IBC 26 ~{Everything Thread}~

[The Sherpa Empire]

----o-֎-o----‭

‭The Sherpa Empire had a rather odd relationship with Vangaziland. There were some parts of the Empire where most people had no idea where Vangaziland was -- couldn't find it on a map, couldn't name any Vannish celebrities or leaders, didn't know anything about the culture or history. Then there were parts of the Empire where Vangaziland was greatly respected for its prowess in basketball and motorsports. In the Chinese Territories, everyone knew that Vannish basketball was great and that the Sherpa national team was in for a tough game. Tickets at Datianwan sold out well in advance. Noisy fans came out all dressed up in blue, maroon, and gold, hoping they could cheer the Sherpa national team to victory, but they knew the odds were against them.

‭Gyunmin Zhai thought it was cool that his dad played basketball, but it wasn't as exciting to him as it was to other people. He was used to it. When other people got all worked up, like, "Oh, my god! Your dad is Namkha Zhai??? THAT'S SO COOL!!!!" he didn't understand why it was such a big deal.

‭Today was different, though. Today, his dad wasn't just playing basketball. He was playing against Vangaziland. IT WAS SO COOL!!!! Gyunmin had been fascinated with Vangaziland ever since he met Kev Schorebrooke at the Guilin 400. A kindly Sherpa reporter had translated for him so he could talk to Schorebrooke and get an autograph. Gyunmin knew that a lot of grown-ups resented the Sherpas, and he thought Sherpa policemen were scary, but the reporter in Guilin was different. He was just starting to learn about things like race and nationality, and it didn't quite make sense to him how people could be sorted into groups and pigeonholed into different roles, but then you'd find people of the same ethnicity who were completely different. In the Chinese Territories, Sherpas would yell at you for crossing the street. In the Himalayas, they'd welcome you with a smile and help you with your luggage. The Guilin 400 was one of Gyunmin's best memories. His parents were a little confused by his fascination with all things Vannish ever since that meeting with Schorebrooke, but they went along with it figuring it was a good excuse for him to broaden his horizons. Since Namkha was a basketball player, he'd naturally introduced Gyunmin to Vannish basketball. They liked to stream VBO games and munch on dumplings when they wanted some father-son bonding time. And now that the Royals were visiting the Sherpa Empire, Namkha naturally took Gyunmin to meet them. It was harder to communicate without that helpful reporter who'd translated for them in Guilin, but Gyunmin still managed to get a few autographs. He had a huge grin on his face as his mother led him away so the teams could get ready for the game without him underfoot. He babbled excitedly about how Lonnie Knucks was so big and Sarah Overson was cool, but it was so weird to see a woman on a pro basketball team. Could women do that in the Sherpa Empire?

‭The outcome of the game was somewhat less uplifting. The Sherpa team managed to hold their own, keeping things close through the first half, and swapping the lead back and forth several times; but after a couple of substitutions and some slick passing in the 3rd quarter, the Vangazis pulled ahead for good.

‭The loss was disappointing, but not hugely surprising. It was just frustrating to be last place in Group G. How were they supposed to be taken seriously when they were in last place and everybody was distracted by the new Taliban video of Jigme Sherpa getting dropped in a dunk tank filled with some kind of disgusting slime? People were still debating what the sludge in the tank actually was -- the Taliban hadn't explained -- but it looked really gross.

----o-֎-o----‭

[Greater vakolicci haven]

Andreas Vaseltso: the deserving champion?

In all of the Haven, a land known for its meritocracy in which people can rise from nothing to greatness, their is no sporting story more compelling and heartwarming than that of the Haven's iconic basketball captain, shooting guard Andreas Vaseltso. He is the man rejected from every basketball programme at college level; who never gave up his dreams of stardom and who played basketball from the age of 17 at every small local club he could find. Now, he is coming off one of the games of his life, leading the struggling Havenic basketball team to an unexpected, come-from-behind victory against highly favoured IBC veterans West Phoenicia.

Vaseltso was born to a poor farming family similar to most in his impoverished home province of Alisco. The son of a labourer and a domestic servant, he didn't have the start in life that many would consider a springboard towards greatness: however, his luck was found in the fact that unlike many poor boys of his day he happened to be born in the Vakolicci Haven.
Going through school, Vaseltso was a boy known to his friends more for his brains than his brawn, the winner of far more a maths test than an athletics championship. He was a bit-part player on his schools basketball and football teams, however no one would have believed at the age of 14 that that was where the future lay for him: Andreas, it was believed, would be one of very few Aliscoans who got into college entirely based on educational achievement.
For obvious reasons, due to his lack of a first-team place, he was not scouted by a single college recruiter or agent: he applied on his own for basketball places and was rejected by all: incredulously in the minds of those who knew him, he elected not to pursue his academic strengths but to charge bull-headedly into something that all who knew him believed would be a recipe for failure.

At amateur level, a few people began to whisper about the potential for Vaseltso to excel at a higher level: these were however only the die-hard fans of lower leagues and deeply provincial sides. When one of those lower-league clubs took a bet on the unfancied amateur however, it was the best investment they ever could have made.

Signing at age 20 for Morvur Town, an Aliscoan club in the Haven's 3rd division, Vaseltso met the man who would credit years later for making him the man he is today: Lucas Divales. Divales, a coach nearing the end of his career had become known for creating some of the top players of his day, in much the same way he would create Vaseltso: through a rigorous training regime, inspiring team talks and the cultivation of self-belief that was so often absent in former ameteurs. He was, as the papers put it, a terrific man-manager with an eye for pure brilliance. Pure brilliance was certainly what he got out of Vaseltso.

Andreas Vaseltso stayed at Morvur for only 3 years, however in his time at the club he established themselves as a firm favourite with supporters, especially after playing a huge part in the promotion that followed his second season. For Morvur Town however the 20 million dral offer coming through from Kalsa Knights was too much to turn down.

And for the last 13 years, in some form or another, Andreas Vaseltso has been a Kalsa knight. His rise from the development ranks into the first team was slow and painful to behold, however at the relatively old age of 27 he had finally entrenched his place as a starter: and at age 28 he won his first HUBL all-star honour...an honour he has not missed out on since. Now 36 years old, the man no one fancied to make it into the lowest league is still the best in the Haven, and is still the creative force that will drive them through this IBC.
And this is why a man who came from nothing to absolute greatness is not just a man who needs to win, but a man who deserves it also.

[Vangaziland]

Sherpa Empire Holds Vangaziland to 86

Former Royals head coach Tim Tomasson left his position after failing to bring Vangaziland a title. The empire had several chances under Coach Tim, including an early finals appearance. He helped build the Vannish national team into one of the premier teams in the multiverse. Still there was plenty of criticism about his tenure as the manager of the Royals. A lot of it came down to scoring. "I was always held under the gun", Tomasson said rhetorically about the pressure he faced. He spoke recently on his old days as head of the team. "The final straw came when the Royals failed to average more than 82 points in my last group stage."

Vangaziland would have an early exit that season. The team was simply not playing to full potential. A lack of chemistry between the players and coaches soon became evident. This was especially true when Coach Tim issued an ultimatum to his team. He mentioned major changes for the program's future if they did not produce results.

It turns out Tomasson was the one to go. His assistant coach, Kate Foyelson took over. The Royals soon produced better results, including two recent trips to the Last Four. The 86 - 71 victory over the Sherpa Empire harkens back to Vannish basketball of old.

"It was a solid result", said Coach Foyelson. "The truth is that our team shouldn't be afraid to put more points on the board. Once again, we had a slower first half. We turned things up in the 3rd, before relaxing into the 4th. We should be looking to net the best differential and the top seed of this season's early stage."

Mark Ewingson led scoring with 25 points. Once again he had the main role on offense. 15 of his points came in the second half. He spoke on his streakiness. "You know, the first quarter has been hard for me", he said. "I'm not sure why, but I've found myself shooting out of a hole. The good thing is that we don't back off our plays. I take shots until I... well, we... right the ship." He added 5 rebounds and 2 assists.

Team Captain Hectare Yulssen also spoke on Vangaziland's scoring. "Coach Kate is right. We can do more earlier in the games. I just don't think we need to worry about running up the scores for seeding. We just need to make it to the playoffs and focus on each round. Let's take things step by step." Yulssen had 9 assists but only 9 points. He found himself in a shooting slump, with 4 of his points coming as free throws. "Tonight was one of those nights where it was better for me to pass and create."

Chris Parkssen had a good night off the ball. He had 14 timely points. More important were his 8 rebounds and 2 blocks. He was a major defensive presence, especially late in the game. His work helped Vangaziland take a better hold on the lead by slowing down Sherpa scoring.

Steven Eaglesen was perhaps the most effective player from the bench. Subbing at PG for Yulssen, Eaglesen scored 12 points and added 7 assists. This was a big scoreline considering the limited minutes he played. He shared time with Sarah Overson who also played PG.

"I wish I could have a bigger role on the team", she said. "I can't help it that I'm behind the nation's Olympic hero." Eaglesen famously led the Vannish Olympiad team to back to back basketball gold. With Yulssen's tournament days numbered, it is only a matter of time until she takes up the #2 PG spot. "I just do what I can to help the team. It's not about me and my stats, but about how we all blend together as a team."

"The Sherpa Empire played really well", said SF Chris Ironwrought. "They're the type of unranked team that can make a splash, despite their two early losses. They kept us on our toes. We'd be best advised to keep an eye on them."

[West Phoenicia]

New West Phoenician International Basketball team coach Michael Amman has applauded his team The Scorpions after their loss against Greater Vaklocci Haven  74-70.

"A 4 point loss is not a terrible outcome. The team played hard and they were piped at the post by just a mere 4 points. Instead of shaming the team they should be applauded that the loss was minimal, " Mr Amman said during a post game interview.

"The Scorpions currently sit in 2nd place in there pool so a win for the next game is needed for West Phoenicia to have any chance of progressing."

With recent team changes, Mr Amman has also come out strongly that a new team name is needed. To rebrand themselves on the international stage. Mr Amman has sought approval and has opened it up to fans to take to Twitter with a new name. Something fresh and West Phoenician worthy to go with their fresh image. The name which will be voted on by basketball fans will take effect in the next season.

West Phoenicia will next take on unranked Jhalpharezi, who have lost both their first and second game. The Scorpions if they want any chance need to take to the court and dominate the game.

