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Italian LegaDue 2011-2012

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  • #46
    What did you think of the Brescia duo? Leemire Goldwire and Ryan Thompson? Thompson was a bit of an idiot i think trying to get an NBA contract and wasted a season in the D-League last year.

    What do you think of Mike Green? could he be a leader in a A1 team? his numbers weren't great in Cantu but he's got a good skillset overall although not great physical tools. There might be teams in Greece interested in him. Some can still pay on time funny enough heh

    Can Dwight Hardy play PG at all? he might struggle at SG at 1.88m in A1 level I think. Unless there is a tall PG to cover SG defense maybe.
    https://t.me/pump_upp

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    • #47
      Originally posted by kukulas View Post
      What did you think of the Brescia duo? Leemire Goldwire and Ryan Thompson? Thompson was a bit of an idiot i think trying to get an NBA contract and wasted a season in the D-League last year.

      What do you think of Mike Green? could he be a leader in a A1 team? his numbers weren't great in Cantu but he's got a good skillset overall although not great physical tools. There might be teams in Greece interested in him. Some can still pay on time funny enough heh

      Can Dwight Hardy play PG at all? he might struggle at SG at 1.88m in A1 level I think. Unless there is a tall PG to cover SG defense maybe.

      - Brescia was a pleasant surprise, they did not have such a talented or deep roster but they always showed a lot of chemistry and toughness, especially in the first half of the season. I'm not a fan of Goldwire, although I think he can be a useful player for small LegaDue teams in need of a guy who can score, attack the rim and draw fouls. But his basketball I.Q. is just average, he forces too much shots and turns the ball over a lot. Can't see him at higher levels.
      Thompson's numbers may not be overwhelming but I'd keep an eye on this young guy. He can play basketball, he's a team-oriented player, good defender and has nice offensive skills too, though his outside shot is not very consistent yet. He struggled a bit early in the season while he was adjusting to European b-ball, but then he stepped up and I came to like his game. I think he did not fully show his potential as he's been plagued by plantar fascitis which is very annoying. One more year in LegaDue or in other leagues of similar level would be fair, then I'd expect him at higher levels.

      - Curiously Green is a player who can have a bigger impact in Serie A than in LegaDue, because he's a good (but not great) scorer but gives his best in setting teammates and game pace. In LegaDue US players are often asked to provide a consistent scoring effort, which is something he can do but it's not his true strength, so he had a fair good season but considering he was one of the highest paid players in the league he did not fully match the expectations. He also had some issues with the team's front office as he wanted to leave midway through the season after getting a big offer from an Israeli team but his team didn't let him go. Good player, but I don't think we'll see him in LegaDue anymore, he just plays a different kind of basketball.

      - Hardy played PG in pinches, but it's not his spot, he is a SG with outstanding scoring tools. Size may be a small concern but he also has a very strong frame and he's athletic, this guy is so talented and will get a lot of offers this summer, so who knows where he will be playing. I believe he can really turn into a star in a couple seasons or so.

      Comment


      • #48
        Final standings

        1 Reggio Emilia 40 pts (20-8)
        2 Brindisi 36 pts (18-10)
        3 Pistoia 34 pts (18-10)*
        4 Scafati 34 pts (17-11)
        5 Barcellona 32 pts (16-12)
        6 Piacenza 28 pts (14-14)
        7 Brescia 28 pts (15-13)*
        8 Veroli 26 pts (13-15)
        9 Ostuni 26 pts (13-15)

        10 Jesi 26 pts (13-15)
        11 Verona 24 pts (12-16)
        12 Bologna 22 pts (11-17)
        13 Sant'Antimo 20 pts (11-17)*
        14 Imola 20 pts (10-18)
        15 Forlì 18 pts (9-19)

        * 2 point penalty for administrative irregularities

        Reggio Emilia promoted to Serie A
        Teams from #2 to #9 qualified to playoffs
        Forlì got relegated


        League leaders

        POINTS PER GAME
        1 - Troy Bell (Sant'Antimo) 23.2
        2 - Dwight Hardy (Pistoia) 22.6
        3 - Paul Marigney (Scafati) 21.1
        4 - Austin Freeman (Forlì) 20.8
        5 - Michele Maggioli (Jesi) 18.5
        6 - Alan Voskuil (Piacenza) 18.3
        7 - Dawan Robinson (Reggio Emilia) 18
        8 - Mickey McConnell (Jesi) 17.6
        9 - Donell Taylor (Reggio Emilia) 17.1
        10 - Jeff Brooks (Jesi) 17

        REBOUNDS PER GAME
        1 - James Thomas (Scafati) 11.7
        2 - Dwayne Anderson (Piacenza) 8.3
        3 - Bobby Jones (Pistoia) 8
        4 - Michele Maggioli (Jesi) 7.7
        5 - Dejan Borovnjak (Brindisi) 7.6
        6 - Patrick Baldassarre (Bologna) 7.5
        7 - Keith Waleskowski (Verona) 7.4
        8 - Dane Di Liegro (Ostuni) 7
        9 - Jeff Brooks (Jesi) 6.9
        10 - Tuukka Kotti (Imola) 6.8

