Βy Lefteris Moutis/ moutis@eurohoops.net
European basketball is evolving and improving by changing direction. Star scorers no longer dominate and now success is more abouτ teamwork. With that in mind, we ask: who are the four top scorers from every Turkish Airlines Euroleague team? Eurohoops.net highlights the Fantastic Four in scoring for every team in the Top 16. The top quartet belongs to Fenerbahce Istanbul, which has four players with an average of 11 points per game or more! However, the plenitude of Real Madrid is such that they showcase five players with double-digit scoring (although they have fewer points per game)!
Before we take a detailed look at the top quartet from every team that has four players averaging double-digits in points, let’s consider the rest of the teams that have fewer players that stand out in scoring. For example, CSKA Moscow has three players that are impressive (the league’s No. 1 scorer, Nando De Colo with 18.3 points per game; Milos Teodosic with 14.2 ppg. and Cory Higgins with 11 ppg.), but Joel Freeland just misses our cut-off. Something similar occurs with Unicaja Malaga, where the standouts are Mindaugas Kuzminskas (13.2 ppg.), Edwin Jackson (11.4 ppg.) and Richard Hendrix (10.9 ppg.), with Will Thomas complementing the quartet, but not reaching double figures (9.2 ppg.).
On the other side is Cedevita Zagreb, where Miro Bilan (15 ppg.), Jacob Pullen (14.1 ppg.) and James White (10.1 ppg.) stand out followed by Luka Babic (9.2 ppg.). Malcolm Delaney stands out for Lokomotiv Kuban Krasnodar as the second best scorer in the league, but aside from him there is only Victor Claver (10.4 ppg.), with Anthony Randolph (9.5 ppg.) and Ryan Broekhoff (9.2 ppg.) below our threshold. At Crvena Zvezda Telekom Belgrade, Maik Zirbes has 16.8 points and is the third-best scorer in the competition and then comes Quincy Miller (15.7 ppg.), with Marko Simonovic (9.4 ppg.) and Stefan Jovic (7.6 ppg.) lower. Olympiacos Piraeus’s top scorer is Georgios Printezis with 13.3 points per game, followed by Patric Young (10.8 points in the five games before he got injured) and then Matt Lojeski (9.9 ppg.) and Vassilis Spanoulis (9.6 ppg.).
The “Fantastic Four” of Zalgiris Kaunas are the two big men: Paulius Jankunas (12.1 ppg.) and Ian Vougioukas (11.3 ppg.). A bit further down the line are Olivier Hanlan (9.9 ppg.) and Brock Motum (7.6 ppg.). Khimki Moscow Region also has just two players in double figures: Alexey Shved (16.8 ppg.) and Tyrese Rice (12.7 ppg.). Then come James Augustine (9.3 ppg.) and Zoran Dragic (8.1 ppg.).
Only one of FC Barcelona Lassa’s “Fantastic Four” is in double digits: Ante Tomic with 14.1 points per game. Then come Carlos Arroyo (9.3 ppg.), Justin Doellman (8.3 ppg.) and Tomas Satoransky (7.5 ppg.). Finally, for Darussafaka Dogus Istanbul there is no player in double figures! Luke Harangody (9.8 ppg.) leads the team in scoring followed by Milko Bjelica (9.5 ppg.), Jamon Gordon (8.2 ppg.) and Scottie Wilbekin (7.7 ppg.), who collectively average 46% of their team’s points and have attempted 49% of the shots, showing that the Turkish team really is a perfectly-balanced ensemble.
Use the 2-7 numbers below to read about the six teams with the best four players in double scoring digit numbers!
Brose Baskets Bamberg
Bradley Wanamaker 12.4 ppg.
Janis Strelnieks 11.1
Daniel Theis 10.5
Nikos Zisis 10
Bamberg is the only team in which three out of its top four scorers play exclusively at the two guard positions. Wanamaker is having an amazing season with the most points, assists and steals. Strelnieks, Theis and Zisis follow behind, showing excellent consistency in their game. In any case, Coach Andrea Trinchieri has given this foursome an enhanced role, as Wanamaker, Strelnieks, Theis and Zisis attempt 54% of the team’s field goals and score 56.3% of their points!
Panathinaikos Athens
James Gist 12 ppg.
Miroslav Raduljica 11.9
Nick Calathes 10.5
James Feldeine 10.1
For many years (in fact, since the departure of Dejan Bodiroga), Panathinaikos has relied on the team concept and not on individual stars. The top scorer for the Greens this season is Gist with 12 points on average, followed by Raduljica (11.9 ppg.). Then, is Calathes, who is the third-best scorer, but who also has the title of the top rebounder and assist-man on the team! The fourth on the list is Feldeine, who is averaging 10.1 points and has made more three-pointers than two-pointers!
Real Madrid
Sergio Llull 13.8 ppg.
Gustavo Ayon 11.2
Felipe Reyes 10.5
Sergio Rodriguez 10.3
Madrid won the championship at last year’s Final Four thanks to the multitude of talented offensive players that Pablo Laso had at his disposal in crucial games. Something similar is happening this year as well, even though the European champions didn’t have such a good start to the season. The top scorer for the Madrilenos is Llull with 13.8 points, followed by the MVP for December, Ayon (11.2 ppg.). Madrid’s top quartet is completed by its top rebounder, Reyes, and the leader in assists, Rodriguez, with 10.5 and 10.3 points, respectively. Madrid is the only team that has five players who have scored double figures, as Rudy Fernandez has also averaged 10 points per game.