BASKETBALL SCHOOL "TORNADO" From Netherlands with silver medals!
While we were preparing for Easter and enjoyed spring snow, “Tornado” BS team traveled to the international basketball tournament in Groningen, Netherlands. The eldest players (born in 2000, 1999 and 1997) with coaches Šarūnas Zablockis and Robertas Ragauskas they participated in the 22nd Holand Nordic basketball tournament.
Team left Lithuania in the evening on the 13th of April and, after all night driving, on Friday they were in Groningen. Organizers accommodated our team in Hampshire Hotel Plaza, where players and staff can relax not only in their rooms but also in the swimming pool. Later in the evening, team had a practice.
Tournament started on Saturday, 15th of April. Eight teams participated in group U19.
| A group | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| A1 | Donar | Groningen, NYD |  |
| A2 | Myerscough College | Preston, ENG |  |
| A3 | KK Jance | Ljubljana, SLO |  |
| A4 | Tornado KM | Kaunas, LTU |  |
| B group | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| B1 | OKK Sloboda Tuzla | Tuzla, BYH |  |
| B2 | BCM Orli | Prostejov, CZE |  |
| B3 | Limburg United | Hasselt, BEL |  |
| B4 | Young Rasta Dragons | Quakenbruck, GER |  |
Team „Tornado“ BS won all the subgroup games. They won against KK Jance (SLO) with a result 52:66 (M. Bruzga 18 pts., L. Miknevičius 16 pts., N. Kancleris 13 pts.), beat Myerscough College (ENG) – 47:61 (T. Kupstas 20 pts., L. Miknevičius 17 pts., M. Bruzga and J. Ramanauskas 8 pts.) and finally local team Donar (NYD) was defeated i 17 points (81:64) 64 (T. Kupstas 16 pts., M. Bruzga 12 pts., J. Ramanauskas 11 pts.). „I‘m very glad with three victories and opportunity top play in semifinal, - said head coach Šarūnas Zablockis. – The first two games were really hard. Now we will play against strong team from Germany”.
In the semifinals team „Tornado“BS played with Young Rasta Dragons (GER). The head coach of this team - Florian Hartenstein father of Kaunas „Žalgiris“player Isaiah Hartenstein. However, our team was stronger and won semifinal 46:53 (J. Ramanauskas 16 pts., T. Kupstas 14 pts., N. Kancleris, R. Jonaitis and M. Bruzga 6 pts.).
At the same evening organizers invited all participants to attend three throw and dunk contests. Mantas Bruzga – shooter of “Tornado” BS tried his luck in three throw contest, but after second round had to left game. Much more emotions received Tautvydas Kupstas Dunk show! He was very resourceful and fascinated the audience and commission and became winner of Dunk contest.
The last day of tournament team of “Tornado” BS played final game with BCM Orli Prostejov (CZE). After very tough game, Lithuanian had to admit that Czechs team is stronger. Game ended with a result 77:62 and team “Tornado” BS celebrated silver medals.
“Tournament was very well organized and really high level, - said coach Šarūnas Zablockis. – Our main goal was to represent Tornado basketball school and Lithuania and to win as higher place as possible. I think second place is good result. Our team was one of the youngest and till final game we played very well. During the final match we lacked the courage and equanimity.”
“We are glad that we were able to take part in such a high-level tournament, - said director of “Tornado” BS Dainius Čiuprinskas – this tournament not only expanded our horizons, but also strengthened team of 2000, which now seriously prepares for playoffs. Also with this tournament we made the first step for next year RKL team. During the trip we made some contacts with coaches and staff members of teams Bosnia and Herzegovina, Czech Republic, Germany, and Slovenia. We believe that in the future it will grow into interesting projects”.
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