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October 3, 2010 - A golden effort as
Team USA beat Czechs to world title
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 The
United States can finally forget the disappointment of 2006 in Brazil
after beating the Czech Republic on Sunday in the gold medal game at
the FIBA World Championship for Women. The Americans, who were upset by
Russia four years ago in the Semi-Finals and had to settle for bronze,
completed an unbeaten run in the Czech Republic with an 89-69 triumph
over the host nation in front of another loud crowd in Karlovy Vary.
Diana Taurasi, one of the American superstars, had 16 points and was
voted to the All-Star Five. "To come here, play against this great team
and with a fantastic crowd means a lot to us,” Taurasi said. Read more here.
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October 3, 2010 - Horakova named MVP
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 There
were a lot of stars to shine at the FIBA World Championship for Women
but five were the brightest. A panel of selected journalists and
experts have selected Hana Horakova of the Czech Republic as the
tournament’s most valuable player. The veteran point guard is also in
the All-Star Five with Diana Taurasi (United States), Eva Viteckova
(Czech Republic), Sancho Lyttle (Spain) and Yelena Leuchanka (Belarus).
Horakova, 31, averaged 12.1 points, 5.5 rebounds and 3.8 assists per
game. Read more here.
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October 3, 2010 - Mission accomplished
for bronze-medal winning Spain
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 Spain
reached the podium at the FIBA World Championship for Women for the
first time ever on Sunday by beating Belarus in the bronze-medal game.
Beaten soundly by the United States in their Semi-Final less than 24
hours before, Spain bounced back to win 77-68. The team got huge lifts
from Sancho Lyttle, who missed the game against the Americans with a
back problem, and Alba Torrens. Lyttle had 22 points and 11 rebounds –
both game highs – while Torrens scored 19. Read more here.
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October 3, 2010 - FIBA considers
lowering rim for women's basketball
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FIBA are going to
take a serious look at lowering the rim for women's basketball. The
announcement came on Sunday, shortly before the start of the bronze
medal game at the FIBA World Championship for Women between Spain and
Belarus. FIBA have held a conference on women's basketball in Karlovy
Vary this weekend to discuss ways of making the sport better, and more
appealing to a wider audience. Coaches, players and federation
officials attended the meetings. Read more here.
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October 1, 2010 - FIBA holds inaugural
Women’s Basketball Conference
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 For
the first time ever, FIBA is organising a conference specially
dedicated to women’s basketball. The inaugural event will take place
this weekend (Saturday-Sunday 2nd-3rd October) in the famous Grand
Hotel Pupp in Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic, site of the final round of
the 2010 FIBA World Championship for Women. The interest expressed in
the conference so far has been exceptional with more than 100
participants from over 50 countries all around the world having
registered. FIBA expects the two-day event to make for fruitful
discussions on the challenges and the opportunities in the women’s
game. Read more here.
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October 1, 2010 - ABC charity
project scoring big time
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 The
2010 FIBA World Championship in the Czech Republic assembles the
globe’s best basketball players and crowns the best basketball nation
in the world. But it does much more than that. It helps youngsters that
are most in need of help thanks to its ABC program. ABC (All Baskets
Count) is a charity project adopted and introduced to the 2010 FIBA
World Championship for Women by the Local Organizing Committee (LOC)
and FIBA. The concept is simple: for every successful three-pointer in
the tournament, the LOC and FIBA will each donate 10 Euros towards
funding for the construction of a “House for All Generations” in the
Czech Republic. They have both committed to a minimum of 10,000 Euros
each. In the meanwhile, the project has received support from the
event’s players, coaches and teams. Read more here.
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September 28,
2010 - FIBA very satisfied with Women’s World Championships
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 FIBA
is very satisfied with the 2010 edition of FIBA World Championship for
Women after the first three game days. “In terms of promotion, media
coverage, facilities, and organisation the event is setting new
standards,” FIBA President Yvan Mainini said from Ostrava. “The event
is televised in a record 150 countries around the world and the
application of 500 media representatives broke the record of 300
journalists in Brazil 2006.” The 2010 FIBA World Championship was
brought to one of the hotbeds of women’s basketball and that is
reflected in the outstanding spectator numbers. A total of 55,000
spectators came to the arenas in Brno and Ostrava in the first three
days. Read more here. |
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September 27,
2010 - Day 4, Eighthfinals
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 The
second stage of the 2010 FIBA World Championship for Women begins on
Monday and features some great match-ups right off the bat.
