By Eurohoops Team/ info@eurohoops.net
Johnathan Motley earned the 7DAYS EuroCup Regular Season Round 1 MVP award, Euroleague Basketball announced Thursday.
Motley, 26, moved his talents to Europe after 33 NBA games between the Dallas Mavericks and Los Angeles Clippers since coming out of Baylor in 2017. After the first introductions in the VTB United League, he extended his solid start to his EuroCup debut with 29 points behind 10/12 two-pointers in the home win versus MoraBanc Andorra.
The player of the team based in Krasnodar making out a 39 PIR was the best among all players in action in the opening week of the 2021-22 season, thus becoming the MVP.
Per the press release: “Lokomotiv Kuban Krasnodar center Johnathan Motley recorded a debut for the ages in the 7DAYS EuroCup to earn MVP honors for Round 1 of the regular season. Motley went for 29 points, 8 rebounds and 2 blocks in leading Lokomotiv to a 93-82 victory over MoraBanc Andorra. He made 10 of 12 shots from the field and 9 of 10 from the foul line. Motley also drew 9 fouls in compiling a performance index rating of 39, which led all players in Round 1. Kevin Punter of Partizan NIS Belgrade was a close second with a PIR of 38 after leading his team to a 97-106 victory at Hamburg Towers. The Partizan scorer made all 8 of his two-pointers and all 7 of his free throws in scoring 26 points. He added 6 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals and 10 fouls drawn. One of Motley’s teammates was third on the weekly list with a PIR of 32; Darius Thompson scored 20 points, dished 5 assists and collected 4 steals. Thompson had a near-perfect shooting night; he was 8 for 8 on two-pointers and 4 for 4 on free throws with his only missed shots coming from behind the three-point line. Rounding out the top performances for the round were a pair of guards who squared off in Turkey. Alex Perez led Turk Telekom Ankara to a 73-65 victory over Boulogne Metropolitans 92 and Will Cummings. Perez has 18 points, 13 assists and 4 steals for a PIR of 31 and Cummins scored 26 points and amassed a PIR of 29.
Individual highs: Alex Perez’s 13 assists
Not only was Johnathan Motley the Round 1 MVP, but he was also the top scorer with 29 points. Mitchell Watt of Umana Reyer Venice led all players with 12 rebounds. The 13 assists recorded by Turk Telekom Ankara playmaker Alex Perez topped the charts. Three players shared first place with 4 steals apiece in Round 1: Vince Hunter of Metropolitans, Perez, and Darius Thompson. No players had more blocks than Gran Canaria big man Khalifa Diop and Turk Telekom center Octavius Ellis, who each rejected 3 shots. Three players started the season with double-doubles on opening night: Perez, Jordan Caroline (12 points, 11 rebounds) of Dolomiti Energia Trento and Watt (16 points, 12 rebounds).”
Also, the Top 10 Plays of Round 1.