By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
A well known name from the NBA, a veteran from Lithuania, two more US imports and a French big man are this week’s Basketball Champions League best five.
Per the BCL press release:
Norris Cole, Guard
If you think you’ve read something like this before, it’s because you have. Yes, a Thursday does of déjà vu with that man Cole again making the Team of the Week. After claiming a spot on the Gameday 1 Team of the Week, and also scooping the MVP honor, the 30-year-old Cole has done it again with a near triple-double display in a 105-102 overtime triumph against Anwil. Cole connected on 7 of 13 shots from 3-ball range and finished with 33 points, 9 assists and 8 rebounds. He walked of the court with a sparkling +33 efficiency rating.
Simas Jasaitis, Forward
The 36-year-old, a two-time Olympian with Lithuania, rolled back the years with a vintage Jasaitis display to help Lietkabelis win for the first time in the Basketball Champions League. Jasaitis made all seven of his shots from the floor, including a 5-of-5 night from behind the arc, and ended up with 21 points and a +25 efficiency in his team’s 97-86 victory over CEZ Nymburk.
Jae’Sean Tate, Forward
How did Telenet Giants Antwerp knock off one of the pre-season title favorites, Hapoel Yahav Bank Jerusalem, 101-89, in Belgium this week? We’ll tell you how. They worked extremely hard and got a scintillating effort from Tate, a bundle of energy who had 24 points on 8 of 14 shooting from the floor. Tate, who played more than 31 minutes, drilled 5 of 7 shots from long range in his best game of the season. Don’t let his +17 efficiency rating fool you. Tate was Mr Big Time in this win.
Tim Abromaitis, Forward
The veteran sharpshooter of Iberostar Tenerife is one reason why the Canary Islanders believe they are the team to beat in this season’s European competition. Abromaitis nailed 5 of 6 from deep and had 23 points in a 91-68 blowout of Fribourg Olympic in the Santiago Martin Arena. The 29-year-old, a member of Iberostar Tenerife since 2015 and key man in the club’s title win in the first edition of the Basketball Champions League, also had 6 rebounds, 3 assists and a +29 efficiency.
Youssoupha Fall, Center
The Senegalese-born France international, an important man in his national team’s impressive FIBA Basketball World Cup Qualifiers campaign, wreaked havoc in the low past at Besiktas this week for SIG Strasbourg in their 78-71 victory. Fall left Istanbul with a nice stat line of 17 points, 10 rebounds, 2 blocks and a +25 efficiency.