlin (ULEB Cup) Frankfurt Skyliners (ULEB Cup)
7 9 5 4 4
22 12 20 21 20
GP Min
2 12 12 14 12 9 2
14 6 17 22 21 23 25
2pts
3pts
10-23 11-24 12-18 6-11 5-14
3-12 4-10 3-6 4-7 3-10
2pts
3pts
- 1-17 24-65 20-46 9-26 31-70 3-7
2-4 1-9 10-31 9-32 9-36 15-44 5-13
FT
10-14 4-4 14-17 - 2-4 FT
2-2 0-8 14-18 9-13 3-8 8-12 1-3
Rb As Pts
2.6 1.2 1.8 3.8 2.3
1.3 0.2 0.4 1.0 1.5
5.6 4.2 9.4 6.0 5.3
Rb As Pts
1.5 1.1 2.3 2.8 2.5 3.0 2.5
1.5 0.5 0.4 0.4 0.8 1.7 1.5
4.0 0.1 6.0 5.4 4.0 9.4 11.0
GERMANY
ROBERT
GROUP C
SVEN
JAN HENDRIK
SCHULTZE
JAGLA
Height: 2.06 Position: Small forward/ Power forward Date of birth: 11/07/1978 Place of birth: Bamberg Team 2006-07: ARMANI JEANS MILANO (Italy-Lega) Career: Bamberg (Germany-Bundesliga, 1995-98), Berlin (Germany-Bundesliga, 1998-2002), Leverkusen (GermanyBundesliga, 2002-05), Milano (Italy-Lega, 2006-07).
Height: 2.13 Position: Power forward / Center Date of birth: 25/06/1981 Place of birth: Berlin Team 2006-07: TURK TELEKOM ANKARA (Turkey-TBL) Career: Lichterfelde (Germany‑2. Bundesliga, 1999-2001), Penn State (USA-NCAA Div. 1, 2001-04), Panellinios (Greece-ESAKE, 2004), Artland Dragons (Germany-Bundesliga, 2004-05), Drac Inca (Spain-LEB, 2005-06), Ankara (Turkey-TBL. 2006-07).
S
ven Schultze used to get called a “poor man’s Dirk Nowitzki” but the 2.06 m forward could never follow in his huge footsteps. At age 29 it turned out that being a go-to-guy was never Schultze’s destiny. In his second year for Armani Jeans Milano he proved his real value as a red-hot shooter who clicks in when ever needed. With his accurate three-point shot and his emotional style he can be a perfect fit for any team. Getting in foul trouble early has been a problem but the two years in Italy have helped him to stay focused even when times get rough. The Bamberg native doesn’t think twice when left open but he also fulfils the duties of a role player. When placed on the bench, Schultze constantly cheers on his teammates.
J
agla may be the biggest surprise on the current roster. Not that the 26 year-old is a rookie under coach Bauermann, but his attitude will be completely different this summer. Coming off a great year with Turk Telekom Ankara, Jagla is on the verge of fulfilling his potential. The 2.13m forward has often been compared to Dirk Nowitzki if only for the fact that the two Germans look so much alike. On the court the differences are more obvious though Jagla does have a soft touch and can extend his range even beyond the three-point mark. But what sets him apart is his nose for the ball close to the basket. A solid rebounder, Jagla likes to tip in missed shots or create second chance points.
NATIONAL TEAM STATS YEAR
2003 2003 2005 2006
COMPETITION
Semi-final Round EuroBasket EuroBasket World Championship
GP Min
2pts
3pts
FT
Rb As Pts
4 17 1 5 7 9 9 14
14-17 1-2 5-8 9-19
4-8 - 3-13 10-25
8-14 - 3-4 3-4
3.0 0.8 12.0 1.0 - 2.0 1.0 0.1 3.1 2.6 0.6 5.7
GP Min
2pts
3pts
FT
Rb As Pts
NATIONAL TEAM STATS YEAR
2005 2006
1995-96 1996-97 1997-98 1998-99 2000-01 2001-02 2005-06
GP Min
4 6
7 4
2pts
3pts
1-5 1-5
2-4 2-3
2.8 1.7
2pts
3pts
FT
Rb As Pts
4-5 4-8
FT
Rb As Pts
- 3.3 - 2.2
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
COMPETITION
Semi-final Round World Championship
TTL Bamberg (Korac Cup) 4 10 TTL Bamberg (Korac Cup) 5 12 TTL Bamberg (Korac Cup) 6 19 Alba Berlin (Euroleague) 1 1 Alba Berlin (SuproLeague) 13 8 Alba Berlin (Euroleague) 14 11 Olimpia Milano (Euroleague) 13 11
3-6 6-11 7-12 1-1 7-22 23-50 6-19
- 3-8 6-17 - 4-7 10-22 9-25
4-4 3-4 6-11 - 3-15 3-6 5-10
1.5 1.4 2.0 2.0 1.3 1.7 1.0
- 0.6 1.0 - 0.5 0.2 0.7
SEASON CLUB (Competition)
2000-01 Alba Berlin (SuproLeague) 2006-07 TT Ankara (EuroCup)
2.5 4.8 6.3 2.0 1.1 4.2 3.4
GP Min
1 1 14 19
0-1 36-74
0-1 19-49
- 38-51
- - 4.9 0.4 11.9
DIRK
MAEDRICH
GUIDO
GRÜNHEID
Height: 2.12 Position: Center Date of birth: 16/07/1983 Place of birth: Moers Team 2006-07: IG STRASBOURG (FrancePro-A) Career: Braunschweig (GermanyBundesliga, 2001-04), Bamberg (Germany-Bundesliga, 2004-05), Braunschweig (Germany-Bundesliga, 2005-06), Strasbourg (France-Pro-A, 2006-07).
Height: 2.06 Position: Power forward Date of birth: 25/10/1982 Place of birth: Jena Team 2006-07: RHEINENERGIE KÖLN (Germany-Bundesliga) Career: Jena (Germany-Regionalliga, 1999-2001), Berlin (Germany-Bundesliga, 2001-05), Köln (Germany-Bundesliga, 2005-07).
A
nother German big man with a soft touch? Another Nowitzki look alike? No, Dirk Mädrich doesn’t quite fit in that mold. Though he will take the three-point shot when left open, the 24 year-old Mädrich is more comfortable attacking the basket and slamming it home. After some disappointing years in the German Bundesliga, Mädrich moved on to France’s IG Strasbourg. Here he developed into a solid role player who can offer some all-around skills. For Mädrich, who played under coach Bauermann at Bamberg for one year (2005), this would be his first EuroBasket appearance.
H
is history in the German National Team is quite short at just 25 years of age but Grünheid played his first minutes of FIBA competition in Japan at the World Championships. The 2005/06 season could also be called his first year as a consistent pro athlete. Coming from Alba Berlin, where he once decided a championship with a last minute three-pointer (2004), Grünheid’s game started to blossom under RheinEnergie Köln’s coach Sasa Obradovic. Now in his second year for the reigning German champion, the 2.06m forward established himself as a reliable role player. Grünheid is not a specialist in any part of the game, but he can hit a three ball as well as score in the post and wearing opponents down with his solid defense. Doing what ever is needed will be his credo for this EuroBasket.
NATIONAL TEAM STATS YEAR
2005
2006
COMPETITION
World Championship
GP Min
6
6
2pts
3pts
0-2
4-6
2pts
3pts
FT
4-8
FT
SEASON CLUB (Competition)
2001-02 2003-04 2004-05 2006-07
Rb As Pts
2.2 0.2 2.0
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
2002-03 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07
GP Min
1 13
2pts
3pts
2pts
3pts
3-3
-
FT
4-4
Rb As Pts
3.0
- 10.0
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS
NATIONAL TEAM STATS YEAR
COMPETITION
Semi-final Round
GP Min
Alba Berlin (Euroleague) 3 17 Alba Berlin (ULEB Cup) 7 5 RheinEnergie Köln (EuroCup) 13 20 RheinEnergie Köln (Euroleague) 13 14
5-12 2-9 27-50 12-24
1-1 1-3 10-35 2-18
- - 10-16 8-9
Rb As Pts
2.7 1.0 4.3 0.7 - 0.7 3.7 0.8 7.2 2.2 0.8 2.9
82
Braunschweig (Korac Cup) Braunschweig (ULEB Cup) TTL Bamberg (ULEB Cup) Strasbourg IG (ULEB Cup)
GP Min
1 10 5 9 5 9 13 12
2-4 3-5 7-9 15-26
- 2-3 - 4-19
FT
1-2 6-9 - 11-15
Rb As Pts
4.0 - 5.0 1.8 0.4 3.6 1.8 0.2 2.8 2.8 0.4 4.1
LITHUANIA
GROUP C
Star Power Best Players of All-Time
“Big questions still linger on whether “Big Z”, Zydrunas Ilgauskas, will play for the National Team but if Ramunas Butautas can persuade the 2.22 m Cleveland Cavaliers center to play, then he would have one of the deepest teams in Europe.”
It’s a two man contest between Sabas (Arvydas Sabonis) and Saras (Sarunas Marciulionis). Both were born in Kaunas in 1964 and both would become the powerful duo that led their National Team to their greatest victories in the last decade of the 20th century. After Lithuania regained it’s independence in 1990, Sabas and Saras carried the Lithuanian National Team to backto-back bronze medals at the 1992 and 1996 Olympics. In EuroBasket 1995, Sabonis was virtually unstoppable at both ends of the floor as he averaged nearly 22 points and 14.5 rebounds per game and Marciulionis’ numbers were hard to repeat as he went for 22.5 points, four rebounds and five assists per game while shooting 67 percent from two-point range and 56 percent from beyond the arc. Together they led Lithuania to the championship game only to lose that emotional and dramatic final to Yugoslavia.
Biggest EuroBasket Success
Without a doubt, Lithuania’s trip to Stockholm for EuroBasket 2003 will always be foremost in the minds of fans. On the evening of September 14th, Lithuania overcame Spain in the title game and after 64 years got back to the top of European basketball. The title was their third overall (the previous ones coming in 1937 and 1939). Led by tournament MVP Sarunas Jasikevicius, Lithuania posted a perfect 3-0 record in the group stage at EuroBasket 2003. That Baltic giants eliminated Serbia & Montenegro in the quarter-finals, defeated France 74-70 in a thrilling semi-final game and completed their brilliant run at 6-0 with a 93-84 win over Spain. Team captain Saulius Stombergas joined Sarunas Jasikevicius on the all-tournament first team.
Scouting report
Big questions still linger on whether Big Z – Zydrunas Ilgauskas - will play for his National Team but if Ramunas Butautas can persuade the 2.22 m Cleveland Cavaliers center to play, then he would have one of the deepest team in Europe. At least two high-class and experienced players in each position give the Lithuanian roster depth that few other European countries can match.
Biggest EuroBasket Disaster
While Stockholm is a shining city in the minds of Lithuanian fans, Wroclaw is just the opposite. Fourteen years ago it became the place where the most shocking catastrophes in Lithuanian basketball unfolded. Three teams – Lithuania, Belarus and Poland - gathered in Wroclaw which hosted the additional qualification round for the EuroBasket 1993. Despite missing Arvydas Sabonis, Lithuania still had brought most of the key players from the squad that had won an Olympic bronze medal just a year ago and was considered to be the favourite. A narrow 102-99 win over Poland in the first game set the tone and the second game produced a disaster in the form of an 88-80 loss to Belarus. It still stands as the only time the National Team of independent Lithuania missed the final round of EuroBasket.
Prediction
Direct qualification to the 2008 Beijing Olympics will be the only goal for Lithuania. Anything short of that will be considered, not a tragedy, but a huge disappointment for sure.
Likely Squad
When Sarunas Jasikevicius declared that he was ready to return to the National Team after two summers away, it started to look like new coach Ramunas Butautas could possibly assemble the roster that would be the Lithuanian version of the ‘Dream Team’.
ROSTER Name
Height. Pos.
Birthdate Team 2006-07
Šarunas Jasikevicius 1.93 1 05/0376 Indiana / Golden State (USA-NBA) Mantas Kalnietis 1.95 1-2 06/0986 Zalgiris Kaunas Arvydas Macijauskas 1.92 2 19/0180 Olympiakos Piraeus (GRC) Rimantas Kaukenas 1.92 2 11/0477 Montepaschi Sienna (ITA) Donatas Slanina 1.93 2 23/0477 Prokom Trefl Sopot (POL) Ramunas Siskauskas 1.98 2-3 10/0978 Panathinaikos Athens (GRC) Simas Jasaitis 2.01 2-3 26/0382 Maccabi Tel Aviv (ISR) Arturas Jomantas 2.00 2-3 04/0585 Lietuvos Rytas Vilnius Linas Kleiza 2.03 4-3 03/0185 Denver Nuggets (USA-NBA) Paulius Jankunas 2.03 4 29/0484 Zalgiris Kaunas Darius Songaila 2.06 4 14/0278 Washington Wizards (USA-NBA) Ksystof Lavrinovic 2.10 4-5 01/1179 Unics Kazan (RUS) Darjus Lavrinovic 2.10 4-5 01/1179 Unics Kazan (RUS) Robertas Javtokas 2.11 5 20/0380 Panathinaikos Athens (GRC) Zydrunas Ilgauskas 2.21 5 05/0675 Cleveland Cavaliers (USA-NBA) Coach: Ramunas Butautas Assistants: Rimas Kurninaitis, Kestutis Kemzùra and Virginijus Mikalauskas
Last 10 FIBA events
Year Event
2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997
84
World Championship EuroBasket Olympics Eurobasket World Championship Eurobasket Olympics Eurobasket World Championship Eurobasket
Place
Saitama Belgrade Athens Stockholm Indianapolis Istanbul Sydney Paris Athens Barcelona
Achievement
7th 5th 4th Gold medal Did not qualify Preliminary round Bronze medal 6th 7th 6th
How did they qualify?
ACCUMULATED STATISTICS IN 2006 FIBA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
EuroBasket 2005
Player
5th (5 W – 1 L)
Results
Date Sept-16th 2005 Sept-17th 2005 Sept-18th 2005
Quarterfinal
Game Lithuania b. Turkey Lithuania b. Croatia Lithuania b. Bulgaria
Result 87-75 85-67 92-79
Sept-22nd 2005 France b. Lithuania
63-47
Sept-24th 2005 Lithuania b. Russia
89-78
Sept-25th 2005 Lithuania b. Slovenia
79-70
5th place Semi-final 5th place Final
lithuania
Ramunas Siskauskas
Arvydas Macijauskas Darius Songaila Darjus Lavrinovic Linas Kleiza Ksystof Lavrinovic Giedrius Gustas Mantas Kalnietis Robertas Javtokas Simas Jasaitis Paulius Jankunas Mindaugas Zukauskas Tomas Delininkaitis TOTALS
85
G Min FG 9 29 38-80 9 22 34-75 9 21 39-65 9 27 34-85 9 15 22-46 9 21 21-44 9 20 22-47 9 15 20-33 8 10 8-23 6 7 8-17 9 14 7-22 6 4 4-12 9 - 257-549
% 3pts 47.5 15-41 45.3 2-9 60.0 11-18 40.0 8-36 47.8 4-13 47.7 4-11 46.8 1-14 60.6 1-1 34.8 4-16 47.1 1-4 31.8 3-15 33.3 2-4 46.8 56-182
FT Rb As 31-36 2.9 2.6 36-43 5.7 1.4 12-20 4.7 1.7 21-35 5.8 0.9 9-13 3.6 1.0 8-17 2.1 1.8 9-12 1.4 2.8 8-36 4.3 0.3 4-4 1.9 0.5 - 2.8 1.2 2-4 1.9 1.3 2-2 1.3 0.5 142-222 36.8 15.3
St 1.4 1.4 0.8 1.1 0.6 1.3 0.9 0.1 0.4 0.5 0.7 - 9.0
BS TO 0.2 4.0 0.1 2.8 0.8 2.0 0.1 2.7 0.1 2.0 0.1 1.6 - 2.4 1.0 0.9 - 0.9 0.2 1.0 - 0.8 - 0.2 2.6 20.7
Pts 13.6 11.8 11.2 10.8 6.3 6.0 6.0 5.4 3.0 2.8 2.1 2.0 79.1
GROUP C
TEAM STAR ŠARŪNAS
JASIKEVIČIUS Height: 1.93 Position: Point guard Date of birth: 05/03/1976 Place of birth: Kaunas Team 2006-07: INDIANA PACERS & GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS (USA-NBA) Career: Maryland (USA-NCAA, 1994-98), Lietuvos rytas Vilnius (LithuaniaLKL, 1998-1999), Olimpia Liubljana (Slovenia-1A League, 1999-2000), F.C. Barcelona (Spain-Liga ACB, 2000-03), Maccabi Tel Aviv (Israel-Premier League, 2003-05), Indiana Pacers (USA-NBA, 2005-07), Golden State Warriors (USA-NBA, 2007).
T
he Golden Boy of Lithuanian basketball is returning to the National Team after taking a couple of summers off, and his return is eagerly awaited. During his European career ‘Saras’ won almost everything possible either in club competition or at international level. Jasikevicius had an amazing two-year period between the 2002 and 2005 during which he won three Euroleagues (in 2003 with Barcelona and in 2004 and 2005 with Maccabi), EuroBasket 2003, plus one ACB title, two Israeli Leagues and two Israeli Cups. Not many players in the history of European basketball have won three Euroleague titles. Even less have won three in a row, and none have ever done it with two different teams. What more can any player expect from his European basketball career? Brilliant at the point guard position with his trademark ‘no-look’ passes that slice through the opponent’s defense, Jasikevicius has become one of the top floor generals in the world. But he also is capable of carrying the team almost by himself like in Athens 2004 when he torched the U.S. team with 28 points, including 12 in an 80-second span at the very end of the game. Four years earlier, Jasikevicius came within five centimetres from making Lithuania the first team to beat a U.S. team made up entirely of professionals when he scored 27 points but missed a last second threepointer that would have sent his country to the gold medal game at the 2000 Olympics. After winning the 1994 U18 European Championship with Lithuania, Sarunas opted for the NCAA to play for the University of Maryland. There, he sat on the bench for two years before ending with two solid seasons, including a senior year in which he averaged 12.6 points and 3.6 assists per game. But that wasn’t enough to seduce NBA scouts and Saras never heard his name called at the 1998 NBA draft. Many have doubted Jasikevicius’ skills and ability to play at NBA level. Larry Brown called Saras a “great international player” but added that, “a lot of guys who do well in this kind of environment struggle in our league,” Soon after that, Jasikevicius led Lithuania to a win over Brown’s U.S. team at the 2004 Olympics. Despite his success, the Kaunus native responded to Brown’s comment, saying: “There are guys who know what they’re doing who don’t think I can play in the NBA and if 30 teams think I can’t play, then I guess I can’t play.” Though he is still adjusting himself to the NBA game after finally getting a chance in the summer of 2005, the return to the international competition is a chance for Jasikevicius to prove he’s still “The Man” on the court when it comes to Lithuanian basketball. Jasikevicius has had a rich career with the Lithuanian National Team that started in 1997 and with the 2010 World Championship still a ways away, we’re guessing that this “Golden Boy” would like to end his international run in 2008 at the Olympics and a chance to take home one of the few international honours still missing from his trophy cabinet: a gold medal.
National Team STATS YEAR
1997 1998 1999 1999 2000 2001 2003 2003 2004
COMPETITION
EuroBasket World Championship Semi-final Round EuroBasket Olympic Games EuroBasket Semi-final Round EuroBasket Olympic Games
GP Min
7 9 5 8 8 4 8 6 8
16 13 21 22 29 28 26 30 29
2pts
3pts
FT
3-12 7-19 9-13 14-21 17-29 6-18 19-39 16-37 13-28
4-15 6-16 5-8 11-24 19-49 3-25 19-46 13-38 22-56
8-10 9-14 7-9 11-16 21-23 4-8 18-20 13-17 21-25
GP Min
2pts
3pts
FT
GP Min
2pts
3pts
FT
Rb As Pts
1.6 1.0 2.8 2.5 2.8 1.8 2.8 3.0 3.4
3.1 1.4 4.0 3.5 5.1 4.8 5.5 8.2 5.6
3.7 4.6 8.0 9.0 14.0 6.3 14.1 14.0 14.1
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
1998-99 1999-00 2000-01 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05
Lietuvos rytas Vilnius (Saporta) 12 Olimpija Ljubljana (Euroleague) 22 F.C. Barcelona (Euroleague) 7 F.C. Barcelona (Euroleague) 18 F.C. Barcelona (Euroleague) 21 Maccabi Tel Aviv (Euroleague) 21 Maccabi Tel Aviv (Euroleague) 24
36 33-80 35-80 31-37 33 47-96 55-112 41-54 28 17-39 12-36 27-30 24 70-139 35-78 34-39 26 38-77 45-119 70-73 30 48-94 47-105 98-106 32 105-243 55-138 111-118
Rb As Pts
4.7 2.9 2.9 2.1 1.8 1.6 2.7
4.0 4.9 5.9 3.4 3.2 4.8 5.3
16.8 13.6 13.9 11.6 13.4 16.0 15.7
NBA STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
2005-06 Indiana Pacers 2006-07 Golden State Warriors Indiana Pacers
86
Rb As Pts
75 21 84-193 86-236 121-133 2.0 3.0 7.3 26 12 25-57 12-44 27-31 0.8 2.3 4.3 37 18 59-135 32-86 59-64 1.3 3.0 7.4
ZYDRUNAS
MACIJAUSKAS
ILGAUSKAS
Height: 1.92 Position: Shooting guard Date of birth: 19/01/1980 Place of birth: Klaipeda Team 2006-07: OLYMPIAKOS PIRAEUS (Greece-ESAKE) Career: Neptunas Klaipeda (Lithuania-LKL, 1996-99), Lietuvos rytas Vilnius (LithuaniaLKL, 1999-03), Tau Ceramica Vitoria (Spain-Liga ACB, 2003-05), New Orleans Hornets (USA-NBA, 2005-06), Olympiacos Piraeus (Greece-ESAKE, 2006-07)
Height: 2.21 Position: Center Date of birth: 05/06/1975 Place of birth: Kaunas Team 2006-07: CLEVELAND CAVALIERS (USA-NBA) Career: Zalgiris-2 Kaunas (Lithuania-LKAL, 1992-93), Atletas Kaunas (Lithuania-LKL, 1993-97), Cleveland Cavaliers (NBA, 1997-2007). Selected in the first round of the 1997 NBA draft (#20) by the Cleveland Cavaliers.
T
L
he two last seasons were nothing but a struggle for one of the best Lithuanian shooters of all time. After spending almost all of the 2005-06 season on the New Orleans Hornets bench, Macijauskas came back to Europe and signed a four-year contract with Greek powerhouse Olympiakos. But a devastating injury (he tore his achilles tendon in a preseason game) sidelined “Macas” again for almost the whole year. After a long rehab period, the “Lithuanian Kalashnikov” came back for the Euroleague quarterfinals and the Greek playoffs, but some questions still hang over his recovery. Can he still play like he did a few years ago when he led Tau Vitoria to the Euroleague championship game? Can he be the same Macas that led the Lithuanian National Team in scoring at EuroBasket 2003 (15.9 ppg) while hitting 42% of his three-point attempts? That’s what European fans are going to find out in September. Macijauskas made his initial impression on the National Team just before EuroBasket 2003 when he scored 34 points and shot 11-of-13 from the floor in a friendly with France. He parlayed that success into being the top-scorer for the eventual champions, averaging 15.8 points per game. He then went to another level in the Euroleague, with Tau Vitoria where he astonished opponents by averaging 18.5 points per contest while shooting 49.8% from the field! In December 2003, he exploded for 78 points in a three-day stretch in which he scored 38 against the Spanish side Barcelona and 40 against the French team ASVEL. His secret? Above all it’s his rare combination of quickness, shooting ability and a quick release which make him great and his shot very difficult to block.
ithuanian basketball managers and coaches have been trying for years to lure “Big Z” to the National Team. But all their previous efforts have failed, mainly because of Zydrunas Ilgauskas’ mile-long history of injuries and his commitments to the Cleveland Cavaliers. The hope of seeing Ilgauskas wear a National Team jersey is still alive, especially since Zydrunas is on course to complete his sixth injury-free season in a row with the Cavaliers. And his career-high 38 minutes per game that “Z” has averaged in the 2007 NBA playoffs is proof that the Lithuanian center finally has put all his health problems behind him. Actually Ilgauskas did play three games in the semi-final round of EuroBasket 1995 before suffering one of his many injuries that delayed his NBA debut for almost three years. Whether he will be on the squad for EuroBasket 2007 still remains to be seen even though his friend, Jasikevicius, came close to promising that the two would be in Spain this summer. Having the two-time NBA All-Star certainly wouldn’t hurt the Lithuanian National Team. With the addition of the 2.21 m giant, Lithuania would have one of the deepest rosters in this year’s EuroBasket and a front line that would be hard to beat in terms of experience, versatility and potential. In the 2006-07 NBA regular season, Ilgauskas appeared in 78 games and averaged almost 12 points and eight rebounds per game. National Team STATS YEAR
1995
2003 2003 2004 2006
COMPETITION
Semi-final Round EuroBasket Olympic Games World Championship
GP Min
7 6 8 9
21 25 22 29
2pts
14-23 17-26 16-29 23-39
3pts
FT
18-31 11-26 27-50 15-41
37-42 28-28 14-20 31-36
3pts
FT
SEASON CLUB (Competition)
Rb As Pts
3.9 3.0 2.3 2.9
1.7 1.2 0.8 2.6
1993-94 Atletas Kaunas (EuroCup) 1994-95 Atletas Kaunas (EuroCup)
17.0 15.8 15.9 13.6
1998-99 1999-00 2000-01 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2006-07
3 22
2pts
3pts
2pts
3pts
2pts
3pts
8-15
-
FT
Rb As Pts
7-11
7.0 1.0 7.7
GP Min
Neptunas Klaipeda (Korac Cup) 8 Lietuvos rytas Vilnius (Saporta) 16 Lietuvos rytas Vilnius (SuproLeague) 20 Lietuvos rytas Vilnius (Saporta) 12 Lietuvos rytas Vilnius (FIBA Cup) 18 Tau Vitoria (Euroleague) 20 Tau Vitoria (Euroleague) 22 Olympiakos Piraeus (Euroleague) 2
23 18 21 23 29 31 31 15
2pts
24-32 26-46 78-155 15-38 63-102 79-141 117-244 4-4
GP Min
2 27 4 33
9-14 27-47
- 0-2
FT
Rb As Pts
4-5 8.5 - 11.0 14-23 14.5 1.5 17.0
NBA STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
1997-98 1998-99 2000-01 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
GP Min
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS
National Team STATS YEAR
COMPETITION
Semi-final Round
Rb As Pts
5-22 24-26 1.8 1.6 10.9 20-51 39-48 1.5 1.1 9.4 53-93 25-62 2.4 1.5 12.3 34-67 49-54 3.1 1.2 15.1 59-122 110-112 4.1 2.2 22.9 40-101 111-122 2.5 2.1 19.5 51-127 108-118 2.3 2.8 17.9 1-7 4-4 2.5 1.0 7.5
Cleveland Cavaliers Cleveland Cavaliers Cleveland Cavaliers Cleveland Cavaliers Cleveland Cavaliers Cleveland Cavaliers Cleveland Cavaliers Cleveland Cavaliers Cleveland Cavaliers
GP Min
82 5 24 62 81 81 78 78 78
29 34 26 21 30 31 34 29 27
453-872 29-57 114-232 241-562 495-1117 464-958 456-972 450-884 385-792
1-4 - 0-2 0-5 0-5 2-7 2-7 0-5 0-1
FT
230-302 18-30 53-78 208-276 400-512 303-406 402-503 317-380 155-192
Rb As Pts
8.8 8.8 6.7 5.4 7.5 8.1 8.6 7.6 7.7
0.9 0.8 0.8 1.1 1.6 1.3 1.3 1.2 1.6
13.9 15.2 11.7 11.1 17.2 15.3 16.9 15.6 11.9
NBA STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
2005-06 New Orleans Hornets
GP Min
19
7
2pts
11-29
3pts
3-12
FT
13-15
Rb As Pts
0.5 0.3 2.3
COACH: Ramunas Butautas Nationality: Lithuanian Date of birth: 22/05/1964 Place of birth: Kaunas Team 2006-07: ASK RIGA (Latvia-LBL) Career: Siauliai Siaulia (Lithuania-LKL, 2003-05), BK Riga (Latvia-LBL, 200506), ASK Riga (Latvia-LBL, 2006-07). International career: Lithuania U16 Team (2000-01), Lithuania U20 and U21 Team (2003-05), Lithuania National Team (2006-07).
R
amunas Butautas, the son of legendary Lithuanian player/coach Stepas Butautas, was named Lithuanian National Team head coach at the end of 2006 as a replacement to Antanas Sireika, who stepped down after the 2006 World Championship in Japan. The 43-year old has already proved that he is ready for big challenges by himself. As head coach of Lithuania’s U20 team in 2003, Butautas led the side to a silver medal at the 2003 World Championship. Two years later, Butautas guided Lithuania’s U21 team to the World Championship title in Argentina.
87
LITHUANIA
ARVYDAS
GROUP C
MANTAS
PAULIUS
KALNIETIS
JANKUNAS
Height: 1.95 Position: Point guard / Shooting guard Date of birth: 06/09/1986 Place of birth: Kaunas Team 2006-07: ZALGIRIS KAUNAS (Lithuania-LKL) Career: Zalgiris-2 Kaunas (Lithuania-LKAL, 2003-04), Zalgiris-Sabonis Basketball School (Lithuania-LKAL, 2004-05), Zalgiris Kaunas (Lithuania-LKL, 2005-07).
Height: 2.03 Position: Power forward Date of birth: 29/04/1984 Place of birth: Kaunas Team 2006-07: ZALGIRIS KAUNAS (Lithuania-LKL) Career: Zalgiris-2 Kaunas (Lithuania-LKAL, 2002-03), Zalgiris Kaunas (Lithuania-LKL, 2003-07).
P
aulius was a leader for the Lithuanian team that reached the finals of the U19 World Championship in 2003, averaging 12.3 points and 9.6 rebounds per contest. He was then a key player at the U20 2004 European Championship where he put up even better numbers with 12.5 points and 12.1 rebounds per game on his way to a bronze medal. And finally he helped his U21 team win the World Championship in 2005. The next step for Jankunas is to do the same with the senior side. Over the last couple of years, the Kaunus native has developed into a solid and reliable all-around forward who helped Zagiris in the Lithuanian league, where he averaged 9.7 points and 5.0 rebounds per game while shooting 68% from the field. He put up similar numbers in the Euroleague. Has the reputation for being a hard-working and very coachable player, whose solid and steady game could be useful to the National Team for the next 10 years.
A
product of Arvydas Sabonis’ Basketball School, Kalnietis has already drawn the attention of several top clubs in Europe and is set to move to F.C. Barcelona this summer. This talented combo-guard’s route to stardom was quick and impressive: he started the 2005-06 season in Zalgiris Kaunas Junior’s team which plays in Lithuania’s second division and finished the year with the big club, averaging nearly seven points, two rebounds and two assists per game in Euroleague. Last summer he led the U20 Lithuanian Junior Team to a silver medal at the European Championship and then travelled to Japan for the World Championship with the senior squad. In Japan he played over 20 minutes per game and averaged five points while dishing out nearly three assists. Playing against the best guards in the world gave the 19-year old plenty of great experience. He still needs to work on many aspects of his game including how to control his up tempo-style, but he is developing fast and has a chance to become the heir of Sarunas Jasikevicius and to take over the point guard position in the future.
National Team STATS YEAR
2005 2006
National Team STATS YEAR
2006
COMPETITION
World Championship
GP Min
2pts
3pts
FT
21-33
1-14
9-12
1.4 2.8 6.0
GP Min
2pts
3pts
FT
Rb As Pts
SEASON CLUB (Competition)
2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
2005-06 Zalgiris Kaunas (Euroleague) 4 17 2006-07 Zalgiris Kaunas (Euroleague) 13 13
11-17 19-29
1-3 4-12
2-6 2-4
GP Min
6 15 6 7
14-19 7-13
2pts
3pts
GP Min
2pts
3pts
4-6 1-4
FT
9-12 -
Rb As Pts
4.0 0.3 8.2 2.8 1.2 2.8
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS
Rb As Pts
9 20
COMPETITION
EuroBasket World Championship
2.0 2.0 6.8 1.2 1.3 4.0
Zalgiris Kaunas (Euroleague) Zalgiris Kaunas (Euroleague) Zalgiris Kaunas (Euroleague) Zalgiris Kaunas (Euroleague)
16 20 20 13
14 30-56 19 49-90 25 64-120 27 38-65
0-1 1-7 9-36 5-24
FT
14-22 25-43 60-84 33-49
Rb As Pts
2.9 4.2 6.8 7.0
0.6 0.6 1.2 1.0
4.6 6.2 10.8 9.5
SIMAS
RIMANTAS
JASAITIS
KAUKENAS
Height: 2.01 Position: Shooting guard / Small forward Date of birth: 26/03/1982 Place of birth: Vilnius Team 2006-07: MACCABI TEL AVIV (IsraelPremier League) Career: Sarunas Marciulionis Basketball school (Lithuania-Youth League, 1999-2000), Sakalai Vilnius (Lithuania-LKL, 2000-01), Lietuvos rytas Vilnius (Lithuania-LKL, 2001-06), Maccabi Tel Aviv (Israel-Premier League, 2006-07).
Height: 1.92 Position: Shooting guard Date of birth: 11/04/1977 Place of birth: Vilnius Team 2006-07: MONTEPASCHI SIENNA (Italy-Lega) Career: Seton Hall University (USA-NCAA, 1996-00), Galil Elion Hapoel (Israel-Premier League, 2000-01), Lietuvos rytas Vilnius (Lithuania-LKL, 2001-02), Telindus Ostende (Belgium-D1, 2002-03), Telekom Baskets Bonn (Germany-Bundesliga, 2003-04), Vertical Vision Cantu (Italy-Lega, 2004-05), Montepaschi Sienna (Italy-Lega, 2005-07).
I
n the past couple of years, this young and exciting forward was often criticized for his unreliability. But his first season abroad at Maccabi made Simas a much more consistent player and helped him emerge as someone capable of carrying a team on his shoulders. After helping his former team Lietuvos Rytas win the 2005 ULEB Cup with an impressive performance in the final (16 points), Jasaitis took his game abroad and proved that he can play at the highest level. During the 2007 Euroleague playoffs with Maccabi, he averaged 11 points per game and shot 75% from inside the arc and 41% from three-point distance for his new team. He developed his skills at the Sarunas Marciulionis Basketball Academy and with club team Sakalai Vilnius. Jasaitis first made a name for himself at the 2002 U20 European Championship, averaging 16.0 points and 7.8 rebounds per game. In 2004, he was the last player cut by Antanas Sireika before the Olympics but has since made the roster consistently and played in both EuroBasket 2005 and the 2006 World Championship.
A
fter playing for five different teams in five years, Kaukenas finally found a club where he’s a perfect fit. In the last two seasons with Montepaschi Sienna, the athletic Lithuanian guard has averaged nearly 15 points per game. This spring he has already helped his Italian side earn a ticket back to the Euroleague for next year after Siena secured first-place in the Lega regular-season standings. Despite success at several different clubs, Kaukenas has not put on National Team jersey since 2003. Now, four years later, new Lithuanian National Team coach Ramunas Butautas has talked Kaukenas out of retirement.
National Team STATS YEAR
2001 2003
COMPETITION
EuroBasket Semi-final Round
GP Min
4 18 5 18
2pts
8-14 18-27
3pts
3-8 2-5
FT
4-8 7-9
Rb As Pts
National Team STATS
1.8 1.5 7.3 3.8 1.2 9.8
YEAR
2005 2006
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
2000-01 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07
GP Min
Galil Elyon (Saporta) 12 Lietuvos rytas Vilnius (Saporta) 14 Telindus Oostende (ULEB Cup) 8 Telekom Baskets Bonn (ULEB Cup) 9 Cantù (ULEB Cup) 10 Montepaschi Siena (Euroleague) 14 Montepaschi Siena (ULEB Cup) 14
37 26 25 32 28 29 27
2pts
57-116 54-102 18-44 43-84 47-113 56-113 41-84
3pts
20-53 13-46 9-22 10-26 11-32 13-43 18-49
FT
42-49 62-76 40-44 53-66 52-61 61-72 53-65
Rb As Pts
1.9 2.8 1.8 2.9 2.8 1.9 1.8
2.6 2.1 1.1 1.6 2.3 2.0 2.5
COMPETITION
EuroBasket World Championship
GP Min
6 20 8 10
2pts
5-8 4-7
3pts
10-21 4-16
FT
4-6 4-4
Rb As Pts
2.7 - 7.3 1.9 0.5 3.0
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS
18.0 14.9 12.9 18.8 15.7 15.1 13.5
SEASON CLUB (Competition)
2000-01 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2006-07
88
GP Min
Sakalai Vilnius (Saporta) 7 Lietuvos rytas Vilnius (Saporta) 3 Lietuvos rytas Vilnius (FIBA Cup) 16 Lietuvos rytas Vilnius (ULEB Cup) 12 Lietuvos rytas Vilnius (ULEB Cup) 16 Lietuvos rytas Vilnius (Euroleague) 20 Maccabi Tel Aviv (Euroleague) 20 Lietuvos rytas Vilnius (ULEB Cup) 15
16 11 18 22 20 29 26 3
2pts
11-21 5-5 15-32 22-29 29-49 40-69 35-54 41-64
3pts
5-18 2-2 17-57 14-51 14-56 38-96 31-78 0-5
FT
5-7 - 8-11 13-16 13-14 20-27 31-38 35-50
Rb As Pts
2.7 2.3 2.9 3.1 2.8 5.0 3.7 4.3
0.7 - 0.9 0.6 0.4 1.0 0.6 1.8
6.0 5.3 5.6 8.3 6.2 10.7 9.7 7.8
KLEIZA
SISKAUSKAS
Height: 2.03 Position: Power forward / Small forward Date of birth: 03/01/1985 Place of birth: Kaunas Team 2006-07: DENVER NUGGETS (USA-NBA) Career: Montrose Christian High-School (USA-High School, 2002-03), University of Missouri (USA-NCAA, 2002-05), Denver Nuggets (USA-NBA, 2005-07). Selected in the first round of the 2005 NBA Draft (#27) by the Portland Trailblazers. Rights traded to the Denver Nuggets immediately.
Height: 1.98 Position: Shooting guard / Small forward Date of birth: 10/09/1978 Place of birth: Kaisiadorys Team 2006-07: PANATHINAIKOS ATHENS (Greece-ESAKE) Career: Sakalai Vilnius (Lithuania-LKL, 1996-99), Lietuvos rytas Vilnius (Lithuania-LKL, 1999-2004), Benetton Treviso (Italy-Lega, 2004-06), Panathinaikos Athens (Greece-ESAKE, 2006-07).
I
n Lithuania, they call him “The Baltic Pippen” and the comparison is accurate. Like the legendary Chicago star, Siskauskas – who was a boxer not a basketball player in his childhood – is a physical forward who can easily contribute both on offense and defense as a guard, on the wing and also in the paint. His excellent leaping ability and quickness make him a surprising shot blocker and one of the best one-on-one players in Europe. He is the best defensive player on the National Team. A severe hand fracture in October 1999 jeopardized his career, but he came back stronger than ever to stun European scouts in a Semi-final game of the 2000 Saporta Cup against Virtus Bologna where he scored 19 points. In the game, he was 5-of-8 from three-point range. He also grabbed seven rebounds and blocked three shots. After fighting some minor injuries in the beginning of the past season, Siskauskas raised his game again, averaging 18 points and five rebounds in a playoff series against Dynamo Moscow and was named Euroleague April MVP. His defensive approach and ability to create his own shot still makes him one of the top players for the National Team, especially the when game is on the line.
K
leiza has been an outstanding prospect for many years now but it seems like he may be ready to show his stuff to all of Europe. To many fans of European basketball, Kleiza is still a bit of an unknown after going to the USA in 2002 to play in high school, college and then the NBA. The undisputed leader of Lithuania’s youth teams, Kleiza missed the U21 World Championship in 2005 due to a knee injury. But this versatile forward came back stronger than ever and reminds people a bit of a young Charles Barkley with his strength and size. Kleiza uses a vast array of moves and fakes around the rim and his strong performance for the Missouri Tigers at the collegiate level (16.1ppg and 7.6 rpg) impressed NBA scouts enough so that this named was announced at the 2005 NBA draft. Portland picked him in the 27th spot but soon traded his rights to Denver. Kleiza played two seasons under the demanding George Karl who helped Linas to mature and polish his game. Karl called him “the hardest working young player I’ve ever coached” and has rewarded him for his dedication. In March and April 2007, he played over 23 minutes per game for the Nuggets while averaging 11 points and four rebounds. The 22-year-old made his debut for the National Team at the 2006 World Championship where he averaged 10.8 points and 5.8 rebounds per game.
National Team STATS YEAR
1999 2000 2001 2003 2003 2004 2005
COMPETITION
Semi-final Round Olympic Games EuroBasket Semi-final Round EuroBasket Olympic Games EuroBasket
GP Min
1 8 4 # 6 8 6
14 23 33 29 29 29 30
2pts
3pts
FT
1-2 9-19 8-10 44-72 15-30 18-40 14-36
1-2 5-18 6-18 16-36 12-27 11-32 15-23
5-5 20-23 16-20 38-51 23-27 31-44 11-15
2pts
3pts
FT
Rb As Pts
5.0 2.4 2.5 3.2 4.7 3.1 2.0
1.0 2.0 2.0 2.1 1.7 2.0 2.8
10.0 6.6 12.5 17.4 14.8 12.5 14.0
National Team STATS YEAR
2006
1998-99 1999-00 2000-01 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07
GP Min
Lietuvos rytas Vilnius (Saporta) 2 Lietuvos rytas Vilnius (Saporta) 9 Lietuvos rytas Vilnius (SuproLeague) 20 Lietuvos rytas Vilnius (Saporta) 13 Lietuvos rytas Vilnius (FIBA Cup) 17 Lietuvos rytas Vilnius (ULEB Cup) 14 Benetton Treviso (Euroleague) 17 Benetton Treviso (Euroleague) 15 Panathinaikos (Euroleague) 16
38 8-13 4-9 30 23-37 13-37 30 89-217 55-123 29 38-69 19-52 29 41-88 32-85 31 43-69 24-69 26 73-150 18-63 29 47-83 18-43 3 28-56 24-53
7-11 43-48 34-94 51-62 77-94 47-57 49-70 32-45 25-35
SEASON CLUB (Competition)
- 2.0 1.3 2.5 2.3 2.2 1.5 1.9 0.9
2pts
3pts
FT
Rb As Pts
9 27
26-49
8-36
21-35
5.8 0.9 10.8
GP Min
2pts
3pts
FT
Rb As Pts
GP Min
2pts
3pts
FT
Rb As Pts
- Never played in European club competition -
NBA STATS
Rb As Pts
5.0 5.8 3.9 4.9 3.4 2.3 2.4 2.8 1.9
GP Min
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
COMPETITION
World Championship
SEASON CLUB (Competition)
17.5 14.2 19.7 14.2 15.0 14.6 12.5 12.0 9.6
2005-06 Denver Nuggets 2006-07 Denver Nuggets
61 9 75-160 2-13 57-81 1.9 0.2 3.5 79 19 117-253 83-221 115-135 3.4 0.6 7.6
DONATAS
SLANINA Height: 1.93 Position: Shooting guard Date of birth: 23/04/1977 Place of birth: Siauliai Team 2006-07: SOPOT (Poland-DBL) Career: Siauliai Siauliai (Lithuania-LKL, 1993-99), Zalgiris Kaunas (Lithuanian-LKL, 1999-02), Caja San Fernando Sevilla (Spain-Liga ACB, 2002-06), Prokom Trefl Sopot (Poland-DBL, 2006-07).
ARTURAS
JOMANTAS Height: 2.00 Position: Shooting guard / Small forward Date of birth: 04/05/1985 Place of birth: Mazeikiai Team 2006-07: LIETUVOS RYTAS VILNIUS (Lithuania-LKL) Career: Nafta Mazeikiai (Lithuania-LKL, 2001-04), Siauliai Siauliai (Lithuania-LKL, 2005-06), Lietuvos rytas Vilnius (Lithuania-LKL, 2006-07).
S
lanina is another player returning to the National Team. Following 8 seasons in Lithuania, Donatas moved to Spain in 2002-03 and exploded at Sevilla where he averaged 18.1 points per game in his rookie season. Those kinds of numbers earned him a spot on the 2003 “Dream Squad” which brought gold home from Sweden. The next year he made the team for the Olympics but played only limited minutes in Athens which led to the shooting guard’s unwillingness to play in future events. Slanina was left out of the roster for the last EuroBasket and the 2006 World Championship. Apparently, new coach Ramunas Butautas is ready for Donatas to suit up again. Once a deadly shooter, Slanina is a threat from behind the arch, evidenced by his 33 shooting percentage from long-range in the Euroleague this season while playing for Sopot.
J
omantus also played under current National Team coach Ramunas Butautas at the youth level and collected quite a bucket of trophies and achievements (four junior medals). The Mazeikiai native has yet to make the senior roster but having Butautas’ trust will make that path easier for Jomantus. A solid defender who can stand his ground even against taller and stronger opponents, the 22-year-old has learned how to use his strength to beat the opposition on the offensive end. Jomantas still needs to work on his long-distance shooting but improvement can already be seen in that area as well.
National Team STATS YEAR
1999 2001 2003 2003 2004
COMPETITION
Semi-final Round EuroBasket Semi-final Round EuroBasket Olympic Games
GP Min
2pts
3pts
FT
1 14 2 3 8 16 6 10 2 3
1-2 0-3 17-27 9-14 1-1
1-2 - 13-22 1-6 -
3-4 - 14-16 1-1 -
GP Min
2pts
3pts
FT
Rb As Pts
1.0 - 8.0 1.0 - 1.8 1.1 10.9 1.5 0.2 3.7 1.0 0.5 1.0
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
National Team STATS YEAR
COMPETITION
GP Min
2pts
3pts
FT
- Never played with the Senior National Team in official competition -
1996-97 1997-98 1998-99 1999-00 2000-01 2001-02 2006-07
Rb As Pts
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
2004-05 Siauliai (EC Challenge) 2005-06 Siauliai (EuroCup)
GP Min
6 24 6 28
2pts
21-38 17-30
3pts
4-12 6-14
FT
22-35 13-23
Rb As Pts
5.3 2.5 12.7 6.2 2.5 10.8
89
Siauliai (Korac Cup) Siauliai (Korac Cup) Siauliai (Korac Cup) Zalgiris Kaunas (Euroleague) Zalgiris Kaunas (Euroleague) Zalgiris Kaunas (Euroleague) Prokom Trefl Sopot (Euroleague)
1 8 10 12 10 14 20
26 0-2 32 27-41 33 43-88 15 8-18 28 24-41 31 78-199 26 41-75
1-4 9-22 15-38 7-22 31-50 31-96 31-92
- 11-17 28-30 15-16 15-16 45-51 43-48
Rb As Pts
1.0 3.5 3.6 1.1 3.0 2.7 1.8
- 3.3 2.9 0.8 1.0 1.7 1.5
3.0 11.5 15.9 4.3 15.6 16.6 10.9
LITHUANIA
LINAS
RAMUNAS
GROUP C
DARIUS
DARJUS
SONGAILA
LAVRINOVIC
Height: 2.06 Position: Power forward Date of birth: 14/02/1978 Place of birth: Marijampole Team 2006-07: WASHINGTON WIZARDS (USA-NBA) Career: New Hampton (USA-High School, 1997-98), Wake Forest (USA-NCAA, 1998-2002), CSKA Moscow (Russia-Superleague, 2002-03), Sacramento Kings (USA-NBA, 200305), Chicago Bulls (USA-NBA, 2005-06), Washington Wizzards (USA-NBA, 2006-07). Selected in the second round of the 2002 NBA draft (#50) by the Boston Celtics.
Height: 2.10 Position: Power forward / Center Date of birth: 01/11/1979 Place of birth: Vilnius Team 2006-07: KAZAN (Russia-Superleague) Career: Alita Alytus (Lithuania-LKL, 19962000), Alita Alytus (Lithuania-LKL, 2002-03), Zalgiris Kaunas (Lithuania-LKL, 2003-06), Unics Kazan (Russia, 2006-07).
L
ike his twin brother, Darjus, spent two years off the basketball courts for legal reasons. The 27-year-old is more or less the same player as his brother. Both brothers have improved by playing against each other. In the early stages of their careers, Darjus was considered slightly less talented than Ksystof, but at present the two stand on more or less equal terms. Although Darjus’ career was threatened by two serious knee injuries, he has managed to fight through them and returned in style, joining his brother at Unics Kazan where the two helped the team reach the 2007 ULEB Cup semi-finals. The 2.10 m giant posted solid numbers, averaging 15 points, 6 rebounds and 2 blocks in 25 minutes per game. He also shot 66% on two-pointers and 52% from three-point range. His injuries prevented him from joining the National Team for EuroBasket 2003 but he didn’t miss any of the following tournaments and averaged at least 10 points and 4 rebounds since then.
L
ike many of is fellow countrymen, Songaila chose to fly to the United States in 1997 and found his way to Wake Forest, where he had the unenviable task of replacing Tim Duncan. In 2001-02, he averaged 17.8 points and 8.1 rebounds per game and was drafted in the second round by Boston. But Darius decided to come back to Europe. He has proven to be a consistent power forward. Willingly using his body under the basket, Songaila is also an excellent offensive rebounder. He returned to the NBA in 2003, but he did not have a lot of playing time with Sacramento. He did prove that he belongs in the NBA after he was traded to Chicago in 2005. There, he averaged over 9 points and 4 rebounds. His strong play and solid numbers caught the attention of Washington Wizards’ scouts who decided to sign Darius to a long-term contract in 2006. Although a back injury delayed his start in Washington, Songaila recovered and averaged 11 points and over 3 rebounds in the 2007 NBA Playoffs.
National Team STATS
National Team STATS YEAR
2000 2001 2003 2003 2004 2006
COMPETITION
Olympic Games EuroBasket Semi-final Round EuroBasket Olympic Games World Championship
GP Min
8 3 2 6 8 9
18 7 19 16 17 22
2pts
28-48 3-9 5-13 19-33 19-35 32-66
3pts
- - 1-3 1-2 2-3 2-9
FT
21-25 - 5-9 7-9 23-25 36-43
YEAR
Rb As Pts
4.8 2.0 5.0 3.3 3.8 5.7
1.0 - 0.5 1.0 0.9 1.4
2005 2006
9.6 2.0 9.0 8.0 8.4 11.8
GP Min
2pts
2002-03 CSKA Moscow (Euroleague) 18 22 81-162
3pts
6-21
FT
50-59
SEASON CLUB (Competition)
1998-99 1999-00 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07
Rb As Pts
3.9 1.1 12.8
NBA STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07
Sacramento Kings Sacramento Kings Chicago Bulls Washington Wizards
GP Min
73 81 62 37
13 21 21 19
2pts
133-273 257-485 234-486 118-223
3pts
- 0-3 2-5 0-2
FT
71-88 94-111 94-115 46-54
0.7 1.4 1.4 1.0
4.6 7.5 9.2 7.6
Height: 2.10 Position: Power forward / Center Date of birth: 01/11/1979 Place of birth: Vilnius Team 2006-07: KAZAN (Russia-Superleague) Career: Alita Alytus (Lithuania-LKL, 1996-99), Ural-Great Perm (Russia-Superleague, 200204), Dynamo Moscow (Russia-Superleague, 2004-05, loaned by the CSKA Moscow), Unics Kazan (Russia-Superleague, 2005-07).
2003 2003 2004 2005 2006
Semi-final Round EuroBasket Olympic Games EuroBasket World Championship
1 6 8 6 9
7 13 15 20 15
FT
YEAR
Rb As Pts
0-1 9-12 8-17 16-27 18-33
1-1 0-5 12-24 4-22 4-13
- 9-11 9-12 9-10 9-13
- - 3.0 2.5 - 4.5 3.6 0.5 7.6 5.0 1.0 8.8 3.6 1.0 6.3
2pts
3pts
FT
Rb As Pts
2001 2003 2004 2005 2006
1998-99 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07
GP Min
Alita Alytus (Korac Cup) 2 Ural-Great Perm (ULEB Cup) 7 Ural-Great Perm (FEL) 22 Dynamo Moscow (ULEB Cup) 12 Unics Kazan (ULEB Cup) 10 Unics Kazan (ULEB Cup) 15
6 2-3 7 5-10 24 82-142 12 21-48 23 30-48 23 37-64
- 3-4 38-74 6-20 13-34 14-38
- 7-10 66-86 14-22 27-34 58-75
1.5 0.9 8.1 2.3 5.2 7.0
- - 1.2 0.2 1.2 1.1
3pts
5 8 2 14 20 12
16 14-26 23 19-38 18 7-11 15 37-69 27 90-159 26 57-87
- 8-19 1-3 6-19 22-58 12-23
FT
5-8 20-22 6-6 18-26 47-69 33-47
ROBERTAS
Rb As Pts
4.0 5.8 2.5 4.1 8.3 5.8
- 0.8 1.0 0.1 1.9 1.1
6.6 10.3 11.5 7.0 14.7 15.3
COMPETITION
EuroBasket Semi-final Round Olympic Games EuroBasket World Championship
GP Min
2 3 7 6 9
6 24 17 23 15
2pts
3pts
- - - 0-1 1-1
0-2 7-13 10-22 8-17 8-36
2pts
3pts
FT
0-1 11-14 26-38 29-47 19-32
FT
Rb As Pts
1.0 8.0 4.4 5.8 4.3
- 0.7 0.4 1.5 0.3
9.7 8.9 11.0 5.4
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
2pts
Rb As Pts
3.5 0.7 10.5 4.7 1.7 11.2
National Team STATS
National Team STATS 3pts
GP Min
FT
12-21 12-20
M
H
2pts
5-11 11-18
ay 1st, 2002 is a day Robertas Javtokas and fans of basketball in Lithuania will never forget. The then 22-year-old was involved in a serious motorcycle accident that left doctors wondering if he would ever walk again. Despite the life-threatening injury, the 2.11 m center surprised everybody from basketball scouts to surgeons with an amazing recovery. He missed EuroBasket 2003, but was back on the roster for the 2004 Olympics where he proved that he could compete. His defensive abilities became the trademark of his game, using his great body and perfect timing to block shots. At age 18, he won the LKL Slam Dunk Contest by dunking on a rim that was 3.592 meters high! His offensive game has improved over the last few years and in the 2005 ULEB Cup final he scored 14 points, added 5 rebounds and blocked 2 shots to collect an MVP award. The next year Javtokas took another step forward by averaging almost 10 points and over 8 rebounds per game in the Euroleague. Javtokas then chose Greek giant Panathinaikos but he found himself surrounded by a very competitive roster which saw his playing time decrease sharply.
ad it not been for legal problems stemming from a rape conviction in which the victim later recanted, Ksystof would have been playing in the NBA. He signed a preagreement with Toronto but when the management found out about it, the deal was cancelled. He is the prototypical versatile power forward, able to go to war under the rim as well as punish defenders from downtown. His height, solid defence and good hands are a coach’s dream. In 2002, Ksystof moved to Russia and established himself as one of the top players in Europe. This season he helped Unics reach the ULEB Cup Semifinals, averaging 11.6 points. His career for the National Team has also been marked with many strong performances. A member of the EuroBasket 2003 winning side, Lavrinovic saved his team at the 2004 Olympics with a 15-point, 9-rebound performance against Angola. Along with his twin brother Darjus, he is one of the go-to guys for Lithuania. GP Min
3pts
18-32 28-47
Height: 2.11 Position: Center Date of birth: 20/03/1980 Place of birth: Siauliai Team 2006-07: PANATHINAIKOS (Greece-ESAKE) Career: Siauliai (Lithuania-LKL, 1997-99), Arizona (USA-NCAA, 1999), Lietuvos rytas (Lithuania-LKL, 2000-06), Panathinaikos Athens (Greece, 2006-07). Selected in the second round of the 2001 NBA Draft (#56) by the San Antonio Spurs.
LAVRINOVIC
COMPETITION
2pts
6 17 9 21
JAVTOKAS
KSYSTOF
YEAR
Alita Alytus (Korac Cup) Alita Alytus (Korac Cup) Zalgiris Kaunas (Euroleague) Zalgiris Kaunas (Euroleague) Zalgiris Kaunas (Euroleague) Unics Kazan (ULEB Cup)
Rb As Pts
3.1 4.2 4.0 3.6
GP Min
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
COMPETITION
EuroBasket World Championship
SEASON CLUB (Competition)
1999-00 2001-02 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07
2.0 3.7 15.6 5.2 12.6 11.6
90
GP Min
Lietuvos rytas Vilnius (Saporta) 4 Lietuvos rytas Vilnius (Saporta) 14 Lietuvos rytas Vilnius (ULEB Cup) 13 Lietuvos rytas Vilnius (ULEB Cup) 17 Lietuvos rytas Vilnius (Euroleague) 20 Panathinaikos (Euroleague) 16
5 - 29 78-123 29 54-84 27 48-89 29 73-134 9 18-29
- 0-1 0-3 1-5 1-8 -
Rb As Pts
- 0.8 0.3 31-59 10.1 0.9 13.4 22-30 8.1 1.4 10.0 32-59 5.8 1.2 7.6 43-103 8.2 0.9 9.6 11-31 1.6 0.1 2.9
When destiny meets gravity.
turkey
GROUP c
Building on J management. The results of the games were front page headlines but the fracas that followed occupied people’s attention for a lot longer.
“Predicting what Turkey will do is like trying to guess the next card in a blackjack table because you never know which Turkey will show up. In the past there has been infighting and dissension but this time around, following their success in Japan, everyone has a positive feel for the team and the “good” Turkey will likely show up in Spain.”
Best Individual Performance/Best Player of All-Time
With all due respect to its former stars, Turkish basketball has only gained first class status in Europe since 1993, so it is fitting that a player from the “new generation” should hold the honour of the best player of all time. No matter the circumstances İbrahim Kutluay was always there to give it his all for the National Team. He saw the emergence of Turkish basketball in ‘93,’95 and ’97 and was there when the team had an injection of youth in 1999. He was there for the silver medal in 2001 and the collapse in 2005. He was there when Turkey licked their wounds and rose from the ashes at the 2006 World Championships in Japan and all that time he was a leader. He always scored and found a way to inspire himself and others. Kutluay always worked hard and sacrificed from himself for the good of the team. When the team needed a big shot, he was always there to take it and more often than not he made them.
Biggest EuroBasket Success
Scouting report
Turkey’s silver medal in EuroBasket 2001, which they hosted, was one to remember. Add to that the fact that the games themselves were thrillers and played in front of frantic home crowds provided the recipe for a truly special basketball memory. Turkey opened with a very narrow win over Latvia and then lost to Slovenia by 12. In the last game of the group Turkey faced Spain. A loss meant last place in the group but an improbable win in which Turkey squandered a 15-point lead only to slip through with a victory and first place in their group. Turkey then won two thrilling overtime games, beating Croatia after trailing by as many as 18 and upsetting Germany after a game-tying three pointer from Hidayet Türkoğlu. Turkey played its best game in the final but lost, though they were already the champions in the eyes of the nation.
Turkey is a team of shooters and generally does its offensive damage from the perimeter, but the real machine that keeps this team going is effort and defense. The inner strength far outweighs the talent level of the team and of course the inner demons can far outclass the personal abilities as well. When emotions are high and the Turkish players are not over-thinking things and just let the game flow anything is possible, as evidenced at the World Championships in Japan, where the team lacked Okur, Turkeoglu and Tunceri, but still finished sixth. When Turkey gives all-out effort, they play with an extremely high level of intensity that not many teams can claim to reach. However, the experience of EuroBasket 2005 and the 2006 World Championships should have showed the Turkish team what it ultimately takes to succeed and maybe follow in the footsteps of neighbours Greece or World Champions Spain, two teams that combine effort with wits. Having Mehmet Okur, Serkan Erdoğan, Kaya Peker, Ender Arslan and Kerem Tunçeri playing a major role in competitive leagues should enhance their professionalism and hopefully make it easier for coach Bogdan Tanjevic to combine the effort and skill with his team’s newfound basketball IQ.
