By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
A determined competitor the likes of Dylan Ennis would easily sidestep such accomplishments, but entering the Top 10 of the players with the most points in the Basketball Champions League can not be overlooked, despite a losing effort for UCAM Murcia in Kralovka Arena on Tuesday. A long and successful overseas career received yet another highlight.
The 33-year-old combo guard tallied a team-high 17 points behind 6/11 field goals. Over 28 minutes, he also registered five rebounds, three assists, and one steal. However, the focus here is reaching a total of 843 points in the BCL to surpass Chris Johnson’s 828 and rank tenth on the all-time scoring list.
Ennis has been around since the 2019-20 installment of the Champions League. Following two years with Casademont Zaragoza, he bounced back with Galatasaray Nef in the 2022-23 season. From there to Murcia over the last two years. In a total of 65 appearances, he averaged 13 points per contest en route to the Top 10.
All-time scoring list
| POINTS | |
| 1. Giorgi Shermadini | 1,195 |
| 2. Vojtech Hruban | 1,132 |
| 3, Marcelinho Huertas | 1,083 |
| 4. Levi Randolph | 1,030 |
| 5. Joe Ragland | 942 |
| 6. David Holston | 910 |
| 7. Tim Abromaitis | 898 |
| 8. Zoltan Perl | 869 |
| 9. Tyrus McGee | 849 |
| 10. Dylan Ennis | 843 |
Among the remaining players in the Top 10, second-placed Vojtech Hruban was on the opposite end of Tuesday’s game, helping Nymburk improve to 2-0 in Group L of the Round of 16.
Ennis seeks another extended run
Carrying the experience of several extended runs in the BCL, Ennis has set his sights on the next step, which would be winning the championship with Murcia.
As a member of Zaragoza, he helped his side reach the Final Eight twice but eventually settled with ranking fourth in 2020 and third in 2021. And in last year’s Final Four, his efforts resulted in yet another third-place game with Murcia finishing third. Furthermore, he was named to the Second Team of the annual Star Lineup for the 2019-20, 2020-21, and 2023-24 seasons. The only journey lacking such a nod was with Galata, perhaps because it ended in the Round of 16.
Piling up points, he averaged 12.2 points per contest over 14 games in the 2019-20 season, 16.1 points per contest over 15 games in the 2020-21 season, 11.6 points per contest over 12 games in the 2022-23 season, and 10.3 points over 16 games in the 2023-24 season. In the ongoing continental campaign, he has 16.0 points per contest over eight games.
On Tuesday in Czechia, ERA Nymburk pulled away in the second half to secure a win and sit alone on top of the standings. The Universitarios were forced down to 1-1 but with plenty of room to recover after the international break.
“Hats off to them, but it’s a long competition. Hopefully, we can continue to get better,” Ennis used his experience and also focused on his team, looking forward to bouncing back later in the six-game double-legged round-robin schedule.
“I think it is more about us than anything. We just have to find a way to play harder for 40 minutes and we’ll see them when they come to Murcia,” he added referring to the opposite fixture set to be held in Palacio de Deportes de Murcia on March 26. Boosting his confidence, the team coached by Sito Alonso has eight consecutive home wins in the Round of 16.
Besides Nymburk, Nanterre 92 and Falco Vulcano Szombathely are also in the four-team group, contending for the two tickets to the Quarterfinals. Ennis is familiar with this kind of battles and is eager to display leadership skills once more, hoping to guide Murcia into the next stage of the BCL.
Photo Credit: FIBA