Though he probably wasn’t aware of the statistical significance of Mire Chatman’s performance for his Beşiktaş Cola Turka Eagles last night, Allen Iverson surely knew he was watching one heckuva one-man show – and perhaps the best Eurocup game of the 2010-11 season thus far.
One of the finest TBL players in 2009-10, Chatman went off for 43 points on 13-of-19 overall shooting and 16-of-18 success from the free-throw line plus seven rebounds and three steals. The 43 represented the third-highest total in Eurocup Basketball history (all-time leader is the immortal Randy Duck for the Brighton Bears) and Chatman’s player index rating of 53 was second-highest all-time. It was all for naught, however, as KK Hemofarm Stada outlasted the Eagles to win, 101-100, in overtime.
The loss dumps Beşiktaş to 1-3 in Eurocup play, a position of dead last in Group A; in order to squeak into the “Last 16” round, the Turkish side will need to sweep BG Goettingen in two games this week; a loss in either game would effectively end Beşiktaş’ Eurocup bid. The Eagles go to Germany to play Goettingen tomorrow night. Iverson will presumably be sitting that one out as well, as Mr. Answer is still nursing an unspecified knee injury.
Unics Kazan, Galatasaray, Aris BSA, Benetton Bwin Basket, Alba Berlin and Pepsi Caserta have clinched spots in the knockout stage after last night’s results.
