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With the help of many dedicated Canadian managers we have been able to get alot of International scouting done. This thread will be to discuss the International Competition that is currently taking place.

Please feel free to get involved in either a scouting capacity or just commenting on your thoughts on any of the games.

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Unbelivable result. England was the 53rd seed and managed to defeat the number 8 seeded Serbians. Rumor has it that both teams playerd CT which makes it even more amazing.

Okay i'll be following close attention to the Europe continental championship this season. As I am aware its 8 groups of 8 with every team playing every team in their group once and then the top two from each group go into two groups of 6 with no teams in their group from the previous round. Then the top two of each of those groups proceed to the semifinals and then the winners of the semis go to the finals and qualify for the worlds, while the losers of the semis and the two third place finishers in Pool G and H qualify for the repechage, right?

Keep in mind I am not very familiar with Europe or the tournament at all. The only tournament i've follwed are the americas and the worlds and I havent bothered to go indepth on those. So you may have different opinions, but i'd love see those to . I'm going to need the experience and criticism if I'm going to get good at this.

Ok here it goes

Pool A:
1.Italia
2.Turikye
3.Hrvatska
4.Latvija
5.Bulgaria
6.Norge
7.Belarus
8.Luxembourg

1.Italia has three 350k+ big men, them coupled with HCA is an easy choice for me to pick them as my number 1 in this pool and a definite contender for the European title. I expect to see them at the world tournament next season.

2.Turkiye seems like a good bet to proceed to the next round of games, with their two 300k+ big men and solid depth at the guard postitions, I see only italia as a definite loss, but if not properly managed Hrvatska and Latvija pose major issues.

3.I had a whole bunch of going back and forth on who would be the number three team and I ended up going with Hrvatska. They have great depth all over the court and have a dominant big man and guard should make them a tough team to play against, I do see them possibly knocking Turkiye out of that 2 spot.

4.I almost put Latvija at the 3 spot, but their lack of a dominant player on either the guard or big men position forced me to put them number four. Could easily be number three or even two with a few upsets though.

5.Bulgaria seemed like a clear cut pick for the five spot, with a legitimate inside attack they could pull off a couple of upsets. I can't see them cracking the top two though.

6.Norge has a poses a bit of a threat with their big men, but if history should repeat itself, they probably won't go far. Only teams ahead of them I can see them beating are Bulgaria and Latvija and the number 5 spot is as high as I can see them going.

7.Belarus could easily be number 6, but lack of depth really really doesnt help that. Who knows if their 344k big man Juras' Rakau has a big game or two I could see them being number five.

8.Luxembourg, oh Luxembourg, there is not much I can say about this team. Lets just say when you don't have a 50k guy and an eight k guy cracks the team. You aren;t gonna win many games and I don't see them winning any. Zero

Ok now Pool B, this group posed more of a challenge for me:
1.Schweiz
2.Eesti
3.Nederland
4.Rossiya
5.Hellas
6.Bosnia i Hercegovina
7.Shqiperia
8.Malta

1.Schweiz is one of the only two locks this group has in my mind. They have it all, dominant big men, dominant guards, young guys that can improve steadily as the season progresses, and have you seen this teams gameshape update this week? 10 strongs, 5 respectables(last week :P). A stellar update. I just don't see them dropping a game in this group.

2.Let the circus begin! Eesti has a very, very strong inside attack, three 350k+ guys down there. I'd love to see them against Italia in a LI vs LI game. Anyways they do have very good guards as well and thats what put them over the top as the number two team, but a couple of teams do pose some risks. Nederland and Rossiya being them. 3 is as low as I see this team dropping and 2 as high as I see them going.

3.Before I took my indepth look at these teams I thought Nederland would be number two for sure, now I think they might finish in the number four spot. Either way I put them third cause they do not have the inside attack or defense to compete with Eesti or the guards to keep up with the Eesti guards. Maybe Eesti is a lock at the two spot now that I think about it, but I could see Nederland pulling off an upset against Eesti and qualifying for the next round. I definetly could see them drop to four though.

