09 October, 2018
05 May, 2019
18/10/2018
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Team of the Week: Rice, Larentzakis, Daye, Costello and Toure


MIES (Basketball Champions League) - A drama-filled Gameday 2 is in the books and so are some eye-popping performances from all over the Basketball Champions League.

In every contest, at least one and sometimes as many as four or even five players made strong cases for inclusion on the Team of the Week. Remembering that no player has ever made the fabulous five as a member of a losing team, and after intense debate, here are the players that have made the quintessential quintet this time.

Tyrese Rice, Guard

No one has stopped Rice this season

Yes, the Brose Bamberg playmaker can do it all when the rock's in his hands. The skillful Rice displays so much panache that he's a one-man thrill show, yet he's unselfish at the same time. In his tantalizing performance last week at home against Fuenlabrada, he had 8 assists to go with his 33 points. He might have made the Team of the Week then had Bamberg not been shot down by that buzzer-beating  (Pako) Cruz missile. This week, he had 5 dimes to go with his 20 points in a 73-64 win over JDA Dijon. The 31-year-old, who finished with a +18 efficiency, poured in 12 of his points over the last five minutes when Bamberg took control.

Giannoulis Larentzakis, Guard

 Larentzakis was the best player on the court in AEK's thrilling win at CEZ Nymburk

Already a winner of this competition as a member last season's AEK squad, Larentzakis looks hellbent on carrying his team back into the Play-offs. He drilled 7 of 8 shots from behind the arc and finished with 23 points. While logging 31 minutes, the 25-year-old shooting guard, a player that has gained additional confidence by putting on the Greece shirt in 6 of their 8 wins in the European Qualifiers for the World Cup, also had a couple of steals. He finished with a +27 efficiency rating.

Austin Daye, Forward

 Daye carried Umana Reyer Venezia to victory at the end against Holon

It takes some doing to stand out as the best player in a clash like Wednesday's 111-104 double-overtime triumph over UNET Holon because there were so many magnificent performances. Daye did stand out, though, especially considering how the veteran forward came through again and again when the game was on the line. He was 11 of 20 from the field, 2 of 3 from deep and 6 of 7 at the free-throw line. He was Zag-tastic, corralling 11 rebounds, handing out 3 assists and swatting a shot. Daye ended up with a game-high +33 efficiency rating.

Matt Costello, Forward

 

The 25-year-old Costello only missed one shot from the field on Wednesday in a 96-77 rout of MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg in Germany. He drilled 8 of 9 attempts from the floor and finished with 21 points and 10 rebounds and walked off the court with a sparkling +29 efficiency rating after playing 29 minutes of action. Costello also had one of the plays of the week, getting a swat before hustling down the floor for a dunk late in the third quarter. There's going to be a lot more to come from him this season!

Babacar Toure, Center

 Toure was at his ferocious best this week for Fribourg

It's impossible to look past the numbers of Toure, a 33-year-old Senegalese who dominated for Fribourg on Wednesday in a 97-79 victory over Opava. Toure tore apart the opposition with 23 points and he also had 16 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 blocks and a steal! It all added up to a +32 efficiency and a spot on the Team of the Week as Fribourg celebrated their first-ever Regular Season triumph in the Basketball Champions League.

 

Jeff Taylor

Jeff Taylor

Jeff Taylor, a North Carolina native and UNC Chapel Hill graduate, has been a journalist since 1990. He started covering international basketball after moving to Europe in 1996. Jeff provides insight and opinion every week about players and teams on the old continent that are causing a buzz.