By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
After being named Player of the Week in the fifth week of the Basketball Champions League Regular Season, R.J. Cole returned for more and was named Player of the Week of Gameday 3 of the Round of 16 on Friday.
In addition to getting the nod for the second time, the 25-year-old guard placed Rytas in the win column of the weekly fan vote for the fourth time in the 2024-25 installment of the BCL.
Cole beat the remaining members of the Team of the Week, Tyrone Wallace of Galatasaray, Kaiser Gates of UCAM Murcia, Desi Rodriguez of Nanterre 92, and Grant Golden of AEK Betsson, to become the latest Player of the Week.
Pushing his side to a win against Manisa in Twinsbet Arena on Wednesday, he put up a game-high 23 points behind 7/12 field goals, including four three-pointers. He added seven assists, three steals, and three rebounds in just under 25 minutes.
2024-25 Players of the Week
Regular Season
1. Zoltan Perl (Falco Vulcano Szombathely)
2. Zac Seljaas (FIT/One Wurzburg Baskets)
3. Zoltan Perl (Falco Vulcano Szombathely)
4. Jaromir Bohacik (ERA Nymburk)
5. R.J. Cole (Rytas)
6. Paul Lacombe (Nanterre 92)
7. Steven Enoch (Rytas)
8. Gytis Radzevicius (Rytas)
9. Kendale McCullum (Maccabi Ramat Gan)
10. Daron Russell (Karsiyaka)
Play-Ins
1. Chase Audige (Filou Oostende)
2. Desi Rodriguez (Nanterre 92)
Round of 16
1. Jaromir Bohacik (ERA Nymburk)
2. Prentiss Hubb (AEK Betsson)
Top 5 Plays
The buzzer-beating game-winner by James Palmer Jr. ranked first in the weekly edition of Top 5 Plays, in addition to lifting Galatasaray over Unicaja. Incredible efforts by Jaylen Barford, RaiQuan Gray, D.J. Stephens, and Gytis Radzevicius went second through fifth.
Photo Credit: FIBA