Yesszzzz .. Praha Can

Wat valt er nog van te zeggen als je gokt op een paard ...
waar die paard al met gedachtens bij thuis front te zijn en niet in Praha op Vrijdag avond.
Het wedstrijd van je leven waar je al geheel seizoen naar toe leeft.

Je was De Beste van Europa tot aan Final Four
Je verloor ma 1 x in de reguliere wedstrijden , maar dan nog maar 1 x verloren van je aarts rivaal
van Gala .... in de Play Off series in de heen wedstrijd ... Game 2 dus , maar
de rest heb je gewonnen en qua index ... van Women EuroLeague .. bent gijzzzzz
de Beste van Europa en zie je al 3 weken uit naar het wedstrijd tegen ZVVZ USK Praha en je omzeilt
de Old Champs ... Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeekaterinburg.

Je gokt dan op een paard in je team je .. landgenootje ... en die laat je in steek.
Terwijl je 3 beste Jeugd spelers van Europa Under 20 in je team hebt en die laat je niet spelen.

Ik haat coaches die eigenwijs zijn en maar vasthouden ... neeeeeuu ik wissel niet ... neeeeeeeeuu ik neem
geen time out ... maar vast houden aan die ene paard die je in steek laat 0 op 6  ...
3-punters schiet en 4 op 18 schoten schiet .....
Was dit dan je wedstrijd van je leven ........... vraag ik me af en ondanks dat je zo slecht speelt kom je
in de 4 `e kwart  met 48 - 48 gelijk is ga je de laatste 6 min. van  4è kwart in
de halve finale van deze Final Four in.

Op 6.38 te gaan in deze halve finale Fenerbahce tegen Praha is dus gelijk en Fener presteert om 3 en halve minuut lang NIET ... te scoren en pas op 2.08 scoort  .. Q .... van Fener maar 1 x vrije worp en komen ze
op 49 punten en heeft Praha al 57 punten.

Nog steeds grijp je niet in als coach en je paardje waar je op gegokt hebt maakt haar 5 è fout .... bewust gaat naar de kant met maar 5 punten en de rest van de 4`e kwart scoor je niks meer.

Mijn heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeemel ... dat zijn totaal 6 min. en nog wat waar je maar 1 .....
eehhh .. zeggeee .. EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEN .... punt maar scoort.

Dus ben je verdoemd om te verliezen. Praha wint  met 62 - 49 van Fenerbahce en zijn in
de Finale van de Women EuroLeague tegen UMMC Ekaterinburg.

Deze schrijven .. van deze  oude grijze druifff  .. doet niks aan het geeeeeeeeeeeeeeeweldige samen spel van ZVVZ USK Praha. Zij hebben hun thuis voordeel goed gebruikt en als een TEAM gespeeld naar hun
kunnen waar Fener qua budget ... 3 x Praha is.

De .. het uitblinker van Praha en de wed. was de weeeeeeeeergaloooooooooze  Laia Palau .. de Spaanse Point Guard ... zij had in 37 min. game ... 13 punten ....6 rebounds en
7 assist. Maar hoe zij haar team voor ging in strijd was moeite waard om LIVE te zien op den Tv. deze wed.

De .. het info hier onder geeft meer info dan ik mijn versie met jullie mee deel en is van de web site van
www.fibaeurope.com
waar voor mijn dank.

Party In Prague As Hosts Make Final

Kia Vaughn recovered from a slow start to power ZVVZ USK Prague home

Turning Point: They may have already built a ten-point lead with a couple of minutes to play, but when Laia Palau knocked down a dagger three-pointer for Prague, the sense of relief from the jubilant locals was palpable as they knew it was going to seal a place in the title game.

Stats Don't Lie: Three-point shooting has been an issue all year for Fenerbahce and despite making a couple of early ones, they finished with a miserable 15.8% from long-range.

Game Heroes: Admitting as much herself in the press conference following the game, Kia Vaughn didn't have the best start but came up huge down the stretch with a towering performance in the final quarter and emerged with a double-double of 15 points and 12 rebounds. Meanwhile Spanish playmaker Laia Palau had a classy 13 points, seven assists and six rebounds.

