By Eurohoops Team/ info@eurohoops.net
Victor Wembanyama went from powering the French All-Stars to the win, 136-128, over the World All-Stars in the All-Star Game by Gorillas to making appearances in more events Thursday.
Recording 27 points, 12 points, four assists, three steals, and two blocks over 27 minutes, he lighted up the fans at the long-lasting venue of France’s All-Star Game, Accor Arena. In his All-Star Game debut, the promising youngster was named MVP.
Another key appearance was LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne’s Nando De Colo returning to the All-Star Game of his home country with seven points and six assists in 19 minutes. Juhann Begarin, with NBA rights already at the Boston Celtics, finished with a 25-point, 12-rebound double-double in the entertaining contest featuring stars of France’s Betclic LNB Pro A. For the losing team, JL Bourg’s James Palmer Jr. scored 32 points.
Wembanyama, 18, additionally participated in the pregame 3-point shootout qualifiers but his 12 points missed the cut alongside De Colo’s 16-point showing. Gauthier Denis thanks to a 21-point effort and Nicolas Lang with a 17-point effort advanced. Following the first quarter, Limoges CSP’s sharpshooter Lang won the final, 21-13.
The dunk contest in halftime featured Wembanyama as a prop for ASVEL’s Yves Pons to jump over on his way to defeating Celtics’ draft and stash promising guard and current Paris star Begarin. “I was there to win,” the veteran of 12 NBA games as a member of the Memphis Grizzlies commented on his performance.
Opening the packed event, T.J. Campbell of Cholet outdueled 20-year-old Nadir Hifi to win the Skills Challenge. Thomas Cornely and Milan Barbitch were eliminated in the Semifinals.
The impact of Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Regular Season Round 16 carried over to AS Monaco players being excused as La Roca Team is in action tonight against Zalgiris. ASVEL players were instead available, ahead of T.J. Parker’s team playing host to Alba Berlin deeper in this week’s schedule, Friday evening.
Photo Credit: FIBA.BASKETBALL