FICYMIs Nov 26: Spain's Spanish crisis, Ubal's first ACB points, career highs for Samar, historic women referees
FICYMIs Nov 26: Spain's Spanish crisis, Ubal's first ACB points, career highs for Samar, historic women referees
Friday In Case You Missed Its: Spain's Spanish crisis - and how it compares elsewhere, Agustin Ubal's first points for Barcelona, career highs for Ziga Samar; and history for women referees.
And just like that another week is gone by and it’s time for the Friday In Case You Missed Its - where the Taking The Charge substack catches you up on some of the things you may have missed on the WWWs. This week: Spain’s Spanish crisis and how it compares elsewhere; Agustin Ubal's first points for Barcelona, career highs for Ziga Samar; and history for women referees.
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Spain’s Spanish crisis and how it compares to other countries
The Spanish daily sports newspaper Marca splashed a big “crisis” headline on a recent article about the lack of Spanish players listed in the top stats in the ACB league. What is very interesting is that the paper included Nikola Mirotic in the list, who of course plays for the Spanish national team but is actually from Montenegro. Still he counts as a Spanish formation player and therefore not a foreigner.
Marca noted that only two Spanish players were in the top 50 in scoring in the ACB:
6: Nikola Mirotic (Barcelona)
25: Jaime Fernández (Unicaja)
They also said five Spaniards were in the top 50 in efficiency:
2: Nikola Mirotic (Barcelona)
29: Jaime Fernández (Unicaja)
33: Guillem Vives (Joventut)
45: Dani Diez (San Pablo Burgos)
49: Pau Ribas (Joventut)
And four Spanish players were in the top 50 in minutes played:
10: Guillem Vives (Joventut)
12: Xavi Rabaseda (San Pablo Burgos)
49: Dani Pérez (BAXI Manresa)
50: Rodrigo San Miguel (Casademont Zaragoza)
“These are alarming figures. It is no longer that there are fewer and fewer Spaniards, it is also that they have less weight. We have always had and there will always be seven or eight very good nationals. What is disappearing is the middle class,” Marca quoted Alfonso Reyes, president of the Association of Professional Basketball Players,
That prompted the idea to compare the situation in other countries, looking at statistics from RealGM, which only included scoring and minutes - not efficiency.
Here is a breakdown of some other leagues - according to data collected on November 26:
France’s ProA features five French in the top 50 scoring and eight in the top 50 in minutes.
Scoring
3: Nicolas Lang - Limoges
34: Axel Julien - Bourg
35: Elie Okobo - Asvel
45: Ismael Kamage - Paris
50: Juhann Begarin - Paris
Minutes
6: Benoit Mangin - ESSM Le Portel
9: Hugo Invernizzi - Limoges
10: Nicolas Lang - Limoges
12: Axel Julien - Bourg
21: Jessie Begarin - Chalons
40: Ismael Kamagate - Paris
46: Boris Dallo - Cholet
49: Bodian Massa - Fos Sur Mer
Germany’s BBL has five Germans in the top 50 in scoring - including leading scorer Christian Sengfelder; and six in the top 50 in minutes.
Scoring
1: Christian Sengfelder - Bamberg
13: Robin Amaize - Braunschweig
39: Oscar da Silva - Berlin
47: Maurice Stuckey - Crailsheim
49: David Krämer - Braunschweig
Minutes
5: Christian Sengfelder - Bamberg
16: Robin Amaize - Braunschweig
24: Patrick Heckmann - Bamberg
34: Niklas Wurzner - Heidelberg
46: Mathis Mönninghoff - Göttingen
49: Len Schoormann - Frankfurt
Greece’s A1 league includes 13 Greeks among the top 50 scorers and 17 in the top 50 in minutes.
Scoring
9: Georgios Tsalmpouris - Apollon Patras
14: Ioannis Papapetrou - Panathinaikos Athens
17: Tyler Dorsey - Olympiacos Piraeus
18: Ioannis Agravanis - Iraklis
21: Nikolaos Diplaros - Apollon Patras
24: Nikos Pappas - AEK Athens
28: Vasilis Mouratos - Lavrio
35: Kostas Sloukas - Olympiacos Piraeus
36: Thodoris Zaras - Ermis Agias Larissa
39: George Papagiannis - Panathinaikos Athens
40: Dimitrios Agravanis - Promitheas Patras
45: Iosif Koloveros - Ionikos Nikaias
47: Vladimir Jankovic - PAOK
Minutes
3: Ioannis Agravanis - Iraklis
8: Georgios Tsalmpouris - Apollon Patras
10: Nikolaos Diplaros - Apollon Patras
15: Nikos Chougkaz - Ionikos Nikaias
16: Thodoris Zaras - Ermis Agias Larissa
21: Nikos Pappas - AEK Athens
23: Vladimir Jankovic - PAOK
27: Ioannis Papapetrou - Panathinaikos Athens
31: Vasilis Mouratos - Lavrio
32: Costis Gontikas - Ionikos Nikaias
35: George Papagiannis - Panathinaikos Athens
36: Dimitrios Katsivelis - Peristeri
41: Iosif Koloveros - Ionikos Nikaias
43: Ioannis Athinaiou - Ionikos Nikaias
44: Dimitrios Kaklamanakis - Lavrio
49: Omer Netzip Oglou - Aris
50: Nikos Rogkavopoulos - Promitheas Patras
Israel’s Premier League has nine Israelis among the top 50 in scoring and 11 in the top 50 in minutes.