ZVVZ USK Prague continued their historic season after sparking a party in the Czech capital with a pulsating late display to take a 62-49triumph against Fenerbahce and secure a first ever EuroLeague Women Final.

After a real war of attrition which had been anticipated prior to the tip-off, Prague made their push midway through the last period to take a famous win and spark scenes of unbridled joy for the hometown favourites.

Prague had started the contest well, posting six of the first eight points, although a rare triple by Birsel Vardarli Demirmen ended an early Fenerbahce drought and sparked an 8-0 run as both teams became locked in a real defensive-dominated duel.

Neither team was able to make any kind of decisive break during the first-half and Fenerbahce only just shaded matters 28-27 as the teams left the court to re-charge at the interval.

When Prague then returned to post six straight points and jump into the lead, it looked like they might kick on, but ‘and-1' plays by both Tina Charles and Shavonte Zellous helped Fenerbahce eventually get back on a level footing.

It wasn't until well inside the final period that the game was broken open as Vaughn came alive, benefitting from a rush of scores including one on the back of an exquisite assist from Laia Palau which made it 57-48 to Prague.

With Fenerbahce labouring offensively, they came close to drying up completely, there was no fairytale final finish to the distinguished career of Agnieszka Bibryzycka who fouled out of the contest.

As Palau sunk her huge triple to make the game safe, the home fans rose to their feet to cheer their team to their historic and landmark moment.

As for Fenerbahce, they missed out on a third consecutive place in the Final with Tina Charles scoring 14 points in defeat.

Wat gebeurde dan in de eerste wedstrijd van den dag ... dan ... hier boven zei ik dat UMMC Ekaterinburg

in de Finale stond voor de oplettende lezers van ons.

Nou The Old Champssszz .... die lieten geen gras over groeien en startten met een hamerrrrrrrrrr slag en

kaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaboemmmmmmmmmmm ...... die was hard en dat kwam Dynamo Kursk

niet boven. Het waren Candace Parker   Krist Toliver  .. Deanna Nolen ....en good old Sandrine Gruda met

speeeeeeeeeeeedy gonzelezsszzzz ..... Alba Torens van d ekant van UMMC .... die gas gaven en na 1.30 min

gespeeld was 9 - 2 voor UMMC en vluchte Kursk naar time out.

Dat bracht het stoom machine van UMMC niet van stuk en gaven gas nog maals en het dreunde heeeel erg na bij Kurks

waar 18 - 9 werd op 3 min. van het einde van deze 1è kwart ging het door naar 26 - 13 einde deze eerste kwart.

Osipova .. noch ... Augustus .... noch  Prince  en Milavanovic .. de afstands schutter van Kursk .. konden deze stand niet voor blijven.

Was het dan anders in de 2 è kwart ... neeeeeeeeeuuu .. UMMC .... kon door stomen als we op de helft  van de 2 è kwart zaten was het al 38 - 17 voor UMMC waar we zagen dat 4.14 te gaan was in deze tweede kwart en werd Kursk verlost van deze ellende waar  we zagen 46 - 22 voor UMMC Ekaterinburg  zo de rust in.

Hoe verder .... lees hier onder het info waar meer uit te halen is en ik niet meer moeite waard vind om te schrijven

want The Old Champs .... gaven geen gas meer in de tweede helft maar bleven wel basketballen en dus wonnen deze

treffen van hun medelanders waar zij dus na een jaar absentie in de Finale staan van de Final Four

Women EuroLeague.

Het info onder is dus wederom van de web site van

www.fibaeurope.com

waar voor me dank nog maals.

The info below is from the web site of

www.fibaeurope.com

Thanks for shearing  this info.

