GAME 1
PLZEN, CZECH REPUBLIC
AUGUST 05, 2009
PULLEN LEADS EAST COAST TO VICTORY
In the opening game of the East Coast All Star's 2009 Tour, Kansas State's Jacob Pullen put the team on his shoulders in route to a 92-74 victory Wednesday night. The Big 12 guard put on a shooting exhibition for over 1,500 fans as he hit 4 consecutive three point shots on his way to a 30 point scoring effort on the night.
The first quarter of the contest was a "feeling out" stage as the All Stars had their first opportunity to face live competition, but was still able to take a 17-11 lead after the first quarter. Plzen answered with a strong push heading into the half, playing the All Stars even, and keeping the score at 32-26. Two minutes into the second half, Pullen took matters into his own hands, making 4 of his 6 three pointers in a three minute span, blowing the game wide open. West Virginia's Cam Thoroughman put an exclamation point to the run with a rebound and slam dunk before Plzen called timeout. "We played hard tonight", said Head Coach Guy Rancourt, "And that's all you can ask of young men playing together for the first time." Quarter number four gave a balanced attack to East Coast, led by the passing and creativity of West Virginia's Truck Bryant (5 Assists). Dominant K-State forward Dominique Sutton finished a lob pass over two defenders for an emphatic slam dunk, the suitable end for Sutton's strong performance of 16 points, 12 rebounds, and 3 steals.
The All Star's will have a one day break before playing a Nationally televised game Friday against a strong BC Benesov team. For more information on the All Stars, visit www.guyrancourt.com
00 Jacob Pullen 30 Pts, 2 Reb, 5 Ast, 6Stl
01 Corey Chandler 5 Pts, 4 Reb, 4 Ast, 3 Stl
02 Cam Thoroughman 10 Pts, 6 Reb, 4 Ast, 2 Stl
13 Arjun Ohri 7 Pts, 1 Reb, 3 Ast, 1 Stl
22 Dominique Sutton 16 Pts, 12 Reb, 3 Stl
23 Patrick Jackson 3 Reb, 1 Ast, 1 Stl
24 James Oberlies 4 Pts, 4 Reb, 2 Ast, 2 Stl
25 Truck Bryant 12 Pts, 1 Reb, 5 Ast, 2 Stl
32 Mike Bradley 2 Pts, 4 Reb, 3 Ast, 1 Stl, 1 Blk
33 Chris Kehoe 4 Pts, 4 Reb, 1, 1 Stl, 1 Blk
51 Joe Latas 2 Pts, 5 Reb, 2 Ast, 1 Stl
Click here to read more about Plzen
GAME 2
BENESOV, CZECH REPUBLIC
AUGUST 7, 2009
EAST COAST ROLLS BEHIND BRADLEY
The gymnasium of the Benesov Basketball Club was at maximum capacity Friday night as fans piled into the standing room only section to catch a glimpse of their home team facing the East Coast All Stars. Numerous Czech flags were waiving, drums pounding, horns playing, confetti flying, and streamers covering the court at its conclusion must have been the ideal environment for East Coast's Michael Bradley. The 6'7" Lycoming College sophomore had 14 points, 6 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 steal to pace his team (who is averaging 93.5 points per contest) on national television (Czech TV).
The All Stars balanced attack began almost instantly as Darryl "Truck" Bryant score 7 of his game high 17 points and handed out 4 of his team high 8 assists in the opening frame, jumping the team out to a 25-18 advantage.
The second quarter brought the best out of the Kansas State tandem. After Benesov cut the lead to just 9 points, Jacob Pullen and Dominique Sutton (who dealt with foul trouble all night) took the team on a 14-4 run, finishing with a 3 point field goal at the buzzer by NJIT's Arjun Ohri to stretch the halftime score to 49-30.
Quarter number three became the Michael Bradley and Cameron Thoroughman show as Bradley took over the game with rebounds, loose balls, and driving layups throughout. West Virginia's Thoroughman picked up 3 steals and two dunks (including a beautiful lob dunk from Jacob Pullen). The overall team effort brought a 78-41 total on the scoreboard after three periods.
