LKL/BBL'2007/2008. Preseason

[LuDux]

Teams:

LKL:
Zalgiris (Kaunas), Lietuvos Rytas (Vilnius), Siauliai (Siauliai), Neptunas (Klaipeda), Panevezys (Panevezys), Nevezis (Kedainiai), Sakalai (Vilnius), Suduva (Marijampole), Atletas (Kaunas), Alytus (Alytus)

BBL 1st division
Lithuania: Zalgiris (Kaunas), Lietuvos Rytas (Vilnius), Siauliai (Siauliai), Neptunas (Klaipeda)
Latvia: ASK (Riga), Ventspils (Ventspils), Barons (Riga), lacplesa Alus (Valmiera)
Estonia: Kalev (Tallinn), Rock (Tartu)

BBL Challenge Cup:
Lithuania: Nevezis (Kedainiai), Sakalai (Vilnius), Suduva (Marijampole), Atletas (Kaunas), Alytus (Alytus)
Latvia: Bumerangs (Gulbene), Liepaja (Liepaja), VEF (Riga)
Estonia: Dalkia/Nybit (Tallinn), Fausto (Tartu)

[LuDux]

Newspaper "Lietuvos Zinios" wrote that Rytas is close to Michail Anisimovas (1984-214-c), signed Simas Buterlevicius (1989-200-gf) andwant extend contract with Tomas Delininkaitis

[LuDux]

Rytas GM Vainauskas confirmed that they signed contract with Chuck Eidsonwith NBA clause until August 1st. He also denied that Rytas is interested in Anisimovas "because they have enough of tall people"

Petravicius, Batista, Nielsen, Slezas, Jomantas, Lukauskis, Gecevicius and Stelmahers will stay next Also Ciukinas and Ezerskis should return to team

Rest of roster will depend on which competition Rytas will play next year

[Limitless]

A good signing for Rytas. With Eidson they'll get a smart player, who understands the game very well and doesn't make many mistakes. He has proven himself on a top level in Europe in the past season and I am pretty sure that Rytas fans will enjoy watching him play. And I'm already looking forward to my trip to Lithuania so I can join them watching Chuck play ;)

[Marius123]

I guess the title should read about 2007-2008 pre-season. :)

[LuDux]

Rytas will not extend contract with Delininkaitis, because he didn't agreed to extension in the winter. That's why Rytas signed Gecevicius


I guess the title should read about 2007-2008 pre-season. :)

2 days till somebody noticed mistake! I weep for humanity

[lafa]

Rytas will not extend contract with Delininkaitis, because he didn't agreed to extension in the winter. That's why Rytas signed Gecevicius

I hope Zalgiris or Siauliai will try to sign him... Otherwise he could end up in polish, estonian or even, god forbid, azerbaijani league...

[Straight forward]

I would like Zalgiris line up for next season:

PG:Collins, Kalnietis
SG: Popovic, Milaknis, Delininkaitis
SF: Maciulis, Timinskas.
PF: Jankunas, Stimac
C: Beard/Woods, Anisimovas, Andriuskevicius.

[lafa]

PG:Collins, Delininkaitis, Kalnietis
SG: Popovic, Milaknis, Macado - Marcelinho is good in defence... and provides some unpredictable X factor for the offence too...
SF: Maciulis, Timinskas - Would love to see this duo in Zalgiris... But Timinskas most likely will be too expensive...
PF: Jankunas, Stimac- OK, if Timinskas is on board... he could play occasional PF as Slezas in Rytas. Othewise this position is too "green"...
C: Beard/Woods, Anisimovas- that should be enough. Andriuskevicius - no thanks...

[Straight forward]

somehow i dont want Beard and Woods in one team. i want more lithuanians. so i would say: Beard, Anisimovas, Andriuskevicius (why not?)

Macado is good, but we could save some money, and giving more opportunity to Milaknis, since Popovic and Delininkaitis can play SG/PG

[LuDux]

The SEB BBL Board met in Riga last Friday and approved upcoming season’s competition format and discussed the possibility of two Swedish teams joining the league.


After reviewing applications from Stockholm 08 Stockholm Human Rights and Norrkoping Dolphins clubs, the SEB BBL Board decided that both teams must fulfill certain financial requirements. The Swedish clubs must provide the necessary documentation until June 15 and the Board will make further decisions during its next meeting scheduled on June 19.


