This game is 50-50 definitely!!
I think in the beginning both teams will be disappointed but they'll find their rhythm.
*I'm not very sure that FYROMians will be disappointed.
I believe that Russia will win because they have better coach and better players, especially Kirilenko. He's everywhere and he does everything!!! All-around basketball at its best!!!
*In my opinion, Kirilenko and Diamantidis are the most complete European players!!!
FYROM will have a strong motivation because is a medal game!! 
Probably they'll never play again in such a big stage(final four)! 
I also think that FYROM, even if they are that good next year too, they'll not qualify for the Olympics!
I think that the 3 teams who will get the magic tickets will be Greece, Lithuania and Russia!!! No room for FYROM because they'll not have the advantage of the surprise!!
The interesting bit is that they just faced each other in a nail biter a few days ago. Both teams know what to expect in their opponent. It is always tough to beat the same team twice but I think that Russia will get the job done in an 8 point victory.
I'd love to see the underdogs win this one. There is no reason FYROM can't win this. They play everyone close and beat Lietuva, SLO, Greece, Finland, This is 50/50 BUT FYROM can play! FYROM has never been disrespected on the court(no blowouts. Spain had to play 100% to beat them. Both these teams deserve 3rd place.
NO 
I think FYROM will be more motivated... whatever that counts for.
Russia will be pissed off for letting France get away with it. Just like I am with Hellas. I think 4th is respectable enough for a team like FYROM. Probably their last 4th too!!!
I think this will be a hard fought game. It's tricky playing a team we just barely beat.
One good thing is that Macedonia is a short team so the teams they play against usually out rebound them and I think we can do that.
Plus Bo did get to do many lay ups against up and I think we can stop him doing that again.
We might win but we might lose. It's 50/50 I agree.
Also Fivepack I don't like the way you dismiss the macedonian team because of most likely your political hate towards them. At the end doesn't matter what you say and wish, they still placed higher than your team. You can give excuses that it was your B team but most teams on Eurobasket are missing a few players.
(Sep 16, 2011, 11:53 pm)RUSSUN2 Wrote: [ -> ]I think this will be a hard fought game. It's tricky playing a team we just barely beat.
One good thing is that Macedonia is a short team so the teams they play against usually out rebound them and I think we can do that.
Plus Bo did get to do many lay ups against up and I think we can stop him doing that again.
We might win but we might lose. It's 50/50 I agree.
Also Fivepack I don't like the way you dismiss the macedonian team because of most likely your political hate towards them. At the end doesn't matter what you say and wish, they still placed higher than your team. You can give excuses that it was your B team but most teams on Eurobasket are missing a few players.
A few is not 7,8,or 9, players is it? Hopefully we get a crack at them in the pre-qualifiers!! I really can't wait for that sweet demolition job. You show no faith in your team dude. I could've said C but I did say B, since our team was invisible and minimally prepared for this tournament Russ..and obviously quite new!! or CAN'T YOU SEE!!
Politics? I don't give a crap about FYROM or their politics, but obviously YOU DO?? You're not from FYROM are you 'RUSSUN 2'???
The mental clarity that FYROM has demonstrated these past two days has been phenomenal. It seems that they can keep it up for one more game and Russia will have a real hard time on its hands. The way Russia gave up with France today, and FYROM gave Spain unprecedented hell, I think FYROM deserves the bronze.
(Sep 17, 2011, 12:18 am)Fivepack Wrote: [ -> ]Politics? I don't give a crap about FYROM or their politics, but obviously YOU DO?? You're not from FYROM are you 'RUSSUN 2'???
No I'm not
. But I noticed that you always seem to end your posts in other threads about them with some sort on indirect insult towards them. That's why I felt the need to respond. I like them as a team, I love a good underdog.
Also I say 50/50 because i think they have a psychological edge. They don't seem to break. All their games have been very close, all of them. And they didn't break. While we have more quality no doubt, I fear if they get ahead we might give up. Plus we had more riding on this semi than they did. They most likely knew that they'd have a hard time winning against Spain. While our players thought they could beat France. So I don't know how disappointed our players would be.
