Tuesday, July 15, 2008

Slovenia is still running pick-and-rolls

The headline, "Slovenia slaughter Canada," kind of says it all -- the 86-70 loss at the last-chance Olympic basketball qualifier wasn't even close. It doesn't even need to be pointed out. It was rough.

Jermaine Anderson got in early foul trouble and that started the unravelling. Rowan Barrett put up 16 points in a losing cause. Forty per cent shooting from Canada ... well, tomorrow morning vs. Korea is another day, but it's hard to put a gloss on this game.

If Canada doesn't make it, definitely you should cheer for Slovenia to earn a spot in the Olympics. Not only do they have two likeable ex-Raptors, Rasho Nesterovic and Uros Slokar, but their point guard is a left-hander.

The Canada-Korea winner would face the winner of Croatia and Puerto Rico on Friday morning. The smart money is on Croatia, plus it would also be a chance for a Canadian audience to get to know Raptor-in-waiting Roko Ukić.

(Mike, as a proud Croatian, will have a conflict of interest if that matchup comes to pass, but presumably he'll be conflict in a good way.)

6 comments:

Duane Rollins said...

Half full --

Win three straight and go to China.

It's still in their control. But, that's all I got.

Anonymous said...

I blame Leo Rautins. Seriously. I do.

Mike Radoslav said...

Croatia has future Raptor (as in here next season) Roko Ukic, I know I'll be looking forward to watching him during the Olympics to see what we're getting with him!

sager said...

@ Greg: Well, after commentating Raptors games all season, Leo couldn't be blamed for assuming you're supposed to leave the other team's best shooters wide open all day.

I'm not the guy to be calling anyone out, though. I don't know enough basketball.

@ Mike: How conflicted are you going to be in the case of a Canada-Croatia matchup? Sense a post coming on?

Mike Radoslav said...

I love the addition to this post btw :)
I've always cheered on Canada first regardless, luckily for the most part these 2 countries rarely ever meet up on the International stage in too many contests. I'll post something for sure, I am cheering for Canada first and foremost for sure - but it is also kind of one of those "well if it can't be Canada, then at least it's Croatia"...for myself anyways....and yes, I realize I speak for very few around here by saying that ;)

sager said...

Hey, one of my journalism school crushes was Croatian.

(Why did I go there?)