The
FIBA EuroBasket 2013 will be the 38th edition of the EuroBasket
championship that is organized by FIBA Europe. It will take place from
4 September till 22 September 2013 in Slovenia. The number of
participating teams will be 24.
FIBA Eurobasket 2013 on Wikipedia check here.
Official FIBA Eurobasket 2013 website check here.
Daily news with results, boxscores from EuroBasket 2013 in Slovenia you can findhere.
September 3, 2013 - Turkey fly in Batuk after Onan shock
Birkan
Batuk will unexpectedly make his debut in a major tournament with the
Turkish national team at EuroBasket 2013, after he flew in to Slovenia
on Tuesday to replace Omer Onan on the roster. On Monday evening, Onan
felt a sudden pain in his left calf during Turkey's evening practice
session in Koper, their First Round venue at EuroBasket 2013, and was
unable to continue training. The veteran guard was rushed into hospital
and an MRI scan revealed he had suffered an injury that will require
immediate treatment and will sideline him for the next 10 days at
least. The 35-year-old Onan will of course be unable in what had been
the fifth EuroBasket tournament in his career and flew back to Turkey
on Tuesday to start the rehabilitation process. Read more here.
September 3, 2013 - Cautious Ukraine rely on team spirit
In
an effort to give players that were nursing injuries as much time as
possible to recuperate, Ukraine took the unusual step of travelling to
Slovenia with 14 players and make two cuts on the eve of EuroBasket
2013. After the team's first practice session on Slovenian soil, head
coach Mike Fratello has decided that the official 12-man roster he will
submit to FIBA Europe later on Tuesday will be made up of Dmytro
Zabirchenko, Ihor Zaytsev, Dmitro Gliebov, Maksym Pustozvonov,
Viacheslav Krautsov, Sergii Gladyr, Artem Pustoviy, Oleksander Mishula,
Oleksander Lypovyy, Eugene Jeter, Kyryll Natyazhko and Maksym
Korniyenko. Read more here.
September 3, 2013 - Valanciunas to be presented award
On
Wednesday in Koper Jonas Valanciunas will be starting EuroBasket 2013
how he hopes to end it 18 days later in Ljubljana: by receiving an
award. Prior to Lithuania's opening tip-off in Jesenice against Serbia
at 9pm CET, the 21-year-old will be presented with the trophy for 2012
FIBA Europe Young Men's Player of the Year - the second consecutive
year that the Utena native has been bestowed with the honour.
Valanciunas eclipsed other nominations in the field which was voted on
by selected journalists and fans, easily seeing off Croatia's Dario
Saric and France's Leo Westermann, who finished second and third
respectively. Read more here.
September 2, 2013 - Italy in Slovenia without Gigli
The
Italian national team were dealt one more blow to their EuroBasket 2013
hopes on the eve of their departure to Slovenia, as on Sunday Angelo
Gigli was ruled out of the tournament with injury. The unlucky
30-year-old power forward suffered the recurrence of an old injury in
his left knee upon Italy's return home from Greece, where they had
played their last warm-up games in the Acropolis tournament, and he
will not board the plane to Slovenia after spending the best part of
the summer in training camp with the rest of the 'Azzurri'. Gigli's
inury is but the latest in a series of setbacks that Italy head coach
Simone Pianigiani has had to deal with in the build-up to this
September's EuroBasket. Read more here.
September 2, 2013 - Teodosic will not play at EuroBasket
Serbia waited on both players until the last possible moment, but in the end neither star point guard Milos Teodosic nor young forward Vladimir Lucic
will step on the court at EuroBasket 2013. Teodosic travelled to Russia
over the weekend and was submitted to tests by CSKA Moscow's medical
team. "They told me that I need another month of undergoing treatment
and only after that can I slowly start to play," he said. The
26-year-old playmaker sustained a calf injury during CSKA Moscow's last
game of the club season and only joined Serbia in practice last week,
without being included in the squad for any of their preparation games.
"I'm really very sorry that I cannot go with the team," an extremely
disappointed Teodosic said. Read more here.
September 2, 2013 - Clark recovers in time for EuroBasket
Forward
Daniel Clark missed Great Britain's preparations for EuroBasket 2013
because of a persistent injury but has managed to recover in time to be
included on the final 12-man squad that travelled to Slovenia on
Sunday. The 25-year-old forward underwent a late fitness test during
the weekend to confirm his availability and the doctors' verdict must
have sounded like music to the ears of head coach Joe Prunty. Clark
will be one of six players returning from Great Britain's Olympic Games
2012 squad, alongside captain Andrew (Drew) Sullivan, Andrew Lawrence,
Kieron Achara, Eric Boateng, and Kyle Johnson. Youngsters Devon van
Oostrum, Myles Hesson and Alasdair Fraser will all make their debut
with the senior national team in a major tournament. Read more here.
September 1, 2013 - Veteran status comes early for Benzing
At
what age can a sportsperson be considered a veteran? If you are a
gymnast the answer is approximately 18, golf it is in your late
fifties. But how about if you are a German national basket player?
Looking at the German team that will take to the court in Ljubljana
this week, the answer to the above question appears to be 24 - the age
of Robin Benzing whose appearance in Slovenia will mark his third
EuroBasket tournament. On the youngest-ever German EuroBasket roster,
Benzing is one of only four players to have been there twice before,
the other three being Tibor Pleiss, Lucca Staiger and Heiko
Schaffartzik. "It's kinda funny that I will be one of the older members
of the team," pondered the 2.08m forward at the beginning of summer
when fibaeurope.com caught up with him at a Bayern Munich training.
Read more here.
September 1, 2013 - Unlucky Timma out of Latvia squad
Small
forward Janis Timma fell ill just days before Latvia's departure for
Slovenia and will have to miss out on EuroBasket 2013, which would have
been his first major tournament with the senior national team. The
21-year-old, who was selected in this summer's NBA Draft by the Memphis
Grizzlies with the 60th overall pick, contracted a virus and came down
with a fever. Timma will have to take antibiotics for at least another
week and had to be ruled out of the team on Saturday evening, when head
coach Ainars Bagatskis announced his final 12-man roster fo EuroBasket.
The squad that will represent the Baltic nation in Slovenia consists of
Martins Meiers, Andrejs Selakovs, Kaspars Berzins, Rolands Freimanis,
Mareks Mejeris, Janis Strelnieks, Dairis Bertans, Armands Skele, Janis
Blums, Kristaps Janicenoks, Janis Berzins and Rihards Kuksiks. Read
more here.
September 1, 2013 - Tyus makes Israel's EuroBasket squad
Center
Alexander Tyus has successfully shaken off a groin injury and was
included on Israel's 12-strong squad for EuroBasket 2013 that head
coach Arik Shivek announced on Saturday evening. Tyus received the
green light from the medical team to re-join the team in practices on
Wednesday, but sat out Israel's last two warm-up games midweek, against
Georgia. Shivek waited until the eleventh hour before announcing his
chosen roster to make sure the 25-year-old center would be fit enough
to compete at the EuroBasket. The coach had stated that he would take
Tyus to Slovenia even if he was at 70 percent of full fitness, as
Israel have no direct replacement for him. Read more here.
September 1, 2013 - France edge out Slovenia in final test
France
edged out Slovenia 70-65 in an entertaining game in the final venue of
EuroBasket 2013, Stozice Arena, on Saturday night to wrap up
preparation games for both sides. Antoine Diot with a three-pointer
gave Les Bleus the edge in the final minute before Nicolas Batum put
the finishing touches with two free-throws. "We have a good team. I
think we are ready. We played a couple of good games now, against Spain
and now here," commented Batum right after the game. "We have the
chance to do something good [at the EuroBasket]. "Our goal is to go all
the way through and get a gold medal." Read more here.
August 31, 2013 - Turkey's 12 in jubilant mood
Turkey
celebrated Hedo Turkoglu's achievement of a milestone on Friday by
announcing their 12-man squad for EuroBasket 2013 and clinching victory
in their final warm-up game before the tournament. Turkoglu was
honoured by Turkish Basketball Federation (TBF) president Turgay
Demirel for playing his 300th game with the national team, prior to
Turkey's friendly clash with Poland at Abdi İpekçi Arena. The
charismatic 34-year-old guard/forward first suited up for Turkey at the
1995 European Championship for Cadets and made his debut with the
seniors in a major tournament at EuroBasket 1999, in France. Read more here.
August 31, 2013 - Tomas injury leaves Croatia with 12
Croatia
head coach Jasmin Repesa will not have the luxury of deciding which
player to cut from his final EuroBasket 2013 roster, as an injury to
Marko Tomas has left the squad with exactly 12 players. The winger
picked up a muscle injury during Thursday's practice session and an MRI
scan on Friday confirmed that he will need to undergo medical treatment
for the next three to four weeks, which rules him out of the
EuroBasket. "All five times I have torn a muscle in my career it
happened to me while dribbling the ball, not on defence," the
disappointed 28-year-old told Vecernji List daily. Tomas missed out on
EuroBasket 2009 and only played in Croatia's first two games at
EuroBasket 2011, because of a similar injury. Read more here.
August 30, 2013 - Vucevic headlines Montenegro final squad
Montenegro
will not arrive after all at EuroBasket 2013 with a dream frontcourt
that could have been the envy of the tournament, but head coach Luka
Pavicevic can still count with a formidable roster in the big event in
Slovenia. Star center Nikola Pekovic, who pulled out of the EuroBasket,
and young big man Marko Todorovic, who battled a hand injury throughout
the summer, are the most notable absences from the Montenegrin roster.
But Orlando Magic center Nikola Vucevic, who was the second-leading
rebounder in the NBA last season, will take to the court in Slovenia,
bolstering enormously a team that had already impressed in last year's
Qualification Round by defeating the likes of Serbia and Israel both
home and away. Read more here.
August 30, 2013 - Size matters in Lithuania's final roster
The
last two players to be cut from the squad that will represent Lithuania
at EuroBasket 2013 are both guards, as head coach Jonas Kazlauskas has
opted for a line-up well-stocked on forwards and big men. Kazlauskas
has announced that neither the 24-year-old Adas Juskevicius nor the
21-year-old Vytenis Cizauskas will make their debut with the senior
national team in a major tournament at September's EuroBaske in
Slovenia. The Lithuanian tactician made public the decision following
his team's comfortable 94-73 victory over EuroBasket Group B rivals
Bosnia and Herzegovina, in their third and final warm-up game during
the Acropolis tournament, in Athens. "Both of them are young players
and I hope that the time they spent this summer in preparations will be
very useful to them," commented Kazlauskas. Read more here.
August 30, 2013 - Germany announce EuroBasket 12-Man squad
Germany
head coach Frank Menz announced publicly on Friday the 12 players that
will make up his team at EuroBasket 2013, which tips off next Wednesday
in Slovenia. The player who had to endure the heartbreak of being the
last one to be released from the squad was 26-year-old point guard
Nicolai Simon. "Nico has developed great this summer and so we did not
take this decision lightly," Menz said. "At the end it was small
details that made the difference, but I am sure that Nico will find his
way." Simon has suited up for Germany's youth national teams throughout
his teenage years, but has never played for his nation in a major
tournament at senior level. Read more here.
August 30, 2013 - Healthy Czechs out to surprise
The
Czech national team's nickname is 'Lions' but at the EuroBasket 2013
Draw, back in the winter, they must have felt like they were the ones
that were pitted against the kings of the jungle. The Czechs were drawn
in Group C together with reigning European champions Spain, hosts
Slovenia, Croatia, Poland and Georgia, and many dismissed them
immediately as the team that stood no chance in this company to advance
to the Second Round. That was then. Now, with just five days remaining
to the start of the big event in Slovenia, the Czech Republic are
healthy, happy and are feeling like probably the luckiest of all 24
teams in the competition. "We are not going to the EuroBasket to lose
five games," warned Czech captain Lubos Barton on Wednesday. Read more here.
August 30, 2013 - Latvian confidence up ahead of Slovenia
Latvia
will arrive in Jesenice to take on Bosnia and Herzegovina on Wednesday
with their confidence riding high following back-to-back wins over a
highly fancied Finnish team in Finland. In their final warm-up games
ahead of EuroBasket, the Latvians made the journey across the Baltic
Sea to take on Henrik Dettmann's troupes, winning the first outing on
Wednesday night 90-84, then the second, an evening later, 106-70.
However, not so much should be read into the second result, given it
took place behind closed doors and was treated more like a scrimmage
with the scores being reset to zero at the beginning of each quarter.
Read more here.
August 29, 2013 - Greece cut Vougioukas, lock 12 spots
Greece
head coach Andrea Trinchieri informed Ian Vougioukas on Thursday that
he will not travel with the team to EuroBasket 2013, a decision that
reveals the Greeks' final 12-man roster for the tournament. The names
of the 12 Greek players that will board the plane to Slovenia have not
yet been announced officially but, according to a statement on the
Greek federation's (EOK) website, Trinchieri spoke both with Vougioukas
and Vassilis Kavvadas about his decision, prior to the Thursday game
against Italy in the Acropolis tournament. The 22-year-old Kavvadas, a
2.05m center of imposing physical strength, will therefore be the
surprise inclusion to the Greek squad that will compete at the
EuroBasket. He received playing time with Athens club Panionios in the
Greek A1 league and the Eurocup last season, and was called up to join
Greece's preparations in late July, as cover for the injured Sofoklis
Schortsanitis. Read more here.
August 29, 2013 - Russia announce final EuroBasket roster
Russia
head coach Vasiliy Karasev announced at a press conference on Thursday
the 12-strong squad that will represent Europe's most sizeable nation
at the upcoming EuroBasket 2013 in Slovenia. Combo guard Aleksey Shved
of the Minnesota Timberwolves headlines a roster that also includes
Sergey Monya, Sergey Karasev, Evgeny Voronov, Vitaliy Fridzon, Dmitry
Sokolov, Semen Antonov, Dmitry Khvostov, Evgeny Valiev, Anton
Ponkrashov, Dmitry Kulagin and Alexey Savrasenko. "We have a slightly
difficult situation as there is a rejuvenation of the team, and many of
its leaders will not play with us," Karasev commented. "There are some
players on this team for whom this EuroBasket will be their first
experience of a big tournament. "We've had to modify our style of
basketball, make it faster, and this team needs to get used to the new
style. Read more here.
August 29, 2013 - Mancinelli, Lojeski ruled out
Italy
simply cannot catch a break this summer. On the day the Azzurri
welcomed back to action Luigi Datome after a 10-day lay-off, they
received the news that fellow forward Stefano Mancinelli is forced to
miss EuroBasket 2013. Mancinelli picked up a muscle injury in his right
leg during Tuesday's warm-up game against Greece in Athens. He was
submitted to an MRI scan the following day and the diagnosis confirmed
that the rehabilitation time required exceeds the length of the
EuroBasket tournament, so there is no sense for head coach Simone
Pianigiani to include him in the squad. "Mancinelli was recuperating
his form after a season where he hadn't played that much," said a
deeply disappointed Pianigiani. Read more here.
August 29, 2013 - Skjöldebrand makes Sweden's final squad
Forward
Jonathan Skjöldebrand has successfully shaken off an injury to become
the player that completes Sweden's 12-strong final squad for EuroBasket
2013, which was announced on Wednesday evening. Skjöldebrand has been
sidelined with back pains for the past two weeks but Sweden head coach
Bradley Dean had made it clear that he would wait for a clear prognosis
on the fitness of the veteran before announcing the names of the 12
players that will represent the nation in Slovenia. "The doctor said
that Jonathan could not play on Friday, in our last friendly game in
Germany," Dean said. "But he should be back to 100 percent on Sunday,
so we have taken him on the team." Read more here.
August 28, 2013 - Saric honoured to live EuroBasket dream
Dario
Saric, touted as one of the best young players in the world, is only
hours away from being named on Croatia's team for EuroBasket 2013 and,
consequently, fulfilling one of his childhood dreams. "I feel great,
ever since I was a child I have watched the EuroBasket on TV, followed
the games and cheered on for Croatia," the 19-year-old versatile
forward confessed in an interview with crosarka.com. "And now, to
become a part of such a great team, which will compete in such a major
event, it is certainly a great honour and pleasure for me, and that
means a lot. "I will also have the opportunity to acquire great gaming
experience next to players who play in Europe's biggest clubs. Read
more here.
August 28, 2013 - Lithuania need speed, Greece a coin
Lithuania
and hosts Greece were victorious on the opening day of the Acropolis
tournament, which has been serving as a EuroBasket warm-up event for
three decades, but both teams are still seeking something else. The
Baltic side defeated Italy 79-63 in the first game, behind 18 points
from Linas Kleiza and 14 points from Darjus Lavrinovic. The Lithuanians
started pulling away during the second quarter, were ahead 38-32 at the
half-time interval and maintained a steady double-digit lead throughout
the second half. "We had a lot of ups and downs in our game, but every
time we run in the open floor we were successful," said Lithuania coach
Jonas Kazlauskas. Read more here.
August 28, 2013 - Great Britain trim Squad, Israel, Belgium worry
Great
Britain have cut two players from their preliminary roster and reduced
their squad to 14 men; Israel and Belgium meanwhile are sweating over
the fitness of key players. Great Britain are already in Spain, where
they will face the reigning European champions in back-to-back warm-up
games, on Wednesday and Thursday. Prior to the departure of the British
team for what will undoubtedly be their two most challenging tests in
the build-up to EuroBasket 2013, head coach Joe Prunty decided to
release two players from training camp. Veteran power forward Dzaflo
Larkai and 25-year-old small forward Orlan Jackman were disappointed to
hear on Tuesday that they will not make their first ever appearance in
a major tournament with the senior national team in September's
show-piece event. Read more here.