[The Royal Kingdom of Quebec]

Royal Kingdom of Quebec National Basketball Team : IBC 25 (2036)

Nation Name : Royal Kingdom of Quebec
Demonym: Quebecois
Team Nickname: The Grim Reapers
The Supporters: The Bubonic Plague

Team Quebec Jerseys, brought to you by No Nonsense Sports (Filindostan)


Coaching Staff

Coach              Position            Age    Year  Sex   Team                   Hometown
Yu Joo-Ha          Head Coach           64     3rd    F   Kingston Raptors       Halifax, Acadie
Marion Choe-Dubeau Assistant Coach      37     3rd    F   Attawapiskat Nuggests  New Orleans, Acadiana
David Leclerc-Dunn Assistant Coach      55     5th    M   CSKA Quebec            Quebec City, Capitale-Nationale
Florian Nesta      Assistant Coach      41     1st    M   Sept-Iles Promy        Kingston, Frontenac
Baek Jong-Ho       Assistant Coach      48     1st    M   Quebec U-19            Kennebecasis, Acadie

Players

#   Pos.  Player              Height  Weight  Age  Sex   Team                    Hometown
00  PG    Francine Dube-Shin  1.85m   178 lb   18    F   Universite St. Croix
01  SF    Tiago Lesmes        2.06m   240 lb   26    M   Sherbrooke Thunder            
02  PG    Owen McDonagh       1.96m   196 lb   22    M   California City Lakers
03  PF    Leonora Bertram     1.93m   177 lb   29    F   CSKA Quebec
04  SF    Ariana Ceciliani    1.96m   182 lb   29    F   Montreal Koreana
05  PG    Clara Bowen-Young   1.72m   145 lb   22    F   Sept-Iles Promy
06  SG    Francis Yoon-Duguay 1.85m   176 lb   27    M   CSKA Quebec
08  SG    Daniel Ibaniyama    1.99m   193 lb   18    M   California City Lakers
09  SF    Clarence Mailthot   2.02m   218 lb   19    M   Winnipeg Clippers
10  PF   Myron Traer-Westbeld 1.96m   185 lb   25    F   Fort Lowe Trail Blazers
11  SG    Yi So-Yeon          1.70m   143 lb   27    F   California City Lakers
12  PF    Jeremy Chabot       2.11m   260 lb   26    M   Bathurst Spurs
13 PF Celine Williams-Leonard 1.84m   175 lb   24    F   Val d'Or Grizzlies
14   C    Noah Pantin         2.19m   230 lb   21    M   Carleton University
15   C    Kyra Barkley        1.94m   194 lb   23    F   Attawapiskat Nuggets
16  PG    Sigurd Jorgensson   1.87m   181 lb   22    M   Montreal Koreana
17  SF    Kang Su-Min         1.85m   174 lb   32    F   Bathurst Spurs
19   C    Kieran Drummond     2.08m   263 lb   19    M   University of Goose Bay
20   C    Kim Hong-Ja         1.95m   171 lb   22    F   Chicoutimi Lynx
21  SG    Lukia Wapakhabulo   1.79m   154 lb   23    F   Quebec Liberty

RP Permission : None given atm.

[Qasden]

It's the third matchday, everyone! Will your team be eating cake by the ocean or loser lasagna? Did that sound forced? Probably!

---

Group A

Calderwoodian People 76–82 Xelsis
Royal Kingdom of Quebec 77–66 Qasden
Lisander 78–71 Nepenisea

Group A                       Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD   Pts 
1 Royal Kingdom of Quebec       3    2   1   241  209  +32     6
2 Calderwoodian People          3    2   1   226  227   −1     6
3 Lisander                      3    2   1   224  233   −9     6
4 Nepenisea                     3    1   2   218  224   −6     3
5 Qasden                        3    1   2   201  207   −6     3
6 Xelsis                        3    1   2   206  222  −16     3

Group B

Drawkland 86–65 Lochario
West Phoenicia 78–55 Jhalpharezi
Northwest Kalactin 76–74 Greater Vaklocci Haven

Group B                       Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD   Pts 
1 Drawkland                     3    3   0   273  208  +65     9
2 West Phoenicia                3    2   1   232  194  +38     6
3 Northwest Kalactin            3    2   1   204  216  −12     6
4 Lochario                      3    1   2   213  224  −11     3
5 Greater Vaklocci Haven        3    1   2   214  242  −28     3
6 Jhalpharezi                   3    0   3   207  259  −52     0

Group C

DBostick 74–78 Azadeshia
Starblaydia 88–94 North Prarie
Ethane 73–66 Kita-Hinode

Group C                       Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD   Pts 
1 Ethane                        3    3   0   235  195  +40     9
2 North Prarie                  3    3   0   264  235  +29     9
3 Kita-Hinode                   3    2   1   231  202  +29     6
4 Azadeshia                     3    1   2   216  235  −19     3
5 Starblaydia                   3    0   3   222  258  −36     0
6 DBostick                      3    0   3   207  250  −43     0

Group D

Aristian Republic 75–85 Free Republics
Nicana 59–83 Equestrian States
Halfdansodal 68–77 Abanhfleft

Group D                       Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD   Pts 
1 Abanhfleft                    3    3   0   241  182  +59     9
2 Free Republics                3    3   0   251  207  +44     9
3 Equestrian States             3    2   1   236  220  +16     6
4 Halfdansodal                  3    1   2   231  244  −13     3
5 Aristian Republic             3    0   3   214  260  −46     0
6 Nicana                        3    0   3   194  256  −62     0

Group E

Devonta 62–79 Valanora
Cheergirls 67–88 Cosumar
New Jarwel 69–90 Roglonia

Group E                       Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD   Pts 
1 Valanora                      3    3   0   239  185  +54     9
2 Cheergirls                    3    2   1   243  224  +19     6
3 Devonta                       3    2   1   203  196   +7     6
4 Roglonia                      3    1   2   214  209   +5     3
5 Cosumar                       3    1   2   207  210   −3     3
6 New Jarwel                    3    0   3   202  284  −82     0

Group F

Filindostan 81–66 Neo-Romanum
Alpine Union 60–75 Newmanistan
Omerica 76–68 Petroslovania

Group F                       Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD   Pts 
2 Newmanistan                   3    3   0   253  218  +35     9
1 Alpine Union                  3    2   1   216  206  +10     6
4 Filindostan                   3    2   1   240  235   +5     6
3 Omerica                       3    2   1   222  221   +1     6
5 Neo-Romanum                   3    0   3   220  242  −22     0
6 Petroslovania                 3    0   3   205  234  −29     0

Group G

Vangaziland 94–64 Mapletish
Valladares 78–90 The Sherpa Empire
Pridnestrovia 92–71 Maryloupe

Group G                       Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD   Pts 
1 Vangaziland                   3    3   0   279  198  +81     9
2 Pridnestrovia                 3    2   1   234  213  +21     6
3 The Sherpa Empire             3    1   2   237  243   −6     3
4 Valladares                    3    1   2   249  256   −7     3
5 Mapletish                     3    1   2   195  236  −41     3
6 Maryloupe                     3    1   2   224  272  −48     3

Group H

95X 77–96 Tobiasia
Ceni 74–76 Oscioru
Banija 69–66 Juvencus

Group H                       Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD   Pts 
1 Tobiasia                      3    3   0   254  223  +31     9
2 Banija                        3    2   1   212  205   +7     6
3 95X                           3    2   1   215  224   −9     6
4 Ceni                          3    1   2   216  218   −2     3
5 Oscioru                       3    1   2   219  234  −15     3
6 Juvencus                      3    0   3   196  208  −12     0

[Aristian Republic]

Aristian Republic Basketball
International Basketball Championships 26 - Team Info

Nickname: Bateak (Bats)
IBC record: 3-7
Rank: 3.00 (39th)
Style Modifier: 0

Very few words. Aristian Republic Basketball team is composed of local College Players, one player currently in Lisanderian College Basketball, and a University of Gast graduate currently without another job, and trying to survive from Basketball.

Roster

#	Name			Pos	University/Team
4	Joan Eketzak		G	University of Gast
5	Erlaitz Ituren		PG	University of Laviania
6	Aitor Irun		SG	University of Soria (LIS)
7	Gaetan Arbelaitz	F	University of Gast
8	Leontzio Aspe		PF	University of Nortmer
9	Asier Laso		C	Libertas Basketball (LIS)
10	Igon Laborari		PF	University of Nortmer
11	Gorka Soravilla		SG	University of Laviania
12	Bruno Urbina		SF	University of Laviania
13	Carmo Soloarán		C	University of Nortmer
14	Lalo Berenguer		SF	Free Agent
15	Fermin Alava		PG	University of Castell

Staff

Head Coach	Diego Maldi
Assist.Coach	Bertrand Lamelo

Depth Chart
Starters: Alava, Irun, Berenguer, Aspe, Laso
Interchange: Ituren, Soravilla, Urbina, Laborari, Soloarán
Reserves: Eketzak, Arbelaitz

Uniforms
Current uniforms are manufactured by Neo, a Lisanderian Sports Brand. The main sponsor of the team is Avila, a multi-sector company (Holding), primarily brokers.

[Lisander]

Daniel Gervais, Sports Commentator, TV5, on its column in Sirenia Excelsior:

Unsteady

Yeah. Unsteady is THE word. No other word can define Lisanderian Basketball. National Team is the confirmation of it. After 12 IBC matches, it has six wins and six losses. Superliga is the same. Sent teams to IUBC 13, and even hosted the Final Four. And what an amazing game we had between Carloburgo Knights and Valanari Highlanders in the Metro... And when every single thing was working well, every gear was spinning perfectly, the FLB announced that Lisander Superliga Season 2 Calendar.

“We won’t be able to send teams to IUBC Trophy XIV since it will start before the end of Superliga. We’ll focus at UNAF BKT-Liga for this season, and the qualifiers of Season 2 will have a decent preparation time to join the IUBC Trophy XV. Better saying, all the teams will have a good period of vacation and preseason.”

This break of continuity pisses me a lot. While teams all around the universe are getting experience, Lisander locks itself voluntarily. It’s no good. When Superliga 2 winners reach the first stage of IUBC Trophy, they will be in the half of Superliga 3 season. They will be tired teams, playing against rested teams.

But turning back to National Team. I’m almost grateful that TV5 didn’t bought the rights of broadcasting this competition. The team just couldn’t find themselves on court. First, a defeat with that proportions to Royal Kingdom of Quebec? I know we’re not a top nation, and is not fair to blame they for losing. But one can’t enter that apathetic in the first game. Trail by 22 is a little too much for a team with the very best of Superliga. The following game saw no brilliance too. The same Royal Kingdom of Quebec lost against UNRANKED Nepenisea. While ourselves, against the other unranked side of Xelsis, had a tough night. Just eight points ahead. Nepenisea is our next game. What will be of us? Will us consolidate, survive and thrive? Or a bad result will appear again, and force us down the table? If we think about this story of winning after losing and losing after winning, there’s no much hope. We’ll stay halfway forever.