        ASSISTS PER GAME
        1 - Mike Green (Barcellona) 5.2
        2 - Aaron Johnson (Ostuni) 4.6
        3 - Antonio Porta (Verona) 4.4
        4 - Tre Kelley (Bologna) 3.4
        5 - Alex Renfroe (Brindisi) 3.39
        6 - Mickey McConnell (Jesi) 3.39
        7 - Trent Whiting (Imola) 3.36
        8 - Paul Marigney (Scafati) 3.1
        9 - Leemire Goldwire (Brescia) 3
        10 - Brett Blizzard (Bologna) 2.9

        STEALS PER GAME
        1 - Mario West (Verona) 3
        2 - Ryan Thompson (Brescia) 2.8
        3 - Nikola Radulovic (Scafati) 2.6
        4 - Patrick Baldassarre (Bologna) 2.36
        5 - Mike Green (Barcellona) 2.36
        6 - Dawan Robinson (Reggio Emilia) 2.36
        7 - Paul Marigney (Scafati) 2.29
        8 - Antonio Porta (Verona) 2.29
        9 - Mario Ghersetti (Brescia) 2.19
        10 - Leemire Goldwire (Brescia) 2.18

        BLOCKS PER GAME
        1 - Riccardo Cervi (Reggio Emilia) 2.1
        2 - Michele Maggioli (Jesi) 1.6
        3 - James Thomas (Scafati) 0.86
        4 - Nikola Radulovic (Scafati) 0.82
        5 - David Brkic (Veroli) 0.81
        6 - Matteo Da Ros (Barcellona) 0.68
        7 - Roberto Chiacig (Reggio Emilia) 0.67
        8 - Andrea Zerini (Brindisi) 0.59
        9 - Tuukka Kotti (Imola) 0.57
        10 - Christian Di Giuliomaria (Verona), Andrea Renzi (Verona), Giacomo Galanda (Pistoia), Bobby Jones (Pistoia) 0.54

        2P%
        1 - James Thomas (Scafati) 66.1%
        2 - Dejan Borovnjak (Brindisi) 65.4%
        3 - Guillame Yango (Bologna) 64.7%
        4 - Gerald Lee (Veroli) 63.6%
        5 - Jeff Brooks (Jesi) 61.89%
        6 - Michele Maggioli (Jesi) 61.80%
        7 - Craig Callahan (Brindisi) 60.2%
        8 - Alessandro Cittadini (Sant'Antimo) 60.1%
        9 - Mario West (Verona) 59.29%
        10 - Mario Ghersetti (Brescia) 59.28%

        3P%
        1 - Roberto Rullo (Veroli) 48.8%
        2 - Ryan Bucci (Barcellona) 46.3%
        3 - Franco Migliori (Jesi) 44.1%
        4 - Mindaugas Lukauskis (Barcellona) 42.4%
        5 - Alan Voskuil (Piacenza) 41.8%
        6 - Mats Levin (Scafati) 41.6%
        7 - Juan Marcos Casini (Scafati) 41.5%
        8 - Donatas Slanina (Reggio Emilia) 41.3%
        9 - Shawn Huff (Forlì) 41.2%
        10 - Jeff Brooks (Jesi) 40.9%

        FT%
        1 - Michele Maggioli (Jesi) 89.4%
        2 - Antonio Porta (Verona) 89.3%
        3 - Troy Bell (Sant'Antimo) 89.2%
        4 - Jimmie Lee Hunter (Brindisi) 88.5%
        5 - Mickey McConnell (Jesi) 87%
        6 - Patricio Prato (Imola) 86.6%
        7 - Alan Voskuil (Piacenza) 86.4%
        8 - C.C. Harrison (Piacenza) 86.2%
        9 - Andrea Pecile (Bologna) 86.1%
        10 - Paul Marigney (Scafati) 83.9%

        Comment


        • #49
          PLAYOFFS (Best of 5 series)

          (2) Brindisi - (9) Ostuni
          (5) Barcellona - (6) Piacenza

          (3) Pistoia - (8) Veroli
          (4) Scafati - (7) Brescia


          Playoffs start Wednesday. Nice to see three newly-promoted teams from last season make it to the playoffs, especially Ostuni that was considered among the weakest teams in the league. I expect Brindisi to win and be promoted, although they've been very inconsistent throughout the regular season. Pistoia would deserve to go all the way to the finals but they have a very short rotation and may struggle playing every 3 days. Veroli (biggest disappointment of the season) is talented enough to upset them. Scafati enters the playoffs quite tired and out of shape but home factor is a huge advantage for them against Brescia, they may struggle a bit but I believe they'll advance. I think the final series will be Brindisi-Scafati, but I'd give some chances to Veroli.

