Twelve takes on the FIBA World Championship final four

September 11, 2010

BallinEurope can hardly believe that the final four round of the 2010 FIBA World Championship is here … this fascinating and fun tournament wraps up this weekend, and BiE is happy to see The Continent well-represented and definitely well self-acquitted.

Without further ado, here are twelve bits ‘n’ bites to enjoy going into the Lithuania-USA and Turkey-Serbia games tonight from across world media.

• Nenad Krstic, who correctly prognosticated that “We will make Team Spain congratulate us,” won’t hedge his bets in this game but does promise that Team Serbia will be ready and will play their game.

• Hey, is Steve Porter working for Turkish TV now?

• Kestutis Kemzura proclaims, “You can beat us, you can win, but you cannot destroy us. This is the amazing thing about our country.” And Robertas Javtokas is playing the nobody-believed-in-us card.

• BiE’s just glad he’s not the only one who can’t figure out why Team Lithuania, 2010 edition, is so damn good…

• In an interview, Derrick Rose explains that this Team USA is *not* lacking that intangible team feeling that gives so many South American and Europe squads an advantage in these sorts of tournaments.

• One person who isn’t picking Team USA to win it all: Dejan Bodiroga, Team Yugoslavia and Euroleague all-time great. Bodiroga says “The Americans haven’t impressed me” and implies that he likes the winner of Turkey-Serbia.

(“Amerikanci me nisu impresionirali, verujem da će šampion sveta biti bolji iz našeg duela sa Turcima. Očekujem neizvesnu utakmicu jer se sreću dve ekipe koja igraju najbolju košarku. Naš tim izgleda jako dobro, igra odličnu odbranu, uvek neko iskoči a Turci deluju moćno.”)

• And here’s another: Jose Calderon picks Turkey.

• Could the fact that “Air” Martynas Pocius played for Mike Krzyzewski at Duke be a secret weapon in the Lithuania-USA game?

• Not even the Turkish marketplace can disturb Team USA’s focus. Scary.

• ESPN True Hoop blogger Jay Aych over at The Painted Area likes USA over Lithuania and reckons the Stars and Stripes will be facing zone defenses – lots and lots of zone defenses today. (But who can stop Kevin Durant, really?)

• Wayne Winston, he of the slightly more objective power rankings than those of BallinEurope, likes – no loves – USA vs. Turkey in final.

• BallinEurope Official Fearless Predictions™: A pair of remarkable runs come to an end as the USA and Turkey outlast their opponents, the former with speed and the latter with size.

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This post was published on September 11, 2010
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Comments: 32
  1. migala
    14 years ago

    Nenad Krstic should try to keep a very very very low profile until the end of the tournament. He has nothing to brag about.

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    • baller
      14 years ago

      Tonight will be a tough match, but i can see Serbia vs USA in the finals.

      No disrespect to Turkey basketball, they won all games with high point difference, but they haven’t had a strong opponent until now. Turkey has the home crowd advantage, but the Serbs have better coach, slightly better players and certainly longer bench.

      Also, young Serbs have more experience, because this generation (born in ’87, Rasic Krstic and Savanovic are older i think) have won lots of gold medals in u16, u18, u20 WC and EC tournaments. Most of the time the silver medalists were the Turks. So Young Serbian players have experience in beating Turkish squad.

      And, Serbia has beaten Turkey twice in Istambul just one month ago on a tournament. I know, friendly isn’t the same as semifinals game, but victory is a victory.

      Besides that, homecrowd advantage isn’t that helpful later in the cup stage, simply because the players have more pressure on them. Do you remember 2001 eurobasket held in Turkey? Turkey lost to Serbia, and i can tell you that the crowd was better then now.

      Serbs have 10 players in constant rotation. The only player that didn’t play in the last match was Macvann.

      I can’t see why Serbia is the underdog here. I think that Serbia is highly underrated by this site, and you will see that tonight.

      My pick is Serbia – US in the finals, with both Turkey and Lithuania giving a huge fight

      PS I am not Serbian fan, since they have beaten my team with triple three seconds before the final whistle

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  2. pipo
    14 years ago

    I’m sorry, but am I the only one that saw a foul at the end? Also, everyone was so offended that Greece lost to Russia but no one has a problem that Asik very obviously faked an injury to the eye so that he wouldn’t take the free throws (the video clearly shows Teodosic hitting him on the arms).

