By Eurohoops Team/ info@eurohoops.net
Rasid Mahalbasic was named 7DAYS EuroCup Top 16 Round 1 MVP, The Slovenian-born Austrian forward/center led EWE Baskets Oldenburg to the opening week victory versus Umana Reyer Venezia with a 25-point, 14-rebound double-double, also stuffed in five assists. His 38 PIR was the best of round and secured him the MVP honors.
Per EuroCup: “The 7DAYS EuroCup season changed gears into the Top 16 with eight games across the continent on Tuesday and Wednesday. When the dust settled, Rasid Mahalbasic emerged as the weekly MVP with a performance index rating of 38 by leading EWE Baskets Oldenburg to a 98-87 win over Umana Reyer Venice. Mahalbasic had his best game yet in the EuroCup with personal highs in points (25) and rebounds (14) as well as PIR. He hit 12 of 13 two-point shots – setting a new Top 16 record for efficiency at 92.3% – and dished 5 assists. Mahalbasic’s PIR, rebounds and two-point totals were also Oldenburg club records in the EuroCup. Following him, Nemanja Gordic of Partizan NIS Belgrade led his team to a resounding 99-81 win over Segafredo Virtus Bologna with a PIR of 30, the second best in Top 16 Round 1. Gordic scored 22 points and dished 4 assists. Even if he lost his game with MoraBanc Andorra, David Walker tied Gordic with a PIR of 30. Completing the top five individual performances of the week were Alen Omic of Joventut Badalona (26) and Eric Buckner of AS Monaco (26).
Individual highs: Clevin Hannah, Andorra, 10 assists
Andorra’s Walker was the best scorer of the round with 26 points against Joventut. Semaj Christon of already-eliminated Limoges CSP still leads the season rankings with 17.6 points per game. Mahalbasic was the best man under the glass with his 14 boards, but he was joined in that total by Martynas Echodas of Rytas Vilnius. Alan Williams of already-eliminated Lokomotiv Kuban Krasnodar still qualifies for the best man under the rims with his average of 9.4 rebounds. Andorra’s Clevin Hannah was the only player to reach double-digit assists, with 10, while Christon remains at the top of the season rankings (8.0 apg.). On the defensive end, Braydon Hobbs of Oldenburg collected more steals than anyone, 4, in Top 16 Round 1. The season standings are still led by Aaron Craft of Dolomiti Energia Trento (2.8 spg.). Last but not least, as many as five players has 2 blocks each: Oleksandr Lypovyy of Promitheas Patras, Deon Thompson of Unicaja Malaga, Awudu Abass of Germani Brescia Leonessa, Alex Tyus of UNICS Kazan and DJ White of Tofas Bursa. Johnathan Hamilton of Darussafaka Tekfen Istanbul and Hassan Martin of eliminated Buducnost VOLI Podgorica, share the leadership of the season rankings (1.7 bpg. Each).”
Photo Credit: EuroCup