          Comment


          • #50
            QUARTERFINALS GAME 1

            Barcellona-Piacenza 95-61 - M.Lukauskis 22 pts + 6 rebs + 2 stls + 2 asts (3/6 2p, 5/10 3p, 1/2 ft), L. Dordei 18 pts + 7 rebs (5/6 2p, 1/1 3p, 5/8 ft), M.Hicks 15 pts (4/6 2p, 1/4 3p, 4/4 ft), R. Bucci 10 pts + 3 asts (1/3 2p, 2/4 3p, 2/2 ft) ; A.Voskuil 13 pts (1/3 2p, 3/6 3p, 2/5 ft), CC Harrison 11 pts + 4 rebs (4/8 2p, 1/5 3p), R.Perego 10 pts (5/6 2p, 0/1 3p)

            Brindisi-Ostuni 80-66 - J.Gibson 25 pts + 5 asts (6/7 2p, 3/5 3p, 4/6 ft) in 28mins, D.Borovnjak 17 pts + 7 rebs (6/8 2p, 5/8 ft), A.Renfroe 15 pts + 6 rebs + 3 stls + 2 asts (2/6 2p, 3/5 3p, 2/2 ft) ; A.Johnson 18 pts + 3 stls + 3 asts (6/13 pts, 1/3 3p, 3/4 ft), T.Rinaldi 11 pts + 7 rebs (4/10 2p, 0/1 3p, 3/4 ft), J.Klobuçar 10 pts (3/8 2p, 1/4 3p, 1/2 ft)


            No upsets yesterday. Barcellona blew out Piacenza way too easily although they lost JamesOn Curry due to an injury, I thought they would have won but I expected the opponents to be tougher.

            Brindisi won quite comfortably too, even if Ostuni managed to stay into the game for most of the time. They also lost their main offensive weapon, Mareks Jurevicus, who got injured in the 1st quarter and then did not get back on the court. Sick game by Gibson, not bad for a guy who was only signed a couple of weeks ago.

            Comment


            • #51
              QUARTERFINALS GAME 1

              Pistoia-Veroli 86-84 - D.Hardy 27 pts + 3 asts (6/13 2p, 3/7 3p, 6/9 ft), G.Galanda 17 pts + 6 rebs + 2 asts (5/6 2p, 2/3 3p, 1/2 ft), G.Gurini 13 pts (3/5 2p, 2/4 3p, 1/3 ft), J.Tavernari 11pts (1/1 2p, 3/6 3p), B.Jones 10 pts (2/6 2p, 0/1 3p, 6/8 ft) ; G.Lee 21 pts + 8 rebs + 3 stls (8/9 2p, 5/7 ft), C.Tommasini 11 pts (2/5 2p, 2/4 3p, 1/3 ft), D.Brkic 10 pts + 8 rebs (3/5 2p, 1/3 3p, 1/4 ft), R.Cortese (1/1 2p, 2/3 3p, 2/2 ft)


              Scafati-Brescia 91-73 - P.Marigney 19 pts + 5 asts (5/10 2p, 1/5 3p, 6/7 ft), A.Ghiacci 13 pts + 4 rebs + 3 asts (4/7 2p, 1/1 3p, 2/2 ft), J.Thomas 10 pts + 13 rebs + 1 blk (2/5 2p, 6/6 ft), O.Gueye 10 pts + 5 stls (1/2 2p, 2/5 3p, 2/3 ft) ; R.Rombaldoni 22 pts (2/3 2p, 5/6 3p, 3/4 3p), L.Goldwire 14 pts + 5 rebs (2/5 2p, 3/5 3p, 1/2 ft), D.Ghersetti 10 pts + 6 rebs (1/10 2p, 2/2 3p, 2/4 ft)


              Pistoia won, but as expected had to fight till the final seconds to shut down Veroli that also had the game-winning ball but Rullo lost it. Another great performance by Hardy, still I feel Pistoia will have to squeeze it all out of its short rotation, and playing every two days won't help them. I believe this is going to be a long series and as I predicted Veroli could be dangerous but they need to get more from its US duo (Elder-Jackson).

              Scafati won large but the game was tight and balanced throughout the first half. Then, Scafati accelerated in the 3rd quarter to eventually kill Brescia with a deadly run in the 4th quarter. Both teams don't seem to be at their best in this final rush, Brescia has guts and may be dangerous in low-scoring games, but Scafati is the better one here and homecourt advantage is a decisive factor in this series. I believe Brescia will win game3 but then I expect Scafati to finish the job 3-1.

