Serbia vs Great Britain
So, apparently I enjoyed tape-delay-blogging the game last night so much that I am going to do it again tonight.
It’s GB’s last chance to stay in the competition, playing the Serbian team that shocked Spain in the first game of the tournament.
Aaaand I miss basically the entire first quarter because the red button stops working on my Sky box. I try watching it online instead, but it takes me 10 minutes to find the live stream on the BBC website (Yes kids, playing with computers is essentially my job, but I still can’t make the effing things work.) Then when I do find it, there is no sound, and the picture is too small and choppy to see the player’s shirt numbers.
Eventually I beat my Sky box into submission, and I tune in with a minute left to play in the first. Serbia 19 - 9 GB.
“Nate” Ryan King swishes a three, Serbia grab a two and Robert Archibald clanks a three to close out the first. 21-12. Another slow start from GB, or are Serbia just much better than us?
First GB play of the second quarter, fast break alley oop, Nate to Pops.
GB turn it over. According to Meech and his fellow commentator, this has been the theme of the game so far.
Pops knocks a Serb flying in the paint and slams it home. With authority! The only Serb I know the name of is (NBA player) Nenad Krstic, and I’m not even sure I know how to spell his name. “A Serb” is going to be a key player tonight, I feel.
GB are bringing the energy this quarter.
Apparently Spain beat Slovenia earlier and are in the second round. They blew a big fourth quarter lead, though, and needed an overtime to get the job done.
Archibald seems a bit more lively today. Still looks like he’s running through glue, though. He hits some free throws and GB are within 2. 22-20.
Serbia three followed by a GB turnover.
Nate takes his man off the dribble and hits a jumper. 25-22
Joel Freeland with the ball, his back to the basket, gets it taken away from him by a Serb standing behind him. Easy fast break for the Serbs.
After Krstic hits a wiiide open mid range jumper, Andrew Sullivan dunks on three Serbs. That’s why he’s the captain.
Freeland appears to be out for the count after that steal. He’s hobbling slowly to the locker room, holding his back.
Pops draws an off the ball foul on Velickovic, but misses both free throws. Lane violation—he misses the third, too.
Pops attempts to score on his own and throws up an airball, but redeems himself immediately at the defensive end with a big block after a Serb offensive rebound.
Serbia aren’t scoring masses of points more than GB, but they look much better. They have much more ball movement at the offensive end and are driving well too. GB look a lot more laboured on offense, and defense seems flimsy. They’re getting some fast-break points, though, which I don’t really recall last night.
My man Flinder crosses over a Serb and hands it off to Pops under the basket for the bucket, with 12 seconds left in the half.
Teodosic hits a circus shot at the buzzer. Gaah.
GB are shooting 50% from three, and 50% from the line. Why do we suck at free throws? We also have ten turnovers to Serbia’s four.
Nate Reinking leads GB with 9 points at the half. The Serb Tepic has 10, and Krstic and Pops Mensah-Bonsu both have 8.
Halftime score: Serbia 39 - 29 GB.
I just looked Pops up on Wikipedia. His full name is Nana Papa Yaw Dwene Mensah-Bonsu. Impressive. Nana Papa Yaw Dwene Goutte?
GB come out fast in the third and cut the lead to 6.
A few people have those air horn things in the crowd. It is very irritating.
Kieron Achara checks in for the first time with 7:41 on the clock. Apparently he didn’t play at all in the first game. Not sure why he’s getting such limited minutes considering his performance last night. (And of course his length, mobility.)
Pops fires up an errant three point attempt with 5 left on the shot clock. He is a loose cannon!
Serbia extend their lead to 11, and have a free throw after this time out.
Chris Finch says the problem is that too many guys are “not doing anything.” He suggests they try “playing unselfishly for a little bit,” which seems to irritate Meech and amuse his colleague. If they don’t stop blowing those horns I am going to stab someone.
Serbia are better at basketball than us. Hopefully our new tactic of “playing unselfishly” will win out nonetheless.
GB cannot defend the pick and roll.
Flinder gets hit in the chops and knocked to the floor but bounces right back up. Warrior!
Tepic swishes a three and Serbia are up 13.
Perovic can’t guard you, Betts! Take it to the hole! Okay maybe he can.
Someone gets a tech. No-one seems to know why. Tripkovic hits both and Serbia get it back: 52-39.
Ryan King comes back in, scores a two, and then a three: 55-44.
Krstic takes the last shot of the quarter and GB are down 58-44. Things not looking good for the Brits. Methinks this next ten minutes will be their last of the tournament.
GB are now shooting 67% from three, but still only 50% from the free throw line. Ugh.
First GB possession of the quarter. Miss. Sullivan grabs an offensive rebound and Archibald draws a foul.
Serbia reply with a three.
Sullivan grabs another offensive rebound on the next trip down the floor, and GB draw another foul. Still no actual points yet, though.
Krstic fakes Pops out of his shoes. Pops clobbers him on the way back down and gets called for an intentional foul: 64-46.
Lenzly stops the rot with a three, but there’s less than seven minutes left on the clock and a 15 point deficit to recover.
Archibald attempts to dribble the ball between his legs at the top of the key and gets stripped. That’s just embarrassing, big guy.
Pops has two free throws. Splits them, and is now two of six from the line.
I don’t think Nate is our best offensive player, but he certainly looks the best. He hits a tough jumper, and Meech criticises him implicitly by pointing out you don’t win tournaments by hitting tough shots. It’s getting easy ones that count!
Pops induces a five second violation from Krstic and the commentator gets very excited. Archibald hits a free throw and we’re back within… uh… thirteen. With 4:36 left to play.
Meech is now calling Nate, “Rankin”. The other commentator is pronouncing Teodosic “Tedeosic”, but for all I know that’s how its actually pronounced.
Two dunks in a row for GB. The commentator makes a point of noting how many hands were used for each. (Two.)
GB are pressing hard now, and as Meech points out, the Serbs look uncomfortable. They still have an 11 point lead, though, with three minutes left.
Hart tackles a Serb to the ground, rugby style. The commentator praises his positioning, but he’s still called for the foul.
GB call a timeout. 2:45 on the clock. 13 points behind.
The Serbs seem to have figured out our pressure defence. Wide open three. 73-57.
Hart hits a two, followed by two Serb free throws, and it’s 75-59 with a minute to play. Serbia hit another couple of free throws, and dribble out the clock.
GB finished the game at 63% from deep and still 50% from the line. Nate led all scorers with 21, Pops had 16. In general, a much less convincing performance. The BBC are reduced to including a shot of a cheerleader’s shaking ass in their highlight round-up. Still, we had our moments, and I’m inclined to agree with Meech’s summary: “We’re now good enough that we can’t be satisfied with close.” It turns out the other commentator is named Ronald Macintosh.
Conclusion: I still can’t touch type, Sky are ripping me off, and the next person I see with an air-horn is going to get throttled.
Final Score: Serbia 77 - 59 GB
