By Eurohoops Team/ info@eurohoops.net
If there is one player that perhaps stood out more than the others this double-game week (or “Week from Hell” if you will), then that’s no other than ASVEL Villeurbanne guard Norris Cole.
After pushing ASVEL to a win over Baskonia, two-time NBA champion Cole delivered big and in key moments to lead the French side to a road victory over Crvena Zvezda. That’s three in a row for him and his team now.
MVP: Norris Cole (ASVEL Villeurbanne)
It’s not only about the numbers (a season-high 22 points) but also the timing. Cole hit consecutive baskets in crunch time of the match against Red Star and drained a decisive pair of free throws with a couple of seconds remaining in Belgrade. Red Star was coming off a comeback from down 15 and had a momentum that could steer them to win but Cole wasn’t eager to let that happen.
Best Five:
- Norris Cole (ASVEL Villeurbanne): Second straight appearance on the Best Five.
- Pierria Henry (Baskonia): After four straight losses, the game against Zalgiris Kaunas was absolutely “must-do” for Baskonia. Enter Pierria Henry and his 19 points and five assists and an overall pivotal game for the Basque squad.
- Nikola Mirotic (Barcelona): He has had plenty more impressive games than the one vs. Olympiacos in Piraeus but his 16 points (plus five rebounds) mattered a lot in such a defense-dominant, physical battle. Also, he delivered four crucial points in crunch-time, including a bucket of pure beauty.
- Edy Tavares (Real Madrid): The tower of Real Madrid stood high also in Berlin against Alba with nine points, 10 rebounds, three blocks and major contribution to the team’s defense.
Coach of The Week: Andrea Trinchieri (Bayern Munich)
“I asked EuroLeague if I can play with six guys but they said not,” Trinchieri said before the game vs. CSKA Moscow. Well, if there was a sixth man on the court that was him and his winning game-plan. Sure, CSKA lacked Mike James (suspension) and Will Clyburn (injury) but this was still a grand victory for Bayern, a first in the club’s history.
? @andreatrinkieri pre-game to #CSKBAY pic.twitter.com/yPSl9dzxEc
— FC Bayern Basketball (@FCBBTogether) January 29, 2021
Panathinaikos re-building under Oded Kattash
Oded Kattash was our runner-up for Coach of the Week with the Greens not only beating but dominating a quality Valencia team at home. Kattash is beginning to put his mark on the game of the Greek side with tight defense that multiplies the offensive opportunities, plus focus on board control.
Mike James
Pretty much everyone involved in European basketball is waiting to see the developments of the “Mike James situation” on CSKA Moscow. The most recent update is what president Andrey Vatutin said: That both sides are looking for a solution that will help “everyone work towards a common goal.”