By Aris Barkas/ barkas@eurohoops.net
While the authorities focused on notorious criminals, watching every move they make, not only was no progress made in the search for the missing EuroLeague trophy, but new names emerged and were added to the most wanted list.
You have to expect the unexpected when you are dealing with cold-blooded perpetrators and it’s obvious at this point that everyone should be considered a possible suspect. That’s why this week, from the five persons arrested, only two had a previous criminal record. It’s no surprise, however, that once again all of them were released.
Vitaly Fridzon: He is not as notorious as other members of the CSKA Moscow gang, but this Russian sniper has great timing. Last year he was arrested in Madrid, this time he needed just less than 2 split seconds in order to make his shot and shock Brose Baskets at the buzzer. In total, his 9 points, 2 rebounds and 4 steals may not look like much, but he delivered the killing strike.
Vadim Panin: Another Russian shooter who kept a low profile. That changed last week when he led Unics Kazan over the stylish EA7 Emporio Armani Milan crew. He came out of nowhere and ended up taking eight shots, seven of them on target for a total of 18 points. The Italians didn’t know what – or for that matter, who – hit them, but by the time they realized, Panin had made a name for himself.
Antanas Kavaliauskas: Accustomed to doing their damage close to home, the Zalgiris Kaunas staged an ambush last week at Crvena Zvezda mts Belgrade’s headquarters in the Serbian capital. Antanas Kavaliauskas, a brute bearded thug, demanded his way repeatedly in a near-perfect crime: 20 points in 20 minutes with hardly a miss. By the time he had finished marauding, Zalgiris was headed back to the Baltic Sea with all the loot.
Tyler Honeycutt: This was the only name truly familiar to the authorities this week, considering they had arrested him a month ago. This time he was caught in Israel and accused of vicious deeds against Maccabi FOX Tel Aviv: 21 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 steals, 1 block. His bosses at Anadolu Efes Istanbul were more than glad that he left mayhem in his wake, the better not to see their gang fleeing town with a good-as-gold win.
James Nunnally: The showdown between Fenerbahce Istanbul and Real Madrid was a bloody affair, but this upstart criminal wasn’t afraid to get his hands dirty and make a name for himself. The newest member of the nefarious Istanbul gang had 18 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists and 1 steal, but the most gut wrenching of his moves was a single, perfectly placed free throw, the shot that sent Madrid empty-handed on its long trip home.