August 27, 2013 - Finland announce EuroBasket squad
Finland
head coach Henrik Dettmann announced on Tuesday the names of the 12
players that will represent the Nordic nation at EuroBasket 2013 that
tips off next week in Slovenia. The Finnish tactician opted to maintain
the hard core of the team that turned heads in the 2011 edition of the
show-piece European tournament. Playing in the first EuroBasket since
1995, the Finns came within a whiff of clinching a place in the
quarter-finals of the big event in Lithuania, eventually finishing in
ninth place, their best result since 1967. Sharp-shooter Petteri
Koponen, who was the national team's leading scorer at both EuroBasket
2011 and during their Qualification Round campaign last summer,
headlines Dettmann's list. Read more here.
August 27, 2013 - Spain win in more than just a friendly
Marc
Gasol received a Sergio Rodriguez pass down low, posted up Alexis
Ajinca and released a trademark hook-shot three seconds from the final
buzzer to give Spain an 85-84 lead over France on Monday night in
Montpelier. French point guard Tony Parker, who had caught fire in the
second half and finished with a game-high 28 points, has sunk during
his illustrious career many an important shot in much less time than
three seconds. But on Monday his desperation shot did not drop in and
Spain claimed the victory in this warm-up game eight days before the
start of EuroBasket 2013, and the second between the two finalists of
2011 within the space of three days. Gasol scored 26 points, including
the winning basket, to pave the way for Spain, and also added six
rebounds and four assists. Read more here.
August 27, 2013 - Greece go big, let go of Vasileadis
Greece
are set to announce a EuroBasket 2013 squad including just four players
below 2.03m of height, after Kostas Vasileiadis and Dimitris Katsivelis
were informed that they will not travel to Slovenia for the big event.
Head coach Andrea Trinchieri decided to cut the two players from his
preliminary squad for the EuroBasket after the return of the Greeks on
Monday to their base in Athens from Germany. The Hellenic squad had
participated in the warm-up tournament in Ulm over the weekend, where
they lost to F.Y.R. Of Macedonia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, before
defeating the hosts on the final day. "I want to say that both
[Vasileiadis and Katsivelis] put all their efforts into helping the
national team, they are good players and good team-mates," Trinchieri
said. Read more here.
August 26, 2013 - Serbia win while playing waiting game
In
announcing their final squad for EuroBasket 2013, Serbia face a
predicament different to most other teams affected by injuries, as
their plans are hampered by the insecurity of potential, rather than
confirmed, absences. Serbia head coach Dusan Ivkovic has made it clear
that he will wait on Milos Teodosic until the eleventh hour, before
deciding on his 12-man squad that will travel to Slovenia for the big
event. The state of health of the star point guard, who has been
following treatment for the past three months, as well as that of
forward Vladimir Lucic, who is nursing a back injury, will be the
decisive factor in the make up of Serbia's 12-strong team for the
EuroBasket. Read more here.
August 26, 2013 - Russia down to 13 and still short
Russia
decided to trim their preliminary squad for EuroBasket 2013 to 13
players on Sunday, but the decision on the final 12-man team that will
travel to Slovenia will have to wait until Thursday. Head coach Vasiliy
Karasev could only watch in disbelief as power forward Andrey
Vorontsevich was helped out of the court on Friday, after spraining his
ankle in a warm-up game against Finland in Vilnius. Vorontsevich will
need to undergo a three-week rehabilitation process and will therefore
not play for Russia at the EuroBasket. Karasev was hoping that the
versatile 26-year-old CSKA Moscow forward would provide him with
crucial solutions in a frontcourt full of question marks, and partially
make up for the absence of centers Sasha Kaun and Timofey Mozgov, and
star power forward Victor Khryapa. Read more here.
August 26, 2013 - Poland reduce squad to 12 players
Poland
have stopped short of officially announcing the names of the players
that will board the plane to Slovenia next week to represent the
country at EuroBasket 2013, but a late Sunday decision by their head
coach Dirk Bauermann has now reduced their squad to just 12 players.
Any of the 24 teams that will compete at the EuroBasket has until the
eve of the tournament, which tips off on 4 September, to submit their
selected 12-man squad and no changes can be made after that date. The
German tactician has opted to release Lukasz Wisniewski from training
camp, as according to Polish media fellow shooting guard Adam Waczynski
convinced the coaching staff that he was in better condition to clinch
the last available spot on the wing positions. Read more here.
August 25, 2013 - Slovenia announce EuroBasket squad
Slovenia
head coach Bozidar Maljkovic announced on Sunday the 12-man squad that
will represent the host nation at EuroBasket 2013, which starts on 4
September. The team that will try to fulfil the home fans' wishes and
hopes for a historic first EuroBasket medal consists of Nebojsa
Joksimovic, Goran Dragic, Jaka Lakovič, Jaka Blazic, Zoran Dragic, Edo
Murić, Bostjan Nachbar, Domen Lorbek, Jure Balažič, Mirza Begic, Uros
Slokar and Gasper Vidmar. "I have made this decision because I think
that each of the 12 players that stays on the team has the necessary
quality and deserves to play at the EuroBasket," Maljkovic said. The
Serbian coach of the hosts has opted for experience and a proven track
record in choosing his final squad, as the only big-name absences at
the home EuroBasket will be those of power forward Erazem Lorbek and
guard Beno Udrih. Read more here.
August 25, 2013 - Ambassadors presented EuroBasket medals
The Ambassadors of EuroBasket 2013 were presented
the medals for EuroBasket made by Zlatarna Celje, before the last
preparation game of the Slovenian national team. The shape of the
medal, with its purity of the lines and surfaces concentrates on the
essentials and the ergonomic tension gives it a pleasant feeling at the
touch. The medal gives an impression from two parts, which form the
whole and is a symbol of success. With its weight of 210 grams it gives
the highest acknowledgment for hard work and effort. Read more here.
August 24, 2013 - Valanciunas gearing up for battle
Amid
all the talk about the high-profile big men that will miss out at
EuroBasket 2013, fans tend to overlook the fact they will still be
treated in Slovenia to battles among several of the best centers in the
world. Pau Gasol, Joakim Noah, Andrea Bargnani, Nikola Pekovic, or Zaza
Pachulia are some of the stars that, regrettably, will not grace the
hardwood in Europe's greatest tournament. But then again, the likes of
Marc Gasol, best defensive players of the year in the NBA, Nikola
Vucevic, the second-leading rebounder in the NBA last season, FC
Barcelona top-scorer Ante Tomic, or the 'Polish Machine' Marcin Gortat
will be the stars of their respective national teams in Slovenia. As
will Jonas Valanciunas of Lithuania, the youngest player in this
company. Read more here.
August 24, 2013 - Russia lose unlucky Vorontsevich
Russia
have suffered one more important loss in their frontcourt ahead of
EuroBasket 2013, as medical exams confirmed on Saturday that Andrey
Vorontsevich will miss the tournament due to injury. Vorontsevich fell
to to floor following a collision with another player under the basket
during Russia's friendly game against Finland in Vilnius on Friday. Due
to the fall, the 26-year-old power forward suffered a cut to his
forehead, which required eight stitches after the game. The real
problem however was that he also sprained his ankle severely, and after
an MRI scan the doctors decided he would have to keep his foot in a
plaster cast for the next three weeks - EuroBasket tips off in 11 days.
Read more here.
August 21, 2013 - Magical realism for Serbia, Italy
"Return
to Italy and good news on the ankle, now to watch a quality Harry
Potter," Italy forward Luigi Datome tweeted to his followers on Tuesday
night. It is safe to assume that no amount of spectacular magic tricks
by the fictitious adolescent wizard could ever leave such an impression
on Italy head coach Simone Pianigiani as the results of Datome's MRI
scan that day. The exam brought about the 'good news' the player
mentioned in his tweet, just hours after Italy's hopes at EuroBasket
2013 had suffered a huge blow with the confirmation that star center
Andrea Bargnani would not recover in time to join the team. Italy
desperately needed something positive to swift the mood on the team
and, although hardly a magic trick, the news that Datome had avoided
serious injury produced the desired result. Read more here.
August 21, 2013 - Sweden reduce squad to 13 players
Sweden
head coach Bradley Dean has made a final decision on 11 of the spots in
his team for EuroBasket 2013 and retains a further two players in the
squad as options for the last available place on the plane to Slovenia.
Stars Jonas Jerebko and Jeffery Taylor, alongside Anton Gaddefors,
Viktor Gaddefors, Kenny Grant, Ludvig Hakansson, Joakim Kjellbom, Brice
Massamba, Thomas Massamba, Dino Pita and Erik Rush are the 11 players
that have secured their place on the Swedish team. Shooting guard
Tobias Borg will travel with his teammates to Poland at the weekend,
where Sweden will be participating in a four-nation friendly
tournament, and upon their return either him or small forward Jonathan
Skjöldebrand will be handed the last spot on the Slovenia-bound 12-men
squad. Read more here.
August 20, 2013 - Italy without Bargnani, wait on Datome
The
medical staff of the Italian Basketball Federation (FIP) confirmed on
Tuesday that center Andrea Bargnani will not recover from pneumonia in
time to play at EuroBasket 2013. "In light of the latest clinical
results and after consulting the opinion of the medical sector of the
federation, the FIP releases athlete Andrea Bargnani from presenting at
the national team's training camp in Trieste," the federation announced
in a statement on their website. "Bargnani's situation has notably
increased in the last days, but not to the point to allow his
recuperation in time for EuroBasket 2013, which commences on 4
September. "The FIP wishes to thank Bargnani for his efforts and wish
him the best of luck for the future." Read more here.
August 20, 2013 - Polish machine tired of losing
Marcin
Gortat, nicknamed the 'Polish machine', made two pledges to his
national team this summer and has already delivered on the first one,
to re-join the squad in preparations during last weekend's friendly
tournament in Antwerp. In fact the star 29-year-old center did so in
such a convincing manner that he forced all those who had doubted he
would fulfil his promise when he left the Polish training camp 20 days
earlier, to mince their words. Gortat arrived at the Sunday warm-up
game against hosts Belgium almost straight from the airport, following
a long flight back from the western part of the United States, to drop
20 points and lead his team to a dominant 66-52 win. On Monday, Gortat
poured in 18 points and fellow big man Maciej Lampe added 16 points as
Poland defeated Italy 82-79 to win the three-day tournament unbeaten.
Read more here.
August 20, 2013 - Belgium command respect
For
several months after the EuroBasket 2013 Draw took place last autumn,
Belgium kept flying under the radar of pretty much every other team,
player or coach involved in Group A of the big event. Belgium's First
Round group includes EuroBasket 2011 silver medallists France, Germany,
Israel, Ukraine and Great Britain and the Benelux country never seemed
to be included in the mix whenever conversation shifted to the
contenders for the top three spots, that lead to the next phase of the
tournament. It was not an unfounded omission, as Belgium's best-ever
finish at a EuroBasket was a fourth spot in the post-war edition of
1947 and when the nation returned to the Final Round in Lithuania in
2011, they lost all of their games and finished in 21st place. Read
more here.
August 19, 2013 - D-Day approaching for injury list players
With
just over two weeks remaining until EuroBasket 2013 tips off, medical
staff around Europe are treating injured or ill players whose ability
to participate in the big tournament in Slovenia will be decided in the
coming days. Italy find themselves in perhaps the most delicate
position of all, as superstar Andrea Bargnani is battling a problem
that cannot be dealt with physiotherapy. On Tuesday 20 August the
doctors of the Italian basketball federation (FIP) will re-assess the
health status of the New York Knicks big man, who contracted pneumonia
and had to pull out of training camp at the beginning of August.
Without Bargnani, Italy took excessive shots from outside and fell both
to hosts Belgium (75-67) and to Israel (78-74) in a friendly tournament
in Antwerp over the weekend. Read more here.
August 16, 2013 - France, Serbia with reasons to smile
France
edged out Serbia 78-74 on Thursday night in a warm-up game for
EuroBasket 2013 that went into overtime, but both winners and losers
had reasons to feel satisfied after the final buzzer. The hosts,
France, were always planning for this encounter to be a bright
occasion, as it was the inaugural game for the brand-new arena in
Antibes and the 5,200-strong capacity crowd were certainly not
disappointed. Apart from the victory of their national team, local fans
were treated to a fantastic clash of atypical, for a friendly game,
intensity. "This was a real EuroBasket game," France head coach Vincent
Collet summed it up. "It was a thrilling game," Serbia head coach Dusan
Ivkovic concurred. Tony Parker, who had a small break from training
camp, returned to action with Les Bleus on Thursday and delivered his
best performance in a friendly game this summer. Read more here.
August 14, 2013 - MVP Sipahi steps in for Arslan
When
Kenan Sipahi led Turkey to the top of the podium at the U18 European
Championship on 28 July and earned tournament MVP honours, he probably
thought he was living the highlight of his summer. Only a few days
later though, the 18-year-old tall point guard is about to experience a
potentially bigger euphoria, as he received a call from Bogdan Tanjevic
to join the senior Turkish national team in training camp for
EuroBasket 2013. Tanjevic was aware of the outstanding performances of
the 1.97m playmaker in the tournament in Latvia, but the call-up has
arrived sooner in the career of Sipahi than anyone anticipated because
of an unforeseen setback. Veteran point guard Ender Arslan is nursing
an Achilles heel injury which only seems to get worse with time. Read
more here.
August 14, 2013 - New-look Spain earn time
Reigning
European champions Spain edged out Poland 70-66 on Tuesday in their
first warm-up game ahead of EuroBasket 2013 and while they did not
achieve greatness, they got what they really need at this stage - time.
Playing for the first time in the last 13 years without either of
super-stars Pau Gasol and Juan Carlos Navarro, and also without the
likes of Felipe Reyes and Serge Ibaka in the frontcourt, Spain
accomplished a first important mission. That was not, as some might
believe, to convince anyone outside the country that they are still the
intimidating super-power of years past, but to emerge victorious from
the most anticipated encounter in the run-up to the EuroBasket, for
reasons within Spain. Read more here.
August 14, 2013 - Russia cut Balashov, good news for Serbia
Russia
head coach Vasily Karasev is convinced of the future potential of
22-year-old forward/center Nikita Balashov, but not enough to include
him to the senior national team at this stage. Karasev announced on
Tuesday that he has decided to release Balashov from training camp and
that Russia will continue their preparations for EuroBasket 2013 with a
15-man preliminary roster. "The decision on Balashov was hard to take,"
Karasev explained. "However, we are forced to part with some players,
trim the squad, as the time to the start of the EuroBasket is running
out. "I note that all our players, with the possible exception of clear
centers [Alexei] Savrasenko and [Dmitry] Sokolov, should be able to
play at two or three positions. "As for Nikita, at the moment he cannot
compete with the players at his position in the senior national team of
Russia. Read more here.
August 13, 2013 - Gechevski joins F.Y.R of Macedonia camp
F.Y.R
of Macedonia have successfully completed reuniting the surprise package
that reached the semi-finals of EuroBasket 2011, as on Monday veteran
Todor Gechevski joined the training camp for September's EuroBasket. "I
need some time to find rhythm, but I will try my best to help the team
as much as I can," said the 36-year-old Gechevski. "Really soon, by the
tournament in Germany (23-25 August) we will be able to see the real
face of the team, the closest possible to what it will be at the
EuroBasket. "I believe in my team-mates and believe that everything
will be fine." Gechevski and the rest of his team-mates will undergo
double training sessions daily until Saturday, when they face Lithuania
in a warm-up game in Skopje. Read more here.
August 12, 2013 - France announce EuroBasket squad
France
head coach Vincent Collet has announced the 12-man squad that will
board the plane to Slovenia for EuroBasket 2013, and it includes some
surprises. Youngsters Evan Fournier and Leo Westermann, as well as
forward/center Kim Tillie are the three players to have been left out
of the final French squad. While Tillie had not featured in the last
two friendly games of Les Bleus and his omission did not come as an
enormous surprise, many expected the Denver Nuggets combo guard and the
Partizan Belgrade playmaker to make their debut with the senior
national team in September's EuroBasket. "Evan had little time to show
us what he could do, and although in the last few games he improved and
started to play more freely, it was still not enough to make us change
our mind about what we had seen before," Collet explained. Read more here.
August 12, 2013 - Short-handed trio show early promise
Italy,
Greece and Serbia were all competing in friendly tournaments without
key players at the weekend, but overcame absences admirably and gave
their fans reasons to smile, 24 days before EuroBasket 2013 tips off.
The Azzurri defeated Poland 76-65 on Saturday in the Trentino Cup
behind 17 points from Alessandro Gentile and 12 from Pietro Aradori,
despite the fact they had to play without the sidelined-through-illness
Andrea Bargnani, and Luigi Datome and Angelo Gigli who were both being
rested. Italy had previously prevailed over both Israel and Georgia and
claimed first place in the tournament, to the delight of their head
coach Simone Pianigiani, who liked what he saw from his players. "Today
[Saturday] we also did things well and despite the absences we
sacrificed for the team and shared around points and responsibility
among everyone." Read more here.
August 9, 2013 - Latvia beat Russia "without euphoria"
Latvia
suffocated Russia on defence and registered a 72-52 win over their
famed opponents in the first of two warm-up games between the two sides
ahead of EuroBasket 2013, in Riga on Thursday night. The new-look
Russia of Vasily Karasev started promisingly and led their hosts 17-11
at the end of the opening quarter. Latvia however took their guests by
storm in the second frame and outscored them 31-11 in that period,
turning the tables around once and for all. Janis Blums paced the
winners with 15 points, five rebounds and four assists and Rolands
Freimanis added 13 points and six rebounds, but he was quick to put the
win into perspective. "Two years ago, a result like this would make us
ecstatic, but now we are well aware that it does not mean so much,"
Freimanis offered. "The coach after the game immediately emphasized the
fact we committed over 20 turnovers. Read more here.
