Buckeye Ballers Blogspot

Buckeye Ballers - First Team All-November 2011 (Brandie Hoskins is Player of the Month!)

noreply@blogger.com (Buckeye Ballers) — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 05:41:00 +0000

(Image - Romania Fall 2011 - #35 Brandie Hoskins SCM CSS Craiova)

First Team All-November - Brandie Hoskins (Guard/Forward - 5 Years Pro) is the top player of November 2011 after another dominant month of play in Romania. Brandie currently the number one scorer in the league and it doesn't look like she will be relinquishing that title anytime soon. Here's why, in five November games, Hoskins averaged 25.8 ppg and 6 assists. Her best scoring game of the month was a admirable 30 point effort against ICIM Arad, the #2 team in Romania (November 29).

Je'Kel Foster - Guard (6) Years Pro (Veteran Je'Kel Foster experienced the most challenging schedule of all the Pro Buckeyes in November. His Munich, Germany based club, FC Bayern, had a crazy stretch that included two tough Eurocup away games in Russia and Croatia and contests in opposition to heavyweights ALBA Berlin and Benetton Treviso at home. Je'Kel was one of Bayern's top leaders (13ppg) in that difficult series of games. He continues to display that tough brand of basketball we have come to expect. Top moments - Foster dropped 31 points in Artland Nov. 12, led Bayern to their first ever Eurocup victory over Treviso on Nov. 14, and scored the game deciding three pointer versus Fraport on Nov. 12)

Othello Hunter - Forward - (4) Years Pro (Othello Hunter had a monster first month of Basketball in China. He is currently the top rebounder in the CBA after five straight dbl-dbl games resulting in super nice averages of 18.4 ppg & 16.2 rpg! The forward from Winston Salem, North Carolina collected a season high 21 rebounds in his regular season debut on 11.19. Hunter also had 27 points (12 fgs including two threes) & 19 rebounds in Shandong's big victory over Wilson Chandler and Guangsha on 11.25. Shandong went 3-2 in the month of November.)

Brittany Johnson - Guard - Rookie (First year pro Brittany Johnson, the player of October 2011, picked right up where she left off by scoring 28, 25, and 26 in three November games. Lady Buckeye fans knew Brittany would probably find success from the outside as she is a great shooter, but we have also been very impressed with how adept she has been at getting to the foul line and converting. Johnson is really damaging teams in this area..she earned 31 free throw attempts in those 3 games and made 28 of 31! - 90.3% )

George Reese - Forward - (12) Years Pro (G. Reese averaged 14.8 ppg in five November Polish League games. In AZS Koszalin's 109-75 blowout of LKS Lodz..George contributed 24 points, half of which came from the 4 three pointers he hit out of six attempts. AZS Koszalin faced three of the top teams in Poland during November..they are currently ranked #6 in ths standings with a 5-6 record)

Eurocup - FC Bayern Munich Guard Je'Kel Foster Expected to Miss 3-4 Weeks after Ankle Injury in Russia

noreply@blogger.com (Buckeye Ballers) — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 05:06:00 +0000

(Image - Demotix - St. Petersburg, Russia - FC Bayern Munich Guard, #13 Je'Kel Foster fights to gain possession of the ball against Spartak SP - 11.29.2011)

FC Bayern in Russia - German club FC Bayern Munich closed out their unbelievably tough November schedule with perhaps the most difficult game of the season so far, a Eurocup road trip against favored Spartak in St. Petersburg, Russia (11.29). Spartak SP is currently playing three schedules, the Russian Superleague, VTB United League, and the Eurocup Competition (2-0 in Bayern's Eurocup Group G).

Defeating a battle tested Spartak team in St. Petersburg was a daunting challenge for Bayern. So the 75-62 final in favor of Spartak was not much of a surprise, but finding out that Je'Kel Foster only participated for 9 minutes of the contest was. According to reports after the game, the starting two guard for Bayern a severe ankle/foot injury in the 2nd quarter. A writeup (link - injury description) on Foster additionally states he will be out of action for several weeks, and that's a setback for Munich to lose one of their top leaders for most likely the remainder December's games.

Foster's injury in St. Petersburg, Russia was an unfortunate close to what was an awesome month for the native of Natchez, Mississippi. Some of his November highlights include leading Bayern to their first ever Eurocup victory over Italy's Treviso (11.15), hitting the game sealing three pointer on Frankfurt (11.20), and a 31 point performance in Artland (11.12). Get well soon Je'Kel!

In The Game (China) - Buckeye Othello Hunter & Shandong Battle Jim Cleamons' Zhejiang Guangsha Lions With NBA Player Wilson Chandler!

noreply@blogger.com (Buckeye Ballers) — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 07:08:00 +0000

(Screencap - 11.25.2011 - Pregame -National Anthem - left front - Shandong import and former Ohio State Buckeye Othello Hunter - right front - Zhejiang import Wilson Chandler - Shandong Province in East China)

Top Level Talent Overseas - Basketball Never Stops, a 2011 Nike Off-Season/Lockout ad campaign that celebrates a universal love of the game amidst serious labor disputes in the sport's top league, the National Basketball Association. The slogan, Basketball Never Stops, could not be anymore apropos for these late 2011 months of November & December where high level basketball can be found around the world, despite empty NBA arenas. It is disappointing to lose a portion or all of a season's NBA games, but Basketball never stops, a considerable amount of big time NBA talent has opted to played overseas through the duration of the NBA lockout or entire 2011/2012 season leading to unprecedented hype and excitement in the international game (NBA All-Star Deron Williams drops 50 points in a Euro-challenge game, Andrei Kirilenko returns to Moscow to dominate the Euroleague with CSKA..these are unique dream situations for international fans because these players should be in the States under normal circumstances).

Buckeyes in big games - Going into the season, we knew there would be chances to view the overseas Buckeyes compete against some high profile names and there has already been memorable games. In the early season, rookie David Lighty matched up with NBA guys Nicolas Batum and Thabo Sefolosha in Euroleague games, Ron Lewis played against Jordan Farmar and JJ Hickson in Israel, and Jantel Lavender competed against WNBA stars Tina Charles and Diana Taurasi in Turkey. Another former Buckeye, Othello Hunter, is slated to face several current and former NBA players this season as a member of Shandong in the Chinese Basketball Association. Hunter's first real marquee matchup took place on November 25 when Shandong (2-0) hosted Zhejiang Guangsha and NBA player Wilson Chandler.

11.25.2011 - Shandong FB 97 vs Zhejiang Guangsha 89 (CBA Round 3)
- Othello Hunter: 27 points (10-16 2pt fgs, 2-4 3pt fgs), 19 rebounds!
- Alan Anderson: 15 points, 4 rebounds, 4 steals
- Wilson Chandler: 42 points (14-20 2pt fgs, 3-7 3pt fgs), 10 rebounds, 3 steals

(Screencap - Zhejiang Head Coach, Jim Cleamons)

In the Game - American free agents Wilson Chandler, Aaron Brooks, JR Smith, and Kenyon Martin deciding to play in the Chinese Basketball Association has been one of the most discussed topics in regards to the lockout. Not only are these some NBA players hooping in China, but there is also an interesting angle where all of these guys will have to play the whole CBA Regular Season due to the league not allowing escape clauses in the event that the lockout ends. (link)

Wilson Chandler (pictured left: 11.25.2011 - Former New York Knick, played well with the Denver Nuggets this past season - currently an NBA restricted free agent when the lockout ends), signed with the Zhejiang Guangsha Lions back in August of 2011. The head coach of Zhejiang Guangsha is Jim Cleamons, a former Ohio State Buckeye and NBA Champion (as a player & assistant coach). Cleamons just concluded a legendary run as an assistant under Championship Coach Phil Jackson (7 seasons in Chicago, 13 seasons in Los Angeles), this is his first run as a head coach since the late 90's when he served as the head man for the Dallas Mavericks (1996-1997) and Chicago Condors women's ABL team (1998) -( Jim Cleamons - Hoopedia link). This ESPN article notes that Jim Cleamons as the coach of Guangsha was a plus or pro for Wilson Chandler over other situations.

