Euroleague LIVE: Lottomatica Roma - FC AXA Barcelona

November 28, 2007

Here is the game LIVE from Rome – You might want to see what Barcelona does with Roma.

7:54	Hey! I have been thinking the whole ride to Rome how to start this LIVE blog – I still have no idea to be honest. I just hope it will work out. THis is the first real test of this brand new software. So you comments to this thing are more than welcome.

7:59	So first off – the guys got on the court to warm up – I had a little chat with Mario Kasun (thanks Ibi) who seems to be a nice guy. If he has a good game tonight – it’s all cause of me “good game wishes” – I also put Mario in my Fantasy team.

8:16	Wow – so as I told you this is the first use of Cover it live – this awesome tool! No I did really not expect that I would also get help from the Cover it live crew – If you ever need a good live blogging tool – you will love this

8:17	So Barcelona got on the court again – I guess Italians don’t like them here – It got loud and people went like ” BUUUHHH” – this should be exciting!

8:23	OK – we got 8 minutes left until the game starts – I will take a short walk to take some pictures – If these people around me let me out – pretty tight here in the press section …

8:24

[Be Right Back Countdown]

5 minutes

8:28	If anybody wants to know what the rest of the BallinEurope crew is doing – here you go …

8:28	[Comment From Christophe] Greets from Malaga to Roma man

8:29	Well enjoy the game guys – I got some work to do here! So I guess when you hear the Devotion song it means game time right?! So let’s go!

8:31	So the Palalottomatica is .. kind of empty compared to what I saw during the NBA Europe LIVE tour – I will take a guess: 4000 people here

8:32	Who do we got here: Barca: Acker, Trias, Kasun, Basile and Lakovic – Roma: Hawkins, Lorbek, Stefansson, Ukic and Gabini

8:34	Lakovic with his first shot – a miss – and his first foul also – no points for the first two minutes – It will also be interesting to see Lakovic playing Ukic tonight

8:35	Mario Kasun with his and the games first points with a nice alley hoop – I guess it was cause of my hand shake right? 🙂

8:38	Since Lakovic is out now it is Pepe Sanchez on Ukic – looks like Ukic is too fast for him now

8:42

Did anyone notice that the two coaches, Represa and Ivanovic are probably the two tallest Euroleague coaches? But Represa looks more like he likes what he sees ( a lot of offensive rebounds by his team) while Ivanovic is getting loud and the photographers are getting ready to point their cameras at him

8:44	Barcelona tries to play a lot over Kasun since he is stronger than Lorbek – he tries to post up and does a “quick spin around Lorbek” for a alley hoop

8:44	Interesting question from a frequent BallinEurope reader: Elaj

8:44	[Comment From elaj] How’s Slovenian reff doing so far? 🙂

8:45	Do you really want to know what I think or what it looks like Ivanovic thinks of him so far? 😉

8:46	7:13 Barcelona Even my Euroleague man Lorbak doesn’t make his shots – The Italian people around me will start hating me for shaking Kasun’s hand – Did you see this throw down by Mario?!

8:48	OK one more note about the referee: Ivanovic really knows that ref # 32 is Solvanian – since he is talking Solvanian to him – I understand that much 🙂

8:49	end of first quarter: 9:22 Barcelona!

8:50

[Poll popup]

Who will will the game?

Roma ( 29% )

Barcelona ( 71% )

‘, ‘102’, ‘463’);”>View Results

8:52	Lakovic still on the bench – he only played 2:21 minutes so far!

8:53	[Comment From elaj] Kasun having a great game… yeah ofcourse, I just had to sell him on Euroleague Fantasy Challange… ffs.

8:55	Everytime Mario Kasun gets the ball he takes Fucka or Lorbek to the basket – update on Lakovic – he is just fine – Ivanovic just does not play him

8:57	Basile is also HOT – he had some nice shots and just drove to the basket as if there is nobody at all – and Mario Kasun with his second throw down – he got LOUD on that one 🙂

8:57	[Comment From elaj] What’s up with Roma’s Ray? As I remember he signed a massive contract in the summer, but clearly he isn’t playing up to his contract… though, I didn’t see Roma this season yet.

