By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Edwin Jackson with 18 points was the unexpected star of a game with a totally unexpected ending.
ASVEL almost gave the win to ALBA, but after overtime managed to prevail 96-89 and still has hope for the postseason with a 10-12 record.
Theo Maledon with 17 points and four points was good only in the first half, while Melvin Ajinca added 11 points, Nando De Colo had 10, and Andre Robinson also 10.
“I believe ALBA is playing well now. We needed this victory to keep a good mentality and a positive mindset”, Pierric Poupet said after their 10th victory in the EuroLeague.
“I needed to pick it up, especially defensively. We all did, this is how we got a very precious victory for us”, ASVEL’s highest scorer Edwin Jackson commented.
On the other side, Matt Thomas with 20 points did his best, Martin Hermannsson had 13 points, and Malte added 11 but missed a huge free throw in the closing seconds.
ALBA remains last in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague standings with a 3-19 record.
“We came back with defense, and it’s very important to build from today”, Israel Gonzalez said.
A sloppy night
ALBA managed to stay close in the first half, trailing by 10 (50-40) after the first two quarters.
However, the guests only once tied the score at 15, ASVEL closed the first period up by four (23-19) and created some solid distance at 37-22 before ALBA managed to trim their advantage.
Maledon with 12 points and three assists in 13 minutes, but couldn’t score after that until overtime, and Matt Thomas with 13 first-half points kept the Germans relatively close.
With Thomas making one more three ALBA closed the gap to two points (54-52) with a 12-4 run, but ASVEL quickly reacted, leading by 12 (70-58) and closing the third period up by eight (70-62).
ALBA didn’t give up and got the 74-72 lead with a 12-2 run after two threes by Will McDowell-White. Still, ASVEL almost immediately got the lead back (81-76) with their own 9-2 run and Edwin Jackson scoring five of those points.
With two minutes left, ALBA trailed by three (81-78) after a shot by Malte Delow and Martin Hermannsson was the only one to score in the next minute to push ALBA even closer (81-80).
Andre Robinson made a big shot with 41 seconds left to keep ASVEL up (83-80), Delow scored again (83-82) and Jackson again with two free throws made the score 85-82 with 21 seconds left.
ALBA had the ball and with seven seconds left, Delow made a huge three to tie the score (85-85) plus got fouled by Nando De Colo. However, he missed the free throw and in the time left, ASVEL couldn’t score and we got overtime.
Edwin Jackson again with a big three made the score 91-85 and ASVEL kept things under control until the end.
Photo credit: EuroLeague