Ed Helicopter Jones
04-15-2005, 11:35 AM
http://www.euroleague.net/fotos/noticias/jornada1/gra_1449_66.jpg
Charles Smith wins Alphonso Ford Top Scorer Trophy!
Smith wins Ford trophy
The first-ever Alphonso Ford Top Scorer Trophy, named after the late Euroleague scoring champ, has been won by the player who replaced him, Charles Smith of Scavolini Pesaro. Alphonso Ford, a fan favorite who was the Euroleague's best scorer overall between 2000 and 2003, died last fall of leukemia while the team he had led the previous season, Scavolini, was in training camp to prepare its return to the Euroleague. The trophy named in his honor is the first of several new end-of-season awards to be announced this spring by the Euroleague. Of the new awards, this is the only one based purely on statistics. Smith's overall scoring average of 20.6 points per game was the highest of any player who met the minimum standard of 12 games played during the season. He led all Regular Season scorers with 22.25 points per game. In the Top 16, Smith tied for the fifth-highest scoring average, 16.6 points per game. And in the Quarterfinal Playoffs, Smith tied with three other players for the second-most points, 23 on average over two games. Of course, Smith's scoring was a decisive factor as Scavolini broke all predictions by reaching the Quarterfinal Playoffs. Smith will receive the new Alphonso Ford Top Scorer Trophy at the Euroleague Gala Dinner on May 7 during the Final Four in Moscow.
Alphonso Ford: 1971-2004
What became one of the most memorable seasons in Pesaro's basketball history began with tragedy. Alphonso Ford, who had helped lead the team back to the Euroleague, had lost his long battle with leukemia while at home in the United States. The sadness brought by the passing of such a great performer in the prime of his career reached across the Atlantic Ocean to Pesaro, where in just one season Ford had made himself, as he had in previous stops in his European career, a fan favorite. The entire Scavolini basketball team went to the United States to attend Ford's funeral and say a final goodbye to their former teammate. Later, Scavolini players who had known him well said that Ford's death had affected them still when both the Italian League and Euroleague seasons started.
In the meantime, Smith was hired to replace the scoring that Ford had always guaranteed to any team he played for. With a different style, but similar abilities to put up points inside or outside with ease, Smith proved to be the player around whom Scavolini could rebuild.
Smith: also steals leader
In just his second Euroleague game, he scored 22 points in an overtime victory against Asvel, and by the fifth had hit the 30-point mark, against Zalgiris. He would score 32 the next game, against AEK, and match that season-high again in the Regular Season, against Maccabi. But Smith was not just a designated scorer. He also finished the Regular Season first in steals in the entire Euroleague, with 2.83 per game. Although he was injured and missed two key games as Scavolini fought for the Top 16, Smith returned for the last, must-win one and scored 20 points in the breakthrough victory against Montepaschi. In the Top 16, Smith tied for the fifth-highest scoring average, 16.6 points per game, despite CSKA Moscow holding him twice to 10 points, his lowest one-game totals of the season. But in the key game of the Top 16, on the road at Winterthur FC Barcelona, Smith pumped in 24 points as Scavolini rolled to victory and clinched a spot in the Quarterfinal Playoffs. Despite losing both games in the Quarterfinal Playoffs, Smith made one memorable by scoring a game-high 32 points as Scavolini came within 3 points of tying its series with Maccabi.
The Euroleague's Alphonso Ford Top Scorer Trophy is one of several new awards approved before the season by the Euroleague Assembly. Among other upcoming awards that are to be announced are: the Euroleague Rising Star Trophy for players under 22, the Euroleague Best Defender Trophy, the Aleksander Gomelski Coach of the Year Trophy and the Euroleague Club Executive of the Year Award. Nominees for the all-Euroleague team for 2004-05 will be voted on until the Final Four and named at the All-Euroleague Gala Dinner on May 7.
Apr 11, 2005 Euroleague.net
http://www.euroleague.net/noticia.jsp?temporada=E04&jornada=23&id=791
It's a shame about the hip of his. Looks like it really slowed him down.
