By Cesare Milanti/ info@eurohoops.net
Being able to become an all-time leader in anything in modern basketball it’s a demanding challenge. With so many different competitions and teams that present themselves skillful enough to take the spotlight, Marcelinho Huertas’ latest achievement is unbelievably remarkable.
The Brazilian point guard, in fact, recently became the Basketball Champions League all-time assists leader, with 367. What is even crazier, however, is that he made his debut in the competition with Tenerife only three years ago, scoring 13 points and dishing 6 assists in a win over Nizhny Novgorod.
In the most recent 88-81 away loss against Peristeri, he had almost a double-double with 17 points and 9 assists, finally getting to the top of the all-time assists list in the history of the competition.
In just three seasons, one of the most experienced playmakers in the International basketball landscape achieved an incredible goal, even though he never really had that in mind.
“I never thought that I could eventually become the Basketball Champions League all-time assists leader, but I’m very proud of it. It’s something that comes thanks to Tenerife, always reaching the final rounds in the competition being very competitive”, he said in an interview with Eurohoops.
Tenerife’s own
Most importantly, he wanted to thank those players who convert his key passes into big shots.
“Without them, I wouldn’t be able to have so many assists in a few years. I think a lot of credit must be for them and for the system we play as well”, Marcelinho added about the ones he daily shares the locker room with.
Among them, there is a Georgian center and a Finnish sharpshooter who both have a particular bond with the 39-year-old Lenovo Tenerife veteran. Without Giorgi Shermadini and Sasu Salin, Huertas couldn’t have the record in his hands.
“They are two of my best associates on the court. We are the ones that have been here together all these years, we have been here the longest and I have a special connection with both. With Shermadini going inside of the paint and with Sasu for his three-point shots”, he commented on two of the most recognizable faces in Tenerife’s roster.
Generally, as was seen in the 2021-22 Basketball Champions League Final Four in Bilbao as well, Txus Vidorreta’s team always tries to perform an offensive-oriented style of basketball. And Marcelinho Huertas knows the playbook pretty well: “We have a lot of options in our offensive scheme and whenever the goal is to find one of those players, I must be really focused and sharp with my passes so they can have a good look at the rim and be able to finish with a good shot”.
It’s an old-school discussion
In recent years, modern basketball has seen more and more teams depending on high-scoring playmakers. Guys who brought the ball on the other side of the court and, more than usual, were the main offensive option for their squad. A good example for the 2022-23 BCL season could be TJ Shorts II.
“We see a lot of point guards being the first offensive options of their respective teams, carrying the team on their backs on the scoring skill. At the same time, European basketball has always been known for guards who were able to maintain everyone involved and made the team better, being ready to score when they have the chance”, Marcelinho Huertas said about the evolution of his position.
When you think of teams like Hapoel Holon or Reggio Emilia, you could never rule out elements like Joe Ragland or Andrea Cinciarini, who like to have everything under their control. Marcelinho has an explanation for this. “I can see myself as an old-school point guard and I try to stay true to my game. I think especially here in Spain the way we play and the way our team works, it wouldn’t work with different styles of point guards. Everyone has its style, it’s just a matter of being able to adjust to what the team needs”, he added.
Getting the first spot in the BCL all-time assists list means that there must have been somebody else previously on top, and in this case, he’s not a retired player. 39-year-old Serbian veteran Dusan Djordjevic, who hasn’t moved from Oostende since 2011, is still playing in the Basketball Champions League but he’s currently out for injury.
This week, he moved to the second position with 362 assists. But he was happy when he found out that he was overtaken by Marcelinho himself. “I would like to congratulate Marcelinho Huertas. I am glad it’s him because I believe he is the definition of old school point guard who always watches to get his teammates better. I have enjoyed playing against him and especially watching him play! I wish him to stay healthy and make these numbers even higher”, he said to Eurohoops.
The esteem is mutual, and Lenovo Tenerife’s playmaker had great words about his colleague as well. “Djordjevic has always been one of those truly skilled point guards who tries to look for his teammates and play the way he has played for so long in the BCL. It’s an honor to pass a guy who has played basketball for such a long time and has such a big history in the competition”, Marcelinho Huertas said about Filou Oostende’s leader.
“I just try to play my game and make my teammates better and the team victorious. That’s the only goal when I’m on the court, regardless of what I have to do I would think about the team. Point guards like Dusan or myself always have to think for the team first. This is what made us on top of that list”, he concluded.
The secret, then, reading behind the Brazilian point guard’s words, is not thinking about these kinds of accomplishments, but being completely focused on the victory.
Then, if your name is Marcelinho Huertas, you can afford to surpass anybody else in Basketball Champions League history in just a matter of three years. And counting.
PHOTO CREDIT: Basketball Champions League