8:58	Lakovic is back – and Erik Daniels – who was hurt so far and tries to get back into the game – get blocked all the time – Welcome back Erik!

9:01	Anybody still got Lorbek on the Euroleague fantasy team? You might have wished you have Mario instead of him today .. He doesn’t make his shots today

9:03	Wow – you should have seen the look Ivanovic gave Lakovic when he subed him out again .. He is really not happy with Jaka – he will take a time out now

9:05	Roma is playing much better – Lorbek made his shot – the fans get loud – We finally got a game ..

9:08	Next chance for Jaka Lakovic – while Mario Kasun shoots his free throws 29-37

9:17

Halftime in Roma – 31-37 thanks to a nice comeback from Roma which made the crowd happy. Here are some interesting stats:
– 14 points by Gianluca Basile – 80% from the floor and 67% from the three point line
– Mario Kasun with 10 points and a ranking of 13

– David Hawkins got the best ranking for Roma so far – a 9 – thanks to 4! steals
– Lorbek is only shooting 33% so far but still managed to have 7 points
– I will leave Jaka’s stats to Elaj – but it has to be said he only played 6 minutes so far ..

9:17	[Comment From elaj] Jaka with 3TO + 2F so far… -7 ranking. Terrible.

9:18

[Be Right Back Countdown]

5 minutes

9:26	I have never seen that an award waws given during half time – It also looks like the players really don’t like it – Roko Ukic keeps shooting while at least the Barcelona guys hold the balls. I whish I would understand some Italian…

9:31	Well this was really weird – let me see some basketball again! It looks like Elaj agrees – since he ordered something for me …

9:31	[Comment From elaj] una birra per favore

9:32	Is there anybody watching this game on SKY? (Italian TV station) The commentator here really looks he does too much taning – I am sorry but this is too much!

9:33	Ok – you know what’s coming! MARIO! SUper Mario with a nice follow up and a tip dunk The basket is still shaking …

9:37	There you go – Jaka Lakovic with a three pointer which gets answered by Roko Ukic right away

9:38	Much need time out by Roma – Mario and Alex Acker with 4 quick points that puts Barcelona up 39-50.

9:41	I guess the press doesn’t agree with the decisions the players take – I understand that much Italian that they are not sayig anything nice right now ..

9:42	Nice steal and dunk by David Hawkins – Roma is down only 8 points – Basile out for Roger Gruimau

9:44	Once again I would wish more languages – It looks like Mario Kasun gets some talk going on with Erazem Lorbek – It wasn’t something nice as far as I know

9:45	What play by Barcelona – I estimate about 10 offensive rebounds and a tip in the end by Jordi Trias

9:47	Nice ball movement by Barcelona with Vazquez making the jumper from the free throw line

9:48	I can’t wait to get the stats of this quarter – Barca killing the boards in offense – while Ray is killing himself and Roma with a foul 13 seconds before the end of the game – Grimau with two free throws

9:50	50-60 end of third quarter – Roko Ukic with a nice pass to Lorbek who makes the easy lay up

9:51	It is only 10 points but it looks to me that there is not a real chance for Roma to get closer or even pass Barcelona – Just for you Elaj – I still did not get the stats sheet from the press person 🙂

9:52	Wth the start of the 4th I finally got the stats – ok – maybe not he just walked by 😀

9:53	Going into the 4th quarter we got Mario on the bench – with 16 points – leading scorer so far – He got the same ranking as Trias (18) with 8 rebounds

9:55	THis is not Jaka Lakovic’s night – Air ball – to me it already looks impossible to make these unmakeable three pointers he takes but normally he does!

9:58	Allen Ray: two turnovers in one minutes – coach Repesa is just shaking his head