Biggest EuroBasket disaster
EuroBasket 2005 in Belgrade was a disgrace, the results speaking for themselves. Turkey lost to Lithuania and Croatia in the group and then to Germany in the elimination round. All three games were over before the fourth quarter even started. Their only win in 2005 came in overtime against Bulgaria. But little did we know that the disastrous on court performance was only a flicker compared to the inferno to follow off the court. The blame game started and spread like wildfire with players blaming each other and
Prediction
Predicting what Turkey will do is like trying to guess the next card in a blackjack table because you can never know which Turkey will show up. This time around, after their unification in Japan, everyone has a positive feel for the team and the ‘good’ Turkey will likely show up in Spain. Therefore for the first time since their silver medal in 2001, Turkey will finish in the last eight, with the goal of advancing to the Olympic Qualifiying Tournament. A podium finish seems a long shot but not impossible. With Spain and Greece in a class of their own, Turkey could finish anywhere between third and eight.
ROSTER Player
Height Position Birthdate Club 2006-07
Kerem Tunçeri 1.90 Ender Arslan 1.88 Hakan Demirel 1.90 Engin Atsur 1.92 Serkan Erdogan 1.94 Ibrahim Kutluay 1.98 Cenk Akyol 1.95 Hidayet Türkoglu 2.08 Ersan Ilyasova 2.08 Kerem Gönlüm 2.08 Semih Erden 2.12 Kaya Peker 2.07 Fatih Solak 2.13 Ermal Kurtoglu (Kuqo) 2.06 Mehmet Okur 2.10 Coach : Bogdan Tanjevic Assistants:
1 1 1 1 2 2 2-3 3 3-4 4 4-5 4-5 5 5 5
14/04/79 14/01/83 19/06/86 02/04/84 06/03/78 01/01/75 04/04/87 19/03/79 15/05/87 01/11/77 28/07/86 02/08/80 01/01/80 12/02/80 26/05/79
Real Madrid (ESP) Ljubljana (SLV) / Vitoria (ESP) & Panionios (GRC) Fenerbahçe NC State (USA/NCAA) Tau Vitoria (Spain) Fenerbahçe Ülker Efes Pilsen Orlando Magic (USA/NBA) Milwaukee Bucks (USA/NBA) Efes Pilsen Fenerbahçe Ülker Tau Vitoria (ESP) Galatasaray Efes Pilsen Utah Jazz (Usa/Nba)
Likely Squad
Kerem Tunceri and Ender Arslan are locks for the point guard spot
Last 10 FIBA events Year Event
2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997
92
World Championship EuroBasket Olympics EuroBasket World Championship EuroBasket Olympics EuroBasket World Championship EuroBasket
Place
Saitama Belgrade Athens Stockholm Indianapolis Istanbul Sydney Paris Athens Barcelona
Achievement
6th Tied for 9th Did not qualify Tied for 9th 9th Silver Medal Did not qualify 8th Did not qualify 8th
is omitted. For the inside players Mehmet Okur is back along with Kerem Gönlüm and Kaya Peker who should also be included. The last two inside players will probably be Semih Erden, who had a great second half to his season, and Ermal Kurtoğlu.
but a third point man will be chosen and it looks like Engin Atsur has the best shot at the moment. The wings should be occupied by Serkan Erdoğan, Ersan İlyasova and İbrahim Kutluay. Hidayet Türkoğlu is still in limbo and if he shows up he ‘might’ make it but that is far from a certainty. Despite a bad year, Cenk Akyol will probably make it if Türkoğlu
Ibrahim Kutluay (Turkey)
ACCUMULATED STATISTICS IN 2006 FIBA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
How did they qualify? EuroBasket 2005, Final Round
Tied for 9th place, (1 W - 3 L) Turkey obtained a Wild Card for WC 2006
Results
Date Sept-16th 2005 Sept-17th 2005 Sept-18th 2005
Game Lithuania b. Turkey Turkey b. Bulgaria Croatia b. Turkey
Result 87-75 94-89 80-67
Sept-20th 2005 Germany b. Turkey
66-57
Elimination game
Turkey
Japan
Player G Min FG Serkan Erdogan 7 27 34-78 Ibrahim Kutluay 6 19 20-50 Ersan Ilyasova 7 20 23-54 Kerem Gönlüm 9 21 29-52 Ermal Kuqo (Kurtoglu) 9 24 27-75 Engin Atsur 7 17 20-44 Kaya Peker 9 20 24-55 Ender Arslan 9 18 18-48 Cenk Akyol 8 16 17-44 Hakan Demirel 9 16 10-24 Semih Erden 6 11 4-8 Fatih Solak 9 12 7-17 TOTALS 9 - 233-549
93
% 3pts 43.6 15-35 40.0 11-33 42.6 8-22 55.8 0-3 36.0 3-14 45.5 9-24 43.6 4-7 37.5 9-27 38.6 8-24 41.7 2-9 50.0 - 41.2 - 42.4 69-198
FT Rb As 25-36 1.4 1.4 8-11 2.2 1.3 13-18 3.9 1.0 22-35 6.7 1.0 14-20 2.2 1.6 6-8 1.6 1.6 15-31 4.9 0.8 15-25 2.1 2.0 8-14 1.5 0.5 - 1.2 1.7 5-6 2.3 0.2 3-6 2.9 0.3 134-210 29.7 11.9
St 1.3 0.2 2.1 0.7 0.7 0.7 0.6 0.8 0.8 0.4 0.3 - 7.3
BS TO 0.3 1.3 - 1.8 0.7 0.7 0.3 1.6 0.2 2.1 - 1.0 0.6 3.1 - 1.6 0.3 1.1 - 1.4 0.3 0.8 1.1 1.2 3.4 16.1
Pts 15.4 9.8 9.6 8.9 7.9 7.9 7.4 6.7 6.3 2.4 2.2 1.9 74.3
GROUP C
TEAM STAR MEHMET
OKUR
Height: 2.10 Position: Power Forward/Center Date of birth: 26/05/1979 Team 2006-07: UTAH JAZZ (USA-NBA) Career: Oyak Renault (Turkey-TBL, 1997-98), Tofaş (Turkey-TBL, 1998-2000), Efes Pilsen (Turkey-TBL, 2000-02), Detroit Pistons (USA-NBA, 2002-04), Utah Jazz (USA-NBA, 2004-07). Drafted in the second round (#38) of the 2001 NBA draft, by the Detroit Pistons.
O
kur has gone where no other Turkish player has ever been. His dedication to hard work has made him an NBA All-Star, NBA Player of the Week and the Utah Jazz’s franchise record-holder for threepointers made in a season. The fact that he is a 2.10 m center and holds a three-point record is as good an indication as any of what his best assets are. Okur is, first and foremost, a shooter, and a fearless one at that. That confidence is merely a by-product of his hard work as throughout the season and in the summer he works on his shooting. Larry Bird once said that he took 1000 shots a day to perfect his touch. Okur might be doing the same but with his laid-back demeanour he never acknowledges it. With his elevated status as a primetime player, Okur has also earned a reputation as a smart defender. He had the difficult task of trying to slow down Yao Ming and Tim Duncan during the playoffs. Even though he is the highest profile star on Turkey’s roster, Okur is not a finished product. He has decent foot speed but he cannot be regarded as an athlete and as he became obsessed with his perimeter game, his play inside began to suffer. But the main thing about Okur is that he is coming back to play for his National Team. EuroBasket 2005 was a disaster for Okur. He was in the middle of all the finger pointing drama that went on behind the scenes. He was so disgusted with the events that followed that he didn’t participate in the World Championships, saying that his chronically injured back needed a rest and he didn’t want to push it for a cause that had given him nothing but trouble in the past. But after Japan, he had a change of heart. Despite going deep into the playoffs and having much less time to rest during the summer, Okur is dedicated to playing on the European stage once again. It is up to coach Tanjeviç to utilise his biggest talent in the new system. The main problem is that the coach’s hard working, slick passing style of play doesn’t suit Okur that well. The hectic tempo and aggressive system that was so effective last summer is not tailor made for Okur. He might not be the “saviour” but he is still Turkey’s biggest gun.
NATIONAL TEAM STATS YEAR
1999 1999 2001 2002 2003 2003 2005 2005
COMPETITION
Semi-final Round EuroBasket EuroBasket World Championship Semi-final Round EuroBasket Qualifying Round / Div. A EuroBasket
GP Min
3 8 5 8 4 4 4 4
14 15 20 27 29 34 26 23
2pts
6-8 10-23 9-17 42-74 15-27 27-44 17-29 10-25
3pts
1-1 2-3 5-11 7-15 3-7 1-4 2-9 0-5
FT
3-4 10-12 12-13 33-45 10-14 18-29 15-17 8-16
Rb As Pts
3.7 4.1 3.8 6.6 7.3 6.8 6.0 4.8
1.0 1.3 0.4 1.5 1.5 2.3 2.0 0.5
6.0 4.5 9.0 17.3 12.3 18.8 13.8 7.0
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
1998-99 1999-00 2000-01 2001-02
Tofas Bursa (Saporta) Tofas Bursa (Euroleague) Efes Pilsen (SuproLeague) Efes Pilsen (Euroleague)
GP Min
14 15 22 20
2pts
15 13-34 19 21-57 16 52-107 27 81-180
3pts
3-16 8-24 41-78 14-36
FT
12-19 15-21 11-29 65-87
Rb As Pts
3.8 5.7 3.6 6.6
0.4 0.6 0.3 0.9
3.4 5.4 5.0 12.1
NBA STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06
94
Detroit Pistons Detroit Pistons Utah Jazz Utah Jazz Utah Jazz
GP Min
72 71 82 82 71
19 22 28 36 34
2pts
142-311 233-494 337-693 439-894 323-655
3pts
38-112 18-48 17-63 80-234 117-307
FT
96-131 162-209 329-387 354-454 274-357
Rb As Pts
4.7 5.9 7.5 9.1 7.4
1.0 1.0 2.0 2.4 2.0
6.9 9.6 12.9 18.0 17.9
HIDAYET
KUTLUAY
TÜRKOGLU
Height: 1.98 Position: Shooting Guard Date of birth: 07/01/1974 Place of birth: Istanbul Team 2006-07: FENERBAHÇE ÜLKER (Turkey-TBL) Career: Fenerbahçe (Turkey-TBL, 1992-99), Efes Pilsen (Turkey-TBL, 1999-2000), AEK (Greece-ESAKE, 2000-01), Panathinaikos (Greece-ESAKE, 2001-03), Ülker (Turkey-TBL, 2003-04), Seattle Supersonics (USA-NBA, 2004), Panathinaikos (Greece-ESAKE, 2005), Ülker (Turkey-TBL, 2005-06), Fenerbahçe Ülker (Turkey-TBL, 2006-07)
Height: 2.08 Position: Shooting Guard/Small Forward Date of birth: 19/03/1979 Place of birth: Istanbul Team 2006-07: ORLANDO MAGIC (USA-NBA) Career: Efes Pilsen (Turkey-TBL, 1997-2000), Sacramento Kings (USA-NBA, 2000-03), San Antonio Spurs (USA-NBA, 2003-04), Orlando Magic (NBA, 2004-07). Drafted in the first round of the 2000 NBA draft (#15), by the Sacramento Kings.
T
ürkoğlu Is the best all-around player Turkey has ever produced. He started as a point guard but when he grew to 2.08 m, he became more of an all-around player. Hidayet is a good rebounder, a good passer and a great shooter which, put together with his size and quickness allows the 27-year-old to play just about any position on the court, with the exception of center. The only problem is that he hasn’t performed up to his capabilities in recent EuroBaskets. After 2001, he has rarely come close to his potential with the National Team and after a disastrous EuroBasket 2005 campaign he didn’t want to play in the 2006 World Championship in Japan. It is unclear if he ever wants to play for Turkey again. But he will have to prove to Turkish fans that he is capable of giving 100%, especially with a coach who built this team around effort. So if Hidayet Türkoğlu proves to not be fully committed, he might be omitted. Despite his unique basketball skills his dedication will be a deciding factor.
K
utluay is a constant, having always been there through good and bad times. He has been a regular fixture for the National Team for 12 years. He has always been a great scorer, but most astonishingly he has reinvented his game. The Istanbul-native used to be a terrible passer and a below average rebounder but in the past two seasons through hard work he has taken considerable strides in both areas. Nowadays, he regularly averages five rebounds and creates for his teammates as well. But his biggest asset has always been his natural instinct for scoring. He is first and foremost a deadly shooter. Despite being a mediocre athlete with problems creating his own shot, Kutluay has learned how to get open in almost every situation. Now, combined with his new found passing skills he is an invaluable offensive weapon. This very well might be his last campaign so he definitely wants to leave on a high note. Looking at his track record, it is quite safe to say that he will accomplish this goal as he will likely be near the top of the scoring list.
NATIONAL TEAM STATS YEAR
1999 1999 2001 2002 2003 2005 2005
NATIONAL TEAM STATS YEAR
1995 1997 1997 1999 1999 2001 2002 2003 2003 2005 2005 2006
COMPETITION
EuroBasket Semi-final Round EuroBasket Semi-final Round EuroBasket EuroBasket World Championship Semi-final Round EuroBasket Qualifying Round / Div. A EuroBasket World Championship
GP Min
5 9 8 10 9 6 8 8 4 3 2 6
24 28 31 28 22 37 30 37 32 21 23 19
2pts
16-23 30-47 33-59 30-58 12-36 21-34 16-36 42-73 8-16 3-8 1-4 9-17
3pts
7-18 17-33 17-33 16-41 6-24 21-59 18-44 18-59 12-28 2-8 4-8 11-33
FT
15-19 28-41 17-25 27-29 14-18 25-32 24-28 45-52 16-18 6-8 4-4 8-11
Rb As Pts
1.8 2.0 1.5 1.4 1.1 2.2 1.5 3.3 2.0 0.7 0.5 2.2
0.6 0.7 1.5 0.9 1.3 1.2 1.9 1.8 1.3 1.0 - 1.3
13.6 15.4 16.8 13.5 6.2 21.7 13.8 22.9 17.0 6.0 9.0 9.8
1994-95 1995-96 1996-97 1997-98 1998-99 1999-00 2000-01 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07
GP Min
Fenerbahçe (EuroCup) 12 Fenerbahçe (Korac Cup) 11 Fenerbahçe (EuroCup) 13 Fenerbahçe (EuroCup) 12 Fenerbahçe (Euroleague) 17 Efes Pilsen (Euroleague) 23 AEK Athens (Euroleague) 10 Panathinaikos (Euroleague) 18 Panathinaikos (Euroleague) 18 Ülker Istanbul (Euroleague) 19 Panathinaikos (Euroleague) 10 Ülker Istanbul (Euroleague) 18 Fenerbahçe Ülker (Euroleague) 14
29 31 35 36 36 36 29 26 25 30 20 30 32
2pts
55-95 54-85 61-101 61-104 73-126 61-115 33-58 56-141 38-62 34-81 30-68 26-60 22-43
3pts
FT
3pts
FT
20-49 21-23 24-63 22-34 37-84 61-72 19-57 70-89 48-124 74-104 50-112 80-97 20-60 35-53 25-74 55-79 19-64 38-47 47-111 44-61 17-38 17-22 41-110 44-52 29-87 31-39
SEASON CLUB (Competition)
1996-97 1997-98 1998-99 1999-00
2.0 1.8 2.1 1.4 1.4 2.2 1.2 0.9 0.7 1.3 0.7 1.8 1.4
8 9 6 8 4 5 4
20 25 36 31 32 27 30
2pts
3pts
FT
17-32 24-52 18-58 29-60 15-33 22-43 12-30
2-8 18-39 14-31 7-24 2-12 10-17 4-18
10-15 10-15 15-25 40-49 8-11 19-26 12-20
2pts
3pts
FT
Rb As Pts
3.4 3.4 5.8 5.0 5.5 4.0 4.3
1.5 1.4 3.5 3.6 1.8 2.0 0.8
6.3 12.4 15.5 14.9 11.0 18.6 12.0
Efes Pilsen (Euroleague) Efes Pilsen (Euroleague) Efes Pilsen (Euroleague) Efes Pilsen (Euroleague)
GP Min
2 4 - 9 9 8-16 17 25 24-50 22 36 82-131
- 2-6 11-42 27-81
- 3-6 15-24 54-86
Rb As Pts
- - 1.3 0.3 2.8 3.5 1.4 5.6 4.6 2.7 13.6
NBA STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
2000-01 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07
Rb As Pts
3.5 3.9 2.0 2.6 1.6 1.9 2.7 1.8 2.4 2.7 1.6 2.4 1.9
GP Min
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
COMPETITION
Semi-final Round EuroBasket EuroBasket World Championship EuroBasket Qualifying Round / Div. A EuroBasket
15.9 18.4 22.6 20.8 21.4 15.3 16.1 10.7 9.5 13.3 9.4 12.2 11.6
Sacramento Kings Sacramento Kings Sacramento Kings San Antonio Spurs Orlando Magic Orlando Magic Orlando Magic
GP Min
74 80 67 80 67 78 65
17 25 18 26 26 34 31
2pts
110-249 227-516 136-313 161-404 235-537 284-594 202-475
3pts
28-86 63-171 29-78 101-241 93-245 114-283 89-241
FT
87-112 167-230 88-110 114-161 188-225 255-296 141-186
Rb As Pts
2.8 4.5 2.8 4.5 3.5 4.3 3.9
0.9 2.0 1.3 1.9 2.3 2.8 3.1
5.3 10.1 6.7 9.2 14.0 14.9 12.5
NBA STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
2004-05 Seattle Supersonics
GP Min
5
2
2pts
0-1
-
-
Rb As Pts
0.2
-
-
COACH: BOGDAN TANJEVIC Nationality: Bosnian / Italian Date of birth: 13/02/1947 Place of birth: Plevlja (Montenegro) Team 2006-07: Did not coach any club last season Career: Bosna Sarajevo (Yugoslavia-YUBA, 1971-1980), Caserta (ItalyLega, 1982-86), Trieste (Italy-Lega, 1986-94), Milan (Italy-Lega, 1994-96), Limoges (France-Pro A, 1997), Budocnost (Serbia & Montenegro-YUBA, 2000-01), ASVEL (France-Pro A, 2001-02), Virtus Bologna (Italy-Lega, 2002). International career: Assistant coach - Yugoslavian National Team (1977-81), Head coach – Yugoslavian National Team (1981), Head coach – Italian National Team (1997-2001), Head coach – Turkish National Team (2004-07).
T
anjevic has very strict principles but inside his tough boundaries, he gives his players great freedom. A great recipe for success, right? Well this created chaos in 2005 but after two years everyone is on the same page. Now his players respect him and with former legend Harun Erdenay as his manager, the staff is on the same page with the team. The Montenegrin coach has found the driving force behind his players and rides it effectively. After two years, it now seems that he gets a grip of his players. He has found new offensive schemes for the deadly shooters to operate better. He laid the bricks. Now is the time to put on the paint and the last finishing touches.
95
turkey
IBRAHIM
GROUP C
KEREM
HAKAN
TUNÇERİ
DEMİREL
Height: 1.90 Position: Point Guard Date of birth: 14/04/1979 Place of birth: Istanbul Team 2006-07: REAL MADRID (Spain-ACB) Career: Galatasaray (Turkey-TBL, 1997-99), Efes Pilsen (Turkey-TBL, 1999-2004), Ülker (Turkey-TBL, 2004-05,), Beşiktaş Colaturka (Turkey-TBL, 2005-06), Real Madrid (Spain-ACB, 2006-07)
Height: 1.90 Position: Point Guard Date of birth: 19/06/1986 Place of birth: Erzurum Team 2006-07: FENERBAHÇE ÜLKER (TurkeyTBL) Career: Tofaş Bursa (Turkey-TBL, 2002-04), Gonzaga (USA-NCAA Div. 1, 2004-05), Fenerbahçe (Turkey-TBL, 2005-06), Fenerbahçe Ülker (Turkey-TBL, 2006-07)
T
unçeri has been in more battles than any other Turkish point guard. He is big and strong with his quick feet making him one of the best on ball defenders in Europe. The Turkish defensive stance starts with him. He is also an adept passer and prolific at running the pick and roll. His main drawback is his lack of scoring touch. He was once an unstoppable scorer but has lost confidence in his shot in the last six years and shoots quite erratically even when he is wide open. Still he is one of the most reliable players available and his last two seasons spent with Beşiktaş and Real Madrid have helped him to gain confidence.
NATIONAL TEAM STATS YEAR
1997 1999 1999 2001 2002 2003 2003 2005 2005
COMPETITION
EuroBasket Semi-final Round EuroBasket EuroBasket World Championship Semi-final Round EuroBasket Qualifying Round / Div. A EuroBasket
GP Min
4 4 9 6 6 9 3 6 4
7 23 36 20 29 29 22 25 20
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
1996-97 1997-98 1998-99 2000-01 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07
Galatasaray (Korac Cup) Galatasaray (Korac Cup) Galatasaray (Korac Cup) Efes Pilsen (SuproLeague) Efes Pilsen (Euroleague) Efes Pilsen (Euroleague) Efes Pilsen (Euroleague) Ülker Istanbul (Euroleague) Besiktas (ULEB Cup) Real Madrid (ULEB Cup)
GP Min
6 6 8 13 20 18 11 22 8 15
2pts
3pts
3-4 4-9 16-40 2-15 9-17 20-39 2-5 13-26 4-8
0-2 2-4 9-24 0-4 6-19 7-25 3-5 6-19 3-8
2pts
3pts
23 9-22 9 9-14 29 10-21 22 25-70 25 30-104 28 20-45 22 9-15 30 69-172 34 23-43 22 7-14
1-2 3-7 10-26 20-39 6-34 22-63 6-28 18-73 18-52 12-51
FT
- 4-4 7-14 6-6 6-10 13-18 1-2 8-13 3-4 FT
10-12 6-7 5-7 5-31 15-23 9-15 7-11 34-41 15-23 12-13
D
emirel is a true leader who, despite his young age, makes his presence on the court felt immediately. His long arms and anticipation makes him a great and suffocating defender even while playing zone, where his instincts take over. Those instincts also come in handy on offense where he does a great job creating shots for his teammates. Much like Tunçeri, Demirel lost his confidence in his shot last season and defenses have tended to sag away and force him to shoot from the outside.
NATIONAL TEAM STATS
0.8 1.5 2.9 1.3 2.2 1.7 1.7 1.8 1.5
1.0 1.8 4.6 1.2 3.0 4.6 2.0 2.8 3.0
1.5 4.5 7.3 1.7 7.0 8.2 4.7 8.7 5.0
3.0 1.7 3.0 2.4 2.7 3.3 3.8 3.6 5.3 3.0
5.2 5.5 6.9 9.2 4.1 6.4 3.9 8.6 14.4 4.1
2003 2003 2005 2005 2006
Semi-final Round EuroBasket Qualifying Round / Div. A EuroBasket World Championship
1 4 6 4 9
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
2000-01 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2006-07
13 21 25 20 18
GP Min
Efes Pilsen (SuproLeague) 2 Efes Pilsen (Euroleague) 13 Efes Pilsen (Euroleague) 20 Efes Pilsen (Euroleague) 20 Efes Pilsen (Euroleague) 23 Efes Pilsen (Euroleague) 22 Tau Vitoria (Euroleague) 6 Olimpija Ljubljana (Euroleague) 8
FT
0-1 2-7 6-11 6-12 9-21
0-2 7-11 9-20 1-7 9-27
- 5-5 6-7 4-6 15-25
2pts
3pts
FT
7 1-3 8 8-24 15 11-34 24 14-46 20 43-126 21 21-57 13 3-6 3 13-34
1-3 4-12 6-33 32-93 24-77 16-56 9-14 13-42
- 7-13 13-20 34-49 49-64 36-55 4-6 19-26
0.0 1.8 3.0 1.3 2.0 2.0 0.5 1.5 3.8 2.0 2.0 0.7 2.9
-
GP Min
2pts
3pts
Rb As Pts
0.0 0.0 1.5 1.2 1.7 2.4
10 6 7 9 15 23 12 6 16 8
3-9 - 1-1 4-9 12-18 13-28 6-11 2-5 8-21 1-1
- - - 0-2 1-6 4-6 1-3 1-1 6-13 2-3
FT
2-2 2-2 - 3-3 14-17 12-16 4-4 - 6-18 -
Rb As Pts
0.8 0.7 - 1.6 1.7 3.1 2.2 1.2 1.1 0.8
0.3 - - 0.1 0.6 0.3 0.2 0.2 1.2 0.2
2.0 0.7 2.0 1.6 3.4 5.6 3.8 1.4 3.3 1.6
A
NATIONAL TEAM STATS YEAR
2006
COMPETITION
World Championship
GP Min
2pts
3pts
FT
Rb As Pts
7 17
11-20
9-24
6-8
1.6 1.6 7.9
GP Min
2pts
3pts
FT
Rb As Pts
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS - Never played in European club competition -
0.0 7.5 7.5 4.8 6.7
Rb As Pts
1.0 0.5 1.0 1.3 1.7 1.3 1.3 1.5
2-9
8-15
-
new revelation to Turkish basketball, Atsur has never played in the top level Turkish league but could end up being one of the National Team’s brightest new stars. If you measure his skills you probably won’t be impressed, except possibly with his ability to hit jump shots. Insert him in a 5-on-5 situation, however, and then you’ll realize how good he really is. He is an extremely smart player who does the right things instinctively. He picks his spots and his decision making skills are second to none. He is cool on offense but on defense he is a monster. Despite his slow feet he anticipates almost everything. Just like on offense, his 1-on-1 defensive skills are mediocre but in team situations he seems like he is everywhere, disrupting every pass and every offensive move.
Rb As Pts
1.0 2.0 1.8 - 2.1
FT
9 16
Tofas Bursa (EuroCup) 4 Tofas Bursa (Saporta) 3 Tofas Bursa (Euroleague) 1 TT Ankara (Korac Cup) 7 TT Ankara (Saporta) 12 Karsiyaka Izmir (FIBA Cup) 9 Besiktas (FEL) 5 Tuborg Izmir (FEL) 5 Fenerbahçe (EuroCup) 12 Fenerbahçe Ülker (Euroleague) 5
SEASON CLUB (Competition) 3pts
3pts
1-1
Height: 1.92 Position: Point guard Date of birth: 02/04/1984 Place of birth: Istanbul Team 2006-07: NORTH CAROLINA STATE (USA-NCAA Div. 1) Career: Pertevniyal (Turkey-TB2L, 2001-03), North Carolina State (USA-NCAA Div. 1, 2003-07).
A
2pts
2pts
0-1
ATSUR
rslan is a rare breed of player that uses his quickness to both his offensive and defensive advantage. He is deadly on the drive but he is also a reliable outside shooting threat, which keeps the defense honest. The Istanbul native struggled at Efes Pilsen where he needed more freedom and frequently tried to do too much in the time he got on the floor. Since then he has played with Union Olimpija, Tau Ceramica and Panionios which has given him more confidence, allowed him to display his skills in any system and also taught him to take his time. He is more mature both as a player and as a floor leader, though his main weakness remains his lack of size. GP Min
GP Min
ENGIN
Height: 1.88 Position: Point Guard Date of birth: 01/14/1983 Place of birth: Istanbul Team 2006-07: UNION OLIMPIJA (Slovenia1A League), TAU CERAMICA (Spain-ACB), PANIONIOS (Greece-ESAKE) Career: Muratpaşa Belediyesi (Turkey-TBL, 2001-02), Efes Pilsen (Turkey-TBL, 2002-06), Union Olimpija (Slovenia-1A League, 2006), Tau Ceramica (SpainACB, 2007), Panionios (Greece-ESAKE, 2007)
COMPETITION
World Championship
1997-98 1998-99 1999-00 2000-01 2001-02 2002-03 2004-05 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07
ARSLAN
YEAR
2006
SEASON CLUB (Competition)
ENDER
NATIONAL TEAM STATS
COMPETITION
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS
Rb As Pts
1.7 0.7 3.4 2.0 1.7 2.4 2.8 2.5 3.6 1.5
YEAR
2005 Qualifying Round / Div. A 2 8
Rb As Pts
5.5 2.1 2.7 7.9 6.9 5.7 6.2 10.5
96
ERSAN
ERDOĞAN
İLYASOVA
Height: 1.94 Position: Shooting Guard Date of birth: 06/03/1978 Place of birth: Amasya Team 2006-07: TAU CERAMICA (Spain-ACB) Career: Tuborg Izmir (Turkey-TBL, 1997-98), Tofas Bursa (Turkey-TBL, 1998-2001), Ülker (Turkey-TBL, 2001-05), Tau Ceramica (Spain-ACB, 2005-07)
Height: 2.08 Position: Small Forward/Power Forward Date of birth: 15/05/1987 Place of birth: Tashkent (Uzbekistan) Team 2006-07: MILWAUKEE BUCKS (USANBA) Career: Yeşilyurt (Turkey-TB2L 2003-2004), Ülker (Turkey-TBL, 2004-05), Tulsa 66ers (USA-NBDL, 2005-06), Milwaukee Bucks (USA-NBA, 2006-07). Drafted in the second round of the 2005 NBA draft (#16), by the Milwaukee Bucks.
E
rdogan is not the world’s greatest scorer yet but he has become one of the better ones in Europe. Erdoğan has improved his game almost every season and has become a feared scorer. He might not have the quickest feet but on offense he has great fundamentals, shoots the ball well and is an adept passer. On defense he used to be non-factor but nowadays he defends the other team’s best perimeter player. Erdogan is at his best in pressure situations and he loves the big moment. When the game is on the line, Erdoğan always makes things happen for his team. A chronic knee injury has slowed Erdogan down and forced him to miss some games.
E
ven at the age of 16 when he first burst onto the main stage as a young, raw talent, it was obvious that Ersan Ilyasova could be headed for great things. But two injuries to his right ankle created some worry and though he may have recovered physically, the mental scars of the injuries still haunt him as he is intimidated by physical play and avoids risky contact. Also his twice reconstructed ankle can get swollen if he sees a lot of playing time. Still, there is a lot of talent on display in Ilyasova and he will be a go to guy for the National Team.
NATIONAL TEAM STATS YEAR
2003 2005 2005 2006
COMPETITION
Semi-final Round Qualifying Round / Div. A EuroBasket World Championship
GP Min
2 2 4 7
12 19 26 27
2pts
3pts
FT
3-5 3-6 7-16 19-43
3-4 1-4 6-16 15-35
- 2-2 7-8 25-36
2pts
3pts
FT
Rb As Pts
0.5 0.5 1.5 1.4
1.5 0.5 1.0 1.4
NATIONAL TEAM STATS
7.5 5.5 9.8 15.4
YEAR
2006
SEASON CLUB (Competition)
1997-98 1998-99 1999-00 2000-01 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07
Tuborg Izmir (Korac Cup) Tofas Bursa (Saporta) Tofas Bursa (Euroleague) Ülker Istanbul (SuproLeague) Ülker Istanbul (Euroleague) Ülker Istanbul (Euroleague) Ülker Istanbul (Euroleague) Tau Vitoria (Euroleague) Tau Vitoria (Euroleague)
GP Min
5 6 2 12 20 16 22 22 18
18 6-12 4-10 10 3-4 3-11 2 - - 21 31-62 14-22 18 22-49 22-53 13 18-40 13-39 31 128-277 61-138 23 52-107 24-83 23 25-57 44-94
- 1-2 1-2 17-40 21-28 10-11 50-66 59-75 39-54
2004-05 Ülker Istanbul (Euroleague)
Rb As Pts
1.0 0.7 0.5 1.2 1.0 0.8 2.4 2.1 1.3
0.8 0.3 - 1.5 0.9 0.6 2.5 0.9 1.3
GP Min
7 20
GP Min
6
SEASON CLUB (Competition)
2006-07 Milwaukee Bucks
2pts
3-7 1-2 9-20
3pts
6-10 0-1 8-24
FT
12-17 - 8-14
2005-06 Efes Pilsen (Euroleague) 2006-07 Efes Pilsen (Euroleague)
GP Min
16 14 14 24
2pts
9-19 14-37
3pts
7-16 14-40
FT
14-20 12-16
FT
1-2
Rb As Pts
0.5
- 1.7
FT
57-74
Rb As Pts
2.8 0.8 5.9
Height: 2.08 Position: Power Forward Date of birth: 01/11/1977 Place of birth: Eskisehir Team 2006-07: EFES PİLSEN (Turkey-TBL) Career: TED Kolej Ankara (Turkey-TBL, 1998-99), Ülker (Turkey-TBL, 1999-2005),
H
NATIONAL TEAM STATS YEAR
2003 2003 2005 2005 2006
Rb As Pts
1.2 1.2 7.2 1.0 0.5 1.0 1.5 0.5 6.3
COMPETITION
Semi-final Round EuroBasket Qualifying Round / Div. A EuroBasket World Championship
GP Min
4 2 6 4 9
17 4 23 14 21
2pts
3pts
2pts
3pts
7-15 0-1 16-28 3-6 29-49
- - 1-1 - 0-3
FT
4-9 - 12-20 3-5 22-35
Rb As Pts
4.5 0.5 5.2 1.3 6.7
0.0 0.0 0.2 0.3 1.0
4.5 0.0 7.8 2.3 8.9
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
1999-00 2000-01 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
3pts
1-9
aving discovered organised basketball only at the age of 18, Gönlüm had to learn many skills much later in life and on a much bigger scale of competition. Slowly but surely the 2.08 m power forward has improved and in recent years he has honed his offensive game. With his athleticism and natural instincts he became a good rebounder and defender right away but on offense it took him the better part of 10 years to become a real threat. At the 2006 World Championships he was the third scorer on the team and the most prolific of the big men. He used to score only on uncontested lay-ups and put-backs, but now he has a decent face up game and with his quick feet he can get past any defender like a guard.
NATIONAL TEAM STATS 5 17 2 12 8 16
2pts
4-15
57 14 67-174 48-124
Efes Pilsen (Turkey-TBL 2005-07)
H
GP Min
3pts
Rb As Pts
3.9 1.0 9.6
GÖNLÜM
eir to the Kutluay throne, Akyol is the next big scorer for Turkey. The 20 yearold has been surrounded by hype since the age of 15 and seemed on his way to stardom. But burnout caused Akyol to struggle mightily at Efes Pilsen as he lost his confidence. His teammates as a result lost confidence in Akyol. Not all that surprising considering he has played basketball more or less non-stop for the last five years. Well, hopefully a one month lay-off after the domestic season will be just what the doctor ordered and can help Akyol re-gain a bit of his magic. With second to none fundamentals, he can get past his man in a one meter square area and can knock down the big shot as well. His long arms and active hands make him a capable defender and Turkey needs him back on his game this Eurobasket.
COMPETITION
2pts
FT
13-18
KEREM
Height: 1.95 Position: Shooting Guard Date of birth: 04/04/1987 Place of birth: İstanbul Team 2006-07: EFES PİLSEN (Turkey-TBL) Career: Efes Pilsen (Turkey-TBL, 2003-07). Drafted in the second round of the 2005 NBA draft (#59), by the Atlanta Hawks.
Qualifying Round / Div. A EuroBasket World Championship
5
GP Min
AKYOL
2005 2005 2006
3pts
8-22
NBA STATS
4.8 2.7 0.5 14.2 6.6 5.3 16.7 10.7 12.3
CENK
YEAR
2pts
15-32
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
COMPETITION
World Championship
Rb As Pts
1.3 0.6 3.3 2.8 0.8 5.9
97
Ülker Istanbul (Euroleague) Ülker Istanbul (SuproLeague) Ülker Istanbul (Euroleague) Ülker Istanbul (Euroleague) Ülker Istanbul (Euroleague) Ülker Istanbul (Euroleague) Efes Pilsen (Euroleague) Efes Pilsen (Euroleague)
GP Min
13 20 19 16 19 22 22 20
9 12-20 10 28-45 17 49-96 9 16-33 19 40-71 24 73-123 22 39-66 21 41-69
- 28-44 - 0-1 0-3 - 0-1 0-2
FT
9-14 0-1 13-20 7-12 23-40 31-65 22-37 25-38
Rb As Pts
1.9 2.5 3.6 2.4 4.9 7.2 6.4 4.3
0.3 0.2 0.5 0.4 0.3 1.0 0.2 0.4
2.5 1.6 5.8 2.4 5.4 8.0 4.5 5.4
turkey
SERKAN
GROUP C
SEMIH
FATIH
ERDEN
SOLAK
Height: 2.12 Position: Power Forward/Center Date of birth: 28/07/1986 Place of birth: İstanbul Team 2006-07: FENERBAHÇE ÜLKER (TurkeyTBL) Career: Darüşşafaka (Turkey-TBL 200204), Partizan Belgrade (Serbia&Montenegro-Adriatic League, 2004-05), Fenerbahçe (Turkey-TBL, 2005-06), Fenerbahçe Ülker (Turkey-TBL, 2006-07)
Height: 2.13 Position: Center Date of birth: 25/07/1980 Place of birth: Kayseri Team 2006-07: GALATASARAY CAFECROWN (Turkey-TBL) Career: Kayseri Meysu (Turkey-TBL, 199798), Ülker (Turkey-TBL, 1998-2001), Beşiktaş (Turkey-TBL, 2001-02), Ülker (Turkey-TBL, 2002-05), Galatasaray CafeCrown(Turkey-TBL, 2005-07)
E
S
ven at 2.12 m, Erden is sometimes underestimated defensively because people don’t take into account his 2.20 m wingspan. With his long arms and quick feet, he is a blanket in the paint, reaching every shot and disrupting the offense at every turn. The 21-year-old is also a good rebounder and despite having a lean body has been dubbed the “Great Wall of Turkey”. Erden’s problem tends to be that he is a little too laid back and becomes content with what he has already achieved. But the great basketball mind of coach Aydın Örs has succeeded in lighting a fire under Erden and in the last three months of the domestic season, Erden took over for Fenerbahçe Ülker. He started every game and even more amazingly he seemed passionate in the cause. Though still a project on offense, if coach Tanjeviç can keep the fire burning there is no limit as to what Erden can do.
olak does one thing and he does it well: blocks shots. Not surprising considering his size (2.13 m), his long wingspan and tremendous timing. The 27-year-old is the main reason why Tanjeviç has implemented a 1-3-1 zone defense into the system. Solak is in the middle of the 1-3-1 and he is deadly. He changes everything in the paint, but that pretty much sums up his role. He is lost on offense and has a limited repertoire of moves thanks in large part to the fact that he has fallen in love with his ability to block shots and thinks little of offense. He also lacks consistency, but he is such an important weapon and a game changer that he is utilised to alter the game.
NATIONAL TEAM STATS YEAR
2003 2005 2005 2006
NATIONAL TEAM STATS YEAR
2005 2006
COMPETITION
Qualifying Round / Div. A World Championship
GP Min
4 5 6 11
2pts
1-2 4-8
3pts
FT
Rb As Pts
- -
3-4 5-6
1.0 0.0 1.3 2.3 0.2 2.2
3pts
FT
Rb As Pts
SEASON CLUB (Competition)
GP Min
2004-05 Partizan Beograd (Euroleague) 10 13 2005-06 Fenerbahçe (EuroCup) 9 9 2006-07 Fenerbahçe Ülker (Euroleague) 8 2
2pts
11-26 11-20 12-23
0-1 0-1 1-1
8-18 9-17 9-13
2001-02 Besiktas (Korac Cup) 2003-04 Ülker Istanbul (Euroleague) 2004-05 Ülker Istanbul (Euroleague)
2.3 0.4 3.0 2.2 0.2 3.4 3.1 0.1 4.5
H
COMPETITION
GP Min
1 6 9 4 4 9
11 7 15 13 18 20
2pts
- 3-3 15-29 6-13 13-21 20-48
1999-00 2000-01 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07
Karsiyaka Izmir (Korac Cup) Efes Pilsen (SuproLeague) Efes Pilsen (Euroleague) Efes Pilsen (Euroleague) Efes Pilsen (Euroleague) Efes Pilsen (Euroleague) Efes Pilsen (Euroleague) Tau Vitoria (Euroleague)
GP Min
8 10 18 20 18 23 22 19
2pts
28 21-44 7 12-17 12 10-32 18 33-84 20 62-113 16 45-96 22 76-152 18 42-75
3pts
FT
3-4 1-2 - 3-6
Rb As Pts
1.0 0.0 5.0 4.2 0.2 4.2 - - 2.9 0.3 1.9
GP Min
7 22 11 10 16 5
18-28 11-23 9-16
- - -
FT
10-18 6-14 5-14
Rb As Pts
7.1 0.4 6.6 2.1 0.2 2.5 1.3 0.1 1.4
K
3pts
- - - - 2-3 4-7
FT
- 7-7 20-26 2-3 11-17 15-31
Rb As Pts
2.0 2.3 3.3 2.0 2.8 4.9
- 0.2 0.7 0.0 - 0.8
2.2 5.6 3.5 10.8 7.4
NATIONAL TEAM STATS YEAR
2005 2005 2006
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
2pts
- 0-1 - -
urtoglu is the best low post scorer Turkey has and is one of the last remaining members of a dying breed. He has a back to the basket game and a decent hook shot and despite being only 2.06, his wide shoulders give him just enough space to operate. He will also take and make the occasional three-pointer to further complicate matters for the defense. He is from a legendary basketball family in Albania, where his father and grandfather are legends. But Kuqo, despite threats from radical groups, chose to play for Turkey and Turkey is more than glad to have him. Kurtoglu had a disastrous end to his club season but Turkey needs him to have a good summer’s rest and come back refreshed.
NATIONAL TEAM STATS EuroBasket World Championship Semi-final Round EuroBasket EuroBasket World Championship
3pts
1-1 12-27 - 7-17
Height: 2.06 Position: Center Place of birth: Korçé (Albania) Date of birth: 12/02/1980 Team 2006-07: EFES PİLSEN (Turkey-TBL) Career: Fenerbahçe (Turkey-TBL, 19971999), Fort Scott Community College (USANJCAA, (1999-2000), Seminole Junior College (USA-NJCAA, 2000-01), Croatia Split (Croatia-A1, 2001-02), Pivovarna Lasko (Slovenia-1A League, 2002-03), Efes Pilsen (Turkey-TBL, 2003-07).
Height: 2.07 Position: Power forward/Center Date of birth: 02/08/1980 Place of birth: Ankara Team 2006-07: TAU CERAMICA (Spain-ACB) Career: Pınar Karsıyaka (Turkey-TBL, 19982000), Efes Pilsen (Turkey-TBL, 2000-06), Tau
is name means “boulder” in Turkish and he fully deserves that label as he is rock solid in the paint. He is tough, a great rebounder and five years at Efes Pilsen has made him a defensive force. His year at Tau Ceramica should have done wonders to his weakness, which is offense, but he is still limited in his scoring ability. His back to the basket game is elementary but he is fearsome when he gets the ball on the move. He cannot create for himself but he sure knows how to finish. Peker never backs down to any challenge, which is why he epitomizes everything his team wants to represent.
2001 2002 2003 2003 2005 2006
2pts
KURTOĞLU (KUQO)
PEKER
YEAR
1 11 6 17 1 6 9 12
ERMAL
KAYA
Ceramica (Spain-ACB, 2006-07)
GP Min
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
COMPETITION
Semi-final Round Qualifying Round / Div. A EuroBasket World Championship
3pts
0-1 12-17 - - - - 1-3 0-2
FT
16-21 - 12-25 23-35 46-76 61-100 67-121 31-61
0.9 - 0.4 0.7 0.3 0.6 0.7 0.8
GP Min
2pts
6 19 4 17 9 24
19-35 13-22 24-61
GP Min
2pts
3pts
4-10 0-2 3-14
FT
7-10 2-2 14-20
Rb As Pts
5.8 1.0 9.5 2.3 0.8 7.0 2.2 1.6 7.9
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS
Rb As Pts
5.6 1.8 3.6 4.0 5.9 3.7 5.0 3.3
COMPETITION
Qualifying Round / Div. A EuroBasket World Championship
SEASON CLUB (Competition)
7.3 2.6 1.8 4.5 9.4 6.6 10.1 6.1
1996-97 1997-98 1998-99 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07
98
Orka Skopje (Korac Cup) Orka Skopje (Korac Cup) Fenerbahçe (Euroleague) BC Split (Saporta) Pivovarna Lasko (ULEB Cup) Efes Pilsen (Euroleague) Efes Pilsen (Euroleague) Efes Pilsen (Euroleague) Efes Pilsen (Euroleague)
2 8 3 11 12 20 23 4 20
35 7-18 34 33-54 6 3-5 16 30-56 25 44-89 20 78-146 19 84-158 22 11-23 19 73-138
3pts
4-15 7-25 - 2-5 3-11 0-2 2-3 1-3 4-13
FT
3-9 16-23 1-2 9-12 10-15 21-32 34-49 1-2 23-29
Rb As Pts
4.0 2.1 1.0 4.1 5.5 4.3 3.4 3.5 3.5
2.5 0.9 - 0.5 1.4 0.6 0.8 0.5 1.1
14.5 12.9 2.3 6.8 8.9 8.9 8.9 6.5 9.1
03.09.07
04.09.07
05.09.07
19:00h Poland - France 21:30h Italy - Slovenia
19:00h France - Italy 21:30h Slovenia - Poland
19:00h Slovenia - France 21:30h Poland - Italy
GROUP D
ALICANTE Centro de Tecnificaci贸n de Alicante
FRANCE (France)
ITALY (Italia)
POLAND
(Polska)
SLOVENIA 99
(Slovenija)
FRANCE
GROUP D
Nothing but a in the bronze medal game to secure a berth to the Athens Olympic Games. Besides, France had humiliated Italy by 33 points in the first round. After a miserable and emotionless performance in the third-place game, the National Team sent French basketball into turmoil. At the time numerous questions were raised about the way players were selected. From then on, a special emphasis was put on attitude rather than pure talent.
Without Tony Parker and despite poor offensive execution, France finished fifth overall in the World Championship in Japan, third-best among European teams. This served as confirmation for a team which won a bronze medal at EuroBasket 2005. This time around, France will want to climb one or two steps higher on the podium.
Best Individual Performance/Best Player of All-Time
Biggest EuroBasket Success
46 years is an eternity. That’s how long France had to wait between its two latest medals in a EuroBasket. When Tony Parker and his teammates destroyed Spain, 98-68, in the 2005 EuroBasket bronze medal game, it was a small step for man but a giant leap for French basketball. It erased years of frustration and unfulfilled promises. To reach the podium, France eliminated title- favourite Serbia on its own floor and held defending European champion Lithuania to 47 points in the quarterfinals. The bronze-medal victory was all the more impressive considering the way in which France lost in the semis. The French squandered a seven-point lead with 50 seconds remaining as Greece’s Dimitrios Diamantidis’ game-winning three ended France’s dream of a gold medal. But the convincing win over Spain allowed France to leave Belgrade on a positive note.
Biggest EuroBasket Disaster
The EuroBasket 2003 bronze medal game against Italy will always be remembered as a day of infamy for French fans. After reaching the semi-finals undefeated, France lost a 74-70 heart-breaker to future champion Lithuania. All it had to do was re-group against a tired and injury riddled Italian squad
ROSTER Player
Tony Parker Aymeric Jeanneau Yohann Sangaré Joseph Gomis Cédric Ferchaud Michel Morandais Yakhouba Diawara Tariq Kirksay Boris Diaw Florent Pietrus Sacha Giffa Pape Badiane Ronny Turiaf Frédéric Weis
Height Position Birthdate Team 2006-07
1.86 1.85 1.93 1.80 1.95 1.96 1.98 1.98 2.03 1.99 1.97 2.11 2,07 2.18
1 1 1 1 2 2 3 3/4 3/4 4 4 5 5 5
17/05/82 10/10/78 05/04/83 02/07/78 15/07/80 10/01/79 29/08/82 07/09/79 16/04/82 19/01/81 14/06/77 02/02/80 13/06/83 22/06/77
San Antonio Spurs (NBA) Adecco ASVEL Adecco ASVEL Valladolid (ESP) Pau-Orthez Napoli (ITA) Denver Nuggets (NBA) Nancy Phoenix Suns (NBA) Malaga (ESP) Strasbourg Chorale de Roanne Los Angeles Lakers (NBA) Bilbao (ESP)
Le Roi. The King. A nickname he earned while playing for Virtus Bologna in Italy. This legendary club is where Antoine Rigaudeau became one of the most respected players in Europe. To many, he is the best French player of all time, although Tony Parker will probably take over this unofficial title once his career is over. Rigaudeau, just like Parker, was a young phenom and a league MVP at the tender age of 19. From Cholet to Pau-Orthez to Virtus Bologna to Pamesa Valencia, with a short stop with the Dallas Mavericks, the 200-cm point guard seduced everyone thanks to his sweet shooting stroke and professionalism. With the French National Team his success was not as obvious, but in 2000 at the Sydney Olympics, France made their way to the final where they tested the US team. With a silver medal around his neck, Rigaudeau chose to retire from the National Team but five years later, he came back for EuroBasket 2005. Once again his locker room influence was huge and resulted in a bronze medal.
Scouting report
No team in Europe can compete with the French in terms of athleticism. “Our defense will be our trademark,” announced Claude Bergeaud. During the World Championship, France was, and had to be, the best defensive team in the tournament as their offensive execution was particularly poor. This, however, was partly caused by the injury Parker suffered just a couple of days before the opening of the World Championship, as the offense usually runs and finishes through the NBA All-Star. So this could change in Spain, with the Spurs’ point guard back in the lineup. When Les Bleus are able to play a transition game, they can be deadly but when opposing teams force them to play in the half-court, their lack of shooters can cost them dearly.
Likely Squad
After missing the World Championship because of a broken finger, Tony Parker will be France’s undisputed leader. At 24, the Spurs’ point guard has already been selected twice to the All-Star Game. His best friend, Boris Diaw, with his ability to play every position, is a dream player for every coach and a problem for every opponent. Few players have a guaranteed spot on the National Team. Two of them come from the Spanish Championship. At 2.18 m, Frederic Weis is the tallest player in the history of French basketball. The former Knicks first-round draft pick revived his career with Bilbao, enjoyed a brilliant campaign in the summer of 2005 in Belgrade and confirmed his good form at the World Championship. Defense is also the trademark of high flying power forward Florent Pietrus from Malaga one of Bergeaud’s favorite player thanks to his intensity and energy. In a press conference in early June, the coach announced that he will go to Spain without three of his NBAers: Mike Pietrus, Johan Petro and Mickaël Gelabale. For Johan Petro (Sonics) and even Mickaël Pietrus (Warriors), who
Last 10 events Year Event
2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997
Reserves Player
Height Position Birthdate Team 2006-07
Yannick Bokolo 1.90 2/1 19/06/85 Le Mans Mickaël Pietrus 1.98 2/3 07/02/82 Golden State Warriors (NBA) Mamoutou Diarra 2.00 2/3 21/05/80 Chalon Mickaël Gelabale 2.00 3 22/05/83 Seattle Supersonics (NBA) Coach: Claude Bergeaud Assistants: Yves Baratet, Jean-Aimé Toupane et Patrick Beesley
100
World Championship EuroBasket Olympics EuroBasket World championship EuroBasket Olympics EuroBasket World Championship EuroBasket
Place
Saitama Belgrade Athens Stockholm Indianapolis Istanbul Sydney Paris Athens Barcelona
Achievement
5th Bronze Medal Did not qualify 4th Did not qualify 6th Silver Medal 4th Did not qualify 10th
Ronny Turiaf
played poorly in last summer’s World Championship, that decision – though still surprising - could have been expected. But Bergeaud’s decision to opt for US born Tariq Kirksay or Pau’s back-up shooting guard, Cédric Ferchaud rather than Gelabale (a starter at the past two international tournaments) was a shock for everybody! In order to have enough time to work on team play during the preparation, the coach’s option is to have a clear hierarchy in the group, and almost no fighting for a spot in the roster between the 14 players included in the preparation group. For example, Sacha Giffa already knows that he’ll visit Spain only if Flo Pietrus gets injured, while Morandais and Ferchaud are the only ones competing for the final available spot on the roster. Bergeaud also stated that his starting five will be made up of: Parker, Valladolid’s Joseph Gomis, Diaw, Florent Pietrus and Weis. Jeanneau, the winner of the Morandais/Ferchaud battle, Kirksay, Diawara and Turiaf are the dedicated back-up at each position while National Team newcomers Yohann Sangaré and Ian Mahinmi seem a bit deeper in the team’s rotation.
FRANCE
a podium!
Prediction
In Spain, with Tony Parker expected to be back in the lineup, France will be among the favourites for a medal. With a core group of players that dominated Europe in the U18 category (Parker, Diaw, Turiaf, Diawara and Mike Pietrus were on the same squad that won in Zadar in 2000), Les Bleus are hungry for success. Anything less than a medal would be a disappointment.
How did they qualify? EuroBasket 2005
➔ Bronze Medal (5 W – 1 L)
ACCUMULATED STATISTICS IN 2006 FIBA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
Results
1st Round
Date Sept-16th 2005 Sept-17th 2005 Sept-18th 2005
Game Greece b. France France b. Bosnia & Herzegovina Slovenia b. France
Elimination Game
Sept-20th 2005 France b. Serbia
Quarter-finals
Sept-22nd 2005 France b. Lithuania
Semi-finals
Result 64-50 79-62 68-58 74-71 104-95
Sept-24th 2005 Greece b. France
67-66
Sept-25th 2005 France b. Spain
98-68
3rd place final
Player Boris Diaw Florent Pietrus Mickaël Gelabale Frédéric Weis Aymeric Jeanneau Joseph Gomis Mickaël Pietrus Yannick Bokolo Laurent Foirest Mamoutou Diarra Ronny Turiaf Johan Petro TOTALS
GP Min FG 9 31 43/87 9 28 28/60 9 24 27/62 9 23 29/57 6 22 10/29 8 15 15/44 9 19 15/62 8 13 10/37 9 12 7/38 6 11 8/21 8 12 12/20 7 9 10/24 9 200 214/541
101
% 3pts 49.4 3/15 46.7 3/11 43.5 9/25 50.9 - 34.5 7/18 34.1 4/16 24.2 6/31 27.0 5/15 18.4 3/23 38.1 7/18 60.0 - 41.7 - 39.6 47/172
%FT 64.3 71.8 68.2 26.3 84.6 61.1 50.0 69.2 79.2 50.0 50.0 83.3 63.5
Rb As 6.0 2.4 6.7 0.6 4.6 0.7 6.1 0.7 2.5 3.0 1.4 1.1 2.9 0.6 1.0 1.3 2.8 0.6 1.2 0.3 3.5 0.5 2.1 0.7 38.3 10.8
St 0.6 1.0 0.8 0.7 1.0 0.4 0.8 0.5 1.0 0.8 0.3 0.3 7.2
Bl TO 0.6 4.0 0.7 1.8 0.2 1.6 0.8 0.9 0.2 1.7 0.1 0.8 0.2 1.2 - 0.9 0.2 0.7 0.2 0.7 0.6 0.8 0.1 0.6 3.7 14.2
Pts 11.9 9.7 8.7 7.0 6.3 5.6 5.4 4.3 4.0 4.0 3.8 3.6 68.4
GROUP D
TEAM STAR TONY
PARKER Height: 1.86 Position: Point guard Date of Birth: 17/05/1982 Place of birth: Bruges (Belgium) Team 2006-07: SAN ANTONIO SPURS (NBA) Career: INSEP (France-Pro A, 1997-99), Paris BR (France-Pro A, 1999-2001), San Antonio Spurs (NBA, 2001-07). Drafted in the first round of the 2001 NBA draft (#28) by the San Antonio Spurs
O
nce considered the only true leader of France’s new generation, “TP” is not alone anymore. France has now six other players in the NBA, including Tony's good friend Boris Diaw-Riffiod, though they all lack Tony’s NBA Championship rings and All-Star appearances. Off the court, Tony has an edge on everyone as well thanks to his recent marriage to Desperate Housewives star Eva Longoria. "But even on the notoriety status, challenge is coming soon, as double NCAA champand son of tennid star player Yannick Noah, Joakim, should quickly become an beloved figure of the French media.", should read, "But even at the apex of his career Parkers status as the king of French basketball has a challenger on the horizon in two-time NCAA Champion Joakim Noah. But all of this could probably be a relief for Parker, who will be able to play more freely, without having the nation’s hopes on his shoulders every time he dresses in blue, white and red. Nevertheless, Parker had another amazing season with San Antonio, making it to the All-Star Game for the second time. Once tormented by his lack of range, he focused on his mid-range game and has become a reliable shooter up to 6 meters away from the basket. Tony Parker’s love story with the “maillot bleu” (blue jersey, French NT colours) started in 2000, when, along with Mike Pietrus, Diaw, Turiaf and Diawara – all of them in the NBA now – “TP” won the European Championship for Junior Men in Croatia. Parker struggled in the first week of EuroBasket 2005, after winning his second NBA title just months earlier. With the support of all his team-mates, he came back strong – from the bench– during the final week and helped France win the bronze medal. He wanted to get a confirmation of France’s new status during last summer’s World Championship, but a broken finger, just hours before the start of the competition, prevented him from doing it. After a shaky EuroBasket 2005 and his absence in 2006, Parker owes a revenge to French basketball fans. But forget about his enormous contract ($66M), the two NBA titles, his “Hollywood love affair” and the rap album that came out last spring, and just look at him playing around. You’ll still be under the impression that Tony Parker remains close to the kid that won the 2000 U18 European Championship 2000 with his bunch of friends. Since then, however, he has come a pretty long way. Born in Bruges, Belgium, this son of an “average” US player (Tony Parker Sr) that played in Belgium, the Netherlands and France, who later took French Nationality, and of a former Dutch model, Pamela Firestone, Tony spent almost all of his childhood in North-Western France. At 15, Parker went to INSEP, France’s sports development institute where he quickly became dominant in a tough Division 3 league (22.1 ppg in 1998-99). At 17, he signed with Paris BR, where he had limited playing time for his first season with Sydney’s silver medal winner, Laurent Sciarra, receiving the lion’s share of the minutes. After he blossomed in the 2000 Nike Hoop Summit (20 pts), TP got drafted by the Spurs, in June 2001, to be Antonio Daniels’ back-up. But coach “Pop” offered him the starting spot after just five NBA games.
NATIONAL TEAM STATS YEAR
2001 2003 2005
COMPETITION
EuroBasket EuroBasket EuroBasket
GP Min
6 16 6 33 7 28
2pts
21-40 29-61 26-66
3pts
2-10 10-32 5-24
FT
4-6 20-29 16-28
Rb
As
Pts
Rb
As
Pts
As
Pts
1.8 1.8 8.7 2.8 3.2 18.0 2.3 2.8 11.9
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
1999-00 Paris BR (Saporta) 2000-01 Paris BR (Saporta)
GP Min
11 13 10 31
2pts
18-30 53-80
3pts
7-24 5-27
FT
7-15 22-29
0.9 1.8 5.8 1.8 3.1 14.3
NBA STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07
102
San Antonio Spurs San Antonio Spurs San Antonio Spurs San Antonio Spurs San Antonio Spurs San Antonio Spurs
GP Min
77 82 75 80 80 77
29 34 34 34 34 33
2pts
207-450 402-800 361-747 496-962 612-1100 555-1058
3pts
61-189 82-243 62-199 43-156 11-36 15-38
FT
108-160 219-290 191-272 210-323 253-358 274-350
Rb
2.6 2.6 3.2 3.7 3.3 3.2
4.3 5.3 5.5 6.1 5.8 5.5
9.2 15.5 14.7 16.6 18.9 18.6
frédéric
DIAW-RIFFIOD
weis
Height: 2.04 Position: Guard / Forward / Center Date of Birth: 16/04/1982 Place of birth: Cormeilles-en-Parisis Team 2006-07: PHOENIX SUNS (USA-NBA) Career: JSA Bordeaux (France-Youth Teams, 1995-98), INSEP (France-3rd Div. 1998-2000), Pau-Orthez (France-Pro A, 2000-03), Atlanta Hawks (USA-NBA, 2003-05), Phoenix Suns (USA-NBA, 2005-07). Drafted in the first round of the 2003 NBA draft (#21) by the Atlanta Hawks.
Height: 2.17 Position: Center Date of Birth: 22/06/1977 Place of birth: Thionville Team 2006-07: BILBAO (Spain-ACB) Career: INSEP (France-N1, 1992-95), Limoges (France-Pro A, 1995-2000), PAOK Thessaloniki (Greece-ESAKE, 2000-01), Unicaja Malaga (Spain-ACB, 200004), Bilbao (Spain-ACB, 2004-07). Selected in the first round of the 2000 NBA draft (#15) by the New York Knicks.
