For Spurs fans wanting to see San Antonio’s last draft pick of the 2011 NBA draft Adam Hanga play against the likes of Tony Parker and Pau Gasol, they’ll have to wait because Hungary was eliminated from contention at receiving a spot in the 2011 Eurobasket by falling to Portugal 66 to 57 in Szolnok, Hungary.
After I wrote earlier today, Hanga needed to step up his game as he was the primary player for Hungary, Hanga did the opposite and had his worst game of the additional qualifying round by finishing with nine points, shooting 2-for-12, seven rebounds, five assists, and one steal in a team high 36 minutes of action.
Coming into the night, Hungary was already 0-2 in qualifying play while Finland was 2-0 and Portugal was 1-1. Portugal and Finland will advance but the Round Robin tournament will continue as Hanga and Hungary face Finland for the final time Sunday in Helsinki, Finland.
Meanwhile in London, France defeated China 76 to 59 while Great Britain lost for the third consecutive game 97 to 95 in a nail biter against Serbia on day three of the London Olympic Test Event.
San Antonio Spurs’ Tony Parker got the night off while Spurs’ draftee Nando De Colo ended tied as the second leading scorer for France with 14 points, seven rebounds, two assists, and three steals in 29 minutes of action. Portland’s Nicolas Batum led the French in scoring with 15 points. Chicago’s Joakim Noah had seven points and grabbed nine rebounds.
The other Spurs draftee Ryan Richards played in limited minutes for Great Britain as they barely lost to Serbia. Richards finished with 0 points, 0-for-1 shooting, two rebounds, and one assist in just nine minutes of action.
Through three games in the London Invitational tournament, Richards has only been given an average of 9.67 minutes of playing time and he’s averaging 0 points and 2.67 rebounds per game.
He hasn’t been given a lot of playing time so you have to wonder if head coach Chris Finch is ready to see what Richards can do with a heavy dosage of minutes. Great Britain is 0-3 while the most Richards has played is 12 minutes in a game, it’s worth a shot to see what the 20-year old can do.
France and Great Britain have the day off on Friday and will resume the London Olympic Test Event on Saturday.
(Photo: Eurobasket.com)
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