Eurobasket summer league

We bring you last week's top performances from Eurobasket Summer League players who are playing pro basketball and who all have had prior experience of national team duties at youth or senior level.

P.J. Hill jr.

#1. P.J. Hill jr. (182-PG-87, college: Ohio St., currently plays in Latvia) led Jekabpils to a victory over one of league's weakest teams Turiba (10-20) crushing them 106-77 in the Latvian LBL in Thursday night's game. He was MVP of the game. Hill jr. scored 28 points (!!!), grabbed 4 rebounds and dished 6 assists in 31 minutes; quite an impressive performance considering it's only his third season in pro basketball. BK Jekabpils (19-11) is placed first in the LBL. There are only four games left until the end of the Regular Season. So now every game will be critical. Hill jr. is ranked sixth on the list of the top scorers in the league and also on the list of best passers (fourth place). He has individually a very good year with high stats. Hill jr. averages: 15.6ppg, 4.5rpg and 3.6apg in the 30 games he played so far. He attended previously one of camps at Eurobasket Summer League on his way to pro basketball. In 2010 Hill jr. went to the ESL camp in Las Vegas playing for Team Venice.

Agnis Cavars

#2. Agnis Cavars (196-F-86, currently plays in Latvia) led Valmiera to a victory over the league outsider U18 (1-17) crushing them 94-64 in the Latvian LBL last Sunday. He was the best player in that game. Cavars recorded a double-double by scoring 20 points and getting 15 rebounds. BK Valmiera (8-1) is placed second in the LBL. There are only three games left until the end of the Regular Season. So now every game will be critical. Cavars has relatively good stats this season: 14.6ppg and 10.2rpg. Worth to mention he played also at Eurobasket Summer League, which helped him get the job in pro basketball. Two years ago Cavars took part in the ESL camp in Cologne, Germany playing for Team Belgrade.

Dwight Thorne

#3. Dwight Thorne (190-PG-88, college: Colorado, currently plays in Croatia) led KK Zadar to an overtime victory against the seventh-ranked Cedevita (0-1) 84-79 in the Croatian A1 on Wednesday night. He recorded 13 points, 6 rebounds and 3 assists in 33 minutes. It was his first game for KK Zadar this season. His team is placed fourth in Places 1-8 group. But this is still an early stage of the season and everything may happen. He is a former Eurobasket Summer League player, which is considered top summer league for players who want to play basketball overseas. Last year Thorne played at the ESL camp in Las Vegas playing for Team Kiev.

Kyndall Dykes

#4. Kyndall Dykes (190-SG-87, agency: Edge Sports, college: New Orleans, currently plays in Ukraine) led Hoverla to a victory over the closely-ranked Dnipro (15-24) 89-77 in the Ukrainian Superleague in Friday night's game. Dykes was the top player that evening. He scored 20 points, had 7 boards, handed out 5 passes and blocked 2 shots. Hoverla Ivano-Frankivsk (21-18) is placed eighth in the Superleague. Dykes' team will play only one more game in the Regular Season. And that game will be critical. It's Dykes' first season with the team. He has individually a very good year with high stats. Dykes averages: 17.2ppg, 5.0rpg, 2.7apg and 1.7spg. Dykes is a former Eurobasket Summer League player, which is considered top international summer league in the market. In 2009 he attended the ESL camp in Malaga, Spain playing for Team Naples.

Perry Petty

#5. Perry Petty (185-G-88, college: UTPA, currently plays in Romania) led Giurgiu to a victory over the seventh-ranked Timisoara (14-13) 96-86 in the Romanian Liga Nationala last Thursday. Petty was the top player that evening. He scored 40 points (!!!), grabbed 6 boards, passed 9 assists and added 4 steals in 40 minutes; not bad, considering it's only Petty's second season in pro basketball. CSS Giurgiu (11-19) is placed 12th in the Liga Nationala. The Regular Season already ended. Petty is currently fourth on the league's list of top scorers and also on the list of most steals (second place). He has individually a very good year with high stats. Petty averages: 18.6ppg, 5.4rpg, 4.4apg and 2.3spg in the 30 games he played so far. He played in 2011at the Eurobasket Summer League in Las Vegas for Team Monaco.

