BBL (Baltic Basketball League) Official Thread 2007/2008

[sashikas2]

Žalgiris - Ventspils game should be broadcasted in 40 minutes here

 

[LuDux]

Say it to Barons and Ventspils fans after their games against Siauliai at home when both teams had to win the games comfortably and were leading by +7 to +10 but lost in the last seconds with -1. Some said after that game that Latvian referees help everybody except Latvian clubs. Of course, Estonians have the right to say otherwise after such a game like Barons- Kalev.

I sometimes get same feeling about Lithuanian referees

I can't say bad things about Estonian referees, the worst ones are in Lithuania as Latvians think (not about the professionalism of them but somehow playing in Klaipeda or Siauliai you get either unexplainable offensive fouls (this year Siaulia at home vs Valmiera) or you shoot 15 free throws when your opposition sth like 40 (some years ago important overtime game in Klaipeda vs Valmiera when at the end Valmiera won it and Vairogs scored I think little over 40 or sth in the process) .

Neptunas shot 58 ft's while Valmiera 39. In Valmiera host won by 15 points but Neptunas shot 12 more ft's (32:20) so it could be difference in style
Vairogs scored 33 points including long 2point buzzer-beater to win the game

 

[rusher]

Neptunas shot 58 ft's while Valmiera 39. In Valmiera host won by 15 points but Neptunas shot 12 more ft's (32:20) so it could be difference in style
Vairogs scored 33 points including long 2point buzzer-beater to win the game

OK, I didn't really want to write in the same manner as these Valmiera fans who always blame referees but I guess I did not even thinking whether the numbers and facts are true. It's like a tradition there, in Valmiera, to praise the team and blame referees in every situation. There was one funny guy last year who wrote for their home page, it was interesting to read that after every defeat Valmiera had there was the same thing written "Referees killed the game", "Referees support the big budget club" - when they lost to Barons or ASK or "Referees are in favor of amateurs'' when they lost to "Lauvas", it was like a conspiracy theory and every a smalest change in a schedule also was like "BBL/LBL don't like Valmiera, they like bigger budget clubs, how much did they pay to LBL/BBL to get rid of Valmiera". The best part was though at the end of the season when in the quarter finals of LBL Valmiera lost to semi-professional team "Lauvas" and then this guy finally understood that maybe referees aren't the only ones to blame. This year they write much less bull in their page.

 

[Demarr]

Candidates for the best player of November:

Kristjan Kangur (Kalev), Travis Reed (Kalev), Vladimir Stimac (Valmiera), Demetrius Darnell Alexander (Barons), Justin Love (Ventspils), Saulius Kuzminskas (Šiauliai), Matthew Nielsen (Lietuvos Rytas) and Marko Popovic (Žalgiris).

 

[C-ka]

Is that our refs are the worst, or our teams the best?..

Seriously (and I'm not saying I wasn't serious with my first statement), as there are more experienced referees in Lithuania, I'm sure they aren't any worse than LV or EE, also considering the overall basketball level in the countries. I don't believe in the bias either. I don't believe referees would be supporting Siauliai, while most of them everywhere are tend to help smaller teams when playing against Zalgiris or Rytas.

BTW, Some very enthuasiastic voices are coming from braliukas Latvia. nothing bad about that though, you have to believe, only humbleness is what I miss from my point of view here...

And well the newest UEFA releases about corruption in European football reveals that our cold Estonian brothers are right there among the other two beloved neighbours, considered as suspiciuos countries.

 

[rusher]

Is that our refs are the worst, or our teams the best?..

Seriously (and I'm not saying I wasn't serious with my first statement), as there are more experienced referees in Lithuania, I'm sure they aren't any worse than LV or EE, also considering the overall basketball level in the countries. I don't believe in the bias either. I don't believe referees would be supporting Siauliai, while most of them everywhere are tend to help smaller teams when playing against Zalgiris or Rytas.

BTW, Some very enthuasiastic voices are coming from braliukas Latvia. nothing bad about that though, you have to believe, only humbleness is what I miss from my point of view here...

And well the newest UEFA releases about corruption in European football reveals that our cold Estonian brothers are right there among the other two beloved neighbours, considered as suspiciuos countries.

This theme was started by Estonians
But it could be so that weaker teams want to win better ones much more and because in Estonia there are weaker teams like in other two countries and in Latvia- weaker than in Lithuania we tend to see help from referees everywhere.
Now I really can't say that there was something wrong with referees in Barons- Kalev game. Barons also is a good team, today 91:64 vs Rock at home. Maybe referees just missed the episode or maybe there wasn't anything. If the referees would want Barons to win they would not give an extra time and would invent some foul for Kalev, in my opinion for Barons to win it in normal time.

 

[Demarr]

It will be Estonian derby match today, Rock - Kalev.

