Canadians in Europe: 8th - 11th December

Another busy week for Canadians playing overseas in Europe's pan-national basketball competitions, in a number of instances making a big difference in the final results for their teams.

FIBA Champions League

Compatriots Kyle Wiltjer and Phillip Scrubb met in Ankara as Wiltjer’s PTT Ankara took on Scrubb’s visiting Limoges. The teams were never further than four points apart from each other in the first quarter, before the Turkish team pulled away the following period, going on to lead by sixteen. Still leading by double-digits ahead of the fourth quarter, Ankara looked assured of victory until Scrubb hit a trio of three pointers and two from close range in the last ten minutes of regulation, turning the game on its head and swinging advantage over to Limoges.

In the final ten seconds, a three from Sam Dekker and layup from Erdi Gulaslan would win the game for Ankara, with that topping Group G with the 76-73 dispatch of Limoges. Wiltjer managed 12 points in the contest while Scrubb led all on the floor with 21 points for Limoges.

EuroCup

Conor Morgan came off the bench and scored 10 points for Joventut, one of six players for the Spanish club to finish the game in double digits en route to a comfortable win over Reyer Venezia. The game was won in the second quarter, which Joventut won 26 points over Venezia’s 14, and the Italians could not come back from the nineteen-point deficit, in the end reducing their arrears to just 89-75.

Buducnost Podgorica’s visit to Germany and Ulm was highlighted by an outstanding performance from Melvin Ejim, the game’s leader with 20 points and 8 total rebounds. The early momentum from the hosts was overturned by the visitors from Montenegro midway through the game and they led comfortably before Demetrius Conger and John Petrucelli brought Ulm to within two

In the final possession, Ejim and Nikola Ivanovic both hit from the foul line to guarantee the victory for Buducnost. They earned their place in the next round of competition with the closely-contested four-point victory.

For JL Bourg-en-Bresse, Thomas Scrubb put up 9 points and 6 total rebounds for the French team that fell behind early on to UNICS Kazan. Led by Isaiah Caanan – who had 33 points in the game and made eight of the team’s ten three-pointers – the Russian club went in front by seventeen points in the first quarter, only for Bourg-en-Bresse to fight back in the paint, eventually getting to within a point of Kazan twice in the second half. At the final stretch Canaan and Nate Wolters kept the advantage with Kazan, which saw them capture the win, 76 points to 71 over their French visitors.

Kenny Cherry managed just four points for Brescia against Malaga, a close game throughout. The teams were never more than six points apart from one another, the Spanish visitors led for three quarters before Brescia finally went in front with eight minutes to go. Both teams had to fight to retain the lead and in the end Malaga were the ones who prevailed. 22 points from TJ Cline would be small comfort for Brescia in the hard-fought loss, 83-79 to Malaga.

Euroleague

In the Spanish capital, Trey Thompkins gave Real Madrid an early lead over Zenit St Petersburg. The hosts were within reach until the third quarter, when they went twenty points in front. Starter Kevin Pangos added 12 points to try and overturn the game in Zenit’s favour, who outscored Madrid by ten points in the final quarter, but came up short in trying to get the win. Real Madrid pick up their sixth win in a row, downing St Petersburg 79 points to 72.

Dyshawn Pierre scored just four points in a game to forget for Fenerbahce. The Turkish club fell further and further away from Alba Berlin, who led by as many as thirty points on their home court this week. Berlin had five players finish in double digits compared to just one from Fenerbahce, who found no response for relentless Alba. The home team prevailing by a final score of 89-63.