              Comment


              • #52
                QUARTERFINALS - GAME 2

                Brindisi-Ostuni 77-59 - D.Borovnjak 15 pts + 7 rebs + 3 stls + 2 asts (7/14 2p, 1/1 ft), K.Ndoja 14 pts + 7 rebs + 2 stls in 16 mins (2/2 2p, 3/5 3p, 1/1 ft), M.Formenti 14 pts + 5 stls (2/2 2p, 3/6 3p, 1/1 ft), J.Gibson 12 pts (1/2 2p, 3/6 3p, 1/1 ft) ; A.Johnson 16 pts (4/5 2p, 2/4 3p, 2/4 ft), D.Diliegro 13 pts + 9 rebs (6/7 2p, 1/2 ft), T.Rinaldi 12 pts + 7 rebs + 2 stls (5/10 2p, 0/2 3p, 2/2 ft)

                Brindisi leads the series 2-0


                Barcellona-Piacenza 79-65 - M.Green 17 pts + 4 rebs + 4 stls + 2 asts (3/7 2p, 3/4 3p, 2/3 ft), M.Lukauskis 10 pts + 10 rebs + 3 stls + 5 asts (3/5 2p, 1/7 3p, 1/2 ft), M.Da Ros 10 pts + 5 rebs + 4 stls (2/2 2p, 2/3 3p, 0/2 ft), M.Mocavero 10 pts + 4 rebs in 12 mins (3/6 2p, 4/5 ft), R.Bucci 10 pts (2/6 2p, 2/6 3p) ; A.Voskuil 21 pts in 27 mins (1/2 2p, 5/11 3p, 4/4 ft), D.Anderson 18 pts + 8 rebs (7/12 2p, 4/6 ft), L.Infante 10 pts + 8 rebs (2/6 2p, 0/2 3p, 6/7 ft)

                Barcellona leads the series 2-0


                Pistoia-Veroli 83-84 - D.Hardy 25 pts + 8 rebs + 4 asts (6/11 2p, 2/7 3p, 7/7 ft), G.Gurini 17 pts + 4 rebs (3/4 2p, 3/6 3p, 2/4 ft), L.Saccaggi 12 pts (3/5 2p, 2/5 3p), J.Tavernari 11 pts + 3 rebs + 3 asts (1/5 2p, 3/5 3p) ; J.Jackson 29 pts + 3 rebs + 4 asts (7/9 2p, 3/6 3p, 6/7 ft), BJ Elder 13 pts + 3 stls + 1 blk (4/8 2p, 1/7 3p, 2/3 ft), I.Gatto 12 pts + 7 rebs + 1 blk (3/6 2p, 2/3 ft), D.Brkic 10 pts + 6 rebs (3/6 2p, 1/2 3p, 1/4 ft)

                The series is tied, 1-1


                Scafati-Brescia 106-92 - P.Marigney 23 pts + 3 rebs + 8 stls + 7 asts (8/10 2p, 1/4 3p, 4/5 ft), JM Casini 17 pts + 3 asts (4/4 2p, 3/6 3p), N.Radulovic 16 pts + 3 rebs + 2 asts (1/2 2p, 4/6 3p, 2/2 ft), J.Thomas 14 pts + 8 rebs + 2 stls (5/8 2p, 4/4 ft), A.Ghiacci 14 pts + 8 rebs + 2 stls + 2 asts (5/7 2p, 1/2 3p, 1/5 ft) ; R.Thompson 17 pts + 11 rebs + 3 stls + 4 asts (6/10 2p, 5/8 ft), M.Ghersetti 16 pts + 4 rebs (7/10 2p, 0/2 3p, 2/2 ft), M.Rezzano 15 pts + 1 blk (0/1 2p, 5/5 3p, 0/2 ft), L.Goldwire 13 pts + 3 asts (3/3 2p, 2/5 3p, 1/2 ft), D.Busma 10 pts + 4 rebs + 4 stls (5/7 2p, 0/1 3p, 0/1 ft)

                Scafati leads the series 2-0


                It's just going as expected. Brindisi should kill the series tonight, I expect the same from Barcellona although I believe Piacenza has a slight chance to grab a home win and stay alive. Same for Brescia, they can't win at Scafati but their pride and guts could be enough to make them win game 3, Scafati may be a bit tired too. And no surprise to me that Veroli completed a comeback and with a pair of free throws by Jarrius Jackson (huge game yesterday, at last, he may be among the biggest disappointments of the season) with a few seconds left, managed to defeat Pistoia on their own homecourt. Veroli is now favourite to advance to the semifinals.

