On the evening before a meeting of domestic league officials, the Netherlands’ basketball federation announced that the country would not be fielding a men’s national team or a U20 squad in international competition for next summer and in 2014.
The reason? What else but money?
The NBB reported that a debt of €400,000 (over $510,000) has been run up by the club over the past two years; the austerity measures were further blamed on the lack of Netherlands’ clubs’ prestige internationally and the fact that no club could afford to play in pan-European competitions in 2012-13.
All women’s programs, men’s youth basketball and wheelchair teams will continue unimpeded.
Team Netherlands has not qualified for the men’s Eurobasket tournament since 1989.
Thanks to Gideon van der Hijden of Netherlands-based Basketball Plus for the tip!
The Canarias Basketball Academy will again be present with two teams in the Rinus de Jong Invitational, the men’s youth basketball tournament to be held in Den Bosch, the Netherlands from December 27 to December 30. In the first edition of the invitational, Canarias won the competition in the under-18 category and finished second behind Mega Vizura Belgrade in the U20s.
‘Tis the season, BallinEurope supposes. Organization and publicity for Christmas season invitational tournaments has begun in force; one such entry in the young basketball scene this December is 
Some news from organizers of the upcoming interesting 
The most interesting basketball tournament happening in Europe before Eurobasket? Check out an event called 
Condolences to the loved ones of Rob Meurs today, who died after a road accident near Trier on Sunday night after attending the Albert Schweitzer youth tournament in Mannheim this weekend.
