Sportlycee2019ISFBasketball Heraklion

FRIDAY 12TH

We met at Luxembourg Airport at 9am in our sponsored track suit and were ready for takeoff.

Team Sportlycee ISF Basketball 2019

After a short stop in Athens, we arrived in Heraklion, Crete around 5:30pm to the 25th School World Championships in Basketball

Marina beach Hotel ****, Gouves, Heraklion, Crete

SATURDAY 13TH

On Saturday morning 9:30, we had our first game against Denmark and we did our best to fight along. We earned their respect, but in the end they proved to be better and we learnt some first lessons at this level.

DENMARK - LUXEMBOURG  58 - 51

Saturday afternoon, at 2:30pm our second opponent was Finland and they were much bigger.

We had an excellent surprise as an Cretan Primary school, that choose us somehow before the tournament, showed up with five teachers and lots of students.

Their support was good and loud, but after another good team effort, we lost against Finland 

FINLAND - LUXEMBOURG  82 - 61

In the evening, we went to the opening ceremony. It now became clear that the Organization was not really organized.

The bus took us to Heraklion Arena at 5:30pm and we waited there for nearly two hours before the show started. Since we were to "lazy" to learn Greek, we heard at least five of 8 speeches and presentations that weren't translated.

Chris, Nicolas, Jeff and Pit were the four guys representing us on the floor.  

Finally at 9:30pm, we were brought back to our hotel for a late dinner and everybody was really hungry. 

SUNDAY 14TH

Sunday morning, we did a short activation practice after the heavy two-game day. The small port in front of our hotel was an excellent spot.

Our last game in the group stage was against Belgium (Flandern) and they were huge. In the first half we were able to challenge them and even led by 4 points in the middle of the second quarter.

Halftime score was 21-21. The second halftime, they controlled the boards and crushed us in the end. Nevetheless another good learning experience for our young team.

BELGIUM (FL) - LUXEMBOURG  67 - 43

TUESDAY 15TH

Before playing Cyprus in our first crossing game, we thought it useful to do another little morning workout in the port.

Pregame speech and tactics, we seemed concentrated but we couldn't deliver on the court.

Lots of defensive laziness and a very low shooting percentage made us loose this game that should have been our first win.

LUXEMBOURG - CYPRUS  43 - 51

We still didn't have any kind of written program and were waiting in the evening to get to know what was planned on cultural day. Finally we were told when the bus would take us to the old city of Heraklion (extremely important to be really on time, but for what???). 

So we decided we would get there on our own and get to the presentation area by ourselves after walking through the old town of Heraklion. 

TUESDAY 16TH CULTURAL DAY

After another excellent breakfast, we hopped on our two Minivans and got out in the port of Heraklion. 

Some impressions and some of us had a greek lunch :-)

At 4pm started the culinary world tour under a big tent in a square in Old Town Heraklion, and some of us knew and others didn't.

So our food was only on the table at 5pm but all went well and we had fun. Our local guides helped us well.

We also got a short visit from the Honorary Consul for Luxembourg in Crete, Mr Giorgos El. Aerakis.

Finally around 8pm, the boys performed the national anthem a cappella on stage, then danced to hiphop music and finally sang "Happy Birthday" for Matteo, supported by the whole crowd. 

Well done boys !

Around 8:30pm, we walked back to the bus parking near the port of Heraklion and were back at the Hotel half an hour later.

Another good dinner and off to bed in order to be well rested for the game against Latvia.

WEDNESDAY 17TH

We had our game at 12:30pm and were ready to try and grab wholeheartedly our first win.

The task proved difficult as we started again badly into the first quarter. Latvia played an agressive gam, trashtalked and pushed a lot. 

The game became a real thriller in the fourth quarter as we led by two. After an unnecessary turnover, we had to go into overtime and after an eternity of 3 minutes we won; by one point. 

Good fight boys

LUXEMBOURG - LATVIA    73 -72

THURSDAY 18TH

For our last game, we had to be at yet another gym at 9:30am. We were playing Romania for the 21st place and we were ready to roll.

Again the start was more than difficult and at the end of the 1st quarter, they led by 25 -17. The boys started fighting after Pierre led by example and Chris started to score.

Half time score

The second half was ours after the romanian team got finally called for all their agressive fouls and the game was in safe haven after the 3rd quarter.

Pierre, Chris and Sam were our best guns in this game.

When we got back to the hotel, we found out that Chris needed to be back at Heraklion Arena at 6pm for the qualifications of the three point contest. 

So after a relaxing afternoon, we all got the bus to the semi-finals and the contest. Chris qualified as for one of the 4 spots out of 15 shooters with the result of 13 points.

FINAL DAY FRIDAY 19TH

As we didn't have any games on the last competition day, we gave the boys the choice to visit Chersonisos or just get some rest at the hotel until the bus departure for the finals.  

We had our breakfast together at nine and left the team at the hotel. Chersonisos was nice at sealevel, but we found 3 small villages up in the hills wich were a better visit.

At 5pm the bus took us to Heraklion Arena for the finals

The girl's game wasn't very strategic or athletic and in the end Finland won and had their MVP player to thank for the victory.

During halftime Chris got to shoot in the finals of the three point contest. Unfortunately, he didn't get in the same shooting rythm as the day before. Nevertheless we were proud that he got second.

The boys finals were Israel against Greece, but during a rather boring first half, the home advantage hadn't  had the desired effect. In fact, it looked as if Israel couldn't loose that game.

After halftime, the game got faster and very interesting. The last quarter was pure suspense and Greece really got ahead. However due to a strategic coaching error, two seconds before the end of the game, Greece practically handed the ball to Israel and let a three point shooter take a buzzerbeater. Israel won !!! 

After the game, nothing was organized....again and so the teams just stayed up as long as they could. We got up at half past three in the morning and got to the airport. After a stop in Athens, we arrived in Frankfurt around noon and did the last stretch to Luxembourg on bus.

So in the end, I want to thank Rumen for the good coaching and help outside of the gym.

Also big thanks to Pierre Becker, our superb head of delegation making our week so much easier.

Finally a major thank you to a fighting team with good spirit and great company outside of the gym.

Maybe some of you will be part of the ISF Basketballteam in 2021.