By Stefan Acevski/ info@eurohoops.net
Until the Tenerife vs. Trapani game, Spanish teams had not known defeat in the FIBA Basketball Champions League. Up to that match, they were 19-0, but they finally suffered a loss.
On a tough away game, Trapani Sharks managed a victory against Tenerife (83-80). A win that may not bring them direct qualification to the Round of 16, but it does mean they can say they defeated one of the title favorites in this competition. And the most deserving for that is certainly the American JD Notae.
He missed several games due to injury; the clash against Tenerife was only his second in the Basketball Champions League this season, and he finished it with 24 points (6/12 field goals, 9/10 free throws).
Who is JD Notae?
JD Notae was born in 1998. He spent his first two college years at Jacksonville before transferring to Arkansas, where he made a significant impact. Many NCAA basketball fans got to know him in 2022 during the NCAA tournament when Arkansas reached the Elite Eight round.
On their way to that stage, they eliminated Gonzaga, one of the title favorites, but were stopped by Duke in the West Regional final. Notae was selected for the all tournament’s team in his conference, along with another Arkansas member Jaylin Williams, who is now a player for the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The American, who plays both guard positions, was not drafted in the NBA, and in 2022, his European journey began, with Aris being his first club. At Aris, Notae proved to be a serious talent and an excellent scorer, averaging over 15 points and ranking among the top scorers in the Greek league, before moving to Trapani Sharks the following season.
Three years with Trapani
There aren’t many Americans who stay with a European club for three years, especially if we’re not talking about the EuroLeague level. However, that’s not the case with Notae.
He arrived at Trapani in the summer of 2023 and is still a member of this Italian team. Last season, he helped Sharks secure second place in the regular season of the Italian championship, but they were stopped by Brescia in the playoff semifinals.
Trapani doesn’t look any worse this season either; they are currently on a 10-game winning streak across all competitions. If they hadn’t received a penalty and a five-point deduction, they would now be leading in Italy with a 10-1 record. Notae is one of the main reasons for this success.
When it comes to Notae, he is an excellent scorer and always a threat to the opposing team. He can get into scoring streaks and make shots from very difficult situations, as Tenerife experienced firsthand.
He is capable of creating from pick-and-roll situations, both for himself and his teammates. He is very good in one-on-one situations and is often used as the sixth man, someone who changes the rhythm of the game upon entering the court and takes on a lot of responsibility in those moments.
Trapani has been a true sensation in Europe for the past two seasons, and they will play in the play-in round of the Basketball Champions League. We will see how far Notae can lead Trapani this season.