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Springfield Armor holding open tryouts in October

The Springfield Armor, the official NBA Development League affiliate of the New Jersey Nets, today announced that the team will hold open tryouts for the 2011-12 season on Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 22-23 at Springfield College located at 263 Alden St. in Springfield, MA. The local tryouts will be limited to the first 125 registrants.

Open tryouts present an opportunity for players to showcase their talents and be evaluated by the Armor coaching staff while they compete to earn a spot in the Armor’s training camp in November. The Armor have a strong track record of discovering players who have made the team through open tryouts. Tre Whitted, who made the team through the 2009 open tryout, is the second leading scorer in franchise history. Five players have made the Armor’s opening night roster through open tryouts in the team’s two seasons.

“I am really looking forward to our open tryouts on October 22 and 23 in Springfield,” said Armor Head Coach Bob MacKinnon, Jr. “Each player will have two days of drills and scrimmaging to show us their abilities. We utilized this format previously and have been able to find players out of our camps that gained roster spots and furthered their careers in the league.”

Registration and check-in on Saturday begin at 8:00 a.m. with the first session set to begin at 9:00 a.m. Check-in for the second session on Sunday begins at 9:00 a.m. with the second session set to begin at 9:30 a.m.

Applicants must be eligible to play in the NBA D-League and must submit the official registration, release, disclosure and background check forms. A pre-registration fee of $150 is due prior to 5:00 p.m. on Wed. Oct. 19. After Oct. 19 or on the day of the tryouts, the registration fee is $200. Tryout forms are available online (armorhoops.com) or at the Armor office (One Monarch Place, Suite 220 Springfield, MA).

Springfield Armor name Chris Carrawell assistant coach

The Springfield Armor today announced that Chris Carrawell has been named the team’s assistant coach under Head Coach Bob MacKinnon, Jr. Carrawell, who was a four-year standout at Duke University under Hall of Fame Head Coach Mike Krzyzewski, joins the Armor as the team’s second assistant coach in team history.

“Chris is an excellent addition to Bob’s staff,” said Nets General Manager of Minor League Operations Milton Lee. “He is a young, aggressive coach who comes to the Armor from a storied college basketball environment, and his passion and energy will be an invaluable asset to our players.”

Carrawell, 33, joins the Armor after four years of working at his alma mater in a variety of administrative roles. Carrawell served as the athletic community outreach coordinator for Duke’s athletic department from 2007-08 and then became a graduate assistant manager for the Duke men’s basketball program from 2008-10. Carrawell also held roles with the men’s basketball program as an assistant strength and conditioning coach, as well as an assistant video coordinator, for the 2010-11 season. Prior to accepting a position with the Armor, Carrawell had been serving as a special assistant to the Duke women’s basketball program.

“We are so happy for Chris. He’s the consummate team player who became ACC Player of the Year. He has a great understanding of the game and loves to teach it,” said Duke University and USA National Team Head Coach Mike Krzyzewski. “This position is absolutely perfect for him.”

A native of St. Louis, MO, Carrawell earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology after a stellar four-year career at Duke. Carrawell started all four years from 1996-2000, capturing Associated Press and First Team All-American honors, as well as the ACC Player of the Year award during his senior season. Duke advanced to the NCAA Tournament all four years Carrawell was in school and captured four straight ACC regular season titles. During Carrawell’s collegiate career, the Blue Devils compiled a record of 133-24, including a 58-6 mark in ACC play. Carrawell started every game during the 1998-99 season when Duke compiled a 37-2 record, eventually falling to the University of Connecticut in the 1999 national title game.

Following his collegiate playing career, Carrawell was drafted by the San Antonio Spurs with the 41st overall pick in the 2000 NBA Draft. Carrawell began a lengthy overseas career that same season, starting in Italy during the 2000-01 season. Carrawell returned stateside the following year to play in the inaugural season of the NBA Development League with the Asheville Altitude. Over the next six years, Carrawell played in Lithuania, Germany, Australia, the Philippines, the American Basketball Association (ABA) and the Netherlands before retiring in 2007.

“Chris is an outstanding person and possesses all the qualities you look for in an assistant coach,” said Armor Head Coach Bob MacKinnon, Jr. “(Chris’) experience at Duke University, as both a player and as a coach, will be invaluable towards his development of our players here in Springfield. This is another exciting step toward establishing the Armor as one of the elite teams in the NBA Development League.”

The 2011-12 season will open on Friday, November 25 when the Armor host the Maine Red Claws at 7:00 p.m. at the MassMutual Center in Springfield.

Former Celtics president Dave Gavitt dies at 73

The AP reports:

Dave Gavitt had an impact on the world of basketball. From a career as a successful coach to changing the face of college sports to introducing the Olympics to a Dream Team, Gavitt’s touch was everywhere.

His death Friday night after a long illness was confirmed by his family Saturday. He died in a hospital near his hometown of Rumford, R.I. He was 73.

Gavitt coached Providence to the NCAA tournament five times, including the Final Four in 1973. He was the driving force behind the formation of the Big East Conference and was its first commissioner. He was selected to coach the U.S. Olympic team in 1980, but the United States boycotted the Moscow Games. Gavitt was president of USA Basketball and oversaw the introduction of NBA players onto the U.S. Olympic roster, including the Dream Team at the 1992 Games.

“He was not only a great basketball coach and organizer of the Big East but he was a great, great statesman for basketball, college and international,” former St. John’s coach and fellow Naismith Hall of Famer Lou Carnesecca said Saturday.

