By Eurohoops Team/ info@eurohoops.net
Leading the way for Joventut Badalona in a home win over Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv on Tuesday, Ante Tomic received the MVP award for Round 1 of the BKT EuroCup Regular Season, as announced on Thursday.
Tomic, 37, started his fifth campaign in the second tier of Euroleague Basketball with a spectacular outing to earn the most valuable player distinction.
Per the press release: “Ante Tomic turned back the clock as he played a key role in Joventut Badalona grabbing a 78-75 overtime victory against Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv, which saw him earn MVP of the Round honors in the opening round of the 2024-25 BKT EuroCup season.
The 37-year-old center finished with a PIR of 32, a career-high in the EuroCup and the most of any winning player in Round 1. He also had 17 points and tied his career-best mark in rebounds with 12. As such, this was his third double-double in the EuroCup, with the others coming in Rounds 2 and 14 of the 2023-24 season. Tomic was near-perfect from the field, shooting 8 for 9 on two-pointers, and he made his 1 free throw. He drew 3 fouls on the night, too.
Coming is second place is Dolomiti Energia Trento’s Jordan Ford, who had a round-high 36 PIR but ended up tasting defeat against Dreamland Gran Canaria. Ford made a gigantic impression on his EuroCup debut, netting 32 points after going 11 for 11 on two-pointers, 3 for 4 on triples and 1 for 1 from the charity stripe. His 14 made field goals are the joint third most all-time. In third spot is U-BT Cluj-Napoca guard Zavier Simpson, who finished with 16 points, 7 rebounds, 9 assists, 1 steal and a 28 PIR on his first-ever game in the EuroCup, an 86-93 loss to Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana. The fourth-highest PIR belonged to Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem guard Jared Harper, as his EuroCup debut saw him record 27 points, 3 rebounds and 2 assists en route to a 27 PIR in his team’s 64-80 defeat to Valencia Basket. Rounding out the list of best performers in Round 1 is ratiopharm Ulm’s Noa Essengue, who smashed his previous career high with a 26 PIR in his side’s 93-96 overtime win at Trefl Sopot. He also set career-best marks in points (18), rebounds (6) and blocks (2), while he tied his personal bests in assists (2) and steals (1).”
In the Top 10 Plays of the opening round, first place belonged to Zsombor Maronka of the Veolia Towers Hamburg via a poster dunk.
Photo Credit: EuroleagueBasketball.net