*Balkan Sports Daily newsflash*12.04.04

…and now to the international sports scene. A spokesman for FIBA, the international basketball governing body, announced the Republic of Srpska Kosovo will be the host nation for the 2004 Balkan Basketball Championship. This high profile international tournament decides which nation’s national team will advance to represent the region in the 2006 World Championship in Japan. FIBA announced that the deadline for registration of national teams is Thursday, December 9, 2004. The spokesperson went on to say that more on the tournament format would be announced after all participating teams were known.

For Balkan Sports Daily, Bob Ulhead signing off.

(OOC: Intra-regional Relations board – Balkan Basketball Championship)

Sign us up! We are proud to say that the Ramostani national team is already practicing. We are also happy to anounce the hiring of former Indiana University head coach Bobby Knight. Mr. Knight is already on his way from the U.S.

RA-MO-STAN! RA-MO-STAN! RA-MO-STAN!

Ramostani Ministry of Sports

DUSKO VUJOSEVIC NAMED SRPSKA KOSOVO NATIONAL COACH



Gezim Devinic, Minister of Education and Sport for Srpska Kosovo, announced today that Dusko Vujosevic has agreed to coach the Srpska Kosovo National Team in the 2004 Balkan Basketball Championship. "It is truly a great honor to be hosting the Balkan Basketball Championship and an equally great honor to have Coach Vujosevic as our coach", said Devinic. Vujosevic is currently the coach of BC Partizan Belgrade and will take a short leave of absence until after the Championship. Vujosevic has been very successful including winning the the 1986-87, 2001-02 Yugoslav National Championship with BC Partizan Belgrade, the 2002-03 and 2003-04 Serbia & Montenegro National Championship with BC Partizan Belgrade, the 1989 and 2002 Yugoslavian National Cup with BC Partizan Belgrade, and the 1989 Korac Cup with BC Partizan Belgrade. When questioned about the short amount of time he would have to prepare the team, Vujosevic responded, "We will make up for what we lack in training time with hard work and dedication. I'm looking forward to the challenge." When questioned about Ramostan's hiring of controversial American coach Bobby Knight, Vujosevic replied, "Isn't he the guy that throws the chairs? Well, hopefully he won't throw any while he's here." It remains to be seen how many nations will participate in the Championship, but Devinic estimates that at least a dozen will sign up. Thursday is the last day for national statements of intent.

TOURNAMENT INFO:

1) All games will be simulated using ESPN College Basketball 2K5 on Playstation 2. For those unfamiliar with sports video games, neither team will controlled by a human player, in essence the game will play itself to determine the outcome.

2) Teams will be randomly assigned one of the top US College teams to represent their national team. If 12 teams sign up, then the top 12 US College teams will be used. Ramostan and Srpska Kosovo will draw the names out of a hat on Friday, December 10th. Team assignments will be publicly posted. Team assignments cannot be changed or traded.

3) The tournament bracket will be determined after the number of teams participating is known. We hope to have a "round robin" style tournament with each team guaranteed at least two games.

4) Games will begin on Monday, December 13th.

I sincerely hope that this will be a fun experience and add to the roleplay of the Balkans region. Every attempt has been made to ensure the fairness of the tournament. Please sign up and good luck to all the teams!

Zahumlje's national team will be participating in the Balkans Basketball Championship. the coach who has been selected by the National Team Committee is Gavrilo Vukovic. Gavrilo Vukovic spent his high school years in a small town in the United States, namely Moses Lake, where his father worked in the sugar beet factory as a supervisor. He went on to Gonzaga in Spokane Washington, and then when his family returned home, kind of vegetated. He spent time coaching at a high school level in different parts of Zahumlje and has great coaching ability.

Fans are already crowding the coffee bars all over Zahumlje to watch together.

Bulgarska has just apply to participate she has appointed for Head coach Titi Papazov and aranged a new place for training for the team !

Tolomakia National Team (TNT) would like to participate in the tournament. The head coach will be nominated soon.

Thracia, too, would like to participate in this tournament.

Our coach is Nikos Yenitzelis.

The Kingdom of Bulgaria wishes to send a representative national basketball team to these championships in the general good spirit that encompasses sport....The national team will be coached by Darin Velikov, former coach of the KBBL's current champions PBC CSKA Sofia.....

yours in faith....

Tsar Nikolai I of the Kingdom of Bulgaria

The Bulgarite would like to enter its national basketball team. The team will be led by Rosen Barchovski.

