Adele: “What the--?”
Well, in the case of Keith Langford and teammate/keyboardist Richard “Jimi” Hendrix, it’s “two brothers from the South” bringing „something completely different for you in the conversation.” See below the break to enjoy a little musical styling, namely a performance of that ubiquitous song of 2011, Adele’s “Rolling in the Deep.”
All together now: “We could have had it aaaaaaaaaaaaaaalllllllllllll…”
The Wingate Sports Institute of Netanya has joined the impressive-looking U18 bracket of the Rinus de Jong Invitational to be played in Den Bosch in late December. The Israeli side entered the tournament after the withdrawal of the Khimki Moscow Region team “without mentioning a valid reason,” according to organizers.
The U18 portion of the annual tournament is now comprised of Atletas Kaunas, VEF Riga and Canarias Basketball Academy. On the U21 side, Eiffel Towers Den Bosch, Canarias and Wilbraham & Monson Academy from the US and an as-yet unnamed fourth team will compete.
Yet another strange twist in the NBA Nuclear Winter! BallinEurope was tipped off by European Prospects’ Christophe about a Germany-based Die Welt story which has Kevin Durant signing with … BBC Bayreuth. Indeed, club spokesman Michael Birkhan is quoted as saying that “We expect a decision [from Durant] on Wednesday.” (BiE’s assuming that means next Wednesday…)
The story notes that Maccabi Tel Aviv (who reportedly is gunning for just about every locked-out NBA player these days) and Valencia Basket were also in the running for the Oklahoma City Thunderer’s services and a bizarre arrangement may be in the cards for the three clubs: With Bayreuth potentially having worked out a sponsorship deal that would pay Durant’s salary for three weeks, Die Welt imagines that a deal in which K.D. “played in November in Valencia, during the first half of December in Tel Aviv and after Christmas in Bayreuth” is not out of the question.
Wow, Kevin Durant: The European Tour, eh?
BallinEurope welcomes another NBA player to the Continent this afternoon with the long-awaiting signing of Omri Casspi with Maccabi Tel Aviv today reportedly a reality, according to the Cleveland Plains-Dealer.
The locked-out Cavalier first expressed frustration with the NBA Players’ Union this weekend and took Israel’s Euroleague club up on its longstanding offer. Writes Tom Reed: “Cavaliers swingman Omri Casspi has opted to play overseas until the NBA lockout ends. … Casspi, acquired from the Sacramento Kings in the offseason, has been long rumored to return to Israel during the work stoppage. He also had been considering a team in Italy. … Kyrie Irving is believed to be weighing his international options, as well.”
Yahoo! Sports this morning reported that at least three major clubs – Euroleaguers Maccabi Tel Aviv, EuroCup side Valencia Basket and, interestingly enough, BBC Bayreuth of Germany – have put forth offers for Oklahoma City Thunder superstar Kevin Durant to play in Europe while the NBA player lockout continues.
And according to Spain-based basketball website TuBasket.com, this marks the second time Valencia club officials have put forth an offer to Durant. “Weeks ago” the club reportedly began the bargaining process with the Thunderer, first putting forth an offer of €200,000 (about $275,000) per month, which was subsequently upped to €475,000 ($650,000). Durant’s asking price was €675,000 ($928,000).
Locked-out New Jersey Net Jordan Farmar continued his personal drive to history in impressive fashion against Real Madrid on Thursday night. Farmar contributed a huge 35 overall performance index rating based on 27 points on 10-of-12 overall shooting to go with five assists in Maccabi Tel Aviv’s 88-82 win. The official Euroleague writeup on the EL’s top five performers of week three follows, along with a Farmar-filled highlight reel.
(Euroleague) – Jordan Farmar delivered his finest performance to date since joining Maccabi Electra Tel Aviv over the summer, leading the Israeli champs to an 88-82 victory over Real Madrid and earn Week 3 bwin MVP honors.
Farmar, a Euroleague rookie, had big shoes to fill this season when he took the spot in the starting lineup of All-Euroleague point guard Jeremy Pargo, who led the Israeli champs to the EL title game last season. But in a highly-anticipated showdown against the team Maccabi bested in the semifinals at last season’s Final Four in Barcelona, Farmar came through using his speed, shot-making ability and ball-handling skills to post big numbers: He finished with 27 points on 9-of-11 two-point shooting, made his only three-point attempt, and added five assists, four rebounds and eight fouls drawn for a performance index rating of 35, which was best in the Euroleague this week.
Here’s an early nomination for video clip of the week: Check out Richard Hendrix of Maccabi Tel Aviv going to work in a Chance Cup game against Barak Netanya. With the Euroleague side already well into a laugher and up 81-41 in the third quarter (final score 117-66), Hendrix takes the occasion to kiss the sky with a brilliant one-handed jam. Look out, Euroleague…
European basketball leagues and the NBA may be coming to a close for 2010-11, but there’s still plenty of hoops to keep up with – and even more online video clips for the watching! BallinEurope starts your Sunday with a dozen clips shot in the U.S., Greece, Spain, Israel and other locales. Enjoy today’s action (Olympiacos-Panathinaikos! ACB semifinals!) … after checking out BiE’s playlist, of course.
If you hear expressions like “history in the making” and “significance” and “immortality” during the 2011 Euroleague Final Four, rest assured that this is no exaggeration, for an EL championship from one team will not only prove the existence of God but once and for all will finally settle the debate as to His favorite sports team.
The team on an incidental mission is Maccabi Tel Aviv; few, it would seem, gave the Israeli side less of a chance to be in this tournament than head coach David Blatt himself. Speaking with Blatt back in February, heinnews ran an extensive interview with the man which was capped by the following exchange.
And suddenly, the Spanish influence on the Euroleague has been reduced to just one team in the final four – exactly as many squads as Greece, Israel and Italy’ll have. Caja Laboral in the end just didn’t have enough answers for Maccabi Tel Aviv’s depth and star power, while Panathinaikos displayed the blueprint for taking out FC Barcelona in dominating the baseline and constantly playing the aggressor in driving time and again to the basket. (Of course, it helps if you have Dimitris Diamantidis in the lineup as well…)
And kudos to Montepaschi Siena for successfully shrugging off a horrible game one loss in what might have been a disaster for morale while reestablishing the hyperquick-moving, high-scoring offense that had faltered a bit in the Top 16 round.
Real Madrid hosts Power Electronics Valencia on “Wednesday or Thursday” to determine the last entry into the Euroleague Final Four, and – BiE’s repeating it here out of shock – España’s only team to go this far.
Highlights from last night’s games, as well as the officially-selected top five plays, follow.
