By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Five players scored in double figures as Fenerbahce Beko captured its third consecutive win in EuroLeague by beating LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne 86-64 at home. Thanks to this result, the Turkish powerhouse improved its regular-season record to 8 – 11.
This was the third straight defeat for ASVEL that is now 8 – 11 as well. The team was coached by assistant T.J. Parker since head coach Zvezdan Mitrovic didn’t travel to Turkey.
Nando De Colo and Derrick Williams led Fener in scoring with 16 points apiece with Williams providing also more than a bit of a spectacle.
Kostas Sloukas posted a double-double of 10 points plus 10 assists. Gigi Datome had 12 points plus six rebounds and reigning EuroLeague MVP Jan Vesely dropped 10 points n his first game in the competition since late November.
“We controlled the rhythm in the second half”, Sloukas said. “We played good basketball and at the moment that they tried to react, we played good defense and we came again back. We have in front of us a very difficult and very important game for us and for our fans. We must thank all of these fans who are incredible and help us a lot. I have faith, the team has faith, and we believe that we can make something good from now on.”
Amine Noua (12 points) and Livio Jean-Charles (10 points) were the only ASVEL players in double-digit numbers. The French team was overwhelmed 26 -13 in the second quarter Fener closed halftime up 49 – 28. Coach Zeljko Obradovic’s players retained complete control for the remainder of the match.
“It’s a big regression for us”
Despite the fact that Fenerbahce was the favorite, coach TJ Parker didn’t hide his disappointment about the performance of his team: “It’s a big regression for me and for the team tonight because in the first half we were not playing with the energy we played in the last two or three games. Energy is very important, in offense and defense, and it was really disappointing from the start. In the second half we started strong, they couldn’t score for almost 5 or 4minutes and a half, and we could get back to 12, but we made some mistakes and, of course, Fenerbahce is a great team.”
On the other hand, coach Obradovic was cautiously optimistic and gave credit to his players: “They did everything we were talking about at the halftime. We played good defense and evidently, we must continue that way. In the third quarter, we were very slow offensively and that’s why we just scored 13 points, but everything else was correct. Congratulations to the players and thanks, one more time, to our people for their great support.”
Photo credit: EuroLeague