This defeat is cruel for the Villeurbannais, who fought for three quarters with the Stambouliotes, better ranked than them, despite the absences of Antoine Diot, Victor Wembanyama, Raymar Morgan, William Howard and especially Elie Okobo.
Their leader and top scorer in the Euroleague (15.8 points) has often worn them this season, but has been sidelined for at least six weeks due to a right shoulder injury.
In his absence, Marcos Knight took care of everything: he led his team offensively (21 points), took rebounds with authority (twelve) and stole balls (three in the first half) .
For a long time, the American rear set the tone for his teammates, rough at the start of the match, then catchy.
The extension of his contract until the end of the season, announced Thursday by the Villeurbannais club, may have given him extra desire.
Led by four points at halftime (36-32), Asvel maintained their intensity in the third quarter before losing ground on the edge of the fourth, when the Turks scored eleven consecutive points, increasing the gap at fourteen points (68-54).
The executioner of the Villeurbannais is undoubtedly the American leader Shane Larkin, author of fourteen points in the second half (19 in total, 4/7 from three points).
TJ Parker's men's balance is clearly on the negative side, with fifteen defeats for nine wins, while Efes (twelve wins for eleven defeats) returns ahead of the other French club engaged in the Euroleague, Monaco, in the eighth and last qualifying spot.
In the evening, Real Madrid, at the head of the Euroleague with its colony of French players (Vincent Poirier, Guerschon Yabusele, Thomas Heurtel and Fabien Causeur) receives Zenit Saint-Petersburg at the end of the 25th day.
© 2022 AFP