Quote - ESPN's J.A. Andande

"Chandler, who had been in talks with Olimpia Milano in Italy as well, liked the appeal of playing up to three games a week in China, as opposed to one game a week in Italy. He also liked the fact that Jim Cleamons, the former Dallas Mavericks coach who was an assistant on Phil Jackson's championship teams in Chicago and Los Angeles, will be coaching the Lions." (link)

Guangsha's second American import is big man Dwayne Jones, a former Celtic & Cavalier (2006-2008) who has been every where from the D-League to Turkey, China, and Puerto Rico since his stint with Cleveland. Like Shandong, we do not know much about the Chinese Nationals that Coach Cleamons has to work with, but they have opened with a 2-0 start behind Wilson Chandler's 43 in the game one and 28/12 in game two.

So here we go, Shandong vs Guangsha! We love these types of games because it is always exciting to watch our pro Buckeyes playing under the bright lights against high profile competition! Othello Hunter, former Atlanta Hawk and Italian League All-Star, has been nice in his first two regular season games in China. He's accounted for two double-doubles, 11 points with 21 rebounds in game one and 19 points/13 rebounds in the followup, a 3 point OT win over Shanghai.

Video - 'In the Game' - Shandong/Guangsha clips!

- Game Notes -

In China, only one American import per team can be on the court in the first half, Jim Cleamons made the obvious choice of starting Wilson Chandler while Shandong elected to open with Hunter who checked Guangsha's big man.

Wow, Othello Hunter just looks better and better every season. He's worked on that mid-range to 17/18 foot jumper throughout his pro career, and now he wants to show that he can consistently hit from long range. So with the score at 2-2, Hunter hits back-to-back three pointers! Great way to start this big game..huge pops from the home Shandong crowd!

Shandong actually got out to a great 15-2 opening run before Guangsha battled back to within six by the end of the 1st. Hunter had another cool sequence at the 3:57 mark (20-8 score) when he blocked a shot and then hit a short jumper over Chandler at the other end, prompting Coach Cleamons to call a timeout.

Hunter and Chandler did match up occasionally. Hunter on defensive p&r switches, and Chandler when Guangsha would go small. Early in the 2nd quarter, Othello hits the Denver Nugget with a fadeway j in the post! But Chandler responds with a step back jumper of his own and a long three.

Both Hunter and former Michigan State standout Alan Anderson were on the floor together in the 3rd. The American tandem provided the play of the game at the 8:56 mark..Anderson intercepted a poor outlet pass to create a 2 on 1 with Othello who finished with the two handed slam! Shandong went back up by ten at that point (58-48).

Man, Wilson Chandler is near unstoppable in this setting. The talented wing can get where ever he wants on the court, and he's hitting everything from acrobatic layups to fadeways and long threes. He's going to have to have several big scoring nights for Cleamons because Guangsha's other import, Dwayne Jones, is more of a defender, rebounding type. By the way, Chandler, like many imports look huge in China..Couldn't imagine how Dwight Howard would look..lol..There's a lot of tall guys there, but the athletes here in the States are tall and big and strong and fast...those guys aren't as plentiful in China, although the country is starting to develop that archetype.

Fourth quarter..both teams trading baskets. It's been close since late the 3rd when Guangsha was able to cut the game long deficit to single digits..Chandler, who is totally carrying his team, hits a jumper of the glass to give Guangsha a 76-72 lead. Alan Anderson nailed a three to bring Shandong within 1, Chandler comes back with another tough jumper, and then Hunter ties the game with a bucket and-1 finish! (78-78)

78-78 score - Wild sequence! Guangsha foils a Shandong fastbreak..they save the ball from going out of bounds, but Othello Hunter ends up getting the ball from a Shandong teammate and finds a waiting Alan Anderson in the corner for three!

81-78 score - Here we see Hunter off the bounce again, the agile PG drives, rebounds his own layup attempts and scores to give Shandong the five point lead.

This is so fun to watch..these imports have the green light to go off in these games! Wilson Chandler was superb in carrying Guangsha, ending with 42 total points, but you tell that Shandong had a little too much with the 1-2 punch of Anderson and Hunter..and they got help from some of their guards who hit two late threes which ultimately put the game out of reach for Guangsha after tying it at 87.

Statement Play - Under 50 seconds left, the score is 93-87 after the clutch Shandong threes, but Chandler isn't quitting and makes a running jumper. Shandong, with Alan Anderson on the ball, just wants to run some clock and get a decent shot with their next offensive possession. Anderson finds a guard in the corner who attempts a three, Othello Hunter rebounds the miss, gathers himself with a dribble where he gets low on Chandler and rises for the game clincher over Wilson Chandler! (Big pop from the crowd..Hunter is hyped, the Shandong bench is hyped, Anderson points to Hunter and starts flexing.. Hunter finished with his best game yet in China, 27 points, 19 rebounds!)

In The Game (China) - Shandong v... by BuckeyeBallersTV

Web - Byron Mullens Played Pick-Up Basketball at Ohio Prison Facility During Off-Season

noreply@blogger.com (Buckeye Ballers) — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 04:30:00 +0000

(Byron James Mullens)

Web - Article - ESPN - Basketball Within Prison Borders (contains picture and video)

Pro Basketball players have gone far and wide to get some good competition during the NBA Lockout off-season. Aaron Brooks, Wilson Chandler, and J.R Smith went to China, Kevin Durant played at Rucker Park in New York, Deron Williams went to Turkey, and Byron Mullens went to Prison. Prison?!?

ESPN.com's Anna Katherine Clemmons writes 'Basketball Within Prison Borders', an interesting feature story about former Buckeye Byron Mullens playing basketball with and against inmates at an Ohio Correctional facility.

Excerpt-

"After the Thunder's playoff run ended last May, Mullens began offseason workouts with a trainer and played pickup games at Ohio State University, where he played for one season before going pro in 2009. But after talking this spring with friend Jeff Lisath, the assistant warden at Ross Correctional Institution in Chillicothe, Ohio, Mullens decided to play inside prison walls once again.
"I played ball at some places for juvenile kids when I was in high school and I kinda wanted to get back into it," Mullens said." (link)

Clip - Jamar Butler to Bryant Austin Alley-Oop! (Lima Explosion Season Opener)

noreply@blogger.com (Buckeye Ballers) — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 02:09:00 +0000

(Image - Team Photo - 2011/2012 Lima Explosion Bottom row & second from the right - Buckeye Jamar Butler - November 2011)

Gametime - The ABA expansion Lima Explosion defeated the Gem City Hall of Famers by a score 115-76 in the 2011/2012 season opener. Ohio Northern product Kyle Meyer led Lima with 21 points followed closely by former Mr. Ohio Basketball and Ohio State Buckeye Jamar Butler and his 19 points.

The game was originally scheduled to take place in Dayton, home of Gem City Hall of Famers, but they failed to secure a venue in adequate time for the contest. Working on short notice, organizers planned the event to be played in Lima at Lima Catholic Central HS, giving local fans a chance to see their team in the club's first ever game (The Explosion's regular home venue is Elida Fieldhouse in Lima).

Clip - Season Opener - 11.27.2011 - (Lima Explosion guard Jamar Butler throws a lob pass to teammate Bryant Austin who finishes with a nice two handed slam!)

