By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Dylan Osetkowski was named 7DAYS EuroCup MVP of the Week following a record-breaking performance in the Regular Season Round 7 win for ratiopharm Ulm over Germani Brescia. The American-German center put up a personal-high 32 points accompanied by yet another personal-best, 41 PIR, more than enough for the weekly MVP honors.
Danilo Barthel was the last German player earning MVP distinctions, landing two during his 2017-18 EuroCup run with FC Bayern Munich.
Per the press release: “In a key victory that bolstered his team’s Top 16 chances, ratiopharm Ulm big man Dylan Osetkowski put on the most productive performance of the 7DAYS EuroCup season so far to earn his first MVP of the Week award. Osetkowski dominated Ulm’s 88-76 home win over Germani Brescia by scoring 32 points while making 5 of 7 two-point shots, 4 of 5 threes, and all 10 of his free throws. He also collected 7 rebounds and 7 fouls drawn for a performance index rating of 41, which also tied for Ulm’s single-game individual record. The second- and third-best performances of the week belonged to a single player, Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana team captain Jaka Blazic. In a rescheduled Round 2 game against Frutti Extra Bursaspor on Monday, the veteran swingman posted a career-best 39 PIR in a 104-88 win over Frutti Extra Bursaspor. Blazic scored a career-high 33 points to go with 2 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal and 7 fouls drawn in that one. Two nights later against Bursaspor again, Blazic compiled 25 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals for a 32 PIR as Olimpija won again, 80-97. In the fourth-best performance this week, Bursaspor’s guard Xavier Munford had a PIR 31 in Monday’s game against Olimpija, collecting 25 points, 7 assists, 2 steals and 2 rebounds. Behind him, tied for fifth place, were Bahcesehir Koleji Istanbul guard Erick Green and Promitheas Patras forward Dimitris Agravanis, with PIRs of 28 each. Green’s came in Bahcesehir’s dramatic 67-70 home loss to UNICS Kazan on Tuesday despite his 23 points, 4 assists, 4 rebounds and 2 steals. Agravanis had similar luck as his 22 points and 3 rebounds went for naught in an 80-89 home loss to Dolomiti Energia Trento.
Individual highs: Omercan Ilyasoglu, Bursaspor, 11 assists
Osetkowski’s 32 points topped all scorers this week, while Green is the overall scoring leader still, with 20.9 per game. Alan Williams of Lokomotiv Kuban Krasnodar expanded his rebounds lead to an incredible 13.9 per game thanks to a new personal high of 18 that he grabbed in an 83-89 home loss to Virtus Segafredo Bologna. Teenage guard Omercan Ilyasoglu of Bursaspor dished 11 assists this week, matching the total of Lokomotiv veteran Mantas Kalnietis, who leads the charts with 8.5 per game. Isaiah Cordinier of Nanterre 92 and Kevin Hervey of Lokomotiv each grabbed 4 steals, while Codi Miller-McIntyre of Partizan NIS Belgrade stays atop the rankings with 3.0 on average. Matt Costello of Herbalife Gran Canaria registered 5 blocks, the most this week, in his team’s Round 5 replay victory over previously unbeaten Trento on Friday. Danny Agbelese’s 2.3-block average for Promitheas is the best in the EuroCup to date.”
Below the Top 10 Plays bringing a superb full-court assist by Milos Teodosic in the first place.