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Archive for British Basketball League (BBL)
September 3, 2010 at 11:23 am · Filed under British Basketball League (BBL), EBL
Well it’s not quite Coach K and his NBA boys who are currently slumming it at the World Championships in Turkey (and weren’t they given the fright of their lives by Brazil?!), but USA Select arrive in the UK next week for arguably their most exhaustive tour yet.
Sean Kilmartin’s organisation will bring 34 players over from The States, often playing at three different venues on the same night.
They start on Friday September 10 with games at Brentwood against Leopards, Rivermead against Reading Rockets and John Sandford Sports Centre in a double-header against both the home-town Leicester Riders and newly crowned Division One champions Derby Trailblazers.
They appear to be playing most of the rest of the BBL & EBL D1, with the full schedule as follows:
September 10th Reading Rockets, Leopards, Derby Trailblazers (at Leicester), Leicester Riders
September 11th Milton Keynes Lions (at Leicester), Worcester Wolves, Scottish Rocks
September 12th Plymouth Raiders , Milton Keynes Lions, Sheffield Arrows tournament (3 games)
September 13th Newcastle Eagles, Sheffield Arrows tournament (3 games)
September 14th Bristol Academy Flyers , Sheffield Sharks
September 15th Welsh national team, South Wales Select, Worcester Wolves
The squads will then move on to Hungary for the Gocsej Cup and (simultaneously) the Stuart Robbins Memorial Tournament at the University of Limerick which sees four Irish Super League Teams, the Welsh national team and a German club competing in memory of the former Towers & TV Tigers big man.
USA Select Basketball was formed to assist American basketball players find professional opportunities internationally. The origins of the programme trace back to the 1980s where Appalachian State University team-mates; Sean Kilmartin and David Lawrence played professionally in Europe. Acknowledging then, the fantastic opportunity afforded them, they decided to create this type of opportunity for other athletes. With the assistance of Nicholas Melissaris and Mike Palladino, retired international basketball players, the team creates unique opportunities for elite basketball players.
USA Select Basketball is composed of athletes that have completed their college / NCAA eligibility and are looking for professional contracts internationally. Through a series of “tryout” camps, we carefully evaluate players from all backgrounds.
They take them on tour to play some of the top teams in Europe in a series of exhibition games in hopes to create contract opportunities. In the past, these tours have proven to be highly successful and have allowed may players to get their first professional basketball contracts!
These players have come from varied programs such as perennial power Duke University, UConn and Wake Forest, top programs like Georgia, NC State, Xavier, Clemson, University of Tennessee and Temple University to Mid majors like Appalachian State University, Davidson College, James Madison University, Winston-Salem State University and NC Central University. Smaller programs such as Belmont Abbey College, Virginia Union, NC Weslyan to Junior Colleges and basketball players that have not had the opportunity to play college at the level.
August 25, 2010 at 5:09 am · Filed under British Basketball League (BBL), GB basketball (General)
Team GB skipper Andrew Sullivan seems set to leave Newcastle Eagles to link up with BBL rivals Mersey Tigers after the EuroBasket campaign concludes.
The 30-year-old Londoner had offered to take a pay cut to remain in the north east, but now appears to be joining former GB assistant Tony Garbelotto on Merseyside.
Garbelotto feels that the signing gives a clear signal that the Tigers are ready to challenge on all fronts again this year: “For our organisation and team this is a massive signing for us and shows our intent to compete at the top again this season. I know the fans will be really looking forward to him pulling on a Tigers jersey.
“Andrew’s playing abilities and experience is well documented but for me he will bring a winning mentality to our program along with a defensive mindset which is unparalleled.
“On a personal note, I finally will get a chance to coach him as a professional player all the years after I first started working with him as a 14-year-old.”
Having originally arrived on Tyneside back in 2004 where he went on to enjoy two hugely successful seasons, he later rejoined for the start of the 2008-09 season before departing to play with Samara in Russia. The 6’7” forward moved on to Cypriot team Apollon, before linking up with the Eagles in February. The intransigence of Appolon led to Sullivan returning for his third spell with Eagles, and he helped them win the league title and BBL Trophy.
On the positive side for Eagles, Trey Moore will be travelling in the other direction as he moves from Tigers – who recently split from Everton FC – to Eagles.
August 16, 2010 at 6:36 am · Filed under British Basketball League (BBL)
By Jeff King
The re-building of the Newcastle Eagles team has commenced with the announcement of new signing Kadiri Richard. The 6’8” Virginia Union graduate impressed Eagles coaching staff during the 2009-10 season, as he made his BBL debut with Worthing Thunder.
