IBC • 43 -- Everything Thread

by **Ko-oren** » Sat Dec 20, 2025 10:19 am

Style mod As low as it goes (-5) / RP Permissions Yes

Nickname Dragonflies
Colours Green, Blue, Yellow
Head Coach Juliet Shillington (IBC 17 winner)
History Old generation: 1-4 in IBC Finals; New generation: 1-0 in IBC Finals
Other key figures on the staff
From the IBC 17 squad: Vasco Azevado, Solène Dupre, Amy Janssen, Milena Carlisle
From the IBC 20 squad: Leandro Buenaventura, Gao Liang, Milton Hayes
Arenas
Aminey Court Central (2500)
Ciudad Miradela (3150)
Korth Basketini Maethorudin (2200)
Korth Senorendhin (1975)

Centre
Gaétan Njauten (23, M) Etouille Energie
Garrett Bahkihshen (26, M) Ouleux Sapphires
Bihau Seibousein (26, M) Arakura Tower
Ihtovel Odohzihdhen (25, M) Couziers Centurions

The new generation is here. So far, the critics aren't fully prepared to accept that the likes of Kaname - or any of the recently retired centres - are really over, but the stats more or less confirms the eye test. That said, there's something to be said that this new generation doesn't have the same flair as the players of old: while Njauten and the gang are good, they're not exactly game winners for their respective teams. We're expecting players that can rival their opponents - particularly with Njauten and Bahkihshen - but likely not overcome them every single play.

Power Forward
Buford Oldlin (24, M) Ansonville City Athletic PF
Uvafena Uhpisohthen (28, F) Maethoru Banshees PF
Guendolina Canton (34, F) Ferrovente Tazers PF
France Kodhen (21, F) Lunay Argonauts PF

Canton hasn't thrown in the towel - if she did, she'd be on that NT staff group immediately. For now, she's still enjoying the game too much and she's still playing at too high a level to really get out of the league entirely yet. As far as the position goes, Oldlin has really taken over and looks like our stable long term option more and more. The Athletic carries his team and has to do most of that alone, but on the NT he can rely on Uhpisohthen who's going through a remarkable development in her mid-career to go from a Banshees role player to easily one of the stronger teammates.

Small Forward
Copan Hodizhin (24, M) Ferrovente Tazers SF
Takatomi Tsuljozen (24, M) Couziers Centurions SF
Idhamok Menthen (21, M) Senoren Diamonds SF

Again, the new generation is here. Hodizhin wasn't in view last time, neither was Menthen. All three are roughly comparable in the pecking order for now, with Hodizhin having a lower floor but far higher ceiling, Tsuljozen being the true team player - but lacking the skill to make a match his - and Menthen, likely too young for now, perhaps the strongest and the better option in a few years.

Shooting Guard
Kazusa Jorasen (26, F) Katashi Asahi SG
Thokhihek Khenehugun (23, M) Montelo Snipers SG
Vincens Heidiep (25, M) Senoren Diamonds SG
Willie Manisle (29, M) Idyllwild Circle SG

Now for our strongest position. It's a battle to get into the group of 4, with Manisle once leading the charge but now relegated to fourth in the depth chart. Jorasen is a creative player - much needed among not extremely creative forwards - while Khenehugun, like most of the rest of the team, is simply very good in executing a game plan. Heidiep is perhaps the better teammate: better passing, better vision, but won't change the course of a match on his own. There is an unofficial fifth SG: Hehedhen, not selected but maybe called on in case of injury.

Point Guard
Emuk Arzhendin (32, M) Senoren Diamonds PG
Marcellin Chery (29, M) Etouille Amandine PG
Aimuci Avobea (24, M) Gehrenna Lions PG

Arzhendin is the best player in Ko-oren and will play as much possible. He's quick, creative, has vision, perhaps is a little on the short side, but he's phenomenal in getting his team in the position to make one final play for a score. Chery and Avobea know that their role is backup at best.

After the implosion of the Ko-orenite Basketball League, the sport (barely) survived on small courts in big cities. Twelve clubs have emerged in a new national league, representing three urban areas. The Capital Cities (Maethoru, Mayara, Gehrenna, Senoren), Aminey (Lunay, Ouleux, Couziers/Linieux, Étouille - but Étouille and Linieux are not within Aminey by a bit), and Santa Teresa (Miradela, Montelo, Serramonte - and nearby Ferrovente). While they might not be underdogs in literally every game, the rankings pretend like this team has a lot more individual skill than it actually has. The strength of the positions is something like PG > SF/PF > (gap) > C > SG, factoring in the backups more than the starters, as we've got one class player at each position at least. Even then, the skill of the PG(s) is far more than C and SG. This is mostly solved by having players play at different positions - because how rigid are basketball positions anyway - and depending on the configuration there might be one extra PG leading to a more technical team shooting from distance or an extra forward leading to a bit more physical play, closer to the basket, relying on a high FG% and grabbing rebounds.

The league has since expanded to 48 teams - by far the largest in Ko-oren - with the new players on the new teams slowly breaking through into the NT. The original twelve outmuscle the rest by a mile - usually - so the good players gravitate towards that group of teams.

by **The Philippine Islands and Formosa** » Sat Dec 20, 2025 1:41 pm

THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS AND FORMOSA MEN'S NATIONAL BASKETBALL TEAM

NATION NAME: Confederation of the Philippine Islands and Formosa
DEMONYM: Philippine-Formosan
NICKNAMES: La Sele (The National Team), Calor Azul (Blue Heat), Los Austronesios (The Austronesians)
VICTORY SONG: Azul by Cristian Castro
TRIGRAMME: PHF

UNIFORMS BY MARKADO

The Confederation of the Philippine Islands and Formosa commonly called Philippine Islands and Formosa, or also Philippines-Formosa, is a federal constitutional parliamentary monarchy shared with Spain in Southeast Asia. It is bordered on the north by Japan, on the south by Indonesia and the Celebes Sea, by the east by the Pacific Ocean and on the west by West Philippine Sea and Vietnam. The Philippine Islands and Formosa covers 421,000 square kilometers and has has an estimated population of 102 million inhabitants. The Philippine Islands and Formosa comprises of 25 federal entities, 6 autonomous territories, and a special territory.

Sports have been popular with the Philippine-Formosans since its inception in 1899, and basketball is one of them besides baseball introduced by the Cuban, American, and Dominican missionaries and football by the European and Latin American priests and missionaries and is the 3rd most popular sport besides the two. It is regularly played in some cities in all over the country but the sports is also growing in certain rural areas thanks for the development from the confederal government.

STAFF AND STYLE MOD
Manager: Andrés Villaceran (56)
Head Coach: 林志安 (Lin Chih-An) / Adrián Lin (47)
Assistant Coach: Mariano T. Vergara (43)
Style Modifier: +0.65
Playing Identity: Fast, fluid, perimeter-focused offense with disciplined transition defense.

POINT GUARDS
1. 黃俊傑 (Huang Chun-Chieh) / Jorge Huang (24) – FSN (Formosa Septentrional)
2. Ernesto T. Yap (26) – CEB (Estado de Cebú)
3. Liu Ting-En (劉廷恩) (21) – FOC (Formosa Occidental)
SHOOTING GUARDS
6. Rafael Cortez (25) – PAN (Estado de Panay)
7. 陳信宏 (Chen Hsin-Hung) / Horacio Chen (27) – FME (Formosa Meridional)
8. Leonardo “Narding” Javellana (23) – NGR (Estado de Negros)
SMALL FORWARDS
8. Carlos Dela Peña (28) – DFM (Distrito Federal de Manila) (C)
9. 李承恩 (Li Cheng-En) / Luis Li (22) – FSN (Formosa Septentrional)
10. Benigno “Jun” Ragay (20) – BIC (Estado de Bicolandia)
POWER FORWARDS
10. Miguel “Migs” Alcántara (26) – DAV (Estado de Dávao)
11. 林柏榮 (Lin Po-Jung) / Pablo Lin (24) – FOC (Formosa Occidental)
12. Eufemio dela Cruz (22) – LLC (Estado de la Llanura Central)
CENTERS
13. 張建凱 (Chang Chien-Kai) / Santiago Chang (25) – CFO (Cordillera Formoseña)
14. José Mariano Alonzo (27) – COR (Estado de la Cordillera Central)
15. Kao Wei-Hsiang (高偉翔) (23) – PES (Islas Pescadores)

---
STARTING FIVE
PG – Jorge Huang (FSN)
SG – Horacio Chen (FME)
SF – Carlos Dela Peña (DFM) (C)
PF – Pablo Lin (FOC)
C – Santiago Chang (CFO)
---

BENCH
Yap (CEB), Liu (FOC), Cortez (PAN), Javellana (NGR), Li (FSN), Alcántara (DAV), Dela Cruz (LLC), Alonzo (COR), Kao (PES), Ragay (BIC)

MATCH SCHEDULES
MD1 vs Banija @ Valenciano Araneta Coliseum, Manila = L, 77-104
MD2 vs Lisander @ Axness Finders Arena, Beaumont
MD3 vs Britonisea @ Valenciano Araneta Coliseum, Manila
MD4 vs Free Republics @ SERTA Arena, Kotodelphia
MD5 vs The Kytler Peninsulae @ Royal Institute of Malolos Gymnasium, Malolos
MD6 vs Banija @ Wildlife Arena, Ekkobe
MD7 vs Lisander @ Taipower Arena, Taipei
MD8 vs Britonisea
MD9 vs Free Republics @ Valenciano Araneta Coliseum, Manila
MD10 vs The Kytler Peninsulae @ The Common Arena, Boldrewood

My opponent, if they RP first, may do the following:
Choose my Scorers: Yes
Choose Scoring Events: Yes, but after a point is scored or a point with a foul
Godmod Scoring Events: Yes
RP Injuries to my Players: Yes, just one no severity
Godmod Injuries to my Players: Yes
Godmod Other Events: Yes

by **Zenic** » Sat Dec 20, 2025 5:58 pm

As the WBC came to a close thanks to one R-named nation (Ranoria), the IBC will come to a roaring start thanks to another R-named nation (Riandera).

The Zenic squad had just arrived in the South Pacific nation a few days before the start of the 43rd International Basketball Championships to ensure they would be rested against their first ever opponent in the IBC. While Futbol and Ice Hockey had primarily been the two biggest fanbases within the Empire for most of its existence, it had branched out into the other sports that most nations play: tennis, baseball, the Olympic sports, etc. And they slow rolled out their entrances into those sports on an international level since their "Emergence Day", to varying levels of success. Somehow, one of the few they had never forayed into was basketball.

Suddenly, they're following up their first ever Olympic participation in traditional and 3x3 basketball with a debut into the official world championship for the sport. Some might consider that a bit quick but not Predrag Krunoslav Ilić or the Ministry of Sports. Ilić's goal for this IBC is simple: establish a winning base for success. If they can make the knockout rounds, they'll know the bare minimum they'll need to achieve next tournament. If they can replicate that a few times until it becomes the bare minimum for Zenic, then Ilić will have achieved his goal for his tenure. Even if they don't manage to make it out of the group stage, if they can at least get close for this debut tournament, it'll be a success.

And he had a hell of a team to help him attempt to achieve his goal; a team that even pundits felt was the best that Zenic could offer. 12 players from throughout the 8 most successful college basketball teams in recent times including one of the best floor generals to emerge in the last few years (Rodrigo), one of the most promising defensive centers ever to touch the court (Asturias), one of the best post players in the last decade (Kolar), and the best three point shooter in the last two EACA seasons (Leclerc). Plus some solid backups (Alfaro and Byrd), strong specialists (Braband, Gros, and Love) and promising players (Chavarría and Roux) to fill out the roster definitely inspired Ilić's confidence in succeeding early and quick.

However, everyone else was concerned about a different part of the squad: the coaching staff. Ilić's selection as the first ever head coach for the national basketball team was obvious and undisputed: three EACA national championships in the last 5 years and 4 total ensures that everyone knows that you know modern basketball in and out. Even his chosen assistant head coach isn't too controversial: Craig Gold, the oldest current head coach in EACA basketball and two time national champion who makes sure his teams always have solid fundamentals and do well, even if they haven't necessarily been good enough to win a national championship in the last decade or so. And Park Hana is one of the best sports scientists in the Empire and the best at basketball as most of her clients come from the top EACA basketball programs plus a one or two international players from Rushmore.

No, the main concern from pundits and fans online comes from his choice for his two assistant coaches: Fabiana Inma Sainz from HSU and Pierrick Dieudonné Joubert from LSU. Sainz is an offensive guru, easily averaging 105 points a game every season she's been in charge. Meanwhile, Joubert is a defensive mastermind that hasn't allowed an opponent to score over 60 points in a game in 3 years. If you could combine them into one person with all of their strengths and get rid of their weaknesses. it would create the greatest basketball coach of all time. Clearly, Ilić was going to let each one take control of their preferred side of the game while he and Gold would manage the overall team to ensure one side was suffocating the other.

That would normally be easy to do but for one fact: HSU and LSU are part of the most heated rivalry in EACA history, the Cliffhanger Showdown. And when Ilić says 'most heated', he means MOST HEATED. It's the only rivalry to date where both head coaches have been arrested a bit after the game ended for actions taken during the game (considering no other rivalry has gotten even one of the head coaches arrested soon after the match, it's truly impressive). While Sainz and Joubert don't have as intense of a rivalry as some of their predecessors did, they still have one of the strongest of the modern era. If Ilić wants to get the most he can out of both of them, he'll need to either keep them on a very short lease or make their love of a successful Zenic stronger than their feelings to continue the rivalry.

