Eurobasket 2009 96
Normalcy returns to Eurobasket 2009 (?); plus not-so-fearless predictions
All right, so normalcy has apparently returned to normal in Eurobasket 2009, with favorites going three-for-three and BallinEurope’s ratio of correct-to-incorrect fearless predictions brought down to a more realistic level. As It Should Be Then: Turkey rolled on but got a good overtime fight from Serbia (they’ll both be in final eight), while Poland’s dream […]
Eurobasket 2009 fearless predictions VIII: Titanic vs. Hindenburg headline matchup
If you had told a basketball fan about today’s Spain-Lithuania Eurobasket second-round matchup two weeks, he/she might have figured it to be one of the tournament’s most interesting games. It still is, of course, but for the exact opposite reason one may have expected. In one corner is Team Spain, a bunch of household names […]
Fearless predictions for Eurobasket 2009 day seven
After the dust settled from a scintillating trio of Eurobasket 2009 games played yesterday, two questions remained: 1) Should we now pencil Turkey in for the finals or merely the final four? And 2) which is the bigger train wreck right now, Spain or Lithuania? Today’s slate of games looks to be a fairly predictable […]
Best of the (basketball) net: Never Gonna Give You Up edition
Found in Ball in Europe’s meanderings online this week: A buncha stuff on Eurobasket, the Allen Iverson-in-Memphis deal, and what Ron Artest was doing on September 11th this year. Happy Surfing Sunday! As Eurobasket progresses, the Euroleague page on Facebook has naturally had capsule blurbs on the action posted this week, and a certain team’s […]
Momentum shift! (Or, fearless predictions for Eurobasket 2009 day six)
Two days may not seem like much in reality (thus the bliss of a three-day weekend); in Eurobasket 2009, the 48 hours off for Group F teams could prove to be the most crucial stretch of the tournament. Today’s thought: Beware shifts in momentum. Fearless predictions for tonight’s three matches follow. Turkey v. Spain. Turkey […]
Eurobasket 2009, day 3: What the hell happened to Lithuania? (Also, increasingly fearless predictions)
After Lithuania fell to unheralded Poland for its second consecutive Eurobasket loss against teams they really should have outclassed, coach Ramunas Butautas had some choice quotes for his team and the public at large. “We played terrible,” Butautas said, getting no argument from any quarter. “We had no defense, no offense. We lost our game.” […]
Eurobasket 2009, day 2: Opening Day wraps, fearless predictions
Whoa, nice start to Eurobasket 2009, eh? In one game, the complexion of the tournament has changed delightfully; in general, the gap from best-to-worst suddenly appears to be tiny. A nice pair of upsets and the general pluckiness of the underdogs – with the notable exception of FYR Macedonia, who was unfortunately hopelessly outclassed by […]
Betting on Eurobasket 2009 outright winner
With just hours to go before the 4.30pm CET tipoff of Eurobasket 2009, time is running out for those willing to “make things interesting” with the ponying-up of a few Euros on the results.
Youth competitions and beyond: The state of European national basketball programs
On the eve of Eurobasket 2009, Ball in Europe’s man in Italy, Francesco Cappelletti, looks back at this summer’s youth competitions to assess where Europe’s national programs stand and where they’re headed. From where will the future be launched? Read on! One day until Eurobasket 2009: It has been a full summer which started with […]
Betting on basketball: MVP, tops in points, rebounds, assists
Tomorrow is the day: Eurobasket 2009 finally tips off. Naturally, Euroleague/Ball in Europe sponsor SportingBet.com has a plethora of odds and lines for your amusement, including some intriguing fodder for discussion in the form of individual-awards proposition bets. So you think you know not only who’s going to stand atop the podium when it’s over, […]
La Porra, the Eurobasket 2009 bracket game
Now here’s an intriguing online game designed especially for the Euroleague 2009 tournament. Known as “La Porra” (“The Baton”?), this competition organized by our friends over at Solobasket.com combines elements of tournament bracket games, American football pools, and straight-up gambling at the bookmakers to create a challenging mix for the international basketball hardcore. And it’s […]
Eurobasket 2009 preview capsules, part two
Continuing BallinEurope’s encapsulated look at Eurobasket 2009 competitors, today features a brief look at six teams for your edification and amusement. Greece Group: A In brief: It doesn’t matter what international basketball competition you’re playing in these days, you don’t want to see Team Greece on your list of opponents. And this Eurobasket edition of […]