We bring you last week's top performances from Puerto Ricans who are playing abroad and who all have had prior experience of national team duties at youth or senior level.
#1. This week's number one is an international forward
Christopher Ortiz (203-93, agency:
Network Sports International, college:
Kent St., currently plays in Uruguay). He led
Defensor to a victory over the league outsider Goes (0-7)
67-55 in a derby game in the Uruguayan LUB in Wednesday night's game.
Ortiz was MVP of the game. He had a double-double by scoring 30 points and getting 12 rebounds in 37 minutes on the court.
Defensor Sporting Club Montevideo (3-4) is placed ninth in the LUB.
There are only three games left until the end of the Regular Season. So now every game will be critical.
Ortiz has individually a very good year with high stats. He averages: 15.7ppg, 7.3rpg, 1.3spg, 2FGP: 44.7%, 3FGP: 46.4%(13-28) and FT: 87.9% in seven games he played so far.
Ortiz has a dual citizenship: Puerto Rican and American.
He is currently a member of the Puerto Rican senior national team. Ortiz used to play for Santurce in Puerto Rican league.
#2. Second place goes to an international power forward
Devon Collier (203-91, college:
Oregon St., currently plays in Uruguay). He contributed to a 3-point
Nacional's victory against the tenth-ranked Hebraica (2-6)
86-83 in a derby game in the Uruguayan LUB last Tuesday.
Collier recorded a double-double by scoring 16 points and getting 15 rebounds. He also added 5 assists, 4 blocks and 3 steals.
Nacional De Futbol Montevideo (5-2) is placed fourth in the LUB.
There are only two games left until the end of the Regular Season. So now every game is very crucial.
Collier has relatively good stats this season: 12.7ppg, 9.9rpg, 2.9apg, 1.1bpg, 1.7spg, 2FGP: 55.7%(34-61) and FT: 75.0%.
He is another player who holds two passports: Puerto Rican and American.
Collier is in the roster of the Puerto Rican senior national team. He used to play for Caciques de Humacao in Puerto Rican league.
#3. The Puerto Rican player who performed third best last week abroad was an international guard
Gary Browne (185-93, college:
WVU, currently plays in Italy). He contributed to
Trento's victory against the closely-ranked Trieste (3-3)
81-69 in the Italian Serie A in Wednesday night's game.
Browne scored 14 points, made 9 passes and 5 steals.
It was the game of the round between two top 4 ranked teams. Dolomiti Energia Trentino (3-0) is placed first in the Serie A.
So far his team won all three games in the Regular Season.
There are only two games left until the end of the Regular Season. So now every game will be important.
This season Browne has relatively solid stats: 13.3ppg, 3.9rpg, 5.5apg, 1.5spg, 2FGP: 43.5%, 3FGP: 31.8% and FT: 84.3%.
He has both American and Puerto Rican nationalities.
Browne is also a member of the Puerto Rican senior national team. He used to play for Coamo in Puerto Rican league.
#4. Guard
Gian Clavell (193-93, college:
Colorado St., currently plays in VTB United League) was the main contributor in
Avtodor's victory against the closely-ranked Parma (10-13)
100-93 in the VTB United League last Saturday.
Clavell was the best player in that game. He scored 28 points (!!!), made 5 passes and 3 steals in 29 minutes.
Avtodor Saratov (9-14) is placed ninth in group A.
They ended the series of five consecutive loses.
Clavell's team will play only one more game in the VTB United League Regular Season. And now that game is quite important.
Clavell has very impressive stats this year: 15.5ppg, 2.6rpg, 1.6apg and 1.1spg in 17 games.
He is also Puerto Rican national team player.
#5. An experienced former international guard
John Holland (196-88, college:
Boston U., currently plays in EuroCup) contributed to
Unics' victory against the leader Virtus BO (6-0)
107-100 in the Eurocup on Wednesday night.
Holland scored 14 points.
It was the game of the round between two top 2 ranked teams in group H. Unics Kazan (5-1) is placed first.
It was his team's fifth consecutive victory in a row.
Holland has reliable stats this season: 10.5ppg, 2.5rpg and 1.8apg.
He also holds two passports: Puerto Rican and American.
Holland used to play for the Puerto Rican national team
two years ago.
He played also for Caciques de Humacao in Puerto Rican league.
