OKULAJA NAMED EL WEEK-7 MVP
A great performance last week by Ademola Okulaja earned him Euroleague's Week-7 MVP honor. Okulaja's award-winning effort included 24 points (7-16 FG, 9-9 FT), 12 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 steals in Unicaja Malaga's (Spain-ACB) 71-54 victory.
Okulaja is averaging 9.7 points and 8.0 rebounds per game in Euroleague competition this season.
DONALD & DERRICK FEATURED
The CSP Limoges (France-ProA) Tar Heel-tandem of Donald Williams and Derrick Phelps took some time recently to do a photo shoot for a profile in the latest edition of the French basketball magazine MaxiBasket. The two French hoops stars are the subjects of a lengthy feature in the latest issue.
* Makhtar Ndiaye has become a naturalized French citizen and returned to play in France. Ndiaye has signed with JA Vichy (France-ProA).
* Vasco Evtimov is another former Tar Heel in the French ProA League. Evtimov is averaging 8.3 points and 6.1 boards per game for ASVEL Villeurbanne through 9 games.
18 BY CAPEL MATCHES SEASON-HIGH
Jason Capel scored 18 points to lead Fayetteville (4-6, NBDL) to a 74-51 win on Saturday. The 18-point output by Capel matched his season-high and raised his scoring average to 11.5 per game.
Capel has played 30 minutes per game, thus far, and has made 12-of-26 (46.2%) from the arc and is 29-for-32 (90.6%) from the FT line.
LANG, ANWIL WLOCLAWEK NOW 10-1
Kris Lang and Anwil Wloclawek (Poland-PLK) continue their winning ways. Anwil improved to 10-1 after Saturday's 85-75 Polish league victory as Lang hit 4-6 from the field and added 2 free throws for 10 points.
Lang has played 27 minutes per game with 10.7 points, 5.7 rebounds and has made 45 of 81 field goal attempts (55.6%) in 11 Polish League games.
COTA LIKES SPAIN
Here's more from www.euroleague.net on Ed Cota (Zalgiris Kaunas-Lithuania). The official website of Euroleague asked Cota what his favorite Euroleague road trip has been this season.
"I like Spain most," Cota responded. "I am of Spanish descent and even though I do not speak fluent Spanish, I like hearing it and I like being around Spanish people. Also, to play the teams there is a great challenge. In both Malaga and Vitoria the crowds were great and the atmosphere was superb."
WALLACE: 'NOT GUILTY'
Rasheed Wallace filed a plea of not guilty on Friday in a Washington state district court regarding a misdemeanor charge of marijuana possession.
The Oregonian has reported that the next hearing in the case will probably be in the latter part of January.
The prosecutor, Jeremy Randolph, said, "In this case, the normal disposition prior to trial, our normal recommendation, is 90 days in jail with 89 days suspended on a condition they pay a fine and stay out of trouble for two years," according to The Oregonian.