Paris (AFP)
Villeurbanne continued its flawless league in France by going hard to win in the derby against Roanne 73-69 Sunday at the 6th day of the championship of France basketball, two days after his loss to Kaunas in Euroleague.
ASVEL remains leader in the standings, followed by Boulogne-Levallois and Monaco, winners also this weekend.
The reigning French champion never led more than eight points against his neighbor and was even led in the fourth quarter, before winning.
In the middle of a crisis after being sidelined by his coach Laurent Pluvy on Tuesday, Maxime Boire, assistant coach for three and a half years, took the interim on the Roanne bench.
The Zvezdan Mitrovic players, who played four times in ten days with the Euroleague, led only six points at the end of the first period (32-26).
After the break, the Choir of Roanne, pushed by a market hall Vacheresse sold out, has a time reduced the gap, even returning to tie several times in the third quarter.
The men of Maxime Boire managed the feat of passing Villeurbanne in the fourth quarter, with a maximum gap of 6 points (59-53).
Still tied in the money time (69-69), the Villeurbaneans were able to count on the agility of Edwin Jackson (15 pts), who scored four free throws (eight in total, out of eight attempts), finally allowing leader to win 73-69.
This is the fifth defeat in the league of Roanne in six matches.
In the other match of the day, it was also complicated for Boulogne-Levallois (2nd), who needed a double overtime to get rid of Elan Béarnais 114 to 110, ranked 12th. A particular success due to Briante Weber, MVP of the meeting (26 pts). At the end of suspense, the Parisians remain undefeated and continue to stand up to ASVEL.
Monaco completes the podium, victorious Saturday at home against Strasbourg (86-70), thanks to Kim Tillie, in form (13 pts, 6 rebounds). The GIS (16th), in trouble this season, is after this 6th day in the relegation zone, as Roanne (17th) and Le Portel (18th).
© 2019 AFP