33 Javier Beiran Amigo (ESP)
28/11/2016
Jeff Taylor's Eurovision
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Beiran relishes the challenges

VALENCIA (Jeff Taylor's Eurovision) - The draw for FIBA EuroBasket 2017 was held this past week and as usual, it whet the appetite for the old continent's most important international tournament.

The competition, to run from 31 August to 17 September, is going to have Group Phase locations in Finland, Israel, Romania and Turkey - the country that will also host the knockout round. 

It's likely that we'll see Luka Doncic with Slovenia. The 17-year-old Real Madrid wunderkind quashed speculation back in September that he might one day play for Spain and instead pledged his future to his homeland. He figures to be a star attraction in the Helsinki Arena in Group A.

It's unlikely that we'll see a player who competes for a club 1,754 kilometers southwest of Madrid on the Canary Island of Tenerife with Spain, although that is owed more to the deep talent pool that exists in the country. Players like this do deserve a shot to put on the national team jersey but it's not easy making a squad that is already loaded with superstars.

He is Javier Beiran of Iberostar Tenerife. The 29-year-old is proving instrumental for his club as it winds its way through a difficult and fun journey in both the Liga Endesa and the Basketball Champions League.

He and his teammates just had the sort of week that the fans will treasure for the remainder of the season.

You can't complain about the commitment of anyone at this club. The players of Iberostar Tenerife face issues that those of most clubs do not. They're on the road a lot. When they travel, they usually fly three and a half hours to Madrid or Barcelona and then take a different flight, and often a bus trip, to their final destination. There is a lot of time spent in airports.

This past week, the players took a long journey to Avellino, Italy, near Naples. With Beiran drilling 4 of 6 3-pointers and collecting 9 rebounds, and several others making key contributions, the Spanish club won a 76-75 thriller over Sidigas Avellino.

That was the sort of road win that gets a club excited. Beiran showed after that he and the other Iberostar Tenerife players have big aims this season - and a sense of humor.

Suena la Champions 📽🇪🇺🏀

A video posted by Javier Beirán (@jbeiran33) on

Winning is contagious. One leads to another, and so it proved over the weekend at Baskonia in Vitoria.

Beiran had 10 points and again came up a rebound shy of a double-double as Iberostar Tenerife prevailed 73-72 on the home court of a Euroleague side.

¡Qué nervios pero qué gran victoria! 😅😄😄😄😄

A photo posted by Javier Beirán (@jbeiran33) on

When the game was on the line and the final seconds were ticking off the clock, Beiran came up with the play of the game.

Davin White, who had the go-ahead 3-point play for Iberostar Tenerife at Avellino with just over two seconds remaining, drove to the basket and attempted a very difficult shot as Baskonia guarded the rim.

What the home side did not do was box out Beiran. He flew into the picture and tapped in White's miss for a 73-72 victory.

It's hard to see Iberostar Tenerife winning the Liga Endesa title, although huge underdogs Leicester City did win soccer's Premier League in Britain last year so anything is possible. Making the play-offs, while it will be difficult, is more realistic. 

Iberostar Tenerife now have eight wins in 10 games and are second only to Real Madrid after leapfrogging Barcelona with their latest victory. The Canary Islanders are certainly in the mix for the Basketball Champions League title.

What about the national team? Might Beiran have a chance to play for Spain? He represented his country at the 2007 U20 European Championship and helped the team to a runner-up finish in Slovenia, with Serbia winning the Final.

If he does gain consideration and earns an invite to training camp, that would be great. If not, then no problem.

Right now, Beiran is enjoying the opportunity to play not only in the Liga Endesa but in Europe. When he signed a two-year contract extension in the summer, he talked about the opportunity the Basketball Champions League afforded him, a competition that is letting a lot of players stand out on a big stage.

"The truth is," he said, "I am very enthusiastic to begin the new season with new challenges, not only to match or improve on last season but also to play in the Basketball Champions League."

And we are enjoying watching him, and his club.

Jeff Taylor
FIBA

FIBA's columnists write on a wide range of topics relating to basketball that are of interest to them. The opinions they express are their own and in no way reflect those of FIBA.

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Jeff Taylor

Jeff Taylor

Jeff Taylor, a North Carolina native and UNC Chapel Hill graduate, has been a journalist since 1990. He started covering international basketball after moving to Europe in 1996. Jeff provides insight and opinion every week about players and teams on the old continent that are causing a buzz.