Quote:China coach Jonas Kazlauskas is hoping that if Greece take one of the final three spots for the Beijing Games, the European side will not fall in Group B.
That's where Beijing Games hosts China, the United States, Spain and Angola already are, and two of the three sides that will come out of the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament will land in Group B.
"If Greece comes to Group B," Kazlauskas said, "then this group will have the top three teams of the World Championship.
"The situation will be more difficult."
Greece eliminated China in the knockout stages of the 2006 FIBA World Championship in Japan.
Kazlauskas is optimistic heading into the Olympics, where his players are attempting to at least reach the quarter-finals as they did four years ago in Athens.
"The players have trained hard," he said. "They are clearly making progress.
"I'm happy that they are more concentrated than last year."
As for the draw, Kazlauskas said: "I'm positive with the draw, I don't think it's that serious."
The country's two NBA-based players, big men Yao Ming and Yi Jianlian, have yet to join up with the national team.
Yao is recovering from a foot operation and Yi is still getting over an injury that forced him to miss the last several games of the season.
Link:
http://www.fiba.com/pages/eng/fc/news/la.../arti.html
Interview with Jonas Kazlauskas:
Interview with Wang ZhiZhi
Quote:CHN - Harris likes what he sees in Kazlauskas' China
BEIJING (Olympics) - Former China coach Del Harris has sounded an optimistic note for the Olympic hosts ahead of the Beijing Games by saying Jonas Kazlauskas has turned the national side into a more competitive group than the one that reached the quarter-finals in Athens four years ago.
Harris and Kazlauskas teamed up to make the Chinese one of the surprise teams in Greece, when they beat Serbia & Montenegro in the last preliminary round game to reach the quarter-finals.
"Of course, much better," Harris said, when asked if this China team is better.
"China now has six key players who played at the Olympics, and they've also played in some other major tournaments together.
"Yao (Ming) has become one of the best players in the world. It was Yi's (Jianlian) first Olympics four years ago, but now he has NBA experience. Wang Zhizhi has come back, who we didn't have that year.
"Li Nan has returned after an injury. Now they must do better as their rivals, the US team, has improved."
Yi missed the last several games of the NBA campaign with Milwaukee because of injury but he is expected to link up with Kazlauskas' team for the friendlies against Croatia from June 12-16.
Yao, who is recovering from foot surgery, will return by the end of June.
Harris thinks Kazlauskas' decision to play a more up-tempo game will benefit the Chinese.
"It's easy for a team to slow down the speed," Harris said, "but speeding up will make it more difficult for your rivals. Yi's speed is not slower than any other big players, Yao is slower, though.
"If Yao can control the rebounds, the other players can easily release on the fast-break and get some (open) shots.
"It's very good. You don't have to wait to attack until your opponents are in defensive position."
China, meanwhile, beat the Conference USA all stars 91-68, giving Kazlauskas' team a 3-0 sweep of the friendly series.
Zhang Kai and Zhang Qingpeng each had 18 points to pace the Chinese.
http://www.fiba.com/pages/eng/fc/news/la.../arti.html
China 87:70 Lithuania B
Top scorers for China: Wang Shipeng 17, Yi Jianlian 15, Zhu Fangyu 14, Wang Zhizhi 12.
Lithuania: Saulius Kuzminskas 20.
I wonder if Chinese media knows that it was our B team. Last time they didn't see the difference.
Quote:China 87:70 Lithuania B
Top scorers for China: Wang Shipeng 17, Yi Jianlian 15, Zhu Fangyu 14, Wang Zhizhi 12.
Lithuania: Saulius Kuzminskas 20.
I wonder if Chinese media knows that it was our B team. Last time they didn't see the difference.
Kuzminskas plays for B selection
Lol we hate this guy here in Slovenia, he played for Olimpija in one of their worse seasons and he wasn't able to be 1st center, he was so clumsy.
But i heard he had a good season in Estonia?
And no, Chinese don't know it's B seletcion.
Quote:Kuzminskas plays for B selection Lol we hate this guy here in Slovenia, he played for Olimpija in one of their worse seasons and he wasn't able to be 1st center, he was so clumsy.
But i heard he had a good season in Estonia?
And no, Chinese don't know it's B seletcion.
This team is formed of the players who play in Lithuanian league. So yeah, Kuzminskas is included. I have the same opinion about him as you do. Also coaching staff of the B team is the same as of Siauliai (the club where Kuzminskas plays).
I thought so lol. It should be quite good achievement for them to beat Lithuania. I wonder what do their newsites write about the game.
Old Lithuanian prophesy says: If kuzminskas is best scorer of the NT - that means only 2 things: everybody but kuzminskas died in Lithuania or this is somekind of corrupted game. Probably to cheer up chinese. Our normal NT never ever had lost to china and will not lose in th future.
Kuzminskas is so lame player.. No wonder his girlfriend turned into lesbian after being with him. She now thinks that all boys are retards. No sh_t.
We are all sick of those forever prospects kuzminskas, cukinas, andriuskevich, gustas etc...
PS maybe anybody know what place China NT expects to win in Beijing?
Quote:Old Lithuanian prophesy says: If kuzminskas is best scorer of the NT - that means only 2 things: everybody but kuzminskas died in Lithuania or this is somekind of corrupted game. Probably to cheer up chinese. Our normal NT never ever had lost to china and will not lose in th future.
Kuzminskas is so lame player.. No wonder his girlfriend turned into lesbian after being with him. She now thinks that all boys are retards. No sh_t.
We are all sick of those forever prospects kuzminskas, cukinas, andriuskevich, gustas etc...
PS maybe anybody know what place China NT expects to win in Beijing?
LOL
I think it should be unreal to expect medals for China so I guess their goal is to reach the quarter-finals. Or maybe I'm worng.
Quote:Old Lithuanian prophesy says: If kuzminskas is best scorer of the NT - that means only 2 things: everybody but kuzminskas died in Lithuania or this is somekind of corrupted game. Probably to cheer up chinese. Our normal NT never ever had lost to china and will not lose in th future.
Kuzminskas is so lame player.. No wonder his girlfriend turned into lesbian after being with him. She now thinks that all boys are retards. No sh_t.
We are all sick of those forever prospects kuzminskas, cukinas, andriuskevich, gustas etc...
PS maybe anybody know what place China NT expects to win in Beijing?
are you on drugs ? seriously ? lets be fair...china won, let them be happy this moment because it is not going to happen again in the official match.
Yao is pessimistic about China's chances to get a medal, stating there are many problems rebounding, in defense and shooting percentages.