[95X]

The most outspoken critic of using repurposed volleyball players in 95X was none other than Xi Foureleven.

The Cascade Island Sports Association already competed against her team in Oceanside, and the addition of volleyball teams across the CISA was something that was going to happen at some point, and the volleyball players that were raised from birth to play volleyball didn't disappoint.

It was when the same players played basketball that irritated Foureleven.

"It's sick!" she commented at first. "They're making a mockery of themselves!"

Nonetheless, Foureleven's overzealous fans also irritated her. She hadn't played in years yet she still received marriage requests from people old enough to be grandparents all the way down to people far too young. And she wasn't even available. But that all subsided as the additional sports gained in popularity despite somewhat low quality of play.

[Free Republics]

News Magazine

Super Thursday sees Julian Norberg emerge as Radical frontrunner, Moderate Liberal Conservatives still deadlocked
By: Matthew DeRose

Julian Norberg picked up the lion's share of the Radical delegates on Super Thursday as 173 Republics held their primaries or caucuses to choose nominees for the next consul of the Free Republics. In a field that still consists of 37 candidates, Norberg secured a total of 11% of the vote nationally and won a total of 131 primaries and caucuses. Under Radical Alliance rules, this means that all delegates from those Republics are pledged to support Norberg's candidacy for the Radical Alliance nomination. In a nationally televised victory speech, Norberg declared, "We are now the clear choice of the members of the Radical Alliance! Tonight is a victory for all of us and it is a victory for the legacy of our fallen Consul Venicio Piazza. If I win your nomination, I can assure you that I will dedicate my campaign to the memory of Consul Piazza and, if elected by the Republican people, I will be a Consul like Venicio Piazza! We are Radicals because we believe in the Radical notion that the Federation of Free Republics ought to live up to the dream of the Founders. We believe that the Free Republics ought to actually be free! Therefore, if I am elected as your Consul, I will do everything in my power to secure the Separation of Business and State. The government has no business telling a private business how they should run their own business and a private business has no business asking the government for a handout! As Radicals, we believe in a free society where private property is sacrosanct and the individual is free to do whatever he wishes provided he does not infringe upon his neighbor's right to do the same. We are the party of live and let live and we want everybody to Embrace that Radical Dream called Freedom!"

Norberg is a formerly obscure member of the Federation Assembly from South Lakota who describes himself as a member of the "Radical Wing of the Radical Alliance". As a teenager a decade ago, he fought with Veleik Nicholls's Legion of Lucifer as they successfully overthrew Consul Reino Kulseth and ended the 3 years of living hell that was the so-called Holy Republican Empire. Presumptive Liberty Party nominee Scarlett Nicholls, who is also a veteran of the Legion, was the first to congratulate Mr. Norberg on his surprising victory last night. She reportedly phoned him just seconds after his 100th primary win of the night was called. Publicly, she released a statement saying that "I congratulate Mr. Norberg on his victory and I welcome him to the race. He is a true Republican hero who risked not just his freedom but his very life to save our Federation from the tyranny of Consul Kulseth. I wish him luck in the remaining Radical primaries and I hope I have the privilege of running against him in the general election. I pledge to run a positive campaign focused on my solutions for the problems facing the Free Republics just as Mr. Norberg has run a positive campaign for the Radical nomination focused on his vision for our Federation."

In the aftermath, Norberg has climbed to 38% of the Radical vote in an overnight News Magazine poll. Prior to publishing this story, I asked several rival campaigns what they thought of this poll and was informed that they will be dropping out and endorsing Julian Norberg for the nomination. This result leaves Norberg as the prohibitive favorite to win his party's nomination and move on to the general election to face Responsible Progress nominee Sebastian Trudeau, Liberty Party nominee Scarlett Nicholls and whoever the Moderate Liberal Conservative nominee is. There will be several hundred fringe candidates on the ballot but I'm not going to cover them other than confirming that, yes, the Outlaw Marijuana Party will once again be running a candidate for Consul for some reason. None of these other candidates have a prayer of making it to the 10% threshold required to advance to the second round. The Radical Alliance's Nessex primary winner Tsukihiko Fukuhara has left the party and has accepted the nomination of the Globalist Movement, a fringe outfit that hopes to use his 15 minutes of fame as a springboard to win seats in the Assembly. Due to his decision to abandon his party, Fukuhara has forfeited his delegates which are now free delegates who can vote for any candidate they wish.

The Moderate Liberal Conservative primaries, on the other hand, remain a complete mess. Gloria Lord, Bella Parer, Lucille Tollmache and Addolorata Pisano each received a near-equal share of the delegates on Super Thursday as seemingly nothing has been able to break the deadlock. Tollmache's landslide victory in her home Republic of Orlandiana was cancelled out by Pisano's wipeout in her home Republic of Keronama while Parer and Lord cleaned up in a few of the southern Republics. As of the most recent count, just 8 delegates separate the leader Tollmache from the 4th place candidate Pisano. With a majority required to win the nomination, it appears that the MLCs are headed toward a brokered convention. News Magazine will keep you up to date on all of the happenings on the campaign trail as the Race for Consul continues...

Matthew DeRose writes about the Federation Government. He is a graduate of the University of Republica with bachelors degrees in Journalism and Political Science. During his time in college, he interned with the Republica Post. Although the Post didn't have any openings for him upon his graduation, he had left an impression on their editor, who recommended him to Admiral Theriault.

[Qasden]

Alright, here's the 4th matchday, folks. Say some gangsta is dissin' your flygirl. Ya just give 'em one of these.

---

Group A

Xelsis 73–93 Nepenisea
Qasden 65–52 Lisander
Calderwoodian People 71–83 Royal Kingdom of Quebec

Group A                       Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD   Pts 
1 Royal Kingdom of Quebec       4    3   1   324  280  +44     9
2 Nepenisea                     4    2   2   311  297  +14     6
3 Qasden                        4    2   2   266  259   +7     6
4 Calderwoodian People          4    2   2   297  310  −13     6
5 Lisander                      4    2   2   276  298  −22     6
6 Xelsis                        4    1   3   279  315  −36     3

Group B

Lochario 59–78 Greater Vaklocci Haven
Jhalpharezi 70–81 Northwest Kalactin
Drawkland 68–52 West Phoenicia

Group B                       Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD   Pts 
1 Drawkland                     4    4   0   341  260  +81    12
2 Northwest Kalactin            4    3   1   285  286   −1     9
3 West Phoenicia                4    2   2   284  262  +22     6
4 Greater Vaklocci Haven        4    2   2   292  301   −9     6
5 Lochario                      4    1   3   272  302  −30     3
6 Jhalpharezi                   4    0   4   277  340  −63     0

Group C

Azadeshia 74–67 Kita-Hinode
North Prarie 57–84 Ethane
DBostick 83–76 Starblaydia

Group C                       Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD   Pts 
1 Ethane                        4    4   0   319  252  +67    12
2 North Prarie                  4    3   1   321  319   +2     9
3 Kita-Hinode                   4    2   2   298  276  +22     6
4 Azadeshia                     4    2   2   290  302  −12     6
5 DBostick                      4    1   3   290  326  −36     3
6 Starblaydia                   4    0   4   298  341  −43     0

Group D

Free Republics 73–84 Abanhfleft
Equestrian States 91–67 Halfdansodal
Aristian Republic 92–63 Nicana

Group D                       Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD   Pts 
1 Abanhfleft                    4    4   0   325  255  +70    12
2 Free Republics                4    3   1   324  291  +33     9
3 Equestrian States             4    3   1   327  287  +40     9
4 Halfdansodal                  4    1   3   298  335  −37     3
5 Aristian Republic             4    1   3   306  323  −17     3
6 Nicana                        4    0   4   257  348  −91     0

Group E

Valanora 76–74 Roglonia
Cosumar 67–60 New Jarwel
Devonta 89–67 Cheergirls

Group E                       Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD   Pts 
1 Valanora                      4    4   0   315  259  +56    12
2 Devonta                       4    3   1   292  263  +29     9
3 Cosumar                       4    2   2   274  270   +4     6
4 Cheergirls                    4    2   2   310  313   −3     6
5 Roglonia                      4    1   3   288  285   +3     3
6 New Jarwel                    4    0   4   262  351  −89     0

Group F

Neo-Romanum 72–61 Petroslovania
Newmanistan 85–80 Omerica
Filindostan 95–90 Alpine Union

Group F                       Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD   Pts 
1 Newmanistan                   4    4   0   338  298  +40    12
2 Filindostan                   4    3   1   335  325  +10     9
3 Alpine Union                  4    2   2   306  301   +5     6
4 Omerica                       4    2   2   302  306   −4     6
5 Neo-Romanum                   4    1   3   292  303  −11     3
6 Petroslovania                 4    0   4   266  306  −40     0

Group G

Mapletish 69–74 Maryloupe
The Sherpa Empire 68–72 Pridnestrovia
Vangaziland 81–71 Valladares

Group G                       Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD   Pts 
1 Vangaziland                   4    4   0   360  269  +91    12
2 Pridnestrovia                 4    3   1   306  281  +25     9
3 Maryloupe                     4    2   2   298  341  −43     6
4 The Sherpa Empire             4    1   3   305  315  −10     3
5 Valladares                    4    1   3   320  337  −17     3
6 Mapletish                     4    1   3   264  310  −46     3

Group H

Tobiasia 57–89 Juvencus
Oscioru 79–85 Banija
95X 63–81 Ceni

Group H                       Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD   Pts 
1 Banija                        4    3   1   297  284  +13     9
2 Tobiasia                      4    3   1   311  312   −1     9
3 Ceni                          4    2   2   297  281  +16     6
4 95X                           4    2   2   278  305  −27     6
5 Juvencus                      4    1   3   285  297  −12     3
6 Oscioru                       4    1   3   298  319  −21     3

[Vangaziland]

Vangaziland Royals Almost Blow Lead

"Tonight's game shows us we need to stay focused", said Coach Kate Foyelson. "There were times tonight we were up by a healthy margin. There were also times it looked like we could lose it all."

Kate spoke on the up and down see-saw of a match between Vangaziland and Valladares. While Vangaziland is ranked 2nd, Valladares is ranked 19th. This makes Valladares one of the Royals' tougher opponents in Group G. They're having a rough season, entering the match against the Vangazi with a 1-2 record.

Things started out hot for the Vangazi. Mark Ewingson took charge with the ball on the scoring front. Yulssen and the others made sure there was plenty of ball movement. The SG was set up twice from behind the line. Once the defenders started playing him tighter behind the line, Mark used his handle and speed to get past them. At one point, he showed an impressive crossover, which he pulled back into a two point fadeaway. The defender seemed sure Ewingson was driving past for a layup. His stop was sudden and he gained a great deal of height as he leapt back into the shot.

