NBL Abroad: Williams, Sotto Clash in Japan

Wednesday, March 29, 2023

Just because the NBL is in its off-season, it doesn't mean the best players in the league are resting on their laurels and taking a break.

Stars of the Australian domestic competition are now competing all over the globe and getting important reps in ahead of NBL24.

South East Melbourne’s Alan Williams won an NBL battle in Japan earlier this week, as his Nagoya Dolphins defeated Kai Sotto’s Hiroshima Dragonflies in a two-point thriller.

As well as the Dolphins winning the game, Williams got the better of Sotto in the pair’s personal matchup. ‘Big Sauce’ ended the game with a game-high 22 points and 14 rebounds, while Sotto managed 8 points, four boards and four blocks.

Williams has been in an electric run of form since heading to the Japanese B. League. In his three most recent contests – all of which were wins – he’s averaged 17.7 points, 11.3 rebounds and 4.3 assists.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">So honored to be apart of the <a href="https://twitter.com/nagoyadolphins?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@nagoyadolphins</a> family!! I believe in this team and club we can achieve great things! Thank you to the support of our amazing fans! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DORED?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DORED</a> ??? <a href="https://t.co/AwoS67Gzpd">https://t.co/AwoS67Gzpd</a></p>— BigSauce (@alantwilliams) <a href="https://twitter.com/alantwilliams/status/1640350658418343937?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 27, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Adelaide pair Robert Franks and Antonius Cleveland have continued their strong play in Israel, however Franks’ Hapoel Gilboa Galil fell to Kouat Noi’s Ironi Kiryat Ata,

Franks finished the game with 25 points.

Cleveland, Mathiang and their Hapoel BC Eilat side registered a 7-point win, with Cleveland starring with a 25-point, 10 rebound double-double.

South East Melbourne’s Gary Browne and Mitch Creek began their season with Mets de Guaynabo in Puerto Rico, and Creek top scored for the side in both its opening games.

He dropped 20 points in their opening round loss to Bayamon, before adding 28 points in the win over Humacao.

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Jarrell Brantley continued to fly the NBL flag in the NBA with the Utah Jazz, and has been steadily improving when afforded opportunity in games – his renewed stint with the team recently culminated in a 13-point performance against former Melbourne United guard Matthew Dellavedova’s Sacramento Kings.

Sam Froling has also continued to adapt well to the game in Japan, and registered game-on-games rises in minutes, points and rebounds across the last week of B. League action.

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Antonius Cleveland (Hapoel BC Eilat – Israeli Basketball Premier League, Israel)
vs Hapoel Galil Elion – 25 points, 10 rebounds

Kai Sotto (Hiroshima Dragonflies – B. League, Japan)
vs Nagoya – 8 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, 4 blocks
vs Toyama – 4 points, 9 rebounds, 6 assists
vs Toyama – 10 points, 6 rebounds

Robert Franks (Hapoel Gilboa Galil (Isreali Basketball Premier League, Israel)
vs Kiryat Ata – 26 points, 6 rebounds

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Keanu Pinder (Baloncesto Fuenlabrada – Liga ACB, Spain)
vs Real Madrid – 21 points, 10 rebounds

Sam Waardenburg (Riesen Ludwigsburg – Basketball Bundesliga, Germany)
vs Ulm – 2 points, 1 assist

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Mangok Mathiang (Hapoel BC Eilat – Israeli Basketball Premier League, Israel)
vs Hapoel Galil Elion – 2 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists

Sam Froling (Lavanga Hokkaido – B. League, Japan)
vs Gunma CT – 2 points, 5 rebounds
vs Alvark Tokyo – 6 points, 7 rebounds
vs Alvark Tokyo – 8 points, 9 rebounds

Chris Goulding (Paris Basketball – LNB Pro A, France)
vs Cholet – 13 points, 1 rebound

Marcus Lee (Pallacanestro Reggina – Lega Basket Serie A, Italy)
DNP

Xavier Rathan-Mayes (Yukatel Merkezefendi Basket – Basketball Super League, Turkey)
vs Manisa – 9 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists

Jarrell Brantley (Utah Jazz – NBA, United States)
vs Milwaukee – 7 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists
vs Sacramento – 13 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist

Brady Manek (Tofas S.K. – Baskteball Super League, Turkey)
vs Fenerbahce – 12 points, 3 rebounds

Corey Webster (KK Mornar Bar – ABA League/Montenegrin League, Montenegro)
DNO – Game postponed

TaShawn Thomas (Metropolitans 92 – LNB Pro A, France)
vs Le Portel – 8 points, 5 rebounds, 2 steals

Alan Williams (Nagoya Dolphins – B. League, Japan)
vs Hiroshima – 22 points, 14 rebounds, 3 assists
vs FE Nagoya – 11 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists
vs FE Nagoya – 20 points, 11 rebounds, 6 assists

Gary Browne (Mets de Guaynabo – Baloncesto Superior Nacional, Puerto Rico)
vs Bayamon – 11 points, 5 rebounds, 10 assists
vs Humacao – 19 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists

Mitch Creek (Mets de Guaynabo – Baloncesto Superior Nacional, Puerto Rico)
vs Bayamon – 20 points, 1 rebounds
vs Humacao – 28 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists