GB SO CLOSE TO HISTORIC WIN
09/03/2008

GREAT Britain came within half a second of pulling off the biggest upset in their history before losing 102-92 to Israel in over-time in Tel Aviv.

Chicago Bulls star Luol Deng was magnificent and showed why the British federation paid £230,000 to win his insurance clearance this week.

He scored 30 points after just two practices with the team but fouled out in the extra period along with former NBA-er Pops Mensah-Bonsu and veteran Nate Reinking.

And coach Chris Finch admitted the referees had played a major part in the outcome. He said: "A lot of calls went against us down the stretch, maybe they were right, maybe they were wrong.

"But they certainly didn't feel right from where I was and we had our three best players sitting on the bench at the end of the game."

Reinking had been involved in the agonising finale in normal time when he went to the free-throw line with GB leading 84-83 and only 2.5 seconds to play.

But he only made one free-throw then fouled Meir Tapiro with half a second on the clock and the Israeli made his two free shots to tie the score 85-85 and force over-time.

Deng scored five points, to give the Brits a 90-89 lead and silence the noisy 6,000 crowd at the Nokia Arena but he fouled out soon after and, with him, went British hopes.

Youngster Joel Freeland was brilliant for the Brits with 14 points and 9 rebounds while Israel were led by Tapiro's 27.

Israel coach Zvi Sherf said: "Britain did not surprise me. I expected them to be this good, I was perhaps the only one.

"I saw discs of a lot of their games and once Deng joined the team they became a very different and stronger team."