Steve-Goldberg-Column
09/05/2014
Steve Goldberg's Wheel World
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The Ottoman Empire strikes back

CHARLOTTE (Steve Goldberg's Wheel World) - In a popular quote from his 1981 movie 'History of the World Part I', Mel Brooks as Louis XVI, boasts: "It's good to be the king". Sure to agree are Galatasaray, the Turkish club who are the kings of European wheelchair basketball for the second year running.

It also marks a historic fifth IWBF European Champions Cup title for the boys from Istanbul (and girl) who defended their crown with a 71-64 victory over the Spanish side CD Fundosa ONCE in Madrid last weekend.

With their fifth European championship, Galatasaray are now level with Dutch powerhouse BS Verkerk which won all theirs in the 1990s and Lahn-Dill which has shared recent dominance with the team from Istanbul.

Beginning in 2004, Lahn-Dill won three consecutive Cups through 2006 before Santa Lucia won their third and last in 2007. Galatasaray took the next two with the Germans and Turks alternating titles for the past four years including last season.

"We went into the tournament heavy favorites," says USA national teamer Matt Scott about the difference. "This wasn't some David versus Goliath defeat that everyone is shocked about. We were the more powerful team and I don't think anyone would argue that."

So no Da-veed (as they say in Spain) in this fight; let's call it Goliath vs not-quite-yet Goliath.

It was a perfect weekend for the Turkish team as they won all five games with their closest competition being in the final against Fundosa in a decidedly non-neutral arena.

"Playing in front of hostile crowds isn't an issue for the team," Scott told me. "If you recall, last year we played during a riot."

He was referring to an Istanbul derby clash with archrivals Besiktas where, to put it mildly, passion overwhelmed common sense.

In no way did this event go near that boundary but it was a fanatic Fundosa crowd nonetheless.

"We just focused up and got the job done. I'm very proud of all of my teammates and staff. It was a great team victory," Scott added.

Last year they were the challengers, pushing holders RSV Lahn-Dill off the throne. This time they had to defend the lofty perch.

Gala's scoring came primarily from the Polish power rangers Mateuz Filipski and Piotr Luszynski who averaged 20.6 and 14 points per game respectively. And Luszynski did this despite playing just 2:37 in the second game.

The Turkish national team core of Ozgur Gurbulak, Ferit Gumus, and Cem Gezinci along with Scott rounded out the offense and team defense that has made Galatasaray the team to beat.

As if that group weren't good enough already, the Able Lions, as Galatasaray are known, added the size and skill of Colombian national teamer Rodney Hawkins who won an NWBA title last year with the Dallas Wheelchair Mavericks. He posted a double-double with 16 points and 12 rebounds in the final; 10 points and 9 boards in the semi

Hawkins, who looks and plays like a sitting version of Dwight Howard, will next take his talents to Korea where Colombia will play for the first time in an IWBF World Championship event. He'll see a lot of familiar faces there, from his own team and others in Madrid.

Gala rolled through the prelims, winning their first three games by 20, 19, and 37, averaging 78.3 points per game while only giving up 53, both tournament bests.

The semifinal stage is where the competition really began.

Unipol Briantea 84, the Italian side which lost by 20 to Galatasaray, took Fundosa to the limit before falling 59-57. In a re-match of last year's final, 2012 champs RSV Lahn-Dill behind the scoring of Thomas Bohme (22) and Dirk Kohler (17) chased but couldn't catch the Turks, who were led by Filipski (27) and Luszynski (15) losing by 8, 64-56.

That set up the home town contenders against the defenders, pretty much the perfect setup for the local organizers who got everything they might have wanted but the happy ending.

In the title game, Fundosa didn't bow to the kings. Down by four after the first quarter, they led by one at the half.

Scott acknowledged the Spaniards came to play: "Fundosa is a difficult opponent and has had some success against us using their larger line ups. They are also led by an incredible shooter in Terry Bywater."

Bywater, who rocks the Casbah with his recognizable style, has been part of the furniture on Team GB since 2000 with four Paralympic Games on his resume. He's played for several clubs, including Fundosa before heading back to Britain to prep for the London Paralympics. Back on the continent, he's been a big part of the Spanish club's resurgence.

Galatasaray surged back to lead by five after three periods. Midway through the final quarter, Fundosa cut that to three. At the end though, Galatasaray were too strong.

Both teams shot over 50 percent for the game. Aussie Bill Latham led all players in scoring with 20 (on 10 of 15 shooting) for Fundosa, with Bywater adding 15 and Spanish star Alejandro Zarzuela 13. For Galatasaray it was their most balanced attack of the tournament. Filipski (9 assists) and Hawkins led with 16 each with 14 from Gumus, 13 from Luszynski and 12 from Gurbulak.

The All-Tournament Team included Pablo Zarzuela (Fundosa ONCE), Jordi Ruiz (Unipol Briantea 84), Ahmed Raourahi (Santa Lucía), Michael Paye (RSV Lahn-Dill), Mateusz Filipski (Galatasaray).

Jan Berteling, the President of IWBF Europe, believes that Galatasaray is in position to see more trophies come their way.

"At this moment, Galatasaray is certainly the most professional team in Europe. They are financially in the best situation and that is why they were able to attract players from other countries as well," he said. "But fortunately, other teams like Fundosa ONCE, Lahn Dill and Santa Lucia are also very well organised."

Results can be seen on the tournament site here or the IWBF Europe site here.

Steve Goldberg

FIBA

FIBA's columnists write on a wide range of topics relating to basketball that are of interest to them. The opinions they express are their own and in no way reflect those of FIBA.

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Steve Goldberg

Steve Goldberg

Eight years after first getting a glimpse of wheelchair basketball at the 1988 Paralympics in Seoul when covering the Olympics for UPI, Steve Goldberg got the chance to really understand the game as Chief Press Officer for the 1996 Paralympic Games in Atlanta. He's been a follower of the sport ever since. Over the years, the North Carolina-born and bred Tar Heel fan - but University of Georgia grad - has written on business, the economy, sports, and people for media including Time, USA Today, New York magazine, Reuters, Universal Sports, TNT, ESPN, New York Daily News, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, and The Olympian. Steve Goldberg's Wheel World will look at the past, present and future of wheelchair basketball.