Defending champions Australia and Olympic gold medalists USA are still
undefeated and will both face teams that are desperate for wins and
have very little to lose.
First up will be Greece, who will take on Australia two days after
narrowly defeating Senegal to advance to the second round. Then
it will be Canada’s turn as they face Team USA in a battle for North
American supremacy.
Meanwhile Spain will take on an undersized but plucky Japan, and the
other undefeated team Russia will face 2006 hosts Brazil.
September 27th
Greece vs. Australia – 13.30 GMT
Japan vs. Spain – 13.30 GMT
France vs. Belarus – 16.00 GMT
Czech Republic vs. Korea – 16.00 GMT
USA vs. Canada – 18.15 GMT
Russia vs. Brazil – 18.15 GMT
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September
24, 2010 - Day 2
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 It’s
only Day Two of the 2010 FIBA World Championship for Women but there
are already plenty of match-ups that could determine who goes into the
second round of the tournament with a chance to make the Quarter
Finals. Having failed in their attempt to topple Team USA on Thursday,
Greece will take on France needing a win to keep their hopes of a
second place finish alive in Group B. Also in Ostrava, China and Canada
will be fighting for their lives when they take the court in what could
be a decisive Group A showdown. Plus the USA meets Senegal and Belarus
tackles defending champions Australia in Group A. Watch all games LIVE
on FIBA TV. |
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September
23, 2010 - 23 WNBA players from
eight countries at Women’s World Championship
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 A
total of 23 players who competed in the WNBA during the 2010 season
will represent eight different countries – or half the number (16) of
nations in the tournament – at the FIBA World Championship for Women,
which gets underway today in the Czech Republic. Read more here. |
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September
22, 2010 - World Championship
for Women broadcast in record 150 territories
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The 2010 FIBA World
Championship for Women, which tips off in the Czech Republic on
Thursday, will be broadcast in 150 territories – more than twice as
many as 2006, FIBA announced on Wednesday. The news comes on the back
of a very successful FIBA World Championship in Turkey, where the
action was put out to 183 countries with a worldwide audience of more
than a billion. Read more here.
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September
22, 2010 - Non-stop basketball
fun for Erika
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 There
is no room for tiredness when it comes to the FIBA World Championship
for Brazil star Erika De Souza. After a busy season with Spanish side
Ros Casares, the 28-year-old center spent the summer in the United
States helping the Atalanta Dream finish runners-up in the WNBA. Erika
was finally able to join her national team in training two days ago.
"I've had a very busy summer," said Erika exclusively to FIBA.com "I've
been working non-stop in Spain, USA and now here. Read more here. |
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September
22, 2010 - Appel and Whalen make USA squad
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 If
the United States are going to take the world by storm over the next
two weeks in the Czech Republic, they’ll do so without 2008 Olympic
gold-medal winners Kara Lawson and Seimone Augustus. The two players
were the last two cuts from the USA squad for the FIBA World
Championship for Women, which tips off on Thursday in Ostrava and Brno.
USA Basketball have instead included young center Jayne Appel and guard
Lindsay Whalen, who plays professionally in the Czech Republic with USK
Prague. Read more here.
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September
22, 2010 - Russia Squad Revealed
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 Russia
announced an experienced 12-member squad for the FIBA World
Championship for Women on Tuesday. Coach Boris Sokolovsky and Sergei
Chernov, the Russian Basketball Federation president, attended a press
conference to reveal the group of players that will play in Brno,
the Czech Republic, in Group D against Argentina, Japan and the host
nation. Among those are national team captain Ilona Korstin of Spartak
Moscow Region and UMMC Ekaterinburg’s Svetlana Abrosimova. Read more here. |
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September 21, 2010 - Let the battles begin
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There has been
blood, sweat and tears. Those who have been hustling on the hardwood to
get ready for the most important tournament of their lives are about to
discover if it was all worth it. The 16-team FIBA World Championship
for Women tips off on Thursday and the players of first-timers Greece
can hardly wait. “After almost a month of practices, things are very
good in our team and we are all waiting for the great challenge of the
World Championship,” veteran point guard Dimitra Kalentzou said to
FIBA.com. “Thank God there were no injuries in our team.” Greece
claimed a surprise fifth place last summer at the EuroBasket Women with
Evina Maltsi voted tournament MVP. Read more here.
