Women Basketball & Free Comments • Baloncesto Femenino & Comentarios Libres

[women_basket]

Women Basketball & Free Comments • Baloncesto Femino & Comentarios Libres

Last European Olympic gold medallist still going strong

As we head towards the London Games, it’s definitely worth taking a moment to pay homage to Elena Baranova who remains the only European Olympic gold medallist who is still active on the court at the elite level.
 
In addition to celebrating the memories of winning gold with the Commonwealth of Independent States some twenty years ago in Barcelona, it’s certainly worth applauding her longevity in a career which has seen plenty of success and is still going strong.
 
Playing in the Russian Superleague with BC Chevakata where she is the club captain, she recently helped her team into the quarter-finals of EuroCup Women and showed just how durable she is by celebrating a landmark 40th birthday last Saturday.
 
Landmarks are something the highly decorated Baranova knows all about. After all, she was the first Russian and indeed the first overseas player to set foot in the WNBA where she played for many years in addition to some 21 seasons in Europe.
 
Her list of accomplishments since she made her debut back way back during 1988 is simply incredible. From finishes on the FIBA World Championship and EuroBasket Women podiums at national team level to club championships and individual accolades at all levels including captaining Russia, All Star status and being crowned European Player Of The Year and FIBA World Championship MVP.
 
You name it, and the likelihood is, Elena Baranova will have it stamped on a resume which is even longer and more decorated than 99% of women players could ever dream of achieving. So what has been the secret of her longevity and has she achieved everything she wanted to?
 
“I just played basketball and didn’t think about time” is how Baranova explained her success tothe Bison basketball internet channel (yatv.ru/bisontv).
 
She added, “Eating the right food and a good sleep helps the body and a desire to play helps the mind.”

Having played for over two decades, you could probably have expected her to have had to evolve her game and yet with beautifully simplicity once again, she dismissed this notion.

She said, “I don’t think I had to change my game. My goal is still the same – to win every game I play.
 
“Every time I step on court I have to do anything for my team to win.
 
“The only difference is that to keep playing at the top level, I have to work on my physical conditions -almost every day.
 
“That’s what I would call 'The meaning of age'  

"I would still love to return to the WNBA. Even now. The WNBA Championship ring is the one thing I am missing."
 
While her own game hasn’t needed to change too much , it would be remiss of us not to consider how the Russian legend feels the game in general has changed over the years.
 
She said, “Basketball became more individual and those who take more shots are considered the stars.
 
“Basketball also became more athletic - players run 100 metres like pro-sprinters, jump like high jumpers, fighting for position like wrestlers.
 
“The ball has been changed – although I keep considering it a minus since a smaller size ball is much more difficult to catch and it forces a bigger amount of turnovers.
 
“I think playing with a men’s size ball is much easier and more interesting” explained Baranova,
 
“The deeper three-point line also gives more space for manoeuvres and more freedom has appeared under the rim.”
 
So while the women’s game has certainly changed over the last twenty years, Baranova has continued to prove class and longevity are a combination all young players should be thinking about not later in their respective pro-careers but right now.

Elena Baranova is a role model of epic proportions and if the current young guns out there think she’s an exception, they should also look to the likes of 41 year old Taj McWilliams. She recently played for EuroCup Women champions Elitzur Ramla and has just been acquired by EuroLeague Women participants Wisla Can Pack Krakow to underline just what a great influence and attraction an experienced player can be nowadays at the top level.



 
On the topic of which, only last week, 37 year old Delisha Milton-Jones became the first non-European player to score 2,500 points in EuroLeague Women and only the fourth in the history of the competition to do so – another phenomenal achievement from one of the elite veterans out there still shining so very brightly as they have done for so many years.

Paul Nilsen from FIBA

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[florenceXL]

Women Basketball & Free Comments • Baloncesto Femino & Comentarios Libres

McCoughtry in tune on and off the court

She's hot property on the court and now Angel McCoughtry is hoping she can be just as much in demand when it comes to her music career.
 
The USA women's national team player known is bidding to find success away from the floor having released her single 'Baby I'm A Star' on iTunes as she tries to match her achievements on it.
 
"I have always loved music and it has always been a big part of me" explained McCoughtry.
 
"Basketball is still my number one but last summer I decided to really get into my music."
 
Any fans of Team USA or supporters of her club side Fenerbahce should forget any notion of the 25-year-old losing focus now that she is immersed in music as well as basketball with the player quick to underline her discipline in keeping the two separate.
 
She said: "It's not easy maintaining two careers but it keeps you busy and it's a lot of fun. I usually record on off days and I don't ever let music interfere with my basketball.
 