Unstoppable UMMC Sweep Into Final Parker was equally lethal with and without ball in hand Turning Point: There wasn't one as UMMC enjoyed a mesmerising start full of purpose and aggression. Kursk were unable to stem the continual tide of orange and black transition as they simply ran their rivals off the floor. Stats Don't Lie: Dynamo Kursk have prided themselves on their offensive game, but the defence of UMMC during the first-half was superb and restricted their opponents to a meagre 27.3% from the floor. Game Hero: Candace Parker was outstanding for UMMC and posted a spectacular double-double with 15 points and 15 rebounds. UMMC Ekaterinburg made a major statement of intent as they blasted their way back into the EuroLeague Women Final with an impressive 81-70 success against Dynamo Kursk in Prague. After falling at the semi-final hurdle last season, the former champions seemed galvanised by the loss of their kingpin Diana Taurasi and doubly determined to light up the Czech capital with a stellar team effort. Avenging their two regular season defeats and recent loss in the Russian League, UMMC delivered one of their best displays in recent memory to overrun their opponents during a scorching first-half salvo. Jumping out onto Kursk right from the buzzer as they raced into an 11-2 lead, it was one-way traffic for the opening 20 minutes as UMMC ripped-up pre-game predictions that it would be another nail-biting encounter. Buoyed by an early triple from Kristi Toliver, they moved 11-2 ahead and it wasn't long before they held a double-figure lead through an inside score by Candace Parker. "We knew the key to the game was our start and we felt prepared going into it," the American stand out told reporters following the game.  UMMC barely needed any encouragement, but a succession of unforced turnovers made matters worse for Kursk who found themselves a massive 38-17 behind after Sandrine Gruda made consecutive scores. Growing in influence, the French center began to dominate alongside Parker and with Ewelina Kobrynalso making a useful contribution in the frontcourt coming off the bench, it looked a long way back for Kursk who were 46-22 behind at the break. Still down by 22 points in the third, Turkey national team star Isil Alben did her best to inspire a comeback as her triple completed ten straight points for Kursk. She would finish the game as her team's best scorer with 16 points. However, UMMC managed to stave off any late drama as they choked off the salvage mission to ride to a comfortable victory and into the title game for the second time in three years.

Classification for 3rd to 4th Place Dynamo Kursk       Fenerbahce 12.04.2015 15:00

Final UMMC Ekaterinburg       ZVVZ USK Praha 12.04.2015 18:00

Door LuluHoops

Sasha .... The Magician Of Berlin

Hellooo .. and  ... Goodbye  ....

Is het de tijd van vaarwel her en der in Europa waar heden middag de
Women EuroLeague Final Four in Praha plaats vind is het elkaar niet onder doen
straksjes in September EuroChamp in Groep B.
Weten we het nog ... Group Of Death ...

Waar onze bondscoach van Oranje Lions  graag in Berlin had willen spelen  .... eehhhhh ..
Graaaaaaaaaaaauwwww .... of was het ..
Bruuuuuuuuuuuuuull .....

Het is het beurt aan Sasha Djordjevic .. bondscoach van Servie om flink uit de hoek te komen.
Het stukje is te vinden op de web site van
www.fibaeurope.com
waar hij geen bochtjes wind met zijn woorden.

Coach Djordjevic heeft het over na laten schap van ..oude Yugoslavie  .... waar huidige Servie daar trots op moeten zijn waar zij het respeckt van vroeger moeten verdienen en te krijgen.

Daaaaaaaaaat is nogaal wat en zou zeggen lees hier onder verder , waar ik web site van fibaeurope bedank voor gebruik er van.

The info below is from the web site of 
www.fibaeurope.com
Thanks for shearing of this info.

DJORDJEVIC: EUROBASKET ONE OF BEST EVER

EUROBASKET 2015

Sasha Djordjevic will lead Serbia's team in their quest for success at EuroBasket 2015

Serbia head coach Aleksandar (Sasha) Djordjevic has foreseen that September's EuroBasket 2015 will turn into one of the best tournaments in the history of the competition. 

In an interview for the 'Legends of the EuroBasket' series of the French Basketball Federation (FFBB), which will host Group A and the final round of the show-piece tournament, Djordjevic left no doubt that he relishes the prospect of a highly competitive EuroBasket 2015.

"I think it is going to be one of the strongest European championships ever," the Serbian legend said.

"And we are very lucky to be a part of it.

"France is definitely the biggest favourite for me, together again with Spain.

"Even if they change a little bit their team structure, they will still be a very tough team to beat.

