Bonn's big Gamble pays off: Telekom Baskets center headlines Top Performers
MUNICH (FIBA Europe Cup) - Telekom Baskets big man Julian Gamble was a force of nature in the FIBA Europe Cup Quarter-Finals against Ironi Nahariya, pushing the Bonn club through to the Semi-Finals.
MUNICH (FIBA Europe Cup) - Telekom Baskets big man Julian Gamble was a force of nature in the FIBA Europe Cup Quarter-Finals against Ironi Nahariya, pushing the Bonn club through to the Semi-Finals with two major-league individual displays.
The 27-year-old American center, who has been simply unstoppable in the Play-Offs, was among the best performers in both legs of the tie, averaging 23.5 points, 14.5 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game against the Israeli opposition.
No one in the competition could match Gamble in terms of efficiency in the Quarter-Finals, with the player posting two impressive double-doubles en route to rankings of 37 and 29 at home in Bonn and on the road in Nahariya, respectively.
Reynolds, Roberson, @sbutterfield_21, Elegar and @TheRealJG45 named #FIBAEuropeCup Top Performers of the QFs.
— FIBA Europe Cup (@FIBAEuropeCup) March 23, 2017
📖 https://t.co/zsnE7eL8dN pic.twitter.com/8dWq7mbUyP
Cibona playmaker Scottie Reynolds was the runner-up after collecting 17.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, 13 assists and 4 steals per game in a tightly-contested tie against Elan Chalon, in which the Croatian side came out second best.
His direct match-up, John Roberson of Elan Chalon, averaged 28 points and 6 assists and his 39-point game at the Drazen Petrovic Basketball Hall went in the FIBA Europe Cup record books as the most by a single player in the competition.
39 points à 10/11 à 3-points pour John Roberson... C'est encore plus fou que le PSG qui sombre chez le Barça : https://t.co/6CwCja6i8x 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/a5DXoa5PrD
— BeBasket (@Be_BasketFr) March 8, 2017
Another player who found himself in a record-breaking move was Spencer Butterfield of Nanterre 92, who equaled Roberson's 39-point performance against Muratbey Usak Sportif after making a competition all-time best 11 three-pointers in a single game.
The French-based American marksman, who made a total of 14 long-range shots in the two games finished the tie with averages of 28 points, 2.5 rebounds, 2 assists and 1 steal per game.
Attention ⚠ The #FIBAEuropeCup record for made 3-pointers in 1 game has been broken AGAIN! 😲 @sbutterfield_21 @nanterre_92basket 👏 pic.twitter.com/f7iCYTAEC4
— FIBA Europe Cup (@FIBAEuropeCup) March 16, 2017
Meanwhile, Enisey Krasnoyarsk center Frank Elegar, who leads all players in the competition with five Top Performers appearances this season, couldn't help the Siberian club get past the hurdle of Telenet Oostende in spite of racking up 16 points, 12.5 rebounds and 3.5 steals per game in the Quarter-Finals.
FIBA