"These are two really good outlets for me and I would probably sum it up like this - I' m not an athlete trying to do music since on the court I'm a basketball player and in the studio, I'm an artist."
 
"The two are not to be combined" added McCoughtry.
 
Further proof of music having a positive impact on the forward is evidenced by her blistering performances in EuroLeague Women. One of the form players of the tournament so far, she has helped Fenerbahce maintain the only unbeaten record in the competition this season.
 
With arch rivals Galatasaray also bidding to finish top of the podium after significant investment including the acquisition of McCoughtry's USA team-mates Diana Taurasi and Tina Charles, the intensity has never been quite as fierce in Istanbul.
 
"The closest rivalry I can even try to compare it to back in the States is maybe Louisville versus Kentucky," explained the Baltimore native.
 
"But only here in Turkey, it's at least three times more intense!"
 
From a national team perspective, talk of a women's 'Dream Team' next year in London is getting McCoughtry excited and particularly off the back of a strong showing in the Czech Republic last year.
 
She said: "I am so honoured to have been a part of the FIBA World Championship Women tournament.
 
"I feel in my relatively young career, I couldn't have experienced anything better and that's why my expectations for London 2012 are so high.
 
"The ultimate exposure for women's basketball is the Olympics."
 
She continued: "The great thing about playing for the USA is that we have some of the best athletes in the world.



 
"It's hard because there is just so much talent."
 
From watching her performances for both club and country, the majority of rivals are queuing behind McCoughtry.
 
Meanwhile when it comes to her music career, she still has work to do as an aspiring artist although few would back against her finding success.

Paul Nilsen from FIBA

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[women_basket]

Women Basketball & Free Comments • Baloncesto Femino & Comentarios Libres

Defying death threats: the ultimate love for basketball

Most of us are guilty of using the word courage far too readily, perhaps when praising a player who takes the full force of an offensive charge or is willing to play through the pain barrier when injured.

However, true courage is something altogether less trivial.

It’s something which strikes at the very heart of what it’s like to stand up for what you believe in and, in the case of Suweys Ali Jama and Aisha Mohamed, putting your life on the line every single day just so you can continue to play the game that you love.

In one of the most moving and eye-opening stories I have read in a long time, the Somalian national team duo have lifted the lid on being targeted by religious militants who have threatened them and tried to stop them from playing.

These religious militants, who don’t believe women should be allowed to participate, issued a chilling ultimatum to the pair to either stop playing and live or continue to play and be killed.

Defiant, the players chose a third option - to stand up and show their bravery by continuing to play and ignoring the threats as best they can.

Speaking from Mogadishu, Suweys Ali Jama told IPS Africa: “I will only die when my life runs out - no one can kill me but Allah. I will never stop my profession while I am still alive.”

Aisha Mohamed, who is the deputy captain, elaborated on the terrifying phone calls the two players have been receiving.

"They explained: ‘You are twice guilty. First, you are a woman and you are playing sports, which the Islamic rule has banned. Second, you are representing the military club who are puppets for the infidels. So we are targeting you wherever you are,’ the Islamists warned me during phone calls.

“But I am still clinging to my profession. I am a human being and I have fear, but I know that only Allah can kill me.”

Indeed it’s not only these two who have had to endure the glare of an unwanted and potentially lethal spotlight since reports from the Somali capital are that the team is having to prepare for next month’s Arab Games in a bullet-ridden police academy compound for additional security.

Even without such sinister threats, it would be difficult enough to successfully play basketball in a country which has been ravaged by armed conflict, political turmoil and where resources for sport are scarce.

Not surprisingly, Somalia's National Basketball Federation is frustrated that whenever things begin to look up for women’s basketball in the country, something potentially devastating occurs to set things further back. Understandingly, many players have drifted away from the game because of the murderous shadow which continues to linger.

While not insensitive about the need to show respect for the thorny issues of religion, politics and culture which inevitably impact upon our sport, threatening someone because they are a simply a woman and want to play basketball seems abhorrent.

I would therefore like to pay tribute to Suweys Ali Jama and Aisha Mohamed by sincerely apologising for every time I have flippantly used the word courage when commentating or writing about the game.

Meanwhile, for those who believe my passion for women’s basketball is intense, please think again. I could only ever dream of having this kind of passion for women’s basketball.

Suweys Ali Jama and Aisha Mohamed are inspirational people and I am sure many players, coaches and fans of the Women’s game will join me in echoing that sentiment.




Women’s Basketball Worldwide stands and applauds you both for your incredible courage and we can only hope you manage to realise your dreams in quite deplorable and for most of us, unimaginably difficult circumstances.

