It was another weekend when British players shone with George Bates among the leading scorers in Spain’s Division de Honor, while there was success for Simon Brown and Ian Sagar in the top of the table clash in Germany.
George Bates scored over 30 points for the second successive week, recording a game-high 34 points in Mideba Extremadura’s 30:85 win over Getafe BSR. Bates was influential at both ends of the court with 11 defensive rebounds included in his game-high total of 15 rebounds.
Phil Pratt was also influential in Mideba’s victory, ending the game with 11 points, a game-leading nine assists and 12 rebounds.
It was also a productive weekend for the British players in action for BSR Amiab Albacete, with 53 of their 78 points against Servigest Burgos scored by GB athletes. Lee Manning led the points scoring for Albacete with 18 points along with a game-high 16 rebounds.
Gaz Choudhry was top of the game’s assists charts with 16 assists in addition to his 15 points and eight rebounds. Harry Brown’s points total was 12, while Kyle Marsh and Ben Fox scored six and two points, respectively, as Albacete moved up to second in the league table.
Will Bonner and Lee Fryer were both in action in Burgos’ 78:62 defeat in Albacete with Fryer adding 10 points and 11 assists to the scoresheet.
Albacete are level on points with James MacSorley’s BSR ACE Gran Canaria who lost 58:61 to CD Ilunion in an end-to-end, competitive game. The scores were level going into the full minute but Terry Bywater’s three-pointer with 31 seconds left on the clock proved to be decisive with Ilunion securing the win by three points.
Bywater’s final minute three-pointer saw the five-time Paralympian end the game with 10 points and a game-high eight assists, while Gregg Warburton added nine points to Ilunion’s total. MacSorley scored six points for Gran Canaria.
Abdi Jama was also involved in a thrilling game in Malaga with his Amivel’s side claiming a 97:95 win after two periods of overtime. Jama scored 15 points and totalled five assists.
There was also victory for Lewis Edwards and Sam Mack who helped Iberconsa Amfiv to a 67:48 win against Fundacion Aliados. Edwards scored 11 points with Mack adding two.
In Germany, all eyes were on the top of the table clash between RSB Thuringia Bulls and RSV Lahn-Dill. It was Lahn-Dill – including Simon Brown and Ian Sagar – who were celebrating at the final buzzer as they delivered Thuringia Bulls’ first defeat of the season.
Sagar scored 11 points and Brown nine as Lahn-Dill won 82:54 to move two points behind Thuringia Bulls at the top of the table, with Lahn-Dill having played a game less. Helen Freeman scored six points for the league leaders.
Thomas Smith was also part of a winning side, posting 10 points and a team-high six rebounds for Baskets 96 Rahden in their 89:36 win against ING Skywheelers.
Jim Palmer’s Rhine River Rhinos Wiesbaden lost 68:65 away at BBC Munsterland with Palmer ending the game with two points, four assists and five rebounds.
Martin Edwards returned to competitive action for the first time in over a year as he played his first game for Italian side Special Sport Montello Bergamo in a new Serie A format. Edwards was the game’s top points scorer with 23 points, while also collecting nine rebounds in Bergamo’s 48:59 defeat to Deco Amicacci Giulianova.
Most Points (GB Players)
34 – George Bates (Spain; Mideba)
23 – Martin Edwards (Italy; Bergamo)
18 – Lee Manning (Spain; Albacete)
Most Assists (GB Players)
16 – Gaz Choudhry (Spain; Albacete)
11 – Lee Fryer (Spain; Burgos)
9 – Phil Pratt (Spain; Mideba)
Most Rebounds (GB Players)
16 – Lee Manning (Spain; Albacete)
15 – George Bates (Spain; Mideba)
12 – Phil Pratt (Spain; Mideba)