August 9, 2013 - Croatia breath relief after Saric scare
Croatia
breathed a collective sigh of relief on Wednesday as good news came in
pairs for the national team, after some disappointing events the
previous day. On Tuesday, Croatia suffered a 74-70 loss to F.Y.R of
Macedonia in the first friendly game between the two teams and to make
things worse, young forward Dario Saric picked up an ankle injury
during the encounter. The following morning however, Saric was
submitted to a magnetic resonance and the results of the exam could
hardly be better, as it revealed that no ligaments were torn and the
participation of the talented star at EuroBasket 2013 is not under any
danger. In fact, doctors said that Saric only needs to abstain from
practice for between five and seven days, during which time he will
stay in Zagreb to undergo treatment, and then he will rejoin Croatia in
training camp. Read more here.
August 7, 2013 - Pops pulls out of Great Britain, Serbia cut Musli
The
hopes of Great Britain to follow up on the London Olympics with a
successful EuroBasket 2013 campaign had already been severely weakened
in July, when it was confirmed that neither of Luol Deng or Joel
Freeland will board the plane to Slovenia. Following the withdrawal of
the Chicago Bulls forward and the Portland Trail Blazers center,
another key member of the national team, Pops Mensah-Bonsu, has
announced his decision to not suit up for Great Britain at the upcoming
show-piece event. "Hurts my heart that I am not playing but I have my
reasons! Trust me," the athletic big man wrote in a post on social
network twitter on Tuesday. Mensah-Bonsu, who averaged 11.5 points and
7.2 rebounds for Great Britain in last summer's Olympics, missed the
biggest part of the last club season with an injury. Read more here.
August 7, 2013 - Italy sweat over Bargnani health
Italy
are playing their first friendly game on Wednesday night, in Trento
against Georgia, but on Tuesday they learnt that neither Andrea
Bargnani nor Achille Polonara will be taking to the court. Bargnani has
had to stop any training activity, as he contracted a respiratory
system infection, has high fever and is undergoing therapy. Although
speculation about the big man's recovery times is rife, there is no
indication right now to suggest his participation at the EuroBasket is
under jeopardy. The New York Knicks player however will definitely not
overcome the infection by the time the curtain comes down on the
Trentino Basket Cup tournament, so he will also not play against Israel
or Poland, Italy's next opponents after their premiere with Georgia.
Read more here.
August 7, 2013 - Montenegro lose Pekovic and a dream
It
was a fascinating prospect while it lasted, but Montenegro will not
line up with a twin tower formation that would be the envy of Europe -
and the biggest part of the world - at EuroBasket 2013. The Montenegrin
Basketball Federation (KSCG) announced officially on Tuesday that
Nikola Pekovic, one of the best centers in the world at the best stage
of his career, will not suit up for the national team in September's
big tournament in Slovenia. Consequently, Pekovic will not team up with
fellow big man Nikola Vucevic, the up-and-coming center of the Orlando
Magic who finished the season as the second-best rebounder in the NBA,
with 11.9 boards per game to go with his 13.1 points per night. Read more here.
August 7, 2013 - Latvia look at U20 team, call up Berzins
There
have been a number of changes to the Latvian preliminary squad for
EuroBasket 2013 since head coach Ainars Bagatskis announced it in
mid-June, with the latest addition and cuts coming on Tuesday. Small
forward Janis Berzins turned heads in Estonia during the recent
Sportland U20 European Championship with his sparkling all-round
performances and coach Bagatskis decided to invite him to the senior
national team's training camp. Berzins had averaged 15.4 points and 7.4
rebounds-per-game in the U20 European Champinship to earn a spot on the
All Tournament Team and propel Latvia to the gold medal game, where
they eventually fell to Italy. "The inclusion of Janis is not a
formality," Bagatskis clarified. "I hope that he will create real
competition at his position to everyone who may feel that that they
achieved everything in life and in sport. Read more here.
August 6, 2013 - Todorovic, Teodosic updates
Montenegro
forward/center Marko Todorovic has categorically refuted rumours that
he will miss EuroBasket 2013 due to injury; Serbia's doctor is
satisfied with the rehabilitation of star point guard Milos Teodosic.
Marko Todorovic had an operation in his right hand at the end of the
club season and is still undergoing rehabilitation, a situation that
prompted rumours of him dropping out of the Montenegro squad ahead of
EuroBasket 2013. "I saw rumours circulating on the media that I would
not play at EuroBasket in Slovenia," the 21-year-old big man said in an
interview with pobjeda.me. "However, I have no idea how this began,
it's just not true. "I am currently in Belgrade undergoing therapy and
if all goes well, in about ten days I will re-join the team in Zlatibor
(where Montenegro's training camp takes place). Read more here.
August 6, 2013 - Swedish squad begins to take shape
Sweden's
squad for EuroBasket 2013 inched closer to its final form on Monday,
with two new arrivals and three cuts, all five moves involving
perimeter players. Coach Bradley Dean has released veteran point guard
Olivier Ilunga, shooting guard Martin Pahlmblad and 20-year-old
Jonathan Person. The latter two had participated in Sweden's
Qualification Round campaign last summer, where Pahlmblad averaged four
points and 1.1 rebounds in seven games, while Person contributed one
point and dished out three assists in the one game he featured in,
against Luxembourg. Thomas Massamba and Kenny Grant, who were Dean's
starting guard duo last summer, have meanwhile joined their team-mates
in training camp. Read more here.
August 5, 2013 - Karasev confirmed, Bykov out
There
has been a change in the composition of the Russian national team's
coaching staff over the weekend, but it does not affect coach Vasily
Karasev. On the contrary, the boss of BC Triumph who was made acting
head coach just three days before the start of preparations for
EuroBasket 2013, has now received the full backing of the executive
committee of the Russian Basketball Federation (RBF) and will steer the
national team into September's big event in Slovenia. The announcement
that Karasev will continue as the head coach ends a period of
uncertainty for Russia, that commenced when the RBF and Fotis
Katsikaris, the Greek tactician who had been appointed at the role last
winter, had a disagreement in late July and decided to not activate
their contract. Read more here.
August 5, 2013 - Smiles for Slovenia, alarms for Turkey
On
Sunday, exactly one month before EuroBasket 2013 tips off, hosts
Slovenia emerged victorious in the Laško Group tournament in Celje
ahead of Serbia, Latvia and Turkey, with the latter losing all three of
their games. While the tournament served mostly as a test event for
EuroBasket and friendly games at such an early stage hardly provide a
representative sample of a team's real potential, three of the
participating sides - especially Slovenia - have a number of positives
to take out of the three days in Celje, while Turkey have been left
with plenty of food for thought. On Friday, Slovenia were excellent on
defence during the first half, led Latvia 37-28 at the interval, and
held on for a 71-67 win despite a strong finish by the Baltic side. Read more here.
August 5, 2013 - France win 1st friendly
A
gutsy Finland pushed France to their limits on Friday in Pau, during
the first friendly game of Les Bleus in preparation for EuroBasket 2013
and held a 52-44 lead at the half-time interval. But the hosts turned
up a notch their pace in the second half and their captain Boris Diaw
paved the way to a 101-93 victory with an all-round display of 14
points on 6-for-7 shooting, seven assists and seven rebounds. Diaw got
help from Nicolas Batum who had 14 points and six rebounds, Kim Tillie
with 13 points and Joffrey Lauvergne, who chipped in with 11 points,
while a discreet Tony Parker finished with 10 points and three assists.
Sharp-shooting Petteri Koponen was in fantastic form for the Finns and
collected a game-high 22 points and nine assists, while veteran Hanno
Möttölä finished with 17 points and four rebounds and Sasu Salin with
Tuukka Kotti had 12 points apiece. Read more here.
August 3, 2013 - Benda unlucky, Gortat optimistic
The
Czech Republic are considered by many as the outsiders in EuroBasket
2013 Group C, but coach Pavel Budinsky was satisfied to have all
eligible players at his disposal, from young stars Jan Vesely and Tomas
Satoransky to old-timers Jiri Welsch and Lubos Barton. Now however the
Czechs might be about to join the list of EuroBasket-bound teams that
have suffered the blow of losing a key player to injury, as captain
Petr Benda is very doubtful to play in the big event in Slovenia. The
31-year-old center had picked up an injury last February, while in
action with Czech champions Nymburk. He finished the club season
playing through the pain and undergoing conservative therapy, and was
hoping to join the national team in preparations with the start of the
second stage, on Wednesday. Read more here.
August 2, 2013 - Hackett pulls out, Bourousis injured
Both
Italy and Greece, two of the teams that will compete in Group D at
EuroBasket 2013, received bad news on Thursday night, but the biggest
blow was reserved for the Azzurri. "The athlete Daniel Hackett informed
today [Thursday] FIP's national teams sector that he does not wish to
participate in the activities with the senior national team in the
preparations for EuroBasket 2013," the Italian Basketball Federation
(FIP) announced in a laconic press release. No further reasons were
given for this development by either FIP or the player, but Hackett had
already hinted earlier at a possible absence from the EuroBasket, by
means of a post on social network twitter. "People are asking me, but
at the moment I cannot guarantee my presence at the national team. Too
many question marks, too little health," he tweeted on 12 July. Read
more here.
August 1, 2013 - Gortat leaves Polish camp
Marcin
Gortat has taken permission to leave the training camp of the Polish
national team for three weeks but, in principle, his participation at
EuroBasket 2013 is not under question. The Polish center flew to the
USA on Thursday to undergo medical tests, after completing the first
stage of preparations for the EuroBasket together with the rest of the
team, in Gdansk. "Physically, I feel better and better, the
rehabilitation is going well, but I still feel the pain of the foot,
even during training," the 29-year-old big man said. "I have to make
sure that I will be healthy for the whole season." Gortat had suffered
an injury in his right foot while playing for the Phoenix Suns in early
March and sat out the remainder of the regular season, as his team had
already been eliminated from the play-offs. Read more here.
August 1, 2013 - Rubio: Spain are going for Gold
For
the first time since 2007, Spain are embarking on a EuroBasket campaign
without everyone in Europe considering them as the undisputed
favourites to win the competition. Some key players on 'La Roja'
however beg to differ. Point guard Ricky Rubio, first of all, made
crystal clear on the day of the presentation of the Spanish squad to
the media that the aim of the two-time European champions is to achieve
a historic 'three-peat' at EuroBasket 2013, notwithstanding the
absences of Pau Gasol, Juan Carlos Navarro, Felipe Reyes or Serge
Ibaka. "No one [of us] has said that we are not going to Slovenia for
the gold medal," Rubio declared. "The national team we have is of a
great level [despite the absences]. Read more here.
July 30, 2013 - Fratello aims to build Ukraine's core
Ukraine
head coach Mike Fratello had his first taste of a EuroBasket tournament
in 2011, in Lithuania, and will steer the country's national team into
September's edition of the competition, in Slovenia. While Ukraine are
certainly hoping to improve upon their 2011 result and advance to the
Second Round this time around, the former Atlanta Hawks coach also
keeps his focus on the big picture, which is to construct the basis for
a national team that will compete at its best level in two years' time,
when the country will play host to the next EuroBasket tournament. Last
weekend, Ukraine played in their first warm-up games in preparation for
EuroBasket 2013 with mixed results, as they lost 74-46 to hosts
Slovenia but defeated F.Y.R. of Macedonia 69-60. Read more here.
July 30, 2013 - Serbia worry over Teodosic
Serbia
head coach Dusan Ivkovic has admitted that the state of fitness of
point guard Milos Teodosic is not satisfactory at this point in time,
almost two weeks after the start of his team's preparations for
EuroBasket 2013. "According to the latest information from Dr.
Radovanovic and the conditioning trainer who are in Belgrade with
Milos, his inclusion in the team will not be as fast as expected,"
Ivkovic said. "If things go in a way that bring his appearance at the
EuroBasket into question, it would be for us an immeasurable loss in
terms of quality and experience," the coach added. Teodosic picked up a
left calf injury in a CSKA Moscow game in the VTB United League
play-offs in late May, and was expected initially to undergo surgery.
Read more here.
July 29, 2013 - Mozgov pulls out, piles on Russian woes
Russia
were shocked on Monday to learn that Timofey Mozgov, the player who was
poised to be the starting center of the national team at EuroBasket
2013, has decided to not participate in the tournament. "I'm
experiencing mixed feelings right now," the 27-year-old center wrote in
a personal column on the sports.ru wesbite. "I'm happy because there's
finally certainty with my future and I'll continue to pay in the NBA.
"But at the same time, I'm sincerely sorry I won't be able to help our
national team." Mozgov's mention of his NBA career future is a
reference to the fact that he signed a new three-year deal with the
Denver Nuggets at the weekend, when under previous coach George Carl he
had received limited playing time last season. Read more here.
July 26, 2013 - Great Britain without Deng, Freeland
Luol
Deng of the Chicago Bulls and Joel Freeland of the Portland Trail
Blazers are the big absentees from Great Britain's preliminary squad
for EuroBasket 2013, that was announced on Friday. "Obviously we're
disappointed that Luol's recovery from illness prevents him from
playing," said newly-appointed head coach Joe Prunty. "His health comes
first and we wish him a full and speedy recovery." Deng was
hospitalised in June after contracting a viral infection that forced
him to miss Chicago's last games in the NBA play-offs. "It's one of
those decisions that you have to use your head over your heart," the
Bulls small forward explained. "After the medical tests, it just simply
isn't safe for me to put my body through that amount during the summer.
"It's tough to take. People know how much it means to me playing for
Great Britain. Read more here.
July 26, 2013 - Shengelia shock for Georgia
Georgia
international Tornike 'Toko' Shengelia is to undergo knee surgery and
will not participate at EuroBasket 2013 with his national team, the
Brooklyn Nets announced on Thursday. The 21-year-old forward, who
played in the NBA's Summer League in Orlando as recently as last week,
will have an operation to repair a damaged meniscus in his left knee on
31st July, in the United States. In addition to missing out on the
showpiece September event with Georgia, Shengelia could also be
sidelined during the start of the new season. Shengelia crossed the
Atlantic last summer to join the Nets and in his rookie season with
Brooklyn he appeared in 19 games averaging 1.6 points and 1.2 rebounds
in 4.9 minutes per game. Read more here.
July 25, 2013 - Short-handed France still aim for Gold
France
have kicked off their preparations for EuroBasket 2013 in Paris with
their optimism intact, despite missing key players in the frontcourt.
Big stars Tony Parker and Boris Diaw were all smiles on the first day
of training camp and the latter, who is also the captain of the French
national team, took it upon himself to set the tone of the campaign.
"We have all the ingredients as a team to go for gold in Slovenia," a
confident Diaw told the media, although he hastened to add that he is
fully aware of the big potential of the other contenders at the
EuroBasket. All eyes however were on the man of the last minute, center
Johan Petro, who was invited to join the team only last week, after
Ronny Turiaf became the latest big man to pull out. "The gold medal,"
Petro replied categorically when asked what his aim is in Slovenia.
"Even if we have, how many now, 18 absences?" he added jokingly. Read
more here.
July 24, 2013 - Czechs announce EuroBasket squad
Czech
national team coach Pavel Budinsky has announced a squad of 14 players
for the upcoming EuroBasket 2013 in Slovenia. To the relief of Czech
basketball fans the list includes the NBA star Jan Vesely who is with
the Washington Wizards and Tomas Satoransky who has been drafted by the
same franchise, as well as veterans Jiri Welsch and Lubos Barton.
Vesely and center Pavel Houska are the only two additions to the team
which won the right to play at EuroBasket following the Qualification
Round last summer. From the 14 players in Budinsky's list half ply
their trade outside the confines of the Czech league. Budinsky, has
also publicised the names of 10 stand-by players. "We tried to pick the
best possible squad," said the play-caller. "An additional advantage is
most of them are returning players from last summer and that will help
us find ourselves really quickly." Read more here.
July 23, 2013 - Biedrins disembarks plane to Slovenia
After
leaving Latvian media and fans alike guessing for the past week, Andris
Biedrins announced on Monday his desire not to represent his country
this summer. 27-year-old Biedrins, who last represented Latvia in his
country's failed 2009 EuroBasket campaign had initially been named in
Ainars Bagatskis' wider training squad for this summer's big event.
However, when the team assembled in Riga on 18 July, Biedrins was a
notable no-show with the national set-up failing in efforts to contact
the soon-to-be Utah Jazz center. On Sunday Biedrins appeared in
Tallinn, Estonia with former national teammate Kaspars Berzins to
support Latvia U20 in their historic gold medal clash with Italy at U20
European Championship Men. He then teased media, leaking a photograph
of himself outside of the arena - the first sign of him in a week -
leading to speculation that he would be at training alongside Berzins
and the rest of the national team on Monday. Read more here.
July 20, 2013 - Russia and
Katsikaris part ways
The
Russian Basketball Federation (RBF) officially confirmed on Saturday
that Fotis Katsikaris has stepped down as head coach of the senior
national team, two days ahead of the start of training camp for
EuroBasket 2013. Vasily Karasev, who was initially appointed as
assistant coach of the national team last Thursday, will step in as
interim head coach and conduct the first stage of Russia's training
camp. Karasev is the coach of Russian club BC Triumph and he was in
charge of the nation's team that participated in the Universiade
(University Games) in Kazan, Russia earlier in the summer. Russia's
preparations will get underway as scheduled on Monday 22 July and the
executive committee of RBF will hold an extraordinary meeting on 23
July to decide on the coach who will steer the team to the EuroBasket.
Read more here.
July 20, 2013 - Slovenia open
Training Camp
With
47 days to go until EuroBasket 2013, the home team, Slovenia, have
started their preparations for the biggest sporting event in the
country's history. Head coach Bozidar Maljkovic gathered 13 players for
the first camp in Rogaska Slatina with late inclusions Nebojsa
Joksimovic, Mirza Begic and Bostjan Nachbar joining four days later to
complete the 16-man squad. Slovenia star Goran Dragic was excited about
the start of preparations, saying: "Every year when we meet, like
today, it is great, because in the United States I don't have a chance
to see my [national team] teammates. "We do a lot of things together in
the national team which is a completely different thing compared to a
club, where every player is locked in his own room. Here we eat and
practice together. Everything is more authentic than in a club." Read
more here.