4.I definetly did not expect this team to be this high, but when I look at it I could see them being number three or even number two! I'll admit their guards are not the greatest compared to the teams ahead of them, but it's obvious when you look at their roster that it will be an inside oriented team. Seven, I repeat, Seven Centers made the team and five of them are 200k+. This is a team that is poised for a few upsets or two.

5.I definetly thought that Hellas would be the three team that was poised to maybe upset nederland as they number two seed. I see now how inexperienced I am . Anyhow Hellas's roster is clearly not strong enough to qualify for the next round, but a number four or three finish is certainly in the cards.

6.Bosnia i Hercegovina is another team I thought would be higher. Rossiya ruiined everything.. . With a look at their roster though I could of definetly put them as the number 5 seed. I really, really am tempted to, but i'll keep them as the six team for now. Finishing third is not out of the question.

7. I thought this team would be number 6.How wrong I am. Shqiperia is my number 7 pick and I really see them only beatin Malta. They just don't have a strong enough team for me to put them any higher.

8.Malta. Their star PF's name sums this team up, Frank Terribile. Frankly they are terrible. I don't see them winning a game and are probably one of the worst teams in Europe.



Last edited by Bballin at 1/28/2011 9:53:15 PM

Pool C:
1.Deutschland
2.France
3.Slovenija
4.Ceska Rep.
5.Makedonija
6.Cyprus
7.Cymru
8.Andorra

1. Deutschland. At first glance I had France as my number 1 in this group and even number one for the whole tournament, but at a second look my mind has changed. Deutschland's PG is a little worse then Frances, but their backup pg is better. Deutschland has a better SG and a backup thats only a little worse. Beat France at the starting and backup SF positions. Have a better starting C and actually have players listed as PFs. Also they have better depth at the big man position. Its close, but I have to give the nod to Deutschland on this one.

2.France, my first pick to win it all. I obviously needed this second look cause they are definetly a little weaker. Enthusiasm management and GS could make all the difference though and I wouldn't be surprised to see them end up being number 1 after all the games are played. France vs Deutschland could be a huge game, but at that point they could be locked in at the top two spots and itll just turn into a tie vs tie game. Still want to see that game either way.

3.I dont think this is a very tough pick. Slovenija is just stronger and deeper then the other teams below them. Dont have any monster guards or big men, but I dont really see a huge weakness. Good lock at the 3 spot to me.

4.Ceska Rep. did not have their roster up till monday morningish so I couldnt get a look at their roster, but they ended up right about where I thought theyd be. Nothing special, no big monsters to look out for and with France and Deutschland in their group I dont see them cracking the top two. Maybe in other groups they might have, but I guess thats the luck of the draw.

5.This group wasn't really that difficult or important to pick after the top two(or maybe three), there just isnt any teams I see as a possible threat for the top two. Makedonija could make some noise and make it to third, but I only see them going as high as 4.

6.Cyprus is the best of the worst in this group. Cymru, Andorra and Cyprus could have some good close games. I think Cyprus would come out on top though. They just have more depth and a bit stronger of a roster, but enthusiasm and GS could change that fast.

7.Cymru, this bottom three is tough to pick, but Cymrus roster is just a bit stronger then Andorras atm. I dont really like them fusing all 18 spots at the beginning of the season though.

8.Andorra, not very deep, at all. Not very strong, at all. Not much to say, but that they might beat Cymru.

Pool D:
1.Lietuvia
2.Magyarorszag
3.Suomi
4.Israel
5.Romania
6.Sverige
7.Azerbaycan
8.Ireland

1. I expected Lietuvia to be top four or three and they ended up being number 1. Really underestimated them I guess. I think Lietuvia has a pretty legitimate chance at making it to the final 4 and like them to atleast make the repechage. They are just so deep and strong all over the court. A 400k SG? Might be the highest salary SG ive seen, but then again I haven't seen too many.

