PREVIEW - Aussies, French battle fan-fuelled Slovenia, Turkey
05/09/2010
ISTANBUL (2010 FIBA World Championship) - If Saturday night's Eight-Finals openers at the FIBA World Championship left everyone in Istanbul out of breath, imagine what Sunday's going to be like when the Slovenian and Turkish fans take over the Sinan Erdem Dome.
Slovenia's basketball players claimed four wins in five games in Group B and their 3,000 fans deserved much of the credit for giving them a home-court advantage every time out.
Even more have travelled to the city since and are looking for tickets ahead of the national side's showdown with Australia.
Turkey's supporters, meanwhile, will ensure their side is tough, if not unbeatable, on home soil against France in the nightcap.
The Slovenians' only defeat at the Abdi Ipekci came against Team USA, although Brazil nearly came all the back from a 17-point fourth-quarter deficit before falling to Memi Becirovic's side.
Slovenia have had excellent play in their backcourt, which consists of captain Jaka Lakovic, Goran Dragic and Sani Becirovic, while 6ft 9in forward Bostjan Nachbar has put in the kind of all-round performances at both ends of the floor that could ultimately see him earn a place in the all-tournament team should his side keep winning.
Australia, who played Slovenia in the build-up to the 24-team tournament, played well in a very tough Group A that included Serbia, Argentina, Angola, Germany and Jordan.
Slovenia make their opponents work hard on defense and Australia's guards will especially be put the test.
"The only way we're going to do anything is by playing incredibly tough, hard defense," Australia coach Brett Brown said.
"We don't out-athletic people, we don't out-skill people, it's not like our plays are better than their plays. We just have to go back to very meat-and-potatoes, hard-nosed defense.
"That's where we have a chance."
Look for the rock-solid NBL (National Basketball League) men Damian Martin (Perth Wildcats) and Adam Gibson (Gold Coast Blaze) to have prominent roles as Australia try to disrupt Slovenia when they try to start their offense.
Australia are without big man Andrew Bogut this summer because of the injuries he picked up late in the NBA season with the Milwaukee Bucks but the Boomers still have an imposing frontcourt with Matt Nielsen, Aleks Maric and David Andersen.
Nielsen was the Eurocup MVP this season with Power Electronics Valencia while Maric made a stunning debut in the Euroleague with Partizan Belgrade.
Andersen, who completed his first year in the NBA, has been laid low in Turkey with a stomach bug.
"We've got some viruses flying around, we were lucky to get through all of it (in Group A) in retrospect," Brown said.
"We want healthy players and to go into that Slovenia game with some kind of freshness."
http://turkey2010.fiba.com/pages/eng...8/article.html
Dajmo Slovenija! Victory shall be ours!
Good defensive play so far, a couple of troubles on the offensive end. 16-8 after 1st.
So far ok, 42-21, but we still suck against the zone.
We staaaacked!!!
Oh, and you Emir Prelđič.
OK?
OK???
OK?????
ing great so far!!!!
Nice first half. Hope it'll be a blowout. Placed a bet bet and need only them to win to win my bet.
, I'm even supporting Dragic today.
A bit of bad play at the start of the 3rd, but we responded well.
lol 61-36
not watching this thing anymore. it's been bad that the only ones who can go through watching this are Slovenian fans.
Nice overall team effort
Great game, now it's time to root for France...
Slovenia kicks ass
lol, are you serious? I thought that we have a great game when both teams show up. Blow-outs are never great to watch.
I meant from us, I don't really care about Australia. And I'd rather watch our team blowing out opponents, then tight exciting games where we predictably choke at the end. I had enough of that watching our team in years past, i could use a break this year.
SLO/AUS – Slovenia walk into the Quarter Finals
05/09/2010
Australia Slovenia Day 9 of the 2010 FIBA World Championship in Istambul, Turkey. 4 september 2010 Eighth Final Round
ISTANBUL (FIBA World Championship) – Slovenia have barely raised a sweat in disposing of Australia 87-58 in the Eight Finals at the FIBA World Championship.
It was an ominous performance by the fourth placed team from last year’s Eurobasket, and they did it thanks to a full board of contributors highlighted by Jaka Lakovic, who had 11 first half points on his way to 19 for the game. Primoz Brezec (12 points) and Goran Dragic (10 points) led the rest.
Australia itself has been suffering a long period of drought and it carried onto the basketball court in the first quarter, Slovenia leading 12-0 after nearly seven minutes. While Australia made a brief 6-0 run through Matt Nielsen and Patrick Mills, the quarter time score was 16-8.
When Lakovic and Sani Becirovic started the second quarter with consecutive triples the margin was 14, but worse was to come for Australia. The Boomers shot just 6/27 and gave up 9 turnovers for the half, and when Lakovic capped a 10-3 run with a three-pointer leading into half time the score was 42-21.
The second half was a more even affair but the game had long been decided. Slovenia won the third quarter 29-24, and the final term 16-13.
It was Australia’s largest defeat at a FIBA World Championship against an opponent not named the USA or the USSR. For the Boomers only Mills, Nielsen and Joe Ingles made it into double figures.
Slovenia now face the winner of the Turkey v France game in the FIBA World Championship Quarter Finals.
Quotes:
Slovenia guard Goran Dragic: "It's a fantastic feeling to have made it to the Quarter-Finals of the compe ion. We have worked so hard to arrive here and I think we did a great job today. We came out very strong, executed well and kept our focus from start to finish."
Australia captain Matthew Nielsen: "Slovenia are very strong and they proved that today. They executed very well and our execution was terrible. Having said that, I don't think we are far off from Slovenia's level which might sound a ridiculous comment to make today. But we are without several players and we can play much better than this, we just didn't show it today."
FIBA
http://turkey2010.fiba.com/pages/eng...8/article.html
This team is playing unbelivable right now; we have a good chance against either France or Turkey...
If we would make it to the semi-finals that would be absolutely crazy! (without Lorbek that is)
Australia can't catch up after slow start
By Chris Sheridan
ISTANBUL -- With 3 1/2 minutes remaining in the first quarter, Australia still had a goose egg on the scoreboard. That's right, a zero.
There are bad starts, and then there are really bad starts, and the latter doomed the Boomers to a long flight back Down Under as they were eliminated by Slovenia 87-58 Sunday in the round of 16 at the FIBA World Championship.
Read more...
WHOOSH! Thank you Lord for another great victory. This is exactly what I prayed for! I am sorry that Turkey is in our group since we are going to stomp either them or France and I like Hedo. But if you do not want to be stomped, you should have stayed out of our way. Dajmo Slovenija. Victory is so totally ours.
MacGyver!!Slovenia kicks ass
P.S. Notice the top left corner of the flag.
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