O
nce considered lost to the National Team and basketball forever, Weis made an unexpected comeback at EuroBasket 2005. Called back at the very end of the training phase because of an injury to Vincent Masingue, Weis was coming off a steady fall from grace with Malaga, but he had an impact right from the start and his influence grew steadily. Long after most had forgotten about his amazing potential, Weis became the intimidating defensive post player France needed, a status he confirmed last summer during the World Championships. He would later say that he was finally playing freely after so many years of second guessing his every move. It showed for the past two seasons at Bilbao, where he had his best Spanish year so far averaging 6.4 points and 7.9 rebounds per contest in 2006-07. Drafted by the New York Knicks with the #15 pick of the first round in the 1999 NBA Draft, Weis played poorly during the summer league and was given the unflattering nickname “French Toast” by the ferocious New York City press. He is also remembered worldwide as “the guy Vince Carter jumped over” at the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games. Bad luck, injuries and unfairness have always followed Weis. Few remember that after Carter’s dunk, Weis was the main reason France beat Canada and Australia on its way to winning the Olympic silver medal. Whatever your opinion of Weis, he is always around when France wins a medal.
D
iaw’s evolution with the French team has always been a step ahead of his progression with his club team. It proved true again in 2005, when the young forward who had struggled with Atlanta had a memorable tournament at EuroBasket. Diaw was selected for the EuroBasket 2005 First Team and would have been the MVP had France beaten Greece in the semis. Following his trade from Atlanta to Phoenix, Diaw became more assertive and was named the Most Improved Player in the NBA in 200506. In the playoffs, he even took it to another level, averaging 24.2 points on 52.2 percent shooting during the Western Conference Finals against Dallas. In Phoenix, though his stats did suffer a bit with the return of Amare Stoudemire to the line-up. The ultimate versatile and team player, Diaw can play every single position on the court. In the summer of 2005, before the EuroBasket, Suns head coach Mike D’Antoni said Diaw would sooner or later be scoring 30 points in NBA games and would become an All-Star. Diaw is the son of one of the greatest French women players of all time, Elisabeth Riffiod, and of a Senegalese high-jump champion, Issa Diaw. NATIONAL TEAM STATS YEAR
2003 2003 2005 2005 2006
COMPETITION
Semi-final Round EuroBasket Qualifying round / Div. A EuroBasket World Championship
GP Min
7 6 6 7 9
20 19 28 31 31
2pts
16-29 7-18 30-54 35-60 40-72
3pts
4-7 0-2 1-7 7-16 3-15
FT
5-7 10-14 15-23 5-26 18-28
Rb As Pts
3.7 4.5 6.3 5.3 6.0
2.3 0.7 3.1 3.4 2.4
7.0 4.7 12.7 13.7 11.9
NATIONAL TEAM STATS YEAR
1997 1999 2001 2003 2005 2006
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
2000-01 2001-02 2002-03 2002-03
Pau-Orthez (SuproLeague) Pau-Orthez (Euroleague) Pau-Orthez (Euroleague) Pau-Orthez (Euroleague)
GP Min
20 14 12 12
14 22 25 25
2pts
3pts
FT
29-48 38-75 26-45 26-45
24-37 6-16 2-14 2-14
5-11 11-21 12-17 12-17
2pts
3pts
FT
Rb As Pts
2.0 1.7 3.0 4.8
1.1 0.4 1.2 3.0
2.5 6.6 5.8 5.8
2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07
Atlanta Hawks Atlanta Hawks Phoenix Suns Phoenix Suns
GP Min
76 66 81 73
25 18 35 31
SEASON CLUB (Competition)
1995-96 1996-97 1997-98 1998-99 1999-00 2000-01 2000-01 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04
Rb As Pts
134-287 6-26 56-93 4.5 115-244 9-50 57-77 2.6 441-823 8-30 174-238 6.9 291-524 15-45 82-120 4.3
2.4 2.3 6.2 4.8
GP Min
2 7 5 1 7 9
20 15 11 14 16 23
2pts
3pts
2pts
3pts
6-8 8-27 9-16 0-1 8-17 29-57
- 0-1 - - - -
FT
3-6 - 1-6 - 4-10 5-19
Rb As Pts
7.5 2.1 1.0 3.0 5.9 6.1
- 0.1 0.2 1.0 0.1 0.7
7.5 2.3 3.8 2.9 7.0
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS
NBA STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
COMPETITION
Semi Final Round EuroBasket EuroBasket Semi Final Round EuroBasket World Championship
4.5 4.8 13.3 9.7
Limoges CSP (EuroCup) Limoges CSP (Euroleague) Limoges CSP (Euroleague) Limoges CSP (Saporta) Limoges CSP (Korac Cup) P.A.O.K. (Euroleague) Unicaja Malaga (Korac Cup) Unicaja Malaga (Euroleague) Unicaja Malaga (Euroleague) Unicaja Malaga (Euroleague)
GP Min
7 18 16 12 15 5 10 14 15 6
14 12-23 20 42-79 23 47-84 30 59-100 26 71-103 19 13-22 20 23-48 22 30-54 16 24-34 10 7-10
- - 0-2 - 0-1 - - - 0-1 -
FT
6-12 18-39 21-31 21-34 17-37 2-5 3-9 21-47 4-12 2-4
Rb As Pts
3.4 5.4 4.4 6.2 6.8 4.6 7.8 5.3 4.3 2.2
- 0.3 0.4 0.9 1.1 0.8 0.6 0.9 0.2 0.2
4.3 5.7 7.2 11.6 10.6 5.6 4.9 5.8 3.5 2.7
coach: CLAUDE BERGEAUD Nationality: French Date of Birth: 30/04/1960 Place of birth: Artigat Team 2006-07: did not coach any club this season. Career: Pau-Orthez (France-Pro A, 1997-2002), Adecco ASVEL (France-Pro A, 2005-06). International Career: EuroBasket 2005 Qualifying round 2005, EuroBasket Final Round 2005, FIBA World Championship 2006.
C
laude Bergeaud had a tough task at hand when he took over the French National Team. After three straight disappointing EuroBasket performances, two of them marked by a tragic ending (not really results wise: 4th, 6th and 4th, but more in the manner) France needed someone to start anew, basically from scratch. That’s what Bergeaud did, bringing his touch to a renewed selection. Bergeaud, who proved himself by winning three French league titles with Pau-Orthez, was all about values, most of them team
oriented. He wanted to create an atmosphere which players would miss during the rest of the year and he managed to do just that. In September 2004, one year after France had failed to win a bronze medal at EuroBasket 2003 and qualify for the Athens Olympic Games by not playing the third place final against an Italian team plagued by injuries, Bergeaud brought a unique atmosphere into the National Team. Even without Tony Parker and a few other stars, the result for EuroBasket 2005 was a real success, enough to make the French press and fans fall in love again with their National Team. With Boris Diaw, Bergeaud found just the right player to emphasize the values the coach worships. Bergeaud was also able to find the right balance between Diaw and Tony Parker, the two leaders of the team, winning bronze at EuroBasket 2005 - the first European medal for France in 46 years.
103
FRANCE
BORIS
GROUP D
AYMERIC
JOSEPH
JEANNEAU
GOMIS
Height: 1.85 Position: Point guard Date of Birth: 10/10/1978 Place of birth: La Roche-sur-Yon Team 2006-07: ADECCO ASVEL (FrancePro A) Career: Cholet (France-Pro A, 1996-2003), Le Havre (France-Pro A, 2003-04), Strasbourg (France-Pro A, 2004-06), Adecco ASVEL (France-Pro A, 2006-07).
F
or his first top international level competition, Jeanneau did a very good job at the World Championship last summer. Even though he didn’t seem like a heavy favourite to make the team, the ASVEL point guard had to step up after Tony Parker’s injury, 48 hours before the competition’s first game. The left-handed playmaker helped a French Team struggling on offense by his controlled game and a nice little touch from three-point range. He started basketball in Cholet. Jeanneau then followed his youth team coach, Eric Girard, to Le Havre and Strasbourg. He won a silver medal with the U18 in 1996, but was never a real option for the senior squad afterwards. That changed after a nice 2005-06 Euroleague season with Strasbourg. He has a good chance to make the team since he balances the penetrating and scoring style of Parker.
NATIONAL TEAM STATS YEAR
2003 2006
COMPETITION
Semi Final Round FIBA World Champ.
GP Min
2 10 6 22
2pts
3pts
- 10-29
- 7-18
2pts
3pts
FT
- 11-13
Rb As Pts
1.0 2.5 2.5 3.0 6.3
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
1997-98 1998-99 1999-00 2000-01 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07
Cholet Basket (Korac Cup) Cholet Basket (Saporta) Cholet Basket (Euroleague) Cholet Basket (Korac Cup) Cholet Basket (ULEB Cup) STB Le Havre (FEL) Strasbourg IG (FEL) Strasbourg IG (Euroleague) ASVEL (EuroCup)
GP Min
11 14 15 1 10 12 15 14 2
12 19 18 6 17 31 30 26 20
8-12 16-31 20-42 2-2 11-23 24-54 21-41 25-40 0-1
4-7 5-10 2-6 - 5-13 8-19 10-24 3-22 0-2
FT
17-25 18-31 8-16 2-3 18-23 23-30 36-50 15-22 4-4
Rb As Pts
1.0 1.7 1.1 - 1.1 2.7 2.6 2.1 2.0
1.3 2.1 1.7 - 3.0 3.0 4.1 3.4 2.0
4.1 4.6 3.6 6.0 5.5 7.9 7.2 5.3 2.0
YOHANN
SANGARÉ Height: 1.93 Position: Point guard Date of Birth: 05/04/83 Place of birth: Poissy Team 2006-07: ADECCO ASVEL (FrancePro A) Career: Life Center Academy (USA-High School, 2000-01), Grupo AZ Ferrol (Spain-LEB2, 2001-02), Forum Valladolid (Spain-Liga ACB, 2002-03), Caja Rural Melila (Spain-LEB, 2003), La Palma (Spain-LEB, 2003-04), Adecco ASVEL (France-Pro A, 2004-07).
T
his very gifted guard had an odd beginning to his career, going to a US High School, a basketball academy in Dakar, Senegal for a few months and then playing in the third level in Spain (LEB2) before landing in Valladolid. In March 2004, ASVEL signed Sangare to a long-term contract and this very quick point guard, who can also be used as a number two, has never stopped improving. He still lacks consistency on offense but is a crowd favourite because of his flashy style of play. The 23 year-old averaged 8.3 points and 4.3 assists this season in Pro A while improving his shooting to 46% and hitting 34.3% of his three-pointers. Sangare might be one of the last players cut because of his “Parker-like” game as his coach may prefer to balance his backcourt.
NATIONAL TEAM STATS YEAR
COMPETITION
GP Min
2pts
3pts
- Never played with the Senior NT in official competition -
FT
Height: 1.80 Position: Shooting guard / Point guard Date of Birth: 02/07/1978 Place of birth: Evreux Team 2006-07: GRUPO CAPITOL VALLADOLID (Spain-ACB) Career: Evreux (France Pro B, 1994-1996), Evreux (France-Pro A, 1996-2000), Nancy (France-Pro A, 2000-02), Leche Rio Breogan Lugo (Spain-ACB, 2002-05), Grupo Capitol Valladolid (Spain-ACB, 2005-07).
G
omis started his career with a silver medal at the 1996 U18 European Championship and was supposed to be the second best player after Jérôme Moïso. By then, his obvious talent impressed NBA scouts. The 29 year-old had a slow but steady development with his hometown team, Evreux, where he ended up scoring 11.3 points per game in 2000. Gomis played two years with Nancy and won the last-ever Korac Cup in 2002 while averaging 11.4 points per contest. Nicknamed “Jo” or “Jogo”, Gomis’ fans and coaches have always argued over whether he is a point guard or a shooting guard. Used mainly as a number two in Valladolid the past two years, he is also considered a shooting guard by Claude Bergeaud as he has been a consistent scorer in Europe’s best league.
NATIONAL TEAM STATS YEAR
2003 2005 2006
2004-05 ASVEL (Euroleague) 2005-06 ASVEL (ULEB Cup) 2006-07 ASVEL (EuroCup)
GP Min
14 16 14 28 6 31
2pts
8-19 21-45 9-21
3pts
4-21 16-39 6-15
FT
16-18 24-37 8-14
GP Min
2 8 6 25 8 15
2pts
0-3 19-35 15-44
3pts
0-2 4-17 4-16
FT
1-2 8-9 3-5
Rb As Pts
0.5 1.0 0.5 2.5 2.6 9.7 1.4 1.1 5.6
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
2001-02 Nancy (Korac Cup)
GP Min
14 24
2pts
50-80
3pts
9-34
FT
32-43
Rb As Pts
1.9 3.5 11.4
CÉDRIC
FERCHAUD Height: 1.95 Position: Shooting guard Date of Birth: 15/07/80 Place of birth: Cholet Team 2006-07: PAU-ORTHEZ (France-Pro A) Career: Cholet Basket (France-Pro A, 199799), Prissé-Mâcon (France-Div. 3, 19992000), Mulhouse BC (France-Pro B, 2000-02), Cholet Basket (France-Pro A, 2002-06), Pau-Orthez (France-Pro A, 2006-07).
C
ould Claude Bereaud be crazy enough to select Ferchaud over a four-year NBA player like Pietrus? The answer is, surprisingly, yes. The National Team coach still has nightmares about his team’s poor shooting at the World Championship and Pietrus was a big part of that slump. And so he may select Ferchaud, a player who has never received so much as a sniff from the NBA and can be a bit of a liability on defense. But he is a talented and consistent three-point shooter (40.3 % for his club side). If Coach Bergeaud is looking for a 12th man off the bench who can shoot opponents out of a zone defense, then Ferchaud may be his man.
NATIONAL TEAM STATS YEAR
COMPETITION
GP Min
2pts
3pts
- Never played with the Senior NT in official competition -
FT
Rb As Pts
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07
Rb As Pts
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
COMPETITION
Semi-final Round Qualifying round / Div. A FIBA World Champ.
Rb As Pts
1.6 1.6 3.1 3.1 3.6 8.1 3.5 3.3 7.3
104
Cholet Basket (ULEB Cup) Cholet Basket (ULEB Cup) Cholet Basket (ULEB Cup) Cholet Basket (EuroCup) E.B. Pau-Orthez (Euroleague)
GP Min
7 10 10 6 19
12 26 29 22 16
2pts
6-8 18-35 37-79 7-18 9-18
3pts
4-15 12-34 23-48 2-21 25-62
FT
2-2 11-12 7-13 - 3-4
Rb As Pts
1.4 2.7 2.8 0.8 1.3
0.4 3.4 2.4 1.7 0.4
3.7 8.3 10.4 3.3 5.1
TARIQ
MORANDAIS
KIRKSAY
Height: 1.96 Position: Shooting guard Date of Birth: 10/01/1979 Place of birth: Guadeloupe (French Antilles) Team 2006-07: S.S. BASKET NAPOLI (ItalyLega) Career: Levallois (France-Youth Team, 199899), Colorado (USA-NCAA, 1999-2004), Cantù (Italy-Lega, 2004-05), S.S. Basket Napoli (Italy-Lega, 2005-07).
V
irtually unknown when he left France in 2000, Morandais almost never came back to Europe, as his college career in Colorado (16.1 ppg, 4.4 rpg as a senior) brought him close to the NBA. Undrafted, partly because he was 25 when he graduated from Colorado, Michel tried his luck in the summer leagues but never made it to the NBA. A dangerous slasher when he left France, Morandais developed a very consistent jump shot over time. When Michel got cut last summer, coach Bergeaud talked about his lack of experience in the Euroleague. Michel was the go-to-guy for Napoli in the Euroleague this season and that added experience means he has a good chance to go to Spain and let basketball fans discover his smooth jump shot and impressive vertical leap.
Height: 1.98 Position: Small forward Date of Birth: 07/09/1979 Place of birth: New York (USA) Team 2006-07: SLUC NANCY (France-Pro A) Career: Rice HS (New York-USA), Iona (NCAA-USA, 1996-2000), Rabotnicki Skopje (F.Y.R.O.M.-Div. I, 2000), Andino La Rioja (Argentina-Liga A, 2000-01), Long Island Surf (USA-USBL, 2001), Bravos de Portuguesa (Venezuela-LPB, 2001), Bucaneros de Campeche (Mexico-NCC, 2001), Andino La Rioja (ArgentinaLiga A, 2001-02), Besançon BC (France-Pro B, 2002), Rueil AC (France-Pro B, 2002-03), Bourg-en-Bresse (France-Pro A, 2003-04), SLUC Nancy (FrancePro A, 2004-07).
U
ndrafted after his graduation from Iona where his coach asked him to move inside to help the team, Kirksay started his pro career on a world tour of minor league basketball. The New York City native waited three years in Pro B or low level Pro A before getting a chance to show that his all-around game could flourish at a higher level. Nowadays, no one can understand why it took so long for larger teams to act. Kirksay received a big offer from Real Madrid in the middle of last season, but Nancy did not let him go. The 1.98 m forward can be used at every position and has an ability to fill up every statistical category. He averaged 14.1 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 2.4 steals per game this season for Nancy, a club he has led to two straight French League Finals and a 2006-07 regular season crown. Kirksay’s only issue is that he is competing for a spot on the team with a player that features the same profile but more talent in Boris Diaw.
NATIONAL TEAM STATS YEAR
COMPETITION
GP Min
2pts
3pts
- Never played with the Senior NT in official competition -
FT
Rb As Pts
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
2004-05 Cantù (ULEB Cup) 2006-07 Napoli (Euroleague)
GP Min
10 23 12 28
2pts
45-93 36-75
3pts
12-33 12-48
FT
21-25 30-40
Rb As Pts
3.6 0.6 12.3 5.6 1.2 11.5
NATIONAL TEAM STATS YEAR
YAKHOUBA
DIAWARA Height: 2.00 Position: Forward / power forward Date of Birth: 29/08/1982 Place of birth: Paris Team 2006-07: DENVER NUGGETS (USANBA) Career: Dijon (France-Pro A, 1999-2001), Southern Idaho JC (USA-NJCAA, 2001-03), Pepperdine (USA-NCAA, 2003-05), Dijon (France-Pro A, 2005-06), Fortitudo Bologna (Italy-Lega, 2005-06), Denver Nuggets (USA-NBA, 2006-07).
D
iawara chose to go to college in the U.S. to help his game evolve after not receiving enough playing time at Dijon as a youngster. A physical specimen, he has managed to teach himself a decent jump shot. Back in Europe after being the last player cut by Miami, he signed with Dijon. Despite great numbers there, Diawara transferred to Climamio Bologna in the middle of the season, surprising everybody by making the starting five thanks to his new found shooting ability from behind the arch. With his amazing strength and his new-found perimeter game, he offered a combination that Bologna needed, as Climamio finished Lega as Benetton’s runner-up. The Paris native fulfilled his NBA dreams last fall, choosing Denver over a better offer from the Mavericks so that he could get more playing time. The Nuggets loved his work and defensive ethics but the arrival of Allen Iverson pushed him a bit farther down the bench. Also a member of the 2000 European Junior champions, he won a bronze medal in 2002 in the U20 European Championship.
COMPETITION
GP Min
2pts
3pts
- Never played with the Senior NT in official competition -
FT
Rb As Pts
SEASON CLUB (Competition)
2005-06 Nancy (EuroCup) 2006-07 Nancy (ULEB Cup)
SEASON CLUB (Competition)
GP Min
2001-02 Dijon (Korac Cup) 1 2 2005-06 Fortitudo Bologna (Euroleague) 5 15
2pts
3pts
- 2-9
- 5-8
- - 2.0 4.0 0.2 5.0
2pts
3pts
FT
Rb As Pts
1-1 10-16
FT
Rb As Pts
NBA STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
2006-07 Denver Nuggets
GP Min
64 19 51-122 49-170
35-53
1.7 0.9 4.4
2pts
3pts
FT
Rb As Pts
GP Min
2pts
5 37 42-73 12 35 74-147
3pts
3-11 10-20
FT
17-30 22-37
Rb As Pts
6.2 3.8 22.0 9.6 3.3 16.7
SACHA
GIFFA Height: 1.97 Position: Power forward Date of Birth: 14/06/1977 Place of birth: Moscow (Russia) Team 2006-07: SIG STRASBOURG (FrancePro A) Career: Levallois (France-Pro A and B, 199599), Chalon (France-Pro A, 1999-2002), ASVEL (France-Pro A, 2002-04), Ionikos (Greece-ESAKE, 2004), Leche Rio Lugo (Spain-ACB, 2005), Pau-Orthez (FrancePro A, 2005), Strasbourg (France-Pro A, 2005-07).
N
icknamed “The Shaker” for his ability to bang with any opponent inside the paint, Giffa is another in a long line of French post players who are undersized but have great athletic abilities. Originally from Moscow, Russia, Giffa became a contender for National Team selection only when he started to develop a reliable three-point shot. The 30-year-old had a tumultuous first season abroad, starting in Greece (Lonikos), where he didn’t get paid and then moved to Spain (Lugo) before finishing his trip with a few playoff games with Pau-Orthez. He bounced back with Strasbourg, playing well in the 2005-06 Euroleague, before injuring his achilles’ tendon late in the season. He managed a good come back in 2007, but will that be enough to make the cut?
NATIONAL TEAM STATS YEAR
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS
GP Min
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS
NATIONAL TEAM STATS YEAR
COMPETITION
- Never played with the Senior NT in official competition -
2003 2005 2005
COMPETITION
Semi-final Round Qualifying round / Div. A EuroBasket
GP Min
2 9 6 13 5 5
2pts
3pts
1-1 11-21 0-2
0-1 5-10 1-3
2pts
3pts
FT
- 3-6 2-2
Rb As Pts
0.5 1.0 1.0 2.1 1.5 5.0 2.2 0.6 1.0
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
1996-97 1999-00 2000-01 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07
105
Levallois (Korac Cup) Elan Chalon (Saporta) Elan Chalon (Saporta) Elan Chalon (Korac Cup) ASVEL (Euroleague) ASVEL (Euroleague) Ionikos (FEL) Strasbourg (Euroleague) Strasbourg IG (ULEB Cup)
GP Min
6 11 17 8 20 14 8 13 6
18 26 26 28 22 25 19 17 19
6-18 17-46 44-88 27-56 34-76 24-66 11-19 16-29 8-14
1-1 2-26 8-29 5-13 16-32 13-31 9-25 8-22 4-12
FT
2-3 20-27 19-29 13-20 44-49 33-41 8-8 12-14 5-7
Rb As Pts
2.7 3.8 4.6 5.9 3.7 4.5 3.3 3.2 2.5
0.5 1.8 0.9 2.5 1.4 1.6 0.9 0.6 1.5
2.8 5.5 7.7 10.3 8.0 8.6 7.1 5.2 5.5
FRANCE
MICHEL
GROUP D
FLORENT
PAPE
PIETRUS
BADIANE
Height: 1.99 Position: Power forward Date of Birth: 19/01/1981 Place of birth: Les Abymes (Guadeloupe, French Antilles) Team 2006-07: UNICAJA MALAGA (Spain ACB) Career: Pau-Orthez (France-Pro A, 1998-2004), Unicaja Malaga (Spain-ACB, 2004-07).
A
t the beginning of Florent’s career, not too many basketball experts were upbeat about his chances to become a top level player. But with a great heart, unbelievable leaping ability and relentless defensive effort, “Flo” has proved everybody wrong. According to his various coaches, Florent Pietrus (older brother of Mickael) is one of the best defensive players in Europe. He may not have that many moves, but his quickness and desire enable him to get his fair share of “garbage” points. Pietrus has been a bit lost in Unicaja in his first three seasons outside France, especially when he played behind star Jorge Garbajosa. But as far as the National Team goes, “Flo” has always stepped up. Last year in Japan, he averaged 9.7 points and 6.7 rebounds per contest.
Height: 2.11 Position: Center Date of Birth: 02/02/1980 Place of birth: Boulogne-Billancourt Team 2006-07: CHORALE DE ROANNE (France-Pro A) Career: Châtillon - Montrouge (FranceYouth competition, 1996-98), Montpellier (France-U21 League, 1998-99), Faith Christian Academy (USA-High School, 1999-2000), Cleveland State (USANCAA, 2000-04), Chorale de Roanne (France-Pro A, 2004-07).
P
ape Badiane is, with Cédric Ferchaud, the biggest surprise in the French squad. Originally from Senegal, Pape had an atypical way to launch his career, spending only one full season in the Youth teams of a professional club, Montpellier, before trying his luck in the USA. After a year in a New Jersey Prep School, he opted for Cleveland State, where he had a solid but unflashy career, averaging 7.3 points and 5.3 rebounds as a senior. In April 2004, he signed with Roanne, a club fighting to avoid relegation at the time. But he grew with his club and participated in the unbelievable 2006-07 season of "La Chorale", winning both the Semaine des As (the French Copa del Rey) and the French league having only the 14th biggest budget out of 18 clubs! Badiane's stats might not have been impressive this season (7.7 ppg and 4.8 rpg), but he was crucial enough during the playoffs to impress the National Team coach, Claude Bergeaud. Pape’s brother, Moussa, also played in the NCAA (for East Carolina University) and is a professional player as well, suiting up for Clermont last year and for Chalon next season.
NATIONAL TEAM STATS YEAR
2003 2003 2005 2005 2006
COMPETITION
Semi-final Round EuroBasket Qualifying round / Div. A EuroBasket World Championship
GP Min
8 6 6 7 9
27 25 24 28 27
2pts
3pts
FT
25-44 13-2 16-34 15-42 25-49
1-3 - 2-10 0-10 3-11
30-42 15-20 20-26 23-33 28-39
2pts
3pts
FT
Rb As Pts
4.8 5.3 7.8 7.1 6.7
1.0 0.7 0.6 0.7 0.6
10.4 6.8 9.0 7.6 9.7
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
1999-00 2000-01 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07
NATIONAL TEAM STATS YEAR
GP Min
E.B. Pau-Orthez (Euroleague) 2 E.B. Pau-Orthez (SuproLeague) 20 E.B. Pau-Orthez (Euroleague) 13 E.B. Pau-Orthez (Euroleague) 12 E.B. Pau-Orthez (Euroleague) 19 Unicaja Malaga (Euroleague) 14 Unicaja Malaga (Euroleague) 20 Unicaja Malaga (Euroleague) 22
9 3-3 18 36-60 23 31-65 25 39-69 29 60-114 15 11-27 17 13-24 17 26-39
- 36-57 1-4 3-11 9-18 3-9 1-10 0-7
0-2 0-3 40-48 28-43 48-66 12-22 16-26 27-36
Rb As Pts
1.0 2.8 6.2 5.8 5.7 3.9 3.5 3.6
0.5 0.5 0.8 0.7 1.3 0.6 0.1 0.2
3.0 5.4 7.9 9.6 10.3 2.6 2.3 3.5
TURIAF Height: 2.07 Position: Power forward / center Date of Birth: 13/01/1983 Place of birth: Le Robert Team 2006-07: LOS ANGELES LAKERS (USANBA) Career: INSEP (France-N1, 1998-2001), Gonzaga Bulldogs (USA-NCAA, 2001-05), Los Angeles Lakers (USA-NBA, 2005-07). Drafted in the second round of the 2005 NBA draft (#37) by the Los Angeles Lakers.
NATIONAL TEAM STATS COMPETITION
EuroBasket World Championship
GP Min
2pts
2 7 8 11
1-2 12-20
GP Min
2pts
3pts
FT
Rb As Pts
- -
2-5 6-12
1.0 - 2.0 3.5 0.5 3.8
3pts
FT
Rb As Pts
NBA STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
2005-06 Los Angeles Lakers 2006-07 Los Angeles Lakers
23 7 15-30 72 15 147-267
- 0-1
15-27 89-134
2pts
3pts
FT
Rb As Pts
2pts
3pts
FT
Rb As Pts
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
GP Min
- Never played in European club competition -
MICKAËL
Height: 2.00 Position: Small forward Date of Birth: 22/05/83 Place of birth: Pointe Noire (Guadeloupe, French Antilles) Team 2006-07: Real Madrid (Spain-ACB) Career: Cholet (France-Pro A, 2000-04), Real Madrid (Spain-ACB, 2004-06), Seattle Supersonics (USA-NBA, 200607). Drafted in the second round of the 2005 NBA draft (#48), by the Seattle Supersonics.
T
otally unknown in Europe until two seasons ago, Gelabale blossomed at Madrid under the tutelage of Bozidar Maljkovic. He hit a crucial three-pointer in Real’s improbable rally in Game 5 of the 2005 ACB Finals and started 23 of 34 regular season games in his ACB debut. His second year in Madrid did not go as smoothly as he saw his playing time vanish after stating that he would choose to go to the NBA the following fall. Gelabale was always the defender assigned to guard the opponent’s top offensive threat and has gone on to become a regular starter with the National Team, mostly because of his defense and ability to make the right choice on offence. As expected he started his NBA career slowly for a team loaded with two All-Stars at the wing (Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis). But he took advantage of their injuries to slip into the rotation.
T
uriaf is one of the most amazing stories basketball has seen in this past few years. Diagnosed with a potentially fatal heart condition right after being drafted in the summer of 2005 by the Lakers, Turiaf had to go through complicated surgery to even live a normal life. Few thought he would ever return to the court but the former Gonzaga star never gave up. He fought through rehab and not even six months after the surgery was able to rejoin the Lakers. No player had ever come back from this kind of procedure to play in the pros. He won the European Championship for Junior Men in 2000 with Diaw, Parker, Diawara and Pietrus, but made the surprising choice to go to the NCAA rather than sign with a Euroleague team. In Gonzaga, he became the leader – on and off the court –before being drafted by the Lakers. Despite competing at a very crowded center position with former number one overall draft choice Kwame Brown and the talented Andrew Bynum, Ronny managed his way into the rotation proving you can never question his heart.
2003 2006
GP Min
GELABALE
RONNY
YEAR
COMPETITION
- Never played with the Senior NT in official competition -
NATIONAL TEAM STATS YEAR
2005 2006
COMPETITION
EuroBasket World Championship
GP Min
2pts
3pts
7 25 9 24
18-26 18-37
5-10 9-25
GP Min
2pts
3pts
FT
5-6 15-22
Rb As Pts
3.1 1.3 8.0 4.6 0.7 8.7
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
2003-04 Cholet (ULEB Cup) 2004-05 Real Madrid (Euroleague) 2005-06 Real Madrid (Euroleague)
2 10 19 24 22 23
3-5 47-68 46-92
0-2 7-21 17-43
GP Min
2pts
3pts
FT
4-4 41-52 30-39
Rb As Pts
1.5 0.5 5.0 4.3 1.1 8.2 3.5 0.7 7.9
NBA STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
2006-07 Seattle Sonics
1.6 0.3 2.0 3.6 0.9 5.3
106
70 18 111-217 11-47
FT
66-82
Rb As Pts
2.5 0.8 4.6
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Italy
GROUP D
Young and Hun
“Like nine or ten other teams, Italy is looking to secure a spot for the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. Considering the last two seasons, it is fair to give a maximum amount of respect to Greece and Spain as the deserved favourites. But behind them there will be a dog fight and when all is said and done Italy hopes to come out on top of it.”
Biggest EuroBasket Success
EuroBasket 1983 and 1999 both took place in France and both featured gold medal games pitting archrivals Spain and Italy against each other. It’s really hard to say which one represented a milestone for Italian basketball. With the Silver Medal at the 1980 Olympic Games, in Moscow, Italy earned a spot amongst the top teams in the world, even if the flavour was a little bitter because of the absence of the U.S. and other Western countries that boycotted the tournament. But the medal made the team stronger, and in 1983, Italy started EuroBasket with a 4-0 record. The last game of the first round, against Yugoslavia, was the key as the winner would advance to the semifinals, while the loser would be relegated to third place in the group and eliminated from the medal round. European basketball fans will never forget that night as a hard elbow was thrown by Marco Bonamico on Dragan Kicanovic that was not called with five minutes to go and Italy leading by 11 points. From there, everything exploded. An unbelievable fight broke out involving players, coaches and even team managers. One Yugoslavian player had scissors in his hand and was stopped just in time by a policeman! The final versus Spain was a clear success for the team coached by Sandro Gamba with the Italians coming out on top 10596. That team was made of so many great players of the eighties like Dino Meneghin, Pierluigi Marzorati, Renato Villalta and the top-scorer Antonello Riva. Sixteen years
ROSTER Player
Fabio Di Bella Gianluca Basile Marco Belinelli Marco Mordente Matteo Soragna Massimo Bulleri Marco Mordente Stefano Mancinelli Valerio Amoroso Danilo Gallinari Andrea Bargnani Angelo Gigli Luca Garri Giacomo Galanda Denis Marconato Richard Mason-Rocca Coach: Carlo Recalcati
Height Position Birthdate Team 2006-07
1.88 1.90 1.96 1.90 1.97 1.88 1.90 2.03 2.02 2.05 2.11 2.09 2.07 2.10 2.11 2.04
1 1-2 2 1-2 2-3 1 1-2 3 3 3 4 4 4-5 4-5 5 5
13/11/78 24/01/75 25/03/86 07/01/79 26/12/75 10/09/77 07/01/79 17/03/83 26/09/80 08/08/88 16/10/85 04/06/83 03/01/82 30/01/75 29/07/75 06/11/77
Virtus Bologna F.C. Barcelona (SPA) Fortitudo Bologna Benetton Treviso Benetton Treviso Armani Jeans Milano Reggio Emilia Fortitudo Bologna Premiata Montegranaro Armani Jeans Milano Toronto Raptors (USA/NBA) Benetton Treviso Lottomatica Roma Whirlpool Varese F.C. Barcelona (SPA) Eldo Napoli
later, on the same foreign ground (France), an Italian team coached by Bogdan Tanjevic showed everybody how important chemistry and hard work are. After a tough loss to Croatia in the opening game, the Azzurri improved their quality while the tournament went on with a different player stepping up every day. Carlton Myers, Andrea Meneghin, Giacomo Galanda and finally Gregor Fucka, who was voted tournament MVP in Paris, all had their time of glory to lead Italy to the win. In the final round, Italy defeated Russia, long-time rival Yugoslavia and Spain. And on the podium, Andrea Meneghin put the trophy over his head, exactly as his father had done 16 years before in Nantes. The meaning of the triumph in Paris was two-fold. With the gold medal, Italy earned a spot for the Olympic Games in Sydney, ending their 16-year absence from Olympic play.
Biggest EuroBasket Disaster
After winning a silver medal at EuroBasket 1991 in Rome, many things changed as Ettore Messina was hired as the head coach. But his first experience in Germany at EuroBasket 1993 was a colossal failure. In the first round the Italians defeated Israel, but then were beaten by Latvia and Greece and in the second round, Spain and Russia did the same to the Azzurri who finished fourth in the group and were eliminated from the tournament.
Best Individual Performance/Best Player of All-Time
Dino Meneghin, currently Italy’s team director, is still the most legendary player in Italian basketball history. Inducted into the Naismith Memorial
Last 10 FIBA events Year Event
2006 World Championship 2005 EuroBasket 2004 Olympics 2003 EuroBasket 2002 World Championship 2001 EuroBasket 2000 Olympics 1999 EuroBasket 1998 World Championship 1997 EuroBasket
108
Place
Saitama Belgrade Athens Stockholm Indianapolis Istanbul Sydney Paris Athens Barcelona
Achievement
Tied for 9th Tied for 9th Silver Medal Bronze Medal Did not qualify 11th 5th
Gold Medal 6th Silver Medal
italy
ngry
Marco Belinelli (Italy)
sport of basketball in Italy. Apart from being a great rebounder and patenting his legendary hook shot, Dino Meneghin will always be remembered for his “charisma” and leadership.
Scouting report
Under coach Carlo Recalcati, Italy is now experiencing a big change in their style of play. The arrival of young talent Marco Belinelli, who starred at the last World Championship, forced the coach to change some things. Recalcati gave Belinelli the freedom to create his own shots outside of the offensive scheme more than he has with other players in the past. The veterans of the team accepted this without any problem, a tribute to Belinelli’s talent. Now, Italy is looking forward to EuroBasket 2007 with two more young stars on their roster in NBA Rookie of the Year candidate Andrea Bargnani, and 19-year-old Danilo Gallinari, a 2.08 m sensation that can play both forward positions. Recalcati can change the offense all he wants but one thing is never going to change, which is his focus on the defensive end of the floor.
Prediction
Like nine or 10 other teams, Italy is looking to secure a spot for the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. Everybody knows that EuroBasket is the most competitive tournament in the world and that the difference between going to China in 2008 and staying home will be slim. Considering the last two seasons, it is fair to give a maximum amount of respect to Spain and Greece as the deserved favourites. Behind them, there will be a dog fight and Italy hopes to come out on top. A great result would be a trip to the podium. A good finish would be to earn a spot for the Pre-Olympic tournament in July 2008. Anything else would be a failure.
Likely Squad
Basketball Hall of Fame in 2003, Meneghin was,the symbol of the National Team for two decades. His domination typically did not show on the stats sheet, but in other important ACCUMULATED ways he was indispensable and came to embody the Player
How did they qualify? Eurobasket 2005, Final Round Tied for 9th place, (1 W - 3 L)
Results
Date Sept-16th 2005 Sept-17th 2005 Sept-18th 2005
Game Germany b. Italy Russia b. Italy Italy b. Ukraine
Elimination game
Sept-20th 2005 Croatia b. Italy
Result 74-72 87-61 99-62 74-66
Coach Recalcati will rely on two new National Team players in Gallinari and Bargnani. Massimo Bulleri probably will be back after the rest he took last summer as will team captain Giacomo Galanda to help smooth the transition of a new kind of big man. The veteran – and only true center – Denis Marconato is questionable after so-so seasons in 2005 and 2006, with the idea to use power forwards like Galanda and Gigli as centers, replacing him. So it looks like Massimo Bulleri, Gianluca Basile, Marco Belinelli, Marco Mordente and Matteo Soragna will be the teams guards. Danilo Gallinari and Andrea Bargnani are forwards and Mason Rocca, Giacomo Galanda and Angelo Gigli will play down low. That leaves two shirts, and the trip to Spain that goes with them, still up for grabs.
STATISTICS IN 2006 FIBA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
Marco Belinelli Matteo Soragna Fabio DiBella Gianluca Basile Marco Mordente Richard Mason Rocca Andrea Gigli Stefano Mancinelli Denis Marconato Luca Garri Andrea Michelori Andrea Pecile TOTALS
G Min FG 6 21 26-73 6 24 22-47 6 20 17-32 6 20 13-41 6 23 13-33 6 17 16-24 6 17 13-32 5 7 11-14 6 17 10-26 6 12 8-25 6 14 7-19 5 7 4-9 6 - 160-375
109
% 3pts FT Rb As 35.6 14-49 15-20 1.5 1.7 46.8 7-12 11-13 1.8 2.7 53.1 5-12 8-12 4.2 2.2 31.7 7-22 8-12 2.5 1.7 39.4 7-17 8-9 2.5 2.3 66.7 - 6-20 5.0 0.5 40.6 4-10 1-5 2.3 0.7 78.6 1-1 1-4 1.2 1.2 38.5 1-2 6-8 4.8 0.5 32.0 4-15 6-7 2.3 0.5 36.8 1-4 9-10 3.0 0.7 44.4 2-5 2-2 1.0 0.4 42.7 53-149 81-122 31.8 14.7
St 1.0 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.8 1.2 0.7 1.0 0.8 0.3 0.2 0.2 7.5
BS TO - 1.3 0.2 1.8 - 1.8 - 0.8 0.2 1.8 - 0.8 0.8 1.0 - 0.8 0.5 0.2 0.3 0.8 - 0.7 - 0.2 2.0 12.0
Pts 13.5 10.3 7.8 6.8 6.8 6.3 5.2 4.8 4.5 4.3 4.0 2.4 75.7
GROUP D
TEAM STAR ANDREA
BARGNANI Height: 2.13 Position: Power forward Date of birth: 16/10/1985 Place of birth: Roma Team 2006-07: TORONTO RAPTORS (Canada-NBA) Career: Stella Azzurra Roma (Italy-4th Div. ,2002-2003), Benetton Treviso (Italy-Lega, 2003-06), Toronto Raptors (Canada-NBA, 2006-07). Selected in the first round of the 2006 NBA Draft (#1) by the Toronto Raptors.
B
argnani has never played a single game with the senior National Team and only in qualifying at the youth level but then again he had never played a game in the NBA prior to being picked first overall by the Toronto Raptors in the 2006 NBA draft, joining Andrew Bogut and Yao Ming as the only international players to be first overall selections. A few days before the draft, Bargnani led Benetton to a Lega A Championship, downing Climamio Bologna in the championship series, 3-1. He was also named European Young Player of the Year in 2005-06, while averaging 15.3 points, 7.1 rebounds, 1.7 blocks and 1.8 steals per game. Bargnani will be one of the great attractions at EuroBasket 2007. He will be a media magnet that Italy never had in the past. The Rome native was the runner-up for the NBA Rookie of the Year award after a solid season in Toronto and experienced his first NBA All-Star Weekend in February where he was a consensus All-Rookie First Team member. Andrea was expected to join the National Team last year in Japan, but he explained that with his upcoming rookie season in the NBA and with the additional pressure of being selected with the first draft pick, joining Italy for the World Championship would be too much for a single summer. Coach Recalcati accepted the player’s point of view and told the media: “We are not missing Bargnani, because we never had him in the National Team and you can’t miss something you never had.” But Bargnani’s decision created two “parties” inside the Italian media: those who accepted it and those who disagreed. While the Italian press were having that debate, Andrea played in five summer league games with the Raptors, averaging a team-high 13.2 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.0 blocks in 26.2 minutes of playing time per contest. Coach Recalcati and the President of the Italian Federation Mr. Fausto Maifredi made a couple of trips to Toronto to meet with Bargnani in his first NBA season. During the last trip, Bargnani officially received a National Team jersey with the number seven and his name on the back of it. He has been compared to Dirk Nowitzki because of his height (2.13 m) and his all-around style of play. Bargnani is a perimeter-oriented forward with a terrific first step and an excellent outside shot. He has good footwork, a soft touch and can run the floor well. He needs to work on his rebounding (something he improved on a lot in the last part of the NBA season) and his post game. On defense, he has great timing as a shotblocker. Recalcati plans to use him at power forward, but if the coach’s final decision is to have a quicker team, without a true center, Bargnani can also be used as a number five. All that remains is to see how he fits in with his new teammates.
NATIONAL TEAM STATS YEAR
COMPETITION
GP Min
2pts
3pts
2pts
3pts
FT
- Never played with the Senior National Team in official competition -
Rb As Pts
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
GP Min
2003-04 Benetton Treviso (Euroleague) 8 8 2004-05 Benetton Treviso (Euroleague) 12 9 2005-06 Benetton Treviso (Euroleague) 18 21
FT
Rb As Pts
5-6 18-36 43-77
1-5 6-12 23-53
6-8 2-5 42-59
1.5 - 2.4 2.1 0.2 3.7 4.1 0.5 10.9
2pts
3pts
FT
Rb As Pts
NBA STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
2006-07 Toronto Raptors
110
GP Min
65 25 167-357 100-268 117-142 3.9 0.8 11.6
DANILO
BELINELLI
GALLINARI
Height: 1.96 Position: Shooting guard Date of birth: 25/03/1986 Place of birth: San Giovanni Persiceto (Bologna) Team 2006-07: CLIMAMIO BOLOGNA (ItalyLega) Career: Virtus Bologna (Italy-Lega, 200103), Fortitudo Bologna (Italy-Lega, 2003-07).
Height: 2.05 Position: Small forward Date of birth: 08/08/1988 Place of birth: Sant’Angelo Lodigiano (Milano) Team 2006-07: ARMANI JEANS MILANO (Italy-Lega) Career: Casalpusterlengo (Italy-3rd Div., 2003-05), Pavia (Italy-Legadue, 200506), Milano (Italy-Lega, 2006-07).
B
B
elinelli made his debut at the top level of international competition during the 2006 FIBA World Championship. He averaged 13.5 points per contest and immediately became the go-to-guy for the Italian National Team, earning the respect of the veterans on the team. “Beli” is a streaky shooter who is able to solve by himself the offensive struggles of a team like Italy which tends to be more defensively oriented. But Belinelli is something new in Italy’s scenario. He is a very talented player that along with Bargnani and Gallinari is ready to write a different history for the Azzurri. Recalcati admitted that the team needs to change their style of play in the upcoming years because of the of this trio of players with more one-on-one ability. Belinelli is totally devoted (maybe too much so) to the Kobe Bryant style as evidenced by his fade-away offbalance jumpers. But he knows well enough that to be competitive at the top level, he has to improve his ability to put the ball on the floor and earn more free throws and improve his defense to something beyond just a desire to steal the ball. He declared himself as an early entry for the next NBA draft, one year before his normal year. The 25 points he scored against the US team in Sapporo during last summer’s World Championship woke the rest of the world up to this amazing talent.
argnani and Belinelli are not enough? Gallinari is another burgeoning Italian prospect who is expected to be a star and should be ready to join the NBA in a couple of season. The Milan native is the son of Vittorio Gallinari, a former player for Milano and Virtus Bologna. Danilo could be a lottery pick in the NBA when he decides to declare himself eligible for the draft. There have been rumours about an early entry this year, under the pressure of important American agents, but Danilo told his father (now his agent) to refuse the proposal. At 19, Gallinari is coming off of an outstanding first Lega A season with Milano where he averaged 10.9 points and 4.0 rebounds in less than 26 minutes of action. But stats are not everything. Gallinari showed a high level of maturity in his first season at the professional level in Italy and with an ambitious and historic club like Olimpia Milano none the less. Despite his age, he’s able to use his body, is faster than most guys his size and has quick feet and very long arms. He’s not an outstanding athlete, but he has a very natural shot from beyond-the-arc as well as from the line. He also has the ability to finish near the basket. He’s young but always in control of the situation and capable of making the right decision in pressure situations. As a defender, he is comfortable at three positions (shooting guard, small forward and power forward) and with his good lateral quickness, he collects his fair share of offensive fouls.
NATIONAL TEAM STATS YEAR
2006
COMPETITION
World Championship
GP Min
2pts
3pts
FT
Rb As Pts
6 21
12-24
14-49
15-20
1.5 1.7 13.5
GP Min
2pts
3pts
FT
Rb As Pts
NATIONAL TEAM STATS
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07
Virtus Bologna (Euroleague) 8 Fortitudo Bologna (Euroleague) 16 Fortitudo Bologna (Euroleague) 20 Fortitudo Bologna (Euroleague) 19 Fortitudo Bologna (Euroleague) 13
16 13 15 28 28
12-25 8-17 31-63 43-81 32-73
5-18 9-23 11-30 47-107 24-75
6-9 5-6 11-16 27-38 31-41
Italy
MARCO
1.3 0.6 1.2 1.6 1.9
1.0 0.3 1.1 1.0 1.3
YEAR
COMPETITION
GP Min
2pts
3pts
FT
Rb As Pts
2pts
3pts
FT
Rb As Pts
- Never played with the Senior National Team in official competition -
5.6 3.0 4.2 13.4 12.8
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
2005-06 Olimpia Milano (Euroleague)
GP Min
1
2
-
0-1
-
-
-
-
Coach: CARLO RECALCATI Nationality: Italian Date of birth: 11/09/1945 Place of birth: Milano Career: Cantù (Italy-Lega, 1987-90), Reggio Calabria (Italy-Lega, 1990-91), Reggio Calabria (Italy-Legadue, 1991-92), Reggio Calabria (Italy-Lega, 199295), Milano (Italy-Lega, 1995), Bergamo (Italy-3rd Div., 1996-97), Varese (ItalyLega, 1997-99), Fortitudo Bologna (1999-2001), Siena (Italy-Lega, 2003-06). International career: Head coach, Italian National Team (2001-07).
I
n September 2001, Carlo Recalcati replaced Bogdan Tanjevic as the head coach of the Italian National Team. Since that time, he has won the bronze medal at EuroBasket 2003 to go along with a silver medal at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens. In EuroBasket 2005, Italy was disappointing as they lost to Croatia in an elimination game and had to settle for ninth place. Italy was still awarded a wild card spot for the 2006 FIBA World Championship. That event represented
Recalcati’s first step towards re-building a new team centred around young talents like Marco Belinelli, point guard Fabio Di Bella, power forward Andrea Michelori and center Richard Mason Rocca. In the past, Recalcati was a great shooter on the floor, with 166 National Team caps, including two Olympics (1968 and 1976), two World Championships (1967 and 1970), and four European Championship (1967, 1969, 1971 and 1975). As a club player with Cantù, he won two Italian Leagues (1968 and 1975) and six European Cups. As a club coach, he has led his sides to three Italian Championships in three different cities: Varese 1999, Bologna Fortitudo in 2000 and Siena in 2004. His contract expires at the end of EuroBasket 2007, but the two sides are talking about an extension that would last until September 2009, regardless of the final result in Spain.
111
GROUP D
MASSIMO
MARCO
BULLERI
MORDENTE
Height: 1.88 Position: Point guard Date of birth: 10/09/1977 Place of birth: Cecina (Livorno) Team 2006-07: ARMANI JEANS MILANO (Italy-Lega) Career: Treviso (Italy-Lega, 1995-98), Forli (Italy-Legadue, 1998-99), Treviso (Italy-Lega, 1999-2005), Milano (Italy-Lega, 2005-07)
Height: 1.90 Position: Point guard / shooting guard Date of birth: 07/01/1979 Place of birth: Teramo Team 2006-07: BENETTON TREVISO (ItalyLega) Career: Milano (Italy-Lega, 1996-99), Ragusa (Italy-Legadue, 1999-2000), Milano (Italy-Lega, 2000), Reggio Emilia (ItalyLegadue, 2000-01), Milano (Italy-Lega, 2001-02), Siena (Italy-Lega, 2003), Reggio Emilia (Italy-Lega, 2003-05), Benetton Treviso (Italy-Lega, 2005-07).
B
ulleri was a key factor in two of Italy’s most recent medal winning efforts at EuroBasket 2005 and the 2004 Olympics. After a disappointing 2005 domestic season, Recalcati decided the point guard needed a break and though “Bullo” didn’t like the idea at first, he soon accepted his temporary fate. When Bulleri was called to play in an All-Star Game with the National Team in December 2006, his future became clearer and wearing an Azzurri shirt this summer was part of that. His second season in Milano included ups and downs and a never-ending series of minor injuries (knee, ankle, back) which are frustrating for a player who needs to be in good shape to really play his game well, run the fast break, create for himself, play the pick-and-roll and use screens to drive to the basket and finish in traffic.
M
ordente is a dream player for coaches as he is totally devoted to the team and able to have an impact on defense as well as offense with his quick shot off the dribble. A late bloomer, Mordente made his first appearance for his country at EuroBasket 2005 where he showed everybody that he was ready to compete at this level with his big heart and technical skills. His domestic history began at Milano. He then moved on to Reggio Emilia where he had his best season averaging 12.5 points per game in 2004-05. That success prompted Benetton to offer him a three-year contract. Initially a point-guard, he has moved to shooting guard because of his ability to read defenses.
NATIONAL TEAM STATS YEAR
NATIONAL TEAM STATS YEAR
2003 2003 2004 2005
COMPETITION
Semi-final Round EuroBasket Olympic Games EuroBasket
GP Min
8 7 8 4
19 28 27 15
2pts
3pts
14-34 18-49 21-48 6-16
11-24 7-27 11-29 4-9
2pts
3pts
FT
27-29 25-29 20-26 4-4
2005 2006
Rb As Pts
2.0 2.9 2.5 1.8
1.8 2.4 1.9 1.0
11.0 11.7 11.9 7.0
1999-00 2000-01 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06
GP Min
Benetton Treviso (Euroleague) 8 Benetton Treviso (Euroleague) 9 Benetton Treviso (Euroleague) 21 Benetton Treviso (Euroleague) 22 Benetton Treviso (Euroleague) 13 Benetton Treviso (Euroleague) 21 Olimpia Milano (Euroleague) 14
11 5-15 13 12-21 13 33-77 24 55-110 23 26-46 27 86-187 32 36-84
3-7 6-13 10-30 24-86 16-45 27-69 27-65
FT
7-11 9-11 14-16 58-67 26-35 44-50 33-44
SEASON CLUB (Competition)
1997-98 1998-99 2002-03 2002-03 2005-06 2006-07
Rb As Pts
1.1 1.1 1.6 1.7 1.9 2.1 3.5
0.6 0.7 0.9 1.9 2.1 2.5 3.1
3.3 5.7 4.3 10.9 9.7 11.6 13.3
2pts
3pts
FT
YEAR
1998 1999 1999 2000 2001 2003 2003 2004 2005 2006
Rb As Pts
12-20
5-12
8-12
4.2 2.2 7.8
GP Min
2pts
3pts
FT
Rb As Pts
2006-07 Virtus Bologna (EuroCup)
2 14
3-6
-
10-11
2pts
3pts
FT
Rb As Pts
7 10 30 13 24 24
- 0-3 19-38 1-1 28-48 41-77
- 2-11 14-41 0-2 17-41 29-58
- 1-2 40-51 2-2 28-33 28-36
- 0.6 2.9 1.0 2.8 2.8
1.0 0.6 2.3 1.0 1.6 1.5
1.4 10.0 4.0 7.1 9.9
COMPETITION
World Champ Semi-final Round EuroBasket Olympic Games EuroBasket Semi-final Round EuroBasket Olympic Games EuroBasket World Championship
GP Min
9 7 8 7 4 9 7 7 4 6
17 22 11 18 24 27 24 30 25 20
2pts
3pts
13-29 14-30 4-15 9-18 3-8 15-32 13-26 9-24 6-15 6-19
2-8 1-7 4-10 1-9 11-21 16-40 11-33 22-59 7-19 7-22
2pts
3pts
FT
3-6 11-15 4-6 9-15 6-8 12-16 11-18 18-18 7-11 8-12
Rb As Pts
0.9 1.3 1.0 2.7 3.0 2.3 1.3 2.1 2.3 2.5
1.2 1.7 1.0 1.9 2.0 2.8 1.3 1.3 1.5 1.7
3.9 6.0 3.0 4.3 11.3 10.0 10.0 14.6 10.0 6.8
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
GP Min
Olimpia Milano (EuroCup) 1 Olimpia Milano (Saporta) 5 Reggio Emilia (FIBA Cup) 12 Montepaschi Siena (Euroleague) 1 Benetton Treviso (Euroleague) 19 Benetton Treviso (Euroleague) 20
NATIONAL TEAM STATS
NATIONAL TEAM STATS 6 20
1.8 0.8 3.3 2.5 2.3 6.8
T
A
GP Min
Rb As Pts
2-2 8-9
hree missed free throws against Lithuania with a chance to force overtime in the Eight-finals at the World Championships seemed like it might be Gianluca Basile’s last hurrah in an Italian uniform. After a ten-year international career, Basile was ready to announce that he would retire. But coach Recalcati convinced him to sleep on it and so the announcement never came and the 32 year-old “Baso” will be part of the team one more time. The Barcelona star will have a duel role with the team, serving as mentor and back-up to Belinelli and to provide long-distance shooting off the bench.
nother typical Italian late bloomer, De Bella first saw action with the National Team at 28, without any experience even at the youth level. The 28-year-old developed from a playground style player into a team player, making his first step in the fourth division in Siziano (near Milano) with a club owned by his father. Year by year, Di Bella faced new challenges, proving every time that he could succeed at the higher level. He moved to the third division, then Legadue in Pavia, Serie A in Biella and, since 2005 he has been with Virtus Bologna. After just two years, he was named team captain. His athleticism makes him good in traffic as he is able to score using both hands. In November 2006, he had to undergo surgery for a herniated disk and his season only started again in mid-April. He hopes the time off hasn’t affected the place he earned at the 2006 World Championships as the team’s starting point guard.
COMPETITION
FT
1-4 7-17
Height: 1.90 Position: Shooting guard Date of birth: 24/01/1975 Place of birth: Ruvo di Puglia (Bari) Team 2006-07: WINTERTHUR F.C. BARCELONA (Spain-ACB) Career: Reggio Emilia (Italy-Legadue, 199597), Reggio Emilia (Italy-Lega, 1997-99), Fortitudo Bologna (Italy-Lega, 19992005), Barcelona (Spain-ACB, 2005-07).
Height: 1.88 Position: Point guard Date of birth: 13/11/1978 Place of birth: Pavia Team 2006-07: VIDIVICI Virtus Bologna (Italy-Lega) Career: Siziano (Italy-4th Div., 1997-2000), Pavia (Italy-3rd Div, 2000-01), Pavia (Italy-Legadue, 2001-02), Lauretana Biella (Italy-Lega, 2002-05), Virtus Bologna (Italy-Lega, 2005-07).
World Championship
3pts
4-7 6-16
BASILE
DI BELLA
2006
2pts
4 12 6 23
GIANLUCA
FABIO
YEAR
GP Min
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
COMPETITION
EuroBasket World Championship
SEASON CLUB (Competition)
1998-99 1999-00 2000-01 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07
2.5 2.0 8.0
112
GP Min
Reggio Emilia (Korac Cup) 8 Fortitudo Bologna (Euroleague) 21 Fortitudo Bologna (Euroleague) 10 Fortitudo Bologna (Euroleague) 17 Fortitudo Bologna (Euroleague) 19 Fortitudo Bologna (Euroleague) 17 Fortitudo Bologna (Euroleague) 20 F.C. Barcelona (Euroleague) 23 F.C. Barcelona (Euroleague) 22
37 26-56 5-21 30 48-74 32-86 4 25-39 19-52 32 65-147 40-93 34 50-111 42-117 29 24-58 41-106 30 81-204 53-149 24 27-50 37-126 27 30-59 44-100
FT
12-18 29-34 26-34 30-41 37-43 35-42 37-41 35-43 22-27
Rb As Pts
3.5 2.0 3.9 2.2 3.1 2.6 4.0 2.2 2.5
2.0 1.8 2.7 3.2 3.4 2.9 2.8 1.6 1.6
9.9 10.5 13.3 11.8 13.8 12.1 12.6 8.7 9.6
DANIEL
SORAGNA
HACKETT
Height: 1.97 Position: Shooting guard / Small forward Date of birth: 26/12/1975 Place of birth: Mantova Team 2006-07: BENETTON TREVISO (ItalyLega) Career: Cremona (Italy-3rd Div., 1993-96), Pistoia (Italy-Lega, 1996-97), Barcellona (Italy-3rd Div., 1997-99), Barcellona (Italy-Legadue, 1999-2000), Biella (Italy-Legadue, 2000-01), Biella (Italy-Lega, 2001-04), Treviso (Italy-Lega, 2004-07).
Height: 1.96 Position: Shooting guard / Small forward Date of birth: 19/12/1987 Place of birth: Forlimpopoli Team 2006-07: USC (USA-NCAA) Career: Scavolini Pesaro (Italy-Youth teams, 2000-03), St.-John Bosco High School (USA-High School, 2003-06), University of Southern California (USANCAA, 2006-07).
C
oach Recalcati told the media that Daniel will be the starting point-guard in the upcoming three years. His father, Rudy, played at the professional level in Italy for different teams in the late seventies and early eighties. Daniel started to play for the youth team of Scavolini Pesaro, but at that time he was overweight and very slow with his moves. His career turned when Rudy decided to pick-up Daniel in the USA. With heavy summer work devoted to his body and skills, Daniel became the best team scorer at his high school. Then came Daniel’s offer from Southern California, where Rudy has been hired as a strength and conditioning coach. In his first season with the Trojans, Daniel was a starter under coach Tim Floyd, playing at both guard positions. He’s a very promising perimeter player, who has great passing skills and court vision. He is very mature for his age and already a leader. He’s not a great athlete, but he can score with the ability to create his own shot and score in clutch moments. His high-career is 20 points vs Texas followed by 18 on 11-of-11 shooting at the line vs George Washington. He was the starting point guard for Italy’s team that won the Bronze Medal at the last U20 European championship in Gorizia.
S
oragna is another late bloomer that coach Recalcati added to the team when he was 28 and without any international experience. He made his debut with the National Team at EuroBasket 2003. Soragna plied his trade in the second and third level of Italian basketball before his ability to shoot from the outside caught the attention of larger clubs. On defense he has the size to match-up with the opponents’ best scorers at shooting guard or small forward and on offense he is versatile, with the ability to fill in at point guard if necessary. Italy has also discovered that Matteo is a vocal leader. He is the team captain at Benetton and his great friend Andrea Bargnani asked him to be present in New York the night he was selected with the number one overall pick in the NBA draft.