Whether Ilić can do that or not is left to be seen. He just hoped that his first showing against Riandera was a success: literal or spiritual.

by **The Kytler Peninsulae** » Sat Dec 20, 2025 8:02 pm

THE KYTLER PENINSULAE NATIONAL BASKETBALL TEAM
aka The Explorers
Official team information sheet

The Kytlerians were late arriving to the international basketball scene, on the grounds that quite a few of the people who actually play basketball in the country wouldn't consider themselves Kytlerian at all. Fairly decent barrier to entry, that.

Once that was overcome and the talent from the oft-forgotten exclave of Bitternea - including and sometimes especially from the Kitaran diaspora there - the newly-assembled team promptly made the last eight on debut. Now, to be fair, they lucked out by playing an already-safe Valanora with a rest advantage, but they did beat freaking Valanora (and overturn a 25-point deficit against Drawkland, who survived with a closing buzzer-beater but promptly went out on points difference after the Vanorians destroyed them) - and by beating Aphrilia in their first consolation bracket match, they came sixth, above hosts Quebec and Shingoryeo.

Oh yeah, this team did that having travelled across the Blood Sea with all the emotional baggage that carries for a Kytlerian team.

Now with an official team identity as the Explorers - reflecting the seafaring heritage common to both Bitternea and the Kytlerian mainland - and a snazzy new set of uniforms from Kytlerian firm Amdani, they are ready to prove they can back up this stunning start. There's an extensive history of Kytlerian international sporting teams overachieving on debut and never stepping up, but with the Phoenix baseball team having defied that with a stunning run to the Championship Series to break the quarterfinal curse, could the Explorers be next?

My opponent, if they RP first, may do the following:
Choose my Scorers: Yes | Choose Scoring Events: Yes | Godmod Scoring Events: No
RP Injuries to my Players: Discuss | Godmod Injuries to my Players: No | Godmod Other Events: No
If style modifiers worked, the Explorers would have a +3; they play fast and are still a little raw defensively.

Home court vs. Banija, Free Republics: Kytlerian Indoor Arena, Zube (16,385)
Built for the Games of the IX Olympiad in the eastern part of the purpose-built Kytlerian capital of Zube, the Kytlerian Indoor Arena has recently been treated to interior refurbishment - much of it focused on providing a lighting setup so expansive that the touring musicians who provide the majority of the venue's big audiences can easily go without bringing their own. Like the rest of Zube, both the roof of the arena itself and the paved surfaces around it have a light colour to reduce the urban heat island effect - Zube is known as "Snowflake City" for this defining characteristic.
Home court vs. Britonisea, Lisander: Bitternea Bank Arena at Vespasian Quay, Cobden (12,345)
Built as part of an urban regeneration project of the Vespasian Docks in the Bitternean capital Cobden, the imposingly steep-sided Bitternea Bank Arena has quickly gained a place at the heart of the exclave's cultural life on multiple levels - not only for basketball, but as a popular music venue for touring Kytlerian and Tikariotian artists. Given the latter, it's perhaps appropriate that the building has an angular metal facade...
Home court for the other home group game: The Common Arena, Boldrewood (12,327)
Located in Bitternea's third and smallest city after Cobden and Midanbury, The Common Arena is named after the scenic city park in which it lies. Paradoxically, it is a notable piece of brutalist architecture, with a prominent copper roof that has long since oxidised into a pale green that blends with its surroundings.

EXPECTED STARTING FIVE
#1 Ace LEE
Guard / 188cm / 88kg / 195cm wingspan / age 24
First child of a Quebecois-Kytlerian couple, his younger siblings Deuce (19) and Trae (16) are hyped prospects themselves. Having parents born in a country with an actual basketball tradition has helped all of them show more court IQ than their peers; Ace backs it up with floor-running and shooting skills that lock him in as the Explorers' starter at the point.
#2 Aron STEFANSSON
Guard/forward / 201cm / 96kg / 213cm wingspan / age 29
From a New Kitaran Osterlander family ho moved to Bitternea during the Kitaran civil war, Stefansson's prototype size/speed/shooting mix has made him a cornerstone of this team and a former MVP of the Kytlerian domestic league. There are smarter veteran players out there, but his basketball IQ isn't the liability it once was; like a lot of this team, he's learned quickly with international experience.
#3 Tank HOOPER
Forward / 202cm / 107kg / 212cm wingspan / age 25
Got his name for being a notably chonky baby; ended up as a contender for the greatest piece of nominative determinism in multiversal sport. Loves to drive into the paint, possibly too much but there's few players who can both stand up to his power and keep up with his speed; this in turn tends to lead to some highlight-reel dunks.
#4 Bunsars HESARAMBA
Forward / 205cm / 105kg / 213cm wingspan / age 25
"The Bitternean Bomber" is a classic stretch four; built to handle the paint, can also shoot from beyond the arc and track down others trying the same, sneakily good ball-handler. Defensive improvement has earned him the most recent domestic MVP award, and he might just be emerging as the single most important player on a team that has tended to rely on heavy rotation.
#5 Magnus ERIKSSON
Centre / 219cm / 130kg / 241cm wingspan / age 28
Of course there's a BFG at the heart of a Kytlerian basketball team, and BFGs don't get bigger than this. Truly an absolute unit, he is the epitome of an old-school paint-pummelling five. He'll win rebounds, finish inside, and stop opponents from doing the same; has won three domestic MVP titles doing no more or less than that.

OTHER PLAYERS ON THE ROSTER
#00 Vic CHARLES
Guard / 195cm / 88kg / 209cm wingspan / age 27
The genderfluid Charles - who took the name Vic for ambiguity between Victoria and their assigned name Victor - is the Explorers' sixth wo/man. You can instantly spot them on the court with their vivid red ponytail, and also for their tendency to whir around the court with giddy abandon. Willing and able to shoot beyond the arc, but also to drive inside with an eye on a floater or flashy layup.
#7 Jérome TREPAGNIER
Guard/forward / 201cm / 88kg / 216cm wingspan / age 21
Lanky wing whose speed and length disrupts sharpshooters in a big way, and his own shooting is trending up - but more importantly, so is his strength, as he's grown into his body a bit (he's up 3kg on his listed IBC42 weight). Pair that with improving defensive instincts, and he's gone from regular DNP-CD to key reserve for the Explorers.
#8 Bakaji BIGOMBE
Guard / 192cm / 96kg / 200cm wingspan / age 28
Kitaran-Bitternean combo guard blows hot and cold, but when "BB-8" is on, he's on - especially on the offensive side, where his shooting and passing can be the best in the nation at times. Had his moments as a microwave scorer in IBC42 - notably in the comeback against Drawkland - and expected to have more of them this cycle.
#9 Ock MIKAERE-OCHAATES
Forward / 204cm / 105kg / 222cm wingspan / age 29
Born to a Vephra mother and Aboriginal father - and named after Ock Fils, the Vephra-Aboriginal lacrosse icon of generations past - Mikaere-Ochaates has a wingspan as long as his double-barrelled surname and uses it to cause defensive chaos all over the floor. Likely the best defensive and worst offensive player on the roster, his role will largely be to help protect leads.
#10 Max SEXTON
Guard/forward / 198cm / 96kg / 216cm wingspan / age 28
The Kytlerian talent pool overindexes on size-speed slashing wings like these, including converts from other sports like Sexton whose teenage dreams were primarily in baseball. What makes Sexton stand out - besides his funky dunks - is his ability to strip the ball; he has led the Kytlerian league in steals four times in the last five seasons.
#11 Vernon EDWARDS
Forward/centre / 214cm / 104kg / 216cm wingspan / age 20
Breakout big has shown immediate defensive instincts beyond what we've usually seen from Kytlerian prospects, and pairs that with a soft touch at the rim. Not (yet, at least) great at handling the rough-and-tumble in the paint on a pure physical level, but opponents trying to exploit that have frequently ended up in foul trouble.
#12 Jonah KEITA
Guard/forward / 198cm / 98kg / 208cm wingspan / age 27
Born to an aboriginal Kytlerian mother and a Kitaran father, Keita is yet another of those physical-prototype wing slashers the Kytlerians seem to produce four of for every one other international-grade talent. His point of difference is that he's more of a distributor than a scorer when his compatriots of this physical ilk have tended to be the other way round.
#14 Pontus THÖRNFELDT
Forward/centre / 210cm / 112kg / 229cm wingspan / age 22
Another Osterlander refugee from Nyowani Kitara, his technical skills are firmly on the rise, and he already had the ideal physical foundation to build upon, once memorably described as being "straight out of a toilet paper commercial" - soft (hands), strong, and very long. Won't be flushing Hesaramba or Eriksson out of the starting five yet but can rotate in for either.
#15 Roger LOVE
Guard / 185cm / 76kg / 196cm wingspan / age 31
The son of a Quebecois tennis coach, Love is utterly atypical of this Explorers roster in that he's a brain-over-brawn type - one who's easily overpowered inside but quite happily dishes dimes to players who aren't. Throw in a strong pull-up shooting game and strong defensive savvy, and you have a natural floor-running reserve.
#17 Cameron McGEE
Forward / 202cm / 105kg / 209cm wingspan / age 23
High school edge rusher in the Kytlerian gridiron stronghold of Varn; took up basketball after his family moved to Zube for work, and took to it in a hurry. Still figuring it out given how experienced he isn't in this specific sport, but he's already an intimidating slashing forward and has a happy knack for thriving in pressure situations.

by **Riandera** » Sat Dec 20, 2025 8:10 pm

Asep was thinking about how the Fire would perform in his office.

After their terrible performance at their first cycle, Riandera signed up for the next IBC to redeem themselves. Prior to the start of this cycle, the Fire underwent two-and-a-half gruelling months of training. They'd practice indoors sometimes, but most of the time they had to train in the hot sun, but nobody complained. He and Wayan took note of how alert they were, and after a while, they were sure their boys (in reality, they were men) were ready for IBC 43.

First, the Fire would deal with Zenic, on home soil. But what made him and the others proud is that the Fire are not stressed from home team pressure. Then, they would go to Ko-oren for an away game. Then the Fire would go back home to play Sangti and the Filindo Isles and The Golden Harp. On MD5, they were headed to United Adaikes for their final match of the first half. The Fire would go out of the Eternal Kingdom on MD6, 8 and 9, but would play Ko-oren and United Adaikes on home soil.

Then, there was a knock at the door. Asep was quick to answer. "Good afternoon, Wayan."

"Greetings, Mr. Saputra," Wayan replies as he walks to an office chair.

The two of them talked about the upcoming games, and how their 'boys' would perform in them. All they wished for them was to have fun, but thought it would be nice if they made it to the Round of 24.

by **Quebec and Shingoryeo** » Sun Dec 21, 2025 1:41 am

Quebec and Shingoryeo Men's and Women's National Basketball Teams - IBC 43

The Basketball Quebec, in continuation of its practice also shared by Royal Quebecois Volleyball Federation (RQVF) and Royal Quebecois Football Association (RQFA), is proud to continue its practice of sending mixed teams with expanded rosters to international competitions, even as the QBL and the QWBL gender-separated. In regards to their opponents' preferences to play the men, women or mixed teams will remain flexible in advanced consultation with their opponents (OOC: please read my team information right below).

Team Jerseys

Here.

Quebecois Basketball In Nutshell

Considered to be one of the 'Big 3' of indoor sports played in Quebecois winters (Basketball, Hockey and Volleyball, while Handball is a summer sport here), basketball is an extremely popular, well-loved sport in Quebec. With massive attention given to both teams, and all levels of basketball being watched from high school to the international stage, the Quebecois are expected to bring fire and fury to their cheering and jeering game.

After looking at the roster, you may have noticed that the Quebecois national teams are...slightly bigger than usual, with Quebecois women being taller than average and men shorter, even though neither are really Drawkians to start with. There is nothing to deny about how the talent disparity exists between the Quebecois women, one of the best (if not the best) program in Multiverse right now, and the men, who would be at their best in the top 12-13, and that's the way of life.

That said, for where they lack in particular height, the Grim Reapers make up for it with tactical versatility, power and strength, not to mention their ability to maximise rotations. The previously-mentioned disparity of talent between the Quebecois men and the women, as well as the international basketball scene's tendency to have predominant number of national teams be mostly male, had influenced the Quebecois brand of double-squading their tournaments with 16-18 players selected from the 30-player preliminary list to represent Quebec every international window. This is particularly evident in the group stage, where the Quebecois have almost always experimented with any format, and often key starters are rested whenever possible. Once the Quebecois national team enters the elimination round (or in the case of IBC 31 and 35, second group stage), the rotation tends to shrink to around 11 or 12.

For clearer sense of an international window and scheduling, lease see here for domestic-international calendar.

Home Venue:

Quebec and Shingoryeo (QUE) Venue Bid
Venue: l'Arc-en-Ciel, Quebec City, Quebec and Shingoryeo - Capacity: 21,580
Home Tennant: CSKA Quebec (QBL/QWBL)
Information: With the city's dreams, glooms and love all reflected its boulevards and the Capitoliens themselves, Joongyeong hopes to welcome the visitors for a swell time in the IBC. Located at the midway point between Fleuve Saint-Henri and the mouth of the River to the East Sea, the 'City of Eternal Lights' is a traveller's paradise as hundreds of museums and monuments form the city.
Right in heart of it is l'Arc-en-Ciel - the 21,580-seater is located on the Alexandre IV District of Joongyeong, just 5 minutes walk away from Bibliotheque Nationale on east and 10 minutes west of Parc D'Armistice, the largest urban park in the Downtown area. Located right next to the Colisee Royale, this is where CSKA Quebec, the winningest men's basketball and second-winningest women's basketball team in Quebecois history, plays its home matches.
Year in and out, it is filled to the brim, and the regular renovations and additions have continued to maintain it as a top-class venue for both domestic and international competitions. Per the internal BQ regulations, however, Basketball Quebec does not allocate any home tickets to the away team supporters.