The final quarter got the Rutgers guards of Patrick Jackson and Corey Chandler on track. Jackson was efficient on the offensive end scoring 8 points and grabbing 7 rebounds. Chandler controlled the game from the point guard position. Offensively he got the team quickly in transition and finished a spectacular lob over a Benesov player. Defensively Chandler was everywhere, dominating with 5 steals and countless deflections.
Coach Rancourt was happy to see Cleveland State's Joe Latas get on track with 5 points and 4 rebounds. "Joe will be an important part of our success these upcoming games. We will need him to continue our winning ways." When asked about tonight's opponent Rancourt said, "Our team played well tonight and our matchups gave them some problems. Benesov Basketball Club has a solid program and they have the right people heading the team in a positive direction. We greatly appreciate the hospitality of their players, coaches, and fans". Following the contest both teams were invited by the Benesov Club President to a reception within the sports complex.
The All Star's will depart Prague tomorrow morning with a 2-0 record as they head to Brataslava, Slovakia tomorrow to face the nations number one team, AB Cosmetics Pezinok. Pezinok is the defending 2009 First Division Champion, and is expected to be a major test for the All Stars. Tip off for tomorrow's contest is set for 1:00PM EST.
00 Pullen 7 Pts, 2 Reb, 6 Ast, 1 Stl
01 Chandler 6 Pts, 3 Reb, 3 Ast, 5 Stl
02 Thoroughman 10 Pts, 7 Reb, 2 Ast, 3 Stl
13 Ohri 10 Pts, 2 Reb, 4 Ast, 1 Stl
22 Sutton 13 Pts, 4 Reb, 3 Ast, 1 Stl
23 Jackson 8 Pts, 7 Reb, 1 Ast
24 Oberlies 5 Reb, 4 Ast, 1 Stl
25 Bryant 17 Pts, 3 Reb, 8 Ast, 3 Stl
32 Bradley 14 Pts, 6 Reb, 1 Ast, 1 Blk
33 Kehoe 2 Pts, 3 Reb, 1 Ast, 1 Stl
51 Latas 5 Pts, 4 Reb, 1 Ast, 1 Stl
Click here to read more about BC Benesov
GAME 3
LEVICE, SLOVAKIA
FRIDAY, AUGUST 7, 2009
KEHOE SEALS VICTORY FOR EAST COAST
In a charged atmosphere with more than 1,100 Pezinok fans in attendance, Connecticut College forward Chris Kehoe sprinted back on defense with the game hanging in the balance. Pezinok's Niko Milosevic, the starting point guard of the 2009 Top Division Champions, pulled up for what seemed to be a game changing shot. Kehoe had other plans in mind though, coming out of nowhere to block the Melosevic attempt, and advance the ball to Rutgers Corey Chandler for a finish at the rim to seal a thrilling 100-95 win for the East Coast All Stars.
Tonight's contest continued to show the talents of Kansas State teammates Dominique Sutton and Jacob Pullen. Pullen remained steady throughout the contest as he posted a team high 22 points and 4 assists. Sutton was a force for the All Stars, leaving Pezinok with no answer for his abilities (capitalized by a thunderous two handed slam ending the first quarter), as he scored 19 points, pulled in 5 rebounds, and had 4 steals.
Rutgers duo of Patrick Jackson and Corey Chandler showed up to play in the tours toughest contest. Jackson rebounded and finished with passion around the rim time after time, and Chandler wanted the ball in his hands down the stretch, coming up with big steals and big baskets in the final few minutes of the game. "Big time players are expected to make big time plays," said Head Coach Guy Rancourt, "..,and they certainly did not let us down tonight. Having solid players around them like Chris Kehoe and Arjun Ohri make us a tough team to defend against."
In the post Lycoming's Michael Bradley followed up his solid performance last night to post 3 points and 5 rebounds, while Cleveland State's Joe Latas controlled the interior with a team leading 6 rebounds on the night.
