We go to Finland for the first time this season for #BOTW, and what a performance it was. Armin Cane dropped an incredible SIXTY points (!) in his team's game, making two-thirds of his shots while also getting a double-double with 10 rebounds. The product of Stockton University is turning Finland's 1st Division on its head, as he is averaging 39.2 points, 10.9 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game in his first true year of professional basketball. Cane's sixty-burger helped Hypo coast by Espoo Basket 95-70, and Cane's monumental performance in helping his team get the victory made him a easy choice for Baller of the Week - and someone to keep any eye on to move up in the world of international basketball.
Demetric Austin is the newest player for Panionios BC after signing with the Greek team earlier today. The Dillard product replaces the departed Brandon Wood, who left the team after only appearing in one game for Panionios. Austin spent last year in Portugal playing for Barreirense, where he averaged 19.4 points and 7.9 rebounds per game in 12 games played. He joins a Panionios team that is in the bottom half of the league standings after starting with a 3-5 record, and will need to play better if they hope to improve on last year's 7-19 finish. This is Austin's second season of pro basketball.
BOTW takes us to Denmark this holiday season, where we saw Devon Thomas stuff the stat sheet in his team's most recent game. Thomas scored 26 points to go along with 7 rebounds and 9 assists in Randers Cimbria's 107-103 win over the league-leading (and previously undefeated) Bakken Bears. The Texas Tech grad is in his second season as a pro and second season with Randers, averaging 14.2 points per game during his rookie season. He looks like he's stepped up this year, and a win over the top team in the league coupled with a full box score make him an easy nod for Baller of the Week.
Waverly Austin is the latest baller to play in a new country after signing with Chemidor Tehran in Iran. Austin started the season in Lithuania with BC Dzukija, where he averaged 7.3 points and 4.8 rebounds per game in 12 games played. He joins a Chemidor Tehran team that currently sits at the top of the Superleague standings with a 3-0 record, their first year in Iran's top division. Austin, a 27-year-old who graduated from Oregon in 2014, has also played in Germany, the Czech Republic and France.
Bayern Munich's Devin Booker will reportedly miss some time after an ankle injury. Booker will be out several weeks after being injured in Bayern's Euroleague game against Khimki. The 27-year-old big man underwent surgery soon after, and is expected to be out for multiple weeks.
Grissin Bon Reggio Emilia is reportedly close to signing experienced American ballerK.C. Rivers. Rivers is a veteran of the international scene, having played in six different countries as he begins the tenth year of his career. The Clemson grad has yet to suit up for a team this season, spending the past two years playing for Panathinaikos in Greece. Last year, he averaged 7.9 points and 2.3 rebounds per game, which included an 8.5 points per game clip in Euroleague play.
Rivers has prior experience in Italy but hasn't played there in nearly a decade, playing for Benneton Treviso during the 2009-2010 season, but has played for some of the best teams in Europe including Bayern Munich, Real Madrid and Panathinaikos. Grissin Bon Reggio Emilia could certainly use his help and should sign him soon, as the team currently sits in last place in Italy's Lega Basket Serie A with a 2-6 record.
We're in Norway this time for Baller of the Week, where rookie Cam Gregory put up massive numbers in his team's close loss Fyllingen BBK. Gregory has had a sizzling start to the season, averaging 25.3 points and 10.8 rebounds per game, but nearly doubled those numbers by dropping 44 points and grabbing 25 boards. The first-year pro out of Loyola (MD) is also shooting nearly 60 percent from the floor so far this season. Those impressive numbers, combined with career highs in points and rebounds in his most recent game, make him an easy pick for Baller of the Week.
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