EuroView: Andersen leads ASVEL to victory
Veteran big man David Andersen was the standout performer in the top-tier of European leagues for the Aussie men this week, while Dan Trist and Ben Madgen also played well in Belgium and Spain respectively.
David Andersen put in a great performance for ASVEL Lyon-Villeurbanne as the leading scorer for ASVEL in their 83-69 victory over Antibes. Andersen was outstanding inside the arc, converting 5/5 2PT attempts and 1/3 from range. He also led ASVEL in rebounding with 7 and made his presence felt in 28 minutes. ASVEL were impressive in the way they controlled the match and dictated the terms. Once they had opened up a 10 point lead in the first quarter, ASVEL never looked back and continued to play a their own tempo.
It was a great night for ASVEL as the win moved them to second spot on the league table with a 3-1 record and with significant momentum. Coach Jackson was also very impressed with his team and hopes it is a sign of things to come.
"It's good to successfully put 83 points to a team that defends very well. Rather it was very dominant on the first and last quarter, and this is sure to have rotations and wish to experience players is a great strength."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lIIcqSVXPiI
Ben Madgen is enjoying his time in Belgium, with the former Sydney King scoring 21 points in a 97-78 loss to Oostende. Madgen was efficient, connecting on 7/9 from the field and 2/5 from three-point range, and looked at home despite his teams' struggles.
Madgen’s Verviers-Pepinster were right in the contest, leading by a single point at the main break. However, the class and talent of Oostende prevailed in the end, outscoring Verviers-Pepinster 56-36 in the second half. Oostende played like a well-drilled squad after the main break, with swift and proficient ball movement. Another solid performance has lifted Madgen to #3 on the league scoring with 19.7 ppg ahead of a bye in the next round.
BC Zalgiris Kaunas extended their winning streak to 5 to open the season following a dominant 65-83 win over Juventus. Brock Motum's Euroleague heroics were not needed in this contest, with the Boomers forward adding 6 points and 5 rebounds in 23 minutes. Zalgiris powered home in the final term on the back of a 15-32 final quarter that included a dominant rebounding performance (24-37) and stringent defence. Zalgiris pressured the hosts throughout the night, forcing 17 turnovers and restricting Juventus to a 40% FG percentage.
Ryan Broekhoff is adjusting well to life in Russia after a tough pre-season, with the forward contributing 13 points and 3 rebounds in a 70-79 victory over Avtodor.
After hitting three triples in a 33 point win over BC Astana, Broekhoff followed up with another fine long-range performance (3/4 3PT) and appears to fit in well with the offence at this early stage of the season. He logged just 18 minutes in the big win as coach Bartzokas looked to spread the minutes among the roster. It was an important road victory for Lokomotiv Kuban as they worked hard throughout the match only to secure victory in the final quarter.
Dan Trist also continues to impress in his first season as a pro for Oviedo in the Spanish second division, delivering 15 points and 2 rebounds in a 28-point loss to CB Clavijo.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1grKvn_NSYM
Trist's output has been impressive, with hauls of 15, 17 and 18 points across his last three games and is certainly looking very comfortable. Despite his team mates struggles to score, Trist went 6/10 from the field and along with Jordan Swing led the attack for the visitors. Both teams were dismal from long-range, shooting under 22%. Clavijo won the game with their inside play, shooting 62.5% on 2PT attempts and making a mockery of the opposition defence at times. Trist was impressive in just 26 minutes and will be a key figure in the rotation for Oviedo. At the present moment, the outlook for his future is looking bright.
Brad Newley played a solid supporting role in Herbalife Gran Canaria’s easy victory over Bilbao Basket, 59-85. He managed just 3/10 from the field as he compiled 7 points,1 rebound and 1 assist. It was a well-rounded performance from Gran Canaria as a team, with all but one player logging minutes in double figures in the commanding win.
Gran Canaria completely shut down the flow of the Bilbao offence in what was a very impressive defensive unit display. Bilbao shot just 31% from the field and took just 11 trips to the line. It was certainly a performance that would please coach Reneses and sees Gran Canaria tied with 5 teams on 2 wins.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2uoGEzQL3vY
While Trist is thriving in Spain, Mitch McCarron has had a couple of tough outings in the past fortnight. Against Breogan, McCarron went 0/7 from the field to finish scoreless as Palencia went down 74-85. McCarron put in a better performance when Palencia thrashed Palma 55-83. In 17 minutes, McCarron was 2/8 from the field and recorded 5 points, 3 assists and 2 rebounds in a display that showed glimpses of what made him such a great college player.
It has been a solid start to McCarron’s European career, following his 13 point debut and if the opportunities are available to him throughout the season he has the tools to grow and adapt.
In Poland, Daniel Dillon logged 28 minutes, 7 points and 6 rebounds in PGE Turow’s 76-66 victory over Start Lublin. Turow now sits in 11th position on the league table with a 1-2 record.