NBL Round 30 (Regular Season): No surprise as #1 Rilski defeat Akademik

There will be only one (last) round of the Regular Season in NBL. Here is the last round review presented by Job Market.

NBL top team - Rilski (24-5) managed to deliver another win on Sunday. This time they beat ninth ranked Akademik (9-20) in Plovdiv 86-73. Rilski looked well-organized offensively handing out 21 assists. International forward Hristo Bachkov (200-2004, agency: BIG) scored 19 points and 9 rebounds (on 8-of-9 shooting from the field) to lead the charge for the winners and American center Mike Edwards (206-1997, college: Georgia) chipped in 17 points and 5 rebounds (on 7-of-9 shooting from the field) during the contest. The best for the losing side was American guard DeMarcus Sharp (190-1998, college: Austin Peay) with 19 points and 6 assists. Rilski have an impressive five-game winning streak. Defending champion maintains first position with 24-5 record. Akademik lost third consecutive game. They keep the ninth place with 20 games lost. Rilski are looking forward to face Spartak Pleven (#6) at home in the next round where they are favorite. Akademik will play against Levski and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
The game in Stara Zagora was also worth to mention about. Second ranked Balkan (23-6) played at the court of 8th ranked Beroe (11-19). Balkan managed to secure a 7-point victory 96-89. International Dimitar Dimitrov (203-1993, agency: 011 Sports) notched 25 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists (on 10-of-13 shooting from the field) to lead the effort and Tajh Green supported him with 19 points and 6 rebounds. Even 26 points and 8 assists by American point guard Jalen Benjamin (178, college: Santa Clara) did not help to save the game for Beroe. Balkan have a solid four-game winning streak. They maintain second position with 23-6 record behind leader Rilski. Beroe at the other side keeps the eighth place with 19 games lost. Balkan will play against Botev (#5) in Vratsa in the next round. Beroe will have a break next round.
Sixth ranked Botev (16-13) crushed at home 10th ranked Levski (4-25) by 19 points 90-71, which is the biggest margin this round on Sunday night. The best player for the winners was Georgi Gerganov who scored 34 points (!!!), 8 rebounds and 4 assists. At the other side the best for losing team was Momchil Kadiev who recorded 19 points, 9 rebounds and 5 assists. Levski's coach Konstantin Papazov rotated twelve players seeing no chance for a win. Botev moved-up to fifth place, which they share with Spartak Pleven. Levski lost third consecutive game. They keep the tenth position with 25 games lost. Botev will meet league's second-placed Balkan in the next round and it may be quite challenging game. Levski will play against Akademik (#9) in Plovdiv and it may be a tough game between close rivals.

In the last two games of round 30 bottom-ranked Shumen lost to Minyor 2015 on the opponent's court 96-113. Lokomotiv Pl. managed to outperform Spartak Pleven in a home game 77-67.
The most impressive stats of the last round was 16 points and 14 rebounds by Khalil Miller of Lokomotiv Pl..



Botev - Levski 90-71

Sixth ranked Botev (16-13) crushed at home 10th ranked Levski (4-25) by 19 points 90-71, which is the biggest margin this round on Sunday night. The best player for the winners was international guard Georgi Gerganov (192-2003) who scored 34 points (!!!), 8 rebounds and 4 assists. American power forward Courtney Alexander (203-1997, college: Tenn Tech) chipped in 17 points and 8 rebounds. At the other side the best for losing team was point guard Momchil Kadiev (183-2005, agency: BIG) who recorded 19 points, 9 rebounds and 5 assists and swingman Mario Boyanov (197-2004, agency: BIG) added 19 points respectively. Levski's coach Konstantin Papazov rotated twelve players seeing no chance for a win. Botev moved-up to fifth place, which they share with Spartak Pleven. Levski lost third consecutive game. They keep the tenth position with 25 games lost. Botev will meet league's second-placed Balkan in the next round and it may be quite challenging game. Levski will play against Akademik (#9) in Plovdiv and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Botev: G.Georgi 34+8reb+4ast, A.Courtney 17+8reb, K.Mihail 16+2reb+4ast, H.David 7+7reb+2ast, K.Ivo 7+3reb+2ast, M.Vodenicharski 3
Levski: M.Kadiev 19+9reb+5ast, M.Boyanov 19+1reb+1ast, Z.Georgiev 11+6reb+3ast, C.Raines 7+6reb, L.Dimitrov 5+5reb+2ast, A.Aleksandrov 3+1reb+1ast

Akademik P. - Rilski 73-86

NBL top team - Rilski (24-5) managed to deliver another win on Sunday. This time they beat ninth ranked Akademik (9-20) in Plovdiv 86-73. Rilski looked well-organized offensively handing out 21 assists. International forward Hristo Bachkov (200-2004, agency: BIG) scored 19 points and 9 rebounds (on 8-of-9 shooting from the field) to lead the charge for the winners and American center Mike Edwards (206-1997, college: Georgia) chipped in 17 points and 5 rebounds (on 7-of-9 shooting from the field) during the contest. Four Rilski players scored in double figures. The best for the losing side was American guard DeMarcus Sharp (190-1998, college: Austin Peay) with 19 points and 6 assists and Bosnian center Obrad Tomic (208-1993, agency: PEPI SPORT) produced a double-double by scoring 13 points and 13 rebounds. Rilski have an impressive five-game winning streak. Defending champion maintains first position with 24-5 record. Akademik lost third consecutive game. They keep the ninth place with 20 games lost. Rilski are looking forward to face Spartak Pleven (#6) at home in the next round where they are favorite. Akademik will play against Levski and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Rilski: B.Hristo 19+9reb+3ast, E.Mike 17+5reb, M.Vasov 10+4reb, A.Yanev 10+6reb+4ast, K.Deyan 9+2reb+3ast, K.Chavdar 8+3reb+2ast
Akademik P.: J.Yow 20+2reb+2ast, D.Sharp 19+4reb+6ast, O.Tomic 13+13reb+1ast, K.Ivan 8+1ast, R.Petar 5+5reb+2ast, K.Paisiev 5+1reb