Hectare Yulssen had several scoring oppurtunities while running the point. Not only did he set up Ewingson's three pointers. He also found some of the forwards in the paint. Sampsen and Ironwrought both helped Vangaziland get into an early lead. This carried on to about the halfway point of the 2nd quarter.

Things began to slow down for the Royals as halftime approached. Their lead had been high as 16. The score was eventually cut down to 4 by a 12-4 run. With 2 minutes left before the half, there was a back and forth. Steven Eaglesen hit a big two pointer off the bench for Yulssen. The shooting guard from Valladares answered with a three. This brought Vangaziland into the half up by three.

The third quarter didn't start much better for the Vannish. They would find themselves quickly down by 4 after another Valladares run. "It was looking ugly", Ewingson said after the game. "I knew that I personally had to step up, or we could be in danger of losing to these guys." Mark Ewingson has shouldered the role of leading scorer since he first wore the Royals uniform. Several minutes into the third, he found his streak again. He would finish the game with 6 three pointers. His momentum carried Vangaziland through the last two quarters. He'd finish with 29 points, 4 assists and 5 rebounds. As he opened up his scoring, this led to chances for other players.

Yulssen had a shortened night, with only 22 minutes on the court. This meant Steven Eaglesen and Sarah Overson got more time at the PG slot. Overson played more minutes tonight than she's played in previous games. She finished with 12 points in 10 minutes, alongside 7 assists. She took on a sort of shoot first role, which drew attention to her. That opened up spaces for her passing. Between guarding her and Ewingson, the perimeter was kept busy. Ironwrought and Orion had the ability to set screens up top and the speed to cut back in towards the basket.

One of her flashiest plays was a no-look alley oop to center Chris Parkssen. The 7'1 big man threw down a one handed catch with authority. Laughing after the game, Sarah said, "I've practiced that pass since the high school days with my brother. It's not hard to throw a no-look in the general direction of the basket. It's much harder to throw a no look direct pass." Sarah has been known for her expert passing and handle.

Valladares continued to give the Royals a run for their money. They cut the lead down to 6 before Vangaziland scored back to back buckets to close out the match 81-71. It was a close win for the team which leads the league in scoring and points differential.

"We've finally gotten to the point where Coach Tomasson used to want us. Consistent scoring and closing", Coach Kate said about the team's former coach. "This is only the Group stage though. We need to keep this wave going when the knockout bracket is warming up."

Vangaziland will face Pridnestrovia next in Game 5. They stand 2nd behind the Royals in Group G.

[Lisander]

Radio-Television Lisander (RTL) is broadcasting the tournament.

The music on the arena was catchy, and the few lisanderian fans who had tickets to watch the game amid the thousands of Qads, saw a good game. The home team emerged victoriously, but in a game marked by a too little points, obviously, the good defensive teams made its best appearance. Despite the poor shooting (only 47% of the shots scored, still best than Lisander's 39%), Qasden gifted its fans with a decent victory and returned to the fight in the Group A, with 2-2. Lisander also has 2-2, and the curse of the "unsteady team" persists.

Coach Helder Machado said, in the Post-Game press conference:
"We can not rush evolution. Only with experience, this team will do more and better. We were able, despite the weak play, to hold the hosts for a long time. The merit is for them, much more experienced and pushed by thousands of fans. They unbalanced the game positively for themselves in the right moment."

He also valued the effort of Lisander team, who still has chances of qualifying, since the group table is still undefined, with no team too much far at the lead:
"We beat Nepenisea, and the group is jammed. While we still have the possibility, we will continue giving everything of ourselves. The next game, against Calderwoodian People, is another opportunity. They are our direct opponents for the second position, as far as Qasden and Nepenisea. There is nothing defined in the table. How would that song say, We're halfway there ... Let me give a look at the table... If we win the next game, we can end the round in third place, or even second, depending on point difference. So let's work to it. Early tomorrow, players will have pool training and after that, shooting for everyone. We need to improve this average. Especially from three-point line."

[Aristian Republic]

BATS WON THE FIRST IN IBC 26, THANKS TO A GREAT DAY OF LALO BERENGUER!
Fernando Erantzo, Diario de Aristia

A win, finally.

It was a good day to Aristian Republic Basketball, finally. Lalo Berenguer had a great time against Nicana, scoring 19 points and being selected as MVP of the match. Is probably not enough yet, since the Aristian Republic keeps at the bottom side of the table, with only one win (this one), too much behind the probable qualifiers of the group, Abanhfleft and Free Republics.

Questioned about his future in basketball, Lalo said, in the post-match conference:

"I'm playing in the amateur league and started working as Physical Education teacher in a school in Laviania. Of course, I want to play as a Pro, and I keep searching opportunities, but I believe basketball in the Republic still needs to improve a little more to match rivals in IBC. We keep an eye on every single chance, like this one. Who knows when a team scout is searching for a Free Agent?" He finished his words with a hopeful smile.

In this roster, only Asier Laso found a pro team (and only after moving and submitting to tests), and is now playing in Lisander. This is not a very good diagnosis, have this good generation of players leaving the sport to work is not nice. It would be nice if we could avoid the exodus too, so other peoples wouldn't follow Laso way. I believe it's time for the Republic to have a proper National League.

Basketball needs support now, and show good results is a way to gather it. The best way to prove my point is turning around the situation and winning some more games.

[Cosumar]

Cosumar National Basketball Team - IBC 26

Information

Nation - The Fiefdom of Cosumar is a constitutional monarchy renowned for its wide-ranging (bordering on excessive) personal freedoms, diverse populace and landscapes, exploration of space, advanced technology and passionate sporting culture.

Region - Atlantian Oceania (far northeast)

Demonym - Cosumarite

Team Nickname - Stallions

Domestic League - The Cosumar Basketball Association (CBA). Following the NBA model, the CBA consists of 32 teams with 16 in each conference (Eastern and Western). After a season of 62 games, the top eight teams in each conference advance to a playoff for the CBA Title. Best-of-5 series are used in the playoffs until the conference finals, after which point Best-of-7 is used. Six editions have been completed under the modern structure, with Gundar Basket winning the most recent edition for their second title. The IBC takes place every two domestic seasons. The Cosumarite delegation typically resembles the CBA All-Star Team from the latest season.

History - This is Cosumar's sixteenth International Basketball Championships, having participated in all but two editions since IBC 9 in Mytannion. The Stallions have always been moderately successful in the tournament, but their first major achievement came in IBC 15 when they made a run to the Quarterfinals, knocked out by #1 Saintland on the slimmest of margins. After similar success in IBC 16 and 17, Cosumar finally reached the pinnacle of basketball by winning IBC 18 over Ko-oren in a historic comeback from two games down. For awhile, as recent champions and among the top teams in the world, expectations were high. However, the new standard wouldn't last once the champion generation aged out. Cosumar were eliminated early in the playoffs by Saint Kanye, Abanhfleft and Valladares in IBCs 20-22, and crashed out in the group stage in IBC 23 and 24 under head coach Breckenridge. He got out of the group stage last time around in IBC 25, but a Round of 16 exit to Vangaziland wasn't enough to save his job. There's no excuse for such underachieving given the strength the CBA has shown in the IUBC (winning more honors last cycle). Two-time CBA Coach of the Year for the Na'Ilee Maelstrom, Kapellan Brisendine, has now been tapped for the national job. Can the young coaching prodigy, having just turned 40, bring Cosumar back to IBC prominence?

Team Style - +4


Roster

Starting 5

PG - WARREN CROSS - (6'3", 190 lbs, 32 yrs) - Manchester Tigers (HDI)
Warren Cross is one of the biggest superstars in the Cosumarite game. Already a legend here, he switched to PlacidBasket of The Hudson Islands two years ago for the challenge of building his brand in a new country and rising league. The result? His Manchester Tigers won the PlacidBasket Finals 4-1 in his first season. Cross is the prototypical point guard. He has the ridiculous handles. He has the beautiful passing touch, known for his creative bounce-passes. He has the Floor General gene too... a high-IQ leader who knows how to run an offense. Has the record for assists per game in a CBA season with 14.9. His one flaw is that he's an average jump shooter - not much of a three-point threat. He is an exceptional finisher in the lane and free-throw taker, however.
Appearance: very pale skin, short curly reddish hair, lean build, arm tattoos.

SG - TARRAN SKANNENDEV - (6'5", 215 lbs, 28 yrs) - Gundar Basket
By winning MVP and the CBA title last season, the former Tamarskand Fief University star has cemented himself as the best two-way guard in Cosumar. The man can shoot. Few can match his pure stroke from beyond the arc. But you can't play him too close either because of his devastating athleticism. He has the ability to get past you and finish with authority at the rim. A long, versatile attacking weapon, now is the time for Skannendev to take up the mantle as Cosumar's go-to scorer. He plays with equal effort on both ends of the floor, an effective defender in the backcourt as well. Coach Brisendine would like to see him become more consistent, however, and rid himself of the turnovers and questionable decisions we saw in the last IBC. Bjarne Herjúlfsson, an elite defensive guard, and Robinson Kamara, primarily a three-point specialist, are there on the bench whenever situation calls for a different look at the position.
Appearance: medium-length dark brown hair, olive skin, muscular build, boyish face.

SF - CASE SCANLON - (6'9", 240 lbs, 30 yrs) - Goldstaff Lightning
Scanlon is the best pure athlete of the starting line-up. With his supreme strength, speed and power, he's fearsome to behold flying down the court or on the block. His length will trouble any shooter. Scanlon is not the most polished player on offense, but he can posterize you in the open floor (1008 Dunk Contest Champion) or knock down an occasional three if left wide open. Appearance: Light Brown skin, short black hair, headband, substantial goatee.

PF - SATURNIUS WARMAN - (6"8, 253 lbs, 22 yrs) - Kaldukosic Krushers
Warman is a pretty smooth player for someone of his size. His paint and midrange game is lethal from any angle, and he just seems to turn his big burly shoulders and glide past opponents if they misplay him. While he is still very young, he's such a polished post-up scorer (the reigning CBA scoring leader) that his presence will be critical for the Stallions' spacing. When he's not burying acrobatic midrange hook shots or outworking opponents for putbacks, he is a great screen-setter who will do a lot of the dirty work in unclogging the lane for Cross drives. Despite his lack of top-end athleticism, he's sturdy and versatile. He can guard all five positions. Appearance: Caramel skin, small afro, headband.