Paul Nilsen for FIBA

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[mariza_coach]

Women Basketball & Free Comments • Baloncesto Femino & Comentarios Libres

The beauty beneath the headlines in Turkey

It’s most definitely boom-time for Women’s Basketball in Turkey and best of all, there’s no sign of a potential bust on the horizon to dampen the current buzz.
 
Building on the momentum of being unveiled as hosts of the 2014 FIBA World Championship Women, the National Team proceeded to scoop an unexpected silver medal at EuroBasket Women during the summer which also catapulted them into the London 2012 Olympics.

Furthermore, on Tuesday, Turkey were announced as one of three countries - Argentina and the Czech Republic are the other two - bidding to host the Olympic Qualifying Tournament (OQT) for Women that will take place from 25 June-1 July.
 
At club level, the interest generated by superstar Diana Taurasi switching from Fenerbahce to Galatasaray in arguably the most controversial and lucrative player transaction in the history of the Women’s game was epic.
 
Then, an already supercharged and thrilling year was given another adrenalin rush when FIBA Europe declared the inaugural and prestigious EuroLeague Women Final Eight tournament would be hosted in Istanbul during March of next year.
 
So, while Women’s Basketball in Turkey doesn’t exactly need any further boost, that won’t stop me from highlighting another major cause for celebration.
 
If you read the small print behind the headlines of medal success, the arrival of some serious ‘A-Listers’ to the Turkish league and the magnetism Istanbul has for attracting major basketball tournaments, you will find exciting details of a bunch of young Turkish players preparing to write headlines of their own during years to come.
 
One such player is 16-year-old centre Tilbe Senyurek who has already set pulses racing amongst those lucky enough to have witnessed her raw potential with many observers tipping her to make it to the very top.
 
Trusted with the hugely important task of safeguarding her progression at Botas Spor where the player is currently based and ready to sample life in EuroCup Women, is head coach Olcay Orak.
 
Orak admits to feeling a powerful sense of responsibility to the starlet and also to Turkish basketball generally as he prepares to continue making sure she finds the right path through the various youth levels to eventual stardom with the senior Turkish National Team.

”When you take her age into consideration, she’s the most talented of all players,” he said.
 
“I’m very excited about her potential because she is going to be the best player for Botasspor and in Turkish Women’s basketball.

”I’m highly aware of my position and role. I have a very important responsibility for not only Tilbe, but also other young players of the team.
 
“I want to give all my experience to her, not only in terms of basketball but also life. She should want to work very hard.”
 
Born in 1995, Senyurek follows in the footsteps of a string of other promising players who have the capacity to form and exciting future. Even just from the 1993 generation, the trio of Olcay Cakir, Ayse Cora and Olge Kavurmacioglu have already been practicing every day at club level against world class players and have even managed to find some limited court time at the highest level.
 
Orak describes the emergence and subsequent development of young Turkish players as a ‘movement’ within the country, claiming coaches and clubs need to come together to make sure the big name stars support rather than prevent young players from evolving.
 
“As can be seen in my own team roster and also many others, we are highly supportive of this movement in Turkey," he pointed out. "I believe the young players can play next to the big names.”

”If we want to develop women’s basketball in Turkey, we should all serve as role models for our young players by taking part and especially if we are part of big organisations.”
 
As for Senyurek herself, she’s currently trying to recover from some injuries which have affected her during the summer and this early part of the season.
 
Genuinely appreciative of the recognition which is beginning to come her way, she reminded us all that her tender age is not a barrier to reaching for the sky and one day fulfilling her enormous potential.
 
“I have to say thanks to those people thinking about me with confidence like this” she said.
 
“I want to play against the big European teams and one day become a player like Nevriye Yilmaz.”
 
“In fact, I would like to aim to be even better than her if I can,” she smiled.
 
Whether she manages to become the next big thing remains to be seen. But for now at least, everyone involved with Turkish basketball should be excited.



 
From what I can see, the small print reads so beautifully well and is every bit as joyful and intriguing as the headlines which we are getting accustomed to seeing in this vibrant Women’s basketball nation.

Paul Nilsen from FIBA

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[crawler212]

Women Basketball & Free Comments • Baloncesto Femino & Comentarios Libres

FIBA Central Board ~ GB Olympic Decision,
2014 Women Host Country Top Central Board Agenda

GB Olympic decision, 2014 Women host country top Central Board agenda
The decision whether or not to grant Great Britain an automatic place at the 2012 London Olympic Basketball Tournament and the awarding of the host country for the 2014 FIBA World Championship for Women top the packed agenda of the FIBA Central Board meeting, to be held in Lyon on Saturday and Sunday (12-13 March 2011).

