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EUROBASKET MEN - G.B. v. CZECH REPUBLIC
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06/09/08
Great Britain (24, 37, 55) 87
Czech Republic (10, 23, 37) 68
After the heartbreak of their overtime defeat in Israel, on Wednesday night, Great Britain were determined to make a good impression on their home debut in EuroBasket Division A, especially in the impressive surroundings of London's O2 Arena, and a storming performance did just that as they established an early superiority and never let their visitors recover.
In front of a packed crowd, of over 3,000, the home side opened strongly, with a combination of intense defence and carefully worked offence or fast-break, and a 6-4 advantage was gradually extended to an incredible 19-4, as the Czechs visibly wilted.
Pops Mensah-Bonsu contributed eight of his team's first ten points, including 6of6 from the stripe, and the thirteen point unanswered run included three consecutive blocked shots on the same Czech offence, as GB dominated the paint.
A stronger finish by the visitors, however, brought six points from Jiri Welch (3 of 4 from the stripe, and a "trey") to at least bring them into double figures, but GB still finished the quarter with a fourteen point lead.
The second quarter began with controversy, as the game clock refused to reset to ten minutes, had to be allowed to run down from five (resulting in a seven minute interval) and then still refused to show ten, resulting in the officials determining that we'd have two consecutive "eighths" of five minutes!
The Czechs began with far greater intensity, and with GB also playing strong defence, it took over two minutes before either team could fins the basket - which Joel Freeland did with a hook shot.
Points continued to be at a premium, and as the 5-minute clock ran down GB led 28-12, having outscored their opponents 4-2! Ladislav Sokolovsky took a shot which rimmed out, but as it was in the air the clock had expired, and though GB then took the defensive rebound the officials stopped the play, for a 5 minute reset - much to the chagrin of the Czech coach, especially when Great Britain were then awarded possession.
Nick George extended the lead to 18 points, with a tip, but six unanswered by the visitors brought it back to twelve, and though GB edged away again, a buzzer-beating "3" from the impressive Welch kept it to a 14 point margin at the half.
With the game clock adjusted to allow ten minute quarter again, the start of the third belonged emphatically to the Czechs, who came out with renewed confidence which was rewarded with a 2-8 spurt that restored the margin to single figures for the first time since early in the game, 39-31.
As the game gained in intensity, Lukas Kotas was called for an "unsportsmanlike" foul on Luol Deng, and though the Bulls' star, who had still not scored in the game, failed to convert from the stripe, Nate reinking drained a "trey" from the following possession, to restore a double-digit advantage. With 6:15 to play in the quarter Deng finally opened his account, with a brilliant allez-oop dunk, and soon after the mid-point of the period, the Czechs' efforts to pull back began to tell as their foul-count mounted.
Sokolovsky's fourth foul not only took him to the bench, but also gave Deng the chance to add one from two from the stripe, and Petr Benda and Jiri Hubalek soon found themselves benched on four fouls, too. A resurgent GB took full advantage of their opponents' woes, as a Reinking "trey" began an 8-point run, that took them away to a twenty point lead, at 53-33, before going into the final break 18 ahead.
While the first three periods had been very cagey and defensive, and even downright dour at times, the fourth quarter exploded into hectic activity, as the visitors attempted to blitz their way back into the game, while GB matched them shot for shot.
A good measure of Britain's sharpness was shown three minutes into the final period, when Deng again hit 1 of 2 from the line, but Mensah-Bonsu was not only fastest to the rebound on the second shot, but launched himself at the basket for an enormous dunk.
Hunbalek replied with two from the stripe at the other end, and then Deng finally found his range, with a "trey" that took the lead out to 21 points, 68-47. GB recovered possession, and with six minutes remaining, Mensah-Bonsu was driving to the basket on a fast break when he was clattered by Benda. That took the Czech out of the game with five fouls, but it could have been far worse for him were it not for the quick thinking, and action of the nearest match official. Noting the furious expression on Pops' face, and his body language as he leapt back to his feet, the ref promptly grabbed him round the waist and guided him gently away from the scene! An excellent piece of brave and common sense officiating, which saved Benda from pain and Mensah-Bonsu from almost certain dismissal.
After calming down, Pops' sank one of the two resulting free-throws, to give Great Britain their biggest lead of the game, at 69-47. The Czechs still refused to cave in, however, and back to back "3"s from Lukas Kotas and Hubalek gave them renewed hope, but Deng simply replied with his second "trey" of the game, and though the visitors edged marginally closer as the game wore on it was Deng's third strike from distance that closed out the match, confirming a convincing GB victory.
It wa snever the prettiest match to watch, but the defensive intensity and desire of the team as a whole was very pleasing - as was the way they succeeded in dominating their opponents even in the first 24 minutes during which Deng failed to score!
The most important aspect of the game was that GB not only bounced back from their defeat in Israel 9and the unfortunate manner of it), but did so by a margin that showed they are far from outsiders in the group.
In fact all four teams are now tied on three points, as Wednesday's visitors to Birmingham, Bosnia-Herzegovina, produced a shock defeat of Israel later on this evening! Both Wednesday's game, and the return match against Israel, in Liverpool on Saturday, promise to be nail-biting affairs.
Great Britain : Reinking 22; Deng 21; Mensah-Bonsu 13 [+16 reb. + 3bs]; Freeland 9; George 9; Sullivan 7; Boyd 2 [+6 ass.]; Hart 2; Midgley 2; Leven; Larkai [dnp]; Boateng [dnp].
Czech Rep. : Welch 17 [+8 reb.]; Benda 10; Hubalek 10; Kotas 8; Satoranksy 8; Sokolovsky 8; Starosta 4; Kudlacek 3; Necas; Prasil; Votroubek; Vrubl.