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| 7DAYS EuroCup Top 16 MVP: Devin Williams, Tofas Bursa |
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The 7DAYS EuroCup Top 16 served as uncharted waters for both Tofas Bursa and its center Devin Williams and thanks to the stellar performances by the latter, the team passed through successfully to continue its challenge for EuroCup glory. Williams led his team in scoring in the Top 16 with 15.3 points per game, led the entire EuroCup with 7.8 rebounds and ranked this with an average performance index rating of 20.8. Even more important than those numbers was his team's 4-2 record, which booked Tofas a quarterfinals date with Promitheas Patras. For his standout play in leading Tofas to the next phase, Euroleague Basketball has chosen Williams as the 7DAYS EuroCup Top 16 MVP.
Williams raised his numbers in nearly every major statistical category from the regular season to the Top 16. For the season, he is averaging 15.1 points on 55.1% two-point shooting, 8.1 rebounds and 1.5 assists for an average performance index rating of 18.1. He leads the team in scoring, rebounding and PIR and is second in the league in offensive rebounds with 3.2 per game.
Williams produced remarkable consistency for Tofas in the Top 16 and he saved his best for last. He scored in double figures in all but one game, had a minimum of 6 rebounds in every game and made more than half of his shots in all but two games. He started the Top 16 with a 15-point, 8-rebound effort in a narrow victory over Unicaja Malaga in which his PIR of 22 led the team. A week later he produced 9 points, 10 boards and 4 assists in a 63-69 road win at MoraBanc Andorra. He had 6 points, 1 assist and 1 steal in the final 5:12 of the game to lead Tofas to 2-12 run to come from behind and claim the win. In Round 3 of the Top 16, Williams posted 15 points and 7 rebounds in his team’s first loss, 88-84 at Joventut Badalona.
Tofas's next game was the home leg against Joventut and Williams dominated with 20 points on 8-of-9 shooting plus 9 rebounds in less than 20 minutes on the floor in a 91-76 victory. Tofas lost for the second time in the Top 16 in Round 5 at Unicaja, 76-68, despite 11 points and 7 rebounds from Williams. Nevertheless, Tofas advanced to the quarterfinals that round thanks to the other result in the group. For the Top 16 finale, shined with 22 points on 8-of-10 shooting, 6 rebounds and 3 steals to earn MVP of the round honors with a career-high PIR of 32.
This is Williams's premier EuroCup campaign and his fifth in professional basketball. He also played in Turkey the year before when he was leading the league in rebounding with Buyukcekmece midway through the season before Buducnost VOLI Podgorica called and signed him for the tail end of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season. Williams has previously played for Melbourne in Australia, Greensboro and Maine in the G-League and Vaqueros de Bayamon in Puerto Rico.
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