Green, US finishes fifth in World Games

JaMychal Green is now heading back across the Pacific after the United States finished fifth in the World University Games played in China.

He scored 12 points in the final game, a 86-83 win over Germany in the fifth/sixth place game. The U.S. (7-1) finished with the best record in the event, but didn’t medal for the first time since Lithuania knocked them out in the quarterfinals.

Green averaged 12.6 points per game to rank second on the team. He also shot 69 percent from the field and averaged 5.8 rebounds per game.

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JaMychal Green starts, US wins

Alabama basketball player JaMychal Green returned to the starting lineup to help the United States to a 94-73 win over Romania in the World University Games in China.

Green scored 12 points on 6-of-9 shooting from the field. In the seven games, Green’s 68.8 shooting percentage leads the U.S. He also had seven rebounds in Sunday’s win.

The U.S. now plays for fifth place against Germany early Monday morning. A Saturday loss to Lithuania knock the U.S. out of medal contention for the first time since the event started in 1965.

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Green scores 12 in historic loss for Team USA

Alabama senior JaMychal Green had 12 points, but 15 would have been better for the United States. It lost 76-74 to Lithuania in the World University Games played in China.

That means, for the first time since the event began in 1965, the U.S. will not win a medal. That’s a streak of 13 gold, three silver and three bronze medals for the good guys. In all, the U.S. held a 131-8 record heading into this year’s event.

After winning the first five games this year — most by huge margins — the U.S.  shot just 34.3 percent against Lithuania. Green made 5-of-7 shots from the field and both free throws while grabbing four rebound. Entering the loss, lead the team averaging 13 points a game.

A Sunday morning game with Romania could qualify the U.S. for the fifth/sixth-place game.

“We have to stay positive,” Green said. “We still have two more games to win. We have to keep our heads up, take one game at a time and just worry about the next one.”

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JaMychal Green starts, US rolls

The United States pounded Hungary 102-53 in the World University Games early this morning in China.

Alabama senior JaMychal Green started, but foul trouble again limited his playing time. He picked up four fouls and scored four points on 1-of-3 shooting from the field and a perfect 2-for-2 from the free-throw line. Rebounds totaled seven. Foul trouble limited his playing time in the Game 1 win over Mexico, too.

Limiting Hungary to 34 percent shooting and six fist-quarter points was the real story.

“Coach just talked about pressure from every position,” Green said. “Around the court we kept pressuring everywhere. We just got them out of their rhythm and got them uncomfortable so they couldn’t run their offense.”

The U.S. was won every World University Games gold medal since 1965, and through two games this year, the streak doesn’t appear in jeopardy. It resumes play against South Korea.

Click to enlarge

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JaMychal Green helps US beat Mexico

Alabama senior JaMychal Green is spending his August over in China playing a little international basketball. It’s the World University Games and the U.S. cruised to victory in the opener.

Green scored seven points on 3-of-3 shooting from the field in the good guy’s 108-67 win over Mexico. Do the math and that includes a rare 3-pointer. I think he has just one in three seasons at Alabama. He played just nine minutes on account of four fouls.

Team America returns to the floor at 2:30 a.m. CDT Sunday against Hungry. There will not be a live blog of that event.

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Tide basketball player a finalist for Team USA

Well, it’s for the World University Games, but its still Team USA.

The player is JaMychal Green. He’s one of the 14 players who made the finalist list. Of that group, 12 will make the team. The roster will be announced before the team leaves for China on Aug. 8.

Teammate Tony Mitchell was one of the 22 players who tried out for the team, but did not see his name on the list outside the coach’s office.

The finalists:
Tim Abromaitis, Notre Dame
Marcus Denmon, Missouri
Ashton Gibbs, Pittsburgh
Draymond Green, Michigan State
JaMychal Green, Alabama
Scoop Jardine, Syracuse
John Jenkins, Vanderbilt
Orlando Johnson, UC Santa Barbara
Greg Mangano, Yale
Trevor Mbakwe, Minnesota
Ray McCallum, Detroit Mercy
Darius Miller, Kentucky
Aaric Murray, West Virginia
Shabazz Napier, Connecticut

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JaMychal Green returning for senior season

Here is the lead to one of the stories I’m working on for tomorrow.

NEW YORK — Alabama had just beaten Miami in the NIT quarterfinals when star forward JaMychal Green dropped the news to coach Anthony Grant.

Grant then had another reason to smile.

The forward and leading scorer from Montgomery said this week’s trip to New York would not be his last in a Crimson Tide jersey.

Green will return to Tuscaloosa in the fall for his senior season. The potential riches of the NBA can wait one more year for the St. Jude High School product.

