Paris (AFP)
They wanted to revive, they sank: the basketball players of Villeurbanne fell against Zalgiris Kaunas (70-56), conceding their second European defeat in a row, Friday night in Lithuania during the fourth day of Euroleague.
The French champions, who had started their Euroleague debut with two home victories against the Olympiakos and Panathinaikos, failed to bounce back from the slap they suffered last week against Bayern Munich. (104-63).
The Zalgiris and Asvel, two small Euroleague budgets both leaders and unbeaten in their respective national leagues, competed in a mad Zalgirio Arena (nearly 15,000 spectators), boosted by the latest success of the Lithuanians against Real Madrid cadets, semi-finalist outgoing.
But it was the Villeurbanne who made the best start to the match, like the 3 points scored from the outset by Antoine Diot. Never led in the first quarter, the Asvel finished with 6 points lead (14-20), shining in many counters and losing only one ball.
The second quarter was a lot more painful for Zvezdan Mitrovic's men: after a series of 14 to 0, the Lithuanians, present at the Final Four 2018, escaped and the Villeurbanne no longer existed, lagging 5 points at half-time (33 to 28).
The flock of Sarunas Jarsikevicius, legend of Lithuanian basketball and the only man to win the Euroleague with three different clubs (Tel Aviv, Barcelona, Panathinaikos), then widened the gap, thanks to a murderous Arturas Milkanis.
A final series of 11 to 0 for Zalgiris in the last minutes has destroyed the last hopes of the club Rhone, whose absences of Adreian Payne and Theo Maleon, wounded for several weeks, are more than ever felt.
Inside Kaunas Zach Leday was the best scorer of the game, with 13 points and 8 rebounds.
For Asvel, Nigerian pivot Tonye Jekiri was the most famous, with 10 points scored and 10 rebounds.
Villeurbanne will face the Basques of Saski Baskonia next Tuesday for the rest of the C1, and will meanwhile move to Roanne for a sold-out derby on Sunday.
© 2019 AFP