New write up about Assists in the ABBL. For any one player on the team, racking up assists in BB... is hard. The passing stat is expensive for guards salary-wise compared to how effective it is in winning games for a team, and outside defence is considered by some to be the best skill in the game. Hence, you don't see too many point guards with high assist totals in BB.
So, when someone does come along that racks up big assist totals for the season it's something to write about. I know these players came from a different time where players were less skilled due to the game still being young but that's not the point. The point today is to put the spotlight on these 2:
(3150874) Krisztián Kasper
(2395567) Flaviu Dobrin
Kasper's record for most assists in a season may not ever be broken, at least not in the current match engine. He was transferred to Doncaster Flames in season 5 where he would play 14 games. He didn't qualify for the league leaders, but if he did, his 8.4 assists average would've easily led the league. Doncaster finished 15-7, but got blown out in the semifinals (or conference finals) of the playoffs.
In season 6, he started playing more minutes per game for the Flames and improved in every area of his game. He'd play all 22 games and finish with 13.3 points a game off 42.1% FG and 33.3% 3PT, but more importantly, 11.5 assists a game, nearly double that of the 2nd best player in assists that season. But despite this, Doncaster would only manage a 9-13 season and although they still made the playoffs and put up a valiant effort there, they'd lose in the first round by 5 to CoolCats.
In season 7 a challenger to his assists crown appeared in Josef Macho. In addition, whilst his game was still improving, the rest of the league was getting better as well, and Kasper started to have trouble getting his shots to fall. On the plus side, he was also getting to the foul line more and making more free throws. Doncaster would yet again finish 9-13 as Kasper shot a mediocre 36.1% FG but decent 31.2% 3PT, averaged 11.8 points a game, and beat Macho to the assists title with 9.6 a game.
Season 8 was a frustrating one for Kasper. His BB player ratings were the highest they'd ever been this season, yet his shot was absolutely terrible and he was starting to have trouble getting assists. 32.1% FG, 21.9% 3PT, convincing his manager to sell him before the playoffs. Doncaster would for the 3rd straight season finish 9-13. The only positive to Kasper's season was that he'd once again won the assists title, with 7.9 a game.
Jack Long would enter the league in season 10, put up good assist numbers and lead the league in that category 2 seasons running, but it seemed as though the days of a player who could average over 8 a game were over.
Flaviu Dobrin had spent both season 10 and 11 dominating II.1, And Phoenix 5 was also a powerhouse in division II that included a young Rudolph Radford. In season 11 they'd finish the season 20-2 and go on to win the playoffs. One of the reasons Dobrin won 2 consecutive II.1 MVP's was his high percentage of shots made. But he could also share the ball, with 8.4 and 8.9 assists per game in those two seasons. The ABBL though would be a new challenge for him, would he still be able to get his assists?
His shooting game suffered a bit due to the improved defence of the ABBL, from 52.5% FG and 39.4% 3PT, to just 43.7% FG and 32.4% 3PT, but the same couldn't be said about the rest of his game, 20.7 points per game and a league leading 8.1 assists per game. Phoenix 5 had a decent 1st season in the league, 11-11 but missing the playoffs due to the strength of the Big 8.
See post 3 for the conclusion of this write-up.
Last edited by Jay (OTT) at 6/15/2012 7:31:37 AM