NATIONAL TEAM STATS YEAR
2003 2003 2004 2005 2006
COMPETITION
Semi-final Round EuroBasket Olympic Games EuroBasket World Championship
GP Min
4 6 8 4 6
17 17 24 20 24
2pts
3pts
FT
5-8 6-13 8-23 7-16 15-35
4-5 4-11 5-11 2-10 7-12
3-4 8-10 11-14 0-2 11-13
2pts
3pts
FT
Rb As Pts
1.0 1.5 2.9 1.3 1.8
0.8 1.0 1.1 2.3 2.7
6.3 5.3 5.3 5.0 10.3
NATIONAL TEAM STATS YEAR
GP Min
2004-05 Benetton Treviso (Euroleague) 22 27 64-147 2005-06 Benetton Treviso (Euroleague) 17 27 28-50 2006-07 Benetton Treviso (Euroleague) 20 24 37-67
31-70 20-47 13-56
30-40 8-10 25-35
SEASON CLUB (Competition)
Rb As Pts
M
2pts
4 14 5 7
6-10 10-13
GP Min
2pts
3pts
FT
2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07
Fortitudo Bologna (Euroleague) 5 Fortitudo Bologna (Euroleague) 14 Fortitudo Bologna (Euroleague) 16 Fortitudo Bologna (Euroleague) 19 Fortitudo Bologna (Euroleague) 19 Fortitudo Bologna (Euroleague) 13
4 10 10 18 19 28
2-5 15-23 21-35 45-80 30-61 39-67
1-2 1-4
3.0 1.0 3.3 1.2 1.2 4.8
3pts
FT
Rb As Pts
- 11-12 11-18 17-24 12-17 12-23
3pts
FT
Rb As Pts
Rb As Pts
0-3 1-1
1-3 0-8 1-12 13-28 16-46 14-35
2pts
A
NATIONAL TEAM STATS
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
GP Min
fter signing a three-year contract with Benetton, Gigli has proved that he could play a major role with the National Team. His efforts at the last World Championship were appreciated and have earned him a chance to show his talents again at EuroBasket 2007. At Benetton, Gigli has become a more polished player, improving his overall intensity and his use of his body in rebounding and scoring around the basket. Has also has more confidence with his jump shot and has even become a threat from three-point range. Along with Bargnani, Gigli gives the Italians an imposing presence in the paint that they have never had in the past.
NATIONAL TEAM STATS GP Min
Rb As Pts
Height: 2.09 Position: Power forward / Center Date of birth: 04/06/1983 Place of birth: St. Pietermaritzburg (South Africa) Team 2006-07: BENETTON TREVISO (ItalyLega) Career: Fortitudo Roma (Italy-5th Div., 2000-01), Reggio Emilia (Italy-Legadue, 2001-04), Reggio Emilia (Italy-Lega, 2004-06), Treviso (2006-07).
ancinelli got his start with the Azzurri at EuroBasket 2005 and was part of the team during the last World Championship. He understands the rules and knows that Recalcati considers him more as a tactical weapon at the power forward spot. But in the second part of the domestic season, Mancinelli showed great improvement on his outside game. He can do everything on the court, facing the basket or in the low post and he has a soft touch. Last summer, he was 6-for-6 from the floor against the USA, scoring 12 points in 16 minutes.
COMPETITION
FT
GIGLI
Height: 2.03 Position: Small Forward Date of birth: 17/03/1983 Place of birth: ChietiClub Team 2006-07 CLIMAMIO BOLOGNA (Italy-Lega) Career: Fortitudo Bologna (Italy-Lega, 2000-07).
EuroBasket World Championship
3pts
Angelo
MANCINELLI
2005 2006
2pts
- Never played in European club competition -
2.9 1.5 8.6 2.6 2.3 7.3 1.9 1.5 6.9
STEFANO
YEAR
GP Min
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
COMPETITION
- Never played with the Senior NT in official competition -
0.2 1.4 1.8 3.2 3.5 3.4
- 0.3 0.3 1.4 1.5 1.4
YEAR
2005 2006
1.0 2.9 3.5 6.3 6.3 10.2
COMPETITION
EuroBasket World Championship
GP Min
3 16 6 17
2pts
3-5 9-22
3pts
1-6 4-10
FT
6-8 1-5
Rb As Pts
3.3 - 5.0 2.3 0.7 5.2
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
GP Min
2002-03 Reggio Emilia (FIBA Cup) 15 16 2005-06 Reggio Emilia (ULEB Cup) 13 28 2006-07 Benetton Treviso (Euroleague) 20 18
113
2pts
15-30 26-48 41-75
3pts
9-21 16-34 12-35
FT
7-12 14-25 23-38
Rb As Pts
1.7 0.5 4.3 5.0 1.2 8.8 3.3 0.6 7.1
Italy
MATTEO
GROUP D
GIACOMO
DENIS
GALANDA
MARCONATO
Height: 2.10 Position: Power forward / Center Date of birth: 30/01/1975 Place of birth: Udine Team 2006-07: WHIRLPOOL VARESE (ItalyLega) Career: Verona (Italy-Lega, 1993-97), Fortitudo Bologna (Italy-Lega, 1997-98), Varese (Italy-Lega, 1998-99), Fortitudo Bologna (Italy-Lega, 1999-2003), Siena (Italy-Lega, 2003-05), Milano (ItalyLega, 2005-06), Varese (Italy-Lega, 2006-07).
Height: 2.11 Position: Center Date of birth: 29/07/1975 Place of birth: Treviso Team 2006-07: WINTERTHUR F.C. BARCELONA (Spain-ACB) Career: Treviso (Italy-Lega, 1992-95), Padova (Italy-Legadue, 1995-96), Treviso (Italy-Lega, 1996-2005), Barcelona (SpainACB, 2005-07).
L
ast year, coach Recalcati decided to split the historical center duo of Marconato and Chiacig - offering just one shirt for that role. Marconato won the race to the World Championship. But his performance was unsatisfying, just like EuroBasket 2005. So this time around Marconato, at 32, has to fight for his place on the team. Since 1997, Marconato has won four medals with Italy and is one of the real veterans of the team, alongside Galanda. However, Marconato’s time seems to be coming to an end. Recalcati’s return means the continued use of power forwards at the center spot and with Bargnani (2.13), Gigli (2.09) and Galanda (2.10) back in the National Team, plus Mason Rocca as a more prototypical post player, the spot is crowded. Marconato has an excellent shooting touch from five meters, making him dangerous in both pick-and-roll and pick-and-pop situations. With Benetton, he won 13 trophies, plus the Copa del Rey with Barcelona.
G
alanda has been team captain since 2003 due to his long history with the National Team, which started in 1997 with a EuroBasket silver medal. The Udine native has a deadly three-point shooting stroke combined with an array of moves in the high-post. As a result, the opposition must guard him with quicker players. And in that situation, Giacomo can use his turnaround close to the basket, taking advantage of his 2.10 m. He is also a solid defender, a skill he will probably be asked to display this EuroBasket as he spends time playing next to Bargnani. Last summer Galanda retuned to Varese, eight years after his 1999 Lega winning season.
NATIONAL TEAM STATS YEAR
1997 1997 1998 1999 1999 2000 2001 2003 2003 2004 2005
COMPETITION
Semi-final Round EuroBasket World Champ Semi-final Round EuroBasket Olympic Games EuroBasket Semi-final Round EuroBasket Olympic Games EuroBasket
GP Min
7 6 9 9 9 7 4 8 7 8 4
12 9 13 17 18 21 16 16 29 27 25
2pts
7-19 8-12 8-22 21-36 11-17 14-28 4-11 11-28 22-40 9-31 5-12
3pts
- 1-2 5-11 3-7 9-19 8-17 1-4 5-14 8-21 19-39 6-11
FT
3-4 3-3 1-2 10-14 16-22 7-9 5-6 2-2 9-13 7-10 6-6
Rb As Pts
2.0 1.3 3.0 3.6 3.7 3.6 2.8 3.1 6.7 4.3 4.8
0.7 0.5 0.1 1.2 1.3 1.1 0.5 0.8 1.6 0.3 1.5
2.4 3.7 3.6 6.8 7.2 8.4 4.0 4.9 11.0 10.3 8.5
NATIONAL TEAM STATS YEAR
1997 1997 1999 1999 2000 2001 2003 2003 2004 2005 2006
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
1994-95 1996-97 1997-98 1998-99 1999-00 2000-01 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06
GP Min
Scaligera Verona (Korac Cup) 6 Scaligera Verona (EuroCup) 17 Fortitudo Bologna (Euroleague) 17 Varese Roosters (Euroleague) 18 Fortitudo Bologna (Euroleague) 21 Fortitudo Bologna (Euroleague) 10 Fortitudo Bologna (Euroleague) 17 Fortitudo Bologna (Euroleague) 19 Montepaschi Siena (Euroleague) 21 Montepaschi Siena (Euroleague) 19 Olimpia Milano (Euroleague) 14
2pts
21 12-30 21 45-92 10 8-26 20 38-72 19 34-60 22 30-60 16 35-74 26 45-82 22 31-62 19 50-101 28 32-54
3pts
2-4 3-14 8-16 15-33 17-30 4-18 14-38 24-66 22-55 24-58 22-41
FT
7-9 30-34 2-6 18-19 23-29 13-16 16-23 26-35 19-25 3-4 14-16
Rb As Pts
4.0 3.7 1.2 4.2 3.5 3.7 2.6 5.6 3.4 3.7 5.0
0.3 0.8 0.1 0.7 0.3 1.1 0.5 1.2 0.6 0.8 1.3
6.2 7.6 2.5 7.7 6.8 8.5 5.9 9.9 7.0 6.7 10.3
COMPETITION
Semi-final Round EuroBasket Semi-final Round EuroBasket Olympic Games EuroBasket Semi-final Round EuroBasket Olympic Games EuroBasket World Champ
SEASON CLUB (Competition)
1994-95 1996-97 1997-98 1998-99 1999-00 2000-01 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07
3pts
2006-07 Virtus Roma (Euroleague)
FT
Rb As Pts
1 11 8 13 6 12
0-1 10-21 4-10
0-1 5-12 4-15
- 1-2 6-7
3.0 - 2.4 0.1 4.5 2.3 0.5 4.3
GP Min
2pts
3pts
FT
Rb As Pts
19 18
26-58
12-59
Rb As Pts
4.8 4.9 5.2 3.7 2.0 3.3 7.0 4.9 5.6 4.8 4.8
- 0.3 0.4 0.2 - 0.3 0.7 0.6 0.9 1.0 0.5
6.0 7.4 6.7 4.0 3.2 4.5 6.7 5.6 5.6 5.8 4.5
12 13 19 19 27 18 19 22 26 25 22 20
10-14 23-43 64-102 31-50 66-111 22-35 53-87 90-119 72-118 70-126 68-123 56-85
- - - 0-1 1-5 0-1 3-5 0-2 - 0-1 - 1-3
FT
4-7 21-30 31-45 14-20 30-38 3-11 30-43 47-60 54-69 34-46 21-32 27-37
Rb As Pts
6.0 3.9 4.3 5.5 6.4 3.3 5.7 7.0 7.9 7.2 4.6 4.1
- 0.1 0.3 0.2 0.5 0.5 0.6 0.4 0.7 1.3 0.7 1.1
8.0 4.8 6.9 5.8 9.2 4.7 7.0 10.3 10.4 7.9 6.3 6.5
A
NATIONAL TEAM STATS YEAR
2006
21-30
COMPETITION
World Champ
GP Min
6 17
2pts
3pts
2pts
3pts
16-24
-
FT
Rb As Pts
6-20
5.0 0.5 6.3
FT
Rb As Pts
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
3pts
FT
4-6 21-33 27-35 14-19 2-4 5-7 10-14 13-19 13-17 5-9 6-8
fter his first experience with the National Team, everybody fell in love with Mason who is an incredible worker with a deadly hook-shot, a tool he developed to avoid being blocked by much taller centers. While the official registers list him at 2.04 m, Richard himself admits that he is under two meters. At the World Championship, he played exceptionally well against Yao Ming, pushing him out of his comfort zone and using his quick feet to turn him over. As aggressive on the court as he is quiet and good natured off of it, Rocca received an Italian passport in 2002 after graduating from Princeton with a degree in electrical engineering. The Evanston, Illinois native is a terrible free-throw shooter but most people forgive him for that weakness due to his physical play under the basket.
NATIONAL TEAM STATS 2pts
2pts
- - - 0-1 - 1-1 1-1 0-1 - - 1-2
Height: 2.04 Position: Center Date of birth: 06/11/1977 Place of birth: Evanston (Illinois, Usa) Team 2006-07: ELDO NAPOLI (Italy-Lega) Career: Princeton (USA-NCAA Div. 1, 199600), Trenton (USA-IBL, 2000-01), Jesi (ItalyLegadue, 2001-04), Napoli (Italy-Lega, 2004-07).
“
GP Min
3pts
MASON ROCCA
Mr. Up and Down”, first appeared for the National Team at the 2004 Olympics when Recalcati selected him to replace the veteran Alessandro De Pol. At just 22, Garri was a factor in a couple of wins on the road to the silver medal. In 2004, he moved from Livorno to Roma, where he struggled and lost his place on the Italian team for EuroBasket 2005. Another move from Roma to Biella turned out to be much more successful as Garri averaged 11.4 points in 27 minutes of action per game and shot 40% from three-point range. Following this performance, Asti was back playing in the 2006 World Championship, having a role in the wins over China and Slovenia. Garri moved back to Roma and once again struggled putting him in doubt to make the Italian roster for EuroBasket 2007. Coach Recalcati will give him a chance, but Garri has to convince him of his ability to use both hands, play facing the basket or be useful in the low post. COMPETITION
2pts
10-15 23-41 20-34 11-23 7-10 5-9 17-21 13-22 16-26 9-16 9-24
RICHARD
Height: 2.07 Position: Center Date of birth: 03/01/1982 Place of birth: Asti Team 2006-07: LOTTOMATICA ROMA (ItalyLega) Career: Montecatini (Italy-Lega, 1999-2000), Livorno (Italy-Legadue, 2000-01), Livorno (Italy-Lega, 2001-04), Roma (ItalyLega, 2004-05), Biella (Italy-Lega, 2005-06), Roma (Italy-Lega, 2006-07).
Semi-final Round Olympic Games World Champinship
16 17 19 17 10 11 20 17 19 18 17
GP Min
Benetton Treviso (EuroCup) 3 Benetton Treviso (Korac Cup) 14 Benetton Treviso (Euroleague) 23 Benetton Treviso (Saporta) 13 Benetton Treviso (Euroleague) 18 Benetton Treviso (Euroleague) 10 Benetton Treviso (Euroleague) 20 Benetton Treviso (Euroleague) 22 Benetton Treviso (Euroleague) 19 Benetton Treviso (Euroleague) 22 F.C. Barcelona (Euroleague) 25 F.C. Barcelona (Euroleague) 22
GARRI
2003 2004 2006
4 9 10 9 5 4 7 7 8 4 6
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS
LUCA
YEAR
GP Min
SEASON CLUB (Competition)
4.8 0.4 5.7
114
GP Min
2004-05 S.S. Basket Napoli (ULEB Cup) 9 27 2006-07 S.S. Basket Napoli (Euroleague) 13 24
37-72 55-96
- -
21-44 10.1 0.4 10.6 39-66 6.9 0.4 11.5
Poland
GROUP D
Back in the G one at EuroBasket 1965 in Moscow, and another at EuroBasket 1967 in Helsinki. Additionally the Polish team finished fifth at the 1967 World Championship in Montevideo and sixth in both the 1960 Olympic Games held in Rome and the 1964 games in Tokyo. In Japan, Bohdan Likszo, one of the best Polish players in history, was asked by the legendary Celtics coach Red Auerbach if he would consider playing for his team but with the Cold War raging it was not to be.
Poland coach Andrej Urlep is building a team not only for EuroBasket 2007, but also for the 2009 event which will be played in Poland. For him this EuroBasket is a test for his young Polish roster but, of course, for fans it is much more then a test. Like many teams in their position Poland is focused on qualifying for the 2008 Olympics in Beijing and after a 10year EuroBasket break they are hungry enough for success that motivation will not be an issue but they still may lack the necessary experience to achieve their goal.
Biggest EuroBasket Success
Biggest EuroBasket Disaster
Following the “Great Sixties”, Poland finished dead last at EuroBasket 1973 in Spain, having won just a single game in the tournament against Romania. In 1977, Poland did not qualify for the EuroBasket final round and it is still considered as the greatest failure of the best Polish coach in history, Witold Zagorski, who resigned soon after. But the greatest disappointment for Polish fans is the long “ice age” that occurred between the seventh place brought back from Barcelona in 1997 and the EuroBasket in which they are about to compete. In the interim, Poland failed to qualify for four straight EuroBaskets: 1999, 2001, 2003 and 2005. It is a feat they hope will never be repeated.
Best Individual Performance/Best Player of All-Time
Poland was quite successful early on in their basketball history, including a fourth place in the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin, another fourth place in the second EuroBasket in Riga (1937) and a bronze medal in Kaunas two years later. After World War II, Polish basketball underwent a period of rapid development. In the 1960s, the National Team was one of the best in Europe. Led by coach Witold Zagorski, Poland won a silver medal at EuroBasket 1963 at home in Wroclaw, beating the first great Yugoslavia team in the semifinals, 83-72, before having to surrender in the final against the almost invincible Soviet Union. The best Polish players back then were Janusz Wichowski, Andrzej Pstrokonski, Mieczyslaw Lopatka, Bohdan Likszo and Wieslaw Langiewicz. The high level of Polish basketball was also exhibited on the domestic level by the club Wisla Cracow, which, during a FIBA festival in Cracow in 1965, beat Real Madrid and the a European All-Star team. The greatest sensation of all was the Polish National Team’s victory over the USA in a friendly game played in Lodz. In the years that followed, Poland won two bronze medals,
ROSTER Player
Andrzej Pluta Iwo Kitzinger Robert Skibniewski Lukasz Koszarek Michal Chylinski Krzysztof Roszyk Jeff Nordgaard Michal Ignerski Marcin Stefanski Filip Dylewicz Radoslaw Hyzy Adam Wojcik Maciej Lampe Marcin Gortat Wiktor Grudzin´ski Coach: Andrej Urlep
Height Position Birthdate Team 2006-07
1.82 1.88 1.83 1.87 1.99 2.00 1.98 2.07 1.99 2.02 2.03 2.09 2.11 2.14 2.08
1 1 1 1 1-2 2-3 3 3-4 3-4 4 4 4-5 4-5 4-5 5
26/04/74 26/02/85 19/07/83 12/01/84 22/02/86 20/08/78 23/02/73 13/08/80 24/02/83 25/01/80 08/02/77 20/04/70 05/02/85 17/02/84 09/04/78
Anwil Wloclawek Starogard Gdanski Swiecie Zgorzelec Unicaja Malaga (ESP) Zgorzelec Trefl Sopot Sevilla (ESP) Slask Wroclaw Trefl Sopot Slask Wroclaw Trefl Sopot Khimki Moscow (RUS) Köln (GER) Anwil Wloclawek
It is very hard to choose the best player of all-time as there were so many great players in the 60’s and 70’s. In the opening years of the 80’s, Dariusz Zelig was the most famous Polish player, predominantly because of his “charisma”. In EuroBasket 1987, he was the only player capable of slowing down the Greek scoring machine, Nikos Galis, and was the third best scorer of the tournament in Greece averaging 26.3 points per game. The “Modern Era” of Polish basketball belongs to Adam Wojcik, who achieved successes not only in the Polish league but also in the top European leagues of Greece and Spain. He also won eight National Championships in Poland and another one in Belgium.
Scouting Report
Under current coach Andrej Urlep, the Polish National Team made a huge step towards coming back to the top of European basketball. The Slovenian who has coached in the Polish league since 1997 changed the roster and more importantly, the way players thought about the National Team. Under Urlep, Poland has a new style based on the Yugoslavian school which is rooted in great teamwork, defense and balanced offence. For the first time since 1997, Poland won qualification to EuroBasket in the first round. The Polish squad beat Ukraine, Bulgaria and Sweden twice to finish on top of Group A. Urlep selected players on the basis of technique, current shape and commitment. For these reasons, the biggest stars of the team are Adam Wojcik and Maciej Lampe, a former NBA player who is now in the Russian SuperLeague.
Prediction
Urlep is building a team not only for EuroBasket 2007, but also for the 2009 event which will be played in Poland. Therefore, the tournament in Spain will be a huge test for this young Polish roster. But, of course, for fans it is not just a test. For Poland, which like most other teams is focused
Last 10 FIBA events Year Event
2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997
116
World Championship EuroBasket Olympics EuroBasket World championship EuroBasket Olympics EuroBasket World Championship EuroBasket
Place
Saitama Belgrade Athens Stockholm Indianapolis Istanbul Sydney Paris Athens Barcelona
Achievement
Did not qualify Did not qualify Did not qualify Did not qualify Did not qualify Did not qualify Did not qualify Did not qualify Did not qualify 7th
National Team after sitting out five years) and Andrzej Pluta (also returning to the team, at Urlep’s request, and who played in the qualifying round) will be two key Polish players in the tournament. Few players have a guaranteed spot in the roster though Filip Dylewicz, Krzysztof Roszyk, Michał Ignerski and the eccentric Radosław Hyzy (a Polish version of Dennis Rodman) seem to be likely members.
on the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, the main goal is to qualify for the quarterfinals. This team is hungry for success after this 10-year EuroBasket break, but they might lack the necessary experience to achieve their goal.
Likely Squad
Coach Urlep did not want to talk about names – partly because he doesn’t like journalists - before the start of preparations for EuroBasket, but it is expected that the experienced Adam Wojcik (who returned to the
Robert Skibniewski
Accumulated statistics in Qualifying round
How did they qualify? Qualifying round
1st in Group A (4 W – 2 L)
Results
Date Aug-31st 2006 Sept-3rd 2006 Sept-6th 2006 Sept-9th 2006 Sept-13th 2006 Sept-16th 2006 * Home team
Game Poland b. *Sweden *Poland b. Bulgaria *Poland b. Ukraine *Poland b. Sweden *Bulgaria b. Poland *Ukraine b. Poland
Results 81-75 75-68 74-58 88-67 99-75 80-74
Player Andrzej Pluta Adam Wojcik Jeff Nordgaard Filip Dylewicz Krzysztof Roszyk Lukasz Koszarek Kordian Korytek Michal Chylinski Robert Skibniewski Szymon Szewczyk Radoslaw Hyzy Bartosz Sarzalo Michal Ignerski Pawel Kikowski Bartosz Diduszko TOTAL
G Min FG 5 28 26-56 6 23 21-54 4 22 17-26 6 23 19-34 6 20 15-26 6 24 10-30 6 9 13-18 5 13 9-19 6 18 9-26 5 9 7-21 6 17 6-22 3 7 3 9 0-9 1 1 1 16 0-3 6 - 152-346
117
% 46.4 38.9 65.4 55.9 57.7 33.3 72.2 47.4 34.6 33.3 27.3 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 43.9
3pts FT Rb As 12-26 12-12 1.2 1.2 2-13 36-45 4.7 1.8 11-18 4-8 4.5 1.0 8-13 8-9 5.7 1.5 5-11 6-7 1.0 0.7 4-14 15-18 3.7 4.0 3-14 2.3 0.3 3-8 3-5 0.8 0.8 5-16 5-5 1.0 2.3 1-5 4-6 3.0 0.2 2-16 4.7 0.7 0-1 3-6 - 0.3 1-2 1.7 0-1 0-2 1.0 51-128 102-153 32.8 14.0
St 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.7 0.7 2.0 0.2 0.4 0.3 0.8 1.5 0.7 0.3 1.0 8.7
poland
Game
BS TO - 2.0 1.3 3.0 0.3 0.8 0.2 1.5 - 0.8 0.2 1.7 - 0.8 - 0.8 - 1.8 0.4 0.2 0.2 0.8 - 0.3 - 0.3 2.3 13.8
Pts 15.2 13.3 12.3 9.0 6.8 6.5 4.8 4.8 4.7 3.8 2.3 1.0 0.3 76.2
GROUP d
TEAM STAR ADAM
WOJCIK Height: 2.09 Position: Power forward / Center Date of birth: 20/04/1970 Place of birth: Olawa (Poland) Team 2006-07: PROKOMTREFL SOPOT (Poland-Div. 1) Career: Gwardia Aspro Wroclaw (Poland-Div. 1, 1987-94), Mazowszanka Pruszkow (Poland-Div. 1, 1994-95), Bobry Bytom (Poland-Div. 1, 1995), Sunair Oostende (Belgium–D1, 1996), Spirou Charleroi (Belgium–D1, 1996-97), Zepter Slask Wroclaw (Poland-Div. 1, 1997-2001), Peristeri Athens (GreeceESAKE, 2001-02), Unicaja Malaga (Spain-Liga ACB, 2002-03), Slask Wroclaw (Poland-Div. 1, 2003-04), Prokom-Trefl Sopot (Poland-Div. 1, 2004-07).
K
nown as “The Professor”, Wojcik is the best Polish player over the last 15 years and one of the best in the country’s history. He started to play basketball as a 14-year-old and, 23 years later, he’s still throwing an orange ball into a red circle. But for the last two decades he has done it for a living. Wojcik was born in a small city called Olawa, near Wroclaw, in a region where basketball is more popular then anywhere else in Poland. The 2.09 m post player won seven national titles in Poland (one with Pruszkow, four with Slask Wroclaw and two in Sopot) and triumphed once in the Belgian league (with Charleroi). He was a four-time MVP of the Polish league and had a successful career in Greece and Spain. Wojcik spent eight seasons playing at the top of European club basketball, seven in the Euroleague with Peristeri, Unicaja Malaga, Slask Wroclaw and Prokom Trefl Sopot, and one year in the SuproLeague with Slask. His best season abroad was in 2001-2002, as a member of Peristeri. There, Wojcik averaged 18.4 points per game in the Euroleague and 20.5 points in ESAKE. He played some unbelievable games in the 1998 Polish league finals in what will be remembered as one of the best in the countries history (Mazowszanka Pruszkow took on Slask Wroclaw). Wojcik was also selected to the Polish All-Star Game 11 times, was named MVP in 1999 and twice won the Slam Dunk Contest. Wojcik will also be remembered as the first Polish player ever invited to a training camp of an NBA team when he tried out for the Los Angeles Clippers in 1995. Wojcik has been a member of the Polish National Team for 18 years before taking a break and returning when his former Wroclaw coach Andrej Urlep was appointed to lead the national side. Wojcik played in EuroBasket in 1991 and in 1997 when Poland finished seventh. In 1991 he was a member of the starting five and was recognized as the biggest potential star to come out of Poland in years. In 1997, he was the secondleading scorer at EuroBasket averaging 11.2 points per contest. His natural shooting talent makes him a deadly offensive weapon and all his coaches agree that he is one of the best players they have ever worked with. He has skills, technique, a good jump shot, great inside moves and the ability to put the ball on the floor. But it’s his experience and influence, especially in the locker room, that this young Polish team covets the most! Nobody will be surprised to learn that Wojcik will be the go-to player for Urlep’s team. Asked about retirement, Adam replies, “I will be playing basketball as long as I enjoy it.” Basketball and family, those are the most important things for Adam, who often plays basketball and football with his twin sons, Jan and Szymon (7 years old).
NATIONAL TEAM STATS YEAR
1989 1991 1995 1997 1997 1997 1999 2001 2003 2007
COMPETITION
Qualifying round EuroBasket Qualifying round Qualifying Round Semi-final Round EuroBasket Semi-final Round Semi-final Round Semi-final Round Qualifying Round / Div. A
GP Min
2pts
3pts
FT
- statistics not available 6 n.a. 13-29 3-5 n.a. - stats not available 5 25 38-61 2-3 26-35 10 28 54-107 3-11 24-43 9 25 35-72 4-13 19-31 8 27 28-59 3-20 21-32 10 25 40-73 10-26 45-61 7 27 30-52 3-17 22-38 6 23 19-41 2-13 36-45
Rb As Pts
4.2 n.a. 9.0 5.8 5.1 4.1 3.9 3.5 4.4 4.7
2.2 1.3 1.0 1.1 0.6 1.6 1.8
21.6 14.1 11.2 10.8 15.5 13.0 13.3
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
1994-95 1995-96 1996-97 1998-99 1999-00 2000-01 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07
118
GP Min
Pruszkow (Korac Cup) 1 25 Bobry Bytom (Korac Cup) 3 31 Spirou Charleroi (Euroleague) 16 28 Slask Wroclaw (Saporta) 11 30 Slask Wroclaw (Saporta) 15 31 Slask Wroclaw (SuproLeague) 20 27 Peristeri Athens (Euroleague) 14 30 Unicaja Malaga (Euroleague) 15 15 Slask Wroclaw (Euroleague) 14 27 Prokom Trefl Sopot (Euroleague) 20 26 Prokom Trefl Sopot (Euroleague) 14 24 Prokom Trefl Sopot (Euroleague) 18 15
2pts
11-13 14-31 69-144 52-99 75-135 121-235 87-162 24-42 58-99 81-170 47-87 39-88
3pts
- 1-3 11-39 10-33 12-30 107-193 14-40 4-14 15-36 12-32 8-32 6-21
FT
0-2 12-21 26-53 40-50 66-106 14-42 69-87 20-27 43-63 39-60 38-53 24-37
Rb As Pts
4.0 7.7 4.4 5.4 3.5 5.2 3.3 2.2 3.7 4.6 3.9 2.7
- 2.3 0.4 1.0 1.2 1.2 1.4 0.3 0.6 0.6 0.9 0.8
22.0 14.3 12.3 15.8 16.8 23.2 18.4 5.3 14.6 10.7 11.1 6.7
ANDRZEJ
LAMPE
PLUTA
Height: 2.11 Position: Power forward/Center Date of birth: 05/02/1985 Place of birth: Lódź (Poland) Team 2006-07: KHIMKI MOSCOW (RussiaSuperleague) Career: Alvik Stockholm (SwedenBasketligan, 2000-01), Real Madrid (SpainLiga EBA and ACB, 2001-03), New York Knicks (NBA, 2003-04), Phoenix Suns (USA-NBA, 2004-05), New Orleans Hornets (USA-NBA, 2005-06), Houston Rockets (USA-NBA, 2006), Dynamo St. Petersburg (Russia-Superleague, 2006), Khimki Moscow (Russia-Superleague, 2006-07). Selected in the second round of the 2003 NBA draft (#30) by the New York Knicks. Rights traded to Phoenix in January 2004.
Height: 1.82 Position: Point guard Date of birth: 26/04/1974 Place of birth: Ruda Slaska (Poland) Team 2006-07: ANWIL WLOCLAWEK (Poland-Div. 1) Career: Pogon Ruda Slaska (Poland-Div. 2, 1991-94), Bobry Bytom (Poland-Div. 1, 1994-99), Pogon Ruda Slaska (PolandDiv. 1, 1999-2000), Czarni Slupsk (Poland-Div. 1, 2000-01), MKS Pruszkow (Poland-Div. 1, 2001-02), Anwil Wloclawek (Poland-Div. 1, 2002-03), Prokom Trefl Sopot (Poland-Div. 1, 2003-04), Châlons-sur-Marne (France-Pro A, 200405), Turow Zgorzelec (Poland-Div. 1, 2005-06), Anwil Wloclawek (Poland-Div. 1, 2006-07)
H
ard work and strong character are keys to Pluta’s long and fabulous career. He is the second player, after Adam Wojcik, to return to the National Team after a break at the prompting of new coach Andrej Urlep’s appointment. The Ruda Slaska native won his first Polish title at Anwil with Urlep in 2003. The 33-year-old player is still the best Polish three-point shooter and his shooting ability is famous not only in Poland, but also all over Europe. He played very well in the qualifying round for EuroBasket 1997 but did not play particularly well in the final round. Three times Pluta won the three-point shooting contest at the Polish AllStar Game and his record for three-point shots made in one game is 11. Last season was very good one for Pluta as he finished with 15.6 points per game. This old gun can still fire!
L
ampe was born in Lodz but grew up in Sweden, where he moved with his family. He comes from a sporting family as his father and mother both played volleyball professionally in Poland. Lampe is probably the most talented young Polish player over the last ten years and he showed his talent very early, playing in the Euroleague as a 17-year-old for one of the best clubs in Europe – Real Madrid. The 2.11 m post man was the youngest player to ever play with Real Madrid’s first team and was selected in the second round of the NBA draft in 2003 by the New York Knicks. He was the first Polish player drafted by the NBA but his career did not develop as he had hoped it would. After leaving the Knicks he played for Phoenix and New Orleans, but spent more time on the bench then on the floor. Lampe had trouble imposing his style in the NBA teams, and his statistics were rather poor. The turning point of his career was coming back to Europe in the autumn of 2006, where he moved to Khimki Moscow and played very well, becoming one of their leading players. Halfway through the season he signed a new two-year deal with the club. After his less than satisfying experience in the NBA, Lampe understood that only through hard work can he stay on top of his game. His ultimate dream remains to return to the NBA but his spot on the Polish National Team seems to be a great pleasure for him. The 27-year-old is a strong player and has a great shot from three to five meters range but is more then capable of playing like a traditional center as well. Lampe has a good relationship with coach Urlep and his teammates on a new, young, Polish team.
NATIONAL TEAM STATS YEAR
1997 1997 1999 2001 2003 2005 2007
2005
COMPETITION
Qualifying Round / Div. A
GP Min
6 18
17-39
2pts
3pts
0-3
21-28
FT
SEASON CLUB (Competition)
1995-96 1997-98 1998-99 1999-00 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2006-07
GP Min
2pts
3pts
FT
Rb As Pts
5.0 0.3 9.2
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
2001-02 Real Madrid (Euroleague) 3 7 2002-03 Real Madrid (Euroleague) 4 10 2006-07 Khimki Moscow (ULEB Cup) 12 18
4-8 5-11 47-86
1-2 0-4 3-15
2pts
3pts
- 6-8 36-43
GP Min
5 9 9 10 10 6 5
30 17 25 29 31 24 28
2pts
3pts
21-28 10-29 13-28 20-43 22-42 13-30 14-30
12-23 5-20 7-24 18-50 29-67 6-15 12-26
2pts
3pts
FT
22-24 8-15 25-30 35-37 42-46 13-14 12-12
Rb As Pts
2.6 1.0 1.7 1.8 2.3 1.0 1.2
2.0 1.7 1.7 1.7 2.6 0.7 1.2
20.0 4.8 8.0 12.9 17.3 9.5 15.2
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS
NATIONAL TEAM STATS YEAR
COMPETITION
Semi-final Round EuroBasket Semi-final Round Semi-final Round Semi-final Round Qualifying Round / Div. A Qualifying Round / Div. A
Rb As Pts
GP Min
Bobry Bytom (Korac Cup) 3 Bobry Bytom (Korac Cup) 9 Bobry Bytom (Korac Cup) 10 Ruda Slaska (Korac Cup) 9 MKS Pruszkow (Korac Cup) 2 Anwil Wloclawek (FIBA Cup) 13 Prokom Trefl Sopot (ULEB Cup) 10 Anwil Wloclawek (ULEB Cup) 9
22 30 29 29 30 26 21 33
6-11 22-39 20-37 27-40 8-16 23-46 29-51 24-49
2-4 16-38 25-50 21-46 4-11 23-67 11-36 22-51
FT
8-10 28-33 29-34 15-17 9-11 28-31 28-31 35-40
Rb As Pts
2.7 1.3 1.4 1.9 1.5 1.3 1.2 0.3
- 1.2 1.6 2.1 0.5 2.3 1.3 2.2
8.7 13.3 14.4 14.7 18.5 11.0 11.9 16.6
0.7 - 3.0 2.8 - 4.0 4.1 0.9 11.6
NBA STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
2003-04 2004-05 2005-06
Phoenix Suns Phoenix suns New Orleans Hornets New Orleans Hornets Houston Rockets
GP Min
21 11 16 7 21 12 2 8 4 3
43-84 15-46 32-82 0-4 2-7
0-4 2-3 0-1 - -
FT
10-13 8-12 7-10 - 0-2
Rb As Pts
2.1 2.1 2.7 2.0 1.3
0.4 0.4 0.5 1.0 -
4.6 2.8 3.4 1.0
COACH: ANDREJ URLEP Nationality: Slovenian Date of birth: 19/07/1957 Place of birth: Ljubljana (Slovenia) Team 2006-07: ASCO Slask Wroclaw (Poland-Div. 1) Career: Head coach – Ježica (Slovenian women league, 1982-85), Slovan (Slovenia-Division 1A, 1987-89), Nyon (Switzerland-LNA, 1989-90), Postojna (Slovenia-Division 1A, 1990-92), South East Melbourne Magic (AustraliaNBL, 1993-94), Helios Domžale (Slovenia-Division 1A, 1994-95), Slask Wroclaw (Poland-DBL, 1998-2000 and 2001-2002), Anwil Włocławek (PolandDBL, 2002-06), Slask Wroclaw (Poland-DBL, 2006-07). International Career: Head coach - Yugoslav Women National Team (198587), Slovenian U-22 National Team (1996), Slovenian National Team (1996-97), Polish National Team (2006-07)
A
fter working in women’s basketball, Urlep started his coaching career at several Slovenian teams and also gained experiences in Switzerland and even Australia. His biggest successes, however, were achieved in Poland, where he has been the best coach in the Polish league for the last decade, winning five titles (1998, 1999, 2001, 2002 with Slask and 2003 with Anwil). Urlep brought to Polish basketball a new style, based on defense. He was named the National Team’s new head coach in May of 2006 and soon convinced Wojcik, and Pluta to return to the National Team. Poland finished the EuroBasket 2007 qualifying round in very good style to advance to European basketball’s elite stage for the first time since1997 when they finished seventh.
119
poland
MACIEJ
GROUP d
MARCIN
FILIP
GORTAT
DYLEWICZ
Height: 2.14 Position: Power forward/Center Date of birth: 17/02/1984 Place of birth: Lodz (Poland) Team 2006-07: RHEINENERGY KÖLN (Germany) Career: LKS Lodz (2001-03), RheinEnergie Köln (Germany-Bundesliga, 2003-07). Selected in the second round of the 2005 NBA draft (#27) by the Phoenix Suns. Rights traded to the Orlando Magic immediately.
Height: 2.02 Position: Power forward Date of birth: 25/01/1980 Place of birth: Bydgoszcz (Poland) Team 2006-07: PROKOM TREFL SOPOT (from 2003 till 2007) Career: Astoria Bydgoszcz (Poland-Div. 2 1996-97), Prokom Trefl Sopot (Poland-Div. 2, 1997-99), Prokom Trefl Sopot (Poland-Div. 1, 1999-2002), Old Spice Pruszkow (Poland-Div. 1, 2002-03), Prokom Trefl Sopot (Poland-Div. 1, 2003-07).
G
O
ortat started his sports journey as a soccer fan and player, but quite early his height became a problem on the pitch. At 16 and over two meters tall, he decided to switch to basketball. The Lodz native spent his formative years with LKS Lodz juniors and made his debut with the professional team in 2002-03. The next year, he moved to Germany and signed with RheinEnergie Köln, where he is still playing. Gortat has improved drastically during the past two seasons and in 2006, he won the Bundesliga title which led to a strong debut in the Euroleague. He was the top rebounder for Köln with 5.6 boards per contest and their second-leading scorer averaging 10.4 per game. Gortat was selected in the second round of the 2005 NBA draft with the 27th pick by the Phoenix Suns, but was quickly traded to the Orlando Magic. He played in an NBA Summer League for Orlando but has yet to accomplish his dream of playing in the NBA. The 23-year-old is a strong defensive player and a very good shot blocker.
ne of the best Polish players outside of Adam Wojcik, Dylewicz has been playing regularly in the Euroleague and won three Polish national titles with Prokom. The Bydgoszcz native was a member of the Polish U18 and U20 National Teams and was the team’s top scorers in the EuroBasket 2005 Qualifying Round. He is the prototype of the modern forward: athletic and comfortable playing just about anywhere on the floor. Dylewicz got the chance of a lifetime from coach Urlep and fulfilled his coach’s expectations as one of the team’s strongest assets in the qualifying round.
NATIONAL TEAM STATS YEAR
2003 2005 2007
NATIONAL TEAM STATS
COMPETITION
Semi-final Round Qualifying Round / Div. A Qualifying Round / Div. A
GP Min
2 8 10 22 6 23
2pts
3pts
2-5 32-53 11-21
1-1 3-15 8-13
2pts
3pts
FT
1-2 16-25 8-9
Rb As Pts
1.5 0.5 4.0 3.7 1.2 8.9 5.7 1.5 9.0
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS YEAR
2005
COMPETITION
Qualifying Round / Div. A
GP Min
8 13
2pts
14-23
3pts
FT
1-1
15-21
GP Min
2pts
3pts
FT
SEASON CLUB (Competition)
Rb As Pts
3.1
2000-01 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07
- 5.8
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07
RheinEnergie Köln (ULEB Cup) 3 RheinEnergie Köln (ULEB Cup) 10 RheinEnergie Köln (EuroCup) 15 RheinEnergie Köln (Euroleague) 14
5 19 27 28
- 37-53 57-80 56-94
- - - 1-2
- 14-20 24-34 30-45
Rb As Pts
0.7 - 4.4 0.6 8.8 4.5 0.5 9.2 5.6 1.2 10.4
Height: 1.99 Position: Point guard / shooting guard Date of birth: 22/02/1986 Place of birth: Bydgoszcz (Poland) Team 2006-07: UNICAJA MALAGA (Spain) Career: Astoria Bydgoszcz (1999-2001), SMS PZKosz. Kozienice (Poland-Div. 2, 2001-04), JSF Nanterre (France-3rd Div., 2004-05), Astoria Bydgoszcz (Poland-Div. 1, 2005-06), Unicaja Malaga (Spain-Liga ACB and EBA, 2006-07), Los Barrios (Spain-LEB, 2007).
YEAR
2005 2007
COMPETITION
Qualifying Round / Div. A Qualifying Round / Div. A
GP Min
2pts
3pts
FT
6 19 5 13
4-13 6-11
5-16 3-8
3-5 3-5
GP Min
2pts
3pts
FT
Rb As Pts
1.8 1.2 4.3 0.8 0.8 4.8
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
2006-07 Unicaja Malaga (Euroleague) 4 10
1-2
1-4
-
Rb As Pts
0.3 1.0 1.3
FT
17-34 13-13 14-16 13-22 19-30 16-25 12-20
Rb As Pts
4.4 3.5 4.1 4.8 4.5 3.8 3.1
1.0 0.3 0.9 0.4 1.4 0.7 0.3
5.5 5.5 5.9 8.1 7.8 4.2 4.0
Height: 2.03 Position: Power forward Date of birth: 08/02/1977 Place of birth: Inowroclaw (Poland) Team 2006-07: ASCO SLASK WROCLAW (Poland-Div. 1) Career: Notec Inowroclaw (1994-97), Unia Tarnow (Poland-Div. 1, 1997-2000), Czarni Slupsk (Poland-Div. 1, 2000-01), JDA Dijon (France-Pro A, 2001-03), Slask Wroclaw (Poland-Div. 1, 2003-05), Turow Zgorzelec (Poland-Div. 1, 2005-06), ASCO Slask Wroclaw (Poland-Div. 1, 2006-07).
R
adek is a veteran power forward, whose experience and leadership could be of great help for this young Polish team. The 2.03 m power forward is a strong defensive player and rebounder with surprising scoring abilities. His weak point is free throw shooting, but he has worked a lot of to improve this, especially last season under coach Urlep at Slask Wroclaw.
NATIONAL TEAM STATS YEAR
17 12 17 17
15-31 6-11 12-21 6-22
2pts
3pts
4-7 - 1-5 -
18-31 6-10 6-14 2-16
2.6 2.4 2.5 4.7
0.7 0.4 1.2 0.7
6.7 3.6 5.5 2.3
SEASON CLUB (Competition) GP Min 1999-00 Unia Tarnow (Korac Cup) 2 27 2001-02 JDA Dijon (Korac Cup) 12 21 2002-03 JDA Dijon (FIBA Europe Cup) 14 20 2003-04 Slask Wroclaw (Euroleague) 13 12 2004-05 Slask Wroclaw (ULEB Cup) 10 28
2pts 11-15 41-80 53-95 12-26 42-86
3pts 2-7 4-16 3-6 - 4-11
FT 3-10 25-43 24-50 9-16 17-39
Rb 3.5 3.3 4.4 1.8 5.2
As 2.0 1.7 1.9 0.4 1.0
Pts 15.5 9.9 9.9 2.5 10.5
2001 2003 2005 2007
COMPETITION
Semi-final Round Semi-final Round Qualifying Round / Div. A Qualifying Round / Div. A
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS
NATIONAL TEAM STATS
3-9 0-1 1-3 2-6 5-19 3-11 4-13
HYZY
CHYLINSKI
C
23-47 10-17 15-26 23-36 27-61 15-29 24-51
RADOSLAW
MICHAL
hylinski is one of the most talented and versatile young guards in Europe. He grew up playing at a basketball school set up by the National Federation, called SMS. He is a good one-on-one player, ball-handler and passer and has a good outside shot. With his strong body and natural ability, he could blossom in a couple years into one of the best guards in Poland. His time to shine could come at EuroBasket 2009, in Poland, though he hopes he can contribute to the 2007 effort as well. During the summer of 2006, there were some rumours about Chylinski leaving Poland for Spain and in the end he decided to go to Unicaja for the opportunity to play “in the best European basketball league”. But Chylinski played only a few games in Malaga before being loaned to Los Barrios (in Spain’s second division), so he could play more and get some experience.
GP Min
Prokom Trefl Sopot (Korac Cup) 13 19 Prokom Trefl Sopot (Korac Cup) 6 12 Prokom Trefl Sopot (FIBA Cup) 8 17 Prokom Trefl Sopot (ULEB Cup) 8 21 Prokom Trefl Sopot (Euroleague) 10 20 Prokom Trefl Sopot (Euroleague) 13 14 Prokom Trefl Sopot (Euroleague) 18 14
120
GP Min
9 5 6 6
FT
Rb As Pts
KRZYSZTOF
IGNERSKI
ROSZYK
Height: 2.07 Position: Small forward/Power forward Date of birth: 13/08/1980 Place of birth: Lublin (Poland) Team 2006-07: CAJA SAN FERNANDO SEVILLA (Spain-Liga ACB) Career: AZS Lublin (Poland-U-18 Team, 1997-98), SMS Lublin (Poland-Div. 3, 1998-99), PZKosz Warka (Poland-Div. 3, 1999), Bacone J.C. (USA-Juco, 1999-2000), Eastern Oklahoma J.C. (USA-Juco, 2000-01), Mississippi State University (USA-NCAA Div. I, 2001-03), Slask Wroclaw (Poland-Div. 1, 2003-05), Anwil Wloclawek (Poland-Div. 1, 2005-06), Caja San Fernando Sevilla (Spain-Liga ACB, 2006-07).
Height: 2.00 Position: Shooting guard/ Small forward Date of birth: 20/08/1978 Place of birth: Boleslawiec (Poland) Team 2006-07: TUROW ZGORZELEC (PolandDiv. 1) Career: Turow Zgorzelec (Poland-Div. 2, 1996-98), Alba Chorzow (Poland-Div. 2, 1998-2003), Polonia Warszawa (Poland-Div. 1, 2003-06), Turow Zgorzelec (Poland-Div. 1, 2006-07).
R
oszyk is not a very good athlete by European standards but his heart, tremendous energy and diligence have earned him a place in the starting lineup of Urlep’s team. He played excellently, especially on defense, in the qualification round for EuroBasket 2007, seeing action in all six games. The 29-year-old is a very good shooter from outside and runs the floor well. He is a quick and a hard-nosed defensive player though his statistics tend to be unimpressive. Roszyk is a very wise player and an excellent rebounder for his position.
M
ichal is one of the best forwards in Poland and last season, he made another step towards Europe’s top level by moving to Spain’s ACB. He grew up playing at SMS, the basketball school set up by the national federation. Ignerski is very powerful and not afraid to bang down low but he is also a good outside shooter. He had two impressive seasons at Slask (2003-2004 and 2004-2005) and the following season at Anwil he became the unquestioned leader. He did not play much in the qualifying round because of minor injuries but EuroBasket will be a great chance for him to prove he belongs with the best in Europe.
NATIONAL TEAM STATS YEAR
2005 2007
2005 2007
COMPETITION
Qualifying Round / Div. A Qualifying Round / Div. A
GP Min
2pts
3pts
FT
8 16 6 20
10-21 10-15
1-6 5-11
7-9 6-7
GP Min
2pts
3pts
FT
Rb As Pts
1.8 1.0 3.8 1.0 0.7 6.8
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS
NATIONAL TEAM STATS YEAR
COMPETITION
Qualifying Round / Div. A Qualifying Round / Div. A
GP Min
10 23 3 9
2pts
31-61 0-9
3pts
12-36 -
FT
30-36 1-2
SEASON CLUB (Competition)
Rb As Pts
2003-04 Polonia Warsaw (FEL)
4.6 0.6 12.8 1.7 - 0.3
3
6
1-2
-
-
Rb As Pts
0.3
- 0.7
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
GP Min
2003-04 Slask Wroclaw (Euroleague) 13 18 2004-05 Slask Wroclaw (ULEB Cup) 7 26 2005-06 Anwil Wloclawek (ULEB Cup) 9 29
2pts
12-29 32-69 27-63
3pts
7-22 9-24 18-45
FT
3-4 9-19 21-29
Rb As Pts
ROBERT
2.8 0.5 3.7 3.9 1.1 11.7 3.8 0.9 14.3
SKIBNIEWSKI
LUKASZ
Height: 1.83 Position: Point guard Date of birth: 19/07/1983 Place of birth: Bielawa (Poland) Team 2006-07: POLPAK SWIECIE (PolandDiv. 1) Career: Luz Bielawa (Poland-Youth Teams, 1997-2000), Slask Wroclaw (Poland-Div. 1, 1999-2006), Polpak Swiecie (Poland-Div. 1, 2006-07).
KOSZAREK Height: 1.87 Position: Point guard Date of birth: 12/01/1984 Place of birth: Wrzesnia (Poland) Team 2006-07: BOT TUROW ZGORZELEC (Poland-Div. 1) Career: MKS Wrzesnia (Poland-Youth Team, 1997-99), SMS PZKosz. Warka (Poland-Div. 2, 1999-2002), SMS PZKosz. Warka (Poland-Div. 1, 2002-03), Polonia Warszawa (Poland-Div. 1, 2003-06), Turow Zgorzelec (Poland-Div. 1, 2006-07).
S
kibniewski grew up as a player at Slask Wroclaw and took his first professional steps under Urlep’s watchful gaze. During the last two seasons he established himself as one of the best point guards in the Polish league with his excellent peripheral vision which leads to unexpected and surprising assists. Fans love him for his strong character. They do not care about his lack of speed or the fact that he can’t dunk. He makes up for it with spectacular assists and unpredictable three-point shots. Skibniewski is not very strong physically but is ready to prove in EuroBasket that he can play well not only in the Polish league, but also in Europe.
K
oszarek is one of a group of talented young guns in Poland’s team. Like several other members of the team he grew up at the Polish Basketball Federation’s school, SMS. He is an aggressive playmaker, with a quick first step, a very good shooting touch and excellent penetrating and passing skills. He learned a lot from an experienced and smart American player Eric Elliott, while playing in Warsaw, and from Polonia coach Wojciech Kaminski. He made his National Team debut in 2004 but his talent really blossomed in last year’s qualification round. Many think Koszarek needs more playing time to live up to his talent.
NATIONAL TEAM STATS YEAR
2005 2007
2005 2007
COMPETITION
Qualifying Round / Div. A Qualifying Round / Div. A
GP Min
2pts
3pts
FT
5 9 6 24
1-2 6-16
2-5 4-14
3-4 15-18
SEASON CLUB (Competition)
2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06
GP Min
2pts
3pts
FT
Rb As Pts
1.2 1.2 2.2 3.7 4.0 6.5
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
2003-04 Polonia Warsaw (FEL)
6
8
0-6
2-6
-
GP Min
2pts
3pts
FT
Rb As Pts
6 28 6 18
5-12 4-10
3-22 5-16
- 5-5
2.8 3.0 3.2 1.0 2.3 4.7
GP Min
2pts
3pts
FT
Rb As Pts
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS
NATIONAL TEAM STATS YEAR
COMPETITION
Qualifying Round / Div. A Qualifying Round / Div. A
Rb As Pts
1.5 0.8 1.0
121
Slask Wroclaw (Euroleague) 3 7 Slask Wroclaw (Euroleague) 9 13 Slask Wroclaw (Euroleague) 8 5 Slask Wroclaw (ULEB Cup) 10 26 Slask Wroclaw (EuroCup) 12 21
0-2 3-9 1-7 25-60 7-20
0-1 2-11 1-2 17-36 12-36
- 5-8 - 11-12 15-18
- 0.6 0.1 2.0 2.0
1.3 1.8 0.3 2.2 1.9
1.9 0.6 7.8 5.4
poland
MICHAL
GROUP d
JEFF
IWO
NORDGAARD
KITZINGER
Height: 1.98 Position: Small forward Date of birth: 23/02/1973 Place of birth: Dawson (USA) Team 2006-07: PROKOMTREFL SOPOT (Poland-Div. 1) Career: University of Wisconsin-Green Bay (USA-NCAA, 1992-96), JDA Dijon (France-Pro A, 1996), Bilbao Basket (Spain-LEB 1, 1996-97), Milwaukee Bucks (USA-NBA, 1997, but did not play), Fort Wayne Fury (USA-CBA, 1998), Viola Reggio Calabria (Italy-Lega, 199899), Besançon (France-Pro A, 1999-2000), Indiana Legends (USA-ABA, 2000), Chalon-sur-Saone (France-Pro A, 2000-01), Anwil Wloclawek (Poland-Div. 1, 2001-03), Polonia Warszawa (Poland-Div. 1, 2003-04), Euro Roseto (ItalyLega, 2004), Olympiakos Pireus (Greece-ESAKE, 2004-05), Polonia Warszawa (Poland-Div. 1, 2005), Prokom Trefl Sopot (Poland-Div. 1, 2005-07). Selected in the second round of the 1996 NBA draft (#53) by the Milwaukee Bucks.
Height: 1.88 Position: Point guard Date of birth: 26/02/1985 Place of birth: Raciborz (Poland) Team 2006-07: POLPHARMA STAROGARD GDANSKI (Poland-Div. 1) Career: MKKS Rybnik (Poland-Div. 2, Youth Teams, 2000-01), WKS Slask Wroclaw (Poland-U-18 Team, 2002-04), Znicz Pruszkow (Poland-Div. 2, 2004-05), Unia Tarnow (Poland-Div. 1, 2005-06), Polpharma Starogard Gd. (Poland-Div. 1, 2006-07).
K
itzinger was the sensation of the Polish league last season as he won a three-point shooting competition at the 2007 All-Star Game, beating Andrzej Pluta in the final round. He started his career in Poland’s second division but very quickly progressed, especially last year. An excellent distance shooter, he can use screens to get his shot off or play one-on-one. He is also a solid defender. Kitzinger has a quick release and can shoot right in the face of his defender. On several occasions, especially in playoff games against champion Prokom Trefl Sopot , he showed that he had a killer instinct and is a consummate clutch player who gets more dangerous as the game wears on.
J
eff obtained a Polish passport in 2003 and has won two Polish national titles, first in Wloclawek, for a team coached by Andrej Urlep (in 2003), and another at Prokom Trefl Sopot (2006). He is an excellent outside shooter who also brings leadership and veteran experience to the National Team. He was out for a long period due to a foot injury suffered in January 2007. Nordgaard’s statistics have always been consistent but not spectacular. His only weakness would appear to be his defense, but he always works hard to compensate.
2007
COMPETITION
Qualifying Round / Div. A
YEAR
COMPETITION
GP Min
4 22
2pts
6-8
3pts
11-18
FT
4-8
Rb As Pts
GP Min
2pts
3pts
FT
Rb As Pts
2pts
3pts
FT
Rb As Pts
- Never played with the Senior National Team in official competition -
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
NATIONAL TEAM STATS YEAR
NATIONAL TEAM STATS
-
GP Min
Never played in European club competition –
4.5 1.0 12.3
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
1996-97 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07
GP Min
JDA Dijon (Korac Cup) 6 Anwil Wloclawek (Saporta) 16 Anwil Wloclawek (FIBA Cup) 12 Polonia Warsaw (FEL) 14 Olympiakos Piraeus (Euroleague) 4 Prokom Trefl Sopot (Euroleague) 12 Prokom Trefl Sopot (Euroleague) 8
24 31 28 29 13 12 10
2pts
20-43 56-95 24-52 48-93 3-16 5-10 5-8
3pts
6-12 17-62 26-67 23-67 2-9 10-34 2-11
FT
13-20 23-30 18-26 32-39 2-4 10-11 2-2
Rb As Pts
4.2 3.6 3.7 4.4 3.0 1.5 1.8
1.8 1.6 2.7 2.0 - 0.3 0.5
WIKTOR
11.8 11.6 12.0 14.1 2.5 4.2 2.3
MARCIN
STEFANSKI Height: 1.99 Position: Small forward Date of birth: 24/02/1983 Place of birth: Gliwice (Poland) Team 2006-07: ASCO SLASK WROCLAW (Poland-Div. 1) Career: SMS PZKosz Warka (Poland-Div. 2, 1998-2002), JDA Dijon (France-Pro A, 2002-05), JSF Nanterre (France-Pro B, 2005-06), ASCO Slźsk Wroclaw (Poland-Div. 1, 2006-07).
S
tefanski is yet another player from the basketball school of the Polish Basketball Federation – SMS. He played four years in France, but his first years in Dijon were very difficult for him as there was a lot of procedural fighting between the Polish Federation and the club. Last season in Slask he had a very good year and was one of the first five players in Andrej Urlep’s team. He is a powerful guy, with strong legs, and most of all he is a great defensive player who can stop any shooter in the Polish league. He can handle taller players thanks to his strength and always plays with heart and gives 120 percent to his team. Stefanski did not play in the EuroBasket 2007 Qualification Round because of injuries.
GRUDZInSKI Height: 2.08 Position: Center Date of birth: 09/04/1978 Place of birth: Stargard Szcz. (Poland) Team 2006-07: ANWIL WLOCLAWEK (Poland-Div. 1) Career: Spojnia Stargard Szcz. (PolandDiv. 1 (1997-2001), Polonia Warszawa (Poland-Div. 1, 2001-03), Stal Ostrów Wielkopolski. (Poland-Div. 1, 2003-04), Czarni Słupsk (Poland-Div. 1, 2004-05), BOT Turów Zgorzelec (Poland-Div. 1, 2005-06), Anwil Włocławek (PolandDiv. 1, 2007).
E
verybody noticed that he was having a good year at Anwil, especially in playoffs against Prokom Trefl Sopot, when he competed against heavyweights Huseyin Besok and Michael Andersen. Grudzinski has a big wing span and is able to play two positions: center (which he prefers) and power forward. Wiktor knows his possibilities and works hard on his weaknesses. He is good with the ball and even though he is big, has great mobility.
NATIONAL TEAM STATS YEAR
2003 2005
COMPETITION
Semi-final Round Qualifying Round / Div. A
GP Min
1 3 6 14
2pts
3pts
2pts
3pts
0-1 0-8
- 2-6
FT
- 6-10
SEASON CLUB (Competition)
1996-97 1997-98 1998-99 2002-03 2006-07
Rb As Pts
1.0 - 2.8 1.5 2.0
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
2003-04 JDA Dijon (FEC) 2004-05 JDA Dijon (FEL)
GP Min
9 21 16 21
24-52 48-76
4-6 0-8
FT
17-31 23-33
GP Min
2pts
3pts
2pts
3pts
FT
Rb As Pts
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS
NATIONAL TEAM STATS YEAR
COMPETITION
- Never played with the Senior National Team in official competition -
Rb As Pts
5.9 1.3 8.6 4.4 1.4 7.4
122
GP Min
Komfort Stargard (Korac Cup) Komfort Stargard (Korac Cup) Komfort Stargard (Korac Cup) Polonia Warsaw (FIBA Cup) Anwil Wloclawek (ULEB Cup)
8 1 8 6 9
8 13 21 17 24
6-15 1-3 17-40 4-11 14-29
- - 0-2 3-11 7-22
FT
3-7 - 14-25 0-4 6-16
Rb As Pts
1.9 2.0 5.1 3.8 5.8
0.1 - 0.3 0.5 0.3
1.9 2.0 6.0 2.8 6.1
SLOVENIA
GROUP D
Who will be t support Boštjan Nachbar, Radoslav Nesterovič, Primož Brezec, Jaka Lakovič, Sani Bečirovič, Marko Milič and the others. Slovenia won the game 89-80 setting off a big celebration that flowed through the streets of Belgrade. The collective hangover was more than obvious as the next day Slovenia suffered a 79-70 loss to Lithuania. It changed little – Slovenia was still going to Japan.
