By Eurohoops Team/ info@eurohoops.net
Victor Wembanyama and Metropolitans 92 narrowly escaped a seemingly improbable defeat in France’s Betclic Elite LNB Pro A Regular Season Round 17.
After dropping a 24-point lead, Vincent Collet’s side held on to an 83-82 victory thanks to the top candidate for the first spot in the 2023 NBA draft using his reach to complicate the last offense of the hosts Wednesday.
Wembanyama, 19, was held to 4/12 from the field in an 11-point effort paired with seven rebounds and four blocks over 28 minutes in Palais des Sports de Marseille. As a starter in all 18 games in France’s top-tier division so far, producing 21.4 points, 9.4 rebounds, and 3.2 blocks per game are all league-highs, to go along with 2.0 assists and 0.9 steals per contest. Averaging an efficiency rating of 25.1 also leads the Pro A.
Former Wyoming standout Justin James went for 24 points, six assists, and four rebounds in Marseille. Tremont Waters chipped in 14 points, five rebounds, and three assists.
Surviving a scare, the Mets jumped to 14-4, closing the deficit from the league leader and Turkish Airlines EuroLeague participant AS Monaco to half a game. Coming up next is a home fixture opposite Roanne scheduled for next Friday, 27 January.
Stuck at the bottom of the table, Fos-sur-Mer fell to 4-14. Garlon Green put up 19 points and Dylan Affo Mama with 17 points to his name led the charge gunning for an upset. Rudy Demahis-Ballou and Stephen Brown ended up with 11 points each.
Photo Credit: FIBA.BASKETBALL