By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
A good day for LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne.
After routing JL Bourg, 102-84, the ring ceremony honoring the 2021-22 LNB Pro A Betclic Elite championship team followed Saturday evening.
The team coached by T.J. Parker introduced itself to the Astroballe crowd under the pressure of suffering a couple of defeats on the road and falling to 0-2 to start the 2022-23 Regular Season of the French league. Rushing to a double-digit lead in the first quarter created enough distance to build on a comfortable victory in Round 3.
Towering center Youssoupha Fall paved the way with 20 points and seven rebounds. Amine Noua threw in 14 more points and Parker Jackson-Cartwright combined 13 points with eight assists. Another double-digit scoring production in Jonah Mathews tallying 12 points.
Nando de Colo was limited to 18 minutes in the easy win. The experienced point guard finished with five points, two rebounds, and two assists. Playing time was spread across 11 players. Paul Lacombe did not play and Charles Kahudi did not suit up.
Knocking in 15/27 three-pointers was key in maintaining the safe lead and going up to 1-2 at the domestic level. The 21-time champions of France will shift into the opening week of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague hosting EA7 Emporio Armani Milan in Round 1 Thursday.
Jordan Floyd registered a team-high 15 points for the losing side, dropping to 2-1. Frantz Massenat followed with 13 points. The 7DAYS EuroCup participant was coming off a couple of narrow wins.
However, Monaco leads the standings after being Roanne 109-85 with Mike James leading the way and scoring 20 points.
ProA – Round 3
Lyon-Villeurbanne – Bourg-en-Bresse 102-84
Paris – Blois 99-104
Gravelines-Dunkerque – Dijon 71-69
Fos-sur-Mer – Nanterre 87-84
Strasbourg – Nancy 79-69
Monaco – Roanne 109-85
Pau-Lacq-Orthez – Limoges 81-62
Le Mans – Cholet (4/10)
STANDINGS: Monaco 3-0, Blois 3-0, Le Mans 2-0, Cholet 1-0, Gravelines-Dunkerque 2-1, Boulogne-Levallois 2-1, Dijon 2-1, Pau-Lacq-Orthez 2-1, Bourg-en-Bresse 2-1…
Photo Credit: EuroleagueBasketball.net