The NBA is the dream of many young boys who pick up a basketball.
It’s also not for everyone. The competition is fierce, and teams are doing all they can to win and make money. That makes each player a commodity that can be moved at a moment’s notice.
Some don’t get the chance to play in the NBA, but they still impress with their performances outside of the United States.
That also applies to pros from this area.
Ta’Quan Zimmerman was a standout for Ed Generali at Holy Cross, and he’s made a name for himself in the National Basketball League of Canada. Crosby’s Anthony Ireland is playing well in Poland, and former Bulldog B.J. Monteiro is in France.
Marcus James, a Wilby standout, is playing in Argentina.
Here’s more on each player, starting with Zimmerman:
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| Zimmerman (Halifax Hurricanes) |
Ta’Quan Zimmerman, Halifax Hurricanes,
National Basketball League of Canada
Zimmerman was honored by the NBL with the Atlantic Division Player of the Week for the time period ending Jan. 22.
Zimmerman averaged 17 points per game in two Halifax wins, and he has helped the Hurricanes stay on top of the Atlantic Division. Zimmerman connected for 13 points in a 113-108 win over the Moncton Miracles on Jan. 19, then tallied 21 points in a 112-108 victory over the Cape Breton Highlanders on Jan. 21.
Zimmerman has played in all nine games for his team, averaging 22.8 minutes per contest off the bench. He is putting up 12.3 points per game and is shooting over 40 percent from the floor (46.2) and three-point line (42.6). Zimmerman has also connected on 82.6 percent of his foul shots. He also has 34 assists to just eight turnovers, a better than 4:1 ratio.
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| Ireland (Trefl Sopot) |
Anthony Ireland, Trefl Sopot, Poland Basketball League
Ireland has been playing well again for Trefl Sopot in his home away from home in Poland.
Ireland leads his team in scoring at 17.6 points per game. He has played in all 16 games and averages just over 29 minutes per contest, which leads the team. Ireland also paces Trefl Sopot in assists (2.8), steals (1.1) and turnovers (2.1) per game.
Ireland had an uncharacteristically off night in his team’s 80-79 loss to Anwil Wloclawek on Jan. 19. He had 14 points on 5-of-13 shooting.
Why was it uncharacteristic? Well, Ireland had 20 points or more in four straight games before that, including 31 in a 96-66 win over Asseco Gdynia on Jan. 6. Ireland hit 10-of-14 shots (1-of-5 on treys) that day, and made all 10 of his free throws.
Trefl Sopot is Ireland’s third pro team since he graduated Loyola Marymount. In 2014-15, he played for Elan Chalon in France. Ireland started the 2015-16 season with SEFA Arkadikos in Greece before finishing it with Trefl Sopot.
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| Monteiro (Duquesne athletics) |
B.J. Monteiro, Caen Basketball Calvados,
Nationale Masculine 1 (France)
Monteiro is playing well in his first season in France.
Monteiro is averaging 15.17 points per game in 18 contests. That average is good enough for 13th in Nationale Masculine 1, the third tier of pro basketball in France. Monteiro is averaging over 30 minutes per game and shooting 55 percent from the floor. He’s also averaging 6.33 rebounds per contest.
Monteiro’s season high for points is 24, and he has done it three times in 18 games. The last time was against Angers ABC on Jan. 6, when he recorded a double-double of 24 points and 11 rebounds. The 11 rebounds is a season high.
Monteiro also scored 24 points in games against UJAP Quimper on Nov. 26 and Basket Club Gries Oberhoffen on Nov. 12.
After graduating from Duquesne, Monteiro started his professional basketball career with Liege Basket in Belgium in 2012-13. The next stop for Monteiro was Redwell Gunners Oberwart in Austria for 2013-14. In 2014-15, Monteiro put on the uniform of the Jefes in the Liga National de Baloncesto Profesional in Mexico.
Monteiro spent the 2015-16 season with two different teams. He started the campaign with Toros of Liga Profesional de Baloncesto in Venezuela, then finished it with the Niagara River Lions of the National Basketball League of Canada.
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| James (Boca Juniors) |
Marcus James, Club Athletico Boca Juniors, Liga Nacional de Basquet (Argentina)
James has been all over the place, and the current leg of his basketball odyssey has him in Argentina.
James has played in all 26 games this season and averages 16.7 minutes per contest. James is a solid 51.5 percent from the field (35-of-68) and scores 4.7 points per game. He also snatches 2.8 rebounds per contest.
Before the Boca Juniors, James played in the National Basketball League of Canada for the former Mississauga Power. In 2015-16, James suited up for the Laredo Swarm of the American Basketball Association.
