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.

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.