Countdown 10/10/13

29 days remain...

While it's still to early to see WCC teams play somewhat meaningful basketball games, and by that I mean exhibition games, it's not too early to watch former WCC players play somewhat meaningful games. Last night in San Antonio the Spurs played host to six-time Euroleague champion CSKA Moscow. CSKA's previous game was a victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Gonzaga's Jeremy Pargo is now the starting point guard for CSKA Moscow. Patty Mills came off the bench for the Spurs but he, expectedly, saw more playing time than starter Tony Parker. Those two went at each other all night long, making the game reminiscent of the early rivalry days of Gonzaga vs. Saint Mary's.

Pargo led all scorers with 20 points. He also logged six rebounds and five assists in 40 minutes 36 seconds of action. Mills too was highly productive, scoring 14 points in just over 22 minutes. Pargo may have the prettier stat sheet but Mills had the last laugh. In overtime, Mills hit the game winning three and it was Pargo who was defending him.

The NBA is apparently not a fan of allowing their videos to be embedded, so watch the highlights here. Since this is from NBA.com, they're mostly Spurs highlights.

Countdown 8/4/13

97 Days Remain.

Let's get caught up with Matthew Dellavedova!

Going Forward and Looking Back: Gaels and the Olympics

Saint Mary's product Patty Mills was the star for Australia in men's basketball competition at the 2012 London Olympics. He ran up a tournament high in points with 39 against Great Britain, slayed then undefeated Russia with a buzzer beating three, and was tied (with two time NBA champion and four time NBA all-star Pau Gasol) for first in scoring during group play at 20.6 points per game. This was Mills' second Olympic games. His first, Beijing 2008, came during the offseason before his last season at Saint Mary's. His Boomers were eliminated by the United States, a team that is for all intents and purposes an NBA all star team, in both 2008 and 2012. The situation in Moraga this offseason is eerily similar to 2008.

Matthew Dellavedova, fresh off his first Olympic Games, will play his last season at Saint Mary's this season... sound familiar? As a Zags fan, I've always been afraid of the awkward but effective Aussie when the Gaels play Gonzaga. Things have changed and now I'll be terrified. Dellavedova, like Mills before him, had his first Olympics end at the hands of the King James, Kobe Bryant, and the rest of Team USA.

From Australia to Moraga to London

Matthew Dellavedova (Photo: SD Dirk)

The West Coast Conference's penchant for international recruiting has brought to WCC teams numerous athletes who play for their country's national team. This past season Gonzaga's roster included four players who participated in the 2010 FIBA World Championship in Elias Harris (Germany), Guy Landry-Edi (Ivory Coast), and Kelly Olynyk and Robert Sacre (Canada). Saint Mary's recent graduate, Patty Mills, also represented the WCC in the tourament as he played for Australia. While it's the Zags that travel the world looking for talent it's the Gaels who stick with one foreign land. Just as they did this year in the WCC tournament, they'll beat the Zags when it comes to participation in the 2012 London Olympics.