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 leaves team, has offer in Turkey

Frank Elegar has become the latest Maroussi player to leave the team. The American, who was Maroussi’s starting center and an excellent defender, told me he has an offer from a club in Turkey, and likely will go there early this week. Like his teammates, he’s been underpaid for most of the season. Maroussi’s president informed the players Friday that they may not get paid again until the end of the season, and that they’re free to sign elsewhere. Dimitris Haritopoulos, a power forward, left earlier this week and signed a contract with a French club.

Elegar, a 25-year-old Drexel grad, attended Saturday’s game against Ilysiakos, and sat in the stands behind the Maroussi bench. He was greeted warmly by several passersby. He told me it was hard to watch his (former) team play but that he couldn’t risk an injury on the verge of a new contract. Elegar averaged 9 points and 5 rebounds per game, and his 1.1 blocks per game was among the best in the league.

Who are these guys?

Guard Yannis Gagaloudis, 33, and forward Nestoras Kommatos, 34, comprise the core and heart of the team. Gagaloudis leads the league in assists (6 per game) and scores 15 points per game. Kommatos scores 19 points per game. That’s second best in the league. Both are Greek and have played internationally. Kommatos played on the Tel Aviv Maccabi team that won the 2005 Euroleague championship.

Gagaloudis (6-3, 180) is skinny, quick — he also smokes; very Greek — sometimes uses soccer-style theatrics to get a call from the refs and can get under the skin of opponents. Just ask new Olympiakos guard Acie Law, who got so frustrated with Gagaloudis that he threw the ball at his legs after a foul. Kommatos (6-8) is always around the ball — the offense runs through him — and shoots 57 percent from the field.

Gagaloudis recently told me that earning a victory is “the most important thing” right now. “For everybody else, it means nothing. We’ll be 1-15. For us, it would be like taking the championship. You remember, in Greek mythology, Hercules? He fights everybody. It would be like this.”

Frank Elegar, 25, is the lone international import. Most teams have three or four imports (see ‘Why Maroussi?’ post for explanation). A center, Elegar is lanky (6-9, 225), plays solid defense, usually against bigger opponents, and scores when called upon (9 points per game). He’s a Drexel alum. Dimitris Haritopoulos, a 28-year-old power forward, left for France. (see Tony Parker post).

Maroussi has lost four games by 2-point margins. They lost 89-84 to Olympiakos (14-1) on Jan. 21, and gave Panathinaikos (14-1) a scare, 93-84, earlier in the season.

Winning just got harder; merci Tony Parker

Maroussi’s hopes for a win or two this season took a blow on Jan. 30 when power forward and leading rebounder Dimitris Haritopoulos (6-9, 240) escaped transferred to French club ASVEL. Tony Parker of the San Antonio Spurs is a part-owner and played with the team during the NBA lockout. Haritopoulos is a lunchpail, in the paint hard worker. He averaged 12 points and his 7.6 rebounds per game was third-best in the league. He was playing 32 minutes per game as well. Maroussi hasn’t been able to pay its players full salaries — they’re getting about half, maybe a bit more, according to the club — so the team can’t stop players from leaving.

If there’s a bright side, it’s that Maroussi was thisclose to winning Jan. 7 against KAO Drama (75-74 final) with Haritopoulos on the bench in foul trouble for much of the game.

Of course, if center Frank Elegar leaves, too … it would get ugly. Elegar (6-9, 225) is averaging 9 points, 5 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game.