POSTED BY: Eurobasket News
EuroBasket Pro Sunbirds Weekly Update
Courtesy of Eurobasket LLC
Every week we bring you a list of the top former Sunbirds players who continue their career in pro basketball.
#1. Jelani Watson-Gayle (6'1''-PG-1998, played in 2021-22, plays pro in Bulgaria) was the major contributor in a Cherno More's victory against one of league's weakest teams Levski (0-4) 89-76 in the Bulgarian NBL in Thursday night's game.
He had a double-double by scoring 15 points and making 11 passes. Watson-Gayle also added 7 rebounds and 3 steals in 29 minutes.
Cherno More Ticha Varna (1-0) is placed third in the NBL.
But this is still an early stage of the season and everything may happen.
Watson-Gayle has relatively good stats this year 15.0ppg, 4.4rpg, 9.0apg and 1.8spg in five games he played so far.
He has also Jamaican passport.
#2. Aamos Laavainen (6'8''-F-2003, played in 2023-24, plays in Finland) could not help Karhubasket (4-3) in their last game on Friday. Despite Laavainen's good performance Karhubasket was defeated 86-77 on the road by the lower-ranked KTP-Basket (#8).
He recorded 11 points and grabbed 7 rebounds.
But the season just started, so everything may happen.
This year Laavainen averages 4.6ppg and 3.1rpg.
#3. Alvar Peltoniemi (6'6''-F-2001, played in 2023-24, currently in Finland) led Honka to a 1-point victory against the ninth-ranked Korihait (3-5) 90-89 in the Finnish Korisliiga on Friday night.
He recorded 12 points and grabbed 7 rebounds in 36 minutes.
Tapiolan Honka (5-3) is placed third in the Korisliiga.
It was his team's third consecutive victory in a row.
Peltoniemi has individually a very good year with high stats. He averages 15.7ppg and 5.0rpg in seven games.
#4. Erik Muhonen (6'6''-F/G-2004, played in 2023-24, plays pro in Finland) was not able to help one of league's weakest teams Pyrinto in their game against Seagulls (7-1) in the Finnish Korisliiga.
Muhonen recorded only 4 points and grabbed 5 rebounds.
Pyrinto was crushed92-69 in Helsinki by the leading Seagulls.
But the season is still in its first stage and everything can happen.
This season Muhonen averages 7.9ppg, 3.0rpg and 1.4apg.
#5. Experienced Donte Nicholas (6'5''-G/F-1987, played in 2010-12, plays in Germany) contributed to a 1-point Bayer Giants Leverkusen's victory against the 15th-ranked Muenster (2-4) 97-96 in the German ProA (second division) last Sunday.
He scored 9 points, had 5 rebounds and dished 5 assists in 39 minutes.
Bayer Giants Leverkusen (2-1) is placed third in the ProA.
But the season is still in its first stage and everything can happen.
This year Nicholas averages 9.4ppg, 5.6rpg and 4.8apg in five games.
Other former Fresno Pacific University players, who play in pro basketball:
Ryan Abbott (6'8''-G-2002, played in 2021-25) signed for Sydney Kings in Australian NBL
Rafail Eleftheriou (6'7''-F-1994, played in 2016-18) plays for Anorthosis in Cypriot ECOMMBX BL
Aamondae Coleman (6'7''-F/C-1998, played in 2017-21) played for Dorsten in German 2.Regionalliga
Alexander Ferguson (6'8''-F-1999, played in 2018-22) plays for City of Edinburgh Kings in Scottish SBC
Samuel Burt (6'7''-F-1994, played in 2016-18) played for Galitos-Aveiro in Portuguese 1.Divisao
Darrin Persons Jr. (6'7''-SF-1998, played in 2020-23) played for Rousset in French NM2
Notice: The list above includes only some of alumni playing currently in pro basketball. Check complete list of Fresno Pacific University basketball alumni.
Jelani Watson-Gayle is last week best Sunbirds alumni, who plays professional basketball (Photo: @BasketSlaviaPraha)
