7DAYS EuroCup RS – Round 2 MVP: John Shurna, Gran Canaria

John Shurna of Gran Canaria led his team to an 81-85 road victory against Promitheas Patras in Group B on Tuesday, and in so doing earned Regular Season Round 2 MVP honors. Shurna finished the game with 17 points and a career-high 11 rebounds, registering the first double-double of his 79-game EuroCup career. He hit 4 of 6 two-point shots, 2 of 4 three-pointers and 3 of 3 free throws on the way to that total. He added 2 assists, 2 blocks and 3 fouls drawn for a PIR of 26, the highest among winning players in Round 2. Three other players had higher PIRs but could not lead their respective teams to victory. Jordan Caroline of Dolomiti Energia Trento had a 31 PIR, the highest in Round 2, based on his 24 points, 7 rebounds and 10 fouls drawn against MoraBanc Andorra. Nikolaos Rogkavopoulos of Promitheas had 21 points on 6-for-8 three-point shooting plus 6 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals for a PIR of 28 against Gran Canaria. Pierre Pelos of Mincidelice JL Bourg en Bresse had 21 points, 4 rebounds, 3 steals and a block for a PIR of 27 in his team’s loss against Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana. Jakarr Sampson of Virtus Segafredo Bologna, with a PIR of 25, completes the top individual performances in Round 2. He had 15 points, 9 rebounds and 2 assists as Virtus beat visiting ratiopharm Ulm by 87-76.

Individual highs: Alessandro Pajola, Virtus, 6 steals

Jordan Caroline of Trento was also this round’s top scorer, with 24 points. Johnathan Motley of Lokomotiv Kuban Krasnodar leads the rankings after two rounds with his average of 23.0 points. Shurna led all rebounders in Round 2 with his 11 against Promitheas. Caroline, Mitchell Watt of Umana Reyer Venice and Willie Reed of Buducnost VOLI Podgorica are tie for first place overall at 9.0 boards per night. Codi Miller-McIntyre of Andorra dished 12 assists in his team’s home victory against Trento. He also leads the regular season standings at 8.5 per game. Pajola of Virtus collected a personal-best 6 steals against ratiopharm Ulm. He ties with Darius Thompson of Lokomotiv for first place in the steals table at 3.5 per game. Amine Noua of Andorra led Round 2 in blocks, getting 3 against Trento. Octavius Ellis of Turk Telekom Ankara (2.5 bpg.) is first overall. Three players – Shurna, Miller-McIntyre and Thompson – registered respective double-doubles in Round 2.