Better late than never for Avtodor's Adams

VALENCIA (Jeff Taylor's Eurovision) - Josh Adams signed for Avtodor Saratov last summer but injuries sustained in a car accident delayed his arrival at the Basketball Champions League outfit until the 13th of January.

As far as the club is concerned, it's better late than never. Adams, who has played in a couple of Basketball Champions League games, has brought a fresh impetus to Avtodor as they look to distance themselves from some big-time struggles that very nearly prevented them from reaching the Play-Off Qualifiers.

Adams had an inauspicious debut on the 15th of January in the VTB League, missing all six of his shots and turning the ball over five times yet Avtodor won, 94-87, over BC Enisey.

A few days later in a must-win game against Umana Reyer Venezia, his first in the Basketball Champions League, Adams connected on 4 of 7 3-balls and finished with 15 points and 4 assists in a 102-67 triumph for Avtodor in their Kristall Arena. He was all over the highlight reel.

It was a perfect start for Adams in the competition, yet he was keeping his feet on the ground.

"I can't say I'm ever satisfied," he said. "You can always do better. I'm going to keep pushing myself and keep trying to do better for the team."

That Adams is healthy and playing is all the really matter right now. The situation didn't look good last summer when he was involved in a car crash and had serious injuries to his neck, including fractured C5 and C6 vertebrae.

The Mountain West Conference Player of the Year in the 2015-16 campaign as a senior with the Wyoming Cowboys, Adams set the single-season scoring record at the school with 740 points.

Adams was not drafted but did play for the Denver Nuggets in the 2016 summer league.

In late July, he signed for Avtodor but then had the accident and needed to recover before before he could play again. The club, after he passed his medical, finally unveiled their new point guard.

After his terrific display against Umana Reyer, Adams helped Avtodor come from behind at win at Le Mans in their last Regular Season game to claim fourth place in their group and a spot in the Play-Off Qualifiers.

"Yes its great to have him (Adams) finally here. We all knew about his recovery from the accident and its great to see him healthy again." - Nick Minnerath

I asked Avtodor's Nick Minnerath, the leading scorer in the VTB League and a two-time MVP of the Week in the Basketball Champions League, about Adams.

"Yes its great to have him finally here," he said. "We all knew about his recovery from the accident and its great to see him healthy again.

"It's good to have new energy within the team to spark new emotions. His athleticism adds to our team's success and the fact that teams don't know him creates a good x-factor for us to take advantage of."

Adams, nowhere on the radar at the start of January, is now a key figure for Avtodor as they head into their showdown with EWE Baskets in the Play-Off Qualifiers. The Russian club has played him a lot of minutes and probably will continue to do so.

Look for the former Wyoming star to to take advantage. Adams needs to make up for lost time.

Jeff Taylor
FIBA

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