McDonald's Championships
on Britball
McDonald's Championship 99
Stars To Watch
ADELAIDE 36ERS - Oceania
Darnell Mee, Guard, 28 years old, 6-6, 183 pounds - An athletic, aggressive
guard, Mee played two seasons in the NBA with the Denver Nuggets from 1993
to 1995. A collegiate star at Western Kentucky who averaged 18.9 ppg during
the 1992-93 season, Mee was a second round pick (34th overall) of the
Golden State Warriors in 1993. The Warriors then immediately traded his
rights to Denver. Mee played for the Canberra Cannons when he first arrived
in Australia. He signed with the 36ers and helped the team to back-to-back
NBL championships in 1998 and 1999. Last season, he was named the NBL Best Defensive Player and was also named to the All-NBL Second Team. Mee
averaged 15.2 points and 6.7 rebounds last season.
Brett Maher, Guard, 26 years old, 6-2, 181 pounds - Maher is the team's
leading scorer, but he's also a capable passer and steal-minded defender.
He averaged 18.5 ppg during the regular season and increased his tally to
21.6 ppg in the playoffs. He has played for the 36ers since 1992, and was
named to the All-NBL Third Team in 1999. Maher was a member of the
Australian National Teams that played in the Olympics in 1996 and in the
World Championship in 1998. He is one of a group of younger players that is
expected to take over the national squad from veterans like Andrew Gaze and
Shane Heal in the coming years.
C.S. SAGESSE - Asia
Assane N'Diaye, Center, 31 years old, 6-11, 209 pounds - N'Diaye is the
starting center for Senegal's national team that competed in the 1998 World
Championship in Greece. A terrific shotblocker, he led the Lebanese league
in rebounds and blocked shots the past two seasons. Last season, he
averaged 11.5 points, 11.6 rebounds and 4.19 blocks per game. He has some
problems defending bulkier post players, but is capable of helping out his
teammates by blocking the shots of drivers to the basket.
Elie Mchantaf, Forward, 29 years old, 6-4, 209 pounds - Mchantaf has been
with the team since it debuted in the first division in 1993, the only
player remaining from that first team. He has led the Lebanese league in
scoring over the period of the last six seasons. He possesses the ability
to score both inside and outside, despite his short stature for a forward.
Last season, he averaged 19.4 points, 6.3 rebounds and 5.3 assists per
game. He is captain of both the national team and C.S. Sagesse.
Joe Vogel, Center, 26 years old, 6-11, 255 pounds - Vogel was a second
round pick (45th overall) of the Seattle SuperSonics in 1996 out of
Colorado State, although he has played exclusively overseas since being
drafted. As a senior, averaged 10.6 points and 6.6 rebounds per game. He
joined the team late last season and aided the drive to the championship.
In five games, he averaged 19.8 points and 13.4 rebounds per game. Prefers
to stay outside and pop the jumper, and has good range out to the
three-point line.
Prentice McGruder, Guard, 25 years old, 6-3, 13 stone - McGruder led the BBL in assists last season after joining Chester Jets early in the campaign. The Chicago-born star added 12 points per game in Britain, his first pro season after graduating from University of California.
VARESE ROOSTERS - Italy
Andrea Meneghin, Guard, 25 years old, 6-7, 216 pounds - Andrea is the son
of the legendary Dino Meneghin, widely-regarded as the best Italian player
ever. Dino Meneghin was drafted by the Atlanta Hawks in 1970, but elected
to remain in Europe. Andrea was eligible for the 1996 NBA Draft, but NBA
teams felt he was not physically developed enough at that point. The
younger Meneghin has a well-rounded game, and he is at his best when
penetrating to the basket and creating open shots for teammates. Key member
of Italy's national team.
Daniel Santiago, Center, 23 years old, 6-11, 255 pounds - Santiago is a
member of the Puerto Rican national team. A late bloomer with potential,
Santiago's progress is being monitored by NBA teams. He played college
basketball at three U.S. colleges, including the University of New Mexico.
