World Champs!

USA USA USA USA.......... This is a big deal! The World Championships just finished up and team USA came away with the gold. People here in the States don't know how big of a deal that is. To show where the USA sports fans minds are let me give you an example. The gold medal game of the Worlds between USA and the home team Turkey was played last weekend and was shown live on ESPN 2 at 1:30pm Sunday afternoon. My wife Linda, son Michael and I went to a sports bar in Padre Island to watch the game and get some Nachos and a burger. When we walked in the bar all the TV's, all 2o of them, were turned on to football or Nascar. We asked the manager if we could get one of the TV's tuned to the World Championship basketball game that team USA was playing in. They looked at us like WHAT?????? They had no idea the game was taking place. They were very nice about it, finding a corner of the bar where we could sit, eat and watch the game. After going through about 100 channels we found the game and settled in to watch what turned out to be a good but not too competitive game. What was even a more telling sign that America's sports audience doesn't get World basketball is during the 2nd quarter a guy comes over, stands next to our table for about 5 minutes watching the game and looks at us and asks. Is this live? We say yes it's the World Championships and USA is playing well. Then he says, "they should have picked a better time to play the game. Not during NFL football games." WOW! First, it is the WORLD games. Believe it or not the world does not revolve around what is on TV in America. Second, the game is being played in Turkey. It was 8:30 pm in Turkey. If we want to watch it live the time will be what the time will be here.

Anyway.........USA won with a world class (young) team and a great coaching staff. They beat some very good basketball teams from around the world and qualified for the 2012 Olympics. That really takes the pressure off of USA Basketball for next summer. FYI Kevin Durant is becoming one of the best basketball players in the world. Yes even counting Kobe, Lebron and the other top NBA players.

International basketball

I hope everyone is watching the great basketball that is being played in the World Championships in Turkey this summer. Having spent the last 6 weeks with the British National Basketball team I have seen first hand the difference between basketball being played in the States (NCAA,NBA) and the international game. Watching the World championships you can see that there is quality basketball being played all over the world. there are some great games being played. On ESPN2 watched a great game between Spain and Serbia, two power house teams. Serbia had control of the game until the last 3 minutes of the game then Spain made a run and tied it up with 25 seconds left. It took a last second 30 foot shot from serbia to win the game! Team USA also had it's hands full against Russia but came away with a hard fought 10 point win. In the States we are use to a lot of spread the floor one on one, breakdown your man and get to the basket basketball. There is a lot of that in International basketball too but there is a lot more movement away from the ball. Cuts to the basket and flare (back) picks to get shooters open. That is a big difference in the two games. There are a lot more shooters (makers) on the court at the same time. It is very difficult to defend ball penetration when there are shooters all over the court, even the bigs in international play can shoot from the outside. It also helps those shooters when the 3pt line is so much closer in international basketball.

Another thing to watch when you watch the games this weekend (USA vs Lithuania and Turkey vs Serbia) is the FIBA refs. The international game tend to be more physical than the American game. They let the guards bang the player with the ball and it turns into a wrestling match in the post. There is also a lot of flopping (acting) going on during the games. If you are a basketball fan do yourself a favor and watch these games this weekend you will get a good look at a different kind of basketball. I know you will enjoy it.

Recap

WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!! What a summer! My 3 month, 90 day adventure, with the Jamaican and British National Teams kept me on the road for 88 days, with a 2 day turnaround at home to unpack, wash and re pack my clothes and get to the airport. It took me to 7 countries:

1) Dominican Republic

2) England

3) Israel

4) Hungary

5) Bosnia and Herzegovina

6) F.R.Y. Macedonia

7) Ukraine

Coached a total of 17 games

Jamaica 2-2 Wins vs British Virgin Islands and US Virgin Islands

Losses vs Dominican Republic and Panama

The 6 point loss to Panama cost us the Tournament of Americas next year

Great Britain 7-6 Losses vs Canada, Finland, Israel, Netherlands, Macedonia and Ukraine

Wins vs Belgium, Macedonia, Ukraine, Macedonia, 2 Hungary, 2 Bosnia

GB Finished 6-2 in group play, first place and qualified for next years EuroBasket Championships.