The competition format of the upcoming season was also approved. Ten Elite Division teams will participate in a 2-round regular season. The first two teams will automatically advance to the SEB BBL Final Four. A likely twelve teams will participate in the Challenge Cup (second division) and also will play a 2-round regular season. The first four Challenge Cup teams will participate in division’s final four tournament, which will determine the final standings of the Challenge Cup. Later the first team from the Challenge Cup will replace the tenth team from the Elite Division in the Play-offs of this division. The second team from the Challenge Cup will have to play the ninth team (in two games with the overall cumulative score determining the winner of the pair) from the Elite Division for the right to advance to the Elite Division Play-offs.


The last team of the SEB BBL Challenge Cup will have to play in an eliminatory tournament for the right to remain in the league. The SEB BBL Board decided that three teams wanting to enter the SEB BBL could participate in such tournament.


The best teams from the Challenge Cup will be able to advance to the Elite Division only by meeting certain sporting, financial and home arena requirements.


The SEB BBL Board debated the question of the tenth Elite Division team. Lithuanian Basketball League delegated Neptunas Klaipeda to the SEB BBL Elite Division. Estonian Basketball Association proposed Fausto Tartu to be the tenth team of this division. League’s directorate must analyze both clubs and the final decision will be taken by the Board on June 19.


3rd team from Estonia and second teams from Tartu?

[sashikas]

PG:Collins, Delininkaitis, Kalnietis

Delininkaitis is not a PG. He stated that himself for several times.


SG: Popovic, Milaknis, Macado - Marcelinho is good in defence... and provides some unpredictable X factor for the offence too...

Šalenga is also rumoured to get back to Kaunas


SF: Maciulis, Timinskas - Would love to see this duo in Zalgiris... But Timinskas most likely will be too expensive...

He's not that expensive after two not-so-impressive years in Valencia. Moreover, he's already 33 years old.


PF: Jankunas, Stimac- OK, if Timinskas is on board... he could play occasional PF as Slezas in Rytas. Othewise this position is too "green"...

Jankūnas got some stability this season. Štimac IMHO is yet too raw for competition Žalgiris participates in. Let's loan him out to ASK Riga, or somewhere else, where he could get some quality time on court participating in ULEB Cup/Fiba Europe Cup.


C: Beard/Woods, Anisimovas- that should be enough. Andriuskevicius - no thanks...
Woods will probably get an invitation from some other club - either for garbage time in NBA (he's too skinny for that), or in Europe, although The old continent didn't see him much this year.

Mihailo Anisimov is a separate story. He would like to sign a contract with a club of bigger caliber - either Žalgiris or Rytas, but he is restricted by the contract signed by his mother when he just arrived to Kaunas from Ukraine.
When he was 14 years old he moved to Lithuania to learn playing basketball, and his mother signed an agreement with Saulius Dubnikas - who was in the head of "Merkurijus" basketball school in Kaunas. The contract expires in 2010. When the player turned 18, he confirmed the contract himself with his signature.
Later when Anisimov moved to Šiauliai, Barons and Neptūnas - the managers of these clubs had to sign the loan contracts with S.Dubnikas. Two weeks after Anisimov's loan with Neptūnas contract was signed, S.Dubnikas was killed in a car accident. The contract was overtaken by his wife, who gave it to her daughter. Her husband rules the club in NKL - Hermio projektai-KKM.
Press claims that Anisimov has offers both from Žalgiris and Lietuvos Rytas, as well as from several foreign clubs. But nobody from the sides who have interests in have seen player's contract with S.Dubnikas. Nobody knows, what's written there. Even Anisimov himself. That's what turns down the negotiations with the clubs, as nobody wants to pay the contract overtake clause.

[LuDux]

Woods or not, with Beard on board Zalgiris needs tall guy who can play defense. They tried Motolla and nothing good came out of it. I think if Woods stays or is replaced with another TGWCPD Zalgiris could use Stimac as 4th tall guy, especially if Timinskas returns. Also Stimac could share his spot with PF who can shoot from distance, Klimavicius for example.