End of November 2011 Results !

noreply@blogger.com (Buckeye Ballers) — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 18:08:00 +0000

(Photo - Remus Badea/Mediafax.Ro - action image - Buckeye Brandie Hoskins, current player of SCM Craiova shoots against ICIM Arad - 11.29.2011 - Craiova, Romania)

Buckeye Ballers -Top late November 2011 Storylines -

- Othello Hunter & Shandong meet up with Wilson Chander and Jim Cleamon's Guangsha

- Jamar Butler makes ABA Regular Season debut with the expansion Lima Explosion

- FC Bayern & Alba Berlin collide in Munich, Germany

- Hoskins & Johnson continue with more dominant scoring performances

- Diebler and Panionios reach the upper echelon of the Greek League Standings

- Stockman helps lead Abejas in overtime victory with season high scoring game

Romania (Round 8) - 11.28.2011 - Craiova 67 vs ICIM Arad 82 (Buckeye standout Brandie Hoskins is currently in an amazing stretch high level play in Romania,. She collected her 8th 20+ points game on November 28, this time dropping 30 against one of the league's top squads, ICIM Arad. Hoskins and her American teammate Carla Bartee both played all 40 minutes for Craiova, Bartee added 24 points, but Arad came out on top in the battle of two three loss teams. - Hoskins 30 points/4 assists/3 rebounds and 1 turnover in 40 minutes of play )

China (Round 3) - 11.25.2011 - Shandong 97 vs Guangsha L. 89 (Othello Hunter followed two double-double games with another great night in Shandong's win over Wilson Chandler and Guangsha, coached by former Buckeye Jim Cleamons. Hunter led Shandong wth 27 points (10-16 2pt fgs, 2-4 3pt fgs) with 19 rebounds!! Alan Anderson had 15 for Shandong and Guangsha's Wilson Chandler went off for 42 points. We can expect several big stat lines from the American imports as featured players in these NBA style games - 12 mins per quarter - Shandong moves to 3-0 in the CBA)

Greece W (Round 8) - 11.27.2011 - Panionios 75 vs FES Neas 68 (Rookie Brittany Johnson blazes the nets again for her third straight 25+ scoring game! Johnson scored 25 points with 10 rebounds in Panionios' seven point Round 8 victory. The guard from Illinois has been adept at getting to the foul line and making teams pay with excellent free throw shooting. She made 12 of 13 free throw attempts vs FES Neas after hitting 10 of 11 in the previous game.)

Mexico (Round 30) - 11.26.2011 - Abejas 97 at Lechugueros 94 OT (Tony Stockman and Abejas won in overtime at Lecugueros, ending a three game skid. Stockman turned in a season high scoring total of 23 points with 3 rebounds & 2 assists. Tony was nice from the field..8 of 11 overall including four 3-pointers and 3/4 from the foul line. He is seen in the video below playing good on ball defense which results in a turnover and bucket for Abejas - starting at 0:40 sec mark)

Israel (Round 7) - 11.27.2011 - Hapoel Holon 93 at Maccabi Ashdod 84 (Hapoel Holon improved to 4-3 as a result of their 9 point home win over Maccabi Ashdod. Holon guard Ron Lewis played an instrumental part in the game with 20 points, 5 assists, 4 rebounds, 2 steals. Lew was perfect from the foul line at 6 for 6 and led Holon in minutes, points, and assists. Hapoel Holon take a two game winning streak into the December 5 meeting with league Champion Maccabi Tel-Aviv! In addition to Lewis, Holon/Ashdod featured familiar import names such as Tasmin Mitchell, Josh Duncan, Josh Carter)

USA - ABA (Round 1) - 11.27.2011 - Lima Explosion 115 vs Gem City 76 (The ABA expansion Lima Explosion easily won over Gem City in their first game in club history. Buckeye guard Jamar Butler opened the season with 19 points for his hometown squad. Clip - Butler throws a lob to teammate Bryant Austin!)

Germany (Round 10) - 11.26.2011 - FC Bayern 79 vs Alba Berlin 85 (FC Bayern Munich suffered their first defeat in the Audi-Dome at the hands of German heavyweight Alba Berlin. Je'Kel Foster had a solid all-around contribution of 13 points - 4 made threes - 8 rebounds, 3 assists and Chevon Troutman added 14 points, but Berlin had 4 guys in double figures including DeShaun Wood who had 27 points..11 of which came from the free throw line. Foster's 8 boards vs Berlin was his highest rebounding game of the season so far.)

Poland (Round 13) - 11.26.2011 - AZS Koszalin 82 at Energa Czarni 84 (In one of the closest games in late November, AZS Koszalin just barely lost at Energa Czarni in a 84-82 battle. Koszalin forward George Reese came up with his fourth double figure scoring game of November: 13 points, 7 rebounds & 3 assists. Koszalin should hopefully get some relief in the form of a lighter schedule in early December after facing three of the toughest squads in Poland in consecutive weeks.)

Greece M (Round 6) - 11.26.2011 - Panionios 69 at Marousi 67 (Panionios, one of the hottest teams in Greece, improved to an impressive 5-1 record after holding on at Marousi 69-67. Jon Diebler contributed 8 points, 1 reb, 1 assist in just 14 minutes of play. His 4 fouls might explain why he didn't see more on court time. Nevertheless, Panionios extends their win streak to five and is currently tied for 2nd in the Greek League Standings.)

Italy (Round 8) - 11.27.2011 - Bennet Cantu 74 at Lottomatica Roma 91 (Bennet Cantu ran into a hot shooting team in Rome in the Serie A Round 8. Roma blew the game open by winning the 2nd quarter 27-14 and then comfortably coasting to victory. Cantu surrendered their most points of the season..they are now 5-3 in Italian League Play. David Lighty: 6 points, 4 rebounds)

Poland (Round 13) - 11.26.2011 - PGE Turow 105 at Polpharma 55 (PGE Turow steamrolled Polpharma to the tune of a 50 point annihilation!! In the previous four games, Turow lost three straight and then won the final contest at the final buzzer..so they were due for a game like this where everything clicked. They won the opening period by a score of 28-15, and Polpharma would never threaten. Dallas Lauderdale: 6 points, 4 rebounds, 3 blocks, 1 assist)

Eurocup Round Two Results (Videos) - Lauderdale And Turow Win Thriller! Bayern Munich in Zagreb

noreply@blogger.com (Buckeye Ballers) — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 16:05:00 +0000

(Screencap - Dallas Lauderdale competes in the 4th quarter of a tight game in Eurocup Round Two - 11.22.2011 - Zgorzelec, Poland)

11.22.2011 - FC Bayern Munich (Germany) 66 at KK Cedevita Zagreb (Croatia) 70 (Eurocup Regular Season Round )
- Je'Kel Foster: 8 points, 3 steals, 1 assist and rebound

11.22.2011 - PGE Turow (Poland) 67 vs Dexia Mons (Belgium) 66 (Eurocup Regular Season Round 2)

Eurocup Storylines - Eurocup Round Two presented some more challenges for our two teams of interest in the regular season competition, Bayern Munich (Germany) and Turow Zgorzelec (Poland). Je'Kel Foster and Bayern had one one of their most memorable games of the season in Eurocup week 1 after downing Benetton Treviso of Italy (11.15.). The quality victory over Treviso resulted in Bayern's first modern Eurocup win in club history...they followed that game and first win in a European competitions iv. This team is team is strong in the confines of the Audi-Dome in Munich with an undefeated 6-0 home record, but they have not won on the road since October 15 (0-2 in last road games), and now Bayern had to travel to Zagreb, Croatia for a tough road contest against Cedevita in Eurocup Round Two.

Turow Zgorzelec's treacherous November schedule has created significant adversity for the Polish League squad. Turow climbed to the top of the league standings with a superb 9-0 start, but they've dropped their last three in November, a tough loss in Eurocup week one and two close defeats in the Polish league. With their backs firmly against the wall, Turow looked to get back on track in Eurocup week two versus Dexia Mons of Belgium.

Classic finish in Zgorzelec - PGE Turow played host to Mons on November 22 in what was a 'must-win' for the two teams. Both Mons & Turow needed to avoid falling to 0-2 in the Group H standings after defeats in Eurocup week one. The slow start has seemed to plague Turow in their rough stretch of defeats as they've been held to an average of just 11 first quarter points in the last three games. But Zgorzelec was able to put together a strong first quarter against Dexia Mons, winning the opening period 25-16..their largest 1st Q output of the season. The road squad from Belgium displayed some grit and urgency of their own with a second quarter comeback fueled by Americans Justin Cage & Ahmad Nivans (2 former teammates of Buckeye Ron Lewis who played for Mons last season in 2010-2011).

After an even first half (40-37), Mons took control of the game by holding Turow to just eight points in the 3rd and putting up 19 to take a 56-48 lead to the 4th. Looking at a an 8 point deficit, and 0-2 start in Eurocup, and fourth consecutive loss, Turow Zgorzelec responded with spirited defense and hot outside shooting to climb back into the game. Both teams withstood each other's big second half runs and the game would come down to the wire. Turow led 65-64 in the waning seconds when Mons guard AJ Slaughter sliced through the defense for a layup. With just 5 seconds remaining, Turow's Ronald Moore raced end to end to hit a tough floater at the buzzer, scoring his first points of the game and giving Turow a thrilling 67-66 victory!

