By Daniele Vecchi
SLAM EUROLEAGUE TOP TEN
10- PARTIZAN IGOKEA BELGRADE (SERBIA)
Lost in the last seconds to Panathinaikos 90-94, Partizan is a team with balls (like its President, Predrag Danilovic), with more then a chance to grab the victory over the Obradovic’s greeks last week. Great heart for the Vujosevic’s gang.
9- MONTEPASCHI SIENA (ITALY)
Dominant in the Italian League (8-0 this season), Montepaschi Siena is a true reality also in Euroleague, lost in Moskow in the Second Week but still a serious contender to the Final Four.
8- CSKA MOSKOW (RUSSIA)
Cska Moskow, the 2006 Euroleague Champions is once again at the top, despite the loss in Slovenia last week. Ettore Messina is one of the toughest coaches in Europe, and the roster is a solid expression of his toughness.
7- AXA BARCELONA (SPAIN)
Surprised by Partizan Belgrade in the First Week, Barcelona has readily answered to the successive calls, winning against Fenerbahce Ulker and Chorale Roanne. They have still to see the real Alex Acker.
6- UNION OLIMPIJA LJUBLJANA (SLOVENIA)
At Tivoli Arena, Ljublijana, the green of Union Olimpija is the law. Two games and two win for the slovenians on their own field, last week with an heartbreaking won over Cska Moskow. Union Olimpija could be the surprise of Euroleague.
5- LIETUVOS RYTAS VILNIUS (LITHUANIA)
Great surprise of the Euroleague, the team from Vilnius is still unbeaten, having a concrete chance to gain the Top16, becaming one of the best sixteen european teams, a great victory for this young lithuanian team.
4- OLYMPIACOS PIRAEUS (GREECE)
Qyntell Woods, Marc Jackson and Lynn Greer are probabily the strongest american trio in Euroleague, Arvydas Macijauskas is one of the best european shooters, Pinhas Gershon is one of the best coaches in Euroleague. Olympiacos can go deep.
3- ARIS TT BANK THESSALONIKI (GREECE)
The Super3, the fanatic fans of Aris, have to be very proud of their team. Started 3-0, the yellow-blacks from Thessaloniki, with any declared-star in the roster, are the picture of the health of greek basketball movement.
2- REAL MADRID (SPAIN)
Le Merengues demonstrate to be in the Euroleague elìte. A tough spanish core (Felipe Reyes, Raul Lopez, Alex Mumbru), a couple of veteran guards from away (Kerem Tunceri and Louis Bullock), and a terrific big man (Lazaros Papadopuolos), are driving Madrid to the top of Europe.
1- PANATHINAIKOS ATHENS (GREECE)
The most impressive Eurolegue teams, with a roster full of stars (Diamantidis, Spanoulis, Alvertis, Becirovic, Jasikevicius, Dikoudis and many more), they’re on the way to good shape and right chemistry, still without losses.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
MARKO MILIC (UNION OLIMPIJA)
Not only a great dunker (he used to jump some cars in slam dunk contests), but also a match-winner. He won the game with Cska Moskow, a last second’s basket, an out of bounce penetration in traffic to get the win for Union Olimpija. A clutch player.
MARC JACKSON (OLYMPIACOS PIRAEUS)
Dominant in the paint and killer from the three point line, this is Marc Jackson’s Euroleague ‘til now. 24 points, 7/10 from the field last week against Virtus Bologna, the former Temple player is healty and strong like his team.
JEREMIAH MASSEY (ARIS TT BANK THESSALONIKI)
Almost a perfect game, 12/14 from the field, 28 points and 11 boards in the Aris TT Bank last week win against Cibona Zagreb. Jeremiah Massey, a Kansas State University product, is the Euroleague Player of the Week.
DANIELE VECCHI is the author of “Playground in New York.” He also writes a column for the Italian language hoops magazine, American
Superbasket. This is his fourth story published in the English language.
