Madrid (AFP)
After three defeats in three matches, Villeurbanne has unlocked its counter this season in the Euroleague by creating the feat on the floor of Vitoria 88 to 86 Thursday.
Despite the absences of Paul Lacombe and Guerschon Yabusele and a complicated period to manage in the middle of the second wave of coronavirus, Asvel, carried by a high-flying duo Antoine Diot and Moustapha Fall, confirmed its progress by going to tear on the wire a first continental success this season for the reigning Spanish champion.
Diot (31 years old, 93 caps) totaled 11 points and three three-point baskets in the first period (15 pts in total), including a very important one just before the break.
His reading of the game, his crucial baskets and his relationship with Moustapha Fall, very exploited, hurt the Basque defense.
Big cause for satisfaction for coach TJ Parker: the progress of Fall, who competed with his direct opponent in the evening, Tonye Jekiri, the former pivot of Asvel last year.
Jekiri certainly made his match (personal best in Euroleague with 23 pts and 7 rebounds), but Fall was omnipresent on the Villeurbanne side, with him also a personal best broken on the continental level with 19 points, 5 rebounds and several bright assists at the post. .
He put in some important baskets, like a raging dunk midway through the third quarter that woke his people up, and another six minutes from time that gave them a nine point lead.
Without Lacombe (hamstrings) or Yabusele (knee), coach TJ Parker had to ask veteran Charles Kahudi (34) to help out inside.
Largely in the lead on several occasions (+11 in the first, third and last quarters), the Rhone residents have preserved a small advantage over Baskonia, also in difficulty at the start of the European campaign (two wins and three defeats this season in Euroleague).
Asvel, who have only been able to play four games in seven days because of the coronavirus, will play two next week against Red Star Belgrade on Wednesday and Zenit Saint Petersburg at Astroballe on Friday.
© 2020 AFP