Thursday 2 September 2010

THROUGH THE WIRE: NEWS (09/02/10)

Members of the USA team pose for a picture before their FIBA Basketball World Championship game against Tunisia in Istanbul September 2, 2010. REUTERS/Murad Sezer (TURKEY - Tags: SPORT BASKETBALL)

Today the group stages of the FIBA 2010 World Championships were wrapped up. There where celebrations and there where commiserations as some teams will advance and some will be going home. The USA lead the way with their perfect 5-0 record which was topped off by a 92-57 'school in session' of Tunisia. The other nations making it to the elimination round include Serbia who play Croatia. Spain who will face off with Greece. Slovenia who play Australia. Turkey who'll battle France. The USA's opponent Angola. Russia who'll duke it out with New Zealand. Lithuania who will take on China and the two South American sides competing against each other, Brazil and Argentina. Unfortunately the USA's North American neighbours Canada didn't make the cut despite having a good team. They lost all their games and now their off ice fishing. Another group stage exit surprise was the demise of the talented Puerto Rico side who where edged 79-77 by Turkey and just missed edging their way into the quarter finals. With the injury of Carlos Arroyo during the preliminaries there was no music being made on the court and this sour disappointment means there will be no sweet sixteen for the Puerto Ricans.

WASHINGTON - APRIL 23: Washington Wizards basketball player Etan Thomas arrives at the Gondobay Manga Foundation Inaugural Gala on April 23, 2009 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Brendan Hoffman/Getty Images)

In NBA news dreaded hair wearing, warrior of the paint Etan Thomas has inked a deal with the Atlanta Hawks. This socially conscious ball player is off to the city where the players play after playing most of his career with the Washington Wizards and spending last year in Oklahoma. Thomas is a dependable guy and he will serve as a tremendous backup and mentor for the young Hawks big man Al Horford. Atlanta need more veteran presences in their locker room especially if Jamal Crawford heads out of Georgia. Thomas brings that toughness and resilience that helps teams grow in so many ways. This might be exactly what these young ATLiens need, some grounding. If none of these things Thomas (who brings in career averages of 5.8 Points and 4.8 Rebounds)gives the Hawks frontcourt more beef than a 50 Cent Mixtape.

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