July 15, 2013 - Udrih shock for
Slovenia
EuroBasket
2013 hosts Slovenia have suffered a major shock ahead of the start of
their preparations as guard Beno Udrih has reverted his initial
decision and will not play for his country in September's big event.
Udrih informed the national team general manager Matej Avanzo via sms
message, in which he also thanked head coach Bozidar Maljkovic and
wished the team the best of luck at the EuroBasket. "Given the
experience of past years, we believe that the fact that we were
informed of [Beno Udrih's] intention prior to the start of
preparations, is certainly preferable than a failure to appear at the
training camp," the Slovenian Federation (KZS) commented in a statement
on their website. "None the less, it is not fair towards the Basketball
federation of Slovenia, nor towards the Slovenian public, that this
decision was delayed so much. "Past experience also says that his
decision to decline the cordial invitation to the national team does
not make sense. Read more here.
July 14, 2013 - Belinelli ready
for EuroBasket
Despite
Danilo Gallinari's severe knee injury, Italy should line up with a
strong squad featuring three NBA players at EuroBasket in Slovenia.
Asides from center Andrea Bargnani, who just moved to the New York
Knicks, and rookie forward Gigi Datome (who signed a two-year deal with
the Detroit Pistons), guard Marco Belinelli declared himself available.
"A few days ago, I spoke with coach Simone Pianigiani, and I told him I
will be available. In a few hours I will talk to my new NBA franchise
and I will discuss the summer schedule," the 27-year old guard said in
Naples, during a recent return home. Belinelli just signed a two-year
deal with 2013 NBA runners-up, the San Antonio Spurs, where he will
enhance the foreign presence in the squad which also includes Frenchmen
Tony Parker, Boris Diaw and Nando De Colo; South Americans Manu
Ginobili (Argentina), Tiago Splitter (Brazil); Canadian Cory Joseph;
and Aussies Patty Mills and Aron Baynes. Read more here.
July 12, 2013 - Jankunas misses
EuroBasket train
The
Lithuanian Basketball Federation (LKF) has announced that, contrary to
initial estimates, forward Paulius Jankunas will not conclude his
rehabilitation in time to play for the national team at EuroBasket
2013. "It is unfortunate, but recent tests showed that I have not yet
fully recover, and one should play for the national team only if they
are prepared to give 100 percent," Jankunas said. "I wish the team good
luck at the EuroBasket and I hope that next year I will be part of it
again," he added. According to a report on BasketNews.lt the Zalgiris
Kaunas captain can already lift weights and undergo physical training
normally, but the doctors have ordered him to abstain from playing
basketball for approximately another month. The EuroBasket tips off on
4 September and Lithuania commence their preparations already on Monday
15 July. Read more here.
July 12, 2013 - Vucevic relishes
reuniting twin towers
Nikola
Vucevic is one of the NBA's brightest young stars, but the center
hasn't taken much time off after a long season with the Orlando Magic.
Vucevic has been hard at work preparing for September's EuroBasket and
will form one of the tournament's toughest frontcourts when he joins
forces with another dominant NBA center in Nikola Pekovic. Montenegro
face some tough challenges in Group B, including Lithuania and Serbia,
but Vucevic told fibaeurope.com he believes the country's talented team
is ready for a successful EuroBasket campaign. "I took some time off
after the season was over, but I started working out again around May
28. I was home for about two weeks working out then I went back to
Orlando, working out there with most of the guys that are playing NBA
Summer League. Now I'm back home working out until I join the national
team on 1st August." Read more here.
July 10, 2013 - Turkey announce
ambitious squad
Stars
Hedo Turkoglu, Ersan Ilyasova and Omer Asik headline an impressive
20-strong preliminary squad for EuroBasket 2013 that the Turkish
federation made public on Wednesday. The list of Turkey head coach
Bogdan Tanjevic is an ambitious mix of old and new with the only
big-name absence being that of Utah Jazz center Enes Kanter, which was
however already announced in the spring. The now 34-year-old point
guard Kerem Tunceri is also not included on the list; however the
veteran had not participated in last summer's Qualification Round,
after an almost uninterrupted 12-year long senior international career
which commenced at EuroBasket 1999. Turkey's first get-together is on
16 July and the following day the team will fly to Bormio, in Italy,
where the first stage of their training camp will take place. Read more
here.
July 10, 2013 - Spain announce
squad without Ibaka
Spain
head coach Juan Orenga has chosen to announce directly a 12-man
preliminary squad for the EuroBasket, accompanied by three reserve
players, with forward/center Serge Ibaka not included on the list.
"Following the long NBA play-offs in 2012, the Olympic Games and the
last regular season in the NBA, the medical team of Oklahoma City
Thunder suggested I take some rest this summer," Ibaka said in a
statement. "I would like to thank all the support that I have received
by the Spanish Federation and especially the president Jose Luis Saez
and the coach Juan Antonio Orenga. "Even if I am not on the court in
Slovenia, all my team-mates know that I will be with them in mind and
spirit." While Ibaka's announcement did not come as a surprise, many
had expected that his absence would open the doors of the senior
national team to Real Madrid power forward Nikola Mirotic. Read more here.
July 10, 2013 - France lose
another center in Gobert
France
head coach Vincent Collet must be thinking he has fallen victim of a
very bad practical joke, as hardly a day goes by without the
announcement of another French center becoming unavailable to play at
EuroBasket 2013. A day after veteran Ronny Turiaf made public his
decision to not follow Les Bleus to Slovenia this summer in an
interview with L'Equipe, Collet himself revealed in the same newspaper
that his first option as a reserve at the '5' spot, Rudy Gobert, will
undergo surgery in a few days and will also miss the EuroBasket. The
21-year-old Gobert was selected by the Denver Nuggets with the 22nd
overall pick in the NBA draft in June, but was traded immediately to
the Utah Jazz. "He has a major problem, he will be operated in his foot
at the end of the Summer League [after 12 July], it was already
scheduled," said Collet of the 2.13m center. Read more here.
July 9, 2013 - More big men
woes for France, Serbia
France
center Ronny Turiaf has changed his mind and decided to not play at
EuroBasket 2013, while Serbia forward/center Milan Macvan was absent
from the national team's first gathering on Monday. France head coach
Vincent Collet knew already that his frontcourt at the EuroBasket would
be thin on the ground, but his troubles magnified when Ronny Turiaf
also announced he would not suit up for Les Bleus in September's big
event in Slovenia. "I informed the Federation that I will not be part
of the French team this summer," Turiaf said in an interview with
L'Equipe on Tuesday. "It's been 10 days since I've made my decision.
"Right now, I am without a contract (Turiaf is an NBA free agent after
playing last season with the Los Angeles Clippers) and personal reasons
come into play. Read more here.
June 8, 2013 - Rubio:
EuroBasket will mark next decade
There
are plenty who expect an end to the gold rush era of two-time European
champions Spain at September's EuroBasket in Slovenia, but young
Spanish star Ricky Rubio is having none of it. "Spain first, which
means we will play in the final; Serbia, Russia, or France will be
candidates, pending absences of players from different teams," the
Minnesota Timberwolves point guard risked a prediction for the
EuroBasket 2013 winners in an interview with sports daily Marca.
"Perhaps we are not as favourites as in the past because of the
absences, but the players who will be there will aspire to gold," Rubio
explained. "There are now some key pieces missing [from the national
team], but we have to stay loyal to our mentality and seek first
place." Read more here.
July 6, 2013 - Slovenia trim
squad to 16 players
EuroBasket
2013 hosts Slovenia had announced a 34-strong preliminary squad back in
February, but head coach Bozidar Maljkovic announced on Friday the 16
men he expects to report at training camp on 19 July. The most notable
absence is that of FC Barcelona Regal power forward Erazem Lorbek, who
had arthroscopic surgery in both knees at the end of the club season
and will miss EuroBasket at home. The now 32-year-old guard Sani
Becirovic, who last suited up for the national team at the 2010 World
Championship and played in the Iranian league this year, is also absent
from the squad. Fellow veteran guard Jaka Lakovic however is included
on the list and forms part of a formidable playmaking trio that also
includes Phoenix Suns star Goran Dragic and Beno Udrih of the Orlando
Magic. Read more here.
July 5, 2013 - Serbia: Erceg,
Velickovic pull out
The
'4' spot will be a major headache for Serbia head coach Dusan Ivkovic
at EuroBasket 2013, as after the already confirmed absence of Dusko
Savanovic, both Novica Velickovic and Zoran Erceg have pulled out of
the preliminary squad. Savanovic, who had announced he would be unable
to take part in preparations in an interview in mid-June, along with
the other two star power forwards was submitted to an exam by the
Serbian basketball federation's medical committee on Thursday.
"Following the examination and the diagnosis of the federation's
doctors, Dusko Savanovic, Novica Velickovic and Zoran Erceg have been
omitted from the list," Ivkovic himself announced. Read more here.
July 5, 2013 - Georgia strong
despite Pachulia absence
Star
center Zaza Pachulia, who underwent Achilles tendon surgery in April,
is the only big-name absence from the 20-strong preliminary squad for
EuroBasket 2013 that Georgia head coach Igor Kokoskov announced on
Thursday. The Serbian-born tactician however will still be able to
count with a formidable frontcourt, as his squad includes the likes of
Montepaschi Siena forward Viktor Sanikidze, who led the team in
rebounds in last summer's EuroBasket Qualification Round, as well as
center Giorgi Shermadini of Euroleague champions Olympiacos and
forward/center Tornike Shengelia, who completed his rookie NBA season
with the Brooklyn Nets. Galatasaray sharp-shooter Manuchar
Markoishvili, who was Georgia's second-leading scorer behind Pachulia
in the Qualification Round, with 18 points per game, is also included
in the squad and is expected to be the main offensive option at
September's EuroBasket. Read more here.
July 4, 2013 - 20 Years from
Germany's Cinderella story
On 4 July 1993, Germany completed one of the biggest
upsets in the history of the EuroBasket by edging out Russia 71-70 in
the final and conquering their first - and only, so far - gold medal in
the competition. Twenty years later, a surprising amount of details
from that day are still vivid in the memory of Michael Koch, who was
then the shooting guard of the German team. "This is something you can
never forget in your life, it's a once in a lifetime experience," the
former Telekom Baskets Bonn coach told fibaeurope.com. "I can still
remember the final seconds of the game, when Christian Welp had the
and-one play and he made the free throw for us to go up by one point."
Read more here.
July 1, 2013 - Bauermann trims
Squad
New
Polish head coach Dirk Bauermann has trimmed his squad for EuroBasket
2013 to 17 players who will report for camp on 23 July. The list, which
was released over the weekend, sees four players removed from the
initial 21-man squad. The four players initially named in the squad but
have missed the first cut are Alexander Czyz (Acea Roma), Jakub Dloniak
(Tarnobrzeg), Piotr Pamula (Asseco Prokom Gdynia) and Jakub
Wojciechowski (PMS Torino). "Selecting the first players is always
difficult," said Bauermann on the Polish Basketball Federation website,
continuing, "We were in the United States, Italy and Spain. We met with
the basketball players and watched their games. We wanted these players
to show that they can help the Polish national team to success this
year." Read more here.
June 24, 2013 - Parker headlines
France preliminary squad
TV
viewers and spectators at EuroBasket 2013 will have the chance to enjoy
the play of one of the biggest stars of the game as Tony Parker
headlines the 17-strong French preliminary squad that was announced on
Monday. Parker, who played at his first EuroBasket in 2011, is to make
a seventh consecutive appearance in the show-piece event, an all-time
record among French players. If France were to advance to the
quarter-finals of the tournament in Slovenia and the San Antonio Spurs
point guard features in each one of their First Round and Second Round
games, he will enter the top ten on the list of players with the most
games at EuroBasket in history. The late legend Kresimir Cosic, who
played in nine EuroBasket tournaments with the former Yugoslavia (from
1967 to 1983) tops the list with 67 games. Read more here.
June 24, 2013 - Spain hint at
Marc-Mirotic frontline
Do
not be surprised if reigning European champions Spain line up a
never-before-seen and hugely intriguing frontcourt duo consisting of
Marc Gasol and Nikola Mirotic at September's EuroBasket 2013. On
Saturday, Gasol dispersed doubts surrounding his participation at the
upcoming big event by means of a laconic but unequivocal message. "If
[Spain head coach] Juan Orenga considers it appropriate, I will go to
compete this summer together with my team-mates," the Memphis Grizzlies
center tweeted. The message was received with immense relief among
Spanish fans, who have been preoccupied about their team fielding an
understrength frontcourt at the EuroBasket after Marc's older brother,
the Los Angeles Lakers star Pau Gasol, had announced in May his
unavailability for the tournament due to medical reasons. Read more here.
June 22, 2013 - Slovenia without
Lorbek at EuroBasket
The
hopes of EuroBasket 2013 host nation Slovenia were dealt a serious blow
on Friday night, when star player Erazem Lorbek picked up a phone and
made two calls to transmit bad news. The FC Barcelona Regal power
forward got in touch with Slovenia head coach Bozidar Maljkovic and
national team director Matej Avanzo to inform them that he would need
to follow a two-month long rehabilitation process and would therefore
be unable to play at the EuroBasket. Lorbek underwent arthroscopic
surgery in both knees on Friday in Spain and while the operation was
successful, doctors said that he could not resume training before late
August, with the EuroBasket commencing on 4 September. The 29-year-old
was submitted to the operation immediately after the end of the Spanish
Liga Endesa Finals, where his team lost the league title to arch-rivals
Real Madrid. Read more here.
June 21, 2013 - Petrovic has
faith in Bosnian chances
Bosnia
and Herzegovina head coach Aleksandar (Aco) Petrovic is relishing the
prospect of his team competing in EuroBasket 2013 Group B, despite the
fact many have branded it the 'group of death' in the first round.
Speaking at a press conference in capital Sarajevo, the Croatian
tactician brought back memories of his glorious playing days in the
1980's, when he exuded confidence every time he took to the court with
Yugoslavia or with Cibona Zagreb. "We are not going to Slovenia as
outsiders," Petrovic stated. "I believe that we will advance to the
second round. "We have selected 16 players in the preliminary squad,
which includes six or seven youngsters, and the rest are at their peak,
playing at top level. "Our team can play well on both ends of the
floor, on offence and defence." Read more here.
June 20, 2013 - Spanoulis heads
Greek preliminary squad
Newly-appointed
Greece head coach Andrea Trinchieri could be spoiled for choice in the
run-up to September's EuroBasket, after naming on Thursday an 18-strong
preliminary squad of remarkable depth. Guard Vassilis Spanoulis, who
led Olympiacos Pireaus to back-to-back Turkish Airlines Euroleague
trophies in London last May headlines the list, which also features
small forward Kostas Papanikolaou and a further four Olympiacos
players. Greece captain Nikos Zisis and sharp-shooter Kostas
Vasileiadis who reached the Eurocup Final with Uxue Bilbao, are other
main options in the backcourt along with point guard Nick Calathes, who
conquered that competition with Russian side Lokomotiv Kuban. The only
Greek player to have pulled out of the EuroBasket was Denver Nuggets
center Kostas Koufos. Read more here.
June 20, 2013 - EuroBasket 2011
MVP Navarro pulls out
A
new EuroBasket MVP will be crowned in September as the holder of the
Award, Spain star Juan Carlos Navarro, has admitted publicly that he
will not travel to Slovenia with the reigning champions to defend his
titles from 2011. "The only sure thing is that I will take a rest from
the national team this summer," an exhausted Navarro said after the
final game of the ACB Finals on Wednesday night. "Now it's too soon to
think, it's time to rest. "As I've said before, it's been a tough
season for everyone [at FC Barcelona] and for me personally. "I need to
rest and recuperate well for next year," the 33-year-old shooting guard
concluded. The Barcelona captain picked up a hamstring injury in his
right leg during Game 4 of the Finals series against Real Madrid on
Sunday and was doubtful for the title-deciding fifth game until an hour
before tip-off. Read more here.
June 19, 2013 - Youngest ever
Germany at EuroBasket
The
29-year-old point guard Heiko Schaffartzik is the eldest player on the
17-strong preliminary squad for EuroBasket 2013 that Germany head coach
Frank Menz announced on Tuesday. As expected, superstar Dirk Nowitzki,
who made his last bow with the national team at EuroBasket 2011, is not
included on the list. Likewise, guard Steffen Hamann, who announced his
retirement from international duty earlier in June and power forward
Tim Ohlbrecht, who stated he would not play for the national team this
summer, are also not part of Menz's plans for the upcoming EuroBasket.
A minor surprise however is the absence of power forward Jan-Hendrik
Jagla who had spent every summer in a Germany jersey uninterruptedly
since the World Championship 2006, having made his debut as a senior
international in 2005. Read more here.
June 18, 2013 - Pekovic, Vucevic
in Montenegro squad
Take
the Montenegro side that impressed in last summer's Qualification Round
with a 10-0 record, add two of the most promising NBA centers, and you
get a frontcourt that could wreak havoc at EuroBasket 2013. This dream
scenario is very close to turning into reality for the small Balkan
country, as former Partizan, Panathinaikos and Minnesota Timberwolves
center Nikola Pekovic and Orlando Magic center Nikola Vucevic are
included in the 21-strong preliminary squad for September's EuroBasket
that head coach Luka Pavicevic announced on Monday. Pekovic however
will most likely not be present on the first day of training camp in
late July and will join the team at a later stage. Read more here.
June 17, 2013 - Serbia without
Savanovic at EuroBasket
Serbian
power forward Dusko Savanovic will need to abstain from training during
the summer because of a herniated disc in his lower back and will not
play for the national team at EuroBasket 2013, it emerged on
Monday.
Savanovic, who played through the pain in the final stretch of the club
season with Anadolu Efes, was included in the preliminary squad for
September's EuroBasket that coach Dusan Ivkovic had announced on 6
June. "I thought I could play, that it would be enough to get some rest
and then I would grind my teeth and make it, but the people in white
coats [the doctors] were merciless," Savanovic explained to Serbian
newspaper Sportski Zurnal. "Already at the end of the season things did
not look so good but I was waiting to undergo a detailed examination.
