The curse of copy-pasting![]()
Many of them are having new employee my friend![]()
The curse of copy-pasting![]()
SLO/PUE/NZL/IRI – Arroyo returns but Puerto Rico fall to Slovenia
MARIBOR (FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament for Men) – Carlos Arroyo made his long-awaited first appearance for Puerto Rico and poured in a game-high 21 points but Slovenia blew out the team from the FIBA Americas 79-68 to win the Alpos Cup.
Arroyo, who only joined up with the national side this week, played almost 33 minutes and was eight of 13 from the floor.
But Manolo Cintron’s team weren’t able to clinch their third straight win after narrow triumphs over New Zealand and Iran.
Slovenia led by as many as 15 points in the first half and went in front by as many as 17 twice, including with less than nine minutes remaining.
Puerto Rico clawed the deficit back to 71-64 with 3:47 remaining but got no closer.
For Slovenia, captain Rasho Nesterovic had 16 points while Domen Lorbek finished with 15 and seven rebounds.
Uros Slokar also rose to the occasion, scoring 10 and grabbing nine boards.
Jose Barea had been Puerto Rico’s most consistent player on offense but he had just three points, no assists and four turnovers in 19 minutes.
Daniel Santiago had 16 points and six rebounds for Puerto Rico.
New Zealand lost to Puerto Rico and Slovenia but got the best of Iran on Thursday, beating the 2007 FIBA Asia Championship winners 91-80.
Kirk Penney again led the Tall Blacks with 24 points while Mohammadsamad Nikkhah Bahramia scored the same amount in defeat.
“Both the Puerto Rico and Slovenia games we felt like we put ourselves in positions to win and just took the foot off, let them make runs,” said Penney.
“Tonight we didn’t do that. They made a run at us but we were able to handle it and ended up with a nice 10-point buffer. It just gave us confidence. Everyone played well tonight, the scoring was spread out and a lot of guys contributed.”
Slovenia won all three of their games at the Alpos Cup. They will take on Canada and Korea in Group C of next week’s FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament while Puerto Rico are in Group D with Croatia and Cameroon.
New Zealand are in Group B with Germany and Cape Verde.
The Iranians have already qualified for the Olympics.
FIBA
And that's just sad.
http://www.rtvslo.si/sport/modload.p...u=4&c_id=40106
Photos of NT; media and fans gathering in the Ljubljana
angel luv: one of the pic showing Rasho with his son Nikola
hvala lepa!![]()
omg! Nikola is precious. I am so glad to finally get to see him.![]()
![]()
That kid has a lot of hair!
Those were awesome pictures.
I miss having my computer and getting to follow the team closely as in summers past.![]()
Everytime I click on the link, the page freezes up. Perhaps Fate doesn't want me to see Rasho's little boy.
![]()
You meant his kid, didn't you?![]()
OMG, he is cute just like his papa. Methinks he will be eating machine when he gets to be a teenager.![]()
Ata, yes I did mean his kid. Such a pity that I never got a chance to meet Rasho and talked with him. He would have been smitten with me. Such is life. I am happy for him nonetheless.
OK, this latest news and gossip of the world continue with pic of Rasho and his wife Maja
http://www.dnevnik.si/novice/sport/333115
Just got home from work. Slovenia leads at half 53:37
Im still there streams working slowly today
but as long as we winning
Well we almost blew it.
We won 88:76. Thank god Korea sucks.
The way we play, this was probably our last win.
What's up with Sani?
Hooray for what will be the beginning of a string of many wins this summer.![]()
Nice family picture.
Sho's wife is really pretty.
A brunette- nice choice, Sho.
I wish Maja had her sunglasses off, though, so I could see her face.
Did you forget when we went to the game in Houston, how Sho stopped to say hi to us in the hotel, before going to the bus with Beno and Brent?
I am sure it was your charming and beautiful self that caught his attention.![]()
Sani hasn't play in the second half because of a pain in the ankle. Hopes to be ready for tomorrow, but with our luck...
(source: http://siol.net/sportal/kosarka/2008..._bolecino.aspx (in slovenian))
SLO/KOR – Slovenia avoid upset against determined Korea
ATHENS (FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament for Men) - Slovenia had to survive a terrific comeback by Korea to win 88-76 on the first day of the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Athens.
Captain Rasho Nesterovic, who will retire from the national team after this summer, had 26 points to lead his team to victory while Kim Joo Sung paced the Koreans with 21.
Nesterovic and Co looked to be on course for an easy triumph after opening up a 21-point lead in the third quarter.
But Korea coach Kim Nam-gi kept his players fully focused and they trimmed the deficit to just five in the final period.
When Oh Sekeun banked in a 10-footer to cut the gap to 72-67, the Slovenians had to call a timeout to stem the tide.
Once play resumed, Korea had two chances to reduce the deficit even more but failed.
Slovenia then struck twice.
Jaka Lakovic penetrated into the lane and scored before Goran Dragic came up with a steal and sprinted ahead of the Korean defense for a fast-break lay-up and a nine-point advantage.
Kim Minsoo banked in a three-pointer to make it 76-70 with 3:21 to play but Korea got no closer.
“Korea have a very good team,” Dragic said.
“We didn’t know too much about them and they came back but the important thing is that we won.”
Korea center Ha Seung Jin, who spent most of his time in the NBA on the bench with the Portland Trail Blazers and the Milwaukee Bucks before choosing to return to Asia to play, said: “We just haven’t played many internationals but we’ll get better.
“This team is definitely going to be better in the future and we’ll do our best against Canada.”
Canada coach Leo Rautins and his staff were in the stands looking on and will have noticed the Koreans’ 11 of 21 effort from three-point range.
Six different Koreans, in fact, hit three-pointers led by Kim Minsoo’s three of five performance.
Meanwhile, the 2.22m Ha – the biggest player at the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament - expressed his desire to go to back and play in the NBA and live in America because of the “bigger cars and bigger shoes”.
Slovenia’s Dragic wasn’t sure if he’d make it over this year.
“I don’t know,” Dragic said.
San Antonio drafted me but then traded me to Phoenix, and there would also have to be a buyout at my club, Tau (Ceramica).
“It would be great to play in Phoenix and learn from a point guard like Steve Nash. We’ll see.”
FIBA
All the more reason to win big this summer.
I understand Sho retiring.
Still, I am a little sad I will never in person get to see him play for the National team.
San Antonio drafted me but then traded me to Phoenix, and there would also have to be a buyout at my club, Tau (Ceramica).
Pop is a party pooper.
There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)