Slavpo has formed a national team for the 2004 B.B.C. This kind of internationality is the type that this region needs more of. Our team's coach is Budosov Vjeceslav OrS.

Including Mt. Ranier, who for some reason hasn't been able to access the forums, we now have 10 teams officially entered. It looks like we're going to have a nice little tournament after all. Remember, tommorrow is the last day for teams to sign up.

Bastketball teams from throughout Rakovica met in Zelenkovac today to discuss the creation of a representative team. Following hours of discussion, a team was created. Following anarchist principals of decentralization, the team members have formed a Player's Counsil to create team strategies..etc.
The speaker for the Player's Counsil was chosen to be Slavko Vujanovic.

Altay is pleased to send it's national team with the national basketball manager Oguz Baharogulu.
Minister of sports Mehmet Cakirci emphasized that the team will be accompanied with Altay's best cooks and medics.

May the best team win!

Atilla

The Catholic Knights of Islam-Judaism woudl officialyl liek to enter our national team, the fighting Yammakuhs in the basketball tournament. Our new head coach, Abu Mazen (Mahmud Abbas), recently led the golden arks to a league championship. thank you.

**Balkan Sports Daily**12.08.04

In Ramostan today, crazed fans of the Ramostani basketball team protested outside the Municipal Building in the capital. Fans demanded the release of the four nudist fans who crashed a televised government debate wearing nothing but basketball hats and national pride. Trafic in the city ground to a halt and chants of "Ramostan!Ramostan! Ramostan!" caused the disruption of religious services throughout the city.

In a related story, public officials have begun a public awareness campaign urging citizens to not allow their passion for the national team to affect the country's productivity. This after a flood of public and private workers requested holiday time for the week coninciding with the 2004 Balkan Basketball Championships.

**ZNN****Vijesti Sport: Fans of rukomet in Zahumlje have been in all the cafes and coffee bars. They have been drinking lots of hot Zahumljani coffee, and eatting tons of cevapi and burek. The rakija has flowed freely and any appearance on TV of the National Team is greeted with ecstatic cheers. The team has it's own band. They have a gigantic kettle drum of the type used by the Janissaries. They pound on it and sing the Zahumljani anthem. Zahumlje do Sava do Drina Zahumlje more do planina Zahumlje Zahumlje
The cheer squad wear Zahumlje national dress and they dance, there are both young men and young ladies. The more hardcore fans, the ones planning to go to Ramostan have been practicing the unique custom of raising big colored placards to form the Zahumljani flag, this takes a lot of timeing and practice.
It is winter so few people actually have to be at work. Even in the hospitals TVs are set up to watch the game.

Gavrilo Vukovic appears on the news very frequently because everyone is eager to see him. 'I learned a lot about basketball in my time in America, I learned that real teamwork works every time it is tried. Our National Team are very good players but they work together no one is a showboat, no one hogs all the glory.'
Some in Zahumlje were angry that Gavrilo Vukovic holds a title since he is a cousin of Queen Katarina, but the Board which appointed him said 'Well Gavrilo has excellent coaching experience, and we put that first. A lot of people didn't play team sports and Gavrilo has the experience as a player and a coach.'

Other Zahumljani citizens were happy about his selection as coach, 'Look he's a good Zahumljani boy! ' 'Certainly has been good for business!'

Zahumlje- isnt rukomet handball?

The Holy Christian Empire of New Grandin wishes to enter its team as well.

Registration has officialy ended. Thank you to those of you who have signed up. We will try to have the brackets posted later today. Thank you.

The nation of Altay is confident that sport events like this will bring the people of The Balkans closer to eachother. Sport has always been a way to resolve issue, create harmony, peace and brotherhood. I would like to wish all the teams good luck, and may the best team win.

**Ramostan News Network**12.10.04

Reporter:
Has basketballmania taken over Ramostan? Has it gone too far? Well, before you answer listen to this story... Churches, mosques, and synagogues all over Ramostan reported higher than normal attendance. In some cases more than a 20%increase. To what do we owe this new religious fervor? Well, RNN's man on the street Javi Serna has the story.

Javi Serna:
Thanks Jared. I'm outside Santa Teresa Cathedral, and I have with me Pepe Guadiana who claims prior to today, he had not been to church since his wedding day 17 years ago. Can you tell us what brought you here Pepe?