Beard, TGWCPD
Jankunas, Stimac, Klimavicius
Maciulis, Timinskas
Machado, Popovic, Aleksandrovas
Edney, Kalnietis


With Delininkaitis gone Rytas needs shooter, I doubt Gecevicius could fill that role well next season. Rytas also needs quality PG and TGWCPD

Petravicius Zukauskas
Nielsen Batista Slezas
Jomantas Lukauskis
Eidson Serapinas Gecevicius
Stelmahers K.Valters

[lafa]

Delininkaitis is not a PG. He stated that himself for several times.

Even if Delininkaitis states that he's not PG I sincerely believe that would make better PG than Kalnietis wil ever be ;)

[sashikas]

Even if Delininkaitis states that he's not PG I sincerely believe that would make better PG than Kalnietis wil ever be ;)
Well that's a pretty strong statement. I wouldn't be writing him off so soon. Do you remember where Jasikevičius was at his age? Personally I can't remember a single praise he got at that age. He started to spark only in 1999 when he came back from US and started to play for Lietuvos Rytas and later that season at European championship in France. He was 23 then. Mantas is still 20. He has time to develop into quality PG and I hope he will.

[sashikas]

Meanwhile, couple of Swedish basketball teams have applied for joining the Baltic league. These are 08 Stockholm Human Rights and Dolphins Norrköping. The board of the league have raised several financial requirements and gave a deadline to meet them - June 15th. The final decision will be made on June 19th during the next board meeting.

[sashikas]

Lietuvos rytas has signed another young talent - Simas Buterlevičius (18y.o./199cm), who played for Sakalai Vilnius last season. The alumni of Šarūnas Marčiulionis basketball academy played in 10 LKL games last season and scored average 2,9 points, got 2,1 rebounds and made 1,5 assists. It is yet unknown, whether the player will remain in the club or will be loaned out somewhere.

Edit: I have missed the message of LuDux about Simas. So this message is not such a big news. I'll leave it here for the player's details

[lafa]

Well that's a pretty strong statement. I wouldn't be writing him off so soon. Do you remember where Jasikevičius was at his age? Personally I can't remember a single praise he got at that age. He started to spark only in 1999 when he came back from US and started to play for Lietuvos Rytas and later that season at European championship in France. He was 23 then. Mantas is still 20. He has time to develop into quality PG and I hope he will.

Actually that's not quite right. Jasikevicius showed that he has huge talent and potential in world championship in 1998. I just don't see that in Kalnietis. He doesn't handle ball THAT well, he's not good shooter. OK, he can pass a ball, but that's not important if by the time he has to make a pass he had already lost the ball... And dunks are NOT THAT important for the PG after all ;)

[sashikas]

Actually that's not quite right. Jasikevicius showed that he has huge talent and potential in world championship in 1998. I just don't see that in Kalnietis. He doesn't handle ball THAT well, he's not good shooter. OK, he can pass a ball, but that's not important if by the time he has to make a pass he had already lost the ball... And dunks are NOT THAT important for the PG after all ;)
Jasikevičius isn't such a good ballhandler either. Look at his stats in NBA, where the allowed one on one defense is much harder than here. His turnover number is quite high for a player that spends quite limited time on court.
Meanwhile Mantas' shooting has improved during this year - he shot only 22,2% in LKL the regular season, and in the playoff stage it have risen to 42,5%.
In BBL his three-point shooting is also quite good - 38,2% in the regular season, and 0/2 during two Final 4 games.

[Lucky]

Hello from Girona, Catalonia. Akasvayu Girona wants Salenga to stay one more season but some spanish newspapers said the excelent SF has an offer from Zalgiris. Danius is thinking. Until he had a very difficult first year in Girona far from Lithuania at this moment the supporters love him because of his fighting spirit. Will see.:o

[lafa]

Jasikevičius isn't such a good ballhandler either. Look at his stats in NBA, where the allowed one on one defense is much harder than here. His turnover number is quite high for a player that spends quite limited time on court.
Meanwhile Mantas' shooting has improved during this year - he shot only 22,2% in LKL the regular season, and in the playoff stage it have risen to 42,5%.
In BBL his three-point shooting is also quite good - 38,2% in the regular season, and 0/2 during two Final 4 games.

Jasikevicius is not suited for NBA, he lost his confidence, etc... I believe those are reasons of his turnovers, but not his ballhandling... The guy was best PG in Europe not because he couldn't dribble you know ;) He is soo much better ballhandler than Papaloukas, who's now best PG in Europe.

