OSU’s Della Valle: It’s gotta be the hair…
Fans of international ball will be pleased to note the distinct foreign accent in the 2013 NCAA Tournament: 47 of the 60 sides with spots clinched in the competition list non-U.S. players on the roster. And while Canadians and Australians (including three on Albany and two with Luc Longley’s alma mater the University of New Mexico) lead the bunch, 18 European players remain on tourney team rosters.
Below runs a brief look at the first half of Europe’s representatives in the big bracket; with the other nine set to play for one of three tournament teams, BallinEurope will pay particular attention to these guys in an upcoming article.
First up: The two guys listed on rosters who will not see action. Notre Dame’s Eric Katenda (France) announced this summer that he was ready to get onto the court for the Fighting Irish after suffering a freakish potentially career-ending eye injury while still officially a recruit. Unfortunately, this comeback story has only a bittersweet ending thus far: While coach Mike Brey has stated that Katenda’s scholarship will be honored, the Frenchman did not suit up for the team this season.
On the evening before a meeting of domestic league officials, the Netherlands’ basketball federation announced that 
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 
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 by the final Euroleague qualifiers. BC Khimki holds a huge lead over Le Mans for the first spot, while Alba Berlin looks to dig its way out of a four-point deficit in hosting Spirou Basket on Sunday.
