Friday 15 September 2000
Coverage of Olympic sports. Also includes beach volleyball, gymnastics, three-day eventing and boxing.
Sunday 17 September 2000
 |
| 17:10-17:55 |
| Men's Basketball: USA v China |
|
Commentary by Jon Champion.
Monday 18 September 2000
|
| 16:05-16:30 |
| Basketball: Australia v Brazil |
|
Commentary by John Champion.
Tuesday 19 September 2000
|
| 16:05-16:25 |
| Men's Basketball: Australia v Yugoslavia |
|
Preliminary round. Commentary by John Champion.
Wednesday 20 September 2000
|
| 16:05-16:30 |
| Women's Basketball: USA v Russia |
|
With commentary from John Champion.
Thursday 21 September 2000
|
| 16:05-16:30 |
| Basketball: Lithuania v USA |
|
Highlights, presented by Jon Champion.
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Dairylea Dunkers
Championship 1999/2000
 |
|
Danny
Lewis
(London Towers)
|
Last season was another
slamdunking spectacular for British basketball with the Manchester Giants eventually
running out winners after a climactic final against the Birmingham Bullets. The
regular season had been dominated by three teams — the London Towers, the
Sheffield Sharks, and the Manchester Giants — so it was no surprise when
the Giants came out on top on 6 May at the Wembley Arena.
But their opponents — the Birmingham Bullets — had only finished third in the Southern Conference
and were just 10 points away from a spectacular postseason turnaround when they
went down 74-65 to the all-conquering Giants.
The most disappointed
team in the competition were undoubtedly the London Towers who romped home 10
points clear of the Thames Valley Tigers in the Southern Conference and were
the bookies' favourites to lift the title. But neither the Towers — nor
the bookies — were prepared for the blockbusting form of the straight-shooting
Bullets as they ousted the Towers 60-53 in a dramatic semi-final showdown.
However the last
game of the season proved a bridge too far for the unheralded Bullets —
and they just couldn't find an answer to the final's explosive MVP Tony Dorsey.
Despite going into the second quarter with a 22-18 lead Birmingham eventually
fell behind thanks to Dorsey's 22 point contribution. While Giants' head coach
Nick Nurse, who had already seen his team lose the uniball Trophy to the London
Towers, felt that Manchester were well worth their victory: 'We learned our
lessons. It's a great tribute to the team and exactly what they deserve.' But
as the traditional close season merry-go-round of players and managers gets
underway, things will all be very different for the London Towers when the 2000/01
season gets started in September.
 |
|
Nick
Nurse
|
As well as unveiling
Nick Nurse as their new head coach, the London side have announced that they
will be taking up a wild card in the new European Suproleague. Set up as basketball's
equivalent to the Champions' League, the Suproleague will mean that the Towers
are now hoping to advance on two European fronts, as well as competing in the
Dairylea Dunkers Championship and the two domestic cup competitions. But if
that sounds like a punishing schedule, it would be foolish to underestimate
the abilities of the irrepressible Nick Nurse. He was the BBL coach of the year
last season and has already won silverware with the Birmingham Bullets and the
Manchester Gia
nts. So if Nurse
can continue in that vein when he moves to London, you can expect the Towers
to be leading from the front for much of the upcoming season. |
