US coach Steve Kerr, players proud of spreading basketball in the Middle East

American basketball coach Steve Kerr. (File/Getty Images)
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Updated 16 August 2023
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US coach Steve Kerr, players proud of spreading basketball in the Middle East

  • American team will play Greece and Germany at International Basketball Week in Abu Dhabi
  • Lebanon and Egypt square off on Thursday at Etihad Arena, with the Cedars also scheduled to take on Mexico on Friday

ABU DHABI: The US national team are on a mission in Abu Dhabi, where they are wrapping up their preparations before flying to Manila for the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup.

And while the focus is firmly on making the most of the two friendly games they have scheduled against Greece and Germany at Etihad Arena this week, on Aug. 18 and 20 respectively, head coach Steve Kerr and his men are also keen on soaking up the experience in the UAE, and have said they are taking great pride in helping spread the game of basketball to the Middle East.

A landmark multi-year deal between the National Basketball Association and Abu Dhabi’s Department of Culture and Tourism saw the Milwaukee Bucks and Atlanta Hawks play two preseason games in the UAE capital last October. In front of capacity crowds at Etihad Arena, the NBA made a historic debut in the Middle East and excitement is already building for the Dallas Mavericks and Minnesota Timberwolves’ upcoming visit for a pair of preseason games this October.

The ongoing International Basketball Week sees Abu Dhabi host the national teams of the US, Greece, Germany, Lebanon, Egypt and Mexico, along with acclaimed university basketball programs, Kansas State and Arizona State, ahead of the upcoming World Cup, which kicks off on Aug. 25 across three countries — Japan, Indonesia and the Philippines.

Lebanon and Egypt square off on Thursday at Etihad Arena, with the Cedars also scheduled to take on Mexico on Friday and Arizona State on Saturday.

The legendary Kerr, who has won four NBA Championships as the coach of Golden State Warriors and five rings as a player — three with the Chicago Bulls and two with the San Antonio Spurs — says he will be keeping a close eye on Lebanon and Egypt this week in Abu Dhabi, given his history with the two nations.

“I’m definitely planning on coming to see Lebanon play. It’s my birthplace, a lot of family history there, and they’re playing my alma mater, Arizona, so I have to come to that game,” said Kerr on Wednesday following practice at New York University Abu Dhabi.

“I’ve had a couple of friends who actually played in Lebanon, Craig McMillan way back played there, and the game is getting more and more popular in the Middle East.

“Egypt is also playing in this tournament. I spent three years in Egypt growing up and nobody played basketball and now Egyptian clubs are among the best in Africa. Basketball in the Middle East is really exploding and it’s exciting.”

Of the players who have made the trip to Abu Dhabi, Bucks forward Bobby Portis is the only one with previous playing experience in the UAE, having participated in the NBA preseason games last year. The rest of the squad are getting their first taste of the capital and hope to leave their mark before they move on to the World Cup.

“It is important. We feel like we’re global ambassadors for the game. The game has been so great to all of us that we want to spread the interest and extend to different fan bases and to see different parts of the world,” US assistant coach and Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra told Arab News.

“A lot of us had never been out here. It’s amazing to be a part of the culture out here and sightsee. We’re busy but we also don’t want to be in the hotel all the time.”

Brooklyn Nets’ Cam Johnson was in high spirits during practice on Wednesday and feels privileged being part of this week of international play in Abu Dhabi.

“The globalization of the game has just been ever-increasing. More and more and more players are getting better and better across the world. The game is being adopted more and more across the world and it’s a beautiful thing to see,” said Johnson.

His teammate and good friend Mikal Bridges, who played with Johnson in Phoenix before they got traded together to Brooklyn, feels “grateful” to be in the position he is in right now.

“Just playing for the USA, showing light to other people that don’t really have basketball around, it’s not that big a sport for them. I’m happy I’m part of that and part of this culture to help and lead and show by example, so that’s really cool,” said Bridges.

Both Johnson and Bridges want to check out Egypt’s Patrick Gardner, who played for Miami Heat in the Summer League last month before signing an Exhibit 10 deal for a training camp with the Brooklyn Nets.

Bridges also plans on catching one of Lebanon’s games.

“I’ve got my boy Omari Spellman for Lebanon so we’ll see how he does,” said Bridges, referring to his former college teammate at Villanova, who was recently recruited by the Cedars and was given honorary Lebanese citizenship.