Scoring
21: Amit Simhon - Hapoel Haifa
31: Nimrod Levi - Hapoel Galil Elyon
33: Roi Huber - Hapoel Eilat
39: Idan Zalmanson - Hapoel Tel Aviv
42: Rafi Manco Hapoel Holon
44: Netanel Artzi - Maccabi Rishon Lezion
46: Michael Brisker - Maccabi Bazan Haifa
47: Bar Timor - Hapoel Tel Aviv
50: Golan Gutt - Ironi Nes Ziona
Minutes
13: Golan Gutt - Ironi Nes Ziona
15: Amit Simhon - Hapoel Haifa
18: Roi Huber - Hapoel Eilat
26: Nimrod Levi - Hapoel Galil Elyon
27v Bar Timor - Hapoel Tel Aviv
34: Neta Segal - Hapoel Beer Sheva
39: Zuf Ben Moshe - Hapoel Eliat
43: Itay Segev - Hapoel Jerusalem
44: Amit Suss - Hapoel Beer Sheva
45: Joaquin Szuchman - Hapoel Eliat
50: Roman Sorkin - Maccabi Tel Aviv
Italy’s Serie A features 10 Italians in the top 50 in scoring - including five in the top 14 - and 11 in the top 50 minutes - including five in the top 9.
Scoring
4: Amedeo Della Valle - Gemani Basket Brescia
6: Pietro Aradori - Fortitudo Bologna
7: Alessandro Gentile - OpenJobMetis Varese
12: Diego Flaccadori - Dolomiti Energia Trento
14: Stefano Tonut - Umana Reyer Venice
26: David Cournooh - Vanoli Cremona
28: Raphael Gasparo - Enel Bridisi
40: Matteo Spagnolo - Vanoli Cremona
44: Marco Belinelli - Virtus Bologna
50: Gigi Datome - AX Armani Exchange Milan
Minutes
2: Diego Flaccadori - Dolomiti Energia Trento
4: Alessandro Gentile - OpenJobMetis Varese
6: Amedeo Della Valle - Gemani Basket Brescia
8: Pietro Aradori - Fortitudo Bologna
9: Stefano Tonut - Umana Reyer Venice
27: David Cournooh - Vanoli Cremona
37: Stefano Gentile - Banco di Sardegna Sassari
41: Nikola Akele - Universo De’Longhi Treviso
42: Raphael Gasparo - Enel Bridisi
47: Fabio Mian - Pallacanestro Trieste
50: Matteo Spagnolo - Vanoli Cremona
Japan’s B.League includes seven Japanese among the top 50 in scoring and 12 in the top 50 in minutes.
Scoring
12: Yuto Okada - Shinshu Brave Warriors
23: Seiya Ando - Shimane Susanoo Magic
40: Masaaki Morikawa - Yokohama B-Corsairs
44: Yuki Togashi - Chiba Jets
47: Kosuke Kanamaru - Shimane Susanoo Magic
49: Makoto Hiejima - Tochigi Brex
50: Yuma Fujii - Kawasaki Brave Thunders
Minutes
3: Seiya Ando - Shimane Susanoo Magic
19: Masaaki Morikawa - Yokohama B-Corsairs
23: Kosuke Kanamaru - Shimane Susanoo Magic
26: Yudai Nishida - Aishin Sea Horses
33: Yuto Nomi - Nigata Albirex
39: Yuta Okada - Shinsu Brave Warriors
40: Avi Schafter - Aishin Sea Horses
44: Naoto Tsuji - Hiroshima Dragonflies
46: Kumagai Ko - Shinsu Brave Warriors
47: Ryo Terashima - Hiroshima Dragonflies
48: Kazuki Hosokawa - Kyoto Hannaryz
49: Yuma Fujii - Kawasaki Brave Thunders
And in Turkey’s Basketbol Süper Ligi, there are two Turks in the top 50 of scoring and two in the top 50 of minutes.
Scoring
27: Onuralp Bitim Bursaspor
41: Ogus Ozdemiroglu Darussafaka
Minutes
23: Ogus Ozdemiroglu Darussafaka
49: Berk Ugurlu Tofas
First ACB points for Barcelona’s 2003-born Agustin Ubal
History right here as 2003-born Agustin Ubal scored his first professional points for FC Barcelona’s professional team. What’s interesting in this highlight - besides the historic moment - is who else was on the court. Along with Ubal were Sertac Sanli and Nico Laprovittola as well as 2000-born Rokas Jokubaitis and fellow 2003-born Michael Caicedo. The latter was already playing in his sixth ACB game this season.
Career highs for 2001-born Slovenia guard Ziga Samar
Sticking with youngsters in Spain … Slovenian 2001-born guard Ziga Samar had a breakout game for Urbas Fuenlabrada with career-highs of 18 points and 9 assists to go with 3 rebounds and 2 steals against Unicaja Malaga. That game came after Samar had picked up 3 points, 4 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals and 0 turnovers in 24 minutes against his former team Real Madrid the week before. Samar moved from Real to Fuenlabrada in 2019 on a four-year contract.
History for women referees in EuroCup
Mark down November 17, 2021 in your history books … History was made on that day in the 7DAYS EuroCup when two female referees officiated a game together for the first time in the competition’s past.
Anne Panther and Vasiliki Tsaroucha were joined by Kristaps Konstantinovs to officiate the game between Frutti Extra Bursaspor and Gran Canaria in Turkey.
“To see a female colleague next to you on the court is a very rewarding experience that I hope will be commonplace in the future,” Panther said of the historic game to the EuroCup website.
“It was a true honor to join Anne and Kristaps to officiate that EuroCup game,” Tsaroucha said. “Anne is one of the main references when talking about top-level officiating and having the opportunity to learn from her experience is always outstanding.”
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