Read more here.
June 15, 2013 - Italy expect
Belinelli to join Squad
The
Italian Federation (FIP) announced on Friday a list of 16 players that
have been asked to undergo medical exams in Rome on 23 and 24 July,
with a view to begin preparations in July for EuroBasket 2013. Toronto
Raptors big man Andrea Bargnani and shooting guard Marco Belinelli, who
competed this season with the Chicago Bulls, are headlining the list
after being absent from last summer's Qualification Round, where Italy
finished with a perfect 8-0 record. While Bargnani recently stated that
he is looking forward to rejoining the national team, Belinelli, who is
now a free agent in the NBA, has said that ideally he would prefer his
contractual situation to be clarified before deciding whether he will
play for the Azzurri at the EuroBasket. Meanwhile Italy's third big
star, small forward Danilo Gallinari of the Denver Nuggets, is not on
the list as he just underwent a second operation in the United States
to repair the torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his left knee
and is expected to return to action late into the new season. Read more
here.
June 14, 2013 - Ohlbrecht will
not play for Germany
Houston
Rockets big man Tim Ohlbrecht announced on Friday his decision to
follow a personal training programme in the summer rather than joining
the German national team on their EuroBasket 2013 campaign. "This was a
difficult decision for me because I always want to play for Germany,"
Olbrecht explained in a statement on the official website of the German
federation (DBB). "Together with my younger team-mates we took the
first step towards a generational change [in the national team] last
summer. "This summer however is pivotal for my career so, in
consultation with my team, the Houston Rockets, I decided to spend the
whole summer in the United States and prepare myself intensely for the
upcoming NBA season." Ohlbrecht, who turns 25 in August, had averaged
5.4 points and 4.3 rebounds in last summer's EuroBasket Qualification
Round to help a new-look Germany under coach Svetislav Pesic punch
their ticket to September's big tournament in Slovenia. Read more here.
June 14, 2013 - Unlucky Bertans
to miss EuroBasket
Young
Latvian international Davis Bertans has torn the anterior cruciate
ligament (ACL) in his right knee and is expected to be out of action
between six and nine months, consequently missing out on EuroBasket
2013. The talented forward, who plays for newly crowned Serbian league
champions Partizan mt:s Belgrade, suffered the injury during the final
game of the season, in the fourth clash of the KLS Finals against Red
Star Belgrade on Wednesday. Bertans had already been on the floor for
12 minutes when, during the second quarter of the encounter, he took
the lane with the intention to drive to Red Star's basket but instead
fell on the floor with an expression of intense pain in his face.
Partizan head coach Dusko Vujosevic immediately rushed on the court to
console his player and his worried reaction left little doubt that the
injury was visibly serious. Bertans underwent medical tests in a clinic
in Novi Sad on Thursday which confirmed the worst possible scenario.
Read more here.
June 13, 2013 - Biedrins in
Latvian preliminary Squad
Latvian
national team head coach Ainars Bagatskis has announced a 17-strong
preliminary squad for EuroBasket 2013 which features the welcome return
of the nation's NBA player. Golden State Warriors center Andris
Biedrins, as well as VEF Riga guard Kristaps Janicenoks, who last
suited up for the national team at EuroBasket 2009, are included on the
list and poised to make their return in a Latvia jersey in September's
big tournament in Slovenia. "I think that if Andris plays at the
EuroBasket it will significantly strengthen our team and will also
benefit his personal career," Bagatskis stated. Biedrins is still only
27 years old and Janicenoks just turned 30 in March but they will be
among the veterans at Latvia's training camp, alongside point guard
Edgars Jeromanovs and after shooting guard Janis Blums who, at 31, is
the oldest player in the preliminary squad. Read more here.
June 13, 2013 - Batum sees great
chance at EuroBasket
French
small forward Nicolas Batum is currently on holiday in Paris but is
relishing his national team's prospects at the upcoming EuroBasket in
Slovenia, notwithstanding impeding changes in their frontcourt. "We
have enormous chances at the EuroBasket, despite counting with two big
men less because of the absences of Kevin Seraphin and Ludovic Vaty,"
Batum told the basketactu.com website. "I still don't know what Joakim
[Noah, of the Chicago Bulls] will do, but Alexis [Ajinca, of
Strasbourg], Ian [Mahinmi, of the Indiana Pacers] and Ronny [Turiaf, of
the Los Angeles Clippers] have had big seasons and will give a balance
with the perimeter, where we have a great bunch of players." "Our
objective [at the EuroBasket] is to reach as far as possible and step
on the podium," Batum added categorically. Read more here.
June 12, 2013 - Great Britain
appoint Prunty as Coach
Great
Britain concluded a long recruitment process on Wednesday by announcing
that Cleveland Cavaliers assistant Joe Prunty will steer the national
team at September's EuroBasket 2013 as their head coach. The American
tactician joined the San Antonio Spurs' coaching staff in 1996 and
later worked for the Dallas Mavericks and the Portland Trail Blazers
before taking on the role of Byron Scott's assistant at Cleveland in
2010. "It is truly an honour to be appointed as Head Coach of the Great
Britain Men's National Team," Prunty said in a statement on the website
of the British federation. "Every person I have spoken with has shown
tremendous passion and enthusiasm for the programme. "This is an
important time for GB Basketball and the opportunity for all of us is
extremely exciting heading into EuroBasket 2013." Read more here.
June 12, 2013 - Ilievski will
give 100% at Final bow
As
EuroBasket 2013, the tournament where Vlado Ilievski will play his last
game in an F.Y.R. of Macedonia jersey, approaches fast, there is a
precious memory of his international career that he knows he will never
forget. It's not a specific moment we can all buy into or perceive in
the same way as the players and staff on the squad that surprised
everyone with their historical run to the semi-finals of EuroBasket
2011. But it's an experience that every athlete aspires to every day of
their career and only a select few get to taste it in their lives.
"After this great chemistry we had between us as a team in Lithuania,
which was incredible, it was the welcoming of our fans," Ilievski
explains, trying to define the feeling to fibaeurope.com. "There were
100,000 people in [our capital city] Skopje waiting for us upon our
return. "They were waiting for hours at the airport, on the highway,
they were everywhere along a 25 km route as we travelled on the bus to
the city. Read more here.
June 10, 2013 - Savrasenko joins
Russian roster
Veteran
Russian center Alexey Savrasenko who, in principal, retired from the
game with the conclusion of the VTB United league finals, might see
action in a fifth EuroBasket after all, in September in Slovenia. Less
than a week after announcing an 18-strong preliminary roster for
EuroBasket 2013, Russia head coach Fotis Katsikaris took the decision
to add Savrasenko, who turns 34 in February and last played for the
national team in 2008, to his squad. The Greek tactician wanted to add
more size to his frontcourt and few choices could help in that
direction more than the 2.17m frame of the experienced Savrasenko, who
had a good season coming off the bench for Eurocup winners Lokomotiv
Kuban. "We have decided to invite Alexey Savrasenko for several
reasons," Katsikaris said. "As you know, Sasha Kaun will not be able to
play for the national team this year, so Alex will help us to reduce
the deficit of big men. Read more here.
June 6, 2013 - Bargnani eager
for EuroBasket to start
Italy
big man Andrea Bargnani had a turbulent season with the Toronto Raptors
in the NBA and regards the upcoming EuroBasket as the perfect launchpad
to recover his fitness and form. "Unfortunately the season was marked
by injuries, I only played in 30 games so I didn't get the chance to
enter a rhythm," Bargnani, who is back in his native Rome and
undergoing a personal training programme, told La Gazzetta dello Sport.
"If you do not have the health to be able to stay on the court for
consecutive games, it is impossible to perform well," the
forward/center added by way of reply to the criticism he received for
his displays during the season. Bargnani, who was drafted in the NBA by
Toronto with the first overall pick in 2006, averaged 12.7 points and
3.7 rebounds per game this season, as the Canadian franchise failed to
come anywhere close to the play-off spots, once again. Read more here.
June 6, 2013 - Teodosic in
Serbia preliminary squad
Serbia head coach Dusan Ivkovic has included Milos Teodosic in the
20-strong preliminary squad
for EuroBasket 2013 that he announced on Thursday in Belgrade. The
charismatic point guard is currently undergoing rehabilitation for a
left calf injury he sustained on 26 May, while playing for CSKA Moscow
in the VTB United League play-offs, and is expected to reach full
fitness in approximately two months. Captain Nenad Krstic headlines the
list which includes all of Serbia's brightest stars, including Anadolu
Efes power forward Dusko Savanovic, who struggled with a back problem
during the final stretch of the club season. The real surprise though
is the return of another star forward, Novica Velickovic, to the
national team mix. The 26-year-old last suited up for Serbia at the
2010 World Championship and had been sidelined through injury for
almost 10 months, since last year's Spanish ACB finals, when he was
still playing for Real Madrid. Read more here.
June 5, 2013 - Finland squad
reunites surprise package
All
but one players on the roster of the Finnish national team that reached
a ninth-place finish at EuroBasket 2011, their best showing in 45
years, have been included in the preliminary squad for next September's
EuroBasket. Finland head coach Henrik Dettmann announced his 23-strong
list on Wednesday and the only player from the 2011 team that will not
have the chance to make a second consecutive EuroBasket appearance is
Petri Virtanen, the Joensuun Kataja point guard. The bulk of that team
were also on international duty last summer, in the EuroBasket
Qualification Round, when they won six of their eight encounters to
punch their ticket to the upcoming big event in Slovenia.
Sharp-shooting guard Petteri Koponen of Russian Euroleague side Khimki
headlines the list, while center Gerald Lee Jr. of Buducnost,
22-year-old sensation Sasu Salin and 36-year-old veteran Hanno Möttölä
are also included. Read more here.
June 4, 2013 - Younger, still
strong squad for Russia
New
Russia head coach Fotis Katsikaris announced on Tuesday his 18-strong
preliminary squad for EuroBasket 2013 that, as expected, does not
include Andrei Kirilenko, Victor Khryapa and Sasha Kaun. Speaking at a
press conference in Moscow, the Greek tactician admitted that working
with a roster that does not include these three players will be a
'challenge' but he also added that he is 'used to working hard and
fight.' Katsikaris and Russian Federation president Alexander
Krasnenkov pointed out instead that the upcoming EuroBasket will
provide a chance to the country's younger players to step forward. "Our
main goal is to build a strong team," Katsikaris said, in a clear
indication that his primary focus at this stage is the work that will
be done with the players during preparations. Read more here.
June 3, 2013 - Russia without
Khryapa at EuroBasket
Viktor
Khryapa, Russia's highest-profile player following Andrei Kirilenko's
retirement for international duty in February, has confirmed he will
not suit up for the national team at EuroBasket 2013 in September. "My
body is exhausted and needs mercy," the CSKA Μoscow forward told news
agency R-Sport on Saturday, in the wake of his team's win over Khimki
in the VTB United League play-off semi-finals. "I have not had any rest
since EuroBasket 2011, I am exhausted and have decided that I will not
go with Russia to EuroBasket 2013," he added categorically. Saturday's
declaration of intentions by Khryapa must not come as a huge surprise
to recently appointed Russia head coach Fotis Katsikaris and the
country's basketball federation. Khryapa's team-mates at CSKA Anton
Ponkrashov and Andrey Vorontsevich, among others, had hinted in
separate interviews with fibaeurope.com several months ago that he was
considering to take the summer off. Read more here.
May 30, 2013 - Koufos for 10
years, but not this summer
Denver
Nuggets center Kostas Koufos confirmed on Wednesday recent rumours that
he has decided to follow a personal training programme this summer and
will not suit up for Greece at EuroBasket 2013. "I wanted to play and
was looking forward to it but unfortunately things don't always turn
out the way we want," Koufos told the gazzetta.gr website. The
24-year-old center explained that he underwent arthroscopic surgery
last summer, when he missed out on Greece's campaign at the Pre-Olympic
tournament in Venezuela. "The rehabilitation process didn't give me
enough time to work out correctly and strengthen my feet and despite
the good season I had this year, I could not take advantage of my
ability to score far from the basket," he said. "I only moved inside
the paint and still did not get the ball so much to play with my back
to the basket. Read more here.
May 29, 2013 - Teodosic avoids
worst case scenario
Serbia breathed a collective sigh of relief on Wednesday
as CSKA Moscow announced that Milos Teodosic will not be operated
on his injured left calf, meaning he could return to action in time for
EuroBasket 2013. The point guard was submitted to extensive tests in a
specialised clinic in Munich and the 'German doctors expressed the
opinion that the player does not need surgery,' a statement on CSKA's
official website announced. "Teodosic needs to undergo conservative
treatment with various types of physical therapy and special
rehabilitation," the statement specified the next steps in the process.
"It is expected that Milos will be able to join basketball practices in
two months approximately," it concluded. The Serbian star will now
return to Moscow and will decide on the details of his rehabilitation
process in conjunction with his club. Read more here.
May 28, 2013 - Croatia announce
preliminary squad
Croatia
head coach Jasmin Repesa made public his 24-strong preliminary squad
for EuroBasket 2013 at a press conference in Dubrovnik on Monday.
Veteran guards Marko Popovic and Zoran Planinic, who had announced on
Sunday their unavailability for the upcoming EuroBasket, are the only
big names missing from the squad. The long list is headlined by four
top-level players that play abroad and had brilliant seasons this year
in the Turkish Airlines Euroleague with their respective teams. Winger
Bojan Bogdanovic of Fenerbahce Ulker and forward/center Luka Zoric of
Unicaja Malaga led their team in scoring in the competition, while
center Ante Tomic of FC Barcelona Regal and point guard Roko Leni Ukic
of Panathinaikos were their teams' second-leading scorers. Read more here.
May 28, 2013 - Injured Teodosic
could miss EuroBasket
Serbia
head coach Dusan Ivkovic and the entire nation are nervously awaiting
the final diagnosis on a leg injury that point guard Milos Teodosic
suffered on Sunday and could prevent him from playing at EuroBasket
2013. Teodosic went down in CSKA Moscow's game away at Khimki in the
VTB United League play-offs and his coach Ettore Messina knew
immediately that it didn't look good. "Milos Teodosic is apparently out
for the season because he has suffered severe damage to the tibia," the
Italian tactician said on Sunday night. On Monday, CSKA president
Andrey Vatutin was able to give more information, but it was not
exactly what Serbia fans would like to hear. "Unfortunately, Teodosic
might have to go into surgery," Vatunin said on Russian TV. Read more here.
May 27, 2013 - EuroBasket less
than 100 Days away
With the number of days until the opening tip-off at
EuroBasket reaching double digits on Monday, Lipko was out making a
presence in the four cities who will be hosting the tournament this
summer. To mark the occasion of less than 100 days remaining until
EuroBasket begins, Lipko visited Ljubljana, Celje, Koper and Jesenice,
handing out 100 balloons to passersby in each of the four locations. He
also met with the mayors of Celje, Jesenice and Ljubljana who were each
given one of the hundred balloons designated to their city. Read more here.
Birkan
Batuk will unexpectedly make his debut in a major tournament with the
Turkish national team at EuroBasket 2013, after he flew in to Slovenia
on Tuesday to replace Omer Onan on the roster. On Monday evening, Onan
felt a sudden pain in his left calf during Turkey's evening practice
session in Koper, their First Round venue at EuroBasket 2013, and was
unable to continue training. The veteran guard was rushed into hospital
and an MRI scan revealed he had suffered an injury that will require
immediate treatment and will sideline him for the next 10 days at
least. The 35-year-old Onan will of course be unable in what had been
the fifth EuroBasket tournament in his career and flew back to Turkey
on Tuesday to start the rehabilitation process. Read more 
In
an effort to give players that were nursing injuries as much time as
possible to recuperate, Ukraine took the unusual step of travelling to
Slovenia with 14 players and make two cuts on the eve of EuroBasket
2013. After the team's first practice session on Slovenian soil, head
coach Mike Fratello has decided that the official 12-man roster he will
submit to FIBA Europe later on Tuesday will be made up of Dmytro
Zabirchenko, Ihor Zaytsev, Dmitro Gliebov, Maksym Pustozvonov,
Viacheslav Krautsov, Sergii Gladyr, Artem Pustoviy, Oleksander Mishula,
Oleksander Lypovyy, Eugene Jeter, Kyryll Natyazhko and Maksym
Korniyenko. Read more 
On
Wednesday in Koper Jonas Valanciunas will be starting EuroBasket 2013
how he hopes to end it 18 days later in Ljubljana: by receiving an
award. Prior to Lithuania's opening tip-off in Jesenice against Serbia
at 9pm CET, the 21-year-old will be presented with the trophy for 2012
FIBA Europe Young Men's Player of the Year - the second consecutive
year that the Utena native has been bestowed with the honour.
Valanciunas eclipsed other nominations in the field which was voted on
by selected journalists and fans, easily seeing off Croatia's Dario
Saric and France's Leo Westermann, who finished second and third
respectively. Read more 
The
Italian national team were dealt one more blow to their EuroBasket 2013
hopes on the eve of their departure to Slovenia, as on Sunday Angelo
Gigli was ruled out of the tournament with injury. The unlucky
30-year-old power forward suffered the recurrence of an old injury in
his left knee upon Italy's return home from Greece, where they had
played their last warm-up games in the Acropolis tournament, and he
will not board the plane to Slovenia after spending the best part of
the summer in training camp with the rest of the 'Azzurri'. Gigli's
inury is but the latest in a series of setbacks that Italy head coach
Simone Pianigiani has had to deal with in the build-up to this
September's EuroBasket. Read more 
Serbia waited on both players until the last possible moment, but in the end neither star point guard 
Forward
Daniel Clark missed Great Britain's preparations for EuroBasket 2013
because of a persistent injury but has managed to recover in time to be
included on the final 12-man squad that travelled to Slovenia on
Sunday. The 25-year-old forward underwent a late fitness test during
the weekend to confirm his availability and the doctors' verdict must
have sounded like music to the ears of head coach Joe Prunty. Clark
will be one of six players returning from Great Britain's Olympic Games
2012 squad, alongside captain Andrew (Drew) Sullivan, Andrew Lawrence,
Kieron Achara, Eric Boateng, and Kyle Johnson. Youngsters Devon van
Oostrum, Myles Hesson and Alasdair Fraser will all make their debut
with the senior national team in a major tournament. Read more 
At
what age can a sportsperson be considered a veteran? If you are a
gymnast the answer is approximately 18, golf it is in your late
fifties. But how about if you are a German national basket player?