Charles Smith wins Alphonso Ford Top Scorer Trophy!
Smith wins Ford trophy
The first-ever Alphonso Ford Top Scorer Trophy, named after the late Euroleague scoring champ, has been won by the player who replaced him, Charles Smith of Scavolini Pesaro. Alphonso Ford, a fan favorite who was the Euroleague's best scorer overall between 2000 and 2003, died last fall of leukemia while the team he had led the previous season, Scavolini, was in training camp to prepare its return to the Euroleague. The trophy named in his honor is the first of several new end-of-season awards to be announced this spring by the Euroleague. Of the new awards, this is the only one based purely on statistics. Smith's overall scoring average of 20.6 points per game was the highest of any player who met the minimum standard of 12 games played during the season. He led all Regular Season scorers with 22.25 points per game. In the Top 16, Smith tied for the fifth-highest scoring average, 16.6 points per game. And in the Quarterfinal Playoffs, Smith tied with three other players for the second-most points, 23 on average over two games. Of course, Smith's scoring was a decisive factor as Scavolini broke all predictions by reaching the Quarterfinal Playoffs. Smith will receive the new Alphonso Ford Top Scorer Trophy at the Euroleague Gala Dinner on May 7 during the Final Four in Moscow.
Alphonso Ford: 1971-2004
What became one of the most memorable seasons in Pesaro's basketball history began with tragedy. Alphonso Ford, who had helped lead the team back to the Euroleague, had lost his long battle with leukemia while at home in the United States. The sadness brought by the passing of such a great performer in the prime of his career reached across the Atlantic Ocean to Pesaro, where in just one season Ford had made himself, as he had in previous stops in his European career, a fan favorite. The entire Scavolini basketball team went to the United States to attend Ford's funeral and say a final goodbye to their former teammate. Later, Scavolini players who had known him well said that Ford's death had affected them still when both the Italian League and Euroleague seasons started.
In the meantime, Smith was hired to replace the scoring that Ford had always guaranteed to any team he played for. With a different style, but similar abilities to put up points inside or outside with ease, Smith proved to be the player around whom Scavolini could rebuild.
Smith: also steals leader
In just his second Euroleague game, he scored 22 points in an overtime victory against Asvel, and by the fifth had hit the 30-point mark, against Zalgiris. He would score 32 the next game, against AEK, and match that season-high again in the Regular Season, against Maccabi. But Smith was not just a designated scorer. He also finished the Regular Season first in steals in the entire Euroleague, with 2.83 per game. Although he was injured and missed two key games as Scavolini fought for the Top 16, Smith returned for the last, must-win one and scored 20 points in the breakthrough victory against Montepaschi. In the Top 16, Smith tied for the fifth-highest scoring average, 16.6 points per game, despite CSKA Moscow holding him twice to 10 points, his lowest one-game totals of the season. But in the key game of the Top 16, on the road at Winterthur FC Barcelona, Smith pumped in 24 points as Scavolini rolled to victory and clinched a spot in the Quarterfinal Playoffs. Despite losing both games in the Quarterfinal Playoffs, Smith made one memorable by scoring a game-high 32 points as Scavolini came within 3 points of tying its series with Maccabi.
The Euroleague's Alphonso Ford Top Scorer Trophy is one of several new awards approved before the season by the Euroleague Assembly. Among other upcoming awards that are to be announced are: the Euroleague Rising Star Trophy for players under 22, the Euroleague Best Defender Trophy, the Aleksander Gomelski Coach of the Year Trophy and the Euroleague Club Executive of the Year Award. Nominees for the all-Euroleague team for 2004-05 will be voted on until the Final Four and named at the All-Euroleague Gala Dinner on May 7.
Apr 11, 2005 Euroleague.net
http://www.euroleague.net/noticia.jsp?temporada=E04&jornada=23&id=791
It's a shame about the hip of his. Looks like it really slowed him down.