Basketball: Kiwis on the Road Mon Apr 4

Rob Loe playing for the New Zealand Tall Blacks. Photo / Getty Images

It has been a productive week for our overseas based international basketball players with all producing double figure scoring efforts in the last few days.

Europe - Men

A couple of our European based Tall Blacks have requested to be listed as free agents for next season's Australian National Basketball League. Rob Loe and Duane Bailey appear on the list that was released last Friday and it will be interesting to see if they secure contracts in this part of the world.

Their current clubs had differing fortunes over the weekend.

Rob Loe and his Limburg club solidified fourth spot on the Belgium League ladder winning 72-64 against Port of Antwerp Giants. The Tall Blacks centre had 7 points (2/3FG) and 6 rebounds. Loe scored 13 points in the midweek loss, 80-68, to Proximus Spirou.

Plymouth Raiders had their work cut out visiting British Basketball League leaders Leicester Riders on Sunday so could have done without one of their key players being ejected from the game. Cory Dixon was shown the door, following a second technical foul, after just 10 minutes of play. Operating with a short rotation anyway the Raiders were always going to struggle from that point and not surprisingly lost 92-68.

Duane Bailey scored 16 points and added 6 rebounds and 3 assists as the Raiders cling on to the eighth spot with a 12-17 record - just three regular season games remain for the Raiders.

Tom Abercrombie appears to have slotted comfortably into his new surroundings at Turkish club Pinar Karsiyaka. The Tall Blacks and Breakers swingman produced an impressive stats line of 17 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals and a block as Karsiyaka defeated TED Kolejliler 90-79 on the road.
Karsiyaka have a 14-10 record and sit 6th on the Turkish League table.

Corey Webster played all 40 minutes for Koroivos as they lost 92-78 against PAOK and remain in relegation trouble in the Greek League. The shooting guard dished 7 assists and scored 12 points as Koroivos slipped to a seventh straight loss.

Isaac Fotu was in fine form for Zaragoza as they defeated Estudian 81-62 on Sunday. One of four Zaragoza players in double figures Fotu accumulated 16 points and also secured 7 rebounds during 25 minutes of court time. Zaragoza improved to 14th in Liga Endesa with an 8-17 record.

Europe - Women

A third loss in a row has resulted in Le Murra Lucca bowing out of the Italian Cup at the semi-final stage. Lucca were defeated 68-60 by Famila Schio on Saturday despite yet another strong performance from Jillian Harmon.

The Tall Ferns forward scored 29 points and also contributed 6 rebounds and 4 steals in a losing cause.

American College - Men

Matt Freeman and Oklahoma University's wonderful ride in the NCAA championships came to a juddering halt in the semi-finals on Sunday. The Sooners lost 95-51 against Villanova unfortunately registering the largest losing margin in Final Four history.

Australia - Women

Tall Ferns Head coach Kennedy Kereama is also head coach of the Sunbury Jets in the Victorian Big V League. Kereama has recruited Tall Fern Jess Bygate for the 2016 season and the former Nelson Sparks forward produced an 11 points and 6 rebounds effort on Saturday as the Jets beat Chelsea on the road to move to 2-0 for the season.