With Great Britain not a member federation of FIBA, GB received special exemption to allow them to compete in London, but the world governing body requires that Team GB prove their competitiveness and provide a solid legacy for the sport in Britain in order to grant them automatic qualification.

The Central Board will examine a legacy plan submitted to them by British Basketball before deciding whether or not to award GB’s men and women’s teams places as ‘hosts’, thereby sparing them of having to qualify.

The bidding process for several events come to a conclusion this weekend, with the host countries for the 2014 FIBA World Championship for Women and the 2012 FIBA U17 World Championship for Men and Women being decided.

For the 2014 Women’s World Championship it will be a straight pick between Turkey and Australia. Lithuania, who are the only country remaining bidding for the U17 men’s event, should be confirmed as the 2012 hosts, while the Central Board will decided between the Netherlands and Romania for the women’s event.

Also up for discussion during the two-day meeting is a proposed road map for the development of 3on3 basketball, the FIBA sanctioned version of the three against three format played on a standard half-court. This will include plans for the development of top-level competition, an innovative individual ranking system and ambitions for the new format to receive Olympic status, being included as a demonstration sport as early as 2016.




The results of the Central Board meeting will be announced during a press conference to be held on Sunday 13 March 2011 following the conclusion of the meeting, which is scheduled to end at 18:00 CET. The press conference will be streamed live on fiba.com.


from FIBA

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[natalbom]

Women Basketball & Free Comments • Baloncesto Femino & Comentarios Libres

Manchester to host first-ever WNBA game in Europe

The NBA is currently running ‘Basketball Week’ in the United Kingdom and on Monday had great news for basketball fans in the city of Manchester with the announcement of a multi-year partnership that will provide them with the opportunity to catch live action from the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) as well as the USA men’s and women’s teams.

On 29th May, the Manchester Evening News Arena (MEN) will play host to “WNBA Live – Manchester 2011”, marking the first time in the league’s 15-year history that a game is played in Europe. 2010 WNBA finalists Atlanta Dream will face an opponent to be named at a later date.

The Dream boast a number of leading international players. Angel McCoughtry (pictured), the 2009 WNBA Rookie of the Year, helped the USA to a gold medal at last summer’s FIBA World Championship for Women in the Czech Republic. Her Dream team-mates include Sancho Lyttle – who took bronze with Spain in Karlovy Vary – and Iziane Castro Marques of Brazil.

The partnership will also see USA Basketball men’s and women’s national teams – both gold medal winners at the 2008 Beijing Olympics – play a Global Community Cup tour game in July 2012 at the MEN as part of their preparations for the London Olympics.

Finally, in the autumn of 2013, the first-ever NBA pre-season game played in the UK outside of London will take place.

“We are delighted to bring NBA, WNBA, and USA Basketball games to the internationally renowned sports city of Manchester.  This comprehensive schedule of premier basketball events will help grow the sport for years to come,” said NBA Europe Senior Vice President Sophie Goldschmidt.

“This partnership shows our ongoing commitment to deepen basketball’s footprint in the country.”

“Manchester has a rich sporting heritage, so it is fitting to be welcoming the NBA to the City for this ground breaking series of events,” said Councillor Michael Amesbury, Executive Member for Culture and Sport.




Basketball fans in the UK can get their fix for the game with NBA Basketball Week – which consists of activities and clinics held in London, Manchester, Birmingham, Newcastle and Sheffield – culminating in a double-header between the Toronto Raptors and the New Jersey Nets at the O2 Arena on Friday and Saturday 4th and 5th March.


from FIBA

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[womenball]

Women Basketball & Free Comments • Baloncesto Femino & Comentarios Libres

FIBA holds inaugural Women’s Basketball Conference

For the first time ever, FIBA is organising a conference specially dedicated to women’s basketball.

The inaugural event will take place this weekend (Saturday-Sunday 2nd-3rd October) in the famous Grand Hotel Pupp in Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic, site of the final round of the 2010 FIBA World Championship for Women.

The interest expressed in the conference so far has been exceptional with more than 100 participants from over 50 countries all around the world having registered.

FIBA expects the two-day event to make for fruitful discussions on the challenges and the opportunities in the women’s game.

"This conference serves a long-time need," said FIBA Secretary General and International Olympic Committee (IOC) member Patrick Baumann. "In order to keep pace with the growth of the men’s game, we have to tackle a couple of issues like calendar, promotion and event management. The women’s game has huge potential and we are far from having fulfilled it fully."

A number of high-profile speakers and experts will contribute to the conference.

