[ad_1]
Nenamija Nedovic had her second most productive night in the Euroleague. Coincidentally, the first was again against Fenerbahce, in a 45-minute match, 2.5 years ago (April 5, 2018). He was still wearing green. From Unicaja. He had scored 31 points. With only 2 triples. On Thursday night he wore the green of Panathinaikos and stopped at 28 in 27’57 ”. With 7/12 behind the 6m75 line. The most that he acted and what most aimed at the event. Without them, the 82-68 victory at OAKA shortly before the end of the first month of the year would be, rather, utopian. At least in this range.
The difference of two digits was marked by the shots of the Serbian scorer. Shots that arose from the need of the ‘clover’ to find a guide in his absence (wounded in the ribs) of Ioannis Papapetrou. Halfway through the half, Nedovic had just 2/4 and 11 points. Until the 28th minute, the statistics showed him with 3/7 and 14 templates. He scored so many others in the last period, especially punishing the choice of the Turkish defense to leave a free triple, because he was cheating on the inside with the help of the short. An option that had left Panathinaikos with a 4/14 start and no creation (5 assists for 6 errors). Despite the -7 (37-30) and the dismantling of De Colo, Fenerbahce did better things at five-five. Because Lorenzo Brown was great.
Until Nedovic exploded, Vovoras was looking for a stable benchmark in the region. Kiefer Sykes raised his hand without hesitation and stepped forward. In the first half, when the clover’s coach made an untested formation with Sand-Ross, Foster, White, Bentil and August, the 26-year-old American took on the responsibility of properly commanding the ship. Already the guests, without first coach, since Kokoskov was sent off with technical penalties in the second half, had tied (43-43). Sykes entered the game in the 10th minute on the bench and started with an assist, his third. He got rebounds, the second defender and the first forward. He made a basket for White. He scored three points in a row, when the Fenerbahce defense gave them to him with … joy. With 54-45 he already had 11 points, 4 assists and 4 rebounds. They were enough. For the rivals to focus on him and for the overwhelming Nedovic to find a field of action. It was not possible to mark them all. Since then, Panathinaikos has never been threatened and won a second game of the season, first at home.
The American had done nothing less than what he had learned to do to survive in a world of taller children. And a large family that lives in West Chicago. By pressing his nose, he can reach the 183 cm that his card writes on the garter. In the United States, it hardly seems to be measured at 180 points. But his disadvantage made him an advantage. He had no choice. “I saw the situation we were growing up in. My brothers were having a hard time, as were my sisters. No one was successful and I wanted to make my parents proud“He once said of his insistence on finding a university that would give him the opportunity. He went to Green Bay, Wisconsin. Green Bay. Karmiko. Along with basketball, he also wanted a title. Now he has won as much as the conditions allowed until the date, after having finished his studies, being for 4 years the attraction of Phoenix.
He did not find space in the NBA because of his height. Neither the draft nor the summer leagues. However, playing in the D-League, in Korea, Turkey, Italy and China, he created a good resume. The strong first step, the speed of thought / execution, the vertical jump that exceeds 110 points and his energy have kept him in the foam until now. He had been careful to harden himself, to develop what distinguished him at the university. The night his father died as a student “I didn’t know what was going through my head“James Sykes was”the only one I was open to“.
It grew out of necessity. He looked at himself in the mirror, emancipated himself, and began making difficult decisions for himself. After his first adventure in Italy, in Avellino, he changed his schedule because he was not being paid for his work. Among other things, he had obtained 43 points and was asking for financial loans with good reason. He went to China because the money was insured. And together because he could have easier access to the NBA when the league ended in March. There he was compared to James Harden. Doing a lot of good and interests for your reputation. Europe knew they would lock him up with a contract until the end of the season, but it was always a good tutorial. In Milan, of course, he played very little and in Turk Telekom almost nothing (a match in the BCL Final-8).
Panathinaikos called him for a month. Pierre Jackson’s injury led him to Athens as a temporary replacement for ‘ace’. Emergency solution. His compatriot left at night. He was less than ‘Byron Scott’s butler’. Sykes had to play. With Olympiakos it was a few days in total and there was no rhythm, in Barcelona Sikes was right and failed to contribute to the battle. With Fenerbahce he returned and although he had lost several training sessions, he reached 11 points with 5 final passes in less than 23 minutes. At the end of the match, he hinted that his wish is to continue as long as possible. Why “It was my first victory with the team. It was not easy for me. I had to learn it, clear my mind, do my best, and lead us to victory.“.
With the margins, competitive and cheap, to be tight, George Vovoras will have to decide if he really needs it. He definitely had it on Thursday. Like, of course, the healthy and confident Nedovic.
[ad_2]