Gauff defeats Swiatek to reach the semifinals at the WTA Finals. Sabalenka is assured of No. 1

Updated 14 sec ago
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Gauff defeats Swiatek to reach the semifinals at the WTA Finals. Sabalenka is assured of No. 1

The result means that Swiatek can’t move up from No. 2 in the rankings this week, so Aryna Sabalenka will finish the year at No. 1 for the first time
It was Gauff’s first victory over Swiatek since the 2023 Cincinnati Open, snapping a four-match losing skid head-to-head

RIYADH: Coco Gauff earned her second victory over Iga Swiatek in 13 career matchups, winning 6-3, 6-4 at the WTA Finals on Tuesday to reach the semifinals of the season-ending tournament.
The result means that Swiatek can’t move up from No. 2 in the rankings this week, so Aryna Sabalenka will finish the year at No. 1 for the first time.
It was Gauff’s first victory over Swiatek since the 2023 Cincinnati Open, snapping a four-match losing skid head-to-head. Gauff, the 2023 US Open champion, also put an end to five-time Grand Slam champ Swiatek’s six-match unbeaten run at the WTA Finals, an event the Polish star won a year ago.
The win moved Gauff to 2-0 in the Orange Group, while Swiatek fell to 1-1. Swiatek had rallied to beat Barbora Krejcikova in three sets on Sunday in her first match in two months.
Krejcikova, the Wimbledon champion, kept her chances of advancing alive with a 6-3, 6-3 win over Jessica Pegula. That eliminated Pegula, who lost in straight sets to Gauff in their opening match in Saudi Arabia.
Krejcikova was the last player to qualify for the event for the top eight players on the women’s tennis tour, earning her berth thanks to her Grand Slam title at the All England Club in July. At No. 13, she became the lowest-ranked player to win a WTA Finals match since Magda Maleeva 22 years ago.

Krejcikova ends Pegula’s last-four hopes at WTA Finals

Updated 5 min 2 sec ago
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Krejcikova ends Pegula’s last-four hopes at WTA Finals

  • The crafty Czech fired 11 aces and broke Pegula four times to wrap up the win in 69 minutes

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia: Barbora Krejcikova ended Jessica Pegula’s chances of qualifying for the semifinals at the WTA Finals in Riyadh, defeating the sixth-seeded American 6-3, 6-3 in Riyadh on Tuesday.
A runner-up at the WTA Finals last year, Pegula suffered her second straight-sets defeat of the week and enters her final round-robin match against Iga Swiatek on Thursday anchoring the Orange Group with zero sets won.
Meanwhile, eighth-seeded Krejcikova bounced back from her opening loss to Swiatek to keep her hopes of making the final four alive.
“I was fighting for every ball and I felt that I really have to play my best tennis and I was trying to be really solid and trying to put as many balls to the other side as I could,” said Krejcikova, who picked up just her 20th match win of the season.
“I’m definitely proud. I had some very high parts of the season, especially winning Wimbledon, that’s something indescribable. And being here in the Finals is a huge privilege. It’s nice to get the win and still be part of the event.”
Despite being ranked number 13 in the world, Krejcikova qualified for these WTA Finals thanks to a new rule introduced by the WTA that gave priority to a player who has won a Grand Slam this season, while maintaining a ranking between 9 and 20, over a player ranked number eight in the Race.
As the reigning Wimbledon champion, Krejcikova claimed the final qualifying spot in Riyadh over world number eight Emma Navarro.
Krejcikova squandered a 6-4, 3-0 lead against Swiatek in her opener two days ago and made sure there was no repeat scenario against Pegula on Tuesday.
The crafty Czech fired 11 aces and broke Pegula four times to wrap up the win in 69 minutes.


Dybala left out of Argentina squad for World Cup qualifiers while Martínez is back from suspension

Updated 05 November 2024
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Dybala left out of Argentina squad for World Cup qualifiers while Martínez is back from suspension

  • Martínez was suspended by FIFA for the last two qualifiers for “offensive behavior”

BUENOS AIRES: Roma striker Paulo Dybala was left out of the Argentina squad for their upcoming World Cup qualifiers, while goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez is back after a suspension.
Coach Lionel Scaloni announced his squad on Tuesday, with the absence of Dybala and the inclusion of Valencia midfielder Enzo Barrenechea the two big surprises.
Martínez was suspended by FIFA for the last two qualifiers for “offensive behavior” in two previous matches in September, but he will be available for the match at Paraguay on Nov. 14 and the home game against Peru five days later.
Argentina lead South American World Cup qualifying with 22 points from 10 matches. The top six teams will get direct spots at the 2026 tournament.

