By Eurohoops team / info@eurohoops.net
Antonio Blakeney and Elijah Bryant earned co-MVP honors for EuroLeague Round 8 after leading Hapoel Tel Aviv to a commanding 118–88 victory over Anadolu Efes.
Both finished with a PIR of 35, with Blakeney delivering a career-best scoring performance and Bryant matching his influence through scoring, playmaking and defense.
Blakeney poured in 35 points, setting a new EuroLeague season high, on 4-of-5 two-point shooting, 8-of-9 from beyond the arc and 3-of-4 free throws. He also collected three rebounds and drew four fouls.
Bryant contributed 16 points, a career-high 12 assists, three rebounds and four steals. He missed only one field-goal attempt, shooting 4-of-5 on two-pointers and 2-of-2 on threes, while converting both free throws and drawing five fouls.
It was Bryant’s third MVP of the Round award this season and the sixth of his career. Blakeney received the honor for the first time.
The first teammates to share the award were Mirsad Turkcan and Alphonso Ford of Montepaschi Siena, who each posted a PIR of 32 in Round 8 of the 2002–03 regular season. Gustavo Ayon and Luka Doncic were the most recent pair, sharing the distinction with Efes center Bryant Dunston after all three recorded a PIR of 23 in Game 3 of the 2017 playoffs.
Tyson Carter and Kendrick Nunn followed with PIRs of 26. Carter scored 24 points in Crvena Zvezda’s 100–78 win over Maccabi Tel Aviv, while Nunn had 20 points and six assists as Panathinaikos edged Olimpia Milano 80–75.
Hapoel’s Dan Oturu and Valencia’s TJ Shorts completed the leading group with PIRs of 25. Oturu contributed 20 points against Efes, while Shorts scored 23 and drew 10 fouls in Valencia’s 86–78 victory over Fenerbahce.
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