( Rookie Dallas Lauderdale contributed 6 points with a block in 15 minutes of play.)

Clips - A Couple nice alley oop finishes from Dallas Lauderdale and the Ronald Moore buzzer beater!)

(Extended Game Film - Last 5:30 minutes of the game)

Munich/Zagreb - German League club FC Bayern could not quite find their outside shooting in a frustrating 70-64 loss at the hands of Cedevita in Zagreb, Croatia. Munich Forward Chevon Troutman did some damage inside versus a formidable Cedevita frontcourt with 18 points/8 rebounds, but Bayern's disappointing 1-12 night from behind the three point arc is what may have prevented them from winning their first Eurocup road contest (Boxscore).

(Extended Game Film - Eurocup Round Two - Bayern at KK Cevedita Zagreb)

News (Turkey) - Americans Jantel Lavender And Amber Harris Leave Club Besiktas

noreply@blogger.com (Buckeye Ballers) — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 14:18:00 +0000

(Image - 10.3.2011 - A Turkish medical official administers a routine health check to Los Angeles Sparks player Jantel Lavender prior to the 2011/2012 International Season - Istanbul, Turkey)

Los Angeles Sparks forward and former Buckeye All-American, Jantel Lavender, arrived to Istanbul, Turkey (pictured left: one of the first photos of Lavender in Turkey) in early October 2011 for her first career international campaign with famous club sports club Besiktas. Besiktas has garnered worldwide press in recent years due to their notable men's basketball signings of Allen Iverson (2010) and Deron Williams (2011). The club's financial situation has also received considerable publicity after it was reported that their accounts had been froze in the aftermath of a football (soccer) match fixing scandal.

According to this Sporting News article, Besiktas has reportedly had problems with paying athletes on time as well, in addition to soccer scandal (Boy, Turkish sports doesn't sound like the most professional outfit out there, lol). And it was late payments that ultimately led to the mid November departures of American women's bsketball imports Jantel Lavender & Amber Harris who both left after a little over a month of service (dispute was contract breach by Besiktas in form of late payments - Source1, Source2, Source - ESPN Marc Stein).

J-Lav in Turkey - Besiktas is going to wish they were more professional because they had a gem in Jantel Lavender. Lav played in three Turkish League Regular season games, and two Eurocup games with a scoring average of 22 points with 8 rebounds. Her biggest game in Turkey was a monster 36 point/10 rebound effort versus Galatasaray, the overseas squad of fellow WNBA stars Tina Charles (pictured left: Lavender matches up with Charles) and Diana Taurasi. Lavender scored more than half of her team's total points in the 82-63 defeat to Galatasaray.

It is currently not known if Lavender will join another team for the remainder of the 2011/2012 international season or instead opt to prepare for WNBA #2 in the States.

(#14 Jantel Lavender - Turkey Late 2011 - Amber Harris in left background)

BuckeyeBallersTV - Dunk of the Year Already?! Othello Hunter's Explosive Slam at Foshan!! (China - 11.19.2011)

noreply@blogger.com (Buckeye Ballers) — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 18:33:00 +0000

(Flying Hunter - Great action photograph as Othello Hunter extends in flight during his electrifying dunk at Foshan - China - 11.19.2011)

BuckeyeBallersTV - It's early Winter and we might not see a better dunk all season from the Pro Buckeyes than Othello Hunter's sick one handed throw-down at Foshan during the CBA Regular Season opener! (Video below). Late in the first quarter, Othello received the ball near the top of key, he quickly recognized an open the lane to the basket and immediately exploded to the hoop..he only needed one dribbled before taking flight from well behind the inner arc. Foshan big man Marcus Douthit made a block attempt in the paint, but Hunter beautifully extended in mid-air to complete the highlight play.

We've seen many great dunks from Othello Hunter throughout his pro career, and this one has to rank up there at the top. We saw it all in ths play..his agility, bounce, hang time, and power. And it's crazy how quickly Hunter got to he basket. You literally can't blink while watching this because he's at that rim in a flash! Another cool aspect of the play is that Shandong/Foshan was front and center before a live national audience as the 2011/2012 CBA Regular Season opener. This was the only scheduled game on openeing day, so not only did Hunter have one of the first plays of the new season, but it was seen by millions in China!

BuckeyeBallersTV - Ron Lewis Drops 27 on Netanya (Israel Round 6)

noreply@blogger.com (Buckeye Ballers) — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 19:57:00 +0000

(Image - Ron Lewis - Netanya, Israel - 11.20.2011)

BuckeyeBallersTV - Ron Lewis was pretty much unstoppable in Hapoel Holon's blowout road 98-75 win at Netanya (11.20). Lewis had his second 27 point (Seven 2pt fgs, three 3pt fgs & four free throws) game of the season. This video includes a couple sweet plays from the first half, one being a nice steal & dunk, plus Ron's three point barrage in the second half!

Video - Katie Smith Becomes Third Player in WNBA to Reach 6000 Points!

noreply@blogger.com (Buckeye Ballers) — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 16:33:00 +0000

(Image - Katie Smith - Seattle Storm Media Day 2011)

Video of former Buckeye and current Women's Basketball star Katie Smith becoming the third player to reach 6000 points in the WNBA (9.11.2011 - Seattle vs Chicago). Smith is the WNBA all-time leader in three pointers made and is also the third all-time leading scorer in league history. (Katie Smith Stats)

BuckeyeBallersTV - Je'Kel Foster Hits Game Deciding Three vs Fraport! (Germany 11.20.2011)

noreply@blogger.com (Buckeye Ballers) — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 03:25:00 +0000

(#13 Je'Kel Foster does it all for Bayern Munich - Germany 2011)

BuckeyeBallersTV - Bayern Munich Guard Je'Kel Foster is making a good case for First Team All-November. Foster scored 31 points against Artland on 11.13, lead Munich to their first ever Eurocup win versus Treviso (11.15), and when his team needed it most, Je'Kel made a clutch three pointer that would gove Bayern a close 58-57 W over Fraport (11.20.)

(Video - Je'Kel Foster vs Fraport 11.20.2011 - German BBL)

China (Round One) - Shandong 93 at Foshan 79 (CBA Debut of Othello Hunter, Alan Anderson, Gerald Green)

noreply@blogger.com (Buckeye Ballers) — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 20:16:00 +0000

(11.19.2011 - Fans packed the home arena of Foshan for the opening game of the Chinese Basketball Association Regular Season - Foshan, China - Screencap)

11.19.2011 - Shandong FB 93 at Foshan 79 (CBA Reguar Season Round 1)
- Othello Hunter: 21 rebounds, 11 points, 3 steals, 1 assist!

Enter China - The Chinese Basketball Association is the top league in Asia and one of the premier professional outfits in the world The rise of hoops in this region has been well documented in the last decade, and to put it shortly..basketball is really big in China!

The emergence and stardom of former NBA star Yao Ming (pictured left with Greg Oden) had a tremendous impact on the national popularity of the sport and at the same time placed China on the worldwide basketball map. For casual fans, Yao's celebrity would probably be the first thing to come to mind in the the context of basketball and china. But due to the NBA lockout and numerous reports of elite players either considering or departing for international ball, (China and Europe), the CBA has received unprecedented North American exposure, and as of late 2011, it is the country's own national league that is garnering more global press than its biggest icon.

Why is the CBA legit? Domestic talent, organization, American imports. China is the top basketball country in Asia as winners of four of the last six FIBA Asian Championships. The quality of player development in China is comparatively higher to the continent's other basketball countries. Moreover, the great organization (financial strength) has made the CBA big time because lucrative contracts and heavy media exposure has attracted several former and current NBA players, taking China to another level. China (the CBA) is definitely a hot contract right now..big budget clubs, worldwide fan interest, plus an NBA style of play (the league is pretty exclusive as well, just 2 U.S imports per team).

