Blog

On the Edge of Implosion?

2012-02-21T17:29:21Z

On the Edge of Implosion?

Foolishly, about two weeks ago, I was toying around with the idea that the Celtics could make another run at a title...hmm, hold that thought. Rondo gets a two game break for tossing the ball at a ref during a loss to the Piston's this past Sunday and after their loss to Dallas last night, the C's look terrible and are in the midst of a four game skid...on the other hand Dwight Howardand the Magic have been righting the ship as of late, I wonder if he'll be in Florida after the March 15th deadline? Speaking of deadlines, Kobe was stand up for Pau which is a solid move but will it matter? Pau is still on the block...and why so much drama in the NYC? Melo hasn't played in a decade, everything is off for him and that's gonna show for awhile...just sayin'

Of Presidents and Basketball

2012-02-20T17:35:32Z

Who's the Fav to Win it All?

Yes, the LNBP season is over but don't distress, Mexico's CIBACOPA kicks off in just a few short weeks, March 8th, to be exact. In fact, some squads, like the Coras de Tepic, will start their their two a days this Thursday. There are 11 teams in the league this year (there were 10 last season) with the new addition playing Navolato. Navolato looks like they'll be building around a proven Mexico veteran Ron Selleaze. Navolato fell 66-69 to the Oklahoma Impact in an exhibition over the weekend. Will a new CIBACOPA champion be crowned or will the Mineros repeat and take the 2012 title? Stay tuned here, we'll give you the CIBACOPA breakdown you need! #PLIYLDOE

Familiar Faces at FIBA Americas

2012-02-19T01:32:02Z

Send Teams to League of the Americas Next Week

Just when you thought you had a hold of what was happening in the pro hoops world in the Mexico, BAM! another 'League!' The LNBP just concluded with the Halcones Rojos taking the title from the Toros of Nuevo Laredo and the CIBACOPA is just about to tip (March 9th). But...you could see at least twoLNBP teams you thought were done for the season slugging it out for another title chance in the upcoming weeks. Saywhat? Yup, the FIBA Americas League, which pits 16 of the best pro clubs in the the Americas against each until one champion is crowned, tips off next weekend in Cancun and will continue over the next few weeks. Some of the best pro clubs in Mexico, the Caribbean and South America will play in the FIBA Americas league. The two teams representing Mexico's LNBP at in the opening round in Cancun next weekend are Fuerza Regia, and the Pioneros of Cancun.

Friday Randomness

2012-02-17T17:08:15Z

and other Friday Randomness

K Mart The Key for the Clips Down the Stretch?

When Do the Bulls Begin to Worry or Are They Already?

Lin Gets the Rookie All Star Nod...?

Really Lebron, Back to Cleveland?

How Seriously Can you Take This?

2012-02-16T17:24:20Z

How Seriously Can you Take This?

So, you told everyone Jeremy Lin couldn't keep pace with his scoring average, you knew reality would set in. Call it what you want...Lin slowing down, Lin coming back to earth, they're finally figuring out Lin's game...whatever it is, the Knicks want more of it. I'm calling it, Lin fitting in. Seven wins in a row, 10 assists and a carerr 13 dimes in a route of the Kings last night with out 'Melo time and now the Knick's are .500, did I mention they've been with out Melo? You may be sick of the story but Knick fans can't get enough. What if we're watching the true emergence of a diamond in the rough? Is it possible that Lin is making the Knicks that much better? Sometimes in sports, forces combine to create something inexplicable, which is what we've witnessed with the Knicks over the last seven games. Everyone is left scratching their heads, except, Jeremy Lin...

Female Players Need a Bio Too!

2012-02-15T18:13:15Z

Female Players Need a Bio Too!

There not as abundant but they're out there. Positions for male pro players abound world wide and as the popularity of the game continues to grow, we'll see the emergence of more pro leagues, teams, agents, showcases, and overall basketball services targeting the women's side of the game. Right now, the world of pro hoops below the WNBA level is an emerging market that isn't well known by many and very underpublicized. You gotta start somewhere right and a good place to do that is with a 'bio.' It should read like your basketball resume and should accessible to anyone and everyone who can help you land a job, male or female...Sparksbound, is a female San Diego baller building her profile, who knows where it will lead, hopefully, it's just the beginning but no matter where you're looking, "you need a bio," it's a must.

Halcones Rojos Win LNBP Title

2012-02-14T17:09:57Z

Halcones Rojos Win LNBP Title

They were the best team in the league all year long and the Halcones Rojos proved it by winning the LNBP title last night in Nuevo Laredo beating the Toros in game five 92-69. Luis Bethelmy put up 23 and 10 to lead the Halcones, his teammate Carlos Ruiz chipped in with 15. For the Toros Elyz Guzman and Ike Ofoegbu both had double double's for the Toros but it wasn't enough as the Toros simply ran out of gas and their shooting percentage showed it. Soon enough, the talk will start about who's coming back and if the Halcones can 'repeat' their title run next season...

