Locals playing pro basketball across the globe
Volume 3 Issue 36
NBA/G-League
The pride and joy of Toledo St. John’s, Vince Williams Jr. is again suiting up for the Memphis Grizzlies this year in the NBA. Williams Jr. was a breakout player for Memphis a season ago and was a fixture in their rotation. Williams Jr. has appeared in three games so far this season and suffered an ankle sprain against Denver just under a month ago. He is expected to be back in the lineup before the end of the month.
Dakota Mathias (Elida) is back to the NBA G-League after spending two years in Europe. Mathias played eight games for Ulm last season in Germany’s top division before suffering an injury. This season he is suiting up for the the Pacers’ affiliate the Mad Ants. He has played in 10 games so far and has scored 176 points and secured 50 rebounds.
WNBA Offseason
WNBA vet Natasha Howard (Toledo Waite) is heading back to Turkey this WNBA offseason. The highly decorated player headed into WNBA free agency and is still unsigned with many suitors coming forward. Last WNBA offseason Howard played for Fenerbahce in Turkey where she helped lead them to the Turkish Cup, Turkish Super League and EuroLeague titles. She was named Finals MVP in the Turkish Super League. This season Howard will be playing for rival CBK Mersin. They are undefeated so far this season with Howard averaging 18.2 points and 6.2 rebounds per game.
In the land down under, Zia Cooke (Toledo Rogers) is playing this offseason with the Townsville Fire. This is Cooke’s first time playing pro ball outside of the WNBA season. Cooke has played in seven games so far and is averaging 12.1 points per game and is averaging 84% from the free throw line.
Toledo vs. The World
Nigel Hayes-Davis (Whitmer) is a one-of-a-kind player. He became the first EuroLeague player to score 50 points in a game a year ago. He was also First Team All-EuroLeague, Turkish SuperLeague Finals MVP and led Fenerbahce to the Turkish Cup and SuperLeague crown. Then, in the offseason, he helped train Team USA for the Olympics. Hayes-Davis just dropped 33 points in a win over Real Madrid and was named EuroLeague player of the week. He and Fenerbahce are sitting in second place in both the EuroLeague and Turkish SuperLeague.
Two former Toledo St. John’s hoopers are now teammates for Prievidza in Slovakia. Marc Loving is in his sixth year of pro ball and is averaging 19.7 points per game in his first season for the team. He helped the Leicester Riders win the British championship in 2021-22. Joining Loving is Keith Jordan. This is Jordan’s first year for the team as well. He is averaging double-digits points per game in both domestic competition and the EuroCup.
Demajeo Wiggins (Hol. Springfield) is playing at his highest level of professional basketball to date. This season he is taking the court for Goettingen of Germany’s top division. Wiggins has played in top domestic leagues across Eastern Europe the past four seasons. Across eight top division games he is averaging 12.4 points and 9.5 rebounds per game.
Lost In Middle America No More
Martyce Kimbrough (Lima Central Catholic) is back in top division European basketball. Kimbrough is playing this season for Bydgoszcz in Poland’s top division. Last season he played for both Vera in Georgia’s top division and Toulouse in the French third division. He is averaging 14.6 points in 14 games so far this season.
“Captain Hook”, otherwise known as Zavier Simpson (Lima Senior), has taken his talents to Romania after starring in the NBA G-League since 2020 and appearing in 11 total NBA games. Simpson is playing for Cluj Napoca, who is also competing in the EuroCup. He is averaging 15.7 ppg and 5.1 apg in domestic competition and 17.9 ppg and 6.9 apg in EuroCup competition.
Taren Sullivan (Lima Bath) is back with the Tokyo Trains again this season in Japan’s third division. He is averaging 15.1 ppg and 7.3 rpg. He has four double-doubles on the year and is the team’s top scorer and second leading rebounder.
Caterrion Thompson (Lima Senior) is now in Kosovo to play for Bashkimi after playing for the Oaklands Wolves in the UK last year. She is dominating the stat sheet with multple 30 and 20 point games and shooting over 40% from three-point range. Thompson and Bashkimi are top of the Kosove SuperLeague with an 8-1 record.
From Small Towns to World Travelers
Will Vorhees (Columbus Grove) has gone south of the equator as he is playing for Obera in Argentina’s top division. This is Vorhees’ second stint in Argentina, as he has been playing in the G-League for the Mad Ants. He is averaging 15.1 ppg and they second in the league standings.
Over in Hong Kong, CJ Gettys (Findlay) is playing for Winling after playing in Indonesia last season. Gettys is the team’s starting center as they are 3-3 on the season.
Ryan Mikesell (St. Henry) has crossed the border from France into Germany to play for MLP Heidelberg. Mikesell is dominating German Cup play with 25 and 29 point games. He is also averaging over 16 ppg in league play. He is the top rebounder and scorer on the team.
Reigning league MVP Amanda Cahill (Clyde) is back with Grengewald in Luxembourg. They went undefeated a year ago to take the title as Cahill dominated in every game. They are again undeafted this season as Cahill is averaging 22.1 ppg and 8.5 rpg.
Jiselle Thomas (Norwalk) has taken her game from one island to another. After playing last season in Ireland, she now travels across the Atlantic to play in Iceland for Valur. She is averaging 17.9 ppg and 6.9 rpg with four games of 20+ points.