By Eurohoops Team/ info@eurohoops.net
Improving defense after conceding 24 points in the first half, JDA Dijon prevailed, 89-82, over Peristeri bwin in the winner-takes-all Game 3 of the Basketball Champions League Play-In best-of-three series Wednesday.
Gavin Ware and Markis McDuffie combined for 19 points in the fourth quarter to share a team-high 20 points. They kept the team coached by Nenad Markovic in charge down the stretch. In a 29-point swing, the home side went up by 18 points in the third period but Peristeri almost drove all the way back with the bid for a late comeback stopping at five points with four minutes remaining.
Slovenian swingman Gregor Hrovat tallied 14 points, four rebounds, three steals, and two assists. Posting a 10-point, 10-assist double-double, longtime leader David Holston made it one point shy of the top five scorers in BCL history, apart from guiding Dijon to the Round of 16 for a second year in a row. Chase Simon (groin) and Jonathan Rousselle (Achilles tendon) stayed on the injury list.
With the win at Palais des Sports Jean-Michel Geoffroy, La Jeanne entered Group I of the Round of 16. Coming up next will be France’s Betclic Elite LNB Pro A rival SIG Strasbourg plus Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem and Hapoel Atsmon Holon of Israel’s Winner League.
Surpassing his personal best for the 2022-23 season in the first half, Leonidas Kaselakis powered Peristeri to the lead peaking at 11 points. The 32-year-old Greek forward ended up with a new BCL-high of 22 points but was on the losing end of the contest. Sylvain Francisco paired 19 points with nine assists and Miro Bilan had 13 points and eight rebounds.
The team coached by Vassilis Spanoulis will focus on domestic competitions in Greece, including Basket League. The 8-4 record ranks third in the country’s top-tier division behind powerhouses Olympiacos and Panathinaikos.
Postgame press conference:
Photo Credit: Basketball Champions League