The goal of Slovenia will largely depend on the squad which will be represented there. If all the best players come, they will be among the candidates for a medal. But if all who hinted they will take an international break are still missing, Slovenia will have problems qualifying out of a group that includes France, Italy and Poland
Biggest EuroBasket Success
Biggest EuroBasket Disaster
Though they finished sixth at EuroBasket 2005, nobody partied harder than Slovenia after a win over Croatia guaranteed them a spot in the 2006 FIBA World Championship in Japan. Slovenia had taken part in every EuroBasket since they achieved independence in 1991 but had never been further then the final eight. As on previous occasions, the Slovenians didn’t have much of a problem qualifying for EuroBasket, so expectations were once again high. But a slow start against an average Bosnia & Herzegovina team indicated that Slovenia didn’t come to Belgrade with their best game. But the next two games were a different story as more then 5,000 Slovenian fans crowded into the Pionir Hall to support their team which completely outplayed Greece 68-56 and then dominated France 68-58. Slovenia qualified for the quarterfinals and had played so well that many experts thought they were headed for the podium. There was only one obstacle that stood between them and a decisive medal game and unfortunately it was Dirk Nowitzki and Germany. Even though the Slovenians managed to limit the German wunderkind to only 22 points, his teammates stepped up and Germany ended Slovenia’s medal dreams. But the goal of qualifying for the World Championship was still with in reach. The opponent would be their fierce rivals Croatia and almost 10,000 fans came to
Best Individual Performance/Best Player of All-Time
On the evening of the Slovenian declaration of independence, the Yugoslavian National Team was preparing for the semifinals of EuroBasket 1991 in Italy. Jure Zdovc, the only Slovenian player on the Yugoslavian team, decided not to play the last two games since Yugoslavian tanks were on the streets of Slovenian towns. For the previous five years legendary coach Dušan Ivković (and Mirko Novosel at EuroBasket 1989) had Zdovc in the starting five of the National Team since he was the best defensive player in Europe. With Yugoslavia, he won a silver medal at the 1988 Seoul Olympics and gold at the 1999 World Championship, EuroBasket 1989 and EuroBasket 1991. He also played 57 games for Slovenia, good for seventh on the all-time appearance list and second on their all-time scoring list. In 1993 he also won a European club crown with Limoges.
Scouting report
With six NBA players and several stars playing in Europe like Marko Tušek, Matjaž Smodiš and Sani Bečirovič, head coach Aleš Pipan seems to have plenty of options. But his problem in the past two tournaments (EuroBasket 2005 and last year’s FIBA World Championship) was how to make a team of them. Even though in Japan he could choose between Jaka Lakovič, Beno Udrih and Sani Bečirovič for the play-making spot, Slovenia’s game wasn’t fluid enough and most of all nobody was able to make big shots at the end of games.
Likely Squad
ROSTER Player
After Slovenia defeated Italy 77-67 and Bosnia & Herzegovina 73-62 before narrowly losing to France 88-82 at EuroBasket 2003 in Sweden, it looked like the time had come for their first quarterfinal appearance. Slovenia were the obvious favourites against Israel in the elimination game and they took an early 27-10 lead. Coach Slobodan Subotic then made some strange decisions that allowed Israel to slowly get back into the game. Tal Burnstein became Israel’s hero and a Slovenian nightmare, making a short jumper with 2.7 seconds left in the game and Slovenia lost 78-76. Later the press found out that only a couple of hours before the game a fight broke out between Marko Tušek and Boris Gorenc at the lunch table.
Height Position Birthdate Team 2006-07
Goran Dragic 1.90 1 06/05/86 Murcia (ESP) Jaka Lakovic 1.86 1 09/07/78 Barcelona (ESP) Beno Udrih 1.91 1 05/07/82 San Antonio Spurs (USA-NBA) Sani Becirovic 1.94 2 19/05/81 Panathinaikos (GRC) Domen Lorbek 1.98 2 06/03/85 Union Olimpija Ljubljana Aleksander Vujacic 2.00 2 08/03/84 Los Angeles Lakers (USA) Marko Maravic 2.01 3 26/06/79 BC Kyiv (UKR) Matjaz Smodis 2.05 3/4 13/12/79 CSKA Moscow (RUS) Goran Jurak 2.05 4 03/04/77 Union Olimpija Ljubljana Erazem Lorbek 2.10 4 21/02/84 Lottomatica Roma (ITA) Zeljko Zagorac 2.04 4 09/03/81 Ural Great (RUS) Uros Slokar 2.10 4/5 14/05/83 Toronto Raptors (CAN-NBA) Miha Zupan 2.06 4/5 13/09/82 Union Olimpija Ljubljana Smiljan Pavic 2.10 5 05/02/80 Helios Domzale Rašo Nesterovic 2.13 5 30/05/76 Toronto Raptors (CAN-NBA) Coach: Ales Pipan Assistant-coaches: David Nikolic, Franci Podlipnik and Aleksander Sekulic
New Jersey Nets star Boštjan Nachbar was the first to announce his international break after last year’s World Championship. Then an avalanche followed. Beno Udrih, Sani Bečirovič, Marko Milič and Primož Brezec would make a more than respectable team but they all hinted that they
Last 10 FIBA events Year Event
2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997
124
World Championship EuroBasket Olympics EuroBasket World championship EuroBasket Olympics EuroBasket World Championship EuroBasket
Place
Saitama Belgrade Athens Stockholm Indianapolis Istanbul Sydney Paris Athens Barcelona
Achievement
Tied for 9th 6th Did not qualify Tied for 9th Did not qualify Tied for 9th
Did not qualify 10th Did not qualify 14th
might not play in Spain. Some of them may change there mind however, so head coach Aleš Pipan announced that the Slovenian team will be strong again. One thing for sure is that he won’t have problems at power forward where Erazem Lorbek of Lottomatica Roma, Uroš Slokar of the Toronto Raptors, Željko Zagorac of Ural Great and Goran Jurak of Climamio Bologna could match any group in the tournament. After Nachbar and Milič quit, the weakest point could be small forward. Marko Maravič is a solid player but not world-class so the guards and power forwards will have to come to the rescue. Most notably, this would mean Smodiš, should he decide to play.
ACCUMULATED STATISTICS IN 2006 FIBA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
EuroBasket 2005 6th (4 W – 2 L) Date Sept-16th 2005 Sept-17th 2005 Sept-18th 2005
Quarterfinal
Game Slovenia b. Bosnia Slovenia b. Greece Slovenia b. France
Result 74-65 68-56 68-58
Sept-23rd 2005 Germany b. Slovenia
76-62
Sept-24th 2005 Slovenia b. Croatia
89-80
Sept-25th 2005 Lithuania b. Slovenia
79-70
Semi-final (5-8th place) 5th place Final * Home team
The goal of the Slovenian team will largely depend on the squad which will be represented there. If all the best players come, they will be among the candidates for a medal. But if all who hinted they will take an international break are still missing, Slovenia will have problems qualifying out of a group that includes France, Italy and Poland. It is likely that something in between a medal and losing in the preliminary round will happen and they will hope to qualify for the PreOlympic tournament.
Sani Becirovic (Slovenia)
How did they qualify? Results
Prediction
SLOVENIA
there?
Player Sani Becirovic Rašo Nesterovic Primoz Brezec Jaka Lakovic Beno Udrih Bostjan Nachbar Uros Slokar Marko Milic Goran Jurak Saso Ozbolt Zeljko Zagorac Goran Dragic TOTALS
G Min FG 6 27 26-64 6 23 34-61 6 19 28-44 6 24 21-41 6 24 25-49 6 24 20-52 5 15 10-20 5 16 6-20 6 13 10-22 5 9 6-16 4 5 0-4 1 1 0-2 6 - 186-395
125
% 3pts 40.6 7-22 55.7 2-4 63.6 - 51.2 17-28 51.0 7-17 38.5 11-24 50.0 2-5 30.0 0-1 45.5 0-2 37.5 5-9 0.0 0-1 0.0 0-1 47.1 51-114
FT Rb As 19-20 3.3 2.7 2-5 7.2 1.7 15-23 6.5 0.7 11-13 1.2 1.5 10-14 2.3 2.8 13-22 5.8 1.5 5-6 4.4 0.6 9-15 2.2 1.6 4-14 2.0 1.3 2-2 0.2 0.6 5-6 1.8 0.5 - 2.0 - 95-140 35.5 14.8
St 1.5 0.5 0.3 0.8 1.3 0.2 0.6 1.0 0.7 0.6 0.3 - 7.3
BS TO - 2.3 1.3 2.3 0.3 0.8 - 2.5 - 2.5 0.2 2.0 0.6 1.6 - 1.0 - 1.0 - 0.6 0.3 - 1.0 - 2.7 16.2
Pts 13.0 12.0 11.8 11.7 11.2 10.7 5.4 4.2 4.0 3.8 1.3 86.3
GROUP D
TEAM STAR Matjaz
SMODIS Height: 2.05 Position: Small forward / Power forward Date of Birth: 13/12/1979 Place of birth: Trbovlje Team 2006-07: CSKA MOSCOW (Russia-SuperLeague) Career: Krka (Slovenia-Division 1A, 1994-2000), Virtus Bologna (Italy-Lega, 2000-03), Fortitudo Bologna (Italy-Lega, 2003-05), CSKA Moscow (RussiaSuperLeague, 2005-07).
T
here are not many National Teams who can say that they have a veteran of four EuroLeague Final Fours (two of which ended in championships) on their roster but Slovenia is one of them. Because of injury, Smodis has only represented Slovenia in two EuroBaskets - 1999 in France and 2001 in Turkey - and even though he had some problems with his back last season, both Slovenian fans and National Team coach Ales Pipan hope that he will be at his best in Spain. For more than a decade, Smodiš has proved to be one of the best power forwards in Europe. Smodiš started his professional career at Krka Novo Mesto, during the 1994-95 season and stayed there until the 1999-2000 season. At the time, Union Olimpija Ljubljana, filled with stars like Šarunas Jasikevičius and Marko Milič, seemed to be unbeatable in Slovenia, but in the semifinals of the National League, Krka, led by Smodiš, produced the biggest upset in the history of Slovenian club basketball. Krka won their first of two titles behind Smodis and his performances did not go unnoticed. On the strength of these performances one of the best European coaches Ettore Messina, invited “Rocky” – his nickname in Slovenia because of his uncompromising fighting spirit – to Virtus Bologna. To quote Humphrey Bogart in Casablanca it was “the beginning of a beautiful friendship”. In the first year at Bologna (2000-01), the team managed to win both the Euroleague title and the Lega. After three years at Virtus, Smodiš stayed in Bologna but moved to Fortitudo where he returned to the EuroLeague Final Four but this time around, he was less successful as Fortitudo lost by 44 points to Maccabi Tel Aviv in the final. Though Smodis established himself as a very prominent player in Bologna, he felt that it was time for a new challenge as Messina invited him to come on board his project with CSKA Moscow where the duo managed to repeat the trick they pulled off in Italy. At the 2006 final in Prague, Somdis got his revenge as CSKA defeated Maccabi 73-69. Though CSKA did not manage to retain their Euroleague crown last season, it was very successful for Smodiš personally. On the path to the final, Smodiš was instrumental for CSKA and was named the 2006-07 Euroleague MVP in February. Clearly the 27-year-old is the most important player for Slovenia at EuroBasket 2007, assuming his back is healthy.
NATIONAL TEAM STATS YEAR
1999 1999 2001 2001 2003
COMPETITION
Semi-final Round EuroBasket Semi-final Round EuroBasket Semi-final Round
GP Min
2 6 7 3 4
32 21 19 21 21
2pts
19-25 13-22 19-36 2-5 12-19
3pts
1-5 9-21 9-19 4-9 1-4
FT
6-8 12-16 11-17 3-4 10-19
Rb As Pts
7.5 4.3 4.3 1.7 4.0
1.5 0.5 0.6 0.7 1.3
23.5 10.8 10.9 6.3 9.3
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
1998-99 1999-00 2000-01 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07
126
GP Min
Krka Novo Mesto (Korac Cup) 10 Krka Novo Mesto (Saporta) 11 Virtus Bologna (Euroleague) 9 Virtus Bologna (Euroleague) 22 Virtus Bologna (Euroleague) 11 Fortitudo Bologna (Euroleague) 21 Fortitudo Bologna (Euroleague) 14 CSKA Moscow (Euroleague) 21 CSKA Moscow (Euroleague) 22
29 34 15 22 20 27 21 25 25
2pts
37-61 54-79 20-32 92-159 24-49 65-105 51-90 56-105 60-105
3pts
9-24 25-76 8-19 25-60 12-32 21-52 15-34 32-84 34-81
FT
27-35 34-48 14-17 44-49 24-34 43-50 30-37 43-60 62-87
Rb As Pts
5.1 6.7 2.1 5.0 3.6 4.7 4.1 5.5 3.8
0.7 1.4 0.3 0.5 0.7 0.7 0.8 0.7 1.3
12.8 19.7 8.7 11.5 9.8 11.2 10.5 12.0 14.3
Jaka
NESTEROVIC
LAKOVIC
Height: 2.13 Position: Center Date of Birth: 30/05/1976 Place of birth: Ljubljana Team 2006-07: TORONTO RAPTORS (NBA) Career: Olimpija Ljubljana (SloveniaDivision 1A, 1997-98), Virtus Bologna (ItalyLega, 1998-99), Minnesota Timberwolves (NBA, 2000-03), San Antonio Spurs (NBA, 2003-06), Toronto Raptors (NBA, 2006-07). Selected in the first round of the 1998 NBA draft (#17), by the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Height: 1.86 Position: Point guard Date of Birth: 09/07/1978 Place of birth: Ljubljana Team 2006-07: WINTHERTHUR F.C. BARCELONA (Spain-ACB) Career: Slovan Ljubljana (Slovenia-Division 1A, 1997-2001), Krka (Slovenia-Division 1A, 2001-02), Panathinaikos (GreeceESAKE, 2002-06), Wintherthur F.C. Barcelona (2006-07) n the 18th of October 2001 at the Palacio Vistalegre in Madrid, Krka Novo Mesta lost the game but Jaka Lakovic won the respect of everyone, scoring 55 points in one of the greatest performances in Euroleague history. A new European star was born but at 1.86 m, he is not exactly the typical specimen of the former Yugoslav basketball school. Still, one of the greatest coaches of this school, Željko Obradović, recognised his talent and brought him to Panathinaikos where he played three excellent seasons. With him, Sani Bečirovič and Beno Udrih, Slovenia had a “dream backcourt” at the 2006 FIBA World Championship in Japan, but failed to get past the first elimination game in the round of 16. Since it is questionable whether Bečirovič will join the squad for EuroBasket 2007, Slovenia will need Lakovic at his best in Spain. He will feel at home in Spain and will be playing with something to prove after struggling in his first season with FC Barcelona.
O
T
hough there were many Slovenian players who announced that they would not be playing at EuroBasket 2007, Radoslav Nesterovic’s status was never in doubt. This is good news for Slovenian fans, because Rašo (pronounce: “Ra-sho”) as he is known amongst friends and fans, had a solid season in the NBA. After he fell out of favour with San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, Nesterovic moved to the Toronto Raptors before last season where he played for a “European oriented” team that also featured José Calderon, Jorge Garbajosa, Andrea Bargnani and Uroš Slokar. The move paid dividends as he was almost as successful as in the beginning of his career with the Timberwolves and Spurs and helped the franchise to get back to the playoffs. In Slovenia, Nesterovič is well known because he is the highest paid Slovenian athlete. He is currently under a six-year, $ 42 million contract. Nesterovic and Beno Udrih are the only Slovenian players to win an NBA Championship.
NATIONAL TEAM STATS YEAR
NATIONAL TEAM STATS YEAR
1997 1997 1999 1999 2001 2005 2005 2006
COMPETITION
Semi-final Round EuroBasket Semi-final Round EuroBasket EuroBasket Semi-final Round EuroBasket World Championship
GP Min
8 5 3 6 3 3 6 6
22 29 29 24 28 26 22 27
2pts
21-29 33-55 19-26 34-60 21-36 16-40 18-52 32-57
3pts
- - - - 0-3 1-1 0-1 2-4
FT
12-20 2-6 2-2 1-1 5-8 6-10 0-4 2-5
2001 2003 2003 2005
Rb As Pts
4.0 8.6 4.3 5.3 9.0 8.0 6.2 7.2
0.5 0.6 1.7 1.2 - 3.0 0.5 1.7
6.8 13.6 13.3 11.5 15.7 13.7 6.0 12.0
1995-96 1995-96 1996-97 1997-98 1998-99
GP Min
Slovan Ljubljana (EuroCup) 10 Olimpija Ljubljana (Euroleague) 2 Olimpija Ljubljana (Euroleague) 3 Virtus Bologna (Euroleague) 22 Virtus Bologna (Euroleague) 23
2pts
3pts
2pts
3pts
15 19-34 19 3-6 17 9-12 24 68-124 31 124-194
- - - 0-1 -
FT
7-15 4-6 6-8 6-18 46-66
GP Min
1 10 4 6
10 30 28 25
2pts
3pts
FT
2-2 19-34 3-8 9-16
0-0 12-35 9-19 11-26
0-0 32-40 9-10 13-16
2pts
3pts
FT
Rb As Pts
2.0 1.3 1.8 1.5
0.0 2.2 1.5 2.8
4.0 10.6 10.5 10.7
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
1999-00 2000-01 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
COMPETITION
EuroBasket Semi-final Round EuroBasket Semi-final Round
Rb As Pts
2.9 0.3 4.5 4.5 - 5.0 4.3 - 8.0 6.0 0.3 6.5 6.1 0.6 12.8
Slovan Ljubljana (Korac Cup) Slovan Ljubljana (Korac Cup) Panathinaikos (Euroleague) Panathinaikos (Euroleague) Panathinaikos (Euroleague) Panathinaikos (Euroleague) F.C. Barcelona (Euroleague)
GP Min
6 4 19 20 25 22 23
Rb As Pts
24 12-22 9-27 14-20 1.8 2.3 26 6-11 10-22 10-12 1.5 3.5 24 33-65 24-48 41-46 1.8 2.6 29 44-79 34-95 77-91 2.1 2.4 32 105-236 42-119 125-149 2.1 2.8 31 39-88 47-127 98-117 1.4 2.5 25 30-62 45-113 43-56 1.7 3.5
10.8 13.0 9.4 13.4 15.1 14.4 10.3
NBA STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
1998-99 1999-00 2000-01 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07
Minnesota Timberwolves Minnesota Timberwolves Minnesota Timberwolves Minnesota Timberwolves Minnesota Timberwolves San Antonio Spurs San Antonio Spurs San Antonio Spurs Toronto Raptors
GP Min
2 82 73 82 77 82 70 80 80
15 21 17 27 30 29 26 19 21
3-12 206-431 147-318 324-656 400-760 328-700 198-430 172-332 230-420
- 0-2 0-1 0-1 0-2 - - 0-2 0-1
FT
2-2 59-103 34-65 39-71 61-95 54-114 14-30 18-30 34-50
Rb As Pts
4.0 4.6 3.9 6.5 6.5 7.7 6.6 3.9 4.5
0.5 1.1 0.6 0.9 1.5 1.4 1.0 0.4 0.9
4.0 5.7 4.5 8.4 11.2 8.7 5.9 4.5 6.2
COACH: AleS Pipan Nationality: Slovenian Date of Birth: 24/05/1959 Place of birth: Celje Team 2006-07: GEOPLIN SLOVAN (Slovenia-Division 1A) and ANWIL WLOCLAWEK (Poland-DBL) Career: Head coach – Satex Maribor (Slovenia-Division 1A, 1993-96), Pivovarna Lasko (Slovenia-Division 1A, 1997-2000), Krka (Slovenia-Division 1A, 2000-02), Zagorje (Slovenia-Division 1A, 2002-03), Pivovarna Lasko (Slovenia-Divison 1A, 2003-05), Geoplin Slovan (Slovenia-Division 1A, 200507), Anwil Wloclawek (Poland-DBL, 2007) International career: Assistant coach – Slovenian National Team (1998-2003), Head coach – Slovenian National Team (2004-07).
W
hen he was a youngster, Aleš Pipan was a very promising player. But because of a bad knee injury, he had to stop playing basketball early on. So he was only 24 when he started to coach Satex Maribor and he immediately took them towards the top of the Slovenian Division 1A. He was even more successful with Pivovarna Laško (Slovenian Cup 2004) and Krka Novo Mesto, as both teams qualified for the Euroleague. He got his first international experience during the 1999 and 2003 EuroBaskets as assistant coach to Boris Zrinski and Slobodan Subotič respectively. As head coach in EuroBasket 2005, Pipan led Slovenia to a sixth-place finish, which meant that the country qualified for their first-ever FIBA World Championship. There in Japan, Slovenia lost to Turkey in the Eighth-Finals.
127
SLOVENIA
Radoslav
GROUP D
Goran
Sani
DRAGIC Height: 1.90 Position: Point guard Date of Birth: 06/05/1986 Place of birth: Ljubljana Team 2006-07: MURCIA (Spain-ACB) Career: Ilirija Ljubljana (Slovenia-Division 1B, 2003-04), Geoplin Slovan (SloveniaDivision 1A, 2004-06), Murcia (Spain-ACB, 2006-07)
G
oran Dragic was one of the great revelations of the 2005-06 season. He was still just a teenager when he started his professional career and only a few very well informed basketball fans knew of him. But in the spring of 2006, Goran was one of the best players of the Adriatic League, finishing as the number two scorer with 15.2 points per game and was suddenly a legitimate candidate for the senior National Team even though he never played with them in an official competition. His next step was to sign a contract with Tau Ceramica Vitoria, but only after a Slovenian court gave him permission to move abroad as Slovan refused to release his “letter of clearance”. Tau, which had plenty of guards on its roster, lent him to Murcia where he had some problems adjusting and struggled with injuries averaging 4.6 points and 1.7 assists per game, though he was playing better towards the end of the season dropping 17 points on Joventut in just 18 minutes.
BECIROVIC Height: 1.95 Position: Shooting guard Date of Birth: 19/05/1981 Place of birth: Maribor Team 2006-07: PANATHINAIKOS (GreeceESAKE) Career: Bistrica (Slovenia-Division 1B, 199596), Maribor (Slovenia-Division 1A, 1996-97), Lasko (Slovenia-Division 1A, 199799), Olimpija Ljubljana (Slovenia-Division 1A, 1999-2001), Virtus Bologna (ItalyLega, 2001-03), Krka (Slovenia-Division 1A, 2003-04), Varese (Italy-Lega, 2004-05), Fortitudo Bologna (Italy-Lega, 2005-06), Panathinaikos (Greece-ESAKE, 2006-07). Selected in the second round of the 2003 NBA Draft (#46), by the Denver Nuggets.
“
After four years of constantly playing basketball during the summer, my body needs a break this year,” said Sani Bečirovič a few weeks ago, shocking Slovenian fans with his announcement that he would not compete in EuroBasket 2007. National Team coach Aleš Pipan has promised that he will try to talk Becirovic out of the decision but the prospects don’t look good. A very bad knee injury threatened the 26-year-old’s career in 2002, after he had an unbelievable 2000-01 season in which he averaged 20.5 points per game in the Euroleague. The best thing that happened to Becirovic was joining Panathinaikos where he more than ably filled the shoes of Jaka Lakovič, who had just left for Barcelona. He claims that PAO’s coach, Željko Obradović, was is the best in the world, which means a lot since he worked under the guidance of many acclaimed European coaches such as Ettore Messina. He was the unofficial MVP of the 1997 U16 European Championship and the official one, a year later, at the U18 European Championships where he averaged 28.5 points per game. The son of a professional basketball coach in Slovenia, Memi Becirovic, Sani began playing in the Slovenian professional leagues at the age of 14 and joined the Senior National Team at only 17.
NATIONAL TEAM STATS YEAR
COMPETITION
GP Min
2pts
3pts
FT
Rb As Pts
2pts
3pts
FT
Rb As Pts
- Never played with the Senior National Team in official competition -
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
GP Min
- Never played in European club competition -
Beno
NATIONAL TEAM STATS YEAR
UDRIH Height: 1.90 Position: Point guard Date of Birth: 05/07/1982 Place of birth: Celje Team 2006-07: SAN ANTONIO SPURS (NBA) Career: Polzela (Slovenia-Division 1B, 199799), Polzela (Slovenia-Division 1A, 19992000), Olimpija Ljubljana (Slovenia-Division 1A, 2000-02), Maccabi Tel-Aviv (Israel-Premier League, 2002-03), Saratov (Russia, SuperLeague, 2003-04), Milano (Italy-Lega, 2004), San Antonio Spurs (NBA, 2004-07). Selected in the first round of the 2004 NBA draft (#28), by the San Antonio Spurs.
T
here are not many European basketball players wearing an NBA championship ring, but Beno Udrih is one of them after helping the San Antonio Spurs win the title in his rookie season. That year, he used the experience he gained by playing in Slovenia, Russia, Italy and Israel. But his next two seasons were a bit more of a struggle as he had some problems with injuries and lost some of Gregg Popovich’s trust. “Pop” made him his third choice at point guard behind Parker and Jacques Vaughn but strangely enough, whenever he got opportunities, he grabbed them with both hands. Especially with his left hand, which he is comfortable using and makes him even more difficult to guard. Strangely enough, the 25-year-old dominated against the man who starts ahead of him, Tony Parker, when they were playing at the U18 level (35 points to Parker’s 18 in an April 2000 showdown). As a result, Udrih was considered by many scouts to be an even bigger prospect than Parker.
NATIONAL TEAM STATS YEAR
2001 2001 2003 2005 2006
COMPETITION
Semi-final Round EuroBasket Semi-final Round Semi-final Round World Championship
GP Min
2 3 3 3 6
27 18 17 29 24
2pts
6-9 7-14 3-6 9-19 18-32
3pts
1-2 - 2-4 2-5 7-17
FT
- 2-2 5-8 0-1 10-14
Rb As Pts
3.5 2.0 1.7 3.0 2.3
1.5 1.3 1.7 3.3 2.8
7.5 5.3 5.7 8.0 11.2
1999 1999 2001 2001 2003 2005 2005 2006
1999-00 2000-01 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04
GP Min
Hopsi Polzela (Saporta) 12 Olimpija Ljubljana (Euroleague) 10 Olimpija Ljubljana (Euroleague) 19 Maccabi Tel Aviv (Euroleague) 20 Olimpia Milano (ULEB Cup) 2
2pts
24 28-64 23 24-41 27 75-157 24 48-92 20 5-9
3pts
3-10 1-13 19-56 7-26 1-4
FT
19-32 13-21 36-47 50-62 1-1
SEASON CLUB (Competition)
1997-98 1998-99 1999-00 2000-01 2001-02 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07
0.9 2.0 2.6 2.8 0.5
7.0 6.4 10.8 8.4 7.0
SEASON CLUB (Competition)
2004-05 San Antonio Spurs 2005-06 San Antonio Spurs 2006-07 San Antonio Spurs
GP Min
2pts
3pts
80 14 115-248 58-142 54 11 82-163 24-70 73 13 94-229 33-115
FT
67-89 39-50 53-60
Rb As Pts
1.0 1.9 5.9 1.0 1.7 5.1 1.1 1.7 4.7
19 21 28 33 33 29 28 0
2pts
4-7 7-13 25-53 6-17 9-22 12-28 11-28 19-42
3pts
1-4 2-9 5-23 6-15 1-12 7-22 6-16 7-22
FT
9-12 10-11 39-45 4-8 25-29 20-32 18-30 19-20
Rb As Pts
0.7 2.0 2.6 5.3 5.7 3.2 2.6 3.3
1.0 2.8 3.4 4.0 3.7 2.5 2.4 2.7
6.7 7.5 13.0 11.3 15.3 10.8 11.6 13.0
GP Min
Pivovarna Lasko (EuroCup) 12 Pivovarna Lasko (Saporta) 16 Olimpija Ljubljana (Euroleague) 19 Virtus Bologna (Euroleague) 10 Virtus Bologna (Euroleague) 13 Krka Novo Mesto (Euroleague) 2 Varese Roosters (ULEB Cup) 8 Fortitudo Bologna (Euroleague) 17 Panathinaikos (Euroleague) 23
19 27 19 32 22 20 28 21 22
2pts
15-30 36-91 37-64 48-99 34-84 3-10 39-92 37-76 45-97
3pts
4-24 19-49 11-43 16-41 10-35 0-1 12-35 19-58 23-58
FT
12-19 54-65 44-61 61-66 48-62 2-2 57-65 57-70 74-91
Rb As Pts
1.3 1.3 1.2 4.1 3.1 2.0 3.1 1.9 2.0
1.2 1.5 1.4 3.9 2.5 4.0 4.6 2.5 2.0
4.5 11.4 7.9 20.5 9.7 4.0 18.4 11.1 9.2
ZUPAN Height: 2.06 Position: Power forward / Center Date of Birth: 13/09/1982 Place of birth: Kranj Team 2006-07: UNION OLIMPIJA (SloveniaDivision 1A) Career: Slovan Ljubljana (Slovenia-Division 1A, 2000-06), Union Olimpija (Slovenia-Division 1A, 2006-07).
T
his 2.06 m big man is another player who could benefit from the massive number of defections from the national side. Zupan had hoped to become the first hearingimpaired person to play in Euroleague when he transferred to Olimpija Ljubljana. But because cross-town rivals Slovan wouldn’t release his “letter of clearance”, he started to play for Olimpija only after the end of the European season. Zupan is a very popular player in Slovenia because he is real fighter but with so many well-established power forwards, he will probably have to wait for his chance with the National Team.
NATIONAL TEAM STATS YEAR
2005
NBA STATS
3 4 8 3 3 6 5 6
Miha
Rb As Pts
2.3 1.8 2.5 1.9 1.5
GP Min
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
COMPETITION
Semi-final Round EuroBasket Semi-final Round EuroBasket Semi-final Round EuroBasket Semi-final Round World Championship
COMPETITION
Semi-final Round
GP Min
2 14
2pts
3pts
2pts
3pts
3-5
1-5
FT
4-6
Rb As Pts
1.0 0.5 6.5
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
GP Min
2001-02 Slovan Ljubljana (Korac Cup) 9 17 2002-03 Slovan Ljlubljana (FIBA Cup) 10 24
128
23-35 31-58
0-2 2-3
FT
9-17 12-27
Rb As Pts
3.4 1.0 6.1 5.8 0.9 8.0
Goran
VUJACIC
JURAK
Height: 2.00 Position: Shooting guard Date of Birth: 08/03/1984 Place of birth: Maribor Team 2006-07: LOS ANGELES LAKERS (NBA) Career: Polzela (Slovenia-Division 1A, 1998-2000), Udine (Italy-Lega, 2000-04), Los Angeles Lakers (NBA, 2004-07). Selected in the first round of the 2004 NBA Draft (#27), by the Los Angeles Lakers.
Height: 2.05 Position: Power forward Date of Birth: 03/04/1977 Place of birth: Celje Team 2006-07: UNION OLIMPIJA (SloveniaDivision 1A) Career: Celje (Slovenia-Division 1B, 1995-96), Lasko (Slovenia-Division 1A, 1996-2002), Olimpija Ljubljana (Slovenia-Division 1A, 2002-03), Olympiakos (Greece-ESAKE, 2003-04), Cantù (Italy-Lega, 2004-06), Olimpija (Slovenia-Division 1A, 2007), Climamio Bologna (Italy-Lega, 2007)
V
ujacic was only 14-years-old when he started to play for Polzela(now Hospi) in the Slovenian 1A division and was not even 18 when he decided to move to the Italian club Snaidero Udine. The Slovenian Basketball Association (KZS) didn’t agree with this move because he was considered too young. After finally gaining permission he held a grudge and always refused to play for the Slovenian National Team in the past. Which is a pity because Slovenia need his talents. In his three NBA seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers, he has learned a lot from Kobe Bryant & Co. His main role on the team is on defense but when he gets some opportunities on offensive side of the ball, he takes advantage of them. Still, the question is if he will ever let bygones be bygones and don the National Team jersey.
A
t the beginning of the year, it looked very unlikely that Jurak would even have a chance to be a member of the National Team this summer because he didn’t play a single competitive game for six months. Then he returned to Olimpija Ljubljana, a move he quickly abandoned because there were so many problems at Slovenia’s most successful club. Jurak, a Slovenian junior record holder in swimming, found a new team when he moved to Bologna. While there, he again showed what he is the best at: fighting for every single ball.
NATIONAL TEAM STATS YEAR
2001 2003 2003 2005 2005 2006
NATIONAL TEAM STATS YEAR
COMPETITION
GP Min
2pts
3pts
2pts
3pts
FT
- Never played with the Senior National Team in official competition -
Rb As Pts
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
GP Min
2001-02 Snaidero Udine (Saporta Cup) 5 17 2002-03 Snaidero Udine (ULEB Cup) 11 30
5-11 23-45
4-7 20-52
2pts
3pts
FT
5-6 28-32
2004-05 Los Angeles Lakers 2005-06 Los Angeles Lakers 2006-07 Los Angeles Lakers
GP Min
35 12 16-54 17-63 82 18 49-140 59-172 73 13 45-107 60-161
FT
18-19 46-52 43-49
SEASON CLUB (Competition)
1997-98 1998-99 1999-00 2000-01 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2005-06 2006-07
Rb As Pts
1.8 1.5 2.9 1.9 1.7 3.9 1.5 0.9 4.3
Marko
B
oštjan Nachbar of the New Jersey Nets was the first to declare that he would take a break this summer, followed closely by Marko Milič. Therefore, head coach Ales Pipan lost his top two choices at small forward. Without that hole in the line-up, Maravic probably would not have made the National Team. But with these two stars not playing, he will most likely travel to Spain and in all likelihood have quite an important role there. His season seemed to be lost when he was first injured and then “unwanted” by Menorca. But then Slovenian coach Tomo Mahorič invited him to Ukraine where he found his form and helped BC Kyiv win the Ukrainian Cup. He is not the flashiest player ever seen, but coaches love him because they know what to expect from him. Who couldn’t use a guy capable of scoring over 10 points per game in the Euroleague?
COMPETITION
GP Min
2pts
6 20 4 10
10-17 4-7
GP Min
2pts
3pts
FT
1999-00 2000-01 2002-03 2003-04
Slovan Ljubljana (Korac Cup) 2 Slovan Ljubljana (Korac Cup) 4 Krka Novo Mesto (ULEB Cup) 17 Olimpija Ljubljana (Euroleague) 17
28 25 26 34
6-9 14-25 44-73 39-90
Rb As Pts
NATIONAL TEAM STATS
3pts
FT
Rb As Pts
2005 2005
7.0 4.5 5.6 5.1
3pts
FT
2-2 3-7 0-2 8-12 5-10 4-14
Rb As Pts
4.0 4.0 1.5 4.3 3.0 2.0
1.5 0.6 - 0.5 0.3 1.3
7.0 4.8 2.0 10.0 3.0 4.0
GP Min
14 15-20 19 40-64 22 34-57 30 41-71 25 58-107 21 73-150 26 53-104 23 25-46 28 6-10
- 0-2 0-1 - - 4-7 4-16 6-22 1-3
FT
12-23 20-35 18-37 25-53 27-49 60-104 35-62 24-40 6-10
Rb As Pts
2.3 4.9 4.5 7.0 5.9 5.1 4.9 4.6 7.0
- 0.1 0.6 1.8 2.4 1.0 1.4 1.5 2.0
3.5 6.3 6.1 10.7 11.0 10.9 7.7 7.7 10.5
S
3.2 0.7 6.0 1.5 0.8 4.0
9-9 16-17 59-79 57-73
2pts
- 1-1 - 0-1 1-2 0-2
lovenia desperately missed Lorbek at the 2006 World Championship while he recovered from a foot injury. He proved to be very useful at EuroBasket 2005, both on offense and defense. His abilities were not a big surprise, though, to anyone who had followed his career. Two years ago he was branded the top EuroLeague young player and the Indiana Pacers drafted him with the 46th pick. But he decided to stay in Europe for couple of more years. Erazem is the prototype of the modern big man. He can shoot the ball from anywhere, is an excellent passer and has a high basketball IQ. On the downside, he’s not a great defender and tends to be a bit soft. Lorbek surprised everyone by opting to go to America and play in the NCAA. However, Michigan State’s game didn’t fit with his style, and he quickly returned to Europe to sign a contract with Bologna. His numbers have been down a bit for the past two seasons and Lorbek needs more playing time and composure to live up to his talent. That might happen in Roma where the son of famous Slovenian player, Ratko Lorbek, averaged 14.9 points and 6.3 rebounds per game in 12 games.
13-22 8-15
- 4-11 9-21 15-35
3pts
Height: 2.10 Position: Power forward Date of Birth: 21/02/1984 Place of birth: Ljubljana Team 2005-06: UNICAJA MALAGA (SpainACB), BENETTON TREVISO and VIRTUS ROMA (Italy-Lega) Career: Olimpija Ljubljana II (Slovenia-Division 1B, 1999-2002), Michigan State (USA-NCAA, 2002-03), Fortitudo Bologna (Italy-Lega, 2003-06), Malaga (Spain-ACB, 2006-07), Benetton (Italy-Lega, 2007), Virtus Roma (Italy-Lega, 2007). Selected in the 2nd round of the 2005 NBA Draft (#46), by the Indiana Pacers.
1-3 -
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
2pts
6-10 9-17 2-4 16-25 5-18 10-20
LORBEK
NATIONAL TEAM STATS Semi-final Round EuroBasket
22 14 9 19 14 15
Erazem
Height: 2.01 Position: Small forward Date of Birth: 26/06/1979 Place of birth: Ljubljana Team 2006-07: BC KYIV (UkraineSuperleague) Career: Slovan Ljubljana (Slovenia-Division 1A, 1996-2001), Pepinster (Belgium-BLB, 2001-02), Krka (Slovenia-Division 1A, 2002-03), Olimpija Ljubljana (Slovenia-Division 1A, 2003-04), Milano (ItalyLega, 2004-05), Manresa (Spain-ACB, 2005-06), Menorca (Spain-ACB, 2006), BC Kyiv (Ukraine-Superleague, 2006-07)
2005 2005
2 5 2 4 6 6
Pivovarna Lasko (EuroCup) 12 Pivovarna Lasko (Saporta) 16 Pivovarna Lasko (Euroleague) 14 Pivovarna Lasko (Saporta) 10 Pivovarna Lasko (Korac Cup) 13 Olimpija Ljubljana (Euroleague) 20 Olympiakos Piraeus (Euroleague) 20 Cantù (EuroCup) 12 Olimpija Ljubljana (Euroleague) 2
MARAVIC
YEAR
GP Min
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS
Rb As Pts
2.4 1.6 5.4 3.0 2.6 12.2
NBA STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
COMPETITION
Semi-final Round Semi-final Round EuroBasket Semi-final Round EuroBasket World Championship
0.5 2.0 0.6 1.4
10.5 14.0 10.2 10.6
YEAR
COMPETITION
Semi-final Round EuroBasket
GP Min
2pts
3pts
1 9 6 24
3-4 13-22
- 5-15
GP Min
2pts
3pts
FT
1-1 6-12
Rb As Pts
1.0 1.0 7.0 4.3 0.7 7.8
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2006-07
129
Fortitudo Bologna (Euroleague) 22 Fortitudo Bologna (Euroleague) 20 Fortitudo Bologna (Euroleague) 19 Benetton Treviso (Euroleague) 2 Unicaja Malaga (Euroleague) 7
11 29-49 22 77-137 23 55-100 17 5-9 13 2-7
2-5 7-19 18-38 1-3 2-12
FT
13-24 24-34 19-36 - 1-2
Rb As Pts
2.3 4.9 4.4 3.5 3.9
0.4 0.9 1.1 1.0 0.6
3.5 9.3 9.6 6.5 1.6
SLOVENIA
Aleksander
Zeljko
GROUP D
Domen
ZAGORAC
LORBEK Height: 1.98 Position: Shooting guard Date of Birth: 06/03/1985 Place of birth: Kranj Team 2006-07: OLIMPIJA LJUBLJANA (Slovenia-Division 1A) Career: Olimpija Ljubljana II (SloveniaDivision 1B, 2000-02), Triglav Kranj (Slovenia-Division 1A, 2002-04), Helios Domzale (Slovenia-Division 1A, 2004-06), Union Olimpija (Slovenia-Division 1A, 2006-07)
L
orbek wasn’t on the Slovenian roster for the 2006 World Championship which wasn’t a surprise since he had only a year of experience at the top level of basketball playing for Helios Domzale. A year later, he is member of Olimpija. Lorbek finished his first Euroleague season with more than decent stats and proved his worth probably the most in Badalona, where he outplayed FIBA Europe’s 2006 Young Player of the Year, Rudy Fernandez. With all the defections, it looks more and more likely that at the end of the summer, he will make his debut with the National Team in official competition. Lorbek comes from a basketball family. His father Radovan played for Olimpija Ljubljana and is currently commissioner of the Adriatic League, his older brother Erazem is one of Europe’s brightest prospects and his youngest brother Klement played his first few games with Olimpija Ljubljana this season.
Height: 2.04 Position: Power forward Date of Birth: 09/03/1981 Place of birth: Gospic (Croatia) Team 2006-07: URAL GREAT (RussiaSuperLeague) Career: Olimpija Ljubljana II (SloveniaDivision 1B, 1997-99), Triglav Kranj (Slovenia-Division 1A, 1999-2000), Olimpija Ljubljana (Slovenia-Division 1A, 2000-01), Slovan Ljubljana (Slovenia-Division 1A, 2001-02), Olimpija Ljubljana (Slovenia-Division 1A, 2002-03), Braunschweig (Germany-Bundesliga, 2003-05), Helios (SloveniaDivision 1A, 2005-06), Ural Great (Russia-SuperLeague, 2006-07).
Z
agorac was probably the most surprising name on coach Pipan’s roster for the 2006 FIBA World Championship in Japan since there were so many other talented power forwards in Slovenia. But the Gospic native grabbed his chance with both hands. Zagorac started his career in the second team at Olimpija Ljubljana before moving to Triglav Kranj to get more playing time. He then switched between Olimpija and Slovan over the next three years. The 26-year-old also played for the German club Braunschweig and was nominated for the German All-Star Game in 2005, but came back to Slovenia for the 2005-06 season. This year, Zagorac had a very successful season at Ural Great Perm and posted decent statistics in the EuroCup where he averaged eight points and four rebounds per game. Originally from Croatia, Zeljko has a big, thick body and takes up a lot of space in the paint. He has a very effective mid-range jumper, can knock down the three-point shot and is a decent passer.
NATIONAL TEAM STATS YEAR
COMPETITION
GP Min
2pts
3pts
FT
- Never played with the Senior National Team in official competition -
Rb As Pts
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
GP Min
2006-07 Olimpija Ljubljana (Euroleague) 14 31
2pts
21-62
3pts
21-57
FT
21-27
Rb As Pts
2.9 1.4 9.0
Uros
NATIONAL TEAM STATS YEAR
2005 2006
SEASON CLUB (Competition)
Height: 2.10 Position: Power forward / Center Date of Birth: 14/05/1983 Place of birth: Ljubljana Team 2006-07: TORONTO RAPTORS (NBA) Career: Slovan Ljubljana (Slovenia-Division 1A, 2001-03), Benetton Treviso (Italy-Lega, 2003-05), Udine (Italy-Lega, 2005), Benetton Treviso (Italy-Lega, 2005-06), Toronto Raptors (Canada-NBA). Selected in the second round of the 2005 NBA Draft (#58), by the Toronto Raptors.
A
fter Marko Milič, Radoslav Nesterovič, Saša Vujačič, Primož Brezec, Beno Udrih and Boštjan Nachbar “Sloki” became the seventh Slovenian player who got his chance in the NBA. Even though he spent most of his time on the bench this season for the Raptors, Slokar did show on some occasions that he belongs in the NBA, as evidenced by an 18-point performance against the Pistons on April 17th. After playing alongside Italian superstar Bargnani at Benneton, he is still in the shadow of the former number one pick. Another big man with great size and fundamentals, Uros is a lefty who likes to bang inside, can score in various ways and doesn’t shy away from his defensive duties. He signed his first pro contract with Slovan in 2000 and remained there for 3 years before moving to Benetton Treviso. Loaned to Snaidero Udine in January 2005, Slokar posted solid numbers which earned him a selection in the 2005 NBA draft.
2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2006-07
2005 2006
EuroBasket World Championship
GP Min
1 24 5 24
2pts
3pts
2pts
3pts
4-7 8-15
2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06
GP Min
Slovan Ljubljana (Korac Cup) 6 Slovan Ljlubljana (FIBA Cup) 10 Benetton Treviso (Euroleague) 15 Benetton Treviso (Euroleague) 10 Benetton Treviso (Euroleague) 20
22 28 13 10 12
0-2 2-5
FT
2006-07 Toronto Raptors
GP Min
20
4
4-4 5-6 FT
19-31 54-88 17-33 9-19 29-48
0-1 7-18 5-14 3-6 7-15
27-30 37-47 20-29 12-18 19-33
2pts
3pts
FT
13-24
1-01 2-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2006-07
Kunin (Korac Cup) Kunin (Korac Cup) Lasko (ULEB Cup) Nymburk (EC) Nymburk (EC) Prostejov (EC)
GP Min
2 8 9 11 14 8
2pts
33 10-14 30 40-75 21 15-36 25 21-45 27 59-104 28 28-59
2pts
- 0-1
FT
3-3 5-6
Rb As Pts
4.0 - 15.0 1.8 0.5 1.3
0.7 0.7 0.4 0.1 0.4
10.8 16.6 4.6 3.3 4.9
Rb As Pts
1-2
9-13
0.1 0.1 1.9
3pts
FT
Rb As Pts
1-8 8-25 0-3 8-23 5-25 5-15
1-2 26-36 23-30 19-26 43-61 13-19
4.0 5.0 1.9 5.5 6.0 7.0
4.0 3.5 0.3 1.6 2.4 1.3
12.0 16.3 5.9 7.7 12.6 10.5
27 49-76 5 3-4 14 1-5 28 69-140 25 17-25
3pts
9-22 0-1 1-1 7-24 2-15
FT
12-18 2-6 1-2 22-45 8-9
Rb As Pts
5.9 0.9 - 6.6 3.8
0.3 - 1.0 0.9 0.8
15.2 1.1 6.0 12.9 8.0
W
Rb As Pts
5.2 4.4 2.2 1.7 3.1
Slovan Ljubljana (Korac Cup) 9 Olimpija Ljubljana (Euroleague) 7 Braunschweig (ULEB Cup) 1 Braunschweig (FEL) 14 Ural Great Perm (EuroCup) 6
hat a season Pavic had this year finishing as the best scorer and rebounder for Helios Domžale, the new Slovenian champions. The 27-year-old has proved his worth at new club side Helios Domžale who wants to keep him but may struggle to do that as Pavic is one of the hottest Slovenian players around and may go to a larger club. Coming off his terrific season, making it to the National Team seemed to be a natural next step. After growing up with the od Maribor youth and getting experience at Slovan and Pivovarna Laško, Pavic got his opportunity with the biggest Slovenian team: Union Olimpija. It may have come a bit too soon for him as his progress slowed and after two modest seasons he moved to Vojvodina Novi Sad, where he got back on track both physically and psychologically. Pavic won gold with Slovenia at the 2004 U20 European Championship.
3.0 - 12.0 4.4 0.6 5.4
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
GP Min
3pts
Height: 2.10 Position: Center Date of Birth: 05/02/1980 Place of birth: Slovenj Gradec Team 2006-07: HELIOS DOMZALE (SloveniaDivision 1A) Career: Maribor Ovni (Slovenia-Division 1A, 1996-98), Lumar Maribor (Slovenia-Division 1A, 1998-99), Slovan Ljubljana (Slovenia-Division 1A, 1999-2001), Pivovarna Laško (Slovenia-Division 1A, 200103), Union Olimpija Ljubljana (Slovenia-Division 1A, 2003-05), Vojvodina Novi Sad (Serbia-Superleague, 2005-06), Helios Domžale (Slovenia-Division 1A, 2006-07).
Rb As Pts
NBA STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
6-11 0-3
PAVIC
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
2pts
1 21 4 9
SMILJAN
NATIONAL TEAM STATS COMPETITION
GP Min
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS
SLOKAR
YEAR
COMPETITION
Semi-final Round World Championship
NATIONAL TEAM STATS YEAR
2003
COMPETITION
Semi-final Round
GP Min
2
5
2pts
3pts
2pts
3pts
1/2
-
FT
2/2
Rb As Pts
-
- 2.0
EUROPEAN CLUB COMPETITION STATS SEASON CLUB (Competition)
1997-98 1999-00 2000-01 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05
130
GP Min
KK Maribor (Korac Cup) 6 Slovan Ljubljana (Korac Cup) 6 Slovan Ljubljana (Korac Cup) 4 Pivovarna Lasko (Korac Cup) 13 Pivovarna Lasko (ULEB Cup) 11 Olimpija Ljubljana (Euroleague) 19 Olimpija Ljubljana (Euroleague) 7
20 14-31 12 13-22 17 11-19 25 60-105 25 54-86 13 26-64 9 6-19
- - - 0-1 1-2 5-13 1-1
FT
5-7 4-8 0-1 24-33 25-33 18-30 3-3
Rb As Pts
2.5 2.7 4.0 7.7 5.7 2.6 1.4
- 0.2 0.5 1.0 0.4 0.3 0.1
5.5 5.0 5.5 11.1 12.4 4.5 2.3
Kresimir Kosic (Yugoslavia)
All EuroBasket medal winners since 1935 Year Place
Gold
Silver
Bronze
2003 Stockholm (Sweden)
Lithuania
Spain
Italy
1999 Paris (France)
Italy
2005 Belgrade (Serbia & Montenegro) Greece 2001 Istanbul (Turkey)
1997 Barcelona (Spain) 1995 Athens (Greece)
1993 Munich (Germany)
1991 Zagreb (Yugoslavia) 1989 Roma (Italy)
1987 Athens (Greece)
1985 Stuttgart (Germany) 1983 Nantes (France)
1981 Prague (Czechoslovakia) 1979 Torino (Italy)
1977 Liège (Belgium)
1975 Belgrade (Yugoslavia) 1973 Barcelona (Spain)
1971 Essen (Netherlands) 1969 Napoli (Italy)
1967 Helsinki (Finland) 1965 Moscow (USSR)
1963 Wroclaw (Poland)
1961 Belgrade (Yugoslavia) 1959 Istanbul (Turkey) 1957 Sofia (Bulgaria)
1955 Budapest (Hungary) 1953 Moscow (USSR) 1951 Paris (France) 1949 Cairo (Egypt)
1947 Prague (Czechoslovakia) 1946 Geneva (Switzerland) 1939 Kaunas (Lithuania) 1937 Riga (Latvia)
1935 Geneva (Switzerland)
Yugoslavia Yugoslavia Yugoslavia Germany
Yugoslavia Yugoslavia Greece
Soviet Union Italy
Soviet Union Soviet Union Yugoslavia Yugoslavia Yugoslavia
Soviet Union Soviet Union Soviet Union Soviet Union Soviet Union Soviet Union Soviet Union Soviet Union Hungary
Soviet Union Soviet Union Egypt
Soviet Union
Czechoslovakia Lithuania Lithuania Latvia
Germany Turkey Spain
Croatia
Italy
Spain
Greece
Soviet Union
Czechoslovakia Spain
Yugoslavia Israel
Soviet Union Soviet Union Spain
Yugoslavia Yugoslavia
Czechoslovakia Yugoslavia Poland
Yugoslavia
Czechoslovakia Bulgaria
Czechoslovakia Hungary
Czechoslovakia France
Czechoslovakia Italy
Latvia Italy
Soviet Union Yugoslavia Italy
Soviet Union
Oded Katash (Israel)
Sarunas Marciulionis (Lithuania) Sabahudin Bilalovic (Bosnia) Nikos Galis (Greece) Nikos Galis (Greece) Nikos Galis (Greece)
Drazen Petrovic (Yugoslavia) Nikos Galis (Greece)
Mieczyslaw Mlynarski (Poland)
Czechoslovakia
Kees Akerboom (Holland)
Yugoslavia Italy
Soviet Union Italy
Czechoslovakia Poland Poland
Yugoslavia Bulgaria France
Czechoslovakia Soviet Union France France Greece
Micky Berkowitz (Israel)
Atanas Golomeev (Bulgaria) Atanas Golomeev (Bulgaria)
Edward Jurkiewicz (Poland) George Kolokitas (Greece) George Kolokitas (Greece)
Radivoj Korac (Yugoslavia) Radivoj Korac (Yugoslavia) Radivoj Korac (Yugoslavia) Novacek (Romania)
Skerzik (Czechoslovakia) -
Stiapas Butautas (Soviet Union) Fedon Mattheou (Greece)
26.1 28.7 19.2 22.0 22.5 25.0 32.4 35.6 37.0 25.1 33.0 23.1 22.4 26.7 22.9 22.1 22.6 22.7 22.9 21.7 26.6 24.0 19.5 13.8 -
13.7 -
Egypt
-
Poland
Heino Veskila (Estonia)
13.7
Livo Franceschini (Italy)
12.4
Hungary
Czechoslovakia
131
Alberto Herreros (Spain)
Czechoslovakia
France
Spain
25.8
Dirk Nowitzki (Germany)
Croatia
Russia
Pau Gasol (Spain)
Spain
Russia
Lithuania
Avg.
Dirk Nowitzki (Germany)
Yugoslavia
Italy
Top scorer
France
-
-
HISTORY
Nikos Galis (Greece)
Sarunas Jasikevicius (Lithuania)
HISTORY
All time head to head results For Germany, all results pre-1990 refer to West Germany. Although the GDR (East Germany) was a regular EuroBasket participant in the 50’s and 60’s, their results have not been taken into account for this head to head record. Euro: EuroBasket (qualifying phases or Final Round)
Croatia 1999 1992 2005 1997 1995 1992 2001 1997 1995 1993 2003 2003 2001 1999 1997 1997 1993 1992 2003 1995 1994 1994 1993 2005 2001 1999 1997 1995 2007 2007 2001 2001 2001 2005 1999 1999 1999 1996 1995 1997 1992 2005 2005 2005 2003 1995 1994 1993 2005 1995 2005 2003 2001 1999 1997 1997 1995 1993
Croatia – Czech Rep.: 2-0 Euro Croatia b. Czech Rep. OG Croatia b. Czech Rep. Croatia – Spain: 2-2 Euro Spain b. Croatia Euro Spain b. Croatia Euro Croatia b. Spain OG Croatia b. Spain Croatia – France: 2-2 Euro France b. Croatia Euro France b. Croatia Euro Croatia b. France Euro Croatia b. France Croatia – Germany: 4-4 Euro Germany b. Croatia Euro Germany b. Croatia Euro Germany b. Croatia Euro Germany b. Croatia Euro Croatia b. Germany Euro Croatia b. Germany Euro Croatia b. Germany OG Croatia b. Germany Croatia – Greece: 4-1 Euro Greece b. Croatia Euro Croatia b. Greece WC Croatia b. Greece WC Croatia b. Greece Euro Croatia b. Greece Croatia – Italy: 4-1 Euro Croatia b. Italy Euro Croatia b. Italy Euro Croatia b. Italy Euro Italy b. Croatia Euro Croatia b. Italy Croatia – Latvia: 5-0 Euro Croatia b. Latvia Euro Croatia b. Latvia Euro Croatia b. Latvia Euro Croatia b. Latvia Euro Croatia b. Latvia Croatia – Lithuania: 1-4 Euro Lithuania b. Croatia Euro Lithuania b. Croatia Euro Lithuania b. Croatia Euro Croatia b. Lithuania OG Lithuania b. Croatia Euro Lithuania b. Croatia Croatia – Poland: 0-1 Euro Poland b. Croatia Croatia – Portugal: 1-0 OG Croatia b. Portugal Croatia – Russia: 3-4 Euro Croatia b. Russia Euro Russia b. Croatia Euro Croatia b. Russia Euro Russia b. Croatia Euro Croatia b. Russia WC Russia b. Croatia Euro Russia b. Croatia Croatia – Serbia: 0-0 Croatia – Slovenia: 1-1 Euro Slovenia b. Croatia Euro Croatia b. Slovenia Croatia – Turkey: 4-4 Euro Croatia b. Turkey Euro Turkey b. Croatia Euro Turkey b. Croatia Euro Turkey b. Croatia Euro Turkey b. Croatia Euro Croatia b. Turkey Euro Croatia b. Turkey Euro Croatia b. Turkey
86-64 84-68 101-85 78-71 80-70 88-79 90-79 84-79 81-72 100-95 81-73 78-71 98-88 102-85 100-93 75-55 70-63 99-78 77-76 73-68 78-60 81-55 99-59 74-66 65-57 70-68 74-68 71-61 78-70 84-56 93-91 102-78 89-88 85-67 91-75 76-65 72-64 83-81 90-80 76-77 109-57 92-74 75-65 86-63 81-77 100-94 66-64 84-76 89-80 91-83 80-67 75-72 87-85 70-63 68-64 69-53 90-68 113-63
Czech Republic Czech Rep. – Croatia: 0-2 1999 Euro Croatia b. Czech Rep. 1992 OG Croatia b. Czech Rep. Czech Rep. – Germany: 1-2 1999 Euro Germany b. Czech Rep. 1992 OG Germany b. Czech Rep.
