By Eurohoops team / info@eurohoops.net
Zalgiris claimed a victory in Round 15 of the EuroLeague, beating Paris away 108–105.
Sylvain Francisco delivered another incredible performance and, based on what he has shown so far this season, is one of the main candidates for the MVP award. The Frenchman finished the game with 26 points (8/16 from the field), four rebounds, five assists and 11 drawn fouls, which gave him a performance index rating of 28.
Alongside him, Nigel Williams-Goss added 18 points and ten assists, while Laurynas Birutis was excellent with 17 points and six rebounds. Azuolas Tubelis also scored 17 points and was one of the heroes of the win.
On the other side, Nadir Hifi scored 27 points, while Amath Mbaye contributed with 23 points.
It was a great game in Paris, decided after a spectacle and a dramatic ending. It seemed that Zalgiris would close out the match without major problems when the team from Kaunas had a solid lead midway through the final quarter (82–91). However, the home team came back and tied the game (95–95), only for another run by the visitors to follow, with all seven points in that stretch scored by Francisco himself.
Even then, it was not over. Paris came back again, and after a basket by Mbaye they took the lead (105–104) with 23 seconds remaining. Tubelis then answered, scoring the decisive points of the game. On the last possession, Hifi missed a three-pointer for the win, Zalgiris secured the rebound and ultimately sealed the victory.
Zalgiris now have a 9–6 record and will host Anadolu Efes in the next round. Paris, meanwhile, are at 5–10 and now face a game against Barcelona.