A battle??? or just rugby?

We just played against one of those teams that it doesn't really matter how good you are at basketball, it's more about how tough you are (physically and mentally). The game got a bit rough at times, but this team is known for how chaotic, and oftentimes dirty, they play. They will get a few cheap shots in to try and bait you into a retaliation, and they will fake and flop on some plays to get some fouls called, all aimed at throwing you off your game and trying to get an advantage by compensating for what they seem to lack in talent. It was the first time that I've experienced a coach getting two technical fouls called to be thrown out of a game at the professional level, and luckily I was at the free throw line when that happened. If I hadn't gone 6 for 6 from the free throw line (4 of those thanks to the coach's "T's") I, unfortunately, would not have scored. I would have joined my other two American guards in that situation though, and only one of them was out sick. It was just a difficult game for the "little people"--we didn't get many shots off, but that opened up things for our post players, who really stepped up for us. This game set a record for consecutive victories at 14, and the next two teams below us already have 3 losses, so clinching the top seed for the play-offs should be all ours if we keep rolling.

I'll take this time to explain a little bit about what's going on. Some might find this boring, but I know that some are curious to how the European leagues function. Here ya go either way:

We are now taking a break from the Italian League as we head into the next round of what is called the "Italian Cup". Pretty much every country has their own "Cup" championship that is secondary the the end-of-the-season-play-offs championship. I thought it was silly, but the winner has a good chance of being apart of the Euroleague the next season, so I guess understand it's real motive now. We will play away and then at home against Parma, and the point differential will decide who moves on to the final four.

On the other hand, the next week will be the next round for Euroleague. A whole different ball game. We are matched up with a very good Turkish team that will be extremely difficult for us to beat. It will be a best-of a 3-game series, and since they are the higher-seeded team, we will play in Istanbul first, then at home, and the if-necessary game would be back in Istanbul. Unlike the Italian league, we are NOT the favorites, so that means we get to play like we have nothing to lose. I got no problem being the underdog :)

(Uncle Tommy left for Rome today, but this is a picture taken after our win against the Lithuanian team. That's my buddy Salvatore, or as we call him, Totes, who is now a buddy of Uncle Tommy's too!)