Crusaders on 2014 FIBA Rosters

[Dave_2010]

While reading yesterday's stories about Drew Gooden's failure to qualify for the Finnish roster for the upcoming FIBA World Cup, I couldn't help but notice two other names missing from the final roster: Samuel Haanpaa and Antti Nikkila (though it appears Shawn Huff did make the roster). It seemed like both Sam and Antti were in camp, but neither made the final 12.

Aside from Shawn Huff and Ryan Broekhoff, any word on other alums that made their national rosters for the tournament?

[vusupporter]

Can't find anything official, but would be shocked if Kikas Gomes weren't on Angola's team - he's been a stalwart for them for the last decade and it looked like he was their leading scorer in at least one warmup game.

Also, if you missed it, a great photo of Huff guarding Broekhoff from yesterday's game: https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xpf1/v/t1.0-9/10547684_920366251325749_7249163925326259436_n.jpg?oh=9cfd00289061052c1f9f64afecf9d2ab&oe=5461DA8E&__gda__=1416091876_f72c851fcfd9793a8dc648f5a61b3b9b

[wh]

Also, if you missed it, a great photo of Huff guarding Broekhoff from yesterday's game: https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xpf1/v/t1.0-9/10547684_920366251325749_7249163925326259436_n.jpg?oh=9cfd00289061052c1f9f64afecf9d2ab&oe=5461DA8E&__gda__=1416091876_f72c851fcfd9793a8dc648f5a61b3b9b

Two of my all-time favorite Crusaders guarding each other - very cool!  Ryan's Aussie uniform and shoes are super cool, as well.

[bbtds]

Since that picture was taken in Strasbourg, France.......

Vive la Valapo!
(say that 10 times real fast)

[valpotx]

Congrats to Huff, but heartbreaking for Antti and Samuel.  I was really hoping that the big man would get to play in this tournament, as Finland has improved quite a bit during his time with the national team.  At least he can know that when he first started playing for the national team until now, that they have come such a long way to qualify for a tournament they haven't been in for decades.

[LaPorteAveApostle]

embed:

[valpo4life]

Figured I'd share after reading this power ranking article for the upcoming FIBA tournament. Marc Stein suggests that Rowdy will be starting over Dante Exum for the Aussies.

http://espn.go.com/blog/marc-stein/post/_/id/2824/power-rankings-2014-world-cup-edition

[LaPorteAveApostle]

wow.  that's awesome.

The Boomers are clearly trying to lessen expectations for Exum in the 19-year-old's first major competition of any kind.

Maybe.  Maybe the kid just isn't the team player you need to be in a world tournament.

Rowdy was always the kind of amoebic star you knew would be a success on the next level, because he was comfortable doing whatever needed to be done, without any spotlight.  On a team like that, in a tournament like this, he just makes people better.

[Chairback]

I wonder if this helps his chances for an NBA look?  I'm excited to follow Rowdy in this tourney.

I'm still stewing over him not getting POY over Ray Jr. (TX, any comments on Ray Jr, your favorite player?)

[wh]

So happy for Ryan!

Exum is a very exciting young player. I'm sure he'll get plenty of minutes.

[valpotx]

I wonder if this helps his chances for an NBA look?  I'm excited to follow Rowdy in this tourney.

I'm still stewing over him not getting POY over Ray Jr. (TX, any comments on Ray Jr, your favorite player?)

Yes, I still hate that whiny little b*

[valpotx]

Figured I'd share after reading this power ranking article for the upcoming FIBA tournament. Marc Stein suggests that Rowdy will be starting over Dante Exum for the Aussies.

http://espn.go.com/blog/marc-stein/post/_/id/2824/power-rankings-2014-world-cup-edition

Once again, we get two former players mentioned, more than any other school, most likely

[bbtds]

23. SENEGAL: Group B


The worldwide small-ball craze hasn't quite made it all the way to Senegal. This is the one team that surely wishes you could get away with playing four or five bigs at once, since all of Senegal's most accomplished players are centers or power forwards.



Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. One might take a clue from this.

[Chairback]

Huff with 12pts, 3 rebs, 1 steal to lead Finland in a loss to USA.  When Finland got the ball to him he was scoring or getting to the line.  However, Finland's guards literally were chugging the ball up just to get rid of it and he didn't get the ball much.