Position          Team/Program     Name                     Age STATUS    Affiliation
Program Director  Senior           Pablo Alfonsin            43    NEW    Basketball Quebec
Head Coach        Senior-M         Kwak Yin-Beom             56    NEW    Pahkatequayang Grizzlies (QBL)
Head Coach        Senior-W         Jeanne Mazanowski         40    NEW    University of Prince Raoul Islands (QIS)
Assistant Coach   Senior-W         Ellery Swann-Mendes       32    NEW    Swangard Athletic (QWBL)
Analyst           Senior-M         Gladys Kierkegaard        46    NEW    Yongma College (QIS)

Entirely different staff? Mostly purged national team? No surprise when you underperform.

-#    PO  Name            Surname                 Ht.  Age    Status Debut  College/Jr Club            Team            Current Rating
01     C  Horace          Karugunda               2.20  30  RETURNEE    38  Manitoba Kings (Jrs)                 ★★★★★
03    SG  Winston         Joly-McCuish            1.94  19    ROOKIE    43  St. John's Arsenal (Jrs)             ★★★☆
06    SF  Gaetan          Tutberidze              2.01  20  RETURNEE    42  CSKA Quebec (Jrs)                    ★★★★☆
08    PG  Florent         Mills-Ryder             1.91  21  RETURNEE    42  Trinity College Inteachan (QIS)      ★★★★
13    PG  Laurent         Villeneuve-Chenier      1.83  20    ROOKIE    43  Nideyinan College (QIS)              ★★★★
17   F/C  Marian          Lupe                    2.12  18    ROOKIE    43  Yoseo University-Montevicio (QIS)    ★★★☆
20     C  Jong-Seop       Baek                    2.11  25  RETURNEE    42  Queen's College (QIS)                ★★★★
25    PF  Normand         Hwang                   2.06  25  RETURNEE    42  Coloratura State (QIS)               ★★★☆
51    SG  Gang-Whoe       Kang                    1.93  25  RETURNEE    41  Mount Ester (QIS)                    ★★★★☆
----
02    PG  Marija          Saric                   1.77  23  RETURNEE    41  Keewatinook (QIS)                     ★★★★☆
04     G  Ye-Jin          Jang                    1.80  19    ROOKIE    43  Montreal Koreana (Jrs)                ★★★☆
05    SF  Julianne        Ottavino                1.85  27  RETURNEE    41  Coloratura State (QIS)                ★★★★☆
07    PG  Cassidy         Donatello               1.73  24  RETURNEE    42  Lennoxville Marymount (QIS)           ★★★★☆
09    SG  Leonie          Cha                     1.90  21  RETURNEE    42  Nideyinan College (QIS)               ★★★★
10     W  Ye-Rin          Kim                     1.84  22  RETURNEE    42  Coloratura State (QIS)                ★★★★
11    PF  Maude           Hwang-Fleming           1.94  17    ROOKIE    43  Saguenay A&M (QIS)                    ★★★☆
15     C  Elodie          Byeon-Graham            1.96  24  RETURNEE    42  Nideyinan College (QIS)               ★★★★
33     C  Kelsey          Boulouque Lautner       1.96  29  RETURNEE    40  Saguenay (QIS)                        ★★★★★

Feel free to check my newswire or ask me on Discord how these players are like.

Style Modifier (for IC purposes): -2

My opponent, if they RP first, may do the following:
Choose my scorers:Y
Godmod scoring events/Assign other stats: Y, but please TG or PM me before you RP this. Make sure to read my roster information, to avoid any confusion.
RP injuries to my players: Y
Godmod Injuries to my players:N. I shall decide the severity
Suspend my players:Y
Godmod suspension events: N
Godmod other events: Y, but TG or PM are a must if you are trying to get something rolling

by **Tjorl** » Sun Dec 21, 2025 10:43 am

NS-Verse Tjorl Lore

Seven editions since they came their closest to the summit, the Jötnarne have to learn how to start from square one all over again. Once the universe's sixth-best side, Tjorl enter IBC43 unranked, which is exactly where they stood at their first IBC appearance. Still led by Jakob Kaiser, whose efforts earned him a spot in the unofficial "Team of the Tournament" in IBC36, Tjorl look to make a statement at the international stage once again, this time with a new coach. With Vinzenz Hansson gone after a disappointing 20-point defeat at the hands of Valentine Z in IBC37, former collegiate coach Emrik Bergvik is given the reins to the national team. In the time between IBC37 and IBC43, seven of Tjorl's players have retired from the national team, paving the way for the new generation of Tjorlish basketball stars, particularly Felix Neslunn and Albin Skarnlund. Out of all the teams in their group, universe no. 5 Quebec & Shingoryeo stands as Tjorl's most familiar foe, as they are an adversary many Tjorlins remember as the giant they nearly toppled in IBC35; Tjorl fell by five points to the tournament hosts, then ranked third in the universe. Despite the fall of the Jötnarne, fan support remains as fervent as it was when they made their debut in IBC34.

PLAYERS
#1 | Hannah Reishus (27 y.o. | 2.01 m | SF)
#4 | Matias Varalunn (25 y.o. | 1.96 m | SG)
#6 | Emil Skjærn (21 y.o. | 2.04 m | PF)
#7 | Felix Neslunn (25 y.o. | 2.03 m | SF)
#8 | Arvid Bryntel (26 y.o. | 2.04 m | SF)
#9 | Mats Nystrom (29 y.o. | 1.91 m | PG)
#10 | Anders Martikainen (31 y.o. | 1.93 m | SG)
#12 | Mira Brisvik (30 y.o. | 1.96 m | SG)
#14 | Jakob Kaiser (C) (31 y.o. | 1.91 m | PG)
#15 | Samuel Morvæk (29 y.o. | 2.05 m | PF)
#17 | Isak av Velrik (23 y.o. | 2.17 m | C)
#18 | Laura Oldervik (30 y.o. | 2.11 m | C)
#23 | Albin Skarnlund (24 y.o. | 2.02 m | PF)
#27 | Eirik Haugaard (25 y.o. | 2.07 m | C)
#42 | Maja Ilmaren (22 y.o. | 1.89 m | PG)

STAFF
Manager | Emrik Bergvik
Assistant Managers | Natalie Stueck, Lukash Niilov
Fitness Coaches | Reinhold Herzog, Kalvin av Sylvarn

NICKNAME: Jötnarne (The Giants)
DEMONYM: Tjorlin (noun) & Tjorlish (adjective & plural)
TRIGAMME: TJL
RANK: UR
STYLE: +2

My opponent, if they RP first, may do the following:
Choose my Scorers: Y
Choose Scoring Events: Y
Godmod Scoring Events: N
RP Injuries to my Players: Y (nothing career-ending)
Godmod Injuries to my Players: N
Godmod Other Events: Let me know through a telegram or through Discord (you can find me on the NSS server) first.

by **Chromatika** » Sun Dec 21, 2025 1:20 pm

If my opponent RPs first, they may:
Choose my scorers: Y
Choose other statistics (e.g. rebounds, assists) for my players: Y
RP injuries to my players: Y
Godmod sporting events: N
Godmod injuries: N
Godmod other events: N
Style Mod, for RP Purposes: -3.5

Chromatika National Basketball Team
World Rank: 62
Nickname: The Penguins
Coach: Mary Ann Wallace (39)
Assistant Coach: Joan Frellore (38)
Home Venue: FRIArena, Felswyr, Mountain District (Cap. 35,000)

Basketball in Chromatika has gone through a bit of a resurgence. With the Chromatik Collegiate Basketball Assocation heating up, the new-look Rainbow Foundation Basketball League starting to develop some fans, and the emergence of some key dual-national players, the Penguins show some signs of hope.

Starters
No   Pos  Name                     Age   DNat Height       Team   
01   PG   Kristie SHADDON-YSENOV    28        6 ft 10 in   Tihon Rave (CMT)                          CAPTAIN
03   SG   Andrea VOSPELICI          25        6 ft 11 in   Chromia Centurions (CMT)     
08   SF   Isa SAIDYKHAN             22    BNJ 6 ft  3 in   Chromia Central College University (CMT)    
09   PF   Douglas TAPTUNA           21    QUE 6 ft  9 in   Mountain District University (CMT)  
02   C    Lira MONSALVIN            30        7 ft         Swangard Athletic (QUE)
Bench
No   Pos  Name                     Age   DNat Height       Team        
05   PG   Ami WALLACE-SONDHEIM      24        6 ft  8 in   Eyrods Eels (CMT)
04   SG   Joseph HUNT               28        6 ft 10 in   Felswyr Igloo (CMT) 
06   SF   Annick LaRUE              25        6 ft  8 in   Eyrods Eels (CMT)
07   PF   Osman TODWALD             26        6 ft 11 in   Myana Matadors (CMT)   
10   C    Mark ZWEIFEL              23        7 ft  2 in   Tihon Rave (CMT)
Reserves
Reserves 
No   Pos  Name                     Age   DNat Height       Team       
11   G    EO Sang-Seol              22        6 ft 10 in   Eyrods Tech (CMT)   
12   F    Podrick PENDRAGON         26        6 ft 11 in   Wirr Tsi Thunderbirds (CMT)
13   C    Kennedy ZUBOVICH-MORRISON 20    QUE 7 ft  3 in   Chromia Central College University (CMT)

STARTERS
PG Kristie Shaddon-Ysenov, CAPTAIN

Took a year off due to injury, but back at it and better than ever, Shaddon-Ysenov is the link between the prior age of Chromatik basketball and this current one. She is an assist machine with a great read on the game. With this team, she won't have to score more than twelve points a game, but it'll be her decision making that decides their fate. Quiet, confident, and lots of veteran poise, Kristie will be counted on to carry this team.

SG Andrea Vospelici

Arguably the best player in Chromatik domestic basketball in the last two seasons, Vospelici is good for a double-double almost every game. She has a great midrange jumper, can attack the rim, and does decently from range. Her best quality is the ability to be a decoy while others play around her. She has the ability to take over the game during stretches, isn't shy about being a point guard if the team needs her to be, and is a grinder in the film room.

SF Isa Saidykhan

The Banijan dual-national is a up and coming star from the CCBA ranks. Primarily left-handed, she uses that to her advantage as wel. She's a killer from range, is decent at the boards, and loves to trash talk, which is not a quality often found in Chromatik players. It may be an indictment on Chromatik basketball that a twenty-two year-old is their starting small forward, but that's kind of how things are at the moment - and Isa is quite good.

PF Douglas Taptuna

The three-point specialist on the team, Taptuna is known to be a sniper from the collegiate ranks, and will hope to follow that here. With a wicked pump-fake, he can also pass the ball off, too. Add to it that he is also one of their best defenders, and it makes sense why he's the starter.

C Lira Monsalvin

Having played basketball in Quebec for over a decade, Monsalvin finally gets her chance to shine. A defensive lynchpin first and foremost who can block, intercept, and rebound, Monsalvin has been improving as a scorer as well. She will be counted on to be one of the veteran leaders on the squad.

BENCH
PG Ami Wallace-Sondheim

Chromatika has an embarrassment of riches at Point Guard, with Wallace-Sondheim just chomping at the bit to go in to the game. Add in the fact that she's versatile enough to be on the floor at the same time as Shaddon-Ysenov as the Shooting Guard, and there is a lot to like about this duo. She is the best pure shooter on the team, makes a living on the free throw line, and, being the ideal team player, understands that biding for her time will pay off at the end.

SG Joseph Hunt

The fastest player on the team who can blow past the opposition for easy buckets, he's good at using the same speed to get back on defense, too. Has great hand skills, the ability to use his body to get in the way, and can surprise with bunches of points in stretches.

SF Annick LaRue

A shooting specialist, LaRue can add another pure sniper to the court who can let it fly from almost any range. She's also decent at getting the ball to the open man in case she doesn't have the clearest of shots, but if you need a barrage of three pointers, she's the one to do it.

PF Osman Todwald

A more defensive option, Todwald doesn't score much, but excels in removing the biggest threat from the opposition.

C Mark Zweifel

More of an offensive Center who's good off the glass, shooting from range, and looking for the assist. Still decent in defense, but Monsalvin is far better at that.

RESERVES

G Eo Sang-Seol

A shifty player who flies up and down the court to contribute in whatever way that is needed.

F Podrick Pendragon

Solid dribbling skills, decent passing skills, and can shoot from anywhere on the court. A liability on defense.

C Kennedy Zubovich-Morrison

Youthful, energetic, and versatile, Zubovich-Morrison is the team's future at center - especially given his ability to do almost anything that the team needs.

Strategy:
The Chromatik Team focuses on solid ball-handling and clean transition play, with an emphasis on always running the clock down whenever possible. This means that there aren't as many fast breaks, instead focusing on time of possession and making every possession count. They play a zone on defense, and are rather good at deflecting shots but not very good at causing turnovers. This team's tentative goal is to make the playoffs.

by **Juvencus** » Sun Dec 21, 2025 2:16 pm

OOC: Fuck your sensitive UK laws btw. Your law enforcement is shite, full offense btw.

THE NATIONAL BASKETBALL TEAM OF JUVENCUS FOR IBC 43

Information about Juvencus:
Capital: Pomena
Population: 130,656,702 ethnic Juven, with a total of 150,048,720 including naturalised immigrants.
Nickname: I Cavalli(The horses)
Demonym: Juven
Country Code: JUE

Basketball is one of the more popular sports in Juvencus, but unlike most others it has found most of its appeal among a specific set of linguistic groups, more prominently the Romanian as well as Catalan-language speakers spread across the nation. The history of the sport is a bit complex, long thought to be brought by some distant place from the multiverse by famed teacher and sports scientist Ladislau Izabal in the early 1900's and since then it has spread mostly among Catalan-language communities like a fire. Mostly treated like a hobby or college sport, professional basketball has little traction in Juvencus despite the lucrative deals made with neighboring Oscioru in the creation of the Juvenoscioru League, the only major professional and franchise league in the nation. Despite that, i Cavalli are known for their talent, speed and tenacity on the court unlike no other, as well as their talking smack.

