Ben Simmons selected the top Australian playing abroad in last week's games

- May 10, 2021

POSTED BY: Eurobasket News

We bring you last week's top performances from Australians who are playing abroad and who all have had prior experience of national team duties at youth or senior level.

Ben Simmons

#1. This week's number one is former international power forward Ben Simmons (208-96, college: LSU, currently plays in NBA). Simmons led Philadelphia 76ers to a victory against the Chicago Bulls (28-39) 106-94 in the NBA last Monday. He scored 15 points, grabbed 6 boards, dished 5 assists and stole 3 balls. The Philadelphia 76ers have a solid 47-21 record this season. It was his team's eighth consecutive victory in a row. There are only four games left until the end of the NBA Regular Season. So now every game will be critical. It's Simmons' fifth year with the team. Simmons has individually a very good season with high stats. He averages: 14.3ppg, 7.3rpg, 6.9apg, 1.6spg, 2FGP: 56.2%(305-543) and FT: 60.6%. Simmons played for the Australian senior national team seven years ago.

Joe Ingles

#2. Second place goes to an experienced former international small forward Joe Ingles (203-87, currently plays in NBA). He contributed to an Utah Jazz's victory against the Houston Rockets (16-52) 124-116 in the NBA on Saturday night. Ingles recorded 14 points, 6 rebounds and 7 assists in 30 minutes. The Utah Jazz has a solid 50-18 record this season. It was his team's fifth consecutive victory in a row. There are only four games left until the end of the NBA Regular Season. So now every game is very crucial. Ingles is one of the most experienced players in a team as it's his seventh year in Utah Jazz's roster. He has very impressive stats this season: 12.3ppg, 3.7rpg, 4.7apg, 2FGP: 59.9%(88-147), 3FGP: 46.3%(176-380) and FT: 84.5% in 63 games he played so far. Ingles played for the Australian national team in 2019.

Patrick Mills

#3. The Australian player who performed third best last week abroad was former international point guard Patrick Mills (183-88, college: St.Mary's, CA, currently plays in NBA). Mills could not help the San Antonio Spurs (32-35) to beat the Philadelphia 76ers (47-21). He recorded 6 points, 4 rebounds and 4 assists in 31 minutes. The San Antonio Spurs (32-35) were edged 113-111 on the road by the 76ers. Mills has been at the team for nine years. Mills has relatively good stats this season: 10.7ppg, 1.8rpg, 2.4apg, 2FGP: 50.3%, 3FGP: 37.0% and FT: 90.1%(64-71) in 64 games. He played for the Australian national team two years ago.

Nick Kay

#4. Power forward Nick Kay (206-92, college: MSU Denver, currently plays in Spain) contributed to an easy victory against the eighth-ranked La ICL Manresa (16-19) 86-70 in the Spanish Liga Endesa on Sunday night. Kay scored 9 points and grabbed 7 rebounds. Coosur Real Betis Sevillais placed 12th in the Liga Endesa. It's Kay's first season with the team. His overall stats this year are: 8.1ppg, 5.7rpg and 1.2apg. Kay used to play for the Australian national team back in 2019.

Geremy McKay

#5. Former international forward Geremy McKay (201-96, college: Vanguard, currently plays in New Zealand) contributed to Nuggets' victory against the league outsider Jets (0-4) 108-96 in the New Zealand NBL in Saturday night's game. McKay scored 18 points and grabbed 5 rebounds; quite an impressive performance considering it's only his second season in pro basketball. Otago OceanaGold Nuggets (2-1) are placed fourth in the NBL. But this is still an early stage of the season and everything may happen. McKay's overall stats this year are: 9.7ppg, 4.0rpg and 1.3apg. He used to play for the Australian national team six years ago.

Josh Wilcher

#6. Point guard Josh Wilcher (178-91, college: Cent.Wyoming, currently plays in United Kingdom) was not able to help one of league's weakest teams Bristol Acadamy Flyers (2-4) in their last game. Despite Wilcher's very good performance Bristol Acadamy Flyers lost 79-92 in Leicester to the second-ranked Riders. He was the second best scorer with 16 points. Wilcher also added 5 passes in 29 minutes. This year Wilcher's overall stats are: 10.0ppg, 1.8rpg and 4.0apg in 24 games. He is a former international player as he played for the Australian senior team twelve years ago.