Pepe: (teary-eyed)
Well, I was having a drink in my favorite (sniff, sniff) bar after work, when on the t.v. appeared some of the highest ranking religious leaders in Ramostan. I saw Catholics, Muslims, Jews, Orthodox, everyone!

An Imam began speaking of how for too long we had only been neglecting our duties as men! Then a Rabbi began speaking of how our glorious National basketball team, was like a modern day David, going to meet 15 Goliaths! (Sniff) I tell you I could not take the guilt! Next came a Priest who said men were wasting away in the dark bars of hell! He looked into the camera and said, “YOU CALL YOURSELF A SUPPORTER OF THE FIGHTING LIONS OF RAMOSTAN? WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU PRAYED FOR THESE YOUNG LIONS?”

My friends and I felt shame. When the Priest said they were declaring Saturday a national day of prayer to help the National team, my friends and I knew we MUST MAKE RIGHT! I tell you there was not a dry eye in the entire bar. Grown men crying...it would (sniff, sniff) break your heart... After just one more beer, we marched straight out of that bar, anD we decIDED, that we WOULD PRAY ALL NIGHT AND DAY FOR OUR MODERN DAY DAVID’S, THE FIGHTING LIONS OF:

The crowd behind Pepe: RAMOSTAN! RAMOSTAN! RAMOSTAN! AAAHGH! YEESSS! RAMOSTAN! RAMOSTAN! RAMOSTAN!

I'm telling you, we marched down the street chanting, it was beautiful. My dead mother (sniff, shiff) would be so proud (sniff) of me.

Javi Serna: (plugging her ears) I HOPE YOU CAN HEAR ME JARED! IT IS GETTING PRETTY LOUD IN HERE! THESE FANS ARE CRAZY! THIS IS JAVI SERNA SIGNING OOOOOFFF!

Crowd: RAMOSTAN! RAMOSTAN! RAMOSTAN! RAMOSTAN! RAMOSTAN! RAMOSTAN!

FIBA announcement:

In generating our rankings and tournament pairings, we accidentally left out New Grandin. We decided to regenerate rankings with the exception of the original top two teams: Slavpo and Catholic Knights of Islam-Judaism, they remain 1 and 2. We apologize, however this was unavoidable. We also included Annoyastan who was the only person to date who tried to get in after the deadline. The good thing about this is that 16 teams is a much better number to work with. Now every team will play in the first round. The updated FIBA rankings are as follows:


1. K. of Slavpo
2. C.K. of I.J
3. Daimyo Oda
4. Rainier
5. Srpska Kosovo
6. The Bulgarite
7. Rakovica
8. Bulgaria
9. Zahumlje
10. Ramostan
11. Tolomakia
12. New Grandin
13. Altay Bey
14. Thracia
15. Bulgarska
16. Annoyastan

The match-ups for Monday night's first round will look like this.

1. K. of Slavpo
16. Annoyastan

8. Bulgaria
9. Zahumlje

5. Srpska Kosovo
12. New Grandin

13. Altay Bey
4. Rainier



6. The Bulgarite
11. Tolomakia

7. Rakovica
10. Ramostan

3. Daimyo Oda
14. Thracia

15. Bulgarska
2. Catholic Knights of Islam-Judaism

Check back tonight for the link to the tournament bracket. It will be posted on Rainier and Zahumlje's website: http://groups.msn.com/TheBalkansMSNCommunity

OOC: While you are there, I would recommend you taking a look around. Particularly the picture section. You might learn something about some of your regional neighbors. Rainier and Zahumlje have done a good job of creating a place where we can place additional information or pics about our nations. You might even consider signing up and posting some pics.

Thanks for promoting the MSN group! however due credit MUST go to Trinity of Mt. Rainier, she did most of the work, I'm only assistant manager.
I hope lots of members join, and post pictures.

Duly noted and edited. I also hope to see more picture posts.

The 2004 Balkans Basketball Championship Tournament brackets are up.
There has been a slight change. Brackets can be viewed at the following link:
http://www.bracketmaker.com/tmenu.cfm?tid=87597&tclass=

Statistics and game summaries will be posted on MSN Balkans website.


**The Balkan Morning News**12.12.04

It seems it did not take the underworld long to get involved in the upcoming Balkan Basketball Championships. The more entrepeneurial elements in the Balkan mafia have already set the odds and are taking bets on every street corner, pub, park and sidewalk in the Balkans. Although FIBA has announced their disapproval, fans and even those with no interest in basketball, are placing their bets!!!

