Hapoel Star Elijah Bryant Named EuroLeague Round 2 MVP After Crvena Zvezda Win
Hapoel Tel Aviv star Elijah Bryant was named EuroLeague Round 2 MVP after scoring 18 points, grabbing 10 rebounds, and leading his team to an 81-80 win over Crvena Zvezda.
Elijah Bryant has claimed his first individual honor of the EuroLeague season. The Hapoel Tel Aviv star was named MVP of the EuroLeague's second round on Thursday after leading the Reds to a hard-fought 81-80 away victory over Crvena Zvezda Belgrade.
Bryant delivered a stellar all-around performance with 18 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists, and 4 steals. He shot a perfect 9-of-9 from the free-throw line, finishing with a performance index rating (PIR) of 31—the highest of the entire round.
This marks the fourth EuroLeague round MVP award of Bryant's career. One of them came during his time with Anadolu Efes, while two others were previously earned while playing for Hapoel Tel Aviv.
Bryant played a pivotal role in helping Hapoel build a double-digit lead against Crvena Zvezda and preserving it despite a fierce Serbian comeback. Playing without the injured Amir Coffey and Jacob Toppin, the Reds survived a dramatic finish to claim their first win of the European campaign.
Following Bryant in the rankings was Barcelona's Kevin Punter with a PIR of 28, despite a 94-87 loss to Dubai. Carlik Jones of Partizan and Sasha Vezenkov of Olympiacos each finished with a PIR of 26.
Bryant was also one of only two players in the round to record a double-double, alongside T.J. Shorts. Having guided Hapoel to its maiden win, he will now look to maintain his fine form against Real Madrid.