C - OVU VA'DEVU - (7'0", 243, 28 yrs) - Na'Ilee Maelstrom
Previously included in the Cosumarite bench primarily for his future potential and obvious size, Va'Devu didn't see much game time in IBC 23 or 24 because his game was still pretty raw. That has definitely changed. IBC 25 was his international coming-out party and now he is definitely in his prime. Ovu Va'Devu is the best center in the CBA by leaps and bounds, a dominant rim protector and monster on the glass whose mere presence would guarantee any team at least a playoff seed. With a great coach and good cast around him like he's had in Na'Ilee, multiple CBA Finals appearances has been the result. Now that his club coach has taken over the national team, similar success could follow internationally. The big Vloo will never score from outside 10 feet, but his incredibly long arms, intimidating intensity and fluid athleticism for his height do plenty on their own.
Appearance: Vloo (pale blue skin, small horns on forehead)


Bench

PG - Ida Lou Carleton - (5"10, 145 lbs, 23 yrs) - Mortim Morbid Angels
SG - Robinson Kamara - (6"6, 216 lbs, 24 yrs) - Patriotes (HDI)
PG/SG - Bjarne Herjúlfsson - (6"4, 203 lbs, 30 yrs) - Kaldukosic Krushers
SF - Alvin Kuhn - (6'5", 220 lbs, 31 yrs) - Crawford Cormorants
PF - Amanda Inyuta - (6'9", 225 lbs, 29 yrs) - Helfin Heathens
SF/PF - Ilian Dvokonen - (6"9, 250 lbs, 24 yrs) - Havok du Kaldukosic
C - Lucianne Baudrillard - (7'0", 225 lbs, 27 yrs) - OAS Ocelots
C - Tozin Summata - (7'2", 235 lbs, 31 yrs) - Mallox Mavericks

A balanced bench, with high-potential young guns in their early 20s (Carleton) as well as experienced former-starters like Kuhn and Summata. Dvokonen is a star in the making and could overtake Scanlon's starting place by the end of the tournament, having just enjoyed a breakout CBA season with Havok. This very much feels like the optimal window for these two generations to achieve something together before one fully displaces the other. From the slashing drives of CBA Rookie of the Year, Carleton, to the powerful midrange game of burly forward Alvin Kuhn, it is a diverse and talented group that Coach Brisendine has at his disposal on the bench. Reserve center Lucianne Baudrillard, meanwhile, has the chance to become just the second female to play for the Stallions in an IBC after tweener forward Amanda Inyuta.



Staff

Head Coach - Kapellan Brisendine (40)

Assistant Coach - Michael Kramer
Assistant Coach - Novak Ansar
Assistant Coach - Severin Søholt
Fitness Trainer - Oleg Lucic
Doctor - Rinne Solen
Team Captain - Warren Cross


Uniforms


Courtesy of No Nonsense Sportswear out of Filindostan
White - Home
Blue - Away

[Qasden]

Note: This cutoff was postponed from it's original time due to server maintenance. Instead of tomorrow acting as MD6, Friday, 7/27 will be a break day for players and fans alike. Kudos to the mods for keeping NS corrupt-free!

We're halfway done with the Group Stage, folks! Will your side's record continue to grow stronger? Only one way to find out!

---

Group A

Royal Kingdom of Quebec 85–79 Xelsis
Lisander 79–61 Calderwoodian People
Nepenisea 77–102 Qasden

Group A                       Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD   Pts 
1 Royal Kingdom of Quebec       5    4   1   409  359  +50    12
2 Qasden                        5    3   2   368  336  +32     9
3 Lisander                      5    3   2   355  359   −4     9
4 Nepenisea                     5    2   3   388  399  −11     6
5 Calderwoodian People          5    2   3   358  389  −31     6
6 Xelsis                        5    1   4   358  400  −42     3

Group B

West Phoenicia 72–59 Lochario
Northwest Kalactin 59–83 Drawkland
Greater Vaklocci Haven 73–76 Jhalpharezi

Group B                       Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD   Pts 
1 Drawkland                     5    5   0   424  319 +105    15
2 West Phoenicia                5    3   2   356  321  +35     9
3 Northwest Kalactin            5    3   2   344  369  −25     9
4 Greater Vaklocci Haven        5    2   3   365  377  −12     6
5 Lochario                      5    1   4   331  374  −43     3
6 Jhalpharezi                   5    1   4   353  416  −63     3

Group C

Starblaydia 64–74 Azadeshia
Ethane 79–80 DBostick
Kita-Hinode 75–72 North Prarie

Group C                       Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD   Pts 
1 Ethane                        5    4   1   398  332  +66    12
2 Kita-Hinode                   5    3   2   373  348  +25     9
3 North Prarie                  5    3   2   393  394   −1     9
4 Azadeshia                     5    3   2   364  366   −2     9
5 DBostick                      5    2   3   370  405  −35     6
6 Starblaydia                   5    0   5   362  415  −53     0

Group D

Nicana 80–78 Free Republics
Halfdansodal 59–68 Aristian Republic
Abanhfleft 79–58 Equestrian States

Group D                       Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD   Pts 
1 Abanhfleft                    5    5   0   404  313  +91    15
2 Free Republics                5    3   2   402  371  +31     9
3 Equestrian States             5    3   2   385  366  +19     9
4 Aristian Republic             5    2   3   374  382   −8     6
5 Halfdansodal                  5    1   4   357  403  −46     3
6 Nicana                        5    1   4   337  426  −89     3

Group E

Cheergirls 55–94 Valanora
New Jarwel 83–77 Devonta
Roglonia 58–102 Cosumar

Group E                       Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD   Pts 
1 Valanora                      5    5   0   409  314  +95    15
2 Cosumar                       5    3   2   376  328  +48     9
3 Devonta                       5    3   2   369  346  +23     9
4 Cheergirls                    5    2   3   365  407  −42     6
5 Roglonia                      5    1   4   346  387   +3     3
6 New Jarwel                    5    1   4   345  428  −83     3

Group F

Alpine Union 77–79 Neo-Romanum
Omerica 74–87 Filindostan
Petroslovania 63–78 Newmanistan

Group F                       Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD   Pts 
1 Newmanistan                   5    5   0   416  361  +55    15
2 Filindostan                   5    4   1   422  399  +23    12
3 Alpine Union                  5    2   3   383  380   +3     6
4 Omerica                       5    2   3   376  393   −4     6
5 Neo-Romanum                   5    2   3   371  382  −11     6
6 Petroslovania                 5    0   5   329  384  −55     0

Group G

Valladares 86–71 Mapletish
Pridnestrovia 70–88 Vangaziland
Maryloupe 78–90 The Sherpa Empire

Group G                       Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD   Pts 
1 Vangaziland                   5    5   0   448  339 +109    15
2 Pridnestrovia                 5    3   2   376  369   +7     9
3 Maryloupe                     5    2   3   376  431  −55     6
4 The Sherpa Empire             5    2   3   395  393   +2     6
5 Valladares                    5    2   3   406  408   −2     6
6 Mapletish                     5    1   4   335  396  −61     3

Group H

Ceni 83–72 Tobiasia
Banija 84–66 95X
Juvencus 74–65 Oscioru

Group H                       Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD   Pts 
1 Banija                        5    4   1   381  350  +31    12
2 Ceni                          5    3   2   380  353  +27     9
3 Tobiasia                      5    3   2   383  395  −12     9
4 Juvencus                      5    2   3   359  362   −3     6
5 95X                           5    2   3   344  389  −45     6
6 Oscioru                       5    1   4   363  393  −30     3

[Free Republics]

El Fierro, Malifornia Charter Society

Sebastian Trudeau hadn't been planning on visiting Malifornia. Formerly the most notable left-leaning Republic, Malifornia had participated in the ill-fated Leftist Republics rebellion and, upon defeat, Consul Nicholls had handed absolute control over the Republic to Delmar Lavallee and the Salvation Circle. Under the Charter Societies Act, residents of charter societies would be prohibited from voting in Republican elections. This would apply even if they were currently visiting a part of the Free Republics that was not a charter society. While this made residents of these charter societies the only people physically present in the Free Republics who were not permitted to vote in Republican elections, as Republican law explicitly permits foreign tourists to vote in Republican elections, Lavallee had been willing to agree to those terms in order to gain the political power necessary to implement the theocracy of his dreams without the Federation Constitution getting in the way. Consul Nicholls had insisted upon this condition because he wished to crush the Progressive movement in the FFR forever and, if he could also disenfranchise the other extremist groups in the process, that was an added bonus.

Mr. Trudeau, the firearm tycoon and presumptive nominee of the left-leaning Responsible Progress Party, had been invited to Malifornia by the Salvation Circle. Trudeau had been surprised to receive the invitation but he decided to take a day off from the campaign trail and travel in secret to Malifornia to meet with Father Lavallee. While he did not expect the theocrat to have anything important to say, he'd always believed that it was at least worth hearing people out. That had served him well throughout his business career as Trudeau Firearms had made many lucrative business deals in the past out of meetings like this one that didn't seem likely to amount to anything.

As his limousine drove through the streets of El Fierro, Trudeau could only marvel at how much cleaner the streets looked compared to the last time he had visited this city a few years prior. At one time, the streets had been littered with feces and used needles as the city was overrun with heroin addicts and other lowlifes. Today, the streets looked safe and the people walking the streets all looked like they had some class. Policemen were everywhere. The city looked like the safest Republican city he had ever seen. Eventually, his limo pulled into a parking lot. As he stepped out, he was welcomed by Father Lavallee and another man who looked like a senior Salvation Circle official.

Delmar Lavallee - Mr. Trudeau, this is Samuel Lucchese. I just appointed him the Primary Minister for my government.

Sebastian Trudeau - Nice to meet you, Mr. Lucchese.

Samuel Lucchese - I'm pleased to meet you as well, Mr. Trudeau. Shall we go inside and discuss our business over dinner?

Sebastian Trudeau - That sounds like a good idea to me.

Delmar Lavallee - I hope you won't mind if the Circle covers the tab for you. This is the most expensive steakhouse in Malifornia afterall.

Sebastian Trudeau - Thank you.

The three men walked into the restaurant, confirmed their reservations and were seated. After ordering their meals, the conversation eventually moved to other matters.

Sebastian Trudeau - Mr. Lavallee, I must admit that you've done a fantastic job cleaning this city up. The last time I visited El Fierro, there were needles everywhere and people were defecating in the streets.

Delmar Lavallee - As I like to say, there is no greater high than the Most High. Through His Grace, we have turned this city that was once a veritable Sodom into a bastion of civilization by saving millions of souls.

Samuel Lucchese - The Circle believes that cleanliness and Godliness are intertwined, so we place great importance on ensuring that the people of Malifornia live clean lives free of temptation. A few years ago, this Republic was one of the most degenerate in the FFR but now most Malifornians have chosen to be baptized into the Circle and freed from their past sins.

