Le New York, les Champions Sont de Retour!
The New York Champions have returned! Gordon-Hanley All Stars, the Ben Gordon sponsored team rep the NYC and brought home La Roche-sur-Yon Championship title from France.
This year marks the first time a USA team has won the title match in 15 years in this 21 year old tournament.
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La Roche-sur-Yon began in 1988 with the founder Jean-Marie Pelletier; back then the President of the Vendée ASPTT basketball. Pelletier, was asked by Claude and Philippe Lapetina Louradour to create a large international basketball sporting event in western France in the town of La Roche-sur-Yon the capital of Vendee.
The NY travel team comprised of Conroy Baltimore Archbishop Stepinac HS (NY), Tyler Harris Long Island Lutheran H.S. (NY), Sterling Gibbs Seton Hall Prep. (NJ), Jerome Frink Saint Anthony's (NJ), Rashad Andrews Saint Anthony's (NJ), Sheldon Hagigal Westbury HS (NY), Khalid Samuels Mount Vernon HS (NY), Jabarie Hinds Mount Vernon HS (NY) and Jarrel Marshall Mount Vernon HS (NY) were coached by Mount Vernon High School's Bob Cimmino. The team is comprised of the best players in New York born in 1993.
The team played by the FIBA rules each quarter was ten minutes long. Coach Cimmino spoke about the rules and the young team's experience. "The trip was great! I got a chance to speak with many of the Eastern European coaches there some were from the Czech Republic.
Coach Cimmino saw the trip as a learning experience for the young USA team. "The rules were a major adjustment for the kids there were a lot of intentional foul calls and the traveling violations differ. The kids were able to adjust to the rules really well, and the major difference was the European kids just didn't have the speed we had especially with the combo of Sterling, Sheldon, and Jabarie. Over all the kids left France knowing now that they are truly bless to live in the USA. The European players were so envious of what our kids have here," said Cimmino.
On Monday April 13th, in the final Championship game of Roche-sur-Yon Gordon-Hanley All Stars defeated Toronto CI ABounce (Canada) 132-111. At half-time the Toronto CI ABounce led by one 61-60.
2009 La Roche-sur-Yon Final Standings
1 - Gordon Hanley All-Stars New York (USA)
2 - Toronto CIA Bounce (CANADA)
3 - Selection of Vendée (France)
4 - BS Vilnius (FRANCE)
5 - New Basket Vilvoorde (Belgium)
6 - Agreement Hermine -Vertou-Erdre (FRANCE)
7 - CASVA Madrid (Spain) 8 - BCM Ostrava (Czech Republic)
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