And Kalnietis is a bust. He showed some sparks last year, when nobody knew him. What happened after that? Nothing... Another year passed and he's in the same place he was a year ago. Or even worse... Put a guy like Lukauskis in front of him, with long arms and pesky defence and Mantas will turn it over and over again... Talking about his shooting percentage... He went 1/1 from downtown agains Suduva, 3/5 agains Siauliai and 1/6 agains Rytas. Yes, we can clearly state that his overall shooting has improved significantly... But if we eliminate those, that were made against clearly weaker oponents what have we got? 1/6 = 16.7%. Oh yeah, that's quite an achievment for a sharpshooter... Ginevicius went 0/6 in the finals. Do you honestly believe Kalnietis is better shooter than Ginevicius? I personally don't. But let's leave Ginevicius out, it's time for him to get back to Alita or somewhere else... Some place not in Zalgiris...

Ok, I think it's quite enough for a reply ;)

[sashikas]

Jasikevicius is not suited for NBA, he lost his confidence, etc... I believe those are reasons of his turnovers, but not his ballhandling... The guy was best PG in Europe not because he couldn't dribble you know ;) He is soo much better ballhandler than Papaloukas, who's now best PG in Europe.

And Kalnietis is a bust. He showed some sparks last year, when nobody knew him. What happened after that? Nothing... Another year passed and he's in the same place he was a year ago. Or even worse... Put a guy like Lukauskis in front of him, with long arms and pesky defence and Mantas will turn it over and over again... Talking about his shooting percentage... He went 1/1 from downtown agains Suduva, 3/5 agains Siauliai and 1/6 agains Rytas. Yes, we can clearly state that his overall shooting has improved significantly... But if we eliminate those, that were made against clearly weaker oponents what have we got? 1/6 = 16.7%. Oh yeah, that's quite an achievment for a sharpshooter... Ginevicius went 0/6 in the finals. Do you honestly believe Kalnietis is better shooter than Ginevicius? I personally don't. But let's leave Ginevicius out, it's time for him to get back to Alita or somewhere else... Some place not in Zalgiris...

Ok, I think it's quite enough for a reply ;)
OK, you have your own oppinion, I'll remain with mine. Time will show, who was right and who wasn't.

cheers.

[Basketball GOD]

Hello from Girona, Catalonia. Akasvayu Girona wants Salenga to stay one more season but some spanish newspapers said the excelent SF has an offer from Zalgiris. Danius is thinking. Until he had a very difficult first year in Girona far from Lithuania at this moment the supporters love him because of his fighting spirit. Will see.:o
I would love to have Salenga back. He is at least 10x better player than that freaking shooter who can't hit a shot and has no conscious Machado. Girona has money advantage but Zalgiris has competition advantage - we'll see...


And Kalnietis meltdown I think was caused by Grigas. Dude lost all his confidence. He has talent to be really great but Grigas just don't trust him - he gives him couple minutes of playing time, Mantas makes a mistake and Grigas benches right after few seconds. While if Collins or Popovic makes same thing there is no sequence. I think you have to push your talent to play but not to shout after mistake and point this out everytime.

[Straight forward]

And Kalnietis meltdown I think was caused by Grigas. Dude lost all his confidence. He has talent to be really great but Grigas just don't trust him - he gives him couple minutes of playing time, Mantas makes a mistake and Grigas benches right after few seconds. While if Collins or Popovic makes same thing there is no sequence. I think you have to push your talent to play but not to shout after mistake and point this out everytime.[/QUOTE]

i wouldnt agree. Mantas last year had "the luck of beginner". now he gets the same attention as anyone else in games. more over, he was on the wave last year and considering his age he couldnt retain the same level. imho, he has a huge potential to become a great player, but he had to improve dribling and shooting abillities. i dont understand the fact why everybody wants that 20 years old guy would play like Jasikevicius or someth. it's just shows what a huge miracle he did last year. give him 4 years and then we'll see.

[Basketball GOD]

i wouldnt agree. Mantas last year had "the luck of beginner". now he gets the same attention as anyone else in games. more over, he was on the wave last year and considering his age he couldnt retain the same level. imho, he has a huge potential to become a great player, but he had to improve dribling and shooting abillities. i dont understand the fact why everybody wants that 20 years old guy would play like Jasikevicius or someth. it's just shows what a huge miracle he did last year. give him 4 years and then we'll see.