Jayson Granger

#6. Jayson Granger (186-G-89, currently plays in Spain) led Asefa Estudiantes to an easy victory against the league outsider Assignia Manresa (5-22) 90-75 in the Spanish ACB on Sunday night. Granger scored 17 points and grabbed 7 rebounds. Asefa Estudiantes Madrid (13-14) is placed 11th in the ACB. Granger is one of the most experienced players in a team as it's his seventh year in Asefa Estudiantes' roster. His overall stats this season are: 9.9ppg, 3.3rpg and 3.1apg. Granger has a dual citizenship: Uruguayan and Italian. He attended three years ago the Eurobasket Summer League camp in New York.

Jermaine Barnes

#7. Jermaine Barnes (194-G/F-82, agency: Gamble Sports Management, college: Point, GA, currently plays in UBA) led GIE Maile Matrix to a victory over the Atlanta Titans (3-11) 97-89 in the UBA in Friday night's game. Barnes was the top player that evening. He had a double-double by scoring 40 points and getting 10 rebounds. Barnes also added 6 assists in 40 minutes. The GIE Maile Matrix has 9-6 record this season. Barnes is ranked first on the list of the top scorers in the league and also on the list of best passers (third place). He has individually a very good year with high stats. Barnes averages: 27.7ppg, 7.9rpg, 6.9apg and 2.1spg in the 15 games he played so far. Worth to mention he played also for Tokyo at the ESL in Houston in 2011.

Jason Conley

#8. Jason Conley (196-G-81, agency: Warren Sports International, college: Missouri, currently plays in Finland), who plays in the Finnish Korisliiga could not help LrNMKY (17-23) in their last game on Wednesday. Despite Conley's very good performance LrNMKY was defeated 89-76 at home by the leading Loimaan Korikonkarit. He recorded a double-double by scoring 32 points and getting 13 rebounds. There are only three games left until the end of the Regular Season. So now every game will be critical. Conley is currently second on the list of top scorers and also on the list of best rebounders (second place). He has individually a very good season with high stats. Conley averages: 22.8ppg, 9.9rpg, 2.9apg and 1.7spg. He played last year at the ESL in Las Vegas for Union Monaco.

James Tyler

#9. James Tyler (218-C-88, currently plays in Bulgaria), who plays in the Bulgarian NBL could not help Chernomorets (9-14) in their last game. Despite Tyler's very good performance Chernomorets lost 70-85 on the road to the higher-ranked (#3) Balkan. He had a double-double by scoring 18 points and getting 19 rebounds. Tyler also added 3 blocks in 34 minutes. It was Chernomorets' first loss after three consecutive victories. There are only four games left until the end of the Regular Season. Tyler is ranked second on the list of the top scorers in the league and also on the list of best rebounders (first place). He has individually a very good year with high stats. Tyler averages: 18.9ppg, 13.7rpg and 3.0bpg in the 23 games he played so far. He attended in 2010 the ESL camp in Las Vegas.

Marcus Smallwood

#10. Marcus Smallwood (198-F-82, college: N.Illinois, currently plays in Germany), who plays in the German ProA (second division) could not help Kirchheim Knights (10-20) in their last game on Saturday. Despite Smallwood's very good performance Kirchheim Knights was defeated 99-92 on the road by the much higher-ranked BG Goettingen (#3). He recorded a double-double by scoring 21 points and getting 20 rebounds. The Regular Season already ended. Smallwood is ranked sixth on the list of the best rebounders in the league. He has very reliable stats this season: 11.1ppg, 7.9rpg and 1.1bpg. Worth to mention he played also for Team Dubai at the ESL in Houston last year.

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