By Eurohoops Team/ info@eurohoops.net
Dealing with immense pressure, Jonah Mathews got the job done from the free-throw line with 1.5 seconds left on the clock.
LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne escaped with a narrow win, 77-76, versus Valencia Friday evening.
Rallying from an early 13-point deficit, the visitors took control behind Nando de Colo. Going up against his former team, the experienced guard logged 16 points, half of those in the fourth quarter of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Regular Season Round 2 contest. Earning eight fouls helped shape the game-high 22 PIR.
“The only that we will remember tonight is the win because nothing is easy for us right now,” was his immediate reaction, “We have a new team, new players, and we have to know how to play better together. But tonight, I think we showed fight and this is good.”
“I try to do my best for the team, but it is always a pleasure for me to come back here,” kindly added de Colo, “It is always a special feeling and, one more time, we had a win tonight with all respect to Valencia. I hope that they are going to have a good season.”
Mathews, 24, sealed the deal by snapping the 76-76 tie from the charity stripe and then missing the second free throw to limit the options for the hosts in the dying seconds of the game. It was Jared Harper committing an offensive foul by kicking out in the process of shooting a three-pointer that turned possession to the opposite end and sent the former USC standout to a couple of free throws.
“We wanted to have a final shot in which we had an option to go to overtime or win the game,” head coach Alex Mumbru described the last play, “We didn’t want to have any sort of risk to avoid a turnover and, in the end, you all have seen the decision. I cannot go to decide it. In the end, this is basketball, the referee decided to call the foul, and anyone can see what was decided, what was shown on TV. We won’t talk about the referees now.”
More help for ASVEL came in from Retin Obasohan with 13 points. Towering center Youssoupha Fall produced a 10-point, 13-rebound double-double. Team captain Charles Kahudi in action for the first time since late May chipped in nine more points by connecting three triples, including a buzzer-beater to end the first half. Parker Jackson-Cartwright remained sidelined.
“It is a big win for us because we started badly at home,” commented Fall, “We gave everything and I think we deserved it. If you see all the game, we really deserved this win.”
On the previous six encounters in Europe’s premier club continental competition, the home side managed to prevail on every single occasion. But the team coached by T.J. Parker claiming the win in La Fonteta upped the current season’s W-L total to 1-1.
“We showed character, especially in the fourth quarter. We hung in there and our guys played tough. It is not an easy place to play, we had never won here, so I guess we made history here tonight. But I am really happy because we deserved it. We played a good game,” summed up Parker.
On the opposite end, Valencia fell to 0-2. Jasiel Rivero got 15 points and former ASVEL star Chris Jones followed with 13 points. Besides injured Martin Hermannsson and Millan Jimenez, Taronges also ruled out Xabi Lopez-Arostegui.
Mumbru’s side carrying a 2-1 record in Spain’s Liga Endesa will host UCAM Murcia Sunday. Refocusing on EuroLeague, it will travel to Turkey to take on Anadolu Efes and Fenerbahce Beko Tuesday and Thursday, respectively.
ASVEL will face Fener Tuesday and head to Israel for a collision with Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv in the first two-game week of the 2022-23 EuroLeague season. Sitting at 2-2 in France’s Betclic Elite LNB Pro A, a home game opposite BCM Gravelines-Dunkerque is coming up Sunday.
Photo Credit: EuroleagueBasketball.net