Herewith is the full programme of the Women’s Basketball Conference.

2nd October 2010
10:00-10:45 Opening of the Conference
Speakers:
Mr Bob ELPHINSTON, Chairman of the Conference
Mr Yvan MAININI, FIBA President
Ms Lorraine LANDON, FIBA Women’s Commission President
Mr Lubomir KOTLEBA, FIBA Sports Director

10:45-11:30 View from the Top
Speakers:
Mr Larry SENGSTOCK (AUS)
Mr Sergey CHERNOV (RUS)
Mr Jim TOOLEY (USA)

11:30-12:30 Obstacles and Challenges
Speakers:
Mr Milos PRAZAK (CZE)
Mr Miguel HERRERA (CHI)
Ms Lena WALLIN (SWE)
Mr Guy BERTE (CIV)

13:00-14:00 Perspective from Coaches
Speakers:
Mr Tom MAHER (AUS)
Ms Natalia HEJKOVA (SVK)
Mr Geno AURIEMMA (USA)

3rd October 2010
10:00-11:00 Perspective from Players
Speakers:
Ms Esther WENDER (NED)
Ms Katie SMITH (USA)
Ms Anna JUNYER (ESP)

11:00-12:00 Organising a Women’s Event
Speakers:
Ms Lorraine LANDON (AUS)
Mr Jean-Pierre SUITAT (FRA)
Mr Tomohiro HATTORI (JPN)

12:30-13:30 How to Promote Women in Sport
Speakers:
Mr Andrew WALKER (WTA Tour)
Mr Jiri ZEDNICEK (CZE)
Ms Sylvia SWEENEY (CAN)
Ms Daniela BANZ (FIFA)
Ms Val ACKERMANN (USA)

13:30-14:00 Conclusion of the Conference
Speakers:
Mr Patrick BAUMANN, FIBA Secretary General
Mr Yvan MAININI, FIBA President


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[alexxtar]

Women Basketball & Free Comments • Baloncesto Femino & Comentarios Libres

2010 FIBA World Championship for Women: USA v Australia
Does it matter who wins ?

Stella Kaltsidou of Greece has a very good understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the two teams most people expect to reach the Final of the FIBA World Championship - the United States and Australia.

The Greeks played both teams, falling to the USA 99-73 on opening night in Ostrava and then losing to Australia several days later, 93-54.

"I think they are totally different teams," she said.

"The United States are better individually, but Australia are playing better as a team.

"The way they are playing is different.

"I'd like to watch them play each other."

Kaltsidou will get her wish because on Wednesday night, the United States and Australia will square off in a battle of unbeatens.

The winners will finish top of Group E and face the fourth-place team from Group F in the Quarter-Finals.

The losers will end up second and take on the third-place team in Group F in the last eight.

Australia coach Carrie Graf says it doesn't matter which side wins this game.

"The result doesn't matter if you win that one and bomb out in the Final," she said after Australia's 62-52 triumph over France.

"It's not about the result, but the process.

"Everything isn't riding on that game so you have to be intelligent about how you play."

Graf said she will not show all her cards in the contest and doesn’t expect USA coach Geno Auriemma to do so, either.

Australia's Lauren Jackson, who had 19 points and 10 rebounds against France, definitely wants to beat the Americans.

"We want to win no matter what," she said, "but we are very well aware of the situation.

"As a team, we need to focus on what we need to do to win the whole thing. We know that on a good day, we can give them a run for their money."

Australia weren't able to play the Americans on the way to their gold medal at the 2006 FIBA World Championship for Women because Russia upset the USA in the Semi-Finals.

At the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, the USA hammered the Opals in the Final.

Both sides have undergone a lot of changes since then, however.

Each has a new coach and several new players.

The Americans do not have the powerful one-two punch of Lisa Leslie and Tina Thompson down low anymore, but they do have Sylvia Fowles and newcomers Tina Charles and Candice Dupree.

Dupree has been arguably the best player in the tournament.

On the perimeter, the Americans are as strong as ever with Diana Taurasi, Sue Bird and newcomers Angel McCoughtry and Lindsay Whalen.

Tamika Catchings and Swin Cash are experienced and very important to the USA, but so are the youngsters like University of Connecticut star Maya Moore, a 6ft guard that is averaging 8.8 points, 4.4 rebounds and 2.6 assists.

Moore plays for Auriemma at UConn, just as several other players in the USA squad once did.

Australia have Jackson, Penny Taylor, Kristi Harrower, Belinda Snell, Erin Phillips, Tully Bevilaqua and Hollie Grima from the 2006 team, yet they also have newcomers Liz Cambage, Jenna O'Hea, Marianna Tolo, Abby Bishop and Samantha Richards.

