Louis Birdsong: From George Mason to Luxemburg - Jul 29, 2010 (by Daniel Poerschke)
The next club in Luxemburg announced the signing of a new import player for the upcoming season: Louis Birdsong (198-F-88, agency: Scorers 1st Sportmanagement, college: George Mason) from George Mason University (NCAA 1) will play for Amicale Steinsel in the National 1 league next year. The versatile forward comes from a very strong GMU program and averaged 2.6ppg and 2.0rpg last season as a senior on a deep and talented squad [read more]
The next club in Luxemburg announced the signing of a new import player for the upcoming season: Louis Birdsong (198-F-88, agency: Scorers 1st Sportmanagement, college: George Mason) from George Mason University (NCAA 1) will play for Amicale Steinsel in the National 1 league next year. The versatile forward comes from a very strong GMU program and averaged 2.6ppg and 2.0rpg last season as a senior on a deep and talented squad. The 21year old Birdsong can play both forward spots and impressed the Steinsel management and coaching staff during a one week try-out in June in Luxemburg.
Two Drexel University basketball players face robbery and weapons charges after an armed robbery at a fellow student's apartment in which they went looking for cash but came away only with two cell phones, police said.
Jamie Harris (5'10''-G), 21, the team's starting point guard and leading scorer, and Kevin Phillip (6'6''-F), 21, a backup forward, turned themselves in Monday, Philadelphia police Lt. John Walker said. A third man, Devon Bond, 21, also a Drexel student, was arrested last week [read more]
Two Drexel University basketball players face robbery and weapons charges after an armed robbery at a fellow student's apartment in which they went looking for cash but came away only with two cell phones, police said.
Jamie Harris (5'10''-G), 21, the team's starting point guard and leading scorer, and Kevin Phillip (6'6''-F), 21, a backup forward, turned themselves in Monday, Philadelphia police Lt. John Walker said. A third man, Devon Bond, 21, also a Drexel student, was arrested last week.
Police allege the three hatched a bizarre scheme to take money that Bond believed to be in a west Philadelphia apartment.
Bond knocked on the door around 10:30 p.m. Wednesday and asked to speak with the male roommate of the woman who answered, Walker said. Once inside, he and the woman discussed school for about 15 minutes.
When he left the building, Bond propped the outside door open and returned a few minutes later with Harris and Phillip, who were armed with handguns, police said. One of the players then forced Bond to the ground as part of a ruse to make it look as if he was being robbed, Walker said.
Harris and Phillip pointed their guns around the woman's apartment and kept asking where the money was, but they didn't find any, Walker said. The three men allegedly fled only with two cell phones.
'We think the roommate of the victim was being targeted,' Walker said. 'We believe Bond knew that there was money in that apartment.'
After the female student reported the robbery, Bond told police he had been the victim of a crime, Walker said. Police quickly found out that wasn't true, Walker said, and determined he had plotted the robbery with Harris and Phillip.
Bond was charged Friday, and warrants were issued for Harris and Phillip on Saturday. All three face robbery, theft and weapons charges, Walker said.
An attorney for Phillip declined to comment, and a message left for Harris' attorney was not immediately returned. It wasn't clear whether Bond had an attorney, and a telephone listing for him could not be found.
Harris, a 5-10 point guard out of New York City, started all 32 games for the Dragons last season and averaged 14.5 points a game. Phillip, a 6-6 forward from Brooklyn, averaged 2.9 points and 3.1 rebounds coming off the bench in 31 games.
A Drexel spokeswoman said the school would release a statement Monday afternoon.
Alford happy with Lobos, has deal through 2020 - Jul 25, 2010 (by Eurobasket News)
New Mexico coach Steve Alford said he had opportunities to leave this spring after the most successful season in school history. Forget it. He wants to be a Lobo.
'My agent got several calls,' Alford said Tuesday at a news conference. 'But if you talked to my agent, he'd tell you that I told him not to return any calls.'
Alford agreed to terms on a contract extension in April but because of schedule conflicts wasn't able to sign the deal until this month [read more]
New Mexico coach Steve Alford said he had opportunities to leave this spring after the most successful season in school history. Forget it. He wants to be a Lobo.
'My agent got several calls,' Alford said Tuesday at a news conference. 'But if you talked to my agent, he'd tell you that I told him not to return any calls.'
Alford agreed to terms on a contract extension in April but because of schedule conflicts wasn't able to sign the deal until this month. It runs through 2020 and will boost his total compensation to $1,149,200 over the next year, an increase of $145,000.
He could also earn an additional $625,000 next season by meeting performance incentives.
'I want to be a Lobo as long as you'll have me as a Lobo,' he said.
There is one new element to this contract -- a buyout clause, something Alford said he's never had in 20 years of college coaching. He must pay $400,000 if he leaves before March 31, 2011, and the figure decreases as the years advance through 2013.
'I've never had one and I hope it shows my commitment to the university,' he said.
In three seasons under Alford, the Lobos shared one Mountain West title and won last season's championship outright. They went 30-5 to set a school record for wins and returned to the NCAA tournament for the first time in five years, losing in the second round to Washington.
Alford, who has a 76-26 record at New Mexico, has been Mountain West coach of the year the past two years. Last season, the Lobos spent 12 weeks in the Top 25 and were No. 8 in the season's final poll, the second-highest ranking in school history.
Athletic director Paul Krebs said the results have more than validated New Mexico's effort to lure Alford from Iowa after the 2006-07 season. Krebs said team grade-point averages are up, along with revenues from ticket sales, and he predicts even better days ahead.
'In the history of the university, we've flirted with greatness. We've been on the edge,' Krebs said. 'With consistent leadership at the top, we've got a realistic chance and we expect to join an elite fraternity, to be one of the top programs annually in college basketball.'
Alford recalled 'a lot of wait-and-see attitude' from fans and others after he arrived. He said he adopted the same approach when Krebs and New Mexico president David Schmidly laid out their vision for supporting the basketball program.
But Alford said administrators have delivered on everything promised. As one example, he cited a $60 million renovation at The Pit, which will be completed in time for next season.
'There are certain things that have to be in place, and those things have to be in place at the top. If the president and A.D. and the staffs below both aren't on the same page, it doesn't work. ... I found that here. I'd be crazy to walk away from it,' he said.
He also said his family is 'extremely happy' in Albuquerque and everything he'd heard about New Mexico's wildly passionate fans has been confirmed.
'You don't have to sell the fan base,' Alford said. 'You just have to put out a product that competes, works awfully hard and plays unselfish. I think we've done that in three years. We've put out a product of young men who really have a sense of pride and understanding about wearing a Lobo uniform.'
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