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September 21, 2010 -
Another blow for France with Gomis knee injury
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 France
will have to take on the United States, Greece and Senegal at the FIBA
World Championship for Women without two key players from last year’s
EuroBasket-winning side. Emilie Gomis injured her right knee in the
recent friendly against Brazil and will not travel to Ostrava in the
Czech Republic. France coach Pierre Vincent has recalled 25-year-old
Johanne Gomis as a replacement. Read more here. |
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September 21, 2010 -
Dominguez axed by Hernandez
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 Spain
coach Jose Ignacio Hernandez has made his former point guard at Halcon
Avenida, Silvia Dominguez, the final cut from the national side that
will play at the FIBA World Championship. Dominguez played at last
year’s EuroBasket in Latvia but was deemed surplus to requirements this
time. "It has been a very hard and difficult decision but right now we
have four great players in that role. Silvia has worked at a high
level," Hernandez said. Read more here.
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September 20, 2010 -
Logunova must wait for chance
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 The
most valuable player of the U20 European Championship, Anastasia
Logunova, will not play for Russia at the FIBA World Championship. The
1.90m Logunova, who led her country to the gold medal in the youth
event that was held in Latvia from July 15-25, had been in the latest
squad that was announced by the Russian Basketball Federation on
September 6. But Russia coach Boris Sokolovsky has revealed: “I can
already say that the winner of the MVP of the Youth Championship 2010
Anastasia Logunov will not play at the World Championship. Read more here. |
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September 20, 2010 -
Greeks fall twice to Russians
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Greece suffered a
pair of defeats to Russia this week in the build-up to the FIBA World
Championship. Greece boss Kostas Missas experimented with his line-up
and watched as Russia prevailed 81-73 in the first meeting, despite the
Greeks getting 19 points from Evina Maltsi and 18 from Pelagia
Papamichail. Stella Kaltsidou led the way for Greece with 22 points in
the next encounter that was won by Russia, 70-59. Read more here.
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September 19, 2010 -
Aussies surprise USA in Spain
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 Anyone
hoping to see a rematch of Spain and the United States on Saturday will
be disappointed because that match-up won’t take place. Instead,
defending world champions Australia will go up against hosts Spain at
the Torneo Internacional de Salamanca following the Opals’ 83-77
victory over the United States on Friday. Jenna O’Hea poured in 24
points and Penny Taylor 18 for the Opals, who like Spain lost to the
United States in Hartford, Connecticut, last week. “We gave up threes,
we put them on the free-throw line and we gave them second shots,” said
USA coach Geno Auriemma of Friday’s setback. Read more here.
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September 17, 2010 - Defense Never
Rests For France
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 France
may not have injured center Sandrine Gruda for the FIBA World
Championship but they still know how to play good defense. France beat
the normally high-scoring Japanese 62-56 on Thursday. "The defensive
performance was at the top,” France coach Pierre Vincent said. “They
(Japan) were limited to 56 points while on average they put up 80."
"It's been very tiring to play Japan," France's Jennifer Digbeu
said. "We stopped prevented them from taking a lot of
three-pointers." Japan usually put up more shots from the arc than the
23 they attempted against France. Read more here.
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September 16, 2010 - Taurasi,
Valdemoro hold court in basketball-mad Salamanca
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 There
is no place more fitting to host a warm-up tournament ahead of this
year’s FIBA World Championship for Women in the Czech Republic than
Salamanca. One of the oldest cities in Spain, Salamanca is home to the
Casa de las Conchas, a stunning plaza, a university that first opened
in 1218 and an incredible basketball club. Perfumerias Avenida
routinely plays host to big basketball games, whether it's in the Liga
Femenina or the EuroLeague. Read more here.
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September 15, 2010 - Catchings: Memory
of 2006 isn’t forgotten
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 No
one should make the mistake and think the USA have recovered from their
huge disappointment of 2006 when Russia beat them in the Semi-Finals of
the FIBA World Championship for Women. The USA made partial amends by
beating Australia in the gold-medal game of the 2008 Olympics, but the
75-68 defeat to the Russians four years ago still burns. “It definitely
is a motivator for those of us that were on that team,” said USA’s
Tamika Catchings. Read more here.
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September 15, 2010 - The waiting game
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 The FIBA World
Championship for Women is just around the corner and several teams are
still playing a waiting game. WNBA commitments have meant that some
stars have missed most, if not all of their national team's
preparations. For Spain, the naturalization of Halcon Avenida star
Sancho Lyttle earlier this year seemed to give the team a powerful
presence under the boards that the side has sorely needed for many
years. The only problem is that so far, Lyttle has yet to put on a
Spanish jersey since she's in the WNBA Finals with the Atlanta Dream.
