IBC 19 - Everything Thread

[Ko-oren]

Life after a short group stage

Jacobandia becomes the Union's latest and last victim in the IBC group stage with a 103-67 defeat in probably the Dragonflies' best showing in these first six games. The team now move on to the second round with a series against Flardania. Gim comes along for the ride and will face Valladares.

No special tricks up the sleeve of the coaching staff after their sudden choice to field five men as starters in the previous game, but Shillington once again started on the bench in favour of her up-and-coming colleague Amy Janssen. Under her leadership, the Dragonflies climbed to a 15-19 lead in the first quarter. After this, Shillington came on to get more minutes on the court than Janssen at the end of the game. Shillington lead the team to greatness with 9 assists overall and a 36 point difference win.

Again the point guards have the spotlights fixed on them with unorthodox substituting. This came two days after Shillington's absence versus Gim, and one day after Shillington's supposed visit to the Ko-orenite embassy in Valladares. Anyone near the area and in possession of a phone leaked details to anywhere on the internet: Shillington came there to talk to a member of the Union of Ko-oren's police force and Union's Basketball Association representative. Whatever the topic of conversation was, it was harmless enough to let Shillington appear on the basketball court instead of a court of law.

Flardania comes from Group B with a 4-2 record. They qualified for the second round on the last day with a win over Levivania and got lucky with Frenline Delpha's loss to group winners Nova Anglicana. Like us, the Lightspeed has both men and women on the team, and they operate with a woman as point guard. The Flardanians focus on their forwards in offence, which is where the opportunities lie for the Dragonflies. We're warned, so we know what to do. Naoki Amagake and Taiga Kagami are the dangerous players on the team. The guards are decent and will create chances for the forwards. An area that they have a lot to improve on is the centre. They lack a giant near the post for rebounds, and the paint will mostly just be invaded by the excellent forwards. That's where the danger lies, but LaCroix at centre is not as huge a threat.

[Nueva Andalusia]

Horneros Make Playoffs

Marco Gonzales, El Clarín de Córdoba

For the first time in the history of their competition in the IBC, the Nueva Andalusia Horneros have made it to the playoffs of that august competition. As coach Emilio Rossi promised, there was no second-half collapse. The Horneros won their first three games over Halfblakistan, Natanians and Nosts, and #32 Elejamie to finish the first-half with a record of 3-0. They opened the second half by routing Zovorussia 76-56, then finally succumbed to the mighty Stallions of Cosumar by a score of 80-73. Needing a win to guarantee their advancement to the Round of 16, the Horneros defeated unranked Noksentin 88-73.

The Horneros jumped out to a 26-18 lead at the end of the first quarter, but Noksentin outscored them 20-16 in the second quarter to close the gap to 42-38 at the half. Francisco Aguirre led the Horneros with 12 points at the half on 4-9 shooting, including 2-3 from beyond the arc and 2-2 from the free throw line. Federico Rojas and Paolo Fernández were the spark in the third quarter, as they scored 15 of the Horneros' 28 points in the period. Rojas showed some slashing ability, making several shots off the dribble, and Fernández hit just his third three-pointer of the tournament. The Horneros led 70-58 at the end of three and Javier Medina and Aguirre hit six of seven free throws down the stretch to seal the game and give them the 88-73 win.

"The win was a real team effort and I was very pleased," said Rossi after the game. "All of our starters scored in double figures and Javier did a great job of distributing the ball and finding the open man. We look forward to our first playoff appearance." Their first-ever playoff opponent will be Saint Kanye, winners of four of six in Group D and the #7 overall seed. The Surge are making their IBC debut this year, but they will be a formidable opponent. The Horneros and Surge will play a best-of-three in Coliseo Oriente in Campo Grande, a change of venue for the Horneros, but not for the Surge. We all look forward to a great series.

Boxscore: http://novaanglicana.blogspot.com/2015/ ... lusia.html

[Valladares]

The real competition begins now. RP cutoff for Game 1 of the Round of 16!

---

International Basketball Championships 19 - Round of 16 Game 1

Ko-oren 78–55 Flardania (Ko-oren leads series 1-0)

Royal Kingdom of Quebec 89–72 Semarland (Royal Kingdom of Quebec leads series 1-0)

Electrum 82–87 Vaugania (Vaugania leads series 1-0)

Abanhfleft 90–56 Valanora (Abanhfleft leads series 1-0)

Nova Anglicana 73–76 The Andromeda Islands (The Andromeda Islands leads series 1-0)

Saint Kanye 85–72 Nueva Andalusia (Saint Kanye leads series 1-0)

Valladares 73–64 Gim (Valladares leads series 1-0)

Cosumar 76–79 Vangaziland (Vangaziland leads series 1-0)

[Vangaziland]

"This was our toughest victory yet", said Vangaziland Royals head coach Tim Tomasson. "It was a fight right to the end."

There were thirty-one lead changes. The score flip-flopped constantly as both teams fought to outscore the other. It was a back and forth, competitive game that kept the crowd's attention right up to the final buzzer.

Vangaziland didn't look like much of an underdog tonight, keeping up with one of the top three ranked teams in the IBC. The Royals have really made a splash in this tournament, now beating two of the top five ranked teams in the competition.

"We still have to win one more. One game at a time, you know", center Lonnie Knucks said after the game. "Honestly, it's going to be really tough. If they connected on one or two more shots, the score would be reversed." The Vangazi big man scored 9 points, but provided 9 rebounds. He also had a big night holding down the lane with 3 blocks. He even dove to keep the ball in Vannish hands once or twice.

Myke Fulborg led tonight's scoring effort with 21 points. The 6'6" small forward used his treacherous first step to get past his defender on several isolation plays. Jennsen and Handsen set more than a few picks for him, keeping Cosumar's defense on its toes.

"I'm just glad to perform on this stage", Fulborg said. "We all are. Even if we failed out now, we could say we had a good tournament. We won some games that nobody expected us to. And we still have a bit of fire in us yet."

Vangaziland had some big defensive plays towards the end. Their full-court press has been really effective late in games. It led to a one point lead which the Royals held until their last possession. Cosumar had no choice but to foul, sending Hectare Yulssen to the free throw line.

The starting point guard made both shots, putting the Royals up by three. It capped off Yulssen's 15 point, 8 assist, 2 steal performance. One last stop and Vangaziland had won the game.

Kate Foyelson was seen drawing up a few of the late game plays that led to the Vannish lead.

"I'm glad we have Kate", captain Jon Jennsen said. "She's a wizard. I'm happy with the moves we made this off-season. Ironwrought is a good, young kid. Lonnie Knucks is a step up as well. And we've really streamlined our gameplan."

In previous tournaments, Vangaziland relied on 6'10" Manny Lenden as the backup center. They also lacked the scoring punch that Chris Ironwrought can provide off the bench. Reserve point guard John Hendorn has performed well during this season's second half. He may have secured his spot in future tournaments.

Sokol, Gravu and Hensson basically split their minutes evenly as the four guard reserve. They are three different kinds of shooters, each one having their own hot spots. Fred Sokol likes the corners, for example. Tom Gravu shoots off the dribble. By choosing a particular guard, the Royals tailor their formation to a certain style of play. There is enough versatility in the front court to keep things from being too predictable, as the shooting guards can usually pass out of tight defense and reset.

The Royals look to take their aggressive style even further into the tournament.

[Gim]

"Watchers of WATV 8 News, this is the end of our current affairs news. We will now turn you towards WATV Sports."


Camera switches to WATV Sports with Anchorwoman Jo Jin Ri standing in the center of the WATV Sports platform.


Jo Jin Ri speaks:

"Hello, I'm Jo Jin Ri for WATV Sports. The Round of 16 of the International Basketball Championship has begun with our Gimian players playing against the host team, Valladares. This is the first time any Gimian sports team is facing a host team. More pressure is expected to be brought to them in tonight's game. Let's find out how they did!"

Camera switches to an aerial view of Coliseo Mayor de Valladares in Metropolis.

"Gimians shaking hands and giving friendly gestures to the Valladarian players prior to the match. 1st quarter. Gimians leading 18-16. Byun Do Won with two seconds to go in the first quarter. He takes a shot from the center of the court and the ball goes in!(7:26-7:31) Gim leading 21-16."