Looking at the German team that will take to the court in Ljubljana
this week, the answer to the above question appears to be 24 - the age
of Robin Benzing whose appearance in Slovenia will mark his third
EuroBasket tournament. On the youngest-ever German EuroBasket roster,
Benzing is one of only four players to have been there twice before,
the other three being Tibor Pleiss, Lucca Staiger and Heiko
Schaffartzik. "It's kinda funny that I will be one of the older members
of the team," pondered the 2.08m forward at the beginning of summer
when fibaeurope.com caught up with him at a Bayern Munich training.
Read more 
Small
forward Janis Timma fell ill just days before Latvia's departure for
Slovenia and will have to miss out on EuroBasket 2013, which would have
been his first major tournament with the senior national team. The
21-year-old, who was selected in this summer's NBA Draft by the Memphis
Grizzlies with the 60th overall pick, contracted a virus and came down
with a fever. Timma will have to take antibiotics for at least another
week and had to be ruled out of the team on Saturday evening, when head
coach Ainars Bagatskis announced his final 12-man roster fo EuroBasket.
The squad that will represent the Baltic nation in Slovenia consists of
Martins Meiers, Andrejs Selakovs, Kaspars Berzins, Rolands Freimanis,
Mareks Mejeris, Janis Strelnieks, Dairis Bertans, Armands Skele, Janis
Blums, Kristaps Janicenoks, Janis Berzins and Rihards Kuksiks. Read
more 
Center
Alexander Tyus has successfully shaken off a groin injury and was
included on Israel's 12-strong squad for EuroBasket 2013 that head
coach Arik Shivek announced on Saturday evening. Tyus received the
green light from the medical team to re-join the team in practices on
Wednesday, but sat out Israel's last two warm-up games midweek, against
Georgia. Shivek waited until the eleventh hour before announcing his
chosen roster to make sure the 25-year-old center would be fit enough
to compete at the EuroBasket. The coach had stated that he would take
Tyus to Slovenia even if he was at 70 percent of full fitness, as
Israel have no direct replacement for him. Read more 
France
edged out Slovenia 70-65 in an entertaining game in the final venue of
EuroBasket 2013, Stozice Arena, on Saturday night to wrap up
preparation games for both sides. Antoine Diot with a three-pointer
gave Les Bleus the edge in the final minute before Nicolas Batum put
the finishing touches with two free-throws. "We have a good team. I
think we are ready. We played a couple of good games now, against Spain
and now here," commented Batum right after the game. "We have the
chance to do something good [at the EuroBasket]. "Our goal is to go all
the way through and get a gold medal." Read more 
Turkey
celebrated Hedo Turkoglu's achievement of a milestone on Friday by
announcing their 12-man squad for EuroBasket 2013 and clinching victory
in their final warm-up game before the tournament. Turkoglu was
honoured by Turkish Basketball Federation (TBF) president Turgay
Demirel for playing his 300th game with the national team, prior to
Turkey's friendly clash with Poland at Abdi İpekçi Arena. The
charismatic 34-year-old guard/forward first suited up for Turkey at the
1995 European Championship for Cadets and made his debut with the
seniors in a major tournament at EuroBasket 1999, in France. Read more 
Croatia
head coach Jasmin Repesa will not have the luxury of deciding which
player to cut from his final EuroBasket 2013 roster, as an injury to
Marko Tomas has left the squad with exactly 12 players. The winger
picked up a muscle injury during Thursday's practice session and an MRI
scan on Friday confirmed that he will need to undergo medical treatment
for the next three to four weeks, which rules him out of the
EuroBasket. "All five times I have torn a muscle in my career it
happened to me while dribbling the ball, not on defence," the
disappointed 28-year-old told Vecernji List daily. Tomas missed out on
EuroBasket 2009 and only played in Croatia's first two games at
EuroBasket 2011, because of a similar injury. Read more 
Montenegro
will not arrive after all at EuroBasket 2013 with a dream frontcourt
that could have been the envy of the tournament, but head coach Luka
Pavicevic can still count with a formidable roster in the big event in
Slovenia. Star center Nikola Pekovic, who pulled out of the EuroBasket,
and young big man Marko Todorovic, who battled a hand injury throughout
the summer, are the most notable absences from the Montenegrin roster.
But Orlando Magic center Nikola Vucevic, who was the second-leading
rebounder in the NBA last season, will take to the court in Slovenia,
bolstering enormously a team that had already impressed in last year's
Qualification Round by defeating the likes of Serbia and Israel both
home and away. Read more 
The
last two players to be cut from the squad that will represent Lithuania
at EuroBasket 2013 are both guards, as head coach Jonas Kazlauskas has
opted for a line-up well-stocked on forwards and big men. Kazlauskas
has announced that neither the 24-year-old Adas Juskevicius nor the
21-year-old Vytenis Cizauskas will make their debut with the senior
national team in a major tournament at September's EuroBaske in
Slovenia. The Lithuanian tactician made public the decision following
his team's comfortable 94-73 victory over EuroBasket Group B rivals
Bosnia and Herzegovina, in their third and final warm-up game during
the Acropolis tournament, in Athens. "Both of them are young players
and I hope that the time they spent this summer in preparations will be
very useful to them," commented Kazlauskas. Read more 
Germany
head coach Frank Menz announced publicly on Friday the 12 players that
will make up his team at EuroBasket 2013, which tips off next Wednesday
in Slovenia. The player who had to endure the heartbreak of being the
last one to be released from the squad was 26-year-old point guard
Nicolai Simon. "Nico has developed great this summer and so we did not
take this decision lightly," Menz said. "At the end it was small
details that made the difference, but I am sure that Nico will find his
way." Simon has suited up for Germany's youth national teams throughout
his teenage years, but has never played for his nation in a major
tournament at senior level. Read more 
The
Czech national team's nickname is 'Lions' but at the EuroBasket 2013
Draw, back in the winter, they must have felt like they were the ones
that were pitted against the kings of the jungle. The Czechs were drawn
in Group C together with reigning European champions Spain, hosts
Slovenia, Croatia, Poland and Georgia, and many dismissed them
immediately as the team that stood no chance in this company to advance
to the Second Round. That was then. Now, with just five days remaining
to the start of the big event in Slovenia, the Czech Republic are
healthy, happy and are feeling like probably the luckiest of all 24
teams in the competition. "We are not going to the EuroBasket to lose
five games," warned Czech captain Lubos Barton on Wednesday. Read more 
Latvia
will arrive in Jesenice to take on Bosnia and Herzegovina on Wednesday
with their confidence riding high following back-to-back wins over a
highly fancied Finnish team in Finland. In their final warm-up games
ahead of EuroBasket, the Latvians made the journey across the Baltic
Sea to take on Henrik Dettmann's troupes, winning the first outing on
Wednesday night 90-84, then the second, an evening later, 106-70.
However, not so much should be read into the second result, given it
took place behind closed doors and was treated more like a scrimmage
with the scores being reset to zero at the beginning of each quarter.
Read more 
Greece
head coach Andrea Trinchieri informed Ian Vougioukas on Thursday that
he will not travel with the team to EuroBasket 2013, a decision that
reveals the Greeks' final 12-man roster for the tournament. The names
of the 12 Greek players that will board the plane to Slovenia have not
yet been announced officially but, according to a statement on the
Greek federation's (EOK) website, Trinchieri spoke both with Vougioukas
and Vassilis Kavvadas about his decision, prior to the Thursday game
against Italy in the Acropolis tournament. The 22-year-old Kavvadas, a
2.05m center of imposing physical strength, will therefore be the
surprise inclusion to the Greek squad that will compete at the
EuroBasket. He received playing time with Athens club Panionios in the
Greek A1 league and the Eurocup last season, and was called up to join
Greece's preparations in late July, as cover for the injured Sofoklis
Schortsanitis. Read more 
Russia
head coach Vasiliy Karasev announced at a press conference on Thursday
the 12-strong squad that will represent Europe's most sizeable nation
at the upcoming EuroBasket 2013 in Slovenia. Combo guard Aleksey Shved
of the Minnesota Timberwolves headlines a roster that also includes
Sergey Monya, Sergey Karasev, Evgeny Voronov, Vitaliy Fridzon, Dmitry
Sokolov, Semen Antonov, Dmitry Khvostov, Evgeny Valiev, Anton
Ponkrashov, Dmitry Kulagin and Alexey Savrasenko. "We have a slightly
difficult situation as there is a rejuvenation of the team, and many of
its leaders will not play with us," Karasev commented. "There are some
players on this team for whom this EuroBasket will be their first
experience of a big tournament. "We've had to modify our style of
basketball, make it faster, and this team needs to get used to the new
style. Read more 
Italy
simply cannot catch a break this summer. On the day the Azzurri
welcomed back to action Luigi Datome after a 10-day lay-off, they
received the news that fellow forward Stefano Mancinelli is forced to
miss EuroBasket 2013. Mancinelli picked up a muscle injury in his right
leg during Tuesday's warm-up game against Greece in Athens. He was
submitted to an MRI scan the following day and the diagnosis confirmed
that the rehabilitation time required exceeds the length of the
EuroBasket tournament, so there is no sense for head coach Simone
Pianigiani to include him in the squad. "Mancinelli was recuperating
his form after a season where he hadn't played that much," said a
deeply disappointed Pianigiani. Read more 
Forward
Jonathan Skjöldebrand has successfully shaken off an injury to become
the player that completes Sweden's 12-strong final squad for EuroBasket
2013, which was announced on Wednesday evening. Skjöldebrand has been
sidelined with back pains for the past two weeks but Sweden head coach
Bradley Dean had made it clear that he would wait for a clear prognosis
on the fitness of the veteran before announcing the names of the 12
players that will represent the nation in Slovenia. "The doctor said
that Jonathan could not play on Friday, in our last friendly game in
Germany," Dean said. "But he should be back to 100 percent on Sunday,
so we have taken him on the team." Read more 
Dario
Saric, touted as one of the best young players in the world, is only
hours away from being named on Croatia's team for EuroBasket 2013 and,
consequently, fulfilling one of his childhood dreams. "I feel great,
ever since I was a child I have watched the EuroBasket on TV, followed
the games and cheered on for Croatia," the 19-year-old versatile
forward confessed in an interview with crosarka.com. "And now, to
become a part of such a great team, which will compete in such a major
event, it is certainly a great honour and pleasure for me, and that
means a lot. "I will also have the opportunity to acquire great gaming
experience next to players who play in Europe's biggest clubs. Read
more 
Lithuania
and hosts Greece were victorious on the opening day of the Acropolis
tournament, which has been serving as a EuroBasket warm-up event for
three decades, but both teams are still seeking something else. The
Baltic side defeated Italy 79-63 in the first game, behind 18 points
from Linas Kleiza and 14 points from Darjus Lavrinovic. The Lithuanians
started pulling away during the second quarter, were ahead 38-32 at the
half-time interval and maintained a steady double-digit lead throughout
the second half. "We had a lot of ups and downs in our game, but every
time we run in the open floor we were successful," said Lithuania coach
Jonas Kazlauskas. Read more 
Great
Britain have cut two players from their preliminary roster and reduced
their squad to 14 men; Israel and Belgium meanwhile are sweating over
the fitness of key players. Great Britain are already in Spain, where
they will face the reigning European champions in back-to-back warm-up
games, on Wednesday and Thursday. Prior to the departure of the British
team for what will undoubtedly be their two most challenging tests in
the build-up to EuroBasket 2013, head coach Joe Prunty decided to
release two players from training camp. Veteran power forward Dzaflo
Larkai and 25-year-old small forward Orlan Jackman were disappointed to
hear on Tuesday that they will not make their first ever appearance in
a major tournament with the senior national team in September's
show-piece event. Read more 
Finland
head coach Henrik Dettmann announced on Tuesday the names of the 12
players that will represent the Nordic nation at EuroBasket 2013 that
tips off next week in Slovenia. The Finnish tactician opted to maintain
the hard core of the team that turned heads in the 2011 edition of the
show-piece European tournament. Playing in the first EuroBasket since
1995, the Finns came within a whiff of clinching a place in the
quarter-finals of the big event in Lithuania, eventually finishing in
ninth place, their best result since 1967. Sharp-shooter Petteri
Koponen, who was the national team's leading scorer at both EuroBasket
2011 and during their Qualification Round campaign last summer,
headlines Dettmann's list. Read more 
Marc
Gasol received a Sergio Rodriguez pass down low, posted up Alexis
Ajinca and released a trademark hook-shot three seconds from the final
buzzer to give Spain an 85-84 lead over France on Monday night in
Montpelier. French point guard Tony Parker, who had caught fire in the
second half and finished with a game-high 28 points, has sunk during
his illustrious career many an important shot in much less time than
three seconds. But on Monday his desperation shot did not drop in and
Spain claimed the victory in this warm-up game eight days before the
start of EuroBasket 2013, and the second between the two finalists of
2011 within the space of three days. Gasol scored 26 points, including
the winning basket, to pave the way for Spain, and also added six
rebounds and four assists. Read more 
Greece
are set to announce a EuroBasket 2013 squad including just four players
below 2.03m of height, after Kostas Vasileiadis and Dimitris Katsivelis
were informed that they will not travel to Slovenia for the big event.
Head coach Andrea Trinchieri decided to cut the two players from his
preliminary squad for the EuroBasket after the return of the Greeks on
Monday to their base in Athens from Germany. The Hellenic squad had
participated in the warm-up tournament in Ulm over the weekend, where
they lost to F.Y.R. Of Macedonia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, before
defeating the hosts on the final day. "I want to say that both
[Vasileiadis and Katsivelis] put all their efforts into helping the
national team, they are good players and good team-mates," Trinchieri
said. Read more 
In
announcing their final squad for EuroBasket 2013, Serbia face a
predicament different to most other teams affected by injuries, as
their plans are hampered by the insecurity of potential, rather than
confirmed, absences. Serbia head coach Dusan Ivkovic has made it clear
that he will wait on Milos Teodosic until the eleventh hour, before
deciding on his 12-man squad that will travel to Slovenia for the big
event. The state of health of the star point guard, who has been
following treatment for the past three months, as well as that of
forward Vladimir Lucic, who is nursing a back injury, will be the
decisive factor in the make up of Serbia's 12-strong team for the
EuroBasket. Read more 
Poland
have stopped short of officially announcing the names of the players
that will board the plane to Slovenia next week to represent the
country at EuroBasket 2013, but a late Sunday decision by their head
coach Dirk Bauermann has now reduced their squad to just 12 players.
Any of the 24 teams that will compete at the EuroBasket has until the
eve of the tournament, which tips off on 4 September, to submit their
selected 12-man squad and no changes can be made after that date. The
German tactician has opted to release Lukasz Wisniewski from training
camp, as according to Polish media fellow shooting guard Adam Waczynski
convinced the coaching staff that he was in better condition to clinch
the last available spot on the wing positions. Read more 
Slovenia
head coach Bozidar Maljkovic announced on Sunday the 12-man squad that
will represent the host nation at EuroBasket 2013, which starts on 4
September. The team that will try to fulfil the home fans' wishes and
hopes for a historic first EuroBasket medal consists of Nebojsa
Joksimovic, Goran Dragic, Jaka Lakovič, Jaka Blazic, Zoran Dragic, Edo
Murić, Bostjan Nachbar, Domen Lorbek, Jure Balažič, Mirza Begic, Uros
Slokar and Gasper Vidmar. "I have made this decision because I think
that each of the 12 players that stays on the team has the necessary
quality and deserves to play at the EuroBasket," Maljkovic said. The
Serbian coach of the hosts has opted for experience and a proven track
record in choosing his final squad, as the only big-name absences at
the home EuroBasket will be those of power forward Erazem Lorbek and
guard Beno Udrih. Read more 
Russia
have suffered one more important loss in their frontcourt ahead of
EuroBasket 2013, as medical exams confirmed on Saturday that Andrey
Vorontsevich will miss the tournament due to injury. Vorontsevich fell
to to floor following a collision with another player under the basket
during Russia's friendly game against Finland in Vilnius on Friday. Due
to the fall, the 26-year-old power forward suffered a cut to his
forehead, which required eight stitches after the game. The real
problem however was that he also sprained his ankle severely, and after
an MRI scan the doctors decided he would have to keep his foot in a
plaster cast for the next three weeks - EuroBasket tips off in 11 days.
Read more 
"Return
to Italy and good news on the ankle, now to watch a quality Harry
Potter," Italy forward Luigi Datome tweeted to his followers on Tuesday
night. It is safe to assume that no amount of spectacular magic tricks
by the fictitious adolescent wizard could ever leave such an impression
on Italy head coach Simone Pianigiani as the results of Datome's MRI
scan that day. The exam brought about the 'good news' the player
mentioned in his tweet, just hours after Italy's hopes at EuroBasket
2013 had suffered a huge blow with the confirmation that star center
Andrea Bargnani would not recover in time to join the team. Italy
desperately needed something positive to swift the mood on the team
and, although hardly a magic trick, the news that Datome had avoided
serious injury produced the desired result. Read more 
Sweden
head coach Bradley Dean has made a final decision on 11 of the spots in
his team for EuroBasket 2013 and retains a further two players in the
squad as options for the last available place on the plane to Slovenia.