2.Magyarorszag who I thought was a lock for the top two may be in tough competing for that second spot, although I do believe they should pull ahead of Suomi and Israel. This team has depth at every spot, I think they might come up a little short for the repechage though.

3.Suomi leads the next three teams, but could easily finish 5th in my eyes. This Pool is fairly deep and there are a lot of possible threats throughout it. Suomi is a strong team though and should be able to finish third and wo knows maybe even beat out Magyarorszag for the number 2 spot.

4.Israel is focused on the inside definetly. Some good guards but none that I can see take control of a game. They have a dominant salary moster inside though. With some of his 250k+ supporting cast they have a lethal inside offense, but I dont think they have enough depth at the guard positions to really, truly compete with some of the top teams in the torunament and more specifically the top two in this Pool.

5.Romania is another inside team. only difference is that their inside attack isnt as strong as Israels and their guards are even worse, with GS and enthusiasm going their way they could pull out a top 4 or three finish.

6.Sverige is one of those in the middle teams. Too weak to really, truly compete with the teams ahead of them, but strong enough to easily handle the two teams below them. Think five is the absolute highest they finish.

7.Azerbaycan is not that bad of a team, maybe in another pool they could be fifth, but in this Pool I can't see them going higher then seven. They should only be able to beat Ireland, and fairly easily at that.

8.Ireland is definetly the weakest team in this pool. Probably one of the strongest bottom teams in the tournament, but thats the luck of the draw.

Pool E:
1.Espana
2.Srbija
3.Poland
4.England
5.Crna Gora
6.Sakartvelo
7.Osterreich
8.Hayastan

1.I think Espana is a lock for the next round of group games and could make a lot of noise. I like their guard and big men strength. They also have a 100k+ SF which I always like to see. I don't think anyone in this group will be able to beat this team, they are to strong for this Pool.

2.Srbija has some good guards and some good big men. I like their depth and their chances at making the top two. Poland,England and Crna Gora could be difficult, but I think this team should be able to handle them. I don't see them going any farther then the next round of group games.

3.Poland has a monster 400k big man. That is always good to see in a team, but when they don't have much depth anywhere else it is concerning and I see this team easily being top 4, but maybe even squeaking into the number two spot.

4.England looks like a potential dark horse. No huge threats anywhere on the roster, but very, very, deep and I like their chances at a top 4 finish, maybe even third.

5.Crna Gora has a good inside attack, but unfortunately when you do not have top guards to support their inside attack it can be difficult to win games and I think a top 5 finish is definetly in the cards for these guys.

6.Sakartvelo has a very good 230k PG and 190k SG, but beyond that they don't have much tha'll help them in this tournament. 5th is really the highest I see this team finishing, I think that 6th will be the worst they'll finish because they should be able to easily handle Osterreich and EVERYBODY will be able to deal with Hayastan.

7.Osterreich has no threats anywhere. They are not very deep, but they have a few pretty good players, not very threatening, but good. They could win a game for them, but honestly the only team I see beating is the one below them.

8.Hayastan is a very,very weak team. They will not win a game in this tournament. They have a 20 year old PF that the U21 team could use, not quite understanding the reasoning for him being on the NT, but not going argue with it. To be fair i've seen worse teams, but hayastan is pretty bad.



Last edited by Bballin at 1/28/2011 9:55:23 PM

Pool F:
1.Portugal
2.Slovensko
3.Ukraina
4.Island
5.Belgium
6.Moldova
7.Danmark
8.Scotland

1.Portugal is focused ALL on the inside with two 400k monsters down low. One of them is out for two weeks, but that shouldn't be a problem against scotland and Danmark. I expect this team to win the Pool, but would not be surprised if they finished 2nd or even 3rd!

2.Slovensko has one of the best point guards in the world, once again I have not seen many, but one of the best i've seen. Very balanced attack that allows to use different offenses and mix it up. I like this team to finish 2nd, but 1st and 3rd are not out of the question.

