By Eurohoops Team/ info@eurohoops.net
After powering U-BT Cluj-Napoca to a home win versus 7bet-Lietkabelis on Wednesday, Zavier Simpson was named MVP of Round 8 of the 2024-25 BKT EuroCup Regular Season by Euroleague Basketball on Thursday.
The former Michigan standout piled up 32 points with 7/11 from the field, including two triples. Five assists, two rebounds, one block, and one steal added to a PIR of 34.
The highest performance index rating among every player in action on Tuesday and Wednesday earned him the MVP distinction.
Per the press release: “A record-breaking performance in a winning effort allowed Zavier Simpson of U-BT Cluj-Napoca to earn BKT EuroCup Regular Season Round 8 MVP honors with a PIR of 34.
Simpson led Cluj to a 100-93 home win over 7Bet-Lietkabelis Panevezys with 32 points, 2 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 steal and 1 block. He made 7 of 11 two-pointers, 2 of 4 three-pointers and 12 of 13 free throws and drew 9 fouls to compile a PIR of 34, which was the highest of any player in Round 8. Simpson is the first Cluj player to earn MVP of the Round honors this season and the third in competition history after Karel Guzman and Emanuel Cate.
Devon Dotson of Joventut Badalona had the round’s next-highest PIR with a 32 in his team’s 78-72 home win over Buducnost VOLI Podgorica. Dotson led Joventut with 26 points on 7-of-10 two-point shooting, 3-of-4 on three-pointers and 3-of-3 on free throws, plus 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, 1 block and 6 fouls drawn.
Gabriel Chachashvili helped Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem beat Cosea JL Bourg-en-Bresse 86-77 with 20 points on 8-of-11 two-point shooting and 4 free throws without a miss, 11 rebounds, 1 steal and 4 fouls drawn for a PIR of 29.
Mateusz Ponitka of Bahcesehir College Istanbul (28 PIR) and Mantas Rubstavicius of Lietkabelis (27 PIR) complete the list of top individual performances in Round 8.
Individual highs: Mfiondu Kabengele, Reyer, 15 rebounds
The Round 8 MVP, Cluj’s Zavier Simpson, led all scorers with a club-record 32 points. Jared Harper of Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem is the competition’s top scorer with 21.4 points per game.
Mfiondu Kabengele of Umana Reyer Venice pulled down 15 rebounds against Turk Telekom Ankara to lead the weekly standings. He is also this season’s top rebounder with 10.4 per game.
Jerusalem point guard Harper dished 9 assists, more than anyone in Round 8. Simpson is the EuroCup’s assist leader with 6.9 per game.
Three players had 4 steals apiece this round: Sehmus Hazer of Bahcesehir, Gabrielius Maldunas of Lietkabelis and Tarik Phillip of Trefl Sopot. Phillip and Dreamland Gran Canaria’s Andrew Albicy share the lead for the season, each averaging 2.3 steals.
Kur Kuath of Veolia Hamburg Towers had 5 blocks in this round, a new EuroCup season high. He also leads the overall standings with 2.2 per night.
Four players had double-doubles in this round: Kabengele (10 points, 15 rebounds), Chachashvili (20 points, 11 rebounds), Matas Jogela of Wolves Twinsbet Vilnius (10 points, 12 rebounds) and Andrija Stipanovic of Lietkabelis (11 points, 12 rebounds).”
Top 10
Veolia Towers Hamburg combined a win with headlining the Top 10 Plays of Round 8 behind a spectacular connection between Brae Ivey and Kur Kuath.
Photo Credit: EuroleagueBasketball.net