64-86 68-84 68-77 74-90
OG: Olympic Games (Final Round or Preliminary Round 1992)
1980 OG Czech Rep. b. Germany 84-79 Czech Rep. – France: 3-2 2005 Euro France b. Czech Rep. 95-104 2005 Euro France b. Czech Rep. 56-89 1980 OG Czech Rep. b. France 114-112 1972 OG Czech Rep. b. France 79-77 1968 OG Czech Rep. b. France 74-54 Czech Rep. – Greece: 2-2 2001 Euro Greece b. Czech Rep. 76-92 2001 Euro Greece b. Czech Rep. 54-74 1999 Euro Czech Rep. b. Greece 83-72 1980 OG Czech Rep. b. Greece 80-73 Czech Rep. – Italy: 0-10 2003 Euro Italy b. Czech Rep. 68-88 2003 Euro Italy b. Czech Rep. 75-81 1999 Euro Italy b. Czech Rep. 68-95 1999 Euro Italy b. Czech Rep. 63-79 1999 Euro Italy b. Czech Rep. 60-84 1997 Euro Italy b. Czech Rep. 53-65 1997 Euro Italy b. Czech Rep. 68-77 1992 OG Italy b. Czech Rep. 74-78 1980 OG Italy b. Czech Rep. 69-76 1972 OG Italy b. Czech Rep. 64-77 Czech Rep. – Latvia: 2-0 1999 Euro Czech Rep. b. Latvia 73-60 1999 Euro Czech Rep. b. Latvia 77-69 Czech Rep. – Lithuania: 1-1 1999 Euro Czech Rep. b. Lithuania 78-62 1992 OG Lithuania b. Czech Rep. 73-80 Czech Rep. – Poland: 6-3 2005 Euro Czech Rep. b. Poland 69-64 2005 Euro Czech Rep. b. Poland 73-64 2005 Euro Poland b. Czech Rep. 78-86 2005 Euro Czech Rep. b. Poland 82-57 2001 Euro Czech Rep. b. Poland 72-69 2001 Euro Czech Rep. b. Poland 80-69 1980 OG Poland b. Czech Rep. 74-82 1972 OG Czech Rep. b. Poland 84-76 1968 OG Poland b. Czech Rep. 79-85 Czech Rep. – Portugal: 3-1 2003 Euro Czech Rep. b. Portugal 124-116 2003 Euro Czech Rep. b. Portugal 88-65 2003 Euro Portugal b. Czech Rep. 46-61 2003 Euro Czech Rep. b. Portugal 68-55 Czech Rep. – Russia: 0-4 2007 Euro Russia b. Czech Rep. 55-69 2007 Euro Russia b. Czech Rep. 81-104 2003 Euro Russia b. Czech Rep. 89-103 2003 Euro Russia b. Czech Rep. 78-109 Czech Rep. – Slovenia: 3-4 2005 Euro Slovenia b. Czech Rep. 66-95 2005 Euro Slovenia b. Czech Rep. 70-71 2003 Euro Slovenia b. Czech Rep. 80-92 2003 Euro Czech Rep. b. Slovenia 71-70 1997 Euro Slovenia b. Czech Rep. 65-84 1997 Euro Czech Rep. b. Slovenia 82-81 1992 OG Czech Rep. b. Slovenia 86-84 Czech Rep. – Spain: 2-2 1995 Euro Spain b. Czech Rep. 78-80 1995 Euro Spain b. Czech Rep. 67-107 1980 OG Czech Rep. b. Spain 70-68 1972 OG Czech Rep. b. Spain 88-87 Czech Rep. – Turkey: 1-5 1999 Euro Turkey b. Czech Rep. 73-78 1999 Euro Turkey b. Czech Rep. 67-86 1999 Euro Turkey b. Czech Rep. 67-74 1995 Euro Turkey b. Czech Rep. 71-92 1995 Euro Czech Rep. b. Turkey 96-80 1992 OG Turkey b. Czech Rep. 56-81
France France – Czech Rep.: 2-3 Euro France b. Czech Rep. 104-95 Euro France b. Czech Rep. 89-56 OG Czech Rep. b. France 112-114 OG Czech Rep. b. France 77-79 OG Czech Rep. b. France 54-74 France – Croatia: 2-2 2001 Euro France b. Croatia 90-79 1997 Euro France b. Croatia 84-79 1995 Euro Croatia b. France 81-72
2005 2005 1980 1972 1968
WC: World Championship (final round)
1993 Euro Croatia b. France France – Spain: 4-15 2005 Euro France b. Spain 1999 Euro Spain b. France 1999 Euro France b. Spain 1995 Euro Spain b. France 1995 Euro France b. Spain 1993 Euro Spain b. France 1991 Euro Spain b. France 1989 Euro Spain b. France 1987 Euro Spain b. France 1986 WC Spain b. France 1985 Euro Spain b. France 1984 OG Spain b. France 1983 Euro Spain b. France 1981 Euro Spain b. France 1973 Euro Spain b. France 1971 Euro Spain b. France 1965 Euro Spain b. France 1963 Euro Spain b. France 1960 OG France b. Spain France – Germany: 7-4 2006 WC France b. Germany 2001 Euro Germany b. France 1993 Euro France b. Germany 1985 Euro Germany b. France 1983 Euro France b. Germany 1981 Euro France b. Germany 1971 Euro Germany b. France 1971 Euro Germany b. France 1965 Euro France b. Germany 1957 Euro France b. Germany 1953 Euro France b. Germany France – Greece: 5-12 2006 WC Greece b. France 2005 Euro Greece b. France 2005 Euro Greece b. France 1997 Euro Greece b. France 1993 Euro Greece b. France 1991 Euro Greece b. France 1989 Euro Greece b. France 1987 Euro Greece b. France 1986 WC Greece b. France 1983 Euro France b. Greece 1981 Euro France b. Greece 1979 Euro France b. Greece 1973 Euro Greece b. France 1967 Euro France b. Greece 1967 Euro Greece b. France 1965 Euro Greece b. France 1949 Euro France b. Greece France – Italy: 9-11 2003 Euro Italy b. France 2003 Euro France b. Italy 2000 OG Italy b. France 1995 Euro France b. Italy 1995 Euro France b. Italy 1991 Euro Italy b. France 1985 Euro Italy b. France 1983 Euro Italy b. France 1977 Euro Italy b. France 1973 Euro Italy b. France 1967 Euro Italy b. France 1963 WC France b. Italy 1959 Euro France b. Italy 1957 Euro France b. Italy 1953 Euro Italy b. France 1951 Euro France b. Italy 1946 Euro Italy b. France 1939 Euro France b. Italy 1937 Euro Italy b. France 1935 Euro France b. Italy France – Latvia: 2-2 2003 Euro France b. Latvia 2003 Euro France b. Latvia 1939 Euro Latvia b. France 1937 Euro Latvia b. France France – Lithuania: 4-4 2005 Euro France b. Lithuania 2003 Euro Lithuania b. France 2001 Euro France b. Lithuania
132
100-95 98-68 70-63 74-57 75-74 86-75 95-83 101-83 95-87 111-70 84-80 109-83 97-82 75-73 102-93 85-80 79-66 90-77 86-70 78-48 75-73 81-77 64-56 100-81 90-82 83-70 76-70 88-64 74-47 83-39 76-44 73-56 67-66 50-64 80-71 61-59 93-81 80-74 82-69 87-84 79-77 86-81 76-74 67-62 74-69 78-69 64-63 41-36 69-67 85-52 67-57 77-74 78-77 75-72 97-71 105-80 70-59 71-63 47-42 67-63 50-47 61-59 54-52 49-37 37-25 31-24 36-32 29-27
2000 1997 1997 1997 1939 2005 2005 2003 2003 1997 1997 1992 1988 1985 1981 1980 1979 1973 1972 1971 1968 1965 1963 1957 1955 1947 1939 1937 1937 2003 2001 1999 1997 1995 1995 2006 2005 2005 2005 2005 2003 1999 1997 1995 2006 1999 1997 1995 1993 1981 1971 1963 1961 1955 1951 1949
OG Lithuania b. France 81-63 Euro Lithuania b. France 94-88 Euro France b. Lithuania 75-67 Euro France b. Lithuania 87-74 Euro Lithuania b. France 48-18 France – Poland: 15-9 Euro France b. Poland 86-83 Euro France b. Poland 85-65 Euro France b. Poland 101-85 Euro France b. Poland 78-70 Euro France b. Poland 89-73 Euro France b. Poland 73-66 OG France b. Poland 82-73 OG France b. Poland 74-72 Euro Poland b. France 94-97 Euro Poland b. France 93-102 OG France b. Poland 90-78 Euro Poland b. France 76-85 Euro France b. Poland 67-62 OG France b. Poland 83-79 Euro Poland b. France 65-91 OG France b. Poland 77-74 Euro Poland b. France 53-72 Euro Poland b. France 65-98 Euro Poland b. France 62-65 Euro Poland b. France 55-57 Euro France b. Poland 62-29 Euro Poland b. France 36-38 Euro France b. Poland 27-24 Euro France b. Poland 29-24 France – Portugal: 0-0 France – Russia: 2-4 Euro France b. Russia 76-69 Euro Russia b. France 78-73 Euro France b. Russia 66-62 Euro Russia b. France 93-80 Euro Russia b. France 108-89 Euro Russia b. France 85-65 France – Serbia: 2-0 WC France b. Serbia 65-61 Euro France b. Serbia & Mont. 74-71 France – Slovenia: 5-2 Euro Slovenia b. France 68-58 Euro France b. Slovenia 85-69 Euro Slovenia b. France 77-61 Euro France b. Slovenia 88-82 Euro France b. Slovenia 74-69 Euro France b. Slovenia 80-75 Euro France b. Slovenia 89-68 France – Turkey: 10-2 WC France b. Turkey 64-56 Euro France b. Turkey 66-63 Euro Turkey b. France 82-71 Euro France b. Turkey 90-76 Euro France b. Turkey 69-55 Euro France b. Turkey 67-60 Euro France b. Turkey 82-60 Euro France b. Turkey 80-63 Euro France b. Turkey 74-57 Euro France b. Turkey 50-38 Euro Turkey b. France 42-40 Euro France b. Turkey 47-33
Germany 1999 1992 1980
96-78 87-81 45-26 26-20
2003 2003 2001 1999 1997 1997 1993 1992
63-47 74-70 76-65
2006 2005 2002
Germany – Czech Rep.: 2-1 Euro Germany b. Czech Rep. 77-68 OG Germany b. Czech Rep. 90-74 OG Czech Rep. b. Germany 79-84 Germany – Croatia: 4-4 Euro Germany b. Croatia 81-73 Euro Germany b. Croatia 78-71 Euro Germany b. Croatia 98-88 Euro Germany b. Croatia 102-85 Euro Croatia b. Germany 100-93 Euro Croatia b. Germany 75-55 Euro Croatia b. Germany 70-63 OG Croatia b. Germany 99-78 Germany – Spain: 5-9 WC Spain b. Germany 92-71 Euro Germany b. Spain 74-73 WC Germany b. Spain 70-62
2006 2001 1993 1985 1983 1981 1971 1971 1965 1957 1953 2005 2001 1999 1999 1999 1995 1994 1993 1981 1965 2005 2003 1999 1997 1995 1987 1987 1986 1985 1984 1984 1981 1972 1957 1957 1936 2003 1997 1997 2006 2003 1999 1995 1997 1987 1983 1981 1980 1972 1971 1965 1997 1997 1992 1951 2005 2002 1999 1997 1997 1993 2005 1999 1999 1993 2005 2001 1999 1999
Euro Spain b. Germany Euro Spain b. Germany Euro Germany b. Spain OG Germany b. Spain Euro Spain b. Germany Euro Spain b. Germany OG Spain b. Germany Euro Spain b. Germany Euro Spain b. Germany Euro Spain b. Germany OG Germany b. Spain Germany – France: 4-7 WC France b. Germany Euro Germany b. France Euro France b. Germany Euro Germany b. France Euro France b. Germany Euro France b. Germany Euro Germany b. France Euro Germany b. France Euro France b. Germany Euro France b. Germany Euro France b. Germany Germany – Greece: 4-6 Euro Greece b. Germany Euro Germany b. Greece Euro Germany b. Greece Euro Greece b. Germany Euro Germany b. Greece Euro Greece b. Germany WC Greece b. Germany Euro Germany b. Greece Euro Greece b. Germany Euro Greece b. Germany Germany – Italy: 0-16 Euro Italy b. Germany Euro Italy b. Germany Euro Italy b. Germany Euro Italy b. Germany Euro Italy b. Germany Euro Italy b. Germany Euro Italy b. Germany WC Italy b. Germany Euro Italy b. Germany OG Italy b. Germany OG Italy b. Germany Euro Italy b. Germany OG Italy b. Germany Euro Italy b. Germany Euro Italy b. Germany OG Italy b. Germany Germany – Latvia: 2-1 Euro Germany b. Latvia Euro Latvia b. Germany Euro Germany b. Latvia Germany – Lithuania: 0-4 WC Lithuania b. Germany Euro Lithuania b. Germany Euro Lithuania b. Germany Euro Lithuania b. Germany Germany – Poland: 4-4 Euro Poland b. Germany Euro Germany b. Poland Euro Germany b. Poland Euro Poland b. Germany OG Germany b. Poland OG Germany b. Poland Euro Poland b. Germany Euro Poland b. Germany Germany – Portugal: 4-0 Euro Germany b. Portugal Euro Germany b. Portugal OG Germany b. Portugal Euro Germany b. Portugal Germany – Russia: 3-3 Euro Germany b. Russia WC Germany b. Russia Euro Russia b. Germany Euro Russia b. Germany Euro Russia b. Germany Euro Germany b. Russia Germany – Serbia: 0-0 Germany – Slovenia: 2-2 Euro Germany b. Slovenia Euro Slovenia b. Germany Euro Slovenia b. Germany Euro Germany b. Slovenia Germany – Turkey: 4-3 Euro Germany b. Turkey Euro Turkey b. Germany Euro Germany b. Turkey Euro Turkey b. Germany
99-90 67-59 79-77 83-74 107-77 98-83 84-83 73-69 86-58 62-49 2-0 75-73 81-77 64-56 100-81 90-82 83-70 76-70 88-64 74-47 83-39 76-44 78-62 80-75 59-58 58-53 74-71 83-79 68-58 76-73 71-67 81-72 84-82 86-84 74-53 67-62 68-67 87-84 84-78 85-76 94-79 98-71 80-72 79-57 68-57 57-37 73-52 58-16 94-86 98-76 100-82 77-62 93-71 84-74 96-82 76-86 90-86 85-82 71-81 77-74 67-65 73-78 64-92 73-66 78-68 87-52 47-39 51-50 103-85 74-70 102-74 98-75 71-70 76-62 91-76 75-71 79-57 66-57 79-78 86-67 63-55
1993 Euro Germany b. Turkey 1981 Euro Germany b. Turkey 1957 Euro Turkey b. Germany
77-64 66-51 54-33
Greece 2001 2001 1999 1980 2003 1995 1994 1994 1993 2006 2003 2003 1998 1995 1993 1990 1987 1986 1983 1981 1975 1973 1967 1965 1961 2006 2005 2005 1997 1993 1991 1989 1987 1986 1983 1981 1979 1973 1967 1967 1965 1949 2005 2001 1999 1999 1999 1995 1994 1993 1981 1965 2003 2001 1998 1995 1993 1991 1987 1983 1979 1973 1967 1951 1993 2006 2004 1999 1997 1996 1995 2001 2001 1997 1981 1979 1975 1973
Greece – Czech Rep.: 2-2 Euro Greece b. Czech Rep. Euro Greece b. Czech Rep. Euro Czech Rep. b. Greece OG Czech Rep. b. Greece Greece – Croatia: 1-4 Euro Greece b. Croatia Euro Croatia b. Greece WC Croatia b. Greece WC Croatia b. Greece Euro Croatia b. Greece Greece – Spain: 6-10 WC Spain b. Greece Euro Spain b. Greece Euro Greece b. Spain WC Greece b. Spain Euro Greece b. Spain Euro Greece b. Spain WC Greece b. Spain Euro Spain b. Greece WC Spain b. Greece Euro Spain b. Greece Euro Spain b. Greece Euro Spain b. Greece Euro Spain b. Greece Euro Spain b. Greece Euro Greece b. Spain Euro Spain b. Greece Greece – France: 12-5 WC Greece b. France Euro Greece b. France Euro Greece b. France Euro Greece b. France Euro Greece b. France Euro Greece b. France Euro Greece b. France Euro Greece b. France WC Greece b. France Euro France b. Greece Euro France b. Greece Euro France b. Greece Euro Greece b. France Euro France b. Greece Euro Greece b. France Euro Greece b. France Euro France b. Greece Greece – Germany: 6-4 Euro Greece b. Germany Euro Germany b. Greece Euro Germany b. Greece Euro Greece b. Germany Euro Germany b. Greece Euro Greece b. Germany WC Greece b. Germany Euro Germany b. Greece Euro Greece b. Germany Euro Greece b. Germany Greece – Italy: 5-7 Euro Italy b. Greece Euro Greece b. Italy WC Greece b. Italy Euro Greece b. Italy Euro Greece b. Italy Euro Italy b. Greece Euro Greece b. Italy Euro Italy b. Greece Euro Italy b. Greece Euro Italy b. Greece Euro Italy b. Greece Euro Italy b. Greece Greece – Latvia: 1-0 Euro Greece b. Latvia Greece – Lithuania: 2-4 WC Greece b. Lithuania OG Lithuania b. Greece Euro Lithuania b. Greece Euro Greece b. Lithuania OG Lithuania b. Greece Euro Lithuania b. Greece Greece – Poland: 4-5 Euro Poland b. Greece Euro Greece b. Poland Euro Greece b. Poland Euro Poland b. Greece Euro Poland b. Greece Euro Greece b. Poland Euro Greece b. Poland
92-76 74-54 72-83 73-80 77-76 73-68 78-60 81-55 99-59 70-47 94-91 86-73 69-62 66-64 76-75 102-93 106-89 87-86 100-79 111-72 89-63 86-74 99-95 89-82 73-46 73-56 67-66 50-64 80-71 61-59 93-81 80-74 82-69 87-84 79-77 86-81 76-74 67-62 74-69 78-69 64-63 41-36 78-62 80-75 59-58 58-53 74-71 83-79 68-58 76-73 71-67 81-72 62-59 83-82 64-56 67-61 88-73 82-72 90-78 108-83 81-52 59-54 74-58 64-51 81-62 81-76 98-76 82-64 73-66 99-66 89-73 75-81 78-60 72-62 78-89 73-77 79-74 65-64
1965 Euro Poland b. Greece 1961 Euro Poland b. Greece Greece – Portugal: 2-0 1992 OG Greece b. Portugal 1951 Euro Greece b. Portugal Greece – Russia: 2-4 2005 Euro Greece b. Russia 2001 Euro Russia b. Greece 1998 WC Russia b. Greece 1997 Euro Russia b. Greece 1997 Euro Greece b. Russia 1993 Euro Russia b. Greece Greece – Serbia: 0-0 Greece – Slovenia: 0-3 2005 Euro Slovenia b. Greece 1999 Euro Slovenia b. Greece 1999 Euro Slovenia b. Greece Greece – Turkey: 5-2 2006 WC Greece b. Turkey 2003 Euro Greece b. Turkey 1997 Euro Greece b. Turkey 1981 Euro Greece b. Turkey 1975 Euro Turkey b. Greece 1951 Euro Turkey b. Greece 1949 Euro Greece b. Turkey
62-74 46-77 100-58 81-35 66-61 106-81 60-48 97-77 74-72 84-67 68-56 79-66 79-76 76-69 75-70 74-52 72-64 74-64 42-36 54-41
Italy 2003 2003 1999 1999 1999 1997 1997 1992 1980 1972 2005 2001 1999 1997 1995 2004 2003 1999 1998 1997 1995 1993 1991 1990 1989 1986 1985 1983 1983 1981 1980 1979 1975 1973 1969 1969 1968 1968 1959 2003 2003 2000 1995 1995 1991 1985 1983 1977 1973 1967 1963 1959 1957 1953 1951 1946 1939 1937 1935 2005
133
Italy – Czech Rep.: 10-0 Euro Italy b. Czech Rep. Euro Italy b. Czech Rep. Euro Italy b. Czech Rep. Euro Italy b. Czech Rep. Euro Italy b. Czech Rep. Euro Italy b. Czech Rep. Euro Italy b. Czech Rep. OG Italy b. Czech Rep. OG Italy b. Czech Rep. OG Italy b. Czech Rep. Italy – Croatia: 1-4 Euro Croatia b. Italy Euro Croatia b. Italy Euro Croatia b. Italy Euro Italy b. Croatia Euro Croatia b. Italy Italy – Spain: 15-9 OG Spain b. Italy Euro Spain b. Italy Euro Italy b. Spain WC Spain b. Italy Euro Italy b. Spain Euro Italy b. Spain Euro Spain b. Italy Euro Italy b. Spain WC Italy b. Spain Euro Italy b. Spain WC Spain b. Italy Euro Italy b. Spain Euro Italy b. Spain Euro Italy b. Spain Euro Spain b. Italy OG Italy b. Spain Euro Italy b. Spain Euro Italy b. Spain Euro Spain b. Italy Euro Spain b. Italy Euro Italy b. Spain OG Spain b. Italy OG Italy b. Spain Euro Italy b. Spain Italy – France: 11-9 Euro Italy b. France Euro France b. Italy OG Italy b. France Euro France b. Italy Euro France b. Italy Euro Italy b. France Euro Italy b. France Euro Italy b. France Euro Italy b. France Euro Italy b. France Euro Italy b. France WC France b. Italy Euro France b. Italy Euro France b. Italy Euro Italy b. France Euro France b. Italy Euro Italy b. France Euro France b. Italy Euro Italy b. France Euro France b. Italy Italy – Germany: 16-0 Euro Italy b. Germany
88-68 81-75 95-68 79-63 84-60 65-53 77-68 78-74 76-69 77-64 74-66 65-57 70-68 74-68 71-61 71-63 81-79 64-56 64-61 63-60 82-75 78-60 93-90 106-83 97-76 87-69 102-90 105-96 75-74 87-86 95-89 81-80 89-69 77-65 71-66 65-53 88-72 98-86 65-45 69-67 85-52 67-57 77-74 78-77 75-72 97-71 105-80 70-59 71-63 47-42 67-63 50-47 61-59 54-52 49-37 37-25 31-24 36-32 29-27 84-82
2003 1999 1997 1995 1987 1987 1986 1985 1984 1984 1981 1972 1957 1957 1936 2003 2001 1998 1995 1993 1991 1987 1983 1979 1973 1967 1951 1999 1999 1997 1993 1939 2006 2004 2000 1999 1998 1995 1939 1937 1937 1997 1992 1987 1987 1981 1980 1976 1972 1972 1971 1969 1968 1965 1964 1964 1960 1955 1946 1939 1936 2003 2003 2005 2003 2003 2001 1999 1998 1997 1995 1993 2004 2006 2003 2003 2003 1997 1997 1999 1999 1999 1997
Euro Euro Euro Euro Euro Euro WC Euro OG OG Euro OG Euro Euro OG
Italy b. Germany Italy b. Germany Italy b. Germany Italy b. Germany Italy b. Germany Italy b. Germany Italy b. Germany Italy b. Germany Italy b. Germany Italy b. Germany Italy b. Germany Italy b. Germany Italy b. Germany Italy b. Germany Italy b. Germany Italy – Greece: 7-5 Euro Italy b. Greece Euro Greece b. Italy WC Greece b. Italy Euro Greece b. Italy Euro Greece b. Italy Euro Italy b. Greece Euro Greece b. Italy Euro Italy b. Greece Euro Italy b. Greece Euro Italy b. Greece Euro Italy b. Greece Euro Italy b. Greece Italy – Latvia: 2-3 Euro Latvia b. Italy Euro Italy b. Latvia Euro Italy b. Latvia Euro Latvia b. Italy Euro Latvia b. Italy Italy – Lithuania: 3-6 WC Lithuania b. Italy OG Italy b. Lithuania OG Italy b. Lithuania Euro Lithuania b. Italy WC Italy b. Lithuania Euro Lithuania b. Italy Euro Lithuania b. Italy Euro Lithuania b. Italy Euro Lithuania b. Italy Italy – Poland: 14-6 Euro Italy b. Poland OG Italy b. Poland Euro Italy b. Poland Euro Italy b. Poland Euro Italy b. Poland OG Italy b. Poland OG Italy b. Poland OG Italy b. Poland OG Italy b. Poland Euro Italy b. Poland Euro Poland b. Italy OG Poland b. Italy Euro Poland b. Italy OG Poland b. Italy OG Italy b. Poland OG Italy b. Poland Euro Poland b. Italy Euro Italy b. Poland Euro Poland b. Italy OG Italy b. Poland Italy – Portugal: 2-0 Euro Italy b. Portugal Euro Italy b. Portugal Italy – Russia: 6-3 Euro Russia b. Italy Euro Italy b. Russia Euro Italy b. Russia Euro Italy b. Russia Euro Italy b. Russia WC Russia b. Italy Euro Italy b. Russia Euro Italy b. Russia Euro Russia b. Italy Italy – Serbia: 0-1 OG Serbia & Mont. b. Italy Italy – Slovenia: 2-4 WC Italy b. Slovenia Euro Slovenia b. Italy Euro Slovenia b. Italy Euro Slovenia b. Italy Euro Slovenia b. Italy Euro Italy b. Slovenia Italy – Turkey: 12-1 Euro Italy b. Turkey Euro Italy b. Turkey Euro Italy b. Turkey Euro Italy b. Turkey
86-84 74-53 67-62 68-67 87-84 84-78 85-76 94-79 98-71 80-72 79-57 68-57 57-37 73-52 58-16 62-59 83-82 64-56 67-61 88-73 82-72 90-78 108-83 81-52 59-54 74-58 64-51 64-62 96-84 85-75 80-79 38-23 71-68 100-91 50-48 74-62 76-71 80-69 41-27 24-23 22-20 80-65 106-74 93-75 99-85 90-81 96-82 117-97 71-59 84-68 85-67 54-55 52-66 70-86 58-61 79-59 74-68 59-67 40-25 27-43 44-28 103-68 89-65 87-61 83-63 86-66 64-58 102-79 71-55 67-65 80-70 95-69 74-72 80-76 77-67 78-70 84-78 72-55 76-63 64-61 68-54 72-64 66-43
HISTORY
2001 1997 1993 1992 1987 1985 1972 1971 1965 1961 1936
HISTORY
1981 1975 1971 1963 1959 1957 1955 1952 1951
Euro Euro Euro Euro Euro Euro Euro OG Euro
Italy b. Turkey Italy b. Turkey Italy b. Turkey Italy b. Turkey Italy b. Turkey Turkey b. Italy Italy b. Turkey Italy b. Turkey Italy b. Turkey
94-73 83-65 67-53 72-65 73-55 57-50 86-63 49-37 43-38
Latvia 1999 1999 2007 2007 2001 2001 2001 2005 2001 1993 1935 2003 2003 1939 1937 2003 1997 1997 1993 1999 1999 1997 1993 1939 2003 2001 1995 1995 1939 2003 2003 1997 1992 1939 1937 1936 2005 2005 1997 1997 2001 1997 1997 1993 2005 2001 1995 1995 2001 1999 1999
Latvia – Czech Rep.: 0-2 Euro Czech Rep. b. Latvia 60-73 Euro Czech Rep. b. Latvia 69-77 Latvia – Croatia: 0-5 Euro Croatia b. Latvia 78-70 Euro Croatia b. Latvia 84-56 Euro Croatia b. Latvia 93-91 Euro Croatia b. Latvia 102-78 Euro Croatia b. Latvia 89-88 Latvia – Spain: 1-3 Euro Spain b. Latvia 114-109 Euro Spain b. Latvia 106-77 Euro Spain b. Latvia 95-87 Euro Latvia b. Spain 24-18 Latvia – France: 2-2 Euro France b. Latvia 96-78 Euro France b. Latvia 87-81 Euro Latvia b. France 45-26 Euro Latvia b. France 26-20 Latvia – Germany: 1-2 Euro Germany b. Latvia 94-86 Euro Latvia b. Germany 98-76 Euro Germany b. Latvia 100-82 Latvia – Greece: 0-1 Euro Greece b. Latvia 81-62 Latvia – Italy: 3-2 Euro Latvia b. Italy 64-62 Euro Italy b. Latvia 96-84 Euro Italy b. Latvia 85-75 Euro Latvia b. Italy 80-79 Euro Latvia b. Italy 38-23 Latvia – Lithuania: 1-4 Euro Lithuania b. Latvia 92-91 Euro Latvia b. Lithuania 94-76 Euro Lithuania b. Latvia 94-91 Euro Lithuania b. Latvia 108-65 Euro Lithuania b. Latvia 37-36 Latvia – Poland: 3-4 Euro Latvia b. Poland 86-76 Euro Poland b. Latvia 81-92 Euro Poland b. Latvia 79-86 OG Latvia b. Poland 83-80 Euro Latvia b. Poland 43-20 Euro Poland b. Latvia 25-32 OG Poland b. Latvia 23-28 Latvia – Portugal: 4-0 Euro Latvia b. Portugal 92-64 Euro Latvia b. Portugal 81-76 Euro Latvia b. Portugal 81-76 Euro Latvia b. Portugal 65-56 Latvia – Russia: 0-4 Euro Russia b. Latvia 99-81 Euro Russia b. Latvia 86-82 Euro Russia b. Latvia 112-71 Euro Russia b. Latvia 91-72 Latvia – Serbia: 0-1 Euro Serbia & Mont. b. Latvia 82-67 Latvia – Slovenia: 1-2 Euro Latvia b. Slovenia 99-93 Euro Slovenia b. Latvia 104-73 Euro Slovenia b. Latvia 100-78 Latvia – Turkey: 0-3 Euro Turkey b. Latvia 85-82 Euro Turkey b. Latvia 78-65 Euro Turkey b. Latvia 84-74
Lithuania 1999 1992 2005 1999 1999 1999 1996 1995 2006 2003 1999
Lithuania – Czech Rep.: 1-1 Euro Czech Rep. b. Lithuania OG Lithuania b. Czech Rep. Lithuania – Croatia: 5-1 Euro Lithuania b. Croatia Euro Lithuania b. Croatia Euro Lithuania b. Croatia Euro Croatia b. Lithuania OG Lithuania b. Croatia Euro Lithuania b. Croatia Lithuania – Spain: 1-4 WC Spain b. Lithuania Euro Lithuania b. Spain Euro Spain b. Lithuania
62-78 80-73 85-67 91-75 76-65 72-64 83-81 90-80 89-67 93-84 74-72
1998 WC Spain b. Lithuania 1997 Euro Spain b. Lithuania Lithuania – France: 4-4 2005 Euro France b. Lithuania 2003 Euro Lithuania b. France 2001 Euro France b. Lithuania 2000 OG Lithuania b. France 1997 Euro Lithuania b. France 1997 Euro France b. Lithuania 1997 Euro France b. Lithuania 1939 Euro Lithuania b. France Lithuania – Germany: 4-0 2006 WC Lithuania b. Germany 2003 Euro Lithuania b. Germany 1999 Euro Lithuania b. Germany 1995 Euro Lithuania b. Germany Lithuania – Greece: 4-2 2006 WC Greece b. Lithuania 2004 OG Lithuania b. Greece 1999 Euro Lithuania b. Greece 1997 Euro Greece b. Lithuania 1996 OG Lithuania b. Greece 1995 Euro Lithuania b. Greece Lithuania – Italy: 6-3 2006 WC Lithuania b. Italy 2004 OG Italy b. Lithuania 2000 OG Italy b. Lithuania 1999 Euro Lithuania b. Italy 1998 WC Italy b. Lithuania 1995 Euro Lithuania b. Italy 1939 Euro Lithuania b. Italy 1937 Euro Lithuania b. Italy 1937 Euro Lithuania b. Italy Lithuania – Latvia: 4-1 2003 Euro Lithuania b. Latvia 2001 Euro Latvia b. Lithuania 1995 Euro Lithuania b. Latvia 1995 Euro Lithuania b. Latvia 1939 Euro Lithuania b. Latvia Lithuania – Russia: 3-2 2005 Euro Lithuania b. Russia 1999 Euro Lithuania b. Russia 1998 WC Russia b. Lithuania 1997 Euro Russia b. Lithuania 1995 Euro Lithuania b. Russia Lithuania – Poland: 4-1 1997 Euro Lithuania b. Poland 1997 Euro Poland b. Lithuania 1997 Euro Lithuania b. Poland 1939 Euro Lithuania b. Poland 1937 Euro Lithuania b. Poland Lithuania – Portugal: 0-0 Lithuania – Serbia: 0-0 Lithuania – Slovenia: 3-1 2005 Euro Lithuania b. Slovenia 1997 Euro Lithuania b. Slovenia 1995 Euro Lithuania b. Slovenia 1995 Euro Slovenia b. Lithuania Lithuania – Turkey: 6-2 2006 WC Turkey b. Lithuania 2006 WC Turkey b. Lithuania 2005 Euro Lithuania b. Turkey 2003 Euro Lithuania b. Turkey 2003 Euro Lithuania b. Turkey 1999 Euro Lithuania b. Turkey 1999 Euro Lithuania b. Turkey 1997 Euro Lithuania b. Turkey
81-76 98-76 82-64 73-66 99-66 89-73
2005 2003 2003 1997 1997 1992 1988 1985 1981 1980 1979 1973 1972 1971 1968 1965 1963 1957 1955 1947 1939 1937 1937
71-68 100-91 50-48 74-62 76-71 80-69 41-27 24-23 22-20
2001 2001 1997 1981 1979 1975 1973 1965 1961
92-91 94-76 94-91 108-65 37-36
1997 1992 1987 1987 1981 1980 1976 1972 1972 1971 1969 1968 1965 1964 1964 1960 1955 1946 1939 1936
86-80 94-93 63-47 74-70 76-65 81-63 94-88 75-67 87-74 48-18 77-62 93-71 84-74 96-82
89-78 103-72 82-67 93-64 82-71 76-55 69-88 108-96 46-18 31-25
79-70 76-67 88-85 85-81 95-84 76-74 87-75 102-99 100-62 80-56 74-48 93-85
Poland 1997 2005 2005 2005 2005 2001 2001 1980 1972 1968 1997 1987 1983 1981 1980 1972 1971 1965 2005
Poland – Croatia: 0-1 Euro Poland b. Croatia Poland – Czech Rep.: 3-6 Euro Czech Rep. b. Poland Euro Czech Rep. b. Poland Euro Poland b. Czech Rep. Euro Czech Rep. b. Poland Euro Czech Rep. b. Poland Euro Czech Rep. b. Poland OG Poland b. Czech Rep. OG Czech Rep. b. Poland OG Poland b. Czech Rep. Poland – Germany: 4-4 Euro Poland b. Germany Euro Germany b. Poland Euro Germany b. Poland Euro Poland b. Germany OG Germany b. Poland OG Germany b. Poland Euro Poland b. Germany Euro Poland b. Germany Poland – France: 9-15 Euro France b. Poland
77-76 64-69 64-73 86-78 57-82 69-72 69-80 82-74 76-84 85-79 86-76 86-90 82-85 81-71 74-77 65-67 78-73 92-64 83-86
2003 2003 1997 1992 1939 1937 1936 1997 1997 1997 1939 1937 1999 1999 1995 1999 1999 2005 2005 1997 1991 1985 1980 1980 1972 1972 1971 1969 1967 1965
134
Euro Euro Euro Euro Euro OG OG Euro Euro OG Euro Euro OG Euro OG Euro Euro Euro Euro Euro Euro Euro Euro
France b. Poland France b. Poland France b. Poland France b. Poland France b. Poland France b. Poland France b. Poland Poland b. France Poland b. France France b. Poland Poland b. France France b. Poland France b. Poland Poland b. France France b. Poland Poland b. France Poland b. France Poland b. France Poland b. France France b. Poland Poland b. France France b. Poland France b. Poland Poland – Greece: 5-4 Euro Poland b. Greece Euro Greece b. Poland Euro Greece b. Poland Euro Poland b. Greece Euro Poland b. Greece Euro Greece b. Poland Euro Greece b. Poland Euro Poland b. Greece Euro Poland b. Greece Poland – Italy: 6-14 Euro Italy b. Poland OG Italy b. Poland Euro Italy b. Poland Euro Italy b. Poland Euro Italy b. Poland OG Italy b. Poland OG Italy b. Poland OG Italy b. Poland OG Italy b. Poland Euro Italy b. Poland Euro Poland b. Italy OG Poland b. Italy Euro Poland b. Italy OG Poland b. Italy OG Italy b. Poland OG Italy b. Poland Euro Poland b. Italy Euro Italy b. Poland Euro Poland b. Italy OG Italy b. Poland Poland – Latvia: 4-3 Euro Latvia b. Poland Euro Poland b. Latvia Euro Poland b. Latvia OG Latvia b. Poland Euro Latvia b. Poland Euro Poland b. Latvia OG Poland b. Latvia Poland – Lithuania: 1-4 Euro Lithuania b. Poland Euro Poland b. Lithuania Euro Lithuania b. Poland Euro Lithuania b. Poland Euro Lithuania b. Poland Poland – Portugal: 3-0 Euro Poland b. Portugal Euro Poland b. Portugal Euro Poland b. Portugal Poland – Russia: 0-2 Euro Russia b. Poland Euro Russia b. Poland Poland – Serbia: 0-0 Poland – Slovenia: 0-2 Euro Slovenia b. Poland Euro Slovenia b. Poland Poland – Spain: 9-5 Euro Spain b. Poland Euro Spain b. Poland Euro Spain b. Poland OG Spain b. Poland OG Spain b. Poland OG Poland b. Spain OG Poland b. Spain Euro Poland b. Spain Euro Poland b. Spain Euro Poland b. Spain Euro Poland b. Spain
65-85 85-101 70-78 73-89 66-73 73-82 72-74 97-94 102-93 78-90 85-76 62-67 79-83 91-65 74-77 72-53 98-65 65-62 57-55 29-62 38-36 24-29 24-27 81-75 60-78 62-72 89-78 77-73 74-79 64-65 74-62 77-46 65-80 74-106 85-99 75-93 81-90 82-96 97-117 59-71 68-84 67-85 55-54 66-52 86-70 61-58 59-79 68-74 67-59 25-40 43-27 28-44 76-86 92-81 86-79 80-83 20-43 32-25 28-23 55-76 88-69 96-108 18-46 25-31 89-65 86-81 86-65 86-92 75-82 62-82 71-80 61-104 67-73 97-99 81-104 81-107 87-76 88-86 83-70 79-78 88-71 82-57
1963 Euro Poland b. Spain 1960 OG Poland b. Spain 1959 Euro Poland b. Spain Poland – Turkey: 5-1 1997 Euro Poland b. Turkey 1981 Euro Poland b. Turkey 1975 Euro Poland b. Turkey 1973 Euro Turkey b. Poland 1961 Euro Poland b. Turkey 1957 Euro Poland b. Turkey
79-76 75-63 61-58 89-87 89-75 90-71 64-65 74-59 55-50
Portugal 1992 2003 2003 2003 2003 1997 1997 1992 1951 1992 1951 2003 2003 2005 2005 1997 1997 1999 1999 1995 2003 2003 1999 1999 1997 1997 2003 2003 2001 2001
Portugal – Croatia: 0-1 OG Croatia b. Portugal 57-109 Portugal – Czech Rep.: 1-3 Euro Czech Rep. b. Portugal 116-124 Euro Czech Rep. b. Portugal 65-88 Euro Portugal b. Czech Rep. 61-46 Euro Czech Rep. b. Portugal 55-68 Portugal – France: 0-0 Portugal – Germany: 0-4 Euro Germany b. Portugal 66-73 Euro Germany b. Portugal 68-78 OG Germany b. Portugal 52-87 Euro Germany b. Portugal 39-47 Portugal – Greece: 0-2 OG Greece b. Portugal 58-100 Euro Greece b. Portugal 35-81 Portugal – Italy: 0-2 Euro Italy b. Portugal 68-103 Euro Italy b. Portugal 65-89 Portugal – Latvia: 0-4 Euro Latvia b. Portugal 64-92 Euro Latvia b. Portugal 76-81 Euro Latvia b. Portugal 76-81 Euro Latvia b. Portugal 56-65 Portugal – Lithuania: 0-0 Portugal – Poland: 0-3 Euro Poland b. Portugal 65-89 Euro Poland b. Portugal 81-86 Euro Poland b. Portugal 65-86 Portugal – Russia: 1-5 Euro Portugal b. Russia 91-83 Euro Russia b. Portugal 77-90 Euro Russia b. Portugal 60-108 Euro Russia b. Portugal 76-91 Euro Russia b. Portugal 75-104 Euro Russia b. Portugal 70-90 Portugal – Serbia: 0-0 Portugal – Slovenia: 0-4 Euro Slovenia b. Portugal 99-106 Euro Slovenia b. Portugal 65-77 Euro Slovenia b. Portugal 82-104 Euro Slovenia b. Portugal 58-89 Portugal – Spain: 0-0 Portugal – Turkey: 0-0
Russia 2005 2005 2005 2003 1995 1994 1993 2007 2007 2003 2003 2003 2001 2000 1999 1997 1995 1993 2003 2001 1999 1997 1995 1995 2005 2002 1999 1997 1997 1993
Russia – Croatia: 4-3 Euro Croatia b. Russia Euro Russia b. Croatia Euro Croatia b. Russia Euro Russia b. Croatia Euro Croatia b. Russia WC Russia b. Croatia Euro Russia b. Croatia Russia – Czech Rep.: 4-0 Euro Russia b. Czech Rep. Euro Russia b. Czech Rep. Euro Russia b. Czech Rep. Euro Russia b. Czech Rep. Russia – Spain: 2-5 Euro Spain b. Russia Euro Spain b. Russia OG Russia b. Spain Euro Spain b. Russia Euro Russia b. Spain Euro Spain b. Russia Euro Spain b. Russia Russia – France: 4-2 Euro France b. Russia Euro Russia b. France Euro France b. Russia Euro Russia b. France Euro Russia b. France Euro Russia b. France Russia – Germany: 3-3 Euro Germany b. Russia WC Germany b. Russia Euro Russia b. Germany Euro Russia b. Germany Euro Russia b. Germany Euro Germany b. Russia
92-74 75-65 86-63 81-77 100-94 66-64 84-76 69-55 104-81 103-89 109-78 89-77 62-55 71-63 72-69 70-67 94-78 86-75 76-69 78-73 66-62 93-80 108-89 85-65 51-50 103-85 74-70 102-74 98-75 71-70
2005 2003 2003 2001 1999 1998 1997 1995 1993 2001 1997 1997 1993 2005 1999 1998 1997 1995 1999 1999 2003 2003 1999 1999 1997 1997 2003 2003 1999 1995 2002 1997 1995
Russia – Greece: 4-2 Greece b. Russia Russia b. Greece Russia b. Greece Russia b. Greece Greece b. Russia Russia b. Greece Russia – Italy: 3-6 Euro Russia b. Italy Euro Italy b. Russia Euro Italy b. Russia Euro Italy b. Russia Euro Italy b. Russia WC Russia b. Italy Euro Italy b. Russia Euro Italy b. Russia Euro Russia b. Italy Russia – Latvia: 4-0 Euro Russia b. Latvia Euro Russia b. Latvia Euro Russia b. Latvia Euro Russia b. Latvia Russia – Lithuania: 2-3 Euro Lithuania b. Russia Euro Lithuania b. Russia WC Russia b. Lithuania Euro Russia b. Lithuania Euro Lithuania b. Russia Russia – Poland: 2-0 Euro Russia b. Poland Euro Russia b. Poland Russia – Portugal: 5-1 Euro Portugal b. Russia Euro Russia b. Portugal Euro Russia b. Portugal Euro Russia b. Portugal Euro Russia b. Portugal Euro Russia b. Portugal Russia – Serbia: 0-0 Russia – Slovenia: 3-1 Euro Slovenia b. Russia Euro Russia b. Slovenia Euro Russia b. Slovenia Euro Russia b. Slovenia Russia – Turkey: 2-1 WC Turkey b. Russia Euro Russia b. Turkey Euro Russia b. Turkey Euro Euro WC Euro Euro Euro
66-61 106-81 60-48 97-77 74-72 84-67 87-61 83-63 86-66 64-58 102-79 71-55 67-65 80-70 95-69 99-81 86-82 112-71 91-72 89-78 103-72 82-67 93-64 82-71 92-86 82-75 83-91 90-77 108-60 91-76 104-75 90-70 82-76 88-63 68-47 92-82 91-86 87-56 102-93
Serbia 2006 2005 2004 2004 2005 2006 2005
Serbia – Spain: 0-3 WC Spain b. Serbia Euro Spain b. Serbia OG Spain b. Serbia Serbia – Italy: 1-0 OG Serbia b. Italy Serbia – Latvia: 1-0 Euro Serbia & Mont. b. Latvia Serbia – France: 0-2 WC France b. Serbia Euro France b. Serbia & Mont.
87-75 89-70 76-68 74-72 82-67 65-61 74-71
Slovenia 2005 2005 2003 2003 1997 1997 1992 2005 1995 2001 1999 1995 2005 2005 2005 2003 1999 1997 1995 2005 1999 1999 1993 2005
Slovenia – Czech Rep.: 4-3 Euro Slovenia b. Czech Rep. Euro Slovenia b. Czech Rep. Euro Slovenia b. Czech Rep. Euro Czech Rep. b. Slovenia Euro Slovenia b. Czech Rep. Euro Czech Rep. b. Slovenia OG Czech Rep. b. Slovenia Slovenia – Croatia: 1-1 Euro Slovenia b. Croatia Euro Croatia b. Slovenia Slovenia – Spain: 1-2 Euro Spain b. Slovenia Euro Slovenia b. Spain Euro Spain b. Slovenia Slovenia – France: 2-5 Euro Slovenia b. France Euro France b. Slovenia Euro Slovenia b. France Euro France b. Slovenia Euro France b. Slovenia Euro France b. Slovenia Euro France b. Slovenia Slovenia – Germany: 2-2 Euro Germany b. Slovenia Euro Slovenia b. Germany Euro Slovenia b. Germany Euro Germany b. Slovenia Slovenia – Greece: 3-0 Euro Slovenia b. Greece
95-66 71-70 92-80 70-71 84-65 81-82 84-86 89-80 91-83 85-61 85-75 88-85 68-58 85-69 77-61 88-82 74-69 80-75 89-68 76-62 91-76 75-71 79-57 68-56
1999 Euro Slovenia b. Greece 1999 Euro Slovenia b. Greece Slovenia – Italy: 4-2 2006 WC Italy b. Slovenia 2003 Euro Slovenia b. Italy 2003 Euro Slovenia b. Italy 2003 Euro Slovenia b. Italy 1997 Euro Slovenia b. Italy 1997 Euro Italy b. Slovenia Slovenia – Latvia: 2-1 2001 Euro Latvia b. Slovenia 1995 Euro Slovenia b. Latvia 1995 Euro Slovenia b. Latvia Slovenia – Lithuania: 3-1 2005 Euro Lithuania b. Slovenia 1997 Euro Lithuania b. Slovenia 1995 Euro Lithuania b. Slovenia 1995 Euro Slovenia b. Lithuania Slovenia – Poland: 2-0 2005 Euro Slovenia b. Poland 2005 Euro Slovenia b. Poland Slovenia – Portugal: 4-0 2003 Euro Slovenia b. Portugal 2003 Euro Slovenia b. Portugal 2001 Euro Slovenia b. Portugal 2001 Euro Slovenia b. Portugal Slovenia – Russia: 1-3 2003 Euro Slovenia b. Russia 2003 Euro Russia b. Slovenia 1999 Euro Russia b. Slovenia 1995 Euro Russia b. Slovenia Slovenia – Serbia: 0-0 Slovenia – Turkey: 2-1 2006 WC Turkey b. Slovenia 2001 Euro Slovenia b. Turkey 1995 Euro Slovenia b. Turkey
79-66 79-76 80-76 77-67 78-70 84-78 72-55 76-63 99-93 104-73 100-78 79-70 76-67 88-85 85-81 82-62 80-71 106-99 77-65 104-82 89-58 82-76 88-63 68-47 92-82 90-84 71-57 93-74
Spain 1995 1995 1980 1972 2005 1997 1995 1992 2005 1999 1999 1995 1995 1993 1991 1989 1987 1986 1985 1984 1983 1981 1973 1971 1965 1963 1960 2006 2005 2002 2001 1997 1993 1992 1987 1985 1972 1971 1965 1961 1936 2006 2003 2003 1998 1995 1993 1990 1987
Spain – Czech Rep.: 2-2 Euro Spain b. Czech Rep. Euro Spain b. Czech Rep. OG Czech Rep. b. Spain OG Czech Rep. b. Spain Spain – Croatia: 2-2 Euro Spain b. Croatia Euro Spain b. Croatia Euro Croatia b. Spain OG Croatia b. Spain Spain – France: 15-4 Euro France b. Spain Euro Spain b. France Euro France b. Spain Euro Spain b. France Euro France b. Spain Euro Spain b. France Euro Spain b. France Euro Spain b. France Euro Spain b. France WC Spain b. France Euro Spain b. France OG Spain b. France Euro Spain b. France Euro Spain b. France Euro Spain b. France Euro Spain b. France Euro Spain b. France Euro Spain b. France OG France b. Spain Spain – Germany: 9-5 WC Spain b. Germany Euro Germany b. Spain WC Germany b. Spain Euro Spain b. Germany Euro Spain b. Germany Euro Germany b. Spain OG Germany b. Spain Euro Spain b. Germany Euro Spain b. Germany OG Spain b. Germany Euro Spain b. Germany Euro Spain b. Germany Euro Spain b. Germany OG Germany b. Spain Spain – Greece: 10-6 WC Spain b. Greece Euro Spain b. Greece Euro Greece b. Spain WC Greece b. Spain Euro Greece b. Spain Euro Greece b. Spain WC Greece b. Spain Euro Spain b. Greece
80-78 107-67 68-70 87-88 101-85 78-71 80-70 88-79 98-68 70-63 74-57 75-74 86-75 95-83 101-83 95-87 111-70 84-80 109-83 97-82 75-73 102-93 85-80 79-66 90-77 86-70 78-48 92-71 74-73 70-62 99-90 67-59 79-77 83-74 107-77 98-83 84-83 73-69 86-58 62-49 2-0 70-47 94-91 86-73 69-62 66-64 76-75 102-93 106-89
1986 1983 1981 1975 1973 1967 1965 1961 2004 2003 1999 1998 1997 1995 1993 1991 1990 1989 1986 1985 1983 1983 1981 1980 1979 1975 1973 1969 1969 1968 1968 1959 2005 2001 1993 1935 2006 2003 1999 1998 1997 1997 1991 1985 1980 1980 1972 1972 1971 1969 1967 1965 1963 1960 1959 2003 2001 2000 1999 1997 1995 1993 2006 2005 2004 2001 1999 1995 2002 2001 1997 1995 1995 1995 1959
WC Euro Euro Euro Euro Euro Euro Euro
Spain b. Greece Spain b. Greece Spain b. Greece Spain b. Greece Spain b. Greece Spain b. Greece Greece b. Spain Spain b. Greece Spain – Italy: 9-15 OG Spain b. Italy Euro Spain b. Italy Euro Italy b. Spain WC Spain b. Italy Euro Italy b. Spain Euro Italy b. Spain Euro Spain b. Italy Euro Italy b. Spain WC Italy b. Spain Euro Italy b. Spain WC Spain b. Italy Euro Italy b. Spain Euro Italy b. Spain Euro Italy b. Spain Euro Spain b. Italy OG Italy b. Spain Euro Italy b. Spain Euro Italy b. Spain Euro Spain b. Italy Euro Spain b. Italy Euro Italy b. Spain OG Spain b. Italy OG Italy b. Spain Euro Italy b. Spain Spain – Latvia: 3-1 Euro Spain b. Latvia Euro Spain b. Latvia Euro Spain b. Latvia Euro Latvia b. Spain Spain – Lithuania: 4-1 WC Spain b. Lithuania Euro Lithuania b. Spain Euro Spain b. Lithuania WC Spain b. Lithuania Euro Spain b. Lithuania Spain – Poland: 5-9 Euro Spain b. Poland Euro Spain b. Poland Euro Spain b. Poland OG Spain b. Poland OG Spain b. Poland OG Poland b. Spain OG Poland b. Spain Euro Poland b. Spain Euro Poland b. Spain Euro Poland b. Spain Euro Poland b. Spain Euro Poland b. Spain OG Poland b. Spain Euro Poland b. Spain Spain – Portugal: 0-0 Spain – Russia: 5-2 Euro Spain b. Russia Euro Spain b. Russia OG Russia b. Spain Euro Spain b. Russia Euro Russia b. Spain Euro Spain b. Russia Euro Spain b. Russia Spain – Serbia: 3-0 WC Spain b. Serbia Euro Spain b. Serbia OG Spain b. Serbia Spain – Slovenia: 2-1 Euro Spain b. Slovenia Euro Slovenia b. Spain Euro Spain b. Slovenia Spain – Turkey: 5-2 WC Spain b. Turkey Euro Turkey b. Spain Euro Spain b. Turkey Euro Spain b. Turkey Euro Spain b. Turkey Euro Spain b. Turkey Euro Turkey b. Spain
87-86 100-79 111-72 89-63 86-74 99-95 89-82 73-46 71-63 81-79 64-56 64-61 63-60 82-75 78-60 93-90 106-83 97-76 87-69 102-90 105-96 75-74 87-86 95-89 81-80 89-69 77-65 71-66 65-53 88-72 98-86 65-45 114-109 106-77 95-87 24-18 89-67 93-84 74-72 86-80 94-93 104-61 73-67 99-97 107-81 104-81 76-87 86-88 70-83 78-79 71-88 57-82 76-79 63-75 58-61 89-77 62-55 71-63 72-69 70-67 94-78 86-75 87-75 89-70 76-68 85-61 85-75 88-85 87-64 84-79 86-81 85-70 89-85 74-65 53-50
Turkey 1999 1999 1999 1995 1995
135
Turkey – Czech Rep.: 5-1 Euro Turkey b. Czech Rep. Euro Turkey b. Czech Rep. Euro Turkey b. Czech Rep. Euro Turkey b. Czech Rep. Euro Czech Rep. b. Turkey
78-73 86-67 74-67 92-71 80-96
1992 OG 2005 2003 2001 1999 1997 1997 1995 1993 2002 2001 1997 1995 1995 1995 1959 2006 1999 1997 1995 1993 1981 1971 1963 1961 1955 1951 1949 2005 2001 1999 1999 1993 1981 1957 2006 2003 1997 1981 1975 1951 1949 1999 1999 1999 1997 1981 1975 1971 1963 1959 1957 1955 1952 1951 2001 1999 1999 2006 2006 2005 2003 2003 1999 1999 1997 1997 1981 1975 1973 1961 1957 2002 1997 1995 2006 2001 1995
Turkey b. Czech Rep. Turkey – Croatia: 4-4 Euro Croatia b. Turkey Euro Turkey b. Croatia Euro Turkey b. Croatia Euro Turkey b. Croatia Euro Turkey b. Croatia Euro Croatia b. Turkey Euro Croatia b. Turkey Euro Croatia b. Turkey Turkey – Spain: 2-5 WC Spain b. Turkey Euro Turkey b. Spain Euro Spain b. Turkey Euro Spain b. Turkey Euro Spain b. Turkey Euro Spain b. Turkey Euro Turkey b. Spain Turkey – France: 2-10 WC France b. Turkey Euro France b. Turkey Euro Turkey b. France Euro France b. Turkey Euro France b. Turkey Euro France b. Turkey Euro France b. Turkey Euro France b. Turkey Euro France b. Turkey Euro France b. Turkey Euro Turkey b. France Euro France b. Turkey Turkey – Germany: 3-4 Euro Germany b. Turkey Euro Turkey b. Germany Euro Germany b. Turkey Euro Turkey b. Germany Euro Germany b. Turkey Euro Germany b. Turkey Euro Turkey b. Germany Turkey – Greece: 2-5 WC Greece b. Turkey Euro Greece b. Turkey Euro Greece b. Turkey Euro Greece b. Turkey Euro Turkey b. Greece Euro Turkey b. Greece Euro Greece b. Turkey Turkey – Italy: 1-12 Euro Italy b. Turkey Euro Italy b. Turkey Euro Italy b. Turkey Euro Italy b. Turkey Euro Italy b. Turkey Euro Italy b. Turkey Euro Italy b. Turkey Euro Italy b. Turkey Euro Italy b. Turkey Euro Turkey b. Italy Euro Italy b. Turkey OG Italy b. Turkey Euro Italy b. Turkey Turkey – Latvia: 3-0 Euro Turkey b. Latvia Euro Turkey b. Latvia Euro Turkey b. Latvia Turkey – Lithuania: 2-6 WC Turkey b. Lithuania WC Turkey b. Lithuania Euro Lithuania b. Turkey Euro Lithuania b. Turkey Euro Lithuania b. Turkey Euro Lithuania b. Turkey Euro Lithuania b. Turkey Euro Lithuania b. Turkey Turkey – Poland: 1-5 Euro Poland b. Turkey Euro Poland b. Turkey Euro Poland b. Turkey Euro Turkey b. Poland Euro Poland b. Turkey Euro Poland b. Turkey Turkey – Portugal: 0-0 Turkey – Russia: 1-2 WC Turkey b. Russia Euro Russia b. Turkey Euro Russia b. Turkey Turkey – Serbia: 0-0 Turkey – Slovenia: 1-2 WC Turkey b. Slovenia Euro Slovenia b. Turkey Euro Slovenia b. Turkey
81-56 80-67 75-72 87-85 70-63 68-64 69-53 90-68 113-63 87-64 84-79 86-81 85-70 89-85 74-65 53-50 64-56 66-63 82-71 90-76 69-55 67-60 82-60 80-63 74-57 50-38 42-40 47-33 66-57 79-78 86-67 63-55 77-64 66-51 54-33 76-69 75-70 74-52 72-64 74-64 42-36 54-41 64-61 68-54 72-64 66-43 94-73 83-65 67-53 72-65 73-55 57-50 86-63 49-37 43-38 85-82 78-65 84-74 95-84 76-74 87-75 102-99 100-62 80-56 74-48 93-85 87-89 75-89 71-90 65-64 59-74 50-55 91-86 87-56 102-93 90-84 71-57 93-74
HISTORY
2005 2001 1998 1997 1997 1993
HISTORY
EuroBasket 2005
(Serbia & Montenegro, September 16th to 25th) Dirk Nowitzki, EuroBasket 2005’s best scorer.
MVP
DIRK NOWITZKi (GERMANY)
ALL TOURNAMENT TEAM Dirk Nowitzki (Germany) Boris Diaw (France) Juan Carlos Navarro (Spain) Theodoros Papaloukas (Greece) Dimitrios Diamantidis (Greece)
INDIVIDUAL
STATISTICS POINTS Player
First Round Group A
Italy b. Germany Russia b. Ukraine Russia b. Italy Germany b. Ukraine Italy b. Ukraine Germany b. Russia Standings 1 Russia 2 Germany 3 Italy 4 Ukraine
84-82 86-74 87-61 84-58 99-62 51-50
W-L Margin 2-1 +12.3 2-1 +8.3 2-1 +4.3 0-3 -25.0
Group B
Croatia b. Bulgaria Lithuania b. Turkey Lithuania b. Croatia Turkey b. Bulgaria Lithuania b. Bulgaria Croatia b. Turkey
Standings 1 Lithuania 2 Croatia 3 Turkey 4 Bulgaria
ELIMINATION GAMES
W-L 3-0 2-1 1-2 0-3
88-84 87-75 85-67 94-89 92-79 80-67
Margin +14.3 -0.3 -6.7 -7.3
Group C
Slovenia b. Bosnia & Herzegovina 74-65 Greece b. France 64-50 Slovenia b. Greece 68-56 France b. Bosnia & Herzegovina 79-62 Slovenia b. France 68-58 Greece b. Bosnia & Herzegovina 67-50
Standings W-L Margin 3-0 +10.3 1 Slovenia 2-1 +6.3 2 Greece 1-2 -2.3 3 France -14.3 4 Bosnia & Herzegovina 0-3
Group D
Israel b. Latvia 74-65 Spain b. Serbia & Montenegro 89-70 Spain b. Latvia 114-109 Serbia & Montenegro b. Israel 93-77 Israel b. Spain 85-77 Serbia & Montenegro b. Latvia 82-67
Standings W-L Margin 2-1 +5.3 1 Spain +4.0 2 Serbia & Montenegro 2-1 2-1 +0.3 3 Israel 0-3 -9.7 4 Latvia
France b. Serbia & Montenegro Germany b. Turkey Croatia b. Italy Greece b. Israel
QUARTER-FINALS
Greece b. Russia France b. Lithuania Germany b. Slovenia Spain b. Croatia
74-71 66-57 74-66 67-61 66-61 63-47 76-62 101-85
5th to 8th place) Lithuania b. Russia Slovenia b. Croatia
89-78 89-80
Semi-finals
Greece b. France Germany b. Spain
67-66 74-73
7th place
Croatia b. Russia
92-74
5th place
Lithuania b. Slovenia
79-70
3rd place
France b. Spain
98-68
FINAL
Greece b. Germany
78-62
Final StandingS Team 1 Greece 2 Germany 3 France 4 Spain 5 Lithuania 6 Russia 7 Croatia 8 Slovenia Unranked teams - Serbia & Montenegro - Italy - Israel - Turkey - Bulgaria - Latvia - Bosnia & Herzegovina - Ukraine
W-L Margin 6-1 +6.7 5-2 +4.7 4-3 +5.9 4-2 +0.2 5-1 +7.8 2-4 +0.5 4-3 4-2 +2.8 2-2 2-2 2-2 1-3 0-3 0-3 0-3 0-3
+2.3 +1.3 -1.3 -7.3 -7.3 -9.7 -14.3 -25.0
Team
Avg.
1 Dirk Nowitzki Germany 26.1 2 Juan Carlos Navarro Spain 25.2 3 Filip Videnov Bulgaria 22.7 4 Todor Stoykov Bulgaria 18.7 5 Andrei Kirilenko Russia 17.5 6 Igor Rakocevic Serbia & Mont. 16.3 7 Gordan Giricek Croatia 15.7 8 Serhiy Lishchuk Ukraine 14.7 9 Jorge Garbajosa Spain 14.5 10 Ramunas Siskauskas Lithuania 14.0 11 Boris Diaw France 13.7 - Roberts Stelmahers Latvia 13.7 13 Kristaps Janicenoks Latvia 13.3 14 Jaka Lakovic Slovenia 12.8 15 Jon Robert Holden Russia 12.5
REBOUNDS Player
1 Andrei Kirilenko 2 Dirk Nowitzki 3 Victor Khryapa 4 Serhiy Lishchuk 5 Felipe Reyes 6 Florent Pietrus 7 Gordan Giricek 8 Jorge Garbajosa - Radoslav Nesterovic 10 Mario Kasun
Avg.
Russia Germany Russia Ukraine Spain France Croatia Spain Slovenia Croatia
11.8 10.6 8.7 8.0 7.7 7.1 6.5 6.2 6.2 6.0
Team
Avg.
1 Dimitrios Diamantidis Greece 2 Marko Jaric Serbia & Mont. 3 Meir Tapiro Israel - Tal Burstein Israel - Igor Rakocevic Serbia & Mont. 6 Marko Popovic Croatia 7 Boris Diaw France 8 Gianmarco Pozzecco Italy 9 Todor Stoykov Bulgaria - Kerem Tunçeri Turkey
5.0 4.3 4.0 4.0 4.0 3.5 3.4 3.3 3.0 3.0
FIELD GOAL PERCENTAGE (Min. 5 attempted per game) Player
1 Yaniv Green 2 Mickael Gelabale 3 Fran Vazquez 4 Kaya Peker 5 Primoz Brezec 6 Robertas Javtokas 7 Mirsad Türkcan 8 Boyko Mladenov 9 Boris Diaw 10 Mario Kasun
136
(Min. 2 attempted per game) Player
Team
ASSISTS Player
THREE-POINTS PERCENTAGE
Team
Israel France Spain Turkey Slovenia Lithuania Turkey Bulgaria France Croatia
Pct.