Green promises the decision was based on deep thought, not an emotional response to a big win.

“Nothing is going to convince me to leave,” Green said Monday. “I talked to my mom and my dad and we made up our mind that we were coming back and play another year. I have more things to work on and get my education.”

Video of Vandy ending, 360 view of Memorial Gym

In case you missed it, Alabama lost an controversial 81-77 game at Vanderbilt last night. Quite a game in quite an environment, I must say.

But the ending was muddled by some borderline officiating. Check out this video of Anthony Grant giving referee Tim Higgins a piece of his mind after a timeout wasn’t (pardon the pun) granted.

Click here to see the questionable call that preceded it when JaMychal Green may or may not have stepped on the endline.

So what  does this mean for the potential for an at-large bid to the NCAA? It certainly would have been one of those signature road wins the committee likes. Click here to see an example of the sheet the NCAA uses when deciding the field of 68 courtesy of the stat junkie godsend Basketballstate.com.

Finally, check out this 360-degree view of Memorial Gym that I snapped after the game last night. Just click on the photo to enlarge it, then scroll to the right to get the panoramic effect.

There's nothing an iPhone can't do.

More panoramic photos found here.

Panoramic photos updated Feb. 11, 2011

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Alabama loses tough one at Vandy

Anthony Grant disapproves of officiating. (AP photo by Mark Humphrey)

There was no late-game magic for Alabama this Thursday night.

Vanderbilt grabbed an 81-77 win from the Tide to end its five-game winning streak that capped nine wins in 10 games.  It was the most  points Alabama scored in SEC play and second most overall with Providence’s 83 keeping the title.

The loss means the Memorial Gym losing streak extends to 11 games with the last win coming in 1990.

The end included a touch of controversy as JaMychal Green was called for stepping on the end line with 6 seconds left. Replays appeared to show he did not touch the stripe and coach Anthony Grant went bonkers.

What did he have to say about it after the game? You’ll have to buy a newspaper for that answer.

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Welcome back to Coleman Coliseum

Plenty of good seats available

It’s still 25 minutes before tip-off between the Crimson Tide and Southeastern Louisiana and there isn’t much of a buzz in the air. There isn’t really much of anything going on in Coleman Coliseum right now.

Tonight’s game will be the first time JaMychal Green appeared at home since Nov. 15 in a win over Troy. He isn’t listed as a projected starter still but will come off the bench after returning from his suspension at Providence on Saturday.

UPDATE: Green will start.

On a side note, I want to congratulate retiring Decatur Daily executive editor Tom Wright and his wife news editor Regina. Read about their careers in today’s story linked here.

Stay tuned for future updates.

Live bloggin: Alabama hoops vs. South Alabama

Second half

Final: Alabama 72, South Alabama 50: The score will have to say it all for now. Too much to write. No time with which to write it all.

3:51, Tide 60, S. Alabama 43: It’s all but over now. The fouls are piling up. South Alabama came as close as 13 points before Tony Mitchell scored two quick baskets and ended the threat.

6:44, Tide 53, S. Alabama 37: There is no pace or rhythm again as South Alabama scored the last six points in a floor-burn fest of turnovers and ugly play. Jags shooting 25 percent this half and 28.8 for the game. Tide shooting percentage is 52.4.

12:54, Tide 45, S. Alab3ma 29: The Crimson Tide is starting to pull away with an 8-0 run.

15:42, Tide 37, S. Alabama 29: The teams traded baskets. That’s about it.

First half

Halftime, Tide 33, S. Alabama 23: Alabama outscored the guests 24-10 to close the half and take a quiet 10-point advantage into the locker room. Charvez Davis has 11 to lead the way thanks to his three 3-pointers. Is anyone reading this? Just say “yes” in the comment section.

JaMychal Green suspended from hoops team

A half-piece of paper was just delivered to all media members 15 minutes before today’s tipoff with Alabama A&M. JaMychal Green, the Crimson Tide’s leading scorer is suspended indefinitely.

The reason given is the old favorite “conduct detrimental to the team.”

This is not a result of anything off the court, an Alabama official said. It was purely basketball related.

‘Bama hoops picked third in SEC West

I apologize for addressing basketball during football season, but the SEC just released the preseason media voting. As the headline already told you, the Tide is picked to land in the middle of the West Division pack

JaMychal Green is the only Alabama player making the all-conference team landing on the second flight.

Eastern Division Points
Florida (13) 110
Kentucky (3) 95
Georgia (2) 72
Tennessee (2) 71
Vanderbilt 52
South Carolina 20

Western Division Points
Mississippi State (18) 118
Ole Miss (2) 84
Alabama 82
Arkansas 72
LSU 41
Auburn 23