A strong Pezinok team fought hard throughout the contest, and the end of the first quarter had East Coast leading 26-23. The teams continued to battle back and forth in the second period as East Coast was only able to stretch their lead by 1 point at 50-46. Pezinok's veteran big man Alec Lukjanec came out in the second half with a purpose, knocking down threes, getting to the foul line, and leading his team to their first lead of the contest as the third quarter ended with Penizok up 74-73. The final 10:00 minutes were highlighted by East Coast's solid guard play from West Virginia's Truck Bryant, Rutgers Corey Chandler, and Kansas State's Jacob Pullen. A deep three point shot by Bryant gave East Coast a 1 point lead with 50 seconds left. East Coast was able to get a defensive stop in its next possession, but a Chandler turnover setup a fast break for Pezinok to take the lead, and an opportunity for Kehoe to be the hero by blocking the shot attempt.
The East Coast All Star's are currently 3-0 on their tour of Prague, Bratislava, and Vienna. Their next contest is scheduled for 10:00AM EST against another Slovakian Top Division opponent in AB Basket Levice.
00 Jacob Pullen 22 Pts, 2 Reb, 4 Ast, 1 Stl
01 Corey Chandler 13 Pts, 3 Reb, 1 Ast, 3 Stl
02 Cam Thoroughman 4 Pts, 3 Reb, 2 Ast, 3 Stl
13 Arjun Ohri 7 Pts, 3 Reb, 1 Ast, 1 Stl
22 Dominique Sutton 19 Pts, 5 Reb, 1 Ast, 4 Stl
23 Patrick Jackson 7 Pts, 4 Reb, 1 Stl
24 James Oberlies 0 Pts, 0 Reb, 4 Stl
25 Darryl Bryant 15 Pts, 1 Reb, 2 Ast, 2 Stl
32 Mike Bradley 3 Pts, 5 Reb
33 Chris Kehoe 4 Pts, 4 Reb, 1 Blk
51 Joe Latas 7 Pts, 6 Reb, 1 Blk
Click here to read more about Pezinok
GAME 4
LEVICE, SLOVAKIA
AUGUST 9, 2009
EAST COAST MEETS UNLIKELY END...A DRAW
Levice, Slovakia: Surrounded by the largest crowd of the East Coast All Star 2009 Tour, more than 2,700 fans stood applauding both team's as Head Coach Guy Rancourt shook the hand of Anstrum Levice Coach Matej Dobrovolny. In a friendly gesture, the East Coast All Star's agreed to Levice's request of ending tonight's contest at a 105-105 draw.
In a roller coaster first half, the All Stars faced a 21-11 foul differential against them, and sat on the short end of the score each of the first three quarters. "The players did a great job of keeping their composure." said Rancourt, "Things did not go our way at times tonight, but the team stayed together and we got through it. They represented themselves, the team, and our country very well." Down the stretch in the final period East Coast started making their move. Trailing 100-93 with 4:25 remaining, the All Stars Dominique Sutton started an 11-0 run with a booming baseline dunk, giving East Coast a 104-100 lead with 1:04 left in the contest. Levice responded back with a 5-0 run of their own, giving the home team a 105-104 lead with 23 seconds remaining. Following a timeout by Coach Rancourt, Darryl "Truck" Bryant beat his man from the top of the key, and was fouled hard at the basket with 13.4 ticks left on the clock. Bryant's first free throw fell short but he quickly followed up with the game tying basket. Levice's star guard Clifford Crawford (N.C. State) penetrated as time ran down, but could not convert as Lycoming's James Oberlies grabbed a tough rebound to end regulation time.
Rutgers product Patrick Jackson played strong throughout the game, scoring 17 points, pulling in big rebounds, finishing around the rim, and hitting big shots late in the game. Jackson's teammate Corey Chandler slashed through the defense on his way to 13 points.
The K-State combination stayed steady as Jacob Pullen scored 18 points (despite 4 first half fouls) and Dominique Sutton put in 16 of his own.
West Virginia's Cam Thoroughman was solid with 10 points, and Truck Bryant had just 6, but wanted the ball in his hands when it counted at the end.
Joe Latas had 8 points, including a strong two handed slam in transition, NJIT's Arjun Ohri hit two big 3's on his way to 6 points, and Lycoming's Michael Bradley remained a bright spot with 9 points.
The East Coast All Star's are 3-0-1 on this years tour. The team will have a travel day tomorrow as they head to Vienna, Austria. The final game of the tour will be Tuesday evening as East Coast competes against Slovakia's 2009 First Division Champion Pezinok once again. The All Stars defeated Pezinok Friday evening by a score of 100-95. Game time for Tuesday is set for 1:00PM EST.