Camera switches to Valladarians attacking within the Gimian zone.

"2nd quarter. Valladarian forward, Santiago Mina, using his size and strength, to drive the ball into the Gimian zone. He feigns to the right and veers to the left, dribbling the ball towards the net and doing a layup. He puts the ball into the net, and the Valladarians are leading 48-46."

Camera switches to Gimians attacking within the Valladarian zone.

"3rd quarter. Valladares leading 56-51. Ban Yeong Hoon feigns dribbling the ball towards the left, then turns right, drives into the net, and finds Seo Oh Min open for an alley-oop.(0:37-0:43) Gim only down 56-53."

Camera switches to Valladarian players attacking within the Gimian zone.

"4th quarter. Valladares leading 69-61. Freddy Pelletier drives the ball towards the right of the Gimian zone, despite being fiercely pushed by Gimian defensemen. He passes to a 7'1'' George Russell, who makes a slam dunk, earning the team two points: 71-61."

Camera switches to the Valladarian crowd giving a round of applause and raising their hands.

"Valladares takes Game 1 of the Round of 16 series with a score of 73-64. Crowd is fiercely applauding and cheering on their team's first victory, as the Gimian players exit to the dressing room silently."

[Saint Kanye]

THE KARDASHIA KIBITZER

IBC 19 PLAYOFFS: SURGE TAKE SERIES LEAD, DEFEAT HORNEROS 85-72

by Ray Wright

CAMPO GRANDE - "We've come a long way, baby".

These were the words spoken by St. Kanye Surge team co-captain Darren Overton during a press conference yesterday, a day after crushing Pinoyistan 87-53 and entering the Round of 16 of the International Basketball Championships 19.

The Surge, taking the seventh seed, is one of only two upstart teams to enter the playoff stage of the tournament, the other being #14 Gim, who lost 64-73 to #3 seed, hosts Valladares. The result was different for the purple and lime, though - they took down the tenth seed Nueva Andalusia Horneros 85-72, led the best-of-three series 1-0, and now have a chance to close out the series and barge into the quarterfinals.

Overton led all scorers with 20 points; he also had five rebounds, two blocks, an assist and a steal. Marco Peirera was the highest pointer for the Horneros, with 19 and three each of rebounds, assists and steals.

Frederic Trichet scored St. Kanye's first points in an international playoff with a left-side fadeaway three. The Surge never trailed in the first quarter, taking it by a slim margin, 25-22. The Horneros would catch up and make the game tight in the second, with Francisco Aguirre and Federico Rojas taking up most of the scoring load, but they would still trail at halftime, 40-39. Marc Stevens' entry exactly halfway through the third would pave the way for a Surge scoring run that would slowly make the game drift away from the Horneros. His nine points during this quarter helped make the Kanyean lead grow, 64-54.

The beginning of the fourth provided a brief glimmer of hope for Nueva Andalusia. Peirera and Javier Medina hit back-to-back threes that shrank the lead to four, 64-60. But the Surge D forced several turnovers during the next few sequences and took control once more, 77-65 off a floater by Cedric Philips with 4:30 remaining. The Horneros could not make the game closer and simply settled for trading baskets with the Surge. Guard Alvaro Quiroga tried to give his team a last-second basket, but his shot was blocked from behind by Adrian Page.

"True to our name, we're surging right now", said St. Kanye co-captain James Blackwell. "If we keep playing like this, we can finish this series now and get even further in this competition".

"We watched a lot of game tapes of our opponent yesterday, so we know how to get ready for their guys. They had to switch their formations around during the second half, because it looked like we were getting able to get past their defense, as well as stop their offense", said coach Paulie Brewster.

Kanyean presence at Coliseo de Oriente stadium is at 3,812, or only those who in advance bought playoff tickets in Valladares, and those who have just arrived and have enough money on hand to do so.

All of St. Kanye's games in the International Basketball Championships will be broadcast live on SKYNET (Saint KanYe NETwork) Sports Channel 12 and online at http://www.skynet.stk/12-sports/ibc-19. IBC fan stories can be submitted at http://www.the-kardashia-kibitzer.stk/ibc/fan-stories. We will notify you via email if your story has been selected for publication.

Next uniform: White. Odds against Nueva Andalusia, Favorites, 60-40.

Scores:

ST. KANYE 85 - Overton 20, Stevens 12, Blackwell 11, Forrest 10, Trichet 9, Philips 6, Page 4, Gatson 3, Larsson 3, Warner 3, Morrigan 2, Smith 2.

NUEVA ANDALUSIA 72 - Peirera 19, Rojas 12, Aguirre 11, Medina 7, Herrera 6, Benitez 4, Fernandez 4, Navarro 4, Quiroga 2, Rivas 2, Perez 1.

Quarters: 25-22, 40-39, 64-54, 85-72.

[Abanhfleft]

Canalave Iconic Arena
Canalave, Valladares

"Where's Leo?" Abdul Halim bin Osman, coach of the Abanhfleft men's national basketball team, asked as he inspected his team coming into their assigned locker room in the Canalave Iconic Arena.

"Still no sign of him, coach," Dylan Kapowski replied. It had been three days since Osman had told Leonidas Baxter, arguably Abanhfleft's best point guard in the competition, to take a rest after receiving a mysterious phone call from an unknown caller who had told him that he had been caught up in a plot against fellow basketball players from other countries.

"He's probably banging Alex everywhere they could," Newton Isaacs muttered as a half-hearted suggestion. It had happened before, Leo calling his girlfriend Alexandra Rousseau over to the Royal Kingdom of Quebec for a few nights of debauchery after managing to get past San Llera in the knockout stages. It was also the same time that Leo had been involved in a supposed relationship with Ko-oren point guard Juliet Shillington, and while there was nothing true about that, it had consumed the rumor mill in Abanhfleft fully.

"Never mind Leo," Jan Harris said. "Since we're playing against the elves, he's not really needed, is he?" Leo Baxter had a bit of a reputation of underperforming against teams with bigger players, at least on the international stage. Back in the FBA Leo ate players six feet and higher for breakfast.

"Yes, indeed," Osman said. "I'll just put him down as suffering a bit of a flu, and then we're all set."

The Fleftics had practiced their game plan against Valanora day in and day out in the days that they had been allowed to train. And all that training paid off, and pay off well they did. Osman's strategy had been to unleash Abanhfleft's big men on the elves, which included the naturalized Argentine center Damian Gonzalez, Kevin Wydeman and Wayne Terra. The elves, who had been expecting to go up against the comparatively tiny "original" starting five of Abanhfleft, were not expecting the big men to have a big role from the start, and that was what cost them.

Strength and running drills were what they did in training, and they paid off in dividends. Abanhfleft surged to an early 20-6 lead in the first quarter, which came about from an unanswered 15-0 scoring run after the lead had alternated in the first few minutes of the game. Once the second quarter started at 23-8, Abanhfleft never looked back. The elves were left behind in the dust, and the final score was a very unflattering 90-56. Damian Gonzalez was the man of the match with 30 points, 6 assists, 9 offensive rebounds and 6 defensive rebounds, 3 blocks and a steal to round it all up. Overall, a good game for the Rebolusyonaryos.

No one even noticed that Leo Baxter was not present from the game, not even the most avid Fleftic basketball fans.

[The Andromeda Islands]

Andromeda vs. Nova Anglicana
Abbey Court
Carloburgo, Valladares
Wednesday, August 1
9:30 pm

The contest between The Andromeda Eagles and Lions of Nova Anglicana has been close throughout. It has also been tough throughout. Ibrahim Mbaraza, the Nova Anglican Center, fouled out with about three minutes left. With Smooth Walker out since the Group Stage, it was Dan Stuckey’s job to neutralize Mbaraza. Within a few seconds of Mbaraza fouling out, Stuckey also fouled out.

Aside from Stuckey and Tommy Egan, most of the Eagles avoided foul trouble. Egan and Anglican forward Cody Lewis had some heated exchanges, but Egan kept his famous temper in check.

There are 40 seconds in the game. Egan has just fouled out. The Andromeda lineup: PJ Hardwick and Fawn Hopkins are in the front court. Helena Press replaced Tommy Egan. Becky Westchester and Kenny Hurley are in the back court. The Eagles lead is cut to 73-72 as reserve Anglican Guard Ben Ryan makes his first free throw. Both teams are in the bonus.