(Shandong Imports: Alan Anderson & Othello Hunter)

Four year pro Othello Hunter , new import player for club Shandong, is the very first Ohio State Buckeye to compete in the Chinese Basketball Association! This is Hunter's second high profile international stint. Following his run with the Atlanta Hawks, Othello started for Dinamo Sassari in Italy (high level Europe) where he had an All-Star season. He now enters China at a time where the CBA is at its most popular. This league is going to get so much attention this season..almost every import is a name player! We're talking NBA guys like Kenyon Martin, Aaron Brooks, J.R Smith, Wilson Chandler, ect..lots of star power and media coverage. If you're a basketball fan who wants to see NBA level talent during the lockout, you're following the CBA this year.

Shandong FB - Due to the strict import rules in China, the roster makeup of each club is typically a core of Chinese Nationals with two American imports. It will take some time to get familiar with Shandong's domestic talent, but we already know that Othello Hunter and Alan Anderson should be a nice 1-2 punch. We remember Anderson from his battles with the Buckeyes and the rest of the Big Ten conference as a Michigan State Spartan. Anderson's impressive professional resume includes experience with the Charlotte Bobcats and international powers Maccabi Tel-Aviv (Israel) & Barcelona (Spain).

The Opener - Shandong kicked off the 2011/2012 Chinese Basketball Association Regular season with an away game at Foshan on November 19.. The CBA regular season officially began during the weekend of 11.19-11.20, Shandong/Foshan was the only game scheduled for the 19th..so both teams were able take center stage as the lone game on the first night of the season. Foshan's two American imports are former NBA Slam Dunk Champion Gerald Green and big man Marcus Douthit.

Hunter Time - Both teams traded baskets in the first three possessions. With the score at 4-2, Othello Hunter received the ball at the top of the key, he was left open and proceeded to knock down a three pointer, his first attempt & points in China. This wasn't Hunter's (pictured left: shooting against Douthit) best game from the field (4-12), but the former Buckeye's next field goal would not only announce his arrival in China an emphatic fashion, it also be one of the highlight plays of the season! It was late in the 1st quarter, Shandong had a three point lead at 22-19. Othello grabbed a defensive rebound at the 40 second mark, he trailed the play and ended up getting the ball at the top again..he was open and could have shot it like his earlier bucket, but this time Othello exploded to the basket off just one dribble for an insane right handed slam on Marcus Douthit who challenged from his paint position..the big time dunk elicited oohhhs and ahhhs from the road Foshan crowd..Shandong won the 1st 24-19.

(Inside the Huddle - Othello Hunter & Alan Anderson)

The first quarter passed and we were wondering why Alan Anderson of Shandong and Foshan's Gerald Green (pictured left: Former Boston Celtic), the main scorers on both teams, had not yet been in the contest. Well, it turns out that only one American per team can be on the court in the first half. So in this case, the two import forwards on both teams started the game and then the two swing-men, Green & Anderson, played in the second quarter. From watching some of the other first round CBA games, it is the third period where games really start to get hot in China because teams are allowed to have both imports on the court. One of the top highlights in the game came at the 3:06 mark in the 3rd when an Othello Hunter block lead to a nice fast break slam for Anderson. At this point Shandong led the game 72-57 before putting Foshan away in the fourth (boxscore).

Both Gerald Green and Alan Anderson finished with 18 points. Othello Hunter rebounding game of any player in Round One in China after bringing down a pro career high 21 rebounds to go with 11 points!!

(Video - Some clips from Shandong/Foshan..included is Hunter's opening three pointer, his mega slam over Douthit, and Alan Anderson's dunk! Plus a look at some of the top plays from CBA round one, Othello's dunk made #5)

CBA Round 1 - Shandong at Foshan (11.19... by BuckeyeBallersTV

Italy (Round 7) - Rookie David Lighty Breaks Out vs Caserta!

noreply@blogger.com (Buckeye Ballers) — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 04:27:00 +0000

(11.20.2011 - Air Lighty! Former Buckeye David Lighty soars for a right handed baseline slam vs Caserta! - Cantu, Italy - Image - Pallacanestro Cantu)

11.20.2011 - Bennet Cantu 86 vs Pepsi Caserta 75 (Italian League Round 7)

- David Lighty: 16 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal (22 minutes) !

Impact Player - Cleveland native David Lighty continued his fine stretch of play in November with a great all-around game in Serie A Round 7, perhaps the best in his early pro career!

You could see this type of game developing for Lighty as his minutes and comfort level gradually increased throughout the month (which produced consistency). Eight points (4-6 fgs) in 17 minutes vs Pesaro (10.30), Seven points in 20 minutes at Benetton Treviso (11.6), a fifteen point outburst (5-6 fgs, 4-4 fts) vs Avellino (11.13) in just 12 minutes, and Nine points/4 rebs/2 assists at Fenerbache (11.16) in a Euroleague clash (its worth noting that every one of those teams represent stiff competition).

Bennet Cantu (4-2) met up with Pepsi Caserta (3-2) for their Italian League Round 7 home game on November 20. And for the third straight contest, rookie David Lighty looked very comfortable working within Cantu's system and generally adjusted to the level of play & officiating. David is known as a versatile player who can contribute in several areas, and we believe this Caserta game was one of his first throwback 'OSU Lighty' type of games in Italy where he does some of everything at a high level.

Lighty Time - Cantu came in as slight favorites as the hosts, but this game was very much in doubt at tip due to the absence of their starting forward, Vladmir Micov (injured). Rookie David Lighty (pictured left with head coach Trinchieri) was able to get more starter's experience with Cantu by stepping in Micov's place. While some basketball players relish in the role of coming off the bench and being able to change the game with scoring punch or defensive energy, we think most ballers prefer to first enter the game as a 'starter'..at least from a comfort and competitive standpoint as one can influence the game with the score 0-0 while at the same time attaining some type of early game flow or rhythm.

So let's see....a stretch of games with consistency..check-mark...the staff's confidence to place you as a starter..check-mark..and the comfort of playing in your home arena..check-mark. Yes, this definitely had the makings of a very good game...the results? How about career highs in points, rebounds, and assists for Mr. Lighty! The former Buckeye really left his fingerprints over this one with aggressive offensive play off the dribble, good shooting & defense, great rebounding and also some play-making for teammates. In 22 minutes, David scored a season high 16 points (5-7 2pt fgs & 1-2 3pt fgs, 3-4 fts) with 8 rebounds & 4 assists!! Lighty and veteran Basile helped fuel a huge 34-17 run in the second half that would eventually lead to an 86-75 victory for Cantu (now 5-2 in Italy).

We call this a 'break out' game for David Lighty because he was all over the place by getting 'and-one' finishes, rebound put-backs, assisting teammates and of course defending. And most importanly, Dave played a significant role in his team's victory. He scored in double figures (16( for the second straight game in Italy..against Caserta he led Cantu in rebounds (8) and was also second with his assists contribution (4)..ending with the clubs second highest efficiency rating of the game!

Cantu fans are certainly finding out that good things happen when a comfortable & aggressive David Lighty is getting solid playing time. Lighty tweeted this with a picture after the game!

"They r staring to like me a lil in Cantu lol"

- Twitter

Italy Round Seven - Cantu/Caserta clips -

7 seconds in - Lighty image
starting at 1:00 mark - David Lighty uses a fake to slip by the defender and takes it baseline for the right handed slam!! (pictured above)
Next play/sequence, Lighty trails in transition and gets the basket
Lighty finds fellow American Marty Leunen for the three pointer
Next play, Lighty hits the shot and-one!
Next play, Dave in transition to the hoop, draws the foul and count the bucket! Go Lighty!

November 19-20 Results - Lewis, Lighty, Hoskins Shine in Weekend of Super Games!

noreply@blogger.com (Buckeye Ballers) — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 18:17:00 +0000

(Holon, Israel - 11.20.2011 - Ron Lewis was the man of the match versus Netanya after scoring 27 points in Israeli
Premier League Round Six - Screencap)

Worldwide Buckeyes - There were some interesting storylines/angles around the international slate of games on November 19 & 20.