Rock is known as a very strong home team - last time they played at home, they made a lot of headache to Rytas. Kalev's situation before the game isn't the best available - many players are injured or very tired. Kangur should play 98% today, Keerles will play if coach allows him. Kriisa is doubtful.
It will be very hot game. ETV will broadcast the game.

 

[Demarr]

Kalev lost to Rock 67:70. Reed scored 18, Kangur supported him with 13 points. Kullamäe and Doronin had 14 points each for Rock. The start of the game was very furious, players really fought. Kalev lost the first half 36:34. At the begging of third quarter, Kalev made 12-2 run. Rock found their hero in Kullamae whos two crazy three-pointers soon made it 50:50. During the fourth quarter Giorgi Tsintsadze start dominating. Tsintsadze was the one who scored two free-throws with 15 seconds to go. Frier had chance to save the game for Kalev, but failed. Home crowd started celebrating.
Kalev had really big problems with Rock's zone-defense. Second really big problem would be Marlon Parmer. He is supposed to lead the game, but he dribbles about 10 seconds, then he goes in, jumps in the air and tries to give a pass or make a lay-up (which usually doesn't go in). Kalev would be much stronger if we could get someone instead of Parmer. It isn't normal anymore.

Second half of Rock-Kalev game - http://213.35.156.10/etv/08122007_rock_kalev.wmv

 

[Troll]

I agree Parmer should be fired even if hes contract has some release penalty for club, Kalev would be far better off without him. Every time he gets subed in Kalevs game turns into crap... What good is a PG who cant run the team, cant shoot, cant defend, if Kalev dosnt fire him then i'm sure Kalev will lose a lot more games just cause of him.

 

[Demarr]

Rock - Ventspils.

Rock is known as very strong home team, but in my opinion chances are 70-30 to Ventspils. Mainly because Rock and Kalev both couldn't get back to Estonia as they planned (there are strikes in Greece). Rock will arrive to Tartu in the night at 02.00 and they are forced to play in the same evening, at 19.00. At the begging Ventspils agreed to move the gameday on saturday, but later they decided that they want to play on Friday. Rock haven't got real problems with injuries, only Sestokas might not be able to help Rock. Goodluck to Rock.

BC Kalev - Siauliai.

BC Kalev is on the verge of blackhole. Big defeats in ULEB Cup and smaller defeat to archrivals Tartu Rock really devastated the team's morale. Atleast Kalev players can have some rest in Greece. Siauliai fought very well vs Turk Telekom, they are also higher on the table in Baltic League, therefore they are favorites in that game. Even though it would be great for Kalev to make a surprise and get the morale high again. The game will be played in Kalev Hall - a quite small hall, but where fans could make the atmosphere superb.
Kalev Sport will broadcast the game.

 

[Demarr]

Rock really surprised me by beating Ventspils today. The scoreline was 90-88. Ventspils had chance to tie the score on the last second, but Akingbala missed free-throw's. Cusworth scored 24 points for Rock and Tanel Tein supported him with 20 points. Jimmy Baxter got 23 point for Ventspils.

EDIT: Ventspils coach Gasper Okorn was ejected from the field and sent to the locker room because he showed middle finger to one of the referee's (?).
http://213.35.156.10/etv/14122007_korvpall_turock.wmv

 

[sashikas2]

Ventspils coach Gasper Okorn was ejected from the field and sent to the locker room because he showed middle finger to one of the referee's (?).
http://213.35.156.10/etv/14122007_korvpall_turock.wmv

If this action was included to the report link is heading to, then it looked like Okorn was showing pointing finger, not the middle one. But his actions surely had to be awarded with the ejection.

Rytas beats Neptūnas by almost 40 point margin. It is notable, that Vilnius' team was playing with their second string players mostly. Neptūnas surely is a huge disappointment this season. I kinda hoped, that after the one they had last year they will become at least a good bronze medal contender in Lithuanian championship.

Žalgiris beats Barons also with quite a large margin and resting their main players 93:66.

 

[Demarr]

If this action was included to the report link is heading to, then it looked like Okorn was showing pointing finger, not the middle one. But his actions surely had to be awarded with the ejection.

Rytas beats Neptūnas by almost 40 point margin. It is notable, that Vilnius' team was playing with their second string players mostly. Neptūnas surely is a huge disappointment this season. I kinda hoped, that after the one they had last year they will become at least a good bronze medal contender in Lithuanian championship.

Žalgiris beats Barons also with quite a large margin and resting their main players 93:66.

TV commentator said that he showed middle finger, also some people who went to see match said that he showed the middle finger just a littlebit earlier, so it was off the screen. He also told one of the referee's to f***-off. After the game Ventspils made an official protest.