While men and women do not typically play in mixed teams, for the purposes of this version of the International Basketball Championships, they will play together. However, their teams will be presented seperately.

Men's Basketball Team:

Starters:
PG:Matteo Rivieri(Age:26)
SG:Thiago Valderez(Age:25)
SF:Julien Morel(Age:25)
PF:Riccardo Montelvini(Age:27)
C:Hugo Domínguez(Age:29)

Bench:
PG:Adrián Solvère(Age:23)
SG:Paulo Alvaris(Age:24)
SF:Lucian Briventi(Age:26)
PF:Fabio Tavellini(Age:28)
C:Raffaele Ferravanti(Age:27)
SF:Lorenzo Caraventi(Age:28)
PF:Luca Marvessi(Age:26)

Women's Basketball Team:

Starters:
PG:Elena Caravelle(Age:24)
SG:Marina Solvério(Age:25)
SF:Ileana Valtori(Age:27)
PF:Clémence Rivolti(Age:26)
C:Beatriz Alquim(Age:28)

Bench:
PG:Inés Calvéro(Age:22)
SG:Paula Monteras(Age:25)
SF:Chiara Virelli(Age:23)
PF:Ioana Bravelli(Age:24)
C:Alba Corsan(Age:26)
SF:Lavinia Tavarni(Age:27)
PF:Marina Lorente(Age:28)

Combined Coach:Vasilis Nikolaou(Age:43)

STADIUM: ARENA DELMONS, SCUDELLI(Capacity: 20,000)

If my opponent RPs first, they may:
Choose my scorers: Y
Choose other statistics (e.g. rebounds, assists) for my players: Y
RP injuries to my players: Y, but no more than 1 MD
Godmode sporting events: Y
Godmode injuries: Y just no killing and career-threatening injuries, but if you want to make my players look ridiculous, by all means do so
Godmode other events: Y just no murdering and massacres

by **Free Republics** » Sun Dec 21, 2025 5:06 pm

Sporting World

IBC 43 Preview
By: Orimi Kokawa

For the first time in 16 years, the Free Republics are back in the IBC! Over those years, we've missed 13 editions of the tournament, which indicates that it wasn't held in 2 of those years. The records available to me as I write this make it far too much effort to figure out which years they didn't bother to hold an IBC so I'll refer to those tournaments by their edition number not by how many years ago they happened. The last time we were in the IBC, we were led by a 21 year old woman named Patricia Thibodeau, nicknamed "Queen" Thibodeau. We were ranked #2 in the rankings, went 10-0 in our group, winning it outright by 5 games, and were the #1 overall seed in the knockout rounds. We defeated Cassadaigua in the Round of 16 by a score of 92 to 71. This led us to a quarterfinal showdown with Banija, a team we had eliminated from IBC 28. Banija's 74-66 upset win in the quarterfinals of IBC 29 seemed like it would be a temporary setback, a chapter in what would be one of the great IBC rivalries. Then, the chaos started and we never got another chapter. Until now.

Now, the Republican National Basketball Team is back in the IBC. The 21 year old "Queen" Thibodeau is now the 37 year old "Queen" Thibodeau-Theriault, mother of 7 kids and husband of legendary soccer coach Rule Theriault's nephew Jacque. Best of all, they get to play Banija twice. In our absence, Banija immediately went on to win IBCs 30 through 33, a 4-peat that should have been our 4-peat. After that, they disappeared from the podium until a 3rd place finish at the last IBC. After the Banijan dynasty, the IBC produced a Nova Anglicana repeat and a Quebec three-peat but the defending champion has failed to defend their title at the last 3 editions of this tournament. The last time there was a streak this long without a repeat champion was IBCs 17 through 22 between the Saintland and Saint Kanye dynasties. Cardenao is the defending champion at the moment, defeating Valanora in a best of 1 final (OOC: The history thread's link for IBC 42 actually goes to IBC 41. Yet another thing I'd just fix if I still had access to the account like I used to.

). This edition of the tournament in Drawkland will feature the return of the best of 3 playoff series, except for the Round of 24, which makes it more likely that the best team will win.

The Free Republics made our IBC debut in the 17th edition of the tournament, going 5-3 in the Casaran stage, upsetting the likes of Nova Anglicana, Vangaziland and The Royal Barangay and then getting blown out by Taeshan 87-58 in a tiebreaker game. (OOC: As a numbers puppet. Only 21 of the 56 teams were ranked.) We didn't return to the IBC until the 22nd tournament with Leon Alexeyeva already coaching the team back then. We were terrible, going 2-6 with wins over Anglatia and Republic of Rawn. At the time, basketball was a very low profile sport in the Free Republics and Alexeyeva personally put up a significant amount of his own money to fund the team. But they didn't have much of a shot sharing a group with Abanhfleft and Abaja who were both really good at the time. As was Anglatia. The following cycle, they won 6 of their 8 group stage matches, including 2 upsets of Cosumar, and then fell to Abaja 2 games to 0 in the Round of 16. (OOC: I somehow rank coasted into the playoffs at Cosumar's expense with a very low rank.) IBC 24 saw some regression as Leon Alexeyeva's team went 5-5 in a group with 10-0 Vangaziland and 4 unranked teams then got beat by Vangaziland a third time in an immediate group stage rematch after advancing over Tropicorp due to a head to head point difference tiebreaker. IBC 25 was more of the same, a 6-1 start with the 1 being an overtime loss against Ceni then a 7-3 finish and a group stage exit at the hands of Filindostan. (OOC: I actually RPed three times though, mainly about video games of all things. These appear to be based on a news story and probably some controversial RL game from 2018 that I'd forgotten about. Based on the March 2018 timestamps, I believe we're about to the point where I suddenly had more time for NS again so I should have more material to write about.)

IBC 26 was a major breakthrough for the Free Republics as we not only won a playoff game for the first time, we finished in 3rd place! This was due to the debuting "Queen" Thibodeau. The tournament started with a major gaffe as Leon Alexeyeva booked 5 dates at arenas for basketball games before discovering that the tournament would be held in Atlantian Oceania with the knockout rounds in Qasden. However, the knockout rounds would later be moved to Equestria. (OOC: The story around this is on the 12th page of the Discussion Thread but the short of it is that Qasden abandoned the tournament due to some kind of RL issues and IBC president Drawkland gave the tournament to host vote runner-up Equestrian States.) Queen Thibodeau would immediately make an impact, scoring 31 points in the first half of an 84 to 55 rout of Equestria, her first IBC game after graduating from Barjavel Academy where she led both the boys and girls teams to 3 consecutive national titles. (OOC: Yes, I RPed quite a bit about Barjavel before my return. The infamous Sister Polus even taught there at one point.) The Queen's performance over the course of that tournament would be inconsistent as she was reportedly bothered about the then-ongoing consul election. She was a staunch supporter of Lady Scarlett and not a fan of Sebastian Trudeau according to her new biography "A Queendom Interrupted: The Patricia Thibodeau-Theriault Story". After a 3-0 start, the Republicans lost 84-73 to Abanhfleft on matchday 4 and then 80-78 to Nicana on matchday 5 during one of the Queen's worst nights of her career. But the second half of the group stage would see the Republicans finally put it all together. A 95-53 rout of Abanhfleft on the 9th matchday announced that the Republicans were for real. After a 6-0 start, the Fleftics collapsed down the stretch and lost second place in the group to the Ponies. The Republicans had finished 8-2 and won a group for the first time. A 99-65 rout of West Phoenicia and an 89-79 victory over Ceni set up a semifinal against Vangaziland. As this was the start of the Vangaziland era, they won 78-72 and we had to settle for beating defending champs Drawkland 71 to 68 in the 3rd place match.

IBC 27 saw the Republicans dominate their group, winning all 10 matches including 2 against Lisander, who went 6-2 against opponents other than the Republicans. That wasn't good enough to beat out Vakolicci Haven and Celeria for second. 2 close wins over Abaja in the Round of 16 set up a rematch with Drawkland. We won the first game 80-74 then lost the second 79-76 and were on the wrong side of a 21 point rout in game 3. The game 2 loss was due to a collapse in the final 30 seconds that saved Drawkland and set them up to eventually lose the final to Vangaziland. (OOC: Looks like I rank coasted that cycle. This was my only RP. Given that it was held in late April/early May 2019, there were undoubtedly RL reasons for that.)

IBC 28 used an 8 groups of 4 format as an unusually small number of teams signed up for the tournament in Lisander. We had no difficulty dispatching Furby Island, Kita-Hinode and Bolgano to match the Round of 16. After a 41 point rout of Lochario, we faced Banija in the quarterfinals. A 90-78 win there set us up with yet another match against Drawkland. They beat us 82-81 and we secured a second third place finish with a 31 point rout of Valanora. Drawkland would end Vangaziland's dynasty in the final. (OOC: I posted a single RP in this tournament which had a total of 40 posts in the event thread. Crazy how the IBC almost always seemed to happen while I was busy with RL stuff.

)

This year, the Free Republics are back in the IBC. The format is 8 groups of 6, double round robin, in home arenas. We will open with #60 Lisander at the Gecko Insurance Center in Latroit, Yorkoba. Be sure to call the Gecko and see if he can save you 10% or more on your car insurance in 10 minutes. We also play #15 The Kytler Peninsulae at the Indoor Sports Arena in Baseton on matchday 3, famous for hosting ice hockey at the X Winter Olympics. Then we play The Philippine Islands and Formosa on matchday 4 in Kolodelphia, Rensylvania. Kolodelphia will be hosting international sports for the first time ever thanks to the Grand Immortal Imperator's efforts to clean that city up. The venue will be the new SERTA Arena, sponsored by the local mass transit agency. It is located in the downtown part of the city next to the Taiyoutown neighborhood and shares a building with a shopping mall and a train station. Our 4th home match will be matchday 7 against #24 Britonisea at the SuperSatellite Arena in New City. Finally, the match everybody is waiting for will happen on matchday 10. Banija will visit Republica to play us at the Venicio Piazza Memorial Arena. Tickets for all 5 matches are available on LiveMaster. In the interest of ensuring a favorable crowd and discouraging foreigners from purchasing tickets, LiveMaster will be charging a "foreigner fee" equal to 100% of the ticket price plus other fees for any tickets purchased by fans who are not verified Republican citizens. The proceeds from this fee will go directly to the Republican National Basketball Team to help fund their operations. Be sure to buy your tickets and come out to the home matches as the Queen of basketball seeks to reclaim her Queendom.

Orimi Kokawa is Sporting World's new international basketball correspondent. A recent graduate of Etruria University in Etruria, Rensylvania just outside of Kotodelphia, Orimi is currently engaged to her college boyfriend Tyler Owen, who is currently a senior business major at Etruria. At Etruria, she was the lead sports reporter for the Etrurian, the school's student run newspaper and covered several consecutive disappointing seasons by the school's basketball team.

by **Lisander** » Sun Dec 21, 2025 7:55 pm

Lisander National Basketball Team
Ranked 60th, 2.321 points, Mod +3

New faces to face the world
Laurent Oyon values variety. Back to IBC after two years, he keeps his policy of giving opportunity to new players, no matter they were. He was born in Lerna, went to university in Kasandora, played professionally in Despina and then amateurly back on his hometown, before becoming a coach and training his Alma Mater, Concordia University. In the end, hr finally set foot as the coach in Soria and for the last two years had been travelling and selecting players from various levels. Coached amateurs, Lisander University NT and even U21s in some minor tournaments. On this return to IBC, not a single player has set foot on the international stage, however, two surnames are well-known. Logan Howells is the younger brother of Tiago Howells, the AC Kasandora legend who played for the NT from IBC 25-29, and is, just as Oyon, a Concordia alumnus. Other name, maybe less celebrated, is Theodore "Teo" Hidalgo, twin brother of Luis Hidalgo, that defended the NT in Oyon's debut, two years ago.

Despite still using the Nordland Metropolitano as its main venue, as the contract between FLB and Soria for keeping the NT games in the national capital is still valid. The return of the stoats to the IBC will see a different venue to the first home game. Axness Finders BAC Arena, currently applying to be a group host to the next World Cup of Hockey, paid a generous amount of money to have the Basketball NT there for the match against Philipine Islands and Formosa.

Roster

#	Name		Position	Age	Ht. (cm)	Wt. (kg)	Team
4	Hadley Lencastre Point Guard	24	198		83.9		AA Portia
9	Ticiano Antos	Shooting Guard	32	201		89.7		BC Olympia Lerna
12	Logan Howells	Small Forward	24	197		81.5		Casterwill Roses
10	Jonathan Sanna	Power Forward	26	210		105.4		BC Olympia Lerna
8	Leon Laval	Center		27	197		82.5		Valerian Sport
						
6	Teo Hidalgo	Point Guard	28	188		82.2		AS Virtus 1904
7	Mariano Liuzzi	Shooting Guard	26	197		96.7		Libertas Basketball
9	Rodrigo Segall	Small Forward	26	191		82.8		Armada Soria BC
5	Ismael Serin	Power Forward	28	207		98		Oris Basketball 1936
14	Érico Draxler	Center		31	202		91.8		Isny Valliant
						
11	Jônatas Lozano	Power Forward	32	212		113.2		Club Sparta
13	Lucas Lourenço	Point Guard	27	207		108.2		Myrtilis BC
	
	Laurent Oyon	Head Coach	40	199	 	- 		FLB

Uniforms
Lisander National Team gets new uniforms for this IBC. For the following cycle (43~45), the Stoats pay homage to the jerseys first used by Lisander in IBC. By that time, Laurent Oyon, the coach, was still among the players on bench, as well as Tiago Howells, older brother of Logan Howells. Another return for the team is the "Principality" Jersey, on its traditional colours of fluo green and black. "It's quite the Y2K mood", you get it... my brother framed his first international jersey, now I'll frame my first international jersey too, and it will look like his", Howells said, in the presentation event.