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    • pipo
      14 years ago

      Not to menton Velickovic was clearly fouler when he scored his last basket, which would have implied an extra free throw for Serbia and deny Turkey the possibility of inbounding from half court. I agree that in a situation like this against the host team you are more lax, but there is a fine line between home team advantage and game changing whistles, and I think it was crossed. Last time I remember such ridiculous help from the refs was in Korea 2002 World Cup, but at least Turkey actually is a pretty good team in basketball in any case, and Korea was not for football.

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  3. baller
    14 years ago

    Well, you can expect that when playing with host. It isn’t strange to see a better team lose. Also, maybe there was a foul at the end from Erden

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  4. baller
    14 years ago

    The referees were on the hosts side, that was obvious, but it is Serbia’s fault they let that point at the end.

    Congratz to Turkey and good luck against USA, you will need it

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    • Dunja
      14 years ago

      http://www.pressonline.rs/sr/sport/najnovije_vesti/story/133105/(Video)+Tun%C4%8Deri+iz+auta+doneo+pobedu+Turskoj.html

      It obviously wasn’t our fault,considering the fact that Tunceri put his left foot out of boundaries.Take a look.I hope you can see it,because the quality of the video is not very good.;)

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  5. Phileus
    14 years ago

    I agree with Pipo. I saw a foul at the end too, but that call is never made in a situation like that, especially since it was like incidental contact after the clean block. That’s a third-quarter foul, not an buzzer foul that would make the home team lose.

    I also think the Asik injury was faked. It looks like he got a hand in his face, but he should have been able to brush it off and shoot the free throws. I am not angry (because I didn’t mind whoever won the game), but instead I actually feel sorry for him. He could have been a national hero, but instead his weakness led to a sad meltdown, at the most important moment of his career, that was painful to watch. I think he will only be able to feel a part of the joy of victory that his teammates feel, unless he is a true hero in a victory against the US.

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  6. Ellie
    14 years ago

    Read my lips D-I-S-G-R-A-C-E !!!!!!!!
    I feel soooo maddd tonight grrrrrrrr!!!!!
    And of course i refer to the referees of the semifinal Turkey-Serbia.
    Does FIBA think that people watched that game are idiots? Come on..So much aggressive defence from the hosts and so little fouls. On contrary Turks over reacted to any whistle they didn’t like…any other team would get a couple of technical fouls. They also provoked Serbs. Just watch Onan (and one teammate of his) slapping Teodosic, right in front of the ref in the last secs of the match (it happen with Golum also some plays before). Also non existing foul on the Turks’ offence before the last one(Krisic out). On the contrary no call on the CLEAR foul on the Serbs next offence (Veliscovic). And that big man(????????) Asik faked that he got hit on the face(WATCH THAT) so arslan hit the frees. While he was on the floor faking Tanievic used that time to have an extra time out (that’s a technical foul on the bench i think). Why?? please tell me why you fuck that beautiful sport…Ohhhh of cource Turkey is a BIG new market…80.000.000 ppl…so BIG fuckin money. But i think that market could be open even Turkey finished 3rd or even 4rth in that tournament, they diserved that, but not that win tonight…So FIBA heads put that money in your fat asses and i hope you cant give a shit for a year. Shame to you and your gray dressed snipers..Good night and no luck At ALL…..

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  7. Phil
    14 years ago

    So I take it Serbian fans will be rooting for Team USA tomorrow?

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  8. baller
    14 years ago

    Nice fucking comment Ellie! But i think that no one will even mention it the way you did. We all saw the over-the-line tough defence, and lots of referee’s calls on the hosts side at the end of the match, we even saw Serbia had 5 team fouls one and a half minutes in the last quarter while Turkey fouled out at the end, but it doesn’t matter now…

    It is sad to see a weaker team win and stronger team, with better basketball lose, just because of the referees and unsportsmanlike behavior.

    And yes, i think Serbian fans, and all other will be rooting for team USA tomorrow simply because, IMHO, if the referees have the same criteria like today, team USA will be the underdog. You saw the fight Serbs brought to the game, you saw better basketball played by the Serbs, but you all saw Turkey won. I think that will happen tomorrow, team USA will be in the same position like Serbia today and it will be difficult to win against the refs.

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    • Daniela
      14 years ago

      Behavior of those ref’s was disgraceful, pitiful, and I’m not the Serb that usually blames them for failure, just being objective.This reminded me of Tom Henning Øvrebø and his calls during CL semi-final Chelsea – Barcelona, and I’m not fan of Chelsea or Barcelona so …

      I would like to see how referees will behave in the final, but I honestly think USA isn’t underdog considering they are much powerful country than Serbia so can’t be pushed around that much.It could bring their anger on Turkey’s back and cause huge international incident which could end in tears.

