Basketball teams trying to jell quickly

Albany

Representing six countries in the Eastern hemisphere, nine basketball players were thrown together for the first time Tuesday, given two days to form what they hope is a cohesive Team World conglomeration.

The task is to play against a similarly disconnected group of U.S. players Thursday night in the Aurora Games basketball event at Times Union Center.

How will that happen? Basketball is a universal language.

"It's been a smooth transition," Australian basketball star Abby Bishop said Wednesday. "When you all play basketball and it's been your life for so long, it's like going to a new team. You don't know anybody, but you can fit in straight away. It's pretty simple, really. We all speak the same language in terms of basketball. It will be fun."

Bishop is one of three Australians on the Team World roster, including coach Michele Timms, a former WNBA all-star.

Others are from England, Taiwan, Belgium, New Zealand and Spain. They had their initial practice Tuesday at Albany Capital Center, then held a joint workout and later a scrimmage Wednesday with Team Americas, which has all U.S. players.

"It one of those things, you all know each other, but I hadn't played with any of the girls," said Bishop, 30, a veteran of three WNBA seasons and now in Australia's Women's National Basketball League. "You know each other, but you don't really. It was an easy transition (Tuesday) going to practice. We had lots of laughs and it was a good time. We did go through our plays. We definitely have some plays, and we just got some shots up. It wasn't a massive practice yet."

Team Americas will be coached by Lindsay Whalen, who retired last summer from the WNBA 14th on the career points list (5,523) and third in assists (2,345). Whalen is beginning her second season as head...