EuroView: Motum helps power Anadolu Efes to tight win
Brock Motum was in great form in Turkey, helping his side earn a win in the SuperLeague, while Ryan Broekhoff's Lokomotiv Kuban continued their impressive run in the VTB United League.
Helped by 13 points of the bench from Australian Boomer Brock Motum, Anadolu Efes Istanbul finished over the top of Yeşilgiresun Belediye 97-93 in a tense contest in Turkey. Nothing separated either side throughout the four quarters, however it was Efes who managed to get their noses in front when it mattered the most. Motum was in great form, shooting a perfect 6-of-6 from the field and dishing out 2 assists in 20 minutes on court. Now in fourth place, Efes is just 1 win behind the unbeaten Tofas.
In the VTB United League, Lokomotiv Kuban accounted for VEF Riga 83-70 to maintain their momentum. The Russian outfit won every quarter en route to their 13 point win, forcing 17 turnovers and shooting 48% from long-range. Ryan Broekhoff played a role off the bench in his 17 minutes, adding 2 points, 3 rebounds and 2 steals as Lokomotiv moved into third place with a 4-1 record and tied with Khimki and Zenit St Petersburg.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CqABBrgWj_E
Joel Spear managed 16 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists and 2 steals for Nidaros, but he could not prevent a landslide 66-102 loss to Kongsberg in Norway. He would back that effort up with 18 points in guiding his side to a rebound 64-61 win against Ammerud. He shot 7-of-11 from the field with 10 rebounds, 5 assists and 4 steals to be one of the most dominant players on court. The win helped keep them in fourth place in what is shaping to be a very event competition.
In the British Basketball League, Bristol's captain, Michael Vigor, had a tough offensive night but his Flyers managed to still earn a 74-71 come-from-behind win over Glasgow thanks for a devastating 29-15 final term. Vigor would finish with 8 rebounds and 5 assists in a valuable role, ensuring his side gained ground on the fifth placed Rocks.
Playing in the Spanish second division are Dan Trist (Ourense) and Matt Donlan (Huesca). Trist's Ourense fell short to third placed Prat 86-76, with the Aussie forward come off the bench to play his part. He would finish the contest with 12 points, 7 rebounds and 2 assists in just 22 minutes. He has been in good form, averaging 13.5 points and 5.1 rebounds per game, but unable to prevent his side from sitting in last place in the standings.
Huesca were also unable to earn a win, going down to Manresa 73-54. Unfortunately for the sharpshooting Donlan, he would play just 8 minutes and was unable to find a way to put up a shot to score. His team however sits mid-table with a 3-5 record.
Baunach continued to struggle in the German Pro A, yet it was not through fault of first year pro William McDowell-White. The point guard delivered a team-high 19 points (6-of-11 FG) with 6 rebounds, 9 assists and 1 steal in another promising display. He went 6-of-7 from the charity stripe, and was just one of three Young Pikes to score in double figures as they lost to Hamburg 60-77. Baunach are still searching for their first win of the season, now saddled with an unenviable 0-9 record.