Jackson, the MVP of both the WNBA Regular Season and Finals after leading the Storm to the title, has just come off an emotionally-charged WNBA Finals with the Seattle Storm.

She led Seattle to the title.

"I think we saw signs (against France) of what she did in the WNBA," Graf said.

"She had a turnaround jumper, the rebounding.

"It's still an emotional thing for her getting up. Physically she's fine. It's just that emotional stuff."

The player that really impresses Auriemma, though, was the MVP of the World Championship four years ago.

“Penny Taylor is so good,” Auriemma said.

“Everybody talks about Lauren – Lauren’s a great player – but to me I think Penny Taylor is what makes it work at both ends of the floor.”

There is a very good possibility that these two teams will play after Wednesday, too.

Should the teams win their Quarter-Finals, and Semi-Finals, they would meet in the title game.

If the result isn't that important to Graf, it definitely is for Auriemma.

"There are some teams that play one way when the game means something and they play a different way when the game doesn't mean something,” he said.

"In my trips to Europe, I've seen that a couple of times, when the team - if the game doesn't have any significance - will not play to win all the time and they will try to match up to see who they will play in the next round.

"I don't think tomorrow (Wednesday) will be anything like that.

"I think you've got two teams that really want to win, that really want to beat each other.”

The USA, because of having to settle for a bronze medal in 2006, desperately want to not only capture gold this time but to do so by going undefeated.

"You've got a lot of players on their team and a lot of players on our team that are very familiar with each other,” Auriemma said.

“I think tomorrow is going to be like the gold-medal game. I think it's going to be played like that.

"I know it is on our end.




"There's no guarantee that either Australia or the United States will be in the gold-medal game. We may not play each other again.

“Tomorrow we're going to play to win. I'm sure they are."


FIBA

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[campus_coach]

Women Basketball & Free Comments • Baloncesto Femino & Comentarios Libres

Australia, Brazil and Turkey bid for 2014 FIBA Women's World Championship

The 2014 FIBA World Championship for Women will be held in Australia, Brazil or Turkey, FIBA has announced.

The three countries - who all submitted letters of interest to FIBA within the given deadline of 31st July 2010 - will battle it out to make their cases until the spring 2011 FIBA Central Board meeting, which is due to make a final decision following a close review of the bids that the candidates are required to submit.

Australia previously hosted the FIBA World Championship for Women in 1994 as well as the 1997 FIBA U22 World Championship, while Turkey will be hosting its first worldwide FIBA event, with the 2010 FIBA World Championship for Men being held in Ankara, Izmir, Kayseri and Istanbul between 28th August and 12th September but have previously organised the EuroBasket for Men and Women.

Brazil hold the record in terms of hosting the FIBA World Championship for Women, having hosted the event on four occasions, including the inaugural edition in 1957 and most recently in 2006, as well as having held the World Championship for Men on two occasions and the FIBA U19 World Championship in 1979.

FIBA has also announced the candidates to host the 2012 U17 World Championships for Men and Women. France, Iran and Lithuania have officially expressed their interest in staging the U17 World Championship for Men. Lithuania have also shown interest in the U17 World Championship for Women, alongside Romania, Sri Lanka and the Netherlands.

FIBA Secretary General and IOC Member Patrick Baumann said of the candidates "Although at this early stage we know little about the bids that will be submitted to us, recent competitions have shown that the benchmark for all FIBA competitions is rising with each Championship and we expect this trend to continue in 2012 and 2014."

"The unprecedented number of countries who have shown interest in hosting Championships at Youth level and the success of this summer's two U17 World Championships in Hamburg, Germany and Toulouse, France respectively are further proof of FIBA's decision to introduce a competition for this category," he added.

"It is also very encouraging to see that countries who are not traditional basketball powers are increasingly interested in hosting our competitions. This is a clear sign that our sport is growing. We are very excited and looking forward to discovering these bids."


FIBA World Championship for Women and U17 World Championship
The FIBA World Championship for Women is held every four years. This year's Championship in the Czech Republic will be the sixteenth edition. Australia are defending Champions while the USA lead the gold medal table with seven. The U17 World Championships for Men and Women were played for the first time this year in Hamburg and Toulouse/Rodez respectively. The USA won both the Men and the Women's tournaments.




About FIBA
FIBA - the world governing body for basketball - is an independent association formed by 213 National Basketball Federations throughout the world. It is recognised as the sole competent authority in basketball by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). For further information about FIBA and FIBA Championships visit facebook.com/fibaworld and twitter.com/fibaworld or youtube.com/fibaworld.