                Comment


                • #53
                  QUARTERFINALS - Game 3

                  Ostuni-Brindisi 87-93 (O.T.) - A.Johnson 33 pts + 2 rebs + 6 asts (5/6 2p, 5/12 3p, 8/9 ft), S.Berti 17 pts + 8 rebs + 3 asts (1/3 2p, 3/5 3p, 6/8 ft) ; J.Gibson 31 pts + 3 rebs + 2 stls (2/8 2p, 7/13 3p, 6/6 ft), K.Ndoja 19 pts + 4 rebs + 4 stls (0/1 2p, 5/9 3p, 4/6 ft), A.Renfroe 18 pts + 9 rebs + 2 stls + 4 asts (3/7 2p, 2/4 3p, 6/8 ft), C.Callahan 10 pts + 7 rebs + 5 stls + 2 asts (5/8 2p, 0/3 ft)

                  Brindisi won the series 3-0
                  As expected, Brindisi finished the job, but trailed the whole game against die-hard opponents. Ostuni would have deserved this one, especially considering the difference in terms of talent and the fact they played all the series without their leading scorer (Mareks Jurevicus). In the end, they had to go on with a very short rotation and most players were just too tired (Johnson played 45 minutes), while Brindisi found the game-tying shot with a three-pointer on the buzzer by Gibson. In the OT Brindisi finally took the lead and swept the opponents. Congrats to Ostuni, their debut season in LegaDue has been huge, since they had one of the smallest budgets in the league, no one really expected them to qualify to the postseason. Wonder where tiny rookie PG Aaron Johnson will play next year, he really impressed, probably the best PG in LegaDue this season. At the end of the game he was in tears before bidding farewell to his fans. Gibson confirms to be a heck of a scorer with a knack for clutch shots. Great news for Brindisi that Ndoja has completely recovered from his injury.


                  Piacenza-Barcellona 90-85 - A.Voskuil 29 pts + 5 rebs + 3 asts (3/4 2p, 5/9 3p, 8/8 ft), D.Anderson 18 pts + 10 rebs + 2 blks + 1 stl + 3 asts (5/10 2p, 1/1 3p, 5/6 ft), R.Amoroso 17 pts + 6 rebs + 2 blks + 1 stl in 22 mins(7/9 2p, 3/4 ft), CC Harrison 14 pts + 6 rebs + 1 stl + 6 asts (4/5 2p, 2/4 3p) ; M.Green 19 pts + 8 rebs + 6 stls + 7 asts (3/7 2p, 3/6 3p, 4/4 ft), M.Hicks 18 pts + 8 rebs + 2 stls (3/8 2p, 4/7 3p), L.Dordei 14 pts + 4 rebs + 2 asts (5/10 2p, 1/2 3p, 1/2 ft), M.Mocavero 13 pts + 5 rebs in 15 mins (5/7 2p, 3/4 ft), R.Bucci 11 pts + 1 stl + 4 asts (3/6 2p, 1/6 3p, 2/2 ft)

                  Barcellona leads the series 2-1
                  In a game where both teams had a lot of runs and ups & downs, Voskuil's shooting festival and a surprising effort by Amoroso gave Piacenza the decisive momentum in the 4th quarter. In the end they deserved to win and stay alive. They're tough to beat at home and if Voskuil (who btw had a hell of a season) gets in rhythm they turn into a dangerous team. They may be a bit tired but Barcellona needs to watch out tomorrow, if I were them I wouldn't like this series to go to game 5...



                  Brescia-Scafati 95-73 - L.Goldwire 27 pts + 3 rebs + 5 stls + 5 asts (4/6 2p, 5/9 3p, 4/4 ft), D.Busma 18 pts + 7 rebs + 1 blk + 3 stls (8/10 2p, 2/2 ft), M.Ghersetti 12 pts + 6 rebs + 1 blk + 2 stls + 1 ast (4/8 2p, 1/3 3p, 1/2 ft), R.Thompson 12 pts + 6 rebs + 3 asts (3/5 2p, 0/1 3p, 6/6 ft) ; P.Marigney 22 pts + 6 rebs + 1 stl + 3 asts (7/11 2p, 2/8 3p, 2/4 ft), A.Ghiacci 15 pts + 5 rebs + 1 blk + 1 stl + 2 asts (5/8 2p, 1/1 3p, 2/2 ft)

                  Very weird game, with Scafati ahead in the score for most of the first half, but Brescia managed to cut the margin and then built up an impressive run early in the 4th quarter to secure a large win. Goldwire at his best, but the key was Busma who surprisingly got the better of Thomas, probably the best big man in the league.

                  Scafati leads the series 2-1


                  Veroli-Pistoia 64-79 - J.Jackson 17 pts + 2 asts (3/3 2p, 3/7 3p, 2/2 ft), BJ Elder 16 pts + 4 rebs + 1 ast (4/8 2p, 2/5 3p, 2/2 ft), R.Cortese 10 pts + 5 rebs + 1 stl (3/5 2p, 1/3 3p, 1/1 ft) ; D.Hardy 18 pts + 3 stls + 6 asts (7/9 2p, 0/4 3p, 4/6 ft), F.Toppo 17 pts + 6 rebs + 1 stl (7/10 2p, 0/1 3p, 3/4 ft), B.Jones 12 pts + 13 rebs (2/8 2p, 1/1 3p, 5/8 ft), G.Galanda + 1 reb + 1 stl + 1 ast (2/4 2p, 1/1 3p, 3/4 ft)

                  Huge reaction by Pistoia, who seemed to be struggling in this series after losing homecourt advantage in game 2. Great 2nd half, Hardy scored a bit less but had to carry the playmaking duties for most time and did quite well (6 assists). However, captain Fiorello Toppo was the mvp with one of his best performances in the whole season.