I would agree with you but you know he plays 1-5 minutes per game so I think bigger defence attention is not a problem here.

[LuDux]

Vainauskas told more about Rytas roster for next season.Team will look for starting PG and starting C. Fate of Batista and Zukauskas will depend on competition. Ezerskis and Buterlevicius will have chance to get into final 12 for EL. Kieza and Pakamanis may stay if Rytas stays in Uleb Cup.

[rikhardur]

Lietuvos Rytas vs Lietuvos Rytas fans (friendly game, 27th May): http://www.sport-scene.net/details.php?id=703

[Manu Ginobili]

Lietuvos Rytas vs Lietuvos Rytas fans (friendly game, 27th May): http://www.sport-scene.net/details.php?id=703
In what?Boxing? :D

[Straight forward]

considering to unofficial information, Zalgiris is bargaining with Salenga. i also hope to see Timinskas coming home. That would be huge foundation by making a team character. Then, i would recect Motola and Machado (even though i like what he's doing in the court)

[LuDux]

Siauliai: will move into new 5000 seat arena and will increase budget (from 2,2 to 3-4 mln Litas). For now they have 5 players under contract: Masiulis, Mykolaitis and 3 youngsters Orelikas Petraitis and Lukosevicius
http://www.siauliuarena.lt/ezimagecatalogue/catalogue/variations/9-300x300.jpg


Suduva signed coach L.Salkus for 1 year.


Siauliai hope to play in ULEB Cup, Suduva and Sakalai are thinking about FIBA Cup

Looks like every LKL team will increase budget!

[re5pectas]

....
Siauliai hope to play in ULEB Cup, Suduva and Sakalai are thinking about FIBA Cup....
Suduva... :) they suck :rolleyes: :D

btw, when Siauliai's and Klaipeda's arenas are going to be ready?

Edit: I remembered, Klaipeda still planing... and what about Panevezys, are they doing anything? :)

[adebisi]

Suduva... :) they suck :rolleyes: :D

btw, when Siauliai's and Klaipeda's arenas are going to be ready?

Edit: I remembered, Klaipeda still planing... and what about Panevezys, are they doing anything? :)

Šiauliai arena will be opened in July'07. www.siauliuarena.lt

Panevėžys just started to build their new arena. BTW arena will be with Olympic bicycle treck inside. They hope to build it in less then 2 years.

Klaipėda's goverment is still trying to find the right place for their arena.

all the details you can find in www.miestai.ahost.lt/forumas

[sashikas]

Just to keep everybody else updated with the situation with Kaunas' Arena: yesterday the council of Kaunas city had a meeting, during which councellors decided to extend the living time of the working group, negotiating with French company, which is planning to build arena in the island on Nemunas river. The next decision making meeting of the council will take place after a month.

[LuDux]

Klaipėda's goverment is still trying to find the right place for their arena.


No. Place for arena is decided long ago, almost all paperwork is done. 5 weeks ago preliminary study of possibilities was presented. Most likely it will be 5300 seats with possibility of expanding by 2200 (maybe during concert), cost - up to 105 million Litas. Only 1 council member thought that arena should be built outside city. Construction should begin 200807 and end 2010-02
http://www.development.lt/index.php/investment_projects/sport_culture_and_recreation/8_universal_arena_for_international_events_in_klai peda/plans/268
http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=55.685678,21.152308&spn=0.001833,0.008411&t=k&z=17&om=0

[LuDux]

BC Siauliai head coach will be Robertas Giedraitis. Giedraitis is part of club since first days of club in 1994 as player, playing assistant coach and assistant coach. Club also resign M.Ruikis for 1+1

Neptunas wants to talk 3rd place in LKL and 6-8 in BBL, which would require 3 mln Litas budget. Players under contract: V.Pridotkas, E.Dainys, M.Kasiulevicius and youngsters V.Buzas and V.Petkus. Anisimov is 99% out, but Dorsey may return

[sashikas]

According to sports.ru (http://www.sports.ru/basketball/3058181.html) Ginas Rutkauskas resigns from the position of Žalgiris' CEO and moves to Russian capital, where he will run the position of sports director of Dynamo Moscow

[LuDux]

The SEB BBL Board decided:

Swedish teams 08 Stockholm Human Rights Stockholm and Dolphins Norrkoping did not fulfill the requirements and will not play in BBL

Neptunas Klaipeda will be the 10th team of the SEB BBL Elite Division.

