Asvel snatches victory against Strasbourg in Betclic Elite

Taken by Marcus Keene, Youssoupha Fall (2.21 m) deployed his huge arms to crush the double step of the American leader from Strasbourg on the board. A crucial counter twelve seconds from the buzzer to finally let Asvel breathe (74-72, 39th). Dee Bost then ensured the Rhone success on the free throw line (78-72). But the return to the Championship, two weeks after winning the Leaders Cupwas complicated for Villeurbanne.

Led by assistant Morgan Belnou like Friday against Real Madrid (in place of TJ Parker, suffering), the reigning French champions rained down faults on the SIG (13 in a quarter, 30 in the end!). On two consecutive possessions, Bost then Nando De Colo – with an unbalanced shot – converted two three-point actions to widen a first gap (42-32, 16th).

Obasohan aggressive and decisive

Only Marcus Keene (15 points including 14 before the break) then prevented Asvel from flying away definitively. But the SIG came back transformed from the locker room. In check at three points (see figure), Luca Banchi’s team compensated with crazy energy on the rebound and on the passing lines (12 interceptions). Income of his first cape in the France teamthe pivot Bodian Massa equalized at the start of the third quarter before Rodions Kurucs put the Alsatians in front of the scoreboard (51-54, 24th).

On a rare award-winning basket, signed Paul Lacombe, clumsy but very close to a triple double (9 points, 1 of 13 shooting, 8 rebounds, 7 assists), Strasbourg even took two possessions in advance (57-63, 28th ). Break immediately erased by Asvel, with a long distance arrow from Jonah Mathews. And in the money-time, the SIG ended up paying for its accumulation of faults. Kurucs committed his fifth, whistled unsportsmanlike, on a shoulder blow against Charles Kahudi on the rebound to let the winger equalize on the line (72-72, 36th).

Then, less than two minutes from the buzzer, Lacombe lost a crucial ball immediately transformed into a dunk by Retin Obasohan. Trailing by two with 23 seconds remaining, SIG had two shots to come back but Keene first missed his chance behind the arc before having his double step blocked by Fall. Asvel goes back to fifth place in Betclic Elite, two victories behind Dijon (4th) while Strasbourg remains outside the top 8 (11th).