                  Pistoia leads the series 2-1
                  Last edited by boyd20; 05-19-2012, 12:54 PM.

                  Comment


                  • #54
                    Thanks for the updates boyd.

                    About Ostuni, how would you rate Jaka Klobucar's season? Like you said, his team overachieved but do you think that move worked out well for him personally?

                    Comment


                    • #55
                      Originally posted by Jazz View Post
                      Thanks for the updates boyd.

                      About Ostuni, how would you rate Jaka Klobucar's season? Like you said, his team overachieved but do you think that move worked out well for him personally?
                      Ups and downs, but he had a fair good season in the end. Came to replace injured JJ Williams and started very strong in terms of both scoring and shooting. He also won a couple of games by hitting shots on the buzzer. Then, he started fading also due to fatigue (I guess he payed the fact he wasn't used to play that much and to play such an important role) and his numbers, especially his %, dropped a bit. I was more impressed by teammates Jurevicus and Johnson.

                      As for Ostuni...the team seemed to be in jeopardy due to financial reasons but today at the very last moment they have been able to cover all the administrative expenses (for a total of 88.000 €), so they will likely remain in LegaDue next season. Very deserved indeed, considering their campaign.

                      Too bad the forum was down in the previous days, I will try to sum up what happened meanwhile.

                      Comment


                      • #56
                        Semifinals start tonight

                        #2 Brindisi - #5 Barcellona
                        #3 Pistoia - #4 Scafati

                        I'm thrilled, I expect tight series here. Brindisi facing minor injuries (Renfroe is hurt, may be replaced by Charalampidis tonight) and emotional breakdowns (don't know if you heard what happened in the town last Saturday...), Barcellona missing Dordei (8 ppg) and deciding whether to use Michael Hicks or JamesOn Curry.
                        On the other side, Pistoia comes as the season's biggest surprise and is one of the teams that played better but they have a very short rotation (lost starting PG Donte Mathis for the remainder of the season and did not replace C Guillaume Yango after he moved to Bologna), while Scafati is probably a little stronger but very inconsistent, especially on the road.

                        Meanwhile rookie SG Dwight Hardy (Pistoia) has been named MVP of this season. He finished as the league's top scorer (22.6 ppg).
                        Michele Maggioli (Jesi) and Riccardo Cervi (Reggio Emilia) have been named Italian MVPs.

                        Comment


                        • #57
                          Yes, it must be very difficult for the Brindisi players to play so soon after such a tragedy.

                          Something I was wondering- are all teams in the league below LegaDue (Serie A Dilettanti) semi- pro or are some of them fully professional?

                          Comment


                          • #58
                            Originally posted by Jazz View Post
                            Yes, it must be very difficult for the Brindisi players to play so soon after such a tragedy.

                            Something I was wondering- are all teams in the league below LegaDue (Serie A Dilettanti) semi- pro or are some of them fully professional?
                            Fully professional are only teams competing in Serie A and LegaDue. Some teams competing in Serie A Dilettanti are wealthy and the best players in that league do earn very well, sometimes even more than most LegaDue bench players.

                            Watched the game on TV yesterday, people in Brindisi were still shocked but I really liked the support given by fans from Barcellona. As for the team, Brindisi reacted well and crunched the opponents since the first half, when they managed to score 60 points (!). In the 2nd half Barcellona finally showed some pride and started to do a better defensive work on the pick and roll but also had a better shot selection, while Brindisi just relaxed and simply stopped playing too early allowing the opponents to consistently cut the margin from a 23-pt deficit to only 5 in the final minute, but in the end Brindisi won and deserved it.
                            Jonathan Gibson was once again a scoring machine, but he also did a very good job in the 1st half in dishing the ball to teammates in pick and roll situations. He's a bit undersized and needs to work on his defensive attitude, but I expect this guy to get good offers from Serie A and other main leagues. As for Barcellona, Matteo Da Ros confirms to be the most interesting young Italian player of the league, a PF with a very smooth touch from outside and points in his hands. He almost single-handedly led his team's comeback in the 2nd half, he really impressed me every time I saw him this season. I hope to see him play in Serie A next year.

                            Bad news for Barcellona : Phil Martin (among the team's best players in game 1) tested positive for doping and will be disqualified for game 2. Too bad for them, as they were already missing Dordei and Curry.