Ryan makes his second shot. The game is tied. Hurley passes the ball in to Westchester. Westchester surveys the court. Hurley is being double teamed. He’s made three of four from behind the arc. Press is open. Westchester, unable to get it to Hurley, dumps it down to Press. Press shoots a hook shot over Cameron Fisher. It bounces off of the rim, but Fawn Hopkins tips it in, drawing a foul in the process.

ANNOUNCER: Foul. Lions. Number 25 Cody Lewis. His fifth.

Lewis fouls out. Hopkins is at the line, hoping to put the cherry on top of a three point play. She has 9 rebounds to go with 12 points, all of which she earned in the second half.

Hopkins makes her foul shot. The Eagles are up 76-73.

ANNOUNCER: Time out. Nova Anglicana!

There are ten seconds on the clock. Coach Gooden talks to his players.

GOODEN: We’re playing the prevent now. If they score two, we still win, so we need to double team the guards. They can get two, but they don’t get three.

WESTCHESTER: PJ, you help me w/Ben Ryan. Ken & Press, you pick up Martin. And Hopkins... do what you can.

Hopkins nods. The Eagles return to the court. Jean Peltier goes to the side line but sees that the guards are double-teamed. He lobs the ball into Cameron Fisher. Fisher looks for an open guard behind the arc.

Fisher reluctantly shoots a short jumper with six seconds left. The ball bounces off the back of the rim. Fawn Hopkins gets her 10th rebound and cradles the ball. She looks up at the clock.

4... 3... 2... 1...

The crowd cheers as the horn sounds. The Andromeda Eagles have just upset the previously undefeated Lions of Nova Anglicana.

FINAL SCORE: Andromeda 76-73 Nova Anglicana

----------

PLAYER OF THE GAME

32 F Fawn Hopkins

Age: 24
Team: Olympia Lady Monarchs
Height: 6’6”
2035 Stats: 18.2 ppg, 12.0 rpg

After playing four years at the University of Olympia, Lafawndah Hopkins made an immediate impact for the Lady Monarchs, helping them to their best record in franchise history. She also led the WASBA in rebounds this season.

Hopkins played both basketball and volleyball at the collegiate level. She holds the career scoring record for female basketball players at the University of Olympia.

[Valladares]

Will the 8 Game 1 winners confirm their tickets to the Quarterfinals with a win tonight? Or will their rivals be able to extend the drama for one more game? The answers to this questions will be released after this cutoff.

---

International Basketball Championships 19 - Round of 16 Game 2

Flardania 56–78 Ko-oren (Ko-oren wins series 2-0)

Semarland 88–69 Royal Kingdom of Quebec (Series tied, 1-1)

Vaugania 63–77 Electrum (Series tied, 1-1)

Valanora 81–58 Abanhfleft (Series tied, 1-1)

The Andromeda Islands 77–77 Nova Anglicana (97–89 OT) (The Andromeda Islands wins series 2-0)

Nueva Andalusia 62–70 Saint Kanye (Saint Kanye wins series 2-0)

Gim 82–82 Valladares (103–98 OT) (Series tied, 1-1)

Vangaziland 78–77 Cosumar (Vangaziland wins series 2-0)

[Saint Kanye]

THE KARDASHIA KIBITZER

IBC 19 PLAYOFFS: SURGE QF-BOUND WITH VICTORY OVER HORNEROS

by Dante Dinkley

CAMPO GRANDE - The St. Kanye Surge prolong their International Basketball Championships campaign by edging out the Nueva Andalusia Horneros 70-62, joining fellow Round of 16 series sweepers top-ranked and -seeded Ko-oren Dragonflies, elimination round groupmate The Andromeda Islands Eagles, and defending-champs-vanquishers Vangaziland Royals as the first four nations to grab seats to the quarterfinal round. These three other teams sent packing the Flardania Lightspeed, the Nova Anglicana Lions and the Cosumar Stallions respectively.

James Blackwell topscored for the Surge with 13 points, in addition to four assists, a rebound and a steal. For the Horneros, it was Francisco Aguirre, with 15 points, three assists and two steals.

Nueva Andalusia's Marcelino Navarro won the opening tip, and the Horneros scored the game's first six points before Darren Overton made a putback off a miss by Frederic Trichet. The Horneros, not wanting to go quietly into the night after that thirteen-point loss yesterday, outplayed their opponents in the first quarter, 23-16, but a high-scoring second quarter by the Surge, highlighted by baskets off steals by Blackwell and Cedric Philips, turned the tables, 40-35 St. Kanye.

A brief altercation between Navarro and Forrest would send the latter to the bench for the last 8:47 of the third. Lester Smith took over and outplayed the Nueva Andalusian center, putting on what may be the best game of his international career by making all of his dozen points here, helping the Kanyeans outscore their opponents once again, 59-48 in favor of the Surge.

It looked like the Horneros defense finally wisened up in the fourth quarter, as they were able to limit the Surge to just 2/10 baskets for the first five minutes of it. But then coach Paulie Brewster brought back the bench that showed their worth in the Pinoyistan game, and they would be the ones doing the stopping, preventing the Horneros from making any baskets (but allowing them two of seven free throws) to turn a slim 63-60 lead at 5:03 to a 70-62 win at the buzzer for the Glorious Free Republic.

"We've gone to the next level once again. Only the best teams will be remaining, and that means that the competition is going to get tougher. That would require more effort on our part, but the benefits will be sweet", remarked Coach Brewster.

"Great debut for us so far. We're making a name for newbie teams and breaking others' expectations that we'd get this far", added Trichet. "Now, whoever lies ahead, we have to get ready." The Surge have the whole of tomorrow to themselves, since a sweep meant that they didn't have to play a deciding Game 3 then.

Today's game only showed a slight increase in the number of Kanyeans at Coliseo de Oriente, which was at 3,922, with many others scrambling to buy their way to the quarterfinals at Valladar ticket agents to show their support for the purple and lime. The Surge's next opponents, venue, and in effect uniforms and odds are not yet determined as of now.

All of St. Kanye's games in the International Basketball Championships will be broadcast live on SKYNET (Saint KanYe NETwork) Sports Channel 12 and online at http://www.skynet.stk/12-sports/ibc-19. IBC fan stories can be submitted at http://www.the-kardashia-kibitzer.stk/ibc/fan-stories. We will notify you via email if your story has been selected for publication.

Scores:

ST. KANYE 70 - Blackwell 13, Smith 12, Trichet 10, Overton 7, Stevens 5, Forrest 4, Morrigan 4, Philips 4, Warner 4, Larsson 3, Gatson 2, Page 2..

NUEVA ANDALUSIA 62 - Aguirre 15, Peirera 9, Navarro 7, Medina 6, Rojas 6, Fernandez 4, Quiroga 4, Perez 4, Rivas 3, Benitez 2, Herrera 2.

Quarters: 16-23, 40-35, 59-48, 70-62.

[The Andromeda Islands]

Andromeda News Network
IBC Coverage
Andromeda vs. Nova Anglicana - Post Game
Abbey Court - Carloburgo, Valladares
Friday, August 3
11:30 pm

Rose Jackson, ANN’s IBC Correspondent, stands inside of Abbey Court with Kenny Hurley after the game. The Andromeda Eagles have just won an overtime victory over the Lions of Nova Anglicana, advancing to the IBC Quarterfinals.

JACKSON: Just a few minutes ago, the Eagles won a thrilling overtime victory over Nova Anglicana. I’m here with Kenny Hurley, the game MVP. Did you think the Eagles would be here?

HURLEY: About two weeks ago, we were just hoping to make the IBC Playoffs. At that point, we decided to treat every game as if there’s no tomorrow.

Highlights show up on the screen.

JACKSON: Let’s look at the end of regulation. It was tied at 77. Becky Winchester drives to the basket. What was going on?

HURLEY: We didn’t think they’d expect Becky to drive to the basket. She averages more assists than points. We figured the D would be least focused on her, but she ran into a wall.

JACKSON: And you lit it up in OT. 25 points. 8 for 14 for the night. 15 of those points were in overtime.