Squad:
Goalkeepers: Emiliano Martinez (Aston Villa), Walter Benítez (PSV Eindhoven), Gerónimo Rulli (Marseille).
Defenders: Gonzalo Montiel (Sevilla), Nahuel Molina (Atletico Madrid), Cristian Romero (Tottenham), Germán Pezzella (River Plate), Nehuén Pérez (Porto), Leonardo Balerdi (Marseille), Nicolás Otamendi (Benfica), Lisandro Martínez (Manchester United), Nicolás Tagliafico (Lyon).
Midfielders: Leandro Paredes (Roma), Alexis Mac Allister (Liverpool), Enzo Fernández (Chelsea), Giovani Lo Celso (Real Betis), Nicolás Paz (Como), Exequiel Palacios (Bayer Leverkusen), Rodrigo de Paul (Atletico Madrid), Enzo Barrenechea (Valencia).
Strikers: Thiago Almada (Botafogo), Lionel Messi (Inter Miami), Nicolás González (Juventus), Alejandro Garnacho (Manchester United), Julián Álvarez (Atletico Madrid), Facundo Buonanotte (Leicester), Valentín Castellanos (Lazio), Lautaro Martínez (Inter Milan).


Ito’s Bayern debut further delayed after foot surgery

Updated 05 November 2024
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Ito’s Bayern debut further delayed after foot surgery

  • “Hiroki Ito required further surgery on his metatarsal. This took place today, Tuesday, and went well,” Bayern said
  • Bundesliga leaders Bayern had expected Ito to return at the end of October

BERLIN: Bayern Munich and Japan center-back Hiroki Ito underwent another surgery on his injured foot on Tuesday, the latest setback for the Japan defender.
The 25-year-old is yet to play a competitive match for Bayern, having arrived in the summer from Stuttgart for a reported fee of 23.5 million euros ($25.6 million).
“Hiroki Ito required further surgery on his metatarsal. This took place today, Tuesday, and went well,” Bayern said in a statement.
“The FC Bayern defender will therefore be sidelined again for the time being and will restart his rehab program as soon as possible.”
Bundesliga leaders Bayern had expected Ito to return at the end of October or start of November.
He broke his metarsal in a pre-season friendly against lower division side FC Dueren in July.
Ito made his Japan debut in 2022 and has since played 19 international games, scoring one goal.


Manchester United fans in favor of leaving Old Trafford

Updated 05 November 2024
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Manchester United fans in favor of leaving Old Trafford

  • Of 50,000 United season ticket holders, club members and executive club members polled, 52 percent said they preferred the idea of a new facility
  • The Daily Telegraph has reported that a final decision on which option to choose is likely to be taken in the first half of 2025

MACNHESTER: A majority of Manchester United fans favor building a new stadium rather than re-developing Old Trafford, according to a survey released on Tuesday.
Of 50,000 United season ticket holders, club members and executive club members polled, 52 percent said they preferred the idea of a new facility, while 31 percent supported the re-development of one of the most recognizable stadiums in world football. Another 17 percent were undecided.
United’s cross-city neighbors Manchester City left their Maine Road stadium in 2003 to move into the new City of Manchester Stadium, but Premier League rivals Liverpool have re-developed their Anfield home.
United released artist’s images in September of a potential Old Trafford regeneration project and have indicated that a new stadium could be part of a multi-billion-pound re-development project.
The club’s owners are considering options in conjunction with the Old Trafford Regeneration Task Force, which includes former United defender Gary Neville and World Athletics president Sebastian Coe among its members.
The Daily Telegraph has reported that a final decision on which option to choose is likely to be taken in the first half of 2025.
The Task Force is understood to have focused its discussions on building a new 100,000-capacity stadium rather than redeveloping Old Trafford.
Rick McGagh, United’s director of fan engagement, said: “We know how important our home is to fans and we need to listen to them and gain all their views and insights in order to develop the world-class stadium they deserve.
“We are able to view the results through different lenses to understand if our season ticket holders feel differently about anything than say our official members. And if younger fans have different views to older fans.”