                            SEMIFINALS

                            GAME 1

                            Brindisi-Barcellona 102-97 - J.Gibson 23 pts + 6 rebs + 1 stl + 2 asts in 27 mins (4/5 2p, 1/5 3p, 12/13 ft), D.Borovnjak 18 pts + 4 rebs + 4 stls + 1 ast (8/13 2p, 2/4 ft), A.Renfroe 18 pts + 3 rebs + 1 stl + 3 asts (3/3 2p, 3/6 3p, 3/6 ft), M.Formenti 14 pts + 1 stl + 2 asts (1/2 2p, 4/5 3p), K.Ndoja 11 pts + 4 rebs + 4 stls + 1 ast (3/3 2p, 1/3 3p, 2/2 ft), C.Callahan 10 pts + 2 rebs + 1 blk + 1 stl (2/3 2p, 2/4 3p) ; M.Da Ros 24 pts + 8 rebs + 1 blk + 2 stls + 1 ast in 29 mins (7/10 2p, 3/5 3p, 1/2 ft), P.Martin 20 pts + 6 rebs + 5 stls in 26 mins (8/9 2p, 1/1 3p, 1/2 ft), M.Green 18 pts + 3 rebs + 2 stls + 1 ast (4/8 2p, 2/5 3p, 4/6 ft), M.Hicks 13 pts + 5 rebs + 2 stls (1/5 2p, 2/4 3p, 5/6 ft)


                            In the other game, Scafati finally showed consistency on the road and won in Pistoia after leading since the beginning. Pistoia's frontcourt was single-handedly crashed by an amazing James Thomas, who already reached his double-double at the end of the 1st quarter (!). In the 2nd half, just when Scafati managed to extend the lead Dwight Hardy finally took fire and became unstoppable (22 pts in the 2nd half). He scored three consecutive 3-pointers in the 4th quarter and cut the margin to only 1 point giving his team the game-winning ball, but the defense prevented him from trying the decisive shot which was taken by youngster Evotti, who missed it.

                            GAME 1

                            Pistoia-Scafati 84-85 - D.Hardy 33 pts + 2 rebs + 3 stls + 2 asts + 0 to (9/15 2p, 3/4 3p, 6/7 ft), B.Jones 15 pts + 4 rebs + 1 blk + 3 stls (4/8 2p, 0/3 3p, 7/9 ft), J.Tavernari 10 pts + 4 rebs + 1 blk + 2 stls (2/3 2p, 2/5 3p) ; J.Thomas 24 pts + 24 rebs + 1 blk + 1 stl + 2 asts = 48 rating (11/14 2p, 2/7 ft), P.Marigney 24 pts + 1 reb + 2 asts (4/9 2p, 3/9 3p, 7/8 ft), A.Ghiacci 18 pts + 7 rebs + 3 asts (6/9 2p, 2/4 3p, 0/2 ft), JM Casini 11 pts + 1 reb + 1 ast (1/2 2p, 3/6 3p)

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                            • #59
                              SEMIFINALS GAME 2

                              Brindisi-Barcellona 90-77 - J.Gibson 24 pts + 2 rebs + 4 stls + 4 asts (7/12 2p, 1/3 3p, 7/7 ft), K.Ndoja 19 pts + 10 rebs + 3 stls (4/5 2p, 1/2 3p, 8/8 ft), A.Renfroe 16 pts + 5 rebs + 2 stls + 1 ast (6/12 2p, 1/3 3p, 1/2 ft), D.Borovnjak 13 pts + 8 rebs + 1 stl + 1 ast (5/7 2p, 3/4 ft) ; M.Mocavero 15 pts + 3 rebs + 4 stls (5/6 2p, 1/2 3p, 2/3 ft), M.Lukauskis 15 pts + 5 rebs + 4 stls 1 ast (4/7 2p, 2/7 3p, 1/1 ft), R.Bucci 15 pts + 2 rebs + 1 stl + 2 asts (2/5 2p, 3/8 3p, 2/2 ft), J.Curry 11 pts + 5 rebs + 2 stls + 1 ast (0/3 2p, 2/4 3p, 5/6 ft)

                              Brindisi leads the series 2-0

                              Without Martin and Dordei, Barcellona played with much pride and intensity in the 1st half leading in double digits for most of the 2nd quarter before Brindisi managed to cut the margin. The game was then very balanced but Brindisi's deeper rotation made the difference with Gibson and Ndoja as the main factors in the decisive run later in the 4th quarter. Decent game by JamesOn Curry at his debut in these playoffs, but once again Mike Green didn't do a good job in setting teammates. Barcellona is a hard place to win at, but Brindisi has all the momentum now.

                              Highlights of the 4th quarter, containing most of the decisive baskets.



                              Pistoia-Scafati 69-58 - D.Hardy 25 pts + 5 rebs + 1 blk + 2 stls + 2 asts (5/8 2p, 3/3 3p, 6/8 ft), B.Jones 17 pts + 13 rebs + 4 stls + 1 ast (5/13 2p, 2/2 3p, 1/1 ft) ; P.Marigney 21 pts + 6 rebs + 3 stls + 2 asts (6/9 2p, 2/7 3p, 3/4 ft)

                              The series is tied at 1-1

                              Hardy for MVP!! Pistoia reacts and despite losing the homecourt advantage proves to be alive and determined to keep fighting. Team of Destiny? We'll see.


