by Sam on August 31, 2010
As you’ve probably noticed the 9th Commandment is to get 100,000 views on Youtube. With the campaign wrapping up in the next week or so, we need a MASSIVE push to make this happen…
Right now as I write this, we’re sitting at a not-too-shabby 56,969, which by my calculations gives us 43,031 to go.
Can this be done by the end of the week!? You bet it can, but it’s gonna take a collective effort…if you’ve got 5 minutes spare, sit back and check out a few of the videos, tweet them, share them on Facebook, email them to your friends/colleagues…
We’ve got 3,500 “likes’ on Facebook, 427 followers on twitter-that’s roughly 4,000 people…now if every single one of you got us 10 views on the Youtube channel, it would basically be done! Let’s get it-the race to 100k is on!
What you waiting for, check out
http://www.youtube.com/backbritishball
by Sam on August 30, 2010
Despite both losing on the final day of their Eurobasket 2011 qualifying campaign, both the GB Men’s and Women’s sides still qualified at the top of their respective groups sending a statement to FIBA about our competitiveness in the run up to London 2012.
The Women were up first and lost 70-66 to Ukraine despite 19 points, 6 steals and 4 rebounds from Jo Leedham. Head Coach Tom Maher reflected after the game:
“It was very disappointing, we could have won the game but we made too many bad decisions. Nevertheless we shouldn’t detract from what the players have achieved this summer.”
The women finished with a 4-2 record and have secured their first ever appearance at Eurobasket 2011.
The GB Men suffered the same fate to the same team, being defeated 75-66 by Ukraine. Pops Mensah-Bonsu finished with 18 points and 10 rebound before fouling out. Head Coach Chris Finch is proud of this summer’s campaign and is looking forward to next year:
“We have a lot to be proud of. Not many people gave this team a chance to qualify and we did it through great effort. Our young players played well and gain immeasurable experience from this campaign.
“Next summer provides us with a chance to play against the best in Europe once again. I am looking forward to the 2011 campaign and I know the players are as well.”
So with both teams going to their respective European Championships in Poland (women) and Lithuania (men), perhaps it’s time we relocated the Dog Pound and organised a BBB Balldogs trip? 
by Sam on August 30, 2010
If you didn’t managed to get up on Sunday morning for the highlight show of GB Women vs Slovakia, once again Channel 4 have uploaded the highlights to their Youtube channel. Check ‘em!
GB Women vs Slovakia on Channel 4
by Sam on August 27, 2010
So our Sixth Commandment was to break 122 decibels at one of the games with the noise in the arena. I have no doubt we actually did this at the first game when GB beat Macedonia (the place was LOUD when Deng hit the three to send it to overtime) but didn’t have the hands free to measure it/take a photo.
Yesterday, at the last set of home games it was do or die to ensure we got it done before this whole campaign comes to a close. I’m uber-pleased to announced we smashed it and broke 125 decibels in the end! Picture for proof is below…more of the same next year please!
125 decibels baby!
by Sam on August 27, 2010
There were a lot of happy people at the Echo Arena in Liverpool yesterday as BOTH the GB Men’s and GB Women’s team secured their place at Eurobasket 2011.
The GB Women were up first with a 77-59 demolition of Germany. The result was never in doubt as the women cruised throughout led by 18 points and 9 rebounds from Julie Page . Jo Leedham added 15 points and five boards while Kim Butler finished with 12 points for GB.
They will go into Sunday’s final game against Ukraine knowing that they already have a place in Poland 2011 assured.
The Men, perhaps using the women’s performance as inspiration, followed suit, but didn’t have quite as much of an easy time with it needing overtime to dispatch of Bosnia & Herzegovina 94-85. The game was dominated by GB’s two stars, Luol Deng and Pops Mensah-Bonsu who combined for 70 points and 34 rebounds! Deng scored a GB record 38 points, whilst Pops finished with 32.
They will now look to secure first place in the group with a win on Sunday against Ukraine away.
What a HUGE day. Hard to put into words my feelings about the whole thing but it’s massive. GB Head Coach Chris Finch had a few words for the press afterwards when asked about GB’s prospects of playing at London 2012:
“We’ve met every performance marker they’ve laid down, we believe we’re entitled to our rightful spot by the way we play.”
Too right..think it’s about time we got our place in our Olympics confirmed…
by Sam on August 26, 2010
I am meant to be meeting Sillky at the station in an hour to head to Liverpool so gonna keep this brief (gonna be late!). Below is the confirmed list of every Balldog who has made the Dog Pound for the doubleheader today-aim to get there about 4pm if possible.
A smaller group than in previous games-perhaps due to my rant in the list post, but maybe a good thing if every one of you shows up!
As usual-white tshirts, megaphones, noisemaking instruments, face paint, union jacks, drums…and whatever else you think will add some atmosphere!
Come to the door, say you’re on the Back British Basketball list with Sam Neter and Sillky, and there shouldn’t be any problems, if so, ask them to get me and I can come try and sort it.
See you all there, come and introduce yourself!
