Higgs in FIBA Eurocup, Nesbitt makes impact

By RENALDO DORSETT

Tribune SPORTS REPORTER

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

VALERIE Nesbitt has had an immediate impact in her rookie season of pro basketball while Lashan Higgs made her first appearance with her new club in the FIBA EuroCup.

Nesbitt stepped right into a leading role for SPAR Gran Canaria of Spain’s LF Endesa.

The rookie point guard is averaging a league leading 5.5 assists per game. She finished with eight points, four rebounds and three assists in her club’s 74-58 win over Araski on Sunday.

Nesbitt is averaging 8.3 points, 3.8 rebounds and 5.5 assists per game.

Her top performances thus far include 12 points and seven assists in a 71-61 loss to Gernika and 12 points with six assists in a 67-65 win over Estudiantes.

In 26 games with 10 starts of her senior season at Ole Miss last year, Nesbitt averaged 6.2 points and 2.4 assists per game to help the Rebels reach the NIT final.

Higgs spent her rookie season in Spain’s LF Endesa last year but made the move to Germany to join Rutronik Stars Keltern Damen-Basketball-Bundesliga (DBBL).

Higgs finished with 12 points and three rebounds in her EuroCup debut, but Keltern suffered an 81-78 loss to the London Lions. She followed with eight points in a 61-59 loss to Castors Braine in their second EuroCup match.

Higgs joins a Rutronik team that claimed the 2020-21 title with a 21-3 regular season record and an undefeated 7-0 run in the playoffs.

In league play, they began the year with a three-game win streak, but have dropped the last three contests for a .500 record.

Higgs is averaging 10 points per game through six DBBL contests.

Higgs spent her rookie season of pro basketball last year with Embutidos Pajariel Bembibre PDM in Spain.

Higgs, the team’s most valuable player, earned several Player of the Week honours and finished as the third leading scorer in the league at 15.8 points per game on 54 percent shooting from the field.

She also shot 33 percent from three-point range, 76 percent from the free throw line and was third on the team at 4.2 rebounds per game.