By Aris Barkas/ barkas@eurohoops.net
New, shocking information about wanted Euroleague stars was leaked this week and arrest warrants issued for the following persons. Please beware and approach them carefully, because they are armed with amazing talent and dangerous to any opponent.
Aaron Jackson: All teams upgraded their alarm systems in order to stop Milos Teodosic and Nando De Colo, but there is also an American making the difference and sealing the wins for CSKA. To be exact, this week Aaron Jackson was the one who secured the result and locked up the outcome against Maccabi FOX Tel Aviv, providing the right punch for the knock out. He was a starter and contributed 12 points on 4-for-6 two-point shooting, 7 assists, 2 steals and just 1 turnover. He does a lot of damage and is smooth besides.
Chris Singleton: He is wanted for forgery as a forward who transformed into a center overnight upon arriving in Russia. In a game that could easily have gone either way, Singleton made his Euroleague debut memorable by making big, late plays that pushed Lokomotiv Kuban Krasnodar past dangerous Panathinaikos Athens. And he did it by playing mostly at the center position and taking advantage of his speed against Miroslav Radjulica. The end result was 16 points, 9 rebounds, 2 blocks, 2 turnovers and 1 assist over 25.5 minutes – and, of course, a win for Lokomotiv. He came out of nowhere, so be on your guard with this one.
Colton Iverson: He changes teams, cities, roles and identities. He is a master of adapting in every situation and seems ready to become a breakout star for the Turkish champions, Pinar Karsiyaka Izmir. He proved it by taking out the front line of FC Barcelona Lassa. He needed just 21 minutes and 46 seconds in order to score 16 points on 7-for-12 shooting and also grab 8 rebounds. He also had 2 assists and 2 turnovers, which added up to a performance index rating of 19. Last season, he struck in the west. Now he is making things happen in the east. Is there no stopping him?
Thomas Heurtel: Don’t let his angelic face fool you! He is capable of inflicting lethal damage on any defense not only by shooting, but also with his incredibly accurate passing ability. He returned to his home country and got the job done for Anadolu Efes Istanbul against Limoges CSP by dishing 15 assists. He tied his personal best, which is also the second best all-time passing performance in Turkish Airlines Euroleague history. Add to this his 10 points on 2-for-4 three-point shooting, 3 rebounds and 1 steal. His only glitch, 6 turnovers, is the kind of mistake that make the police hopeful of catching up with him.
Marko Todorovic: Last seen in Barcelona two years ago, he has returned with a vengeance, trying to score big. And last week he did just this for his new outfit, Khimki Moscow Region. The Montenegrin big man is a highly sophisticated professional who needed less than 23 minutes on the court in order to score 15 points, pull 8 rebounds, block 2 shots and make 1 steal against no less an adversary than Real Madrid. His concentration was amazing against the defending champs. He’s the definition of hired muscle.
* Artwork credit: JPsportart