68.0 63.9 62.9 62.5 61.5 60.4 56.0 55.6 55.3 54.8
Team
1 Ramunas Siskauskas Lithuania 2 Giacomo Galanda Italy 3 Alex Righetti Italy 4 Zakhar Pashutin Russia 5 Pascal Roller Germany
Pct.
65.2 54.5 54.5 50.0 48.0
FREE THOW PERCENTAGE (Min. 2 attempted per game) Player
1 Vidas Ginevicius 2 Jorge Garbajosa 3 Dirk Nowitzki 4 Juan Carlos Navarro 5 Zoran Planinic
Team
Pct.
Lithuania Spain Germany Spain Croatia
94.7 89.5 88.5 87.3 81.3
Team
Avg.
Team
Avg.
Team
Avg.
TURNOVERS Player
1 Gordan Giricek 2 Henry Domercant 3 Victor Khryapa 4 Tal Burstein 5 Zoran Planinic
Croatia Bosnia Russia Israel Croatia
4.5 4.0 3.8 3.8 3.6
STEALS Player
1 Andrei Kirilenko Russia 2 Filip Videnov Bulgaria 3 Meir Tapiro Israel 4 Dror Hagag Israel 5 Dimitrios Diamantidis Greece
3.3 3.0 3.0 3.0 2.9
BLOCKS Player
1 Andrei Kirilenko 2 Dirk Nowitzki 3 Boris Diaw 4 Darko Milicic 5 Darjus Lavrinovic - Fran Vazquez
Russia 2.75 Germany 1.86 France 1.29 Serbia & Mont. 1.25 Lithuania 1.17 Spain 1.17
Accumulated statistics 1- Greece (6W-1L) Player
GP Min
Nikolaos Zisis 7 25 Lazaros Papadopoulos 7 23 Theodoros Papaloukas 7 22 Michail Kakiouzis 7 22 Dimosthenis Ntikoudis 7 14 Nikolaos Chatzivrettas 7 21 Dimitrios Diamantidis 7 31 Antonios Fotsis 7 18 Konstantinos Tsartsaris 7 12 Vasileios Spanoulis 7 10 Ioannis Bourousis 4 2 Panagiotis Vasilopoulos 2 2 Totals
7
FG
24-51 28-64 25-47 20-48 16-33 12-42 10-33 12-28 12-20 5-22 3-4 -
FG 3pts
47.1 43.8 53.2 41.7 48.5 28.6 30.3 42.9 60.0 22.7 75.0 -
4-16 - 6-13 5-23 0-3 6-27 3-14 4-13 2-3 1-10 - -
FT
Rb As To St Pts Avg.
22-29 1.7 12-28 3.6 11-19 2.4 6-12 4.7 12-27 2.9 9-12 1.4 15-22 5.1 6-6 2.9 1-6 2.6 6-10 1.1 - 0.8 - -
2.1 0.7 2.1 0.4 0.1 0.3 5.0 0.9 0.3 0.3 - -
13 7 74 10.6 14 1 68 9.7 16 11 67 9.6 5 6 51 7.3 7 5 44 6.3 6 2 39 5.6 16 20 38 5.4 10 5 34 4.9 6 1 27 3.9 5 2 17 2.4 1 1 6 1.5 - - - -
- 167-392 42.6 31-122 100-171 28.9 12.3 99 61 465 66.4
2- Germany (5W-2L) Player
GP Min
Dirk Nowitzki Patrick Femerling Pascal Roller Mithat Demirel Demond Greene Marco Pesic Sven Schultze Robert Garret Robert Maras Denis Wucherer Stephen Arigbabu Misan Nikagbatse
7 7 7 7 7 7 7 6 5 7 6 6
Totals
7
37 22 26 15 24 22 9 15 9 14 8 10
FG
53-129 22-34 20-46 11-20 13-35 8-29 8-21 6-15 6-13 9-19 5-10 5-13
FG 3pts
41.1 64.7 43.5 55.0 37.1 27.6 38.1 40.0 46.2 47.4 50.0 38.5
23-62 - 12-25 5-10 5-15 2-16 3-13 3-8 - 1-6 0-1 0-3
FT
Rb As To St Pts Avg.
54-61 10.6 14-21 4.6 3-4 3.7 10-13 0.7 4-6 2.7 7-12 1.7 3-4 1.0 3-4 1.2 3-4 2.2 1-1 1.7 5-8 1.8 2-2 1.0
1.7 1.0 1.9 1.9 0.7 1.4 0.1 0.3 0.2 1.0 0.2 0.5
17 21 12 11 5 7 7 5 2 9 3 3
8 183 26.1 4 58 8.3 7 55 7.9 2 37 5.3 2 35 5.0 5 25 3.6 3 22 3.1 2 18 3.0 - 15 3.0 4 20 2.9 3 15 2.5 3 12 2.0
- 166-384 43.2 54-159 109-140 31.7 10.7 102 43 495 70.7
3- France (4W-3L) Player
GP Min
Boris Diaw 7 Tony Parker 7 Mickael Pietrus 6 Mickael Gelabale 7 Antoine Rigaudeau 7 Florent Pietrus 7 Cyril Julian 7 Frédéric Weis 7 Frédéric Fauthoux 4 Sanya Giffa 5 Jérôme Schmitt 6 Mamoutou Diarra 4 Totals
7
31 28 26 25 23 28 14 16 2 5 5 5
FG
42-76 31-90 24-54 23-36 17-47 15-42 15-29 8-17 2-2 1-5 2-8 1-6
FG 3pts
55.3 34.4 44.4 63.9 36.2 35.7 51.7 47.1 100.0 20.0 25.0 16.7
7-16 5-24 12-35 5-10 6-26 0-10 - - 2-2 1-3 - 0-2
FT
Rb As To St Pts Avg.
5-26 5.3 16-28 2.3 9-14 4.0 5-6 3.1 15-21 1.7 23-33 7.1 7-9 2.7 4-10 5.9 - 0.5 2-2 2.2 2-2 1.3 - 0.5
3.4 2.9 0.7 1.3 1.9 0.7 - 0.1 0.5 0.6 0.2 0.3
23 18 13 9 9 17 5 10 - 3 1 -
7 7 1 7 6 5 7 2 - 1 2 2
96 13.7 83 11.9 69 11.5 56 8.0 55 7.9 53 7.6 37 5.3 20 2.9 6 1.5 5 1.0 6 1.0 2 0.5
- 181-412 43.9 38-128 88-151 34.9 11.9 108 47 488 69.7
4- Spain (3W-3L) Player
GP Min
Juan Carlos Navarro 6 Jorge Garbajosa 6 Felipe Reyes 6 José Calderón 6 Fran Vazquez 6 Sergi Vidal 5 Carlos Jiménez 6 Ignacio De Miguel 5 Rudy Fernandez 6 Carlos Cabezas 6 Sergio Rodriguez 1 Iker Iturbe 1 Totals
6
34 35 23 32 14 13 23 11 16 10 3 5
FG
34-72 20-64 19-46 21-50 22-35 5-11 9-22 6-14 6-19 4-9 - -
FG 3pts
47.2 31.3 41.3 42.0 62.9 45.5 40.9 42.9 31.6 44.4 - -
14-32 13-42 - 7-22 2-5 2-6 1-4 1-5 2-8 0-1 - -
FT
Rb As To St Pts Avg.
69-79 1.8 34-38 6.2 27-44 7.7 14-20 2.0 10-16 2.5 12-14 1.8 9-14 4.8 5-9 1.6 2-2 1.8 5-7 0.8 1-2 - - -
2.2 16 7 151 25.2 1.7 16 5 87 14.5 0.3 9 7 65 10.8 2.3 9 3 63 10.5 0.3 5 4 56 9.3 0.2 5 6 24 4.8 1.2 11 10 28 4.7 - 5 4 18 3.6 0.5 5 6 16 2.7 0.2 2 1 13 2.2 - 1 - 1 1.0 - 1 - - -
- 146-342 42.7 42-125 188-245 30.5 8.8 85 53 522 87.0
5- Lithuania (5W-1L) Player
GP Min
Ramunas Siskauskas 6 Robertas Javtokas 6 Darjus Lavrinovic 6 Ksistof Lavrinovic 6 Paulius Jankunas 6 Simas Jasaitis 6 Vidas Ginevicius 6 Giedrius Gustas 6 Mindaugas Zukauskas 6 Mindaugas Lukauskis 6 Darius Silinskis 1 Simonas Serapinas 4 Totals
6
30 23 17 20 15 20 21 14 21 13 2 7
FG
29-59 29-48 23-43 20-49 18-25 15-29 6-20 9-25 10-19 9-22 1-1 2-9
FG 3pts
49.2 60.4 53.5 40.8 72.0 51.7 30.0 36.0 52.6 40.9 100.0 22.2
15-23 0-1 5-11 4-22 4-6 10-21 3-11 1-8 6-11 0-7 - 2-8
FT
Rb As To St Pts Avg.
11-15 2.0 8-17 5.8 12-21 3.5 9-10 5.0 9-12 4.0 4-6 2.7 18-19 1.2 13-16 0.5 0-1 2.0 3-4 1.8 - - - 1.5
2.8 1.5 0.7 1.0 0.3 - 2.5 1.2 1.7 2.2 - 0.3
9 6 84 14.0 13 4 66 11.0 8 9 63 10.5 13 6 53 8.8 3 4 49 8.2 6 8 44 7.3 8 13 33 5.5 14 4 32 5.3 12 1 26 4.3 7 4 21 3.5 - - 2 2.0 3 3 6 1.5
- 171-349 49.0 50-129 87-121 29.5 14.0 96 62 479 79.8
6- Slovenia (4W-2L) Player
GP Min
FG
FG 3pts
FT
Rb As To St Pts Avg.
Jaka Lakovic 6 32 16-46 34.8 9-25 36-49 4.2 2.8 18 Uros Slokar 1 24 4-9 44.4 0-2 4-4 3.0 - 2 Bostjan Nachbar 6 28 21-61 34.4 5-27 20-25 4.7 1.0 10
5 77 12.8 1 12 12.0 5 67 11.2
Sani Becirovic 6 29 Primoz Brezec 6 16 Erazem Lorbek 6 24 Radoslav Nesterovic 6 22 Aleksandar Capin 3 14 Marko Maravic 4 10 Marko Milic 6 17 Goran Jurak 6 14 Nebojsa Joksimovic 1 9 Totals
6
19-50 24-39 18-37 18-53 5-14 4-7 8-22 6-20 0-2
38.0 61.5 48.6 34.0 35.7 57.1 36.4 30.0 0.0
7-22 - 5-15 0-1 4-9 - - 1-2 0-2
20-32 3.2 9-17 5.5 6-12 4.3 0-4 6.2 - 1.7 8-15 1.5 6-8 3.7 5-10 3.0 - 1.0
2.5 16 14 65 10.8 - 14 1 57 9.5 0.7 5 4 47 7.8 0.5 7 3 36 6.0 1.0 2 2 14 4.7 0.8 - - 16 4.0 0.5 6 7 22 3.7 0.3 6 2 18 3.0 - 2 1 - -
Ido Kozikaro 4 Erez Marckovich 3 Afik Nissim 4 Christopher Watson 4 Sharon Shason 3
- 143-360 39.7 31-105 114-176 37.2 9.3 88 45 431 71.8
Hidayet Türkoglu 4 Kaya Peker 4 Serkan Erdogan 4 Mirsad Türkcan 4 Ibrahim Kutluay 2 Emal Kuqo Kurtoglu 4 Mehmet Okur 4 Kerem Tunçeri 4 Ender Arslan 4 Kerem Gönlüm 4 Cenk Akyol 2 Fatih Solak 1
7- Croatia (4W-3L) Player
GP Min
Gordan Giricek Damir Rancic Mario Kasun Zoran Planinic Marko Popovic Nikola Vujcic Roko-Leni Ukic Marko Tomas Dalibor Bagaric Matej Mamic Andrija Zizic Nikola Prkácin
6 2 5 5 6 7 6 6 7 7 6 5
Totals
7
35 27 21 23 24 26 16 17 17 24 16 9
FG
35-77 9-19 23-42 18-36 17-40 26-56 15-42 10-17 19-31 14-33 9-21 7-14
FG 3pts
45.5 47.4 54.8 50.0 42.5 46.4 35.7 58.8 61.3 42.4 42.9 50.0
6-19 7-15 - 3-7 10-27 5-12 5-15 6-10 0-2 9-22 - -
FT
Rb As To St Pts Avg.
18-25 6.5 2-2 2.0 11-14 6.0 13-16 2.8 15-20 1.5 8-13 3.3 8-9 1.0 13-15 2.5 5-11 4.7 6-10 2.0 8-10 3.0 4-4 1.2
1.5 1.0 0.4 2.6 3.5 2.3 1.7 1.0 0.4 0.4 0.8 0.8
27 11 94 15.7 2 2 27 13.5 10 - 57 11.4 18 11 52 10.4 10 5 59 9.8 14 8 65 9.3 4 3 43 7.2 10 1 39 6.5 6 3 43 6.1 3 7 43 6.1 14 4 26 4.3 8 3 18 3.6
- 202-428 47.2 51-129 111-149 30.1 13.4 126 58 566 80.9
8- Russia (2W-4L) Player
GP Min
Andrei Kirilenko 4 34 Jon Robert Holden 6 29 Victor Khryapa 6 30 Zakhar Pashutin 6 20 Nikita Morgunov 6 21 Sergey Monya 6 26 Vitaly Fridzon 4 16 Fedor Likholitov 3 9 Petr Samoylenko 6 17 Aleksey Savrasenko 6 15 Andrey Ivanov 2 7 Anton Ponkrashov 2 12 Totals
6
FG
22-51 25-83 23-50 16-29 17-32 12-42 10-24 7-16 9-20 13-25 1-4 1-5
FG 3pts
43.1 30.1 46.0 55.2 53.1 28.6 41.7 43.8 45.0 52.0 25.0 20.0
3-12 10-40 8-21 8-16 3-5 3-19 4-10 - 2-7 0-1 1-4 0-3
FT
Rb As To St Pts Avg.
23-35 11.8 15-20 1.5 8-12 8.7 9-14 3.2 9-20 3.3 11-16 4.0 - 2.0 0-3 2.3 6-10 1.2 0-5 5.5 - - 1-1 1.5
2.0 2.3 1.2 1.5 - 1.3 0.5 - 2.3 - - 4.5
14 13 70 17.5 10 6 75 12.5 23 11 62 10.3 7 5 49 8.2 6 8 46 7.7 11 2 38 6.3 3 3 24 6.0 3 - 14 4.7 6 1 26 4.3 5 1 26 4.3 1 - 3 1.5 4 3 3 1.5
- 156-381 40.9 42-138 82-136 38.2 11.8 93 53 436 72.7
Unranked teams Serbia & Montenegro (2W-2L) Player
GP Min
Igor Rakocevic 4 31 Marko Jaric 4 31 Milan Gurovic 3 19 Vladimir Radmanovic 4 16 Dejan Bodiroga 4 21 Nenad Krstic 4 18 Zeljko Rebraca 4 18 Dejan Milojevic 3 13 Darko Milicic 4 10 Vlado Scepanovic 4 19 Vule Avdalovic 4 13 Dejan Tomasevic - Totals
4
FG
17-38 15-36 9-20 13-24 11-25 9-18 9-19 7-12 5-8 5-16 3-8 -
FG 3pts
44.7 41.7 45.0 54.2 44.0 50.0 47.4 58.3 62.5 31.3 37.5 -
7-19 3-16 4-10 6-14 3-7 1-1 - 0-2 - 3-10 1-5 -
FT
Rb As To St Pts Avg.
24-30 1.8 12-22 1.8 5-5 2.7 4-4 2.5 9-13 4.8 12-18 4.8 5-7 3.5 2-5 2.7 8-8 4.0 1-1 0.5 - 1.0 - -
4.0 4.3 0.3 0.5 1.5 0.5 - 1.0 - 0.5 0.8 -
8 7 4 8 2 7 8 8 1 2 1 -
5 8 - 4 2 3 1 3 2 1 1 -
65 16.3 45 11.3 27 9.0 36 9.0 34 8.5 31 7.8 23 5.8 16 5.3 18 4.5 14 3.5 7 1.8 - -
- 103-224 46.0 28-84 82-113 28.5 13.0 56 30 316 79.0
Italy (2W-2L) Player
GP Min
Dante Calabria 4 26 Gianluca Basile 4 25 Gianmarco Pozzecco 3 18 Giacomo Galanda 4 25 Massimo Bulleri 4 15 Alex Righetti 4 13 Roberto Chiacig 4 13 Denis Marconato 4 18 Angelo Gigli 3 16 Matteo Soragna 4 20 Stefano Mancinelli 4 14 Marco Mordente 4 12 Totals
4
FG
13-36 13-34 10-23 11-23 10-25 9-20 9-16 9-16 4-11 9-26 6-13 5-11
FG 3pts
36.1 38.2 43.5 47.8 40.0 45.0 56.3 56.3 36.4 34.6 46.2 45.5
7-22 7-19 0-6 6-11 4-9 6-11 - - 1-6 2-10 0-3 1-4
FT
Rb As To St Pts Avg.
10-11 4.0 7-11 2.3 10-10 1.0 6-6 4.8 4-4 1.8 3-4 1.3 6-13 4.5 5-9 4.8 6-8 3.3 0-2 1.3 1-2 3.0 2-2 1.8
1.5 7 1.5 6 3.3 5 1.5 5 1.0 6 0.8 1 - 10 1.0 4 - 3 2.3 4 1.0 5 0.8 3
5 7 3 3 2 - 1 5 6 3 2 1
43 10.8 40 10.0 30 10.0 34 8.5 28 7.0 27 6.8 24 6.0 23 5.8 15 5.0 20 5.0 13 3.3 13 3.3
- 108-254 42.5 34-101 60-82 32.5 13.8 59 38 310 77.5
11- Israel (2W-2L) Player
Tal Burstein Yaniv Green Meir Tapiro Moshe Mizrahi Dror Hagag Gur Shelef Yotam Halperin
GP Min
4 4 4 4 4 4 3
35 22 31 16 24 18 9
FG
18-41 17-25 13-38 11-26 10-24 12-23 5-7
FG 3pts
43.9 68.0 34.2 42.3 41.7 52.2 71.4
137
FT
Rb As To St Pts Avg.
9-21 4-6 4.3 4.0 15 7 49 12.3 - 10-20 5.5 0.3 3 - 44 11.0 5-17 3-3 4.5 4.0 11 12 34 8.5 8-19 2-2 1.8 0.3 1 3 32 8.0 3-8 8-9 1.8 1.0 5 12 31 7.8 1-4 5-8 1.5 2.0 7 5 30 7.5 4-5 - 0.3 0.7 1 1 14 4.7
Totals
4
10 7-14 50.0 - 11 4-8 50.0 - 8 5-12 41.7 2-6 15 5-9 55.6 0-1 11 3-8 37.5 2-5
3-4 4-8 1-2 3-4 -
2.3 3.0 0.5 1.5 0.7
0.3 0.3 0.3 1.0 0.7
5 2 2 3 4
1 - 2 4 -
17 12 13 13 8
4.3 4.0 3.3 3.3 2.7
- 110-235 46.8 34-86 43-66 26.5 14.3 59 47 297 74.3
12- Turkey (1W-3L) Player
Totals
GP Min
4
30 18 26 21 23 17 23 20 20 14 12 6
FG
16-48 15-24 13-32 14-25 5-12 13-24 10-30 7-16 7-19 3-6 1-3 -
FG 3pts
33.3 62.5 40.6 56.0 41.7 54.2 33.3 43.8 36.8 50.0 33.3 -
4-18 2-3 6-16 4-12 4-8 0-2 0-5 3-8 1-7 - 0-1 -
FT
Rb As To St Pts Avg.
12-20 4.3 11-17 2.8 7-8 1.5 7-10 3.5 4-4 0.5 2-2 2.3 8-16 4.8 3-4 1.5 4-6 - 3-5 1.3 - 1.0 - -
0.8 - 1.0 0.8 - 0.8 0.5 3.0 1.3 0.3 0.5 -
5 6 5 6 4 3 9 7 1 7 2 1
4 6 1 4 5 3 6 8 9 3 4 -
48 12.0 43 10.8 39 9.8 39 9.8 18 9.0 28 7.0 28 7.0 20 5.0 19 4.8 9 2.3 2 1.0 - -
- 104-239 43.5 24-80 61-92 22.5 8.5 56 53 293 73.3
13- Bulgaria (0W-3L) Player
GP Min
Filip Videnov Todor Stoykov Dimitar Angelov Boyko Mladenov Hrisimir Dimitrov Tencho Banev Stefan Georgiev Deyan Ivanov Yuliyan Radionov Georgi Davidov Yordan Bozov Kaloyan Ivanov
3 3 3 3 3 3 3 2 2 3 3 1
Totals
3
38 35 20 20 30 17 16 11 17 8 3 8
FG
24-49 20-40 9-23 10-18 8-19 7-11 7-12 2-4 1-4 2-7 1-5 -
- 91-192
FG 3pts
49.0 50.0 39.1 55.6 42.1 63.6 58.3 50.0 25.0 28.6 20.0 -
12-26 11-24 4-13 - 1-4 - - 1-3 1-2 0-1 0-4 -
FT
8-9 5-7 6-8 6-9 5-10 3-5 2-3 4-5 - 0-1 1-2 -
Rb As To St Pts Avg.
2.7 2.0 1.0 4.3 3.3 2.7 2.3 0.5 - 1.0 0.3 1.0
2.3 10 3.0 7 2.7 8 0.7 7 0.3 9 - 5 0.3 3 0.5 - 1.0 4 - 1 - 4 - -
9 6 4 3 5 4 1 1 - - 1 -
68 22.7 56 18.7 28 9.3 26 8.7 22 7.3 17 5.7 16 5.3 9 4.5 3 1.5 4 1.3 3 1.0 - -
47.4 30-77 40-59 20.3 10.3 58 34 252 84.0
Latvia (0W-3L) Player
GP Min
Roberts Stelmahers 3 29 Kristaps Janicenoks 3 22 Sandis Valters 3 20 Kristaps Valters 3 19 Armands Skele 3 15 Uvis Helmanis 3 26 Ivars Timermanis 3 15 Martins Skirmants 3 15 Raitis Grafs 3 13 Kaspars Cipruss 3 14 Aigars Vitols 3 15 Janis Blums 2 8 Totals
3
FG
12-28 14-26 13-26 8-27 10-21 6-23 6-20 5-11 1-4 3-7 3-12 0-2
- 81-207
FG 3pts
42.9 53.8 50.0 29.6 47.6 26.1 30.0 45.5 25.0 42.9 25.0 0.0
FT
Rb As To St Pts Avg.
5-15 12-16 2.7 2.7 5-14 7-8 1.7 0.3 7-16 2-2 3.7 1.3 6-20 11-12 2.7 2.7 1-6 0-4 2.7 0.7 3-16 3-3 5.7 1.0 3-13 2-5 2.7 - - 2-2 1.7 - - 7-8 2.7 0.3 - 2-5 3.0 0.7 1-7 0-2 2.3 0.7 0-1 - 0.5 -
6 3 1 8 7 4 2 4 - 2 2 1
5 4 3 3 1 4 3 3 - 1 3 1
41 13.7 40 13.3 35 11.7 33 11.0 21 7.0 18 6.0 17 5.7 12 4.0 9 3.0 8 2.7 7 2.3 - -
39.1 31-108 48-67 31.7 10.3 40 31 241 80.3
Bosnia Y HERZEGOVINA (0W-3L) Player
GP Min
Damir Mrsic 3 Henry Domercant 3 Jasmin Hukic 3 Mirza Teletovic 3 Kenan Bajramovic 3 Elvir Ovcina 3 Sinisa Kovacevic 3 Samir Leric 2 Vedran Princ 2 Mujo Tuljkovic 2 Aleksandar Radojevic 3 Edin Bavcic Totals
3
31 32 28 17 21 22 21 16 10 4 8 -
FG
12-29 12-32 8-24 8-19 6-12 7-20 4-10 1-2 1-5 1-3 0-1 -
- 60-157
FG 3pts
41.4 37.5 33.3 42.1 50.0 35.0 40.0 50.0 20.0 33.3 0.0 -
FT
Rb As To St Pts Avg.
8-20 4-4 4.0 1.7 9 1-8 8-19 5.0 1.0 12 6-15 9-9 5.3 0.7 3 4-9 2-2 1.0 1.3 3 0-1 6-10 2.3 1.7 7 0-3 1-1 5.0 0.7 5 1-2 3-5 2.3 2.3 3 - 2-6 1.0 0.5 1 1-4 - 0.5 - 1 - - 0.5 - 2 - 1-2 0.7 0.7 2 - - - - -
2 3 - 2 3 4 - - - - 1 -
36 12.0 33 11.0 31 10.3 22 7.3 18 6.0 15 5.0 12 4.0 4 2.0 3 1.5 2 1.0 1 0.3 - -
38.2 21-62 36-58 27.0 10.3 48 15 177 59.0
Ukraine (0W-3L) Player
GP Min
Serhiy Lishchuk 3 Stanislav Medvedenko 3 Rostyslav Kryvych 2 Oleksiy Pecherov 3 Volodymyr Gurtovyy 3 Viktor Kobzystyy 3 Andrii Lebediev 3 Igor Kryvych 3 Oleksandr Rayevskyy 3 Artem Butskyy 3 Stanislav Balashov 1 Volodymyr Koval 3 Totals
3
25 25 32 15 12 23 27 19 9 14 7 7
FG
13-33 16-37 6-20 6-11 7-13 5-15 7-23 6-14 4-13 2-3 0-1 0-5
- 72-188
FG 3pts
39.4 43.2 30.0 54.5 53.8 33.3 30.4 42.9 30.8 66.7 0.0 0.0
FT
Rb As To St Pts Avg.
1-8 17-28 8.0 0.3 2-8 3-8 4.3 1.0 2-12 - 3.0 2.0 1-3 5-5 4.0 0.3 - 3-4 3.0 - 0-1 7-10 2.3 1.7 2-10 1-1 2.7 1.0 2-6 1-4 5.7 1.3 1-4 2-2 0.3 - - - - 2.0 - - - - 0-1 - 0.7 1.0
4 7 3 1 4 5 5 7 2 5 - 2
2 1 1 1 - 3 1 1 1 1 - -
44 14.7 37 12.3 14 7.0 18 6.0 17 5.7 17 5.7 17 5.7 15 5.0 11 3.7 4 1.3 - - -
38.3 11-53 39-62 33.0 10.0 45 12 194 64.7
HISTORY
EuroBasket 2003
(Sweden, September 5th to 14th)
Pau Gasol, EuroBasket 2003’s best scorer.
INDIVIDUAL
STATISTICS Points Players
First Round
ELIMINATION ROUND
Group A
Slovenia b. Italy 77-67 France b. Bosnia & Herzegovina 98-76 Slovenia b. Bosnia & Herzegovina 73-62 France b. Italy 85-52 France b. Slovenia 88-82 Italy b. Bosnia & Herzegovina 80-72 Standings W-L 1 France 3-0 2 Slovenia 2-1 3 Italy 1-2 4 Bosnia & Herzegovina 0-3
Group B
Germany b. Israel Lithuania b. Latvia Germany b. Latvia Lithuania b. Israel Lithuania b. Germany Israel b. Latvia Standings 1 Lithuania 2 Germany 3 Israel 4 Latvia
W-L 3-0 2-1 1-2 0-3
Group C
Russia b. Serbia & Montenegro Spain b. Sweden Serbia & Montenegro b. Sweden Spain b. Russia Spain b. Serbia & Montenegro Russia b. Sweden Standings W-L 1 Spain 3-0 2 Russia 2-1 3 Serbia & Montenegro 1-2 4 Sweden 0-3
Group D
Greece b. Croatia Turkay b. Ukraine Greece b. Turkey Croatia b. Ukraine Greece b. Ukraine Turkey b. Croatia Standings 1 Greece 2 Turkey 3 Croatia 4 Ukraine
W-L 3-0 2-1 1-2 0-3
Margin 20,3 5,0 -11,7 -13,7
86-81 92-91 94-86 94-62 93-71 91-75
Margin 18,3 -3,0 -7,0 -8,3
95-80 99-52 78-68 89-77 74-67 92-71
Margin 22,3 8,0 -3,7 -26,0
77-76 77-69 75-70 93-71 79-73 75-72
Margin 4,0 2,0 6,0 -12,0
Italy b. Germany Israel b. Slovenia Serbia & Montenegro b. Turkey Russia b. Croatia
QUARTER-FINALS
France b. Russia Lithuania b. Serbia & Montenegro Italy b. Greece Spain b. Israel
PLACES 5 TO 8
Serbia & Montenegro b. Russia Greece b. Israel Israel b. Russia Greece b. Serbia & Montenegro
SEMI-FINALS
Lithuania b. France Spain b. Italy
86-84 78-76 80-76 81-77 76-69 98-82 62-59 78-64 86-77 63-56 89-82 72-64 74-70 81-79
7th place
Israel b. Russia
89-82
5th place
Greece b. Serbia & Montenegro
THIRD PLACE
Italy b. France
72-64 69-67
Lithuania b. Spain
93-84
Final StandingS Team 1 Lithuania 2 Spain 3 Italy 4 France 5 Greece 6 Serbia & Montenegro 7 Israel 8 Russia Unranked teams - Slovenia - Turkey - Germany - Croatia - Lavtia - Ukraine - Bosnia & Herzegovina - Sweden
W-L Margin 6-0 +14,0 5-1 +12,3 4-3 -4,3 4-2 +10,3 5-1 +4,0 3-4 -3,4 3-4 -4,7 3-4 +0,7 2-2 2-2 2-2 1-3 0-3 0-3 0-3 0-3
+3,3 +0,7 -3,7 +3,5 -8,3 -12,0 -13,7 -26,0
Avg.
ReboUnds Players
1 Mirsad Türkcan 2 Ademola Okulaja 3 Pau Gasol 4 Jasmin Hukic - Fredrik Jönzen 6 Oluoma Nnamaka 7 Predrag Drobnjak 8 Andrej Kirilenko 9 Mehmet Okur - Nikola Prkacin
Turkey Germany Spain Bosnia & Herz. Sweden Sweden Serbia & Mont Russia Turkey Croatia
Team
1 Sarunas Jasikevicius Lithuania 2 Paul Burke Sweden 3 Marko Jaric Serbia & Mont 4 Damir Mulaomerovic Croatia 5 Meir Tapiro Israel 6 Robert Stelmahers Lavtia 7 Tony Parker France 8 Mithat Demirel Germany 9 Edgars Sneps Lavtia - Oleksandr Rayevskyy Ukraine
Avg.
9,3 8,3 7,5 7,3 7,3 7,0 6,9 6,8 6,8 6,8
Avg.
8,2 4,3 4,0 4,0 3,4 3,3 3,2 3,0 3,0 3,0
FIELD GOAL PERCENTAGE Players
1 Primoz Brezec 2 Yaniv Green 3 Eurelijus Zukauskas 4 Pau Gasol 5 Fedor Likholitov 6 Mehmet Okur 7 Darius Songaila 8 Damir Mrsic 9 Ainars Bagatskis 10 Zakhar Pashutin
138
THReE POINT PERCENTAGE Players
Team
ASSISTS Players
FINAL
Team
1 Pau Gasol Spain 25,8 2 Andrej Kirilenko Russia 23,2 3 Dirk Nowitzki Germany 22,5 4 Predrag Stojakovic Serbia & Mont. 18,8 - Mehmet Okur Turkey 18,8 6 Tony Parker France 18,0 7 Damir Mrsic Bosnia & Herz. 17,3 8 Ibrahim Kutluay Turkey 17,0 9 Robert Stelmahers Lavtia 17,0 10 Damir Mulaomerovic Croatia 16,5 11 Juan Carlos Navarro Spain 16,2 12 Arvydas Macijauskas Lithuania 15,8 13 Ramunas Siskauskas Lithuania 14,8 14 Fredrik Jönzen Sweden 14,7 15 Ainars Bagatskis Lavtia 14,3 - Jonas Larsson Sweden 14,3
Team
Pct.
Slovenia 72,7 Israel 69,8 Lithuania 66,7 Spain 64,7 Russia 60,5 Turkey 58,3 Lithuania 57,1 Bosnia & Herz. 57,1 Lavtia 55,6 Russia 54,8
Team
1 Ender Arslan Turkey 2 Ainars Bagatskis Lavtia 3 Giorgios Sigalas Greece 4 Damir Mulaomerovic Croatia 5 Robert Stelmahers Lavtia
Pct.
63,4 56,3 53,3 52,9 50,0
FREE THROW PERCENTAGE Players
Team
Pct.
Team
Avg.
Team
Avg.
Team
Avg.
1 Arvydas Macijauskas Lithuania 100,0 2 Damir Mrsic Bosnia & Herz.. 91,7 3 Ibrahim Kutluay Turkey 88,9 4 Jorge Garbajosa Spain 88,9 5 Ido Kozikaro Israel 88,5
TURNOVERS Players
1 Paul Burke 2 Marko Jaric 3 Pau Gasol - Tony Parker - Andrej Kirilenko
Sweden Serbia & Mont Spain France Russia
3,7 3,4 3,3 3,3 3,3
STEALS Players
1 Andrej Kirilenko Russia 2 Arvydas Macijauskas Lithuania 3 Ainars Bagatskis Lavtia 4 Meir Tapiro Israel 5 Moustapha Sonko France - Tony Parker France
3,5 2,3 2,0 1,9 1,7 1,7
BLOCKS Players
1 Eurelijus Zukauskas - Andrej Kirilenko 3 Mehmet Okur - Dirk Nowitzki 5 Pau Gasol
Lithuania Russia Turkey Germany Spain
2,2 2,2 1,8 1,8 1,7
Accumulated statistics 1- Lithuania (6-0) Player
GP Min
Arvydas Macijauskas 6 25 Ramunas Siskauskas 6 29 Sarunas Jasikevicius 6 30 Saulius Stombergas 6 28 Eurelijus Zukauskas 6 24 Darius Songaila 6 16 Ksystof Lavrinovic 6 13 Donatas Slanina 6 10 Mindaugas Zukauskas 6 19 Dainius Salenga 3 8 Virginijus Praskevicius 4 9 Giedrius Gustas 2 3 Totals
6
FG
28-52 27-57 29-75 29-62 24-36 20-35 9-17 10-20 6-19 2-3 3-11 0-2
Pct. 3pts
53.8 47.4 38.7 46.8 66.7 57.1 52.9 50.0 31.6 66.7 27.3 0.0
11-26 12-27 13-38 10-26 - 1-2 0-5 1-6 2-11 2-3 0-1 0-2
FT
Rb As To St Pts Avg.
28-28 23-27 13-17 14-16 15-23 7-9 9-11 1-1 6-7 0-4 2-4 -
18 7 12 14 95 15.8 28 10 10 6 89 14.8 18 49 9 7 84 14.0 27 9 9 4 82 13.7 32 5 8 5 63 10.5 20 6 6 1 48 8.0 15 - 6 2 27 4.5 9 1 6 1 22 3.7 14 9 7 4 20 3.3 5 4 4 0 6 2.0 9 3 3 0 8 2.0 1 1 - - - -
- 187-389 48.1 52-147 118-147 196 104 80 44 544 90.7
2- Spain (5-1) Player
GP Min
Pau Gasol 6 Juan Carlos Navarro 6 Jorge Garbajosa 6 Carles Marco 6 Roger Grimau 6 José Manuel Calderon 6 Felipe Reyes 6 Alfonso Reyes 2 Carlos Jimenez 6 Alberto Herreros 6 Rodrigo De la Fuente 6 Antonio Bueno 5 Totals
6
31 27 30 17 10 22 12 6 22 11 14 3
FG
55-85 30-74 18-38 13-24 7-12 8-23 10-16 4-5 11-19 4-12 5-12 2-2
Pct. 3pts
64.7 40.5 47.4 54.2 58.3 34.8 62.5 80.0 57.9 33.3 41.7 100.0
5-8 11-31 6-22 6-15 5-7 3-13 - - 1-5 2-9 1-4 -
FT
40-59 26-32 16-18 8-8 8-10 8-8 7-10 1-1 1-2 10-11 6-7 1-2
Rb As To St Pts Avg.
45 5 20 15 8 18 26 5 10 9 15 10 5 3 8 14 11 10 28 1 7 1 1 - 35 7 9 4 3 6 13 1 4 3 - 2
- 167-322 51.9 40-114 132-168 198
2 155 25.8 6 97 16.2 5 58 9.7 5 40 6.7 1 27 4.5 6 27 4.5 1 27 4.5 - 9 4.5 4 24 4.0 2 20 3.3 1 17 2.8 - 5 1.0
60 104 33 506 84.3
3- Italy (4-3) Player
GP Min
Massimo Bulleri 7 Giacomo Galanda 7 Gianluca Basile 7 Nikola Radulovic 7 Roberto Chiacig 7 Denis Marconato 7 Matteo Soragna 6 Michele Mian 7 Alex Righetti 7 Alessandro De Pol 7 Alessandro Cittadini 1 Davide Lamma 5 Totals
7
27 29 24 19 19 17 17 17 11 14 5 10
FG
25-76 30-61 24-59 21-45 17-29 13-23 10-24 12-26 10-28 7-17 - 0-10
Pct. 3pts
32.9 49.2 40.7 46.7 58.6 56.5 41.7 46.2 35.7 41.2 - 0.0
7-27 8-21 11-33 8-18 - 0-1 4-11 6-14 4-14 3-6 - 0-6
FT
25-29 9-13 11-18 10-14 9-18 13-19 8-10 5-9 3-4 9-17 2-2 2-4
Rb As To St Pts Avg.
20 17 15 47 11 9 9 9 8 25 4 10 30 1 10 34 4 8 9 6 6 10 10 5 7 3 3 16 2 12 - - - 9 5 5
- 169-398 42.5 51-151 106-157 216
8 3 3 2 2 2 5 5 2 3 - 1
82 11.7 77 11.0 70 10.0 60 8.6 43 6.1 39 5.6 32 5.3 35 5.0 27 3.9 26 3.7 2 2.0 2 0.4
72 91 36 495 70.7
4- France (4-2) Player
GP Min
Tony Parker 6 Laurent Foirest 6 Moustapha Sonko 6 Tariq Abdul-Wahad 6 Jérôme Moïso 6 Florent Pietrus 6 Cyril Julian 5 Boris Diaw-Riffiod 6 Alain Digbeu 6 Ronny Turiaf 2 Makan Dioumassi 6 Thierry Rupert 4 Totals
6
33 27 22 19 21 24 15 19 10 7 7 6
FG
39-93 21-52 18-40 24-53 20-45 13-22 11-19 9-20 7-16 1-2 2-5 1-3
Pct. 3pts
41.9 40.4 45.0 45.3 44.4 59.1 57.9 45.0 43.8 50.0 40.0 33.3
10-32 10-33 5-15 3-16 0-1 - - 0-2 2-11 - 0-2 -
FT
Rb As To St Pts Avg.
20-29 17-20 21-28 11-15 7-9 15-20 11-15 10-14 6-10 2-5 1-2 1-2
17 19 20 10 108 18.0 28 13 11 4 69 11.5 16 10 13 10 62 10.3 21 5 6 4 62 10.3 39 - 11 6 47 7.8 32 4 6 4 41 6.8 19 1 4 2 33 6.6 27 4 8 7 28 4.7 5 3 7 2 22 3.7 2 - 2 3 4 2.0 6 - 1 3 5 0.8 2 - - 2 3 0.8
- 166-370 44.9 30-112 122-169 214
59 89 57 484 80.7
5- Greece (5-1) Player
GP Min
Dimos Dikoudis 6 Nikos Hatzivrettas 6 Antonis Fotsis 6 Jake Tsakalidis 5 Efthymios Rentzias 6 Giorgos Sigalas 6 Fragiskos Alvertis 5 Dimitris Papanikolaou 6 Christos Harisis 6 Theodoros Papaloukas 6 Dimitris Diamantidis 6 Michalis Kakiouzis 5 Totals
6
23 25 22 23 17 19 20 15 7 18 16 3
FG
25-46 19-48 20-44 16-34 18-37 12-25 10-33 7-29 7-13 5-20 3-14 0-1
Pct. 3pts
54.3 39.6 45.5 47.1 48.6 48.0 30.3 24.1 53.8 25.0 21.4 0.0
5-7 11-30 5-14 - 2-10 8-15 2-13 3-10 4-9 0-8 2-10 0-1
FT
14-24 15-20 15-19 18-29 7-11 6-6 3-4 5-12 3-4 6-6 7-11 -
Rb As To St Pts Avg.
23 11 8 12 9 6 32 4 8 27 1 6 21 2 9 19 5 11 10 6 3 5 1 5 7 7 1 12 12 7 13 14 5 1 - -
- 142-344 41.3 42-127 99-146 182
1 5 6 1 2 8 1 3 - 6 3 -
69 11.5 64 10.7 60 10.0 50 10.0 45 7.5 38 6.3 25 5.0 22 3.7 21 3.5 16 2.7 15 2.5 - -
72 69 36 425 70.8
6- Serbia & Montenegro (3-4) Player
GP Min
FG
Pct. 3pts
FT
Rb As To St Pts Avg.
Predrag Stojakovic 4 34 25-68 36.8 8-28 17-19 15 8 10 Marko Jaric 5 32 24-50 48.0 7-21 13-19 30 20 17 Milan Gurovic 7 33 26-67 38.8 20-47 22-31 26 4 13
0 75 18.8 6 68 13.6 1 94 13.4
Predrag Drobnjak Milos Vujanic Dejan Koturovic Djuro Ostojic Dusan Vukcevic Ognjen Askrabic Vule Avdalovic Nebojsa Bogavac Kosta Perovic
7 7 7 7 7 3 6 5 3
Totals
7
28 25 21 21 11 13 7 9 3
26-62 18-46 22-45 14-20 10-22 4-7 6-8 2-4 1-2
41.9 39.1 48.9 70.0 45.5 57.1 75.0 50.0 50.0
9-24 11-29 - - 4-9 1-3 2-2 1-2 -
18-27 16-25 8-16 16-26 4-6 1-1 1-2 2-2 -
48 8 14 13 12 13 37 4 16 30 4 12 7 2 7 11 - 2 5 6 3 4 2 5 1 1 -
- 178-401 44.4 63-165 118-174 227
3 5 4 2 2 1 - 1 -
79 11.3 63 9.0 52 7.4 44 6.3 28 4.0 10 3.3 15 2.5 7 1.4 2 0.7
71 112 25 537 76.7
7- Israel (3-4) Player
GP Min
Meir Tapiro Tal Burstein Yaniv Green Ido Kozikaro Yoav Saffar Derrick Sharp Yotam Halperin Gur Shelef Moshe Mizrahi Shahar Gordon Israel Sheinfeld Erez Katz
7 7 7 7 5 7 7 7 7 6 6 6
Totals
7
23 32 23 20 27 19 12 18 12 8 8 9
FG
30-61 32-74 30-43 24-62 16-38 14-37 11-21 13-29 7-19 7-13 4-13 2-12
Pct. 3pts
49.2 43.2 69.8 38.7 42.1 37.8 52.4 44.8 36.8 53.8 30.8 16.7
8-19 5-17 - - 7-19 11-26 5-8 2-4 3-9 - 0-1 0-6
FT
Rb As To St Pts Avg.
15-18 12-20 16-23 23-26 9-14 4-4 9-12 7-12 1-2 - 4-6 -
24 24 16 13 83 11.9 25 17 16 9 81 11.6 32 3 3 5 76 10.9 26 2 13 5 71 10.1 16 7 6 5 48 9.6 8 3 3 2 43 6.1 10 7 7 3 36 5.1 15 9 16 2 35 5.0 8 5 6 1 18 2.6 4 - 1 - 14 2.3 4 1 2 3 12 2.0 9 2 3 1 4 0.7
- 190-422 45.0 41-109 100-137 181
80 92 49 521 74.4
8- RUSSIA (3-4) Player
GP Min
Andrej Kirilenko 6 Sergej Monya 7 Vassili Karassev 7 Viktor Khryapa 7 Zakhar Pashutin 7 Fedor Likholitov 7 Denis Ershov 3 Dmitri Domani 3 Petr Samoilenko 7 Alexei Savrasenko 5 Mikhail Soloviev 5 Valentin Kubrakov 7 Totals
7
35 28 25 27 20 17 12 11 17 10 7 13
FG
41-90 32-71 19-44 26-58 23-42 26-43 7-9 4-5 8-22 5-10 3-9 4-19
Pct. 3pts
45.6 45.1 43.2 44.8 54.8 60.5 77.8 80.0 36.4 50.0 33.3 21.1
10-33 12-32 12-28 10-29 7-18 - - 2-2 1-6 - 0-1 1-15
FT
Rb As To St Pts Avg.
47-71 5-12 22-25 10-16 12-16 12-20 1-4 2-4 9-17 1-1 1-1 -
41 9 20 21 139 23.2 33 9 16 5 81 11.6 16 13 17 2 72 10.3 42 13 16 9 72 10.3 9 9 8 10 65 9.3 24 6 15 1 64 9.1 8 - 1 - 15 5.0 4 1 4 1 12 4.0 9 9 11 5 26 3.7 9 3 2 - 11 2.2 10 1 10 3 7 1.4 13 7 3 3 9 1.3
- 198-422 46.9 55-164 122-187 218
80 123 60 573 81.9
Unranked teams GERMANY (2-2) Player
GP Min
Dirk Nowitzki Mithat Demirel Ademola Okulaja Patrick Femerling Marco Pesic Stefano Garris Misan Nikagbatse Sven Schultze Robert Maras Jörg Lütcke Stephen Arigbabu Steffen Hamann
4 4 4 4 4 4 3 1 4 4 4 3
Totals
4
35 28 30 28 24 21 10 5 8 9 5 6
FG
24-53 14-32 19-35 13-27 10-24 10-18 2-7 1-2 3-6 3-6 3-6 2-4
Pct. 3pts
45.3 43.8 54.3 48.1 41.7 55.6 28.6 50.0 50.0 50.0 50.0 50.0
5-11 8-18 2-4 1-1 5-14 4-7 1-3 - - 0-3 0-1 -
FT
37-44 18-22 14-22 20-26 6-8 - 5-5 - 1-4 - - 0-2
Rb As To St Pts Avg.
25 4 9 9 12 8 33 3 11 23 9 6 9 8 10 15 4 4 2 - 5 1 - - 1 1 2 4 3 1 6 - 3 2 1 1
- 104-220 47.3 26-62 101-133 130
5 4 6 3 1 2 1 - 1 1 - 1
90 22.5 54 13.5 54 13.5 47 11.8 31 7.8 24 6.0 10 3.3 2 2.0 7 1.8 6 1.5 6 1.5 4 1.3
45 60 25 335 83.8
Slovenia (2-2) Player
GP Min
Boris Gorenc Bostjan Nachbar Jaka Lakovic Primoz Brezec Marko Tusek Ivica Jurkovic Jurica Golemac Marko Milic Slavko Duscak Goran Jurak Simon Petrov Marijan Kraljevic
4 4 4 4 4 4 3 4 2 2 4 2
Totals
4
28 24 28 21 26 19 16 19 8 9 13 10
FG
14-27 17-37 12-27 16-22 14-35 8-17 8-11 6-16 2-3 2-4 3-13 2-3
Pct. 3pts
51.9 45.9 44.4 72.7 40.0 47.1 72.7 37.5 66.7 50.0 23.1 66.7
3-9 6-18 9-19 - 4-19 4-11 2-2 0-2 - - 2-6 -
FT
17-26 7-12 9-10 8-8 6-10 11-14 1-3 10-16 1-2 0-2 - -
Rb As To St Pts Avg.
9 10 12 6 7 6 12 2 11 2 11 5 5 - 16 5 1 1 3 - 2 1 2 1
- 104-215 48.4 30-86 70-103 91
6 5 7 6 3 3 2 9 2 1 4 -
3 2 3 1 2 5 3 1 1 - 1 -
48 12.0 47 11.8 42 10.5 40 10.0 38 9.5 31 7.8 19 6.3 22 5.5 5 2.5 4 2.0 8 2.0 4 2.0
39 48 22 308 77.0
TURKEY (2-2) Player
Mehmet Okur Ibrahim Kutluay Hidayet Türkoglu Mirsad Türkcan Ender Arslan Kerem Tunçeri Kaya Peker
GP Min
4 4 4 4 4 3 4
34 32 32 31 21 22 13
FG
28-48 20-44 17-45 13-39 9-18 5-10 6-13
Pct. 3pts
58.3 45.5 37.8 33.3 50.0 50.0 46.2
139
1-4 12-28 2-12 2-18 7-11 3-5 -
FT
18-29 16-18 8-11 7-10 5-5 1-2 2-3
Rb As To St Pts Avg.
27 8 22 37 8 5 8
9 5 7 6 7 6 -
9 8 6 2 4 4 2
- - 3 3 5 4 1
75 18.8 68 17.0 44 11.0 35 8.8 30 7.5 14 4.7 14 3.5
Haluk Yildirim Ömer Onan Kerem Gönlüm Hüseyin Besok Rasim Basak Totals
4 4 2 1 - 4
14 4-14 28.6 0-10 1-2 5 6 - 2 9 2.3 6 4-6 66.7 1-1 - 1 - 1 - 9 2.3 4 0-1 0.0 - - 1 - - - - 3 0-1 0.0 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 106-239 44.4 28-89 58-80 122 46 36 18 298 74.5
Croatia (1-3) Player
GP Min
Damir Mulaomerovic 4 Gordan Giricek 4 Marko Popovic 4 Nikola Prkacin 4 Matej Mamic 4 Dalibor Bagaric 4 Zoran Planinic 3 Andrija Zizic 4 Sandro Nicevic 4 Marino Bazdaric 3 Hrvoje Perincic 2 Mate Skelin 1 Totals
26 30 21 22 32 17 16 17 13 8 9 1
4
FG
22-42 20-46 13-30 10-24 11-21 10-16 6-12 9-16 8-13 0-4 0-2 -
Pct. 3pts
52.4 43.5 43.3 41.7 52.4 62.5 50.0 56.3 61.5 0.0 0.0 -
9-17 6-18 8-21 - 4-11 - 1-3 - - 0-3 0-2 -
FT
13-19 7-11 8-13 17-28 5-6 11-15 5-6 2-2 - 4-4 - -
Rb As To St Pts Avg.
8 16 10 13 5 11 13 10 5 27 4 10 26 5 6 24 1 4 10 2 8 10 2 3 11 1 3 1 2 2 1 - 1 - - 1
- 109-226 48.2 28-75 72-104 144
3 - - 2 2 2 2 - 1 - - -
66 16.5 53 13.3 42 10.5 37 9.3 31 7.8 31 7.8 18 6.0 20 5.0 16 4.0 4 1.3 - - -
48 64 12 318 79.5
Latvia (0-3) Player
GP Min
Roberts Stelmahers 3 Ainars Bagatskis 3 Kaspars Kambala 3 Ulvis Helmanis 3 Troy Ostler 3 Edgars Sneps 3 Aigars Vitols 3 Armands Skele 3 Kristaps Valters 3 Raitis Grafs 2 Arnis Vecvagars 1 Janis Laksa 1 Totals
3
37 27 28 21 18 21 20 11 18 7 5 6
FG
17-36 15-27 13-27 12-26 8-21 8-15 4-9 4-11 3-15 2-3 1-3 0-2
- 87-195
Pct. 3pts
47.2 55.6 48.1 46.2 38.1 53.3 44.4 36.4 20.0 66.7 33.3 0.0
FT
Rb As To St Pts Avg.
7-14 10-12 10 10 9-16 4-4 10 3 - 11-22 17 - 6-13 6-7 10 4 2-6 4-5 16 5 1-6 - 9 9 1-2 7-8 7 2 1-3 2-6 7 6 2-8 2-2 8 6 - 2-6 3 2 0-1 - - - 0-1 1-2 4 2
44.6 29-70 49-74 101
9 5 7 1 4 4 4 1 6 1 - -
4 6 - 2 1 - 4 - 1 - - -
51 17.0 43 14.3 37 12.3 36 12.0 22 7.3 17 5.7 16 5.3 11 3.7 10 3.3 6 3.0 2 2.0 1 1.0
49 42 18 252 84.0
Ukraine (0-3) Player
GP Min
Oleksandr Okunskyy 3 Artur Drozdov 3 Andrej Lebedyev 3 Stanislav Balashov 2 Vyasheslav Yevstratenko 2 Oleksandr Lokhmanchuk 2 Nikolai Khryapa 3 Grigoriy Khizhnjak 3 Oleksandr Rayevskyy 3 Andrej Botishev 2 Sergiy Moskalenko 3 Totals
3
20 32 23 24 23 21 29 13 15 13 14
FG
15-28 13-28 9-24 7-10 6-18 6-14 7-26 7-16 2-14 3-9 1-7
- 76-194
Pct. 3pts
53.6 46.4 37.5 70.0 33.3 42.9 26.9 43.8 14.3 33.3 14.3
FT
Rb As To St Pts Avg.
- 8-12 9 3-7 7-10 14 4-9 2-3 6 1-1 1-2 12 4-12 - 2 1-6 3-4 8 1-7 6-6 16 0-1 6-9 5 2-8 9-12 6 - 1-4 1 - 2-4 8
39.2 16-51 45-66 87
5 2 5 2 4 5 6 1 9 - 3
1 5 5 3 4 5 5 1 3 - 1
1 2 3 2 - - 3 2 3 1 3
38 12.7 36 12.0 24 8.0 16 8.0 16 8.0 16 8.0 21 7.0 20 6.7 15 5.0 7 3.5 4 1.3
42 33 20 213 71.0
Bosnia & HERZEGOVINA (0-3) Player
GP Min
Damir Mrsic 3 Haris Mujezinovic 3 Damir Krupalija 3 Jasmin Hukic 3 Barisa Krasic 3 Samir Leric 2 Kenan Bajramovic 1 Terry Castle 3 Elvir Ovcina 3 Zelimir Stevanovic 3 Sinisa Kovacevic 1 Mirza Teletovic - Totals
3
35 30 26 34 21 15 8 12 11 14 12 -
FG
16-28 15-29 9-22 8-25 9-23 4-5 1-1 5-14 6-13 1-6 1-5 -
- 75-171
Pct. 3pts
57.1 51.7 40.9 32.0 39.1 80.0 100.0 35.7 46.2 16.7 20.0 -
FT
Rb As To St Pts Avg.
9-19 11-12 4 3-7 5-10 9 3-9 3-4 18 3-14 5-11 22 4-8 - 8 - 2-5 5 1-1 2-2 2 2-6 2-2 4 1-3 0-1 5 0-4 4-6 2 - 0-2 2 - - -
43.9 26-71 34-55 81
8 2 4 7 4 - - 2 2 - 1 -
9 6 4 3 4 2 - 3 3 3 - -
4 2 1 - 1 - - - 2 - - -
52 17.3 38 12.7 24 8.0 24 8.0 22 7.3 10 5.0 5 5.0 14 4.7 13 4.3 6 2.0 2 2.0 - -
30 37 10 210 70.0
Sweden (0-3) Player
GP Min
Fredrik Jönzén Jonas Larsson Joakim Blom Paul Burke Christian Maråker Oluoma Nnamaka John Pettersson Lesli Myrthil Mats Levin Daniel Dajic Håkan Larsson Jens Jonsson
3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 2 3 2 2
Totals
3
31 35 26 30 11 32 9 7 10 4 8 4
FG
17-46 13-38 10-30 8-24 6-12 6-17 5-11 1-2 0-3 1-3 0-3 0-1
- 67-190
Pct. 3pts
37.0 34.2 33.3 33.3 50.0 35.3 45.5 50.0 0.0 33.3 0.0 0.0
1-6 11-34 1-5 2-10 2-4 - - - 0-1 - 0-1 0-1
FT
9-13 6-7 6-10 4-6 3-4 4-8 1-2 5-6 2-4 - - -
Rb As To St Pts Avg.
22 1 4 6 6 8 10 3 4 8 13 11 2 - 3 21 7 5 5 - 5 3 - 2 1 3 3 - 1 1 - 2 1 1 - -
35.3 17-62 40-60 79
2 1 4 5 2 3 2 1 3 - - -
44 14.7 43 14.3 27 9.0 22 7.3 17 5.7 16 5.3 11 3.7 7 2.3 2 1.0 2 0.7 - - -
36 47 23 191 63.7
HISTORY
EuroBasket 2001
(Turkey, August 31st to September 9th)
Dirk Nowitzki, EuroBasket 2001’s best scorer.
INDIVIDUAL
STATISTICS Points Player
First Round Group A
Lithuania b. Ukraine France b. Israel Ukraine b. France Lithuania b. Israel Israel b. Ukraine France b. Lithuania Team 1 France 2 Lithuania 3 Israel 4 Ukraine
W-L 2-1 2-1 1-0 1-0
Group B
Turkey b. Latvia Spain b. Slovenia Slovenia b. Turkey Spain b. Latvia Latvia b. Slovenia Team 1 Turkey 2 Spain 3 Latvia 4 Slovenia
W-L 2-1 2-1 1-2 1-2
Elimination Round 82-60 OT 77-71 89-86 68-59 88-65 76-65
Margin +14 +20 +8 -42
85-82 85-61 71-57 106-77 OT 99-93
Group C
Germany b. Estonia Yugoslavia b. Croatia Yugoslavia b. Estonia Germany b. Croatia Croatia b. Estonia Yugoslavia b. Germany Team 1 Yugoslavia 2 Germany 3 Croatia 4 Estonia
W-L 3-0 2-1 1-2 0-3
Group D
Russia b. Bosnia & Herzegovina Greece b. Italy Italy b. Bosnia & Herzegovina Russia b. Greece Italy b. Russia Greece b. Bosnia & Herzegovina Team W-L 1 Russia 2-1 2 Italy 2-1 3 Greece 2-1 4 Bosnia & Herzegovina 0-3
Margin -6 +48 -26 -16
92-71 80-66 113-58 98-88 81-69 86-73
Margin +82 +18 -12 -88
83-63 83-82 96-66 106-81 64-58 101-77
Margin +39 +35 0 -74
Croatia b. Italy Latvia b. Lithuania Germany b. Greece Spain b. Israel
Quarter-finals
Turkey b. Croatia Germany b. France Yugoslavia b. Latvia Spain b. Russia
65-57 94-76 80-75 71-67 OT 87-85 81-77 114-78 62-55
Places 5th to 8th France b. Croatia Russia b. Latvia
Semi-finals
Turkey b. Germany Yugoslavia b. Spain
90-79 99-81 OT 79-78 78-65
7th place
Croatia b. Latvia
93-91
5th place
Russia b. France
78-73
3rd place
Spain b. Germany
99-90
Final
Yugoslavia b. Turkey
78-69
Final StandingS Team 1 Yugoslavia 2 Turkey 3 Spain 4 Germany 5 Russia 6 France 7 Croatia 8 Latvia Unranked teams - Italy - Lithuania - Greece - Israel - Slovenia - Ukraine - Bosnia & Herzegovina - Estonia
W-L Margin 6-0 +23,3 4-2 -2,1 5-2 +7,8 4-3 +2,4 4-2 +8,8 3-3 +2,6 3-4 -2,1 2-5 -9,1 2-2 2-2 2-2 1-3 1-2 1-2 0-3 0-3
+7,0 +0,5 -1,2 +1,0 -5,3 -14,0 -24,6 -29,3
Team
1 Dirk Nowitzki Germany 2 Predrag Stojakovic Yougoslavia 3 Ibrahim Kutluay Turkey 4 Andrej Kirilenko Russia 5 Kaspars Kambala Lavtia 6 Pau Gasol Spain 7 Ainars Bagatskis Lavtia 8 Sergej Chikalkin Russia 9 Damir Mulaomerovic Croatia 10 Fragiskos Alvertis Greece 11 Gordan Giricek Croatia 12 Hidayet Türkoglu Turkey 13 Gregor Fucka Italy - Juan Carlos Navarro Spain 15 Laurent Foirest France - Georgios Sigalas Greece 17 Puppy Turgeman Israel 18 Ademola Okulaja Germany - Mindaugas Timinskas Lithuania - Meir Tapiro Israel
Avg.