"We also respect very much the other teams [like] Greece, Russia, Germany, which I am hearing is going to be very strong, Ukraine, who is an up and coming team, or Turkey who have a great team."

Djordjevic, who during his playing career won the EuroBasket on no less than three occasions with the former Yugoslavia, in 1991, 1995 and 1997, understands better than anybody what the motivation of all those excellent players who will take to the court in September will be.

"EuroBasket is so special because in the life of an athlete, of a competitor," he exlained.

"You can achieve a lot of individual goals or titles with your club, but unless you win that trophy that I was admiring for so many years and I've lifted as captain (of Yugoslavia), until you do that, you don't get as much credit within our community as a player or a rival, you have to win it at least once.

Serbia, who were drawn in Group B in Berlin together with Spain, Turkey, Germany, Italy and Iceland, have of course lofty ambitions of their own, no matter how strong they expect their opponents will appear.

Especially after the amazing silver medal success at last year's FIBA Basketball World Cup in Spain.

"We cannot hide behind the success we had last summer," Djordjevic offered.

"We have to go out there and compete with the best.

"Maybe we are not the best, but nobody forbids us to practice like we are the best and believe that we are the best."

For Djordjevic and his men, success at EuroBasket 2015 will not only be measured by silverware, but also by the way their team is perceived both inside their country and by the European basketball community.

"We want to prove, or at least I want to prove, that the legacy of Yugoslavian basketball belongs to Serbia," Djordevic explained.

"I want to convince my players that we are the legal owners of that huge heritage.

"I absolutely feel that I am on a special mission, which is to bring back the respect that the Serbian team had.

"That was actually what the first meeting I had with all my staff and players was about, I was talking half an hour about this goal, that was our mission, their mission.

"To bring back that respect which was somewhat lost in the fog."

A first, enormous step in that direction was of course made last September, in Madrid.

Few expected Serbia to reach the semi-finals of the World Cup and they were certainly not the favourites against France, but they defeated the EuroBasket reigning champions 90-85 to enter the title game.

"[The players] through their behaviour, their relationship with the jersey, with their heart, the flag, the national anthem, and the way they played, they proved they are very mature and they kind of achieved that [goal]," Djordjevic said.

"All the emotions our players transmitted from the basketball court to the fans were the same  when we returned back to Serbia with the silver medal around our necks."

Door LuluHoops 

Vaarwel ... Biba ......Agnieszka Bibrzycka

Vaarwel  ....   Agnieszka .. Biba  ....
Do Widzenia  ... Biba ..


Het nieuws komt snel tot ons toe dezer dagen , waar nog maar
2 daagjes te slapen zijn naar de Final Four in Praha .... je weet wel de hoofdstad van
Chezzee ...

Op de web site van fibaeurope.com heeft Guru der Europa voor Womens Basketball ..
Paul Niesen .. geweldige stukjes staan van zijn pen vandaan om ons lekker  te maken voor
deze Final Four in Praha.
Zou zeggen .... doe eens moeite  om daar te komen.

Maar het onderstaande bericht staat daar ook op die web site en heeft het inhoud dat
Mrs ... coooooool  ... 3- p.  shooter  .. Biba .... na de Final Four en daarna het seizoen bij
Fenerbahce Istanbul er mee ophoud en haar prive leven meer aandacht gaat geven.

Elke afscheid is droevig ...
Elke afscheid is onvermijdelijk  ....
Elke afscheid is memories  naar vroeger ...
Elke afscheid is op het verkeerde moment ...

Dus is maar nog te zeggen .... Thank u Agniszka ... Biba  .... for your beatifull ... smile on the court ..
and off the court.


Het onderstaande stukje is dus van de web site van
www.fibaeurope.com
waar meer info te vinden is en dank voor het gebruik er van

The info below is from the web site of
www.fibaeurope.com
thanks for shearing this info with our fans.

FINAL FOUR SWANSONG FOR BIBRZYCKA

EUROLEAGUE WOMEN

Agnieszka Bibrzycka will compete at the EuroLeague Women Final Four with Fenerbahce

Polish basketball great and Fenerbahce wing star Agnieszka Bibrzycka has announced that she plans to retire at the end of the current campaign. 

