EuroBasket 2011: Key Raptors Players Working Hard This Summer

This summer’s biggest basketball event, EuroBasket 2011, features many top-tier NBA players. The recent lockout has helped make things easier for players wanting to represent their countries this year because the 2011-12 NBA season will likely be shorter than usual, if it is even played at all.

Also, many European teams are striving to do well in the tournament this summer because the top two teams are guaranteed a spot at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.

The Toronto Raptors have one of the most diverse rosters in the NBA, and it is no surprise to Raptor fans that some of our top players are playing in EuroBasket this summer. Here's a progress report on how well each Raptor is doing so far in the tournament.

Andrea Bargnani

Andrea Bargnani is playing on a very potent Italy team that also features fellow NBA players Danilo Gallinari and former Raptor Marco Belinelli. But the Italian squad isn't viewed as a powerhouse, and this is due mainly to their lack of defense and rebounding.

Italy's first game was on August 31, when they faced Dirk Nowitzki's Germany squad. The Italians were ahead initially, but Gallinari failed to slow down Nowitzki and fellow German big man Chris Kaman, who dominated Bargnani on the boards while preventing him from scoring as well.

Bargnani finished the game with only eight points and two blocks despite playing for 30 minutes. Bargnani shot three-for-14 from the field, while Chris Kaman and Dirk Nowitzki combined for 46 points and 29 rebounds. The final score was 76-62 for the Germans.

Bargnani's second game was on September 1, and it was against the strong Serbian team that has gone undefeated so far in the tournament. Bargnani had a great game, scoring 22 points, pulling down nine boards and blocking two shots. Bargnani's late game performance wasn't enough to beat the Serbs however, as Italy lost the game 80-68.

On Friday, Italy finally caught a break against the win-less Baltic State. Bargnani had a tremendous performance in the game and carried the team on his back to victory. He scored 36 points and grabbed seven boards in the outing to help Italy win the game 71-62.

Italy, now 1-2, must win it's next two games against France and Israel if it wants to overtake Germany and move on to the next round. France is a very skilled team but Italy could pull off an upset if Bargnani has another strong showing.

In other news: Bargnani, who is blogging his progress on Hoopshype.com, has said "Every year I try to improve my game. Now I’m trying to be more focused on the boards, but will need help there too." It was a simple message, but it gives Raptors fans a reason to be optimistic because Andrea Bargnani hasn't failed to improve every year since entering the league.

Jonas Valanciunas

Jonas Valanciunas has already won one gold medal this summer after an impressive MVP performance at the FIBA U19 tournament. Valanciunas averaged 23 points and 14 boards in said tournament, and is currently playing for the talented Lithuanian team in EuroBasket.

Lithuania is the host country for the event this year, and they are hoping that home-court advantage could help them finish as the top team. Lithuania has no room for error playing in the same group as Spain, Turkey, and Poland.

Valanciunas has had little time to recover from the U19 Tournament, and as a result, he has had a rough start so far in his first three EuroBasket games. Regardless of his performance, we have to understand that he's only 19 years of age, so simply being picked to play for this team is impressive enough.

On August 31, Lithuania was too much for Great Britain and went on to win the game 80-69. Valanciunas barely got a chance to play and finished the game with zero points, two rebounds, two turnovers, and four minutes of playing time.

The next day, Lithuania played against Poland and won the game 90-77. Valanciunas was given some more time on the floor with 18 minutes, but he fouled out very quickly. He still had seven points and five rebounds, but his performance was overshadowed by his five turnovers.

Then on Friday, Lithuania played against its toughest opponent yet, Turkey, and they barely held the Turks off in their 75-68 win. Valanciunas did not see any playing time in this game, but it was understandable considering the fact that the team had no room for error.

In other news: Lithuania has 15 players on the Roster, and Valanciunas is hoping he will last the tournament. Many feel it would best if the team hangs on to him because Lithuania is playing at home, and many fans want to see their most celebrated young star represent the country. It is also possible that head coach Kestutis Kemzura is choosing not to play JV this early in the tournament in order to make sure that he doesn't become fatigued. 

Jose Calderon

Jose Calderon is starting for the very talented Spanish team this summer which is comprised of many NBA stars including Minnesota Timberwolves rookie Ricky Rubio, Los Angeles Lakers forward Pau Gasol, Memphis Grizzlies center Marc Gasol, and Oklahoma City Thunder forward Serge Ibaka. Spain has not lost a game yet in the tournament, and many expect Spain to win the tournament again this summer. 

Jose Calderon has been underwhelming so far, but he is splitting time with Ricky Rubio, and his unselfish approach is neglected when we look at his stats. 

In Spain’s first game, Calderon failed to score before fouling out in 12 minutes. Calderon still managed to grab one steal and three rebounds. He also handed out two assists in that time. Spain went on to win the game by five points, defeating the Polish team 83-78. 

The day after, the Spanish squad secured a double-digit victory against Portugal in a 87-73 contest. Calderon was solid, scoring seven points while hitting three-of-five shots from the field. Calderon also dished out three assists and recorded a steal. 

In Friday's victory against Great Britain, Spain seemed unstoppable and handed the British a 86-69 loss. Calderon struggled to find his shot, making only one-of-four shots from the field in 15 minutes of play. But he still contributed with three assists. 

In other news: It seems Pau Gasol is still as dominant as ever. This comes after some doubters felt that the 31-year-old's short-comings in the playoffs last season were a sign that the "beginning of the end" was near for him and the Lakers. Yet in only 23.7 minutes per game in the tournament, Gasol has averaged 23.3 points and six rebounds. He has done it very efficiently as well, making 73.5 percent of his shots from the field. (Also, check out the cool safety commercial featuring Jose Calderon to the right.)

Overall, regardless of how these guys do, it's always great to see our players working hard and staying sharp while many other players are sitting at home. It's also great to have something basketball related to watch, especially when the competition heats up in the semi-finals.

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