Ex-Maroussi stars enjoying life abroad

Update on ex-Maroussi players:

Let’s start in Turkey. Frank Elegar scored 18 points and had 12 rebounds in Antalya‘s 92-82 upset victory over league leader Galatasaray on Saturday. He also had three blocks and three steals. In five games since leaving Maroussi, Elegar is averaging 10.8 ppg and 7 rpg. The Drexel alum’s teammates include Scottie Reynolds (30 ppg) and Corey Fisher (25 ppg), both of Villanova. Elegar is connecting on 75 percent of his shots from the field.

Yannis Gagaloudis

Moving southward to Cyprus, Yannis Gagaloudis‘s new team, Apollon Limassol, faces a must-win game tonight. The team is in the Cypriot League playoffs and down 2 games to 1 against Etha. Gagaloudis is averaging 20.5 points in the four games with available box scores (he also played in two other games). The veteran point guard scored 30 points in his debut on the island. Apollon won its first-round playoff series 2-0 over ENAD. Hmm, I wonder if his team gets bounced from the playoffs if he would be eligible to return to Maroussi (no idea what the contract issues/rules are). My guess is neither side would be interested because there are only two games left in Maroussi’s season.

In Italy, Nestoras Kommatos hasn’t had to worry about being his team’s top scorer. That’s Troy Bell‘s job. The Boston College alum is averaging 23 points per game. In three games for second-division Sant’Antimo, Kommatos is scoring 11 ppg and pulling down 7.7 rebounds per game. The 34-year-old was the Greek league’s top scorer (20 ppg). The Italian club recruited Kommatos to add some front court scoring in a bid to avoid relegation. He experienced his first victory Sunday (he left Maroussi when the team was still winless) against Biancoblu, 87-76.

Finally to France, where Dimitris Haritopoulos plays for ASVEL, the club that is partly owned by NBA star Tony Parker. The San Antonio Spurs guard played for ASVEL during the NBA lockout last autumn. In six games, Haritopoulos is averaging 7.5 points and 3 rebounds per game.

Elegar signs with Turkish team

Frank Elegar has signed with Antalya in Turkey’s top division, and it looks like an unofficial Bronx-and-Philly reunion.

Elegar, 25, was the lone import for financially troubled Maroussi. He averaged 9 points (59 percent from the field) and 5 rebounds per game from the center position but left about two weeks ago when the winless team told players that it ran out of money to pay salaries.

At Antalya, Elegar’s new teammates include fellow Bronx native Corey Fisher, 23. Both played their college ball in Philadelphia; Fisher for Villanova and Elegar for Drexel. Also on the roster is Scottie Reynolds, who was Fisher’s teammate at Villanova. Reynolds was cut by the Utah Jazz this pre-season.

Former Boston Celtics first round draft pick (11th overall in 2001) Kedrick Brown, 30, plays for Antalya (4-14), as well. Brown was traded to Cleveland in December 2003. He also played for the 76ers. He averaged 3.6 ppg in 143 NBA games spanning four seasons.

The Celtics also drafted Joseph Forte with the 21st pick in 2001. Among the players they passed on? Tony Parker, taken with the last pick of the first round by the San Antonio Spurs. Just sayin.

Elegar and Brown were teammates two years ago in Turkey when they played for Bornova Belediye.