Gian Clavell selected the top Puerto Rican playing abroad in last week's games

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.

Gian Clavell

   #1. This week's number one is an international guard Gian Clavell (193-93, college: Colorado St., currently plays in Ukraine). He led Budivelnyk to a victory over the ninth-ranked Zaporizhye (2-4) 90-86 in the Ukrainian Superleague in Friday night's game. Clavell was MVP of the game. He recorded 28 points (!!!), 5 rebounds and 4 assists in 38 minutes on the court. Budivelnyk Kyiv (4-2) is placed third in the Superleague. Clavell's team will play only one more game in the Regular Season. And that game will be critical. It's Clavell's first season with the team. He has individually a very good year with high stats. Clavell averages: 24.0ppg, 4.2rpg, 3.7apg, 1.7spg, 2FGP: 51.0%, 3FGP: 33.3% and FT: 81.7% in six games he played so far. He is currently a member of the Puerto Rican senior national team.

Gary Browne

   #2. Second place goes to an international point guard Gary Browne (185-93, college: WVU, currently plays in Turkey). He could not help Socar Petkim (0-3) in their last game. Despite Browne's very good performance the bottom-ranked Socar Petkim lost 81-95 on the road to the much higher-ranked (#6) Galatasaray. He was the top scorer with 26 points. Browne also added 4 rebounds and dished 6 assists (went 7 for 7 at the free throw line) in 35 minutes. So far Socar Petkim lost all three games in the Regular Season. There are only three games left until the end of the Regular Season. So now every game is very crucial. Browne has very impressive stats this year: 16.0ppg, 2.7rpg, 5.3apg, 2.3spg, 2FGP: 72.2%(13-18), 3FGP: 41.7% in three games. He has a dual citizenship: Puerto Rican and American. Browne is in the roster of the Puerto Rican senior national team. He used to play for Coamo in Puerto Rican league.

Isaiah Pineiro

   #3. The Puerto Rican player who performed third best last week abroad was an international small forward Isaiah Pineiro (200-95, college: San Diego, currently plays in Turkey). Pineiro contributed to an easy victory against the closely-ranked Tofas (2-1) 94-78 in the Turkish BSL in Saturday night's game. He scored 8 points. Darussafaka Tekfen Istanbulis placed fourth in the BSL. Pineiro's overall stats this season are: 7.7ppg, 2.7rpg, 2FGP: 58.3% and FT: 85.7%. He is also a member of the Puerto Rican senior national team.

Ivan Gandia-Rosa

   #4. Point guard Ivan Gandia-Rosa (185-97, college: UNF, currently plays in Slovakia) was not able to help Inter Bratislava (1-2) in their last game on Saturday. Despite Gandia-Rosa's very good performance Inter Bratislava was defeated 90-77 on the opponent's court by the higher-ranked Levice (#3). He was the second best scorer with 23 points. Gandia-Rosa also added 7 rebounds and dished 7 assists. But this is still an early stage of the season and everything may happen. This year Gandia-Rosa has very high stats. He averages: 20.7ppg, 5.0rpg, 8.3apg and 1.7spg. Gandia-Rosa is also Puerto Rican national team player.

Arnaldo Toro

   #5. International power forward Arnaldo Toro (203-97, college: St.John's, currently plays in Finland) was not able to secure a victory for Nokia (1-3) in their game against Kataja (2-2) in the Finnish Korisliiga. He recorded 8 points and grabbed 13 rebounds in 36 minutes. Nokia lost 74-83 in Joensuu to the higher-ranked (#6) Kataja. It was Nokia's third consecutive loss in a row. But the season is still in its first stage and everything can happen. Toro has relatively good stats this year: 11.3ppg, 13.5rpg and 1.3apg in four games. He plays currently for the Puerto Rican national team.


The list of other players, who all have Puerto Rican passport but never been selected to any of Puerto Rican national teams:

   #1. Stephen Thompson Jr. (194-G-97, college: Oregon St., currently plays in Italy) could not help Reggio Emilia in their last game on Sunday. Despite Thompson Jr.'s good performance his team was edged 96-93 on the road by the much lower-ranked Sassari (#7). He scored 10 points. Thompson Jr.'s overall stats this season are: 9.0ppg, 2.0rpg and 1.7apg. He has a dual citizenship: Puerto Rican and American. Strangely Thompson Jr. has never played in Puerto Rico.

   #2. Ivan Aska (201-F-90, agency: 011 Sports, college: Murray St., currently plays in Hungary) led DEAC to a victory against the seventh-ranked Sopron KC (2-2) 79-72 in the Hungarian A Division last Saturday. Aska scored 11 points and grabbed 8 rebounds in 22 minutes. Debreceni Egyetemis placed third in the A Division. Aska has relatively good stats this year: 10.4ppg and 6.6rpg in five games he played so far. He is another player who holds two passports: U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rican.

   #3. Experienced Emanuel Ubilla (187-PG-86, college: FDU, currently plays in Czech Republic) contributed to a NH Ostrava's victory against the closely-ranked Hradec Kralove (4-3) 82-73 in the Czech Republic NBL in Wednesday night's game. He recorded 10 points, 4 rebounds and 4 assists (made all of his six free throws) in 25 minutes. BK Nova Hut Ostrava (2-3) is placed fifth in the NBL. But the season just started, so everything may happen. Ubilla has relatively good stats this year: 14.4ppg, 3.2rpg and 4.6apg in five games. He has both American and Puerto Rican nationalities. Ubilla used to play for Atleticos de San German in Puerto Rican league.

   #4. Kyle Vinales (188-G-92, agency: Inception Sports, college: CCSU, currently plays in ABA League) was not able to help SC Derby (1-2) in their last game on Saturday. Despite his good performance SC Derby was crushed 79-57 in Beograd by the leading Partizan NiS. Vinales was the top scorer with 10 points. He also added 5 assists. But the season is still in its first stage and everything can happen. Vinales has relatively good stats this season: 15.0ppg, 1.7rpg, 6.0apg and 1.7spg. He also holds two passports: Puerto Rican and American. Vinales used to play for Bayamon in Puerto Rican league.

   #5. Bobby Harris (185-G-91, college: AIC, currently plays in Spain) helped Melilla win their game against one of league's weakest teams Palma (0-2) 69-61 in the Spanish LEB Gold (second division) in Sunday night's game. Harris recorded 11 points. Melilla Baloncesto (2-1) is placed second in the LEB Gold. But the season is still in its first stage and everything can happen. Harris' overall stats this season are: 7.5ppg and 2.0rpg. He holds both American and Puerto Rican passports. Harris used to play for San German in Puerto Rican league.

   #6. Denilson Fonseca (190-F/G-98, currently plays in Luxembourg) managed to help Basket Esch in a victory against the tenth-ranked Contern crushing them 77-54 in the Luxembourg LBBL last Saturday. He recorded only 4 points in 13 minutes. This year Fonseca's overall stats are: 5.5ppg, 3.5rpg, 1.3apg and 2.0spg in four games.