Matchdays
Matchday 1: Free Republics 79-80 Lisander @ Gecko Insurance Center (cap. 18,303) Latroit, Free Republics
Matchday 2: Lisander vs. The Philippine Islands and Formosa @ Axness Finders Arena (cap. 14,100) Beaumont, Lisander.
Matchday 3: Banija vs. Lisander @ EvEv.tmb Arena(cap. 15,640) in Sisonke, Banija
Matchday 4: The Kytler Peninsulae vs. Lisander @ TBA
Matchday 5: Lisander vs. Britonisea @ Nordland Metropolitano (cap. 28,000) Soria, Lisander.
Matchday 6: Lisander vs. Free Republics @ Nordland Metropolitano (cap. 28,000) Soria, Lisander.
Matchday 7: The Philippine Islands and Formosa vs. Lisander @ TBA
Matchday 8: Lisander vs. Banija @ Nordland Metropolitano (cap. 28,000) Soria, Lisander.
Matchday 9: Lisander vs. The Kytler Peninsulae @ Nordland Metropolitano (cap. 28,000) Soria, Lisander.
Matchday 10: Britonisea vs. Lisander @ TBA

RP Permissions:

My opponent, if they RP first, may do the following:
Choose my scorers: Yes
Assign other stats (e.g. rebounds, assists): Yes
RP injuries to my players: Yes, but TG me first so I can replace the injured players
Godmod injuries to my players: No
Eject my players: Yes
Godmod other events: No
Regarding Male/Female/Mixed Teams: As most of you know, Lisander isn't a mixed-gender sports nation, and athletes are separated by biological sex, not by gender. When referring to males playing against females or vice-versa, I will never imply the sex or gender of a character that is not mine. In these cases, I'll always refer to the surname of the opponent or to the initial of the name plus surname. If you can do the same, please do this.

by **The Kytler Peninsulae** » Sun Dec 21, 2025 8:00 pm

Who knew that this team could be suddenly so anticipated in a country that, until rather recently, dismissed basketball as not their sport outside of a forgotten exclave?

Well, that's what happens when you're a second-cycle Kytlerian team that does what is becoming almost a trope of first-cycle Kytlerian teams; getting straight into being shockingly competitive. Sixth on debut. Beat Valanora. Knocked out Drawkland, whose smallest players are taller than almost anyone else's largest. Generally looked like a shockingly high-level team.

But there was nothing shocking about it to at least some fans in that aforementioned exclave. Bitternea has effectively adopted basketball as its "national" sport - a product, perhaps, of its relative isolation, of Kytlerian administrations plural not even really caring about their distant outpost once the Bitternean Civil War was settled - and there had always been some low-key hype around the talent coming out of its cities of Cobden, Midanbury, and Boldrewood. "Because it's such a simple sport, really rivalled only by soccer in that regard - and Bitternea has been locked out of all the different national league systems it could have joined in that sport - it's something that everyone can pick up including those growing up in low-income households," noted Andy Zepler, the Mayor of Boldrewood and former basketball coach in the city. "And it's a physical game out here, players love to give and take and battle in the paint rather than just passing around looking for open threes. Although the smaller players who don't have the size to bang inside certainly do know how to pass and move and create those shots. We didn't need an analytics revolution to lock in on the perimeter and the paint - we worked that one out for ourselves."

A look through his city - which will host a group game in this IBC for the newly-christened Kytlerian Explorers, one of three that will take place in Bitternea with only two in Zube's larger Kytlerian Indoor Arena - reflects how this is basketball country. The city park known simply as The Common has plenty of wide-open green spaces, and you get soccer played there (along with ultimate, the flying disc sport that also has a particularly Bitternean appeal), but dotted in and around the edge of The Common are numerous basketball courts on green-painted artificial surfaces. And they're frequently packed. "Sometimes people go to The Common on a summer's day, especially right after university exam season, and literally end up having pickup games of ultimate because they can't find a spare court for basketball. It's that massive here." Much of The Common looks out onto the arena at its northeastern edge, with its distinctive green-tinted copper roof atop a brick-and-bare-concrete base, that will be the venue for the aforementioned IBC contest; "there is a multipurpose stadium at Burgess Road that has a bigger capacity (17,586) with the recent renovation, but in terms of overall attendance The Common Arena is far ahead, it is truly the city's heart." Most of its 12,327 seats are filled for multiple games a week, along with the odd concert. "Boldrewood has two centres; the actual city centre at the southern end of The Common, and the campus and arena at the other end."

Is the city hyped for the Explorers arriving? "Unbelievably. We could have had literally any opponent and it would have sold out multiple times over." Do they believe the Explorers can actually break out and become an established top-tier team in the multiverse? "They're certainly hopeful. I know I am!"

by **Chromatika** » Sun Dec 21, 2025 8:01 pm

Rainbow Foundation Basketball League Season 2

Rainbow Foundation Basketball League     Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD 
 1 Eyrods Eels                            80   58  22  6408 5672 +736
 2 Felswyr Igloo                          80   53  27  6401 5919 +482
 3 Tihon Rave                             80   53  27  6323 5779 +544
 4 Chromia Centurions                     80   48  32  6201 5826 +375
 5 Urrheddiao Colossi                     80   38  42  5954 6108 −154
 6 Alnio Doomsday                         80   37  43  6085 6210 −125
 7 Z'ai'ai Zebras                         80   35  45  6084 6128  −44
 8 Sanar Seekers                          80   34  46  6004 6295 −291
 9 Wirr Tsi Thunderbirds                  80   31  49  5872 6181 −309
10 Myana Matadors                         80   27  53  5805 6241 −436
11 Lanar Legion                           80   26  54  5773 6551 −778

The Eyrods Eels finish atop the table once again this season, continuing to be led by Ami Wallace-Sondheim. She, with the emergence of Annick LaRue, continues to develop - though she is no longer the top-billed Point Guard in the league. Will the Eels repeat?

Felswyr Igloo continue to hum along, winning the head-to-head over the Rave. Joseph Hunt took a step forward to establish himself as the go-to player for the squad, and they were amazing in close games. The Tihon Rave took Kristie Shaddon-Ysenov off of the injury list and made it do wonders for them, as Mark Zweifel also did well.

Chromia Centurions had to lean even more on Andrea Vospelici, and she came through - though she needs some help around her. They round out the teams that will be in the playoffs, as the league has a clause that you have to finish at least .500 to qualify for the playoffs.

For those that didn't make it, the biggest intriguing point is the emergence of Kamen Vospicier for the Wirr Tsi Thunderbirds. He wasn't good enough to turn the team around completely, but averaging 25 points a game is no joke. Will he stick around?

Playoffs Semifinals

(1) Eyrods Eels vs. (4) Chromia Centurions
Eyrods Eels 76–90 Chromia Centurions
Eyrods Eels 75–73 Chromia Centurions
Chromia Centurions 67–78 Eyrods Eels
Chromia Centurions 60–90 Eyrods Eels
Eyrods Eels 88–66 Chromia Centurions

(1) Eyrods Eels win the series, 4-1.

Wallace-Sondheim is truly remarkable, averaging 20 points a game along with double-digits in assists. The team clamps down in defense as well - only conceding more than seventy-five points once - as they make it to another Championship Series.

(2) Felswyr Fire vs. (3) Tihon Rave
Felswyr Igloo 82–74 Tihon Rave
Felswyr Igloo 82–57 Tihon Rave
Tihon Rave 54–82 Felswyr Igloo
Tihon Rave 76–67 Felswyr Igloo
Felswyr Igloo 67–80 Tihon Rave
Tihon Rave 78–73 Felswyr Igloo
Felswyr Igloo 75–85 Tihon Rave

(3) Tihon Rave win the series, 4-3.

Three games in, Kristie Shaddon-Ysenov decided to take over. The Penguins' starting Point Guard took over down the stretch, hitting sixteen three-pointers in Games 5-7 to take the series win. A massive disappointment for the Igloo. The Rave's next target will be the Eels

Championship

[i](1) Eyrods Eels vs. (3) Tihon Rave[/u]
Eyrods Eels 68–83 Tihon Rave
Eyrods Eels 82–83 Tihon Rave
Tihon Rave 53–67 Eyrods Eels
Tihon Rave 71–67 Eyrods Eels
Eyrods Eels 77–77 Tihon Rave (86–84 OT)
Tihon Rave 73–80 Eyrods Eels
Eyrods Eels 88–91 Tihon Rave

(3) Tihon Rave win the series, 4-3.

What a series. The Rave take the series lead in Eyrods, and have the series lead 3-1 - only for Wallace-Sondheim to lead a two-game comeback, including a game-winner in Game 5. In a winner-take all in Game Seven, the two teams trade daggers back and forth - and Kristie Shaddon-Ysenov reminds everyone why she is the best player in the sport in the country, sinking a three-pointer at the buzzer to give the Rave their first title.

Champions: Tihon Rave (1st Title)

Chromatik Collegiate Basketball Association

Chromatik Collegiate Basketball Association     Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD 
 1 Z'ai'ai Institute of Technology               38   30   8  2963 2676 +287 First-Round Bye, NSCAA
 2 Eyrods Tech                                   38   29   9  2984 2656 +328 First-Round Bye, NSCAA
 3 Chromia Central College University            38   29   9  2963 2670 +293 First-Round Bye, NSCAA, Champions
 4 Urrheddiao State University                   38   26  12  2998 2791 +207 First-Round Bye, NSCAA
 5 Alnio University of the Arts                  38   25  13  3003 2703 +300 First-Round Bye, NSCAA
 6 Coastal District University at Lhor           38   23  15  3002 2733 +269 First-Round Bye, NSCAA
 7 Chromatik State University                    38   21  17  2834 2797  +37 Playoffs, NSCAA
 8 Anfanhar University of the Arts               38   21  17  2976 2849 +127 Playoffs, NSCAA
 9 Mountain District University                  38   21  17  2875 2823  +52 Playoffs 
10 University of Wirr Tsi                        38   21  17  2951 2913  +38 Playoffs
11 Deprí Theological Seminary                    38   18  20  2899 2885  +14 Eliminated
12 University of the Islands                     38   17  21  2876 2877   −1 Eliminated
13 University of Umbar                           38   16  22  2892 2890   +2 Eliminated
14 Sanar University                              38   15  23  2707 3020 −313 Eliminated
15 Southern Chromatik University                 38   14  24  2705 2929 −224 Eliminated
16 University of Myana                           38   13  25  2762 2861  −99 Eliminated
17 Pùr State University                          38   12  26  2740 2965 −225 Eliminated
18 Staramara Tech University                     38   11  27  2702 3052 −350 Eliminated
19 Lanar University                              38   10  28  2691 3108 −417 Eliminated
20 Pria Technical College                        38    8  30  2771 3096 −325 Eliminated

First Round (Winner to NSCAA, Single Game)
(7) Chromatik State University 66–59 (10) University of Wirr Tsi

Defense wins Championships. Center Jerron Dyson has ten blocks, and the Stars qualify for the NSCAA tournament to come.

(8) Anfanhar University of the Arts 78–78 (9) Mountain District University (86–84 OT)

It goes to overtime, but the Dragons of Anfanhar University of the Arts prevail in the end - led by their do everything Guard, Michael Straxton. Welcome to collegiate sports' biggest stage, Anfanhar.

Quarterfinals (Best-of-Three, at Higher Seed)

(1) Z'ai'ai Institute of Technology vs. (8) Anfanhar University of the Arts
Z'ai'ai Institute of Technology 80–66 Anfanhar University of the Arts
Z'ai'ai Institute of Technology 78–77 Anfanhar University of the Arts

The Dragons give it all they had in the second game, but ZIoT and their free-flowing offense that takes shots whenever they present themselves proved to be too much to handle. Can you believe most of their stars are underclassmen?

(2) Eyrods Tech vs. (7) Chromatik State University
Eyrods Tech 82–75 Chromatik State University
Eyrods Tech 89–68 Chromatik State University

The Cats of Eyrods Tech take care of the Stars, led by Eo Sang-Seol scoring and a stellar rebounding effort from Power Forward Jermaine Johnston.

(3) Chromia Central College University vs. (6) Coastal District University at Lhor
Chromia Central College University 82–76 Coastal District University at Lhor
Chromia Central College University 60–76 Coastal District University at Lhor
Chromia Central College University 75–71 Coastal District University at Lhor

The Wave made a run at the Comets, but Chromia Central College University leaned on the duo of Isa Saidykhan and Kennedy Zubovich-Morrison to take care of business on the third game to move on.

(4) Urrheddiao State University vs. (5) Alnio University of the Arts
Urrheddiao State University 86–59 Alnio University of the Arts
Urrheddiao State University 84–70 Alnio University of the Arts

The Argonauts, led by their Guards in John Newsome and Henriette Barbineaux, had the run of the floor against the Meercats.

Semifinals @ FRIArena (Best-of-Three)

(1) Z'ai'ai Institute of Technology vs. (4) Urrheddiao State University
Z'ai'ai Institute of Technology 84–67 Urrheddiao State University
Z'ai'ai Institute of Technology 80–63 Urrheddiao State University

The Hellcats dominate the Argonauts - and people start to take notice of the stars that they have. Freshman Shooting Guard Vera Modtan and Sophomore Small Forward Eduardo Forenzai may be the two to lead the Hellcats to a CCBA title.

(2) Eyrods Tech vs. (3) Chromia Central College University
Eyrods Tech 77–67 Chromia Central College University
Eyrods Tech 72–89 Chromia Central College University
Eyrods Tech 79–90 Chromia Central College University

The duo of Zubovich-Morrison and Saidykhan shines in Games 2 and 3 once again to take the Comets to the Championship Game.