HURLEY: It was a case of which one of us would be hot at the right time. Dan Stuckey and Smooth Walker were doing their part in the paint. Someone needed to do it outside. It was a team effort.

Cut back to Jackson and Hurley.

JACKSON: Basketball prognosticators predicted a sweep in this series. They didn’t get quite what they expected.

HURLEY: We were placed in a pretty tough group. Group D was like the Group of Death. I wouldn’t be surprised if we faced St. Kanye in the Quarterfinal series. That would be a series to see, but for now, many of us will explore Carloburgo this weekend.

JACKSON: Let’s look at the rest of the IBC Field.

A graphic comes up on the screen.

JACKSON: Perennial contender Ko-oren advances. Valladares...

Jackson waits to hear the result in her ear piece.

JACKSON: Gim upsets Valladares in overtime, sending that series to a Sunday finale’. Electrum also tied their series tonight. Among the games tomorrow are St. Kanye, who will play to sweep the New Andalusian. Cosumar, the defending Champions will look to tie their series with Vangazialand. Those are among the Saturday games here in Valladares.

The camera angle changes.

Starting tomorrow, the Andromeda News Network will show all of the games live as they happen. Basketball fans in the Andromeda Islands can experience ALL of the IBC action HERE on the Andromeda News Network. Rose Jackson, ANN Sports.

FINAL SCORE: Andromeda 97-89 Nova Anglicana in overtime

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PLAYER OF THE GAME

40 G Kenny Hurley

Age: 30
Team: Beta City Barons
Height: 6’1”
ASBA Stats: 13.3 ppg, 3.9 apg

In his eight ASBA seasons, Michael Kenneth Hurley has played for all four teams in the Portsmouth Metro Area. Hurley has spent the last four years with the Beta City Barons, winning the last two ASBA Championships with the Barons.

Hurley played basketball for four seasons at the University of East Portsmouth, earning a degree in Business Administration.

[Vangaziland]

The Vangaziland Royals have shown that their win against #3 ranked Cosumar was no fluke, by taking the series 2-0. Vangaziland has been on a roll lately, finding their offensive rhythm and keeping opposing teams at bay. This is the nation's first playoff appearance since competing in the IBC.

The series victory adds to an excellent group stage where they beat the #5 team and posted one of the best 'Point Differentials' in the tournament. The Royals have been consistent in their play and in their attitude.

"I keep telling the guys to push harder", coach Tomasson said after the latest victory. "One more game, then one more game, and so on."

Lonnie Knucks ended up playing more minutes than starter Frank Hurcle.

"There was a bit of a mismatch. Cosumar's starting center was 6'11 and not as bulky as Lonnie. Our centers have been top notch this season", the head coach added.

Knucks ended up finding a groove and showcasing his low post repertoire. The bank shot proved to be his friend, as he shot 8 for 12 and added 6 free throws for a total of 22 points. He added 7 rebounds and picked up 3 assists, mainly dishing it from the post to a corner for three.

"I had a good game", Lonnie said. "I think Cosumar was just a little too aggressive out there on offense. We got back a little faster. Our passes weren't too troubled. But this was the toughest team I've ever played. I fought really hard for this win, so did everyone else. They came at us, shot for shot."

"This comes down to hard work", said assistant coach Kate Foyelson. "We've tried hard every game and will continue to. If Vangaziland is known for anything, it better be our work ethic."

Kate drew up the last play with Vangaziland down by one with 13 seconds on the clock. A timeout advanced the ball up the court.

Yulssen looked to inbound to either Handsen or Fulborg. The two circled each other until Fulborg set a pick leaving Handsen to dart to a position just inside the three point line. Ironwrought was playing the post and Knucks had drawn the opposing center to the other side of the court.

Yulssen threw a bullet that lead the shooting guard perfectly, leading to a catch and release shot that hit with a swish which could be heard through a tense moment of silence, followed by the crowd's eruption.

Handsen scored 17 points, including that game winner.

"Sure, it boils down to luck" he said, "But it also comes down to our play style and execution. We're aggressive, but play a little defense." The shooting guard had 3 steals.

The team's starting point guard, Hectare Yulssen, also spoke on his team's performance. "My goal is just to run plays. The ball has to move and so do the players. A good deal of our game is positioning. I have a solid roster that knows how to use their body and understands angle of attack and how to get open. It's not as simple as blind luck."

Christopher Ironwrought was interviewed following the game as well. "I have to admit. We are exhausted. It won't be easy to beat another team like this. But we'll give it our all."

Saint Kanye, Andromeda and Ko-oren have also advanced by going 2-0.

"Any team from here on out is going to be tough and talented", said coach Tomasson.

[Gim]

"Watchers of WATV 8 News, this is the end of our current affairs news. We will now turn you towards WATV Sports."


Camera switches to WATV Sports with Anchorwoman Jo Jin Ri standing in the center of the WATV Sports platform.


Jo Jin Ri speaks:

"Hello, I'm Jo Jin Ri for WATV Sports. The Round of 16 of the International Basketball Championship has begun with our Gimian players playing against the host team, Valladares. Valladares managed to earn a victory in the first game; however, they need to win two in a row to win the series to advance to the Quarterfinals. This is a must-win situation for Gim. More pressure for the Gimians is expected to be brought to them in tonight's game. Let's find out how they did!"

Camera switches to an aerial view of Coliseo Mayor de Valladares in Metropolis.

"Gim looking to tie the series at one in tonight's game. First quarter. Score tied at 26. Byun Do Won dribbles the ball into the Valladarian zone. He feigns stopping in front of just outside the Valladarian zone, luring the Valladarian defensemen deep into their zone to come out to try and block his three-pointer attempt. However, Byun veers to the left and drives into the net, scoring a layup.(0:00-0:06) Gim takes a small lead 28-26."

Camera switches to Valladarians attacking in the Gimian zone.

"2nd quarter. Valladares leading 47-43. Valladarian shooting guard, Cássio Freire, dribbles into the Gimian zone and passes to an open George Russell, who drives towards the net, attempting a slam dunk. However, he is rejected by Gimian point guard, Seo Oh Min!(0:05-0:14) What a jump to block a 7'1'' giant from scoring those two points! Gim still maintaining the four-point score difference."

Camera switches to Valladarians attacking in the Gimian zone.

"3rd quarter. Valladares leading 65-55. Gimians caught on a two-on-one. Freddy Pelletier moving into the right side of the Gimian zone. He passes the ball towards the left to an open Santiago Mina. Mina tries to tip in the ball. Gimian shooting guard, Joo Sang Won, denies him by sprinting towards the net and jumping to block the ball from hitting the rim!(0:20-0:29) Another crucial block by the Gimians. Still 65-55."

Camera switches to Gimians attacking in the Valladarian zone.

"4th quarter. Valladares leading 82-79. Only thirteen seconds to go in the regulation. Valladares takes possession of the ball, as point guard Marco Riva dribbles the ball towards the left just outside of the center line. He attempts a long pass, but he is intercepted by Byun Do Won. Byun dribbles the ball with four seconds to go and, just outside the Valladarian zone, attempts a three-pointer. The ball is in the net!(0:20-0:27) Gim ties the game at 82 with one second to go in the fourth quarter. We are going to overtime!

Camera switches to Gimians attacking in the Valladarian zone.

[i]"Overtime. It looks as if the game might go to a second overtime, but we'll see. Byun Do Won dribbles the ball towards the Valladarian zone with fifty seconds left in overtime. The game is tied 98-98. He feigns a three-point attempts and drives the ball.He shoots from near the net, and scores!(0:14-0:20) 100-98. Gim having a slight lead. This might be the game winner here. Crucial point right there."

Camera switches to Gimian players celebrating a win to tie the Round of 16 series.

"Gim wins 103-98 in overtime to tie the series at one in the Round of 16. Byun with forty-two points tonight, followed by Seo Oh Min with twenty-six. A much-needed win for the team, and we'll see you tomorrow night for do-or-die Game 3 of the Round of 16."