Can Toros Win 3 Straight?

2012-02-13T16:15:30Z

Can Toros Win 3 Straight?

Halcones take game four and now lead the LNBP Finals three games to one of the current league champion, Toros of Nuevo Laredo. The Halcones Rojos outlasted the Toros last night in game four winning 68-65 on the Toros home floor. A win tonight in game five would give the Halcones the LNBP title. Despite having five players score in double figures, the Toros' shooting woes continued as they made only 34% of their shots from the field. Rafael Perez and Elyz Guzman were the Toros' highest scorers with 13 each, for the Halcones, Noe Alonzo led with 13 and Carlos Rivera tallied 12...game five is tonight in Nuevo Laredo at 8:30 pm...can the Toros win three straight to defend their title or will the Halcones take home the belt tonight in Nuevo Laredo...?

Halcones Win Game 2

2012-02-12T17:01:04Z

Halcones Win Game 2

LNBP (MEX): Last night the Halcones Rojos assured that the Toros cannot win the LNBP championsip in Nuevo Laredo after winning 67-65 on the Toros home floor. The Halcones take a 2-1 lead and inch one step closer to a league championship. The Toros shot a measley 35% from the field and had 17 turnovers but the Halcones didn't shoot much better at 40% and only connected on 30% of their attempts from threelandia and escaped with victory in spite of 19 turnovers. Rafael Perez led the Toros with 19, Elyz Guzman notched a double double with 15 and 12 and Ike Ofoegbu had 10. For the Halcones Rojos, Carlos Rivera had 19, Luis Bethelmy added 16 and Paul Stoll tallied 12. Game 5 is tonight in Nuevo Laredo at 5 pm...

LPB (VEN): Action from Venezuela's LPB

ABA: San Diego Surf vs Riverside Rainmakers

2012-02-11T15:20:28Z

ABA: San Diego Surf vs Riverside Rainmakers

The Rivalry Isn’t Dead!

2012-02-10T15:46:03Z

All Star Snubs? Mexico Finals & LPB Venezuela

Celtics-Lakers in the NBA Finals? Why not? Last week I made a case for both teams to match up again in the final series of the season this June...last night was just a little taste...am I smoking something? Let's talk in July...All Star Snubs? Who's in and who's out or rather, who should be in and who should out? If you could buy stock in an NBA player right now, who's IPO would be the hottest? Yeah, Knick fans, you've got something to feel good about in Jeremy Lin, his stock is going through the roof, just sayin'...

Don't forget about the LNBP Finals out of Mexico, game three is tomorrow night in Nuevo Laredo with the series tied 1-1. The Toros of Nuevo Laredo stole game two in Veracruz and will try and keep the momentum going at home...the Halcones Rojos are the best road in the league...

in the In Venezuela, the LPB is four games in, Trotamundo head coach Ivan Deniz who's got the core of his Soles de Mexicali (LNBP) team in David Cubillan, David Perry Meza, Manuel Marriaga, Jose 'El Grillo' Vargas is sitting at .500, middle of the pack. LPB games continue tonight, check the schedule en espanyol here.

Madness

2012-02-09T13:54:04Z

Toros Battle Back Break Halcones Streak

The Toros are after all, the defending league champions, so it shouldn't be that big a surprise that they came back from nine down at the start of the fourth quarter and stole game 2 of the LNBP Finals from the Halcones Rojos, should it? It took overtime but the Toros came out on top 96-93 in a victory that snapped the Halcones 13 game win streak and dealt them only their second home loss of the entire season. Rene Rougeau opened the fourth with an 'and 1' to get the Toros on a 7-0 run and on the right track. As the clock ticked toward the end of regulation, Eric Nuncio, stole the show. First he hits three free throws in a row (it was a two shot foul but Halcones head coach called a timeout that wasn't given by the officials so Nuncio's first shot, which was a make, was ruled invalid by the officials). Then, in OT Nuncio connects on a three, bam! Then hits a crazy turn around with the shot clock expiring...he would go to the line two more times in the last two minutes of OT and go three for for to ice the game two victory for the Toros. Noe Alonzo led all Halcone scorers with 28 and 9 rebounds, Gregory Vargas added 18. For the Toros, Rafael Perez dropped 24, Elys Guzman had 19 and Eric Nuncio finished with 17. The 'mo' is now in the Toros' corner as the series shifts back to Nuevo Laredo on February 11, 12 and 13th.

