By Eurohoops team / info@eurohoops.net
The explosive Elie Okobo helped LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne end the double-game week on a good note with an 84-70 victory on the road against Panathinaikos OPAP Athens for Round 7 of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague.
Okobo led all scorers of the game with 35 points with 5 out of 7 attempts from the three-point in his best EuroLeague game to date, while he also added 4 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals for TJ Parker’s squad for a PIR of 37.
“My teammates give me confidence every day. I am working on my game. They trust me – the coaching staff, too. I try to bring a lot of energy. I knew tonight was going to be a tough game with this amazing crowd, and we got the job done. Coach challenges me on the defensive end every day. My teammates make fun of me sometimes when I get a little lazy”, said Okobo post-game.
Kostas Antetokounmpo finished the game with 12 points and six rebounds, providing plenty of highlights in the showdown at OAKA, while Chris Jones tapped 13 points for ASVEL.
After a head-to-head battle for nearly four quarters, ASVEL maintained a six-point lead as the game entered crunchtime and Okobo made sure to keep his team intact with key shots to reach his EuroLeague-high performance, as Panathinaikos couldn’t fight back. ASVEL now moves up in the standings with a 5-2 overall record with their second consecutive victory.
Panathinaikos’ captain Ioannis Papapetrou added 16 points and 6 rebounds and Daryl Macon Jr. also had a key contribution in the second half with a total of 16 points of his own. Jeremy Evans added up 13 points for the Greens that now fall to a 2-5 record.
Photo: EuroLeague