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Women Basketball & Free Comments • Baloncesto Femino & Comentarios Libres

I'll make the nation proud of Great Britain Women's basketball team

Women's basketball guru Tom Maher has ruled out turning GB into Olympic medal contenders but has pledged to make the nation proud.

Australian coach Maher, 57, took up the challenge of guiding the GB women's team in May 2009, replacing Mark Clark.

And the basketball chief is now preparing for his fifth Olympics in 2012 when London is the host city.

Maher possesses an impressive CV after leading Australia's women's side to bronze in Atlanta in 1996 and then silver at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney.

Maher was also head coach of New Zealand in Athens in 2004 when he steered them to their best-ever performance of eighth despite inheriting a side ranked 115th in the world.

Then he coached the Chinese team at the Beijing Olympics in 2008 where the hosts' team finished fourth.

Now Maher is charged with overseeing GB's Olympic assault and has just held a training camp in Scotland ahead of this summer's busy fixture list.

GB play a series of tests against Bulgaria, Portugal, Belgium, Holland and Israel in the next two months before their Eurobasket qualifiers in mid-August.

But Maher admitted: "I am not going to say to them let's go and win a Olympic gold medal, that would be ridiculous.

"It is the biggest sport in the world for women - it is like soccer for men.

"I don't want to be stupid about it - I want to be realistic.

"It is not about getting in the top three as at the last Olympics there were really only three teams who could win a medal.

"We can't think we are going to go into that environment with a huge history.

"But I guarantee British basketball is really well-organised.

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"The programme and backing is professional as you get anywhere so we are taking giant steps.

"It is about respect for us. It is about putting down a stamp and showing you can stand up at this level."

Maher does not have the depth of talent to call upon compared to GB's rivals but believes the nation's sporting ethos will stand them in good shape.

He added: "When I went to New Zealand I didn't know anything about the New Zealand team but I knew they could compete.

"The Kiwis always compete, and compete hard, as it is in their system and culture.

"I expected it to be the same here and it is.

"Players compete so you can always do something.

"It was much more difficult in China as you had to teach them to compete but the culture of Great Britain will make it easier."

Maher has no qualms about being an Australian in charge of a British team and can count on the full support of his wife Robyn, who played at six world championships for Oz.

But Maher still intends to immerse himself in British culture while based in the UK and has been busy swotting up on the nation's history.

"I bought a couple of books," said Maher, who visited Edinburgh castle earlier this month.

"I am a bit of history buff.




"I bought a book recently on the origins of the kings of England and it is really good.

"I tried to learn a bit about China but the books about that country were translated and the translations were so bad."


from FIBA Today

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Women Basketball & Free Comments • Baloncesto Femino & Comentarios Libres

The Men behind the Liberty

The men gathered in a circle around the Liberty logo at center court, ranging in age from the 18-year-old high school senior Len Chenfeld to the 53-year-old investment adviser Doug Parker. They were all looking for an entry pass into the world of women’s basketball.

“It's a lot more difficult to play against them than one might think,” Steve Senior said of the Liberty.

Liberty Coach Anne Donovan was looking for more than a few selfless players to serve on an all-volunteer male practice squad for her W.N.B.A. team this season, which begins in May.

“It’s so important that this is not about the ego,” Donovan told them. “It’s about making us better.”

Then the tryout tipped off Monday night at the Madison Square Garden Training Center with 15 guys bringing varied levels of experience, from high school to college to recreation ball.

Donovan put them through drills and scrimmages, watching for talent that could help push the Liberty toward its first league title.

“They’re faster, stronger, bigger, and so they prepare us for the best of the W.N.B.A., just in their athleticism and in their strength,” Donovan said. “The second component is they’ve got to be coachable. They’ve got to be able to run plays. When we’re scouting Phoenix, they’ve got to be able to run Phoenix’s offense.”

Chenfeld knows how to run an offense. He is a 5-foot-9 standout point guard from Manhattan who played this past season at Poly Prep in Brooklyn after transferring from Hunter College High School. He wore a dark blue T-shirt with Brandeis University emblazoned across the front, signaling the Division III team he will be playing for next season.

He flashed into the lane against the bigger, older crowd and hit a nifty one-handed floater from about 12 feet, then swished a 3-pointer late in the first scrimmage. Donovan said she was also impressed with how he ran his team.

“It would be a good experience to go against professionals, regardless of gender,” Chenfeld said. “It would be fun to go against people who get paid to play the game every day.”

Parker played as a shooting guard at Francis Lewis High School in Queens. He did not play in college, but he plays now in pickup games for men aged 18-60 on Saturdays at Blue Mountain Middle School in Cortlandt Manor, N.Y., not that far from his home in Montrose.