Final @ FRIArena (One Game)
(1) Z'ai'ai Institute of Technology 57–89 [b](3) Chromia Central College University

The Comets triumph over the Hellcats to win the first CCBA title since the return, Isa Saidykhan winning Tournament MVP honors.

by **Quebec and Shingoryeo** » Sun Dec 21, 2025 9:34 pm

The Cousins: Episode -1

Pierre V.E. Youngblood stood on the Executive Lounge, which also doubled as the second faculty lounge, at the Eastlake High School in suburban South Bend, Saguenay. The crowd was about half full, mostly subdued on a fairly easy game for the late-season divisional game, as they watched the Cardinals to a 58-40 lead late in the third quarter of the game. There were a couple of college prospects in the game, a junior forward with the Cardinals whom Pierre was brought here for, and a senior guard at South Bend Agricultural who had already committed to St-Gabriel-Richard last October, but otherwise fairly standard procedure for the former international sporting giant.

Not that he was out of sort for that. Being the former sports executive and before that a star national team wrestler, the northeastern province's capital was a familiar place for him. Half the reason why was because his younger brother C.C., eight years apart, was once a legendary coach with the Fighting Irish. While both him and C.C., who then went onto have a memorable run winning four Imperial Bowls with the Saint John Steelers on their latest dynastic years, were no longer coaching, their presence was still recognisable enough to be welcomed on most places in the heartlands that they would often call 'the God's Country'.

That was only one of the reasons why he was brought to South Bend, of course, as the other two were the reasons why he decided to come visit a high school game, and not just hear it virtually from his home in Kingston, where his wife, renowned Slavonic studies professor Emma O'Malley, was still teaching at the University of Kingston. The second reason was over the possibility of the final phases of life. His wife Emma, who met him when they were the postgraduates there in the 2020s, where she would eventually return to teach thirty years ago, was nearing retirement at age seventy. They were discussing two possible places to retire - at her family's cottage in Owashtanong, on the other side of the Lake Erielhonden, and at her hometown of South Bend. And while Emma was never the Fighting Irish fan, simply because O'Malleys had been there for her father's job, this gave them plenty of reasons to visit even before or after C.C.'s Saguenay tenure.

But the other reason, which wasn't always stated by those of the sporting circle, was politics. Pierre, whose niece Elsie Current (from his younger sister Donalda) was a Moogoongwha-crossed-floor-to-Shinmijeon MP at their hometown of Pahkatequayang, the home of the QWBL team Grizzlies, had personal reasons to visit his longtime friend, Hong Yi-Woong. His friend, who he had known for decades in part due to Pierre's late mother, Dr. Emma van Eeden, was a legendary campaigner and organiser for the Shingoryeoite Liberals' under Agnes Lawrence and Arsene Pineau Kim. And while Hong was relatively outside of sporting circle himself, mostly present as a parent to eventual two-time all-Quebecois and QFL edge rusher Jeong-Woon, the fact he was a Board of Governors member for decades had meant that it's a good time, not just for his son, who was due to be named the head coach, but also for him, helped.

A few more drives would go back and forth afterwards, as the scoreboard continued to be updated. With halfway into the fourth quarter, very little had changed in the margin as the Cardinals held a stable 20-point lead over the Arsenal, who had started to put in their substitutes mostly for the late-game duties. The Cardinals, in the meantime, had kept two of their starters. This wasn't exactly by choice, as the twelve-men senior team was plagued by five injuries and had a seven-player roster that looked shaky at times. This didn't stop them from leading their eight-team division, paving way for the 16-team 5A playoffs that was to take place in two weeks' time, but the wear and tear were still a concern that the Cardinals' coach, Helene Scott, couldn't help but to overcome.

Pierre knew that, mostly sensing from the body language as she looked at their forward, Hong Yin-Taek. Hong, the Fighting Irish coach-to-be-announced's second son, was a good 3 forward who could play 4 on small lineup. Standing at 198cm and a wingspan that reached well beyond, he was a two-sport athlete who had come into the Fighting Irish fans' radar as his father, Jeong-Woon, would embark first as the defensive coordinator, and would latch on as their next hope on the line and the bump and grind.

The hiring, for lack of a better word, was hyped due to Hong's background coming from the Fighting Irish's dominant years under Hector Kweon winners Heo Myeong-Shin and Ian Lautner, and the all-Quebecois edge rusher held enough credentials in-state having coached mostly in high schools across the province. Fortunately for all, his sole season as the DC was a modest success with the pundits quick to point out less on Pierce Shadbolt, whose contract already was bound to expire, and rather their new shiny toy with a 11-1 season and an Apple Bowl victory at Chicoutimi no less.

So with that in mind, plenty of attention had passed to his son, Yin-Taek, as the four-star recruit would receive significant attention both as a rusher and a forward. It is said by many earlier that he was considering LNU, where the elder Hong had attended and they had good men's basketball team, but recent instabilities on football end seemed to have turned around the picture. So in time, as his father was getting considered for the possible promotion, most seemed to have put their gear shift on Yin-Taek to commit to a comfortable choice in Saguenay, especially as it would involve him getting to work with his father, who himself was an alumnus.

In Yin-Taek, Youngblood found relatively little to speak for. He too was a highly-recruited athlete, but over fifty years ago, and plenty had changed with the game of basketball and football, especially the former, for him to comment much about it if at all. While the RQOC was heavily involved in a lot of basketball operations, especially with how unstable the Basketball Quebec coaching searches have been at times, and also with their disputes over the Imperial Sporting Council overseeing international tournament participations, it was a maze that very few in the RQOC had wanted to cover. And Pierre wasn't exactly a good cover for that, even as he had helped putting together a test tournament in the IBC-35 for the capabilities test.

So with that in mind, Pierre mostly decided to let the game pass, and then speak to his friend and the young kid after the game. It was his friend who he wanted to see more, especially as the past year had seen a remarkable decline following the passing of Hong's second wife, Alma Quigley, after a 6-decade battle with rare genetic condition. The words that had come out of the Hong household, on the aftermath of her passing, were not good, and if it's not for familial grounds, it would have been said and agreed by plenty that perhaps, he too would have died within hours of her passing. He, who was away in Acadiana travelling at the time, did regret not contacting him sooner, but came away with understanding that it's probably not the best to ask the tougher question so early.

At least, with the news of Jeong-Woon's promotion, he had a good reason to speak to each other in a larger setting.

by **Drawkland** » Sun Dec 21, 2025 10:37 pm

Basil Thorne was lucky. After some time minorly agonizing over the choice, Basil decided he would simply walk away from basketball if a team too far from home drafted him. Thankfully, the closest team to Basil's hometown pulled the trigger with the second pick in the DBO draft. Basil was glad to become an Intersak Sea Drawk, though he was still a little worried about the expectations that were being thrust upon him.

Ever since his senior year of high school, Basil had been told about his big basketball potential. The scout that found him first believed that Basil's raw shooting ability, even untrained as it was, showed the roots of an elite player. Basil didn't understand it himself, but after slowly getting into the culture at Ducentu State University, he began to truly understand the game of basketball. By his junior year as an Eagle, Basil had learned how to actively participate in the team's offense. Rather than simply making a read when getting the ball (can I hit a shot here?) and deciding to shoot or pass immediately, Basil was making more nuanced and varied decisions. He started making moves on defenders. He started finding better players to pass to when the defense gave up room. All the while, his defensive acumen had improved to nearly professionally playable levels.

By the time of the draft, Basil was a complete prospect. There were still plenty of doubters given Basil's background and odd decision-making (like skipping the combine so he could stay with his college teammates on a triceratops safari in Banija). Still, nobody could deny that he was a hell of a shooter. The "savior of Drawkian basketball" debate still had plenty of back-and-forth, but even if Basil failed to live up to that, he was almost certainly going to find a home as a role-player somewhere. That was the prevailing theory, at least.

Naturally the microscope was trained firmly on Basil, both for his first IBC as a starter (42) and his rookie year at Intersak. The fact that head coach Domingo Abbott put Basil over some legitimately great forwards as the starter raised eyebrows to say the least, but it mostly panned out. It also helped that, while being designated a starter, Basil had the fewest court minutes among the Net Corps starting five. The heavy rotation allowed Basil to get more time than he would as a bench player, but not so much that he'd be sinking the team if he didn't pan out well under the spotlight.

Basil's performance in IBC 42 was, in short, acceptable. He didn't really take over the team or anything. Nobody was more aware of the talent level on the Net Corps roster than Basil. More often than not he'd defer to his more tenured and decorated teammates. It was similar to his early years at Ducentu, merely taking shots when he believed he had an opening and dealing the ball back if he didn't. Unfortunately that campaign would end poorly for Basil and the Corps. Drawkland would be the only team eliminated from IBC 42's second group stage with a 3-1 record, thanks to some tiebreaker fuckery sourced from a blowout loss to group leader Valanora.

That was a real disappointment, but it was hard to point fingers at anybody. Valanora was the best team in the group and ranked #1 after the tournament's conclusion. Of course a fringe contender like Drawkland wouldn't have an easy time overcoming a solid squad like that. Then the Corps won the rest of their second group stage games. What more could you ask for? Even if Drawkland did advance to the quarterfinals, their chances of advancing were slim. Basil didn't understand most of the minutiae, but he was still a bit let down by the sudden exit. He'd just started get more comfortable doing things with the ball once he got it. His momentum was stopped short, and then it was time to wait for a couple months before reporting to Intersak.

Despite the fact that the Intersak Sea Drawks played their home games less than 2 hours from the Thorne homestead, Basil had hardly heard of the team or its historic exploits. It obviously helped that his family didn't follow sports much at all, but the fact that Intersak had been mediocre for most of Basil's life had something to do with his ignorance as well. If anything, this played into Basil's advantage. A normal player with "franchise-saving potential" walking into a franchise which had three playoff appearances in the last two decades would probably feel a little worried. Being oblivious to this legacy of failure granted Basil the freedom to just worry about his own play. A vast majority of his basketball experience came under the relatively stable and intelligent coaching staff of Anton Irving at Ducentu State. Basil didn't really know about organizational incompetence or how that could impact his career. He just wanted to play good enough to make some better money once his rookie contract was finished.

That ensuing season was a thrilling one for DBO fans. Basil wasn't the only hyped prospect drafted that season. Tom Bronson was taken first overall by the Cove Port Icebreakers with similar hopes of turning the franchise around. Bronson started out strong for the season. He wouldn't admit it to anyone, but he was a little annoyed with how much attention Basil was getting in the media. Bronson had also been a highly-regarded prospect going back to high school, and arguably a better player than Basil at the time of the draft. He was also the guy that actually got picked first in the draft. Yet, the media enjoyed talking about the weirdo yokel that barely knew how to play the game a couple years ago.

Basil was totally unaware of any animosity. He hardly paid attention to the journalists and pundits beyond his team obligations. All that mattered was getting used to playing at the DBO level. His teammates in Intersak were noticeably better than those at Ducentu State. This would probably be obvious for most people, but Basil was surprised by how stark the difference was. Shots were more automatic. Movements were more fluid. Mistakes were fewer and further between, but this wasn't exactly an all-pro roster. Basil found that he was still able to compete with them in practice and in games.

Intersak's head coach Nathaniel Baker wasn't exactly thrilled with the challenge of coaching Basil Thorne, but he figured a decent enough scheme. Similar to what Irving did at Ducentu State in the first few years, Baker kept Basil's decision-making at a minimum. Find ways to get Basil open, so Basil can just pull up and shoot as needed. Somehow, it worked out. While Tom Bronson did his best to lug a sluggish Icebreakers squad through the season, Basil just scored consistently and put up impressive numbers. Neither prospect could pull their teams to the postseason, but each one did make a compelling case for Rookie of the Year. While most basketball media coverage was focused on the DBO playoffs, a fair number of segments brought up the Bronson vs Thorne debate. Who would come away with the award?

by **Drawkland** » Sun Dec 21, 2025 10:40 pm

IBC • 43 -- CUTOFF

This is a much later cutoff than usual, about 2.5 hours past when I'd prefer. The RP above and day-one setup necessitated a later cut. Please adjust your clocks accordingly!

Group tables will be provided starting with next cutoff's results. Remember the no-roster penalty will kick in at that time as well.

GROUP A
Drawkland 84–75 New Umoja
Xanneria 73–76 United States of Devonta
Natkr 59–75 Equestria

GROUP B
Croblade 63–76 TJUN-ia
Chromatika 89–66 HUElavia
Aphrilia 79–62 Anewkansas

GROUP C
Ko-oren 75–66 Sangti and the Filindo Isles
Riandera 83–70 Zenic
The Golden Harp 84–71 United Adaikes

GROUP D
Kaumann 80–83 Macbon
United States of Nova Calania 68–71 Sernet
Valentine Z 72–69 Gatchingerrak Union

GROUP E
Tjorl 80–80 Crpostran (93–88 OT)
Tumbra 73–89 Quebec and Shingoryeo
Kronbia 83–83 Bhumi Matawis Empire (92–93 OT)

GROUP F
Britonisea 71–76 The Kytler Peninsulae
Free Republics 79–80 Lisander
The Philippine Islands and Formosa 77–104 Banija

GROUP G
New Rotterdam City 87–64 New Eastern Canada
Valanora 93–72 Juvencus
Arguara 58–88 Kamijiro

GROUP H
Warkus 82–77 Jaoaa
Andso Mangis 75–75 Orgstan (84–88 OT)
Cardenao 83–73 Abanhfleft

by **Banija** » Mon Dec 22, 2025 5:41 am

OOC Note: This series will cover the 2 seasons of domestic basketball that occur between the NSCAA seasons on the Banijan calendar. The series will mostly focus on the second season, so for simplistic purposes, it goes like this. NSCAA 16 is Year 0, the year after NSCAA 16 is Year 1, and two years after NSCAA 16(which is the season before NSCAA 17) is Year 2. The calendar will largely be explained in-character. Each post will go over where we are on the timeline.