Underworld figures have even been so bold as to say they will "recruit" the person with the best picks, into their organization. "We'll make him famous", an unidentified member claimed.

OOC: Anyone, whether they have a team in the tournament or not, can register on the link above(free), and then predict round by round, game by game, the results of the entire tournament. Points are accumulated based on accuracy of picks. A prediction leaderboard will keep track of who has the most accurate predictions.

Allright people we're getting close. I will begin simulating games tommorrow night. If you would like to send me the names of your players it would greatly add to the game reports. Nowitzki scores 24 sounds a lot better than player #5 scores 24. Each team will have 12-15 players. Each of you know your country better than I do so it would be great if you could provide at least a few player names. Thanks and good luck!

See the bracket at http://www.bracketmaker.com/tmenu.cfm?tid=87597&tclass=

Zahumlje National team
Coach, Gavrilo Vukcic

1 Safet Mekmetovic
2 Miodrag Filipovic
3 Vedran Popovic
4 Akmet Turkovic
5 Jadranko Kosor
6 Goran Popovic
7 Amin Imamovic
8 Pavo Turkovic
9 Ivan Knezevic
10 Fajzl Civic
11 Sveto Nikolic
12 Dzamil Loncar
13 Hari Loncar
14 Vuk Zivkovic
15 David Avramovic

This is the full National Team of Zahumlje, known to the people in Zahumlje as Ekipa Nacional

This is the National team of The Bulgarite-"Levovete":

1. Tencho Banev
2. Leven Belberov
3. Stefan Georgiev
4. Yuliyan Radinov
5. Filip Videnov
6. Yordan Bozov
7. Georgi Davidov
8. Dimitar Angelov
9.Lyudmil Radulov
10. Boyko Mladenov
11. Hrisimir Dimitrov
12. Todor Stoykov

Coach: Rosen Barchovski

Team Rakovica

1. Dragan Vukomanovic
2. Milos Ivanovic
3. Ivica Rados
4. Srdjan Pavlovic
5. Adil Karamehmetovic
6. Carlos Rojas
7.Domagoj Jaramaz
8. Anna Kempen
9. Mwai Kivuva
10. Predrag Lovrenovic
11. Jelena Mrljak
12. Charlie Floyd
13. Mila Jankovic
14. Sejad Bajramovic
15. Milo Scepanovic

The Thracian team line-up:

1. Panagopoulos
2. Mustafa
3. Yusufov
4. Tomai
5. Muratyan
6. Kaplanidis
7. Kasapoglou
8. Valkov
9. Mladenov
10. Kostadinov
11. Pasas
12. Gavriilidis
13. Dimov
14. Metinoglu
15. Selimov

Game 1: Kingdom of Slavpo 111 – Annoyastan 80

SLAVPO STEAMROLLS ANNOYASTAN

The performance of the Kingdom of Slavpo National Team last night was a fitting example of the merits of preparation. Slavpo seemed otherworldly in applying their well-conceived game plan, hanging a 111-80 beating on Annoyastan that had the potential to be even more severe. The Slavpo players purposely took their feet off the gas pedal throughout the second half and coasted to their lopsided victory.
“Success is like eating potato chips. Once you have one, you want more and more,” suggested Coach Budosov Vjeceslav to the hungry beat reporters on press row. “Tonight that phenomenon turned into a feeding frenzy and your end result was a bit of a wipeout. To be fair, though, I’ve been the coach in the other dressing room from time to time and that’s just part of the game. Depending on where your team is at, you can either laugh it off or get really angry about it and try to use it as a wake-up call. We scouted this team a bit and knew that there were some deficiencies that we could exploit. If you told me we’d pull their shorts down and cane them in the process, I’d have said no way, but c’est la vie.”
With an incredible demonstration of long-range accuracy, Slavpo proved that good things do come in threes as they continually hurt Annoyastan via the long ball. At some points, it seemed as though Slavpo might not miss from the great beyond, as suggested by their gaudy night shooting. The shots only seemed to come from three locations; deep, deeper, and deepest, as Slavpo made the three-ball their weapon of choice and the difference in the game.
The Annoyastan coach expressed his disappointment in the outcome. “When your opponent is hitting shots like Slavpo was there’s not much you can do. I told my guys not to hang their heads too low, Slavpo is the number one ranked team in the Balkans. We’re just going to refocus and prepare for the next game.”

ooc:

Not that it is very important, but Nikos Yenitzelis is Thracia's coach.