                              Sad news, shooting guard Martin Colussi (Veroli), passed away last night at 31, in a car accident. Last season he played in Serie A with Caserta, posting some good numbers even in the EuroCup. R.I.P.

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                              • #60
                                SEMIFINALS
                                GAME 3

                                Barcellona-Brindisi 80-86 - R.Bucci 18 pts + 3 stls + 1 ast (5/13 2p, 2/5 3p, 2/2 ft), M.Mocavero 16 pts + 7 rebs + 3 stls + 3 asts (7/11 2p, 0/2 3p, 2/2 ft), M.Lukauskis 16 pts + 5 rebs + 3 stls (1/2 2p, 4/9 3p, 2/2 ft), M. Da Ros 15 pts + 5 rebs + 1 blk + 3 stls + 1 asts (6/8 2p, 0/1 3p, 3/4 ft) ; J.Gibson 33 pts + 4 rebs + 3 asts in 31 mins (6/8 2p, 3/4 3p, 12/12 ft), C.Callahan 16 pts + 5 rebs + 4 stls (5/5 2p, 2/4 3p), A.Renfroe 14 pts + 8 rebs + 3 stls + 4 asts (7/11 2p, 0/2 3p, 0/3 ft)

                                Brindisi won the series 3-0

                                Game 3 was wild and hard-fought just as expected, in a very noisy arena. Brindisi started well especially on the offensive side but entered the 2nd quarter just too relaxed and Barcellona started to pressure Gibson forcing him to turn the ball over repeatedly, to eventually let the hosts put together an impressive run that led them ahead in the score in double digits. But inevitably, due to their short rotations (with Dordei, Martin, Piazza missing) Barcellona started fading and Brindisi finally found a way to cut the margin and then take the lead mainly through crashing the offensive boards, even with their guards (Renfroe did a great job), and with an unstoppable Gibson, who struggled while running the point but once again proved his scoring skills playing the 2 guard. He sank big-time shots later in the 4th quarter and drew plenty of fouls as usual, proving himself to be lethal from the free-throw line. The game ended with an unpleasant sequel, as following a turnover by the opponents on the last possession of the game, Gibson slam dunked the ball on the buzzer and brought his finger to the nose to silence the home team's crowd. This obviously caused a lot of mess, objects were thrown on the court and some fans tried to hit Brindisi's players, who fortunately managed to get off the court quickly. Not a good scene but Gibson should have avoided such a teasing gesture, although he had been very cool and composed throughout the game despite Barcellona's fans tried to get on his nerves (they even hit him once and shaked the basket whenever he went to the free-throw line, but this did not prevent him from being perfect from there). Gibson was disqualified for 2 games but fortunately today the ruling was canceled, so he will be allowed to play all the final series. Just to highlight the impact he had since joining Brindisi: his team has always won (7/7 with him on the court) and he managed to post impressive numbers as 24.7 ppg in 30.2 minutes with amazing % (61.9% 2p, 50% 3p, 93.3% ft).

                                Scafati-Pistoia 87-90 - JM Casini 30 pts + 2 rebs + 5 stls + 1 ast in 28 mins (3/5 2p, 7/8 3p, 3/4 ft), A.Ghiacci 18 pts + 4 rebs + 3 stls + 2 asts (6/10 2p, 1/3 3p, 3/4 ft), P.Marigney 12 pts + 6 rebs + 1 blk + 2 stls + 3 asts (1/5 2p, 2/6 3p, 4/4 ft), G.Sorrentino 11 pts + 3 rebs + 1 blk + 1 ast (0/2 2p, 3/5 3p, 2/2 ft) ; B.Jones 25 pts + 6 rebs + 7 stls + 1 ast (6/7 2p, 2/3 3p, 7/13 ft), D.Hardy 25 pts + 5 rebs + 4 stls + 4 asts (9/17 2p, 1/2 3p, 4/5 ft), G.Gurini 11 pts + 2 rebs + 3 stls + 1 ast (2/5 2p, 2/2 3p, 1/2 ft)

                                Pistoia leads the series 2-1

                                This series is rocking, with both team capable to win on the road. Impressive win by Pistoia, the most surprising team of the season seemed to be on his way to surrender after losing game 1 and the homecourt advantage, but after a strong reaction in game 2, they put on a show yesterday to win in Scafati (where only Brindisi managed to do it) very deservedly. Once again they managed to stop James Thomas (dominant in game 1 but then a non-factor in the next two games) and this time even Marigney. Scafati had an amazing and unexpected performance by Casini and also Ghiacci did pretty well but that wasn't enough. The heroics by Jones and Hardy don't seem to come to an end and Pistoia is just one win away (and now holding the homecourt advantage if the series gets to game 5) from a totally unpredictable final series.

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