Lithuania 191
Media blackout: Zalgiris Kaunas refuses Lietuvos Rytas reporters accreditation
Here’s one way to address biased media coverage, though BallinEurope wonders if it might not also be labeled “akin to censorship.” In what appears to be an effort to take away some of the newspaper’s power to report on their age-old rivals, Žalgiris Kaunas has this morning announced the extreme measure of refusing to speak […]
Zalgiris Kaunas supersizes McDonald’s, presents big scarf
It does make one nostalgic for simpler times … you know, times before the multinational business machines swarmed into Central and Eastern Europe … times when Sarunas Marciulionis was selling tie dyes to folks who thought “pick and roll” was something you did on your buddy’s hemp farm in Humboldt. (Cue Grumpy Old Man: Yeah, […]
Eurocup 2010-11 teams announced: Greece, Italy, Turkey, Spain place three each
The list of teams that will make up the 2010-11 Eurocup regular seasons is all but complete – 93.75% complete, to be exact, with 30 of the 32 teams now set. The finish of the Eurocup Qualifying Round promoted eight more clubs into the regular season, leaving two more spots open, which will be determined […]
European players in the NBA for 2010-11 (or, Come on, Raptors, sign Primoz Brezec already) [UPDATED]
With NBA teams starting to get warmed up for the regular season tipoff, BallinEurope figured it high time to take stock of the European players prospectively set to take the court in America for 2010-11. In considering the expanded rosters for each of the 30 NBA teams, BiE counted 50 players from The Continent plus […]
Basketball Without Borders Europe wrap: Bits, bites and highlights
The NBA’s Basketball Without Borders has wrapped its European edition for 2010, the first-ever such camp in Spain. On-hand to represent the NBA were The Gasol Brothers, Rudy Fernández, Vladimir Radmanovic, Serge Ibaka, Marcus Camby, Jason Terry, Chicago Bulls assistant coach Ron Adams and Indiana Pacers assistant coach Dick Harter. After three days of drilling […]
Lithuania wins decisively; three million invited to party
“Celebrate good times,” as they say, “come on!” Of course the folks in Lithuania need no such exhortative encouragement after blowing past Team Argentina last night, 104-85, to reach the 2010 FIBA World Championship final four. The tournament has represented an awesome achievement for Europe in general, with three of the four teams remaining, and […]
FIBA World Championship semi-finals: Of Lithuanian fight songs and Fearless Predictions™
With the informal Turkish national fight song “Oniki Dev Adam” getting lots of media play thanks to the stirring renditions performed by hometown crowds at the 2010 FIBA World Championship, BallinEurope thought it would be a good time to give props to Lithuania’s own popular sports anthem.
How it feels to be a Lithuanian fan
Last Tuesday in the 2010 FIBA World Championship, Team Lithuania completed a huge comeback to defeat the heavily-favored Spain 76-73 – just another win on the way to the tournament round, albeit an exceedingly exciting one, right? Wrong. BallinEurope’s man in Lithuania, known in this space since last year’s LKL championship series insanity as Y., […]
Prospect Dovydas Redikas signs with Lietuvos Rytas over Žalgiris Kaunas: Here’s why
A number of players from Team Lithuania’s 2010 European Championship U18 squad have been moving on the market lately, but few have caused disquiet among Žalgiris fans as Lietuvos Rytas’ recent acquisition of SG Dovydas Redikas out of Marciulionis Academy. Tournament MVP Jonas Valanciunas is already officially with Lietuvos Rytas, and his all-tournament teammate Deividas […]
Hope for the future: Young Lithuanians crush Russia, 90-61, take U18 European title
Congratulations go out this morning to the Lithuania under-18 team, which capped an undefeated romp through the 2010 FIBA U18 European Championship with a 90-61 crushing of Russia in Vilnius. A crowd of 13,000 – the all-time record for a youth game in Europe – contributed their efforts as 13th man. While not much is […]
Where will NBA's European free agents go?
While everyone else in the basketball universe is watching the minute-by-minute maneuvers of Lebron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and the like, BallinEurope has an eye on those powers from The Continent who may be moving around within the NBA to help reshape rosters for the 2010-11 season. Our man in the U.K., Sam Chadwick, […]
Euroleague Women 2010-11 participants announced; Sony Athinaikos declines bid
FIBA Europe has released the list of participating teams for the 2010-11 edition of Euroleague Women. Defending champions Spartak Moscow region received an automatic entry, while 21 spots are allocated based on national federation rankings and three-year performance of the clubs in pan-European tournament play. Two “wild card” bids were also allocated: These were won […]