It means she will head to the Final Four in Prague this weekend looking to secure a fitting end to what has been an illustrious EuroLeague Women career.

It would also see her draw level in fifth place of All-Time appearances in the competition if she was to play in the title game on Sunday.

The former EuroLeague Women All Star has played at the elite level for more than 15 years and for many of the top clubs on the continent, including Lotos Gdynia, UMMC Ekaterinburg, Sparta&K M.R. Vidnoje and CCC Polkowice.

Having spent her last three years in Istanbul, the 32-year-old has told Polish news agency PAP that the time has come to hang up her basketball shoes when the current campaign ends.

She confirmed, "I have already told the club and head coach Jacek Winnicki of my decision.

"In a few months I will be back with my husband in Krakow and my plans for the future are not yet definite.

"We'll see how life goes.

"For several years my life has revolved around basketball, so if the opportunity arose so that in some way I could be further associated with basketball, then that would be of benefit.

"I can't imagine myself sitting behind a desk from nine until five - although on the other hand, never say never."

Bibrzycka will finish her career with a reputation as one of the best European players of her era.

She won EuroLeague Women with Sparta&K, stepped out in the WNBA and has played over 100 times for her country.

Door LuluHoops

Final Four .. Praha ... Women EuroLeague

Nog maar paar dagjes slapen ... is het dan zo ver voor het ultime
basketball voor dames in Europa.

Naast het basketball booooooossst van  onze zuider buren ... Castors Braine .. die de finale
speelde in Women EuroCup  is het aankomende vrijdag in Praha in Chezzzz .. hoofdstad de Final Four van Women EuroLeague.

De eerste wedstrijd  daar is  om 15.00h plaatselijke tijd en de tweede wedstrijd is om
18.00h ook plaatselijke tijd.

Info hier onder is van de web site van
www.fibaeurope.com 
en geeft meer info en dank voor gebruik er van

Semi-Final Dynamo Kursk     UMMC Ekaterinburg 10.04.2015 15:00 Fenerbahce     ZVVZ USK Praha 10.04.2015 18:00

De twee Russische team`s nemen tegen elkaar op in de eerste wed. van de dag waar bij The Old Champs

Diana Taurasi  .. NIET ..  mee doet. 

Zij heeft een hand breuk opgelopen in de quart  finale  play off wed. tegen Energia Ivanovo en is dus effe

niet inzetbaar voor UMMC Ekaterinburg.

Daarna neemt de powerrrrrr house Fenerbahce Istanbul die zonder Angel Mc Coughtry speelt hun

tweede halve finale op rij tegen de gast vrouween en Home team ZVVZ USK Praha.

Daaaaaaaaaaaaaaat ... word me en geeeeeeeeeeweldige wedstrijd om te kijken.

Praha thuis is sterk en onvermoeibaar en Fenerbahce moet alles geven om voorelkaar te krijgen

om drie keer op rij The Final de spelen.

Is het dan zo dat 3 x op rij scheepsrecht is .... we zullen zien waar Fenerbahce 3 jaar terug in
Ekaterinburg verloor van UMMC in de finale. Jaar terug ook in Ekaterinburg .. waar
Galatasary Odebank in de halve finale UMMC Knock Out sloeg in hun eigen huis en dus
de finale speelden tegen .... ja weeel .. aaaaaartsss rivaal Fenerbahce en Gala won... dus 2 x op rij voor Fener in de finale .. wat ze al weer verloren. 
Maar  in Praha is scheepsrecht ...  toch ...

Het stukje hier onder is ook van de web site van

www.fibaeurope.com

waar meer info in staat over Taurasie en ook dank voor gebruik er van.

UMMC LEFT REELING FROM TAURASI ABSENCE

EUROLEAGUE WOMEN

Injury to Diana Taurasi is a major blow to UMMC Ekaterinburg

UMMC Ekaterinburg have had their hopes of recapturing the EuroLeague Women title dealt a major blow after it was confirmed their prize asset Diana Taurasi has been ruled out of the Final Four with a broken hand.

The five-time Euroleague Women champion sustained the injury in the recent Russian Play-Off Quarter Finals against Energia Ivanovo and has undergone surgery in Los Angeles.

