By Aris Barkas/ barkas@eurohoops.net
There’s no rest for the wicked, not even on holidays. The Christmas spirit does not affect criminals, on the contrary! 2015 ended with one more crime spree spreading all around the Turkish Airlines Euroleague. You can’t keep perpetrators at bay just by wishing, so be alert. The outlook for 2016 is not cheerful either. You can expect more merciless plays and high scores. The authorities efforts’ again did not produce results, so be aware that perhaps in your city some of the most dangerous people from the old continent are striking on a weekly basis. And nothing can stop them.
Adam Hanga: This Hungarian left his country at a very early age, but was already a juvenile delinquent. He made Spain his home and is still trying to make a name for himself, so he is ready to do anything. That’s how he emerged in the road win for Laboral Kutxa Vitoria Gasteiz over Zalgiris Kaunas. His 7 points were not too impressive, but he attempted just four shots, while also amassing 10 rebounds, 4 blocks, 3 assists, 1 steal and not even a single turnover in 38 minutes. It was an almost perfect crime.
Sergio Rodriguez: Also known as “El Chacho”, or “The beard”. A longtime hustler based in the Spanish capital who has the tendency to include artistry in his crimes. Simply put, he gets away because nobody can expect his moves. For 20 minutes against Brose Baskets Bamberg he didn’t score and suddenly he led Real Madrid to the win with 22 points and the biggest shot of the game. The authorities are always on his trail, but he always has a solid alibi.
Pero Antic: There are many stories about this gangster who just can’t hide who he is. You can take a look at him and understand immediately that you don’t want to mess with him. His 12 points and 5 rebounds don’t tell the whole story about his game in Fenerbahce Istanbul’s win over Panathinaikos Athens. Antic was a part of every big play down the stretch, bringing his usual hustle and “take no prisoners” mentality. He is a brutal force who has been arrested – by mistake as it turned out – in the United States. He is still wanted in Europe.
Alexey Shved: He was accused as a deserter of the Russian army, however this doesn’t seem to be true, or at least not completely true. Once hailed as talented sniper, he traveled to the States and returned to Moscow. Not for CSKA Moscow, but for Khimki Moscow Region. And now we reach the part in which things are getting really interesting. He had 28 points and delivered the killing blow in the final seconds against the army team. That made him a de facto member of the most-wanted list.
Malcolm Delaney: This guy needs no introduction. He is one of the most dangerous hitmen at large in Europe. Back in November, in just five minutes, he scored 20 points against Panathinaikos. This time in the north part of the Balkans against Cedevita Zagreb he had 22 points in 13 minutes. After a performance index rating of 41 plus 31 points in total, he escaped once more towards his Baltic Sea hideout. In any case, this is not the last we have seen of him.
Art credit: JPsportart