SHEFFIELD Sharks’ first pre-season friendly in preparation for the new British Basketball League season will have a Stateside feel tomorrow (7pm), when they entertain an American Select touring team at their EIS headquarters.
Sportuk.tv’s cameras were at Filton College WISE Academy to bring you the best of the action between the Bristol Academy Flyers and Team USA Select. Team USA won 90-62. Afterwards Coach Sean Kilmartin spoke to Sportuk.tv’s Nigel Turner
Reading Rockets will kick off their 2008-2009 campaign against the USA Select touring team at the Rivermead Leisure Complex on September 8. The Select team always guarantee a tough game and Rockets have managed to squeeze narrow victories in the last two meetings between the teams. The USA Select was created by Sean Kilmartin as a means of helping players find professional jobs in Europe. They will play a gruelling schedule that takes in Ireland, Britain and Scandinavia.
The Airwaves Plymouth Raiders have announced their final home friendly game, to be played on Wednesday 17th September at the Plymouth Pavilions (tip off 7.30pm). The Reading Rockets, one of the best EBL Division 1 teams, will be the visitors just 4 days after the BBL’s Worcester Wolves also visit the Pavilions to take on the Raiders in pre season action.
The Airwaves Plymouth Raiders have announced their final home friendly game, to be played on Wednesday 17th September at the Plymouth Pavilions (tip off 7.30pm). The Reading Rockets, one of the best EBL Division 1 teams, will be the visitors just 4 days after the BBL’s Worcester Wolves also visit the Pavilions to take on the Raiders in pre season action.
The pre-season however gets under way this Saturday (6th September) with the Airwaves Plymouth Raiders facing stiff competition from annual visitors to the Plymouth Pavilions, Team USA Select. It will be a great opportunity for Raiders’ fans to see their new team in action (minus DeAntoine Beasley, who is currently experiencing a Visa hold up), and welcome new players Kwbana Beckles and Patrick Fitzpatrick to the City.
The Team USA Select game is always great season opener, and fans have been treated to some fantastic basketball in previous years. The team is primarily made up of recent graduates from the American college system, who then tour around Europe playing teams and hopefully securing contracts for their players as they go.
“Thursday September 13th was a historic day for Basketball in Bristol. For the first time ever the City boasts a professional basketball team, The Bristol Academy Flyers.
The Flyers took to the court in this their first game of the new 2007/08 season in front of a packed Filton College WISE arena with over 500 spectators in the purpose built College Campus. With pre match entertainment provided by Filton Colleges SWADA dancers and a light and music show entrance of the team the night was set for an entertaining and enthralling battle.”
Unfortunately for them, they faced the 2007 USA Select Basketball Team.
In a related article from SportUK.tv it was written;
Thursday 13 September was an historic day for Basketball in Bristol. For the first time ever the city boasts a professional basketball team, The Bristol Academy Flyers.
The Flyers took to the court in this there first game of the new 2007/08 season in front of a packed Filton College WISE arena with over 500 spectators in the purpose built College Campus. With pre match entertainment provided by Filton Colleges SWADA dancers and a light and music show entrance of the team, the night was set for an entertaining and enthralling battle.
Pineville is known by many in the Charlotte region as the home of Carolina Place Mall.
But for dozens of former college basketball players from across the country, it’s known as the last stop before Europe. For two days last week, Pineville’s Belle Johnston Center served as the practice location for the 14 former college players that comprise this year’s Team USA Select Basketball roster.
Most of these players know the NBA is beyond their reach. For them, Team USA Select Basketball could give them the opportunity to latch onto a European basketball team and see the world.
“You can see Paris, you can see Prague, but you haven’t really seen the world until you’ve seen the Belle Johnston Community Center in Pineville or the Showmars (on Lancaster Highway),” said south Mecklenburg resident and team coach/general manager Sean Kilmartin.
Team USA Select have been regular visitors to the Pavilions over the past few years, bringing a team of American players looking for professional contracts in Europe. In recent years, players from Team USA Select have been awarded contracts in the BBL (Steve LePore with the old Brighton Bears, Shawan Robinson with Newcastle Eagles last summer), France, Spain, Italy, Portugal and even Australia.
The organisation is run by Sean Kilmartin and David Lawrence, both former professional basketball players here in the UK. It’s designed to help players straight out of college in the USA to find professional contracts throughout Europe.
Clint Deas joins the Rockets The Reading Rockets basketball team have signed 6’8″ powerhouse Clint Deas ahead of the new season – so we gave him a call in Las Vegas to see how he’s feeling about moving to Berkshire.