While UMMC are hoping that with a full recovery she may be back for the Russian Premier League Finals, they will be left sweating on the fitness of the guard, who will be out of action for several weeks.

Most pressing for UMMC is that she won't be around in Prague this weekend and most vitally of all, for their semi-final clash against Dynamo Kursk.

For all of their vast resources, the absence of the 32-year-old leaves an immeasurable hole in the UMMC roster.

Not least because she is the clutch player for the Russian juggernauts and also leads them in scoring with 16.9 points per game as well as contributing 5.9 assists per game.

Door LuluHoops

Ich .. Bin .. Ein .. Berlinerrr ....

Het is Paas weekend en zo na iets van 25 jaar ben ik thuis te vinden
Iszzzz da goeddddddd  .. of sleeegte .....
Het is hoe je het bekijkt ...
Is de glas vol ... of
Is de glas leeg

Eeeehhh .. het zij zo en waar gaat het om .. vraagen  jullie , maar ikke ook af ,  waar het aftellen
al lang geleden is gedaan en het tijd loopt af.

Zo is men druk doende naar toe leven en zeker onze Oranje Lions
eehhh .... Grrrrrraaaaaaaaaaauwwwwwww  ....
eeehhh   .... Bruuuuuuuuulllll .....
Toch

Maar het elkaar niet onder doen strakjes in de Poules Des Doodszzz .. in Berlin
in Groep B ..
Zo heeft Dimitris Kontos al weer een geweldige stukje staan op de web site van
fibaeurope.com over Niels Giffy ... Der Manschaft en dat in Hoofdstad Berlin ,
waar hij geboren en getogen is en waar ik me zelf  mag noemen ook naar
Ich Bin Ein Berliner ... waar ik al 20 x op bezoek ben geweest prive en al zeker 17 x voor
een groot internationale basketball toernooi met Pinksteren in Zhelendorff.

Daarom wilde ik het onderstaande stukje met jullie mee delen en dank voor het gebruik voor
www.fibaeurope.com


The nice words and photo below is from the pen of Dimitris Kontos and is from the
web site of
www.fibaeurope.com

GIFFEY RETURNS HOME FOR EUROBASKET

German forward Niels Giffey

By Dimitris Kontos 

If Berliner Niels Giffey did not have prior commitments this weekend as a professional basketball player, he could share days' worth of invaluable insight with European fans who follow the NCAA Final Four.

The 23-year-old German international has had what can only be described as a dream college career, by any standard.

Giffey both commenced and concluded his four-year spell at UConn Huskies (University of Connecticut) by lifting an NCAA title.

In 2011, the Alba Berlin small forward was member of the championship-winning team which was led by current Charlotte Hornets star Kemba Walker and Jeremy Lamb, now of the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Giffey struggled with injuries the two seasons that followed but, in 2014, he scored a career-high 24 points to lead his team pastMemphis Tigers in the semi-final, for Uconn to go on and beatKentucky in the title game.

Vast rowdy crowds in great arenas, mesmerising atmosphere, US media attention and perhaps more importantly earning hero status among your fellow college students are obviously experiences that any young player who wins an NCAA trophy will treasure for life.

But what degree of adjustment awaits a European young player who tasted the highest level in college basketball when he signs his first professional contract with a top club that competes in the Turkish Airlines Euroleague?

"I am still adapting even to the little things, like practising twice a day," Giffey told fibaeurope.com

"I think I am getting better and better now to adjusting to the frequent travels, longer season.

"The coaches' approach [at Alba] is so different to college, my team-mates are very different, but I think I am doing well so far and all this process is only going to make me improve."

And when it comes to what actually takes place on the court, differences between the college game and style of play in Europe are even more considerabel.

"In the Euroleague, and in the BBL (Beko Bundesliga) too, the game is a little slower in the open court, but it's much, much faster in half court," Giffey explains.

"You have more screens, more pick'n'rolls, more things happen at any one time.

"Teams are really deeper and, obviously people are more mature, so not the first open shot always goes up, you have more ball movement.

"I had to adapt to [all these things] because in college you probably had two or three good guys but you also had five inexperienced guys.