Sebastian Trudeau - I've never really been the religious type but what I've seen so far today makes me wonder if the change I'm seeing really is a miracle from God.

Samuel Lucchese - We actually hear that alot from visitors to our charter society. The Circle provides for the needy in keeping with Christian charity so long as they repent of their sins and join the Circle. Once they join the Circle, they are subject to our religious laws which are strictly enforced to ensure that all of the faithful remain on the straight and narrow path to Salvation. One of my sons is actually dating a girl who used to be a degenerate until her family joined the Circle and she saw the light. Today, she's a good Christian girl who has even traveled abroad on missionary trips. (OOC: Of course, that trip was actually a ruse so they could go to Cassadaigua to watch World Baseball Classic games but Samuel doesn't know that!)

Sebastian Trudeau - I see. I like what you've done here but I cannot afford to openly run on a platform of restoring morality. I'd lose the election if I did that.

Delmar Lavallee - I recognize that, Mr. Trudeau, and would never ask you to commit political suicide.

Sebastian Trudeau - Then why did you invite me to Malifornia?

Samuel Lucchese - Well, we want you to help us with a problem we're currently facing. A few years ago, when the Charter Societies law was passed, Robert Nicholls decided to sneak in a provision stripping residents of charter societies of their right to vote. We want that changed.

Sebastian Trudeau - I'm not sure if I understand why you're concerned about Federation-level elections. You're exempt from the Federation Government's laws.

Delmar Lavallee - Well, you see, the only people in the multiverse who aren't permitted to vote in Republican elections at the moment are residents of charter societies. If you're a foreigner, all you have to do is show up to vote on election day at any polling place in the Free Republics and they'll let you cast a vote for consul. This is problematic for us as we want the Salvation Circle to have political influence but we are unable to vote or even to legally send our most loyal members to another Republic to vote. This deprives our movement of quite a bit of political power and, in doing so, deprives the Free Republics of the possibility of salvation.

Sebastian Trudeau - What's in it for me if I agree to help you get the law changed?

Samuel Lucchese - As you probably know, our Federation is currently bidding for the World Cup. If we win the rights to host the World Cup, the World Cup finals will be held during the general election. This means that there will likely be quite a few more foreigners than usual voting in our election. If you agree to work with us, we will expend our considerate financial resources, which greatly exceed your own, to help you become consul of the Free Republics and we may or may not help deliver a large number of foreign votes to your campaign. Afterall, the Salvation Circle is an international movement that seeks to save the entire multiverse from sin.

Sebastian Trudeau - But what happens if our World Cup bid loses?

Delmar Lavallee - In that case, the plan still goes forward though we may have to be a bit more, shall we say, "discrete" about how we operate.

Sebastian Trudeau - That sounds good to me, gentlemen. I am very worried about Scarlett Nicholls. She seems to be very popular and has quite a bit of support from women and from girly men who care too much about what women think.

Samuel Lucchese - She is a rather despicable figure, if I dare say so. We're absolutely disgusted by her "Stand Up to Sexism" demagoguery and her constant attacks on our sovereign right to govern our charter society as we see fit.

Delmar Lavallee - If that woman wins the election, I fear that she will impose a cloud of absolute darkness upon this land that will not be lifted for 40 years. To carry out God's Will, we must keep her out of power at all costs.

Sebastian Trudeau - I'm on board.

Delmar Lavallee - Thank you, Mr. Trudeau. As it says in the Holy Scriptures, God will bless you for blessing us and he will curse those like Scarlett Nicholls who curse us.

Having finished discussing business matters, the 3 men moved on to chatting about sports for the remainder of their meal. The Free Republics vs Nicana game from the IBC was on television in the bar. All 3 of them expressed their disapproval of the Republican team's decision to let Patricia Thibodeau play for them and seemed to show an excessive amount of glee that she was seemingly having an off-night against Nicana...

[Greater vakolicci haven]

'Revolution' in Havenic Basketball: Cerino fired, Vaseltso to gain coaching responsibilities

In most of the worlds nations, it is considered a rare and dark day to see great upheaval in national teams: in the Haven when it comes to basketball however it was seen by most to be just what the Vakolicci Haven and Celeria team needed.
Gianni Cerino's men and women are currently sat 4th in their group following the humiliating defeat to last place jhalpharezi.
Havenic games have taken on a startling similarity over the past few weeks, with the defence falling flat, the attack stalling and only the teams aging captain, Andreas Vaseltso, truly showing himself as a world-class talent on the court: with his new appointment as manager and head coach, Vaseltso hopes to emmuate this amongst the rest of the team.
"I made it very clear to Gianni," he said in a press conference arranged to publicise the change. "I respected him as a player, and he's a good coach. Tacticly, I mean. But their's nothing in Gianni that inspires the team to do bigger things, to really push themselves. If we carry on like this, with the quality of our opposition in this group, I'm sorry but we're simply not going to qualify. Their's a dark mood in our dressing room right now and this has to change. If I have to force him out to make it possible, I'm sorry but that's what I will do."

[Filindostan]

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NATIONAL | BUSINESS | PROVINCIAL | INTERNATIONAL | SPORTS | ENTERTAINMENT | SPORTS PORTAL

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BASKETBALL
Filindostan will disappoint at IBC 26

SAN MARCO - After hosting the previous International Basketball Championships (IBC), the Pula Agilas have steadily risen up the IBC rankings and are now the multiverse's number eight team. Their consecutive quarterfinals finish helped them achieve the ranking that they are now in. Despite being one of the top 8 teams, Filindostan found themselves in the second pot after this edition's hosts Qasden took one of the Pot 1 spots despite ranking lower than the Filindostanis. And they were grouped with Newmanistan - a nation more known for their baseball team, and two-time IBC winners. Yikes.

After five games, Filindostan are well inside the playoffs spot, carrying a 4-1 record coming into the second half of the group stages. The team has been inconsistent with their plays, and were almost made to pay in their very first game against Petroslovania, winning by just 8. An eighteen point hammering in the hands of the Rockets did not help their cause, falling down to fourth in the group standings. Confidence grew in the locker room after a fifteen point victory over Neo-Romanum which were followed up by a five-point win margin over Alpine Union and a thirteen pointer over Omerica. Sounds familiar?

To be fair, the Filindostanis also had a 4-1 record going into the second half of the group stages, eventually finishing 9-1 and beating Free Republics, before bowing out of the tournament against Abanhfleft. For those who wanted or even hoped Filindostan would at least match their quarterfinals finish, it might be a tough task for them to handle. Although the format of the Round of 16 will be revealed soon, if the Filindostanis finish second, and meet either a higher ranked opposition, then they will be eliminated at the Round of 16 and will most likely disappoint the fans.

Thus, it is imperative for the team to win all their games and match the Rocket's point differential.

Other News

• Rubout: Verdict with Enzo's murder announced
• WGP2: IGR to launch team at Yogyakulta Circuit
• DFL: Venividicci acquires DFL license, becomes Venividicci Perodamūto

Written by FSNA Staff.

[Lisander]

The Key
First basketball Blog of the Principality, since 2003

CONTEST: Design our new banner and win a Lisander National Team signed by Guilherme Savin!

HALFWAY IBC!

We're halfway there. I do not know if we were lucky or unlucky in group drawing. Although we avoided powers like Abanhfleft and Vangaziland, Lisander stayed in the group of Qads, owners of the house. Which made us reach Qad City as the third force of the group, as the group's underdogs. The goal seems clearer with each game. 6-4 is the magic number. And we are doing well this goal so far. We won what we hoped to win, we lost what we expected to lose. Repeating the results so far, at least we will leave with a positive hindrance.

Our next game, will be against the leaders of the group, and unfortunately I can't see a victory ahead. Royal Kingdom of Quebec have a lot of experienced players, their only defeat was really close in numbers, and they probably were relying on bench players. Any of their bench players would be a great sign for SuperLiga.

Following, we'll have Xelsis and Nepenisea, and two wins are expected. Both teams are less experienced and Lisander won against them in the first half. Hahn, Savin and Negromonte are required to keep the same level, since they already know the opponent. At least the same result. In MD9, we face Qasden once more, and winning this time is essential to still have some hope on reaching the knockout rounds. If not, we could even play against Calderwoodian People with the bags on the bus, to fly back to Lisander with a last round victory and a decent result. Not the good everyone expected. Just a decent result.

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In other news, we want to clarify our current contest wasn't intended to offending designers around Lisander. Some graphic designers and web designers contacted us, with angry words, saying we should contract a professional, saying we should be ashamed to prostitute their profession. But being fair, we do not care that much.

We haven't searched a pro for a complex visual identity and an ultra-modern and responsive website design. Our contest is for every single citizen who desires to participate, not regarding this skills. Many of you will remember the fiasco of the new all-responsive website we put online sixteen months back. We had to turn back to the old site, since the new one. what cost us a heap of money, was a total failure.

Our fans are used with the visual of old, shoddy and blocky The Key, and we won't change it. If you can't say something positive, please keep your hate for yourself.

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[Equestrian States]

IBC 26 Host Announcement

As per this post by IBO Committee President Drawkland, the Equestrian States will be taking over IC and OOC hosting duties for the remainder of the tournament. I have received the xkoranate files for the tournament, so completing the group stage with manual tables will thankfully not be necessary. Scorination will resume with MD6 on Wednesday, August 15th at approximately 11:00 pm EDT. Since we never got venue assignments for the group stage and I simply don't have the time to carry out the "venues throughout Atlantian Oceania" plan, I've also decided to proceed under the assumption that the individual nations participating will host their "home" games. The playoffs will be hosted at venues in the Equestrian States, with more information on that to be provided prior to the end of the group stage. Otherwise, there will be no changes to the format or tiebreakers of the tournament from what Qasden's original bid and plans contained.

If you have any questions/comments/concerns regarding the rest of IBC 26, please ask them in the discussion thread or via TG or PM on IRC/Discord.

[Equestrian States]

Tournament Schedule

Group Stage
The group stage will consist of each team playing the others in their groups twice: once at home and once on the road. Cutoff will take place around 11:00 pm-Midnight EDT.

Thursday, August 16: Match Day 6 -
Saturday, August 18: Match Day 7 -
Sunday, August 19: Match Day 8 -
Monday, August 20: Match Day 9 -
Tuesday, August 21: Match Day 10 -

Playoff Stage
The top two teams from each group will qualify for the playoff stage. Group winners will be seeded 1-8 based on the established tiebreakers and second-place teams will be seeded 9-16. All playoff series will be held in neutral venues throughout the Equestrian States.