They did mention Valpo and coach Bryce and also mentioned Rowdy. 

[wh]

Congratulations to Shawn on a great performance against the top team in the field!

[LaPorteAveApostle]

Finland finished just ninth in last year's European championship, failing to qualify automatically for the World Cup. But the Finns, ranked 39th, became the lowest-ranked team ever to receive a wild card, with basketball governing FIBA noting Finland's improvement on the court and the strength of its fan base.

And it didn't hurt that Finnish company Rovio, maker of the Angry Birds games, offered to provide advertising for FIBA if Finland was selected.

But none of those could help on the court, where all the best players were wearing red, white and blue and delivered highlight plays, with Rose flashing his old explosiveness with a second quarter drive and dunk.

Shawn Huff and Petteri Koponen each scored 12 points for Finland, which shot 28 percent.



From The Detroit News: http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20140830/SPORTS0102/308300058#ixzz3BvK6Fcu7

[valpotx]

Talk about an interesting Angola team.  Anyone notice the name that sticks out in the box score for their win over South Korea?

http://scores.espn.go.com/fiba/boxscore?gameId=400575447

Yep, that is 2003 graduate of Oral Roberts, Reggie Moore, on an Angola roster with Kikas!  Kikas didn't play in this game, so hopefully all is ok with him.  But how random that a guy he played against in college often was granted Angolan citizenship in 2012, to become the second American EVER, to be granted Angolan citizenship.  Enemies become teammates .

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reggie_Moore

Rowdy looks to have played a solid game with 9 points in a 90-80 loss to Slovenia (Goran Dragic), and he started!  Who knows what can happen if he continues to have solid games in this tournament!

http://espn.go.com/extra/fiba/boxscore?gameId=400575451

[valpotx]

Kikas is still on the roster, so maybe he is hurt?  He is the main focus of their picture on the team profile:

http://www.fiba.com/basketballworldcup/2014/Angola

Huff is also part of the main picture:

http://www.fiba.com/basketballworldcup/2014/Finland

[bbtds]

If you see the highlights (or should I say Rose-lights) from the USA/Finnished game (114-55) you will see Huff do a couple "who was that" looks as Rose blows through 3 Finns for dunks.

[swiftmutiny]

Rowdy put up another 9 points against Korea today, playing 22 minutes overall (tied for 2nd most on the team).

http://www.fiba.com/basketballworldcup/2014/3108/KoreavAustralia#|tab=boxscore_statistics

[a3uge]

Crazy that Bairstow and Exum are coming off the bench... Exum wayyy off the bench.

[bbtds]

Rowdy put up another 9 points against Korea today, playing 22 minutes overall (tied for 2nd most on the team).

http://www.fiba.com/basketballworldcup/2014/3108/KoreavAustralia#|tab=boxscore_statistics

Interesting that Broekhoff had 9 points to Dellavedova's 7 points and Exum's 4 points but Ryan is not mentioned in this comment because he doesn't play in the NBA and didn't play for St Mary's or New Mexico.

The Aussies have four current NBA players on their roster. Matt Dellavedova of the Cavaliers, played his college ball at St. Mary's. Cameron Bairstow, who was drafted by the Bulls in this year's draft in the 2nd round, 49th overall, and the star player of last year's New Mexico Lobos. Dante Exum, who was drafted 5th this year in the draft by the Utah Jazz. And Aron Baynes, who hardly had playing time, but he was part of the San Antonio Spurs winning the championship dethroning the Miami Heat and Lebron James in the Finals. Too bad they don't have Patty Mills. He was a huge spark plug off the bench for the Spurs last year in their championship revenge beating the Miami Heat.
Raymond Bermea ·

[valpotx]

Huff with 23 pts and 8 rbs in a victory over Ukraine!

http://www.fiba.com/basketballworldcup/2014/3108/FinlandvUkraine

[valpotx]

Maybe Kikas was just resting an injury, or was a bad matchup in yesterday's game, as he is playing in today's game against Lithuania.  In 2 minutes of action in the first 4 game minutes, he has 1 PF

[valpopal]

Ryan made 4 more 3-point shots today as Australia defeated Mexico 70-62. He is now shooting 60% (12-20) from the 3-point line for the World Cup tournament.