• Asvel offered a major feat on the European scene, Tuesday at the Astroballe, by overthrowing the reigning European champion, Efes Istanbul (75-73).

  • Already falling from Kaunas and Alba Berlin, the Villeurbanne found themselves co-leaders in the Euroleague after three days, before going on Thursday (8 p.m.) against Maccabi Tel Aviv.

  • Can the band at TJ Parker aim for the Top 8 and therefore the play-offs of the most prestigious European competition from this season?

    Several signals are proving to be very encouraging, starting with a solid defense.

We were at the heart of the third quarter, Tuesday evening, when the Astroballe display panel revealed the logical gap between Asvel, recent holder of a guaranteed ticket in the Euroleague, and Efes Istanbul, reigning European champion (37-56, 24th). “In -19, in all honesty, nobody believed it, even our supporters, recognizes the Villeurbanne back Paul Lacombe. That's the beauty of this team: when some are less well, others take over. It's only our sixth game of the season, but a real team has been built. "

A collective capable of impelling a wind of madness in a molten enclosure, with a surrealist 30-11 passed in ten minutes to afford a suspenseful end of the game with the Turkish armada, after a long distance shoot by William Howard (67-67, 34e).

Add to that a well-felt tap from Kostas Antetokoumpo 12 seconds from time, and the shoot for the win just missed by Shane Larkin, and you have one of the greatest exploits in the history of French basketball in the Euroleague (75 -73).

"In the Euroleague, there are no longer really any surprise teams"

Enough to give birth to the desire for play-offs in this group, after this third success in as many European matches?

“Casually, we were not very far from these play-offs last season [14th, all the same 7 wins for Zenit, 8th and last qualifier], indicated before the start of the season the leader of the Asvel Antoine Diot.

We still showed great things and the teams respected us a lot at the end of the course.

In the Euroleague, there are no longer really any surprise teams, when you see the numbers of "small budgets" like Monaco and us.

"

Just look at what it means to the @LDLCASVEL fans 🤩🙌 # EveryGameMatters pic.twitter.com/V1DDolZKNf

- Turkish Airlines EuroLeague (@EuroLeague) October 12, 2021

The craziest thing about this dream start to the season (six successes in as many games if we add the French championship) is that the preparation was quite worrying, with a record of two wins and five defeats.

After the departure of seven executives (including Cole, Moustapha Fall, Yabusele and Heurtel) from the 20th title of champion of France this summer, the Villeurbannais even ended their preseason with a final quack (73-80) against the promoted Fos-sur- Wed, September 24, under the eyes of a certain Giannis Antetokounmpo in Feurs (Loire).

"We took a long time to integrate the new ones, it was difficult," admitted TJ Parker before the launch of the Euroleague.

It was not the preparation hoped for.

We will have to be patient.

"

A first month with 13 games played for Asvel

Two weeks later, his team is therefore undefeated and euphoric after its prestigious comeback against Efes Istanbul. Antoine Diot recalled at the end of September that "the business assets of Asvel remain the defense to compete with the big teams in the Euroleague". With 72 points conceded on average over the first three days (against 80.1 points in 2020-2021), the band at TJ Parker is clearly right in this sector. "We are really consistent in TJ's game plan," approves club president Gaëtan Muller. At the defensive level, that's the big difference from last year. We can be proud to have beaten the European champion with his entire team. You can feel a special atmosphere in the locker room. A very strong group is being created. "

Very positive signals, especially since the club chaired by Tony Parker was evolving on Tuesday without David Lighty, Victor Wembanyama, Antoine Diot, and Raymar Morgan, who should all four quickly find the court.

Back from the United States "for family reasons", the precious American winger David Lighty will even be aligned on Thursday (8 pm) against Maccabi Tel Aviv.

Because if Asvel, currently co-leader of the Euroleague with Milan, wants to continue dreaming of play-offs, he will have to absorb this infernal pace of 34 matches in six months in the European top flight.

In this resumption in October alone, Villeurbanne must investigate 13 matches, between the championship and the Euroleague.

This is to say if, for the double reigning French champion, “the road is very long” (according to Gaëtan Muller) towards the European Top 8 by April 8.

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