POSTED BY: Eurobasket News
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Here is the weekly review of the top performing Irish players, who play currently abroad.
#1. This week’s number one is former international forward Taiwo Badmus (201-1993, college: UVA Wise, currently plays in Iceland). He was the major contributor in a double overtime (!!!) Tindastoll‘s victory against the league leader Njardvik (17-5) 116-107 in the Icelandic Subway League in Sunday night’s game.
Badmus had a double-double by scoring 35 points and getting 13 rebounds. He also added 2 blocks and 3 steals in 42 minutes on the court; quite an impressive performance considering it’s only Badmus’ first season in pro basketball. It was the game of the round between two top 4 ranked teams. U.M.F. Tindastoll Sauoarkrokur (14-8) is placed fourth in the Subway League.
It was his team’s seventh consecutive victory in a row.
Badmus has individually a very good year with high stats. He averages: 18.4ppg, 6.5rpg, 1.7apg, 1.1bpg, 2FGP: 63.2%(177-280), 3FGP: 28.8% and FT: 69.9% in 30 games he played so far.
Badmus has a dual citizenship: Irish and British.
He played for the Irish senior national team year ago.
#2. Second place goes to an experienced former international forward Brian Fitzpatrick (202-1989, college: Bucknell, currently plays in Uruguay). Fitzpatrick led Olimpia to a victory against the second-ranked Bigua (22-4) 85-84 in a derby game in the Uruguayan LUB last Thursday.
He recorded 11 points, 9 rebounds and 3 assists.
Club Atletico Olimpia Montevideo (12-14) is placed eighth in the LUB.
Fitzpatrick’s overall stats this season are: 9.5ppg, 6.5rpg, 2.1apg, 2FGP: 55.0%, 3FGP: 28.6% and FT: 72.7%.
He is a naturalized American.
Fitzpatrick played for the Irish national team in 22.
Strangely he has never played in Ireland.
#3. The Irish player who performed third best last week abroad was former international guard Sean Flood (188-1996, college: Longwood, currently plays in Cyprus). Flood could not help one of league’s weakest teams Omonia (12-10) in their last game on Wednesday. Despite his good performance Omonia was defeated 64-60 on the road by the higher-ranked E.N. Paralimni (#4).
Flood was the second best scorer with 11 points. He also added 4 rebounds.
This season Flood has very high stats. He averages: 16.5ppg, 4.7rpg, 6.3apg, 2FGP: 51.7%, 3FGP: 35.8% and FT: 82.5%.
Former Templeogue Azzurri Dublin starter played for the Irish national team year ago.
#4. Forward John Carroll (204-1995, college: Hartford, currently plays in Spain) was not able to help Albacete in their game against Cantabria (19-7) in the Spanish LEB Silver (third division).
He scored 5 points.
The first-placed Albacete (19-7) was edged 61-58 in Torrelavega by the leading Cantabria in the East group.
They ended the series of four consecutive victories.
Carroll has relatively good stats this season: 12.4ppg, 5.0rpg and 1.2apg.
He used to play for the Irish national team
back in 22.
The list of other players, who all have Irish passport but never been selected to any of Irish national teams:
#1. Finn Delany (198-F-1995, college: SW Baptist, currently plays in Australia). Delany could not help New Zealand Breakers (5-23) to beat Adelaide 36ers (10-18).
He scored 9 points and grabbed 6 rebounds in 25 minutes.
But the bottom-ranked New Zealand Breakers were crushed 93-60 on the road by the higher-ranked (#8) Adelaide 36ers.
It was New Zealand Breakers’ tenth consecutive loss in a row.
The Regular Season already ended.
This year Delany’s overall stats are: 10.0ppg, 5.6rpg and 2.1apg in 26 games he played so far.
He has a dual citizenship: New Zealand and Irish.
#2. Cian Sullivan (218-C-1996, college: Hartford, currently plays in Spain) contributed to a 3-point Archena‘s victory against the sixth-ranked Tabernes (6-7) 85-82 in the Spanish EBA (fourth division) last Saturday.
Sullivan scored 10 points, had 6 rebounds and made 2 blocks in 31 minutes.
La Salud UB Archena (10-2) is placed first in Group EDesc1.
It was his team’s fourth consecutive victory in a row.
They will play only one more game in the Regular Season. And that game will be critical.
This year Sullivan’s overall stats are: 8.5ppg, 6.4rpg, 1.1apg and 1.7bpg in 16 games.
Other top Irish players, who play abroad:
Conor Morgan (206-PF-1994) plays for Andorra in Spanish Liga Endesa
AJ Ogilvy (211-C-1988) plays for Illawarra Hawks in Australian NBL
Evan Walshe (193-G/F-1998) plays for Leicester Riders in British BBL
Mobi Ikegwuruka (191-F-2003) plays for GBA Fio banka in Czech Republic NBL
Brian Voelkel (196-F-1992) plays for Saitama in Japanese B3 League
Patrick Carney (185-G-1985) plays for ETB Miners in German Regionalliga
Roneil Oguekwe (198-F-2003) plays for Rockets in British NBL D1
Patrick Lyons (187-PG-1995) plays for Aschersleben in German Regionalliga
Lucien Christofis (188-G-1996) plays for IA in Icelandic D1
Notice: The list above includes only some of the Irish playing currently abroad. Go to Irish Abroad Page to see completed list.
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