Saturday, August 25: Round of 16
Monday, August 27: Quarterfinals
Wednesday, August 29: Semifinals
Friday, August 29: Final/3PPO

[Equestrian States]

LONELY MULTIVERSE
The Approx Guide to the Equestrian States

Introduction

The Pony Principality of Equestrian States is a diverse country inhabited by dozens of sapient species, each contributing to the nation's proud culture of tolerance and giving the Equestrian States a reputation of compassion and kindness. Tradition and innovation have combined well in this Southwest Atlantian Oceania nation, rapidly bringing it into the modern era after centuries of isolation from the rest of the multiverse. This Lonely Multiverse travel guide is designed to be the ultimate companion for any tourist (regardless of their species) visiting the Equestrian States, and is loaded with every tip and bit of advice one needs to have an safe and enjoyable stay.

History

Originally colonized by sapient equines (commonly referred to as ponies) from Magical Equestria over 2000 years ago, the Equestrian States was first established as a largely-autonomous overseas territory of its motherland. As a colony, the Equestrian States was fairly prosperous, developing a matriarchal society similar to that of Magical Equestria and other prominent Pony Lands nations. Several decades after the first ponies set hoof on the islands now part of the Equestrian States, however, the rise of a mysterious and chaotic entity known as Discord led to the government of the growing colony to adopt strict isolationist policies to avoid attracting the attention of Discord.

Several centuries later, the anarchic reign of Discord in the Pony Lands came to an end, though the Equestrian States remained firmly entrenched in its isolationist policies. Having formally declared its independence from Magical Equestria during the rule of Discord, the Equestrian States was reluctant to turn away from the policies which had allowed it to escape the turmoil faced by the rest of the region. Yet another cataclysmic event, just over a millennia ago, saw the known world embroiled in conflict with itself and the fledgling former colony sunk deeper into isolation for the next several centuries.

However, about 200 years ago, the long-standing policies separating the Equestrian States from the rest of the region gradually began to erode with the rapid growth of international maritime trade. Though it would take until just 50 years ago for the remaining isolationist policies to be overturned or made obsolete, foreigners began to take note of the Equestrian States and its northern location in the Pony Lands. What finally drove the ponies of the Equestrian States to abandon isolationism entirely was commerce, with the nation's location being perfect as a refueling and stopping point for ships traveling from outside the Pony Lands.

Active membership in the Coalition of Ponyist States (a military, economic, and political alliance famed for its quick, efficient, and merciless dealings with nations actively persecuting sapient equines and other non-humans) gave the Equestrian States reason to become heavily involved in international politics and trade. Within a decade, the Equestrians entered the modern era, utilizing magic in creative ways to avoid industrial pollution wherever possible and speed the nation's development.

Today, the Equestrian States is an advanced country that has successfully merged tradition, magic, and technology. With an economy dominated by tourism, agriculture, and the mining of precious minerals, the Equestrians have found their niche in the international community. Thanks to its location in Atlantian Oceania (after some magical miscues led to the nation relocating from the Pony Lands), the Equestrian States has become a travel hub for many visiting the region from around the world, and the nation is easily among the more prosperous and safe for foreigners to visit.

Geography & Climate

The Equestrian States is best described as an island nation. However, most Equestrians live on the largest island, which is referred to by locals as the mainland, due to its size and role as a population and commercial center for the country.

The mainland is mostly flat grassland and plains, though forests and hilly areas exist and are generally scattered throughout the island. Running north to south are the Harmony Mountains, named for Mt. Harmony near the capital city of Canterlot. The mountain range divides the mainland into eastern and western geographic regions, and was once home to dozens of active volcanoes. However, no eruption has occurred in the Harmony Mountains in over 800 years, and the range is believed to be inactive. The ancient volcanic activity on the mainland (and on many of the Equestrian States' smaller islands, as well) resulted in mineral deposits from which Equestrian miners have extracted gold, silver, and other valuable materials for export.

Two notable exceptions to the mainland's grassy majority are the Everfree Forest and Southern Desert. The Everfree Forest is more of a jungle than a temperate forest, and is widely considered the most dangerous region in the Equestrian States due to its large numbers of wild carnivorous species, some of which would be considered "mythical" by foreigners. Within the Everfree Forest is the city of Everfree, located along the banks of the Stampede River and home to the largest population of non-equines in the nation. A number of more typical temperate forests surround the Everfree Forest itself.

The Southern Desert is (as one might expect) a dry region located in a small pocket of flat land surrounded by the Harmony Mountains near the southern coast. The only major population center in the Southern Desert is the small city of Appleoosa, located in what could be considered by some as a cooler oasis.

But where things begin to get weird for the average tourist is the Equestrian States' weather. Due to the magical nature of many of its inhabitants, the Equestrians are fully capable of creating, manipulating, and otherwise controlling the clouds and weather. This gives them the ability to determine where and when in rains, snows, hails, or any other . The Equestrian government is very actively involved in coordinating the pegasai of the country to generate and control weather patterns favorable to the Equestrian States inhabitants (and its many farmers, in particular). As such, the odds of an Equestrian weatherpony giving an incorrect forecast are almost nonexistent, unless you happen to be in the Everfree Forest (the only region of the Equestrian States where the weather is practically impossible to control due to a prevalence of wild magic).

Travel

Travelling to the Equestrian States is generally easy, as most methods of interregional travel are available to visitors from outside Atlantian Oceania. Most international flights to the Equestrian States arrive at Canterlot's Harmony International Airport, but other regularly-used airports such as Manehattan's Royal International and Stalliongrad's Friendship Heights International are easy to find flights to. However, it should be noted that pilots flying to and from the Equestrian States internationally must receive additional certification due to the nature of the Equestrian States and much of the surrounding area. Because of this additional requirement for pilots, some airlines do charge extra to cover the training fees.

Once in the Equestrian States, there are many other options for travel. Rental cars, taxis, and busses are easy to find in the larger cities such as Manehattan, Stalliongrad, and Everfree, though one might notice that most vehicles are electric-powered. But while cars and busses are regularly used in some cities, there are also several in which their use is limited to emergency services (most notably in Ponyville and Canterlot's Old City district) or is totally banned (as is the case in Cloudsdale).

However, the limited use of automobiles is balanced out by the proliferation of trains for travel between and within cities. Some of the more prominent and historical lines (such as the Ponyville-Canterlot Express) still use steam-powered engines or high-speed trains designed to mimic the classical appearance of an Equestrian train. Subways are also a common feature in Equestrian cities, spreading underground to connect many places of interest for foreign tourists. Cloudsdale is the only city where cars, buses, and trains/subways are unavailable.

But in the end, the most common method of travel in the Equestrian States is one's own two feet (or whatever you have to walk on). Few Equestrians drive or use public transportation unless they have to, preferring to take in the clean air on their way from place-to-place.

Culture & Society

Religion

Any analysis of Equestrian culture and society must begin with its majority religion and guiding philosophy: Harmonism. A dualistic religion, it revolves around the physical sun and moon deities, Celestia and Luna, as well as the six principles known as the Elements of Harmony. The religion's origins are near-impossible to determination, though it is widely believed to begun shortly after ponykind first encountered Celestia and Luna over two millennia ago. Unlike other religions, Harmonism lacks a written scripture or centralized multiversal organization to create such writings, occasionally resulting in disagreements between Harmonists from different regions. For the sake of brevity, we will only be exploring the most common spiritual and secular beliefs held by those from the Equestrian States.

As stated earlier, the central beliefs of Harmonism include the worship of the Regal Sisters (Celestia and Luna) and adherence to the Elements of Harmony. Immortal and, according to spiritual Harmonists, capable of moving celestial bodies through magic, the two Regal Sisters are worshiped (or at least respected) by ponies throughout the multiverse as living goddesses. Some have recently begun to question the actual power of the Sisters, though it is widely accepted among ponykind that they are the two most powerful magical beings in existence.

The six Elements of Harmony are Honesty, Laughter, Kindness, Generosity, Loyalty, and Magic. These Elements exist both as philosophical concepts as well as physical objects capable of great power that contain the purest magical essence of the aforementioned virtues. The philosophical aspects of the Elements are more central to Harmonist faith as a set of morals to guide one throughout life. They are, for the most part, fairly self-explanatory, except for Magic. The sixth element has been connected not only to the ability of equine Harmonists to use magical spells, but also to the drive for new knowledge or understanding. It also has been connected to the power of friendship, and is mentioned in the most common Harmonist saying: "Friendship is Magic".

However, Harmonism has expanded from its spiritual roots (particularly as more non-equines are exposed to harmonist teachings) to become a secular philosophy as well. Secular Harmonists generally try to follow the virtues of Harmonism, though they generally do not believe that the Regal Sisters are physical goddesses. The expansion of Secular Harmonism has also led to the traditional virtues being adopted and woven into other religions as well, such as Christianity. Excluding the overwhelmingly Spiritual Harmonist equine population of the Equestrian States, the most common religion is Harmonist Christianity, which is especially popular among the human inhabitants of the nation.

Language

Traditionally, ponies have spoken in their native Equestrian tongue; however, since the emergence of the Equestrian States into the international community, laws have been passed requiring citizens to be capable of speaking multiple languages. The most common non-Equestrian language is easily English, which is spoken by approximately two-thirds of the population. It should be noted that some English words have been altered by Equestrians to better fit the equine majority, as the use of "everypony", "anypony", "hoofball", and other such words are modifications of the more standard English words. Mastery of many different languages is especially common among Unicorns, and as they are generally the ones more involved in business, are easy enough to find for foreign visitors. Numerous translating services exist throughout the Equestrian States, and airport bookstores generally contain a plethora of multilingual dictionaries for purchase.

Food

As one might expect from a nation dominated by a species of herbivores, many traditional Equestrian dishes are vegetarian in nature. The proliferation of such food is also furthered by the general lack of agriculture for the purpose of raising up animals for the slaughter. To hurt another living creature is, to many Equestrians, simply unthinkable. However, the Equestrian States is not only inhabited by equines, but also by griffons, dragons, and humans (among others). Restaurants do exist to cater to these non-equine species, and do serve a wide variety of meats imported from outside of the region. That being said, it would be unwise to be seen in public eating a hamburger made from beef or any other meat product as many Equestrians are disgusted by such foods. This can make finding food difficult in smaller cities and in the nicer areas of the larger ones. A general tip would be: if your waiter looks like a herbivore, don't ask them for a cheeseburger or steak. Equestrian cafes are fairly creative with what they can do with non-meat products, and the bread and pastries are oftentimes better than what you might find in other nations.

