POSTED BY: Eurobasket News
We bring you last week's top performances from Virgin Islanders 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 former international forward
Ivan Aska (201-1990, agency:
011 Sports, college:
Murray St., currently plays in Hungary). He could not help
DEAC (8-10) in their last game. Despite Aska's very good performance DEAC lost
86-93 at home to the lower-ranked (#8) Duna Aszfalt.
He was the second best scorer with 23 points. Aska also added 9 rebounds and dished 5 assists in 47 minutes on the court; quite an impressive performance considering it's only his first season in pro basketball. The Regular Season already ended.
Aska has relatively good stats this year: 11.7ppg, 4.7rpg, 1.1apg, 2FGP: 56.5%(121-214), 3FGP: 14.3% and FT: 67.8% in 26 games he played so far.
He has a dual citizenship: U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rican.
Aska played for the U.S. Virgin Islands senior national team year ago.
#2. Second place goes to former international center
Nicolas Claxton (211-1999, college:
Georgia, currently plays in NBA). He contributed to an
Brooklyn Nets' surprising victory against the Miami Heat (49-28)
110-95 in the NBA last Saturday.
Claxton recorded 10 points, 6 rebounds and 2 blocks.
The Brooklyn Nets have 40-35 record this season.
This year Claxton has relatively solid stats: 8.8ppg, 5.4rpg, 1.1bpg, 2FGP: 66.7%(152-228) and FT: 58.5%.
He played for the U.S. Virgin Islands national team in 18.
#3. The U.S. Virgin Islands player who performed third best last week abroad was former international guard
Deon Edwin (190-1992, college:
Kent St., currently plays in North Macedonia). Edwin led
Rabotnicki to a victory over the ninth-ranked Kozuv (7-13)
90-82 in the North Macedonian Prva Liga on Sunday night.
He was MVP of the game. Edwin scored 32 points (!!!), grabbed 9 rebounds and dished 8 assists in 45 minutes; not bad, considering it's only his first season in pro basketball. KK Rabotnicki AD Skopjeis placed third in the Prva Liga.
Edwin has individually a very good year with high stats. He averages: 27.3ppg, 8.0rpg, 8.0apg, 2FGP: 54.5% and FT: 66.7% in four games.
Edwin played for the U.S. Virgin Islands national team year ago.
#4. Forward
Justin Gray (198-1995, college:
Texas Tech, currently plays in Poland) was not able to help
Spojnia in their game against Asseco Arka (11-17) in the Polish EBL.
He scored 9 points, had 6 rebounds and made 3 blocks.
But Spojnia was edged
76-74 on the road by the much lower-ranked Asseco Arka (#11).
So far Spojnia 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 will be critical.
Gray has reliable stats this season: 11.5ppg, 4.6rpg and 1.2apg.
He used to play for the U.S. Virgin Islands national team
back in 22.
#5. Former international point guard
Georgio Milligan (188-1990, college:
F&M, currently plays in Brazil) was not able to secure a victory for
Corinthians (0-3) in their game against Sao Paulo (21-7) in the Brazilian NBB. He cannot count it as his best performance.
Milligan recorded only 2 points in 8 minutes on the court.
Corinthians was crushed
88-67 in a derby game by the lower-ranked (#4) Sao Paulo.
So far Corinthians lost all three games in the Regular Season.
There are only four games left until the end of the Regular Season. So now every game is very crucial.
This year Milligan's overall stats are: 5.9ppg, 3.4rpg and 2.4apg in 10 games.
He is another player who holds two passports: U.S. Virgin Islands and American.
Milligan used to play for the U.S. Virgin Islands national team
years ago.
#6. Forward
Romani Hansen (203-1997, college:
Albany, currently plays in Switzerland) couldn't help
Starwings (6-17) in their game against Neuchatel (15-9) in the Swiss SBL.
He recorded 6 points.
Starwings was defeated
67-53 on their home court in Basel by the higher-ranked Neuchatel (#3).
It was Starwings' third consecutive loss in a row.
There are only three games left until the end of the Regular Season. So now every game will be important.
Hansen's stats this season are: 10.6ppg and 4.6rpg.
He is a former international player as he played for the U.S. Virgin Islands senior team year ago.
The list of other players, who all have U.S. Virgin Islands passport but never been selected to any of U.S. Virgin Islands national teams: #1. Desi Rodriguez (198-F-1996, college:
Seton Hall, currently plays in Germany) contributed to a
s Oliver Baskets' victory against the closely-ranked BG Goettingen
89-76 in the German BBL last Sunday.
Rodriguez scored 10 points and added 3 assists in 17 minutes.
s.Oliver Wuerzburg (15-7) is placed ninth in the BBL.
Rodriguez's stats this year are: 14.5ppg and 5.5rpg in 26 games he played so far.
#2. J'Wan Roberts (201-F, currently plays college basketball in the States), who plays in the NCAA could not help the
Houston (15-3) to beat the Villanova University (16-4).
He scored 7 points, grabbed 8 rebounds and made 2 blocks.
The Houston was defeated
50-44 at home by the University.
The Regional Finals already ended in the NCAA.
Roberts' overall stats this season are: 3.2ppg and 4.9rpg.
Other top U.S. Virgin Islands players, who play abroad:Rakeem Christmas (206-F/C-1991) plays for
Plaza in Dominican Rep. Santiago League
John Collins (208-PF-1997) plays for
Atlanta Hawks in the NBA
Frank Elegar (208-C-1986) plays for
Napoli in Italian Serie A
Walter Hodge (183-PG-1986) plays for
Kuwait in Kuwaiti D1
Xavier Richards (188-G-1992) plays for
Team Pajulahti in Finnish 1st Division
Earl Thompson (195-F-1993) plays for
Kestrels 2 in British NBL D2
LaRon Smith (205-F-1993) plays for
Sant Antoni in Spanish LEB Silver