This post is the summer between the end of NSCAA 16, and the beginning of Year 1.

=

For the first time in 2 decades, BCSG changes their NSCAA Qualification Procedures to give four automatic berths while they say no to playoff expansion

BUSUKUMA, NATIONAL CAPITOL REGION- NSCAA 16 had a great ending for Banijan sports fans, as for the third time in four NSCAA cycles, a Banijan team ended up winning the Ultra 64. This time, the champions were Aksum State University, who triumphed over Rinaldi Naval Academy in the title game in Herzegovina City. It was a tremendous moment for the school, a public institution that rarely made noise nationally in major sports such as basketball- and yet, not only took the country, but the world, by storm, en route to a 40-2 record, a top seed for the tournament, and then winning the tournament on home soil. That leaves Banija with a trio of former NSCAA champions, alongside Loyola-Istria and the University of Moravica.

Following Aksum State's title, people were really thinking in Banija that the country's former champions should be guaranteed permanent- or at least semi-permanent- spots in the NSCAA. For those who don't know, the 8 Banijan schools that participate in NSCAA competition have to qualify for the competition. The NSCAA is every 3rd year, and coincides with the Banijan college basketball season. Therefore, in the two intervening years, all four semifinalists in Banijan domestic hoops qualify for the upcoming NSCAA competition. If there are any repeat semifinalists (and therefore all 8 auto-qual spots aren't used), the BCSG schools vote in order to fill the remaining slots. That's why there is always change among Banija's entrants, and we don't typically send the same 8 schools like most other nations.

It is a convoluted system, but one that has worked out for Banija- the Banijans are sending their best teams at the time, and it has dramatically increased Banijan schools competitiveness in NSCAA competition, with three different ones winning the competition. "It is a change that has worked out for all involved- iron, as everybody knows, sharpens iron." Said the President of the BCSG. "It's all meritocratic in Banija. Everybody's got an equal chance at reaching NSCAA competition, and all 72 BCSG schools have a chance to earn it on the court. And when they are there, they get that kind of exposure that allows them to build their brands, and their programs. Look at the University of Moravica- NSCAA success has directly tied to their growth of being a college hoops behemoth."

Of course, these votes, as one can imagine, can have controversy surround them. Northern Moravica has been voted in every single time The Islamic University of Busoga, on the other hand, has never been voted in- the other Banijan schools would never vote for the sole Busogan school to take one of their slots. But, by and large, it is a system everybody has been happy with. But there's always room for improvement. With three former champions, there have been discussions at the highest level in Banija on how to make sure those schools get to return to the competition. "You win a trophy, you've got to have a chance to get a second trophy." Said the BCSG President. "You've earned your way in. If the University of Moravica, for example, didn't qualify- it would be a shame they wouldn't be allowed back in. They've earned that right to have that kind of exposure, by winning in the past."

This ain't the Champions League. So how does one resolve this? Most school Presidents agreed- although they could not quite agree to make it permanent. But they voted that, for the next four cycles(NNSCAA 17-20), four Banijan schools would be granted permanent slots- which included Banija's 3 former champions, who are Aksum State, U of Moravica, and Loyola-Istria. Those passed with flying colors. The fourth school, naturally, who does not have championship pedigree, was Northern Moravica. "Look, NSCAA competition without Northern Moravica would be an absolute shame." Said Po Kabuye, who is NMU's Athletic Director. "We are Banija's biggest college sports brand. We've got the pedigree. We've got the fanbase."

Their inclusion in a permanent slot has been questioned, but while the other 3 were approved unanimously, NMU was approved by just a few votes- 39 to 33. A lot of criticism has come the BCSG's way, but the TV broadcasters, naturally, pushed hard for it. Even if NMU has very little history of basketball success, especially in that competition, they are a major brand, one who is riding sky high due to their championship in NSCF 34. So, for the next four cycles, we have half of our entries.

But what about the other half? Simple- the qualifiers for the Championship Series, in either of the intervening years, will qualify for NSCAA competition. If there are repeat qualifiers, or if one of the qualifiers is a school with a guaranteed NSCAA slot, then the BCSG will vote to fill any remaining slots. The process will be reviewed after NSCAA 20. Still, everybody's got a shot, but it's even tougher- you've got to be one of the last 2 teams standing in the playoffs, if you want to get an auto-berth. Much easier said than done. But, the slots are there. And if there are votes, you won't be stacked up against the big Moravican schools, who all have autoberths- which is something that certainly helps.

While NSCAA qualification amendments went through, the BCSG also considered playoff expansion, from 24 schools to 32 schools- which was eventually rejected by their membership by a resounding supermajority- 51 of the BCSG member schools saying no, while only 21 said yes. For Banijan college basketball, there are 8 conferences of 9 schools each- a total of 72 schools. There are 28 games in the regular season, including a double round robin in conference play, which accounts for 16 games, and naturally each team plays 12 non-conference games. All 8 conference champions qualify for the playoffs, and the other 16 at-larges are picked by a committee. Tiebreakers can be fun and innovative- pretty much any conference that has a 2 team tiebreaker on top of the conference, that cannot be resolved by head-to-head, has a one-game playoff to determine their conference champions. Three or more team tiebreakers, of course, devolve into the tiebreaker system until you have two left, who would play in that one game, neutral site playoff.

Nothing too strange- although, unlike NSCAA competition, conference tournaments don't exist in Banijan hoops. The teams are seeded 1-24, with only minimal preference for conference champions. The top 8 teams, of course, are given a first round bye. The other 16 play in the opening round. The opening round is a best of 3, all at the home court of the better seeded team, with two restrictions. 1, if the worse seeded team is a conference champion, they will host that best of 3. The other, is that conference champions cannot play one another in the opening round- so seeds will be shifted to avoid that. There is reseeding ahead of the Round of 16, where the bracket is then fixed, and there are no more advantages given to conference champions.

The Round of 16 is a best of 3, all three games hosted by the team that got the bye. The Quarterfinals are also a best of 3, but this one has traveling- higher seed hosts the first and third games(if necessary), and the lower seed will host the second game. The semifinals and the championship series are both best of 5, with a 2-2-1 hosting format. Besides playoff expansion, there were a number of proposals to amend the playoff format this year that were all rejected. A proposal was rejected to change the championship series to a best of 7 format, and another was rejected to have the Round of 16 format match the quarterfinal format. A third proposal was rejected to have the championship series replaced by a single game, at a neutral site. There was a proposal that by the slimmest of margins, was rejected to have games against non-BCSG schools count towards their 12 non-conference games. And lastly, a proposal to have the opening round be only single games, as opposed to a best of 3, was rejected as well.

So the BCSG men's college hoops playoff format will stay the same. And the excitement levels, as always, will be through the roof.

by **Andso Mangis** » Mon Dec 22, 2025 7:30 am

A sad sad loss indeed however we can win if we believe
“Random fan after basketball game after screaming and going through the stages of grief

by **Chromatika** » Mon Dec 22, 2025 8:31 pm

Game 1: Chromatika 89–66 HUElavia

A dominant defensive performance and twenty-eight points from Andrea Vospelici led the way for the Penguins as they opened IBC play with a trivial win over HUElavia. Though they only 19-15 after a Quarter, they outscored the opposition 25-10 in the second and ran away with the rest of the game. Kristie Shaddon-Ysenov had eighteen assists, Lira Monsalvin had fifteen boards, and Isa Saidykhan had a double-double in her first start as a national team player. It was a good win to start off the first tournament back for the Chromatiks. Chromatika takes on Unranked Croblade next before taking on ninth-ranked TJUN-ia - a game that will show just how good this team is right now.

Collegiate Sports in Chromatika

There is no denying the impact of collegiate sports in Chromatika. If you're not good enough to go from youth clubs to the pros, there isn't a better spot to grow than the Chromatik Collegiate Football Association, with its sixteen teams (though Staramara Tech University is in danger of being subbed out here, as well). Not good enough to play for the NSCF but want to pursue gridiron football? The Chromatik Collegiate Gridiron Conference is for you, with the six teams now being Lanar University, Sanar University, University of Myana, University of the Islands, a newcomer in Alnio University of the Arts, and either Chromia Central College University or another newcomer in Urrheddiao State University, depending on whether Chromatika will have three teams in the NSCF once again or not.

Collegiate Baseball remains strong as ever, and with the emergence of the Chromatik Collegiate Basketball Association, it can be stated that the Golden Age of Chromatik Collegiate Sports is here and now. Deprí Theological Seminary returned to collegiate sports, as well as Coastal District University of Lhor, University of Umbar, and Anfanhar University of the Arts making their collegiate sports debut.

Five more Universities are also being built around Chromatika - one in Tihon, one in Nonian, one in Kynxe, one in Cheonju, and the last being in Tor. With sports cities like Tihon and Tor getting Universities, there is hope that they will field decent teams in sports going forward as well.

by **Riandera** » Tue Dec 23, 2025 3:53 am

“I knew these guys were good,” Asep thought to himself.

Quite literally, the Fire had won their first match in this cycle. Two-and-a-half months of training had helped them triumph over Zenic, 83-70. What was even more amazing to Asep was that the host performance pressure did not catch up to them, nor did it affect them. But that was just the beginning. The Fire still had nine days to prove they were worthy for the Round of 24.

Their next challenge was in Ko-oren. They were World #3, and finished in the top 2 multiple times. So, was ten weeks of gruelling training really enough? Asep thought so. Really, they wouldn’t be considered ‘failures’ if they failed to qualify by most Rianderans (other than their parents), but the Fire still wanted to impress regardless.

A few minutes passed, and Asep realised everyone was busy with their own things, so he occupied himself by looking at photos of his ‘dream squad’ (the Fire). He knew them from when they came to the RBTA for the first time, and he even knew some of their relatives.

by **Aphrilia** » Tue Dec 23, 2025 7:59 am

2012, Spirits of Talonia MMORPG
Brohegel (Outpost Area)

There were many of these places called "Outpost Areas" in Spirits of Talonia.

They were essentially safe zones in the vast wilderness of the dangerous lands that made up the world of SoT. They usually had Altars that allowed you to teleport to any place that also had Altars, well, as long as you have already activated them. Usually just by interacting with them, but sometimes there's a Questline or two in order to be granted access to them. For XENIX, these quests weren't too hard. But as he had progressed through the game, even the quests themselves have become tougher. Progression was funny like that.

"so do we have a plan for the megaboss" A chat notification appears as he was testing out his skills and newly upgraded equipment on the training dummies, here in the outpost of Brohegel. sKyLar_Rie was with him, the two deciding that to defeat the Extreme Megaboss that was coming soon, that they would have to party and team up. "Bsd on th bss, I tnk so" was all that XENIX could respond with. The megaboss had been recently revealed by the developers, aptly named the "Volcano Wyvern" in their announcement. The thin was a monster to say the least. Only one phase, but it's attacks would get stronger the more it's massive HP pool got whittled down. It'd be a battle of endurance.

Of course, there was a limit to how much more powerful it would get. It's a standard HP% Lost into Stat% Increase, of course there would be a cap. But for the Extreme difficulty, XENIX read that it may be upwards of 40%, and that's terrifying. Not only that, the Extreme Megaboss was the most difficult out of five difficulty tiers, which meant that it's stat lines would be insane from the get-go. Beginner, Easy, Medium, Hard, and Extreme, those were the difficulty tiers. "Prbly 5 mem min, 6 prfrbly? Nd a hler + bffer... Mybe pldin?" XENIX added. There were a few healer classes but perhaps a Surgeon would do best. Their heal wasn't as strong but they could cover more area and give out buffs more consistently. A Paladin could self-regenerate and crowd control, as the megaboss wasn't completely immune to crowd control effects this time around.

A Knight, Mage, Surgeon, and Paladin... Perhaps a Ranger and a Priest/Priestess could round out the party.

Rie receives further information from XENIX as he messaged more, she was mainly just using spells out of boredom. "so you and i, a surgeon, paladin, ranger, and priest... sounds good, but where do we find the others" Rie's response was, well, reasonable. A lot of the stronger players were either in Guilds, or didn't want to associate themselves with anyone else. XENIX however, being a veteran of a previous MMORPG, wasn't the only one who immigrated to another game. "I knw smne from old dys, he shld be avlbl" After quickly responding, XENIX shared the player profile of the person that he was mentioning. An old buddy of his who also went from Runemix to Spirits of Talonia.

"KSMTables he looks good yeah, how did you get to know him" Rie responded, and proceeded to ask. XENIX was unsure if he should tell her, however. For him, it was revisiting embarrassing old days and he's somewhat shy about his beginnings as a MMORPG veteran. Many long-time players tend to be embarrassed about their humble beginnings... But he did tutor Rie throughout their journey together. Even though she progressed alone, when they met, he could only help but become Rie's mentor, teaching her things that she hadn't already known about. After some deliberation, XENIX came to a conclusion. "I spse I cn tell u abt my bgnning" He chatted.

And so XENIX speaks of his beginnings. The other members can be a later worry, and Tables will join soon enough. For now, he'll have to humor this curious mage.

by **Tjorl** » Tue Dec 23, 2025 8:58 am

The New Generation - 1 of 5 (C)
Five Features on Five New Members of the National Team

Isak av Velrik: From the Rink to the Hardwood
Blog by Neil Lindblom

At a towering seven-foot-one, Konunsfjord center Isak av Velrik looks like a man engineered for the sport of basketball. Many simply assume that the sport found him as soon as he could walk. The truth, however, is that out of all of the current players on the national team, Isak started professional basketball the latest into his life. Before he found his place on the hardwood, av Velrik slid across the ice, holding a hockey stick instead of a ball, stationed in goal during the local tournaments that dominated his childhood. On the frozen lakes of the Tjorlish highlands, he first fell in love with ice hockey.