[Saint Kanye]

THE KARDASHIA KIBITZER

12 FUN WAYS TO SCORE, BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE ST. KANYE SURGE

by Justine Rochambeau

Guest Contributor

Top 10 countdowns are common in sports, to show the best performances of a certain player or team or occurring in a certain period of time. Now, the St. Kanye Surge has twelve members, and it would certainly be unfair if two were to be left out, and that's assuming no player enters the list more than once. So in place of this, I shall be listing the best shot (in my opinion) by each of the boys in purple and lime, but to keep the feel of the countdown, it will be done by decreasing jersey number.

#50 - Lester Smith

Smith lit the Nueva Andalusia Horneros for twelve points during Game 2 of their Round of 16 series. For me, the best of the five shots (three twos, two threes) he made is the three-pointer with 4:27 left in the third, when he was trying to get a close shot but found himself guarded by Horneros Marcelino Navarro and Marco Pereira, so he threw the ball to Cedric Philips, ran to the three-point line to shake off Navarro and Pereira, got the ball back, and launched. 53-44 Surge.

#40 - James Blackwell

Another long bomb, this time from Jimmy B, three-point specialist, from the Surge's first international win. He scored ten in the final quarter and finished with sixteen. Jimmy was unable to get past the defense of San Jose Guayabal's backup shooting guard and no one else was open, so he was "forced" (I don't think so, he sometimes does this at will) to throw up a shot from a full two feet past the line. 78-65 Surge, 1:43 left in the fourth.

#34 - Bryan Warner

Warner played big against the Drawkland Net Corp's bigs. Score was tied at 69 with 1:56 left in the game. Jimmy had the ball, but were bothered by two woman defenders, Mary Herriford and Autumn Trallen. Bryan was open, and asking for it. So Jimmy bounced the ball to him, and Bryan drove, but Drawkian center Gerald Madison blocked his path and accidentally hit him as he was shooting. Foul, white, double zero. Uproar from the crowd. This three-point play put the Surge up 72-69 and led to the win that put their playoffs chances up.

#30 - Frederic Trichet

Trick Shot has many of his namesake shots, but my absolute favorite has to be from the Drawkland game, where he scored fifteen. He spun past 7'5" Hailey Rider to get closer to the basket, but Rider wouldn't be taken for a fool and caught up. So Trichet simply jumped up before she did and slammed the ball in, and the score was 53-all, 2:35 left in the third.

#24 - Billy Forrest

Forrest had a baker's dozen points in the nine-point shocker against The Andromeda Islands Eagles. A quick high pass from Philips gave him the ball, and before his Andromedan counterpart Dan Stuckey could react, Forrest had already pushed him back, and with his left (read: non-dominant) hand, dunked the ball nearly in Stuckey's face. Score tied at 11, 6:36 left in the first.

#23 - Adrian Page

Page has a lot of potential, but not a lot of playing time. But Coach Brewster gave him his big break, along with the other subs, during the last game of the elimination round, the make-or-break versus Pinoyistan. Page's moment came in the second quarter. 5:57 left in the second. He ran past three Pinoyistanis as if he was a shoplifter escaping from mall security, then cradled the ball as if he was a father with his newborn (fitting analogy, since this is the game where a baby was born in the stands), then slammed the ball as if it was an enemy's head he was bashing on a rock. 36-12 Surge.

#22 - Darren Overton

One-half of the "Darr Devils", a nickname given by almost-namesake Darrell Gatson, scored a score (that's twenty, folks) during the first game of the Round of 16 against Nueva Andalusia. It was a close game halfway, then the Surge pulled away. 7:27 left in the third. Overton powered his way past Pereira, and then snuck a shot past Paolo Fernandez's armpit to give them the lead back, 46-45 Surge.

#17 - Darrell Gatson

The other "Darr Devil" showed his worth also in the Pinoyistan game, where he was tied as the highest pointer. The Pinoyistanis seemed very frustrated at how they couldn't stop this scoring point guard from getting shots for himself and for his cohorts. Attempting a three, Gatson was lashed at by the Pinoyistani power forward. He fell, but didn't break. Meanwhile, the ball rolled around the rim before falling, then went in. Four-point play, 55-33 Surge, 7:08 left in third.

#13 - Mikael Larsson

The huge basket that shot the Eagles down was made by none other than Mikael Larsson. After that missed unguarded layup by Andromedan Thomas "Mister" Anderson that could have cut the lead to two and increased their chances of winning, the Surge has the ball back. No one was expecting a three here, since it's too risky. Larsson was fired up, seemed to believe in himself and still took a fadeaway, which pushed the Kanyeans' lead to seven, 77-70, with only a minute remaining.

#8 - Jason Morrigan

Down to the last three now. J-Mo showed that he can do a lot in a game when he's not tired. We go back to the Pinoyistan game. After Gatson's four-point play. the Pinoyistanis took a timeout. Morrigan was brought in after that. He lumbered past the opponents' defense, but the Pinoyistani center defended well. Jason fell down in a sitting position as he was attempting to shoot, and his right shoe came off. No contact, no foul, however. Okay, erase "well" from "defended well", since Morrigan made the sitting shot, the first two of his seven. 57-33 Surge, 6:24 left in the third.

#6 - Cedric Philips

This sequence happened after a Kanyean miss, which was right after Andromedan center Stuckey was benched in the second after his two fouls. The Eagles have the ball and were leading by five. Kenny Hurley was trying to find a good position to shoot, but just as he found it, Chill Phil appeared in front of him and snatched the ball, then ran to the Surge's end of the floor, seemingly unguarded, but Becky Westchester caught up. Cedric didn't care and evaded her for two points, 31-34 Eagles, 8:01 remaining in the second.

#1 - Marc Stevens

Marc was the other highest pointer in the Pinoyistan game; both he and Gatson had fourteen. Marc's first two of these fourteen came with 8:33 remaining in the second. He was triple-teamed by both Pinoyistani guards and their small forward, so he handed the ball to Gatson, who missed. Page grabbed the rebound and passed back to Stevens, who has now shaken off two of his defenders, leaving the SF. One misstep, and the SF was also left in the dust as Stevens dribbled free to the basket and gave St. Kanye a 30-7 lead.

I hope you enjoyed my list. See you in the quarterfinals! Go Surge!

Justine Rochambeau, 18, is an English Literature freshman at Jalton Tech. He lives with his father, stepmother, stepsister, half-sister and pet goldfish, Festus. His interests include basketball, reading and writing stories, and Call of Duty.

All of St. Kanye's games in the International Basketball Championships will be broadcast live on SKYNET (Saint KanYe NETwork) Sports Channel 12 and online at http://www.skynet.stk/12-sports/ibc-19. IBC fan stories can be submitted at http://www.the-kardashia-kibitzer.stk/ibc/fan-stories. We will notify you via email if your story has been selected for publication.

[Valladares]

Because it's better late than never, this is your RP cutoff for the decisive Game 3 of the Round of 16.

International Basketball Championships 19 - Round of 16 Game 3

Royal Kingdom of Quebec 73–67 Semarland (Royal Kingdom of Quebec wins series 2-1)

Electrum 76–67 Vaugania (Electrum wins series 2-1)

Abanhfleft 91–79 Valanora (Abanhfleft wins series 2-1)

Valladares 74–72 Gim (Valladares wins series 2-1)

Quarterfinals (All series played to the best of three)

QF1: (#1) Ko-oren vs. The Andromeda Islands (#16) @ Coliseo Iván Quiroz, Pradera
QF2: (#5) Abanhfleft vs. Saint Kanye (#7) @ Arena Foix, Bezieres
QF3: (#3) Valladares vs. Vangaziland (#12) @ Slateport Arena, Slateport
QF4: (#4) Electrum vs. Royal Kingdom of Quebec (#8) @ Canalave Iconic Arena, Canalave

[Saint Kanye]

THE KARDASHIA KIBITZER

IBC 19 PLAYOFFS: IT'S ST. KANYE VS ABANHFLEFT IN QF ROUND

by Claude Harlan

BEZIERES - The Abanhfleft Rebolusyonaryos defeated Valanora in a do-or-die International Basketball Championships 19 Round of 16 game, 91-79, at Arena Foix. They will return here tomorrow to face the streaking first-timers St. Kanye Surge, who swept the Nueva Andalusia Horneros yesterday. The Surge are once again the underdogs. Abanhfleft has the disadvantage in height with their tallest player, Damian Gonzalez, being only 6'8", and none of their starters even reaching six, but this consumerist state is ranked fifth, with lots of experience in world basketball. They reached the semis in IBC 18, but faltered against the Ko-oren Dragonflies, who were subsequently defeated by the Cosumar Stallions in a finals series that reached the full five games.