2005 BALKAN BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT ANNOUNCEMENT

Due to the amount of time required, I will not be able to track stats throughout the tournament. I apologize to those who have already submitted individual player names. I will post scores and game summaries. Feel free to create your own stats for players and to post your own sports stories as this will add to the experience. Once again, I apologize. Good luck to everyone! - Srpska Kosovo

Thracia: Thanks for the correction. It has been changed.

Game 2: Zahulmje 80 – Bulgaria 73

LATE 80-73 DEFEAT A BITTER PILL TO SWALLOW FOR BULGARIA

For the Bulgaria National Team , the lesson from last night’s 80-73 defeat at the hands of Zahulmje was about giving everything each player had for 40 minutes and then finding something more in reserve at the key moments when games are lost and won. These two teams battled hammer and tong in what was truly a war on the floor that was fought with enormous intensity and with every weapon that each team could bring to bear. This game was about the thundering artillery of the big bodies in the post that collided with abandon while trying to establish something akin to a territorial advantage and the aerial assaults launched from long range that homed in on their targets with mechanical accuracy and devastating effect. This was a game in which floor generals commanded their troops with precision, mobilizing their forces in attack and counter with swift surety. The difference was war can be hell and this was something much, much better.
“I think tonight was a classic example of the saying, ‘Sometimes, you get the bear and sometimes, the bear gets you,” suggested Coach Darin Velikov of his team’s efforts in a losing cause.
“We hung in, we hung around and in the end we just got hung out to dry, but there were some nuggets in the game that might pan out as gold as we move forward. Maybe that’s being overly optimistic, but I don’t think so. I think you glean more from coming close like this than by getting completely wiped out. We’ll look at the tape, break it down, run our guys like crazy and then work on the fine details that will complete the picture and not paint us into a losing corner the next time out.”
Zahulmje coach Gavrilo Vukcic was impressed with his team’s performance. “We really came together out there. Unselfishness, that’s the key for us. There may be more talented teams out there, but when five guys play as one like we did, then we’re going to be hard to stop.”

Game 3: New Grandin 81 – Srpska Kosovo 74

SRPSKA KOSOVO SNATCHES DEFEAT FROM JAWS OF VICTORY

In the jam-packed Unity Arena, the crowd was rocking the whole night, as Srpska Kosovo endured one of the more painful bumps in the road of Balkan Basketball, dropping a 81-74 decision to New Grandin in a game that just seemed to slip away in the bitter end. Playing with determination and poise for most of the game, Srpska Kosovo seemed to come slightly unglued when the moments grew in importance down the stretch. Were this game played again tomorrow, this team might just as easily have emerged victorious, as there was little to separate the two teams in terms of talent. This loss will probably serve as a great teaching tool for Coach Vujosevic as he continues to mold this team into a unit capable of delivering wins in future close games such as these. “I aged out there watching that,” suggested Coach Vujosevic following his team’s setback.
“My wife figures for sure that one night I’m leaving the bench feet first on a gurney because of how crazy I get when I’m in the middle of a game like that. I give their guys credit, they gave a good account of themselves out there, but I know we can hang with them. We had a few meltdowns that weren’t good for our chances, but that’s how you get experience in this game.”
The New Grandin coach was upbeat after the game. “We knew that this was going to be a close one, but our guys really rose to the occasion. We hit more clutch shots than they did, and that was the difference maker. Now we just have to remain focused and try to carry this momentum into the next round.”

***ZNN***

Game 2: Zahulmje 80 – Bulgaria 73
Zahumljani fans jubilant at close victory, pandemonium in the stands, dancing in the streets. Zahumlje never a great sports power celebrated, they waved flags and danced the kolo in the street in front of the Sportski Centar at the University of Pristina.
'You know Zahumlje was always considered kind of Nation of Nerds but look we can play basketball! So now we are kind of Revenge of Nerds! yes?' Bozidar Zidaric who brought a group of Socialist fans to the game. 'There are ZYSL members on this team, and many of us know a player or two. So it made sense to come cheer them on.'

The players went back to their hotel to rest after the tough game. 'We all invested a lot in this game, now we must all rest. The fans can go raise Hell if they like, but my boys well we need rest...' Said Gavrilo Vukcic.