Duop Reath

   #7. Former University international center Duop Reath (210-96, college: LSU, currently plays in ABA League) was not able to secure a victory for Crvena Zvezda (23-3) in their game against Igokea (19-7) in the ABA League. Reath cannot count Friday's game as one of the best ones. He scored only 2 points. The league leader Crvena Zvezda was defeated 81-68 in Aleksandrovac by the lower-ranked Igokea (#4). Reath's total stats this season are: 5.0ppg and 2.4rpg. He used to play for the Australian university national team four years ago.

The list of other players, who all have Australian passport but never been selected to any of Australian national teams:

   #1. Kyrie Irving (190-G-92, college: Duke, currently plays in NBA) could not help the Brooklyn Nets (44-24) in their last game. Despite his very good performance the Brooklyn Nets (44-24) lost 109-113 on the road to the Dallas Mavericks. Irving was the top scorer with 45 points. He also added 5 rebounds, passed 4 assists and added 2 blocks in 39 minutes. It was Nets' fourth consecutive loss in a row. There are only four games left until the end of the NBA Regular Season. So now every game will be critical. Irving has individually a very good year with high stats. He averages: 27.4ppg, 4.8rpg, 6.2apg and 1.4spg in 51 games he played so far. Irving is a naturalized American. Strangely he has never played in Australia.

   #2. Lachlan Anderson (206-F-97, college: EKU, currently plays in North Macedonia) was not able to help TFT Skopje (12-10) in their last game on Thursday. Despite his very good performance TFT Skopje was defeated 115-109 on the opponent's court by the higher-ranked Gostivar (#5). Anderson was the second best scorer with 23 points. He also added 4 rebounds. Anderson's team will play only one more game in the Regular Season. And now that game is very crucial. This season Anderson has very high stats. He averages: 17.2ppg, 4.6rpg and 1.5apg.

   #3. Dominic Gilbert (198-G/F-96, college: UBC, currently plays in Holland) was not able to secure a victory for Den Bosch (4-0) in their game against Yoast United (16-5) in the Dutch DBL. He recorded 9 points in 23 minutes. But the second-placed Den Bosch (4-0) was edged 91-89 in Bemmel by the leading Yoast United in the Places 1-6 group. This year Gilbert's overall stats are: 7.2ppg, 3.3rpg and 1.5apg in 20 games. He has a dual citizenship: Australian and Croatian.

   #4. Experienced Josh Green (196-G-0, college: Arizona, currently plays in NBA) contributed to an easy victory against the Cleveland Cavaliers (21-46) crushing them 110-90 in the NBA last Friday. Green scored 6 points and grabbed 5 rebounds. The Dallas Mavericks have 40-28 record this season. It was his team's fourth consecutive victory in a row. There are only four games left until the end of the NBA Regular Season. Green's overall stats this season are: 2.4ppg and 2.0rpg.

   #5. Ryan Beisty (200-F-95, college: Regis Univ., currently plays in United Kingdom) managed to help Plymouth University Raiders in a 2-point victory against the closely-ranked Worcester Wolves (2-4) 84-82 in the British BBL on Tuesday night. He recorded 5 points, 7 rebounds and 7 assists in 29 minutes. It was the game of the round between two top 4 ranked teams. Plymouth University Raiders (5-1) is placed first in the BBL. This year Beisty's overall stats are: 3.2ppg and 2.7rpg in 29 games. He is another player who holds two passports: Australian and British.

   #6. Taiga Cantor (201-F-98, college: Vermont Tech, currently plays in Japan) couldn't help Osaka Evessa (35-20) in their last game. Despite Cantor's good performance the second-placed Osaka Evessa lost 84-97 in Kariya to the lower-ranked (#3) Aishin Sea Horses in the West group. He scored 10 points and grabbed 7 rebounds in 23 minutes. This year Cantor's total stats are: 1.6ppg and 1.3rpg in 19 games.

   #7. Matthew McCarthy (205-PF-96, college: USF, currently plays in Romania) couldn't help one of league's weakest teams Voluntari in their game against Sibiu in the Romanian Liga Nationala. He cannot count Thursday's game as one of the best ones. McCarthy recorded only 2 points. His team was edged 86-85. McCarthy's total stats this season are: 5.9ppg and 4.2rpg.