By Cesare Milanti / info@Eurohoops.net
MALAGA, Spain – When Chima Moneke came to the EuroLeague signing with AS Monaco, we interviewed him, and asked him about TJ Shorts, since they played together in UC Davis. “He’s my favorite player to watch in the world, my best friend. It makes me happy. I want him to win the BCL MVP more than I wanted to win it for myself. That’s how much I care about him“, he said. 109 days later, his wish came true, and even more.
If you haven’t seen how Telekom Baskets Bonn has lifted the first-ever Basketball Champions League won by a German team, then go see the whole 40 minutes against Hapoel Jerusalem. But if you have seen it, you may have missed what happened following the end of regulation. TJ Shorts, the absolute dominator of this weekend in Malaga, ran to the stands, behind Tuomas Iisalo’s bench.
“Before the game, you’re just in a whirlwind of emotions, I know my parents were probably more stressed out than me. I know my dad couldn’t eat, my mom’s probably freaking out… But after the game, when you get to embrace those emotions just let them out. I told her: ‘Happy Mother’s Day!’ and she said it was the best gift that she ever received, just seeing me happy”, he said in the post-game press conference, after receiving the Final Four MVP honors.
The tears of joy that were on their faces on the stage of the Ceremony Awards went to a whole other level after the guy who received 0 scholarship offers and had to create his path to the International scene dropped 29 in the BCL Final, the most-ever by a single player. The heart of hundreds of people in the Martin Carpena started to beat magenta as soon as the buzzer sounded. In two days, Bonn is back at it, starting their BBL Playoffs as 1st seeded team in the Regular Season. Cinderella? No more.
PHOTO CREDIT: Basketball Champions League