#6. Forward
Maurice Harkless (203-93, college:
St.John's, currently plays in NBA) could not help the
Sacramento Kings (22-34) in their last game. Despite Harkless' very good performance the Sacramento Kings (22-34) lost
110-117 on the road to the New Orleans Pelicans.
He scored 15 points and added 5 assists in 34 minutes.
It was Kings' ninth consecutive loss in a row.
This year Harkless' overall stats are: 5.3ppg, 2.2rpg and 1.4apg in 11 games.
He holds both American and Puerto Rican passports.
Harkless is a former international player as he played for the Puerto Rican senior team five years ago.
Strangely he has never played in Puerto Rico.
#7. International point guard
J.J. Barea (183-84, college:
Northeastern, currently plays in Spain) was not able to help
Movil Estudiantes in their game against Baskonia (22-8) in the Spanish Liga Endesa.
Barea recorded 6 points and added 3 assists.
Movil Estudiantes was defeated
96-92 in Vitoria by the lower-ranked Baskonia (#4).
Barea's stats this season are: 12.5ppg, 1.1rpg, 4.5apg and 1.1spg.
He is also Puerto Rican national team player.
#8. Forward
Phillip Wheeler (204-4, currently plays in Argentina) managed to help Gimnasia y Esgrima Comodoro Rivadavia in a victory against the league outsider H.Americano crushing them
84-45 in the Argentinian La Liga on Friday night.
Wheeler scored only 2 points in 6 minutes on the court.
Gimnasia y Esgrima Comodoro Rivadavia (23-13) is placed seventh in the La Liga.
It was Gimnasia's fourth consecutive victory in a row.
This year Wheeler's total stats are: 5.0ppg and 1.9rpg in 12 games.
He holds both American and Puerto Rican passports.
Wheeler used to play for the Puerto Rican U17 national team
back in 2018. He played also for Atleticos de San German in Puerto Rican league.
#9. International forward
Jose Rodriguez (201-92, college:
Texas Southern, currently plays in Dominican Republic) was not able to secure a victory for
CDP (5-2) in their last game. Despite his very good performance CDP lost
85-100 in a derby game to the lower-ranked (#3) CPN.
Rodriguez was the top scorer with 19 points. He also added 5 rebounds and dished 4 assists in 32 minutes.
Rodriguez's team will play only one more game in the Regular Season.
Rodriguez has very impressive stats this year: 16.7ppg, 4.6rpg, 2.7apg and 1.1spg in seven games.
He is also in the roster of the Puerto Rican national team.
#10. Forward
Emmanuel Andujar (198-93, college:
Manhattan, currently plays in Dominican Republic) contributed to
Cupes' victory against the closely-ranked CPN (5-3)
105-98 in a derby game in the Dominican Rep. Santiago League (second division) last Wednesday.
He was the top player that evening. Andujar scored 24 points and added 4 assists.
It was the game of the round between two top 4 ranked teams. Cupes de los Pepines (7-2) is placed first in the Santiago League.
The Regular Season already ended.
This season Andujar has very high stats. He averages: 15.7ppg, 5.4rpg, 4.0apg and 2.3spg.
Andujar holds both American and Puerto Rican passports.
He is an international player who is currently on the senior Puerto Rican National Team roster.
Andujar used to play for Humacao in Puerto Rican league.
#11. Former U18 international forward
Owens Perez (203-92, currently plays in El Salvador) was the major contributor in a
Santa Tecla's victory against the fifth-ranked Fantasmas crushing them
112-83 in the Salvadorean Liga MB (second division) in Friday night's game.
He recorded a double-double by scoring 34 points and getting 32 rebounds. Perez also added 4 assists.
This season he has very high stats. Perez averages: 18.1ppg, 21.7rpg and 3.0apg.
He used to play for the Puerto Rican U18 national team
eleven years ago.
#12. International point guard
Alexander Abreu (180-91, college:
UWG, currently plays in Dominican Republic) contributed to a 1-point
CPN's victory against one of league's weakest teams Plaza
111-110 in a derby game in the Dominican Rep. Santiago League (second division) on Tuesday night.
Abreu recorded 10 points and added 5 passes.
He has averaged so far 7.6ppg, 2.3rpg and 8.3apg.
Abreu is also in the roster of the Puerto Rican national team.