"You just cannot make mistakes in the Euroleague, there is a very small margin, otherwise you will get punished."

Giffey is not among those culpable of committing many mistakes, despite going through this adaptation progress in his rookie season as a professional.

He is averaging 7.1 points on 47.3% shooting and 2.6 rebounds for joint league leaders Alba in the Beko BBL, while he contributes 5.2 points on a superb 40.5% from three-point range in the Euroleague, together with 2.4 boards per game.

Not every step of the way has been bump-free since he returned back home in July, this time as a professional player, but the season is going more or less according to plan.

Niels Giffey will be playing in his home-town Berlin with EuroBasket 2015 co-hosts Germany

"Returning home was a lot of fun, because I knew I could play in front of friends and family and after being on a different continent for four years that was pretty special," Giffey said.

"But also it brought some pressure with it, because you want to be the hometown hero, you want things to be perfect, but not everything can always go your way.

"I think though that as a team we've had some success this year, people did not expect us to be at this level in the Euroleague and we have to be grateful for having these experiences, like competing with teams like Real Madrid who are probably Final Four candidates.

"Playing in these big Euroleague games is a great experience, especially for a young player like me."

Another huge experience awaits Giffey in September, again in his hometown, as Berlin will set the stage for EuroBasket 2015 Group B where Germany hope to overcome at least two out of Serbia, Spain, Turkey, Italy or Iceland in order to advance to the second round.

Giffey missed out on last summer's qualification campaign but he clarifies that he is now eager to play for the national team at the EuroBasket.

"[Last summer] I had the chance to go to the [NBA] Summer League and try out and I also had some personal issues that I had to take care off, so I decided I needed to take a little break to give my body a bit of rest," the young player explains.

"But this summer, I definitely, definitely (he stresses) want to play with the national team because two years ago it was a huge chance for me," Giffey adds, in reference to his debut tournament with the senior national team, EuroBasket 2013 in Slovenia.

The Alba small forward has already talked with Germany head coach Chris Fleming and although he will not go into details about the role that awaits him on the EuroBasket squad, he reveals that the national team expect him to contribute to the cause primarily with his shooting ability.

Giffey knows that he is valued by Germany as an excellent long-range shooter and this assurance is already a strong motivational factor for a youngster, but there is something bigger than that.

It is the prospect of playing alongside Dirk Nowitzki, if the German legend finally does decide he will return to the national team after four years, intrigued by the idea of playing at a EuroBasket in front of the Berlin crowd.

"It's so exciting, I really want to learn from him," Giffey said with a wide smile.

"It would be really amazing for all of us, given his experience and his style of play.

"Working out with him on a daily basis and just have this experience would be amazing for me, and I think it would be great for every young guy on the national team."

"Of course it will still be a tough group, we've got the Turkish guys, the Spanish, all these good teams, it's really tough.

"[But] it's at home, so we have to fight even harder, we have to do our very best."

Door LuluHoops

Grrraaaauuwwwwwww ..... Oranje Lion

Waar in de Poules des dooddsszzzz .. straks in Berlijn de messen al lang
geslepen zijn ... worden ook de messen geslepen in de andere Poules.

Onze trots Oranje Lion ...... Graaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaauwwwwwww

Geeeeeeeeweldig is dan om  te lezen dat onze Oranje mannen klaar zijn om top
Europa te laten zien  wie Oranje Lion is aangevoerd door onze bondscoach Van Helftren.

Dimitris Kontos ... heeft een geweldige stukje geschreven op de web site van
fibaeurope.com.
Waar voor mijn dank voor delen met de basketball liefhebbers ook hier.

In het stukje is dan wel te lezen naast het intermezzzoo met Henk Norrel ....
onze bondscoach niet bang is en het liefst had hij in Poules Des Doodszzz in gezeten
in Berlijn dus in plaats van Zagreb.

Noooouu ... dat is me wel een uitspraak en geeft strijd aan van onze bondscoach.
Het zij zo en het stukje dus hier onder is van de web site van
www.fibaeurope.com
daar kan je ook meer info ook vinden.