3.Ukraina has a more inside focused team, but I think their guards are solid enough that they can finish top three, seriously, any spot in the top three. Most likely third though.

4.Island is like Ukraina, except with even weaker guards and a weaker inside focus. I like them for fourth, but 5th or 6th could be a possibility. Highest I see them finishing is third, not advancing.

5.Belgium is a fairly balanced team with a bit more of an inside focus. I think they could pull off some upsets and I could even see these guys finishing third. As high as I am willing to go though.

6.Moldova is another darkhorse team to me. belgium, Island and Ukraina are going to have tough games against these guys, but I still have to put them below all those teams. I like Moldova though could see them make some noise.

7.Danmark has a pretty good team actually. They could beat Moldova or Belgium, but besides Scotland I don't think they will beat anyone. Just my thoughts. They do have a good inside attack though.

8.Scotland is definetly the weakest link in this Pool. One of the better number 8 teams in the Euorpean Tournament, but thats the luck of the draw.


My immediate picks for the final four would be Italia, France, Deutschland and Schweiz. I'd love to see a France vs Deutschland final, but Italia's HCA should carry them to the finals. My pick to win it all would be Deutschalnd now.

Thats my predictions right now.

Thoughts?


Sorry for the amount of posts, didnt realize how long this was :O

Brilliant! Freaking brilliant!

Thanks Bballin, that is a very nice summary. Cudos to you for putting the time and effort in to that. It is greatly appreciated.

Pool A:
1.Turkiye (2) 1-0 151 84
2.Italia (1) 1-0 112 83
3.Hrvatska (3) 1-0 130 114
4.Latvija (4) 1-0 105 93
5.Norge (6) 0-1 93 105
6.Belarus (7) 0-1 114 130
7.Bulgaria (5) 0-1 83 112
8.Luxembourg (8) 0-1 84 151
*my pretournament rankings in brackets
Bulgaria 83 Italia 112

True dominance by Italia in this one. Beating Bulgaria in every rating category and in every position of the point per 100 shots statistics. Leonardo Biondi would have to be my pick for player of the game with a game high rating of 18.5, a game high 23 points on 11-22 shooting to go with 4 assists and 3 rebounds. Very efficient game by Italia and they are off to a good start. Italia should’ve and did win this game.


Belarus 114 Hrvatska 130

A great first quarter is all Hrvatska needed to win this one. Hrvatska won the first quarter by 21 points. The 2nd and 3rd quarters were all tied up and then Belarus won the 4th quarter by 5 points. Luckily Hrvatskas Amazing first quarter lead was enough for the win. Kristijan Curka would have to be my pick for player of the game with an efficient 15.0 rating, to go with 18 points on 7-12 shooting, 4 assists and game high +23 helping Hrvatska to the big win over Belarus.


Norge 93 Latvija 105

Latvija won the middle two quarters and it was enough to give them the win over Norge. Not an outside shooing game at all as these two teams combined to go 3-27 from the land beyond and it especially hurt Norge as they shot 2-22 from behind the arc. Would’ve been better off taking an inside shot. Aristids Ikstens is my pick for player of the game with a 16.0 rating, 20 points on 9-10 shooting and 17 rebounds, great performance.


Luxembourg 84 Turkiye 151

This game was over before tipoff. Luxembourg being a team that would struggle in Canadas Div II had ZERO chance against Turkiye in this one. What is even more disturbing is that Turkiye had the 67 point advantage at the end of the third quarter and Luxembourg was able to tie up the 4th quarter. If Turkiye had not been playing TIE against Luxembourgs normal, this would’ve been a scary final score. Yasar Cindoruk wins Player of the Game with an 18.0 rating, 21 points on 10-11 shooting to go with 13 rebounds and +58 plus/minus. Turkiyes 151 points was the most scored of any team in the tournament.

Every game turned out like it should have a pretty straight forward week for Pool A.


Last edited by Bballin at 1/28/2011 10:03:13 PM