Take it to the hole!

My friend Cikku can usually be found glued to the television on Tuesday nights. Surprisingly, it isn`t because he is watching a basketball game or learning the latest news from the basketball world and that is because Tuesday night is `Saranno Famosi` night!

For those of you who take little pleasure in watching Italian television `Saranno Famosi` is a programme where young singers, dancers and actors get the chance to show off their talents.

During the week these youth undergo instruction by some of the top tutors in these disciplines. Every week the least popular competitor (as voted by the public) has to challenge one of his or her peers in a number of set tasks. At the end of the evening the public vote to decide who will remain in the competition.

Cikku loves the programme because it gives the young men and women taking part the opportunity to live a dream, and perhaps, eventually make a career in the field of their choice.

Living dreams

The National Basketball Association (NBA) is undoubtedly the league which every basketball player dreams of competing in.

Up until a little more than a decade ago, however, the players in the league were almost all American. The thought of anyone from outside the USA sculpting a successful career in the League was considered laughable. However, times change.

As European players trickled in the league they began to prove that the gift of playing the game was not confined to the New World. The tragically deceased Drazen Petrovic, giant Arvydas Sabonis, power player Sarunis Marciulonis and the apparently laid back Vlade Divac gave American coaches an insight into what players from across the pond were capable of doing.

This year`s play-offs have helped to emphasise this point with the two most entertaining teams in the league, the Dallas Mavericks and the Sacramento Kings, both utilising a number of foreign players, hailing from five different continents.

Moreover, many of these players are now recognised as all-stars and play leading roles in their teams. Perhaps the most significant point to note here is that whereas it was once thought that European players needed to play in a USA college if they were ever to make it into the league, many now jump straight from the European leagues into the NBA.

Yes, globalisation has reached basketball too!

Game five!

I have always found women quite exciting, and women`s basketball is proving that it can also provide the thrills. The five-game final series between Depiro Still and Hibs Go Mobile has really turned out to be a humdinger!

Depiro started the series with a bang by beating the champions with an impressive fourth quarter. Hibs reacted by shocking Depiro in game two by winning the first quarter 19-0 and going on to control the game with ease.

Depiro really proved that they are worthy challengers in game three. Hibs started the game with a 6-0 run and Depiro could have suffered memories of game two, but instead they pulled their act together to win the game and take a 2-1 lead in the series.

Without a doubt, this win proved that the team has really matured in the course of the season.

Champions will be champions, however, and Hibs did not falter in game four when they had their backs to the wall. The series is now tied with the title to be decided today (7.45 p.m. start).

It is a pity that one of the teams will eventually return home losers.

By George or bye George?

The Division One play-offs have also reached the final stages as the Floriana disposed of Fgura in their semi-final and Mosta held on to beat St George`s. Game one will be played on Sunday.

The veterans of St George`s have dominated the first division in the past years but it appears that the club will not be participating next season if rumours are to be believed. If this does happen it only goes to prove that clubs without a junior section are doomed to fail the course of time.