Ulanbaatar, Mongolia-- It was American Thanksgiving and the two basketball players for the BZ Bulls in the Mongolian Pepsi National League were stoked that their team general manager had planned a special dinner for them. It was supposed to be a festive evening. Chicken and rice with mushroom soup was on the menu but 6’7” Raphael Harris (Masters College, Santa Clarita, CA-2010) was craving dessert. Ryan Nelson (Valdosta State-2010) went at a strapping 6’6” and he said, “A can of Pringles sounds good about now.” “You know, since Pepsi sponsors the league…..you would think we would get complimentary Pepsi products.”
A comparison between Vassilis Spanoulis, Milos Teodosic and Acie Law from the perspective of a Turkish basketball enthusiast.
The announcement of the Euroleague Final Four coming to London next year was meeted with confused looks on the faces of the media at the pre-Final press conference.
Coming to the big encounter between CSKA and Olympiacos, some final remarks from İstanbul.
Yesterday's Olympic draw has many basketball fans talking and all of a sudden, it's getting a little more real each day. 88 days until London 2012.
Kaunas Sports Hall hosted the celebration to commemorate the 90-year anniversary of Lithuanian basketball on Sunday. On that special evening, the arena was packed with famous names – from the Lithuanian Basketball Federation (LKF) President Arvydas Sabonis and his counterparts from Latvia, Estonia, Georgia and other national federations to the FIBA General Secretary Nar Zanolin himself and many others, devoted to Lithuanian basketball – basketball veterans, coaches, referees, organizers and politicians.
CLEVELAND-- A good crowd turned out and that set the table for a great event. The evening had two quality teams and the NCAA tournament bid on the line. The 2012 Mid-American Conference championship at the Quicken Loans Arena Tournament with Akron and Ohio was also featuring shooting sensations Alex Abreu of the Zips and D. J. Cooper of the Bobcats.
CLEVELAND-- It will be the sixth straight time that the University of Akron (22-10) will be in the Mid-American Conference championship game. The Zips knocked off arch rival Kent State 78-74 in the conference semi-finals. Tournament time is what coach Keith Dambrot has his Akron team ready for year in and year out.
It seems as if he was a basketball coach forever. The last 16 seasons he has been at the helm of the Miami University men’s basketball program. Charlie Coles, 70, educator and basketball coach, announced his retirement. He made it official following the RedHawks loss to Toledo 60- 53 in the first round of the Mid-American Conference Tournament. Miami ended the season at 9-21.
DETROIT-- University of Detroit-Mercy sophomore Ray McCallum Jr. gave his father a wonderful birthday present with the Horizon League championship and automatic bid to the 2012 NCAA Basketball Tournament. Of course, it was really a team present to head coach Ray McCallum from all of his Titans as they beat Valparaiso on the road 70-50.
