EuroView: Broekhoff and Motum show off versatility in big wins

Big wins were the theme in Europe this week, while the big men decided to show their play-making abilities, dishing out plenty of assists.

Lokomotiv Kuban put on a master class for the visiting BC Nizhny Novgorod, taking the easy win, 92-69. Lokomotiv turned the ball over just four times and recorded 26 assists in a great display of team basketball. For the hosts, Broekhoff was sound with 10 points, 1 rebound and 5 assists. Broekhoff was efficient with his use of the ball, hitting 4/6 from the field to go with 2 three-pointers. The Australian Boomer played just 20 minutes as the load was spread among the roster, though his coach will be very pleased with the play-making of the Australian sharpshooter. Broekhoff’s versatility was just one of the points on display in what was a big upset, considering the margin. The win keeps Lokomotiv Kuban with the pack on the table, in 7th spot on the VTB United league table.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RK8KasyWJ0o

Brock Motum was perfect from the floor when BC Zalgiris Kaunas routed Lietkabelis 69-95. Again, the minutes were shared, with Motum adding 10 points (5/5 FG), 4 rebounds and 4 assists in a very solid game. Motum showed versatility, not unlike fellow Boomers David Andersen and Broekhoff. It was another step up for Motum and he looks to have settled in very well over in Lithuania after 9 rounds. Zalgiris established a lead from the outset and slowly wore out their opponents throughout the course of the match. Zalgiris simply decimated their oponnents, moving to a 9-0 record and top of the league.

Over in the Spanish ACB, Brad Newley’s Herbalife Gran Canaria were defeated 65-63 in a tight and scrappy encounter with Iberostar Tenerife CB Canarias. Newley was relatively quiet for Gran Canria with just the 8 points (3/7 FG). He was not alone in his modest output as both teams repeatedly turned the ball over and struggled to find the open man. The lack of fluid play was more a result of sloppy play than quality defense. Minutes were shared around Gran Canaria and this limited the impact of Newley, though this match was a tough one for an individual to take hold of. Gran Canaria now stand alone in sixth spot on the league table.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_N_CfS9Czng

Ben Madgen scored 15 points as VOO Verviers-Pepinster went down to Okapi Aalstar 85-92. Madgen’s shot was shaky as the veteran was 3/9 from the floor, but continued his trend of attacking the paint. Madgen was 7/8 at the charity stripe and was one of four Verviers-Pepinster players to score in double digits. The game itself was generally a free-flowing battle, with the hosts maintaining the ascendancy until the final term when the visitors went on a 15-23 run to close out the match. The result had significant implications, with Verviers-Pepinster falling from third place to sixth on the league table.

Dan Trist had a shocker in the LEB Gold, fouling out in just 5 minutes. Though, it didn’t trouble Oviedo as they secured a valuable 72-74 victory over Lleida Basquet in a surprisingly tight contest.

Still in the LEB Gold, Mitch McCarron put in a good performance against CB Clavijo. McCarron scored 13 points (5/8 FG) and sunk three triples in a valuable contribution. Palencia made use of every point McCarron scored, defeating Clavijo 77-76 in a back-and-forth contest. Palencia steamed to a 31-14 lead after the first quarter, only to be tied up going into the last quarter after the visitors put on a 11-25 run in the third term. Palencia now move into outright first on the LEB Gold table with a 7-1 record.

David Andersen and Daniel Dillon had byes this round.