In his first season in the BBL, Richard averaged 10 points and 8.8 rebounds per game, led the league in blocked shots, his rebounding made him the 4th best in the BBL, he was 7th in field goal % and added in 2.6 assists per his 32 minutes per game.
But as many BBL fans and Eagles’ ones in particular it is not just about statistics when The Eagles consider and sign a player. There is the work ethos on and off court and also Flournoy’s well defined philosophy and system. Both Blake and Flournoy are confident that ‘King Richard the Lionheart’ Can fit right in.
Blake said; ‘We have been impressed with Kadiri’s attitude and energy both on and off the court and feel that he will be a great fit for the team. We having been looking for a big rebounder and shot blocker that can fit straight into Fab’s offensive and defensive philosophy and are looking forward to seeing Kadiri make some big plays at Sports Central this coming season.’
As for Richard himself, he could hardly contain his excitement as regular visitors to his FaceBook sight will testify. ‘It is truly an honour and privilege to become a part of a organisation rich in tradition and success.’ Last season as an opponent I admired everything about Newcastle as a whole. As a newcomer to the BBL last year, everyone made me aware of the top clubs on and off the court. Newcastle….Newcastle….Newcastle is all I heard!’
“I have made some great friends in Newcastle that have become like family to me over the past few months. I spoke to Coach Fab the other day for an hour about expectations, tradition and the fact that he HATES to lose!! If it is fourteen minutes or forty minutes, I will bring the intensity, energy and effort expected of me.’’
As Richard enters it means a player who in the last three seasons has become something of an Eagles legend, Lynard Stewart departs. ‘Big L, Diesel, Boogie’ as he was known to many in and around the Eagles Camp will be missed and his contribution to the Eagles cause over the last few seasons is to be applauded and remembered by all as huge.
Not just with his on-court efforts which were considerable and effective enough but for the feeling and respect he engendered during his days in the black n white. This was a player who gave his heart and soul to the club during his tenure whether on and off the court and enhanced an already high reputation with his approach and attitude to everything he did.
Whether Stewart is finished with the BBL or even basketball remains to be seen but one thing is certain with his attributes he’s sure to be a success in what ever he does and is wished well for the future by everyone in the Eagles camp.
So, another season just around the corner, Kadiri Richard has big boots to fill but it is testament to his abilities that when The Eagles knew Stewart wasn’t coming back, Richard became their no. 1 target as it was felt he would best fill those boots in their demanding system.
Now, with Richard’s signature inked thoughts turn to who’s next. Names have been mentioned and from within those names excite and bring a feeling if they sign that it could be another season of silver-pot hunting in The Toon next season.
August 16, 2010 at 2:40 am · Filed under British Basketball League (BBL)
Words: Jeff King. Pictures: Dave Lowerson
Perhaps it was inevitable or perhaps it wasn’t? Perhaps it was the worst-kept secret in North East Basketball or perhaps it wasn’t? Whatever the questions or feelings it is now official and after 14 years at ‘The Arena’ The Eagles are moving on and to be honest upwards, once again setting standards for others in British basketball to follow.
The Eagles have signed a four-year agreement with Northumbria University for use of the 3,000-seater £30m arena, with the new facility also becoming the club’s training and administrative base until 2014 and will play their first game, a pre-season friendly against Team USA Select at their new home on September 14.
As well as switching venues it also enables The Eagles to forge an even closer working relationship with Northumbria which should reap major benefits for the club’s youth development schemes and hopefully
should also allow them to attract enough sponsors, new fans and revenue streams to make their dream of playing in Europe a reality.
Chief Executive and owner Paul Blake said “We are moving into what is definitely going to be the best venue in the BBL, “I think we have been in the best venue while we’ve been at the Arena but this is different because it is sports-focused and I always said that was what we needed. We will train here, we will play here and our offices will move here.”
“The goal of this basketball club is to be playing European basketball on a regular basis and a project like this brings with it major opportunities to do that. I am extremely optimistic about the future, it’s definitely true to say that.”
Blake remains confident that Fab Flournoy’s re-modeled side will be able to excite fans – although he knows some of them will be more concerned with prosaic issues surrounding the move.
“We took time on this and we’re still working on things. People may have said that we were overly cautious but we have done the same thing for 14 years and it worked. The biggest issues fans seem to be asking about are car parking facilities and bar facilities, and we’re still ironing those out. But if you see the bigger picture, it is just a terrific move for us.”
An emotional Fab Flournoy said that the Eagles move had the potential to transform basketball in the UK “This will set out the path that our young players have to go through to progress to the BBL and even to the national side,” he said. “That is something that this country has been missing for years and years. I had it when I was in America – I knew how I was going to get to my goals and now hopefully a new generation has it. “It’s a momentous day for the Eagles.”
