As a preview to its 10-day trip to Brazil, the Kansas State men's basketball team played a spirited 30-minute scrimmage Saturday before an estimated crowd of 2,000 fans at Bramlage Coliseum. The Wildcats alternated between the Black and White teams, playing with FIBA rules, which they will utilize during their 10-day trip to Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
With FIBA looking to push the 3x3 game as a viable basketball event, they have set up a Youth World Championships for the beginning of September. FIBA did try the 3x3 concept out at the last World Youth Games as a test event and it seemed to go over well enough for them to hold the first World Championship. This will be an interesting event for sure and you can bet the refs at these games will be better than the ones at your local 3x3 tournament for sure.
So another night wasted on trying to get more stories from the Senior Women in the Czech Republic. There were a couple more for this game than yesterday but still not as many as I think there should be. Anyway, here is the link to the FIBA game recap which includes the boxscore and summary. The Senior Women fought valiantly but their comback came up a little short in the end. The team falls to 1-5 and are likely out of the medals, actually they may have been out as of yesterday, but they will be playing one more game tomorrow against France before the classification games. They can still win the game but it may take a Herculean effort and a little luck too.
So I'm becoming increasingly disappointed at the coverage of (or lack there of) our Senior Women's National Team by the media. I wait all this time to post something and I only have two newspaper articles from major pubs and the Canada Basketball release (which is largely from FIBA). Anyway, in case it was in doubt, Canada lost to the US in their first game of the second round in the Czech Republic. Today they face Greece super early in the morning Canada time. The Women have a shot at winning this game though they will likely have a tough time of it. Best of luck to them.
The schedule for the USA Women's Senior National basketball team at the FIBA Worlds on NBA TV. (h/t @BrendaVanLengen) First game on Thursday 9/23 at noon vs. Greece.
Kevin Durant led Team USA in winning the FIBA World Championship for the first time since 1994. He led all scoring against Turkey with 28 points and was the obvious leader of Team USA. This FIBA USA team was known as the "B-Team" after the stars of the Olympic team did not return. No Kobe, no LeBron, no Wade…no problem. With Durant leading Team USA to a gold, people are now wondering, how good is Kevin Durant? ESPN has even been answering the question of whether he now becomes the best player in the world. My answer to this…Yes!
I think all of us following the FIBA games already knew about FIBA asking the Ukrainian cheerleaders to wear long pants during their routines so as to not offend the many Muslims in attendance (host nation Turkey is a secular Muslim country). I know this isn't the best forum for politics, but it deeply worries me how easily Fox News gets this story wrong. To me, they seem to be motivated by their desire to fuel anti-Muslim sentiment. Personally, I think ALL religions are full of it, but nothing is more full of it than a news network making shit up purely for ratings. If any network out there is guilty of using sex to sell sports, it's Fox.
It's been slow around here lately, and I know some of us are always interested in Jayhawk alumi. Anyway, in two games, Sasha is averaging 13 points and 6 rebounds. Not too bad.
Cheryl Miller was named a FIBA Hall of Fame inductee out of 17 other nominees and will be inducted into the FIBA Hall of Fame on September 12th, during the 2010 FIBA World Championships. Called by fellow Naismith HOFer Cynthia Cooper the Greatest Player of All Time, it's just another well earned honor for Cheryl Miller.