Stars Jonas Jerebko and Jeffery Taylor, alongside Anton Gaddefors,
Viktor Gaddefors, Kenny Grant, Ludvig Hakansson, Joakim Kjellbom, Brice
Massamba, Thomas Massamba, Dino Pita and Erik Rush are the 11 players
that have secured their place on the Swedish team. Shooting guard
Tobias Borg will travel with his teammates to Poland at the weekend,
where Sweden will be participating in a four-nation friendly
tournament, and upon their return either him or small forward Jonathan
Skjöldebrand will be handed the last spot on the Slovenia-bound 12-men
squad. Read more 
The
medical staff of the Italian Basketball Federation (FIP) confirmed on
Tuesday that center Andrea Bargnani will not recover from pneumonia in
time to play at EuroBasket 2013. "In light of the latest clinical
results and after consulting the opinion of the medical sector of the
federation, the FIP releases athlete Andrea Bargnani from presenting at
the national team's training camp in Trieste," the federation announced
in a statement on their website. "Bargnani's situation has notably
increased in the last days, but not to the point to allow his
recuperation in time for EuroBasket 2013, which commences on 4
September. "The FIP wishes to thank Bargnani for his efforts and wish
him the best of luck for the future." Read more 
Marcin
Gortat, nicknamed the 'Polish machine', made two pledges to his
national team this summer and has already delivered on the first one,
to re-join the squad in preparations during last weekend's friendly
tournament in Antwerp. In fact the star 29-year-old center did so in
such a convincing manner that he forced all those who had doubted he
would fulfil his promise when he left the Polish training camp 20 days
earlier, to mince their words. Gortat arrived at the Sunday warm-up
game against hosts Belgium almost straight from the airport, following
a long flight back from the western part of the United States, to drop
20 points and lead his team to a dominant 66-52 win. On Monday, Gortat
poured in 18 points and fellow big man Maciej Lampe added 16 points as
Poland defeated Italy 82-79 to win the three-day tournament unbeaten.
Read more 
For
several months after the EuroBasket 2013 Draw took place last autumn,
Belgium kept flying under the radar of pretty much every other team,
player or coach involved in Group A of the big event. Belgium's First
Round group includes EuroBasket 2011 silver medallists France, Germany,
Israel, Ukraine and Great Britain and the Benelux country never seemed
to be included in the mix whenever conversation shifted to the
contenders for the top three spots, that lead to the next phase of the
tournament. It was not an unfounded omission, as Belgium's best-ever
finish at a EuroBasket was a fourth spot in the post-war edition of
1947 and when the nation returned to the Final Round in Lithuania in
2011, they lost all of their games and finished in 21st place. Read
more 
When
Kenan Sipahi led Turkey to the top of the podium at the U18 European
Championship on 28 July and earned tournament MVP honours, he probably
thought he was living the highlight of his summer. Only a few days
later though, the 18-year-old tall point guard is about to experience a
potentially bigger euphoria, as he received a call from Bogdan Tanjevic
to join the senior Turkish national team in training camp for
EuroBasket 2013. Tanjevic was aware of the outstanding performances of
the 1.97m playmaker in the tournament in Latvia, but the call-up has
arrived sooner in the career of Sipahi than anyone anticipated because
of an unforeseen setback. Veteran point guard Ender Arslan is nursing
an Achilles heel injury which only seems to get worse with time. Read
more 
Reigning
European champions Spain edged out Poland 70-66 on Tuesday in their
first warm-up game ahead of EuroBasket 2013 and while they did not
achieve greatness, they got what they really need at this stage - time.
Playing for the first time in the last 13 years without either of
super-stars Pau Gasol and Juan Carlos Navarro, and also without the
likes of Felipe Reyes and Serge Ibaka in the frontcourt, Spain
accomplished a first important mission. That was not, as some might
believe, to convince anyone outside the country that they are still the
intimidating super-power of years past, but to emerge victorious from
the most anticipated encounter in the run-up to the EuroBasket, for
reasons within Spain. Read more 
Russia
head coach Vasily Karasev is convinced of the future potential of
22-year-old forward/center Nikita Balashov, but not enough to include
him to the senior national team at this stage. Karasev announced on
Tuesday that he has decided to release Balashov from training camp and
that Russia will continue their preparations for EuroBasket 2013 with a
15-man preliminary roster. "The decision on Balashov was hard to take,"
Karasev explained. "However, we are forced to part with some players,
trim the squad, as the time to the start of the EuroBasket is running
out. "I note that all our players, with the possible exception of clear
centers [Alexei] Savrasenko and [Dmitry] Sokolov, should be able to
play at two or three positions. "As for Nikita, at the moment he cannot
compete with the players at his position in the senior national team of
Russia. Read more 
F.Y.R
of Macedonia have successfully completed reuniting the surprise package
that reached the semi-finals of EuroBasket 2011, as on Monday veteran
Todor Gechevski joined the training camp for September's EuroBasket. "I
need some time to find rhythm, but I will try my best to help the team
as much as I can," said the 36-year-old Gechevski. "Really soon, by the
tournament in Germany (23-25 August) we will be able to see the real
face of the team, the closest possible to what it will be at the
EuroBasket. "I believe in my team-mates and believe that everything
will be fine." Gechevski and the rest of his team-mates will undergo
double training sessions daily until Saturday, when they face Lithuania
in a warm-up game in Skopje. Read more 
Italy,
Greece and Serbia were all competing in friendly tournaments without
key players at the weekend, but overcame absences admirably and gave
their fans reasons to smile, 24 days before EuroBasket 2013 tips off.
The Azzurri defeated Poland 76-65 on Saturday in the Trentino Cup
behind 17 points from Alessandro Gentile and 12 from Pietro Aradori,
despite the fact they had to play without the sidelined-through-illness
Andrea Bargnani, and Luigi Datome and Angelo Gigli who were both being
rested. Italy had previously prevailed over both Israel and Georgia and
claimed first place in the tournament, to the delight of their head
coach Simone Pianigiani, who liked what he saw from his players. "Today
[Saturday] we also did things well and despite the absences we
sacrificed for the team and shared around points and responsibility
among everyone." Read more 
The
hopes of Great Britain to follow up on the London Olympics with a
successful EuroBasket 2013 campaign had already been severely weakened
in July, when it was confirmed that neither of Luol Deng or Joel
Freeland will board the plane to Slovenia. Following the withdrawal of
the Chicago Bulls forward and the Portland Trail Blazers center,
another key member of the national team, Pops Mensah-Bonsu, has
announced his decision to not suit up for Great Britain at the upcoming
show-piece event. "Hurts my heart that I am not playing but I have my
reasons! Trust me," the athletic big man wrote in a post on social
network twitter on Tuesday. Mensah-Bonsu, who averaged 11.5 points and
7.2 rebounds for Great Britain in last summer's Olympics, missed the
biggest part of the last club season with an injury. Read more 
It
was a fascinating prospect while it lasted, but Montenegro will not
line up with a twin tower formation that would be the envy of Europe -
and the biggest part of the world - at EuroBasket 2013. The Montenegrin
Basketball Federation (KSCG) announced officially on Tuesday that
Nikola Pekovic, one of the best centers in the world at the best stage
of his career, will not suit up for the national team in September's
big tournament in Slovenia. Consequently, Pekovic will not team up with
fellow big man Nikola Vucevic, the up-and-coming center of the Orlando
Magic who finished the season as the second-best rebounder in the NBA,
with 11.9 boards per game to go with his 13.1 points per night. Read more 
There
have been a number of changes to the Latvian preliminary squad for
EuroBasket 2013 since head coach Ainars Bagatskis announced it in
mid-June, with the latest addition and cuts coming on Tuesday. Small
forward Janis Berzins turned heads in Estonia during the recent
Sportland U20 European Championship with his sparkling all-round
performances and coach Bagatskis decided to invite him to the senior
national team's training camp. Berzins had averaged 15.4 points and 7.4
rebounds-per-game in the U20 European Champinship to earn a spot on the
All Tournament Team and propel Latvia to the gold medal game, where
they eventually fell to Italy. "The inclusion of Janis is not a
formality," Bagatskis clarified. "I hope that he will create real
competition at his position to everyone who may feel that that they
achieved everything in life and in sport. Read more 
Montenegro
forward/center Marko Todorovic has categorically refuted rumours that
he will miss EuroBasket 2013 due to injury; Serbia's doctor is
satisfied with the rehabilitation of star point guard Milos Teodosic.
Marko Todorovic had an operation in his right hand at the end of the
club season and is still undergoing rehabilitation, a situation that
prompted rumours of him dropping out of the Montenegro squad ahead of
EuroBasket 2013. "I saw rumours circulating on the media that I would
not play at EuroBasket in Slovenia," the 21-year-old big man said in an
interview with pobjeda.me. "However, I have no idea how this began,
it's just not true. "I am currently in Belgrade undergoing therapy and
if all goes well, in about ten days I will re-join the team in Zlatibor
(where Montenegro's training camp takes place). Read more 
Sweden's
squad for EuroBasket 2013 inched closer to its final form on Monday,
with two new arrivals and three cuts, all five moves involving
perimeter players. Coach Bradley Dean has released veteran point guard
Olivier Ilunga, shooting guard Martin Pahlmblad and 20-year-old
Jonathan Person. The latter two had participated in Sweden's
Qualification Round campaign last summer, where Pahlmblad averaged four
points and 1.1 rebounds in seven games, while Person contributed one
point and dished out three assists in the one game he featured in,
against Luxembourg. Thomas Massamba and Kenny Grant, who were Dean's
starting guard duo last summer, have meanwhile joined their team-mates
in training camp. Read more 
On
Sunday, exactly one month before EuroBasket 2013 tips off, hosts
Slovenia emerged victorious in the Laško Group tournament in Celje
ahead of Serbia, Latvia and Turkey, with the latter losing all three of
their games. While the tournament served mostly as a test event for
EuroBasket and friendly games at such an early stage hardly provide a
representative sample of a team's real potential, three of the
participating sides - especially Slovenia - have a number of positives
to take out of the three days in Celje, while Turkey have been left
with plenty of food for thought. On Friday, Slovenia were excellent on
defence during the first half, led Latvia 37-28 at the interval, and
held on for a 71-67 win despite a strong finish by the Baltic side. Read more 
A
gutsy Finland pushed France to their limits on Friday in Pau, during
the first friendly game of Les Bleus in preparation for EuroBasket 2013
and held a 52-44 lead at the half-time interval. But the hosts turned
up a notch their pace in the second half and their captain Boris Diaw
paved the way to a 101-93 victory with an all-round display of 14
points on 6-for-7 shooting, seven assists and seven rebounds. Diaw got
help from Nicolas Batum who had 14 points and six rebounds, Kim Tillie
with 13 points and Joffrey Lauvergne, who chipped in with 11 points,
while a discreet Tony Parker finished with 10 points and three assists.
Sharp-shooting Petteri Koponen was in fantastic form for the Finns and
collected a game-high 22 points and nine assists, while veteran Hanno
Möttölä finished with 17 points and four rebounds and Sasu Salin with
Tuukka Kotti had 12 points apiece. Read more 
The
Czech Republic are considered by many as the outsiders in EuroBasket
2013 Group C, but coach Pavel Budinsky was satisfied to have all
eligible players at his disposal, from young stars Jan Vesely and Tomas
Satoransky to old-timers Jiri Welsch and Lubos Barton. Now however the
Czechs might be about to join the list of EuroBasket-bound teams that
have suffered the blow of losing a key player to injury, as captain
Petr Benda is very doubtful to play in the big event in Slovenia. The
31-year-old center had picked up an injury last February, while in
action with Czech champions Nymburk. He finished the club season
playing through the pain and undergoing conservative therapy, and was
hoping to join the national team in preparations with the start of the
second stage, on Wednesday. Read more 
Both
Italy and Greece, two of the teams that will compete in Group D at
EuroBasket 2013, received bad news on Thursday night, but the biggest
blow was reserved for the Azzurri. "The athlete Daniel Hackett informed
today [Thursday] FIP's national teams sector that he does not wish to
participate in the activities with the senior national team in the
preparations for EuroBasket 2013," the Italian Basketball Federation
(FIP) announced in a laconic press release. No further reasons were
given for this development by either FIP or the player, but Hackett had
already hinted earlier at a possible absence from the EuroBasket, by
means of a post on social network twitter. "People are asking me, but
at the moment I cannot guarantee my presence at the national team. Too
many question marks, too little health," he tweeted on 12 July. Read
more 
For
the first time since 2007, Spain are embarking on a EuroBasket campaign
without everyone in Europe considering them as the undisputed
favourites to win the competition. Some key players on 'La Roja'
however beg to differ. Point guard Ricky Rubio, first of all, made
crystal clear on the day of the presentation of the Spanish squad to
the media that the aim of the two-time European champions is to achieve
a historic 'three-peat' at EuroBasket 2013, notwithstanding the
absences of Pau Gasol, Juan Carlos Navarro, Felipe Reyes or Serge
Ibaka. "No one [of us] has said that we are not going to Slovenia for
the gold medal," Rubio declared. "The national team we have is of a
great level [despite the absences]. Read more 
Serbia
head coach Dusan Ivkovic has admitted that the state of fitness of
point guard Milos Teodosic is not satisfactory at this point in time,
almost two weeks after the start of his team's preparations for
EuroBasket 2013. "According to the latest information from Dr.
Radovanovic and the conditioning trainer who are in Belgrade with
Milos, his inclusion in the team will not be as fast as expected,"
Ivkovic said. "If things go in a way that bring his appearance at the
EuroBasket into question, it would be for us an immeasurable loss in
terms of quality and experience," the coach added. Teodosic picked up a
left calf injury in a CSKA Moscow game in the VTB United League
play-offs in late May, and was expected initially to undergo surgery.
Read more 
Russia
were shocked on Monday to learn that Timofey Mozgov, the player who was
poised to be the starting center of the national team at EuroBasket
2013, has decided to not participate in the tournament. "I'm
experiencing mixed feelings right now," the 27-year-old center wrote in
a personal column on the sports.ru wesbite. "I'm happy because there's
finally certainty with my future and I'll continue to pay in the NBA.
"But at the same time, I'm sincerely sorry I won't be able to help our
national team." Mozgov's mention of his NBA career future is a
reference to the fact that he signed a new three-year deal with the
Denver Nuggets at the weekend, when under previous coach George Carl he
had received limited playing time last season. Read more 
Luol
Deng of the Chicago Bulls and Joel Freeland of the Portland Trail
Blazers are the big absentees from Great Britain's preliminary squad
for EuroBasket 2013, that was announced on Friday. "Obviously we're
disappointed that Luol's recovery from illness prevents him from
playing," said newly-appointed head coach Joe Prunty. "His health comes
first and we wish him a full and speedy recovery." Deng was
hospitalised in June after contracting a viral infection that forced
him to miss Chicago's last games in the NBA play-offs. "It's one of
those decisions that you have to use your head over your heart," the
Bulls small forward explained. "After the medical tests, it just simply
isn't safe for me to put my body through that amount during the summer.
"It's tough to take. People know how much it means to me playing for
Great Britain. Read more 
Georgia
international Tornike 'Toko' Shengelia is to undergo knee surgery and
will not participate at EuroBasket 2013 with his national team, the
Brooklyn Nets announced on Thursday. The 21-year-old forward, who
played in the NBA's Summer League in Orlando as recently as last week,
will have an operation to repair a damaged meniscus in his left knee on
31st July, in the United States. In addition to missing out on the
showpiece September event with Georgia, Shengelia could also be
sidelined during the start of the new season. Shengelia crossed the
Atlantic last summer to join the Nets and in his rookie season with
Brooklyn he appeared in 19 games averaging 1.6 points and 1.2 rebounds
in 4.9 minutes per game. Read more 
Czech
national team coach Pavel Budinsky has announced a squad of 14 players
for the upcoming EuroBasket 2013 in Slovenia. To the relief of Czech
basketball fans the list includes the NBA star Jan Vesely who is with
the Washington Wizards and Tomas Satoransky who has been drafted by the
same franchise, as well as veterans Jiri Welsch and Lubos Barton.
Vesely and center Pavel Houska are the only two additions to the team
which won the right to play at EuroBasket following the Qualification
Round last summer. From the 14 players in Budinsky's list half ply
their trade outside the confines of the Czech league. Budinsky, has
also publicised the names of 10 stand-by players. "We tried to pick the
best possible squad," said the play-caller. "An additional advantage is
most of them are returning players from last summer and that will help
us find ourselves really quickly." Read more 
After
leaving Latvian media and fans alike guessing for the past week, Andris
Biedrins announced on Monday his desire not to represent his country
this summer. 27-year-old Biedrins, who last represented Latvia in his
country's failed 2009 EuroBasket campaign had initially been named in
Ainars Bagatskis' wider training squad for this summer's big event.
However, when the team assembled in Riga on 18 July, Biedrins was a
notable no-show with the national set-up failing in efforts to contact
the soon-to-be Utah Jazz center. On Sunday Biedrins appeared in
Tallinn, Estonia with former national teammate Kaspars Berzins to
support Latvia U20 in their historic gold medal clash with Italy at U20
European Championship Men. He then teased media, leaking a photograph
of himself outside of the arena - the first sign of him in a week -
leading to speculation that he would be at training alongside Berzins
and the rest of the national team on Monday. Read more 
The
Russian Basketball Federation (RBF) officially confirmed on Saturday
that Fotis Katsikaris has stepped down as head coach of the senior
national team, two days ahead of the start of training camp for
EuroBasket 2013. Vasily Karasev, who was initially appointed as
assistant coach of the national team last Thursday, will step in as
interim head coach and conduct the first stage of Russia's training
camp. Karasev is the coach of Russian club BC Triumph and he was in
charge of the nation's team that participated in the Universiade
(University Games) in Kazan, Russia earlier in the summer. Russia's
preparations will get underway as scheduled on Monday 22 July and the
executive committee of RBF will hold an extraordinary meeting on 23
July to decide on the coach who will steer the team to the EuroBasket.