Read more here. |
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September 15, 2010 - Brazilian
youngster makes most of her time with senior team
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 Tássia Carcavalli
is trying to make the most of her summer with Brazil. A member of her
country’s silver-medal winning team at the FIBA Americas U18
Championship for Women in July, the 1.75m Tássia is now with the senior
team. The 18-year-old has been working out with Carlos Colinas' squad
and is in France, where the South Americans are putting the finishing
touches on their preparations for the Czech Republic. Read more here.
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September 15, 2010 - Ailing Gruda
pulls out of French team
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 France
star
Sandrine Gruda has pulled out of the FIBA World Championship for Women
because of knee problems, the country’s basketball federation has
announced. Gruda, who made the all-tournament team after helping France
capture the gold medal at last year’s EuroBasket in Latvia, has been
experiencing pain since the team’s training at Villeneuve d’Ascq
earlier this month. Read more here. |
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September 13, 2010 - Vincent releases
Amant, Gomis
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 France
coach Pierre Vincent has finalized his 12-strong squad for the FIBA
World Championship for Women. Vincent’s last two cuts are Marielle
Amant and Johanne Gomis. The majority of players in last year’s
EuroBasket Women gold-medal winning side are travelling to the Czech
Republic. That includes Céline Dumerc and Sandrine Gruda, two members
of the all-tournament team in Riga, Latvia. Read more here. |
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September 13, 2010 - Burani named in
final Argentina squad
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 Argentina
have finalized their FIBA World Championship for Women roster with
coach Eduardo Pinto including Agostina Burani and cutting Nadia Flores
and Andrea Boquete. Boquete is the only player from the silver-medal
winning side at last month's South American Championship in Santiago,
Chile, to be dropped. Burani missed last month's tournament with a
sprained ankle but has been named. "I am over the moon,” Burani said.
"This is the reward for the effort and pride to work with the national
team. Read more here. |
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September 10, 2010 - Hanušová and
Bartoňová cut from the team for the world championship
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 The
coach of the Czech national women’s basketball team Lubor Blažek kept
his word and after Thursday’s preparation match against Greece narrowed
the team for the forthcoming world championship to 14 names. He thus
had to cut two players from the team – Alena Hanušová and Kateřina
Bartoňová. “I am probably repeating myself, if I say that it was a very
difficult decision to make, because both players improved greatly
during the training camp and showed tremendous effort and willingness
to work on themselves. Nevertheless the nomination criteria are
merciless and we can’t do anything about them,” says coach Lubor
Blažek. Read more here.
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September 3, 2010 - Spain, France win
big in friendly tournament
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 French
basketball fans are watching every step made by the men’s team at the
FIBA World Championship where Vincent Collet’s side is gearing up for
an Eight-Finals clash with hosts Turkey. But those same fans have one
eye on Lugo, Spain, because that’s where the Pierre Vincent’s team is
preparing for the FIBA World Championship for Women. If their game
against Belarus is anything to go by, France, who won the gold medal at
last year’s EuroBasket Women in Riga, are going to be tough opponents
for Team USA, Greece and Senegal in Group B. Les Bleues routed Belarus
76-55 with a balanced attack. France stormed out to a 19-9 lead by the
end of the first quarter and stretched that to 43-30 by half-time. Read
more here. |
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September 3, 2010 - Basketball aims
at charity – ABC project introduced
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ABC
(All Baskets Count) is a charity project adopted and introduced to the
16th World Basketball Championship for Women by the LOC. ABC uses a
charity concept “Každý koš pomáhá” (KPP) that has been established and
successfully used by the Czech basketball community (men’s and women’s
teams, players, fans) for the last 4 seasons. The goal of ABC is to
locate initial funding for the construction of a “House for All
Generations” where young men and women between 18 and 20 years of age
who are leaving state run children’s homes will live together and take
care of seniors requiring assistance. Read more here.
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September 1, 2010 - Two hundred and
counting for Amaya
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 Amaya
Valdemoro has been pouring in the points as Spain’s most explosive
scorer for several years. It’s not the points that everyone will be
talking about when she arrives in Brno later this month for the FIBA
World Championship for Women, though. When the 34-year-old Valdemoro
shows up in the Czech Republic, everyone will be talking about
Valdemoro having joined the ‘200 club’. The Rivas Ecopolis forward
celebrated her 200th appearance for the national team on Saturday when
Spain beat Mali in a friendly. She became only the fifth player to make
200 appearances in the national team shirt of Spain. Read more here.
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