By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Making history with basketball finally returning to Stade Roland Garros, AS Monaco spoiled the party for Paris claiming the win, 95-91, Sunday.
The top performer was Mike James packing 29 points, nine assists, and seven rebounds over nearly 32 minutes. Up 2-0 in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague, La Roca Team tallied its fifth win in a row to start the Betclic Elite LNB Pro A Regular Season.
Adrien Moerman added 17 points with both Donta Hall and Donatas Motiejunas ruled out for the Round 5 game. For the losing side, Boston Celtics draft pick Juhann Begarin scored 28 points.
The game was held on the court placed in Court Philippe-Chatrier, as announced during the offseason. Stade Roland Garros famously hosts the Grand Slam tennis championship French Open but used to be a regular venue for major basketball events as well. The return was a historic day for both Paris and French basketball.
Besides Monaco, fellow EuroLeague team LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne saw a 23-point advantage reduced to four points but went on to the 83-74 victory against BCM Gravelines-Dunkerque. Joffrey Lauvergne stood out with 19 points as T.J. Parker’s side improved to 3-2. Nando de Colo, Charles Kahudi, and Parker Jackson-Cartwright were held out.
Saturday action included hot prospect Victor Wembanyama and Metropolitans 92 outlasting Le Mans in overtime.
Betclic Elite LNB Pro A Regular Season Round 5:
Fos-sur-mer – ESSM Le Portel 79-77
Ada Blois – JDA Dijon 74-107
JL Bourg – Cholet 68-87
Le Mans – Metropolitans 92 89-94 OT (84-84)
SLUC Nancy – Elan Bearnais Pau-Lacq-Orthez 88-81
Nanterre 92 – Roanne 85-81
SIG Strasbourg – Limoges CSP 71-73
Paris – AS Monaco 91-95
LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne – BCM Gravelines-Dunkerque 83-74
STANDINGS: AS Monaco 5-0, Le Mans 4-1, Ada Blois 4-1, Metropolitans 92 3-1, Cholet 3-1…
Photo Credit: EuroleagueBasketball.net