By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Coming off a coaching change and a home win – even against ALBA Berlin – Zalgiris Kaunas wanted to get the “W” against the team with the worst record in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague.
However, LDLC ASVEL also needed a win, amid reports about a second coaching change on their bench during the same season, and they got it after 10 straight defeats, getting their first home win for the season.
ASVEL prevailed 93-79 beating Zalgiris for the second time this season, as the Lithuanians dropped to 6-13 and the 16th spot in the standings.
Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot with 27 points and Youssoupha Fall with 22 points and 12 rebounds led the charge, as ASVEL outgunned Zalgiris despite still missing due to injury Nando De Colo.
“We all know that the situation is not easy but every day we work hard and it’s good for us to push forward, to keep going”, admitted Fall.
Paris Lee added 22 points and 8 assists, while Keenan Evans with 21 points was the top scorer of the losing side.
A one-sided affair
ASVEL got a strong start, leading by nine (19-10) and despite Zalgiris trimming the lead to six (23-17) at the end of the first period, the halftime score was 51-43.
Things got even worse for Zalgiris, or if you prefer better for ASVEL, which led by 72-54 in the 28th minute, practically finishing the game early.
Zalgiris made it a 13-point game entering the last period after a 5-0 run (72-59), but the best they could do after that was to trail by 11 (75-64).
“We did a great job from the beginning to the end and we did in front of our fans, despite that Zalgiris didn’t give up”, said Luwawu-Cabarrot.
ASVEL answered back with their own 7-0 run (82-64) and entered the last five minutes with a solid distance. Zalgiris once more tried and made it a nine-point game (82-73) but it was too little and too late.
“I would be glad if it was just ups and downs, we didn’t match their physicality, they destroyed us physically, we spent a lot of energy in the previous game”, admitted Zalgiris coach Andrea Trinchieri.
“I am really happy for my players, they deserved it”, said ASVEL coach Gianmarko Pozzecco after the game. “We were so close many times to winning games, so at least we deserved it. I just don’t like people suffering around me and I am trying to do my best. I suffer not for myself, but for them”.