By Aris Barkas/ barkas@eurohoops.net
Four of those arrested were more than familiar to anyone and only one new face, from the up-and-coming Zalgiris Kaunas gang, emerged this week. Can the stolen EuroLeague trophy be hidden somewhere in the Baltics, as happened almost two decades ago? It remains to be seen.
Sergio Llull: Speaking about the upper echelon, nobody can touch the “Whites” of Real Madrid. And Llull remains as lightning-quick as ever, shooting from everywhere and making the most wild shots! Darussafaka Dogus Istanbul dared to challenge the Spaniards on their home turf and Llull went berserk, scoring 26 points and dishing 8 assists. Nobody couldn’t contain him and the local authorities once more turned a blind eye.
Bogdan Bogdanovic: Everyone knows the “Leader of Horde” as the cold blooded Serb who led Fenerbahce Istanbul to the next level. This time, he stood his ground against Olympiacos Piraeus in a big showdown on his territory. He took no prisoners on the way to 27 points as the Reds tried until the end to steal the win. In the end, Bogdanovic got the job done, and even though he and his crew were tested, they proved that they remain part of the underworld’s upper echelon.
Bryant Dunston: After keeping a low profile for a while, this is his second arrest in few weeks. The Anadolu Efes Istanbul gang is rising and this American enforcer terrorized Baskonia Vitoria Gasteiz, something that very few players have managed to achieve to such an extent. Nobody could push him out of the paint, where he dominated with 15 points, 7 rebounds and 5 blocks. Istanbul remains a hive of criminal activity and Dunston once again was in the center of it.
Mike James: It’s not the first time that an outlaw is hailed as hero and that’s what happened in Athens. The American cat burglar who now works for Panathinaikos Superfoods Athens didn’t do much as Unics Kazan seemed poised to pull off one more big caper. Nonetheless, James managed to steal the win with a big shot at the buzzer and saved the day for the local gang. He had just 8 points, however his shot made all the difference.
Lukas Lekavicius: For many years the Zalgiris Kaunas gang was considered dangerous only around Lithuania. This time, however, this young thug was arrested in Germany near Bamberg. He was ruthless against local crime lords Brose Bamberg as he needed just 21 minutes in order to score 29 points, missing just one shot! The fact that he had no crime record until now was crucial in the decision to let him walk, however this may not be his last arrest.
Photo Credit: JPsportart