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7DAYS EuroCup Top 16 - Round 2 MVP: Deon Thompson, Unicaja Malaga

Unicaja Malaga grabbed its first win in Group H as big man Deon Thompson earned the Top 16 Round 2 MVP honor. Thompson led Unicaja to a 90-84 home win against Joventut Badalona with a performance index rating of 27 in just 18 minutes of action. He finished the game with 23 points by making 4 of 6 two-point shots, 4 of 4 triples and 3 of 3 rebounds. He is the second center this season to make 4 three-pointers and only one other EuroCup player has made as many without a miss in a single game. He added 4 rebounds, a steal and 2 fouls drawn for the highest PIR in the round. Rasid Mahalbasic of EWE Baskets Oldenburg and Julian Gamble of Segafredo Virtus Bologna each registered a PIR of 24. Gamble led Virtus to a 83-72 home victory against Darussafaka Tekfen Istanbul with 15 points on 7-for-8 two-point shooting, 6 rebounds, an assist, a steal, 2 blocks and 5 fouls drawn. Mahalbasic had 18 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals and 7 fouls drawn in his team's 81-70 road loss to Promitheas Patras. Berkan Durmaz of Tofas Bursa, Alex Tyus of UNICS Kazan and his teammate Errick McCollum, each with a PIR of 23, completed the best individual performances in Top 16 Round 2.

Individual highs: Jaime Fernandez, Unicaja, 10 assists

Thompson was also the best scorer in Top 16 Round 2 with 23 points. David Walker of MoraBanc Andorra, who did not play in this round, has the best Top 16 average, with 26.0 points. Eric Buckner of AS Monaco, Devin Williams of Tofas and Johnathan Hamilton of Darussafaka each pulled down 10 rebounds in this round. Mahalbasic and Martynas Echodas of Rytas Vilnius are atop the Top 16 standings at 11.0 rebounds per night. Jaime Fernandez of Unicaja dished 10 assists against Joventut and also leads the Top 16 in this category (7.5 apg.). Terrell Holloway of Rytas had 4 steals in his team's 73-89 road win against Galatasaray Doga Sigorta Istanbul. Jamar Smith of UNICS and Melvin Ejim of Unicaja lead this phase in steals at 3.0 per night. Buckner, Gamble and Zach Auguste of Galatasaray had 2 blocks apiece in this round. Buckner and DJ White of Tofas lead the blocks list at 2.0 per night. Buckner (12 points, 10 rebounds) and Fernandez (10 points, 10 rebounds) were the only players who registered double-doubles this week.

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