I doubt Macedonia ever gets this far. But Also Last Euro we beat the by 2 points in a very close game, where they missed the final shot. So it's 2 games we won by 2 points that were very close. Maybe our luck will run out.
I don't think that FYROM will do this well again but I also don't see them as a pushover in future tournaments. They'll be able to hold their own.
As undergogs and with cultural/political friendship between my country and them, I would love to see them earn the bronze medal.
However , I think that is enough for them in their minds and because of their fatique (they are indeed) I think Russia will win the game (and a bit comfortably, not with a big margin but after a game Russans lead throughout the game). I don't know why but I feel so.
(Sep 17, 2011, 1:07 pm)vakasimo2 Wrote: [ -> ]As undergogs and with cultural/political friendship between my country and them, I would love to see them earn the bronze medal.
However , I think that is enough for them in their minds and because of their fatique (they are indeed) I think Russia will win the game (and a bit comfortably, not with a big margin but after a game Russans lead throughout the game). I don't know why but I feel so.
Russians are devastated and I think FYROMians' motivation will be much stronger!
On the other hand Russia has the better players and the better coach!!
At the end of the day, whoever wants it more will win it!! 
*If they have the same willingness for the medal, then Russia has the upper hand! 
FYROM if there is justice should win against Russia.They lost in second round in 5 seconds.So i vote for FYROM
End of 3rd quarter, 50-50 is the score. FYROM is hanging in there, Russia not having a blinding game, whereas McCalebb is still having a game that is out of this world, with help from Antic. Stojanivski, and Ilievski.
I didn't know Russia's Antonov, has the first name 'Semen'
Ruskis won 72-68 but only because Stojanovski missed under the basket for unknown reasons. Russians really weren't that impressive, lots of inefficiencies and bad offensive choices from their side. What kept the Russians in the game were their 22 (!!!) offensive rebounds. FYROM had a major problem there and didn't try and close the rebounding gap which cost them dearly. You can excuse FYROM for making mistakes or being sloppy since this is the first time ever that they've reached the tournament to such depth. Russia's performance in my view is not of a team that deserves third place, FYROM really hustled much more than them, the Russians just got lucky.
Damn, I feel very bad for Stojanovski 
but I'm very happy that Russia won it(even without Khryapa)!!
That was the worst performance by the refs in Eurobasket 2011, by far. Such a disgrace. 
One of them was a Greek, Christodoulou. Shame on him too.
Just think of what would happen if Arteaga wasn't get injured...
*It was amazing that both teams had more offensive rebounds then defensive!!! 
**Russia made the greatest Eurobasket 2011 performance on offensive boards grabbing 22!!! 
Now we have to wait 'til pre-Olympic tournament to see if that FYROM team is for real and not just an one tournament wonder.
Tough way for FYROM to go out. Wide open with the ball under the basket. Difficult loss.
Finally I'm vindicated. Stojanovski failed under pressure, a clutch player he's NOT. A simple and open lay-up completely missed. A choker he is!! He must've been stoked, and who cares!! But I don't give a shit about FYROM. They "FYROMIANS," have shown spite and venom toward the Hellenic team in all forums, throughout the tournament. And 'I' had to bear their bullshit. Though most of them have ZERO knowledge of basketball, ZERO!!!
I'm also giving the LITUANIAN organizers the
for allowing a majority portion of the Fyromians, to exhibit an illegal and politically motivated banner revealing the 'Star of Vergina' at the Hellas Vs FYROM game, and thus exposing them and their motives for what they really are. A totally disgusting and deplorable act that needs to be addressed.
Finally they DID NOT deserve any type of medal, because we all know it was a flash in the pan performance, and by the naturalization of McCalebb they are now in my list of cheaters. Just like Spain and a few other teams.
Puerto Rico is awaiting. And I personally 'GUARANTEE,' that they will NOT qualify for the Olympics. Not with teams like Lithuania with Kleiza and Maciulis coming back, Greece with the return of many of it's stars, New Zealand, Puerto Rico, Russia, and so forth. End of story...