      I’m sorry that our guys didn’t handle the pressure in last minutes, such a shame.

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  9. baller
    14 years ago

    And of course, BiA or any other bball blog wont mention the bad referee calls in that game…

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  10. Phileus
    14 years ago

    I understand why Serbia fans are angry, but that was also some bad playing in the end. I’ve never seen an easier game-winning layup.

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  11. migala
    14 years ago

    Oh, Serbia, so much to answer for… You got your own medicine!
    I recall… well… it´s a long story, but… Please try to keep a low profile, you have nothing to complain about… History books are FULL of examples of shame and disgrace. Now try to digest.

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  12. apo
    14 years ago

    so fiba and the refs are crooked… its ironic though how many title do these serbs ang yugos have on these fiba tourneys? so all their fiba victories are all clear and well earned, but when they lose fiba is crooked and the games are fixed..
    GROW UP, and STOP CRYING FOR A CHANGE…

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  13. fillip
    14 years ago

    home – court advantage. that’s why every nation wants to host a championship.

    every person loves home – court advantage if it is on their favor but expects an objective refereeing when the rival is the host.

    now come on. this way or that way turkey is the finalist.

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  14. fillip
    14 years ago

    and by the way, is there any device that detects how much over – the – line tough the defence is? and what is the standard? host nations are always looked after by the refs, by FIBA, by FIFA, etc. that will be the same case next year in the European Championship in Lithuania.

    so swallow.

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  15. migala
    14 years ago

    Pitiful teams complain about the refs.

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    • bane1321
      14 years ago

      Like bc Barcelona maybe? PARTIZAN SRBIJA

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  16. Dzoni
    14 years ago

    yo apo and migala 2 stupid dickheads shut up!!! you don’t know a shit how many yougoslavia has tittles??? want to know??????? here is : world championship : 5 gold medals,euro championship: 8 gold 2 silver medals,olimpics:one silver medal,i don’t give a fuck form what country you are:greece,spain,turkey… no country in world execpt USA can compere its medals to yougoslavia how many turkey has???? 2????? hahahahhah 2 medals and this will be the second you are pathetic,cause you are asking this.wee have every right to be mad at fiba and at refs casue wee like lithuania and USA are basketball country and always will be!!!!!!! can’t wait to crush turkey at euro basket 2011!!!!!!!

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    • apo
      14 years ago

      u idiot learn to read first.. that was exactly my point…you say fiba and the refs are crooked, but you have one of the most successful teams with many medals. when you whine about fiba u really say all your medals may also be stolen (which i do not believe)

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  17. Dzoni
    14 years ago

    and filip what are you saying turkey is finalist one way or the other???? if there was good refering i am not saying neutral court ,just good refering wee would beat turkey 10,15 points very easily,but no there must be foul on krstic casue he fal next to erden,and velickovic layup on 4,5 sec is not a foul????/ than what is it??????

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  18. Ellie
    14 years ago