Hunter's Chinese debut! Othello Hunter was an All-Star in the 2010/2011 Italian League season and should have a great stint playing against NBA caliber imports in the C.B.A)

Squads attempting to rebound - It was a big weekend for teams PGE Turow (Dallas Laudoerdale) & Hapoel Holon (Ron Lewis). In the preceding games, Turow went from an undefeated 9-0 record to dropping two straight road contests to Sopot & Buducnost. Energa Czarni, another dangerous Polish team stood in the way of Turow getting back in the win column (11.19). George Reese & AZS Koszalin had the challenge of taking down the team that snapped Turow's win streak, Trefl Sopot (11.20) Hapoel Holon of Israel is another good club that isn't used to losing much. They lost consecutive games to Gilboa (11.6) & Askelon in OT (11.13.)..Holon traveled to Netanya for the Round 6 game on 11.20.

Sustaining Success - Other teams wanted to keep the victories going..Jon Diebler and Panionios looked to build on their three game winning streak in Greece (3-1 record). German team Bayern Munich was coming off a big win the Eurocup, Je'kel Foster and Munich hosted fellow Big Teners Jon Luer, Michael Thompson & Fraport on 11.20.

Romania (Round 10) - 11.19.2011 - Craiova 66 at Brasov 56 (Another game and another super performance from Brandie Hoskins! The former Buckeye filled the stats sheet in leading Craiova (7-3) to a ten point road victory. 23 points, 7 assists, 6 rebounds, 2 steals!)

China (Round 1) - 11.19.2011 - Shandong 93 at Foshan 79 (Shandong outpaced Foshan on the road in the C.B.A Regular Season opener. Talented forward Othello Hunter of Shandong announced his arrival with an 11 point, 21 rebound double-double that included an explosive one handed slam in the 1st quarter! Hunter's dunk was #5 on the top plays of the opening week.)

Japan (Round 13) - 11.19.2011 - Miyazaki SS 82 at Shinshu 79 (It has been a bit of a slow start for Miyazaki and 5th year pro Ivan Harris. But the Japanese team improved to 4-8 after a close 82-79 win at Shinshu. Harris (avg 9pts) contributed his best scoring game so far of 14 points with 4 boards (24mins). The Pro Buckeyes went 3-0 in road games on November 19)

Greece (Round 5) 11.19.2011 - Panionios 92 KAOD 63 (Panionios moved to 4-1 after an easy win over KAOD. Panionios won the first half 50-24 before coasting victory to a 92-63 blowout victory. Jon Diebler went 2-4 from three point range and added two free throws in totaling 8 points in 19 minutes. Panionios has now won four straight in Greece with a challenging road game at Marousi up next on 11.26)

Poland (Round 12) - 11.19.2011 - PGE Turow 60 vs Energa Czarni 61 (Fourth ranked Energa Czarni stunned PGE Turow by a score of 61-60..handing Turow their first home loss in Zgorzelec. Dallas Lauderdale (22 mins) & Daniel Kickert (30 mins) each brought down a team high 6 rebounds. Turow now looks to break their struggles (three game losing funk) against Belgiums Dexia Mons in Eurocup week 2)

Israel (Round 6) - 11.20.2011 - Hapoel Holon 98 at Netanya 75 (Ron Lewis & Hapoel Holon got back in the winners' circle after a convincing road win over Netanya. Lewis led Holon wih 27 points with 4 rebounds, 3 steals, 2 assists! This was Ron's second 27 point game and 3rd 25+ scoring game of the season. Holon, now 3-3, closes November with Ashdod on 11.27)

Italy (Round 7) - 11.20.2011 - Bennet Cantu 86 Pepsi Caserta 75 (Bennet Cantu improved to 5-2 in the Italian League with a solid home win against Caserta. Rookie David Lighty continued his great month of play with perhaps his best game in his early professional career. In 22 minutes - Career high 16 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal!
Germany (Round 9) - 11.20.2011 - Bayern Munich 58 Fraport Skyliners 57 (Bayern Munich escaped a pesky Fraport Skyliners team in the Audi-Dome. Munich trailed by two - 57-58- late in the 4th quarter when former Buckeye Je'Kel Foster nailed a clutch three-pointer with 37 seconds remaining to give Bayern the lead and game! Foster ended with 12 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist)

Poland (Round 12) - 11.20.2011 - AZS Koszalin 76 vs Trefl Sopot 83 (Surging Trefl Sopot defeated AZS Koszalin in a hard fought game on 11.20. Koszalin forward George Reese played a team high 36 minutes - 13 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals, 1 block. Koszalin has two road games up next at Energa Czarni and Polpharma.

Eurocup Round 1 Results - Foster Leads Munich to First Ever Eurocup Victory!

noreply@blogger.com (Buckeye Ballers) — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 02:26:00 +0000

(11.15.2011 -FC Bayern Guard Je'Kel Foster drives against Treviso of Italy - Eurocup Round One - Munich, Germany)

(Eurocup Week One Results)

11.15.2011 - FCB Bayern Munich (Germany) 72 Benetton Treviso (Italy) 62 (Eurocup Round One)

- Je'Kel Foster: 14 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal (Eurocup Debut) !

11.15.2011 - PGE Turow Zgorzelec (Poland) 50 at Buducnost (Montenegro) 75 (Eurocup Round One)

- Dallas Lauderdale: 8 rebounds, 6 points, 1 block, 1 steal (17 minutes) !

Eurocup- Both PGE Turow & Bayern Munich entered the 2011/2012 Eurocup Regular Season looking to rebound after tough road overtime defeats on November 12. Turow, the squad of Zgorzelec Poland, had its undefeated 9-0 winning streak snapped at Trefl Sopot in overtime at Ergo Arena 86-83. They departed from Poland shortly thereafter en route to the remote Moraca Sports Center in Podgorica, Montenegro for the November 15 Eurocup opener versus KK Buducnost. Turow & Buducnost mirror each other in that both clubs display quality team-defense with a more deliberate, half-court style of attack/offense.

Turow competed well with the reigning Montenegrin League Champions for a solid half. They found a bit of a rhythm in the second quarter by scoring 19 points after a slow 7 point 1st period. The Polish squad found themselves down by just two points (28-26) at halftime against a great team on the road. A big Eurocup opening win was still attainable at that point, but Buducnost was just too strong defensively in the second half. Turow scored just 24 total points in the second half to Buducnost's 47 and were also held to another 7 point quarter in the 4th period (Final score - 75-50). One bright spot for Turow was Ohio State Rookie Dallas Lauderdale who came in and made an impact in his Eurocup competition debut. in 17 minutes of action, Dallas collected a season high 8 rebounds & six points with a steal and block!

Quote from Eurocupbasketball.com

"Dallas Lauderdale tried to ignite the guests' comeback early in the fourth quarter but Marko Popovic and Dubljevic soon allowed Buducnost to seal the outcome, 63-45, midway through the fourth quarter." (Game report)

PGE Turow rounds out the month of November with four more games, Energa Czarni(11.19.2011 - Polish League), Dexia Mons (11.22.2011 - Eurocup), at Polpharma (11.26.2011 - Polish League), Alba Berlin (11.29.2011 - Eurocup).

Munich v. Treviso - Despite 31 points from Buckeye guard Je'Kel Foster, Bayern Munich could not overcome a hot shooting Artland team in the 86-83 OT loss on November 12. Munich had to put that game in the past rather quickly with a formidable Benetton Treviso team coming in from Itay for Eurocup round one on November 15.

This game featured several familiar names in the world of basketball. Treviso had Celtics draft pick, rookie E'Twaun Moore from Purdue, Brian Scalabrine who has been playing in Italy during the NBA lockout, and Jeff Adrien who has experience in Italy & the NBA. Munich featured Je'Kel Foster (pictured left: shooting against fellow Big Ten Conference player E'Twaun Moore), Chevon Troutman, Jonathan Wallace of Georgetown and German Jan Jagla.