00 Jacob Pullen 18 Pts, 6 Ast, 2 Stl
01 Corey Chandler 13 Pts, 2 Reb, 4 Ast, 3 Stl
02 Cam Thoroughman 10 Pts, 5 Reb, 1 Ast, 1 Blk
13 Arjun Ohri 6 Pts, 1 Reb, 3 Ast, 1 Stl
22 Dominique Sutton 16 Pts, 9 Reb, 2 Ast, 2 Stl
23 Patrick Jackson 17 Pts, 3 Reb, 1 Ast, 3 Stl
24 James Oberlies 4 Reb, 2 Ast, 2 Stl
25 Truck Bryant 6 Pts, 1 Reb, 6 Ast, 1 Stl
32 Mike Bradley 9 Pts, 4 Reb, 1 Stl, 1 Blk
33 Chris Kehoe 2 Pts, 1 Reb, 2 Ast, 1 Stl
51 Joe Latas 8 Pts, 5 Reb, 1 Stl, 2 Blk
Click here to read more about Levice
GAME 5
Pezinok, Slovakia
August 11, 2009
EAST COAST GOES UNDEFEATED WITH BRADLEY BUZZER BEATER
Pezinok, Slovakia: Kansas State's Jacob Pullen made his move with 7 seconds left on the clock. Twisting and spinning in the lane, Pullen threaded his pass through three defenders as Lycoming's Michael Bradley finished a power layup at the buzzer for a thrilling 93-92 victory Tuesday night. East Coast overcame an 18 point deficit behind Pullen and West Virginia's Truck Bryant, who each finished with 22 points and 7 assists.
The first quarter had the All Stars in a good rhythm as they opened up a 27-18 lead. Quarter number two had Pezinok, the defending Top Division Slovakian Champion, show their ability to dominate their opponents. Going on a 37-17 run, East Coast had no answer for Pezinok's shooting, rebounding, and defense. By the time the half came to an end East Coast trailed 55-44, and would not take the lead back until the final shot.
The All Stars fought hard as the second half started, but were only able to cut 2 points off the Pezinok lead at 78-69.
The final period was one of the most exciting endings in East Coast history. Battling through scoring runs on each side, the All Stars ran into trouble as Lycoming's James Oberlies and K-State's Dominique Sutton fouled out of the contest, yet they continued chipping away at the lead. Down the stretch Connecticut College's Chris Kehoe finished a strong drive to the basket, giving Pullen an assist and getting East Coast within 5 points. With 57 seconds remaining in the contest, NJIT's Arjun Ohri had an open three point attempt rattle in and out, a shot that would have tied the contest. Following a Pezinok missed shot, Bryant drew a foul in transition, and made both free throws with 40 seconds to go in the game. Down one point, East Coast came up with a huge defensive effort, forcing their opponent into a 24 second shot clock violation, which setup Bradley's thrilling basket with 00.0 showing on the game clock.
The East Coast All Stars complete their 2009 Tour with an overall record of 4 Wins, 0 Losses, and 1 Tie. The team is scheduled to arrive back in New York City tomorrow evening, where they will continue on to their home destinations.
00 Jacob Pullen 22 Pts, 4 Reb, 7 Ast, 1 Stl
01 Corey Chandler 5 Pts, 6 Reb, 3 Ast, 2 Stl
02 Cam Thoroughman 5 Pts, 3 Reb (faced foul trouble most of the night)
13 Arjun Ohri 5 Pts, 1 Reb, 2 Ast, 1 Stl
22 Dominique Sutton 10 Pts, 4 Reb, 3 Stl (Faced foul trouble most of the night, eventually fouled out)
23 Patrick Jackson 7 Pts, 1 Reb, 1 Ast, 2 Stl
24 James Oberlies 5 Reb, 2 Ast, 4 Stl
25 Darryl Bryant 22 Pts, 5 Reb, 7 Ast, 2 Stl
32 Michael Bradley 9 Pts, 5 Reb, 2 Ast
33 Chris Kehoe 4 Pts, 3 Reb, 2 Ast, 1 Blk
51 Joe Latas 4 Pts, 5 Reb, 3 Ast, 2 Blk
