Big Win at Home

Banvit 95 Turk Telecom 89. It was a big win for us at home and a well played game. We ended up with six guys in double figure scoring. I played as good a game as I have all year, scoring 13 and dishing out 9 assists. It was a pleasure, as is usually the case when the team is playing good basketball and you get a win.

We are now 8-5 and in fifth place. We play next Saturday in Istanbul against a team below us in the standings. As is always the case, it is an important game.

Also, I don’t believe I have posted about it here, but I have re-signed with the club for next season. We are excited to return and to know already where we are headed next year. That is a first for us.

Another Tough Loss

Aliaga was missing their best player, but they still beat us at their place 88-82. A big bummer for our team.

We are just not playing with the same confidence we had when we won seven straight. Feeling the pressure to win probably a bit right now as well. You lose a tough one like we did a few weeks ago and it can start a difficult stretch. Now we head back to our place next week to play a good team one place ahead of us in the standings. We were hoping to be equal to them, but it was not to be. I am hopeful, however, that we can learn and turn things around.

This season, like all others, will not be an easy one, but I am hopeful it can end well as we reach for our team goals. The coming weeks will play a big part in our being able to reach them.

I ended the game with 28 points, but didn’t do a good job getting our team in a sound offensive rhythm (though defense was our real problem). Shot well from 2 point range (8-11), but was terrible from three for the third straight game (2-10). Not sure what is going on there, but I am confident it will not last much longer. After a dry stretch like this, I am due for a very good shooting night. Hopefully it comes next week. I will work to that end.

Getting Stomped On

I can’t remember the last time I was on a team that got beat as bad as we did today. Final score: Fenerbache 112 Banvit 79. Yea, it was that bad. We started well, but after the first quarter, it was all downhill. They actually shot 15-20 from three. That is difficulty to do even in practice.

That drops us down to fifth place. We have a very big game on the road this weekend against a team that is right behind us in the standings. I am hopeful we can turn things around and get on a good streak again!

I ended the game with 21, but didn’t shoot well from the three. I am hopeful of better things to come and plan on working for them this week.

Banvit 84 Besiktas 85 OT

Yea…it was a tough loss yesterday and definitely not one of my better games. Actually one of my worse. But I continue to live and learn and lose and live again. We probably should have won the game. More than a few calls didn’t go our way, but besides that, we still had the game. They hit a 3 pointer with 7 seconds left to put it into overtime and I fouled a guy on a three with one second left (a legitimate, but quite a weak foul that is not often called during the game, let alone with 1 second left in OT). We were up 1 point at the time.

One second left and I probably got fouled on my final attempt, but no call. That’s how it rolls until the New Heavens and New Earth I suppose. No perfect justice on this side of the grave. I ended with 22, but took 23 shots to get there. Entirely too much of course. But as I said, living and learning all the time.

We play a good team next week at home. I am hopeful we can get back on track.

Banvit beats Oyak Renault

The games you are supposed to win are oftentimes the most difficult to win. This proved to be the case in our game against Oyak Renault. They started off the game playing box and 1 defense (on me). This definitely slowed us down a bit, but we are too good an offensive team to slow down too long (and to box & 1 thankfully!). We were up 9 at halftime and controlled the game the rest of the way, except for when they cut our lead to 4 with about 1:30 to play. But we turned it up and finished strong.

I ended up with 19 points. Not sure what my stats were, but apparently, nothing high enough to remember. We play tomorrow away against Besiktas, in Istanbul. They haven’t been playing well (probably b/c of some money issues), but they were the first place team last year (and the team that knocked us out of the playoffs). I am hopeful our good play will continue. I’ll make sure not to wait a week before the next update!

Victory over Mersin

This win actually came last Saturday night. I just forgot to write the update. It was a hard fought battle, one which we ended up winning in overtime 100-96. In all seriousness, the fourth quarter was a foul-fest. Problem was, a good number of them were not called for us as we were on the road! So I am inclined to believe we should have won by more, but it still felt good to win a hard fought game like that one.

I ended up with 30 points. We play again tomorrow against Oyak Renault. They are much lower than us in the standings, but they play hard, so it won’t be an easy game.

Two-Game Update

Over the past week, we have won two games against winless teams.  Both games were difficult ones, as is usually the case when playing teams seeking their first win.  We are now 5-2 in the Turkish league.  I am hopeful we can continue to play well and improve.  

I scored 22 on Wednesday and 21 the other night against Kepez.  I also had 6 assists and 5 steals (which I confess, I was especially happy with).  Our squad is looking good, but we have a difficult game coming up on the road against a good Mersin team.  They are right behind us in the standings.

Banvit 100 Karisyaka 91

Well, during our family time Sunday morning, the kids prayed that Daddy’s team would score 100 points.  And sure enough, that is exactly where we ended the game.  It was a good home win for us, because the team we played isn’t an easy team to beat.  I ended up with 26 and 4 assists and felt good throughout.  

Our next game is this Wednesday on the road against a team who is winless so far this year.  And games against teams like that are never easy.  I am hopeful we can keep things going.

Three-Game Update

Had a busy week here…three games in eight days (2 or them away) with another one coming this Sunday.  We lost two out of three, but those losses came to a pretty-good Cyrpus team in the European Challenge.  Thankfully, we were able to get a good road win in the Turkish league.  Final score 59-58.  

I got hurt last Tuesday in our European league game at home.  Slipped on a wet spot and ended up with whiplash.  Was out a few days, but ended up being able to play the next two, though my minutes were a bit limited.  Our next game is this Sunday at home.  Then we travel to Ankara (the capital) for an away game next Wednesday.  It’s a big couple of weeks for us here.  Our European competition is finished, so it is all Turkish league the rest of the season.  

Checking out for now,

Joe

Tough Home Loss

We lost 95-86 to a very strong Galatasary team tonight.  I didn’t play particularly well.  They wore me out with a strong defensive scheme.  Got me out of my rhythm.  The game was tight throughout.  We even had a chance to tie it or go up one with 3 or 4 minutes left.  But they gained control at the end and finished us off.  They also outrebounded us by 20.  In fact, they had as many offensive rebounds as we had total rebounds.  It’s tough to win games like that.  

Next Tuesday we play at home against a team from Cyprus.  It’s another play-in game for the Fiba Eurocup. 

Playing and learning,

Joe

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