The Rebolusyonaryos are captained by point guard Leonidas "Leo" Baxter, who despite being just five-foot-seven has shown that he can match up with other, taller point guards in the IBC. His Kanyean counterpart Cedric Philips should be able to beat him, if not with his height, with his speed and playmaking abilities. Baxter has the upper hand in scoring ability, however, but "Chill Phil" has scoring machines James Blackwell (SG) and Frederic Trichet (SF) and big men Darren Overton (PF) and Billy Forrest (C) backing him up. Baxter is joined in the Fleftic first five by co-captain Newton "Newt" Isaacs (PF), Dylan Kapowski (C), Boris Barry (SF) and Jan Harris (SG).

I know we're bigger, but height shouldn't be our only weapon", said Surge coach Paulie Brewster. "That is not how we won games at all, but with our explosive offense and tight defense, but I'll say that height definitely provides some help." He added, "Fleftics are avid basketball fans. This will be a big game with a big crowd, considering that our fellow Kanyeans are also keen on giving us their support, and so my boys should be energized as well." The Surge will wear white.

UBetcha.stk, the Kanyean gambling website, has once again come up with odds for the quarters matchups, placing St. Kanye's chances at 34-66, or about half the Rebolusyonaryos' chances. The other games are between the Ko-oren Dragonflies and The Andromeda Islands Eagles at Coliseo Iván Quiroz, Pradera, hosts Valladares and the Vangaziland Royals at Slateport Arena, Slateport, as well as Electrum versus the Royal Kingdom of Quebec Grim Reapers at Canalave Iconic Arena, Canalave.

All of St. Kanye's games in the International Basketball Championships will be broadcast live on SKYNET (Saint KanYe NETwork) Sports Channel 12 and online at http://www.skynet.stk/12-sports/ibc-19. IBC fan stories can be submitted at http://www.the-kardashia-kibitzer.stk/ibc/fan-stories. We will notify you via email if your story has been selected for publication.

[Vangaziland]

Tonight's Vannish basketball news relates to the Collegiate Womens Basketball Association championship. Overglade University defended its title against The University of Blue Coast.

Overglade is known for being a top school both academically and scholastically. Many of the school's graduates go on to play professionally, both men and women. Women's Pro basketball is growing rapidly and recently, some excellent female players have been discovered.

Sarah Overson is this year's top Overglade product. She is a 6'4" guard with a capable handle and a deadly shot. Sarah is a floor general when she runs the point, with a knack for setting up plays on the fly. She's very vocal and is a true leader on and off the court.

Overson finished her 18 months of mandatory military service last summer. She had a brief stint fueling fighter jets in the Vannish Air Force.

"I enjoyed the military", she said. "I look up to the professionals who choose that life and who live it every day. If this basketball thing doesn't work out, I could find myself back in the Air Force."

Overson is set to graduate this spring with a degree in commerce-marketing. The blue chip prospect knows how to market herself. Scouts from the Vangaziland Royals national basketball team showed up to watch her play in the championship.

She did not disappoint and gathered up a double-double. The 23 year-old senior scored 19, grabbed 7 rebounds and had 10 assists. The performance led to another win for Overglade, one more banner on the wall and a new cup to display.

"My time was split pretty evenly between point guard and shooting guard tonight." Overson spoke in a post-game conference. "It helped my total for sure."

Overson had free reign to showcase her talents at the expense of Blue Coast.

"When Sarah runs the point, she finds every open player. Put her in the four guard spot and she hits shots and grabs loose rebounds. She's a fighter." Kate Foyelson, the team's head coach flew in from Valladares where she is currently the Royals' assistant coach. Foyelson may have missed this game if it didn't take place during a lull in international competition. Her assistant, Don Nielssen was standing by ready to take charge.

Overglade defeated Blue Coast 81-75. The winning team looked dominant despite the relatively close score. Blue Coast spent much of the game down by 10 or more points. They made a little run at the end, but it wasn't enough to trouble Overglade.

"The thing we like about Sarah is how well she does against bigger players", Royals scout Matt Patten said about her. "With her quickness and vertical, we think she might be able to play with the national team. Several other nations have talented women and we think Sarah is next."

National team scouts have been watching her since her sophomore year. Increased scouting activity shows she is being highly considered for a spot on the next IBC team. She's a threat to guards like Hendorn or Hensson, who are mostly seen as shooters. The Royals would love another floor general like Yulssen in the form of Overson, who is taller than Hendorn and quicker than Hennson.

"I watched Sarah on television", coach Tim Tomasson said in an interview from Valladares. "I'd love to have a player like her on the team. There's a lot to work with there. Did you see those rebounds?"

She is competing with Wrexish forward Manny Battle for national team consideration. There is the chance both players or even neither player could be picked.

"I'm not thinking about anyone else, or even worrying about playing internationally at this point" Overson continued. She paused for a moment, seeming deep in thought and then added, "Actually it just hit me that my last college game is over. Uh, I'd love to play for the Royals!"

The scouts have flown back to Emeros, Kate has returned to Valladares and Sarah is preparing for the Women's Pro League draft.

[Valladares]

May the quarterfinals begin...with this RP cutoff.

---

International Basketball Championships 19 - Quarterfinals Game 1

Ko-oren 65–66 The Andromeda Islands (The Andromeda Islands leads series 1-0)

Abanhfleft 65–77 Saint Kanye (Saint Kanye leads series 1-0)

Valladares 73–74 Vangaziland (Vangaziland leads series 1-0)

Electrum 74–79 Royal Kingdom of Quebec (Royal Kingdom of Quebec leads series 1-0)

[Saint Kanye]

THE KARDASHIA KIBITZER

IBC 19 PLAYOFFS: SURGE CAPITALIZE ON BAXTER'S ABSENCE, TAKE GAME 1 OF QF VS. ABANHFLEFT

by Ray Wright

BEZIERES - The St. Kanye Surge continue to shock the world of international basketball, this time taking down the little giants, the fifth-seeded and -ranked Abanhfleft Rebolusyonaryos, and claiming the first game of the quarterfinals for themselves. Fleftic captain, point guard Leonidas Baxter, was expected to take the wheel for his team, but he has not yet returned since missing their Round of 16 series with Valanora with the flu.

The Surge used their height advantage to full effect in this battle, with center Billy Forrest and power forward Darren Overton contributing the most (16 and 15 points respectively) to their 77-65 win. 6'8" naturalized player Damian Gonzalez topscored for the Rebolusyonaryos with 14, being used more often than starting center Dylan Kapowski, while Baxter's place as the Rebolusyonaryos' starting point guard was taken by Eldred Rogerson. While taller than his Kanyean counterpart Cedric Philips, he was victim to three of Chill Phil's six steals. The Surge turned thirteen Fleftic turnovers into thirty-one points all in all, and also won the rebounding battle, 52-35.

The Rebolusyonaryos kept the game close in the first twenty minutes by utilizing their taller substitutes and relying on their outside game. They would retreat to the locker rooms trailing by just four, 40-44. The Surge made this lead grow in the third by making both inside and outside shots. There was only one miss for them here, by Overton, but the missed shot was tipped in by Jason Morrigan, who also managed to draw a foul from Fleftic PF Kevin Wydeman in the process, giving them their biggest lead so far at ten, 60-50, 2:41 left. For the fourth, St. Kanye would continue to outscore Abanhfleft, 15-12, including two consecutive dunks, one by Frederic Trichet and one by Forrest.

"We gave the fans at Arena Foix [with 4,072 Kanyeans] a good show", commented Forrest after the win. "We found our opponents' weakness and used it against them. And not just that, we took advantage of the loss of their star [Baxter], who I heard schools six-feet-and-up players on a regular basis. Didn't want that [flu] to happen to him, so I wish him well."

"This team is doing great, getting closer to its goal, the IBC title, everyday", said Coach Paulie Brewster. "It's not impossible, if we believe in ourselves and do our best."