    I’m Greek (told you before someone asks, also a PAOK fan so i don’t like olys and Teo) I’ve watched (and also played in low/ regional level) a quite capable number of bball games to be able to judge in a pretty neutral way (i havent watched the arg vs yugos back in 2002. Every body says that it was a pure steal. I have no reason not to accept it. Shit happens, but when it does we all have the right to shout “S H I T ! ! !”). So i shouted….
    Even after that brawl with serbs, i supported them in the semi mostly cause i was getting a feeling of arrogance from turkish team (that was MY feeling, it’s not the absolute truth, just MY perception of things) even though they had the -so called- host push from fiba. And yes, it is a very (-very, ) usual (but not normal) for the hosts to get most of the questionable plays for them. We got them, back in1987 (i suppose, i’ve watched that tournament at the Innocent age of 10, so little to understand about “games”).Germany ’93 Turkie ’01 and Spain ’07 got a host push too.BUT its whole different thing refs having two diametrical opposite points of view of the game. In tur vs gr, turks won EASILY (with the usual host push). They would have won if the refs were 50-50. They EVEN may would have won (harder though) if the refs were 60 – 40 for greece!!! They played, we sucked (in all games in fact), they believed it, we didn’t. Ok i was sad after match but the day after i gave respect to turkish team for their determination, focus, commitment and energy. Characteristics that they carried, plus the confidence gained after each (helped by the -so called-host push as everyone cynically admits it’s “normal”) big win, since… yesterday.
    Yesterday turkie sucked, and serbia played far-far better (except the last defence.They also sucked there). Serbia should have won Turkey as EASILY as Turks won Greeks. The ONLY way for Turks on 11/09/2010 to beat serbia was to B E A T them literally and it was fiba’s pleasure to say: “be my guest” and think: “you naughty Serbian brawlers come to daddy to get your slaps”.
    Thats how the team with the, not the most game effective, i think that’s american’s but the toughest defence (tough is no always illegal), the team that was for the 95% of the game BACK in score (so they had to try/play even harder in defence) had less fouls and more frees to the team that was leading and played with ,i’d say, normal for Serbs, intensity defence. Serbs were spitting blood (macvan) to dribble, to move whithout the ball to make any offensive play. I think anyone could see how they struggled. Thanks to their superior technique and game knowledge the managed to stay inl the game. Despite that serbs had more fouls and less frees in the game…
    When a questionable whistling happened (ohh.. sorry i farted and i forgot my whistle..well u know) against serbs, you could see them approaching on the tip of their toes and speak to the refs, with nirvana drawn in their faces. They knew, that’s what i got, that if they raised the sound of their voice some decibels, they would have been assfucked (instead they gave just a blow, and that’s something). On the contrary when a bad or “bad” whistling happened against turks ( “Ohh.. sorry i was trying to spit a piece of shit out of my teeth-you know i had forgot my whistle,…well you know where – and i whistled by accident”) they almost shouted in the refs faces rising their hands as if they have no reason to worry about being punished. Watch the game again and tell me… Not to (re) mention the provocative hands in the face of opponents in front of the $ $ (these are eyes) of the refs….It was a 9/11 for world BBall.
    Phewwww…
    Finally…. respect for turkis NT for their plays since yesterday (well minus 1 game and i dont mean vs GR..see P.S). Great improvement last years but please stay humble noone likes arrogance. Big respect to the crowd. I appreciate not boooing while Gr anthem was playing. I’m not so sure our dickheaded fans (a minority i believe) could act so civilized.
    No hard feelings. Thats just my opinion and us you know opinion is like asshole…everyone has one….. (hey FIBA you suck..catch that prrrrrrrr -this is a fart- pprrrrrrr, ops another one)

    P.S Quiz: what was the game that turks played football instead of BBall, destroying the nerves of their opponents an finally getting the win?

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    • bane1321
      14 years ago

      Great post
      PAOK PARTIZAN
      SAME COLOUR SAME RELIGION

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  19. Ellie
    14 years ago

    “Characteristics that they carried,……………………… big win, since… yesterday.”

    “…Finally…. respect for turkis NT for their plays since yesterday ”

    I meant TILL yesterday

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  20. Ellie
    14 years ago

    Thank you Hubie…
    “This game reminded me of the 2007 EuroBasket semifinal between Spain and Greece. That game had a similar level of intensity with two high-level teams playing in front of a raucous home crowd in Spain. Saturday’s game was very physical, which was evident from the 52 fouls called (many more could have been called).”
    ….everyone knows what happened then, not at the extend that happend yesterday.Though Spain was more talented and better team than Greece ( although the least disserved equally to win that much), but there was a flopping tolerence instead of wrestling one that happened yesterday.

    Read and bookmark http://thepaintedarea.blogspot.com/
    it’s a really nice bball blog

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  21. Dzoni
    14 years ago

    then apo i must appologize to you i am sory,i didnt read well cause i am realz mad on how that game was enden and on the waz that some turks talks like thez think that thez are better than as…

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  22. milaz
    14 years ago

    Even Tanjevic said that the better team was Serbia – but Turkey had luck on its side – maybe even the refs… but that’s the whole point… if the game is close 9/10 the home team wins. Serbia could’ve pulled away but they did not manage to for whatever reason. I also felt that Turkey would put up more of a fight against the US, being a taller team that could produce many mismatches against the Americans… anyway…. another tournament is over – we’ll meet next year in Lithuania for Eurobasket…

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  23. baller
    14 years ago

    One more thing! That last possesion from Tunceri was illegal. He was out of bounds! Proof: http://sport.blic.rs/mundobasket2010/video

    This is just… i don’t even know the word to discribe it, the referee was like one meter from him and he did nothing!

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  24. zarkufil
    14 years ago

    Serbia … since years… in every tournament… they are so used to be supported. Even a normal – fair referee seems bad to them. Come on guys… Be able to say that : Turkey has a good team. everybody already accepts Serbia has a good and young team…To be able to accept losing will not change this. why cant you be more logic even in one point?..

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  25. 14 years ago

    kestutis, you are a nice player.

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