By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
A veteran of 107 appearances in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague, Ben Bentil returned to the premier club continental competition of Europe.
Bentil, 29, inked a contract for the remainder of the 2024-25 season with LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne, the team announced on Tuesday.
With Mbaye Ndiaye projected to remain sidelined for several more months due to a ruptured cruciate ligament in his right knee, the experienced big’s arrival reinforces the paint for the team coached by Pierric Poupet. Fellow bigs, Joffrey Lauvergne (calf) and Charles Kahudi (groin) are also currently dealing with injuries, but are expected to return to action sooner than the 26-year-old center.
Bentil previously played in the EuroLeague with Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet, AX Armani Exchange Milan, and Panathinaikos OPAP. However, his last appearance dates back to March 31, 2023, with Zvezda facing his new team, ASVEL in Astroballe.
In the 2023-24 season, he moved his talents to Japan and played for the Gunma Crane Thunders, before starting the ongoing campaign with Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv and shifting to Napoli in late October. The most recent stay in Italy’s LBA UnipolSai produced 14.9 points and 6.3 rebounds per contest over 11 appearances.
Resurfacing in the EuroLeague, the Ghanaian forward/center meets Tony Parker’s team at 10-12, two games outside the Play-In Showdown zone. At the domestic level, besides qualifying for the annual Leaders Cup and nearing the Round of 16 in the Coupe de France, a 12-4 tally is one game behind Betclic Elite leader Cholet.