“I wanted to test myself,” Parker said, explaining why he was here. “If selected, I do have the time available. I’d love to push myself a little and help the team. At 53 years old, I don’t have much to lose.”

Stephen Mears is younger. He averaged 8.8 minutes and 4.4 points in 24 games this past season as a 6-2 shooting guard for Division II C.W. Post. Mears, from Middle Island, N.Y., is set to graduate next month with a degree in criminal justice. His plan is to attend law school. But there is room for the Liberty in his life, too.

“I thought it was cool that I could actually come down and possibly practice with the team,” Mears said. “At my school, I play with the girls’ team. I help them get better. So it wouldn’t be anything different. I’m used to shooting with a girls’ ball. I’m used to playing with girls.”

That would also apply to David Capers, 34, a Home Depot sales consultant in the Bronx with a soft outside touch.

Capers, who played some at St. Bonaventure and then professionally in Europe and Mexico, practiced with the Liberty during the last two seasons. But it was not the more regular plan Donovan has in store for the men soon after training camp begins Sunday.

“Actually, the first time, I was kind of skeptical because I didn’t know how it was going to be,” Capers, a 6-4 shooting guard, said. “But after playing with them, I respect their game because they can play. It’s real competitive. They try to play a little bit more physical than guys, so that makes it even better.”

Steve Senior organized the group that scrimmaged against the women the previous four years. He is a 29-year-old former shooting guard at Division III Kean who lives in Englewood, N.J., and works in Manhattan as a project design manager for Kids Headquarters. The 6-3 Senior came to realize that men against professional women is not always fair.

“The reason the coaches want you there is they want you to go hard to push them to make it very competitive,” Senior said. “But another thing is, they have so many plays that they know already that if you’re trying to chase a girl around and you get caught on a screen, they hit almost every open jump shot. So it’s a lot more difficult to play against them than one might think.”

The Phoenix Mercury and the Los Angeles Sparks recently held tryouts for a male practice squad, and other college and pro teams have used the strategy for years, including Donovan when she coached the Seattle Storm from 2003 to 2007.

“They come in and sign waivers, so if they get hurt, it’s on them and their insurance,” Donovan said. “In Seattle, we hurt several of them, broken noses and banged-up knees and all that. Yet they kept coming back. So to me, it’s why you love basketball. It’s the ballers.”

In the end, Donovan, who is coaching the Seton Hall women full time after this season, kept 11 men and plans to add a few more to the pool, to ensure seven or eight will be available for each home morning practice. Senior is in again, as is Capers. But Parker did not make it. Chenfeld and Mears were picked.

“Of course, they’re not Liberty players,” Donovan said. “But I want them to really invest in what we’re doing, in our successes. I want them to be accountable.”

When the nearly two-hour tryout was over, Donovan called the players back to center court to thank them for coming. She had the men each raise an arm toward the middle with hers.




“Liberty on three,” Donovan said.

“One, two, three, Liberty,” they all chanted back.


FIBA

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Women Basketball & Free Comments • Baloncesto Femenino & Comentarios Libres

( for English Translation= See Below )

Leemos en Wikipedia, La Enciclopedia Libre:...

"... El Baloncesto femenino o Básquetbol femenino es de los pocos deportes  que se desarrolló al mismo tiempo que el masculino. Empezó a ser popular desde la costa Oriental de los Estados Unidos a la costa Occidental. Y luego fue extendiéndose a los países de Latinoamérica. Al no ser un deporte de contacto, personas de los dos sexos pueden jugar baloncesto. Esta es una de las ventajas más grandes del baloncesto. El primer encuentro femenino se jugó en Estados Unidos en 1893, y según parece, se redactó un conjunto diferente de reglas para el juego entre mujeres en 1895. El partido entre la Universidad de California de Berkeley y la Universidad de Stanford se jugó en abril de 1895, dos años antes del primer partido masculino universitario reconocido oficialmente. El rover, antiguo juego femenino de seis jugadoras, dejó paso a un juego de cinco parecido al baloncesto masculino a finales de la década de 1960. ..."

Un muy buen punto de partida para el baloncesto femenino es este Portal dedicado a los aficionados al Baloncesto Femenino: Loc@s por el Baloncesto Feminino !

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Women's basketball is one of the few women's sports that developed in tandem with its men's counterpart. It became popular, spreading from the east coast of the United States to the west coast, in large part via women's colleges. From 1895 until 1960, the term "women's basketball" was also used to refer to netball, which evolved in parallel with modern women's basketball.

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