I had so much fun working with all the coaches and the players on both teams. After coaching the Jamaican National team last year and winning the Caribbean Championships I had a feel for international basketball but coaching in "Europe" really opened my eyes to another kind of game. Very Physical, moving pick setting, open court draw and kick playing, Seven footer 3pt shooting type basketball. In college, NBA Development League and the NBA basketball you usually have to defend against one, two or sometimes three, 3pt shooters on the court at the same time. In Europe, you often have to defend against four and sometimes five 3pt shooters. That combined with the closer 3pt line really changes way you you can play defense. You really have to "stay home" Be aware of the man you are guarding and can't help out your teammates as their men try to drive to the basket. The other thing that is really different is they let you set "old school" physical picks on the ball. This makes it very hard for the guards to fight through the picks so you really have to keep changing the ways you defend the P/R and keep the offense on it's toes. On the offensive end there is so much more movement especially off the ball. Players are constantly cutting, picking and moving. That, along with the good shooting really opens up the court. This is the type of basketball that Team USA will face in the medal rounds of the World Championship next week. They will also face a lot more zone defense which they are not use to seeing. That, coupled with the good shooters other teams will put on the court, is why sometimes even though US teams tend to be more talented than their opponents it's a struggle at times. And now the talent gap between the US and the rest of the world is not very wide any more. The goal of FIBA and the NBA is coming true. Basketball is truly a GLOBAL game. It is played all around the world and over the last few years I have seen it first hand. From camps in China to practice courts in Bosnia and outdoor courts filled with young players playing pick up games in Dominican Republic and the British Virgin Islands the great game of basketball is alive and well. All you need is a basketball and some kind of hoop and you have a game!

There are soooooooo many people I have to thank and I am going to try and thank them but if I miss someone don't be too mad at me you know I am getting older and my memory is not what it use to be.

Sam Vincent, Head Coach Jamaican National Team. A good friend who has given me many opportunities. He hired me as his asst. coach for the Charlotte Bobcats and although we were only given one year there it was a great year, being on an NBA bench and working for him was a thrill. Then 2 years ago bringing me on the staff in Anaheim (NBDL) and the Jamaican National team. Our 2 years with the Jamaican National team has taken it to new heights.

Ajani Williams, President of Jamaican Basketball. He took over the National Team two years ago and guided it to the brink of The Tournament of Americas where it has never been before. Thanks for having the vision and bringing coach Vincent and myself on board.

Chris Finch, Head Coach of the British National Team and the NBDL Champs Rio Grande Valley Vipers. It was a thrill to work with you at both places. Bringing a championship to McAllen and a first place finish in group B, qualifying for next year's EuroBasket Championships with GB Basketball, a step closer to the 2012 Olympics! I look forward to continuing our success and being a part of your coaching staff.

All the staff with GB Basketball:

Roger Moreland Chairman BPB. Thanks for all you do to bring British basketball up to the level it is and your continued effort to take it to the next level.

Chris Spice Performance Director. Thanks for all your work to get GB Basketball to the next level. I told you 6-2 would win the group. Lol

Ron Wuotila Team and High Performance Manager and do everything/get it done guy. Thanks for everything you do especially wheeling and dealing to get me emergency exit rows on all the flights! You made the travel for this 7 footer a lot easier.

Virginia Tuckey (Queen V) Operations Manager and maybe future daughter in law-lol. Thanks for making everything easier. Good luck in your new job this year. Show Michael the ropes when he gets over there in a couple weeks. Remember he is there to play basketball.

Nick Nurse asst. coach. Thanks for being a giver not a taker. Enjoyed your energy and your piano playing.

Monte Shubik Video and game plans. Hope you didn't get to wiped out in those hot, crowded gyms in Hungary, Israel and Bosnia. Remember those places when you are up until 3am at the Four Seasons getting the video ready for the coaches meeting with the Sixers staff the next morning. You did a great job.

Phil Waghorn Equipment. You know you are more than that. You were another coaches voice for us. Also the ever important carrier of the gum for the games.

Fraser McKinney Physiotherapist-We won a lot of games in the fourth quarter and OT because we were in better shape than all our opponents and you keep the team in top shape. Don't know if I could have made it through the trip without your work on my hip.

All the players on both teams that made it a pleasure to coach and be around them. National teams are different than all other teams. They are made up of players from a lot of different teams and different situations that are asked to come together in a short period of time and perform at a very high level to represent their country. All of them are stars on the teams they play for during the year and they are asked to blend into a team and a lot of time give up their starter spot to take a lesser role on the National Team. They are also asked to give up a lot of their off season to train and perform for the national team. All the players on both the Jamaican and British National Teams were very open to taking instruction and doing what we asked them to do. It was a pleasure working with all of them. Good luck to all of them as they go back to their college, overseas, NBDL or NBA teams.

It has been an unbelievable summer for me both on the basketball court and getting to see so many different parts of the world. It was a summer I will never forget. I hope you all enjoyed following me along on this journey. I would appreciate any feed back you would give me in the comments section. I am deciding if I should keep up this blog as I go though the next season in the NBA Development League. Thanks again for joining me on this basketball journey around the world. Coach Mo

I promised you pictures and I am working on it. Stay tuned.