1) Rob Jeffries
2) Karen Low
3) Gary Low
4) Matthew Low
5) Bethany Low
6) Phil Dodds
7) Vanessa Armitage
Lee Armitage
9) Olivia Armitage
10) Adam Armitage
11) Kester Wiseman
12) Alan Morris
13) Matthew Morris
14) Josh McGann
15) Brian Rollinson
16) Lazarus Thompson
17) Chris Crisp
18) Lucas Thompson
19) Sharon Flaherty
20) Phil Roberts
21) Tony Hickman
22) Dan Hickman
23) Greg Mpofu
24) Bukhosi Sibanda
25) Jordan Frost
26) Scott Matthews
27) Les Harris
28) Stuart Drybrugh
29) Jamie Douglas
30) Luke Orwin
31) Richard Cohen
32) Jenny Gordon
33) Scott Gordon
34) Pete Gordon
35) Jean Paul Niyongabo
36) Lucy Johnson
37) Jordan Webb
38) Jamie Webb
39) John Webb
40) Sam Mortimer
41) Lynne Glen
42) Graham Dalrymple
43) Matthew Guest
44) Josh McGinn
45) Maeve Higham
46) Jack Crooke
47) George Martin
48) Scott Maffia
49) Ben Brookes
50) Tom Devitt
51) Ryan Walton
52) Stephen Ashburn
53) Jack Burns
54) Aislinn Johnson
55) Joannae Brumby
56) Georgia Burgess
57) Joe Pinchin
58) Jim Moriarty
59) Zoe Reeve
60) Michael Stubbs
61) Theo Spyridos
62) Hal Mellen
by Sam on August 25, 2010
Three quick things to share with you today..
So we finally got our interviews up from the GB Men’s Media day a few weeks ago at their training camp before the campaign began-get a closer look at GB Men’s players Kieron Achara, Dan Clark, Eric Boateng and Luol Deng-we cover off the court stuff as well as team stuff. They make for interesting viewing!
Also, a few of you may have seen Luol Deng featured on the BBC News today-a great piece covering his return to Sudan for the first time since he came to the UK as an asylum seeker. Check the video out and take notice of the Dog Pound featured right at the beginning!
And finally, big up to the guys over Talkbasket who published a podcast today with a quick interview they did with me before the last GB game at the NIA, Birmingham. You can listen to the podcast here (interview starts at 29.08 mins in).
I hope you all are preparing for tomorrow..it’s gonna be BIG!
by Sam on August 24, 2010
Wrote an article for SLAM Online that was approved and published today-featuring the Back British Basketball campaign and film!
by Sam on August 24, 2010
This Thursday sees both the GB men and Women’s team with an opportunity to seal their qualification into Eurobasket 2011 at the Echo Arena, Liverpool…what that means is they need our support/noise/craziness more than ever!
We were planning on switching up things slightly for this week’s Dog Pound but due to unforseen circumstances it hasn’t been possible so I will say this-
We are trying our hardest to make this section work and if people used it the way it is meant to be used it could be absolutely awesome (like the first game we did it). The whole point of it is to have one section of 100 people together, joining forces to support GB by making noise and really getting behind them, leading chants and getting the whole arena going. So if you put your name below, bear this in mind;
1) You must show up! Don’t put your name down in the hope you can get down there without actually knowing or not if you can make it-you take up someone elses place who could be there making noise.
2) You must sit in the Dog Pound-you are not free to move around the arena into other empty seats.
3) You must make noise! The reason you are getting these free tickets is in return for creating an atmosphere…if you plan on geting a freebie and sitting there in silence, it will not go down well and we WILL call you up on it.
4) If you are not there by 7pm (half an hour before the men’s tip-we would do this before the women’s game but understand some people might still be at work), we will be giving your seats away to other people in the arena who want to be in the Dog Pound. Not there by 7pm=won’t be allowed in.
I know the vast majority have been true Balldogs, but it’s a pity a small minority have been taking the piss. Let’s make sure this doesn’t happen on Thursday!
With all that said…if YOU want to be in amongst the craziest, rowdiest fans in the arena-drop your FULL name below (fill out a correct email as well please).
GB Women vs Germany 4.30pm, GB Men vs Bosnia & Herzegovina 7.30pm-Echo Arena, Liverpool
LET’S DO THIS!
by Sam on August 24, 2010
There were mixed results for the GB men and women’s teams last night.
The women were up first and got their third straight victory,
beating the Slovak Republic 70-63 behind a huge 26 points from Johannah Leedham. The victory now puts them at 3-1 and allows them to seal qualification on Thursday in Liverpool when they play Germany at the Echo Arena. (
BUY TICKETS!)
The Men suffered a setback when they were routed by Macedonia 75-56, in a game which would have seen them qualify for Eurobasket 2011 had they been victorious. Pops Mensah-Bonsu led GB with a 17 point, 13 rebound double double. The GB Men will now look to win their remaining two games to qualify at the top of their group over Macedonia who have two losses and are there closest rivals. Their at home this Thursday-we need to get the place ROCKING! BUY YOUR TICKETS NOW!
