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Prague drops the ball

USK falters against Nymburk offensive

By Dave Faries
Staff Writer, The Prague Post
November 7th, 2007 issue

With just over two minutes remaining in the first half, USK Praha basketball forward Roderick Platt elbowed past Nymburk’s Petr Benda to score a powerful layup. Platt’s two points pulled the home squad within easy striking distance of last year’s NBL champions, to a narrow 41–39 deficit.
For a moment, Ken Scalabroni was almost pleased.
“We played very, very good in the first half,” the USK coach said after the Nov. 3 contest. “Everybody expected them to stomp on us like a cigarette butt.”
But perhaps one decent half of basketball is all Scalabroni could ask of his young charges. Nymburk (9–1) ended up trouncing USK
(3–7) by a lopsided 104–71 margin. It was the same scenario he witnessed in Prague’s two previous outings against Děčín and Nový Jičín: strong early performances undone by late game mistakes.
USK’s average age — 22.7 — almost guarantees the occasional error. Within the first two minutes of play in the third quarter, USK guard Lukáš Kotas dribbled off his foot, turning the ball over. Then Nymburk’s Radek Nečas caught Lucious Wagner napping in the paint for a two-point tip in. Seconds later, Nečas stepped in front of Andrej Vokutič’s inbound pass, slamming home a reminder that veteran teams turn mistakes into points.
All of a sudden, Nymburk was pulling away, ahead 51–42.
“They were sloppy,” said Nymburk star Radoslav Rančík. “We were able to get rebounds, which led to fast breaks and easy points.”
Rančík, last season’s NBL player of the year, scored 25 points, in synch with his 25 minutes on the floor. Point guard Arthur Lee added 14 for the visitors. Marus Andelija and Wagner led USK with 13 each.
The first five minutes of the game, however, looked like a one-on-one match between Rančík and Wagner. Nymburk’s big man tossed one in from three-point range to open scoring at 8:42. Wagner answered with two. Rančík came right back. At 7:14, Wagner found some open room in three-point land and closed the gap. Almost one minute later, he hit another jumper.
Rančík’s next shot made the score Wagner 7, Rančík 7. Add a three pointer by Nymburk’s Ladislav Sokolovský and the visitors held a 10–7 advantage.
USK travels to Prostějov, central Moravia, Nov. 10 for its first look at the NBL’s other top squad. The team will have to contend with quick point guard Rashaan Ames and one of the league’s better defensive units. Prague’s last victory over the perennial contenders came two seasons ago.
“You gotta take your lumps,” Scalabroni said. “But we have to beat one of the top teams sooner or later.”

Dave Faries can be reached at dfaries@praguepost.com


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