By Antonis Stroggylakis/ info@eurohoops.net
You’ve already read about the Ten most memorable Moments from 2016. Now it’s time to take a look (with a European angle) at the highlights that we’ll never, EVER forget from a year that was full of basketball spectacle of the highest order.
The PASS that would’ve been the assist of the year (a.k.a. “MILOS IS A WITCH”):
In the Group Stage game between Serbia and USA for the Olympic Games, Milos Teodosic let the power of his passing wizardry fully unfold. After dribbling his way past Paul George and Kevin Durant, he avoided Draymond Green’s defensive help by sending the ball in a simply magical, otherworldly manner to Bogdan Bogdanovic who was waiting beyond the arc.
Alas, his teammate didn’t sink the shot, but still… the pass earned a rightful place in the elite basketball anthologies.
The Block of the Year (A.K.A. Anthony Randolph’s demolition squad)
When you have the prowess of Joey Dorsey, it’s only natural to think that you will dunk in front of everyone, no matter what. Well, after what took place between him and Anthony Randolph, he’ll have to think twice about that.
In the Euroleague “Clasico” between Barcelona and Real Madrid, Dorsey took flight for a tomahawk dunk only for his attempt to be denied in the most emphatic manner imaginable by Randolph. The big guy of the “Blancos” showcased some insane athleticism and soared high enough to bring down the ball and his opponent. Pure, utter destruction.
The awesomeness of the block makes up for Randolph getting completely distracted in celebrations afterwards and letting Joey getting away with the basket.
The Poster of the Year (A.K.A. My name is Bryant, Hear me Roar)
An immense slam courtesy of Bryant Dunston who dunked the ball directly in front of Jan Vesely‘s face during the EuroLeague match between Fenerbahce and Anadolu Efes.
The American center moved great off the ball and, after getting the feed by Derrick Brown, stepped strong and threw the hammer
Posterizing Jan Vesely like that is something akin to dunking on a mountain. Not a surprise that Bryant Dunston let a scream which was heard all over Bosphorous.
The Dunk of the Year (a.k.a. “Look mom I’m doing it like Vince Carter”)
In case you’re wondering then no. We aren’t putting Anthony Randolph twice in our list because we are best buddies, his cousins, or whatever. But because he was responsible for the best Vince Carter impersonation we’ve ever seen is quite possibly the absolute slam of the year in European basketball.
The stage was set in the Spanish League game between Estudiantes and Real Madrid. Randolph first stole the ball, galloped in transition and then flew right above Jamar Wilson to dunk the ball in the basket.
Quite the savagery….
HONORARY MENTION: Osiris Eldridge’s 360 dunk in Buyukcekmece – Trabzonspor for the Turkish League.
The Tip In of the Year/Decade/Career (a.k.a. Viktor Khryapa redeemed)
Khryapa to the rescue! With his team down 83 – 81 during the very last seconds of the regulation in the EuroLeague Final between CSKA Moscow and Fenerbahce, the captain of the Russian squad caught the ball mid-air after a failed shot by Nando De Colo and send it in to force the overtime.
This enormous play arrived literally moments before… tragedy. CSKA had given up a 20-point lead and was close to another upset in the Final Four game, that would’ve been the team’s fifth in an equall number of Final Four knock-out matches.
Not only did Khryapa send the game to the extra period where the Russians won the trophy but sort of redeemed himself from letting the ball slipped by his hands in the final moments of the 2014 semifinal, a turnover which had cost his team the match then.
Battle Royale between two Legends (A.K.A. 3D VS V-SPAN)
Once they were teammates but were facing each other as opponents in the last years, as members of the two Greek “arch-rivals”. Dimitris Diamantidis and Vassilis Spanoulis. Panathinaikos and Olympiacos. Two iconic players of European Basketball were set against each other for the last time in Greek League’s finals providing a highly memorable sequence of plays that, more or less, sampled their basketball greatness.
In game 2 of the series Panathinaikos was down 63 – 65 and only seconds left. Captain Diamantidis took it on him to give his team the lead which he did with one of his classic step back three-point shots. It would’ve been the game-winner, but Spanoulis had a different opinion.
V-Span answered on the other end with a highly difficult buzzer beater from downtown, not only giving his team victory, but also transforming a possible 2 – 0 in the series to 1-1. Olympiacos would then go and win the championship with Spanoulis putting his signature again.
The Game-Winner (A.K.A. “One Shot One Kill-Bill”)
Vassilis Spanoulis was the absolutely protagonist of the 2016 Greek League Finals between Olympiacos and Panathinaikos in any way you can think of. After tying the series with a buzzer beater from downtown (above video) he scored 11 points in the last three minutes of the third game and 22 in total to help the Reds make the 2-1 at home. And he was saving the best for last.
A thrilling Game 4 had gone to second overtime and with the Greens managing to take a 81 – 70 lead with almost 20 seconds to go. Once again, Spanoulis took the ball, bound to strike. In front of him, Dimitris Diamantidis, the six-time EuroLeague best Defensive player was also ready to use this great skill of him on his opponent.
Spanoulis made the step back move on his left, pulled the trigger and despite having Diamantidis’ hands on him, drained the 3-pointer which decided the game… and the title.
Which was the best moment? You can tell us by voting
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