LNBP Finals: Advantage Halcones Rojos

2012-02-08T03:58:57Z

Take it to Toros 87-62

Paul Stoll drives...kicks to Noe Alonzo for three. Alonzo went 3 of 3 from threelandia (ended with 11 points) and Stoll had five dimes in a Halcones route, 87-62, of the current LNBP Champion, Toros of Nuevo Laredo. By the middle of the third, the Halcones had everything under control and their defense was stiffling the Toros offense or maybe the Toros just had a crappy shooting night, they were 4 of 24 from deep. If you do that quick math you'll find that is a terrible shooting percentage. Luis Bethelmy led all Halcone scorers with 17 while Gregory Vargas Dias tallied 13. Ike Ofoegbu paced the Toros with 15, Rene Rougeau chipped in with 13 and Elyz Guzman added 12. You can get your Spanish on and watch solid pro hoops in Game 2 on the Halcones website tonight....

Check out the LATINO 100 tournament coming up February 24-26, contact coach Robert Zaragoza for details...also coming up the same weekend in Nogales, is the CIBACOPA pre season tournament...

If you haven't seen the highlights from Michael Craig watch them here, they are...let's just say, very "highly" entertaining highlights...get it?

“Lin to Win?” Kobe Getting 6? Sixers…for Reallies?

2012-02-07T16:01:03Z

"Lin to Win?" Kobe Getting 6? Sixers...for Real?

I pick the C's every year, we'll at least the last few, after the 08 title. Emotion is not a good mix to conjur objective analysis about the next NBA champ...I still think they have a shot this year. Here's the thing with this shortened season. There was so much uncertainty leading up to tip off and now that we're finally, well actually, almost half way home of the shortened 66 game schedule, there is still a lot of uncertainty about what's going to go down this season.

Let's take a look. The C's, I believe, if remain healthy and get some big help, will do some damage in the post season. They can beat anyone, anywhere...I mean, they along with the aging Spurs, have strung together the longest winning streak in the last week. Just sayin' Maybe the shortened season is just what the Lakers, Spurs and C's need if they're gonna make another title push. Can Kobe really get his sixth ring? The Lake Show, I think, are in a better position personnel wise to challenge for a title but don't they look a little ragged?

And, who would have thought the Sixers would be one of the top teams in the NBA, really, the Sixers? What about the Knicks? They are crappy as of late, now Melo is hurt and they're talking about a D League PG from Harvard as the answer to lead the Knicks out the Eastern Conference funk... The Bulls are all over everyone's radar, Miami still has it's doubters, (me included) and OKC is awesome to watch but can you see it, can you picture..."Oklahoma City Thunder, 2012 NBA Champions...? No. Orlando and Dwight have disappointed but you've got to think that ship will be righted, when Dwight leaves. A Dwight Howard departure only lessen's the expectations in Orlando which will solidify their place in Eastern Conference mediocrity. The team that gets him? Well, I'll save that for another post, after the trade deadline.

So where does that leave us? I'm not really sure except that things might look a whole lot different after the March 15th trade deadline. In the meantime, stay on the Jeremy Lin, bandwagon. On second thought, maybe not, that's emotion talking. Objectively, you might say, he's had his 15 minutes...

Who Will Draw First Blood?

2012-02-06T16:13:02Z

Who Will Draw First Blood?

Tomorrow night the Halcones Rojos and the Toros of Nuevo Laredo match up in game one of the LNBP Finals out of the port of Veracruz, Mexico. The Toros are coming off a seven game series win over Fuerza Regia and the Halcones Rojos recently disposed of the Pioneros in the semi finals. Coach Eddie Cassiano's squad, the Halcones Rojos, have been one of the top teams in the league all year while the Toros their head coach Jose 'Pepo' Martinez have started to peak at the right time. The Toros are slightly more efficient offensively, averaging 85 points a game to the Halcones 81 but the Halcones are the top defensive team in the league allowing only 68 points per contest. Additionally, the Halcones are nearly unbeatable at home, losing only once in 20 games in their own casa. They are also the best road team in the league at 15-5 and a better shooting team from 'threelandia', the floor and from the line. So, do all signs point to Veracruz as the next LNBP Champion? Not so fast...They still have to snatch it from the grips of the current LNBP champs and the Toros have surprised all season long.

FEB 7Hal Rojos VS Toros
No.331 08 Feb, 2012 - 20:30 hrs.
Hal Rojos VS Toros
No.332 11 Feb, 2012 - 20:30 hrs.
Toros VS Hal Rojos
No.333 12 Feb, 2012 - 17:00 hrs.
Toros VS Hal Rojos