[TeoTheGreek13]

14/9/2011

18:00 - Spain VS Slovenia
21:00 - F.Y.R.O.M. VS Lithuania

15/9/2011

15:30 - Slovenia VS Lithuania --Classification (Game 1)--
18:00 - France VS Greece ...I'm an optimistic guy, let me hope!!!
21:00 - Russia VS Serbia ...equal teams. Serbs have to watch Monya carefully!!

16/9/2011

15:00 - Greece VS Serbia --Classification (Game 2)--

17/9/2011

18:00 - Slovenia VS Serbia
21:00 - Lithuania VS Greece

This post has been edited by TeoTheGreek13: 17 September 2011 - 01:30 AM

[Black Urum]

I hope you don't mind, but I made a separate thread for every quarter final. We can still use this thread to talk about the 5-8 classification games.

[TeoTheGreek13]

Black Urum, on 12 September 2011 - 09:30 PM, said:

I hope you don't mind, but I made a separate thread for every quarter final. We can still use this thread to talk about the 5-8 classification games.

Hahaha, indeed I saw it!!

We started the 2 threads at the same time!

[skangles]

Before we lock this thread, I want to make a point about classification. I see no reason, none, why Bronze in Eurobasket shouldn't automatically qualify a team for the olympics. In my opinion 1-3 should play in London. I would also expand the qualifying tournament but that is another story.

Let's assume that 1-3 qualify automatically and 4-6 play in the qualification tournament. How does that hurt the basketball world? It doesn't. What is ridiciulous is that you can finish third in the toughest tournament and potentially not qualify for the olympics. If you finish 3rd in Eurobasket you have nothing left to prove. I don't care if a team like FYROM continues their run finishes 3rd and then get's bounced in the olympics. They would deserve to be there.

They are trying to make this way too fair which is stupid. Europe is the best (about 10 teams can make a serious run) and the Americas are second best (about 5 teams can make a serious run). The rest doesn't really matter (Australia is the only competition that is capable of doing damage).

[vakasimo2]

skangles, on 13 September 2011 - 08:46 PM, said:

Before we lock this thread, I want to make a point about classification. I see no reason, none, why Bronze in Eurobasket shouldn't automatically qualify a team for the olympics. In my opinion 1-3 should play in London. I would also expand the qualifying tournament but that is another story.

Let's assume that 1-3 qualify automatically and 4-6 play in the qualification tournament. How does that hurt the basketball world? It doesn't. What is ridiciulous is that you can finish third in the toughest tournament and potentially not qualify for the olympics. If you finish 3rd in Eurobasket you have nothing left to prove. I don't care if a team like FYROM continues their run finishes 3rd and then get's bounced in the olympics. They would deserve to be there.

They are trying to make this way too fair which is stupid. Europe is the best (about 10 teams can make a serious run) and the Americas are second best (about 5 teams can make a serious run). The rest doesn't really matter (Australia is the only competition that is capable of doing damage).

Our women got the silver at poland this year and they couldn't qualify automaticly, Silly I agree.
But USA is the best no question Americas or Europe is another story but USA is a different planet about basketball. Actually you know it better than me I guess.

[ZEUS]

Oh well skangles, you know how the West is about being politically correct and 'fair' about everything, many a time it does more damage than good

[Black Urum]

Lithuania - Slovenia in about two hours will be the first classification game...

[skangles]

Lithuania needs to brace this storm and get a win so that they still have a shot at the olympics. They can try again next year when the two Raptors will have the chance to work their magic. We needed Kleiza this Eurobasket.

[TeoTheGreek13]

Despite some players' experience I think Lithuania may not be ready for this game, just few hours after their shocking elimination from their own tournament.
That's because many of the players and of course Kemzura are not that experienced in such a situation.

On the other hand Slovenia I think they will be 100% ready mentaly because they never thought that they could win Spain. They knew that they were gonna play in today's game!

