FIBA Basketball
ESP - Vazquez back in form
VALENCIA (ACB) - Fran Vazquez has been relatively quiet at Akasvayu Girona this season after a terrific 2004-05 with Unicaja Malaga in the ACB and Spain at the EuroBasket. Vazquez, a 2.09m power forward who was the 11th overall pick by the Orlando Magic
VALENCIA (ACB) - Fran Vazquez has been relatively quiet at Akasvayu Girona this season after a terrific 2004-05 with Unicaja Malaga in the ACB and Spain at the EuroBasket.
Vazquez, a 2.09m power forward who was the 11th overall pick by the Orlando Magic in last year's NBA draft, entered this season on a high, particulary as he had arguably the best performance of the EuroBasket in Spain's quarter-final win over Croatia.
Vazquez scored 26 points and pulled down nine rebounds against the Croatians last September as Spain prevailed 101-85 in overtime.
The sleeping giant is awake now.
At Pamesa Valencia on Sunday, Vazquez poured in 14 points and grabbed 12 rebounds as Girona destroyed Pamesa 79-49.
Vazquez was five of nine from the floor, including one of two from three-point range, and three of four from the line.
He had not scored in double figures since January 29 when he had 13 in Girona's 90-71 triumph at Gran Canaria.
Vazquez needs to find some consistency before the end of the season to make sure he is in Spain coach Pepu Hernandez's plans for the FIBA World Championship in Japan. Sunday's effort is a good start.
As for the team that made it to the Copa del Rey final, Pamesa's play left a lot to be desired.
The 6500-strong crowd at the Pabellon Municipal Fuente San Luis watched the home side score just four points in the first quarter when they trailed by 21.
The second quarter wasn't much better. Ricard Casas' men put just 11 points on the scoreboard and trailed 48-15 heading to the changing room.
Bearing in mind that Pamesa have some seasoned internationals in their team like Greek power forward Dimos Dikoudis, Ruben Garces of Panama and Todor Stoykov of Bulgaria, it's hard to believe this type of mauling could have taken place on their own floor.
Senegal's Savane superb
Also on Sunday afternoon, Gran Canaria center Sitapha Savane once again showed FIBA World Championship-bound Senegal he deserves a chance to make the team by scoring 26 points and grabbing five boards in a 91-73 triumph over Ricoh Manresa.
Savane has been outstanding all season for Gran Canaria.
Marcus Norris also weighed in with 24 points for Gran Canaria.
Unicaja Malaga claimed a narrow 104-99 triumph at Leche Rio Breogan.
Argentinian international Walter Herrmann poured in 32 points for Unicaja and his American team-mate Marcus Brown weighed in with 27.
Adecco Estudiantes beat Alta Gestion Fuenlabrada 89-75 and Forum Valladolid lost at home to Llanera Menorca 79-75.
On Sunday evening, Real Madrid won the latest battle in an incredible week of their rivalry with Winterthur Barcelona.
The two sides are knotted at 1-1 in the best-of-three Euroleague quarter-final and, as fate would have it, they squared off again on Sunday and Real beat the league leaders 69-66.
Igor Rakocevic, Real's Serbo-Montenegrin star, led the way this time with 19 points.
The sides meet this week in a deciding Game 3 in the Euroleague for the right to advance to the Final Four.
Tau Ceramica, who are level at 1-1 with Panathinaikos in their Euroleague last eight tie, will travel to Greece in confident mood after a 78-66 win over CB Granada.
Tau are in first place, followed by Unicaja and Barca with each of the teams boasting 20-7 records.
DKV Joventut, who beat BC Khimki in the final of the EuroCup on Sunday, are fourth at 18-8 while Akasvayu are fifth, Gran Canaria sixth, Real Madrid (15-12) seventh and Estudiantes (13-14) eighth.
Etosa Alicante won 85-70 at Lagun Aro Bilbao Basket.
By Jeff Taylor, PA Sport, Exclusively for FIBA
Vazquez, a 2.09m power forward who was the 11th overall pick by the Orlando Magic in last year's NBA draft, entered this season on a high, particulary as he had arguably the best performance of the EuroBasket in Spain's quarter-final win over Croatia.
Vazquez scored 26 points and pulled down nine rebounds against the Croatians last September as Spain prevailed 101-85 in overtime.
The sleeping giant is awake now.
At Pamesa Valencia on Sunday, Vazquez poured in 14 points and grabbed 12 rebounds as Girona destroyed Pamesa 79-49.
Vazquez was five of nine from the floor, including one of two from three-point range, and three of four from the line.
He had not scored in double figures since January 29 when he had 13 in Girona's 90-71 triumph at Gran Canaria.
Vazquez needs to find some consistency before the end of the season to make sure he is in Spain coach Pepu Hernandez's plans for the FIBA World Championship in Japan. Sunday's effort is a good start.
As for the team that made it to the Copa del Rey final, Pamesa's play left a lot to be desired.
The 6500-strong crowd at the Pabellon Municipal Fuente San Luis watched the home side score just four points in the first quarter when they trailed by 21.
The second quarter wasn't much better. Ricard Casas' men put just 11 points on the scoreboard and trailed 48-15 heading to the changing room.
Bearing in mind that Pamesa have some seasoned internationals in their team like Greek power forward Dimos Dikoudis, Ruben Garces of Panama and Todor Stoykov of Bulgaria, it's hard to believe this type of mauling could have taken place on their own floor.
Senegal's Savane superb
Also on Sunday afternoon, Gran Canaria center Sitapha Savane once again showed FIBA World Championship-bound Senegal he deserves a chance to make the team by scoring 26 points and grabbing five boards in a 91-73 triumph over Ricoh Manresa.
Savane has been outstanding all season for Gran Canaria.
Marcus Norris also weighed in with 24 points for Gran Canaria.
Unicaja Malaga claimed a narrow 104-99 triumph at Leche Rio Breogan.
Argentinian international Walter Herrmann poured in 32 points for Unicaja and his American team-mate Marcus Brown weighed in with 27.
Adecco Estudiantes beat Alta Gestion Fuenlabrada 89-75 and Forum Valladolid lost at home to Llanera Menorca 79-75.
On Sunday evening, Real Madrid won the latest battle in an incredible week of their rivalry with Winterthur Barcelona.
The two sides are knotted at 1-1 in the best-of-three Euroleague quarter-final and, as fate would have it, they squared off again on Sunday and Real beat the league leaders 69-66.
Igor Rakocevic, Real's Serbo-Montenegrin star, led the way this time with 19 points.
The sides meet this week in a deciding Game 3 in the Euroleague for the right to advance to the Final Four.
Tau Ceramica, who are level at 1-1 with Panathinaikos in their Euroleague last eight tie, will travel to Greece in confident mood after a 78-66 win over CB Granada.
Tau are in first place, followed by Unicaja and Barca with each of the teams boasting 20-7 records.
DKV Joventut, who beat BC Khimki in the final of the EuroCup on Sunday, are fourth at 18-8 while Akasvayu are fifth, Gran Canaria sixth, Real Madrid (15-12) seventh and Estudiantes (13-14) eighth.
Etosa Alicante won 85-70 at Lagun Aro Bilbao Basket.
By Jeff Taylor, PA Sport, Exclusively for FIBA