The two clubs, respectively 15th and 16th at kick-off can no longer qualify for the final phase.
Once again, Asvel were deprived of several major players such as Charles Kahudi, absent for two weeks with a knee injury, Youssoufa Fall and Chris Jones, ill and preserved for the French championship match in Dijon on Sunday, as well than Elie Okobo, insufficiently recovered from an injury.
The Rhone club was able to believe it after taking the lead in the 34th minute (57-55) ahead of an opponent who beat Real Madrid in the Spanish league (80-72) on March 6, then Efes Istanbul on March 8 (87-74).
But overall, throughout the meeting, Villeurbanne ran after the score, even accusing a handicap of nine points in the third quarter (34-43, 25th) against a more skilful Basque team at three points (10/26, 38.5% versus 5/18 27.8%).
She was able to count on the efficiency of Alec Peters (17 points), Matthew Costello (13 pts) and Wade Baldwin (14 pts) or Simone Fontecchio (12 pts).
Baskonia was also superior in free throws (14/20, 70% to 4/7, 57.1%) in rebounds (39 to 26).
Asvel was able to react in the last quarter under the impetus of Paul Lacombe (16 points), Victor Wembanyama (18 years old, 9 pts), Matthew Strazel (9 pts) or David Lighty (11 pts) but mismanaged the end of the meeting.
© 2022 AFP