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Hi folks,

Consolation tournament is about to begin and we already know our first 2 opponents.

For our 1st match, we will travel through Saudi Arabia. Our players will take the sun around the swimming pool but we'll try to motivate them to be serious during the match.

The 2nd match will be special as we are hosting Finland. On Season 37, we lost against them after overtime and that key-victory for them meaned a qualy in the end. So this time, we'll try our best to win before overtime. We are hopefuly playing at home.

During the consolation tournament, I'll give some XP to our young players so I think the fight for the best rookie title will be interesting this season. Are considered as rookie:
Kristoff Vaes - 24 years
Antonío Capelo - 29 years (it's never too late to enter NT!)
Manfred Verschaeren - 27 years
Radboud Malou - 26 years
Pedro De Nil - 26 years

5 new players, yes we are in a transition time...

Have a good game,

mplume

Last edited by mplume at 3/24/2017 4:49:28 AM

Belgium 110 - 88 Saudi Arabia

With a good GS update, we were very confident for the victory. It was an easy match and the aim was to have the largest win as possible. +22 away was in the end a good result.

The best player on the court was the one with the best game shape. Jean-Loup Monnens is rarely in our starting five but this time with a proficient GS, he was a must-have. 19pts - 6 Reb - 7 Ast - 2 Stl - 4 Blk => a perfect game both on offense and defense. It's our MVP of the game.

Our best rookie was Capelo with 10pts, but he have to be more cautious in future with TO (3 TO in only 13 min.)

***************

Suomi 70 - 88 Belgium

Not a good GS update last friday, we were afraid for that game. After some hesitations, we've opted for a Man to Man defense and I think in the end it was the key for our success. Winning against Suomi wasn't an easy task but this game was seemed as a revenge for our players so we didn't need to motivate them, they were!

This time our MVP was Klaus Legaye. It seems that his recent transfer thru the Superliga in Russia was a good thing for his end of career, he comes-up to our NT with a good game shape and a strong motivation.
His stats: 20pts - 12 Reb - 2 Ast - 1 Blk

Our best rookie was Rabdoud Malou with 6pts and 5 rebonds in only 9 minutes.


***************

Now we know the rest of our calendar. We'll host India next week and then we'll play against Cyprus, Norge, Crna Gora, Espana & Rep. Domincana. We have a real chance to qualy for the next round so let's keep focus...

Have a good game,

mplume

Last edited by mplume at 4/4/2017 5:02:31 AM

Congrats for the win vs Finland. +18, it's a big one man. Let's continue and keep improving the NT of the future as much as you can.

+ 18 against Finland is quite impressive, even with HCA. GG !

+18 is probably due to some bit of luck...

India vs. Belgium 54 - 89

One bad GDP guess for us and one good for them. It was not the ideal scenario but our team was too strong for India. It was a show for our 20.000 fans with 5 players with more than 10 pts.

Coming from the bench, Jamie Rotsaert was our MVP that night with 17 pts - 1 ast - 1 stl - 1 blk in only 22 minutes. Our best rookie was again Radboud Malou even if it was not a great game for him (2pts in 13 minutes).


***** ******



Belgium vs. Cyprus 123 - 84

Another easy match-up for our NT. We have 2 injuries for that match with Bouts & Cassiers, too bad as they were in their best game shape. Anyway, our roster have quality and it was'nt a big issue against a team like Cyprus.

Our opponent started well but they suffered from the high-pace match and in the beginning of the 3rd quarter, they were exhausted. Their run & gun against our 3-2 zone was not the best idea I guess...

For the first time of the season, Marcel Decant was in good shape. When this player is in shape, all is easier for our NT. He was without a doubt our MVP: 30 pts (87% FG!) - 12 Reb - 2 Ast - 3 Blk

Only one rookie on the court so no surprises it was our best one: Rabdoud Malou - 6 pts - 6 Reb - 2 Ast - 3 Blk


***** ******



Belgium vs. Norge 91 - 80

Our most difficult away game on our calendar. Not a good GS update last friday and Bouts still injured. We weren't confident so we decided to take some risks. We have anticipated an inside tactics (my guess) and we've played a 2-3 zone (after some advices given by our luxury scout, Joe!).

Risks have paid and we've won a nice game against a strong team.

MVP of the game, Rémi Lambin with 19 pts - 2 Reb - 4 Ast. He loves looking inside...

Best rookie, well this time we've played with 2 rookies so we have the opportunity to give the prize to another player: Manfred Verschaeren did a good job with 2 pts - 3 Reb - 1 Stl in just 5 minutes.


***** ******



They are only five country with five wins after five games and we are part of it!

Next 2 games we'll play at home. First against Montenegro & the second one against Spain. I let you guess against whom it will be tough...

Last edited by mplume at 4/25/2017 5:02:28 PM

super good job! well done!

A little update.

This season started very well but sometimes... all goes suddenly on the opposite side.

Crna Gora 94 - 89 Belgium (after OT)

They crunch us and anticipated very well our strategy so that meaned an easy game surprisingly becoming a complicated one. Our boys wasn't far from the win but when luck want to change from our side, there are nothing you can do about it.

Our best player on the court was K. Legaye but our coach did'nt use him as much with only 17 minutes on the court (15pts - 70% FG - 4 Reb - 1 Ast). Our best rookie was R. Malou (2 Pts - 5 Reb - 3 Ast - 1 Blk in 18 minutes).

España 80 - 68 Belgium

Against one of the strongest nation with same effort level it was an impossible win, even with a good 2-3 zone on our side. We did our best and we can be proud to maintain Spain only at a rate of 29 / 76 FG. But Spain did better than us in defense, nothing we can do about it.

Our best player was the defensive job of De Sloovere: 12 pts - 20 Reb - 2 Ast - 1 Stl - 6 Blk and our best rookie was again R. Malou (2 pts - 3 Reb - 1 Ast - 1 Blk).

Belgium 81 - 96 Rep. Dominicana

We tried to save up enthousiasm for the rest of the tournament but it was in the end a bad idea espacialy considering that our best player M. Decant was injured. Furthermore, they played a 3-2 zone when we decided to go outside: worst case scenario.

Our best player? Honestly, all the team played badly... We can only say that M. Verschaeren did his job as a rookie.

*****
We ended the consolation with 5 wins and 3 losses which give us the 34th position. The best 32 goes to the next round. What an awful season! I'm sorry about that.

Furthermore, I wasn't at my home the last 4 days and without internet. I completly forgot to organise a friendly match last wedesday and when I was back home yesterday night it was already too late. That mean no friendly today and so, a lost in merchandising for team-owners. I realy appologies for that guys.

The good news is that it was the first time for years that I take a brake of that kind and it won't plan a new trip of that kind. So it will not happen again in the future...