The nice words and photo by Dimitris Kontos  below is from the web site of
www.fibaeurope.com.
Thanks for shearing  for our  fans  also.

NOREL COULD BOLSTER DUTCH FRONTCOURT

Henk Norel

By Dimitris Kontos 

Henk Norel last played for Netherlands in the summer of 2012, during the qualification campaign for EuroBasket in Slovenia, a few months before suffering the second serious knee injury in his career.

The 27-year-old Dutch center returned to action with his club CAI Zaragoza, approximately a year ago, but he spent last summer making sure his knees recuperate fully and he recovers past form, as he was playing the best basketball of his career prior to getting injured.

Consequently, Norel missed out on the proudest moment for Dutch basketball in the last 25 years, as Netherlands qualified for EuroBasket for the first time since 1987.

Norel watched all games in the qualification round as a simple fan, felt extremely proud for his national team and let Netherlands head coach Toon Van Helfteren know that he completely understood if, going forward, he only counted on the players who achieved this enormous feat.

Coach Van Helfteren however told fibaeurope.com after the EuroBasket 2015 draw that he was considering a middle of the way solution, in a direction that could lead to Norel returning to the national team for EuroBasket 2015.

"Our first thought was to take to EuroBasket the players that accomplished this," Van Helfteren had said.

"But the more time you have to think about it, it comes down to having the best team next year. I don't necessarily mean the best players, but the best team."

fibaeurope.com visited with Norel to query the Zaragoza center about the possibility of him making a return to the Dutch national team and his view on EuroBasket 2015.

If coach Toon Van Helfteren wants the Netherlands to travel to Zagreb with the best team possible, you are probably one of the first names on his list. Have you spoken with the coach about you re-joining the national team for the EuroBasket?

I will talk to the coach soon, nothing is sure right now, but I would love to play in the EuroBasket. I wouldn't say a 'better' team, because Holland had not qualified for 25 years and this team is the one who made it. Maybe a more experienced team, then. But what the guys did last summer was something special, was something incredible, so all the credit to them. Now if I can help out, I would like to help out.

Physically, do you think you would be up for it? After suffering injuries in both knees in the last years, would your health be a factor that influences your decision to play at the EuroBasket?

I feel very good, but also there is the contract (Norel's current contract with CAI Zaragoza expires at the end of the season) and everything, so it's going to be an interesting summer. Right now I am totally focused on the season with CAI and we'll see how things are in the summer.

Looking at Group C, Georgia have Zaza Pachulia, Croatia have Ante Tomic, and so on. Do you think that if the Netherlands had Henk Norel to go up against these big guys, it would be good both for you and the team?

We played Georgia back in the day, so I've played against Pachulia, and we beat them. I've played against Barcelona a lot of times so I've played against Tomic. So yes, it's also good for me to show there that I can be one of the best. I am very confident, I feel better every day so, if I am there in the end, I am sure it's going to be fun.

Regardless of whether you joint the team or not, what do you think of your opponents in Zagreb? The coach said he would have preferred to play in Berlin, is this also your opinion?

It's a hard group, but then in a European championship you only face tough teams. I think it's a great experience, especially for the young guys and the guys who play in Holland to play at the highest level and show what they can do in Europe. It's a very positive thing for Dutch basketball. I think we have to enjoy it and show our talent. And for some guys, it might help them make the next step in their career.

Which team --or teams-- in this group you consider will be the toughest test for Holland?

I don't know which players are coming, but I just think that Croatia have a lot of talent, with [Bojan] Bogdanovic, [Ante] Tomic, [Damjan] Rudez, [Dario] Saric, the young kid from Barcelona [Mario Hezonja]. Like I said, we have nothing to lose, we have a lot to win. I think it will be time to work hard and enjoy.

What achievement would personally make you feel satisfied from this Dutch return to EuroBasket? What would be a win for Holland?

A win for us first of all would be that we play as a team and we play hard. Then that some young players develop, they progress in their career and continue to play in Europe, in Eurocup or Euroleague, so that Dutch basketball keeps improving. And the most important, that for young kids the Dutch national team is something to look up to and they dream that one day they play for Holland and they shine in Europe.

Door LuluHoops