Alaska Sports Hall of Fame

Turkish basketball power Besiktas has had some pedigree point guards over the last few years.

First it was Deron Williams, then Allen Iverson.

Now it’s Doron Perkins of Anchorage.

Compared with two guys with NBA experience, Perkins is playing on par than those guys when they were in Turkey.

“Hopefully I can put my name in with theirs,” Perkins told me.

You could say the 29-year-old Alaskan has played better actually, leading Besiktas deeper into the EuroCup playoffs than Williams or Iverson.

The Turks have advanced to the Top 16 for the first time since 2008, winning eight of 11 playoff games.

“It’s great making it to the Top 16, but it doesn’t mean much to me,” Perkins said. “I think we should go get more. Why not? We are playing well.”

Perkins, of Bartlett High fame, is averaging 9.8 points in those EuroCup games. Williams averaged 11 and Iverson 9.3 in EuroCup action when they were with the team.

The 6-foot-3 combo guard is also averaging 6.1 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 1.6 steals, showing off his all-court game that has kept him in the pro ranks for nearly the last decade.

In one game he pumped in 20 points. In another, he collected nine points, 10 rebounds and seven assists. In his last game, he had 13 points, six rebounds and five steals.

Besiktas will face Nizhny Novgorod of Russia on March 4 in Top 16 play.

“Our fans are some of the best in Europe and if we continue to win we will have more and more support,” Perkins said.