Catching Up with Eugene Spates

If Eugene Spates first four exhibition games in Luxembourg are any indication, he could be in the making of an illustrious pro career. In preparation for the regular season, Spates continued that sweet stroke we saw at Northeastern, averaging 29 points a game in four preseason contests. 

Over the regular season Eugene has led B.C. Mess to an impressive 4-1 record, continued his hot shooting with five huge games.  On November 8th, B.C. Mess defeated the “3 professionals” of Basket Esch and favorite of the Nat. 2 league, 74-73. Spates contributed 33 points including five three pointers.  On November 1st, B.C. Mess beat Telstar 70-66 with Spates again as the high scorer, accounting for 29 points.  On October 25, B.C. Mess beat Grengewald, 90-66, with Eugene pouring in 27 points.  On October 17, B.C. Mess defeated Arel Basket, 70-56, as Spates contributed 24 points.  The only loss of the season came against US Heffingen (77-62) on October 11th, although Spates did score more than half of his team’s points with 34.

On the transition to life in a foreign country, Spates seems to be enjoying the new scenery.

"I like it here because people from Luxembourg speak many languages such as Luxembourgish, French, German, English and any other fifth language they would like to learn," Spates said.

“Lifestyle in my opinion is similar to living in a small country town where they still have farms and the old traditional way of living where the man works and the mom takes care of the house and children. Everybody knows each other here.’

Soon, it could be a place where everybody knows Spates as one of the nation’s basketball stars.