Last season was his first with Varese, and he averaged 8.4 points and 4.9
rebounds per game. Despite his bulk, Santiago has a smooth shooting touch
and can pass the ball out of the post.
Gianmarco Pozzecco, Guard, 27 years old, 5-11, 163 pounds - Has been the
teams sparkplug since moving to Varese five years ago. Loves the uptempo
game and is proficient at pushing the ball upcourt and making exciting
passes. A dangerous three-point shooter who knows how to play every aspect
of the game. He is always among league assist leaders, and averaged 16.9
ppg last season. A team leader.
ZALGIRIS KAUNAS - Euro League
Corey Beck, Guard, 28 years old, 6-2, 201 pounds - A very tough, physical
defender at point guard, Beck has shuttled back and forth between the NBA
and CBA all four seasons of his professional career. Beck has played 88 NBA
games with Charlotte and Detroit and 102 games in the CBA with Sioux Falls.
A key member of the Arkansas team that won the NCAA national championship
in 1994, Beck has never been a great perimeter shooter, but knows how to
run an offense and is an excellent on-the-ball defender. After playing 16
games with Charlotte, eight games with Detroit and eight games in the CBA
in 1998-99, Beck elected to go overseas for the first time in his career
with Zalgiris.
Eurelijus Zukauskas, Center, 26 years old, 7-1, 251 pounds - The Milwaukee
Bucks have owned his NBA draft rights since the night of the 1995 NBA
Draft, when they traded the draft rights to Eric Snow for him after Seattle
chose Zukauskas with the 54th overall pick. An excellent team defender who
can block the shots of drivers as well as those of his own man. He has
always been a high percentage shooter, and can make a jumper out to the
foul line. While playing with more offensive-minded teammates on the
Lithuanian national team, primarily concentrates on defense and rebounding.
A player who is much more valuable than his stats indicate.
Jiri 'George' Zidek, Center, 26 years old, 7-1, 265 pounds - A native of
the Czech Republic and a member of the Czech national team since 1992,
Zidek attended UCLA and was a member of the Bruins' NCAA title team in
1995. He was a first round pick of the Charlotte Hornets in 1995 (22nd
overall) and played three NBA seasons with Charlotte, Denver and Seattle
from 1995 to 1998. He signed with Zalgiris for the 1998-99 season and
averaged 13.5 points and 7.4 rebounds per game last season. Has one of the
best true hook shots of any big man playing professional basketball today.
His lack of speed and jumping ability hurt him in the NBA, but is a very
smart player who uses his size well.
VASCO DA GAMA - South America
Demetrius Ferraciu, Guard, 26 years old, 6-4, 187 pounds - A member of the
Brazilian national team since 1996, Ferraciu came to Vasco da Gama from
Franca Marathon in 1999. He is a clever passer who has good size for the
guard position and rebounds well from the backcourt. In 1998 while playing
with Franca, he led the Brazilian league in assists. Starts on the national
team with Vasco da Gama teammate Rogerio Klafke.
Charles Byrd, Guard, 33 years old, 6-1, 176 pounds - Byrd was not a
well-known player coming out of West Texas State in 1988, but he has had a
successful career in Europe, playing in France and Spain, and in Brazil. He
was voted as the Best Import Player in Brazil in 1998. Last season, he
averaged 20.3 points per game for Vasco da Gama. He is an excellent
three-point shooter and uses his quickness to get open for shots. Averaged
over 20 points per game playing for Strasbourg in France in 1996.
Rogerio Klafke, Forward, 28 years old, 221 pounds - Regarded as the best
all-around player from Brazil, Klafke is a national team star who is solid
in all aspects of the game. A terrific long-range shooter, he also is an
unselfish passer. With current teammate Demetrius Ferraciu, he led Franca
to the Brazilian league championship in 1997 and 1998. Although he was once
thought to be the heir to Oscar Schmidt, the legendary scorer who still
plays in Brazil, Klafke has developed as more of an all-around player who
scores while he helps his team in many ways. He averaged 17.7 ppg for Vasco
last season after leading Franca with 22.5 ppg in 1998.
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