Beroe - Balkan 89-96

The game in Stara Zagora was also worth to mention about. Second ranked Balkan (23-6) played at the court of 8th ranked Beroe (11-19). Balkan managed to secure a 7-point victory 96-89. Balkan players were unselfish on offense dishing 24 assists. International Dimitar Dimitrov (203-1993, agency: 011 Sports) notched 25 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists (on 10-of-13 shooting from the field) to lead the effort and American forward Tajh Green (203-1998, college: Benedict) supported him with 19 points and 6 rebounds. Even 26 points and 8 assists by American point guard Jalen Benjamin (178, college: Santa Clara) did not help to save the game for Beroe. His fellow American import forward Brett Reed (204-1996, college: St.Martin's) added 17 points, 10 rebounds and 4 assists. Both teams had four players each who scored in double figures. Balkan have a solid four-game winning streak. They maintain second position with 23-6 record behind leader Rilski. Beroe at the other side keeps the eighth place with 19 games lost. Balkan will play against Botev (#5) in Vratsa in the next round. Beroe will have a break next round.
Top scorers:
Balkan: D.Dimitar 25+5reb+5ast, G.Tajh 19+6reb+1ast, M.Travis 13+3reb+8ast, P.Iliyan 12+3ast, B.Jamari 11+2reb+2ast, I.Andrey 9+6reb+1ast
Beroe: J.Benjamin 26+1reb+8ast, M.Zahariev 22+4reb+1ast, B.Reed 17+10reb+4ast, A.Matushev 10+2reb+3ast, D.Williams 7+7reb+3ast, K.Chelenkov 6+1reb+1ast

Minyor 2015 - Shumen 113-96

Very expected game in Pernik where 11th ranked Shumen (3-26) was defeated by seventh ranked Minyor 2015 (15-14) 113-96 on Monday. Minyor 2015 made 16-of-20 free shots (80.0 percent) during the game. They looked well-organized offensively handing out 31 assists comparing to just 17 passes made by Shumen's players. The best player for the winners was forward Alex Ouandie (197-1996, college: ACU) who scored 19 points and 5 rebounds. Serbian center Igor Kesar (210-1992) chipped in 18 points and 6 rebounds. At the other side the best for losing team was American-Jamaican guard Will Ellis (188-1999, college: Queens, NY) who recorded 22 points, 6 rebounds and 6 assists and guard Kostadin Lazarov (193-2000, agency: BIG) added 17 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists respectively. Both teams had five players each who scored in double figures. Both coaches used bench players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. Minyor 2015 maintains seventh position with 15-14 record. Shumen lost tenth consecutive game. They stay dead last with 26 lost games. Minyor 2015 will meet higher ranked Lokomotiv Pl. (#4) in the next round and it may be quite challenging game. Shumen will play against Cherno More (#3) and hope to secure a win.
Top scorers:
Minyor 2015: O.Alex 19+5reb+3ast, L.Stankovic 18+3reb, K.Igor 18+6reb+2ast, P.Austin 14+6reb+4ast, M.Montavious 12+2reb+1ast, P.Vasil 12+5reb+4ast
Shumen: V.Klemen 22+3reb, W.Ellis 22+6reb+6ast, K.Lazarov 17+5reb+5ast, M.Marsh 11+4reb+1ast, J.Barr 10+3reb+1ast, M.Baris 10+3reb+3ast

Lokomotiv Pl. - Spartak Pleven 77-67

The game between closely ranked teams ended with fourth ranked Lokomotiv Pl.'s (18-11) home victory over 5th ranked Spartak Pleven (16-13) 77-67 on Monday. Strangely Spartak Pleven outrebounded Lokomotiv Pl. 45-33 including 34 on the defensive glass. The best player for the winners was Canadian forward Khalil Miller (203-1996, agency: Starting 5) who had a double-double by scoring 16 points and 14 rebounds. American point guard Grant Singleton (183-2000, college: FDU, agency: Octagon Europe) chipped in 15 points, 5 rebounds and 6 assists. Four Lokomotiv Pl. players scored in double figures. At the other side the best for losing team was the former international Pavlin Ivanov (196-1993, agency: 011 Sports) who recorded 19 points, 5 rebounds and 7 assists and the former international guard Martin Rusev (193-2004) added 10 points and 10 rebounds respectively. Spartak Pleven's coach Todor Todorov tested ten players in this game, but that didn't help. Lokomotiv Pl. have a solid three-game winning streak. Newly promoted Lokomotiv Pl. maintains fourth position with 18-11 record. Loser Spartak Pleven keeps the fifth place with 13 games lost. They share the position with Botev. Lokomotiv Pl. will meet at home Minyor 2015 (#7) in the next round. Spartak Pleven will play against the league's leader Rilski in Samokov and hope to secure a win.
Top scorers:
Lokomotiv Pl.: T.Minkov 17+3reb+4ast, M.Khalil 16+14reb, S.Grant 15+5reb+6ast, A.Shaw 10+1reb, R.Devearl 9+7reb+4ast, M.Krastomir 7+1ast
Spartak Pleven: P.Ivanov 19+5reb+7ast, N.Brown 12+8reb, M.Rusev 10+10reb+1ast, M.Sotirov 7+5reb+1ast, N.Titkov 6+1ast, J.McCloud 6+3reb+2ast