Utah Jazz: Kyrylo Fesenko dominates FIBA Europe Cup semifinal
By Ryan Aston
Former Utah Jazz center and cult hero Kyrylo Fesenko came up big in his team’s first FIBA Europe Cup semifinal bout this week.
You may not have asked for it, perhaps you didn’t even think about it. Deep down, though, you know you need it. So here it is — your update on famed former Utah Jazz big man, one-time bleached blonde and Euro Shaq clone Kyrylo Fesenko.
In a word, he’s dominating.
Fesenko’s club, Sidigas Scandone Avellino, is currently participating in FIBA Europe Cup competition. Despite closing out the Serie A schedule with four losses in six tries, Avellino finds itself in the Europe Cup semifinal. Their opponents are DeVaughn Akoon-Purcell and the Danish Basketligaen champion Bakken Bears.
Game 1 of the two-game set was on Wednesday. And while former Florida State standout Jason Rich paced the team with 28 points, Fesenko had his way in the paint. In 21 minutes of play he made 5-of-7 shot attempts, scoring 11 points. Defensively, he rounded out his night with a game-high four blocked shots.
Avellino outscored the Bears by 10 points when he was on the floor, which was also a game-high.
Through five Europe Cup games, Fesenko is averaging 11.2 points, seven boards and 2.2 blocks per contest. He’s also shooting over 65 percent from the floor and is his squad’s plus/minus leader (plus-45 over 107 minutes).
The former Jazzman signed with Avellino in 2016.
After getting picked by the Philadelphia 76ers in the second round of the 2007 NBA Draft, Fesenko began his short NBA career in Utah. He appeared in 132 games over four years with the Jazz from ’07 to 2011.
During the 2010 NBA playoffs, he took over as the team’s starting center when Mehmet Okur ruptured his Achilles tendon. His play down low helped the Jazz persevere in their first-round series against Carmelo Anthony and the Denver Nuggets.
He continues to hold a prominent spot in Jazz lore for his epic interviews and devil-may-care attitude.
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Game 2 between Bakken and Avellino, emanating from Vejlby-Risskov Hallen in Denmark, will take place on April 18. Umana Reyer Venezia and Donar make up the other half of the semifinal bracket.