Europe 1 with AFP 9:40 p.m., February 19, 2023
The reigning French champion, Villeurbanne, won the Leaders Cup by winning the final 83-74 against Bourg-en-Bresse, Sunday in Saint-Chamond.
This is the first time that Asvel has won this event after losing two finals in 2017 and 2019.
Size boss: Villeurbanne left no chance to Bourg-en-Bresse, beaten 83 to 74 Sunday in Saint-Chamond (Loire), in the final of the Leaders Cup and won the first title at stake this season.
Asvel won the event for the first time after two finals lost in 2017 and 2020 (the Rhone club had however won the Week of As, its former name, in 2010).
The Villeurbannaise team, 7th in the French Elite championship after 21 days and won in the Euroleague (17th out of 18), demonstrated its strong experience of high level and management of major events.
At the national level, it played its fourth final on Sunday out of the last five organized, in all competitions.
For his coach, TJ Parker, it is also the fourth trophy after two French championship titles (2021 and 2022) and a Coupe de France (2021).
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Step too high for Bourg
His assistant at the time was Frédéric Fauthoux, today on the bench of JL Bourg.
The technician knew the danger for his players, that of having difficulty managing their emotions despite their recent good dynamics.
Because the JLB, 6th in the Elite championship and also qualified for the quarter-finals of the Coupe de France, presented itself on Sunday on the floor of the Saint-Étienne Métropole Arena in Saint-Chamond after having beaten twice in eight days the Monegasque ogre, in the league last Sunday then Friday (102-92) for its entry into the Leaders Cup.
But the march was too high against this Asvel worn by his bosses at the rendezvous like Nando De Colo (20 pts), exceptional in the first half and elected MVP of the tournament, but also Dee Bost (12 pts), Retin Obasohan (16 pts), and Charles Kahudi (13 pts).
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Too little, too late
The Burgiens, taken by the energy of the Villeurbannais, were helpless and especially out of address (11/34, 34% success in the first half).
After having stood up to their opponents during the first quarter (lost 22-17), they were crushed in the second won by Villeurbanne 23-8 for a gap of twenty points at half-time (45-25), which had even risen to +22 two minutes before the break.
Outclassing his opponent on the rebound in the first half (21 to 13), Asvel offered a solid performance in interior shots, embellished with a 100% on free throws in the first two quarters when Bourg did not. got none.
In the second half, TJ Parker's players were able to manage their lead, leaving JL Bourg, supported by the performances of James Palmer Jr (20 pts) and Jordan Floyd (23 pts), to win the last two quarters ( 22-19, 27-19).
Too little, too late.