Βy Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
With the race towards the playoffs and the play-in games getting hot, Partizan got a huge boost on their hopes by cutting some of ASVEL’s chances to make it.
The Serbian team got an impressive 93-62 win after a spectacular 29-9 third period that decided the outcome well before the final buzzer.
Partizan got to a 10-11 record thanks to this result making the traveling Serbian fans happy, while the French side dropped to 9-12.
Tarik Jones with 22 points and Iffe Lundberg with 18 points led the charge and were a huge part of the third-period dominance.
Brandon Davies added 11 crucial points and Sterling Brown had 14 points on 4/4 threes.
“Every game has to be a final for us”, admitted Lundberg since Partizan is still fighting for their post-season lives.
Melvin Ajinca with 14 points was the only player of ASVEL who scored in double digits, while the team committed 14 turnovers. Theo Maledon scored seven points, all from the free-throw line and Joffrey Lauverge was out due to injury.
A masterpiece in the second half
The game started with Partizan taking a 22-12 lead and Sterling Brown scoring 11 points. After the end of the first period, the guests had an 11-point advantage (31-20). However, it was time for ASVEL to push and make it a four-point game after an 11-4 partial score (35-31).
Partizan buckled down in defense and thanks to Lundberg’s back-to-back threes, the guests closed the first half, leading again by 11 (45-34).
It was just the start for the guests who opened up the third period with a 13-6 partial score in four minutes and suddenly Partizan was up by 18 (58-40) after five straight points by Brandon Davies.
The lead was stretched to 23 points (64-41) after one more three by Davies and ASVEL seemed unable to react. Partizan led by 31 (74-43) with 10 minutes left and the game was over.
Photo credit: Partizan/X