By Aris Barkas/ barkas@eurohoops.net
With the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague trophy still missing, the efforts of the authorities to retrieve it and bring to justice the perpetrators once again hit a wall. While many more criminal acts are committed around Europe, nobody can connect them with the big heist yet and there are not solid charges against any one.
Once more, five arrest were made without results, even if two of the most notorious figures of the underworld were among them. As usual, the suspects were released after a few hours…
Leo Westermann: A new entry in the most wanted list with a very peculiar background: a French prodigy, groomed in Belgrade, who now makes his base near the Baltic Sea. Yes, he is elusive, and that was proven again a Zalgiris Kaunas shocked Baskonia Vitoria Gasteiz with him dropping 20 points, 4 assists and 4 rebounds without making even a single turnover.
Nikos Zisis: This angel-faced but nefarious consigliere of the Greek mafia who has made Brose Bamberg his base as usual didn’t want to get his hands too dirty. So in addition to scoring 16 points himself, he also dished 12 assists as his gang prevailed over Unics Kazan. And that will bring us later to his best man, Spanoulis…
Milan Macvan: Another Serb who was considered a dangerous criminal talent in his youth, but lately was reduced to a mere bouncer, showed up loud and proud in Istanbul, too. He was wearing his expensive EA7 Emporio Armani Milan suit and reminded everyone of his talents with 19 points and 6 rebounds against Darussafaka Dogus Istanbul.
Marko Simonovic: A well-known Serbian thug who is always ready to give the extra push to the Crvena Zvezda mts Belgrade gang. He did it in Turkey like never before. He scored 23 points, hitting the bull’s-eye on 8 of his 12 shots, leaving Galatasaray Odeabank Istanbul in a state of shock.
Vasilis Spanoulis: He has been running schemes with Zisis since their teens, when they first met. He is the current godfather of the Greeks and, contrary to his old friend, always ready to step into the spotlight. There was no more vicious crime committed this week than his 17 points and 9 assists against Anadolu Efes Istanbul, as Olympiacos Piraeus got its first scalp for the season.
Photo Credit: JPsportart