Baston earns EL weekly MVP

With an index rating of 35, Baston was the only EL player with a mark above 30; Maccabi Tel Aviv set to host Nahariya.

By JERUSALEM POST SPORTS STAFF
vujcic 298 88 ap (photo credit: AP)
vujcic 298 88 ap
(photo credit: AP)
Maccabi Tel Aviv forward Maceo Baston earned the Euroleague MVP award for week 4 following a 29-point, nine-rebound performance in the defending EL champs' 90-88 loss to Efes Pilsen on Thursday. The Euroleague selects its weekly MVP based on a statistical index that gives players points for points scored, rebounds, assists, steals, blocked shots, and fouls drawn, and subtracts points for missed shots, turnovers, and fouls committed. Baston, who had been injured and had his first scoreless Euroleague game the week before against Cibona Zagreb, hit 12 of his 17 shots and also recorded four blocks against the Group B leaders. With an index rating of 35, he was the only EL player with a mark above 30. Ricardo Greer of Strasbourg and Barcelona's Shammond Williams tied for second with 29. It marks Baston's first weekly MVP award since he won back-to-back in weeks 3 and 4 of the 2003/04 season. Maccabi Tel Aviv set to host Nahariya With Baston back at full strength after an ankle injury that kept him out of last week's derby against Hapoel Tel Aviv, the BSL league frontrunners hope to bounce back from their heartbreaking loss in Istanbul when they face Ironi Nahariya Sunday night at Nokia Arena. While Maccabi has lost two of its four games in the Euroleague, it is undefeated in domestic competition this season. Hapoel Jerusalem, which is in second place, hosts Ironi Ramat Gan at Malcha in Matchday 5.