St. Kanye once again faces a chance to sweep a playoffs series and advance, this time to the semifinals. They'll wear purple for the next game, and are now at even odds, 50-50, according to UBetcha.stk. All of St. Kanye's games in the International Basketball Championships will be broadcast live on SKYNET (Saint KanYe NETwork) Sports Channel 12 and online at http://www.skynet.stk/12-sports/ibc-19. IBC fan stories can be submitted at http://www.the-kardashia-kibitzer.stk/ibc/fan-stories. We will notify you via email if your story has been selected for publication.

Meanwhile, the Vangaziland Royals and The Andromeda Islands Eagles also took the lead in their series, winning their games against hosts Valladares and the Ko-oren Dragonflies, respectively, both by one point (66-65 for TAI, 74-73 for the Royals). The Royal Kingdom of Quebec Grim Reapers also won, 79-74, over the team from Electrum.

Scores:

ST. KANYE 77 - Forrest 16, Overton 15, Blackwell 8, Trichet 8, Morrigan 6, Philips 6, Stevens 5, Page 4, Gatson 3, Larsson 2, Smith 2, Warner 2.

ABANHFLEFT 65 - Gonzalez 14, Harris 11, Isaacs 10, Rogerson 7, Barry 6, Jalandoni 4, Kapowski 4, Wydeman 4, Mankiller 3, Taylor 2, Ipatiev 0, Katatonios 0.

Quarters: 24-20, 44-40, 62-53, 77-65.

[The Andromeda Islands]

Andromeda vs. Ko-oren
Coliseo de Ivan Quiroz
Pradera, Valladares
Wednesday, August 8
9:00 pm

The Eagles are up 61-60, but Unionite point guard Amy Janssen will shoot two free throws. Dan Stuckey has just fouled out after trying to stop Shillington from penetrating the front court.

Both teams are now in the double-bonus, and the high level of fouls have caused this game to go into its third hour. In addition to Stuckey fouling out, Tommy Egan and Rita Gomez were ejected mid-way through the 2nd Quarter, in response to the rough play. Smooth Walker had just broken his ankle after banging with Gao Liang in the paint. Fawn Hopkins is also in the locker room after her head collided with a Gao elbow early in the third quarter.

Swish.

After Janssen makes her first free throw, Holly Rosener comes in for Kenny Hurley. The coaches decided to save Hurley in case the game went to overtime. Rosener joins Becky Westchester in the back court while Press, Egan and Shaniqua Watson are in front.

Swish.

The Dragonflies are up 61-62. Westchester passes the ball in to Rosener, who passes it to Press, who is at the top of the key. She shoots a three.

Eagles up 64-62. Janssen passes it in to Buenaventura who passes it into Milton Hayes who sends it in.

One minute left. The game is tied at 64. Westchester looks for an open man. With about 10 seconds left on the shot clock, she passes the ball to Press. Press shoots a hook shot over the taller Hayes.

Swish.

Eagles up 66-64. The Dragonflies call time out. Coach Gooden and his team huddle.

GOODEN: Same ship. Different day. If we go into overtime, more of their key players foul out than ours. We got Kenny waiting on them. If we have to choose, we give up two. WE. DO. NOT. GIVE. UP. THREE. Bring it in!

ALL: Eagles!

Becky Westchester feels a sense of deja vu. As she and the players go out. She covers Janssen while Rosener and Watson cover Buenaventura. Hardwick and Press cover Milton Hayes and one of the two forwards. The other forward passes the ball in. There are 15 seconds left.

Buenaventura dribbles, looking for an open man, but can’t find anyone. As the clock ticks. Buenaventura shoots over Rosener. The ball bounces off the rim. Hayes and Press fight for the rebound. Hayes gets the ball and tries to shoot, but Press slaps his arm in the act of shooting.

OFFICIAL: FOUL. 31. EAGLES.

The clock is reset at 1.1 seconds. The Dragonflies need both free throws for overtime. If Hayes misses the second free throw, there is just enough time for a tip in.

Hayes takes his sweet time to shoot the first shot. It bounces off the front of the rim, but goes in.

Eagles up 66-65.

Hardwick and Press are watching their counterparts. Hayes shoots his second foul shot. It also bounces off of the front of the rim. There is a fight for the rebound. Press finally gets the ball as the horn sounds.

FINAL SCORE: Andromeda 66-65 Ko-oren

----------

PLAYER OF THE GAME

31 F Helena Press

Age: 24
Team: St. Paul Lady Squires
Height: 6’6”
Season Stats: 17.5 ppg, 11.2 rpg, 4.0 bpg

Helena Prezbyndowski has made an immediate impact since joining the Lady Squires. She is one of the few players to successfully match up against Shaniqua Watson, holding her to 18 points in the final game of this year’s WASBA Final.

Helena Press played volleyball and basketball at the University of Joppa. Press graduated from Joppa with a degree in European History.

[Vangaziland]

Vangaziland and Valladares entered this tournament ranked closely at 42 and 49 respectively. Valladares came into this leg of the tournament after an excellent group stage and after defeating Gim in a series. Game 1 turned out to be another close match up for the Royals, again going down to the wire.

"It's not necessarily in our game plan to keep things so close", said point guard Hectare Yulssen. "But late game closing is something we've been doing well. Ideally we'd like a bit of a cushion. But we are playing the best teams in the world."

Yulssen dished out 8 assists and scored 15 points. He added 5 rebounds, a block and a steal. Christopher Ironwrought tied him as the leading Vannish scorer, also with 15 points. The forward grabbed 7 rebounds, 4 assists and a block. Ironwrought started for the first time in this tournament, in a move that was probably used to change up their tactics.

Tonight's game saw a lot of movement and distribution, as several of the team's players scored between 7-9 points.

"We didn't play like we have been. Normally we have two or three big scorers. Tonight was about sharing the ball and finding that open look", Tim Tomasson said in an interview.

Of course, some would say that Ironwrought or maybe some of the shooting guards could have had a bigger night. Vangaziland missed a decent amount of shots that could have given them a more comfortable win.

"Gameplan versus fate, you ask? It was our plan to pass the ball around more. Even though Chris picked up a good deal of points, we weren't forcing the ball into his hands", Kate Foyelson said. "Not that we usually force the ball. We just looked at different opportunities."

Several of the Vannish players also picked up 4 or more assists. It was less of a point guard driven affair, with Yulssen passing to others who picked up assists for themselves.

"The offense still ran through me", Hectare said. "But we made that extra pass tonight. The coaches, Jon (team captain) and I all talked about this in practice. We felt like Valladares was planning for us and we needed to switch it up."

Vangaziland was down by 5 with two minutes to go. Frank Hurcle drew defenders into the post and passed out to Tom Gravu for a corner three. The Royals pressed the opposing team down the court and got the rebound.

It was Hectare Yulssen who dribbled forward, caught his man on a screen and hit the winning step back three, shooting from a diagonal angle.

"It was close out there, again", said Jon Jennsen after the game. "Our guards are doing big things out here nowadays."

[Valladares]

The first semifinalists might be decided tonight. Will your team be one of those? RP cutoff!

---

International Basketball Championships 19 - Quarterfinals Game 2

The Andromeda Islands 68–62 Ko-oren (The Andromeda Islands wins series 2-0)

Saint Kanye 66–81 Abanhfleft (Series tied, 1-1)

Vangaziland 77–68 Valladares (Vangaziland wins series 2-0)

Royal Kingdom of Quebec 66–62 Electrum (Royal Kingdom of Quebec wins series 2-0)

[Vangaziland]

"The thing about winning streaks is that they will probably come to an end." Coach Tim Tomasson spoke to the international sports media after the Royals latest win. "It feels like getting blood drawn, but waiting for that first needle poke."

The comment drew a chuckle or two at the press conference, as someone took a flash photo.

"Of course there is a chance we could keep winning", the coach added.

The Royals have been consistent in their calm demeanor after wins, trying not to jinx what has become a six game winning streak. Vangaziland last lost to Silvacometopeia on Matchday 4.

"It's not that the coach doesn't let us celebrate", said forward Christopher Ironwrought. "We understand that this tournament is about more than that. All these nations are coming together to compete. These are the best players in the world. So to play on this stage, at this level, is a head trip. We are advancing pretty far though. I have to admit I'm excited."

