Tomas Dimsa sets sights on crazy BCL record

By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net

Tomas Dimsa made history by scoring exactly 16 points for NutriBullet Treviso in the loss, 81-80, against Falco Szombathely Wednesday evening. And also has the chance to further cement himself in the Basketball Champions League record books.

Dimsa, 27, registered at least 16 points for the eighth BCL game in a row, excluding Qualifiers. The starting point of the streak dates back to the 2019-20 stint at Lietkabelis.

Only four players have previously enjoyed such a scoring sequence through Champions League history. Kevin Punter, Ricky Ledo, and Tyler Stone made it to eight straight showings producing at least 16 points, while the record belonging to Czech prolific scorer Vojtech Hruban stands at nine games in a row.

The Lithuanian point guard has been solid since joining the Italian club, on loan from Zalgiris Kaunas for the 2021-22 season. He helped the team coached by Massimiliano Menetti to march through the 2021 BCL Qualifiers returning to Europe for the first time in nine years. He poured 26 points in the 95-78 victory over Tsmoki-Minsk to seal the ticket to the Regular Season and has since extended the amazing streak.

At the Savaria Arena, he overcame a sluggish start with seven of his 16 points in the last two minutes. Single highhandedly keeping Treviso undefeated in Group D and clinching the berth to the Round of 16 would be a task completed, if he managed to connect a layup at the buzzer with the opposing defense all over him. With two games left and the secured tiebreaker advantage over Szombathely, his side can still get the job done and qualify directly to the next round, rather than compete for a spot in the Play-Ins.

Dimsa was exchanging clutch buckets with Zoltan Perl down the stretch. His counterpart splitting two free throw attempts after an intentional foul with 12 seconds remaining upped his crunch time total to six points and was enough for the win by the slightest margin possible for the Hungarian champions, after Dimsa’s shot missed the target.

Perl, 26, actually extended a streak of his own going over ten points for the 12th game in a row. He ended up with a team-high 18 points in his latest showing.

The remaining Regular Season double-legged round-robin schedule has Treviso at VEF Riga and Szombathely at AEK on December 14, and from there back home on December 22 against AEK and VEF Riga, respectively.

Photo Credit: Basketball Champions League