BBL Challenge Cup participants:
Lithuania: Nevezis (Kedainiai), Sakalai (Vilnius), Suduva (Marijampole), Atletas (Kaunas), Alytus (Alytus)
Latvia: Bumerangs (Gulbene), Liepaja (Liepaja), VEF (Riga)
Estonia: Dalkia/Nybit (Tallinn), Fausto (Tartu)

League’s board will decide until July 1 whether to accept Panevezys team to participate in the SEB BBL Challenge Cup.

[Basket_]

Šiauliai announced that they signed two years contract with Lithuanian point guard Tomas Rinkevičius, who played in Kėdainiai "Nevėžis" last season.

[david723]

what about Loren Woods ,Anything New ? NBA/Zalgiris/ Other team ?

There are some rumors about Efes Interested at him , but because of the turkish rules they have to release some players and it seems that blatt want to keep everyone ... granger,haislip and prkacin ( Wright and Rasic recently signd)

[LuDux]

Nevezis signed Gintaras Leonavicius (1983-194-sg), son of Gintaras Leonavicius (head coach). He avereged 20 points in NKL
Now nevezis has contracts with 5 players: PF Mineikis and Sakalauskas, SF Sakinis and Stankus, SG Leonavicius

S.Velius left Panevezys for team in French 3rd division

[LuDux]

Siauliai signed 1+1 with D.Zavackas (PF-203), who started season in Neptunas (19,3ppg) and ended in Ukraine (16,2ppg)

[LuDux]

Siauliai and Neptunas exchanged head coaches.

Aloyzas Rudys comes to Neptunas after 2 years with Siauliai. Also team is joined by assistan coach Juodis. In Panevezys Juodis was assistant for 1,5 seasons and head coach for 0,5 season

First new player for Neptunas will be Paulius Pociuipa 197 who started season in Panevezys and ended in Ukraine


Kuncaitis became Siauliai head coach

Sakalai signed Linas Lekevicius (1984-186-PG) from American University (NCAA)

[LuDux]

Neptunas resigned SG Mindaugas Mockus (1980-195) for 9th season, signed Lithuanian U20 main center Remigijus Trakimas (1987-205) from Atletas for 3 years and PG Sergej Karmazinskij (1983-198) from Dynamo Moscow reserve team.

Siauliai resigned SG Vaidas Pauliukenas (1979-191), PF Aurimas Kieza (1982-203) and PF Rolandas Vaiciunas (1975-200).

Nevezis signed one of best players in NKLyga last season Tomas Cerkunovas (1983-204), U20 NT leader Povilas Butkevicius (1987-203) and PG Aidas Viskontas (1986-185) from Neptunas.

[adebisi]

Tadas Klimavičius ("Šiauliai") signed a 2 year contract with AEL from Greece.
I think Kieža won't compansate the loss of Klimavičius :(

[LuDux]

Tadas Klimavičius ("Šiauliai") signed a 2 year contract with AEL from Greece.
I think Kieža won't compansate the loss of Klimavičius :(

Bcsiauliai.lt wrote that they now are looking for new C and PG. This means that Zavackas, not Kieza is his replacement

[adebisi]

Bcsiauliai.lt wrote that they now are looking for new C and PG. This means that Zavackas, not Kieza is his replacement

Yeah, I guess you are right :rolleyes:

Any news about "Aisčiai Atletas"?

[LuDux]

Neptunas resigned PF V.Stanevicius (1983-201), signed C G.Jankauskas (1981-207) from Panevezys and NKL champion leader SG M.Runkauskas (1986-190)

Siauliai signed F/C S.Kuzminskas (1982-210) for 2 years with possibility of buyout. Siauliai are now looking for center

Sakalai signed SG G.Kurtinaitis (1986-192) and returned PG P.Ivanauskas (1987-195) from NKL

Atletas-Aisciai signed point guards G.Navickas (1984-180) and T.Rakauskas (1981-183) and small forwards P.Kleiza (1988-194) and E.Vetrenka (1984-196)

[sashikas]

Sakalai signed SG G.Kurtinaitis (1986-192)
What a sissy.... He just can't stay away for at least one whole season from the team his father doesn't coach.