Born and raised on the outskirts of Váldrheim, a city found on the cold Soryn Plateau, av Velrik grew up in an environment that prized winter sports more than anything else. After all, basketball proved much more difficult to come by, as inland winters were harsh, and snow and ice made running and dribbling outdoors impractical for much of the year. In contrast, hockey rinks, whether natural or makeshift, were abundant, and so the culture of Váldrheim revolved around winter sports, but especially ice hockey. As such, many of Tjorl's outstanding winter sports athletes can find their origins in the heart of the country, and one such athlete was Finn Ramdalg, one of the greatest goaltenders in Tjorlish ice hockey history. During the Váldrheim Ice Bears' dominant championship a few years back, it was he who led the squad as passionate Váldrheim fans, including a preteen av Velrik, filled up the Bears Arena every night. "I wanted to be him," av Velrik would later recall. "Every time he stopped a shot, I thought, that's how I want to play, how I want to win, how I want to make a name for myself."

Inspired by Ramdalg, av Velrik got into youth ice hockey competitions early. By age eight, he was traveling to neighboring towns, playing in tournaments that drew small crowds and even a couple of scouts. His coaches quickly noticed his extraordinary hand-eye coordination and split-second decision making. Standing out both in height and in skill, he became well known for his anticipation and agility, which was rare for someone of his size. By his twelfth birthday, av Velrik was known as one of the most promising young goaltenders in the region. "Even then, he was thinking two moves ahead," said Lars Keldar, one of his youth coaches. "I always thought that he had this mindset that would serve him well no matter what sport he chose, which is why I wasn't surprised that he found success in basketball."

While basketball was quite alien to much of av Velrik's life, it would eventually find him, almost by circumstance. With pressure from his friends, he tried out for his high school's varsity basketball team, and was immediately given a spot on the team thanks to his stature. His first date with basketball felt inevitable, really, and many collegiate coaches were already circling, taking note of not just his height, but his poise and patience, things he developed on ice as a goaltender. Of course now, he is more known for his uncanny blocking ability and solid interior defense, which he credits to his stint in ice hockey, where he learned to anticipate and to pivot efficiently. In his junior season, av Velrik averaged 18.3 points, 12.7 rebounds, and a national-best 4.1 blocks per game, all while leading his high school team to a 22-4 record and their first state championship in over a decade. From that point on, collegiate teams were eyeing him up, not just for his skill between the sticks, but for his potential on the hardwood.

Despite his quick rise in high school basketball, he still had ice hockey as his number one passion, and it was still in ice hockey where he showed greater potential. He played collegiate hockey for two seasons, suiting up for Brønhastir Universty. Yet, as much as he found success inside the rink, the growing attention from basketball coaches made him reconsider. Not to mention, he started to grow some concern on the physical toll of hockey, which he saw firsthand in his uncle, a former amateur ice hockey player whose career left him with chronic head injuries. By the end of his second year in college, he began dedicating more time to basketball, drawn by the chance to play at a professional level in the sport, which stands as one of Tjorl's most popular pasttimes, even bigger than ice hockey. "It wasn't an easy decision," he later said. "I love hockey, I really do, but professional basketball is something I definitely see myself doing, even 15 to 20 years from now."

In his unorthodox journey into basketball, av Velrik eventually found himself being drafted by the Konunsfjord Royals in the second round at the age of 21. However, with a frontcourt featuring hard-hitting veteran captain Patrick Teufel and a versatile yet injury-prone Gabriel Paulsson, av Velrik still only saw limited playing time in his first season. This would change with Paulsson's unfortunate ACL tear in last year's Tjorlish Basketball Association (TBA) quarterfinals, which left the Royals with av Velrik as the only true number five on the team. Despite all the pressure in the world to fill in the hole left by Paulsson's injury, av Velrik quickly established himself as a reliable defensive anchor and intimidating interior presence, a style that still reminds many of his goaltender days.

Av Velrik's trek into the top of professional basketball did not go unnoticed by the Jötnarne. At the age of 23, he received a call-up to the national basketball team, something not even he could've predicted for the 43rd edition of the IBC, especially considering his late start in the sport. His debut came during a pre-IBC 43 friendly against Tecoia, where he logged 18 minutes off the bench, and recorded an efficient 7 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 blocks. Now, at the biggest stage of his career, av Velrik is hoping to cement himself as the successor to Laura Oldervik's center position, which may come sooner than expected. For now, however, he not only serves as the best among the nation's most promising young big men, but he is also currently the most influential sports figure hailing from the Tjorlish autonomous ethnolinguistic communities, a position his hero Finn Ramdalg once held.

Part of what makes av Velrik's story stand out is his heritage. He belongs to the Solrød, one of Tjorl's officially recognized indigenous ethnolinguistic groups, whose autonomous communities maintain distinct languages, traditions, and even naming conventions. His surname, av Velrik, is a telling sign of his heritage, as certain nobiliary particles such as av, i, and við find their origins in indigenous Tjorlish languages such as Solrød, Kaldari, and Soryn. Av Velrik has always felt proud of his Solrød heritage, and his Solrød pride always shines through whenever he wears his signature wristband displaying the Solrød ethnic flag. "Being Solrød is a big source of inspiration," he has said. "It's inspired me to always do better, both on and off the court, and I will always have this inspiration in me as a representative of our community."

Whenever Isak steps onto the court, he's not just making a name for himself, he's carrying the hopes of a whole community, one who has supported him even when he was still wearing skates.

Martikainen's hot shooting leads Jötnarne to overtime escape over Crpostan, 93-88

In their first IBC game since their knockout defeat to Valentine Z a few editions back, an unranked Tjorl side found themselves punching above their weight once again as they kept a close game with universe no. 49 Crpostan in a jam-packed Avax Arena in Telfsund yesterday evening. The first half saw Anders Martikainen catch fire early, scoring 12 of his 28 points in the first period alone, keeping Tjorl within striking distance despite a balanced Crpostan attack and a slow start from captain Jakob Kaiser.

The second quarter turned into a defensive battle, with Laura Oldervik immediately asserting herself in the paint by blocking three shots in a row to kick off the second. However, Crpostan briefly stretched the lead to seven with accurate perimeter shooting, but the Jötnarne were quick to answer back with an 12-0 run of their own thanks to timely baskets from Kaiser and Felix Neslunn. By halftime, the score stood at a 41-41 deadlock.

After the break, there was no difference in the run of play, as both teams traded baskets in both the third and fourth periods. With a minute remaining, gutsy defense from Isak av Velrik kept the game tied at 80-all up until the end of regulation, forcing overtime in the deafening Avax Arena.

In overtime, Martikainen shook off his 4th-quarter slump by draining three shots from beyond the arc to push the lead to nine early in the clincher period, which Crpostan were unable to recover from. Martikainen finished the game with 28 points and 6 assists, while Neslunn showed prowess in every aspect by finishing with 14 points, 7 rebounds, 8 assists, 4 steals, and a block.

Coach Emrik Bergvik praised his team's performance afterward. "The boys showed heart and lots of grit tonight," he stated. "Crpostan is a tough first opponent, but we stuck to our game plan, made the right plays, and drained our shots. I'm happy about how we got the win today, even if it was a bit tiring." With the win in their opening match-up, Tjorl looks to keep up momentum in their next two games. Matchday 2 will see them in a daunting tie against 19th-ranked Tumbra at the Avax Arena, while Matchday 3 will have them visiting universe no.3 Kronbia.

by **Tumbra** » Tue Dec 23, 2025 9:34 am

Supermarkets and Convenience Stores in Tumbra

The Tumbran supermarket scene is quite oligopolistic, with five big chains occupying 98% of market share (from largest to smallest according to market share: Spencer's (36%), Ramsay's (32%), Firenze (14%), Orion (12%), Markham (4%)), and smaller businesses and other, usually foreign competitors, taking up the remaining 2%. There is also the big-box, membership-only chain Chest, but the high barrier to entry ensures that it is part of the 2%. There are little concerns over whether the supermarket industry is an oligopoly, despite the market showing clear signs of it being one; successive governments have indicated that they consider the Big Five to be sufficient competition amongst themselves, and consumers are generally pleased at the amount of competition that is on offer.

Each of the Big Five has a specific niche that they attempt to market as their unique selling point. Spencer's focuses on their unique generic branding, which occupies pride of place in many of their stores. Ramsay's focuses on their freshly prepared food offerings, enticing people with their delicatessen, sushi, and bakery options; they've teamed up with small coffee chain Ampere to offer their offerings there too. Firenze uses their status as part of the Firenze Consumer Co-operative to enhance their credibility; they also lean largely into the fresh foods scene, with vegetables and fruit taking up a large part of their offerings. Orion, meanwhile, is a discount chain, with massive discounts to entice customers. Markham, meanwhile, knows its target group — the upper middle classes and upwards — and adjusts its offerings, marketing, etc. accordingly, knowing that its clientele will be willing to pay more to shop in an environment that knows exactly what it wants.

In the convenience store scene, however, things are much more varied. The major market for convenience stores in the country is more competitive; small-to-medium enterprises (who prefer the term 'corner shop') can often compete on equal footing with chains, with chain stores really only having exclusive domains over outlets at petrol stations. Convenience stores also offer things like ATMs, pick-up services for online orders, and hot food on occasion. Some also operate laundromats as a side business. Neighbourhood corner shops are often seen as key indicators of how "the economy" is going and are often used as the archetypical "small business," with politicians on election campaigns often stopping by corner shops and the public house (the pub). While economic consolidation has meant that the number of these corner shops has been decreasing over time, consumers in certain neighbourhoods often prioritise going to the corner shop over the supermarkets, which are typically located near transit developments in shopping malls.

Petrol stations have seen a greater degree of chain consolidation, with Ramsay's bringing their specific brand of food-first stores to petrol stations; establishing the brand Mahogany (now referred to as just Maho) in 1965 to serve weary travellers. Mahogany is also known, for the condition of their toilets and restroom facilities, being the choice for travellers on highways to stop and freshen up. Most Mahogany locations are located on the Federal Expressway System, co-located most commonly with Black Eagle Energy petrol stations.

by **The Sernetian Empire** » Tue Dec 23, 2025 9:56 am

SERNET NATIONAL BASKETBALL TEAM

by **Kamijiro** » Tue Dec 23, 2025 10:41 am

The History of Hoops in Kamijiro, Part I: The Outdoor Era

Basketball is Kamijiro's second most popular sport, trailing only behind association football and sitting ahead of baseball and gridiron football. In terms of casual participants, basketball is the only sport remotely close to association football, with around 10% of the overall population reporting that they at least play casually and around 2% reporting that they play on a more serious basis. Those numbers spike up to 35% and 8% respectively when only accounting for only the 18-35 age group.

The sport was first introduced to the country at around the dawn of the television. Long-range broadcasts of basketball contests from other nations were one of the few things on late at night after the usual broadcasts ended at 22:00. Basketball surged to prominence after sports bars, often open until 1:00 or 2:00, began showing the games on their television sets due to the lack of anything else on. Because of this, some of the most popular basketball clubs in Kamijiro are the more historically successful clubs from abroad. To this day, foreign jerseys still sell extremely well and those clubs tend to have a very large following in the Lightning Isles.

The first-ever dedicated basketball court was erected nearly six months after the first broadcast that reached the Lightning Isles. Bankrolled by Hiroshi Moriyama, who is now considered the father of basketball in the Lightning Isles, the court was built in a recreational park near the center of Miraisaki and attracted people of all ages within the first week after completion. Before long, there were more popping up all over the city.

This piece of Kamijiroan basketball history is referred to by sports historians within the nation as the Outdoor Era. The first organized league cropped up during this era and was extremely short-lived. Nearly every record from this league has been lost to time. However, it is known that the first-ever basketball champions of Kamijiro were the Daizen Jidōsha Seibi Kōjō Mechanics. The winning team was entirely made up of employees of an automotive repair shop. Only the final score from the Championship game still exists:

Daizen Jidōsha Seibi Kōjō Mechanics 18 - 14 Hokutō.

The team was captained by Daizen Nakamura, owner of the shop. The Hokutō squad was lead by Hiroshi Moriyama, the aforementioned father of basketball in Kamijiro. Another interesting fact is that Hiroshi is the grandfather of Kaito, the starting point guard for the modern national team.

What makes that game interesting is that the two teams combined for 32 points total in a match that consisted of 20 minute halves. There’s two major factors for this. One, the shot clock had not been introduced yet and Daizen’s team abused that fact, with their possessions reportedly lasting well over three minutes at a time. The other factor was that the match was played in a rainstorm. Those in attendance reported that neither team shot the ball particularly well. Considering the conditions, that’s not shocking. The league folded after that match and the next league of note would not appear for another five years.

- Current Matchday Info -

Final Score(s):
Kamijiro 88 - 58 Arguara

Player of the Game: J.P. Louissaint (26 points, 16 rebounds, 2 assists | 9/20 FG, 3/8 3P, 5/5 FT)
Key Moment: Pascatori block early in the first half turns into transition three for Louissaint. Kamijiro continues a 17-2 run to start the game.

- Next Matchday(s) Info -

Opponent (MD2): New Eastern Canada (A)
Opponent (MD3): Juvencus (H)

IBC • 43 -- Everything Thread

Thorne XXV

IBC • 43 -- MD1

Who is online

Position	Starting Five	Bench	Reserves
PG	Jakob Kaiser	Mats Nystrom	Maja Ilmaren
SG	Anders Martikainen	Matias Varalunn	Mira Brisvik
SF	Felix Neslunn	Hannah Reishus	Arvid Bryntel
PF	Albin Skarnlund	Emil Skjærn	Samuel Morvæk
C	Laura Oldervik	Isak av Velrik	Eirik Haugaard