By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Chris Johnson was hurt after a collision with Belgian big man Andy Van Vliet and feared to have suffered a concussion was rushed to the hospital during Hapoel U-NET Holon’s visit to Bnei Ofek Dist Herzeliya Saturday. Discharged, he was instructed to rest for the next few days and will be monitored by the medical staff, the team announced Sunday.
Johnson, 31, a fan favorite at the team based in Holon, is highly unlikely to be cleared for action ahead of the Basketball Champions League Quarterfinals best-of-three series Game 1 against SIG Strasbourg, scheduled to take place at Holon Toto Hall Wednesday.
The former Dayton standout, a veteran of 147 NBA games between the Memphis Grizzlies, Boston Celtics, Philadelphia 76ers, Utah Jazz, and Milwaukee Bucks, has produced 14.9 points, 5.9 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.3 steals, and 0.6 blocks per Champions League contest over 15 appearances this season, his third in FIBA’s premier European club continental competition. Extending to Israel’s Winner League, key contribution amounts to 13.4 points, 5.6 rebounds, 1.4 steals, 1.3 assists, and 0.7 blocks per game.
Guided by experienced head coach Guy Goodes, the Israeli club topped Round of 16 Group I to clinch the home-court advantage in the Quarterfinals. From there, it was drawn against Strasbourg. The French side will miss both Jaromir Bohacik and John Roberson in the best-of-three series, awarding a place in the BCL Final Four.
Despite losing Johnson in the third quarter, Hapoel Holon held on to claim the win in the Winner League Regular Season Round 22 game. Matching Bnei Herzeliya at 14-8, it trails only Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem’s 15-6 and Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv’s 14-7 in the domestic table, set to be split into two six-team groups to determine the final standings and Playoff seeds.
Photo Credit: Basketball Champions League