Courtesy of Eurobasket LLC We bring you last week's top former Tigers players who are currently playing in pro basketball.
#1. Experienced Filipino champion Chris Newsome, a 6'2''-Guard who is 35 years old and a graduate of Georgetown, KY in 2011, currently plays professionally in the Philippines. In the recent game, despite Newsome's commendable performance, he could not lead the Meralco Bolts (8-4) to victory as they were narrowly defeated 97-94 on the road by the lower-ranked (#8) Giga. Newsome contributed 15 points in 39 minutes, making him the second-highest scorer in the game. This loss marked the first for the Meralco Bolts after enjoying three consecutive victories. Impressively, this is Newsome's fifth season with the team, showcasing his loyalty and dedication to the franchise. In a previous game against TNT Tropang, Newsome displayed his skills by scoring 15 points, securing 2 rebounds, and providing 1 assist, although the team ultimately fell short and suffered a defeat. Throughout this season, Newsome has maintained solid statistics, averaging 14.4 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 2.9 assists per game in the 20 games he has participated in thus far. It is noteworthy that Newsome holds both American and Filipino citizenship, allowing him to compete in the Philippines as a domestic player, further solidifying his role as a key player for the Meralco Bolts.
#2. Puerto Rican Felix Rivera-Vega, a 6'7'' forward and 29-year-old Tigers alumnus from 2018 who currently plays professionally in Puerto Rico, recently competed for Capitanes de Arecibo in a game against Criollos in the Puerto Rican Baloncesto Superior Nacional. Despite his efforts, Rivera-Vega, who scored 6 points in just 12 minutes of play, was unable to help his team secure a victory. Capitanes de Arecibo, the second-placed team with a record of 14-7, suffered a heavy defeat of 113-79 at the hands of the leading Criollos in Group A. In the game against Caguas, Rivera-Vega showed his skills by scoring 6 points, grabbing 1 rebound, and providing 1 assist. However, despite his individual performance, Capitanes de Arecibo was unable to overcome their opponents and fell short of securing the win. Throughout this season, Rivera-Vega has maintained an average of 2.0 points per game and 1.3 rebounds per game in the 19 games he has played so far.
#3. Marc Montavious, a towering 6'8'' center who is 35 years old and an alumnus of Georgetown, KY (graduated in 2014 and helped lead them to the final of the MSC Tournament that year), currently showcases his basketball skills as a professional player in El Salvador. In a recent game, despite his exceptional performance, Montavious was unable to prevent his team, A.Lobos (with a record of 14-4), from suffering a defeat at the hands of the lower-ranked (#8) Ahuachapan, with a final score of 81-90 on the opponent's court. During the game, Montavious displayed his prowess by achieving a double-double with 22 points and an impressive 20 rebounds in just 36 minutes of play. This defeat marked A.Lobos' first loss following a streak of seven consecutive victories, as the Regular Season had already concluded. In the face of adversity, Montavious stood out with a remarkable performance, earning him the esteemed Triple-Double Badge from eurobasket.com and reinforcing his reputation as a true champion. Throughout the season, Montavious has maintained high statistical averages, including 19.4 points per game, 15.5 rebounds per game (ranking fourth in the league), 2.2 assists per game, 2.1 blocks per game (second best in the league), and 1.4 steals per game across 18 games. It is noteworthy that Montavious possesses both American and Salvadoran citizenship, allowing him to compete in El Salvador as a domestic player, showcasing his exceptional talent and contributing significantly to his team's performance.
#4. Tommy Thomas, a 6'4'' guard and Tigers alumnus from 2024, showcased his skills by helping his team reach the final of the MSC Tournament that year. Currently playing professionally in the USBL, Thomas recently competed for the Vancouver Bears (8-11) against the Salem Capitals (11-7). Despite his best efforts, Thomas and the Bears fell short, losing 110-116 to the Capitals. In that game, Thomas recorded 7 points and contributed 6 assists during his 39 minutes on the court. Looking ahead, Thomas and his team have only one more game left in the USBL Regular Season, a crucial match that will impact their standings. In a standout performance against Salem, Thomas displayed his versatility by scoring 7 points, grabbing 2 rebounds, and dishing out 6 assists. Even though Thomas put up impressive numbers, the Bears were unable to secure the victory. Throughout this season, Thomas has maintained solid averages of 6.1 points, 3.0 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 1.1 steals per game across seven games. His contributions on the court continue to demonstrate his value as a key player for his team.
Other former Georgetown College players, who play in pro basketball:
Chris Coffey (6'7''-F-1997, played in 2015-20) plays for Konya BBSK in Turkish TBL
Deng Puoch Puoch (6'8''-F/C-1999, played in 2019-20) played for Dandenong Rangers in Australian NBL One few monts ago
Kyran Jones (6'5''-F-1999, played in 2018-24) plays for Sangalhos in Portuguese Proliga
Cam Brooks-Harris (6'7''-F, played in 2021-24) plays for Nitia in Luxembourg Nationale 2
Michael Turay (6'7''-F-1997) played for Cincinnati Warriors in the TBL last year
Joe Burton (6'6''-G/F-1995, played in 2018-19) played for Kokomo Bobkats in the TBL last year
Lavar Batts Jr. (6'4''-PG-1998, played in 2021-22) played for Queen City Vipers in the ECBL last year
Jacob Conway (6'5''-G/F-1997, played in 2015-15) played for Sideline Cancer in the The Basketball Tournament last year
Khiry Shelton (6'10''-C-1998, played in 2022-22) plays for Columbus Wizards in the TBL
Notice: The list above includes only some of alumni playing currently in pro basketball. Check complete list of Georgetown College basketball alumni.
Chris Newsome is last week best Tigers alumni, who plays professional basketball (Photo: @meralcoboltsbasketball)