The matchup with Treviso was an equally tough challenge for Munich as Turow's game with Buducnost. However, one plus in Munich's favor was that they were able to have their opener at home which allowed them to feed off a great Audi-Dome crowd that was hungry for the club's first ever Eurocup victory. Bayern seized the opportunity and played one of their best team games of the season vs Treviso. Four guys scored in double figures led by guard Je'Kel Foster's 14 points with 3 assists, 2 rebounds and a steal! After a back and fourth 1st quarter, Bayern led the rest of the way, ultimately capturing their first win the Eurocup competition 72-62 (Game Report).

Munich's remaining schedule in November is very tough: Fraport (11.20 - German League), at Cedevita in Croatia (11.22 - Eurocup), Alba Berlin (11.26 - German League), at Spartak in Russia (11.29 - Eurocup)

BuckeyeBallersTV - David Lighty vs Fenerbahçe (Euroleague - 11.16.2011)

noreply@blogger.com (Buckeye Ballers) — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 03:05:00 +0000

(Euroleague -#4 David Lighty checks Thabo Sefolosha of the Oklahoma City Thunder, Fenerbahche during lockout - 11.16.2011)

BuckeyeBallersTV - Clips of David Lighty competing against the Turkish League Champions in Istanbul, Turkey!

(Euroleague - Round 5- 11.16.2011)

-The Plays-

First half - David hits a free throw, on the ensuing play he grabs the defensive rebound and takes it coast to coast for nice left hand layup!
In a half court set, Lighty takes the pass from fellow American Marty Leunen and goes right at Fenerbahce Forward Emir Preldic for the score!
3rd quarter, Cantu has the ball as the home Turkish crowd whistles in disapproval (the internationa way of booing), but Buckeye David Lighty silences the arena with a turnaround jumper in the lane over Jerrells!
4th quarter and Lighty is experiencing critical moments in a big euroleague game. Dave flys in to grab an offensive rebound, and gets fouled on the shot attempt! The Fenerbahce diehards tried their best to distract, disrupt, and influence the foul shots but #4 stepped to the line and knocked down two clutch free throws to help keep Cantu alive!

Euroleague - Bennet Cantu (Italy) 83 at Fenerbahce Ulker (Turkey) 85 OT

noreply@blogger.com (Buckeye Ballers) — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 01:36:00 +0000

(Istanbul, Turkey - Ohio State Rookie David Lighty, 23, defends Turkish veteran Omer Onan, 34, in Euroleague Round 5 - 11.16.2011)

Euroleague - 11.16.2011 - Bennet Cantu (Italy) 83 at Fenerbahce Ulker (Turkey) 85 OT (Round 5)
- David Lighty: 9 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal

Making Euroleague Noise -Serie A Club Bennet Cantu has been a surprise team in the first half of the Euroleague regular season. The Italian based team is making the most of their first stint in Europe's highest competition in 18 years by starting with a 3-1 record that includes wins over France's SLUC Nancy (10.1 9), Bilbao of Spain (11.3) and Greek power Olympiacos (11.9). They again threatened to capture yet another monumental victory in Euroleague round 5 vs the reigning Turkish League Champions, Fenerbahce.

Cantu traveled to Istanbul, Turkey to play Fenerbahce on November 16, just days after their 90-55 blowout of Air Avellino in Italy (November 13). They knew they would have to concoct a great all-around game to have a chance in the Sinan Erdem Arena, Fenerbahce's home floor. This is one of our favorite games of the 2011/2012 season so far..we had a Buckeye rookie in a big game atmosphere, and an underdog team on the road versus Champion squad! Cantu wasn't too bothered with Fenerbahce's hostile crowd in the opening minutes, they looked like the same confident team that rolled Avelino by winning the first quarter and taking a one point lead at halftime. The game remained even after 3 quarters until Fenerbachce made a championship run in the 4th, jumping to a seven point lead. Not deterred, Cantu battled back to force OT at 73, and it would only be two late free throws in overtime that would allow Fenerbahce to escape Cantu by a score 85-83. (Game Report)

Lighty in Istanbul! The primary reason why this was one of the more memorable games of the season is because Ohio State Rookie David Lighty got an opportunity to compete and be a factor in a big Euroleague game. David played well in limited minutes vs Avellino why may have earned him more time/opportunities in Turkey. Lighty logged 21 minutes vs Fenerbahce, the most in his early Euroleague career which resulted in Euroleague career highs in posts (9), rebounds (4), and assists (2).

Fenerbahce Ulker is a strong team that features rock solid European veterans like Roko Ukic, Omer Onan, Oguz Savas..also on the team are imports Bojan Bogdanovic (Croatia), James Gist (U.S.A), Curtis Jerrells, and Swiss Star Thabo Seflosha, current member of the NBA's Oklahoma City Thunder. This is definitely a challenging environment for a rookie to be in, and we felt Lighty (pictured left: challenging Fener center Emir Preldzic) proved he belonged by contributing some nice buckets & rebounds to help Cantu stay with Fenerbahce. Our favorite play from Dave in this game was a sweet coast to coast layup in the 2 quarter, similar to the fast-break layups he had on Pesaro. Cantu next hosts Caserta (Italy) on November 20 before the return game with Nancy in France (Euroleague).

BuckeyeBallersTV - Je'Kel Foster's 31 Point Game vs Artland !! (Germany 2011)

noreply@blogger.com (Buckeye Ballers) — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 20:50:00 +0000

( - 'The Takeover' Je'Kel Foster)

BuckeyeBallersTV presents, Je'Kel Foster's 31 point performance vs Artland! (Germany Round 8 - 11.12.2011)

Germany (Round 8) - Je'Kel Foster Dropped 31 points vs Artland!!

noreply@blogger.com (Buckeye Ballers) — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 17:49:00 +0000

(- 11.12.2011 - Bayern Munich Guard #13 Je'Kel Foster drives against Artland's #31 Nathan Peavy - Quakenbruck, Germany)

11.12.2011 - FC Bayern Munich 83 at Artland Dragons 86 - Overtime (German League Regular Season)

A Targeted Team - FC Bayern Munich entered the 2011/2012 German Bundesliga Season with significant fan-fare and media coverage. They were able to back up the hype, so to speak, with a solid record in the first month of play..and every win has been earned because teams are seeing games with Bayern as an opportunity to notch a big early season victory. Bayern is getting the best efforts from their opponents, and it is the road games that are especially difficult due to an elevated level of energy & hostility of the away environments. It's tough to win on the road in high level Europe in general, but it just seems as if Bayern faces a major challenge every time they travel outside of Munich.

Bayern vs Artland - Munich experienced another challenging road task in Round 8 versus the Artland Dragons of Quakenbruck. We watched Munich in previous road games at Bonn & Oldenburg..those were raucous crowds..and it was no different in Artland Arena on November 13. And in similar fashion to prior road games, Bayern found themselves in an uphill battle from the jump as Artland hit shot after first half shot (taking a 42-34 lead at halftime).

Foster Shows Out - Bayern quickly erased their halftime deficit in the opening of the 3rd, both teams would then exchange punches for the duration of regulation. This game featured an amazing scoring duel between Artland Guard David Holston and former tOSU Buckeye Je'Kel Foster! Je'Kel was the man of the match for Bayern. The Guard from Natchez, Mississippi led his club early with 12 first half points (including two three pointers). Foster especially took over in the 3rd quarter when Munich was in dire need of points. He matched his first half effort by scoring another 12 points, but this time in just one quarter resulting in 24 points after the 3rd period. Je'Kel made his 5th three pointer at the 2:23 mark of the 3rd which prompted the announcer to emphatically state, "Je'Kel Foster is on fire!!".

Overtime Thriller - As the game got into the latter stages, it seemed like whoever had the final possession would be the team to emerge as victors. Je'Kel Foster made a nice three point play at the 19 second mark after driving past Nathan Peavy for the layup (pictured above), but David Holston responded with two free throws to tie the game up with 11 seconds left. So Bayern had the ball for the last possession, and it was like everything was set up for Je'Kel to cap his strong performance with a game winner, but #13 was doubled, and teammate Demond Greene missed a would be GW as the regulation time expired.

We did not view this game live, so we were quite surprised to see that Bayern actually had a six point lead in the overtime period. But Artland's David Holston would evidently not be denied on this evening. The guard out of Chicago State proved to be the difference after making two clutch threes that would ultimately give Artland the close 86-83 OT win.

