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 power forward
Devon Collier (203-91, college:
Oregon St., currently plays in Uruguay). He was the major contributor in
Nacional's victory against the closely-ranked Defensor (6-5)
95-81 in a derby game in the Uruguayan LUB in Monday night's game.
Collier had a double-double by scoring 18 points and getting 10 rebounds in 33 minutes on the court.
Nacional De Futbol Montevideo (7-4) is placed third in the LUB.
Collier has relatively good stats this year: 13.3ppg, 9.8rpg, 2.1apg, 1.3bpg, 1.3spg, 2FGP: 59.0%(62-105) and FT: 66.0% in 12 games he played so far.
He has a dual citizenship: Puerto Rican and American.
Collier is currently a member of the Puerto Rican senior national team. He used to play for Caciques de Humacao in Puerto Rican league.
#2. Second place goes to an experienced international forward
Jonathan Rodriguez (196-87, college:
Campbell, currently plays in Colombia). Rodriguez led
Titanes to a victory over the fifth-ranked Bucaros (4-5) crushing them
105-68 in the Colombian LPB last Sunday.
He was MVP of the game. Rodriguez scored 27 points (!!!), grabbed 8 rebounds and dished 5 assists.
Titanes de Barranquilla (9-0) is placed first in the LPB.
So far his team won all two games in the Quarter-Finals.
It's Rodriguez's first season with the team.
He has individually a very good year with high stats. Rodriguez averages: 18.8ppg, 8.4rpg, 4.2apg, 2FGP: 63.9%(62-97), 3FGP: 44.9% and FT: 87.8%.
He is another player who holds two passports: Dominican Republic and Puerto Rican.
Ex-Gallitos de Isabela player is in the roster of the Puerto Rican senior national team.
#3. The Puerto Rican player who performed third best last week abroad was an international guard
Gian Clavell (193-93, college:
Colorado St., currently plays in Greece). Clavell could not help
Promitheas (4-1) to beat Lavrio (17-5).
He scored 9 points and added 3 assists in 22 minutes.
But Promitheas lost in an overtime
79-85 on the road to the second-ranked Lavrio.
This year Clavell has relatively solid stats: 11.1ppg, 1.3rpg, 1.9apg and FT: 75.9% in seven games.
He is also a member of the Puerto Rican senior national team.
#4. Guard
John Holland (196-88, college:
Boston U., currently plays in VTB United League) contributed to
Unics' victory against the closely-ranked Lokomotiv (18-6)
74-70 in the VTB United League on Sunday night.
Holland scored 6 points.
Unics Kazan (18-6) is placed second in group A.
It was his team's third consecutive victory in a row.
Holland's overall stats this season are: 8.8ppg, 2.5rpg, 1.9apg and 1.2spg.
He has both American and Puerto Rican nationalities.
Holland used to play for the Puerto Rican national team
back in 2019. He played also for Caciques de Humacao in Puerto Rican league.
#5. Former U18 international forward
Owens Perez (203-92, currently plays in El Salvador) contributed to an easy victory against the fifth-ranked Aguila (7-7)
99-80 in the Salvadorean Liga MB (second division) on Thursday night.
Perez had a double-double by scoring 20 points and getting 12 rebounds. He also added 5 assists in 24 minutes.
Santa Tecla BC (12-2) is placed first in the Liga MB.
Perez has reliable stats this year: 14.9ppg, 16.9rpg and 3.5apg in 20 games.
He used to play for the Puerto Rican U18 national team
eleven years ago.
#6. Swingman
Justin Reyes (193-95, college:
STAC, currently plays in Dominican Republic) was not able to help
San Lazaro (0-1) in their last game on Friday. Despite Reyes' very good performance the bottom-ranked San Lazaro was defeated
98-84 by the leading Barias.
He was the second best scorer with 17 points. Reyes also added 4 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 steals.
There are only two games left until the end of the Final Four. So now every game will be critical.
Reyes averaged so far 14.6ppg, 7.0rpg, 2.9apg and 1.3spg.
He also holds two passports: Puerto Rican and American.
Reyes is an international player who is currently on the senior Puerto Rican National Team roster.
He used to play for Indios de Mayaguez in Puerto Rican league.
The list of other players, who all have Puerto Rican passport but never been selected to any of Puerto Rican national teams: #1. Experienced
Walter Hodge (183-PG-86, college:
Florida, currently plays in Basketball Africa League) led his Egyptian team
Al Zamalek to a victory over the closely-ranked FAP (1-2) crushing them
82-53 in the Basketball Africa League on Wednesday night.
Hodge was the best player in that game. He recorded 18 points and added 6 assists in 29 minutes.
It was the game of the round between two top 4 ranked teams. Al Zamalek (3-0) is placed first in the Basketball Africa League.
So far his team won all one games in the Quarter-Finals.
Hodge has individually a very good year with high stats. He averages: 15.5ppg, 5.8rpg and 5.3apg in four games he played so far.
Hodge has a dual citizenship: U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rican.
#2. Kyle Vinales (185-G-92, agency:
Network Sports International, college:
CCSU, currently plays in Lithuania) could not help one of league's weakest teams
Lietkabelis (23-13) in their last game on Tuesday. Despite his good performance Lietkabelis was crushed
97-72 on the road by the second-ranked Rytas.
Vinales was the second best scorer with 12 points. He also added 3 assists.
This season Vinales has very high stats. He averages: 15.9ppg, 1.9rpg and 4.5apg.
Vinales is another player who holds two passports: Puerto Rican and American.
He used to play for Bayamon in Puerto Rican league.
#3. Ivan Aska (201-F-90, agency:
011 Sports, college:
Murray St., currently plays in North Macedonia) was not able to help
Rabotnicki in their game against Euro Nickel (15-7) in the North Macedonian Prva Liga, despite his very good performance in Friday night's game.
Aska was the second best scorer with 15 points. He also added 5 rebounds and made 2 blocks in 30 minutes.
But Rabotnicki was edged
88-87 in Kavadarci by the lower-ranked (#3) Euro Nickel.
It was Rabotnicki's first loss after three consecutive victories.
Aska has reliable stats this year: 13.8ppg, 6.1rpg and 1.3spg in nine games.
He has both U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rican nationalities.
#4. Denilson Fonseca (190-G-98, currently plays in Luxembourg) managed to help Basket Esch to win against the closely-ranked Heffingen (9-11) crushing them
103-61 in the Luxembourg Total League last Saturday.
Fonseca recorded only 4 points, 5 rebounds and 6 assists.
Basket Esch (15-5) is placed fourth in the Total League.
It was his team's fourth consecutive victory in a row.
The Regular Season already ended.
Fonseca has been at the team for five years.
His overall stats this season are: 4.2ppg, 3.1rpg and 1.1apg.
