Euroleague: Williams and Bogdanovic named co-MVPs

Bojan Bogdanovic of Fenerbahce Ulker Istanbul

For the first time in the Top 16, the weekly bwin MVP honors will be shared by two players. Bojan Bogdanovic of Fenerbahce Ulker Istanbul and Marcus Williams of Unicaja Malaga both put up a lot of points in leading their respective teams to crucial wins. In the end, their performance index ratings were the most among all players on winning teams in Top 16 Game 5. Bogdanovic starred as his team topped BC Khimki Moscow Region 85-82 at home on Thursday for their first Top 16 victory. Bogdanovic tallied 26 points, coming on 5 of 8 two-point shots, 2 of 6 from downtown and a perfect 10 for 10 from the free throw line. He also recorded 4 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals before fouling out for his index of 27. Williams had 28 points as Unicaja downed CSKA in Moscow 81-94 on Friday to snap a three-game losing streak. It was a great all-around shooting performance for Williams, who made 3 of 5 from inside the arc, 6 of 12 from downtown and 4 of 5 from the charity stripe. He also dished 4 assists with just 1 turnover. The top two index ratings for the week came from big men in losing efforts. Maciej Lampe of Caja Laboral Vitoria and Nenad Krstic of CSKA Moscow each had index ratings of 35. Lampe scored 21 points, grabbed 11 rebounds and drew 8 fouls in a 79-90 loss to FC Barcelona Regal. Krstic produced 23 points, 6 rebounds, 2 blocks and drew 12 fouls in the loss to Unicaja. Rounding out the week’s best performers is Khimki guard Zoran Planinic, who amassed 25 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists and 4 steals in the loss at Fenerbahce.

Marcus Williams of Unicaja Malaga

Individual highs: Mirza Begic of Real Madrid, 3 blocks to enter Euroleague career top 10

Williams was also the week’s leading scorer, while his co-MVP Bogdanovic was second. Bobby Brown remains the Top 16’s leading scorer with 22.4 points per game and Bogdanovic follows at 21.4. Maccabi Electra center Shawn James hauled in 12 rebounds to lead all Top 16, Game 5 participants. With 7.8 rebounds per game in the Top 16, James trails only Viktor Khryapa of CSKA and Lampe, who each average 8 per game in the current phase. Another CSKA star, Milos Teodosic, was the top assist man of the week with 8, which ties him with Brown for second in the Top 16 with 5.2 assists per game. Planinic is the Top 16 leader with 6.8 assists per game. Three players – Dimitris Diamantidis of Panathinaikos, Nihad Djedovic of Alba Berlin and Planinic from Khimki – recorded 4 steals in their games to top the weekly charts. Jamon Lucas from Anadolu Efes has averaged 2.8 steals through five Top 16 games to place himself above the rest. Real Madrid’s Mirza Begic, who stormed into the Euroleague’s career top 10 in blocks this week, was joined by Devin Smith of Maccabi as the top shot blockers in the week’s games with 3 blocks each. Lampe and James (11 points, 12 rebounds) were the lone players to register double-doubles during the week.