13 Hari Loncar
14 Vuk Zivkovic
15 David Avramovic
4 Akmet Turkovic
5 Jadranko Kosor

were the players in tonight's game. Hari known to the teamates as 'Harry Potter' was absolutly thrilled at his first international competition being his first time to be part of a victorious team. 'This is great, those guys from Bulgaria are excellent players they could have beaten us if we'd had a bit less luck or had not tried so hard.'
The team went to the hotel to shower, eat dinner and be looked after by the team's massage therapist.

Javier Sur – shooting guard, team’s best 3pt shooter, averages 17 pts a game, defensive specialist (5 steals a game)

José Alcazar – leading scorer (21 pts/game), forward, inside technician and shot blocker supreme (3 blocked shots p/g)

Ahmed Balansi – pointguard, 12 pts/game, 12 assists/game, fan favorite known as “el general”...known for his crowd pleasing personality and passing skills

Game 4: Altay Bey 83 – Mt. Rainier 74

MT. RAINIER FOLDS IN 83-74 SETBACK

Pristina, Kosovo – Sometimes one wonders how these athletes do it.
Very few of the athletes in the Balkans Basketball Championship are paid professionals and most of them have jobs with all the associated responsibilities that life entails. Beyond that, they are dedicated athletes who must devote countless hours to learning and improving their skill sets, in order to be able to compete at their chosen athletic pursuit. It makes you wonder how they have any energy left for games, and then you witness a gem like the one played between Mt. Rainier and Altay Bey and you are left absolutely stunned by the seeming lack of physical limits to which these athletes extend themselves.
In a 83-74 win by Altay Bey, both teams gave an absolute brilliant account of themselves as both athletes and as people. Both sides left everything, and I mean everything, out on the floor, in a night where “floor burns” really should have been a tracked statistic. While any loss is hard to accept, Mt. Rainier has to take some comfort in their own performance, which just as easily could have delivered a win and was without fundamental flaws. From the start of the game, it was known that this game was going to be won by the team with the last possession, or close to it. But still, you wonder how they do it.
“Tonight made me feel like the Professor on Gilligan’s Island,” said the bewildered Mt. Rainier coach to an even more bewildered press corps. “You can make everything from a microwave oven to a space shuttle out of bamboo and coconuts, but you can’t figure out a way to get Gilligan, the Skipper and the rest of the gang to Waikiki. We were able to run with those guys. We were able to score. We just couldn’t bring that baby home. That game was right there for the taking. Tomorrow in practice, we’ll need to continue working hard so that next time our hopes will float.”
Altay Bey coach Oguz Baharogulu seemed just as surprised. “This one could have gone either way. Mt. Rainier played tough. I would not be surprised if we meet them again before this tournament is over.”

Game 5: The Bulgarite 73 – Tolomakia 67

THE BULGARITE SHOWS GRACE UNDER PRESSURE IN 73-67 SQUEAKER

The game of basketball shares a commonality with Ancient Greece in that they both rely heavily upon myths and legends to advance the greatness of their legacy. Throughout the Balkans, this game is about so much more than just putting the ball through a hoop. The game is about respect. The game is about expression. The game is a creative art form. The game is as vital to the players as is breathing. The game is their identity.
Tonight another legendary chapter was written into the Pantheon of Balkan basketball as The Bulgarite outlasted a game Tolomakia 73-67 in a contest that those in attendance will remember for years to come. Both teams were committed to playing to the very reaches of their abilities, contesting every play with indomitable will and exhibiting an unrelenting desire. It was the type of competition that underlines what sports are supposed to represent, which is not necessarily the final achievement of victory, but the tales told of great performances. That poetry and prose is the game of basketball.
The sight of all the Bulgarite players forming an impenetrable shell around their basket, while swarming the offensive boards like ants on a picnic, was a masterful example of Balkans basketball at its finest. The player’s tenacity and their willingness to sacrifice themselves for the cause was inspirational, as they showed everyone in the arena that they were willing to do whatever it took to win the game.
“I’ve never seen defense like that,” said the stunned Tolomakia coach. “I swear they could teleport. They were everywhere at the same time. Our guys hung in there but they were just too tough.”
The Bulgarite Coach Rosen Barchovski was proud of his team’s achievement. “You know what they say, ‘defense wins championships’. We’re not a flashy team, but we will make you earn every point.”