Team USA had nothing to play for, and it showed. The Americans already had clinched Group C at the FIBA World Cup by winning their first four games. While other countries jockeyed to get into the knockout stage – or avoid certain opponents – Team USA was on cruise control in Friday’s game vs. war-torn Ukraine. The United States was playing for the fifth time in six nights and had a start time four hours earlier than Thursday. The combination of apathy
In a day where all 24 teams played in the FIBA World Cup leading up to Thursday’s frenetic first round finish, it was The Manimal who again stood out in another Team USA victory. After a closely contested first quarter, Kenneth Faried helped the Americans (4-0), once again propelled by their big men, take the second and third quarters by a combined 26 points and defeat the Dominican Republic (2-2) 106-71 to advance to 4-0 and clinch the best record in
Ukraine qualified for EuroBasket 2013 with today’s win over Austria! wp.me/pJba2-3EW — Mike Fratello (@MikeFratello) September 2, 2012 Congratulations to Mike Fratello, who is coaching Ukraine for the second consecutive summer and qualified for next summer’s European championship by guiding Ukraine to a 68-57 victory over Austria. Detroit Pistons fans will be pleased to hear that incoming rookie center Viacheslav Kravtsov (No. 11 in out list of the Top 10 incoming international rookies) had nine defensive rebounds and was a plus-15 in 22 minutes
11. Petteri Kaponen, Guard, Finland, (Dallas owns draft rights) Kaponen has been moving up the food chain in European basketball since he was drafted in the first round back in 2007. Kaponen is the clear leader of the undefeated Finnish squad, pouring in 22.8 points a game to go along with 5 assists, as he prepares to take the step up to the Euroleague with the Russian giant, Khimki Moscow. He has excellent size for a point guard at 6’5”, and