The Eagles had an incredible record of 143 wins and just 34 defeats during their 14-year run at the Metro Arena – with only 18 of those losses coming during Flournoy’s nine years at Newcastle.
Flournoy has often talked of an “aura” around their former venue and believes teams often pitched up in the North East already beaten, such was the strength of his side’s home record. Now he wants to bring that to their slick new city centre home on Northumbria University’s campus.
Flournoy said: “I loved the Arena, don’t get me wrong, but I think this will be a more intimidating place for teams to come and play. Teams used to come to the Arena and they knew it was a difficult place to play. They were in awe of the Arena, they knew all about our fans and they looked at how big it was and could not cope.”
“It will be even worse for them here because we still have the same fans. However, it will be a lot more compact and more enclosed. The atmosphere will be fantastic for us and difficult for teams who come to play us.”
And to go with the move both Flournoy and Blake know they have high standards to meet and maintain on-court as well as off. After becoming the dominant force in British basketball, The Eagles know they have to make that domination count on-court to help continue the off-court standards and progress.
August 4, 2010 at 6:27 am · Filed under British Basketball League (BBL), EBL
Dave Titmuss says that leading Worthing Thunder after just one season was a difficult decision as quashed suggestions that he quit due to budget restraints.
Titmuss led Thunder to eighth place, and a play-off spot, in their second year in the BBL, but quit the club in May.
“Leaving the Thunder after only one pretty successful season was one of the hardest basketball decisions I’ve had to make” he said.
“I certainly saw a long-term future there and my wife and I were planning on relocating to the coast. Frank Gainsbury (owner) was terrific to work for and the people at the club were very supportive of the changes that I was trying to make in professionalising the programme there. “However, I was sorry that through unforeseen personal circumstances I couldn’t continue at the Thunder.”
Titmuss led Reading Rockets to an unprecedented perfect season in 2008/9 when the completed a clean sweep of the four EBL titles, winning all 36 games in the process.
However, his next task is considerably different as he is part of a group that is bringing national league basketball back to Hemel Hempstead by relocating Edmonton Storm in the Hertfordshire town:
“After I left Worthing I was approached by Neil Mcelduff to join the group that is going to re-establish a national league club in my home town and I really liked the idea of ‘coming home’” explained Titmuss.
“We’ve got a very experienced management team and nothing would please me more than to see a return to the days when Hemel was one of the top clubs in the country. In the short term I will have a coach mentoring role but a return to the sidelines in future seasons as head coach is also on the cards. I’m going to be working this year on individual skill development with the Storm players while Tony Harrison and Jon Burnell will coach the team.”
Part of the plans of the new-look Storm is the launch of Queen’s Basketball Academy, as Titmuss explains:
“I’m really looking forward to establishing the academy which will launch in September next year. It’s something that I’ve wanted to do for a number of years and the opportunity has arisen at Queen’s School in Bushey where they have superb facilities and extremely progressive leadership. They already have successful sporting academies based at the school and are extremely keen to establish one for basketball.”
June 28, 2010 at 12:54 pm · Filed under British Basketball League (BBL)
After considerable searching, Wolves’ Head Coach Paul James has secured the signature of 6’ 8” forward Justin Dobbins.
Born in Cleveland, Ohio, the 22-year-old has just completed his senior year playing for the NCAA side Eastern Michigan Eagles. During the season he averaged 12 points, 5.9 rebounds, one assist, one block & one steal per outing; also hitting 61.5% of his shots from the field and 60% from the charity stripe.
Power Forward Justin Dobbins is a talented big man who with versatile in-the-paint and baseline moves he continued to find ways to score which led to numerous double-double games. His 399 career rebounds, 776 career points and 55 career blocked shots all found their way into the Eastern Michigan career record books.
Dobbins, who has reached double figures 39 times during his college career also displayed that he could be productive against high level opposition scoring career game highs of 16 points versus Purdue (2008-09); 22 points against Georgia (2008-09) and 26 points while doing battle with Notre Dame (2007-08) during his tenure at Eastern Michigan University.
June 21, 2010 at 6:22 am · Filed under British Basketball League (BBL), European Basketball
The MK Lions are frontpage news in Europe at the Governing Body website of FIBA Europe
Or you can click here to read the Paulball column about them playing in the Shopping Centre at Middleton Hall.
June 11, 2010 at 9:08 am · Filed under British Basketball League (BBL)
Milton Keynes Lions today announced Mike New will be the club’s new head coach.