J.R. Giddens signs in Greece

Euroleague.net reports:

PAOK Thessaloniki added some scoring punch by signing swingman J.R. Giddens for the season. Giddens (1.96 meters, 26 years old) made his Turkish Airlines Euroleague debut last season with Asseco Prokom, for whom he averaged 9 points on 47.4% three-point shooting and 5.2 rebounds in 10 games. His best game was his very first: 20 points on 9-for-9 two-point shooting and 10 rebounds in a losing effort against Khimki Moscow Region. Later in the season Giddens briefly joined Valencia Basket in Spain, but left before ever appearing in a game for the Spanish club.

Celtics to land huge 20-year TV deal

The Los Angeles Lakers have a $900 gazillion trillion billion (give or take) television deal, and their historic competitors, the Boston Celtics, will eventually announce a deal of their own.

Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe reports:

The Celtics are waiting for the lockout to end before they announce a lucrative 20-year deal with Comcast, and the deal may have softened ownership’s stern stance on the labor situation. With the Comcast deal, the Celtics should remain financially healthy for the near future.

The Celtics and Lakers have two of the most loyal fan-bases in the league. And they’re almost always good teams. So it’s fitting that they have landed big TV deals.

Kendrick Perkins arrested in Texas night club

The Chicago Tribune reports:

Authorities have charged Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kendrick Perkins with misdemeanor disorderly conduct and public intoxication after an altercation early Saturday morning in South Texas.

A statement from police in Beaumont, Texas, said officers saw a large crowd outside The Ticket night club just after 2 a.m., and received complaints of fights and pepper spray inside.

An officer saw about 50 people inside around Perkins, who police said was attempting to fight the club’s manager. The statement said the crowd pushed Perkins out the back door of the club, where he continued to yell obscenities and start other fights.

InsideHoops.com editor says: Kendrick was probably scowling at some point during the evening.

Read fan opinion or share your reaction in this basketball forum topic.

Houston lands 2013 NBA All-Star Game

Mark Berman of My Fox Houston reports:

NBA sources told FOX 26 Sports the Houston Rockets and the City of Houston landed the NBA All-Star Game in 2013. The game will be played at Toyota Center on Feb. 17, 2013. NBA All-Star week will be Feb. 15-17. The Rockets and Toyota Center also hosted the game in 2006.

Click2Houston reports:

The entire NBA All-Star Weekend will be in the Bayou City from February 15-17, 2013. Hilton Americas Marketing Director Janice O’Neill-Cox spoke with Local 2 Sports Wednesday afternoon, saying, “We played a key role in working with the league to make sure availability was in place. It’s a big boost for our city to land the game, and we’re excited about it.”

InsideHoops.com editor says: I don’t get why Houston is getting the game again. They just had it in 2006. Meanwhile, other teams haven’t hosted it in a long time. Also, Madison Square Garden renovations will be mostly complete in time. And the new Brooklyn Nets arena will exist by mid 2012. Unusual call to send the big weekend back to Houston so soon.

Doc Rivers buys penthouse in Four Seasons Hotel

The Boston Globe reports:

Rivers, who previously rented at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel, has purchased a penthouse at the Four Seasons Hotel. The well-compensated coach just closed on his new pad, paying $2.2 million for the 2-bed, 2.5-bath spread. Located on the 16th floor of the Boylston Street hotel, the penthouse has 1,801 square feet of living space, including enormous picture windows that look out over the Public Garden and Beacon Hill. It also offers 24-hour valet and concierge service. “He did his homework,’’ said realtor Beth Dickerson, who handled the sale. “He wanted to clearly understand the market, and at the end of the day, he liked the service and privacy of this property.’’

Charges dropped in alleged kidnapping over Shaq sex tape

The AP reports:

Los Angeles County prosecutors have dropped the case against seven gang members accused of kidnapping a music producer who claimed to have a sex tape of Shaquille O’Neal.

At the prosecution’s request, a judge Tuesday dismissed kidnapping, assault and robbery charges.

District attorney’s spokeswoman Jane Robison says prosecutors believed Robert Ross was attacked but his credibility as a witness was undermined by some of his own testimony and behaviour outside court. No details were provided.

Kevin Garnett helped Marquis Daniels during scary injury

Jessica Camerato of CSNNE reports:

It began like a routine play. Marquis Daniels caught the ball near the baseline and attempted to drive to the basket against Gilbert Arenas. The two players collided and . . . in an instant, everything changed.

His right arm crashed into the parquet first, followed by his face. Daniels lay flat on the court, unable to feel his body but still conscious. He thought about his two young children – “Man, I can’t raise my kids like this. This can’t be it.” – as the crowd of 18,624 at the TD Garden came to a deafening hush, waiting – and hoping – to see any sign of movement.

Daniels heard a voice. In that moment, the most intense player on the court was suddenly the calming assurance he needed.

“I just remember I kept hearing Kevin [Garnett] telling me, ‘You’re gonna be alright. You’re gonna be alright,’” Daniels told CSNNE.com in a telephone interview. “I was like, ‘I can‘t move.’ He said, ’What do you mean?’ He kept telling me I was gonna be alright. I think that helped me out a lot, just hearing his voice telling me I was going to be alright. I stayed calm, I didn’t panic.

“It was a trying time for me. I didn’t take anything for granted. I was going to take everything seriously from now on.”