Koenis earns Top Performer honors with lights-out display
MUNICH (FIBA Europe Cup) - Thomas Koenis of Donar Groningen produced one of the most impressive games of the season in the FIBA Europe Cup, claiming the Top Performer honors.www.fiba.basketball/europecup/1
MUNICH (FIBA Europe Cup) - Thomas Koenis of Donar Groningen produced one of the most impressive games of the season in the FIBA Europe Cup, claiming the Top Performer honors with a lights-out shooting display on Wednesday.
The 28-year-old Dutch center did not miss a shot, knocking down seven three-pointers en route to 25 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists in a 109-69 blowout win over Keravnos.
Having finished the contest with a perfect 9-of-9 shooting from the field, Koenis amassed an efficiency index of 36, which was the best mark in the competition by quite some margin.
His teammate Brandyn Curry also earned a place on the Team of the Week after finally breaking out of a shooting slump with five long-range makes and finishing the contest with 22 points, 6 assists and 3 rebounds.
DeVaughn Akoon-Purcell confirmed his status as one of the brightest stars of the FIBA Europe Cup season by carrying the Bakken Bears to a 93-92 triumph over Mornar Bar with a decisive last-second basket in overtime.
Wow, what a play! @FlyingWithClair with the acrobatic game-winner to steal it for @bakkenbears in OT! #FIBAEuropeCup pic.twitter.com/HRxjCYoRBV
— Simonas Baranauskas (@LithuaniaBasket) January 10, 2018
The game-winning cherry on top of the cake completed an incredible 25-point, 9-rebound, 8-assist and 2-steal line in the boxscore and allowed him to move in to a shared top spot in the scoring leaderboard alongside Mohamed Abukar.
Elsewhere, Ivan Buva had another strong performance for Istanbul BBSK in an 82-79 come-from-behind win against Nizhny Novgorod, posting a 26-point and 13-board double-double.
#FIBAEuropeCup Maç Sonucu:
— İBB SPOR KULÜBÜ (@istanbulBBSK) January 10, 2018
I Grubu İstanbul BBSK 82-79 Nizhny Novgorod (Rusya)
Takımımızda Buva 26, Birçeviç 20, Thompson 18 ve Toolson 9 sayı ile galibiyetin mimarı oldular. pic.twitter.com/bVZaqnqWc9
The big man proved to be an unsolvable mystery for the Russian side inside the paint, setting a personal record in free-throws attempted after going 12-of-13 from the stripe.
Belfius Mons-Hainaut guard Christopher Jones was the only player to make the Team of the Week in a losing effort, collecting 22 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists and 3 steals in an 85-81 defeat against U-BT Cluj-Napoca.
FIBA