New, a graduate of New Mexico State University will enter his sixth year and second spell with the Lions after playing in Milton Keynes during the 2002-03 season, then returning in 2006.
Lions’ Chief Executive and former head coach, Vince Macaulay is ecstatic about the extension of an association with someone whose influence extends far from the basketball court. “Mike is a model professional He only knows how to give 100% in whatever he does, as director of the MK College Lions Academy he has already won the British Elite Cup, as coach of our under-16′s national league side he has won the National Championship twice in the last three seasons”
New retired from playing this past season and was many people’s favourite to get the head coach’s job once Macaulay had indicated he was stepping down.
Macaulay added “Mike knows what we are about as a club, he buys into our systems and has helped in many areas of the club, it was he who knocked down the two free throws that clinched us the BBL Cup in 2008 so he is already a legend with many of our fans”
June 8, 2010 at 10:34 am · Filed under British Basketball League (BBL)
Plymouth Raiders have announced the appointment of former captain Gavin Love as their new head coach.
“We’re extremely excited by today’s appointment,” said Raiders chairman Bob Widdecombe. “This is the start of a new era and an exciting period in the life of the Plymouth Raiders. Gavin has come to the club and brought a lot of new ideas, contacts and enthusiasm, and has been working hard already at putting together a tough and competitive squad for the new season.”
Love joined the Raiders half way through last season as an assistant coach, following a career as a player that spanned 13 years, and saw him lead the team into the BBL, establishing himself a reputation as a gritty, tough and talented competitor in a role occupied predominantly by American players on most other teams in the league.
“This is a great opportunity for me,” said Love, “and I’m confident that I can put a team together that will excite the fans and give us a great chance to get the club back to where it deserves to be. I can’t wait for the players to get here now and to start pre season training. The team I want in place will be dynamic, exciting and I want us to play a brand of basketball that fans will want to come and watch.”
At the same time as announcing Love as head coach, the Raiders have announced that former Raiders player Mark Cahill will be returning to the team as Strength & Conditioning Coach as part of a support team that also includes Andy Murphy – the team’s new Sports Injury Consultant.
“We’ll be training eight times a week,” said Love. “That’s made up with five on court sessions, and three strength and conditioning sessions. Mark is going to be very active with the team, devising individual workout programmes for every player. We want to be the team in the best shape in the BBL this year – it’s a long season, and the guys have to be ready for it. Our pre-season is going to be really intense as well, with the Royal Navy playing a huge part in fitness and team bonding work. I really can’t describe how excited I am to get started.”
Behind the scenes, Love is confident that in the next couple of days, the club will be in a position to announce one, if not two new signings. “I hate to think what my phone bill will be!” added Love. “I’ve talked to a lot of players and agents in the last week, and offered contracts to a couple of new players. We should hear back from them today or tomorrow.”
June 2, 2010 at 3:50 am · Filed under British Basketball League (BBL), Team GB
By Dave Ryan
Great Britain captain Andrew Sullivan is keen to finish his career with BBL champions Newcastle Eagles, and has offered to take a major pay-cut to remain with the north east club.
“I want to stay at the Newcastle Eagles next season for certain, and money is not my main motivating factor by any means,” Sullivan told the Newcastle Chronicle.
“I do get a bit frustrated that every summer people seem to think I’m pricing myself out of a move back to the Eagles when the truth is that is not the case.”
“I had a chat with Paul Blake when I first came back and he said he would like me to stay in the run up to the Olympics. We had a conversation and he asked me to put a figure to him which I didn’t think was big money.
“We spoke again a few months later and Paul said he wasn’t going to be able to get to that number. So I came down by around £15,000 on the original offer because I want to come back so much and that’s a lot of money.
“I have seen stuff in the past that has said I’ve priced myself out of a move back to Newcastle, but I have come down quite a lot and if that is not commitment to the club I don’t know what is.”
Sullivan originally arrived on Tyneside back in 2004 where he went on to enjoy two hugely successful seasons. He later rejoined for the start of the 2008-09 season before departing to play with Samara in Russia. The 6’7” forward moved on to Cypriot team Apollon, before linking up with the Eagles in February.
The intransigence of Appolon led to Sullivan returning for his third spell with Eagles, as he explains: “The team said they weren’t willing to allow me to come home for the birth of my second child, as players had failed to come back in a timely fashion. It was one of the most important things in my life, and I felt that I had to be there, so we came to an understanding and they released me.”
30-year-old Sullivan helped Eagles to the league and BBL Trophy double last season, and is now keen to remain in the north east as Fab Flournoy’s look at entering either the Euro Cup or Eurochallenge competitions.
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