By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem and Igokea faced each other twice at the Laktasi Sports Hall this week and split wins. The Israeli outlet was fortunate to extend its winning streak at home despite actually competing on the road. Thursday’s rescheduled Basketball Champions League Regular Season Gameday 6 contest was originally planned to be held at the Pais Arena.
Until the bottom end of the two-game week for the mentioned Group G rivals, only two players had scored more than 700 points in BCL history. A couple of hours later, Vojtech Hruban and Kevin Punter were joined by J’Covan Brown and TaShawn Thomas.
Brown, 30, only needed two points and earned the distinction of becoming the third player with 700+ points in league history early in the first half. His 55th appearance, including 36 with his current team, featured the leap over 700 points.
Thomas, 27, registered 13 points in the first half but his first three in the second allowed him to immediately follow in his teammate’s footsteps. The former player of Houston and Oklahoma in the NCAA, European regular since 2015, got to the 700-point mark in 50 Champions League games.
The two players kept on going following their individual milestones and combined 42 points in the second straight game against Igokea.
Updated scoring list
Hruban remains the only player over 800 points with 844 to his name midway through his fifth BCL campaign with Nymburk. Punter made his way to 774 points through two seasons. Brown at 714 and Thomas at 713 got even closer to second place.
Plus 307 rebounds
The top of the double-game week made Thomas the Basketball Champions League all-time leader in rebounds. The bottom end featured yet another milestone as he became the first player to reach 300 career rebounds reaching all the way up to 307.
Photo Credit: Basketball Champions League