Read more 
EuroBasket
2013 hosts Slovenia have suffered a major shock ahead of the start of
their preparations as guard Beno Udrih has reverted his initial
decision and will not play for his country in September's big event.
Udrih informed the national team general manager Matej Avanzo via sms
message, in which he also thanked head coach Bozidar Maljkovic and
wished the team the best of luck at the EuroBasket. "Given the
experience of past years, we believe that the fact that we were
informed of [Beno Udrih's] intention prior to the start of
preparations, is certainly preferable than a failure to appear at the
training camp," the Slovenian Federation (KZS) commented in a statement
on their website. "None the less, it is not fair towards the Basketball
federation of Slovenia, nor towards the Slovenian public, that this
decision was delayed so much. "Past experience also says that his
decision to decline the cordial invitation to the national team does
not make sense. Read more 
Despite
Danilo Gallinari's severe knee injury, Italy should line up with a
strong squad featuring three NBA players at EuroBasket in Slovenia.
Asides from center Andrea Bargnani, who just moved to the New York
Knicks, and rookie forward Gigi Datome (who signed a two-year deal with
the Detroit Pistons), guard Marco Belinelli declared himself available.
"A few days ago, I spoke with coach Simone Pianigiani, and I told him I
will be available. In a few hours I will talk to my new NBA franchise
and I will discuss the summer schedule," the 27-year old guard said in
Naples, during a recent return home. Belinelli just signed a two-year
deal with 2013 NBA runners-up, the San Antonio Spurs, where he will
enhance the foreign presence in the squad which also includes Frenchmen
Tony Parker, Boris Diaw and Nando De Colo; South Americans Manu
Ginobili (Argentina), Tiago Splitter (Brazil); Canadian Cory Joseph;
and Aussies Patty Mills and Aron Baynes. Read more 
The
Lithuanian Basketball Federation (LKF) has announced that, contrary to
initial estimates, forward Paulius Jankunas will not conclude his
rehabilitation in time to play for the national team at EuroBasket
2013. "It is unfortunate, but recent tests showed that I have not yet
fully recover, and one should play for the national team only if they
are prepared to give 100 percent," Jankunas said. "I wish the team good
luck at the EuroBasket and I hope that next year I will be part of it
again," he added. According to a report on BasketNews.lt the Zalgiris
Kaunas captain can already lift weights and undergo physical training
normally, but the doctors have ordered him to abstain from playing
basketball for approximately another month. The EuroBasket tips off on
4 September and Lithuania commence their preparations already on Monday
15 July. Read more 
Spain
head coach Juan Orenga has chosen to announce directly a 12-man
preliminary squad for the EuroBasket, accompanied by three reserve
players, with forward/center Serge Ibaka not included on the list.
"Following the long NBA play-offs in 2012, the Olympic Games and the
last regular season in the NBA, the medical team of Oklahoma City
Thunder suggested I take some rest this summer," Ibaka said in a
statement. "I would like to thank all the support that I have received
by the Spanish Federation and especially the president Jose Luis Saez
and the coach Juan Antonio Orenga. "Even if I am not on the court in
Slovenia, all my team-mates know that I will be with them in mind and
spirit." While Ibaka's announcement did not come as a surprise, many
had expected that his absence would open the doors of the senior
national team to Real Madrid power forward Nikola Mirotic. Read more 
France
head coach Vincent Collet must be thinking he has fallen victim of a
very bad practical joke, as hardly a day goes by without the
announcement of another French center becoming unavailable to play at
EuroBasket 2013. A day after veteran Ronny Turiaf made public his
decision to not follow Les Bleus to Slovenia this summer in an
interview with L'Equipe, Collet himself revealed in the same newspaper
that his first option as a reserve at the '5' spot, Rudy Gobert, will
undergo surgery in a few days and will also miss the EuroBasket. The
21-year-old Gobert was selected by the Denver Nuggets with the 22nd
overall pick in the NBA draft in June, but was traded immediately to
the Utah Jazz. "He has a major problem, he will be operated in his foot
at the end of the Summer League [after 12 July], it was already
scheduled," said Collet of the 2.13m center. Read more 
France
center Ronny Turiaf has changed his mind and decided to not play at
EuroBasket 2013, while Serbia forward/center Milan Macvan was absent
from the national team's first gathering on Monday. France head coach
Vincent Collet knew already that his frontcourt at the EuroBasket would
be thin on the ground, but his troubles magnified when Ronny Turiaf
also announced he would not suit up for Les Bleus in September's big
event in Slovenia. "I informed the Federation that I will not be part
of the French team this summer," Turiaf said in an interview with
L'Equipe on Tuesday. "It's been 10 days since I've made my decision.
"Right now, I am without a contract (Turiaf is an NBA free agent after
playing last season with the Los Angeles Clippers) and personal reasons
come into play. Read more 
The
'4' spot will be a major headache for Serbia head coach Dusan Ivkovic
at EuroBasket 2013, as after the already confirmed absence of Dusko
Savanovic, both Novica Velickovic and Zoran Erceg have pulled out of
the preliminary squad. Savanovic, who had announced he would be unable
to take part in preparations in an interview in mid-June, along with
the other two star power forwards was submitted to an exam by the
Serbian basketball federation's medical committee on Thursday.
"Following the examination and the diagnosis of the federation's
doctors, Dusko Savanovic, Novica Velickovic and Zoran Erceg have been
omitted from the list," Ivkovic himself announced. Read more 
Star
center Zaza Pachulia, who underwent Achilles tendon surgery in April,
is the only big-name absence from the 20-strong preliminary squad for
EuroBasket 2013 that Georgia head coach Igor Kokoskov announced on
Thursday. The Serbian-born tactician however will still be able to
count with a formidable frontcourt, as his squad includes the likes of
Montepaschi Siena forward Viktor Sanikidze, who led the team in
rebounds in last summer's EuroBasket Qualification Round, as well as
center Giorgi Shermadini of Euroleague champions Olympiacos and
forward/center Tornike Shengelia, who completed his rookie NBA season
with the Brooklyn Nets. Galatasaray sharp-shooter Manuchar
Markoishvili, who was Georgia's second-leading scorer behind Pachulia
in the Qualification Round, with 18 points per game, is also included
in the squad and is expected to be the main offensive option at
September's EuroBasket. Read more 
TV
viewers and spectators at EuroBasket 2013 will have the chance to enjoy
the play of one of the biggest stars of the game as Tony Parker
headlines the 17-strong French preliminary squad that was announced on
Monday. Parker, who played at his first EuroBasket in 2011, is to make
a seventh consecutive appearance in the show-piece event, an all-time
record among French players. If France were to advance to the
quarter-finals of the tournament in Slovenia and the San Antonio Spurs
point guard features in each one of their First Round and Second Round
games, he will enter the top ten on the list of players with the most
games at EuroBasket in history. The late legend Kresimir Cosic, who
played in nine EuroBasket tournaments with the former Yugoslavia (from
1967 to 1983) tops the list with 67 games. Read more 
The
hopes of EuroBasket 2013 host nation Slovenia were dealt a serious blow
on Friday night, when star player Erazem Lorbek picked up a phone and
made two calls to transmit bad news. The FC Barcelona Regal power
forward got in touch with Slovenia head coach Bozidar Maljkovic and
national team director Matej Avanzo to inform them that he would need
to follow a two-month long rehabilitation process and would therefore
be unable to play at the EuroBasket. Lorbek underwent arthroscopic
surgery in both knees on Friday in Spain and while the operation was
successful, doctors said that he could not resume training before late
August, with the EuroBasket commencing on 4 September. The 29-year-old
was submitted to the operation immediately after the end of the Spanish
Liga Endesa Finals, where his team lost the league title to arch-rivals
Real Madrid. Read more 
Bosnia
and Herzegovina head coach Aleksandar (Aco) Petrovic is relishing the
prospect of his team competing in EuroBasket 2013 Group B, despite the
fact many have branded it the 'group of death' in the first round.
Speaking at a press conference in capital Sarajevo, the Croatian
tactician brought back memories of his glorious playing days in the
1980's, when he exuded confidence every time he took to the court with
Yugoslavia or with Cibona Zagreb. "We are not going to Slovenia as
outsiders," Petrovic stated. "I believe that we will advance to the
second round. "We have selected 16 players in the preliminary squad,
which includes six or seven youngsters, and the rest are at their peak,
playing at top level. "Our team can play well on both ends of the
floor, on offence and defence." Read more 
Newly-appointed
Greece head coach Andrea Trinchieri could be spoiled for choice in the
run-up to September's EuroBasket, after naming on Thursday an 18-strong
preliminary squad of remarkable depth. Guard Vassilis Spanoulis, who
led Olympiacos Pireaus to back-to-back Turkish Airlines Euroleague
trophies in London last May headlines the list, which also features
small forward Kostas Papanikolaou and a further four Olympiacos
players. Greece captain Nikos Zisis and sharp-shooter Kostas
Vasileiadis who reached the Eurocup Final with Uxue Bilbao, are other
main options in the backcourt along with point guard Nick Calathes, who
conquered that competition with Russian side Lokomotiv Kuban. The only
Greek player to have pulled out of the EuroBasket was Denver Nuggets
center Kostas Koufos. Read more 
A
new EuroBasket MVP will be crowned in September as the holder of the
Award, Spain star Juan Carlos Navarro, has admitted publicly that he
will not travel to Slovenia with the reigning champions to defend his
titles from 2011. "The only sure thing is that I will take a rest from
the national team this summer," an exhausted Navarro said after the
final game of the ACB Finals on Wednesday night. "Now it's too soon to
think, it's time to rest. "As I've said before, it's been a tough
season for everyone [at FC Barcelona] and for me personally. "I need to
rest and recuperate well for next year," the 33-year-old shooting guard
concluded. The Barcelona captain picked up a hamstring injury in his
right leg during Game 4 of the Finals series against Real Madrid on
Sunday and was doubtful for the title-deciding fifth game until an hour
before tip-off. Read more 
The
29-year-old point guard Heiko Schaffartzik is the eldest player on the
17-strong preliminary squad for EuroBasket 2013 that Germany head coach
Frank Menz announced on Tuesday. As expected, superstar Dirk Nowitzki,
who made his last bow with the national team at EuroBasket 2011, is not
included on the list. Likewise, guard Steffen Hamann, who announced his
retirement from international duty earlier in June and power forward
Tim Ohlbrecht, who stated he would not play for the national team this
summer, are also not part of Menz's plans for the upcoming EuroBasket.
A minor surprise however is the absence of power forward Jan-Hendrik
Jagla who had spent every summer in a Germany jersey uninterruptedly
since the World Championship 2006, having made his debut as a senior
international in 2005. Read more 
Serbian
power forward Dusko Savanovic will need to abstain from training during
the summer because of a herniated disc in his lower back and 
Houston
Rockets big man Tim Ohlbrecht announced on Friday his decision to
follow a personal training programme in the summer rather than joining
the German national team on their EuroBasket 2013 campaign. "This was a
difficult decision for me because I always want to play for Germany,"
Olbrecht explained in a statement on the official website of the German
federation (DBB). "Together with my younger team-mates we took the
first step towards a generational change [in the national team] last
summer. "This summer however is pivotal for my career so, in
consultation with my team, the Houston Rockets, I decided to spend the
whole summer in the United States and prepare myself intensely for the
upcoming NBA season." Ohlbrecht, who turns 25 in August, had averaged
5.4 points and 4.3 rebounds in last summer's EuroBasket Qualification
Round to help a new-look Germany under coach Svetislav Pesic punch
their ticket to September's big tournament in Slovenia. Read more 
Young
Latvian international Davis Bertans has torn the anterior cruciate
ligament (ACL) in his right knee and is expected to be out of action
between six and nine months, consequently missing out on EuroBasket
2013. The talented forward, who plays for newly crowned Serbian league
champions Partizan mt:s Belgrade, suffered the injury during the final
game of the season, in the fourth clash of the KLS Finals against Red
Star Belgrade on Wednesday. Bertans had already been on the floor for
12 minutes when, during the second quarter of the encounter, he took
the lane with the intention to drive to Red Star's basket but instead
fell on the floor with an expression of intense pain in his face.
Partizan head coach Dusko Vujosevic immediately rushed on the court to
console his player and his worried reaction left little doubt that the
injury was visibly serious. Bertans underwent medical tests in a clinic
in Novi Sad on Thursday which confirmed the worst possible scenario.
Read more 
French
small forward Nicolas Batum is currently on holiday in Paris but is
relishing his national team's prospects at the upcoming EuroBasket in
Slovenia, notwithstanding impeding changes in their frontcourt. "We
have enormous chances at the EuroBasket, despite counting with two big
men less because of the absences of Kevin Seraphin and Ludovic Vaty,"
Batum told the basketactu.com website. "I still don't know what Joakim
[Noah, of the Chicago Bulls] will do, but Alexis [Ajinca, of
Strasbourg], Ian [Mahinmi, of the Indiana Pacers] and Ronny [Turiaf, of
the Los Angeles Clippers] have had big seasons and will give a balance
with the perimeter, where we have a great bunch of players." "Our
objective [at the EuroBasket] is to reach as far as possible and step
on the podium," Batum added categorically. Read more 
As
EuroBasket 2013, the tournament where Vlado Ilievski will play his last
game in an F.Y.R. of Macedonia jersey, approaches fast, there is a
precious memory of his international career that he knows he will never
forget. It's not a specific moment we can all buy into or perceive in
the same way as the players and staff on the squad that surprised
everyone with their historical run to the semi-finals of EuroBasket
2011. But it's an experience that every athlete aspires to every day of
their career and only a select few get to taste it in their lives.
"After this great chemistry we had between us as a team in Lithuania,
which was incredible, it was the welcoming of our fans," Ilievski
explains, trying to define the feeling to fibaeurope.com. "There were
100,000 people in [our capital city] Skopje waiting for us upon our
return. "They were waiting for hours at the airport, on the highway,
they were everywhere along a 25 km route as we travelled on the bus to
the city. Read more 
Veteran
Russian center Alexey Savrasenko who, in principal, retired from the
game with the conclusion of the VTB United league finals, might see
action in a fifth EuroBasket after all, in September in Slovenia. Less
than a week after announcing an 18-strong preliminary roster for
EuroBasket 2013, Russia head coach Fotis Katsikaris took the decision
to add Savrasenko, who turns 34 in February and last played for the
national team in 2008, to his squad. The Greek tactician wanted to add
more size to his frontcourt and few choices could help in that
direction more than the 2.17m frame of the experienced Savrasenko, who
had a good season coming off the bench for Eurocup winners Lokomotiv
Kuban. "We have decided to invite Alexey Savrasenko for several
reasons," Katsikaris said. "As you know, Sasha Kaun will not be able to
play for the national team this year, so Alex will help us to reduce
the deficit of big men. Read more 
All
but one players on the roster of the Finnish national team that reached
a ninth-place finish at EuroBasket 2011, their best showing in 45
years, have been included in the preliminary squad for next September's
EuroBasket. Finland head coach Henrik Dettmann announced his 23-strong
list on Wednesday and the only player from the 2011 team that will not
have the chance to make a second consecutive EuroBasket appearance is
Petri Virtanen, the Joensuun Kataja point guard. The bulk of that team
were also on international duty last summer, in the EuroBasket
Qualification Round, when they won six of their eight encounters to
punch their ticket to the upcoming big event in Slovenia.
Sharp-shooting guard Petteri Koponen of Russian Euroleague side Khimki
headlines the list, while center Gerald Lee Jr. of Buducnost,
22-year-old sensation Sasu Salin and 36-year-old veteran Hanno Möttölä
are also included. Read more 
Viktor
Khryapa, Russia's highest-profile player following Andrei Kirilenko's
retirement for international duty in February, has confirmed he will
not suit up for the national team at EuroBasket 2013 in September. "My
body is exhausted and needs mercy," the CSKA Μoscow forward told news
agency R-Sport on Saturday, in the wake of his team's win over Khimki
in the VTB United League play-off semi-finals. "I have not had any rest
since EuroBasket 2011, I am exhausted and have decided that I will not
go with Russia to EuroBasket 2013," he added categorically. Saturday's
declaration of intentions by Khryapa must not come as a huge surprise
to recently appointed Russia head coach Fotis Katsikaris and the
country's basketball federation. Khryapa's team-mates at CSKA Anton
Ponkrashov and Andrey Vorontsevich, among others, had hinted in
separate interviews with fibaeurope.com several months ago that he was
considering to take the summer off. Read more 
Denver
Nuggets center Kostas Koufos confirmed on Wednesday recent rumours that
he has decided to follow a personal training programme this summer and
will not suit up for Greece at EuroBasket 2013. "I wanted to play and
was looking forward to it but unfortunately things don't always turn
out the way we want," Koufos told the gazzetta.gr website. The
24-year-old center explained that he underwent arthroscopic surgery
last summer, when he missed out on Greece's campaign at the Pre-Olympic
tournament in Venezuela. "The rehabilitation process didn't give me
enough time to work out correctly and strengthen my feet and despite
the good season I had this year, I could not take advantage of my
ability to score far from the basket," he said. "I only moved inside
the paint and still did not get the ball so much to play with my back
to the basket. Read more 
Croatia
head coach Jasmin Repesa made public his 24-strong preliminary squad
for EuroBasket 2013 at a press conference in Dubrovnik on Monday.
Veteran guards Marko Popovic and Zoran Planinic, who had announced on
Sunday their unavailability for the upcoming EuroBasket, are the only
big names missing from the squad. The long list is headlined by four
top-level players that play abroad and had brilliant seasons this year
in the Turkish Airlines Euroleague with their respective teams. Winger
Bojan Bogdanovic of Fenerbahce Ulker and forward/center Luka Zoric of
Unicaja Malaga led their team in scoring in the competition, while
center Ante Tomic of FC Barcelona Regal and point guard Roko Leni Ukic
of Panathinaikos were their teams' second-leading scorers. Read more 