Kalev beat Siauliai 93-80. Kangur had very good game once again with 25 points and 7 rebounds. Reed had a very usual game with 22 points.
Antonio Grant had also 22 points for Siauliai.
Kalev - Siauliai highlights - http://213.35.156.10/etv/15122007_kalev_siauliai.wmv

 

[C-ka]

Zalgiris lost @ Venspils 70-77

DC Collins, Marcus Brown, Micheal Bradley and Eurelijus Zukauskas all didn't play, while Motiejunas got injured in the first quarter so Zalgiris had no center at all for the rest of the game. And yet Zalgiris played too relaxed (as if it was a friendly game ) except only last minutes, when they just didn't have the luck on offense while seemed tired and slow in defense. Also the same short squad had a game a day before.

Of course it's not so nice to lose to a Latvian team, anyway it doesn't change pretty much anything while the result is quite fair considering the circumstances.

 

[rusher]

Zalgiris lost @ Venspils 70-77

DC Collins, Marcus Brown, Micheal Bradley and Eurelijus Zukauskas all didn't play, while Motiejunas got injured in the first quarter so Zalgiris had no center at all for the rest of the game. And yet Zalgiris played too relaxed (as if it was a friendly game ) except only last minutes, when they just didn't have the luck on offense while seemed tired and slow in defense. Also the same short squad had a game a day before.

Of course it's not so nice to lose to a Latvian team, anyway it doesn't change pretty much anything while the result is quite fair considering the circumstances.

Historical game for Latvian basketball, for 20 years none of Latvian clubs have beaten Zalgiris in an official game no matter home or away. And I, not being the fan of Ventspils even didn't watch it. And now I would say that I really don't want to watch it.
Of course it's historical background is huge, remembering the times when Broceni lost only in the last seconds playing with Zalgiris that those days was one of the top teams in Euroleague, Ventspils constant good games against Rytas and enexplainably weak games against Zalgiris, ASK's lat year's games home and away, especially that one away game when Millage, if he would score that 3-pointer, would get this win. For Lithuanian basketball it doesn't matter much, for Latvian basketball- a lot.
But this game, Zalgiris playing with half of their full strenght roster and Ventspils that had struggled this year against ASK and Barons....It wasn't the kind of game people would say "Zalgiris was damn good in this game but Ventspils were a bit better". This was another one of both teams sucked. Because Ventspils can't play better and Zalgiris didn't think they need to play better to beat Ventspils.
Some say that nobody will remember what roster Zalgiris had that day, how good were Ventspils players etc. They probably won't remember.
I constantly thought that if Zalgiris were to lose to Latvian club that would rather indicate that club level of Latvian basketball has risen, not that Zalgiris interest about games against constantly weak opponents in BBL has lovered. I guess I was wrong. Latvian basketball is even in worst shape this year than it was the previous year. Yeah, ASK's record in BBL looks solid, almost as LR or Zalgiris but they way they play in ULEB Cup...The way they last to Zalgiris their away game...Still lots of work to do.
I still hope that someday our club will beat Zalgiris when both of the teams will be very motivated and more importantly, both will show great quality of basketball game.

 

[Mayo]

http://sport.postimees.ee/030107/esileht/sport/237046.php

Hey can somebody that speaks estonian please translate this article?

It's about the most promising estonian young basketball player.I've seen him play this year for Zalgiris youth team and he impressed me very much.He's the future of estonian basketball imo

 

[rusher]

Armands Šķēle signed with Barons/LMT for three more years. Previously there were some rumors he could go to better clubs, the ones that play in Euroleague but he stays in Barons. He said that he likes playing in front of local fans, he likes Barons team and the financial side of the deal was very good too. GM said that Barons has some ambitious goals in the future and sponsors were willing to kee Skele in Riga for three more years and the financial situation is very good and club can continue to develop further. Nobody knows for sure how many he will earn in next three years, some say it could be million euros for three years

Also Barons signed with J.P.Batista who previously played for Lietuvos Rytas in the Baltic League. It has been said that he will earn the same amount of money per month he earned with Rytas. GM of Barons club said that Nagys was a good player to the team but they wanted someone more aggressive and bigger force under the basket so they waited for Rytas decision to what to do with Batista. Batista will play with number 33 and GM said that hopefully no one else will play with this number till the end of the season (there were three players this year, including Nagys who had played with it before)
Batista said that the first impression of the club was very good, he plays in BBL for the 2nd year so he knows the league and teams. He knows that Barons club has very ambitious plans in the future and it is good that players and coaches had seen him playing for Rytas many times previously and know what he can do.
His debut was yesterday in LBL against Gulbene Bumerangs. Not really a serious and tough game for Barons so all players played good and got their minutes. Batista's playing time was biggest in the team- he played 28 minutes and got 15 points and 8 rebounds.

 

[Demarr]

All the Final-Four participants are now known as Barons/LMT and ASK Riga joined Zalgiris & Rytas.

ASK Riga - BC Kalev 79:72 & 62:56. Highlights 1, Highlights 2

Barons/LMT - BC Siauliai 84:90 & 73:65.