Captain Jon Jennsen also spoke. "Some of the guys are getting nervous about the next step. We didn't expect to make it this far. Depending on whether St. Kanye advances, all that remains are defending top ten teams. It was our professional outlook that got us here. And maybe a little good karma. Nobody wants to ruin that by getting too happy over a win."

The Royals have left celebrating to the fans, who proudly wear Purple and Red to their team's games.

Vangaziland defeated Valladares with a convincing victory in front of a tough home crowd. At the end of the game, while lining up to shake hands, each player thanked the home team for their role in hosting the event.

The Royals stepped up their defense, compared to game 1 in this series. They kept pressure on the ball, sweltering passes and shutting down the lane. They also grabbed a higher percentage of rebounds, especially offensively.

"The big difference between this year and last year is an improved frontcourt", Kate Foyelson said. "Ironwrought and Knucks add an offensive punch. Our bench is deep now."

Of course the humble assistant coach forgot to mention that she was the third new addition to the team. Her late game playcalling has been instrumental in the many late game situations Vangaziland has found itself in. This skill was the reason she was brought in and she has proven her worth.

The Royals await their next draw, where they will find out who they will play in the next leg of the tournament.

[Saint Kanye]

THE KARDASHIA KIBITZER

IBC 19 PLAYOFFS: REBOLUSYONARYOS HALT SURGE STREAK, FORCE QF GAME 3

by Claude Harlan

BEZIERES - The #5 Abanhfleft Rebolusyonaryos may have been felled by the first-timers St. Kanye Surge yesterday, but they're not having any of that today at Arena Foix. They outlasted the Surge 81-66, with Damian Gonzalez once again leading the Fleftic pack with a double-double, 21 points and 11 rebounds. James Blackwell led the Kanyeans, who are hoping to bounce back in the only remaining quarterfinal game of the International Basketball Championships 19, with 12 points. The Andromeda Islands, Royal Kingdom of Quebec and Vangaziland have already advanced.

The Rebolusyonaryos, still without star point guard Leo Baxter, opened the game with a 14-4 run, but would allow the Surge to creep closer for the last 4:42 of the first quarter, which ended 20-15. Slipping down again, 37-25 midway through the second, Coach Paulie Brewster tapped his bench players, who would help lower the Fleftic lead a second time, 45-38. A splendid performance from both Boris Barry (5/5 from the field) and Jan Harris (three three-pointers) made the Rebolusyonaryos pull away in the third, 65-51, and some runs through the fourth (and reserve point guard Eldred Rogerson forcing Cedric Philips to foul out) sealed the Fleftics' revenge, 81-66. This is actually the most a team has won over St. Kanye for the whole tournament, whose only other losses were by one, during the first day of eliminations against Britonisea, and three versus Equestrian States three days later (also their last loss before winning five straight). Both teams who beat them are out of the playoffs.

"Very disappointing. That's back to reality for us - this team is still number five and very powerful. It's do or die. It's back to zero again, and while we went down, we're still not out, and we'll be back to fight with full strength", said Coach Brewster. His players walked away from the court after the game hanging their heads, amidst the 4,112 Kanyeans in attendance, with Adrian Page suffering a wound on the forehead from a Fleftic heckler who threw an empty bottle at him. He had to get stitches, but said that he's not going to miss what might be the most important game of the tournament for him and his team.

Every Kanyean in Valladares today is urged to get their tickets, watch and support the Surge tomorrow. They'll wear white again. Those back home are encouraged to watch the game live on SKYNET (Saint KanYe NETwork) Sports Channel 12, or online at http://www.skynet.stk/12-sports/ibc-19. IBC fan stories can be submitted at http://www.the-kardashia-kibitzer.stk/ibc/fan-stories. We will notify you via email if your story has been selected for publication.

Scores:

ABANHFLEFT 81 - Gonzalez 21, Barry 15, Harris 13, Rogerson 10, Isaacs 6, Mankiller 6, Taylor 4, Kapowski 3, Ipatiev 1, Jalandoni 1, Wydeman 1, Katatonios 0.

ST. KANYE 66 - Blackwell 12, Forrest 10, Trichet 7, Overton 5, Page 5, Larsson 3, Philips 3, Smith 3, Gatson 2, Morrigan 2, Stevens 2, Warner 2.

Quarters: 20-15, 45-38, 65-51, 81-66.

[The Andromeda Islands]

Abanhfleft vs. Saint Kanye
IBC Quarterfinal Series - Game 3
Arena Foix - Bezieres, Valladares
Sunday, August 12
2:45 pm

After winning their quarterfinal series, the Andromeda Eagles arrived in Metropolis on Saturday morning. A few intrepid Andromedan players left the Metropolis early this morning in a rental. Tommy Egan drove this morning. PJ Hardwick is supposed to drive back this evening. Egan had bought some entirely over-priced tickets Friday night after their game. Also along for the ride were Helena Press, Holly Rosener and Maria Rivera.

The Andromeda Five are also supposed to pick up the three players from Andromeda World Assembly Territory that are still in Valladares. One of them is Dan Stuckey’s younger brother. One of the other two is likely related to John Knox.

Their seats are far from the court. Once they find their seats, they look down on the court as the Surge go through lay up drills. Tommy Egan stares at Billy Forest.

EGAN: I can’t stand that mother...

HARDWICK: I don’t think he likes you either. You’re both a couple of rough necks.

PRESS: You love Forrest and you know it.

EGAN: If we meet in the semifinals... it’s going to be a long, hard series.

PRESS: Long? Hard? Is there something we need to know, Tommy?

Rosener, who sits next to Egan, taps him on the shoulder.

ROSENER: So, who are we picking up? Dan Stuckey’s little brother...

EGAN: Yeah. John Knox’s brother and his girlfriend too.

RIVERA: Is Dan’s brother as big as he is?

HARDWICK: He’s not a natural center. I saw one of their games. He’s about 6’6. He’s a bit heavy, like Dan was.

Three people, two men and a woman arrive and sit in the three seats that fill out the row. The smaller guy, a stocky, light-skinned guy, shakes hands with everyone as if he’s important. The woman, who’s nearly 6’, follows him. The Eagles stare at Ken Knox and Victoria Page, the starting guards for the AWST team. Dave Stuckey waves to everyone, giving special acknowledgment to Hardwick, who he knows. After introductions are made. Hardwick talks to Knox.

HARDWICK: So, you’re related to John Knox?

KNOX: I AM John Knox.

Hardwick is confused.

KNOX: John Kennedy Knox. Everyone calls me Ken. I’m MIKE Knox’s son.

Mike Knox, former President of the Allied States, is a high-ranking official in The World Assembly. He also played in IBC VII, which was the first IBC for the Andromeda Islands.

Hardwick looks past Knox at his companion.

HARDWICK: And who are you?

The woman, Victoria Page, introduces herself.

PAGE: Victoria Page Knox...

Ken Knox raises an eyebrow. Page turns to Knox.

PAGE: He’s not going to tell, Ken. It’s okay.

Hardwick now raises an eyebrow. Knox and Vicky Page eloped a few days after Group Stage ended.

KNOX: We did a little more than play basketball in Carloburgo.

----------

Dave Stuckey sits between Helena Press and Maria Rivera, bragging about his basketball prowess. On the court, the teams get ready for pre-game introductions.

STUCKEY: I was the best player on the team. 30 points per game. 10 rebounds, 9 assists. I damned near averaged a triple double.

RIVERA: Triple-Double Cheeseburgers? I’m not surprised.

PRESS: With large fries!

Rivera and Press laugh. Dave Stuckey, like his older brother, is slightly overweight for a man his size.

The Andromedan World Assembly Territory team was made up of college basketball players from World Assembly Territory. Vicky Page, whose aunt is also a high-ranking World Assembly official, was the starting point guard. Ken Knox was the starting shooting guard. Hardwick talks to Knox and Page.

HARDWICK: So, who’s going to win?

PAGE: The Surge!

KNOX: Alban-fluff!

HARDWICK: I say St. Kanye, Knox. You want to put your money where your mouth is?

KNOX: What’s the bet?

HARDWICK: Loser has to drive the minivan tonight.

Knox likes the idea of making a bet that doesn’t involve money.

KNOX: You’re on!

PA ANNOUNCER: Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome Arena Foix and Game 3 of the IBC Quarterfinals...