28,7 23,0 21,6 19,1 19,0 17,2 17,1 17,0 16,7 16,0 15,8 15,5 15,0 15,0 14,0 14,0 13,7 13,2 13,2 13,2
Rebounds Player
1 Pau Gasol 2 Hüseyin Besok - Dirk Nowitzki 4 Kaspars Kambala 5 Andrej Kirilenko 6 Mirsad Türkcan 7 Ademola Okulaja 8 Emilio Kovacic 9 Gregor Fucka - Yaniv Green 11 Roberto Chiacig - Zan Tabak 13 Sergej Panov 14 Hidayet Türkoglu 15 Patrick Femerling
Spain Turkey Germany Lavtia Russia Turkey Germany Croatia Italy Israel Italy Croatia Russia Turkey Germany
Team
1 Raimonds Miglinieks Lavtia 2 Laurent Sciarra France 3 Theodoros Papaloukas Greece 4 Sarunas Jasikevicius Lithuania - Andrea Meneghin Italy 6 Evgueny Pashutin Russia 7 Marko Jaric Yougoslavia - Sergej Panov Russia - Roberts Stelmahers Lavtia 10 Damir Mulaomerovic Croatia
140
(minimum : 5 field-goals attemped a game) Player
Avg.
9,7 9,1 9,1 9,0 8,6 8,3 8,1 7,7 7,0 7,0 6,5 6,5 6,3 5,8 5,5
Avg.
7,2 5,3 5,0 4,7 4,7 4,5 3,8 3,8 3,8 3,7
Team
1 Theodoros Papaloukas Greece 2 Alfonso Reyes Spain 3 Georgios Sigalas Greece 4 Ainars Bagatskis Lavtia 5 Predrag Stojakovic Yougoslavia 6 Efthymios Rentzias Greece 7 Kaspars Kambala Lavtia 8 Patrick Femerling Germany 9 Harun Erdenay Turkey 10 Andrej Kirilenko Russia
Pct.
72,7 66,6 65,2 63,4 60,4 59,2 58,4 58,0 55,5 54,7
Three-point Percentage (minimum : 2 three-points attemped a game) Player
Team
Assists Player
Field-Goal Percentage
1 Georgios Sigalas 2 Efthymios Rentzias 3 Ainars Bagatskis 4 Gianluca Basile 5 Predrag Stojakovic
Team
Greece Greece Lavtia Italy Yougoslavia
Pct.
66,6 62,5 56,0 52,4 51,4
Free-Throw Percentage (minimum : 2 free-throws attemped a game) Player
1 Laurent Foirest 2 Gordan Giricek 3 Roberts Stelmahers 4 Andrej Kirilenko 5 Fragiskos Alvertis
Team
Pct.
France Croatia Lavtia Russia Greece
95,2 93,1 90,5 85,7 84,8
Team
Avg.
Team
Avg.
Turnovers Player
1 Sarunas Jasikevicius Lithuania 2 Yoav Saffar Israel 3 Damir Mulaomerovic Croatia 4 Neir Tapiro Israel 5 Kaspars Kambala Lavtia
4,8 4,5 3,4 3,3 3,1
Steals Player
1 Ramunas Siskauskas Lithuania 2 Marko Jaric Yougoslavia - Andrej Kirilenko Russia 4 Sergej Panov Russia 5 Gianluca Basile Italy
3,5 2,8 2,8 2,7 2,3
Accumulated statistics 1 - Yugoslavia (6-0) Player
GP Min
Peja Stojakovic Dejan Bodiroga Milan Gurovic Predrag Drobnjak Dejan Tomasevic Vlado Scepanovic Marko Jaric Igor Rakocevic Dragan Tarlac Dejan Milojevic Sasha Obradovic Veselin Petrovic
6 6 6 6 6 6 6 3 6 3 6 2
Totals
6
27 21 18 25 20 15 23 11 20 9 15 7
FG
49-81 20-42 20-41 25-49 15-29 15-25 15-43 7-11 12-26 6-8 8-22 3-6
Pct. 3pts
60,4 47,6 48,7 51,0 51,7 60,0 34,8 63,6 46,1 75,0 36,3 50,0
18-35 1-6 10-23 2-13 - 5-12 2-12 1-5 - 1-2 5-12 0-3
FT
22-28 33-41 13-16 8-10 10-18 5-8 5-6 2-3 9-11 1-7 5-8 1-1
Rb As To St Pts Avg.
21 23 13 31 30 8 14 1 31 10 10 -
6 9 6 138 23,0 9 6 6 74 12,3 7 4 6 63 10,5 17 5 7 60 10,0 15 6 7 40 6,6 5 2 5 40 6,6 23 17 17 37 6,1 4 6 1 17 5,6 4 9 3 33 5,5 2 5 3 14 4,6 10 5 10 26 4,3 1 2 1 7 3,5
- 195-383 50,9 45-123 114-157 192 103 76 72 549 91,5
2 - Turkey (4-2) Player
GP Min
Ibrahim Kutluay Hidayet Türkoglu Mirsad Türkcan Hüseyin Besok Mehmet Okur Harun Erdenay Kerem Tunçeri Asim Pars Orhun Ene Haluk Yildirim Ömer Onan Kaya Peker
6 6 6 6 5 5 6 6 3 6 4 1
Totals
6
37 36 29 25 19 17 20 7 20 8 3 11
FG
42-93 32-89 23-43 24-48 14-28 15-27 2-19 2-8 1-7 1-11 0-1 -
Pct. 3pts
45,1 35,9 53,4 50,0 50,0 55,5 10,5 25,0 14,2 9,0 0,0 -
21-59 14-31 4-8 - 5-11 6-9 0-4 - 0-2 1-11 0-1 -
FT
Rb As To St Pts Avg.
25-32 15-25 14-17 16-23 12-13 3-4 6-6 5-10 2-2 - - -
13 7 12 13 130 21,6 35 21 13 10 93 15,5 50 12 12 3 64 10,6 55 7 8 5 64 10,6 19 2 5 5 45 9,0 3 7 2 1 39 7,8 8 7 6 3 10 1,6 7 - 4 4 9 1,5 4 7 3 - 4 1,3 6 1 4 1 3 0,5 - - 1 - - 2 - 1 1 - -
- 156-374 41,7 51-136 98-132 202
71 71 46 461 76,8
3 - SPAIN (5-2) Player
GP Min
Pau Gasol 7 J. Carlos Navarro 7 Alfonso Reyes 7 J. Antonio Paraiso 7 Raul Lopez 7 Lucio Angulo 7 Nacho Rodriguez 7 Jorge Garbajosa 7 Felipe Reyes 3 Carlos Jimenez 7 Chuck Kornegay 7 Paco Vazquez 3 Totals
7
31 25 22 23 22 19 17 11 4 11 12 3
FG
38-83 36-82 28-42 20-45 15-41 17-28 7-18 7-14 2-8 7-17 6-12 2-5
Pct. 3pts
45,7 43,9 66,6 44,4 36,5 60,7 38,8 50,0 25,0 41,1 50,0 40,0
7-25 12-30 - 8-24 5-19 3-11 3-13 4-7 - 2-8 - 2-4
FT
38-51 21-29 14-25 15-21 12-13 6-9 16-19 11-16 8-10 5-5 5-10 -
Rb As To St Pts Avg.
68 9 31 18 8 16 10 12 11 16 28 1
- 185-395 46,8 46-141 151-208 228
6 23 5 6 14 13 16 2 - 1 - -
20 4 121 17,2 15 10 105 15,0 12 2 70 10,0 9 8 63 9,0 17 10 47 6,7 13 9 43 6,1 3 10 33 4,7 5 - 29 4,1 2 3 12 4,0 3 5 21 3,0 13 2 17 2,4 1 - 6 2,0
86 113 63 567 81,0
4 - Germany (4-3) Player
GP Min
Dirk Nowitzki 7 Ademola Okulaja 7 Patrick Femerling 7 Marco Pesic 7 Stefano Garris 7 Mithat Demirel 7 Shawn Bradley 7 Robert Garrett 7 Drazan Tomic 5 Marvin Willoughby 1 Stephen Arigbabu 4 Stipo Papic 6 Totals
7
33 33 25 24 22 22 14 11 8 5 10 4
FG
63-122 35-78 29-50 21-45 13-35 13-33 11-26 6-20 4-10 1-2 2-9 -
Pct. 3pts
51,6 44,8 58,0 46,6 37,1 39,3 42,3 30,0 40,0 50,0 22,2 -
20-47 2-14 - 9-26 3-12 4-13 1-2 2-8 4-7 - 0-1 -
FT
Rb As To St Pts Avg.
55-77 21-32 19-25 21-28 10-14 8-11 9-12 5-7 - - 3-4 -
64 13 10 9 201 28,7 57 14 14 11 93 13,2 39 6 16 6 77 11,0 8 8 11 7 72 10,2 18 9 13 12 39 5,7 4 11 19 5 38 5,4 25 1 10 1 32 4,5 6 5 10 3 19 2,7 4 4 1 - 12 2,4 3 - 2 1 2 2,0 9 1 1 3 7 1,7 4 - 1 1 - -
- 198-430 46,0 45-130 151-210 241
72 108 59 592 84,6
5 - Russia (4-2) Player
GP Min
Andrej Kirilenko 6 Sergej Chikalkin 6 Zakhar Pashutin 6 Sergej Panov 6 Nikita Morgunov 6 Alexandre Bashminov 6 Evgeny Pashutin 6 Igor Kudelin 6 Sasha Miloserdov 2 Alexei Savrasenko 3 Petr Samoilenko 4 Anton Yudin - Totals
6
32 28 25 30 22 16 30 7 3 6 4 -
FG
40-73 39-79 24-56 21-41 16-44 15-24 10-26 4-19 1-3 2-3 2-4 -
Pct. 3pts
54,7 49,3 42,8 51,2 36,3 62,5 38,4 21,0 33,3 66,6 50,0 -
5-15 15-34 8-22 4-8 5-17 0-1 3-11 4-16 1-3 - - -
FT
Rb As To St Pts Avg.
30-35 9-9 9-13 18-22 9-16 6-9 3-6 - 1-2 1-2 - -
52 18 14 17 115 19,1 14 7 11 5 102 17,0 20 9 15 8 65 10,8 38 23 17 16 64 10,6 30 4 12 2 46 7,6 23 2 7 1 36 6,0 10 27 11 12 26 4,3 5 5 3 3 12 2,0 1 - - - 4 2,0 7 - - 1 5 1,6 2 3 4 1 4 1,0 - - - - - -
- 174-372 46,7 45-127 86-114 202
98 94 66 479 79,8
6- FRANCE (3-3) Player
GP Min
FG
Pct. 3pts
FT
Rb As To St Pts Avg.
Laurent Foirest 5 25 20-48 41,6 10-27 20-21 9 Alain Digbeu 6 25 21-50 42,0 4-20 19-23 18 Crawford Palmer 6 23 20-51 39,2 0-2 17-24 32
9 7 9 6 1 10
8 70 14,0 8 65 10,8 5 57 9,5
Stéphane Risacher 6 Laurent Sciarra 6 Tony Parker 6 Jim Bilba 6 Cyril Julian 6 Vasco Evtimov 4 Frédéric Weis 5 Makan Dioumassi 4 Eric Micoud 1 Totals
6
23 31 16 24 16 10 11 9 1
21-48 14-39 23-50 14-32 14-30 9-15 9-16 1-5 0-1
43,7 35,8 46,0 43,7 46,6 60,0 56,2 20,0 0,0
6-25 10-28 2-10 5-15 - 1-1 - 1-4 0-1
6-7 14-19 4-6 8-8 9-11 3-4 1-6 7-8 -
20 3 6 30 32 15 11 11 10 30 8 9 14 2 4 15 2 4 5 1 5 3 2 2 - - -
- 166-385 43,1 39-133 108-137 187
7 3 4 5 3 5 1 2 -
54 52 52 41 37 22 19 10 -
9,0 8,6 8,6 6,8 6,1 5,5 3,8 2,5 -
80 78 51 479 79,8
7 - Croatia (3-4) Player
GP Min
Damir Mulaomerovic Gordan Giricek Emilio Kovacic Veljko Mrsic Nikola Prkacin Josip Sesar Zan Tabak Nikola Vujcic Mate Skelin Josip Vrankovic Matej Mamic Vladimir Krstic
7 7 7 7 7 7 7 5 3 5 5 5
Totals
7
32 28 25 23 20 16 18 12 13 13 13 6
FG
40-82 36-81 30-62 21-60 19-37 14-34 16-36 9-22 4-6 4-8 4-14 2-4
Pct. 3pts
48,7 44,4 48,3 35,0 51,3 41,1 44,4 40,9 66,6 50,0 28,5 50,0
9-30 12-34 - 2-18 0-1 8-23 - 1-3 - 0-1 1-8 2-4
FT
28-36 27-29 14-21 19-23 10-12 9-11 3-7 3-5 2-2 6-7 1-1 2-2
Rb As To St Pts Avg.
15 27 54 19 25 14 46 21 12 3 16 2
26 24 10 117 16,7 13 14 6 111 15,8 3 11 4 74 10,5 10 5 7 62 8,8 11 9 2 48 6,8 5 8 3 45 6,4 6 7 1 35 5,0 3 7 3 22 4,4 2 2 - 10 3,3 4 1 4 14 2,8 3 2 2 10 2,0 3 2 - 8 1,6
- 199-446 44,6 35-122 124-156 254
89 92 42 557 79,5
8 - Latvia (2-5) Player
GP Min
Kaspars Kambala 7 Ainars Bagatskis 6 Uvis Helmanis 7 Roberts Stelmahers 7 Raimonds Miglinieks 7 Maris Laksa 7 Kristaps Valters 6 Aigars Vitols 7 Kaspars Cipruss 5 Raitis Grafs 6 Edmunds Valeiko 6 Arnis Vecvargas 7 Totals
7
30 29 20 24 29 14 14 15 6 9 11 8
FG
45-77 33-52 24-52 19-53 21-46 17-36 14-31 10-27 7-8 6-17 5-12 3-14
Pct. 3pts
58,4 63,4 46,1 35,8 45,6 47,2 45,1 37,0 87,5 35,2 41,6 21,4
- 14-25 18-37 9-19 10-26 7-14 5-17 3-4 - - 1-3 1-6
FT
Rb As To St Pts Avg.
43-66 23-28 4-6 19-21 10-15 10-11 8-10 2-2 1-3 2-5 - 4-5
63 3 22 11 133 19,0 28 7 9 6 103 17,1 23 3 12 2 70 10,0 14 27 16 10 66 9,4 12 51 20 8 62 8,8 19 1 6 3 51 7,2 11 11 11 3 41 6,8 17 3 2 4 25 3,5 11 1 2 - 15 3,0 16 2 2 2 14 2,3 8 5 10 1 11 1,8 12 3 5 2 11 1,5
- 204-428 47,6 68-151 126-172 234 117 117 52 602 86,0
9 - Italy (2-2) Player
GP Min
Gregor Fucka 4 Gianluca Basile 4 Andrea Pecile 4 Alex Righetti 4 Roberto Chiacig 4 Andrea Meneghin 4 Nikola Radulovic 4 Denis Marconato 4 Giacomo Galanda 4 Michele Mian 4 Alessandro De Pol 4 Andrea Camata 1 Totals
4
28 24 15 19 18 28 15 11 15 11 11 6
FG
20-43 14-29 12-17 7-25 10-21 8-27 8-15 6-10 5-15 6-18 3-9 -
- 99-229
Pct. 3pts
46,5 48,2 70,5 28,0 47,6 29,6 53,3 60,0 33,3 33,3 33,3 -
1-6 11-21 3-6 5-18 - 5-15 3-7 1-1 1-4 2-7 0-5 -
FT
19-27 6-8 7-11 13-18 5-9 3-3 1-2 5-7 5-6 2-2 2-5 1-2
Rb As To St Pts Avg.
28 5 12 8 7 6 3 5 26 2 8 19 6 7 13 1 11 2 3 - 3 3 1 -
43,2 32-90 69-100 121
7 3 8 2 6 9 4 1 2 1 1 1
3 9 3 6 1 7 2 3 3 5 - -
60 15,0 45 11,2 34 8,5 32 8,0 25 6,2 24 6,0 20 5,0 18 4,5 15 4,0 16 4,0 8 2,0 1 1,0
58 45 42 299 74,7
10 - Lithuania (2-2) Player
GP Min
Mindaugas Timinskas 4 Ramunas Siskauskas 4 Gintaras Einikis 4 Mindaugas Zukauskas 4 Rimantas Kaukenas 4 Sarunas Jasikevicius 4 Saulius Stombergas 2 Andrius Jurkunas 4 Eurelijus Zukauskas 4 Darius Songaila 3 Robertas Javtokas 2 Darius Songaila 2 Totals
4
24 32 24 22 18 27 23 15 13 7 6 3
FG
15-31 14-28 18-44 13-31 11-22 9-43 4-17 9-17 6-12 3-9 0-1 0-3
Pct. 3pts
48,3 50,0 40,9 41,9 50,0 20,9 23,5 52,9 50,0 33,3 0,0 0,0
FT
Rb As To St Pts Avg.
4-12 19-23 24 4 4 4 53 13,2 6-18 16-20 10 8 6 14 50 12,5 1-2 4-6 22 4 4 2 41 10,2 3-16 1-5 21 8 11 4 30 7,5 3-8 4-8 7 6 3 1 29 7,2 3-25 4-8 7 19 19 7 25 6,2 1-8 3-4 4 2 1 3 12 6,0 4-6 2-2 12 1 2 - 24 6,0 0-1 9-24 14 - 3 2 21 5,2 - - 6 - 2 1 6 2,0 - - 2 - 1 1 - - - 2 - - - - -
- 102-256 39,8 25-96 62-102 131
52 56 39 291 72,7
11 - Greece (2-2) Player
GP Min
Fragiskos Alvertis 4 Georgios Sigalas 4 Theodoros Papaloukas 4 Efthymios Rentzias 4 Antonios Fotsis 4 Yannis Giannoulis 4 Michail Kakiouzis 4 Dimitri Papanikolaou 4 Georgios Kalaitzis 4
32 28 30 28 13 11 13 14 9
FG
14-43 21-32 16-22 16-27 11-17 6-9 7-15 5-14 2-5
Pct. 3pts
32,5 65,6 72,7 59,2 64,7 66,6 46,6 35,7 40,0
141
8-22 10-15 5-6 5-8 3-4 - 1-5 1-5 0-1
FT
28-33 4-8 12-19 11-16 9-9 11-23 3-5 4-9 8-10
Rb As To St Pts Avg.
10 7 6 8 12 10 12 20 12 13 5 9 16 2 4 5 1 5 10 - 2 3 3 4 2 6 6
2 3 7 3 3 1 3 2 5
64 16,0 56 14,0 49 12,2 48 12,0 34 8,5 23 5,7 18 4,5 15 3,7 12 3,0
Dimos Dikoudis 4 13 Nikolaos Hatzivrettas 3 5 Lazaros Papadopoulos 2 2 Totals
4
4-9 0-3 -
44,4 0-2 0,0 0-2 - -
2-7 11 5-6 - 6-6 1
- 102-196 52,0 33-70 103-151 91
1 1 -
4 1 -
2 10 2,5 1 5 1,6 - 6 3,0
58 63 32 340 85,0
12 - ISRAEL (1-3) Player
GP Min
Puppy Torgeman Neir Tapiro Derrick Sharp Yoav Saffar Lior Lubin Yaniv Green Shahar Gordon Barak Peleg Afik Nisim Ido Kozikaro Moshe Mizrahi Israel Shenfeld
4 4 4 4 3 4 4 4 2 3 1 1
Totals
4
34 23 35 30 17 22 23 14 6 6 4 1
FG
18-39 20-40 15-31 16-44 5-14 4-15 9-20 6-16 2-5 1-2 0-2 -
Pct. 3pts
46,1 50,0 48,3 36,3 35,7 26,6 45,0 37,5 40,0 50,0 0,0 -
- 96-228
8-20 3-11 7-16 3-20 1-3 - - 0-3 1-1 - - -
FT
Rb As To St Pts Avg.
11-15 10-11 9-10 11-16 9-11 14-20 2-3 2-2 - 2-2 - -
18 7 6 5 55 13,7 19 14 13 5 53 13,2 8 2 10 4 46 11,5 15 6 18 7 46 11,5 8 5 3 11 20 6,6 28 3 6 4 22 5,5 5 3 2 5 20 5,0 12 2 4 5 14 3,5 1 - 2 1 5 2,5 4 - 1 2 4 1,3 - - - - - - - - - - -
42,1 23-74 70-90 118
42 65 49 285 71,2
13 - Slovenia (1-2) Player
GP Min
Radoslav Nesterovic 3 Arriel McDonald 3 Sani Becirovic 3 Marko Milic 3 Boris Gorenc 3 Matjaz Smodis 3 Beno Udrih 3 Ivica Jurkovic 2 Marko Tusek 3 Marijan Kraljevic 3 Jaka Lakovic 1 Goran Jagodnik 1 Totals
3
28 30 32 20 18 21 17 19 15 8 10 5
FG
21-39 11-31 12-32 10-19 7-18 6-14 7-14 2-11 2-17 1-5 2-2 0-1
- 81-203
Pct. 3pts
53,8 35,4 37,5 52,6 38,8 42,8 50,0 18,1 11,8 20,0 100 -
FT
Rb As To St Pts Avg.
0-3 5-8 27 - 1 5-13 8-9 9 11 8 6-15 4-8 16 12 12 1-3 3-4 15 5 2 2-7 7-14 3 4 3 4-9 3-4 5 2 1 - 2-2 6 4 - 1-5 4-4 7 1 2 - 4-7 9 - 1 - 4-4 8 2 3 - - 2 - - 0-1 - 1 - -
39,9 19-56 44-64 108
2 5 5 4 - 3 3 1 - - - -
47 15,6 35 11,6 34 11,3 24 8,0 23 7,6 19 6,3 16 5,3 9 4,5 8 2,6 6 2,0 4 4,0 - -
41 33 23 225 75,0
14 - UKRAINE (1-2) Player
GP Min
Oleksandr Okunsky 3 Oleksandr Rajevsky 3 Andrej Lebedjev 3 Nikolaj Khryapa 2 Vyacheslav Yevstratenko 3 Dmitri Korablov 3 Vladimir Ryzhov 3 Vadim Pudzyrey 3 Serhiy Lishchuk 3 Stanislav Balashov 3 Viktor Kobzysty 2 Dmitri Markov 2 Totals
3
31 18 24 23 26 20 14 18 10 11 8 5
FG
20-31 7-17 7-21 5-13 7-21 7-9 8-20 6-15 3-6 3-8 1-2 0/2
- 74-165
Pct. 3pts
64,5 41,1 33,3 38,4 33,3 77,7 40,0 40,0 50,0 37,5 50,0 0,0
FT
Rb As To St Pts Avg.
0-1 8-12 27 2-6 11-17 4 4-11 6-9 7 2-2 3-4 8 1-5 7-9 9 2-3 5-7 10 1-4 3-4 2 1-3 6-8 2 0-1 2-2 9 1-1 - 3 0-1 1-2 1 - - -
44,8 14-38 52-74 82
2 10 6 9 2 6 3 4 3 5 5 2 2 4 2 8 3 1 1 3 1 4 - -
2 3 1 2 3 2 3 4 - - 2 -
48 16,0 27 9,0 24 8,0 15 7,5 22 7,3 21 7,0 20 6,6 19 6,3 8 2,6 7 2,3 3 15 - -
30 56 22 214 71,3
15 - BOSNIA & HERZEGOVINA (0-3) Player
GP Min
Nenad Markovic Damir Mrsic Haris Mujezinovic Samir Leric Jasmin Hukic Sinisa Kovacevic Elvir Ovcina Barisa Krasic Gordan Firic Goran Terzic Ramiz Suljanovic Ivan Opacak
3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 2 1
Totals
3
27 34 22 22 24 11 16 12 16 7 5 7
FG
13-34 9-29 8-23 7-11 7-24 6-15 4-14 5-11 4-16 2-4 2-3 2-3
- 69-184
Pct. 3pts
38,2 31,0 34,7 63,6 29,1 40,0 28,5 45,4 25,0 50,0 66,6 66,6
FT
Rb As To St Pts Avg.
6-19 6-7 7 5 7 7-22 4-4 3 10 12 1-3 12-17 18 3 6 - 8-10 14 2 2 3-13 4-8 8 1 2 1-2 3-4 4 5 1 0-2 6-8 11 2 2 2-5 1-1 4 3 4 0-2 1-2 9 7 6 1-2 1-2 2 2 3 - 0-2 5 - - 1-1 - 1 - 2
37,5 22-71 46-65 86
1 4 3 1 2 1 - 1 1 2 1 -
38 12,6 29 9,6 29 9,6 22 7,3 21 7,0 16 5,3 14 4,6 13 4,3 9 3,0 6 2,0 4 2,0 5 5,0
40 47 17 206 68,6
16 - ESTONIA (0-3) Player
GP Min
Martin Müürsepp 3 Andre Pärn 3 Margus Metstak 3 Rauni Pehka 3 Tanel Tein 3 Marek Noormets 3 Stdrek Varblane 3 Stdrek Rumma 3 Valmo Kriisa 3 Tarmo Kikerpill 3 Toomas Liivak 3 Toomas Kandimaa 2 Totals
3
27 34 18 24 26 22 9 9 15 7 5 1
FG
18-48 12-35 11-24 6-20 5-21 4-10 5-13 3-11 2-5 2-5 1-5 -
- 69-197
Pct. 3pts
37,5 34,2 45,8 30,0 23,8 40,0 38,4 27,2 40,0 40,0 20,0 -
FT
Rb As To St Pts Avg.
1-15 18-26 17 0-12 6-8 7 0-1 3-4 18 3-13 7-9 7 2-14 4-6 8 - 6-14 9 2-7 - 1 1-4 1-1 5 0-2 3-4 5 1-2 1-2 3 0-2 1-2 2 - - -
35,0 10-72 50-76 82
2 5 3 11 2 6 8 6 8 2 - 1 - 2 1 4 4 5 - 1 2 3 - -
2 2 2 5 8 1 - 4 3 - 2 -
55 18,3 30 10,0 25 8,3 22 7,3 16 5,3 14 4,6 12 4,0 8 2,6 7 2,3 6 2,0 3 1,0 - -
30 46 29 198 66,0
EuroBasket from 1999 to 1983 EuroBasket 1999 First round standings Group A Team 1 Yugoslavia 2 France 3 Israel 4 F.Y.R.O.M.
Group B
Team 1 Russia 2 Spain 3 Slovenia 4 Hungary
Group C
Team 1 Turkey 2 Italy 3 Croatia 4 Bosnia
Group D
Team 1 Czech Republic 2 Germany 3 Lithuania 4 Greece
W-L 3-0 2-1 1-2 0-3
Margin +15,3 +1,3 -9,7 -7,0
W-L 2-1 2-1 2-1 0-3
Margin +6,3 +0,7 -1,7 -5,3
W-L 2-1 2-1 2-1 0-3
Margin +6,3 +2,0 +0,3 -8,7
W-L 2-1 2-1 2-1 0-3
Margin +6,0 +4,0 -10,0
Eighth Final round standings Group E Team 1 Yugoslavia 2 France 3 Russia 4 Spain 5 Israel 6 Slovenia
Group F
Team 1 Lithuania 2 Italy 3 Turkey 4 Germany 5 Croatia 6 Czech Republic
W-L 5-1 5-1 4-2 3-3 2-4 2-4
Margin +9,5 +5,0 +5,3 -2,5 -8,5 -2,7
W-L 5-1 4-2 4-2 3-3 3-3 2-4
Margin +11,0 +7,0 +1,0 -2,0 -1,7 -6,0
Quarter-finals
Italy b. Russia Yugoslavia b. Germany France b. Turkey Spain b. Lithuania
102-79 78-68 66-63 74-72
Semi-finals
Spain b. France Italy b. Yugoslavia
70-63 71-62
3rd place
Yugoslavia b. France
74-62
Final
Italy b. Spain
64-56
1 Alberto Herreros 2 Lubos Barton 3 Doron Sheffer 4 Carlton Myers 5 Antoine Rigaudeau
Team
Avg.
Spain Czech Rep. Israel Italy France
19.2 18.7 16.7 16.3 15.5
Team
Avg.
Leading rebounders Player
1 Arvydas Sabonis 2 Vitaly Nossov 3 Huseyin Besok 4 Alfonso Reyes 5 Ivica Jurkovic
Leading rebounders Team
1 Toni Kukoc Croatia 2 Vladimir Bogojevic Germany 3 Damir Mulaomerovic Croatia 4 Kerem Tunçeri Turkey 5 Dejan Bodiroga Yugoslavia
Lithuania Russia Turkey Spain Slovenia
8.5 7.9 7.4 7.2 6.5
Avg.
6.3 5.2 4.8 4.6 4.3
EuroBasket 1997 First round standings Group A Team 1 Greece 2 Russia 3 Turkey 4 Bosnia
Group B
Team 1 Lithuania 2 Israel 3 France 4 Slovenia
Group C
Team 1 Italy 2 Yugoslavia 3 Poland 4 Latvia
Group D
Team 1 Spain 2 Croatia 3 Germany 4 Ukraine
W-L 3-0 2-1 1-2 0-3
Margin +8.6 +13.0 -15.0 -6.6
W-L 3-0 2-1 1-2 0-3
Margin +10.0 -2.6 -2.3 -5.0
W-L 3-0 2-1 1-2 0-3
Margin +10.0 +14.0 -12.0 -12.0
W-L 3-0 1-2 1-2 1-2
Margin +14.3 +2.0 -2.3 -14.0
Eighth Final round standings Group E Team 1 Greece 2 Russia 3 Lithuania 4 Turkey 5 Israel 6 France
Group F
Team 1 Italy 2 Yugoslavia 3 Spain 4 Poland 5 Croatia 6 Germany
W-L 6-0 5-1 4-2 3-3 2-4 1-5
Margin +7.5 +16.5 +0.3 -5.3 -6.5 -6.6
W-L 6-0 5-1 4-2 3-3 1-5 1-5
Margin +7.3 +11.3 +12.3 -11.3 -11.0 -6.1
Quarter-finals
Greece b. Poland Yugoslavia b. Lithuania Russia b. Spain Italy b. Turkey
72-62 75-60 70-67 66-43
Yugoslavia b. Greece Italy b. Russia
Leading scorers
Player
Semi-finals
Top stats Player
Leaders in assists
88-80 67-65
3rd place
Russia b. Greece
97-77
Final
Yugoslavia b. Italy
61-49
Top stats
1 Oded Kattash 2 Ainars Bagatskis 3 Nenad Markovic 4 Arturas Karnisovas 5 Tomer Stheinhauer
1 Radoslav Nesterovic 2 Mirsad Türkcan 3 Gintaras Einikis 4 Tomer Stheinhauer 5 Arturas Karnisovas
Team
Avg.
Slovenia Turkey Lithuania Israel Lithuania
8.6 7.3 6.4 6.4 5.9
Leaders in assists Player
Team
1 Damir Mulaomerovic Croatia 2 Raimonds Miglinieks Latvia 3 Darius Lukminas Lithuania 4 Sasha Djordjevic Yugoslavia 5 Henrik Rödl Germany
Avg.
6.4 5.6 4.5 4.4 4.3
EuroBasket 1995 First round standings Group A Team 1 Yugoslavia 2 Lithuania 3 Greece 4 Italy 5 Israel 6 Germany 7 Sweden
W-L 6-0 5-1 4-2 3-3 2-4 1-5 0-6
Margin +13.2 +11.8 +3.0 +0.8 +0.3 -6.6 -22.5
W-L 6-0 4-2 4-2 4-2 2-4 1-5 0-6
Margin +11.6 +4.3 +11.5 +5.0 -0.1 -12.8 -19.5
Group B Team 1 Croatia 2 Spain 3 Russia 4 France 5 Slovenia 6 Turkey 7 Finland
Quarter-finals
Lithuania b. Russia Croatia b. Italy Greece b. Spain Yugoslavia b. France
82-71 71-61 66-64 104-86
Semi-finals
Yugoslavia b. Greece Lithuania b. Croatia
60-52 90-80
3rd place
Croatia b. Greece
73-68
Yugoslavia b. Lithuania
96-90
Team
1 Sarunas Marciulionis Lithuania 2 Arvydas Sabonis Lithuania 3 Yann Bonato France 4 Michael Koch Germany 5 Arijan Komazec Croatia
Avg.
1 Arvydas Sabonis 2 Andrei Fetisov 3 Stojan Vrankovic 4 Panayotis Fassoulas 5 Mike Smith
Team
Israel Latvia Bosnia Lithuania Israel
Avg.
22.0 21.8 21.4 20.7 17.1
Player
Team
Team 1 Croatia 2 France 3 Turkey 4 Bulgaria
Group C
Team 1 Greece 2 Latvia 3 Italy 4 Israel
Group D
Team 1 Estonia 2 Germany 3 Belgium 4 Slovenia
W-L 3-0 1-2 1-2 1-2
Margin +13.6 +1.0 -3.0 -11.6
W-L 3-0 2-1 1-2 0-3
Margin +25.3 +8.6 -18.6 -15.3
W-L 2-1 2-1 1-2 1-2
Margin +9.6 -0.3 -2.3 -7.0
W-L 2-1 2-1 1-2 1-2
Margin -2.0 +13.6 -3.0 -8.6
Second round standings Group E
Team W-L 1 Spain 4-1 2 Russia 4-1 3 Greece 4-1 4 Bosnia & Herzegovina 1-4 5 Italy 1-4 6 Latvia 1-4
Group F
Team 1 Croatia 2 France 3 Estonia 4 Germany 5 Turkey 6 Belgium
W-L 5-0 4-1 3-2 2-3 1-4 0-5
Quarter-finals
Greece b. France Russia b. Estonia Germany b. Spain Croatia b. Bosnia
Margin +8.6 +14.6 +7.2 -8.8 -11.6 -10.0 Margin +22.4 +9,4 -3.2 +3.4 -14.0 -18.0
61-59 82-61 70-67 98-78
Semi-finals
Russia b. Croatia Greece b. Germany
84-76 76-73
Croatia b. Greece
99-59
Final
Leading scorers
Avg.
Leading rebounders
Lithuania Russia Croatia Greece Spain
14.5 9.7 9.1 8.6 8.6
Team
Avg.
1 Tony Kukoc Croatia 2 Henrik Rödl Germany 3 Sarunas Marciulionis Lithuania 4 Pablo Laso Spain 5 Guy Goodes Israel
142
Group B
22.5 21.8 21.7 21.5 20.3
Leading rebounders Player
Team 1 Spain 2 Russia 3 Bosnia 4 Sweden
71-70
Top stats
Leading scorers
First round standings Group A
Germany b. Russia
Top stats Player
EuroBasket 1993
3rd place
Final
Leaders in assists
Leading scorers Player
Player
5.3 4.8 4.8 3.7 3.7
Player
1 Sabahudin Bilalovic 2 Mario Primorac 3 Alvar Kuusmaa 4 Panayotis Yannakis 5 Jordi Villacampa
Player
1 Antonio Martin 2 Panayotis Fassoulas 3 Serguei Babenko 4 Hansi Gnad 5 Christian Welp
Team
Avg.
Bosnia Bosnia Estonia Greece Spain
25.0 22.0 20.1 19.3 19.3
Team
Avg.
Team
Avg.
Spain Greece Russia Germany Germany
9.8 8.7 8.2 8.0 7.3
Leaders in assists Player
1 Raimonds Miglinieks Latvia 2 Serguei Bazarevitch Russia 3 Panayotis Glannakis Greece 4 Henning Harnisch Germany 5 Serguei Babkov Russia
5.0 2.8 2.8 2.7 2.6
EuroBasket 1991 Preliminary round standings Group A Team 1 Yugoslavia 2 Spain 3 Poland 4 Bulgaria
Group B
Team 1 Italy 2 France 3 Greece 4 Czechoslovakia
U.S.S.R. b. Italy
W-L 3-0 1-2 1-2 1-2
Margin +11.6 +3.0 -2.6 -12.0
Leading scorers
85-72 110-83
Semi-finals
Yugoslavia b. France Italy b. Spain
97-76 93-90
7th place
Poland b. Bulgaria
90-85
5th place
Greece b. Czechoslovakia
3rd place
Spain b. France
95-79 101-83
Final
Yugoslavia b. Italy
88-73
Top stats
1 Antonio Martin 2 Stéphane Ostrowski 3 Georgi Glouchkov 4 Stefano Rusconi 5 Panayotis Fassoulas
1 Toni Kukoc 2 Nikos Galis 3 Panayotis Glannakis 4 Georgi Mladenov 5 Stéphane Ostrowski
Spain France Bulgaria Italy Greece
12.8 9.6 8.8 8.2 7.8
Team
Yugoslavia Greece Greece Bulgaria France
Team 1 Yugoslavia 2 Greece 3 France 4 Bulgaria
Semi-finals (5th-8th)
Spain b. France
1 Nikos Galis 2 Drazen Petrovic 3 Stéphane Ostrowski 4 Antonello Riva 5 Richard Dacoury
Avg.
3.0 2.4 2.4 2.0 1.8
W-L 3-0 2-1 1-2 0-3 W-L 3-0 2-1 1-2 0-3
Margin +22.6 +13.6 -10.3 -26.0 Margin +24.0 +0.3 +2.6 -27.0
107-100 108-55 91-86 95-87
Avg.
Greece Yugoslavia France Italy France
35.6 30.0 24.4 23.3 22.0
Team
Avg.
Leading rebounders Player
1 Arvydas Sabonis 2 Ferran Martinez 3 Georgi Glouchkov 4 Vlade Divac 5 Franck Butter
U.S.S.R. Spain Bulgaria Yugoslavia France
8.6 7.2 7.0 7.0 5.8
Leaders in assists Player
Team
1 Drazen Petrovic Yugoslavia 2 Iordan Kolev Bulgaria 3 Greg Beugnot France 4 Sarunas Marciulionis U.S.S.R. 5 Georgi Mladenov Bulgaria
Avg.
6.0 4.2 4.0 4.0 3.0
EuroBasket 1987
Avg.
Group B
5th place
W-L 5-0 3-2 3-2 3-2 1-4 0-5
Margin +20.4 +10.4 +8.4 -6.2 -15.2 -30.2
Group B Team 1 Italy 2 West Germany 3 Poland 4 Czechoslovakia 5 Netherlands 6 Israel
W-L 5-0 3-2 3-2 2-3 1-4 1-4
Places 9th to 12th
France b. Israel Netherlands b. Romania Israel b. Romania France b. Netherlands
Quarter-finals
U.S.S.R. b. Czechoslovakia Spain b. West Germany Greece b. Italy Yugoslavia b. Poland
Margin +17.6 -3.8 -0.4 -0.2 -10.0 -3.2
96-93 88-87 97-87 94-80 110-91 107-77 90-78 128-81
Places 5th to 8th
West Germany b. Czechoslovakia 93-91 Italy b. Poland 93-75
7th place
Poland b. Czechoslovakia
5th place
Italy b. West Germany
Semi-finals
U.S.S.R. b. Spain. Greece b. Yugoslavia
3rd place
Yugoslavia b. Spain
Final
Greece b. U.S.S.R.
Leading rebounders
Leading scorers
Player
1 Nikos Galis 2 Doron Jamchi 3 Dariusz Zelig 4 Antonello Riva 5 Michael Jackel
Player Team
Team
Team 1 U.S.S.R. 2 Italy 3 Spain 4 Netherlands
Bulgaria b. Netherlands
Player
Top stats
Player Team
Avg.
Greece 37.0 Israel 31.7 Poland 26.3 Italy 24.2 West Germany 23.7
Leading rebounders
Team 1 U.S.S.R. 2 Yugoslavia 3 Spain 4 Greece 5 France 6 Romania
Preliminary round standings Group A
7th place
Top stats
Avg.
EuroBasket 1989
France b. Netherlands Spain b. Bulgaria
98-77
32.4 21.2 20.2 19.8 19.4
Leaders in assists Player
Yugoslavia b. Greece
Greece Spain Bulgaria Greece Spain
Team
Leading rebounders Player
104-76
Final
Preliminary round standings Group A
Leading scorers 1 Nikos Galis 2 Antonio Martin 3 Georgi Mladenov 4 Panayotis Yannakis 5 Jordi Villacampa
81-80 97-80
3rd place
Margin +24.0 -0.6 -13.3 -10.0
Czechoslovakia b. Poland Greece b. Bulgaria
Greece b. U.S.S.R. Yugoslavia b. Italy
W-L 3-0 2-1 1-2 0-3
Semi-finals (5th-8th)
Player
Semi-finals
96-92 87-84 113-96 81-77 98-87 103-101
143
1 Christian Welp 2 Fernando Romay 3 Panayotis Fassoulas 4 Stéphane Ostrowski 5 Lavon Mercer
Team
Avg.
West Germany 12.2 Spain 11.0 Greece 11.0 France 10.8 Israel 9.8
EuroBasket 1985 Preliminary round standings Group A Team 1 Yugoslavia 2 U.S.S.R. 3 Spain 4 France 5 Romania 6 Poland
W-L 4-1 4-1 4-1 1-4 1-4 1-4
Margin +10.0 +10.8 +6.2 -10.4 -7.2 -9.4
W-L 4-1 4-1 3-2 2-3 1-4 1-4
Margin +13.6 -13.0 +2.2 +0.6 -20.6 -8.8
Group B Team 1 Italy 2 West Germany 3 Bulgaria 4 Czechoslovakia 5 Netherlands 6 Israel
Places 9th to 12th
Israel b. Poland Romania b. Netherlands
11th place
Poland b. Netherlands
91-86 90-87 102-100
9th place
Israel b. Romania
90-89
Quarter-finals
Italy b. France U.S.S.R. b. Bulgaria Spain b. West Germany Czechoslovakia b. Yugoslavia
Places 5th to 8th
France b. Bulgaria West Germany b. Yugoslavia
7th place
Yugoslavia b. Bulgaria West Germany b. France U.S.S.R. b. Italy Czechoslovakia b. Spain
3rd place
Italy b. Spain U.S.S.R. b. Czechoslovakia
112-96 98-95
120-89
Leading scorers Player
Team
2 Doron Jamchi
Israel
Yugoslavia
Avg.
25.1
24.6
3 Detlef Schrempf
West Germany 24.3
5 Michael Jackel
West Germany 19.8
U.S.S.R.
20.0
Team
Avg.
U.S.S.R. Yugoslavia Italy
3.5 3.3 2.0
Preliminary round standings Group A Team 1 Italy 2 Spain 3 Yugoslavia 4 France 5 Greece 6 Sweden
Group B
Team 1 U.S.S.R. 2 Netherlands 3 West Germany 4 Israel 5 Poland 6 Czechoslovakia
W-L 5-0 4-1 3-2 2-3 1-4 0-5
Margin +16.2 +5.6 +1.6 -1.8 -9.2 -12.4
W-L 5-0 3-2 3-2 2-3 1-4 1-4
Margin +21.4 -9.4 -2.2 -2.4 -5.0 -2.4
Places 9th to 12th
Czechoslovakia b. Greece Poland b. Sweden
11th place
Greece b. Sweden
88-85 82-70 102-97
9th place
Poland b. Czechoslovakia
Quarter-finals
Italy b. France U.S.S.R. b. Bulgaria Spain b. West Germany Czechoslovakia b. Yugoslavia
Places 5th to 8th
Israel b. Yugoslavia France b. West Germany
7th place
Yugoslavia b. West Germany
3rd place
100-81
Avg.
Bulgaria 12.5 West Germany 9.6 U.S.S.R. 8.1 Poland 8.1 Czechoslovakia 7.3
EuroBasket 1983
107-105 98-84
Top stats
4 Arvydas Sabonis
1 Valdis Valters 2 Drazen Petrovic 3 Enrico Gilardi
5th place
102-90
Final
1 Drazen Petrovic
Player
France b. Israel
77-73 97-71 104-86 98-83 102-91 99-88 90-82 104-88 92-88
Semi-finals
Spain b. U.S.S.R. Italy b. Netherlands
95-94 88-69
U.S.S.R. b. Netherlands
Final
Italy b. Spain
105-70 105-96
Top stats Leading scorers Player
Semi-finals
Team
Leaders in assists
97-71 104-86 98-83 102-91
105-86
5th place
1 Georgi Glouchkov 2 Detlef Schrempf 3 Arvydas Sabonis 4 Jerzy Binkowski 5 Stanislas Kropilak
Team
Avg.
Team
Avg.
Team
Avg.
1 Nikos Galis Greece 33.0 2 Stanislas Kropilak Czechoslovakia 21.2 - Micky Berkowitz Israel 21.2 4 Philip Szanyiel France 20.1 5 Juan A. San Epifanio Spain 20.0
Leading rebounders Player
1 Arvydas Sabonis 2 Detlef Schrempf 3 Renzo Vecchiato - Rajko Zizic 5 Stanislas Kropilak
U.S.S.R. 9.1 West Germany 8.4 Italy 7.7 Yugoslavia 7.7 Czechoslovakia 7.4
Leaders in assists Player
1 Jean-Michel Sénégal France 2 Juan Antonio Corbalan Spain 3 Motti Aoresti Israel
3.0 2.1 2.0
HISTORY
ALL EUROBASKET STANDINGS SINCE 1935 2005
Belgrade (seRbia & montenegro) Final standings
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Greece Germany France Spain Lithuania Slovenia Croatia Russia
Eliminated after the elimination round:
- - - -
Israel Italy Serbia & Montenegro Turkey
Eliminated in the first round:
- - - -
Bosnia & Herzegovina Bulgaria Latvia Ukraine
2003
Stockholm (Sweden) Final standings
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Lithuania Spain Italy France Greece Serbia & Montenegro Israel Russia
Eliminated after the elimination round:
- - - -
Germany Slovenia Croatia Turkey
Eliminated in the first round:
- - - -
Latvia Ukraine Bosnia & Herzegovina Sweden
2001
Istanbul (Turkey) Final standings
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Yugoslavia Turkey Spain Germany Russia France Croatia Latvia
Eliminated after the elimination round:
- - - -
Greece Israel Italy Lithuania
Eliminated in the first round:
- - - -
Bosnia & Herzegovina Estonia Slovenia Ukraine
1999
Paris (France) Final standings
1 Italy 2 Spain
3 4 5 6 7 8
Yugoslavia France Lithuania Russia Germany Turkey
Eliminated after the eighth-final round:
- - - -
Israel Slovenia Croatia Czech Republic
Eliminated in the first round:
- - - -
F.Y.R. of Macedonia Hungary Bosnia & Herzegovina Greece
1997
Barcelona (SPAIN) Final standings
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
Yugoslavia Italy Russia Greece Spain Lithuania Poland Turkey Israel France Croatia Germany Ukraine Slovenia Bosnia & Herzegovina Latvia
1995
AthENS (Greece) Final standings
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
Yugoslavia Lithuania Croatia Greece Italy Spain Russia France Israel Germany Sweden Slovenia Turkey Finland
1993
MüNICH (germany) Final standings
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
Germany Russia Croatia Greece Spain Estonia France Bosnia & Herzegovina Italy Latvia Turkey Belgium Sweden Bulgaria Israel Slovenia
1991
1981
Final standings
Final standings
Zagreb (Yugoslavia)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Yugoslavia Italy Spain France Greece Czechoslovakia Poland Bulgaria
1989
RomE (ITALY) Final standings
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Yugoslavia Greece U.S.S.R. Italy Spain France Bulgaria Netherlands
1987
AthENS (Greece) Final standings
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Greece U.S.S.R. Yugoslavia Spain Italy West Germany Poland Czechoslovakia France Netherlands Israel Romania
1985
Stuttgart
(WEST GERMANY)
Final standings
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
U.S.S.R. Czechoslovakia Italy Spain West Germany France Yugoslavia Bulgaria Israel Romania Poland Netherlands
1983
Nantes (FRANCE) Final standings
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Italy Spain U.S.S.R. Netherlands France Israel Yugoslavia West Germany Poland Czechoslovakia Greece Sweden
144
Praha (Czechoslovakia) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
U.S.S.R. Yugoslavia Czechoslovakia Spain Italy Israel Poland France England Greece West Germany Turkey
1979
TURIN (ITALY) Final standings
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
U.S.S.R. Israel Yugoslavia Czechoslovakia Italy Spain Poland France Greece Netherlands Bulgaria Belgium
1977
Liège (BELGIUM) Final standings
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Yugoslavia U.S.S.R. Czechoslovakia Italy Israel Bulgaria Netherlands Belgium Spain Finland France Austria
1975
BeLgradE (Yugoslavia) Final standings
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Yugoslavia U.S.S.R. Italy Spain Bulgaria Czechoslovakia Israel Poland Turkey Netherlands Romania Greece
1973
Barcelona (SPAIN) Final standings
1 2 3 4 5
Yugoslavia Spain U.S.S.R. Czechoslovakia Italy
6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Bulgaria Israel Turkey Romania France Greece Poland
1971
Essen (WEST GERMANY) Final standings
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
U.S.S.R. Yugoslavia Italy Poland Czechoslovakia Bulgaria Spain Romania West Germany France Israel Turkey
1969
NapLES (ITALY) Final standings
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
U.S.S.R. Yugoslavia Czechoslovakia Poland Spain Italy Bulgaria Hungary Romania Greece Israel Sweden
1967
Helsinki (FINLAND) Final standings
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
U.S.S.R. Czechoslovakia Poland Bulgaria Romania Finland Italy Israel Yugoslavia Spain France Greece Hungary East Germany Belgium Netherlands
1965
MoSCOW (U.S.S.R.) Final standings
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
U.S.S.R. Yugoslavia Poland Italy Bulgaria Israel Czechoslovakia Greece France East Germany Spain
Finland Romania West Germany Hungary Sweden
1963
Wroclaw (POLAND) Final standings
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
U.S.S.R. Poland Yugoslavia Hungary Bulgaria East Germany Spain Belgium Israel Czechoslovakia Romania Italy France Finland Turkey Netherlands
1961
BeLgradE (Yugoslavia) Final standings
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19
U.S.S.R. Yugoslavia Bulgaria France Czechoslovakia Hungary Romania Belgium Poland Turkey Israel East Germany Spain Finland Netherlands West Germany Greece Sweden England
1959
Istanbul (TURKEY) Final standings
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17
U.S.S.R. Czechoslovakia France Hungary Bulgaria Poland Belgium Romania Yugoslavia Italy Israel Turkey Finland East Germany Spain Austria Iran
1957
Sofia (BULGARIA) Final standings
1 2 3 4 5 6
U.S.S.R. Bulgaria Czechoslovakia Hungary Romania Yugoslavia
7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
Poland France Turkey Italy Finland Belgium West Germany Austria Scotland Albania
1955
Budapest (HUNGARY) Final standings
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18
Hungary Czechoslovakia U.S.S.R. Bulgaria Poland Italy Romania Yugoslavia France Finland Turkey England Austria Switzerland Luxembourg Sweden West Germany Denmark
1953
MoSCOW (U.S.S.R.) Final standings
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17
U.S.S.R. Hungary France Czechoslovakia Israel Yugoslavia Italy Egypt Bulgaria Belgium Switzerland Finland Romania West Germany Lebanon Denmark Sweden
1951
Paris (FRANCE) Final standings
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17
U.S.S.R. Czechoslovakia France Bulgaria Italy Turkey Belgium Greece Finland Netherlands Austria West Germany Switzerland Denmark Portugal Scotland Luxembourg
1949
Cairo (EGYPT) Final standings 1 Egypt
2 3 4 5 6 7
France Greece Turkey Netherlands Syria Lebanon
1947
PraGUE (Czechoslovakia) Final standings
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
U.S.S.R. Czechoslovakia Egypt Belgium France Poland Hungary Bulgaria Italy Romania Netherlands Austria Yugoslavia Albania
1946
GenEvA (SWITZERLAND) Final standings
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Czechoslovakia Italy Hungary France Switzerland Netherlands Belgium Poland Luxembourg England
1939
Kaunas (LITHUANIA) Final standings
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Lithuania Latvia Poland France Estonia Italy Hungary Finland
1937
Riga (LAVTIA) Final standings
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Lithuania Italy France Poland Estonia Latvia Czechoslovakia Egypt
1935
GenEvA (SWITZERLAND) Final standings
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Latvia Spain Czechoslovakia Switzerland France Belgium Italy Bulgaria Hungary Romania
145
Top medal winning countries 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 8 11 12 13 14 16 17 -
Country U.S.S.R.* Yugoslavia** Czechoslovakia Italy Spain France Lithuania Greece Poland Hungary Germany Latvia Egypt Russia* Bulgaria Croatia Israel Turkey
Gold Silver Bronze Total 14 3 4 21 8 5 4 17 1 6 5 12 2 4 4 10 5 2 7 1 5 6 3 1 4 2 1 1 4 1 3 4 1 1 1 3 1 1 2 1 1 2 1 1 2 1 1 2 1 1 2 2 2 1 1 1 1
*Since the split of former Soviet Union, Russia won a Silver Medal (1993) and a Bronze Medal (1997). ** 3 Gold Medals (1995, 97 and 2001) and a Bronze Medal (1999) were won by Yugoslavia. Yugoslavia was known as Serbia & Montenegro after the split of the country. In 2006, Montenegro voted to be independant from Serbia.
Participations
Country Participations Italy 32 France 32 Yugoslavia 25 Czechoslovakia 24 Spain 25 Israel 23 Poland 22 U.S.S.R. 21 Bulgaria 22 Greece 21 Turkey 18 Romania 16 Hungary 14 Netherlands 14 Belgium 13 Finland 12 West Germany 11 Sweden 9 Lithuania 8 Latvia 8 Germany 7 Russia 7 Croatia 7 Slovenia 7 Bosnia & Herzegovina 6 Austria 6 Switzerland 5 East Germany 5 Egypt 4 Estonia 4 England 4 Ukraine 4 Luxembourg 3 Denmark 3 Serbia & Montenegro 2 Lebanon 2 Albania 2 Scotland 2 Syria 1 Czech Republic 1 F.Y.R. of Macedonia 1 Portugal 1 Iran 1
Best result Gold Medal (1983 and 99) Silver Medal (1949) Gold Medal (8, last in 2001) Gold Medal (1946) Silver Medal (35, 73, 83, 99 and 2003) Silver Medal (1979) Silver Medal (1963) Gold Medal (14, last one in 1985) Silver Medal (1957) Gold Medal (1987, 2007) Silver Medal (2001) 5th (1957 and 67) Gold Medal (1955) 4th (1983) 4th (1947) 6th (1967) 5th (1985) 11th (1995) Gold Medal (1937, 39 and 2003) Gold Medal (1935) Gold Medal (1993) Silver Medal (1993) Bronze Medal (1993 and 95) 10th (1999) 8th (1993) 11th (1951) 4th (1935) 6th (1963) Gold Medal (1949) 5th (1937 and 39) 9th (1981) 13th (1997) 9th (1946) 14th (1951) 6th (2003) 7th (1949) 14th (1947) 15th (1957) 6th (1949) 12th (1999) 13th (1999) 15th (1951) 17th (1959)
HISTORY
12 13 14 15 16
Juan Carlos
Virginijus
Age: 45 / FIBA Referee since: 1999
Age: 43 / FIBA Referee since: 1992
THE REFEREES
ARTEAGA (Spain)
DOVIDAVICIUS (LITHUANIA)
Previous Championships:
Previous Championships:
2006 World Championship 2005 Americas Championship 2005 Asia Championship
1995 EuroBasket Women 1999 EuroBasket Women 2001 EuroBasket Women 2002 World Championship Women 2004 Olympic Games 2005 EuroBasket 2006 World Championship
Stelian
BANICA (Romania)
Volodymyr
Age: 46 / FIBA Referee since: 1995
DRABIKOVSKY (Ukraine)
Previous Championships: 2001 EuroBasket Women 2003 EuroBasket 2005 EuroBasket
Age: 46 / FIBA Referee since: 1991
Ilija
Previous Championships:
BELOSEVIC (SERBIA)
1997 EuroBasket 2001 EuroBasket Women 2003 Eurobasket 2005 EuroBasket
Age: 35 / FIBA Referee since: 1997
Previous Championships:
Fabio
FACCHINI (ITALY)
2001 EuroBasket 2002 World Championship 2003 EuroBasket 2005 Asia Championship 2006 World Championship
Age: 46 /FIBA Referee since: 1993
Previous Championships:
Sergey
1998 World Championship Women 2001 EuroBasket Women 2005 Americas Championship 2006 World Championship
BULANOV (RUSSIA)
Milivoje
Age: 43 / FIBA Referee since: 1993
JOVCIC (SERBIA)
Previous Championships:
2003 EuroBasket Women, GRE 2005 EuroBasket Women, TUR
Age: 33 / FIBA Referee since: 1995
Vicente
Previous Championships:
BULTO (SPAIN)
2004 Olympic Games, GRE 2005 EuroBasket Women, TUR
1997 EuroBasket Women 1998 World Championship 1999 EuroBasket 2001 EuroBasket Women 2002 World Championship Women 2005 EuroBasket 2006 World Championship
Anibal
Mehmet
Age: 46 / FIBA Referee since: 1996
Age: 38 / FIBA Referee since: 1993
Previous Championships:
Previous Championships:
2005 EuroBasket
2005 EuroBasket
Antonio
Oliver
Age: 49 / FIBA Referee since: 1991
Age: 31 / FIBA Referee since: 2004
Age: 39 / FIBA Referee since: 2001
Previous Championships:
KESERATAR (TURKEY)
CASTANO (FRANCE)
KRAUSE (GERMANY)
COEHLO (PORTUGAL)
Previous Championships:
Previous Championships:
Ivo
Luigi
Age: 43 / FIBA Referee since: 1992
Age: 41 / FIBA Referee since: 1996
2005 EuroBasket
2002 World Championship Women, CHN
DOLINEK (CZECH REPUBLIC)
LAMONICA (ITALY)
Previous Championships:
Previous Championships:
2005 EuroBasket, SRB 2006 World Championship Women, BRA
2003 EuroBasket 2005 EuroBasket
146
Olegs
Zoran
Age: 27 /FIBA Referee since: 2003
Age: 41 / FIBA Referee since: 1999
SUTULOVIC (SERBIA)
Previous Championships:
Previous Championships:
2005 EuroBasket Women
2004 Olympic Games 2005 EuroBasket 2006 World Championship
Oscar
LEFWERTH (SWEDEN)
Eddie
VIATOR (FRANCE)
Age: 40 / FIBA Referee since: 1999
Previous Championships:
Age: 35 / FIBA Referee since: 2003
2003 EuroBasket 2005 EuroBasket
Previous Championships: 2006 World Championship
Dubravko
MUHVIC (CROATIA)
Lazaros
Previous Championships:
Age: 47 / FIBA Referee since: 1992
Kestutis
2003 EuroBasket 2004 Olympic Games 2005 EuroBasket 2006 World Championship
VOREADIS (GREECE)
Age: 43 / FIBA Referee since: 1993
Previous Championships:
2001 EuroBasket 2005 EuroBasket 2006 World Championships
PILIPAUSKAS (LITHUANIA)
Nikos
ZAVLANOS (GREECE)
Age: 49 / FIBA Referee since: 1992
Previous Championships:
Age: 49 / FIBA Referee since: 1993
1997 EuroBasket Women 1998 World Championship Women 2005 EuroBasket Women 2006 World Championship Women
Previous Championships:
1998 World Championship Women 2005 EuroBasket 2006 World Championship
Sasa
PUKL (SLOVENIA)
Grzegorz
Previous Championships:
Age: 41 /FIBA Referee since: 1995
Sretan
1999 EuroBasket Women 2001 EuroBasket Women 2003 EuroBasket 2005 EuroBasket
ZIEMBLICKI (POLAND)
Age: 36 / FIBA Referee since: 1995
Previous Championships:
2005 EuroBasket 2006 World Championship
RADOVIC (CROATIA)
COMMISSIONERS
Age: 39 / FIBA Referee since: 2001
Previous Championships: -
Walter KASZELIK
Boris
(AUSTRIA)
RYZHYK (UKRAINE)
FIBA Commissioner since: 1998
Paul DE COSTER
Age: 31 / FIBA Referee since: 1997
(BELGIUM)
Previous Championships:
FIBA Commissioner since: 1989
2005 EuroBasket 2006 World Championship
Victor MAS
Shay
(SPAIN)
SHTRIKS (ISRAEL)
FIBA Commissioner since: 2000
Mihai ALDEA
Age: 50 / FIBA Referee since: 1988
(ROMANIA)
Previous Championships:
FIBA Commissioner since: 1990
-
147
THE REFEREES
LATISEVS (LATVIA)