Led by Nets stash Aleksandar Vezenkov, Bulgaria dominated Portugal early in the FIBA World Cup Pre-Qualifiers, winning 82-71 in Sines, Portugal.
Vezenkov, a 6’9” swingman who was taken with the 57th pick in the 2017 Draft, finished with 13 points, 13 rebounds, five assists and two steals. He also turned the ball over seven times. The 21-year-old, who plays for F.C. Barcelona, shot 4-of-9 overall and 2-of-5 from deep. He is expected to spend another two years in Europe.
Despite suffering a sprained ankle in a “friendly” game on Friday, Vezenkov played 34 minutes Wednesday. Dee Bost, who played college ball at Mississippi and was a D-League All-Star, was high scorer with 23 points.