Bayern did not get the W, but Je'Kel Foster was magnificent in finishing with a season high of 31 points, and once again living up to our nickname for him 'The Takeover' ! :)

BuckeyeBallersTV - Ron Lewis Steal and Dunk! (Israel - 11.13.2011)

noreply@blogger.com (Buckeye Ballers) — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 05:28:00 +0000

(Image - Ron Lewis - Hapoel Holon - Israel - Fall 2011)

BuckeyeBallersTV - Here's a brief clip of Buckeye star Ron Lewis doing his thing at the Hapoel Holon/Ashkelon (11.13.2011) game in the Israeli Premier League. Lewis gets a steal and throws it down with the left hand! That's a routine type of play for Lew, but the fans of Hapoel Holon is what we really wanted you to soak in for a bit. Listen to these Holon fans as Lewis makes another play. This is one of the most unique aspects of high level international ball...the fans!

November 12-13 Results - 'The Weekend of Overtimes'

noreply@blogger.com (Buckeye Ballers) — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 02:10:00 +0000

(Image - Je'Kel Foster - Germany - Late Fall)

Buckeye Ballers - The Weekend of November 12-13 featured several notable individual performances and memorable games, including three exciting contests that needed an extra overtime period to determine a winner.

Germany (Round 8) - 11.12.2011 - FC Bayern 83 at Artland 86 - Overtime (FC Bayern Munich falls at Artland in an overtime thriller. Buckeye guard Je'Kel Foster scored a season high 31 points for Bayern! Je'Kel made five three-pointers and went 4/4 from the free throw line)

Greece - W- (Round 7) - 11.12.2011 - Panionios 65 at Kronos 72 (Rookie Brittany Johnson shines again for Panionios by leader her club with 26 points, 6 steals, 5 rebounds, 2 assists. Johnson made ten of eleven free throw shots)

Romania - (Round 9) - 11.12.2011 - Craiova 84 vs Oradea 51 (Brandie Hoskins and Craiova went to 6-3 after cruising past Oradea. The former Buckeye had 23 points, 6 assists, & 5 rebounds)

Poland (Round 11) - 11.12.2011 - PGE Turow 83 at Trefl Sopot 86 - Overtime (In a heavyweight battle in Poland. PGE Turow's 9 game winning streak was snapped by Trefl Sopot in Trefel's home Ergo Arena. Sopot hit a three with as time expired in regulation to send the game to overtime where they would win by three, handing Turow their first defeat of the season - Dallas Lauderdale: 6 points, 2 rebounds, 1 block, 17 minutes in his Ergo Arena debut)

Greece - M - (Round 4) - 11.12.2011 - Panionios 58 at PAOK 51 (Panionios went on the road and held PAOK to a season low 51 points! Rookie Jon Diebler contributed 7 points, 2 rebounds, 1 steal & assist in the big away victory)

Israel (Round 5) - 11.13.2011 - Hapoel Holon 87 vs Ironi Ashkelon 91 - Overtime (In another hard fought overtime game, Hapoel Holon was defeated by Askelon in the Israeli Premier League. Buckeye Ron Lewis played 40 minutes and scored 16 points with 6 assists, 3 rebounds, 3 steals)

Italy (Round 6) - 11.13.2011 - Bennet Cantu 90 vs Air Avellino 55 (Bennet Cantu simply destroyed Air Avellino at home. Cleveland's David Lighty had his most efficient game in Italy as a a result of scoring 15 points in just 12 minutes!)

Italy - Lighty Makes Most of Minutes, Goes Off vs Air Avellino!

noreply@blogger.com (Buckeye Ballers) — Sun, 20 Nov 2011 05:16:00 +0000

(Image - Rookie David Lighty's hot shooting wowed the home fans of Cantu in Round 6 - 11.13.2011)

11.13.2011 - Bennet Cantu 90 vs Air Avellino 55 (Serie A - Round 6)
- David Lighty: 15 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal in just 12 minutes!!

Cantu - As last year's runner up to the Italian League Championship, and current new participants in the 2011/2012 Turkish Airlines Euroleague, Bennet Cantu knew they would face some tough competition and adversity in. The Euroleague schedule usually ends up taking a toll on high level teams in Europe at some point in the season, and Cantu may be feeling the effects of having to play league games in Italy (where it seems they are getting opponents' best games) followed by a tough Euroleague game later in the week. Bennet Cantu opened the Italian League Regular Season with a 3-0 record, but they fell in rounds four & five to Pesaro (heartbreaker at home) and Treviso (17 point road loss - Lighty 7 points).

Lighty Explodes - Cantu responded from the worst defeat of the season at the hands Treviso by getting their biggest win after crushing Air Avellino by 35 points on November 13. Ohio State rookie David Lighty entered the contest and got hot in limited action. In just 12 minutes, Lighty (pictured left vs Avellino - 11.13.2011) made 5 of 6 field goal attempts (4/5 from 2, 1-1 from 3) and all 4 of free throw attempts (4-4) to total 15 points, 2 rebonds & an assist! (earning a team-high efficiency rating of 18)

Cantu clips -Three David Lighty shots are included, starting at the 2:12 mark, a drive and bucket, three pointer and long two! Go Dave!

BuckeyeBallersTV - Jon Diebler (11.12.2011)

noreply@blogger.com (Buckeye Ballers) — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 16:21:00 +0000

(Screen-capture - Jon Diebler at the foul line - 11.12.2011 - Thessaloniki, Greece)

BuckeyeBallersTV - Clips of Buckeye Jon Diebler in one of his first big away games of the season. Diebler scored 7 points Panionios' 58-51 defensive victory over PAOK.

- The Plays -

#9 Diebler circles around the screen, catches the ball and takes it right to the hoop for a layup!
Jon attacks off the dribble again, this time drawing a foul from a baseline drive.
Makes two free throws
Diebler hits a key three in the 4th quarter!

Greece - Jon Diebler and Panionios moved to 3-1 After Latest Victory over PAOK!

noreply@blogger.com (Buckeye Ballers) — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 02:13:00 +0000

(Image - L to R - Panionios' Americans Alex Stepheson, William Keys, Jon Diebler)

11.6.2011 -Panionios 78 vs Aris 66 (Greece A1: Round 3)
- Jon Diebler: 14 points, 2 rebounds, 2 steals (4-4 from three)

11.13.2011 - Panionios 58 at PAOK 51 (Greece A1: Round 4)
- Jon Diebler: 7 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal

Upward Trend - Greek A1 club Panionios is looking solid after two impressive victories in early November 2011. The Athens based team entered the month with a 1-1 record in regular season play. Panionios first took care of Aris at home (11.6) by a score of 78-66 behind a nice 15 points/15 rebound double-double from Alex Stepheson & 14 points from Jon Diebler. The 12 point win over Aris was Panionios' finest game of the early season so far, and it was a good time to round into form with PAOK waiting on November 13. At PAOK was one of Panionios' tougher tests of the month, and they passed with a great collective effort on defense by holding the home team to a season low 51 points! (Final: 58-51).

Panionios has now positioned themselves to make a move to the top tier of the Greek League Standings. They will finish November games against KAOA (11.19) and Marousi (11.26)..Panionios will be favorited in both contests.

Diebler Breaks Out - After four games, Jon Diebler is averaging 19.5 minutes per game. Like most rookies in high level Europe, we can expect minutes and point totals to fluctuate at times..especially in these early season games since everything is new. In Diebler's case, he is currently adjusting to league competition and officiating while at the same time continuing to grow in head coach (pictured left: with Diebler) Giorgos Bartzokas' balanced system.

Jon Diebler made his biggest early season impact with Panionios during the round three match up with Aris. Diebler connected on all four of his three point attempts and added a two point bucket which resulted in an early pro career high of 14 points! Jon had to be amped up to play after getting into some foul trouble in game two vs Ilisiakos (played only 12 minutes). The former Mr. Ohio Basketball certainly made the most of his time against Aris by dropping 14 in just 19 minutes (good for the 2nd highest efficiency rating in the game) ! Diebler played a season high 27 minutes in the defensive battle at PAOK which suggests that the rookie's role may be increasing.