Drink in the Equestrian States also differs significantly from other nations around the multiverse, as the most common alcoholic beverage is hard cider, which can be found at virtually every bar, pub, and restaurant. Ponies generally refrain from drinking too heavily, but other non-human sapients such as griffons are known to consume vast quantities of alcohol in a single sitting. We advise our human readers to graciously decline any drinking challenges offered, as one is unlikely to win, and drunk griffons can be notoriously temperamental. Beer is a distant second to cider, in terms of both popularity and availability, though bars and eateries which cater to human tourists will often keep domestic Equestrian brands in stock.

Inter-Species Relations

As the Equestrian States is home to a wide range of species, it is practically impossible for any visitor to the country to avoid seeing a member of another species, regardless of where they might be. Unicorns could pull this off in certain neighborhoods of Canterlot, and Earth Ponies could do the same in isolated rural areas, though foreigners will often stumble across other species upon entry into the Equestrian States as customs officials are perhaps the most diverse Equestrian demographic.

Relations between the three major pony races have not always been smooth, and some tensions still exist today despite the educational system's teaching of acceptance and tolerance. However, inter-species violence is very rare within the Equestrian States, as is violence in general, with the possible exceptions coming from dragons, griffons, and other more naturally-aggressive species. Angering a dragon is about as dumb as it sounds, and is not advised unless one has a death wish.

Visitors to the Equestrian States are also advised to avoid appearing speciesist to locals, as Equestrian society could be described as having a herd mentality, where an attack against or insult towards one person might be considered an attack on all those around that person. Thus, some words to avoid using in the Equestrian States are: horse, mule, foal, or donkey. Calling a pony any of those terms is likely to result in a backlash towards the offending individual, as they are considered to be offensive unless one is actually speaking to a sapient horse or donkey, which are both easy to tell apart from ponies through their size and general lack of bright-colored fur or manes.

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Venues for the 26th International Basketball Championships

Basketball is not an especially popular sport in the Equestrian States. Though the sport has seen a fair bit of growth in recent years with the emergence of the Royal Equestrian Basketball League (REBL) as a surprisingly decent league, attendance numbers remain far below those of most other sports which the Equestrian States participates in internationally. As such, the Equestrian Basketball Federation (EBF) is hoping that hosting the knockout rounds of the IBC on Equestrian soil will help improve the sport's visibility domestically. Four different venues will host games during the IBC playoffs in the lead-up to the Championship Game, with the Final to be held at Canterlot's Star Stadium, traditionally a hoofball stadium that will be temporarily converted to accommodate a basketball court.

The Venues:

Star Stadium (cap. 20,500) in Canterlot
Victory Arena (cap. 2,225) in Canterlot
Seaddle Arena (cap. 3,750) in Seaddle
Manehattan Harbor Sports Park (cap. 2,000) in Manehattan
Indigo Arena (cap. 1,750) in Everfree

[Banija]

Banijan basketball flying high after three consecutive victories in the IBC group stages


Banijans celebrate road victory against Oscoriu on Matchday 4

ISTRIA- The Lions find themselves all alone in first place, in Group H in the 26th edition of the International Basketball Championships. This is, of course, an extremely tough tournament to compete in- like we've detailed before, in the last two editions of this tournament, 48 teams signed up and only 16 qualified for the knockout stages. It will be no different in this tournament- a group of six, and only two spots available to go to the big dance. However, Banija, for the third straight tournament, are putting themselves into a position where they should be able to qualify for the knockout stages of the IBCs for the third straight tournament, and attempt, once again, to bring home the sport's most coveted trophy.

The tournament started with what was probably one of the most hyped games of the group stages in general- 9th ranked Banija taking on seventh ranked Ceni. A top 10 matchup to start the tournament? Who wouldn't want to watch? And this game, of course, happening on Ceni's home floor, many felt as if it would go a long way in determining who would qualify for the knockout stages out of what would certainly be a very competitive Group H. It was a tight, low scoring basketball game throughout most of it. With about 4 minutes remaining, however, Ceni led 60-59.

However, at that point, the Banijans went on a tear. An 8-0 run in the next 90 seconds- some transition baskets, some solid defense, and a key offensive rebound, put the Lions up for good, 67-60, with 2:30 left in the game. The final score of the game was 73-65 in favor of the Banijans, and their first win of the tournament was a big one. Recovering nicely from the last tournament's loss to the eventual champions Drawkland on home soil in the Round of 16, this team was highly motivated. They celebrated this victory, knowing that it was, indeed, a major one.

However, in Banija's home opener, it was clear that they had not come down from their big road victory. Tobiasia came to the Kingdom of Banija, and stole a road win. The Banijans were sloppy, lethargic, and undisciplined- they simply deserved to lose this game. Coming in as a dark horse, nobody likes to lose their home opener, especially against a lower ranked opponent, but here they were. This was always a tournament that would be tough, and that loss, at home, showed Alonzo Busk and his staff that Group H would not roll over simply because The Lions were ranked in the top 10.

They had to shake off the loss, however, and turn around for their next game. They had a home game against Juvencus, who had lost their first two games in the group stage. However, that doesn't mean a team is out- Banija lost their first two group stage games in IBC 24, and they went on an incredible tear after that, winning 9 of their next 10 en route to a semifinal appearance in that tournament. Juvencus threw their best shot at the Banijans- they were winning the game, 66-60, with 2:30 left. However, the Lions ended the game on a 9-0 run, capped by a Katamaba Savaneh dunk with 9 seconds left. A tight, 69-66 victory for the Lions, left them 2-1. This group was certain to be a slog.

On matchday four, they left the friendly confines of Banija, and travelled to Oscioru. They had a higher scoring game there, but a tough one nonetheless. For the fourth straight game, this one was tight all the way to the end. However, instead of one of Banija's bigs, per the usual, stepping up, the Lions got some help from an unexpected place- that's right, the backcourt. In a 79-79 game with 32 seconds left, Amadou Secka took over the game. He hit an in your face three point shot, and then, on the ensuing possession, got a steal and was able to draw a foul. Hitting one out of two free throws, he played fierce, in your face defense, and when Oscoriu missed a shot on their next possesion, Secka was passed the ball, and hit two more free throws.

It was a big time victory- a coming out party for Amadou Secka. Does Banija, after all these years, finally have a point guard? The team's youngest starter, a team known for it's pair of twin towers in the frontcourt, had himself quite a game. He had his first career double-double playing for the national team- he 10 assists and 17 points, including, of course, the team's final six points in the last 32 seconds of the game. He was dealing, and this victory, more than anything, was both a confidence and momentum builder.

Banija came home for matchday 5 against 95X, and they absolutely slaughtered 95X. They blew the door open off of their Atlantian Oceania rivals, and winning by 18 points, they took sole possession of first place within Group H. The Banijans are now the favorites to win the group- their basketball is improving, they are getting better guard play, they are gelling together as the tournament continues. What will be the biggest games? The next two. Ceni's return trip to Banija and, of course, Banija's visit to Tobiasia. Ceni is still the group's top ranked side- a win would give Banija a sweep of Ceni, and more importantly, a big time tiebreaker, as well as a two game lead within the group.

Tobiasia is also just one game back of the Banijans, but they have a distinct advantage- with their head to head victory, they hold a tiebreaker over the Lions. If Tobiaisa defeats the Banijans, they not only hold the sweep against Banija as a tiebreaker, but they will have the inside track on winning Group H altogether. The Banijans know that, in this tournament, a spot in the knockouts is not clinched until it is clinched, and with so few spots available, you have to hustle until you are mathematically assured of your place. However, if The Lions win those two games... they will be the overwhelming favorites to win group H and qualify for the IBC's knockout stages.

[Newmanistan]

THE ROCKET REPORT

PLAYERS EXCITED TO PLAY AGAIN

by Brianne Henry,

Once again, there will be certainty in the 26th International Basketball Championships. The Rockets have played very well in the tournament, going a perfect 5-0 with the sporadic schedule that has been seen thus far. The competition was initially going to be hosted in the nation of Qasden, who promised that as part of the playoffs, games would be played throughout their home region of Atlantian Oceania. That got people from that region pretty excited, but it would never pan out that way. For a couple days, things were pretty normal, but then the uncertainty kicked in. Games were postponed, but heck, we all know that can happen. Nations were patient until officials from Qasden were no were to be seen. Rumors say a couple were spotted in the nation of The Golden Lotus for Campinato Esportiva qualifying, but there is no reason to speculate. Even that tournament now has stalled.

What’s a player to do? Power forward Jaylon Wright joked that, “It gave us more time to study tape of Cheergirls. We didn’t really have any reason to study it, but they are, you know, fun to watch.” All you people from other nations can relax about the age thing, as I remind you the age of majority in Newmanistan is 16, making it ok for Wright and others to check out most of their roster. Wright did get more serious, though, telling me, “It was really pretty unprofessional with the way things went down from the organizers. From what we were told, Qasden representatives were around, just not following up with the competition. For a little while, it was like, sure, no problem, things are happening, that’s cool. I can’t believe a competition like this could just be abandoned in such a way.”

Center Tiberius Connelly agreed with his teammate. “We practice for this competition. It only comes every two years, and we set our plans accordingly. We’ve been playing really well, but we can’t get any momentum. The only thing that’s fair about that is that everyone in this competition can’t get any momentum, so no one was really at an advantage or a disadvantage because of it.” Connelly further says that he had to cancel a family trip to the Baptism of Fire due to the delays, “We were going to watch some of that soccer tournament for the newbies, you know the Baptism Of Fire. Farfadillis seemed like a good place to go on a vacation, and we should have had time to go there, but with all this uncertainty we had to cancel those plans. I was really looking forward to having that free time. But we never knew when we would be playing in this thing. Funny thing is, it’s been delayed by so much now we probably still could have gone to some of the matches.”

Certainty is now coming. Finally, the President’s office of the IBC, based on Drawkland, clamped down on the troubles of the Qasden officials, and awarded the tournament to Equestrian States. You may recall that Equestrian States did also bid for the competition from the very beginning, and despite getting our vote at the very start, they would not be the winning bid. Coach James Parsons says the team always felt good about Equestrian States, “I told our official selectors when the bidding took place that the tournament should go there, but more people felt otherwise. And that’s fine, that’s democracy. We are disappointed with how it played out in Qasden, and look, there are no hard feelings or personal feelings there. This is about business.”

Newmanistan has been successful lately in tournaments hosted by the Equestrian States, including winning World Baseball Classic 41 while in that nation, its fifth of six titles. They were unable to make it to the World Cup in the rare opportunity of qualifying for the last one, and the team is not returning to that this coming cycle. For now, they will hope to keep on playing well, but now will soon now with clarity when they will be playing. Equestrian States officials haven’t officially released a schedule quite yet, but we at least know that when they do, they will follow through with it.