#13. International shooting guard
Gilberto Clavell (200-89, college:
SHSU, currently plays in Mexico) contributed to a 1-point
Dorados' victory against the closely-ranked Toros
98-97 in the Mexican LBE (third division) in Thursday night's game.
He recorded 12 points and added 3 assists (made all of his five free throws) in 29 minutes.
Clavell has very impressive stats this year: 17.1ppg, 3.8rpg and 1.3apg in 11 games.
He is also Puerto Rican national team player.
The list of other players, who all have Puerto Rican passport but never been selected to any of Puerto Rican national teams: #1. Kyle Vinales (185-G-92, agency:
Network Sports International, college:
CCSU, currently plays in Lithuania) could not help
Lietkabelis (19-10) in their last game. Despite Vinales' very good performance Lietkabelis lost
87-97 on the road to the lower-ranked (#7) Siauliai.
He was the top scorer with 17 points. Vinales also added 4 passes (made all of his eight free throws) in 29 minutes.
It's Vinales' first season with the team.
He has individually a very good year with high stats. Vinales averages: 17.0ppg, 2.1rpg and 4.7apg in 28 games he played so far.
He has a dual citizenship: Puerto Rican and American.
Vinales used to play for Bayamon in Puerto Rican league.
#2. Stephen Thompson Jr. (194-G-97, college:
Oregon St., currently plays in Italy) was not able to help
SAzzurra RO (4-18) in their last game on Wednesday. Despite Thompson Jr.'s very good performance the 13th-placed SAzzurra RO (4-18) was edged
63-61 on the opponent's court by the higher-ranked Chieti (#8) in the Group B.
He was the top scorer with 17 points. Thompson Jr. also added 4 rebounds.
The Regular Season already ended.
It's Thompson Jr.'s first season with the team.
This year he has very high stats. Thompson Jr. averages: 19.7ppg, 5.4rpg, 2.8apg and 2.3spg.
He is another player who holds two passports: Puerto Rican and American.
Apparently Thompson Jr. has never played in Puerto Rico.
#3. Experienced
Benjamin Colon (201-F-84, college:
Florida St. Jkv, currently plays in Dominican Republic) was not able to secure a victory for
GUG (4-4) in their last game on Friday. Despite Colon's good performance GUG was edged
106-105 in a derby game by the one of league's weakest teams Plaza (#5).
He scored 14 points and grabbed 8 rebounds.
Colon's team will play only one more game in the Regular Season.
Colon has averaged so far 5.5ppg, 5.5rpg and 1.5apg.
He has both American and Puerto Rican nationalities.
Colon used to play for Vanqueros de Bayamon in Puerto Rican league.
#4. Hector Maldonado (185-G-91, currently plays in Dominican Republic) couldn't help
Sameji (1-6) in their last game. Despite his very good performance the bottom-ranked Sameji was badly defeated
115-98 in a derby game by the second-ranked CDP.
Maldonado was the top scorer with 21 points in 25 minutes.
It was Sameji's sixth consecutive loss in a row.
His team will play only one more game in the Regular Season.
Maldonado's stats this year are: 14.0ppg, 1.8rpg and 1.6apg in five games.
#5. Denilson Fonseca (190-G-98, currently plays in Luxembourg) contributed to an easy victory against the closely-ranked Residence (12-3) crushing them
101-63 in the Luxembourg Total League on Wednesday night.
He scored 7 points and grabbed 4 rebounds in 19 minutes.
It was the game of the round between two top 4 ranked teams. Basket Esch (10-3) is placed fourth in the Total League.
It's Fonseca's fifth season with the team.
Fonseca has averaged so far 3.8ppg and 2.9rpg in 11 games.
#6. Jose Guitian (207-F-87, college:
Lasell, currently plays in Dominican Republic) is a teammate of previously mentioned Hector Maldonado and both played together in the last Dominican Rep. Santiago League game.
Guitian couldn't help
Sameji (1-6) in their last game. Despite his very good performance the bottom-ranked Sameji was badly defeated
115-98 in a derby game by the second-ranked CDP.
Guitian scored 16 points and grabbed 6 rebounds in 35 minutes.
His stats this year are: 10.1ppg, 5.7rpg and 2.6apg in seven games.
Guitian also holds two passports: Puerto Rican and American.
He used to play for Leones de Ponce in Puerto Rican league.
