Paris (AFP)
Villeurbanne joined Monaco at the head of the French Basketball Championship by crushing Bourg-en-Bresse, 104 to 71, Sunday at the Astroballe.
The Monegasques continued their good streak on Saturday with a twelfth success in a row (including the shock against ASVEL two weeks ago) in the Principality against Pau-Orthez (89-76).
Back from a stay in Turkey marked by two severe defeats in Euroleague Tuesday against Fenerbahçe (86-74) and Friday against Efes (101-74), Villeurbanne took a quarter to enter the match (-9 during from the 1st) then walked in this derby against the 6th of the classification.
"We were keen to make up for it after this hard week in Istanbul, there was a bit of fatigue at the start, but once we started to run no one could stop us," said Amine Noua, best match scorer (23 points), at the microphone of RMC Sports.
Once again coached by Zvezdan Mitrovic, recovered from his health problems, the Villeurbannais were quick to vigorously raise the bar, thanks to the address of Noua (already 18 points at the break) and the American David Lighty ( 12 points at the break, 19 at the end). They were leading 20 points at the break.
The second half was a formality.
Complete results of the 19th day:
Friday
Châlons-Reims - Le Mans 78 - 87
Gravelines - Roanne 90 - 61
Saturday
Monaco - Pau-Orthez 89 - 76
Dijon - Cholet 97 - 68
Boulazac - Le Portel 80 - 74
Orleans - Limoges 78 - 84
Chalon-sur-Saône - Boulogne-Levallois 90 - 98
Nanterre - Strasbourg 85 - 70
Sunday
Villeurbanne - Bourg-en-Bresse 104 - 71
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