By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
NBA prospect Victor Wembanyama had the top performance in his EuroLeague career so far to push ASVEL Villeurbanne past Zalgiris 72 – 68 on the road. This win snapped an eight-game skid for the French side in away matches.
Wembanyama was quite dominant on both ends to finish with career-highs 14 points (on 6-7 2-pointers plus 2-3 free throws), five blocks (a competition-high-tying for 2021-22) and 23 PIR while also grabbing five rebounds, dishing out two assists and stealing the ball twice in 28:30.
“It was really a collective job,” Wembanyama said. “We listened to the scouting, to the coach at halftime and he was really calm, really confident. I think we did a really great job collectively and I want to shout out at number 0, Elie Okobo, because he secured the game by himself. We did a great job the whole game collectively, but at the end of the game, it’s him. I think it is just the natural course of things. I know it is just the beginning. I am really confident. I know this season hasn’t been perfect, there were a lot of things we couldn’t control, collectively and individually, but I know it is the natural way of things. It is going to be better and better.”
Wembanyama gave a shout to Elie Okobo and rightfully so. The French guard scored 11 out of his 21 points during the last four minutes in his return from a shoulder injury that kept him out for seven weeks. He led the charge in the final push ASVEL made down the stretch to take the victory
With Zalgiris up 60 – 57, Okobo drained two triples and Wembanyama made a basket for a 0 – 8 run that put ASVEL up 60 – 65 with 2:28 to play. Tyler Cavanaugh responded with a triple of his own but Okobo hit another from beyond the arc and then scored free throws for the 63 – 70.
Zalgiris didn’t give up and approached 68 – 70 with a new 3-pointer by Cavanaugh. David Lighty went 2-2 from the stripe with 12 seconds to play to keep the French side safe.
Edgaras Ulanovas had 15 points plus five assists for Zalgiris while Arturas Milaknis and Paulius Jankunas scored 11 and 10 respectively. The latter two led a counterattack in the third period that resulted in Zalgiris erasing a 12-point deficit (34 – 46) and going up 50 – 41 early in the fourth quarter.
“Congratulations to my colleague in ASVEL,” Zalgiris coach Jure Zdovc said. “We knew it would be a tough game. They don’t fit against us, are very athletic, physical and I expected a tough game. Let’s say that at first sight, one player decided the game. Okobo really made some clutch shots in the very important moment of the game. Those were tough shots, we were there, we can do a better job or not but these are the games we should win. It is something easy to play against big teams like Real and Barcelona but these are the teams you should beat to reach the playoffs.”
Regaining full strength
ASVEL coach TJ Parker had a couple of reasons to smile tonight: The win, Okobo’s return and watching youngster Wembanyama making the most out of his minutes.
“They made a comeback,” Parker said. “I think we were controlling the game in the third quarter and after that, of course, like I said, they can always make a run. At least we kept our poise, came back in the fourth quarter, took the advantage and got the win. They [Okobo and Jones] helped us all season. We need them to be good like they were tonight and after that, we still need help from the bench players coming in, because we are going to need them in the long run.
“[Wembanyama] is a kid who listens,” Parker said on Wembanyama. “He wants to get better. It is not easy for him because he has his type of body. He has to get stronger, and he works every day really hard. He deserves the minutes he gets on the court and if he keeps listening the way he is, he will get more and more playing time. He is a guy I also trust to be at the end of the game. He is big for us.”