POSTED BY: Eurobasket News
Here is the weekly review of the top performing Irish players, who play currently abroad.
#1. This week’s number one is former U20 international guard Ryan Leonard (193-1998, currently plays in NCAA2). Leonard could not help the one of league’s weakest teams Saint Mary’s University, Texas (9-5) in their last game on Thursday. Despite his good performance the Saint Mary’s University, Texas were defeated 89-76 on the road by the St. Edward’s University.
Leonard scored 13 points and added 3 passes.
The Regular Season already ended in the NCAA2.
Leonard has relatively good stats this season: 11.5ppg, 3.4rpg, 2.6apg, 1.4spg, 2FGP: 63.4%(52-82), 3FGP: 36.7% and FT: 75.8%.
He played for the Irish U20 national team year ago.
#2. Second place goes to former U18 international point guard C.J. Fulton (183-2002, currently plays college basketball in the States). He was not able to help the Lafayette in their game against the Bucknell University (6-13) in the NCAA. Fulton cannot count it as his best performance.
He recorded only 2 points, 7 rebounds, 8 assists and 3 steals in 35 minutes.
The Lafayette was edged 82-81 in Lewisburg by the Bucknell University.
The Regular Season already ended in the NCAA.
This year Fulton averages: 7.3ppg, 3.9rpg, 3.3apg, 1.4spg, 2FGP: 52.1%, 3FGP: 36.8% and FT: 73.7% in 30 games he played so far.
He played for the Irish U18 national team in 19.
#3. The Irish player who performed third best last week abroad was former international point guard Patrick Lyons (187-1995, college: Tenn Temple, currently plays in Germany). He contributed to Aschersleben‘s victory against the ninth-ranked Berlin BG 2000 (9-12) 74-69 in the German Regionalliga (fourth division) on Saturday night.
Lyons recorded 9 points and added 5 passes in 29 minutes.
BG Aschersleben Tigers (14-6) is placed third in North group.
It was his team’s third consecutive victory in a row.
There are only four games left until the end of the Regular Season. So now every game will be critical.
This year Lyons’ overall stats are: 9.5ppg, 2.6rpg, 2.5apg, 1.6spg, 2FGP: 52.1%, 3FGP: 34.0% in 17 games.
He played for the Irish national team year ago.
#4. Guard James Beckom (190-2000, currently plays in NAIA) was not able to secure a victory for the one of league’s weakest teams John Brown University (11-9) in their game against the Wayland Baptist University (7-10) in the NAIA.
Beckom scored only 4 points.
The John Brown University was defeated 74-61 in Plainview by the Wayland Baptist University.
The Regular Season already ended in the NAIA.
Beckom’s total stats this season are: 4.6ppg and 3.6rpg.
He used to play for the Irish U16 national team
back in 16.
The list of other players, who all have Irish passport but never been selected to any of Irish national teams:
#1. Conor Morgan (206-PF-1994, agency: BeoBasket, college: UBC, currently plays in Spain). He could not help Andorra (7-14) to beat Barca (15-3).
Morgan scored 7 points and grabbed 5 rebounds in 24 minutes.
Andorra was badly defeated 107-88 on the road by the second-ranked Barca.
This year Morgan averages: 5.2ppg and 2.9rpg in 19 games he played so far.
He has a dual citizenship: Irish and Canadian.
#2. Experienced Patrick Carney (185-G-1985, college: Chapman, currently plays in Germany) led ETB Miners to a victory over the 11th-ranked Hagen BG (9-12) crushing them 100-76 in the German Regionalliga (fourth division) last Monday.
Carney was MVP of the game. He scored 30 points (!!!) and added 5 assists; quite an impressive performance considering it’s only Carney’s first season in pro basketball. ETB Wohnbau Miners Essen (10-10) is placed eighth in West group.
Carney has individually a very good season with high stats. He averages: 18.8ppg, 3.4rpg, 3.1apg and 1.1spg.
Carney is a naturalized American.
Strangely he has never played in Ireland.
#3. Finn Delany (198-F-1995, college: SW Baptist, currently plays in Australia) was not able to help New Zealand Breakers (4-11) in their last game. Despite Delany’s good performance the bottom-ranked New Zealand Breakers lost 87-102 in Gwynneville to the much higher-ranked (#3) Illawarra Hawks.
He recorded 12 points and grabbed 6 rebounds in 35 minutes.
Delany has relatively good stats this year: 10.7ppg, 5.8rpg and 1.8apg in 15 games.
He is another player who holds two passports: New Zealand and Irish.
#4. Aidan Igiehon (208-F-2000, currently plays college basketball in the States) contributed to an easy victory against the Chicago State University (2-9) crushing them 85-64 in the NCAA last Wednesday.
Igiehon recorded 7 points, 5 rebounds and 2 blocks in 15 minutes.
The Grand Canyon State University has a solid 8-3 conference record this season.
There are only two games left until the end of the NCAA Regular Season. So now every game will be critical.
This year Igiehon averages: 2.6ppg and 2.5rpg in 22 games.
#5. Cian Sullivan (218-C-1996, college: Hartford, currently plays in Spain) was not able to secure a victory for Archena (4-1) in their game against Carolinas (3-2) in the Spanish EBA (fourth division).
He recorded 8 points, 12 rebounds and 4 blocks.
The first-placed Archena (4-1) was defeated 72-68 at home by the lower-ranked Carolinas (#4) in the Group EDesc1.
This season Sullivan averages: 7.8ppg, 5.8rpg, 1.1apg and 1.6bpg.
#6. Lucien Christofis (188-G-1996, currently plays in Iceland) couldn’t help IA (1-20) in their last game on Friday. Despite Christofis’ very good performance the bottom-ranked IA was defeated 96-83 by the much higher-ranked Alftanes (#3).
He was the second best scorer with 19 points. Christofis also added 5 rebounds and 3 assists.
This season Christofis has very high stats. He averages: 23.2ppg, 5.2rpg, 3.2apg and 2.8spg.
Christofis has both Irish and British nationalities.