However, I think we will see a great game in which the winner will be judged in the final seconds!!!
The prize is extremely important, so they'll give everything they got!

[vakasimo2]

I feel like Slovenia win , I don't know why.

[skangles]

I agree with teo's analysis but I certainly hope it doesn't play out that way. Lithuania has already gutted their way back into this game. Once again Slovenia started off hot and let their opponent come back.

[skangles]

Why does Slovenia start with Goran Dragic on the bench? He is by far their best player. It's like they think he is Theo but Theo played for some fantastic teams that could afford to bring him off the bench whereas Goran plays for a flawed Slovenian team.

[stane]

tbh, dragic is not playing smart and he is shooting horribly so I would not say he is the best, he is average as the whole team

[stane]

here you go, dragič at it's best. Lost the game for us, not a smart player, this one.

[skangles]

That was a great game between two crappy teams who are not living up to the basketball standards that are required in their countries. Lithuania escapes the Eurobasket that they've waited 70 years to host with a chance to still qualify for the olympics next summer. Some serious changes are needed, back-to-back poor performances when it counted the most is not good enough.

[ZEUS]

Well at least Lietuva saved face by making it to the qualifiers, it hasn't been ALL doom and gloom

[stane]

Hopefully this free summer next year will be enough that there will not be any excuses in 2013 when we host the EB. If Udrih and Vujačić come and a youngster or two get to a high level of play, without any injuries we might finally win a medal. It will be hard as hell, most of our decent players will be too old. Well, many seem too old even now because the most experienced players let us down .

And I have too say I am VERY dissapointed in Maljkovič, forgeting Z. Dragič in the last quarter was a cherry on top of his many dubious decisions during this tournament.

This post has been edited by stane: 15 September 2011 - 03:50 PM

[Raze Lupin]

skangles, on 13 September 2011 - 08:46 PM, said:

Before we lock this thread, I want to make a point about classification. I see no reason, none, why Bronze in Eurobasket shouldn't automatically qualify a team for the olympics. In my opinion 1-3 should play in London. I would also expand the qualifying tournament but that is another story.

Let's assume that 1-3 qualify automatically and 4-6 play in the qualification tournament. How does that hurt the basketball world? It doesn't. What is ridiciulous is that you can finish third in the toughest tournament and potentially not qualify for the olympics. If you finish 3rd in Eurobasket you have nothing left to prove. I don't care if a team like FYROM continues their run finishes 3rd and then get's bounced in the olympics. They would deserve to be there.

They are trying to make this way too fair which is stupid. Europe is the best (about 10 teams can make a serious run) and the Americas are second best (about 5 teams can make a serious run). The rest doesn't really matter (Australia is the only competition that is capable of doing damage).

I agree 100%!! They also need to expand the Oly tourney.

This post has been edited by Raze Lupin: 15 September 2011 - 03:54 PM

[Raze Lupin]

skangles, on 15 September 2011 - 11:31 AM, said:

Lithuania needs to brace this storm and get a win so that they still have a shot at the olympics. They can try again next year when the two Raptors will have the chance to work their magic. We needed Kleiza this Eurobasket.

I was at work so I couldn't watch the entire match. Whats wrong with this Lietuva team?

[skangles]

Raze, in short they suck. They turn the ball over way too often. They make boneheaded decisions when it matters most and most importantly they do not close out their competition. Lithuania was winning by 11 at half time and let Slovenia back into the game and then take the lead. Slovenia, like Lithuania also cannot finish teams which let Lithuania (who trailed by 4 with 3 mins to go) even it up and then take the lead.
The parallels between these teams is striking. Both are small basketball crazy countries with a rich tradition. Both are nearing the end of a generation with their current pool. Both under perform and neither can close out their competition. Fortunately for Lithuania they had 12000 assistants to make it easier. In 2013 the roles will reverse but both teams have some serious soul searching to do in the meantime.