Basketball: Kiwis on the Road Mon Mar 28

Jack Salt (#33) playing for the Virginia Cavaliers. Photo / Getty Images

It wasn't a great weekend for the Tall Blacks playing overseas as all those playing suffered defeats with their respective teams.

American College - Men

Virginia University Cavaliers failed to advance to the NCAA tournament Final Four after falling to Syracuse 68-62 on Sunday.

Jack Salt wasn't required by coach Tony Bennett for the Cavs in the encounter or the victory in the preceding round, 84-71 against Iowa State on Friday.

Another former Westlake Boys student Matt Freeman is red shirting, therefore not an active player, this season but is no doubt enjoying the ride with Oklahoma University. The Sooners have gone one better than Virginia winning 80-68 against Oregon in the Elite Eight round. They will now face Villanova next weekend for a spot in the Championship Final.

Europe -Men

As widely reported Tom Abercrombie and Corey Webster have accepted short term contracts in Europe. Webster has headed to Koroivos in Greece and Abercrombie a little further east to link up with Pinar Karsiyaka, the defending champions, in the Turkish League.

Both players suffered losing starts with their new clubs. Abercrombie scored 13 points for Karsiyaka as they went down 79-72 against Muratbey Usak.

Webster had just two points for Koroivos as they suffered an agonising one-point loss, 61-60 against Arkadikos.

Koroivos have now won only once in its last 13 games and sit one place off the bottom of the Greek National League table with a 7-18 win-loss ratio.

Isaac Fotu played a game high 33 minutes for Zaragoza on Sunday as they fell 96-84 at championship contenders Real Madrid. The Tall Blacks forward knocked down 3 from 5 three point efforts on his way to 14 points. Fotu also added 4 rebounds and an assist.

Plymouth Raiders entertained Cheshire Phoenix in the British Basketball League on Sunday. The Raiders play-off aspirations were dealt a blow after falling 81-80 to a team with an identical 12-16 record prior to tip-off.

Duane Bailey produced a solid 12 points (5/11FG), 7 rebounds effort as the Raiders cling on to the eighth and final play-off spot.

Rob Loe and Limburg United had a bye in the Belgium League this week.

Europe - Women

Despite a game high 19 points plus 10 rebounds from Tall Fern Jillian Harmon Le Murra Lucca lost 60-57 at Ragusa on Saturday.

Lucca (22-3) had only lost once in 23 games in the Italian Serie A but have now lost two on the bounce. Both losses have been to their nearest rivals, Familia Schio last week, and Ragusa on the road this week.