Vangelis Mantzaris, first EuroCup triple-double since 2015

Promitheas Patras was eliminated on Thursday night, suffering a dramatic 77-73 defeat against Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana and losing all mathematical chances to qualify for the Top 16. However, in that rescheduled Round 5 game, Promitheas point guard Vangelis Mantzaris entered the 7DAYS EuroCup history book recording the competition’s first triple-double in exactly five years and one day.

Mantzaris spent all but 4 seconds on the floor on Thursday and finished the game with 12 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists. He reached the triple-double mark in the penultimate minute of the game, dishing an assist for a layup by Danny Agbelese that cut Promitheas’s deficit to 74-71, giving it a chance to come back. However, Olimpija held on.

It was the ninth triple-double in competition history, and Mantzaris became the eighth different player to achieve it. His triple-double was the first in the competition since Quino Colom had 15 points, 11 rebounds and 13 assists, leading UNICS Kazan to an 81-77 home win over Buducnost VOLI Podgorica on December 9, 2015.

Donta Smith is the only player with two triple-doubles in EuroCup history. He achieved his first playing for Maccabi Haifa Bazan in October 2013, and his second playing for Hapoel Jerusalem on December 10, 2014, which is exactly six years before Mantzaris got his.

The other triple-double achievers in EuroCup history are Todor Stoykov, Meir Tapuro, Elvir Ovcina, Pascal Perrier-Davis and Courtney Fortson.