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By Stathis Trapezanlidis/ info@eurohoops.net
No matter how impressive a defense, an interception, a steal, or an assist can be, those that get all the glory, attract everyone’s attention and captivate people’s imagination are the great scorers! Eurohoops presents the greatest scorers of all time in the Eurobasket, players-artistes whose way of putting the ball in the opponent’s basket, no matter how many years go by, will be forever engraved in our memory. The only criterion for this list is their contribution in the Eurobasket competition and ONLY that.
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[lptitle title=”10. Giorgos Kolokithas“]
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Giorgos Kolokithas was one of the biggest scorers that ever played on European courts and the first Greek to emerge as a Top scorer in a Eurobasket. Indeed, he managed that two years in a row, in 1967 in Finland (26.7 point on average) and in 1969 in Italy (23.5 points). This achievement of his constitutes a tremendous feat if one takes under consideration the conditions of that era. He retired early due to knee problems. In 1991 FIBA recognized him as one of the best 50 players in history.
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[lptitle title=”9. Doron Jamchi“]
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Doron Jamchi was the man that succeeded and filled the void left by Miki Berkovich in Israeli basketball. He was the top scorer in 1985 with 28.1 points on average, while in 1987 in Athens he was the second best scorer in the tournament behind Nikos Galis with 31.9 points per game. Overall, he played in 5 Eurobasket competitions, and in most of those he was among the top scorers of the tournament and a permanent source of danger for opposing defenses.
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[lptitle title=”8. Juan Antonio San Epifanio“]
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The onetime great Barcelona forward played with the national team of Spain in 8 Eurobasket competitions having scored 894 points in 54 games (he’s at sixth place of the relevant table of greatest scorers). He led his country to the final in 1983 in France, while he got the bronze medal in 1991 in Italy. “Epi” left his mark on European basketball and in the years he was active the Spanish team was in the elite not only of Europe but on an international level as well. A big scorer and a great leader!
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[lptitle title=”7. Miki Berkovich“]
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Miki Berkovich is featured at fourth place of the top scorers in the history of the tournament with 935 points in 51 games. The Israeli guard led Israel to one of its biggest moments in 1979 when they won silver medal in the Eurobasket that took place in Italy. In the final, despite the defeat from the Soviets, Miki Berkovich emerged as the MVP of the tournament. Since 1991 he too belongs in the 50 best players in FIBA’s history.
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[lptitle title=”6. Drazen Petrovic“]
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The tragically lost Drazen Petrovic played in four Eurobasket competitions leaving us with some magical moments, unbelievably aggressive nights and a very big question mark in regards to what more we would have witnessed from him if he hadn’t passed away so prematurely. In 1987 in Athens he won the bronze medal while two years later he led his country to the top of Europe. He emerged as the MVP of the tournament with 30 points per game. He was the leader of an excellent team with truly many great players that dominated until it was disbanded and this really does say a lot about his caliber. Unfortunately, he never got to play in the Eurobasket with the colors of his beloved Croatia.
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[lptitle title=”5. Radivoj Korac“]
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Radivoj Korac is part of a very short list of players who have been more than twice top scorers in the Eurobasket. Three times and, in fact, consecutive! In 1959 with 28.1 points, in 1961 with 24 points and in 1963 with 26.6 points on average. He never managed to win the Eurobasket but he led Yugoslavia to the podium for the first time, winning two silvers (1961, 1965) and one bronze (1963). In 1961, actually, he emerged as the MVP of the tournament. Unfortunately for fans of basketball, he too – like Drazen Petrovic – passed away prematurely in a car crash. For many years the third largest European tournament bore his name.
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