[adebisi]

Šiauliai signed Antonio Grant for 1 year. He was already playing in Lithuania few years ago. If I'm correct, his coach was Kuncaitis in Neptūnas team, who is now gonna coach Šiauliai ;)
Last year he spent in France, Cholet Basket, but was a role player with something like 15 - 20 mpg and ~7 ppg :rolleyes:
Nothing special I would say...

[LuDux]

Neptunas signed U-19 NT member F/G D.Daunys (1988-200) for 2 years and acording to city paper finished roster by resigning S.Atuashvilli (1985-223). Also G.Einikis expressed desire to return to basketball and may join Neptunas at least in practices

Atletas signed center M.kalvelis (1980-205) and U19 NT members center P.Skurdauskas (1988-212) and forward R.Grinius (1988-204)

[rusher]

Barons/LMT added Giedrius Gustas (Dinamo MR/ Russia), Artūrs Brūniņš (Gipsar Stal/ Poland), Raimonds Vaikulis (BK Ventspils/ Latvia)

[re5pectas]

Barons/LMT added Giedrius Gustas (Dinamo MR/ Russia), Artūrs Brūniņš (Gipsar Stal/ Poland), Raimonds Vaikulis (BK Ventspils/ Latvia)
nice to see you back on board, rusher, can you give a brief of Butautas' interview in Riga to latvian journous?

[rusher]

http://www.askriga.lv/images/2007-2008/ask_kopbilde.jpg

ASK- this season

Ramūnas Butautas- we're on the right track!

- Three games, three victories

Preparation games were very useful for the team and also were very succesful for our team. Our oposition also was pretty strong. We could see where we should improve. Only thing that was not good about these games was that we couldn't play with full roster. It's a pity that Sandis (Valters) couldn't play in all of the games, Arnis (Vecvagars) couldn't play in two games because of the small injury and today with "Slask" Ugis (Vilums) also couldn't play. I wanted that our main players stay fresh so they wouldn't play more than 20 minutes per game but maybe it'll be even better for them that they played more because we have to play another two preseason games that are left for us.

- Why your team after succesful start and gaining 18 point advantage in the game against "Slask" somehow lost the track and went down to minuses soon

Because these are preparation games I intentionally didn't took time-out and let the team to figure out what to do, how to get back in the game by themselves. And, at the end, showing some hard fight they did it very well.

- How well team is ready for the championship?

It's hard to tell. Well, we still have 9 days to prepare until it's our first game in this season. And it's a long time in modern basketball. Our team is young and it's still finding its own game. We had not much time for the training together but we must improve our skill from one game to another. At the moment i could say that we're on the right track.

- Do new players fit in successfully in your team?

I think, we haven't made any mistakes. Of course it's still too early. Now we have played only three games and the most important ones will only be in spring. Then we will see how good are our foreigners, how good is our team and how good are our coaches.

Preparation games:

ASK Riga- ASCO Slask 83:65 (21:13, 20:21, 16:17, 26:14)
Broyles 22, Millage 11+7A, Buskevics 11+5A, Sanders 11+5R, Jahovics 9, Grafs 8, Bramlett 5+10R, Vecvagars 4, Bertāns 2

ASK Riga - Anwil 76:60 (20:18, 23:13, 22:16, 11:13)
Broyles 16, Buskevics 14, Sanders 14, Millage 13, Grafs 10+7R, Bramlett 6, Vilums 3

ASK Riga - Cherkasy "Monkeys" 95:73




About other Latvian BBL clubs you can read in "Latvia" section

http://forums.interbasket.net/showthread.php?t=5056- Barons/LMT

http://forums.interbasket.net/showthread.php?t=5057 - LBL in general

[LuDux]

Neptunas signed guard Jerel Allen (192-1985) from Florida State Seminoles. He earned three team awards at the Seminoles' Honors Banquet in 2007 - the Sixth-Man, the Tip-of-the-Spear and the Unsung Hero awards - all three awards exemplified his importance to Florida State's game rotation and as a teammate...also earned the Tip-of-the-Spear award in 2006 - the award is presented by the coaching staff and symbolizes his true passion for the game and his dedication to improving his game each and every day in practice.
http://seminoles.cstv.com/sports/m-baskbl/mtt/allen_jerel00.html

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